Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Complications
Izuku watches the detective leave. The whole event was odd, to say the least. Not the questions, he understood the reason for them perfectly. He would be suspicious as well if someone went missing for ten years and then returned out of nowhere.
What was odd was the detective, he had sensed it when he entered the room. A source of white mana within him activated in the form of a spell. Given the context, it was likely some type that assisted in questioning, perhaps a lie-detecting one.
Heck, he can sense it all across the hospital. He assumed it was just background mana at first, but there was too much variety in such a place. That was when he stretched out his senses and focused, realising the sources of mana were coming directly from the people. The patients, the doctors, and visitors. They all had mana in them, ranging from the smallest drop to the entire body, and it was all different colours and combinations.
It didn't make a lot of sense to him. You cast spells by drawing from the background mana of the area, but this was different. as if the bodies were generating their own form of mana. He felt his curiosity grow as theories sprang up in his mind. What effects do they have on quirks? Or rather, what is their relationship with Quirks? Was what he was seeing Quirks? He couldn't wait to get this back to Jace and...
And then he remembers what has happened in the past few hours. It felt like days, but he knew that it had only been just hours after the Battle of the Mana Rig. Memories start flooding his mind; the boiling heat of being on the continent of Shiv; the smell of sulphur in the air from the sheer number of volcanoes. He could hear the chittering of Phyrexian lifeforms, the biomechanical monstrosities edging closer as he sent them back with fire and lightning, and the pungent smell of burnt flesh and melted metal. The smell of blood, most of all; his blood, the blood of Coalition soldiers.
Sweat drops across his face as he begins to find it hard to breathe. He throws the blanket off in an attempt to get the weight off his chest, suffocating him. The monitor, which was attached to him by a wire to his wrist, beeped rapidly as it sensed his accelerating heartbeat.
He needs to get out, he needs to breathe!
The doors all but slammed open, and Izuku welcomed the distraction. Anything to get his mind off things. He turns to face what he assumes to be a doctor or a nurse, but then his mind goes blank at the sight.
He knows that face, although it has aged over the years and is now older. Her skin was paler than he had remembered and she was looking at him with eyes full of worry, concern, and tears. She was thinner as well, almost unhealthily, and her leg appeared to be wobbling, threatening to collapse.
"Izuku..." she says in recognition as she chokes back a sob.
"Mom..." he mutters in shock before clambering out of his bed. His magic healed him, but it doesn't cure exhaustion, and he was tired after everything, but seeing his mother gave him a burst of energy.
She approaches as well as they meet halfway, hugging each other as tight as possible, as if scared that the other would vanish without a trace.
"Oh Izuku, you're alive. After all this time... you really are alive!" She cries as she brushes her hand against his hair. "It's you... It's really you! I knew as soon as I saw your eyes, but...You're home. You're finally home. "
I'm sorry. I tried to come home! I really did! " Izuku interrupts whatever she has to say. For ten years, he had been preparing himself for this exact moment; the moment he would see his mother again and put into words how sorry he was for leaving, for not finding his way home sooner, for everything.
But all that came out was blabbering and choking on his own tears. At that moment, he wasn't Izuku Midoriya, Planeswalker, mage and member of Gatewatch, but Izuku Midoriya, a boy who found his mother at long last.
"It's true..."
Izuku hears a male voice from behind his mother. He wipes his tears with a sleeve before looking up to find a man with black hair and freckles standing at the door with a myriad of emotions simultaneously expressed on his face. Regret, pain, sadness, joy, and others.
"I..." I'm sorry." He apologises to the stranger, "Who are you?"
***
"...the fuck?" Katsuki Bakugou mutters in shock at the words that left his mother's mouth.
He had come back from a workout to see her blabbering something on her phone. Not caring enough to listen in, he moves to his room to finish up his homework.
What a waste of time, he thought. But it was a necessary waste of time if he was to get to UA. They won't accept any run-of-the-mill student, and he definitely wasn't one. But before he could step into his room, his mom called for him.
"What is it now, you hag?" he screams from the staircase.
"It's Inko." Mitsuki says, not bothering to scold her son for using that tone on her, something that surprised both him and Masura, who was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper.
"She just called and... they found him. They found her son! They found Izuku! "
Masaru nearly dropped his newspaper in surprise at the news, looking at his wife in shock and disbelief.
"What?" he says in surprise, "But he's been missing for ten years!"
"I know! It's a miracle!" she exclaims as she looks at her son, who was wearing a strange expression on his face. His eyes twitched and his jaw opened and closed as if he was having trouble processing the news that he was given.
"...the fuck?" He swears, "What the hell do you mean?! Deku's dead! He has been for years! There's no fucking way! "
Ten years ago, he could remember that moment as clearly as day. They had been playing when Deku was dumb enough to run into the streets, where a truck nearly hit him, but then the bastard used his quirk to disappear. And since then he's never seen him again, what other explanation could there be besides that Deku died?
And now they were telling him that by some fucking miracle he shows up after ten years.
"Well, it's true." Mitsuki snaps back, confused about why her son was acting angrier than usual. "Now listen, Inko's invited us to dinner with them to celebrate. We'll be heading out by 6 PM. I want you to be on your best behaviour…"
Her words fell upon deaf ears as events replayed in Katsuki Bakugou's mind; the truck speeding down the road; Izuku lying on the street like a deer in headlights; and those damn blue sparks.
***
It was a quiet ride on their way home.
Home. That word left a strange taste in Izuku's mouth. Where was his home, truly? He followed Gideon wherever he went in his early days as a planeswalker, excluding his brief stays in both Strixhaven Lorehold College and Keral Keep, of course, and it wasn't until the formation of Gatewatch that he thought he had found something that could be classified as a home.
He recalls the feeling of safety and familiarity that their headquarters in Ravnica brought. Compared to this small house, he feels like a stranger in even stranger lands. Sure, that was territory that comes with being a Planeswalker, but shouldn't he feel at least some sort of familiarity with his native plane?
"Here we are, Izuku," his mother says as she opens the door and lets him in. "Welcome home."
"...It's smaller than I remembered." Izuku says, after an awkward pause, not knowing what else to say. How could you tell your parents that the home they raised you in didn't feel like one?
"It's probably because you were smaller at that time." Inko says with a smile, "Your room is just as we left it. Do you remember where it is?"
Izuku struggles with whether to lie and say he does, or admit he barely remembers what the house's interior looks like. Fortunately, his father steps in and saves him from answering.
"I'll go with him. Is it fine if we leave cooking dinner to you?"
Inko nods, "Of course. I'd better hurry, they'll be here in a few hours."
"They?" Izuku asks as Inko leaves for the kitchen.
"The Bakugous." Hisashi answers as they step inside the living room, "You don't remember them?"
Izuku looks away in shame as Hisashi laughs a bit.
"Well, on the bright side, I'm not the only one." He jokes, "Come on, let's get to your room."
He was smiling now, but Izuku could still sense the lingering pain hidden behind it. He remembered how devastated he was when Izuku admitted he didn't know who he was. The man looked as if he had been slammed in the guts by a warhammer.
"It's fine, really." Hisashi gives his son a sad smile and says, "I... suppose I wasn't present that much like Inko was. That was my own fault. I put work ahead of my family and that's what I got."
"I'm sure it was important work." Izuku hurriedly says, in an attempt at damage control.
Hisashi scoffs, "Well, if you consider inventing and selling Support Items overseas important."
"Support Items?" Izuku asks, unfamiliar with the word. Were they artefacts of sorts?
Hisashi looks at him in surprise before realising, "Ah, right. I suppose you didn't get to learn about them when you... Anyways, they're these items people use to control or enhance their Quirks. I can show you, if you like, bring you to my workplace and show you how things work behind the scenes. I know you loved Pro Heroes when you were younger."
There was a hint of desperation in his voice. A desire to bond with the son he had almost lost, a son he had never seen for ten years and never got the chance to see grow up. And to be honest, Izuku felt the same. He had fond memories of his mother and would like the same with the man who was his father.
"I'd like that." Izuku responds with a slight smile, to which Hisashi returns. Finally, they stop by a door with a sign hanging on it with the words "Izuku" plastered on it.
"Here we are," his father says, motioning to the door. "Take your time; I'll see if your mother needs anything. Please let us know if there's anything you need."
Izuku nods his thanks to his father as he stares at the entrance to his room. Taking a breath, he grasps the doorknob and twists it open. He has vague memories of this place; posters and figurines were all over it if he remembers right.
Sure enough, the first sight he was greeted by upon entry were the many faces of All Might in the form of dozens of items he had purchased as a child. He looks around for one piece in particular, finding it neatly packed on his desk.
A deck of cards containing images of various heroes, all limited edition if he was remembering right. A collection of 60 cards, but only 59 laid on the desk, not having a single speck of dust on them. It was clear that his parents had maintained this room to the best of their ability, but it looked as if it had been frozen in time.
He unbuttons a satchel he had with him, one of the only things that survived the explosion and his planeswalking to Earth. His clothes had been burnt and cut open for surgery, and now he wore a white shirt with a pair of shorts. Thankfully, the hospital staff didn't take a look inside, and neither of his parents asked any questions so far. That was good. Answering them would be difficult as of now.
He pulls out a single trading card, warped and worn with age, bent, chipped, and scratched despite his best efforts to maintain it. A silver All Might trading card that was the rarest in his collection and the only one he had on him on the day of his Ignition.
***
"And he's so strong that if he punches the air hard enough he can make a big tornado and put out big fires!"
Izuku exclaims as he shows his mentor the card he had with him. Gideon chuckles at his childish enthusiasm.
"He sounds like a strong man."
"He is." Izuku exclaims, "He's the strongest hero in the world."
"Your world." Gideon reminds, "There are always bigger fish in the multiverse, Midoriya."
Izuku shook his head, "Nope. I bet that even out here he's the strongest. "
"I'd like to meet this 'All Might' someday. Perhaps when we find your home plane, you can take me to meet him." Gideon says, "A world with heroes at every street corner? it sounds like a wondrous place."
Izuku nods excitedly, "Yeah, you'll love it there! I can't wait for my mom and dad to meet you! And Kacchan! I can't wait to show everyone all you've taught me, Jura-sensei! "
The older planeswalker playfully slaps him over the head and says, "For the last time Midoriya, just call me Gideon."
"Alright then, Gideon Jura, I promise that when I get back home I'll take you to see All Might. And my parents."
Izuku holds out his pinkie finger, which Gideon wraps with his own pinkie.
"And I promise that I'll help you find your way home, Izuku Midoriya."
***
"Gideon...Thank you, old friend. " he whispers to the card as he sets it down.
He takes time to gaze around his room, letting the details sink into his mind, knowing that this may be the last time he sees it. He knows that despite it all, he has to leave. Even if this was the first time in ten years that he had come to his home country, he has to leave soon.
He can't abandon his friends back in Dominaria. The Phyrexians were still invading Dominaria and his friends were risking their lives to defend the plane. Some of them even died. His heart twists as he remembers Jaya being thrown off the Mana Rig, Karn being kidnapped, and dozens of soldiers dying. Just the memories alone causes his heart to race and his breathing to hitch, requiring several breaths to be taken to calm down.
He can't let that be in vain. Somewhere in Dominaria, his friends were rallying the survivors, planning a counterattack. Perhaps the rest of Gatewatch had even arrived by now. Jace would know what to do. Heck, he's probably halfway through coming up with a plan already. He can't just sit back and let others fight and die in his place.
He swore an oath that he would keep watch. He will keep that oath.
But after seeing his parents' reaction, he feels conflicted about his decision. Leaving abruptly, without notice or warning, just after they've reunited, would shatter them. Even if he won't be around to see it, just the thought of his parents suffering more because of him hurts.
He can always explain to them, show them the scope of the multiverse and his responsibilities, but he knows that they will ask him to stay. And he knows that when his mother inevitably begs him not to leave, he won't have the strength to leave.
Or he could simply have them not remember him. A proper mindwipe spell can remove all traces of him from their minds. He looks down at his hands as wisps of blue mana gather around them.
While they were sleeping, he could sneak in and remove memories of him. He'll empty his room of any traces of him, all the merchandise and such, and turn it into a simple guest room. Remove him so completely in such a manner that he'll only be recognised as déjà vu. No one would ever know but him. That was the least painful path he could think of.
Knocks on the door interrupt his thoughts as he quickly ceases the gathering of mana lest he be caught.
"Dear?" his mother asks, "The Bakugou's have already arrived."Is everything alright? "
Already? How long had he been dwelling on his thoughts? Although that did explain why his legs were suddenly aching.
"I-I'm fine," he stutters as he calms himself, "I... suppose I should go see them?"
"I'm sure Katsuki would love to see you again." Inko says through the door, "I don't know if you remember, but he was there when you disappeared. I'm sure he'd want to see you. "
Katsuki? Ah, she meant Kacchan. He remembers a blonde child with him that day. He remembers hostility and anger from him as well.
He can't leave now, obviously. He needs time to plan and, to be honest with himself, part of him still doesn't want to leave. Part of him fears that if he leaves now, he'll never find his way back to Earth ever again.
But his responsibilities, his oath, his desire to see his friends in Gatewatch…
Just one night. One last dinner with his family. One night of normality. It couldn't hurt, could it?
***
"Oh Izuku! It's so good to see you again!"
The blonde woman exclaims as she hugs him, to which Izuku awkwardly accepts.
"Oh, I'm sure you can't remember me. I'm Mitsuki Bakugou." She introduces herself after releasing Izuku, "I was friends with your mom and dad back in college."
"It's great to see you again, Mitsuki." Inko says as she shakes her hand, "How's Katsuki? Is he with you? "
"Of course he is, he wouldn't miss this chance to meet his long lost friend." She turns back to the door where her husband and son just entered, "Oi! Brat! Come greet them! "
"Don't tell me what to do!" He yells back before taking on a softer tone for Inko and bowing slightly. "Hi Auntie."
A slightly gruffer tone with Hisashi, "Uncle."
"Brat," he responded gruffly as well. Apparently, his father did not like Katsuki very much.
Then Katsuki's gaze shifts to Izuku, and a soft growl escapes his throat, "Deku..."
Well, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Izuku extended a hand, thinking it was the polite thing to do in this scenario.
"It's nice to see you again, Kacchan."
Instead of shaking it, Katsuki growls and glares at it like he just offered a hand covered in spit, and Mitsuki looks about to slap Katsuki for refusing. Attempting to defuse and salvage the situation, Katsuki's father stepped in and shook it in his place.
"It's wonderful to see you again," he says quickly, "My name is Masaru Bakugou."
"Pleased to meet you." Izuku says, grateful for the man's intervention.
Dinner came soon after, and Inko had prepared a small feast of meat, vegetables, and fish in the few hours.
"This is a wonderful meal, Inko." As Mitsuki ate, Mitsuki complimented, "I'm glad you're starting to cook again. I'd heard from Hisashi that you haven't touched the kitchen in years. "
"Well, we're celebrating my son's return to us, aren't we? I figured that it deserves something better than cheap takeaway. "
Izuku tries not to squirm in guilt, knowing that his return wasn't a permanent thing. He attempts to distract himself by focusing on the food his mother made. At the same time, he glances up to find Katsuki, who was sitting opposite of him, glaring as they ate.
If it was normal, he would plainly ask what his problem was. But he glanced at how his parents appeared to be having a good time, and decided that it wasn't a good time to start a fight, intentionally or unintentionally.
"-do you think, Izuku?"
"Huh?" Izuku snaps his head up to look at Mitsuku.
"I was asking when you think you'll be getting back to school. You've been gone for ten years. You probably didn't have a formal education between that time. "
"Uh... right." Izuku says as he avoids her eyes. He actually does. A full year at Strixhaven Lorehold College, to be exact. where he studied military science, history, and more. He suppresses the slight urge to mention that if he had stayed for another few years, he'd likely have majored in Hoplology.
It's a bit too early to talk about school, isn't it?" Inko saves Izuku from coming up with an excuse, "He just got back, afterall."
"Perhaps some homeschooling at first." Hisashi pipes in as he eats, "It would do a lot of good to catch him up on the basics first."
…Again, he resists the urge to point out that he studied at Arcavios's best magic institution. He doesn't consider himself to be an arrogant person, but he still had some pride after all. Pride that was being hammered away by the adults discussing his apparent lack of formal education.
"Izuku was a smart boy even back then. I'm sure he'll catch up soon." Mitsuki says as she rubs her elbow at her son, "Hell, maybe he could end up in UA with the brat."
UA? , Izuku thinks to himself, unfamiliar with the term. Katsuki slams his hands on the table, enraged, the pent-up rage exploding like a volcano, before he could ponder further or ask a question.
"Like hell! As if shitty Deku can-!"
"Katsuki!" Mitsuki interrupted with a smack to the head before standing up and bowing to them, "I am so sorry for my son's behaviour."
"Well, hopefully he changes once he gets into UA." Hisashi growls at him, "If they even let someone like him in."
"You want to start something, you old-!"
"Brats like you need to learn their manners!"
"Everyone!" Izuku raises his voice, silencing the fight between Katsuki and Hisashi before it can begin. He was going to let it resolve by itself when he saw the distressed look on his mother's face. His voice, slightly enhanced with mana, came as a surprise, even to Katsuki, who silenced himself. Once everyone sat down, he spoke.
"I'm sure Kacchan had a rough day, father. There's no need to aggravate him even more. " Izuku said with all the diplomatic experience he had amassed from his travels. He looked as if he was going to speak out again, but his mother stared him down and reluctantly closed his mouth. Both Masaru and Inko nod their heads in thanks for stopping the argument before it could escalate.
Izuku puts on his most calming smile and says, "This is supposed to be a celebration. My mother was kind enough to prepare this meal. We shouldn't be having arguments over a fine meal like this.
"He's right." Hisashi admits before sitting back down with a glare at Katsuki, "It's supposed to be a happy occasion after all. Let's not spoil it, brat. "
"Father." Izuku says, who rolls his eyes and continues eating. Thankfully, Mitsuki had the same idea and glared at her son, staring him down and forcing him to continue eating.
The rest of the meal was quiet at least, with occasional chatter from the calmer heads at the table. But not once did Izuku feel Katsuki's hostile glare leave him.
***
Izuku sighs as he leans against the house's second-floor balcony. There was a small garden there with a variety of pots and plants. He was no druid or master of green mana, but he spent enough time with Nissa to realise they were well kept.
With dinner over, the adults have taken to chatting with each other in the living room. Taking this opportunity, he decided to slip away to somewhere to think. Not in his room. Honestly, having all the merchandise of All Might staring at him with their blank plastic smiles was a bit disturbing. His younger self did have an obsession with and bad taste in room decorations.
This place was good. Open air with the night sky and fresh plants. He was slightly disappointed to look up and see no stars tonight. Just a blank, dark, cloudy sky. It actually reminds him of the polluted sky of Ravnica, full of industrial smog. Familiar and comforting in a strange way.
In his hands was a notebook, one of the few that were in his room, with the word 'Hero Analysis for the Future #1' scribbled on it with messy handwriting. It was only mostly completed before his spark ignited, leaving a handful of blank pages at the back.
Reaching into the minds of his parents and the Bakugous was not an option. It was just cruel, too prone to failure. Mindwiping wasn't an exact science and removing decades of memories was out of the question, especially for many people. Questions would be asked, and if somehow there was a quirk out there that could restore memories...
It was too risky. He won't subject his parents to that.
A note was the only option he could afford. But how does one put it into words that he's leaving again without saying goodbye, will likely die in a war and be buried literal universes away?
He frustratedly scratches out a page with a pen he summons with his magic. In the midst of this, he hears footsteps echoing behind him, and he quickly shuts his notebook before turning back to see his father.
"Oh, I thought you were in your room." Hisashi says awkwardly, as Izuku notices a small packet in his hands. It took him a moment to recognise them as some sort of cigarette.
"You smoke?" Izuku asks as Hisashi withdrew a cigarette already in his mouth, replacing it in the packet before closing it, but still keeping the packet in his hands.
"Only when I'm stressed and the situation allows it." Hisashi sighs as he walks up to and joins him in leaning across the balcony. "So... probably not the welcome party you expected."
"There was certainly more shouting than I expected." Izuku attempted to joke.
There was silence between them as father and son both racked their minds for something to talk about.
"You seem to dislike Kacchan." Izuku asks the first thing in his mind, his memories flashing to how gruff his father sounded when conversing with the blonde teen.
"What gave it away?" Hisashi snorts as he fidgets with the carton of cigarettes. "How would you act around someone responsible for what you thought was your child's death?"
"So why did you invite them?"
"Because your mother insisted. She's too good for this world, honestly," Hisashi sighs, both annoyed and fondly, "Too forgiving. 'He's just a child,' she'd say, 'He had no idea what he was doing'. He'd lured my son to his death, that's what he did."
"But I didn't die." Izuku assures his father, "And I'm here now."
But not for long , he doesn't say.
Hisashi sighs with what sounds like bitterness in his tone, "You were gone for ten years. What else were we to think?" He turns to face Izuku with barely disguised hurt, "So why didn't you come back? You were alive and obviously stayed somewhere. At least somewhere civilised enough to get clothes and a satchel."
Feeling a pang of guilt in his chest, Izuku sighs. He'd hoped he'd remain unquestioning of it, but it appears not. Izuku was silent for a moment before speaking up, his voice full of regret, "I tried. I really did. The moment I ended up in that frozen hell, I never stopped looking for a way back. "
"Frozen? Where on Earth were you?" Hisashi asks in shock and fear, as Izuku curses himself for slipping.
He pauses in his thoughts. Realising he couldn't hide it after his slip up, but also couldn't tell the full truth, he opts for half of it.
"It was terrifying." Izuku begins, "But beautiful at the same time. Horrors around every corner, but there was also wonders and awe-inspiring sights. I don't think I can truly describe where I've been in only a few words, or even if you give me a day. "
"That doesn't really sound comforting." Hisashi admits desperately wishing he could smoke but restraining himself as he doesn't wish to set a bad example for his son, "I think you don't really want to tell me what happened."
Izuku shook his head, "No. Not now. "
To his surprise, his father placed a hand on his shoulder. And to his shame, he feels the instinctive urge to recoil as if it were a stranger's touch.
His father realises this and withdraws his touch. "It's fine. I was going to say, you don't need to tell us. You're here. You're back. And we're not going to lose you again. That's enough. "
Again, guilt stabs him like a blade, taking all he had to smile in his father's face and pretend like nothing was going to happen. Then the next day, he'll awaken to find his son missing again, the only difference this time being a note to explain.
Unaware of his son's plight, Hisashi decides he should leave his son be. Give him space and time to adjust.
"You should join us soon." Hisashi suggests, "I think we still have ice cream in the fridge. I'm not sure if you had them where you went. "
"...Maybe." Izuku said softly as his father left. Before he could get out of sight, Izuku realises that this may be the last chance he's got.
"Dad!" he yells, getting him to freeze. It was the first time he had used that word and not 'father', ever since he arrived.
His father stopped, startled and surprised, before looking back to his son, who had a conflicted look on his face.
"You know I love you, right? You and mom. " Izuku asks almost desperately, "I'd never leave if I had the choice, and I'd give up everything to return even just one day sooner. I swear. "
Hisashi was surprised but smiled, "That's... comforting to know. I believe you, son. "
He leaves soon after, leaving Izuku alone on the balcony. He breathes heavily. Just saying that took all he had. He wishes to see his mother one more time, but at this point he fears that "one more time" will repeat until forever. If he doesn't leave now, he doubts he has the strength to do so.
In the notepad, he leaves a simple note, hastily scribbled while he still had the strength. A simple promise
"Mother, Father,
I'm gone again for now. I left unfinished business back where I came from. This is not forever. I willreturn. Please, wait for me.'
Izuku slams it shut and places it on a nearby empty pot. They'll find it sooner or later, and he hopes that one day they may forgive him for the pain he has caused them. He hopes that he will be alive to regret this.
He feels the familiar feeling of his spark igniting within him. energy coursing through his body in milliseconds, enough to pierce the barrier between planes and safely transport him through the aether between them. In his mind, he guides his spark to take him to his friends.
To Dominaria.
But just as the blue sparks were about to engulf him and throw him into the realm, something happened.
His eyes widened as he was launched backwards into his house, through the hallway and into a wall, creating a loud thud. He lies there in shock, hearing the noises from downstairs as his family rushes to find the source of the noise.
He paid them no attention, but instead looked at the position where he was standing. Pots and plants lay scattered as if a small explosion went off. Somehow, when he attempted to fling himself to Dominaria, he hit something, and that something flung him back.
Something was stopping him from planeswalking.
"What the f-?"