Chapter Text
‘So no, I honestly don’t think you could become a hero without a quirk.’ All Might’s words looped in his mind as Izuku stood frozen between wanting to fall to his knees and cry, or walk down the stairs back home with now crushed dreams.
On some level, he knew that the number one hero would’ve said something like that, but on the other hand, he had hoped that maybe, just maybe, All Might would’ve said yes. He walked to the door with his head low and sight becoming blurry.
‘Oh great,’ he thought as he tugged on the door but it didn’t budge. His eyes flickered a little to the left to see a door stopper was now out of the way. ‘I’m stuck up here.’
He tugged harder, hoping the door would budge before letting out an angry growl as he knocked instead. ‘Hopefully someone will hear,’ he grumbled as he sat down by the door to wait.
His eyes flickered to his backpack before he quietly reached in and took out his analysis notebook. He stared at the scorch marks before he yelled as he threw it with all his might away from him as if that would get rid of the pain in his chest. But as he watched it fly through the air, regret instantly filled his veins.
“No!” he yelped, about to get up in hopes that maybe it would just fall a few inches ahead, but he groaned as it flew over the railing. His head thumped back against the wall as he slumped in defeat. “Shit,” he whispered, hoping it would be there when he went down.
“Ow!”
The voice made him freeze. ‘Oh no, oh no, no, no,’ he inwardly cried as he scrambled up to see and apologize to whoever he accidentally hit.
“Hawks, I swear to the universe that if you threw-” The voice hissed but stopped as he reached the railing before he gasped as he stared at the person.
The sight reminded him so much of magical girl shows or pre-quirk cartoons and stories of witches and fantasy. A woman was sitting on top of a staff that had a lizard on the top. Her hand rubbed the back of her head, though he couldn’t see her face as the wide brim of her brown witch hat blocked it. It didn’t even budge from the wind due to the horns protruding through to hold it in place.
Her outfit was interesting, and like he said it reminded him so much of fantasy. She wore a light brown overcoat that had black spots with a white border on the back, and a white poet shirt. She wore pants that had similar markings but they were on the side, and were tucked into brown aviator boots.
“Hero Analysis For the Future Number 13?” she softly read. He squeaked at the clawed fingerless gloves hand that was holding his notebook in one hand as she tilted it to look at the cover. At his sound, her head snapped up to look at him.
He fell back on his back in panic as his eyes met the beady black eyes on the royal yellow porcelain mask that covered her entire face.
‘I don’t need that notebook! I could make a new one!’ he told himself in slight panic before dread filled him as he remembered that he had All Might’s autograph in there. Although the hero slightly crushed his dreams, he still looks up to him.
He scrambled back up, about to ask for his book back before letting out a yelp as he saw she was now standing on the roof. “I’m sorry!” he blurted before she could say anything. “I-I didn’t mean to throw it over there! I mean I did- but not that hard and not to hit you! Please forgive me! I swear I was going to pick it up again and-”
“Woah, hey easy kid,” the woman gently murmured as she gestured for him to calm down. “You’re not in trouble. This is yours?” she asked as she held out the notebook, her claws now receding into human hands with slightly sharp nails. “May I take a look?”
“U-um,” he murmured as he stared at her hand in awe, wondering what her quirk was before he hesitated. He hoped she didn’t destroy his notebook. “I-If you want,” he murmured, not wanting to make her angry.
And for a moment, he wondered if she heard him as she didn’t open the book and continued to stare at him. “You sure?” she carefully asked after a second. “I won’t if you don’t want me to. Here,” she offered instead.
That threw him into a loop. For a second, he did want to take it back. He wanted to snatch it, thank her, and just burst through the roof door to run down the stairs and run home, but he couldn’t.
“It’s okay,” he assured instead, clenching his hands as she nodded slowly then turned the page to read a page. As she read, he took the time to scan her again now that she was closer.
Her hair was a simple braid with a white ribbon interwoven into it with a lizard head clasp to tie it all together and her mask had larger rounder markings that didn’t disturb her horns. She had a total of four horns, two on her forehead that were going through her hat, and one each above her ears.
The mask on her eyes shifted as if reflecting her expressions. They were circles, but had a small dent under as if she was trying to convey a smile or something. It matched the markings on her coat, but they were much larger and lines over her forehead that grew smaller over where her nose should be.
She had cuff earrings on that looked like a horned lizard which he realized was what she was basing her costume off of. Where had he-
“You’re right, I did base my costume off Eliza.” He yelped at that, not realizing he had been mumbling for who knows how long. “Your analysis is great, kid. Where’s you learn that?” she asked as she offered the book once more.
“I-I’m sorry!” he shouted as he quickly took the book out of her hands and clutched it tightly to his chest. He wondered if he could ask questions, like who was Eliza, more of her quirk, about the staff she had, but pushed them down not knowing how she’d react to them. “Thank you!” He flushed, but shook his head in disbelief of her compliment. “I-It’s nothing, just a hobby…”
The eyes on the mask blinked slowly before she shook her head. “It’s alright, like I said, you’re not in trouble,” she repeated before her mask frowned, confirming that the eyes did reflect her expression as the top furrowed like brows, then became neutral again. “Well, that’s quite the hobby you have. It’s great,” she repeated.
Izuku now frowned, not knowing how to take the repeated compliment as his classmates’ and teachers’ opinions of his analysis came back. “Who’s Eliza?” he murmured instead.
She paused before she lifted her staff. “This is Eliza,” she answered, letting him dodge either denying it again or lying that his analysis was good. And he wouldn’t want to lie to someone who’s actually talking to him.
“Wow,” he whispered as he marveled at the craftsmanship at the very detailed carving and painting of the horned lizard before he realized where he’s seen that staff before. “You’re the pro-hero Io!” he shouted as he pointed at her in shock. “I can’t believe it!”
There was another blink, this one leading into the eyes widening before they squinted happily as she laughed. “Yes, I am,” she confirmed as he rambled. “Though I’m surprised you know of me. I’m not really that high ranking and I just started a few years ago.”
“You’re the Circle Hero! You can create so many things with your glowing circles and paper! It’s amazing! You just started but you do hero work! Especially the one with you and the battle with Master Mime! When you made a greater illusion to trick him from hitting you with his ‘hammer’-” Izuku continued, ripping open his notebook to the next page. “Can I get your autograph?!” he asked as he offered his book.
“Sure,” she hummed as she put her staff in the air next to her, making him stare in awe as it floated in place, before she signed the book. “Thank you for your support,” she chuckled as she handed the book back, making him clutch it tighter now that it had two pro-hero signatures. “Now head back inside, and don’t throw books off the roof again,” she playfully scolded.
“W-Wait!” he shouted as she grabbed her staff. “D-Do you think-” his words froze as he didn’t know why he’d ask again. Everyone said no, even All Might. He felt the tears coming back as he ducked his head. “Um…”
“What is it?” Io gently asked, not moving as the eyes dipped to a concerned look.
“Nothing… it’s nothing,” Izuku murmured with a small sniffle. “I um…. Good bye….”
There was silence, and he clenched his eyes to not watch her leave just as he watched All Might before. “I’m not leaving till you go inside. I want to make sure you’re home and safe,” Io sighed, his head snapped to look at her in shock. “And I might be overstepping, but it’s not nothing if you’re sad about it,” she murmured. “If you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.”
He wondered if he should ask. “I… I don’t live here,” he murmured instead. “I um, I accidentally got locked up here after…” he didn’t know what to say without giving All Might away. “After trying to look for hero battles. I knocked and was waiting to see if anyone would open the door. I’m sorry.”
Io hummed with a slow nod. “Like I said, you’re not in trouble,” she murmured. “It was an accident. Just, try not to do it again, okay?” she gently said, waiting until he nodded before she laid her staff in the air. “Come on, I can take you home if you want.”
“Wh-what?” Izuku gasped as he gaped at the staff then back at her mask. “L-like you’re going to fly us down? C-Can it handle the weight of two people?”
“Technically, and yes, she can handle a lot,” Io hummed as she sat sideways towards the back and patted the staff gently. “Come on, I’m sure you have homework to do and your parents or guardians will be worried if you don’t get home soon.”
“My mom,” he gasped as he hurried forward then paused to look at her to make sure this was okay. At her single nod, he looked back at the staff wondering how to climb on before he lifted himself to sit like she did. “Y-You can just take me down. Please.”
The eyes gave nothing away at her silence as she gave another single nod. “Hold onto the staff,” Io ordered, waiting until he held it with both hands before she hummed softly.
“W-Woah!” he gasped and tightened his grip as the staff lifted slightly higher. Soft laughter of disbelief and amazement escaped him as they floated up then down to the street. They weren’t going fast, but he was flying! “Y-You said Hawks before, d-do you know him?” he hesitantly asked.
Now she was the one to hesitate. “Yes, we’re acquaintances. I’m- He’s not bad to work with,” she hummed as she glanced to the side.
Izuku frowned a little in confusion but nodded as they were now down at the street. His face flushed as people glanced at them, well mainly at Io, in awe. “Th-thank you,” he murmured with a bow.
“You’re welcome,” Io gently said before she glanced at her staff as it floated back up out of her hands. “Look… I know you said to only drop you off here but as a hero, and a concerned person, I want to make sure you get home safe. I won’t force you to let me walk you home, instead could you take Eliza with you? To keep you safe.”
He frowned as he glanced at the staff, wondering how it would keep him safe. “But, how would you get it back? I can’t give it back to you if you’re not there,” he pointed out.
“Well, as you’ve seen she’s able to do a lot, and that includes coming back to me,” Io assured as she grabbed then lifted the staff towards him. “For now, please take her.”
He frowned before quietly taking the staff. “Thank you. I’ll go straight home and let her come back soon?” he promised, though he was confused on how it would get back.
“No, thank you,” Io sighed in relief before she turned to the staff. “Keep him safe. As soon as he’s home, come back okay?” she said as she made a small amber circle in the air which created a tiny orb of light.
He gasped at the display of her quirk as the tiny orb floated over the staff before he gasped even louder as the lizard’s eyes flashed. “Was that your quirk?” he immediately asked, wondering if it was like that one pre-quirk cartoon of Oswald Rabbit when he wore the wizard’s hat and enchanted the brooms.
“You could say that,” Io hummed, chuckling a little as he stared at the staff still in awe as the light faded. “Now stay safe okay?”
“Yes ma’am!” Izuku shouted, rushing away as a group started to form around the pro hero as others asked to take photos or to have an autograph.
As he walked, he shifted the staff to the crook of his arm as he opened his book again. Today felt sweet and sour, like those candy. He could hear Bakugou’s voice in his head as he stared at Kamui Woods entry. ‘You’ll never be a hero,’ he heard. ‘Better to find out now instead of later,’ as he flipped to Mt. Lady’s entry.
But as he went to All Might’s entry, his idol’s words came flooding back. ‘ Make sure your dreams are attainable.’ With that, he quickly shut the book again and stared at the burnt cover again. ‘Even All Might said it, a hero needs a quirk,’ he felt his throat fill with a lump and his vision became blurry again.
‘Don’t cry, damn it,’ he weakly told himself as he inhaled shakily. ‘Deep down, you knew this all along. Just been avoiding reality,’ he sighed heavily. ‘That’s why you’ve been trying so desperately to prove yourself wrong. That’s why you didn’t ask another pro hero. Because you knew that you’d get the same answer.’
A small nudge from the side made him glance at the staff in confusion. ‘Did it mo-’
The loud explosion from his right drove attention away from the current question to a new one. ‘That’s strange. Is the fight from earlier still going on?’ he wondered before his face fell. ‘I’m so used to watching, and without thinking I walked this way to check it out.’
He quietly crossed the street. ‘I shouldn’t have stopped, not only did I promise Io that I would go home, but all my notes are useless,’ he told himself despite trying to look over the crowd to see what was going on. His heart stopped as he gasped at the sight of the villain. ‘That’s the guy who attacked me! That can’t be right! All Might captured him,’ he told himself, remembering the hero holding up the bottle.
‘The bottle, he dropped it,’ he remembered with dread that it was gone as they talked on the roof. “That means, it’s my fault,” he brokenly said, tightening his grip on the two items in his arms. He felt panic fill him more.
“Why aren’t the heroes doing anything?” His ears immediately locked onto a nearby conversation between two men and turned to look at them. “It looks like they met their match. Plus the villain captured a kid, things aren’t looking good right now.”
He gasped as he looked back at the slime villain. ‘He caught someone! I wonder how long they’ve been in there? How can they survive being suffocated like that? I thought I’d die after a few seconds of struggling,’ he clenched his jaw and covered his mouth as he remembered the moment.
Izuku felt worse as he heard people talking about the villain, noting that it was the same one All Might had chased before. The one that he captured, but was now loose and wondering where the hero was now.
‘I’m the one to blame. He wasted his energy on me,’ he shamefully thought, curling into himself, oblivious to the staff as it shifted a little. ‘He can’t power up yet. And none of the other heroes have the quirks to stop this monster.’
‘This is my fault, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,’ he silently cried to everyone and whoever that kid was that was being held. The horned lizard was now turned to Izuku.
‘Help will show up to save the day, I’m sure.’ For a moment, a quick blink and you’ll miss it, the lizard came to life as if to soothe him.
‘Someone, a real hero will come soon.’ The tiny lizard paused, going back into stasis as its eyes glowed to send up a signal.
But as his eyes met familiar red eyes, he dropped his notebook and the staff without thinking, yelling as he ran forward. The signal flew into the building, making some people turn in shock at the bright light as the staff fell to the ground next to the notebook.
Izuku ignored the shouts of the pro heroes, and pushed down the fear as the villain recognized him. ‘What am I doing? Why am I running?’ he wondered as he pushed himself to run faster.
The tiny reptile went through the options, before quickly deciding on what to do. Izuku felt panic fill him as a slimy hand shot towards him. ‘What do I do? What would a hero do right now?’ he wondered. ‘Your analysis is great, kid.’ He mentally flipped through all the heroes he knew before landing on Kamui. ‘Page 25, right!’
“Take this!” he shouted and spun to hide himself, opening his backpack before he threw it with all his might to the slime’s face, hoping a part of it would hit his mark. And it did! Now how to get his friend out? He wished he could use water or something to blast the slime away, but he would have to use his hands instead.
“Kacchan!” Izuku shouted, reaching for the slime as his childhood friend’s face was now free, but gasped as the staff flew into his hand just before he came in contact with the slime. Just like earlier, the lizard’s eyes glowed but instead of yellow, it glowed a dark spring green before hot air burst directly at the villain’s face and a second signal flew into the sky. A yellow orb with green swirled in the air.
‘D-Did I do that?’ Izuku wondered. “What the hell?” Kacchan shouted, his voice hoarse as looked at the air in shock before coughing as he fell forward as the villain reared back in pain from one pained eye and the burning air. “Why are you here?”
Everyone flinched as it burst into a bright light shaped in a horned lizard as it let out a roar. Izuku looked at the staff in shock before coming back to himself at Kacchan’s question. He hurried to try and take this opportunity to save them.
“I don’t know!” he shouted, shifting the staff to the crook of his arm after realizing that whatever Io did was protecting him which meant he could use it to save Kacchan. ‘It can’t be me.’ “But my legs just started moving!” he answered as he threw Kacchan’s arm over his shoulder, ignoring his friend’s resistance.
The two flinched as an orb formed around them before Izuku realized it was the staff again as he looked down to see its eyes were glowing and the familiar color of Io’s quirk. Now that they were hopefully safer as they hobbled to the heroes, he could think.
He didn’t know why to be honest. After everything, after what everyone’s told him, he didn’t know why he moved. Was the only one to move. “Kacchan,” he cried, tears flowing from everything crashing as he struggled dragging his friend to safety. “I couldn’t just stand there and watch you die.”
That made Kacchan’s expression twist in anger. “Get off me,” he grit about to shove Izuku away before they froze as the orb stopped despite them still walking.
“I’m done playing with you!” The slime villain shouted as a tendril wrapped around the orb, trying to burst it and two more lifted to slam down on the top.
The two tightly shut their eyes and jolted at the loud crack. “Eliza.” Izuku’s eyes shot open at the cool voice before tightening his grip on Kacchan as the lizard’s eyes glowed amber again. The orb flew out of the slime’s grip, making the two teens fall forward and everyone gasp as they were now in safety.
“I-Io!” Izuku cried out in relief, looking up at the pro hero as she stood tall in front of them. He jumped as the staff flew out of his hand and into hers, somehow not bursting the bubble. “B-But how?”
“What the-?!” the slime villain shouted, searching around him for the two. “Where’d they go?!”
“I came as fast as I could but I only saw the second signal. I’m sorry,” Io murmured with a quick glance over her shoulder. “Are you two okay?”
“What do you think?” Kacchan hissed at her. “K-kacchan!” Izuku shouted in shock.
“That’s fair,” Io nodded as she turned back to the slime villain now that he noticed where his hostages were. “I’ll deal with him, then help you as best as I can now that I’m here.”
“Deal with me?!” The villain shouted as he grew larger. “I’ll show you and everyone!” he shouted angrily as he shot towards her.
Everyone flinched, the pro heroes and police hurried to push everyone they could back, and thankfully the orb was pushed back though he didn’t see how. His eyes were glued as Io swiftly spun her staff to create a larger circle. “No, you won’t,” she hissed before slamming her staff down.
The amber circle became a bright blue ray with mist, making everyone cover their eyes at the burst before they squinted to see what happened. Everyone gasped as the mist dissipated to reveal the now encased in ice villain and the previously on fire buildings were now covered in snow.
“That was amazing!” “Wow!” “She managed to save the kids and the buildings!” “How did she do that?!” “Who is she?” “I think I’ve seen her on MeTube! Eye or Oh or something like that!” Io was silent as she quietly stood upright and waved her hand in a circle. “Wow!” Everyone gasped as a ring of light surrounded the ice, shrinking it but not melting it.
Izuku gasped in awe as the orb slowly opened like a rose bud before gently setting the two on the ground. “Io than-!” he shouted, trying to go forward before flinching when Death Arms pushed him to sit down. He ducked his head, quietly watching from the corner of his eye as the pro hero stomped towards the other hero while the rest of the heroes lingered as if lost on what to do now that the situation was dealt with.
“Hey!” Death Arms had shouted, flinching when the mask now snapped to him. “Only licensed heroes can use their quirks to save civilians, you put yourself and everyone at risk-”
“I might not be with an agency like you, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a hero. I have a license,” Io hummed, handing him something before she walked forward to pick up the now shrunken ice block and turned to the police. “Here, lock him away before he melts.” Her head tilted towards Izuku and Kacchan. “And get those two looked over by paramedics.”
The officer awkwardly looked between the shocked Death Arms and waiting Io. “Y-Yes ma’am,” the officer quickly saluted, putting the block in a bag and tying it tightly. “If you could give us your report and speak with the news?”
There was a pause before she sighed and nodded. “Of course,” she murmured before she looked at the teens. “I’ll be back, stay here okay?” she ordered, waiting until they nodded before she turned to the group and waved as the mask’s eyes squinted as if happy. “Hello everyone!” she greeted with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. “If everyone could please give these two some privacy as they are checked over, I will answer all your questions!”
The crowd immediately moved back then clamored towards her once she was closer. “Can’t believe she’s getting credit,” Mt. Lady murmured a little dejectedly as Death Arms came out of his shock.
“Yeah, we got people out of there too,” Kamui murmured dejectedly, slumping as he watched the reporters now join the crowd around the other pro hero.
“We helped each other,” Backdraft hummed, though he also sounded a little annoyed too. “Come on, we need to clear the snow and make sure the building won’t fall,” he told his crew.
“Hello,” a paramedic greeted as one knelt in front of Kacchan and the one speaking in front of him. “We’re going to do a few check-ups if that’s okay.”
“I don’t need one,” Kacchan grit, trying to get up before he huffed when one of the pro heroes came closer and sat him back down.
“Of course you do kid! After all that hard work, you should get checked up!” he chuckled. “That was amazing work you did out there! Your quirk would be fantastic for hero work!”
“Yes!” One of the reporter’s snuck over and their cameraman was pointing it at his friend. “How did you feel as you fought valiantly against the slime?”
“Excuse me, we need privacy to check over our patients,” the paramedic that was checking Kacchan huffed at the heroes and reporters.
“Ah it’s fine, they’ll be safe with us!” Another pro hero waved off, making the two paramedics roll their eyes but turn back to check over the two in silence
“Hey you!” Death Arms shouted at Izuku, turning his ire to the poor greenette. “What was that? Why did you ignore us?’
Izuku flinched at the shouting, shrinking a little as he curled into himself. Not only that but it was drawing the attention of the other pro heroes. “I-I-”
“No, listen because this is important!” Kamui huffed and crossed his arms as he glared down at Izuku. “Why did you do that? What if we weren’t there to save you?”
‘You didn’t save me, that was All Might and Io,’ Izuku thought to himself, frowning to the side before he gasped when he saw All Might in his deflated form watching from the crowd with concern and a gleam in his eye. ‘He was here?’
“-and you’re not even paying attention!” Death Arms shouted even louder, making Izuku flinch harder. “There is no reason for you to put yourself in danger like that!”
“Hey good job kid!” Another pro hero told Kacchan. “And that quirk of yours is something else! When you wanna go pro, head over to my agency first! I’d love for you to be my sidekick while you’re training!”
“What were you thinking?” Death Arms continued to shout at him. “Obviously you weren’t thinking at all!” And Izuku couldn't help but feel a little bitter at the difference. But he knew that was expected.
“Hey!” Io’s voice rang out, making everyone turn to see that she was now focused on them as the police held back the crowd and reporters. The three reporters that had been bothering Kacchan rushed away as the heroine stormed towards their area. “What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed once she was closer.
“I’m telling him the dangers of what he did,” Death Arms huffed at her with a glare, tossing her hero license at her before he crossed his arms. “Not only that, but I should write him up for his illegal quirk usage.”
That made her mask’s eyes become slits and Izuku paled as he saw her claws sharpened. “First off, all of you,” she hissed to the heroes that were trying to convince Kacchan of joining their agency. “If you aren’t helping, leave.”
“Excuse me, I’m trying to help his future-” “Kid, you want their help?” Io asked the blonde, ignoring the heroes as they spluttered.
“No, and I don’t want to get check up, I don’t need this shit or your help either,” Kacchan hissed, making Izuku snap to look at him in shock and slight anger.
“K-Kacchan!” Izuku hissed, flinching when he received a glare from Death Arms, Kamui, and Kacchan for that.
Io glanced at the paramedic who gave a subtle nod to which she returned it. “Fine, you heard the kid. Leave,” she huffed to the heroes as the paramedics quietly packed up their things. “And thank you for your help,” she told the medics with a less irritated voice as they left.
The heroes all bristled but grumbled as they moved away from Kacchan while the paramedic gave her a nod. “Second of all, sure he needs to know what he did was dangerous but let’s wonder why he had to be the one to act,” Io now hissed to Death Arms.
“First, no one was acting,” she said before he could open his mouth. “All of you just stood there, waiting for someone else to do your job.”
“Our quirks weren’t good for the-” “They’re not always going to be good for the job!” Io grit as she slammed her staff down like a judge’s gavel. “Quirks aren’t what make a hero!” Izuku’s head shot up at that, feeling the faintest spark of hope ignite in his chest again. Oblivious to the blonde who noticed and glared. “A quirk wields no strength unless the person that uses it has courage! A hero is someone who has the courage to face their fears and struggles to help people! None of you did anything!”
“He risked himself!” “He did but like I said no one else was doing anything! I don’t condone his actions, but he was obviously smart and brave enough to try something to save a fellow student!” she snarled back.
“We did everything we could!” Kamui Woods defended before flinching when she snapped to look at him.
“Alright, then let’s look at the facts,” Io hissed and looked at Izuku. “Kid, know that I am mad, not at you so I’m sorry for my tone,” she grit as she rubbed her mask as if trying to rub the bridge of her nose. “Can you explain what you did and why?”
“I-I th-threw my backpack at his face s-since his eyes w-were the only tangible thing o-on him,” he immediately explained, shrinking when all eyes were now on him. His throat clenched but when he glanced at Io who nodded, he continued feeling a little more confident. “L-Like K-kamui W-Woods would do, ‘make an opponent flinch then act,’ a-and I t-tried to c-carry him away while holding y-your s-staff o-once I r-realized i-it would keep us s-safe… ” he trailed off.
Kamui blinked in surprise, shocked to silence as he just gaped. “What about your-” Death Arms’s growled before immediately stopping when Io turned to him again before she turned to Kamui.
“You, I’ll admit you were at a complete disadvantage with the fire around, but why didn’t you use something to poke his eyes? The kid is using your tactic! And you had the audacity to yell at him when he obviously looks up to you!” Io huffed as she pointed to the still frozen Kamui. “You, why didn’t you shrink?” she asked Mt. Lady who turned away sheepishly. “And you, you say your quirks weren’t perfect but you could’ve ran over to try and do something! Anything!” she yelled to Death Arms before looking at the entire group.
“The only one who thought of a plan, a good plan from obviously taking the time to analyze and assess the situation, was him!” Io hissed as she pointed to Izuku. “A middle schooler, without any training or experience, knew to make a plan and act!”
Everyone was silent, shifting in embarrassment and shame as Io shook her head and murmured something that Izuku was only able to catch ‘-why I don’t work with agencies. Damn rankings I swear-’ “H-he still used his quirk,” Death Arms huffed almost petulantly as if that would make her argument completely void.
“I-I didn’t,” Izuku blurted, not knowing where that burst of confidence came from. He shrunk again when everyone turned to him again. "I didn't," he repeated in a squeak.
“We all saw you send up that light,” Kamui Woods huffed. “And the burst of wind,” Mt. Lady primly added.
“Th-that was the staff,” he said as he pointed at it and looked at Io apologetically as he didn’t want to seem like he was blaming her, because he wasn’t. He was just stating what happened. ”I-It glowed like before, but green, and did what you told it to,” he told her, a little confused as he saw her tense.
“Kid, don’t blame-” “That was me,” Io huffed before Death Arms could finish. “I lent him my staff so he could safely walk home. Now I realized my mistake and will be responsible for taking him home. See? No quirk used besides mine. Besides, even if he did, it was in self-defense and to save another student. Why reprimand one person for quirk usage and praise the other?” she huffed.
The heroes fumbled with their answer, glancing at each other as if hoping the other had an argument. “Right,” Io grumbled. “Well now that that’s taken care of and you’ve already reprimanded him, it’s time to go. It was... interesting to meet and work with all of you.”
“Now hang on a minute-” “Come on kid,” Io ignored Death Arms before she looked at Kacchan as Izuku scrambled to put on his backpack. “You want me to take you or will your parents pick you up?”
Kacchan grit his teeth as he glared at Izuku then her. “I’m going home by myself, fuck off,” he hissed at her as he stood up and marched away, shrugging off Death Arms’s hand and going around Kamui Woods who tried to block him.
Backdraft stepped out of the buildings before he glanced at the blonde who was walking away. “Is he cleared to go home?” he asked.
“Yes, but it’d be better for him to have an escort,” Io sighed, before nodding thankfully when Backdraft nodded and turned to follow him. “Come on, let’s get out of here kid,” she told Izuku as she sat on her staff. “Which way?” she asked, still ignoring the sputtering of the other heroes.
Izuku glanced at the pro heroes, then briefly at the hiding but deflated All Might before he bowed to the pro heroes. “Th-thank you,” he murmured out of politeness before hurrying to sit on the staff. “Th-that way,” he said, pointing in the direction Kacchan had just stomped to.
Io hummed as she gently patted her staff, waving bye to the crowd of civilians and reporters before flying in that direction. Izuku briefly glanced down, tensing when his eyes met Kacchan’s as they flew past the blonde and snapped to look up to avoid the angry glare.
He felt his heart race not only as they soared through the sky, which was fantastic, but Io’s words rang in his mind. ‘Quirks aren’t what make a hero!’ Izuku glanced over his shoulder at the angry murmuring pro hero.
“-can’t believe how reliant they are on their quirks!” she hissed. “As if they weren’t trained in hand to hand combat or tactics! Maybe they weren’t! Can’t believe they-”
“Did you mean what you said?” Izuku blurted, flushing when he realized what he did, and his hands shot up to cover his mouth. But from letting go, he wobbled a little and panicked. “Ah!”
“Woah!” Io hissed, immediately grabbing the back of his jacket to steady him. “Are you alright?” she asked as they slowly flew down.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to let go!” he apologized, slumping as his feet touched the ground. “I-I’m fine…” he murmured as he climbed off the staff.
“It’s fine,” Io sighed, straightening her staff before she waved her hand. “Technically, one could fly without holding on but it’s a precaution to hold on. Now what did you mean if I meant what I said? I said a lot.”
Izuku now paused, chewing his lip as he fiddled with his fingers. “I…Y-You said e-earlier, that q-quirks a-aren’t what m-make a h-hero,” he repeated slowly. “D-did you m-mean th-that?”
“Oh,” she said, her mask blinking slowly before she nodded. “Yeah, I did mean that. Quirks aren’t what make a hero. Like I also said, it’s courage. Even when a hero is scared, which happens, they still do the right thing. Like what you did,” she stated then paused. “Though I don’t condone what you did and hope you don’t do it again,” she reprimanded with a pointed finger. “You did good, just try to not do it again.”
‘Like me,’ he thought in awe as he felt his hands start to become clammy and anxiety fill his chest. “Th-then…” he hesitantly started, clenching his hands as his entire body trembled. He heard everyone’s words again, including All Might’s the longer he hesitated. But the spark of hope, however tiny it currently was, strengthened his resolve to ask his question.
“Can someone without a quirk become a hero?” he shouted, his voice cracking as tears flowed down his face, not wanting to see the possible disgust, pity, or anger on her mask. “I-I’m just a normal kid! Even without a quirk, can I still be a hero?!”
There was silence. “What’s your name kid?” Io gently asked, making Izuku tremble more as he hated that she hadn’t answered his question.
“M-Midoriya I-Izuku,” he answered, flinching when he felt a hand gently place itself on his shoulder.
The hand immediately left his shoulder. “Midoriya, can you look at me?” she softly asked.
He clenched his hands into fists as he shakily inhaled before he opened his eyes, barely able to make her out past the tears that continued to flow down his cheeks. “Y-Your mask,” he gasped.
Io was a secretive hero. She wasn’t an Underground hero, but she also wasn’t in the spotlight if she could help it. Not many knew about her personal life or who she was. All they knew was Io, her quirk, and that she was a hero. But here she was, mask off in front of him. The scales and horns were completely gone, and her golden eyes were meeting his.
"Midoriya… Yes. Yes I did mean that, but,” she started and raised her hand when his face crumpled. “Please, let me finish. But that doesn't mean it will be easy for you to become a hero. For you to be a hero, it will be an uphill battle.” Izuku slumped, shutting his eyes as he moved to bow and run. “But it’s not impossible.” His eyes snapped open as he looked at her and she nodded despite his frozen state.
“Look at heroes like Sir Nighteye, or Ragdoll from the Wild Wild Pussycats. They essentially fight quirkless, but they are heroes nonetheless. Heroes who went to school, learned, and trained. That’s what you will have to do. Yes you have no quirk. So you will need to train twice as hard, come up with ways to not only match those with quirks, but surpass them. Outsmart them. And I know you can,” Io hummed, nodding again when Izuku’s breath hitched.
"You already have courage. You moved when no one else did,” Io continued, giving him a stern look before it softened when he nodded. “Not only that, but you’re smart. You’re good at observing and analyzing. Not many heroes do that nowadays. Keep that up, build up the skills you have and gain new ones. And you have a good heart, I can tell,” she hummed, her eyes flickering to Eliza before she met his eyes once more.
“So to answer your question, yes Midoriya Izuku. You can be a hero.” And those words, those words made his lips tremble and his sight blur even more. A strangled warble escaped his lips before he cried out as he fell to his knees. He didn’t care that they ached. Didn’t care if people passed and saw him heavily sobbing. No, what he cared about most, were those words.
It felt like a storm of emotions inside of his chest, but the two he felt the most was hope that his dreams might come true, and relief. Relief that someone said yes, he could be a hero. “Th-Thank you! Th-thank you so m-much!” he managed out between his sobs.
Io silently kneeled next to him as she gently squeezed his shoulder. Izuku sobbed harder at that, hiccupping as he let everything out. They stayed there for a few minutes before he sniffed as he felt cathartic now. “I-I’m sorry for taking your time,” he murmured as he wiped the remainder of his tears away.
“You didn’t take anything. I’m here because I want to be and I want you to know what I said is the truth,” Io murmured, smiling gently when Izuku let out another sob. “Can I see your notebook again?” she hummed, nodding her thanks when he handed it over.
He sniffed and wiped his tears again, trying his best to not cry as he tried to look at what she was writing. But she snapped it shut before he could and handed it back. “Ready to go home?” she asked.
“Y-Yeah,” he murmured, standing up and bowing to her. “My home’s just around the corner. Thank you, for everything.”
“Of course,” she gently said, understanding what he meant and he knew she meant it too. “Stay safe, okay Midoriya?” she asked.
“Yes ma’am,” Izuku hummed, feeling himself smile when she did. He waved bye as she sat on her staff then flew away. His eyes flickered down as he walked and opened the notebook. “O-Oh,” he whispered, feeling the tears come back as more hope swelled in chest. ‘’Train hard and believe in yourself! You can become a hero Midoriya!’ was written on the page behind Io’s signature.
‘I will!’ he promised to himself and Io. ‘I will try my best to become a hero!’
In the distance, Io touched her cuff earring as Eliza formed an illusion of ‘Io’ still flying into the city. Her hero’s outfit burst into small orbs of light as the Concealment stone was turned off. Io quietly made her way into her apartment as the staff shortened and a horned lizard easily jumped onto her shoulder.
Alvina Kanno, or Kanno Alvina here in this part of the human world, nodded when Eliza chirped then snorted when she continued chirping. “We just met him, he can’t be our hatchling.” She chuckled when the lizard huffed, but stayed on her shoulder as Alvina flopped onto the couch.
She was silent as she turned the TV on for background noise, her mind wandering back to the shock she felt when she saw the green mixed in her signal and again when the other heroes said he had produced a strong gust of wind.
“I’m fine,” Alvina hummed when Eliza let out a concerned croak. “Are you sure you didn’t use mine or yours?” she asked, nodding when the tiny lizard chirped affirmatively. Alvina hummed again, knowing Eliza would never lie to her. Not about this.
Alvina chuckled softly as she gently scratched her Palisman’s head. “So we found another magic user in the human world.”