Betrayed And Broken

the day of betrayal (reworked)

Izuku's morning began with gentle rhythms: birdsong, the soft crunch of shoes on pavement, and the subtle hum of the city waking up. Comforted by the familiar scents of a savory breakfast lingering on his clothes, he approached U.A. High with hope and purpose in each step.

As he approached his classroom, the muffled whispers from within were reminiscent of a brewing storm, filled with tension and apprehension. The atmosphere grew heavier as he entered, with every eye fixing on him in harsh scrutiny. The expressions varied from sorrow in Uraraka's eyes to the biting contempt in Bakugo's glare. Even Iida, ever the class president and friend, looked troubled.

Before Izuku could even process the shift in the room, Mr. Aizawa's capture weapon ensnared him. His teacher's eyes, always sharp, bore into him with an intensity he'd never seen. "Izuku Midoriya," Aizawa began, his voice filled with both sorrow and suspicion, "You stand accused of being in league with the villains."

Feeling his world tilt, Izuku stammered, "I—I dont understand. Why would anyone think that?"

Bakugo stepped forward, his usual arrogant swagger replaced with something colder, more clinical. "Oh, don't play innocent, Deku. You expect us to believe that after a lifetime of being quirkless, you miraculously develop one at 15? And conveniently, never fully explain its origins, only feeding us that 'late bloomer' crap."

Izuku's heart raced, he'd hoped the lie would be enough. He remembered the promise to All Might, to keep the origins of his power a secret. But now it seemed that silence was turning against him.

The spiky-haired blond continued, "Then there are your notebooks, Deku. So meticulous, so in-depth. A blueprint for heroes and villains alike. Plus, the events during the training camp? How you, a mere student, took down a villain that even top-ranked heroes struggled with? Convenient, isnt it?"

Izukus mind raced, desperate for a counter-argument, but Bakugos onslaught wasnt over. "And that boy from the training camp. No one but you saw him before you handed him over to Aizawa. How do we know you didnt stage the whole thing? How do we know you're not feeding information to the League of Villains?

Eyes darted around the room, hoping for an ally. "Uraraka, Iida... you dont believe this, do you?" he pleaded, but the hurtful silence that met him was an answer in itself.

Before he could further defend himself, the world went dark, the taste of betrayal lingering as consciousness faded.

Regaining awareness in the cold confines of a cell, the grim reality hit him. He was imprisoned in Tartarus.

Izuku's cell was cold and austere, the only sound the rhythmic dripping of water from a leak somewhere. The weight of the power suppressor around his neck felt like a cruel shackle, a constant reminder of his perceived guilt.

Suddenly, the heavy sound of boots echoed down the corridor, growing louder until it reached his cell. A guard, his face obscured by the shadows of his visor, banged on the metal door. "Midoriya, up! You have a visitor."

Hope blossomed in Izuku's chest. Perhaps someone believed in his innocence, he thought as he was led down the hallway, the cold metal of handcuffs biting into his wrists.

He was ushered into a small, sterile room. The sight of All Might sitting there made his heart leap. This was it. All Might would surely explain everything, clear his name, and release him.

However, All Might's weary expression told a different story. "My boy," the older hero began, his voice heavy with sorrow. "I wish we were meeting under different circumstances."

Izuku's hopeful eyes searched for some reassurance. "All Might, tell them. Tell them I didnt do it. Why am I even here without a trial?"

All Might sighed deeply, "Izuku, its not that simple. The Hero Safety Committee believes that in dire circumstances, traditional trials can be... bypassed. They think it's to protect society faster. Given the gravity of the allegations against you and the... evidence, they made a decision."

Izuku felt the walls close in on him, the weight of the world pressing down. "But that's not just! It's... it's wrong! I'm innocent! And... and you believe me, right?"

All Might looked at him, eyes filled with pain, "It's not about what I believe. It's about what we can prove. And right now, all evidence points to you."

The young hero's heart raced, "Then we'll find new evidence! Well prove them wrong! You and me!"

A heavy pause. "Izuku," All Might whispered, "I came to ask you to return One For All. With everything going on, it's not safe."

Izuku's eyes widened in disbelief. "After everything, youre giving up on me? How can you just take it back?!

All Might looked down, voice cracking, "The power of One For All shouldnt reside in Tartarus. It's a beacon of hope for the world. If it's confined here, the symbol of peace will fade."

Izuku's emotions roiled. How had it come to this? The man he admired, the symbol of all that was right in the world, was abandoning him. His inner thoughts screamed in rage and confusion, How did my life fall apart like this? Why is the world so twisted? He felt a hot rush of anger and betrayal.

Izuku's eyes blazed with a combination of despair and rage, his voice shaking as he unleashed his bottled-up emotions.

"All this time, all my life, I believed in the system, in heroes, in justice," he began, his voice trembling. "But what justice is this? What kind of world allows its champions to be condemned without even a fair trial?!"

All Might winced, clearly in pain from the words of his successor. But Izuku pressed on, "I admired you, worshipped you. You were the embodiment of everything I wanted to be. But here, now, when I'm at my lowest, accused and ostracized by the very people I swore to protect... you abandon me."

Izuku's tears streamed freely, his voice rising in intensity. "You ask me to return One For All, but you don't understand, do you? It's not just a power to me. It's my hope, my dream, the embodiment of my belief in the goodness of heroes! And you... you want to strip me of it."

All Might tried to interject, "Izuku, please understand..."

But Izuku wasn't having it. He cut him off, "Understand? UNDERSTAND?! You want me to understand the very system that's screwing me over? The same system that's ready to lock away an innocent person based on circumstantial evidence? The same system that YOU are a pillar of?"

In a desperate act of anger and defiance, Izuku's aura flared with intent. He tried to summon One For All's power, either to create a path for escape or to confront All Might in his overwhelming emotions. But before any semblance of power could manifest, the suppressor collar around his neck activated, sending waves of excruciating pain throughout his body. He crumpled to the ground, groaning.

The door slammed open, and the guard rushed in, weapon drawn and eyes surveying the situation. "What's going on here?!"

Gasping for breath and still reeling from the shock, Izuku managed to spit out, "Get me out of here. Now."

The guard, seeing All Might unharmed, quickly moved to help Izuku to his feet, pulling him up by the arm. All Might reached out, "Izuku..."

But the young hero turned his face away, a mixture of tears and anger evident in his eyes. As the guard led him out, Izuku's heart ached, filled with a potent mixture of betrayal, anger, and a determination to set things right.