[23] The Calm Before

I opened my eyes to a sea of white. No walls, no ceiling, just endless emptiness stretching in every direction. My body felt weightless, like I was floating in some sort of void.

"So, Toshinori chose you, huh?"

A voice, distinctly feminine, cut through the silence. I spun around, trying to locate its source. A shadow flickered at the edge of my vision, always just out of sight.

"Who are you?" I called out. "Where am I?"

The voice chuckled, the sound echoing in the emptiness. "Those aren't the right questions, kid. You should be asking yourself who you are."

I frowned. "I know who I am."

"Do you?" The shadow coalesced into a vague human shape, still featureless and dark against the white backdrop. "You're playing a dangerous game, Izuku Midoriya. Or should I call you Amon?"

My blood ran cold. How did she know?

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The shadow moved closer, its form rippling like smoke. "Oh, I think you do. You're not the first to try and change the world, you know. But be careful. The path you're on... it has a way of changing you, too."

I clenched my fists. "You don't know anything about me or my goals."

"Don't I?" The shadow circled me, its voice coming from all directions. "You want power. Control. You think you can reshape society into something better. But at what cost?"

Images flashed through the white void. My classmates, trusting and unaware. All Might, proud and slowly fading. Villains, chaos incarnate.

"You're walking a tightrope, kid," the voice continued. "One wrong move and you'll fall. And trust me, it's a long way down."

I gritted my teeth. "I won't fall. I'm not like the others who've tried before. I'm smarter, more prepared."

The shadow laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "That's what they all say. But power corrupts, Izuku. Even the best intentions can lead to ruin."

"You're wrong," I snapped. "I'm not some power-hungry maniac. I want to make things better, to fix a broken system."

The shadow paused, and when it spoke again, its voice was heavy with something like... sadness? Regret?

"You sound exactly like the man this power was made to defeat."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"And who decides what's 'better'?" the voice asked, ignoring my question. "You? Playing god is a dangerous game, kid."

The white void started to fade, darkness creeping in at the edges.

"Remember this, Izuku Midoriya," the voice said, growing fainter. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Be careful which path you choose."

I jolted awake, gasping for air. The sterile white of the dream gave way to the familiar surroundings of Recovery Girl's office.

'You sound exactly like the man this power was made to defeat.' What did that mean? Who was she talking about?

"Oh good, you're awake," Recovery Girl's voice came from nearby. "You gave us quite a scare, young man."

I turned my head, wincing at the movement. Recovery Girl stood by the bed, her usual stern expression tinged with concern.

"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"About sixteen hours," she replied.

Sixteen hours. Not too bad, considering how far I'd pushed myself.

"The others?" I asked.

"Aizawa and Thirteen are in stable condition. The rest of your classmates are fine, thanks to you and All Might," Recovery Girl said. "Though I'd like to know exactly what happened out there. Your injuries were... unusual."

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "It was a tough fight. That Nomu thing was incredibly strong."

Recovery Girl's eyes narrowed. "Hmm. Well, you're staying here till Sunday. Need to make sure you're in good shape. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, already planning how to work around her restrictions.

She nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Principal Nezu will want to speak with you once he gets done with the police. For now, rest up."

As she shuffled away, I let my head fall back onto the pillow. The dream lingered in my mind, that shadowy figure's words echoing in my thoughts.

Who was she? How did she know about my plans? And more importantly, was she right?

I shook my head, pushing the doubts aside. I couldn't afford to second-guess myself now. I had a plan, and I was sticking to it.

The door creaked open, interrupting my thoughts. Nejire peeked in, her eyes widening when she saw me awake.

"Izuku!" Nejire exclaimed, her periwinkle hair bouncing as she rushed to my bedside. "You're awake! I was so worried when you didn't answer my texts, and then I heard about the USJ attack, and-"

I raised a hand, cutting off her stream of words. "Hey, Nejire. Sorry for worrying you."

She plopped down in the chair next to my bed, setting a plastic bag on the nightstand. "Don't apologize! I'm just glad you're okay. Well, mostly okay. Are you okay? What happened? Did you really fight a super-villain?"

I couldn't help but smile at her rapid-fire questions. It was... refreshing, in a way. No hidden agendas, no carefully crafted personas. Just genuine curiosity.

"It's a long story," I said, pushing myself up to sit straighter. "What's in the bag?"

Nejire's eyes lit up. "Oh! Right! Well, since we couldn't go out for coffee like we planned, I thought I'd bring the snacks to you. I got us some melon pan, dorayaki, and even some of those weird American chips."

She started pulling items out of the bag, arranging them on the small table beside my bed. The sight of junk food made my stomach growl embarrassingly loud.

Nejire giggled. "Guess Recovery Girl's been keeping you on a strict diet, huh?"

I nodded, already reaching for a package of chips. "You have no idea. This is great, Nejire. Thanks."

"Hey Izuku..." She leaned in. "Is it true you fought alongside All Might?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Not exactly. I just held off the villain until he arrived. All Might did the real work."

"Don't be so modest!" Nejire exclaimed. "I heard you took on a strong villain single-handedly. That's incredible, Izuku!"

Word travels fast. I shrugged, downplaying it. "I just did what anyone would do in that situation. My classmates were in danger, so I acted."

Nejire's expression softened. "That's what makes you a real hero, you know? Not just the strength or the quirk, but the willingness to put yourself on the line for others."

"Thanks, Nejire," I said, forcing a smile. "That means a lot coming from you. How's your work study with Ryukyu going?"

She beamed, launching into an animated description of her latest patrol. I listened, asking questions at the right moments, but part of my mind was elsewhere.

"Izuku?" Nejire's voice snapped me back to the present. "You okay? You looked a million miles away for a second there."

I blinked, refocusing on her concerned face. "Sorry, just got lost in thought. The pain meds make me a bit spacey sometimes."

She nodded sympathetically. "I bet. Do you want me to go? You probably need rest."

"No!" I said, perhaps a bit too quickly. "I mean, no, please stay. It's nice having company that isn't just doctors poking at me."

Nejire giggled, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "Well, if you insist. Oh! I almost forgot. I brought you something else."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a small, worn book. "It's a collection of old hero case files. I thought you might find it interesting, since you're always analyzing quirks and stuff."

I took the book, genuinely touched by the thoughtful gesture. "Wow, Nejire. This is amazing. Where did you get this?"

"Oh, you know, I have my sources," she said with a wink. "Just don't tell anyone I smuggled it out of the library, okay?"

I laughed. "Your secret's safe with me."

We spent the next hour poring over the book together, discussing old cases and theorizing about quirk applications. Nejire's insights were surprisingly sharp, her bubbly exterior hiding a keen analytical mind.

At some point, Nejire had shifted from the chair to sit beside me on the bed, our shoulders touching as we leaned over the book. I was in the middle of explaining a theory about combo quirks when the door suddenly opened.

"Izuku, honey, I heard you finally woke u- oh!"

My head snapped up to see Mom standing in the doorway, her eyes wide and a plastic bag dangling from her hand.

"Mom," I said, smiling lightly. "It's good to see you."

Nejire jumped up from the bed, her face flushing pink. "Oh! Hello! You must be Midoriya-san. I'm Nejire Hado. I was just... um... keeping Izuku company."

Mom's surprised look morphed into something I couldn't quite read. "I see. It's nice to meet you, Nejire-chan. I'm glad Izuku has such... dedicated classmates."

"Actually, I'm not in Izuku's class," Nejire said, fidgeting with her hair. "We met before the entrance exam and kind of hit it off."

Not helping, Nejire.

"Is that so?" Mom said, her eyebrows rising. "Well, isn't that nice."

I cleared my throat, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters. "Mom, what's in the bag?"

"Oh!" She held it up, seemingly remembering why she came. "I brought you some katsudon. I thought you might want a taste of home."

Nejire started gathering her things. "I should probably go. Don't want to interrupt family time."

I considered for a moment. Having Nejire stay might make this conversation with Mom less probing, but it could also complicate things. "Alright. Thanks for coming by, Nejire. And for the book."

She beamed at me. "Anytime, Izuku! I'll visit again soon, okay?" She turned to Mom and bowed slightly. "It was nice meeting you, Midoriya-san."

As Nejire left, I braced myself for Mom's questions. But instead of the interrogation I expected, she just smiled and started unpacking the food.

"So," she said casually, "how are you feeling, honey? That Nejire seems nice."

I accepted the container of katsudon, analyzing her tone. "I'm doing better. And yeah, Nejire's good company. Sharp mind under all that energy."

Mom nodded, sitting in the chair Nejire had vacated. "I'm glad you're making friends. Now, tell me about this USJ incident. And don't leave anything out!"

As I ate, I gave Mom a carefully edited version of events. I downplayed the danger while emphasizing the teamwork and quick thinking of my classmates. No need to worry her more than necessary.

When I got to the part about the Nomu, Mom's eyes widened. "Izuku! That sounds terribly dangerous. Were you scared?"

I paused, considering my answer. "It was intense," I admitted. "But I didn't have time to be scared. I just focused on what needed to be done."

Mom shook her head, a mix of pride and worry on her face. "My brave boy. Just... please be careful, okay? I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

"I'll be careful, Mom. Promise."

We chatted for a while longer, Mom filling me in on neighborhood gossip and how proud everyone was of me. I listened, filing away potentially useful information while my mind worked on larger problems.

I'd shown more of my abilities than intended, drawn attention I hadn't planned for. But maybe I could use this. Play up the image of the selfless hero, the student who rose to the occasion. It could provide an excellent story.

"Izuku?" Mom's voice cut through my thoughts. "You looked far away for a moment there. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

I refocused on her, offering a reassuring smile. "Just tired, I think."

She nodded, standing up. "Of course. I should let you rest. Do you need anything else before I go?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm good. Thanks for coming, Mom. And for the food."

She leaned down and kissed my forehead. "I'll always be here for you, Izuku. No matter what."

My gaze drifted to Recovery Girl's business card on the bedside table. Her direct line, in case of emergencies. And right below it, a note from Principal Nezu requesting a meeting once I was cleared medically.

The USJ attack had changed the playing field, but I could adapt. I always did.

Time to start planning my next move.

End of Volume 1

{A/N: First volume completed and it has been a fun ride so far! I am so excited to continue writing this story for you guys and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. 

Now some notes, for those worried about this being a copy of canon I assure you that I am aware of that fact, it's just not that much can be changed drastically until after the sports festival with the internships, that is when Izuku will be able to make his first bold move. 

I hope you guys are also enjoying his character development so far, it gets confusing sometimes with some people complaining about him being too heartless while others complain about him not being heartless enough but personally I like his journey so far. 

Finally, for some unfortunate news, I am starting my second year of college here soon so the updates might go from every day to every other day. I am currently 12 chapters ahead in the story so hopefully moving to this now, will make sure there are not multiple days without a chapter update. 

Thanks for your support till this point! Here's to an even better Volume 2!}