He's Back

Prologue: Part Two

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Chapter 0: Tragedy

‼️ This chapter contains mentions of death and other dark topics

III

Izuku wiped his tears with his sleeve. There was no use in feeling sorry for himself. He refused to lose his pride. What would All Might, his idol, think? He could imagine his voice in his head.

Remember! With enough hard work kids, you can be a hero just like me

The sky was a musty shade of depressing grey. It's like the world felt the same way he did.

Izuku ignored his sadness and took a deep, relaxing breath of fresh air before walking home.

As he passed by the scenery of his hometown, Izuku managed to find joy. Even if it was in the simplest things, like the scarlet mailbox with a thumbs-up sticker on the front. It was almost like it was cheering him on.

"You can't just go around telling people to kill themselves, Kacchan. That's not how a future hero would act. And what would happen if I really did jump?"

Izuku hated that he even considered the thought for a second, although he was pretty out of it at the time. Katsuki had really left him there to bleed.

There was no way he'd give Katsuki the satisfaction of giving up. Especially not on his life.

The underpass was surrounded by a beautiful lush garden. It was surely a highlight of his walk home, even if the inside of the underpass was vandalized throughout with graffiti.

"I feel much better now." Izuku murmured to himself. That was until, a disturbing noise starting bubbling up through the vent to the sewage.

"Hm?" Izuku stopped dead in his tracks as a grim shadow loomed over.

"A medium-sized body. Perfect." crooned the garbled distorted voice that could only belong to a villain.

Izuku didn't have enough time to yell for help before a green viscous slime covered his mouth and nose. It smelt putrid, but there was something far more disturbing and urgent.

Izuku couldn't breathe.

His heartbeat sped up rapidly. Perhaps it was his fight or flight reflex, although it was a bit off-timed. Izuku desperately scratched at anywhere his arms could still reach. He could feel his life escaping him. How ironic. This was happening right after Izuku swore not to take Bakugou's advice.

He was going to die an unfair death. Katsuki would get what he wanted. His mother would be devastated. It was just fate. He wasn't meant to be a hero, was he?

I'm sorry mom.

Izuku stopped fidgeting as he felt his eyes start to close. This was the end.

"I AM HERE!"

Izuku's eyes creaked open one last time. Maybe it was an illusion. Or maybe..

All Might..

Maybe Izuku Midoriya would live to see another day.

III

There was a sequence of equally-spaced taps to Izuku's face. Izuku felt wind brush over his skin and his sight get a little brighter.

"Kid? Are you ok?"

Izuku whimpered a bit, opening one eye slightly. His whole body felt sore as if he had just done a marathon.

"Am I alive?" asked Izuku, now with both eyes slowly creaking open. It felt like a fever dream. He was almost completely certain that he had died. And it must be a heavenly illusion that the Number One hero was standing right over him.