After classes, while the students began to relax after a day of work, Izuku was calmly checking his things. Everything seemed in order... until his phone vibrated.
Calmly he took it out of his pocket and checked the message that was from... his face changed as soon as he read it. His eyes opened with surprise and his breathing accelerated.
—I HAVE TO LEAVE QUICKLY!! —He shouted desperately.
He grabbed his backpack and, without giving explanations, launched himself toward the classroom door, causing confused looks and some alarm among his classmates. But as soon as he opened the door with a swift movement, he ran into a crowd of students blocking the hallway.
Izuku froze for an instant. Not from fear, but from pure frustration.
He knew why they were there. Since the incident with the villains, class 1-A had gained attention throughout the school. With the U.A. Sports Festival—the most prestigious event in Japan that surpassed the Olympic games—getting closer and closer, many wanted to evaluate firsthand the new protagonists of the moment. But right now... it wasn't the time. He had to leave urgently for home!
—...Move it, extras! —Bakugo said, already at his side, with an expression of contempt for the crowd.
—I came to see what the famous class A was like, but... you seem very arrogant to me —a boy with purple hair commented, approaching with a relaxed step among the students—. Are all those in the hero course like this? Having to witness this is so...
—I'M NOT IN THE MOOD TO LISTEN TO A CHALLENGE DIALOGUE FROM CHARACTERS WHO WILL HAVE DEVELOPMENT!!! —Izuku shouted desperately, cutting at the root any attempt at conversation or provocation.
Everyone was paralyzed by the impressive shout.
And then, without warning, multiple black whips emerged from his back and arms as if they were living extensions. The crowd stepped back, astonished, seeing them move uncontrollably. Izuku threw them forward with a single gesture, sweeping several students and violently clearing the way.
Taking advantage of the opening, he positioned himself and with a jump moved at great speed, generating a shockwave with each step. The pressure was such that more students fell from the force of the impact, still not understanding what had just happened.
But he wasn't finished.
A young man with gray hair appeared in front of him, with a severe expression. He activated his quirk instantly, hardening his body until it became solid steel.
—Hey, hey!! I'm from class B!! I heard that...!!
—I'M NOT HERE FOR STORIES!!
He stopped abruptly, Izuku's fist rose like lightning and without holding back, he impacted him directly in the chest. The blow completely destroyed the boy's metallic defense, throwing him against a wall violently. The crash echoed throughout the entire hallway.
Without looking back, Izuku kept running. Only he knew why he was in such a hurry... but his expression said enough: nothing, not even the other U.A. students, was going to stop him.
Behind him remained a trail of absolute silence. Only lost looks, faces petrified by the speed, strength and determination they had just witnessed. Until, after a few seconds...
—What... what just happened...?!! —everyone exclaimed in unison, with trembling voices, completely astonished by what had just happened.
֎֎֎
Izuku moved with agility, jumping between buildings at great speed. Each impulse was precise, elegant, and kept him hidden from sensors and heroes' sight. His face was serious; the urgency was noticeable in every movement. Finally, upon seeing his destination, he used his whips to brake sharply, anchoring himself to a neighboring house. With a flip he landed softly at the entrance.
There, sitting next to the gate, was Eri waiting for him patiently while holding a phone in her small hands, her legs dangling from the edge, and her eyes brightened upon seeing him.
—Daddyyy!!! —she shouted excitedly, running toward him with all her strength and hugging one of his legs.
Izuku couldn't help but smile. He crouched down slowly and ruffled her hair tenderly.
—Hello, my little Eri... How are you? —he said affectionately, but his tone became more serious as he continued—. Why did you send me that message? What happened?
He lifted her in his arms carefully and checked her briefly, making sure she wasn't injured. Seeing her unharmed, his gaze softened, though the concern didn't completely disappear.
—Well... nothing happened to me —Eri responded while looking at him innocently—. Miss Hinpan arrived and was super happy to see Mrs. Rei. We ate, we played, she's so tall she could lift me very easily! And then, when I showed her a picture of you at the amusement park and called you "daddy," she...
Izuku tensed instantly and interrupted her firmly, slightly lowering his voice.
—You told her you were my daughter...? Didn't you say you were my adoptive daughter?
Eri blinked, confused.
—What's the difference...? And what's "adoptive"? —she asked with an innocent little voice, tilting her head—. Was that the cake I gave Miss Hinpan? Did it upset her stomach and that's why she reacted weird? —she added with a thread of voice, her eyes filling with tears for believing she had done something wrong.
Izuku hugged her immediately, closing his eyes with a long sigh. Sometimes he forgot... that she was still only a six-year-old girl. That she didn't yet understand labels or the subtleties of the adult world.
—You didn't do anything wrong, Eri... —he told her in a low voice, stroking her head tenderly—. You did very well, calling me so I'd arrive quickly. Well... where's Rei?
—In the house... When Miss Hinpan froze... Mrs. Rei came running, took me outside the house and told me to call you, then closed the door. She didn't say anything else...
Izuku frowned. Clearly worried.
—Really...? Well, let's go in.
He approached the door cautiously. When he turned the knob, it opened without resistance. The house seemed calm at first glance: the furniture was in order, there were no signs of fighting or screaming... but it was also evident there was no one in sight.
Until he felt it, they really were very clever.
—Eri, don't let go of me for a second. Okay?
—Yes, daddy —she said firmly, nodding.
Quickly, Izuku wrapped Eri with his whips and secured her on his back. She hugged him around the neck, holding on tightly, trusting him completely.
He closed the door carefully, observed it for a second... and pressed precisely a small hidden point in the frame. A faint glow illuminated the surface. Upon opening it again, an icy gust hit him like a wall.
Everything was frozen.
Izuku frowned, activating his Full Cowl instantly. His green energy sparked softly, creating a warm barrier to protect Eri from the cutting cold. In front of him, the house's interior transformed: cracked walls, damaged ceilings, and ice structures that grew constantly.
They knew whose ice that was, it had anger, lack of control and repressed emotions from a woman who always had a calm, cold face.
Then he heard blows.
They came from the living room.
Without wasting time, he launched himself in that direction. Upon arriving, he stopped abruptly. The entire living room was devastated. The floor had given way, forming a huge hole in the center, and over it rose a dome of snow and frost that trembled as if it contained something alive. To one side, standing in silence, was Rei.
Rei's face was like the ice surrounding her: indifferent, immutable, completely devoid of emotions. Her expression, normally serene and calm, now transmitted ruthless coldness. Frost fragments clung to her skin like a living mask, giving her a frightening, almost unnatural appearance. That wasn't the sweet and balanced woman of always... but a ruthless woman who didn't hold back with anyone, not even death.
But when she heard a step and realized it was Izuku, all that coldness left at once, returning to her serene but worried aspect.
—Izuku-kun, you're here! How are you? And Eri-chan? Is she okay? —she asked anxiously, approaching hurriedly.
—Don't worry, my dear snowflake... everything's fine. Just breathe deeply... that's it —he responded softly, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
Rei blushed slightly, relaxing her shoulders with a grateful smile.
But Izuku was already looking at the dome that kept shaking, increasingly violently.
—Daddy... —Eri said in a low voice, from his back— why is Miss Hinpan so angry? Was it because of what I did?
—No, little one. It's not your fault. Miss Hinpan is... a very special girl. She has someone else living inside her. Someone troublesome and very emotional.
—Is she someone evil? She looks very violent —Eri asked, afraid.
—No... she's not evil —Izuku said with a nostalgic look—. She's someone lonely. Very lost. Like you once were. She just needs love to be able to find her way.
—Then... she's also someone sad. Poor thing. Maybe she needs a hug... I could give her one —she said calmly, but determined.
Izuku smiled at her tenderly.
—I like hearing that, my girl. Well said. Well, let's start by relaxing her first. Rei, I need you to remove the dome. I'm ready.
Rei, with a serious look full of doubt, extended her hand and deactivated the dome without hesitation, obeying Izuku's instruction. However, what should have been a controlled release became an explosion. The ice cracked in a thousand directions with a sharp sound, and before they could react, a figure shot out like a projectile from the dome's epicenter, wrapped in icy mist. Izuku acted in the same instant with millimetric seriousness, deploying his black whips to move Eri out of the way and place her in a safe spot. He had no time for more. The figure impacted him full force, bringing him down brutally to the ground, while a dense white cloud rose throughout the room, covering everything with an unsettling silence.
—Daddy! —Eri shouted with her heart in her throat, hugging Rei who was protecting her.
Izuku received the blow and then pushed it without problems, moving away from her, and remaining in the center of all that white cloud, nothing could be seen, his physical vision was blocked. But he knew where she was, he just remained upright, listening and waited in silence with his eyes closed.
The silence broke. Hinpan launched herself at him with animal speed, cutting through the cloud with her claws. Izuku deflected the first attack by turning his torso with surgical precision, the second he intercepted with a barrage of black whips that exploded in the air. The mutant's nails grazed his skin, marked his uniform, but didn't stop him.
A stride, a turn, an inverted jump from Hinpan with her tail spinning like a blade. Izuku blocked with his reinforced forearm, though the impact dragged him several meters backward. He wasn't going to attack. He only resisted until the right moment.
Hinpan fell on all fours and in that instant the ground beneath her exploded in frost. She propelled herself toward him like a projectile, digging her fingers into the floor to gain speed. A sequence of diagonal cuts followed, but Izuku dodged them all, barely moving, reading each movement with his eyes closed.
The fight became frantic. Dry blows, swipes, superhuman pressure. She seemed more like a beast without conscience than a combatant. Izuku, on the other hand, was the immovable center of a hurricane: firm, patient, unstoppable.
With a minimal neck inclination he dodged a swipe directed at his throat. He leaned backward just in time to let the claws pass centimeters from his face. Without even looking, he slid a foot in a circle on the ground and dodged a sweep that would have broken anyone's ankles. He took a short lateral step, let the nails graze his side and used the impulse to turn his torso and move away as if floating.
Hinpan roared, frustrated, spinning in the air like a cornered beast. Her movements were so erratic that the ice under her feet began to splinter. She fell to the ground again, threw her tail like a whip, trying to hit him from behind, but Izuku turned his torso and arched his back with unnatural flexibility, letting the tail pass over him without touching him. Then he rolled to one side, with only one arm supported, and stood up without losing balance.
The swipes became faster, more desperate. One was directed at his face, but he turned his head at the last second, and the claw tore through the air like a deadly whistle. Another attack came from his flank, and he avoided it by tilting his body at an angle that seemed impossible for a human being. She tried to bite him, and he responded with a vertical jump so sudden that his feet grazed the ceiling before letting himself fall again.
Every time she attacked, Izuku was one step ahead. Each dodge was so precise it seemed almost cruel. And yet, he didn't counterattack. It wasn't a battle... it was perfect, almost compassionate containment. As if he knew she wasn't fighting to kill, but to not collapse.
But...
Hinpan roared and jumped to the ceiling with unmatched speed, then bounced like a wild beast, falling with claws forward. He crossed his arms, resisted the impact and was pushed until his back was against the ground.
It was there, between the ice vapor and suspended dust, where the frost began to dissipate slowly. The silhouette over Izuku became visible. He was on the ground, lying on his back, without defending himself or trying to get up. On top of him, growling with clenched teeth, was Hinpan... or something that resembled her, but not quite.
The soft fur that used to cover her had disappeared, replaced by white skin, delicate to the eye and stained with her own blood or part of Rei's. It was an inhuman, broken beauty, where what should inspire tenderness was tinged with desperate, crazy violence. Her tail swayed with fury, covered in wild, disheveled fur. Her hair, now longer and chaotic, fell like a shadowed mane, hiding part of her face. She cried without stopping her growling.
Most worrying were her sharp, dark, trembling claws... they were buried forcefully over Izuku's forearms, trying to break through the skin though they couldn't. Her body trembled, and her face changed expression unstably. Sometimes her fur returned for instants, only to disappear again. It was evident that within her two forces fought for control. She didn't speak, only breathed with difficulty, completely tense, until a twisted, unbalanced smile appeared on her face. It was no longer Hinpan. It was... Toga, who had taken control.
—D-a-r-l-i-n-g... —she said with a distorted voice, dragging the words—. You said you couldn't have children... but you lied, didn't you?! You knew that would bother me, didn't you? Why did you lie to me, huh?! YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW MUCH I HATE LIES...! —Suddenly, without warning, a brutal blow impacted Izuku's face, creating a crater behind him. But he didn't even flinch. He just looked at her fixedly.
—I didn't lie to you —Izuku responded calmly, without showing fear—. You already know what I am. I can't have children.
A strange gleam passed through Toga's eyes. It was like a sudden change, a turn that made her laugh, a laugh that became increasingly frantic, as if she were on the verge of madness.
—HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I love you, Darling... a lot, a lot... a lot... Everything about you is cute, you know? You're too cute!! Even that good boy mask, though it disgusts me... IT'S CUTE, TOO! —Suddenly, without warning, a claw squeezed Izuku's face forcefully, her fingers trying to tear it.
—My Lady, I...
—SHUT UP!... Didn't you tell me you wouldn't have a child?! YOU TOLD ME!! You lied! YOU LIED! YOU LIED! YOU LIED!
She hit the ground next to Izuku's head with such force it broke the remaining tiles to pieces. She breathed heavily, panting like a cornered beast. Her body trembled, and her hands kept pressing forcefully.
—I was understanding, you know?! I let you be with that ice woman with children! Even with the other one, the purple-haired one with a statue face! And not a single complaint from me!! I BEHAVED WELL!! I WAS A GOOD GIRL!! I AM A GOOD GIRL!!
Suddenly, her expression turned sweet, almost childish. She blinked a couple of times, tilted her head and smiled, as if remembering something happy.
—But I love you, did you know? I love you so much that sometimes I feel my chest is going to explode... That strong! —she brought her hands to her heart, staining herself with her own blood without noticing—. I want you to live only for me! Eat with you, sleep with you, wake up with you, kill for you if necessary! If you told me to tear off my own skin, I'd do it singing, Darling...
And then she leaned closer, her face stained, but with a tender, almost broken expression.
—And since I love you... I'll forgive you. Only if you hug me, okay? I promise I'll calm down... just a little bit. Will you hug me, Darling? Even if you hate me afterwards... even if you reject me... —she whispered with a sweetness that seemed not to fit with her deranged eyes—. Just... tell me I'm yours again... please... don't leave me...I love you... BUT YOU...!!
The change was as fast as before. Her sweet expression twisted into a grimace of hatred. The smile disappeared. Her gaze was now pure fire, pure rage.
—And that's how you repay me?!! Bringing that brat with you?!! SO SMALL AND YOU ALREADY LOVE HER MORE THAN ME?! Is that why you didn't want children?! BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAD HER?! —Her voice broke, and a thick tear ran down her cheek.
—Toga, I...
—DO YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH?! AM I THAT WORTHLESS TO YOU?! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HAAATE YOU!! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME...?!
—Toga, listen to me! —Izuku said, taking her face firmly.
She froze. She looked at him confused, with rage, with pain... but didn't scream. Didn't speak. Only observed him, trembling, with tears still falling.
Izuku ran his hands over her face carefully, drying her tears with a tenderness she didn't expect. His fingers were firm and the warmth was sincere. She took his hands, holding on tightly and sweetly, while her crying became more silent, more contained, accompanying each caress.
Until Izuku spoke.
—She's not my biological daughter —he said with a soft voice, without releasing her hands—. I adopted her because she had no one... because she suffered too much...because she needed a family. Like you!
Toga looked at him confused, her eyes blinking as if not understanding completely.
—She's like me? —she asked strangely.
—Yes. That's why I rescued her. She reminded me of you... of how scared you were, of the crying from everything they did to you. She also went through hell, locked up, used for her quirk, broken. She is you. That's why I wanted you to come to the house quickly, I want you to understand her... to take care of her. She needs someone to teach her she's not alone. Rei is good with children, but Eri is still afraid of her and everyone... she needs someone who truly understands her.
Izuku turned his head slightly.
—Right, my girl?
Toga tensed for a moment. She turned slowly and was surprised to see Eri standing nearby. There was no fear in her eyes, only a mix of calm and curiosity.
—Eh...? —was all Toga could say from how surprised she was.
—Your new tail is fluffy. I like it —Eri said, approaching with small steps and hugging her tenderly.
Toga remained still, not knowing how to react. Her eyes opened a bit more, and she looked at the girl with a mix of bewilderment and nervous tenderness.
—Your new hair I also like —Eri added, looking up—. But your claws... those do scare me a little. The rest... is pretty.
Toga lowered her gaze and, without saying anything, retracted her claws. She slowly moved away from on top of Izuku, allowing him to sit. When Izuku sat up, without making noise, he hugged Eri softly.
—You're... not afraid of me? —Toga asked with a broken voice, sitting like a scolded puppy.
Eri shook her head, looking at her with unexpected seriousness for someone so small.
—No. You remind me of daddy... when he's sad —she said calmly—. And you also remind me of myself.
She approached her a bit more. Then, gently, she took Toga's hands and lowered them to uncover her arms. Upon doing so, the scars were exposed: long, old, irregular... a map of past wounds.
Toga tensed. Her eyes lowered slowly, seeing how her own pain was exposed without filters, without masks. But before she could say anything, Eri rolled up her sleeves too, showing her own arms. She had similar marks, though smaller... equally painful.
Toga looked at her in amazement. Something entered her. Not only because of what she saw... but because of what she understood.
—You too... —she murmured, trembling.
Eri nodded, and without saying more, she approached and rested her forehead against Toga's.
—That's why I'm not afraid of you. Because I know how it feels. It also hurts and you hide them with your previous fur, don't you? Daddy also does it and has a big one on his chest —Eri said with a soft voice, without looking away from Toga.
Izuku didn't respond. He just smiled, with that silent warmth he used when words weren't enough. Calmly, he brought his hand to his uniform and lifted it, exposing an enormous scar that crossed his chest. It was an old wound, impossible to heal, that remained as a constant reminder... of something distant, that was impossible to forget, but easy to accept.
Toga observed him, motionless. Her eyes lowered slowly from his face to that mark, and immediately to Eri's wounds. There was no more rage, no madness, no that twisted smile that made the room tremble. What remained was silence... and an unexpected connection.
And in that moment, for the first time in a long time, Toga no longer felt unknown only with Izuku. There was someone else with them.
Eri brought her small hand to Toga's face and caressed it with innocent tenderness. It was a simple gesture... but powerful. Toga blinked, confused and beginning to wag her tail frantically.
—Please don't cry, Miss Toga. I also like Mrs. Hinpan... but I also want to help you —she said with a sweet voice—. Take this, it will make you feel better.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she rummaged in her dress pocket and pulled out a half-eaten caramel apple. She held it proudly, as if offering a treasure.
Izuku, upon seeing it, frowned.
—Young lady, didn't I tell you no sweets in the afternoon... and especially not if I'm not present?
Eri immediately lowered her head, regretful, while moving her fingers against her dress.
—Miss Rei told me I could. She gave it to me when she picked me up from school... since I didn't like it.
Izuku slowly turned his head toward Rei, with a gaze so fixed the temperature seemed to drop a couple of degrees. She, nervous, quickly looked away, as if trying to become part of the wall. But Izuku didn't divert his eyes from her for an instant. His expression became even more serious.
—It's just that... she looked at me with puppy eyes... and also said she didn't feel comfortable.
—Really? —Izuku sighed, dropping his shoulders for a second before smiling with resignation—. Well, it's okay.
Eri, without giving importance to the moment, approached Toga more and put the apple in her mouth without hesitation. Toga remained motionless at first, surprised... but then she bit it, as if by reflex. The sweetness spread through her mouth, and her expression softened. It was obvious she liked it.
—Do you like them? Daddy gave me one the day I met him. Although I already ate apples, he gave me this one... and suddenly I felt better. Do you also feel better?
Toga didn't respond immediately. She just nodded her head very slowly while continuing to chew the sweet, with her eyes fixed on Eri. Her pupils trembled. For a moment it seemed she was going to break again... but she didn't.
Izuku approached her a bit more and whispered softly:
—This is my gift, My Lady. I promised I'd give you one, didn't I?
Immediately, Toga began to cry rivers. She couldn't contain it. With a sudden impulse, she launched herself at Eri without thinking. Izuku noticed how Rei tensed her entire body, activating her defensive protocols instantly... but stopped upon seeing what was happening.
Toga wasn't attacking. Wasn't roaring. Wasn't screaming.
She was only hugging Eri with her enormous arms, pressing her against her chest while beginning to lick her head with almost animal tenderness. Like a mother fox protecting her cub.
—Finally! Finally! Finally!! My Darling gave me what I always wanted!
—Stop, Mrs. Toga! You're tickling me! —Eri complained between laughs, nuzzling her face against hers.
Toga slowly calmed down, releasing a long trembling sigh before returning the hug with the same delicacy. Her movements were no longer erratic or violent, but soft, almost trembling with so much contained emotion.
Izuku wasn't the exception. He barely could react when Toga pulled him too, dragging him into that group hug full of warmth. Eri caught him with her small arms, and between both they wrapped him with a warmth that couldn't be faked or replicated.
For an instant, the world became warm and welcoming. As if that room isolated all darkness, all sadness, all past.
Izuku raised his head a bit, moving his face away from the oppressive (but comforting) hug against Toga's large chest, and managed to see Rei observing them in silence. Her expression... was a mix of tenderness and jealousy. A slight pout formed on her face, almost imperceptible.
Izuku couldn't help but smile at her sweetly.
—Don't worry, my dear snowflake... your turn will also come.
Rei lowered her gaze for a second, but then returned a small smile, soft and sincere. She said nothing more. She just let them continue in their small world, where three beings considered monsters could be at peace.
End Chapter 11