Izuku 'Deku' Midoriya had known to expect the least of freedom given to him by the oppressors. Living his life out of fear, having little to no friends, and being the laughing stock of his school ensured that. On top of that, his once friend turned bully, Katsuki Bakugo, was the emperor of the hierarchy. What could a quirkless normie such as himself do in this situation? Whenever he had told the teachers about his friend's abusive behaviour, they would turn a blind eye with sayings such as "He's just trying to get the hang of his quirk" or "He's not out to get you! It's all in your head!"

He had wanted to scream then. He couldn't.

To make matters worse, his dreams of being a great superhero had ended in tatters with a single phrase.

"Your son is quirkless." the doctor had stated blandly as the child held onto his smile. His face was close to splitting in two as the tears cascaded down like a downpour as his mother clung to him sobbing "Sorry" over and over. It still stung, seeing his mother so broken as he felt like screaming then and there. Only when he got home, seeing a video of his favorite superhero, All Might, did he scream then.

"I-I can still be a superhero too, right mom?" he asked softly as he turned around to look at his mother. "I-I can still save people, right?"

She only looked at him with a sad smile.

'I didn't want that mother. I wanted you to reassure me! To tell me that I'll be fine! To dream big!' he thought as a child who's tears slowly receded to rhythmic sobs in the pouring rain.

He felt so lifeless, so bland. It wasn't fair! Life wasn't fair!

Even with all the odds, his dream hadn't died. He still wanted to be a hero, still wanted to save others, still wanted to be free. His teachers had 'wisely' told him to try and get a job at a company or business since he had been smart beyond his younger years. What good was a genius if you were shunned? If you were persecuted for something you don't have?

"And remember! Never give up! Be it civilian or hero, you should give it your all! You should go beyond...PLUS ULTRA!"

Those words still re-energize him to this day. As a beacon of hope. As a symbol of peace and freedom the like of which he has been told to be, All Might had been his saving grace. The green-haired, green-eyed teen smiled at the idea of having the luck of meeting him. He'll be so cool! He'll probably inspire him to do better, to not give up!

The green-haired teen put on a timid smile as he entered the confines of his prison. School had started with a ding of the bell as he looked at his 'Hero Analysis for the Future' notebook with a soft sigh. Even though he didn't have a quirk to call his own, it didn't mean that he had lost interest in them.

"Oi, Deku!" a boisterous sound rang in the class as a teen with short, spiky, ash-blond hair with sharp eyes bright red in color took a menacing step forward and into his desk. Putting his hand down forcefully, a small explosion had been triggered to scare the teen in question. "What'd ya got there nerd?"

'Is this the same person I had followed blindly?' 'Deku' thought with a strained smile. 'Why?'

"Y-yes Kacchan?" 'And that nickname...'

"I asked already! What is that?"

"O-oh It's just a notebook" he smiled slightly.

"Hmph. Whatever..." the blond mutters as he walks back into his desk.

"Alright class!" the teacher shouted with a bit too much cheer in his tone. "Today is the day you all graduate from this school and go on to become great heroes for the future!"

"Tch. Of course, teach! Everyone here knows I'm the best suited for the job, not these one-hit A-listers!" Bakugo smirked as he set off small explosions in the class as the boys cheered him on. This only made the teacher, along with a few other students, flinch.

"Of course! We'll have high expectations for you!" the teacher plastered on a smile as he shot the quivering greenette a sad smile. He was always the one to try and help the teen in his moment of weakness. Hell, he would bet that he was the only one that cared about the teen at all! Stupid prideful teachers, the bastards. "However, in the test scores, there was one student that had ranked above your grade level. I'm proud to state that your endeavors had not been in vain. Congratulations, Izuku Midoriya."

With that, there was silence in the classroom. One could hear a pin drop as the ashy-blond teen stood up and walked in front of the green-eyed teen's field of vision once more.

"What the hell..." he muttered with a voice filled with malice. When Izuku looked at him, he was able to see him grinding his teeth in annoyance. A small part of his mind had felt vindicated as a small smirk slipped onto his lips and disappeared just as quickly.

"Congrats, Deku." his former friend smirked as he walked away with a hidden gleam. Whatever it was, it had made his heart stop in its tracks as he shivered in fear.

(Later On)

Class had ended just as quickly as it had started. As people left the class, a blond teen, along with a few of his wannabe crew members, went up to the green-haired teen who was packing his things. Seeing the notebook in his grasp, Bakugo quickly swiped it away from him.

'Hero Analysis for the Future' it had read as the ashy-blond teen scoffed.

"Don't tell me you're still deluded in having hopes for being a hero, Deku," he smirked as Izuku went to reach for the notebook.

"Give it back! Please!" he pleaded softly as Bakugo's smirk widened. As he clenched his fist, the notebook got singed. Putting salt on the wound, he threw the notebook out the window as he went pushed his former friend into a wall.

"Listen up loser. Those that have power should flaunt it in front of the minority to ensure their status. That's why I walked away from you when I found out you were quirkless. What would you be able to offer me if you couldn't even defend yourself?"

"I could have been your friend" Izuku stated softly as he looked into his enraged face.

"Friends? Why the hell would I need friends when I have power? Of course, you wouldn't know what that word means." Bakugo spat out with venom.

"Tell you what..." he smirked viciously. "I'll tell you of a way you could be able to obtain a quirk."

"W-what is it?" the green-eyed teen asked pleadingly. It didn't matter if it was a trap or an illusion, he had lost hope too many times. One more shot to the heart wouldn't stop him.

"Why don't you jump off the roof and pray in the next life?" Bakugo finished with a snicker as he started to walk away with his lackeys following suit.

"Why is it always me?" Izuku asked as he looked outside. "Why antagonize me, Bakugo?"

"You don't have a right to call me by my name!" the teen stopped in his tracks and looked at the slumped greenette with a dark glare.

"I don't care anymore. I'll make my dreams come true. Just you wait and see." Izuku smiled as he walked away from his bully. "I won't be your punching bag anymore."

"Damn you!" Bakugo shouted as saw the teen walk away. "Don't you dare walk away!"

"H-hey man. Don't you think that was going a little too far? I mean telling him to kill himself?" one of his lackeys asked as he shifted slightly with unease.

"Y-yeah man." the other stated in fear. "What if..."

"Tch." Bakugo just scoffed at the idea. "As if he'd have the balls to do it."

(Outside School Grounds)

"What type of hero would say that?" Izuku asked softly as he looked at his wet notebook on the floor. "Wanting power just for yourself isn't power at all. Just the thought of that makes me feel unease..."

"Then how about I give you a hand!" a different voice chuckled as the teen felt his mouth open wide and choke on green slime.

'What the...' the squirming teen thought with a grimace. 'I can't breathe! Is this it!?'

"A little more and then your body will be mine! Kukuku." the sludge monster exclaimed arrogantly.

'Why?' the greenette thought with a tear dropping to the floor. He then started choking as air soon came back to his nose.

"Don't worry citizen! It has been taken care of!" he heard a booming voice.

As he turned to look at the person, his mind stopped working. In all his golden glory stood All Might. Tall and proud, the man had a smile plastered onto his face that just reassured him that it will all be okay. Just as he was going to thank him, he saw him about to leave with a wave. In a blind panic, he grabbed on to his loose clothing just as the man was about to jump.

Now soaring through the sky, All Might started to panic to the point that he dropped the sludge monster in an alleyway by accident as the life of the teen was dangling between his cloth, literally. Managing to land on a roof, the man started reprimanding the teen on his stupidity.

"What you did was wrong." he started off with a no-nonsense tone. "You could have gotten hurt, or worse!"

"I'm sorry sir," Izuku exclaimed loudly as he shifted from side to side. His favorite superhero was right in front of him! He could finally obtain the reassurance needed to move on with his goal. As he had been lost in thought, the blond man started to walk down the stairs in a hurry. No matter how odd it looked, Izuku had cared less and asked him to wait.

"What is it?" All Might asked with a hint of impatience.

'Here goes...' the teen thought with a soft sigh.

"Is it possible for a quirkless person to be a hero?" he shouted loudly as All Might started to stumble. "Could I still be a hero?" he finished pleadingly as the man looked at him with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry kid, but it's impossible for a quirkless person to be a hero." the blond murmured in apology. At that moment, Izuku knew that the hopes he had so desperately held on to had been completely severed from his being. "I would recommend going to a profession that could help others. You could be a doctor and..."

"So I can't huh?" the teen interrupted with a quivering smile. "I guess I wasn't thinking of the reality of things and made myself think that it was possible. Maybe Kacchan was right..."

"But listen, kid..." All Might was about to give his speech but was stopped by blood coming out of his teeth and his form turning a sickly pale asking and a weak body.

"A-all might?" Izuku asked in worry. "What happened to you?"

Then, he talked about his fight against One for All. He had received an injury that had impaired not just his form, but his views on what a hero should be, Izuku noted with a slight frown.

"As it stands, I still believe you should be better protected by helping people in others way kid. Not everything is about quirks. if there is no pillar to stand by, there is no attainable dream." All Might finished as he walked away and closed the door, leaving Izuku to mull over his words.

"Any pillar can be reformed All Might. No such dream should be attainable if you have hope for the future." the teen thought out loud with a defeated sigh as he too walked away.

(With Bakugo)

"That stupid nerd..." the teen muttered in a rant as his followers backed away in fear. "Who the fuck does he think he is telling me what to do!?" he sneered as he kicked a can that contained a...green beverage?

"Totally man." one of his lackeys nodded as he smoked a cigarette.

"I know! We should go out for drinks and try and catch some babes on the way!" the other nodded with a grin.

An explosion stopped their train of thought.

"Idiots!" their blond leader sneered as he looked at them with a glare. "I can't be doing any of that crap since I'll be going to UA! Are you trying to mess with me!?"

"N-no! It was just a joke!" the first lackey backpedaled as the other nodded vigorously.

"Tch. Whatever." Bakugo muttered with a frown as he walked away from them.

"So much anger within you..." he heard behind him. "...and with that quirk of yours, you'll make the perfect vessel for me!" was what he last heard he felt something hold him tightly.

"I-it's a villain!" a random person shouted in horror.

"Run!" another shouted as people started to rush away from the scene.

"What's going on?" Kamui Woods shouted to his partner Mt. Lady.

"Sludge Monster on the loose" she exclaimed with eagerness. It was finally her turn to shine. Fame and fortune, here she comes!

"Make sure you evacuate the people!" her partner squashed her hopes then and there.

"I got this covered! I could just try and subdue him by changing my height!" she argued in a hurry.

"And generate more chaos!?" he argued right back with a frown.

Just as they were about to move, they saw a green-haired teen run past the police pushing the people back. That kid was insane!

"Hey kid, get back!" Kamui woods shouted as he heard explosions come from the blond teen being held hostage.

Izuku couldn't care less. Seeing the person that tormented him as a kid have that same fearful expression he once had made him lose all sense of walking away. He was a hero through and through.

"What are you doing here loser!?" his former friend shouted in a small amount of worry. "You'll only get in the way!" 'Walk away Deku!'

"I-I can't Bakugo!" the greenette noticed him wincing, but he only thought it was due to pain.

"I said walk away!" he shouted a bit more ferociously as he saw his green-eyed classmate plaster on that analytical face of his.

'If I can only slow him down...' Izuku thought with a determined frown as he got his backpack and threw it at the monster. During its momentary awareness, Bakugo took advantage of the sludge monster's lack of focus to set off an explosion. However, it had no effect.

'Is this karma?' one Katsuki Bakugo thought with another wince. 'Son of a bitch, that stings!'

{Queue song: "Look at my Life" - D'Andre Martin}

(With All Might)

'I've got to move...' he thought in worry. 'Even if I only have three hours to control this form, I should be able to help them!'

just as he finally got the guts to step forward, a blue and black blur cut him off.

"Izanagi..." the man heard as a black haired teen ran forward while dangling two kunai in his left hand. "...Enhanced Armament!"

(With Izuku and Bakugo)

"I almost got you!" the greenette shouted as he tried to grasp the blond's hand.

"I said run dammit!" the blond shouted just as loudly.

Whatever they were about to say next was cut short as they both saw a raven and a blue-haired teen. One of the two had glowing eyes with two half-moons that were of opposing colors. If they weren't in a tight situation, Izuku would have asked what their quirks are seeing as the blue-haired teen seemed to be surrounded by lightning and...blue fire?

"Izanagi: Enhanced Armament!" the ravenette shouted as he threw black colored kunai at the sludge monster. This only made the monster scoff and the heroes worry. What would two small knives do? They soon discovered that the other teen wasn't for show as he too started to charge up his attack.

As the two kunai were about to sail over the monster's head entirely, the black-haired teen created two more out of thin air and shot them downwards to where he assumed the monster's abdomen would be. As soon as he saw the kunai get stuck inside the sludge monster, he let a victorious smirk grace his lips. Who doesn't like it when a plan comes to fruition?

"Now Kai!" he shouted with a calculating look.

"Got it!" the blue-haired teen with yellow eyes smirked as he put his right hand forward with static running from the fingertips. "High Voltage: Spread Shot!"

Lightning dance around the kunai sailing from the monster and into the abdomen. The two kunai that sailed upward conducted the lightning into the monster's eye. As the senti-monster let out a screech, Kazuto brought forth the black sword, Byakuya, and severed the sludge that held the two teens.

What happened next was a blur as a tall blond man got in front of them and wound up fist right hand. With a single punch, the four teens noted that the clouds parted as if an entity held the gates for their righteous day. The sun shined brightly as the people cheered.

"All Might! All Might! All Might!" was what they all heard as Kamui woods walked up to Izuku and Bakugo.

"That was risky." he pointed out as he looked at Izuku. Kazuto frowned at the notion. Why was he the only one being reprimanded yet the blond was being praised by his peers?

"Risky or not, he helped buy time did he not?" and by the mocking remark, it seemed that Kai noticed it as well. "After all, you all just stood there."

"Let's not forget how eager this 'heroin' seemed to smile at the danger." Kazuto jabbed at Mt. Lady as she at least had the decency to blush.

"Some heroes." Kai finished with a smirk as Kamui Woods was left sputtering.

"You okay?" Kazuto smiled as he extended a hand to the green-haired teen who smiled gratefully.

"Thank you." Izuku grinned slightly at his carefree nature.

"Sure" the bluenette smirked as he saw a blond walk forward with a scowl.

"This doesn't mean anything Deku! I could've gotten away!" he glared one last time as he walked away.

"What a douche" Kai muttered with a frown.

"You're one to talk" his partner murmured lowly as Izuku laughed lightly.

"What was that!?" the bluenette shouted with a scowl.

"Hm? I didn't say anything." the ravenette lied expertly as Kai just huffed.

"By the way," Kai exclaimed with a tough. "Are you, by chance, going to sign up for UA?"

"Yes." the greenette nodded with a smile as Kazuto only smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Then good luck" both Kazuto and Kai stated as they glared at each other.

"Jinx."

"Jinx."

Izuku just smiled as he cleaned his dirty clothing. "S-sure thing, and thanks again."

With a wave, he split up from the blue and black-haired duo. Neither noticed All Might look at Izuku with a contemplative look.

(With Izuku)

'That's if I have the chance to join...' he thought glumly as he thought back to his talk with his idol. Just as he was about to turn a corner, he heard a voice shout out for him to wait.

"A-All Mi-" was as far as he could say before the man shushed him.

"In my regular form, I'm only known as Toshinori Yagi." the skeletal figure stated.

"R-right!" the teen nodded quickly. Yet his question remained: What is All Might doing here?"

As if sensing the teen's question, the man dropped his head and recomposed himself with a sigh.

"I've been a fool." he started off. "I had lost so much and hoped for change. I never wanted another person to feel the same loss as I did. That is the reason I had told you to reach obtainable dreams. And yet...and yet I was the one being delusional. Seeing as how you had risked your life for your friend, it had helped me obtain hope on what the next generation could be."

Izuku was about to tell All Might that the person wasn't his friend because his friend would never hurt him, but something had stopped him from doing so. It almost felt like...hope? When he laid eyes on the blond-haired man, he saw him get bulkier to the point that his appearance matched that of his hero persona.

"As such, I have come here to tell you that you, young man, too can be a hero!" he smiled at the now sobbing teen. "W-why are you crying!?" he panicked slightly as the teen laughed lightly through his hiccups.

"T-thank you. For believing in me." he gave the hero a teary smile as a few sakura petals fluttered in the wind. The future wasn't set in stone and yet Toshinori knew that some events had already been set in motion.

"Good for you, buddy." Kazuto muttered as he stood up from his hideout on the roof.

"Hn" Kai nodded with a smirk as he turned around and jumped onto the empty streets.

"By the way..." Kazuto looked at his partner in crime with a tilt of his head "why were we following him?"

"To ensure his safety, duh."

"But the guy's a superhero isn't he?"

"Don't know." the blue-haired teen shrugged. "Never heard of him."

"Hn"

Oh crap! We still need a whole month for the exams to commence and we still don't know where UA is located! I swear, if Hizashi forgot, I'll show him what my kunai could do!