Boku no Hero Academia ZX

Chapter 11: Memories

Izuku returned to Osaka, where after taking a stroll was pulled into an alleyway by some thugs.

"Hand us your money and we'll let you go." The gang leader said. 

Izuku didn't replied.

"Hey, I said-" The leader was cut off as Izuku knocked the pocket knife from his hand and stabbed it through the head, killing the leader. The rest of the thugs charged at him only to be killed. 

Izuku went to an empty playground and was going to smoke. Suddenly a person took the cigarette from behind. He turns and see that it was Prairie. 

"Wait... you... When did you-"

"The whole time." Prairie replied. 

"Whole time?" Izuku realized that she was the one who ordered the salad and also realized that she was following him this entire time. 

"If you proceed further with this kind of life, you won't be able to return as a human ever again. That's why I stopped you." She said.

"Why are you here?" Izuku asked, turning his head to the side.

"I feel responsible for what happened, too..." She looks up to the night sky. "The decision I make weren't appropriate. I should've told Giro to sta-"

"That's none of your business!" Izuku shouted. "He died because I wasn't strong enough!"

"And being strong involves killing?" Prairie asked, bring up the thugs he killed earlier.

"I- They deserved it! Just like this goddamn world!" He shouted.

"Do you want to be label a villain? Is this what your mother and Giro would've want for you?" 

Izuku lowered his head. "Then.. what are you saying I should do?" He asked.

"For starters, how about you have a decent meal?" Izuku lifted his head and looks at her. "A good meal may be the foundation for energy." 

"I'm eating properly." He argued.

"Can you say a diet of pizza and sweet soy sauce mochi skewers is decent?" She asked, pulling out a phone. "I'm sure it will calm you down." She dialed the number in before it picked up. "Hey, it's me. Yes. Thank you very much."

For some reason Izuku got angry. "I didn't say for you to set something up for me!"

She puts her phone away and stick up her index finger in front of him. "Just one bite. After that, I swear we'll never meet again."

"One bite? Really just one bite?" He asked.

"Yes, I promise." 

Izuku agreed and followed her to a house with the name 'Takajo' next to the door. Prairie told him that it was her family's last name. For this was her family home before the wars. They entered as she went into the kitchen. 

"Please watch some TV or something." She said.

"What are you going to make me eat?" Izuku asked.

"That's a surprise for you to see when it's done." She replied. 

Izuku laid down on the couch, watching some shows while Prairie was making the meal. He looks over then his vision changed to see his mother in the kitchen.

"Here, it's done." 

Izuku jumped after closing his eyes, startled by something. On the table was a plate of rice omelette with the word 'secret' written in sauce.

"Here you go." 

Izuku picked up the spoon and took a bite. The taste surprised him completely. "It's the same taste..."

Prairie smiled gently and said. "That makes me glad."

"How..."

Prairie pulled out a notebook from her bag with his other's name on it. "Your mother left behind a notebook of recipes. I took the liberty of borrowing it. The page with the omelette rice was the only one besides the Katsudon with a big flowery circle on it. Most likely, it was one of your favorite food in the past. Giro, after your mother was no longer around, saw that, and was probably recreating that taste to make you happy." 

Izuku had a flashback of when Giro made omelette rice for the two of them during work. Tears started to fall down his cheeks from those memories. "So that was... the last omelette rice..." He then started chugging down in tears with every bite. "Dammit... it's sweet, and tastes horrible... but what is this?" 

"It's not healthy for you to scarf down food. Please eat slowly." Prairie said.

Izuku finished as Prairie gave him some tea and a handkerchief. He drank the tea and covered his eyes with the handkerchief. 

"Hey, Prairie..." 

"Yes."

"What should I do from here on...?" He asked.

"You could return and help us fight the Mavericks?" Prairie suggested, shifting her eyes to the left.

"But you and I... We promised we would never have anything to do with each other again." He said.

"What are you talking about?" She said, acting confused.

""After I ate this... you said that's what would happen."

"You didn't eat just one bite. You ate all of it. I watched, thinking, "Wow, you really want to have something to do with me." Izuku smiles and takes off the handkerchief.

"Nothing less from you... Fine. I'll head back" He said. 

"I'm glad. We'll head back first thing in the morning. For now you can rest here." Prairie smiles.