Zero - A Vigilante Deku Story

Chapter 23 - Memories of a past life, like sand passing between my fingers.

POV Zero?

Shouta had sat down next to him and said nothing more. The underground hero knew him really well by now and simply waited until he was ready.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I didn't even manage to introduce myself before I blew up the lesson and ruined your class."

He just shrugged. "Nah, it's no problem. Iida's got a pretty good handle on them."

"Really?"

"Don't worry about it, problem child," the teacher replied.

Zero frowned. There was something ambiguous about Shouta's tone. "That ... sounds a bit like I have something else to worry about."

"Only if you're ready for it."

The teenager had a bad feeling. "Ready for what?"

"I sent Bakugou to Nezu. The rat contacted me while I was looking for you. Looks like it's true that you used to know each other. He's gathered information on Izuku Midoriya for you to look at whenever you're ready. Besides, Bakugou would really like to talk to you. I could hardly convince him not to come looking for you as well."

"Really?" Zero could hardly believe it. His memories of the blond boy were so contradictory.

"Yeah, he was really upset. He's often that way with his temper, but not like this."

"What's he like?"

"Do you have any memories of him?" Shouta asked back.

Zero screwed up his face. "A few. They don't make much sense." It was only half the truth. Part of him didn't want to badmouth the blond to the underground hero, even though he had been so mean to him in some of his memories.

"Bakugou is usually a bit harsh or too loud. That probably has something to do with his quirk. Basically, he has his heart in the right place. Before winter break, he almost killed himself to save a friend. He'll make a good hero if he works on his temper."

"What's his quirk?" Zero could only remember the dancing sparks, but had no idea what caused them.

"He sweats a substance very similar to nitroglycerin. He can ignite it in his hands, causing it to explode."

"That sounds dangerous," Zero muttered.

Shouta laughed. "A little. Though I have to admit, Bakugou's control over his quirk is impressive." The man gave him a sidelong glance. "You better not tell him I admitted that."

Zero smiled sadly. "Don't worry. I don't know if I'm ready to talk to him yet."

The teacher nodded. "That's okay. You set the pace. Bakugou will have to accept that."

Zero wasn't convinced that patience was one of the blond's strengths. The thought of Kacchan made him wistful and he didn't want to worry about the boy at the moment. So he changed the subject. "What did Nezu find?"

"The police file on the investigation into your disappearance, a patient file, documents from elementary school, all pretty thin, but quite revealing. Also..." He didn't continue.

Zero got a bad feeling. "Also what?"

"A police report on the accident which killed your mother a few years ago, and some more background information on her. I'm so sorry I don't have better news for you, Zero."

Tears welled up in his eyes and his throat tightened. He could barely remember his mother, only that he had often called for her when the doctor had him on his table. The shreds of memory Zero had left of her caused a warm feeling in his chest. His mother had loved him despite everything. He couldn't even remember her face. So why did it hurt so terribly to know that he would never see it again?