29 Call To Arms

Shoto sighed, exasperated, as he walked down the streets at night. Endeavor had kicked him out for being "ungrateful", and told the bicolored teen that he should find "a new place to sleep for the night" if he was going to be this way. Jerk. What if I never came back huh? Your prized doll just off and left?

Shoto inwardly chuckled to himself. Outwards he was just as apathetic as he always was.

Even if he did leave, Shoto would have hell to pay when he was inevitably found. It was just wishful thinking.

Shoto passed by an alley way when something suddenly grabbed his forearm. Before he even had the chance to shout out, a hand was over his mouth and he was pulled into the darkness. WHAT THE HELL!?

Shoto started to form ice in his hand when the unidentified figure leapt backwards. "Wait," it said. "Wait, wait ,wait." Shoto glared at the man. When his eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness of the alley, Shoto was met with the face of none other than Izuku Midoriya. He was well known for being the kid that ran away and started the infamous Quirkless Rejects.

I guess they really did find his mask at the USJ, thought Shoto because this teen obviously was uncovered. That little smilely face on the teens cheek was very creepy considering the time of night and the fact that this boy, who was probably Shoto's age, was a villain.

"Why should I?" growled Shoto. "If anything, I should turn you in, Midoriya."

The greenette put his left hand up, the other one on his forehead. "Stop right there. Don't call me that. I'm Deku, Izuku isn't here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take that as you'd like to," shrugged Midoriya. "I didn't drag you here to talk about me though. I wanna talk about you." Shoto narrowed his eyes but otherwise showed no emotion, like usual.

"I was curious," continued Midoriya, leaning on the buildings walls, "as to what the life of a child of the number two hero is like."

"Why would I tell you?"

Midoriya shrugged again. "I mean, it can't be easy. How did you get that scar? Did Endeavor do that?"

"No-" he was cut off.

"Does he beat you? Hurt you? Burn and bruise you?" Shoto froze. What? How...

"How does he know this?" His eyes widened. "That's what you were thinking, right?" Midoriya pushed himself off the wall and placed a hand on his own chest. He grinned.

"How? Because I'm the same!" Ha? "Beat by my mom, bullied by my peers, mocked for the one thing that made me different. It sucks right?"

Shoto scowled. "Don't compare me to you, villain." Midoriya's eye twitched. "Then how much are we different? Please, enlighten me."

And that's just what Shoto did. If you were to ask the bicolored male why he told a total stranger about the quirk marrige, the story of his scar, the "training" that he received from his legal guardian, Shoto honestly couldn't tell you. He couldn't give an answer as to why he told this... this villain why he didn't use his fire, something that could be used against him. Maybe it was that the two did, in fact, have many similarities in their pasts or because he just need to get it off his chest. It felt good to tell someone.

"If you could change it, would you?" Shoto stared at the greenette, not expecting a question that mirrored his own wishes. Midoriya smirked.

"The past can't be changed, Todo, but the future can. You could have the suckiest past but if you let that hold you back, you'll never reach you full potential. Honestly, listening to you sickens me. Here you are complaining about this powerful quirk you've got that could help you, and almost guarantee you a spot as one of the top heros when I never even got a quirk in the first place and have had to deal with that and the junk that comes with being quirkless. But I can sympathize. So, instead of wallowing in your self-pity, why don't you challenge fate? Make your own destiny?"

Shoto scoffed. "Not possible, Midor-" "Deku." "Not possible, Deku. Endeavor would beat the living heck out of me if I went against him."

Midoriya seemed to think for a second. "Then do something that he'd literally have to disown you for."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe joining one of the most wanted villain organizations."

Shoto's eyes widened. "You don't mean-"

Midoriya smiled. "Join us, Todoroki."

Shoto stared at the teen, shocked. "I'm not quirkless," he said in the same monotonous voice that never showed his true emotion.

"Well no," started Midoriya, "but you have been rejected for your quirk, right?"

Shoto thought for a moment. Have I really? I mean, isn't this quirk the reason Endeavor pays so much attention to me?

Midoriya continued. "You've been rejected in the worst way too, Todo. You've been rejected as a son." Shoto felt his heart squeeze. "If it weren't for that quirk of yours, your mother wouldn't have rejected you, would she have? Your father wouldn't treat you as a tool, would he? So, just as the Quirkless Rejects have been rejected for their lack of a quirk, you were rejected for yours."

He's right. He's right! It's all because of this dang quirk!

"So, Todoroki, I'll say it again. Join us. Use that fire that your father has caused you to loath and use it against him and the hero society that has failed you and left you in the dark."

Shoto didn't know what to say when he was presented with something so... so luring. A chance to escape. What should I do?

Midoriya stepped forwards and placed a hand on Shoto's shoulder. "You don't have to decided now, Todo." He walked to the alleyway entrance. The greenette turned back to Shoto at the end.

"The sports festival is coming up, right?" Shoto nodded. "If you truly want to escape your father's tyranny and leave behind the role of being a tool, prove it. Make a scene at the sports festival. Something big to let the world know what they've done and to show where you stand in life. Disown your father and the path of a hero. Then meet me here that night." He left, final words echoing in the cold night air.

"I'll be waiting, son of Endeavor."

________________________________________

Mikumo was nervous, very nervous. And oh so very tired. Dang Deku just had to go and poke the rod at Todoroki last night after an already long day at the amusement park. Sure their consciousnesses were different but they still used the same body dang it!

So now here he was, sleepily making coffee for customers at the Soft Blossom Bakery while all his nerves and sense were firing off waiting for Aizawa. The smiley face on his cheek definitely did not show his true mood.

*Ding Ding* "Hey, kid." Mikumo's head whipped around to the voice of Aizawa. Mikumo's breath caught in his throat. "One black coffee," ordered the man. Mikumo silently made the beverage and recurved the payment.

"Come see me on your break," Aizawa said, commanded, before retiring to his usual spot by the window.

He's so cold... Mikumo wanted to cry. He feels so far away...

________________________________________

Shouta watched as Mikumo sat at the table, no sweets or strawberries with him. The boy just looked at his lap. The painted yellow smiley face seemed to mock at the boys pitiful demeanor. It did not do justice to the way Mikumo hung his head. He looked as though he was about to cry.

Why? What on Earth could have caused someone like this turn to villainy? How can I fix this? What happened to being rational?

Questions shuffled through Shouta's mind. He sighed audibly but kept his voice low so that others around them couldn't hear their conversation.

"So, Mikumo, or should I say Deku?" His words might as well have been a whip with how hard the boy flinched. It hurt to see that. Why?

"Don't..." whispered Mikumo. "Don't call me that... I- I'm not Deku." Shouta narrowed his eyes. "Right, something about a personality or an identity disorder." The greenette shook his head. "No. If that's true then... then that would mean I'm not real."

"Do you believe you are real?" questioned Shouta.

"Of course!" snapped Mikumo. "I am NOT Deku nor Izuku. I have my own hopes, dreams, feelings. I am real!"

"Miku-"

"See, you even call me by MY name!" Shouta sighed. "You being real or not isn't what is truly important here," said Shouta. "The fact that you, or Deku, is a villain is what is important here."

The kid nodded. "It's not their fault..." Shouta raised one eyebrow. "Oh? How so? How is all the damage they have caused not their fault? How-"

"He had no choice!" Mikumo suddenly shouted at a volume louder than necessary. He quickly quieted his voice.

"I- Izuku's life sucked. He was abused by his mom," What? ", abandoned by his father," Excuse me? ", and bullied everyday for not having a quirk. Even his favorite hero told him to give up on his dreams. He couldn't just stay there! He had to escape!"

"So why didn't Midoriya just go to the authorities?"

"He tried. But no one listens to the quirkless kid." Shouta could almost see Deku slipping in. "The world's so corrupt over power that they turn their heads at the pain of the weak. The world is jacked."

Shouta want to just bang his head in the table be stopped himself. "You're going to report us, aren't you?" asked Mikumo.

"I have to."

"Or you could join the Quirkless Rejects."

Shouta looked at the kid, shocked. "What?" The kid shrugged. "You practically fight quirkless. All you do is make others quirkless, kind of a befitting quirk if any should be for the QR's cause."

"That is completely unreasonable, kid," deadpanned Shouta. Mikumo looked away again. "I know. I guess it's just wishful thinking. Wishful thinking to think I was real,"

Wait. ", to think I had a future,"

Stop.", to think I could have a father figure in my life." Shouta choked because he knew he felt the same about the greenette. It was why he was having such a hard time with this.

"Am I fake to you, Aizawa?"

His eyes widened. The question shook Shouta to his core.

"We're all of our conversations fake? Did you lie to me everytime you spoke?"

No! "We're all our laughs and smiles false?" The kid was starting to ramble, not even really talking to Shouta anymore. "Have you been laughing at me behind my back!? Waiting to watch me fall!?"

No! Tears fell from Mikumo's eyes. Honey was whining and pawing at her owner.

"You've been mocking me! I bet you wish you could take it all back!" Shouta lurched forward, chair falling to the ground.

"None of this should of happened!

I SHOULD HAVE JUMPED OFF THAT ROOF WHERE YOU FOUND ME!"

Shouta fell to his knees infront of the crying teenager and incased him in a tight hug. People were watching, he knew they were, but he didn't care.

"No Mikumo..." he whispered. "You're not fake. I've never once thought that. Every laugh and smile was real. I have never laughed at you and never will." Shouta felt the kids body shake.

"You are not fake, not to me. I've only thought of you like a son." Shouta heard the boys breath hitch. The kid looked up at Shouta, one of his contacts had shifted, blue and green overlapping.

"R- really?"

Shouta nodded. "Really. If you had papers I would even consider adopting you." He didn't think it possible but more tears fell from Mikumo's eyes.

"You don't have a last name, do you?" Mikumo shook his head. He wiped his eyes, readjusting the contact back in place.

"Well," said Shouta, "if you want, you can add the last name Aizawa to the end of yours." The kid stared at him.

"M- Mikumo Aizawa?"

"Mikumo Aizawa."

"C- could I call you..."

"You can call me dad if you want to," Shouta answered the unfinished question. Mikumo suddenly lurched forward and hugged Shouta tightly. Shouta hugged him back with just as much force.

"I may not be much to Deku or Izuku," he whispered lowly, "but I'll help out the QR as much as I can. I'll do it under the table while still working as a hero on the surface. How does that sound?" Mikumo nodded his head against the man's shoulder.

"Thank you, D- Dad." Shouta felt his heart swell. He pat the kid on the head before straightening his chair and sitting down on the otherside of the table again.

"Triston!" he called over the boy. "Can you get me another black coffee and then a strawberry tart and strawberry banana smoothie for Mikumo."

Triston seemed pleased with what just took place, rightfully so. Shouta recognized all of them as Quirkless Rejects members after the USJ.

"Sure thing, Ai!" said Triston, using the nickname he had given Shouta.

Shouta and Mikumo spent a lot of time just chatting like usual. Without even realizing it, the sun had began to go down and it was time to close.

________________________________________

Shouta made his way to his home from Soft Blossom Bakery. He yawned. I don't think I'm on call tonight...

He laid on his bed and his tuxedo cat, Shepard, curled up beside him. Shouta read his messages.

Mikumo:

Thanks for today!

Have a good night!

Aizawa:

You too.

Shouta plugged in his phone and laid it down on his beside table. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"I'm being completely irrational aren't I?"

"ME-OW!"

________________________________________

Deku sat at Soft Blossom Bakery on Mikumo's break staring at the cracked computer screen. He was trying to figure out how to word his next blog on Quirkless Pals. Deku might not post nearly as often as before, but he does try to blog at least twice a month. October had come and Deku had an idea. Actually, it was Izuku's, surprisingly. He smirked and started typing.

DEKU DAYS!

-October 5th, 2020

Hey friends! By now a lot of you have more than likely guessed who I am so thanks for not spilling the tea. Before I get into this blog it's time for the staple in my blogs. It's random fact time!

Did you know that there is a rare genetic trait that allows those with it to make sound with heir own ears? Cool right!?

So, yes. I am Deku of the Quirkless Rejects and this blog is just a little different from the usual mundane ones.

This one is a call to arms. >:)

Friends, we invite you to join the fight against injustice on the quirkless. Join us on the Kyota Bridge on October 31st, Halloween night, 10 pm. Come, not only those without quirks, but those who have been rejected because of their quirks!

We accept those who have be rejected by society! ^-^

Those who want to join the QR will be welcomed. But, be warned. If you show up on that bridge, you will never be able to return to your old life and your old home. Wear masks and cover ups because, heck, it's Halloween!

Make Quirkless Rejects posters as well for traffic driving by to see, to let them know that we are growing. That we aren't backing down just yet. No. That we aren't backing down EVER!

Take your stand against society, friends!

-DEKU

Deku hit post and leaned back in his chair. "Mikumo!" He almost got whiplash by how fast Mikumo switched in at the sound of Uraraka's voice.

"Uraraka, what's up?" She smiled but it looked... off. Oh. "Do you want to go on a walk with me?" the brunette asked. Oh. He looked over at Hisou who waved him off. "Sure," Mikumo replied. He hung up his apron but, of course, kept his black cap on. The two left the bakery. He looked over at Uraraka's contrite expression.

Oh.

________________________________________

Ochako walked beside her boyfriend in silence. It was tense, like they both knew what was coming. And maybe they did.

"How are you feeling after... you know... the attack?" asked Mikumo. She hummed uncommitted. "I'm ok." Silence again. Ochako inwardly sighed. I've got to do this.

"Mikumo, I- I saw Deku there," she said.

"Deku of the Quirkless Rejects?"

"Yeah..."

She took a deep breath.

"Mikumo... what is your quirk? He stopped and turned to her. "Let's stop somewhere, Uraraka."

The two sat in the swings at the park they ate ice cream at in their first date. "You're a smart girl, Uraraka. What do you think my quirk is?"

Ochako looked over at her boyfriend. He wasn't facing towards her but she could see his eyes looking at her.

"Y-you don't have one, do you?"

"No. I don't. So ask me the question that you meant to ask first."

She nodded, tense. "Mikumo, are you Deku?" Ochako held her breath.

...

"No." Phew! I knew it- "But I share a body with him." What!? "You probably find that very confusing."

Ochako nodded. "I do, so explain it to me." He sighed. Loudly.

"So, as I'm sure you've heard, Izuku Midoriya is Deku." She nodded. "But I, too, am Deku. But we are also not each other." Now that's just a whole lot of confusing! "Izuku had a lot of past trauma so he ran away. At first, Deku was just the name he used for the public when he went out as leader of the Quirkless Rejects. I, Mikumo, was made for a public cover up in the bakery. Actually, the whole bakery is a cover up." Excuse me!? "But as time went on, I guess you could sort of say an identity disorder formed. It started as a personality disorder but transformed into this. Now we each have 'separate' consciousnesses, likes, dislike, the whole shibang. So, in a sense, we are three different people who live in the same body."

Ochako was having a hard time wrapping her head around this. "I- I don't know wha-"

"I understand if you want to break up..."

Ochako whipped her head to Mikumo. "N- NO! I just don't know what to do, with this information, you know?" Mikumo looked up at the sky. "I won't ask you to join us," he said. "I think that what you are trying to do for your parents is very admirable."

"T- thank you," whispered Ochako. She closed her eyes to think. They stayed like this for a while. Ochako knew Mikumo was giving her time and she really appreciated that gentlemanly side of him. She finally opened them and took a deep breath.

"I... I don't want to break up." He looked at Ochako. "But, I don't want to be part of the Quirkless Rejects either. I will keep training to be a hero and, if you are okay with it, I'd like to continue being your girlfriend."

"Of course!" Mikumo blurted out. She smiled. "But you can't end up in jail, drag me, or my family or friends into this, and you can't talk about the QR, Deku, or Izuku around me. Okay?"

Mikumo nodded eagerly. "Yes ma'am!" Honey barked loudly and jumped on her.

Ochako laughed. "Ha ha! Honey!"

Yeah, this is ok.

I hope.

________________________________________

Doom walked up to the apartment door after taking out the trash. There was a box for "Mikumo Aizawa" infront of it. Doom grimmenced. Sure, Doom was glad to have a hero on their side, it was great fighting and informative power. But he wasn't sure about how reliable it was or about how he felt on 'Mikumo' being 'adopted' by Pro Hero Eraserhead.

He picked it up and entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. "Deku, your new mask and sunglasses arrived!" No response. Doom sighed when he walked in on Deku staring blankly at an open laptop at the table. He put the box on the table and waved a hand infront of Deku's face. The greenette didn't respond.

"Guess he's out," commented Doom to himself knowing that Deku wouldn't, couldn't(?), hear.

Doom glanced down at the lit computer screen. Deku had informed them of what he had posted and what the plan was. His eyes widened as it was opened to the comments on Deku's most recent blog.

QUEEN!:

Heck yeah!

PurpleTree:

Def gonna be there.

EmotionalBaggage:

Gotta stand up for ourselves you know?

PurpleTree:

hundred percent.

Insomniac:

So I actually have a quirk but am "rejected" and bullied for it. Is that ok?

Turtles:

Sure dude. You heard Deku right? we rejects got to stick together man.

BrokenWings:

Cool cause I got one do but everyone calls it a "default" and makes fun of me for it. Wish I didn't have one at all!

Insomniac:

Ok. Thanks. See you there.

QUEEN!:

Those who say I'm weak for being quirkless are wrong! I'm a whole hecking QUEEN jerks!

PurpleTree:

hundred percent

There were many more as well. Doom read in shock, scrolling down to read the rest. "Well dang," he said aloud. Doom closed the laptop and did what anyone does when they see Deku like this.

He grunted when he picked up Deku bridal style. He carried the worlddead boy to his bed in the boys room. Doom laid Deku down and gently closed his emerald eyes. It was so... so... disturbing to do that. It was almost like when you closed the eyes of someone you found dead.

Not far from, he thought grimmly.

After pulling the covers over Deku, Doom left and went into the bathroom to change into his costume.Those who go out always take the trash out first so the security cameras have "evidence" of the resident being home. Kind of like an alibi.

He exitted the bathroom and went into the living room. "Yuuta," he heard his girlfriend say softly as she got up from the couch. "Kiki," he responded. The blonde walked up to him. She placed her hands on his chest and leaned in, looking up at him. He bent down and kissed her.

They disconnected. "Come home safely, Yuuta." He kissed her again. "I will." He crouched down by her slightly rounded belly. "Daddy will be back soon." He smiled and left through the window.