Chapter 3: A Spider's Thread (Departure)

Izuku Midoriya (age Fifteen)

Izuku Midoriya wasn't strong. He wasn't special, or powerful, or even good looking really. He was a regular person, trapped in a world of super heroes and super villains. Even though a year had passed since his talk with All Might, Izuku still couldn't fathom what he'd meant. Their talk had been cryptic at best, but the young Midoriya had taken the deal as if it were his last chance at living. Over the past year, he'd trained: All Might had warned him that if he couldn't make it, he wouldn't be surprised… but it was necessary to see if Izuku could be the one. What that meant, or how All Might would accept it, Izuku had no idea. And yet… his life was very different from how it had been a year ago.

Before his run in with the sludge monster and the heroes, he'd been a less than average individual who was at the mercy of anyone who felt like it. Izuku Midoriya wasn't strong, or fast or even capable; he was a target. Forget feelings, intelligence, drive, heart… none of that mattered to people with power. A part of him hated mirrors, because he had to be reminded of his reality, and of the pain.

Despite all that, someone had seen something in him. He'd taken All Might's training schedule and he'd outdone it. Every single one of the people All Might recommended, Izuku visited and begged them to teach him. On the word of the hero, they accepted.

Every day, he was beaten and exhausted. He still studied hero fights, and costumes and browsed the chatrooms. It was a good break from the physical work. Weight lifting, community service, two kinds of martial arts and even a yoga instructor were a part of his day, or at least his every other day. Somewhere along the line he'd assumed that he not only had to follow the plan, but earn the respect of All Might's associates and surpass everything they wanted of him.

Needless to say, he broke every expectation and then some.

The week before the set date, Izuku couldn't sleep. His schedule became another weight on his shoulders, instead of something he could use to escape.

4 am each morning, he woke up and went for a run. Six am he started working the rest of his body with self exercise. Around eight he ate breakfast with his mother; their relationship had brightened the past year, but only so much. Izuku wished he didn't see the questions in her eyes, the worry creasing her face. Most days it would steele him for the rest of the day, but lately it became another thing he dreaded.

School was a problem. People had begun avoiding him more after his encounter with the heroes (his muttering had gone into overdrive, and the sudden change in attitude made people uncomfortable). Once his classmates had discovered he was working out, they laughed and tried to make fun of him. For some reason the slander rolled off Izuku harmlessly. Bakugo, however, pursued him as often as ever. Izuku was a target for his little gang. The reputation Bakugo had built up as a member of one of the local gangs made him even stronger, and it seemed to have the same effect on him that Izuku's meeting with the heroes had on Izuku. Seeing Izuku put on muscle (they'd stripped him multiple times during his beatings) only spurred Bakugo on even more.

Izuku did his best to make it through school however he could. He hid between classes, and he studied as best as he could at nighttime. No matter what, some days he couldn't escape.

After school changed depending on the day. Two days a week he did community service near his home. Every day he had martial arts training, and three days he had sessions with a yoga instructor. After all that he had his second work out session of the day, either before or after dinner, and after that he slept. Or tried to. By Thursday his teachers began to notice his exhaustion. Even still no one asked him if anything was wrong until friday.

All Might had recommended an instructor who used the alias Mirror when he taught classes: Mirror's quirk, 'Simon Says', let him control a person's movement so that they mimicked his exact moves for up to five minutes at a time. Mirror would go spend a half hour on yoga, then lecture Izuku on fighting. When Izuku collapsed halfway through the session, Mirror clicked his tongue and sat down beside him.

"You're off this week, Midoriya. Is something bothering you?" Izuku took a deep breath and sat up.

"No, Sensei. I'm fine. Sorry I'm a little behind."

"So you aren't nervous about All Might coming back?" Izuku blanched. Mirror chuckled at his wide eyed stare. "He checks in with us often, though he shouldn't. Trust me, I'm well aware of why you're here."

"I see… He's been keeping tabs on me…" Izuku murmured. His fists clenched involuntarily, and several emotions leapt up inside of him only to die moments later.

"You're an incredibly student, Midoriya. At first I questioned keeping you around at all." Mirror chuckled. "But after one time I could tell. You're not just anybody. Every teacher you've had this past year must be impressed with you. I'm sure All Might will be impressed as well."

"Ah… you think so… Sensei?"

"I'm sure of it. You're my best student after all. And you're not just some little nerd anymore. When you see him, I'm positive he'll have trouble recognizing you. Though… I doubt anyone would have trouble once they saw your hair." Izuku smiled at Mirror's familiar poke. Mirror took great pride in his appearance, and he'd offered more than once to doctor Izuku's hairdo.

"Thank you, Sensei. I don't know why I'm so worried, honestly… It's not like I could fail expectations he never even gave me." Izuku said quietly. Mirror didn't seem to have a response for that.

When the day finally came Izuku didn't sleep at all. He surfed the chatrooms all night, looking for anything. Strangely, he felt wide awake; his tiredness remained, but it didn't feel as heavy. The anxiety he bore only grew as the night wore on, though. Everyone who looked out for heroes or villains online agreed on the same thing.

It was far too quiet.

Four am came and Izuku headed out on his morning run. All Might was waiting for him at the beach where he usually did his early morning routine.

Izuku froze when he saw the giant in the same trench coat he'd worn that day. His fists clenched unconsciously, and he remembered what had sent him stumbling down the path he was on.

"You're quirkless aren't you?" A dam inside him broke. Izuku shuddered as if he'd suffered a physical blow, then fell to his knees. That was what kept him from accepting the praise. It held him in check even though he was happier than he'd been in SO long… Sobs escaped him as he began to break down, and the humiliation of crying in front of his idol only added to what he already faced. "It's not something you see these days… I'm a little surprised."

"We had to treat you after we brought you back. I saw the scars and bandages. Honestly, I should scold you for being so reckless. Charging into a mall full of gangs without any sort of self defence at all, injured on top of that. Most people wouldn't want to move around with injuries like that. But I only find myself thinking that you're an incredible young man."

"H-h-huh?" Izuku stammered, peeking up and seeing All Might's broad grin.

"Did you expect something terrible, young man?" Izuku turned back to the concrete as All Might laughed. "No. You are something else. Everyone in our hideout knew it when they saw you. Though some might have been a little put off by your research... "

"Nevertheless, I think you'd make a fine hero. What do you think?"

"I… No one can be a hero without a quirk… I'd just die!" Izuku whispered.

"Hmmmm… I suppose I can't say otherwise. Several of my closest friends have passed away in this war." All Might paused. "What if I could grant you a wish, young man."

Izuku wiped his eyes as best he could.

"I don't… understand…"

"If you could strike a deal with me and have me grant any wish, what would it be?"

All the time in the world wouldn't change the desire in Izuku's heart. He knew that. But he stopped before he could speak it, hesitating. Again.

"I want to be a hero! I want to make people feel safe and stop the gangs, the villains, everyone! I want to make sure that people can be happy… in the future…"

"That sounds like something you'd wish for. But you know how hopeless that wish may turn out to be, don't you?"

"Yes. But I… I've always wanted to be a hero. That won't ever change."

"Let's make a deal, then, young Midoriya. I'll return in one year; when I return, if you can turn yourself into someone worthy of being a hero, even a quirkless hero, I'll grant your wish."

"B-b-b-but…"

"Heroes exist because of every action they take, not because of grand heroics alone. They are everywhere, in some way or another." All Might waved a wand, seeming to gesture at the entire world with that one arm. "Community service, policemen, those who risk their lives to save others, even those who simply do a good deed without thinking. Before you can join me in this war, you must prove that you'll be able to handle the bleak future that might await you.

"I've seen the results of your suffering. But if your mind was all I was worried for, I'd simply take you with us. No… you must prove yourself one more time. I'll give you a schedule and pass along word to a few local friends. They'll teach you to fight, and sculpt you into someone worthy of being a hero on the front lines."

All Might extended a hand.

"Will you accept this? You could still go back to your normal life. And I can promise you, the only thing that always awaits a hero is misery and loss along the way."

"Yes!" Izuku never even hesitated.

"Are you going to stand there all day, young Midoriya?" Izuku jumped as All Might snapped him from his memory.

"Ah! S-s-s-sorry… I was just thinking…"

"Were you thinking of the day we met?" Izuku swallowed and nodded. All Might laughed. "I can't blame you. It's been quite a year for you, from what I've heard."

"Mirror Sensei said you'd been checking on me. Thank you…"

"Of course. I wasn't about to leave you high and dry, young Midoriya. A deal is a deal, after all." Izuku nodded, standing a little taller. "Now, lets see what became of the scrawny nerd who dreamt of being a hero!"

Izuku waited. All Might waited.

"Take off your clothes."

"What?!"

"...So I see your progress. Relax, young Midoriya, relax! Take off your jacket." Izuku shook, but did as he was asked.

Three months of work had developed muscle (Izuku had almost none to begin with, so that wasn't hard); six had put on a noticeable amount of muscle and tone. After a full year, Izuku had a defined set of abs, shoulder and chest muscles. His biceps bulged at every movement and even his forearms were obviously developed. Izuku Midoriya had become a fighter.

All Might walked around him in a circle, nodding, poking his arms here and there, or his shoulder.

"Yes, yes, yes yes YES! Very good. You've become a worthy vessel. I wasn't sure you'd be able to stick to the plan, honestly... It would have been beyond almost anyone."

"Thank you… um, what do you mean, 'vessel'?" All Might dragged him to the shore, placing Izuku's back to the water. Suddenly the trench coat dropped to the sand, revealing All Might's inhuman physique. The giant extended his arms wide, turning his eyes to the sky.

"I have waited a long time to find someone in the younger generation. Someone young, as I once was, ready and willing to become the kind of hero this broken society needs. I've decided that you are one worthy to inherit my strength!"

Izuku stared blankly at All Might.

"Huh?" All Might coughed, then glanced down at him.

"That expression is… Come now, young Midoriya! I'm telling you that I'll give you my power! Look alive!"

What does he… Izuku's jaw dropped as All Might continued.

"Currently, in our society, there is a war between good and evil. People with villainous tendencies run amok, with no force that threatens to stop them. We heroes, as you call us, try our best to do what we can… but we work outside the law. Even if that's true, people know that there are heroes! We drop hints here and there, to let the public know that they are not alone. No one can know our names, some must hide their quirks, faces and voices… we hide in plain sight behind secret identities. But beyond even that, underneath all the layers of secrecy we can create… is the secret of my power!"

"P-power…?"

"I'm talking about my quirk, kid." All Might said, drooping a little at Izuku's reaction. "Quirks… more and more as time goes on our society becomes certain of quirks. They shape who you are, and what you're capable of. But this… My quirk is something special beyond any of that. It's a secret, something akin to the sacred torch of legend that is passed from generation to generation…"

"Passed… you don't mean…!" All Might nodded, and the gleam in his eyes became a noticeable flash. The hero clenched his fist, shaking with the passion of his speech.

"Yes! The power to transfer power… and the name of that vaunted ability to which I've been entrusted with is none other than…

"One For All" All Might's fingers opened. Izuku couldn't help but think of a scene from a game, where the items were mere sparkles of light. With everything he'd heard, light pouring from the quirk in All Might's palm didn't seem too far fetched.

"One for… All…"

"One man cultivates the power, that man grants it to another, and again it is fostered and passed down, so that brave hearts with unwavering calls to save lives can bear this might in the face of evil!"

"I… But… Why me…? Why someone like me?" Izuku stammered.

"I've been searching for a successor, recently. The war against the villains… I have come to realize that there may not be a way to end it in my lifetime. If that's the case… I wouldn't mind giving it to you. You, who despite having no quirk at all and being injured at the hands of people like him, leapt out into danger and showed that you can stand amongst heroes! I've tagged you as the next in line…" All Might glanced at Izuku, and the star struck expression he wore, and laughed. "Well, what am I saying? It's been a year after all. If your wish has changed since you began, I'll have to hear it anyways. After all, I'm a man of my word. It's still your decision to make…"

It's the same as it was then. In the span of a moment Izuku knew his answer. He thought back to when All Might had first reached out the hand and offered him this deal, and his reaction. I don't even have to think, do I?

"Yes please…" All Might chuckled, and his eyes flashed brightly one again as they shook hands.

"A quick answer… I expected as much, young Midoriya."

Looking back on that moment, as I tell you this story, I can't help but think that maybe… If I'd looked more closely at his eyes… Maybe I could have realized what would happen in the near future. That we could have saved everyone if I'd just known a little more about the world…

Interlude

Ochako Uraraka (age Fifteen)

That morning started like any other. Ochako was awake early to see her daddy off to work, bleary eyed though she was. Growing up hadn't made her a morning person. Her parents shared a quiet moment and a little breakfast, then the women went back to bed. Ochako's mother didn't have to be to be at work until later that morning, and Ochako took her morning sleepiness from her mother's side after all.

Ochako woke up to the sound of the door splintering.

It was an ice water, fire alarm sort of awareness: all adrenaline, with no real feeling of being 'awake'. Carefully she listened to the footsteps beating through the hall, then into the bedroom across from hers. Quickly as she could, she raced to the boxes stacked in her room and huddled behind them. Her mother cried out, and suddenly Ochako froze.

Mommy… I'm… I'm hiding and they're going to… Mommy! Ochako ran. She threw the door open and charged into the living room, finding a group of three thugs standing there in the living room with her mommy struggling in their grasp. The scene horrified her enough that she screamed and threw herself forward. The first thug grunted in surprise as she threw him up to the ceiling. Amidst the shouting and the confusion the second tripped and fell, then found himself as weightless as the first one. Before Ochako could throw herself at the last invader, he grabbed her mother by the neck and pressed a knife against her skin.

"Well well well… I didn't think that we'd get two hostages in one day. This is better than I…" HIs eyes bugged out of his head as Ochako's mother kicked upward and landed her foot squarely between his legs. A line of blood appeared on her neck as she pushed past the knife and grabbed Ochako's hand.

They ran. Ochako's lungs burned, but nothing could stop them. As they reached the bottom of the apartment complex, three new enemies came running up. Ochako fell as her mother threw herself forward, tangling the three of them together.

"RUN OCHAKO!"