3 The Roadmap

April 24, 2133

The morning sun slanted through the hospital window, painting the room in a warm, golden glow. I stood there, my discharge papers clutched in one hand, watching as the city came to life below me. Cars crawled along the streets like ants, while people hurried along the sidewalks.

It was a scene I'd witnessed countless times before, but today, it felt different. I felt different. The Limit Breaker, the Tandava... they thrummed within me, a constant reminder of the path I'd chosen. The path of a hero.

I took a deep breath, savoring the antiseptic tang of the hospital air. It was a smell I'd grown accustomed to over the past few days, but I knew I wouldn't miss it. I was ready to leave this place behind, to step into the world and embrace my new destiny.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see my mother, her green eyes bright with unshed tears. "Ready to go, Izuku?" 

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah. Let's go home."

The drive was quiet, the silence broken only by the soft hum of the car's engine. I watched the city roll by, my eyes drawn to the people we passed. A child with wings, a man with skin like stone... quirks, everywhere I looked. It was a tapestry of power and possibility, one I was only just beginning to understand.

As we drove, my mind drifted to my old life. Ha, old life. It seemed like a lifetime ago, a different person's memories. But I knew that would always be a part of me, a shadow I could never fully escape.

I looked down at my hands, remembering the flames that had danced across my mind. The Tandava. It was a power I didn't fully understand, but one I knew I must master. For the sake of the new life I'd been given, and for the sake of those I'd sworn to protect. For the sa-

"Izuku? Is everything alright?"

I blinked, realizing I'd been silent for too long. I glanced over at her, saw the worry etched into the lines of her face. 

"I'm okay," I said, trying to give a confident smile. "Just... thinking about the future. About UA, and everything that's happened."

She reached over, her hand finding mine. Her fingers were warm, comforting. "I know it's been a lot to take in," she said softly. "But I want you to know... I'm here for you, Izuku. No matter what happens, no matter what path you choose... I'll always be here."

I squeezed her hand, blinking back the sudden sting of tears. "I know, Mom. And I... I'm going to make you proud. I promise."

She smiled. "You already have, Izuku. You already have."

The rest of the drive passed in a comfortable silence, the weight of our words hanging in the air between us. As we pulled into the driveway of our apartment, I realized this would be the start of my new life, my new journey.

As I stepped into the apartment, a wave of déjà vu washed over me. The scent of green tea and honey, the soft hum of the refrigerator, the way the light slanted through the curtains... it was all hauntingly familiar, like a half-remembered dream.

I walked into the living room, my eyes scanning the space. It was a cozy room, with a plush couch and a low coffee table. On the table, I spotted a mug with a chibi All Might giving a thumbs up.

I picked it up, a small smile tugging at my lips. All Might, the Number One Hero. The Symbol of Peace. 

"Oh, your favorite mug," my mother said, coming up beside me. "You always insist on drinking your morning coffee from it. Says it gives you a boost of heroic energy."

I chuckled, setting the mug back down. "Sounds like I was a pretty big All Might fan, huh?"

She grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Oh, you have no idea."

With a curious tilt of my head, I made my way to my bedroom. I pushed open the door... and stopped dead in my tracks.

It was like walking into an All Might shrine. Posters covered nearly every inch of the walls, featuring the hero in various triumphant poses. Action figures lined the shelves, their plastic smiles gleaming in the light. There was even an All Might bedspread, the hero's grinning face staring up at me from the pillow.

"Whoa," I breathed, taking a step into the room. "This is... a lot of All Might."

"Wow," I breathed, picking up a figurine of All Might in his Golden Age costume. "I really went all out, huh?"

Behind me, my mother chuckled. "That's putting it mildly. You've been collecting this stuff for years. It's like your own little All Might museum."

I set the figure down, my brow furrowing. The thing was, this isn't me. The posters, the toys... it was like I was seeing it for the first time.

My mother must have noticed my confusion, because her voice took on a note of concern. "Izuku? Is everything alright?"

I turned to face her, forcing a smile. "Yeah, of course. It's just... it's a lot to take in, you know? After what happened."

She studied me for a long moment, her green eyes searching mine. "Are you sure? You look a little... lost."

I opened my mouth to reassure her, but the words wouldn't come. Because the truth was, I did feel lost. Like I was a stranger in my own life, surrounded by the trappings of a boy I didn't know.

"Izuku," my mother said softly, stepping closer. "If something's wrong, you can tell me. Is it... is it your memory? Do we need to go back to the hospital?"

I could hear the fear in her voice, the barely-contained panic. 

"No, no, it's nothing like that," I said quickly, taking her hands in mine. "I'm fine, Mom. Really. It's just... it's a little overwhelming, being back here. Seeing all this stuff."

She nodded, her shoulders relaxing a fraction. "I can imagine. It's a lot to process, after everything you've been through."

I squeezed her hands, trying to pour all my reassurance into the gesture. "But I'm okay. I promise. I just... I might need a little time to adjust, that's all."

"Of course. Take all the time you need. I'll be here, every step of the way."

I pulled her into a hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo. "Thanks, Mom. For everything."

We stayed like that for a long moment, just holding each other. It was a moment of comfort, of connection... and of silent understanding.

Because deep down, I knew my mother could sense that something was different. That I wasn't quite the same Izuku she'd always known.

But she loved me anyway. Unconditionally, unquestioningly. And that... that was everything.

Finally, I pulled back, giving her a small smile. "I think I'm going to unpack a bit, maybe rest for a while. It's been a long day."

She nodded, brushing a stray hair from my forehead. "Of course. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."

With a final squeeze of my hand, she left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

I turned back to the All Might shrine, my eyes roaming over the posters, the figures, the bedsheets. It was still overwhelming, still strange... but it was also starting to feel a little more familiar.

Because this... this was my life now. Izuku Midoriya's life. And if I was going to live it, I needed to embrace it. 

But… some of this shit has to go. 

The next morning, I woke with a start, my heart pounding. For a moment, I wasn't sure where I was... then the All Might posters came into focus.

I was Izuku Midoriya. And I had a life to live.

Catching Mom's voice, that scent of breakfast, guilt lanced through me. But I pushed it down. "Morning, Mom! Running late, gotta grab something on the way!"

Inko's smile wavered, like she knew I was fibbing, but she rallied. "Of course, sweetie. Just eat something, okay? Have a great day!"

"Will do, Mom. Love you!" I forced a smile as I shut the door behind me.

As I approached the gates of Aldera High, a memory slammed into me. Suddenly, I was back in that classroom, Bakugo's sneering face inches from mine. "You're just a worthless Deku," he snarled, his breath hot against my skin. "A quirkless freak who'll never be a hero."

His words, the laughter of my classmates, the searing humiliation... it all came rushing back, as vivid and visceral as the day it happened. My steps faltered, my breath catching in my throat. For a moment, I was that scared, powerless boy again, drowning in a sea of mocking faces.

But no. I wasn't that boy anymore. I am Izuku fucking Midoriya, the fighter, the survivor. I'd faced down much worse and I sure as hell wasn't going to let a bunch of high school bullies get in my head.

Squaring my shoulders, I forced myself forward, each step an act of defiance. The whispers and stares prickled at my back like needles, but I refused to flinch. They wanted to see me break, to crumble under the weight of their scorn. But I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

Sliding open the door, I stepped into the classroom and sat at my desk, ignoring the whispers that prickled at my back.

The teacher's droning faded into the background as my mind raced. U.A.'s entrance exam, my chance to prove myself, was a mere ten months away. And this body? It was about as ready as a sailboat in a hurricane. If I wanted to make it, to grab hold of this new life with both hands, I needed a plan. And I needed it now.

I grabbed one of Izuku's journals: Hero Analysis For the Future Vol 13 and flipped to an empty page and began writing.Martial arts, that was the key. Boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ... each one a tool to sculpt this doughy form into a weapon. A way to make this body move to the rhythm of the Tandava, my new power, my secret weapon.

The Tandava... just thinking about it sent a thrill down my spine. Those visions of dancers wreathed in flame, every move a strike, every spin a shockwave... that was my future. 

But to get there, to truly master this power, I needed more than just raw strength. I needed control, precision, the ability to flow with the Tandava's rhythm. And that's where the martial arts would come in.

Boxing for the footwork, the timing, the dance of the fight. Muay Thai for the strikes, the elbows and knees that would channel the Tandava's fury. Grappling to redirect an opponent's energy, to make every touch a conduit for the flame.

And the less conventional styles, the ones no one would expect? Systema, Capoeira, Wing Chun... they'd be my wild cards. Ways to keep my opponents guessing, to dance to a beat all my own.

The plan unfolded on the page, a roadmap to the future I craved. Breathing exercises to control my stamina. Meditation to hone my focus to a razor's edge. Visualization to guide the Tandava's dance. Each piece a key to unlocking my potential. The only thing I was missing was strength training. 

It wouldn't be easy. I could feel the long road stretching out before me, paved with sweat and aching muscles. But this power, this second chance... it was a gift. 

I glanced down at my scrawny limbs, my untrained form. It was hard to imagine them as the tools of a hero, hard to picture them channeling the Tandava's might. But that was today. Tomorrow... tomorrow would be different.

Because tomorrow, and every day after, I would push this body to its limits. I would train, I would study, I would pour every ounce of my being into mastering the Tandava and becoming the hero I knew I could be.

Izuku Midoriya, the kid with the impossible dream... he was my past. But Izuku Midoriya, the dancer of the Tandava, the hero in the making? He was my future.

Ten months. That's all I had. Ten months to build a body, to sharpen a mind, to use a power that I knew little about.

It was a daunting task, a mountain that seemed to touch the sky. But I had never been one to shy away from a challenge.

After all, I am Izuku Midoriya. And I was just getting started.