Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, DxD: Final, DxD: Nocturne, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, RWBY: Final Judgment, Bloom, Wilt, and Scatter, Drifting towards Rebellion, The Reversed Fool of Justice, Persona 5: Hoshi to Bokura to, Outsiders, Die Set Down, Fate: Breaker, Fate: stay night: Dragon of Dragons, Digimon D-Code: Error of Hades, Metastability, The Taken King, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V: Pendulum's Fifth Swing.
I highly recommend you check them all out.
I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!
PLEASE READ: This story is a crossover between My Hero Academia, and the Webtoon, unOrdinary by Uru-chan. We highly recommend to check it out in order to better understand this story, for there will be spoilers. Plus, it is an amazing piece of work by Uru-chan, who owns unOrdinary. This crossover will feature characters from unOrdinary.
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"All men...are not created equal."
If there has ever been a quote that best described the world today, it would be this one.
You see, some odd years ago in Quing Quing, China, a baby had just been born. This wasn't an ordinary baby, you see. It was glowing. Wreathed in a brilliant glow.
Not long afterwards, reports from all across the world about people developing unusual powers: the ability to breath fire, moving objects without touching them, body size increasing to where a body builder would be jealous.
These bizarre powers became known as "Quirks." Suddenly, all across the world, a profession only seen in comic books became a reality.
People had the chance...to become heroes.
...of course, that's not the point of what I'm trying to get at. First things first, you should know that not ALL people were blessed with Quirks. Out of the hundreds of thousands of people, there would be at least two or three people born without Quirks. They were the powerless. The outcasts. The shunned.
The Quirkless.
A long time ago, there was a book. In that book, there was a man born with incredible power...yet the people around him were not born with powers of their own. He was all alone. He used his powers to help others - spread wealth and save lives. When he died, no one was sad...because he had made the world a cheerful place.
That book was called "UnOrdinary."
This book, while highly controversial, had brought forth an exponential rise in the Hero department. Employment rates, inspired by this one novel alone, had reached a never-before-seen height.
The effects couldn't be ignored.
Where am I getting at with all of this? Just be patient.
Let me start at the very beginning of this story. My name is John. John Doe. Yes, I know how weird my name sounds. I live in one of the many small-time cities of Japan. I'm currently attending Orudera Academy with my best friend, Izuku Midoriya.
The two of us are Quirkless. We do not have power.
At least...that's what the world would have wanted us to be.
As I said before... All men are not created equal.
Rules are no exception.
A Boku no Hero Academia x UnOrdinary Crossover:
My Hero Academia: The UnOrdinary Ones
Prologue: You Can Be A Hero!
Orudera Academy was but a small-time school among the many academies across Japan. By comparison, it was fairly average. Of course, the same could be said about the class of students. They were all average: youths blessed with Quirks.
Well...not all of them.
In this classroom were two boys: the heroes of this story. One sat near the back of the classroom - a meek little thing with curly green hair and freckles splattered across his cheeks. Hopelessly as ordinary as one could imagine while also very skittish, keeping his head down and writing down in his journal. Seated near the window was a boy around his age: neat black hair patted down with light brown eyes. Unlike the former, the boy rested his chin in the palm of his hand, looking out at the window with disinterest.
"I've already handed you all your pamplets." the teacher said, staring at the class in front of him. "I expect you all to write down exactly what it is you want to be with the utmost honesty." There was a brief pause before the man grinned as he turned around, tossing the papers in his hand up into the air. "Of course, I already know what you're all gonna be! HEROES!"
At this, the majority of the class' quirks manifested alongside a chorus of cheers. The green-haired boy merely raised his hand shyly. The black-haired boy near the windows did not. Because unlike his meek friend, he had no aspirations of becoming a hero whatsoever. The concept never really appealed to him. Why would it? Most of the professional heroes, or Pro Heroes, are glorified celebrities to him. They may save crimes and help people, but the media always makes such a big deal about it and constantly put them in the spotlight.
Even worse is that becoming a Pro Hero is the general trend of all youth, all for varying reasons.
"Yes yes, exciting stuff!" the teacher chuckled. "But do remember that you aren't allowed to use any powers at school!"
Amidst the excitement, one youth let out a vicious grin. "Hey, teach!" they called, bringing all eyes to them. It was a young teen with ashen blonde hair, spread out like messy bed hair and crimson red eyes. "Would you mind not lumping me in with these bunch of extras? I'm the real deal, while these guys are nothing but a bunch of sidekicks who might get lucky with a bunch of D-listers!"
Naturally, in response to his comments, everyone bristled. "What?!" a random student snarled, brandishing a giant hand encased in stone. "You trying to start something here, Katsuki?!"
"Hah! Bring it!" the blonde, Katsuki Bakugo, smirked. "I take you all on! Right here! Right now!"
"Oh, right." the teacher recalled. "Bakugo, you wanted to enter Yuuei, isn't that right?"
"EH?!" another shouted in disbelief. "HE WANTS TO GO TO YUUEI?!"
"No way...I heard that place has effin' high standards!"
"Doesn't it have something like a 0.2 acceptance rate?!"
Katsuki grinned. "And that's why it's the only place worthy of me!" he declared, standing up on his desk. "I aced all the mock tests! I'm the only one who stands a chance at getting in! I'll be even more popular than All Might himself...and become the richest hero in the world! Everyone in the world will know who I am! And its' starting with Yuuei High!"
The meek boy chuckled awkwardly, scratching his cheek. "As always, Kacchan is aiming high." he muttered to himself. "I hope he doesn't find out that-"
"Now that I think about it... Midoriya-kun wanted to attend Yuuei as well, isn't that right?"
And with that, the teacher just crushed all of Izuku's hopes of going unnoticed. Immediately, almost all eyes turned to the meek boy with disbelief on their faces.
"Seriously?"
"But he doesn't even have a Quirk."
"Didn't they get rid of the whole 'Quirkless' thing? I guess he could apply."
Unfortunately for Izuku Midoriya, these whispers only served to cause a great, murderous aura from Katsuki. Without warning, he slammed his hand into Izuku's desk, smashing it to pieces with a fiery explosion emerging from his hands. Izuku yelped, falling backwards in his seat, staring at the blonde boy in fear.
"D-e-k-u...!" Katsuki growled out his insulting nickname in a snarl, glaring down at Izuku. If looks could kill, the poor boy would be dead right then and there. "Who the hell do you think you are?! You're even worse than these extras, you damn wannabe! You REALLY think they would let someone like you in when they could have me?! What, do you think you're BETTER than me?!"
"N-no, you've got it wrong!" Izuku shouted in a panic, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Katsuki's explosions. "T-that isn't it at all, Kacchan! I-I'm not trying to compete against you!"
The black haired boy sighed, shaking his head. 'Really?' he thought. 'Again?' Contrast to one might think, this was not the first time something had set the blonde teen off to the point where he wanted to kill him. However, it was beginning to become rather annoying. "Bakugo." he called, turning away from the windows. "Would you give it a rest? You sound like a broken record."
"What was that asshat?!" Katsuki snapped his attention to the raven haired boy. "Stay out of this John!"
"Just calling them like I see them." He shrugged. "You're causing one hell of a ruckus...as usual." John Doe sighed, shaking his head. "You know, for someone who wants to be a hero, you sure do act like a villain."
"Grgh...!" Katsuki grinded his teeth together, fingers twitching. Everyone wisely inched away, knowing that he was going to blow any second. "You lookin' to start something, you cheating bastard?!"
"Not particularly. I'm just pointing out a few facts." He gave a small smirk, knowing that would he say next would be a blow to his pride. "For starters: you say that you're the only one qualified for Yuuei, but you still keep getting your ass kicked by Sera."
"You piece of shit!" He roared, small explosions going off on his palms. "You're dead!"
"That's enough!" The teacher intervened before things escalated further. "Bakugo, back in your seat! Also, see me after class regarding that desk you just blew up!"
The blonde clucked his tongue before leveling a glare at John. "This ain't over." he promised as he moved back to his desk. Izuku released a baited breath of relief, climbing back up to his feet. One of his classmates offered him an empty seat next to them, which he gratefully accepted after gathering his things.
John, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and returned his attention back to the window.
"AAAAH!"
"Someone! Stop that thief!"
In broad daylight, out in the middle of the street, people watched as a humanoid musk of dark, writhing slime with eyeballs and teeth charged down the road with dollars clinging to his slimey body. Anyone in his path quickly backed away, not wanting to get involved.
Compared to the few who panicked, the majority of the onlookers were hardly terrified.
"Ah jeez. Another one?"
"There's been a lot more villains lately."
"Where's all the heroes?"
"Must have been because of the incident from this morning."
Unknown to them, a small lanky figure walked out of a nearby convenience store, carrying a small bag of groceries. Noticing the commotion, he caught sight of the humanoid ball of slime running off.
"Isn't there a hero around?" someone complained, unaware of the lanky figure behind them suddenly increasing in size. The white shirt that practically hung on him suddenly become strained to contain his rippling muscles. "I mean, seriously! Who's going to let these guys keep running around?"
"It's alright." Everyone turned, surprise and shock and awe forming across their faces. In the midst of its escape, the Sludge Villain's eye turned to see the figure, and terror swelled upon seeing his form. "Why?"
A wide grin formed across the figure's face.
"Because...
I AM HERE!"
At the ringing of the bell, school had officially come to an end. Students were on their way out, readying for graduation day to arrive by now. Izuku, however, remained as he gathered his things. Packing up his pencil case and notebooks, he paused as he flipped through the one he had been writing in recently. In it was a new entry regarding his own personal analysis on the newest hero who made her debut today earlier this morning: Mount Lady.
"Izuku." Said boy looked up, seeing John approaching with his bag slung over his shoulder. "You ready to go?"
"Just about, yeah." he said, slipping his last notebook into his bookbag. He stopped briefly, as he bowed his head. "A-and...thanks a lot, John!"
John raised an eyebrow. "What for?" he asked. "I didn't do anything special."
"W-well, you stopped Kacchan from doing something rash." he pointed out. Truth be told, he still felt his legs shaking. "To be honest...I really thought he was going to kill me back there!"
John sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He really hasn't changed much, has he?"
"N-no...no he hasn't..." Izuku shook his head in dismay. Even now, Bakugo was still as volatile as ever.
"Well, at any rate, let's go find Sera. She's probably on the roof again."
"Don't bother." a voice called. "Already here." The two turned to find a girl wearing the same uniform as them. Her hair was long, going past the shoulders, colored dark purple with blonde streaks around the tips and at the bangs. Her eyes were bright blue, and in her mouth was a lollipop. "Heard what happened in your class. Baka-go at it again?"
"Yep." John answered without missing a beat. "Blew up Izuku's desk too."
The girl's brow reached her hairline. "He blew up Mido-kun's desk?" she asked. "Wow. You must have royally pissed him off to do that. What happened?"
"Didn't you say you already heard what happened in class?" John asked jokingly, earning a small grin from the girl.
"I said I heard Baka-go being an idiot as usual. Never heard why he went ballistic."
The green-haired boy rubbed the back of his neck nervously, tapping his foot against the wooden floor. "W-well...he found out I wanted to go to Yuuei."
"Yuuei?" the girl blinked. "The national hero academy?" Izuku nodded. The girl's eyes narrowed. "Mido-kun...you do know that the exams are brutal for that school, right? Nearly one in a thousand people get accepted."
"I-I know that, but...I've always wanted to be a hero, since I was little."
"Believe me, we know." John smiled a bit, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Those notebooks you have pretty much tell you everything."
Izuku blushed while the girl laughed. Ask anyone, and they could tell you how much of a fanboy Izuku was towards heroes. He had a bad habit of muttering in class, writing down notes of every hero he came across. In fact, all twelve of his notebooks were filled to the brim with notes about heroes and their quirks. John had the sneaking suspicion that the boy was on his way towards a thirteenth notebook pretty soon.
"Well, whatever." the girl eventually shrugged, smiling. "If you want to go that badly, I won't stop you."
"T-thank you, senpai!"
At this, the girl's face went flat. "...you're seriously still calling me that?" she asked in a deadpan. "You do realize we're in the same year, right?"
"B-but you're the top student at Orudera!" Izuku stammered. "Not to mention the strongest student here! Smart, pretty and strong!"
"Oh, so you think I'm pretty, Mido-kun?" the girl asked with a grin, causing Izuku's face to burn red. John chuckled along with the girl, noting how hilarious his reaction was. "Joking, joking. But seriously, you don't have to call me senpai. Just call me-"
"SEEEEERAAAAAAAPHIIIIIINAAAAAA!"
The girl sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before her body suddenly spun around, heel slamming straight into one Katsuki Bakugo's jaw. The roundhouse heel kick promptly sent him flying straight into the wall, crashing straight through it and left hanging in the wall apart of the opposing classroom, where he remained stuck for several seconds before falling back to the floor. The blonde groaned in pain as the two flunkies following him cluttered to his side in a panic.
Izuku and John sweat-dropped. "...how many does this make now?"
"I lost count after the 200th time he tried beating her."
Seraphina, otherwise known as the "Queen of Orudera Junior High," scoffed as she flipped her hair. "You done trying to get brain damage, Baka-go?"
"Sh-shut up!" He growled as he pulled himself up, a bit disoriented from the headblow, but otherwise fine. "Fight me!"
"No." came the swift blunt answer. "I'm not interested."
"What was that?!" He roared as his hands were crackling with explosions.
"Like I said." Seraphina stated. "I'm not interested. Besides, why do you keep asking me to a fight? You keep losing every time." She pursed her lips, tapping her chin. "Or maybe...you're secretly a masochist?"
"Screw you bitch!" Bakugo's rage kept increasing from Sera's dismissive attitude. Until it reached the point where he couldn't hold back any longer and lunged at her.
However, just as he reached her-
"Hmph."
-time froze to a screeching halt.
Everything was still. The scenery outside, the students in the halls, and Bakugo in mid-lunge.
All except Seraphina who strode up to the frozen explosive boy and dealt a heavy haymaker to the side of his face. At that instant, time resumed.
In the next second, Katsuki was sent flying through the hallway. He crashed into the ground before rolling and stopping at the wall behind him. His two lackeys rushed over to ensure he was alright.
Izuku and John looked at where Katsuki had crashed, wondering whether or not he was alright after getting a double dose of pain from Seraphina.
"And there he goes, picking a fight with the Queen." a student commented. "That's seriously gotta be cheatin'. A quirk that stops time and buffs you up at the same time!"
-QUIRK INFO!-
TIME STOP
User: Seraphina
A Marriage Quirk between the power to stop time completely and increasing one's physical strength to the point where they can leave behind a crater through solid concrete. Seraphina's Quirk, "Time Stop," allows her to stop time itself, allowing her to deal a powerful blow to virtually anyone. With the increased physical prowess from one of her parents, she is virtually unstoppable unless facing enemies with even greater power than herself.
-QUIRK INFO!-
"Well, that's that I guess." Seraphina remarked, flipping her hair before turning to her two male companions. "C'mon, boys. Let's go."
Without another word, both boys followed their friend out of school.
Meanwhile, as Katsuki got up, he growled and pounded his fist into the floor. "Damn...that bitch!" he cursed. "Who does she think she is, looking down on me?!"
"What else did you expect from the Queen of Orudera?"
Katsuki whirled on his follower, who froze underneath his murderous gaze. "Shut it!" he snapped. He then stood back to his feet, spitting on the floor. "One of these days...I'll crush her!"
"H-hey...Katsuki?" the other follower held up a hand. "W-why're you so obsessed with beating Seraphina? I mean, yeah, she's one of the strongest people here, but you can still get into Yuuei."
"That ain't the point, asshole!" the blonde scowled. "If I beat that bitch...that cheating asshole HAS to fight me!"
"Cheating asshole?" the two parroted, looking at one another. It took them a second to realize he was referring to John, one of the two kids Seraphina hung around with.
Of course, this only made them frown. Why would Katsuki want to fight someone who was Quirkless?
Neither of them, naturally, were unaware of the violent thoughts the pyromaniac was thinking of. 'Just you wait, John!' he swore on everything he held sacred. 'When I beat Seraphina, I'll make you take me seriously dammit!'
He was determined to make his goal a reality. All to prove who was the better fighter between them once and for all.
"Hey, Sera?" John asked as they left the Malt Shop. They had stopped by to grab a bite to eat, which was more or less the daily ritual for the three of them, before they made their way back home. "I've been meaning to ask. Where are you going to go after you graduate?"
The violet-haired girl craned her head. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, with your grades and Quirk, you could get into Yuuei no problem." he rationalized. "Hell, I'd say just about any Hero academy would accept you. Izuku says he wants to attend Yuuei with you and Katsuki as well."
"And how about you?" she retorted. "What academy do you want to go to? Let me guess, Yuuei?"
The dark-haired boy scoffed. "No thanks." he said, waving a hand. "The best I could do is hit the minimal requirements for a Support Class. I'm Quirkless, remember?"
Izuku's eyes softened, hearing John say such a thing, but he said nothing. Instead, he joined the conversation. "S-speaking of Yuuei...what do you suppose it will be like? I-I mean, I've heard a lot of former Pro Heroes are apart of the staff, like the 18+ Hero Midnight!" A thought crossed his mind, which turned him positively giddy. "Wh-what if...All Might was a teacher there?!"
"Whao there, calm down." Seraphina giggled. "Don't blow a gasket there, Mido-kun. As amazing as that sounds, I doubt the Number One Hero would be teaching at Yuuei. After all, he's the Symbol of Peace for a reason, right?"
"Y-yeah...I guess so..." Izuku deflated. It wasn't like the Number One Hero would pause in his duties to teach, right? A boy could dream though...
Then again...it was practically his dream to one day meet his idol.
As they reached the intersection, Izuku turned to the two. "This is my stop." he said, smiling. "See you guys later?"
"Sure thing, man." John smiled as the exchanged high-fives. He then watched as his friend left, soon vanishing down the long stretch of road. Eventually, Seraphina and John they made their way back to their home as well, hands in their pockets. "But seriously, Sera...where are you thinking of going?"
Sera shrugged. "Dunno." she said honestly. "But not definitely not Yuuei."
"What?" the boy blinked. Seraphina didn't want to go to Yuuei? That...that sounded crazy to him. Why? With her abilities, she'd easily make it in! Hell, he could picture her becoming a pro hero in a few years! "Why?"
The cold look that flashed through her face told him everything. "...because my mother wants me to attend."
"...oh."
THAT explained a lot. Sera and her mother...didn't exactly have the best relationship. She practically made Seraphina shoulder all these expectations for her because she was next to succeed in her family.
In all honesty, John had to wonder what the father even saw in a woman like that. Then again, he knew next to nothing about the man as Seraphina never talked about him much. All he knew about him was that his Quirk was Strength Enhancement. That, coupled with Seraphina's mother's own time stopping Quirk, led to Seraphina's being a mix of the two. Perhaps she married the man for convenience?
In any case, John wisely dropped the subject.
"Haaah..." Izuku sighed wistfully as he made his way back home. "Another day gone and over with..."
Another day being reminded of his lack of a quirk, another day of hanging out with Seraphina and John, his life had become routine at this point. Not that he didn't dislike it. It was nice to have friends like them.
John and him had been friends for as long as he could remember. They lost contact for a bit after John started Middle School. Sometime around the start of the year, though, they got back together. A profound change had occurred in John as he once noticed how confident he seemed, compared to how he used to be. Halfway through the school year, though, he learned that John had been expelled from his old school for some reason. Come his seventh year, to his shock, John had enrolled, lacking the previous confidence he once boasted. He never asked what happened to him. Instead, they simply reconnected...and tried to avoid Katsuki, once he learned that John was now apart of their school.
As for Seraphina...well, he wasn't sure how that particular friendship started. At first, she was much like an ice queen - harsh and cold to practically everyone. On the other hand, she was known throughout the whole school as the "Queen of Orudera." A title she earned through power. Her Quirk, which stopped time and increased her physical abilities, practically made her a God. Her strength was nowhere compared to the more powerful Physically Enhanced Heroes like All Might, but it was most definitely worthy of being apart of the Hero class. Naturally, he was more than a bit scared of her and avoided confrontation with her.
Katsuki, however, did not.
Because of his ego and belief that he was the strongest, he naturally saw Seraphina as a threat and once tried to beat her. At the time, the idea was ludicrous as it was crazy. Challenging her like that? He must have been insane.
Poor guy didn't even last ten seconds before Seraphina clocked him out in a single strike.
Ever since then, he had challenged her again and again, only to face the same result each time, like earlier today. Izuku wasn't sure what drove his friend to do it over and over, only to face the same result. Whether it was due to pride or determination, he had no idea. Then again, that sort of tenacity was one of Bakugo's strong points.
It was also one of the many things he admired about his childhood friend (and do keep in mind he uses this term loosely). Yes, he had a horrible attitude...but his strength to accomplish his goals, coupled with his determination to keep winning, were the things Izuku sorely wished he had.
"I wish I had a Quirk..." Izuku whispered softly as he looked up, clenching his hands. "I wish I had one as strong as All Might's. That way...I could thrash the villains and keep on smiling! Just like All Might!"
The image was clear in his head. The video he watched so many times when he was a kid played in his mind like it was on replay. A disheveled city with debris and fire everywhere, and yet through all of this was a single man, saving hundreds of lives in mere minutes. All with a smile on his face. Dressed in a blue and red costume, cape fluttering behind him and blonde hair slicked back. Spread across his handsome and marble-like face a wide grin that showed no fear. No hesitation. Out of habit, Izuku mimicked his idol - the hero All Might - and laughed boisterously.
As he continued his way home, passing underneath the bridge overhead, the storm drain below began to quiver, sludge oozing out. The mass of ooze coagulated onto the surface. It slithered around until a pair of eyes popped out from within and set its eyes on Izuku. Coiling up like a snake, it shot out at the unsuspecting teen.
By the time Izuku heard the sloshing sounds coming from behind him, it was too late. Sludge wrapped around his limbs, coiling into a vice-like grip to prevent him from escaping. Worse, the sludge slathered across his mouth, forcing its way into him. Izuku could only gag and tear up. The vile taste was naseauting. He wanted to throw up. The stench alone was vile, but the way it tried to force its way into him...!
"Aaah...a small-sized skin suit!" the villain cackled. "Just in time, too! Wasn't expecting HIM of all people to be there. Kekeke, you showed up at the perfect time...you really are a hero, kid. Now, just sit tight. This'll only take a few seconds..."
Izuku continued to thrash around and resist. He was being attacked by a villain! Just what were the odds?! He had to get away! He had to escape! But his struggles were proven useless due to the villain's amorphous body. He had no way of getting out of it!
His fingers scraped at the sludge, but he couldn't get a good grip. Already, he felt as if he were suffocating.
'Somebody...!' he thought. Flashing through his mind was John, the same confident look he bore when they met in their first year of middle school. Then Seraphina in her cold nature as the Queen of the school. Then Katsuki, that vicious smile that seemed to be glued to his mug with smoke floating from his hands. 'Anyone...please...!'
Finally came the grinning man, with hands curled and muscles rippling.
'HELP!'
...
...
...
...
...
"...don't worry. You're safe now."
Izuku's eyes widened to the point where they threatened to pop open like dinner plates. The villain's body swiveled around, its own large eyes growing in fear at the muscular man stepping into view.
"Why?" The man chuckled, his grin showing off his pearly white. "Because...I AM HERE!"
In a panic, the villain swung its arm at him. The sludge expanded, lashing out like a whip. The man ducked, letting the arm flail and destroy the nearby wall and ceiling. Then, he dashed forward. The ground shook beneath the weight of his boot as he charged forward. Quickly, the Sludge Villain sent out another arm. Like before, however, the man dodged it with ease. In seconds, he was right in front of the horrible monster, hand grabbing hold of the boy caught in its grasp.
At such close proximity, the boy recognized the man. His heart leaped.
'A-All...!'
"Texas..." the man sucked in his breath, cocking back his hand. Fingers curled into a fist. Then, as he threw a punch, he roared at the top of his lungs. "SMAAASH!"
His fist flew at blinding speed and struck the sludge villain head on. The force behind the attack was enough to create a blast of air that blew the villain into the stone wall. Its body splattered all over as the stone beneath it cracked. The sludge lost consciousness as it collapsed into a pile of still goo.
Its eyes rolled about in the goo, comically turning into "X"s.
It was the last thing Izuku saw before he faded into unconsciousness, held in the arm of his idol.
"...ake? Hello! Rise and shine, my boy!"
A series of taps gently pressed against Izuku's cheek. As he woke up, his mind felt foggy. 'Mngh...what happened?' he thought. 'I...was being attacked by a villain. And then, someone came...' The fog in his mind began to clear up. As it did, his vision came into focus. Once it did, he was now fully alert as he came face to face with the one person he never thought he would see.
The Number One Hero. The Strongest Hero. The Symbol of Peace.
All Might.
ALL. MIGHT.
Naturally, there was only one thing to do in this situation:
"AAAAAAH!"
Startled and overwhelmed by the mere shock of meeting his idol since childhood, Izuku shot up and backpedaled away. All Might, however, laughed boisterously. "Well, at least your moving alright!" he said, that toothy grin still present. "Anyways, sorry about that! I was tracking that little rascal and he decided to take to the sewer system beneath time! Had a real touch time navigating it! However!" He then produced a pair of soda bottles - each containing the sludge villain in question, locked tightly and sealed with the caps screwed on as tight as possible. "I caught him! I owe you one, my boy!"
'No way...!' Izuku panted, on the verge of hyperventilating. 'No way no way no way! All Might! He's right here in front of me! HE'S STANDING IN FRONT OF ME!' On reflex, he searched himself for something he could lend him. There was not a chance in hell he was going to let this opportunity pass up. However, he soon realized he needed something for him to write on. He soon found his notebook, which fell during the struggle, and grabbed it. As he opened it however, he found a signature taking up two whole pages.
"HE ALREADY SIGNED IT!" he cried in joy, nearly on the brink of tears before he bowed profusely. "THANK YOU! I'LL TREASURE THIS FOREVER! I-IT'LL BE THE MIDORIYA FAMILY HEIRLOOM PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS!"
All Might's grin seemed to grow wider as he gave the boy a thumbs up. "Good for you, kiddo!" he said cheerily before stuffing the bottles containing the sludge villain in his pants pockets. "Anyway, I better go drop off this little sucker to the police! See you around, my boy!"
This served to snap Izuku out of the spell, his excitement and joy vanishing almost instantly and replaced with disappointment. "Y-you're leaving already?" he asked.
"Professional Heroes fight time as well as crime!"
"B-but..."
No. Not yet. He couldn't let All Might leave yet. There was still something important he needed to ask him!
"Stand back!" All Might called, not noticing the boy rushing toward him. He then bounced off the ground, taking off in a mighty leap. "And thank you for your continued support!" It hadn't even been two seconds before he noticed a weight in his leg. Frowning, he looked down...and found Izuku wrapped around his leg, hanging on for dear life. "Whoa, hey now! I love my fans and all, but this is a bit too much, don't you think?!"
"B-BUT IF I LET GO I'LL DIE!" Izuku cried over the rushing winds as his idol soared through the air. "A-AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU PERSONALLY! Y-YOU'RE MY ALL TIME FAVORITE HERO, SO...!"
He wasn't going to lie...it was very creepy, seeing the way how the skin flapped from the kid's mouth and eyes. "Alright, alright!" he waved a hand. "Just keep your eyes and mouth closed!" Izuku did as he was told, and buried his face in his leg. Just in time, too, as a cough escaped his mouth. Blood slipped through his teeth, causing him to wince. 'Shit...almost out of time!' he thought. He couldn't let anyone see him like this. Especially not a kid like this. Thankfully, he found a building close by.
His body fell down, crashing into the roof in a crouch. The building shuddered for a moment before it ceased. Sighing, All Might looked down and patted Izuku on the back. "Okay, kid. You can let go now."
"M-my whole life..." the boy whimpered as he fell to the ground, shaking like a leaf. "Just flashed before my eyes."
All Might chuckled a bit before he coughed again, feeling his chest becoming tighter. He had a few seconds left at best. Quickly, he turned on his heel. "If you bang on the door, I'm sure someone will hear you." he said, waving a hand at him. "At any rate, I really do need to get going! See you around!"
Surprisingly, Izuku got over his immense shock and leaped to his feet. "W-wait!" he cried. "I have a lot of questions to ask you! I-"
'I-I'm so sorry...Izuku...!'
'Little worthless Deku...you really think a Quirkless shit like you can be a hero?!'
'I'm sorry, young man, but you had best give up your dream.'
The words of his mother, Katsuki and the doctor who told him he would never have a Quirk passed through his mind, causing him to freeze. His hand, which was outstretched towards All Might, slowly retracted in fear. What would be the point of asking All Might something like that? He knew the answer, didn't he? How useless his ideals were. After all, he was Quirkless. He would never have the power to become a hero.
And...yet...
'Does it really matter if you don't have a Quirk?'
'So what if you don't have any powers? I don't see a reason why you shouldn't become a hero.'
John and Seraphina's faces, both with encouraging smiles, came to mind. With it, a rush of courage. Before All Might could leave, he screamed at the top of his lungs:
"CAN I BECOME A HERO, EVEN IF I'M QUIRKLESS?!"
All Might paused in his movement as the words sunk in. Those words...they were so...familiar.
He was about to open his mouth to reply, but steam began to rise from his body. 'Crap! I'm outta time...!' The Number One Hero mentally cursed as a cloud of steam enveloped him, obscuring his form from the boy's view. "N-no...dammit, not here!"
Izuku, however, did not notice the cloud of steam. In the midst of his shout, he shut his eyes closed. "People think that not having any powers doesn't give me a chance." he said, staring at the ground while fiddling with his thumbs. "That it makes me some kind of weakling. My classmates all make fun of me and mock me, but..." His hands clenched. Once more, the faces of his friends flashed in his mind. "It only makes me want to prove them wrong. Ever since I was young, I thought saving people was the coolest thing you could do! I want people to see my fearless smile and feel safe! I want to be the kind of hero everyone in the world looks up to!"
Finally, he snapped his head up. "Just like yo-!"
The words died in his throat when the cloud of steam cleared, revealing not All Might, but a lanky man. He looked like a corpse with how thin his body was. It was frail-looking with his clothes practically hanging off of him like some kind of hangar. His chin was narrow, not at all square or broad and his shoulders were slumped. His chunks were sunken, and the grin that always adorned All Might's face was nowhere to be found. He still had the blonde hair, but it was incredibly messy and unhinged. His eyes were cast over in shadows with only the blue of his eyes peering out.
The two promptly stared at each other. At first, there was only silence between them, as if sizing up the other.
Then, Izuku screamed.
Elsewhere in the middle of town, Katsuki and his lackeys walked through the streets of one of the more busiest parts of the district. Ever since his defeat at the hands of Seraphina for the umpteenth time, he had done nothing but brooding. Every now and then, he would let out a few pops in his hands to show his irritation.
"Don't you think you were being a hit harsh to Midoriya in class today, Katsuki?" one of the flunkies asked, taking a swig of his soda. "I mean, didn't you two used to be friends back when you were kids?"
Katsuki scoffed. "Its his own damn fault." he said, downing the last of his own drink before crushing it. A scowl spread across his face, temper growing. "That little shit...who does he think he is, applying for Yuuei?! It pisses me OFF!" In anger, he kicked a nearby soda bottle, knocking it against a street lamp and popping the cap, allowing the contents to spill out. "He always talked about wanting to become a hero...a stupid little brat is what he is!"
It pissed him off how Izuku kept thinking about his dream. Becoming a hero? Impossible. In this world, nearly everyone in today's society had a Quirk. Those who didn't were weak. They had no chance of becoming heroes, no matter what they did. That little kid was nothing but naive and foolish.
Then again...if he wants to die so badly, who was he to stop him? Not like he cared.
'So cool, Kacchan! I hope my Quirk is as awesome as yours one day!'
The blonde teen grit his teeth and clenched his fists. Why was he even remembering that now? He didn't care what happened to Deku. If he got himself killed, it was his own damn fault!
Why couldn't he just accept facts and face reality? You couldn't be a Hero if you didn't have a Quirk, let alone being a Hero like All Might! It just wasn't possible! At least John had a sense of realism...despite being such a cheating asshole!
'Do you know why you lost,Bakugo? It's because...you'll never beat me. No one at my school can even touch me. What makes you think you can?'
Remembering the condescending glare and the confident, cocky smirk on his face made Katsuki's blood boil. In anger, his Quirk flared, creating explosions in his hands.
"I swear, John!" he growled. "I'll make you fight me again! And when that time comes, I'll show you who's stronger!"
His flunkies, virtually unaware of their boss' thoughts, sweatdropped. "Man, he really has it out for them." one of them said. "But why does he want to fight John so bad? He's Quirkless!"
"Dunno. Maybe he's secretly a martial arts master and managed to beat Katsuki back in the day?"
Unfortunately for the three of them, none noticed that the contents that spilled out of the bottle began to rise up, slowly rising and casting a shadow over Katsuki. By the time they did, it was already too late.
"Perfect...a skin suit with some fire in 'em!"
"W-w-w-w-w-w-what in the..." Izuku stammered, pointing a finger at the frail man before him, utterly shaken. This...this couldn't be. He was sure All Might was standing in front of him! Was it teleportation?! No, couldn't be! He moved fast, but nowhere near that level of speed! Transformation? No, impossible! "W-who are you?! A-are you some kind of imposter?!"
The frail man sighed, palming his face. "I knew this would happen..." he cursed under his breath before addressing the matter at hand. "I can assure you that I am All M-urk!"
Without warning, blood spewed from his mouth, prompting Izuku to panic further. "Ack! You're coughing up blood!"
"R-relax..." he waved his hand. "It's...normal." He wiped the blood away from his mouth, ignoring the iron taste in his mouth touching his tongue. "Anyway...you know how guys at the pool flex and try and show off muscles? I'm sort of like that." It was almost painful for him to practically hear Izuku's dreams break apart, staring in disbelief as swirls danced in his eyes, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. All Might didn't blame him. After all, the powerful hero of peace? A frail little man? Quite the stark image, one that must never happen. He gave a sigh, shaking his head, slowly falling to the ground beneath him. "Listen kid...I'm trusting you to keep your mouth shut, alright?"
"E-eh?" Izuku blinked, snapping out of his trance. "W-what do you mean by that?"
All Might's sunken face turned grim as he lifted up his shirt. The color from the boy's face drained when he saw what looked like an aged puncture wound right at the ribs with several stitches spreading out from it. The wound itself was already patched up with warped skin, but it looked darkened and irritated.
"Nasty little scar, am I right?" he joked morbidly. "Got it five years back in a fight that destroyed my entire respiratory system. Even lost my whole stomach to boot. All the surgeries left me dead tired afterward. Still am. My injuries can't be fixed, either." He dropped his short, covering the scar before he sighed, dipping his head. "As I am right now, I can only do hero work three hours a day. The rest of the time, well..." He gestured to his frail, weak self. The very opposite of the heroic persona he embodied. "This is who I really look like."
Izuku's eyes widened in horror. "N-no way..." he whispered. To think that...this is what happened to his hero? "Wait, five years ago? You mean...Toxic Chainsaw?!"
"You're well-informed." All Might nodded. "But no...this wound wasn't what brought me down to where I am now. As far as the world is concerned, the fight that crippled me never happened." He gave a small chuckle as he pulled himself up, which hurt to do so. The pain from transforming back into his frail self was not exactly pleasant. "After all, I'm the symbol of peace. The hero who smiles in the face of danger. That's the hero they need to see. If I'm being honest, though...its just to hide how scared I am some days. Hero work is never easy."
Every word that seemed to fall from All Might's mouth sounded like gunshots. And the bullets were aimed at Izuku's heart. The truth was heart-breaking to hear.
"Professional Heroes are constantly risking their own lives to save others...but it's a risky job without a power." All Might closed his eyes. When he opened them next, the words that fell from his mouth brought Izuku's whole world crashing down right on top of him. "Young man...I don't think you can become a hero without a Quirk."
Izuku couldn't respond properly. Sighing, All Might walked over to the exit, turning the knob. "It isn't bad to have a dream." he said before he departed. "But...at the very least, make sure they're attainable."
He closed the door, just in time as Izuku's legs gave out underneath him. Tears fell from his face, his bangs hiding his eyes as he bit his lip, drawing blood. Not even a scream could express the despair and sadness he felt. All Might might have felt saddened were he to see such a dedicated fan in such a state, but he knew it would have been for a good cause. He didn't want the boy to rush into his death. He was not lying when he said that heroes risked their lives. He couldn't bear the idea of someone so young risking their lives.
Especially not when that man and EMBER were out there. All Might shook his head before digging his hands into his pockets. "Now then, time to get you to the station." He paused when he felt his thin fingers grasping only the fabric of his pockets. Looking down, his eyes widened when he found the bottles gone. "W-what?! When did he-?!"
Then realization struck him.
'It must have been when he latched on to my leg!' he thought, cursing his stupidity. 'Dammit! He must already be out by now!'
"How long does a girl take to shop?" John muttered to himself, standing outside the clothing store. On their way home, Sera mentioned that she had wanted to grab something for a friend of hers. Apparently, it was a shirt featuring the Pro Hero X-Static. That alone told him the friend she mentioned must have been a fan girl or something. That said, it had been at least twenty minutes since she went in, and she hadn't come back out. "She didn't strike me the type who would take so long."
{-in other news, the Pro Hero known as ArkRAYgeous was found dead near Baker's Street in London.} Looking up, one of the many large screens displayed across the towering buildings above showed a news report. On it was a headline that brought forth nothing but trepidation for the young man, enough to bring a scowl. {According to authorities, a brand was found burned into his skin on his back. This brand was revealed to be the calling card of the group known as EMBER. It is unknown who or what EMBER is. Some speculate it is a possible individual or group. However, what is known is that EMBER is without question a villain. Several of their victims were Professional Heroes, among of which include Radiance and Equinox.}
Another Pro Hero killed by EMBER...they have been the talk of the news for several weeks now. As the news anchor stated, they were a mysterious group infamous for targeting and killing Pro Heroes. No one knows their motives or purpose, other than that they seem to hold animosity to Pros of some sort. The fact that they desecrate the corpses of their targets by branding them is a sure sign of that.
In his peripheral vision, John noticed bystanders watching the news story as well.
"I can't believe this..."
"Another one? How many does this make?"
"Why aren't the Pros doing something to stop them?"
"Wouldn't they just be killed off too?"
John bit his lip. 'That's easy for you all to say.' he thought bitterly. 'After all, all you people do is just sit around and watch. Its the Heroes who are risking their lives, and most of them just do it for fame and fortune.'
Ever since the rise of Pro Heroes, the general populace became lax in taking action for themselves. They now sit on the sidelines while the Heroes do the work, even though they are capable of handling crimes and emergencies themselves.
A shame, too. Who knows how many have incredible Quirks? More importantly, if a Quirk was even the slightest bit useful for Heroics, then they should go for it instead of wallowing about in the sidelines. In the end, though, people just didn't care anymore.
John sighed again, shaking his head. There really wasn't any helping today's society, was there? He took out his phone real quick, checking the time. "Almost time to head home." he remarked. "Hopefully Sera comes out soon. Any longer and-"
*BOOM~!*
Suddenly, the ground shook. Startled, everyone looked around for the source. Not far, a pile of black smoke quickly rose up to the air. "An explosion?" John frowned. "What's going on?" He noticed people suddenly rushing towards the sight.
"What's going on? An accident?"
"Didn't you hear?! That villain All Might was after took someone hostage!"
John's eyes widened. "All Might?!" he shouted in shock. The top hero in the world was here?! How was that possible? Moreover...a villain he was after was on a rampage? How in the world did he manage to get away? Perhaps the hero wasn't getting on in old age? Just as he was about to turn away, he found a familiar mass of green hair rushing along with the crowd. "Wait...is that Izuku?"
'Why?'
That was the only question on Izuku's mind as he found himself rushing to the scene where a villain was wreaking havoc.
'Why? Why am I going?'
'Professional Heroes are constantly risking their own lives to save others...but it's a risky job without a power.'
No matter how much Izuku tried to block out the words, he knew they were true. He was just rushing here on pure reflex. It was practically engraved in his body to watch whatever happened that involved Quirks and heroics and such. Even so, the words All Might had told him were harsh and continued to sting.
No matter what he tried...he would fail to reach his dream. It was out of reach.
'So why do I keep going?'
The thought puzzled him. Left him confused by his own actions. Why did he bother going to investigate and see what hero would take action? Before long, he found himself among the crowd. He wasn't able to see what was happening from his position, but he could make out a few heroes. Mount Lady was not far off, though she seemed hesitant to charge in. Her Quirk increased her size, and the streets were too narrow. If she charged in, she'd end up crushing buildings. Death Arms was struggling to find a way to deal with the villain himself, along with Kamui Woods. The latter was understandable. Fire and wood do not mix together. Backdraft was more concerned with keeping the populace safe.
'And All Might isn't here either.' Izuku noted as he looked around. There was no sign of the beefy hero anywhere. And he knew it was his fault. 'If only I...'
An explosion shook the ground. The crowd parted, and Izuku got a look at the villain. When he did, his heart dropped.
He could never forget that foul-smelling sludge.
'It's the villain from before!' Izuku thought in shock. 'B-but how?! All Might captured him!' His mind raced back to their meeting earlier. When he saw his true form. Back then...he couldn't see the bottles anywhere on his person. A hole formed in his stomach when he realized why. It had to have been back when he latched onto his leg! 'T-then...this is all my fault!'
It was because he latched onto All Might to ask him questions that he lost track of the sludge villain. If he hadn't been so eager, All Might would've turned the villain in and none of this would've happened. Just as he was about to continue to wallow in self-pity, a familiar scream reached his ears.
However, this scream was not one of anger or pride...it was one of terror.
Izuku's head snapped up and his eyes widened upon seeing who the villain was holding hostage, as well as the source of the explosions.
It was Katsuki, his eyes wide in pure fear.
"Why aren't the heroes doing anything?!"
"It looks like they've met their match. Plus, the villain has a kid. It ain't looking good."
"Wait, isn't that the villain All Might was chasing?!"
"ALL MIGHT?! Where is he?! Shouldn't he be out here helping the other heroes?!"
'Why...? Why isn't anyone helping?'
'Isn't there someone here who can save him?'
'That's Kacchan. He's right there. He's dying.'
'Why won't any of you help?!'
'Why...why...?'
His heart hammered in his chest. In the next second-
'WHY AM I JUST STANDING HERE?!'
-the crowd was forced to break away when he suddenly charged in, rushing right past Backdraft and Kamui Woods.
"Hey, kid! What are you doing?!" Kamui Woods cried out after noticing the boy rush past him.
The heroes cried out after him. He didn't listen. He didn't know why he was doing this. Rushing up to a villain without any powers was suicide. His rational thought kept screaming at him to stop running.
But his legs never stopped moving. The villain saw his approach, and the set of teeth it had out of its oozing body curled into a scowl. It raised an arm, ready to swipe him away. Izuku, however, wasn't about to be stopped. He remembered a vital note from one of his books - heroes must utilize their surroundings to their advantages. Use every distraction available. He swiftly took off his backpack and tossed it, letting the contents spill out. By luck, one of his notebooks struck the villain in the eye, causing it wail and giving him time to reach his friend.
Katsuki tore himself away from the sludge, gasping for breath. "D-Deku?!" he cried, completely taken aback to see the quirkless boy he tormented in front of him. "W-what're you doing here?!"
"I don't know!" he screamed, grabbing hold of his shoulders as he tried to pry him free. "M-My legs wouldn't stop!"
The villain was starting to recover. The sludge was clinging onto him even tighter. It was starting to pull him back in. "What are you doing, idiot?!" Katsuki shouted angrily. "Get out of here!"
"I CAN'T! I CAN'T STAND AND WATCH WHILE YOU DIE!"
Unbeknownst to Izuku at the time, his words relit an old fire in a certain someone. Just as the villain managed to regain his senses, rubbing his eye, a surprising pair of hands came and grabbed Katsuki by the shoulders. "Eh?!" Izukuturned, and found a familiar head of black hair next to him. "J-John!"
When he saw the villain rampaging while the heroes did nothing, completely unsure how to handle the situation, John realized just how bad the situation was.
The Heroes couldn't do anything because their Quirks were a poor match against the villain, and the bystanders were as useless as usual. Not even All Might, the Hero who was chasing the villain, has appeared.
The situation turned critical.
'And yet all of you are just content with watching this happen.' John thought. 'Why isn't anyone trying to help?' He was sure that there had to be at least one person with a decent quirk who could help. Yet as the situation progressed, no one stepped up to the plate.
He felt as if he were a hypocrite, though. He knew he could beat down that villain. With so many powerful heroes, he'd make quick work of the bastard. Ten seconds easy.
But...
'...monster.'
John's teeth clenched. His hands curled into fists. No, he couldn't do that. He swore he would never do that ever again. If he did, then...what were the odds he would repeat the same mistake as before? He withdrew himself, trying to stop the small, feeble part of him from getting involved. Damn that Izuku...his constant speech about heroes was starting to get to him.
Just as he was about to turn away and leave before he did something foolish...someone else did it for him.
"Hey, kid! What the hell are you doing?!"
John's eyes widened as he turned around. To his shock, he found the boy he had been chasing all the way here running past the crowd, running straight at the villain as fast as he could.
Izuku Midoriya, the Quirkless boy at school, was charging straight at the sludge villain.
"What the hell is that idiot doing?!" he hissed, rushing to the front of the crowd. "He's going to get himself killed!" Damn that hero complex of his! He wanted to be a hero so bad, even though he had no power! What was he thinking?! Against a villain, he had no power to him whatsoever! Why was he being reckless?!
His answer came when the villain turned and bore its gaze down on Izuku...with none other than Katsuki Bakugo, trapped in his slime.
Now it all made sense. Katsuki was in danger, and from the look of things, he was terrified out of his mind. Izuku must've noticed this and charged head in to save him. But even still...it was foolish. Why was he even risking his life to save someone like Katsuki? He was a horrible person. He treated pretty much everyone like shit! So then, why was he...?
'Why do you help me?'
'Because you looked like you needed it. Is that so wrong?'
His heart skipped a beat. His hands curled into fists. "...of all times." he cursed under his breath. "Why do you have to remind me of that day, Claire?"
Without warning, he shoved the crowd away from him, rushed past the heroes, and joined Izuku as quickly as he could.
"Hey, get back here!" Backdraft called out after noticing John enter the fray.
However, John didn't listen. In no time at all, he was right next to Izuku and grabbed hold of the fiery blonde's shoulders, proceeding to try and pull him out. "J-John?!" Izuku yelped in surprise. Out of everyone he expected to see help him, John was the last person he expected. "What are you doing here?!"
"That's my question, idiot!" he snapped. "Just shut up and pull! Bakugo, can't you use your Quirk?!"
"I can't!" The blonde managed to gasp. "This shitty sludge is controlling me!"
"Kekekeke...!" the villain grinned, looming over them as it pulled Katsuki back in. "I already have a wonderful meat suit! I don't need you two!"
John cursed as it raised its arm up at them. 'Dammit all! Bakugo can't use his Quirk, Izuku can't fight, and I...! I...!' He shut his eyes, trying to find a solution. He was always good at coming up with plans. Like Izuku, he found ways to counter Quirks. Studying and analyzing them for weaknesses. His hands curled into fists. 'I...!'
...
...
...
...
...
'So that's your Quirk! That's pretty impressive, John!'
'R-Really? It doesn't seem that impressive though...'
'Are you kidding? I think it's pretty amazing!'
As the villain's hand descended, John's lips curved into a small, annoyed grin. 'Seriously, Claire...you just love hurting me, don't you?' Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the hand came down on them. His hands felt so sweaty now. His eyes opened back up, revealing blazing gold. 'But, fine...if you think my Quirk is that amazing...then just this once!'
Suddenly, his eyes began to glow like fire. In that moment, a pulse echoed through his being. Sparks danced at his fingertips.
'Just this once...I'LL LET LOOSE!'
He thrust his palm forward into the villain's face, unleashing a fiery explosion similar to Bakugo's Quirk. The main difference was that there were black flames mixed in with the normal orange.
The force of the explosion was also far more powerful than what Katsuki was normally capable of. It blew off a good portion of sludge from the main body, and it must have hurt like hell if the screaming was any indication. His hold on Katsuki weakened, allowing the two boys to pull him out. Izuku and John practically fell on their behinds. Katsuki gasped, flailing for a moment as he struggled for air.
"AAAAAAAGH! YOU FUCKING BRAT!" the villain roared, clutching the destroyed half of its scorched face. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
It created another hand, intending to grab and crush the three of them then and there. John's glowing eyes burned fiercely, small pops of explosions dancing in his hand as he readied himself for another blast. However, to his surprise, a large burly arm blocked the arm's advance.
"What a fool I am!" the owner of the arm said, tone boisterous and full of renewed vigor. John and Izuku's eyes trailed up the arm, and to their shock, its owner was none other than the grinning, broad face of All Might. "I lectured you on being a hero meant, but in the end I didn't follow my own example! No matter what you are, power or no power...a Hero...!"
His fingers curled into a fist. Power charged into the air. The villain's eyes widened in fright and tried to retreat. It was too late. His fate was sealed.
"Always risks his life! DETROIT...!"
Then, the fist came rushing forward.
"SMAAASH!"
Like before, the powerful blow struck the mass of slime and blew it away with the air pressure it created.
However, unlike before when the wind was constrained beneath the train tracks of an overpass, this one was free to let loose. A torrent of wind rushed up, piercing through the air pressure and twisting about the clouds. Mount Lady lowered her body, preventing any of the heroes from being caught in the impressive torrent of wind. Izuku and Katsuki were nearly thrown off, but John put his arms around the two of them. His eyes glowed even more brightly as another pulse echoed. His fingers dug into the concrete - skin becoming that of bark and burrowing into the earth like roots.
A transformation that was the result of a Quirk. A Quirk greatly resembling Kamui Woods'. Aside from the fact that John's bark was black instead of brown.
Soon, the whirlwind of air pressure died out. In its wake, everyone was left virtually stunned, staring at All Might as he stood there, tall and proud as the Symbol of Peace he was.
A bystander looked on in utter awe before he felt something wet splash against his nose. "Eh?" Stretching out a hand, he felt water cascading down his hand. Looking up, the clouds that swirled above them were dark and gray. More importantly, it was raining. "N-no way...its raining?!"
"Incredible..." Death Arms whispered in awe. "He did that...with a single blow."
All Might's movement was sluggish. He nearly stumbled on his legs, something that had not gone unnoticed by John. There was even a bit of blood leaking from his mouth. All Might, however, wiped it away and raised his arm - a sign of his victory.
Then the crowd erupted into applause and cheers for the Number One Hero.
After the Heroes gathered up the remains of sludge that was the villain that took Katsuki Bakugo hostage, police arrived and carted him away, right where he deserved. Meanwhile, the press had interviewed All Might about his dramatic victory and aide in the event. Izuku, Katsuki and John also received medical attention. The fiery blonde received the most, given his traumatic experience, though he was naturally brooding and cursing up a storm about how he ended up getting captured by some small-time weakling. He was even approached by a Hero, offering him a place in his department once he earned his degree.
John and Izuku, meanwhile, were scolded by Death Arms and Kamui Woods for their reckless actions. "Good grief." the wood-powered hero shook his head, crossing his arms. "You two ought to be more careful! Dealing with the villains is the heroes' jobs, not children."
The black-haired boy merely rolled his eyes. They had obviously mistaken the explosion he created to be Katsuki's doing.
If he had any say in it, it was going to stay that way.
By the time they were allowed to leave, dusk has settled. The sky was orange and the sun was setting. News was already starting to spread as well, not that either of the boys was interested.
"What a mess..." Izuku groaned, his head hanging low. "I never got the chance to apologize to All Might."
"Apologize?" John frowned. "What for?"
"O-oh, well, you see-"
"JOOOOOOOOHHHHHNNNNNNN!"
The two blinked, turning their heads to find a familiar mess of blonde hair charging forward, explosions raging behind him. John sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Seriously?" he asked himself before he wisely stepped out of Katsuki's attack range, avoiding him at the last second before stretching out his leg, catching his foot and sending him tumbling through the ground. He rolled about comically before stopping on his face, legs hanging in the air before falling on his back. "If you're going in for a sneak attack, at least try and be stealthy about it."
"Shut it!" Katsuki growled as he got up on his feet. In spite of the animosity, however, the two clearly saw a look of excitement in his eyes. "I saw what you did back there! You motherfucker! That was MY Quirk!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't bullshit me, you cheating asshole! You were using your Quirk to copy my power, weren't you?!" It was no accusation. It was a fact. Something which only made Katsuki even more enthralled. "So, you finally decided to stop pretending? Now I can finally beat your ass into the ground and see which one of us is really the strongest!"
John's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about." he continued to deny. "You used your Quirk to blow half of that villain's face off. I had nothing to do with it."
"Che! Whatever!" Katsuki swiped his arm. "Fact is, you're finally taking me seriously! Come tomorrow, your ass is mine!" As he was about to turn and leave, he narrowed his eyes on Izuku. "Deku!" Said boy shrieked nervously, a shiver rising up his spine and expecting an explosion to come right at him. "I didn't ask for your help, and I sure as hell don't need a pissant like you looking down on me! I don't owe you shit, understand?!"
And with that, he took off, leaving the two in the dust. They exchanged a look with one another before they sweatdropped. 'Was that...an insult, or a thank you?' they wondered. It was so hard to tell what went on in that firecracker's head.
Regardless, John knew that the blonde would follow up his promise tomorrow, causing him to sigh. "Great..." he cursed his own idiotic tendency. If only he hadn't used his powers, then Katsuki wouldn't be so gung-ho. "That idiot's going to be on my case all day tomorrow."
"Y-yeah." Izuku nodded before a smile spread across his face. "But, even so...I thought it was awesome! I remember you telling me what your Quirk could do, but I didn't know it was that powerful! That explosion was seriously way more powerful than any of Kacchan's!"
Oh, great. Now even Izuku was riding on the train? "Look, seriously. I have no idea what you guys are-"
"John."
He stopped, turning to find none other than Seraphina standing close by. Immediately, the aforementioned boy felt unnerved by the emotionless and sharp glare she sent his way. "S-Senpai!" Izuku shouted in surprise. When had she arrived? "H-how long have you been there?"
"I just got here." she answered frankly. "As for you, John..."
The boy sweated. This was definitely because he left her hanging back at the shop, wasn't it? "I'm really sorry I didn't wait for you." he said, trying to placate her. "But I saw Izuku running somewhere, and I got worried. We found Bakugo being kidnapped by this slime villain, and-"
"How long?"
John blinked, startled. "E-eh?"
Seraphina's eyes narrowed. "How long have you had a Quirk?"
Suddenly, John froze. His heart clenched as if something held it in its grasp and refused to let go.
She knew.
She knew…he had a Quirk.
"U-um, wait a second!" Izuku immediately tried to run damage control, jumping to conclusions. "I-I think there's been some misunderstanding! J-John is-!"
"Izuku." John put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "It's fine." The meek boy still looked uncertain, but he wisely backed away. "Listen, I'll catch up with you later. Sera and I need...a moment." Slowly, the boy nodded. John then sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time before he turned back to Seraphina, watching him expectantly. They then moved away to somewhere more private, per his behest.
Last thing he needed was someone listening to this sob story of his.
Meanwhile, Izuku could only worry as he watched his friends leave. His mind was already running through outcomes of this talk...and so far, none of them seemed pleasant. "O-oh man..." he whimpered. "This can't end well for John..."
"My word. I know the look in that girl's eye. When a girl and a boy go in for a serious conversation, it either ends in a break up...or a beat down."
"No kidding...wait, huh?!" Spinning on his heel, Izuku came face to face with a face he was quickly becoming familiar with. "A-ALL MIGHT?!"
The man grinned. "I AM HERE!"
"H-how?! What?! W-when'd you get away from those reporters?!"
All Might laughed. "I stand for justice, not sounds bites! Because I am-HURK!"
Suddenly, his muscular form deflated as steam blew out of him, followed by blood spewing out of his mouth. As usual, the meek boy promptly panicked. "Y-you're coughing up blood! Do you need a hospital?!"
"I-it's fine..." All Might coughed, waving a hand to ward off his concern. "Happens all the time." He then cleared his throat, staring at Izuku dead in the eyes. There was a certain intensity behind them, one that made him stand up straighter. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at full attention, and his ears curved to listen carefully lest he miss a word. "Young man...I came here to thank you for what you have done today, and to discuss your question from earlier."
"...huh?"
"If you hadn't told me of your life...if you hadn't run into that fight...I'd have been no better than the crowd that watched it all happen. A mere bystander. For that, I owe you my thanks."
"I-it was nothing...I...I just moved without thinking..." He tried to explain, but it only made All Might smile wider.
"That's precisely why I am grateful. If you hadn't reminded me of this...I would've simply been Fake Muscles and Fake Sincerity. It was you, my boy, who reminded me what the essence of being a true hero is."
Izuku's cheeks turned scarlet, squirming. "B-but it was my fault that the villain got away in the first place." he pointed out shamefully. "A-and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have wasted your energy in the first place."
"Yet it was because of you that I found myself acting." All Might stated firmly, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "There's always one or two great stories about a hero. Of how they became the people they are...and they have one thing in common." Izuku's eyes widened, remembering the movement of his legs, charging in blindly as he rushed to save Katsuki. "Their legs moved on their own...before they could think about what they were doing. No, it would be more accurate to say that they didn't think. They just moved and never stopped."
Without realizing it, Izuku's body was shaking. He knew what All Might was getting at. He knew where it was heading...yet he was deathly terrified. Of where it could go. The words his mother told him when he once asked her if he could be a hero came back to mind. How she sobbed and held him tightly, apologizing as if him being Quirkless without a chance of becoming a hero was all her fault. He felt his eyes turn watery. His legs could barely keep themselves up.
"And today..." All Might opened his eyes, bearing down on Izuku with a look of respect and warmth. "...that is EXACTLY what you did, young man."
'No...don't say it...'
His heart was hammering. The words he feared to hear...the words he so desperately wanted to hear all of his life...he was scared to hear them.
And yet, as All Might spoke, there was no stopping the tears of joy falling from his face.
"Izuku Midoriya..." his idol spoke in a solemn, powerful voice. For a moment, the meek boy thought he was back in his powerful, muscular self as the sheer charisma pour out of him, washing over Izuku as he said the five words he'd been waiting to hear all of his life. "You can become a hero!"
There it was. Those very words relit the spark of hope within his soul. The hope that despite his circumstances, he could become what he's always wanted to be.
A Hero.
This...this was the best day in his life...
This...this was the worst day in his life.
"So..." John said slowly as he sat across from Sera at a nearby bakery, his face wracked with nervousness and seriousness all at the same time. "What do you want to know?"
Seraphina's face crunched up. "For starters, why you lied." she said. Though her face was as straight as iron, there was a look of hurt in her eyes. "For a whole year, you told me and everyone around you that you were Quirkless...but I know what I saw." Her fingernail tapped against the table in a rhythmic motion. A tick that only made him even more nervous than he already was. "When you attacked that villain, that explosion was definitely from Katsuki's Quirk...but it was significantly more powerful. Katsuki was also still trapped in the sludge, so his explosions wouldn't have been very powerful. Then there's when All Might created that intense gust of wind. That should have knocked you, Baka-go and Mido-kun off your feet, yet you dug your fingers into the ground to keep you from flying off."
John sighed, palming his forehead. "So...you saw all of that?"
"Yes...and I want the truth, John. Now." Seraphina leaned forward, elbows pressed against the edges. "Why have you been lying? To everyone?"
'To me?'
That was the unspoken question that she left out. She didn't need to say it, though. John knew that her look pretty much said it for her. He cringed inwardly, as for a moment, Seraphina's image overlapped with another: a girl with bright green hair and pinkish-red eyes.
After a moment of silence, he broke it and set his cup down, looking her dead in the eye.
"...what do you know about the King of Bostin Junior High?"
-Prologue: END-
NEXT TIME!
Seraphina: Wait...YOU were the King of Bostin?!
All Might: I have determined you as my successor...the inheritor of my power, One For All!
John: When I obtained my Quirk, the first thing I did was beat the crap out of the bullies who made my life hell there. I didn't know that one of them was apparently the King until after the fact. Next thing I knew, everyone in school knew exactly who the new King was.
Izuku: Th-this...is hard...!
John: One day, someone rallied over half of the 7th Grade class and tried to take me down. And I...
Episode 1: King and Queen!
All Might: Push on forward! PLUS ULTRA!