Chapter Text
First, one must ask the right questions
“But hooooow do you make it explode?” The small pout on Izuku’s face practically forced Inko’s phone to take a photo. He’s just too cute like this and Inko can’t help it if Mitsuki has her phone.
Katsuki’s angry little stomp also just so happened to find its way to her gallery, completely by 'accident' as he yelled. “I told you I flex my hand and it goes boom! How hard it that to understand?!"
Izuku on his part just whined again about how that's not what he meant.
Her and Mitsuki had been watching the back and forth between the two seven year-olds for the last few minutes and Mitsuki has been taking photos non stop of the two.
Inko decided it was probably best if she sorted it out now before they actually got upset. “Alright that's enough arguing for now. Izuku dear, why don’t you try to explain what you mean?”
Katsuki looked like he wanted to shout more but a soft hand on his head had him mumbling about, “not being a little kid.” He still didn't pull away.
“Kachan keeps saying how he activates his quirk not how it works.” Katsuki’s little face scrunched up before shouting “They're the same thing!”
“No they're not!”
“They are!”
And there they go again. “Boys, I said no arguing.” Both gave a downcast "sorry" with a light pink dusting their cheeks. “Katsuki sweetie, I think he wants to know why when you flex your hands they make explosions”
His little “oh” was too cute, seriously, how were they both so adorable.
“I sweat the same stuff as mum and can blow it up like dad can with his hands or something I don’t know.”
Izuku’s excited little mumbling filled the apartment, “....nitroglycerin…..sweat glands...acids…..the knockback…..explains lack of fire resistance……spark chain reaction….”
“Shut up already! I wanted to play the new hero game not hear you talk to yourself!”
“Sorry Kacchan, I was just excited that you got your Quirk, let’s play!”
And with that they were running to Katsuki's room. Hopefully they don’t break anything like last time. Turning back to the dining table Inko went back to her tea, where did Izu learn all those words? She knows he likes to learn all he can but how does he even know what nitroglycerin is?
“Hey, you alright Inko? you look constipated.” ah Mitsuki, as elegant as ever.
“I’m fine, just worried about Izuku.” Mitsuki’s snort and “when aren't you?” didn’t help her worry but did put a smile on her face.
They stayed like that for a short time, with the only sound between them the dull sound of the boys up stairs.
“You know you can’t put it off forever, he needs to go to a quirk specialist and soon Inko.” Mitsuki’s concerned voice finally broke the stalemate between the two. “You know how the kids are going to treat him when Kat's back is turned and there's a chance he has an invisible quirk like mine.” of course Inko knows what would happen.
It'd be like how it was before she met Mitsuki.
She just transferred to a new school and got lost on the way to class when she ran into a group of kids cornering a blonde.
“Talk about gross, the Quirkless girl’s always so sweaty.”
“Do you think all the freaks are like this?”
“I don’t know, the only other Quirkless person I know is some old guy who can’t even walk right.”
“Maybe they're related!”
The insults continued and Inko was about to run and grab a teacher but luckily one turned the corner. Ha, caught red handed.
But the teacher just walked right by.
What? But they could hear the bullying right?
Oh thank goodness they turned around hopefully they all get detention
“Keep it down, your going to annoy everyone being that rowdy.”
“Sorry teach, we'll keep it down.”
And with that the teacher strolled on their merry way.
“What the fuck?!” That's all she could get out before she made a decision that changed her life and then proceeded to use her quirk in a way she never thought about until then.
The scream the student let out as she pulled on their shoulder would stay in all the bullies nightmares as the pop of a dislocated shoulder was drowned out.
“What the ever loving fuck is this?!”
The four students not on the ground crying turned to see a short girl with seaweed green hair floating above her and a look of pure rage.
Before them stood a demon and their stomachs dropped as their legs were pulled from under them and they were dragged toward her.
Screams of terror left their lips as she towered over them and in a voice cold enough to freeze them in place and eyes that burned their skin she said, “If any of you think you're going to keep this bullshit up then think again because if I find any of you doing anything like this again I'll rip your eyes from their sockets, understand?”
They could barely get out fearful nods and apologizes before running away.
With them gone and the adrenaline wearing off Inko felt a migraine like never before rock her skull.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
It was a meek voice and it snapped Inko out of her thoughts about the consequences of her actions.
“Of course I did and if that teacher was here I'd give him a new fear of the colour green.”
The laughter that followed was a sight that brought a smile to Inko. she’s cute when she laughs… where'd that come from?
Inko pushed that to the back of her mind. “I’m Shimura Inko, you?”
The blonde took a moment to stop laughing and breathe.
“Bakugou Mitsuki and thank you by the way.”
“No problem, we're friends after all.”
“We are?” Her hesitant voice only fueled Inko’s choice.
“Of course.”
“R-right.”
And if both were wearing matching blushes the other didn’t notice.
Inko was pulled from her memories by an explosion that sent vibrations through the floorboards. Mitsuki bolted out back, where it came from, with Inko hot on her heels.
“The hell was that?” The pair rushed to where Izuku and Katsuki were spread on the ground.
“Brat, Izuku, what happened?!”
Izuku jumped up and frantically began to write in his notebook while Katsuki cackled like a maniac.
“Oi BRATS!” Mitsuki’s bellow made both of the boys freeze and turn to her like dear caught in headlights. “Now would one of you two explain what happened?”
Katsuki not so subtly pushed Izuku forward a step. “It was Izuku’s idea."
Mitsuki leveled Katsuki with a glare before turning to Izuku.
“Well bush, I haven't got all day.”
Said bush went beet red and began to stammer out something under his breath before she interrupted him. “Speak up, I can’t hear what you're saying. How are you going to be a hero if people can’t hear you, Huh?”
He flushed a deeper red (if that were possible) and took a deep breath.
“I thought that if we collected Kacchan's sweat and put it in a bucket and mix it with salt and sugar it would ne-neutralize it but when we tested it it still exploded!' Izuku was red faced and huffing as he fell on his butt, Katsuki seemed shocked Izuku could even yell in the first place.
“Do you two realize how dangerous that was?” It was Inko’s cold voice that broke the silence. “You could have gotten yourselves killed and all because you two decided to play with explosives-”
“But-”
“I don’t care if it's a part of your quirk you could've died and left us heart broken!”
Both boys were teary eyed now, Inko decided they've learnt their lesson and kneeled down next to them before drawing both boys into her arms.
“Don’t ever do something like this again unless you come to me or Mitsuki first, if either of you got hurt we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves, do you understand?”
Both boys nodded into her shoulder with a teary “Yes mama” and “Yes auntie".
“Good, now we’re going to get all cleaned up and head home, I think there’s been enough excitement for today.”
“Ok, mama.”
Mitsuki had taken Katsuki at this point, the boy glaring a hole through the ground, and led Inko with a sleeping Izuku in her arms to the front door.
“I’ll make sure the brat doesn't try sneaking over to sulk about their play date being cut short.” Mitsuki’s challenging look at Katsuki halted any room for argument. Katsuki's grumble of “I don't sulk” was ignored.
Inko chuckled as she made her farewell, taking the ten minute walk home to settle her thoughts and calm her beating heart.
Izuku’s follow up appointment was a Saturday. They had gone to a quirk specialist the week prior where they x-rayed his whole body and took some blood and spit to test.
Inko tried to keep her hopes up but she couldn’t help but worry about the results. So when Izuku’s name was called and they were ushered into a small room with a man whose posture hurt Inko just seeing it, she was understandably a ball of nerves.
The doctor flipped through a file before addressing either of the green-haired ball of nerves. “You have a light telekinesis quirk right ma’am?”
Inko wasn’t sure what he was getting at but answered yes anyway.
“That makes sense… As you can see from this scan of his brain we found an organ that is usually present in most mental quirks, however we believe it’s a residual mutation from you and is in fact useless.”
“What do you mean it’s useless, if he has the same organ as me then won’t he get a quirk like mine?” Inko’s confusion was hidden beneath her concern as she glanced at the small bump shown on the inside of Izuku’s brain.
“Ma’am, are you aware that a majority of Quirkless individuals have mutations from their parents but simply lack the key activation genes for it?”
Inko shook her head, she had thought they simply didn’t have a quirk at all.
“Well, your husband had some sort of breathing quirk, correct?”
“How did you know that? He’s not on any of Izuku’s files.” Inko tried to keep the fright from her voice but based on the look on the doctor's face she hadn’t succeeded entirely.
“Please don’t worry, it’s just that we found the inherent genes for some kind of throat mutation that are inactive, so we assumed that your two quirks canceled each other out in some fashion.”
“Something like that is possible?” Inko could barely believe what she was hearing. Her son was Quirkless because her and Hisashi weren't compatible, it was like a cosmic joke.
“Yes, it’s not very common and sometimes the leftover mutations can be harmful, although you don’t have to worry as from what we can tell he should grow normally. However if his condition changes suddenly, like recurring pain in his throat, migraines, or a sudden change in his mental state you should take him in.”
Inko cooled her expression and focused on the next step. “So what will we be putting on his quirk forms?”
The doctor hesitated before taking a piece of paper out of his desk. “There isn’t much to go through, I just need you sign this and then all of his files will be updated with his quirk status.” Inko took the paper and began to read through it.
“Can I still be a hero?” That was her baby's voice but so much quieter than she'd ever heard him.
The doctor turned to him and let out a nearly imperceptible sign. “Give it up kid...” Inko barely had time to look to her little Izuku before the doctor continued but she doesn't think he can hear what they're saying. “There's more important things you could do then throw your life away chasing glory.” While Inko can understand not wanting a kid to try and spend their life fighting, it didn’t stop her hair from gently floating.
Before she could do something she might regret, she signed the paper, picked up Izuku and marched out.
The class had just started and already Izuku wanted to go home. Mizu Ito was obnoxiously using their quirk to draw rude imagery with water. A complete waste of potential when they could use it to purify polluted water but instead they use it to win at water based games at carnivals.
Yasu Kokoro is transforming their hand to rock and back over and over again, filling the classroom with the sound of grinding stone. He could be training his endurance with it and probably make it as a small time pro hero but no he's too damn lazy to put the work in.
Nearly every one of his classmates were either wasting their potential or like Kozue, they don’t even realize that the reason they have such serve quirk backlash is that they're using it wrong!
And as if to further disappoint him the teacher showed up, late like usual. Probably too busy sucking up to the principal about a raise because he has “done such a great job furthering Bakugou’s development.”
“Your mumbling, damn nerd.” Speaking of which, Bakugou, their relationship has changed from when they were little.
Used to be that if one was causing chaos the other was making more of it not too far away. Now though, the only time they spend together is at school. They've come to an uneasy agreement, Izuku gives Bakugou notes and feedback on his quirk training or marketing schemes for when he goes pro and Bakugou doesn't tell Inko about Izuku’s pet project.
Izuku feels like he’s getting the better deal but he’s not telling Bakugou that.
“Alright class, settle down now…” That would be a first “...I have these career forms to hand out.” The teacher paused and took a look around before throwing them up in the air. “But i know you all want to go the hero track!”
No, just no.
At least half of the class couldn't apply to a hero school based on their record alone and that's not even touching their lack of motivation.
But still everyone starts showing off their quirks left and right.
Bakugou jumped up, shouting with a smile more a kin to a snarl on his face. “HA! Don’t lump me in with these D rate hero wannabes!” Multiple complaints sprung up from the class and Izuku began to question if he could make it down the window safely to go home, no was the answer so he was stuck here for now.
“I’m going for U.A and I already aced all the mock tests!” Bakugou smugly watched as everyone was shocked at his declaration.
“That's insane!” “U.A has a crazy low acceptance rate.” and similar such metaphorical waste of words continued to spill forth.
It was at this time the teacher made direct eye contact with Izuku and if the far too pleased look on his face was anything to go by then it wouldn’t end well.
“Alright everyone that's enough, settle down now before I start giving out detentions.” He made an act of shuffling paper on his desk before looking up. “Ah, that's right, you're trying for U.A too aren't you midoriya?” It wasn’t a question, it was throwing him to the wolves.
The ridicule began immediately, laughing, insults, and scrunched up pieces of paper were all thrown at him. No new insults today it seems. Really, they need new material. The teacher let it continue for a few more moments before resuming class. Izuku spent the day ignoring his teachers' half assed efforts at their job in favour of his notebook.
By the time school ended he had refined an earlier design that had been bugging him and had three pages on Mt. Lady’s lack of teamwork, cost of the destruction of property, blatant lack of spatial awareness, and endangerment of her fellow heroes. All just from this morning. How did she get her license and why did she not go into countryside rescue? Another idiot who can’t think about how to actually use their quirk.
Looking up from his notebook revealed an almost empty classroom. Izuku turned to the other soul occupant of the room. “So what's it today, Quirk or marketing?”
Bakugou turned to him and let out a huff. “What's this bullshit about you going to U.A?” The air was filled with the scent of caramel as he let out a few explosions to emphasize his point.
Izuku stared at Bakugou’s elbow, the other boy knew the silent threat should he get physical, and replied in a calm tone. “I’m going for the support course or the business course if I don’t get in.”
Bakugou's red glare bore into his back as he left the room and made his way home. He should get some progress done on the Dolos project, It still needs a field test and he doesn't trust it not to send him into a wall but if he had a source to study it could work.
He was pulled from his theorizing by a wet shlorp sound behind him along with a slightly mint smell. Turning around he found a mass of animated slime. Now the question is, can they shift from this and back or is it a metamorphic type quirk?
Their eyes shifted around to the front followed by the mouth. Well more like floating teeth placed in the rough area a mouth would be. In an instant the sludge surged towards him, it's viscous body entrapped him and forced itself in his nose. His shocked scream cut off wetly as it forced its way into his mouth. Izuku bit down so hard his teeth hurt but at least no more sludge slipped past his mouth.
"Come on kid, it'll only hurt for a bit before you pass out." Izuku could barely hear the gurgling voice through the thick liquid.
As his vision grew dark and the sounds outside the sludge quieted, The only thing his mind latched onto was that villains really do monologue even if no one can hear them.
He suddenly had the breath he was holding forcefully ripped out of him by landing on hard concrete.
He was barely able to get a little air in his lungs before he fell unconscious, his notebook in the garbage covered in slick green sludge was the last thing he saw.
Toshinori Yagi was currently panicking as he checked the kids pulse. It was steady. He let out a relieved sigh. Only to once again take a measured breath to stave off his detransformation. The way he saw it he had three choices right now.
Rush the villain to the police station and leave the currently unconscious child here. That's an obvious no. Try to wake the kid up to see if they are ok then rush to the station? It would alleviate his concerns but take too much time. And finally, take the kid with him to the station and get him checked out there while bringing in the villain, bingo!
With his plan of action chosen Toshinori scooped up the kid and jumped through the air. His landing outside the precinct was smooth and he was inside in an instant. With a quick explanation that the kid needed to be checked on and the villain placed in custody he rushed to hide in Tsukauchi's office.
Deflating both literally and figuratively in his friend's office, Yagi sunk into the small but comfortable spare chair.
With a deep sigh he let the tension in his shoulders fade and took out his medication. The clear little pills he'd gotten from Recovery Girl greeted him like old friends asking for money.
"That was too close." He knows he's been losing time but he's never been that close to running out in an emergency. Maybe he really does need to slow down. He's fifty at the end of next year and he doesn't exactly have to worry about a successor since All for One is dead.
Though, giving someone a boost so there's still a symbol of peace in the future might be a good idea. He'd have to find someone and while he's sure that U.A will have plenty of candidates, He really wants them to be the right fit for the Quirk. Someone brave, kind and who can live life without-
The door swung open and Tsukauchi rushed in, closing the door behind him swiftly. "Sorry for always using your office like a makeshift changing room Tsukauchi." His old friend waved him off before pulling a water-bottle out from under his desk and passing it to him.
"Thanks Tsuki."
Tsukauchi tiredly sunk into his chair. "No problem, just make sure to eat later."
"Right, I really should set a reminder on my phone." It's not like the sad excuse of a sack that his stomach has become will remind him. A knock at the door drew both of their attention and a quiet sigh from Tsukauchi. "Come in."
The kid with the mop of green hair peeked in, his eyes darting between them while speaking. "Sorry, I'm looking for detective Tsukauchi. I was told to come see you after being checked on." Tsukauchi gave a small smile and gestured to the seat directly across from him. "Of course, come on in. Before anything else can happen we'll need your name and guardians number so we can notify them."
He gingerly sat into the soft chair and nervously smiled. "Right, Izuku Midoriya and my mums number is *********, she might not pick up on the first ring. She usually has it on silent since she works as a nurse."
"Thank you, wait here and I'll be back with something for you to eat after I finish calling her." With that Tsukauchi stood and left the room.
Toshinori glanced at the green haired kid. He had a look stuck somewhere between confused and worried. Thanks Tsuki, now he's stuck with a kid who's looking at him like he's a Rubik's cube.
Izuku could swear he's seen this guy somewhere before. It's the eyes. Piercing blue shadowed by dark sclera. That and the whole walking skeleton look he's got going on.
"Do you need anything young Midoriya?" His voice was aged and held a grip of iron to it but his tone was soft.
All of it was familiar in a way that a room that had everything moved slightly to the left felt familiar. Everything was there but it wasn't right.
Izuku’s curiosity got the better of him and said. "I could swear we've met."
He nervously chuckled and said. "Maybe you saw me in an interview? My name is Toshinori Yagi. I'm-"
Suddenly jumping to his feet in excitement Izuku exclaimed. "All Might's secretary! Oh my God! I never thought I'd met you! Can I have your autograph?"
In all his years he never thought he'd meet a fan of his secretary persona. Slightly confused Toshi said. "Sure but why do you want my autograph? Most people ask me to try and get All Might's for them."
For half a second the kid looked scandalised before brightening. "Are you kidding? You're constantly on talk shows about heroics and crime. I loved hearing your take on what happened with the hero turned villain Destiny Bond and the segment you did about Gang Orca's rise from delinquent to Hero was inspiring!" Midoriya was shaking with enthusiasm and his wide eyes held a certain awe that he rarely saw even as All Might.
"You're my inspiration and…" the boy's excitement dimed just slightly "...I just really like that even though you're Quirkless like me, people still take you seriously."
For all the years he'd been a pro hero. For every life he's saved over the years. It can't compare to the feeling in his chest right now.
It feels so impersonal now, Running around in tight spandex and shouting super moves. When right in front of him is a young man with a dream who wasn't inspired by flashy attacks or bright colours. But the side of him that's weak, the side that enjoys talking about the boring part of heroics. The part of him that's still the Quirkless teenager who wanted to be a part of this hectic career known as heroics.
He hasn't felt this way since he was told "You too, can become a hero" so long ago.
"Are you alright?" Midoriya's eyes were filled with worry but his small smile showed he probably knew that the tears gathering in the corner of Toshi's eyes weren't from hurt or sadness. He wiped them away and took the outstretched notebook and signed it.
Not as All Might but Himself.
He came to a decision at that moment and said, "Say, you seem like a smart kid. How would you feel about getting some pointers from this old man about the inside of the hero industry?" While passing Izuku his business card alongside the notebook.
Midoriya looked shocked for a moment before nodding and putting the number in his phone.