Chapter 3
Izuku adjusts the position of his bag on his back as he walks through the halls toward his classroom. He keeps his head high, a smile on his face. The students in the halls try to trip him up or insult him but he ignores them, dodging their feet without a word. Because he's not going to let them ruin his day. The excitement over finally having a quirk still lingers, and he doesn't want it to go away just yet.
When he reaches the classroom he's the last one in, behind Yuki. His teacher stops him before he gets much farther than the doorway.
"Izuku! I heard the good news, why don't you share it with the class?"
Izuku nods slowly, though his smile becomes nervous. He stands in front of the class, the teacher at her desk behind him, watching. The class' attention immediately turns to him, their smiles turning to smirks and their conversations turning to mutters. Izuku takes a deep breath,
"I have a quirk!"
Everyone goes quiet. The only one to speak up is Bakugou,
"What?"
The teacher smiles,
"Isn't this great, class? Izuku can finally play with you guys again! Now then, why don't you take your seat now, Izuku?"
Izuku nods,
"Of course, ma'am."
He tries to avoid making eye contact with his classmates as he walks down the aisle to his seat at the back of the class. No one sets their foot in his path, no one insults him as he goes by or sticks anything to his back. They just stare, watching as he hangs his backpack on his desk hook. He takes out his supplies with eyes still on him. Finally, the teacher calls their attention back up to the front. She has to call for their attention twice, but she eventually gets it and begins the lesson.
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When the bell finally rings for lunch Izuku rushes to pack his bag and get out before he's surrounded but, unfortunately, he isn't fast enough. His classmates surround him, pestering him to show them his quirk. Izuku proudly presents his arm to them, twisting it so that the scales catch the light. His classmates "Ooh" and "Aah" as they watch the scales glitter. The praise doesn't last long, though, as Bakugou barges through the crowd. He takes a moment to watch the scales before scoffing,
"That's it?"
Izuku shrugs,
"It'll get stronger as I get older."
He says,
"Like yours."
This doesn't satiate Bakugou, however. Only seeming to make his mood worse.
"Yeah, right. How could a bunch of pretty scales get stronger? What else could they do but look pretty?"
Izuku frowns.
"Well-"
The teacher chooses to interrupt at that moment, standing above the collection of students.
"What are you lot doing? Head off to lunch, you're wasting time!"
The crowd immediately disperses, grabbing their bags off their hooks and splitting off into the friend groups in the hall. Izuku leaves alone, leaving the school to sit in the courtyard and eat on his own. He's just opening his bento box when two of the girls from his class approach him.
"Hey, Izuku? Would it be okay if we sit with you?"
Izuku blinks up at them,
"Sorry?"
They glance at each other, their smiles tightening slightly,
"We want to sit with you. If you're okay with it."
Izuku nods vehemently, though he still feels a little wary.
"Yeah, of course!"
The two girls sit down across from him, setting their cafeteria trays on their laps. They fall into an awkward silence. Izuku eats his food without looking at the girls. They kept glancing at each other and staring at his scales, but he doesn't say anything. By the time lunch was halfway over the three had finished their lunches.
"Um, do you want to play with us at recess, Izuku?"
One of the girls asks. Izuku blinks. No one had asked him to play with them since his diagnosis. Nerves and hope filled his stomach, mixing together. Were they being serious? Or was it an ambush? He didn't want to risk it so he shakes his head, trying his best to put an apologetic smile on his face.
"No, thank you. Sorry."
The girls glance at each other, shrugging before getting up off the grass.
"It's fine."
They say, wandering off back to class to wait for the recess bell. Izuku waits a few more minutes, watching the grass wave in the wind before he, too, heads back to the classroom.
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Izuku sits by himself at recess, as usual. Under his favourite tree with his notebook balanced on his lap and his pencil case next to him. As he's working on an analysis of a fight he had seen on the News that morning, a shadow falls over him, blocking the sun he was writing by. He looks up to see Bakugou looming over him, a scowl on his face.
"Have you been lying to me, Deku? Think your fucking funny?"
Izuku shakes his head vehemently as he closes his notebook, standing slowly as he tries to placate the other boy.
"No, of course not! I really thought I was quirkless-"
Bakugou doesn't seem to be listening to him,
"Did you fucking think I'd never find out?"
Realizing that he wouldn't be able to talk the other down, Izuku turns, ready to bolt in the opposite direction. Bakugou doesn't give him the chance to get very far, however. He aims at Izuku's back and sets off the largest explosion he could. Izuku yelps as he stumbles due to the impact. He can smell his shirt burning, though, unlike usual, the smell of burning flesh doesn't join it. Confused, he twists around to try and see what his back looks like. He spots the edge of the burning hole in his shirt, but that's it. Suddenly, the teacher appears at his side.
"Katsuki! Why don't you play nicer with Izuku? Look at what you've done to his shirt! Take this as a warning, alright? Now, why don't you go find somewhere else to play?"
Bakugou looks at the teacher in minor surprise before looking back at Izuku. His surprise morphs back into a scowl but he stalks away back to the play structure. The teacher turns to Izuku,
"Do you have an extra shirt, dear?"
Izuku nods,
"In my bag in the classroom."
She nods, gently nudging him back toward the school building.
"Why don't you go get changed? Just try not to take too long."
Izuku nods, jogging back to the front doors.
"Ok, ma'am."
When he gets through the doors he slows to a walk. When he reaches the classroom he kneels down in front of his bag and opens the back pocket, which blends in with the rest of the bag. He grabs the plain black shirt he keeps in his pocket and brings it down the hall to the bathroom. As he's changing he can feel the scales covering his back. His eyes widen as he realizes that his quirk had activated on his own, protecting his back from the burn that should have marred it. His mind raced as he pulled on his new shirt and left the bathroom. His scales were not only fire-proof but able to activate on their own in order to protect him. Which meant that there were so many possibilities for his future abilities! Like an impenetrable armour of scales or he could partner with Endeavor to attack villains while they were distracted by his flames.
The rest of the day goes smoothly. By the end of the day, the entire school knew he had a quirk, meaning that as he left at the end of the day everyone was staring at him in the halls. He leaves nervously, watching everyone nervously. He gets out to Inko without incident, much to his relief, and runs into her waiting arms with a big smile on his face. Inko scoops him up and smiles with him.
"I take it your day went well, Izuku?"
He nods vehemently,
"Yeah! Two girls in my class sat with me at lunch today!"
Inko "Oohs".
"That's great, hun!"
She opens the car door and helps him into his seat, leaving him to buckle himself up as she gets into the driver's seat. As they drive home Izuku rambles on about his day. Some of the things he's the most excited about are things that should have been normal, Inko notices. Like not being tripped in the halls and being called on in class. She tries to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks as she smiles at her son through the rear-view mirror.
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When they reach the apartment Izuku settles at the kitchen table to do his homework while Inko sits down across from him to complete some of her own work. When he's done Izuku sets his pencil down and taps the table with his knuckle to get Inko's attention,
"Um, mom?"
"Yes, dear?"
She says. She stops typing, giving Izuku her full attention.
"I was wondering if I could start going to a quirk therapist?"
Inko nods,
"Alright. It may be a while before I can find you one, though."
Izuku nods,
"That's fine! Also, can I use the computer?"
Inko chuckles,
"Sure."
Izuku smiles as he hops off the chair and goes down the hall to the computer room. He climbs up onto the chair carefully, taking a moment to catch his breath before turning on the computer. He puts in the password and starts looking for exercises he can do at home. He spends hours looking through articles detailing the simple workouts he can start with, though he can't find any six-year-olds, so he files them away for when he's older.
Finally, he comes across an article singing the praises of yoga. Something they say is suitable for all ages, they even include links to multiple different videos, all different levels. There's even one for kids. He clicks on the link, climbs down from the chair as the video loads and pushes the chair into the corner so he has room to follow along.
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Izuku spends the remaining time before dinner following different yoga videos he finds on the woman's account. She exclusively posts videos for kids, and while some are a little more difficult than others he manages to complete all of them. When Inko calls him back into the dining room for dinner he has a smile on his face and his limbs feel a little sore. Inko smiles at him as she sets his plate down in front of his seat.
"What's got you so happy, Izuku? Was there a new All Might video?"
Izuku shakes his head, climbing up onto his chair with ease.
"No, but I found training I can do all by myself!"
Inko nods to show she's listening as she uses her chopsticks to pick up a bite of rice.
"And what's that?"
"Yoga!"
Izuku exclaims excitedly. Inko swallows her bite before talking.
"That's great, dear. Maybe you could try meditation too."
Izuku tilts his head to the side slightly.
"What's that?"
"It's when you sit still and focus on your senses or your thoughts. It can help put you in tune with your body and develop your situational awareness. You can find guided meditation online or do a bit of research and try it on your own. Or both."
Izuku listens to Inko with rapt attention.
"Okay! Can you do some meditation with me after dinner?"
He asks her. She nods,
"Of course, I'd love to."
They spend the rest of the meal talking about different things Izuku can do on his own. Inko even suggests that the two start jogging together in the mornings. Izuku is quick to agree and by the time they're both done eating Inko's already drawing up a small exercise plan in her head. She puts off doing the dishes to help Izuku move the furniture in the living room so they have enough room to sit and watch a meditation video on the TV. Inko finds a short video labelled as being for beginners and settles into a criss-cross position next to her son. Smiling to herself when she sees the serious expression on his face.
Izuku and Inko start up their new daily routine near immediately. Izuku starts waking up a little earlier with Inko and they go on small jogs around the block in the morning. Though they both end up walking by the end. When they get home they'll both sit down in the living room or in Inko's room to follow along with a mediation video before Izuku goes back to his room to get ready for school and Inko starts on breakfast.
Inko manages to sign Izuku up for a well-reviewed quirk therapist in Hosu. She schedules his first session for the Sunday of the next week and Izuku becomes giddy in anticipation.
When it's finally time for Izuku to go for his first session he dresses in his best leisurely clothing, an unstained T-shirt and pants that were only minorly ripped in the knees, revealing the next layer of fabric instead of his skin. He grabs his backpack and removes the school things, sorting them out on his desk. He puts grabs the notebook he had been using to keep notes on his quirk and slips it into his bag. He takes his pencil case off his desk and slips it in next to the book. He makes sure he has his emergency phone and throws the backpack over his shoulder.
Inko is waiting for him at the front door when he leaves his room. She holds Izuku's bag while he tugs on his shoes. Once they're both out in the car Inko hands Izuku him her phone and lets him pick the music.
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When they arrive Izuku dutifully hands the phone back to Inko and follows her out of the car. While Inko checks in at the front desk Izuku settles into a chair by the doors. There's a shelf of pamphlets sitting against the wall next to his chair. He picks one about online communities.
Inko sits down in the chair next to him. She takes a book out of her bag and starts up where she left off, occasionally glancing over at Izuku as he reads through the pamphlet.
It details different forums set up for different communities, like people with mutant-type quirks or quirks others consider villainous. For a moment, Izuku wonders if there's anything like that for the quirkless before remembering that it would matter if there was. He's not quirkless anymore.
He's just sliding the pamphlet back into its spot on the shelf when a man dressed in a simple knitted sweater and slacks steps out into the waiting room,
"Midoriya Izuku?"
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Izuku sits down in a chair in front of the quirk therapist's desk. Inko was still waiting for him in the lobby, as the man had insisted. Izuku stares at the file the man sets down on the desk before sitting. He smiles at Izuku and Izuku tentatively returns the gesture.
"Hello, Midoriya. Before we start working on your quirk, is there anything you want to tell me about it?"
Izuku shakes his head,
"No. The file has all of my quirk information anyway, right?"
He asks. The man makes a so-so gesture.
"It has what's been registered, but I'm sure there's something missing. All it says is that the quirk allows scales to grow on your body."
Izuku blinks,
"Oh."
The man nods,
"And your mom told me you like to analyze quirks. So I assumed that you had some notes you'd want to share. It's alright if you don't, though. I understand that it can sometimes be a little more difficult to analyze yourself compared to others."
Izuku nods slowly,
"I guess. But I do have notes."
The man spreads his arms,
"Go ahead, then."
He encourages.
"Well, about a week ago one of my classmates attacked me and the scales covered my back before he hit me. It stopped me from getting burned, but they weren't strong enough to keep me from getting bruises. I think that my quirk connects to my subcon-subcons-"
Izuku's face contorts slightly as he struggles with the word.
"Subconscious?"
The man offers. Izuku nods,
"Yeah! Sub-con-scious because I hadn't noticed him about to attack me. At least I hadn't been cons-cious of it. But my quirk knew, and it protected me."
The man nods, scribbling a few notes down in a notebook. Izuku hadn't noticed him take it out.
"That's a great theory, Midoriya. Quirks often act on their own, or at least seem to, in order to protect their user."
Izuku doesn't add the fact that he thinks the dragon might be a factor, too. He's noticed that whenever the thinks about mentioning he's overpowered by a feeling telling him not to. He thinks the dragon is doing that, too.
Maybe it's shy.
Izuku hadn't realized he had zoned out until the therapist was calling his name.
"Midoriya? Midoriya, are you okay?"
Izuku nods,
"Yeah. I was just thinking."
The man hums and flips the notebook closed.
"Well, then, I think I know what I want to work with you on to start."
Izuku tilts his head, listening intently.
"I'd like you to try focusing on your scales, how differently they feel compared to your skin. Try to create them yourself. Here,"
He reaches behind him and opens a filing cabinet, pulling out a hardcover notebook.
"You can record anything that happens in here. I don't expect anything big, really. Even if you can just strengthen one or two already existing scales I want you to write it down, okay?"
Izuku nods, eagerly taking the notebook from the man's hands. The man then gets up from his seat and waves for Izuku to do the same.
"Why don't we give it a try here first, alright?"
Izuku nods and sets the notebook down on his chair as he gets up to stand in front of the counsellor.
"Alright, focus on the scales on your arms."
Izuku does as he's told, doing his best to try and change the scales in some way. The two stand there for around ten minutes before the counsellor finally lets Izuku stop.
"That's okay. It may take a few tries before you get any results. Our session is almost over, is there anything else you wanted to tell me before you left?"
Izuku thinks for a moment, grabbing the notebook he had left on his chair before shaking his head. The man smiles, glancing up at the clock in the corner of the room before gesturing for Izuku to follow him.
"How about I take you back out to your mother, yeah?"
Izuku nods and follows behind him as they leave the office. Inko looks up when they enter, as does another mother sitting with her daughter, who looks a year or two younger than Izuku. The counsellor walks up to Inko and starts talking to her in a hushed voice so Izuku goes back to reading his online community pamphlet until they're done.
He's just starting a paragraph on forums for transformation-type quirks when Inko comes up behind him.
"Are you ready to go, dear?"
She asks. Izuku hesitates before nodding and starts to put the pamphlet away when the man interrupts him.
"Why don't you keep that, Midoriya? You seem to be interested in it and there are others."
He gestures to the spot Izuku had grabbed it from, which was filled with identical pamphlets. Izuku nodded and thanked the man quietly before grabbing his mom's hand and letting her lead him back out to the car.
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Inko looks back at Izuku in the car. He's still reading the pamphlet he got from the quirk councillor. Something about online communities for different groups of people. She had hoped that his getting a quirk would help with the situation at school but if what the councillor had told her was true he was still being bullied. Possibly by Katsuki.
She sighs as she slows for a red light. Maybe she should let him have more internet access, especially since he was looking into these online forums. It might be good for him to have someone to talk to. Even if that someone is sitting behind a screen, possibly on the other side of the world. She'd talk to him about internet safety first, of course.
She guides the car into the parking lot for their building and eases it into their assigned parking space. She turns off the car before climbing out and moving around to the back so she can open Izuku's door. He was already unbuckled when she got there, pamphlet clutched in one hand and the handle beside the door in the other. She moves to the side to give him room to hop out and takes his free hand once he's beside her.
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Izuku glances around them as they walk, occasionally looking down at the pamphlet clutched in his hand. He hopes Inko will let him have a little more internet access, he'd like to see if there's a place for him online. He'd like to do more research into heroics too. Maybe there were other things he could do on his own.
When they get inside Izuku swaps out his shoes for his slippers and slips into his room. He puts the pamphlet into one of the drawers of his desk before heading back out into the living room.
"Hey, mom?"
He asks. She turns to look at him from where she's standing in the kitchen,
"Yes, Izuku?"
"Can I use the computer? I want to do some meditation."
Inko nods, about to follow him into the computer room when her eyes widen and she scurries off into her bedroom, calling out that she has a surprise for Izuku. She reappears a moment later with a simple black yoga mat in hand.
"Here you go, dear."
Izuku beams as he takes it from her, doing his best to hold it as it's just slightly bigger than him.
"Thanks, mom!"
He exclaims, dropping the mat as he bursts forward to wrap the woman in a hug. She chuckles as she wraps her arms around him in return. She pulls herself away after a minute and picks up the mat, handing it back to Izuku.
"Alright, I'll put the password into the computer for you now."
Izuku smiles as he follows her. He moves the computer chair and lays his new mat out while Inko starts up the computer. She opens the meditation channel Izuku follows and leaves him to pick a video. Saying she's going to get a head start on dinner. Izuku selects a guided meditation he hadn't done yet and settles onto his mat, quickly pulling his legs into a criss-cross position as the video starts.
Izuku beams as he finally manages to make a change in his scales. He had just finished one of his meditation sessions and, after three weeks of trying, had managed to get one of the fainter scales to become more opaque. He scrambles to find his notebook and a pen. He logs the date and time before jotting down the results. Once he's done he runs out into the hall, startling Inko who's on the couch watching one of her true crime shows.
"Mom, mom!"
She jumps up, nearly falling over the couch as she runs to Izuku.
"Izuku? Are you okay, dear? You're not hurt are you?"
Izuku shakes his head, bright smile still prominent on his face.
"No, I finally changed something with my scales! On purpose!"
Inko beams as she picks up Izuku, swinging him in her arms a few times before settling him on her hip.
"That's great! How about some extra ice cream after dinner to celebrate?"
Izuku nods vehemently as Inko carries him to the couch, dropping him onto the cushions. He laughs as he lands, trying to roll out of the way as her hands beeline for his sides. He isn't fast enough, however, and Inko catches him, tickling his sides as he bursts with laughter.
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Izuku settles down on his mat on the porch, letting out a deep breath as the sun beams down on the side of his face. He was going to try his first non-guided meditation.
He steadies his breathing as he tries to pick a sound to focus on. He decides on the singing of a few nearby birds. He can tell that there are two of them, as one has a slightly higher pitch than the other. He's trying to imagine what they look like in his mind when he suddenly can't hear them anymore.
He opens his eyes slowly to find that he's appeared in the same clearing as the large fruit tree once again except, this time, the large tree bears no fruit. Instead, the branches are covered in vibrant cherry blossoms.
Izuku looks around, trying to spot the dragon, when he hears a loud cracking sound, like an explosion. His heart rate spikes and he watches as a giant shadow appears on a large rock. The shape is covered in spikes and looks to be nearly the same size as the fruit tree. Izuku tries to scramble to his feet on the grass that had replaced his mat but he can't bring himself to move, his body frozen in fear.
Tears are just starting to gather in his eyes when the shadow shrinks. It continues to shrink until the creature that had been casting the shadow stands in front of him.
It's small, about the size of a bearded dragon, with azure scales and small whiskers on its face. It's the dragon from before, the one who had given him the fruit. It looks like it's been laughing, but stopped just before appearing in front of Izuku.
"Hello."
He says, looking down at the small creature as he wipes the tears from his face.
The dragon gives him a funny look as it stares up at him.
"Don't mock my size, kid."
Izuku waves his hands, trying to placate the creature.
"I wasn't! I didn't even say anything."
The dragon huffs,
"It's only temporary. I'm only this small because of the control you have over the fruit as well as the amount of power I've allowed you to have. You'll get better as you train and age."
Izuku nods slowly. He hadn't asked but he was glad to have the information nevertheless. He had a feeling every little bit would count.
The dragon then scuttles forward. Izuku doesn't have time to react before the dragon disappears from his sight and he feels little claws clinging to the inside of his shirt. He yelps when the dragon finally emerges, settling among his curls.
"Alright, kid. You ready to learn more about Devil Fruits?"
Izuku looks up into his curls, trying his best to spot the dragon among them.
"About what?"
The dragon sighs and the stark blue sky above them goes black before a smattering of stars winks into life. A screen appears in front of them, showing an array of different fruits like the others Izuku had seen in the tree.
"Devil Fruits. You ate one, it's how you got your powers. Or what your kind calls a quirk."
Izuku hums, trying to commit everything the dragon says to memory so he can write it down in his notebook later.
"Alright, let's start with the basics. Devil Fruits are mysterious, incredibly distinctive, and scattered across the world. Though you're the only user in this one."
Izuku holds back his exclamations and questions, not wanting to interrupt the dragon.
"Each Devil Fruit and Devil Fruit type grants the user a different superhuman ability. But these abilities don't come for free, because nothing does. Eating one will take away the user's ability to swim. Which, before you ask, isn't magic or anything. But advanced technology way beyond where your kind is now."
Izuku nods along, careful not to dislodge the dragon.
"It's meant to represent thirst as a key concept. You'll lose all of your strength and energy in stagnant water like lakes and seas. Nothing will happen when you drink or shower, though. That would be too inconvenient, most wouldn't find much worth in eating the Devil Fruits if that were the case. It will also only take effect if you're submerged up to the waist. Moving water will have no effect like if you're caught in the rain or the water is super choppy."
Izuku nods. The fact that he had passed out during one of his baths just last week made more sense now. He'd have to start taking showers instead if he didn't want to freak Inko out again.
"Now then, on to the Devil Fruit types. We'll start with Logia, which is the rarest if we're not counting Mythic Type Zoans. You getting all this, kid?"
Izuku nods, nearly flinging the dragon out of his hair with the force of it. The dragon manages to keep its place but it makes sure Izuku apologizes before continuing.
"If someone eats a Logia they gain the ability to control one of many natural elements, like fire, ice, smoke, or sand. They're able to create, control, and even shift their bodies to be made up of the element. The only way to defeat one of these users is to pit them against their weakness, like how sand is weak to water. Moving on, Zoan types allow the user to transform into an animal. The fruit grants three forms, the basic human form, a hybrid form, and the full form. The fruit also enhances the physical abilities of the user no matter what form they're in. A sub-type of Zoans are ancient Zoans, which allow the user to transform into a mythical beast. This can give the user additional perks that a normal animal wouldn't. These fruits are deemed to be the rarest, and also the most powerful."
Izuku's eyes widen as the dragon continues to explain. Had the fruit he had eaten been an Ancient Zoan? He closes his eyes tightly and does his best to focus on the dragon's explanation instead of his own thoughts.
"Lastly, the Paramecia. These fruits have the largest variety. They can grant an array of powers, like a body made of poison, spiked armour, or the ability to split the user's body into multiple small parts that the user is able to control. How to use the powers, of this fruit or any of the others, is completely up to the user. While some come with preset attacks or abilities the user is responsible for training with them and finding new ways to use them."
Izuku nods, looking ahead at the screen in front of them. It had been changing the entire time to show examples of the fruits the dragon explained. Now it was back to showing them all together.
"Oh, yeah. And the fruit you ate was called the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu. A long name, but fitting. Especially since it's a Mythic Type Zoan. Though I'm sure you already caught on to that. You're a smart kid, after all."
Izuku blinks in surprise. Why had he been chosen to wield that kind of power? If the dragon wasn't lying, then he really might have the potential to become the number one hero.
"Why me?"
He asks, his voice barely above a whisper. The dragon burrows deeper into Izuku's curls before answering.
"I wasn't happy with my previous user. He was called Kaidou of the Beasts."
The screen switches to an image of an incredibly bulky man. He has tangled-looking black hair and a long beard, large horns atop his head and a baseball bat covered in spikes slung over his shoulder.
"We had different ideals. Our interests and motivations conflicted greatly, especially since he refused to become in tune with his mind and body so we could communicate. Like you have. He was just too focussed on becoming more and more powerful. Because of this, he'd only ever unlocked a small fraction of the fruit's power. If he had trained more, been more patient, or even just been a little more humble, he could have been invincible in every way. Instead, he lost a fight to a kid because he didn't bother to rest his body. So I abandoned him, I couldn't stand for the power I granted to be used in such a barbaric way. Then I found you. You have a pure soul, Izuku. I'm certain you'll do many great things with this power."
Izuku smiles as tears once again fill his eyes.
"Thank you. I'll do my best."
He feels the dragon nod against his head,
"That's all I ask."
"Now then, before we go, I do understand that the world has changed considerably since I was last part of it, governed by quirks and the abilities your kind is now born with. I changed your DNA around a little so it looks like you have a quirk to others in your society. Plus, it'll help you with control and aid in your body's ability to withstand the powers you'll gain in the future."
The dragon then jumps down from Izuku's head, leaving an indent in his curls.
"That's all we have time for today, I'm afraid. I'll talk to you again later, okay kid?"
Izuku is about to reply when he blinks and, suddenly, he's back on his porch. His mat is beneath him instead of plush grass and the birds are still singing in their tree. He jumps up, thinking he's late for school or something, but just before he throws open the porch door he stops.
Inko is still in the kitchen, packing his lunch for the day. He looks behind him at the sun only to see that it hasn't changed its position even slightly. He rolls up his mat quickly and darts back into the apartment. Inko jumps when she sees him enter,
"I thought you were going to do some meditation, dear?"
Izuku shakes his head, looking over his shoulder as he opens his bedroom door.
"I have notes to write!"
His door slams behind him and Inko blinks before shaking her head in endearment and going back to prepping his lunch.
Chapter 4
Izuku spends the next month trying new exercises and spending time with the dragon. He starts developing an exercise routine to do in the morning and another for the evening. They're simple, but he plans on making them more intense as he gets used to them. He jogs with Inko around the block in the mornings and often jogs a few paces ahead of her when they're walking in non-crowded places.
It's on one such morning, when Izuku and Inko are on their way to the pair, that Izuku starts to hear something ahead of him. At first, it just sounds like a ringing in his ear or the buzzing of a bee but, as he gets closer, the sounds start to become more distinct. He tilts his head to the side a little as the sound forms into one of a struggle. He starts to pick up speed gradually. At some point, he notices that the trees and houses had blended together into a colourful blur. He tunes out all other sounds until all he can hear is the sound of insults and whimpering.
He rounds the corner of the park, skidding to a stop in front of the gate. A few metres away, in the sand pit, a group of kids are surrounding a girl, kicking at her as they spew insults. Even from as far away as Izuku is, he can hear the insults they're spitting.
"You belong in a barn!"
"Shouldn't you be travelling with the circus?"
"Or the carnival?"
"You aren't even human! Why do you go to school?"
"Ugly!"
"Filthy!"
"Mule!"
Izuku doesn't know how he gets there but he finds himself standing in front of the girl, blocking the others from getting to her.
"Stop it! Leave her alone!"
He yells, throwing his arms out at his sides. The kids stop for only a moment before they start yelling at him instead.
"What are you doing?"
"Can't you see she's a filthy mutant?"
"Why are you trying to stop us?"
Suddenly, their faces drain of colour and they take on scared expressions before running off, screaming for their parents. Izuku squats next to the girl and is about to try and placate her when he notices she's whispering to herself in English.
"It's okay, you're okay, they'll go away soon…"
She mumbles, not seeming to notice that her tormentors had already left. Izuku settles onto his knees and tests it out on his tongue before switching to the language.
"Are you okay?"
He asks. She peeks out at him from under her arms but doesn't say anything to him, curling up further instead. Izuku doesn't push her to speak. He takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and starts cleaning up the scrapes he can see, wiping up the blood already drying around the wounds.
The girl looks at him in surprise, unfurling slightly.
"Why are you helping me?"
She asks, her voice quiet. Izuku smiles, trying to reassure her.
"You're hurt and I want to help."
He says simply. She looks confused,
"But don't you hate me? I'm a mutant, everyone hates mutants."
Izuku shakes his head,
"I don't think that about you. I don't think that about anyone with a mutation quirk. I think they're fascinating, actually."
The girl's eyes water and she starts to thank him as she uncurls all the way. Giving Izuku a chance to see what she looks like.
She has blonde hair that falls just past her shoulder, a round face her muzzle protrudes a little more than normal. She has bright blue eyes, small rounded ears at the top of her head like a horse's, light-brown lyre-shaped horns tucked just behind her ears, a long blonde tail curls at her side, and she has hooves instead of feet.
Izuku is about to ask for her name when he's picked up by the neck of his shirt. His eyes meet those of an enraged-looking woman with bobbed curly blonde hair, thick curled horns, and cow ears. She shakes him vehemently as she starts to scream,
"How dare you hurt my daughter! Look at what you've done, you little brat!"
The girl starts begging her mom to stop, but the two voices swim together in Izuku's head as he's shaken back and forth. The woman continues to scream, drowning out her daughter's pleas. The girl's expression morphs into one of frustration as her fists clench at her sides,
"Mom, stop!"
She yells, finally getting her mother's attention.
"He was helping me! He scared away the others and he cleaned out my scrapes, see?"
She holds up her arm so her mom can see one of the freshly cleaned cuts as she points to the handkerchief in Izuku's hand with the other. The woman puts Izuku down and starts to apologize.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I-"
Izuku holds up a hand, stopping her as he draws in a deep breath, trying to put on his best placating smile as his vision stops spinning.
"It's fine, really! You were just trying to protect her."
The woman winces and picks her daughter up off the ground, setting her on her feet.
"Still, I really shouldn't have shaken you like that. Are you okay?"
She asks. Izuku nods,
"I'm fine."
The girl huffs, stepping up to him.
"Thank you for helping me. I'm Pony."
She sticks her hand out for a handshake, likely something she had picked up from her parents. Izuku smiles, grabbing her hand,
"I'm Izuku."
They shake hands once before letting go of each other.
"Wanna be friends?"
The girl asks, hesitant. Izuku nods, his smile widening.
"Yeah!"
Just then Inko appears at the gate to the park. She doubles over, hands on her knees as she tries to gather her breath. Izuku waves and calls out to her, smile falling slightly when he sees the look on her face.
"Izuku! Why would you run ahead like that? And how did you go that fast?"
Izuku tilts his head,
"I didn't run that fast, I don't think."
Inko shook her head,
"At first you weren't that fast, yes, but as soon as you turned the first corner I lost sight of you. Why would you do that?"
Izuku rubs the back of his neck sheepishly,
"Sorry, mom, I heard Pony getting hurt and I wanted to help."
Inko looks at him with wide eyes,
"Your quirk must be growing already. I didn't hear a thing."
Izuku's eyes shine for a moment before he remembers that he is likely currently in trouble.
"I hope he isn't in too much trouble."
The woman cuts in, stepping forward.
"I'm Tsunotori Hina, Pony's mom."
She says, gesturing to her daughter.
"Your son saved her from a group of bullies while I was taking a phone call."
Inko's expression softens as she looks down at Izuku,
"He always has been a little hero… alright, you're not in trouble this time, Izuku. But please don't do that again."
Izuku nods vehemently,
"I won't, promise! Can we go play now?"
He asks, looking between the two women. They both nod and he smiles at Pony before taking her hand and running off to one of the play structures. The two mothers watch them for a moment before wandering off to find a bench.
"I'm really grateful Pony was able to make a friend, especially so soon."
Hina says after a moment. Inko looks over at her,
"Oh? Did you move here recently?"
Hina nods,
"Yes, we moved here from America after my husband got an offer for a better job. We thought it would be good for me, too, since Japan seemed like a good place to further my hero career. Then there's the fact that, should Pony decide to, she can attend UA."
Inko's eyes widen,
"You're a hero?"
The woman nods, a small smile on her face as she watches the children.
"Yes, though I admit my hero name is a little dumb."
Inko shakes her head,
"I'm sure it's fine, it can't be dumber than Captain Celebrity."
Hina laughs,
"I guess not. How do you know about him?"
Inko shrugs,
"Izuku is a hero fanatic, he likes to analyze their quirk and fighting styles in his free time, All Might especially. One day he ended up going down a rabbit hole of American superheroes."
Hina nods,
"Makes sense, I wonder if he's heard of me, then. My hero name is Cow Lady."
Inko hums,
"I think he has, then. You might even have a page in one of his notebooks."
Hina looks over at her in surprise,
"Really? I'd love to see it."
Inko nods,
"Why don't you and Pony come over? I know Izuku would love to show you and, truthfully, he hasn't had a playdate in a while."
Hina smiles, nodding.
"We'd love to."
Inko smiles and turns back to the kids, who were chasing each other around the sandpit.
--------
A little while later, close to lunchtime, the two moms call their children over to the bench.
"Are you alright with going to the Midoriya's apartment, Pony?"
Hina asks. The girl is quick to nod,
"Yeah!"
The two kids skip ahead, chattering away while their mothers walk behind them. When they reach the apartment Inko unlocks the door and lets the kids walk in first. Once they'd all exchanged their shoes for slippers the kids ran off to Izuku's room and Inko sat with Hina at the dining table. They talked for a while before Izuku emerged from his bedroom, shy smile on his face and one of his notebooks clutched in hand. Pony follows behind him.
"Um, Mrs.Tsunotori?"
He says, coming to a stop beside her chair.
"Yes?"
She says, looking down at him.
"Are you the hero Cow Lady?"
She smiles,
"I am!"
His smile widens as he presents her with his notebook, opened to a page detailing her quirk in his messy six-year-old scrawl. She gently takes it from him, reading over the notes he has on her quirk.
"This is great!
She says,
"But how do you know what my costume is made of? That isn't meant to be public knowledge."
"I looked at stretchy materials on the computer."
Izuku explains, looking incredibly proud of himself. Hina nods,
"That's impressive, kid."
She praises. Izuku beams. Hina digs a pen out of her purse and finds a blank spot on the page. She scribbles her autograph in the empty margins and hands the book back to Izuku, who looks like the gods themselves had just granted him immortality.
"Thank you!"
He says. Hina smiles and ruffles his hair,
"You're very welcome. You know, I think you could become a master analyst if you keep practising."
Izuku starts bouncing on his feet,
"Really?"
Hina nods,
"Of course!"
Izuku squeals,
"Thank you!"
He bows deeply before grabbing Pony's hand and leading her back to his room. She waves at her mom over her shoulder before following after him. Hina watches as they slip through the door before turning back to Inko.
"I forgot to ask at the park but how did Izuku learn such good English?"
Inko shrugs,
"Honestly, I barely know myself. My husband is currently working in America but he never calls. If anything, I'd say it has to do with his love of All Might. He watches both his Japan and America interviews religiously."
Hina nods.
The Tsunotoris spend lunch at the Midoriya apartment, enjoying Inko's cooking before they head for the door, ready to leave. Pony is apprehensive,
"I don't want to go!"
She complains in English,
"What if I don't see Izuku again?"
She looks up at her mom, a distressed expression on her face. Hina crouches so she's at eye level with her daughter.
"I promise you'll see Izuku again."
She says, pulling her phone from her pocket and opening up her contacts.
"See?"
She says, showing her contacts list to Pony.
"I have Inko's contact. We'll meet up with them again soon, I promise."
Pony still looks nervous, but she nods, agreeing to leave with her mother. Before she puts on her shoes, however, she wraps Izuku in a crushing hug. He doesn't seem to mind, though, wrapping his arms around her. They pull apart after a few moments and Pony slips out of her slippers and into her shoes. The two wave to each other until the door closes behind the Tsunotoris. Once he can no longer see them, Izuku turns to face Inko,
"We'll play again, right?"
He asks. Inko nods,
"Of course, dear."
Izuku beams, nodding to himself and walking off to the living room. He climbs onto the couch and turns on the news, content with Inko's answer.
When Izuku returns to school the next day it's with a pep in his step and a small smile on his face. He avoids the other students in the halls to the best of his ability, changing his shoes at the cubbies quickly before speed walking down the hall to his classroom. He ignores the jeers and insults in the halls to his classroom and slips into his desk just as the bell rings.
When the bell rings for recess Izuku is one of the first out of the classroom, backpack slung over his shoulder in the hopes of avoiding having his things stolen while he's gone. He's the first to the cubbies and the first outside. He settles under his favourite tree and takes out one of his notebooks and a pencil. He looks up every so often, watching the other students and checking his surroundings.
Eventually, though, he becomes absorbed in his work and doesn't look up until a shadow fell over him and small pops sound in front of him. Suddenly, his notebook is ripped from his hands and the smell of burning fills the air. Izuku yelps and jumps up, trying to snatch his notebook back.
Katsuki scoffs and steps back, dangling the book out of Izuku's reach.
"What are you writing in here anyway, Deku?"
He asks, flipping through the book with a smirk on his face. His expression quickly changes, however, first to confusion then to anger.
"These are fucking creepy."
He says,
"Like it wasn't enough you had to have a weak ass quirk, you take creepy ass notes, too?"
Izuku flinches and steps back, stuttering as he tries to explain them,
"I'm sorry, I just- they aren't meant to-"
Katsuki sets off a few explosions, silencing Izuku as the other boy watches in horror.
"You know what I think, Deku? I think no one else should have to read these again."
With that, Katsuki grips the book between his hands and sets off a series of explosions, destroying the cover and all of the notes inside. Izuku watches as the ashed remains of his notebook fall to the ground, tears gathering in his eyes. Katsuki scoffs,
"I can't believe you're crying over something so stupid, Deku. What are you, a baby?"
Tears fall down Izuku's cheeks as he stumbles back. Katsuki merely scoffs and stomps away, yelling at some of the other kids to play heroes and villains with him. Izuku just slides down the trunk of the tree and hugs his backpack to his chest as his vision blurs until the burned remains blend in with the rest of his surroundings.
--------
That night, Izuku is sitting at the dining table while Inko is cooking dinner when her phone rings. She wipes her hands off on her apron before answering and a small smile graces her face as she hands the phone to Izuku.
"It's for you, dear."
She says. He takes it gingerly and holds it up to his ear,
"Hello?"
"Hi, Izuku!"
Pony says, in slow Japanese. A smile stretches across Izuku's face,
"Hi! Was there something you wanted to talk about?"
Suddenly, a small pool of doubt fills his stomach. Was she going to tell him that she actually didn't want to be friends?
"Not really."
She says in English,
"I just wanted to talk to you. Um, how was your day?"
Izuku can just make out the sound of Mrs.Tsunotori's voice on the other end, likely coaching Pony on what to say when she gets stuck. Izuku hops off his chair and walks down to his room. He closes the door behind him in the hopes Inko won't overhear.
"It wasn't good. Bakugou destroyed my notebook."
Pony gasps,
"Oh, no! I'm sorry, Izuku."
Izuku shakes his head despite knowing that she can't see him.
"It's not your fault, you don't need to apologize. It probably bugged him that I was writing in it, anyway. At least it wasn't the one your mom signed."
Pony makes an offended noise,
"There's no reason for it to have bugged him, though! He was just being mean, Izuku."
Izuku shrugs and stares down at his floor,
"I'm sure he had a good reason, we were friends and-"
"That's not something a friend does, Izuku."
Pony interrupts him,
"Friends don't destroy their friends' things. He's a bully, Izuku."
Izuku's eyes furrow as his eyes rove around his room.
"We might not be friends anymore but I don't think he's a bully-"
"Has he hurt you?"
Pony once again interrupts him. Izuku winces but doesn't say anything.
"Someone who hurts you doesn't deserve to be your friend."
Tears gather in the boy's eyes and his room blurs around him as he nods, trying to assure himself.
"Right."
"We'll be friends forever, we won't ever hurt each other. Okay?"
Izuku nods, a smile blooming on his face,
"Okay."
The two continue to call each other every night until Spring Break, something both are looking forward to since Hina agreed to allow Pony to spend the eleven days with the Midoriyas.
--------
Izuku jumps out of bed in the morning, an excited smile taking over his face as he tugs off his pyjamas and swaps them for his pair of jeans with the least amount of stains and one of his many All Might t-shirts. He bounces out of his room and into the kitchen, where Inko had just started breakfast. She giggles when Izuku enters, a soft smile gracing her face,
"Someone's excited!"
Izuku nods vehemently as he climbs up onto his chair. His legs start kicking beneath him, causing him to bounce.
"Yeah! Pony gets to stay over for Spring Break!"
Inko chuckles,
"That's right! When I'm done cooking we have to eat fast so we can meet her and Hina at the train station."
Izuku nods and watches impatiently as Inko makes an American-style breakfast of bacon and eggs, something she only makes on special occasions. When she's done, Izuku wolfs down his food, causing Inko to laugh before she eats hers. Izuku is done first and Inko waves him off to make sure they have everything ready for Pony so she can finish her food in peace.
When they're finally ready to go, Izuku bounces down the stairs to the street. When he reaches the sidewalk Inko calls out reminding him not to go too far ahead.
"I know!"
He calls behind him. He starts up his jogging pace, making sure he's never more than ten steps away from Inko. He waits for her at crosswalks and when he reaches the entrance to the train station before her. When she catches up to him he takes her hand and walks next to her as they make their way to the train platform, his breathing laboured.
He keeps his eyes on the train tunnel as he tries to catch his breath. Suddenly, pinpricks of light break through the dark and the train horn blares. The screech of metal on metal sounds as the train gets closer and Izuku watches as the front train cars blur past.
When the train finally comes to a stop the doors slowly open, revealing cars full of people. Izuku eyes everyone that steps out of the train, watching the crowds both in front of and beside him. As he's looking to his left a high-pitched squeal pierces the air and Izuku sees Pony leaving the car in front of him, rushing right for them. Hina is behind her, smiling apologetically as she walks toward Inko. Pony collides with Izuku and the two wrap their arms around each other in a tight hug.
Inko and Hina talk for a few minutes while the kids play a clapping game beside them. When the two mothers are done talking, Hina hands Pony's suitcase to Inko and gives her daughter one last hug before walking off to catch the train back.
Inko adjusts her grip on the suitcase before turning to the kids,
"Alright, do you want me to carry your backpack too, Pony?"
She asks. The girl shakes her head, hiking her bag up and grabbing the straps.
"No, thank you. I'm okay."
Inko nods with a soft smile on her face and starts leading the kids out of the train station. They walk a few steps ahead of Inko, chattering away while Inko watches closely. When they reach the apartment Inko slips past the kids so she can unlock the door. She holds it open for them, waiting until they have their slippers on and are starting down the hall to Izuku's room to slip inside herself. She sets the suitcase down by the door while she exchanges her shoes for slippers. She locks the door behind her and brings the suitcase up to Izuku's room. She knocks on the door and waits for it to open before presenting the suitcase. Pony takes it from her eagerly and wheels it over to the bottom left corner of the room.
"Thank you Mrs.Midoriya!"
Pony says.
"You're welcome, dear. Will you two be able to entertain yourselves until lunch? We can go to the park afterwards if you'd like."
Both kids nod energetically, and Inko leaves them to play while she prepares lunch.
Izuku closes his door when Inko leaves, leaving it open just a crack.
"Will anyone else come to play with us this week?"
Pony asks as she settles crisscross on Izuku's carpet. The boy shakes his head,
"No. I don't have any other friends 'cause I didn't get my quirk until a few months ago and they thought I was quirkless."
Pony nods,
"Okay!"
She exclaims, accepting the answer before looking up to see the conflicted look on Izuku's face. She gets up from her position and walks over to Izuku, wrapping him in a hug.
"It's okay, Izuku! You don't need them anyway, we have each other now!"
Izuku nods,
"Right!"
The two settle on the carpet, each with a hero figurine in their hands.
Three days into the Spring Break Izuku is sitting in the living room, watching a random channel he had found while Pony changes into her day clothes. He's watching an interview between a host and a hero who had recently been rising in the ranks when the interview ends and a different hero comes on. It takes Izuku a moment but he recognizes the hero as one Pony had told him she really liked. Just then, the door to his room opens and Pony steps out.
"Pony!"
He calls,
"One of your favourite heroes is on TV!"
He adds. She squeals and runs over, hopping up onto the couch to watch the interview with him. The two lean against each other, Pony's tail between them, as the interview continues. Izuku's hands itch for his notebook but it's in his bedroom and he doesn't want to get up. Suddenly, something soft is in his hands. He looks over at Pony, who merely smiles at him before returning her attention to the TV. Izuku shrugs and starts gently fidgeting with her tail while he takes mental notes.
Izuku and Pony speed-walk ahead of Inko at the pool, Izuku in his bright yellow All Might swim shorts and swim shirt and Pony in a frilly blue one-piece. Inko follows behind them, towels slung over her shoulder and a bag of pool toys in her hand. They find a chair lining the pool and Inko sets their stuff down before sitting.
"I'll be here if you need me, okay?"
She says. The two kids nod and join the small crowd in the pool. They splash around for a bit before they decide to race each other around the perimeter of the pool. They race a few times, both around and across the pool, before settling in the shallow end to splash each other.
Izuku laughs at Pony as he rises in another crunch. She's glaring at him from her place on the floor, sweat beginning to gather at the neck of her shirt.
"You're insane."
She says. Izuku just laughs harder, lowering down next to her to let it subside.
"I don't understand how you can do more than five of those!"
She exclaims, throwing her arms up above her head. Izuku shrugs,
"Practice. I've been doing my exercises for months now. Pony sticks her tongue out at him and he giggles behind his hand as he mutters half-hearted apologies.
Izuku jumps rope in the clearing while Pony practices shooting her horns at a nearby tree. She doesn't have very good control over them, only able to make them do a short turn so they hit the tree she wants them to. Izuku encourages her while he jumps. When he's done jumping he starts jogging around the circle of trees. Pony huffs and joins him. She challenges him to a race and he readily accepts.
They line up beside each other on one end of the clearing, both leaning forward so they're ready to run. Izuku does the count and they both take off when he says "Go!"
Pony surges ahead of him almost immediately and quickly reaches the other end of the clearing. Izuku reaches the end four seconds after her and sticks his tongue out at her as soon as he stops. She laughs at him and he starts jogging around the perimeter of the clearing again while she picks up the jump rope.
They're silent for a few more minutes, both enraptured in their own tasks when Izuku tires of his jogging. Pony gets tired of the jump rope quickly after and they lie down on the grass beside each other.
"I bet I could beat you in a wrestling match."
Izuku says, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, breaking the brief silence. Pony looks over at him,
"Nuh-uh! I'd win!"
They roll for each other at the same time. Izuku gets the upper hand first as he crashes on top of her. She's quick to roll over, however, putting herself on top. They laugh and squeal as they roll around on the ground, covering their clothes in grass stains.
On the last night of Spring Break, Inko shuffles down the hall, flicking off the living room and kitchen lights before continuing. She stops in front of Izuku's room and eases the door open slowly, poking her head inside. She sees Izuku and Pony curled up on Izuku's bed, arms wrapped around each other on top of the sheets. She smiles to herself as she pulls out her phone. She takes multiple pictures of the kids before slipping back out, easing the door shut behind her.
She swipes through the photos, picking the best one to send to Hina.