Chapter Three
Awakening
Previously…
"Hold still kid! Die already!"
"NO."
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSHHHHHHH
Wind began to whip up harder than before, tearing the slime away from Midoriya's body. A whole windstorm had erupted in that tunnel, blowing it to pieces. The Slime Villain was blown apart by the force, revealing the boy who was hovering in the center of the sphere of air with his eyes glowing with power.
"YOU WILL NOT HARM THIS CHILD." Midoriya spoke, but his voice was doubled over with a new voice in tandem. The slime was torn apart over and over by the fierce winds and debris without mercy. Eventually, the villain lost consciousness.
BANG!
"I AM HERE!" A blond, muscular hero arrived on the scene from a manhole, taking in his surroundings. The slime villain he was chasing was all over the place! 'What's this wind?' He looked up to see a child in the eye of the windstorm. He prepared to jump in to stop the child…
But the wind began to die down, lowering the child down gently. His eyes continued to glow white for a moment before dying down, leaving the kid unconscious.
And that, is where the fun begins.
xXx
"KID! KID! WAKE UP!" The number one hero repeatedly slapped the young boy's face, but to no avail. Whatever just happened with his quirk, it left the kid exhausted. All Might looked around for somebody, maybe a friend of his or family, but he seemed to have been alone when he was attacked.
'A life or death reaction? Don't see those everyday…air manipulation, too...' All Might thought to himself as he gathered the villain into a large soda bottle, with the green haired middle-schooler draped on his shoulder. The kid was out like a light, but was uninjured. After a bit of digging, the hero found the kid's notebook with a home address.
'Score!' After a quick All Might signature, he gave a great leap towards the suburbs, with the kid in his arms.
Unbeknownst to him, the bottle in his pocket had slipped out, falling to the ground.
xXx
'Am I...falling? Floating?'
Midoriya looked in all directions, seeing nothing but a great expanse of space. Northern lighted flowed into his gaze as he examined his glowing hands. He glowed a vibrant green, as if he was a spirit.
Something caught his eye in the distance, a blinding blue and white light cascading into his view. Ribbons of light reached towards him, bringing his form closer to the entity. A figure came into view at the center of the glow.
"I...I know you…" He spoke without thinking. "Am I...I am dead?"
The woman only smiled. "No Izuku. You are safe, but we must speak soon. I believe you will be home when you awaken, so fret not."
"...you...you're Korra. Aren't you?"
"Yes, Izuku Midoriya. I'm Avatar Korra, the author of that book you've kept these last two years. I'm happy that you were able to find Omashu, though disappointed you couldn't stay for long. It matters not, as it seems we can communicate anyway."
"Right. What is this place?" Midoriya gestured to the space they were floating in.
"This is the spiritual plane that inhabits your being. You entered the Avatar State to preserve your life, and now your physical body is tired from the strain. So here we are." Korra's image dimmed a touch. "At least for a while. You have done well to learn each of the elements at at least the basic level, but there is more for you to learn, in both bending and who you are as the Avatar."
"What?" Midoriya yelped "But how can I get back? To Omashu?"
"Don't worry about that. That place was made as a keeper of history if you couldn't contact me, but you can. We will speak more on this another time. For now, locate your meditation beads. They're the closest way to contact me should you need guidance." Their surroundings began to dim further as she faded out of sight. "Farewell for now, Izuku Midoriya."
And just like that, he was met with darkness.
…
…
…
"...Izuku? Izuku!"
Midoriya stirred awake at his mother's voice, sounding more worried than ever. "Izuku? Are you awake now?"
"Mmm? What happened?" The boy asked.
He was met with a bone-crushing hug as Inko sobbed. "Y-y-you were attacked, dear! I've told you not to take back alleys like that! I know you can defend yourself, but still! And…"
This went on for a bit as Midoriya patted her back. Then he remembered something.
"Oh yeah! I think I remember All Might for some reason! Was he there?"
"Hic...yes he was! He rescued you!" Inko dabbed at her tears as Midoriya sat shocked.
"No way! OhmygoshIshouldhaveaskedforanautographwaitIwasunconciousbutstill…"
"Izuku? Izuku." Inko tried to get his attention, but he was too busy muttering up a storm. She was about to show him his (now signed) notebook, but they heard a loud boom from far off.
"What was that?" Midoriya exclaimed. Midoriya hopped up to turn on the television, which was set to the hero news already.
"We are now at the scene of what appears to be a villain attack in Mustafu Town Square! Heroes are working crowd control and rescue as the fires from the explosions keep the heroes back."
"Explosions?" Midoriya asked. "It couldn't be…" Then they showed the villain.
'...No!'
It was the sludge villain, the same that had attacked Midoriya not even an hour ago. And within was a figure, who was struggling with all his might to remove the sludge with his explosions.
A figure with sand blond hair…
"Sweetie?" Inko asked. "Isn't that the same…"
WHOOOSH
The young Avatar was out the door in an instant with a blast of wind. As he ran, he grabbed the contraption he'd been working on. The one he started since reading that chapter about the Air Nomads.
He dashed outside, jumping from their 3rd story apartment and threw the wooden staff like a spear. Immediately, the inner workings unfolded to reveal a small air glider! It wasn't perfect and needed work, but it'll do. Midoriya grabbed on and flew for the plume of smoke in the distance.
xXx
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
"RRRRAAAAGH! YOU PICKED THE WRONG GUY TO MESS WITH! LET ME GOOOO!" Katsuki Bakugo screamed before getting more sludge forced into his mouth by the villain. More explosions burst from his hands, destroying more of the shopping center and keeping the heroes back. Other heroes and police worked to keep the crowd away from the scene. Among them was a blond skeleton of a man, clutching his stomach in pain.
'Absolutely pathetic. Because of my rookie mistake! I'm a failure!' The man thought in self-disgust. Within the crowd, a kindred spirit worried for the victim trapped within the liquid criminal.
Someone who was just out to find some mochi.
Ochaco Uraraka stood on her tippy-toes to look at the scene. 'It looks like its got someone in there! I hope the right hero shows up soon, he's been in there for too long!'She looked around for a hero. Backdraft was controlling the fire and Kamui Woods couldn't fight those explosions. Death Arms didn't have enough strength to get him out either.
'There! It's Mt. Lady!'
Mt. Lady ran forward in her giant form, but stopped! She couldn't get through with her size!
'C'mon! Somebody's got to show up! Anybody!' She looked around frantically, landing her eyes on the trapped boy.
His eyes...were scared.
HELP ME
And then, without a second thought, or even realizing she had done it…
She ran through the barrier, sprinting for the villain!
There was a single moment when nobody moved but her as she sped towards danger, but only a moment.
"STOP!" Death Arms shouted, reaching out. "IT'LL KILL YOU!"
But she either didn't hear him or didn't care. All she knew was there was someone in trouble. That he needed help.
What more reason did she need?
The sludge villain watched as the small girl ran through the debris and flames towards him. 'Idiot girl. Guess she'll have to die!'
With a small pink glow, some of the debris began to float as she touched it, throwing it at the villain's "face". "HEEAAAA!"
Maybe just by chance, but some of the weightless debris struck the villain in the eyes, causing him to flinch back. With the new opening, she ran for the blond boy, who was hacking up sludge as he tried to yell.
"Haaack OI! GET hack OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" He screamed as she approached. She ignored him as her hands dug into the sludge, making the liquid weightless as she searched for the boy's body. Globs of liquid floated away, making the excavation a bit easier.
"I...gotta...save...ya!" She yelled back, throwing more sludge out of the way.
"I CAN SAVE MYSELF, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"
She whipped her head up, panic and fright in her eyes. But also…
Determination.
"Because you need saving!" She shouted as she dug harder.
Back in the crowd, the thin man heard them. Heard her words.
The words of a hero!
The crystallization of power within him welled back up, responding to his determination. The sludge villain prepared to strike, now over his initial shock at being attacked. But before he did anything…
WHOOOOOSSSSSHHH
A blast of wind sliced through the villain's liquid arm, saving the girl. A boy on a paper glider soared towards the fight, jumping off to blast small fireballs at the threat. Uraraka finally grabbed hold of the angry boy, pulling him free! Bakugo shook himself the rest of the way out, raising his hands.
"OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY, DEKU!" He screamed at the glider boy, who jumped back immediately.
"DIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
And enormous explosion blasted the criminal back, keeping him away for now. Bakugo sat on the ground, tired from struggling. But not too tired to be angry.
"DAMMIT DEKU! WHO SAID YOU COULD SWOOP IN LIKE THAT?"
"Saw the news! Are you ok?" Midoriya called as he ran forward. Uraraka only stared at the two. 'Do they know each other?'
Unfortunately, they were all three distracted. Too distracted to notice the villain launch forward in fury.
"DAMN YOU ALL!" A semi-solid punch flew towards them as they ducked for cover too late.
SLAAAAM!
But the hit never came. Not for them anyway.
They looked up to see the number one hero, who had taken the hit with ease with a smile.
"GOOD WORK YOU THREE, NOW LET THE PROS HANDLE THIS." He cocked his fist back, spewing a bit of blood as he did so. "DETROIT…"
"NOOOOOO! NOT AGAIN!" The villain screamed in fright.
"SMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHHH
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHH
The sludge villain exploded into a million pieces from the massive wind pressure! A miniature tornado erupted into the sky from All Might's devastating attack, causing the surrounding civilians and heroes to brace themselves.
A few moments later, the wind died down to reveal All Might, standing tall. The three kids had been knocked back from the proximity, but were fine.
The crowd stood in shock as a small rainfall started from the sudden change in air pressure. All Might changed the weather! With a punch! The cheers rang all across Mustafu as All Might raised his fist in victory, stumbling a bit from exceeding his limit. He looked back at the kids he saved. The first was the blond boy. It was obvious he was destined for greatness with his quirk and determination. The second was the green haired boy. An excellent quirk too, and he met this boy before! The first must be a friend of his, but what he did was incredibly reckless. Still, he couldn't be too harsh about that. After all, heroes do what it takes. He has lots of promise.
Now the girl? Her quirk wasn't as flashy as the others and he wasn't quite clear on what it was. But he knew this girl's heart. It showed itself in the face a crisis, when most would turn and run.
What more does it take?
xXx
Eventually, every piece of the sludge villain was collected by the police to be brought to prison and charged with robbery, assault, mayhem, and attempted murder. Both Midoriya and Uraraka were scolded endlessly for jumping into the fray without concern for their own safety. Meanwhile, Bakugo was praised for his bravery and for lasting as well as he did.
Now, Midoriya was trying to find his glider in the rubble, which he had abandoned upon entry. He eventually found it, but the fire had reduced it to a crisp.
"Guess I'm walking home…" He left the ruined staff and left, having been cleared by the medics.
As he walked home, he considered what had happened earlier that day. He was in trouble, dead to rights. Then he blacked out? Saw Korra, right? Something to do with his meditation beads…
"HEY DEKU!"
He halted and looked back. Bakugo was running towards him, yelling as he went. He stopped to catch his breath.
"...listen. I don't care how strong you think you are! How many quirks you seem to have!"
Midoriya widened his eyes in surprise. 'I guess he's only seen waterbending before.'
"None of that matters, nerd! I was fine by myself! I didn't need your damn help, or that useless girl!" He shoulder-checked him as he passed. "I don't owe you a damn thing, Deku. You got tricks, but that's all you are. Don't get in my way!"
He stomped off, leaving a somewhat confused Midoriya. 'He would have actually died without that girl.' He looked back. The girl was left pretty quickly, so he didn't have time to talk to her.
'I wonder how she's doing?'
xXx
"I'm on my way now...no I didn't get the mochi, but that's ok! It's just more money for later right? ...no you don't have to...ok...alright, love you daddy...bye!" Uraraka hung up the phone. Her parents were terrified that Uraraka had jumped into a villain fight, but we're just glad she was safe. She pouted a little bit for her lost treat.
"Guess I'll try next week…" She kept walking to the subway. "Wish I had a chance to really meet All Might though…"
"I AM HERE!"
"EEEP!" Uraraka jumped in fright of the giant of a man, who came skidding in through an alleyway. "HELLO, YOUNG LADY! IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU FOR A MOMENT! IS THAT ALRIGHT?"
"Huh? What? I...um...All Mig...huh?" Ochaco stammered out, waving her arms frantically. She tried to take some deep breaths to regain her composure.
All Might watched as she got over her shock. After all, it isn't every day you meet the #1 Hero. 'Perhaps I should've done this with more...subtlety. Besides…'he reached up to wipe some blood from his mouth. 'I can't stay for long, and that form will probably kill her from shock.' He cleared his throat, gaining her attention.
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME, YOUNG LADY?"
"O-Ochaco Uraraka."
"HA! A FINE NAME INDEED! HERE'S THE SKINNY KID, I SAW YOU OUT THERE RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. YOU WERE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TODAY, DESPITE BEING A BYSTANDER."
Uraraka's eyebrows shot up. 'Impressive? He...All Might...said I'm impressive?'
"Thank you, uh...Mr All Might!" All Might dug around his pocket and handed her a card. "HERE, THIS IS A CONTACT CARD FOR A TALENT SCOUT, VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE." She read the small card. Toshinori Yagi, All Might Hero Agency. She couldn't believe this!
"NOW I'D LOVE TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS FURTHER WITH YOU, BUT HEROES ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHT TIME AS WELL AS VILLAINS YOU KNOW. I'M SURE YOU HAVE PLACES TO BE, SO I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK." He kneeled down to her level, as her eyes shimmered with tears. "YOUNG URARAKA, DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A HERO?"
Hot tears streamed down the girl's face at his words. She wanted to become a hero for more selfish reasons: money. With more money, she can buy her parents a bigger house! On the beach! She looked back down at the business card. This was it! The way to help her family!
But…
"Why me?" She asked honestly. "I wasn't the only one there, and those other two boys are way more powerful than me anyway…"
All Might's perpetual smile dimmed to a more real one. "TRUE, THEY MAY HAVE HAD MORE POWER THAN YOU. THEY CLEARLY HAVE THE ABILITY AND DRIVE TO GO AS FAR AS FATE TAKES THEM. THEN I SAW YOU, SOMEONE WITHOUT A GREAT AMOUNT OF POWER, GO ANYWAY! TO SAVE!" He coughed a bit, a drop of blood appearing on his fist. "TODAY, YOU DEMONSTRATED THE MOST ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF BEING A HERO. TELL ME, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? AS YOU RAN THROUGH THE BARRICADE?"
Uraraka frowned in thought. She hadn't really thought about that, just that she did. "I...I guess I wasn't thinking? I know that sounds weird, but…"
His smile deepened at her answer. 'She's the one."
"IT'S NOT WEIRD AT ALL, YOUNG LADY." He stood as he spoke. "THERE ARE MANY STORIES OF THE EARLY HEROES, AND NEARLY ALL OF THEM RECOUNT THE SAME CRUCIAL EVENT."
"THEIR LEGS MOVED BEFORE THEY HAD A CHANCE TO THINK."
Ochaco held her breath. 'Is this really happening?'
"THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, ISN'T IT?"
Hesitantly, she nodded.
"THEN, I ASK YOU AGAIN," Leaves rustled as he spoke, making his decision.
"I hope you agree with my decision...master."
"YOUNG URARAKA, DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A HERO?"
Ochaco rubbed the tears from her eyes before looking up to the greatest hero in the world. She thought about her family. And the countless nights they spent hungry so that she could eat. And the endless support she received on her choice of high school, despite the expense. They would disagree, but there was so much she had to repay them for.
So how could she say no?
xXx
One week later…
Wind ruffled his green hair as Midoriya sat in the dense forest. In his lotus position, he could sense every single object touching the ground within 100 yards of himself thanks to his Seismic Sense, even the ants that roamed across the mossy ground. He even learned how to detect things in the air based on how it moves around objects. It was nearly impossible to sneak up on him in this position. But right now, he wasn't focused on his surroundings. Instead, he was attempting to block everything out and focus on his meditation beads.
He had gone to many various locations trying to contact his predecessor with the artifact over the last few days. No dice...yet. He wasn't about to give up, he needed to know more about Korra, the Avatar, and the supposed "defensive mechanism" detailed in the Avatar Book. He had decided a long time ago to master the elements first, and then read about the stuff about "spirits" and "harmonic convergence". But now Korra was directly trying to tell him about it, so he read as much as he could.
But the more he read, the more confused he got. Spirits are defined as entities that once lived with humans, but retreated to their realm, the Spirit World, to remain until humans learned to live peacefully. And in Korra's time, she had unlocked the portals to the Spirit World and let the spirits back in. Which begged an important question:
"Where did they all go?"
He refocused his efforts into meditating. As soon as he can contact Korra, all will be explained. But he couldn't help but wonder. Did they leave between then and now? Did they die out? And what about the portals? They're illustrated as towering beams of light with energy pulsing from its presence. You think something like that would be easy to find! Or...
He slapped both his cheeks and refocused. Meditation is hard when your brain is as active as his. Too many questions.
Birds sang softly above him as he concentrated. And concentrated. And concentrated...crap! He's concentrating on concentrating too much! He groaned and laid on his back, letting the beads rest on the ground.
'This is getting nowhere. The only times I've managed to get in contact is when I'm unconscious! And I'm not about to knock myself out or anything.' He stood up, stretching himself out. 'Maybe some training will get me in the zone.'
He took a solid stance, beginning some basic earthbending katas. The ground shifted effortlessly beneath his feet, responding to his will with barely a thought. Simple movements were enough to create earthen structures in seconds and while he didn't have that level of mastery with the other elements, Earth seemed to be his most dependable one by far. He jump down into a low stance, creating quicksand to sink a boulder, then launching it back out with ease.
The Entrance Exam for UA was only 10 months away now. If he wants to be the greatest hero in the world, and challenge himself as the Avatar, UA High was the best road to take for his goals. He gradually began using fire alongside earth, using both at once the best he could. 'Gotta push my limits if I want to be ready. Some exercise wouldn't hurt either…'
As he trained, a pair of eyes watched him from the shadows. It was no creature or animal, but a green, translucent, spirit. It was small, no bigger than a small cat, with a small leaf on its head. It was asleep for a very long time, but was awake now! It watched with excitement as the boy switched from using earth to firebending.
'Its her!' The green blob jumped down from its tree to get a closer look. This human didn't much look like her, but the energy was unmistakable. 'Raava!'
Midoriya continued his exercise, attempting to control the trajectory of his fireballs in midair. Perfecting that could help him avoid burning something by mistake. With short stubby legs, the being trotted up to the middle schooler, who hadn't noticed anything amiss. He guided his fireball into the air…
"Hi there!"
"AAAAAH!" Midoriya jumped in fright at the sound, swinging an arc of flame towards the noise. The spirit hopped out of the way just before the flames hit the ground, setting the underbrush alight.
"Nononono not again!" Luckily, Izuku was better prepared this time around. As quick as possible, a jet of water sprang from his water bottle, snuffing out the flames.
"That wasn't very nice, Korra!"
"...what?"
Midoriya looked up at the entity. He could almost see through it. "Are you a ghost or something?"
"Not really." The being answered. It had a very...child-like voice. "We were called spirits last I checked."
"Oh...oh!" His eyes widened. "You! You're...wait, you called me Korra?"
"Yep! That's how I remember you anyway. I helped you out a long time ago!"
"You did?" Midoriya began to relax. "Wha...who are you?"
"Mmmm…" the spirit thought for a second. "You can call me Leaf."
"...Leaf?"
"Yep!"
"O-ok. So...you knew my past life?"
"Yep! Korra was the Avatar before we went to sleep." Leaf jumped closer to Izuku, who sat down. "She went to sleep, but Raava didn't resurface, so we did too after a while."
"Raava? The...the light spirit right?"
"Mmhmm!"
"Ooook, but how long ago was that?"
"We don't really keep track of time as well as humans do."
"Ah."
They fell into comfortable conversation as Leaf sat down too. "I've been trying to talk to Korra, but I haven't had much luck on my own so far."
"That's too bad. But you're the Avatar right?"
"Y-yeah. I guess so."
"Then you'll get it eventually. All Avatars could contact their past lives at some point, you just gotta be patient!" Leaf replied cheerfully.
"If you say so...how did you help me...er...Korra?"
The spirit smiled sadly. "You were lost, running away from yourself. I guided you to a friend in the swamp. Can I show you?"
Midoriya looked curiously at the spirit. "How?"
"Like this!" Leaf hopped up to Midoriya and tapped his forehead.
Immediately, Midoriya's head was filled with images, sounds, and emotions, like he was living through someone else's eyes!
Who are you?
The poison…
You can see it too?
What am I looking for?
Not a what. A who.
Nice to see you again, Twinkle Toes.
You can't fight me and the poison!
What do you mean I don't want to get better?
Well done, Korra.
"AAAH!" Midoriya jumped back from the spirit's touch, processing the new information. For a moment he was...in a forest? A swamp? A frightening woman with glowing eyes. A man who hovered in the air effortlessly. A blind old woman.
"What...was that?" He gasped.
"Memories." Leaf answered. "Some of them mine, but a lot of them yours."
"I was…" He rubbed his head. "...hurt? Poisoned! But I had help...no...someone helped me...help myself?"
"Mmhmm!" Leaf hummed happily. Midoriya shook himself off. Those were memories? But they weren't his! They were Korra's! But something else rang in his head.
I am a part of you. We are not separate.
Midoriya shot up! Of course! He was trying so hard to reach Korra that he forgot!
Korra wasn't far away!
He sat back down. "L-Leaf? Could you...help me like you helped Korra?"
"Ok!" The spirit hopped up to his shoulder. "Whenever you're ready!"
"O-Ok! Ok…" He closed his eyes, focusing hard. He was trying so hard to reach outward to find his connection to his past life, but he didn't think to look inward! Leaf focused too, aiding the young Avatar in his meditation.
And sure enough…
"Hello, Izuku."
He opened his eyes at the voice. All around him was an expanse of green plants and a multicolored sky! And just ahead of him.
"Korra!" He blurted as he jumped up. The grass was soft beneath his feet as he jogged forward to met his predecessor. "I did it! Holy crap I made it and this place issocoolwhereamIanywayand…"
"Breath, kid." The woman laughed, patting him on the shoulders. "You made it, just like I thought you would."
"Yeah well, I had a bit of help." He replied sheepishly. Leaf bounced off his head into Korra's arms.
"Hi Korra! I found you!"
"You sure did! Welcome back." She greeted. "Tell you what, why don't you find your friends while Izuku and I talk."
"Yay!" Without a second thought, the spirit hopped away, leaving the two Avatars alone. Korra turned back to her next life.
"We have some things to discuss, I'm afraid." Korra said grimly. "Follow me."
And that's it for Chapter 3! Hope you all enjoyed, sorry for the long wait. Got some stuff I needed to take care of in the outernet, along with some self care. But I'm back!
Got lots of positive reviews for Bakugo's bitchslap of a fight, glad that was well received. Waterbending seemed to be the best way to defeat him, but without that river it wouldn't have gone so easily. Not to mention Midoriya had the 5th element: surprise.
So Midoriya goes to save Bakugo but is beaten to the punch. However, it didn't make sense to me that he wouldn't go upon hearing about it. Even if someone else earns OfA, he's still plenty worthy. But he's the Avatar, so he really doesn't need it.
Speaking of someone else, Uraraka! I thought it would be interesting to see what she would do with the power. Also, All Might has to tread a bit more lightly at first. Some dude taking a special interest in a teenage girl may be misconstrued in some way you know? Kirishima was also a strong candidate, but his character arc is really special and I didn't want to alter it. Bakugo was also a semi-candidate, but not with how he is now. Not to mention in the long run, he'd want to be the best by his own power and may see OfA as a cheat. Uraraka just seemed like the best option due to her lack of physical power and more technique based quirk. Not to mention her drive as a rescue hero.
So the spirits. More to be explained on their disappearance and eventual return, so stay tuned.
And now for the reviews!
To Amalgum
His voice in the Avatar State is the combination of both his and Korra's voice. Reason being, after the UnaVaatu incident, her Avatar State voice consisted of only her voice. It sucks that it isn't the epic FIRELORD OZAI. YOU AND YOUR FOREFATHERS…, but who knows what will happen.
To Guest
You'll see ;)
To D3lph0xl0v3r
He's working on it, but it may be a while until he can contact his mentor whenever he needs to instead of by chance or spirit power. Aang went from needing to go to a specific temple on the exact moment of the summer solstice to simply sitting down and concentrating, so he'll get it one day.
To Giblenator
Subskills will be introduced much later, but there's no way he, or any Avatar, could learn unassisted flight like Zaheer. With his duty to serve the world, along with his drive to help and save others, he could never detach himself to the point of achieving that subskill. Other subskills though? Most definitely.
To Anono
Thanks! I'm spacing his growth out as much as can.
To PenguinSoldier1
Cool idea, I didn't even consider Shinso getting OfA. But that's Aizawa's adoptive child, not Toshinori's lol.
To Perseus12
Most definitely!
To Mister LaGuardia
To answer the "power drain" question, no. Quirks and Bending are two different entities entirely, at least how I see it. Quirks are defined as biological abilities developed as a mutation in the human race. While All for One can remove them, that's due to his own quirk. Bending, on the other hand, is an ability that has to do with the life force of a being, or chi. With bending, chi flows through the body to give the wielder spiritual power of an element without changing their genetic make-up. The Avatar can wield them all due to his bond with a powerful spirit, not because of his body or DNA. So you're right, it is a spiritual/genetic issue, but what that also means is that since bending and quirks are completely unrelated, they can both coexist within the same body without putting strain on each other. Interesting concept, no?
As for the animals, they just evolved to where they are over the last few thousand years. Though there may be some that didn't get the memo…
To SentinalSlice
He likely tried, but Waterbending requires freedom of movement to work. Obviously masters like Ming Hua can do so without limbs, but Midoriya isn't that good yet. And without any air to breathe, fire didn't work either. Air and Earth were his only options, but panic is a powerful thing too. Anyway, thank you and I'll do my best!
To WizardWolf1020
Interesting ideas all around, I actually have an idea concerning the spirits and how Class 1A will deal with them. More to come on that. As for the past lives, I really don't know if they'll come back at all. Sometimes things are meant to change, for better or for worse.
One day he may get that glider if it survived the last few thousand years. He had his homemade one, but lost it. But hey, support department!
The Sports Festival will be amazing, just you wait! :D
Avatar: The Legend of Midoriya
Even More Training
"Hrrrrrrrrrah! Hrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaahhh!"
"HEY HEY HEY! IT'S PRETTY COMFY UP ON THIS FRIDGE YOU'RE DRAGGING, EH YOUNG URARAKA?"
"I wouldn't...hrrrrah! Know...would I?" The girl collapsed into the sand, feeling the burn from trying to drag a whole fridge across the dump of a beach.
Her meeting with All Might, the Number One Hero, was nothing short of a shock. In short order, the then skinny form of Toshinori Yagi had explained nearly everything about his quirk, what it did, and what it meant for Uraraka. The idea that his power, which was regarded as the most powerful enhancement type in the known world, could be given away like a gift was...crazy! But here she was, about a week later, training to be able to accept such vast strength.
"It would be...hrrr...much easier...hrrrrah...with my quirk."
"HA! I HAVE NO DOUBT! HOWEVER, THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOUR ZERO-GRAVITY, THIS IS ABOUT ONE-FOR-ALL! BESIDES, PEOPLE MOVE THESE FRIDGES ALL THE TIME, EVEN WITHOUT SUPER STRENGTH!"
She sat up in the sand, setting down the thick ropes. "Yeah, but you're like...600 kilograms or something!"
"EH, CLOSER TO 560. IN THIS FORM ANYWAY."
She sighed, wiping the sweat off her brow. "You said this is about One for All, but why am I dragging trash around anyway? It's gross."
"MAYBE SO," he admitted to the gross part as he hopped down, snapping a picture of his exhausted ward. "BUT IF I'M BEING BRUTALLY HONEST, YOU'RE NOT AT ALL READY FOR MY POWER."
"Eh? But you said I was worthy!"
"WORTHY, YES. READY? NO." he explained "WE'RE TALKING THE COMBINED STRENGTH OF EVERY HERO WHO EVER HELD THE QUIRK. ONE-FOR-ALL IS TOO MUCH POWER FOR AN UNTRAINED BODY. IF YOU TRIED TO USE IT NOW, YOUR LIMBS WOULD LIKELY SHOOT RIGHT OFF!"
"Ack!" She grimaced at the explanation. "So...I'm dragging trash around as a hardcore workout? To get ready for the power?"
"YOU GOT IT! HOWEVER, THERE IS ANOTHER REASON. I WAS DOING A BIT OF ONLINE DIGGING. TURNS OUT, THIS BEACH HERE IN MUSTAFU USED TO BE B-E-A-UTIFUL! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?"
Uraraka stood up to inspect the shoreline. "I think I heard it was the ocean current. Things get swept up and end up here from all over the place."
"CORRECT! IT'S ALSO PROBABLE THAT PEOPLE DUMP HERE WHERE THERE'S ALREADY TRASH TO COVER UP THEIR LITTERING. IN ANY CASE, IT'S TRULY A SHAME." He lightly tapped the fridge for emphasis, putting a dent in the hard surface without effort. "PEOPLE TEND TO SEE HEROISM AS FIGHTING VILLAINS ALL THE TIME. WHILE THAT IS A PART OF IT, PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET THE BUSY-BODY STUFF." As he spoke he slowly crushed the fridge into a flat, broken disk. "IT'S THE SERVICE TO OTHERS THAT'S IMPORTANT! EVEN IF IT IS KINDA BORING!"
BOOOOOM
With enough pressure, the fridge and the surrounding area had been blown away by his power, clearing away a small section of the beach. The sunrise began to glimmer behind him.
"IT'S TIME FOR YOUR FIRST TRIAL AS A HERO IN TRAINING, YOUNG URARAKA. YOU MUST CLEAR THIS SECTION OF THE BEACH OF LITTER IN TEN MONTHS TIME."
Suddenly, the beach seemed a whole lot bigger to Uraraka. Far too big.
"You want me to clean...all of this?" she gaped.
"YOUNG LADY," he gathered her attention "WHERE DO YOU WANT TO STUDY TO BE A HERO?"
"Well…" she wasn't sure about her top choice, namely if she could even afford it.
"...UA would be my top pick. But I probably couldn't afford it."
"HA HA HA! NOT TO WORRY, YOUNG URARAKA! I'VE GOT YOU COVERED, TUITION ASSISTANCE IS A THING, YOU KNOW!"
"Wait, really? But…"
"LET'S JUST SAY BEING THE NUMBER ONE HERO HAS ITS PERKS. LET'S ALSO JUST SAY IT'S A SMALL INVESTMENT FOR MY SUCCESSOR."
"I...I don't know what to say!"
"I'LL SPEAK WITH YOUR PARENTS ABOUT THE DETAILS. OR RATHER, TOSHINORI YAGI, THE TALENT SCOUT WILL. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW IT'S THE TOP HERO PROGRAM FOR A REASON. YOU'LL NEED AS MUCH HELP AS YOU CAN GET BEFORE THE ENTRANCE EXAM."
"Which means I need to master this power before then...in ten months!?"
"MASTER? NOT A CHANCE. MORE LIKE, GETTING ENOUGH OF A HANDLE ON IT. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO ATTEND TO AS WELL." he admitted. "FIRSTLY, I WAS QUIRKLESS BEFORE I TOOK THE MANTLE OF ONE-FOR-ALL."
"Really?" Ochaco asked. "And you wanted to be a hero anyway?"
"OF COURSE! BEING A HERO ISN'T REALLY ABOUT QUIRKS AFTER ALL, THOUGH ONE-FOR-ALL CERTAINLY HELPED. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. THE POINT IS THAT ONE-FOR-ALL DOESN'T JUST ENHANCE YOUR PHYSICAL ABILITIES. IT ADDS POWER TO EVERY PART OF YOU. INCLUDING YOUR QUIRK."
"My quirk? So wait…" she looked at her padded hands. "If that's true, then…"
"THEN YOUR QUIRK, COMBINED WITH THE POWER OF ONE-FOR-ALL, WILL EXPLODE WITH POWER AND BECOME FAR MORE THAN WHAT IT IS NOW! HOWEVER, YOUR LIMITS CONCERNING YOUR QUIRK STILL REMAIN. I NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT PART, AS I HAD NO QUIRK TO ENHANCE, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE ALL THE ASPECTS OF YOUR POWER, INCLUDING HOW IT WILL EFFECT ZERO-GRAVITY."
"Oh...oh wow! But my limit to how much I can float is about three tons! Anymore, and I puke!"
"RIGHT! WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN YOUR QUIRK AS MUCH AS WE CAN AS WELL! TO PREPARE IT FOR THE INCREASED STRENGTH!"
"But...but how much will it increase? And how?"
"NOT SURE! IT'S YOUR QUIRK AFTER ALL. FEAR NOT! WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER! DEAL?"
She grinned. The task before seemed just a little smaller now. "Deal!"
xXx
Three months later, another future hero was training in his usual spot. Only now, he had a bit of company.
"You got it, Zuku!" Leaf cheered from the sidelines. "You can do it!"
Midoriya started from one side of the clearing and began to sprint. As soon as he passed Leaf, he jumped!
CRACK!
Stone Pillars erected themselves to launch the Avatar further into the air, popping up one by one for every step into the air!
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
"Oof! Woah!"
One of the pillars fell short! He tumbled about 60 feet from the ground, using airbending to land safely. With a swift motion, the pillars sank back into the ground.
"Dang it…" He muttered. "Better than last time, but still."
"Wouldn't it be better to use airbending from the beginning?" Leaf asked.
"Yeah, but airbending's a little tough for me. Not that I shouldn't practice that too though." He stretched himself out as he spoke, looking around the natural area. Over the past few months, he had always come to this spot in the forest to train his bending. But the landscape was clearly taking a toll. Fire blasts, as careful as he was, charred and burnt the grass around him. And his earthbending toiled the ground too much for vegetation to take root before being moved again.
He frowned at that. He remembered his conversation with his past life well.
xXx
Last Chapter…
"We have some things to discuss I'm afraid." Korra said grimly. "Follow me." She beckoned the new Avatar forward as she started walking through the spiritual underbrush. Izuku followed the best he could but found the vegetation to be a challenge. He waved his arm to airbend.
But nothing happened!
"Hey, what?" Midoriya exclaimed. He tried to summon fire in his hand, still nothing. "Korra!"
"Hm?" The Avatar looked back to her successor as he tried desperately to bend. As he struggled, the green vines started the darken, becoming denser and sprouting thorns. His anxiety and skittishness were getting the best of him. "Relax Izuku. You're in the spirit world. And since you're only here in spirit, your bending stays with your body."
"Huh?" Midoriya looked at his hands. He sure looked real, but so did everything else. "So I can't bend here?"
"Not like this, no." She explained. "Fret not. As the Avatar, you and the spirit world are connected. Your emotions will shape the world around you, so try and keep a cool head."
Midoriya took in her words and gave the underbrush a closer look. As he calmed down, the thorns that grew on the vines and leaves faded and became thinner, allowing his to pass. "Ok…keep my cool…got it…" he muttered as he followed Korra, quickly catching up to the tall woman.
"So…if I'm here in spirit," he started to ask. "does that mean my body is…"
"Not dead." Korra interjected, as if reading his mind. "Your body is where you left it and you'll return when we are finished."
"O-oh. Ok…good." That was a weight off his chest. "But…you're dead. Right?"
"My body is long gone, yes. But I live within you and within the spirit world." Korra said kindly. "But yes, I've been gone for a very long time. Much longer than I expected."
"How long exactly? Leaf didn't seem to know…"
"Almost three-thousand years." Korra came to a stop, halting their walk. "Before me, the next Avatar would be born more or less the moment the previous one passes on, maintaining a constant cycle." Colorful spirits flew overhead as she spoke.
"But for three-thousand years, the Avatar Cycle had been broken. Though I am unsure what transpired after my passing, I'm sure there was great chaos without the Avatar to keep balance. The world I tried so hard to keep and care for is long gone, lost to history. Everyone I knew, dead." She frowned deeply at the ground, seeming disappointed as a teardrop fell to the ground beneath their feet. Midoriya realized something at the news. If that was true, and he was supposed to be born right after Korra died…
He was late. 3,000 years late.
Tears started to form and the child's face. "I'm…I'm sorry Korra." He cried. "I-I-I should've…I didn't…" Korra knelt down to his level, looking him in the eye as a tear formed in her own.
"No, Izuku. There is nothing to apologize for. If anyone's to blame for the loss of the four nations, it's me." She wiped a streak of tears off his cheek. "The cycle being broken could never have been your fault."
"But…what did happen?" He asked. "You…you wrote about someone named Unalaq and Vaatu. Wouldn't it be their fault?"
"Upon first glance, perhaps." Korra stood up again. "But I didn't describe everything that occurred during the incident in the book. Perhaps it's time I showed you."
With that, the world around them had begun to shift as the two Avatars sped towards the center of the Spirit World. When the world stopped spinning, Midoriya was before a great tree with a gaping eye-shaped hole in the middle. On the eastern and western horizons, there were two distinct light sources flickering in the distance. As he walked towards the tree, he found another light source. Just in front of it, a large dome of purple light flickered with life. But…
"Is something wrong?" He asked as he approached the dome. "This thing seems…off."
Korra appeared next to him. "These are portals, Izuku. Portals that connect the Spirit and Physical Worlds. There are two others on the horizons, as you may have noticed. But they weren't always like this."
"What happened to them?"
"My best guess is that our absence caused the connection between the two worlds to fade. I've tried to open the portals back up, but to no avail. I suspect they can only be opened from the physical world."
Midoriya jogged over to the portal closest to the tree. He placed his hand in the energy, but nothing happened. "Am I doing it right?"
Korra crossed her arms in thought. "You should be. Like I said, you'll have to try from the physical world, or at least in physical form. And you'll need the Avatar State."
"What's that again?"
She smiled serenely. "Another topic for another time. For now, let me show you what happened to us three-thousand years ago."
Korra waved her arm, shifting the world again. The scenery changed, revealing a dark entity trapped within the old tree. One portal was active in the distance, shining high into the sky, while the other, in the opposite direction, was closed off by a large shield. But the most immediate thing Midoriya noticed…
Spirits. Dark spirits surrounding the area. Not the bright beautiful ones he's seen so far, but corrupted versions of their former selves. One in particular was holding a young girl as a man in blue furs moved water around her. Dark energy was climbing up her body at an alarming rate, frightening the young airbender.
Midoriya looked back to see someone, a younger version of Avatar Korra facing the evil man. The elder version stood next to the newest Avatar.
"This is the day of Harmonic Convergence. The day in which the Spirit of Darkness, Vaatu, is destined to break free from his prison in the Tree of Time. But he can only do so if both portals are open simultaneously." She explained, pointing towards the closed portal. "If that portal opens, then the world is doomed to 10,000 years of chaos."
Midoriya couldn't hear the exchange between young Korra and, presumably, Unalaq. But the intent was clear: do as I say, or the girl dies. With her head hung low, Korra turned away towards the closed portal.
"Wait…what are you doing? Aren't you going to save her?" Midoriya asked, panicked.
"Yes," Korra answered sadly. "but at a price. Watch." Midoriya obeyed, watching closely as young Korra made her way to the closed portal. She placed her hand on the shield, which gave way to her touch. The portal shot into the sky, open.
"In order to save the child of my master, I doomed the world." The two beams of light curved together, forming a great arc. Harmonic Convergence had begun. With the energy being poured into the Tree of Time, Vaatu broke free of his prison in all his glory. "With Vaatu free, it allowed Unalaq to do the unthinkable. The Avatar is the vessel for the Spirit of Light, formed long ago during the last Harmonic Convergence. Knowing this, Unalaq planned to do the same." The gigantic spirit flew through the sky, free after thousands of years. Though young Korra had tried to trap it once more, she was stopped by Unalaq. "After a fierce battle, they eventually succeeded." The Spirit of Darkness shot towards the Water Tribe man, filling him with power. He touched the Spirit Portal, sealing Vaatu within him, becoming the Dark Avatar.
"The following battle against UnaVaatu went long and hard. Even with the power of the Avatar State, I was eventually overwhelmed." The scene changed, showing the two Avatars locked together as UnaVaatu pulled Raava, the Spirit of Light, from her vessel. As soon as the two were separated, the Dark Avatar attacked the light spirit relentlessly, halting only when Raava faded completely.
Midoriya watched on in shock. The avatar spirit…was destroyed! "But…if that happened, then how are we here?"
The scene changed once more. Two gigantic apparitions, UnaVaatu and Korra respectively, battled outside of a great city. "Dark will always exist in Light, but the opposite is true as well." Korra explained as her younger self pulled none other than Raava from the Dark Avatar! "We soon bonded again and continued to serve as the Avatar for as long as we lived." The scene faded, returning them to the empty Tree of Time. Korra sat in front of Midoriya, her face set sadly. "However, the past Avatars, our past lives, were lost in the battle when Raava was destroyed. With no past Avatars to guide me, I had never felt so lost. And due to the damage our spirit sustained, even sixty years later on the day of my death, Raava was unable to resurface. I was the Last Avatar of the Era." She clasped her successor's hands. "So let me repeat, Avatar Izuku, this is not your fault and never will be. But it is your legacy." She gave a small smile. "In my day, the duty of the Avatar was three-fold. Maintain balance in the world among humans, resolve disputes between humans and spirits, and to protect the world from destruction. That is your destiny. Are you ready for that?"
Midoriya took a while to process what he had been told. But despite all this being new information, he felt like he had known this all his life. That's what he always tried to do after all! So, was he ready to be the living incarnation of peace in the world?
"Yes. I'll do it!" He sat up straight, eager to take on his destiny.
"Haha! I like your spirit!" Korra said cheerfully. "Now, how you'll do so is bound to be different than how Avatar's past have done. Different world and all. But if you ever need advice, you will always have me."
"Got it! But…where do I start? The world is such a big place…"
Korra stood up, cracking her back. "You'll figure it out. When in doubt, be the peacemaker. Help others. Do what you feel is right. And remember…" Midoriya's vision started to fade. "whatever happens, you are not worthless. You are the Avatar."
xXx
'That's right. I'm the Avatar now. It's my duty to protect the world and keep balance. I need to do whatever it takes to become a hero.'
That said, the Avatar not only serves as the keeper of balance in the world and the bridge between Humans and Spirits, he was also sworn to protect nature. And in his effort to train, he put a significant mark on this part of the forest.
"Maybe we need a change of scenery. What do you think, Leaf?"
"If you want, but I live here, so I can't really follow you too far. I might get lost."
"I see. You mind taking care of the forest while I'm gone?"
"No problem!" The little spirit saluted as it bounced away.
Midoriya dusted himself off before airbending his new staff to himself. The air glider wasn't terribly hard to make, just time-consuming. The step by step directions written by his predecessor sure helped. With a spin and a jump, he flew out of the forest and into Mustafu.
Flying took some getting used to, especially since it wasn't the easiest element for him to control. Not as bad as firebending, but difficult nonetheless. His first real test drive was a few weeks ago, when he stormed off to find Bakugo on the news. Instinct took over that day, allowing him to reach his former friend, but he was having trouble still.
Also, it was technically his quirk, so he had to stop once he got back to town. He made his way to the beach east of his apartment, which was known to be covered in garbage from water currents and the like.
"Good place to practice firebending I guess." He muttered to himself. He took off his shoes as he approached the tides. "The only element I can't really practice here is earth, but that's fine. I've got that one down anyway." He kicked the sand a bit, thinking hard. "Isn't sand just loose earth though?" He took his horse stance and kicked into the sand.
fwoosh
The sand responded to his power, but it felt different. The sand had too much give compared to normal dirt and rock. He shrugged at his discovery. "New ground to cover then." He looked out to the water. "...I wonder…"
xXx
"HRK!" Uraraka held in her vomit as the garbage floated behind her. All Might, now in his skinny form, was egging her on as she both lifted two tires on her arms as well as the mountain of trash she tethered herself to. Training both her physical strength and quirk wasn't easy, but they were making progress if the muscle definition was any indication. Without floating them, she threw both tires into the pickup truck and then dragged the floating mass of garbage to the bed of the truck. "Release!"
She took a breather as the garbage landed, trying to control her stomach. All Might gave her a water bottle, which she gulped down thankfully.
"Keep it up, and you'll be in UA before you know it kid." He praised. He looked to the sun, which was starting to set. "That's it for today, young Uraraka. See you tomorrow."
"Buh-bye, All Might!" She waved as she sat down to catch her breath. As All Might drove away, she sat for a bit to inspect her work. 3 months had passed, and the beach was nearly half-done!
"Still a long way to go, though." She commented. "I wonder if there's anything I can do to get stronger on the side? Maybe...wait, what is that?" She sat up to look down the beach.
Something was moving through the water! A funnel of water shot across the tides, as if there was a surfer riding through a tunnel. She stood up to get a closer look…
There! There was someone riding the tunnel! She caught a glimpse of green hair as the water flowed around his form. "What? Who is that?" She started to give chase, but the wave was clearly too fast for her, even if she wasn't beat from today's workout. But she didn't need to chase it for long.
"WAAAAAH!" BWOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH
The surfer lost control and fell through the wave! Whatever quirk was making that wave appear, it faded as the wave crashed into the beach, washing up the green-haired boy.
"Hey!" she called as she ran. "Are you ok?!" She slid down to his level upon approach.
'Woah. He's really muscular...not important!' She checked his breathing and pulse on his neck, both good.
"Ok...he's ok…" she panted. She looked down the beach where he came from. "That was something else though…"
"GASP!" The boy sat straight up, shocking the girl. "Cough, cough! Hey, cough, are you alright? Cough"
"I was going to ask you that!" Uraraka sputtered. Here this boy was, washed haphazardly on a trash-filled beach, asking her if she was ok! "You crashed pretty hard…there…wait a minute!" She pointed right at him. "You're that boy! From the sludge incident!"
"Huh?" He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yep, it was the girl who saved Kaachan! She looked different somehow though…
'Oh, it's the muscles.'
'Muscles.'
'Curves.'
'Touching me.'
"AAAAAIIAIAIAIAI-I-I-I-I'M SO SORRY!" He scrambled away from his rescuer, redder than a tomato.
"Sorry for…what?" She wondered aloud as she stood up. "I'm Ochaco Uraraka. Are you alright? That was some wave you were riding."
"I uh-I'm uh-uh um-Izukuh-um-nice touh…GOTTAGOTHANKYOUSOMUCHOKBYE!" He screamed at top speed before blasting away with a gust of wind, kicking up sand in his wake.
"Wait! What's your name?" She called after him. But it was too late, the weird boy was long gone.
"So weird…" she mumbled as she left the beach for the day. "Hope I see him again though…"
xXx
Four months later…
After parking the pick-up in its usual spot, Toshinori Yagi considered young Uraraka's progress in her task and physical strength. 'She's almost done, but with what we have left it may be another couple of weeks before we're finished. I can only hope it's enough time to-'
"YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
A powerful scream emanated from the beach! Toshinori nearly buffed up as he sprinted to the beach. As for what he found…
"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Covered in sweat, tears, and a bit of blood, Ochaco Uraraka stood upon a heap of garbage that she herself had moved off the shining beachfront. The screams weren't of fright, but of victory!
"Holy crap kid…" Toshinori looked as far as the eye could see. There wasn't a speck of trash left on the whole beach! "Even beyond where I told you to clean up! Did you stay up the whole night to finish?"
That's exactly what she did. Though it wasn't the 'whole' beach per se, it was still a whole half mile more than All Might planned for her to do. The waves seemed to rejoice as they crashed onto the glistening sand.
"Holy…stinkin'…SUPER CRAP!" All Might yelled as he buffed up to his hero form. Good thing too, otherwise Ochaco would've hurt herself as she tumbled off the pile of garbage. He carried his protégée proudly as she heaved from the effort. "I did it…All Might…"
"HA HA HA, YEAH YOU SURE DID, KID! YOU FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS!" He congratulated as he set her down on her feet. He pulled out his phone to show her. "What's that?" She looked closer at the image.
"IT'S YOU! STRUGGLING TO PULL THAT OLD FRIDGE! AND LOOK HOW FAR YOU'VE COME!"
He was right! While she wasn't shabby before, she was absolutely ripped now! It was a tightly compact strength, only noticeable when exposed, but there was no mistaking the dense muscles she bore.
"CONGRATULATIONS, YOUNG URARAKA! YOU HAVE EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS AND THEN SOME! AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOUR AWARD CEREMONY!" He plucked a single hair from his iconic hairstyle as Uraraka stood before the Number One Hero. "REMEMBER OCHACO URARAKA, THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GIFT AND A REWARD. ONE IS GIVEN AND THE OTHER IS EARNED. NEVER GET THE TWO CONFUSED! AND YOUNG URARAKA," he held the hair in front of her, "YOU'VE EARNED THIS!"
Her usually soft brown eyes hardened in determination as she lifted her padded hands…
…and grasped the future.
"EAT THIS."
…
…
"…eh?"
xXx
3 months later…
Sweat ran down Midoriya's face as he stepped onto campus. Here he was, the greatest institution for training heroes in Japan, if not the world. All the greats came from here: All Might, Endeavor, Best Jeanist, and more! And he was ready to join the alumni with his own power. His bending had since been labeled as Elemental, a telekinetic type quirk that works better on the classic four elements. Regardless of the name, he's sure to get attention with what looks like four quirks. The world likely isn't ready for the reveal of the Avatar, and honestly? Neither was Midoriya. Best to stay on the down-low about the true origins of his power.
"Deku!"
He turned back to see his ex-friend. "Kaa…Bakugo!"
"Tch." Bakugo shoulder-checked the Avatar as he passed. "Figures you'd be here. Just stay out of my way, punk."
Midoriya rubbed his shoulder as Bakugo moved on. "Hope I don't have to deal with him I guess." He looked back up at the school of his dreams. "Time to start my new high school career!" He took a strong step forward…
And tripped on thin air.
'Or I'll just die.'
But fall he didn't! He waited for the impact, but it never came! 'Did I…did I just master "True Flight?"'
"Hey, it's you!"
"W-w-w-whaaa?" He tried to run, accidentally airbending his weightless self into the air!
"Wait! Don't run away again!" The brown-haired girl called from the ground.
"Huh? Oh!" He realized what was going on. "Am I weightless?"
"Yeah! If I release, can you get down?" She called back.
"Y-yeah!"
She nodded and pressed her fingers together. "Release!"
As Midoriya began to fall, he airbent his decent and floated down gracefully. "Sorry about that!" the girl rubbed her head sheepishly. "I thought it would be bad luck if you fell. But I guess you didn't need the help after all!"
"O-oh! Um, no problem! Sorry, I-um…I'm Izuku Midoriya. Sorry for uh…running off…before…"
"Oh, no worries! You did almost drown!" the girl laughed. "I'm Ochaco Uraraka by the way."
"N-nice to meet you. I'm Izuku Midoriya."
"Rrrright. I know."
"How…oh! I said tha-I said that already! Heh…" 'Great job, Avatar.'
"Well, I guess I'll see you inside! Bye!" She waved as she left, leaving a very flustered Avatar behind.
'Did I…I…I just talked to a girl! Besides Mom! And Korra, I guess…'
xXx
"IT'S TIME…TO…GET THIS PARTY STARTED! ARE YA READYYYYYYYY!?"
The entrance exam was as crowded as it is every year. With hundreds of applicants with only 36 openings for the hero course, the competition was as fierce as ever. Izuku really should've been focusing on the exam and how he was going to pass. But…
"OMGit'sProHeroPresentMicIlistentohisradioshoweverydaythisissoamazingIcan'tbelieve…"
He just couldn't help himself.
"Will you shut up already…" Bakugo muttered beside him.
Regardless of his fanboying, Midoriya did get the gist of the practical exam. Defeat as many mock villains as you can and rack up points based on the numbered ranking of the robot. There were 1, 2, and 3-pointer robots scattered throughout the area. 'If I focus my energy on taking out only 3-pointers, I can gain more points quicker. The big task is locating and destroying them before the other applicants…'
"Excuse me, but I have a question!" A ramrod straight boy shot his hand up as he stood.
"HIT ME!"
"The handout lists four mock villains to destroy in the practical exam, not three! With all due respect, if this is an error on official U.A. papers, it is nothing short of shameful. And you! With the unkempt hair!" He pointed straight at Midoriya, who pointed numbly at himself in confirmation.
"You've been muttering this entire time. Stop that." He ordered with a glare. "If you can't take this seriously, then leave. You're distracting the rest of us!"
Midoriya sank into his seat. "…sorry."
"HO-K, APPLICANT 7111! THANK YOU FOR YOUR REQUEST, AND AS IT WERE, THE FOURTH MOCK VILLAIN IS NOT MEANT TO BE DESTROYED AS IT IS WORTH ZERO POINTS! THINK OF IT AS AN OBSTACLE TO TRY TO AVOID. IT'S NOT THAT IT CAN'T BE DESTROYED, BUT THERE'S REALLY NO POINT! LITERALLY!"
"Thank you, Present Mic sir! Apologies for the interruption!"
"RIGHT-O! IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS! REMEMBER, GO BEYOND!"
"PLUS ULTRA!" The auditorium roared in response.
xXx
And that's it for Chapter Four! Low-key using this story as a break from my other one till I figure out a writer's block. Feel free to DM me with suggestions for this story or The Blind Hero. As a relatively new writer, I'm always looking for ideas and ways to better myself. Any suggestions/critiques are welcome!
I honestly should've put my side plot as part of the main plot from the start, I really like where it's going. Two parallel stories that weave together isn't what I had in mind at first, but it seems to be working in my favor. Uraraka's journey will be similar to CanonDeku's, but with variations of course. The only real difference is that All Might is in her corner and not Midoriya's. At least not as much, not that he needs it. Korra is very much taking All Might's place as Midoriya's mentor/instructor, as it should be for the Avatar. Also, his trip to the Spirit World was Spirit-assisted, so he's unlikely to be able to do it again without help. But he'll get better at it.
Power-scaling has been a bitch. I can't make the mistake of making him OP from the start, same with Uraraka. Otherwise he'll be dropping Shiggy and Overhaul like its nothing. Also juggling essentially two protagonists in the same story may turn out complicated. Does Midoriya or Uraraka fight Overhaul in future arcs? Stuff like that.
Beach cleanup should be way easier with Zero-Gravity under your belt, let's be real. The rest of the time would be used to gain some control over OfA. Hopefully.
Hope I retold the events of Legend of Korra accurately. I'll admit, and I'm not the first to do so, that the ending of Season Two seemed very…contrived. Korra magically becoming a blue giant to fight UnaVaatu Godzilla vs. King Kong style was very out there. But I digress. Notice that Korra doesn't try to rationalize her past self's actions when showing Midoriya what happened. Right or wrong, what happened, happened. And this is the result. While sad, Midoriya won't suddenly regain his connection with Aang or his other past lives. If it's in the cards, it'll be a long while till that happens. Until then, Korra's all he has.
Midoriya's starting to get good at bending all four elements. Not so good he can take on a Pro Hero within the top 20, but pretty damn good. He's a decent match against most of the class as he is now. Without the Avatar State of course.
But I've been rambling. On to the reviews!
To D3lph0xL0v3r
Zero-Gravity plus One for All will be a sight to see for sure. I've got some idea for super moves even now!
Yep! The next Avatar would have Izuku and Korra as predecessors, no problem. Thanks for the reviews!
To AnimeKing6
Unfortunately, you're right. As there are no bending masters in this Era, Midoriya has a lot to build on from those basics. He'll have to work from bare bones and reinvent the wheel when it comes to his own bending style, as there are few people in the world who could possibly give him instruction in the lost bending arts.
To answer your question: Unlike bending, Chakras are very much still a current philosophy in the modern world and may play a part in his development. Let's just say he won't get it as easily as Season 2 Korra did and leave it at that.
To WizardWolf1020
I love Uraraka's character and honestly, I get peeved when she falls into the "love interest of the protag" role and nothing else. Her personality is perfect for standing on her own two feet and she really needs more love.
Still working on the costume, but I'm still thinking his Mom will give him his iconic jumpsuit and that he'll use it as at least a base design. There'll be variations, of course, but Mamadoriya is the sweetest and deserves to be appreciated. Plus, it's green.
Idk if he'll be able to learn from the original benders (scribbles down notes furiously), but it an interesting idea (scribbles faster). I honestly hadn't thought of that (Motherf###er, I should have thought of that), but we'll figure it out. Lmao
Certainly not now but considering bending and quirks are established as two different abilities entirely, it's not too farfetched. Just some time away from fruition.
Don't really know what SMITE is, sorry :P
Hope you liked the spirit explanation! More to come for that part. Thanks for the review!
To PaperbackAlloy
Thanks, and don't worry too much about Mirio. He'll well off with Nighteye on his side.
To HeroLuffy726
Here's my thought on this. I'm really not sure how much genetics really play a part here. Yes, bending is passed down through generations, but it's more plausible to me that the essence of a human being carries the power of bending and is passed on through that way. Whether you call it the mind or the soul, its that consciousness that truly carries the power. Not DNA. Take for example the New Air Nation. The Airbenders of Harmonic Convergence came to be through spiritual means, not genetic. They were predominantly Earth Kingdom citizens, with exceptions. Their DNA wasn't altered, otherwise there would be physical changes in their physiology, like with quirks. DNA does play a part, however, by adapting over generations to better suit a particular kind of bender through natural selection. More successful airbenders are lightweight and quick on their feet, therefore they're more successful in the gene pool. But bending itself isn't necessarily genetic. The human body adapted to fit the spiritual entity of bending, but that bending can be removed through energybending or even exchanged, as proven with the Lion Turtles in Wan's Tale.
That being said, it's not explained by the creators in great detail, so no one can be truly sure. But the way I see it, bending the elements is a matter of your spirit, not your physical genetics, and can be passed to your descendants through the creation of a new soul, if that's what you believe anyway. In any case, it's an intriguing thought problem don't you agree?
To Seawingninjapony
You'll see!
To Sithlord-6666
Hmmm…perhaps…