Mind Games Chapter 1 (Patreon)

My Hero parody: Bad Day/Tier 1

Mind Games

Izuku has a quirk, but thanks to it no one remembers. That’s fine, he’s seen the shadows of society. He’s gonna be a great hero but he’s not gonna play the games of hero society. He’s got his own games to play with his own rules.

Chapter 1 Forget About It

Shoto Todoroki had run off, his father had pushed him into another intense sparring session. He was trying to force Shoto to use his fire side. Todoroki could use fire on one side and ice on the other. He was seen as Endeavor’s master piece. The perfect fusion of quirks.

The thing was Shoto hated his father, seeing his fire side as Endeavor’s quirk and refused to use it. Enji was trying to break this “rebellious” streak.

It wasn’t going well as the smaller male was knocked around. “Use it Shoto, you must use your flames!”

He shook his head and unleashed ice, but it was melted by Enji’s flames. The class of hot and cold caused a cloud of steam to fill the room. Shoto used that chance to run out of the dojo and leave their estate. He ran passed his sister. “Shoto wait!” She called to him.

“Let him go!” Endeavor snapped. “He needs to cool his head, he’ll come back when he gets hungry.” She didn’t like the idea of that. This world was full of people with powers like quirks. It wasn’t safe, even for those with powers to go off late at night.

Shoto ran and ran. ‘I hate him...I hate him...and this quirk...I hate it!’ He didn’t know where he was going or how far he was running, he just needed to get out of that house. It wasn’t home, it hadn’t felt like home in quite a long time.

Before he knew it he was at a park. He got a drink from the fountain. “Hah hah hah, damn it!” Things in that place were rough, he hated it. Endeavor was always pushing him, trying to make him the next Number One! He was quirk focused, always trying to improve the power and output of one’s quirk.  Shoto’s quirk mutation, a fusion of both his mother’s and Endeavor’s quirk combined. With the two powers as one he could surpass Enji, and the man believed he’d even surpass All Might. Shoto did want to become a hero, but he had no interest in his father’s ambitions.

He sat on a park bench. ‘I don’t wanna go back, but where else can I go...I don’t even have friends…’ Endeavor didn’t let him have those, no one was “good enough”. He “didn’t have time” for friends. Shoto barely spent time with his own siblings.

Some guys showed up and spotted Todoroki. “Hey there cutie!” Shoto looked up, one was a frog looking man the other had purple hair and piercings.

The purple haired man chuckled. “What’s a cute little thing like you doing here all by yourself?”

Todoroki stood up. “I just needed some fresh air, excuse me.” He tried to leave, but the frog man jumped and leapt over him, cutting off his path.

The frog man chuckled. “You look like you could use some fun, why don’t you hang out with us?”

Todoroki shook his head. “No thanks, please leave me alone.”  He turned around and looked ready to leave.

“We can’t do that, we can’t leave a cute young thing like you all alone, right?” The purple haired one smirked at his frog friend.

The frog smirked back. “Right!”

Shoto glared, conjuring his ice powers. “Back off!”

The pierced male smirked. “You wanna do that? We are just trying to help you get home, if you attack us with your quirk you’d be breaking the rules!”

Todoroki tensed.

The frog man chuckled. “He’s right, illegal use of quirks in public, attacking a couple of civilians, you’ll be in so much trouble, kero kero!”

His partner laughed.“Forget about ever becoming a hero or anything!” Todoroki dropped his guard.

“No, you Forget About It!” In a flash Shoto blinked and the two men were gone.

He looked around. “Where did they go?”

A green haired boy stepped up. “They are gone, they won’t bother you again.” He was carrying a shopping bag. “You shouldn’t have dropped your guard, they fully intended to take advantage of you.”

Shoto blinked. “Who...who are you?”

The boy smiled. “I’m Izuku Midoriya, and you are?”

“Shoto Todoroki!” He bowed politely. “Did you...did you use your quirk on them?”

Midoriya didn’t hesitate. “Yes, yes I did!”

Todoroki shook his head. “You shouldn’t have done that! What if they report you?” Izuku just laughed.

He wagged his finger. “That’s not a problem with my quirk. You can forget about those two.” Izuku took a seat on the bench. “If you are worried about the rules I get it, I used my quirk to stop those guys, but you were in trouble so I’m not gonna apologize or feel guilty about it.”

Todoroki had a lot of questions, but this guy had such soft and caring eyes. His features were so innocent. ‘Who is this guy?’

Izuku got out some snacks from his bag. “So what’s your story, why are you out here late at night?” He passed one to Shoto.

Todoroki sat down next to him. “It’s hard to explain…” It was hard to talk about, his dad was a pro hero, and the number 2 ranked hero at that. “Why are you out here?”

Izuku shrugged. “Wrong place, right time, I was just off doing a snack run.”

The two sat together in awkward silence. Izuku finished a bag of chips and a box of juice. “Well, you seem to have a lot on your mind and a lot on your shoulders, wanna forget about it for awhile?”

Shoto eyed him. “Your quirk?” Izuku nodded. “What can you do?”

Midoriya laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, if I explain it, it’ll activate and you won’t remember it.” He patted Todoroki’s shoulder. “But take a walk with me and I’ll take you someplace safe and warm, where you can forget about your troubles.”

It sounded so nice, so tempting. “So what do you say Todoroki-kun, wanna Forget About It?” For a moment the whole world turned black and a door appeared in front of them.

‘This is his quirk?’ He gulped, he didn’t know what was gonna happen if he went through that door.

Izuku gave his hand a squeeze. “It’s okay, you don’t have to come with me.” Midoriya opened the door and it seemed to lead to nowhere.

He began to move forward, and as his grip relaxed Shoto felt his heart sink. If this guy who saved him let go and walked through that door, Shoto had this feeling he’d forget him. He didn’t want that.

His hand tightened around Izuku’s. The greenette looked back at him. “It’s okay, because I am here!” Shoto blushed, Midoriya’s smile made his heart flutter. He wanted some peace, time to relax and think!

Todoroki moved and the two walked through the door.

In that moment Shoto Todoroki disappeared from the world, and would be gone for some time.

-x-

Enji was losing it. Shoto didn’t come home last night and didn’t come home the day after. ‘Where could he be, he has no friends?’ His sister was getting worried and his brother was trying to find him.

Endeavor put his whole agency on alert trying to find his youngest son. ‘Where is he? Where did you go Shoto?’ He pulled a lot of strings, called in favors, but Todoroki couldn’t be found.

A week passed and no sign of Shoto. Then just as suddenly as it came the search was forgotten about. Endeavor woke up, grabbed a shower, readying to spend the whole day searching for his lost son. As he put on his suit, he passed by the dining room and saw Shoto sitting there having breakfast. “Shoto!” He burst into the room, and his kids were sitting there as if nothing had happened.

Fuyumi looked at him in surprise. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Enji looked from his children, before his gaze landed on the youngest Todoroki, who quietly ate his toast. “Where have you been boy?” He crossed his arms. “You’ve been gone for over a week, you better have an answer for me.”

Shoto blinked at him before sighing. “You forgot didn’t you.”

Fuyumi laughed. “Well he’s been working a lot lately, double shifts, no breaks, he’s probably still tired.”

Endeavor looked confused. ‘Why is she acting like this?’ He pointed at Shoto. “I’ve been looking for him! He disappeared we haven’t seen him in over a week!”

Natsuo shook his head. “Dad you need some coffee to wake up, you must have had a nightmare or something?”

Fuyumi got him a cup. “Yeah dad, Shoto’s been at his friend’s house. They’ve been studying in preparation of going into UA. He’s called and checked in every day.”

Enji tried to process what he was hearing, Shoto wasn’t missing? He was at a friend’s house all this time? What friend? ‘What have I been doing all this time?’ As he questioned all this he noticed there was an extra place at the table.

Shoto continued to eat, ignoring his dad’s freak out. “I invited him over, so be nice.” He drank some morning tea.

A bright and jovial voice was heard. “Good morning Endeavor!”

Enji turned and saw a green haired boy. ‘Who is this?’ The elder Todoroki had never seen this boy before he was sure. ‘How does he know Shoto?’

Fuyumi and Natsuo greeted him like they’ve met before. “You’ve been busy, working hard and kicking villain butt.” He walked around and sat at the table.

“Who...who are you?” He was met by a group of groans.

Fuyumi face palmed. “Dad!”

Izuku laughed. “It’s okay, he’s a busy man it’s easy to forget about it…” He said and ate some of his food.

Endeavor stepped away, he felt so confused. He went to check calling everyone he involved with the search, but he got the same answer. No one remembered anything about Shoto going missing. Even those he called in favors from, said he hadn’t asked them for anything lately. ‘Have I really been working too hard?’ Everything the last few days felt so real. Dreams could feel real, and he remembered working double shifts and his days began to blur and run together.

The more he tried to think about it, the more it didn’t seem real. It didn’t matter Shoto was safe and sound, that’s all that mattered, it was best to just forget about it.

To be continued