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“Cause The World Might Do Me In
It’s Alright Cause I’m At The End
Guess I’m Giving Up Again
It Doesn’t Matter ”
“I can’t even die right…” Izuku cries, his wafty apparition knelt crying over his mangled body. He had to shut his eyes, because no matter how much he hated himself, he couldn’t bear to look at his own corpse. No matter how much it would probably please all the students and teachers at his school, the adults in his neighborhood, or maybe his own mother in a sense, he couldn’t look at the pile of limbs and blood that was once himself. “What unfinished business would I even have? I didn’t care about anything when I died… I was fucking happy!” He cries, slamming his fist against the ground...
Useless as it was, seeing as he couldn’t even feel anything right now.
“That’s because I have an offer for you.” A voice calls to him. Izuku turns to face the man calling him.
His hair is a stark silver, shining in ethereal light, his eyes faring a much more dull grey. His outfit is primarily white, with golden accents, a large eye symbol stitched over his heart. His combat boots are practically sparkling, despite the black leather that makes up their body. A set of… Mechanical Eyeballs, follow after him, each in a different color. He holds a completely tan one in his hands, the plain color almost signifying that it’s not activated yet.
“W-what?” Izuku asks, looking at the man. “An offer? I-I’m dead, mister! I doubt there’s much you could do to offer me. I don’t even want to be alive…”
“Maybe, but you did want to be a hero, did you not?” The man asks, Izuku looking at him in surprise. “When I was in my prime, I was the same age I display myself to you as. A scientist who was able to circumvent death through both scientific and mystical means. Humans had yet to develop these unique powers I see so many with, and people like you-” He points at Izuku with the blank eyeball, the item glowing as color takes over it’s form, a forest green emblazoning itself at the top, and the main body becoming black. “-Were considered the actual heroes. So what if you ended it before you could really get going? I think you have as great a potential as my friend from a long time ago had.”
“And what kind of potential is that? I’m quirkless.”
The man smiles.
“Why, just like with every human before quirks, and every human after, I believe you have Infinite Potential. ”
“And I’m Feeling Like A Ghost
And It’s What I Hate The Most
‘Cause I’m Giving Up Again
And This Time-”
“This Time I Might Just Disappear ”
It had been a week since Izuku Midoriya had gone missing. Witnesses claim to have seen him enter an abandoned office building after the incident with the slime villain, but all investigation stops there. No trace of DNA evidence was found anywhere in or around the building, and people near the area haven’t seen him either. The most they were able to report of that day is this:
At 5:47 PM, there was the sound of a loud crunch, followed by what sounded like slow dripping. At 6:13, there was a bright flash of green light, and the sounds of an engine and horse combined slowly fading away into the distance.
Naomasa Tsukauchi sighs into his coffee cup, thinking over the file one last time. Izuku Midoriya, Quirkless, Fourteen Years Old, Missing A Week, and he was no closer to figuring out what happened. No lies have been said whatsoever in regards to his disappearance, the biggest lead they have, a classmate of Midoriya’s who was the victim of the sludge accident in the city, has become near unresponsive after informing the police of every single instance of bullying that had occurred to the young man since he was Four (which, that is another case he has to start on, since he now suspects multiple teachers at Aldera for multiple villainous acts over the last few years) and the hero who had jumped in to save them both, All Might, has stopped replying to Naomasa’s calls.
To make matters worse for the man, Midoriya’s mother, Inko, has been a blubbering mess since she reported him missing. Unable to assist in any manner. Oh, but on top of it all, there’s the fact that there’s a new piece of evidence in this case that makes his blood boil.
A letter nailed to the Midoriya’s door… From the inside.
It was a simple letter, but it was printed out, without any hints of a fingerprint or piece of DNA, so there’s no way to trace the origin source. The only words placed upon the paper seemed to be a message… “Give Up The Ghost”... Essentially telling Inko, and the police, to give up.
Naomasa feels his phone rumble in his pocket, pulling it out soon after, only to roll his eyes. Another news article.
“All Might Speaks Out Against Quirk Discrimination”
So you’ll give speeches, but you won’t even assist in looking for the one who inspired you to make these statements? Real nice, Toshinori. When did you become such a cynical shit?
Naomasa comes to a stop, feeling a weird gust of wind brush past him. It’s uneasy, nervous… Scared. But why would wind be scared? The True Man looks around, before he spots a small shrine off to the side. It’s old, very old, with creaky wood, and rusted nails, and a bell that is very much cracked. A young man in very much modern clothes, skinny jeans, a cherry blossom themed pink and blue hoodie, and black high tops with flames on their sides sweeps away some leaves, the wind seeming to focus around him.
His quirk? No, the boy seems to feel the same odd emotions from the wind, so it couldn’t be his… Still, it doesn't hurt to gather info.
“Excuse me, young man!” The detective calls, and the teen looks at him, and for a moment Naomasa thinks he’s found Izuku Midoriya.
The boy’s face structure is the exact same as in every picture Naomasa had seen of Izuku, down to the chubby cheeks of baby fat. He shares the same pattern of freckles, and even his eye and nose shape are the same. But then he sees the orange pupil’s, with black irises, and hope begins to fade. His hair has that same wavy curl as Izuku’s, but it is very much orange instead of green. The base is still black, but that doesn’t matter. This teen is very much someone different… Right?
“Yes sir?” The boy asks, and Naomasa wishes desperately that he had a recording of what Izuku’s voice sounded like so he could compare what he hears.
“Er, I was wondering about this shrine. I hadn’t noticed it before today, and was hoping you could explain it some more for me.”
“Oh, of course!” The boy smiles, stopping in his sweeping of the leaves as he leans against his broom. “It’s been here a good couple of hundred years from what I’m able to tell of the wood, but it was covered in trash. I took care of cleaning it up, and from some scrolls I read inside, it seems to be a memorial shrine.”
No lies. A couple hundred years is a long time… “A memorial to what, exactly?”
“Lost souls. People who never found their way to the other side, got stuck in between, people still among the living who have run away, or those who have taken death into their own hands.” The teen replies, and Naomasa can’t but feel a bit of irony in what the shrine is. Lost souls, huh? Guess that could include missing people. The detective reaches into his pocket and pulls out a few yen coins. He sets his coffee down on the ground, approaching the shrine. He drops the yen into the donation box, and pulls on the bell, making it chime. He clasps his hands together, and prays that if he is alive, that Izuku Midoriya is okay.
“Woah, I think you’re the first donator! I’ll be sure that money goes into upkeep of the shrine!” The teen cheers, and Naomasa chuckles.
“Well, there’s plenty of good reason to wish luck to those who are missing.” The man says, smiling. “Say, you did a good job so far. What’s your name?”
The teen replies with cheer. “Takeru Tenkuuji!”
Lie.
Naomasa turns to question him, only to find the teen gone, a few sakura petals left in his place… Despite it not being the season for them to be in bloom.
“Try And Hear Me Then I’m Done
Cause I Might Just Say This Once
Seen This Played Out In My Dream
It Doesn’t Matter”
“You can’t be a hero-” The words stop, and Toshinori Yagi wakes up from his restless sleep. He doesn’t know why he even bothers trying to rest at this point, it’s not like the nightmares will ever stop. He leans up, cradling his head in his hands.
He’s supposed to be the Symbol of Peace. An icon meant to inspire people, and protect them.
You failed.
His thoughts have been plagued with doubt ever since he heard the news. The very boy who he had told to quit, the boy who ran in when no one else would, the boy who was the perfect successor- Was gone. Disappeared after the slime was defeated, and hasn’t been seen since.
You killed him.
Toshinori knew that the world was unkind to Quirkless People, having been one himself so many years ago. But he never truly expected it to be as bad as he had been hearing in Naomasa’s voicemails. Verbal and physical abuse, threats of death, suicide baiting… The boy had it worse than Toshinori ever had.
And he crushed the boy’s soul with a single sentence.
You ruined the purpose of being a hero.
It had been five months now. Five months since Izuku Midoriya went missing, without a single trace of evidence left since the Ghost Note. Five months of giving speeches about Quirk Discrimination in an attempt to make it so this never happens again. Five Months of nightmares mocking Toshinori for being the failure he is.
You don’t deserve One For All-
Toshinori leaves his bed, grabbing some loose fitting clothes from his closet soon after. If he’s not going to be getting anymore sleep, he might as well use this time to exercise. He leaves his home in Musutafu, moving out from the inner part of the city.
He finds himself on a long trail, moving towards a beach. Dagobah, Toshinori remembers. If he had managed to find Midoriya, he was going to use the beach for training- No, he mustn't get caught up in that thought process again. Five months have passed, and the case is sure to be shut soon.
They’re planning a funeral for him soon too, aren’t they?
Toshinori continues along the path, before he stops at the sight of the beach. It’s still littered, and ugly, but there is a noticeable dent in the trash that was once there. Someone must have finally gotten tired of the view and had started cleaning it. That’s… That’s good.
“Again!” An elderly voice shouts, and suddenly Toshinori can hear the cutting of metal. The aging pro approaches the beach carefully, confused by the sight he sees.
An old man in a very regal, near militaristic, outfit stands with his hands behind his back, a series of… Mechanical Eyeballs, floating behind him. The elderly man watches as someone in black armor, with forest green bone markings wields a sword, slashing at pieces of trash. The armored figure wears a torn hoodie, the outline a similar forest green to the markings. The figure turns, and Toshinori observes the same green plastered over the helmet.
Green, green, green… The color haunts Toshinori’s dreams, as it doesn his waking hours now.
Toshinori decides it might be time to move on, he doesn’t want to be here anymore. He turns to leave, a frown dressing his face.
And then the armored figure speaks .
“Edonis, do you think I might be able to swing the Saber quicker if I use more effort in my wrist?” The confirmed teen asks, and Toshinori pales a bit. Because he knows that voice. The same voice filling his head with doubts. The same voice that haunts his nightmares. The same voice he could have been hearing as he trained the young man on this very beach had he just been a bit quicker.
Because Toshinori knows Izuku Midoriya’s voice.
The man quickly turns back around, watching as the elderly man approaches the armored figure. The boy takes a similar mechanical eye out from his odd belt, the armor fading in an eerie mist, leaving a teen with orange hair and eyes behind. He has a terrible disguise if he’s been trying to hide.
“Hm, I’d say it’s worth a shot. Like I said, how you want to fight is up to you. I’m just here to make sure you get used to your body again.” The man says, and Toshinori is confused. Again? Why wouldn’t he be used to his body?
“I know. I just… I want to be sure I’m able to use these gifts you gave me to the fullest. If I’m going to be a hero who inspires past death, I have to be the best I can possibly be.” Izuku says, and Toshinori flinches. Determination, self sacrifice, the will to help others… Everything Toshinori had sought after, and lost.
Edonis sighs. “And I must keep reminding you that I did not give you these abilities. I might have brought you back, but your ghastly powers come from your death. Training like this is just me giving you tips to get used to it all.”
Death.
Toshinori can feel his blood freeze, as the words repeat in his head. Your Death. Your Death. Your DeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeathDeath-
A whirring click snaps him from his thoughts, and Toshinori is alerted to the assembly of floating eyes now floating in front of his face. His eyes fly to the beach, and his sight is not a welcome one. Edonis, the elderly man, is glaring at him. And this orange Izuku, is looking at him in fear .
The only ones who have ever so much as glanced at Toshinori in fear have been villains who knew that they had been bested. This is the first time a civilian has ever looked upon him, on All Might, and been scared. Horrified even. It takes all his will to not buff up and run as fast as possible, but instead Toshinori remains in his weakened state and jogs off, blood pouring from his mouth as he leaves.
He died. He died and you could have saved him. Now he’s indebted to a strange man, and you have no one to blame but yourself.
What has he done?
“Time For Givin’ Up The Ghost
Fuck, It’s You I Hate The Most
And There Is No Guarantee
It Doesn’t Matter”
Katsuki Bakugou stares at the empty casket they lower into the ground. He shouldn’t be here. He doesn’t deserve to be here. After all he did? After what he said? After everything, he shouldn’t even be allowed to see Auntie Inko again. Let alone near her.
And yet here he is, an old All Might action figure in his hands, as the woman clings to him in tears. Because the Midoriya’s forgive too easily. And care too much. And can’t hate. They would never hate. They would dislike something, or someone, but they will never hate.
And Katsuki hates that. Hates that he’ll never be able to do that. Hates that hate comes so naturally to him. Hates how he was so quick to abandon someone just because they were worse off than he was. Hates how he took a kids want to be cool as looking down on others around him. Hates how it took one sentence to kill the last bit of hope in his eyes.
Katsuki hates how he was to one who said those words.
He’s being moved out of Aldera, by his own choice. He doesn’t want any association with a school that would openly laugh at a kid’s death. He knows he caused it, but still…
Eight months have passed since De-Izuku, had disappeared. Eight months since Katsuki finally took a good long look at himself in the mirror, and asked what the fuck was wrong with himself. Heroes beat the bad guys, and made people happy.
But Katsuki made the bad guys happy, and beat down the people. He had been doing so since he was four years old.
Eventually, it’s time to go. Mitsuki and Masaru are told to go ahead. Katsuki wants to walk home. He… He needs time.
And so the explosive blonde walks away from the plot of land that Izuku’s box was buried. There wasn’t a body… The cops fucking gave up, and told Inko to bury a piece of wood. Fuckers… Didn’t they care that she was hurt?
It was his fault she was hurt to begin with in the first place…
A wind blows past his neck, and Katsuki shudders. The wind made him feel things, the last things he wanted right now. Comfort, care… Forgiveness. He shouldn’t be forgiven, not after everything he’s done.
“You know, I hope the spirit of whoever your mourning has found peace.” A voice calls out to him, and for a second Katsuki thinks he’s gone insane, because that is Izuku’s voice. Katsuki turns around, and sees a shrine with some ex-some other teen sitting on the steps.
His hoodie has flames on it, same as his high tops, and Katsuki wants to puke. Flames… Burns… Explosions… He’ll never escape what he did. But still, this guy ain’t his friend… No, victim. Katsuki doesn’t deserve to call Izuku a friend.
“How’d you know I was mourning?” Katsuki asks, and the other teen has the goddamn gual to laugh.
“Well, not many teens go out dressed to the nines in all black. There’s also a few mourning services occuring today, according to the papers. So, do you mind me asking who you lost?” The teen smiles, and Katsuki feels his gut twist, because it’s the same kind of smile he would see on his victim’s face.
“He was… He was a good guy. Went missing almost a year ago, and no one ever found him or a body. We just buried a fucking box…” Katsuki’s grip tightens on the All Might figure. “Damn nerd might still be alive, but the cops don’t fucking care.”
“Ah, you’re talking about that Midoriya guy, right? Shame, I saw him a couple times before he went missing.” The teen leans on his knees. “Seems like he needed a friend. I tried to reach out to him, but it felt like something was blocking me every time. Well, if he is gone, then maybe give a prayer for him. This is a shrine for lost souls after all.”
Katsuki clicks his tongue, but walks up the stairs anyways. He rings the bell and clasps his hands. He hears a small giggle behind himself for a moment, and then another gust of wind.
“Later, Kacchan.”
Katsuki turns faster than he’d ever turned in his life, only to find the shrine empty. His empty tightens into a fist, and tears begin to leak from his eyes. Midoriya’s never hate…
But Katsuki sure as fuck hates himself.
“ This Time I Might Just Disappear. ”
There’s a lot to be said about deciding to hide from everyone and everything you once knew. That said, Izuku isn’t sure how he feels ten months after the fact.
Sure, a box was buried in remembrance of him. Sure, the fact that people actually miss him makes him feel a bit better, and a bit worse. And sure, he scared the shit out of the number one hero, which makes him feel a little better.
But he also misses all the people that miss him. And he misses the green that was once in his eyes and hair. And he misses going to school with other people.
But that last one is fixable. All he has to do is pass the UA entrance exam, and he’ll be on his way to become a hero!... Well, Takeru Tenkuuji will be. Izuku Midoriya is missing and presumed dead.
That’s fine though. It’s what he wanted after all.
“I can offer you a new life. Five months spent as a Ghost, learning how to use your paranormal abilities as a fake quirk, and then another five getting you used to your body again. You can continue to be Izuku Midoriya, or you can be someone else if you want.”
“What’s the catch?”
“All you have to do is be great.”
And with terms like that, how could he deny it? A quirk, fake or not, a chance to be a hero, and a second chance at life? Of course he was going to take it! Edonis helped him understand his abilities, and used some weird science to make his hair and eyes orange. Which, okay, was a bit weird getting used to, but he can handle it.
He can handle anything now actually. He means, he’s already died once-
What’s stopping a Ghost a second time?