Chapter Text
All men aren't born equal.
This is an unfortunate truth that Izuku was forced to confront when he reached the age of four.
The world that Izuku lives in is a...quirky one, as one could put it.
It all began in Qing Qing city in China, where a baby was born with the ability to glow brightly. Soon after, reports of people developing superpowers erupted all around the world. This eruption of newfound powers threw the world into chaos, and that's putting it lightly.
However, as time passed, order was slowly rebuilt, and the need for order gave rise to a new profession that practically gave the world its own identity. In this superhuman society they lived in, people who wanted to use their powers known as Quirks for the good of society became known as heroes.
Izuku loved heroes, and he dreamed of becoming one.
He wanted to be a hero like All Might, one who could bring hope to the people. To save them from peril. To bring smiles to their faces, as if reassuring them that everything is fine. Just like All Might does.
Alas, life played a cruel hand when he was diagnosed Quirkless.
Which led to the situation that he was currently in...
"S-Stop this Kaachan! This is wrong!"
A young boy with messy green hair stood in front of another young boy, who was clearly terrified and injured by what was occurring.
"You can't just treat people like this! This is cruel!" Izuku exclaimed.
Meanwhile, the boy with spiky blonde hair simply gave a feral and smug smirk as his hands ignited with explosions, while his two followers could only snicker at the sight.
"And what the hell are you doing to do about it, Deku?" Bakugo sneered while holding up his palm, releasing a series of explosions that made Izuku flinch at the sight.
"You're nothing more than a useless nobody without a Quirk! The hell do you think you are..." Bakugo ran forward while thrusting his hand forward, "telling me what to do!?"
Izuku knew that he was in a world of hurt, and he could only close his eyes and brace himself for what was to come.
Only to feel...nothing.
Confused by this, Izuku slowly opened his eyes, and his eyes widened at what he saw.
Before Izuku was an elderly man with a long, white beard and grey eyes. He wears grey robes over a white shirt and faded white pants, complete with a belt that features yellow lines, and black boots. One of his most distinctive features is his grey pointed hat, covering one of the man's eyes.
The elderly man was currently holding Bakugo by the wrist, preventing his hand from reaching Izuku. The elderly man stoically looked at the arm, and then his eyes moved towards Bakugo, who was stunned at someone suddenly grabbing his arm.
"...That's enough," the elderly man declared.
It was enough to break Bakugo out of his stupor.
"Huh!? Who the hell are you, you shitty geezer!?" Bakugo screamed as he tried to get his arm out of the man's grip.
Surprisingly, however, the man's grip was firm.
"...I'm someone who's putting an end to this farce," the elderly man declared, and narrowed his eyes at the explosive brat, "and you are going to leave. Now."
Hearing these words caused Bakugo to look shocked. For all his life, he practically went unopposed and was praised for whatever he did. For someone like him who's been told he's amazing from the get-go and practically told no...
Bakugo's face looked absolutely livid when hearing this, and he was about to scream at the old man to get lost.
The moment Bakugo opened his mouth, however, the old man's lone visible eye narrowed.
"-!?"
Suddenly, Bakugo felt this heavy pressure around him; as if he was surrounded by the ocean, and all of its weight was crushing him.
And the source of all of this was emanating from the elderly man.
"Leave."
The man repeated once more. The pressure was maintained for a short moment, before it quickly vanished.
Bakugo gasped for air, and he could only stand there in disbelief that he, of all people, felt intimidated, especially by an old man of all people.
"Tch!" Bakugo scowled while clicking his tongue, turning away and practically stomping away from the scene. The two cronies followed him.
The old man watched Bakugo leave the park, and then turned to look at Izuku. Izuku stood there looking at him with a bit of awe and surprise. He also noticed that the boy Izuku was protecting was nowhere to be seen, which meant he had run away at the opportune time.
The elderly man walked to Izuku and knelt to him.
"Are you alright, child?" the elderly man asked, which broke Izuku out of his stupor.
"Y-Yes, I am." Izuku shakily answered.
"Hm..." the elderly man hummed when looking at Izuku's state. He seemed to be scuffed, most likely from his confrontation with the boy.
The elderly man held up his hand, and a flower materialized above Izuku.
Izuku blinked at the appearance of the flower, only for the flower to open itself and shower Izuku in a gentle green light. Izuku blinked when he felt his injuries vanish.
"O-Oh wow...!" Izuku said in awe, "that's such an amazing healing Quirk!"
"...I suppose it is..." the elderly man whispered.
"And that flower! Does your Quirk manifest in flowers that grant healing? Or does the healing come in the form of a flower? Or does your Quirk let you manifest various types of flowers, and they-!" Izuku asked a stream of questions with an excited look on his face.
The elderly man looked at Izuku with a raised eyebrow, not really answering any of the questions that Izuku was asking.
It was from this lack of response that Izuku started to realize that the elderly man wasn't going to answer any of his questions, and his cheeks went red with embarrassment.
"S-Sorry..."
"...It is nothing. Youths are often curious about things that interest them," the elderly man simply replied, and then looked around his surroundings, "...where are your parents, child?"
"O-Oh, my home isn't too far away from here..." Izuku said while glancing in the direction of his home, "this park is where I go to play."
"I see," the elderly man said, "I suppose I should escort you back home. That violent boy may come back to attack you if you are alone."
"K-Kaachan won't-!" Izuku spoke up, wanting to defend his (former) friend, but then winced when he realized that it sounded like Bakugo to come back and finish the job. "W-Well, we can talk it out if we meet up once more!"
The elderly man raised an eyebrow at Izuku's claim, but said nothing.
This World...it's certainly more unique compared to the other Worlds that Odin has been to. It's far more modern compared to the majority of the Worlds Odin has travelled to. And he can certainly say that the people of this World are a lot more special compared to your average denizen of other Worlds.
Quirks.
A form of power that the people of this World have access to. It's certainly not magic; as someone who has practiced magic, he has a feel for these types of things.
But he didn't come to this World just to learn about how different Quirks are to magic, but for something else entirely.
After Xehanort and Eraqus completed their Mark of Mastery exam, they were dubbed Keyblade Masters. The moment they received those titles, Odin saw them as his successors and left Scala Ad Caelum.
Eraqus saw it as retirement to a cozy little world. Odin supposes that he isn't wrong; he was done being a Keyblade Master, but it was much more than just retirement.
He was simply running away from the pain.
He didn't want to be reminded of his failures. Staying in Scala Ad Caelum would only bring up painful reminders of what has transpired. So, he exiled himself and travelled as far away from Scala Ad Caelum.
And his travels led him to this World, and Odin thought that he had traveled far enough and decided to spend the rest of his days here. It also helped that his powers can simply be recognized as a Quirk, so nobody would question why he's wielding a Keyblade or magic.
Well, so long as he limits himself in the presence of others. Quirks are limited and can't go beyond what they could do, such as someone having a fire Quirk, so they can't use water. As a Keyblade wielder, he has access to a variety of spells, and that variety would definitely make people question why he has such a large variety in the first place.
Regardless, he felt that he could fit in with this World and its inhabitants. No attention was directed towards him, and he was perfectly fine with it. He wanted a quiet life, and he was content with spending the rest of his days in a home, isolated from the rest of the world.
Unfortunately, a confrontation between a hero and a villain caused collateral damage to this home. Thus, he was forced to go outside while his home was being fixed. Of course, he was given compensation for the damages and was provided a hotel to stay in while his home was being repaired.
He was simply on his way to the hotel, but caught sight of the confrontation between a blond spiky-haired boy and a green-haired boy.
Even though it was brief, he could immediately tell that the explosive user was the main instigator of the conflict while the green-haired boy was protecting the child from harm.
Seeing that he didn't have much to do, he decided to step in and put an end to it and then escort the boy back to his parents.
As he walked alongside the green-haired child, he glanced towards the boy, and saw the boy's saddened expression.
Odd...why did this sadness remind him of his own? Feeling compelled, Odin found himself asking the child a question.
"What ails you, child?" Odin found himself asking. "Could it be from your confrontation with this...Kaachan?"
Izuku's eyes widened when he heard this question, and he turned to Odin with a stunned expression.
"W-Well no...kind of..." Izuku answered with an unsure look.
"You look doubtful with your answer," Odin pointed out.
"W-Well..." Izuku looked hesitant to share, but decided to talk, "...Kaachan says a lot of hurtful things...such as me not being able to become a hero." Izuku sniffled.
Kids often say the cruelest things without knowing it. Though, Odin felt that Kaachan was doing it intentionally and maliciously.
Still...
"Why doesn't he wish for you to become a hero?" Odin curiously asked.
Becoming a hero is certainly a respectable job, with people using their powers for the sake of justice and protecting the innocent. What could honestly be appalling about Izuku becoming one?
"It's because I'm...Quirkless." Izuku quietly revealed.
'...Ah, that certainly explains it,' Odin thought with a frown.
In this World they live in, 80% of this World's population have quirks, while the 20% are born Quirkless. It appears that Izuku is one of the unfortunate 20%. And in this World, where the majority of the populace has a form of power, not having Quirk is considered abnormal.
Odin didn't even understand why people would treat the Quirkless as if they were the strange ones. Quirkless are just as human as the rest of the people in the World.
Even so...
"While wanting to become a hero is a noble goal" Odin began, "it's certainly going to be difficult trying to become one, especially with your lack of power."
While it certainly was harsh to tell a Quirkless child that becoming a hero is practically difficult, even Odin couldn't deny the fact that you need power if you truly want to make a difference.
Keyblade wielders need to be strong to protect the Worlds from the Darkness. If the Keyblade wielder lacked the strength to confront the Darkness...
A surge of turmoil erupted from his Heart, his mind suddenly filled with memories of their graves...
Odin closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to compose himself from the pain. As he did, he didn't notice Izuku's hand reaching up to his chest and clutching it, and Izuku's face showed discomfort and pain.
"E-Even so..." Izuku said with a frown, before he looked to Odin with a determined expression, "I'm still going to try and become one!"
Odin slowly opened his eyes and looked to Izuku with a soft frown.
Those eyes...it reminded him of his apprentices...full of hope and determination to become full-fledged Keyblade wielders to fight the Darkness.
"...Why are you so determined to become a hero?" Odin asked.
"It's because I want to save people, just like All Might!" Izuku declared, his eyes regaining light and determination when he thought about his idol.
"Ah, yes...the number one hero," Odin noted with recognition.
During his stay here, Odin couldn't avoid the countless advertisements, merch, and whatever form of media of All Might. All Might is certainly a respectable hero, as he saved countless lives and stopped many powerful villains. Not to mention, being an inspiration to so many people. Though, he is a bit too flashy in Odin's opinion.
"...Saving people is certainly a noble goal," Odin said, "but today, you had trouble protecting yourself. If you have trouble doing that, how can you hope to save others?"
Izuku flinched once more, and tears were threatening to leak from his eyes. Odin grimaced, he should've worded it more softly to not severely impact the child.
"Even so...I-I'll eventually find a way!" Izuku shakily declared while clenching his fist, "I will become a hero, so I can bring smiles to people and give them hope, like you!"
Hearing this declaration, Odin paused in his steps and turned to look at Izuku, a faint frown on his brow.
"Hm?" Odin quirked an eyebrow at the declaration. "And why do you say that?"
Izuku froze, and he looked very flustered.
"Oh, um, I-I'm sorry-! I didn't mean-!"
The elderly Keyblade Master sighed while holding up a hand to calm the boy down. "I am not upset, child. I'm more...curious as to why you wish to bring a smile to me."
Izuku paused when he heard this, and a confused, searching look crossed his face, as if he were trying to find the right words to explain.
"W-Well, that's because..." Izuku stuttered, trying to find the right words.
Odin watched Izuku with a patient expression, waiting for the boy to form the right words.
Izuku went silent for a brief moment before he slowly looked Odin in the eyes. "I don't know why, but...why are you so sad, sir?"
"Sad?" Odin repeated with a raised eyebrow.
Izuku meekly nodded as he clutched his chest. "I... I'm not sure why, but I can easily tell what others feel. I thought it was a Quirk that lets me sense the emotion of others, but I've been told it's not." Izuku said, his voice barely a whisper.
Hearing this made Odin freeze in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief.
'...No... it can't be...'
"When I'm close to you..." Izuku continued, his voice trembling as tears already began to leak from his eyes. "I...I can tell that you feel so sad and miserable. Am... Am I wrong?"
It was from this declaration that Odin silently stared at Izuku in a mixture of shock and horror.
Of all the people that he had to run into on this day, he had to encounter someone with a sensitive Heart.
A Heart capable of connecting with other Hearts with astonishing ease.
Just like Baldr.
'...Of all the people I had to run into today...' Odin thought with dread.
This...This is a very disturbing discovery.
The Heart is a powerful and mysterious thing. It's the source of many things: your emotions, your ideals, you thoughts...the list goes on. But the main thing is that the Heart is made up of both Light and Darkness; depending on the person, the amount of Light and Darkness varies.
And having this sensitivity, while it could help you connect with others on a deeper level, also meant being exposed to the Darkness within people's Hearts.
Baldr...he was a Keyblade Wielder with a sensitive Heart. Baldr's Heart was exposed to the Darkness that was in others' Hearts. And this Darkness...it kept building and festering within Baldr's Heart over time. It grew to the point where it was strong enough to overtake Baldr.
It just needed one final push.
And that one final push was the death of Baldr's sister, Hoder. All that despair, grief, and sadness broke Baldr. This allowed the Darkness in Baldr's Heart to finally overtake him. And when Baldr succumbed to the Darkness...a tragedy arose, and so many lives were lost because of it.
Bragi.
Vor.
Urd.
Hermod.
Vidar.
Vala.
Vali.
Heimdall.
Helgi.
Sigrun.
So many of his apprentices lost their lives...all because of one sensitive Heart.
No...not just one sensitive Heart.
That sensitive Heart could've been saved from the Darkness if only someone had been there to support them in their darkest time...and Odin chose the worst action when dealing with Baldr.
And it's because of that action alone that Odin lost so many of his apprentices. A tragedy that caused immense pain for the old Keyblade Master. It's the main reason why he ran away and came here; Scala Ad Caelum serves as a constant reminder of his failures.
And now...Odin can already see that Izuku is on a similar path to Baldr.
Izuku is born Quirkless in a World where practically everyone has Quirks. The boy had no friends; only bullies and tormentors to mistreat his lack of power. Everyone is ridiculing him for his dream of becoming a hero.
This isolation...this loneliness...the despair of not being able to attain one's dream...it could...!
"...Um? Sir...?"
Odin broke out of his trance and looked at Izuku, who was looking at him with worry. It was Izuku speaking up that broke Odin out of his spiraling thoughts.
"A-Are you alright?" Izuku asked with concern.
Odin didn't say anything, as his mind was running through a lot of things.
'...What...What should I do...?' Odin wondered.
There is someone before him, potentially on the same path as Baldr. His first thought was running away, not wanting to deal with the repeat of the same tragedy. However, that thought alone only brought further shame to the old Keyblade wielder. The Baldr tragedy happened because of him, and running away is only going to lead to another repeat.
Then the best course of action is to prevent the tragedy from occurring in the first place.
Perhaps...offer the boy companionship? Become someone who believes in Izuku's dreams of becoming a hero? Offer the emotional support and counseling to reduce the Darkness within Izuku's Heart?
No...no what wouldn't do. There are so many flaws to that plan.
How can he emotionally support someone, if he himself is in a state of depression and despair?
And even if he wasn't in such turmoil...Odin knows that he won't be around forever to support Izuku. He's not blind to the fact that he's old. He can already feel himself approaching the end of his life. And when that time comes...Izuku would be left alone once more. His passing will only affect Izuku like Baldr is affected by his sister's death.
'...What else gives the boy hope?' Odin thought, trying to think of any option that would bring out Izuku's Light and drive away the Darkness?
The only thing that came to mind is Izuku wanting to become a hero, but the boy lacks the powers to make a difference.
He...he could teach the boy magic. Denizens from other Worlds had the potential to learn and use magic, but that's an extremely rare chance for that to happen.
The only way to make that happen is if Izuku had a Keyblade-
The line of thought made Odin pause. Odin looked at Izuku, and then glanced towards his hand. He made a gripping motion, a reflex made when summoning his Keyblade.
He swore he wouldn't accept any more pupils. He was a failure of a Master, and the despair and grief of losing so many of his apprentices killed any desire to take up any more students.
But was his own self-loathing more important than someone else?
Odin closed his eyes in thought.
'...I suppose...' Odin thought to himself, '...this is my way of atonement.'
His sins are deep, and his students paid the price. And here he was, wasting away in this World and not doing a single thing to atone for his failures. If that was truly the case...then it's best to start now than never.
He knew he would never be forgiven for what he had done, and he long accepted that. Even if forgiveness is never in reach, that still doesn't stop Odin from atoning for his failures for the rest of his days. If his atonement could leave behind one last legacy that would maintain the balance between Light and Darkness, then let it be so.
Odin gave a deep sigh, deciding on what to do from here on.
"Child," Odin spoke up.
"Y-Yes?"
"Come with me for a moment..." Odin told Izuku as he turned to another direction.
Izuku blinked, surprised as to why the elderly man was changing course from their home. It certainly raised an alarm bell in Izuku's head, seeing how a stranger was directing him away from his home. Yet at the same time, the elderly man did protect him from Kaachan.
Izuku looked hesitant for a bit before deciding to take the risk and follow the elderly man.
As he did, it wasn't even that far of a walk as Odin led them to a local park. As the two entered the park, Odin led Izuku to a shade underneath a large tree, away from prying eyes.
"Um..." Izuku looked around him, "w-why did you bring me here s-sir?"
Odin stayed silent, not turning to Izuku for the moment.
"Are you truly resolute in becoming a hero?" Odin asked, not turning around to face Izuku.
Izuku blinked at the sudden question.
"Are you determined to walk this path?" Odin asked once more, "This path to becoming a hero...is a path that's not as glamorous as you think it is. You'll be met with countless trials and obstacles, with some testing your very Heart itself. Will you still walk forward despite knowing this?"
Izuku fell silent upon hearing this.
Izuku clenched his fist and gave a determined look.
"...I do! Even with all of this before me, it's my dream to become a hero...to bring hope to people's Hearts, no matter what!"
Everything went silent after Izuku's declaration, and Odin took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He then turned to face Izuku.
"Then...I'll give you the chance to become a hero." Odin declared.
Izuku blinked upon hearing this.
"C-Come again?" Izuku repeated with a confused look.
It was then Odin manifested a Keyblade in his hand.
The Keyblade had a rectangular blue guard and a black handle that extended into a silver blade. At the top of the blade are three protrusions: one is a silver five-pointed star that forms the teeth, another is a single point on the opposite side, and the third one, located at the tip, is a simple silver orb. A small gold ring is seen where the blade begins, and the Keychain is a gold star.
"W-Woah, a weapon!?" Izuku yelped in awe and surprise, "your Quirk can make a key-shaped weapon as well?! Not just flowers!? That's amazing! But you healed me! Does your Quirk also-!?"
"Child," Odin spoke up once more, with a tone more serious that it stopped Izuku's rapid-fire questioning.
Izuku went into silence, as he felt compelled to be quiet and listen to what the elderly man before him had to say.
Seeing that he has the child's silence and attention, Odin then knelt to Izuku's level and flipped his Keyblade around. He held the blade part of the Keyblade while offering the handle to Izuku. Odin then extended it to Izuku, while Izuku looked at the Keyblade with a mixture of confusion and wonder.
"Grab it."
Hearing this, Izuku silently reached out towards the Keyblade and gripped it.
Odin then closed his eyes.
"...In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. And you will find...your dream, no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."
With those words said, Odin slowly released his grip on the Keyblade, making Izuku stumble a bit as he held onto the Keyblade. Izuku grunted as he was holding onto the Keyblade, and looked at the elderly man with confusion.
"Um...what exactly was that?" Izuku asked.
Odin stared at Izuku for a moment, his expression remaining stoic.
The silence and stoic expression made Izuku feel unsettled, and he extended his arms to Odin.
"...Don't you...want this back?" Izuku asked while holding the Keyblade.
Odin didn't say anything as he kept staring at Izuku, and then slowly nodded.
"...You are worthy." Odin declared.
"Eh?" Izuku looked confused when he heard this.
"You...are chosen by the Keyblade."
It was this declaration that forever changed Izuku's destiny.