Chapter Text
They swarmed them, their numbers were overwhelming and he was left alone to fend for his safety and possibly his life.
Earlier
Thirteen was nearing the end of her speech of quirk safety when the villains appeared. The midnight purple portal opened and poured hundreds of villains into the plaza. They stood as if awaiting orders, a sense of dread enveloped the heroes, and students as a hulking monster emerged, followed by a gangly male dwarfed by the monstrosity. Aizawa-sensei quickly ordered Thirteen to evacuate the class and quickly jumped into the fray of the villains and quickly began to power through their defenses.
Suddenly the neatly dressed mist appeared blocking our exit. The misty villain began introducing himself, Kurogiri registered a voice in his head. Impulsively Kacchan and Kirishima jumped and attacked him. With the area shrouded in sweet-smelling smoke from Kacchan's fairly large explosion, Thirteen, who was aiming to pull the mist, couldn't see Kurogiri creating a portal in front and behind her. With Thirteen out of commission because of their ruined suit, Yaoyorozu-san and Sero-Kun quickly focused on repairing their suit to lessen any possible damages.
The rest of the class stunned from the warp gates show of power stood frozen as a large portal engulfed them and scattered them around the training ground.
Todoroki hissed in pain as his back collided with the slippery surface. His eyes darting to the left as he heard a mirrored grunt of pain originating from Jirou. Hearing idle chatter heading towards them Todoroki grabbed his classmate and carried her into one of the deserted buildings covering both of their mouths as the voices passed their hiding spot.
Tokoyami was deposited from the portal quite close to the ground, tumbling to dispel some of his momentum he came to a stop on a rugged plateau. Hearing a grunt of pain, Tokoyamis' eyes rapidly searched for the source, finding Kaminari who had collided with the rocky terrain. Rushing to his side and helping him up they heard the cannon fodder villains hiking the landscape and shared an apprehensive yet determined look before getting into combat stances. Tokoyami called Dark Shadow and Kaminari sparking with electricity.
Kirishima was falling. Still frozen in fear he still spotted his friend falling within arms distance. Grabbing her with one arm and hardening his left arm and foot he braced them for their landing. Driving his hardened arm and leg into the pliable earth slowing their fall, though not by much. As they slowed near the bottom of the slope. As Kirishima set Mina down they were faced with a dozen or so C-rank villains.
Asui instantly adjusted her position to a proper diving one as she noted she was above the flood zone. Her mind hastily trying to make a plan to escape shifted to saving her unfortunate classmate and carrying them above water before they drowned. As she made it on the boat drifting in the water she threw the limp boy on the other side of the boat.
"I know you're awake kero, and you groped me. I should've left you to those villains."
Midoriya's eyes widened in panic as he fell onto the rough terrain. Calming himself and focusing on everything but his panic he noticed he was alone, he didn't know whether to be grateful or panic even more now that he had to fend for himself. Startled from his internal panic by the encroaching voices to gruff to be any of his new classmates' voices, he quickly rushed to find cover in one of the dilapidated buildings.
The unknown voices quickly grew closer and suddenly stopped advancing. The loudest voice bellowed.
"I know you're their kid. Come out!"
Midoriya paralyzed from fear quickly goes through numerous plans attempting to find one with a higher chance of success. Determining that he found a suitable one with the best chance of keeping him alive, he dives from his hiding spot and as fast as he could, runs deeper into the ruins. Continuing this till he's as deep into the demolished city. He abruptly stops and pivots and aims above the villain's heads. He fires off a super-powered punch and brings the mutilated ruins collapsing on all of them.
He couldn't move, his leg was pinned under a block of rubble and his arm was useless. Wheezing from all the dust, his breaths became shallow, and black quickly encroached his vision.
Yagi watched over his student with an indecipherable expression painted over his features. Sighing and running a hand through his defiant blonde locks, he looks once more at his successor and escapes the room, leaving Midoriya alone resting peacefully, chest rising and falling and the steady beep of the machine in the background.
He quickly dials the number practically ingrained in his memory and brings the phone to his ear as he leans against the hallway wall.
"All Might? Are you okay? I assumed you no longer relished my existence?"
"Ah, Nighteye I'm fine, ...as fine as I came to get with my circumstances. I called you for something closer to, uh, our disagreement." Yagi braced himself and forcefully spit out his next words, "You were right."
"What?!" The stoic hero exclaimed.
"I believe it would be for the best if-"
He was drifting. A sense of unease washed over him. Suddenly he was hit with flashes of the attack. The cloudy villain bringing the low-level villains. The monstrous entity with its blank stare. The lean villain who's disgust had nearly choked the group. Being separated from his new friends and being shrouded in the dark mist. Cornering himself after being surrounded by villains. Nearly suffo-
He bolted upright, breaths shallow, mind on overdrive and heartbeat racing. Izuku woke up in UA’s infirmary. Rolling his head to the side, he saw the sun was shining through the light curtains blowing by the infirmary window. Izuku sat up and coughed, his memories hazy. He didn’t remember how he got there or what had happened. The click of Recovery Girl’s syringe-shaped cane drew his attention as the old nurse clicked her way to his bedside.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, handing him a bottle of water.
Izuku took a sip to soothe his scratchy throat. “Okay,” he rasped. “What happened?” But even as he asked, he began to remember… the huge glass-domed stadium… the villains… All Might.
As the thought crossed his mind Yagi poked his head through the door looking conflicted. Even seeing Midoriya awake his expression still displayed his distraction.
"A-All Mi-Might is som-something wrong." Midoriya managed to stutter out, still worried about what caused his mentor to look so dreadful.
“You… you want me to give One for All to Mirio?”
His voice sounded wrecked to his ears as he struggled to sit up in the hospital bed. His back and arms still ached from being under the demolished building.
Izuku swallowed down the building tears. “W-what?”
All Might’s eyes met his with a sad sort of seriousness. “I’ve put too much pressure on you all at once.”
His voice wavered, shaking his head. “All Might, I-,”
Izuku feared this, no he knew that he wasn't enough, he'd never be enough. There was a voice doubting he was improving fast enough or gaining enough strength or just doing the right thing would result in his failure. He was selfish stealing someone else's quirk, he didn't deserve it, he just got lucky.
An old poison festered from ten years of abuse and neglect, sparked anew inside his chest.
“And One for All will die with you.”
Izuku sat in the chair before the principal’s desk, shoulders slumped with resigned acceptance. This meeting was a front. He knew very well that he was no longer welcome at UA school. He had been brought here because he had been All Might’s successor. He’d been a newly-quirked child with big dreams.
Quietly, barely more than a whisper “You’re trying to get me to drop”
With a false upbeat tone, Nedzu said,
“You remain a clever and aspiring hero. Yuuei specializes in providing an environment for young heroes to prosper and hone their skills-,”
"But you don't think I can be a hero without a quirk."
As if ignoring his statement Nedzu continued,
“And I believe you still have room for growth and advancement, which is why you still have a spot at this school, Midoriya!” Nedzu’s tone never changed. It was unsettling. And irritating.
Frustrated but not willing to take it out on the chimera he avoids eye contact and soberly says
"Thank you for this opportunity, sir." And quietly exits the room.
“Midoriya.” Nedzu calls out before he reaches the door, “ Because you no longer have a quirk you need to be more careful and still catch up.”
That boy, his mind is amazing, Nedzu thought to himself, cultivated properly he’d have the ability to outsmart the smartest human and maybe even me. While his physical abilities may be lacking compared to his peers, it's nothing some hard work and strategizing can't fix. Support equipment, support heroes, informants, and strategizing. Anything can be defeated with the right assistance and information. The true question is this child's determination.
“You have the spirit of a true hero, I’d hate to see your talents go to waste.” A genuine smile graced Nedzu’s face, “Good luck, I have high hopes for you.”