Something Different

1: Rise From Ashes

[1806 words]

A loud sound blared in Izuku's ears, jolting him awake. Abruptly, he sat up on his bed, cold sweat trickling down his temples and tears spilling from his eyes. He blinked rapidly, wiping them away to clear his vision.

Once he opened them again, he gaped at the sight of his bedroom. It was covered ceiling-to-floor in All Might merchandise: posters of that obnoxious smile were plastered on the walls and figurines were lining his desk. He looked down, and—to his dismay—All Might's face was on his bedsheets. He screamed in pure terror, jumping up from his bed and landing on the floor.

Not even a moment later, his bedroom door had been burst open, and his mother stumbled inside with a look of worry etched onto her face. "I-Izuku, is everything alright?!"

He stared at her, more tears threatening to escape his eyes. He choked on a sob, hand clasping over his mouth. If one looked closely, one could see as his body trembled slightly. "Mom..."

Concerned for her son, Inko rushed to his side and hugged his petite figure, which curled in on itself. "What's wrong, honey?"

Izuku didn't answer, burying his face into her shoulder and clutching the sleeves of her beige sweater. He remembered the day she had died, how miserable he had felt.

All For One had ordered that he cut ties with his mother, telling him that it was for the best, that she wouldn't have to suffer when she found out her son was a villain. Hence, as his 'entrance exam' to the League, Izuku needed to kill his mother.

And kill he did. He knocked her out first, to ensure she wouldn't feel the pain, then slit her throat with a clean cut. It was utterly agonising, to say the least. To see her blood spill onto the marble flooring of their home, the blood trickling down her chin, and her whitening face...

He remembered clasping her hands in his and sobbing silently into them, tears streaming down his pale face. Her hands gradually became colder, and colder.

Izuku tried his hardest to discard the memory, but it kept coming back whenever he even glanced at a mirror. Instead of seeing himself, he would see his mother's lifeless body, standing up and pointing at him through the glass.

"It's your fault," she would repeat.

Now that Izuku was clutching his mother once more, he knew that she would never blame him. Even if he had killed her. She was far too kind for her own good. He smiled slightly, never wanting to let go.

If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up.

After expressing his overwhelming emotions, he felt his face go numb, and his mind blank. He exhaled quietly, before reluctantly letting go of his mother. Inko stared at him with worried eyes, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and lips twisted into a frown.

Reaching his shaking hand up to her face, Izuku gently caressed her cheek. His eyes widened, hand withdrawing almost immediately. "Y-you're real..."

"Oh, Izuku," Inko looked at him with pitiful eyes. "Did you have another nightmare?"

Izuku's breath hitched, mind swirling with a hurricane of questions. What the hell was this? Was All For One messing with him?

No... All For One's mind manipulation quirk could only go so far. He couldn't create illusions. Then, what was this?

"Izuku," Izuku felt a smooth, warm hand touch his cheek. Instinctively, he leaned into it, closing his eyes. "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

"I... I had a nightmare," he lied through his teeth, ignoring her query. He gave her the most reassuring smile that he could muster. "That's all. I apologise if I worried you."