Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time Izuku ever wrote about the Zenless Zone was minutes after watching a show about children living in the early days of quirks. Not the very beginning with the glowing baby, but a while after. When quirks were still new and incredible, but also weird enough for things to get scary and crazy, even if they were rare and weak.

The characters of that story were a genius girl who was a detective with a quirk that let her turn a backpack into a bottomless pit to carry all her tools. A boy made of stone who was strong and tough but not very bright. A girl who could channel a weak electric current which she used as both a tool for powering tools and a taser as needed. And finally a talking dog, because why not. Years later Izuku would learn that the story had ripped off a few older ones and hoped no one noticed.

Like any five year old with a notebook and far too many crayons, little Izuku made his own version. The girl had a bottomless suitcase instead like his daddy had, the boy was made of metal and super fast instead of strong like Ingenunun (he could never say his name right), and the electricity girl... still had electricity. But it was a really cool quirk so that was fine. Oh and the talking dog was replaced with a talking cat. Because dogs could be mean but cats were nice as long as you gave them fish. His mother loved his drawings of the smart bunnies and they went up on the fridge. They were the first characters Izuku ever made for what would become his escape from reality.

After the doctor diagnosed him as quirkless, things got bad. Bakugo got meaner, so did his old friends and the other children. So did a lot of adults. Pretty much everyone. It got pretty bad.

Which was why his world of heroes became so important to him. It was nicer. The smart bunnies knew how to fight or escape the bad guys and monsters of their world. They were stronger than him, they were faster than him, they were smarter than him... they were better than him. But that was okay. They were heroes, they were supposed to be better. No matter what.

'Little Izu, where are you? Oh here you are. Momma needs to start making dinner tonight for us. Can we head home dear,' asked Inko as she found her son lying beneath a tree in the park near their apartment.

'Ok Momma, I'll finish later,' replied Izuku with some regret. He closed his notebook slowly, pouting at being interrupted but too good natured to argue.

As Izuku rose from sitting against the tree, Inko felt a little bad. 'Writing about a new hero? Would you like to tell me about them?' Though in truth Inko didn't really like to talk about them. Izuku would never be one and indulging his fascination was not a good idea.

'No Momma, I was writing about the Cunning Hares. They were the smart bunnies before but they were bad because they were vigantes… vigiantes and not heroes from school. So now they are going to school to be heroes,' Izuku exclaimed proudly, even as he misspoke.

'Oh, that's really good. It's nice to know that the smart bunnies aren't breaking the rules and are now proper heroes. Not vigilantes anymore,' Inko replied with a smile and a nod. So Izuku was still talking about heroes, but at least they were make-believe heroes. His heroes, the ones who always saved the day. The ones that would never hurt her son. Inko decided she liked talking about these particular heroes. 'Do they have names?'

 Years went by and the smart bunnies became the Cunning Hares Hero Agency. They gained names and new abilities. They became their own characters. Sometimes, when Izuku thought about them, he could hear their voices. Faint but understandable. Nicole was smart but she was bossy and short-tempered. Billy was always loud and flashy, but in a good way. Anby was quiet but kind and considerate. She was also kind of scary sometimes. Izuku probably shouldn't have given her a big sword but when he learned metal conducted electricity and could even help make electricity hit harder, it was too late. Anby had a sword now.

As Izuku grew older and spent more time exploring the internet, he discovered fanfiction. And that opened a door to a wild new world. He started following stories on free sharing websites and discovered new things. New ideas, new genres, new topics, so many new things. Though he sometimes got in trouble for reading the more frightening stories and mom had to review any new stories before he could start them when certain tags appeared. He was also forbidden from joining any Bedlam servers until he was eleven at least, and his mother made sure to drill internet safety into his head.

Around this time, Izuku's little story of the Cunning Hares Hero Agency became far more. He started combining other ideas. Less defined ideas, like the hollow place. The hollow place was a dome of evil, at first. A simple exploration of the idea of villain lairs. A twisting labyrinth meant to confuse intruders and leave them vulnerable to the villains inside. That grew into what became Hollow Zero and the companion hollows. Common criminals became Hollow Raiders, while villains became the Ethereals and the Exaltists. The difference being one group is desperate and foolish enough to use the hollows to aid their criminal activities and only visit such places. The others lived inside them and became corrupted by exposure to such dark places.

With so many places of evil and the world beset on so many sides, this world needed more heroes. So Izuku used his study of heroes and quirks, along with inspiration from other stories to create or adapt characters for the task. Public Security officers and the Hollow Investigation Association, represented by Zhu Yuan and Hoshimi Miyabi. Belobog Heavy Industries led by Koleda Belobog, in spite of her young age and the scandal surrounding her absent father. Izuku often wondered where his father was and what he’s doing. At least he sent back money for them.

Later he would be inspired by several pieces of fanfiction about super spies, killer maids, and phantom thieves to create Victoria Housekeeping and its dark connection to Mockingbird. Von Lycaon and Hugo Vlad, best friends once, now enemies. But also not really enemies, more like really angry siblings who still cared but could never agree on things. But one thing was clear, as time passed and Izuku's imaginary world grew, so did the volume of the voices.

'You should secure a switchblade. That will put the fear in them.' Hugo was really angry. Typically if Izuku kept his head down and wrote his stories then Bakugo would leave him alone. But Izuku could never ignore Bakugo when he would go after the other students for perceived slights or just because he felt like throwing his quirk around.

He lost of course. Kacchan was Kacchan and he was De- 'Finish that thought and I swear I will wait until you are asleep, then possess your body and commit murder for your own well being!' Hugo please don't. Murdering Kacchan was not a real solution. He needed to learn that just because Alderna let him get away with so much did not mean UA would. Either he would mature and become more calm and restrained or UA would fail him. And that would be such a disappointment. Kacchan had the potential to be a great hero, but he was young and full of himself, Izuku wouldn't deny that. 

'Is that supposed to excuse years of illegal quirk use, violence, and bigotry against everyone around him?' No, but he didn't have great influences. The teachers all seemed to disregard his actions, but worse all the victims seemed to believe it was natural. That the weak should submit to the strong. Bakugo didn't know better. 'Author please! You know better. Years of violence and he's growing ever more vicious. His nature is that of a villain.' He's not that far gone.

'As much as I disagree with Hugo regarding a great many things, Master Midoriya, Bakugo Katsuki is one I struggle to forgive so easily. He ignores his mother for her clear hypocrisy of character, his father for being too mild mannered. His teachers either turn a blind eye or subtly condone his actions. His so-called friends are weak willed followers who revel in their supposed power as his lackeys. If he actually grows up to be a better person it may take a serious event to even start the process. Both his nature and those that nurture him push him in a very poor direction.'

It was truly a bad day when Von Lycaon sided with Hugo. 'I do not do so lightly. Bakugo has demonstrated for years that he is a violent and vain individual. Worse, he does not recognize that this behavior is in complete contrast to his inspiration All Might, who is mighty but restrained in his power. One constantly fights to prove his power and the other knows his power and carefully moderates its use.'

That doesn't change the fact that he is young and surrounded by bad influences. Honestly, it would be so much better if we didn't live in Musutafu. A city known only for the best heroics school in the world. A city full of entitled quirkist people.

It was the truth, Izuku was often told he was unobservant, but there was no way you couldn't see how people in Musutafu acted like they were inherently superior for living in the shadow of UA High School.

In spite of every other shortcoming as a city with below-average standards such as income and living standards, like the nightmare that is Takobah Beach, people act like this city is the pinnacle of living in this world of quirks.

After the fifth time Izuku listened to the voices to learn martial arts or acquire weapons so he stood a better chance at stopping Kacchan, and failed, his mother took him back to the hospital. Doctor Tsubasa had retired so he met a new doctor. Doctor Konishi was not a polite man. Quite simply, he was a quirkist. Openly quirkist in fact, commenting on Izuku's quirkless nature with enough distaste that even Izuku could pick up on it.

Doctor Konishi explained that Izuku's voices were most likely pieces of his subconscious speaking through the figments of his imagination, and they were indicators of schizophrenia. Izuku's defective brain was leading him astray. That was to be expected for someone like him.

Izuku's mother exploded with a rarely seen display of rage against the doctor's rhetoric and blunt diagnosis. Doctor Konishi simply shrugged and stated that if Izuku was hearing voices then it was his fault, and the solution was very simple. Stop talking to his imaginary friends and grow up. Izuku tried to argue that if he did that then he may as well stop working on an entire narrative world he'd been creating since he was a child. But again, the doctor did not care. He said that either he lets go of the source of his mental delusions and lives a healthy life or doesn't because that would be his choice and his fault.

Midoriya Inko may not have supported her son's dreams of being a hero but she always supported her son's story. She had sat and listened to her son talk about his world of hollows and heroes. Had given suggestions and advice as he wrote origins and traits for them, had asked Bakugo Mitsuki for advice on costume designs for them. Watched as crayon scribbles and single sentence explanations for their quirks grew into an entire book case of world building, sketches, action scenes, tragic backstories, and story arcs. The Zenless Zone gave her son sanctuary from a cruel and insensitive world. A world that was supposed to be a golden age of peace and heroics, that failed to protect and serve her brilliant, creative, passionate son. She could not and would not deprive her son of this.

They stormed out of the hospital, Inko muttering bitter curses under her breath against bigoted idiots. Once outside, she turned to her son and told him what she thought.

'Your mind and the world you're creating, with so many good people, and so many good ideals to live up to. It is your greatest strength and the greatest part of you. You may not have a quirk but you have something far better. You have an entire world in your mind, one that deserves to live and grow. So keep going Izuku, keep creating New Eridu, and the Outer Ring, and Waifei Peninsula, and the Hollows, don't stop Izuku. This beautiful world you dream of is yours. Never let anyone take it away from you.'

In Izuku's memory, he remembered the night he asked a question. He remembered his mother's answer then, and was deeply thankful for what she said now. As is Midoriya tradition, they hugged and cried enough tears to birth an ocean before returning home and eating Katsudon. And despite that doctor, it was a very good day.

It was summer in Musutafu and Izuku was sitting under a tree. His tree really, it was the same one he sat under every summer as he watched the world around him. As he pictured his heroes train in the peaceful surroundings. Lighter was evolving his own boxing style after so many years as his small might clone. Izuku had finally made Lighter into something more than just a big man with big punches. He was very proud of finally creating a character that was a subtle homage to the number one. So while he punched, ducked, and weaved around the kicks and claw strikes of Von Lycaon, a fair distance away Miyabi Hoshimi was going through sword techniques.

Izuku had extensively researched as many swords and forms as he could to give those characters armed with blades grounded foundations with room for flashy ideas. At some point he stumbled across a character named Vergil and... well, he didn't understand all the jokes surrounding him sitting in a plastic lawn chair but the idea of a swordsman who could attack so fast you only saw after images was a little too cool to not copy. But there were at least two others who also had small influences on her design and nature. And as for Tailless, the average person would look at it and see a katana. But considering its size it was actually a Tachi compared to the more compact katana.

Izuku had contemplated a nodachi considering Miyabi's role as a Void Hunter and her purpose being hunting down massive ethereals but nodachi are a very tricky blade to use because of their size and even harder to visualize. They are also not very popular in the modern day for demonstrations. There are a million and one video essays, demonstration videos, and swordsmen foundation guides on katanas and tachi which are confused for katana. But there are far less for the overkill sword that is the nodachi, and even less for its absurd relative the odachi. That and Izuku had tried, but Miyabi seemed to reject them by choice. Tailless was a tachi and that was that.

'Remember when it was just us, Izu?' Izuku glanced over his shoulder and noticed he was surrounded by his first characters. Demara Nicole was lounging under the tree's shade to his right, her canon case acting as a pillow. Nekomata was sunbathing at her feet, splayed out and seemingly asleep. Izuku checked his left and noted Anby was sitting cross legged in the shade while running an oily rag over her blade, while Billy was busy practicing quick draw and gun twirling moves. His first characters, his first team. So many summer days spent in this park, filling in for the friends who had left him behind. Having adventures that were a little less lonely even if they weren't really there.

Izuku took one last moment to check that no one was nearby before breaking the rules. 'Yeah, glad you're still here with me. Glad to know that in spite of everything, I managed to hold on to this little dream of mine... of ours.'

Nicole smiled before she replied, ' We're not going anywhere Izu, you're stuck with us. Now until the end of time. I wanna know what fortunes the Cunning Hares score. Like maybe a lost vault full of gold, jewels, art, and the like at the top of the Ballet Twins perhaps?'

Izuku couldn't help the snort of humor as his own character tried to dictate their own future. 'That would involve traveling all the way to the top, confronting all those ethereals, the Twins themselves in a dance battle and then fighting against the horde of hollow raiders who followed you in for it.'

To which Nicole replied, ' We can handle all that. We're the best of the best after all.'

But Izuku wasn't going to make it that easy, 'then you have to give most of it to the surviving families whose property you just retrieved, then the government taxes what's left, and then the leftovers go towards paying all your debts!' Every time Izuku voiced a new consequence for their success he saw Nicole pale in horror.

He heard Billy, Anby, and Nekomata all snicker in amusement at Nicole's dream being ruined. Only for them all to stop short before tensing. Izuku didn't figure out why until he heard a familiar heckling. 'The fuckin' schitzo is talking to himself again.'

Izuku glanced up and noticed that Bakugo and his hangers-on had entered the park and were heading his way. In an instant he was surrounded by angry ghosts. But like ghosts, they didn't actually exist. They couldn't help him.

Izuku decided retreat was the best course of action. He wasn't strong enough to beat Bakugo and company but even they couldn't catch him without breaking the law and using quirks to even the odds. Izuku hated how good he had gotten at running away from his problems.

Time went on and Izuku kept dreaming of the Zenless Zone. He was dreaming of it during class at the start of his last year at Alderna. So the only warning he got of Bakugo's impending attack was Anby.

Izuku was refining the story of the Outer Ring and the Sons of Calydon. Lighter had found his place in the world as Caesar's Champion and had received a motorized knuckle duster to compliment his furious fiery fists. Izuku was still working on the design as he sketched so his focus was entirely on his art. He missed the first warning. But he heard the second hissed in his ear. 'Bakugo's incoming, brace yourself, he's aiming for your notebook!'  

It was only due to Anby's talent for short and concise warnings that Izuku saved his work from being turned to ash as Kacchan slammed his hands down right where his notebook had been a split second ago.

Izuku stumbled back in his chair for a moment before he felt his chair lock up against something and crash back down, at the very least he hadn't been sent flying out his chair by some luck. Unfortunately, this meant that an angry Kacchan was in punching range. But mercifully he just felt like pointing and yelling at the moment.

'Alright you head-in-the-clouds Deku this ain't fuckin' funny. You think you can show me up by applying to UA? You little shit?"

Izuku just blinked in perplexation before logic caught up, 'I applied to the business course though. How am I showing you up by choosing the course that helps my plans,' asked Izuku in what he hoped was innocent confusion. Astoundingly, Kacchan hesitated for a moment. ‘Teach' said you were applying to UA, not where. Course’ you know better than to try and play hero. Tch, Teach' you made it sound like the day dreamin' nerd was challenging me!’

Their homeroom teacher shrugged in what he thought was honest regret if not for the shit eating grin that seemed to say he enjoyed Izuku getting messed with. ‘Well, it hardly matters in either case, Izuku may have remarkably good grades for someone so easily distracted, but it's still long odds that he'll get in. It would be a long shot for him to get into general studies. But, I suppose miracles happen.’

Izuku let it all roll off him. He was used to it. Izuku wasn't stupid, he knew that his grades would be able to rival Kacchan's own if the teachers weren't making sure to pick over his own answers for every last possible mistake and flaw to ensure his grades never surpassed the class favorites. There was one teacher who had integrity and confessed to Izuku before retiring last year.

She had felt regret for doing it but it was either play along or lose her retirement pension by failing to complete her last year. All for not "protecting the quirkless from their own success" as she was told. She explained that with rampant quirkist bigotry at work in Musutafu, it was safer for the quirkless if their grades stayed in a safe bracket of average. It was a load of bullshit according to most of his overactive subconsciousness.

A part of Izuku wished she hadn't confessed to him. It was actually harder to know he was being singled out and his grades were being sabotaged as some kind of protective measure against vain people who couldn't accept that he was actually intelligent and dedicated enough to be their academic peer.

But the world kept on turning, if Izuku wanted things to get better, he needed the resources to influence that change. Not for himself, but for future generations. There was no helping things as they were now, not as a quirkless nobody.

'You are not a nobody to us.'

I wish that meant something. But thank you.

Izuku's last class was winding down. Izuku was ahead on his notes and while he desperately wanted to work on his design for Lighter's Red Rocket Gauntlet (name in progress Lighter, I will workshop it) he also sensed some pent-up aggression lurking in the class. Unobservant or not, Izuku trusted his instincts and carefully organized his school materials to be quickly thrown into his backpack and use the crowd to escape. Luck was not on his side though.

'Midoriya Izuku, could you stay behind for a minute. I need to talk to you.' His homeroom teacher looked benign about his request but Izuku could feel the undercurrent of authority he was projecting. His class filed out around him while Izuku remained seated. When the class was empty, his teacher stood up to regard him.

'Mr. Midoriya, what am I going to do about you,' his homeroom teacher asked with a sigh.

Izuku did his best to control his emotions and asked, 'I don't understand the question Sensei.'

'Your first day back and you antagonize Bakugo into conflict in my class. You need to learn better manners.' Which again, Izuku didn't understand. When Izuku didn't respond his teacher frowned, 'don't act dumb young man. You applied to UA just to rile up your fellow students. The very thought of someone as... defective as you attending UA in any capacity. It's a bad joke.'

Izuku did his best to look unbothered and nodded before responding, 'I am aware of the challenge and I also applied to Shiketsu, Ketsubutsu, and Tokyo Union High school. I have backup options.'

Izuku's teacher’s frown deepened, 'You should really reevaluate your standards. Shiketsu doesn't take quirkless individuals, Ketsubutsu would be insulted by your background, and Tokyo Union may be a massive high school but you still stand no chance. You might stand a chance attending someplace in the country, maybe Kawagoe. I hear they're so desperate for new residents to preserve their village. I suppose it would be a great fit for you. A relic of the modern day, living and preserving a relic village from the Edo period. You would be... an authentic resident, maybe you could be a hermit talking to the ghosts in your head for the entertainment of tourists. Being quirkless and schizophrenic as you are.' Izuku's teacher finally cracked a smile at his own wit.

On the outside Izuku was placid, unbothered, he nodded as if he was considering his teacher's advice. On the inside, a low roar was building behind his ears. Half a dozen figures were all throwing themselves at his teacher and doing nothing. A dozen more were whispering calming words of comfort to him. Deep inside he wanted to just stop pretending he was ok. He saw Ellen, she was offering him a seat next to her on her bed and a hug for his aching heart.

Izuku was a bit too numb to hear the rest of his home room teacher's comments, mostly he just ran on auto pilot until he came back into himself. One small mercy he found was that his teacher had left him alone to recover and the class had cleaned up after themselves so all Izuku needed to do was clean up his own desk and put away his chair.

He went through the motions, went downstairs and swapped out his school shoes for his red boots. No one but his friends saw him cry.

As Izuku walked home, every one of his friends was walking with him. A parade of heroes who tried and failed to lift his spirits.

His heart was burning, his head was spinning, all he wanted was to go home and crash on his bed and forget about everything for a while. Just a little while, he was a little bit off and would deeply appreciate it if everyone could... f-fuck off for the rest of today. Could he get a break for the rest of today?

He didn't get one.

'IZU, RUN!'

'This can't be happening, for fuck’s sake, where are those useless damn heroes?'

'Master Midoriya, hold your breath! As long as you can, help will come! It has to!'

'Hey anyone, Help Him! Please! There has to be someone nearby who can help!'

'There's no one nearby, everyone is inside working, no one can see us under the bridge. It's just us.'

'NOHOHOHO, THIS CAN'T BE HOW IT ENDS! I NEVER GOT TO KNOW HOW THE STARLIGHT KNIGHTS MOVIE ENDS! AUTHOR PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP HOPE! HEEEEEE- EEELP!'

'WHA? Who the fuck was that, a witness?'

'-id, kid, come on kid, stay with me. Oh hell, I really am losing my grip on things if I got here too late to- no. Kid, this is going to hurt but you need to BREATHE!'

With a loud slap carefully applied to his back, Izuku felt a force move through him that expelled the last of the foul-tasting muck that had been forcing its way down his throat. But then he felt his lungs clear and could taste the sweet, pure air. Then the hacking began. In between bouts of retching and dry-heaving he desperately sucked down air. Everything hurt, but that was good. Pain meant he was alive. Now, if he could master his pain for a moment and gain that clarity that pain is supposed to bring to someone, like in the stories, that would be great.

Bleary-eyed and struggling, Izuku pushed himself off his side only to be gently pushed back down with a hushing sound and gentle circles being rubbed into his back. 'W-wh- hack, cough -who... wha' happened?'

An oddly familiar and comforting voice replied, 'You had a very close call, young man. Take your time and just breathe for a bit. I am here.'

With all the force of a lightning strike, Izuku jolted as recognition ran through his oxygen-starved mind, even half dead, Izuku would know that catch phrase. 'All Might... I died after all.'

'I don't believe such black humor is appropriate after what you've been through, young man. Though I understand your skepticism.'

Izuku kept his eyes closed even as his aching head slowly stopped throbbing. 'Was always a dream of mine to meet you. Have to be dead. Nothing else makes sense. Someone like me, head full of stories. Have to be having one of those... dying dreams people have as the last lights in my head wink out.'

Izuku heard the All Might figment huff in seeming frustration, 'I don't think you're dying, young man, but I'll stay with you until you can discover that for yourself. It would be poor form on my part if I didn't.' Izuku simply murmured a noncommittal reply while he heard something like steam leaking from a pipe, even as a hand kept moving in little circles on his back.

At some point, Izuku didn't feel like he was dying. He cracked an eye open to check if he was in heaven, like some stories said existed. If it was, it looked a lot like he was on a sidewalk in a very familiar city.

Then Izuku sat up and checked his surroundings. His imaginary friends were all around him, barely visible and silent, but all shared looks of relief. Though one was much more solid. Sitting to his right on the sidewalk and wearing an absurdly large white t-shirt, cargo pants, and blue sneakers was a stranger.

'Hello young man. Are you alright,' asked the very thin man with lanky blond hair and sunken blue eyes. He sounded familiar.

Izuku blinked and second-guessed on if he might be in heaven after all, this man looked half dead. Though that would be impolite and his mother raised him better than that. ' I'm feeling pretty rough and my throat is very sore and tastes like garbage and I'm pretty sure I died, so that seems about right considering a sewer monster just drowned me in sludge.'

The stranger looked really uncomfortable at that, so clearly Izuku was not ok, but he was dead, nothing else really mattered. Stranger than that was that his friends were all varying degrees of upset, one finally managed to make themselves heard. 'You're not dead, you got saved and the villain has been stuffed in a soda bottle!' came the hissing whisper of Nicole, full of vindictive relish.

Izuku followed her finger to the man's right hand and a soda bottle that was indeed full of sludge. Then Izuku looked up at the man beside him. Little things stood out about him, but this couldn't be All Might. Was this... his Secretary?

Like any true All Might fan, Izuku knew everything about All Might, including those people who worked the closest with him. One of those figures was his personal secretary, Yagi Toshinori. A man who had suffered a serious injury in the past when villains staged an attack at a press event aimed at All Might, Yagi had been wounded in action protecting people, but had refused to let his injuries retire him. To this day, the man still served as All Might's voice at events when the man himself didn't have the time to attend. A number of people believed that Yagi was a relative of All Might, possibly an uncle or older cousin, because of the similarities in appearance if not for the stark difference in health.

'Was All Might here a minute ago,' Izuku asked with a bit of embarrassment. To which the man nodded with a smile. 'Ah... I mouthed off at All Might after he saved me... kill me now.'

To which the secretary in question just started laughing, 'I-I think that would defeat the point of saving you, young man. He told me it was no problem. Black humor or not, you did go through a very frightening event. Thankfully, we heard your cry for help and I-er- and All Might sprang into action. Sadly, he's running late for a meeting so he left me the villain to hand to the police. And more importantly to stay and look after you.'

Izuku nodded along to the explanation, even as part of his mind told him that All Might said he'd stay and look after him and not this man. Speaking of, it was time for a proper introduction. 'Thank you Mr. Yagi. My name is Midoriya Izuku, I wish All Might was here in person so I could thank him in person and... uh... ask for his autograph.' And Izuku couldn't help his embarrassment at such a childish request, but it was All Might for crying out loud!

But again, Mr. Yagi just laughed before handing over a familiar notebook. His current sketchbook and on the page opposite his unfinished sketch of Lighter was- 'No WAY HE DID THAT!' Izuku couldn't help snatching his sketchbook out of Yagi's hands. In bold English lettering in his unique diagonal flourish was All Might was Here! P.S. I am sorry for arriving so late, young man, take care, and send me a copy of your sketches, they are brilliantly done!

Then Izuku double-checked Lighter. His upper half was still under construction and his lower half was all outline, but his face, sunglasses, and scarf were done. His pose was set in the classic All Might salute, right arm reaching for the sky but with the added detail of a flip lighter tucked between his first and second finger as a flame tribute. His gauntlet was unfinished but beside it was a chibi All Might face and thumbs up with the ryakuji for "awesome" beside him.

'All Might likes my art.' Izuku whispered breathlessly. Yagi just chuckled at his star-struck face. He turned back to Yagi and bowed, 'I can't thank you or All Might enough.'

Yagi returned the bow with a smile and replied, 'No need for thanks, that's what we're here to do after all. Protect and serve the people. Though it feels good to catch the bad guy too. Make sure they can't cause more trouble.'

Yagi's words were undercut by a series of explosions. Izuku and Yagi flinched before looking towards a sudden bloom of fire and smoke several blocks away.

'Another villain attack? Today is just one of those days, huh,' muttered Yagi, before he slowly levered himself upright with a groan.

Izuku on the other hand felt strange, like something on the edge of his senses was trying to get his attention. The answer came from one of his friends. 'Author, I see a trail of slime. Smaller than the villain that attacked earlier, I don't think All Might successfully captured the villain, just a piece of them.' Izuku saw Miyabi standing in the shade of the railway bridge and then Izuku saw a strange dark smear running along the street and in the direction of the explosions and fire. Izuku turned towards Mr. Yagi and saw him frowning at the fire. He spent a moment more before sighing and shrugging, seemingly to himself.

He picked up the bottle and took out his phone, seemingly having missed what Izuku and his friends had found. 'Mr. Yagi, I noticed something.' Mr. Yagi frowned for a moment before regarding Izuku, 'I don't actually remember telling you my name now that I think about it.' To which Izuku gave a short nervous laugh before explaining, 'I've seen you on television at certain events when All Might is busy, most may not bother to remember your name but I have a really good memory. Makes studying a lot easier, hehe, er... never mind though. Did All Might go after the rest of the slime villain?' To which Yagi flashed between pleasant surprise to deep concern, 'the rest of the slime villain? He's inside this bottle.'

Mr. Yagi's argument crumbled a little more as more explosions sounded off in more wild patterns and the fire kept spreading. And then a familiar voice shouting in delight on the wind.

Izuku felt a chill run down his spine. 'All Might missed. He caught the tail. But not the gecko.' And with that odd piece of logic, Izuku started running, not away from the danger, but towards it.

A part of him was wondering why, even as he ignored Mr. Yagi's sudden cries of concern. Maybe it was a sense of responsibility, his weakness and selfishness meant he hadn't spotted the slime trail sooner and All Might hadn't been warned. Maybe he felt some kind of guilt that now someone else was in danger. Izuku wasn't entirely sure, but he ran, even as so many different voices all argued about his actions.

Izuku arrived to a total cluster fuck and no mistake. Fires were burning out of control from an alley, and it was climbing up the walls of the two buildings. Yet Backdraft was stuck keeping the crowd of onlookers from getting closer, despite him and several officers warning the public to stay back. From his vantage point, he saw Mt. Lady glaring down at the alley and yelling about her inability to fit inside, especially with the fire risk. Moments later, he saw Death Arms and Kamui Woods retreat from the alley's mouth while the sludge villain roared insults at them. Izuku heard them comment about how they would wait for a hero with the right quirk to intervene.

Something inside of Izuku started burning. Earlier, Izuku had nearly died because no heroes had been present, now the heroes on sight couldn't make a critical observation and swap places? Get Backdraft off the line watching civilians and put out the fire, then Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady can act!

What the FUCK IS WRONG WITH THESE DAMN HEROES!?!?

Izuku moved to a nearby street bench and stood on it for a better look down the alley. What he saw, chased out the last pieces of sanity and restraint he had. He saw Kacchan, submerged up to his neck in sludge, and only wild applications of his quirk was causing the sludge to warp around his head and keep it from drowning him. It was also feeding the fires. No one was acting, Kacchan was going to die. Kacchan was being abandoned and was going to die while everyone looked on and did nothing. These fires would run out of control and do who knows what kind of harm to those nearby. And the heroes were here, doing NOTHING!

Izuku leaped off the park bench onto a police car's roof before sprinting past the cordon and the startled heroes. He ignored them, all of them. They were doing nothing so Izuku was going to do something instead! He pulled the high-powered taser from the hidden compartment of his backpack, set it to max power, and jammed it into the startled sludge villain as he realized who was charging him.

For a solid second the sludge recoiled from the taser jammed into it while Izuku scrambled to grab onto one of Bakugo's hands, with his free hand. Until the sludge itself "swallowed" Izuku's taser. 'You little shi- oh my GOD! Was that a fucking switchblade you just threw at my eyes you little psycho!?!?' Izuku just nodded even as the switchblade he'd thrown missed and landed between the villain's eyes instead. Sadly, this had no effect outside of shock factor, but that bought him precious time while he prepared plan C.

He'd lost the taser and his emergency switchblade, he was down to his backpack. Kacchan wasn't free yet.

Plan C it was.

Izuku took a half step back and hammer tossed his backpack into the villain's face. 'S-STOP IT YOU LITTLE SHIT!'

While the attack stunned the slime villain with a heavy backpack to the oversized eye, Izuku dove for Kacchan's remaining free hand. He had practically no leverage, but he wasn't going to give up. Izuku felt what it was like when he was sure no one would come for him, he wouldn't leave Kacchan to suffer the same fate.

For a moment, Izuku was winning, utterly focused while he ignored Kacchan's weak protests. He just pulled harder. Then he noted the massive lash of condensed sludge coming down on his head. So be it, Izuku had already died once today. What was one quirkless life for Kacchan's? Izuku grit his teeth and poured his heart and soul into everything that he was. Then he heard the sound of ringing steel and something tore him away from Kacchan even as he screamed for his childhood friend.

'Little Izu! How did you all get up in that tree?' Momma yelled in shock and no small amount of fear.

'We climbed up together,' was Izuku's perfectly reasonable response. But Momma just seemed to get angrier. 'That's more than high enough! How are you four going to get down?'

Izuku shrugged before pointing at Tsubasa, 'he has wings, he can fly us down.' To which Tsubasa flapped his dragon wings and grinned before giving a thumbs up.

'Are you sure Little Izu? It's a long way down, what if he can't?' But Izuku just shrugged again. 'We already tested. Tsubasa can carry each of us down when we wanna. We tested from the top of the castle!'

Momma did not look impressed, 'the playground castle is much smaller than that tree and you are already twice as high in those branches!'

Izuku checked how high up he was... yeah this was actually pretty high. But there was a solution, 'We'll climb lower first. We got up to that low branch together, we can get down together.'

Then Kacchan spoke up, 'It's fine Auntie, Deku had a good idea for once. Don't ruin our fun.'

That was a mistake. 'Bakugo Katsuki, you know that's not a nice name for Izuku. Secondly, if you don't get down now, I'm calling Mitsuki to get a ladder so we can haul you down. Matter of fact, I'm calling the fire department!'

Now, with everyone being very young, they weren't that concerned about the implications of needing to get firemen involved (that might have even been cool to see the fire engine), but angry Inko and Mitsuki with a ladder sounded really bad. So with great reluctance, the boys climbed back down and Tsubasa helped carry Izuku down with his wings. Which as it turned out was a bit harder than gliding to the ground with Izuku from the top of the castle.

'Now, Katsuki, no more getting others to risk breaking their necks climbing trees!' But Bakugo shook his head in denial, 'it was Deku's idea!' Inko scowled for a moment but Izuku stepped up. 'I did Momma, I wanted to see what it was like at the top of the tree.'

Inko turned to regard her dare devil child with righteous anger, but crumbled under his look of sad confusion. ‘None of us could climb up alone, Tsubasa can't fly yet and none of us could jump high enough so I had Kacchan get up with our help before he helped pull us all up. We did it together and we had a plan to get back down. Everything was fine Momma.'

Inko wanted to be mad, but a part of her was impressed that her little boy not only convinced everyone to work together to climb up a tree, but planned for getting down. Her husband would be thrilled knowing his son was so clever. Still, they had all scared her senseless. 'No climbing trees in the park, it's not safe, and if you fell out of the tree you could have been seriously hurt!'

Thankfully, the boys all agreed no more climbing trees. Hopefully, her son would choose to make safer life choices, rather than subject her to any more heart attacks.

Izuku wasn't sure what had just happened. The sludge villain's limb had been cut and also frozen into a dozen pieces. Izuku was several feet back and shivering after a burst of cold had blown through the alley. Then he realized he had been carried several feet by a newly arrived hero.

He glanced to his right and regarded the newcomer, she was extremely familiar. Bright red eyes full of concern regarded him as she gently laid him down on the ground. The fox ears atop her head twitched at very sound. He was looking at Miyabi, but clearer than he'd ever seen her. There was no haze around the edges, no odd blur to her movements. She looked real!

'Stay here, I'll complete the rescue mission.' Soft but with a core of steel. Exactly as Izuku imagined her voice to be. She turned to the sludge villain with casual grace. Then Izuku saw Tailless in her left hand. He also noticed the flames had all gone out around them and that fog had gathered on the ground around them.

'Who the hell are you supposed to be? Come no closer or the ki-' whatever the sludge was going to say was cut off with a click and a much louder localized hurricane. Miyabi had seemed to remain still, hadn't moved a finger, but a quartet of icy afterimages had flown down the alleyway. They had, for lack of a better explanation, quad-sected the sludge villain into five frozen pieces with Kacchan lodged in the middle piece.

Four thin blue lines of ice ran their way down the alley and up the far wall before they curled in on themselves in the air, forming what looked like four frozen claws. Izuku recognized it immediately. The aftermath of Miyabi's shimotsuki attack, "Frost Moon Fourth Form." It was real, it was all real and it was exactly as he had pictured it. It was beautiful.

By now the heroes present were all moving, for the sake of recovering from their past failure? Securing the victim of the attack? Sensing a moment to save face and secure glory? Miyabi beat them all to it. 

With unhurried steps, she approached a shivering but alive Bakugo and with a short sequence of palm strikes, broke the ice around him before hauling him out of the frozen sludge, perhaps a bit harshly but he was alive. Holding onto him before he finally got his shaking knees under him, she let go and turned away. No comfort, not a word. Only Bakugo saw the distaste on her face, as if reluctant to even touch him. Bakugo didn't understand why.

So, now unable to be seen pulling Bakugo from his confinement, Death Arms and Kamui Woods both changed targets to Izuku. 'You idiot! What were you thinking? Breaking through a police cordon? Attacking a villain with a taser and a knife? Are you completely insane? You-' Death Arms tirade was cut off by the sensation of something sharp and cold running across his throat. He turned to regard the clearly irate new arrival.

She shifted from casual walk to quick march and was within easy reach of both of them before she put a hand on Izuku's shoulder and tucked him behind her while she glared at Death Arms and Kamui Woods.

'You should be ashamed of yourselves. Rather than observe your surroundings and realize you had all the tools you needed to secure victory, you instead gave up at the first obstacle. Too fixated on selfish pride and desire for glory. Backdraft was stuck holding the cordon instead of battling the fires, Kamui Woods, Death Arms, Mt. Lady, you were too busy watching in impotence as a child was nearly smothered to death. Now, you blame my Author for acting when you gave up on finding a solution. Too busy waiting for "the right hero with the right quirk." I'm disappointed to know you are considered worthy of being called heroes.'

The whole time Miyabi lectured them, the heroes present all seemed to wilt at her words. They tried and failed to defend themselves as Miyabi overruled them. Invoking the spirit of a furious superior without effort.

And while her voice remained calm and even, her voice carried to all present. The media present were eating up the controversy of a new unknown hero tearing into her seniors. Until a new voice entered the argument. 'Now now, no need to be so critical, most present did their best in a tense situation. Not everyone could handle such a situation as admirably, miss?' 

All Might strode onto the scene in a white t-shirt that barely contained his muscles, cargo pants, and blue sneakers. Izuku couldn't help but note they looked the same as the ones Mr. Yagi had been wearing. Some kind of inside joke? Miyabi shifted her attention to All Might and yet her glare never lessened. ‘I am Void Hunter, Miyabi Hoshimi and you are certainly not above reproach!’ All Might paused before trying to reply. 

But Miyabi wasn't having it. 'You missed the fact that the villain deceived you. Left behind a form of autotomy. They nearly killed someone not once but twice within minutes of each attempt!' Miyabi did not hold back her bitter lecture for the number one hero.

All Might took it with stoic calm, frowning as he nodded in acknowledgement. 'They did, and that was a grievous mistake. But no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. And villains today can be quite cunning. Though I’m curious to know how you know that. I didn’t see you earlier.' Miyabi wasn't moved by his contrition and was preparing another verbal attack when she suddenly shifted attention. She looked down to Izuku, whose hand was trembling as it grasped at her overcoat. She immediately knelt down to examine him.

Now concerned, All Might also strode to the boy's side. Izuku was clearly unwell. His skin was flushed, eyes were red and his whole body was trembling. 'Young Midoriya, what's wrong? Talk to me.' He didn't notice Miyabi who seemed to be listening to someone else over her shoulder. But she did answer the top hero's question. She placed a hand on Izuku's forehead and frowned. 'He's showing symptoms of fever, it's possible that the sludge villain's violation of his esophagus introduced something into his body. He should be taken to a hospital immediately.' All Might nodded in agreement, then all hell broke loose.

Izuku vomited without warning and doubled over, almost into his own mess before All Might caught him in his arms. Meanwhile a police officer stepped forward.

'Ms. Miyabi, under vigilante law, with your clear violation of using your quirk without a license in the middle of a villain attack witnessed by all present, you are hereby under arrest.' All Might snapped his head to the swordswoman. Then the crowd reacted to the news. Gasps of surprise and mutterings between the law and moral obligation brewed. While the press suddenly turned, now declaring her a criminal. Despite it all, she looked unbothered. She simply sighed before glaring at All Might and said, 'Do better, with the time you have left.' All Might felt something in him spasm as she seemed to look through him and see the truth beneath his skin and the low ebb of One for All, before she disappeared. She didn't run, she didn't fade, she simply stopped existing in the eyes of everyone.

Chapter Text

Toshinori ran through his mental checklist one more time while he waited for Tsukauchi in the conference room the hospital had offered to him. Today had been, for lack of a better phrase, a see-saw of a day.

He had spent most of the day hunting down villains who seemed to be everywhere today. He had missed his meeting with Mirai and now he had to reschedule that, as long as Mirai didn’t take it as a snub. 

Toshi had, admittedly, been hesitant to go. He had a feeling about the reason for Mirai to contact him. It wasn’t to make amends. It was to offer up a sacrifice to One for All.

Running around jumping into villain encounter after villain encounter, he was running low on time. Then the sludge villain. He’d hesitated. It hurt to acknowledge that fact, but he had. He was tired, he was avoiding Mirai, he was using the crime spree as an excuse, and later regretting it.

He was running out of time! He couldn’t help the shudder that ran through his body. It wasn’t fatigue or fear, it was sorrow. So much good he had done for the world. So many lives saved, so much evil halted before it could run out of control. She had thrown his greatest regret at his own face.

Miyabi Hoshimi, Void Hunter. No prior record of vigilantism. No one with her appearance or mutation registered to the given name. The officer had run her through the hero registry and later her name and mutation through the quirk registry. No matches belonging to anyone in the region.

It was a terrible shame. She possessed clear skill and the courage to throw herself in front of danger for the sake of another.

There was a knock at the door to the conference room, a distinctive pattern that he and the detective had invented. Though there was no need as Toshi was in his “alter ego” and not All Might. Still, nice of him to announce himself. ‘Please, come in.’

Toshi, regarded his friend and confidant and saw the look he was expecting. He had attempted to be subtle when he messaged the detective but it would be difficult for anyone to remain calm to the knowledge that someone knew enough to see “under the cowl” as they say in the comics. It also served as a useful code phrase and it was enough of a clue to have him racing out the door.

‘Yagi, I got your message. I also received word that you wanted your statement regarding the earlier incident taken here at the hospital. You should be thankful that you get certain privileges as All Might’s secretary,’ Tsukauchi said with faint exasperation. Fake exasperation if Toshi was any judge.

It likely meant this room was under watch. Best to keep their voices down then. ‘I appreciate the patience the officers have shown me. I simply felt too anxious regarding young Midoriya and young Bakugo to offer reliable testimony,’ Toshi replied with exaggerated relief, though only just. The relief was mostly real, now that he had someone more rational and in the know to talk to.

Ever since the injury and the detective’s discovery of his condition, Tsukauchi had become Toshinori’s closest friend. He had also become the one person that he felt like he could talk to about his… concerns for the future.

Gran Torino wasn’t the kindest when it came to confessing his issues, Mirai was out of the question. There was practically no one else. The only other option was visiting Nana’s grave when he was at his weakest. It probably wasn’t the healthiest option, but every time he did so, he felt like she was there for a moment. It was comforting to him, and he would not let her feel like she had been forgotten.

Tsukauchi closed the door to give them privacy before sitting down in the chair across from him. He pulled out a recording device and together they went over the events of the sludge villain’s attacks. It was a well-rehearsed act. They had done this before, as both All Might and Yagi the secretary. They reached the end point and Tsukauchi nodded in satisfaction before ending the recording. Then he looked at Toshi and let his real emotions leak through.

‘You said she saw under the cowl. How is that possible Yagi,’ Tsukauchi asked with clear concern. This had never happened before. Toshi had done his best to be careful, to avoid “down-shifting” in the open. ‘She was there. She saw me down-shift while looking after young Midoriya.’ Toshi had thought long and hard about the matter.

‘Seriously Yagi, that’s not like you.’ All Toshinori could do was shake his head in frustration. ‘I know, but I didn’t see her. I didn’t detect her. I don’t think she was nearby, but her warper was. Otherwise things don’t add up.’

Tsukauchi nodded to himself before listing the facts. ‘You, one of the most skilled heroes in the world and having survived the plots of Him , you’re no slouch when it comes to detecting and countering infiltrators.’

‘Correct, but more importantly, when she did appear she did so suddenly and with clear presence. She isn’t one to hide.’ Toshinori’s mind went back to the alley. He’d chased after young Midoriya in a panic, noticing too late the same clues. 

A part of him wanted to up-shift to All Might and catch him at the cost of his identity. Young Midoriya had proved exceptionally fast on his feet once he got going. Toshinori had arrived moments after young Midoriya and had spent a tense minute looking for him among the crowd. He had just noticed him as he leapt onto the roof of a police cruiser and wasted no time sprinting into danger.

‘He didn’t hesitate as he closed the distance. I hadn’t realized he was quirkless until after the whole event. I assumed he had some kind of combative instinct quirk, considering the improvised weaponry. I also saw the moment the boy decided he’d sooner be flattened than let go of young Bakugo. A moment's hesitation before he braced himself for the hit, yet he never let go.’ All of this Toshinori said with clear admiration.

Tsukauchi thought about that and wasn’t sure admiring such a reckless young man was a good thing, but Heroes and Police operate under different viewpoints in his experience. Then he asked, ‘When did Miyabi arrive?’ To which Toshinori replied, ‘when she arrived, she did so by interposing herself between the sludge villain’s attack and young Midoriya.’ 

Tsukauchi blinked in surprise. ‘Reports say when she arrived, she was on the attack.’ But Toshinori shook his head in the negative. ‘I saw her take part of the hit with the sheath of her blade but the rest landed on her left arm up to the shoulder. She was pushed back but she immediately counter attacked before moving young Midoriya out of harm's way.’ 

Considering the fact that All Might was supposed to have arrived late, he couldn’t state what he’d seen officially. Meanwhile, Yagi Toshinori was a quirkless secretary with poor health and not a pro hero with years of experience and reflexes to follow the movements of a blindly fast speed quirk. Still, Tsukauchi would find a way to explain how this insight had been discovered without compromising the “official” record.

When Tuskauchi finished writing in his private notebook, he nodded to Toshinori to continue. ‘She’s not just fast, her technique is noteworthy. Perhaps not a master like Yoroi Musha, her draw cut was exceptional but her follow-up swings were rushed. She used her speed to compensate with a wild flurry of back and forth cuts while she retreated.’

After writing that detail down, Tsukauchi returned to an unanswered question. ‘What about the ice? She’s a mutation quirk with incredible speed and the reflexes to keep up with her own movements, but my colleagues claim the ice channels she carved are too neat to be made naturally. That rules out the sword being some form of support gear. Also the fog, from all video evidence, was emanating from her.’

That one stumped Toshinori, it didn’t make sense. Outside of one terrifying and impossible cause. ‘He’s dead Tsukauchi, and there has been no evidence of His quirk being copied or artificial methods of quirk transfer being created. Not even the greatest minds at I-Island think it’s possible.’

The look Tsukauchi gave him was one of alarm. ‘I wasn’t suggesting that was the case. I thought maybe there was another vigilante present, helping her.’ But Toshinori quickly shook his head again. ‘Even when she was calm and at rest I felt cold around her. She was the source of that ice. So we may need to reconsider what her quirk may be, or what’s possible in the field of support equipment. Especially what can be made by black market craftsmen.’

Tsukauchi frowned at the thought but dutifully noted that detail. This he would have to share with Chief Tsuragamae at the very least. Either a mutant with a multi-faceted quirk or someone in the underworld could make support gear that could compete with the wonders that I-Island might have tucked away in a vault meant for the apocalypse.

‘Any indication that the sword was more than it appeared,’ Tsukauchi asked. But again Toshinori didn’t have an answer. ‘Swords are not my forte and support gear even less. I can tell you that the blade was emanating a cold blue light when drawn and… I think the hand guard was made out of a mounting bracket. Also I could be wrong, but it looked like the sheath had a print reader attached to it.’

Now that was an interesting bit of information if Tsukauchi’s look of interest was any indication. ‘A print reader? As in for a lock?’ 

Toshi nodded in confirmation, before adding, ‘both times she drew the blade she placed her thumb to the print reader before drawing. The second time especially. She clearly placed her thumb on the scan plate before she went on the attack. I and those present all heard a distinctive click like a lock being opened before she turned into a blur. It reminded me of Gran Torino’s ultimate move: Fuijin’s Dance. A shame he can no longer muster the strength to use it.’ 

Then Toshinori realized what he just said out loud and couldn’t help looking over his shoulder at the door, expecting to be proven wrong, violently.

When heavenly retribution failed to manifest in the form of a sadistic sensei slighted, he sighed and returned his attention to a now smirking Tsukauchi. ‘That man haunts your nightmares, doesn’t he?’ Toshinori chuckled before replying, ‘He certainly beats the alternative.’ Saying that though, finally caused something that bubbled beneath the surface to slink into the light. Common sense told him it was nonsense. Experience told him not to ignore it.

‘Something about today… felt like the bad old days.’

Tsukauchi frowned before he realized what Toshinori was referring to. ‘He’s dead. It’s been years and you’ve scoured Japan of his influence. Today was just an unlucky break for the era of peace.’ But Toshinori wasn’t so sure. 

‘Musutafu is home to UA and the largest number of Hero agencies who offer mentorship to sidekicks. Crime exists in Musutafu, but today was abnormal. There were a plethora of villain attacks today. All the way up to my limit.’ Then Toshinori stared at Tsukauchi with a question in mind.

‘Crime has been higher than normal lately, ever since you were seen frequenting the area. Speaking of which, why are you?’ A fair question, with a fair answer. ‘Nedzu figured it out. Suggested I stop being so fussy about who I choose as my successor while also offering me a compromise. Teach at UA and shape a student into my successor. Today in particular, he helped Mirai reach out to me with his own recommendation.’

There was a pause in the conversation at that. Tsukauchi knew about the reason for their parting. Tsukauchi hadn’t been able to come to a conclusion of his own. Both sides had fair arguments. And no quirk was infallible. He chose to abstain from picking a side.

Instead he tried his best to help Toshinori with his current problems before trying to tackle fighting Future Sight. So now, looking at things and having a bit more context, Tsukauchi was forced to consider the idea that someone in the underworld was testing Toshinori. It was possible, but also extremely unlikely. The difference between saying you can win the lottery tomorrow and actually doing so.

‘Yagi, between All Might’s Tour de Force across Japan, the ever increasing number of pro heroes, the refinement of hero education, and deeply embedded police informers in the underworld, there’s no evidence that anyone has achieved the power All for One wielded in the past. None of his lieutenants who tried taking his place have managed to survive being in that chair for long. Not without you, other heroes, or the bloody politics removing them. No one’s going to take his place in this lifetime.’

Toshinori did agree with most of what his friend said, but not all of it. ‘That is all true, but it’s not the whole truth. There are two truths that ruin it. The first is that I am still running out of time. I am spending less time as All Might compared to being Yagi. That can’t stay hidden forever. I will have to retire sooner rather than later. It may be possible that those villains at the very bottom of the abyss know. Those figures who have the power and the patience to take that seat once I’m gone. It’s possible they have seen that truth. And it’s those people who influenced the increase in villainous activity. He wasn’t the only one who was ruthless enough to sacrifice pawns to test me. And I doubt that there aren’t more out there who are willing.’

Tsukauchi mulled over the point before countering, ‘can they afford to? It’s clearly drawn your attention.’ And that was where being a long time pro who’s lived through the days of the Arch Daemon contrast against Tsukauchi’s own relative inexperience.

‘They can do it without actually showing their hand, simply relaxing their control over the small-time criminals in and around Musutafu does the job. I learned quickly that that’s all He would need to do. Unaffiliated criminals would hear that his own forces were lax or even leaving an area and the rest would move right in. Creating chaos and a perfect smokescreen to move His operations.’

Tsukauchi frowned, ‘you still won’t say his name.’ Toshinori grimaced, ‘I want him dead in every sense. I don’t want to hear his god forsaken name. Not even dust and echoes of Him.’

Tsukauchi decided not to comment on what he thought about that. His existence, even now, was classified and unknown throughout the world. Yet Toshinori still felt like that was giving his ghost something to cling to.

Water.  

Water, all the royalties from the Zenless Zone for a cup of water. A personal cameo for an ice pack for his boiling head!

Izuku was in agony! He was awake and fighting a terrible shuddering that felt like his flesh was going to melt off his aching bones.

He had no idea where he was. No idea if he was safe or dying. He tried calling for help, but no one came. He could hear voices, faint at first. Then they got louder, and angrier. 

He instinctively started muttering apologies and asking for the pain to stop.

The voices got louder even as they seemed to offer forgiveness. He wanted it to stop. He wanted help. He needed help!

It was decided then. Master Midoriya’s suffering was intolerable. 

After being administered and tucked away in a room that seemed far from any help or patrolling hospital staff, Von Lycaon was given permission to act.

What should have been a great privilege and a chance to experience the world of their Author with his own senses rather than superimposed over their Author’s own was made sour by the knowledge that once again, it fell on them to protect and serve their Author.

Lycaon took his first breath of air as it passed through his own physically manifested nose and lungs, and wanted to choke. The room was musty and reeked of sweat and misery with no fresh air. He opened his one eye and saw the windows were closed and yet the blinds were drawn open to let in bright light. As if to torment Izuku in his state of delirium.

Lycaon immediately went to work. Opening the windows was an effort as he undid the latches which gave way after no small effort and snaps of formerly seized mechanisms. After that, he drew the blinds closest to his Author to provide relief. He finally turned to regard his Author.

Izuku was laid out on an examiner’s bed, not a hospital bed. There was no pillow, no blanket, no guard rails to stop him from rolling off.

Von Lycaon felt the floor drop out from under him for a moment at the sheer disregard for his Author’s well being. ‘Victoria Housekeeping, we have work to do.’

In the blink of an eye, all of Victoria Housekeeping was in what was clearly a second floor exam room and not an actual hospital residence. But something was wrong.

Corrin was semi translucent, Ellen was wobbling on her feet, Rina and her aides couldn’t get airborne. Corrin was the one to break the following confused silence. ‘M-Master Lycaon, I-I don’t think we can all manifest.’

Von Lycaon took a moment to consider the facts and felt his own strength suddenly decrease. He quickly agreed, ‘between the clear evidence and the fact that Master Midoriya’s quirk has only just awakened, that seems to be the case.’ 

Rina pouted for a moment, ‘What a shame, I wanted to ensure Master Midoriya would be on a diet that would aid his swift recovery.’ She didn’t notice how everyone else in the room was sweating at that. Izuku giggled for a moment before he went back to shivering.

‘I believe it would be for the best if only I remained. I am sorry, perhaps in the future we can work together as we are meant to. For now, please retire and leave this to me.’

Every other member nodded before disappearing back into Izuku’s mind. Von Lycaon checked his surroundings and went to work. No cups of any kind in the cabinets. He considered trying to cup water with his hand before dismissing it as impractical.

Von Lycaon would have to leave his Author’s side. It was more daunting a prospect than he first believed. His Author had seemingly been abandoned in a room with no supervision. 

Was this hospital over capacity or was this the result of the bigotry of quirkist staff? Von Lycaon hoped for the former. The latter might push him past his vast reservoir of patience. Never mind the more short tempered among the other characters of the Zenless Zone.

Von Lycaon stood and considered the idea of leaving his Author alone for even a moment and felt fear stay him in place. Then he heard his Author croak out for help, and knew that he could not stand and do nothing.

Tsukauchi gave out a long sigh before shaking his head. ‘Let’s come back around to the matter at hand. The lead officer on sight ran Miyabi through the hero registry, which came up negative. Then her quirk registry for some kind of allowance on a long shot like being a student far from home. That was the second strike. Then his check on her name came up negative, with no mutant quirk holders with her name living in Musutafu or operating in the area from outside of the Tokyo District.’

Toshi had to give it to the officer, they had done their due diligence. But it also made the whole situation that much more complicated. ‘Any idea who she really is or where she might be from,’ he asked with faint hope. Sadly Tsukauchi could only shake his head. ‘There is no record of a person with the alias of Void Hunter who matches her appearance and quirk. As for her name, we believe that was another alias to throw us off her trail.’

That was surprising, she spoke them without hesitation, they seemed natural. ‘You want to reach out to her, offer her a pardon and a recommendation for UA’s vigilante reformation program, don’t you,’ asked Tsukauchi with a knowing air. Toshinori didn’t hesitate to nod in agreement. ‘She’s skilled, she’s brave, she took a blow meant for a child without flinching. She saved not one but two people in need, defended a desperate child’s brave-’ Toshi hesitated at his friend’s disappointed look. ‘-but ill advised actions, and chose to focus her attention on the more pressing matter of young Midoriya’s well being the moment he reached for her.’

Tsukauchi countered, ‘she’s a vigilante who, if she was slightly less skilled, could have endangered the lives of both young men alongside herself. Not to mention whatever harm she suffered. Harm she cannot address without access to legal medical services thanks to her status as a criminal.Her maneuver of cutting the sludge villain to pieces didn’t have much room for error and if she didn’t manage her control over the ice, could have flash frozen both the villain and Bakugo, with potentially lethal consequences. Adding manslaughter to her crime sheet.’

This was where Toshinori and Tsukauchi most often argued. For Heroes, the law helped define who was right and who was wrong. It was meant to make things a little neater in the messy world of quirks, heroes, and villains. But sometimes these things weren’t so black and white, much as it brought headaches for Toshinori. Spending his early career in America where the spirit of the law was more important and sometimes helped offer alternatives to no win situations between heroes and villains, or more often the desperate and the emotionally unwell.

But in Japan, the law was the LAW and it was to be obeyed to the letter. This meant that a well thought out law had clear instructions and less room for loopholes to be exploited with clever wordplay and interpretation of the law. It also meant poorly thought out laws could and would ruin people for putting a toe out of line. Making it harder for those wrongfully accused to avoid consequences. Leniency and compromise were harder to achieve. For All Might, it made things difficult sometimes.

Tsukauchi was a detective, a policeman, and a firm believer in the law. He had to be or he wouldn’t be a very good policeman. His profession meant he could never excuse criminal acts outside of extreme exemptions. UA’s recent vigilante reform program was the closest Tsukauchi might come to accepting a compromise. As would many of the hard line members of the police force. The more diplomatic members like the Police Chief and several station commanders helped keep the police force from butting heads with the heroes and the commission who tended to follow All Might’s lead and played by looser rules.

Toshinori decided to drop the matter and return to the second truth he had referred to, ‘we have proof my condition is out in the world. Whether she and the warper keep it a secret or start the spread, it doesn’t matter. The Era of Peace is ending.’ That stunned Tsukauchi. ‘What do you mean,’ he asked in a rush. ‘I can’t ignore the signs. My own body is struggling to keep up. My time is getting shorter even faster. I have to make plans for my retirement, whether I ever find someone I trust with my Legacy or not. Tsukauchi… I gave up. When I rescued young Midoriya, and then saw those explosions on the horizon. I couldn’t muster the will to charge after it. Not until young Midoriya ran instead. And then, as I saw him stare down that villain, potentially his death, I was too slow. By the time I’d up-shifted, it was over.’

And that made Tsukauchi actually sit up and realize how haggard he looked. It’s incredible how long he’s managed to hold on. He never believed his will would break before his body. But at the same time, that wasn’t so surprising. Everyone has their early days full of trials and errors, their day in the sun standing at the top with the torch, and the time when they must pass on the torch to those up and coming. And Tsukauchi knew, as soon as All Might announced his retirement. It would be chaos.

Everyone would be scrambling in different directions for different reasons. Villains would come out of the woodwork to test boundaries and strike while the iron was hot and the heroes were left without that great pillar which held up so much. Heroes would be tripping over themselves to claim glory or simply keep things stable. Sometimes hindering each other in the process. The press would be their usual selves and inflame the public with wild articles and tabloid hysteria, while others would lie through their teeth promoting the idea that everything was fine and there was no need to panic.

‘It will be… wild days when that happens, but things will get back to normal. It won’t be the end of the Era of Peace. Merely, a transitionary period. The world will just have to get used to no more All Might.’ Tsukauchi said after a moment. Toshinori agreed and yet didn’t. ‘Getting used to no more All Might may take longer than you think.’ To which Tsukauchi chuckled, ‘I think you worry too much. And what does that have to do with a vigilante?’

Toshi gathered himself. ‘She said, and I quote: “Do better, with the time you have left.” Right before she disappeared.’ Tsukauchi raised an eyebrow before writing in his notebook, ‘that’s a pretty clear threat.’ But something about that rang false in Toshinori’s head. ‘I don’t think it was. More like a warning. No, that’s not right either.’ He looked up at the ceiling like he was trying to roll the idea around in his head and shake out her meaning.

Tsukauchi paused before asking, ‘Not a threat? Are you sure?’ Toshinori grumbled for a moment before nodding. ‘Not a threat. Though I understand that everyone else heard it that way. Even you did, but no. It was… a request. Like she knew that I’d… lost my grip on things. I said it out loud as I down-shifted. Hrmmm, it really is sad that a vigilante had to try and give me a pep talk.’ Toshinori nodded before deciding, ‘My time is running out, but I let a bit of fatigue almost knock me out. How shameful, if Gran was here, he’d have every right to kick me in the head.’ Toshinori laughed a sad chuckle at himself.

Tsukauchi raised an eyebrow before asking, ‘What happens if you encounter her again?’ To which Toshi grinned before answering, ‘I thank her for reminding me that being a hero is no walk in the park. But also that doing the right thing is not always easy. And then I’m throwing her words back in her face right before I drag her to UA and enter her and any of her friends into the reform program. Whether they like it or not.’ 

Toshinori finished with a full blown laugh, right up until something in his gut split and he tasted blood again. ‘Damn it.’

And then all hell broke loose. Again.

There was a rapid knock at the door of the conference room before a police officer barged in. ‘Forgive the intrusion. Detective Tsukauchi, we have a situation.’

Toshinori and Tsukauchi shared a look.

Inko was, to quote one of the more interesting phrases her son had picked up; “something beyond furious” right now.

Doctor Konishi was finally standing in front of her after she had been held at the reception desk for over an hour! Her son had been attacked twice in one day! And now, he was telling her that her son was fine and that he would be released as soon as he gave testimony for his actions to the police.

That was not how the law worked! Izuku had a right to an attorney. Namely Aichi, the family lawyer because Inko couldn’t represent her own son, much as she wanted to. But Aichi was her chosen apprentice. Enough care and mentorship, coupled with distance from favoritism, had gone into making sure he was the very best at Midoriya & Seiichi, without compromising his ability to represent near and dear clients.

But so far, neither she or Aichi had been allowed to see her son or know his condition until now. She was sorely tempted to put out feelers for a class action lawsuit against the hospital. 

Inko may be a gentle soul most days and an understanding person considering her position as a top level lawyer, but no one kept her from her son!

‘Mrs. Midoriya, today has been quite a day for the hospital and a great many patients. We’ve had no small number of police conducting reports and taking testimony all day. Your son is just one more victim of villain attacks today.’

Inko had listened to Konishi cover his ass for long enough, ‘I have sat here in emergency admittance, and been told by the staff there is NO RECORD of if my son has been admitted and have been calling you the entire time. You are his doctor. You swore an oath!. And I am his only family. I will see my son now. Or else I will see you barred from practicing medicine for the rest of your life!’

Konishi took another look at the suit Inko was wearing, the fact she and her attorney arrived with briefcases, and the cold certainty that she not only could, but would act on her threat. And then decided to play a stupid game, call her “bluff”, and win a stupid prize.

‘Who exactly do you think you are? Threatening me, a respected General Practitioner at-’ Inko couldn’t resist cutting him off with a rare opportunity to use her actual power. Her ability to stare down powerful idiots who’ve set themselves up.

‘I am Midoriya Inko, Senior Partner and co-founder of Midoriya & Seiichi Law. And I have been tearing apart arrogant institutions who think they know enough of the law to strong arm others and avoid justice. I have taken down hero agencies that have tried to cover up their failings and seen them eat crow as their licenses are taken away. We can most certainly dismantle whatever defense you think you might have, Doctor Konishi.’

Inko savored the look of dawning horror in Konishi’s eyes as the mild-mannered mother disappeared to reveal a monster. Inko was not the sort to throw her weight around. It was bad for business to do so. A light touch was often wiser. But today, she was done being nice.

But then Inko actually started to feel she’d uncovered more than just a busy man who thought he was more important than a mother with a quirkless child. The way Konishi was staggered, drawn into his own head as he contemplated his recent choices. Inko didn’t like that at all.

All this trouble over a cup of water.

Von Lycaon had spent a frustrating amount of time asking staff for one, but there seemed to be no hospital staff present on this floor. Thankfully, he finally encountered a nurse in the hallways who gave him directions to the third floor and the cafeteria on the far side of the hospital.

Now in possession of a mental map and a destination, he moved with purpose. From the second floor to the third via the stairwell. Then to the far side of the hospital to its cafeteria. From there, a pleasant discovery, the line to the service window was only two deep. A minute of waiting and he was next in line.

‘Excuse me, I need a cup of water, preferably cold. I would also appreciate a small serving of rice porridge.’ The order was taken with a nod before the attendant asked, ‘which room is this going to?’

Von Lycaon took a moment to recall before replying, ‘Room 210.’ The attendant nodded for a moment before stopping and frowning in confusion. ‘That’s an examiner room. Are you sure you remember correctly?’ Von Lycaon explained, ‘it is the room my master is currently residing in. I believe it may be a temporary arrangement.’ 

To which the attendant shook their head in frustration. ‘Of course, between how understaffed we are and how much trouble I’ve heard from the staff that’s come through… ok, I’ll get that out as soon as I can. It’s just me and a few of the afternoon staff before the night shift people get in. Wait for your “temporary room number” to be called.’ Von Lycaon offered a smile he hoped displayed sympathy before bowing and offering thanks. He then took a seat near the drop-off window and waited.

It was only a handful of minutes before a bowl of Okayu and a tall cup of ice water was set out with a tired call for room two-ten. Bounty in hand, Von Lycaon began his return journey to Master Midoriya’s side.

‘What the hell do you mean Midoriya Izuku is missing?’

Chapter Text

Tsukauchi had been standing inside room 407. The room that, if Musutafu General Hospital wasn’t an understaffed and underfunded mess, would be the room that Midoriya Izuku was supposed to be inhabiting.

As it had been explained to him however, due to staff oversight by the overworked nurses and the practically non-existent technical staff, like janitors, not having the manpower to spare. Room 407 hadn’t been cleaned and then set to available until recently.

And yet, two police officers had been stationed outside this very room for hours before this was rectified. The officers had been informed that Izuku was inside and not to be disturbed. They had been told this by his general practitioner, Doctor Konishi.

No one was entirely sure where Doctor Konishi had been in the time between until the receptionist stationed at emergency reception called upstairs stating Midoriya Izuku’s mother was present and demanded to see her son.

But instead of leading Mrs. Midoriya up to room 407. He was leading her, her family lawyer, and the undercover officer who had been tasked with watching the ER to the second floor. So now, he, Tamagawa Sansa, and an adamant Yagi Toshinori were heading there as well via the elevator.

The door opened to the sounds of a quietly furious woman talking with a decidedly nervous sounding man. ‘I swear Mrs. Midoriya, your son is fine. I’ll be speaking with the head of the cleaning staff immediately and will be opening up an inquiry about why your son was not placed into residence as soon as we have collected him.’

Tsukauchi detected two falsehoods contained within that statement. He wasted no time as he exited the elevator and moved to intercept the Doctor and his group. ‘Excuse me, I am Detective Tsukauchi. I am leading the investigation of Miyabi Hoshimi. I would like to be certain that Midoriya Izuku is indeed present in the hospital.’

The look the Doctor gave them at first was bare-faced frustration, followed by immediate anxiety, and then a poor attempt at nonchalance. ‘Ah, of course. I would actually appreciate your help in the future regarding how this all trouble started. Such a series of mistakes and errors in judgement. It could seriously impact the reputation of Musutafu General.’

Tsukauchi put on a polite smile before regarding the others present. Monika took the opportunity to signal that nothing of importance had been said so far before quietly making her way back to the ER. Then he carefully studied the tiger in their midst. Lean and mean, made more so by the expertly tailored business suit, which was a subtle dark green to match her hair.

Midoriya Inko, senior partner and Co-Founder of Midoriya & Seiichi Law. A woman who had made her reputation fighting for reform and accountability in the era of heroes. While Detective Tsukauchi had never met her personally, he knew her by reputation. Namely by her success in a number of class action suits against several heroes and their agencies.

Now Tsukauchi was in the line of fire with a woman who had earned the grand title; “The Crusader against Con-Men in Capes” by the media. Shoowaysha Publishing in particular seemed to have a love-hate relationship with her. On the one hand, they loved her aim of challenging the “limitless authority” heroes supposedly had under the law. On the other hand, they couldn’t help needling her family situation.

Tsukauchi did his best to remain calm even as the palpable anger radiated from her. Midoriya Inko wasn’t a threat in the traditional sense. She was a woman of clear principles, but also one who was known for refusing to give up a cause once taken. Her win record wasn’t the highest because of it. But people knew that her intelligence and dedication meant she was one of the most difficult lawyers to defeat in the first place. 

You couldn’t fool her easily. You definitely couldn’t bluff her. God forbid you ever tried compromising your position, because all she would see was vindication in the act of pursuing justice.

Then Yagi put his foot dangerously close to the living landmine by trying to talk to her. ‘Mrs. Midoriya, I am Yagi Toshinori. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances. Detective Tsukauchi and I have just learned about the situation. We will-’ But whatever Yagi had intended on promising to her she cut off with a glare that seemed to throw him completely off balance, even causing him to stutter step. In the gap, and without stopping to follow Dr. Konishi, she gave her own answer, ‘I have no interest in what you have to offer Mr. Yagi, I just want my son.’ 

And that was interesting. Her claim was entirely truthful in nature, but she also knew Yagi without the two ever meeting. He also noticed that fact. ‘You know who I am?’ To which she gave a short and decidedly indifferent nod. ‘Izuku knows everything about every hero to exist. Even their favorite PR representative.’ Yagi choked out something in response to that but he seemed to be failing to keep pace with the repeated vocal lashes he was receiving, or maybe it was because he had pushed himself today.

Matter-of-fact, Yagi was stopping and putting a hand against the near wall. Tsukauchi turned back, but Sansa was already moving to assist. Sansa gave him a look saying he had this. Tsukauchi gave him a look back saying thanks for leaving me in the line of fire before quick-walking to catch up. But it seems they have arrived at last. Dr. Konishi stepped up to the door at the end of the hall, room 210, and took what appeared to be a key card from the breast pocket of his doctor’s coat. 

‘Here at last Mrs. Midoriya. Your son is inside, judging by the lack of noise, I suspect he has settled in for a nap.’ If any of that was supposed to calm the mother down, it failed spectacularly. ‘Did you lock my son in a room at the end of the hall?’ Dr. Konishi paused for a moment before giving a small chuckle. ‘No no, the doors only lock from the outside. Anyone inside can leave if they wish. But no one has seen him so he must still be- oh dear.’

That was all the prompting Midoriya Inko needed to duck past the doctor. Mr. Aichi and Tsukauchi were a little more reluctant to be so rude so instead Tsukauchi gently coughed to prompt the doctor to move. For a moment he kept staring before finally stepping into the room. It was not a pretty sight. Midoriya Izuku had rolled off the exam table and was on his side, wheezing painfully. His mother didn’t seem concerned in any way if his fever was contagious as she kneeled down to examine her child.

The three men took a minute to examine the scene, though Dr. Konishi had meandered over to the windows for some reason. Finally the silence was broken by Mr. Aichi, who had yet to speak as far as Tsukauchi was aware. The man’s voice was calm but he could sense the subtle anger lurking beneath. ‘How long has Mr. Midoirya been here unattended?’

The doctor gave no indication he had heard, instead he was still over by the windows, studying them for some reason. Then Tsukauchi saw the man suddenly turn and scan the room with something like suspicion on his stocky features. But even then he didn’t respond, he instead walked over to the child before speaking, ‘who opened the windows? Your vigilante friends come to see you again?’

That was a complete jump in logic for everyone present besides Izuku, who was still wheezing on the floor. Before anyone could respond or ask the obvious question Konishi lashed out. ‘Answer me you quirkless delinquent! I will not let you ruin my reputation by playing dead!’ And the man even kicked the boy in the back of the leg.

Tsukauchi was a second behind Inko, who proceeded to deliver a vicious punch below the belt leading to Konishi doubling over. Then Tsukauchi had grabbed the man in a headlock before dragging him back. Konishi struggled and sputtered while Tsukauchi tried to regain control of the situation. Inko pulled her sick child to her side and leveled a glare that belonged on the face of a career villain. She had opened her mouth to yell back when suddenly everyone froze.

No one was entirely sure why, only that there was suddenly an intense pressure in the room. Something instinctive told them danger was nearby. That feeling didn’t abate until a very tall wolfman mutant wearing black and white formal wear, a mask that covered one side of his face, and a pair of leg prosthetics that hissed and whined with power and precision that no prosthesis Tsuakuchi had ever seen possessed.

He entered carrying a cup of water and a bowl of rice porridge and was moving straight for the Midoriyas. Tsukauchi released Konishi on instinct before reaching for his service pistol. But the next words stopped him. ‘Madam Midoriya, I am sorry that we now meet under such poor circumstances. Master Midoriya, I have returned with ice water and some Okayu if you can manage.’ The man spoke with such a clear familiarity for them that Tsukauchi hesitated. And in that moment he realized that the pressure was gone.

There was a moment of blank confusion on Midoriya Inko’s face as she gazed upon the new arrival before she seemed to realize something, but she only grew more shocked and confused before finally replying with a careful tone, as if unsure of what she was about to ask. ‘V-Von Lycaon? Are you Von Lycaon of Victoria Housekeeping?’

Tsukauchi had no idea the Midoriyas employed a housekeeping service. Word was that Midoriya Inko was not wealthy and far more frugal with her income than other law offices. Bold as her firm was with who they typically battled in court, they often worked at rates far lower than most. Most who solicited her firm were not wealthy. Any other law firm that battled against heroes typically served companies and investment groups, not individuals caught in the crossfire. So how and why did Inko employ someone like this?

Tsukauchi and Aichi moved closer to watch while the doctor recovered himself on the other side of the room. If he tried to run, Sansa would catch him. He got to see this Von Lycaon smile before kneeling beside the Midoriyas and responded. ‘I am indeed, I am pleased to know that after all these years and all the other characters he’s introduced to you, you recognize me. Though I’m sure you’ve done your very best.’

Tsukauchi didn’t know what to make of that, and Midoriya Inko showed no signs of relief, only more confusion. ‘How are you… the vigilante in the alley… fox eared, wielding a sword, cold blue after images and ice… No, that wasn’t… Miyabi, his Miyabi?’ Von Lycaon returned another smile and a nod after helping Izuku into a sitting position and carefully lifting the cup of water to the boy’s lips. Izuku drank messily, spilling a measure of the water down his face. Lycaon tutted before pulling a handkerchief from a pocket and gently dabbed at the spillage. ‘Easy now Master Midoriya, take your time. I am here now.’

Tsukauchi watched carefully as Inko looked between her son and the man-servant before her face lit up with sudden realization. ‘You, you’re here because of a quirk.’ She paused for a moment and looked oddly fearful. Von Lycaon’s reply made it clear. ‘Master Midoriya’s quirk. He finally awakened it. A terrible shame that what should be a source of celebration occurred on a day of crisis. But now, Master Midoriya is no longer quirkless. Now, no one can deride him for being born faulty.’

Tsukauchi processed this and realized that now, not only would he have to have Dr. Konishi placed under arrest for his negligence and misconduct, he would have to do the same to Midoriya Izuku. He braced himself for that and the ensuing argument but it seems Inko was already aware. She caught his eye and asked, ‘can we wait until after he has received treatment before you act?’

Tsukauchi was caught, but it was to be expected. She was canny enough to recognize the consequences of her son’s actions. Yet whatever argument Tsukauchi had, Von Lycaon flipped on its head, seemingly expecting this outcome. 

‘Quirk Law Section 2: Quirk Manifestation. Addendum 5. Those born with a pubescence triggered quirk are given a one year period of amnesty from quirk misconduct. In that timeframe, the individual must learn to control their quirk. Midoriya Izuku has demonstrated no prior quirk manifestation and was even diagnosed by a doctor as quirkless at the age of five. He demonstrates this with several physical characteristics that show he is quirkless, as well as no unique mutations, emissions, or abhuman traits. Until this afternoon, Midoriya Izuku was quirkless. Then, without knowing he could, his quirk triggered and manifested several mental constructs such as Billy Kid, Miyabi Hoshimi, and myself. Ergo, he is protected under the law and cannot be held accountable for his newly formed quirk’s actions.’

The room fell silent. Tsukauchi was stunned. As Von Lycaon, or perhaps more accurately Midoriya Izuku through his mental construct, spoke the truth. Evidently, there was such a law. Before he could pull out his phone and confirm how accurate that statement was, Mr. Aichi spoke up from beside him. ‘Mr. Lycaon is right. I have it here.’ The man had pulled a tablet from the satchel Tsukauchi had disregarded earlier. And on the screen was the law in question.

There was also addendum 6 in view which explained that- ‘Addendum 6, upon discovery of a pubescence triggered quirk, which are recorded as being far stronger than normal manifested quirks, but also far more unstable, a new quirk assessment must be conducted as soon as possible to ascertain the relative strength and facets of the quirk,’ Lycaon spoke again. Once again, it would seem Midoriya Izuku, even while sick, was able to argue his own defense through his quirk.

There was a sigh from across the room from Dr. Konishi before he slowly walked over. ‘Let’s get this farce over with. Then I want you to arrest these people, Officer Tsukauchi.’ Tsukauchi frowned before replying, ‘Firstly, Dr. Konishi, you are under arrest fo-’ But once again, someone rudely interrupted. Dr. Konishi looked up, dumbstruck and stuttering uncontrollably. Tsukauchi spoke louder over the broken demand for an explanation even as the man argued. ‘-For child negligence by leaving Midoriya Izuku alone and unattended after a villain attack while clearly sick and unable to care for himself without breaking the law with unregistered quirk use. Which he should stop by the way. Law or no, there is likely a limit on that amnesty with regards to control.’ He finished with a meaningful stare at Von Lycaon, which he assumed Izuku was “piloting” at the moment.

Von Lycaon gave a bow but didn’t comply. ‘I refuse to depart until I am certain Master Midoriya is safe and on the road to recovery. He is deeply unwell. And the alternative is a far more aggressive manifestation appearing during this crisis. I don’t believe that would be an acceptable alternative.’ When the wolfman rose, he had a new look of defiance to him that Tsukauchi didn’t like but for the moment didn’t feel like fighting.

Dr. Konishi was growing truly aggressive, and Tsukauchi felt the moment his intentions shifted to violence. ‘Are you so easily fooled? That is yet another vigilante! They have decided to use an extinct form of quirk manifestation as a flimsy excuse to stay in contact with that child and ruin the hospital’s reputation.’ 

Tsukauchi was preparing to respond when Von Lycaon took a few steps forward. Konishi backpeddled away, now clearly fearful. ‘S-Stay back! Officer, what are you doing? Arrest the mutant!’ Tsukauchi moved to restrain Von Lycaon, but instead Von Lycaon unbuttoned his vest and shirt and asked, ‘Doctor, as a newly manifested quirk, it is your duty to help conduct a test. In part to ascertain the truth. As a construct, I am curious whether I possess a heart or not. Whether or not I bleed. There is also the matter that as I am written I have lost the use of my right eye. However, I do not suffer from limited vision on my right side, nor do I suffer issues of depth perception.’ He went on to demonstrate this by covering his left eye before standing a fair distance from a vision test chart on the wall. He managed to correctly read the entire list while evidently blind.

The doctor, however, was unconvinced, muttering about memorizing it. And yet he seemed more intent on proving Von Lycaon wrong than pursuing. Tsukauchi wasn’t sure what Von Lycaon hoped to achieve, though, between the arguments of memorizing the chart, he considered what the point was. After another moment of arguing between the doctor and the wolfman, Konishi agreed to commit a physical. Tsukauchi had a hunch that Midoriya hoped to buy time or de-escalate the situation? His mother stated he knew all about Heroes… was he trying to emulate what a hero would do, even while sick?

Whatever the case, it was working. As for the physical, the results were enlightening.

Von Lycaon did not have a normal body. He had no heart beat, no diaphragm, yet he had a regular unconscious breathing cycle. After the doctor had failed to find a heart beat, Von Lycaon demanded that the doctor try to draw blood. 

After a back and forth argument regarding the necessity of being certain versus the doctor’s now uncertain arguments, the doctor finally accepted and made a small cut on the wolfman’s finger. It hadn’t been easy, despite appearances, his skin was apparently quite thick. When the doctor did finally achieve a successful cut all he managed was a thin red line. But no blood flowed from the injury, not a drop. Von Lycaon merely hummed in idle interest.

At that point, he tried to form a checklist of tests to try. Tsukauchi didn’t realize he had grown so engrossed in this odd series of morbid tests until Midoriya Inko sighed loudly. ‘Von Lycaon, I don’t think there is any doubt now. You are a part of my Izuku’s mind made manifest through a quirk. Even as a Butler you have my son’s curiosity and habit of speaking out loud!’

Von Lycaon blinked before looking slightly embarrassed. It looked to Tsukauchi like Mrs. Midoriya had finally calmed down and- wait, when did Sansa and Yagi arrive? They even found a wheelchair, which Midoriya Izuku was now sitting in. He looked slightly better after drinking the water and there was a small divot in the bowl of rice porridge.

Then Von Lycaon disappeared without warning. It took everyone a moment to react. Yet there was no sign of him anywhere in the room. Tsukauchi was about to ask what happened when someone started lightly snoring. Everyone turned to regard Midoriya Izuku, whose head was lowered against his shoulder and evidently asleep.

Events played out calmly from there. Dr. Konishi submitted to his arrest with a notably guilty look to him any time he looked at the Midoriyas. Izuku was moved up to room 407 and given a proper examination. A lung infection, most likely from the sludge villain, and a staggering amount of quirk exhaustion. Another figment would appear later in the evening, a pale haired maid, who identified as Head Maid Rina. She was polite, if a bit absent, she mentioned something about being banned from the cafeteria so instead she asked for a mild evening meal before Izuku went back to sleep.

Tsukauchi dealt with a number of figments for a week before Midoriya had beaten back the worst of fugue his fever had put him into. Most he didn’t even meet, instead they were recorded on the hospital’s security cameras appearing without warning to either assist Midoriya with something like moving to and from the adjoined restroom or adjusting the window or the blinds. Sometimes they simply appeared to keep him company, talking to him when his mother went home for the day.

What was odd was that the conversations were all one sided. Midoriya was unintelligible and yet the quirk understood what was being muttered, murmured, and sometimes groaned. When Tsukauchi asked for clarification, the newly assigned Dr. Asagi only had hypotheticals. If the characters are mental constructs, then they don’t need to understand what Midoriya is saying, only the intent. But then why bother talking?

But finally, a week later, Midoriya was cognizant enough for his interview. Tsukauchi entered the room and immediately felt tense. Like a crowd of people were watching him. This phenomenon had been recorded since Midoriya had been moved into the room. The common consensus was that his quirk possessed a detectable emission that affected the minds of others, like a sixth sense. The resident quirk research specialist at Tsukauchi’s station was constantly having to rewrite Midoriya’s quirk profile, and it was driving her insane.

But now, perhaps at last with help from Dr. Asagi, they would have clear answers. The doctor nodded a small bow of greeting from where she was standing, while Midoriya was sat up in bed and having a rapid conversation with her. Tsukauchi caught the tail end, ‘-vry one of them is excited to leave the hospital and explore the world for themselves. Which means that they do indeed have something akin to an individual personality and the- oh hello Detective.’

Tsukauchi took a moment to gather his thoughts and regard the young man before him, a week later and it was a world of difference. Where before he was dull eyed and unintelligible, now the boy spoke with a rapid and lively cadence. His eyes were clear and full of light, a subtle shine to them spoke of energy and intelligence. Which flew in the face of all peer accounts he had conducted.

Everyone else, from his fellow victim Bakugo Katsuki, to his fellow students and even the teachers spoke of him as quiet and dull witted. They often claimed he was an anti-social loner who never interacted with others, more often muttering to himself at random. Even described as “creepy” and “potentially dangerous” to those around him.

Yet here, he was engaged in lively conversation with Dr. Asagi and she seemed to be quite pleased talking to him. It was jarring to say the least. It was a complete contradiction and the only plausible explanation for this apparent change was the development of his quirk giving him new confidence to interact with others. Feelings of inadequacy spurring on reckless behavior a week ago?

Time to find out the truth. ‘Hello Midoriya Izuku, a pleasure to properly meet you. I suppose the doctor told you I was coming?’ Midoriya paused before nodding, ‘she did. I know it’s quite late for the police interview so I appreciate your patience.’ Midoriya grinned in what appeared to be something like faux contrition. ‘It’s fine, you were hardly in a position to give proper testimony. Though I would appreciate it if you could be candid with me regarding past events and remember as much as you can.’

To which Midoriya nodded as he pursed his lips and brought a hand to his chin. From there he gave a short version of the first attack. ‘I was distracted so I didn’t see the attack coming until far too late.’ Here Tsukauchi held up a hand before interjecting. ‘Distracted how? You were alone, am I right?’ Again Midoriya nodded before answering, ‘I was alone. The only warning I got was actually from my characters, which I believe act as the voice of my subconscious, noticing the danger. Then… I didn’t notice at the time, but my quirk manifested, and Billy Kid manifested for a moment and cried for help. All Might must have been nearby and sprung into action.’

Midoriya gave a small smile at that, oddly though, he seemed abnormally subdued. Practically anyone would have been thrilled to know they had been saved by the Number One Hero when they needed help most. Especially a week after the event. ‘It must have been such a relief to know help arrived in time.’ Then Midoriya, without any warning, replied, ‘he was too late actually. Without the impossible miracle of me manifesting a quirk through a method declared extinct by modern quirk study. No one would have found me… that sludge villain… he said he would puppet my body around… imagine that. I’d be a walking corpse and no one would know better until he vacated me… once I started to rot. He said I was HiS HErO to mE aS I WAs DroWNiNG!’

Tsukauchi stepped back as Dr. Asagi stepped in. For everyone else a week had passed, but for Midoriya, clearly not enough time had passed. Tsukauchi felt a sudden and very intense weight settle on his shoulders. While Midoriya suffered a sudden lurch into a panic attack, his quirk was lashing out. But no mental constructs manifested, no violent response to his abysmal handling of deep-seated trauma. A rookie mistake, one he was beating himself over the head for.

It took a minute before Midoriya wrestled the nightmare down. Honestly, that was impressive. Not many could handle a near-death experience so well. Tsukauchi had honestly thought he’d just ended an entire day in failure. But a minute of deep breathing and Dr. Asagi speaking low and soothing tones and Midoriya resurfaced. ‘So yeah… I’m pretty lucky. Should think about picking a race horse to bet on.’ He cringed to himself as he said it. 

Dr. Asagi was the first to respond. ‘Midoriya, if you aren’t ready to talk about this, don’t force yourself. Your wellbeing comes first.’ She shot Tsukauchi a meaningful look and Tsukauchi made ready to excuse himself. But Midoriya sat up quickly and shook his head. ‘It’s fine, really it is. I’m used to having bad days.’ Tsukauchi wasn’t sure how to take that.

Dr. Asagi paused before responding. ‘What do you mean by that? I would think that being attacked by a villain would be an extreme event. Not described as merely having a “bad day” surely?’ Midoriya shrugged before explaining. ‘I guess I… I’m just trying to put it behind me.’ Before either he or the doctor could ask what he meant, a new figure appeared. 

A girl who appeared to be the same age yet notably shorter. But she was also clearly not a frail child if her exposed biceps crossed over her chest were any indication. Blazing red hair and a covered eye spoke of her possibly being some kind of chuunibyo. And damn his sister for subjecting him to such cursed knowledge.

Then the figure spoke with a voice that carried a surprising amount of “gravel” to it. ‘What he means is, it was just a little more soul crushing misfortune and disdain for his life than usual. What with the rampant bigotry, being a social pariah for being quirkless, being demeaned by his teachers. Same pain, different day, only this time someone actually tried to kill him instead of trying to suicide bait him.’

Tsukauchi wasn’t quite ready for that verbal flashbang dropped in front of him so he had to take a moment to reboot his mind. Dr. Asagi on the other hand responded immediately. ‘I am sorry, but I really don’t think such black humor is appropriate, especially when it slanders your peers and mentors. This interview is over.’ But Koleda sighed heavily as if she was disappointed but the look on her face screamed she expected to be. 

‘It’s not black humor, it's the truth. I’m hoping you can get that place condemned and get Izuku away from that torment nexus of a place. For years he’s been subjected to social isolation and casual bullying and degradation by practically everyone there. The last teacher to retire grew a conscious and admitted they intentionally lower his test scores so he wouldn’t embarrass the other students with quirks. Last week, his homeroom teacher sa-’

When Midoriya spoke, it was quiet and distant. ‘Please Koleda. Just stop. It won’t change anything.’ Tsukauchi looked back at Midoriya and it was like the boy had fallen ill again. The light in his eyes was gone, he had collapsed in on himself, what life was present had disappeared. 

“Koleda” regarded him for a moment before glancing back at Tsukauchi and Asagi. ‘This is the part where you prove you aren’t like every other adult in his life and tell him you believe us and tear that school down to the foundations. Don’t disappoint.’ And in an eyeblink she was gone.

Outside of room 407, Tsukauchi and Dr. Asagi frowned at each other before the doctor decided to speak. ‘It’s blatantly clear that Midoriya is still emotionally traumatized by the attack and may still be physically ill. Nothing he or his mental projection he manifested made sense.’ Which made Tsukauchi raise an eyebrow before asking, ‘what do you mean? I understand that Midoriya is still unwell but why would he lie about his mistreatment? My quirk detected no lies, which is admittedly quite alarming.’

Dr. Asagi looked back in confusion as she replied. ‘Midoriya is clearly mentally shaken and suffering stress induced neuropathy. He has a history of schizophrenia on record which is clearly affecting him and his quirk. Made worse by his recent trauma. He doesn’t feel safe and his quirk is reacting to it. Blaming all around him as the cause or treating them as a threat when he suffers a trauma response. In the future it would be best that we handle the attack delicately.’

Tsukauchi nodded thoughtfully as he agreed with most of what the doctor said. However, his peer interviews came to mind. ‘I’m not entirely sure that his hostility to certain members of his school is unwarranted. I interviewed Bakugo Katsuki and he had nothing but contempt for his apparent savior. He even outright refused to believe Midoriya has developed a quirk. Called me a liar to my face. And others at the school… actually everyone I interviewed had only negative comments for him.’

If anything, Dr. Asagi’s confusion grew deeper. ‘That is absurd, Midoriya is an exceptional young man. He is a very kind and polite boy with a keen intellect.’ Then her face grew warm with a rather flushed smile. ‘He said my scales and my whiskers make me look like a dragon. Everyone else looks at them and sees a woman who’s part carp. Even made a quick sketch of me with horns and a shakujo. I’ve never been so flattered before.’ Then she seemed to realize how that sounded and the clear difference in age as she cleared her throat.

‘Back to my point, a quirk doesn’t define a person, so it makes no sense that he would be treated so poorly.’ It was then that Tsukauchi made a connection. ‘You're not from Musutafu are you?’ Once again Dr. Asagi looked utterly confused before slowly nodding. Tsukauchi sighed before picking over his words. ‘Musutafu has… a few issues as a city. Living in the shadow of Tokyo and U.A High School, the citizens of the city have a bit more pride than some and the people who live here are very… particular about who should live here.’ Tsukauchi was not a public speaker for the police for a reason. Tact was not his strongest attribute.

He was perhaps both a failure on his part and his word choice that it took Dr. Asagi a solid minute to understand his point before shock spread on her face. ‘Are you suggesting that he’s really been ostracized from his school for being born quirkless?’ To which Tsukauchi could only sadly nod.

And then he saw her enter a brief period of self-reflection before growing… angry, incredulous, deeply disappointed, then finally heart-broken. ‘Years… that poor boy has likely suffered for years without any support. No intervention, no therapy, no- why?’ Tsukauchi could only shake his head. ‘Besides U.A. High, there is nothing in Musutafu worth supporting. Musutafu would probably have died as a community if not for U.A. and all the hero agencies that appear under its umbrella of influence. There’s one on every corner in this place. It creates a sort of air of superiority in the people who live here, but also an undercurrent of paranoia that comes from knowing the only reason to live here is the safety of a hero on every street. The kind of people who are convinced the world must be a perfect, ordered place.’

The sour look that appeared on the doctor’s face told Tsukauchi he had said more than enough. ‘Any chance you could arrest an entire city of bigots?’ Tsukauchi did his best to maintain his composure before speaking. ‘Not without proper evidence.’ Dr. Asagi scoffed, ‘The confession of a young boy and the interview of his so-called peers wasn’t enough?’ 

Tsukauchi frowned as he replied, ‘That would infringe on Japan’s right to free speech, even if it's used to demean a boy. I only have the word of his quirk and hints to mistreatment from his peers. But, I could arrange for Midoriya to be watched after he is released. To make sure he stays safe’ Dr. Asagi raised an eyebrow, perhaps missing his point. Of course he couldn’t outright say it was to use a boy’s misery as a resource for an investigation. That would be stretching the limits of ethical observation and moral accountability. But…

Dr. Asagi was no fool, though, after another long moment of silent judgement, she sighed before glaring back at him. ‘If someone so much as pulls a hair off his head, I expect there to be consequences. Knowing a child is potentially involved in a years-long systemic abuse situation on this kind of scale. I can not stand idle and believe I’m fulfilling my hippocratic oath.’

Tsukauchi nodded in understanding. He may not be perfect, inflexible under the law, but he was human. Doing nothing when a child is clearly suffering is not an acceptable course of action for him. The best approach was to give him care here and now, and then, be there with a warrant once he was certain of wrongdoing. He might even let slip when such an event may occur to Yagi, completely by accident of course.

Chapter Text

Today marked the tenth day that Izuku had spent in Musutafu General. He quietly wondered at what point he should start worrying about if he would ever leave.

It was… whiplash, yes. As an American would put it, he was suffering a serious bout of mental whiplash. He had never spent so much time in anything resembling a place of healing. Hospitals, school nurse's office, the aide station at that one hero convention in Tokyo when he got trampled by a crowd rushing to see Hawks.

Before, he might be there for two hours for a physical. Now, he had spent ten whole days in the hospital receiving “mental welfare checks” and “a thorough medical exam” from three different specialists.

They kept asking odd questions about his body like, if he suffered any chronic pain or suffered any panic attacks after recent events. Honestly, he had nightmares. But anytime those started, his characters came to his rescue and typically beat the breaks off the sludge villain if he showed up. Even the ethereals were helping, or maybe they were just being ethereals and attacking the thing that didn’t belong. That would be in character for most of them.

Now, Izuku wasn’t entirely upset about all this. Dr. Asagi was honestly the nicest doctor he had met. She ranked above Dr. Tsubasa, he had been nice at first, supportive and hopeful that Izuku was a late bloomer. He seemed sad when he delivered the verdict back then. Then some of the school nurses, namely the ones from when he was younger. Then Tajuro at Alderna, she wasn’t terrible. She knew he didn’t get hurt on purpose, but she couldn’t stop the bullying, Izuku tried to make her life a little easier learning how to bait and run.

Last place will belong to Konishi forever. The less time spent thinking about him the better. No, this wasn’t bad per se, but it was so abnormal for people to act so nice and try so hard to help him. He kept waiting for them to tell him why he was still here.

Something had to be wrong with him. He wasn’t that sick anymore, he was more than well rested and starting to grow restless. The whole time he only had his mother and his characters for company. Mom had gotten him his latest sketchbook (which had survived the chaos and still had All Might’s autograph next to Lighter which had clearly used up all the good luck Izuku had been saving for years).

Something had to be wrong. He had never spent so much time out of school or looking over his shoulder for trouble. The only things keeping him sane at this point was his sketchbook and all the fresh inspiration he had.

At that moment, one such inspiration walked in. ‘Good morning Midoriya. Sleep well?’ Dr. Asagi flashed him a grin and, once again, Izuku did his best to absorb as much detail as he could. He may not see her again.

 Asagi’s scales were blue-green like her namesake. They faintly covered stretches of her body where her skin did not flex so much. Her forehead and hints on the back of her neck, the back of her hands. Up her arms to her shoulders (he had asked and she had even been kind enough to roll up her sleeves) and evidently down the sides of her legs though disappearing around joints like the elbows and knees.

Besides that were the small pointed whiskers that twitched at the corners of her mouth as opposed to someplace closer to her nose. Then again, that would be where such “barbels” would be located on a fish to begin with, even if it clashes with depictions of dragons. 

Regardless, a dragon was more- ‘Bright and brimming with energy’ I see. I wish I possessed a quirk capable of following your personal insights, I imagine they are profound.’ Dr. Asagi finished with a polite chuckle. Izuku paused before realizing that, once again, Dr. Asagi was being genuine. That was really nice. Most found his muttering habit creepy or distressing.

Izuku decided to give himself a moment before replying and cleared his throat with a small cough. ‘I am feeling well, Dr. Asagi. Well enough to leave and return to school.’ Izuku hoped that they might finally take the hint and tell him why they were keeping him, but he was once again disappointed. Asagi gave a sad smile before deflecting. ‘School can wait, Midoriya. Your wellbeing comes first. I know you’ve been brave and told the Detective everything you remember. But you are still recovering fully from the infection. You're still having some breathing issues, aren’t you?’

Izuku gave a brief nod, ‘A little bit. But as long as I pace myself and avoid running, I should be fine.’ But the doctor shook her head. ‘You are still at risk of agitating the infection and undoing all the good your stay at the hospital has done. But I understand, I’m sure you must miss your friends back in school.’ Izuku did his best to put on a smile. ‘Yeah, I’m sure they are worried about me.’ 

Thrilled that I’m not around seems more accurate.

‘Tell you what, we’ll see about giving you a final exam soon. If you pass, you are free to return to school.’ That made Izuku sit up and project as much healthy enthusiasm as he could project. He couldn’t help asking, ‘How soon is soon exactly? Later today?’ Dr. Asagi gave a rueful smile. ‘I was thinking about tomorrow at the earliest.’ Izuku would take it. Anything to get out of here.

‘So, how much progress have you made on that new character?’ Dr. Asagi asked with a knowing smile. Izuku was eager to switch topics. Best not to test Dr. Asagi’s patience. He quickly opened his current sketchbook to his newest character. ‘So, I think she looks better with her horns tucked back into her hairline than coming from her forehead. Decided to ditch the tail and give her pointed ears but in a human orientation. I also-’ Dr. Asagi gave a polite cough and Izuku halted.

‘Midoriya… why doesn’t she have pants? Don’t tell me the dragon priestess is bold enough to walk around… so brazenly?’ Izuku blinked for a second before double-checking the sketch and saw the problem. ‘Oh. OH! No-ooonononono! I-I haven’t f-finished her design yet.’ But Dr. Asagi didn’t look convinced. ‘You gave her boots though. Izuku… has your mother talked to you about-’ ‘Yes she has. I’ve explained to her that it’s nothing sexual in nature. I want my characters to look right when I draw them.’

Dr. Asagi gave what she must have thought was a knowing smile. ‘Of course Midoriya, but you are a fourteen-year old boy. It’s ok to have an interest in women as long you understand boundaries.’ And Izuku was ready for this conversation to move forward. He really didn’t want to recall past events that this was bringing up. ‘With that said, what did you have in mind?’ With a bit of barely restrained frustration Izuku went a page back to the early concept work. ‘Lucy two is supposed to be from the Waifei Peninsula so she has more Chinese elements. I’m thinking of extending a lotus shaped skirt around her waist which compliments her design while giving her both a little more modesty and letting her retain a loose and flowing costume design. I picture her levitating like Rina, carried by the wind perhaps. Calling down pillars of ether as divine punishment on ethereals and villains alike.’

Dr. Asagi gave a small nod as she noted the very roughly sketched and bare detailed design. Noting the lotus leaf skirt that draped down past the character’s knees while still leaving some skin. She was hardly a judge of costume design but she felt like it was a tasteful design choice. Then she latched on to the other oddity. ‘Lucy two? Why name her Lucy if you already have one?’ 

Izuku was more prepared for this question. ‘I’m trying to create a name that can roll off the tongue in any language for as many of my characters as I can. In Japanese, her name is Ryushi. So, with a bit of careful arranging of pronunciation her name in English could be Lucy, except I already have a character named Lucy. So I’m stuck trying to find a better name for now.’

That left Dr. Asagi silent as she also appeared to stare off into space and try to examine the problem. But then something in Izuku’s head shifted. ‘Ryushia… Lucia. Lucia! I mean Ryushia isn’t a typical Japanese name. But the world of the Zenless Zone and New Eridu is a mad mixup of cultures trying to all fit in one city then they are going to probably meld in odd ways. So, Ryushia becomes Lucia!’ Izuku felt the name settle as he carefully spelt out Lucia in English before carefully picking over Kanji for Ryushia.

Like a crack in a dam wall, Izuku felt his attention be washed away as he got to work giving Lucia life. Dr. Asagi tried and failed to get his attention before deciding it was better if she left him to his work. He looked so happy sketching, writing, and quietly muttering to himself as he expanded on his inner Fantasia. She wanted to keep protecting him, keep him safe as she remembered the sheer difference in his appearance from three days ago. That look of despondence, of resignation, over the idea that nothing would change when he left this hospital. That he would simply try to survive in a world that seemed to hate his existence, and thought that no one would come to his aid. How can someone live thinking that they had no one on his side. Not even his mother, who clearly cared but never tried to move him to a better school? She didn’t care at all, did she?

—

‘You know Author, if you want to leave, Vivian and I could always be of assistance.’ That offer was more tempting than it should have been. Another long day in the hospital. More tests that showed he was healthy. It was getting really tedious. Even Izuku’s patience was being stretched thin. What exactly were they looking for that justified this?

‘Hugo, now is not the time. Master Midoriya, this should be the end of all this frustrating tedium. Dr. Asagi said that there would be one final exam and we will be given leave to return home.’ That was precisely why it was tempting. If he passed then he could finally go home and start work on “discreetly practicing” use of his quirk. If he failed, it was another day of sitting restlessly and trying not to go mad over his desire to explore the quirk, his quirk, in full detail. This was exacerbated by the fact that every character felt the same way. They had finally felt air on their skin, saw the world with their own eyes, and most intoxicating of all; they had touched the animate world and beaten their first villain! For a cast of heroes (and a few vigilantes and at least one anti-hero… and Hugo) what else could feel more right?

So Izuku sat up in his hospital bed and projected as much energy and “healthy young man” aura as he could without vibrating. He felt his heart jump into his throat when the door to his room opened. Then tried to wrestle it down out of his mouth when Dr. Asagi, Detective Tsukauchi, and All Might in the flesh entered his room together! Izuku gathered himself, cleared his throat, and warbled out something that sounded like a hello if you were some form of sea creature walking on land. Then promptly shut up when it was clear he wasn’t capable of speaking at the moment.

Dr. Asagi gave another one of her sly and knowing grins while looking between him and All Might. The Detective gave a glance to Dr. Asagi in concern, then quickly realized what had happened when All Might started laughing. ‘Don’t worry Young Midoriya, it happens to more people than you’d think. Even pros stumble over themselves when they meet me for the first time.’ And he kept laughing as he got a faraway look, likely remembering such events with some embarrassed mirth.

Izuku kept trying to talk but was only managing to make small noises before settling on a new plan. He quickly grabbed his notebook, not the sketchbook, and carefully tore out a page. 

Hello, it’s nice to meet you properly All Might. Sorry for thinking you were a figment of my dying mind. I never thought the one to save me would be you.

After a moment to read his reply, All Might simply gave another small laugh before flashing a thumbs up. ‘I understand entirely. It was far too close for my or Yagi’s liking. I do apologize for the timing. As you learned, that villain escaped me not once, but twice that day. It was not my best performance. And because of my failures, you felt you had to get involved in the situation, with or without a quirk.’

Izuku’s smile became brittle. He thought it was because of All Might’s regret, but there was something else underneath he couldn’t quite nail down. At last, though, Izuku found his voice. ‘It’s not your fault, you have n-nothing to apologize for. As for me, I wasn’t thinking clearly. Perhaps the infection was already affecting me, and my judgment. I s-should not have gotten involved.’ Izuku gave a look of personal embarrassment even as something beneath his skin writhed at his self-reproach. Something rang false and knowing what Detective Tsukauchi’s quirk was, the sudden look of interest entering his eyes was alarming.

‘All the same, you have mine. I believe the right thing to do would be to acknowledge both our mistakes and learn from them.’ All Might spoke in a slightly more stilted fashion this time. Perhaps picking his words a bit more carefully. But why would he need to? More importantly, why was he here?

Izuku wanted to ask, but felt that might be rude, All Might’s time was precious but it was his to spend as he wished. Instead, Izuku tried a different approach. ‘If you are here All Might, are you here to wish me good luck and good health as I’m cleared from the hospital?’ Izuku spoke with a pointedness he hadn’t intended. He was clearly getting restless, he’ll need to tamp down on that or risk punishment for insulting his elders.

Fortunately, he seemed to guess right as All Might gave a big nod of the head. ‘That’s exactly so! You are fully recovered from your recent villain encounter and the hospital has cleared you. My friend Detective Tsukauchi sent me a message informing me. After disappearing on you right after your rescue, I felt I owed you a visit. By the way, Dr. Asagi has also kept me and Yagi appraised and even shared some screenshots of more of your work. It’s most impressive, and if your talent for sketching and designing characters is that good, I can only imagine your future as a pro hero!’ All Might finished with another heartfelt laugh. 

It really hurt.

‘A-All Might-sir uh… I have no plans to become a pro hero.’ Izuku’s declaration was met with stunned silence. All Might’s smile even cracked, though it didn’t completely disappear. ‘I-I’m afraid I don’t understand. You have an incredible quirk and more importantly a heroic spirit. Even without knowing you had a quirk waiting to activate, you-hrk.’ The rather blatant elbow the Detective lodged in All Might’s side gave Izuku his opening.

‘A quirk I never knew I had and does not have a basis on my plans. A quirk is not the only quality a person should be measured by. To tell you the truth All Might, I am not brave. My actions that day were likely entirely derived from near-death mania, adrenaline, and illness. I also have no interest in being in the public eye. I like my privacy. I… like to be left alone.’

It hurt so much. He wanted to cry, but that never helped before. Strangers don’t care if you cry.

‘If I’m diligent in my studies and lucky, I’ll secure my place in a good business course and work towards my goal of bringing my characters to life in a safe and legal manner. As characters in manga panels and maybe a good anime studio’s work. I’m not a hero, I just fantasize about them. I-I’ll never be one. A-a-a-and- gulp and that is ok. I’m sorry to disappoint you sir.’

Izuku had slowly looked away as he spoke the truth. His lifelong truth. The one that he had come to accept and look forward to. It wasn’t so bad. It was far safer, and no one cared who you were, only that you told a good story. He finished his explanation with a deep bow.

He didn’t see the crestfallen look on All Might’s face, the look of shock on Tsukauchi’s face as truth and lies screamed in his head with painful force, unable to understand which was which. Dr. Asagi felt terribly conflicted, Izuku chose the obvious path of safety and security. Chose sense over arrogance that so many his age chose. But it seemed so terrible to hear right after All Might himself said the boy had potential. But what was the right choice?

All Might moved to speak before Officer Sansa quickly entered the room. ‘Sirs, we have a situation. Multiple fallen saints, but the daemon has been sealed. All Might, sir, you are being requested for oversight of his incarceration.’ All Might paled at the coded mention of multiple hero casualties and the kind of villain that the police might ask him to be involved in their transfer to prison. ‘Regretfully, Young Midoriya, I must leave you. Duty calls, and I’m trying very hard to live up to the request you made of me that day. As for your choice… I respect it. There is nothing wrong with choosing a peaceful existence and bringing more heroic ideals into the world in a way where no one is truly hurt… I wish you good fortune in your future endeavors.’ He turned away, all the while ignoring a painful tugging sensation in his gut, mistaking it for his old injuries playing up.

It wasn’t long before Izuku was released from the hospital and Mr Aichi was kind enough to drive him and his mother home for the day, despite everything, it was a somber occasion.

—

School, of course, waited for no one. Not even those caught up in a villain attack. Izuku had spent most of his time in the hospital between medical tests and police interviews working on homework and a test (that he was only earning half credit on for not taking it at school, yay) but at least he was caught up as he returned.

He entered class and tried to get to his seat quietly and without any incidents, but that plan disappeared the moment his homeroom teacher noticed him in the doorway. ‘Midoriya, good of you to finally attend school rather than fake illness for a hospital visit.’ Izuku just bowed, ‘Yes Sensei, it is good to be back.’ But his homeroom teacher didn’t seem merciful today. ‘I received utterly preposterous news. You manifested a quirk! My fellow teachers and I had to sit through a meeting early this morning over it.’

Izuku held his bow to hide the rising dread on his face. Since returning home, his quirk had stopped working. His characters were all ignoring him and refused to manifest. So now, either his quirk would not work and he’d be declared a lying fraud and his class would have fresh excuses, or worse, it would work but who knows what will happen. ‘It's against the rules to use a quirk in class, Sensei.’ He felt a tremor run through him at ignoring the blatant daily hypocrisy to avoid a no-win situation.

His teacher did not give him the out. ‘You know I’m rather lax when it comes to quirks in class. Boys will be boys, and girls… well you are only young once. I want to see your quirk.’ Izuku gulped, ‘Now Sensei?’ His teacher paused and hummed before deciding, ‘No, during attendance. The whole class should get to see this miracle. Don’t you want to show off your new quirk?’

Izuku really didn’t but odds were he’d only end up made fun of when his quirk abandoned him as he abandoned them. ‘I see, as you wish, Sensei.’ Izuku quickly stepped to his desk, which he noted had a number of impolite additions to its surface. “Quirkless freak” was common, though someone had labeled him a “jealous deviant” as well. Izuku had an idea who was responsible for that. After carefully moving around Bakugo, who had not stopped staring at him since arriving, he took his seat.

All too soon, the first bell rang and everyone had arrived in class. ‘Attention class, a miracle has happened! Midoriya Izuku is quirkless no more! Midoriya, come up to the front and demonstrate your quirk for us.’ The smile on the teacher’s face looked like it belonged on a villain about to watch a hero be torn limb from limb. Depending on what happened next, Izuku might be.

With no alternative, Izuku walked to the front, and asked for a volunteer. I know I betrayed you all at the hospital. I know I’m a hypocrite. But I told the truth. I’m no hero. Dreaming of being one is not the same as having what it takes to be one. I’m not brave, so I will beg. Please… no. I’ll keep some dignity. Might as well continue as we started. I promise you’ll be the heroes you are meant to be in New Eridu. Izuku closed his eyes and sighed.

‘Eh-Na Na!’

Izuku flinched as a synthetic voice berated him. Standing on his teacher’s desk was a Bangboo bedecked in an orange scarf and jacket. He was clearly glaring at him with his short stubby arms crossed. ‘I-I’m thrilled?’

Izuku’s confusion was inadvertently shared by everyone else in the room as a barely meter tall rabbit robot spoke gibberish and stared down Deku… except he wasn’t Deku anymore was he?

‘M-m- what?’ Izuku’s teacher started stuttering. He was stuttering! He always mocked Izuku for his nerves and now he was stuttering in front of the whole class! Izuku was somewhere between awestruck and terrified. Whatever people decided next defined his whole school lif- ‘The fuck are you all gapping over a stupid rab-bot for!?!?’

Bakugo, it seemed, was not impressed. ‘Where the fuck is the sword bitch? The one who froze that disgusting bastard. She looked down on me and I want payback.’ Bakugo highlighted his agitation with a relatively small explosion.

‘Eh? Eh-Na Eh Eh-Na-Na. Na-Na!’ Izuku flushed and desperately prayed that only he could understand Eous at this moment. But no one needed a translation for the Bangboo’s tone or dismissive body language, complete with a dismissive wave with one nub and a fake yawn with the other. ‘You makin’ fun a’ me Deku!?!? Will she come if I knock your teeth in you bastard!?!?’ By this point Bakugo was past growling and up to yelling. Only a step removed from blood curdling screams of rage and death.

Izuku desperately grabbed for Eous as his mental shove failed to make him disappear. All the while Eous started angrily jabbering and rolling his little manipulators like he was ready to fist fight the blond bomber. Bakugo was about to leave his seat when an unexpected voice chimed in. ‘Bakugo relax! It’s just an imaginary rabbit. Deku is still Deku, his quirk is useless.’ Everyone turned to regard “Fingers” as he dismissed Izuku. 

For once, Izuku was so desperately happy for his existence as he could potentially de-escalate the whole situation. And by all the Seven Gods of Luck, he did, he flipping did, as Bakugo hesitated. Then their teacher collected himself. ‘Ahem, Bakugo back to your seat. No fighting in class. Midoriya, thank you for sharing your unique gift of a quirk with the class.’

Izuku felt like he would ascend to the heavens there and then. His teacher, the eternal enabler, had defended him. ‘Midoriya? Any time now?’ Izuku spasmed as he realized he had actually stood in shock long enough for it to get awkward, especially the staring. That was probably going to come back to bite him for not immediately thanking his teacher for his mercy. ‘Yes, Sensei! Thank you, Sensei!’ A swift bow and Izuku was rushing back to his seat while still holding Eous. It was only until Bakugo growled and Eous tried kicking back at him that Izuku realized Eous was still in his arms and present.

Izuku tried to mentally shove him away again and got an angry Eh-Na and a glare for his trouble. Izuku desperately whispered, ‘Eous, please. We earned a flawless victory here. Let’s just be happy with that and move forward?’ Eous held the glare for another second before giving a disappointed noise before disappearing. Izuku’s arms collapsed at his sudden disappearance but Izuku simply used the move to tuck into his desk. Fingers snickered off to his left and murmured, ‘victory? The hell kinda victory was that shit show Deku?’

Izuku ignored him and focused on class. Things were awkward as people’s opinions shifted. Whispers were exchanged throughout the class and people cast poorly concealed glances. Izuku expected it to settle by lunch. Nothing had really changed, and that was f-f-flipping fine!

Except, things did not settle, there was a constant tension to the classroom. Word spread between teachers and all of them started behaving differently. Teachers directed easier questions to him, even praised his answers at times. His fellow students kept staring or whispering. Bakugo didn’t seem to care but Fingers and his fellow toadie were looking more and more nervous. Something about the class was shifting and change was usually looked upon with suspicion.

By lunchtime Izuku was thoroughly unnerved. He could feel the attention of his class on him and that was never good. Bakugo and his followers planning an ambush. The Quirk Study club planning on staging a one-sided argument with Izuku’s analysis, the female students planning to lynch him again at the word of Kamaya to destroy another one of his sketchbooks which she claimed are full of “perverted drawings” that he shouldn’t be permitted to make.

Izuku desperately needed to get to the roof and hide. It was obvious he went there, but no one had ever bothered to follow him up there during lunch. The one kindness spawned of self interest. When the bell rang, Izuku spared no time to get his belongings tucked away into his backpack and then plotted the safest route through the crowd to sweet, safe isolation. He didn’t see the hand that landed on his shoulder so he could help the full body spasm.

He grit his teeth and prepared for pain and angry words. None came as the hand flinched away as though burned. Izuku turned to regard whoever had decided to touch the class leper and discovered it was Teichi, head of the quirk study club. Short and thin with thick full circle glasses and a memory recall quirk that ensured any notes he wrote he could recall perfectly. He had the top grades of the class for a reason. 

‘Midoriya Izuku, I would like to invite you to eat your lunch with the quirk study club. I am aware that you have long desired a seat with us and this year we have an opening for a new member. Your patience is rewarded.’ Teichi smiled with a look that he must have thought was magnanimous but to Izuku looked all too similar to his sneer of superiority he sported any time the club cornered him and talked over all his arguments.

Izuku had long ago stopped coveting a seat with them, most of their arguments were strawman arguments and ill informed based on group consensus with whatever Teichi believed, all while his fellow club members all echoed him. Izuku doubted he would be welcome. He was about to say so when the other club members heard their leader’s proclamation and moved to support him, forming a circle of sycophants that ensured the only way out was through the rapidly tightening ring.

‘I s-s-suppose I could join you for lunch.’ Teichi smiled and started to drone on about something. Izuku’s whole attention was on avoiding physical contact and starting an altercation early. Whatever their plan was, they weren’t in position to spring it yet, but he would not have long to think of a way to politely escape. His new quirk meant they were all treading carefully, from the teachers and so the students. Izuku was no longer a free target, but that wasn’t a guarantee of safety. People don’t change unless they decide to. And no one in the school had changed, just Izuku.

Sadly, Izuku had not been able to construct a sufficiently polite and reasonable excuse for why he absolutely could not eat lunch with Teichi and his club by the time they arrived in the cafeteria. The circle had kept them enclosed so Izuku hadn’t even been able to slip away and buy time to think, preferably after eating and destressing.

Someone had pulled out a seat for him and he sat while on autopilot. It took Teichi snapping his chop sticks in Izuku’s face for him to wake up. ‘Did you forget your lunch perhaps?’ Izuku swallowed a sour lump of something that had been building in his throat before answering. ‘Just thinking.’ Izuku didn’t wait for a response as he retrieved his bento from his backpack. 

Teichi sprang on Izuku’s inattention, ‘Oh-ho, and what pray tell have you been thinking about? Why your new quirk of course! Now, have you explored just what exactly this… Eous? Yes? Can do, or are you still trying to tame it?’ Teichi didn’t wait for Izuku’s reply, as soon as he finished talking he snapped up a tomato from his salad and started chewing, messily.

And because Izuku was not paying attention to his surroundings and instead still trying to explore escape options, he told the truth. ‘Eous isn’t my quirk. Eous is a Bangboo, a multi-purpose android, one that has passed the forbidden fruit test and possesses a personality unlike most others. Eous is unique among his peers. But he’s upset with me after I said I wouldn’t become a hero to All Might.’ Izuku then heard a distinct choking sound as he placed his bento on the table. Then idly noted a half chewed piece of tomato land on the back of his hand. When he looked up, he noted that everyone was staring at him in shock and horror.

Teichi was busy drinking a peach flavored sparkling water so one of his echos asked in his place. ‘You said what to who!?!?’ Izuku just shrugged. ‘All Might visited me on my last day in the hospital. He suggested I have potential to be a hero but I made it clear I-I d-don’t w-w-want to be one. Far too dangerous, I would hate it if I never finished my story by being killed in action. I owe my characters a proper ending and a chance at immortality. Living on forever in the minds of those who read my work.’

Izuku had made a promise to them, the one thing that believed in him and that he in turn believed in. A world where all they had was each other and there could be no division based on arbitrary reasons. Of course, such a world was impossible but it was the ideal to strive for that mattered wasn’t it? 

No one at the table seemed to care. ‘You… You! You said NO TO ALL MIGHT! ARE YOU INSANE!?!?’ Teichi was screaming in horror and disgust.‘I only told him the t-t-t-’ Izuku slammed his hands on the table without thinking. 

‘I TOLD HIM THE TRUTH DAMMIT! I CAN’T BE A HERO! THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TOLD ALL MY DAMN LIFE BY EVERYONE I’VE EVER KNOWN! SO I DON’T WANT TO BE A HERO! IS THAT WRONG? TO ACCEPT T-T-THE FUCKING TRUTH THAT EVERYONE HAS SAID TO ME ALL MY FUCKING LIFE? LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE! ALL OF YOU! J-J-just leave me…’ Izuku started running and didn’t stop until he was on the roof. Crying as he picked away at his lunch.

—

When Izuku came back from lunch, he looked at no one, talked to no one, passed on every question, refused every attempt at interaction. It had all come undone, and he was afraid of what he might say next. At some point, people got the message.

People stopped trying to interact with him. Instead, things went back to the way they were, the ways things were supposed to be. The students ignored him or called him a freak. The teachers didn’t get involved. That was perfect.

When the final bell rang, Izuku collected his things, and made for the door. ‘Mr. Midoriya, a word.’ Please Kami, give me strength. Izuku paused and regarded his homeroom teacher. ‘What did you do?’ Izuku took a deep breath and held his composure. ‘I told the truth.’ The teacher shook their head, ‘elaborate, why are the students now calling you a villain? You are many things Midoriya, but you are not violent or cruel in nature. So why are students growling at the sight of you over “the truth” exactly?’

Izuku thought for a moment before answering, ‘I said no to wanting to be a hero to All Might.’ Izuku couldn’t quite piece together the look that crossed his teacher’s face. ‘Really, that's all? I would say that’s hardly fair when all your quirk can do is summon a rabbit.’ Izuku didn’t bother correcting his teacher, so he just shrugged a little. His teacher scoffed before responding, ‘don’t listen to them Midoriya. They’re obsessed with being heroes and treat the words of All Might like divine commands. You know better.’ Izuku simply muttered a quiet yes Sensei before bowing as he saw his teacher turn away in dismissal.

Nothing had changed, and that was g-g-good! Really fucking good! Everything was as it should be.

—

One of the good things about home was that here he had the peace and quiet to work on his true dream. Izuku’s whole room was dedicated to the crafting of a world all his own. A massive piece of poster paper covered one wall which he would periodically work on as he designed the districts and satellite regions of New Eridu, the latest being Weifei Peninsula. 

Attached to it were a number of rough designs that he had been developing recently. So far he had a kung fu school that he hadn’t finished the name of, but he was leaning towards it being related to a mountain. Under the blank space meant for the future icon of the agency were the main characters. An as yet unnamed master or “Shifu” that was, so far, a tall woman in yellow. Truth be told she was severely underbaked. She had no real face, blank eyes, the hint of long hair. Under her was a slightly more refined design on a star pupil who was a tiger Thiren, albeit young. Alongside a kung fu panda and a man with glasses but little else.

This is how it usually started. Like a sculptor with a block of marble, Izuku started with an idea and carefully teased away at it. Trying to look from every angle before settling on a more final design. The Cunning Hares remained his most refined design, although Anby still lacked a fully realized backstory, something tragic, like so many others. Each character had one, something that represented a character flaw that was both a key weakness and a defining part of their story.

Nicole and her past as a denniless orphan, Koleda and the mystery of her father, Miyabi and her mother. Speaking of Miyabi, Izuku had decided that she was not the Void Hunter but instead first among Void Hunters! She needed a team, and as Izuku entered his room, he collected all his reference materials regarding Miybai and Section 6. ‘Ok Miyabi, what kind of team would you lead? Maybe Soldier 11? Some fire to contrast your ice?’

Izuku received no reply. But that was fine, Miyabi was pretty reserved as a character, and they didn’t always have an answer. Izuku sat back and thought to himself. He thought, and thought, and thought some more. ‘Nothing… guess we’ll put a pin in that and come back.’

Izuku sat back and waited. It wasn’t uncommon for an idea to not take off, so he waited for his world to speak back to him. To point him in a direction, inspiration sometimes came from the subconscious. 

But nothing came to him. And Izuku started to know horror. There were no words. No whispers, no hints, nothing but a void. ‘Where are you? Lucina? Caesar? Lycaon? Koleda? N-Nicole?’ Izuku’s questions grew quieter as a creeping dread entered his mind. He even dared to intentionally attract Hugo and Vivian’s attention, but no one responded. As he studied the map above his desk his vision blurred. When was the last time he had heard the others? ‘Eous… Eous!’ 

Nothing. Izuku wanted to panic, he hadn’t lived without the voices of his characters in years. Now they seemed to be gone. But why? What was the cause? ‘S-sleep, I need to sleep. I-I had an awful day. A nap will refresh me a-a-and y-you’ll be back!’ Izuku all but threw himself from his chair and into his bed, still half dressed in his school clothes.

He lay in bed and screwed his eyes shut. He willed himself to sleep, to be tired, to fall asleep. Sleep, where he would be immersed in dreams, the closest to his subconscious and his beloved characters.

But sleep did not come easy, he tossed and turned. He tried to count sheep, picture the most dull and tedious subjects known. He did math equations and practiced advanced kanji in his head, traced every stroke with his eyes beneath his eyelids. But sleep did not come. When Izuku finally opened his eyes, an hour had passed and he felt no easier. ‘That’s not working, why isn’t it working? Guess I’m not tired enough. Suppose I could get in some studying, maybe stay up until after dinner… yeah, that’ll do it.’

With a rough plan in mind, Izuku pushed himself to distraction. He completed not just the day’s studying, but that week’s studying. He completed the short term homework and put a sizable dent in the week’s long form study work. He ate dinner with his mother. And when nervous energy kept flowing in his veins, he worked a little more. Finally, at fifteen to midnight, Izuku finally felt his energy run out. Blessed sleep was finally calling him, at last.

He brushed his teeth, tucked on some light wear for bed, and lay back in bed with a weak smile of satisfaction. He had failed to add anything to the Zenless Zone today, but that was fine. He had managed to push back that growing tide of school work instead. It had been a perfectly productive use of time. Yes, very productive… no reason to feel anxiety or regret…

Why am I still awake right now?

It was all he wanted, it was all he needed. Sleep, sleep dammit! He shut his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw that two hours had gone by with no peace. Certainly not rest. Izuku groaned as he realized that whenever sleep did finally find him, he was not getting a full night’s rest for tomorrow. But worse, he still couldn’t reach them. He tried to think of his characters, any of them. But the crystal clear image of them had turned warped and blurred. Like looking into a fun house mirror. But Izuku felt no joy at this. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He couldn’t sleep, his characters had gone quiet, and they were fading in his mind’s eye.

Those doctors, what have they done to me? What did they do to my head!?!? Why can’t I hear you? Where have you gone? My characters, my world, my dream? Have they… killed my last dream? No… No please, you can’t do this. You took my dream of being a hero, you took my place among you, you took my father, my mother’s peace, you’ve been trying to take this from me too haven’t you!?!?

You can’t do this! You can’t keep taking from me! What more do you want!?!? My hope? My blood, sweat, and tears? My life? My F-F-FUCKING SOUL!?!? How can you be so greedy? You “give” me a quirk but you take the only thing that’s truly mine? How is that fair exchange?

Why can’t you just leave me alone?

—

In the end, sleep did not come until Izuku felt like his eyes were going to roll out of their sockets. When his alarm sounded, he wanted to cry or possibly commit sudoku right there and then. But that would make Mom very sad so he grit his teeth and got up instead.

Izuku couldn’t tell if breakfast was good or not, he scalded his tongue trying to drink his morning tea before it had time to set. Today was shaping up to be really awful. So… nothing much had really changed had it? 

Quirk that he doesn’t know how to use and is a potential hazard to his future? Check. He can’t hear his muse in the form of his characters and those yet to be? Yeah, that too. People at school have a whole new reason to despise him after telling the truth and after having a breakdown? Hoo boy that did happen! Barely slept and now running on weak breakfast tea and spite? Oh yeah, that’s a recipe for success.

But Izuku wasn’t sick and was already academically lagging behind through no fault of his own. He was going to have to put his entire face to the grindstone to keep his grades high enough to make U.A. 's entrance standards. No rest for the Deku.

Izuku gave his best heartfelt goodbye to his mother who was nursing a cup of coffee and going over a case file after being so kind as to make breakfast. His Mother, to her credit, managed to balance work and life reasonably well.

Izuku took a step outside and realized it was drizzling rain. With a sigh he rushed back up to the apartment and grabbed an umbrella, if he had been paying attention he could have saved that time. Another mark against today being salvageable.

Izuku didn’t see the car coming, they didn’t hit their horn out of courtesy so Izuku was hit with a nice, big, frigid wave of water across his back. Izuku was starting to realize the universe was, in fact, out to get him. He had lived too long and death was actively hunting him in the most petty ways imaginable.

But Izuku was still operating on his own brand of quiet and cold blooded spite. Death was going to have to fist fight him if he wanted his soul! But if Izuku thought he was having it the worst, he discovered he could be proven wrong.

Musutafu was not a prosperous city, hardly a city at that, but they did well enough that loose trash and homeless laying in it were an extremely rare sight. But after stumbling away after getting splashed, Izuku stumbled across a shivering blond reed of a girl. Part of her hair was tied up in a messy bun, the other half was stuck to part of her face as she used a pile of wet newspaper as a pillow.

Now Izuku was not functioning at one hundred percent today, but even he could see that this girl was on her last legs and if she didn’t get help, she might just die here. Izuku glanced around for a bystander and saw no one. He went for his phone… and discovered he hadn’t charged it last night and the battery was dead. Guess it was better to discover that here and now so he could charge it at school.

Sighing to himself as he realized her only hope was him, he took a deep breath, slapped his face twice to put some pep back into his step and planned on hauling her back to the apartment so she could wait someplace warm and dry for emergency services. Not the best plan but maybe he could use it as an excuse to stay home… no, can’t do that. Schoolwork, grades, U.A. entrance exam, future plans. But Izuku was not leaving her here to die.

‘Excuse me, ma’am? Are you alright? Would it be ok if I-’ PSAs explained that approaching someone on the street in need may not be friendly or rational, especially if they were sick. So when the young girl shot up and growled at him for a moment, Izuku took a backstep and held out his hands in a gesture of peace, making sure to show he was unarmed in any way.

The girl regarded him with one eye open and the other struggling to, held closed by something, possibly an eye infection. Izuku felt a pang of sympathy. But after a moment the girl calmed down and even started to look hopeful. ‘Sssssaito? Is that youuu?’ The girl slurred her words but was understandable.

Izuku guessed she was confusing him for someone else, rather than upset her while she was clearly delirious, he favored acting a bit. ‘Hey, do you need help? You look like you’ve had a hard time lately huh?’ He played at familiarity as he kneeled down to her level and held out a hand. To Izuku’s growing concern the girl started crying.

‘Sssssaito! I’m sssoooo suuurry. I dinn’t mean to-hic-to-’ Whatever she meant to say was lost as she broke down and started bawling. Izuku slowly drew closer and kept offering his hand, even as he remained passive, never forcing her to act. He inched closer and held out his umbrella to try and cover both of them. ‘It’s ok now, I’m here. I want to take you someplace safe and warm. Out of this rain. Would that be ok?’

The girl stared at him in shock and… awe? ‘Youu forgive meee? After I drank your blud? Really?’ Drank his blood? Must be part of her quirk, perhaps an instinctive craving. Those mutations that cause compulsive acts or powerful urges must be so tough. ‘It’s ok, we’ll worry about that later. You can’t stay here, you look chilled to the bone and sick. You might die out here.’

The girl shuddered hard at the mention of cold before trying to gather some more trash to cover her body where her ruined cardigan failed. ‘Mmm ok. You know you’llll get in trouble if youuu hang around. I could hurt youuu again. You don’t need to be nice to a freak like meee.’ The girl looked away with guilt and started lowering herself back into the trash. But something in Izuku caught alight at hearing someone call themselves a freak.

‘Please don’t call yourself that. You're no freak. You are a human being, like me, like everyone else. So please don’t give up.’ But the girl kept drooping to the ground and her right eye had shut again while her left was fluttering shut. ‘Mmmm tirud. Byeeee Sssaitoooo.’

‘No, no no no. Please don’t go to sleep. You are too sick to fall asleep here. You could die! Stay awake! Please stay awake!’ Izuku looked on frantically as the girl slumped back to the ground with a thud of crashing muscles. The small burning sensation in Izuku’s chest started to grow into a desperate burning need. Izuku wasn’t brave. He would never be a hero. Odds were he wouldn’t even finish the Zenless Zone at this rate. 

But death was not going to win today!

—

Inko Midoriya was finishing her second cup and was bracing herself for a long day fighting against the Commission about acceptable collateral damage in defense of a family restaurant who would lose everything if they didn’t receive assistance for the damages. Honestly, if “Shugoki” took more care throwing his weight around and not throwing a boulder-like villain through the main supports of a two story building like an entitled man child, this situation wouldn’t exist. Why was it so hard for heroes to not be violent sociopaths and treat their surroundings, and the people who live in the same space as them, with some respect? But then she wouldn’t be any different than most lawyers would she? Fighting for the little guy against people who can throw their quirks around and think they have no real oversight.

Inko felt a half smile tug at her face at the irony of how she both hated and yet needed heroes to have a successful firm. Like so many in this world, she needed them but she doubted heroes needed people like her.

She opened the door, ready to head out, only to be stopped dead in her tracks by her son. Panting hard, wet and shivering, and carrying an emancipated girl in a fireman’s carry while clearly trying to find his keys with his free hand. ‘Hi Mom, can you please call emergency services while I get the space heater? She’s still breathing but I don’t know if she’s going to recover on her own. Also maybe tell school I’ll be late.’

Dear Kami, he was so much like his father it hurt!

Chapter Text

‘Izuku, I know I said that the day you bring a girl home I would be thrilled to meet them. But this isn’t what I had in mind.’ Himiko was feeling really unsure at the moment. On the one hand, she had spared Saito’s twin. On the other hand, “Izuku” had carried her back to his apartment. That had been really exciting actually. A Prince Charming moment from the long ago good days she had dreamed of as a little girl.

But now she was in some trouble. Laid out on a couch while Izu-kun draped a blanket over her as she pretended to be knocked out. She wasn’t of course but she might actually if they broke out that space heater they alluded to earlier. It was so tempting too. But she couldn’t let them be nice to her. Because then they’d call the police who would drag her back to her parents. It had happened every other time she’d run away. This time it would be even worse.

They’d take her to Tartarus. Her parents had always said a sinful creature like her would go there if they weren’t kind enough to keep her and try to redeem her. But she’d learned long ago that being locked in the attic every night was not much different. Her parents claimed it was to get her closer to God, to help her resist unholy temptations. But she never heard God in the attic, only Hibiki down below being chased away by her parents.

God didn’t care about her. Her life, her cravings, her pain, didn’t mean anything to God. God hated her. But she wanted to live. She had grown to hate that attic, any place she couldn’t leave. But people could be reasonable, you played innocent, you got out of line of sight, and they didn’t follow you out the window.

The first opportunity she got for a bathroom break, she’d leave. No trouble for them, no risk of hanging around and hurting someone when she didn’t hate them. How could she hate Izu-kun for carrying her out of the rain? He was so nice, and it sounded like he was missing time at school with his friends for her sake. She wondered what school was like. She saw anime about school, it looked so fun. All the nice and friendly people. Like Saito…

The one boy she talked to at church. He was everything the good book said a person should be like. He treated his sinful neighbor with kindness and mercy, when no one else did. He epitomised treating thy neighbor as you would treat thyself. And the one time he hid her away from her parents… why had it all gone so wrong?

One mistake, one moment mishandling that kitchen knife as he was cutting up ingredients for a meal and she ruined everything. Saito’s parents… she never saw him again. And her parents never let her near another living soul unless she escaped the house. The latest attempt being the most successful, she’d gotten her mother’s credit card and train pass and then escaped out the hole she’d carefully made in the roof. Her mother always stayed home so she didn’t check for it until Himiko had gotten on a train headed as far south of Fukushima as she could get.

They caught on eventually and canceled both but she’d gotten good and far away. She had also gotten good at hiding in plain sight from officers. But they still came looking for her. They always took her back, they lied every time. Said they were taking her to safety. They never believed her when she said she was safer on her own, free under the open sky. She wanted to be angry, at the police, and her parents. She wanted to feel hot and tense so she wouldn’t get sleepy. But she felt heavy, was the blanket weighted? What’s that sound? Is that the space heaterrrrr-

Izuku watched as the pale blond girl finally seemed to relax, her face had been subtly clenched and her body, and in particular her infected eye, had been trembling. Though now it finally seemed like she was at ease as she slowly drifted off to sleep. ‘What do you think happened to her? Where’s her family?’

The sigh his mother let out was not a happy one. Izuku stood up and regarded his mother at the dining room table. She was staring at something on her work tablet with clear concern judging by the frown and the way her eyebrows were pinched. Izuku had seen this before, Mom was looking at something or someone dangerous and deciding on how to handle it. ‘She has a record?’

Izuku had asked with some doubt but his mother nodded. ‘Toga Himiko, missing for four months on her sixth attempt to flee from home. Though she’s never gotten quite this far.’ Four months, Izuku silently uttered in awe before catching up on the other details. ‘This far, are you saying she’d gone missing for even longer?’ To which his mother nodded again, ‘Five last time, hiding out in a ghost town in Fukushima until a ghost hunting youth caught sight of her on live stream. Police eventually picked up the story and caught her. Evidently she also has a record of theft, assault, and… oh dear.’

Izuku came over to look but his mother attempted to shield the details from him. Eventually, she did look at him and finished after taking a steadying breath. ‘Clinical vampirism, she has on repeated occasion been reported to have attacked others with knives before fleeing. Later evidence suggests she consumed the blood of those she assaulted.’ Inko turned to regard their guest. ‘You’ve brought a very troubled young lady home with you.’

Izuku turned as well to regard Toga. Yet he did not feel scared or disgusted. ‘I don’t think she does it because she wants to. She apologized to me, or rather to Saito, who I assume she knew in her past. Does it mention it being medical in nature?’ When Izuku turned back to his mother, she was giving him a baffled look. ‘You don’t want to call the police? Follow the rules regarding a dangerous girl?’

Izuku shook his head, ‘she’s not dangerous. Not now, and I don’t think she wants to be dangerous but she’s desperate. Desperation can make you do crazy things. Desperation made me do something dangerous not too long ago.’ Inko held his stare for a moment before she gave a slow nod acknowledging his argument, even if she wasn’t happy about it. She turned back to her tablet while Izuku stopped to think.

Craves blood, extremely pale, irritability? Well considering she has attacked people for their blood before fleeing, that seems to be a given.

When you have no social life, let alone something like friends, you can spend an absurd amount of time looking up random facts and information. Like illnesses, namely as a background weakness for characters, and sometimes that becomes morbid curiosity. So Izuku had some amateur knowledge to call upon that could explain the literal bloodlust. ‘I think she has iron deficiency anemia.’

Inko looked back at her son with her “please elaborate” look she normally reserves for her associates in law when they talk about a case. ‘Her abnormally pale skin, and the fact she’ll attack people for blood. I have barely any other evidence but something is telling me that this is the most likely answer.’ Inko looked impressed as she shared her own findings. ‘The police reports made during her last escape mention that alongside whatever she could catch and kill she had apparently taken to eating clay pots, paper, and ice. She consumed all the paper straws and ice cubes she could get her teeth around while in custody. Is that evidence?’

Izuku thought for a moment before quickly nodding. ‘All evidence is her body is craving iron to make up for a serious deficiency. I’m guessing every time she runs from home her parents worry about it. Surprised it hasn’t been used as a clue for finding her.’ It was at this moment that his mother shifted from warm pride to stinging sadness. She wanted to spare him something that would hurt him. ‘What is it?’

How long do you think it’s been?

I don’t know Billy. There’s no way to track time here.

…

Do you think he’ll come back?

Unlikely, he made his intentions clear.

…

Anby, I’m scared. I don’t like it here.

I don’t like it here either.

There’s no use complaining about it you two, so just calm down. This can’t last forever.

But Nicole… What if he never comes back? What if we end up… dying down here?

We can’t die Billy. We’re technically not alive to begin with. So the law says.

While that is correct, we also think independently of our author, therefore we are. And I believe we can die. If Izuku dies, we can die.

That’s a given Anby. But he’s clearly fine. We’d know otherwise.

There is another possibility for the state of death.

Grrrrr, Anby I don’t wanna hear it. 

We could be forgotten.

…

That won’t happen.

What if it already has happened? Ooooohh no Nicole, is this the afterlife?

Shut up and calm down Billy! We are still stuck in Izuku’s unconscious. We’ve established this. The figments are down here with us. And… ugh, the Hollow Raiders. Thank our lucky fortunes the Ethereals are still tucked down in Izuku’s fears.

Yes, and the fact we are trapped in the unconscious is my leading evidence for the risk of being forgotten. If we cannot escape back to the subconscious at least, we run the risk of being permanently forgotten.

That won’t happen! We’ve been part of Izuku for years. Most of his life! He won’t… he can’t.

…

I want to see the sun again. One last time.

Not helping Anby.

It starts as a whisper, a subtle gnawing that can’t be ignored. It moves beneath her skin, it flutters in her lungs, it gnaws on her heart.

She had been dreaming. Himiko always knew when she was dreaming. Dreams were so much nicer than real life. 

She was a princess and Izu-kun was her prince charming. He was feeding her cherries, beautiful red cherries. Then the dream twisted into a nightmare when she absent-mindedly took a finger instead.

She forced herself back to the waking world but it was hard, like kicking your way up from the depths of a murky pond. All the while Izu-kun was screaming, his mother was hurling abuse and the police tried to drag her back to the attic. Somewhere in the madness of it all she wondered how she had wronged God so much to deserve this. Not even her dreams were safe from sinful nightmares.

When she did break free of her sweet dream turned bloody nightmare, she did her best to bury it. Better not frighten her unknowing hosts of the demon in their midst. One eye opened while the other flexed but stayed shut. That was going to be a problem.

Ever since that last bastard spat in her face her eye had gotten all gummed up. Probably the consequence of a quirk, she wasn’t quite sure. His blood had tasted awful too. He must have been sick with something. Drinking it off her knife had left her feeling woozy.

Speaking of woozy, something was wrong. She was awake, she’d had blood relatively recently so her inner demon shouldn’t be this strong. But she was shaking. Worse than that, she was sweating and she could feel the scratching getting worse.

This was bad, like really bad. At this rate that dream may be prophetic. She didn’t want that to happen. Izu-kun didn’t deserve that, she had to get out. She carefully checked her surroundings and realized the lights were on. They were not quite dim, enough to see comfortably. She could hear her hosts moving around. The path to the entryway was open.

She took a breath, stretched her limbs- and felt like she was somehow so warm and comfortable but as stiff as she might be having spent a winter night in the attic. Her limbs struggled to respond. Her mouth was scratchy and she couldn’t hold back the cough she felt claw its way up out of her. Within moments the sound of something ceramic clinked behind her and a set of footsteps rapidly approached. She tried to shut her one eye closed and fake sleep but she was too slow.

Izu-kun was there beside her with a look of concern. ‘Hey, you're awake. You’ve been asleep for a while now. We had to set your lunch aside in favor of dinner.’ She had slept through lunch and all the way til’ dinner time? Her parents would have punished such sloth by withholding both. But a cold lunch was better than nothing. She tried voicing her appreciation but she wheezed for a moment before coughing again. When she opened her eye again Izu-kun was holding a glass of water in front of her with a paper straw pointed in her direction.

It took her longer than she would have liked to realize he was offering it to her. A slow and shaking hand tried grasping the glass. But after a moment of struggle Izu-kun lowered it closer to her face and positioned the straw to her mouth. Himiko didn’t think too hard about why he was being so merciful and simply took the straw by her teeth before getting it into the corner of her mouth.

She quickly drained the glass with powerful suctioning gulps, even desperately trying to keep hold of the straw, if only to have something to chew on. ‘Dinner is almost ready, I’ll get you some more water.’ Himiko decided she was too weak to act on her sinful desires and slowly tried getting her feet under her. She wanted to feed herself. No offense to Izu-kun, he was terribly cute serving her like that but she wanted to know she had the strength to act when the time came.

The fact it took her a minute to finally get out from under that blanket and roll off the couch was a bad sign. She was struggling so much! She had to soak up as much energy as she could from whatever food she was given and get away.

Then the smell hit her. It took a moment to realize that it had always been there and had only just registered. She smelled that wonderfully sinful thing that she nabbed from distracted street vendors. She smelled meat!

She looked to her right, remembered her eye didn’t work and turned her whole body to see with her left eye. Mother Inko was setting the table and was setting out plates of something sweet and savory smelling that Himiko didn’t have words for. Izu-kun was helping by grabbing a pair of bowls with brown rice, setting them down beside two of the plates before traveling back to the kitchen.

Himiko waited hesitantly, unsure of where she would be seated. Or what she would be given. She only ever got rice and water at her parents house, and the rare few times people had helped her she had been given some fish and vegetables. But never meat, meat was sin. It was a temptation, the bloodier the worse the temptation. The more she wanted to tear into it like the demon her parents knew she was.

So when a third plate was brought out with a bowl of assorted greenery it felt so very tempting. Himiko could feel the tense energy in her jaws as her teeth started grinding on each other in the need to chew something. Then she saw the glass of blood… wait what?

She blinked, blinked again, blinked a third time. There was a glass of something red and it was both calling to her like a siren and casting an aura of terror to match the black pit that was the attic. She looked again at the two people setting the table and wondered just who had taken her into their home. Izu-kun caught her abject shock and blinked in confusion.

‘What is that,’ she asked while pointing at the glass. Izu-kun blinked before looking, turned back and said, ‘pomegranate juice. I had some earlier, it’s sweet and a little tart. Not my first choice but it’s supposed to be really good for you.’ Then went right back to setting out a pair of metal chopsticks and a small knife.

Himiko had no idea what a “pomegranate” was but that… actually, looking at it a little closer, it was red like blood but… not. Didn’t look quite right. So what was it? Where did it come from? Was it like kimchi? Himiko didn’t like kimchi. Tasted a bit like dirt. Sweet but “tart” what did that mean? Himiko also didn’t trust it being “good for her” like the pills that left her feeling like her soul was detaching from her body.

She would… try it, just to be sure. But there was no mistaking that there were three plates out and only two people and one possessed child present. That third one was meant… for her. They hadn’t even asked her what she was supposed to eat. They believed she was a lamb in their midst and not a rabid wolf.

Treat thy neighbor like thyself. But she wasn’t their neighbor, she was a stranger, picked off the street. How could they be so kind, so trusting, to something like her? She felt her inner demon wrestle with her fragile soul, and the demon won. She stepped over and sat down at the table. Izu-kun sat next to her, while Mother Inko sat across from her at the table.

She waited to see if this family would follow the tradition of a thirty minute grace or simply give thanks and eat. A quick glance between them before Mother Inko cleared her throat. ‘Would you like to uh… pray before we eat?’ Himiko looked confused before asking back, ‘you mean… you want me to say grace? Can it be the short version?’ Mother Inko blinked for a moment before nodding. ‘Whatever you are comfortable with.’

Himiko was surprised. No one ever asked… about grace or even offering her to give it. This was… nice. She folded her hands before her and shut her eyes. ‘O Lord, who are in heaven… I think this is the first time I got to do this. Sorry if I’m messing it up but, thank you. These people I’ve met are really nice. This food smells amazing and I’m really hungry so I can’t give you grace for thirty minutes like normal. Really sorry. Thank you for this food.’

As Himiko opened her working eye she missed the look shared between the Midoriya family as she went for the chopsticks. ‘So what are we eating? So I know what God gets to enjoy in spirit?’ Izu-kun spoke up quickly, ‘It’s thin cut beef teriyaki with some fried rice and a side of sugar beet leaves and wakame for the salad.’ Himiko held that in her mind as she carefully snagged a piece of the beef with her chopsticks. She brought it to her mouth and-

No one was prepared for the wail she started emitting moments after she started chewing. ‘T-Toga? Are you ok? What’s wrong?’ Izuku was about to start the Heimlich when Himiko finally spoke. ‘It’s so gooood! It’s sweet and meaty and gooooOoOoOod!’ Himiko felt a nagging in the back of her mind but she was far too focused on enjoying the sweet and savory warm taste of the slow cooked beef, teriyaki, brown sugar, and salt that was dancing on her taste buds.

Izuku slowly sank back into his chair with a small chuckle and a smile. Happy his choice of dinner from among their research of iron rich food was to their guest's satisfaction. If Izuku’s hunch proved right, Himiko and her younger sister Hibiki shared the same genetic disorder that affected their iron levels and led to rampant deficiency without the proper diet. A diet her parents had clearly and expressly ignored in favor of their belief in their daughters being sinful rather than suffering a genetic disorder.

It wasn’t even tied to their quirks considering Hibiki’s own escape from the Toga household and subsequent investigation into years long abuse and negligence. Hibiki had a quirk similar to her sister. Shapeshifting, what an incredible quirk. Himiko’s quirk operated on blood consumption but that wasn’t the reason for the blood craving, only an unfortunate coincidence of nature. Hibiki’s shapeshifting quirk used skin contact. If she touched a person she could temporarily shapeshift into them. Her key limit being she couldn’t shapeshift into someone of a different scale or mass than her. Meaning she could only shapeshift into her classmates. Himiko could shapeshift into anyone if she got a hold of the right genetic material, blood being the most obvious.

From the police report, Hibiki had shapeshifted into a schoolmate to escape her parents house and get to the police with evidence of their parents' wrongdoing. The Togas were wealthy, pious, and evidently ignorant of their hypocrisy. Calling their children blood thirsty demons when, as Izuku understood the christian faith, they suffered from the sin of pride. Paying off those that might have actually helped their daughters in favor of keeping their image safe.

They were now deeply embroiled in legal battles around the years of evil they committed to save face and condemn their daughters to suffering under their “care” for years. How much could have been avoided if they acknowledged that one of them carried a genetic defect that affected their children?

Now, Himiko was here, eating iron rich food which should help put her on a road to recovery. Izuku smiled to himself, this is the kind of heroics he could do. He could see a girl in desperate need of kindness, and extend a hand and a smile and guide them to safety. This is the message he wants for the Zenless Zone. Even a simple act of kindness like helping a lost stranger is heroic.

As Himiko took a sip of the pomegranate juice and she once again made a “wail of delight” at the taste and her instincts telling her that this is exactly what she needs, Izuku tried looking inward for a sign.

But he found nothing.

Himiko couldn’t get enough of this food. Sin of gluttony she risked, she couldn’t help it. Everything was perfect, the beef cuts were juicy and tasted amazing that her mouth was all smiles. The juice was sweet and tart like described and while a little strange, she liked it a lot. Even the bowl of green stuff was sweet and salty and yes it was green too but it was a good kind of green. It tasted like good green stuff. Himiko didn’t know that green food could taste good like this.

Himiko was enjoying it so much that when she went in for more she was shocked and very sad when she found it was all gone. She actually felt herself tearing up in its absence. So when Mother Inko swapped their plates and found two strips of beef left, she couldn’t help the squeal of joy she gave. As she snagged this gift Mother Inko gave a small chuckle before saying, ‘I believe we’ve found her favorite food, Izuku. We’ll have to make some room alongside the katsudon.’ To which Izuku also laughed and said, ‘that’s ok. Variety is healthy for you.’ But Himiko heard something in that laugh that sounded wrong. Like a part of it was forced.

Himiko glanced at Izu-kun in concern. Why was he sad? Izu-kun noticed her staring, ‘yes Toga?’ Suddenly, Himiko could see the trap. They knew her, they knew her family. Even here, so far away, her parents could find her.

She went for the knife she had been given, instincts screaming at her to get out. Get out of the trap. ‘I’m nOT GOING BACK TO THE ATTIC!’ She backed up out of the chair and sent it crashing behind her as she back pedaled. Izuku got up but stayed away, Inko however, did something with her hand and suddenly the knife jerked out of her hand where it flew up to Inko’s own outstretched hand before she twisted it around and the knife landed flat side into her palm.

Himiko then went for her emergency knives tucked away in carefully made folds of her cardigan. They were gone. She felt her blood run cold, they had stripped her of her defenses while she slept. ‘Toga-’ Izuku flinched when she hissed and barred her teeth, making it clear she was ready to use them. ‘I will not let you take me back. God damn you both for deceiving me!’

‘Toga, no, Himiko. We’re not going to take you back.’ Himiko glared hard at Izuku. It sounded like the truth but, ‘why were you sad just now?’ Izuku blinked in confusion. ‘What do you mean,’ he asked. ‘Your laugh, it sounded wrong. Don’t lie to me!’ Izuku paused for a moment, which was suspicious. When he answered he sounded sad again, ‘it's a personal issue. Nothing to do with you. And I promise you aren’t going back to your parents. You and your sister will be safe.’

Her sister? ‘How do you know I have a sister? How!?’ This time it was Inko who spoke. ‘I am a lawyer. A senior partner, I looked for you on the missing persons list. We know about you from it and your sister’s confession.’ Confession? Only God and his chosen servant hear what’s said at confession. That didn’t make sense. ‘She ran away just after you did.’ Himiko looked back at Izuku, utterly confused.

‘Your parents abused you both. The last time you ran away from home made your sister brave enough to run away too. She talked to the police. She gave them evidence of your parents' wrongdoing, including bribery and falsifying information for their own sakes. Your sister is in police custody and there are plans for her to enter foster care. The report states that you are to be offered similar protections. As the police now believe that your actions are spurred by your abuse. We are prepared to offer you a place here, under the good samaritan laws. We want you to live here. With us, we’ll help you. I promise.’

Himiko looked back at Izuku, who had seen her, the real her. The bloodthirsty monster ready to bite and to tear at him. Sick and strange and ugly and sinful. He wanted to help her? She looked at Inko, and she nodded. ‘You have been through a terrible ordeal for so long. Condemned for something you had no say in. But I believe that God still loves you Himiko. This is your second chance. To live a life where you are not condemned by those who should care the most about you. I open my home to you if you feel comfortable living with us. We discussed it, and… I’ve always wanted a daughter. Perhaps you are the one I was meant to raise.’ She finished her own reply with a smile that was warm but… complicated. There was something more than happiness there. Need?

Himiko… was at war with herself. She had given her trust before, heard the sweet lies and then woken by men in dark coats with shining badges taking her back. Her trust had been broken so many times.  But she wanted to believe. 

God, I want this. But I don’t know if I can trust them… please. If you really love me, give me a sign. I beg of you. I still love you. So please, I want to believe in them as I believe in you.

A light caught her good eye. She turned to see and saw then the last light of the sun. It made a halo around Izu-nii. She saw him, he saw Him. And she knew this was true.

Tog- Himiko started crying as she stared at Izuku, as the tension bled from her shoulders and the fight left her. She staggered forward and embraced him. ‘Thank you, thank you onii-san.’ Izuku felt the shock beneath his skin hearing that. He suppressed the feeling and just hugged his new sister back.

He had always wondered what Izumi would look like, what she might be like if she had lived. He never knew his younger sister. Infant mortality caused by SIDS had taken her at two months old. Izuku pushed the thought away and focused on Himiko. It let the thought settle in his mind. 

This is my sister. This is Himiko, who I need to help and protect. Because that is what a good older brother would do. Even if we are the same age. Doesn’t matter, focus. Right now, nothing else matters, she needs help, your help. Everything else… can wait.