章 4: Medic(3)

"...and the recent series of robberies seem to stem from multiple people. I can only state that the Quirkless are somehow involved in these injustices as a product of our primarily Quirk-filled society."

Izuku twitched as he half listened to the television in the corner of the hospital room. His mind was more paying attention to slowly tugging on a particular Quirk, and only frowned as the personality behind it began to struggle a bit. There was no conflict or fights to attend to. As such, the personality wanted nothing to do with the boy right now.

Which was perfect for his experiment.

"I agree with some of your statements, Mister Uchitake, but you can't honestly believe that Quirkless people are behind these problems. A Quirk that can convince people that they're a different person entirely is a greater point of contention. Besides, there's also the fact that the up and coming American hero, Slipstream, has come over in accordance to the Longbow Heroics Laws due to All Might continuously missing, for a couple weeks might I add, this American gang that has arrived here. I for one think that something is amiss here."

Izuku's concentration faltered for a second, screams and inhuman roars blasted his eardrums for a moment too long. However, his grip on the Quirk remained stable. A mantra of conviction repeating back and forth through his head as sweat began to pile his brow.

This struggle had been going on too long. Exhaustion was curling around his thoughts, and he could only grit his teeth as the Quirk entered the range where he felt it take effect only to leave a moment later with phantasmal thrashing in its wake. Something was about to give.

Izuku was so close. He shoved the Quirk, shouldering it with all the strength he could muster. It tried to thrash; to escape, but he held on like his life depended on it.

"I'm sure All Might is having trouble dealing with all the rabble, though. The help of an aero-kinetic like Slipstream would be beneficial in taking down a gang that-"

Izuku focused solely on his task when he felt it. Flesh bubbled up from beneath his skin, growing rapidly like a purposeful cancer. It coated him, and molded around his form.

The suit of flesh rippled, trying to find something to react to. There was a hunger to it; a ceaseless desire to grow and adapt. However, there was nothing nearby. No threat to outperform; so, it flowed around Izuku, forming a replica of him but better.

His skin toughened, becoming a composite of skin, keratin, and thin calcium strips. Muscles became harder, weaving into stronger threads until they wrapped around Izuku's body like a warm sleeve. A cage of bone latticed over his body from there, building from the ends of the woven muscle fibers.

On the outside, Izuku looked the same. His stature stayed rather small for his age; dull, green eyes stared over a mess of dark green strands. Pale skin was his primary tone, yet it looked much healthier than before.

That was only the suit of flesh mimicking Izuku. His actual body was housed inside the protection of the suit, a slight regeneration healing the small aches and pains his actual body felt. From experience, he knew that that regeneration was barely a fraction of a fraction of the actual regeneration his flesh suit had.

He hadn't known much more than that, but now he didn't need to. The Quirk inside him was thrashing, trying to escape the stranglehold Izuku had on it. There was a time limit, and the time required to actually hold the Quirk in place, but he had done it.

"This is boring! Fight something! Your power is great, but you don't use it for anything!" A voice echoed in between his ears, raging. The lust for violence and conflict speared through the young boy's thoughts for a moment before the mantras he learned came to him.

Clarity reached his lips as he drowned out the voice, playing around with his newfound cloak of flesh. Each movement felt powerful, every step was as light as a feather despite how much he weighed, and Izuku marveled at how tough just his outer skin felt when he poked it. He wanted to spend his time figuring out more, but he had an experiment to complete.

Izuku held back a cheer as he lost the Quirk after another four or five minutes of struggle, the suit sloughing off of him before evaporating into a fine red mist while his breath coming back in rushed pants. A glance at the clock told him how long it took to actually accomplish his task.

Thirty minutes. His mind blanked at that number. It was so much exhausting effort for only a couple minutes of actual use. He huffed.

It was a start, at least.

"...in Musutafu." Izuku craned his neck from his sweat filled spot on the floor, the television taking his attention. There was now a hero flying on the screen; a skintight suit of light blue with silver accents in the shape of wind currents adorning his form. "Slipstream himself has reportedly been in contact with this gang several times in the past, and his detailed captures of multiple members states that they use Quirkless people as in betweens for their members with Quirks. His use of high-speed air currents is imperative for capturing these weaker members, and I feel All Might is lacking his delicate touch as he grows older. Just yesterday-"

Izuku clicked off the newscast. He had heard enough propaganda to know that whenever All Might was being degraded, it was probably trash news. The number one hero still believed in him when he didn't, so Izuku would believe in the man regardless. It didn't help the bitter feelings whenever he met his hero, but it did help ease his guilt.

Still, he had other things to worry about. Like the fact that he couldn't really move anything beyond bending a finger; exhaustion crippling him in a way he hadn't thought possible. Or maybe the fact that the door to the room swung open and a familiar gasp rang into his ears.

"Izuku!" Miss Hikiru rushed over to his side, cradling his head in her hands. "What on Earth happened? Are you okay?"

His head lolled in her hands, burying down a rosy blush at the sudden contact. "I- I'm fine! Just te- testing some of m- my Quirks!"

"Testing? Izuku, I thought you promised not to hastily do things without supervision!"

"I- I know, b- but I think I got it!" Izuku said, hoping his words would assuage whatever feelings his crush was having. "I c- can use my Q- Quirk."

Miss Hikiru paused for too long of a second, staring past Izuku to his still comatose mother before a resplendent smile broke her face. "That's wonderful Izuku! I'm so happy for you!"

Izuku was ecstatic with the praise, happily blushing and trying to squirm in her arms. The day was weeks in the making, but it just kept getting better and better.

Soon he would be able to fix everything.

His happy musings were broken as the door to the hospital room swung open, a costumed hero standing in the doorway. Skintight blue with accents of silver were the first thing that Izuku could see, and he suddenly felt as if there was a slight breeze traversing the room, except the window had been shut tight due to a storm warning earlier that day. A half mask that only covered the top of the man's head adorned the man's face protecting everything everything about his identity other than the light browns that lit up as soon as his gaze landed on Izuku.

"S- Slipstream!" Izuku stuttered, trying to rise even with his tired body. The hero who was out there supposedly coming to help All Might was talking to him, but one thought struck him in the middle of his haze. "W- what are you doing h- here?"

Slipstream turned to the boy, his face studying Izuku. He frowned for a second before sighing. "You are… Izuku Midoriya, correct?"

"Y- yes! A- are you here for m- me?"

Miss Hikiru pulled izuku closer, and the boy caught a scowl beginning to form on her lips. "I think you have the wrong room, sir. Your mannerisms are not really selling a good message for a child here. Also, I don't think I've heard of a Slipstream in Japan's hero roster, so I'm going to have to ask for an ID."

"I apologize for how my actions seemed. I'm not really… good with people." The man winced, reaching into one of the pockets on the silver belt he wore. Izuku noticed the fact that now he noticed the man had thicker partitions in his suit that covered some of the more vital parts on his body. "Izuku's records give a much more... loose approximation on his mental state. Seeing young Izuku so coherent was something I didn't expect. By the way," Slipstream handed Miss Hikiru a card. "That's my hero card."

Miss Hikiru flipped the card around, eyebrow rising. "You're American? Your Japanese is really good, though."

"Yes, I have the advantage of having a good teacher, and the Longbow Heroics Laws helped me in crossing the borders so that I could help in taking care of the gang that has… invaded Musutafu." Slipstream turned back to Izuku, his lips in a firm, purposeful frown. "I'm here to also keep tabs on young Izuku here. One of his Quirks was listed to be a potential, permanent biological enhancer that could be given to both people with Quirks and the Quirkless. With the Legion of Tomorrow trying to expand here, it's best if they do not get their hands on Izuku."

Miss Hikiru's arms tightened around the boy in question, filling an unknown warmth that Izuku didn't know he needed. He leaned into the action, barely hearing the heated words the woman spat. "And is that something a boy his age should hear? He has enough on his mind to start to worry about kidnapping for god's sake!"

Izuku flinched at the shrill screech she gave off, finding the American hero's eyes locking with his. They didn't seem to guess if he was ready, nor did they seem to pause to reconsider their words. Slipstream just knew. Knew that sometimes sugarcoating things did more harm than good.

That was all Izuku needed to know before he opened his mouth. "I- it's fine. M- more importantly, what's this a- about my r- records?"

"Your police records." Slipstream said, not even faltering for a second. "They documented everything about your Quirks, and have given several more on potential counters." He paused, face falling into contemplation. "On the topic, have you given thought to your future?"

"T- the topic? Y- you mean my Q- Quirks?"

The hero hummed, a strained smile coming over his features one moment before disappearing in a display of professionalism. "Indeed, a man I looked up to once told me that I had my Quirk for a reason, and that to squander it would be a crime in and of itself. It's a sort of… motto for me as a hero: if I had the power to change the outcome of an event, why would I hide away. Why would I fail someone who could have been saved had I been there."

Izuku's breathing increased the more he heard. Everything the American hero said struck a chord in his heart strong enough to dislodge his determination to keep his Quirks away. Voices began trickling into his ears, screaming at him, laughing at him, jeering at whatever they could find.

Yet, no matter what they said, Izuku was paying attention to one thought going through his mind. Something that took up more of him than drowning out the tide of chaos of the villains in his head.

Izuku was guilty.

An incomprehensible guilt that seeped down his throat and choked a whine from it. It was stupid, some part of Izuku knew. However, how could he simply stand here and let people suffer while he had the abilities to change something, anything.

"And you do, Izuku. The toll is not so steep considering all the good you can do. All the lives you can save just by snipping one." Honey dripped into his ear, coaxing him.

For a damning second, Izuku faltered. He remembered there was a series of kidnappings happening in Mustafu quite close to where he lived. Perhaps, if he masqueraded as a child without aide, they'd come after him.

"No one would miss them," a voice chimed, almost in unison with Izuku's thoughts. Izuku could finally get rid of some of this guilt piling up on his shoulders, and save some people in the process. He would be a hero.

"N- no…" Izuku mumbled to himself. He felt it deep in his bones. These thoughts were not his, these answers were not his, and the voices in his head were all still there. "I- I can't be a h- hero."

Control slammed back into him in a trembling fit. The nine Quirks were hurled back into the corners of his mind, and Izuku shivered at how close he became. How simple words affected him so much.

His eyes darted around, swirling in his skull as he found himself in a chair while Miss Hikiru was yelling at Slipstream across the room.

The aero-kinetic hero looked apologetic, turning a slight frown Izuku's way. "I see you're back. My words were misspoken, young Izuku. Your seemingly innocuous coherency had given me a false sense of misplaced guidance. Perhaps when your control of your… emotional state increases, there will be a chance in the future to continue this conversation."

"Y- yeah," Izuku lied. His eyes failing to the floor, hoping his hero would leave soon. "M- maybe."

"I would hope so. Your Quirks are powerful, and would be a great boon to society. You simply keeping them to yourself would be selfish-"

"That's it!" Miss Hikiru pushed Slipstream, her hands failing to find purchase on his body despite clearly pushing against the man's sculpted figure, but containing enough force to shove him out the open door. Izuku's therapist flailed a bit at not grabbing hold of the hero, but caught herself long enough to shut the door in the man's face. "That's enough of that asshole!"

Izuku blinked at her, and she looked up just in time to see large, green eyes staring right back. Her hands zipped up to her mouth, clasping audibly.

"You didn't hear that, Izuku!"

"I- it's fine…" Izuku blushed, rosy warmth lighting up his cheeks. "I- I already know m- more."

Miss Hikiru looked aghast, sitting across from Izuku before frowning. "You better not be using that language, young man. I know All Might can't be here more than a couple minutes every week, but he can certainly reprimand you if you're using those words to be mean."

"I- I'm not! I swear!"

"I know," she hummed, reaching into her pocket to pull out her phone. A few seconds of tapping rang in Izuku's ears before she looked back to him. "Now, are you going to tell me about your interacting with your Quirk without supervision… again."

Izuku shriveled into himself. "I- I thought I could do it this time… a- and the first time d- didn't go too bad."

"Izuku, the first time we found you in a dark room with only your laptop screen as light all because you just listened to one of these… apparitions!" Miss Hikiru huffed, sending a brief glance to Inko Midoriya still dwelling in dreams. "They're just manifestations of your guilt trying to drag you down. It's your Quirk, Izuku, these people aren't real."

"W- what if they are." Izuku shuddered, remembering everything they ever said. After thinking about it. Forcing himself to recall all the little details, all of it seemed too real to just throw aside it as some misplaced schizophrenia. "T- their personalities are too d- developed for me to come up with. A- and I'm too c- conscious of them as w- well, and-"

A sigh broke him from his mumbles. "Izuku, I think, as your therapist, I have a better grasp on the matter."

Izuku wanted to scream at the self assured face of Miss Hikiru in front of him. Crush or not, Izuku didn't want to tell her that she wasn't really good at her job. That all she had done was probably look up what a therapist might have been.

However, the young boy held his tongue. She was a person who had stayed with him for months while others left in days. The crush he had on her just warmed those feelings of comfort.

In the end, that feeling was something he was severely starved of.

"Are you still thinking on that a- on Slipstream's words?"

Izuku nodded just for the change of subject, letting Miss Hikiru speak again. "Don't worry about him. American heroes all tend to hide their identity in some way, shape, or form; it tends to make them put on another mask that is more than physical. Besides, the Longbow Heroics Laws only state he can assist in villains arrest while cutting through customs, not messing with kids."

"O- oh, but his words w- were right… i- in some places."

"Izuku…" she sighed, reaching over to brush some of Izuku's green hair away from his face. "Don't let his words get to you. You're a wonderful kid, and I only hope that you can get over your guilt." Her features glitched for a moment, appearing to frown and smile at the same time. "I just know that whatever you set your mind to, you'll excel at. Just… take more care of yourself. You're only a kid."

The holder of the Nine looked down, a smile breaching his face once more. "O- okay…"

"Good!" Miss Hikiru smiled, her cheeks dimpling as she patted Izuku on his shoulders. "Now, how about we go get your mother a present for when you finally wake her up?"

Izuku nodded, childish innocence finally giving way as his hand slipped into his therapist's one. She was bad at her job, and sometimes forgot about him like All Might. However, whenever he was with her, Izuku felt like she always knew how to react. A perfect smile to light up any worries he had at the time.

And that was what mattered to the young boy. A sense of safety, and a place away from the prison that was his own body. The prisoners always knew what to say or do to keep him from smiling.

Yet, the smile of Izuku Midoriya never left that day.