Chapter 10: Runes, Brawls and Rescues
"Come on! We're gonna be late!"
"Hold on! I'm almost got this spell down! Besides, you can just teleport us there!"
"I am not your personal chariot around the castle you know!"
"Alright, Alright I'm coming."
After the constant banging at his door from a certain impatient princess, Twelve-year-old Izuku Midoriya closed the spell tome that he was so focused in and made his way to the door. Opening his door came to face his friend who yanked him out of the doorway and began marching to the training hall. Glimmer didn't teleport them, probably out of spite.
So much had changed in three years. It was kind of hard to believe. All starting that night.
His mother couldn't believe her eyes when he had shown his 'quirk' to her and was in full support of it. The day after he had his 'quirk' registered. The specialist couldn't believe it when he saw the documents and proof of otherwise. Izuku didn't give an exact description of what he could do, just something vague like light manipulation or energy control, they would believe that far more then 'oh I'm magic!'. They were still full well to register his power, but Izuku still had to name it. The name he decided on?
Aether. Sounded much better then just 'magic'.
He got some raised eyebrows from the specialist and doctor on site. Clearly thinking of better names for his quirk. It was his decision however and he felt proud of it. So, they shrugged it off and let him have the name.
Of course, that was just back home. What about Etheria?
Izuku's friendship with the princess of Brightmoon only became more solid after that night. His training was in full swing now. His aptitude with the arcane had increased at a decent pace, always trying to improve his hold on the amount of magic he could use at any given time. Even trying his hand at runes finally, with less then stellar results at using them. His illusions however have only gotten better. Now looking much more life-like but still having a drop of uncanniness to show he still had a long way to go.
That's why Glimmer practically dragged him out of his room. It was magic training day. Castaspella had a special lesson prepared for Izuku after he mentioned runes to her. Glimmer was going to be working more hit and run tactics with her powers and increase her stamina with her teleports.
After their respective lessons were complete, Casta would have a special lesson the both of them would partake in. Izuku could only wonder what she meant by that. She was pretty cryptic when she mentioned it after their separate ones. Now standing side by side to the doors of the hall, both turned to one another.
"You ready?" Izuku started
"Wouldn't be here if I weren't!" Glimmer finished, bringing her fist into her palm.
The duo pushed open the doors and entered, ready for whatever Castaspella had for them.
What they weren't expecting was the presence of General Juliet who was conversing with Casta at the center of the hall. Did she have something to do with today's lesson? Or was it just coincidence.
"Ah, if it isn't my favourite niece and my favourite apprentice." Castaspella turned to acknowledge the duo as they approached.
"Um, Miss Castaspella, I'm your only apprentice."
"That's why you're my favourite!" Right…
"Any-who, I think it's time to move on to today's lesson. Juliet will be assisting in the second half of today's lesson after I finish the first half of your subsequent lessons." The duo leaned to the side to look at the general, not saying a word but acknowledging them with a curt nod. So that's why she's here but what would she be teaching anyway?
"Alright let us begin with Izuku this time. While I am not well versed in runes, I can still teach the basics to you. Afterwards we will improve on Glimmer's abilities."
The young sorcerer nodded ready to learn. The lesson was now in full swing with Casta going over the many uses of runes, how they integrated with objects and how, while similar to spells, are used differently.
Izuku already knew most of this from the tome but having an actual instructor instead of the words of a (probably) dead person was much better to learn and allowed for feedback to improve should something go wrong. Casta pulled out a small soft cover book, fairly flimsy from the looks and passed it to Izuku.
"Just a simple book, yes?" Izuku opened the book to see it was completely blank, all the pages blank. He closed it and opened it again to see if some words would appear or the book would create illusions. None of that happened, it seemed it was pretty normal. He passed it back to Casta, wondering where the lesson was.
"Now let's try a rune." Casta held the book in one hand and prepared to cast. Izuku quickly circled around to watch the motion.
An orange light appeared at her fingers as she drew the circle onto the book, it slowly creating an inner circle with complex glyphs in it's radius. With the circle's completion, Casta brought her spell hand to the rune's center, and as if holding something, turned her hand clockwise. The outer circle turned with her hand while the inner one turned the opposite way. The rune faded into the book, and she passed it back to her apprentice.
"How about now?" Izuku's face curled in confusion, wondering what she did. As he mindlessly…opened…the…book… Was it always this hard to open? Now his attention fixed onto the book in his hand. Izuku struggled to open the flimsy soft cover book he so simply did not a few moments ago. It was as if the pages were super glued together! His face was starting to turn red from all the effort to pull open. This. Simple. BOOK. The sorceress simply watched on as the greenette accepted defeat to a book.
"Wha…What did you do?"
"Have you tried turning it upside down?"
"Not helping Glimmer." Glimmer shrugged, not bothering to hide the smirk on her face.
"I casted a rune. A lock rune to be specific. The name is very self explanatory." Castaspella continued. "It allows, or rather, disallows certain objects that can be opened from opening in the first place. The rune is still there, it's just hidden to the common eye and will reappear for the sorcerer that casted it. Might I have it back?"
Izuku passed the book back with no complaints. As he did, His tutor brought her spell hand to the front cover of the book and as it drew closer, the orange rune reappeared. "Unlike spells, runes persist in a state of inactivity until casted, used or dispelled from the object they were casted on." Casta turned her hand counter-clockwise and the rune did the opposite motion from when she first locked it.
She opened the book with ease as if nothing was wrong. "The lock rune is fairly simple but can be improved on and casted on other things like the doors to the hall for example." Izuku nodded along, hanging on to her every word. Glimmer on the other hand was barely listing on but was happy to be along.
"However, this rune or any rune for that matter can have it's strength increased based on the size of the rune or how much magic can be stored into it as of casting it. It can be very taxing on the caster based on the size of the object the rune is being placed on." She waved her hand In-front of the book and the rune dissipated into the same colour particles.
"Now you try." She returned the book to the greenette's idle hands. As soon as it arrived in them, Izuku immediately placed it on the floor, knelt down and got to work creating the rune. Following the exact same motion his instructor did. After many, many attempts of the rune not locking correctly or opening with a little effort. Izuku kept creating, locking, checking if it was locked and dispelling the rune until it was absolutely locked tight.
Another many attempts happening at a breakneck pace, Izuku finally perfected the simple rune and stood up triumphantly. Castaspella golf clapped to the greenette's success while Glimmer was starting to get bored. Juliet silently watched on.
"Ok when does my lesson start exactly?" She yawned.
"Right now, actually. You will be part of Izuku's second rune training."
Both looked to their instructor one with worry and one with stars in their eyes.
"I knew that would grab your attention." The sorceress then turned back to her apprentice. "Your second rune will be a very big leap in practice as it can be difficult to use, but I believe you can do it. Observe."
Castaspella motioned the two trainees to take a few steps back. After the two were a decent distance now, Casta bent over and began creating the rune on the ground. Both watched on with tilted heads as Casta created a much larger rune then before, it being about the size if himself and Glimmer stood side-by-side in size or a large exercise ball. After making the complete circle, the rune flashed briefly before fading into the ground.
"Now, Release!"
Casta slammed her hand onto the ground and the rune ignited in a pale blue light. Then a massive pillar of stone erupted from the ground where the rune was placed, almost reaching the ceiling in its height. Izuku's and Glimmer's jaw dropped.
"Whoa"
"Whoa indeed!" Casta peeked around the obstruction, not even being phased by it. Walking around the pillar until she was Infront of it. "This rune creates a massive obstruction of whatever material the rune was placed on. Although impractical in head-to-head combat due to the length and magic needed to create it, it can be used as an excellent ambush tool or trap and the best part is~."
Casta clapped her hands twice and the pillar receded back into the ground with no trouble, evening the ground as it returned to the rune. After, it was as if it never happened to begin with. Not even a crack in the earth remained, the ground was pristine. "It cleans up very well! Only if the rune remains intact however, then the pillar will remain." Magic was weird, but Izuku loved every moment of it.
"Izuku. You will be creating several of these runes at smaller scale, when you create them, you will then activate and deactivate one of your several runes at a time randomly. This will both help your control over multiple areas while also improve on your hand to eye coordination due to the rapid repetition." Izuku nodded ecstatically, hopping in place. Glimmer was still waiting when she was entering the picture.
"Glimmer. You will be standing on them. Teleporting to different one as the one you're standing on falls. You'll be constantly on the move as Izuku improves on his control."
"WHAT?!/WHAAAAT!"
While Glimmer's mood instantly exploded from boredom into full on grinning at the exciting lesson, Izuku's twisted from the excitement of learning into abstract horror that Glimmer might get hurt on his account.
"Can you believe this?! You're creating my obstacles! This is so cool!" Glimmer's excitement turned into shaking the young sorcerer rapidly. Izuku was still processing what he heard, trying to find why Castaspella would do this.
"Well? Can't let have you have all glory today. Get to it! Pleeeeeaaasssseee! I'm soooooo boooored." Glimmer shook him again.
Izuku had a choice here. Either go through with the lesson, make pillars of stone rise and fall which his first friend will be standing on and might fall off and get really hurt and maybe break something but would be forgivable afterwards.
OR.
Not go through with it and feel the wrath of one very annoyed princess that could teleport him off a cliff that would definitely have sharp rocks at the bottom with barely a passing thought. But she would be perfectly fine. Izuku looked over to Glimmer who was still standing beside him, looking at him with stars in her eyes, barely able to stay in place.
He went with the first option.
Without further ado, Izuku got to work at recreating the pillar runes making the circle large enough that a foot could fit inside of it. Glimmer was all too eager to help with the exact size of the runes as she was standing right beside him as he made the first of many runes. He still had to check if he made it and it would work correctly so the first one was more of a test rune then anything. It flashed briefly and faded into the earth, leaving a barely visible circle marking where it was.
The duo took a few steps back, Izuku raised his hand and slammed it down next to the completed rune. It then ignited in a pale green light before a medium sized pillar of stone erupted from the ground. It was about the size of four of himself roughly, still tall, but far safer then Castaspella's demonstration pillar.
He slammed the ground again and the pillar receded back into the ground, the faded circle still in one piece. One down, several more to go. Well, he couldn't' keep his fellow trainee waiting on him. Izuku continued creating runes putting them in a zig-zag fashion until there were eight runes placed. All the magic he had to use really drained him, but the first half of his part was done. Now for Glimm-
Glimmer was in already position, stretching out just a few steps from Izuku's runes. "Let's GO." Izuku looked dumbfounded but shook his head and got into position just at the side. He first activated the closet rune comparable to Glimmer and a pillar rose from it. Glimmer teleported onto the pillar, waiting for the exercise to start.
"Ready? Set? Go!" Casta yelled from the sidelines signalling for the two to begin.
Izuku got started and brought his hand to the ground. Causing the pillar Glimmer was standing on begin to sink back down. He then brought the other hand down to the ground, making another pillar erupt. Glimmer teleported with ease. "This all you got? Come on, I know you can go faster!" Ok, let's go a little faster. Izuku made another two pillars rise while making the pillar she was standing on fall. She teleported to the first one then leapt to the safe pillar, still in good spirits. Izuku amped up the pace.
Pillars were raised and as soon as a foot touched one, Izuku made it fall. Both were now getting a good sweat in. Izuku trying to keep his focus on both the teleporting princess and on the runes he was activating. Insuring it was still fair but difficult despite her power. Glimmer was teleporting as quickly as the pillars were rising, leaving no room for error on her part. One misstep and she would fall or go down with the falling stone.
"Alright that's enough! We can move on now." Both turned to Casta and started winding down… right after Glimmer teleported right beside Izuku and ruffled his hair a little. Izuku readjusted his hair, vowing to get a hair cut at some point so she couldn't do that anymore, blowing a raspberry out at the princess. She returned the favor by sticking her tongue out and both ran over to their instructor.
"How do you feel now?" Castaspella asked, inspecting the remaining runes from the sidelines. "Pretty good! Feeling pumped for what's next!" Glimmer answered, shadow boxing, filled with energy for whatever came next. "And you Izuku?" being mentioned, he straightened up and responded.
"R-Ready for whatever comes our way!"
"That's what I like to hear! Juliet, I leave the stage to you."
Casta stepped aside, allowing for Juliet to take center. The Brightmoon general immediately garnered attention from the two, who were just a tad nervous from the way she was staring them down. As if she was about to drill them like-
"Listen up, Recruits!" Yeah… That… Both stood at attention.
"Today marks the beginning of your physical training. It will be grueling, but when I'm done with you, and I say when I'm done, you two will be an unstoppable team of protection and hope!" Both liked the sound of that. Izuku was going to be part of a hero team before he even became one! They then looked to each other, knowing what to ask before the general continued.
"Is it alright if we bring a third?" Both said at time. Juliet tilted her head. "Who do you have in mind?" The duo then took turns explaining Bow to Juliet and how he always dreamed of being a freedom fighter and was a born archer and how he was an essential member of their team. After a few minutes of convincing her, Juliet allowed it. They would have to wait for tomorrow however as today's lesson was focused on the two.
"You will be facing many opponents as a team. Bouncing off your strengths to benefit one another. You will also have to make up for each others' weaknesses but first you must learn them."
"Today, you will be partaking in a duel overseen by myself and Castaspella." Casta waved from one of the side benches.
"So, we're fighting… each other?"
"That is correct. Please prepare yourselves now, then meet at the center." Izuku was flabbergasted. He was going to have to fight Glimmer. While there were some truths in Juliet's words in how in order for a successful team to function, the whole team needed to know one another's strengths and weaknesses.
But Izuku was sure there was a better way of finding out then fight each other. Maybe on the field or intense training. With that thought, Izuku realized that this was considered intense training. Glimmer nudged him with her elbow to get his attention. "Do you want to do this? It's ok if you don't. I really don't want win this easily. Want to at least get some challenge." Wow, that was very considera-Wait a minute.
He knew she was egging him on, and he knew that she knew that he had some built-up frustrations from before he came to Etheria because of Kacchan and school. Who he still didn't mention to her. He knew that he shouldn't let her win. He couldn't. He had to be the mature one here.
"And what makes you say that?" Glimmer smirked, she won. "Oh, just that I have a far better control over my powers and that I could easily woop you if It came down to it." She casually waved Izuku away, 'inspecting' her nails.
Oh, ho ho ho! Those were fighting words! "Well, if I recall and I do, I managed to fool you a couple times with my illusions a couple weeks ago, so I think I'm doing great. And need I remind you of the 'tele-pot' incident?" Izuku playfully fired back. The princess now had a competitor's smirk on her face, ready to throw down.
"Oh, you are going DOWN Greeny!"
"Person who wins gets to choose their victory song for the day!"
"Deal!"
Both with fire in their eyes, bolted to the center arena. Waiting for the go ahead from their spectators, Juliet however was incredibly confused on what just happened. What was the 'tele-pot incident'? Castaspella was now fully interested, seemingly partaking in a bowl of popcorn. "WOOOOO, Show 'em what your made of!" Juliet just looked lost now.
"Where or when did you get food?"
"Magic. Let's get this show on the road!" Casta waved the general away, not taking her eyes off the two soon to be combatants. Juliet facepalmed and walked over to the benches beside the sitting sorceress.
"A victor will be decided when a combatant is either unable to continue or has been pushed to the outer circle of the dual ring. Are the combatants ready?" Izuku readied his bolt spell in one hand and prepared a new trick in the other. A determined look with a nervous smile on him. Glimmer primed two blasts of sparkles in each hand and prepared herself.
"Yes!"
"BEGIN!"
The two dashed at one another, determined to win.
Glimmer started throwing her light projectiles at the greenette as soon the green light shown. Izuku rolled out of the of the oncoming assault, and began firing his bolts at the princess, moving as he fired. The princess however dodged with ease thanks to her power and was quickly closing the distance between them. Priming another blast in her hand.
Expecting it to be thrown, Izuku covered his eyes, ready for the blinding attack. Glimmer teleported behind him, and blasted him in the back, making Izuku stumble. He quickly recovered and pivoted, firing a few more bolts in her direction. The bolts almost hit their mark but just missed by a hair as Glimmer teleported again.
Izuku ran to the center of the ring, ensuring it would be difficult to be thrown out then from the edge. Another barrage of blasts came hurtling towards him. If it was a good time to use that new trick, it was now! Izuku raised his off hand and drew spell circle and when it was completed, transformed into a large transparent wall, shielding him from the blasts. That caught Glimmer off guard.
"Yes! Barrier spell! How about that!" Izuku taunted, Glimmer shook her head and readied another assault. "Neat trick. But can you cover more then one spot!" Glimmer began teleporting all around Izuku, throwing her blasts then zipping away to another spot and repeating . He was firing his bolts where she might go but there was no clear sign of where she would pop up next. He couldn't hit her like this!
He had to ware her out, with the amount of teleporting she was doing, she had to stop and rest at some point. Izuku readied two more barriers covering his flanks. The only she could hit him was directly in front. No way he could miss! Then the blasts stopped. Izuku looked around there was no sign of the princess anywhere in the ring. Where did she…
"Look out below!" Izuku's head shot straight up as he saw more blasts and Glimmer falling right above him. He didn't have enough time or power to make another barrier!
Izuku dove out of his safe zone and looked back, she and the blasts had crashed into his makeshift safe zone, causing the barriers to shatter and fade. Glimmer got up from her crash and readied herself. Now she had the center.
"Got… anymore… tricks?" Glimmer started sounding tired, all that reckless teleporting really got to her. Izuku raised his spell. "Nope…" Izuku was too from the constant spell use and those barriers were a brand-new spell he just learned this morning! So that was even more exhausting for him. Most of all, they were his ace in the hole. Now that Glimmer knew he could only make them for one direction, she could teleport around them and flank him.
But he had to guess she was out or too tired to do a more exact one. Guess it was the old-fashioned way.
Both entered a dash around the ring, trying to hit one another with their blasts as they circled one another. After falling on both ends, Izuku and Glimmer were getting frustrated. They charged at each other again this time going in for close quarters. They clashed in the middle, now struggling to push the other out.
If Izuku had the planning, defence, and arcane prowess. Glimmer had the speed, power, and determination to push forward. And push she did, all the way to the edge. He really wished he took those self defence classes his mom mentioned now. Glimmer fought to push Izuku out, one of her hands in his face. Izuku's eyes were already hurting from whatever sparkles the princess could muster. He needed a plan, or he was going to lose! Think. Think!
Just before Izuku completely went over the line, he mustered one last barrier between himself and his aggressor, pushing her back. What ever magic he had left, Izuku fired a single, measly bolt into the barrier, thinking it would go through. Instead, it moved forward, pushing Glimmer away, closer to the other side of the ring. Not what he thought but cool, combos.
Glimmer fought to push the magicked wall back, but she was starting to lose her footing and the edge was getting closer. Glimmer coalesced what power she had left into her fist, making it glow with light. She punched with the barrier all she had, and the barrier shattered with a tremendous crash. She promptly collapsed onto her knees, still in the ring, still in the fight.
Both now stood at opposite ends of the ring, staring each other down. Exhausted from their magic use. Glimmer teetered slightly before managing to get on her feet. She wiped her check with her bruised fist, still staring down the greenette.
Casta was on the edge of her seat. Who was going to win?! Juliet watched on silently, wondering what eithers move would be.
After some very suspense filled seconds. Both yelled and charged at their opponent, raising their fist, their final attack. As they clashed in the middle, both punches connected to their opponent's cheek, making both fall onto their backs, onto the floor.
Juliet walked over to the exhausted trainees, laying flat on their backs, breathing heavily. "Can either of you get up?" Her expression neutral. They looked to one another and attempted to get up. after some pathetic attempt at trying to get up, only to look like flipped turtles, the two tiredly shook their heads.
This duel was a draw.
"Then well done the both of you. That was an impressive display. Despite there being no obvious winner." Both groaned at the technicality but were still happy that their tutor approved. "Amazing! Bravo! Excellent work you two!" Casta congratulated the two on their performance from her seat having emptied her bowl during the last intense moment.
"If you think this is tiring then you haven't seen anything. You will have another session tomorrow and don't forget to bring the third you mentioned." Juliet started walking away from the exhausted sorcerer and princess. Still on their backs, Castaspella left to get some water and bandages but neither noticed.
"H-Hey…" Izuku muttered.
"Huh?" Glimmer turned her head over to look at the greenette. "Should… Should we tell… Bow the good news?"
"Of course… after the… the floor stops… being so nice…" Glimmer rocked her head back and stared at the ceiling, Izuku followed suit.
"H-Hey… G-Glimmer?"
"Yeah?"
"Y-You were awesome."
Glimmer giggled, even absolutely exhausted, Izuku always knew what to say. "Thanks. …Sorry about rushing that new spell this morning. It was awesome. You were awesome."
Izuku had a big goofy smile on his face after hearing that. Afterwards, the two just started talking about the fight and what was going through their heads when they saw the others moves, complimenting each other on the 'cool' moves they did as Glimmer put it.
"So… Who's getting their song? For the day?"
"We'll just… take turns for the rest of the day…" Izuku closed his eyes, his breathing finally steadied.
She blinked a few times at the greenette. A few moments later, a content sigh left her "…Sounds good." She too, closed her eyes, resting with the comforting thought.
--- A few days later, Japan ---
Juliet wasn't kidding when she said the training would be killer. He was lucky enough to get out with any sort of motivation for the rest of the day!
Still, it was nice to see Bow more often now he was officially allowed into the castle proper and part of their training group. The only downside is that the General adjusted the workload to three people. So, everything was probably harder for them. It was working though, Izuku picked up a few self defence moves from the general.
After Glimmer flipped him a few times with the same moves.
Everyone was learning something new and improving. Bow was hitting targets left and right with his… bow, Izuku was creating cover for his team, firing powerful spells, and Glimmer was teleporting in and out, delivering decisive blows to the back lines in their exercises.
But now it was the time to relax. It was a weekend, and he was currently downtown to pick up a few things for the house. His mother had given him enough money to pick up some ingredients. They were having katsudon today. Izuku was right out the door when she told him that.
She was going to be working late at the hospital and couldn't get them herself on time, hence she asked her son to go in her place. Albeit reluctantly.
So, here he was, finally heading home after picking up everything they needed. With some pork on the side to add a little more flavour. Izuku checked his sliver age, limited edition, All-Might watch to see he was a few minutes ahead of schedule. Perfect, he could get started on dinner before his mom got home.
As he thought his day was going to be simple and quiet, a crash and sounds of a struggle from a darkened alley drew his attention. Izuku ran to the edge of the alley, hid around the corner, and slowly peeked inside.
The noises he did were those of a struggle, three kids about his age, a boy with red, jagged hair, holding tightly a pink skinned girl who looked knocked out, and in front a long raven-haired girl. Cornered by a tall, thin man, his eyes hidden by small pair of shaded glasses, obviously being the culprit.
Izuku had to do something or else who knows what would happen! No. No. A hero will come and save the three. There was no need to intervene. He just had to call a hero and-
"L-Leave us alone!" The raven-haired girl shouted, her confidence fading as the villain loomed closer. "When a hero gets here, your in for it!" The red head shouted with immense anger.
"If you hadn't gotten in the way from my prize, maybe this would've turned out differently and your pink bitch wouldn't be out cold" the villain spat. "Now, come on missy, I've seen the quirk of yours we're gonna get along real nice. Unless you want the other to be splatters on the walls."
"N-No! I-I won't let you!"
"See there wasn't much of a choice there." The man grabbed the raven girl by the hair and started to drag her away. She screamed.
"NO!" The red head charged at the man, activating his quirk which looked like that his skin turned to stone. The read head roared as he let out a meaty right hook into the villain's leg, making him cry out in pain and kneel, dropping the girl on the ground.
"Little shit! Your dead meat!" Two long blade like appendages and sharp spines sprouted from each of the man's arms and slashed the red head across the chest and arms as he blocked. The blades didn't cut but they pushed him back and still hurt him.
Izuku could only watch on in horror as the villain was pushing the stone skinned kid back with his relentless strikes. What could he do?! They were going to die if he didn't do something! but if they saw him, they would surely tell the police he used his 'quirk' in an offensive instead of self defence. His chances for U.A would be history…
Who cares?! People are in trouble! You have to do something! A familiar voice called out. What?
What if, it wasn't you? The familiar voice rang. Then an idea. Izuku put down the bag of groceries to the side and casted an illusion. In an instant, a replica Halloween All-Might mask was in his hands. It was big enough that it would hide his face and most of his hair. He quickly put it on and turned the corner.
"S-Stop right there!" Izuku called out. The villain stopped and turned to the source of the voice. "The fuck is that?" The villain stopped his assault and the red boy's legs gave out beneath him his quirk receding.
"I-I-I A-Am H-Here! Now le-let them go!" Izuku did his best All-Might impression to get the villain's attention. It was working, then a chuckle left the villain. "Oh NO! All-Might! What ever will I do?! Fuck off twerp, or I'll turn you into a pin cushion." He turned his back and raised his arm to finish his kill. A sharp burning filled the man's back and quickly turned back to the All-Might wannabe; his glasses having gone down his nose to reveal his eyes filled with rage.
"I said. Let. Them. Go." Izuku's spell arm raised and hand glowing with an other-worldly power. He didn't realize it, but his eyes were glowing a bright viridian, further accentuated by the shadows of the All-Might mask.
"YOUR DEAD!" The walking pin cushion charged at Izuku, dead set on turning him inside out. Izuku threw another bolt into the villain's eyes causing him to fall and skid across the ground, Izuku jumped over him and quickly created an illusion of himself. As the man got up and turned, now he saw TWO All-Might wannabes. The man charged again and slashed at the two, both dodged cleanly, the illusion firing bolts at the man while the real Izuku ran over to the three trapped kids.
"Who are you?" The red head asked, his voice cracked and dry.
"Just someone who want's to be a hero. Now stay behind this." Izuku then casted a barrier between himself and the three kids. He then a heard a faint "Thank you" from the raven-haired girl. Only needing the one barrier as the alley was only one way. Izuku ran back in and swapped out with his clone illusion. The illusion brought it's hand down to the ground and began circling the man. A tiny trickle of light following it's hand.
The man was becoming furious almost foaming at the mouth as more spiky protrusion began erupting from the man's body, ruining his clothes. "HOLD STILL YOU TWERP!" The villain roared as he tried to hit Izuku with his blades.
Bouncing off the walls and making another circle into it, He stopped dodging for a second and faced the villain
"Make me~" He was hanging out with Glimmer too much.
"RAAAGGGGGHHHH!" The spiky protrusions came out with even greater force as they were appearing all over the man and started shooting out from the villains body in all directions, clipping Izuku a few times but overall missing. As he was more focused on the main deal instead of the illusion, it was fine and joined the cat and mouse game as the circle was complete. "THAT'S IT!" The walking pin cushion villain fired all four of his arm blades at the Illusion, hitting it directly and making it vanish into particles.
Izuku backed up and waited for the man to take the bait.
"No more tricks… No more double trouble… GOT ANYMORE STUNTS BEFORE I TEAR YOU APART?!" He was standing exactly where Izuku wanted. Perfect.
"Just one. Now. Release!" Izuku slammed the ground with his spell arm and a bright green rune ignited beneath the man. The ground sank slightly, as if he hit a pressure plate. "What the fu-" Before another word left him, a massive concrete pillar erupted from beneath the man, launching him sky high. Izuku looked up to the sky to see if he could see him falling, no luck, however. If Izuku was correct he would land right about…
"-UUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCC-" *CRASH* The walking pin cushion crash landed right into a large, closed dumpster. The metal lid dented by the man's fall, almost fitting his silhouette perfectly. He struggled to get up from his predicament as the lid was now stuck to his back thanks to his quirk. "Is that… all ya got…? Twerp." The man looked delirious and a punch drunk, a stiff breeze could knock him over. Izuku had other plans, however.
"Nope. Three, two one…" A much smaller, brick made pillar, about the size of a fist, erupted from the wall and cracked the villain across the face with great force. Making the villain spin and fall flat on as face. No longer conscious, his quirk receded back into himself, and the dumpster lid followed his example and crushed him.
He won… He won?! WOW THAT WAS SCARY. HE COULD'VE DIED! Thankfully the mask hid all of his fluctuating emotions. Phew. Izuku turned around and lowered his barrier protecting the group. The raven-haired girl was somehow creating long strips of bandages from her arms and enwrapping both the red head and the pink skinned girl who was starting to rouse.
"Is he actually down…?" The red head asked the masked Izuku. The still conscious kids turning over to see the man wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Y-Yea, I-I think so…" Before he could turn back, a figured rushed him and embraced him. It was the raven-haired girl. Izuku was so happy he made the mask or else his face would bright red instead.
"Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, we…" She took a step back and examined Izuku, his clothes were cut in a few places, and he had a few nicks here and there but nothing severe, nothing he already got from training. "Do you need some bandages? I can make some more if-"
"I'm sure he's fine. Specially if he kicked that cowardly villain's ass! Manly as heck!" The red head flexed with a sharp toothed smile but flinched in pain from his injuries. Izuku looked over to their third who was cradling her head. "Owww… What happened?"
"Ashido! Your ok!" Worry in his voice. "Just try and relax for now."
"Ok…" She muttered.
The raven-haired girl created a whole phone from her arm and began dialing. "I'll call the police and an ambulance. One moment." She walked away towards the entrance to the alley, trying to get a signal.
"Name's Kirishima Ejirou by the way! Thanks for the rescue. The pink girl is Ashido Mina and the long haired one is Ya… didn't get'er full name actually, but she's really cool. Not as cool as you though."
"What's your name anyway? Or is it a secret identity thing?" Kirishima asked. Izuku stumbled with his words. "U-Uhm, I-I-I- um"
"Alright, mystery it is! Always loved a good one. You got a really strong quirk if you did all that junk and took him down. What's it called? Or is that a no, no, too?" He chuckled before sucking air through his teeth. "…and it hurts to laugh. Great."
"The police are on their way, and I saw this by the entrance. Is this yours?" The raven-haired girl had Izuku's bag of foodstuffs, he nodded, and she passed it back to him. She then formally bowed to him.
"Perhaps a more appropriate introduction is needed. My name is Yayorozu Momo, thank you for saving us. You will be handsomely rewarded once the authorities arrive." Wait. Yayorozu? As in THE Yayorozu family? One of the most influential families in the hero industries and one of U.A's best supporters? Only shadowed by the Ingenium family? Wow this was a weird day.
"Umm, T-That won't be necessary. I didn't save you for a reward." Yayorozu looked up to her rescuer and Kirishima leaned closer to hear. "I didn't even know who you were until you said just now. I saved you because it was the right thing to do, in other words, I don't want a reward." Izuku continued.
"Heroes should help those in need not for fame or money, despite what other heroes are like. It shouldn't matter who you are, they should do it because it helps bring people hope for the future and I hope to help that future shine." Silence. A very long silence and stares.
"O-or, be-because it was the right thing to do. You kn-know?" Izuku was really thankful that the mask was hiding his embarrassment. Why did he say that?
"Super manly…" Kirishima eyes were now sparkling with hype at the young sorcerer's words. The raven-haired girl was at lost for words. She took a second to find her own and responded.
"I-I see… Will you be staying with until the authorities arrive, or will you be going?" She asked. Izuku checked his watch and his eyes nearly shot out of his head. He was going to be late! He had to go. Now. "UHSORRYGOTTAGOYOURWELCOMEBYE" with that jumble of words, Izuku dashed out of the alley leaving the three alone.
"Wait! Can I at least have your- …name…" He was already to far gone to hear her. The only thing she could still see of the boy was the bright red shoes of her rescuer. With that she reluctantly walked back into the alley, their rescuer's words still rattling in her head. When she looked back to alley however, the obstructions of stone that he created had mysteriously disappeared. She ran over to Kirishima who was dumbstruck.
"What happened to the pillars?"
"As soon as All-Mask ran and you went after him, they sank back into the ground and wall. Weirdest thing too." The red-head scratched the back of his head in confusion. Yayorozu took a look around for any evidence of the aftermath the mystery hero's quirk. There was nothing. No marks or crags from the pillars in the ground or wall, no remnants from the wall he had created. It was as if it all never even happened in the first place. Just before she could ask another question, the blaring of sirens of both the police and emergency services arrived on scene.
She ran back to the entrance of the alley and waved them in. A few officers quickly apprehended the villain in suppressive cuffs and a man in a long trench coat walked past the detainment of the villain to the group.
He took off his hat and put it to his chest. "Is everyone alright?"
This was going to be a long scene.
--- Midoriya Household ---
"—Then, I saw him make this MASSIVE pillar appear out of nowhere and launched the guy almost twenty feet up or something. it was awesome!" Came a testimony from a sharp toothed red head about he was rescued by an unknown third party.
"The three children, Kirishima Ejirou, Ashido Mina, and Yayorozu Momo were seemingly rescued by an unknown vigilante wearing All-Might memorabilia to hide their identity. It is unknown who this person was. But from the reports from both police and the victims, it seems to be a young boy no older than the victims themselves who had taken down the villain and kept the three safe from further harm. More on this story as it progresses."
"I-Isn't that around the place you went to get things for dinner?" Inko asked her son about what was on the news. Izuku was putting away leftovers for tomorrow in the kitchen. Izuku managed to get home at a reasonable time and got everything ready for dinner, even getting changed before she came home. He didn't want more questions of why he had scrapes and why his clothes were torn in places.
"I think so, but I didn't see anything like that though."
"Thank goodness. It just keeps getting more dangerous to go out, now in broad daylight even. I'm just glad they were saved." Letting out a sigh at the broadcast. "Still, I can't imagine some one their age fighting off that horrible man let alone beating him."
"It was probably an adult, they probably just said it was someone their age to better hide his identity." Izuku lied, hiding a sweat bead by wiping his forehead before walking into the living room with his mother. "I suppose so…" wringing her hands together while sitting.
He still couldn't believe he did all that, he was almost scared stiff from that whole fight. But he kept cool somehow, that voice keeping him in the moment instead of the nervousness or worry he should have felt. Izuku checked the time, it was starting to get late and seeing he had a school day tomorrow, it would be the perfect excuse to go to his room and prepare for another training session. Just had to tell his mother.
"Hey mom? I'm a little tired and we're starting this big project tomorrow, so I'm just going to my room to start early and get some rest." Izuku was beginning to walk away until his mother stopped him from leaving. "Actually, can I talk to you for a second? It's about your sleeping habits." Izuku tilted his head but obliged
"Ever since your quirk showed, and know I couldn't be happier for you, you've been going to bed more often than not, even with so much time still in the day a few times and I just think… Is everything ok? Why are you so tired? Is everything at school alright? Talk to me." How would he even start? Because if she did believe him (She wouldn't) She'd probably ban him from sleeping until it was fixed.
"It's just been a couple of crazy days, that's all. I'm fine now, I've actually made new friends recently across seas and they usually get up in a few hours, which is when I call them. Sorry if I have been making you worry."
"…New friends? What about Katsuki?" His mother questioned.
"He's a still my friend, don't worry." Izuku lied, Kacchan was starting to get on his nerves ever since he got his 'Bullshit fake quirk' and was still a 'Deku' to him. He even started pushing him around more at school. "These ones actually want to listen to me talk about heroes and all my notes!"
"Doesn't Katsuki listen to you?" He hasn't for years.
"He still does, just not as much anymore. He's busy trying to be the next number one." Not with that violent attitude of his he won't and he's hated anything that didn't tell him how great he was or thanked him for using his quirk on. "…Can I meet your other friends then? Just to see if their actually good?"
What.
"W-What do you mean? Of course, their good, their great even! Why would you think that?" Izuku's expression saddened.
"Bad choice of words. I just want make sure you're not forgetting about the friends you already have and that their a good influence on you." Izuku wishes he could forget all the burnt uniforms he had to replace under his mother's nose, just so she didn't worry more. All the bruises he had to hide with her makeup. From both her and his princess friend.
"Their good people and I trust them more than anything. Please, I promise I'm ok." His mother held him for a moment before finally, reluctantly, letting him go. "If your sure… Good night, see you tomorrow, have a good chat with them." Izuku nodded and left to his room.
Today was going to be an interesting story. Wonder what the others would say?
--- All-Might Agency, morning after.---
"-an you describe anything else about the vigilante that rescued you?" A reporter brought a large microphone to the face of the raven haired Yayorozu Momo after a moment to recall she began to speak.
"One. He was not a vigilante; he was just a good person at the right place and the right time. Two. He hid his face behind an All-Might Halloween mask, so I didn't see much. The only things I can determine is he had green eyes, he was about our age and was wearing bright red shoes when he ran away after saving us."
"Did he not want any kind of reward? Not even money?"
"I told him who I was, and he firmly told me that he saved us because it is what heroes do. Not for money or fame. He stood by that belief despite seeing my quirk being able to create whatever he wanted."
"Speaking of quirk, did you see what this 'Mystery Hero's' was?" The girl shook her head. unable to accurately describe what she saw. "He did so many things at once, I first thought he had more then one quirk even. He had created an almost exact replica of himself while fighting off the villain and created a barrier of light that protected us from stray spikes or debris"
Is that so? The old hero continued to watch the broadcast.
"Is there anything else you might want to say? Even to our mystery hero if their watching?"
"I have one thing." She turned to look directly at the camera. "If you are watching this, know that I will find a way to repay your kindness someday and if I ever meet you again, I hope it is as comrades in the hero field. Thank you. I hope to see you at U.A, mask or no." She returned the microphone to the reporter.
"There you have it! The heart-felt words of a thankful hero trainee! Back to yo-"
Toshinori shut off the television and got up from his seat. Walking towards the door of his office.
"You just can't stay out of trouble, can you? Should've found a pro to help instead…"
"…Good work, 'Mystery Hero'." Muttering under his breath. a smile on his face, knowing exactly who the girl was talking about.
As he reached the door, He puffed up into his buff form and left the office.
"Time to get to work!" All-Might jumped from the entrance of his agency into the sky, jumping from rooftop to rooftop and began his early morning patrol.