Close to the Beginning

The sun had sunk beyond the horizon, darkness looming over the entire area. The wind hadn't died down, and Izuku expected it to be roaring even until the morning. Their fire had to be protected from the rushing wind by building heaps of rocks around it.

Their tents had been fastened to the ground hard to ensure they didn't go flying away because of the strong winds. As the howling wind gushed through the area, Izuku stayed close to the fire, the heat emanating from it a boon to the ice-cold waves of air. In front of him, Katsuki laid silent, sipping on his stew quietly.

Thankfully, because of the number of spices they had gathered from looting that one Raya Lucaria camp, as well as buying some from one of the Nomadic Merchants, they were able to make a fulfilling stew that was also to the taste of one Katsuki.

Izuku thought that spicy deer stew was not going to be that delicious, and he didn't know how or why, but Katsuki was a menace when given the reins in the kitchen, or in this case, outdoor campfire.

It was a peaceful night. No rabid wolves howling nearby, no mentally deranged footmen wanting to drag their hides to the castle for… grafting purposes. And just overall silence, save for the howling wind.

"Izuku…" All of a sudden, Katsuki spoke up, his empty bowl of stew left on the ground gathering dust. "Why the fuck is this place so fucked up?"

His face said it all. He'd rather be anywhere than here. Izuku could understand the feeling, his past self feeling the same when he had just been dropped here after his untimely death. 

Placing his own empty bowl on the ground, Izuku regarded Katsuki with narrowed eyes, the ash blond's piercing red orbs staring into his own. Sighing, Izuku rubbed at his hair and closed his eyes.

"I'm not even sure." Izuku opened his eyes and stared into the flame. "Ever since I was sent here, all I got were cryptid hints and vague truths."

Close by, the spectral Melina flinched at the tone that left Izuku's mouth.

"So, all I can say is get used to it." Izuku then stared directly at Katsuki, mouth forming a thin line. "Forget the intricate details of this world and just struggle to survive. You aren't gonna understand anyway, much like I have…"

Silence loomed over them, the roaring wind the only noise that peppered the area. Sighing, Izuku headed to his tent, but before entering it, he looked at Katsuki one last time.

"Get some sleep. We're moving early in the morning." Izuku entered his tent, leaving a silent Katsuki staring at the fire alone. Inside his tent, Izuku laid on the bedroll, eyes unfocused and weary.

"Izuku…" Beside him, Melina appeared, her knees against the ground as they regarded him warmly. "I apologize for not telling you… About the Lands Between and its history."

"... It's fine." Izuku waved her off, eyes blinking as he tried to tire himself to sleep. "It's not like it's necessary for me to learn about those things. I'm not a historian, just a displaced person trying his best to do the one thing that has the most sense… considering my current situation…"

Melina stayed silent as the grave, her lone eye drooping. 

"I don't blame you for that, by the way." Izuku smiled, turning in bed to face Melina. "Yes, it was a bit annoying during the early days of me being here, but I've come to accept that the history of the Lands Between, the feuds between the Gods and those strong enough to shake the entire earth… They didn't matter. Their reasons, their beliefs… None of it matters. At the end of the day, their actions caused all of us to suffer. Them included." Izuku sighed, his smile turning a bit brittle. "All that's left is to pick up the pieces and build it anew. Learn from their mistakes and ensure it doesn't happen again."

"... A little contradictory, my companion." Melina smiled softly, her shoulders sagging. "You say that history doesn't matter, and yet, you say that we must learn from it."

"... Yeah, a bit." Izuku chuckled, a soft sigh exiting his lips. "But at least I got my point across. No use lamenting over the past, just focus on the present and the future."

"You are indeed correct, my companion." Melina shifted her position from kneeling to sitting. Both remained silent for a while, the two just content to bask in each other's presence, until Melina opened her mouth to ask a question. "If you would sate my curiosity, my companion."

"Ask away." Izuku laid on his sides, his propped-up arm holding up the side of his head.

"Your tag-along… Katsuki Bakugo, why are you so harsh on him?" Melina's question caused Izuku to go silent, lips pursed as he stared directly into her lone eye. "I've observed how you taught your students back in Japan, but every time you taught your tag-along personally, your methods drastically increased in difficulty. Especially now that we're back in the Lands Between…"

"... I've told you this before Melina." Izuku sighed, his position a bit uncomfortable so he sat up. "Katsuki… I hate him… Loathe him, even. But that doesn't mean I want him to die… To have him meet his end because of his ballooned ego."

Izuku stared at the flaps of his tent, the rushing wind outside still roaring without pause.

"I want him to suffer for all that he's done to me, and those who were unfortunate enough to land in his crosshairs… I want him to know what it feels like to be at rock bottom, where even extending your hand up means getting it swatted down by others…" Izuku looked at his palm, blemished and calloused, the blood of hundreds staining his fingers. "I want him to experience what it was like for me to go through the Lands Between… Without help… With enemies surrounding me from all sides…"

Melina remained quiet as Izuku continued to spill word after word after word, emotion thick in every utterance.

"But I can't… Not when I don't even know if he would even come back from the dead like I would." Izuku clenched his fist, eyes closing as he let out a deep breath. "And I know, deep down all the ego, all that stubbornness and rage, is a person who could do good. If a villain were to try and convert him down their path, he would spit on them, before thrashing them like a wild animal, and then spit on them again as he hauled their asses to the nearby prison."

He opened his eyes, and looked directly at Melina, her lone eye focused solely on him.

"I want him to change. To mold him into the hero I know he can be." Izuku breathed in deep, every breath feeling like razors going down his chest. "I can see the remorse… The guilt underneath that prickly exterior. He has changed, and if this was back in Japan, I would be content to let him be… Have him acknowledge his faults and grow past that… But with him here, things are very different. One mistake is enough to get a person killed, and that includes those with the power unimaginable to the people living in Japan. He needs to grow faster, acknowledge his faults faster… Get over the past faster…"

Izuku finally went silent, fingers twitching as his eyes fluttered close.

"... I understand what you're trying to do, Izuku… However, the way you're handling your tag-along… I fear that it would do more harm than good." Melina's words caused Izuku to stare back at her, his green orbs piercing into her own golden orb.

"... Ha!" Izuku suddenly chuckled, amusement tinging his thoughts. "If there's one thing I know about Katsuki, it's that he's as stubborn as a mule. He won't die easily."

"... I hope so, for your sake, my companion." Melina slowly stood up, a short breath leaving her lips. "It's best you get some sleep now. You still need to wake up early."

"Yeah, you're right." Izuku laid back on his bedroll, eyes still focused on Melina. "Good night."

"May you rest well… Izuku."

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The hills stretched out beneath a sky wrapped in an ash-grey hue, as if the sun's light was filtered through a thin, worn blanket. The wind howled across the landscape, whipping through the tall grass in gusts, bending it in waves that seemed to ripple endlessly. The clouds above rolled like restless waves, casting shadows that danced across the earth, but never fully blocking the pale, dim sunlight. Everything felt both alive and muted, caught in the tension between light and storm.

Between it all, Izuku and Katsuki rode Torrent, this time at a more, relaxed pace than their hurried gait yesterday. Taking in the scenery was just breathtaking, as opposed to non-stop fighting, and no matter how many times Izuku had done it, he just couldn't get tired of it. Katsuki too, took it all in, brows furrowed as Torrent's hooves clopped against the solid rock underneath.

It's been just shy of an hour since their journey began anew, and through it all they adhered to the oath of silence, neither of them opening their mouths to utter a sound. Their eyes scanned the horizon, the castle behind them starting to grow distant.

But too much of one thing is something that no sane soul would be able to live with. As such, as more time passed during their trot, the more the scenery lost its splendor, and the more boredom became apparent.

Izuku, knowing that such mentality was something that could prove detrimental to their gait, squashed it down deep into the dregs of his subconscious. Boring was great. It meant that nothing could impede their travel and the faster they reached the destination, the faster they could get a move on to Raya Lucaria.

He didn't want to roam the academy unprepared, after all.

Alas, when a person doesn't want something to happen, more likely than not, it will happen. And in the case of Izuku and his horrendous luck when it came to traveling the Lands Between, thinking about something that could go wrong, no matter how insignificant, things will indeed go wrong.

The sounds of horns echoed throughout the area, Torrent immediately rushing to a stop as Katsuki bumped into Izuku harshly. Izuku himself groaned at the sudden weight pressed against his back, but didn't hold it against the ash blond.

"Ambush!" Izuku raised his voice just as an arrow nearly nicked the side of his head. Eyes wide, Izuku grabbed Katsuki and dismounted Torrent, the spectral steed neighing as an arrow lodged itself into one of his thighs. "Get down!"

Pushing the ash blond to the ground, Izuku quickly rummaged through his bottomless box for a shield. With the amount of practice he had, it didn't take long before he was able to grab one from his box.

"Take this and defend yourself!" Izuku shoved the shield into Katsuki's hands, the ash blond grunting at the sudden increase of weight around his arms. "Do whatever you can to not die!"

"The fuck!? Let me help!" Katsuki being himself, he didn't want to have Izuku hog all the action and knowing that just surviving was a trial and a half in this world, he was prepared to get his hands dirty just to stay alive.

"Then go blow them up!" Izuku pointed towards the archers firing at them from between the sparse trees and tall grass. "I'll kill the ones with swords!"

Just as he said that, Izuku swung All Strike — that was holstered on his back the entire time of the journey — right at the charging people donning soldier's attire. He says this because for some reason, that's all they were using. Armor, helmets, and the standard sword, but without the cloth that denoted their allegiance.

It was strange seeing it, but for now, Izuku needed to focus on the fight. He can ponder the how's and why's later.

His blade met the sword of one soldier, their blade snapping in half, brittle against All Strike's reinforced steel. The soldier didn't utter a sound before the blade met metal once more, All Strike cleaving through his flesh as he was cut in twain.

The other soldier ignored his companion's death gasp, opting to strike down with his mace, but Izuku didn't stop, the blade still singing in the air as it cut a swathe of blood through him as well.

Their bodies dropped to the ground like sacks of potatoes, dust kicking up from the impact. Steadying his blade, Izuku raised it high and readied himself for the coming onslaught of the other soldiers ready to carve him a new asshole.

As the battle raged on, Izuku had to note that during his melee against the soldiers, some of their bodies already cooling on the green grass, he hadn't a single encounter with an arrow. Taking his attention off from the remaining soldiers, he took a quick peek at Katsuki, and he just realized how loud he was being.

Explosions rang through the hills as the ash blond roared, one hand turning heads into pulp and the other blocking whistling arrows. Even with little to no experience in using a shield, Katsuki's instincts propelled him to greater heights, the shield serving as an impenetrable bulwark against their measly projectiles.

He also noted that the ash blond wasn't wearing a smile. In fact, the more he blew their heads, splattering blood and gray matter across the ground, the more his red pupils trembled. 

That was another talk he was going to have with Katsuki later on, but for now, back to the fighting.

Only to be met with a blade that managed to hit him in the side, steel slicing through his flesh.

Izuku hissed, his lifeblood oozing out from the gash. That'll teach him to take his eyes away from the enemies… again… Not that it mattered. For all he cared, the blade did as much damage as a toothpick.

Swinging All Strike to the side, the soldier that managed to wound him had his head cut off, his face having the expression of an emotionless and unfeeling vegetable. Sighing, Izuku pulled out the sword lodged in his side with a grunt, the blood being held back by the blade gushing out like a waterfall once the pressure was gone.

Reaching into his pack, he withdrew his Flask of Crimson Tears and took a sip. His entire body tingled once, and the pain he was feeling in his side vanished. Patting it with his hand after he had stored his flask, he nodded as he felt his smooth, but scarred skin.

Eyes narrowed; he readied a stance. There were only a few left, and Katsuki was going on a rampage against the archers. He also proved too fast for the regular soldier to chase, with the ash blond soaring through the air with the help of his explosions.

A few minutes later, their ambushers laid on the ground, bleeding, broken, and dead, every single one of them. Katsuki panted as he leaned forward, hands clutching at his knees as he tried to breath in air. Izuku, meanwhile, was already busy plundering their remains for anything good. Weapons and armor still in good condition, some dried food, maybe some other items that could be useful, like a firebomb one of them had.

"Haa… Haa… Fuck… Fucking hell…" Katsuki collapsed to the ground, chest heaving up and down as his eyes beheld the carnage he had wrought. Looking to his side, he saw the headless corpse of one of the archers, blood splattered across the grass as it danced in the wind.

Izuku saw him raise a hand up to his mouth but stopped it halfway as he stood on trembling legs. Approaching the ash blond, Izuku helped steady himself, Katsuki's eyes unseeing of his act.

"Don't worry, it'll get easier. Just get used to it." Izuku said, but Katsuki didn't respond, his eyes still locked on the headless corpse of an archer. "Just make sure you set a line you won't cross. Helps with retaining your morals."

Patting him on the back, Izuku left the ash blond to his chaotic thoughts as he continued looting the corpses. Some arrows, more dried food, some rowa fruit, and much more.

It took about ten minutes for Izuku to finish his looting, his whistle piercing through the air. Torrent appeared right beside him, his spectral steed's muzzle booping into him.

"I'm fine, Torrent. What about you?" Izuku looked at Torrent's thigh that got shot by an arrow earlier, but it was relieving to see him healed, not a trace left to be seen. "Heh, you're one strong guy, aren't ya?"

Torrent clopped his hooves on the ground, offended at the insinuation that he wasn't a strong guy. He fought with Izuku against dragons, two of them, and they came out the victor.

"Anyway, we need to move." Izuku patted Torrent once more before turning his attention to Katsuki. "Oi! Katsuki! We need to move."

The ash blond complied, still dangerously silent as his bangs shadowed his eyes. Izuku shook his head. He'll get used to it, otherwise, he wouldn't survive long in the Lands Between.

Mounting Torrent, Izuku offered his hand towards Katsuki, the ash blond accepting it as he quickly mounted Torrent as well. Once they were both comfortable, they continued their trek towards the horizon. Hopefully, they'll get there by sundown.

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A/N: Merry Christmas to ya'll! Have a wonderful holiday!

Also, Marvel Rivals is fun, like, really fun, but it almost bricked my lappy so I'm not gonna touch it until they address the issues. Had to reset my lappy and put my IT skills to use just to recover all of my shit. Too bad too, I really liked playing it.

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