Chapter Text
“Thank you Uwasa for that information on Midnight’s latest scandal,” Machigae thanked, setting down a stack of papers next to him.
“No problem Machigae.”
The screen showed Uwasa waving goodbye to the camera before it quickly cuts back to the main station.
“Now onto recent developments in Musutafu. Local Heroes have been reported with quirk malfunctions and even some having to take a temporary leave because of this.”
“I know. Even resident hero, Death Arms, is having some difficulty and has been reported to have had an episode of rage, injuring 7 civilians and almost bringing down an office building by punching it.”
“What do you think of all this Muchi?” Machigae asked, turning slightly in his chair to get a better look at his co-host. The camera panned over to the man in question as lifted a hand to his chin.
“My bet goes to the stress of the job that caused this to happen. I’ve also heard people claim it may even be the Hero Commission who is trying to sell a story about something going on with our heroes just so all of them can sit down on the asses and not have to work. Or to just indulge the conspiracy theorists out there, maybe it's quirk singularity. What do you think Machigae?”
“Honestly Muchi, I think there is nothing really to worry about. In a world full of quirks, heroes, and villains this is honestly nothing. If it’s truly the heroes being lazy then they better get up and go kick some villain ass.”
“You do make a good point Machigae.”
“Of course I do, now onto other news, today pro hero Mt Lady debuted…”
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19 months later
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BEEP!
“Hey is this thing on?” He fumbled with the camera, trying to focus it and proceeded to prop it up against a ledge. Seeing that the camera was steady, he sat down in his position on the roof and looked directly into the camera blank faced.
“Hello my name is Izuku Midoriya, I’m 16 years old, and it’s day 221 since the world went to hell.”
Not all men are created equal. It’s been a lesson drilled into his head since that doctor's visit, but it’s always been a prominent feature in mankind’s history. Black slaves to white men, the riots for queer people, woman's rights. At one point in time, these were all things making mankind diverse but divided, such as differences in power. At another point in time quirked and quirkless made people divided as well. Now it’s the infected versus the survivors.
He started to chuckle dryly while slowly turning his gaze up to the sky. “Well um, that was one way to start off a recording. I promise I’m not always that pessimistic about things, but I only did it for dramatic effect.” To emphasize his point, he did jazz hands while smiling slightly.
“Today is November 14, 22XX and as I said earlier, it's been about 221 days since the apocalypse started. I currently reside in Musutafu which is where the outbreak of the Vafrum Virus first started. I’ve had no outside contact with anyone since everything went down, but I still keep trying.” He smiles brightly at the camera hoping it makes his very minuscule hope come across.
“As of right now I live with my adopted sister in the wealthier part of the city and we are doing pretty decently on rations and water if I do say so myself. Turns out the house we raided a few months back belonged to some paranoid couple who believed in the doomsday theory so they just had tons of non-perishable foods, jugs of water, and generators stocked up in their basement.
About um, a week ago I think, I tried breaking through the walls. Let’s just say it did not work out well and it led to me having to do lots of cardio.” He took a second to reminisce at the fairly fresh memory of him running from a group of infected and almost tripping on a water bottle.
“In all honesty, I didn’t really think this recording through very well so I don’t really know what i'm doing. It was kinda a spur of the moment decision to do this so I had no plan going into this. Hmm, well I guess I’ll record another one of these another day when or if something big happens.”
He went to turn the camera off but paused, remembering something. “Oh, one more thing. I just wanna say that if you find this, please don’t give up hope just yet. I’m working on something and if I succeed I may just save society.” He gets up from where he was sitting and gives a quick thumbs up for the camera before the finish button and turning it off.
꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂
After finishing the recording, Izuku climbed off the roof and silently landed on a patch of grass in the backyard instead of the concrete that was right beside it. He had long since learnt to silence his falls, but it never hurt to land on some nice soft grass. He closed the camcorder and put it into his satchel that he was wearing.
He had finally found a memory card for the camcorder after about a month of searching houses and of course he was no vlogger, but he wanted to document what little he had going on in his life.
Izuku opened the back door to the house and slid into the kitchen, locking the door behind him. He made his way over to the stove and checked on the oatmeal he had first started preparing before going outside.
Seeing it was ready he turned to his side and opened up one of the wooden cabinets on the wall containing the tupperware. He quickly found two clean enough bowls to serve the oatmeal in and placed them down on the counter. Izuku then grabbed the pot and poured it’s contents into the two bowls.
On his way out of the kitchen, he grabbed a cup of applesauce knowing that a special someone would most likely want it when she went to eat.
When Izuku got to the dining room, he set the bowls down in front of the two empty chairs and placed the applesauce down with them.
“Okay, now that’s all done,” he murmured to himself before cupping his hands and yelled in the general direction of the stairs, “Princess, it's time to eat! Come on downstairs and get your food.” After a few seconds with no response, he decided to call again but with a different approach. “Well if someone isn’t going to come down here, then I guess I’ll have to eat this applesauce all by myself.”
This time he heard small quick footsteps racing down the stairs and he smiled to himself hearing the rapid panting noises he heard coming towards him. When a head of grayish-blue hair popped into his view, he finally began to eat his food.
“Where is the applesauce!?” Eri practically shouted, rushing into the room and plopping in her seat. Izuku could tell she had just woken up just from the looks of her bed head and disheveled pajamas, even though she should have already been up since it had already passed 10 in the morning.
“Good morning to you too Eri,” he greeted before stuffing his face full of oatmeal.
“Good morning Izu-nii! Sorry, I kinda overslept because I stayed up late last night drawing.” She quickly rambled before finding the cup of applesauce. With her plate now complete, she began to dig in and eat as if it was her last meal on Earth.
“Slow down Eri, the food isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.” He chuckled at the reddening in her face before continuing. “And you don’t have to say sorry, I was just teasing. I can’t even be talking honestly. When I was your age, I used to stay up really late watching a certain All Might video on repeat for hours.” Eri hid her giggles by putting another chopstick full of oatmeal in her mouth.
“So how are your drawings going?” he asked.
Brightening up at the topic, she started rambling on about her newest artworks at a speed that would put Izuku’s own muttering storms to shame. The bits he did catch were her informing him of two new painting she did which were a water painting of a unicorn and a drawing of her and Izuku in the woods.
“I’m also working on another drawing of an apple,” she eagerly exclaimed, taking and swallowing more applesauce and leaving little time to actually breathe.
“I can’t wait to see it. On another note, I need to go on another supply run to get more fuel and tools. While I’m out I can get you some more art supplies if you want. I’m just going to go out on a whim and say with all your recent projects you’ve been doing that you're probably running low on supplies.”
“Izu-nii, can I please go on the supply run with you this time?” She exaggerated the please with a little pout lip in hopes of it helping her case. ”I’ve gotten bigger since the last time I asked and you’re even teaching me how to fight and move silently like a ninja.” She was pulling out all the stops, even adding in her classic puppy dog eyes for sympathy points.
“Eri, we’ve had this discussion before. You are only seven, and it's extremely dangerous out there. Even I struggle against the hordes and I'm twice the size of you.” This conversation had been had multiple times over the past months and each time Izuku would say no to her request with hopes of deterring her.
Sadly, just like her brother, she was stubborn to no end.
“Pretty please? I pinky promise I’ll be super duper careful. It doesn’t even have to be a far away run. I just wanna leave the house and help you instead of just sitting here and doing nothing.” She sank down into her chair and frowned at the table knowing that the whole time they’ve been together, all she’s had done for them was sit and enjoy herself in the comfort of their home.
Izuku sat for a minute and pondered what he should do. On one hand, he knew how it felt to feel like a burden to others. Knowing first hand because he had lived his life quirkless in a quirked society where your quirk determines your worth. On the other hand, he knew it was extremely dangerous out there and a quick decision could mean the difference between life and death.
They ate in silence for a few minutes and during that time, Izuku had come to a decision even if it’s not one he particularly liked. “Here I’ll make you a deal.” She perked up a little bit with it not being an automatic no. “I’m not going to let you go on a run today, but if by your 8th birthday next month I deem you capable enough I’ll take you on a short run near the edge of the city.
“Really?” Eri asks with tears beginning to prick at her eyes.
“Really really. But only if I deem you ready though,” Izuku assured her while also using his fingers to wipe away the tears that had started to form around her eyes.
She crashed into him and sent both of them falling to the floor, the older of the two laughing and the younger crying happy tears.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you so much Izu-nii!” She choked out through her tears.
“It's nothing Princess, but let's finish eating before the food gets cold.”
꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂
After drying all their tears and finishing breakfast, Izuku grabbed his baseball bat and satchel with everything he needed in it and starts to head out the door. “Eri, you know the rules?” He knows she knows them by heart but it's always comforting to hear her say them.
“Don’t open the door or windows, if I hear something that doesn’t sound like you run into the basement lock the door and grab the gun, and if you’re not back by dusk turn off all the lights and stay quiet.”
“Good job. I shouldn’t be gone too long but stay safe and remember those rules.” He pulled her into a quick hug and kissed her forehead before heading out.
“You stay safe too, Izu-nii. Don’t make any dumb choices and remember that self preservation instincts are there for a reason.”
That last comment got a snort out of him, and as he locked the front door, he began his trek towards the main city of Musutafu.