Chương 15: Interlude - Midoriya Izuku
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Disc: HrPrTeam
-Story Start-
April 9th, 2234.
Evening.
Within the home of one of the many examinees eagerly anticipating the results from U.A.
An uneasy stillness covered the entire household upon receiving the troubling news.
"I am sorry, Young Midoriya. You failed." All Might's voice reverberated loudly in the room filled with posters and merchandise singing his praises.
His usual smile was curved to an awkward and uncomfortable smile; twitching each moment as the Number 1 Hero did his best not to frown, for the sake of the boy on the receiving end of the disappointment.
...
Midoriya Izuku.
15-Year-Old.
The boy who inspired All Might to go beyond.
The boy who reminded All Might of the true essence of Heroism.
All Might's protege, his student.
The inheritor of his Quirk...
The 9th Successor Of One For All.
But now?
He was nothing more than...
'A dissapointment.' He thought, but then he came across a far more fitting term.
A far, far more fitting and infuriating term.
It stung, but it was true.
He...
He should have expected this result.
Kacchan was right all along.
Izuku is...
"A Deku." He spat out weakly, tears welling in his eyes as his hands trembled and his breath hitched.
For a moment, Izuku's mind raced with negative thoughts.
Each time, his mind gravitated to the tempting advice Kacchan had offered him.
'Jumping off a roof and reincarnation with a quirk, huh...?'
His mind went into a dark place, his heart drumming as a cold sweat ran down his entire visage.
'All Might trusted me... believed in me and I...' The tears began running down his cheeks.
Clenching his aching fist, the effects of One For All at its full power still hadn't healed completely, even with Recovery Girl's help.
"S-Should I... return it?" He couldn't help but mumble out loud, his tone came out as a tremble.
Just then, his attention was seized by All Might's voice once more, the recording hadn't ended.
"But! It is not yet over for you, Young Man!" All Might regained a ferocious and determined glint in his eye, pointing at the camera, at Izuku.
Suddenly, the voice of someone unknown came out, "Umm, You're going off scri-"
"You still have a chance to get into the Hero Course by proving yourself! Your Written Exam results are more than enough to get into the General Course and through means like the Sports Festival you may be-" He ranted, trying his best to provide support, only for someone to cut him off, a voice sourced from offscreen.
"All Might we're out of time, you need to record the others." A stern voice chastised the sheepish Hero.
"Mhm, I see." He nodded matter-of-factly.
Leaning into the camera, he whispered, "Young Midoriya, you must call me back after you receive this and meet me at the Beach. If you do not, I'll call you myself. It is of vital importance." He nodded with a serious expression.
With that, the recording turned off and the hologram ended.
Izuku's spirit had brightened up slightly at All Might's encouragement.
However...
'Prove myself in the General Studies Course...' He contemplated with a frown, wiping his face from his tears.
He wanted to give up.
To hand out the Quirk that allowed All Might to reach the status of Symbol Of Peace back to him, or to someone more worthy than him.
...
More worthy.
Who is more worthy than Midoriya Izuku to inherit such power?
Such a question came with an immediate answer from him.
'Anyone-'
But that answer was dismissed.
'...Why did All Might choose me?' He questioned once more.
The door to his room was locked, his mother, Inko knocked gently on the door, her tone laced with worry and anxiety, "Izuku, are you okay in there?"
Her voice went ignored, Izuku's mind was in a critical moment, and it allowed no distraction from digging further into his next moves:
Into who he is.
Into who he wants to be.
Into what he should do.
...
He recalled those words from All Might, his fists clenching at that fond memory.
The only time in his life that he felt worthy; a sense of pride and achievement in himself.
"You can be a Hero."
Those words repeated and echoed in his mind.
He didn't want fame.
He didn't want money.
He didn't want power.
Nor did he desire a title.
He had only one, yearning desire.
An obsession that he managed to dig from the deepest trenches of his consciousness and being.
A voracious need to...
Save others.
Blinking, Izuku's mouth hung loose, and a simple yet profound realization came into his mind, "That's right... I want to be a Hero."
Slowly, he rose from his couch, his expression slowly gaining color and determination.
Could there possibly be someone better to inherit and use One For All properly than him?
In Izuku's mind, certainly.
But the man Izuku adores and trusts more than anyone in the world...
Believed that it could only be him.
And Izuku will cling and strive to live up to that belief and expectation as if his life depended on it.
'Proving myself in the General Studies course... relying on All Might's kindness and favoritism...'
No...
He refuses.
Midoriya Izuku needs no more favors, no more preferential treatment.
Call it his first selfish act, he didn't care.
He'll prove himself, for himself - he will burden others no longer.
He's gained the greatest Quirk in the world and he'll be damned if he can't make it work.
"I'll become a Hero from this point with my own efforts... no one else's." He nodded to himself as he headed towards the door, the knocking starting to be frantic.
Opening the door with an awkward yet disarming smile, he greeted his mother, "Hey Mom..."
Inko's motherly instincts and having lived with him her entire life had clued her in on the result, and without saying anything she hugged him tightly, "Oh... Izuku... It'll be alright." She empathetically voiced out with a sniff.
Hugging her back tightly, Izuku fought back tears despite his new resolve, "I failed the exam." He let out.
"I know, I'm so sorry..." Inko apologized sincerely.
Shaking his head, Izuku let go of the hug, looking his mother squarely in the eyes, raw emotion mixed with determination in his gaze, "I-I'll be fine, I'll do better."
Nodding, wiping off her own tears, inquiring, "In the General Studies Course?"
Izuku smiled lowly, "I won't burden you. I promise."
Her eyes narrowed, "You're my baby, you'll never be a burden to me. Just... know that I love you and take care of yourself, please? D-Don't let it keep you down. U.A.'s General Studies is still a prestigious course, you could eve-"
Izuku nodded with closed eyes, breathing out, "Thank you. It's thanks to you I'm not a complete mess right now." He smiled an insecure and self-deprecating smile.
Without giving her the chance to respond, he walked away to grab his shoes, "I'll be going out for a breather. I need to work out anyway."
Giving him a worried and hesitant look, Inko nodded, warning, "Come back soon, okay? I'll whip up something to brighten the mood." She smiled gently.
Mirroring her expression as his grip tightened on the handle of the door, he replied, "I'd like that, be back soon!" He yelled.
Once outside, he was greeted with the setting sun and a cool breeze.
A longing, tired glint in his eye formed at the beauty of it, shaking his head as he reminded himself that now, more than ever, was not the time for self-pity.
Lowering his head to his pocket, he took his phone out and dialed - 'Toshinori Yagi'.
-------------------------------
Standing along the clean shores of Takoba Municipal Beach; the very beach that served as Izuku's training and measuring stick of progress - the clean beach he dirtied his hands to restore to a beautiful paradise of gold dust and water.
A chilly wind blew past Izuku, sending a chill down his spine.
He turned to look at the moon, the sun having set a long while ago.
Truth be told, he was standing there for a good hour and a half.
But for a busy Hero like All Might?
He'd wait even a few days if he must.
Whatever the case, All Might had stated he'd be a little late.
Just then, as Izuku yawned in exhaustion, a loud and familiar voice called out to him.
"Young Midoriya!" The voice shouted.
Izuku turned to be met with the familiar figure of All Might - in the shape of the unrecognizable and skeletal Toshinori Yagi rushing to him, grasping his injured stomach as he ran.
"All Mig- Toshinori-san!" Izuku cried out in worry, as he rushed to meet the skeletal and feeble-looking man, his rushed steps kicking sand in the air.
Arriving within arm's length of each other, All Might flashed a reassuring smile, "I apologize for my tardiness, young man. I was a bit preoccupied."
Blinking, Izuku's expression gained a hint of worry, "A Villain?"
Rising up to his full height after catching his breath, All Might shook his head with a chuckle, "Not quite. One of our prized students for the 1st year came with a very loud complaint regarding... his placement in the Hero Program."
The reminder of the Hero Program sent a tang of bitterness down Izuku's spine, but he shook his head to focus on the issue at hand, "And it worked out, right? You dealt with it?" His trust in All Might radiated from each syllable that left his lips.
Humming, All Might shook his head, "While he did stir up quite the commotion, the Principal managed to strike a deal with him. I'd say he's a rather... bold and astute young man." He awkwardly complimented the troublemaker, sugarcoating as he always did.
Lowering his head, Izuku nodded, "If everything is fine, then I'm glad..."
Suddenly, Izuku's eyes widened as All Might's skeletal hands clutched his shoulders with a strength that betrayed his untransformed visage, "Everything is not fine, my boy!" He growled with frustration and disappointment.
Yet...
Izuku's eyes teared up as he realized to whom the disappointment was directed...
All Might sincerely apologized, taking responsibility for Izuku's situation, "I apologize, Young Midoriya. Your failure is my failure... I should have trained you better." He frowned deeply.
But All Might's lips immediately curved upwards, "Thus, do not be discouraged! As I had told you in the recording, you can still join the Hero Program, it would only take a little longer."
Nodding, All Might's excitement and motivation began to rise with his tone, "I'll do my best to squeeze in training sessions with you when you are in the General Studies Program, we'll get you to the Hero Course in no ti-"
Izuku cut him off with a relieved smile, his words and tone caught All Might completely off-guard.
"Thank you, for trusting in me, Toshinori-san... but I can't burden you anymore."
All Might's mouth hung loose as he took a second to collect himself, "What are you saying, Young Midoriya?"
Lowering his head, Izuku clenched his fist as his voice echoed pure determination, "All my life I've lived as a Quirkless nobody... no hope to fulfill my dream, my purpose - to help those in need."
He lifted his head, standing tall as he continued, "Until you came into my life. Shattered my dreams and rebuilt them on the very same day... trusting me, believing in me that I can be a Hero."
Shaking his head, Izuku chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I have no confidence in myself, and not passing the U.A. Exam did me no favor in that regard as well..."
All Might frowned at that, placing his hand reassuringly on Izuku's shoulder, "Young Midoriya, I-" He was cut off yet again.
"But I do trust in you! I believe in the All Might that believes in me!" His voice grew in strength, as his voice resonated in the otherwise empty beach.
All Might's pupils dilated as he looked at Izuku with a dumbfounded look, still trying to understand the point he was making.
Izuku uttered what he wanted to say with a hint of struggle, "So I... I don't need any more favors or any more help... I'll prove myself worthy of your belief through my own efforts."
"Worthy of One For All." He declared with all his willpower.
All Might's eyes widened as he understood what Izuku was trying to say, "So you..."
Izuku nodded, "Yes, I won't be enrolling in General Studies or in U.A. at all."
...
A contemplative yet tense moment passed, as All Might considered Izuku's words and new-forged resolve.
Taking a hard look at Izuku's determined yet hesitant gaze; that look that fears rebuke or rejection.
All Might couldn't help but sigh and shake his head.
A proud smile formed on his face, "When I was young, I had been separated from my Sensei against my will." He recalled with a pained glint in his eye.
Izuku frowned at that tragic piece of information regarding All Might's life.
"During our time together, I promised myself to strive to become just like her." He knowingly stated.
"To do just as she did with me with my future successor when the time came; striving to be better of course." He chuckled.
"So I asked myself... what would she do in my shoes right now?" He shook his head.
Strengthening his grip on Izuku's shoulder All Might nodded reassuringly, "Our mortal enemy is long gone... your path to Heroism shouldn't be under such pressure as mine was."
He gave a thumbs-up, "I trust you. but only if you have something proper in mind." He noted sternly.
Sniffing and fighting back the urge to tear up for the umpteenth time this day, Izuku nodded, "Thank you, for everything."
All Might suddenly transformed into his muscular form, "HAHAHAHAHA! DO NOT WORRY YOUNG MAN! NOW! SPIT IT OUT, WHAT IS YOUR PLAN OF ACTION?"
Izuku nodded eagerly, lifting his finger, "So my plan is..."
-------------------------------
"Welcome to MightBurger! Where our burgers make you go Plusssss Ultraaaa~!" Izuku called out with a mix of enthusiasm and awkwardness.
"U-Umm what can I get you today?" He asked with a friendly smile.
The customers appeared rather distraught by Izuku's over-the-top enthusiasm and confounded even further by it being followed up with shy awkwardness.
A tired and rather indifferent tone called out to him, "Tone it down with the enthusiasm if you can't handle it, Midoriya."
Blinking, Izuku with his signature MightBurger Cap turned to his senior, "G-Got it! Thank you Choso-senpai!"
"Mhm." Choso waved him off.
...
A Hero's Journey isn't always wrought with glory and spotlight, now is it?
From Zero To Hero.
This is how Deku's Journey, truly began.
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Well well well.
I did say it'll be from rags to riches right?
FROM ZERO TO HERO?!
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
Now, of course, the details as for what plan or deal Izuku struck with All Might will be showcased later, but if you want to you can try and logically piece together what he could work with.
Either way, there's a logical and personal reason (That I had to make up, ofc) that made sense for Izuku to flip burgers in a fast food joint.
Anyway!
Hope the chapter's been to your enjoyment, Izuku's POV will come very rarely if at all.
But you'll be seeing him from Choso-centric chapters so don't worry.
Anywho!
Love ya! Cya! Bu Bye!
I'll also appreciate any and all constructive criticism and feedback regarding the characters that appear in this fic (Especially my representation of the Bruzzahs.)
If ya'll feeling frisky and rich you can donate to my P A T R E 0 N to show some nice and kind support.
Here's the link:
patre0n.com/BurgerNoTomatoes
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