A Collector

First Day and New Info

Hours later Izuku was shown how all the sound equipment in the bar worked. It was already getting close to nighttime by the time he was ready to sing. Himiko stuck around the entire time, playing with some of her knives while waiting for Izuku to start singing. At that time Izuku's given koumori a fake name, calling himself, Izu Akatani. Not the best fake name, but it's the best he could do on such short notice. 

Patrons to the bar have already started filing in and asking koumori about her new appearance. When asked about what happened and how she looks human now, she explains that she was helped by someone's quirk, but won't say who or how; something that Izuku's thankful for. When there are more than a few people in the bar and everyone's calmed down and stopped talking about koumori's new appearance she walks up to the mic and exclaims, "Now everyone, since Jinmeiyō is no longer with us, we've gotten a new and promising startup. Please welcome Izu Akatani!"

Izu walked on stage as anxious as he could be. He didn't know what to sing! He remembered all the times he was hiding from Izumi in the library. When he first started hiding there he'd make sure to keep his ears open, expecting for her and her gang to walk in and catch him but they never did. He got complacent and started wearing headphones to listen to music while reading. That's how they caught him off guard and ruined his first hiding spot.  

He thought back through all the songs he listened to before, thinking about what to play. He had less than a minute before he had to sing as koumori spoke about some changing prices. It was only when he was called up that he suddenly remembered something he heard an artist say before, "play to your audience." He looked out at the sea of people in the bar and saw criminals and thieves. 

He was worried he wouldn't know what to play for them, and even more worried about their response would be when he looked at Himiko and came to a sudden realization. Himiko isn't his first friend that's a villain, Dabi was a villain too. He thought about the common traits between them and one thing came up. They didn't choose this life. With that thought, Izuku knew what to play. 

"What is this feeling of power and drive

I've never known, I feel alive!

Where does this feeling of power derive

Making me know, why I'm alive

Like the night it's a secret

Sinister, dark, and unknown

I do not know what I seek, yet I'll seek it alone"

While he sang he could see people smiling and singing along with him and knew he'd chosen the right song. As he sang he thought of his past before he and Izumi got their quirks. Those few years when they were still brother and sister—the calm before the storm.

"I have a thirst that I cannot deprive

Never have I, felt so alive!

There is no battle I couldn't survive

Feeling like this, feeling alive!

Like the moon, an enigma

Lost and alone in the night

Damned by some heavenly stigma

But blazing with life!"

The years after were a waking nightmare, and he was quite literally littered with scars from the three of them. Multiple burn scars, bruises, and impaled limbs from their creative torment. He then thought about Himiko and how happy he was just to spend time with her and his new possible friend koumori. He'd had more fun in the limited time he knew them than he'd had since he was four. 

This was one of the first times in a long time he could say he was truly happy. With Dabi, he was always worried about Izumi somehow finding out and ruining his first friendship. When he ran away it was out of anger and sadness. When he discovered his quirk he was terrified about what the future held for him. When he met and became friends with Himiko he was truly happy, anxious but happy. The same, to a lesser extent, could be said for koumori.