Disclaimer
This story is based on a fanfiction I found on a site called Wattpad. I liked the idea but felt the the execution could have been done better. If you want to read the original story then you can find it here ( story/124496788-counting-on-him ). Credit for the idea goes to KingSkyFyre.
Chapter 1
Not all men are created equal.
That's the sad truth I learned when I was just 4 years old. Even among those with gifts, there will always be those who simply got luckier than others. Years ago, a glowing baby was born in japan. Ever since then, more and more strange powers started to appear all over the world. These powers, which came to be known as quirks, soon started causing causes as the crime rates shot up drastically. However as governments struggled to change their laws quick enough to cope with the sudden development of superpowers, brave individuals and groups rose up to defend the people. These people came to be known as heroes, and soon they were everywhere. Now 80% of the population has a quirk of some kind. My name is Izuku Midoriya, and this is the story of how I became the world's greatest hero.
Izuku is very excited. Today is the day that he finally gets to go to the doctor and see if he's going to get a quirk. Izuku couldn't help but run around, filled with so much energy that he felt like he was about to burst. His friend Bakugou had already gotten a really cool quirk. He could make really pretty sparks. Izuku can't wait to see what he'll get. Maybe he'll even get a quirk cool enough that he can be a hero like his idol, All Might, the greatest hero in the world. Just the thought of it sends Izuku to cloud nine. Izuku's mother Inko ushers him into their car and drives off to the doctor's office.
The trip was rather quick for Izuku. He was so excited the the entire trip passes in a flash. Before he knows it he's sitting with his mother in the doctor's waiting room, with the same excited look on his face that he's had the entire time. Soon his name is called and he rushes into the doctor office with his mother following behind. This is, until he realizes he doesn't know where the doctor's office is. He stops in the middle of the hallway and Inko catches up to him.
"Izuku, I know you're excited, but you can't go rushing off."
Izuku blushes a little and chuckles with just a bit of embarrassment.
"Sorry mom. I'm just so excited. I can't wait to find out what my quirk will be!"
Inko chuckles to herself. Izuku's enthusiasm was very infectious.
"Well then, let's not keep the doctor waiting."
Inko leads Izuku into the doctor's office. The doctor introduces himself and begins testing Izuku. He took X-rays of izuku's body, took some blood samples, pricked Izuku with some strange things, and did a couple other things that Izuku doesn't understand. It takes about an hour, but soon it's over and Izuku is anticipating the news. The doctor puts up some of Izuku's X-rays on a glow board before sitting down in his chair and addressing Izuku and Inko.
"Alright, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is: your son will almost certainly develop a quirk."
The doctor points at Izuku's X-rays.
"His body lacks the extra joint that most quirkless children have, so it's almost guaranteed that he'll develop a quirk."
Izuku jumps to his feet and shout in excitement. Inko on the other hand is a bit more worried.
"And what's the bad news?"
The doctor straighten himself in his chair before continuing.
"The bad news is, we have no idea what the quirk will be. We can normally tell what someone's quirk might be because it alters their biology is some fashion or another. For example: someone with a super strength quirk would have much greater muscle mass, or someone with the ability to shoot quills would show signs of new glands in their skin to accommodate the sudden growth of their projectiles. However, your son has nothing like that. Except for the standard streamlining that comes with having a quirk, I can't find anything to indicate that his body even has a quirk."
Izuku's enthusiasm suddenly shatters.
"W-what does that mean?"
The doctor sighs.
"It means that we won't know what your quirk is until it manifests. But there's no need to worry, the odds of one not developing are astronomical. Worst case scenario, you end up being a late bloomer. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
Izuku sighs in relief.
"Alright, thank you sir."
The doctor smile and stands up.
"My pleasure. Thank you for visiting. Now, I've taken up enough of your day. You should probably move along."
Inko nods and leads Izuku out of the doctor's office. She drove him home and made Katsudon for dinner.
A couple weeks later, Izuku and Bakugou are walking in the woods. Bakugou is leading the way While Izuku follows behind.
"Man Bakugou, your quirk is so cool. I hope mine will be as cool as yours when it finally shows up."
Bakugou looks back at Izuku as he walks confidently forwards.
"What did they say your quirk is?"
Izuku looks down at the ground, a lot less confident than his friend.
"They said that they couldn't figure it out. He said that if worst comes to worst that I might just be a late bloomer."
Bakugou just laughs at izuku's dilema.
"Stupid Deku. He was just trying to not hurt your feelings. That what doctors say when they don't want to tell you that you're quirkless."
Izuku stops as he feels his heart crack.
"You, you really think so?"
Bakugou faces back towards the path.
"Face it, you're just quirkless."
Izuku looks down at the ground and starts to tear up.
'No, It can't be true. I'll develop a quirk and then I'll be just as strong as All Might.'
Even though Izuku thought that, he couldn't shake the doubt building in his heart.
A couple years later, and Izuku has yet to manifest a quirk or any signs of a quirk. Izuku's hope continues to dwindle as each and every day passes. Izuku still has a little hope though. There's still the possibility that he might develop a quirk and be able to show Bakugou that he can also be a hero. Speaking of which: Izuku is swinging idly on a swing when suddenly he hears the tell tale sound of a small explosion from Bakugou. Izuku turns and sees that he and two of his cronies are trying to beat up another, slightly chubbier, kid in a red shirt and brown shorts. Izuku leaps off of his swing and runs between the kid and Bakugou.
"I-I'm not going to let you hurt him K-Kacchan."
Bakugou is a bit surprised that this quirkless hero wanna be would have the audacity to stand in his way. It's actually rather amusing. Bakugou laughs and his hands sparks.
"Oh yeah? And just what are you going to do about it?"
Izuku was shaking in his boots. Standing up to Kacchan was really scary. Especially since his explosions could be very powerful. Izuku wearily raises his shaking fists and takes a basic combat stance on his jittering legs.
"Then, then I'll stop you myself!"
Bakugou is actually dumbfounded. To think that Deku would actually say something like that. Bakugou bursts into laughter and his cronies join in. Bakugou stop laughing after a moment. Bakugou glares at Izuku with almost villainous intent.
"Alright."
Izuku looks like he's about to pee himself and/or start crying. Either way, he still stands his ground. Bakugou charges at Izuku. Izuku wants to close his eyes and try to just take the assault, but he doesn't. Izuku backs away from Bakugou's attack with a much calmer look on his face. This makes Bakugou angry and he dentonates some of his sweat with a yell. This blows Izuku away, who screams in pain. The other kid has been long gone by now so Bakugou and his cronies proceed to beat up Izuku without mercy.
Izuku limped home once Bakugou had stopped beating him up. It took a surprisingly long time for Bakugou to stop. It seemed like he was letting out a lot of anger on Izuku. Once he was home Inko sees him all roughed up and rushes over to him.
"Izuku! Are you alright honey?"
Izuku nods, even though it really hurts. Inko goes to get some burn cream. Izuku goes to his room and turns on his computer. He pulls up his favorite video. The video of when All Might first debuted. The screen shows the aftermath of a powerful earthquake, with fire in the distance. Then, crawling out of the rubble of the building, a large figure emerges carrying a bunch of Injured people. He boldly proclaims:
"NO NEED TO FEAR, FOR I AM HERE!"
Inko walks into Izuku's room with the burn cream and sees him sitting in front of the monitor. He turns around and Inko sees that Izuku is crying. Izuku points shakily at the monitor.
"D-do you think I can be a hero, even though I can't make my quirk show up?"
Inko rushes over to Izuku and hugs him tight as he cries.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Izuku continues to cry. On the night, he resigned himself to being essentially quirkless. Little did he know however, that there was much more to this than he had first imagined.