Chapter Text
He’d always known he was different. He wasn’t sure why. Izuku had tried fitting in better, but he always ended up failing at it. Izuku knew his mother loved him and cared about his more interesting hobbies, but he also knew that it made certain things harder for her.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” Izuku said to her while they stood at the bus stop.
“You know that I love you, Izuku,” his mother said to him.
“Then why are you doing this?” Izuku asked. He shifted his yellow bag again, looking down at the pamphlet he grabbed from his pocket. It was for a Summer camp to make kids like him more normal – to fit in easier.
“It’ll hopefully make things easier,” Inko said, though she didn’t look very happy. “It’ll only be two weeks. It won’t be so bad.”
Izuku nodded and saw a bus approaching the stop.
“There’s my bus,” Inko said. “I’ll see you again before you know it, Izu,” she said, giving him a kiss on his forehead and getting on the bus to go to work.
Izuku watched as the bus drove away, leaving him waiting alone at the stop. They both had to take a bus to where they were going, but they were different buses. Izuku took off his bag, grabbing a notebook from inside. Izuku had a fascination with magic and the supernatural. He’d studied different kinds of folklore from all around the world. He’d always thought magic was cool, and being able to do it would be even better, even if it was just through some magical object like an amulet or staff.
But maybe being so interested in something impossible wasn’t good. As much as Izuku liked to dream about it, he’d never be able to do magic. It didn’t exist and never would, no point dreaming about it.
Izuku threw the notebook on the ground. He blinked and it was gone. Wait, what?! Izuku looked around for the notebook, and there! A small turtle was running (actually running. How was a turtle running?) away with the notebook. He couldn’t let the turtle run away with his notebook. What was he thinking about throwing it on the ground? Izuku ran after the small turtle.
The turtle ran into the old abandoned house close to the bus stop and Izuku followed it. He’d crept into the abandoned house before – the house was covered in cobwebs, the wood was rotting. One of the rooms looked like it was a bedroom for two people, two beds, a bookshelf with books that looked one strong gust of wind away from falling apart.
But this time when Izuku stepped inside, he was brought into a place filled to the brim with stuff; there were all sorts of things – some bikes, scooters, a few picture frames (most with shattered glass) with nothing inside, a pile of batteries, a bunch of broken dishes in a tote, a pile of books (ranging from big novels to manga, to kids books), among so much more.
Izuku chased further after the turtle as it ran outside the tent he was inside.
“There you are, Kazuki,” Izuku heard a voice say. He looked outside and saw a woman (maybe in her late 30s to early 40s, close to the age Izuku’s mom was) who wore purple and had purple hair with pink streaks. “How was your search, buddy?” Izuku saw the woman was talking to the turtle and petting it. “What’s this?” the woman said, picking up Izuku’s notebook. She flipped through it and hummed. “Just someone being interested in us? Not very useful, eh, Kaz?” She held the notebook close to a candle before Izuku ran in, grabbing the notebook.
Izuku didn’t get far before he felt something holding him back – vines.
“Now who are you?” the woman asked.
Izuku looked at her, at her purple eyes, and the twin scars going from under her eyes down to her chin in crooked lines.
“I– I’m Izuku!” he said nervously. “You took my notebook,” he said, showing her the notebook.
The woman put her hand to Izuku’s forehead and pulled his hair back. “Human,” she said curiously. “Kaz didn’t say he found a person.”
“I just followed the turtle because it took my notebook!” Izuku defended.
“Why do you have a notebook all about magic?” the woman asked.
“I find it really cool,” Izuku said. “I’ve dreamed about being able to do magic,” he said dejectedly.
“You’ve dreamed about it?” she said. “Hm? Oh yeah, human.”
“Are you not human?” Izuku asked.
“I’m not a human,” the woman said. She pulled her hair back, showing Izuku her ears – they were pointed, like a fantasy elf. “I’m a witch.”
“Can you do magic?” Izuku excitedly asked.
“Can I do magic?” she asked, almost mockingly. “I’m one of the most powerful witches on the Isles, Izuku. I’m Lady Lyre; everyone fears me.”
“Tsutsumi,” someone said.
“Wanna learn more about magic?” Lady Lyre asked as she used her magic to pick up all her things.
“Yes!” Izuku said, looking at the person who said ‘Tsutsumi’; they were a tall person, wearing a mask similar to that of a 1600s plague doctor.
“Kaina Tsutsumi, you’re–”
“Come on, human!” Lady Lyre shouted and grabbed Izuku. Before he knew it, the two of them were in the sky. Izuku made a sound of alarm.
“We’re flying, human,” Lady Lyre said. “No need to worry.”
Izuku slowly opened his eyes and saw the ground much too far away.
“We’re flying on my staff,” Lady Lyre elaborated. “The turtle you saw – it’s my staff. His name is Kazuki.”
“Where are we going?” Izuku slowly asked.
“I said I wanted to show you magic,” Lady Lyre said. “I want to do exactly that, but I need some help first.”
“Why?” Izuku asked.
“I need a human,” Lady Lyre said.
“Okay, Lady Lyre,” Izuku said.
“My name is actually Kaina,” she said. “Lady Lyre is my alias.”
“Can I call you Kaina?” Izuku asked.
“If you decide to help me,” Kaina said.
“I will,” Izuku said.
“Thank you,” Kaina said. “I mean that,” she added.
—
This wasn’t how Kaina expected today to go. She thought it’d be a regular day, but Kazuki had brought her a human, but at least that was perfect for her purposes. Kazuki was such a useful palisman for her. She was so happy she had him around.
“Here we are,” Kaina said as she landed. She was just at the edge of Bonesborough, right next to the Boiling Sea. She walked up to the door, inserted a key and opened the door, Izuku following her.
“So,” Kaina said. “I need your help to break into prison,” she said bluntly.
“Wha– huh?” Izuku responded.
“Give me a second, okay?” Kaina asked, then got up and went upstairs.
“Hey,” she said to the little girl. “I got someone to help us. Let me bring you to him.”
Kaina picked up the small girl with long baby blue hair and a small horn on her forehead and brought her downstairs.
“Who?” Eri asked.
“Someone who stumbled through my portal,” Kaina said. Kaina brought Eri downstairs to where Izuku was waiting.
“Who’s that?” Izuku asked.
“This is Eri,” Kaina said.
“Hi, Eri,” Izuku said, walking closer.
Kaina put Eri down and Eri went to sit on the couch, Izuku sitting on it as well (though, he sat as far away from her as he could, like he was scared of her). Kaina walked up to them and stood in front of the coffee table.
“I need your help to steal something,” Kaina explained. “There’s a gate to get what we need, but only a human can open it.”
“And this gate is in a prison?” Izuku asked.
“The Conformatorium,” Kaina corrected. “It’s a high security prison.”
“Why do you need to break in?” Izuku asked.
Kaina sighed. “It’s because of Eri’s magic,” she said, looking at the little girl. “Sometimes it’s too much for her body. There’s this crystal. It’s important here. They can store magic, like a portable battery. Wanna help?”
“Yes,” Izuku said without hesitation.
Kaina smiled. She’d been wanting to do this for a while, but there was always the problem of only a human can open the gate; Kaina wasn’t a human and she didn’t know any humans. She thought about kidnapping one, but she’s already a criminal on the Isles, she doesn’t need to be one in the Human Realm as well.
“Let’s go!” she said and went towards the door.
“We’re going now?” Izuku asked, quickly getting up and following Kaina, Eri closely behind him.
“No time to lose!” Kaina shouted, opening the door and heading outside. “You wanna get home, don’t you? I’m kind of your only way home, human.”
“Okay!” Izuku shouted, matching Kaina’s energy. “Wait, how are we getting there?”
“Staff, of course,” Kaina said, Kazuki appearing on her shoulder. “Hey, buddy,” she said and Kazuki got into his staff form and she hopped on. “Come on,” Kaina said to Izuku and he got on as well. Kaina found it amusing how tight he held onto her. Behind Izuku, Eri hopped on as well.
The flight to the Conformatorium wasn’t too long. Kaina lived close to the main part of Bonesborough – maybe a bit too close for someone like herself. That didn’t matter though. Before she knew it, they’d arrived.
“I need you to be careful, human,” Kaina said. “Humans aren’t supposed to be here. I have enough things I could get arrested for, I don’t need to add ‘harbouring a dimensional refugee’ to my list.”
“But I’m not a refugee,” Izuku said.
“They don’t know that,” Kaina pointed out. “The Lord will do anything he can to get me arrested.”
The trio slowly made their way inside. Kaina was doing her best to make sure they weren’t caught. The Conformatorium was large (of course it was, what was she kidding). There were cells spattered all around the place, nearly all of them holding someone. They kept having to dodge the guards. They were around every corner, making sure no one could escape.
Soon enough, they made their way into the room they were looking for. In the middle was a mountain of stolen goods, right on the bottom was what they needed. The whole pile was surrounded by a red forcefield.
“How do I open it?” Izuku asked.
“Touch it,” Kaina said, “or walk through it. Just make contact and grab the crystal.”
Izuku listened, and stepped through, walking right towards the crystal and grabbing it. He soon walked back out and handed the crystal to Eri.
Eri’s eyes lit up and the horn on her head glowed, the yellow magic going right into the crystal. Kaina smiled at her and gave Eri a small pouch.
“Here,” Kaina said, kneeling down. “Put the crystal in here.”
Eri dropped the crystal inside and Kaina closed it, handing it to Eri. Kaina did a spell on the pouch, making it say ‘Eri’s special crystal’.
“Alright,” Kaina said, standing back up. “Back home for you, human.”
“Do I... have to?” Izuku asked.
“Hm?” Kaina asked.
“I mean– this place. It’s amazing,” Izuku said. “I love magic and it would be amazing to learn how to use it.”
Kaina thought and smiled. “You really wanna stay on the Boiling Isles?”
Izuku nodded his head fiercely. “More than anything.”
“Alright,” Kaina said. “Well, let’s get you settled in at my home.”
“Really?” Izuku asked.
“Yes,” Kaina chuckled.
—
The flight back to Kaina’s home was just as scary as the first time. Izuku wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to it. When they landed, Izuku went inside after Kaina, with the little girl, Eri, closely behind.
Kaina led Izuku up the stairs and into a small room.
“Would this be a good room for you?” Kaina asked.
“Of course,” Izuku said.
“This is yours then,” Kaina said and left Izuku alone in the room.
Izuku grabbed the things he had packed to make a bed at camp and placed them on the floor, making a bed for himself. He laid down, just to make sure it was comfortable, and smiled. He thought he’d like it here, the Boiling Isles as Kaina had called it. He was happy Kaina would let him stay. He knew his mother had the best of intentions for sending him to that Summer camp, but he didn’t want to go. Everything would be okay.