Encroachment

Chapter 1: Possession

Izuku felt the light of the afternoon sun warm his cheeks. A gentle breeze toyed with his green curls. The rhythmic thudding is his shoes against the tarmac thundered in his ears. With trembling hands, he stared down at the water logged, scorched notebook that was clutched in his fingers. Exhaust fumes from a noisy, nearby road tugged at his attention. Yet some how, despite the musical chirping of birds filtering through the air, his attention was trained solely on the book infront of him. Written neatly across the cover was 'Hero Analysis for the Future Vol. 13'. Izuku nearly chuckled. His bottom lip began to quiver but he bit down harshly to silence its pitiful display. What if Ka-Chan was right? With a quirk as useless as his in combat, Izuku had no chance at winning a fight. Even if he wasn't in combat, he would not use his quirk. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. The thought made him sick to his stomach. Ka-chan did have a point. Izuku's quirk was more befitting of a villain, not a hero.

Izuku slammed his breaks on his thoughts. Righting himself, he reached into his backpack and gingerly slotted the notebook back into its position. No, there was no way Izuku could give up. If All Might could face up against the greatest evil with a smile on a daily basis, then Izuku could crush his fear of his quirk and become a hero. Even if he had to abandon the superhuman part of himself to do so. Even if that rendered him practically Quirkless. Clutching his hand into a fist, Izuku felt a swell of pride in his chest. No matter what Ka-Chan said he was going to do his best to become a hero, and a good one.

Izuku puffed out his chest and strutted forwards, his mother would be expecting him home and he had promised to be home early that night. Mrs Midoryia was making Katsudon, a rare occasion that he would not miss for the world. Grinning excitedly, Izuku felt a spring return to his step as he entered a curving underpass that was sheltered by the surrounding estates. The warmth of the sun on his skin was swapped for a damp, cold slap. The air was stagnant and frigid. A foul, pungent odour burned his nose and throat, bringing tears to his eyes. It smelled like rotten fish. He could barely contain the gag reflex that yanked at his gut.

Pursing his lips, he cast a glance at the manhole on the floor as he strode past it. This underpass didn't normally smell so rancid, he could only wonder if someone had left the manhole open for too long. Lengthening his strides, he made it halfway through the tunnel in record time.

"Izuku Midoryia," a withering voice bubbled into the air around him. The boy spun on his heels, eyes trained on the manhole. That voice had sounded as though someone was speaking underwater, drowning even. It had the same strange wheezy gurgle with a pinch of desperation.

"Hello?" Izuku called out, taking a hesitant step forwards. Goosebumps raced up and down his skin. A strange acidic feeling burned in his stomach. For a beat there was no response, nothing but the sound of the wind whistling in some nearby trees.

"Izuku Midoryia," the watery voice warbled. This time it sounded closer, more breathless. Midoryia swallowed hard and scanned both the exit and entrance of the damp underpass. Nothing. Every muscle in his body was tense. "You have something I want." This time the voice was sharper, with more conviction. Izuku let out a gentle whimper, his head flicked from side to side trying to locate the source. He knew one thing for sure. This was not Kachan. No, the hot head was more likely to announce his presence with mind numbing explosions, not gentle whispering.

Izuku opened his mouth to respond. In his peripherals he could make out a black shape falling from above. Something cold, wet and rancid sprung into his mouth and coiled around his face. A taste more vile than any other he had tasted before exploded in his mouth. He could barely make out the green shadow floating in front of his eyes that was fighting its way into his mouth. Clawing uselessly at his attacker, he let out a muffled scream that bubbled noiselessly through the liquid burning in his throat. The frigid liquid was beginning to wrap around his chest and flailing arms, subduing his movement and making him want to gasp for air. The cold seeped into his bones, making him falter. A muddy shape with two yellowed eyeballs floating in its solution effortlessly squeezed through a crack in the ceiling. Izuku's lungs were burning, he tried in desperation to call out for help. It came out as nothing more than a strangled gurgle. "I have a dream," a mouth like shape filled with crooked white teeth just below the glaring eyeballs hummed, "and you will help me achieve that."

The sludge villain began to swirl and shift around him, cramming itself a little further down his throat. The smell was making hot tears stream down his cheeks. It seared his nose and eyes. Gathering up the last of his remaining strength, Izuku thrashed around inside the liquid, his feet digging deep into the floor in an attempt to propel himself forwards. He went nowhere. His lungs spasmed in his chest. He felt his limbs become heavy and his eye lids felt like lead. "Your body is mine." The voice hissed into his ear. Izuku couldn't do it, his chest betrayed him. Unintentionally he took a deep breath in, dragging the acidic liquid inside his lungs. With the corners of his vision tinging red all he could do was fall to his knees and feel the villain worming down his throat. That was the last thing he felt before his body gave up and the concrete rushed to meet him.