#cyborg!toshi

[professor-spacecakes]

Taking a break from some commission work to... Do more work! I wanted to get more art done for my Cyberpunk AU visual novel, and so I started on All Might's character frames. Let me know what you think!

[professor-spacecakes]

So.... Cyberpunk AU, anyone?

[professor-spacecakes]

Cyberpunk AU - Dave and Toshi

 Dave sat, bathed in the pale green glow cast off by the many vital monitors over his worktable, a soft, rhythmic beeping breaking the silence at regular intervals. The mechanical body that was slotted into the vaguely man-shaped indentation in that metal slab, as it had many times before, lay in a partially dismantled state in preparation for alteration. The new owner of that body was considerably smaller than the previous one, and adjustments needed to be made.

 And what of the previous owner? All Might, the living legend himself, the multi-level city’s most beloved Enforcer. To the people, he was a tireless hero, a glimmer of hope shining through the endless buzzing neon of Musutafu. To the governing corporations, he was a convenient tool to keep unrest to a minimum. But to Dave, he was everything. He was someone he couldn’t imagine living without, someone who’s bright smile never failed to lift his spirits, who’s decades of companionship could never be replaced. To Dave, he was someone far more precious than All Might. To Dave, he was Toshi.

 He cradled Toshi’s disembodied head gently in his lap, running his quicksilver fingers gingerly through the old Enforcer’s golden hair. He could have been dead as far as any observer might have been concerned, but the beeping of the vital monitor assured that he was merely in a deep sleep.

 Dave let out a heavy sigh, eyes drifting over to that gleaming body of bright red, blue and gold. That miraculous O.F.A. body was the only one that had been capable of supporting his dear friend, but even it couldn’t do so forever. The damage to Toshi’s neural interface was progressive and irreversible, and trying to replace it with any other body would likely kill the Enforcer. Dave had spent the years since Toshi had been cyberized meticulously examining that body, gleaning many unique innovations that had skyrocketed him to the top of his field, but was he good enough to recreate it? Would he bet Toshi’s life on his cybernetics skills? Even if he could replicate it perfectly, a feat he knew he couldn’t do, the neurological damage caused from its operation would only continue. There seemed to be no other option forward, unless...

[professor-spacecakes]

Now that the Cyberpunk AU is actually getting a zine, it occurs to me that I never shared my first planning sketch for Cyborg Small Might. Obviously his design has changed a bit since this original sketch, but I figured you guys would like to see it anyway.

Also, I know you guys have asked for it back in March when I first shared this AU, but yes I will be writing a multi-chapter fic for this! I’d also like to draw some of the other characters as they’d be in this universe, and I’ve already got Todoroki, Uraraka, Kaminari and Jirou, and of course Dave planned. Stay tuned for that stuff very soon! (You can find the older stuff in my Cyberpunk AU tag if this is the first you’re hearing of it from me)

And, of course, if you’re interested in the zine, go follow @nexusc0dezine​ for updates! (note: not yet affiliated with this zine, just psyched lol)

[professor-spacecakes]

Rough sketch of my next piece for my BNHA Cyberpunk AU. I’ve wanted to do this one for a while. In my story for this AU, Dave has much more involvement in the main storyline than in the original series. I’ll give you a bit of a lore dump below the cut for those interested in what’s going on here.

If you haven’t read my original notes I made for this AU back in April, O.F.A is a one-of-a-kind cyborg body that is capable of being installed on people with Analog Disorder, a.k.a. the genetic disposition to immediately and painfully reject any cybernetic augmentations. (It’s this universe’s version of being Quirkless)

All Might inherited the body from his Master after her death, but having Analog Disorder means that his connection (his nerves connecting his brain to the body in this case) eventually deteriorates and he’s unable to operate it at full power for more than short bursts at a time. At the point where he’s desperate to find someone to inherit the body, he finds Izuku.

This is where Dave comes in. In this universe, Dave and Toshi have been friends since childhood, having grown up on the same “Deck” of the city. (feel free to take a peek at the first chapter of my fic “A Quirk in the Code” for a brief overview of the setting, ect.) Dave has admired Toshi practically since the day they met, and he originally becomes a cyberneticist to help him become a cyborg despite his Analog Disorder. Before he can complete his training, however, Nana passes O.F.A. to Toshi. Dave is disappointed that he couldn’t do more to help, but he stays by Toshi’s side to support him nonetheless.

Dave studies the O.F.A. body for years, trying his best to decipher the technology it uses. He’s able to replicate some systems, though a few key functions remain a mystery. Even so, his research rockets him to the top of his field, and he continues to be the only one All Might trusts to go to for repairs to his body.

When it comes time for Izuku to inherit the O.F.A. body, it is Dave that performs the transfer. This, of course, means removing what remains of All Might (his head/brain) from the body. That brings us to this scene: Dave has removed All Might’s head (he’s still alive, don’t worry!) and is wondering what would be best for him moving forward. He can replicate the O.F.A. to a point, but not perfectly, meaning the neural interface would continue to deteriorate even more rapidly than before. He does eventually make a decision, but alas you’ll have to wait for me to write it out in the fic to find that out.