章節 5: Shattered 1.05
[A/N: Word Count: 3470 words]
******
Izuku bit the nub of his pen as his feet tapped the oak floorboards underneath his desk. It was an hour before mid-day and a day after the entrance exam. Izuku thought he would somehow manage to get a couple of hours of sleep, but as expected, he stayed up all night, rerunning his performance in the exam from start to end.
A talent of Izuku's was his ability to analyze other people's strengths, weaknesses, potential areas of improvement, and quirk usage potential. Unfortunately, his self-analysis skills were somewhat…lacking.
It was probably a factor of long-rooted self-deprecation, bullying, and low self—worth, but currently, that was a moot point that could be tackled at a later date.
Looking back, Izuku doesn't really know what he expected his performance to look like.
But what he can say is he thought—no, he hoped, he could score at least one point. He hoped he could miraculously use his inherited quirk to propel him somewhere near the top of the leaderboard (at least the middle), but unfortunately, sometimes hope wasn't enough.
To be honest, it was an expected outcome. All Might gave him his quirk right before the exam started. He had no time to practice, and his nerves got the better of him, so he couldn't think of ways to activate it… not like it would have helped. At least, in the end, he learned how to use his quirk and destroyed the zero pointer—albeit with extreme physical consequences. He'll definitely have to learn how to control it. Let's put that on the long list of things to do.
He will pass the exam and be a great hero—that was the mantra he had been repeating since two o'clock this morning, trying to somehow hypnotize the powers that be. If that didn't work, plan B was to hopefully gain their pity.
His mom knocked on his door an hour later, telling him to be quiet and go back to bed—so instead, he began working out Quirk ideas for his new… friend? Oliver. Someone who would, without a doubt, pass the entrance exam with flying colors. Someone who would reach the top of the hero rankings in no time after his debut.
At first glance, Oliver seemed to have it all. He had a strong quirk and knew how to use it.
He was tall and imposing but warm and welcoming. His smile wasn't as grand as All Might's, but it was charming and disarming. And if Oliver decided to, for some reason, quit being a hero, he could become a model in a heartbeat. He had everything Izuku wanted—
But enough comparison for now. Another bad habit.
Izuku returned his attention to the twenty-ninth page of his diary—journal: Hero Analysis for the Future.
Oliver's name was written in block letters at the top of the page, and below were some of his tattoos and Izuku's concepts for them. From what Izuku could remember, since Oliver was wearing joggers that covered his lower half and a tank top, the only visible tattoos were on his hands, arms, and shoulders.
Determination of his quirk's capabilities: Oliver can—
A knock at his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. "Izuku, honey. What time did you say you were leaving?"
Izuku took a glance at the clock. 10:57 a.m. He should start getting ready to go. He still had to get cleaned up, pack his swimming clothes, grab a snack—wait didn't Oliver say he had a lot of food over there?
"In about thirty minutes," Izuku said. "You can come in."
Izuku's mom opened the door and smiled at her son. "I'm so happy you made some new friends yesterday."
And she really was. Izuku didn't really have anyone he could call a friend. He had Kaachan but, after all of the bullying, mean words, and him saying, "Take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a quirk in your next life," it kinda grayed the lines.
"What were their names again? Ochaco and Olivar, right?
Izuku shook his head. "That's her name, but his is pronounced Oliver."
"Oh, okay. How cool. Oliver. Kinda like olive? You should give him the nickname Olive! How cute would that be?"
Izuku got up from his chair and pushed his mom out of his room.
"Thanks for the idea, Mom, but he told us to call him Ollie. And I have to get ready to go so..."
She was now outside the door, a smile still on her face. She was probably more excited than Izuku was, being that she had seen Izuku come home countless times with tears in his eyes or bruises that appeared from him "falling" or "accidentally running into something."
She knew something was happening at school, but he dodged the topic every time she brought it up. So, of course, she was excited that only after one day, someone invited him—her son—to hang out.
"Okay, I get the hint," she said with a wink. I just wanted to let you know I'll be out pretty late tonight running some errands, but you have leftovers in the fridge, and I set your breakfast on the kitchen table, so hurry and eat it before it gets cold."
Inko leaned in and pulled Izuku into a hug he didn't expect to receive. "I'm so proud of you, baby. And I love you so much. I will always love you, no matter what. Don't ever forget that, okay." She leaned back to look Izuku in the eyes. Making sure he understood how serious she was. She probably said that because she could see how nervous he was about the exam results and didn't want him to be discouraged if he didn't get in. It was most likely going to happen.
Izuku smiled. "Okay. And I love you too, Mom. Go run your errands now."
Inko acquiesced and left Izuku to get ready.
******
Izuku got cleaned up, ate, and packed his swimming trunks, an extra set of underwear, and a juice bottle just in case he got thirsty. He was out the door and on the train within thirty minutes.
Once aboard, he pulled out his phone and texted Oliver.
Izuku: Just got on the train. Should be there in abt 20 min.
Oliver: Okay, cool. When you get off the train, just follow the directions to the address. You should see a cobblestone path leading to a black gate in the middle of a pretty big wall. Sohvi will pick you up in a black sedan and take you to the house.
That gave Izuku pause. Someone will pick him up and take him from the gate to the house? He couldn't just walk up?
Izuku: Okay, sounds great.
Oliver: See you soon. Call me if you need help finding the gate.
Izuku: Will do.
Izuku finished his text and went to put his phone in his pocket, but someone bumped into him, causing it to drop to the ground.
"Oh. I—I'm sorry!" Izuku said in habit as he looked up at the guy who bumped into him. He was lanky and had no hair on his face or head, revealing a landscape of deep wrinkles that furrowed across his forehead. He wore a gaudy black bomber jacket with spikes around the collar. His gray eyes were crossed and unfocused.
"Pass doch auf, du idiot." the man said with a frown, peering down at Izuku.
"I-I d-don't know-know what y-you're s-saying," Izuku mumbled, raising his hands desperately to convey his confusion. He instinctively backed away, his backpack pressed against the train's door.
That agitated the man.
He took a menacing step forward and grabbed Izuku by the collar, yanking him closer until their faces were inches apart. Izuku's eyes widened in horror, and he caught a glimpse of a barcode tattoo on the man's wrist as the sleeve of his bomber jacket shifted slightly.
"Redest du etwa zurück?" the man said slammed Izuku against the train door.
Izuku was about to piss his pants.
He was the one who had been bumped, but now a foreigner with gingivitis and alopecia was yelling at him, with his venomous spittle hitting his face. There were a few passengers on the train, but they were all elderly and probably deaf and half-dead.
Great. Just great.
Izuku honestly didn't know what to do. His instinct was to beg for mercy, but that plan was quickly discarded because the man looked completely out of it and didn't speak Japanese.
Izuku's eyes darted behind the man and landed on his phone near the train's exit. How in the hell did it get all the way over there?
The man's grip tightened, and Izuku's eyes snapped back to attention. "Bist du taub?" the man said. His breath smelled like a mixture of alcohol, sour milk, and vomit. It hit Izuku like a wall and made him almost gag.
He had to get away from this freak, now!
The train began to slow down, and a pleasant chime sounded over the intercom. An automated voice followed, "Next stop: Shizuoka Station. Please ensure you have all your belongings and prepare to disembark."
Izuku pointed behind the man with a shocked expression and screamed: "What is that?"
Mr. Cross-eyed Alopecia Gingivitis swiveled his head, and Izuku used that chance to escape.
He grabbed the man's arms with both hands and pushed up, thankfully with enough strength to be let go. Izuku dropped to his feet and shoved the man's chest with both hands. The man stumbled back, landing on his butt, and Izuku sprinted towards his phone.
He picked it up and was about to exit when a hand gripped his right ankle, causing him to tumble to the ground.
Izuku turned around to see the man's feral glare, but he didn't have time to worry about his impending death. He pulled his left leg back and kicked the man in the face—hard.
There was a crunch.
The man shouted in pain, and Izuku scrambled to his feet, running off the train as fast as his little legs could carry him. He darted through the passing crowd, ducking and weaving, trying to somehow blend in.
Shizuoka was busy—thank you, Universe—and at five-five—thank you, Mom and Dad—so he could easily disappear into the crowd.
After checking again and checking some more to make sure he wasn't being followed, he finally had a chance to gather his bearings.
He turned over his phone so he could check the GPS, but—
"The screen is broken. What the actual fuc—"
******
After half an hour of being lost, asking people for directions, and wandering through the busy streets, he finally reached the tall black gate in the middle of a long cement wall that spanned for miles. It was secluded in the middle of nowhere, away from what appeared to be all civilization.
He wondered if the old lady he ran into earlier gave him wrong directions because he mistook her for a man. It was a possibility, but the the woman leaning against a Cadillac curbed his concern.
"Izuku, I presume?" she said as Izuku approached. She had her arms crossed over her chest. Her red hair was neatly styled in a bun, her eyebrows raised, and her lips slightly downturned. She was wearing a tight, long-sleeve workout set that accentuated her figure, making it abundantly clear she was in phenomenal shape.
"Yes, ma'am. Are you So—"he forgot how Oliver spelled her name.
"Sohvi," She said, cutting off his attempt to butcher her name. "That's me. And you're—"Sohvi looked down at her watch. "Seventeen minutes later than anticipated."
"I'm so sorry! I had an incident on the train with this scary man who had bad breath and my phone broke and I didn't know how to get here so I had to ask a lot of people for directions and an old lady who looked like a man told me how to get here but I didn't believe her so—"
Sohvi held up her hand. "Do me a favor and take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of four—yup, now hold it for seven seconds… exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. Excellent, now do it again."
Izuku followed her directions to the letter. The vibe she gave off commanded obedience. He didn't want to find out why.
"Good job. How do you feel? Better?"
Izuku nodded like a pecking chicken. "Yes, ma'am."
"Great." Sohvi uncrossed her arms and opened the driver's side door. "Oliver's expecting you, so let's get a move on. That girl—"Sohvi frowned but quickly collected herself. "—is already here."
Izuku followed Sohvi into the car, and once buckled up, she pressed a button on the side of the steering wheel. The enormous metal gate—at least five meters tall—began to open from left to right, seamlessly merging into the concrete wall that blocked the view of what was behind it. There were no visible gaps in the gate. It was a solid barrier.
As the gate opened, it revealed a cobblestone path flanked by tall trees. The path was obviously well-maintained and winded up a long hill.
Izuku looked in shock at the distance the path would take them. He initially thought the gate would lead him to a neighborhood, but there was nothing but…land, trees, and cobblestone.
Peering at Izuku from her peripheral, Sohvi smirked. "Brandon had the same look when he saw how long this driveway was. What did he say it was…?—an inconvenience."
"…Brandon?"
"He's one of Oliver's bodyguards."
"One of?" Izuku mumbled. Oliver has multiple bodyguards?
Sohvi tilted her head. "Speaking of Oliver, do you mind reaching into the glove compartment and pulling out—yes, that and the pen, please."
Izuku reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a leather folder and an expensive-looking fountain pen.
"There are a few papers for you to sign. Please read them and sign on the line at the bottom. Take as long as you need to read over everything."
Izuku hesitantly opened the binder, and the top of the first page read: NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. Izuku flipped through to the last page—at least ten pages of text—and his eyes widened.
"W-why do I have to sign this…?" Izuku asked, his nerves starting to get the better of him. He had just been in an impromptu melee—if he could even call it that—and now he was in a car, heading to who knows where being forced to sign an NDA. At this point, he wouldn't be surprised if they asked for a sample of his blood next.
"It's standard protocol. Oliver is somewhat of a high-profile individual, and we have to take precautions in case someone plans to manipulate or target him." Sohvi glanced at Izuku and gave a beautiful smile. "You wouldn't do something like that, right, Izuku?"
Izuku shook his head so fast it was like he was trying to dislodge it. "No, ma'am!"
"That's good to know," Sohvi said as she nodded to the NDA. "But as a precaution, if you would please."
---
The words "Confidential Information," as used in this Agreement, shall include the following:
1. All information, oral or written, disclosed by Oliver Dean Bate or his representatives, including personal, health, financial, proprietary, business plans, operational procedures, and other confidential information;
2. The Recipient agrees to keep all information confidential, use it only for its intended purpose, protect it with reasonable care, and notify Oliver of any unauthorized use or disclosure;
3. Confidential Information does not include information that is public through no fault of the Recipient, known before disclosure, independently developed by the Recipient, or disclosed by a third party not bound by confidentiality;
4. Upon request, the Recipient must return or destroy all materials containing Confidential Information;
5. The Recipient's confidentiality obligations continue indefinitely unless…
---
This seemed... excessive, like the paperwork you'd get if you were about to join a secret villain society plotting for world domination.
Izuku was a stranger to NDAs, though, so he took his time to read over the paperwork and had to ask Sohvi what some terms meant. Ultimately, he signed it. It's not like he would have divulged any information anyway. He's not that type of guy… well, unless Oliver is really hosting a secret villain society, and in that case—
"We're here. You can hand that to me—thank you." Sohvi said, taking the NDA from Izuku and stepping out of the car. They had been parked for a while, but he was so concerned about not signing his life away that he didn't realize it. He got out of the car and finally looked up at the house—no, mansion. His mouth fell open.
It was massive, like something out of a fairy tale. A stone mansion with a slate roof, ivy creeping up the walls, and a grand staircase leading to the front doors. The lawns were perfectly manicured.
Izuku's eyes widened as he took it all in.
This wasn't just a house; it was an estate with everything looking so pristine and grand. The large windows reflected the mid-day afternoon sun. The perfectly trimmed hedges and topiaries framed the property, leading to the stone pathways that wound through the gardens. The entire estate gave off an old-money vibe.
He couldn't help but feel a bit…overwhelmed at the scale.
"You're drooling, Izuku," Sohvi said, slightly upturning her lips. She walked up the steps with perfect posture, Izuku in tow.
"Oliver wasn't sure what your favorite food was, so we're preparing a spread of various cuisines that will be served later. Of course, if you get hungry before then, the chef can prepare a snack in advance."
A chef? Izuku's mouth was still open, but he nodded in response.
She led him into the mansion. The foyer was large and encompassing, enough to hold about fifty people. Three large arches, two on both sides of him and one in front, encompassed him. They probably led to what he presumed to be the separate sections of the mansion.
The tall ceilings instantly caught his eye, followed by the crystal chandelier, the floor-to-ceiling white pillars, and the marble floor.
"I'm sure Oliver can give you a tour later if you want," Sohvi said as she led him straight ahead. I will take you to the second wing, where you will mostly likely remain for the duration of today's visit."
They walked down the hall, and artwork flanked them on both walls. They reached the hall's end, and Sohvi stopped before large mahogany double doors with gold accents around their edges. She turned to Izuku.
"So, Izuku." Sohvi started. "What do you think of Oliver."
That took Izuku by surprise. He didn't know where the abrupt question came from, but he answered nonetheless, "Um... I would say he's… nice..." It came out more like a question than a statement.
But it was the truth. Izuku didn't have much to go by—they just met yesterday—but if he was honest, Oliver had treated him nicer than most people.
"He is nice. Nicer than you could even imagine. So if you ever try to take advantage of him—"
The double doors opened. "Okay, Sohvi. You don't need to scare him, too." Oliver cut in with a stiff smile aimed at Sohvi. "Glad you could make it. You weren't responding to my text, so I was worried."
"Oh, yeah." Izuku took his phone out of his pocket. "I dropped it on the train, and the screen broke."
Oliver nodded. "That makes sense. Sorry about that." He put his hand on Izuku's shoulder and ushered him away from his guard dog. "Thank you, Sohvi. I'll take it from here."
Sohvi smirked. With a wink to Izuku, she disappeared back down the hall.
"So, did you bring swimming trunks? If you didn't, I have some extra—"
"I did—" Izuku said, slinging off his backpack. He set it down and reached in. Feeling around, his bag was sticky for some reason. He pulled out his trunks, and they were drenched in purple liquid from the juice bottle he packed.
It must have happened when he fell on the train. The backpack was completely water-resistant; no wonder Izuku didn't feel it until now.
"—well… I did, but..." Izuku mumbled.
Honestly, these past couple of days haven't been going his way.
Oliver glanced at the grape juice-drenched trunks. "It's not that big of an issue. Do you mind handing me your bag? Thank you. And the trunks, too. I'll have everything washed and ready for you before you leave. Just sit tight, and I'll bring some trunks you can wear."
Oliver left Izuku alone. Or so he thought.
"Hey Izuku! Finally made it, I see."
Izuku turned and was met with Ochaco's smile and her two-piece bathing suit.
His face burned red. "H-hi…O-o-ochaco."
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