Izuku Midoriya sat alone in a corner of the bustling cafeteria, his tray of food untouched before him. He observed the other students chatting and laughing, feeling a pang of loneliness. The encounter with Pharos that morning still weighed heavily on his mind. He sighed, trying to focus on the task at hand—getting through the day.
Suddenly, a boy with purple hair and tired eyes approached him. He carried his own tray and gave Izuku a small nod before sitting down across from him.
"Mind if I join you?" the boy asked, his voice low but steady.
Izuku shook his head. "No, go ahead."
"I'm Hitoshi Shinso," the boy introduced himself, extending a hand. "You're Midoriya, right? I saw you in the General Studies classroom."
"Yeah, Izuku Midoriya," he replied, shaking Shinso's hand. "Nice to meet you."
The two sat in silence for a moment, each eating their lunch. Izuku glanced at Shinso, curious about the boy who had chosen to sit with him.
"So, why General Studies?" Shinso asked, breaking the silence. "You look like you could handle more than just the basic courses."
Izuku hesitated, unsure of how much to share. "I guess I just needed a fresh start. A place to figure things out."
Shinso nodded, seeming to understand. "I get that. People usually underestimate General Studies, but there's a lot we can do from here."
They continued talking, finding a surprising amount of common ground. Shinso shared his own frustrations about being overlooked and underestimated, and Izuku felt a sense of camaraderie with him.
Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering filled Izuku's ears, and he froze. A familiar, ethereal voice echoed in his mind, much like Pharos's voice from earlier.
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating
Personas of the Hermit Arcana."
Izuku's eyes widened, and he looked around, but no one else seemed to have heard the voice. Shinso noticed his reaction and raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, you okay?" Shinso asked, concern in his voice.
Izuku shook his head, trying to shake off the strange feeling. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... lost in thought."
Shinso studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. We're all in this together, right?"
Izuku managed a small smile. "Thanks, Shinso. That means a lot."
As lunch ended and they made their way back to class, Izuku couldn't help but ponder the meaning of the mysterious voice. What did it mean by a new bond and the Hermit Arcana? He glanced at Shinso, who seemed unaware of the strange occurrence. Perhaps this bond was something important, something that could help him on his journey.
---
The rest of the school day passed in a blur, with Izuku focusing on his studies and trying to ignore the lingering questions in his mind. As he left the school grounds, he couldn't shake the feeling that something significant had begun to unfold.
---
That evening, Izuku sat in his room, the faint hum of his MP3 player filling the silence. He replayed the day's events in his mind, especially the encounter with Pharos and the voice he had heard at lunch. He didn't know what it all meant, but he felt a strange sense of determination.
Looking out his window at the darkening sky, he made a silent vow. No matter what challenges lay ahead, he would face them head-on. With the support of new friends like Shinso and the mysterious guidance of Pharos, he would find his way.
And so, with the full moon drawing ever closer, Izuku Midoriya braced himself for whatever the future held. He knew that his journey was only just beginning, and he was ready to face it with newfound resolve.
---
Izuku's Confidant Progress:
THE HERMIT - Hitoshi Shinso: rank 1
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Shadows of Hope
FanfictionIzuku Midoriya's world was shattered by relentless bullying and a tragic villain attack that took his mother and sister. Now, living in the shadows of his former self, Izuku has become a ghost in a world that no longer recognizes him. During the mys...
