Ochaco watched Izuku with a mix of confusion and curiosity as he gently set her down on the bed. He looked nervous as if he wasn't sure what to do with himself now that the chaos was over.
"I told you my name. Isn't it manners to tell your name first?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Izuku blinked as if realizing too late that he'd skipped over basic politeness. He hesitated for a moment before giving her a sheepish smile. "I forgot, sorry. My name is Izuku Midoriya."
Ochaco tilted her head, studying him closely. His voice was so soft, so ordinary—nothing like the commanding tone of the presence that had taken over back on the battlefield. Was this really the same person? He referred to her as mortal.
She opened her mouth, ready to ask him about what she had seen—about the voice—but before she could say another word, the Recovery Girl interrupted.
"Girl! Rest for a while before talking to someone," the elderly woman said with a stern but kind smile.
Ochaco gave a small sigh, leaning back against the pillow. She still felt sore and exhausted, her limbs heavy from the ordeal. But even though her body begged for rest, her thoughts wouldn't stop racing.
Recovery Girl turned her attention to Izuku, offering him a smile. "You are quite the powerful kid."
Izuku rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, his expression a mix of embarrassment and politeness. "Thanks, Ma'am," he mumbled. The way he addressed her—so respectful, almost shy—was completely at odds with the overwhelming power Ochaco had witnessed earlier.
She couldn't stop herself from wondering: How could someone who looked so awkward, so unsure of himself, be the same person who had shattered a giant robot like it was nothing?
He was a walking contradiction—someone with the strength to stop time, yet acting like an ordinary, nervous teenager.
As she lay quietly on the bed, watching him rub his head and try not to meet Recovery Girl's gaze, Ochaco felt a strange mix of emotions—gratitude, confusion, and the faintest hint of worry. Ochaco suddenly winced in pain. This turned Recovery Girl's attention to Ochaco.
Recovery Girl took Ochaco's hand and got ready to kiss it.
"Alright, dear, this will speed up your recovery a bit, but don't get too hasty about moving around," Recovery Girl advised before giving Ochaco's hand a quick peck, activating her Quirk to accelerate healing. Warmth spread through Ochaco's body, dulling some of the aches and pains.
She looked over at Izuku again.
As if sensing her gaze, Izuku finally glanced up, meeting her eyes for the briefest moment before his cheeks turned red, and he looked away again. It was almost cute, the way he looked like he had no idea what to say or do.
"So… Midoriya," she said softly. "Who are you really? And why… why did you call me 'mortal' back there?"
Izuku froze, he was looking at her with a kind of panic like he hadn't expected her to remember that. He stammered, scratching the back of his head, clearly caught off guard. "Ah… that's… a little complicated."
Ochaco raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
Izuku glanced nervously at Recovery Girl, who was busy straightening up the equipment nearby. He leaned in just a bit closer, lowering his voice to barely a whisper. "I… I don't completely understand it myself," he admitted. "But… there's a power inside me. You know, like Venom from Marvel. He talks to me and all, he's a part of my quirk. His name is Chronos."
Ochaco felt a chill run down her spine. "So you're telling me that voice wasn't… wasn't you?"
"Oh~ No, Mortal. You have made a very clever conclusion from a very clear STATEMENT." Chronos said, unknown to Ochaco.
"Chronos, shut up," he muttered under his breath, barely audible.
"Oh, but where would the fun be if I stayed silent, boy?" Chronos continued his words. "This girl wanted answers. I'm simply obliging."
Ochaco leaned forward slightly, frowning. "Midoriya… Are you okay? You keep zoning out," she said, her tone concerned yet cautious. She could tell there was more happening than Izuku wanted to admit.
Izuku sighed, his gaze flicking between her and the floor. "I'm… sorry, Ochaco. Chronos doesn't have much of a filter. He's part of my quirk like I said, but he's… independent." He looked down, his face slightly flushed. "He's strong, and he helps me, but he's not exactly subtle. He's VERY social with me."
Ochaco tilted her head thoughtfully. "So you and he have a symbiotic bond, don't you?"
Izuku nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. He's always about taking control of me. I try to keep him in check."
Chronos' voice hummed in the back of Izuku's mind, amused. "Keep me in check, he says. Adorable."
"Shut up dude, I'm having a thing over here," Izuku replied. He looked at Ochaco in the eyes which brought an unknown heat in his body. "Ochaco, I'll get going alright... I hope you recover soon." He flashed a smile at her. Like him, Ochaco's cheeks burned with emotion as they turned red.
"Alright, Alright, time to let her rest, boy." Recovery Girl's voice reached out. Izuku nodded and left after waving goodbye to Ochaco.
[Seven days later...]
Izuku lay on his bed, focused intently on a small, half-eaten apple in his hand. He took a deep breath, channelling his energy to reverse the effects of time on the apple. Slowly, he watched as the bite marks began to disappear, the fruit becoming whole again. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he concentrated—it took a surprising amount of effort to reverse something even as small as this. After a moment, the apple looked fresh and untouched, as though it had never been bitten.
He let out a breath, both pleased and slightly exhausted. "So I can only reverse things up to a minute back," he muttered. It wasn't much time, but it could be incredibly useful in a pinch. As he practised, he noticed that each attempt took a fair bit of stamina; mastering this ability would take some serious training.
But then an idea sparkled in his mind. Grinning, he grasped a packet of chips from his desk, tore it open, and devoured every single chip inside. Once it was empty, he held the packet tightly and concentrated, pulling his reverse ability into play. The packet crumpled and shifted as the chips began to reappear, full and fresh as if they'd never been touched.
He raised a brow, astonished, and let out a laugh. "Infinite food glitch? This could be dangerous," he chuckled, and he found a cheat code to life.
Suddenly, he heard the doorbell ring. Izuku's heart raced as he dashed to the door. He swung the door open, revealing a delivery guy clad in the recognizable U.A. colour scheme—navy blue and bright yellow.
"Delivery for Midoriya Izuku!" the delivery guy announced, a brief smile flashing across his face as he handed over a medium-sized package. Before Izuku could even respond, the delivery man nodded and took off down the pathway, leaving Izuku standing in the doorway, package in hand, with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
He gripped the package tightly and gritted his teeth. This was it... his future. He walked towards his room but met Inko on his way. He looked at her and saw her eyes gleaming with hope.
"Good luck, Izuku," Inko said calmly. Izuku nodded. He quickly walked up the stairs and went into his room. He dropped the package on the table and sat down on his chair.
Izuku took a deep breath. He felt his heart racing as he reached for the package, fingers trembling. He had been waiting for this opportunity for as long as he could remember.
He cut the package open and grabbed a...video player. He set it down on the table. It had a side button with the words 'Start/Stop' etched onto it. As soon as he pressed it, he stumbled back in surprise, his eyes widening as a larger-than-life figure of All Might projected itself into his room.
"Hello there, young Midoriya!" All Might boomed."If you're watching this, it means you've received your special video player! Congratulations on your acceptance into U.A.!"
"I'm here to give you some important tips as you begin your journey at U.A.," the hologram continued, his smile infectious. "You have a bright future ahead of you, but remember, being a hero is about more than just strength. It's about determination, compassion, and learning from every experience."
"First, let's talk about mastering your Quirk. You've got a unique ability, and I know you'll figure out how to harness it in TIME. But remember to pace yourself! Overexerting can lead to mistakes and—"
Just as All Might began to elaborate, a loud crash interrupted the video. The hologram flickered momentarily but quickly regained stability. All Might's expression turned serious.
"Uh-oh! Looks like we have a little technical difficulty! But that's nothing we can't handle!" All Might's tone lightened again, a reassuring smile returning. "Remember, young Midoriya, even when things get tough, keep pushing forward. You have your mentors here at U.A. who will support you every step of the way!"
The hologram flickered again, and with a final wave, All Might concluded, "Now, go out there and show the world what you're made of! Plus Ultra!"
"Congratulations, young mortal," Chronos added. "You have come one step closer to your stupid dream. What a bunch of rudimentary, pathetic humans."
This surprised Izuku as he leaned back on his chair and looked at the ceiling. He took a moment to process what just happened.
Shaking himself out of his trance, he got up, heading downstairs with renewed energy. He grabbed his slippers, sprinted outside, and hopped onto his bike, he pedalled toward the railway station.
He reached the railway tracks and jumped off his bike, catching his breath. In the distance, the familiar boom of an oncoming train grew more audible, the ground beginning to shake beneath him. Izuku clenched his fists. As the train came towards him, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes for just a second, and then yelled, "YES! YES! YES! YES!"
As the train thundered past him, its powerful wind pulling at his hair and clothes, Izuku felt an overwhelming surge of emotions. The sheer force of it all—the sound, the speed, his shout, his dream finally within reach—struck him hard.
As the last car of the train disappeared into the distance, Izuku watched it go with tears threatening to fall. He hadn't expected to feel this way—to be on the verge of breaking down and laughing at the same time.
Izuku let out a shaky breath, his grin widening.
Izuku clenched his fists again. "This is just the beginning," he murmured to himself.