Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya (narrating): People are not born equal. That’s the hard truth I learned at age four. But that… *Wow! A giant villain!* … was my first and last setback. It all began in Keikei City China, with the news that a bioluminescent baby was born! After that, “exceptional” individuals began popping up all over the world. The cause was unclear. Time passed, and the “exceptional” became the norm. Fantasy became reality! At present, 80% of the world‘s population consists of superhumans with special abilities. The world is in chaos! And a profession that everyone had once only dreamed about entered the Spotlight.
They were on their way to school that fateful day, Izuku muttering faster than humanly possible and Setto listening to music in one ear. It was calm, the streets were quiet, and they were just enjoying each other's presence. That was, until a loud -BANG-! could be heard coming nearby. Izuku stopped muttering and looked up so fast his head probably hurt, immediately rushing over to the commotion. Setto followed suit, groaning about his friend's enthusiasm so early in the morning.
Once they got there, they could see his friend's green hair amongst people in a crowd. 'Oh. That makes sense', they thought, as they walked closer to the commotion. It was a giant villain going rampant. Setto pushed their way through the crowd to their friend, who was already muttering about tactics with the quirk. Kamui woods, a new hero, was on the scene. Setto only knew about him because Izuku was very excited to learn about his quirk and how he used it.
Giant villain: GET AWAY!
Izuku: (Izuku is practically bouncing, muttering a hundred words a second. After a few moments to complete himself, he asked) Who's fighting him?
Setto: (squints at the hero on top of a building) I don’t know his name. He’s new though.
Kamui Woods: Illegal use of abilities during rush-hour, as well as robbery and assault? You are the incarnation of evil.
Izuku: (gasps) It’s Kamui Woods!
Setto: Cool! (Sarcastically) Now, c’mon, let's go!
Izuku: (pouts) But look; here it comes! His preemptive, binding…
Kamui and Izuku: Lacquered chain prison!
Setto: (rolls his eyes and grabs Izuku’s wrist, pulling him away from the crowd)
Kamui’s arms turn into spikes, heading towards the villain. Before anything can happen, Mt. Lady appears and kicks the villain in the face with a bang.
Mt Lady: CANYON CANNON!
Setto: (stops pulling Izuku away for a second, narrowing his eyes at the giant hero) Another pro? For this guy? Kamui had it covered.
Mt Lady: (Grins, showing off herself) Hi everyone, I’m Mt. Lady! Pleased to meet you on my debut day!
Izuku (muttering): Giantification huh? It’s a common, but powerful quirk…
Setto: (sighs, releasing his friend) Jot the notes down and let’s go to get to school. You know a quirk to help our daily commute?
Izuku: (looks at them incredulously) Isn’t public quirk usage illegal?
Setto: (smiles slightly) ‘of course he would say that…’ I was kidding. Now come on! We’re already 3 minutes late-!
And they finally make their way to school, getting there almost 10 minutes late, but no one seemed to care besides the teacher who berated them. Mostly Izuku, which makes Setto want nothing more than to punch him in the face. They were entering a new class, 3 hours into the school day, when their teacher made the announcement.
Teacher: (walks into the room, holding a stack of papers) You are all third-years now. It has come the time to think about your futures! Now, I would hand out these forms, BUT… I know you ALL want to be heroes!
The whole class (except Setto, Izuku, and Katsuki.): YEAH!!! (All activate their quirks, except the 3)
Teacher: (scoffs) Yes, yes, I know you all have wonderful quirks. But you still can’t use them in school.
Katsuki: Hey, don’t lump me in with these losers! As if I had anything like their crappy quirks!
Student: Get over yourself Bakugo!
Katsuki: (standing up and glaring around the room) SHUT UP! YOU EXTRAS SHOULD BEHAVE LIKE WHAT YOU ARE!
Teacher: Ah, Bakugo, you want to go to U.A. high, right?
Student 2: (with a hint of confusion) The national school? Isn’t the cutoff score something like 79?
Student 3: (nods) They barely accept anyone! (The rest of class starts arguing and sharing information about U.A., but Setto and Izuku stay silent.)
Katsuki: Ugh, the chattering of useless extras! I’m the only one here strong enough for U.A.! I’ll become better than All Might and become one of the richest people in the world!
Teacher: (looks at a separate sheet of paper and turns to Izuku. Now remembering,) Oh yeah, Midoriya, you’re also trying to get into U.A., right?
Bakugo (glaring at Izuku): Deku? (Sets off explosions on Izuku’s desk, forcing him to the floor, against the wall) You think you can rub shoulders with me?!? (Marches at Izuku) Forget the crappy quirks! You’re worse than them all, you're quirkless! (He spat)
Deku: Wa- wait, Kacchan, I- I wasn’t saying that at all! (He waves his hands in front of himself) I can’t compete with you..! I- it’s just… my dream has always been to be a hero… And, I thought that.. there was no h-harm in trying…
Setto (under their breath): Ken Ishiyama, cement (their hair starts to float and turns cyan, their hair falls and it turns into a concrete gray ponytail).
Bakugo: TRY-! Try what!? The entrance exam?! You’re taking the exam “just to try”? (He sneers)
Setto: (Setto causes a wall of cement to form between the two) That’s enough, Bakugo. (They glare at Bakugo.)
Bakugo: Damn Copycat! Why are you protecting Deku?!?
Setto: Why are you attacking my friend for wanting a try at his dream? Are you forgetting that I am also trying to get into U.A. too? Or its ‘cause it didn’t matter that The Copycat was trying for U.A. when a quirkless kid wanted to try also?
Bakugo: You're trying for U.A. too, Copycat? HAHAHA! You actually think you can pass the exam too? You need others to do anything! You’re as good as Deku here without all those powers you copy from pros! Sidown and shaddup, will ya?
Teacher: (sighs) That's enough. Kussamaru, get rid of the wall in the middle of my classroom. And everyone, get into your seats.
Setto: (glares at the teacher, but reluctantly lets it back into the floor. They and the other students outside of their seats sit back down, their hair undoes the ponytail, floats again, turns cyan, then mint, then falls back down into their normal style)
A few hours have passed, and something is off. A random street nearby seems to hold the answers to that…
Shopkeeper: (runs out of their shop) Stop! Thief!
Sludge Villain: Catch me if you can!
Citizen 1: someone’s bound to stop him.
Citizen 2: This guy must’ve been inspired by the chaos this morning and wanted his own headline. There seems to be no end to guys like this.
All Might: Yes there is! Why, you ask? Because I AM HERE!
At the same time, school has just ended for students. It was a shortened day, and the students are happy to simply pack up and enjoy their afternoon.
Student 4: You got plans today?
Student 5: yeah, I got to babysit my cousins. Maybe we could hang out tomorrow?
Izuku: After seeing Kamui in action, do you plan on using his quirk?
Setto: The problem is that it would alter me physically, remember, which I can’t do.
Izuku: Right! You definitely are as strong as most pros, Setto.
Setto: I am really not, you know this. My quirk just allows me to wield someone else’s quirk with the exact same power as they can.
Izuku: But that solidifies the fact that you become as strong as them.
Setto, blushing: You don’t need to make me feel better about my weird quirk. I need to go to the bathroom. Meet me outside the classroom!
Izuku: Might as well go now.
Bakugo: (walks up and takes Izuku’s notebook, looking amused and annoyed) “Hero analysis for my future no. 13”, you have more of these? Deku, you quirkless wannabe!
Izuku: (trying to grab his notebook back) I can still be a hero, and besides, the information in the journals can sometimes help Setto…
Bakugo: Kussamaru is nothing but a copycat! And you’re even worse, you useless Deku! You’ll never live up to me! I’ll be the first and only hero from this crappy middle school. In other words, don’t you dare even try to get into U.A.!
Setto: (outside the classroom, hearing the exchange. They mutter,) Inko Midoriya, object attraction… (Their hair starts to float again, turning cyan, then falling down as a dark green ponytail with two strands in front)
Bakugo: You don’t need this, and neither does that copycat! (Bakugo causes explosions burning the book, and tosses it toward the open window.)
Setto: (Setto stops, but comes in, and uses object attraction to stop the book from going out, and drags it to themself. Bakugo storms out with a scowl still on his face.) Sorry Izuku! I should’ve finished up sooner.
Izuku: That's fine. You managed to save my book, or… at least its charred self. Come on! Let's go!
Soon after, Setto and Izuku are walking back to their apartment complex, talking idly to fill the silence. And, well, to give Izuku some of the self-confidence he really needs...
Setto: Don’t worry! You’ll totally pass the exam!
Izuku: Maybe… Guess I just have to keep my chin up.
Setto: That’s the spirit!
Sludge Villain: Two medium size bodies to hide in? Perfect!
Setto and Izuku: Ah-
(This line stays. It will forever be engrained into the fic.)
Sludge Villain: Don’t worry you two. It’ll all be over soon. I’m just… hijacking your body to hide from him.
Setto: (tries speaking to activate their quirk, but quickly gets cut off)
Sludge villain: (quickly advanced and wraps himself around the kids, shoving down their throats) No screaming! I need to hide, so don’t resist and it’ll end soon.
Setto: ‘ah, so this is how I die. Goop.’ (their vision starts gaining black spots)
All Might: FEAR NOT KIDS! I AM HERE! TEXAS… SMASH!!! (All Might punches, the villain scattering everywhere in less than a second.) KIDS! YOU AWAKE? (He says, slapping them slightly) Sorry for getting you caught up in the hunt for him, but this place is strange to me!
(After a moment or so, both Setto and Izuku wake up, Izuku jumping back but Setto just jumping up and taking a few steps closer to him)
Setto: Sir! Can we have an autograph!?! Izuku! Grab the notebook-
Izuku: (cuts them off) He already signed it!
Setto & Izuku: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! (They both bow several times)
All Might: (glancing around, for the best take-off point) Best be off! I must bring the villain to the authorities. You can catch me again on tv!
Izuku: Is that it? B-but I have so many questions!
Setto: What is any part of your real name? And the name of your quirk, please?
All Might: (looks conflicted for a second, before going back to his extra-bright smile) Pros are not only battling enemies, but also time. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!! (All Might jumps off! But he doesn't notice Setto and Izuku are grabbing onto him, until he's high in the sky.) WHAT? HEY NOW! RELEASE ME, SUCH ENTHUSIASM IS A BIT MUCH!
Setto: If we let go, we’d die!
Izuku: And I still have so many questions!
All Might: JUST DO ME A FAVOR! CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND EYES! WE’LL LAND SHORTLY!
Meanwhile, the sludge villain was dropped in a random alleyway.
Sludge Villain: where am I? Heroes..! If not for that bastard I would have got away!
Student 6: Haven’t you known Deku since you were kids?
Student 6B: You may have gone a little far today, including on Kussamaru.
Bakugo: It’s their fault. They shouldn’t be where they don’t belong. Seeing them full of dumb dreams pisses me off!
Sludge Villain: (quietly, smirking) A body with a good quirk… mm… perfect.
Back on the rooftop with All Might, Setto, and Izuku, things aren't going much better.
All Might: The people downstairs will help you get down. I’ve got no time! Truly!
Izuku: Wait!
All Might: No! I will not wait!
Izuku: E- even without a q-quirk, can I still become a hero? Can someone without a quirk, become a h-hero like you? (He ends much quieter than he started, staring at his shoes with a passion)
All Might: Quirks are- (quietly) oh no… damnit All… (he curses under his breath. His time limit - It's almost out…)
Izuku: Because I don’t have a quirk, I… well, maybe that’s not the only reason, but I’ve always been picked on by everyone… except my friend Setto, that's why… maybe that’s why I think saving people is the coolest thing someone can do.
Small Might: (deflates with a puff of smoke)
Setto: Uh… Izuku…?
Izuku: The way you save people with that fearless smile! I want to be the strongest hero just like yoUUWHAAAAAAAAT!?!?!?!?!?!? AH! You’re all shriveled up! Huh?! Were you..? A fake? An imposter? A-
Setto: (cuts him off) Izuku, please stop. This man saved your life! The least we could do is not insult him. I am sorry, sir.
Small Might: Thank you. (Sighs) I assure you I am All Might.
Izuku: No way!
Small Might: You know how people hold in their guts at the pool? It's like that.
Setto: I’m sorry, but I am not following…
Small Might: A fearless smile, huh? You two have seen my true form. But don’t go telling everyone. (Lifts up part of shirt) Someone did this to me five years ago. My respiratory system was destroyed, and my stomach was removed. I’ve been wasting away since because of the surgeries to keep me alive. Now, I can only do hero work 3 hours a day.
Setto: Five years ago? Was that your fight with-
Izuku: (interrupting Setto) Toxic Chainsaw?
Small Might: That punk? No, he couldn’t even lay a scratch on me! No, this fight was kept out of the public eye. That is, because I asked it to be. A symbol of peace should never be defeated by evil. The reason I smile is to get rid of all the pressure I feel. A pro should always be ready to risk his life. (He considers something for a few moments, before continuing, slightly sadder than before) Without a quirk you said? No, without one, you can’t become a hero. If what you desire is to help people, become a police officer. The villain custody officers are mocked, but it is a noble profession. It’s not wrong to dream, but make sure those dreams are achievable.
Izuku: (looks at him, eyes welling with tears. He tries to speak, but quickly resorts to closing his mouth and staring at his shoes, fidgeting with his hands)
Setto: (They glare at Small Might, expression turning to one of concern as they look at Izuku) Don’t worry Izuku! I’m sure you’ll become a hero! There’s no need to listen to him. (They send another glare to him) Come on, where's that determination gone? You can still be a hero. I’ll train my quirk to affect others as well, and then we can be a team!
Small Might: (walks past them and into the stair door)
Izuku: (voice quiet and broken) What's the point? Even the best of the best has told me I can't be a hero…
Small Might: (walking down a staircase to give the villain to the police) Now, to bring this guy to- (pats pockets) Oh no.. (An explosion rumbles in the distance.)
In a now-destroyed tunnel, a new fight has started, between Katsuki and the sludge villain. The alley is destroyed by now, charred and broken
Bakugo: ‘AARGH!!! As if I’d let this mudman take my body!’
Sludge Villain: ‘What strength! I’ve hit the jackpot here! With this kinda power, I’ll be able to pull my revenge on him!’
Citizen 3: Woah! Some sort of hardcore villain?
Citizen 4: You can do this, heroes!
Mt. Lady: (rushes over, stopping at the entrance of the street) A single lane street? I can’t get through!
Kamui Woods: A fire like this would kill me! Someone else needs to do this!
Firefighter Hero: I would, but I’ve got my hands full with these fires! How’s it looking over there?
Death Arms: No can do! I can’t get a hold of him! We need to wait for a hero with a better quirk!
Setto and Izuku: (walking behind the crowd)
Setto: Izuku, do you want to come watch this?
Izuku: (defeated) What's the point? I can’t be a hero. I knew this already, right? This is reality, and I don’t have a quirk.
Setto: (Scowls at Izuku, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the commotion) WE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS, YOU WILL TAKE YOUR NOTES, AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE. YOUR. DREAM! Now get over here!
All Might, in the background: If only I had been faster! Dealing with those boys took too long. Pathetic! The symbol of peace: a useless bystander.
Izuku: Are those explosions? AND IS THAT THE GUY THAT ALMOST KILLED US?!?!?!?!?
Setto: ‘Explosions..? That didn't happen when we were attacked… wait… that is the guy..!’ Bu-, but All Might got him didn’t he? That means…
Setto and Izuku: This was our fault…
Citizen 5: Why’re the heroes just standing there?
Citizen 6: I heard them saying that their quirks do nothing.
Citizen 6B: Plus I think he grabbed a middle-schooler.
Setto: Does that mean whoever's in there is enduring the pain we went through? ‘And wait… explosions.. a middle schooler..’
Izuku: I can’t believe this! It’s all my fault!
Citizen 8: Hey, that villain, isn’t that the All Might was chasing?
Citizen 9: All Might? All Might is here!?!
Setto: ‘He has Bakugo.’ Izuku, what's Thirteen’s real name??
Izuku: (pulls out his phone and quickly moogles it) U- uhm… Anan Kurose!
Setto: Got it! Anan Kurose, blackhole! (Setto starts running into the crowd, he almost trips but gets back u)
Izuku: You're not actually gonna- Oh no!
Setto: (Reaches the end of the crowd, continuing to run forward. Their hair is now long and black. They reach a halfway point, and activate blackhole)
Setto: Bakugo! You may suck, but you deserve to live!
Katsuki: ‘fricking copycat?? The hell are they doing here!?’
Sludge monster: (He starts getting sucked into the black hole, unable to grab onto anything strong enough.)
Setto: Get over here, ya piece a gloop! Remember me?
(The Sludge Villain gets parts of his body sucked up, but Setto stops before they kill him, they say “off” under their breath, reverting their hair to normal. The pros swoop in and detain the villain.)
Katsuki: (falls to the ground, coughing up sludge)
(The crowd falls into stunned silence, before erupting into a mix of cheers and other unrecognizable sounds, simply from the sheer amount of people.)
Setto: (rushes over to Bakugo, who has stopped coughing and is now glaring at the sky, laying on his back) Shoot, are you okay??
Izuku: (runs up next to him, picking up Bakugo gently and trying to get him to stand) Kacchan! Are you okay?!
Katsuki: (pushes his hand away and stands up, grabbing Izuku’s shirt and pulling him a little closer) Listen here Deku, I didn't need your help, (glares at Setto) and I definitely didn't need yours, Copycat! (Roughly releases and slightly pushes Izuku away)
Setto: (rolls their eyes, steadying Izuku with a hand on his shoulder) Jerk…
Izuku: S- sorry, Kacchan…
(The pros come in and surround Bakugo and Setto.)
Death Arms (to Setto): That was one powerful attack! You managed to defeat that villain in an instant! What is your quirk, ‘cause it's amazing!
Baseball Hero: You should become my side kick once you graduate! That suction quirk is incredible!
Setto: (looks overwhelmed) It was really nothing- I just– (gets cut off)
Bird Mask Hero (to Bakugo): You shouldn’t sell yourself short! The way that you stayed unphased for so long was crazy! You definitely have top 10 written all over you!
Small Might: Young man, I would like to talk to you!
Bakugo: (points to himself)
Small Might: No, next to you, with the green hair. (Izuku and Setto point to themselves) Yes, the two of you. (They walk with Small Might to an alleyway away from view) I want to talk.
Setto: (glares at him) First you belittle my friend, and now you want to talk? With all due respect, you came on real harsh.
Small Might: (looks ashamed, frowning slightly) I know. I apologize for that. You didn’t need to hear that. (looks to Setto) What you did there was incredible. My question is, why didn’t you use your quirk as soon as you ran?
Setto: (hesitates, before speaking) I didn’t activate my quirk upon running because I couldn’t.
Small Might: (nods) But you didn’t answer my question: what is your quirk? And why did your hair change when you fought the villain?
Small Might: But you didn’t answer my question. What is your quirk? And why did your hair change when you fought the villain?
Setto: …It copies quirks.
Small Might: Copies?
Setto: Temporarily. (Not meeting his eyes.) And not all of them.
Small Might: Go on.
Setto: I have to know who I’m copying. Their real name. And the quirk. If I get either wrong, nothing happens. There’s a delay, too. A few seconds where I can’t move right. That’s what you saw with me tripping.
Small Might: And the hair?
Setto: That’s… genetic backlash, I guess. My body tries to match theirs. Some quirks don’t work at all. Anything that rewrites the body too much—mutations, permanent changes, heteromorphic quirks in general—I can’t hold those.
Small Might: You handled it with impressive precision.
Setto: That’s not skill. It’s the problem. When it works, it works exactly like theirs. Same strength. Same limits. Same mistakes. And when it ends… I lose the muscle memory, making training with someone else’s quirk pointless.
Small Might: I see.
Setto: I can only hold one at a time. Five minutes, if I’m timing it correctly. After that I start shaking, or forgetting things. Sometimes I can’t even stand. (Quietly.) People think that part’s convenient. It also means my quirk is unusable for double the amount of over use.
Small Might: That sounds… dangerous.
Setto: Yeah. (It’s not said bitterly. Just tired.) That’s why I don’t use it unless I have to.
(Izuku watches silently, realizing this explanation is far shorter than the one in his notebooks.)
Small Might: So… (Small Might is doubting his choices now) I have a power that I can possibly give one of you, but it won’t be easy. So, do you accept this honor as the dual 9th users of One For All?