Chapter Text
Izuku was on vacation in Okayama with his mom, celebrating Golden Week as a family. It was just the start of his last year in Junior High--just under a year until he applied for U.A. no matter what Kacchan said about it. Things had gotten really rough between them over the last week, when he said… well, what he said. Izuku’s mom had probably noticed how bad he felt after that, since she put this vacation plan together so quickly.
I should get something to thank her , Izuku thought to himself, walking along the paths through the rural area. His mom was sleeping in this morning, so he’d taken the opportunity to slip out and do a little exploring. He left a note, of course--he didn’t want to give her a heart attack--but he couldn’t hold back the urge to get out there. He had to explore the capital of Best Jeanist’s birth prefecture!
The city was surprisingly old-feeling, the history and legacy shining through despite the ages that had passed. Maybe I should try and get something that captures that mood? It seemed better than just getting a souvenir from a gift shop, and he had some money saved up that could see better use than adding yet another hero figurine or plushie to his collection. He was pretty sure he was up to date on the All Might merchandise collection anyway, and the Wild, Wild Pussycats didn’t really put out as much so he didn’t have to worry about that. There were a couple other heroes he was following, but those were the big ones at the moment.
But what sort of present would be able to capture that rustic, historic feeling? There weren’t a lot of stores around compared to somewhere like Kyoto or Tokyo, and finding just the right gift would--
“Excuse me, there,” an elderly woman’s voice startled Izuku out of his thoughts. “I couldn’t help overhearing you, you see,” she continued, making Izuku realize he hadn’t just been thinking, he’d slipped into mumbling again. “If you need something for a gift, you might want to try this shop down the hill. There’s a store along the pathway to an old shrine, so if you get something there, you might be able to get the kami to bless it, too.”
“Oh! Thanks, ma’am,” Izuku answered, smiling brightly. He ran down to check out the shop, waving to the lady as he went.
“It’s no problem at all, child,” the elderly lady called down as he went. “Have a happy Greenery Day!”
The store in question was pretty humble-looking, the sort you might expect to be a long-running family business. Well, it might actually be one, Izuku thought, opening the door; immediately, he was hit by the smell of old wood and fine incense, the sound of wooden wind chimes clacking in the air with the help of a little whirring fan.
The shopkeeper was an older gentleman, around the same age as the woman who had recommended the store, and he greeted Izuku warmly. “Welcome to my store. What might you be looking for today?”
Izuku took a moment to look around before answering. Time-worn pots with all sorts of painting styles decorating them, historic statues, old wood cuts, furniture and paintings… there was a lot of variety, but it all gave off this unshakeable feeling of age and refinement. An antique shop? That would be perfect for what he was after, but it might be a bit beyond his price range after all. Still, there was nothing to do but ask. “I’m actually uh, l-looking for a gift for my mom, see, she--”
“Say no more. A dutiful child looking out for their parent is always something I’m happy to see. Here, let’s take a look at what we’ve got for you today…”
It took a while, but they were able to find a nice little teapot painted with a cloud pattern that was within Izuku’s price range… well, it was after the discount that the old man insisted on giving him for ‘brightening up my day.’ They came to another stumbling point when an elegant rose-shaped gold brooch with a pearl in the center fell out of the teapot while the shopkeeper was packing it, though.
“Oh--Sorry!” Izuku said, quickly picking it back up. “I didn’t know that was in there! I don’t think it’s damaged or anything, but--”
“It’s fine, child,” the gentleman said, his surprise melting into that warm smile again. “Actually, why don’t you keep it for yourself?”
“I-I couldn’t--You’re already lowering the price so much--”
“No, I insist. It was with the teapot, so they’re clearly meant to go together. Besides, you deserve a souvenir yourself, don’t you?”
“But--but I--”
“I know you don’t want to be rude. Just think of it as a gift from a nosy old man. You look like you could use some more kindness in your life anyway.”
Izuku fell silent at that, bowing deeply to the old man in gratitude. They finished the transaction, and he carried the teapot and brooch up to the shrine to pray there before heading back.
Inko had loved it, of course. She’d also agreed that the brooch should be Izuku’s, and even set it on his shirt herself. He’d ended up wearing it the entire rest of the vacation, and even after getting back to Musutafu, he’d grown so attached to the elegant petal design that he kept wearing it, even if he had to hide it under his jacket or tie to keep Kacchan from seeing it.
A couple of weeks later, things were more or less back to normal. Izuku walked to school, got mocked by his classmates, felt uncomfortable in his own skin (especially during physical education), and Kacchan got all the attention and praise in the world. Then, after school, Izuku would avoid Kacchan and go watch heroes in action, or check out the latest news, maybe scope out the shops. He still didn’t have enough money to buy anything after getting his mom that teapot, but it was definitely worth it.
The biggest difference was that he still had his brooch. As dangerous as it was to wear something so… so girly to school, the brooch made him feel more comfortable and relaxed, helping him get through the day. At some point the weight had just stopped registering in his mind, enough that not wearing it felt stranger.
It was during one of these normal walks home, though, that everything changed.
It started when a villain attacked. For once, though, it wasn’t Izuku’s fault he was nearby.
He’d spent the day in Roppongi, trying to get into a charity event held by All Might ! He wasn’t able to talk to the Number One Hero, of course, but catching sight of him in person had Izuku giddy enough that he wasn’t paying much attention to his surroundings on his way back home.
While he moved through Azabu-Juban on the way back home, though, Izuku heard a distorted laugh coming from a little ways ahead. When he turned to see what was going on, across the crowds of people a red oni -looking man was forming out of the shadows of an alley, dressed in torn-up pants with a rope acting as a belt. The oni man hefted up an iron club fitting his looks, and swung.
Izuku yelled out a warning, running forward to push the person who was about to get hit. Unfortunately, that meant Izuku got hit instead, slumping to the ground with a sickening crack. He looked down, not quite feeling the pain yet, until… Oh god, my leg! Legs aren’t supposed to bend like that!
It seemed that only then did anyone else even notice the villain, running away as they screamed in terror. Heedless to their cries and Izuku’s growing panic, he scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Oho! You can see me as clear as day, can’t you, kid? And here I thought we’d gotten rid of the last of you punks years ago.”
That startled Izuku out of the growing terror filling him, drawing his attention back up to the villain. He couldn’t quite get his words together, but the confusion must have been plain on his face. The large man chuckled, reaching down and pulling Izuku’s coat open to expose the brooch.
“There, there it is. Looks a little different than usual, though… You don’t even know what you are, do you?” More confusion was all the villain got, and he shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, what can ya do, kid? You’re interrupting my fun here, after all.” The club raised up again, and a mad gleam shone in the oni ’s eyes. “See ya in the next life!”
Izuku flinched, closing his eyes to brace for the blow just like he had so many before. When a second, then two, then three passed without any harm, he dared to open his eyes again. Instead of an empty city street and a strong villain, though, a bright, blinding light was pouring out from the center of Izuku’s brooch. He reached up to grab it, acting entirely on instinct, and his head was filled with the same shining light.
He felt weightless, his sense of time completely gone, and the pain welling in his leg started to fade back into the background. The light dimmed, and Izuku found himself standing upright, his formerly-broken leg held together by some kind of light ribbon wrapped around it. Speaking of new things on him though WHAT WAS HE WEARING!?
As far as he could tell, it was some kind of half-length pink jacket held closed by his brooch, ending in petals on the hem and sleeves, with a skirt of all things covering him from the hips down to his knees. He could feel an undershirt covering his midriff, and aside from the light ribbon, his legs had some kind of tight fabric on, covered part-way by boots. His neck and ears felt different too, and it took a moment of feeling each to realize he was wearing a choker and dangling earrings.
“W-wha--why--!?” He couldn’t get out much else, stammering in his confusion. Once more, though, he was snapped to attention by the voice of the villain in the area, hearing him roar with effort. Izuku barely moved back in time to avoid the club hurtling towards his head in a sideways swipe.
“GRRAAGH! Damnit, too slow. Shoulda just killed ya when I had the chance, eh? Well, nothin’ says I can’t fix my mistake now--that rat ain’t here to tell you how to use the damn thing, after all!” The villain swung his club again, and again he just barely missed--Izuku could feel it brushing against his ponytail as he ducked under the swing--since when was his hair long enough to put in a ponytail!?
No time for that! He thought to himself, pulling up his best effort at a fighting stance. He’d probably be in all kinds of trouble for this later, but for now he at least had to survive long enough to get away and get a pro’s help.
He kept stepping back to avoid swing after swing, dodging and ducking the massive beating stick. After a while, things fell into an oddly familiar rhythm, though; the dodging was less frantic and desperate, each uneasy movement getting more comfortable. Why? Well, when he thought about it, it was pretty simple: He was already used to barrages of attacks like this. The only differences were that they usually came from someone his own size, and much more explosively.
I never thought I’d have a reason to be grateful for how sour my friendship with Kacchan ended up going, he thought, stifling the urge to chuckle nervously at his own weird luck. That luck kept on going, though, each dodge coming more steadily until-- There!
He lashed out with a punch as the oni villain swung again, trying to get in a solid hit before his assailant could recover. The punch landed on the villain’s side, making him clutch it in pain as Izuku turned and ran, getting more ground. There wasn’t anywhere to go, though--and only now did he realize that the other people hadn’t run as far away as he’d hoped. Just like those hero fights he’d been checking out just the other day, they were hanging on just out of what they thought was the reach of danger. People were laughing, pointing… he couldn’t stand it.
That moment’s distraction was all it took for the villain to be able to retaliate, though. The club hit Izuku in the back, and Izuku hit the wall of a building. He crumpled off of the wall, but to his (and, from the gasps and shouts around him, the crowd’s) surprise, he hadn’t broken anything this time. Some kind of armor, maybe…?
“Armor, huh?” the villain asked, making Izuku want to slap his own forehead. I really need to fix that muttering habit! “If it’s armor, then I’ll just aim for your head! Hold still and die for me, would ya?!”
Heck no! Obviously, Izuku wasn’t going to just do that, so he started dodging again. Now that he could hear the people around him again--now that he wasn’t subconsciously tuning everyone out--Izuku was sure to avoid leading the villain over to them. He couldn’t make out anything anyone was saying, though, until a deep, rumbling voice called out from above.
“YOU’RE DOING FINE, KID! NOW TOUCH THAT SHINING FLOWER OVER YOUR CHEST AND SHOUT THE WORDS THAT COME TO YOUR HEART!”
“Y-Yes sir!” Izuku answered, more out of reflex than anything. He raised his right hand to his brooch, still working to keep his distance. The oni tried even harder to land a blow, though, desperation making the swing go wide. He tried to figure out just what that voice wanted him to say, hesitating briefly. Another, more feminine and lighter voice called out next.
“DON’T OVERTHINK THINGS! JUST LET IT ALL OUT, NO MATTER HOW CHEESY YOU SOUND!”
Izuku startled a bit at that, which nearly got him hit again, but the words were coming together in his head, and the light under his hand was getting surprisingly intense. “Th-though our petals may fall …”
“LOUDER!!!” Both voices called out this time, along with a lot of the crowd. Izuku’s heart was trying to slam through his chest at this point, and he just blurted it all out as fast and loud as he could.
“THOUGH OUR PETALS MAY FALL, EVERMORE SHALL WE REACH FOR THE HEAVENS ABOVE! ROSE SKY WAND!”
To Izuku’s amazement, a wand really was sprouting out from the brooch’s petals, pressing into his hand. He pulled it the rest of the way out. The wand ended in a blossoming rose flower, the light from his brooch held in the petals’ center. Still moving on instinct, he brought the Rose Sky Wand forward, aiming at the oni . With a flare of intent the light shot forth, blasting into the villain’s chest to slam him right into the wall where Izuku had impacted not even five minutes ago.
Izuku watched carefully, panting for breath. His opponent staggered, tried to stand… and collapsed, his club rolling away. The cheer of the crowd was deafening, and Izuku looked around for those voices that had helped him so much. Now that he thought of it, they sounded like…
“LOCK ON WITH THESE SPARKLING EYES! FROM NOWHERE WE ARRIVE!”
No way!!! Yep! It was two of the Wild, Wild Pussycats! He was finally going to meet two of his favorite heroes! He was going to… he was going to…
He was totally going to jail for vigilantism, wasn’t he?
Tiger laughed, and walked over to the two exhausted combatants. “You did a good job, kid. For someone who can’t have even started high school yet, that is.”
Mandalay nodded, and put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder while Tiger moved to apprehend the villain. “Don’t worry too much--we’ll handle the legal end of things. But in exchange, we’re going to need to talk with you in private for a while, alright?”
Izuku didn’t really have a choice--he nodded, holding onto the small light of hope as tightly as the wand in his hand.
True to Mandalay’s word, the Wild, Wild Pussycats were able to smooth things over with the police using some obscure technicality Izuku couldn’t quite overhear. Not that he was interested in an excuse for more vigilantism, of course, but he just wanted to know what was going on, especially with how much confusing stuff had happened in the last hour or two, or… how long had it been, again?
Tiger walked into the room where Izuku was being kept while they waited for his mom to come get him. He was smiling, as far as Izuku could tell, and he handed over a glass of cold water before sitting across from the bewildered teenager.
“So, Midoriya, I imagine you have a lot of questions. I have a few of my own, as it turns out. You see, that brooch…”
“Oh, this? I uh--I don’t actually know how to get it off,” Izuku said, fiddling with the jewelry in question. It was stuck--as was the rest of the outfit. As near as he could tell, he was basically sewn into the clothes with no way out.
Tiger chuckled lightly, shaking his head. “No, that’s not what I meant. As far as getting back in your old clothes, though, try pressing the flower of your rose wand back against the brooch and think of all the good you’ve done today. The lives you saved.”
Izuku followed his instructions carefully, and in another flash of light he’d gone back to the street clothes he was wearing before. His leg was still wrapped in the light ribbon, which he guessed was probably keeping him from feeling the break--it didn’t look like he’d really healed after all, just held himself together.
“Now, as I was saying, the other Pussycats and I all interned under the same hero before we formed our team. Our mentor used a brooch a lot like that, though hers was a seashell. She was--”
“Shoal Reef, right?” Izuku cut in, smiling brightly. “She was a great rescue hero who focused on oceanside areas, with her incredible hydrokinesis quirk making a cinch out of any trouble at sea!”
“That’s right.” Tiger’s tone was wistful, and as the hero looked down, Izuku remembered how long it had been since Shoal Reef was last seen. “She was. But--her story, I’ll tell you about it later. The important part is that, while I might be the first openly transgender hero in Japan, there were others who kept their status secret. Others like her. For a maiden who needs to come out of their shell, or have a chance to bloom into the person she is in her heart, a brooch like that appears.”
“But--but I’m not… I don’t think so, anyway, I…” Izuku paused, thinking about it. Really, actually thinking about it, under Tiger’s gaze.
“As far as Shoal or I ever knew, those have never appeared or worked for anyone who wasn’t a maiden at heart. The other Pussycats were all able to use hers, but I couldn’t. That was the last piece of evidence I needed, back when I was questioning my own identity. You shouldn’t take it as absolute proof, of course, but it might be worth looking into.”
Izuku nodded, already feeling a bit more comfortable at the idea that tonight might not have been a mistake, that Izuku might not have been a mistake. Might not be truly defective or broken. That there might be a way for Izuku to feel better and be a hero.
“While you could and should explore that on your own, there’s the matter of your new power, too. If you wouldn’t mind, we’d like to do our mentor proud and help raise her successor, if you will.” Wait, did Tiger actually mean what Izuku thought he meant!? “We’d like to help teach you, and help you get into U.A.’s Hero Course. It’ll be a lot of hard work, but if you give it your all, I’m sure you’ll make us all proud. What do you say, Midoriya?”
What else could Midoriya say, but yes?