No turning back

lost and found

Izuku groaned, pulling the soaked notebook out of the water, muttering under his breath, "idiot. If I really jumped, you'd be charged with bullying me into suicide. Think before you speak."

He stared at the koi fish lamenting. To be that carefree and unbothered, briefly he wondered if laying down on the bottom of the pond would entice that same feeling.

Shaking his head of the thought, he flapped the dripping pages hoping that the inside wasn't too we. He might just have to dry it with mom's hairdryer when he got home.

Speaking of home, Izuku was already much later than he should be. He would have to rush if he didn't want his mom to worry, she already worried far too much.

Unfortunately, that meant taking the shortcut under the bridge that gave Izuku the creeps. It was dark and wet and smelled really weird, and Izuku just hated going under there.

Muttering to himself as he walked to keep his nerves in check, Izuku didn't notice the wet squelching noise until a thick slime had engulfed his body.

"Don't worry," a disembodied voice gurgled as the filth invaded his every orifice, "I'm just hijacking your body, calm down. It will only hurt for about forty five seconds-" a cackle echoed through the empty street, "then it will all be over."

Izuku struggled, helplessly clawing at the sludge forcing it's way into his mouth that muted his cries for help, lungs burning as he tried to gasp for air. Vaguely he could hear the villain speaking, something about 'no use' and 'a real hero'. Tears pricked at the corners of Izuku's eyes. He was going to die like this, pathetic and useless just like he was always told. A small part of his brain was almost relieved, as the black spots finally engulfed his vision Izuku wondered if perhaps it was better this way.

-

A sharp pain made Izuku sit bolt upright, sucking in sharp breaths he clutched at his chest, he was alive? But how?

"Thank goodness!" A voice boomed as Izuku's world came back into focus, "you're okay! Excellent!"

Izuku swore he saw All Might himself standing in front of him, rubbing his eyes the image never changed, "Wha-?!"

All Might was there in front of him, in the flesh. He was saying something while holding a large bottle full of green slime.

Scrambling around he noticed his notebook, perfectly dry and open to a double page spread displaying All Might's signature, when had he done that?

Looking back up he saw All Might crouch down to take off and he panicked, he still had so much he had to ask, he had to know for sure.

-

"Without power can one become a hero? No, I should think not."

Those words from the skeletal ghost of All Might, broken down and bloody, shattered Izuku's world. For once no tears came, as the emotions rose like bile in his throat. Hang on that was bile, he was going to be sick.

As he heaved in the corner of the rooftop All Might's parting words rang through his mind, "it's not wrong to dream, however, you need to be realistic kid."

How many times had he heard it.

"Even as a third year, he still can't face reality."

"You need to be realistic."

"It's time to start thinking seriously about your future."

The voices echoed around him, things he'd always been told, things that only used to make him more determined. But now, now he felt hollow, every word was like a knife through his heart.