The morning came, December was nearly over, Christmas only a week away. Yet now was not the time to be distracted, Izuku used Toguchi once more after a morning shower. The golden light appeared on the door, and the boy rushed into Shinkyo once more, sprinting to Tenjin’s archives. The streets reflected the Human World as well, snow had touched the ground, having risen to everyone’s shins. The spirits dressed in thick winter clothes as the cold wind stirred throughout the city. Izuku ran through the snow with a thick scarf wrapped around his neck, his winter jacket protecting him from the wind, his hat protecting his hair from the snow.
He ran into the archive and arrived at the infinite well of scrolls. With all his might, he shouted.
“Kuro!”
A stream of magic, as black as the night, whisked him into the air and towards the ceiling. As it rose faster and faster, Izuku opened his bag reaching for his notes on the various Yokai, and a pen. The stream of magic halted outside Tenjin’s classroom, and as the boy stepped off, he bowed towards the celestial body. Suddenly, it cuddled around Izuku, like a cat, causing the boy to giggle.
“Thanks for the ride, I’ll definitely get you some ramen after class, how’s that sound?” he asked.
The body echoed with an excited melody, and it danced in the air. Izuku smiled, and after a moment, the body descended down the grand well, and Izuku turned with conviction, entering the classroom. He took a seat right next to Jiro, and as he looked upward, class had begun.
Three Hours Later
“Kaika are a type of Yokai resembling fire, and as we have learned last week, there are a great many with vastly different properties and behavior.” Tenjin stated as he wrote his lecture on the chalkboard. Izuku and Jiro wrote frivolously in their notebooks. “One of these Kaika are known as Chochinbi, and they appear in the rural farmlands of Japan. They mostly materialize on the walkways between rice paddies and roads. Midoriya! If a human is to wonder too close to a Chochinbi, what would happen?”
Izuku gulped, and raised his head with his answer.
“A Chochinbi is a dangerous Yokai Lord Tenjin, if someone were to get too close to it, they might have their soul absorbed by the Chochinbi.” He said. Tenjin caressed his beard, and grunted, studying the boy’s answer.
“You have the right kind of Yokai young man, but you’re incorrect!” He cried. “Jiro! What happens when a human approaches a Chochinbi?”
“They vanish, almost like what happens when someone blows out a candle or a paper lantern. Chochinbi are also harmless sir, actually, they can also be used to determine if other Yokai are around.”
“Correct!” Tenjin cried with praise, Jiro smiled happily, yet Izuku gasped in quiet surprise. As he lowered his head in silence, Tenjin continued. “Well done Jiro, your answer was sublime. Strangely enough, Chochinbi are also used as a light source by other Yokai in the area, which is why Chochinbi are a sign that others are nearby, excellent work.”
“Uh- thank you Lord Tenjin.” Jiro said, she played with one of her earphone jacks, and she blushed slightly.
Yet Tenjin noticed Izuku’s quiet sorrow, and the kami leaned on his desk.
“Everything is difficult before it becomes natural Midoriya,” he spoke. “And remember, the greatest lessons are learned not in success.”
“But in failure.” Izuku said, finishing Tenjin’s sentence. The kami smiled.
“You were on the right path though, you mistook the Chochinbi for an Onibi, those are the dangerous Kaika to be careful of.” Tenjin stated. “Onibi are the Yokai that drain one’s lifeforce should they venture too closely. They commonly appear blue or a blueish-white. Chochinbi are commonly green or red.”
“Oh, okay,” Izuku said, scribbling the information into his notes. “So Kaika are different based on not just their color, but their properties.”
Izuku looked down at his notes, all the Yokai he studied having been categorized. Yurei, Kaika, Tsukumogami, even the various kitsune. Izuku studied his notes quickly, and entered a state of deep thought. He raised his head.
I’ve got it!
“Lord Tenjin, uhm, sorry for making that mistake but I just thought of something!” He cried. “Different Yokai appear during different times of the year right? We studied that a few weeks ago, and the Chochinbi appear… all year round!”
“Yes, what of it?”
“Onibi must behave the same way, but I haven’t seen any recently.”
“Correct! Onibi only appear during the Spring and Summer, it’s miraculous that you haven’t encountered any, then again, you and Jiro both live in the city.”
“Wow, nice job Midoriya.” Jiro complimented.
“Oh, thanks!” Izuku cried.
Much to their surprise, Izuku and Jiro both gasped as Tenjin clapped his hands, and the kami smiled with a laugh.
“Ah it’s so brilliant!! Seeing young minds come together to learn something new. Jiro gave that answer earlier and has allowed you to understand something we touched on weeks ago! Ah, so harmonious, it brings a tear to my eye.”
“Yeah… except you’re the one who told him what an Onibi is, not me…” Jiro stated bluntly. Tenjin felt his face turn red.
“What?! Absurd! You underrate yourself Jiro! If not for your knowledge on the matter Midoriya would still be lost on the subject! Do no berate your own intelligence!!”
Izuku chuckled quietly as Tenjin scampered back to the front of the classroom, and Jiro laughed quietly under her breath.
“Alright alright,” Tenjin said trying to calm himself, he suddenly drank a cup of tea. “Next on our list is another Kaika, the Haka no Hi.”
Izuku nodded and readied himself for another lecture, and Jiro grabbed a small brush, ready to write with black ink. An hour had passed, the exhaustion starting to creep into the room as the two students studied and wrote. Tenjin clapped his hands as the lecture ended, and he smiled.
“Oh and by the way…” Tenjin said. “I want both of you to meet me in Kita, Tokyo, on New Year’s Eve.”
“Huh?” Izuku and Jiro exclaimed. “What for sir?” Jiro asked. Tenjin smiled.
“You’ll see…”
For a moment, an air of mystery and intrigue shrouded the room, something the two students could sense in their very souls. Tenjin’s face became one of a conniving nature, yet strangely it didn’t feel sinister, just… odd.
“Now then, let us start with the section based on this strange phenomenon on page 73…”
Days had passed, yet more training awaited. Izuku was in a local gym in Shizuoka, Tenko joining him as they used several pieces of equipment.
“Come on Midoriya! You can do this, don’t think about how much it weighs, only think about surpassing your limits!”
Izuku laid flat as he was about to bench press the bar and several weights, and Tenko stood over him, spotting the young man as he grabbed the bar.
“One, two, three! PUSH!” Tenko cried.
Izuku lifted the bar and felt it crashing down on top of him. He begun the bench press. He felt his arms and chest tearing themselves apart, his teeth shattering as he clenched them together trying to lift the powerful tool. He felt his muscles expanding and contracting as much as they could, sweat pouring down his neck and back.
“COME ON! LET’S GO FOR FIVE!! YOU CAN DO IT MIDORIYA!” Tenko shouted.
Suddenly, Izuku slowly raised the bar, every fiber of his being stretching and expanding. Each press made his muscles stronger and thicker; he could feel himself growing every day. Eventually, the bar was above the resting point.
“Alright that’s one! Let’s see four more!!” Tenko cried.
Izuku let the bar slowly lower, eventually the device came down to his chest. The boy grit his teeth again and pushed the bar into the air, it was faster, easier.
“That’s two! Keep going!”
The movement repeated itself, again and again. The sweat piled up, his energy starting to slip.
“Whoa, up to eight? Okay then, let’s see if you can hit ten!”
The repetitions continued, however…
Crap!
One of the weights shifted and before they could react, it fell off the bar. Izuku could feel his balance shifting so fast that he couldn’t respond. Tenko gasped and quickly dashed to catch him, yet it was too late. It came crashing down onto the floor with a loud clang. Izuku fell off the bench press and planted face first. Several visitors turned their heads, some even approaching the duo.
“You guys okay?” One of them asked.
“Yeah we’re good! Little guy just needs to sit down, thanks!” Tenko replied. He grabbed the bar and set it back in its place. Then, he knelt down and offered a hand to Izuku. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you?”
Izuku looked up, heaving his breath.
“Yeah, just need a minute…”
He took Tenko’s hand and managed to stand up, he quickly reached for a water bottle and downed it in seconds.
“You sure you’re alright man? Wanna borrow a towel?” A stranger asked.
“I’m fine, really,” Izuku replied. “But thanks anyway that’s really thoughtful.” The stranger shrugged his shoulders, and turned around. "Alright, if you ever want a pointers just give us a holler.”
As Izuku leaned his head back, Tenko thanked the stranger, then reached inside a bag.
“Here.”
Tenko handed Izuku a towel, and the boy rubbed the sweat off his forehead. Tenko handed him another bottle, and the boy grabbed it swiftly. Within a matter of seconds he already finished the bottle, and let out a loud grunt.
“We should call it a day, if you’re drinking like that then you’re probably dehydrated.”
“What?!” Izuku barked after he gulped more water. “No we can keep going, what’s next? Deadlifts? Treadmill? Leg press?”
Tenko let out a sigh, then pat Izuku on the back.
“It’s okay to take breaks Midoriya, push yourself too hard and you’ll collapse, it’ll hurt you in the long term too.”
“Yeah but-”
“No buts.” Tenko said, cutting him off. He looked around, his pale blue hair tossing, and then he leaned in towards the boy. “You okay? You seem a little on edge.”
Izuku grunted, then pointed to his right, and Tenko followed.
“Do you see him?”
“See who? Come on don’t be all vague on me, it’s annoying.” Tenko replied. Izuku groaned once more.
“He’s over there, spiky blonde hair and he’s wearing a black tank top.”
Tenko looked over looking for this individual, but it didn’t take long to find him.
“Hey come on! You’ve been hoggin’ that thing all day, get off it and let us on!” Someone yelled. The blonde haired man stopped using the leg press, and slowly looked upward. His red eyes screaming agitation.
“What? I pay just like you losers, I’m entitled to use this.”
“Oh little punk thinks he’s tough?!” The man said, suddenly, a small group had formed around the young man.
He raised a hand, and a bright light flashed before everyone’s eyes. Before Tenko knew it, there was a loud bang that popped his eardrums, he stood up in shock, unprepared for such a sight. The group of people shivering in their shoes. Yet the young man stood up and looked down at all of them.
“What? You idiots can’t handle a small blast like that? AND YOU WANNA GET ON MY ASS?”
“Uh, uh NO! DON’T MIND US WE’LL LEAVE YOU ALONE!!!”
“GOOD!” he roared. “HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET INTO U.A. WITH YOU IDIOTS BOTHERING ME?! NOW GET OUT OF MY FACE OR I’LL KILL YOU!!!”
“AHHHH!”
The others ran out of the gym, all with their tails between their legs, and the boy sat down and continued his exercises. Yet he noticed many others in the building staring at him.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT?!”
As he screamed, everyone else looked away nervously, trying to continue their routines.
“Wow, what an asshole.” Tenko muttered. “So you’re worried about that guy? It’s fine just don’t bother him.”
Izuku said nothing, his hair hanging in front of his face as he slowly stood up. Tenko lent a hand, and Izuku took it.
“What the? Is that who I think it is?”
Izuku felt the world shatter. Something paralyzed him, like a parasite had latched onto his spine. What was this feeling? Where did it come from? Was it fear? Anger?
“Wait a minute… Deku?!”
The boy turned his head just slightly, for this inner parasite remained attached to him, sucking away at his very Niwa. With all his strength he managed to turn around and saw him. Bakugo made a swift approach, his aura emanating a sickly arrogance and beastlike nature.
“What the hell are you of all people doing here?” He asked grimly. “How many damn times do I have to say it? You’ll never be a Hero without a Quirk, dumbass.”
Izuku clenched his hands into frenzied fists, and Tenko could sense something. A festering leech slowly gnawing away at Izuku’s senses.
“You think getting in shape and building a little muscle suddenly gets you a Quirk, well guess what? You’re born with them! You can’t just get a Quirk because you asked.”
“So stop being so damn useless and get outta here!!”
Izuku turned to face Bakugo, the parasite taking control. His eyes were overtaken by pulsating veins, his pupils turning a dark black.
Yet a light appeared and obliterated the darkness, it was warm and beckoned for him, like a soft voice in a soothing forest. Before Izuku could realize what had happened, Tenko had stepped forward, his hand placed firmly on Izuku’s back.
“I don’t know who you are or how you know Midoriya, but I suggest you shut your damn mouth you jackass.”
“Huh? Who’re you supposed to be, Deku’s babysitter or something?”
“I’m just his mentor, that’s all, but this wolf has fangs you know…”
As Bakugo looked upward at Tenko, he could feel something. As if some power was about to be shown, yet it was something unfamiliar. It felt as though he’d grown talons on his hands, yet Bakugo merely smiled.
“Oh goddamnit it’s you again.” Said a stranger. As he approached the group, it was a woman with black and starry skin. Her golden hair was shoulder-length, and curled into perfection as she stepped forth.
“Oh hey Ms. Honda, sorry just telling this jerk to back off.”
“Yeah, good for you, anymore of this and you’re both banned got it? Now get back to whatever is was you were doing.”
“Wha? That’s it?” Tenko asked.
“Oh you want me to show you what I mean?” Honda asked as she cracked her knuckles.
“Nope, I’m good.” Tenko replied with a cold sweat.
The woman gave Bakugo a brief stare, and much to Tenko’s surprise, he backed down. He looked at the man one last time and scoffed, Tenko could see the blind pride in his ferocious eyes. Bakugo then turned away and returned to his routine.
“You there, boy with the green hair, don’t let that kid push you around.” Honda said, Izuku looked at her, yet she could sense something was off. “If he gets on your ass again just let me know, anyway, I gotta run, take care of yourself.”
Before anyone could say anything, Honda turned around and sped off, her starry skin glimmering in the light. Tenko let out a sigh and cracked his neck.
“Hey Midoriya, don’t worry about him alright?” Tenko said as he calmed himself. “Ms. Honda isn’t someone to mess with and thank the kami that kid knows that. Judging by the way he was talking it sounds like you’ve known him for a while. Come on, let’s get some lunch-”
Suddenly, Izuku stood up grabbing his bag and made for the entrance.
“Hey!” Tenko called out in shock. “Where are you going? Maybe-”
Yet Izuku didn’t listen, and before Tenko could react, he was gone.
Three days had passed, Christmas only two days away. Izuku returned to the classroom once more and sat next to Jiro for the next class.
“Midoriya, you’re late… again.” Tenjin said in a downhearted tone.
“Sorry Mr. Tenjin, things happened at home.” Izuku replied.
“Well this is becoming quite the habit young man, understand that while you may be training to become a Kaiho-sya, one of the factors of gaining such a title is passing this class!”
Izuku lowered his head.
“Midoriya, you need to arrive on time for our classes, continue down this path and I will fail you; do you understand?”
“Yes sir…” Izuku muttered, Tenjin let out a sigh and opened a scroll.
“For the record, if you ever need to talk, you can come to me, or Jiro for that matter.”
Izuku perked his head up nervously.
“Oh uh, I appreciate the offer! Don’t worry, I can take care of my own issues.”
Tenjin and Jiro looked at each other, then returned their attention to Izuku. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?” Jiro asked.
“Nope!”
“Alright…” Jiro replied.
“Well then, if that’s how you feel, then let us begin our next lesson, Tsukumogami!”
Hours passed, the sun changing its place in the sky. The chilled afternoon was setting into the classroom, even in the Spirit World. The long time dial was filled with nothing more than silence, for Izuku and Jiro were scribbling down their answers to the many questions that laid before them on this exam. Tenjin sauntered around the classroom, watching his two students to ensure they didn’t cheat. An owl appeared through the door, causing Izuku and Jiro to look up for a brief moment. The owl cried out with a mellow call, and Tenjin smiled.
He opened the letter it carried, reading its contents carefully.
“Midoriya, Jiro, you may take a five minute break, I need to respond to this letter at once.”
“Thank you sir!” The two students cried.
The brushes and pencils stopped moving, the answers nearly completed. The two students could feel the sweat creeping downward slowly, as if it started sticking to them.
“Give him my regards will you?” Tenjin asked, the owl hooted, and with a grand stretch of its wings, it flew off. “Alright you two back to it.”
That was our break?! Izuku and Jiro thought. Jeez I thought I could at least form a better answer. Jiro thought.
There was no time to wait, the exam continued. Together, Izuku and Jiro bubbled in the choices. Was it A? B? Or perhaps C? Maybe D? No matter, an answer is an answer. They continued for an eternity, and yet, it was over just as quickly. Izuku and Jiro closed their booklets, their pens laid to rest on their desks, and Tenjin collected the exams.
“Let’s take a look at your test Midoriya.” Tenjin said, he opened the booklet, and with great speed, he had already marked so many pages. Izuku was in shock, as the book fell on his desk, it was already graded.
“It seems you have the Yuki Onna and the Tsurara Onna backwards. The Tsurara Onna isn’t inherently dangerous young man, they’re simply doomed marriages waiting to unfold.” Izuku let out a defeated breath.
“You once again confused the Onibi and the Chochinbi, you must remember that the Chochinbi is simply a light source, the Onibi are the lethal Yokai.”
“Damnit.”
“Come now, mistakes happen all the time.” Tenjin said.
“I know but I need to pass this class,” Izuku said with irritated nervousness. “If I’m going to help people like Jiro and Shimura then I have to be better, I have to-”
Tenjin simply waited as the boy took a breath, and Jiro waited patiently as she played with her earphone jack.
“There are no shortcuts in life, patience and perseverance will pay off at the end of the day Midoriya. This little slip up got Shimura when he took this years ago. Believe me, I understand how you feel, but unfortunately I must remove points.”
“But they’re so similar to each other! I thought they were aggressive and attacked people… even kill them…”
Tenjin knelt down and listened.
“I mean, they’re all the way up in Hokkaido, I don’t see how that-”
“Our duty is to help those afflicted by Yokai by whatever means necessary, no matter where they are Midoriya.” Jiro said, she stared the green haired boy in the eye. “If it’s up in Hokkaido, we go. If it’s all the way down in Okinawa, we go. If it’s in Kyushu, we go.”
Izuku took a breath, like he was going to respond, yet he didn’t. He looked down at his legs and gripped his knees.
“Sorry…” He muttered.
He shook slightly in his seat, something Tenjin noticed. The kami looked back at his chalkboard, and then to the boy again. He sighed, and whisked his wrist. Several books and scrolls closed and rolled themselves respectively, and each of them flew out of the door.
“Well, your exam’s over, I know you’re eager to continue but for now you should head home.” Tenjin stated.
“Huh? Sir I can still do this!” Izuku cried.
“You’re unfocused, and it’s quite obvious that you need time to rest, now go.” The kami ordered. Izuku tried to respond, he gave Tenjin his confident eyes, the stare that drew so much attention, but the kami simply raised a hand.
“Even monkeys fall from trees.”
Izuku remained silent, tried to say something to convince him otherwise. And yet, Jiro got up from her seat and put on her winter coat. Izuku let out a sigh and gathered his things, all the while, Tenjin pat him on the head.
“Young man, sometimes the best medicine is to simply rest and relieve yourself. It is useless to exhaust yourself.”
Yet as the kami spoke, something deep and twisted erupted from the depths of Izuku’s soul. His eyes turning black as the night, an invisible energy exploded from his body, like a silent voice screaming out into the sky. Jiro felt something shock her sense, as did Tenjin. Before they could react however, Izuku ripped his head upward with frenzied eyes.
“I’M NOT USELESS!!!”
The clash of the energies, the senses, the amalgamation of something held deep within had risen to the surface as the young man let it fume. Jiro turned her head in shock, and Tenjin stepped back in horror. As for Izuku, he remained still, his breath turning frantic and uncontrolled. He grunted as something changed within his soul. His breath started to shake; his composure collapsed before their very eyes.
“Midoriya are you-” Jiro asked, she tried to reach out to him.
In a flash, Izuku grabbed his belongings and bolted out the door.
“Hey hold on a sec!” Jiro cried. Before she could leave, Tenjin called out to her. She stopped with a single foot out the door, and she turned her jaded attention to her teacher.
“Let him go, he needs time.”
“Time? Didn’t you see what just happened? He could be-”
“I’m well aware of the signs, Jiro,” Tenjin said strongly. He brushed his attire and summoned a pipe of tobacco. “We needn’t use the ceremony, all he needs is time to heal, perhaps you can help him?”
“Me? I mean, he’s nice and all but I haven’t really, you know…”
Tenjin puffed his smoke, and smiled.
“I think you can figure something out; you always do.” He complimented. “Now go.”
Jiro gasped quietly, and she blushed.
“Yeah, I’ll think of something…. Well, seeya.”
She left the room, and summoned a spirit to help her down the well. As she left, Tenjin quickly returned his attention to the exams, his eyes glowing in anticipation.
Jiro performed excellently, even with a few mistakes; she gets a 92. She’s come quite far… Tenjin thought. However, as he looked at Izuku’s test, his mind wondered. Aside from those minor mistakes, Midoriya still performed well. Despite his little outburst he still gets an 86. Tenjin thought. But that anger, no doubt it is rooted deep within his Niwa, he has become Blighted…. Help him Jiro, I pray this will not become dire…
The snow blanketed the city in a soft white, the chill granting a strange comfort to this huddled in their coats, hats, and scarves. Izuku entered this small building and saw Jiro waiting for him at a nearby table. He waved with a small smile, and Jiro looked at him with anticipation. Izuku made his way to her, taking his coat off in the process.
“Hey! I got your message, uh, thanks for having me!” He said happily.
“Don’t mention it, I thought you might wanna take some time off after, well you know.” Jiro replied.
“Oh, right…” Izuku sighed.
This traditional tea shop had them sitting at a small chabudai table not dissimilar to Inari’s living room. The two students sat quietly as other customers socialized and laughed, and the warm fire burning in the back allowed for a soft aura of calm to bathe the room. A waitress appeared, giving Izuku and Jiro cups of tea, the two of them thanking the waitress once the drinks were set. Finally, they started sipping.
“Wow, this really good,” Izuku said as he sipped his tea. “Thanks again, really, but I gotta ask, why are we in Fukuoka? Do you live out here?”
“I thought a change of scenery might be nice, I don’t get to come out here often,” Jiro replied. “It’s nice getting away from home though, Seeing the same buildings over and over gets boring, even with U.A. overlooking everything.”
“Wait, U.A.? You live in Musutafu?”
“Yeah.”
“Me too! Uh, my mom and I just have a small apartment though, nothing fancy hehe…”
Izuku scratched the back of his hair, he felt a nervousness in his throat, like he had made the conversation a little embarrassing.
“Is that supposed to change what I think or something?” Jiro asked.
“Wha?! N-No uh I wasn’t trying to say anything like that! I was just.. uh…”
I didn’t mean for this to get weird, what do I do? Izuku thought. Strangely however, Jiro covered her mouth, and stranger still, she let out a quiet laugh.
“Seriously Midoriya you need to relax!” She cried jovially. “It’s fine, I have a house but it’s nothing special either. Trust me my parents might do some wacky things but we’re just like everyone else.”
Izuku let out a panicked sigh and drank his tea once more, with Jiro sipping hers simultaneously. The wind blew outside with a low whistle, the snow waltz on full display throughout the city.
“You know, sometimes I think you need to stop worrying about what others think of you, and just focus on improving.” Jiro said.
“Huh?” Izuku asked.
“It’s written all over your face, you’re doing fine really, at least to me.” Jiro continued. “I know I haven’t really been there much for all the workouts with Shimura, but it doesn’t take much to notice.”
Izuku blushed and felt his chest, he could feel his pecs, once so skinny and pathetic, have been built into strong muscles.
“But with what happened earlier at Lord Tenjin’s, what’s gotten into you Midoriya?”
Izuku sipped his tea again.
“It’s nothing, really. I’m fine.” He said.
“Uh… huh…” Jiro replied, she drank her tea until there was nothing left. A waitress appeared, and Jiro ordered another cup. “So, who’s this Bakugo person?”
Izuku groaned, and looked out the window at all the pedestrians and their Quirks.
“Shimura told you, didn’t he?”
“Nope.”
“He did didn’t he? He’s the only person who saw what happened.” Izuku said, he was growing annoyed.
“Well I did hear Lord Tenjin talking about it with one of his servants, I think her name was Suzume,” Jiro replied. “But uh… I can figure out what happened just by listening.”
Izuku looked at Jiro with a confused stare. What does she mean by that? He thought. Yet his answer stared right at him. The earphone appendages attached to Jiro’s earlobes were slightly floating, the black kanji wrapping around their thin cords. A kanji appeared on Jiro’s throat, and she closed her eyes.
“You’ve known Katsuki Bakugo for a while, wow, all the way back when we were toddlers too.”
“Huh? How do you know that?”
“My Blessing combined with my Quirk that’s how.”
“Oh wow, that’s cool! I didn’t think you could use both at once.”
“Thanks, it took me some time to get it right but I managed to figure it out, but you? You’ve been Quirkless your whole life, and now to have all this just… thrown at you, it’s a lot.”
Izuku gripped his knees, he could feel the shame rising in him like a wave slowly flooding against the shore. It was subtle, yet noticeable. Swift but gentle.
“I can hear the different tempos and melodies going on inside you, your Niwa’s all scrambled… hm…” Jiro muttered. Suddenly, Her right earphone jack plugged into Izuku’s hand. The sensation was sudden but soft. Izuku looked down and saw the earphone jack sticking into his skin, and he could feel something jolt through his body.
“Huh?!”
“Yasashii.” Jiro cried. Something tranquil flowed through Izuku’s veins, and then he heard the sound.
優しい
He heard a soft melody, a guitar playing with elegant stature. Jiro closed her eyes with a smile, but Izuku noticed something even more fascinating. Jiro’s violet hair changed somehow.
Wait a minute. Izuku thought. I remember seeing that pattern in her hair but… it’s moving?
Jiro’s heartbeat pattern in her hair was moving indeed. However, it was no longer the static image you’d normally see on a heartrate monitor. Instead, the pattern had become a smooth and slow wave with perfect hills and valleys. It glowed a soft blue as the guitar continued.
“You hear the harmonics right? That’s my Blessing for ya.”
“Wow… it’s beautiful.” Izuku commented, yet his lips never moved, he covered his mouth in surprise.
“We don’t need to talk to communicate when I’m using this you know.” Jiro remarked, she smirked at the boy, and Izuku was taken aback. “Just let it flow right in. Nothing like a nice chorus pedal mixed with vibrato and reverb.”
Together they sat for a moment, the guitar echoing in their minds as the waves washed the shore. Izuku felt like he was sitting on a beach, or maybe a forest, as the sweet sound of the metal strings ebbed into his very Niwa. Jiro sat there, drinking her tea as her Blessing continued to work its magic on Izuku’s Niwa, his very soul. Shortly thereafter, the melody ended, and Jiro removed her earphone jack from Izuku’s hand.
“Wow, that was great! That guitar was so perfect, and that tone, are you a musician?”
“Uh, yeah…” Jiro said, Izuku noticed that she was blushing. “I-I’ve been playing since I could walk…”
“Did you think of that on your own? It was so cool! Reminds me of Kanno when she was a big Pro a few years back. The way she used harmonics on her outfit in conjunction with her Quirk made her really stand out!”
“Oh… I thought I was the only one who really followed her…” Jiro muttered.
“Yeah! Heroes are amazing, that’s my big thing!” Izuku cheered. Jiro gasped in a bit of shock.
“Alright, alright,” She chuckled. “But uh, yeah, that’s part of my Blessing and I combined it with my Quirk, I thought it might help calm you down.”
“So, what’s up? You’ve been acting off these past few days.”
Izuku grunted.
“Did something happen between you and Shimura, or was it that Bakugo person?” Jiro asked. Moments passed with silence however, the world coming to a stop. Izuku looked up and set his elbows on the table, locking his fingers over his mouth.
“Yeah, Bakugo…” Izuku started. “Bakugo and I grew up together, I’ve known him since we could walk…”
Jiro sat patiently as Izuku opened his soul, her face turning to that of focus and compassion.
“Ever since we were little, I always looked up to him,” Izuku continued. “He always had this… attitude that he could never lose, and he always believed he could be like All Might, but who doesn’t want to be just like him right?”
“Yeah I can get that.” Jiro commented.
“Right, but Bakugo always seemed different, like he could top anything and anyone who got in his way, and for a while, I…”
Izuku gripped his knee again.
“I looked up to him… but I had no idea just how… how bad it really was until he got his Quirk.”
Izuku shook his head, then drank his tea nervously.
“Ever since he got his Quirk his ego just went through the roof, at first I didn’t mind but… that’s when it started.”
“What?” Jiro asked, she had one of her earphone jacks ready, the kanji aligning her skin.
“He started calling me ‘Deku’, it’s this crude nickname he came up with by changing some of the kanji in my name.” Izuku said, becoming visually agitated. Jiro grew concerned, her smile disappearing and her face gaining a saddened look.
“Deku? Oh… yeah, I heard your Niwa say it when I used my Blessing. It means-” She asked.
“Useless, someone who’s useless.” Izuku retorted, he was shaking in his seat, his anger starting to fester. “He’s called me ‘Deku’, ‘useless’, ever since. Every. Single. Day.”
Jiro continued to watch closely, the black pupils returning in sheer force. She could feel that same sensation back in the Spirit World, something gnawing at the Niwa, something foul.
“For my whole life I’ve seen him get stronger and stronger, and everyone from those days started following him around because he was just… the best. I thought I could be just like him if I admired Heroes too, I love everything about them after all!”
“But noooo because I’m Quirkless I’ll never be able to actually save people, I’ll never be on the same level as everyone else.” He growled, a dark energy emerged from his core, and Jiro readied herself. Blue kanji appeared on her throat and ears. “And even with my new Blessing what good am I Jiro? I didn’t do anything when that Susanoo guy showed up, instead he broke me, tore me up because I’m…”
“Midoriya listen-”
“No you listen!” Izuku snarled, his whole body shaking with anger, and as he did, tears welled up in his eyes, and slowly ran down his face. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be useless? What it’s like not being able to do anything to stop all the bad things from happening to you?”
Izuku’s breathing turned manic, his energy growing stronger. Thinking fast, Jiro cast Tobari before the other customers could react. Together, they stepped into the Place Between, others none the wiser.
“First I get carved up by that Kuchisake Onna, just look at my chest! That scar’s not going anywhere any time soon, and my Contract can’t hide that either even though Inari placed it right over the scar! Then I look like a total idiot in front of Shinkyo, look at me exposing Satoshi as a Dragon in front of the whole crowd. Then Susanoo breaking my Niwa, Inari having to sit in that bath to fix me, and then… and then!”
The darkness climbed out of the abyss, raging into the outer world.
“Just when I finally feel like I’ve earned my place with you and Shimura. With Inari, Lord Tenjin, Lord Tsukuyomi… everyone!”
“He comes up again and reminds me of what I really am! Some useless, powerless nobody!”
The tears he cried were those born of rage, the darkness was let loose, the twisted figure that hovered over him was one made of blackened glass, one split into many fragments that seeped from his very skin. Jiro saw it all, her Blessing in full swing as she was about to defend herself. However…
The melody played once more, a soft melancholy string, a chord that echoed on the ocean surface. Izuku looked up as his tears rained, and the ocean of spider lilies, his Niwa, laid before him once more. Jiro’s hair, the heartbeat flair, had returned to the calm waves just like they did before. The shadow glass hovering over Izuku’s body contorted itself violently. It lashed towards Jiro, who remained undeterred in her pursuit, and sharpened its arm into a talon. As it was about to strike, it froze, centimeters away from Jiro’s face. She took a deep breath as it tried to attack, it wanted nothing more than to rip and tear at her soul, her flesh, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t lay a finger on the young woman.
“Midoriya, if you really are useless, then why are you here?”
“What are you talking about? How would you of all people know what it’s like to be useless?!” The demon asked, its voice contorted beyond all recognition. “You have the skills, you’re so much better! And you’ve already been out there fighting Yokai! What could I ever hope to be compared to you guys?!”
“How could you even ask that when you’ve barely got off the ground?”
The demon stopped, its fury turning to doubt.
“You barely know me anyway, outside of our classes we don’t really talk much, and you think you suddenly know everything about me just because we spent some time together in class?” Jiro cried.
“But you’re so much better, you and Shimura… you guys already know what to do in the worst situations. I just… fumble.”
“Except you’ve done just as great! You stood up to Susanoo, a god! One of the Three Precious Children!”
The demon let out a sharp breath, and it slowly but surely broke apart.
“I hate saying this but I was scared, and so was Shimura! If we were to fight him, we would’ve been destroyed. But you were brave enough to say something and it shook him up! And you did it to protect us! Remember how scared Akiba was? You showed him what it means to have courage and to stand for the right thing. You really think someone like Bakugo can do that?”
The demon broke away, the glass returning to Izuku’s skin, and the boy sat motionless, his face showing a blank, almost dead expression. Jiro walked closer and knelt down, and when Izuku looked up to face her, their eyes met.
“Look, I’m not all that great at speeches and uh, well, I’m kinda making this up as I go,” She said in quiet discomfort. “But you don’t need to be perfect, I’m not! Learn as you go right?”
Izuku cried once more, his voice becoming silent in the light.
“Besides if you’re constantly winning every fight you come across then how do you really improve and learn? That’s something I’ve had to accept and took a while. Trust me, I’ve felt the way you do right now, but if I can get out of it, who’s to say you can’t?”
A ripple was made, the ocean moved, a single ring stretched away from the duo and out onto the horizon. Izuku felt his heart slip for a moment, and Jiro simply smiled with confidence. She lent a hand out, something that Izuku had seen so many times already, and he looked down at the water for a mere second.
“But… how can I be like you guys if you’re always helping me off the ground?”
Jiro smirked.
“You’re really stubborn you know that?” she asked. “But the answer’s really easy you know.”
She suddenly knelt down and met Izuku face to face.
“It’s because you’re letting us help you that you’re already improving. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, because trying to do everything alone just makes the rut even bigger.”
Izuku looked at Jiro’s smile, her compassion, and he couldn’t move. He closed his eyes, and nodded. He formed a smile as another tear fell down his cheek.
“Okay.” He said, he wiped his face and smiled.
Izuku blinked, and the teashop had returned. The customers had finished their tea and left for the day. The boy blinked once more and felt his breath return to him, the tea cup still in his hands.
“Wow, this whole Niwa stuff is so… cool.” He said. “It feels like I’ve been using it a lot lately.”
“The more the merrier, it’s helping you out though right?” Jiro asked.
“Oh yeah, totally, I just need to get used to it.” Izuku replied.
Jiro sighed happily, and snapped her fingers. Tobari had been cast once more, and they returned to the Human World. The waitress had appeared again with their bill, and she bowed. After she left, Jiro looked Izuku in the eye once more.
“You were Blighted, Midoriya.” She said in a serious manner. “Thankfully it was just the early stages, but what we just went through, what you experienced, that’s what happens when negative thoughts and emotions start to corrupt you.”
Izuku looked down at the table, and sighed.
“Hey it wasn’t your fault, I’ve been there too, so has Shimura. We’re all at risked of being Blighted, even Lord Inari and all the others. Don’t worry.”
Izuku gulped, and finished his tea after a few moments.
“Jiro… I…” Izuku muttered.
“What’s up?” Jiro asked, she had taken several yen out of her wallet and left it on the check.
Suddenly, Izuku stood up and bowed.
“Thank you so much for all of that, I… really needed to hear that.”
Jiro blushed, and suddenly poked her earbuds together.
“Oh it’s uh, it’s nothing really, I just saw that you needed h-help.” She stuttered.
“Huh? Is everything alright?” Izuku asked.
“Yep! Perfectly fine! Let’s go!” Jiro cried.
Together they grabbed their winter coats and out them on once more. Together Izuku and Jiro thanks the staff and left the teashop. The streets of Fukuoka were nearly empty as the snow picked up. Some pedestrians walked the streets while many were packed in their cars. The two teens walked the street until they reached somewhere isolated, and they faced a door leading into a building.
“Hey uhm, Jiro?” Izuku asked.
“Yeah?”
“Do you think… we could do this again, uh but without everything that just happened?”
Jiro looked at Izuku and smirked. Something the boy noticed however was a red hue on her face. Perhaps Jiro didn’t notice, but Izuku couldn’t help but feel… warm.
“Yeah of course, just let me know. Don’t worry I won’t use my Blessing and we don’t have to worry about Blight. It’ll just be you and me.”
Izuku smiled and let out a short laugh, and Jiro did the same. Together, they stood outside the door, and Jiro drew a circle with her hand.
“Toguchi!” she cried; she snapped her fingers after drawing the circle.
戸口
The door became a gateway into the Spirit World, but rather than returning to Shinkyo, Izuku was surprised to see Inari’s home instead. The hallway was the same one outside of his room, he could even see the tree in Inari’s courtyard.
“It’s best we tell Shimura and the others what happened, maybe we can work something out and help you purge the Blight.”
“Yeah, good idea.” Izuku replied. “You know, if it’s alright, who did you sign your Contract with? Everyone knows I made mine with Inari, but other than him, Tsukuyomi, and Tenjin, I don’t think I’ve met any other kami.”
“Oh wow, yeah I forgot about that.” Jiro said. “Well, I made mine with Benzaiten, she’s the kami of music.”
“Music? So cool, I bet you guys talk about new stuff all the time!” Izuku blurt out.
“Hehe… heh…” Jiro muttered.
“Huh? Everything okay?” Izuku asked.
“Oh yeah, Beni can just get really uh… excited, even for my standards.” Jiro replied. “You can see for yourself after we’re done telling everyone-”
Something had changed, Jiro paused mid-sentence, and Izuku could feel something… cold. It felt as though the very air itself had frozen into ice. The snow had intensified, and visibility was all but nonexistent.
“Did you hear that?” Jiro asked. She suddenly plugged one of her earphone jacks into the ground.
“No, but something feels off. I sense something, is that the right word for it?” Izuku said strongly, he began to shiver even with his coat and scarf.
Jiro shut the door and the Toguchi spell disappeared, she listened carefully, and snapped her eyes open.
“There’s trouble in the city, a villain is attacking right now!”
“Huh?!” Izuku cried. “We have to do something!”
“We can’t, we’re not Heroes remember?”
“I don’t care! If people getting hurt-”
“I didn’t say we can’t investigate; I can sense a Yokai in the area. That’s our priority.”
Izuku grunted, and Jiro grabbed his arm.
“Just because we aren’t Heroes doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to help people, come on, I know your training’s not over but consider this your first on-the-job experience!”
Jiro pulled Izuku forward into a sprint, the boy crying out in shock. Jiro let go and together they lept high onto several buildings, Izuku shooting his golden threads out and swinging into the sky. Together they flew next to each other, and much to Izuku’s shock, Jiro had changed.
She swept her hand over her face, and in doing so, a mask materialized out of the very light itself! A crow’s mask had covered Jiro’s entire face, and her clothes changed. She was now wearing an open leather jacket with slim pants and black boots. Her earphones were covered in kanji as ice flew under her feet and formed a large crow made of ice, and several needles hovered around her hands. She looked at Izuku, and even though it was covered by the mask, he could sense a smile under the beak.
“It’s time for the Songbird to sing!”
