Chapter Text
If twenty per cent of the world had quirks, there should be forty quirkless students in Izuku’s year, two hundred in his apartment block, twenty-five million in Japan and eight hundred and forty million worldwide .
Midoriya Izuku shouldn’t have been an anomaly. Kachaan and his explosions should’ve been an anomaly. An early breed of the doomsday quirks.
Midoriya Izuku tried to explain that once. He stood up with a PowerPoint and explained it was illogical. Kachaan shouldn't have children with anyone with a powerful quirk.
“We’re only the fifth generation. Scientists say our grandchildren will be powerful enough to eradicate humans.” He explained before pointing to Kachaan, “Through genetic breeding, Kachaan quirk will pass on with some elements of his wife’s . If he were to marry Ia-san their child would create explosive whirlwinds! This could easily destroy a town at a young age!”
Midoriya Izuku failed that presentation. His teacher marked it down for incorrect facts and stuttering. Another student explained why the genocide of the quirkless was necessary. He wasn’t allowed to leave that presentation; not if Kachaan couldn’t leave during his.
It resulted in a new burn on his shoulder. After all, Deku was better off dead. That was a fact. A law no one spoke about. Everyone was waiting for Kachaan to kill him. If they weren’t, they didn’t know his quirk yet; or they were his mum.
When he started walking to school alone, Izuku became well known among muggers. The rumours got round to them that a quirkless kid walked that way and jumping him was the best course of action. He doesn’t care too much. It was part of his daily life. It’d been like that for fourteen years.
Izuku Midoriya life has been on replay since he was four. The All Might figure that fell on the floor is now safely tucked away on his shelf. You can’t take items to school unless they help with your quirk. Izuku’s already an oddity, he brings his notebooks in regardless.
The notebooks give him something to do. When the teacher took everyone outside for quirk practise. He tried to use them hide during discussions. That was unfortunately, the ending class. There was no way out of it. There was no way to stop the teacher from calling Izuku’s name
That was how Izuku Midoriya ended up fishing through the schools koi pond. Kachaan's words rang in his head.
“If you want to be a hero so badly , go pray for a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof.”
“That isn’t food.” He murmured to himself. The pages were dripping wet and the ink had smudged. It soaked his hands but waving it in the air would be useless. He flicked through some pages. His fingers folded through them with care. Every page had be destroyed . If he placed them on a radiator when he got home, they would stick together. The damage was irreversible.
Taking deep breath in and deep breath out; he reasoned it was okay. Izuku could always re-write the notebook. It had only been close to half-way done. It wouldn’t be the biggest rewrite he had done. His best bet was to get home and dry the book before he lost even more of it to a bullet.
Either way, why did Kachaan thoughts matter? He shoved the answer coming from the question out of his head. Izuku headed down the shortcut. Getting home needed to be his priority. Then he could focus on heroes until he passed out.
He kept his head down in hope it would hide his face. The green fluffy mop hid well in the darkness of the alleyways. The black uniform disguised Midoriya well enough. If it weren’t for his murmuring, it’d be impossible to tell he was there.
His bright red shoes rattled a drain. The metal against his sole echoed across the tunnel. Izuku had alerted a being hiding under the sewers. It removed the plate as the child neared the exit. Green sludge crawled along the floor and Izuku only realised once it was on his shoe.
Izuku faced a being, what could have been a human. There was no skin, instead a murky green liquid it could control. The only sign of it being a human was the eyes that were held in the depths of it. It towered over Izuku, as it looked down upon him.
The creature blocked all the light from Izuku’s view. The eyes rolled round before settling on where he stood. The sewer juice begun to transform into something that vaguely looked like a grin. Izuku’s leg started to shake. He couldn’t run as dread creeped up his spine. There was no form of escape, not when his leg was stuck to the ground.
“A medium-sized invisiblity cloak.” The villain gushed before he leapt forward.
Izuku could run. His legs flew off the ground as he twisted around. His attempts were futile. Sludge started to wrap itself around his leg. It pulled him into the sludge’s range. It started to wrap around him like a cocoon before heaving itself down his mouth.
Izuku wanted to gag as the drain juice forced itself down him. It clogged up his lungs making breathing difficult. His notebook lay discarded on the floor. He clawed at the gunk. He wanted it out. He needed it out!
“Don’t worry, I’m just going to take over your body.”
Don’t worry was the worst advice Izuku had ever heard. And he’s been told to give up unless he wants dies since he was four. He didn’t stop thrashing his legs in hope the red sneakers would hit anything physical.
“Calm down!” The villain hissed. “It’ll only hurt for forty five seconds You’ll feel better soon!”
Izuku gurgled in response. It kept some of the sludge from entering his body. The monster tried harder at the struggle.
“You’ll feel better soon”
Midoriya didn’t know what was going through his mind when he wasted some precious air to say, “I can’t breathe!” while he kept tugging. He knew his hands were going through. There was no way he could grab a fluid. The villain kept monologueing.
“Thanks kid you’re my hero.”
Izuku was forced to look into the eyes. There was a static in his brain when the monster said that. He didn’t want to be this things hero.
“I didn’t expect that to come here…” The monster looked away and Izuku didn’t notice. He could only focus on the strength being ripped away from him. His legs couldn’t keep kicking. His hands were losing strength.
It felt like Izuku was dying. God he was dying. That was it. That was how Izuku died. The tears from lack of breath found a new purpose. He refused to believe this was the end. Black dots dotted his vision. Someone, that was all he wanted. He just need someone to come and see this. Even if it didn’t survive, he wouldn’t be a tool for a villain.
It was a deus ex machina moment when Izuku saw the drain flying open. He forced his eyes open long enough to see a silhouette. His oxygen-deprived brain recognised them. He just couldn’t place a name with them.
Izuku blacked out after the sentence, “It's okay now young man.”
Being slapped hurt. The stinging sensation had no time to settle before another hand made contact with his cheek. Izuku started to come to his sense at the third hit but his eyes only opened after ten more.
A white smile met his face. Everyone knew who the smile belonged too. Izuku was no different from anyone else his age; it didn’t take a genius to recognise the number one hero All Might. The hero looked so different in person. His face was as tanned and his hair did stick up naturally . Izuku wanted to pat it, he really hoped it wasn’t gelled.
The urge was cut off when All Might spoke.
“I’m glad you’re okay?” All Might scratched the back of his neck while he looked away sheepishly . “I’m sorry ‘bout getting you caught up in my villain fight?”
Izuku shook his head. All Might didn’t need to be sorry, it was a joy. It wasn’t every day you got saved by your own hero. He didn’t get a chance to explain that if anyone it should be Izuku before All Might continue speaking. “I don’t usually make mistakes like this but I was in high spirits on my day off in a new place.” All Might wiped the sweat off his forehead. “But you were a big help. Thanks!” He dug his hand into his pocket before pulling out a plastic bottle. Glaring out of the bottle was a blank black pupil in a yellow iris.
All Might was thanking Izuku which didn’t seem right. The fanboy never imagined the number one would recognise him let alone thank him. He had to get a autograph. He couldn’t find his notebook that lay a few feet away from him. When his eyes landed on it, he reached for it. Delicately , he flipped towards a page.
The question “Can I have an autograph?” was stolen by the marker already spread across the pages. Izuku could feel himself start to cry. It’d be a family heirloom. He bowed as far down as he could. His head could barrel through the floor and it still wouldn’t have been enough. Words nor actions could describe or show his gratitude.
“Okay!” All Might flashed a thumbs up, use to children’s fanboying. “I need to take this guy to the police station. See you on the other side of the screen!”
All Might waved goodbye to Izuku before walking through his stretches. Squatting and bending his knees as he prepped for a jump. He wouldn’t be sticking round then, and neither should Izuku. Something kept the student from leaving. He’d asked everyone. He had asked his mother, his teacher and Kachaan. He needed All Might’s opinion.
The hero had said it in an interview once, that the quirk didn’t make the hero. That had been the second best day in Izuku’s life other than when he saw that video for the first time. He wanted to ask but the words got clogged in his throat. There were so many things he wanted to ask.
Could someone without a quirk become a hero?
What was UA like? Would Izuku face discrimination there?
Why was All Might in Japan? Was the crime rates rising meaning Izuku would start to see more muggers?
That, was How Izuku Midoriya found himself clinging to the number one heroes leg as he jumped into the air. The wind blowed on his face. His nose began to tingle from the rush of air. The air force made his screams illegible.
“Young Man! You need to let go! I know you’re a fan boy but this is too much!” All Might yelled. His voice was clear in comparison to the harsh wind that came from travelling in the air. Izuku tried to make a protest but it only came out as jumbled.
They landed on a building quick enough. The urgency that radiated off All Might infected the rooftop. Izuku had to take a few deep breathes. Having skin back on his face had never felt so refreshing. It was like walking out of a cold shower. He rubbed his cheek.
“Good grief!” All Might proclaimed a few seconds after landing. “I’m sure if you talk to the people downstairs they'll let you down.” He started to walk to the end of the roof. “Now I really am out of time. I must go.”
Izuku snapped back to reality. He outstretched his hand, desperate to meet the fabric of the heroes T-shirt. He missed but the action caught the man’s attention.
“I will not wait!” He snapped. Izuku’s eyes widened and he retraced his hand in so it hung limply by his side.
Tears collected in his eyes as he shouted as quietly as he could muster, “Can someone without a quirk be like you?”
“Without a quirk?” All Might asked. He punctuated the end with a cough before smoke surrounded him. Izuku took a step back. The smog clouded the transformation that took place. The wind from the building blew it away once completed. Where the hero once stood, was a cripple of who he once was. Small Might coughed from smoke inhalation. Blood spluttered out from his mouth. Izuku’s monologue was cut off when he caught sight.
Izuku Midoriya screeched. He peered round to try and see where the real All Might was, “You’re deflating! So skinny! Fake! You were a fake!” He continued to splutter out words.
“I am All Might.”
Midoriya Izuku screamed again. Small Might didn’t seem shocked by the reaction, even if he was disappointed . He collapsed with his back to the rails.”
“Now that you’ve seen me like this young man, make sure you don’t write about it online. Even on accident. Then completely unprompted, All Might pulled up his T-shirt. Izuku wanted to gag. The wound was a sickly red, as if it had been angered ; it collapsed into his chest. The image burnt itself into his mind.
“It’s an injury I got from an enemy’s attack five years ago. Half my respiratory organs were destroyed and I lost my whole stomach. I’ve become emaciated from repeated surgeries and the after effects. Right now, I can only be a hero three hours a day. The fight was not made public. I asked that it was not made public. I will save people with a smile the symbol of peace cannot be daunted by evil. I smile to show the pressure of heroes and to trick the fear inside of me”
Izuku’s whole world was crumbling down. He refused to believe it was real, yet all he could do was gasp as the story continued.
“Pro’s risk their life everyday. I cannot simply say you can become a pro without a power. If you want to help others, then you could also become a policeman. They’re often teased because they have villains delivered to their door but it is also a fine occupation. It’s not bad to dream, but you also have to consider what’s realistic, young man.” All Might walked towards the exit from the roof before he shut the door behind himself.
Izuku puked all over the floor. Tears started to fall. Control might have been ripped from his body as he collapsed onto the ground. How could All Might have said that? He just needed to hear the kind words of someone who believed in him. The number one hero couldn’t have spared a heartstring. Izuku rubbed his tears away. All Might didn’t mean any harm but the image of his stomach wound flashed through Izuku’s mind. A few mean words couldn’t have been enough for a boy without hope. Instead, he ripped any hope from his fruitless heart as well.
Izuku had seen the villain attack. He had no intention of jumping in. Going that way had been a coincidence, it was on the way to his house after all. Except when he got close enough to see who was in the attack his heart stopped.
Kachaan. In the villians hands, suffocating and suffering the same way Izuku had. The way Izuku had let him.
The heroes were talking, discussing what to do. It had to be more than forty-five seconds. Time was warping for the green haired boy. He could hear other people talking and discussing what was going on. How long had it already been destroyed for?
Izuku could only shake while his thoughts went frantic. No one could do anything, no one could do anything. If a hero didn’t arrive soon it’d be over. Over for Kachaan and anyone else the villain came across.
His mind had been in an over load and his legs started running. His hands had clawed at the sludge while he threw his notebook at the eye. All Might stood up even with his injury. The weather changed to tip down with rain with one punch. The sludge flew in the air. Heroes and the news stepped in to collect statements or deal with the damage.
“Jeez, there’s a limit to how rash you can be.”
Izuku snapped out from his haze. The heroes were chastising his actions yet the words washed over him. He just wanted to go home and curl into his bed and sleep. It never seemed to end until reporters came. They swarmed the heroes allowing Izuku his chance to escape into the alleyways.
Walking home from the beach had a kind of peace associated with it. Being near the crashing sea soothed him, washed over the thoughts.
“You think you can look down on me?” Kachaan yelled. Izuku focused his mind on the sea. He never intended to look down on Kachaan or make a difference. That wasn’t the intention even if he did it in the process. The rest of the conversation floated away. Distantly , Izuku was aware of what his friend was saying; when he turned around and stomped away. It didn’t feel like he had missed anything.
Continuing his walk alone, Izuku looked up to where he house stood. His hand was a second away from the metal when a voice screamed.
“I am here!”
Izuku turned around to see All Might standing in front of him. His muscles were still inflated.
“All Might! Why are you here? You were surrounded by reporters minutes ago!” Izuku responded but All Might laughed.
“Getting away from them was easy because…” All Might posed as he deflated with an explosion, “All Might!” He stabilised himself before facing Izuku again. They looked at each other eye to eye.
“Young man, I came with thanks, corrections and an apology. If you hadn’t been there, if you hadn’t shared your story, I would be a man in a body suit who only preached.”
“That can’t be! It was my fault in the first place! I got in the way, I made everything worse thanks to my quirklessness. ” Izuku protested. His voice quietened as he continued.
All Might cut him off, “It was because of you. Timid quirkless you at the scene that I took action. That I was able to act.” Izuku turned to face All Might. His face was filled with wonder. His lips parted in a subtle jaw drop. It held a passive composure but the eyes told All Might everything he needed to know. “Top heroes, have tales from their school days.” He said, “Most of their stories have one thing in common. Their bodies moved before they had the chance to think.”
The words reminded Izuku of his mother’s frantic apologies. They were the words he wanted to hear back when he was four.
“You can be a hero.”
“Are you serious?” Izuku asked. He could feel tears building under his eyes that he blinked back.
All Might’s hands were extended out as he offered Izuku his chance to become a hero. Every part of Izuku was screaming to take the praise but licking it left a bitter taste in his mouth. The drop of the pin hadn’t come yet. His mother didn’t believe in him and neither would his childhood friend.
Maybe All Might was different, he had to be different or else he would’ve left Izuku with the loss earlier. It made Izuku feel light, as if his feet were dangling off the ground thanks to a levitation quirk. Hearing the words ‘You can be a hero’ was enough for Izuku to drop onto his knees. Tears fell freely down his face; he saw no harm in letting them stay. He clutched his jacket over his heart and sobbed.
“You are worthy of inheriting my power!” All Might continue. His skeletal hands were outstretched as if he awaited birds to fly through him. Izuku forced himself to untuck his chin to look up at the hero.
Blinking back tears, he whispered loudly , “Inherit your quirk?” He snorted up the snot running down and faced the man. His mouth gaped slightly from shock.
“What’s with that face?” All Might chuckled. Instantly , Izuku bit his lip and wiped his eyes. There was no time to compose himself before All Might dawdled along to get closer. “It’s just a suggestion. The real show starts after this.” Once close enough, he raised a finger and yelled.
“Listen young man, you need to decide. Whether or not you accept my power!” Blood spurted from the heroes mouth. Izuku watched as it formed a puddle in front of him. His leg was bended to avoid staining his trousers. His hero wiped the blood off of his chin.
The words washed over Izuku. The hero must be waiting for a response of any kid yet his mind was in an overdrive.
How could he pass a quirk down? He had never heard of a quirk like that .
What was All Mights quirk? The news and fourms speculated it was a strength enhancer.
Why would he pass it down to Izuku when there were so many people more worthy? Izuku had jumped in to save Kachaan.
Could quirkless Izuku even have a quirk? He didn’t think so. All that mattered was his pinkie joint that prevented him from having one.
Was All Mights quirk ‘ magically grow a pinkie toe?’ No. All Might showed sure signs of a strength quirk.
“Can you repeat that?” Izuku ended up asking instead.