Amelia found herself standing in an ethereal space, one that was both vast and enclosed at the same time. It was a strange realm, a distorted version of reality, like a place made of memories and shadows. She knew instantly where she was—inside Izuku's subconscious mind, within the Vestige realm of One For All.
Around her, she could see the silhouettes of past users of the One For All quirk. Their forms flickered like half-formed ghosts, each a fragment of consciousness within Izuku's mind. Their faces were grave, eyes sharp and wary as they observed her intrusion.
"Who dares invade the mind of One For All's successor?" one of them demanded, his voice echoing through the space with a tone of authority.
Amelia felt a rush of movement and then found herself standing in front of the past users. It was like being pulled through space, her surroundings bending and folding until she was directly before them. She recognized some of them from Izuku's stories and the history of One For All: Yoichi Shigaraki, Kudo, Bruce, Hikage Shinomori, Daigoro Banjo, En Tayutai, Nana Shimura, and even a shadow-like form of Toshinori Yagi, better known to the world as All Might.
Izuku stood next to her, his body partly enveloped in a thick, black smoke that covered him from the neck down, leaving only his eyes, nose, and hair visible. His expression was fierce, filled with anger and frustration.
"Answer, villain!" Daigoro Banjo, one of the previous users, barked at her. His intense gaze was fixated on her as if assessing whether she was a threat.
Amelia blinked, taken aback by the accusation. "Uh, I'm not a villain, mister?" she replied her tone a mix of confusion and politeness. She had thought they could see what Izuku saw—weren't they all connected within his mind?
Nana Shimura, with her usual bluntness, gave Daigoro a good-natured bonk on the head. "You dummy, you saw what happened! You know this girl is friends with Toshi's successor," she chided.
Amelia couldn't help but smile at their interaction, the moment of levity easing some of her tension. She turned to Izuku, who was still staring at her with a mix of anger and confusion. "Why can't he talk?" she asked, noticing his inability to speak.
Yoichi Shigaraki, the first user of One For All, answered, his voice calm and composed. "He has only reached 20 percent of his power, so he cannot fully communicate with us yet."
"Never mind that," Amelia said, refocusing on the situation. She looked away from Izuku, his gaze still burning into her. "What happened to him? What's with all this...stuff, and where are we?"
Nana Shimura stepped forward, her expression softening as she explained. "This place is Izuku's mind, and also the essence of One For All. We are the previous users of One For All. While the Quirk was initially perceived as just a source of tremendous power, things began to change as Izuku became more accustomed to it. It reached the 'point of singularity,' allowing our consciousnesses to gain more physical forms within this vestige realm. We can communicate with each other and with Izuku, whereas before, we were only echoes seen in dreams. Additionally, the Quirks of the predecessors have begun to emerge from One For All's core."
Daigoro Banjo added, his voice gruff but informative, "Blackwhip, the quirk you saw manifest, is one of those abilities. It's a manifestation of One For All, and its strength is directly tied to the user's emotions—especially anger. The angrier the user, the stronger the quirk becomes. But if the user loses control, the tendrils can become uncontrollable."
Amelia listened, trying to appear as if this was all new information. She knew much of this already, having knowledge from the anime and manga, but she needed to play her part. She glanced at Izuku frequently, his eyes still locked onto her with a fierce intensity, his anger seemingly unquenchable.
Banjo turned to Izuku, his tone firm. "You need to control your emotions, kid. If you don't, Blackwhip will only get more out of hand."
Amelia knew she had to act quickly. "Izuku," she began softly, turning fully to face him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to worry. But I should have trusted you to handle it. I'm sorry."
Izuku's eyes softened slightly, but his anger was still evident. Before Amelia could say more, she felt a sudden force pulling her back. The mindscape around her began to waver and blur.
The past users began to fade, and she felt herself being pushed out of Izuku's mind. "Wait!" she called, but it was too late. Everything went dark.
Amelia blinked, her surroundings slowly coming back into focus. She was back in the real world, lying on the cold floor next to Izuku. The mindscape, the past users of One For All—it was all behind her now, though the weight of the experience still clung to her. The hum of the overhead lights was the only sound in the room, their soft glow casting a dim light over everything.
Izuku was beside her, his chest rising and falling in heavy breaths. His eyes were open, staring at the ceiling, the tension from before fading from his features. But exhaustion lingered there, and beneath it all, concern.
"Amelia…" he whispered, his voice weak and scratchy. "Are you… okay?"
Amelia pushed herself up, her body still trembling slightly from the intensity of being in his mind. She nodded, her hand instinctively reaching for his arm, her touch gentle. "I'm fine," she whispered back, her voice soft, though it held a quiet reassurance. "Are you?"
Izuku's gaze met hers, and for the first time in what felt like hours, the anger that had clouded his eyes was gone. It was replaced by something deeper, softer. Guilt, perhaps. Or maybe it was just the overwhelming fatigue that came from wrestling with emotions too big to contain.
"I think so," he murmured, though his voice sounded unsure.
All Might stood a few steps away, his towering figure looking unusually tense. His eyes darted between Izuku and Amelia, clearly concerned for his successor. Aizawa, however, was already halfway out the door.
"If you need me, don't," Aizawa muttered dryly, his voice flat but carrying a hint of his trademark sarcasm. "I'm going to bed. This entire situation is way too exhausting. Try not to destroy the building while you're at it."
With that, he shuffled out of the room, mumbling something about "kids these days" and "not enough sleep." His sleeping bag trailed behind him like a tired snake.
Amelia exhaled, the tension in her chest loosening a little. The awkwardness between her and Izuku was still there, but Aizawa's departure had cut through some of the heaviness.
"Let's… let's go to the kitchen," she suggested quietly, not wanting to overwhelm him further.
Izuku nodded, though the movement was slow, his limbs still sluggish from the earlier outburst of Blackwhip. Together, they got up, moving quietly out of the room with All Might trailing behind them, his silent presence offering comfort even if he didn't say a word.
Once in the kitchen, the air felt less heavy, though there was still a lingering tension. Amelia moved toward the counter, the clinking of mugs the only sound in the stillness. She poured a cup of tea, offering one to Izuku, who took it but didn't drink it right away.
All Might leaned against the doorway, watching the two of them closely, his expression unreadable. He clearly wanted to help, but for once, he seemed unsure of what to say. So, he simply stayed nearby, like a guardian who knew that some battles had to be fought between those directly involved.
Amelia broke the silence first, her fingers tracing the rim of her mug. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should have told you about all of this sooner, about the substance… and about what's been happening with me."
Izuku's grip on the mug tightened slightly, his knuckles white, but he didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on the steam rising from the tea. "Why didn't you?" he asked, his voice strained, but not angry. Just… hurt.
"I thought I was protecting you," she replied, her voice breaking slightly. "You're already carrying so much, Izuku. I didn't want to add to it. I didn't want you to worry."
"But I do worry," Izuku said, his voice growing firmer, though there was still an undercurrent of pain. He set the mug down on the table with a soft thud, finally looking at her. "I worry about you every day. I trust you, Amelia, but keeping something like this from me…" He trailed off, struggling to find the right words. "It hurts."
Amelia swallowed hard, feeling the guilt twist in her stomach. "I know. I messed up," she admitted, her voice small. "I should have trusted you to handle it, but I just didn't want to see you overwhelmed. I didn't want you to be scared."
Izuku stared at her for a long moment, his eyes reflecting the same tiredness she felt. "You're part of my life, Amelia. You're important to me. I want to protect you too, just like you protect me. But I can't do that if you shut me out."
All Might cleared his throat softly, stepping a little closer to the pair. "Midoriya," he said gently, his tone fatherly, "Amelia has been carrying this burden on her own, much like you've been carrying the weight of One For All. It's hard for both of you to navigate such heavy responsibilities, but… you don't have to face it alone."
Izuku nodded, though he still looked conflicted. "I get it. I do. It's just… hard. It feels like everyone around me is constantly growing stronger, leaving me in the dust. If you can't rely on me, how can I expect others to?"
Amelia reached out, placing her hand over his. "We're in this together, Izuku. I'll do better. I promise. I just need you to trust me."
His eyes softened at her words, and slowly, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I trust you. I do. I just don't want to lose you."
There was a pause, the weight of his words hanging between them. Amelia's heart clenched, knowing how deep his fear ran and how much he had already lost. "You're not going to lose me," she promised, her voice steady. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Izuku exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. He picked up the tea again, taking a slow sip this time. The warmth of the moment was fragile, but it was there. They were mending what had been strained.
All Might, sensing that the situation was calming down, gave a small, approving nod. "I think it's time I let the two of you talk in peace," he said, though his voice was filled with warmth. "But just remember, you both have a lot of people who care about you. Don't ever forget that."
With that, he turned and quietly left the kitchen, leaving Amelia and Izuku alone.
Amelia watched him go, grateful for his understanding. She turned back to Izuku, offering him a small smile. "I think we'll be okay."
Izuku nodded, returning her smile, though it was tired. "Yeah. We'll figure it out."
And for the first time in a long while, Amelia felt like they really would.