"Oi Deku! What's with that junk?"

"It's not junk! It's something precious to me!"

Izuku held the sword handle wrapped int clothes tightly against his chest. The child was reserve and defensive about his most prized possession.

The blonde boy, however, didn't seem to care and pushed the subject even more. "C'mon! Just let me see it! I bet it's as useless as you Deku!"

"I said no!" Izuku yelled back.

"Just show me!"

"No!"

"Darn it Deku, just show me the piece of junk you have."

Without hesitation, Izuku's eyes dilated before he instinctively took a swing against the hand that was going for his sword.

"Back off Katsuki." His tone was dead on imitating, even for a child. The blonde known as Katsuki did so with some reluctance.

"What's up with you? You always just stay by yourself, swinging that thing over and over again. Don't tell me that's how you are going to be a hero?"

"I don't want to be a hero," Izuku admitted, returning to his old meek demeanor. He got a shocked looked from his blonde best friend.

"Why?! You haven't even got your quirk yet and your already giving up?!"

"I just don't want to be a hero Kaachan. I like swinging this blade around, more than being some flashy hero." Izuku looked down at the wrapped blade in his arms, then hugging it with as much love as he could to an object.

"Deku...you can't be serious. What happens to be partners for the future, fighting villains, saving people, and winning the day? Did someone tell you can't be a hero? Because if they did I will sock them for you!" Katsuki gave a half-sad and half disappointed look. This was his childhood and best friend who was flaking out on their dream.

"I just...don't want to be a hero. I don't want that anymore." Izuku returned a mutual feeling of sadness and disappointment towards himself. He walked to his friend giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.

"But I know you will be a great one. Be the best hero you can be." Izuku gave a genuine bright smile towards his best buddy. This time, the response he hoped to get was not anything he expected at all.

"No!" Katsuki brought the friend into a tight hug. "Listen to me! You're the only guy that sticks around for me, not my powers but me! I don't care if you are Quirkless or not! You are my friend! Friends stick together, thick and thin. Brotherhood till the end."

"Kaachan your hugging too tight!" Izuku felt his gut being jabbed in by the sword handle. That was thanks to the vice grip hug of his friend.

"I won't let go until you say you're going to be a hero!"

"But..."

"Say it!"

"Let go..."

"Please! It is our dream! You are just as a hero fan like me! I won't believe for a second that you want to just give up that goal!" Katsuki was sounding really desperate, to even the point that some kids around the playground would stare at them.

"Okay. I will be a hero." Izuku promised, well just said that so the grip around him would stop. Katsuki let go with a smile of pride as if Izuku had regained his sense of self.

"Yes! Even if your Quirkless, you will still be a hero!"

"Um. Kaachan?"

"Yea Deku?"

"Can I go practice my swinging?"

Katsuki gave a pout and was about to deny Izuku but said boy already took off to the other side of the playground. The blonde stared with a blank look on his face. He needed to get Deku away from that sword handle. It's been two weeks since his friend brought it with him and back then, he wouldn't say much. Always swinging his object and practicing odd and unfamiliar movements. It was getting ridiculous that Izuku would rather play with his thing and not play with Katsuki and the other kids.

On school days, Izuku was about the same only this time he did the swings without the sword handle. He even runs back and forth until he dropped down on the ground tired. Leaving Katsuki one friend out of any game. Soon the teachers became a concern from this behavior and contacted/scheduled an appointment with Izuku's parents. Even Aunt Inko and Uncle Hisashi we're curious about the newfound behavioral change their son underwent.

Still, after the first week, things went back to normal, somewhat. While Izuku became the fastest kid in the neighborhood, even winning races against some ten to twelve-year-olds with some challenge. Overall, his speed whenever he was forced to play a game with the class was outstanding. Katsuki couldn't believe it. Mind you that Izuku was still four with no noticed of any signs of a quirk, so seeing a kid so agile and quick is really a sight to behold.

Katsuki stared as his friend went at the physical activity, holding nothing back. Moving so quick but the child didn't have the stamina to matched to feats of speed as a four-year-old.

"Like this Akame?" He heard Izuku asked openly as he practiced another swing.

"Or this?" This time he switched he foot placement.

'Who is he even talking too?' Katsuki thought, he was curious sure but for now, watching as Izuku worked himself was so awesome!

Izuku paid no mind to the exterior factors and faces around him. He was lost in his own little void. Darkness by the warmth of a fireplace. It was like the cabin in storybooks his mother would read him from time to time. Hot and warm, sweat cooling his body while room temperature would heat him up again. That was the best way Izuku could explain each time he practiced.

He wasn't alone, of the meaning the stunning black-haired lady that would loom over him. He could sense her with no problem and enjoyed the company. For she was a beauty that he couldn't describe.

Izuku was smitten with innocent love. He wanted to talk to her more and more. Share laughs, smiles, and silly moments. However, did she feel the same?

The relationship was odd to those who couldn't see what Izuku can see. She was basically his teacher, older sister, a comrade, and a solider in his eyes. Basically a role model and the standard he set himself if he met any other girls with just as much grace as her.

She would correct him, guiding his arms in the direction that was the right path to take with the broken blade. All he could ever do was ask her something, it was never the other way around. It was just her, looking at him as if it was the only thing she could ever do. Like she needed permission to talk.

It frustrates Izuku to no end. He doesn't even know her as a person! Whenever he asks, the visage would just stay silent.

Why did she appear more when that shard of the blade fused with the sword? Wait...

Maybe that was it! All he has to do was find more! Nodding to himself with a good plan. Izuku decided to head for the beach again.

At the Beach...

Looking down at the waves crashing the shore, Izuku held a determined look with the sword handle strapped to his back. He had a couple of ideas. Actually just one good one. Look around and see if the blade can react to anything.

"Deku. What are we even doing here? Shouldn't we head home?" The blonde accompanied the child once he realized that Izuku wasn't even heading in the direction of home.

"You can go to Kaachan. I need to be here." Izuku said not wavering from his desires.

"Nah. Actually, I will stick around. Maybe we will find something cool."

Katsuki only got a nod from his best friend before the search began.

To the blonde, this seemed like a waste of time, nothing but seashells and garbage laying between the soaked sands. Following close behind Izuku, Katsuki was starting to let his mind wander.

'Maybe Izuku should lead from now on.' For the longest, he ever knew, Izuku was a follower. But leaving him to his own devices and development, he had the determination to get stuff done.

Katsuki witnessed Izuku picking up some rocks with odd shapes before putting them down. What was he even looking for? If not shells and rocks, then what? Garage and wastes? Katsuki followed Izuku without even asking what was the objective.

Hours past. It was sunset. Their parents would have noticed by now. Katsuki was laying against a rock, bathing in the sun all afternoon. He could see Izuku in the distance still looking for whatever he was looking for. Tired but actually relaxed, Katsuki took the time to appreciate this trip.

A personal trip with his best friend, not any other side-characters, just him and Izuku. Nothing else and no one else.

Izuku, however, lost track of time the moment he arrived at the beach. Fetching for his desired piece of the sword. It was close to sundown, dusk was upon them.

Eventually, the sword pulsated. Like a steady heartbeat. Izuku felt himself closer to his objective. His feet then body sunk into the ocean waters. His hands rummaging around until he got something sharp. His fingers were bleeding but the pain was almost nonexistent compared to the accomplishment of finding a piece of the dark blade. Returning back to the dry sands, Izuku unwrapped the sword and held the fragmented piece to the blade. It glowed and pulsated once more before fusing together.

"Odd. How come your not in pain?" A voice echoed behind him. Looking over his shoulder he saw the stunning lady behind him. It was a first, she started the conversation.

"Am I suppose to be in pain?" Izuku asks more so curious than worried.

"Never mind that, it seems the more fragmented pieces you find, the closer Murasame will be created again."

Once she said Murasame, a flood of thoughts and feelings resonated within the sword and dumped upon Izuku. The child felt heavy, he couldn't groan or moan, just wobble and kneel down. As if something in him was lost. Forever gone.

And that was his innocence...

In his mind, that split second, Izuku had lived all of the lives of the previous users of this sword. The number of lives it took would amount to a population of a small country. Especially since the first few users were abusers of its one-hit-kill perk.

Taking a stand with a still-broken Murasame in hand. Izuku got into a stance once more. Only this time, there was something else. No longer did he feel the physical weight of the sword but the emotional one. Lives taken for many different reasons. How could a four-year-old comprehend this? His spirit grew but it darkened at the same time. 

Akame noticed this change in the soul. The child was becoming akin to her. Only this time, more exposed to the darkness and depression that was Murasame.

Izuku practiced his drills as what they were actually called. Going over the stances and movements in a flow that was unlikely for a four-year-old. His movements were swift and strong.

Just this time, it felt a lot more natural.

"Who are you?" Izuku asks just finishing testing out his new moves.

"Akame, of Night Raid." The spirit said looming over Izuku.

Odd, how come Izuku can't recall Akame's life when he definitely saw the others before her.

No matter, he learned her name. That's all he ever wanted at the moment.

"Nice to meet you Akame. I am Izuku."

The girl smiled down at the Izuku's politeness. She pats his head then stroke the curly looks like his mother would do to him.

"It's nice to meet you as well."

And so began the years-long relationship between the future and the past...