He couldn’t breathe.
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
Izuku was late to school once again. It wasn’t like he’d meant to be, but last night he’d stayed out a bit later than usual talking to the locals, getting as much information as he could about a case he was currently working on. A boy went missing from the streets a few days ago. Apparently he’d been living on them for a few months now after running away from an abusive foster home, and had joined up with one of the small communities of people who lived in the abandoned factory district not too far away. Izuku didn’t have too much information, this boy lived on the streets after all, so not too many would pay attention to someone like him.
Name; no one knew
Alias; Vex
Age; about 15, maybe 16
Hair; short, bright red
Eyes; neon green
Skin; tan with rust colored spots along his neck and hands
Height; about 170 cm
Quirk; Was said to be some type of strong metal manipulation on a large scale, but can’t be confirmed because only two or three people are said to have actually seen it in action.
Info; Went missing one night after he told his friends that he was going out to a nearby convenience store to buy some food for them after a generous payment from a stranger.
He never came back that night and when it was later reported to the police they’d just brushed it off, saying that because he’d run away once, what was stopping him from doing it again? Everyone knew it was because it was a homeless teen though, nobody cared about the people who truly need their help.
So, Izuku began listening to some of his worried friends, he started staying out later, calling his mother to let her know he was in the middle of a large project and that he probably wouldn’t be home for dinner the next few nights. She’s been concerned, but in the end, she let him do his thing, telling him to be home by eight at the latest. And there he went, walking and walking and bussing around the city, doing whatever he could to get as much information as he could and spread it. Whether than be on hero and fandom forums, different types of websites, popular social media apps, anything and everything he was connected to he spread the information on - he’d even sent it to the police anonymously, both in person and over the computer. (It wasn’t that hard to hack into their private database and give and take information, nor was it that hard to hack in to send them emails filled with the files about the boy without them finding him in return)
But last night, last night he’d gotten a lead, someone who said that they’d actually seen the boy get taken, but in order to get to that person Izuku’d had to go through a few others, and that had taken him until around ten in the evening, way later than he was supposed to be out, no matter what the situation. So, he asked for the guy's name, Horika Tori, from the last person he was meeting that night, and if there was a high chance Horika would give Izuku the information on Vex easily.
This led Izuku to stopping at a store on his way back home to pick up a few premade and easy to eat meals before finally making it home at around ten forty-five in the evening. By then, Izuku had been so exhausted from all of the days work, but still, he crawled into the house, kissed his worried mothers cheek, ate the cold meal she had prepared for him, before working himself up the stairs to his room to finish the homework he’d been assigned in class than day. It wasn’t until about four thirty am that he finally went to bed, and while that wasn’t too late in his book, with everything that’s been going on lately, and the lack of sleep it was giving him, his body was ready for a long coma like sleep.
So here he was, rushing to school because he was going to be late, phone pressed to his ear with his shoulder as he called his mother and told her that she might be getting a call from his school saying he was late, some mochi still being chewed in his mouth because he’d wanted something sweet that morning, and his hero analysis notebook clasped in one hand, while his pen was clasped in the other, writing down as much as he could about the fight taking place in front of him right then - Mt.Lady and Kamui Woods taking down a purse snatcher with a growth and mutation quirk ; causing way too much damage for something that should have been easily taken care of ; they should have just let him get away to mitigate damages and to lower civilian devistations -
It was a compliment from a stranger that shook him from his thoughts and reminded him that he still had school to get to. The phone still between his shoulder and ear had been hung up, (his mother chuckling as she heard him mumbling about) and the food in his mouth had finally been swallowed. With reddened cheeks, Izuku bowed quickly in thanks before stuffing his notebook, pen and phone into his bag and running off to school once more, making a mental note to watch the rest of this fight later.
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
He couldn’t breath… Somebody… help…
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
By the time he finally got to school it seemed like he hadn't missed much as homeroom was just starting - the only thing missed was just the 3rd year assembly about choosing which highschool they planned to go to, and making sure to prepare themselves for their future - not too bad overall.
As he entered the room, he quickly walked his way to his seat, ignoring the snickers and comments reaching his ears from all across the room. Instead, as he sat down, he made sure that he had everything needed for the day, all his homework, all his notebooks, all his little extra things like keys, phone, wallet, and an extra change of clothes at the bottom of his bag. Soon enough sheets of paper were being handed out to everyone, and they were told to fill in the boxes with their top three choices in schools and what courses they were trying for. Not even thinking twice, he filled in each of the boxes with UA, the courses being filled with Hero Course, General Education, and Business Course - obviously he knew that he might not get into UA, but it’s not like he didn’t have any have other choices for school either, but at the moment he’d just list UA because it’s not like his current school would help or aid in any of the decisions he’ll be making towards his future. So after writing everything he needed to down, he hurriedly walked up to the teacher's desk to lay it with the few others that had finished before walking back to his desk to sit until the class was brought together.
Izuku took out his hero analysis notebook then, allowing himself to pour out everything he remembered from the fight that morning, making sure that all the writing was semi-clear, as well as making sure to add small details to this mornings melee here and there. He would have opened his other notebook - his ‘Connections and Cases notebook number seven’ - but that would have been too risky in the setting he was currently sitting in, his classroom a very dangerous place for his precious and important belongings. Too many people would see it and probably laugh at him, which wouldn’t bother him too much, but they would probably destroy it ruining all his years worth of information in one second, which would greatly hurt him, but the smarter ones would realize that something was off and could possibly start harassing him, or possibly tell some of the higher ups about this notebook, which could lead to an investigation and all that - and well, none of that was good, so he kept in the safety of his bookbag, and instead worked on taking notes in his regular Hero Analysis For The Future #13 until it was time to come together again.
“So, I know this is an important time for you all, picking schools, making life changing decisions and what not, but, who am I kidding, you all want to be heroes am I right?!” The papers were thrown in the air as he exclaimed his words, thus encouraging the class to go wild with their quirks. Izuku just ducked lower into his desk seat, cautiously putting away his notebook so that he wouldn’t drag too much attention to himself, but also so he could keep it from getting damaged in between all his classmates' crazed quirks, especially from those who would ruin his notes on purpose.
Ignoring the rest of his classmates, Izuku just focused on keeping his head bowed while everyone else continued to squawk and squawk and squawk - that it, until one member of the class yelled above the rest. Long legs carelessly thrown onto his desk, one crossed over the other, left hand tucked into his pocket like a thug-wannabe, his other held out besides him letting off a series of smaller explosions in time with his yelling, and a large smirk plastered on his face.
“Haaah?! Hey, Sensei! Don’t lump me in with the rest of these low-life losers! I’m the best of the best, the only one who’s going to make it into Ua, and the only one who’s going to become a hero that’s worth a damn in the industry!” Shouting from the others ensued as the teacher just agreed with Bakugou, telling him that he was right, but that the other students weren’t too shabby either - that is, until he suddenly brought up the topic of Izuku.
“Huh, Midoriya, didn’t you say you were going to try applying for UA as well?” Izuku wanted to curse out every higher being in existence for this moment, of course his luck was like this, nothing ever seemed to go right without some major pain involved on Izuku’s part, without something bad happening.
Instead of answering the question, he just lowered his head farther down, bracing for what was sure to come. Soon enough a loud enraged “HHAAAAAAAHH?!” filled the air as the rest of the class burst into fits of laughter, mocking him for his choices once more like always. An explosive hand slammed onto his desk ( cut off his hands, break his wrists or fingers, douse his body in gasoline - ) and then another one, sending all the pencils and extra papers he’d had on his desk scattering to the floor. Izuku flinched back, trying to get away from the sparks and heat as his starburst scars flared up with the ghost sensation of burning pain of past clashes from years ago that still haunt his nightmares. Especially after that night ( Izuku just drifted… He couldn’t look at his mothers eyes, he’s caused so many problems, he’s such a disappointment… He didn’t think Kacchan would do it… ) Izuku still has the scar on his collarbone, going down over his shoulder and back, even up his neck slightly.
Izuku never gets a chance to speak before Bakugou is going off again, pouting about how he was the only one who’s supposed to get into UA, destined to get into UA, and suddenly the next thing Izuku knows he’s on the floor, pushing himself to get away from the looming figure that was Bakugou as the explosive child stalked closer, and closer while the teacher pretended to be interested in some of the students high school application sheets. Finally, as his back hits the wall, the teacher glances over and sighs a little, telling Bakugou to pull back, that quirks shouldn’t be used too much in the classroom, that next class was starting within a few minutes and that everyone needed to be in their seats - including Izuku. Then with a quick warning not to aggravate Bakugou anymore, the teacher left, allowing the new one to come in for the next class.
Nothing like a familiar routine to start off the day, huh…
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
Maybe… I’m meant… to die… now
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Bakugou would corner Izuku at the end of the day because of what’d happened in homeroom, but when Bakugou came over and ripped the notebook from Izuku’s hands as he was trying to pack all his things away and get ready to meet with his newest lead, Izuku was still put off. Turning to the blond he asked him for his notebook back, this time it was unsurprising when Bakugou just sneered and said no, before then proceeding to bad mouth Izuku as much as he could - you’re worthless, you’re stupid, you really think you’ll make it as a hero?
All Izuku did was ask for his notebook once more, keeping his eyes away from Bakugou’s red ones, his eyes away from his hands ( dead dead dead ). A second later and the notebook was crisped and being flung through the air and towards the open window - Izuku rushed to follow it, almost falling out the window himself as he tried to catch it, reaching out his arm and stretching as far as he could, but it was just a bit too fast and he was just a bit too slow. Eventually Izuku just settled for watching it as it fell past some bushes, into what he hoped wasn’t the koi pond, despair filling his being.
All that hard work… It’ll have to be redone now… again…
The others behind him just laughed at his antics, and he quickly turned around, fists clenched at his sides, teeth tightly grit. He felt himself grow angry, felt himself want to move forwards with the intent to fight - he might not be able to win in a drawn out fight, he wasn’t that strong, he knew that, but if he could just get a few quick punches in, a few hits, even if they were weak, as long as they connected, Izuku knew it would feel good. Knew he would feel satisfying. Maybe he could break - He broke his train of thought as Bakugou glared at him with a smirk on his lips that seemed to say ‘try something, I dare you’.
With another suggestion to go jump off a roof and hope for a quirk in the next life, Izuku felt himself flare up again and dared him to fight back, dared him to march towards the smug bastard and knock him in the lighthouse, but soon enough Bakugou and his goons were gone, and all Izuku could do was stand there and stir in his concealed bubbling rage. Suddenly though, he let in a large breath before letting it back out, allowing all his emotions to go with it, his body growing tired and unsteady - he had things to do, he couldn’t get mad now, couldn’t get overwhelmed with things that happened all the time. He had a boy to find, and that would mean getting back to work right away
So, he picked up the rest of his things, placed them into his book bag and sped off to find his notebook - which did happen to land directly into the koi pond - what luck. As he grabbed it, all he could think about was how Bakugou was still throwing petty death threats and suicide baits at him - doesn’t he know that everytime he says those words, he could find himself in jail alone for threatening me? Doesn’t he understand that if I ever took his advice he’d go to jail for assisted suicide, or even possibly murder? I swear, he only thinks with his ego sometimes…
With that flowing through his mind he picked up his phone and called his mother again, mentioning that he was going to be late again coming home, but that he would be stopping by soon to pick something up before leaving again. Another okay, and a quick warning to be careful was what he got from his mother before they both said their goodbyes and hung up. Not even a second right after that, as he was shaking out his soggy notebook, he pulled up another contact he’d only had for a few days and messaged them saying he was going to need the whereabouts of the newest witness so that he could meet him today.
As his phone buzzed in his hand with the message, he walked into an underpass, the air was thick almost and felt off, felt wrong. Next thing he knew the sounds of thick water and moving metal alerted him that someone was there, allowing him to turn around faster than he’d ever moved in his whole life, his body moving to try and jump back. There, coming out of the manhole was a being made of some sort of green sludge that smelled worse than the bathrooms at school, gurgling and bubbling out words that Izuku couldn’t even understand. (It kinda reminded him of his mind when he let darker thoughts come out, how they would seem to slug their way forward on slimy and awkward limbs, dragging their parts around as they moved)
The last thing Izuku remembers the slug being say was something along the lines of ‘ You’ll be the perfect vessel ’ and ‘Just stop struggling’ .
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
H-help! I can’t breathe, someone please save me! I can’t go just yet - Mama, I still have mama, please, Kami, whoever is listening - don’t let her be alone, she would be devastated, please, she doesn’t deserve something like this, no matter how terrible of a son I am - please, my mama doesn’t need this - Mama, mama, mama - kami I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe - I know I’m worthless, but please let me live, please for the sake of my mama, for the sake of mama, for the sake of the people I might help - for the sake of that boy! Please, don’t let me die just yet, please just let me continue to breathe a little bit longer - Vex, Vex… mama… mama… mama…
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
I… can’t… hold on…
…
…
All Might?
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
Izuku woke up coughing out slime and a hand slapping his cheek.
“Hey, wake up, hey!” Glancing around, he felt himself distort almost before coming back together, as if he was resetting, before his eyes started to work so that he could finally see who the person in front of him was. It didn’t even take a second for him to recognize who was there, and when he did, his mind when blank.
“All Might?!” He screeched, yet All Might just laughed, posing dramatically before saying something about how worried he was that he might have knocked him out on accident with his punch, but Izuku was just floundering around for something All Might to sign, but it seems he’d already done that as when Izuku found his notebook it already had his signature right there in large black marker. (He would admit, that was kinda arrogant of All Might to do, but he wasn’t going to complain, after all, he was one of the fans that probably lifted his ego to such heights) Instead, Izuku turned back around to find the man putting the sludge trapped in a soda bottle into his pants pockets with a quick efficiency only a pro could have.
“Wait - can I -” But he never even got to finish his sentence as All Might was cutting him off, telling him that he didn’t have anymore time to talk, that crime never sleeps, and that Izuku could always just leave a message on his fanboard if he had any questions. And while Izuku had to agree, he was working on his own case right now, one that was urgent and that he should really be getting too, but it was All Might, and he needed to hear his question answered, even if the answer that’s given isn’t the one Izuku wants to hear. So instead, as All Might began his launch, Izuku hopped onto his leg and latched himself to it until they had landed on a building roof not too far away.
When they land Izuku coughs harshly, breathing as much as he can, the leftover goop from the smile monster dripping out of his mouth as he did so.
“Kid, that was crazy! What were you thinking, you have been hurt!” He knew, Izuku knew that, but he needed this question answered, needed it answered no matter what because if just one person believes, if just one other person said year, if the best said that yes, he could be a hero, maybe he wasn’t such a monster as he and his mother thought he was. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad thing after all. This wasn’t a question that debated whether or not he could be a hero - because even the bad guys did things for the right reasons, even the bad guys were and still are heroes to somebody - it was a question on whether or not he could be human, if he was human. So, steeling himself, he turned around in order to ask only to be met with a human skeleton of a man, before he could even get his words out.
While shocked, he wasn’t as surprised as he probably should have been - it’s not like he knew this would happen, it just seemed that his emotional capacity to be surprised by things he should be was dulled or broken, as if they had an instinct to know when stuff like this would happen so they just internally prepared him for it or something… In any case, he wasn’t that put off by it, so politely pulling out a hanky for the man, he got to his questions, his hands fiddling all the way.
“I’ve always wanted to be a hero, to help people - but, I was always told I couldn’t be, always told that I’d be useless at it… So, I was wondering, could someone who’s considered worthless to the world, someone down trodden by society - someone quirkless, can someone quirkless be a hero? Can I become a hero, All might?” Izuku looked up and immediately knew the answer - no. But, even so, he listened to the man, listened to All Might’s words as he told him about the dangers he’d been in, about the talented people he’d lost in the field, about how it would be too hard for him to ever be a hero. Told him no. Though he did say he could do it some other way; be a police officer, they wouldn’t let him in, because he’s quirkless - become a doctor, starting fifty years ago, their had only ever been about twenty new quirkless doctors added to the list, less so in the last ten years than in the whole fifty - become a firefighter, the same reason as a police officer, though more because they wanted water based quirks more than anything since fire hydrants tend to get destroyed in the villain attacks that cause the fire - Anything he named Izuku’s mind automatically came up with a reason why he wouldn’t be able to do it.
But he’d gotten his answer, so he didn't really think too much, just accepted that he was a monster and that he’d have to play bad guy being good until he died. Coughing a bit more, he wondered if maybe he should head to a hospital before he went anywhere else for the night, but pushed the idea away - he could deal with it at home when he went to pick up the food for his witness.
An explosion pulled him out of this thoughts, not an instant later he was rushing down the stairs - it didn’t matter what All Might said about not being able to become a hero, he would help those he could, no matter what, even if he had to do it as a monster instead of a human.
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
When he saw it was Bakugou trapped in the slime, he almost walked away.
When he saw it was Bakugou, he almost walked away.
But wouldn’t that just be giving into his monster? Wouldn’t that be giving into the very thing he hated? The very thing that tricked people into doing what he wanted, the very thing that lied and cheated all the time?
He pushed the urge to leave away, because not matter human, animal, trash, dirt - if he walked away he was not any better than the people around him, he was no better than the monster inside him, but at the same time, he was still a monster, but he would be the better monster out of these people. In this world everyone is evil, everyone had some form of malice in their hearts from the moment they are born into this world, no human is without evil, greed, pride, and nothing will change that - it just depends on how much you let it control you, and the popular status of the world at the time. Izuku was a monster because of society, so that makes society an even worse monster than him at times. But even so, he was a hero, and a hero would them all no matter what, Izuku would save them all if he needed to, to be better, because he didn’t want to be a monster, he just wanted to help, he just wanted to be loved, he just wanted to be him.
When he saw it was Bakugou, he almost walked away.
So instead, he hefted his book bag once more and ran forward, letting the monster guide his feet and hands as he went to save the person who’s given him the most grief.
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
He was on his walk home after the second incident, phone in and once more looking over the location to where his witness would be squatting for now, typing out a message to the person saying they would have to meet tomorrow, that he couldn’t make it today, but that he would make it up to him by getting what he could for him, whatever he generally wanted. The person was semi-understanding, seeing as they apparently watched the news, but also told Izuku that they couldn’t reschedule unless they were hoping for the boy to completely disappear. Flinching at the idea, Izuku gave his confirmation that he understood, and continued on towards his home.
He was almost there when Bakugou came running up to rant at him, before disappearing himself, and then not even two minutes later All Might was in front of him. He loved All Might, he really did, but he wasn’t in the mood for another lecture, so he kept moving forward until All might said a few words that froze him in his tracks.
Soon enough, he fell to his knees.
How?...
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
How did he get here?
It was hard to breathe.
How, how, how, how -!?
He couldn’t understand why, he couldn’t understand -
But he’d try, because that’s what he did best.
~ Arc 1 - P2: TBOAM -- Ch 8: AVIAVIAH ~
All Might had stood and told him he could be a hero. ( That he could be human - )
Maybe… just maybe life wasn’t so bad, maybe he could finally feel better about what he was doing, about what he was if he could be a hero as great as All Might. Even if he taints the world just a bit to get there, it’ll be better when he can save more people - when he has a quirk.
(If only he’d known that this was anything but a redemption, if only he’d know the terror and sorrow that would come)