Your heart shatters as you hear the words.

All Might, the man you idolize and borderline worship, the man whose massive, hulking form figure strikes fear into the heart of villains everywhere, the man who is the very symbol of peace, had put it plain and and simple.

"No, I don't think you can be a hero without a quirk."

You stand there, motionless, as All Might continues his speech. He talks about other professions you could take up in place of heroism. He mentions law enforcement, but at this point you aren't really listening. You're still reeling from how casually your idol stomped on your dreams.

All Might collects himself and departs, leaving you alone on the rooftop. You still don't move, frozen by shock. Not from seeing All Might's secret, emaciated form, but from the cruel, biting words that had left his mouth. Deep down, you feel that you've known them for a while, but it took someone you look up to to drive them home.

You drop to your knees, willing yourself to cry. Crying always makes you feel better, but this time, the tears won't come, no matter how much you want them to. You sit there, dry eyed, and try to pick up the pieces of your shattered dreams.

XXX

You start to trudge home, leaving the crowd of civilians and heroes behind you as you wring the last bits of sludge and slime out of your tattered school uniform. Mom'll have to buy you a new one later.

Your mind wanders back to the events that happened not thirty minutes ago. You barely remember what happened, as if you hadn't been in control of your actions. Although, in a way, you hadn't.

You'd jumped the improvised barrier the heroes had set up without thinking and started running towards Kacchan, who was still trapped in the villain's fluid, sludge-like body. You'd slung your backpack at the villain, and it burst open, the contents slamming into his large eye. He'd recoiled, and Kacchan had managed to take a breath as you ran up to him and started to claw through the villain's viscous body, trying to free your childhood bully. Kacchan had yelled at you, something about not needing your help, and, with a nervous smile plastered across your face, you managed to tell him that you couldn't sit back and watch him die. He roared at you, his voice filled with anger, before his mouth is once again submerged underneath the sludge. You tried to dig him out again, but before you could act, a familiar masculine voice called out above the turmoil of the screaming crowd.

And suddenly, the villain is gone, almost instantly. In its place, there is a familiar figure. All Might stands, his muscles rippling, and flashes a smile to the crowd.

All Might disappeared after that, and the remaining pro heroes chewed you out while a group of paramedics checked you for injuries. Bakugo had given you an earful, as usual for him, and then the paramedics had cleared you to go home, telling you to call the hospital if you felt any pain for the next day or two.

So, as you take the long way home, it's understandable when All Might's words set in even more heavily than before. You couldn't be a hero. You'd charged in to save Kacchan but had ended up doing nothing more than endanger yourself along with him. You really were a quirkless nerd. You think back to what Kacchan had told you at school earlier - You could try leaping out a window and hoping to be reborn with a quirk. You quickly shake the thought from your head, berating yourself for even daring to let your mind wander to such a place. You've got plenty to live for. Besides, there's no way you could do that to your mom.

It's also understandable that you're beyond confused when All Might himself is suddenly blocking your path. He's as heroic as ever, huge and masculine and intimidating and suddenly he's a weak, mummified corpse of a man again. You choke back scream of surprise, as his transformation is still rather unsettling. He apologizes for his unattractive form, and then dives into a speech about what makes a hero, and you assume he's going to criticize his actions like the other pro heroes. You steel yourself for more harsh words, but are pleasantly surprised when they don't come. Realization dawns on you when he talks about heroes who felt that their body moved before they knew it, and you realize he's praising you. You fall to your knees for the second time that day, and the tears that wouldn't come before start to well up in your eyes.

And then, the words come. The words you've been waiting for your whole life. Words you've hoped and prayed for since you learned you were quirkless, words that no one has uttered to you for many long years.

"You too, can become a hero."

So this is fun. This story will be a little collection of short, second person scenes from Izuku's perspective covering important moments in the series. I don't have a set upload schedule so chapters will be posted whenever I get done with them, but it shouldn't be too long between uploads.