Quirk (kwûrk)
4. A super-human ability usually developed at four years old.
At least, now it is. Quirks first emerged about…five generations ago. And with super powers, came super villains. And of course, super heroes. It was pretty chaotic back then, or so they tell me. But since then, things have changed.
"You can't do anything! You don't even have a Quirk!"
Was what Katsuki Bakugo has always yelled into Izuku Midoriya's ear for the past eleven years. And what he was doing right now.
"So how!" He continued "can you even think of trying for U.A.?!"
He looked down on Izuku,(Literally and figuratively-- he was on the ground.) and pointed at Izuku's face. Then he said...
"Face it Deku." He said, using the (insulting) nickname he's always called Izuku since--"You're just a useless idiot!"
Fitting. Cause that's what "Deku" means.
Izuku glared at the muscular blonde boy. He stood up swiftly.
"You may be amazing Kacchan, but with that attitude, you may as well be a Villain!" He pushed Katsuki back. "Oh, and it may be a problem you know?!" Katsuki's anger turned briefly into puzzlement. "Having your mom tuck you into bed every night!"
The entire class gasped. They had never seen Izuku like this.
People in the general vicinity could only wonder what caused the strangled scream. It sounded like "Deku" and the Kaboom! from an explosion
As he walked home with a dull pain in his chest. He thought back to that day. The day it all changed.
It was a Monday. They had gone to the clinic for a "Quirk" check-up. He remembers sitting next to his mother all excited. Then... the doctor came in.
Once the grown-ups greeted each other, he sat down. And then he turned to his mom.
"Mrs. Midoriya, your son is... a special case." He remembers leaning towards him then. "I honestly don't know if he'll ever develop a Quirk."
"But...?" She looked confused.
"You said that you don't know right?!" He remembers saying.
"I... Yes." The doctor's voice dripping with uncertainty.
As he walked, the same thought kept running through Izuku's mind. 'I will get a quirk!' filling him with purpose.
Then he caught a whiff of something foul. "Ugh! What stinks?" He inquired to himself.
"Thanks for that kid," a voice behind him said. But instead of gratitude in his voice, it was deep hatred.
Izuku turned around to apologize. But instead of an apology all Izuku could conjure at that particular moment was : "You're a slime?"
And it would be an apt description, but a description the slime loathed. "Im not a slime!" the not-slime exclaimed with exasparation and indignation.
All Izuku could manage was an "Okay?" He didn't want to upset this guy further than he already was.
The not-slime — who looked to be done with this kid simply wrapped him around in his not-slime-like body.
Or at least... He tried.
Just as the slime was about to hit him he dodged. The not-slime tried again. And Izuku to the surprise of both individuals present, dodged again. Reflexively.
Izuku brought his open hands to his eyes, as if expecting to see a change in them. He didn't.
It was just then, that the slime attempted his maneuver again. And Izuku—too busy looking at his hands, dodged. A backflip, to be precise. Izuku didn't even notice.
Now the slime was thoroughly spooked. He pondered his next move when...
"I am here!" All Might exclaimed from behind. Even though the slime couldn't see All Might pulling his hand back, he knew what was going to happen. And the last conscious thought that ran through his mind was, "Oh shi—".
Boom
Izuku who was still staring at his hands, didn't even notice All Might's sudden appearance. He didn't have to.
Just as All Might was pulling his hand back, Izuku felt a sharp tingling sensation in the back of his head, not on.
And instinctively, he jumped ten feet off of the ground. Izuku finally noticed.
"What the he—?" He was cut off because All Might, thinking the young man in peril. Caught him in mid-air. All Might landed heavily on the ground. And as he set Izuku on the ground he finally realized that—
"Omigod All Might! You're here!" Izuku exclaimed. Yes that was what I was about to—"Say! Could you sign my notebook!
"Of course! Young—?"
"Midoriya! Midoriya, Izuku!" He bowed(a perfect ninety). He flipped to a free page and handed All Might his singed notebook.
Once All Might was done he handed it back to Izuku. The afformentioned fanboy took it back like it was made of pure gold. To Izuku, it probably was.
"Now," All Might started. "I must go." He turned around putting the slime filled bottles in his front pockets and bent his knees, preparing to jump.
"Wait!" Izuku said, as he reached out to grab All Might. He had something to ask All Might. "I have something to ask you!"
All Might looked over his shoulder. "I am sorry, Young Midoriya but I must go." And following this statement he jumped with his powerful legs. Propelling higher and higher until, to anyone looking from the ground, he was nothing but a barely visible speck.
However, no one was looking from the ground. Leaving nobody but birds to wonder what all the commotion was about.
With All Might, things were less peaceful. He was seventy-five kilometers high when he noticed it. A tugging in his legs. Sparing a look towards his feet, he nearly coughed blood (again).
It was the Midoriya boy. Barely keeping the surprise out of his voice he inquired to Midoriya. "Why are you so desperate!?"
"I-i Ha-a-ave to-o as-k-k y-o-ou a que-e-est-t-tio-on" The wind was pushing his dark green hair and the skin covering his mouth and eyes back almost comically
All Might would have laughed if it weren't so dangerous. "Okay, okay. Just close your mouth." he said quickly.
Izuku complied, keeping eyes and mouth closed tight. All Might sighed inwardly. 'Oh well, it not like it hasn't happened before.' He thought, resigned to the fact that fans will always be this desperate.
Once they were safely on the rooftop of a random building. Izuku immediately crumpled to the ground. All Might prodded him with a foot.
"Hey, kid." He prodded him a little harder. Izuku looked dead.
Izuku moaned. 'Oh thank Kami.' All might thought.
Izuku sat up slowly. All Might gave him some space. And shakily, Izuku stood up. He still had his ugly yellow backpack on his lanky figure—however miraculous that seemed.
"Could I become a hero?" He said. His voice was filled with a passion that All Might had only ever heard from one other person. Himself.
"Of course y—!" All Might started enthusiastically.
"Even if Im quirkless!?" All Might winced.
"I-i want to make people smile. I want them to feel safe when Im around." He put his fist over his heart. "I want to save people. Like you." His voiced cracked at the last word.
All Might looked into his eyes.The ever growing population of quirky people had completely shunned those who were quirkless.
They were given lower wages, charged more for food and clothes, were often sent to prison without proper trials, and most of all, bullied and treated like they carried a horrible and contagious disease. This was especially true in America.
But it was getting better. Or at least that's what All Might believed—or wanted to believe.
So, against his better judgement... he said yes. And Izuku's eyes, which were so full of desperation and anguish only moments ago. Lit up. And All Might smiled. He held out his hand.
"Let me te—!" All Might started, but was cut off with a small poof of smoke.
In All Might's place was a thin, almost skeletal figure, with horrible eyebags, and startingly blue eyes.
"What the—!" Izuku cried in shock. " Are—are you All Might?!" His rational mind quickly coming to the conclusion.
"Yes... I am All Might." The figure answered, his voice flat.
"Bu—." The conversation was cut short when a distant explosion shook the ground.
They both looked towards it. All Might felt his pockets. There was nothing.
Quick as lightning. All Might opened the door and climbed down the stairs. Izuku tailing him.
In the shopping district, there was, chaos. Katsuki had been held hostage by the slime. Apparently controlling him.
The multiple Pro Heroes present could not gain control of the current situation.
Now all they could— or wanted to do was wait for another Pro Hero. But by then Katsuki would be dead.
Once Izuku and All Might had arrived Katsuki was halfway to heaven. They had stopped at the edge of the crowd. Once Izuku had seen Katsuki however. Izuku, being Izuku ran into the fire to save Katsuki.
There was another tingle in the back of his head. But this one was constant. And then as debris fell on his head. He dodged at the last second. Without looking.
He didn't hear it either. Something just told him to dodge. He paused for a moment to collect himself.
He loped forward, continuing his steady sprint. He then slipped his backpack off and aimed. But something told him to aim a little more to the left. So he did. He hit.
The slime screamed in pain. His eyes seemed to be the only solid part of his body. Seeing an opportunity he pulled Kacchan out of the slime.
Izuku, a scrawny boy, with absolutely no muscle carried Katsuki. With one arm. While running at full speed. Kacchan was also squirming like a maniac.
When they neared the crowd Izuku—instinctively and heroically—threw Katsuki toward Death Arms.
He turned around. With a smile to rival All Might's. Ran towards the slime. He pulled his fist back. And slid under the slimy tentacle that unpredictably grabbed at him.
Unpredictable, but not to Izuku. The tingle was a constant presence now. And it warned him of things. Danger, presumably.
Izuku stumbled to his feet and aimed an uppercut towards the slime's eye. Let's just say, it hurt the slime.
He was scolded, but also praised. Katsuki was given the same treatment, save for the scolding.
Izuku had lost All Might in the crowds however. And he couldn't panic for some reason. So he simply walked home. Pondering.
What was the tingling? Was it a quirk?
For some reason, Izuku couldn't bring himself to hope for that.
And what was with the strength? Adrenaline? He honestly couldn't tell.
"Oi, You're mumbling, Deku." said a voice behind him. It was full of contempt.
Izuku looked over his shoulder.
Katsuki. His crimson eyes glinted menacingly. "Don't ever try to save me, ever again!" Katsuki said. This statement lacked his usual ferocity.
Katsuki stalked off. Leaving Izuku alone. Then, All Might appeared from around the corner. In muscle form. " Good afternoon Young Midoriya!" he boomed.
Izuku similed blandly. "You don't have to do that All Might." A poof and the skeletal figure of All Might came into veiw.
"Young Midoriya, how did you do that?" All Might inquired.
"I have no idea." He responded.
"Then I'll continue what I was going to say earlier." He paused. "I want to pass my power onto you, and become my successor." He held out his hand dramatically. His blond hair dancing in the wind.
"Wha—?" Izuku looked dumbfounded.
Out of nowhere, All Might started laughing. "The look on your face!" He chuckled some more.
But how would something even be possible? It's completely unprecedented. There are a lot of theories out there about All Might's quirk. But nothing like this!
"Hey! Snap out of it!" And snap out of it he did. "Don't overthink it! Do you accept?"
Izuku took a deep breath, and said yes.