There are voices inside his head. Memories and half remembered dreams. It feels like an explosion, teetering on an edge and he barely knows it. And he clings and clings and clings, but it isn't enough. Nothing ever is.

It is something familiar (but not).

It is something resign (to what?).

All he can do is stare at his-her hand? (Too big, too small, too slender, too scarred, what?) He clenches his fist, trying to hold. (What was he-she-they-he holding onto?)

"Izuku?" Inko asks.

The word mother chokes his throat. This isn't his mother. His mother is Tomiko, Sakura, Ayame, ChiyoKyokoSaoriKamuiHana-Inko!

"Mom?" Izuku asks, voice so soft. The world spins and there are images overlapping each other. His mother features blur. There's blood, there's tears, there's a broken smile. He sees her die, he sees her grow old, he sees her bury him, he sees her laugh, he sees her smile. Black hair, green hair, blue hair, blond hair, white hair, gray hair!

Something is wrong. (Everything is alright.)

You are the 9th.

Who is saying that? (He-she-they-them are saying it. Saying what? Why?)

Who are you?

He is Izuku-ToshinoriNanafriendloverbrothertraitorbetrayer! No!

Four and Nine. This is the curse.

Curse for what? Betrayer. Traitor. Blood and fire. Death and smiles. Break and shatter.

"Izuku?" Inko asks again. Voice sharp and harder, duality of different sounds overlapping. Frantic? Worried? Angry? He-she-they can't tell.

His head feels like it's splitting apart. Overwhelming. Nauseating.

"Izuku! Stop! You're hurting yourself!"

The scent of blood. Death. Dying. Decaying.

Shatter and break.

Break and shatter.

Break.

Shatter.

"Izuku!"

9 (like 4) is considered to be unlucky in Japan as 9 (九) when pronounced as ku is homophone for (苦) suffering/agony. My headcanon goes the 4th, 14th, 24th, 34th, 44th holders of OfA die early, and the 9th, 19th, 29th and 39th holders suffer in agony. And 49th is a double whammy and probably the last.

Please leave a review on your way out.