Clockwork Rewrite

Chapter 4: An Old Friend

Summary of the previous chapter:

Inko takes Izuku to a pediatrician, where they have a discussion about the possibility of Izuku having an intelligence quirk. During the drive home, Izuku considers some things and Inko decides that Izuku needs a friend.

Chapter 4: An Old Friend

It wasn't often that you'd spot a lady standing outside your door, clutching a baby and shaking like a leaf. To say Inko was nervous would be an understatement.

Objectively, her worries were blown completely out of proportion in the eyes of most people, but there was really no telling what could happen!

What if they don't get along? What if Izuku's not ready for this? What if a villain attacks and the roof caves in and Izuku gets sent through a mysterious portal to god knows where!?

Wait, that last one was a little bit ridiculous--

"Inko!"

She snapped her head up to see a head of spiky blonde hair, and scarlet eyes staring back at her. She stood there for a moment, stunned and anxious.

Mitsuki chuckled good-naturedly, "Don't just stand there," she said, ushering her inside. "Come on in!"

Inko stepped through the door somewhat less anxious than when she arrived, relieved by Mitsuki's familiar face.

Walking in after her, Mitsuki led her to the living room where she saw a small toddler equipped with a familiar head of hair and the same pair ruby red eyes that greeted her at the door.

"Is this your son, Mitsuki?"

Mitsuki grinned, "Yup, his name is Katsuki. Look familiar at all?"

"Maybe a little bit," she replied teasingly.

Inko brought Izuku over to Katsuki and placed him next to him. Ruby red eyes turned to Izuku curiously, a small hand reaching out to grab his sleeve. Inko giggled, "Izuku," she gestured to Izuku, "and Katsuki," she gestured over to Katsuki.

Have you ever wondered how it feels to be sitting on the floor in front of the much younger version of your childhood bully? Because it's awkward. Really awkward.

I looked back at mini-Kacchan awkwardly. I didn't know what to do. Should I play with him or something? I'm supposed to be a baby, aren't I? That means I should like all these colourful toys.

I carefully picked up a few letter blocks, deciding to build something with them. I couldn't help but glance back at Kacchan every few seconds, shoulders tense.

Good thing I look like a child right now or this would've been really creepy. Honestly, it still kind of is.

Now logically I know that Kacchan won't try anything, he isn't even a year old yet after all, but old habits die hard, I guess. After years of being a victim of his aggression it's disconcerting being so close to him, even without his quirk.

Suddenly, I was snapped out of my thoughts by a small, chubby hand clutching my arm. His eyes were really intense for someone so young.

"Zuku," he said, as if trying to reaffirm it to himself. I just nodded awkwardly, to my embarrassment. He looked weirdly smug for a one-year-old.

I winced, either his grip was really strong, or my arms are still just as noodly as they were before I went back in time. It was probably the latter.

"Heroes," he demanded, handing me the figurine of some hero I couldn't remember the name of.

He took his All Might figurine, slammed the bad guy on the ground with it, "Bad guy all gone," he proclaimed, staring into my soul with intensity I certainly wasn't prepared to see from a baby, even if that baby was Kacchan.

I felt vaguely threatened.

Apparently Kacchan was terrifying straight out of the womb. I can't imagine how this meeting was for baby me—scratch that, I probably didn't even notice since I was barely alive.

Mitsuki handed me a freshly brewed cup of tea, and sat down at the table.

"So," she gestured for me to sit down opposite to her, "how have you been? I feel like it's been ages since we've talked like this."

I smiled, "It really has. Honestly, things have been a bit stressful lately... I had to bring Izuku to the doctor recently."

Her brows furrowed in concern, "Is he okay?"

"Oh yeah, he's completely fine. I wanted to talk to the doctor about whether I should take him to a quirk specialist."

"Has his quirk really manifested so early? It feels like he was born just yesterday."

"We think he has some sort of intelligence quirk. He was saying his first words when he was barely a few-months-old, and he was reading at only six-months-old! It isn't like he was taught how to either."

"Does your family have any history of intelligence quirks? I thought quirks could only come from a family member, or be a mixture of two. Katsuki's is a mixture of both of our quirks."

"I thought so too, but maybe it's some kind of mutation? My quirk is a mental quirk, and those tend to be pretty unpredictable..."

Mitsuki patted my shoulder reassuringly, "Well, it should be fine. At least he has a quirk, right? Isn't Hisashi first generation?"

I frowned, "Yeah... I suppose that's true. I can't even imagine how a quirkless person would be treated in this generation. At least when we were kids it was a bit more common, but today it's practically unheard of."

BANG!

We suddenly heard a loud noise from the living room. I glanced over in concern, turning to Mitsuki to see how she reacted.

She just looked exasperated, "That was Katsuki. We should probably go check on them."

I couldn't have nodded quicker.

"Well, I think--" she gasped, grabbing my mother's arm and directing her attention to the scene in front of her, "Oh Inko, they're so cute!"

Mom and Auntie came back in the room cooing at what they thought was an adorable scene, but in reality, was me being virtually threatened by a kid not even a fraction of my mental age.

"Kacchan, please," I gestured to my arm, hoping he would get the message.

He understood, to my relief, and let go, but before I had time to enjoy the lack of pressure on my arm I was bombarded by pictures and cooing parents.

I gazed back at my mother, spotting the relieved look on her face, and gave a small smile of my own.

At least this visit eased her worries a bit.