Chapter Text
Izuku ducked under the knife tipped staff, barely managing to skirt under it without it scraping his cheek. He rolled to his feet, swallowing hard as he watched Kayama adjust her staff. His muscles ached and he could already feel a bruise forming on the shoulder she managed to hit. "Tiring, boy?" She asked, walking around him. Teasing him.
He bared his teeth, adjusting his bare feet on the hard gravel, pieces cutting into his calluses. "I could keep going all night old lady!" He taunted, spinning his own staff around and using it as a slight bracer. The added weight of it helped keep himself controlled, balancing like a scale.
He envied the way Kayama could swing out with her own staff, as if it was simply an extension of hers. "I am only 22!" She yelled, offended as she swung the staff around. Izuku dodged to the side, but she swung the movement through, managing to scrape against his exposed shoulder. He growled as he felt blood drip down, tightening his hand on his blade.
He raced at her, holding the staff to his side as he used his small stature to get closer to her. Staffs were harder to use in close range and she knew this. She danced back, swinging her staff down again. He threw his own up, managing to block her. His shoulder ached under the strain but he held it, grinning.
Her eyes narrowed and he dropped his arms, her staff moving down to connect with his head. He ducked under, getting right up next to her, as he took the blade from his belt. She yelped in surprise at the shine of the blade, dropping one hand off her staff.
He went to stab at her side but her knee flew up, connecting with his wrist. He bit his cheek in pain as he heard something pop, the knife falling from his hand. He tried to move out of reach of her, but she moved too fast, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back.
She forced him to the floor and he struggled, spitting out blood that had collected from his cheek. "You tried to cheat." She said, anger flowing through her voice. He gulped as the staff was held to his chin, forcing his head up in a painful position, his whole body screaming at him.
He had thought he was finally going to win this time, but the sharp gravel in his shoulders and the blood he could hear hit the floor said otherwise. Still, he didn't drop his grin, spitting out more blood. "Rule number 5. There is no cheating on the battlefield. Only life and death."
She groaned at her own words, dropping his wrist and taking the staff out from under his chin as she sighed. "You got too confident." She supplied, stepping off from over him. She reached a hand down for him and he grinned while taking it. He saw her shift her feet before she could strike, and he wrapped his hands around her wrist, twisting as she tried to throw him over her shoulder.
Instead, he dropped, pulling her down roughly. Swinging his legs up, he got better control of her arm, trying to twist more. She released his hand, cursing as she tried to shake him off. He eventually let go, dropping and rolling on the floor. "Not fair that I'm not big enough." He whined, standing up by himself.
She rolled her shoulder, clicking her tongue loudly. "You're eight, Izuku. No one expects you to be able to flip me yet." She hummed, looking down at him as his eyes narrowed. "You gave it a good effort though."
Izuku groaned, his grin faltering slightly as he shook his head. "Father does. He doesn't even look at me these days." Izuku bounced on his heels, avoiding Kayama's eyes. She always had a sad look on her face whenever he talked about how much father was disappointed in him. Even if she didn't show it much, he knew.
"He's not disappointed in you kiddo." She said, setting an arm on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, tilting his head as he looked up at her with a grin. "You aren't listening are you?"
"Nope!" He laughed, picking up his staff from where it had fallen and adjusting his feet again. "If I can take you down, I can show him that i can help out more." He explained, smacking the base of the staff into the floor. Just once he had to take her down. His fathers prized general stood no chance against him if he could just keep going.
She crossed her arms, her staff held in one hand. She didn't shift her feet staring at him expectantly as he crouched lower and moved around her. Everyone had a weakness. He just had to find it and use it. That's what he did. Why was his father was training him at all. Because he was good at what he did, analysing and studying.
"You need to get that cut cleaned up kid." She commented but he shook his head, brushing the hair out of his face. "I'm not sparring with someone injured." She swung the staff up, propping it on her shoulder as Izuku grumbled.
He ran at her, swinging his staff up, hoping to hit her in the side and throw her off balance. Instead, she sidestepped, grabbing the staff and raising it in the air. "Kayama!" He screamed, letting go of his staff and rolling onto his shoulder. He winced, standing up and rolling it out. "One more time!" He grumbled, trying to grab the staff from her.
She swung it out of his way, putting it on her shoulders like her own staff. "Come on. We'll get one of the cleaners to fix you up." She kicked at him gently and he stepped out of the way, glaring at her. "Stop that. I'm in charge of you for this hour, and you have to do as I say."
He stomped his foot, crossing his arm as she shook his head. "No way. You might be my teacher but my father is the one who owns the Institute."
She swung the staffs down, hitting both his shoulders in one go as he groaned, moving too slowly. "Don't pull that card with me. You know old Hisahi doesn't scare me none." She handed him the staff and he took it begrudgingly. Digging it into the dirt, he leaned on it, watching her carefully. Even though he had known her all his life, she was still a mystery to him.
All of the other guards wouldn't dare call his father like that or even speak so informally to Izuku. They would bow and stutter, practically falling apart under his stare. But Kayama stood stronger, her sharp muscles and tall frame making her more intimidating than many of the recruits. Even her cropped black hair seemed to give her a more regal appearance, her gaze always focused.
He shrugged eventually, giggling as he shoved himself off the staff and stood up stretching. He could feel every muscle in him scream at the movement, but ignored it, stepping around Kayama. "It was worth a shot though." He teased, skipping up onto the concrete floor, shivering slightly at how cold it was.
Kayama huffed, pushing him slightly as she put her staff back on the rack. "C'mon kid. Your mom would kill me if she found out I let you spar without shoes." She looked him up and down before adding, "or the proper training attire."
He huffed, lifting his arms up as he plopped onto the raised floor. "What's wrong with my outfit?" He looked over the black tank top that fit perfectly and the black legging with pockets that he adored. "It's what all the other trainees where."
She scoffed, smacking him upside the head softly. "That's exactly the issue Izuku. You aren't one of them." He grumbled, pulling on his nice black flats that pinched his feet awkwardly. "Shut it." She went to whack him upside the head again but he grabbed her wrist, hoping for a shoulder throw.
Instead, she just took two steps towards his back, knocking him off the platform and back into the dirt. "Dang it!" he screamed in frustration, pushing himself back up as she laughed. "Oh!" He flipped around, running and picking up his knife from where he forgot it on the floor. "Almost forgot!" He chirped, shoving the knife back into the belt holder he had made.
She shook her head in disbelief, as he stuck his tongue out, smacking his staff twice on the floor while hitting one of the many buttons on the side. It collapsed into itself, doubling in width as he tucked it into the sewn on belt loop. "You really use every opportunity to show that off, don't you?" Kayama asked and he grinned, running and pulling the door open.
"Ladies first!" He offered, bowing dramatically, his other hand behind his back.
She raised an eyebrow as he looked up at her, before shaking her head. Grabbing his hand from behind his back, she twisted it, once again forcing him to lose hold of his favourite knife. "Nice try. But I'm not that stupid to trust that grin."
He shrugged, picking up the knife and tucking it back into his pocket. The green sparkles from the handle rubbed off onto his hand but he just wiped them on his pants, humming. "I'm going to get you by surprise one day."
She laughed, grabbing him by the back of the neck and shoving him out of the room. "I'd like to see that. But not with those injuries. Get going to the cleaners." She shoved him down the hallway and he groaned, turning around to watch her. As she turned her back, he flipped her off, sticking his tongue out. "Saw that!" She called, throwing up her own middle finger and she left him alone.
Well, not alone. He hadn't truly been alone since he could remember, but he might as well have been. The guards that always shadowed him or lurked around doorways didn't speak to him or even really acknowledge him much. He knew the rules and they knew the rules. As well as the punishments for breaking said rules.
It was annoying to be constantly followed, but his father was just trying to keep the heir to the Institute safe. He knew his father really cared about him, even if he didn't show it how his mother did. He had tough love and his mother had soft love. That's the way it had always been in their family, so he didn't mind it too much.
Shrugging, he turned around, bouncing on his toes as he made his way to the infirmary. While the guards armour looked mediaeval in style, it was actually made out of a type of fabric that Izuku's mother had developed. The interlocking structures and high tensile strength made it the best choice for combatants. It didn't clink like mediaeval armour, but that didn't stop the constant rubbing of fabric on fabric that drove him insane daily.
He sped up, trying to get away from the sound for just a moment as he turned corners quickly. He giggled as he heard the guards speed pick up before he broke into a full run. He had his small size and natural speed on his side while they only had training and large rifles stuck to their backs, weighing them down.
He flipped around another corner, smacking his face on Toshinori who stared down at him as he fell. "Are you okay Young Midoryia?" Toshinori asked, though he didn't reach a hand down to help Midoryia up. Not that he expected the man too but still. Rude.
Instead, he picked himself up, dusting off the tanktop and pushing it all back into place. He didn't bother learning the names of many of the staff, but he couldn't exactly forget the disgusting face of his current subjects teacher. His sunken eyes and cheeks paired with his height and skinniness made him look like a walking corpse and Izuku had to admit it freaked him out a bit.
He forced himself to look into the deeply unsettling blue eyes, narrowing his own. "You are in the wrong wing, Toshinori." He asked, rocking back on his heels and putting his smile on. He could see Toshinori visibly shift under the stare and he giggled slightly as the man stammered.
"I was just getting our lessons prepared for later." He said quickly, and Izuku paused his bouncing, humming. "I am sorry for getting in your way, young Midoryia."
Izuku shrugged, looking around at the tall man in the empty hallway. His guards had finally caught up to him during their discussion and Izuku could hear one shift his feet slightly. "Our sessions don't have anything at this wing. Yet you were down here." Izuku rocked back and forth on his heels, before stepping around the man. He tried tk stifle another chuckle as Toshinori's shoulders visibly tensed.
Izuku couldn't care less why Toshinori was at this side of the building, he didn't really care about any of the staff's personal lives. they were easily replaceable, especially one as scared to be by Izuku as Toshinori. "I was visiting the nurse." He admitted and izuku paused in his walking, standing directly in front of the blond.
Now that was a bit of information that did interest Izuku. He knew the rules and he knew Tosginori understood the rules. "You two are slacking on your duties." He asked, pushing himself onto his tiptoes. The man's nervous swallowing and the way he almost took a step back made Izuku's heart race. Just one step back and he could say it was self defence. One step back and he could get rid of the stupid teacher and get to learning what he actually needed.
Instead, the man bowed his head deeply, his feet staying firmly planted. "I assure you we were not young Midoryia. Simply discussing how best to further your own knowledge of the medical arts." He kept his eyes diverted to the floor and Izuku put his heels back on the floor.
He didn't drop his smile as he tipped his head, looking the lanky teacher up and down slowly. "In the next week, I expect that lesson." He finally said and Toshinori bowed slightly, confirming it. Izuku raised his hand in dismissal as his mother did and Toshinori bowed once more before racing off. Boo. Izuku would actually have to deal with the man's obnoxious speech and weird look longer.
He shrugged, turning around to face his two guards. They stood rigid, unmoving, as if they hadn't just been chasing after him. He doubted they would be tired from it as they were trained for battle, but he was hoping for some reaction. His eyes narrowed as his grin widened, rocking back on his heels. He sprung forward before turning on his heel and booking it down the corridor again.
He was nearing the infirmary, but if he could make the guards lose his scent, he could find a way around them. He flipped a corner, ducking into a small alcove and holding his breath. They raced right past him and he giggled, turning out and running the other way to the infirmary. They would find him eventually, but he could be without them for a few minutes. He wasn't that weak.
He darted into the room, glad it wasn't one with the locks. Unfortunately, it was one with guards of its own for the medical team and the drugs. Izuku crossed his arms as he entered, his own guards coming up behind him. He shut the door on then, before rocking back and turning to Recovery Girl.
She was one of his mothers hires she brought from the mainland, an old army nurse who could handle anything without so much as blinking. Izuku didn't mind her demeanour as much as Toshinori's, but he did hate her staff. They buzzed around like flies to moulding fruit, whispering so quietly that it melded with the shuffling fabric of the guards.
Recovery Girl (her real name was Chiyo but Izuku never called her that) shuffled towards him, using her cane heavily. She was going to kick the bucket soon but Izuku didn't know when. She had been trudging along for years before he even came along. "Hurt yourself again, Midoriya?" She asked, moving beside him as he hopped to his favourite table, all the way in the back beside the window.
The chittering of the cleaners, nurses in this instance, stopped upon hearing his name and he grinned, popping himself onto the bench. While his father was Oyabun and his mother Wakagahsira, he was usually greeted less formally. His father had no actual ties to the Yakuza, but after the last war, many as the Yakuza had disbanded and his father had taken the title for himself, the Japanese government making it official.
"Mhm!" He said cheerly, reaching for the bottom of the tank top and shrugging it over his shoulders. "It will scar." He said, not so much as a question, but he still expected her to answer. Asking questions to those who worked for his family was another thing the rules did not allow.
She hummed and he could feel her fingers tracing his back as he looked out the window onto the scene below. The institute was a truly beautiful place if you knew how to look and Izuku was proud he would be in charge one day. "It will." Recovery Girl finally said with a heavy sigh. "So will these other ones you sustained, that still have pebbles stuck in them." He felt her brush them out, the pain pulsing through him but he didn't wince. "You ought to take better care of yourself, Midoryia." She commented and he shrugged.
It's not like he really cared about how many scars he had. The more he had, the stronger he would look to his enemies when he was finally put in a leader position. But he didn't tell her that. Didn't need to. She would report his injuries to his mother who would just sigh and give him that tired look of hers. "Patch it." He ordered, trying to hide his giddiness at the new scar to examine later.
Not that he was ever good at a poker face. His mother tended to pull at his cheeks claiming they would get stretched out from all his smiling. But a smile was a good thing to have. It kept people around you guessing.
He bit his already broken cheek as the antiseptic stung his back, fingers that were not Recovery Girl's moving along his back. "Back." He said, and the hands immediately let go of him. He turned, tipping his head as Recovery Girl watched him expectantly. One of the chattering cleaners stood beside her, the wipe of antiseptic still in between her fingers. "You are to do this." He told her, matching her level gaze.
She shook her head, motioning to the nurse. "She must learn and you present that opportunity." She paused, looking at him expectantly. "Unless of course you cannot handle the pain."
His grin lit up at the challenge and he nodded, turning back around. "Let her work." The hands immediately touched his back again, the inexperience noticeable in the way the side of her palm hit other cuts or her fingers pushed too hard to get the rocks out. But he was strong enough to handle it. He had to be to live on the battlefield or when he finally started training with the trainees.
They were strong. Wonders of life that he watched for hours on end, looking for any flaws or weaknesses he could use against them. He kept hoping he would become like them, but it was unheard of at his age. After all, he didn't have the biology to develop a quirk as they did. They were born to be strong to fight and help those who couldn't help themselves. He was born to help them do that.
As she wrapped up the hurt shoulder, way too tightly, he rolled it out again, slipping around quickly. The cleaner was young, probably a teenager, her brown bob was pulled back, bangs hanging over her forehead. She jumped slightly as Izuku grabbed her by the back of her head, tilting her head around. She wasn't one of the trained ones they brought over. "She is a student my dear friend suggested." Recovery girl said as he shrugged, letting her go.
She raced away, not saying anything as he pulled the tank top back over his head. It didn't do much against the cold weather they had all year long, but the constant itchy feeling of being cold always kept him aware, so he didn't mind. "There are new ones who were brought in." He said, kicking his legs as he watched her closely.
She nodded, using her cane to grab a clipboard that was hanging on a high chart, catching it as it fell. For someone her age, he had expected it to hit her in the head but her war experience must have kept her fast. Much to his dismay. "Some level ones. Two level threes. And one five." Izuku could feel his grin grow again as he pushed himself off the bed, holding his hand out for the clipboard.
She gave it to him and he eagerly flipped to the last page, scanning the entry for the level five. 7321. The half and half user. Izuku's eyes narrowed and his smile fell slightly as he looked at the case of severe hypothermia, their fingertips turning black before the cleaners could collect and reheat them up. That shouldn't have been possible with the adjustments Izuku had worked so hard on implementing for them. "Take me to it." He ordered, handing the clipboard back.
Recovery Girl hooked the end of the clipboard to her cane, raising it up to put it back on the nail used as its hook. "He is still not speaking." She warns him, pushing aside a curtain and leading him back. The infirmary is a large room, situated in the edge of the main building. It's dark blood stained floor and grey walls make it feel smaller than it is however. With needing to treat each level, it is also one of the most guarded rooms in the main building, the shuffling of fabric making Izuku's skin itch.
The user was separated into one of the side rooms, plush panaeling covering the thick metal between. They shivered slightly and the blanket moved as Izuku's grin came back. He loved working with the level fives. They were the strongest, the ones sent to further reaches when they graduated, taking out whole squadrons. And 7321 was a promising one. If they would only use the enhancement Izuku had gotten for them.
He pulled up a rolly chair, plopping into it to stare at the split user who stared at their hands as if they couldnt see Izuku. But the slight twitch of their shoulders and the way their feet came together told him they knew he was there. They were purposefully ignoring Izuku. He grabbed their chin, lifting it up to look into the heterochromia eyes. It was a side effect to the enhancement but it didn't affect their vision at all.
The large scar across the eye did though. Izuku had pushed them too far during one of the first training sessions with the enhancement two years ago and he didn't put out the fire before it boiled the sweat around the eye. It was unfortunate but far more improvement than he had seen in the original user. "Why do you not use your gift?" Izuku asked, running his fingers over the edge of the raised scar.
He could feel the user shiver under his touch, their skin that should be warm, cold to the touch. "It is not mine." 7321 said, voice quiet. Izuku tsked, pushing him finger into the edge of the scar. It was a waste to have such a powerful user not use the gift that was given to him. By any deity that might have been out there or by Izuku's research and The Doctor's hard work and time.
"It is now." Izuku said, finally realising their face as he tipped his head, his hands coming to hold the base of his seat. "4537 was weak, their body unfit for the power. But you. You are a marvel. Your body balances the temperatures out and doesn't harm your skin as it did theirs. You shouldn't be getting hypothermia if you are using your quirk."
"It's not mine." 7321 said again, fists tightening up in their lap as their eyes narrowed at Izuku's. "It is Touya's."
Izuku hummed, shaking his head as he smiled. "Was that 4537's name? I Thought you weren't supposed to share that information."
7321's face went pale and their eyes went wide as Izuku giggled slightly, leaning in. "What is your name, trainee?" The quirk user hesitated, their hands rubbing each other. Izuku took them in his own, pressing down on their wrists as he hummed. "What is your name?" He wasn't going to ask again.
The user's face fell as their hands went still in Izuku's touch. "7321. Half Hot Half Cold." They finally said, voice just above a whisper. If Izuku hadn't been so close, he would have been able to even hear the words leave 7321's mouth. Izuku held them tighter for just a second before letting go and leaning back in his chair. He knew their name. Shoto Todoroki. But that didn't matter here. Only their code.
"See?" He said, giggling slightly as he kicked his feet onto the metal rungs on the chair. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" The user shook their head and Izuku tipped his, watching the two toned hair cover the scar. The beautiful scar that proved just how powerful the user could be. How invaluable to any government willing to pay enough.
Izuku moved it out of their face, tucking it behind their ear. He would have it trimmed up again soon, before it could cover the ink mark on the back of the neck. "Now heat yourself up." Izuku ordered, his hand lingering in the other's hair a moment longer.
The user flinched back, shaking their head as Izuku watched them expectantly, grin still on his lips. "I can't." They said, so desperately Izuku could almost believe it. But despair had no place at the institute. No emotion like weakness had a place here. And as a level five who had been here four years, they knew the rules of the institute.
Izuku grinned, bouncing up from his chair and moved out of the room to grab one of his favourite vials. He pulled the keys from around his neck out from under the tanktop, unlocking and latching the door to the cabinet. Situated at the top shelf with multiple vials like it, he took it, shaking it gently before shutting and locking the cabinet again.
"He is too unstable for that drug, Midoryia." Recovery Girl tried to tell him, but he ignored her, grabbing a sterile needle and syringe. "Midoriya." She warned, her voice laced with something Izuku didn't like. How dare she try to put herself above him and his experiments.
He whirled around, tapping the capped syringe on the back of his hand as he looked at Recovery Girl. Her small height made it easy so he didn't have to look up, scanning her slowly. "There is a reason you have so much staff at your disposal. Where's the fun if we don't use them every once in awhile?"
He pushed open the door to the adjoining room with his shoulder, 7321 watching him with wide eyes. "I did try to warn you." Izuku said with a grin, shrugging as he walked towards the seated user.
"What is that?" They asked, eyes locked on the vial Izuku unscrewed with one hand.
He hummed, sticking the needle into the small opening, dragging the plunger up, getting the right amount of the liquid. "A serum that The Doctor and I have been researching. In theory, it should force the quirk factor to activate once the blood is circulated through the system." He paused, pulling the needle out and holding it in the air. "Of course, that is just a theory. Live subjects haven't been the most willing."
He giggled slightly as 7321's eyes widened and they tried to move back on the bed at his words. He clicked his tongue, grabbing the user's wrist and forcing it around. He could feel them try to pull away, but not many could beat the strength he had built up training all his life. "It should only sting for a minute or two." Izuku stuck the tip into the vein and the user stopped struggling, slamming their eyes shut.
Izuku pushed the plunger slowly, humming a song his mom used to sing him before it was fully empty. He pulled the needle out, handing it to the cleaner who stood nearby waiting. A drop of blood came from the insert site and Izuku gently wiped it off before dropping the user's arm.
He stepped back as 7321 screamed, the sound tearing through the walls, coming straight from the deepest part of the user. Izuku could see tears running down their face, freezing and evaporating instantly, small icicles hitting the bed. Izuku clapped his hands with a giggle, the drug working on both quirk factors, despite only one being original.
It was truly fascinating to watch as they fell back onto the bed, their screams growing louder and louder as Izuku watched. The cleaners, including Recovery Girl tried to hold them down as their body began spasming on the table. Izuku waited patiently as the shaking stopped, the cleaners sighing in relief as the screaming stopped as well.
It lasted only a few seconds before fire erupted from the left side of him, burning the cleaners on that side. Their screams joined the mix as Izuku giggled, bouncing on his toes to get a better look at the user. Their quirks were so interesting as the left side exploded out, ice coating every surface on that side, the cleaners having to rip pieces off their clothes and skin before it could overtake them.
Though the drug was only supposed to activate the gene, it must have extended it, stretching it to be stronger, more powerful. More useful. Eventually, Recovery Girl managed to get to the user's arm, injecting him with another needle and syringe, her old hands shaking.
Boo. Izuku rocked back on his heels, though he still smiled, watching the users body relax and the elements stop spreading. Half of the room was gone, burned to a crisp as the other side was covered in a thick sheet of ice, icicles hanging from the user and bed. Cleaners rushed to each other, patching up burns and ripped skin quickly, chattering like bugs again.
Recovery Girl turned to Izuku, scanning him slowly as he waved, grinning back at her. "Here!" He tossed her the vial he still held, tipping his head. She managed to catch it, moving out of the way so he could properly see the user. The skin wasn't burnt or ripped, the blackness in the right side gone. They were a perfect balancer and Izuku giggled at the sheer power they brought.
Someone cleared their throat from behind him and he whirled around, unstrapping and grabbing his pistol from his side to aim it at the man's heart. "Wakagashira would like to see you, sir." The guard said, bowing low. Izuku held the gun trained at him, until he unclipped his badge and held it to the light. Izuku scanned the woods that appeared on the opposite wall, above 7321, impossible to create if you did not work for Izuku's father.
He holstered his pistol, flicking the safety on as he looked to Recovery Girl. "I need a full report on the condition and health when I get back." He ordered.
Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow, brushing off some soot from her white lab coat as she watched him. "The shipment comes in tonight. I do not see when you will have time to return."
Izuku's grin widened as he remembered what the day was, not bothering to say goodbye to her. He raced past the guard of his, out the infirmary and past the second one, his feet silent on the concrete as he ran as fast as he could. His mother would want him there early to look presentable, but he wanted to be there early anyways.
He had notebooks to set up and pencils that needed to be sharpened before he could properly analyse the new shipment. It only came once a year, and he had never missed one. This was going to be a great year for Izuku.