Things in Ramsgate had been thrown further from the norm then they already had after the arrival of Izuku, if the presence of a preteen with a wheelchair that they could use all too well, with 0 self preservation instinct and an insatiable desire to learn didn't upset the day to day lives of Ramsgate's citizens then the discovery of an entirely new island chain not too far from Ramsgate certainly did.
The Orrery scientists had started arriving in Ramsgate less than a day after the islands were found, and they had selected a name for them already.
The Umbral Deeps.
A fitting name for an island chain in which the air was permeated with Umbral aether, affecting people who explored the island greatly with the corrosion and corruption that the very air inflicted unto those who were foolish enough to breathe in a place such as the deeps.
But there were ways to protect people against this corrosion, or Umbral Decay, as Izuku started calling it soon after Priyani told him about it.
But the Orrery scientists who had made it out alive from the Deeps had interesting stories to tell about the islands.
They had found signs of civilization on the island, but they were only ruins, from what the Orrery could find out about this civilization, they had all died out long before the Deeps were flung at Ramsgate.
But they had a name for this civilization based off of translations of runes found withing the deeps themselves.
The Void Runners.
Armed with this information Priyani immediately put a expedition into the works, gathering the few Orrery scientists who still wanted to go after the misfortune that had befallen those who went before them, and slayers, that would serve as the defenders of the scientists of the exploration team, and those who chose to go were warned by Kat about the lack of information on the behemoths they might very well find on the islands.
But hearing these preparations being put into motion lit a fire in Izuku's very soul, the boy was angry, those around him might not have been able to see it, but it was there, Izuku was eternally grateful to those who had helped him in Ramsgate, but he would never be able to forget the pain and humiliation that had been inflicted upon him.
From not being able to use the bathroom by himself, having to learn how to write again with his remaining arm, being monitored and watched out for due to his lack of depth perception because of his 1 eye, as well as the looks of pity that he got from everyone who surrounded him.
Izuku hated being looked at like some broken thing, like he was some leech that needed the pity and charity of others for his very survival, it scorched the fabric of his very soul, he would show those who pitied him that he was still useful, he would go to the deeps on the expedition.
When he brought his desire of joining the expedition to the influential figures of Ramsgate who had become nothing short of family to Izuku, they were wholeheartedly against it, so Izuku fought with them, leading to him storming away to a small secluded corner of Ramsgate that few went to.
~~~~~~~~Pissed Green Boy View~~~~~~~~~
Izuku was angry, that much was a given after the train wreck that was his life, but he wanted to join the expedition, he wanted to prove to those who had taken him in that he wasn't useless, or some thing that had to be taken care of 24/7.
He was caught up in his own thoughts before he heard footsteps behind him, so he turned and saw Arkan, who had allowed Izuku to stay in his house, and taught him everything he knew on being an aethersmith, and became the father that Izuku never truly had in his life.
"Hey Izuku, I know you're angry right now, but try to understand where we're coming from here, just a few months ago you appeared near death in the middle of town and barely survived, and now you're telling us you want to go to the Umbral Deeps, which is almost entirely unexplored and where the very air is corrosive, we can't help but worry.
The deeps are dangerous, we know so little on them that it's pitiful, and now that we're hearing that you want to join Priyani on her expedition worries us, we don't want to see you end up like those who have already gone to the deeps." Said Arkan
But Izuku still couldn't let go of this.
"Ever since I got to Ramsgate, people have had to take care of me, I can barely take care of myself in this condition, I finally got to a place where I could be considered normal, and it's been taken away, I'm still as useless as I was back home, but this is my one opportunity to be useful to everybody, analysis is all I've ever found myself good at, so please dad, let me do this much to repay you guys." Said Izuku, slowly starting to sob.
This hurt Arkan, any other time he would have been elated that Izuku had called Arkan his father, but that response had no place in this situation, and it saddened Arkan to see how much Izuku was suffering, the boy hadn't shown any signs of emotional problems since he had gotten to Ramsgate, all anyone had seen from Izuku was smiles and happiness.
But now Arkan could see that it had all been a front that Izuku had put up to not be a bother to anyone, but nobody that Izuku had met so far would think less of him for confiding his issues to them, they all adored Izuku and his willingness to keep moving forward in spite of the hell that he had been put through in his life, but as much as Arkan didn't want Izuku to go on the expedition, he knew that he wouldn't be able to truly prevent the boy from going, that this was the only way to try and hopefully helo his boy with the mountain of issues he had accumulated over time.
So he had to give Izuku a chance.
"Okay, I'll talk to the others and get them to see it your way, and I know that I can't understand what you've gone through so far, but I'm here for you if you ever need it, son." Said Arkan, slowly walking away from Izuku
~~~Arkan has convinced the others. time for Priyani~~~
Arkan POV
"Are you even listening to yourself Arkan!? I won't let Izuku join the expedition team! Not when so many people with far more field experience than Izuku have already died on that island!" Shouted Priyani
*I can understand her frustration, but this is starting to piss me off, Izuku will still go with or without Shae's approval, but the latter will hurt the both of them in the long run* Arkan thought
"Priyani! Izuku has been suffering this entire time without letting a single hint slip to us, the boy thinks he's worthless! He thinks that we're all going to up and vanish on him and leave him for dead like he was before he met all of us! The boy is trying to prove to himself that he is worth something, he's resolved himself to go with or without your approval! I know I can't stop him from doing this! So the least we can do is give him a chance, we've worked for weeks to make those prosthetics for him, they'll protect him where we are unable to.
So please Shae, give the boy a chance, I know you're still going to worry, we all are, but preventing him from going will hurt him deeply and only make him think that he's right about himself." Said Arkan, ending up pleading to Priyani for the sake of his son.
And she relented.
Now it was time to give Izuku some gifts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arkan gathered Izuku's prosthetics and those who had made them in the tavern before calling for Izuku.
When Izuku walked through the door, he was confused, he hadn't the slightest idea of why everyone he knew was at the tavern, until they all stepped to the sides, allowing Izuku to get his first glance at his limbs.
He was speechless, and that was before the waterworks started.
Even with only 1 working tear duct Izuku's tears were still almost too much for everyone to handle.
Strega was the first among the group to address Izuku, as she was the one who designed the segments of the limbs that would join to Izuku's organic body.
"Come on over dearie, we have to get these on you don't we? I've taken your exact measurements to ensure they fit and look flawless, they should properly join to the stumps and they use aether to function, they will be more stiff than normal limbs due to the fact that you're only human. And aether doesn't interact all too well with normal organics." Strega explained
So those present helped the boy out of his wheelchair, and helped him attach his new limbs, he let out minor cries of discomfort as they adjusted and locked into place, but as soon as they were properly adjusted, Izuku began to tear up again.
Izuku POV (imma try and give 1st person a shot)
When I felt my arm and leg click into place, I felt whole again, I knew they were just replacement limbs and that they would never measure up to my original ones, but it made me so much happier.
And I let the waterworks lose for the second time since I had gotten to Ramsgate.
But before I could do anything, father stepped forward, carrying a small box.
When he opened it, I felt like I could no longer breathe, inside was a glowing orb the size of my remaining eye, and I knew that there could only be one more thing that I would be able to replace.
My own eye that my own sister ripped out before she left me, disabled and for dead, but with the help of people who truly cared for me unlike my birth family, my dream might finally be realized, and I might be able to someday get my vengeance for what they did to me in Japan.
I was just getting started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This final gift is for you Izuku, I know your blood family is responsible for how you ended up needing these replacements, but allow us, your found family, to fix what they ruined, and maximize the potential of yours that they failed to ever recognize.
This eye was a favor that I asked from a certain Corsair, it should help you greatly, and allow you to go without needing to carry a lantern like other people, as well as numerous other benefits, but you will find those out on your own time.
I know it may seem rude of us to not reach you how to use your new limbs, but we know you will be able to master your new limbs without our help, as all of us trying to instruct you on how to utilize your own body parts would quickly lead to an argument and even more confusion then it's worth, I hope this expedition will be a chance for you to get used to them and move on from your past experiences.
But for now! We celebrate the birth of the newest member of Ramsgate, my son Izuku Drew!" Shouted Arkan, at this declaration everyone cheered, and the party had begun.
Izuku wasn't having the best time trying to use his limbs, he lost his balance with his leg and fell on his ass 3 times, as well as crushed 4 different tankards and dropping to his knee due to not being able to properly walk, but he was happy, in spite of the fact that he might be suffering from sensory overload due to his eye, along with the fact that he thought somebody might have spiked his drink.
That was his last thought before he ended up on a table sleeping.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Next Afternoon~~~~~~~~~~~
When Izuku woke up earlier that morning, he promptly smacked himself in the face with his new arm, giving himself a nosebleed, and worsening his migraine that was graciously provided by his hangover.
But as soon as he got his bearings and realized what time it was, his hungover ass was stumbling his way out of bed and into the shower, hurriedly cleaning and dressing himself before grabbing his belongings and running out the door to the docks, facing "minor" technical difficulties on the account of his limbs again before he caught Markus loading supplies into the ship.
He made idle chat with Markus while he waited for the completion of the loading, and before he knew it, it was time for them to take off.
He couldn't help the ominous feeling that he got as he watched Ramsgate slowly shrink in the distance.
Before long he saw a black stain on the horizon, contrasting the bright sky, and apparently sucking all light into the confines of its boundaries.
As they got closer, Izuku knew where they were before anyone said anything.
Hell on earth, the all encompassing abyss, the umbral cradle.
The Umbral Deeps.