Damned

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was midday and Izuku walked down the familiar forest. His hands were stuffed into his jeans and he looked up at the cloudy sky. Cotton balls floated around in the heavens and the brilliant sun was hidden behind a fairly large cloud. The woodlands did not seem as eerie as the last time and Izuku took in the beauty.

The tall trees' leafs were a vibrant green and seemed to filled to the brim with life. The trees' bark was a dark brown and seemed to have the occasional scratch from small rodents, but the beauty was still stunning. Midoryia was growing to love Ochaco's hometown more and more each day, but he was on his solo hike for reasons beyond sightseeing.

Deku stopped in the middle of the woods when he found a large opening, the boy popped his knuckles and took a deep breath. He was about to start playing a dangerous game, but he had to give it a try. The boy closed his bright green eyes and focused.

Midoryia dipped into his vast well of power and felt the rush through his veins. Izuku could see the dark flame that resided inside of him, but at the moment it was just a spark, a fire begging to be given fuel. He starred at what he could control, but he knew there was so much more.

.....

Uraraka wiped the sweat from her brow and unscrewed the cap of her water bottle. The girl then took a sip of the drink and let out a refreshed Ahh. The girl's physical therapist sat down on the same bench and asked an innocent question."Where is that one boy, ya know the plain lookin' one ?"

"Deku ?"

"Yeah him."

"He said he had somethin' to do, but he's gonna be back before we finish up."

.....

Deku fell to a knee and grimaced as his power began to overtake him. He had forgotten the hate that flowed through him when he used it, but he knew he needed to concur his demons. Midoryia began to fight off the emotions, but then it did what always did, flashed memories through his mind.

Midoryia was back in the place where Dakyoi trained him years ago. The building was dark as ever, and the only sources of light were dimly lit torches. The two stood in the middle of a large platform and in their hands were swords. Dakyoi held his signature blade, and Izuku welded a weapon given to him by the man.

"Raise your weapon boy." Izuku did as the man commanded and held the blade in a defensive position. The tall man gave Izuku a quick strike and Deku easily blocked the attack."You're a quick learner, that's much better than yesterday." The bearded man then did something unexpected and kicked Izuku in the knee, which dropped the boy to the ground."But you should always be ready for a fight to take an unexpected turn." The man the slashed Midoryia's bare back with his sharp blade.

Midoryia groaned in pain and stabbed his blade into the ground below him so he did not collapse completely. The boy then slowly stood up and wobbly swayed back and forth."You're tough I must admit. No matter how much I beat on you, you always stand back up; that is quite commendable." Dakyoi then barked to Deku,"Turn around and strike me down !"

Izuku turned and grimaced as he moved, but he was able to raise his blade despite his deep cut. The boy's mentor at the time then ordered,"Take a swing at me. Give me everything you have !" Midoryia did as the man asked and thrusted the blade towards the man shoulder, but Dakyoi caught the blade in his left hand. Blood dripped from the man's hand, but there was no grimace or even a grunt, but instead a disappointed look. The terrifying man then jabbed his blade through Izuku's stomach and sighed,"I told you that every strike you throw whether it be with your fist or sword must be delivered with the intent to kill." Dakyoi then pushed the blade farther through Midoryia's body and smiled a blood began to drip from the corners of the boy's mouth.

The flashback made the fire within Izuku burn with more vigor than before, but the boy could still control it, but his power was only giving him a taste of his anger. His ability then gave the boy his biggest handicap.

Izuku was thrown into another memory, but this one was much more painful. The boy was in a familiar cozy home. The walls were a jade green and littered with family photos of him and his mother. The two seemed happy and thankful for one another. Izuku then turned and looked into the living room of the home. Affordable furniture should have  been present, and it was, but most of it had been forcefully split into many pieces.

Dakyoi held a chubby, green-haired woman in his right arm and gave Midoryia a deathly glare. The evil man tightened his grip around the woman's neck and Izuku could make out Inko struggling for air."Z-Z-Zuku." That was all the woman could mutter in her struggle.

Izuku's eyes were watery as he clinched his fist."Let her go !"

Dakyoi's actions were sadistic as always, and instead he increased his grip on the woman. Izuku charged at the man, but Dakyoi evaded Izuku like he was a speeding bull and put his boot into the boy buttocks. The kick sent Deku flying into one of the green walls, and many photos fell from their vantage point."You lack control as usual."

The freckled boy scrambled to his feet and raised his fist."This is between me and you, not her !"

"That's where you are wrong child, she's exactly what is holding you back. I gave you a simple task, but you were too weak to obey my orders."

"I-I'm not going to kill him !"

"You won't take the life of the man who shunned you ! The man who waved you off like a gnat !" Dakyoi then pointed at himself."I gave you something men dream of, when he wouldn't even give you a spark of hope for that childish dream of yours. All you had to do was kill that damn hero and you would be one step closer to completing your training, and we'd be a step closer to completing everything !"

Deku lunged at the man, but then the memory went black.

Izuku fell to the ground and screamed in agony as he tried to fight off the darkness. The flame was raging like never before, but Izuku couldn't let it win. Tears streamed out the boy's magenta eyes as he rolled on the ground.

.....

The blond woman that was aiding Ochaco in her recovery allowed for the girl to wrap an arm around her neck and the two took steps. Uraraka made it five steps before she nearly fell to the floor below, but the woman caught her before she hit the ground. The lady then helped Ochaco back up and help the girl back to the bench."That was great Uraraka ! You're progressing fast."

The brunette smiled at the woman."Well I need to get better cause Deku would do the same, and plus I kinda want to take him somewhere before summer ends."

Did the flashback confuse ya'll or what?  I'm kinda worried they were.