Numb.

That is all Izuku feels. He isn't there. The rough rope he held in his hands merely lays there, waiting to be pulled to close or open the stage before him. The music that fills the room bounces off the walls, yet he remains still as though he doesn't hear a thing. On stage, the people dance with elegance like the music guides them through the dance routine with their quirks decorating the scene. The site flashes before his eyes, but it's met with no amusement. All that remains is the corpse of Izuku Midoriya. Unlike most other things, the reason the body stands bangs inside his head as it continually reminds him that it exists.

"Hope you get a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof!"

"No, I do not believe it as possible."

It makes Izuku want to bang his head into the wall to forget; however, he knew it would not solve anything as he looks down upon his collared right wrist. On the way there, in hopes of feeling something, he slammed his wrist into the wall. It didn't do any good as it started bleeding from the metal digging in. He barely felt a thing, making the whole experience a waste of time and energy.

Izuku focuses back into the present when he hears the music stop, which causes him to look up. The dance before him has finished as the group stands in their final poses. He lets them remain for a moment. He feels the faint feeling of yearning in his soul that wants him to be out there. He ignores it as he pulls the curtains close. The dancers quickly walk past him because they want to go home and rest, a feeling he never understood when he was a dancer himself. Izuku wanted to keep going always. Song after song, he would be able to switch his style and tempo in a heartbeat like he was made for this. Most of his clear memories are him dancing. The one time he feels powerful.


Soon after the cuffs came on, Izuku's mom noticed how depressed and slow he became at such a young age. She needed to find a solution, so she signed him up for dance lessons. She hoped it would help him break through the poison in his body that held him down, and it did help. He can still feel the weight, but if he didn't have dancing, he probably would not be able to move. While Izuku can't remember routines without reminders, unlike his peers, he can remember poses and individual dance moves because he practiced them consistently. It's an instinct for him. Quickly, he grew above his classmates through determination. He would continuously be given his own performances because, even though he can't remember routines, he is well-known in town for his improvisation. He can come up with a dance routine without struggling, unlike most students. If someone plays the same song, he would have a similar yet different style then before. His shows always bring a surprise.

It all changed when he was transferred to the dance academy he is at now four years ago.

When Izuku first heard he was being transferred to one of the highest dance academies in Japan, he was excited. He was specifically requested to join due to his dancing abilities and improvisation! Without a second thought, he said yes. He can remember how nervous he was when he entered the beautiful building—towers with beams of light shoot at the entrance to make it seem like heaven. The glassy door was massive, dwarfing the small-sized Izuku. He entered the building to meet his new sensei, Saito-sensei, a world-renowned dancer. She was a beautiful woman that towered over him with long blonde hair going to her waist and bright blue eyes to match the tight glittery outfit she had on that day. She had a bright smile when she came over to him.

"Ah, you must be Midoriya! I'm Saito, a pleasure to meet you!" She raised her pedicured hand, and he gently but firmly took it and shook it with a shaky smile, " You're smaller than I expected, much smaller. That is something I can work with! Come on and tell me what your quirk is." She started to lead the way, and he followed. He felt dread.

"I-I'm q-q-quirkless..." Izuku forced out of his vocal cords. Before his anxieties got to him, his new sensei flashed him her signature smile.

"That's not a problem! While I do work with quirks, it isn't something I rely on. I assume you know what my quirk is?" Izuku had nodded yes, " While my quirk is what I rely on for some moves, I mostly dance as an ordinary dancer should. Come on, I want to test you."

Saito - Quirk: Balance - Saito's quirk allows her to have perfect balance no matter her position. She will never fall over. With this quirk, it also allows her to become more flexible and make more complex moves most humans can't do.

Saito quickly discovered Izuku's weakness; Izuku can't remember dance routines. At the time, she said she would find the perfect part for him that allows for improvisation.

Izuku has not got to perform once in the past four years. Saito does work with him despite this. If she ever needed to demonstrate a move and point out specific details, she would show Izuku the position, as he can't remember names. Then he does the pose in her place flawlessly. With free time, she uses what she knows about her quirk to help him perfect his balance and dance moves, especially for dance styles like ballet and contemporary. She even taught him how to use props like poles and ribbons! Saito would let him use the studio during free times to let him dance by himself. In exchange, he attempts to help the other dancers perfect their routines.

Not that they listen.

Izuku appreciates all this, but he wants to be on stage. He wants to make people smile. He wants to inspire people. He wants to display his otherwise hidden skills. Yet, the door to the stage is still closed. It doesn't help that the other dancers don't like him as he is used as an example and has overall better abilities. The worst part is when they call out his quirklessness. He still tries to help, but they don't want to listen to a quirkless kid. Thankfully, unlike school, they only throw verbal insults.

Izuku forever waits for the day the door opens to show his abilities once more.


Izuku didn't realize he hadn't moved from his spot for minutes until he is broken from his trance. A large hand gently grabs his shoulder before guiding him to face the person behind him. Izuku doesn't fight back. He doesn't react. All he sees is black clothing, though he knows who it is, his body won't let him respond.

"Midoriya-kun?" The person before him bends down to his height, showing his face. His long blonde hair stands straight up with large headphones keeping the hair out of his face. A worried look reflects on his face as triangular orange glasses hide his eyes. His lips and short mustache scrunches up. Izuku feels the same hand move through his green locks. The hand moves the hair that usually covers his eyes, allowing him to see the man better and showing the man his dazed look.

"Midoriya-kun, it's Present Mic. Can you hear me?" The voices go away for a moment, being replaced with the analytical side as it's second nature.

Present Mic - Quirk: Voice - Present Mic can uniquely change his voice's volume, pitch, and tone. It can be used to knock enemies out as well as distracting. Presumably, it does not work underground. He has to be careful with his quirk if citizens are nearby, as it can easily damage hearing.

Slowly, Izuku nods. Present Mic sighs.

"I saw what happened with the sludge villain live. There, you were at least moving and seem coherent. Now you're completely out of it, kid. What happened after to take away your spirit?"

"Hope you get a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof!"

"No, I do not believe it as possible."

Izuku doesn't respond.


In the two years Hizashi Yamada (Present Mic) has known Midoriya, this is the worst state he has seen the kid in. He is willing to admit that the kid does have his ups and downs, even if he is always depressed. On his good days, the songs he plays are more upbeat, and there is a certain twinkle in his eyes. He has only seen those days a few times, but when Midoriya is, Hizashi can't help but smile wide as the enthusiasm spreads across the room. Midoriya's dance moves in any song always represent his emotion, he has found, even if they don't spread to his face. His neutral days are calmer songs like piano tracks. On his bad days, the songs are depressing. The moves are beautiful, yet they shatter his soul for what the boy goes through.

Hizashi knows why Midoriya is depressed because of Midoriya's mom and seeing her around the studio the times he visits. The kid gets bullied for being quirkless, having the metal bands he can't take off, and mental problems. When he heard this, it took all his energy not to walk to that school and beat those kids up. How can someone bully somebody so precious!?

Hizashi can't worry about that right now. He needs to focus on Midoriya.

"Why don't we dance for a bit? The others aren't around, so you can do those insane moves without getting in trouble!" Hizashi exclaims as he tries to brighten the mood, smiling to the kid. Midoriya always wants to dance, after all!

However, for the first time since Hizashi has known the kid, he shakes his head no. The smile disappears.

What the hell happened to Midoriya? The aura around the boy is not helping the situation as it feels dark. Hizashi starts looking over him for any signs. He has seen times the boy would come in with specific burn marks. Through his look-over, he quickly notices the blood on the right wrist. Hizashi slowly and gently takes the hand, raising it up to his sight. The blood seems to be on the band itself, something Midoriya will have problems with because he can't remove the bracelet.

Hizashi looks up at Midoriya's far-away face before sternly asking, "What happened? Don't lie."

"Slammed wrist on wall," Midoriya glumly responds. At least he is talking now. As Hizashi touches the wrist, the boy barely reacts.

Without responding, Hizashi stands up, places his hands gently on Midoriya's shoulders, and guides him to the bathroom. He pulls out the emergency first-aid kid and finds the anti-septic. He puts the boy's wrist over the sink, pours the anti-septic on, and watches the wrist spark from the liquid. It doesn't seem to be hurting Midoriya, so he can appreciate that. After washing the wrist with water, Hizashi realizes there isn't much he can do. Typically, he would remove any accessories to wrap the wrist. The problem is the bastard band will not come off no matter what! All he can hope for is that it heals fine.

"Pay attention to it, alright? I can't do what I normally can do with the stupid band in the way." Hizashi gently tells Midoriya. After receiving a nod, he continues, " How about I take you home today? It's already dark outside, and I rather you not walk by yourself." Another nod, " Alright, let me get in civilian clothes, so I don't get jumped." With that, he leaves the room and changes. He puts his hair into half man-bun and changes his leathery clothing to a red t-shirt, blue jeans, and regular shoes. He removes the speaker from his neck before exchanging his glasses to regular black-rimmed glasses. After packing everything and putting the leather jacket back on, he leaves the room to find Midoriya waiting outside. With no words exchanged, the two start walking home.

During the quiet walk, Hizashi reminisces on the first time he met Midoriya as it is a pleasant memory. He was going to the studio's recital as he likes to be active in the art community, especially with his job as a radio host that focuses on music. The performance had just finished, and he wanted to congratulate the dancers as they do dance well. When he was about to leave, he noticed a single dancer in the dance room. A dancer that was not part of the performance. Unlike the others, this dancer's moves felt different. It felt as though each pose was made with care and love. While the other dancers are great, this dancer's movements felt natural as though it belonged. It was true art.

Saito quickly noticed his interest in the student and allowed Hizashi in the room. The song playing was a depressing song, but the boy's moves entranced him as a quirk would. Only some dancers can express an emotion like he did. As soon as the song was finished, he applauded the boy with enthusiasm and went to introduce himself. Funny enough, the boy was a stuttering mess, but it was so cute! He learned his name was Midoriya, a future friend that can change the mood of the room. Then, he asked the boy to dance to another song.

It was that moment that Hizashi realized that every move literally came from the heart. Midoriya doesn't have a routine like everyone else. From that day on, every time Hizashi comes to the studio, he goes to see Midoriya. It isn't as often as he would like, as it's usually once a month that they have a recital. Still, he can tell the kid appreciates the little attention he gets by the light in his eyes. This is his second time this month as he went the previous day. When he saw the news with the villain attack, he quickly booked to go today just to see him.

He is glad he did.

Hizashi is pulled from the peaceful memory when he feels a light tug on his jacket sleeve. He looks down to see Midoriya trying to get his attention even if he is looking forward.

"Yes, tiny listener?" Hizashi asks, curious about what he is going to say.

Midoriya's soft voice slices through the air, "Y-you know you d-d-don't have to b-be around m-m-me, r-right? T-the other d-dancers are b-b-better...b-better than m-me." Hizashi immediately stops, causing him to stop too, "S-s-s-sir?"

Hizashi knows Midoriya is selfless. He doesn't want to be a burden. Sadly, this isn't the first time this conversation has happened (not that the kid can remember it). Typically, he would say something along the lines of "Yes, but I chose to be here, kid." However, he wants to make sure Midoriya gets it through his head. Plus, he doesn't want the kid to be in this gloomy moody anymore.

Without giving Midoriya a chance to react, Hizashi steps behind him before easily lifting the boy over his shoulder, causing the boy to squeak, " S-s-sir! Put m-me down!"

"Nope! You're stuck like this for the rest of the way, so you realize that you aren't getting rid of me! Listen to me, Midoriya-kun. Don't tell the other dancers this as they already know, but you're the best dancer. You dance with a passion like no other. Your personality can light up the room! With every move, you express yourself with your heart and soul. Heck, you could run the whole show!" Hizashi sighs, starting to stroll with Midoriya over his shoulder. He continues, " I don't know what happened today to leave you like this, but you can't give up. I'm worried, kid." Hizashi feels the kid breathe softly. He knows Midoriya's mom can help him and probably knows better than himself, but having someone else here might help.

Hizashi can hear soft mutterings through Midoriya's mask, though he can't distinguish the words as it is muffled.

"Midoriya-kun, you can ask me anything. Well, besides putting you down. You're light, so don't worry about me dropping you." Hizashi is quick to mention, trying to remove the heavy feeling in the air. He makes a note in his head to ask Midoriya-san about the kid's diet because he is way too skinny. He can feel his ribs! He is afraid that if he squeezes too hard, Midoriya will break!

There is quiet for a few minutes until Midoriya finally speaks.

"D-do you think...do you think I-I-I c-can be a h-h-hero?"

That is surprising yet not so surprising. Midoriya always wants to help people, even if they don't accept it. As much as Hizashi wants to say yes, he wants Midoriya to realize for himself so he can build his own self-confidence. Even with his memory problem, he is smarter than he realizes.

"You tell me, tiny listener. Tell me why you can be a hero, and I will be the judge." Hizashi also considers this a test for Midoriya. It takes a moment for the kid to respond. It seems to have snapped a switch as he doesn't stutter as if it was programmed into his head.

"I want to help people. The only problem is that people might not want to accept help from a quirkless person seeing as we are weak. Quirkless people should be seen as a neutral ground as we don't have quirks that benefit or weaken us. While not everyone can be a hero, I...I think I can. I can incorporate my dancing abilities in my fighting style and quickly analyze a scene. I could use support gear to build myself up. I see myself as a block ready to be molded into anything desirable. I know I am small and weak, but I still have room to grow, don't I? It won't be easy, but that's life."

Here is the problem with people. Whenever they hear someone has a memory problem, they are automatically seen as stupid. Yet, Midoriya has just proven otherwise. Midoriya's most potent tool is his ability to adapt because he has to. It is an underestimated tool, but powerful. His improvisations in dancing prove how quickly he can. Midoriya may not realize it now, but he will soon enough. Honestly, this boy is precious.

Hizashi quickly adjusts Midoriya, so he is against his chest, hugging him tightly as he says," Then you can." Midoriya looks at him with shock and a light that was not there before. Midoriya suddenly throws his arms around Hizashi's neck and muttering 'thank you' over and over. Hizashi can't help but chuckle in relief when the dread disappears. The two walk like that the rest of the way home with renewed energy.


Hizashi sets Midoriya down before they arrive at the apartment, pulls out his cell phone, and hands it to Midoriya.

"I can't believe I haven't done this yet. Give me your phone and put your number in. You can't share this number with anybody, but I trust you not to do so. You can text me anytime. I probably won't respond immediately; however, I will respond as soon as possible. I don't care if it is for help, homework help, or just to talk. You can text me." Hizashi demands softly. Midoriya pulls out his phone as the two swap numbers.

As the two walk up to the Midoriya apartment, Midoriya suddenly hugs Hizashi once more, bringing a smile to his face. He embraces the short boy back.

"You got this, tiny listener," Hizashi tells Midoriya, ruffling the green hair. They suddenly hear a click of the door beside them as it opens, revealing a cutely chubby woman with long green hair and matching features to the boy next to him.

"Ah, Izu, you're home! Are you okay?!" Midoriya lets go of Hizashi before ramming himself into his mother, causing her to stumble.

Hizashi quickly responds for Midoriya," I would watch over his right wrist. The metal dug into his wrist. Make sure it doesn't get infected. Oh, and hi Midoriya-san." Midoriya-san giggles at his final comment before rubbing her son's hair.

"Hey Izu, why don't you go to the dinner table? I just finished dinner, sweetheart." Midoriya-san asks her son. Midoriya-kun waves to Hizashi before leaving the room, leaving the adults. Mama Midoriya looks at Hizashi with a smile, " Thank you for bringing him home. Whenever you are involved, he always comes home in a wonderful mood, so I thank you for that as well."

Hizashi smiles wide, " No problem! He deserves all the love and attention he can get!"

"I'm glad someone agrees."

"Watch over him, will you?"

"Of course! You should head home. Way too late for anybody to be out."

"You got it, Midoriya-san. Good night!"

"Night night, Yamada-san." He can hear Midoriya-kun scream a good night from inside as well, causing him to chuckle.

"Good night, tiny listener!"

Hizashi leaves in a better mood than before, hearing the door close behind him.

Yeah, that kid is going to be a hero no matter what anybody says. He has the heart to be one.


Update 10/24/2019 - Ballet is changed to ballet and contemporary.
11/2/19 - Some parts have been fixed.

Edited 7/5/2020