Under the Eyes of the Moon

Izuku Midoriya had given some thought to how he wanted to die.

Most kids his age couldn't say that, but his circumstances were a little different. At 14 years old, injuries and insults at school were so familiar to him that they almost granted a feeling of being home. Not that his life at home was any better than being around his peers.

At age 4, Izuku was diagnosed as quirkless. 

His mother was the first of many people to treat him differently. Even at a young age he had noticed his mother's smile change. What once had been a soothing and bright expression had changed to a cheap imitation of feelings no longer there. She hadn't treated Izuku the same since they had left the doctor's office that day.

She grew sterner, quicker to berate and even quicker to deal out physical punishments for the slightest of infractions. When he had stayed out too late following around Kacchan, he had been dealt with. When he came home too early, he had received the same abuse. Izuku had grown used to receiving this treatment from his mother, especially when he would come home to see her hand wrapped around a beer bottle.

He would always wonder why she had never held onto him that tight.

Izuku was always quick to leave the house for school, quickly throwing on his uniform and skillfully hiding all of his bruises from the day before underneath the suffocating fabric of the jacket they were forced to wear at Aldera. Izuku had learned every creaky floorboard in the floor of the house, locations ingrained into his soul from years of terror. He remembered the times when he would wake up his mom accidentally, and the scars from broken bottles lining his skin would surely never let him forget.

School was...better. The abuse there was more verbal than physical, and at least he wasn't being neglected?

He knew that was a bad excuse, but you take what you can get.

The people at Aldera treated him like he was less than worthless, and Izuku could likely write a book detailing every name he's ever been called. He supposed it wouldn't be a very interesting or nice book to read, but there would be a lot of pages. Bakugo Katsuki would have to be cited as a co-author, due to his aggression and passion when it came to bullying Izuku.

A once dear figured turned abuser as soon as he received his diagnosis from the quirk doctor, Bakugo had the same level of impact as his mother. Every day it got harder for Izuku to get out of bed and face another day of torture at the hands of those close to him.

He wasn't sure why he did it anymore.

Izuku's mind wandered as he walked down the street, his footfalls soft against the dark asphalt of the road. His footsteps could just barely be heard echoing under the shadowed underpass, a trait ingrained in his body from sneaking past his mother. The route he walked was a familiar path, feeling some form of security wash over him from the routine of walking home from school. He knew where he was going, so he allowed his mind to wander a little.

Izuku wasn't fully sure where he wanted to die. 

Or how.

He had put a lot of thought into the subject, the aches and pains burning in his body were evident that he was closer to it than most. He knew that most people wanted to die surrounded by loved ones...but he didn't have any. Izuku wanted to die away from everything and everyone he had ever known. Somewhere clean, calm, nothing like his disordered home or chaotic school.

His thoughts were disrupted, the clang of metal against asphalt reverberating underneath the overpass. Izuku turned around quickly, eyes met with a horrible sight.

From the manhole emerged a mass of dark green sludge, pooling onto the road and rising with every second. Izuku felt the breath catch in his throat as it rose up higher and higher, now taller than him and towering over him. Two objects swished through the thick liquid until they reached the top revealing large, yellowed eyes peering down on Izuku's trembling body.

"...a medium sized invisibility cloak?"  The sludge split to reveal a massive mouth filled with large disgusting teeth. Izuku could feel the hot breath on his face, taking a step back as his body trembled.

He couldn't take another step, feeling a slimy tendril wrap around his leg. Within a moment, his body was encased in the filthy liquid, and he couldn't attempt to scream for help as it flooded into his mouth and down his throat. Tears leaked from his eyes as he felt himself losing consciousness. 

'Is this where I die...?' Izuku idly wondered, feeling his insides get pushed aside to make room for the villain surrounding him. It felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside, the feeling of sludge and the trash that floated inside of it being forced into his mouth.

Words struggled to come to his mind as his vision began to fade. All he felt was pain and disgust as his eyes rolled back into his head, his jaw clamping shut as Izuku passed out.

Yagi Toshinori let out a small grunt, feeling his body strain as he pushed off the floor of the sewer. 

He propelled himself up through the hole in the ceiling, crouching with his fists up as he landed on the street. He threw on his signature smile automatically and whipped his head about as he looked for the villain.

"Have no fear, for I am..."

The words died in his throat as he couldn't see any villain. The only person around was a young boy, standing a few feet away with his back to Yagi. The pro hero shook his head lightly as he walked up to the boy who had his head down. He placed his massive hand on the small boys shoulder.

"Hello there young man! Would you happened to have seen a villain go by here? He was large and made of a dark green liquid." All Might boomed, his smile glittering even under the shadow of the bridge above them. The young boy turned, finally facing Yagi.

He smiled brightly, green eyes wide as they looked up at All Might. The freckled face of the boy beamed up at the hero as he responded.

"All Might!? Uh...no sir. Sorry, I haven't seen anyone that looks like that." The boy stuttered a little as he spoke, Yagi's heart swelling a little.

The boy was nervous, must be a fan.

He cleared his throat, fist going up to cover his mouth. He glanced down at his hand, seeing specks of blood covering the inside of his curled fingers. His time was almost up. 

He looked up at the boy, noticing he had some green liquid dripping down from his nostrils. On instinct, All Might reached into the pocket of his cargo pants, pulling out one of the tissues he kept on him for his bloody coughs. He handed it to the boy and politely signalled to his nose.

The boy's face seemed to pale, all color draining from his freckled complexion. He quickly laughed nervously and wiped his nose, All Might's smile growing a little brighter.

Poor kid must be embarrassed.

Yagi waved at the boy, turning around as he began to leave. A pang in his torso reminded him that he was pushing his limit. He would have to continue his search for the sludge villain another time. 

"Alright then, carry on! Have a good day young man!" All Might shouted as he crouched down once more, and leapt away into the sky. As he searched for a rooftop to touch down on safely, his mind wandered.

Hopefully the sludge villain hadn't gotten too far.

Izuku regained consciousness a few times, only brief flashes of moments that didn't feel real.

He remembered the grit of a knife handle against his palm. 

Watching the sun set with eyes that weren't his to control.

A vague flash of entering a convenience store and pointing the knife at the cashier.

The deep scarlet of blood pooling against reflective glossy tiles.

He remembered the wind against his face as his body ran through the night, finding safety and solace in an abandoned parking garage.

His mind flashed in and out, feeling nothing but pure agony as his body strained against its intruder futily.

In a moment, there was clarity.

Izuku rested against cold sand, face pressed against the dune as his body ached. His hands shakily reached up, arms trembling as they attempted to support his weight and push him up.

He fell back onto his knees, the sensation of sand against his legs further grounding him and bringing him into the moment. 

Izuku was naked, save for a clean linen cloth wrapped around his waist. His confusion grew deeper as his eyes went up and looked around.

The green haired teen sat in the middle of a desert, nothing but sand as far as he could see. The wave-like patterns of the rising and falling sand dunes were mesmerizing underneath the star pattern night sky, each individual star burning brighter than he had ever seen before. Right in the center of the beautiful sky rested the moon, which was larger than he had ever seen before. It was so close to Earth that Izuku could point out each individual crater and blemish on it's rocky surface.

Is this...heaven?

He rose to his feet, taking a few shaky steps on the shifting mound of sand. As tired and broken as he was, something was compelling him forward. Something bigger than him.

He continued forward, no clear path in sight. There were no landmarks, no indications that this was the path he was supposed to be on. Even then...something was making him walk forward. Something was making him walk in the direction of the moon.

As he trudged forward, the darkness of the desert seemed to part under the glow of the moon. Revealed before him was a massive oasis, palm trees surrounded the pool making an small alcove of life in the bleak beige of the desert.

Izuku broke out into a sprint, falling to his knees at the edge of the water. Suddenly, his throat was drier than it had ever been before. His eyes darted up to the palm trees, noting that there were coconuts growing underneath the leaves. He felt hunger gnaw at him, his body wanting nothing more than to climb up the tree and rip the coconut apart to get to the flesh on the inside.

He turned his gaze forward and cupped his hands, reaching forward to scoop water from the oasis. His reflection stopped him in his tracks.

The clear water reflected Izuku back at himself, but he wasn't entirely sure that it was him. From within the depths of the water, a freckled green haired teen smiled back, with a wider smile than Izuku had ever seen before. The eyes weren't green like his own, they were a bright silver and glimmered with mirth.

"...You are dead, Izuku Midoriya....or will be soon I suppose."  The reflection spoke to him, a deep and gritty voice echoing out of the sand dunes. Izuku shuddered under the weight of the pressure that had appeared.

"...your body is not your own anymore. Taken by a criminal who has already committed crimes using your hands and your face. Are you fine with that?" The voice continued to speak. The teen began to tremble, feeling the voice permeate through his entire being. The voice went silent, seemingly expecting Izuku to answer.

Izuku choked a little, the dryness in his throat getting worse now. "N-no. No I'm not. But...I'm dying. What could I do?"

The twisted reflection bared its teeth wider, eyes glinting brighter.

"Submit yourself to me. I will give you back your body, and more."

Izuku felt the aches in his body come back in full force. The agony and torture that had been inflicted on his body for the past few hours as the villain rampaged in his skin, all returning now. The dryness in his throat worsened and the hunger in his stomach threatened to make him cry.

"W-who are you...?" He weakly cried out, desperately trying to push his hands into the oasis. Some invisible force stopped him, holding his hands a few inches from the water he so desperately craved. He pushed and pushed but it would not budge.

"I am Khonshu, god of the moon and vengeance...and to you, Izuku Midoriya, I offer divine purpose. Submit yourself to me." The reflection crooned; teeth bared in a twisted visage. He was clearly amused by this, trying to drag an answer out of Izuku.

Feeling the pain rampage through his body, the dryness of his throat, and the gnawing of his hunger Izuku had only one thought in mind.

"Please..." Izuku cried out weakly.

The reflection shrugged, a small shit-eating grin on his face.

"Good enough for me."

The invisible barrier vanished and Izuku fell face first into the oasis, dark and murky waters lit only by the light of the moon.

The sludge villain sat happily in the dark corner of the parking garage, counting the bills he had taken from the cashier with a grin on his face.

The blood soaked cleaver sat at his side, still wet from it's recent use. He was surrounded by a few items, small snacks taken from the store and other items from victims he had robbed earlier in the day. It was amazing how well he could hide while in the skin of an assuming teenager, he figured he could get a few more days out of this body before it began to decompose and give him away.

Suddenly, he felt a tingle in the back of his mind, a small feeling that grew into a massive skull-pounding headache.

The body he resided in began to glow, a soft white light that grew brighter with each second.

Is this the kids quirk or something...?

He raised the hand up to look at it, before his world exploded.

"Leave this body, defiler."

The body of Izuku Midoriya erupted with a bright light, vaporizing the criminal within a moment. The wounds on his body knit themselves back together under the glow of the moon, injuries reversing themselves and body growing stronger.

The green haired teen slumped on the floor unconscious and unmoving.

With a strangled gasp for air, Izuku broke through the surface of the oasis and clawed his way onto the grassy bank of the pool.

His body hit the ground as he choked, coughing up water as someone walked up to him. After his coughing fit ended, he turned his eyes up to the person standing over him.

A skeletal bird head floated above white bandaged robes, the man standing at over 7 feet tall. He stared down at him, and while he lacked a face to smile with, Izuku could feel the grin on the deity in front of him. 

"Got enough water?" The deity asked, clearly making fun of the teen. Izuku dragged himself up to his feet, noting idly that his body didn't hurt anymore.

He stayed quiet for a while, looking up at the massive moon god while in deep in thought. He opened his mouth to speak, but words didn't leave his lips.

"...that was real, wasn't it?" The teen asked, Khonshu nodding in response. He paused, mind racing with questions again.

"...and I just pledged myself to you, didn't I?" The bird god nodded in response again, his aura growing even more mischevious.

"You are now the Fist of Khonshu, Izuku Midoriya. You act in my stead and enforce my will where I see fit." The deity spoke, voice still stern but clearly playful. The god was happy that he had convinced Izuku to serve him, leaning on his staff as he looked down on him.

"What does your will include?" He asked with a wince.

"You will protect those that travel in the night and serve justice to criminals wherever you go. That is the work of the Fist of Khonshu." Khonshu said, turning and walking away slowly.

Izuku reached out a hand for him as he walked away. "W-wait! Serve justice? I can't fight, I'm quirkless. How am I supposed to do that!?" He cried out.

Khonshu turned, the bird skull looking down at Izuku. His posture was still playful and mischievous, as if he found pleasure in Izuku's discomfort and suffering.

"As a Fist of Khonshu, you have access to the wisdom and counsel of those who were once in your position. You also have an outfit befitting of a priest devoted to me. Have fun, Izuku Midoriya." Khonshu spoke one last time, before he slammed the tip of his staff into the ground. With one tap, the sand flew up into the air and he disappeared without a sound.

Izuku stood at the edge of the oasis, confused and lost before he heard noise behind him. As he turned around to face the oasis once more, he gasped lightly in surprise.

Whereas the oasis had been empty before, now it was surrounded by people. People of varying heights, ages, and genders loitered around the pool. Some were immersed in conversation with others, sitting in groups, or on their own. Many seemed to look up at Izuku's seemingly sudden arrival but looked down after a few moments. They seemed to be largely uninterested in him.

"Don't worry about them, they aren't all like that." A voice spoke from his left, drawing his attention. 

A man stood in white linen clothing, seeming almost like bandages wrapped around his body to make armor. Everyone seemed to be in the same armor, including Izuku now. His hood was down, revealing his tan skin and unkempt hair. He had a large bushy black beard and long sleek hair tied to the side in a ponytail. His face was warm, and he had a small smile on his face as he looked down at Izuku.

"You're the first Fist we've had in a very long time. A pleasure, young one." The man bowed gently, genuinely happy to see Izuku.

It had been a long time since Izuku had felt wanted. An unfamiliar feeling blossomed in his chest, albeit weak.

Izuku bowed back quickly, his body shaking lightly. This whole experience had been a lot, and he was feeling a little overwhelmed.

"H-hi. I'm Izuku Midoriya...are you a Fist as well?" He asked, stuttering only a little.

The man nodded warmly. "I suppose even in death I am, but I have not been alive for many years. I am Bayek of Siwa." He spoke warmly, his words like a warm blanket on Izuku's mind.

"...nice to meet you Bayek. Where are we...?" Izuku spoke as Bayek led him to foot of a palm tree. Bayek took a seat and patted the grass next to him gently, motioning for Izuku to join him.

Izuku took his spot in the grass as Bayek began to speak. "This is the Moonpool where all Fists of Khonshu rest, in life and in death." 

The green haired teen tilted his head in confusion. "That's...not very specific. Like, where?"

Bayek laughed at Izuku's bluntness, a hearty sound that seemed to chip away at Izuku's tension.

"Ah, that is what you meant. I believe it is an alternate dimension created by our patron. Your body is not here, only your soul has joined us here."

Izuku bit his lip in thought, nodding along. "I can just...do that now? Send my soul here?"

"Yes, young one. It is how you will be training with us, as well as coming here when you rest. All you need to do is meditate and wish to be here."

"...training, right. I...is it a problem that I don't know how to fight? I feel a little unprepared for whatever this job is." Izuku asked nervously.

"Many here did not know how. You are not the first untrained one, and you will not be the last. It is the duty of the ancestors to pass down our skills to you." Bayek spoke with wisdom, his almost parental tone soothing Izuku's nerves immediately.

The two sat under the tree, Izuku already feeling a little better about his situation.

"Now, young one. Tell me about yourself. I wish to know more about our newest Fist of Khonshu."

"You have lived a rough live, little one." Bayek hums gently, his hand moving to Izuku's shoulder. "I am proud of how far you have come, it takes great strength to make it through the adversity you have faced."

The words melt Izuku to his core, the hand on his shoulder foreign but welcome. Izuku nods, a smile crawling onto his face.

"Thank you, Bayek...that means a lot. Khonshu said I would learn from the other Fists how to...well, be a Fist. Can you tell me?" He spoke, his tone clearly confused and concerned.

The other man nodded and stood, beckoning Izuku to stand as well. "You must learn how to fight and enforce justice. I suppose in your time, that would mean being a 'vigilante'." Bayek spoke, brushing some sand off of his clothes.

"A vigilante, not a hero?" Izuku asked, brow furrowing in confusion. "Delivering criminals to justice and saving people sounds like a heroes job...why vigilante?"

Bayek nodded, a little sorrow creeping into his face. "We are the Fists of Khonshu, we deliver justice to criminals who creep through our domain of the night. This means, we kill the criminals."

Izuku felt a lump in his throat, stopping his words and slowing his breathing. "...kill? You want me to kill people?"

Bayek nodded gently, his hand now on Izuku's shoulder. "It is something we must all come to terms with. In my time, I suppose death was more common but it was still a harsh punishment."

"...your time?" Izuku asked, looking up at the older man. He noted now that they were close that Bayek's face was deeply wrinkled, indicating a long and stressful life.

With a nod, Bayek began to speak his story. "In my time, I was an...assassin of sorts. I was the last Medjay of Egypt, a position devoted to protecting the people of Egypt wherever I went. I learned that death, albeit harsh, was a useful tool in saving the lives of innocents."

Izuku took a few moments to think, but Bayek lightly pushed his shoulder and stirred him from his thoughts. The older man smiled at him, eyes glittering with mirth. 

"We can discuss the more serious topics later. You'll need to return to your body soon, and I want to get you through a little bit of fighting lessons first. I'll try to get through everything while we work."

The man put up his fists, a playful smile on his face as he faced the younger boy.

"Show me what you can do, young one."