A Tarnished Hero

Chapter 22: Cause and Effect

Izuku was just lounging in his house with Melina when all of a sudden, the door to his living room opened. He looked at the possible intruder, only to see his benefactor cheekily strolling in like he owned the entire place. Well, to be honest, he literally did, but Izuku hoped he would respect his privacy given time.

"Nezu, what brings you here?" Izuku got off his ass, the spectral girl already fading into blue motes of light, away from anyone else's eyes. Approaching the rat, Izuku gestured for the animal to sit in one of the provided chairs that was just his size, probably already placed there just in case Nezu needed to visit.

"Apologies for barging in at such a time, Midoriya, but we have some things to discuss." Nezu waved his arm, a sign that Izuku was allowed to sit, and he just did so on another chair that was situated right in front of Nezu. "Specifically, your stunt with both class 1-A and 1-B."

"Oh, is this about beating them to the ground?" Izuku tilted his head and Nezu nodded. "Why? I provided them with their healing and valuable knowledge, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, but how you went about it was quite extreme." Nezu propped up his snout with both of his paws, back straight as he leaned forward. "Now, credit where credit is due, your teachings would no doubt have a positive effect on the students' capabilities, however, you must keep in mind that your students are but children, malleable, flexible... Easily broken." Nezu's grave tone echoed throughout the room, Izuku's right eyebrow raising at the statement. "Their emotions are easily driven, their limited time on this planet still not enough to count as proper experience."

"... You mean to tell me that they aren't ready?" Izuku pursed his lips. Are they truly that unprepared for this path they have chosen?

"Oh no, I didn't mean that." Nezu waved his paws in front of Izuku. "What I meant to say was that they are but children. Their emotions are at an all-time high. There is a reason why our teachers aren't that hard on them. Care to guess why?"

"They couldn't stand the pressure..." Izuku concluded and Nezu nodded his head.

"Precisely. All it takes is one bad day, a single seed of doubt blooming within their hearts to sway them from the path they chose." Nezu sighed, beady eyes closing as he drew in another breath.

"But, wouldn't that mean that they weren't fit for the role in the first place?"

"That could be the case, but please keep in mind that teenagers are impulsive creatures." Nezu opened his eyes and stared directly into Izuku's orbs. "It was your impulsiveness that caused your own death, even if you did save a life. No matter how you interchange it, you running towards the Slime Villain was the cause of your own demise, that is simply a fact."

"... Are you mocking me?" Izuku narrowed his eyes at the rat, but all he got as a response was a shaking head.

"No. I am just saying it as it happened. No doubt, you have saved a life, possibly even more lives that day and I am entirely grateful for your sacrifice, but had you chosen not to run in, there was a possibility that you would be alive without going through... whatever it is you went through." Nezu shrugged with a calm demeanor. Izuku's glare softened, his shoulders slumping slightly as he processed the rat's words. "Nevertheless, do you see where I'm getting at?"

"... Yes." Izuku sighed, his brain working on overdrive trying to understand the logical being in front of him. It might sound a bit confusing, but Nezu was called the smartest being in Japan for a reason. "You are talking about possible futures and how to best guide a student towards that future. You want them to be the heroes they can be, the heroes they were meant to be." Izuku rapped his fingers on the desk, a rhythmic tapping that mirrored the pounding of his heart within his chest. "And me doing what I did reduced those chances because of their emotions running high..."