Rejected Stones

Declination

Declination

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

-Winston Churchill

Izuku's eyes slowly peeled themselves open. He coughed, groaning. For some reason, his hand itched. He tried to scratch it, but nothing happened. He looked down. Right. His arm was gone. But it did itch.

The door opened, and a doctor walked in. She smiled at Izuku. "You're awake at last. We've had you in a medical coma for the last 36 hours. How do you feel?"

"Where's Mei?" Izuku croaked, his lips dry and cracked. "Is she safe?"

"Mei Hatsume is resting and recovering, just like you. She will be fine in a few days, as will you, young man. You'll be able to see her soon. But how are you doing?"

Izuku tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. "My hand itches. And...and everything hurts."

"We can do something for the pain. Here. Drink this. It's just water, don't worry." He tried to raise his arm to steady the cup, but his right sleeve only twitched. Instead, the doctor held it up for Izuku, who greedily gulped the water down. It was barely a swallow, but it felt like a lead weight going down his throat.

"Careful. Not too fast now. This should help with the pain." The doctor took out a needle, placing it into a slot in the IV connected to Izuku's remaining arm. "You need to rest. Don't worry. You're going to make it."

A warm sensation, like a tingling fire, ran up Izuku's arm. His eyelids fluttered shut, and he rode away into sleep on a warm tide.

When he awoke again, someone was sitting by his bed, snoring. He tried to sit up, but it was too hard. "Mom?"

"Izuku?" his mother gasped, suddenly sitting up. She reached out to hug Izuku, then hesitated, settling for a death grip on his left hand. "Oh God! Izuku! You're awake! I'm so sorry, I wasn't here the last time, I had just stepped out and-"

"Mom, it's OK," Izuku said, smiling. "I'm OK. We did it. Mei's alright."

"Oh, oh Izuku..." His mother burst into tears, clutching his hand.

Doctors came and went, and Izuku's mother stayed at his side for long hours, talking to him, mostly about whatever came into her head, from vacation's they'd taken when he was a child to playing in the rain when she was a girl. Izuku let the soothing stream of words wash over him. He drank a little water, and they fed him a clear, nearly tasteless broth. Then he slept again.

When he awoke, it wasn't his mother sitting at his bedside. "All...All Might?"

"Hey kid," the skeletal hero said, cracking a grin. His arms were in casts and there were bandages all over his head, and he was sitting in a wheelchair. What had happened to him? Well, Izuku knew that. The same thing that had happened to him.

"All Might...what...what happened?" Izuku whispered. "I know...I know you were hurt before, but...but it was like... like you lost your quirk."

All Might gave Izuku a crooked smile. "Yeah, well, now I'm just like you again. Another quirkless wannabe hero. Well, in your case, that's not much of a wannabe anymore."

That made Izuku flinch, and he glanced at where his right arm should have been. There was just an empty sleeve, pinned up to keep it shut.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry. I would say that an injury like that would keep you from ever becoming a hero, but frankly, that would be a lie. You're already a hero, Izuku Midoriya. And really, I think I've learned not to doubt you. You'll find a way past this."