Chapter 12: The Trouble with Trouble
Pink petals fluttered through the air.
The temperature was still cool, but every breeze promised new warmth.
Children of all shapes and sizes walked toward the large building in front of them. Some were complaining, some were playfully shoving each other, and once on the grounds of the building, others were displaying their quirks, trying to one-up each other in the hierarchy of their "hero worthiness."
The sight was bewildering to behold for the incoming class. While some cowered away from the older students, who were clearly comfortable in the familiar environment, others in the incoming class were caught up in the energy surrounding them. The ninth graders, who were in their final year of middle school, could clearly be identified, not just by the pins on their uniforms but by their clear excitement about starting their final year.
Izuku stepped through the front gate, shoulders hunched forward as his hands gripped the straps of his backpack. Middle school, the next stage of his academic career, was about to begin.
The blatant use of quirks by the upperclassmen surprised him. He was not expecting to see the same things here as at Aldrea.
Out of curiosity, he had visited Aldrea Middle School and noted the use of quirks there. He knew Bakugo was probably going to go there, but he did not want to see or be seen by his old friend. They would have time for reunions later, and maybe things would be better by then. After all, the last time Izuku had seen him was when they were nine. Nine was late for a quirk, but Bakugo did not need to know whenIzuku's fake 'quirk' manifested.
Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts, Izuku took another look around Fuyu Middle School's grounds and again turned his attention to the people around him.
Maybe the temptation to use quirks when everyone is so close to high school and potential hero courses is too strong.
At that moment, a teacher stormed out of the school, calling out detentions for the students using their quirks, causing the corner of Izuku's lip to twitch. He had not seen that when he visited Aldrea. Even Kekyu had scouted Aldrea for a few days and said that the students there used their quirks all the time without consequence.
It'd be much more difficult to get through Middle School if there were constant reminders that I'm quirkless from everyone else using their quirks.
Izuku's grin widened, but then he quickly wiped the smile from his face when one of the students being scolded – a tall, stocky kid with what appeared to be an enhancement quirk – glared in his general direction.
However, Izuku was soon distracted by a familiar scene, stopping him in the center of the pathway. Looking forward, he sighed. In the middle of the path, Ginro lay flat on the ground. The bowl on his head, the sara – Ginro, had told Izuku its official name – was completely empty.
While no one saw Ginro, everyone still somehow managed to step around the yokai. While Izuku had seen the same sight several times in the last six years of his life, it never ceased to baffle him. Especially since he called the kappa sensei when they were training.
Fuyu Middle School was even closer to the city border than the Kobayashi home. So, the two yokai had promised to come to see him at school sometimes.
Izuku, who kept a bottle of water just for this purpose, quickly twisted the cap off and doused Ginro with water.
"When will you learn to be more careful? You're going to get hurt." Izuku scolded.
Ginro merely blinked up at Izuku, just like every other time. A toothy smile spread across the kappa's face, "Good luck!" He croaked.
Izuku smiled wanly, glancing up at the students passing by and the teachers who were now closely monitoring the students. If the teachers at Fuyu Middle were going to give him a sporting chance, he would need to be careful. Thankfully, the Kobayashi's were in his corner, but he knew things could slip past adults' attention, just like with his mom – just like with the third family.
The third family, the Shimizu's, had been prepared to help him in school. They wanted to prevent the school from discriminating against him and his "quirkless" status, but they never made him feel comfortable enough to try to ask for anything. Considering how things played out after the incident, he was certain that they had never truly cared about him, but were more focused on their larger goal. In his head, he knew that they probably thought they were doing what was best for him. All the same, he had still hoped that after a year of staying with them, they would have believed that, at the very least, he had meant their friend no harm.
Sighing, Izuku made his way through the crowds of students. He maneuvered to see the board where everyone's names were listed so he could find his class, and finally, he saw it.
Midoriya Izuku, class 1-C.
On his way to the classroom, he noted fewer yokai than in his previous schools, but still several that would undoubtedly pose a problem. This time, Izuku's lip twitched upward – he would have plenty of opportunities to try his borderlines and commands after laying down the talismans.
Izuku plopped down at a desk and discreetly observed the classroom, planning potential escape routes, taking mental notes on his classmates, and paying attention to any sign that yokai made this room their home.
And so, another year began.
Izuku fumbled with the talismans. While he had easily been able to sneak onto the grounds of his past elementary schools, it was much more difficult to leave early and sneak onto Fuyu Middle's grounds. First of all, the Kobayashi's actually cared enough to want to know when he was leaving. While it was nice that they did, it made his departure that morning much more difficult.
Izuku grinned despite himself. He shuffled the talismans once again as he slowly approached the gate, peering around the edge and into the schoolyard to make sure no one was in sight. When he saw no one, Izuku slipped onto the grounds and toward the side of the school.
If the same could be said of security at Fuyu Middle School as his elementary schools, the front door was a non-option. Regardless, Kekyu had checked the doors for him and ensured a side door was left unlocked. Izuku slipped along the side of the building, not making a sound. Once he was at the door, he listened intently and then slowly opened the door and slipped inside.
Acting quickly and avoiding the curious glances from the yokai lurking in the halls, Izuku placed the talismans as close as possible to the four corners of the building. He then slipped back outside, where he could hear a few students arriving at the school.
Perfect. Now I have an excuse to be on the ground while I place them outside!
Izuku grinned and hurried to the back of the school building and placed a talisman at each corner of the school's backyard wall. Walking along the side, he reached one of the wall's front corners, where he placed the second-to-last talisman. But it was as he crossed by the front gate that he was stopped.
"Hey! It's the quirkless kid!"
Izuku jerked to a stop. It was the upperclassman who had glared at him the first day of school. He and two of his friends sauntered up to Izuku.
"Hey! I heard you're quirkless. Is that true?"
Izuku froze as the bully's two friends peeled off and moved to flank him. Izuku adjusted his stance, ready to block any attack the bully threw at him.
The bully smirked, "What? Think we're going to fight some quirkless nobody? You actually think you're good enough for that?"
Izuku saw several students stop, but none moved to help – or left to find a teacher.
I hope the teachers are watching the gate, just like they did on the first day of school.
The bully took a step forward but jerked to a halt when a teacher's voice rang out across the yard.
"Hey! What's going on here?"
Izuku glanced quickly to the side and sighed, relaxing only marginally – just enough that the teacher would hopefully see he was not intent on fighting.
The bullies threw up their hands, "Nothing, Yama-sensei! We were only saying hello."
The bully smirked at Izuku, who kept his face as passive as he could.
Yama-sensei sighed, "Break it up. If I see anything like this again, I'm calling your parents."
"Yes-sensei."
The bullies and Izuku chorused.
The three boys moved on, but Izuku stood still.
Yama-sensei raised an eyebrow. So, Izuku smiled and, with a small bow, thanked him.
Yama-sensei blinked, "Well…, just get to class."
Izuku nodded and, regretfully eyeing the corner of the yard, moved toward the school.
That afternoon, Izuku was finally able to place the last talisman. Then, he imbued it with some of his spiritual energy and watched as several yokai burst from the building and flew or ran off the grounds.
Izuku stood slowly; unlike when he placed the talismans at his elementary schools, they had not forced nearly as many yokai to leave. He could still see several yokai roaming the grounds. Some did not even seem fazed by the talismans.
Izuku felt his body give an involuntary shudder, and he bit his lip.
I guess I'll have to use borderlines and commands more regularly here. Maybe I can make this a good thing? It definitely means more practice.
Izuku took a deep breath. He was much better at borderlines and commands than before, but he was hoping to only need to use them sparingly, at least while at school.
If there are still this many yokai left, it means there are even stronger yokai here. I wonder how this will affect the bullies?
The days and weeks flew by, and summer break soon approached.
After placing the talismans, the yokai became aware of his presence and abilities. Unfortunately, the talismans had not even banished half of the yokai. Just like at the elementary schools, the smaller yokai tended to hide behind the students when attacking him. But while the yokai at the elementary schools hid to protect themselves and to prevent him from using his abilities due to the presence of humans, the yokai at the middle school were strong enough that they did not need to hide to protect themselves. They hid behind humans as a tactical advantage, showing much greater intelligence than the elementary schoolyard yokai.
A few altercations with yokai had resulted in him being able to use a command or a borderline to banish a yokai or two, but several still remained, only to advance on him again after throwing off his words.
Today was not turning out to be one of his better days. Riku-san, the bully who had tried to harass Izuku when he was placing the talismans, made Izuku his target.
Izuku rubbed his arm, which still smarted from where Riku-san grabbed him, and glared at the bully, who stood smirking in front of him. One of the yokai had sidled up behind Riku-san and sunk its claws into his shoulders, whispering in his ears, much like the dog yokai had goaded Bakugo-san.
Riku-san laughed, "I heard you want to be a hero. Why would the Heroes accept a quirkless idiot like you?"
Izuku clenched his jaw and counted to ten, not just to clear the anger but to relax enough to gather his energy for a borderline.
The eyes of the yokai behind Riku-san widened. It was strong enough to sense exactly what Izuku was preparing to do, and it hesitated as it decided whether to use the human bully further or abandon it and attack Izuku directly.
That hesitation was all Izuku needed. Using his hand, like he was drawing a wall in the air, Izuku cast the borderline and layered it with a command, "Leave me alone."
The yokai jerked and scurried away.
Riku-san stared in shock.
Izuku's eyes burned with determination.
Now that the yokai was gone, Izuku spoke only to the bully, "I don't care what you think. I'll become a hero, even if I am quirkless."
And even if the Kobayashi's haven't said anything about the hero course, they believe that I can go to U.A., and if they encourage that, I can convince them. I can!
Izuku's heart clenched in trepidation. But he was determined nonetheless.
"Whatever, you freak," Riku-san muttered as he walked off.
The other students who had gathered round to watch also dispersed, whispering as they went.
"He wants to be a hero? He's quirkless."
"And delusional. He's gonna have a nice shock when they don't accept him."
"And did you see that? I mean, Riku was in the wrong, but boy, does that Midoriya kid have anger issues…. He could have just ignored Riku."
Izuku felt his face pale as the whispers faded. He did not move. He had stood up for himself, but it did not seem to matter. If he did not stand up for himself, the bullies continued. If he did, it was not just the bully who was wrong, but so was he!
There was no winning.
Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku saw another yokai grinning at him. It was a gangly, humanoid yokai with long claws. Izuku had noticed the yokai watching him before – ever since he placed the talismans.
I'll have to see if I can figure out its name. But for now, I'll dub it Trouble.
A slight foreboding came over Izuku as he watched it leave. Its eyes never left his, and Izuku did not look away either, but only left for class as soon as he was sure the coast was clear.
Summer came and went. Izuku, along with the Kobayashi's visited his mother's grave again and even went on a short tour of Osaka.
And so, Fall term began.
Izuku kept a lookout for Trouble but only ever saw the yokai watching, observing, and clearly biding its time. Meanwhile, Izuku continued using commands alongside the borderlines on the yokai who attacked him. Unfortunately, he also often had to use physical force on the yokai – and that made people talk.
xxxx
"He always yells when people upset him, and I always feel weird when he acts all confident. It's like, when he says to leave him alone, I can't approach. He is quirkless, right?"
"Yeah, unless that's a lie, and it's some super weak persuasion quirk."
"Naw, he is quirkless. He's just strange. You only feel like that 'cause it's so weird that some quirkless kid thinks he's all that."
"He's creepy and scary."
"Yeah, did you see him in gym?"
"You mean how good he is at fighting?"
"You'd think the judo team would want him."
"Yeah, right… he shows up to class a mess all the time like he's been in some fight. Like they'd ever want some kid like that in their club."
"But who is he fighting? It happens during the day, and it's not like he left school. He's there and back too quickly, and no one has ever said he's attacked them… he just yells all the time."
"Kento said he saw him throwing punches in the air in the back lot before. Just ignore him; he's crazy."
xxxx
Izuku, jaw clenched, walked away from the group of students talking about him. Maintaining his posture, he strode through the school and out the gates. There was no reason to stay after school was done.
I'll go see Kekyu and Ginro. We need to train more. We may need to adjust again so I can be stronger. I need to be able to banish the yokai for good. If I don't have to use physical force on top of the commands and borderlines, maybe the rumors will die down.
Winter passed, and as spring took hold, Izuku began his second year of middle school. Izuku, Ginro, and Kekyu continued training, but Izuku felt like he had hit a wall. While none of the yokai he had banished last year returned, only the strongest and most aggressive yokai were left at the school. These were the yokai who could throw off commands to leave him alone, even if they usually left in the moment.
Izuku walked into the building. The first term was nearly over, and things had been strangely quiet so far. However, before Izuku could enter the classroom, the looming presence of a yokai caused him to come to a stop.
Trouble, the only yokai to never have directly confronted him before, now stood in his way.
Izuku cursed inwardly. He had not been able to find out Trouble's real name.
Izuku diverted his path. Fighting a yokai in the morning, in front of the classroom where everyone could see, was not on his list of things to do that morning.
Izuku walked toward the side building. No one would be there at this time of day. The yokai stalked him, staying in his peripheral vision and keeping its distance but clearly growing more and more agitated.
As soon as Izuku made it to the side lot, Trouble descended in front of him, teeth bared.
Izuku faced it, "I'm not going to bother you if you don't bother me."
Trouble snarled, "That is not true. You place nasty talisman. You banished many. You see us and cast us out."
"I'm not going to stand around and let you all continue to goad bullies into harassing people, and I most certainly won't let you provoke them into harassing me."
"We are yokai."
"I know."
The two stared at one another.
Izuku took deep breaths and tried to hide his trepidation.
Don't let it see. Don't let it know. Stand tall, shoulders back, and project confidence. You can do it!
Izuku drew himself up and glared at the yokai.
The yokai searched his face, and Izuku knew when the yokai realized that Izuku was not as indifferent and confident as he was trying to be.
The yokai prowled closer, a small grin creeping along its face.
Izuku shifted his stance, ready for the attack.
Then, the yokai lunged.
Izuku dodged, and the yokai skidded across the ground behind Izuku before readying itself for the next attack.
Izuku turned on the spot and planted his feet just in time for the yokai's next lunge. The two clashed. Izuku was pushed back but didn't break his stance. Izuku shifted, managing to grip the yokai around the middle. He felt the yokai's claws scrape along his sides and back, but Izuku braced himself and threw the yokai. The yokai skidded back, eyes wide in surprise.
This time, Izuku advanced and threw a punch with his left while keeping his right arm up to block the blow the yokai threw.
However, the yokai was still so startled by the fact that a human had thrown it that it became unbalanced and landed on its back.
Just like Izuku had the first time he fought a yokai, he pressed his foot onto the yokai's chest.
The move apparently brought the yokai out of its shock, though, and it grabbed at Izuku's ankle, causing thin streams of blood to flow where its nails dug into Izuku's skin.
Izuku grimaced but drew from inside him all of his confidence and, drawing from his center, allowed the spiritual energy to flow through him.
"Stop."
The yokai flinched and stopped struggling, but didn't loosen its grip. It glared up at Izuku.
"You will not fight me anymore and will leave me alone."
The yokai snarled.
Izuku imagined his words as weights. Imagined them as chains wrapping themselves around the yokai. He felt his senses opening up – something that had yet to happen during one of his altercations.
Because he had only opened his senses in training, he had only ever felt Kekyu and Ginro's presence before. Now, all he felt was the swirling mass of anger and hostility radiating from the yokai below him.
Izuku stiffened, "This is why Ginro didn't want me to open my senses in front of the other yokai – but only draw out my spiritual energy."
Before Izuku knew it, the yokai had thrown him off. Izuku stumbled. His mind raced. So far, in middle school, a fight and imbuing his words had been enough for the stronger yokai. His mind flashed back to the last yokai from elementary school, where he had learned its name. Izuku was strong enough now that he would not need to use the name of a yokai of similar strength, but the yokai standing in front of him at this moment was different.
This time, he truly needed the yokai's true name, but he did not know it. The fact that he had needed to draw on his center and open his senses to gather enough spiritual energy – to draw on enough power to be on par with this yokai – unbalanced Izuku.
Izuku quickly prepared himself for another attack, and the two locked fists again.
Izuku willed himself to calmness, his senses still tingling as they were increasingly rubbed raw by the animosity of the yokai in front of him.
He spoke again, "You will… leave me alone."
The yokai snarled again, but the push of the command gave Izuku just enough of an edge that he could throw the yokai once more. It stepped back but did not forfeit the flight.
In the meantime, other yokai had gathered, drawn in by the swirling mass of spiritual energy that was beginning to wrap around them. Izuku could feel them coming, and the negative energy began to cloud his mind. It felt like his insides were being smothered in a sticky, suffocating miasma.
And suddenly, he wasn't alone.
Ginro was standing beside him, and Kekyu was standing behind them. Both were ready to fight. Izuku started but quickly settled. Their approach had been drowned out by the swirling mass of energy produced by the other yokai surrounding him.
Trouble stared, eyes widening at the presence of the two yokai standing in defense of the human.
Izuku felt confidence well up inside him, and as he began to project it outward, the yokai surrounding them began to flee.
Izuku did not relax, even as the yokai dispersed. Then, Izuku slowly allowed his senses to close off. All the while, his eyes darted around, trying to keep watch for an attack. With one last curse, even Trouble left, sulking all the way. Finally, Izuku took several deep breaths as his mind settled.
Izuku's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. So, he checked his watch just for something to do. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes. The realization surprised him. He looked at Ginro and Kekyu, who were still agitated.
"Thank you."
Ginro nodded, still looking perturbed.
Kekyu, on the other hand, was seething, "No good, attacking you."
Ginro kept his gaze steady despite his agitation, "Must train harder. The yokai was strong for schoolyard yokai. Good to use full spirit energy, but never needed in fight before. Need more practice using while fighting." Then, Ginro shook his head, "Not now. You need school. We meet after."
Izuku nodded.
Ginro had readily accepted the fact that humans went to school. Izuku thought it might have been because the water yokai had such a strong hierarchy in their culture and because they also trained under teachers when learning how to fight.
Izuku turned without another word, feeling Ginro and Kekyu's eyes on his back as he brushed himself off and slipped back into the school.
Minutes later, Izuku trudged into the classroom, some stubborn dirt still clinging to his trousers.
Most of his classmates ignored him. They were used to Izuku sporting a rumpled and sometimes dirty Gakuran, but it never stopped the whispers.
"Again?"
"Sheesh, just ignore him."
Izuku deliberately ignored the staring eyes. He was not surprised. A single year would not change their opinion, and everyone still avoided the "orphaned, quirkless" kid. It did not help that they also thought he was strange because of his "erratic" behaviors, mostly due to running into the yokai. Thankfully, the Kobayashi's seemed to accept his explanation that he was having some trouble with a few of the students, which was true – but, like always, made worse by the yokai.
Izuku turned his attention to the front of the classroom as the teacher strode in and dropped her materials on the podium with a loud thud – her only call to class – so homeroom began.
As the morning session drew to a close, the teacher surveyed the class.
"Everyone has submitted their permission notes. So, we'll spend the rest of our homeroom sessions preparing for the day trip at the end of next week. We'll be discussing the nature preserve we'll be visiting and why it is so important to maintain our environment. You also need to decide who will be your "buddy" to ensure no one gets lost, understood?"
"Yes, sensei," The class called back, and with a wry grin, the teacher left. As soon as she was gone, the buzz of chatter filled the room as several conversations started up at once.
xxxx
"What are the third years doing this time?"
"Kyoto."
"Really? Gosh, I can't wait for the third-year trip. We only get a day trip this year."
xxxx
"Why are we researching the preserve?"
"Do you think there will be a test?"
"A test? But it's supposed to be a trip! And we have exams afterward!"
"It might be on the final. But hey, we still get out of the classroom and get to go on a hike!"
"Ha! You're in sports, Kento. You'll be good at this! It's almost Summer now, and I stink at any kind of physical activity…"
"Or you're just lazy."
xxxx
Izuku tuned out the class as he sat with his head propped on his fist and stared out the window.
He did not approach anyone, and no one approached him. He knew he would not have a willing partner for the trip. The teacher probably already had someone in mind as his partner and would foist him upon them and their chosen buddy.
So, Izuku stayed at his desk while the class buzzed with excitement.
Chapter 13: Shiroha
The cicada's cry filled the air as the hot, late-June sun made standing anywhere but the shade unbearable. Today was particularly hot, but thankfully, the hiking trip at the preserve involved trekking up a wide and mostly shaded mountain path.
The class clustered into groups of friends as they meandered up the path. Some were laughing as they pushed and shoved each other, joking and poking fun at one another. Some walked slowly, dragging their feet and complaining about anything and everything. A few walked in large groups, several walked in small groups, and a select few walked alone.
Izuku found himself in this last category, simply walking near the back and watching everything else transpire in front of him. As Izuku continued up the path, the gap between him and the rest of the class continued to widen as they went.
Further up the mountain and off the path by several meters, Shiroha sat amidst the trees of the forest.
She could hear the gaggle of children walking up the path, just as several groups did every summer. Her keen eyes skimmed her surroundings, unconcerned with the view filtered by the trees and understory.
Her eyes watched as they passed, but as her eyes landed on the child at the back, they stilled. Clearly, the outcast, the child, trudged behind the others, but his pure spirit and strong spiritual energy were evident.
On the path, Izuku grimaced, but a sudden movement in the trees caught his attention.
Shiroha had risen from lounging on a rock to sitting, her eyes fixed on Izuku.
Izuku, who had turned to look at her as she sat upright, gaped at the tall and grand fox whose fur glistened in the sun filtering through the trees above. The fox's fur was a beautiful silver-white, making the fur appear as if it was casting light rather than reflecting it.
Izuku's eyes widened upon realizing that the fox, sitting on a rock, was staring straight at him.
"Izuku!" A harsh voice punctuated the reverent silence.
Izuku winced, head snapping away from the breathtaking sight to look at the teacher standing behind him, hands on her hips and glaring down at him.
"What are you doing here? Everyone is far ahead! I've been calling you!"
Izuku tried to stand tall. "I was just admiring the white fox."
Izuku turned to look at the fox once more, and Shiroha looked on in turn, head tilted, pondering the young child who could see her.
The teacher huffed, eyes searching the trees, "You don't need to lie. Nothing's out there."
Izuku's head whipped to the teacher and back again, confirming that the fox was, in fact, still there – its keen eyes still focused directly on Izuku.
The teacher snapped, "Izuku!"
The foxes' gaze did not leave Izuku's own despite the harsh sound of the teacher's voice. Izuku turned slowly to face his teacher, his eyes wide and his heart beating with excitement.
"I'm sorry, Tanaka-sensei, the fox seems to have run away. It was a beautiful white fox, though. I'll catch up now!"
Izuku ran, not waiting for Tanaka-sensei's response. Izuku cast only a brief glance over his shoulder to see if the fox was still watching. He hoped that by darting away, it might give Tanaka-sensei the impression that he was not lying and just being a bratty kid.
As Izuku glanced back, the fox nodded and then disappeared into the trees. Izuku paused for only a moment. Initially, he had been distracted by the foxes' beautiful fur, but as it quickly disappeared, he was sure he saw more than one tail.
Shiroha, for her part, merely shook her head at the audacity of the young female teacher.
"One should not be so impatient with the little ones, especially when they are so young themselves. I must discover if this young one, who is too old to see me due to youth, does, in fact, possess the abilities of the near-forgotten past. Such a youth would be in danger given the current state of the world."
Later that day, after returning home, Izuku quickly found Kaoru-san in the kitchen.
Kaoru wiped her hands on a towel and smiled at Izuku, who was almost bouncing on his toes. She inwardly sighed. This was the most excited she had ever seen Izuku.
"How was your day trip, Izuku?"
"It was… fine. I think I saw a white fox, but I'm not sure. It slipped away before anyone else could see it."
"That's a shame. It would be very auspicious if you did see one!"
Izuku smiled shyly, "Yeah."
But his wide eyes betrayed his excitement, even as he tried to hide it. He bit his lip. "The teacher didn't see it."
"Oh?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "That's too bad."
Izuku hesitated, wondering if he should tell her more, then shook his head.
I'm already a burden, and the Kobayashi's have been so good. I don't want them worrying about me, and it wasn't Tanaka-sensei's fault since she can't see yokai.
Kaoru's eyes narrowed slightly, but she took a deep breath and smiled, "Well, I hope you're ready for the end of the trimester. Hinata and I have set aside time again."
Izuku nodded, thankful for the change in topic.
"Thank you." Izuku said, and playing with his fingers, asked, "May we stop by the small flower shop this time? I really liked the summer flowers they had last year. I know we've stopped by the other shop before, but I discovered this one after our visit last year, and I asked if they often carried the summer flowers. The clerk said they always get them this time of year, and I did go check to see if they had any before coming home today…"
Izuku's rambling trailed off.
Kaoru clasped her hands, smiling, "Yes, of course, Izuku!"
Izuku returned the smile, and the conversation moved on to other topics as they prepared for dinner.
As Izuku settled in for bed later that night, a rustling caused him to sit upright. He shifted to peer out the window, where he came face to face with keen eyes in a narrow face.
It was the fox he had seen on the trip.
The fox spoke, and despite the barrier of glass between them, Izuku heard her clearly.
"Hello, little one."
Izuku took a deep breath, hands covering his mouth to stop the squeal of excitement as he recognized her for what she was. Quickly, Izuku scrambled out of the bed and to the window, fumbling with the lock and opening it.
The kitsune's fur reflected the moonlight, and Izuku counted eight tails.
He backed up, and the kitsune leapt lightly into the room, standing tall and proud in the middle of his floor. Izuku now noted that the kitsune's fur was not completely white, and while kitsune were usually tricksters, older fox yokai, such as the Byakko in front of him, were generally considered more like guardians – a good omen.
Suddenly, the air seemed to shimmer around the kitsune as she shifted, turning into a young woman who could be mistaken for a college-aged student. She had soft silver hair and deep, dark blue eyes.
She spoke again, "Hello, little one."
"Good evening, mistress," Izuku bowed.
The kitsune smiled, "There is no need for so much formality, but I find it interesting that you can see me, even when I am not trying to be seen."
Izuku started, "Well… you see…"
"You have the sight, do you not?"
Izuku nodded.
The kitsune, Shiroha, nodded as well, "But I see you do not introduce yourself."
Izuku replied, "You may call me what you like for now."
"Then you know not to give your name?"
Izuku nodded.
"Very good. I shall not tell you mine either. I do hope you did not learn such things the hard way?"
Izuku shook his head. "Not exactly, but I have had several confrontations with yokai, and I have also made a few friends."
The kitsune's eyes narrowed.
Izuku fumbled, "I saved a kappa, and a furry yokai has been helping me learn about yokai."
The kitsune sat on the floor and gestured for Izuku to continue. And so, he did, but avoided telling her Kekyu and Ginro's names and where they lived, something she applauded.
However, she also displayed obvious displeasure at their attempt to encourage him to fight yokai.
"You are young, and yokai are not best suited to teach one such as yourself how to contend with the animosity that follows other yokai.
"You will need more training before you can truly face strong yokai. While your spiritual energy is strong for one of your age, and you can cast a few spells, commands and borderlines will only take you so far. After all, they only work on the weakest of yokai, as you are a young human. Not until you have matured more will you be able to command stronger yokai."
Izuku stammered, "I-I've noticed…"
"This is no accusation or criticism of what you have done so far. The yokai you have befriended have given you proper instruction for their experience – but they have not fully taken into account that you are human. This is their youth speaking."
Izuku nodded.
"I shall need to meet them, but not now. However, I will say this, if what you say of your training is true, this is a proper start and should be your current focus." The kitsune stood and shifted back into her fox form. "I shall take my leave. You are young and need your rest."
"Um, oh, well…"
The kitsune moved to jump out the window and cast her farewell over her shoulder, "Good night, little one."
"Good night, Ma'am."
The kitsune disappeared out the window, and Izuku shut it slowly. He then collapsed into bed, awed. It took a while for him to fall asleep, but when he did, he slept deeply.
The next night, Izuku opened the window once again, and the kitsune entered, shifting into the form of the young woman once more.
Once she settled onto the floor, Izuku sat next to her. They sat there for a while talking about their day, Izuku even telling her about visiting his mother's grave and how she died. They talked a long while, until Izuku could no longer keep his curiosity in check.
"May I ask – IfYouDon'tWantToTellMe, that's fine – but how do you… How do nine-tailed foxes gain their tails?"
Shiroha studied Izuku for a moment; he was being quite forward for their second meeting, but she had seen how his eyes kept darting to her tails.
"The nine-tailed foxes are not mortal beings. When I gain my ninth tail, I shall ascend and leave the mortal plane."
"Why?"
"It is necessary. After gaining our ninth tail, we only descend to the mortal plane on occasions. Otherwise, we could disrupt the balance of the world. It is better to remain in the spiritual plane than stay in the mortal one."
Izuku nodded, "When will you receive your ninth tail?"
The Byakko smiled, "I just received my eighth. So, I shall receive my ninth when it is time."
"When did you get your second?"
"We receive our second tail when we come of age at a hundred years old and generally receive another tail every hundredth year thereafter. There are also other ways, some more unscrupulous than others, to gain tails more quickly. While I naturally progressed more quickly initially, I have slowed to a more normal pace as of the last two. However, all Byakko must earn their last, their ninth, tail."
Izuku nodded, pondering the kitsune's words.
The kitsune observed Izuku quietly for a moment, "You have traces of the kitsune in you."
Izuku started at the statement, "I-I do?"
"Yes, though it seems to have been many generations since."
"Do you think my ancestors knew?"
The kitsune tilted her head, "Maybe, maybe not. The kitsune in your family's past may have revealed themselves or not – either way, the child was human and may have been a great sorcerer. The knowledge has obviously been lost."
Izuku nodded, leaning against his bed.
The kitsune sighed, "Well, I have much to consider, little one. But I believe that I might trust you. I am called Shiroha."
Izuku's eyes widened, delighted at Shiroha's trust so early on, "Midoriya Izuku, ma'am."
"Well then, little one, will you allow me to stay here for a while? I would like to consider how I might help you with your task of becoming a hero, and observing you will provide me the answers I need. I made preparations last night. I will not be missed."
Izuku felt his chest lift in excitement. "Oh, ah, would you like to meet the others tomorrow?"
"Yes, little one."
"Um, you can call me…."
"No, little one. One should only use names in the most important of times, whether good or bad."
"Yes, ma'am."
Shiroha smiled and shifted back into her fox form, curling up but still gazing steadily at him. "Now, close the window, little one, and go to bed."
Izuku smiled and did as he was told. It felt awkward but still reassuring to have the oldest yokai he had ever met curled up on his bedroom floor. Once he was in bed, he soon drifted off to sleep.
Shiroha watched Izuku – she could see the faint glow of his soul and the remnants of the kitsune blood within him. From her knowledge, it had been a long time since the last human who could see yokai walked the land of Japan, and the new developments within humans had all but pushed yokai and knowledge of them aside.
It was obvious that the boy had more than some dealings with yokai, as he asked pointed and knowledgeable questions for his kind and age.
But he was young, so very, very young to the 700-year-old kitsune. Shiroha had witnessed the destruction caused by humans after their powers had awakened after lying dormant from the time of her youth. She had yet to gain her second tail when their powers had gone to sleep, and it was only after she gained her sixth that their powers surged anew as quirks. So, Shiroha believed Izuku would need guidance.
Her mother, a Myobu kitsune, and father, a wild kitsune, had resulted in herself. While male kitsune were rare, she was proud to have taken on his element – the wind element.
As she watched the child, she sensed the danger lingering around him. Death left a permanent mark, even when healed – and the little one was far from healed. Danger still lurked.
Shiroha folded her paws and, resting her head atop them, peered at the seeping boy. She would continue to watch over what was likely the last of his kind. The kitsune magic was weak, but there, and his soul was so very pure for one who had been scarred by death so young.
Shiroha's mind settled.
Protector – that sounded like a good way to earn her last tail. After all, the last tail was the hardest by far to earn, as time did not present it, but only deeds. Shiroha nodded, deciding that leaving the mortal plane would be worth it if she could learn a thing or two more about the perseverance of humans through the young one before her. It would be a last gift to a human who was connected – even if remotely – to her own kin. A gift to one who had faced such hardship with the sight and as a quirkless human in a world full of quirked individuals.
She sighed softly and continued to watch over the young human, content that she had found her path. If he lived long, she might just gain her tail in his old age. He was still a kit, after all.
The wise kitsune smiled, the tips of her canines glinting in the moonlight. The thought pleased her that she might be able to share the journey of gaining her last tail with someone. Her own mother had passed beyond the mortal plane, and Shiroha looked forward to her own ascension.
If Izuku had been awake to see, he would not have been disturbed by the sharp fangs revealed by her smile, but eased by the reassurance and tranquility that accompanied them.
A few days later, Kaoru flicked through the news stations, but each was intent on the most disturbing news. The news anchor's voice boomed out, "Another victim has been found in a nearby waterway, drowned and completely drained of blood…."
Behind the news anchor, several police officers and a detective in a tan bowler hat were gathered around a stretch of riverbank.
Kaoru's eyes drifted to Izuku, who sat stiffly on the couch.
Izuku felt her eyes on him, but his eyes were transfixed on the screen. He knew that river. It was around the same place where Ginro had led him the first time they met, and the location where they had met several times until Ginro insisted they move to the one they now used.
After the Suiko attacked him and killed his mother, Ginro told him about the Suiko he had once served under.
Ginro had been strangely quiet after the first victim, one year after Midoriya Inko's death. Now, once a year after his mother's death, the Suiko took another victim.
It seemed to be becoming a yearly ritual for the Suiko. Izuku had missed the first killing, not recognizing it for what it was due to his troubles with the third foster family. But since moving in with the Kobayashi's, he recognized the events for what they were.
Glancing at Kaoru out of the corner of his eye, who was now worrying her lip, Izuku resolved to talk to Ginro and the others the very next day, now that the Suiko had taken its fourth victim.
He didn't want Kaoru to have to worry anymore. The news anchor's voice began to explain the moniker the police had given the serial killer who only killed on one day, in one place, every year.
The very first meeting between Kekyu, Ginro, and Shiroha, which happened a few days before the news report, had gone well. The two yokai were impressed by the old and wise fox. After exchanging greetings, the conversation turned to Izuku's training and how he might confront stronger yokai, which led to Shiroha asking if he intended to use his training to defeat the Suiko that killed his mother.
Izuku did not have the answer in that first meeting, but now he did.
It felt strange for their second meeting to be focused on such a serious topic, but Izuku was determined. The three yokai and Izuku sat by the river in the usual training grounds. All eyes were upon Shiroha, and she observed each of their upturned faces for a long while before she spoke.
"The Suiko are a strong type of yokai, and no amount of training will allow you to confront it with raw strength alone. Commands and borderlines are strategies for confronting yokai of all kinds, but not the only strategies. Did you think that once you cast a borderline or gave a command, it would be once and done? No. While the weaker yokai will stop and avoid you, they could become stronger, and those that are strong will almost always come back.
"It is a never-ending cycle, just like how villains come back again and again, whether they be escaped villains or new ones. If it could end, then the Onmyoji – and Heroes – would have worked themselves out of a job." She faced Izuku, "If you take this path, using your spiritual energy to fight villains and evil yokai alike, it will not end."
Izuku sighed, and then with a determined look, faced Shiroha. "I know, but I need to do something about this one! It killed my mother, and it's been killing every year since!"
Shiroha studied Izuku for a long moment. Long enough that Izuku began to squirm.
Then, she spoke slowly, "The only way to defeat a Suiko is to not honor the dead victim. You must place the body of the victim in a grass hut and allow it to rot until it is no more. The Suiko will smell the victim and run around the hut, unable to enter and slowly expire as the victim decays."
Izuku's eyes widened, his face pale. Ginro blinked, and Kekyu shivered.
Shiroha observed all of them in turn, "Can you do this? Can you deny the next victim of the Suiko a burial? If you do not, there will be more victims. Even so, can you, Midoriya, do this?"
Izuku's body trembled, shivers wracking his frame. He had been so hopeful that he might be able to stop the Suiko from killing – just like it had killed his mother. Just like it had taken more victims.
But there were laws about corpse disposal.
To stop the Suiko, he would have to break the law – the very law he wanted to uphold as a hero. But if he did not kill the Suiko, then there would be more victims – things the heroes could not stop because they did not know about and could not see, touch, or talk to yokai.
What was Izuku going to do? Would he be a hero? An Onmyoji? Both? Or neither? The questions he thought he had found answers to again after moving in with the Kobayashi's did not seem to be answered anymore. Not when saving people – being the hero he wanted to be, a hero who could also take care of issues with yokai – meant doing something that would be condemned by heroes and the law.
His two worlds were colliding, and they did not mesh. In this case, he had no one to ask for guidance except the yokai.
Shiroha's expression was filled with sympathy.
"There is only one way to kill the Suiko."
"But we can't steal the…" Izuku turned wide-eyed to face Shiroha.
"No, we cannot. This year's victim is already gone, but next year, we may try to trick the Suiko into taking a non-human victim. Or, I can create an illusion, a fake body for the family and police to find when it strikes again next year. I am sure you would prefer the first option, but if we fail to trick it into taking a non-human victim, it will be on alert."
Ginro gave Izuku a sad look, "Hard to trick. May need a fake body for family."
Kekyu averted its gaze as Izuku glanced between the three of them, distressed.
Shiroha smiled sadly, "We have a year. Next year, you will be in your last year of middle school, and preparing yourself for your hero exam. So, you will be much further in your training. We have time to decide and plan. However, remember that it may not be possible to trick the Suiko. If that is the case, we need only wait until it takes its next victim. Only one more."
Izuku's eyes widened in horror.
Shiroha sighed, "The ritual is intended for human victims. With my help, we might be successful with a non-human victim, but we must be prepared to take the human body if we are not successful when the Suiko hunts again."
Izuku nodded.
Shiroha smiled, "You have the Kobayashi family helping you on the human side. You should trust them and explain that you can see us once you are ready to show them your 'quirk.' With my help, we can even reveal ourselves to help them know the truth. I am sure they can help you know how to balance your two worlds, even if you do not tell them everything about the yokai – at least let them know it exists."
Izuku took a deep breath, nodded, and after saying goodbye, headed for home – his thoughts in turmoil.
In another part of the city, the sound of metal bending and concrete breaking filled the air as a villain and hero rammed into the side of a building.
The hero wrestled the villain to the ground and turned to watch in horror as the consequence of their fight played out before his eyes. He had to keep the villain subdued, or more citizens would be hurt, but as the wall of the building collapsed and screams rang out, fear for those inside tore at his conscience.
Looking around, he spotted Backdraft and quickly called for his help. Thankfully, the rescue hero was already moving and disappeared into the building.
Soon after, the police arrived and took the villain into custody. And so, the nameless hero bolted into the building to help find and rescue the last few injured civilians.
Thankfully, many only needed first aid, but two needed more immediate attention.
As the last of the victims was rolled out to the waiting ambulance, the nameless hero gritted his teeth at the sight of the man's mangled legs.
Without extensive treatment, the man would probably never walk again.