Chapter Text
Mirko had a reputation for being a fight addict who only thought with her fists, so when the green-haired boy asked her a serious question, she answered with the same level of seriousness.
[I don’t think so, kid.]
Izuku lowered his head and was about to cry, but she continued.
[Heroes like All Might and me are called in when a big takedown is needed. Even if you had a Quirk, if it’s not the right kind, it’d be hard to be heroes like us. Yeah, my Quirk doesn’t seem suited for it at first glance, but I’ve got the strength of a rabbit scaled up to human size. Add all my training, and you get a mini freight train.]
[Maybe you could start as a sidekick. That’s not meant to put you down—sidekicks are really helpful. I mention it because yeah, you could use support gear to make up for not having a Quirk, but the problem with support gear is that it’s expensive. A hero school might provide it, but you’d be limited to whatever budget they give you. And once you graduate, you’ll have to replace it yourself because it doesn’t always survive missions. I have to constantly replace the ropes I carry on my belt. And unless you’re a top hero, you won’t be able to afford it. Being the first quirkless hero might get you some initial popularity, sure—but once the novelty wears off, you’ll just be another background hero. And without something flashy, it’s hard to break into the top ranks.]
[You could try being a rescue hero. If you save enough people, you’ll earn public approval, and if you handle your image well, you could climb the rankings. Once you’re near the top, your income increases, and then you could afford the gear you’d need to fight villains. But that path can also backfire—villain takedowns are what people find most exciting, so you’d basically be flipping a coin. If you run into Snipe, you could ask him for advice more useful than mine.]
[You could also get sponsors, but the problem with them is that if you don’t give them the ridiculous numbers they want, they’ll drop you before you even realize it.]
[So my recommendation is to specialize in rescue and start out as a sidekick. An agency can provide the gear you need, and as long as you do your job, you should be fine. If you want to go independent later, save up for a few years, and once you’re in a good position, make your redebut.]
[But before all that, if you want to get into a hero school, you need to start training as soon as possible. No offense, but you’re a noodle.]
It wasn’t a no. Izuku was now actually crying—but from happiness. This kind of situation wasn’t normal for Mirko, so she awkwardly patted his back.
[I’m guessing you’ve had it rough, huh?]
[Sniff—You’re the first one to say yes… sniff—not even All Might…]
That idiot told the kid no straight to his face? Mirko didn’t know what to think. She clenched her fists to keep from making an expression the kid might misinterpret.
[Okay, kid… I’m gonna need you to explain that last part.]
[It’s nothing… he was just worried about me…]
[Kid.]
[A few days ago, a villain almost got me. All Might saved me. I asked him the same thing, but… he told me no and said I should try something more realistic, then he left.]
Ugh, that idiot. She was definitely going to kick him in the balls when she saw him.
[Kid, don’t listen to that idiot. His opinion doesn’t count with that broken cheat of a Quirk he’s got… Hey, I know—do you want an autograph?]
Izuku had recovered, but now he didn’t know what to say.
[Y-Yeah…]
He pulled out his notebook and a pen, handing them to the heroine. Mirko flipped through a page… then another… and another.
Damn it, you blonde clown—you’ve earned a second kick to the balls, maybe even a third. You were this close to ending the era of heroes.
[Damn, kid… how about a trade? A copy of this notebook for… I don’t know… one of my suits? No, that sounds really inappropriate. But it’s yours if you want it—exclusive merch, payment, whatever you want.]
[Huh?… It’s nothing special…]
[Kid, don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. This notebook is incredible. Give me your contact info and we’ll figure out how to get it back to you—and get you your stuff.]
Izuku was practically vibrating with excitement. Mirko—a top 5 hero—had not only told him he could be a hero, but that his notebooks were good, even if they were just basic notes. But he wasn’t about to pass up the chance at exclusive merch.
Mirko was almost blinded by that pure smile. She was definitely going to kick All Might in the balls until she felt satisfied—for the sheer sacrilege of hurting this cinnamon roll.