Chapter 8: Be Bold!
"Did I do something, Ochako? You've kinda been avoiding me the past few days." Ochako felt like a mad scientist had dialed up her nervous systems to eleven. Ever since she had come to the realization that she liked Deku, like liked Deku, she hadn't felt the same. Butterflies were constantly dancing in her stomach. Her skin itched with the urge to be near him and at the same time run away from him. Her heart went out of control when she saw him and she had been having such trouble concentrating in class that she had floated her desk to the ceiling three times this week!
Ochako was mature, okay? She accepted the fact that she had a giant massive crush on her best friend. What she was struggling with was that everyone else and their grandmother seemed to have a crush on him too! More than once she had overheard Mina and Hagakure gossiping about Izuku or speculating on what his abs looked like (Ochako had seen them once, when they and their friends had gone to the pool to hang out and do endurance training, and she could confirm they were in fact spectacular). Even this morning when she got to school she had overheard that green-haired girl from Class B talking about how she was going to put the moves on Deku! Like she could just walk in and steal him from her! Ochako had had to take a few minutes in the restroom screaming into her backpack in order to vent her jealousy before class.
And that was the other thing, she was just so jealous . Midnight had apparently woken the sleeping lion, because Izuku took to flirting like a fish to water. Everywhere he went he made people blush. Even the old woman that owned the nearby convenience store giggled like a smitten school girl when they had gone in for some snacks. So Ochako did what she normally did when she had a problem she couldn't solve by floating it into the ionosphere: she ran away and hid.
Which only resulted in Izuku tracking her down to the roof where she had taken her lunch to eat in peace. Stupid thoughtful hot best friends! You can't even avoid them because they'll get so worried that they'll come and find you!
"Ah, no, sorry Deku-kun, I didn't mean to avoid you!" Liar. "I've just been really busy studying for finals, that's all!" Izuku's face, which had been twisted up in worry, relaxed into relief. Ochako couldn't stop a pang of guilt from eating away at her. Oh look, because you can't control your stupid crush you're making your best friend worried for no reason. Get a grip, Ochako!
"Oh, okay. Wow, you really had me worried for a while there. Do you mind if I join you up here? Actually, you probably came up here to get away from all the noise, huh? I'll just go." He turned to leave, but Ochako lunged forward and grabbed his wrist.
"Wait! Please." She smiled, as bright and warm as she could, and was rewarded with Izuku's own beatific grin. "I'd love it if you stayed, actually."
"Yeah, okay!" Deku dropped next to her, pressing his back against the nearby vent. "I can see why you'd come up here. It's definitely more peaceful than the cafeteria. Maybe we should eat lunch up here more often? It's pretty nice to not have to put up a front just to eat my food." Ochako let out a noise of confusion as both of them began to dig into their lunches.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Midnight's been having me do a lot of practice on maintaining my persona during school and practicing taking command and control of a room, but it's pretty tiring." He bent one knee to tuck it against his chest before leaning his head on it. Ochako took the opportunity to study her friend. He did look tired. The usual bags under his eyes had darkened considerably over the past few days. His skin looked a little paler than usual, highlighting his sharp jawline and the flecks of freckles across his cheeks. Beautiful. Ochako cleared her throat to rid herself of the thought and buy time for her rising blush to settle.
"Maybe you should take a bit of a break? I'm sure Midnight would understand."
"Nah, I'm alright. I still have so much to work on. I need to keep up with all of you guys. Plus, I get to take breaks when I'm with you." He turned to face her and graced her with another smile. This one was tinged with weariness but was no less beautiful for it. "I can really be myself when I'm around you. I don't need to put up a front or flirt or anything, I can just be boring old Deku, you know? It's one of the reasons I love being around you." Ochako felt her breath catch. L-love?!
The warning bell rang, indicating they only had five minutes remaining in lunch. "Ah, shoot, we probably should get to class." He stood and grabbed his bag. Before he could walk away entirely, Ochako grabbed his hand.
"Deku." His hand was warm and rough in hers. The callouses and battle scars were an intricate reminder of all his courage and strength, and she fought the urge to map out every inch of them with her fingers. "After finals, we should go to the new Kiyashi Ward mall. Together. You deserve more than just a few breaks from being a hero." His face lit up. Ochako knew in that moment that she would do anything to keep him smiling like that.
"I'd love that." He squeezed her hand. The second bell rang. "Oh crap, we're going to be late. And you never got to study during lunch! Don't worry we'll set up a group study session for tonight or tomorrow. Now come on, we have to get to class!" Izuku turned and sprinted into the stairwell. Ochako didn't bother fighting the goofy smile on her face because Deku hadn't stopped holding her hand.
After finals, Izuku. I promise I'm going to tell you how I feel!
Fourteen Years Ago
U.A. High School
"You can't be a hero." Nemuri ran blindly down the halls, hot tears flying behind her. She had no idea where she was or where she was going, she hadn't learned the hallways well enough in the first six hours of classes that she could cry and navigate at the same time, all she knew was that she had to escape the haunting words of her homeroom teacher. They chased after her, biting at her heels, cutting deeper and deeper with every pass. "People like you are the exact reason why I voted against implementing rescue points. Your quirk is weak, your body is weaker and you'll just be another death to add to the statistics." Her foot crashed into something and she was sent sprawling against a hard uneven floor. Pain lanced through her ankle and the numerous scrapes she had no doubt just gained, but she pushed on anyway. "I am going to make it my personal mission this year to break you, Kayama. You're going to wish you had failed that entrance exam."
Nemuri slammed into a door that crashed into the wall with a resounding clamor. Cool spring air greeted her so she figured she was outside the front doors finally. She took two more wobbling steps before she collided with something soft and fluffy and… wet? She fell to her knees on the ground, tights ripping even more. Why couldn't anything go right today?
"Woah woah there, kouhai. You don't want to take too many more steps now. If you do, I'll have to jump after you and believe me you don't want to hear me screaming like a little girl." The voice was soft though still upbeat and energetic. Nemuri blinked away some of the tears to see a boy, older than her based on the height and the way he filled out his uniform. Wispy blue-white hair floated behind him and he had a breathing strip placed over the bridge of his nose. The thing that drew Nemuri in, however, were his eyes. The blue in them put even her best memories of cloud-watching on the roof of the salon to shame. There was an energy in them, like this boy was far too big and too bold for his body, like all the sky could fit inside of him and even if he learned to fly it would never be enough freedom for him.
"What?" She hated the way her voice cracked and croaked through the sobs stuck in her throat. Grandmother always told her that she cried and laughed with her whole body and she hated that it was coming back to bite her now.
"Ah, I guess I put the rain before the cloud, huh? I'm Shirakumo Oboro, second year hero course student. And you are?"
"K-Kayama Nemuri, f-first year."
"Ah, you don't happen to have Ishida-sensei for homeroom, do you Kayama-chan?"
"H-how, how did you know?"
"Cause he's a bitter old man and there's no good reason a cute girl like you should be crying on her first day at U.A." He rubbed at the back of his head and laughed. Even his laugh sounded like it was too big for this world. "I had him last year and he hated me. I think he hated Sho even more though!"
Nemuri let out a wet laugh, the last of the tears running dry. Shirakumo's smile softened and suddenly he looked far less like a boy more at home in the sky than on the ground and looked like a cute older boy that she had definitely just cried in front of.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! You must think I'm so pathetic." She folded her arms over her head. "I'm so embarrassed!"
"Nah, you're not pathetic. You seem pretty strong." In response to the shocked look she gave him through her arms he winked. "I have ways of knowing these things, Kayama-chan." He held out a hand to her, and with the sun haloing his head she thought he looked a lot like an angel.
"C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up. I've got some friends I think you should meet."
New Group Created!
Suggestions of Physics has added 8 members!
Suggestions of Physics changed the name to StuDYING
StuDYING
Not All Might's Son
Uh, Ochako?
S uggestions of Physics
Oh, sorry guys. Momo overheard our plans to make a study group
And so Tsu and I invited her!
And that kinda spiraled into Kaminari and Mina and Jiro whoops!
*Rich People Noises*
I do hope it isn't too much of an imposition
Also, may I inquire about the names?
Rain Enthusiast
It's Ocha-chan's fault
She regularly tends to change people's names in her phone
So we've gotten into a habit of changing our names as well
Now it's just a thing kero
*Rich People Noises*
I see
Traffic Suggestions
It is no imposition at all Yaoyorozu! The more the merrier!
I will let my parents know to expect a few more guests!
*Rich People Noises*
Oh! I was going to offer to host at my parent's estate.
The great hall would be a perfect place to host such a study session.
Suggestions of Physics
Now you understand why your name is what it is lol
Half Trauma, Half Trauma
I have no objections to adding more members.
Rain Enthusiast
Same kero
Not All Might's Son
Same!
Bug Zapper
Sweet!
Horn(s)y
Perf!
lol I love my name @SuggestionsofPhysics
Guitar Hero
Thank you all for letting us join in
Charge-dolt could use the help
Bug Zapper
Hey!
Guitar Hero
Am I wrong?
Bug Zapper
No :(
Traffic Suggestions
But of course!
It is imperative that we as future heroes aid each other in our efforts!
I can certainly offer my expertise in literature!
Suggestions of Physics
@Horn(s)y finally someone who appreciates humor xD
*Rich People Noises*
I would be happy to help with mathematics or science!
Suggestions of Physics
@Not All Might's Son Deku aren't you fluent in English?
Can you help there?
Not All Might's Son
Ah I wouldn't say I'm fluent exactly…
But I'd be happy to help if I can!
Guitar Hero
I know a decent amount of it from American music
So between you me and the class reps I think we should be good
Bug Zapper
Hell Yeah!
These finals won't know what hit them!
(But for real thank you guys I didn't even know finals were coming up!)
Horn(s)y
For real they really snuck up on us!!!
Rain Enthusiast
…
Half Trauma, Half Trauma
Why don't you just pay attention in class @Bug Zapper @Horn(s)y
It's not that hard…
Guitar Hero
Ouch Todoroki
Bug Zapper
Harsh bro
Horn(s)y
Way cold Todoroki!!!
Half Trauma, Half Trauma
I apologize if I was out of line
Suggestions of Physics
@Horn(s)y @Bug Zapper need some ice for those burns?
Half Trauma, Half Trauma
I would not recommend applying ice directly to burns
*Rich People Noises*
…
Todoroki are you okay?
Half Trauma, Half Trauma
I am simply great.
Why do you ask?
14 years ago
Outside of the U.A. Stadium
"Oboro!" Nemuri leapt into her friend's arms, sending both of them staggering to the ground. Shouta and Hizashi looked on in resignation and amusement respectively, while Tensei was horrified in the background. "I did it! I fucking did it!" Oboro laughed from where he was pinned beneath her, wrapping his arms around her waist in a hug.
"I'm so proud of you Nem! You kicked serious ass out there!" Nemuri couldn't help the warmth that sprung to life in her chest from the compliment. She desperately hoped that the blush on her cheeks looked like it was lingering exhaustion from the Sports Festival and not because she was currently lying on top of her adorable and overly-attractive senpai in public.
"Second place is nothing to sneeze at." Shouta spoke up. Even Aizawa-senpai was complimenting her? This day was amazing! "You did better than either of these idiots did last year."
"Hey, man!" Hizashi squawked. "Who the hell knew that some kid from gen ed was going to wipe the floor with us?! You were like a rogue ninja out there!"
"And that is exactly why you're going to lose this year as well, Zashi."
"So mean!"
"Boys, boys, flirt on your own time. Right now we need to celebrate Nemuri's victory! Who's feeling tacos?" Oboro pumped his fist from the ground and Shouta rolled his eyes.
"So long as we're not going to that place Hizashi dragged us to last time, I'm game."
"It wasn't that bad, Sho!"
"My bag smelled like catfish for a week, you two-bit cockatoo!" Nemuri narrowed her eyes as the two of them continued to bicker while walking to the entrance. Were those two ever going to stop beating around the bush? It was so obvious they liked each other!
"Uh, Nem? You kinda need to get off of me." She yelped and rolled off of her friend. She tried to brush the dirt off of her gym uniform to distract from her scarlet face. Based on the chuckles she heard from Tensei, she was going to guess she wasn't as successful as she would have liked.
"My bad, Oboro."
"Nah, it's okay. I don't mind falling for you." She giggled into her shoulder as they trailed after their friends. She caught Tensei flashing her a thumbs up from back at the entrance and she took the opportunity to flip him off as they left. She looked up at her friend and smiled to herself. I guess guardian angels really do exist.
"Does anyone else feel suddenly extremely out of place?" Izuku nodded absently at Uraraka's question. His mom made enough to support the both of them, but they weren't rich by any means. He still heavily relied on financial aid in order to attend U.A. Even being near the Yaoyorozu estate made Izuku feel extremely small. Uraraka looked like she was about to faint or possibly combust in anger.
"Yes, I do admit the estate is quite impressive. I would expect no less from the head of the Yaoyorozu Corporation." Iida adjusted his glasses. "Daisuke Yaoyorozu is one of the richest men in the country." Izuku reached for the buzzer near the front gate and an older male voice answered.
"Yes, may I help you?"
"Ah, we're friends of Yaomomo, er, Yaoyorozu-san? We were invited for a study session?" Izuku's winced at the break in his voice. Why was this whole place making him feel more and more like a bug under a microscope?
"Ah, yes. I will alert the young mistress to your arrival. Stay there for one moment, please." A few moments later the gate swung open. "If you would, follow the drive up to the main house. Please do not wander the grounds without accompaniment. Our security can be a touch ruthless when dealing with suspected trespassers." Izuku gulped and turned to his friends. Iida and Tsu both seemed nonplussed, Todoroki simply looked bored, and he could practically see Uraraka's mental calculations of how much all of this cost. Based on the yen signs rolling in her eyes, he was going to guess a lot.
The paved driveway leading deeper into the estate was lined with cherry blossom trees, though they were too late in the year for them to be in bloom. The surrounding grasses were well maintained, dotted with trees and other foliage as well as the occasional small pond or fountain. The house itself loomed over them with all the regal grace and size befitting an heiress like Yaoyorozu. Five stories tall, it looked like a mix between traditional and modern designs. Wood paneling and the sloped roof transitioned into large bay windows on the upper floors and a huge entryway at the base. Wide double doors clad in black metal and gold accents opened to reveal Yaomomo, wearing loose sweatpants and a tank top with her hair down, waiting for them.
"Hi! Oh, I'm just so excited for you all to join us! A few of the others got here early to get a head start but we can really begin in earnest now that you're here. If you have any requests for any specific tea varieties please let me or any of the staff know." Yaoyorozu led the way toward the hallway, the rest of them following like ducklings in varying degrees of shock. Eventually, they were let into the great hall, where several of their friends were waiting for them.
"Now, let's get down to brass tacks, shall we?"
Hours later, very few members of their study group were still going strong. At one end of the table, Kaminari had fallen asleep on his textbook, his drool covering the chemical formulas within. Jiro and Ashido, both of whom had also lost steam some time ago, were competing to see which of them could place the most ridiculous thing on his head without waking the sleeping blond. Jiro had worked up to a sixth notebook and Ashido was searching for a way to add the candlestick she clutched in her hands.
Tsu had left to take care of her siblings, and Uraraka was laid out on the floor, cuddling her backpack. Every so often she would shift or roll over and mutter something about ponies or rich people and once had even mumbled something that sounded like 'stupid teasing Deku' that made Izuku burn a bright red. Thankfully, Momo had been able to school her expression quickly enough that they could pretend it had never happened.
Todoroki and Iida had both professed the need to stretch their legs so they had gone for a tour of the grounds guided by an older but spry member of the staff. All in all, everyone except Midoriya and Momo herself had succumbed to their boredom. She gently closed the cover of her literature notes, and turned to Midoriya.
"I must say, I don't think I've ever had quite as successful of a group study session before. Thank you again for allowing me to partake, Midoriya-kun." He waved off her thanks.
"Thank you for putting this together and hosting us, Yaomomo. And you can just call me Izuku, if you'd like." The raven-haired heiress smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She desperately hoped that he couldn't see the blush that stained her cheeks.
"Izuku then. I would also like to thank you, Izuku, for everything you did in the Mineta situation. I confess that I was not expecting things to go that wrong."
"Ah, I'm sure you would have figured something out." She shook her head.
"I don't know that I would have. I must admit, I am… envious of your recent changes, Izuku. You've become so much more confident than you were at the beginning of the year and I…" she looked down at her hands and clenched them into fists. "I think I have lost that confidence in myself." Her voice had dropped to a whisper and she did her best to hold back the sudden tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. "I should be doing more. I'm a recommendation student, and yet I couldn't place in the sports festival and I didn't have a successful internship and…" Momo felt a few rogue hot tears roll down her face. "How- how do I get that back? How do I be more like you?"
A warm hand came down gently on her shoulder. She all but fell into Izuku as the dam burst and her cries came forth in full. She wrapped her arms around his stomach and cried into his shirt as his own arms embraced her. After her sobs had reduced to sniffles, she heard him speak up.
"I think you're amazing, Momo. I don't think you have to prove anything to anyone. You're number one in our class, you're constantly fighting for the top spot in practicals. Honestly, I admire you a lot. It's still really weird to be confident. Midnight told me to fake it until I make it, and it feels like I'm lying a lot of the time." He knelt down to be level with her, and gave her a smile. His eyes were shining with his own tears. Momo felt her breath catch and the sparkling green gaze. "But I am getting better at it. I think, if I've realized one thing, Yaomomo, it's that we need to be bold. We can't let others define who we are. The only person you need to prove anything to is yourself." He held up a packet of tissues and a face wipe that had been in his backpack. Momo felt a laugh burble out of her.
"Thank you, Izuku. You're so well prepared." He gave her a shrug.
"I cry often, so it pays to be prepared." After she had dried her face, Izuku held out a hand to help her stand. Back lit by the chandelier's light, in her formal great hall, he looked every bit the gallant and dashing prince that she had always read about. Momo felt her heart rate spike as she delicately placed her hand in his strong scarred palm.
Izuku Midoriya. What a wonderful surprise you are.
Blood dripped from his knuckles. The steady rhythm provided a bass beat to the sand pouring out of the broken punching bag. He needed to be better. Stronger. Strong enough to put that damn nerd in his fucking place.
Katsuki wasn't stupid enough to believe that they were just going to be fighting some robots again. The extras and idiots could jerk themselves off as much as they wanted thinking they would easily ace this final. Katsuki knew there was about to be a huge twist, and he couldn't wait to watch them all fail. Hobo-sensei couldn't go a whole class without lying right to their faces. Why the hell would he stop now? Well he wouldn't be falling for any of that shit again.
Katsuki was going to show them. He was going to show those damn extras and all the fucking teachers that he was the best. He was first in the entrance exam, first in the sports festival, and he'd reaffirm his place above them all in the final exams.
Especially Deku.
That fucking quirkless bastard had All Might in his corner? Fine. Katsuki didn't need anyone to help him reach the top. He would make it there on his own and put Deku and All Might in their damn places at his feet. Let Deku look down on him. He'd show him.
He'd show them all.
14 Years Ago
Musutafu
Nemuri didn't really know why they always ended up on rooftops. Maybe it was their quirks. Somnambulist was most dangerous indoors where there wasn't a steady breeze to displace the gas and Cloud was at its best in wide open spaces as well. Maybe they were both the kind of people who were always looking to the horizon, ready to take on the world. Or maybe, like their hero names suggested, they were just two souls drawn to the sky.
"You excited for summer vacation?" She rolled onto her side to look at Oboro. He was watching her intently, waiting for a response. His eyes were as amazingly captivatingly blue as the first time she saw them.
"I guess. I'll probably just be working for most of it though. I am looking forward to the training camp at least, assuming Ishida-sensei doesn't just fail me out of spite during finals."
"Nah, I think you'll do great, Nemuri." She felt her cheeks heat up unbidden. Damn it, keep yourself together.
"W-what about you? You guys are looking for work studies right now, right? Have you found one yet?"
"Nope. Our teacher's kinda starting to get on our asses about it too."
"If you want I can reach out to the hero I did my internship with, His Purple Highness. Maybe he can help?"
"Hey, that's a great idea! Then when you're doing your internship over next semester we can work together!"
"Yeah!" Nemuri returned her attention to the twilit sky. A pinky wrapped around hers, the comforting warm presence of her favorite person. "That sounds amazing."
…
"OBORO!!"
Nemuri sighed as she poured another glass of wine for herself. She had the night off for once, no shelters to visit, no criminals to pursue, even the club had shut down to do some repairs to the floor, so she was doing her best to enjoy herself. Her favorite heated blanket soothed her aching back, a mindless rom-com served as a pleasant distraction and once her takeout got here she would have everything needed for a perfect night in. The constant buzzing from her phone, however, was not helping her to relax.
Hit The Nitro
Just open the door and talk to him, Nemuri
FFS you are almost 30
Woman up and act like an adult
Nemuri let out another sigh before responding.
Exit Light
You know as my best friend I thought you'd be on my side about this
And it's rude to bring up a woman's age
She got up and made her way to the door of her apartment, studiously ignoring the buzz of Tensei's response. She undid the locks and opened the door wide to reveal Eraserhead sitting on the floor. His back was to the wall next across the hall and his eyes snapped open at the noise.
"You know, I don't think married men are supposed to lurk outside of women's apartments." He stood, and Nemuri took in his disheveled, even by his standards, appearance. She felt a flash of guilt. Smothering it, she turned to walk back inside. She waved her hand dismissively toward the door. "Come on in, if you're coming. I hope you brought some booze though, the Kayama residence is strictly BYOB tonight."
As Shouta made his way inside, Sushi darted out from under the couch cushions and began mewling at his legs. He leaned down to pick her up and cradled her against his chest. Her purrs at the return of her favorite human made Nemuri roll her eyes. Damn traitorous cat.
"Well, you've successfully charmed my cat once again, Sho, so if that's all you were here for feel free to get your parking validated on the way out."
"I came to apologize." Nemuri raised an eyebrow at that.
"You? The great Mr. "apologies are irrational and so are feelings" is apologizing? Well, this I have to hear." She sat on her couch before waving her hand at him. "Please, by all means, continue."
"I'm sorry, Nemuri. I didn't mean to hurt you." It was a rare sight to see Shouta Aizawa looking so remorseful. He was always the most withdrawn out of the three 'dumbigos' (it was a stupid name and she stood by that) and Oboro's death only exacerbated the problem. Some days she was convinced a part of him had been lost in that building right along with Oboro. "It was callous and cruel and uncalled for. I shouldn't have used Oboro against you like that."
"You're damn right you shouldn't have." Nemuri could feel the glass creak from her grip. "What gives you the right, Shouta? Why are you the only one allowed to be angry over his death? I might not have known him as long but I loved him just as much as you did."
"I know. I'm sorry."
Nemuri let out another sigh as the anger drained from her body. She wasn't naturally an angry person, and it hurt even more to be angry at one of her best friends. Oboro would hate it if they were fighting, especially over him. She could imagine his pout even now, him flapping his arms and yelling at them "Friends don't fight guys! Save it for the sports festival so we can sell tickets!"
(Sometimes it felt like there was a hole in her heart where he should have been. Would the sting of losing him ever go away? Did Shouta feel the same way?)
"Alright, alright, save the puppy-dog eyes for Hizashi. I'll forgive you, but let me make one thing clear. If you try to use his memory against me again, I will beat you so badly that even guys that look like you are going to bleed. Got it?"
"I understand."
"And I still want to understand your reasoning here, Shouta. Why are you so dismissive about Midoriya?" Aizawa sat down, still cradling the now sleeping form of Sushi in his arms.
"I'm hard on him because I have to be. Because he's not like Oboro." Before she could protest, Shouta held up a hand. "Would you hear me out, please?" Nemuri settled back into the couch with a glare.
"Oboro was a lot like most hero students. He wanted to be a hero so that he could help people and so he could keep his family safe but Midoriya isn't like that, Nemuri. He needs to be a hero. I don't know what it is that's driving him, but it's like he has to be a hero. Like he would die otherwise." He leaned back against the cushions of the couch and began to stroke Sushi's fur, much to the cat's delight.
"You saw the footage of the USJ, Nem. Asui almost died and Midoriya leapt in to help with no hesitation, no thought, no plan. He just acted. You can call it instincts or whatever you want but I have never seen a student react that quickly. You were there at the sports festival, even closer than I was. He didn't just break his fingers, he shattered them. He wanted to force Todoroki to use his fire, and in a misguided attempt to save his classmate he destroyed himself. The look in his eyes… it's like if he stops moving, if he stops growing for even a second, the whole world will come crashing down." Shouta sighed and shuffled the white lump in his arms in order to rub at the scar beneath his eye.
"All Might thinks he can be the next symbol of peace." Nemuri shot him a surprised look and he rolled his eyes. "Please, you're not the only one who's cornered Yagi in the staff room to threaten him over inappropriate interest in one of my students. All Might seems convinced that Midoriya is the next pillar or symbol or whatever title you want to apply to it."
"And what do you think?" Shouta leaned forward at the question. His body seemed relaxed, but Nemuri could spot the tension hiding in his shoulders.
"I don't think he's wrong." Nemuri nearly dropped her glass in shock. "I didn't think much of Midoriya at the beginning of the year, but I can see the spark in him now. I've seen exactly how much steel is hidden in his spine. And that look in his eye? That unending need to be a hero? That's the same thing I see in Best Jeanist, in Mirko, in All Might. He's got the heart and if he manages to control his quirk one day he'll have the power. What he needs now is experience. He won't get that from us coddling him."
"Isn't there another way to do that though? Instead of just throwing him into potentially dangerous and emotionally compromising situations? He's just fifteen."
"There's not another way if he really wants to be the best. If he can't handle himself here, he can forget about getting a license, let alone trying to succeed All Might as the number one hero. He needs to be bold. Us hiding him from his problems isn't the right answer." Nemuri let out a long sigh. She drained the rest of her wine and placed the glass on the coffee table before speaking again.
"I don't like this." This time she held up a hand to stop Aizawa from speaking. "I don't like this and I am warning you now that I think this is going to blow up in our faces. But I will agree to it for now, on one condition. We will be observing the final, live, together. Their match is last anyway, but I want you and me at minimum to be ready to step in if shit goes sideways."
"Agreed." Nemuri rolled her eyes.
"Fine then, I guess we'll all go to hell together."
"If you're right about Bakugou, I'll apologize to Midoriya myself. But I think he'd agree with me, Nem. You remember how harshly I fought Hizashi over letting me handle my parents. Midoriya is a lot like I was, back then. He's not jaded, but he's just as fiercely independent. Just as quick to try and solve every problem himself without relying on others. The fact that he came to you for extra lessons is a miracle." He stood, laying Sushi back down on the floor who promptly mewled and began winding between his ankles in an effort to get him to stay. "I know you want to protect him, but there's only so much you can protect him from if he wants to be the best. Let him do this, Nemuri. He might just surprise you."
The girl smiled. She ran her tongue over her fangs, relishing the minute drops of blood left behind and wishing that it was his. The handyman was busy going over the plan with others, including the hulk wannabe, the lizard, and … was that a magician?
She watched with bated breath as the boy in the video shattered another finger. It hung limp and purple from his hand, mirroring the others. Just enough of the skin had broken that drops of blood fell onto the arena floor like a trail of breadcrumbs for her to follow. He was so cute and just her type. He looked like he kept in shape, so he'd have a strong heartbeat. Probably good cholesterol content. He looked a little pale so he might be a little low in iron. Still enough for a delicious meal.
She swapped tabs from the sports festival to the most recent video Shiggy had given them, a POV video sent from his super secret "agent" on the inside. At this point Big Sis had gotten between Shiggy and the burned guy and was trying to calm them down. Jin was saying something to the lizard who was laughing, and the guy in the corner was just muttering to himself. Was he saying flesh? Eh, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the view of her wonderful new crush, a different haircut and fresh costume leaning over to whisper in a pink-skinned girl's ear. The girl in the video turned a darker shade of pink and giggled.
She wished, for a moment, that she could be like that girl. A nice normal girl with a nice normal life. She could date cute boys and hang out with friends in places that weren't run down bars that smelled too much like whiskey and unwashed men who unironically called themselves gamers. She could be free.
Normal girls don't drink blood, Himiko. Normal girls don't need quirk suppressants. Normal girls can behave and control themselves. Normal girls aren't monsters.
She winced at the voices, but her pain was soothed as on the video her green haired love adjusted his rebreather flashing her a glimpse of his smooth unblemished neck. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She squealed softly to herself, but it was still loud enough to get Jin's attention.
"What's up, Toga? See something you like? Quit staring, perv! "
The monster smiled. "I think I'm in love!"
Chapter 9: Take No Shit!
"T-the- the teachers ?!" Ashido screamed. "But why?!"
"Simply put, we believe that due to the circumstances of your first semester this year's crop of students require a more challenging approach. Why Plus Ultra is our motto, Ashido-san!" Nezu's eyes held an intense amount of amusement. Aizawa spoke up at this point.
"Each of you have been sorted into pairs and will face a teacher whose job it is to push you to your limits and see if you break. Do not think of us as your instructors or your teachers. For this exercise, we are villains ." His face broke into a cruel smirk that sent rivers of dread running down the spines of 1-A. "On that note, because of our recent expulsion of Mineta," he paused to let the scattered cheers quiet down. "We have an opening for seat nineteen. As such offers for attempts to transfer were sent to the highest placing non-heroics students. Come on out and introduce yourself, kid." From behind the raised platform where the teachers were waiting, Shinsou Hitoshi stepped out. His purple hair floated above a shorter version of Aizawa's capture weapon that draped over his shoulders. Around his neck was a strange black mask that could fit over his jaw. He wore his gym uniform as a base, though it did look to Izuku like his shoes had been upgraded. He glowered at the assembled class, and many of them had a similar thought: He looks like a Mini-Aizawa!
"I'm not here to make friends."
"I have agreed to let Shinsou join in your exams on a trial basis. The team he will be on will require both Shinsou and his partner to cross the exit or capture their opponent. If he passes, he will also be allowed to attend your training camp where we will be able to evaluate him further."
There was some muttering from the assembled class over that. Ojiro in particular looked both uncomfortable and a touch angry. More surprisingly, however, was the glare that Ashido leveled toward the new student. Her arms were crossed over her chest and all traces of nervousness over the finals had been wiped away from her face. Izuku couldn't remember another time she had ever looked so serious.
"Now," Nezu said, clapping his hands. "Let's announce the partners and their villains! First we will have Shinsou Hitoshi and Todoroki Shoto!"
"Your opponent will be me," Aizawa declared, his wicked grin returning in full. Shinsou paled and looked back to his mentor full of fear while Todoroki seemed unbothered.
"Next, Uraraka and Aoyama against Thirteen!" The announcements continued. Tenya and Ojiro would face Power Loader, Sato and Kirishima against Cementoss, Tsu and Tokoyami versus Ectoplasm. As each pairing was announced, Izuku felt a weight settle in his stomach. No, not him. Please, why him?? Hagakure and Shoji against Snipe. Ashido and Kaminari versus Nezu. Koda and Jiro against Present Mic. One by one his classmates had their assignments announced.
"I'll be taking on Yaoyorozu and Sero," Midnight said with a wink. "I hope you've brought your A-game because I've got an itch I've been just dying to scratch ." She cracked her whip, and a gout of blood poured from Sero's nose. Izuku watched his teacher's sadistic smirk melt into a sympathetic glance his way. Oh fuck me.
"Midoriya Izuku and Bakugou Katsuki will be facing-" a rush of wind cut Aizawa off as the Symbol of Peace landed in front of the platform.
"I Am Here, to teach you boys a lesson!" All Might's silver age costume gleamed in the sun. His cape, in a mirror to Izuku's own, whipped in the wind. His eyes radiated intensity, but Izuku still felt the urge to geek out over his favorite hero. No matter how many times I see it I'm still blown away! Izuku glanced at his partner for the exam, who glared with killing intent toward the number one hero. Still, did it have to be him?!
Izuku did his best to stretch and ignore the growing seed of worry that had taken root inside of him. It would be fine! It wasn't like Kacchan could attack him during the exam! If there was one thing Izuku could rely on about his friend-turned bully-turned rival-turned-still-kind-of-an-ass was that he wanted to win. He needed to win in order to prove himself the best and so Izuku was confident that he would find a way to work with him. Though , he admitted to himself, I don't really see a way we can pass without running away. I may be confident but I'm not suicidal. There's no way eight percent of One for All will be enough to go toe-to-toe with All Might. He briefly considered trying to strategize with Kacchan but he abandoned the thought quickly. What's the point? He's more likely to scream and rant at me than to listen. We'll just have to figure it out on the fly, I guess. Izuku finished up his warmups and made his way to the viewing area. His match was last so he would do some more work later but he didn't want to warm up fully just to get cold again. Besides , he thought, maybe watching the others will give me some ideas.
"Deku-kun! Hey, over here!" Ochako jumped and waved to get his attention, and Izuku did his best to ignore the more bouncy parts of his best friend. Pure thoughts, Izuku. Pure thoughts. Recovery Girl, Dagobah beach, the taste of All Might's hair. By the time he made it next to Ochako in front of the screens he felt mildly more in control of his hormones.
"Hey, Ochako. Are Shinsou and Shoto up?"
"Yeah, they're almost done actually." Izuku looked up at the screen in time to see a massive ice wall dominate the skyline of their battle center. "It looked like they were arguing for most of it, but then all of a sudden they started working together in perfect sync. Honestly, it's kinda weird." The camera changed to show Aizawa pressing the advantage against Shoto. His strikes were precise and powerful, quickly overwhelming the Shoto's defenses and forcing him back. Shinsou was tied to a light pole nearby and looked like he was fiddling with the mask on his jaw. Aizawa grabbed Todoroki's ankle, knocking him to the ground. As he went in for a finishing strike, the teacher reeled back as if he were shot. Izuku saw his mouth move slightly before his whole body went slack. Shoto managed to get up and limp over to the unmoving Eraserhead and slap the cuffs on his arms.
"Team Todoroki and Shinsou pass!" The robotic announcer proclaimed.
"Oh wow! That was awesome!" Ochako pumped her fist in the air. "I wonder what Shinsou said to get a response out of Aizawa-sensei?" Izuku shrugged.
"I'm more curious about why they stopped fighting." The next group, Kirishima and Sato, began their exam and were looking ragged by the time Shinsou and Shoto made their way to the viewing center.
"Hey guys!" "You did great!"
"Thank you," Shoto said. His nose was slightly puffy, probably broken by Aizawa and then healed by Recovery Girl. "It was difficult but we managed."
"So, Shinsou, what happened to not having friends, huh?"
"We're not friends." Shinsou looked better off overall than his counterpart though the exhaustion was evident. Stamina was something he would definitely have to build up in the future. "Ice Princess over here was a means to an end. We just managed to come to a temporary agreement, nothing more. I'm still going to beat you."
"So you want to be rivals then?" Ochako asked. "Deku-kun don't you have enough rivals already?"
"It's really just the one," Izuku pointed out. "Kacchan and I used to be friends and now we're… well, it's complicated."
"I too consider myself a rival to you." Shoto said. "We may be friends, but I still am going to compete with you."
"Yeah!" Uraraka threw an arm around Shinsou's shoulders, having to jump to do so, and brought him down level with her. "You can be friends and rivals, right? We all push each other to get better!"
"Get off of me." Shinsou struggled out from underneath Uraraka's arm and began to stalk away. "I don't need friends, and I certainly don't need you." As the taller boy left the room, Izuku couldn't help but feel that he looked incredibly sad.
"Oh, you're so going to break through to him. I give him six weeks before Izuku has him begging to be our friend."
Izuku sputtered while Todoroki nodded in agreement. "What? Guys I'm not that bad. A-anyway, what did Shinsou say to Aizawa to get him to respond to you guys?"
"Oh, he used my voice and moaned 'harder, daddy'."
Ochako broke out laughing. "That's genius! The look on his face from here was priceless!"
"And why did you guys stop fighting?"
"We came to a mutual understanding on the many failings of my father. I also pointed out that if he didn't work with me there was no possible way for him to pass even if he managed to defeat Aizawa on his own."
"You know," Ochako said, "You're much more devious than people give you credit for Shoto-kun."
"Thank you."
Katsuki paced back and forth in front of the bus that would take him to his arena. He didn't give a shit about whether the extras passed or not so there was no point in watching their exams. The only thing that mattered was the beatdown that he was about to unleash on All Might. He'd been jogging and walking for twenty minutes already and both of his gauntlets were near full. They'd be the key. Katsuki had a rough idea of a plan. It mostly consisted of getting in close enough that he couldn't use those giant fucking air pressure attacks and letting all hell loose on his head. It would be enough. No complicated plan would ever keep up with All Might's overwhelming power and running was for cowards.
Katsuki Bakugou was no fucking coward.
He didn't doubt for a second that that damn nerd was going to wet himself and try to get him to run in fear. It was the way of the weak after all. If Deku was so arrogant to think that Katsuki needed his help, well he would show that nerd his fucking place. Katsuki felt his heart rate rise and his blood start to sing. There would be no quarter. No surrender. No running away to get help or reinforcements or however those fucking losers wanted to dress up their cowardice. Katsuki would accept nothing less than a complete and total victory.
Or he would die trying.
Izuku breathed a sigh of relief as the AI announcer relayed Momo and Sero's passing. Sero had been knocked out almost immediately, despite being offered a gas mask by Momo, forcing the creation hero-in-training to face Midnight on her own. Izuku was intimately familiar with how good his mentor was as a combatant, and his heart went out to Momo. Despite his advantage in strength and speed, whenever they had a sparring session he found himself tied up and at Midnight's mercy. Momo had ended up creating various small explosives to detonate on a timer, distracting Midnight enough for her to create a rifle that shot plaster bullets that hardened on impact. Between her advantage in range and the limited efficacy of Midnight's quirk, Momo had managed to maneuver herself close enough to dash through the exit just before time expired.
With Momo's pass (Izuku had a sneaking suspicion that Aizawa would not look kindly on Sero napping for his whole exam whether it was because of jealousy or otherwise), only two groups had failed. Sato and Kirishima had gotten walled, literally, by Cementoss and Ashido and Kaminari had never had a real shot at beating the principal.
As much as he felt for his friends, Izuku could feel the anxiety building in himself. His gut swirled at the odds stacked in front of him. Not only would he have to find a way to work with Kacchan, but they'd also have to come up with a strategy to either escape or overpower All Might. The man who had held down the number one spot in heroics for forty years and his personal icon and mentor who had taught him from the very beginning of his journey. The man whose quirk Izuku could only use eight percent of. No pressure, right?
The butterflies in his stomach felt more like snakes, writhing around within him and coiling themselves into knots. The shuttle ride to their testing area had been full of tense silence. Anger and determination seemed to roll off of Kacchan in waves, and while Izuku used to admire his friend for his confidence, he now had a sinking feeling that the anger was mostly directed toward him. Their arena was a massive cityscape roughly a mile in diameter. The cheerful robotic voice emanated from the starting post.
"Midoriya and Bakugou exam start! Ready? Go!"
Kacchan immediately strode forward. Not once in the past ten minutes had he looked at Izuku and it appeared he was keeping to the habit. Izuku fought the urge to roll his eyes. He had to think. Clearly their partnership wasn't based on ability, both he and Kacchan were toward the top of their practicals and were battling for second with Iida for the class rankings. No, the teachers definitely set this up in order to force them to work together.
And as fucking usual, it's up to me to try and reign in Bakugou's bullshit.
"Kacchan, we need a plan." Bakugou kept walking forward. "We can't just charge in head first against All Might. He'll destroy us. We should use guerilla tactics and head to the exit. Only engage him when necessary to buy time for the other one to get away." Step, step, step. "Kacchan, are you even listening to me?" Step, step, step. "Hey!" Izuku grabbed the other boy's arm, and was blindsided by a sharp pain across his cheek. When he regained his senses, he found himself on the street holding his cheek while Bakugou loomed over him.
"I'm going to say this once, you useless fuckstick. Stay out of my way. I don't give a flying fuck about whatever bullshit you're spewing, you quirkless asswipe. Get in my way again and I will kill you , got it, Deku? " Bakugou turned and walked down the street toward the center of the city, leaving Izuku spitting blood onto the pavement.
Izuku felt a white hot bolt of anger flood his body. Fine, you want to die, you egotistical dickbag? Be my fucking guest. Izuku pushed off the ground and called on full cowling. His quirk seemed to spark and react to his emotions because the lightning surrounding him was more chaotic than ever. I don't know why I expected anything else. It's always been this way. Izuku leapt to the rooftops to get a better line of sight. The exit was on the north side of the city opposite of their starting gate, but Izuku could take a slightly more circuitous route to get there and avoid the center square where explosions were now beginning to light up. He charged up One for All and began to pick his way across the rooftops. He skidded to a stop, however, when the voice of his mentor entered his brain.
Heroes are the ones to run towards danger, my boy. They act when no one else will. Meddling in affairs you're not wanted in is the hallmark of a hero!
Izuku sighed. How disappointed would All Might be if he ran away from the fight and his assigned partner? Would it matter if he made it out and passed the exam if the way he passed was by sacrificing someone else? Even if that person actively hated him and didn't want him around?
He pushed down his mounting frustration and made his way toward the center of the fake city. If worse came to worst, he could always grab Kacchan and run. Or just go to the exit anyway if it looked like he was holding his own.
I don't know why, Izuku thought to himself as he bounded off roofs and windows. But I blame Midnight for this.
"I want him gone, Shouta! I swear to God you had better let me go out there right fucking now!" Nemuri strained against Aizawa's capture weapon. "He hit another student during the exam! How is that not immediate disqualification and failing?!"
"It is not technically against the rules, Kayama. Midoriya was protected when he did something similar to Mineta, though I will be very interested to hear what Bakugou's reasons are when this is all over." Nezu's sharp smirk did not assuage Nemuri's ire at all.
"I told you this would happen!"
"And it looks like Midoriya is fine," Hizashi tried to console. "Look, the little listener is making his way to the big fight right now." Nemuri scoffed.
"The boy who shattered all his fingers in the sports festival running straight toward danger? Color me fucking shocked, Zashi! This kid doesn't have a shred of worry about his own health. That's why we, as his teachers, should be stopping this exam!" Shouta looked to the principal.
"She's got a point, Nezu. Should we step in?"
"No need. It seems Yagi is handling it for now." Nemuri rolled her eyes.
"Like he's any better! Midoriya probably learned all that self-sacrificing bullshit straight from him!"
"Regardless, he is the one who is actually on the ground, Kayama. We will let All Might handle it for now, and if we need to step in we will."
Nemuri's glare could melt steel but Nezu seemed unaffected. Damn, Rat! She thought. At least when I torture people it's consensual. She looked up to the video screen where Bakugou was being thoroughly handed the business by All Might. Please, Izuku, please come out of this in one piece.
Izuku's eye twitched as he watched Bakugou get tossed around like a ragdoll. This was his big plan? This was what Kacchan was so adamant about him not getting in the way of? The blonde let loose another round of explosions aimed at All Might's head. The hero blocked the blasts with his left, and sent a return uppercut directly into Bakugou's unprotected stomach. Bile and spittle trailed behind him as Katsuki was sent flying down the street. He skipped once, like a stone on water, before crashing into a parked car. Still, Bakugou managed to stand on wobbly legs before launching into the air. I'll give him this, Kacchan has always been relentless. But has he always been this stupid?
Each explosion he let off was tanked by the giant of a man or was evaded entirely, a yellow and red blur that kept leading Bakugou in circles. The way his mentor moved was almost artful. It was hard to imagine that a man that big or that strong could move quite that fast, but this was All Might he was fighting. Izuku could comfortably outpace most of his classmates at ten percent. All Might was moving at ten times that speed. Bakugou would let out a blast and All Might would appear behind him to deliver a strike at his unprotected side. Bakugou defended and the teacher powered through his guard. At every turn, Katsuki was outmatched. This was the true power of the Symbol of Peace. The man who had held the number one spot uncontested for almost half a century.
It was more than a little terrifying. Bakugou managed to get a little distance by sending himself rocketing up into the air, rotating as he did. Izuku caught on seconds before All Might, who ripped up a chunk of asphalt as a makeshift shield.
"HOWITZER IMPACT!" The spiraling blast of concussive force and flame broiled the intersection. As the flames subsided, All Might spun and heaved the chunk of road at Bakugou. The student dropped to the road rolling to dissipate his moment. Blood dripped from a cut above his eye. His breathing was shallow, his legs still shaking. It was clear to Izuku from his perch above them that the other boy was running on empty. Still, Bakugou held his hands out behind him and fired off two smaller blasts to close the distance once more.
"Is that all you got, old man?!"
"Young Bakugou, be reasonable now." All Might backhanded away an explosive-powered elbow and jumped out of the way of the follow up blast from his other hand. Fire blackened the concrete as rubble was sent spraying into the air. "You are in no condition to fight anymore. It would be best for you to concede." Bakugou let out a feral scream, and seemed to push himself into even more of a frenzy.
"You want reasonable, you fucking Superman knock-off?! Well, I've got reasonable right here!"
"Knock-off?! I'm the genuine article, young man!" All Might let out an offended squawk before catching Bakugou by the right elbow, just below his bracer. "Now it's time for you to sit this one out, Bakugou." His other hand came up to grip Bakugou's left shoulder. Katsuki's feral smile only widened from where he now dangled in All Might's grip.
"How about you fuck off and die, scumbag." Katsuki twisted in the hero's massive grasp until the barrel of his gauntlet faced the stunned face of All Might. He grabbed the pin with his teeth and pulled, screaming "Hasta la vista, MOTHERFUCKER!"
KABOOM!!
The resulting explosion sent both combatants flying, and Izuku had to cover his eyes from the heat even from up here. Some of his sweat must have gotten on All Might during the fight, Izuku realized. He might only be able to ignite it from his palms, but all of it works as fuel. He stared at the wreckage where Bakugou was beginning to stir. Still though…
"Hah. Hahaha. HahaHAHAH!" Katsuki's laughter sounded especially deranged with the backdrop of the now ruined city square around him. "Take- take that you… fucking bastard." Katsuki grabbed his right shoulder, which had been severely dislocated from the force of the explosion, and wrenched it back into place with a scream.
"A nice try, young Bakugou. But it's a bit too early to begin celebrating yet." Horror dawned on Katsuki's face.
"No… no, that should have killed you! Why won't you just lay down and die already?!"
All Might's caped form emerged from the storefront that he had been flung through. His blue eyes glowed with power, twin stars in the smoke billowing out from the building. All Might had always been more than a normal man, but this was a divine arbiter given mortal form. Izuku knew exactly how much force those gauntlets packed. For him to have just shrugged it off like that… was this how villains saw All Might?
"Because Justice will never just lay down and die. It will always fight back!"
Izuku only saw a blur where his mentor once stood. He heard the pop of the sound barrier breaking and felt the wind stirred up by All Might's movement. One moment he stood there, grinning that terrible grin at Bakugou, and the next the boy was sent careening down the street, slamming through a house and continuing out the other side.
Izuku was in awe. Is this… the full power of One for All?
"Well, young Midoriya, don't you think you should go and join your friend?" Izuku made to look over his shoulder at the voice, but was sent flying from a Texas Smash. The world was made of pain and alternating dark and light spots, but Izuku was fairly certain he had only crashed through three skyscrapers by the time he stopped moving. One for All helped increase his durability somewhat, but it had apparently spent all of it on keeping him from outright dying because his whole body hurt .
Still, he pushed himself to his feet as his mentor landed on the pavement in front of him, shattering the street into chunks.
"Tired of running away, my boy? I can't say I blame you of course. When it comes to power," his eyes darkened and his famous smile turned sinister. "You're just out of my league."
Izuku felt the anger and frustration he had been ignoring come rushing to the surface. Of course he knew that he was outclassed. This was fucking All Might . There was no way he could beat his mentor. The whole test had been doomed to fail from the beginning. He was also effectively trapped. With Bakugou more or less down for the count, Izuku couldn't just run for the exit anymore. He was pinned into a fight he had no hope of winning with no escape route and no backup. His skin itched with rage. Even now that I have a quirk, I have to be the different one, huh? Everyone else got a partner they could work with or a teacher they could beat. I got stuck in a battle I can't win with a barking dog that won't cooperate. This is such bullshit! One for All spiked around Izuku, the quirk picking up on his anger. Well, I won't just roll over and take it. You're going to have to tear this win from my cold dead hands!
The ground beneath his boots shattered under the force of his jump. One for All sang in his blood with the call to battle. He dodged to the outside of All Might's opening punch and landed a roundhouse kick to his stomach. He jumped backwards, out of the range of his mentor's grasping hands, and surged forward again, scoring three quick strikes to his head before darting out again.
I have to keep moving. If I let him grapple me, there's no way I'll be able to get out. Prioritize evasion. Focus on quick hard hitting strikes. His quirk pulsed inside of him. His skin felt tight and hot, almost grating against the muscle as he moved. The pressure was incredible. It felt like his bones could collapse under the strain. This is definitely over ten percent, Izuku thought. This feels like almost twelve!Izuku landed a left jab to his mentor's ribs and almost screamed out in pain. I can't control it though. Please, let it be enough for just a few minutes!
Izuku saw an opening on his teacher's guard. He had overextended on his latest lunge and his collarbone and neck were exposed. Twelve Percent Manchester Smash!! Izuku whipped his leg around in a vicious axe kick, and realized too late it had all been a feint. All Might's massive hand wrapped around his leg and the hero let out a low chuckle.
"You've definitely improved since the beginning of the year, young man. But experience still trumps youthful spirit!" Izuku saw the colors of the world blend together as he was whipped in a circle around All Might's head before being thrown back toward the center square. Any buildings still standing after the first time Izuku had been unceremoniously tossed through them came down with his return trip. Izuku plowed a trench through the street as his momentum carried him to a stop. Izuku puked once he had stopped moving, thankfully managing to miss himself through his spinning daze. He pulled himself to his hands and knees before he heard the telltale crash of All Might landing next to him. He looked up at his mentor's face that held no trace of sympathy.
"I'm sure your friends will have an excellent time at the summer camp without you, now why don't you-" "DIE!!!"
A wave of fire and concussive force tore up the ground to their right. All Might managed to keep the worst of it at bay with a well timed smash, but their surroundings were once more turned into a fiery post-apocalyptic backdrop. Deliriously, Izuku wondered at the cost of replacing all this damaged property, and decided he would worry about that once the other two All Mights went away.
"I told you, your fight's with me you shitty bastard!" Bakugou flew at All Might with all the fury and conviction of a martyr. He managed to slip under the larger man's guard and place his palm against All Might's face. "Rot in Hell!" Explosion after explosion detonated inches from All Might's skin and eyes. Seeing the lack of effect, Bakugou scowled and pushed out more blasts from his hand. "Why won't you just fucking die already?!" One massive hand came up and crushed Bakugou's unspent gauntlet, the other gripped the boy's face in a mirror of his grasp on All Might. The hero spun and slammed Bakugou down on top of Izuku, sending both boys crashing deeper into the pavement. Izuku could barely groan from the pain at the bottom of their godforsaken dog-pile.
"And I told you, Bakugou. Justice will never die!"
Izuku managed to crawl out first from the crater All Might had put them in and stood on shaky legs before his mentor. He put up his fists in a weak guard before calling over his shoulder.
"Kacchan, run for the exit. I can hold him off until you get there." The rubble from where they had been planted shifted as Bakugou now got to his own unsteady feet.
"Don't tell me what to do, damn nerd."
"You're the more injured of the two of us!" Izuku snapped. "Quit fucking arguing and go already!" Izuku turned back to All Might, but a whisper in his head warned him of something coming. He had already dodged to the side when he realized that Bakugou had let loose an explosion aimed at him.
"I told you to stay out of my way, Deku! Stop fucking looking down on me already! I don't need you or anyone else, got it?!"
"Why can't you just fucking working with me?" Izuku flicked a blast of air at All Might, adding a sprained finger to the mental list of aches and pains he'd accumulated so far. "Do you really have to be this damn difficult?"
"Now, now boys. Both of you calm down!"
"Fuck off, you useless bastard! This is my fight!" More explosions sent rubble scattering. Both All Might and Izuku staggered away from the impact. "I'm going to be the fucking best, even if I have to kill beat both of you to do it!"
Izuku felt something snap inside of him. His arm swung up toward Bakugou of its own volition. All the anger and frustration and rage that had been building to a crescendo inside of him suddenly contracted to a single point at the center of his palm before exploding outwards. A mass of black tendrils shot forward, wrapping around Katsuki's waist. With a guttural scream, he spun and threw his classmate. The whips snapped forward on the down arc and Bakugou was launched through the escape gate. A cheery ding sounded to announce that they had passed.
Izuku could only feel the drum beat of his blood rushing in his head. What?! What is this?! Now that they had seemingly fulfilled their unspoken directive, the whips began to lash out from his arm. Black poured from his skin like thousands of knives dragging across his nerves. Two strands, thicker than telephone poles burst from his elbow. They wrapped around a skyscraper, and Izuku rocketed forward, colliding with the side of the building. His head slammed into the stonework. A rush of hot blood let him know his nose was probably broken. That was the least of his worries though, as dozens more of those reaching clawing tentacles exploded from his back. The skin underneath them was split and remade as they forced themselves out from within. I- I can't stop this! What the hell is this power?!
Any structure within three blocks was sundered. Chunks of rubble sprayed like water from a splashing pool. Izuku could only scream as he felt his nerves burn with the immense pressure of the gnashing eldritch horror that had emerged from his body. He soon lost any sense of direction he had as the tentacles latched onto walls and not yet fallen buildings before flinging him away crashing into them all.
"My boy! Are you alright? Hang on!" All Might weaved between threads of lashing black as he made his way toward Izuku. Izuku wanted to scream out to him. No! Run away! Don't come closer! "Don't worry, young Midoriya, because I Am H- oh sweet apple pie!" All Might dropped to a knee holding his crotch where a massive tendril that had ripped out of Izuku's leg had crashed into him. His mentor called out in falsetto. "Maybe just give me a second, I'll be right there my boy!" A group of six dark vines spun together in a braided coil and smacked the number one hero like a homerun ball. The sounds of more devastation happening in the fake city rang in his ears. You're hurting them. You need to stop, Izuku. Get control of this!
"Izuku!!" The scent of Midnight's quirk invaded his nose. Izuku caught a flash of red from the direction of the other teachers before he knew no more.