Chapter 7: Bakugo's Scrutiny
Katsuki Bakugo believed in two things above all else: that might made right and the concept of destiny.
These beliefs were spurred on by the very heroes he'd spent idolizing in his childhood, especially the greatest among them—All Might. No matter where he went, no matter who he faced, no matter what odds seemed stacked against him, All Might always emerged victorious because he was the strongest! That kind of power—the kind that always resulted in a hero's victory and a villain's defeat—made him destined to be the Number One Hero.
It all made perfect sense to Bakugo! Those with power were destined to rise to the top as the best of the best, and he would be the greatest among them all.
And why wouldn't he? Didn't he have an objectively superior Quirk? The power to make explosions with your bare hands. His entire life since he got his Quirk, he'd been lauded by family, friends, teachers, and strangers alike with how amazing his Quirk was, how he was destined to grow up and become a hero, how he'd be the greatest.
Those with power were destined to rise...
And those without power were destined to get in the way.
Such was Bakugo's perspective of...well, nearly everyone around him. His fellow classmates at Aldera Junior High—so-called 'friends'—were the worst. He tolerated them because they stood behind him rather than in his way, but their constant and incessant praise of his powers began to come off as brown-nosing. After so many years of nonstop praise, he didn't need a bunch of nameless, forgettable nobodies telling him he was destined for greatness—he already knew that.
They simply weren't respectable in his eyes. He had long since recognized them as sycophants, neglecting their own Quirks entirely in favor of exalting his own to the point of irritation. It was pathetic, really.
But at least they weren't so pathetic as to forget their place.
At least they weren't Deku.
Deku... Bakugo can't help but grit his teeth in frustration at the mere mention or thought of that green-haired nerd.
Deku also followed him around constantly like some of his other classmates—had since they were little kids, too. Deku also heaped mounds of praise and adoration on him because of the strength of his Quirk, just like all the others.
But Deku forgets his place in the back, where all the others are content to stay and watch as Bakugo progresses closer and closer to becoming a hero. Deku always has to go too far.
Why? Why won't he give up his ridiculous dream of becoming a hero!?
Deku is not content to just merely sit back like all the other pebbles and watch him become the greatest hero; no, he doesn't even need to look back anymore to tell, he just knows that with each step he takes, Deku is right there behind him, practically nipping at his heels with how goddamn persistent he is.
He might've respected Deku for it...if he had a useful Quirk to justify holding onto such a lofty dream. Or if he had any Quirk at all! And that was what made Deku so infuriating to deal with! How could a Quirkless loser not just get it? How could Quirkless Deku keep thinking he had what it took to be a hero!?
Bakugo took each heroic declaration from Quirkless Deku as a personal affront.
Why? Is he really just that stupid? Bakugo seethed, though he knew Deku's grades were nearly as high as his. Was there some kind of hidden malice in his words instead? Was Deku somehow looking down on him all this time? Is he...mocking me?
The more he thought about the conundrum that was Deku, the more he struggled to understand him. The more he struggled, the angrier he got. And the angrier he got, the more determined he became to stamp this fantasy of a dream that Deku held onto so dearly into the dust.
Bakugo didn't see it as bullying. And neither did anyone else, student or teacher alike, seeing as how nobody bothered to even try to stop him.
And so for nearly ten years, Bakugo tried his damnedest to put Quirkless Deku back in his place. For ten years he tried to force Deku to dream realistically. For ten years he used every possible opportunity to kick Deku aside like the pebble in the road that he was.
Until one day, when Bakugo felt that somehow...he'd gone too far.
"Give me the book, Deku!" Bakugo growled, clenching his fist in preparation of a pounding he was sure to give Deku once he forked that damned book over to him.
"K-Kacchan!" Midoriya protested with that insipid nickname of his while stepping back. "I need to return this!"
"What you need to do is fork that book over!" Bakugo seethed in anger at Deku's continued defiance.
"Kacchan—!" And when Midoriya slipped off the ravine edge, all the anger slipped off Bakugo's face, with only a stunned expression remaining.
"Oh shit! Oh shit!" One of his sycophants—the one with the gangly finger Quirk—yelled out in a panic, rushing close to the edge but stopping short just as Midoriya was swept away and submerged beneath the frenzied waves.
"Bakugo!" He yelled out, turning back toward his boss. "What do we do now!?"
"He fell over the edge—!"
"Midoriya's gone—!"
And amid all the hushed tones and fidgety kids that looked like they just wanted to bolt from the scene of a crime, Bakugo just...stood still. Shocked. Processing.
What the fucking shit, Bakugo thought as he stared down the ravine, frozen into stillness. This wasn't supposed to happen. Bringing Deku out here and goading him into exploring the haunted mansion was just to scare him! It was just another means to put him in his place! He wasn't supposed to—! Bakugo didn't mean to—!
"Young man!" An orotund voice called out among the panicky whispers.
Bakugo turned his head toward the sudden voice. His followers stood gawking at the man now in their presence: a blue-robed gentleman, red cloak flapping in the wind, arms crossed, white temples, slicked hair, oh, and he was floating. A Pro Hero, perhaps? Not one Bakugo could recognize, though...
"The book that was removed from my mansion," he said sternly. "Where is it?"
His mansion? Between Deku getting swept away and this floating man claiming to own that wretched building, Bakugo could hardly formulate an answer. He tried to raise his shaking arm and point toward the river, but Gangly Fingers beat him to the punch.
"Midoriya had the book! But he fell into the ravine with it!"
The gentleman hardly missed a beat and took off flying down the ravine edge after Midoriya, his cloak violently flapping from behind as he zoomed in low in his search. A Flight Quirk, Bakugo assumed. Not flashy, but you never could go wrong with them.
When the gentleman took off flying, so, too, did most of Bakugo's gang take off running out of the forest, and far away from the ravine. Only Bakugo and Gangly Fingers-an appropriate nickname in Bakugo's eyes-were slow to depart. For Bakugo's part, it was mainly because he was still reeling in shock over the possibility that Deku could very well be dead because of him. As for Gangly, he was still in shock that Bakugo was even in shock to begin with.
N-no, not because of me, Bakugo hurriedly thought. If Deku had merely stayed in his place like he should have, none of this would've happened!
By the time he and Gangly had arrived back at the park adjacent to the forest, thoroughly soaked but otherwise quiet, an ambulance was already there, the bundled up body of Deku being loaded onto its back.
Bakugo and Gangly breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It looked as if Deku, though definitely roughed up and muddied beyond belief, was still alive.
The blue-robed guy was there, briefly speaking with some paramedics before they took off. When they did depart with Deku in tow, the man turned toward Bakugo, looking as if he wanted to approach and speak with him, but seemed to decide otherwise at the last second. The man turned heel in the rain, rounded the nearest corner, and was promptly gone.
Out of sight and out of mind, because Bakugo wasn't paying the gentleman the least bit of attention. All his racked mind could think of was the fact that Deku was alive.
T-that's good, Bakugo's mind was reeling defensively and desperately searching for that silver lining. Maybe now Deku will give up on his shitty dream and stay in his place for good!
He didn't even hear Gangly say goodbye, nor notice him leave. He hardly noticed his own two legs walking himself home to an overly worried father and an overly bitchy mother.
After all, it wasn't my fault, Bakugo told himself repeatedly until it became like a new mantra. It wasn't my fault...
"I-I'm sorry to have made everyone so worried!" Midoriya bowed his head deeply to his fellow classmates upon his first day back since the incident, eliciting a scowl from Bakugo. It seemed as if his timid personality hadn't changed in the slightest during his time away.
"I received all your cards while I was in the hospital," Midoriya flashed a smile amid a chorus of greetings-some more halfhearted than others-and crossed his hands across his waist. "I greatly appreciated it!"
Bakugo's eyes drifted down to Midoriya's hands as he approached each desk on the way to his, stopping to personally thank each student he passed. They were gloved. And shaking.
That certainly piqued Bakugo's curiosity a bit. When the hell did that loser ever wear gloves? He certainly never did before...the accident...
Bakugo could've swore his gut leaped into his throat at that very moment. Never let it be said that he wasn't a hell of an intuitive guy; his consistently high grades were more than enough proof of that.
Whatever happened to Deku the day he was swept away by the river, Bakugo reasoned, he certainly didn't away scot free.
"Kacchan..." Deku's voice snapped Bakugo out of his musings.
"Huh?" Bakugo glowered at the boy as he stood by his desk sheepishly. "The hell do you want?"
"I-I just wanted to thank you for your card," Deku said with that damn friendly grin of his. "I appreciated it. I thought it was the best out of all of them."
"Of course it was the best!" Bakugo snapped. "You didn't think it was gonna be the best!? Who the hell do you think I am!?"
"No, no, it's not that—!"
"Don't get it wrong, Deku!" Bakugo said wide-eyed and with a crazed grin. "I only did it because the teacher made us all make one! And I only put in the extra effort because my damn mother was up my ass about it! Got that!?"
"Of course, of course!" Deku said timidly and hurried past Bakugo to get to his seat as their teacher restored a semblance of order and got on with the day.
And so Bakugo finally managed focus on something different like school work, even though Deku's mannerisms and behavior were grating the back of his brain like an itch just dying to be scratched. But he managed to push it down and ignore it class after class, subject after subject, and then lunch passed, until that focus was inevitably broken.
"Midoriya," their teacher called out to the boy the class before lessons for the day ended. "Why aren't you taking notes?"
Bakugo shifted his view to the side just enough to catch a glimpse of Deku at his desk, angrily wondering why that loser was breaking his focus right before the day was almost over.
He nearly dropped his pencil right as Deku dropped his...and then shakily tried to pick it back up with his still gloved hand. Deku repeated this several more times as he offered their teacher a weak smile.
"S-sorry sir, it's a bit difficult right now..."
Bakugo turned back toward the teacher. A look of realization, followed by a look of pity, had washed over the man's face. "Well, alright," he said. "We'll discuss it after class, then."
And so they did. After the last of the students trickled out the room, Deku had stayed behind to talk with their teacher. Bakugo was lurking just outside the door, curious as all hell, but certainly not dumb enough to barge in or make it obvious that he was eavesdropping just so he could hear things more clearly. He would try to settle for mumbling.
After several minutes of tolerating wave after wave of incoherent sentences, Bakugo had finally had enough and opted to risk a peek into the room. A peek couldn't hurt, right? But just as Bakugo tilted his face in front of the window on the door, he nearly jolted as he saw Deku showing his gloveless, trembling hands to his teacher.
To Bakugo's horror (though he would never admit it), they were scarred beyond belief.
Deku offered the teacher a bow before seemingly being dismissed and turned toward the door, with Bakugo ducking out of sight before he was spotted.
"Hey," was all Bakugo said as Deku opened and closed the door behind him, catching the green-haired boy off guard as they were the only ones in that hallway at the moment.
"Kacchan—!" He had yet to re-glove his hands, and scrambled to slide them back on, but Bakugo was too quick for him and he tightly grasped Deku by the wrists, forcing his hands up for him to look at, scars and all.
"Holy fuck, Deku," Bakugo said as Deku squirmed uncomfortably.
"Kacchan, please—"
"No wonder you couldn't take notes earlier," Bakugo continued, leveling a glare right at him. "Should've known you wouldn't get out of that river unscathed, useless nerd."
Deku fell silent, Bakugo's glare driving his own eyes down toward the ground instead.
Bakugo blinked in surprise—was he finally going to give up, after all this time? Had Deku finally learned his place after losing the use in his hands?
"Now do you understand, Deku?" Bakugo growled, tightening his grip on his wrists as he went in for the proverbial kill. "You still think you can be a hero without your hands?"
"I will," Deku uttered back defiantly, yanking his arms out of Bakugo's grip with a sudden renewed strength that caught him off guard. "Even if my hands never recover fully, I haven't given up."
Normally this was the part where Bakugo angrily exploded on the boy, burying him under a mountain of belittlement and physical intimidation. But nothing of the sort came; there was merely stunned silence from Bakugo.
"I appreciate your concern, Kacchan," Deku said before beaming a big smile at him—one that seemed more real and honest than any other smile he'd ever given. "But I won't let this stop me from becoming a hero!"
It wasn't my fault, Bakugo's mantra suddenly rang through his head, and he suddenly realized why Deku's behavior was so off-putting to him and grating his very nerves more so than usual, and that damn bright smile of his made the problem all the more clear.
Deku turned away and promptly left without another word, leaving Bakugo to stew in his realization that Deku bore no ill will whatsoever over what had happened.
Why won't you give up? Bakugo asked in his head over and over again, as the guilt swelled up in his gut like a well of lava pushing for a cataclysmic release.
But deeper down, the depths of his subconscious was repeatedly asking and burying a question that was far more problematic for him: Why aren't you angry with me?
If Bakugo was expecting an answer to those questions soon, he was bound to be disappointed. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months as he was left stewing in his guilt and frustration—guilt over what happened to Deku and frustration over that fact that he wouldn't give up already, damn it!
But his frustrations did not blind him to those of Deku's, either. If anything, his defiant declaration only made Bakugo scrutinize him even more.
The very next day after their initial confrontation, Deku began bringing a recorder to class with him, and his inability to write notes down was never brought up again.
But even still, Bakugo couldn't help but notice the weird amalgamation between determination and frustration that Deku had become over the weeks after his declaration. While in class, Bakugo would steal quick glances and notice uncharacteristic behaviors from Deku: clenched teeth, furrowed brows, angry, defeated looks as he poured over his school work. He seemed genuinely frustrated, but whenever he was approached by anyone, or vice versa, he perked right up, and every goofy grin of his seemed genuine and real.
Bakugo had to resist clenching his hair and letting out a yell as he tried scrutinizing his assignments instead of the enigma that was Deku for a change. Why was that damned nerd so difficult to understand!
Seeing Deku flip on a dime between being filled with frustration one moment and being filled with resolve the next didn't make Bakugo feel any better about his role in this situation—if anything it made him feel even more guilty. More vulnerable.
And Katsuki Bakugo hated feeling vulnerable more than anything else.
Bakugo wasn't the greatest when it came to interpersonal relationships and the feelings (baggage, as he called it) that always came with them. He was determined to squash these feelings of vulnerability before anyone—especially Quirkless Deku—could see that they'd manifested in the first place.
At first, he'd been relatively successful, venting all his pent up irritation into physical activities, whether it was gym class at school or punching a sandbag at home.
But as Deku's anxiety seemed to grow—for reasons Bakugo couldn't quite pin down, as he was sure it wasn't something related to school—so, too, did Bakugo's.
It was then that Bakugo, exasperated beyond belief and at his wit's end, decided he'd have to try something he had hoped to avoid if he wanted to deal with these feelings of insecurity accordingly.
He'd have to return to the proverbial scene of the crime.
Bakugo didn't know what to expect or feel when he returned to the ravine edge, all dried and cracked with what was once a raging river now reduced back down to a relatively calm stream. He didn't know what to expect or feel by returning to the so-called Haunted Mansion, where he'd goaded Deku into sneaking around in, thus leading to the river incident to begin with.
But he never expected to witness Izuku being carried out of the wrecked mansion by a wave of water and crashing down on the mossy ground. The mysterious robed and cloaked man from before also floated over to his side to check on him.
What...the actual FUCK, Deku!?
Why the fuck had Deku come flying out of the mansion on a wave of water? Why the fuck had Deku even returned to the mansion to begin with? Why the fuck was the older gentleman who'd saved him with him now? But more importantly...
Why the FUCK are you laughing!? Bakugo internally seethed. For what reason did Deku have to laugh in his condition? He was getting to the bottom of this right now no matter what!
"OI! DEKU!" Bakugo roared as he stomped out from behind the gnarled tree he was situated behind. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!?"
"Kacchan!?" A bewildered and dripping wet Deku quickly scrambled to his feet as Bakugo approached with an angry scowl. The gentleman also picked himself up to his feet, and while looking genuinely surprised by the other boy's appearance, said nothing but watched on instead.
"W-what are you doing here?"
"Don't answer my question with another question, you damned nerd! You answer me!" He jabbed a finger in Deku's face accusingly. "What the FUCK is going on here!?"
"I-I was just—" Deku stammered, looking between Bakugo and the gentleman before staring back down at the ground like a scolded puppy caught chewing on the furniture.
"You were just what, huh!?" Bakugo thundered, reaching out to grab him by the shoulder only for the older man to intervene, pulling Deku backwards and just out of Bakugo's reach.
"He was just in the middle of his training," the man answered coolly, eliciting surprised looks from Bakugo and Deku alike.
Training...? The word spread through Bakugo's mind like a virulent infection. His brows became furrowed. His lips twitched into the beginning of a sneer. "What kind of training?"
"Training that may help him become a hero, of course," the man again answered coolly, a strange and undecipherable twinkle in his eye as he replied.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." Bakugo hissed, balling his angrily shaking hands into fists hard enough to suppress any explosive sparks that may have come out otherwise. "Training? So he can become a hero? Do you even know that he's Quirkless!?"
"I'm well aware," the continued coolness of the man's tone infuriated Bakugo to no end, as if he were saying 'Yeah, who cares?'
"So then...why!?" Bakugo demanded, and for a split second couldn't decide if he was asking the man or Deku. He opted for the former. "Why...waste your time training a Quirkless loser?"
The man's gaze became steely for a moment, and Bakugo couldn't deny that he looked downright intimidating in the brief flash of emotion. "On the contrary," he said. "I feel as if my efforts have been more well spent now than ever before."
"Oh yeah?" Bakugo decided to dig a bit deeper. "And how long have you been training that nerd?"
"Since after his accident," the man replied matter-of-factly.
Tch. That was a vague answer, but Bakugo knew he couldn't hound this man for answers like he normally could Deku or anybody else. "And what exactly have you been training him in?"
"Skills befitting his Quirkless disposition."
That doesn't tell me shit! "Just...who the hell are you?"
"My name is Doctor Stephen Strange—"
"Never heard of you," Bakugo cut Strange off. That definitely made Bakugo feel a little better, knowing that Deku was trying to get some training in with some nobody hero that he'd never even heard of. He wasn't the fanboy hero nerd that Deku was, but he still knew which big names were making the rounds in the media. He knew who the best of the best were, and he sure as hell could never recall any 'Doctor Stephen Strange' anywhere near the top of the Hero Billboard Chart. Which meant this relatively older-looking gentleman was somehow a newer, up-and-coming hero who was flying way under the radar for the time being, or...
He's a totally lame duck of a Pro Hero, Bakugo snidely derided the man in his mind. Where previously he felt incredibly livid that Deku of all people had snagged a private tutor ahead of someone way more deserving of one such as himself, he now felt some relief. Nothing had changed; he felt somewhat convinced that Deku was not going to make any progress toward his ridiculous dream with training from a nobody flunky hero.
But still... that gnawing doubt sprang up once more. It remained bothersome that Quirkless Deku was still so persistent, so much so that he'd pathetically roped a Pro Hero, flunky though he may be, into supporting his unrealistic goals.
"You think this changes anything, Deku?" Bakugo directed his vehemence toward the meekly boy. "You think this gives you a leg up over me?"
"N-no, Kacchan—"
"Well good!" He spat. "You'll see soon enough that no amount of training will be enough for your Quirkless hide! No amount of training gags like that water shit will get you anywhere! It won't get you into U.A, and it won't help you become a hero!"
"And unlike you," he continued while turning his back toward student and master alike and storming off back home. "I won't debase myself by crawling to some flunky Pro for help."
While Bakugo felt like he'd gotten the last word in, he didn't exactly feel like he'd won, per se, which only made him angrier. That Doctor Strange fellow answered his questions vaguely, and he hated when people answered with technically truthful answers but were really just trying to keep the desired information buried.
It doesn't matter, Bakugo quietly seethed to himself. Deku will always be Deku: just another pebble in my way.
Strange had a seemingly perpetual frown etched on his face as he watched the foul-mouthed blonde boy stomp off back where he came.
That was somewhat of a close one, Strange thought as Izuku fidgeted by his side. We'll be more cautious about allowing any training to stray outside the Sanctum from this point forward. A bit of an oversight on his part, really.
"Izuku," Strange called out to his student.
"Y-yes, sensei?" Izuku replied.
"I was going to save this for right before your entrance exam because I was not expecting this to become an issue, but I was not expecting to be nearly found out so soon," Strange said. "But I must ask you to refrain from divulging the magical nature of your training to anyone outside your immediate circle. Please be sure to extend this message to your mother when you return home."
"Are you worried Kacchan will tell everyone about me getting training?" Izuku asked. "Because...he won't."
"You seem sure about that," Strange said, raising a brow.
"It's...just how he is," Izuku said with a sigh. "He won't have it in him to tell others. Besides, I...trust him."
"This is less a matter of trust," Strange retorted. "And more of a matter of necessity. And speaking of necessities..." Strange made a quick, arcane motion with his hands, a similar-looking card appearing between his fingers.
"Is that...?" Izuku asked as Strange handed him the card.
"Another calling card of mine, yes," Strange affirmed. "Just like the one I gave your mother. You know how to send me a message or your location, correct?"
"Good," Strange continued upon receiving a nod from Izuku. "I think it necessary for you to have one of your own, just in case...I didn't account for this happening, and I've taught you to expect the unexpected, haven't I? It's time I put those words into practice myself!"
"And one more thing, Izuku," Strange said, getting his student's attention. "I want you to refrain from socializing with that boy for the time being. I won't pry into the history between you two, but it's best to bury those complications for the time being in order to better focus on your upcoming training, understood?"
"Understood, sensei," Izuku said with another nod. Strange was right, in the end. The history between him and Kacchan could really only be described as complicated, but it wouldn't do him any good if he'd let said complications obstruct his training. He knew that Bakugo wouldn't let something as flimsy as feelings get in the way with his training, so he'll try to do the same!
And so Izuku heeded his Master's advice and did his best to limit interactions with Bakugo while he continued his training into the next school term. Bakugo, likewise, limited the times he'd snap at Izuku, and the class-wide bullying and belittlement slowly but surely died down as well, as if the rest of his classmates could tell Bakugo was no longer directing the majority of his vehemence toward Izuku.
And for a time, there seemed to be peace at Aldera Junior High as the unofficial ceasefire between Bakugo and Midoriya took full effect.
And this peace lasted all of roughly four months before a certain sludge villain attacked.
Chapter 8: Enter: All Might!
"—my boy—"
Izuku's mind was positively swimming. The darkness of encroaching unconsciousness and the overwhelming stench of the green muck that had been forced down his throat and into his airways were repressing his senses and clouding his mind in a near impenetrable fog.
"Young man—"
The sorcerer-in-training gave a start as he suddenly hacked what gunk remained lodged in his throat, rolling over onto his hands and knees and trying to pick himself up as he tried racking his brains for answers.
What...just happened? Izuku thought, spitting out another green blob. Oh yeah.
The last thing he remembered whilst walking home from school was getting snatched by a villain with a sludge Quirk of some kind. It would've been an interesting enough Quirk to analyze...if it wasn't being used to kill him right then and there.
Perfect, the slimy voice had hissed as he moved to force himself down Izuku's gullet. Your body will be perfect for escaping that grinning fool!
The slime had engulfed Izuku nearly whole; he'd struggled to break free and weave a spell to aid in his escape but his hands were bound—he could not conjure the energy necessary to use any useful magic. He could not even reach into his pocket and pull out the calling card Strange had gifted him with.
His vision had faded right as another looming shadow crashed into the villain that had attacked him, and the last thing he recalled feeling was the solid brick ground below that he unceremoniously plopped down on.
"I'm glad to see you're alright, young man!"
That voice! Booming, boundless, brimming with energy! Izuku dared to look up at the man casting his colossal shadow over him.
"Have no fear!" All Might roared with his flashy grin as held up duel bottles with the aforementioned sludge villain packed tightly into their confines. "For I am here!"
Holy crap! "All Might!?" Izuku shrieked with tears of joy threatening to spill forth.
"I was chasing this dastardly villain down for quite awhile!" All Might boomed loudly and followed it up with a hearty laugh. "I'm fortunate to have arrived in the nick of time! No need to ask for an autograph, I already put one in your notebook!"
Izuku shakily scrambled through his notebook to verify: there his signature was, as large and loud as the man himself, on the very last page.
"And now I'm off to deliver this slimy evil-doer to the police!" All Might declared as he turned and crouched, preparing for a monumental leap.
"W-wait!" Izuku cried out. He had just been saved by his childhood hero and idol, the man he had revered for years above all other Pros. Doctor Strange might have been the man who was training him in the skills that would allow him to properly attain his dream, and Izuku would be forever grateful for that, but All Might was still the man that moldedthat dream in the first place. All Might was responsible for Izuku's love of heroes. All Might was responsible for the hope that Strange had helped him recover. That kind of reverence is not so easily replaced or forgotten.
Watching what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity about to bound away, Izuku sprang forward. Despite Strange's warning, Izuku felt that he desperately wanted his idol All Might to hear him declare his dream and intentions. He wanted All Might to know just how important he was to driving Izuku forward to realize his dream.
And so Izuku, in his haste, did the only thing that he could think of in that moment: he latched himself onto All Might's leg right as he took off.
A few shrieks of terror and bewildered admonishments later, All Might had landed down on the nearest convenient rooftop to ensure Izuku's safety.
"That was dangerous and reckless, my boy!" All Might scolded Izuku while still maintaining that trademark smile of his.
"I'm so sorry, All Might!" Izuku pleaded as he caught his breath after such a harrowing ordeal. "I just...really needed to tell you something before you go!"
"I see," All Might said, and Izuku noticed he was...shaking a little bit? "Very well, but please, make it quick, my boy!"
"Thank you, All Might!" Izuku said with a bow. "I know you must hear this a lot...but I just wanted to tell you that you've been my greatest inspiration since I was a little kid! I'm going to be applying to U.A next year, and I'll become a hero who saves lives with a smile on my face just like you, even if I am Quirkless—!
Poof!
"I—All Might?" Izuku blinked.
Crap, ran out of time...! "I-it's fine, kid, pay no attention to—gurk!" The gaunt man in All Might's place tried uttering before a spurt of blood ran from his mouth, eliciting a panicked yell from the boy.
"Listen, kid," the man behind the All Might persona—Toshinori Yagi—said as he lifted his shirt, revealing a twisted wound across his abdomen that outclassed Midoriya's scarred hands in every discernible way. "It's never bad to dream. But you still have to consider what's realistic."
The young man kept his gaze downward, but Toshinori could still see that the boy was visibly shaken. The man sighed; he hated what he was saying, but he thought it still needed to be said.
"Pro Heroes are burdened by numerous responsibilities," Toshinori said while gesturing to his grievous wound. "They must always be willing to endanger themselves—to risk their very lives—in order to save the lives of others. And without having any power to do that...you can end up being the one in need of saving instead."
"But...! I'm not powerless!" The boy balled his hands into fists, raising his head to look at All Might with an expression that blended defiance and desperation. "I'm—!"
"Quirkless," Toshinori interjected before dropping his shirt back down and giving the boy a gentle grin. "Listen, my boy: I'm elated to know that I've inspired such hope in your heart, and I'm not at all unimpressed by you vying for U.A of all places. Heck, if you were to show good enough marks on the written portion, you might still earn yourself a spot in the General Education Department. Despite the heroic reputation and image U.A gives off, Quirkless students are not entirely unprecedented at that institution, whether it be General Education, Support, or Business."
Still, the boy seemed unconvinced.
"I know you're aiming to become a Pro such as myself," Toshinori said, approaching the boy and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "But remember that one needn't be a Pro in order to be a hero. Just take the police as an example: they are no less heroic for being in a profession that is not nearly as flashy as mine, and there are plenty of Quirkless police officers, as well."
Toshinori moved around the boy and toward the stairwell. "I just want you to know that whether or not you're a Pro, and whether or not you're Quirkless, there will always be something one such as you can do to be a hero."
The boy seemed to noticeably relax at that, and Toshinori grinned as he departed down the stairs. Hopefully his words resonated with the boy in a meaningful way.
It wasn't until he'd reached the bottom of the stairs that Toshinori realized the bottles containing the villain he'd captured were conspicuously absent.
There will always be something one such as you can do to be a hero.
Izuku stood silent and alone on the rooftop, processing All Might's words for several minutes. They were certainly not the words he was expecting—or even really hoping for—but he did not feel at all dissuaded. He was mostly definitely shaken, especially at All Might inadvertently revealing his true self, but if anything...his resolve was stronger now than ever before.
Like Kacchan before him, All Might was now placed on what seemed to be an ever-growing list of people Izuku would prove himself to. This list, Izuku had long come to expect, might never stop growing, but that didn't mean his determination would waver anymore.
He made sure not to reveal the magical nature of his training, as per Strange's instructions. Nevertheless, it still felt relieving to unpack his dreams on his idol and to have him listen—so few people ever seemed interested in entertaining the heroic aspirations of a Quirkless boy, but All Might did. Even in spite of his rebuke of Izuku's declaration, he had still listened.
Just wait, All Might! You, too, Kacchan! Izuku reaffirmed to himself as he followed the stairwell to the street below. In time, I'll prove myself to you just like I will everyone else! I'll show that Quirkless doesn't mean powerless!
That time would come far sooner than Izuku would have ever expected, as a series of earth-shaking explosions sounded off many blocks away.
It can't be...is that...? Izuku thought, stunned, as he approached the growing crowd that was gathering to watch the explosive commotion going on. They were held back at a safe distance by a line of formidable heroes that Izuku easily recognized, such as Kamui Woods and Death Arms.
Normally Izuku would be flipping his notebook open to analyze battles and Quirks, but Quirk Analysis was far from his mind at the moment. Flailing wildly about in the street, obstructed by billowing black smoke and twisted, flaming debris, was the sludge villain that he assaulted him earlier.
How!? I thought All Might had him contained! Izuku thought frantically. Then a sinking feeling settled in his gut: had his drastic actions earlier resulted in the villain slipping from All Might's grasp?
"Kamui Woods," Death Arms grunted. "Can you use your Quirk to momentarily restrain him?"
"No," Kamui Woods replied with a groan. "They're surrounded by fire and that kid is letting off explosions every chance he can get!"
Explosions?
"Kacchan!" Izuku yelled out in horror as a gust of wind whipped the smoke enough for him to see what was keeping the heroes at bay: the sludge villain had Bakugo ensnared in his slimy grasp, using him as a shield from the heroes and police who had the scene surrounded.
Izuku immediately bolted through the crowd and tried to run straight toward Bakugo, whose covered mouth was undoubtedly mumbling every expletive he could think of, but whose eyes were wide and screaming for help.
Kacchan! I won't let you get killed because of me!
But before Izuku could break off from the front of the crowd, a wooden appendage gripped him by the shoulder. It was Kamui Woods, who was stopping Izuku from going any further.
"Are you mad, kid!?" He exclaimed. "Stay away from there!"
"It's Kacchan!" Was Izuku's only tearful response."It's Kacchan!"
Izuku flailed his arms wildly to try and break Kamui's hold, but the arbor hero held on tightly, refusing to budge and give the boy another inch.
If only I could just reach him! Kacchan!
Izuku threw his arm back, as if winding up for a monumental throw as it shimmered with a bright energy.
It doesn't matter if I'm not a Pro...! It doesn't matter if I'm Quirkless...!
Izuku then threw his arm forward and a spectacular array of fiery, crimson bands flew from his fingertips and through the smoke toward Bakugo. The flame-like whips honed in on their target, wrapping around Bakugo's exposed arm. Bakugo grunted and instinctively let off another explosion, but the whips appeared unaffected. Izuku let out a tearful yell and yanked his arm back, ripping his former childhood friend from the grasp of the sludge villain, much to the shock of everyone in attendance.
There will always be something I can do...to be a hero!Izuku triumphantly recalled All Might's words.
"Kacchan!" Izuku used Kamui Wood's shock to rip himself from his grasp and rush forward to help Bakugo to safety.
Bakugo sputtered and glared up at Izuku, pushing his savior off as he tried ushering him to safety. "Deku! I didn't ask for your help!"
"No, you didn't!" Izuku said with a sniffle, ecstatic that he was mostly unharmed. "But I gave it anyway! Isn't that what a hero does!?"
Bakugo couldn't formulate any kind of response before the massive form of the sludge villain began bearing down on them. "You impudent worm!" He roared as he threatened to smother them with his slimy mass. "I'll crush you for taking my meat shield away!"
Izuku shut his eyes and forced himself in front of Bakugo to take the brunt of the attack...but it never came.
"Detroit Smash!"
One powerful shock later, and the sludge villain was simply...gone. The smoke had dissipated. All that remained was smoldering debris, two shaking boys, and All Might towering above them.
The crowd roared with approval and the heroes collectively sighed in relief as the skies darkened and droplets or rain came down, a testament to All Might's frighteningly incredible power.
Izuku blocked it all out as he fell to his knees. All that mattered was that Kacchan was safe. And, at least in his eyes, Izuku had finally proven himself.
"I shouldn't have to remind you of the ethics of public Quirk usage," Detective Tsukauchi said stoically as he stood before Izuku, who was getting patched up by a medic. "You seem old enough to know of such laws."
"Yes, sir..." Izuku said dejectedly. He'd already gotten an earful from the heroes that were on the scene, especially Kamui Woods who had tried to stop him from running headlong into danger. Every so often he would glance toward where Bakugo was getting looked over, but he'd always flinch and turn his gaze away as his former friend was glaring daggers at him every time he looked in his direction.
"You could have found yourself in a bit of trouble if it weren't for All Might," The detective informed Izuku.
Izuku perked up at that. All Might?
"He informed me that he had prior interactions with you and that you are, or rather were, Quirkless," Tsukauchi said, leaning down to Izuku's level. "And I knew he was telling the truth because my Quirk is Human Lie Detector. When people talk to me, I know if they're lying...or telling the truth. So Midoriya: are you, or were you, Quirkless before the incident today?"
Midoriya didn't miss a beat. "Yes, before today, I was Quirkless." Not technically a lie, just not the whole truth, he thought as the detective gave him a scrutinizing look.
"Late bloomers are not entirely unprecedented," Tsukauchi said with a sigh. "I suppose it was the trauma of seeing your friend captured by a villain that unlocked it. Regardless, you'll get a pass today. But please be diligent in the future regarding the law, alright? And don't forget to get yourself registered in the Quirk Registry soon!"
Izuku nodded and hopped off the ambulance he was seated in when the medic gave him the all clear. He looked around the bustling crowd, searching for All Might in order to thank him as well as apologize to, but the man was nowhere to be found in a sea of emergency workers, police, Pro Heroes, and gawking civilians and journalists.
Giving up, Izuku turned to finally make his way home. He'd only made it five blocks when an angry Bakugo caught up to him.
"Deku, you piece of shit!" Bakugo snarled as he pressed Izuku against a brick wall with his forearm. "Late bloomer my ass! You were hiding your Quirk from me all these years, weren't you!?"
"K-Kacchan, please just listen for a moment!" Izuku whined as he struggled against Bakugo's pressure.
"Is it because you think you're better than me and my Quirk with yours?" Bakugo growled, digging his elbow into Izuku's shoulder. "Flame whips are fucking pathetic compared to my explosions!"
"It's not a Quirk!" Izuku suddenly blurted out. "I don't have a Quirk!"
Bakugo was silent for a moment before suddenly releasing his pressure against Izuku and letting him drop to the ground. "You can't even be fucking honest with me..." Bakugo muttered morosely as he began sauntering away. "I don't need the likes of a worthless Deku looking down on me!"
"Kacchan—!" Izuku yelled out, but Bakugo was having no part of it. He never looked back, and he was out of sight before long, leaving Izuku alone to nurse his aching shoulder.
Izuku slowly picked himself back up to continue his way home, but he'd hardly traveled another four blocks before being interrupted yet again-this time by All Might in his true, withered form.
"A-All Might!" Izuku yelled out in surprise as he'd nearly ran right into him.
"Young Midoriya, was it?" All Might asked somberly. "I must apologize for the words I shared with you earlier."
"No...I should be the one apologizing!" Izuku shook his head. "It was because of me that the sludge villain escaped, wasn't it?"
"Paltry compared to my wrongdoing," All Might responded. "Pathetic...I was pathetic. To admonish you and your dreams, but in that moment I was not heeding my own advice! To risk one's own life for the lives of others! To move before even thinking in order to save those in need! Those are the marks of a true hero!"
Izuku felt a great pang within his chest as his eyes welled with sudden tears. He had proven himself to All Might after all...
"Young Midoriya," All Might continued. "You were the one who made the greatest difference in that situation. I can say now, without a doubt, that not only do you have the potential to make a splendid Hero, but you have also shown that you are worthy to inherit my power."
Izuku's mind crashed to a violent halt. What...?
"Midoriya, my boy," All Might said with sheer conviction in his voice. "I want you to become my Successor!"
Midoriya could not formulate any sort of reasonable response as his mind reeled from All Might's statement. Inherit? Successor? He thought back to Doctor Strange and his progress as the sorcerer's student, and he mindlessly fidgeted with his sensei's calling card that he'd slipped out from his back pocket, circling his thumb around the card's seal many times as he tried to think of how to respond to the Number One Hero.
Not even a moment later, the space beside Izuku and All Might erupted in a brilliant swirling of energy as Strange's portal opened up. The sorcerer stepped through, giving his student a quick look-over.
"What seems to be the emergency, Izu—" Strange suddenly cut himself off as he slowly turned toward a rather stunned All Might. The two men stared at each other in silence for a solid minute.
"Stephen?" All Might blinked.
"Toshinori?" Strange blinked right back.
Izuku's brain could hardly register this revelation properly. Doctor Strange and All Might know each other!?
Chapter 9: Sorcerers and Heroes
Toshinori rapidly blinked his eyes as he stepped through Strange's portal directly into his Sanctum. He strained his eyes, allowing them to readjust to the sudden change from the radiant sunset to the dimmed interior of Strange's sanctuary, with minute amounts of light from the sunset outside flickering in through what windows were visible and those that weren't obscured by thick, ornate curtains that reeked of incense.
He had come out into the dining room, first floor, and looked over at the table in the center of the room. Several books were splayed open and illuminated by a series of lights that were hovering above the pages.
Floating candles, huh? Toshinori grinned. Some things never change.
"I see your habits haven't changed in the slightest since we last met, Stephen," Toshinori said as Strange and a fidgety Midoriya walked through the portal behind him.
The aperture slowed its swirling and fizzled out of existence. Strange clapped his hands, the floating candles shining brighter in response to better illuminate the room.
"What is it that Stark always says?" Strange said as he had his books flip shut with a wave of his fingers and levitate back onto the nearest shelf. "Do not fix what is not broken?"
"Don't forget that he also said to always improve whenever and wherever possible," Toshinori retorted jocularly. "A few light bulbs are not going to ruin your aesthetic...or is the Sorcerer Supreme worried about racking up a high electric bill?"
"Touché, touché," Strange conceded.
"Geez, how long has it been since I've even last been in here?" Toshinori asked aloud, mainly to himself, as he approached the dining room entrance and peered up the grand staircase toward the true Sanctum on the third floor. "It's been at least five years, I think."
It was right before 'that' day, Toshinori and Strange thought simultaneously.
"I figured it best to move our conversation to a place familiar to all three of us," Strange said, placing a reassuring hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "This way we may talk earnestly and comfortably among one another."
"Same 'ol Strange, always the rational one," Toshinori chuckled before turning his attention to a particular glass case tucked away in the corner of the room. Obscured by shadows it may have been, Toshinori widened his eyes as he still recognized the artifact locked securely within. "Is that—?"
"The Wand of Watoomb," Strange affirmed.
"The Wand of Watoomb..." Toshinori repeated softly as he ran a hand through his scraggly hair, glancing down at the artifact with a nostalgic look. "Man, does that take me back..."
"Well, we'll have plenty to discuss with Izuku over some tea," Strange said, summoning a set of three already steaming cups and saucers onto the table with a snap of his fingers.
Oh please no, Izuku shuddered.
All three took their seats at the table, with Midoriya and Toshinori sitting across from one another and Strange sitting at the end, flanking Midoriya's right and Toshinori's left respectively.
"Tibetan butter tea, eh?" Toshinori said as he raised the cup to his lips, hesitating for a moment to allow the buttery steam to waft into his nostrils before taking an eager sip. He closed his eyes as the tea ran down his throat, warming his insides. "It's as good as I remember..."
Strange smiled, taking a gentle sip of his own tea as Midoriya stayed still where he sat, staring down into the creamy ether of his drink with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Now, Izuku," Strange said, turning to his student. "I'm sure you have a few questions, but—"
"You and All Might know each other!?" Izuku exclaimed, slamming his palms down on the table.
I...should have figured he'd start with that one, Toshinori sweatdropped.
"It was not information you were privy to," Strange said nonchalantly, taking another sip of his tea. "It would not have impacted your training in any meaningful way, and, in time, I would have introduced the two of you regardless."
"I, uh, apologize for approaching your student with my offer so suddenly," Toshinori sheepishly interjected as he rubbed his head.
"Fret not, Toshinori," Strange waved off his concern. "Like Izuku here, you, too, simply did not know, and I cannot fault you for that. Although I must admit, events are moving far quicker than I had anticipated."
That much was definitely true, Strange pondered. It was only early April. Midoriya had just begun the first term of his final school year. There were still ten whole months left before the entrance exam. Which meant that Midoriya was not even halfway through his training, and all of this was already being sprung upon his shoulders.
Unanticipated, indeed...
"Still, the fact that you and All Might know each other is a bit...well, it's mindboggling to say the least!" Midoriya said. "I-if you don't mind me asking, sensei...how did you come to know All Might?"
Strange leaned back in his seat, a visage of reminiscence appearing on his face as Toshinori glanced back over at the Wand of Watoomb, sitting idly by in its container.
"That," Toshinori said as he delved into the story of his first encounter with the now Sorcerer Supreme. "Takes me back nearly 25 years ago..."
"A smiling Symbol of Peace is no match for the Devil Incarnate!"
A large explosion rocked the museum surrounded by police and civilian spectators alike. The officers took shelter behind their armored vehicles as suffocating smoke and debris came erupting out of the building's side. A lone figure, clad in a red suit with a blue cloak, soared out of the smoke, clutching a vintage box close to his body.
"Adios, All Might!" The rat-faced man sneered before flying off, quickly disappearing behind a row of nearby buildings.
Right as he vanished, a second, muscular figure burst forth from the blackened fumes. With grace, the man landed before the police force with an ever-present grin.
"It's All Might!" One of the officers exclaimed.
"Have no fear!" All Might, clad in his Silver Age costume, triumphantly roared. "For I am here!"
"That dastardly villain...!" All Might continued. "He managed to steal his target and fend me off with that tricky Quirk of his!" Flight and energy bolts? What kind of Quirk allows one to do both!?
"All Might!" The nearest officer grabbed his attention. "The criminal flew over the buildings in that direction!"
All Might beamed as he looked over to where the officer was pointing, crouching to prepare for a mighty leap. "Many thanks, officer! And worry not! I'll have that crook apprehended in no time!"
Said crook was elatedly flying loops across the sky and cackling madly to himself as he clutched his prize.
Cyrus, you sly dog! He thought to himself giddily as he tried to resist ripping the box apart right then and there. With this relic, Stephen Strange is as good as dead!
The man—Cyrus—seethed at the mere thought of that pompous sorcerer, Stephen Strange. Curse the Ancient One for taking such a pain in the ass under her wing! Time after time again, Strange meddled with his plans and obstructed his growth as a sorcerer! For too long has that man derailed his many plans for arcane advancement!
But no more, Cyrus raged as he landed on a nondescript rooftop. With this artifact, I'll become nigh unstoppable! I will grind Stephen Strange into the dust! I will even—!
"New Hampshire—!"
"Eh!?" Cyrus whirled around just as All Might's towering shadow came into view in the sky just above him.
"SMASH!" All Might roared as his bulk suddenly slammed into Cyrus's side, sending them both crashing into the alley below and kicking up a ton of dust. All Might was far more graceful in his own landing, rolling upright and skidding to a halt as he surveyed the damage he had dealt.
Incredulously, the crook struggled back to his feet.
What was that I collided into? All Might thought as he sized up his foe. He actually managed to somehow absorb much of the force behind my New Hampshire Smash! No enemy I've faced has ever accomplished such a feat!
All Might's quarry, Cyrus, looked worse for wear and was coated in dust, though he still managed to pick himself up as he crunched his options through his head.
I only just barely managed to summon a force field in time to take the brunt of his blow! Cyrus recalled the quick weave of his fingers that he gave right before getting slammed. Damn him! This situation looks grim! My magic alone in these tight quarters might not be enough to stop this behemoth!
It was then the man looked down at his feet and recognized the tiny splinters of the box he'd stolen—as well as the item he had sought to claim.
Then again, Cyrus thought with a malevolent sneer as he reached down for the small tool that was freed from its confines. This is the perfect opportunity to break this wand in like a new pair of boots!
"Foolish All Might!" Cyrus cackled as he brandished the wand in his hand menacingly. "You will be the first mortal man in a millennia to suffer the nigh-omnipotent power of the Wand of Watoomb!"
All Might tensed his body, ready to shoot forward like a rocket. "Your paltry tricks won't work on me, villain!"
Cyrus clenched the wand as it—and his body—began to glow brightly as a tangible current of energy washed over them. "Tricks? I'm all out of tricks! Now you'll bear witness to me and my power!"
All Might burst forward, directly into Cyrus's path as he raised his arms for a double-handed chop. "Carolina—!"
Cyrus extended the wand forward, a thick shield of energy erupting from the tip and blocking All Might's path.
"SMASH!" All Might cleaved his hands downward against the shield...and was abruptly sent flying back against a concrete wall. "Ngh!"
Cyrus was practically hopping with glee as All Might dragged himself out of the rubble for another go. "Ah! All the legends were true! The Wand really does amplify one's magical abilities beyond comprehension! I can hardly comprehend my own power!"
"Magical abilities? What are you raving about, you fiend!?" All Might said with a grunt as he shook the last remnant of dust from his otherwise unsoiled costume.
"Of course, a mere mortal such as yourself would be too unenlightened to understand what a sorcerer of my caliber is saying," Cyrus said mockingly. "But if it's a stress test you're seeking, then I'm more than willing to oblige!"
Cyrus gave a violent wave of the wand and a multitude of yellow energy bolts emanated from the head, zigzagging toward All Might. The hero effortlessly leaped upward to avoid the charged bolts, only to yell out in pain as the projectiles changed their trajectory and nipped at All Might's heels, striking his body with ethereal electric energy.
"Why you...! Texas...SMASH!" All Might swung his fist in a powerful straight punch that launched a massive gale straight toward Cyrus. But when the dust cleared, All Might grimaced as his foe had once again protected himself with that pesky near-impenetrable energy shield of his. He would have to work out this bothersome Quirk or else he'd have little hope of victory!
Not that Cyrus would give All Might much time to think. He waved his wand back and forth madly, summoning forth bolt after bolt to strike All Might with. All Might raised his arms across his chest and head, blocking what blows he could, but the bombardment of ceaseless energy soon pummeled him into the ground.
"Do you see now, hero!?" Cyrus snickered as he flicked the wand toward All Might's body, creating yellow glowing threads that ensnared the hero, wrapping around his limbs and neck. "You are no match for the mystic power that the Wand of Watoomb grants me! It was of no use being cooped up behind glass in a museum, but in the hands of an expert sorcerer such as myself, its limitless power can be brought forth without end!"
"An expert sorcerer such as yourself?" A wry voice suddenly sounded out. "You overestimate your capabilities, Cyrus."
Both All Might and Cyrus looked up in surprise as another man floated down gently before them both.
Another Pro? All Might thought as he struggled against his bonds. He certainly had an appearance that indicated such—that blue tunic and red cloak seemed incredibly professional, if not a bit bizarre, even by All Might's standards. I don't recognize him though.
The man, Cyrus—his enemy—certainly recognized him, however. "Strange!" He snarled and whipped his wand in a frenzy, shooting many electric beams at the young man.
"Watch out!" All Might managed to cough out. "Those projectiles can hone in on your position!"
"Worry not, All Might," The newcomer replied calmly. The younger gentleman simply raised his hands and deflected the energy beams right back toward Cyrus seemingly with his bare palms. Cyrus was quick to respond, leaping forward and raising up another force field to dissipate the repelled bolts.
All Might grunted in realization as he stressed the glowing bonds nearly to their breaking point, ready to jump in at any moment. I see...I think I've figured out a weak point in his strategy! I'll wait for the right moment to make my move!
"Cyrus Black!" The newcomer—Strange—exclaimed. "For too long have you conspired against the mystical balance of Kamar-Taj and the Ancient One! Your theft and subsequent misuse of the Wand of Watoomb shall not be tolerated!"
"Silence, Strange!" Cyrus raged, waving the wand and sending dozens of fiery, flailing lashes in Strange's direction. "Go crawling back to the Ancient One with your tail between your legs like the dog that you are!"
Time seemed to slow as Strange uttered an incantation barely discernible to All Might's ears:
With shield alone I lack reprieve,
From powers conceived of darkened lore,
Grant me greater screens to weave:
The Seven Rings of Raggadorr!
True to his incantation, seven resplendent rings erupted and spun around the man's body, fending off and redirecting every fiery lash sent his way. With a twist of his hands, the fiery tips spun right back around and went hurdling toward Cyrus.
"Pointless!" Cyrus spat, erecting another force field to keep his redirected spell at bay. "Not even you, for all your prowess, can completely overcome the wand's magic!"
"If you're going to erect a barrier," All Might shouted as he sprung into action, snapping his bonds off and lunging at Cyrus from behind before he could properly react. "You'd do well to not cover only your front and leave your back exposed!"
No...! Cyrus thought in alarm as the jaws of defeat came crashing down on him.
"Now!" All Might raised a single hand. "Feel my Missouri SMASH!" All Might slammed his hand against Cyrus's shoulder in a straight and focused chopping motion, sending his body hurdling into the nearest wall.
Strange flew into the air, capitalizing on All Might's attack so that Cyrus would not have any hope of recovery and retaliation. "In the name of the Eternal Vishanti, let loose the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!" Said thick, crimson bands materialized from Strange's hands, circling down and ensnaring Cyrus's entire body before he could pick himself back up.
"This can't be happening...!" Cyrus shouted out defiantly. Strange squeezed his hands, resulting in the crimson bands tightening until Cyrus dropped the wand, letting it fall harmlessly to the ground with a 'clunk'.
"Omnipotent power?" Strange scolded as he approached Cyrus, plucking the wand off the ground. "The Wand of Watoomb certainly can offer such incomprehensible strength. But that wand is still merely a tool: only as good as its user."
"D-damn you, Strange...damn you—!" Cyrus began yelling, but was suddenly cut off as Strange tapped his forehead, sending him crumpling to the ground without another word of protest.
"Victory is ours, my friend!" All Might let out a hearty laugh as he slung the restrained Cyrus over his shoulders and extended a friendly hand to his unexpected ally. "This has been the craftiest foe I've faced in quite awhile! But with our combined efforts, we managed to make short work of this maniac, Mister...um. Forgive me, your name has already slipped my mind."
"Please, call me Strange," The man returned All Might's gesture and shook his hand in earnest. "Doctor Stephen Strange."
"A Doctor, eh? Perhaps you can help patch up our mutual acquaintance here!" All Might joked, jostling Cyrus who was slumped unconscious over his shoulder. "Let us make haste then, Doctor Strange! We have a criminal to hand over to the police and an artifact to return to the museum!"
"You may take Cyrus, ' Strange said with a knowing look. "I've restrained his mental faculties so that he will no longer be able to use his powers. But I must return the Wand of Watoomb to its true rightful place."
All Might's trademark grin threatened to falter. "Now, now, that's not for us to decide, my friend! We cannot make those kinds of judgments as Pro Heroes! Come to think of it, I don't recognize you in the slightest...you must be a newer hero, correct?"
"I'm afraid I'm not a Pro Hero at all actually," Strange corrected him plainly.
All Might seemed downright shocked at how casually Strange had admitted that. "If you are truly not a Pro Hero...then what you did was reckless! Not unappreciated, but extremely reckless nonetheless!"
"Tell me, All Might," Strange forced the conversation along. "What do you know of magic?"
"Pardon?" All Might said confusedly.
"Magic," Strange repeated. "Or at the very least, what do you think of it? Now that you've seen the mystical capabilities of both Cyrus as well as myself with your own two eyes?"
"Magic, huh?" All Might chuckled a bit. "I've never heard of Quirks referred to as such anywhere, let alone the States!"
As he chuckled to himself, Strange merely smiled, as if he were in on a joke that All Might was completely unaware of. With a quick rotation of his hand, Strange had opened a fiery portal before them, and suddenly All Might wasn't chuckling so much anymore.
All Might peered through the portal into what looked like a wide-open stone courtyard of sorts, and a frigid Himalayan breeze flew through, smacking All Might out of his stupor.
"We are very selective about which heroes we reveal ourselves to," Strange explained. "But this situation with Cyrus Black made for an excellent opportunity." Strange stepped through, motioning for All Might to follow. "Only the most trusted and pure hearted Pro Heroes are allowed a glimpse of the greater truth of the World so that they might better defend it."
At that time, All Might believed he was going against his better judgment in following this Doctor Strange fellow through the portal. And when he emerged from Kamar-Taj, with his captive Cyrus in tow, he realized that the greater World was so much bigger than he had ever thought possible.
Heroes and villains, by themselves, seemed small by comparison.
Midoriya sat completely slack-jawed and awestruck as All Might concluded his story. The man looked over to Strange in case the sorcerer would interject with his own details, but Strange simply nodded his head in remembrance.
"Good times," He muttered.
"And so Doctor Strange here introduced the concept of the mystic to myself and a select group of heroes," Toshinori explained. "The Masters of Kamar-Taj—Strange included—decided that magical threats against our world were too widespread for them alone to stand against. We have not been taught to wield magic as you have been, Young Midoriya, but we can better recognize when mystical forces or threats are on the move so that we may act accordingly."
That was...a lot to take in, if Izuku was being honest with himself. Mystical forces pose a threat to the world and it was up to Doctor Strange and those at this Kamar-Taj place to combat them, with certain Pro Heroes like All Might aiding wherever and whenever they can.
That certainly begged the question though...
"What other heroes are you involved with, sensei?" Izuku asked.
Strange began shaking his head and opened his mouth to speak, but Toshinori spoke up before he did. "Not many besides myself and the Avengers—"
"You know the Avengers, too!?" Izuku slammed his palms down on the table again in excitement. "The United States' premier Pro Hero group!? The group that All Might joined to help take down the villain Ultron!?"
Ah...he's a bit of a fanboy, isn't he? Toshinori thought before noticing a look of disapproval being cast his way by Strange. "Ah, my apologies Stephen...I guess you didn't want that revealed quite yet?"
"Those are stories for another time," Strange said with a tone of finality, shifting his stern gaze over toward Izuku to cease his questioning. "We're really here to discuss what occurred just earlier today."
Ah. The sludge villain incident and All Might's proposal. Midoriya looked down morosely and a stiff silence filled the room. No one knew who should begin this conversation. No one knew how to.
"I'm...sorry," Izuku decided to begin, with an apology no less. "I'm sorry for not trying to contact you sooner with the calling card, sensei."
Strange visibly relaxed and offered his student a smile in response. "It's nothing to apologize over, Izuku. While extremely precarious, you still came out of that situation safe and sound, not to mention that there was nothing I could have done to affect the situation directly."
"Huh?" Izuku looked up at Strange, puzzled. "How come?"
"Remember, Young Midoriya, that Strange here is not a legal Pro Hero like I am," All Might interjected. "He would not have been able to openly use his magic without catching the ire of the police and the eye of certain authorities."
"The best I could have done in that scenario would be to use my magic in extremely subtle ways so as to not catch anyone's eye, and my magic may have proven to be ineffectual if I tried to do that," Strange added.
Izuku nodded; that made sense, he supposed.
"I hope you are beginning to understand the importance of the subtlety and secrecy that is necessary when it comes to dealing with the mystical, Izuku," Strange continued. "All living things have an inherent connection with the natural mystic energies of the Universe. With enough time, dedication, and training...most people would be capable of utilizing magic to some degree."
Izuku gulped; there was a big 'but' coming here, wasn't there?
"But," Strange said. "If everyone were to learn magic, it would throw the mystical fragility of the world into chaos. We would undoubtedly be overwhelmed by the threats posed by those who would either not fully comprehend their own power...or by those who would use their powers for intentionally malicious reasons. Or even both."
Both Toshinori and Strange involuntarily thought of that accursed All For One in that moment.
"It's a secret to keep the world safe," Izuku muttered. "Because it's the world that could be at stake."
"The truth about magic will not be the only secret you will have to keep, I'm afraid," All Might leveled his stare at Izuku. "Young Midoriya, let us discuss what I had brought up earlier: my asking of you to become my Successor."
Izuku began fidgeting again; he knew that this topic was going to be brought back up, but he'd rather not even think about it. He didn't even know what to think about it!
"I'm sure one such as you has wondered about the nature of my Quirk, correct?" All Might asked, eliciting a nod from Izuku. "The truth is, mine is a special Quirk—it is one that can be passed on from person to person. It is called One For All."
Izuku's jaw dropped. A Quirk that could be passed down!? How was that even possible—!? Oh, right, this was a world in which he was being taught magic of all things, of course something as amazing as this would also be possible.
Wait a moment... "Does that mean," Izuku asked, his lip quivering as he connected the dots. "You were given One For All yourself?"
"Indeed," All Might nodded solemnly. "Like you, I was Quirkless myself before I inherited One For All from my Master before me."
Izuku nearly fell out of his seat. All Might...was originally Quirkless!? How many more revelations could his poor heart even stand to take anymore!?
"I'm not powerless, I'm—!"
"Quirkless," Izuku recalled what All Might had told him. Was that...why All Might inherited One For All himself? Had he considered himself powerless to help others because of the way he was born? It wasn't like All Might, like Izuku, could help being born the way he had been. For a moment, Izuku wondered how All Might might've been if he'd learned to use magic instead of inheriting a Quirk to call his own. The thought of a youthful All Might considering himself weak and powerless saddened Izuku a great deal. He could understand what All Might had gone through even if the man wasn't displaying any grief or melancholy over his past situation at the moment.
Izuku took in a deep breath, straightened himself where he sat, and looked back at All Might as best he could so he could give his answer.
"All Might," Izuku began softly. "I...can't even begin to describe how honored I am that you consider me worthy enough to inherit your power. I've always wanted to prove that I had what it took to be a hero, and hearing you say I did...it meant a lot to me. More than I can possibly express."
All Might smiled, bright and genuine. "Well, that's very good to hear, Young Midoriya—"
"But I cannot inherit One For All," Izuku said softly.
The room fell quiet enough for the rustling of Strange's cloak to appear loud and distracting. Both men were giving Izuku astonished looks. But Strange's face had a twinkling of pride in it.
"I-I'm sorry, my boy," All Might stuttered. "I'm afraid I'm not sure if I heard you correctly—"
"I can't be your Successor," Izuku repeated. "I cannot inherit your Quirk, All Might."
Seeing that both men were expecting a more thorough explanation, Izuku pressed onward. "Back on that rooftop, when I had argued with you that I wasn't powerless, you countered with me being Quirkless. You can understand my predicament and my feelings very well, can't you? The desire to do good despite not having a Quirk to help in any way...I understand completely why you inherited One For All. And I likely would have jumped at such a chance myself, if not for where I am now and the effort I've already put into all this. This is a path I've already started walking down and it's one I want to see to its conclusion. I'll prove to you yet...!" He said as a deluge of tears trickled down his cheeks. "And I'll prove to myself that Quirkless and Powerless are not one and the same! And I'll do it all with a smile on my face, just like you, All Might!"
Izuku...
Young Midoriya...
The room was silently stiff once more...until the walls reverberated with All Might's raucous and jubilant laughter, surprising Izuku out of his tears.
"A-All Might!?"
"That was quite a response, Young Midoriya!" All Might roared, poofing back into his buff form with that mighty grin of his etched on his face. "Even though I hardly expected being turned down, your speech has moved me immensely!"
"You're not upset I refused your offer...?" Izuku asked as he wiped his cheeks clean.
"Heavens, no!" All Might exclaimed as he stood up. "If anything, I'm even more convinced of your worthiness, but if you are already set on your current path, then my only option will be to support you every step of the way!" He flashed Izuku a thumbs up.
"I may not always be by your side, nor will you be my Successor proper, but I'll always be in your corner to support you if you'll have me, Young Midoriya!" All Might continued. "Also, please keep the true nature of my Quirk to yourself just like your magical training, understood? Fewer people know about my secret than about Strange's job as Sorcerer Supreme, after all!"
"Y-yes, All Might!" Izuku said excitedly, feeling thrilled at the prospect of All Might supporting his endeavors while also trusting him with his secret.
"And Stephen, my boy!" All Might turned his attention to Strange, giving his back a resoundingly forceful pat as he stood up, which almost knocked him down. "You've got yourself a fine protégé! I'm surprised you managed to snatch one up before me even!"
"I'm not that much younger than you are, Toshinori..." Strange grumbled as he rubbed his back.
"Come to think of it, I'd received correspondence from Stark not too long ago that he'd also managed to nab a protégé of his own!" All Might said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What was his name again...? Spider-Boy or something like that?"
"Ooh! Ooh! You mean Spider-Man!" Izuku piped up excitedly.
"Yes, that's it! Thank you, Young Midoriya!" All Might laughed as he turned back to Strange. "Well, I think we've settled everything nice and properly, don't you think so, Stephen? How about opening a portal for an old friend?"
Strange and All Might walked out into the front lobby of the Sanctum, where Strange obliged Toshinori with a portal directly into his meager apartment.
"Toshinori," Strange spoke up right as All Might deflated back into his true form and strode on through. "I just want you to know that I wouldn't have had a problem with Midoriya also wanting to be trained in your Quirk in addition to what he's learning here. I would have supported Midoriya's decision no matter what. I just wanted you to know that so you didn't think I was upset at all."
Toshinori gave Strange a grateful nod. "I appreciate it, old friend. Young Midoriya's words have only further inspired me to continue my quest for a worthy and a willing Successor. I was thinking about branching out further east from here. Perhaps I'll head to Chiba Prefecture and continue my search there."
"I wish you the best of luck," Strange said before closing the portal, allowing Toshinori to see a smiling and waving Izuku seeing him off before it closed completely.
"Hey, sensei," Izuku said. "Did you mean what you said?"
"About me supporting your decision if you'd wanted to inherit All Might's Quirk?" Strange asked with a knowing grin. "Yes, I did."
"..." Izuku ran forward and threw himself into Strange, wrapping his arms around his torso in a tight hug as he buried his face in his blue vestments. The two were silent as Strange slowly returned the embrace. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for what you've done for me," Izuku muffled.
"Don't trouble yourself with thanks and things of that sort," Strange said as he gently pried Izuku off his tunic. "Let's get you home before your mother gets too worried, alright?"
"Ahh!" Izuku exclaimed as he pulled open the nearest curtain, thankful that the sun had not fully set just yet. "I'm sure she'll be calling my phone any minute! I need to get home right now!"
Strange chuckled and quickly summoned a portal to the living room of Izuku's home and the boy rushed in to face the panicked shrieks of his mother, and he was following close behind his student to explain the situation and assuage Inko's worries.
The rest of the week had passed by with little incident, although things at school were made tense again. Bakugo was as aggressive as ever, but tilted right on the border of open hostility, which meant the rest of the class did, too.
Midoriya was grateful when the weekend had finally arrived, which meant he could sweep his worries away by drowning himself in one of Strange's many books within the depths of the Sanctum rather than schoolwork for a change.
He flipped through several pages of a particular book he'd been looking forward to reading for quite some time. "Lessons on astral projection..." He drawled to himself as he descended the grand staircase toward the dining room. He never made it to the bottom step.
"What—!?" Izuku exclaimed as a blazing lasso suddenly wrapped around his body from behind, forcing his hands to his sides, which in turn forced him to drop the book. He turned his head to look at who was assaulting him from within the Sanctum. It was not someone he recognized: a rather portly looking Asian man, with a sternly intimidating face, was approaching from the direction of the Rotunda as he kept Izuku tightly ensnared.
"W-who are you!?" Izuku exclaimed in a panic.
"I am Master Wong, intruder," The none too pleased Wong said. "And I am the guardian of all mystical books under the purview of the Sorcerer Supreme."