Chapter 9: A Temporary Place
Two and a half months.
That was exactly how long Miyobi Akaya put up with Izuku.
When the Miyobi's told Izuku he was leaving, just as September came to a close, the strained peace Izuku had tried to establish at home and school felt pointless, especially since he had only been attending the new school for about a month.
After the first morning, when Ginro left the fish on the front mat, Izuku tried to stay out of their way. He kept to his room unless he was going to school, completing chores, or the few times he slipped away to meet with Ginro and Kekyu.
In an attempt to make up for not helping his mother around the house as much as he believed he should have, now that she was gone, Izuku gave his all to help the Miyobi's when they told him to help with chores. He wanted to be in their good graces if he had to stay longer than what they called normal.
For a while, his attempts seemed to work. There were no more confrontations. So, despite their clear annoyance with his presence, he thought he was doing what they wanted by staying out of the way, but a few days before they told him he was leaving, he made the blunder that ended it all.
Who knew being too good at trying to help – trying too hard to get them to like him despite being quirkless – would backfire so spectacularly?
On a late-September evening, Izuku entered the Miyobi home after an excursion to see Ginro and Kekyu. Izuku smiled softly to himself as he slid off his shoes, remembering the fish they had eaten together. While Izuku still did not know if he wanted to continue his path toward being a hero, Ginro had convinced him to start meditating again that afternoon. Slipping into the relaxed state actually felt good. Unlike how having the meals with the two yokai stirred up conflicted feelings of gratitude, guilt, sadness, and a wealth of other emotions. Once settled, his senses expanded, and he felt a wave of calm overwhelm him. His mind felt clear for the first time since arriving at the Miyobi's.
The two yokai had tried before, with little success, but today, he humored them. After all, this was the first time he had done so since his mother's death, but he was glad he did.
As Izuku slipped off his shoes and placed them on the shoe rack by the door, he announced his presence, "I'm back!"
Miyobi Akaya huffed but called out, "Finally! Set the table. Dinner will be ready soon."
Despite the fact that she could not see him, Izuku nodded reflexively, "Yes, ma'am."
One of Izuku's regular household chores was to set the table, and as Izuku moved toward the kitchen, he saw a thin woman with very long hair sitting on the couch. Izuku nodded to her, and she nodded back.
Now, the Miyobi's enjoyed having friends over for dinner. While living with his mother, when her friends visited, she always told him. The Miyobi's never gave him forewarning.
Still, on the occasions when one of their friends did show up, he would set the table for the guest as well. Then, he would silently listen to their conversation during the meal, paying only enough attention to know when he needed to respond to a question directed at him. Most of their friends were genial, but it still made Izuku feel uncomfortable – all the newness.
It did not help that the frequency with which they had guests nailed home how isolated his mother had been over the last few years.
Izuku glanced at Miyobi Akaya and remembered the last time a guest came over unannounced. He had asked if he should set the table for four, and Miyobi-san's response had been a curt "Of course."
So, Izuku bit his lip and silently pulled plates from the cupboard and set them around the table while Miyobi Akaya continued to cook, humming a tune as she went.
Izuku glanced between her and the guest, wondering if Miyobi Akaya would introduce them, but he continued to do as instructed, grabbing four sets of chopsticks and placing them around the table as well. It was not until he went to grab water glasses that Miyobi-san turned to place a plate of vegetables on the table. When she saw the four place settings, she stopped short and spun to face Izuku.
"Why are there four place settings, Izuku? Did you invite a friend without letting us know?" She asked curtly.
Izuku jerked to a halt, face palling, as he looked over at the "guest" who had been sitting on the couch. The "guest" now stood in the hall between the kitchen and the living room, staring at Izuku, a wide grin on her pale face.
Izuku looked back at Miyobi Akaya.
"Oh, I uh…"
He looked back at the yokai with the woman-like figure. Only now did he see the sharp tips at the ends of her very long hair. Izuku quickly broke eye contact. There were several types of yokai where eye contact was to be avoided at all costs.
"What are you looking at? Answer the question!" Miyobi Akaya snapped.
"Oh, umm." Izuku jerked to face Miyobi Akaya. Despite not wanting to make eye contact with the yokai, Izuku still wanted to keep it in his line of sight. He settled for keeping the giggling yokai in his peripheral vision. "I, uh, thought you had a guest," Izuku whispered.
Miyobi Akaya stiffened, looking at Izuku incredulously, "Why would you think that?"
"I, well…," Izuku clenched and unclenched his fist.
Think, Izuku, think!
The sound of the giggling yokai invaded his mind, but Izuku tried to shut out the noise, "I thought I heard you talking about having a guest over last night."
Miyobi Akaya raised an eyebrow, "When? We ate dinner together, just like a family should, and at no point in that very one-sided conversation did we discuss having a guest over, Izuku."
Izuku trembled, the glasses in his hands clinking together.
Dumb, Izuku. Dumb! You know, some yokai look very human-like!
Miyobi Akaya sighed exasperatedly, "I know you've had a rough time, given all that happened before you came to live with us, but it's been over two months."
Izuku flinched, but Miyobi Akaya continued, "Everyone has troubles. So, your mother's passing or moving in the middle of the school year does not give you an excuse to lie to get attention from us. I don't want you doing that again, you hear?"
Izuku nodded, numbness spreading through him at the mention of his mother. Unbidden, memories of blood spreading across the ground rose from the back of his mind at the sound of another loud giggle from the yokai. His eyes darted toward it but quickly centered back on Miyobi Akaya. He could see her eye twitching as she tried to control her temper.
"Now," she began as she set the pan with dinner none-to-gently on the table, "put those glasses down before you accidentally drop them, for pity's sake, and then put away the extra place setting."
Turning, she moved back toward the stove and the soup in the pot.
Without looking at the now cackling yokai and keeping a wary eye on Miyobi Akaya, Izuku did as he was told.
The yokai, trembling from its fit of giggles, remained standing in the hall staring at Izuku for the rest of the evening, doubling over every time Izuku glanced at it or Miyobi Akaya glared at Izuku.
As soon as Izuku was allowed to leave the table, he sequestered himself in his room, drawing up and imbuing a few talismans with his spiritual energy. While he had made the talismans for the school, he had not dared make any for the Miyobi house before. After all, the only yokai he had ever seen so far in the house was the globular yokai that had followed them back from the funeral home. While it was annoying, it was not bad enough for Izuku to worry about it. It preferred following the two Miyobi's around anyway.
As soon as he was done making the talismans, Izuku sat stiffly on the bed, listening for the sound of the Miyobi's footsteps going up the stairs. Soon, all fell silent, and assuming that the Miyobi's were in bed, Izuku slipped out of his room and stuck the talismans in hidden corners around the house.
As soon as he was done, Izuku released some spiritual pressure – just like he did when he set the talismans in both schools.
Then, with a corner of his lip twitching upward, he watched as the female-like yokai hissed and fled the house, shaking its fist the whole way.
Izuku sighed as he felt another refreshing feeling wash over him. Using his spiritual energy to safeguard the house made the entire place feel more peaceful. He briefly wondered if this would make the Miyobi's more amiable toward him. Even if they still found his quirklessness a nuisance, even the bullies eased up after Izuku set the talismans at school.
So far, Izuku had not regretted using the talismans to rid the new school of yokai, which had been a good choice, even if, this time, he had not been able to banish all of the yokai. A few were too strong to be banished by the talismans, but they were enough to make the school uncomfortable for the yokai. So, none tried to confront him directly.
On top of that, the lack of retaliation for setting the talismans in the school had bolstered his confidence.
Maybe everything will be alright.
Izuku smiled, slipped back down the hall to the bedroom, and then dove under the covers, curling up as he breathed the newly freshened air in the household.
Unfortunately, the peace only lasted a few days before Miyobi Akaya angrily called for him.
"Midoriya Izuku!"
Izuku scampered down the hallway to the front of the house.
"Yes, Miyobi-san."
"What is this?"
Miyobi-san held up one of the talismans Izuku had hidden in the living room.
"Oh, well, they're good luck charms?"
Miyobi Akaya clicked her tongue, "Did you have them in your old home?"
Before Izuku could answer, she continued, "Just because you had these in your old home does not mean you can set them up here. Are there more of these? What did you call them? Charms?"
Izuku flinched, "Well."
"Clean them up now. I want all of them gone before you go to bed."
"Oh, but!"
"No buts! You're already a hard case, and I don't want shoddy pieces of paper sticking all around my house. What about when you go to another home? Am I going to be finding them all over once you're gone!"
Izuku flinched, and Miyobi-san looked down at him.
"You know this is just a temporary home, right? We take in kids who need a place to stay until they find a more permanent home. So, don't treat our home like your own. Save it for the next one."
Izuku nodded, biting his lip.
"Good, now clean these up."
Trembling, Izuku slipped behind the couch and took down the second and last talisman he had placed in the living room. Izuku glanced at the kitchen, a look Miyobi-san caught.
"Are there more?"
Izuku flinched.
"You're ten years old, for pity's sake. You're old enough to know that such nonsense is fake. I can't believe you actually believe in those old wives' tales about yokai."
Izuku's head whipped up to look at her.
Miyobi Akaya waved the talisman still in her hand, "You think I don't know what these are? The kooky old lady sells them at the spring fair. Even she knows they're not for real. Now clean up the rest."
Miyobi-san followed Izuku until he had peeled back the last of the talismans, at which point the curious-looking blob-like yokai, the very same one who had followed Miyobi Kenichi around the funeral home, slunk back into the house.
Izuku sighed. While he had not bothered with the blob-like yokai because it mostly left him alone, it had caused him to trip several times when it got underfoot. Setting the talismans to rid the home of the woman-like yokai also rid the house of the blob-like yokai.
Izuku had not missed it.
Izuku worried his lip. The tall woman-like yokai had been banished from the home, but now that the talismans were gone, she could come back.
Miyobi Akaya sighed, "At least you removed them. Now, go back to your room."
Izuku turned and immediately tripped over the blob yokai, who was greedily crawling toward Miyobi-san, hungry to feed off her annoyed and disgusted aura.
She tsked.
Izuku, hands and knees stinging from the fall, froze as his stomach twisted in shame after having tripped over the yokai so soon after its return.
"Stand up, Izuku. For pity's sake. You're always tripping over nothing." Miyobi Akaya sighed, exasperated.
Izuku stood and bolted for his room, face crimson.
Stupid, you just saw it. You knew it was going to come over to her! What the heck?
Rubbing tears from his eyes, Izuku dove into his bed after gently shutting the door. There was no point in slamming it; that would only annoy her more, and then he really would have to leave.
In the kitchen that night, when the Miyobi's assumed Izuku was asleep, they held yet another meeting.
"I'm not keeping him here. He's strange and keeps to himself, and he had these talisman things all over the house. He trips over nothing, and that one night, he set out an extra place setting with no explanation."
"Akaya, these are all mundane problems. We've had much more troubling children in the past, and you were okay with them." Miyobi Kenichi dismissed his wife.
"But they weren't quirkless. He's already trouble waiting to happen, and the talismans could have done damage by sticking to the walls. If he's doing this stuff now, what will he start doing next?"
"Well, we can always ask them to speed up the process to place him in his next home…"
"We're only supposed to be a stopping point. Most would have had a home by now."
"And some stayed over half a year. The longest was here for… what? About nine months?"
"Yes, but she was a sweet little girl with a basic water quirk and didn't avoid us!"
"Don't you think you're being harsh? You don't really talk to him either."
Miyobi Akaya huffed, "If he wanted to stay, he should have been sweet to us too. Instead, he stares at things that aren't there and talks to himself – it's creepy. I've talked to you about this before. Tell them to find someone, anyone! They've been putting it off, haven't they?"
Miyobi Kenichi sighed, "Fine. I'll call the agency in the morning and ask them to find him a new home. I'll tell them we're ready to take in the next kid that needs a place to stay."
In the darkened hallway, just out of sight, Izuku once again slipped away from the unseeing adults. He had not been in the Miyobi house for long, but he also had not bothered to count how many times he had eavesdropped on the pair as they talked about him.
Once in his room, Izuku opened the closet and pulled out the box he had used to pack his memorabilia when he left his home. Unfolding it, he put it together and sat staring before slowly standing and starting to pack his hero memorabilia, wrapping each carefully before placing it in the box.
Only two days later, with the first of October looming, Izuku was moving out of the Miyobi household. Apparently, the adults had a very lengthy discussion before the social worker arrived because as soon as she came, she merely greeted the Miyobi's and, without much further ado, helped Izuku move his things into the car, and they were off.
Izuku deliberately ignored the social worker's very perplexed and suspicious glances through the rearview mirror the entire way to the new family's house. The ride was mostly silent until they were only a few minutes away.
"This family is new to fostering, but they want to help. The mother also lost one of her parents to a villain attack when she was young. So, she knows what that's like. They've only fostered once before, but we think this will be good for you."
Izuku perked up at the social worker's words. Wondering if this home would be better, but he also doubted the "mom" could understand. Just because someone had a similar experience did not mean they could understand another's situation, nor did it mean they would help the quirkless kid. There were teachers who proved that every year.
Izuku nodded at the social worker's words, and his eyes fell to his hands.
But maybe she'll understand why it's so hard to talk and so hard to feel – while feeling too much. Will she get it?
So, Izuku remained cautious while also allowing a little glimmer of hope to spark.
When they arrived, the new family was all smiles, making Izuku feel much better. However, the words the Miyobi's said when they thought he was not listening still echoed in his ears.
That night, Izuku sat in his new room, curled up on his new bed and leaning against the windowsill, eyes cast skyward as he watched the stars slowly turn across the sky – hoping this second foster family would be more comfortable than the first.
Far across Japan, back in Musutafu, Eraserhead sat on a roof overlooking the alleyways on his patrol route, still listening for desperate cries for help. His thoughts turned as the night progressed undisturbed.
A grim line settled over his features as he thought about the events from just over two months ago and the young boy he had saved from an invisible assailant.
Eraser sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had classes to teach and a patrol route to run, and when he did find time to ask about the boy, no one seemed to know who he was talking about.
Unfortunately, it had taken nearly two weeks of overtime hero work to finish rounding up the escaped criminals. Thankfully, summer break had started a few days after the escape, but so had the end-of-trimester grading. By the time he was finally about to stop by the hospital, the boy was gone.
Unfortunately, the hospital was busy and had not kept track of where the boy who was orphaned in their halls went. Even with Eraser's description, without knowing the names of the victims, that Inko had, in fact, passed, or that Izuku was quirkless, Eraser was unable to give the hospital enough information to help him identify the mother and child he had attempted to save. Not to mention, the privacy laws he normally applauded were a serious obstruction despite being the hero who rescued the child.
Eraser sighed again and jumped to the next roof. He needed to let out some energy, knowing full well that sitting in one place would not help.
Like always, the dark and currently invisible Maneki Neko followed. It felt no obligation to help the two humans meet again. After all, it had already fulfilled its obligation to help the young child who was now healed and living with a new family.
And so, the night passed.
Chapter 10: A New Home
Everything ached.
Izuku sat on the swings in a park by his fifth foster family's home. His eyes drifted toward movement at his feet, where a little mouse-looking yokai scuttled around in front of him. Izuku knew it was a yokai because it walked on its hind legs and wore a light grey yukata.
Izuku sighed as his hand gently glossed over still healing burns and bruises. His eyes squeezed shut as images of raised fists and glowing cigarettes flashed across his vision. The fourth home had been the worst by far.
No! Don't think about it!
Izuku curled inward, eyes still shut as he clutched the chains holding up the swing.
He kicked the ground, and the swing rocked back and forth slowly. He shivered, but not from the cold, and his stomach flip-flopped. He had only arrived at the new family's apartment an hour before, but he had quickly asked to take a walk and found his way to the park he had seen on the way.
What will this home be like? I bet…
"Hey, there!"
A kindly voice drew Izuku out of his head.
Izuku slowly opened his eyes. When he looked up, he saw a young lady with pink hair standing in front of him. He recognized her as the woman who had been talking happily with the Kobayashi's when the social worker had pulled up to their apartment. Once Izuku was out of the car, she had bid goodbye and returned to her own unit.
Why is she here?
Izuku made a small noise in the back of his throat.
He had sought out the lonely playground for solitude after a harrowing day of being poked and prodded by a doctor, asked questions by the social worker and police about how the fourth family, the Kato's, had treated him, and moved to a new home.
All of it was too much to process at once.
Now, Izuku's solitude had been interrupted. Even so, Izuku nodded to the woman, who had kept her smile in place all the while. Izuku knew he could fall into silent contemplation and that people often thought he was ignoring them.
He peeked at the woman, worried that he might have offended her.
She just waved, "I just wanted to say hi! I'm Anya, a friend of the Kobayashi's. So, we'll be formally introduced soon, but you know." She shrugged.
Izuku tried to smile. He wanted to trust her smile, but others had fooled him with false smiles before.
Anya-san plopped down on the swing next to him – and said nothing more.
The two sat there for a while, and Izuku watched her out of the corner of his eye.
Eventually, his polite habits – that had not been stamped out over the near two years since his mother's death – forced him to acknowledge her.
"Hi," he whispered.
"Hiya!" Anya-san smiled back, then sobered. "You know," she said softly, "I was in the foster system too."
Izuku's head shot up, heart rate jumping.
Anya nodded, "Not for long, though. I was about fourteen when I entered the system. So, a bit older than you are now. Thankfully, I was able to go to High School, but after I graduated, I was on my own. I hope to be able to foster one day, too, but my job is pretty demanding, and I don't want to half-ass fostering, you know?"
Izuku felt his eyes grow hot at her candid demeanor. Honda-san, the second family's mom, had not understood why Izuku was so withdrawn despite having lost a parent herself. She did not understand what it was like to be a foster child.
Izuku studied Anya for a moment, then broke eye contact and took a shuddering breath.
She might get it. A-and, she feels like… her aura feels warm….
Izuku sniffled.
No, don't cry.
Anya-san smiled softly, her face as sympathetic and understanding as the monk's. Her voice was closer to a light soprano, but he could feel it flooding through him all the same.
"You don't have to be ashamed of being in the foster system. Since most kids end up in an institution in Japan, fostering is rare. Kids made fun of me for it. But I also know some other foster kids didn't have to deal with that. I don't know your story, but if you need to talk, the Kobayashi's fostered before taking in Yuki-chan. She's been with them for over two years now. They have a bunch of experience and are always ready to listen, even if Hinata-san is a bit gruff on the outside. And I can listen, too."
Izuku choked back a sob, nodding.
The woman did not move closer but continued to sit on the swing next to him. That suited Izuku well as he took several steadying breaths. His healing skin pulled and burned, protesting his clenched fists and the way he rubbed at his eyes.
The two sat there in silence until the sun touched the horizon.
Anya sighed and softly spoke, "We should go back. Hinata-san is big on being on time for dinner."
Izuku only nodded and followed Anya-san as she stood and began to walk back toward the apartments. Kobayashi Kaoru stood by the front door, brow furrowed, but her look softened as soon as she saw Izuku walking back with Anya-san, who called out, "He was at the park!"
"Thank you, Anya," Kaoru-san called back.
Izuku bowed to Anya-san, who smiled merrily and waved Izuku off before once again returning to her unit.
Izuku's eyes followed her. Then, he turned to gauge Kaoru-san's expression closely as he worried that he might have come back too late.
Kaoru-san gently waved Izuku inside, "I'm glad you made it back for dinner. It's almost ready. Hinata is finishing up the meat. He's very picky about how it's grilled. So, if you think it's too rare or too well done, let us know. Goodness knows the man is picky, but in his case, it makes him more sensitive to others rather than forcing his way," she chuckled.
Izuku bit his lip again, gnawing at it as he tried to hold back tears.
Kaoru-san smiled softly, "Let's eat dinner, and then we can unpack. If you want the help?"
Tears slid from the corners of Izuku's eyes as he nodded, "Y-ye…," his legs gave out.
"Oh, dear," Kaoru-san knelt by Izuku's side and raised a hand, stopping before she touched him, "Do you want a hug? Or is it okay if I touch your shoulder? It won't hurt?"
Izuku nodded, launching himself into Kaoru-san's outstretched arms before crying himself to sleep.
Izuku's eyes blinked open and slowly traveled across an unfamiliar room that surprisingly held very familiar things.
While his posters were not hanging up around the room, the figurines were lined up neatly on the shelves above the desk, which also held all the basic school necessities neatly arranged on top of it.
He could even see his clothing hanging up in the closet and his notebooks, along with several other books, populating the bookshelf.
When he dropped his things off in the room the day before, it was the supplies and books already in the room that surprised him.
Hinata-san had proudly declared that they had tried to find things an eleven-year-old soon-to-be twelve-year-old would want in their room.
Izuku remembered feeling nervous and overwhelmed by the gesture. None of the other families had thought to do the same. So, at the time, Izuku quickly put his things down and asked to go for a walk since he had been couped up in the doctor's office and a car all day. The Kobayashi's agreed, encouraging him to take a look around before dinner.
Now, as the morning light streamed into the room, Izuku rolled over, tucking his head under the blankets. Everything they did was so different from all the other families, from their preparation before he arrived to their kindness when he cried himself to sleep, obviously ruining their dinner plans and making it so they had to unpack for him. It felt strange.
I wonder if the social worker skipped telling them I'm quirkless this time.
Izuku shuddered. This was his fifth home in less than two years. In a few days, he would start sixth grade and, in summer, turn twelve. The second anniversary of his mother's death was quickly approaching. He felt like it had been years – like he should be turning twenty, not twelve.
The sound of movement outside the room made Izuku freeze and clutch the blankets tighter. His breath quickened, even as he tried to muffle it, and his whole body jerked at the sound of a light rap on the door.
"Izuku? Are you awake? If you're feeling up to it, breakfast will be ready in half an hour."
Izuku could imagine Kaoru-san standing on the other side of the door with the same soft, worried expression on her face as the day before.
He remembered her soft assurances as he cried himself to sleep, and his face went crimson. He missed dinner after they spent so much time working on putting it together and specifically asked him to be on time for it.
Even if they were nice about it last night – it wasn't just a dream. Was it?
His heart hammering, Izuku looked about the room once more. Everything was neat and tidy. It was obvious that they had been careful when unpacking his things for him after he cried himself to sleep.
"Izuku?"
Izuku shuddered, willing himself to speak.
Hinata-san's voice floated through the door. "He must still be asleep. He had a rough day yesterday."
Izuku's heart pounded.
They're okay. They don't seem like they're the same as the others. Say something! You have to, or they might also…
"All right," Kaoru-san's voice drifted through.
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut and, trembling, called out, "I'll be there soon!"
He heard Kaoru-san's surprised but happy gasp, "Very good! See you soon, Izuku!"
Izuku peeked out from under the blankets as he listened to the Kobayashi's move down the hallway. Once he was sure they were out of hearing, Izuku slipped out of the bed and darted for the closet. Quickly, he slipped into the narrow space and pulled down some of the clothing. None of the clothing he had brought with him from his home fit anymore. It was all a collection of items from the first three homes. He had not been with the last family, the Kato's long enough, and it was not like they would have bought anything for him anyway. Izuku shuddered at the thought of them and tried not to touch the worst of the burns and bruises.
Izuku peeked around the closet door, checking to make sure the bedroom door was still firmly closed.
I wonder if they'll let me go shopping for new ones.
He did not like wearing the clothes the other families bought him. They only served as a reminder of each of the previous families and, thus, why he had to leave. But, if the Kobayashi's did not want him buying new things, even at a discount, then he would be stuck wearing them until he grew out of them and necessitated larger sizes.
Izuku slipped into his clothing and, noticing a hamper in the closet, hesitatingly dropped his outfit from the day before inside. Peeking out from behind the closet door again, Izuku emerged and slipped toward the bedroom door, where he hesitated, listening before slowly opening it and slipping into the hall.
He felt silly, but the pounding of his heart necessitated the caution.
Moving quietly down the hall, Izuku approached the front of the apartment. He could hear the clinking and clanking of dishes and pots mixing with the Kobayashi's voices.
Kaoru-san's voice was light and cheerful, "Today seems like a good day. It's sunny and clear."
"They aren't calling for rain. So, maybe we take Izuku on a tour of the town later?" Hinata-san suggested.
"Oh, that would be wonderful! We can show Izuku all the places where the cool kids hang out."
"Yes, my dear, because you're so hip." Hinata bumped his wife with his hip as he spoke, his smile widening.
"Oh, don't tease. Hana talked about some of them when she visited last, practically ran off to hang out with her friends."
"She's growing up. She doesn't want to hang out with her old parents anymore."
"I know, I know. They all have to leave the nest at some point, but it is a bit sad."
"The next time she visits, we'll need to sit down and have a conversation about college. The parent-teacher meetings about career paths are coming up since she's a third year now."
Izuku peeked around the corner to see Kaoru-san nodding at her husband's last statement, "Yes, and we need to think through the finances."
Hinata-san nodded, "She has her nest egg to do with as she pleases. Oh, I already set up an account for Izuku."
"You did!?" Kaoru's smile widened before she turned back to the dishes, "We'll have to let him know. I'm sure he'll like having a nest egg of his own. I don't think he has one."
Hinata-san frowned, "No. I'm not sure what happened, but he doesn't."
"I'd ask what the other families were doing if we hadn't heard he's been having a hard time."
"I don't think the social worker knows half of it. Hana had a tough time too, but the social worker who brought her had a much better grasp of the situation."
"That she did!" Kaoru-san stated, smacking the dishcloth on the counter. Izuku flinched but continued watching and listening in fascination. "This one seems to think everything is Izuku's fault. Given what happened yesterday…"
"Hmmm." Hinata nodded, "She seems quite frazzled. There's more going on here than we know. We'll give him the time and space he needs."
"And therapy if he wants it. I have no idea why he hasn't seen one before, given the circumstances. It's not shameful, after all. Mental health is important too, and he's been through so much."
"I'm assuming the state expected the foster families to take him."
"And, yet, he hasn't seen one. Izuku deserves just as much as all the other children, but…"
"Others don't seem to think so," Hinata sighed. "Well," he turned to face Kaoru-san, "Let's give him as much as we can."
Kaoru-san smiled, "Yes."
Izuku leaned his back against the wall and, rubbing his eyes, took steading breaths. The war raging inside fought between hope and doubt, and Izuku felt all the more guilty because a large part of him could not trust this was real.
After a few steadying breaths, Izuku peeked around the corner again and, with a soft "good morning," tiptoed into the kitchen.
Kaoru-san turned around, and a dazzling smile lit up her face, "Good morning, Izuku!"
Izuku took a step back, but Kaoru-san's smile remained.
"Breakfast will be ready in just a minute. Have a seat, and we'll bring everything over."
"You don't want me to help?" Izuku asked.
Kaoru-san and Hinata-san shared a look before replying, "No. Just relax for today."
Izuku hesitated and, twitching ever so often, sat in one of the kitchen chairs as the Kobayashi's finished prepping breakfast and presented it with a smile.
Izuku's hesitations regardless, breakfast was a silent but peaceful affair, and once it was done, Kaoru-san shooed him to the living room to relax, "We'll join you once we've washed the dishes."
As soon as the dishes were dry and put away, Hinata-san and Kaoru-san joined Izuku in the living room.
Kaoru-san started the conversation, "We want to lay down some ground rules and tell you a bit about us. Does that sound good, Izuku?"
Izuku nodded. "Yes," he whispered.
Hinata-san picked up, "Okay. First, you should know that we are also fostering a young lady named Hana-chan. She's attending an all-girls school with a dorm system. She'll visit, but she's not here often anymore. So, for the most part, it will just be the three of us. Second, we do dinner as a family to check in with each other. So, if you're going to eat out with friends, you only need to let us know.
"We would also like to meet your friends' families. This lets us keep tabs in case something happens. We'll provide you with a phone, too, so you can call us at any time. You can even call us to pick you up from school if you need it. Hana called a few times. So, feel free to take advantage, but you should call us if you need to leave school for the day. Your health is our number one priority. Also, the social worker told us a little bit about what happened in your past homes, but much of it is still under review. So, we'll only learn about it if you choose to tell us. However, don't feel obligated. We're here if you want to talk."
Kaoru-san smiled, "Yes, and about school, the social worker registered you at the nearby elementary school. Given all the moving you've done over the last two years, you've done a good job keeping up with your studies, even if it seems like some of your grades are a bit low. Hana had lower grades, too. We know that you're going through a lot, which makes it hard to keep up. So, we'll give you all the support we can."
"Yes," Hinata-san nodded. "On another note, we'll need to discuss finances, but we can do that in more detail at another time. We've set up a savings account for you, and most of the money from the state will go there. Some of it will go toward helping to buy your clothing and for school trips, but we want most of it to be a savings account for your use and to set you up once you're old enough to leave the system."
Izuku nodded, eyeing them warily. While a family looking to help him manage and learn personal financing was new, eating as a 'family' was not new. The second home had started out alright when it came to school, but the third family had been the best. The third family was very adamant against quirk discrimination and had been vigilant for any signs that the school was using his quirk status against him – at least until the incident.
Izuku shuddered as images of their disappointed faces and scolding voices flashed through his mind. Izuku took shuddering breaths.
Don't think about it.
Hinata-san and Kaoru-san shared a look as Izuku went rigid.
"Do you need a break, Izuku?" Kaoru-san asked gently.
Izuku peeked at them through his bangs and shook his head.
"Now, we also need to…" Kaoru-san paused and took a deep breath, "I know you went once already, but we need to go to the doctor again. It's important to make sure everything is healing well."
Izuku flinched and watched Kaoru-san out of the corner of his eye. He looked away but then nodded.
She didn't do anything last night. She even asked before touching me. It will be okay – it will. Say it's okay.
Izuku took another shuddering breath and whispered, "Okay."
Kaoru-san nodded, "We'll set up an appointment for tomorrow or the day after. We want to make sure you get to the doctor at least once before school starts." She smiled, "You're starting sixth grade, so it's your last year of elementary school. Are you excited for Middle School?"
Izuku nodded, but only to please them. School was difficult at best, and he was sure middle school would be worse than elementary school, especially as the material got harder. It would only be easier for the teachers to find fault with his work.
Izuku bit his lip, "I used to live in Musutafu, and I think I was going to go to Aldrea Middle School."
Hinata-san hummed, "Well, while you can choose your High School, we'd need to do some paperwork for you to attend a different middle school. Musutafu and Hamamatsu are adjacent cities." He paused, "You'll need to travel further to go to Aldrea Middle School if you want to attend that school, but the middle school nearby has a higher rank."
Kobayashi Hinata took a sip of coffee, his gaze steady and firm. Izuku broke eye contact after a moment and glanced at Kauro-san.
Kauro-san smiled gently, "We heard from the social worker that you want to go to U.A., right, Izuku? The middle school near here will help prepare you better. There are so many things you could do! The business course, support work, and even the general education courses are excellent at U.A."
Izuku blinked. The Kobayashi's seemed to misunderstand.
But all the same, they didn't say 'No.' The social worker probably told them to try and change my mind, but at least they think I can pass the general exam. She didn't mention the hero course. Of course, a quirkless kid can't be a hero. But at least they aren't saying no to U.A. outright – like everyone else."
Izuku looked into their smiling faces. Now, they were talking about the plans for a day of fun around the town. Izuku listened and joined in a few times, but one thought wriggled in and settled in the back of his mind.
What will they say if I actually decide to use the sight as my "quirk" after not having one? Would they believe me? Would they suggest the hero course themselves?
As Izuku settled into bed that evening, he reminisced about the day. He and the Kobayashi's had 'explored' the town, even if it was more like the Kobayashi's acting as tour guides.
Izuku's lip twitched into a small smile, and he snuggled deeper into the soft sheets.
Hana-san had met up with them for lunch, and she seemed nice to Izuku. She did not stay long since she had club activities that afternoon – they were preparing for the new year and thus had to put together recruitment material for the incoming freshmen.
Izuku wiggled a bit, trying to find a comfier position. The Kobayashi's and Hana-san had been nice – he hoped it would stay that way.
He also learned that the Kobayashi's had a special license, which was why they were able to take him in after the way the Kato's had treated him. It allowed them to take on children from more difficultsituations.
At the thought of the special license, he remembered the social worker's words from the day before when they were still driving to the Kobayashi's apartment.
---
"They have a special license. So, they have the necessary training to help after what happened with the Kato's."
Izuku had only nodded slowly, and the social worker sighed, "Look, I know what happened at the Kato's wasn't your fault…" Izuku flinched. Unseeing, the social worker continued, "But you have to try to connect with your families. At least we're at the beginning of the school year this time. So, that will make things easier at school, right? And you're starting sixth grade! Only one more year until Middle School. It must be exciting!"
Izuku had tried to smile, but it was hard. The social worker had only sighed, and the rest of the ride was silent.
---
Izuku sighed as he came back to the present.
After today, he was hopeful that the Kobayashi's would be better than all the previous homes, but no home was quite like living with his mother. The words spoken by previous foster 'parents' when they thought he was not listening and when they knew he was listening lingered, seeping into his mind like slow-acting venom – making him feel weaker and more sluggish with every repeat.
Now, while hopeful, worry that the Kobayashi's would turn on him, just like the others, plagued him. He would have to be particularly careful about recognizing the difference between humans and yokai. After all, failing to distinguish between them was what ended his stay at both the first and third homes – the Miyobi's and the Shimizu's.
Izuku snuggled even deeper and eventually fell asleep.
Chapter 11: Healing
Izuku took a deep breath.
Now that he was living with the Kobayashi's, he was feeling much better than he had in a long while. While he had seen the small mouse yokai in the park, he had yet to see any yokai in the Kobayashi's home.
Unfortunately, the Kato's had more than their fair share of yokai in their old, worn, and poorly kept house. Izuku had barely lasted a month in the toxic cesspool of ill-energy and abuse the family, and yokai meted out on him.
Thankfully, in the few months since moving in with the Kobayashi's, the bruises and burns sustained while at the Kato's had finally healed – now that he was not constantly beset with new injuries.
Izuku could feel the light breeze in the air and smell the scent of water and reeds from the nearby riverbed. It was so refreshing, as though the very air could clear away the lingering toxins within him from the Kato's home – if such a toxic place could even be called a home.
As he meditated and opened his senses, Izuku began to feel the calming presence of Ginro and Kekyu.
They had been the one constant since his mother's death, and they were the ones to save him from the Kato family. After moving in with the Kato's, it only took his first visit with the two yokai for them to literally drag him to the social worker's office so he could show her the damage. Ginro had even given him herbs and other ingredients to help heal his aches, burns, and bruises. Ginro continued to provide the supplies even after Izuku moved in with the Kobayashi's and started visiting their doctor.
The memory of the Kobayashi's doctor set Izuku further at ease.
He liked their doctor.
The doctor was caring and always telegraphed his movements. He also always informed Izuku of what he was doing and why he needed to do it.
The Kobayashi's were even better. They always respected Izuku's privacy, making sure he had a choice as to whether they were in the room or not when he saw the doctor. They also always let him know when it was not a choice as to whether they had to know something – like medical records or other things.
Izuku grinned.
The Kobayashi's doctor had been surprised by how quickly Izuku was healing. But Izuku was not. Ginro's supplies and having a safe place to sleep had done wonders for Izuku's overall health.
Izuku took another deep, steadying breath.
As his senses fully opened, the cool ebbing flow he recognized as Ginro's aura and Kekyu's bristling but warm aura flowed around him. Distantly, he could also feel the presence of others moving along the nearby paths.
Izuku relaxed more deeply.
Because the Kobayashi's home in Hamamatsu was close to the border with Musutafu, he had been able to meet with Ginro and Kekyu more frequently than when he was living in the other homes. The Miyobi's house had been the closest to the two yokai before the Kobayashi's.
Unfortunately, the distance of the other homes from his two friends made staying with those families feel all the more isolating – but it was better now. It was not that he did not visit them while living with the other foster families. After all, he had not wanted to lose that sense of belonging he so desperately needed, but the distance made maintaining their connection difficult.
After two very difficult years, it was amazing what a good home could do, so it did not take much convincing from the two yokai to persuade Izuku to start training again. Once he made his decision, meditating and going through the forms, Ginro taught him felt like the most natural thing in the world.
It was peaceful.
He needed them, and he needed to perfect his abilities – for his future. While he still shuddered at the thought of the more powerful yokai he might have to face, now that he was living with the Kobayashi's, who in general encouraged his dream of attending U.A., he was all the more determined to develop his abilities so he could use them as his "quirk."
All the tension left Izuku as his breathing deepened further, and he felt his senses heighten.
Ginro's voice croaked, "Good. Imagine casting spells. You drew borderline. Must practice more. Need more strength – practice command. Imagine words like rock. Pin down yokai with words."
Izuku thoughts turned back to the time he had inadvertently drawn the borderline when he confronted the dog yokai goading Bakugo-san all those years before. Even now, he needed to use talismans to banish the yokai from his school. He had done so in all the schools he had attended so far, but he had yet to learn how to truly use his power to imbue his voice with a command.
Commanding others was not quite in his nature, but it would be necessary if he did go down the path of a hero using the sight.
As Izuku focused on the spiritual energy ebbing and flowing inside him, he felt Ginro nod, "Yes, feel your spirit energy like air around you, like holding cucumber."
Izuku's lip twitched into a smile. Obviously, Ginro was still thinking about the gift Izuku had brought.
Kekyu shook his head at Ginro's example and then addressed Izuku.
"You need to learn to speak strongly. Command with your voice. Drawing borderline is good, but it can only prevent some from coming closer and make the weakest flee."
Ginro nodded, "Body strong like mountain. Voice strong like river."
Izuku pondered for a moment, "So, just like how I focus my energy into my center for a strong body during training, and how I sort of – I don't know – expel it for a borderline through my fingers, I need to focus it into my words?"
"Yes!" Kekyu cheered. Its thoughts turned back to the time Izuku first fought a schoolyard yokai, and so did Izuku's.
"I think I've done that before – when I fought and ordered the yokai when I was still living – still living with…."
Kekyu nodded, its voice softening, "Yes, but need to be stronger. Need to practice borderline, too. Practice commanding my minions and practice borderline with me."
Izuku jerked, eyes flying open, "But…"
"You do not want to hurt. Your thoughts affect spell. Practice is practice." Kekyu's face twisted. "If you want to block – it block. If you want to banish – it banish. Borderline will change. Practice one will make other stronger too."
Izuku's eyes widened, and in his excitement, he cut Kekyu off.
"So, I can change the intent of the borderline? And, by practicing one type, I will strengthen my casting overall, allowing me to cast different types of borderlines with different intentions?"
Izuku nearly hopped up in his excitement.
Kekyu grinned and nodded, as did Ginro.
"But it would still be good for me to cast the other types, like the one for banishing, too, right? I guess if any of the schoolyard yokai bother me, I could try on them… but I've already laid the talismans down. What if I RunIntoAnotherYokaiAtThePark?I'veRunIntoAFewButMostOfThemAreRelativelyBenignAndDon'tBotherMeSoIDon'tWantToHurtThemButThereAlwaysCouldBe…"
Kekyu's grin widened – happy to see Izuku muttering again – and ecstatic that Izuku himself suggested using the borderline on the pesky yokai who tried to harass him.
Cutting off Izuku's mutter storm, Kekyu encouraged him, "Yes, borderline responds to will. Even if stronger when blocking, all borderline will be stronger. If you know name of yokai, even better – use it."
Izuku smiled and hopped to his feet while maintaining his meditative state to the best of his ability. Grinning widely and eyes lighting up with determination, Izuku spoke with conviction.
"Okay. Let's go!"
After training, Izuku raced home. The first day of training borderlines and commands went well, in that, no one was hurt.
Izuku grinned as he remembered making the little fuzz-ball yoki line up and dance as directed. He had even been able to draw a borderline that had only prevented Kekyu from crossing it. The furry yokai had beamed despite not being able to approach Izuku for the rest of the session as Izuku tried to maintain the spell.
The question was, would it work against yokai who were not intent on helping him and not amicable toward him. Kekyu, Ginro, and the little fuzz-ball yokai's intent to help Izuku might also be a factor.
Izuku continued to jog, and the apartment building came into view down the street.
I need more work, but with the meditation as preparation, everything was so easy! What if I can move into my meditative state more quickly? Would that be better? Ginro said that the state of heightened awareness can have adverse effects, well he said bad, not adverse…
Izuku giggled, then grew serious again.
…that it could have adverse effects if used too often or improperly. Neither want me to use it outside training. I wonder what those are. It's not always clear, but I think we'll figure it out between all of us.
Izuku ran up the steps to the second-floor apartment two at a time and clambered inside as soon as he managed to open the door.
"Izuku?" Kaoru-san's voice drifted out from the living room, and Izuku spun to face her, stiffening involuntarily.
Kaoru-san smiled, "Did you have fun?"
Izuku relaxed and beamed, "Yes! I just did some mediation by the river where…"
Izuku jerked to a halt, voice faltering.
I can't tell her about Ginro and Kekyu! How would I explain it?
Izuku felt a moment of panic. He could not introduce them to the Kobayashi's since they were not human, despite the house rule that Izuku would introduce the Kobayashi's to his friends. Even though he had visited the yokai several times, this was the first time he had said anything about what he was doing.
He was feeling so much better that he had forgotten himself.
Kaoru-san's smile softened. It was a smile Izuku was growing accustomed to, and while it caused a slight pang in his chest since it was so achingly warm, he still hesitated to tell her everything.
Kaoru-san knew Izuku would not want to share everything. So, like she had ever since he arrived, she was reassuring, "It's okay, Izuku."
Izuku nodded, feeling bashful, a small smile on his face.
Is it really? But it doesn't seem like she minds if I don't tell her.
"Izuku," Kaoru-san's voice drew Izuku out of his thoughts. "It's been about two months now, and your first trimester is about half done. Summer will arrive quickly…" Kaoru-san's voice trailed off.
The social worker had told them the date of Midoriya Inko's death, but the Kobayashi's were intent on giving Izuku the space he needed while not tiptoeing around everyday conversations.
Izuku felt his heart clench, but not as tightly as before. His eyes shifted as he debated what to say – if he should ask. The sheer disappointment if the answer was 'No' would destroy everything, but the hope that this time the answer would be 'Yes,' especially now that Musutafu was so close, made him want to hope.
Maybe it's because today was such a good day and because the Kobayashi's have been so kind that I'm expecting the answer to be different.
Izuku's eyes drifted up to meet Kaoru-san's. She stood perfectly still. Allowing Izuku to work through his thoughts.
The third family was okay up until the incident. Izuku scowled, eyes pained. But even before that happened, they didn't offer to take me to see her, and I just couldn't ask – Musutafu was so far away, and it just… hurt.
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut. The disappointment from the first two homes had been so new when he first arrived at the third home that it had left him far too timid to ask for anything. Even a few months after arriving, the thought of asking them to take him halfway across the country to visit his mother on the first anniversary of her death felt like an insurmountable task.
Izuku bit his lip.
I just want to visit her.
Izuku's hands began to shake. He blinked and tried to control his breathing like in training. His eyes fell to the floor.
Kaoru-san looked a little sad. She knew it was hard to ask. None of the children who had lost parents asked, even Hana.
Over the last few days, Kaoru and Hinata had thought long and hard about how to broach the topic with Izuku. They did not want to give any of the children who stayed with them a reminder they were not ready to face, but she also wanted them to know it was okay to ask. Burying and trying to forget a tragic past was not healthy, but accepting not just the past but trusting enough to ask for help was always hard. This trust was no different for Izuku than the others, and the healing they wanted for him was no different.
While Izuku had not been with them long, it was obvious to both adults that he had been denied so many things while in his previous homes. In two years, the trauma was still so obviously new, and the abuse from the previous homes had let Izuku far more closed off than the other children who had passed through their care. Izuku never asked for anything – except to take walks.
"Do you want to visit?" Kaoru-san asked softly.
Izuku's head shot up at the question, and their eyes met again.
"Umm." Izuku's gaze shifted as he searched Kaoru-san's face for any sign of deception, and Kaoru-san kept her expression as steady as possible.
After a moment, she spoke again, "We can go see her if you want. We've already set aside time in our schedule."
Izuku's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Yes," he nodded as salty tracks began tracing their way down his cheeks, leaking from the corners of his eyes. Izuku quickly rubbed them away, "Yes, Please."
Kaoru-san approached Izuku slowly and placed her hand gently on Izuku's back, rubbing small circles. All the while, she said nothing at all. After all, words are cheap.
They stood there for a long while. Only the sound of the door unlocking prompted them to move. That night, dinner was a quiet affair – ordered from the favored local shop.
Grey granite surrounded them, but at least the sun was shining.
Kaoru and Hinata stood at a distance, giving Izuku space before it was time for them to introduce themselves to Midoriya Inko.
Hinata spoke in a whisper, "I heard from the social worker this morning. The family before us – they're not going to be officially charged, but their foster license will be revoked."
Kaoru snorted softly, not wanting Izuku to hear and misinterpret, "Only have their foster license revoked? Like that's a punishment. They didn't deserve it in the first place if they were going to be abusive."
Hinata hummed, "True."
"And the other homes?"
Hinata gave his wife a sidelong look, "There are no official charges. I know we told Izuku we'd wait to hear about it from him, but after reviewing the medical records and the overview from the therapist, I contacted the social worker and pressed her for the basics. She finally gave me a 'reason' why Izuku left each home after I argued with her. But even after I presented her with the therapist's concerns, the social worker only gave me the barest information.
"Apparently, the first home was supposed to be temporary anyway, but Izuku was 'acting out' and didn't get along with the mother. The second home just 'didn't work out.' The mother 'wanted to help' but was upset the Izuku was so 'closed off.' And at the third home, there was some major incident where Izuku apparently 'mistreated' one of their friends. The social worker wouldn't go into detail about what happened, though."
Kaoru stared in shock, "None of that sounds like Izuku."
"I did get the sense that money had something to do with it, particularly at the first home," Hinata grimaced.
Kaoru's eyes widened, "Oh no," and then her eyes narrowed. "Those little…."
"Hush, Kaoru. Izuku will hear."
Karou spoke in a seething whisper, "Those lowlifes were more concerned about the money they would get for taking care of Izuku, weren't they?"
"Well, the state is giving less for taking in Izuku than other children. I asked, and it's because he doesn't have a quirk. I didn't think about it at first, but after hearing the social worker's explanation, it crossed my mind that the amount was less."
"They didn't!"
Hinata grimaced but said nothing.
Kaoru glanced at Izuku, "Well, we're putting most of it into the nest egg for Izuku anyway. Should we supplement it, then? I don't think Hana will think it's unfair if we supplement the nest egg with a bit of our money to even it out…"
"Already ahead of you," Hinata grinned mischievously, and Kaoru smacked him lightly on the arm.
Movement caught both of their eyes. Izuku was standing and shuffling his feet, looking at them hesitatingly.
The couple approached, and Izuku smiled softly, eyes red and puffy from tears.
"I'd like to introduce you to my mother!"
Kaoru smiled and turned to the grave, bowing, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-san."
"Like-wise," Hinata nodded toward the tomb.
Izuku turned toward the stone, "So, as you can see, I'm doing fine, Mom. The Kobayashi's were super nice and brought me here. Again, I'm so sorry I couldn't come last year, but I'll come every year from now on."
A small but sudden gust of wind swept past them, ruffling Izuku's hair. Hinata placed his hand lightly on Izuku's shoulder, and Izuku turned toward them, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, even if his eyes betrayed the sadness overwhelming him.
Izuku shuffled his feet, "Um… when I was still home, Mom helped me develop a good diet and exercise schedule," Izuku turned to face the grave, "Didn't you, Mom?"
He turned back to the Kobayashi's. "We did a lot of research… and I was… I…."
Izuku's voice died as anxiety caused his chest to seize.
Kaoru smiled, "Oh! Really? I've been thinking of ways to make the meals healthier. Thank you, Izuku! This is good. You're growing, after all, and we need to make sure you get a healthy diet.
"As for the exercises, did you do them in the morning? I've been thinking about adding some light exercises to my schedule. You said you've done research. I'll need to do some as well, but we can look into it together. I know I always do better when I have a partner for those kinds of things."
Izuku inadvertently smiled; Kaoru was so naturally disarming.
"I would like that," he said softly.
Izuku lightly bit his lip, a small smile spreading across his face. Then his head whipped toward the grave again, "You hear that, Mom!"
Izuku turned back to Kaoru and Hinata.
Hinata smiled back, "We'll help you along. Physical fitness is important!" The man nodded sagely, then, facing the walkway back to the car, asked, "Are you ready to go, or do you need more time?"
"I'm good!" Izuku turned to face the grave once again, "I'll see you next time, Mom!"
Hinata slung his arm over Izuku's shoulder and the two began walking off – Hinata asking questions about the research Izuku and Inko had done.
Kaoru smiled, watching them as they headed toward the car. She turned to face the grave, "We'll take care of him to the best of our abilities, Midoriya Inko. I promise."
Two weeks later, the Kobayashi's and Izuku had cemented their exercise regimen and menu. Kaoru and Hinata were impressed with Izuku's knowledge and happy with the change.
Izuku was pleased that they let him make such major adjustments to their lifestyle. He knew full well that not all heroes had muscles like All Might. Some heroes were not much stronger than Izuku himself, but their quirks gave them an edge. So, Izuku needed to prepare in a different way to be ready to become a hero.
Between the diet and exercise in the Kobayashi home and the training with Ginro and Kekyu, he was slowly but surely reaching his goal of being able to develop his fake "quirk." Izuku was feeling more and more ready for U.A. as time passed.
He knew that physical training and meditation would be constant necessities for maintaining his physical fitness and spiritual powers so that he could continue to grow in strength to maintain his edge. Now, he needed to figure out two more things: how he would specifically use the sight as his quirk, and once that was decided, how he would go about telling the Kobayashi's and ask them about how to register his quirk.
As for using the sight, Izuku knew he could not say that he could see yoki, but he had to decide exactly how seeing yoki could help him be a hero. If his ability was older – that had to count for something. So, between the sight, his determination to help others, and the ability to analyze a situation – even the Kobayashi's were highly impressed with his hero notebooks – Izuku was confident he could become a hero.
Izuku's face scrunched in concertation – he was in the middle of yet another training session with Ginro and Kekyu.
Izuku built up his energy, and drawing a line made Kekyu bounce back. Kekyu landed on its backside, startled.
Izuku jerked, but then Kekyu burst into laughter, cackling merrily.
"Now you practice on yokai at school. Not line to push back, but line to create strong wall or cast away – not push back nicely, but push back hard. You are ready."
Ginro clapped his webbed hands, "Ready! Yes!"
Kekyu hopped up, "Now, make underlings line up!"
The little fuzz-ball yokai danced out from under the bush where they had been watching cautiously.
"Now, you are ready to try commands. You did not hurt me. You will not hurt them."
"Good control," Ginro nodded.
And so, Izuku did.
Weeks passed, and just as winter turned to spring, Izuku could command Kekyu's tiny underlings with ease.
Izuku had even practiced on the yokai that remained after placing the talismans at the school. While practicing, Izuku found that a few yokai could not be cast out with simple commands or the talismans. So, he needed to use a combination of a command and force on the more stubborn yokai. Eventually, most of the yokai who could not be cast out by the talisman left either because Izuku was successful or to avoid being used as practice for the budding Onmyoji.
Despite the fact that most of the yokai left, Izuku had to remind himself that even commanding the small yokai at school only worked about half the time. Now that so few remained, he had to seek out small yokai outside the school to practice.
Even with the setbacks, the successes encouraged Kekyu and Ginro to take the next step. Now, during training, Izuku was working on making his 'commands' more like a request while maintaining the power behind them. According to Kekyu, if he was powerful, the weakest might even follow a request since they might see Izuku like a protector, much like how the little fuzz-balls followed Kekyu.
A command was direct and, therefore, easier to put power and will behind, but a request allowed for yokai to choose whether to comply. So, making a request while maintaining the force of the spiritual energy and achieving the desired effect was more difficult.
Ginro thought once he was powerful enough to command with a request, he might be ready to move on to banishing even more powerful yokai.
Izuku's biggest success came just before graduation. While not exactly a powerful yokai, Izuku had been able to learn the name of the strongest yokai in his school. It was one of the few who stubbornly remained after Izuku placed the talisman and held out against his constant practice. After inadvertently discovering the yokai's name, he banished it from the premises for good. While finding the name had been sheer luck, it had given him confidence that he was capable of more.
However, both Kekyu and Ginro were cautious as neither were exactly strong themselves. They knew it would be better if another yokai, one with more knowledge, were to help. Kekyu had acknowledged it, even if begrudgingly.
So, with his new power over commands and casting, Izuku felt ready for middle school.