My Hero Academia: From The Ground Up

Chapter 21: Inside My Head

"So you watched All Might....give this boy a strand of his hair and he ate it?" The old man in the chair asked.

"Y-yes..." Densist said embarrassed. He stood with his head bowing alongside Naga.

The old man looked down in thought, in silence.

Then after a moment, there was a sound of soft laughter coming from him. Slowly, the laughing grew louder.

"AHAHAHA! He is weak!" He laughed.

"All Might?" Densist asked.

"YES, YOU IDIOT!" The old man Schizo snapped out of his laughter and immediately became angry, making the growth-villain flinch. "He has passed on his power to that boy. Now the flame within him will burn out. He will die. And the boy? It'll take years perhaps for him to achieve full control...without breaking his body." He chuckled.

They just looked at each other. While in the same room, Mariko sat in the corner and began to cry. She wanted to be there more than anything.

"What troubles you, my child?" Schizo asked, without turning to her or even speaking with his physical mouth. It almost didn't sound like his voice at all.

Mariko couldn't force herself out of a telepathic conversation with him. She never could. Nor could she hide any secrets. "N-nothing, sensei." She thought as she thought of everything she could to hide those thoughts she didn't want him to see.

Still, he forced himself in deeper. "You owe me your very life after what I did to save you. I know that you have certain desires, such as that boy. And dreams of becoming a hero to be adored. But if you continue with me, as you always have, you'll have so much more."

She continued to cry.

"I won't lie to you, my dear. Your friend.....Izuku...must die. Or...perhaps....you can convince him to join you...." Schizo said.

"C-convince him?..." Mariko asked.

"Yes. You and him can be remembered forever together as the greatest warriors this world has ever seen... If you can bring him here, we'll finally achieve victory. No more sacrifices. No more sadness." He explained.

"Y-yes.... I like that idea. Yes I want that.... I don't want him to die..." She sniffed.

"Very good. Go find him. That is your mission." He ordered.

"As for you two!" Schizo suddenly spoke out to Densist and Naga in a deeper voice. "Go and bring me my wheelchair. We have a hero to hunt. NOW!"

Both villains were suddenly thrown out of the room by an unseen force. Schizo chuckled to himself as he watched Mariko swiftly walk out of the room on her own.

As soon as she left the sewers, she resumed crying. "F-for Izuku... Yes... I-it's the only way... To protect him..."
~~~~~~~

Izuku didn't feel too good after eating that strand of hair earlier. He felt as if he'd swallowed an entire cinder block and it very much drained him of energy.

Still, he felt he should say hi to his friend Ochaco before he crashes on his bed.

He yawned and knocked on her door.

After a moment, Mrs. Uraraka answered. "Oh! Hello Izuku! Ochaco is just in her room, would you like to come in?"

"Hi Mrs. Uraraka! Th-that's okay. I just wanted to see how she's doing." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah right." She smiled.

"Izuku-kun?"

Izuku looked past the woman and spotted Ochaco just behind her. "H-hey..." He gave a small wave.