Deku's Diary
It was a normal day at Aldera Junior High. No one spoke to me, and no one looked at me, you know, the usual. Our teacher was discussing our futures. With that said, everyone started to use there quirks. He angrily told everyone that using there quirks during school hours was strictly prohibited.
Bakugou boasts that he was trying to get into UA High School. He said he aced the mock exam and he was going to surpass All Might as the number one hero. The teacher pointed out that I also wanted to go to UA. Then everyone laughed at me.
Bakugou told me that I couldn't get in because I was quirkless. Later, he exploded my notebook with all my quirk studies and then tossed it out the window. He told me to give up on UA… then told me to kill myself, so I could get a quirk in the next life. The teacher said nothing. I hung my head while leaving the classroom.
I decided to do what he told me. I stood on the edge of roof, overlooking the school grounds. I inhaled, and planned to jump when I could breathe in no longer. But, as fate would have it- I would not progress to the other life just yet. A staff members arms wrapped around me and yanked me off the edge. He shouted at me and pulled me all the way to the office. He called my mother on the phone. He would look over at me every now and then, glaring. He put the phone down, grinding his teeth together.
"Now git! I don't want to see you anywhere near the rooftop again! Got it!?"
I nodded, defeated. On my way home, I was attacked by a sludge villain. I fought and struggled to get out of his grip but I could not. He laughed evilly saying that it was no use. My mouth was sealed shut. I could not scream for help. I was going to die. I felt the lack of oxygen in my lungs burn my airways. I realized this is what I had wanted. I stopped fighting. Just then I began to see stars in my vision, it was happening… when suddenly I could breathe again.
I fell to the ground, gasping for air, and free from the villain's grasp, and saw him… my hero. All Might. He was taller than I envisioned, more muscular than I could fathom, and his smile... it melted me to the core. In my short phase of disorientation, he had captured the incapacitated sludge villain and placed it inside two plastic bottles.
How he did that in such a short amount of time, I will never know. But I had to stop ogling at my hero and ask him the question. The question I needed to know the answer to. Before I could ask him, he was preparing to make his leave. But, being the idiot I am, I jumped onto his leg right before he took off.
He was quite literally soaring through the sky. He was surprised to see me wrapped around his leg. He initially tried to kick me off but he quickly realized I would fall to my death if he did so. We landed on top of nearby building, and, with my heart pumping as fast as humanly possible, I asked him:
"Can someone without a quirk be a hero like you!?"
He looked at me, stunned. But he said nothing. He jumped away, leaving me there… alone. Not even All Might believed I could be a hero. The next half hour was a blur. I was a flurry of emotions. I was a volatile mixture or sadness, anger, and envy.
Out of the blue, I heard explosions in the distance. I saw that some parts of the city was on fire. I realized that the villain must've escaped. It was all my fault.
I weaved my way through the crowds of people when I heard another loud explosion down the street. When the dust cleared, it revealed the large towering mass of green sludge. I was prepared to run, but then I saw something that caught my eye.
It was Bakugou. The sludge villain was in the process of strangling him to death. Just like he had done to me. Suddenly a large green tentacle shot out and released an explosion, causing a crowd of bystanders to part and flee. It was like he was obtaining his quirk somehow. Which explains why All Might was able to do away with him so easily before because he had nothing to take from me. Right on time, I was surrounded by pro heroes.
But something wasn't quite right. They stood around, gaping at the monster in front of them. None of them were helping. None of them were rushing in to save Bakugou. What were they doing just standing around!? Why weren't they helping!?
Even from the distance I was, I saw Bakugou's eyes open and look at us. He was dying. He knew it too. He didn't want to die. And no one was trying to help him. I wasn't helping him.
Then I did something that normally I would never do. I did something brave. Or completely retarded. Take your pick. I charged into the fray against the murderous psychopathic sludge villain who was creating explosions just by pointing at something.
I aimed my backpack for the large exposed eyeball. I hucked it, books and all, and it was a direct hit. Like time had slowed, the monster recoiled slightly, and then turned its full attention towards me. It lunged, and was about to engulf me, before I was saved once again, by All Might. A torrent of slime was sprayed in the opposite direction, leaving Katsuki in a lump on the cracked street pavement.
A couple of heroes scolded me for getting involved. They said a quirkless boy like me shouldn't be anywhere near these types of dangerous situations. I said nothing in response.
I looked over at Bakugou who was, in stark contrast to me, receiving praise. They complimented him on his powerful quirk. They told him he was strong for fighting.
I ignored the heroes, gathered my backpack and went on my way home. No one thanked me for my actions, not that I didn't potentially save Bakugou's life or anything. Maybe I did just get in the way. Maybe I really shouldn't have been there to begin with.
But that's what heroes did, right? They jumped in to save the day when no else will or can? They did the right thing. Always. But when I did it, it wasn't?
All I've ever wanted is to be a great hero like All Might. To be that person everyone can rely on when things are tough. To be that person who saved the day when all hope seems lost. To be… loved.
With All Might on my mind already, I wasn't surprised this time when he again, made another dramatic entrance. He immediately lost all of his muscle mass and was skinnier than even me. His face was shallow and sunken, and I could barely see his blue irises behind the shadow casted by his skull. He answered my questioning gaze by saying he had been wounded in a fight a long time ago, and that he could not maintain his form for long.
"Thanks to your heroism, you were able to buy me enough time to reach my true form again."
I must've looked confused. Because he spoke more of it.
"I normally would take a couple of hours to recharge. But… you inspired me so greatly, I could not just sit around and watch that boy die."
I felt my eyes brimming with tears.
"I wanted to answer your question from earlier… you too, even a quirkless boy, can be a hero."
I collapsed to my knees, bawling pathetically. He said it. He said I could. He said I can. That I can be a hero. I couldn't believe this was happening. After all I had been through. After ten years of being regarded as weak, worthless, and incapable… my idol told me that he thought I could be like him.
It was the greatest moment in my life. I felt like being alive again. I had hope now.
"You are worthy." He said. "To inherit my power."
I asked him what he meant. He said that he could pass down his quirk to me if he had chosen his successor: me. I asked him why he would pick me of all people. He said that I shone above the rest of the pro heroes during the sludge villains attack on the city. I accepted his offer right after he said this.
He then tells me that he has to train me to able to endure the power of One for All. If my body wasn't ready for it, my body would explode, or at the least tear the limbs right off, as it requires the user to be able to withstand the sheer amount of energy generated.
With this knowledge revealed to me, and the fact I was going to get to see my hero everyday for ten months, put a massive smile on my face. I strolled through the door into my mother's house, and was met with an enraged women. My happy mood was suddenly a downcast one. I removed my shoes and she grabbed me by my ear and led me into the kitchen. Food was already on the table.
"I received a call that you tried to kill yourself again? Tried to jump off the roof!?"
I had almost completely forgotten about that.
"Y-yes mom."
"Then, you decide to play hero!? She pointed at the TV screen in the other room.
It was the news. Showing footage of the events that unfolded while I was downtown.
"How many times do you have to hear it, Izuku!? Before you get it through that thick skull of yours!? That you aren't a hero- so quit acting like one! And for god's sake! If you are going to kill yourself, then actually do it! Don't you put that on my conscious you little shit!" She screeched, her eyes were red. She was already drunk.
"Mom I'm sorry, I-" I tried to apologize.
She had just slapped me across the face. I was shocked.
"Mom- !"
She began furiously pummeling me. Every which way, I held my arms up to protect myself but she just threw me into the wall. She relented her assault briefly before smashing a glass bottle over my head. The pain was incredible. Only then after seeing my drenched in my own tears and alcohol, she stopped.
"Get your food and then go to bed."
I rushed past her and grabbed the rice bowl and scampered away, fearing another strike. I ate slowly on my bed. Due to the aching all over my body inflicted by my mother. She's never hit me before. I felt like breaking down into tears again, but remembered that I was to begin training with the number one hero first thing tomorrow. I couldn't let this be a set back.
Over the next ten months, I trained with All Might everyday. We used the heavily polluted and littered Takoba Seaside Bay as my training grounds. At first I was not able to accomplish any of the tasks given to me anywhere near in the allotted time. Five hours each day, morning and night, we would meet up, and he would give me something to push, carry, and sometimes, he even used himself as an object I had to move. But eventually I got closer to the time limit, with each passing day.
It was exhausting, but I persevered, because in order to achieve my dreams, I had to work three times as hard as everyone else. I would study every night after the training routine with All Might, wake up early in the morning- and go on another training routine with All Might. It was a rinse and repeat cycle, and the only time I was able to rest was when I went to sleep at night.
It was one of the most difficult stretches in my entire life. Juggling all these responsibilities, and with almost no free time in between, it was physically and mentally draining. But it was going to be worth it, I kept telling myself. As long as I can breathe I am willing to do whatever it takes.
It was the last day of the ten month training period that I was finally able to complete All Might's training exercise. I had removed all the trash from the beach. Assembling it all into one pile. All Might appeared, stoked to see my accomplishment. I clambered down the pile, smiled and said that I did it- and nearly passed out in his arms.
"You sure did do it." He chuckled, he took out his phone, and showed me a picture of me. Ten months ago. I was knee deep in the wet sand, struggling to push along an iron cabinet. I was skinny, with no hint of muscle, and crying pitifully.
"Now look at you…" He revealed to me a picture he had taken just then.
I was buffer, bigger, and definitely more muscular. I had a well defined six pack, biceps, pecs- everything was clearly there and in good shape. I looked, well, not to stroke my ego or anything, but I thought I looked pretty awesome. My head drooped, but he shook me wide awake.
"Woah, woah, woah! You can't be down now! The entrance exam is in a few hours!"
That's right. I can't stop now, even if I can barely stand. He plucked a peice of hair from his head and told me to eat it.
What!?
He said that I had to ingest some of his DNA to obtain the quirk, and it didn't matter how, just that this was the most convenient way. So I took the golden strand of hair, and swallowed it whole. I could feel it slither down my throat. I didn't have time to focus on how nasty it was because I had to get UA High School.
I had been here many times before, just to admire the architecture. To remind me that my future was here if I kept working. It was the only thing that kept me going.
I tripped on my own foot clumsily in front of the main building, but I never hit the ground. It was like I was floating. Then I regained my footing somehow, and noticed a cute brunette standing next to me. She had a glorious smile on her face.
She apologized for using her quirk on me, saying she should've asked first. Then she laughed it off telling me that it would've been bad luck if I fell on the first day. She walked away leaving me speechless.
A girl… TALKED TO ME!? I felt like my brain was going into overdrive. It had been so long since a girl had even looked at me. If a girl was to direct their voice at me it was in the form of laughter about my quirklessness.
I was about to continue onward before I was shoved to the side by none other than Bakugou. He growled at me and I shielded my face to protect myself. I was expecting him to beat me up. Nothing ever came, I opened my eyes to find him walking away from me.
"Hey Kacchan!" I shouted for him to hear.
"Stay out of my way Deku!" He snarled.
I guess that's that then. I tightened my backpack straps and headed into the auditorium. There were so many people. On the stage was Present Mic, a pro hero. I geeked out a little bit before being yelled at by a guy with glasses. I hadn't realized I was muttering again. I turned my attention to the large screen on the opposite wall.
Present Mic said that the testing area was filled with robots. For destroying these robots, you would earn a certain amount of points. You would fail the entrance exam if you had the least amount of points in proportion to everyone else.
We were all at the area outside the gates, waiting for them to open, when I noticed the brunette again. I wanted to thank her for earlier. But before I could I was stopped by the guy with glasses.
"What's the deal? Are you here purely to distract everyone!?" He accused me.
"W-why would I do something like that!?" I defended myself.
He seemed to notice who I had been looking at.
"Don't go distracting her." He said, jabbing a finger into my chest.
I didn't understand why he was sticking up for her, maybe he was a close friend, but if that was the case, why wasn't he with her right now? I heard voices saying that I was going to fail the exam. Already they were counting me out.
The gates swung open and everyone sprinted out into the testing area, leaving me in the dust. Of course I was the slowest of all of them. I looked around wildly, searching for a robot, but none were in sight.
I caught something moving in the left corner of my eye and just narrowly dodged a metal claw swinging at my head from a pursuing robot. I screamed pathetically, forgetting what to do, completely frozen. I was saved from my cowardice when a laser shredded it to bits. I looked over and saw a boy with brilliant blonde hair smirking. He laughed and thanked me for distracting it while I raced to another part of the testing area to find a robot to destroy.
I eventually came to a four way stop where a huge crowd of people were waiting for another wave to show up. But, much to there dismay, instead of some more relatively small robots, there was one gigantic robot approaching us. It stood head and shoulders above the buildings and crashed into the sides of them as it was too wide to fit.
Everyone around me began to run in the opposite direction, and I was all the more willing to follow suit but tripped and fell to the asphalt, scraping my knee. Then a loud voice reverberated through the air, it was Present Mic:
"Two minutes!"
Only two minutes left and I hadn't gotten any points! Was this the end of the line? I was in a state of panic. I was about to book it before I heard a short cry. My head swiveled around in the direction of the oncoming giant robot.
It was her, the brunette, the nice girl who the guy with glasses told me to not mess with. She was grasping her upper thigh and appeared to be pinned beneath some fallen debri from the buildings. She got hit by that!?
The mech was getting closer, and in ten seconds or so it would've ran her over. I recalled what All Might said earlier. He had told me that I still wasn't totally ready for One for All, and that in using it I was going to have to suffer the repercussions for doing so. But in this moment I did not care what happened to my body. All that mattered was saving her life.
It was like when I had tried to save Bakugou- running in with no plan other than that my life was more expendable than the person I was trying to save. I felt it. I felt One for All pump through my veins. The fierce adrenaline spread from my legs to the rest of my body and I felt the sheer force of gravity weigh me down as I launched myself at the giant robot.
All Might's teachings rang flashed through my mind as I was rocketing through the atmosphere. Tighten your buttcheeks… and yell this with all your heart!
All the energy I had been stockpiling, I released into one punch.
"SMAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!" I gave a guttural scream, as my fist connected with the face of the giant robot.
When I touched the metal face, it was like I could feel every inch and pound of the object I was hitting. It all reverberated back into my body, causing me immense indescribable pain. It was like being compacted into a tiny ball, but with all my bones snapping in the process, and my organs being ground up like they were in a blender. But as quickly as that pain lasted it left, and the only parts of me affected were my arm and legs.
"One minute!" Present Mic spoke over the commotion.
I was in a free fall. Sure, I had stopped the giant robot from crushing the girl as I watched it blow up and essentially self destruct as a result, but I had no plan on how to get down safely. With the wind rushing past my face, I desperately tried to think of a solution to my predicament. I decided that if I could punch the ground where I was to land, I might be able to propel myself upward enough to avoid long term damage. If I messed up… well, then at least I died a hero.
I was about to charge a punch when I received a hard slap to the face. I had stopped falling. I sensed a familiar sensation from earlier. The girl- she had slipped out from underneath the debri and was in the perfect position to use her levitation quirk. Funny- she saved me from hitting the ground twice that day.
She released me, and I hit the pavement with a awful thud. It still hurt but I'm thankful I didn't die from it. The searing sensation in my legs and arm was beginning to override my senses as my adrenaline lowered. I desperately dragged myself along, knowing full well I couldn't pass by destroying only one robot.
"Times up!"
Then at once all the work I had put in for the past ten months came crashing down on top of me. I had failed. It was the last thing on my mind before I passed out from the pain.
Uraraka stopped reading. She closed the book and set it down on Deku's desk. Kirishima, and Mina gave her a questioning look.
"I can't begin to imagine what he..." Uraraka's voice cracked.
"Yeah, I mean, the amount of adversity he faced and he still pulled through." Kirishima said, clenching his fists. "If he didn't have my full respect before, he sure does now."
"I knew Bakugou was a jerk but... I didn't know he was that much of a jerk. I thought he just had really bad anger issues." Mina mumbled quietly.
"I think you guys are missing something." Uraraka said, starting to pace around the room. "We know how Deku got his quirk now- this, that information- its not supposed to be out in the open! Guys, if any of us slips up... It could be disastrous!"
Kirishima blinked rapidly, then came to the same conclusion she had. He held his head in his hands, shaking slightly.
"Oh my god. So, wait if a villain were too simply just... eat some of All Might's hair, they could become like him too!?"
Uraraka nodded gravely.
"This is really bad guys." Mina said worriedly.
"Look, its late. I think we've done enough damage- " Uraraka started, before being interrupted.
" -Do we keep reading?" Kirishima asked, honestly unsure. "We already know way more than we should!"
It was this question that they all took time to ponder on. What they had done, snooping in Deku's room, messing with his stuff, and the worst of it all, reading about his deepest darkest secrets that he clearly never wanted anyone to know about. She could not stop the guilt that pushed out from her chest, trying to get out.
"It's too late to go back now." Uraraka concluded.
"Ok, guys, look…" Kirishima started. "How about one of us takes the diary to our dorms, we keep it for safekeeping until tomorrow, and we can all meet up in one of our rooms and continue reading? Ok? That sound alright to you?"
Uraraka was still fanning her face, and Mina's expression was unreadable.
"T-that could work." Uraraka agreed. "But who is the book going with for tonight?"
Mina slid off the mattress, grabbed the book and placed it in her hands.
"Not to throw you under the bus or anything, but, you are his best friend."
"That makes sense" She said doing her best to not tear up there.
They exited the room, waved goodbye to each other and proceeded to diverge paths. They said nothing. They didn't have to say anything.
Uraraka entered her room, and gently placed the binding on her table. She locked her door and face planted on her bed.
What has she done!? She just betrayed her best friends trust, and for what? To see if he likes her back? She placed her head in her hands.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She banged her head on the blankets.
She sunk into her pillow. She was too deep now. Too far in, she would not be able to forgive herself if she put the book down now. She figured it was best to finish what she started. She was going to read the entire diary, even if it hurt her to do it.
The last thought she had before drifting into sleep was Deku's reaction if he found out what she was doing.
