Midori The Rabbit

First Steps

It was late, the sun was already going down and Izumi felt the rush of the day just buzz on her skin. Her ears still rang from the lectures she'd received from the surrounding heroes. They were right of course, it would have been dangerous for anyone, let alone someone without a quirk. Still...

She heard the rushing steps behind her and turned around just in time to squeal as Bakugo grabbed her by the shoulders and shake her.

"BAKA USAGI! I never asked for your help! I didn't need it! Don't you ever try and do something that stupid again!" He shoved her back breathing heavily and shaking. His fists were clenched and his head bowed as he tried desperately to hold in his temper. 

"K-K-Kacchan..." Izumi blinked and went pale. She'd expected his anger but had done little to prepare for it. "I'm sorry." 

"Kuso!" His grip on her tightened. It had been to close. If All Might hadn't shown up when he did, she would have died. She would have died trying to save him. That fact, that knowledge both made him happy, and pissed him off all at the same time. "You're a quirkless failure playing at hero! If you've got death wish, I'd be more than happy to kill you myself!" He shoved her back and she stumbled a little but stayed on her feet. "Think about that next time! BAKA!" 

He turned around and stalked off. All these new emotions that were swelling inside him. He'd have to do something quickly to kill them before they messed him up royally.

Izumi in the meantime stood there stunned by the sudden rush and outburst. She blinked and couldn't help but let out a little laugh watching him stamp off irritably. Ah well, that was Kacchan for yah. He says what he wants the way he wants to. Anyway he was right, they had all been right. She'd been in the heat of battle, and all she'd managed to do was get in the way. She couldn't be a hero. It was time to face reality and think of what to do next.

She turned around to keep walking and got the second jolt of surprise as All Might zoomed right into view. She landed on her rump her bag in her lap her eyes blinking in wide eyed surprise.

"All Might?! What? Huh? Weren't you being interviewed?"

"Hahahahaha!" All Might laughed as he boasted. "Getting away from them was a cinch. Why do you ask? Because I am All Mi-" he coughed up blood as his body shrunk back to his true form: Skin and bones and fatigue lining his face. It was a form that still made her jolt. Her perfect image of the World's greatest hero was morphing into something she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

"Young Lady... I've come with words of thanks, a correction, and a solution."

"Eh?" Confusion lined her face as she got to her feet and dusted off her skirt.

"If it hadn't been for you, if you hadn't told me about your life, and risked your own to save your friend... I would have become a boasting fool in a uniform. So thank you." He watched her eyes go bright and her cheeks flush.

"What? No that's not right. It was my fault to begin with that the villain escaped and put Kacchan and everyone in danger. I got in the way of your work, and I asked you impertinent questions even though I'm quirkless. I'm sorry."

"That's exactly right. It was because of you; young, timid, and quirkless you, that I was able to act. Top Heroes all have stories from their school days... but one thing has always stood out among them. Their bodies reacted before they had a chance to think."

When he saw that look of surprise and pure joy on her face, All Might knew he'd made the right decision. 

"That was true for you too, wasn't it?"

Tears sprang from those big green orbs and she held her chest and mouth trying to contain the tears of joy. She nodded and collapsed to her knees as her idol, the man she'd looked up to for so many years said the words she'd always hoped to hear from others.