Ch. 3

"Kacchan, all I'm saying is that getting frustrated and blowing up your homework isn't exactly a good excuse to turn it in late." Said Izuku as he and his friend were walking home from school.

Katsuki Bakugou, the resident top brass of their school. Maybe just slightly arrogant, but someone who knows their own limits. In any case, he was infinitely better now than the person he was shaping up to be in the month before Izuku got his quirk. It had taken a while before Izuku could smack some sense back into him.

FLASHBACK

Izuku was annoyed at his friend. Kacchan had started bullying people because they didn't have a quirk as amazing as he did. It wasn't how a hero should act.

He sighed, they were currently marching through the forest. Kacchan was the leader, of course. Behind him were Tsubasa and Hotaru. Tsubasa had wings on his back that couldn't really support him, while Hotaru's quirk allowed him to extend his fingers.

Izuku didn't like them, they were simple bullies, who only followed Kacchan because he was strong. He was sure they would run away the moment Kacchan got into trouble.

After marching for around five minutes, they reached a small river. An old oak had fallen across it, creating a makeshift bridge. "We should totally cross the river on this thing," said Tsubasa with a goofy grin of anticipation on his face. Hotaru nodded vigorously behind him.

"HA, we're obviously gonna cross it! As if something like a river could stop our march!" Cockily yelled Kacchan, already preparing to get on the trunk.

Izuku wasn't so sure that was a good idea. He looked down towards the river. Some twenty feet below the oak tree was a series of rapids, sharp rocks jutting out at various angles. A cold sheen of sweat covered his back as his heart rate sped up in worry for the friend about to mount the massive log.

"Kacchan! I don't think this is a good idea! Just look at all the rocks down there, you could be seriously hurt if you fell!" Izuku blurted out quickly, a worried frown on his face. Sure, he might be able to catch him with telekinesis, but he had only had the quirk for a few days now. Izuku would rather not risk something so delicate.

Kacchan just scoffed, "Please, that's if I fall. I'm not some weak side character, Izu. This isn't even a challenge for someone like me, who'll be the number one hero!" He punctuated his words with small explosions, showcasing his impressive quirk.

Tsubasa immediately jumped at the chance to back up his boss, "Yeah, Midoriya. You're pretty arrogant for someone that just got their quirk." He said with an ugly scowl.

Izuku still tried to stop him with an uneasy smile. "Seriously, Kacchan, I'm just worried about you." He said, tiny pinpricks of tears already starting to form in his eyes.

Katsuki arrogantly harrumphed in response, already exerting himself so his four year old frame could get on top of the moss covered oak. "I don't need you to worry about me! I can do this just fine without some useless worrying from a crybaby like you." He said with a frown marring his face.

Izuku's heart beat faster with every step Kacchan took, full fledged tears already prepared to burst as he thought about worst case scenarios.

Katsuki laughed at Izuku as he reached halfway across the felled tree. "See, Izu, this is easy for someone like me." He yelled towards Izuku, his mouth twisting upwards in his classic smirk. Just as he turned around to take another step, his foot slipped on a large patch of moist moss.

Never let it be said that Katsuki Bakugou wasn't arrogant, but that doesn't mean he has no fear. He felt the weightlessness of falling through the air. His eyes shut tight, waiting for the jagged rocks that he knew were there to dig into his back.

He felt himself splash into water, but the pointed rocks he expected didn't carve their way through his skin. Floating to the top of the water, he let out the breath he was holding, accompanied by a small whimper and a few tears.

Katsuki looked down, searching wearily for the rocks. He saw them, about ten feet below him, and devoid of the water that was rushing past them not two minutes ago.

He felt himself moving along with the ball of water that caught him. It was slowly being floated back towards Izuku and the others. He could see Izuku with his eyes clamped shut, and entire body shaking. Sweat rolling in rivulets down his face, soaking his shirt. Katsuki easily noticed the tears that were mixed in, after all, Izu is a big crybaby.

When he reached the ledge Izuku was standing on, the water fell to the ground, taking Kacchan with it. He simply stood there, a dark shadow cast over the features of his face.

After all, he wasn't stupid. He knew that it was only thanks to Izu's new quirk that he wasn't howling in pain right now. He easily figured out that he was being an arrogant bastard who jumped into a situation that was potentially dangerous, for no particular reason other than to soothe his ego.

Katsuki was very self aware, it's the reason he was so arrogant before. He knew his quirk outclassed most of the population, knew that he was part of the elite. Someone like him could become a hero no problem.

What he just did, that was just plain stupid, not something an elite should do. Katsuki clenched his fist as he continued to mentally berate himself.

Izuku watched as Kacchan's face cycled through several emotions. He was glad he found a way to save his friend that didn't risk too much. He knew from previous tests that trying to pick something up that weighed less than around 500 pounds was extremely unreliable. He'd shot more than one cup into the wall at dangerous speeds.

His quick analytical skills helped him think of a simple solution. Just gather copious amounts of water into a bubble to break the fall, and keep him afloat in the air. It worked even better than he had hoped as well! All it cost him was some exhaustion.

The relieved smile on Izuku's face soon met with soil. The exhaustion had caused his legs to give out. He rolled himself over, and showed that his smile had never wavered, even when hit with pain.

"It's good that you're okay, Kacchan." He rasped out, letting out a content sigh in the process. Even through the tremor in his voice, anyone could hear the pure relief within.

Katsuki stood still, but you could now see the guilty expression on his face, that couldn't look straight at his friend, a real friend. "...Thanks, Izu."

Hearing the whisper of Kacchan, Izuku's relieved smile morphed into one of joy and happiness. The bully Kacchan would never say thanks to someone, this was more like he was before his quirk. Izuku decided he liked this version of Kacchan much more.

With the smile still plastered across his face, Izuku laughed. Then he laughed some more. Then Katsuki joined in with his own slow, defeated chuckle.

"You almost died…" said Izuku through his laughter, voice shaking.

"Haha… Yeah..." Agreed Kacchan, shaking, and not from his laughter.

"Don't ever do something so stupid again, Kacchan."

"... I promise I won't, Izu."

With that, they both let the tears flow. Admittedly, it was more from Izuku than Katsuki, but they were both letting it out. Katsuki was futilely attempting to wipe the water from his eyes with the back of his hand. Izuku just let them roll down his cheeks, dampening the soil he was still laying on.

"Let's go home, Izu." Said Kacchan before helping Izuku up and draping an arm across his neck. They walked back towards their houses in comfortable silence.

"...Did they just forget we were here?" Whispered Tsubasa to his friend Hotaru.

"...I think so…" replied Hotaru. They just stood there in silence, trying to grasp the events that had just occurred.

…

Inko looked to the door that she had just heard open, expecting to see her son.

He was there, accompanied by Mitsuki's son. They looked to be supporting each other, and each had tear stains across their face.

Inko knew that things had been a little tense between Izuku and Katsuki for a while now. Noticing this, she had to question if she was just jumping to conclusions before. The level of reliance they had with each other needs a certain amount of trust to carry out. Either way, she was happy for them.

But I wonder what happened?

END FLASHBACK

Izuku was broken out of his pondering by a familiar YIP. Looking around, he was made aware of the rustic stone bridge he was under. Heartily rushing over to his feet was a small Dachshund.

It was the same dog whose life he had saved. He looked up the breed not long after the incident. It had become something of a routine for the dog, who was called Mimi by him and Kacchan, to meet them under this bridge after school every day. It's one of only two reasons he didn't just fly home, the other being Kacchan.

In a rare show of compassion, Katsuki picked the dog up and let it lick his face, laughing as it did.

"What're you so happy about, Kacchan?" Questioned Izuku as he watched this play out. Even though Kacchan had mellowed out after the river event, he was still arrogant, and definitely not someone to let a puppy lick his face.

"HAHAHA! Just think about it Izu, only ten months till we make our debut at U.A. I just can't WAIT to BLOW EVERYONE ELSE OUT OF THE WATER!" He yelled with fire in his eyes, and a clenched fist in the air.

Izuku was about to yell out how much he agreed with those feelings, when something showed up in his Mind's Eye. A non-solid, living thing appeared to be in the sewers just behind them. It was waiting for the moment they turned away from it.

Izuku stood up and merely looked at the being as it slinked out from the sewer. Once it was fully within view, it stopped. Not from the fear of being seen by anyone, it would have instead been ecstatic. That is, if it wasn't stuck in a space that's molecules were currently barely moving. Ice was starting to form on the sludge monster, it's breathing coming out in small puffs of white air. Soon, it was completely frozen.

Izuku could have frozen it immediately, even to colder temperatures than absolute zero by totally stopping all molecular movement, but the sludge monster would have shattered from the shock.

Just a few seconds later, the sewer cover burst into the air, and someone jumped out. Izuku readied himself for another attacker. What he saw instead was a, absolutely ripped, man, carrying… grocery bags? Izuku decided not to question it when he noticed the next defining feature of the man. Two tufts of golden hair protruded from the front of his head, almost like a rabbit's ears would.

"OH-MY-GOD!!!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, startling Katsuki and prompting him to look over. His eyes widened, and his mouth hung open in shock. The arms cradling Mimi went limp, dropping the dog to the ground.

"WHY HELLO THERE MY BOY, I CAN SEE YOU'VE HANDLED THIS VILLAIN ALL BY YOURSELF. I'LL TAKE HIM OFF YOUR HANDS FOR YOU, AND DELIVER HIM TO JUSTICE." Said the man, All Might, with his ever present smile adorning his face. He didn't yell, but his voice was projected with such power that any ordinary man would fail in any attempt to do the same, even when yelling.

"W-WAIT! C-can you sign this please!?" Izuku begged as he fumbled through his bag. Grasping the object he was looking for, he presented it, almost reverently, to the man.

It was a notebook titled 'SELF ANALYSIS'. It held within all the things he figured out he could do with his telekinesis abilities, confirmed or unconfirmed. After years of scientific research about how the world works, he had nearly filled an entire notebook with just possibilities for his own quirk.

All Might took the book, pen in his hand already. Being the selfless man he is, he figured he would read some of it and see if he could give any pointers to the young man in front of him. As All Might skimmed page after page, his face became increasingly pale. He balked at the potential held within this boy.

He paused on a specific page, seemingly pondering something. This page was headed with a simple 'Healing', and continued for several pages after that. All Might didn't dare to hope, and simply shook his head, before continuing through the notebook.

After finishing he decided to get a good look at the boy. He had messy green hair with dark streaks here and there. Vibrant green eyes stared toward him in wonder, and, surprisingly enough, determination. He wasn't overly muscular, but it seemed as if he was perfectly sculpted for speed.

The boy could easily become a top hero. Weather manipulation by itself was a pro worthy quirk, but the fact that that is simply a derivative power made All Might himself balk at the thought of this boys future. At least it looked like he would become a hero from the way he was bouncing just from the sight of All Might.

All Might chuckled to himself before finally signing the notebook. He decided not to ask for a name.

After all, he'll see him at U.A. in just a few short months. And maybe, just maybe...