Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

All men are not created equal.

Izuku stood in front of the cowering child, despite being a bit smaller and more than a bit outnumbered. “Kacchan, this isn't right!” They half squeaked, half whispered. “You're making them cry! I-If you don't stop I'll have to make you.” The look on Katsuki's face was that of dismissal and contempt. “Your quirk can't even help you fight, are you really trying to play the hero?” He scoffed at they're sheer audacity to stand up to them. Bakugo slammed his fist into his palm causing a small explosion, making Izuku flinch as he ran straight towards him.

He was sprawled out on the ground covered in bruises and aches looking up into the sky through his light green hair. His eyes wandered to the red horn on his forehead. He shifted his legs beneath the white garb adjacent structure that comes out from his waist and flowed past his legs as he gripped the only piece of clothing he wore, his shirt between his hands tightly. His eyes were teary and he felt crushed. The other kid he was protecting was gone.

He ran through the crowd trying to get a good look at the massive villain on the train tracks. Unable to see over the crowd due to their height. Being just a few inches over 3 feet or barely 100 centimeters tall certainly didn't help, especially when their horn was a sizable portion of those scant few bits of height. He wishes he didn't stop growing at 4 years old.

Looking up at the humongous villain filled them with a sense of awe. Especially when Kamui Woods and Mt.Lady made their appearances and apprehended the big baddie. He was amazed that such quirks could exist when the best he could do was look funny. Looking on, they were so engrossed with writing down quick shorthand notes and trying to pay attention to the scene at the same time that they almost didn't notice the time.

Quickly realizing their mistake they sprinted as fast as their legs could carry them without tripping over their cloth like body. They made it to class with no time to spare and settled in for a normal day. Which started going poorly when the teacher began mentioning career aptitude tests and hero courses. “Tsk, don't lump me in with these losers, teach.” Said a very sure of himself voice. “I mean why shouldn't he be sure of himself,”Izuku thought to themselves.

“These wannabes will be lucky to end up as some washed up d-lister's sidekick.” said the blonde, sending the whole class into a frenzy. The teacher raised their head from their paper towards Bakugo “U.A. has strict standards, but you've got some impressive test results maybe you will get in.” Bakugo made a smug grin. “Of course I'll get in! I aced all the mock tests. I'm the only one who stands a chance in this place.” He said triumphantly as if he had already been accepted. “I'll be the next number 1 hero, ya hear!”

“Everyone will know my name, and it starts with U.A.!” He said loudly trying to drown out the sound of his future fans. The moment was broken when a voice spoke up coming from the teacher's desk. “ Oh yeah, Midoriya…Don't you want to go to U.A. too?” The classroom got quiet as everyone heard what was said. Everyone knew Izuku was the least likely to go to U.A. considering their stature and quirk.

The room erupted.“That pip-squeak freak wants to go to U.A.?” “What are they gonna do creep them out to death?” “That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.” The comments dug into Izuku's psyche. A thunderous explosion slammed into the desk he was sitting at, knocking him to the ground from shock. “Listen up, Deku…” he could almost see the venom drip from the words he spat at him. He looked down at the small green and white form shaking on the floor.

“You really think that they would accept a little freak like you, when they could have me!?” Katsuki was livid. “I'm not trying to compete with you, I swear!” Izuku tried to placate the very angry blonde in front of him. “Compete with me? It's sad that you even think that I would even consider you a competitor, you’d die In the exams you little wannabe.” Izuku knew he was right but still felt the urge to try.

Across the city a very green villain just busted out of the front doors of a bank. Money fell out of his sludge like body as he ran through objects in his path, the structures passing through his slimy, amorphous body. Passersby questioning why a hero hasn't already stopped the fleeing villain.

As Izuku was packing up to leave he got a news notification. “Huh, that fight from this morning is all over the news. I wonder what he did.” Izuku mumbled to themselves. Izuku took out their notebook to write down some info on the villain and heros that participated in the fight.

When a hand snatched it out of his quickly. He stared up dumbly at the thief. “I don't know what you think you're doing Deku, but we're not done.” He said as he waved the book around. “Is that your diary or something?” Asked one Katsuki goons. “Hero analysis.” He said reading the title. “Trying to become a hero, huh?” said the other. “Wow, creepy and delusional.”

“Come on guys, very funny but can I have that ba-” before he could even finish his sentence Bakugo slammed an explosion into the book charing it in a big puff of smoke. Izuku spluttered at the display before Bakugo threw the book behind him and straight out the window. Izuku threw his arms towards the book in a sad attempt to grab it. He could practically feel the book. Unnoticed to anyone when the book passed by the bottom of the window seal, it floated in the air for a few seconds before shaking and subsequently falling the rest of the way, straight into a fish pond.

“Really, Deku, you ought to know better. Most first string heros show potential early on. People can tell they're destined for greatness. And it's clear that I am one of those people.” He sighed. “But with you, not so much.” He said as he leaned down grabbing Izuku's shoulder and looked into his eyes. “So…” as he started speaking, Izuku's jacket started to smoke. “Don't even think of applying… or else”

He leaned back up as he started making his way to the exit. “Seriously Deku, if you want to get a better quirk. I have a quick way for you to do it.” He said as he looked back from the door wearing a conceited grin. “Just take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a better quirk in the next life.”Izuku stared on in disbelief and anger. As he left he could hear his posse talking amongst each other as they faded into the distance. “Maybe he won't look like such a freak next ti-”

He looked at the floor, hands clenched. Fighting back tears, he stared into the reflection in the window angrily. Skin beyond pale, light green hair, big red eyes hidden behind said hair, big red horn…his gaze lowered to his unclothed legs, his “gown” too bulky to stuff into pants comfortably. He raised his fists, more accurately stumps, an absence of fingers. He stared at them, folding them in on themselves, almost like a hand with all the fingers connected would. “Why do I have to be so different from everyone in my class.” He wishes he could be just like everyone.

After getting his soaked notebook, he walked through the streets that led home, his gown dragging behind him with no resistance. Thinking back to U.A. he still planned on applying. He would be a hero, no matter what, right? “Hero…” he sighed. So deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the gurgling sound behind him.

“Look at what we have here.” Startled, he turned around and came face to face with a writhing green mass of liquid. Big yellow eyes looking directly at him, he froze for a split second. “You're a little small, but beggars can't be choosers when it comes to skin suits to hide in.”

Izuku jumped back and tripped over his gown. He fell on his butt but quickly turned to his hands and knees to stand and make a run for it, but it was too late. The mass of villainous sludge was upon him. He struggled as he was lifted off the floor. He couldn't breathe! He struggled and flailed about doing practically nothing. “Stop struggling, kid. It'll be easier for us both if you just let it happen.”

Izuku clawed at his mouth but nothing happened. The villain was made of fluid. He looked around for anything to help him in the tunnel. There was nothing but his discarded backpack and supplies strewn about on the floor. His vision was becoming dark. He was dying. In one last hail Mary he put all the remaining strength behind his arm that was stuck in the villain and tried to aim for the evildoer's eyes. He closed his own eyes from the effort of straining so hard. He felt some strange tingling.

He could breathe! His head was uncovered! “Gah! MY EYE, You little- I don't have time for your telekinetic nonsense!” The sludge growled out in a guttural tone. Izuku stared up at the villain from his restrained spot, the huge green mass that had just uncovered his face slammed back into his face. “Just hand over the body!”

“What just happened? He never got his hand free. Telepathic? What was he talking about?” So close to freedom, just to be pounced on again. “Why me, what did I do to deserve this?” he thought and just as he felt the edges of his vision becoming fuzzy. A loud clang reverberated throughout the tunnel as the manhole cover the villain passed through was sent into the ceiling.

“Have no fear, you're safe. Now that I'm here, that is.” He recognized the voice.“You little twerp I'd have been gone by now,if you didn't pull that little stunt.” a whip of sludge was sent speeding in the direction of the manhole. “Texas…SMASH!” He felt the slime holding him shift as it broke apart and he was thrown about by a huge gust of wind and then there was fading darkness.

He awoke to a repeated sensation on his cheek as a voice faded in “Hey! Thought we lost you there!” A loud quick squeak that sounded like the word rats but with an l in the middle. Izuku jumped back a few paces.

“Well looks like you're moving around alright. Sorry about that back there. I didn't mean to get you caught up in my justice-ing.” All might said as he brought his hand up to his head in a pose. “Usually I pay more attention to keeping bystanders safe. But it turns out this city's sewer system is pretty difficult to navigate!” He finished off with a large laugh. “First the villain and now I'm being saved by All Might!? This can't be real!”

“Anyway you were a big help. Thanks to you, I've captured the evildoer!” He boasted raising up two bottles of soda that upon closer inspection appeared to be filled with the aforementioned evildoer. “He's so cool!” Izuku's brain screamed.

“Autograph!” Izuku blurted out without thinking. He ran to his backpack, picking it up. “I just need a pen, give me a sec, c'mon…” He found a pen in no time at all and grabbed the scorched notebook. Opening it up for him to sign he stared, shocked at the fact he already signed it. “Thank you!” Izuku bowed as fast as he could. “I'll treasure this forever.”

“Uh-huh!” All Might exclaimed as he turned around “Well, I've got to get this guy to the police.” He said tapping the bottle at his thigh. “Stay out of trouble, see you around.” Izuku felt suddenly torn. He had to ask him. Had to know that the people around him were wrong. “W-Wait! You're leaving already?”

“Stand back, I'm taking off!” Without thinking he lunged forward and grabbed onto All Might's leg. They suddenly rocketed into the sky. Looking down, Izuku felt sick to his stomach. “Hey, hey, hey, what do you think you're doing!?” He heard All Might's voice above him. “Let go! I love my fans but this is a bit much.” Izuku began panicking in full force. “What I'll die if I let go, we're too high up!” It seemed to give All Might pause “ Oh, fair point. Just hold on tight!”

When they landed Midoriya never felt so happy to be on solid ground. “Welp, see you later!” Izuku knew this was his only chance to ask. “Wait! I have to know!” He blurted out causing All Might to come to a stop. “Could… could someone even…even with a bad quirk, c-could they ever hope to be a hero like you?” He gripped his jacket tightly looking down at the ground, a mixture of fear and hope gripping his heart.

“Quirks are-” Izuku could hear All Might start but not finish. “It’s just I have a really…not so great quirk, well maybe that's not the only reason.” Izuku felt like he could really share his fears with him, after all surely his fearless idol would know best. “I've always been picked on…and maybe that's why I think saving people would be so cool” he shifted his feet around. “I could prove them wrong and be a brave savior like you, always wearing a fearless smile!” he said his high pitched voice quivering at the end as he finally looked up.

All Might was gone and in his place was a stick of a man. “WHAAAT?!” He was beyond shocked. “What happened?!” He looked from side to side to see if this was some strange prank to no avail. “You're all shriveled up!” Izuku took a step back with his hands raised slightly. “Imposter!” He said accusingly. “You were a fake the whole time?!”

Fake Might shook his head “I am the real All Might.” He said before a very noticeable waterfall of blood fell from his mouth. “That can't be true!” Squeaked Midoriya. “Y'know those people that puff out their chest at the pool? It's like that.” All Might said as he rubbed the blood from his chin. Shock came back full force way stronger than before “No way…”.

“Fearless smile,huh…”he said as he sat down in front of Izuku. “You've seen the real me don't go sharing it about.” He sighed “Look kid,” he raised his shirt showing a swirling gnarled abdomen “A while back, I was injured fighting a villain.” The sight made Izuku's stomach fall. “My respiratory system was destroyed and my stomach removed.” The description did nothing to help Izuku's fight to keep his lunch down.

“The symbol of peace who saves people with a smile must never be daunted by evil. The reason I smile is to stave off the overwhelming pressure." He spoke firmly, making Izuku feel smaller than he already was. “A pro should always be ready to risk their life.” He said “This,” he pointed to the injury, “ this is what happens to those with great power, those who risk their life. Someone without that, will only get themselves hurt or worse.”

It hurt a lot to hear those words. He always knew it was true but to hear it from one of his idols. “Look kid, there are plenty of other ways to-” He already stopped listening, it hurt too much to hear. He didn't want to listen more. He stood there completely still for what felt like a small eternity, tears dripping down his cheeks, All Might gone from his peripherals.

An explosion in the distance rang out. He turned his head to the sound. He started to run to the exit of the roof to get to the scene but stopped. The words of All Might and all the other people in his life bounced around in his head. “What's the point…” he slowed to a walk as he made his way down to ground level.

He walked with no particular purpose. Probably trying to head home if he was to actually pay attention where he was headed. A loud bang shook him out of his dark thoughts. He walked toward the crowd that blocked off the street. He heard the dun of the people talking about the situation. He tried to peek through the crowd but was blocked by a wall of people. “Why am I even here, all my hero notes are useless now, I'd probably just get myself hurt… or worse.” He looked at the crowd and at the smoke he could see overhead.

Dejectedly he turned back towards the street as he heard someone say that the villain was made of liquid. He stopped for a moment “A coincidence,” he thought, as he continued down his path. More explosions went off. “He has a hostage.” Someone from the crowd said. “Some blonde kid, right?” “I'm pretty sure he's the one making the explosions.” Izuku couldn't ignore the comments.

Panicked he went to the edge of the crowd and pushed his way to the front. He had to know! He broke through to the front and wanted to curl up and die at the sight. “Kacchan…” he was being enveloped by the same sludge man he was attacked by earlier, the same one All Might caught, the one Midoriya must have accidentally freed when he grabbed onto him.

All his fault, that was the only conclusion he could come to. “Why aren't the heroes doing anything?” Someone to his side asked. Izuku looked at the heroes and their inaction towards saving Bakugo. “A lot of bad match-ups but surely they will do something right?” He thought to himself. “Maybe someone better suited will show up!” His brain continued to supply.

“Kacchan is struggling so hard and no one is helping.” he thought. He had to do something. But, what could he do? It was his fault to begin with so maybe he would make it worse. Bakugo looked directly into his eyes, they were full of fear.

He was running into the fire and flames before he fully registered how bad of an idea it was, heading towards Bakugo. “What am I doing? I'm gonna get myself killed! I'm gonna make it worse!” He ran as fast as he could towards the villain. He took off his backpack and wound up to throw it with a spin. Another round of explosions knocked it off course by the mighty boom. Izuku's eyes widened “Not good!” he thought.

The backpack went flying straight into the air on fire. He quickly thought to throw anything else but was too close to the villain already. He changed course to punch the villain in the eyes so he couldn't see. That tingle again returned. “You again!” The green mass bellowed as he came closer. Before he could make contact. His flaming bag slammed into the sludge villain's eyes causing the green fluid to twist back and lower making his swing miss.

Bakugo was finally able to breathe from the first attack. “KACCHAN!” he yelled as he started trying to dig his friend out of the oozing blob. “Deku! What the hell are you doing here!?” Bakugo called out. “I don't know! I couldn't just let you die!” He felt the villain shift under his hands. “You little, I'll crush you for doing that again!” A large green tendril whipped towards his head. He was as good as dead as he knew it.

At the last moment he heard a loud thud and then All Might was right in front of him again. Awe and hurt coursed through his veins. Awe at his power and hurt at him remembering those words. “I really should practice what I preach.” He heard before a deafening wind filled the street and everything went black.

When he awoke he was swarmed by paramedics and police. He was reprimanded by heroes and police alike. He was eventually left to walk home on his own once it was found he was healthy. “Everything today has felt so surreal” he thought to himself.

A skinny man with blonde hair and a white shirt stood on a building overlooking the scene. “He's brave, I'll give him that…” He mumbled to himself. He looked down upon the pale boy with a red horn being chewed out by some heroes. “He's supposed to be in middle school from the notebooks I saw in his bag, he's small.” he sighed. “Too small, to be my successor.” he thought. “The power would tear him apart.” he stood up and stretched his aching body. “Guess I really should finish the paperwork for that position at U.A.,” he moaned. “There's bound to be some good potential there.”

Izuku walked along the street home. “My Bag wasn't going to land anywhere near the villain from its trajectory.” He began mumbling himself before he was cut off from his train of thought by a familiar shout “Deku!” he startled and turned around to look at Bakugo a few paces away. “I didn't need help from a weakling like you. I could have dealt with it myself. So don't pity me, because you did nothing, I don't owe you anything!” Bakugo said as he turned around and stormed off.

“I mean he is right, all I really did was get in the way.” Izuku thought aloud. He closed his eyes and sighed “I guess I should head home and do…do what exactly?”he thought to himself. “Give up on my dreams and rethink my goals?” He felt his eyes stinging. He could do that later, right now he needs something to distract him from everything.

He pushed open the door to his house. “I'm home.” He called out tiredly. “How was your day, honey?” He looked to the kitchen and saw his mom. “It was alright, but I think I'm gonna turn in early.” He walked up the stairs to his bedroom. “Okay baby, dinner will be in the fridge if you change your mind.” Izuku closed his bedroom door behind him and flopped on his bed.

“-telekinetic nonsense!” The words played in his mind over and over and how things throughout the day haven't been adding up. He thought about how when he had initially been caught by the sludge villain earlier in the day, he had let go of him for seemingly no reason. Then he said those strange words.

Remembering all he could of the event. He yelled about his eye which he had been aiming for but his arm was still restrained when his head was freed. It occurred to him that his notebook and pens had been in a different spot after his face was let go of than when he was bound.

And then later that day during the second attack, his bag was caught in an explosion made by Kacchan. But it was blown away from the villain not towards. It still landed in his eyes. Both events happened when he had been attacking or at least attempting to attack the villain.

“It couldn't really be, could it?” he thought dismissively. “But it made sense! He had to have a secret quirk! “But no, that simply isn't possible.” he thought harshly. “It would make sense with my mother's quirk” His brain fought with itself. “If I did have it, It should have manifested by now, it just couldn't be possible. But it explains everything.”

“A test!” he squeaked out startling even himself, only now realizing he had probably been mumbling aloud everything he had been thinking.

He sat up quickly and ran to his desk to get something to test it on. Pencils and paper littered his desktop. “Paper should do.” Light and easy to manipulate should his hypothesis be true. He removed everything from his desk except the singular piece of paper. He put his hands out in front of himself.

“Okay just lift the paper” he said to no one in particular. He waved his hands up. “Lift!” He grunted. “Fly!” he said in a commanding tone. “C'mon” he made ever more exaggerated hand movements. “Maybe it's like trying to move a puppet?” He placed his hands above the piece of paper and pinched his big opposable nub to his palm, in a mimicry of puppetry he lifted his hands higher in the air to no effect.

He squinted his big red eyes together. “What am I missing?” He slumped in his chair. “Think dang it, think” His arms were restrained the first time, so he must be able to do it without any body movement. He tried to remember what his body felt like. Any form of pressure or strain. And then it came to him “My horn!” He felt something in his horn when it happened.

“I need to replicate that tingling feeling in my horn.” he focused inwards on himself. Searching for anything that felt like something. He sat there for who knows how long. He found it. A light sensation that felt like glitter floating around in his horn.

He tried to move the feeling around in his horn, it followed his wishes as it coalesced near the tip of his horn. He opened his eyes that he hadn't realized had closed and stared at the piece of paper. He tried to move the feeling outside of his horn. The sensation of glitter was replaced by something akin to butterflies. The feeling followed his will but it was difficult, almost like the power wanted to stay in his body.

The feeling moved to the paper and he could vaguely feel the object. He attempted to move the paper but nothing happened. “Oh come on,” he grunted “I know I'm not imagining this…I hope.” He pushed the power further and the feeling of butterflies started to harden into something more solid. As he did this a faint pinkish purple pearlescent glow appeared around the paper. His already bigger than average eyes widened behind his hair.

A sudden influx of emotion and the light flickered. “No! Keep glowing!” He already felt tears in his eyes. He suppressed his feelings and attempted to lift the paper and the glow intensified until the paper lifted daintily off the desk. Izuku Midoriya stared in disbelief, he wasn't just some freak, some heteromorphic nobody. He could save people. He could prove people wrong. He could be a hero!

Chapter Text

Izuku was so excited! What else could he do? He had to know. Izuku focused on the notebook he knocked on the floor when clearing his desk. Moving the butterfly-like feeling to the book he attempted to move it. “Focus. Make the feeling more solid.” The notebook was surrounded by the same glowing aura as it slid on the ground for a second before lifting off and coming level with his face.

“Heavier,” he thought. He fully turned to his notebook, a determined look on his face.“It's harder to lift,” he mused. “I wonder?” He tried to move it in another direction besides up. He moved left with some difficulty, the purple pink sheen flickering. He trained his thoughts to move it to his bed. It sluggishly followed his will.

“Wow…” He stared at the beautiful aura and was distracted from his focus. “It's pretty.” The book shook and fell, still surrounded by the glow but a lot dimmer. “Oops!” He reacted on instinct to keep it from falling and his arm shot out to keep It from hitting the floor and to knock on onto the bed.

Before his arm could hit it, the notebook shot across the room faster and easier than he was able to move it a second ago. It impacted against the wall above his bed before falling onto said bed with two light thumps. He looked at his arms and then at the book.

The book glowed again and lifted off the bed. Hovering just above the bed and moving side to side slowly and stuttering in the air a few times as Izuku struggled to command the book's movements. He looked down towards his hands as he slowly brought them up. He waved his hands in front of himself experimentally. The book stayed still. He commanded the book to move with the same fluttering feeling earlier, this time waving his arms in the direction he willed the notebook to move.

The floating object moved smoother and he felt more sure of its movements. “So directing it solely with my body is impossible, but in conjunction with focusing the feeling it makes it easier.” he hummed to himself switching thoughts to“Range?” He mumbled as he tried to see how far it could go.

He pushed the book against the wall above his bed with his psychokinesis and it laid flat against the wall. He walked backwards and right as his back was about to touch the wall, the notebook fell on his bed. Its charred and crinkled form a clear indication of how far he could use his ability. “Just barely 5 meters,” he thought aloud. 16 feet and his powers just dissipated beyond use.

“Weight.” he said with resolve. He looked to the notebook he had used his powers on and then to the bed upon which it sat. “Can't be that hard, right?” he thought and then pushed his arms in front of himself and called upon his power. Nothing happened. The bed didn't even budge. “Well it's not like I can lift my whole bed even without this quirk.”

Turning to his desk chair he stared at it. “How about you!” He said excitedly as the chair glowed and then tilted as Its wheels raised off the ground one by one. The chair probably weighed 2 times as much as his backpack full of supplies. A bead of sweat appeared on his brow. “ I did it!” He exclaimed. “Wait,” he looked closer and one of the wheels was still on the ground. "Almost!” He grunted and strained as hard as he could and then watched as the chair lifted just above the ground. “Yes!” he said as he let go of the chair, it landed on all its wheels.

Right as he let go, he suddenly felt very light headed. He leaned back falling into his bed, as he noticed he had tunnel vision. He sat still for a moment and his vision came back. “I wonder if I can train this?” his words came out slurred. Izuku felt like he was going to puke. “No more testing for tonight.”

It didn't make sense, did he have 2 quirks? No, that wasn't possible. He could only really feel the power in his horn so did that mean it was just one quirk since it couldn't exist without the base heteromorphic physiology. Some unheard of mutation?" Just thinking about the situation made his head hurt. His mumblings grew more dense as his thoughts filled with questions and theories.

He paused as he realized how absolutely exhausted he was. It was a stressful day for sure but he didn't think it had been that tiring. He guessed it was an effect of using this new found aspect of his quirk. His brain suddenly felt fuzzy and he knew he should probably get some sleep. Izuku closed his eyes, not even bothering to change out of his school jacket.

When he cracked his eyelids open at the sight of sunlight seeping into his room, he felt like he had just run a marathon. He was so achy. His body felt like it was under a heavy stone, it was so hard to move. “Honey!” He heard his mom's voice from the other side of his door. “If you wait any longer you'll be late for school!”

His aches disappeared for a brief moment as his mind panicked and his body sat up in bed. Just as he stepped out his covers the aches returned in full force. He couldn't be late for school! He forced his body to move and change into something clean as he grabbed his bag that felt like it weighed a ton and ran for the exit.

He was sitting in his usual spot and felt like death. Izuku's eyelids won't stay open and his head refuses to stay up. Repeatedly closing and lowering only to jolt awake. The entire day went by in a flash and he was pretty sure he didn't take a single note the whole school day.

As the final bell rang the entire class swiftly got up and left. All except him, still too out of it to even notice. Right up until his head slipped from leaning on his hand and fell right into the table. He was wide awake now holding the spot on his face where a nose would be on a normal person. At least he can't get bloody noses.

He got up and looked around noticing he was alone. He figured he should head home. Mercifully no one interacted with him all day. Besides the usual staring that is. He figured Bakugo would at least give a snide comment. He didn't so much as acknowledge him. Izuku wondered if it was becuase of the attack yesterday.

As he was headed home he was thankfully only tired instead of exhausted beyond all reason like before. He was already feeling better but getting some sleep wouldn't hurt. He strode up to his front door and prepared to enter when it occurred to him that he should tell somebody about his quirk.

He should tell his mother he thought quietly to himself. She should know, right? He stepped through the entrence and looked towards her in the kitchen making dinner. “I'm home,” he called out. His mother turned around. “Welcome home sweetie!” she responded. “Dinner will be ready in a just a sec.” she informed as she turned back to her task.

“How should I got about this?” he thought. “Do it just say it or is there something more I should do.” a demonstration would be best his mind supplied for him. Inko started serving the food to the table, and was about to call out to him when she realized he hadn't moved from where he stood.

“Is everything alright, honey?” she questioned. “You're mumbling and you have a troubled look on your face.” she looked worried. He looked at his feet and then made his way over to where she was standing.

“Mom,” he started “ something happened with my quirk.” Her face immediately paled and she rushed to ask “Are you alright, did something bad happan?” He shook his head and waved his hands as he looked up at her. “No, no, no, at least I'm pretty sure it's not bad.” He tried to calm her down, he knew she was a worrier. His attempted placations apparently didn't help.

“Let me show you!” he added quickly. He looked around for a split moment and then zeroed in on the set table. Standing in front of his plate. The worried look on his mother's face didn't disappear. He focused his mind on the ceramic disk. He pushed the power in his horn to the air and the sparkling feeling turned into a fluttering one, just like last night. “ It's a good thing I didn't dream that.” he thought.

The plate began to seemingly emit a pinkish purple aura that glowed and swirled. The plate shook nearly imperceptibly and then began to levitate. He looked to his mother. “My quirk mutated or something,” he began explaining but was stopped when he saw his mother crying.

“Mom, don't cry!” he dropped the plate and slid by her side. The ceramic cracked down the middle when it hit the table. She looked to be in shock. Inko went in for a hug “I'm so happy for you!” she sobbed into his hair as she leaned down to encircle him in an embrace. He couldn't see it but her face betrayed her words. She knew he was on a one way trajectory to heroism no matter what she did now.

Izuku debated whether or not to tell Kacchan. He decided against it. He seemed different after the attack. Izuku felt no need to be the one to initiate an interaction with this new, unknown Bakugo. He would probably just make fun of him. After all it's still not much when compared to his flashy quirk.

He had a goal, and he needed to train his quirk if he was to stand any chance of getting into U.A.. As it was now it was fairly weak, that had to change. But where to train? Somewhere secluded so he wouldn't embarrass himself preferably. Somewhere with ample objects to throw and maybe destroy. Somewhere like… Takoba Municipal Beach Park!

Midoriya stepped on to the sandy dumping site. Stood in between the massive stacks of trash. He looked around at the huge refuse piles and sighed. “This place is basically in my backyard, it's sad how it ended up.” he glanced around once more before stretching. “Well one man's trash is another's training yard.”

He has 10 months till the U.A. entrance exam. He needs to train his quirk to make his chances of passing as high as possible. He knows he is more likely to pass the theoretical portion than the practical. He assumes it's like a muscle and he can make it stronger with practice. At least that's what most people can do… but this showed up so late.

Would it work like a traditional quirk? This strange mutation or whatever it is didn't show up like a normal quirk. No way to know but to try. And so he spent his time training and studying. It was a slow process of lifting objects with his psychokinesis and throwing or seeing how long he could hold the trash that was scattered about the beach in the air.

It took weeks before he saw any progress. A long arduous journey of aching and passing out after every workout but he definitely noticed it. Going for longer and lifting more. Thrashed microwave by mangled car door, it was there, that sought after growth. His aches from the runs up and down the beach for stamina training were nowhere near as bad as his aches from quirk training.

Before he knew it his lonely days at school came to an end. It had been nearly 10 months already. Study sessions that lasted late into the night ended when he took the written exam for U.A. and passed.

Izuku looked at the large open gate that led into the grounds of U.A. and felt incredibly intimidated. It was the day of the practical exam, the one he feared the most. His newly awakened quirk vs the no doubt incredible ones of the applicants that walked past him and into the building.

“Move it, deku.” he heard a voice say behind him. He already knew who it was and stepped aside. “H-Hello Kacchan,” he stuttered out as he looked up at the blonde. He couldn't help it. His friend has been pretty blatantly avoiding him since the incident. Bakugo walked right past him, not sparing him another glance. “Still not used to that, at least he goes more easy on me.” Izuku mused to himself.

Izuku looked at Bakugo walk towards the entrance to the building in front of him. “This is it.” he mumbled in an attempt to psych himself up. Looking up at the gate that held the title of the school, he nodded to himself. “Just step forward-”

He tripped. His first step and he trips. “Break your fall!” his mind yelled at him. His power flared and he felt himself slow. He looked at the ground below him, not getting any closer. “But I was only ever able to slow my descent when I was training, I could never float!” his brain jumped to the next best conclusion. “I got more powerful in my time of nee-” his thoughts were cut off by a feminine voice to his side.

“Are you alright?” Izuku looked to the side and saw a girl with brown hair and rosy cheeks. “Here!” she said quickly before grabbing him and righting his position. “I stopped you with my quirk. Sorry for not asking first, but I figured you wouldn't mind me catching you.”

Izuku felt disappointment at not being the one to make himself float and the gratitude at being saved from the embarrassment of falling with his first steps onto campus. “ This is all crazy nerve-wracking, right?” she asked cheerfully. Izuku wanted to respond to her, he really did but he couldn't get the words out of his mouth.

“Anyway, I'll see you inside!” she added as she turned and left. Midoriya stared at her as she left. “Why couldn't I just say thank you!” He berates himself quietly. He'd probably mess it up anyway. He began his walk towards the auditorium he needed to find. “Just focus on passing the exam.” he said in an attempt to think about something else.

The auditorium in which the orientation was being held was already full bar a few sparse seats. He made his way over to his assigned seat and sat down. He was sitting next to Bakugo. He passed a quick peak to the blonde and right back to the center of the stage. He felt smaller next to him than his already diminutive physique made him feel normally.

The stage was suddenly blasted by light as a large screen behind it lit up. "WELCOME, U.A. candidates!” It was the pro hero Present Mic. “Present Mic is giving our orientation?!” Izuku gasped. He was so busy gushing he hadn't realized the orientation had continued.

“They're dividing friends so they can't team up together.” Izuku heard Bakugo say to his side. He looked over on instinct and was promptly told not to look at his card by an annoyed voice. “I was looking forward to putting you in your place too.” he heard to the right of himself in a whisper.

A loud voice interjected through the air as a potential hero made his issues known. Something about U.A. making a mistake on the info packets they were given. Part way through his complaint he turned around and looked directly at Izuku. “And you with the red horn!” He felt like there was suddenly a spotlight shining down on him. “You've been muttering this entire time! If you can't take this seriously then I suggest you leave, at least then you won't be distracting the rest of us!”

Izuku said sorry as quickly as possible but he was so quiet they probably didn't hear his high pitched voice as the candidate who called him out turned back around. “I'm already messing it up for others.” he thought to himself making sure to not make any noise.

The rest of the orientation went smoothly after the small hiccup. He was staring at the huge gate through the bus window as they rode closer to the entryway to where the exam was being held. He stared at the bag in his lap that had all the things he had found might work well with his quirk. As he gripped the bag he thought about all sorts of scenarios that could happen beyond the huge walls of the exam site. The bus hissed to a stop and he and the rest of the candidates left the vehicle promptly.

Everyone seemed excited and ready for what was to come. As he looked around he noticed that some of the contestants had more advanced gear than what he brought, making him feel self conscious. A familiar head of hair caught his attention. The girl that saved him from embarrassing himself.
“I should thank her…” he thought but didn't move as he was nervous to approach. He didn't want her to turn down his thanks or do something worse. He kept staring at her his mind caught in inner turmoil.

He was about to start walking towards the girl having finally worked up the courage. He hadn't even made it one step before someone stepped in front of him. Craning his neck up to look at the same person who called him out during the orientation. “Looking to ruin her chances of success by distracting her? I saw you staring at her!” Izuku raised his arms in a manner to assuage the person before him. He could already feel the stares of the people around him. “No,No! I wasn't going to do that!”

“Sure you weren't. I'm keeping my eye on you.” the tall teen said before walking off to the main gathering at the gate. He could already feel people around him judging him. He definitely wasn't going to approach now.

“Don't listen to that guy?” He turned around expecting to look up at who had spoken. But came face to face with someone just barely taller than him instead of near double his height like the boy from before. “What?” he squeaked out, more than a bit shocked that another person had initiated contact but in a more friendly way this time.

“He seems like a tool anyway.” He laughed and then clapped Izuku's back with his hand. “You should totally ask her out!” He whisper-shouted in his ear. Izuku's face betrayed his emotions, his wide eyes hidden behind hair. “I-I…wh-” before he could finish he was interrupted. “That is what you guys were talking about right? Anyway, she is a total cutie man, you’d be lucky if she said yes.”

The strange haired hero prospect turned to the crowd and walked backwards to it, giving him a thumbs up before turning around. He disappeared into the small sea of people.“What?” he all but whimpered in utter confusion.

“RIGHT, LET'S START!” a voice boomed above him, causing him to look up at Present Mic standing up on a large tower. “GET MOVING THE TEST HAS STARTED! THERE ARE NO TIMERS IN REAL BATTLES!” Midoriya realized as he was saying it but he really has been sounding like a broken record.

“What!?”