Chapter Text
‘Where am I?’
The red and white of the Tokyo Tower glistens across the moonlight. His knees drew closer as he glanced at the pavement below. Uneven bricks line the road.
‘Surely,’ he thought ‘if this doesn’t work, I’ll be a Midori omelette on the ground.’ His fingers curled tighter against the metal rod as he drew a breath.
‘What am I holding?’
The emerald rod glistens as the moonlight gently caresses it. The moonlight gently slid across the yellow orb holding together the rod and a six-pointed star encircled within an outline of the sun. Black wings furled at the side.
Izuku tugged at the hem of his, ‘Am I wearing a kariginu?’.
The dark green coloured ceremonial outfit was donned above a black coloured robe. Equally black loose trousers, hakama as he remembered, rustled in the wind, unveiling a swirling pattern of feathers in darker black, if that’s even possible. He glanced at the side and saw a lion plush, floating with stagnant wings. It frowns, tail wagging in concern. The lion plush scowled at the moon.
‘What is that thing?’
A whiff of lavender danced in the air. Izuku turned and he was faced with a man. Half of the man’s face was obscured in mist. Tangled in a colour that melds the mist with yellow moonlight.
‘You. I know you’
His mind latches in recognition. He tried hard to remember who this man was only for his thoughts to halt at the sight of the man’s Cheshire smile. His heart stopped, a claw digging through them, warm and painful.
“It’s okay Bunny.” The man said through unmoving lips. “All in time. All will be answered soon.”
Izuku wanted to believe this man. He knows he can.
He smiled, a resolute grip against his staff as the wind catches on. He was pretty sure it was the man who gave him the push to fall into the air. He closed his eyes and he could see purple.
The last thing he remembers was the man chuckling. A sweet baritone that was long buried in his mind. Lavender and ash lingered in his nose.
“Just remember. Everything,…”
_____________________________________
“…will be alright.” Izuku muttered. His fist balled in the air as his alarm blared at the side. The clock rattles against the wooden desk, trembling closer to the edge as it plunges to its death; batteries rolling out of its clockwork corpse.
‘I feel you.’
He let out a soft laugh. Izuku haven’t laugh properly for a long time.
‘Not since…’ He shook his head and slapped his cheeks.
He slid his foot of the teal-coloured blanket and smiled at the All Might poster telling him to ‘Have an All Mighty Day!’.
‘I don’t wanna go to school.’ He grunted. He picked up his towel and started getting ready for the day.
‘That dream again. That was the third time this week. I can’t remember who the man is.’ He tugs his tie and frown at the mess. ‘Why am I worrying about a dream when I should be worrying about Kacchan.’
His frown deepens.
Izuku went downstairs to be greeted by his mom. The plump green haired woman smiled as she plated rice and grilled saba with a side of miso.
“Morning mom!” He beamed.
He dug in the meal, picking out pieces of saba before mixing with his rice. He downs the soup right after his bowl was clean as his eyes caught on his mother humming at the radio. The morning was relatively peaceful.
‘Too peaceful.’ He thought as he waited for the other shoe to drop. His mom stopped humming as a thought crosses her mind.
“Oh!” Inko puts her hand on her cheek, tilting her head. “Dr. Daidouji wanted me to remind you that you have an appointment with her today after school.”
And there it was.
The other shoe.
Izuku absentmindedly gave her a nod as he brought his bowl to the kitchen. Dr. Daidouji is his therapist. By no means is the woman an awful person. She is the only person, other than his mother, that Izuku knew to be kind to him.
‘A quirkless person.’ His mind finishes in a condescending tone.
Izuku shook his head.
If Dr. Daidouji heard his thought, the black-haired black-eyed woman would have smacked him at the back of his head with her squeaky hammer toy.
Izuku was pretty sure the hammer that she dubbed as a “Stress Relieving Assistant” was her excuse to beat up difficult patients. Izuku himself was bludgeoned by it at least a dozen times until he opened up about his abuse.
His mom had forced him into therapy when she read his ‘Self-Analysis For The Future’ notebook that he neatly hid behind his All Might biographies.
‘The notebook…’
Suffice to say it ws filled with thoughts that would ensure Izuku never graduated Orudera Junior High.
Yes.
Izuku appreciates his time with the therapist but a side of him hated that his life has led to that.
‘No. Getting help was the right thing to do.’ He reminded himself.
He turned to his mother and spoke. “Okay mom. I should get going.”
Inko stood and walked closer to her son. She grabbed him by the shoulders and gave them a soft squeeze. “Just remember what Dr. Daidouji said.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Murder is a valid option if you can hide the body.”
“No.” His mother cuts him off. Her smile stretches thin, eyes gazing coldly at him. She was getting used to Izuku being snarky right after attending therapy. “Running is not cowardly and fight the battles you can win. And no murder.”
Izuku hastily nodded.
Inko rushes his son out the door and as the boy passes the flower display next to the shoe rack, Izuku smiled at the picture of a man with dark green curly hair and gentle green eyes.
“Wish me luck, Dad.”
Inko watched as the door closed and sent a smile at the picture of her late husband. “If you were here, I know what you will say.” She chuckled behind her hand.
_____________________________________
Izuku’s morning went out as usual. He would run to school early, avoiding a certain blond-haired bully as he sprint past the gates. He got to class, pulling his shoulders closer to his chest, scarred hands gripping strongly against his yellow bag.
Izuku was once again greeted with Spider Lillies in a beautiful blue coloured vase. Slurs littered the top of his desks.
Useless, Powerless, Quirkless, Deku, Deku, Deku.
Red clouds fogged his vision until Dr. Daidouji’s words greeted his ears.
‘Remember Izuku.’ An image of the woman sitting arms crossed with her trusted toy hammer jotting out the side popped into his mind. ‘If anyone gives you trouble, kill them in your head if you can’t kill them in real life.’
The woman’s three consequent ‘ho, ho, ho’ echoed in his mind.
Izuku shook his head and placed the spider lily closer to the window so it could get sunlight. A smile formed on his lips.
Yes, Izuku love Dr. Daidouji.
Her sessions were unique.
She would turn all those self-hatred you have into boiling rage and teaches you how to control that rage. A part of Izuku is scared of her. Another part of him looks up to her.
The bell rings and a middle-aged man with messy brown hair and a lopsided smile walked into the class with a stack of papers in his hands.
‘Sasaki-sensei’ Izuku lowered his head closer to his desk.
Sasaki-sensei was not a kind man at all.
Not to Izuku.
He was kind to the strong, often letting them get away with anything they want, and he was mean to the weak. It’s not like he’s the only one. All the other teachers were the same.
“It’s time for your high school application.” The man announced. “It’s that time of the year where you decide which school do you want to go to to have a better future.”
A murmur of wanting to become archaeologists and hairstylists was ignored.
“Of course, I’m sure you all want to be heroes so there’s no point in me career guiding you all.” He sweeps the paper off the desk. The application forms scattered throughout the floor as the class laughed.
“Of course, fucker!” A loud voice coupled by a couple explosion filled the class.
‘Ah yes.’ Izuku thought. ‘The angry Pomeranian is making a scene. No surprise there.’
“Listen up you shitty extras!” Katsuki growled, a foot up on the table. “I’m gonna be the best at UA just like I’ve been the best here. You fuckers are nothing but stepping stones to my success so know your place.”
‘You fuckers are blah, blah, blah. Not like you haven’t used the same line almost every day.’ Izuku rolled his eyes and caught sight of Sasaki-sensei smiling at him. ‘Shit. Don’t you dare you asshole.’
“Midoriya-san” His tone was sweet. “I’ve heard you applied to UA as well.”
“Huh!?” Katsuki turned at him, hands letting out bigger explosion. “Deku! You quirkless piece of fuck! Who do you think you are applying to UA huh?”
“Not like I can’t Kacchan. I mean UA did repeal the no quirkless requirement like seven years back.”
Apparently, that was the wrong answer.
The blond bulldozed passed several students and latched onto him by the collar. Izuku shuts his eyes, waiting for the impending explosion.
“Now, now Bakugou-san.” Sasaki-sensei’s voice filled the room. “No quirk usage during school hours.”
‘But after school is a free for all, so go ahead.’ The silent message was clear to the class.
Cold smiles plastered across the students’ faces. Katsuki returned to his seat, a smile across his face. The class continued in silence but Izuku for once was not looking forward to the end of school today.
Should he jump out the window to make his grand escape?
Izuku sighed, staring out the window as the school’s newest and youngest janitor pushes an old wardrobe to the dumping site next to the fish pond.
‘That must be from the library. I remembered that they’re redecorating.’ Izuku smiled sadly at the memory of passing the wardrobe that used to stand near the Heroes Biography section.
_____________________________________
After the bell rings, Izuku finds himself at the dumpsite.
His “Hero Analysis for the Future vol. 13” was burned by Katsuki and left to swim in the pond. The kois happily nibbled at the burned edges and all Izuku could think of was, ‘Silly fishes. You’ll get sick if you eat those.’ His fingers inches closer to the pond, trying to snatch his notebook before the fishes could nibble more.
“Oi, Deku!” Katsuki growled. He stepped on Izuku’s fingers, slowly putting pressure on them. “You can still move your useless fingers huh.” He snarled, bending forward to face him.
Broken ribs and bruised skin. It hurts all over for Izuku. He looked at Bakugou’s friends snickering with his one open eye as the one with elongated fingers bit his own lips.
“Hey Bakugou.” Extra #1, Mr. Elongated Fingers called.
Katsuki scoffed at him.
“What do you think if we stuff him in that old piece of junk? Let’s see how long it takes before anybody finds out. Perhaps we’ll get lucky, and he’ll end up in the dump.” Bakugou smiled at the idea.
Izuku paled. He turned to the wooden wardrobe. Vine carvings decorated the door with a star shaped handle split down the middle. The edges were carved with crescent moon and one of the legs were broken in half.
Before Izuku could protest, not like he had the energy to open his mouth, he was shoved into it. His back slammed against the wood; he could’ve sworn that he heard a crack.
He was sprawling on the wooden floor of the cabinet when a wet sludge slaps his face.
‘Ah, at least the fishes won’t get to nibble on you more.’
Izuku smiled at the sight of his handwriting covering his eyes.
“Hey nerd.” Bakugou called. “If you really want to be a hero, why don’t you take a swan dive off a roof and pray for a quirk in your next life!” He slammed the cabinet door shut.
The light crawled out and the darkness slowly hugged him. The sound of footsteps dragged across the ground were getting smaller as it moved further away.
The walls of the cabinet seemed to grow closer by the second. Izuku could feel his throat swelling up. He reached for his throat as his breathe drew shorter. He was gasping. Choking. Flashes of red and the scent of burned wood lingered in his mind.
‘I can’t breathe. I need to breathe.’ He tapped a finger against the board in a slow rhythm, matching his breathing to the beat. Closing his eyes shut, he focused more on his breathing. ‘I’m just in a closet. I’m just in a closet. Heh, I’m in the closet.’
The thought pulled him out of his panic.
He waited for a while until he was sure that Katsuki and his extras were gone before pushing himself up with his good arm.
“Stupid Kacchan.” He mumbled. He lied down, placing his leg against the door, kicking it. “Why don’t you take a swan dive off a roof? If I do that, you’ll never be a hero.”
He kicked the door again, apparently it was locked. They had probably lodged it with a piece of wood. He gave it a stronger kick and the door flung open; a hinge broke apart. Izuku slowly slid out, grabbing his notebook when his hand brushed against something.
“What’s this?” He drags it out, only to be met with pink.
A golden winged-lion was imprinted with gold-chained Sun around his nek. A small crescent moon and star was at opposite ends of the sun as a winged-star banner plastered on the top of the book. In the banner, written in all caps were the words, SAKURA.
“Is this a journal? What would a journal be doing in a wardrobe? Could someone from the library accidentally left it in the wardrobe before throwing it away or were they intending on throwing it away?” Izuku paused his muttering.
He flipped the book over and gaze upon what seems to be a magical circle with a giant ten-pointed star separating a crescent moon and the sun.
A winged moon rests firmly on the bottom of the backside. The book was beautiful. Unique even. A magic circle is a relic of the pre-quirk era. Nobody in the current era actually knew of magic. Of course, in the age of science, magic is just a relic of the past. Izuku, being quirkless, adores reading on pre-quick knowledge and history.
He has half a mind to just keep the book to study it.
‘I should probably return this to the library.’ Izuku looked at his watch and cussed. ‘Well, the library’s closed. Maybe I should just go back home and try again tomorrow. But would they listen to the quirkless kid? They might just say I stole it.’ Izuku paused with a frown.
He walked out the school and makes his way home, somehow, he was in the middle of an empty road.
‘Maybe I should see what’s inside. If it’s important, I would have to return it. If not, maybe I could keep it.’
His fingers traced the wing shaped clasp and finds itself across a keyhole. ‘I don’t have a key.’ As he let out a defeated sighed, he heard a click.
His eyes widen as the book flapped opens.
A soft yellow glow flew out of the book, and it stretches into an outline of a mannequin with round ears and beady eyes. Soon enough a golden lion plush with a tail attached to a fluff and wings floated in front of him.
“Hey!” The lion greeted, putting a paw in the air and making a triumphant pose.
Izuku fell on his back. He lets out a yelp and scrambles closer to the wall, hands up in defence.
“I am Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal. And you must be Midoriya-san.”
“Oh Kami! It knows my name. Well, my family name. But still my name. This can’t be happening. I must be dead. I must have inhaled toxic fumes. It must be the dump yard. Shit. I’m dead aren’t I. Or is it a villain’s quirk? No, no. A random quirk hit could do to.”
“Oi.” Keroberos - As the creature called itself - hit Izuku with a paw. Izuku yelped further, this time trying to melt himself into the wall. “You’re not dead and you’re not hallucinating either, Izuku.”
“It knows my full name!” Izuku shrieked.
“Like I said. I’m Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal. Guardian of the Sakura Cards. And I’m magic.”
Izuku ’s eyes twitched. Eventually he lets out a laugh so loud, he was sure people would have complained.
“Oh Kami! No. Magic isn’t real. Even in the pre-quirk era it was not real.”
Keroberos, irritated, balled up its paw into a fist before latching to Izuku’s collar and shaking him.
“Don’t make me hit you.”
“Okay, okay.” Izuku sighed as he gently pulls the paws off of him. “Say that you are telling me the truth, what are you again.”
“Like I said, I am Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal.”
“Kerobe, Kerore, Keropi.” Izuku bit his tongue. “Can’t I just call you Kero.”
“Sure.” The lion plush leans against his paw in defeat. “You won’t be the first.”
Kero flew closer to the opened journal where Izuku caught sight of pink cards centered within it. He placed a paw and grinned when the cards glowed with a soft yellow hue and floated around Izuku.
He was admittedly proud that the cards were together this time around. It gave him the opportunity to show off to the boy.
“As I was saying, Izuku Midoriya, you are now the new owner of the Sakura Cards. A deck of cards imbued with magic and made by the great wizard Clow Reed.”
“Are these tarot cards?” Izuku bit his thumb, taking a closer look at the cards floating around him.
“What?” Kero squawked. “Tarot cards? These are magic cards. And you are the owner ‘cause you have unlocked the book and brought me back into this world.”
“But the book wasn’t locked? It was a magnetic clasp. At least I assume it is. How do you fly without flapping your wings? How are the cards floating? These cards have weird names.”
“It’s not magnet. The book was sealed with magic and only a magician can unlock them.” Kero frantically threw a tantrum mid-air. “And like I said, I’m magic. And so are the cards!”
‘That doesn’t answer any of my questions.’ Izuku grumbled.
“Does this look like a tarot card to you?” Kero waved his paw as a card float closer to Izuku.
The card had a woman with twin hairs split down the middle and crossing against her neck. A pair of wings were curled up against it.
“The Windy.” He muttered.
“Wait, no! Don’t read it!” Kero yelled.
A yellow woman sprung from the card with green feather crown and equally feathered shoulders. She gave Izuku a gentle smile as a whirlwind swirled around her. Izuku blocked the wind with his hands, gently being pushed back. The wind died out as the woman turned back into a card and floated at Izuku’s signature red hightops.
“Oh, Kami!” Izuku picked up the card and paled at the empty Sakura book. “Kero! I lost the card. Kero?”
The boy turned to find an upside down Kero with swirling eyes.
“Kero!” Izuku plopped the lion plush right side up and the plush shook its head.
“Izuku! The cards!” Kero snapped out and flew to the book.
“Yeah, they’re gone.” Izuku let out a nervous laugh as Kero turned red with rage.
‘Ugh, this can’t be happening again. Sakura should’ve warned me’ Kero could imagine his late master’s smiling face, taunting him.
Alarms blared in the distance and Izuku could hear the residents around him screaming from their window.
“We should go.”
“Wait, why?”
Izuku dragged Kero by the paws as he ran straight down the corner. They eventually made their way back to Izuku’s home.
Pushing the key into the knob, Izuku wondered if his mom was home. He looked at his watch and let out a relief breath.
‘No. She’s at work.’
He entered the house, followed by Kero. A piece of paper was left at the dining table.
‘Dr. Daidouji had an urgent thing came up. She said she would call to reschedule. There’s food in the refrigerator. Love, Mom.’
“Who’s Dr. Daidouji?” Kero asked, floating next to Izuku’s ear. He couldn’t get the thought of how familiar the name was.
“My therapist.” Izuku waited for Kero to react only for the plush to nod.
They made their way upstairs and into Izuku’s room.
_____________________________________
Izuku was sitting on his bed as Kero sat at the edge of his desk. The clock’s suicide scene.
“Why did you make us run?” The plush tilted his head.
“Because Kero, public quirk usage is illegal. Wait, can magic even be counted as quirk?” Izuku pulled his knee closer to his chest.
“What’s a quirk?” The plush began frowning.
Izuku sighed.
He walked to his closet and opened them. He crouched and pulled out an old box and began shuffling through books.
‘No. No. No. Ah, yes.’
He pulled out a thin blue book with children happily walking in front of a cartoon yellow house with red roof. His very own copy of ‘Quirk for Kids’.
He smiled.
The last time he saw the book was when Kacchan and him was reading it for fun. He cherished the memory of Kacchan proudly standing next to him, declaring himself to be the best as Izuku cheered him.
The memory of Kacchan proclaiming that they will be the best hero team duo and should build their own agency.
That was all before it went downhill.
The memories of laughter and holding hands were replaced with burned skins and hands clenching against his own stomach.
He flipped through the pages before putting the book on the table, sliding it closer to Kero.
The lion read the lines, mumbling under his breath.
“So, quirk is the biological evolution cause by the Plus Alpha factor in our genes that gave people basically superpowers.”
“You can say that.”
“But I’m magic though?” Kero gave him a look.
Izuku sweat-dropped.
He couldn’t actually expect a magical being to understand quirk. Even humans barely understand quirks.
“The thing is, there’s a thing such as Sentient quirks, where the quirks are alive. People would rather believe that you are a quirk rather than magic. It makes more sense. And quirk usage is only allowed if licensed or privately. Any public quirk usage is illegal.”
“Hmmm…” The plush puts a paw under his chin in thought. “Do you have a quirk Izuku?” The plush asked innocently.
Izuku froze.
He clenched his fist and bit his lips. Despite knowing that Kero didn’t mean anything by it, Izuku was still scared. What if the plush deemed him unworthy just because of his quirkless status. The plush gaze at him intensely. ‘Well, it’s worth a shot.’
“No.” His reply was almost a whisper. “I’m quirkless.”
“Okay.” The plush nonchalantly nodded.
“Don’t you get it?” Izuku took a step forward, hands waving in the air. “I’m quirkless. I’m practically worthless and useless.”
- Useless-
The word hung in the air like the bitter scent of alcohol after an all-night party.
The plush floated closer and booped Izuku in the nose.
“I don’t see the problem? I’m centuries old and in my days, quirks just means that someone has a particular way of acting. Plus, you have magic. That’s good in my book.”
Kero studied as Izuku’s eyes move to the side, hand wrapping his own waist.
“You know, if you want, maybe we could say the cards are your quirk?”
Izuku’s eyes turned wide. “A-are you s-sure?”
‘Damn that stupid stutter is back.’ Izuku hadn’t had that since he went to therapy.
“I-isn’t magic like a big secret in the pre-quirk era?”
“Huh?” Kero grunted. “I guess. But that was during Sakura’s time. Back in Clow’s time, he used magic everyday. That lazy old coot used it to wash clothes. Honestly, he could open a laundry business if he didn’t find it too bothersome. It wasn’t a secret. I don’t see why it should be now if we can hide it under a different name.”
“That would be possible. Wait, who’s Sakura? Who’s Clow? Was it that Clow Reed you mentioned before?”
Kero nodded and flew back to sit on the table.
“Let’s start from the beginning.”
Izuku followed his lead and sat at the edge of his bed.
“Clow Reed was the most powerful magician alive. He created the cards. He got so powerful that his magic could affect reality with a thought. When he passed away, Sakura became his successor. Eventually, Sakura herself have to give away the cards to a new successor and that successor is you. Izuku, you are the new Cardcaptor. ”
Kero finished, pointing his paw at Izuku.
“But Kero, I lost the cards.” At that reminder, the both of them sweat-dropped.
‘Great, find a magic book and inherit magical cards only to lose them. Good job. I’m just a Deku.’
He shook his head, willing the universe not to summon Dr. Daidouji to his home.
“Saying that I’m the new Cardcaptor, I’m assuming that I have to somehow ‘capture’ the cards? Isn’t that funny since they’re cards?”
“No, you don’t get it do you? The cards are scattered! And since the seal was broken, they must have returned to their original forms. We have to find them and capture them if we don’t want them to destroy your town.”
“Wait!” Izuku frantically waved his hand in fron of Kero. “What do you mean original forms? How do I fight them? Aren’t they like magic?”
“The cards all have original forms. Like Windy just now. Some cards have to be fought. Some are docile. Some cards, like the Fly, only gets dangerous when they are hurt. All the cards have their own personality. As for how to capture them, Izuku, we need to form a contract.”
“A contract?” Izuku paused. “Wait, wait, wait. Does that mean I have to like pour blood or something. Do I have to kill some animals like a black rooster and have like golden chalices? Oh Kami! Crystals! I know some of mom’s friends are into sage crystals but lemme tell you, we don’t have those and they’re expensive.”
“Blood? What? Izuku stop!” The boy paused. “This is real magic. None of that cinema, TV, mumbo jumbo. Just lend me the Sakura Book.”
The Sakura Book floats in front of Kero and Izuku’s room slowly fades until they are standing in a green space. A magic circle, the same one with the ten pointed star with the side of crescent moon and the sun, appeared beneath them.
“Key of the seal,” gentle wind began to gather at the corners of the circle, swirling stronger. Izuku enjoyed his hair ruffling against it. “Someone wishes to make a contract with you, a boy named Izuku.”
A soft light glowed from the book, similar to how Kero was earlier, and a key took form with six-pointed star in the middle encircled by a circle of what seems to be an outline of a sun. White wings sat at the side. They key itself was pink.
“Izuku, hold your hand out and say ‘Release!’”
Izuku did as he was told and screamed. He’s pretty sure the neighbours could hear him. He would not admit that it earned a groan from Kero.
“Release!”
The staff elongated into an emerald rod about his shoulder length with a yellow orb connecting it to the six pointed star in the sun outline. Izuku’s eyes glistened as the wings turned a shade of black with green outline around the feathers.
“This is so cool.” He muttered.
“Huh, it’s green this time.” Kero muttered which was ignored by Izuku.
His room faded into view.
Izuku’s mouth were hung open. “This. Is. So. COOL!” He began pointing the edge of the staff in the air, poking it like he was fencing - not like he had ever learned fencing.
“Now the contract is complete and, hey!” Izuku stopped slashing the air with his staff, hitting an All Might bobblehead off his table. “The staff is not a toy!”
“How do I use it then?”
“We have to find the cards.” Kero said.
“How do I do that?” Izuku raised an eyebrow.
“Try closing your eyes and like feel around.”
“Really? Feel around? What am I feeling around? The air? The sky? The All Might posters I have smiling at me?” Izuku grimaced.
They stared at his room and shivered at the thought of the posters staring right at them.
“Izuku, just do as I say, and perhaps redecorate the room.” Kero stared at the All Might poster with eyes in fear at the creepy smile the hero is giving him.
‘Is this a shrine? Have my master joined a cult?’
Kero looked back at the boy who was doing as instructed.
“I can’t feel anything.” Izuku whined.
“Hmm. Perhaps your magic’s not strong enough.”
“Well, that’s that.” Izuku shrugged.
He moved to his desk and pulled out an empty notebook from his drawer and sat. He began scribbling down some notes and Kero floated next to his ear.
“What are you doing?” The lion plush asked.
“I’m writing down the cards that we have to capture.”
He began listing down The Windy, The Watery, The Fiery, The Earthy, The Wood, The Illusion and The Jump. Izuku puts his pencil down and turned to Kero. The plush was floating everywhere in the room, inspecting every merchandise Izuku has.
“Er… This would go a lot faster if you would help.”
“Huh?” The plush flew closer to him. “Put in The Fly, The Light and the Dark cards. Both of those two and the elemental four makes the six strongest cards in the deck. Wait, how do you know those other three cards?”
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, The Wood was closed to The Earthy card when they were floating, and The Illusion was next to me. Well, Jump looked like a fun card to try out….” He glanced back at Kero. “If you let me of course!”
Kero only nodded in return.
“What other cards do we have to capture?” Izuku asked, scratching his chin with a finger.
“I don’t remember.”
Kero laughed, scratching the back of his head.
“You don’t remember? How could the Beast of the Seal, Guardian of the cards not remember the card that it was, well, guarding?” Izuku scolded.
“Well, excuse you! It’s not my fault that I don’t remember all about them! I was sealed for centuries only to wake up to a boy who blew away all the cards! Again!”
“Ugh. Fine. Fine. Let’s drop it.” Izuku poked his forehead with the tip of the pencil, willing himself to remember more cards. “Kero, the cards are weird.”
“What do you mean?”
“What’s with the Sun and the Moon symbolism?” Izuku pointed to the back of The Windy. “At first the cards were all like, yeah Tarot and magic. But then there’s these elements mixed into them which are not, you know tarot related.”
“Well you see, Clow Reed was of mix Eastern and Western parentage. What makes him a great magician is because he mixes both Eastern and Western magic into the cards. The Sun represents the West while the Moon represents the East.”
Kero flew back to the bottom of the table and began looking around.
“What are you doing?” Izuku peeked under the table, watching as the plush patted the carpet underneath.
“I’m just wondering.” Izuku raised an eye at the plush. “Where would I sleep?”
“Oh, sorry Kero. I totally forgot.” Izuku rushed to his closet and began examining it.
His eyes landed on a pair of All Might bedroom slippers which was ankle deep and his smile makes up the hole where the feet would go in. He gently places one of them besides his bed on the floor.
“I am not sleeping in that man’s mouth!” Kero protested.
Izuku merely sweat-dropped. “We can get you a new bed after we told mum about you?”
The plush narrowed its gaze at Izuku before turning back to the slipper and sighed.
“Fine. But it better not eat me!”
_____________________________________
Two hours in and Izuku was done making dinner while Kero was watching cartoons on TV. Izuku finished the last of his homework before inviting the plush to eat.
Kero was happily stuffing himself with a whole plate of omurice. Where he puts those food, Izuku could only wonder. The cartoon playing was suddenly put on halt when the channel suddenly switches to urgent Hero News.
“This just in,” The reporter said, “a large blue bird is rampaging around lower Musutafu. Local heroes have yet to disclose whether the bird is part of a quirk or the bird has a quirk instead. Local heroes are having a hard time restraining it.”
Izuku watched as pro heroes Kamui Woods and Mount Lady was pushed back by the gust of wind brought by the flapping of the wings.
The Mineyama Hero was sent tumbling as she crashed against Kamui before falling. The Pro Hero Endeavour came into the scene, with his burning beard and blazing arms, he blasted the bird. The bird screeched and seemed to have gotten bigger. It flapped its wings and threw out wind that sent the pro hero flying into a building.
“Izuku.” Kero called.
“Huh?” The boy looked at the lion plush.
“That’s The Fly card.” Kero pointed at the screen. Izuku’s eyes widened.
“Wait. That’s a card? That huge thing? And I’m supposed to fight it? I can’t do that Kero. Look at all the Pro heroes. If they can’t fight it how can I?”
“Izuku stop.” The boy paused. Kero grabbed Izuku’s cheeks by the paws and green eyes met beady blacks. “The Fly is only like that because it’s afraid. We have to seal it before it gets bigger and destroys the city.”
Izuku nodded, though he wasn’t thrilled.
He raced upstairs, taking his All Might hoodie, his magic key and the Sakura Book before rushing out the door with Kero in tow.
They rushed to the public park two blocks away where the fight was happening and hid in a narrow alleyway.
“Why are we hiding near a dumpster?” Kero whined. His paw scraped against a sticky goo attached to the wall. ‘Yuck!’
“I can’t exactly have people see me using the staff now, can I? Remember, public quirk usage is illegal.” Izuku pointed a finger in the air.
“Ugh.” Kero groaned. “Fine. Just seal the card already.”
“What now?” Izuku asked. The sound of Fly screeching in pain was not something Izuku find pleasant. He pulled out his only card and brought it to his face. “How do I use this to catch that?”
“You can’t.” Kero said, earning a glare from the greenette.
“What do you mean I can’t?”
“Fly is under Windy’s jurisdiction. Using Windy will just boost Fly’s power.” Kero explained.
His explanation was followed by Izuku’s mumbling of all the possible ways he could catch Fly.
“Izuku, stop!” Izuku turned to Kero. “Fly is a docile card. You don’t have to catch it. You only have to calm it down to seal it.”
Izuku beamed at the thought. “I have an idea. But I need to know how to use the card.”
“Normally there’s an incantation, but all you need to do is unseal the staff and point to windy while instructing it what to do. A clear intent and objective should be enough.” Kero explained.
“Er, Kero.”
“What?”
“How do I unseal the staff?
Kero sweat-dropped. “Just invoke the contract.”
“Invoke the contract?” Izuku tilted his head before gasping. Punching the air, he smiled. “O’ key, by our contract, unseal yourself. Release!” The key began twirling before elongating to a familiar emerald coloured staff with the star centre and black wings.
“Hmm. I wonder if I can call upon it in an easier way.”
“How did you do that?” Kero asked. The boy merely looked at him with a look on his face. “That wasn’t the right or full incantation at all.”
“Well, you said I need clear intent when using the cards and I thought, hey, the staff is magic too, so I just make sure that I made clear what I want and just, ya know.” Izuku twirled his hand in a circular motion. “Sort of put that in that old criptic way of saying things.”
Their conversation was interrupted as the ground shook. The Flame Hero threw more flames at the bird. Its feet were tangled in tree barks and Mount Lady was trying to tackle it to the ground.
“Izuku!”
The boy nodded, throwing the card into the air. “Windy, carry my voice to Fly!”
The card disappears into swirls of wispy tendrils as the blond woman with feathered crown smiled at him before disappearing.
‘Hope this works.’
“Fly! Shrink yourself and come to me! I’ll keep you safe.” His voice was barely a whisper.
The two magic users waited and watched as the giant bird’s eyes widen and narrows before turning to the alley where they were hiding. The bird gave out a loud screech.
“I don’t think it trusts me.” Izuku gulped.
Kero narrowed his eyes. “It’s scared.”
Izuku grasped the staff tighter, steeling himself. He walked out of the alleyway slowly and gave the bird a soft smile. “Please. I want to help.”
The three heroes were preoccupied with the bird to notice the novice magicians. The bird once again stared at Izuku and he had never felt so seen. Fly shook its head and trashed. It flapped its wings and threw the heroes on top of one another before shrinking itself and flying towards Izuku.
“Now, Izuku!” Kero shouted.
“Fly! Return to the guise you were meant to be!” Izuku pointed his staff at the incoming bird.
The tip of the Sun was inches away from the bird before it evaporated into wisps. Izuku was pushed back by the force of the bird. The tendrils swirled as a rectangular framed appear before them. The frame solidified and turned into a pink card with a bird that’s enclosed itself into its own wings.
For a moment Izuku could’ve sworn that the bird was giving him a thankful nod through its beady blue eyes.
Izuku smiled. “You’re welcome.”
He showed the card to Kero and smiled. Giving him a victory pose.
“Oh, yeah!” The plush fist pumped the air. “That’s how a Cardcaptor does it! You’re a natural kid. As natural as Sakura was.”
Izuku blushed, unused to compliments.
A loud groan came behind them.
Izuku turned and saw the three pro heroes looking at their direction, trying to figure out where the bird had flown off to. Izuku kept the cards in the Sakura Book before turning around.
“Kero, let’s..” Before Izuku could finish the sentence, his mouth was wrapped in cloth. His body was bound and he was lifted off the ground upside down. His staff fell to the ground.
“Izuku!” Kero shouted.
The Guardian turned to the alley where a middle-aged man with unkempt floating hair and white scarf walked out. His eyes were glowing red.
“Hey, you discount Mothman! What are you doing to Izuku! Let him go!” Kero shouted.
Izuku’s eyes merely widened.
“Tsukauchi.” The discount Mothman pressed a finger into his ear. “I caught a kid. Possibly a vigilante, or a villain. I’ll bring him over. Just make sure the pros are not on my tail.”
“Hey, you! Stop talking to yourself and let Izuku go!” Kero flew straight for the man which ended up with him wrapped in the same scarf.
‘It’s Eraserhead! Kami! I’m being captured by Eraserhead. I mean this is a dream come true. Not like I had dreamt of being captured by him. Meeting him, yes. Capture? No. But, oh my. I’m surrounded by his capture weapon. It’s sturdy so it’s not cotton. Some carbon compound polymers. But that doesn’t explain how it moves around seamlessly. Is it brain wave reception or is it heat and cold retraction?’
Yes, as he was being dragged with the capture weapon across rooftops, with Kero tumbling next to him and his staff in Eraserhead’s hands, Izuku had the audacity to fanboy over the Underground Hero.
Unnoticed by the pair of magicians, a purple haired teen was watching the scene close by. A block further, a white haired teen clad in blue uniform and blue flames smiled.
_____________________________________
Izuku was sitting in an office at the police station.
Kero was still wrapped in the capture weapon for attempting to bite Eraserhead’s ear.
Izuku was happily beaming at the underground hero who merely spared him a side-glance. He glanced back at the desk that was filled with cluttered papers and side-stacked files. The reality of it all was slowly dawning into him.
The door flung open and a man in beige trenchcoat and beige fedora walked in with two cups of coffee. He handed one to Eraserhead before taking a seat at the edge of the table.
“My name is Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi.” The man introduce himself with a smile. He slowly lifted his fedora in greeting, neatly combed black hair shine against the dimly lit office.
“Ah, Truth Man!” Izuku happily chirped.
“So, you’ve heard of me.”
Izuku frantically nodded. “Your quirk, lie detector, is astounding. I know a lot of pros used your services thanks to your quirk. Even Eraserhead over there.”
Both the detective and the hero shared a look before giving Izuku another smile.
“This makes it easier.” The detective took a sip of his coffee. “Now I’m going to question you and you will answer them.”
‘Oh shit! I can’t lie to him. Wait. How could he tell if I’m lying? Maybe I can word it properly.’ Izuku clenched his pants.
“Can we start?” The detective asked.
Izuku nodded. Kero was sending the detective a firece glare.
“What’s your name and age?”
“Midoriya Izuku. Age 14.”
“Where do you live?”
“In an apartment not two blocks away from the incident.” Izuku couldn’t help but looked at the tired plush who have been struggling for the past hour.
“What were you doing at the area of incident?”
“I was trying to calm Fly down to capture it.” Izuku glanced at his fingers.
“Fly?” Eraserhead stepped closer behind him.
“The bird that the heroes were fighting. It’s part of a set of cards that I have to capture.” Izuku could feel the tension rising in his shoulder. ‘Could this work.’
“So, you were playing vigilante, Midoriya-san?” The detective asked.
“I-I’m not!” Izuku flustered and the room fell quiet.
The two adults shared a look before the detective nodded. “You’re telling the truth. Mind explaining.”
“I’m quirkless.” Izuku admitted.
He lets the info stewed for a while. Kero was looking at him with worry in his eyes.
“At least I think I am. It’s just today Kero appeared because I unsealed him and he told me to register him as my quirk. And that I have to capture a set of cards that I’ve lost when unsealing them.”
“A Forced Quirk Activation?” Eraserhead questioned.
“What’s that?” Izuku tilted his head.
Detective Tsukauchi sighed as his shoulders slumped. “Of course, you’ve never heard of it. Only some police and underground heroes heard of it.” Izuku waited.
The detective looked at Eraserhead and the hero nodded before walking next to him.
“Forced Quirk Activation.” The hero repeated. “It’s a situation where a person unlocks their quirk due to extraneous circumstances. Extraneous circumstances that are normally fatal to the person.” The hero’s face darken.
Izuku paled. ‘Shit. The dumpster.’
“So, kid.” Eraserhead leaned closer. “What happened to you before your quirk activated.”
Izuku tensed. He glanced at Kero who was trying to chew the scarf off.
“I would prefer if Kero was free before I tell you anything else. It’s just more… easier.” The last words came out softly.
Eraserhead nodded.
“The cat plush better not bite me.” He warned before releasing Kero from his binds.
“How dare you!” Kero flew straight to Eraserhead’s face. “I am not a cat! I’m a proud lion mind you, you… DISCOUNT MOTHMAN!” Kero screamed and flew back to Izuku’s side.
He landed on Izuku’s lap. The boy took a hand and softly patted his companion.
‘I guess you’re my quirk companion now.’ Izuku scoffed.
“You know kid, if you’re not comfortable it’s okay.” Eraserhead leaned closer and placed a hand on Izuku’s shoulder.
Izuku paused. “I rather do it now.”
Izuku recounted his days, explaining from the bullying to the appearance of Kero. He hid the fact that Kero and the cards are magic. He carefully worded his words to avoid attaching ‘quirk’ and Kero in the same sentence. Just in case it pops up as a lie. One other thing Izuku did was he hid the name of his main bully.
“We need a name kid.” Eraserhead crossed his arm. His red eyes glared at Izuku, willing the name out of him.
“I can’t. He did nothing wrong. He grew up with people telling him he was great. It’s not his fault that he’s blinded by the pride. He’s amazing and I’m sure, given time, he would be a great hero.”
“Izuku.” Kero muttered softly next to him.
“He beat you up kid.” Eraserhead was not thrilled by this. The kid has a kind heart but to the hero, it is merely foolishness to let somebody who hurt you go just because you could see the positive side of things.
“Fine.” He scoffed. “Give me your school’s name.”
“I-it’s Orudera Junior High.” Izuku mumbled. ‘It’s not like I could hide this from them.’
“Okay, Midoriya-san.” Detective Tsukauchi opened his drawer and pulled up a few forms. “We need more details on your newly developped quirk so you could register them.”
“I-I think, K-Kero would explain this properly.”
The lion plush flew and sat on the table. “I am Keroberos, the Beast of the Seal.” He introduced himself proudly.
Eraserhead, for one, is completely drained from his interaction tonight.
The detective began sketching something before asking, “So would you consider yourself sentient?”
“Of course I’m sentient. I’m alive aren’t I? And hey, what are you drawing there?” Kero peeked at the drawing of himself on the form. “Hey, you’re good. Make sure to get my good side.” He laughed.
Tsukauchi sighed.
“Yeah, Eraserhead here have been making me reconsider quitting the force. Maybe I’ll be a comic artist. What’s with the amount of work I got dumped with. First All Might with a slime villain this morning and now the bird and the vigilante”
“Wait, All Might was closed to my home?” Izuku beamed then frowned. ‘I totally missed a chance at getting All Might’s signature. Thanks a lot Kacchan.’
“I didn’t contribute to those at all.” Eraserhead scoffed.
“If I remember correctly, my nights are mostly busy thanks to you.” Detective Tsukauchi scoffed. “Sorry for that Kero. All questions asked are merely standard questions when it comes to quirk activation.”
The apology was met with a nod.
“Would you explain these cards that you’d talked about?”
Izuku propped the Sakura Book on the table, pushing it close to the detective so that Kero could continue. He missed the twitch in the detective’s eyes.
“The book holds fifty-three cards. All with unlimited ma-“ Izuku faked a cough and glared at the plush. “Err, potential. Yeah. All with unlimited potential.”
Detective Tsukauchi pulled the book closer. He tried prying it open before putting it back on the table.
“Would it be troublesome to ask you to help open the book.”
‘Huh. I guess it is magic.’ Izuku pulled the clasped with a click and laid it in front of the detective.
The detective pulled out the two cards and muttered. “Windy.”
Izuku braced himself for the upcoming hurricane, only for nothing to happen. He sighed.
“So now, there’s two. You only need fifty-one more cards correct?” the detective waited for Kero to nod. “When and how will you get the others?”
“I don’t know.” Both Kero and Izuku hummed in unison.
“What do you mean you don’t know? What’s your role then if not to find them?” The detective questioned.
“Well, I’m the guide. I help with identifying which cards we are facing and if there are any. And thanks to my awesome knowledge, I’m also his information helpdesk. Muahahaha.”
Izuku sweat-dropped. ‘Some information helpdesks. You can’t even remember the name of the cards.’
“So kid, how will you get the other cards?” Eraserhead’s question stopped Kero mid laugh.
“The cards will come to Izuku and he must face them. They’re sentient in a way and unless Izuku can seal them, they would not lend their powers to him.”
“So, we have a sentient guide,” Tsukauchi pointed to Kero, “and sentient cards,” his fingers moved to the cards, “Is there anything else that is sentient to your quirk?”
“I’m sentient myself.” Izuku shrugged which earned a snort from Eraserhead.
Tsukauchi rubbed his temple and continued finishing the form. He handed the completed form to Eraserhead, which caught both the hero and the middle schooler by surprise.
“It’s a Specialty Quirk. Make sure to get it registered properly.”
“What’s that?” Izuku asked again.
“I thought you were a quirk nerd.” Kero grinned.
Izuku elbowed him in the stomach which ends up sending Kero flying across the room.
That’s the second word tonight that Izuku have not heard off. Being obsessed with quirks and heroes, rarely any term could catch him off guard. The fact that it happened to him twice in the same night was riveting.
“A Specialty Quirk is a quirk that doesn’t fit into any checkbox yet fits into all of them.” Eraserhead explained.
‘Well, that explains nothing.’ Izuku rolled his eyes.
“Eraserhead-san here will send you home. Seeing the nature of your quirk, I think it’s best that he has a word with your mother.”
“Mom wont be around. She has a late night shift.” Izuku frowned.
He doesn’t want the hero to be troubled getting to his place, only to be sent leaving without meeting his mom.
“We’ve made some calls. She’ll be at home soon.” Eraserhead informed.
“See you later Midoriya-san.” Detective Tsukauchi waved his coffee mug as the three others left his office. Putting it down, his lips pulled into a frown. His fingers trailed to the stack of files and gently pulled out the thinnest file from the bottom. He dusted the purple file, thumb rubbing against the label.
‘Midoriya Hisashi’.
“The underground has begun to tremor. I wished it would have taken longer.” Tsukauchi repeated the words he once heard.
The melancholy of four people eating hot pot as one tried to burn mochi sent him laughing to himself.
A memory almost forgotten.
_____________________________________
Izuku opens the door to his mother, tears nearly falling. Izuku sighed and Kero frowned next to him.
“Izuku!” She cried.
‘Ah, the Midoriya tears.’ Izuku giggled.
Inko hugged her sun tightly, nearly body slamming the kid to the floor at the impact. She looked at her son’s face and inspect every corner of it.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did a villain attack you? I got the call from the polie and all they told me was to go back home and wait for you to come back.” She continued crying, Izuku laughed as he patted his mother’s back.
“Midoriya-san.” Eraserhead spoke.
Both Midoriyas stared at him. One had barely contained their tears while the other was tugging at their wet shirt.
“May we please speak privately Midoriya-san. I am Pro Hero Eraserhead.” He flashed her his Hero ID. The man looked surprisingly less tired in his picture than in real life.
“You need more sleep Discount Mothman.” Kero spoke.
Inko’s eyes widen at the plush. “W-What?”
“I’ll explain, privately.” Eraserhead sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Now scram you two.”
Izuku and Kero were sent upstairs.
They scampered to his room, much to Kero’s horror. The door closes behind them as the two adults moved further into the living room.
Inko gestured at the couch. An invitation to seat. “Tea, Eraserhead-san?”
The man shook his head. “I’ll make this quick.”
Inko nodded, biting the inside of her lips. “S-sure.”
The man took out the form Tsukauchi gave him and handed it to the Midoriya matriarch. “Midoriya-san,”
“Just Inko.”
“Inko-san, your son was brought in today due to his quirk manifesting. In normal circumstances we won’t be concern. But, we believe it to be a case of Forced Quirk Activation.”
Inko puts a hand over her mouth. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“No, it isn’t.” Eraserhead grimaced. “It often happens amongst quirkless individuals due to the - nature - of the activation. Forced Quirk Activation only occurs in threat of death.”
Inko’s eyes were watering again. “I know, what you mean Eraserhead-san.”
The man stared at her surprised. “So, you knew.”
Inko nodded. Guilt painting over her face.
“Forgive me for asking, but why didn’t you help your son.”
Inko shuts her eyes.
The hand over her lips now curled into a fist. Head tilting downwards, she tried to will the tears dripping from her cheeks to disappear.
“It-It’s not that simple.” She huffed. “When Izuku’s official diagnosis was confirmed, I messed up. I thought it was my fault. That I ruined his dream to become a hero. Perhaps if I somehow managed to give him a quirk, he wouldn’t feel like I have disappointed him. And so, out of guilt, I tried to stay apart from his life. I couldn’t look at him. I thought he would be mad at me. I know how the quirkless were treated. An old acquaintance of mine was.”
“Inko-san…”
A hand cuts off the Eraser Hero.
“I was blinded Eraserhead-san. Blinded by my own shame. Izuku was smart. Even as a kid. He would try everything to make sure I was never sad. He hid the bruises. Lied about the abuse. But a mother always knows. At that point, I can’t do anything for him. I couldn’t console him. He still dreams of being a hero. I was worried he would get hurt. I wouldn’t lie. After his father died, Izuku is the only family I have left. The quirkless son of the orphan girl. But then, I saw his effort. His secret training. Those secret night outs. I did what I thought best. I supported him from the shadows. I was afraid he would resent me if I was involved in his life. I did my best. Tried to get the school for the abuse, tried to talk to the children’s parents for the bullying. I had even filed multiple police reports. Tried…”
Inko lets out a dry laugh. Her gaze sharpen as she looked out the window.
“Do you know what happened Eraserhead-san?” Inko’s eyes catches the hero’s. Those tear-filled eyes were filled with a flame that the Eraser Hero was uncomfortably familiar with.
‘A mother’s scorn.’
“Nothing. The words they threw was always, ‘He’s quirkless. There’s no need to waste anyone’s time for a boy like him. Get rid of him and get a better son.’ The gal on those trash to try and get me to ditch my son. So I continued. I lied to Izuku myself. The nights that I was supposed to be having extra shifts were me volunteering at a local Quirkless Rights Advocates. I may be a nurse, but there must be something I could do. A part of me feels that maybe, just maybe, if I could change how things are, Izuku would forgive me. Until then, I would keep it a secret from him. And then I found his journal…” Inko broke out into a sob, both hands dug deep into her lips.
Eraserhead shifted in his seat.
He was never one good with emotions. He doesn’t know what to do. How could he comfort this lady? She made a mistake by not supporting her son early on but she was trying her best as well.
He lowered his head, letting the room be filled with sounds of broken tears. A crack that ripples deep into the air, vibrating into his bones. He could feel her sadness cracking, like coal burning in the blazing fire of what life had pushed the family into.
“I-Izuku…” The woman wiped away her tears. “He’s a smart boy. He hid things so well. When I found the journal, I dropped it. The thoughts in there were not how Izuku normally was. So, I made up my mind. I would no longer stay in the shadows. I would support him both in front and behind him. I would stand by his side, and I would make sure he reaches his dream as the first Quirkless Hero.”
She gave Eraserhead a firm smile.
“This quirk he has changes nothing Eraserhead-san. I will still support him. I will still fight for the quirkless. One day, when he had become a Pro Hero, fighting crimes in TV, I will not forget the quirkless boy he once was. I will forever remain his number one fan that had always supported him. One that believed in him, quirk or no quirk.”
Eraserhead grinned at the determination.
‘That’s a beautiful sentiment Inko-san.’
“And maybe, one day he could forgive me for failing to be there from the beginning. To give him support when he needed the most instead of wallowing in my self-conceited shame.”
The tears continued. Cries echoed through the house. Through cracked doors, Izuku sat, hugging his knees. Kero was patting his hands, rubbing them slowly with his paws.
“It was never your fault mom.” Izuku whispered a reply. “I forgive you, but it was never your fault.”
The conversation in the living room continued for another twenty minutes or so. By the time the hero left, Izuku shuts his door at the same time the apartment door closed. He climbed into bed, pulling his blanket.
_____________________________________
Izuku tried closing his eyes, but he couldn’t sleep. He sat up abruptly, throwing the blanket across the bed.
“Ugh!”
“Can’t sleep huh kid?” Kero sat on the bed. Izuku raised a brow in mock annoyance. “You know what always helps me get my mind off things?”
“I’m not even sure if there’s anything in that mind of yours.”
“Hey!” Kero smacked the boy in the forehead. He flew to his eye level and frown. “It’s flying.”
Izuku squinted, mouth into a frown. “I can’t fly.”
“Of course, you can silly! You have the Fly card now!”
“Kero…” Izuku sighed. “I’ve told you multiple times, public quirk usage is illegal.”
“And I’m not a quirk. I’m magic. Plus, technically, I’m not registered as your quirk yet. So until then, nothing you do is illegal.”
Izuku stared, hum, give it a thought before nodding.
‘Kero has a point.’
“You’re a bad influence Kero.”
“I’m a fun influence.” The plush grinned, rubbing his non-existent chin.
Izuku smiled. He flopped of his bed and summoned his staff. He pulled out the Fly card. “What now?”
“Just call it with intent. Like you did with Windy.”
“Fly, lend me your power.” He threw the card into the air and it swirled into a flurry that spins throughout his arms before encircling his body and disappearing. “Where’s Fly?”
Kero frowned.
“It’s black. No that’s not right. There’s some green as well.”
“Kero, what are you talking about? The spell didn’t work. Fly isn’t here.”
“Huh?” The plush twitched. “Yes, it did. Look at your back.”
Izuku turned his eyes and stifled a yelp in his hands. “I have wings!”
Two large black wings draped his back. Traces of dark green outlines the edges of each feather.
Izuku was excited at the prospect of having wings. Who wouldn’t? But yet again he was nervous at the prospect of, won’t you know it, having wings!
Who wouldn’t!?
Izuku frowned.
“What’s that look for?” Kero asked.
“I thought I could see Fly again. Check how it’s doing.”
“That’s not how it works.” Kero flew to the window and pushed it open.
The greennette was still frowning at his wings.
“What are you waiting for?” Kero sat by the open window.
Izuku turned to him and smiled. One foot on the frame, he let the wind caught his hair. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe I’m doing this!’
“Kero,” He turned to the lion plush, “how do I fly? I don’t know how to fly!”
“You think too much. Just use your instincts. Trust in Fly!”
“Yes.” Izuku snorted. “Trust my instincts. My human instincts. One that never have a flying quirk. Sounds like a good idea.”
“You think too much!” Kero bit Izuku in the leg.
Izuku yelped and slipped off the ledge. “Kero, if I die I’m gonna haunt you!” They boy shouted.
‘I’m falling. I’m falling. I’m gonna die again today.’
“Hey, Izu!” Izuku opened his eyes to Kero’s inches away from him. “Look down.”
His eyes opened to see the ground beneath him. ‘Wait, more like a kilometre beneath me.’ He glanced at his back, the wings flapping to keep him afloat as he curled himself into a foetus mid-air.
A smile forming at his lips. “Kero! I’m flying.”
The guardian smiled back at him.
“Right on!” He gave Izuku a thumbs up.
Izuku stretched outwards, hands outstretched. He flapped them furiously but remain floated in place. Kero let out a huge laugh.
“Umm, Kero. How do I move?”
“You don’t flap your arms silly. Just think of where you wanna go and let fly do the work. But like… Like walking.”
“That doesn’t help Kero.” Izuku sweat-dropped.
The plush took him by a hand and pulled him in circles. “Don’t think too much. You’re flying! Just feel it up!”
A laugh escaped the greenette’s lips. One full of joy. One that he knew he haven’t genuinely had since he was four. And now, underneath the glow of the moon, twirling in the cloudless sky next to his new friend.
‘Yeah, friend feels right.’ Izuku was laughing once again.
Green and black feathers ruffled in the winds, heads bend backwards, a sweet melody drowned in the silence of the night.
The beautiful scene was watched afar, as the pro hero Eraserhead gave a grin, pulling his scarf to cover his mouth. No further than where he was, standing at their balcony, black eyes watched. The person’s lips upturned softly as they whispered to themselves,
“It has begun. Everything is set in motion.”