Payback (Hiatus)

Chapter 3 (EDITED)

Edited: 26 July 2023

After a week of confinement, the investigation yielded no evidence of any past interaction between Izuku and the League of Villains. Despite their initial suspicions, the authorities were now taking him to the Hero Public Safety Commission (HPSC) headquarters to prepare for his trial and establish his guilt or innocence officially.

Izuku remained perplexed but chose to say nothing, fearing that any questioning might arouse suspicion. Anxiety hung heavy on his shoulders, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he walked silently, eyes fixed on the floor, towards the courtroom.

During the trial, the topic of Izuku's lineage arose briefly. As the only family he had outside of his mother, Inko, it became crucial to delve into her background. The commission learned that Inko's parents had tragically died in a car accident when she was very young, leaving her to navigate life alone. Her close friend, Bakugou Mitsuki, revealed that Inko had married a man she had only met at work and had no personal connection to. Strangely, there was no wedding ceremony, and shortly after Izuku's birth, the man disappeared without a trace.

Mitsuki, with a hint of sadness, admitted, "I didn't dare to ask what happened because it was a sensitive question."

As the trial progressed, tensions rose, with higher-ups trying to implicate Izuku in hopes of sentencing him to prison. Yet, his allies, including All Might and Aizawa, fiercely defended him, presenting evidence that proved his innocence and lack of connection to the League of Villains.

All Might, in particular, decided to reveal his past and the profound bond he shared with Izuku. As he divulged their unique relationship, the title of father that All Might had assumed in Izuku's life brought tears to the young hero's eyes. All Might's love and guidance had been more impactful to him than mere blood ties.

The higher-ups, visibly displeased, ultimately gave up their pursuit, storming out of the courtroom. As Izuku looked around, he received smiles and support from everyone. However, he couldn't bring himself to smile back. An unexplainable pain gripped his heart, causing him to feel overwhelmed and undeserving of their compassion.

The testimonies from the Bakugou family played a vital role in concluding the trial without incident. Though Katsuki's parents had declared Izuku innocent, their son seemed at odds with their decision. Observing Kacchan's typical cruel behavior, Izuku couldn't help but sense that deep down, Katsuki might have preferred him to remain behind bars. Yet, Izuku knew that there was more to Katsuki's emotions than met the eye. The complexities of their childhood friendship ran deep, and untangling their feelings and history was a task for another time.

As the trial reached its conclusion, a bittersweet sensation washed over Izuku. The revelation of his lineage, coupled with the complexities of his friendships, left him uncertain of the future that lay ahead. Nonetheless, he knew that he had to stand tall, face the challenges head-on, and prove himself as the hero he aspired to be - a hero who could rise above the shadows of doubt and emerge stronger than ever before. The journey of Midoriya Izuku, the boy who dared to dream, was far from over, and with every step he took, the story of the young hero would be etched into the annals of heroism, forever inspiring others to reach for greatness.

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The following day was a harsh awakening for Izuku as he stepped out of his dormitory, weighed down by the burden of yesterday's events. The glances he received from his fellow students cut like daggers - once admiring eyes now filled with hostility and disdain. Their whispers floated through the air, forming a suffocating cloud of depression around him.

The sensation felt all too familiar to Izuku, harking back to the days when he had no quirks and was seen as powerless. The pain of rejection and isolation washed over him again, threatening to engulf him. Part of him wanted to run away and hide, to unleash the torrent of emotions building within him, but he fought back the urge. He refused to be labeled a coward by those who no longer saw him as a friend.

As he entered the classroom, he felt the tension in the air, the wary gazes following him as he passed his former friends. The words muttered under their breath - "I can't believe he came" or "He should kill himself" - were like daggers to his heart. They stung, but he forced himself to push the hurt aside, determined not to give them the satisfaction of seeing him break.

Even his once-close squad seemed to have distanced themselves from him, adding to the sense of betrayal. He had believed they were like family, but now their trust was shattered, solely because of his lineage. The revelation of his father's identity had become a dark shroud that tainted every bond he once held dear.

Last night, when he had tried to reach out to them, they had coldly ignored him, pretending he wasn't there. His heart sank further when he learned that Todoroki had broken up with him during his incarceration. The friends he had once believed would stand by his side had turned their backs on him, leaving him feeling utterly alone.

The pain in his heart was unbearable as he realized that every friend he had cherished and placed his trust in had abandoned him in a matter of days. The storm of emotions within him threatened to consume him entirely, but he fought to keep his composure. Deep inside, he knew that despite this excruciating loneliness, he couldn't let himself be defined by the hurt and rejection.

As he struggled to find the strength to carry on, Izuku clung to the memories of those who had supported him in the past. 

As the truth sank in, Izuku realized that his so-called friends had never truly regarded him as one of them. They had exploited his strength and abused his good nature, playing with his emotions for their benefit. The realization left him feeling used and betrayed, making him question his worth and place among them. He felt like a bright light that only attracted people seeking to take advantage of him, and the pain of rejection haunted him since his early days in kindergarten.

The devastating blow of the breakup with Todoroki weighed heavily on him. To learn that their relationship had been based on sympathy rather than genuine love shattered Izuku's heart. And to make matters worse, he discovered that Todoroki had been seeing Bakugou secretly, adding another layer of pain to the tangled web of emotions.

As the lesson began, Izuku felt suffocated by the presence of his classmates. The desire to escape, to be anywhere but in that classroom with those who had turned their backs on him, gnawed at him. Time seemed to drag on, prolonging his agony, and he yearned for the day to end.

During training, Izuku decided to wait for the others to leave the locker room so he could be alone. However, when he opened his locker, a horrifying sight greeted him – his hero suit had been torn apart, leaving him in shock and despair. He couldn't bear to comprehend the cruelty of the act.

With his hero suit ruined, Izuku chose to skip training and headed to see the recovery girl instead. As he walked past a room, he overheard voices – All Might and Nezu were talking about him. Intrigued and desperate for answers, he eavesdropped on their conversation, but the shocking revelation he heard left him reeling. Filled with despair, he quickly left before they could spot him, biting his finger to ground himself.

In a state of turmoil, Izuku found himself sprinting, his mind a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. His only concern now was finding a sanctuary away from the pain and betrayal, somewhere he could collect himself and decide on his next course of action.

WHY?

To be Continued 

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