MHA: Bat to the Future: The Other Midoriya

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I stood up, turning toward the woman still slumped against the wall. She had pulled herself upright but was leaning heavily, one hand pressed against her ribs. I walked over, slipping the bat into the loop on my belt. "Can you stand?" I asked, offering a hand. "Or are you planning to stick around for his second wind?"

She glanced at me, her dark hair a little messy from whatever scuffle they had, but her eyes sharp enough to suggest she wasn't the type to fall apart easily. She hesitated before taking my hand, and I pulled her up in one quick motion.

"Thanks," she said, brushing herself off and wincing slightly. "Didn't think anyone would show up."

"Well, if you are going to get mugged, you might as well do it in my neighborhood. I am basically the local pest control for assholes." I gave her a quick look-over. "You good? Not missing any important organs?"

"I think I will live," she said, cracking a faint smile. "Though my pride might be bruised."

"Pride is overrated. Nobody's mugging that." I nodded toward the guy on the ground, who was still making pathetic groaning noises. "This guy, though? Probably gonna have a rough night explaining this to his friends."

She let out a short laugh, then winced again, holding her side. "Great. Laughed too hard. Now I am broken."

"Guess I am gonna have to carry you, huh?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Unless you want to hobble out of here on your own."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue when I slipped an arm around her shoulders to steady her. "You really know how to make a girl feel helpless."

"Helpless? Nah. You could probably take me in a fair fight," I said. "But, you know, I don't really fight fair."

"That so?" she asked, side-eyeing me. "Is that bat your secret weapon?"

I grinned. "The bat? No, that is just for the aesthetic. My real weapon is my sparkling personality. But you probably picked up on that already."

"Sparkling, huh?" she said, her tone dry. "Sure. Let us go with that."

I stopped, letting her lean against the light pole while I pulled out my phone again. The cops would take a few minutes, so I figured I might as well keep things interesting. "So," I said, leaning casually against the pole beside her, "What is your name, anyway? Or do I just call you 'mugging victim number seven?'"

She looked at me like she was debating whether to answer. "Keiko," she said finally. "And you are?"

"I am called Ryuu," I said. "But you can call me anytime."

I handed her my phone. "Put your number in. If you ever find yourself getting mugged again, I might as well make this a subscription service."

Keiko raised an eyebrow but took the phone. "Wow, what a hero. Do I get a free trial, or do you start charging right away?"

"That depends. Are you the kind of client who tips?"

She tapped at the screen, her other hand still resting against her ribs. "You're really laying it on thick, huh? This your usual routine?"

I glanced at the guy on the ground, who had finally stopped groaning and was trying not to move too much. "Only with VIPs. You're lucky. Usually, I just let the cops handle this kind of trash."

Keiko handed the phone back, her lips quirking slightly. "Well, thanks for making the exception."

I slipped the phone into my pocket, giving her a small shrug. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress. Even if she's a little rough around the edges."

"Rough around the edges?" she asked, raising an eyebrow again. "That's bold coming from the guy wearing a hoodie with a hole in it."

I glanced at the small tear near my sleeve. "This isn't just a hoodie. This is vintage streetwear. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, my bad," she said, deadpan. "Didn't realize I was in the presence of a fashion icon."

I grinned, pulling out the half-finished bag of chips from my pocket and shaking it lightly. "So, you're funny. Good to know."

"Funny enough to survive this neighborhood, apparently," she said, nodding toward the mugger. "Is it always this exciting around here?"

"Not really. Most days, it's just me, my bat, and the occasional stray cat fight. You just caught us on a special night."

"Lucky me," she muttered, leaning back against the light pole again.

I popped a chip into my mouth. "By the way, you're handling this whole 'getting mugged' thing pretty well. Most people would still be crying."

She shrugged. "What's the point? It's over. No use wasting time freaking out."

"Practical. I like it. You sure you're not a local?"

"Maybe I just adapt quickly."

I grinned, "Naaah, you are the ninja I saw on the roof earlier."

Keiko froze for a second, her eyes narrowing. "What?"

I leaned forward, dropping my voice. "I can recognize that ass from a mile away."

Her face turned a little red, though she quickly masked, "What the hell are you talking about?" she shot back, her voice irritated. 

"Oh, don't play dumb." I leaned casually against the light pole, keeping my eyes on her. "You're telling me the same girl who was hopping rooftops like it's parkour practice suddenly forgot how to dodge a two-bit mugger? What's the play here?"

Her blush deepened, but her expression sharpened. "I don't know what you're talking about. You've got the wrong person."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Sure, sure. And I'm All Might's long-lost son. Look, you don't have to give me your life story, but I'm not blind. You didn't just 'get caught.' So, what was it? Laying low? Baiting the guy? Or are you just really bad at multitasking?"

She shifted her weight, her hand still resting against her ribs. "Why do you care? You saved me, didn't you? Call it a day and move on."

I tilted my head, watching her carefully. "You're not answering the question."

She met my gaze, clearly debating whether to argue or bail. Finally, she exhaled and looked away. "It's none of your business."

I smirked, tapping the bat lightly against the ground. "You're right. It's not. But you don't seem like the 'damsel in distress' type, and I'm curious. So, humor me."

Before she could answer, police sirens rang out, cutting through the quiet. Keiko's gaze flicked toward the street, her body tensing as if she was about to bolt. I raised a hand, cutting off whatever dumb excuse she was about to spit out.

"You know what? I don't really care, Keiko—if that's even your real name." I pointed toward the approaching lights. "Let the cops take your statement. Let them drop you off at your house, or wherever the hell you came from, and we'll call it a night. Oh, and while you're at it, make sure you tell them I stepped in because your life was in actual danger. I don't need my ass lit on fire for violating hero-code. I am underage and rocking no license."

Keiko shot me a look somewhere between annoyance and confusion, but she stayed quiet. Good. I wasn't in the mood for a debate. The sirens grew louder as a patrol car screeched to a stop at the alley entrance. Two officers stepped out, one older with a tired face, the other younger and looking like he just seen his first mugging. Perfect pair for the job.

The older cop walked toward us, his hand resting on the holster at his hip like we were about to throw hands. "Alright, what's going on here?"

I gestured toward the guy on the ground, who was still groaning like he'd been hit by a truck. "This asshole tried mugging her. I stepped in. He's all yours now."

The younger cop glanced between me, Keiko, and the guy on the ground, his eyebrows climbing higher with every second. "You took him down by yourself?"

"Yeah," I said, brushing some dirt off my hoodie. "Not exactly hard when the guy moves like a fridge on wheels."

The older cop crouched by the mugger, checking him over. "He's breathing," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He turned his gaze back to me, his expression unreadable. "You've got a pre-lisence?"

I shook my head. "No, sir. Just a concerned citizen with a bat."

The older cop stared at me for a second, his face blank. "Concerned citizen, huh? And that bat just happened to be with you?"

I shrugged, tapping the bat lightly against my palm. "It's a dangerous neighborhood. Better safe than sorry."

Keiko glanced at me, but she didn't say anything. Smart girl.

The younger cop pointed his flashlight at the guy still on the ground. "He's not getting up anytime soon. What happened to him?"

I gestured toward the bat. "Had a disagreement with this. He lost."

The older cop rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearly unimpressed. "You realize vigilantism is a crime, right? What you did could get you into serious trouble."

"Right." I nodded. "Next time, I'll let him mug her in peace. My bad."

Keiko let out a faint snort, quickly covering her mouth. The older cop gave her a look but didn't comment.

"Kid, this isn't a joke," he said, turning back to me. "You should've called us first."

"Sure, and while I'm on hold, she gets stabbed. Great plan."

The younger cop raised an eyebrow. "You've got an answer for everything, don't you?"

"Not everything," I replied with an exaggerated shrug. "Still working on world peace. But yeah, most things."

Seeing their faces, I added, "Seriously though. I know my laws. Article whatever, section blah blah—self-defense. No quirk usage, no unnecessary violence, no murder. I stopped him from hurting her and didn't leave him in pieces. Pretty sure that checks out." I leaned the bat on my shoulder for emphasis. "You're welcome."

The older cop looked at me, clearly deciding whether to argue or not. "You think you're clever, huh?"

"Not particularly. Just observant," I said. "If you're gonna book me, let's get it over with. Otherwise, I've got snacks waiting."

The younger cop glanced at the mugger still groaning on the ground. "It's true. The guy's conscious, no serious injuries. Doesn't look like he used a quirk."

The older one sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Still doesn't make this a free pass, kid. Vigilantism's a gray area, even if you're 'just passing by.' Next time, call us first."

I shrugged. "Sure thing. Call cops, watch criminal kill victim, and do nothing. Sure, sure, sure."

Keiko raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet, watching the exchange like it was a mildly entertaining soap opera.

The younger cop crouched by the mugger, checked his pockets, and pulled out a switchblade. He held it up. "He was armed. That helps his story."

"Yeah, no shit," I said. "What did you think he was gonna do, ask politely? 'Excuse me, miss, can I have your wallet and maybe a kidney?' Come on."

The older cop didn't look amused. "Watch your mouth."

"Sure, officer," I replied, holding up my hands mockingly. "I'll be super respectful next time I'm accused of helping innocents."

The younger one stifled a smirk, then cleared his throat. "We'll take it from here. Miss, do you need medical attention?"

Keiko shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Alright," the older cop said, clearly done with my attitude. He looked at me. "We'll let it slide this time, but don't push your luck."

"Noted," I said as the cops started taking her statement. "Be careful, miss. These areas are dangerous." Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and walked off. Phew. They didn't take my credentials. Probably the old cop recognized me from the other day with Mt. Lady—he was there, after all. I guess I got lucky.

Time to head home. I should grab mom some wine on the way, or she'll chew my ear off for being out this long.

The convenience store's neon sign blinked in the distance, a bright "OPEN 24/7" glowing like a beacon. I slipped inside, the bell above the door giving a lazy jingle as I headed straight for the wine section. The clerk barely glanced up from his phone—the same guy from earlier, still scrolling through whatever app had him hooked.

I grabbed a cheap bottle of red wine and walked to the counter, tossing it on top along with a pack of gum. "This, please."

The clerk scanned the items, finally sparing me a glance. "You look like you had a night."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly out for fun," I said, pulling some cash from my pocket. "Just trying to survive long enough to get yelled at by my mom. You know how it is."

He snorted faintly, bagged my stuff, and handed it over without much ceremony. "Good luck with that."

"Thanks," I said, grabbing the bag. The guy paused mid-scroll, his eyes narrowing. "Wait, how old are you?"

Shit.

Without missing a beat, I turned on my heel and bolted out the door. The bell jingled violently as it slammed shut behind me, and I could hear the clerk yelling something about IDs. Whatever. The idiot should have asked before handing me the wine. Rookie mistake.

I sprinted down the street, the bag swinging at my side. A faint drizzle had started, slicking the pavement and making me skid slightly as I turned the corner. "System," I muttered, slowing to a jog once I was out of sight. "That went smoothly, right?"

[TEXTBOOK. TRULY INSPIRING. LET'S HOPE THE COPS AREN'T ON THEIR WAY. AGAIN.]

"Relax," I said, ducking into an alley to catch my breath. "He probably didn't even see my face properly. What's he gonna do, file a report? 'Yeah, officer, this kid bought wine and ran off like a jackass.' Real crime of the century."

[YOU'RE A MENACE. WHAT'S NEXT? SHOPLIFTING?]

"Don't tempt me," I muttered, pulling the wine out of the bag to make sure it survived the escape. Good—no cracks. Mom wasn't going to strangle me tonight. Probably.

The rain picked up, turning the drizzle into a steady patter. Great. Now I have to explain why I looked like a drowned rat when I got home.

[GOOD THING YOU'RE ALREADY USED TO PEOPLE THINKING YOU'RE A MESS.]

"Har har," I muttered, stepping out of the alley and into the rain. The streets were mostly empty now, just the occasional car splashing through puddles. I pulled my hoodie tighter around me, not that it did much against the rain. Still, the cool air felt good after the chaos of the day.

As I walked, the System chimed in again, its tone annoyingly smug.

[NEW QUEST ALERT: SMUGGLER'S RUN. OBJECTIVE: SUCCESSFULLY DELIVER CONTRABAND WINE WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT. REWARD: YOUR MOM'S APPRECIATION. FAILURE: -5 SELF-RESPECT.]

"Wow, thanks for the support," I muttered, quickening my pace. The faster I got home, the less chance there was of running into someone who actually cared about underage drinking laws. Not that it mattered. I wasn't planning to drink it. The wine was strictly a peace offering.

A car sped past, hitting a puddle and sending a wave of dirty water splashing onto the sidewalk. I sidestepped just in time, shooting the driver a glare. "Asshole."

[ALMOST GOT YOU THERE. MAYBE NEXT TIME, AIM FOR THE DITCH.]

"You're really on a roll tonight," I said, cutting through a side street to shave some time off the walk.

By the time I arrived home, Mom was sitting at the table, eating alone. That asshole Izuku must have been snoring away upstairs, leaving her eat all by herself. I shrugged off my soaked hoodie, dropping it onto a chair near the door. Water splattered onto the floor, but I would deal with that later.

"Hi, Mom!" I said, walking toward her.

She glanced up from her plate, raising an eyebrow as her fork hovered mid-air. "What the hell happened to you? Did you take a swim on the way home?"

"Got caught in the rain," I said, holding up the bag with the wine. "But hey, I brought you something."

She eyed the bag suspiciously, setting her fork down. "What's in there? And don't tell me it's junk food again."

"Nope. Something better. Your favorite." I placed the bottle of wine on the table with a grin.

Her expression shifted instantly, softening just enough to let me know I scored some brownie points. "You went out in this weather to get me wine? What did you do this time?"

"Wow, no faith in me at all. Maybe I just wanted to do something nice for you. Ever think of that?"

She snorted, opening the bottle and pouring herself a glass. "You? Doing something nice without a reason? Sure, and maybe I'll wake up tomorrow with another quirk."

"Hey, miracles happen." I sat down across from her, grabbing a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table.

She sipped her wine, watching me like she was waiting for me to crack. "Seriously, though. Why the sudden generosity?"

"No reason," I said, chewing on the bread. "Just felt like it. Besides, you deserve it for putting up with Izuku and me."

"Putting up with you two doesn't call for wine. It calls for something stronger." She took another sip, but there was the faintest twitch of a smile on her face.

I leaned back in the chair, propping my feet on the edge of the table. "Fair. Want me to grab some sake next time?"

"You keep buying alcohol, and people are going to think you're the one drinking it." She glanced at the bottle. "How did you even get this? You're not old enough to buy wine."

I shrugged. "Charm. Bribery. Sheer audacity. Take your pick."

She gave me a look but didn't press the issue. Instead, she picked up her fork again, poking at her food. "You eat yet, or were you too busy charming liquor store clerks?"

"I grabbed some chips on the way. I'm good."

"Chips aren't a meal," she said, shaking her head.

"Sure they are. You just have to eat enough of them."

She sighed, clearly deciding it wasn't worth arguing. "Fine. Starve, for all I care. Just don't complain to me when you wake up hungry in the middle of the night."

"Never do," I said, smirking.

She sipped her wine again, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of rain pattering against the windows. It was weirdly calm.

"What happened to Izuku?" she asked, setting her glass down and looking directly at me.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "It's complicated. Guess he awakened his quirk after all that training with All Might. But it's… too much for him. His body can't handle the power, so every time he uses it, he hurts himself more than whatever he's fighting."

She looked shocked, like I just told her aliens had landed in the backyard. "Quirk? Izuku?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's weird. Guess we're late bloomers or something."

Her eyes stayed on me, narrowing slightly. "You too?"

I leaned back a little, smirking faintly. "I guess. I mean, I've got some physical enhancements going on, but I don't know if they're quirks or not. Feels different."

She stood up abruptly and hugged me tightly, the kind of hug that carried weight, though she said nothing. When she finally stepped back, I caught the glint of tears in her eyes. She didn't have to say it; I knew what she was thinking. She understood exactly what being quirkless meant in a society like this, and what it felt like to be on the other side of that line, even briefly.

I hugged her back. "Mom, you know I love you, right? I know I cause headaches—plenty of them—but I appreciate everything you done for me. Always have."

She chuckled lightly, though her voice cracked a bit. "You always say that when you're about to do something stupid."

"Maybe," I said, pulling away slightly, "but this time, I actually mean it. Thanks for sticking with me even when I make it hard."

She wiped her eyes quickly, brushing it off like nothing had happened. "I'm your mom. That's what I'm supposed to do. But don't think this gets you off the hook for sneaking in so late."

"Fair." I shrugged. "To be honest, I figured you would just yell at me about the wine."

She raised an eyebrow, looking at the bottle. "Still deciding if I should. Where did you even get it?"

"Convenience store. Clerk didn't ask too many questions."

She stared at me flatly, crossing her arms. "You're lucky they didn't call the cops on you. Do you have any idea how much trouble you would get in for that?"

"Relax, Mom. Worst case, I outrun them."

She sighed heavily, rubbing her temples. "One of these days, your luck is going to run out, Ryuu."

I tilted my head, smirking. "You sound like the System."

Her brow furrowed. "The what?"

"Nothing." I waved it off quickly. "Anyway, I'm alive, aren't I? And now you've got wine. Seems like a win-win to me."

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