Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Inko sobbed softly as she handed her baby to the social service worker. The mother hated having to hand over her child, but she could barely keep herself afloat since Hisashi, her husband, had left. If Izuku was to have any chance in life, she would have to let him go.
“M-Make sure he finds himself in a good home, please” She begged the social worker, tears still glittering in her eyes
“Don’t worry ma’am, that’s our job” With that reassurance, Inko Midoriya left, wincing as she heard her baby starting to wail, missing his mother’s warmth. With a deep pain in her heart, the petite woman exited the building, believing that she had done what was best for her son. It was at this point, that the future of Izuku Midoriya became intertwined with forces more ancient and powerful than quirks ever were.

Izuku was immediately forced into Foster Care where he was brought into the house of a bitter, older couple. They held themselves to old traditions, believing that children required a firm hand and “tough love”, as if what they gave could be considered love at all. While he may have had what was essential to survive, he lacked a major component to live. The lack of love was worsened as they discovered that the foster child they had taken was quirkless, of all things. For several years he suffered a spiteful family, until that day came. The day where he became much more than just Izuku. The day that sent him spiraling down a path he himself could not see the end of. A path that would skew the priorities of himself and duty; where his heart’s desire were forced to take a back seat.
The Festival of Fire was a celebration in Amatsu, a nearby village to where the couple lived, and one of the few events they took part in. It was said that the festival originated when a priest managed to calm an erupting volcano with a song that made the heavens glow in delight. They had shoved him into an ugly looking yukata for the festival so he didn’t “give the image of a delinquent.” The suggestion he was a delinquent was actually something the boy took great offense to. With little to drown his loneliness in but books, the emerald-eyed ten year old had become extremely intelligent, as well as rather bitter and scornful. Of course, showing that side to his foster parents would earn him a punishment, so he kept it all bottled up.

The event was actually quite dull, and no one seemed to be there, letting an understanding fill Izuku about why his bitter foster parents enjoyed it. The trio made their way up to a temple where a few others seemed to be at, several striding up to a pedestal displayed to the public. Izuku watched curiously as a young girl went up to it and bowed once before reaching an open palm out to what rested atop it. A beautiful necklace that held a fiery-red ruby, shaped to resemble a flame. Upon seeing a few other parents sending their children to the altar, the woman insisted to her husband that Izuku do the same.
“Well? You heard your mother, boy, go!” The man shoved the young boy towards the pedestal, making him grunt and mutter under his breath. He approached the necklace, rolling his eyes as he bowed. For a beat, there was nothing. Then, a sudden heat seemed to sweep across the entire area. The forest-haired boy snapped up, eyes meeting a flaming necklace, emitting a beautiful sound from within. A cheer erupted from the small crowd, more joining in.

“The Fire Qualia has chosen!”

“We have a new Priest!”

“Amatsu has been blessed once more!”

Izuku ignored them all as he reluctantly reached for the necklace, eyes widening as he discovered the flames that licked along his hand were just pleasantly warm. His hand closed around the gem and the warmth seemed to flow directly into his heart. He gasped at the feeling, bringing the necklace close to his chest. A glow enveloped the young boy, the heat growing more intense around the crowd. With the sound of a crackling flame, the glow exploded out, blinding everyone for a second, the scene before them dazzling them as they regained their sight. The once ugly clothes had been transformed into a scarlet red yukata, embroidered with gold designs. His sleeves ended in sashes that resembled flames, and an ornate hair piece, resembling a red magatama, decorated his head of juniper locks. He could feel his jaw drop as he stared at his transformation. A monk from the monastery ran up to the young boy, bowing deeply.“We have long awaited your arrival your lordship”

“L-Lordship? I’m just a kid!” Izuku felt slightly panicked, truly confused by what was happening.
“That is no attitude for the Priest of Amatsu to have! Anyways we must have a word with you, did you come here alone?” Upon receiving a no, the monk asked him to point out his guardians. His eyes followed a pointed finger, seeing the elderly couple and quickly ushering the trio into the building. The glares from his foster parents annoyed the freckled boy as they arrived within a room of the monastery normally reserved for the high priest or priestess of the monastery.

“I am sure that you are all extremely confused by what occurred outside-” “You bet we are! What on earth was that and what is that boy wearing?!”The old man spoke up, interrupting the monk and angrily gesturing at Izuku “It’s ridiculous looking and disgraceful”
“I will have to ask you to calm yourself sir!” The monk stood abruptly, eyes blazing “That is the garb of the Fire Witch and High Priest of Amatsu! Your son now holds the power to revitalize our village once more!”

“Bah, the boy isn’t our son, he’s just some foster child that got dumped on us-” Unable to hold back his tongue, Izuku exploded with rage.
“Dumped on you?! How dare you, you bitter, old bastard!” The room began heating up as the child raged at his guardians “Why on earth are you registered as foster parents if you treat children so horribly?! You two share less brain cells than a mentally-challenged goldfish!”

The monk was quick to begin calming the jungle-haired boy, ushering him to sit down. He then turned sharply to the older couple.
“Since you people clearly don’t appreciate this child, how would you feel if we took him off your hands?” The man gained a scrutinizing look as he stared at the monk.
“...Go on”
“We will take his lordship onto our care and we don’t alert the foster care system of your blunders” Fierce emerald eyes narrowed on the monk, furious at the thought of the two people somehow getting their grubby hands on another child “And we will pay you with reserve money from the Temple’s coffers.
“Deal” The man was quick to agree, making Izuku growl

“Now hold on a minute! I am not some object to be bought, I am-” He was interrupted as the monk pulled him aside.
“I understand your lordship, and we have no plans to truly let these people escape after such abhorrent treatment to you, but right now your safety is our top priority” He gestured to a door with the a kanji for “Fire” labeled on it “I will handle everything, please go and make yourself at home in your new room.”

The freckled boy gave a scrutinizing glance at the man next to him, staying silent for a beat, before sighing and complying with the suggestion. He entered the room, jaw dropping slightly at how lavishly it was decorated, not expecting it from a Temple of all things. The room was well-maintained and filled with tasteful decor. In the right corner of the room, there was a large bureau next to a vanity that was both painted a crimson red, highlighted with gold paint. In another corner there was a low table with several cushions set around, an elegant tea set sitting in the middle. His breath caught as his eyes finally caught sight of the bed. It was held in the center of one of the walls, being a large king size bed. Above was a beautiful canopy that had sheer curtains framing it. He ran his hands along the silken sheets, before plopping down onto the mattress, sighing at the soft feeling. He laid down onto the, obviously expensive, mattress, smiling as his head met the soft down of the luxurious pillows. Within minutes, he was lost to the world of the living as he fell into a deep sleep.

He awoke to a gentle nudging at his side, blearily opening his eyes to see the monk from before standing there. He pulled himself into a sitting position as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.
“Um, hi?”

“Greetings your lordship, I apologize for waking you from your sleep, but the deal between us and your guardians is complete. For now, you are a ward of our temple” He bows deeply to Izuku, making the boy feel awkward.
“So… I never actually got your name Mr…” He jumped a little as the monk quickly snapped out of his bow.
“How thoughtless of me! I am Kenji your lordship, and I am the one who has been appointed to train you as the new Priest of Amatsu and Fire Witch-”

“Wait, Fire Witch?! I know about somehow being a priest but what’s this about being a witch?! What on earth is happening here? Are you insane-”
“I know you must be confused your lordship, but if you calm down, all will be explained” The juniper-haired youth reluctantly quieted down, relaxing on the bed as he took several deep breaths before nodding “That gem you saw in the courtyard, the one that now resides in your heart is known to us as the Qualia of Fire.”
Izuku brought his hand to his heart, feeling the warmth that was emanating from the spot. He quickly looked up to Kenji, eyes full of questions.

“Resides in my heart? How can some random jewel do something like that?”
“The Qualia of Fire is still full of mysteries, all we know is that it has been in Amatsu’s history for centuries. It has picked many priests and priestesses for our village, granting them unique powers-”
“Powers?! Are you saying it gave them a quirk?!” The monk chuckled at the starry emerald eyes that stared intently at him.

“In a way I suppose, but the powers of the Qualia seemed to originate even before the beginning of quirk phenomena.”
“Does that mean that the first quirk wasn’t that glowing child?” Izuku’s eyes bugged out at the implications of such an idea. This meant that things long dismissed as fantasy, dragons, wizards, demons. They could have been real.

“I mean that there are forces older and stronger than quirks. Ancient and divine in their power” Kenji spoke with reverence as he explained his own theory ''Are you aware of how the Festival of Fire came to be correct?”
“Some priest managed to stop a volcano from erupting right? It sounded like some random coincidence or staged event”
“The Festival of Fire isn’t just some day of remembrance of the actions of a singular person. It celebrates the tens of priests and priestesses that calmed the Gohra Volcano” Kenji slipped a scroll from his sleeve and opened it to reveal a drawing of a woman, in a similar garb to Izuku, surrounded by glowing music staves “It is said that their song had a mystical power that had attuned itself with the volcano. There has not been a new witch in many years, not until you came along, your lordship. The volcano eventually erupted completely, scattering the townspeople and leaving few to rebuild. It has been dormant for several years now, the previous eruption’s devastation lessened by the existence of old heroes”

“You mean that there is actually some chance that I’m… magic?” Izuku may have had to grow up faster than other children, but he still held that child-like wonder within him that all kids do.
“Indeed your lordship. If you accept it, I would like to help train you in the ways of Amatsu priesthood and the Fire Witch. Will you accept me as your teacher?” Kenji got on one knee, kneeling before Izuku.
“... I am under your care Kenji-sensei. Teach me please” The two met eyes and smiled. Izuku was going to make something of himself, free of the bitter elderly couple that raised him, and Kenji was happy to help him.

Chapter Text

“Tch, stupid fucking field trip. We should be training, not going to some stupid little village for a shitty parade”

“Oh come on Bakubro! The Festival of Fire sounds wild! I can’t wait till we get there!” The red-haired teen, known as Eijirou Kirishima, elbowed his, maybe, friend, Katsuki Bakugou “Who knows what’ll be there. Apparently there’s a new Head Priest in the Amatsu monastery after a century of not having one.”

“Who cares about some dusty old priest in some musty monastery?!”

“That’s the thing, Boom-boom boy!” Red eyes glared at the pink-skinned student, Mina Ashido “I heard that the priest is the same age as us! Even better, he has the singing voice and looks of an idol!”

“Ugh, are you seriously fanboying over some teen who probably has some holier-than-thou attitude?” The blonde crossed his arms as he glanced out the window “Don’t get why they took us here in the first place.”

“Oh please Bakugou, you’re hardly one to talk” Mina snickered as Kirishima held the blonde from possibly maiming the girl horribly.

“It’s a time to relax after the Sports Festival and internships, especially with all the unmanly nastiness that went on with the Hero Killer.” Kirishima pointed over to another group, all gazing out the window as they talked animatedly between themselves “Iida got really roughed up, if it wasn’t for Aizawa-sensei and Shinsou being in the area, things could have gone south”

“Tch, since when are you smart shitty hair?” The redhead just laughed at his friend’s words, knowing it was just how he was. A dual colored head watched the group, already used to their antics. He turned his eyes out the window, staring at the mountain view.

 The bus the U.A Heroics Class was taking finally came to a stop, right by a beautifully ornate gate, lit by the soft glow of paper lanterns that all had the kanji for fire painted on them. As they descended from the bus, they met up with 1-B, who were also on the same trip. Their teacher, Sekijiro Kan, more commonly known as Pro Hero Vlad King, moved over to talk with 1-A’s teacher, Shouta Aizawa,  the Underground Hero Eraserhead. While it was true that this was a vacation of sorts for the two classes, the two pros were given their own set of objectives once they arrived in Amatsu.

The Fire Monastery had contacted Nezu during the week of internships, revealing that the head priest of the monastery had been having certain troubles, and that these troubles had a possibility of putting Amatsu in danger during the festival. Nezu had conceded to assist the village of Amatsu, sending the classes under the cover of a break so the heroes wouldn’t be regarded with suspicion in case the problems talked about came from villains. The chimera had wanted to send more of his staff, but putting untrained students into a dangerous situation would have been reckless, and the curriculum of U.A was far too advanced for a proper substitute to be found. This was why he had personally used a favor Yagi Toshinori, known almost exclusively as by his hero name “All Might '',had owed him to go in his civilian form to Amatsu and be ready for anything.

 Two monks were standing by the gate, welcoming in the guests. One of them noticed the class moving over.

“Ah, you must be from the U.A Heroics course, we were notified of your arrival. The Priest had heard of your arrival and wished to speak with all of you personally” One of them leaned in conspiratorially “His lordship is a rather large fan of heroes, despite the composure he emits”

“Well we look forward to meeting this priest,” Aizawa stepped forward “Where will we be meeting him?”

“We will lead you to the Monastery in which he resides. Normally, during the Festival, the doors would remain closed until the Festival of Fire reaches its peak, but your classes are being given a special privilege” the man gestured for them to follow him “We will lead you through a path normally reserved for us to move unimpeded in the crowd. Please follow us”

The two teachers and their students were led through a dizzying maze of alleyways, the group just managing to stay together with the help of their guides. They were able to see the many stalls that decorated the main streets of Amatsu, each selling different merchandise based around the Festival or the priest himself. Bakugou scoffed as they saw several people crowding a stall, buying plush dolls of the celebrity teen. A short while later, they arrived in front of the main gate to the monastery. The gate itself was massive and daunting, with large stone lions guarding the entrance. One of the monks knocked a pattern and the gate slowly creaked open, allowing them to enter.

The students, already amazed by the beauty of the small village, were awestruck by the natural glamor of the monastery. It was extremely well-maintained, with the wood glittering as the lanterns cast beautiful orange lights around their surroundings. Several of the group from the U.A had noticed the many tree species that showered the small town in red, but the trees here were somehow more vibrant. They were maple trees but the leaves held such a deep, scarlet tone that they were partially transfixed by their beauty. Under one of the largest maples that any of them had seen, a freckled young man sat on his knees on a velvet cushion, sipping tea beneath the crimson leaves. To his left sat, a blonde, teenage girl leaned against the tree, several weapons visible on her as she talked animatedly to the male, not bothering to see if he was really listening or not.

As the large group approached, the emerald-haired teen gently set down his cup and rose to his feet. The girl next to him stopped talking, noticing the newcomers moving to a more strict posture as she eyed them up. The boy moved with a practiced grave that made him appear to move on the air itself as he stopped next to one of the guides.

“Ah, hello Kenji. I suppose that these are the representatives from U.A?” The freckled male spoke in a friendly voice, smiling softly to the small crowd. “It’s a long trip from the Shizuoka prefecture. Would any of you like some refreshments? There are certain delicacies that we make only during the festival, the maple tea is particularly enjoyable”

“Yeah! That sounds great!” A blonde male, Denki Kaminari smiled brightly “I don’t know about everyone else but I’m starved from the trip over here!”

The rest of the students agreed, several people bringing them over to a table filled with food and drink. While many of the students began helping themselves, a few noticed that their teachers were still over with the young man. Bakugou narrowed his eyes as the two Pro Heroes talked in hushed voices to the teenager, whose smile seemed to strain for just a second. Katsuki attempted to sneak closer to the group talking, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Seeing his explosive classmate eavesdropping, his heterochromatic classmate decided to follow.

“- appreciate you both a lot as heroes, but I do not feel comfortable disclosing private information to you.”

“Not even if this information could save the people here?” Aizawa did not sound pleased “We were contacted to assist in whatever the danger was, you not telling us something could endanger everyone here!”

“I agree with Eraserhead. Unless you want people to be injured or killed in whatever trouble you’ve stirred up, you’ll tell us what’s going on” Kan glared down at the shorter male, not pleased at the lack of information either.

A sour look came across Izuku’s face as he sent a displeased look over to Kenji, who shrugged. The look dissipated in a matter of seconds, slipping into the same friendly mask he had donned when they first entered.

“... Very well, I shall show you the problem; however, this is not an appropriate setting for this to be shared, follow me” Both heroes reluctantly followed the priest. They were led into the temple of Amatsu by Kenji, Izuku, and the blonde girl, the doors sliding shut behind them. Bakugou, undeterred, quietly snuck over and held his ear near the paper shoji.

For a second, there was complete silence. Izuku’s posture was stiff, nervous.  Another beat, and the young male took a breath and began to sing. The air around him simmered a red tinge and a hot wind seemed to swirl around him. Fire crept along the ground, encircling him. Several more students had followed Katsuki, wondering why he was eavesdropping, when they heard the faint sound of the song, followed by its abrupt end. They were able to feel the heat that came from nowhere when the song had begun, making them lean closer to hear the ensuing conversation.

“We’re not sure what the reason is, but I can no longer sing” Izuku cleared his throat, attempting to rid himself of the discomfort that lingered in his throat. The girl offered him a cup of tea from somewhere on her person, the male taking it gratefully.

“We were called here because some teenage priest can’t sing? How does that constitute an emergency?” Aizawa’s eyes glowed red as he activated his quirk, angry that their worry was wasted on something so miniscule.

“It’s far more than that Eraserhead” The priest’s eyes became like hard emeralds as he. “Because the Gohra Volcano, without my song, will erupt and consume all of Amatsu.”

Suddenly, the students next to the door all paled at the young priest’s words. If he was telling the truth, then they were in a very bad situation. One of the students who had been standing furthest from the door, moved closer, his lack of enthusiasm being overcome by a need to hear more.

“You’re telling me that there is an active volcano and there haven't been any attempts to evacuate!” Aizawa was fuming, barely keeping his voice under control “Even if you could still sing, how on earth does that relate to a volcanic eruption?”

“We have already tried to evacuate but the tourists do not believe us and the locals remain stalwart in their stay here. They believe that the Priest of Amatsu will save them during the Rite of Calmfire” Kenji stepped forward to defend his charge “And if you must know, the song of the Fire Witch has the ability to calm the fires of the volcano. I should know, as I have seen Izuku do so for several years.”

“Fine, so this kid’s quirk somehow lets him calm active volcanoes, but it’s not working right now. Why don’t you just have him talk to the people out there. Another question is why a responsibility like this is being forced on a kid to begin with” Sekijiro scowled at the man, displeased at the possibility some teen was forced to carry the responsibility of an entire village’s safety “Why has this village not been abandoned yet or the Hero Commission contacted-”

“Perhaps before we continue disclosing anymore information, our eavesdroppers should reveal themselves” The blonde girl threw a kunai, the blade piercing the paper doors and just barely slicing the cheek of Kaminari, who stumbled back with a yelp “I apologize for not noticing their presence sooner your lordship”

Izuku did not appear to change much outwardly, but within he was extremely nervous. He cleared his throat and stood, heading over to the shoji. “Perhaps we should welcome our guests in then Himiko '' It was thrown open, revealing Katsuki, Eijirou, Mina, Denki, Shinsou, Tenya and a heterochromatic male.

“Why does it always have to be my class…” Aizawa rubbed his temple as the blonde girl, now identified to them as “Himiko”, quietly ushered them in. “Will any of you just stop getting into trouble? I thought I had taught you better than this, especially you Shinsou”

The lilac-haired teen had the decency to look sheepish with the rest of the class, while the dual-colored student, Shoto Todoroki, looked completely unapologetic. Their entrance into the temple was found odd by what few classmates had noticed them being led in, but quickly dismissed it as them doing something reckless again since their teachers were there, one clearly scolding them. As the door slid shut once more, Katsuki could not contain himself anymore.

“What the fuck is this really about teach?!” The blonde marched over, ignoring Himiko moving in front of Izuku “Vacation my ass! We’re all in fucking danger here! All thanks to this dumbass over here!”

“Don’t you dare insult Izuku!” The girl drew a knife, the edge sporting a light sheen of green on the edge “I won’t let some little shit talk that way about him!”

“Toga, perhaps don’t threaten the students of a pro hero who is in the room!” Kenji grabbed hold of her arm, gesturing to Shouta who was glaring at her. She grumbled as she slid the knife back into its sheath with practiced ease.

“... at this point we’ve overheard a lot of what you said so maybe you can just finish the conversation while you know we’re here” Kaminari was nailed with several cold glares, making him laugh nervously. Aizawa sighed heavily before looking at the Amatsu trio. Izuku nodded in affirmation towards the idea.

“Ok then, do you plan to explain why this village isn’t evacuated?” The insomniac hero looked at Kenji as he stepped forward. “It’s a rather complicated set of circumstances”

“Better that you get to the point quicker then, isn’t it?” Shouta contained a smirk at Shinsou’s barb at the monk. He sighed and looked out a nearby window “The people of Amatsu have already grown used to the Festival of Fire once more, and being saved by the priest, but what happens when something that seems like a miracle suddenly fails?”

“It seems like the entire thing was a scam to begin with” Hitoshi answered, his eyes closed in thought “I’m guessing that means you’re scared of what would come of that?”

“Indeed, it would spark riots all over Amatsu, not to mention inciting a panic that could get people killed during the evacuation process.” Kenji sighed, looking several years older “In addition to that, the entirety of Amatsu, everything that we worked to rebuild after so many years would likely be completely abandoned. Amatsu would be nothing but a fraudulent memory-”

“And I cannot let that happen” Izuku’s voice had an edge to it as everyone turned to him “It is my duty as the Priest of Amatsu to quell the volcano and keep my village safe. I was chosen and I cannot back down. I simply have to keep rehearsing. I will not fail!”

Shoto glanced down, noticing that the teen’s fist was clenched tight, knuckles white and nails no doubt digging crescent shapes into his palms. He looked up and for just a second, he swore that he could see black chains, snaking around the area where the priest’s heart would be. The male blinked and they were gone once more. ‘ What was that? ’

“I must excuse myself now” The freckled boy bowed stiffly and hurried off to his room, Toga moving to stand guard outside the door. Kenji let a hand run down his face in frustration “I apologize, Izuku feels very conflicted about all this. He hasn’t been in the best of places mentally”

“... We’ll wait until the day of the Festival’s peak to start the evacuations, come on” Several of the students began to protest to the 1-A teacher, who whipped around with a iridescent, red glare” Did I stutter?”

All of them reluctantly followed, not looking back, except for one heterochromatic student. Todoroki turned and glanced at the door to Izuku’s quarters. He had seen something within Izuku he was familiar with: conflict. The boy had something warring within himself about something and Shoto was going to find out what.

Chapter Text

While the rest of his class partook in the festivities around Amatsu, Todoroki and the rest of the eavesdroppers found themselves halfheartedly looking around. The news of an impending potential disaster putting a rather nasty damper on their moods. Shoto himself was still thinking back to the conflict he had noticed within the priest, as well as the chains that appeared for just one second. He can still remember them effortlessly, almost positive that what he had seen was real; however, upon asking his classmates, he was told that he had probably just been hallucinating or something of the like.

“You noticed it too, didn’t you Todoroki?” The gruff sound of his teacher’s voice grabbed the attention of the teen “Not being in the best mental state doesn’t cover what that kid is going through. Whether they know it or not, the pressure is getting to him”

“I saw something else Aizawa-sensei, in his eyes I could see an inner war” The monotonous tone of the boy gained a steely edge “Just like the one that took place within me when Shinsou talked me into using both sides of my quirk. There’s something going on that’s making him lost sight of himself and who he really wants to be”

“... Todoroki, if you can, I want you to try and keep an eye out for MIdoriya. Something tells me that he may try something reckless” Aizawa’s eyes met Todorki’s an intense look in them “Priest or not, he’s still just another problem child”

The boy nodded as his teacher slinked ahead of him to make sure none of his other students were making fools of themselves. Shoto moved over to the other students who had eavesdropped, finding them huddled in a group, whispering hushedly, or as close as they could get to that.

“See Pinky! I told you that priestly shit was bull! He’s a fucking psychopath toddler!”

“Shut up Blasty, and they already explained why they aren’t evacuating!”

“I must admit that I still believe the priest is handling this incorrectly. There are innocent civilians here”

“Come on Iida, be a little more sympathetic, back me up here Shinsou!”

“Kaminari has a point, go easy on them. It’s clear that he’s going through some stuff”

“I agree with Shinsou, it may not be that manly of them to keep it from everyone, but there’s a lot going on”

“You know, what you all are doing could hardly be considered whispering” Several of them jumped as the heterochromatic boy snuck up behind them. All breathing out a sigh of relief as it wasn’t any of the classmates who hadn’t been eavesdropping. Aizawa had made it clear to them they were supposed to stay quiet about the matter until the teachers addressed it.

“This isn’t an appropriate place to talk about any of this, the Priest already said what would happen if word were to get out” Several of them had the humility to look sheepish, the others appearing uncaring “We should just trust in our teacher’s judgment, they already plan on starting evacuations if he still can’t sing”

“Tch, shitty toddler’s gonna get people killed” Bakugou huffed before storming off, Mina, Denki, and Kirishima following after him. Todoroki just sighed, already used to Katsuki’s attitude. He began making his way to the hotel that their teacher had said they would be staying the night at.

Shoto silently laid in bed, staring at the intricate pattern of maple leaves and fire that seemed to dance across the ceiling of his room. His thoughts went back to the forest-haired teen. One of the things he had learned along the years of people trying to suck up to his father through him, was to read people. He did see the conflict in Izuku’s eyes, but when the male looked at the Pro Heroes; He thought he saw, at least for a second, a look of pure admiration, that of a child wishing to be a hero. With that final thought, he turned onto his side as sleep finally began to take him.

The next morning, Todoroki was awoken by a knock at his door. Climbing groggily out of bed, he slid open the shoji to his room, seeing a familiar shock of purple hair.

“Aizawa-sensei says to meet at the washitu down the hall. That Kenji guy came over and told us it was large enough to fit all of us and we could use it privately, so sensei wanted to give an announcement, for all the students' ' The heterochromatic male nodded and closed the shoji as Hitoshi left. He quickly got ready and moved over to the designated room. He found that many of his classmates were already there, so he knelt down on one of the cushions laid down on the tatami mats, waiting for the last people to arrive. Upon the arrival of the stragglers, Eraserhead cleared his throat.

“I understand that we brought you here under the guise of relaxing after your internships. Unfortunately, we were sent here assist the Temple of Fire with a serious problem, one that will likely involve everyone here” Everyone began muttering amongst themselves, cut off by the red-eyed glare of 1-A’s teacher “I cannot disclose too much information, but on the day of the Rite of Calmfire, the peak of the Festival, if things do not go a certain way, we must evacuate the village on the danger of a natural disaster from the Gohra Volcano.

Everyone burst into panic, growing in volume to where almost everyone was shouting. Vlad slammed his hand on the table, the bang silencing everyone.

“Eraser and I know that the situation is not ideal, but we have already discussed everything with the Priest, and things won’t end well if we try and evacuate Amatsu any earlier. As heroes, you will learn that this happens and you must simply work through it. The USJ Invasion or Stain were planned events, you must adapt and overcome them!” After a moment of silence, several students showed affirmation towards Vlad’s words and the plan of evacuation. They began filtering out of the room, as Aizawa spoke again.

“All of you are free to roam about the city, don’t exhaust yourselves, but at least enjoy the festivities. Me and Vlad are off to talk to his Lordship again-”

“Oi! If you’re going to see that shitty toddler I’m coming with”

“No, Bakugou. After your attitude last time-”

“I want to go as well, we already know about everything “ Shinsou spoke quietly to the teachers, Shoto nodding in agreement as the three stayed behind.

“... Fine, but I expect you three to be respectful. I’m looking at you Bakugou” The aforementioned blonde huffed, but nodded his head.

Several minutes later found the group underneath the temple’s maple tree, drinking tea with Midoriya.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is your quirk, your lordship?” Aizawa eyed the teen from across the table.

“That title gets so dreary sometimes Eraserhead, please just call me Midoriya” Shoto’s eyes narrowed a bit, noticing how Izuku’s personality had done a flip from how things ended last night “And as for a quirk, well I simply don’t have one”

Everyone was stunned for a moment, watching as the freckled male took another sip of his tea.

“You’re kidding right?” Vlad set his cup down “We saw you do your little song, even if it did stop”

“I’m not, my powers are not from my quirk”

“So what, it’s magic?” Bakugou rolled his eyes as he glared at the priest.

“As far as we know Bakugou-san, it is” Everyone turned to Kenji who came out with a full teapot “ The day Izuku became the Fire Witch, the Fire Qualia entered his heart, granting him his powers. We do not know much about the Qualia other than it has been around for thousands of years, passed down in Amatsu to the next Priest or Priestess.”

“That’s impossible, you can’t just-” Shinsou struggled finding words to describe what he was trying to say

“The properties of the Qualia are entirely unique, we’ve had it examined before and no one had seen anything like it. There’s simply no explanation for it”

Aizawa groaned softly as he let his head hit the table. Internally, the man wondered why it was that whenever something like this was happening, he and his class were at the center of it all. The man’s mental regrets were interrupted as a rustling sound alerted everyone, the group going stiff as they looked around them. Within just a few moments, Villains began filtering out of the trees, everyone abruptly standing.

“What the- why are there Pros here?! The boss said that it would just be a bunch of religious nuts and the priest’s bodyguard!” 

Both Pros and their students stood in front of the Priest as the villains mulled about, somewhat worried about their mission now. Aizawa turned to Izuku, intent on taking advantage of their hesitation to get him to safety, only to see the freckled boy pull out a katana, bathed in a beautiful red stain along the tip and edge.

“I hope you don’t expect me to stay back in Aizawa-san. The Priest I may be, but that does not mean I cannot handle myself. These men have intruded on the holy grounds of the Amatsu Temple '' Seeing a stubborness in the teenager’s eyes that could rival his students, the Pro reluctantly allowed the boy and his bodyguard to step forward as well. All of them watched the criminals carefully, the sheer amount of them reminding the students of the USJ attack. For a moment, everything was silent, until one of the leaves from a maple tree was whisked into the air by the warm breeze. As soon as it touched the ground, they moved.

The battle had started.

Chapter Text

“Midoriya, You need to leave right now, these villains are clearly after you and you are too important to the village’s safety right now” Aizawa activated his quirk as one of the villains moved into attack, the man’s quirk faltering, allowing the hero to sweep the criminal off his feet and toss him back into the crowd “Me and Vlad can take care of this, you should-”

Eraserhead was abruptly cut off as a villain sprung out of the ground behind Izuku, roaring as he made an attack, a fist plummeting through the air to score a blow against his skull- a blow that never landed. With a practiced grace, Izuku twisted away, pulling a steel tessen from his sash to deflect the blow as his sword lit up with flames.

 In a tornado of fire, he spun in the air, the villain being knocked unconscious within seconds. He nodded to Himiko who threw down a smoke bomb, disappearing from view; only to reappear just seconds later, delivering a devastating drop kick onto the temple of a villain.

“I am not some dainty nun Aizawa-san, you may save your warnings to lecture me once this is over” Izuku’s voice was icy as he leapt forward to join Toga in the heat of battle. Shouta cursed before turning to try and stop his students from doing anything rash, only to see them engaged with villains as well.

“Isn’t that great?” Aizawa gritted out, voice dripping with sarcasm “Help out my students Vlad, I’ll make sure the priest doesn’t get himself killed” After an affirmative nod from the blood hero, Eraserhead leapt into the fray, capture weapon whipping about to grab one of the villains before hurling him into a close knit group just a few yards away.

Izuku weaved between the villains with precise movements, his sword singing as the wind whistled around it, the melody of his blade finding purchase on a villain whose skin resembled that of a lizard ringing out. Still alit with flame, the villain cried out, only to be silenced soon after as they were pierced by a kunai that caused their body to freeze up. 

Himiko leapt from one of the maple tree branches, throwing two more of her knives at the wave of villains, both falling down limp within seconds. The jungle-haired teenager nodded his thanks to his bodyguard before turning to the three thugs attempting to surround him. 

“You should have never made this attack against me or the Temple of Amatsu, I suggest that you make your peace with Kami now” He flicked his tessen towards them, a torrent of fire sweeping them away. Izuku continued forward, not noticing his growing distance from the Aizawa and Toga.

Todoroki found himself back-to-back with Bakugou, letting out sheets of ice to freeze the villains as the explosive blonde blew them away. All the while, Shinsou used his own quirk to brainwash the villains into causing chaos amongst themselves, Kan preventing any villain from getting too close to the students. 

Shoto turned his eyes, seeing an approaching villain about to bring an oversized fist down upon Izuku, both Himiko and Aizawa too occupied to notice. In a flash, he created ice underneath him that he used to propel himself forward and, in a moment of pure instinct, Shoto’s right side lit up with fire that blasted towards the villain, sending them flying away. Emerald eyes snapped to heterochromatic ones, depicting feelings of amazement, gratitude, and intrigue. 

The remaining villains were swiftly dealt with and tied up with zip ties produced from Eraserhead and being guided to a guarded room outside of the temple until the nearest authorities could arrive. Izuku moved towards his savior, intent on thanking him, but was stopped as a black form moved in front of them.

“What the hell was that” Glaring red eyes focused onto the young teen “I told you to stay back”

“I believe I handled myself perfectly fine, without sitting back as an attack was made against me in the temple”

“It’s not your job to do that, that’s why we were brought-”

“The reason you were asked to be here, done so without my knowledge, is in case the worst comes to fruition and I cannot perform the Rite of Calmfire” Izuku’s eyes blazed as he returned the glare Eraserhead was giving him “The Temple of Fire is mine to protect”

“You shouldn’t be protecting anything, you’re still just a kid!”

“And what about your students?!”

“They’re training to be heroes, you are not!” Suddenly, the jade-haired teen grew silent, recoiling slightly as if struck. He quickly recomposed himself, although he could not hide the tears that still lurked in the corner of his eyes.

“I suppose that you’re right about that Eraserhead, I’m not,” Izuku whipped around, beginning to march towards his room, whispering softly under his breath “I never got the chance to…”

Aizawa winced slightly as he watched the young priest stalk off, somewhat regretting his choice of words. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he looked towards Vlad.

“Why am I even a teacher, I’m awful with people and clearly with teenagers it’s worse” He began moving towards the exit, noticing the cold looks from the guards as he gestured for his students to follow him, Vlad and his own following shortly after. Right before the gates closed behind them, Todoroki spared one last glance towards where Midoriya had disappeared, a troubled look on his own face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, sleep did not come easy to Shoto, his mind constantly going back to that look on Midoriya’s face. The thinly concealed hurt and regret in his eyes made something stir within him. Maybe it was the urge to help someone else like his classmates had helped him. He sighed as his eyes closed and he resolved to try and meet with the priest in the morning, hopefully alone.

The coming morning saw the heterochromatic student sneaking out of the Inn, early in the morning, only to run into a tall, yellow form. Shoto stood in front of Aizawa for a second, the two staring at each other for a second.

“... Don’t do anything dumb, you’re a good kid Todoroki” With that, the Pro walked past, allowing his student to pass without any questioning. The teen nodded at his teacher before making his way to the temple. Right before he reached the gate he saw a flash of scarlet to the side of the gates. He moved over, staring at the top of the wall, seeing Midoriya sitting atop it. The teen hopped down gracefully, landing soundlessly on the ground… right in front of Shoto.

“Oh! Y-You’re one of the UA students-” Izuku cleared his throat, recomposing himself “What are you doing here so early in the morning”

“I was actually coming to see you, I saw the look on your face yesterday, when Aizawa said that-” He stopped himself as he saw the emerald-eyed male wince slightly “That might still be a sore subject I see… Can I ask what you are doing?”

“None of your concern, I just have business to attend to” He began moving, walking along alleyways and side roads, hidden from sight even with the early morning leaving the streets mostly bare. Todoroki followed him, both curiosity and his earlier resolve driving him to do so. At first, the priest seemed to try and attempt to lose him in the maze of alleys, failing to do so. The cat-and-mouse chase continued for another fifteen minutes before Izuku abruptly stopped and whipped around to face the student tailing him.

“I apologize, is there a reason you are so insistent on following me?” The viridian-haired teen whirled around, his eyes narrowed in annoyance “What, did Eraserhead not trust me to be safe on my own?”

“Not at all, I’m following you of my own accord. Although I am still wondering why you’re sneaking around” Todoroki watched as anger seemed to boil behind the other male’s eyes, before simmering to resignation. He looked upwards, towards the Gohra Volcano.

“I’ve been… sneaking out to practice singing” He continued staring at the mountain, hiding the pressurized magma and promising the destruction of Amatsu “I can’t just give up, it’s my duty as the Priest of Amatsu to quell the volcano, so every morning I’ve been sneaking away to practice. Will you leave me alone now?”

“Hmm… I don’t think I can comfortably leave you alone. Ah-please let me explain” Todoroki quickly moved to explain himself, seeing an indignant look on his face “We already know that villains are after you and I can’t in good conscience leave you alone, even though I’m sure you can handle yourself. I promise not to tell anyone if you just allow me to follow you for my own piece of mind”

“...Ugh, fine. Just keep up okay?” The jungle-haired teen began to move again, quickly exiting the village and setting out on a steep dirt path. As they climbed, the trees faded away to give way to mountainous terrain. Steam rose out of the thermal pools of water around them, making the air hot and humid. They continued even higher, the forests below growing smaller as they climbed. Finally, they reached the peak of the mountain. 

Todoroki silently took in the view, before turning back to the priest. “Is there a reason your guard is not here with you?” He felt like he hit yet another sore spot as the other boy winced slightly.

“I-I can’t let her see me like this. I saved her so long ago and… and I have to be strong for her, to be strong for Amatsu. If I fail that-” He abruptly cuts himself off with a deep sigh “Then what kind of Head Priest am I?”

Izuku stood silently as he stood at the cliff face, before taking in a deep breath. He closed his eyes and attempted to sing again. Similarly to the first time, the air around him heated up as a glow surrounded him, only to die down as he began to cough, cursing under his breath. He was about to start again when he was interrupted by his companion.

“That look after what Aizawa said yesterday, it looked like it hurt” He watched as Izuku showed no outward signs of hearing him “You don’t have to talk about it, but my classmates have told me that it can be better to share a burden”

A huff came from the other teen as he began to try again. After each attempt he simply ended up either breathing heavily from exertion, or going into a coughing fit. In a fit of frustration he kicked a rock off the ledge, moving to sit on a nearby boulder. For a moment, the mountaintop was silent again, for a moment.

“Despite everything that’s happened in my life, I’ve always dreamed of being a hero. We don’t have much technology around here but I was always able to see the news and watch the Pro Heroes in big cities like Musutafu” For the first time since he met Midoriya, Todoroki saw a genuine smile bloom on his face “I had told Kenji that I would love to become a hero, going to UA when I was old enough…”

“I suppose that explains why what Aizawa-sensei said hit you so hard” The smile faded from the freckled male’s lips as a sad look entered his eyes “Did you fail the entrance exams?”

“It’s more that I wasn't allowed to participate at all. There is a group of elder disciples in the Temple who are here to ‘provide me counsel’ and they advised me against doing so since I was ten. They tried to use the fact I technically don’t have a quirk to dissuade me from participating, but I didn’t listen. So they went to an extreme” Anger visibly blazed in Izuku’s eyes as the air grew so hot around him it visually rippled. 

“They made some random event up and sold tickets across all of Japan to visit Amatsu right on the day of this festival they concocted. They used me as the main attraction, knowing I couldn’t say no, lest Amatsu came under fire. Needless to say, after that, Kenji and I dismantled their authority, with help of the people of Amatsu after they heard about what they did”

The heat faded from around Izuku, fury changing to exhaustion and sorrow. He stood up from the boulder, trailing one hand along it as he stared at the sight beyond the ledge, seeing the village of Amatsu and the Temple, surrounded in its usual, brilliant red. He could feel Todoroki’s eyes still on him as he remained quiet.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’d be an amazing hero. I think you should see if you can apply next year” Todoroki’s words made Midoriya turn around, his sincere smile brightening his face once more, and igniting a fluttering feeling in the heterochromatic student’s stomach. For a second, the emerald-eyed boy seemed to glow as he took in a breath, preparing to try to sing once more. 

This time, as he glowed, the song persisted, the heat rising with his voice. Todoroki felt stronger as the glow seemed to envelope him for a second. Finally, Izuku brought the melody to a close, the light fading as he stood there in shock.

“I-I did it” He quickly sang once more, succeeding again “I can sing! The Rite of Calmfire will continue!”

He spun in place, laughing as tears of pure joy fell from his eyes. His eyes landed on Todoroki who was still staring at him. He ran over, hugging him tightly in a burst of unbridled emotion. Realizing what he did, he quickly pulled back, apologizing for the rudeness of the sudden display of affection.

“I apologize Todoroki, that was improper of me” Izuku’s freckled cheeks flushed as brightly as the outfit he wore “I do want to thank you though, for accompanying me here”

Shoto smiled at the other male, still feeling warm from the hug he received. The smile was returned as Izuku began quickly moving towards the path they came from.

“Well then, we shouldn’t wait a moment longer, I have to let everyone know the good news!” The childish excitement written across the emerald-eyed priest’s face sent butterflies through Shoto’s stomach once more as he nodded. The duo then quickly made their way back towards the village. The preparations for the Rite of Calmfire would be finished by tomorrow and the Gohra Volcano would once more be lulled into dormancy.

What neither boy noticed was the pair of yellow eyes glimmering from behind an outcropping of rock. In but a second, purple mist swirled around them, disappearing from sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day was the Rite of Calmfire and the town was in a flurry of action and excitement. Fans crowded near the gates as the locals pedaled their wares from stalls set along the path. Aizawa, Vlad, and the students, now all aware of the circumstances if the ritual was to fail, stood tensely within the crowd. Aizawa’s eyes snapped towards movement near one of his students, seeing a temple guard approaching Todoroki.

“His Lordship requests your presence in the inner sanctum of the temple” The guard bows as he addresses the teenager, Todoroki looking at his teacher for permission. His response was a small incline of the hero’s head. The dual-haired student followed the guard through the suffocating crowd, being guided to a small, hidden door leading into the Temple. He was guided to the building where Izuku resided, the guard bowing once more before leaving him to enter.

Izuku was sitting in front of his ornate vanity as he applied what Todoroki recognized as concealer, a memory from seeing Fuyumi use it, to his face. As Izuku finished applying the makeup, he caught the reflection of the boy behind him. Shoto watched as a small, genuine smile lit up the freckled boy’s face at the sight of him. He could not help but feel a warmth in his stomach at the sight, a pleasant fluttering erupting inside of him. He coughed and averted his face as he felt his face heat up.

“Y-You asked for me?”

“Indeed… I wanted to thank you for last night” Izuku set down the brush in his hand as he walked over to the other teen “I am grateful for everything that night. Your words and your secrecy of what happened”

“I’m just happy I could help” Todoroki awkwardly stood there, his nerves frayed at the new feelings rushing through his system. They all came to his point as Izuku gently grasped his hand. The heterochromatic boy’s eyes snapped to where their hands enveloped each other. He felt the warmth return; this time with an unbidden addition of heat as his fire lit up his left side. Izuku blinked before chuckling softly. He waved a hand over the fire, the flames condensing into a ball in his hand as he blew it out.

“Enjoy the show Todoroki-kun” The emerald-haired priest slowly let go of the other boy’s hand to finish getting ready. Shoto could only nod dumbly as he was escorted back out, not being let back in until the moment the main gates opened. 

It was finally time for the Rite of Calmfire.

Chapter Text

The next day was the Rite of Calmfire and the town was in a flurry of action and excitement. Fans crowded near the gates as the locals pedaled their wares from stalls set along the path. Aizawa, Vlad, and the students, now all aware of the circumstances if the ritual was to fail, stood tensely within the crowd. Aizawa’s eyes snapped towards movement near one of his students, seeing a temple guard approaching Todoroki.

“His Lordship requests your presence in the inner sanctum of the temple” The guard bows as he addresses the teenager, Todoroki looking at his teacher for permission. His response was a small incline of the hero’s head. The dual-haired student followed the guard through the suffocating crowd, being guided to a small, hidden door leading into the Temple. He was guided to the building where Izuku resided, the guard bowing once more before leaving him to enter.

Izuku was sitting in front of his ornate vanity as he applied what Todoroki recognized as concealer, something he had seen Fuyumi use once, to his face. As Izuku finished applying the makeup, he caught the reflection of the boy behind him. Shoto watched as a small, genuine smile lit up the freckled boy’s face at the sight of him. He could not help but feel a warmth in his stomach at the sight, a pleasant fluttering erupting inside of him. He coughed and averted his face as he felt his face heat up.

“You asked for me?”

“Indeed… I wanted to thank you for last night” Izuku set down the brush in his hand as he walked over to the other teen “I am grateful for everything that night. Your words and your secrecy of what happened”

“I’m just happy I could help” Todoroki awkwardly stood there, his nerves frayed at the new feelings rushing through his system. They all came to his point as Izuku gently grasped his hand. The heterochromatic boy’s eyes snapped to where their hands enveloped each other. He felt the warmth return; this time with an unbidden addition of heat as his fire lit up his left side. Izuku blinked before chuckling softly. He waved a hand over the fire, the flames condensing into a ball in his hand as he blew it out.

“Enjoy the show Todoroki-kun” The emerald-haired priest slowly let go of the other boy’s hand to finish getting ready. Shoto could only nod dumbly as he was escorted back out, not being let back in until the moment the main gates opened. 

It was finally time for the Rite of Calmfire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shoto was guided to a front row seat to the event, being able to watch as Izuku elegantly entered the stage, his eyes blazing with fire as he stared out in the crowd of Amatsu. He raises his hand, crimson maple leaves whirling around him as he opens his mouth. The maple leaves burn in air, embers floating around him as his song echoes out and stops. There is a beat of silence before music fills the air again and stops. Low murmurings of confusion are quick to pass through the crowd as Shoto stares at Izuku with wide eyes, the other boy’s face a pallor shade as he clutches his throat, face covered in abject horror.

“Awww, what’s wrong Witchy?” A deafening mechanical whir catches the attention of the crowd, the people clamoring away as a petite girl, donned in a patchwork costume of a grotesque stuffed doll holds a chainsaw high in the air “Is your voice all messed up? What a joke!”

Black mist filled the area near the back of the temple, villains and living rabbit dolls walking out into temple grounds. Kan was quick to act, ordering his students to start evacuating the tourists and townsfolk who were already beginning to panic. The villains ignored the normal people, choosing instead to surround Izuku, along with the unnamed girl.

“Lady Hilda was surprised when you got your voice back. I guess that was just a fluke though! You’re nothing more than a broken toy” The girl’s words cut into Izuku's heart, Shoto could see it so clearly. In a flash, a blaze separated the encroaching villains as the youngest Todoroki leapt onto the stage to help defend the priest. As a villain aimed his arm at the boy, knives sliced through his shoulder as Himiko leapt from behind stage, taking the other side of where villains were filtering through.

Izuku was tearing up as he clutched his throat, his breath speeding up. He gazed at the destruction and chaos in the inner temple. He couldn’t see as tears clouded his vision. He couldn’t breathe as panic was the only thing filling his chest.

“No, I can’t have failed. Gohra Volcano will burn away Amatsu and it’s all my fault”

“Nail on the head, broken doll” Two stuffed puppets sprung down from tree branches, grabbing hold of Izuku and dragging him away from Todoroki and Himiko. Before they could react the dolls tugged Izuku through one of Kurogiri’s rifts; however, in a flash, before it could close, Toga dashed across the stage and leapt into the mist, disappearing with Izuku.

“Well, that was unexpected” The pink-clad girl leaned on a blade wielded by her left arm, pouting at the spot the two had been taken “I’m sure Lady Hilda and that hand villain can take care of them fine though”’

Filled with intense rage, a glacier of ice erupted from Shoto, erupting towards the villain. As the icicles grew closer the villain raised her chainsaw and brought it down with brutal strength, completely contrary to her size. Half of the glacier was practically turned to dust as it was shattered by her.

“Awww, is that all the widdle baby hero has to offer?” The girl let out a high, keening giggle as she leveled her sword to Shoto “Man, if beating kids like you is all we have to do to accomplish our part of the deal, this is gonna be a piece of cake”

“Deal? What deal are you speaking of?” Shoto glared at the small girl. He saw her smile widen into a caricature of a grin, far too wide to be normal.

“We the Harbingers seek the death of any Witches. Your little friend, the broken doll, is one of these Witches.” The so-called “Harbinger” shrugged her shoulders as she looked at the Volcano “Sure, this whole place is gonna go up in smoke but-hey, it’s a small price to pay”

“A small price?” Shoto’s tone was deadly quiet “Hundreds of people may die, the people of this village will lose their homes and livelihoods. You plan to kill their most beloved figure and that’s a small price to you?!”

“Let me think…”The girl pursed his lips as her fuchsia eyes gazed skyward before she gave a cartoonishly enthusiastic nod “Yep! Although you forgot one more thing. I said we were gonna beat you kids. See, Mr. Handyman wants you kids to kick dust, so as part of our deal we gotta slaughter ya. Sorry not sorry!”

In a flash the girl flew through the air, twisting her body as she brought down her blade towards Shoto. He threw up a wall of ice, only to barely dodge as the sword shattered through, barely missing cleaving him in two. Another whir rang in his ears as the Harbinger’s chainsaw came around, mechanical blades tinted red with blood flying by his face in a near miss as he threw himself back to avoid another attack. Before the assault on him could continue, an explosion rocketed towards the villain, sending her flying as she screamed.

“Oi, what the hell do you think you’re doing letting some little kid beat your ass?” A rough hand hoisted Todoroki to his feet. He looked up at Katsuki, nodding his thanks as both of them turned to the girl who was screeching as she held a scorched part of her rabbit doll hood. She turned to glare at the two hero students, only to notice that her dolls and the villain fodder sent with her was being pushed back

“No! This isn’t fair! You’re destroying all my dolls!” She jumped up and down, slamming her feet into the ground so hard that it cratered. Before she could jump into another assault she froze as she seemed to have her attention diverted

“What?! But Hilda-” Her voice dragged out in a whine as she pouted “Alright, fine…”

She turned to glare at Katsuki and Shoto. She began stepping back as her dolls began dispersing, leaving the villains to fall ever quicker to Eraserhead and a few of the students.

“Lady Hilda is making me retreat but this isn’t the last you’ll see me got it!” She waved her chainsaw at the two students “The name is Dorothy and the next time we meet I’ll grind you to bits!”

Before Shoto or Katsuki could use their quirks to stop her escape, a black void surrounded Dorothy before compressing and dematerializing in an instant. In her place was a black, balloon-like creature. It began rapidly inhaling air, expanding at an exponential rate. Todoroki threw up a wall of ice as it popped, releasing an explosion that tore apart the courtyard and almost completely shattered the wall protecting the two. 

As the last villains fell, the inner temple was left in shambles and the head priest was nowhere to be found. He looked at Eraserhead, eyes filled with desperation, only to receive a grim look.

“We can’t afford to look for him right now Todoroki, we promised to ensure the safety of the citizens.” The teacher laid a hand on his student’s shoulder “We don’t know where they took him, all we can do is-”

A sharp crack seemed to echo from a higher point as a brilliant red flare lit up the night sky amidst the chaos and occasional tremors. A flare that flew from the Gohra Volcano. A cruel joke that it seemed the villains planned to dispatch the one who was supposed to stop its eruption at the volcano’’s heart. Aizawa looked at Todoroki, receiving a look of defiance before he could even open his mouth.

“There’s no stopping you, is there?” He groaned as he looked over at the other students “All of you go assist with evacuation! Let Vlad know that Bakugo, Todoroki and I will be heading up to the Volcano. Tell him to provide backup if the evacuation is completed, now!”

Aizawa turned back to his two students before he gestured for them to follow him. Before he could start off, a hand caught his wrist. He turned abruptly to meet Shoto’s gaze once more.

“Izuku showed me the way to the top. I can take us there as quickly as possible” He did not break eye contact with his teacher who hesitated for a moment before acquiescing. All three of them took off, Shoto using his ice generation to propel himself as Bakugou did the same with his explosions. Aizawa managed to keep pace as he used his capture weapon to swing from the trees. The trio speedily scaled the mountainside, racing towards the center of Gohra Volcano.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Izuku stood in front of an injured Himiko as he was surrounded by villains and dolls. In front of him stood a woman clad in black and silver. Her cold yellow eyes seemed to pierce into his very soul as she stared at him with no emotion other than a chilling resolution.

“Izuku, Witch of Fire, you shall fall here”