The Nurse's office was clean and air-conditioned, the golden sunlight that peeked through the curtains drawing beams of comfortable warmth across Izuku's face. Despite the somewhat cosy atmosphere the boy couldn't help but feel a crushing anxiousness at the current situation, still confused as to what happened earlier at USJ.
He still hadn't told All Might about the discovery of his original Quirk, along with Kiri's existence. He originally wanted to tell him in private after school, but with the advent of the attack on USJ and this new complication he wasn't sure what to do...
Recovery Girl was currently conducting a check-up on All Might, while Izuku had been specifically requested to come along with them under the guise that he needed healing for his mangled finger. The Hero hadn't spoken ever since Nomu's defeat, having been assisted by Valkyrie's strange new form.
"Because of the situation this time, I can't really scold you." Recovery Girl huffed. "You were lucky that brute didn't dig any deeper into your old wound."
"All Might, are you really okay?" Izuku asked worriedly.
"I'm... fine, Young Midoriya. I just- the form that Valkyrie took on earlier… she looked like-" Bony hands clenched into fists. "No, she didn't just look like her. The way she talked, the way she moved- That was her. I'm certain of it."
"Her?" he ventured curiously, slightly fearful of the answer.
"That costume she was wearing. And her face afterwards… That was Shimura Nana." All Might grunted as Recovery Girl continued to bandage him. "I was planning to tell you later on; She was my mentor, the one who held One For All before me. The question is… how is Miss Valkyrie connected to her? It just doesn't make any sense."
"Your… Mentor. Maybe it's her original Quirk, or maybe she's friends with Valkyrie?"
"I doubt it. Nana's Quirk was basically just super-strength, greatly amplified when combined with the power of One For All. As for the friend theory I'm afraid that's impossible, young man."
"Why's that?"
"Shimura Nana passed away a long time ago, before Valkyrie first appeared." All Might said softly, staring blankly into the ceiling. "I was at the funeral."
A strange feeling of sorrow mixed with regret tugged at Izuku's heart. Should he tell All Might that he too was connected to Valkyrie? No. The current circumstances were simply too complicated to explain right now, he needed to ask Kiri what was going on. Why had she taken on the form of a person who was long gone; no, she wasn't just 'a person'. She was someone who once wielded One For All…
A sneaking suspicion was beginning to worm its way into Izuku's heart.
The boy's train of thought was interrupted by the door sliding open, a trenchcoat-toting man striding through.
"Pardon me…" He greeted Recovery Girl with a tip of his hat, then turned to them. "Long time no see, All Might."
"Tsukauchi! Didn't know you were here."
"All Might! Is, uh... Is it alright to show that form?" Izuku fumbled, gesturing at the Hero's skeletal body.
"Yeah, it's fine. Why? Because he's Naomasa Tsukauchi, my best friend in the Police Force."
"Heh. What's with that weird introduction?" Tsukauchi snickered. "Sorry to cut to the chase, but I need all the details on the Vill—"
"Wait, please! More importantly, are all the students okay?" All Might asked worriedly. "What about Aizawa; Eraserhead, and Thirteen?"
"The students are fine save for a few light scratches, and the two teachers are in a stable condition for now. Thirteen suffered from some heavy lacerations, but he'll be fine after some treatment. Aizawa-san has multiple fractures on both his arms and face, but luckily there was no damage to his brain or eyes. He'll be back in perfect condition once he heals up."
"I see…"
"If you three Heroes had not risked your lives, then the students would not have survived. They're good kids, Toshinori… despite everything, they fought too. I think they'll grow up to be fine Heroes." Tsukauchi cupped his chin, deep in thought. "Then there's also the issue of the vigilante; Valkyrie, arriving on the scene. That girl again, huh. How did she know what was going on at USJ before any of the teachers did? I just can't figure it out…"
"U-um. Again? Have you met her before?" Izuku asked, trying to steer the topic away from USJ.
"She was the bane of our local Police department more than a few times. We never could catch her- this one time she dropped off an unconscious villain within the building itself and we still couldn't capture her." The detective's expression soured, apparently remembering something unpleasant. "Then she ate all the sugarcubes and doughnuts in the station before she left and we couldn't do a damn thing about it."
The boy coughed nervously. Yep, that's her alright.
"Can you believe it? A Police department with no sugar for our coffee and no doughnuts! And just last month, she-"
"Speaking of the girl, we've got a new mystery on our hands." All Might interrupted. "Valkyrie took on the form of one Shimura Nana earlier."
"Shimura? Isn't that—" Tsukauchi frowned. "Hurm. This is a new development… We're gonna need all the help we can get to figure this one out."
As the two friends began a lengthy conversation on the ongoing investigation, Izuku tuned them out and looked towards the afternoon sun setting over the horizon. He was worried for his little sister since she disappeared right after the fight with Nomu. And that form she took… it couldn't be.
Could it?
[x]
Izuku went straight home later that night after his finger got healed by Recovery Girl, his mother greeting him with a concerned hug. He was beginning to worry; Kiri still hadn't appeared, and he was starting to get a bad feeling about all this.
As the boy tossed and turned about in his bed, the anxiousness within him prevented him from falling asleep. He gazed out of his window and at the night sky, hoping to find some peace in staring at the stars above- that always calmed him down when he was younger.
Izuku looked into the darkness above Musutafu... and saw strange lights in the sky. A closer inspection revealed that something was falling from the heavens. Not just one, either—a quartet of twinkling stars left fiery, multicolored trails behind them as they screamed across the sky, almost looking like a meteor shower. Probably the effect of some flying Hero or an aircraft, he reasoned. Still, he couldn't stop looking… the sight of them was sort of calming in an eerie, unexplainable way.
Tracking their path invoked an odd, almost familiar sense of nostalgia in him. They were beautiful, four distinct colors of Orange, Blue, Red and Green. The four stars fell in parallel, an unearthly rainbow in the night… until they split off, branching into separate paths. Izuku's eyelids started to droop, sleep finally overtaking him.
A dreamless slumber awaited him, his mind and body completely at peace. Everything was calm, a quiet silence in the comforting darkness of his mind. That comfort was soon interrupted by something pulling weakly at his face, desperate to wake him up.
"Nii-chan… nii-chan, onii-chan!" A young voice drifted in and out of his consciousness. "Izuku-nii-chan, wake up!"
"Wha..." The boy slowly sat up straight, eyes fluttering open. Bright sunlight bounced off every corner of the room. It was… morning already? "Kiri? I'm glad you're okay—"
Izuku looked around, unable to find his sister. That was strange. He was sure he heard her voice.
"Onii-channnnn…"
He glanced down to find his little sister resting on his thigh, but something was wrong—Kiri was currently smaller than one of his All Might action figures, tiny enough to sit atop his palm. She was sniffing miserably into the sheets, her lilliputian form looking up at him in guilt before letting out a squeak and hiding her face, clearly distressed.
His previous confusion now replaced with concern, the plain-looking boy delicately reached down and scooped her up into his hands. She seemed so fragile and weak in this new form, like a little doll.
"Hey, hey… What's wrong?" Izuku rubbed her pint-sized back lightly with his finger, feeling her shiver at his touch. "Don't cry..."
"I… I'm sorry…" Kiri sniffed, her minuscule hands coming away to wipe away equally small tears. She pulled on her little hoodie to cover her head, curling into a tight ball on his palm like a tiny cat. "I-I didn't tell you… because I didn't want to- to shock you…"
"Hm? Oh! You mean Shimura Nana's form?"
She nodded meekly, not daring to look at him in her shame.
Izuku brought both hands up closer and nuzzled against the girl gently, feeling her hug his face. Through the connection they shared he felt her sorrow and shame at having deceived him, her miniature body wracked with small sobs. Poor girl, he thought. He was sure that she only had good intentions. Coaxing her a little he managed to get her to open up and reveal her face again, her cheeks shining wetly.
"I need… I need to show you something." the girl whispered. "It's—It's really important."
"Hmm? If you say so." Izuku nodded. "Show me."
With that confirmation the little construct tiptoed to press her forehead against his, another memory transfer. A sequence of wild colors, sounds and sensations assaulted his senses, kaleidoscopic and hallucinatory; a bridge of rainbow light stretching infinitely before him until...
"I AM HERE, AS A MEMORY!"
The glorious visage of All Might appeared, dressed in his casual clothes. The Number One Hero smiled widely, hands on his hips. Four spheres of light orbited around his head lazily, the collective glow that they emitted giving the impression of a Halo. Behind him the bright blue sky was eclipsed by a titanic tree in the background, providing some shade from the morning sun.
"Wow, this seems really weird. Kiri-chan, you're 'recording' this, right?"
A small squeak, followed by the 'camera' moving up and down to nod in confirmation. Izuku quickly realized that he was looking through his sister's eyes, or more accurately- memories from her point of view. They already knew each other—he knew her by name? What was going on?
"Okay, I'll have to make this short and sweet so you can remember everything. Ahem! Greetings, Young Midoriya! This might be a little weird, but I am here to tell you what's going on!" All Might announced. "Since I passed you the power of One For All, a fragment of me now resides inside your head! That's right, we're live from within your mind, young man! Frankly, I had no idea something like this would happen. How unexpected!"
Izuku could barely even believe what he was hearing. A fragment of All Might was in his head?! The very notion was absurd and absolutely ridiculous, but hearing it come from the mouth of his hero caused him to think twice. If he could cry out in surprise he'd would have done so the instant he comprehended that shocking revelation.
"I know, I know. It's really strange." the Hero coughed sheepishly. "But wait, there's more!"
There's more?!
"I'm not the only one in here! Turns out whenever One For All is transferred to a new wielder, a fragment of the previous wielder's soul is taken along for the ride!" All Might pointed to a violet orb in his halo, which flashed twice. "This here is Shimura Nana! That's how little Kiri-chan was able to assume her form, she's in here too! She's says hi. At least, I think that's what she's saying."
What?!
"But the thing is- something went wrong, Young Man." The Hero leaned in closer, his voice serious. "I regret to tell you this, but when Kiri and Nana did their combining thing, there was… a breach. Four Souls, previous wielders of One For All have escaped into the Real World! Now, I know this sounds really bad…" All Might paused and scratched his head. "Okay, it is really bad. Nana and I can't do anything from in here, and Kiri-chan is completely drained from both the fusion and the fact that the four escapees are using her power and the power of One For All to manifest themselves as projections. But she can track them down... Therefore, it's up to you to retrieve them!"
WHAT?!
"Two of them are villains and must not be allowed to wreak havoc in a world which they do not belong. We also don't know what kind of negative effects there'll be on you or One For All so we need them back in here as soon as possible. I know this is sudden, and selfish… I'm sorry, Midoriya my boy! I wish there was more I could do… but it's alright! Remember, I chose you as my successor for a reason… So believe in me, who believes in you! It's all up to you now, young man!"
The memory ended abruptly, Izuku pulling away into reality and gasping for air. He immediately started shaking with fear, alarmed and confused. There was a bunch of people, dead people- living inside his head? That was insane, in more ways than one! And four of them have… escaped.
Not to mention, All Might expected him to retrieve the escaped souls who once wielded One For All? What was going on?! This was all so sudden! And his suggestion that they would wreak havoc- there was the underlying implication that some of them might not be so inclined to go back into his head. The boy started to hyperventilate, overwhelming fear consuming his thoughts.
Two of them… two of them were Villains! A pale hand reached out for him again with killing intent, a nightmare vision of the thin man that had led the assault on USJ. Izuku shivered at the memory, trembling. He would have to face Villains right after he'd already did yesterday?! He didn't even know how to use the current iteration of the power correctly! Up against individuals with probably yearsof experience- how could he- he couldn't-
A little whine from Kiri caught his attention, the boy glancing down at her to find a crestfallen expression on her childish face.
"I'm- I'm sorry, onii-chan…" She whimpered pitifully, clearly blaming herself for what had happened. "I'm supposed to protect you but- but I only caused t-t-trouble for you…"
She scrunched up her eyes, sniffing and hiccuping. Seeing her upset like that caused him to forget his fear, a newfound sense of determination seeming to flow from deep within his heart.
'It's all up to you now, young man!' All Might's voice echoed.
"It's okay, it's okay." he shushed her gently, looking at her with warm, kind eyes. "It's not your fault- nobody could have predicted that something like this would happen. I'm not angry at all."
"You're- you're not?" Lovely sapphire eyes peered up at him timidly. The tip of his index finger came to wipe away her tears with utmost care. "B-but I…"
"Of course I'm not. Don't worry, okay?" Izuku stroked the top of her tiny head gently. "If we're going to find them, we'll do it together. As a family."
"Onii-chan… I-I'm soweeee…" She wailed, rushing forward to hug his finger with her pint-sized body. "I love you..."
"You don't have to be sorry for anything, Kiri. I love you too." Izuku glanced at his bedside clock, noting the time. 6:57AM. Right, classes were cancelled today due to the attack on USJ yesterday. There was no time to hesitate or be held down by fear- the four were still out there, and All Might was counting on him to return them from whence they came. "C'mon, we need to find them."
"O-okay!" A new look of determination gleamed within the girl's eyes, with her nodding fiercely.
Izuku quickly changed into some casual clothes and scooped up his miniature little sister to place her atop him- a literal Angel on his shoulder. He didn't bother to wake up his Mom in the rush; time was of the essence. A stray thought occurred to him; should he call the real All Might for help?
No… although Kiri had helped him the Number One Hero was still needed to rest after overextending his time limit in the fight against Nomu. To ask him for aid now had the potential to shorten his Hero form's remaining time even further, something that the Symbol of Peace could not afford.
Additionally, explaining the entire situation to All Might or anyone else would already take up a huge portion of time, time that he did not have. The longer those four roamed free the more likely that complications would occur. He had to do this himself. Grabbing his smartphone and an old backpack the boy took a deep breath and trudged out the door with his sister at his side, his heart filled with a volatile mix of nervousness and confidence.
[x]
Izuku bobbed and weaved between the human traffic of downtown Musutafu, paying them no heed to focus on his current mission. He wore an old, greying All Might hoodie with Kiri hiding inside the hood and clinging onto him, whispering directions into his ear.
Her instructions led him right through the center of the city, out of the busy streets and into the lesser-developed areas. Eventually they made their way to the outskirts, Kiri pointing to a hilltop where an old, traditional-looking house sat. The pair made their way up dozens of stairs quickly, Izuku thankful his days training with All Might had paid off in such a way. What kind of person would he meet, he wondered… there was simply too little information to work with.
Finally reaching the summit of the hill he found himself standing at a dilapidated gate, the wooden frame rotting and mottled with algae. Izuku pushed it open cautiously and stepped past it, wincing when the rusty hinges let out a bone-chilling creak. The first thing he spotted was tall slabs of stone placed in neat parallel rows, a sense of desolate loneliness plaguing the atmosphere as the thick treetop canopy above shrouded the area in darkness despite the bright morning sun. He gulped, realizing what this place was.
A Graveyard.
Though his body trembled with fear Izuku continued forward, trusting in the directions his sister was giving him. His footsteps were slow and measured, heart pounding with a steady drumbeat. Kiri held on tight, draining some of his fear away and clearing his mind.
"Are you sure this is the right place, Kiri?"
She nodded, then pointed at a specific corner urgently. Izuku advanced forward and felt his heart leap into his throat- the rough shape of a person was crouched low near a tombstone, their back towards them and barely visible in the dim light. The poor boy felt a shiver creep up his spine, his breathing labored and tight. It's okay, there's no such thing as ghosts, there's nothing to be afraid of...
Izuku slowly inched his way towards the figure, careful not to alert them to his presence. He still didn't know what he was dealing with, for all he knew this could be a dangerous Villain.
"Your sneaking could use a little work."
The plain-looking boy jumped at that statement, before calming himself down when the figure turned to face him. A tall woman in a white blouse and dark slacks gazed at him passively, her pastel orange ponytail cascading down her left shoulder. She looked like a professional in that outfit; possessing a sharp, strict beauty that reminded him of a schoolteacher, her only flaw the dark circles under her eyes giving the impression that she hadn't slept in weeks.
She beckoned him closer with a wave of her hand, her face expressionless. Edging closer, the boy made sure to take note of her every move... he was still wary and cautious of the stranger. Now that he was a little closer he noticed the hair ornament atop her head was a tiny oriental crown, the accessory holding her ponytail in place.
"Hello, Midoriya Izuku." she whispered, turning back to stare at the tombstone before her. She knew his name! She had to be one of them. "And hello again, little construct."
"Grandma." Kiri whispered from her perch. He pulled down his hoodie to reveal his face and let her out, the little girl crawling out to sit on his shoulder. "Grandma Chen."
Izuku searched through the archives of his brain for someone who had that name, both Hero and Villain, but came up short. This person was a complete unknown to him, not to mention that she wore her civilian clothes instead of a costume. He didn't really have much to work with here.
"Don't call me that. I'm not your Grandma, that's for sure." Chen grumbled, a little annoyed. "Just let me… just give me a moment."
Izuku watched her sweep her hand across the weathered stone, her fingers feeling every bump and crack along its surface. He kept silent, not wanting to disturb whatever she was doing. In a way, it felt like he was communing with a spirit- the soul of someone long gone now before him. Nervous fidgets caused his limbs to twitch uncomfortably. He still couldn't believe it- someone who once wielded One For All was standing before him.
"Tch. So they put it here, huh."
"Um, you knew them… Chen-san?" Izuku tried reluctantly, unsure of how to address her.
"Of course I do." the woman said flatly. "She's me."
Izuku stared at the tombstone silently, slowly processing what he'd just heard. He realized with more than a little amazement she was looking at her own grave, perhaps the last reminder that she'd once been a living person.
"To think they buried my ashes here in Japan…" she stated wistfully, a faraway look in her eyes. The woman shifted slightly to face the tombstone beside hers, placing a hand atop it.
"Look at you, you foolish little girl- still holding on to my son's surname." Chen whispered, brushing off a stray leaf. "Why didn't you remarry… it would've been easier."
The woman continued to turn her head, looking down the row of graves. There was complete silence with the exception of the wind rushing through the trees, the chilly morning air only adding a strange tranquility to the atmosphere.
"They're gone." she said, hands curling into fists and knuckles turning white. "I thought I had left them, but in the end I was the one who was left behind. How ironic."
"I'm sorry." Izuku said softly, finally understanding that she was standing among the graves of her family. He couldn't even begin to fathom what the woman was experiencing now, having the rest of the world move on without her whilst she was frozen in time within the power of One For All. Perhaps decades had passed since her death.
She stood up to her full height, looking down at her hands. A quiet resolve seemed to solidify within her tired eyes, locking on to Izuku. Turning to him, the woman's jaw tensed... her fingers loosened into hooks.
"I should kill you." Chen said quietly.
"W-what?!" Izuku stammered in alarm, almost backing away until Kiri floated in front of him. She was shielding him with her tiny from, arms outstretched and determined to protect him even in her weakened state. Izuku pulled her back onto his shoulder- he wouldn't just rely on her. They'd do this together.
"I've spent the last seventy-nine years trapped in prison of memories with a bunch of buffoons. I have been denied my heavenly ascension into the afterlife because of this accursed power... like Sisyphus, I am bound to Hell. Don't you see? To kill you would mean my freedom… and yours."
Oh no. Oh nonononono.
Every step she took seemed to cause the boy's heartbeat to ratchet up in multitudes. It took all it had in him not to back away, the sheer pressure she exuded turning his knees into jelly. Kiri started to growl, prepared to defend her brother to the death.
"If I kill you now… How many people will be spared from the prison named One For All?" The woman was too emotionally overwhelmed to think clearly, Izuku guessed. "How many souls will I save from eternal purgatory? Dozens? Hundreds?"
"Chen-san, please! I know we just met, but you're not thinking straight." The student raised his arms in a placating manner, his heart a jackhammer that pounded at his ribcage relentlessly. Nononono. This wasn't supposed to happen. "Don't do this… I-I don't want to hurt you."
"Hurt me?" she said darkly, her tone raising the hairs on the back of his neck. "You should worry about yourself, child. Did your little Construct not tell you about my Quirk?"
"Y-your Quirk? I-I don't understand…"
"I may not have received your Construct's Invulnerability, but the effects of your melded powers has somehow allowed me to replicate my own Quirk." A menacing aura seemed to seep from the woman as she advanced. Her eyes were two immolating coals, the telltale whine and lightning of One For All beginning to spark across her body. "Even now I can feel the effects of my Insomnia…"
She could use her own Quirk, as well as her own version of One For All.
This was bad. Really, really bad. Up against an opponent with an unknown Quirk and years of experience bearing down on him, all Izuku could do was hold his ground. He couldn't use One For All to escape; a single use would cripple his legs and leave him helpless to fight back. Though Kiri was trying her best she could do little in her weakened state, powerless to fight and too drained to imbue him with her Invulnerability. Think, Izuku, think! Her variant of One For All was definitely weaker than All Might's since she predates him. He could hit the ground beneath her with a Smash to stun or knock her back, but- the graves would be destroyed if he did that...
"My Quirk allows me to get stronger and tougher the longer I stay awake, and it resets when I fall asleep." Chen's voice sizzled into his ear. "I don't get tired, but I do suffer from sleep deprivation like any normal human. My brain starts shutting down if I keep it active for too long. But in a mental form... all the downsides vanish since I'm no longer human. To think I was about to finally fall asleep when I was forcefully yanked out of your head..."
He had to do something, and do it quick. She was edging closer and closer, a steady hum of power radiating off her like heat from a flame. Even in his panic Izuku was still planning.
Think, think! Make as much noise as possible. Attract nearby bystanders which would then alert the police or heroes- but in those few minutes they would take to arrive I'd be reduced to a red stain on the ground... Maybe send Kiri to get help while I keep her talking to buy time-
"When I was alive six months of staying awake would gave granted me enough power to collapse buildings." Her voice was a whisper cutting through the air. "In this mental form I haven't slept in the last two years. Even without One For All I could split this city in two."
That last part sent a tremor through Izuku's body, causing the boy to steel himself with a sudden defiance and determination. No way in hell he'd allow her to harm Musutafu city, his home. Everyone was counting on him. Shimura Nana. All Might. Kiri. Mom. The fear he felt all this while disappeared without Kiri's interference, replaced with reckless bravado and righteous anger.
"I can't let you do that." Izuku grit his teeth, One For All surging through his arm as he took on a combat stance. On his shoulder, Kiri took on her own stance as well, ready to fight alongside her brother.
A new effect of bristling green lightning crackled through and around his limb, contrasting his opponent's arcing orange lightning. Both of them charged themselves up with the power passed down for generations, two bearers of the torch impossibly squaring down against each other. Branches of energy from both combatants clashed and sparked off on their counterparts, a lightshow of power within the dark graveyard.
"Oh?" Chen crooned, curious. "Are you going to fight me, boy?"
"If I have to. I won't let you hurt anyone!"
Though he knew he would most likely lose, Izuku still stood his ground. The air surrounding Izuku's arm distorted, steam rising from his skin as the muscle and tendons within tensed with power. He'd do anything to protect the city, the innocent, even at the cost of his own body. Despite everything, he wasn't going down without a fight. Even against a vastly superior opponent with years of experience… even so… even so!
"Excellent." the woman whispered. Her arms moved upward- Izuku's entire body tensed and prepared to launch a fully charged smash right into her face—
Chen unexpectedly powered down, the lightning that raced across her body diffusing with a quiet whine. Izuku was barely able to stop himself and One For All from releasing, wrangling the overwhelming power within him to a standstill. To his confusion she began to clap slowly, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.
"So you're not just any ordinary boy after all." she stated, the tiniest hint of a smile on her features. "Not bad, Midoriya Izuku. You pass."
"E-eh?" The poor boy stammered, genuinely stunned. "Wha- What?"
"But still, it could have been better." The woman hummed in thought, a hand to her chin. "For instance, you had literally no plan but to punch me in the face and hope for the best. You should have tried to retreat to call for reinforcements, or perhaps create a loud enough ruckus so that nearby Heroes would investigate. I can see you thinking and planning, but there was no execution. Also, you did not notice that One For All is weaker due to four parts of it missing, or consider that if I actually lashed out with my overcharged Quirk I would have depleted all my borrowed energy in an instant, which would have effectively led to my own destruction. Careless. If the passing mark was 30 you would have gotten 35."
"We're- you're not gonna-"
"You still have much to learn, you naive child." Chen sighed and knelt down, tussling Izuku's hair like his mother used to do. "Did you really think I would harm the city that my family lived in? That I would start a fight among the graves of my family when I clearly showed how distraught I was about them earlier? To do so would bring dishonor to their name, and mine. If you'd actually used the stuffing in between your ears to do some thinking you would have at least tried to call me out or dissuade me about the graves the moment I powered up. Though I suppose fear does hinder the thinking process quite a bit."
"T-that was all a test?!" Izuku cried, pulling away in disbelief. "It was all f-f-fake?"
"No, the part about them being buffoons was quite true." the woman said, dusting off her knees as she got up. "I underestimated you... in all honesty I expected you to hide behind your Construct or go crawling to the real All Might for help in retrieving us. Instead you faced me head-on, little hero. How brave. Reckless, but brave. However, you have shown that you were willing to sacrifice. As such, you're good in my books."
"I—um, er…" the boy mumbled, still speechless from shock.
"You remind me of my son, you know. But do not let that recklessness be your downfall."
Chen extended her hand towards Kiri, the tiny being touching her finger with one of her own. The air around them displaced with a whoosh as the simulacrum transformed into her teenage form, complete with her own casual clothes, namely her hoodie (that now fit her nicely) and shorts, along with a pair of shoes that were identical to Izuku's. The woman had returned her borrowed power to both of them through her.
The teenage girl huffed, cheeks puffed up in annoyance and arms folded. The older woman returned the expression with an expressionless shrug, causing the young girl to pout even further. Izuku just watched them both in disbelief, still a little too stunned.
Before he could say anything a small cough broke his concentration, causing the boy to jolt up in surprise. An old man shuffled into view past the stairs, holding a small bucket of water and a lantern. He hadn't noticed their entire exchange earlier, more focused on trying to make his way past them.
"Ah, excuse me." he murmured, gesturing to the area that they were standing on. "Pardon me, please. I need to clean them..."
"...Of course." Chen said quietly, her eyes flickering over his decrepit form. His face was rough and lined with age, the effects of time clear on his wrinkled, sagging skin. One of his eyes was misty with cataracts, gaze cast downwards as his back was hunched and curved.
Wordlessly they moved out of the way for him, watching in silence as he began to clean the gravestones in a practiced motion. Izuku dared not speak, for he suspected Chen was thinking the exact same thing in regards to the old man before them... This was no gravekeeper.
"Huh…?" he whispered almost ceremoniously, running his fingers across the same weathered stone that Chen had touched earlier. He cast his gaze along the same gravestones she had eyed, too. "Oh dear, did I already clean you all yesterday? My, I'm getting a little too forgetful."
Both Izuku and Chen's vision blurred as one. For a moment, life and youth returned to the old man. She saw a little boy no older than five, his tiny fingers clinging onto hers. Her grandson giggled when she picked him up into a loving embrace, nuzzling against her innocently. Together they smiled for the camera, for their family here in Musutafu, Japan.
The moment passed, and she could only watch as the old man bowed to them politely after a few minutes, finished with his business and shuffling towards the exit. Though her expression remained even as ever, a single tear rolled down the woman's cheek. Izuku opted not to say anything, having already understood. In that brief, fleeting moment her memories had somehow bled over to his.
That melancholic silence was soon interrupted by a youthful voice calling out, tinged with concern.
"Ojii-chan! Did you wander off to clean the graves again? Baa-chan sent me to find you~!"
A teenage girl jogged up the stairs and past the gate while full of youthful energy, her brilliant orange hair bobbing with every step. Izuku noted the sudden, sharp intake of breath from Chen when she saw her. What he didn't notice was that Kiri recognized the girl immediately, having just met her yesterday outside the school gates. It was Itsuka Kendo from class 1-B.
"Yeah, I'm here." The old man answered, smiling and waving. "Here, dear."
"There you are, Gramps!" Kendo huffed, approaching the old man to relieve him of his bucket and lantern. She handed over a wooden cane, extending her other hand to hold his protectively. "You know how worried Baa-chan gets when you—WOAH!"
She let out a shriek of surprise upon seeing the trio of unknowns standing near her family graves, not noticing them in the dim light until she swung her lantern up. Kiri waved lazily from beside Izuku while he stood around awkwardly.
"Y-yui? Is that you? What—wait a minute." Kendo leaned in for a closer look, raising her lantern high. "You're Kiri-san, aren't you? What a coincidence! It's good to see you again, but- What are you doing here? And who are these two?"
"I, um, Kiri's my sis and I, we, uh…" Izuku began, trying his best to come up with an explanation. "We were all just paying our respects nearby! Y-yeah."
Kendo squinted at him suspiciously, a finger resting on her chin. She was quite the looker even in that loose blouse and shorts, most likely her home clothes—but the more important thing he noticed was how she somewhat resembled Chen, her orange hair being an indication that they were related by blood. Of course she did, Izuku thought. She's probably her great-great granddaughter.
"Hey, haven't I seen you before?" Kendo hummed. "Now I remember- You're from Class 1-A, aren't you? I've seen you around the cafeteria and after class; you're that plain-looking boy!"
"E-eh? You're from U.A?!"
"Yeah! I'm from Class 1-B. Itsuka Kendo, at your service. I guess your sister hasn't told you about how we met yesterday. She doesn't talk much, eh?" The girl smiled, friendly and welcoming.
"U-um, yeah! I'm M-m-midoriya I-Izuku. N-nice to meet you…" Izuku said sheepishly, blushing a little. His nervousness around girls was beginning to act up again, and it didn't help that Kendo was rather attractive—no, no, focus!
"You there, girl." Chen suddenly said. She locked eyes with her descendant, her stern features causing the girl to gulp unconsciously. "Is your family doing alright?"
"E-er, yeah, why? Oh! Don't worry about us going back, we live close by in that big house over there." Kendo thumbed over her shoulder at the traditional-looking house they'd seen sitting atop the hill. "Sorry about ol' Gramps. He likes to venture out here once in a while to clean the family graves. Say, since you're here… would you guys like to come in for some tea? Our treat."
"...Perhaps another time." The woman smiled warmly for the first time in decades, her gaze softening.
"Alright, if you say so... Miss, uh—"
"Chen."
"Right! Nice meeting you." She glanced between the trio before shrugging and holding onto her grandfather's free hand, guiding him carefully. "Come on, Jii-chan. Let's go home."
Izuku turned to the phantom worriedly, hesitant. She was watching them slowly walk away, a peaceful expression on her features.
"U-um, Chen-san. Is this… really okay with you?" he whispered to her. "Don't you want to say anything else to them? I mean, they are your family."
"I've… I've seen enough. As long as they're happy." she said softly. "Then I'm happy."
"Bye-bye~!" Kendo and her Grandfather turned back to wave at them, friendly smiles on their faces. "See you around in school, you two! Bye, Auntie!"
"Auntie, huh. Heh." The trio waved back, watching them go. Chen's form began to flicker and fade, the woman letting out a small sigh. "I suppose my time is up. To think that it was I who learned something from this… how peculiar."
"Y-you did?"
"I still can't let go of the past… but perhaps that will change in time." She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "But enough about me. The other three are still out there, I was attempting to track them down when I came across my daughter-in-law's home… my apologies. I got distracted."
"Um, it's okay." Izuku gulped then nodded with determination, getting back on track. "Alright, what can you tell me about the situation?"
"It is imperative that you find either Johnny or König as soon as possible; Those two are the most likely to stick out in a crowd. While we were mid-air I saw Johnny falling towards… what do you call it? Your… USJ? If you're lucky he'll still be there, it took the entire night for me to manifest myself even after I landed. The combined power that we are sapping from both you and your construct is unstable… forcefully melded together. The Power of One For All is fine, but I could feel your Construct's— Valkyrie's power... diminishing slowly when I was searching around the city. It shouldn't be that surprising since she can gain it back easily through consuming emotions but the others... they have no such ability. I suspect that Kiri consuming emotions will not refuel them, only herself; if it did I would have already felt it. Those fools are living on borrowed time."
Izuku's mind raced into overdrive. USJ? That was where the Villains had attacked yesterday! If any of the U.A teachers were to encounter an unknown stranger there… they'd probably assume a stray villain had somehow escaped their notice in the cleanup. This wasn't looking good.
"You have to retrieve them as soon as possible, boy. There's no telling what might happen if they stay out in the Real World for too long. The power to manifest themselves—Valkyrie's power... If they run out of that there's a possibility we may lose the wielder and their portion of One For All forever." She started to turn translucent, fading in and out of reality. "A small possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. Though it's only a hypothesis of mine, so take it with a grain of salt."
"Wait, don't go yet!" Izuku tried desperately, noticing the woman's phantom form beginning to dissolve into smoke. Her warning that One For All's power might be affected permanently just escalated the situation to an alarming degree. "I need more information! H-how do I know who I'm looking for?"
"You have Kiri with you, do you not?" Chen echoed, her voice distorted like a corrupted audio file. "You'll know. Perhaps now... it's finally time for me to rest."
"Wait!"
Too late, his fingers grabbed empty air. The woman disintegrated into a cloud of glittering orange particles, swirling and twisting in the air like a swarm of glowing butterflies before rushing straight at him. They dived into his forehead in a stream, the strange energies returning back to their rightful place in a matter of seconds. A memory began to play out inside his head, much like the first time he'd met Kiri.
"Grandma Yan! Tell us that story again!" A child was saying, pulling at his sleeve- no, this wasn't his memory. This was hers.
"Yeah! Tell us about Daddy." A second child said, this one a girl. She was holding hands with a third child, her baby brother. "I want to know more about him."
"Well, children…" He scooped up all three kids and plopped them onto his lap, leaning back into the rocking chair. "My Son; Your Daddy was a very brave man. He was known as a Hero…"
Izuku gasped, rushing back into reality. That memory was—nevermind. He didn't have time to contemplate on what he'd just saw; now he had to find the remaining three, especially the one that landed near USJ before U.A noticed. No pressure.
Kiri turned back into her miniature, power-saving mode and darted into his hoodie once more at his instruction. She was still running at two-fifths of her full power so they needed to save her energy just in case. Together they rushed down the opposite set of stairs and headed towards the beach, in pursuit of the next interloper.
[x]
Chen manifested within Izuku's mind with a loud whoosh, All Might's folded arms and frown being the first thing she saw when she returned. Her Orange soul fragment reignited into existence on his halo, resulting in a grand total of five souls.
"Greetings, Toshinori Yagi." she said flatly. "Though I admit, I didn't expect to see you so soon once again."
"What kind of a test was that?" the hero grumbled. "You didn't have to go so far as to scare him. With the limited time they have, was a test even necessary?"
"The boy needed to prove to me that he was willing to sacrifice and think for himself. When you first chose him I doubted your decision… and your sanity." The hunter snapped her fingers to manifest a cup of hot tea. "But I can see now why you did. He has potential, I'll admit that. Also, it was a short test. I wouldn't have made it longer than a few minutes."
Nana's Violet soul rotated into view, flickering wildly atop the blonde's head. Even without looking up he could sense her rapid flashes, speaking without words in that strange light-language.
"You can't blame me for not trying, Nana." Chen nodded at Nana, sipping at her tea. "You know I'm not good with her kind."
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Nana's yelling at me because I didn't manage to track down König, one of the more unpredictable ones. It can't be helped, I suppose."
More rapid flashes from atop the Hero's head.
"Calm down, she probably won't eat anyone." Chen downed her tea, before humming in thought. "Probably."
"WHAT?!" All Might yelled out in horror.
"She's mellowed out over the years so she's no longer the killing machine she once was- I think." the woman shrugged. "Anyways, I sent him to find Johnny first. Who knows what that man is up to…"
[x]
In the forested land surrounding USJ, U.A teachers Present Mic and Hound Dog were facing a most bizarre situation. They'd been tasked to investigate and sweep the grounds when the sensors detected strange energy readings in the area, with them assuming it was a villain or two that took part in the attack yesterday and somehow escaped into the forest. But instead of them finding someone, someone had found them.
Before the pair of teachers stood a towering, shirtless man- muscular and clad in blue denim jeans with tan work boots. An alabaster birdlike mask reminiscent of an eagle's skull sat atop his head, long locks of blonde hair spilling out from the gaps between decorative feathers.
"Hey, hey, hey. You folks wouldn't happen to know a guy named 'All For One', would ya?" the mystery man grunted in heavily-accented Japanese, his voice rough like sandpaper.
"Never heard of him." Present Mic answered calmly. "Friend of yours?"
"Nah, I was hoping you'd know where he was so I can kill his ass."
Beside him Hound Dog began to growl, clearly wary of the strange intruder. Said intruder simply cocked his head in response, intrigued.
"You'd better control that mutt of yours, corn man."
"Aah, perhaps a little introduction would do us some good!" Present Mic made a discreet hand motion to signal Hound Dog not to attack. "I'm Present Mic and this is my respected colleague, Hound Dog. We're teachers from U.A High School. Look buddy, you're trespassing on private property."
"Hi, I'm Johnny." he said casually. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, but then I'd be lying."
"We're wasting our time." Hound Dog snarled, starting to take a step forward. "Let's just bag this villain and get this over with-"
"Villain? I ain't no villain, Mad Dog."
"Hound. Dog."
"Whatever. If you'll excuse me, I've got places to be."
"No you don't." Present Mic's eyes narrowed behind his trademark shades. "You're coming with us downtown and the Police are going to have a nice, long chat with you."
"Oh? What, you gonna sic your mutt on me if I don't want to?" Johnny grumbled, annoyed. "I don't want to hurt you guys, I'm just looking for someone."
"Get down on the ground and put your hands behind your head." Hound Dog's muscles rippled with power, veins throbbing along his massive arms. "You have five seconds to comply."
The man cocked his head again, much like how a real eagle would when examining something. A bright blue pupil peeked out from the hollow darkness of his skull mask, baring a row of ghostly white teeth that glinted in the morning light.
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Three seconds."
"No. Get out of my way. I won't ask a second time."
"That's it. You're under arrest." Hound Dog growled and stepped forward. He reached out for the man's arm with his capture-cuffs at the ready.
The man bounded towards them without warning, Hound Dog responding by leaping forward with a frightening speed that belied his size. Just as the U.A teacher was right on him he jumped, kicking off his pursuer's back and rushing towards Present Mic. He pounced, closing the considerable distance between himself and the other teacher in the blink of an eye. His fingers were splayed open, centimeters away from grabbing Present Mic's head in an effort to push off him to make his escape—
Present Mic roared, the bass thunder of his voice magnified a hundredfold by his Quirk; a focused wave of overwhelming sonic energy that erupted from his throat and slammed into his opponent with the force of a speeding truck. The ground beneath the Hero shook, trees unfortunate enough to be in the path of his attack stripped of their leaves in a mere instant. Fury made manifest in the acoustic spectrum.
The mystery man was sent flying into a nearby boulder which subsequently shattered from the impact, covering him in a pile of broken stone.
"A little too much, don't you think?" Hound Dog winced, scratching at his ears.
"He was about to mess up my hair." The blonde shrugged. "Nobody messes with my hair. Come on, Hound. Let's bag him."
"I'm not impressed by a whisper, corn man."
Both heroes paused, turning to look with steadily rising alarm. A muscular hand burst out from beneath the rubble in a small explosion of stone, a misshapen figure rising from the wreckage like an undead from beyond the grave. On his back, something was beginning to form—twin gouts of crimson and turquoise bursting from under the skin to form protrusions that resembled jets of flame… or wings. Burning azure eyes locked onto them, accompanied by a guttural, animalistic snarl.
"I wanna hear you scream."
[x]
Meanwhile in uptown Musutafu a beast lay flat on her naked belly, pressed against the ground to hide between the tall grass and bushes. She sniffed the surroundings, the heat from her breath producing a small cloud of steam in the chilly air.
Food had come.
Food had gone.
König remained hungry.
The surrounding air smelt fresh, clean. Just like her old home in the forests, though it felt a little different here. So many different smells, so many different people. She peeked between the gaps in the foliage, small strings of drool dripping past her open maw lined with razor-sharp teeth.
She watched as people passed by, completely unaware that a predator was lurking mere meters away from them. Her stomach began to growl despite being a projection that had no need for nutritional sustenance. But then again, this was an opportunity to have some real food, not some thought construct that she'd dreamt up. Maybe she should come out? No… she had to control herself, at least to the best of her abilities. A few times she had saw what she wanted, but just barely restrained herself from leaping out and taking it forcefully.
Hungry… want food.
More and more people walked past the tall bushes she was hiding in, each exuding a unique scent. The salty and bitter sting of human sweat assaulted her sense of smell. She watched them carefully with her brownish-red eyes, still as a statue to remain undetected. None of them had what she wanted.
She had good reason to conceal herself; in the past people would often react in alarm or fear whenever they encountered her in the woods, most of them not wanting to tangle with her. Once a local mob had even tried to hunt her down... she still remembered the glare of their torches, the clanging of their pitchforks. She couldn't exactly blame them... after all, they had mistaken her for the true Beast in the Woods when in reality she'd been fighting him for territory. Then some local heroes got involved and the situation escalated beyond her control.
Her thoughts about the past were interrupted by something different entering her range, sticking out like a beacon in the sea of scents. A light, slightly sugary smell- milky and sweet. The smell of children nearby. She could hear their youthful laughter, bright and innocent.
Children… always gave more...
König licked her lips.