The Successor (My Hero Academia)

Chapter 11: Catching Up



Standing there in nothing but his boxers, Izuku scoffs at Katsumi. His childhood bully… reduced to this? No, there was nothing arousing about her at the moment. Or at least, that’s what he told himself. And with his Quirks giving him the ability to completely control his body’s biology, it was even believable too. After all, it’s not like he was sporting an erection or would be unless he wanted to.
 
Still, he didn’t just want to turn and walk away without saying another word. No, something pushed him to give Katsumi one last parting comment before he leaves her there to wallow in her failure and lust.
 
“Pathetic.”
 
Making sure his insult lands takes the work of a moment and he grins as Katsumi’s shoulders stiffen and scrunch up. Before she can even lift her head however, he turns and begins walking away. It’s a testament to just how badly he’s rattled her that she doesn’t call after him, that she doesn’t scream at his back. Instead, blessed, blissful silence follows him away from her.
 
Rather than walking back out of the Park, however, Izuku walks deeper in. He doesn’t really care if Katsumi notices or not, so long as he’s out of sight of her. Which, after about three minutes of walking, he activates his Extra-Sensory Quirks to make sure she isn’t following him.
 
His shoulders tense up, however, when his Quirks lets him know that there IS someone close by, and not just that, they’re watching him even now. He doesn’t let on that he knows he’s being followed, however. Instead, he uses his Quirk to map them out quickly. It is a girl… but it’s not Katsumi. The hair and body type are both off.
 
Frowning, Izuku considers whether he wants to pick a fight with someone while in nothing but his boxers… before deciding that no, it would be better to avoid such a thing. Still, it wasn’t like he could get out of here without this girl seeing something she shouldn’t. Tch, he’d have to get smart about this.
 
Having been standing still for a couple minutes by this point, Izuku suddenly bursting into motion should have been quite surprising. That motion being enhanced by his Quirks, designed to look like the use of One for All empowering him, was about ten times that of a normal human. Turning into a mini-speedster, Izuku races off into the forest… and while the one following him does startle and try to give chase, losing her after that is child’s play.
 
As soon as he’s confident that he’s not visible to her senses in any way, Izuku grunts out a single word… a name.
 
“Kurogiri.”
 
A Warp Gate appears right in front of him, and without hesitating, Izuku pops on through, letting it wink out behind him long before his tail could ever catch up.
 
Landing in Kurogiri’s bar, Izuku sighs as he runs a hand through his green hair… only to tense up when a familiar snicker reaches his ears, followed by a wolf whistle.
 
“Damn bro! I came over to ask how your first day at school went, but I think I already know, bahaha!”
 
Turning to the bar, Izuku sees Kurogiri behind it… and someone sat on a stool in front of it. Someone VERY familiar to Izuku. A slim man with pale skin, wrinkles around his eyes, chapped and uneven lips, red irises and messy light blue hair. This is Tomura Shigaraki, formerly Tenko Shimura, the grandson of Nana Shimura and a… passion project of All for One.
 
They stare each other down for a long beat of silence… and then Tomura fails to contain his laughter to just snickering and full on points at Izuku and his state of undress with one hand as his other holds his stomach, the young man doubling over as he laughs at him.
 
The tension leaves Izuku as he just sighs and shakes his head at his adoptive brother’s antics, smiling all the while. He’d actually known Tomura for… well, most of his life. Being a few years older than him, Tomura had been Izuku’s big brother growing up. All for One had originally picked up the other boy to use him against his foes… but that was before Izuku had been born. As his father had told him, plans changed… and Tomura hadn’t been old enough to not be molded and shaped into something other than the Weapon of Mass Destruction that All for One originally intended him to be.
 
That ‘something else’, as it so happened, turned out to be a protector, playmate, and confidante for Izuku. Especially after Izuku got old enough to be brought in on his father’s plan, and they began playing his lack of a visible Quirk off as being Quirkless.
 
Honestly, Izuku probably wouldn’t have turned out half as well-adjusted as he had in the face of all the bullying, discrimination, and being treated like a pariah for something that was technically supposed to be outside of his control, if it wasn’t for his home life. And that home life included Tomura.
 
Giving the laughing young man a shake of his head, Izuku sighs before glancing to Kurogiri. The teleporter just nods, and another Warp Gate opens up, depositing a fresh set of clothing into Izuku’s waiting arms. As he begins to get dressed, Tomura finally calms down enough that they can actually talk.
 
“It wasn’t like that, Tomura. I assure you, I left UA with my clothes completely intact. This came after… when I dueled Katsumi Bakugou.”
 
THAT brings Tomura to a complete halt, his adoptive brother suddenly very silent for a long moment.
 
“… That bitch picked a fight with you?”
 
Rolling his eyes at Tomura’s protective tone, Izuku just grins as he puts a shirt on before answering.
 
“She did… and she came to regret it, I assure you. You don’t have to worry about me, Tomura. I can take care of myself.”
 
“Tch, I know that. I know you’re the big bad All for One now that… now that your dad passed.”
 
“Our dad.”
 
Izuku doesn’t need any of his social Quirks to navigate this conversation. He’s known Tomura pretty much all his life. It’s easy to detect the hitch in his voice as he mentions their father passing. He also knows that his response is precisely what Tomura needs to hear right now and judging by the tensing and untensing of the older boy’s shoulders, he’s right on the money.
 
“… Yeah. Anyways, old habits die hard. And even if you’re God Mode now, you’re still my little bro, right? I’m supposed to look after you. And I hate that I had to let that Bakugou bitch get away with bullying you, all these years.”
 
Smiling softly, Izuku ducks his head, a little embarrassed by Tomura’s heartfelt words. Truth be told, he feels much the same way. Though, he won’t say it out loud, he does in fact feel responsible for Tomura and Kurogiri and to a lesser extent the others, now that All for One is gone for good. Izuku has no intention of taking up his father’s mantle publicly if he can help it, but Tomura is right… he is basically All for One now.
 
Tomura’s story… was a sad one. The boy’s Quirk had manifested at a very young age, and it was Nasty with a capital N. Decay… it had led to Tomura accidentally killing his dog, and then his whole family before All for One came across him. It also effected his appearance, giving him the somewhat ghastly look he currently had. Though the excessive NEET behavior didn’t help. When Tomura wasn’t watching over Izuku, he could be found playing video games, to the extent that they had become a significant part of his identity.
 
Regardless, as to Tomura’s words… Izuku sighs.
 
“I know, Tomura. But my opinion on that hasn’t changed. Katsumi is MINE to deal with. And… if our fight today was anything to go off of, I think I can deal with her my own way.”
 
Raising his hands in surrender, Tomura backs off, his chapped lips cracking into a smile.
 
“Whatever you say, boss man. So then, first day at school did go well? You handle all those noobs with kid gloves or what?”
 
Izuku, having finished getting dressed at this point, makes his way over to the bar, where Kurogiri slides him a soda. Giving the bartender an appreciative nod, he sips for a moment before grinning at Tomura.
 
“Kid gloves? Hm, would you consider me coming first in every test they gave us, and even beating most of the school records, ‘kid gloves’? Because, uh… that’s what I did.”
 
Tomura snickers.
 
“Damn, not even trying to Smurf, are you? You aren’t worried that they’ll catch onto you?”
 
Izuku just shakes his head.
 
“I already had Nana recommend me, and then blew THAT Exam straight out of the water. The people who think they’re in the know, believe they know who and what I am. Namely, that I’m All for One’s son, and One for All’s successor. I’ve shown too much aptitude already to back down and try and stay middle of the pack at this point. Better to be the Next Big Thing instead, right?”
 
Tomura nods decisively.
 
“Right. If we’re going to fix this broken system, if we’re going to bring down the admins and change the way the game is played… you’ll have to be at the very top.”
 
Smiling softly, Izuku just inclines his head, tipping is soda in Tomura’s direction.
 
“Precisely. To that end… how are things going with you?”
 
Here, his adoptive big bro straightens up, looking proud.
 
“Heh, the League of Villains is coming along great, bro. We should be ready soon enough, though I dunno if we’re quite there yet. Got some other prospective recruits lined up first. Heh, you hear about that Stain fella?”
 
Blinking at the mention of the Hero Killer, Izuku slowly nods.
 
“Yeah?”
 
Tomura’s grin grows wider, pulling at his chapped, uneven lips as he thrusts a thumb back into his chest.
 
“I’m gonna try to recruit him next.”
 
For a moment, Izuku considers it… before shrugging his shoulders.
 
“Alright but be careful. I’m pretty sure Stain sees himself as a vigilante, not a villain. Still, if all goes according to plan…”
 
Tomura just bobs his head along in agreement.
 
“Yeah, if all goes according to plan, the League will be more vigilante than villain anyways. Not like the Powers That Be will view us any differently, but, heh, it matters to us, right?”
 
Right. The League of Villains was, as most things in Izuku’s life currently were, his father’s idea ultimately. While Izuku would go on to UA with both All Might and his father’s Quirks to back him up, Tomura would begin building a semi-oppositional force for him to fight. The League of Villains would ultimately be about cleaning up Hero Society, bringing down the Pro Heroes in Izuku’s way, especially the hypocrites like that bastard Endeavor.
 
Tch, they might have to go after him sooner rather than later. With how All Might had… well, taken a turn for the worst after Nana’s sudden return from the dead, Endeavor would probably end up as the Number One Pro Hero sooner than even Izuku and his father had planned for. And honestly, given all that Izuku knew about the man and his home life thanks to All for One’s spying… he wouldn’t abide by that for long.
 
Endeavor didn’t deserve success. But at the same time, defeating the Number One Pro Hero WOULD increase the League’s reputation and standing, so waiting for him to take up the mantle was best. If Izuku had his way though, Endeavor’s tenure at the very top would be the shortest on record. A short and sweet end to the bastard’s Heroic Career.
 
“You’re right, of course. I’ll leave that all to you, Tomura. I trust you to be able to handle it. Of course, if you ever need my help, you know I’ll drop everything to reach your side.”
 
For a moment, Tomura just stares at him and Izuku furrows his brow.
 
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
 
“Nah bro… you just sounded like pops there for a second. It was kind of spooky… but also kind of nice.”
 
Izuku blushes to the roots of his messy green hair, ducking his head all over again. For all his power, his adoptive big brother could embarrass him like no other still.
 
“R-Right. Well, I should be going. Need to get some rest before tomorrow. I impressed in class enough today that my teacher wants to talk to me after school tomorrow, and I don’t wanna blow her off. After all, you don’t just blow off the Rabbit Hero Mirko two days in a row.”
 
THAT gets a visible reaction from Tomura, his blood shot eyes widening.
 
“Wait, your teacher is MIRKO?!”
 
Izuku just laughs and nods.
 
“Yeah, pretty sure it’s something dad did without telling either of us about. And I’m pretty sure I know what she wants, as well…”
 
He wasn’t oblivious, after all… and he knew what sort of effect his actions in class today had had on his new teacher. Tomorrow… tomorrow would be fun.
 
-x-X-x-
 
Tomorrow, now today, had been slightly irritating. Not over the top or anything, but that little fool Mineta had been making a pain of himself, provoking the girls and toeing the line between annoyance and sexual harasser rather heavily. Izuku was fairly certain he was going to deal with the boy sooner rather than later, even if it involved Mineta disappearing down a back alley at some point, never to be seen again.
 
Regardless, the day hadn’t been impossibly challenging, and it was now coming to a close. As everyone else in Class 1-A before filing out of the room, Izuku stays at his desk, smiling when Mirko glances over to him, opening her mouth to likely remind him to stay behind, only to click it shut again when she sees he’s not moved from his seat.
 
Hm, as the classroom empties out, Izuku considers how he wants to play this. He THINKS he knows what Mirko wants with him… but he could be wrong. If he is wrong, and he comes on too hard, it’ll be rather embarrassing. However, if he’s right and he comes on strong enough, he can potentially dictate the terms of their relationship from the very beginning.
 
What would his father do? His father… his father would likely manipulate things from the shadows for months if not years in advance, before meeting with Mirko entirely on his own terms, leaving the Rabbit Hero at a distinct disadvantage. He would prepare the battlefield ahead of time, and make sure Mirko never had a chance to recover any ground or gain any sort of leg up on him, no pun intended.
 
Needless to say, Izuku didn’t have that option. He was having this meeting with Mirko now, so all that was left to decide was whether he wanted to try for total control and attempt to completely dominate the meeting with his assumptions of what she wanted or hear her out first to make sure he was right about her desires, and possibly give up the initiative to the spunky Rabbit Hero.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.