Chapter Text
At first, Izuku thought he was quirkless. Maybe it would have been easier if he was.
When he was four, and everyone else developed their quirks, he… didn’t. At least, he didn’t think he did. A few months passed. He still didn’t have a quirk. Worried, his mother took him to see a quirk specialist. He wasn't quirkless, according to the results. He did have some kind of quirk. But no one knew what it could be.
The next day at school, he told them he wasn't quirkless. They asked him to prove it by showing off his quirk. He said he didn't know what his quirk was, but that he knew he wasn't quirkless.
They didn't believe him.
When he was five, his father died. It was an accident, as far as he and his mother knew, but it still crushed them to find out.
Except, that night, when he went to bed, his father tucked him in and turned off the lights for him.
The next morning, he told his mother what had happened.
"I know sweetheart," Mom had said, "I miss him too."
...She didn't believe him.
Yet.
He had started seeing the strange figures when he was four, but he hadn't connected the dots then. There were lots of people who had quirks that made them have strange appearances, and it was rude to stare at people.
But when he was in large crowds, sometimes, he would see strange people. Their eyes would be an inky black, they would be just a little less saturated than everyone else, and if he stared at them for long enough, they would start to seem see-through, like they were made of mist.
When he was six, he realized what they were.
He was scrolling through the TV channels when he came across a ghost hunting show. On screen, was a "ghost hunter" who was waving around some kind of a detector.
...And next to the ghost hunter, was one of those strange figures.
The strange figure was laughing, but the ghost hunter didn't seem to notice them at all.
After a moment, the strange figure reached out and waved a hand in front of the ghost hunter's detector. The detector started beeping and the ghost hunter whirled around and started pointing the detector around frantically. This caused the strange figure to laugh harder.
The ghost hunter still didn't see the strange figure.
For a moment, watching the TV, he was perplexed. Then, he paused it and hit rewind.
He called his mother into the room, hit 'play' and asked her to explain what was happening on the TV.
She told him everything that he had seen before- everything except for the strange figure.
"Izuku? Are you all right?" She asked.
He hesitated for a moment. "...I think I figured out my quirk now."
This time, she believed him. She was a bit worried about the nature of his quirk, but she promised to always love and support him.
…
The next day, he tried to tell his classmates about his quirk.
They didn't believe him.
When he was seven, it sank in just how… strange his quirk was. And how sad it was too.
Those strange figures that he had seen, those ghosts ... they were dead. They were real people who had lived, and had died. It hadn't sunk in at first, because he could see them just like he could see anyone else, and then when it did... he had no idea what to do with his realization.
He supposed, maybe, he could keep them company at least.
When he was eight, he met a ghost sitting on a bench, watching the sunset.
She was rather old, and she stared off at the horizon with a dazed expression.
He was almost tempted to continue on his way without saying anything. He didn't know her, and he needed to be getting home anyway and...
Isn't it a hero's job to help people, though?
After a small moment of consideration, he sat down on the bench next to the ghost.
"That's a nice sunset, isn't it?" He commented, if only to get her attention.
The ghost looked to him, surprised. "You can see me?"
He nodded. "It's my quirk. I can see ghosts."
She sagged. "Oh. So I... I really am...?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just... having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea." She sighed. "Being dead. I mean. Sure, I knew it would be coming but..."
"...It must be hard," He eventually responded. "Is there... I mean, is there anything I can do for you?"
"No." She said, softly, but with a firm certainty to it. "I just wanted to see a sunset one last time."
There was a pause. Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "What's it like? I mean. How does it feel to be a ghost?"
The ghost was silent for a moment, thinking. "It's hard to describe. I feel kind of weightless. Cold. And... no one acknowledges me being around anymore. Because they can't see me, I suppose. It still feels hard to adjust to, though."
There was a longer pause this time, as they sat there, watching the sunset.
"You're a good kid, you know." The ghost said out of nowhere, interrupting the silence. "I appreciate you keeping me company here."
"It’s no big deal," He said.
"It is to me." She responded. "... Don't ever change. I mean that, kiddo. Some people in this world are... awful. You're good though. Keep that good in you, no matter what happens. Promise?"
"...I... yeah. I promise."
The ghost continued to stare at the sunset, but she smiled then. "Thank you."
There was a gust of wind, and then the ghost woman was gone.
At first, Izuku thought he was quirkless. Maybe it would have been easier if he was.
But looking back, he wouldn't change his quirk for the world. It's unique. It belongs to him. And maybe it isn't very heroic sounding, but it still lets him help people, people that most others don't even know need helping.
Izuku sits in the back of the classroom, writing in a notebook.
He likes being in the back. Most of the time it means people will leave him alone. Sure, it’s a little lonely but… none of his classmates have ever been good company. At least, not to him.
“Okay, class,” The teacher says from the front of the room, bored as can be. “Today we’re going to be going over our plans for the future.” He lets out a heavy sigh. “I… don’t see why the school makes us bother with it though. Pretty much all of you just want to be heroes, right?”
The classroom erupts into cheers, and a bunch of the students start showing off their quirks.
“You’re not allowed to use your quirks in school,” The teacher protests. None of them listen, of course.
“Yeah, well,” A loud voice says from the front of the room, “There’s a big difference between wanting to be a hero, and actually becoming one. Most of these clowns would be lucky to end up as a sidekick to some lame nobody hero.”
Oh dear. Izuku thinks, as the room turns from cheering to angry yells. He’s not exactly surprised that it would happen though; Bakugou is… always troublesome.
“...You’re planning on going to UA, aren’t you,” The teacher mutters, looking through a file in his hands. That gets everyone to fall (mostly) quiet as they stare at Bakugou in awe.
“UA?” “That’s the top school in the country…” “If anyone could get in, it’s Bakugou, I guess,”
Even though Izuku can’t see Bakugou’s face, he knows that Bakugou probably has a very smug expression right about now. “That’s right,” Bakugou says. “I have a powerful quirk, and I’ve aced all the mock tests. There’s no way they could turn me down! Then, after I graduate, I’ll move on to becoming the number one hero. I’ll be even greater than All Might-”
“Oh hey, Midoriya is applying to UA too.” The teacher interrupts.
Why. Why would you say words. Why. Izuku thinks to himself. For a moment he wishes that part of his quirk was turning into a ghost, so that he could disappear right about now and have no one see him. Unfortunately, that is not a part of his quirk.
For a few seconds, the room is quieter than a graveyard, ( though, when you can hear ghosts speaking, a graveyard isn’t very quiet anyway- ) and then all at once, everyone breaks out into laughter.
He had been expecting it, but even still, Izuku flinches away from the sound.
“DEKU!!” Bakugou shouts, and Izuku is already out of his seat and backing away before he even sees Bakugou storming up to him. “What the hell do you mean you’re applying to UA too?!”
“...I-it’s just that.” Izuku mumbles. “I’m applying to UA.”
“You don’t even have a quirk! What makes you think you can get in?!”
“I do have a quirk,” Izuku protests meekly.
“Oh yeah?” Bakugou snarls, unbelieving. “Then prove it .”
“I-I’ve told you, it’s not something physical that I can show off-”
“Sure it’s not,” Bakugou sneers. “Even if you’re not just a quirkless liar , what kind of a hero has a quirk that can’t even be used to fight villains?”
“It could have other uses-”
“Oh just shut up , Deku. No one cares.” Bakugou growls.
“Bakugou,” The teacher mutters, “Please get back to your seat.”
Bakugou glares at the teacher, then stomps back to his own desk. Izuku sags with relief.
“Midoriya, you too.”
Izuku sits back in his desk, and the school day continues. No, ‘hey Bakugou, maybe you shouldn’t threaten other students like that’. No, ‘hey Midoriya are you all right?’
The day just continues like normal.
Not that Izuku is surprised; that’s how it always happens. He just wishes that it could be different.
The rest of the day passes uneventfully from there. As the last bell rings, everyone starts packing up their things to leave.
Knowing Bakugou, he probably (definitely) has more to say on the topic of Izuku being a hero, and now that the day is over, Izuku knows that he’ll be coming back again.
Izuku packs his things into his bag as quickly as he can, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’ll be able to get out of there before Bakugou corners him.
The notebook is the only thing left to be put away now anyways, and-
-And just as he’s about to shove it in his bag, a hand reaches out a snatches it away from him.
Izuku glances up nervously.
“Where do you think you’re running off to, Deku?” Bakugou growls, waving the notebook in his hand, out of Izuku’s reach.
“What’cha got there?” One of Bakugou’s ‘friends’ asks. “His diary?”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Izuku mutters. “Please just give it back?”
Without even blinking an eye, Bakugou activates his quirk and torches the notebook.
“Hey-!” Izuku protests, and just as he reaches for it, Bakugou backs up and throws the notebook out the window. “You can’t just-!”
Bakugou leans in and Izuku flinches back.
“Listen up, Deku,” Bakugou growls. “You’re not applying to UA. Got it?”
“I- but- it’s none of your business what-”
Bakugou cuts him off, grabbing his shoulder. It’s not a necessarily tight grip, but it’s not a soft one either- and Izuku can see smoke rising off of his hand. “I said. Got. It? ”
Izuku flinches away but doesn’t say anything.
Eventually Bakugou pushes him away, and mutters. “Seems like it.”
They start to leave, but Izuku doesn’t dare move from his spot yet.
“Geez. A liar and a coward.” “Some hero he’d make.”
Izuku tries not to let their words get to him. It’s not like they don’t say these things all the time.
“...Hey, Deku.” Bakugou says once they reach the door. “You know, if you’re so desperate for a quirk that you’re willing to lie about one, I know a way you can get a quirk. Try taking a swan dive off the roof, and hope that you get a better quirk next time. Or, who knows! Maybe you’ll see some actual ghosts then!”
The door slams behind Bakugou as they leave, but Izuku can still hear his echoing laughter from the other side.
Once they’re far enough away that he can’t hear them anymore, Izuku glances out the window to check where his notebook landed. He finds it lying face up in a small pond. Either Bakugou had an incredibly lucky shot, or he had somehow aimed for the notebook to end up there. Izuku isn’t sure which would make him feel worse.
Still being careful to make sure he doesn’t end up near Bakugou again, Izuku makes his way down to the courtyard. With a heavy sigh, he carefully lifts the notebook out of the pond. Anxiously, he checks the inside of it. The pages are all soggy, and some of the ink in the writing is starting to bleed a little, but for the most part it’s still legible.
Putting it into his bag with everything else might damage it further, so he decides not to risk it. Making a mental note that he’ll have to properly dry it once he gets home, he sets off walking to… well, home.
While he walks, he tries to keep his mind occupied. Mostly, he’s trying not to let Bakugou’s words get to him.
He’s just a jerk. It doesn’t matter what he says. Izuku tells himself.
...It’s not very effective.
For most of the walk, he’s going on auto-pilot and letting his thoughts wander (well, wander anywhere that doesn’t involve thinking about Bakugou), when he passes under a bridge.
Suddenly, from behind, he hears a very loud clang that shakes him out of his thoughts.
He whirls around just in time to see something rising out of a sewer drain. Immediately, all of his instincts scream “villain”.
Time to go, he decides a split second later, turning back around, ready to make a run for it, but before he can even take one step he’s suddenly surrounded by a weird slime.
Oh dear-
As he finds himself coming back to consciousness, he hears fragments of words drifting in and out of his mind.
“He’ll… okay… Toshi… have to leave… time limit…”
Huh?
The next thing Izuku registers is someone shaking him by the shoulder. Then, a second voice (this one much closer than the first,) softly saying, “Kid. Hey. Hey, kid.”
Dazed, Izuku blinks his eyes open. He winces at the brightness, and everything is dizzy for a moment-
WAIT A SECOND.
“Good, you’re okay!” Says All Might, the number one hero, who is in fact, standing right in front of him. “I was worried that you were badly hurt!”
“I-I’m okay!” Izuku stutters out quickly.
“At least there’s that,” A voice says off to the side. Izuku glances over for a second, and sees a ghost. Once he realizes that the other person is a ghost, he quickly glances back to All Might.
He’s seen the ghost before a few times. She’s around All Might a lot, and most of the time when Izuku sees All Might on TV, she’s there too. Except, Izuku has no idea who she is. He’s never thought it polite to speculate about it, so he doesn't have any guesses either.
Right now isn’t really the time to talk to her, though. Talking to ghosts in front of people who can’t see the ghosts always feels… awkward.
So, Izuku refocuses onto All Might.
“That’s a relief!” All Might says cheerily after Izuku confirms that he’s okay. “The most important part of a hero’s job is saving people! If I can’t manage to do that, I’m not much of a hero then, am I?”
“B-but you’re the number one hero!” Izuku says enthusiastically. He glances around and notices his notebook sitting on the ground ( it must have fallen earlier, he assumes) and he quickly grabs it. “Hey, if it’s not too much trouble, do you think you could-” Izuku is about to ask ‘sign my notebook’, but as soon as he flips it open to the first blank page, he’s greeted by All Might’s large signature, already there. “YOU ALREADY SIGNED IT!!” Izuku looks up. “Th-thank you so much!”
All Might gives him a thumbs up and a smile. “Anyway, now that you’re all right, I’m afraid I have to get going.”
“Wait, what?” Izuku says, and he can’t help the disappointment that leaks into his voice. “You’re… leaving already?”
“Can’t be helped! Heroes have to fight time as well as villains.”
“But, I…” There are so many things I need to ask you…
And so, when All Might prepares himself to leap away, Izuku does the “not quite entirely sensible” thing and latches himself onto the hero's leg.
“That,” All Might says after they’ve landed on top of a roof, “Was very stupid.”
“I-I know, and I’m sorry,” Izuku stammers, “But there’s something-”
“I’m really sorry to run out on you like this kid, but I really am out of time.” All Might is already turning away.
“Wait!” Izuku shouts, shooting to his feet.
“I can’t-” All Might protests.
One thing. Make it count. “I wanted to ask you what makes someone a hero!!” Izuku yells.
All Might stops in his tracks.
After a second of pause, Izuku realizes that he has All Might’s attention. “I… people keep telling me that I don’t have a quirk suited to being a hero. So I wanted to know… what makes someone a hero.”
He’s not looking directly at her, but in the corner of his vision, Izuku can see the ghost woman looking at him. He has a hard time telling exactly what her expression is, or what it means.
And then, out of nowhere, All Might erupts into a puff of steam.
“All Might?!” Izuku squeaks, surprised.
“Uh oh.” The ghost woman mutters. “Guess you ran out of time, huh?”
Ran out of time with what? Izuku wonders, a bit nervously. Right now the only comforting thing is that she doesn’t seem to be too concerned about it. It can’t be anything too too bad, then-
The steam dissipates, and now instead of “All Might” standing there, there’s a tall skeleton-like figure.
Izuku jumps, startled (though, it’s more simply because he isn’t expecting it rather than how he looks. To be fair, he’s seen ghosts that looked worse).
“...What?” Is what he eventually mumbles.
With a heavy sigh, “All Might” explains what happened to him. How, five years ago, he got into a fight with a dangerous villain, and how it left him badly injured.
Izuku listens quietly, taking it all in. It’s a bit of a shock, to be honest.
Eventually, All Might says, “Hey, kid. You said that… people keep telling you that your quirk isn’t suited to being a hero. What is your quirk?”
Izuku hesitates. “Well, it’s… it’s not really something I can prove to other people, or show off. And I’ve never really heard of someone having a quirk similar to it before. Most people don’t… don’t even believe me when I tell them what it is.”
“I’ll keep an open mind.” All Might promises. “So?”
With a small glance back to the ghost following him, Izuku says, “I can, um. I can see ghosts.”
The ghost woman freezes. She locks eyes with him. “...you can see me?”
Izuku gives a tiny nod.
“Seeing… ghosts.” All Might says slowly.
Izuku nods again, this time to All Might. “It’s not like I can prove to other people that what I see is real, and uh. Some people don’t even believe in ghosts.”
All Might considers it for a moment. “I can see how that would have its uses…” He murmurs, and Izuku’s spirits lift- “but,” -Izuku’s spirits fall again. (But, what?) “Being a hero is very dangerous. Even I get injured. And I’m the number one hero. I’m sorry, but if you don’t have a quirk that you can use to help defend yourself, being a hero might… might not… be the best idea.”
He said no. Izuku realizes, and he feels like his world is spinning around him. He said no .
“Oh come on, Toshi,” The ghost woman mutters, then she glances up at Izuku. “Hey kid. Don’t tell him I told you this; but tell him ‘being a hero is about wanting to help save people, not about fighting villains’.”
Izuku hesitates for a moment, then clears his throat. “Being a hero is about wanting to save people, not about fighting villains. Right?”
All Might (Toshi?) seems to freeze up when he says that. He doesn’t say anything for a long moment.
“...Being a hero is about wanting to save people.” All Might says softly. “I did say that, didn’t I?” He pauses for a moment. “Why do you want to be a hero?”
“Well, I… I want to help people.” Izuku says. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. And I guess the whole ‘seeing ghosts’ thing makes me a little… more conscious about how many ghosts there are. I’d like to help make it so there’s a smaller number of ghosts around.”
All Might nods. “I see. ...I need to think about something for a while, young man. In the meantime, remember those words that you told me just now. ‘Being a hero is about wanting to save people, not about fighting villains’. It’s true. You can be a hero. So don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”
“There ya go.” The woman says. “That sounds more like you.” She gives All Might a smile, and it’s full of warmth, even though he can’t see it.
From there, Izuku and All Might go there separate ways. Except…
The ghost woman follows after Izuku, not All Might. Izuku waits until they’re not around anyone, and then he says, “Hi.”
She glances at him. “I’m still having a hard time getting used to the idea that you can actually see me.”
Izuku shrugs. “I get that a lot. So… who are you? Any particular reason you’re following All Might?”
She thinks to herself for a moment. “My name is- well, was I suppose-... Nana Shimura. You can just call me Nana, I guess. And, ah, ‘All Might’,” She laughs softly, “I wanted to see him grow as a hero. I’m… I’m really proud of him.”
Izuku nods. “...What was your relation to him?”
Nana hums for a moment. “I don’t think it’s my place to tell you. That should be up to ‘All Might’.”
Izuku frowns. “How though? I mean, he’s probably really busy. Why would I ever be able to see him again?”
Nana laughs. “You’d be surprised, kid. Yeah… you’d be surprised.” Ghost eyes are always an inky black void, yet somehow, there seems to be a light to Nana’s eyes.
“Whatever you say, Nana,” Izuku mutters.
“Yeah well…” She pauses for a moment, “What’s your name again, kid?”
“Ah, Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku.”
“Well, Midoriya Izuku,” Nana says, smiling knowingly, “I hope that we’ll see you again soon.
With that, she disappears, leaving Izuku walking alone on the sidewalk.