The Successor Ch. 76 (My Hero Academia) (Patreon)

A/N: David and Izuku quickly become total bros. Also make sure to read the closing Author's Note on this chapter.

-x-X-x-

“Hey there! I’m-!”

“David Shield. You really don’t need any introduction sir.”

Blinking in surprise as Izuku calls him by name before he can give it, David looks a little shocked for a moment before laughing sheepishly.

“Aha, well… I guess Yagi must have mentioned me? And of course, I know who you are. Izuku Midoriya. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Izuku briefly considers telling him the truth. No, All Might hadn’t actually ever talked about David with Izuku. He didn’t quite know why that was, maybe it just hadn’t ever come up or something. But rather than say that outright, Izuku smiles and offers the scientist his hand for a handshake. The words that come out of his mouth are still the truth in the end.

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Shield. Your work, not just with All Might but also others, has been an inspiration to read about and see in action. From the costumes to the gadgets, your inventions have saved just as many lives as All Might did… if not more so.”

Now David doesn’t just look surprised or shocked, he looks completely stun locked as he absently takes Izuku’s hand and shakes it. For a long moment, silence hangs between them as the poor man slowly processes Izuku’s words. Finally letting out another sheepish laugh, he pulls his hand back and runs it through his hair.

“Sheesh… why didn’t you speak up during the funeral, kid? You certainly have a way with words, don’t you?”

Looking almost embarrassed now, David glances to the side while scratching at his cheek. Which is good, because it means Izuku can take a moment to collect himself after being called out so fast on that part. In the end, what can he say in his own defense?

“… It didn’t feel like I’d earned the right, if I’m being honest.”

That probably sounded self-deprecating as hell to someone who didn’t know the true nature behind Izuku and All Might’s relationship. It certainly seems to land with David Shield that way, even if Izuku didn’t necessarily intend it to. The Quirk Researcher looks taken aback for a moment before peering at Izuku much more closely than before.

“You know, originally I just intended to introduce myself to you and give my condolences, Mister Midoriya… but… would you maybe like to get out of here and go and get some food together? I know Yagi wouldn’t have wanted us to spend the whole day wallowing around because he was gone.”

Izuku tilts his head to the side at the offer, considering it and reading between the lines. He knew for a fact that there were others in this small chapel that had wanted to talk to him. And he got the impression that David knew that as well. So to have the scientist offering to take him for a bite to eat… well, that was pretty interesting. In the end, Izuku found himself rapidly warming up to the idea, until finally he nods with a smile on his face.

“I’d like that Mister Shield. I’d like that a lot. Ah, can Nana come too, please?”

“Oh, of course! And please, call me David.”

“Very well. So long as you call me Izuku.”

-x-X-x-

“Ahaha! Not bad, Izuku, not bad!”

“Thank you, I do try.”

A few hours later, Izuku finds himself at a Sushi Bar with David Shield and Nana Shimura. They’ve eaten their fill at this point and have mostly just been sitting and talking shop really. For all Izuku’s power, for all his ultimate goal of becoming the Number One Pro Hero sometime in the future… he couldn’t deny his true nature.

Deep down inside, in his heart of hearts, Izuku was the kind of person who loved talking about Quirks and all their… well, quirks. Dissecting a Quirk, getting into the minutiae of its intricacies, Izuku rather lived for such things. He hadn’t had the opportunity to play around in that sort of way since Himiko, so talking to David Shield about his passion was... well, it was fantastic.

Especially because David was just so damn smart. The man didn’t have any sort of intelligence Quirk or anything like that. His Quirk was called ‘Squirmy Fingers’ and it was precisely what it sounded like. It allowed him to bend his fingers farther than any normal human being could, and he used it for his precision work on the things he created for Pro Heroes.

But his Quirk didn’t necessarily do anything that technology couldn’t replicate. Rather, it was David Shield’s mind that was his greatest asset. Everything he made, everything he invented, it came from his perfectly normal but genius brain. No Quirks needed.

It was quite amazing, and Izuku was half-tempted to give David one of the several Intelligence Quirks he was holding onto, just to see what sort of heights the scientist and inventor could truly reach. However, that was out of the question. Not only did David still not actually know that One for All was transferable, but he also didn’t know Izuku’s father was All for One, the very man who grievously injured All Might in the first place.

Still, he’d greatly enjoyed the afternoon and evening spent discussing things with David. Even Nana, who hadn’t had much to say, had had a smile on her face the entire time as she’d watched them talk from the sidelines. And, apparently David himself felt similarly, because as the man finally comes down from his most recent bout of laughter, he lets out a sigh and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“You really aren’t anything like I was expecting from Yagi’s successor, Izuku.”

That was because Izuku wasn’t truly Yagi’s successor… he was his father’s. Still, he can’t say that. Instead he just smiles and shrugs haplessly, as if to say ‘I am who I am’. David chuckles at this and then leans forward.

“You know what happens after the Sports Festival, right? Pro Heroes will be vying for the right to have you or your classmates intern under them. They’ll send out offers to all of Class 1-A and Class 1-B, and the next couple of weeks will be dedicated to getting you lot some work experience as sidekicks out in the field.”

Izuku inclines his head in wordless acknowledgement. Yes, he was aware.

“… I suspect that I probably upset Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino back at the funeral. I imagine if I had just introduced myself and then bowed out like I originally planned, they would have been the ones to approach you next about getting you to intern under them in the coming weeks. With Gran Torino as one of All Might’s mentors and Sir Nighteye as his former sidekick, they would probably be some of the best suited for you to work under.”

He’d thought about that as well, though ultimately he’d dismissed the idea. Even if David hadn’t invited him here, he probably would have turned down both Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino, even if they’d approached him from different angles or something. It wasn’t like Izuku would be hurting for offers, after all. As the winner of the Sports Festival, he would be inundated with correspondence the moment he actually paid attention to it all, he suspected.

“However, after spending this afternoon with you, I don’t think that’s the case anymore.”

Oh? David agreed with him? Izuku raises an eyebrow, even as the inventor smiles sheepishly and shrugs.

“They’re good people, Izuku, don’t get me wrong. And also good Pro Heroes. But… I don’t know if interning under a Pro Hero is actually what you need at this point.”

Huh? What was he talking about? What other options were there?

“Your performance in the Sports Festival was exemplary, you know? Probably broke some long held records or something, though I wouldn’t know any specifics. Still, you impressed everyone. However, after talking to you these past few hours, I get the impression that you’ve been… limiting yourself.”

Oh? Had David noticed how much Izuku was holding back? But no, as it turns out, that’s not what the scientist means.

“You’ve been so focused on your future as a Pro Hero that you’ve let your true passions languish, Izuku. I’ve never seen a young mind as brilliant as yours. The idea that you might never engage in proper, professional Quirk Research because you’re too busy working as a Pro Hero honestly pains me. Yagi… Yagi was the Quintessential Warrior. He achieved fulfillment through constant battle, be it against villains or disasters. He got his satisfaction from saving people.”

David stares at Izuku intently, even as Izuku gazes back, feeling a bit lost at this point. Where exactly was the other man going with all of this?

“I don’t get the impression that the same holds true for you. That’s why… I want to make you an offer. I know it’ll sound ridiculous, and feel free to tell me I’m off my rocker… but instead of interning with a Pro Hero here in Japan, why don’t you come intern with me on I-Island?”

David’s offer causes both Izuku and Nana to blink in unison. It’s so out of left field… except at the same time, it’s really not is it? Because it if was truly out of the question, Izuku would have immediately rejected the idea, albeit as gently as possible. Instead, he finds himself considering it, much to his own shock.

“… It would cause quite the kerfuffle. As you said, every Pro Hero in Japan basically wants a piece of me after how the Sports Festival went.”

David chuckles and nods, unable to deny it. He doesn’t try to defend his idea, but he also doesn’t try to rescind the offer either. Instead he watches Izuku with a soft smile, as though he can see what’s going through Izuku’s head. Maybe that’s why the younger man continues to voice his thoughts out loud.

“Lots of people would be upset. They would all wonder what the hell the most promising future Pro Hero in history is doing ‘wasting’ his time working with a former sidekick and support item developer.”

Humming, David nods again.

“Even if you accepted my offer, it’s not like it would stop you from going on to become the next Number One Pro Hero though, no matter what those types of people think of you. But it WOULD give you a chance to explore what truly makes you happy… and perhaps give you a more well-rounded base for your future as a Pro Hero as well.”

He’s not wrong. And maybe that’s why Izuku finds himself actually considering the idea. It would be a nice way of sidestepping the upcoming headache too. Pretty much everyone probably expects him to either accept an offer from one of the top ten Pro Heroes, or from Gran Torino or Sir Nighteye because of his connections to All Might.

No matter what, he’s probably going to offend someone whoever he winds up choosing. So why not offend everyone? Why not bail on Japan entirely and go spend time on I-Island, learning at the feet of David Shield, one of the world’s premier scientists and inventors?

God, the idea was downright intoxicating, Izuku had to admit. But…

“Can I have some time to think about it?”

David blinks and then lets out a startled laugh.

“Of course! I wasn’t expecting you to give me your answer right now anyways, Izuku. Take a day or two and get back to me, and like I said before, feel free to tell me no, it won’t hurt my feelings whatsoever. This isn’t about me, but about you… I just don’t want to see your potential as a researcher and Quirk Enthusiast wasted by the expectations others have for you.”

From there, they finally get up to leave the Sushi Bar, with David magnanimously settling the bill and then parting ways with Izuku and Nana outside. As he walks away from the restaurant with Nana at his side, Izuku finds himself frowning, contemplating David’s idea. In the end, he glances over at his ever-present shadow.

“… What do you think? Should I accept David’s offer?”

Smiling softly at him, Nana Shimura just shakes her head.

“I think you should do whatever makes you happy, Izuku. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you every step of the way. Do you wish to go to I-Island and learn under Mr. Shield?”

Izuku considers the question, knowing that it’s an earnest one. And so he gives an earnest answer.

“Part of me does, yes. Part of me wants to go to I-Island very, very much. It’s… well, it’s an interesting offer, isn’t it? Something unexpected. And yet, part of me feels like it might disrupt the things I have here, even if it’s only for a few weeks.”

But in actuality, Izuku knew that it wouldn’t be as disruptive as he was worrying it would be. Ultimately, he was very good at delegation… better than either All Might or his father had been, that was for sure. Everything wouldn’t go to shit just because he left Japan for a little while. And sure, there would be those upset that he’d run off to I-Island instead of sticking around and being THEIR sidekick specifically… but fuck ‘em.

Izuku blinks and then lets out a little laugh of surprise.

“Heh. I guess I’ve already made my decision. I’m going to take David up on his offer after all.”

Nana’s smile grows as she places a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Her presence and support are special to him, and Izuku basks in the feeling of having made a decision for a moment. But then… he thinks of Momo. He should probably let her know before he goes. She is his girlfriend, after all.

… Hell, he could ask her to come with him. But she would probably agree without a second thought, and he’s not sure if it’s the right call for her like it is for him. Momo could gain a lot more by staying behind in Japan and learning under whichever Pro Hero she likes the best. After how she did at the Sports Festival, she’s sure to have her pick of the litter.

Asking her to come with him would be a purely selfish move, wouldn’t it? And yet, he’s still very tempted…

-x-X-x-

A/N: Per the results of the Vibe Check from last time, I'm going to be sunsetting this story. That said, rather than skip ahead to an epilogue, I figure I'll leave it open-ended in case we want to come back to it one day. Izuku going to I-Island is how I've decided to do that, with this being the end of this 'book' basically. This means I'll be putting this story down for the time being in the next 1-2 chapters I'm thinking.

That said, be sure to check out the new Vibe Check I posted last night if you haven't yet, to weigh in on what happens to this slot and indeed some other Story Poll slots going forward.