Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rambunctious laughter could be heard coming from the local neighborhood park. If one looked one could spot a group of four very young children playing what appeared to be a game of Heros vs Villians and were enjoying every second of it, well three of the four. The only one not laughing was a child with untamable green hair flecked with gold currently sprawled over the ground.

“Oi Deku”, said a child with ashy blond hair and intense red eyes “get up we’re not doing playing yet”

“No Kachan” said the green haired child, voice pleading in desperation as he voiced his question “I’m tired of playing this game, could we play another one?”

“A useless deku like you shouldn’t talk back ” yelled the blond child in irritation. “After all without a quirk what are you worth?”

That hurt’ thought the child

But a small part of him agreed with the blondie’s judgement of him. After all everyone in his grade had already gotten their quirks and he was two years past the age when most received their quirks.

However what really set him apart was that despite his supposed quirklessness he had rather odd features that should only be the result of a quirk. In one eye he possessed a sclera of the most striking color of gold with a long black dilated pupil that often creeped most people out..
And underneath that eye was a hardened brick like pattern that formed the shape of an isosceles triangle.

“You know”,said the blond child in what appeared to be mock thoughtfulness “the deku is right we should play a different game”

“Really Kachan?” asked the heterochromatic child,voice filling in hope and excitement. It had been a while since Bakugo, his Kachan, listened to him. Maybe he was feeling guilty for all the things he said before.

“Yeah” said Bakugo ruby red eyes filling in amusement “wings and extra hold deku down”

The two children, one portly with large feathery wings and the other a rather average and plain child proceed to hold the green haired child down.
Tried as he could, the child was unable to get from his pinned position and could only think of what Bakugo had intended for his ‘game’.

“Kachan wait!” pleaded the child, desperate to make his friend reconsider whatever he had planned. “I was wrong, let's continue to play heroes vs villains like earlier”

Bakugo’s face scrunched in rage and his eyes took on a darker hue. “Deku did you just tell me what to do?” questioned Bakugou's voice in a false calm.

“N-n-no” stuttered the child in fear. “I was just t-t-thinking…”

A palm slammed into the child's chest before he could finish,erupting in a miniature explosion that knocked the air out of his lungs and caused burning pain to blossom from his chest and throb intensely .

“When have I ever wanted to know your thoughts you useless Deku”

“I’m sorry Kachan!” screamed the child “I’m sorry I’ll never do it again.”

“No you won’t” agreed Bakugo “because I’m going to teach you to never speak against your betters!”

Bakugo slapped another palm against the child's body this time releasing an explosion against the child's stomach. Thrashing in pain with tears coming to his eyes the child again tried to thrash out of the hands of the two children and like the first time failed to break out of their hold.

‘Please’ thought the child extending his head and looking his eyes towards the blue cloudless sky above ‘If there is anything or anyone who could help me please…’ thought the child through the blows and and the the explosions ‘Please’ thought the child once more eyes closing and consciousness drifting away

“Three sixty degrees that comes in threes” said a powerful yet quiet voice reaching into every corner of the child's mind, temporarily distracting him from the onslaught of the blows.

‘What’ the child questioned seeing no one other person besides the three children within his field of vision. Before he could wonder if the pain was driving him crazy or causing him to hallucinate the voice returned.

“Watches from within Birch trees”

There it was again! Perhaps he really was hearing the voice, but if he was, why was he hearing the voice?

“Says he’s happy he's a liar”

“Blames the arson for the fire”

“If seeks to shriek the blame”

Blame what blame? What blame was he guilty of. Was he the one the voice was talking about? ‘But that's impossible” he thought ‘Mom says I’m a good boy!” and he knew his mother to be no liar.

“He need only invoke my name”

“A different form a different time”

“One way to absolve him of his crimes”

With the conclusion of that final line the child felt something foreign within him. Something foreign but yet...familiar? ‘Its like remembering something I’ve forgotten’ thought the child, ‘but what could I...?’

His thoughts were pushed aside when a burning pain began, coming from his back. This new pain brought an immediate flood of tears from his monochromatic eyes and made him thrash as if possessed. It felt as if something was ingraining itself into his very being and only continued to spread throughout his entire body.

His more violent shaking scared the two pinning him down into releasing him. Upon releasing him the two ran to Bakugo’s side. This irritated Bakugo seeing the pathetic Deku scare away his two lackey’s with nothing but what he believed to be a trick.

Vein throbbing intensely within his forehead Bakugo grabbed the green haired child by his shirt pulling their faces closer, nose almost touching and exclaimed “You think you can make a fool out of it me! I’ll show you who the real fool is” Aiming an explosive hand for the other boy’s face, Bakugo prepared to strike once more when azure flames burst forward causing Bakugo to jump backwards in alarm.

Giving out a surprised “What-” Bakugo could only stare as the boys body began to float of the ground as if gravity had lost its effect upon the boy. The flames now growing to enshroud the boys form completely made Bakugo forget his momentary hatred and take a couple steps back in fear. While backtracking Bakugo caught sight of his two lackey’s and the lackey’s seeing Bakugo back away in fear caused them to do the same. All three now united in fear turned tail to get as far away as possible from the suspended boy. Only Bakugou braved a look back and the sight of the dark silhouette’s maddening golden glowing eye forever impressed itself within his memory.

The smell of antiseptic and bacterial soap drifted through his nose upon waking up. Taking a moment to get over his disorientation the monochromatic child realized that his bed lacked the All-Might sheets it typically had and the sheets were starchy unlike the soft and comfortable sheets he was accustomed to. Feeling confused vibrant green and golden eyes scanned the room taking in the surroundings. The eyes met the sights of bright white walls and the end of a hospital bed. In front of him was a small flatscreen currently turned off. On the right side of the hospital bed was an IV drip and a line connected running through his wrist. To the left was a medium sized chair drawn close to the bed ‘What happened’ the child thought. ‘Why am I in the hospital?’

“You had an awakening” answered a light and slightly echoing voice

The voice startled the child as he hadn’t seen anyone new entering into the room.

“Who said that?” asked the child slightly scared at hearing a voice without seeing a body.“And what's an awakening?”

“I’m you but not you Izuku” the voice responded

“Look kid, it's a long story and I don't really care to explain it right now. Just trust me when I say I’m you and you are me. A weak young meatsuit of me but me all the same” responded the voice, himself?, in what sounded like a lazy almost eye rolling tone.

“As for your second question let's just say that something sleeping in you woke up. Nothing really to worry about.”

“Ok”? Izuku said ‘That really doesn't explain much’ Izuku thought.

“Do you have a name I can call you? Because calling you Izuku would be really confusing”

“Names Bill but you could call me your new lord and master for all of eternity” Bill said in an amused tone.

“What!” screamed Izuku, body falling over the bed and landing on the hospital’s room floor in surprise of Bill’s statement.

“It’s a joke kid” Bill responded again in a lazy tone.

“Izuku!” came a worried shout “are you okay?”

Izuku taking,a second to lift his eyes away from the floor to glance at a woman of a medium height along with a slightly chubby figure. The women’s vibrant green eyes met him and were filled with concern and love for the golden eyed boy.

“Don’t say anything about me kid, at least not now” said Bill's voice sounding a bit more serious than before.

“Yes m-mom”, Izuku stuttered struggling to come up with a lie “I just needed to the bathroom t-thats all”

“Oh” His mother sighed in relief “You should be more careful you don’t want to stress your body any further”

“Nice save kid” said Bill

“What happened anyway? The last thing I remembered was being at the park.”

“You don’t remember?”questioned his mother.

“That’s to be somewhat expected” came a new voice. Izuku Turning his attention to the doorway Izuku saw a somewhat short bald man who appeared to be in his mid fifties with a gray bushy mustache. On top of his head sat a pair of goggles straps a golden brown and lens a palish green. From the looks of him and by the white medical coat he wore Izuku assumed he was a doctor.

“Often when the brain is subjected to intense moments of stress the hippocampus and amygdala became minutely disrupted in memory function-”

“Doctor” Izuku’s mother cut in. Clearing his throat the doctor sheepishly rubbed his neck in started once again “Basically your body was under intense stress and blocked the memory”

“Oh” replied Izuku when the words of the doctor hit him. “Wait, you said I had a quirk?” Izuku asked his voice feeling with a fearful hope.

“Not exactly what you think” murmured Bill within his mind although Izuku didn’t notice those words, his whole attention being turned towards the doctor.

“Well... not exactly. You do have a power, it's just… for lack of better words a quirk by medical standards.”

“Not by medical standards?” His mother said with her face scrunched in confusion “I’m lost as what you’re trying to say Doctor…”

“Uijiko, Mrs. Midoryia-san. What I’m trying to say is that while you do have a power it doesn’t present itself with the typical phenotypic expressions of quirk users. However as evidenced by the medical labs and phlebotomy tests you do have a biology somewhat similar to most quirked users.”

Turning his head towards his mother anticipating a pankicked reaction he said” It's nothing concerning just a little odd”.

“ Young man, you sure are interesting” said Dr. Ujiko as he was walking towards the door. Then stopping, hands on the door frame he took one last look towards Izuku, eyes taking on a darker light and voice tinted with the something unknown said “Take care to develop well young man, I’m curious as how you’ll end up in the future” then proceed to exit from the room.

Mother and son hugged each other and proceeded to cry in the Midoriya fashion while in Izuku’s mind Bill’s one golden eye narrowed in suspicion of the doctor's words.

Chapter Text

The next day the hospital finally gave consent and released Izuku after several tests determined that he was physically fine and didn't have any long lasting negative effects at emergence of his quirk.

Izuku was filled with giddy at hearing the news that he was to be released from the hospital today and he couldn’t wait to have the opportunity to test and practice whatever quirk he had.

The only thing he knew for sure of his power was that it was tied to the voice ,Bill, in his head. Thinking about Bill he wondered if he had any idea what his abilities were and what were they limited to.

Looking around him still finding his hospital room momentarily empty as his mom signed the necessary paperwork to get him released he voiced his question to Bill.

“Bill, do you know what my quirk is? I mean you’re obviously a part of it so you should have some idea as to what I can do.”

“Before I answer that question you must promise me this “ Bill said voice taking on a mock solemnity.

“W-what is it?” Izuku stuttered projecting, betraying his anxiety. “If Bill is sounding serious then it must be something important” Izuku thought to himself.

“Stop talking out loud to yourself like a lunatic, kid. I mean I’m partly insane but there’s no reason for any unaccounted for ears to think you’re insane” Bill answered.

Blushing profusely in sheer embrasement and taking a much quieter tone Izuku questioned “If I can’t speak out loud how else can I talk to you?”

“By thinking in your head duh” responded Bill as if it was the most obvious answer in the world

“You can read my thoughts?” Izuku this time thought instead of speaking amazed at not needing to say anything out loud in order to communicate with Bill.

“Only the ones you project or direct to me specifically. I can get slight hints from other thoughts you wish to keep private. So keep anything secret to yourself otherwise I’ll know. But we’ll worry about that as you get older” Bill said taking a slightly amused tone in the last sentence he spoke.

“As for our powers,” Bill continued, “ there’s no exact telling of all the things we could do. At the height of my power I could do just about anything. Though I imagine now our powers to be greatly weakened”

Before Izuku could ask what Bill meant his mother entered the room telling him to prepare himself to leave while at the same time giving Izuku a t-shirt,some pants, and a pair of shoes.

Excited, Izuku dressed himself within the hospital room’s bathroom and gave no further thought to Bill's strange words.

Back falling against the soft covers of his bed Izuku sighed contentedly, glad to be back in his room. Sparing a glance Izuku took in the sight of the bright colorful hero posters that adorned his walls, most of the posters being of his favorite hero All Might in all his glory.

Everytime Izuku turned his thoughts on the muscle bound hero Izuku only felt awe at not only how strong he was but at that heroic spirit All Might carried. It was simply infectious and fanned his own spirit.

Feeling a yawn escape him, Izuku blinked his eyes sleepy, twice in succession.

“Hey Bill do you think I can become a hero?”

“With our power I don’t see why not. Also don’t be alarmed when you get here” said Bill casually

“Get where?”

“You’ll see. It's only seconds from now”

Izuku, too tired to question any further, closed his eyes and slept.

Izuku opened his eyes to find himself within his room with a surprising difference. Whereas his room was colorful and boosted a great deal of bright colors this room in contrast was a monochromatic grey. The walls, the flooring, his sheets, and even his posters lost their vivid colors now sporting varying shades of grey.

Now hearing the faint sound of a piano being played, Izuku got up from his bed and as quiet as possible opened his bedroom door taking a cautious look before silently stepping out. Much like his room everything was of various geys.

Fighting the urge to panic Izuku inched along the walls and continued his soft footful steps towards the melody of the piano, which sound was coming from the living room. When his head rounded the corner Izuku met with the sight of the pianist, a large one eye triangle with skinny black arms and feet wearing a tophat.

This time Izuku did panic.

Hearing Izuku’s scream the triangle turned around and took in Izuku’s form.

“Ah Izuku, I told you not to panic” responded the triangle somehow while lacking a mouth.

Recognizing the voice Izuku gave out a hesitant “B-Bill?”

“In the flesh, short stack or whatever you would say considering..” Bill said gesturing towards his body.

“W-where a-am I? W-why are you a tri-triangle”? Stammered Izuku

“Oh I see. You have something against triangles.” Bill said his one eye taking a slight dip resembling a frown

“N-no I just-..”

Bill’s snort cut him off. “Kid, I’m just joshing you. No need to be afraid I won't bite. I don’t have teeth”

Relaxing a bit at Bill’s humor Izuku felt some of the tension fade from him

“As for where you are, Bill continued, you’re in the mindscape or to be more accurate, yours
”
“My mindscape?” Izuku eyebrows scrunched up in confusion

“The mindscape is an internalized place reflecting one’s memories or one’s self. It is the ultimate reflection of self. Because it is not a physical place within reality it is not constrained by the principle physics dictating reality. Understand, Kid”

“Uhh...I think so” responded Izuku in a unsure voice

“Here watch me”

Raising his right arm and pressing his middle finger and thumb against each other, Bill snapped and changed the mindscape from Izuku’s home to a new scenery.

Taking it in Izuku observed the new setting, noticing the uncountable pine trees that both surrounded him and appeared to go on for miles. Further through the trees Izuku could make out what looked to be a deer drinking from a nearby stream.

“Woah..” Izuku said in awe at Bill’s display of ability.

“As for why you’re here..”

Bill was cut off as the ground quaked and thunderous steps emanated from within the forest. Drawing his eyes toward the forest Izuku was just quick enough to dive towards the ground avoiding the uprooted tree that threatened to crush him.

“Bill what's going on?!” shrieked Izuku

“The first lesson” said Bill without much care of the new danger that lurked around them.

“If you want to be a hero, you have to be prepared to rumble” at this Bill formed his hands into fists and swayed his arms much similar to that of a fight character in a video game.

The ground shock again and this time followed a most monstrous roar almost causing Izuku’s poor heart to give out with it.

“I c-can;t f-fight that! I don’t e-even know what my p-powers are!”

“My advice is to do what feels the most instinctual and go with it” Pulling out a clock seemingly nowhere Bill added “And whatever you do you better do it fast, because it only has about a minute before it gets here”

Turning his head Izuku could make out a faint hulking figure, its silhouette growing closer and closer, almost upon them.

Izuku looked back and tried to convince Bill of his insane act only for the words to die at not seeing Bill there anymore.

Sucking in his breath Izuku thought of Bill’s advice and did what came naturally to him.

He turned tail and ran.

Izuku ran as far as his short little legs could carry him. Not even once turning to see how close the monster was or to see how much distance he had gained, Izuku continued until his lungs had threatened to collapse.

Hiding behind a tree Izuku gave himself some time to regain his breath. All the while Izuku listened out for the creature and not hearing its booming steps relaxed slightly. Only when he took a chance and peered out from the tree to not see it did he only himself to completely relax.

Part of him was disappointed in running away without giving it a second thought. Real heroes didn’t run away from villains; they stood their ground and faced them head on. After all what if All Might ran, then who would be there to flash a heroic smile and give people hope in the future of heroes.

‘But you’re not All Might’ a part of his mind whispered back at him.

He had to agree. If he was, he would have the power and confidence to fight not cower behind a tree and count on the mercies of luck.

So he would remain here until Bill had decided to come save him.
That was the plan until he heard the cry of someone familiar…

Bill’s one eye frowned in slight frustration at seeing Izuku run. Floating from above Bill had watched Izuku go deeper into the forest fleeing from the monster. Giving a small flick of his hand Bill made the creature pause momentarily.

He had been surprised to see Izuku run so easily, he really thought he would try to do something even if he failed. In hindsight he really should have seen this coming thinking of all the times Izuku ran from Bakugo and Bakugo’s “friends”.

Bill cupped one hand to where his chin would be if he had one and thought how to best go about this now.

How could he get Izuku to use his power? What would cause him to abandon his fear?

Then the answer hit him.

The only thing that would outweigh his fear was his desire to save another person. Though he was young, Izuku would never leave someone to suffer even if he himself was powerless to help.

But who?

He could make up any random person but he wanted to be sure it would be someone who Izuku could never leave, someone who he would give up everything for.

His eye widden once he thought of just the right person. Giving out a dark chuckle, Bill flicked his hand once more, resuming the creature and at the same time conjured the figure he had in mind.

Oh this would work perfectly.

Izuku ran even faster than before and strained his ears to make out any sounds.

‘Let me make it!” thought Izuku adrenaline coursing through his body. Hearing the snapping of trees Izuku headed in that direction, bruising past branches and small shrubs until he bursted through the clearing.

For the first time now seeing the monster Izuku took a second and gazed at his form.

The creature's top part of its body bore a striking resemblance to a lion possessing a lion's mane and upper body. Its lower half and hind legs were covered in reptilian scales making Izuku think of the mystical dragon’s he had once read to in his bedtime stories. From the creatures shoulders were two snakes ,one on each shoulder, both with a hungering gleam in their pale yellow eyes. The final addition of the creature were the two large feathery dull wings that were almost larger than the creature's main body.

Fear threatened to overcome but seeing the fallen frozen figure of his mother caused righteous anger to bloom from his chest.

The creature turned its attention towards him and started at him with its spiteful eyes and Izuku returned the look with full force.

His mother only now just seeing him, positioned her body to him and with heart wrenching anguish said “Izuku run!”

Almost as if realizing her fears, the creature coiled its powerful muscles within its hind legs and lunged with a grace surprising of its size towards Izuku.

“Izuku!” his mother screamed hands outreaching towards him and sobs escaping her.

Something within Izuku directed him and in response of the creature's lounge he extended his palms towards the creature and light loose a torrent of azure fire that filled the forest.

Izuku jolted awake and took a moment to observe the colors aligning his walls, his posters, and his everything within the room.

Not seeing the dull colors of the mindscape Izuku sighed in relief called upon Bill.

“Bill! How could you leave me like that! What if I died or even if-” he refused to think of his mother and the paralyzing fear that was etched within his face.

“Calm down kid everything is fine and was always going to be fine! I may be crazy but I’m not insane.”

“Never do that again, Bill”

“I make no future promises as it was necessary. Now don’t you feel something different, something unusual?”

Pausing at those words Izuku noticed for the first time a feeling of energy slowly moving through his body. He pulled at it and jumped at the emergence of a small flame that sprung forward.

“It’s not much now, but I theorize it will only grow over time. Remember this feeling of power and hold onto it.” Bill said voicing a little softer than normal.

Clutching his shirt right above his heart Izuku broke down, crying for the second time that week tears of pure joy.