Vigilante: Deku Means Useless

Fan Behavior

Izuku disliked getting beat up, for the lack of a better word. He knew he shouldn't have left school, mom was probably worried sick and looking for him. But he couldn't help it. At that moment, all Izuku had on his mind was the overflowing feeling of dread and the taste of his own sick. He also knew he probably shouldn't be walking around with a bruised torso and scraped head, but, then again, when did he ever actually not walk around with at least one or two injuries. These ones just happened to be much larger and much, much more painful.

Flicking off a bug that had decided to land on his shoulder, Izuku lead himself towards the beach. He stopped walking to take in the view from the boardwalk. The beach wasn't pretty. It wasn't clear with paper white sand, or bright turquoise water. Instead, the brown sand was littered with other peoples trash like small wrappers or furniture. The beach was beautiful in its own way, Izuku supposed. If you considered pollution something to admire.

Ah, but look at him getting all cheesy, he slid down the slope to the sand. Izuku didn't know what he was doing here, he never came to the beach. Not even when he was a kid. He didn't like the feeling of sand on his skin and still doesn't. Maybe his reason on coming here was because he didn't want anyone to find him, or maybe it was just because he wanted to be alone. Izuku scoffed, those were pretty much the same thing.

The greenette opted for sitting on a washing machine instead of the probably bug infested couch below. Swinging his legs, Izuku leaned his head back to stare at the cloudy sky. His mind involuntary wandered back to that night. The night where he had done something so stupid and so reckless he could have gotten killed. But he didn't. Izuku grinned despite himself, he had done something stupid, something dangerous. He had gotten into a fight. And won. A light laugh escaped his lips, he had won a fight.

Izuku knew he shouldn't be glad over something so blatantly stupid. But he couldn't help it. The kid moved his head to stare at the muddy ocean. He had won his first fight, he had saved someone. He grinned over the thought of the person he saved reporting to the police that a hero had saved him.

He paused, a hero? He was quirkless, how could he be a hero? Sure, he could go out and stop as much crime as he could find but... wouldn't that just make him a vigilante? He certainly couldn't enroll into a hero school, even in the Gen ED course, much less the hero course. Izuku thought that if he did some how end up being accepted into Gen ED, he would probably feel bitter towards the hero students... best not.

He let out a breath, and hopped off the washing machine. He should probably get home and back to mom. The sun was beginning to set. Izuku, grabbing his backpack —that was carelessly thrown into the sand— unzipped it and pulled on the hoodie he always kept in there. It was the same one from a few nights ago, Izuku had to wash it twice to get the blood out, but he assumed it would be fine to wear again after the stains began to look almost the same as the fabric itself. Besides, it was his favorite hoody, and his mom would think it was odd if he just threw it out. He dusted off the sand from his pants and grimaced when he took a step and found that some sand had gotten into his shoes too. He huffed, and began to walk, no use thinking too hard about the little rock's in his shoes.

And now, just a few blocks away from home, Izuku was met with a similar situation as he was a couple days prior. But this time, it was a woman with some sort of bird quirk, and the person being mugged... was Izuku.

"Hey- what the hell did I say of you? Empty the damn bag and give me your valuables!" The woman brandished her knife and Izuku flinched, quickly taking off his bag. Sure, he had fought off a mugger before, but this woman had a knife and not some beat up old bat. The woman, who Izuku now realizes actually has orange and red feathers and not brown like he had originally thought, began to dump his backpack down on the concrete floor. "Ugh." she groaned. "Is this seriously all you have?" Izuku kept his mouth shut tightly, but if she wanted money why had she decided to rob a middle schooler? Easy target? Izuku decided to keep his comment to himself.

She stood up again and advanced towards him, holding the knife in front of her. "You're really useless you know that? Not even a little bit of money? A card? Coupon? Hell- even a phone?" Izuku's phone he realized is still at school probably forgotten in a bathroom stall somewhere. The bird lady held her head in her hand and laughed humorlessly before looking back up at him, her yellow eyes gleamed in the street light's reflection. "I really shouldn't have chosen a kid." The woman lunged, Izuku ducked and pushed off the wall to stumble into the other ally wall.

She turned and slashed again and Izuku felt the knife tear the left sleeve of his jacket. "Ah-" Izuku gasped as he tried to break his fall with his arms, hitting the ground. Izuku closed his eyes and curled into a ball, so his fate really is to die to a mugger huh? The first one he had gotten lucky, but now? Who was going to save him, he wasn't going to get another meeting with All Might this time. He kept his eyes squeezed shut until he heard a yell and a thump from behind him.

He peaked an eye open to see his attacker wrapped in some sort of cloth, unconscious and leaned against the wall. "Hey, are you alright?" a voice spoke from next to the lady. Izuku turned onto his back and stared wide eyed. The man was tall and had messy black hair, he had the same cloth that was restraining the woman wrapped around his hands, and had yellow goggles shading his eyes. He unwrapped himself from the ball of Izuku he'd become to stand a good couple of feet away from the man and his unconscious attacker.

"Shit- you're a kid?" It wasn't phrased like a question. Izuku flinched, he was going to get scolded for staying out so late wasn't he? For not having someone with him at night? For being weak and unable to defend himself? "Be careful next time, kiddo." Huh? "You okay?" The guy looked awkward, but was starting to look a little familiar to Izuku. He didn't answer and just continued to stare wide eyed, the guy sighed and scratched his neck. "Look I know I look pretty sketchy but I'm actually a hero, my names-"

"Eraser-head!" Izukus eyes widen even more if possible as he pointed at the surprised hero.

"You know who I am?" Izuku just laughed.

"Know who you are? Of course I do! I have pretty much your whole life memorized by now. Also, gotta say, I absolutely loved how you fought those villains a couple years back with the shadow quirks-" When Izuku realized he probably sounded very creepy and very invasive he clamped his mouth shut and covered it with both his hands. The man did looked somewhat put off, his eyes wide. But that didn't stop the breathy and quick laugh.

"Huh." was all he responded with before he hoisted the unconscious villain over his shoulder with a grunt. "Well kid, get home safely and... try not to get mugged again." He quickly jumped his way back onto the roofs and was long gone.

Izuku nodded, "Will do." he whispered, far too late.