Chapter 21: From Peter to Izuku
First the exposition, then Project Pegasus's labs, and now this, Stark thought grimly as he scanned what remained of Washington Square Park. What was visible was illuminated by flickering, fading flames. What wasn't was obscured by the darkness of encroaching night and plumes of smoke. Not even the twinkling of stars could be seen through the haze; not that Manhattan was a great place for stargazing, anyway. This evening has been one giant clusterfuck from start to finish.
And then there's these two, Stark's visor settled on the boy and girl he'd given Peter the a-okay to restrain. Being that they were the only ones visible in the park, it was safe to at least consider the possibility they were involved in this attack somehow, although now...looking between the girl's dumbstruck face and the boy's awestruck face, he was beginning to think he'd made his judgment a bit prematurely.
"O-oh my gosh!" Izuku said, positively star-struck. "It's the United States' Number Two Pro Hero Iron Man! And his protégé, the Number Ten Pro Hero Spider-Man! I can't believe I'm actually meeting them face-to-face!"
"This isn't how I wanted to meet Mr. Stark, though..." Mei quietly muttered, weakly tugging at the webbing adhering to her backside and jet pack.
Great, Stark mentally sighed. I asked for a perp and fate throws me a fanboy...
"Spider-Man used his own special webbing on me!" Izuku muttered furiously. "A shear-thinning long-chain polymer formula with a consistency far tougher than that of nylon!"
Yep. Fanboy.
"I hope I never have to wash the back of this cloak ever again!" Izuku whispered as he glanced over his webbed cloak in adoration. The bottom tips of the cloak bunched up into fibrous fists and gave the boy a quick thump over the head. "Hey!"
"Alright, time to get to the bottom of this," Stark sighed. He glanced over at Peter, who seemed just as confused as he was. "Alright kid, get them to their feet so we can ask some questions before the authorities arrive."
"Right away Mr. Stark—uh, Iron Man!" Peter corrected himself. It was difficult sticking with hero aliases when you knew so many heroes on a first-name basis. He approached Izuku first to bring the boy to his feet—
"Cease and desist, gentleman," Strange sounded out as he stepped into view of the two heroes. "Those two are not the cause for the destruction you see before you."
"Doctor Strange?" Peter asked with widened eyes after the three heroes stared at each other in silence for a moment.
"Strange?" Stark's visor concealed his face, but the surprise was evident in his voice. "Well I'll be damned, this must be serious if Stephen Strange himself crawled out of that cave you call a brownstone."
"What took you so long, Stark?" Stephen said sternly, pushing through the snark.
"Geez, you're grumpier than usual," Stark replied, his visor lifting up and revealing his face underneath. "You been watching reruns of House again?"
"Such childishness—"
"Relax, Chandu!" Stark retorted, earning a scowl from Strange. "I was already dealing with another incident before I got called out to the Project Pegasus labs!"
"Another incident?" Strange's face paled considerably, wondering if Ikiji had committed even more malicious mischief than he previously thought. "Was it related to what occurred here?"
"That's what we're here to find out," Stark said. "And given the severity of the situation here, I'm tempted to say that they are."
"How severe are we talking?" Strange asked as he strode forward. "Stark?"
"...Several of the Iron Legion were stolen from Avengers Tower," Stark responded bleakly. "No trace of the perp on security either."
Strange whirled around in thought as Izuku and Mei watched the scene unfold in silence. The Iron Legion. Stark's group of droids armored in his likeness that functioned as security and support whenever and wherever the Avengers required them. For several drones to be whisked away into the night right from under Stark's nose, at Avengers Tower no less, was a serious breach of security.
But was Ikiji responsible? Strange thought to himself. He recognized his fallen apprentice's handiwork all over the incident with Project Pegasus, and could even infer what his motives might be, but had he also targeted Stark's drones and managed to get away without being caught on security? It seemed unlikely. Another party was probably responsible for the theft of Stark's property, but who?
Questions for another time, Strange mused as he turned back toward Stark and Peter. "No, given what I know, I don't believe these incidents are directly related," Strange finally said. "The villain responsible for the thefts is a separate entity than the villain who carried out this wanton destruction."
"And where is the villain responsible for all this, then?" Stark asked. "You didn't let him get away just because you're not technically a Pro Hero, did you?"
"Oh, he's here...and there...and there..." Mei snickered, drawing a mortified look from Izuku.
"Mei!" Izuku yelled, appalled by his new acquaintance's choice of words. "Too soon!"
"Excuse me?" Stark asked as he turned toward the two adolescents he had Peter web up, looking at the chagrined green-haired boy and then the pink-haired girl. "Mind letting me in on the joke, Inkling?"
"My protégé—the boy—and his acquaintance—the girl—defeated the villain responsible for the attack at the labs and here," Strange informed them.
Excuse me, what? Stark blinked as he focused down on Izuku who had fallen silent, a discomforting disquietude settling over the boy as he stared down at the ground. What excitement he had in his eyes, voice, and body movements had all but vanished now, reduced to zero. The boy was clearly made uncomfortable about something, and Stark could possibly guess what it was.
"Protégé, huh?" Stark asked as he stepped closer to Izuku. "I assume you've explained to him the dangers of using magic along with vigilante activities, right, Strange?"
"As much as I would have liked for my student to not be involved in such conflicts, what happened here was most assuredly self-defense, Tony," Strange assured.
Magic? Mei wondered as she looked between Strange, Stark, and the suddenly crestfallen Izuku. What on earth was Mr. Stark talking about? Had he meant to say 'Quirk'? It was pretty jarring hearing her scientifically-minded idol throwing such a ludicrous word and a ludicrous concept around like that.
"You defeated the villain?" Stark asked Izuku, receiving a nod from the boy. "Where is he now?"
"He's...dead, sir," Izuku replied meekly.
Ah, there's the rub, Stark thought. He got the hint loud and clear. Whatever villain was attacking this Square Park and the people in it met his end by this boy's hands—the hands of Doctor Strange's student. It was a hard pill that many an aspiring hero found difficult to swallow, the inevitability of death—whether by their own hands or the hands of villains—that came with the profession. Sorcerers, Stark knew, were no different. Strange was no stranger to death nor was he above killing enemies when he deemed it necessary.
Better now than later, Stark told himself as he approached Izuku and Mei. If the boy was going to become a sorcerer in Strange's footsteps, then as far as Stark was concerned, he needed to face this reality before he found himself standing against the kind of mystical or cosmic opponents he knew Strange was familiar with.
"Hold still, kiddos," Stark sighed as he raised his arms toward them. A fine icy mist began spraying out from his armored gauntlets, causing the two would-be U.A students to shiver as it cascaded atop their heads and shoulders. The adhesiveness of Spider-Man's webbing began degrading almost immediately, sagging off their backsides in soggy heaps.
As soon as he completely free of the webbing, Izuku got to his feet and briskly walked away from the scene, his head hanging low and his cloak wrapped around his body, as if trying its best to comfort him, though it sadly seemed ineffective.
"Hey, Midoriya, where are you—!" Mei yelled out to Izuku, stepping forward as if to follow after him, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her from taking another step. Mei turned and looked up to see Doctor Strange gazing down at her, a face that was seemingly equal parts strict and sympathetic.
"Let him go," Strange said gently as all eyes present slowly drifted after the boy, who stepped over debris and rubble before sitting down atop a patch of fountain wall not destroyed by Marcus's indiscriminate shockwave attack.
Geez... Stark thought before glancing over at Peter. An idea suddenly spawned in his head, something that might kill two birds with one stone. "Spider-Man," Stark said, jostling his own protégé to attention. "Look after him, will you?"
"Wha—? Me?" Peter asked incredulously, the eyes of his costume widening comically in conjunction with the eyes beneath. "But, I-I'm not very good at this kind of thing—" But Stark's face left for no compromise or alternative. Giving a resigned nod, Spider-Man slowly approached Izuku and took a seat next to him, their conversation well out of earshot of the others.
"Now then," Stark said, turning his attention away from the boys and to the sole girl on the scene. "I guess I can ask you a few questions—huh? You okay, kid?"
Mei was also keeping her gaze glued to the ground, as if in shame, as she cradled the remains of a gadget of some kind in her hands. It looked singed beyond conventional repair, with prongs and metal bits dangling pathetically by a mere handful of wiry threads.
"This, uh, isn't how I wanted to meet you, Mr. Stark," Mei said without looking up at her idol. "I don't feel I should even ask you for an autograph or anything."
"You were at the Junior's Exposition," Stark said with a hint of recognition in his voice. "First place jet pack from your Junior High Science Fair if I remember correctly. Rudimentary design and functionality, but not at all unimpressive."
"But I don't want to just be unimpressive!" Mei suddenly countered. "Building things—being an inventor of Support gadgets—that's my passion! I got part of that passion from you, who's the very best! I can't stand meeting you like this...being unable to show you the absolute best of my babies and only coming out as 'not unimpressive'! But all I have to show for tonight is a rudimentary design...and now a broken failure of mine."
Stark stayed silent as Mei espoused her remorse and contriteness. He eyed the remains of her ionic torch in her hands, recalling vividly now the critical failure of the device when she was presenting it to a passing panel of judges, forcing her to shut it down before it blew and effectively sealing her fate in terms of scoring. But even in spite of that...it had still caught his eye, briefly as it may have been.
And anything that caught Tony Stark's eye was worth a second glance, at the very least.
"Broken failure, huh?" Stark asked, getting down on one knee to get a better look at Mei's torch. "Last time I saw that thing it was still in one piece. What happened to it?"
"I turned it on and threw it at the villain," Mei replied lamentably. "It blew and gave Midoriya and the man that was with him enough time to escape his grasp."
The man that was with him? Stark shot a questioning glance toward Strange, who was standing impassively to the side, looking toward his student, though it was clear the sorcerer was also listening in on his conversation, too. Stark mentally sighed—yet another question for later.
"So you used your broken torch to help an innocent," Stark deduced. "Doesn't sound like a much of a failure to me."
"What?" Mei looked up at him, the surprise and even the hint of fear on her face clearly discernible to Stark. "But my torch—"
"Blew up? Didn't do as you intended?" Stark hazarded a few guesses to what Mei was going to say. "Listen, kid: the gadgets we inventors build for others, whether they be heroes or not, don't become failures when they don't do what we built them to do. They become failures when wedeem them failures."
"Failure is the mother of invention," Stark continued. "Thomas Edison once said that. Just because an invention doesn't work as intended doesn't mean the effort is wasted...and your efforts certainly weren't wasted if they saved Broccoli Hair over there."
Mei cracked the smallest of smiles, and Stark saw that he had gotten through to her in some way. He reached out and retrieved the broken remains of her torch into his own armored hands as a bluish liquid substance seeped through his armor and enveloped the busted invention.
"What are you—?" Mei began to ask.
"It's alright," Stark interjected as the bluish substance began molding the device back together, pushing wires and metal bits back in place and filling the gaps of what was missing. "I'm just using my Quirk on your torch."
Oh right. His Quirk. A power Stark had all but perfected in his rise to the top of both Heroics and inventing. Just as any normal body produces both red and white blood cells, Stark's body also produced a near endless amount of nanites that he could bond with any technology. It granted a direct interface with any electronic device, which he used to complement the many armors he wore while working as a Pro Hero. The nanites could also repair technology it bonded with, restoring it to previous undamaged states.
Stark, being the eccentric and distinctive person that he was, gave his unique Quirk an equally unique name: he called it...Extremis.
The bluish substance—the millions upon millions of nanites Stark used on the torch—retreated back beneath his armor, leaving what seemed to be a perfectly restored ionic torch in Stark's hands.
"You...fixed it..." Mei whispered, peering over her restored torch with wonder in her voice.
"I didn't really 'fix it' as much as I simply put it back together," Stark corrected her. "Functionally, it's exactly the same as it was before: every bit the broken failure you deemed it as."
The already weak smile faltered and Mei glanced down at her torch contemplatively, reflecting on Stark's words.
"You should think about what I said," Stark added. "Those that reach the top never do so without failing every now and then, sometimes often. The best of the best are never above failure, myself included. So embrace it, kid. Embrace your failures. You'll never get far without them."
When Stark sent Peter to look after the green-haired boy, a wave of apprehension swelled in the young hero's chest. It was an aspect of hero work that he wasn't quite skilled at or even really comfortable with given how relatively fresh his career still was. Hell, even during his Provisional License Exam, it was listed as an area he was weak in, and he naively thought he had all the basics nailed to a tee.
Quirk training? Check.
Beating up bad guys? Check.
Friendly, approachable attitude? Double check.
Being perfectly emotionally supportive of people in obvious distress? Less than a check...?
He couldn't help it that he always ended up so awkward around other people! That awkwardness stubbornly persisted, too, even in spite of his comical nature and the snark he'd picked up from Mr. Stark. Perhaps it was just residual from when he was primarily a loner. Before he joined the Avengers or participated in his Hero Internships in High School, Peter could never recall being outwardly social or particularly extraverted.
Having his first internship with Deadpool probably didn't help much, either.
So when Peter took an awkward seat next to Izuku on the crumbling fountain wall and seeing the palpable despondency on the younger boy's face, Peter began wracking his brain for possible solutions and ways to approach this.
Well, I guess I could...start with a joke? Maybe if I can at least make him crack a smile, he'll open up to me better!Peter thought. The simplest solutions are often the best.
"So..." Peter spoke to Izuku, trying a bit too hard to sound as casual as possible. "Doctor Strange's protégé, huh?" Upon receiving a slow nod from Izuku, Peter pressed on. "Has he taught you any of his fancy card tricks yet?"
"...What?" Izuku cautiously asked as he turned to look at Peter.
Oh, he's, uh, looking at me like I've grown a second head,Peter thought. Not the reaction I was hoping for!
"I'm...sorry, Spider-Man," Izuku said with a forced smile. "As excited as I was to actually be able to meet you...I'm not exactly in the mood for jokes."
"Yeah, I understand," Peter said with a sigh. "I got to admit, even though everyone says I'm really exceptional at fighting villains and being a positive role model for newer heroes, I'm not very good at the whole 'consoling' part of being a Pro."
Izuku gave Peter a bit of a softer look, exerting a lot less strain on keeping up his fake smile. He was fairly surprised, hearing such an admission from a hero like Spider-Man who publicly carries himself about as being extremely humorous, even clownish at times.
"Perhaps this will help a bit," Peter muttered before surprising Izuku even further by pulling off his spider mask, revealing the brown hair and hazel eyes that lied beneath, along with a slightly nerdy face that Izuku could tell somewhat resembled his own. The comparison between the two of them was much more comforting than the comparisons he had drawn between himself and Marcus.
"The villain you faced here in the park...you killed him, didn't you?" Peter asked softly, cutting straight to the matter at hand.
"He was a lot like me," Izuku gulped, composing himself as best he could. "He was Quirkless like me, suffered unjustly throughout his life, he even said the same thing I once said, about how Quirkless didn't have to mean powerless. Having to fight against someone I could relate with so strongly...it was disturbing, to say the least."
Peter nodded along as Izuku spoke. He sympathized with Izuku, having seen firsthand the kind of discrimination Quirkless people had to endure on a daily basis. It wasn't nearly as prevalent as it had once been, but one didn't need to do much digging to find it all the same.
"Spider-Man," Izuku faced Peter with a beseeching look. "Please tell me: how do you deal with this? I always tacitly knew that heroes risked being put in these situations, but killing that man...it made me feel awful."
"Hmm..." Peter rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he tried to think of a proper response; he ended up sticking with plain old honesty. "To tell you the truth, I've yet to actually end the life of a villain myself."
"Oh..." Izuku whispered, sounding more than a little bit helpless again.
"But," Peter continued. "You still felt that you had a responsibility to put an end to that man's attack, didn't you? You had the power to stop him from hurting innocent people, and so you fought him. Even in spite of his circumstances, in spite of his story, his pain, and especially the similarities between the two of you." He gave Izuku a genuine smile. "It's...Midoriya, right? Listen, Midoriya, when someone has the power to prevent bad things from happening, but doesn't, those things—villain attacks or not—happen because of them. It's a lesson I wish I had learned when I was your age."
Izuku perked up at that. "What do you mean?"
"You know my Quirk, right?" Peter asked. "My 'Spidey Sense'? It's a precognition type of Quirk that alerts me to incoming danger. But when I was your age I tried abusing it in some less than legal underground fighting matches in order to raise a bit more money for my aunt and uncle. Well, the man running the gig wouldn't give me the earnings I'd won, and then a thief stole what money he'd kept. He asked me to help stop the man, but...I didn't. I let him escape. I ignored the sinking feeling in my gut and did nothing except watch that thief run off into the night."
"What happened next?" Izuku asked, enthralled by the story Spider-Man was telling him, even though he didn't like where it was clearly headed.
"That same man killed someone I loved," Peter said, clearing his throat as he reminisced his most profound failure thus far. "I had the power to stop him. I didn't. My uncle's death was on me. I swore then that I'd become the hero he always thought I could be, stopping villains and preventing tragedies wherever I could. That's the promise of responsibility I carry out every day, in his memory."
Izuku was floored. Hearing Spider-Man describe such a personal tragedy, all in the hope that he could gleam an important lesson from it, made him respect the young Pro Hero that much more.
"A promise of responsibility..." Izuku whispered. "And that promise alone helps keep you going forward, even through situations like what I went through?"
"No, not alone," Peter conceded. "Over the last four years I've been lucky enough to find support and advice from a variety of people. If advice with continuing onward in the face of adversity is what you need, then I can help with that. 'Whatever happens after this, just promise me one thing: that you will stay who you are. Not as some perfect hero, but as a good man.' That's what Cap told me."
"Cap?" Izuku asked, not recognizing the name.
"Oh, he's not a Pro Hero," Peter added. "But he's a hero nonetheless. Perhaps one day you can meet him. I think he'd like you, Midoriya."
"I'd like to meet him, too," Izuku smiled. "I think I'd like to meet anyone that Spider-Man looks up to!"
"Ready to rejoin the others?" Peter asked. "You look a lot more presentable with a genuine smile on your face, after all."
"Yeah, I'm ready," Izuku nodded. Just stay who you are. What happened here tonight wasn't easy. It won't likely get easy anytime soon. But that doesn't mean it has to change you. "Hey, Spider-Man?"
"Yeah?"
"You can call me by my first name, Izuku."
"Alright then, Izuku," Spider-Man said as he extended a fist out to the boy. "Then you can call me Peter, too." Izuku chuckled and nodded, bumping his fist against Peter's.
"Midoriya!" Mei called out to the boy with her restored torch in her hands as both he and a re-masked Spider-Man returned to rejoin the others. "Look what Mr. Stark did—"
"Are you hungry, Hatsume?" Izuku asked out a bit forcedly, whipping out a small scrap of paper from his pocket. "I figured it's only fair I buy you some food since I technically endangered you tonight. And I promise to explain myself the best I can since I also lied about my 'Quirk'."
Izuku looked over to Strange pleadingly, and the man frowned but gave his student a nod. He wasn't openly scowling or saying anything in objection, so Izuku would gladly take what blessings he could.
"Free food?" Mei blinked. "Who am I to turn that down? Lead on, Midoriya!" Mei twirled back toward the other heroes and offered a courtesy wave. "Thanks again, Mr. Stark! I'll treasure all of my fail-babies until the day I die!"
Fail-babies...? Everyone else present simultaneously sweatdropped.
"I-if I remember correctly, the vendor was located on the other side of the park," Izuku stammered. "Hopefully it wasn't reduced to rubble, too..."
As Strange intently watched his student depart with his newest acquaintance, Stark faced his own successor.
"You can go back to Avengers Tower, Parker," Stark said. "You've done well enough for one night. I won't make you put up with the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are taking their sweet time getting here."
"Oh, thanks Mr. Stark!" He turned and gave a wave to Strange before shooting his webbing toward the nearest building outside the park with a swift fwut. "It was nice seeing you again Doctor Strangelove!"
"That nickname was never clever!" Strange barked as Spider-Man swung up into the air and out of sight.
Seems I really was the last among us to have a successor of sorts picked out, Strange mused as he watched where Parker had swung out of view. I think Izuku will find himself right at home among the Pro Hero community, alongside Peter as well as the boy Toshinori chose to inherit One For All.
A movement of red and gold out of the corner of his eye caught Strange's attention, and he turned just enough to see a grinning Stark with his hand held up. Strange felt his face pale for a moment before descending into a full scowl, knowing damn well what Stark wanted to do.
"Come on..." Stark said teasingly.
"No," Strange replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I told you I would never do that again."
But even after a solid minute of posturing, Stark did not relent. Strange sighed in defeat, raising his hand and halfheartedly slapping it against Stark's in a high five.
"Awesome facial hair bros!" Stark yelled.
"You're despicable."
"I...cannot believe it..." Izuku muttered as Mei absentmindedly followed behind him, all of her attention on her restored ionic torch, mumbling to herself about potential improvements. Under possibly any other circumstance, Izuku might've thought it was charming to be in the company of another mumbler like himself (a girl to boot), but the sight before him was too much to ignore.
"How is the pork-stuffed pretzel vendor still standing!?" Izuku exclaimed. True enough, the vendor selling the pretzels Izuku had been curious about was still miraculously in one piece, even as the vendors flanking both of its sides had been reduced to smoldering rubble. Izuku offered Mei food as a courtesy, but he wasn't holding out much hope that this place would still be standing, much less operational! After such a hectic evening, things were really starting to look up for Izuku!
"Hey! I was waiting for you kid! Not a bad job taking care of that villain if I don't say so myself!" Generalissimo said from behind the vendor, his trademark smile as brilliant as it had been when Izuku recognized him. "I thought about jumping in myself, but I had confidence in your abilities. Seems that confidence wasn't misplaced!"
Gener—ah...Mr. Lee!?" Izuku exclaimed. "You run the vendor that sells the pork-stuffed pretzels!?"
"Yep! I may be a retired Pro, but I still have part-time gigs all over the place! Helps me keep track of all the latest news, but never mind that. You came for some pretzels. Still got that coupon I gave you earlier, True Believer?"
Izuku just stared at the living legend flabbergasted, even as he exchanged the coupon and took a seat at the vendor beside Mei, who was none the wiser to the exchange that just took place, as she was focused entirely on her precious baby.
"So, Mei..." Izuku spoke through the stupor that had set in, obtaining her attention at last. "What do you know about magic?"
There was an unspoken rule among the shady, criminal elements of Yokohama City: when it rains, you cease from committing any illegal activities out in public. After all, why draw more attention to yourself on the less crowded or empty streets from the dauntless, patrolling Pro Heroes when you could simply put your operations on a brief hiatus and go inside, where safety and warmth were nearly guaranteed.
Besides, such weather allowed for more thorough meetings between crime bosses and their villain lackeys. Not the Ikiji Kokotsu would ever deign to label himself a mere lackey and All For One a simple crime boss. Not even the black fog Kurogiri, who was also present, deserved the lowly title of lackey. The man possessed warping capabilities superior to nearly any sorcerer, and Ikiji could respect that kind of versatile power.
Both Ikiji and Kurogiri flanked All For One as he sat relaxed in his seat, hooked up to his usual medicinal machinery. The glare from the monitor before them illuminated his twisted visage as well as the desk before him, along with the Darkhold and numerous other pages and pamphlets the man had scattered in front of him.
"Magic...what a fascinating subject, what a field most worthy of further study," All For One mused aloud, both men present stiffening to attention as he spoke. "How fickle the rules of magic can be, hmm? Twist a ritual in even the slightest manner, and the consequences can be far-reaching and more severe than one can possibly imagine! Omit ingredients for a mystical concoction—or better yet: add more than needed—and your yield may very well be unrecognizable! Botch an incantation too horribly and your patron deity might borrow your energy, instead! Infinite possibilities and experiments to consider for an infinitely intriguing field of study."
"I take it you were pleased with my work?" Ikiji asked. He knew he certainly was; watching that poor sap from the labs descend down a spiral of madness, paranoia, and hunger offered Ikiji a boon of entertainment for the evening. Not even witnessing Doctor Strange's accursed successor striking the madman down managed to put much of a dent into his enjoyment of the spectacle.
"My curiosity has been sated," All For One affirmed. "Now that we are aware of the potential dangers of fulfilling the ritual on a body unaccustomed with magic, we may now take the necessary steps to prepare for such possibilities, and to take such risks into account."
"I desired such a solution to protect myself should the ritual go awry," All For One continued, running his fingers along the length of the Darkhold's spine. "And the tome, as expected, offered one without fail: the Diacatholicon Remedy." With a snap of his fingers, the Darkhold swung open, infinite pages violently flitting by before settling on a single one, the words bleeding onto a previously blank page and revealing its contents to the men present.
Ikiji widened his eyes in recognition. "This is...!" Ikiji studied the illustration shown in the book: he recognized the golden links of the necklace and the three small, resplendent pendants dangling from the relic's chain. "The Diacatholicon may indeed defend yourself from the ritual's effects," Ikiji said. "But it is located within the depths of Stephen Strange's New York Sanctum, likely hidden in vaults even I have not seen. It will take every ounce of my skill if you desire for me to break into the Sanctum to retrieve this relic for you."
"Just a moment, Ikiji," All For One said, raising a hand. "We must employ a greater deal of subtlety if we wish to achieve this newest objective of ours. I have no doubt that Stephen Strange realized you were involved with the incident orchestrated at Pegasus Labs. Like a veteran hunting dog, he is locked onto your scent, ready to track you down without a moment's hesitation should the opportunity arise. It will be necessary to throw even that man for a loop if the League desires victory."
Silence fell over the room as each man present quietly pondered over how to best pull the wool over the Sorcerer Supreme's eyes for their next operation. A sinister smile soon graced Ikiji's lips, indicating he had hatched a plot most insidious and ingenious.
"I believe I have an idea," Ikiji spoke, garnering the other men's attention. "We can simultaneously outwit Stephen Strange and also increase the restless Tomura's notoriety in a single strike." That last bit, Ikiji knew, was sure to get All For One's attention.
"I say we approach that man to do the job for us," Ikiji continued. "Do you know who I speak of, sensei?"
"I do, indeed," All For One replied, stroking his chin as he ruminated the proposed plot. "You speak of the one who was also at the Stark Expo causing his own mischief, correct?"
"Correct," Ikiji affirmed. "While our test subject was rampaging through Manhattan, that man put on a splendid show of his own...and whisked away several Iron Legion drones right out from under Iron Man's gold-plated nose."
"...How soon can he be available for us?" All For One said after a brief pause, no doubt giving some serious credence to whatever plan Ikiji had in mind.
"He's a very busy man," Ikiji said. "He typically takes assignments in advance, completing them one at a time until his schedule is clear again. It could be a couple months before he can have an audience with us."
"You may recall that patience is a virtue, Ikiji," All For One reminded the zealot. "But I am a patient man. Very well, I have decided—that man will be a sacrificial lamb for the sake of Tomura and his fledgling League."
"Excellent," Ikiji said, his smile twisting even further. "Then I shall complete what affairs we can as quickly as possible. Sensei, Kurogiri," Ikiji bid his two superiors adieu and promptly vanished through a portal of his own creation.
"Speaking of a sacrificial lamb," Kurogiri leaned down, speaking for the first time since arriving at his leader's hideout. "What thoughts do you have on Ikiji's future usefulness for the League?"
"The closer we approach the destined time, the quicker the boy's usefulness will run dry," All For One conceded. "But I promised I would guide him, and guide him I shall: Ikiji Kokotsu will die a death that best benefits Tomura's League of Villains, much like the lamb he was more than happy to volunteer for the task at hand. He is a dog destined to feed a bigger beast, one that he cannot even currently comprehend. He need only do what his master could not, and live long enough to see my efforts come to fruition..."
As if sensing its wielder's dark desires, the Darkhold sprung to life once more, its pages flipping back with ferocious flutter until it landed on another page, ink bleeding forth and bringing another illustration into view: this time depicting an ominous gauntlet with six resplendent lights adorned on its form.
Seemingly pleased with his sensei's answer, Kurogiri prepared to warp back to the bar before something else on his master's desk caught his eye.
"Excuse me, sensei," Kurogiri said, motioning toward one of the pamphlets that was haphazardly scattered across the desk.
All For One handed his trusted servant the pamphlet, the letters F.E.A.S.T. imprinted along the top in bold font. But it wasn't the letters that caught Kurogiri's attention, but rather the man depicted on the pamphlet's cover.
"Is this—?"
"Yes," All For One responded plainly. "I've located one of them. One of the subjects we lost that day nearly six years ago...I confirmed his identity at long last."
"After all this time..." Kurogiri said shakily as he dropped the pamphlet. "To think he'd grow to such prestige in the span of a few years...are you planning an assault against him, sensei?"
"No," All For One shook his head. "Not right now, anyway. After all...'Martin Li' has made quite a name for himself these days."
Chapter 22: The Entrance Exam
February 26th. The day of the U.A Entrance Exam.
Izuku sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at his hands as the faintest hint of morning light trickled through his window blinds. He was already out of his pajamas and dressed for the day's tribulations. The sun had not even risen yet; there was just the cool crimson glow of a sky foretelling the crack of dawn and the beginning of Izuku's next obstacle toward becoming a hero.
But Izuku was up long before the crimson glow had appeared. He had shuffled around the room restlessly, unable to get much sleep, but how could he? Today was the day. If he wasn't running countless possibilities in his head about how the day could go, he was gazing down at his hands, taking in every faded scar.
His hands didn't shake anymore. Or at least, when they did, it never proved too detrimental to carry out tasks such as gripping things and writing. They didn't shake anymore—truly a testament to his growth as Doctor Strange's pupil over the last 18 months if there ever was one.
"Izuku, honey?" He heard his mother's voice on the other side of his bedroom door, preceded by a light rapping on the wood. "Are you up? I heard some shuffling in here, so I thought I'd check on you."
"Yeah, I'm up, mom," Izuku replied as he opened his door to face Inko. She, too, was out of her nighttime garb and already dressed. They both observed each other's faces for a moment, and it was clear that neither of them had acquired much sleep last night. Yet despite that, they both seemed wide awake and aware, without a hint of much exhaustion, as if they were being driven by sheer anticipation alone. Hope carried the Midoriyas more than caffeine ever could.
"Are you nervous?" Inko asked quietly.
"Incredibly," Izuku replied with a quick nod.
"I know it's only six o'clock, but we should at least put some food in you before you head off to U.A," Inko suggested.
"I-I don't know, mom," Izuku said with a gulp. "I'm so nervous right now, I'm afraid I'll throw up anything I eat."
"That would be an unfortunate way to commence the day," Strange's voice rebounded through the hallway before the good Doctor stepped through a blazing portal that opened up in the middle of the hall.
"Doctor Strange," Inko greeted him with a warm smile. "Just in time; would you like to join us for breakfast before Izuku heads out?"
"Actually," Strange said, returning her smile with his own. "I was going to invite you both for dinner."
Dinner? Inko and Izuku both gazed at the man confusedly before Izuku remembered the time differences between here and New York, where Strange normally resided.
"Oh yeah, it's still 4 P.M. yesterday over there, isn't it?" Izuku asked. 14 hours of difference. Strange had taken to odd hours throughout Izuku's training, more so when he'd returned his Sanctum to New York and when they'd moved to Kamar-Taj for the summer. Izuku wondered how Strange could adapt to the changes so quickly; he figured the man was just used to it after so many years as the Sorcerer Supreme.
"Correct you are, Izuku!" Strange said, stepping aside to give the Midoriyas room to step through his aperture. "However, I made sure to adhere to our morning sensibilities, assembling an appropriate array of breakfast foods."
The Midoriyas and Strange stepped through the portal, directly into the Sanctum's dining room, and Inko and Izuku were instantly wowed by the display of floating and dancing platters and trays carrying everything from biscuits to fruits to sausages. The Sanctum's curtains were pulled back, letting the first floor bask in the glow of a setting afternoon sun, a stark contrast to the crepuscular morning sky they'd just witnessed.
Everyone promptly took seats at the table, and Strange and Inko readily engaged in conversation as the platters danced or floated by them, one by one, giving those seated ample time to pluck whatever foods they desired. Izuku smiled at the procession of food and trays dancing on by, subtly reminded that even in spite of the ferocious power his sensei commanded, his magic could still be used for harmless, innocuous, even outright nonsensical and silly purposes, much like how All Might possessed terrifying power but used it to ease the hearts and minds of the people. But Izuku opted to sit quietly and watch the food dance on by, not taking any for himself.
"At least eat some fruit, sweetie," Inko addressed her son, taking notice of his reluctance to eat.
"Your mother's right," Strange added. "You'll need as much energy as possible for the exam—"
"What if I fail?" Izuku suddenly blurted out, causing Strange and Inko to blink where they sat. The procession of trays and food came to a clattering halt as everything stopped, a tense stillness settling over the room. Izuku locked worried eyes with Strange.
Strange wordlessly stood up and strode over to Izuku's side, not once taking his eyes off the boy. When he reached Izuku's side, he turned the chair he sat in and kneeled down, placing both hands on his shoulders.
"You are nervous," Strange stated as simply as one might state that Izuku's hair was green. "And I understand why. It can be easy for one trying to enter U.A to think that the entrance exam is the sum total of all their preparations. That this day will either open wide the path of the hero or close it shut forevermore. I advise you not to think this, Izuku. This day is not the final step—it is merely anotherstep forward, and win or lose, you must never stop moving onward. Failure today will not determine your path, but neither will success. What happens after the test, regardless of your scores, will be up to you entirely. And I have utmost faith in you, Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku felt his lip quiver and a familiar wetness dribbling down his cheeks. He always was a crier, something he felt ashamed of, but Strange never admonished or berated his tears. He wanted to throw himself into his sensei's arms as he had done on more than one occasion and heap countless thanks onto the man that gave him a choice and a chance he never knew he had, although he was sure Strange would softly reply by saying this progress was all because of himself.
And so Izuku furiously rubbed his palms across his cheeks and eyes, trying to wipe away any evidence of tears he could before a strong embrace caught him off guard, making him stop. Strange had initiated the hug this time, a rare event for Izuku, though not an unwelcome one.
"You have exceeded my expectations at every turn," Strange spoke encouragingly as Izuku shed tears. "In spite of everything unexpected that's happened, I couldn't be prouder of you, Izuku. So shed your nervousness with your tears, son, because I have no doubt that you will stand tall among all the Quirks you'll see today and earn your spot in the hero course."
"Then I won't let you down!" Izuku yelled as he abruptly ripped himself out of Strange's embrace and reached across the table, plucking an orange in one hand and a biscuit in the other. He proceeded to chow down on the assortment before him, with a mother over one shoulder lecturing the boy on etiquette and a teacher over the other shoulder chuckling at the sight.
"I know you must hear thanks from my son often," Inko said as she approached Strange after Izuku had finished eating. Said boy was washing himself up in the Sanctum's kitchen a room over, and Inko was speaking in hushed tones so he wouldn't overhear what she wanted to say. "But I believe I must offer thanks as well, Doctor Strange."
"It's absolutely no worry, Mrs. Midoriya," Strange said politely, using his magic to sort out all the dishes on the table in one fell swoop, marching the procession directly back into the kitchen. "And besides, your son—"
"—absolutely cherishes you," Inko interjected before Strange could finish, making the man blink in surprise at the words she spoke. "I don't know if you realize this—I'm not sure Izuku even fully realizes it—but over the last 18 months you've filled more than one hole in my son's heart, Doctor. You've done more than simply replenish his hope."
Doctor Strange sighed and took a seat, connecting piece to piece with what he knew of the Midoriya household and drawing his conclusion relatively quickly. "The boy has not seen his father in quite some time," He said conclusively.
"Hisashi sends correspondence whenever possible," Inko was sniffling now. "But the company he works for is strict, even among Support corporations. But he couldn't pass up the financial opportunities the job offered. He left...so he could secure our livelihoods."
Ah. Looking back, it made perfect sense. Unintentionally or not, Strange was beginning to fit the fatherly role and attention Izuku was missing—and was probably subconsciously craving for— ever since his biological father left.
"He tells me often in our private conversations," Inko continued, "That he worries Izuku thinks he actually left because our son is Quirkless. He left for the States shortly after Izuku was classified. Izuku has no problem responding to letters, but...he isn't comfortable speaking with Hisashi over the phone. He hasn't spoken to his father in years. I-I'm sorry, Doctor, I didn't mean to thrust our family history onto your shoulders—"
"No, no, it's quite alright," Strange replied, ushering Inko back into a state of calm. "Your husband sounds like a very brave man. It takes a certain amount of resolve to sacrifice so much for the sake of one's loved ones."
"I guess what I'm trying to say," Inko took in a deep breath to compose herself. "Is that Izuku idolizes you nearly as much as he does All Might now. All he ever talked about for so many years were heroes and Quirks, and nowadays all he ever seems to talk about is magic and...you. When you pledged to protect him with your life, he likely made the same pledge to you subconsciously, without even thinking about it. So please..." Inko clasped her hands together and pleaded to Strange. "Stay by his side, and continue guiding him as best you can, but also continue keeping an eye on him. We both know he can be too self-sacrificing for his own good."
Upon hearing her heartfelt words, Strange could only nod solemnly in response. What else could he do? What else could he say? His stubbornness already ensured he would not deviate from his promises, and Inko could see that clearly.
Perhaps, Strange thought as he restarted the procession of dirtied dishes into the kitchen, perhaps he had been subconsciously beginning to see Izuku as not merely a pupil...but as a son, as well.
Izuku steeled his nerves as he approached the main building of U.A along with the numerous other students chasing their dreams. The building towered prestigiously, its glassy exterior reflecting brightly upon the people walking below, as if it were a literal beacon of heroism and justice. Izuku paused, staring up at the illustrious school, clenching his hands tightly. The building proved to be imposing to all who looked upon it, but Izuku could feel the confidence burgeoning within his chest with each breath he took.
I'm going to do this, Izuku assured himself emphatically. I'm going to become a hero!
"Deku," A familiar biting voice reached Izuku's ears, causing him spin around 'til his eyes landed on Bakugo. "You came after all."
"Kacchan..." Izuku whispered, watching his former childhood friend, hunched over slightly with his trademark scowl plastered on his face, with apprehension. Izuku wished things between them would improve, but their relationship remained as rocky as ever. Between Izuku saving Bakugo and making him and nearly everyone else believe he had a Quirk to his insistence on sticking with his dream, Izuku was beginning to resign himself to the possibility that there was nothing he could do make himself 'worthy' in Bakugo's eyes. Izuku truly worried their friendship would forever be a thing of the distant past, a brief, happy prelude to a slew of memories and experiences he'd much rather forget.
"Hmph," Bakugo snorted as he passed by Izuku, roughly bumping into the boy's shoulder with his own. "They don't stick people from the same middle schools in the same testing areas, I hear. At least now you won't get in my way, Deku. You can just stay back and watch me blast my way into U.A."
"And I'll be right behind you, Kacchan," Izuku retorted, glaring at Bakugo's backside with determined eyes. "I've worked too hard these last 18 months to simply fail now. You watch, too! I'll definitely become a hero!"
Bakugo's body bristled and seethed at the audacity of Izuku's claim—nay, challenge. He grit his teeth but didn't turn back to face Izuku or offer a retort of any kind. He merely stomped away faster than he'd been before, vanishing into the crowd of irritating extras and out of Izuku's sight.
Kacchan... Izuku thought morosely before shaking his head of those thoughts. He couldn't distract himself with remorse when the entrance exam was literally upon him! Feeling his confidence becoming reinvigorated, Izuku observed a few of the other students heading inside: one was a hulking, multi-armed masked male, imposing in his own right, while others stood out more colorfully such as a horned, pink-skinned girl standing alongside another boy with excessively spiky red hair. Others still appeared more ordinary, such as a round-faced girl with shoulder-length brown hair, who looked admittedly cute.
"Excuse me, young man!" An authoritative voice rang out, snapping Izuku out of his people-watching. His eyes fell on a tall boy with dark hair and rectangular glasses who had him fixated in a stern gaze. "No dawdling! If you are here for the exam, then I must urge you to come inside before the doors close!"
Ah. Izuku blinked and glanced about him, confirming that he was indeed one of the last people to enter the doors of U.A.
"C-coming!" Izuku stammered as he bolted toward the U.A auditorium, the tall boy who chided him watching his behavior with disapproval as he passed by.
City Block C... Izuku thought in amazement as he and the rest of the applicants assigned to this particular testing ground beheld the tall, narrow doors that gave entrance to the mock city on U.A grounds. To think the school had so much land and resources to build such expansive and realistic urban layouts!
This test really is competitive, Izuku mused and thought over the rules of the practical as he scanned his eyes through the crowd, observing as much of the competition that he could before it officially began. He noted with some relief that the boy who'd chided him earlier was not assigned to the same testing area that he was. But that boy had seemed as competent as he was authoritative; Izuku felt sure for some reason that he was guaranteed a spot in the hero course, and hoped he'd end up in a different class than him.
The rules were simple enough, for a practical: go out into your assigned city area and immobilize any 'villain bots' you came across before time ran out, racking up the points necessary for admittance into the hero course. No fighting among applicants was allowed, as expected.
"Everyone is crowding the door..." Izuku muttered as he watched the throng of applicants restlessly vying for a spot directly before the towering doors, trying to position themselves to be the first to enter into the urban villain-infested maze. "Those doors are too narrow to be doing that kind of thing—"
A light bulb suddenly lit up in Izuku's head. The doors are narrow on purpose! Izuku realized. The school is purposely trying to capitalize on the competitive nature of the exam by subtly making it more difficult for examinees to enter while also weeding out those that break the rules and attack others!
As the crowd jostled among each other aggressively (though not with hostility lest they be disqualified for unruly behavior) for a prime spot in front of the door, Izuku did the exact opposite and backed away from the other applicants, his eyes glued to the area right above the sea of bobbing heads and shoulders. Opening portals without a clear picture of your intended destination wasn't possible for him, and he had no clue what the city looked like on the other side of the doors, but when they did open it should give him more than enough time and more than enough to see to pull off the cheeky idea formulating in his head.
Sure enough, the doors finally opened unannounced, with such abruptness that the crowd ceased their pushing and fell silent, as if awaiting further instructions.
"What, were you expecting a countdown!?" Present Mic's voice boomed through an intercom. "Battles in real life don't have countdowns, you know!"
The pushing began again in earnest, but Izuku had put his plan into motion before Present Mic had even finished speaking.
Leaping up into the air, Izuku conjured a shield beneath his feet as a platform, elevating him above even the tallest applicants, and giving him a clear view down the elongated street leading directly through the heart of the mock city. Getting precisely the visual he needed, Izuku dispelled his platform and whirled his hand, opening a portal directly beneath him that he fell through. Izuku glanced about and confirmed his location: he'd successfully opened a portal to the heart of the urban zone, the narrow doors still in view a fair distance away. Izuku Midoriya was effectively the first applicant to enter the city, giving him first dibs to rack up the villain points he needed.
As if on cue, several large automatons came spinning out of the back alleys, their red lenses narrowing in on Midoriya as they approached him to attack.
1-pointers! Izuku recognized the bots by the unmistakable white '1' plastered on their chassis. His hands blazed with ethereal fire in response. No choice but to start small then!
Izuku flailed his flame whip at the nearest robot, targeting its wheel and tripping it up with a well-aimed lash. It summarily spun out of control, its trajectory effectively ruined as it whirled past Izuku and crashed into another 1-pointer approaching from behind, sending metal bits flying. Izuku wasted no time in materializing a second flame whip in his other hand, leaping as high as he could before striking the other two 1-pointers present, landing fiery blows directly onto their heads and obliterating their plating and lenses. The robots crashed to a halt, whirring and groaning as they lost power.
Four points, Izuku panted as some movement and flashes caught his eye. He turned toward the doors and witnessed a multitude of applicants stampeding their way through the mock city, laying waste to any robots they crossed with their Quirks. Izuku gulped; his plot gave him but a few moments of extra time ahead of those at the front of the pack, and it seemed his head start had just run out.
Darting down a random street to search for more points, Izuku ran right past another attendee—an extremely diminutive boy with grape-like hair—who scurried on by, crying dramatically. Rounding the next corner, Izuku saw a whole pack of 2-pointers powered down or otherwise toppled over, their legs immobilized by numerous purple balls of some kind.
That's right, Izuku reminded himself. The rules said the robots had to be immobilized. They don't necessarily have to be destroyed. He decided then that he would avoid touching those spheres. He also recalled there being buttons on the robots that stealth-based or non-offensive competitors could press to turn off and therefore 'defeat' them, which helped explain the next scene he saw.
A flurry of birds suddenly filled his view as he rounded another corner, causing Izuku to yelp and dive into the nearest alleyway for cover. Two 3-pointers were swarmed by the persistent flock, confusedly beeping as their programming likely did not allow them to target wildlife. Izuku spotted a large rock-headed boy timidly run up to the robots as they were blinded, pressing their power switches located somewhere on their backsides and swiftly running away, the flock of birds departing after him and leaving two effectively downed robots in their wake.
"I need to hurry or else there won't be any more villain bots for me!" Izuku chastised himself as he sprinted toward a mostly empty street.
"Damn it!" He heard a voice from up above, looking up and leaping to the side just as the mangled remains of a two-pointer landed where he just was. H-holy crap!
The spiky red-haired boy he'd spotted earlier had punched that robot out of an office window, leaping out of the room he was just in and launching himself into another nearby high-rise.
Of course! Izuku yelled to himself. They must have placed robots all over the city, not just in the streets and alleyways outside! I bet I can find a bunch inside the buildings, too!
Luckily for Izuku, he wouldn't have to find them inside the nearest building—they found him instead. Right as he passed another nondescript office building, the glass of the lobby exploded as a horde of 2-pointers emerged from within. The robots, seven of them in total, clunked along on their four legs, scorpion-like rear appendages flailing wildly as they spotted Izuku and went on the attack.
This is too many for my eldritch whips to be effective! Izuku thought before grinning, letting his hands crackle with electricity. I've got options, though...!
Izuku waited for all seven villain bots to get well within range before unleashing the torrent of magic building within his palms.
Bolts of Bedevilment! Izuku extended both palms out and engulfed the robots with mystical lightning, rending their mechanical components and destroying them outright in a frightening display of strength.
That should get me up to 18 points! Izuku calculated as he ran through the cloud of dust his spell had kicked up before the last of the 2-pointers had even finished falling over.
Izuku's feat did not go unnoticed—his Bolts of Bedevilment spell had been seen in full by one envious Denki Kaminari, who fidgeted uncomfortably as he saw a more skilled electric user in the same testing area as him. He could only unleash electricity indiscriminately from his body, but he couldn't control its trajectory like that boy clearly could.
Kaminari felt like he would fall over from dejection before a fresh horde of 2- and even 3-pointers emerged from the same lobby as the last one did.
Sweet! Kaminari thought, perking back up immediately at the prospect of more points. If that guy had stuck around, then he would've nabbed all those points up! More for me!Kaminari's body crackled with electricity as he rushed toward the pack of villain bots. And what the hell am I doing, moping in the middle of this exam!? I won't let that guy one-up me!
"Indiscriminate Discharge!"
An ominous rumbling shook the entire testing area, causing the very buildings to shudder and groan. Izuku skidded to a halt, already cursing his bad luck at not being able to locate anymore villain bots and now wondering what was causing these unsettling vibrations. A sudden chorus of panicked shouts drew his attention, and he saw a flurry of fleeing attendees running down the street he was perpendicular to. Rushing out to see what the commotion was, Izuku shielded his eyes from an equally sudden dust cloud that got kicked up. Glancing up, Izuku felt his knees shivering weakly as an impossibly large shadow loomed over him.
T-this is the 0-pointer...! The one Present Mic said to run away from!
The immense robot took a colossal step forward, its footprint crushing the ground beneath it and kicking up even more impenetrable dust, snapping Izuku out of his daze and reminding him to flee as instructed.
"Help! Help us!"
Izuku froze as the cries for help reached his ears; turning his head he saw a small group of applicants huddled in a dead end alley, surrounded by debris that fell from the encroaching 0-pointer. Some of them looked down—passed out.
All instructions from Present Mic flew out the window when he saw the danger they were in. Izuku rushed over without a moment's hesitation, scrambling over the wall of debris that separated him from the small group. He recognized two of them: the grape-haired boy he'd seen was lying on the ground, bleeding profusely from his scalp, while the rock-headed boy from earlier was standing over him protectively, along with two other downed people. One of them was a bulky, full-lipped guy who was groaning indiscernibly, while the other was a blonde guy babbling incoherently with a silly face, flashing a thumbs-up repeatedly.
"H-hey!" A feminine voice sounded from among the group as Izuku struggled to dislodge the wall of debris separating them. Izuku strained his eyes; he didn't see any girls among them. "Help us out!" This time the voice was much louder, causing Izuku to recoil slightly in surprise.
"W-where are you!?" Izuku stammered out as the 0-pointer took another step closer, cloaking the alleyway in its shadow.
"I'm invisible!" The girl exclaimed, fear evident in her voice. "That's my Quirk!"
What a interesting Quirk—no! Snap out of it, Izuku! They need help! Izuku mentally chided himself as another figure suddenly appeared by his side.
"Need any help, bro!?" The red-haired guy he'd spotted earlier shouted as he wrenched a concrete block out of the pile, aiding Izuku.
"Thank you!" Both Izuku and the invisible girl shouted before a loud groaning from up above cut their cries short. The 0-pointer slowly raised its lumbering, metallic fist and let it drop, much to the horror of those who would be caught beneath it.
No time to make a portal...! Izuku hurriedly raised his hands and conjured a shield over himself and extended it over the entire alleyway, hoping to protect the boy by his side as well as those trapped behind the rubble. Izuku grit his teeth as he struggled to maintain the shield at its strongest capacity.
The gargantuan fist impacted the ground around them all, inadvertently striking Izuku's shield and shattering the barrier under its immense weight. Izuku felt the violent recoil from the strike and went limp with a soft gasp, feeling himself collapsing to the ground.
That is, until a pair of hardened arms caught him by the torso, preventing him from falling completely and propping him up to catch his breath. "Breathe, bro!" The red-haired boy yelled with a toothy grin."Nice save, by the way! I'm Eijiro Kirishima!"
"I-Izuku...Midoriya..." Izuku panted as he caught his breath and regained his senses. He glanced down the alley and felt a surge of elation as he saw the trapped attendees unharmed. Shaken, but unharmed. His barrier had successfully absorbed the brunt of the attack and protected them all.
"It's gonna punch again!" Kirishima grunted as he witnessed the 0-pointer raise its other fist after taking yet another step forward. "You don't look like you can take another one of those!"
"If I had enough time and strength left, I could open a portal and get all of us to safety..." Izuku wheezed."But as it stands, I can't create shields and portals at the same time."
"Shields and portals?" Kirishima widened his smile and arced a brow. "What kind of Quirk does both?"
Izuku tensed, mentally cursing himself for speaking so casually about his powers. "It's, uh, complicated..."
"Well, you can tell me all about it when we both get into the hero course!" Kirishima beamed. "After we defeat this villain bot, of course!"
Defeat it? Present Mic said it wasn't worth any points, yet Izuku hadn't the energy left to whisk the trapped students to safety, but neither of them were about to leave them behind, either. Izuku looked between the unbelievably optimistic Kirishima and the 0-pointer towering above them, readying a second strike to the earth below. They had no choice if they wanted everyone to survive this, it seemed. They had to destroy the 0-pointer.
"If you can lift me as high in the air as you can with one of your barriers, I'll take it from there," Kirishima said in a surprisingly calm manner.
Izuku looked at him questioningly, and thought about protesting, but the smile on Kirishima's face seemed...so sure of success. It was a smile that invoked victory, and Izuku wasn't going to argue against that.
"Alright!" Izuku conceded, forming a much smaller barrier beneath Kirishima's feet and lifting him into the air. "Have you ever done something like this before!?"
"No!" Kirishima replied, causing Izuku to gawk at him in bewilderment. "Truth be told, I've been trying to make it work throughout this entire test! That's why I wanted to use your barrier as a foothold! But I've got a good feeling it'll work this time...I know it will!"
Kirishima crouched and shot into the sky as a blazing red aura enveloped his body. Izuku gasped as the boy became a blur before appearing high in the sky, fist raised against the unstoppable 0-pointer.
It's just like you said, All Might...! Kirishima's mind raced as his fist glowed and swirled with stockpiled power. Just clench your butt cheeks...and scream from the depths of your heart...!
"SMASH!" Kirishima bellowed as he made impact with the colossal robot, crashing his fist against its bulky head. The 0-pointer groaned and shuddered before violently falling back from the punch, a series of internal explosions destroying it utterly as it collapsed to the ground in a broken heap, sending a veritable storm of dust and smoke high into the sky.
H-he did it...! Izuku thought, stunned at Kirishima's prowess, watching the boy gripping his arm in midair while falling. He destroyed the 0-pointer and...and he's not slowing down!
Izuku hastily erected a barrier with the last vestiges of his strength, wrapping the energy around Kirishima's body before it could hit the ground and gently lowering him to his own two feet, collapsing down to his knees out of exhaustion as he undid his spell.
"T-thanks..." Kirishima said as he gripped his hardened, bleeding arm. His legs, too, seemed stiff and unmoving.
"You're bleeding..." Izuku panted, watching Kirishima worriedly.
"Yeah, I kind of broke all the bones in my arm with that attack," Kirishima conceded with a weak chuckle. "And also my legs when I made that jump, but...my Hardening is keeping everything together, even though I can't move anymore..."
"Thank you so much!" The invisible girl exclaimed. Izuku and Kirishima turned their heads to see that the trapped competitors had managed to wriggle their way to freedom through the debris—or, at least, the invisible girl and the rock-headed boy had managed to get out with the three incapacitated applicants slung over the timid boy's shoulders or tucked under his arms. The blonde guy was still babbling and waving a thumbs up in the air. "Maybe it's not too late to acquire some more points—!"
"And time is up, ladies and gentlemen!" The boisterous voice of Present Mic boomed over the mock city and probably all the other ones, too.
Izuku and Kirishima both looked at each other, visibly dismayed.
"I...don't think I got enough points to pass," Izuku said softly, disappointment creeping up his spine.
"Me neither," Kirishima morosely conceded as well, looking over his broken yet hardened body. "I spent so much time trying to make my Quirk work, I didn't get nearly as many points as I'd hoped for."
Izuku and those they helped protect stayed by Kirishima's side until Recovery Girl came by (much to Izuku's shock and awe) to whisk the hardening boy and the three unconscious boys to safety with stretcher-carrying robots.
Hagakure and Koda, as they came to introduce themselves to Izuku and Kirishima, left the exam feeling grateful for their help.
Izuku and Kirishima left the exam feeling disheartened, each wondering if they could've done better.
The dimly lit scoring room for those participating in the Entrance Exam was filled to the brim with analyzing U.A staff and faculty, meticulously pouring over the footage collected so that villains points could be accrued...and rescue points could be rewarded on an individual basis. The room was aglow from the lights of many monitors, displaying footage from dozens of angles from multiple testing areas. The U.A staff were kicking it into overdrive to accomplish this task, a task that the newest addition to the eclectic ensemble of academic Pros—All Might—was more than happy to help with, seeing as he sat front row and center and making remarks wherever and whenever he needed to. Seated next to him was Nezu, the esteemed yet chimerical principal, partaking in All Might's counsel whenever he spoke.
"Everyone," Nezu spoke with his usual soft tones, silencing every hushed deliberation and garnering the attention of everyone in the room. When the principal spoke, you damn well listened. "I think it's time we draw our undivided attention to, and deliberate on, the two biggest events that occurred during this year's Entrance Exam."
He flipped a switch on a remote lying in his lap, and every monitor in the room tuned into the exact same scene: the participant Izuku Midoriya and the participant Eijiro Kirishima cooperating to defeat the 0-pointer that presided over City Block C. The scene played over and over in a loop for the staff, beginning with the two boys attempting to aid the other trapped participants before combining their efforts to instead save them by demolishing the giant robot.
Young Midoriya...Young Kirishima...you both did a splendid job! All Might grinned as he looked between the protégé of Doctor Strange and his own.
"As you all know, cooperation is highly discouraged during the Entrance Exam," Nezu spoke almost lackadaisically. "It's why we divide students who attended the same middle school and make the practical so competitive. Simply put: you try and help other participants in destroying villain bots, you stand little to no chance in earning enough points to secure a seat in the hero course. Villain points, after all, are not shared between competitors."
Nearly every head in the room nodded at the principal's words. This was all information they knew, but they also knew their intelligent rodent companion well enough that he would never bring this up unless he was going somewhere...unconventional with it.
"However, while villain points cannot be shared," Nezu said with a knowing smile, leaning back into his comfy recliner. "I don't believe the same can be said for our rescue points."
The room was silent for a beat before the imposing form of Vlad King approached the principal. "Are you suggesting that both boys be given identical rescue point scores for their actions during the exam?" He inquired.
"I am indeed," Nezu said with a nod, his eyes glued to the monitor as he addressed his staff. "I merely wanted my faculty's thoughts on the matter since this is rather unprecedented—we've had participants stand up to the 0-pointers in the past, but two working together to destroyone? Unheard of in any of our tenure."
No one in the room raised any objections; even the reputedly strict Aizawa did not emerge from the shadows of the room to protest the principal's suggestion.
"Then all that is required is to decide what rescue points will be rewarded for such unprecedented teamwork and selflessness," Nezu continued, "And award both boys equally."
A tally of points was given by each of the faculty presiding as judges—including All Might, Vlad King, and Aizawa—ranging from 1 to 10, and the sum decided on was 60 rescue points that would be rewarded to both Izuku Midoriya and Eijiro Kirishima. That put Midoriya at 78 total points, and Kirishima at 88 total points—currently second and first respectively for point totals.
Welcome to the hero course, young men! All Might thought proudly.
"With that out of the way, all that's left is..." Nezu trailed off as he pressed another button, causing every monitor to fill with a similar scene from City Block B.
"I don't care if you're worth zero points, you're in my way!"One livid Katsuki Bakugo roared as he slammed his explosive palms against the fist of the City B 0-pointer, slamming it to the side and preventing it from crushing a round-faced girl caught under some rubble from the robot's rampage. "Piss off already so I can get back to racking up more villain points!"
Many of the staff in the room raised their eyebrows, if not at Bakugo's coarse, venomous speaking skills, then at the prospect of participants from two different testing areas confronting their respective 0-pointer. Granted, Bakugo didn't destroy the 0-pointer (he only deflected its attack) but still...this was an unprecedented exam, indeed.
"Now we must determine how many rescue points Katsuki Bakugo shall receive—"
"Zero," A dull voice sounded from the corner of the room.
Every pair of eyes whirled about as Shota Aizawa strolled from whatever nest he'd made for himself away from the prying eyes of the rest of the staff, stepping out of the shadows and into the dim illumination from the room's monitors.
"That's a bold proclamation," Nezu said, though he still had that knowing smile that implied he didn't necessarily disagree. "Care to argue your case, Aizawa?"
"The purpose of the rescue points are to reward genuine selflessness shown by participants throughout the exam," Aizawa explained. "This is what allows certain prospective students to shine when the 0-pointers arrive—will they follow the recommendations Present Mic gave and flee when it appears or will they ignore their instincts and brave it in order to help those that may be in need? Intent should be a critical factor when awarding these rescue points."
"And you believe Katsuki Bakugo lacked the intent necessary for rescue points?" Nezu prodded Aizawa to continue; it was clear the principal was enjoying this deliberation.
"It is only logical," Aizawa said, stifling a yawn. "Compare Bakugo's actions with the actions of Midoriya and Kirishima. It is clear that the latter two were motivated by sheer selflessness when they determined that attacking the 0-pointer was the best course of action to protect the trapped participants. Of course, whether or not it was the best course of action is debatable, but ultimately, it is their intent that matters most here. Bakugo did not attack the 0-pointer to rescue the girl caught beneath the rubble—he didn't even notice her. Instead, he attacked it because it was preventing him from acquiring more villain points, something the 0-pointer is supposed to do."
Nezu maintained that sly smile of his as Aizawa glanced around the room, seeing that all the other faculty, even the critical All Might, were following his logic and were not going to argue.
"Heroes do not accidentally or unintentionally save people," Aizawa drove in the final nail.
"Then it is agreed," Nezu spoke, getting the final say on the deliberation. "Zero rescue points for Katsuki Bakugo and he'll still maintain a point total of 77 villain points—still frighteningly impressive, if I say so."
You may be overwhelmingly strict, Aizawa, my boy, All Might thought to himself. But even I can't argue against where you're coming from.
And so the Entrance Exam wrapped up, the staff finishing up their deliberations and commentary after sorting through the top three participants of the practical. As they shuffled about, Aizawa had his eyes glued on the three boys that had caught everyone's interest.
He viewed Bakugo with apprehension.
He viewed Kirishima with curiosity.
He viewed Midoriya with wariness and suspicion.
"Sensei!" Izuku yelled ecstatically as he rushed into the Sanctum through a hastily built portal, opened just long enough for the happy weeps of his mother to be heard before it closed shut. Clutched in his hand were the results of the Entrance exam...and his acceptance into U.A.
To say Izuku was overjoyed was an understatement, having waited a long, tense week for the results to be mailed in. He was equally glad to see that not only had Kirishima been accepted as well, he'd scored the highest amount of points overall, too. And to top it all off? Izuku had scored higherthan Bakugo. By a single point.
When the holographic message first played, Izuku was a little bummed out at first. Sure, he was surprised to see his idol All Might, and was even more surprised to learn he'd be teaching at U.A, but the man started the message by stating that 18 villain points hadn't been enough for entry into the hero course—that 28 points had been the bare minimum for entry this year.
Then he got to mentioning the rescue points, and...here he was now. Yelling through a seemingly empty Sanctum for his sensei to share the good news with him. It was 10:00 A.M. when he'd left Japan, so it was only 8:00 P.M. here in New York. Surely Strange hadn't retired to bed already, had he? Izuku would've been most embarrassed to rouse his master from sleep, even if it was to share his admittance message.
"Geez, a kid?" An unfamiliar nasally voice rang out, startling Izuku. "I wasn't told I'd have to deal with kids on this job."
"W-who's there!?" Izuku demanded, throwing wild glances around the lobby, trying to ascertain where the unknown voice was coming from.
"Relax, kid," The sickeningly nasally voice spoke again. This time some movement caught Izuku's eye, drawing his attention to above the staircase right as what appeared to be a balled up red mass dropped from the ceiling. The mass seemed to unfurl itself as it landed on the staircase, unrolling its legs and arms and finally straightening out, revealing a human body. The man, dressed in a red jacket and hoodie coupled with red sweatpants and boots, and also carrying a crimson satchel, sighed and stretched out his limbs as Izuku regarded him dangerously.
"Who are you!?" Izuku yelled, his fists blazing with magic as he took a defensive posture. "How did you get in here?" Izuku didn't know if the man was an acquaintance of Strange's, but he wasn't about to take that chance given his sensei was nowhere to be found at the moment.
"Easy, easy," The man said coyly, slipping on some yellow sunglasses he'd fetched from his pocket, not feeling threatened by Izuku in the least. "You see, I just so happened to be in need of a doctor, and I figured this Sanctum, I believe it's called, makes for a perfect place to attend as an outpatient! I'm just here to pick up some kind of 'wonder drug' and I'll be on my way."
"So you're a thief then!" Izuku snarled, seeing right through the man's pretense.
"Thief?" The man laughed haughtily. "What low brow language! Ah, but where are my manners? Please," The man gave a mocking bow. "Call me Brigand."
"I don't want your name, I want you out of the Sanctum!"
"And not accomplish my mission? My reputation would surely take a blow if I did that!" Brigand chuckled before letting his nonchalant demeanor melt away, a cold, calculating fury creeping up his face. "And to think I patiently waited for that damned sorcerer to finally leave only to let a child catch me while I was working. So sorry, kid." The man slipped a gun out of his satchel and aimed it straight at Izuku. "You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Brigand promptly pulled the trigger.