Despite what people may tell you, "all men are created equal" couldn't be further from the bitter and dark truth, and Izuku Midoriya aged 4 was just beginning to see it, the truth that was always there. Just in front of his shining, lively emerald eyes.

Some people were born with everything they could ever want... Izuku wasn't that lucky.

"He doesn't have one." the Doctor deadpanned as Izuku flinched

"He's quirkless."

Izuku could pinpoint the exact second his heart shattered, a jigsaw inside of him, his only desire ripped from him mercilessly.

His only wish, to be a hero, to save people with a smile on his face, a hero like All Might!

That's nothing but a dream now.

A shattered dream.

He needed something, someone to reassure him, to keep him in one piece, and he hoped his mom would say the words he needed to hear most: "You can be a hero!".

"I'm so sorry Izuku, I wish it wasn't like this!" his mom barely managed through her own matching stream of tears...

If his 4-year-old heart was a jigsaw before, it's dust now.

School wasn't any better... Not with Kacchan as he is after awakening that stupid quirk, it took his best friend, and changed him, of course, Izuku still stuck with him [he's too kind for his own good after all] but that didn't mean he was completely fine with this egotistical bully version of Kacchan.

"You're just a useless, quirkless Deku!"

Yup, he definitely doesn't like this Kacchan, especially when he uses his quirk on him. His little 4-year-old body has been bruised and burnt more times than he's been able to count...

It didn't stop there...

It continued into middle school, Kacchan stopped being as physical, but at this point the words cut deeper anyway... (Izuku wasn't sure whether he stopped because he was actually a good person, or he just didn't want it on his record) [He believed the former, against all odds, and all the pain life had put him through already, he still saw the best in people.]

At this point, life was a drag, dragging himself out of bed was near impossible, if anything school was also more of a reason against getting out of bed, the thought of going through the same name calling and bullying was painful, to say the least, and forcing an empty smile all day wasn't easy.

With a heavy heart he began to change into his school's simple black uniform if it were any lighter colour you might have seen some charring, Kacchan mellowed out a little, but he was still far from being an angel.

As he walked out of his bedroom he put on his usual smile (its not real anymore, though) trying to replace the twinkle in his eyes that has long since been lost so his Mom doesn't realise, 'she deserves better' he thought 'a better son, one who isn't useless and pathetic, she worries enough as it is.'

"Morning Mom!" Izuku said, donning his chipper facade

"Morning dear, breakfast will be ready in a second." Inko replies with matching happiness [although hers is a lot more genuine than Izuku's]

"Oh, I'm not that hungry Mom, I'll just take something to have on the way to school" Izuku said with a small smile 'The effort is wasted on me Mom, I'm fine going hungry anyway'

"Oh, alright Izuku" Inko doesn't suspect a single thing Izuku hides it too well.

The light in his eyes long since flickered out, his smile, its small because he can't manage anything beyond that and the various different shaped scars Kacchan had caused him throughout his life covered up and out of sight... She can't suspect a thing. She can't see how much her son is suffering, 'it's better if she doesn't know... She'd be broken if she did, and that'd be your fault Deku!' he thinks to himself, habitually.

"Alright, thanks Mom!" Izuku says as he grabs something to eat on the way and makes his way toward the front door "Cya later, love you!"

"Love you too sweetie, have fun at school." Inko replied Izuku winced internally at those words 'It's been a really long time since I've had fun at school Mom' he thought as his eyes returned to their extinguished, almost dead state and his smile faded completely.

Izuku's school day was uneventful (a few insults originating from Kacchan, but other than that nothing special), his trek home, however, was about to get much more interesting whether he wants it or not.

Izuku feels the rumbling below as he enters the underpass 'Huh? What's that rumbl-' his train of thought is disrupted by the clang of metal on concrete and an unnatural, goopy voice "Medium sized skinsuit" it gurgles(?) "hope you don't mind me borrowing it!" suddenly Izuku is being choked by the villain 'He's going to kill me!' Izuku thrashes around to no avail, the sludge holding him deep within."Stop thrashing around! It'll only take 45 seconds, then it'll all be over!" the monster gurgles again.

He's suffocating...

'This is it' Izuku stops thrashing and focuses on remaining conscious 'This is how I die. I'm sorry mom' he starts to tear up.

Suddenly, Izuku sees a bright light 'So this is what they call the light at the end of the tunnel heh, guess I'm really dead'. The next instant the sludge is blasted off of him, when Izuku turns around to see who or what did it, he sees All Might, the current number one hero and symbol of peace, Izuku's idol from childhood.

"A-A-All Might!" Izuku picks himself up "Thank you for saving me, I'm your biggest fan, you're my idol!" he says in one breath while bowing deeply to which All Might just replies with bellowing laughter

"It's alright Young man, I apologise for getting you caught up in my villain hunting." as he says this he joins Izuku in bowing deeply "Right, I should be going, this evildoer needs to be turned into the police."

'He's leaving, hold on, this is my chance, my only chance.'

"Wait please, All Might, can I ask you a single question?" Izuku exclaims in desperation

"You already have my Boy, but by all means, ask away!" All Might says

'All right, now or never, all or nothing!'

"C-Can I be a hero, even without a quirk!" Izuku finally forces the words out.