Midoriya Izuku was born without a Quirk. By the time he was in Kindergarten the other children had begun manifesting their powers, all of them except for him. From the day he learned that he had no Quirk because of his x-rays, and that he would never manifest one, a part of him died a little. All he had ever wanted was to be a Hero. To selflessly help others with a smile on his face just like his hero- All Might. But that dream would never be realized unless he had something other than a Quirk to work with. Even without a Quirk he knew, deep down, that he couldn't abandon his dream. No matter what anyone said.

But what if he did have a Quirk? One that was subtle? So subtle in fact that it would take someone really observant to realize it's potential. And when they did figure out his Quirk they would covet it, and him.

Feet slamming hard against the concrete, eyes filled with tears, a young boy with green hair and freckles ran blindly through empty streets. His arm was singed and stung as he cradled it to his chest and continued to cry. He had no idea where he was going but he knew he had to run away. It wasn't the first time he had been beaten up by his best friend, Kacchan, but this was certainly the first time he'd ever used his power. Izuku had been so frightened by this that he had turned blindly and started running without looking back. Now he was somewhere he'd never been and was completely lost. Turning a corner he ran smack dab into someone and was nearly thrown back. Someone reached out to him and gripped his wrist, helping him keep balance. Getting his feet under him the boy sniffled and wiped at his eyes. "I-I'm so s-s-sorry." The man in front of him, if you could call him that, was made of this strange black smoke that was neither cold or warm. He had felt the hand closed around his wrist and could see the suit the man was wearing but he couldn't actually make out a face within the haze. Save for two bright spots that seemed to be the man's eyes. "That is alright, young man, you are forgiven." There was a pause before the man sighed. "Now, why are you all the way out here?" The man looked around, as if trying to find his parent. Izuku hiccuped. "B-be-c-cause Kacchan b-burnt me with his Q-quirk." The almost seven year old said, holding up his arm so the man could see. With a short, sharp, intake of breath the man reached down and inspected the burn. "Why don't you come with me for now. I can call your parents to come get you." Izuku looked up at the man, green eyes bright but inquisitive. If he was good at one thing it was seeing the good in people, and this man didn't seem like a bad guy. After a moment of looking at the man he nodded. "Mm."

Kurogiri was torn. He had been on his way back to the bar after doing a little shopping when something turned the corner and ran into his shins at a breakneck speed. Reflexively he darted a hand out, to do what he wasn't sure. Seeing that it was a child he latched onto his wrist, stopping him from falling to the pavement. The boy was small, crying, and seemed to be very lost. He had to be, seeing as this was not the kind of place for children of any sort, and the boy didn't have the look of someone born to parents involved in nasty business. That begged the question; how had he come to be there? "I-I'm so s-s-sorry." At least he was polite, whoever he was. "That is alright, young man, you are forgiven." He pondered what to do next and let out a sigh. Normally he wasn't one to meddle but the boy just gave off this vibe that made him want to shelter the poor lad. "Now, why are you all the way out here?"

"B-be-c-cause Kacchan b-burnt me with his Q-quirk." The answer made him frown, the wound even more so. Who would leave a child with such a powerful quirk to do god knows what to other children like this? It was irresponsible. As he continued to look at the burn he also began to notice other scrapes and bruises. No doubt also from this 'Kacchan.' Offering the boy a place to wait while his parents were called Kurogiri had actually expected to be denied. Imagine his surprise when the boy stared at him, as if he could see into his very soul, before smiling and agreeing to go with him. A strange child.

As they were walking, the boy still nursing his arm slightly, he began to wonder what kind of Quirk the child had. "May I ask a question?" He glanced to the boy, who cocked his head to the side before smiling and nodding. "Why did you not use your own Quirk to fight back? Is it not combat oriented?" The boy stopped dead, head falling and tears coming to his eyes again. "…Idon'thaveone." He'd spoken so fast and so quietly that he couldn't be sure about what he'd heard. "I beg your pardon?" Shuffling his feet and looking back up almost defiantly the boy took a calming breath or two before answering. "I don't have one. The doctor said that I would never have one." Well, that explains that then, he thought to himself. The child couldn't have fought back no matter how he tried. Looking at his size he could tell the boy was no fighter. His eyes were too kind, smile too wide, and body too small. "I see." Was all he replied with. The boy looked down again, as if ashamed. "There is no shame in not having a Quirk. There are a few in my own generation who did not obtain one, that I know of." The child looked shocked but smiled. It made Kurogiri smile in return, not that the boy could see it. When was the last time he'd seen such an open and trusting face?

When they made it to the bar he held the door open for the boy. To his credit the child looked inside, frowned, and then looked up at him in confusion. "I was shopping for my work when you ran into me." He explained. "Come inside and I'll make you a snack." Again the boy beamed up and him and without further ado walked right inside. As the child began to explore the main room of the bar Kurogiri took the supplies to the very small kitchen in the back. The shadowy looking bartender quickly put together a small sandwich and a glass of orange juice, usually used for mixing alcoholic beverages. Passing by the medical kit he picked it up on the way, worried about the boy's arm. "Come here child." He said and placed the plate on the bar. The boy scampered over and climbed up on the stool. "Th-thank you so much!" He said, putting his hands together and closing his eyes. Picking up the first quarter of the sandwich he left his arm resting on his lap and kicked his feet. He was cheery for someone so hurt. "I can't keep calling you 'child,' what is your name?" The boy swallowed his mouthful before answering. Someone had taught him very good manners. Kurogiri approved. "Midoriya Izuku. But Kacchan and the others call me Deku…" 'Deku?' He thought, baffled for a moment. Then it struck him. The child was Quirkless and children could be quite cruel. "Izuku-kun, then." For a moment the boy looked shy. "What's your name?" A chuckle worked it's way out of his throat. "Kurogiri."

Coming around the bar he knelt and examined the boy's arm once more. "This might hurt a little but I need to clean and bandage that." It was strange how gently his voice had come out. Although he was always formal in his speech he was usually cold and logical. Something about the child was bringing out a part of himself he had long since buried. "Mkay." Looking a little apprehensive the boy held out his arm. Gently he began to clean the skin and was glad to see that it wasn't as bad as he'd initially thought. He might still need to go to the hospital but there was no splitting or charring. Just a very angry burn. Applying some antiseptic he heard the child gasp and held onto his arm firmly as he squirmed. "I know it hurts. But it will feel better in a moment." He soothed, though why he had no idea. Slathering the ointment over the burn he wrapped the bandage just tightly enough so as not to rub against the skin. "There, I am done." The boy looked down at his arm, his eyes showing some relief from the pain, and he smiled. "Thank you Kuro-san!" Blinking at the child as he stood up he felt warmth spreading outward from his chest and he couldn't help but to pat the child on the head. "You are very welcome." It was as if some invisible force was gently nudging him to be kind to the child. Vaguely disturbed he moved to the back of the counter as the boy finished his sandwich and juice.

"Now then. Can you tell me your phone number?" The boy's face scrunched up slightly but after a moment he started to recite the numbers in a sing-song voice. Picking up the phone he dialed and waited for an answer, but there was none. "Do your parents work long hours?" He asked as he set the phone back on the receiver. It was kind of cute how fascinated the child was with the out-dated phone. "Daddy… he's always gone. Mommy works at the hospital. Sometimes I go over to auntie Bakugou's house to play." So the woman was either a doctor, nurse, or one of the other staff. "Do you know Bakugou-san's number?" The boy nibbled his lip and shook his head. Kurogiri sighed. Well, the child was young. No doubt he had little on his mind other than playing games. "How about your address?" This time the child opened his mouth then closed it again, looking a little afraid. "Mommy wrote it inside my backpack. But… I left it behind…" Honestly, his child was going to be quite the hassle. However the downtrodden and guilty look on his face made the man relent. He was only a child who had been frightened and hurt. "I will see what I can do to find out where you live."

Handing the boy some paper and a pen, since he didn't have anything remotely colorful or child-like in the bar, he started to make a few calls. Certainly calling the police and having them pick up the child was the fastest and easiest option but with his profession that would only bring unwanted scrutiny. Glancing down at the childish drawing he sighed. The boy was clearly a fan of heroes, and All Might in particular. But he was only a child, he would learn eventually.

An hour later he had some idea of where the child's home was but didn't know what to do from there. It would probably be best to drop him off at a police station. He couldn't exactly waltz in there and report him as a lost child. Yet the idea of leaving him outside alone made him far too worried. Looking over to the booth where the child now sat, he had gotten uncomfortable on the stool after a while, he found the boy sound asleep curled up on the bench. Such an innocent child. Trusting of those around him and never expecting anything terrible to happen. Although with how the other children seemed to bully him there was probably more beneath the surface he wasn't showing to others. It would be easy to warp him back home but something told him it would be a bad idea. Instead he decided he would just walk the child home. At least then if someone he knew recognized him he could hand the boy off and disappear quickly. It was probably not the best plan but it somehow made sense to him.

"Izuku-kun?" He said, gently shaking the boy awake. Rubbing at his emerald green eyes the boy looked up at him in confusion for a moment. "Dad?" He asked. Kurogiri sucked in a breath. He wasn't sure whether to be cross at being confused for the boy's absent father or amused at his mistake. "Oh! Kuro-san. M'sorry. I fell asleep." It seemed he had recovered quickly. "I'm going to take you home now." One quick call to a taxi service later and the boy was sitting next to him in the vehicle, watching the streets go by and muttering under his breath. This day could not get any more strange, he thought to himself.

Honestly it was a little ridiculous just how far the child had run, injured and crying, and no one had stopped to ask if he was okay. That was another reason the Hero system needed to be wiped out. There was no personal responsibility anymore. Standers-by would watch something terrible happening before their eyes and do nothing, expecting someone else to come by and just make everything better. It was disgraceful.

Stopping the car at the corner nearest the boy's house he paid the driver and waited for the boy to join him. "This is as far as I know. You will have to show me where you live from here." He said. The boy smiled at him, nodding, and reached up to grab his hand. For a moment he stiffened, resisting the contact, but those trusting eyes stared up at him so he relented. From there the boy babbled incessantly about everything to do with the neighborhood. Like where his friends lived, where there was a good park to climb trees and play, that sort of thing. As they were walking he spied a couple of police officers who seemed to be looking around for something. So the boy had been missed. "Izuku-kun." A bright smile and green eyes stared up at him and he smiled in return. "I must get back to my work, you understand?" Frowning the child looked at the ground but nodded. "See those… nice policemen over there?" Following Kurogiri's finger he spied them. "Yup!" Well he didn't need glasses at least. "I want you to go and tell them your name and that you were lost." After a moment's thought he brought up the one thing that worried him, though he should have kept out of it. "And tell them about your arm and who hurt you. You need to see a doctor and someone with that power shouldn't be using it to… hurt others." Ugh. He was sounding like a pretentious hero now. This most certainly made him a hypocrite. But sometimes lies were easier than the truth. Particularly when talking to small children. "Uhm... Okay. Thank you Kuro-san!" He let go of the boy's hand and nodded politely. "Stay safe." He had no idea why he'd said that.

Once the boy had reached the officers the man warped himself back into his bar. The moment he stepped behind the counter everything from before came back to him and he stood there in confusion for at least five minutes. Going over the interactions with the child in his head he wondered what had made him act in such an uncharacteristic manner. Shaking his head to clear it he found the papers and pen he'd given the boy. With no remorse he threw the drawings in the trash and put the pen back beneath the counter. Well, there was no reason to dwell on a child he would never see again.

Oh how wrong he had been.

In this story Izuku's Quirk is going to be very broken and overpowered.
It's based on a character from Piers Anthony's Xanth series. If you can guess which one I'm talking about- you get a cookie. ^w^b And a shout-out in a later chapter.