Imagine if quirks were a bad thing. Not rare. But a flaw upon an individual. In Izuku's world, he's lucky. Lucky to be born quirkless. Visionary heroes like All Might don't exist. Heroes and villains are seen as dangerous and the end to humanity because of their powers.
Ever since he was seven, Katsuki Bakugo has had a quirk. His mother has a quirk too but his dad doesn't. How'd they discover that their son has a quirk?
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It was a sunny day in the park. Parents brought their kids to play. Kids laugh as they run around. Katsuki's family had recently moved so he didn't have friends. He sees kids challenging each other to a game and he walked up to them to listen.
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"Whoever can capture the flag atop the jungle gym will win all my candy!" A dark-haired kid said. He's taller than the rest.
"C'mon, nobody can do that! It's too high!"
"Yeah! The last kid who tried couldn't even make it past the climbing ropes!"
"I'll try," they looked at a green-haired kid who has a lot of Band-Aids on his arm and knees. "If I win I'll share with everyone."
They cheered. "Izuku! Izuku! Izuku!"
"Hah, if he's gonna try this race will be a piece of cake for me! I'm gonna win!" Bakugo said.
The dark-haired kid grinned. "What's your name?"
"Katsuki Bakugo."
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Izuku and Bakugo's feet are planted firmly in earth. They'd have to run around the playground, go up vine climbers, cross a bridge to the monkey bars, climb up ropes and get the flag on the roof.
"Three…two…one!"
Midoriya being lighter than Katsuki easily ran past. He climbs up vines and crosses the bridge, Bakugo being only a few steps behind. He jumped and grabbed the second rung of the monkey bars and swings to the next.
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Bakugo's heart is racing. He hears a loud thunk as Izuku safely falls from the monkey bars. He's winded but offers a big smile. "You're so cool Bakugo!"
Katsuki climbs up the net and reaches for the flag –but something happens.
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Blinding light sparks and ignites in his hands. The rope is burned and disintegrates. Bakugo screams and flips, the rope tangled around his ankles. Terrified faces look up at him from below. Light shines in their eyes.
Panicked footfalls make their way towards him. His father pulls him from the ropes as his mother runs to the car and starts the engine.
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"What's going on? I'm not hurt. I almost won the race!"
"We have to go to the doctors," Mr. Bakugo said. Confused, Bakugo asks what had happened. But no one answered his questions. At the hospital they're deposited in a room and wait for a doctor.
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Katsuki looked at his mom. She's smiling but her eyes are dark with grief. Like she doesn't want to be here. His gaze falls to her arm. It has a fancy metal device. The same ones displayed in front of him.
"Go on Katsuki. Pick one out. You can get any color you want."
His brows furrowed. He looked at the doctor and then back at the devices. "Why?"
"Because," his father scowled impatiently. "You have a quirk."
"But why? If I have a quirk shouldn't I be able to use it?"
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The doctor narrowed his eyes judgingly at him then at Mrs. Bakugo. "Shouldn't you've taught him about quirks? Our government gave out new pamphlets last year."
She nervously laughed. "I didn't think he'd get his quirk so soon. I didn't get my quirk until after I got married."
"His quirk is dangerous. Only people with healing quirks can live in society without a device."
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Bakugo picked out a device. The doctor put it on his arm. He instantly felt something vanish, like a flame being extinguished. He scratched his arm. "It's cold. And itchy."
Mrs. Bakugo smiled bitterly. "You'll get used to it. We all have to."
"Mom. Can we go back to the park soon?"
"Yes," she looked at her husband who was busy filling out paperwork. "Maybe this week."
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Icy resentful stares attached onto Katsuki as soon as he arrived at the park. An arm wrapped around and pulled him into a hug. "You're back! I was worried!"
"Izuku? Get off!"
"Sorry." He quickly looked at the new device.
Bakugo felt uneasy and glared at him. "You think my device is strange?"
Midoriya smiled sadly and shook his head. Both his parents have to wear them too. He knew they tried to hide it, but he overheard them talk about how painful and horrible the devices are.
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"Want to play a game?"
"I-"
A crowd of kids surrounded Bakugo, pushing Midoriya out of the way to stare at his device. "Whoa! It's true! Bakugo has a quirk!"
"Yeah! He's got a wrist band."
"I've never seen another kid with one."
"My parents say that quirks are dangerous."
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Like buzzing wasps they toss insults at Bakugo. What had changed? It's obvious but to Bakugo, it still made no sense. He's not a monster or some crazy villain.
He's about to throw a punch when Izuku pushes the attackers away. "Leave him alone!"
Shocked, they angrily glare at Midoriya. "But Izuku, you're quirkless!"
"Yeah, why're you defending Bakugo?"
"Because! He's still a kid like us!"
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Not one of the parent stepped in to help Bakugo. Not even his own. The parents with quirks just sadly looked away. But this harmless-looking green-haired anxious kid has more bravery and heart than any of these losers.
"Then," the dark-haired kid frowned. "You can't hang out with us."
"Fine!"
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Words lodged in his throat. Instead of grateful thank-you, he pushed Izuku. "I don't need your help Deku!"
"Deku?"
"Yeah. Means you're stupid."
Midoriya laughed and Bakugo raised an eyebrow. Izuku sat next to Bakugo and dropped a bag of sweets between them.
"You stole those from the other kids?!"
Popping a candy into his mouth, Izuku shrugged. "They're jerks anyway."
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A smile replaced Bakugo's frown. He accepted a candy. "You…you still want to be friends? Even with my quirk?"
"Yeah! We'll be best friends!"
"Best friends huh?" Bakugo fell back onto grass to watch clouds.
Izuku smiled and watched clouds too.
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Years later they're still friends. Now twelve and thirteen, Katsuki and Izuku are excited for Halloween. When they weren't exploring town or studying, they'd always hang out at each other's houses. Izuku biked to Bakugo's, his backpack full of decorations. He was going to host a party at his house this year.
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Bakugo jumped off his skateboard when he saw Izuku.
"Morning Kaachan!"
"Hey Deku."
"I sent out invitations. Ochaco and Iida aren't going."
"Why?" Katsuki didn't care. In fact, he hated whenever anyone else hung out with Izuku. So he set Tenya and Uraraka on a date.
"They're going on a date. And Tsuyu has swimming practice."
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He has always resented society. Why hide quirks? And why were those with quirks being cowards and accepting wearing those devices? Bitterly he wondered if there was another dimension where quirks still exist but he was a superhero.
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"Maybe we can invite Kirishima, Mina, Sero, and Denki?"
"They all failed their exams," he lied. "So they're studying."
"Oh…" Izuku's already clear melancholy wanes into tears.
Bakugo sighed. Izuku is too softhearted. But I guess that's why he's my best friend. He'd never say that though, not even if he was staring death in its face. Bakugo didn't want to be known as a sentimental guy. "C'mon. Let's go set up the decorations. Just because those losers won't show up doesn't mean we can't party."
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Izuku poured drinks and Bakugo cursed. "I forgot something at my house."
"Okay. I'll wait to start the movie, Kaachan."
Bakugo went back home but froze at the door when he heard his parents whispering.
"You mean…there's a way to permanently remove our quirks?"
"It's a new technology by the Todoroki Company." Mr. Bakugo waved a newspaper.
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Didn't that guy's wife and two sons have quirks?
"I didn't think this would be possible. Not for years. This…this blemish on humanity can finally be fixed."
"We can finally be a normal family again. This is great news."
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Anger crashes through Bakugo. Are quirks really that bad? If he had had his quirk active, then he could've been a hero. Anybody could have. But with these devices, the quirks weaken slowly until they completely disappear. He believed that people with quirks who are okay with removing their quirks are just as bad as the quirkless. Why erase your gift? For what? People still attacked Katsuki, still insulted him, and still excluded him. Except for Izuku. And because of others' decisions, he'd have to permanently remove his quirk too?
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Kaachan has been gone for a long time. Maybe I should call him. Midoriya grabbed his cell phone when he heard blaring police sirens. Red and blue lights flash. Fear latches onto Izuku's senses. He runs outdoors and follows the police cars to Katsuki's house.
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From afar he sees a flash of familiar pointy hair and red eyes. Bakugo's covered in blood as policemen escort him to a vehicle.
A policewoman patrolling around the house found Izuku and guessed he was a witness. "What's your name?"
"Midoriya Izuku."
"Okay. We have some questions, Izuku. It's too dangerous to be outside now. We'll bring you home."
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After a lengthy night of questioning, Izuku wakes up in the afternoon to a breaking news report. He stayed home from school today.
"Bakugo Katsuki, age thirteen, killed his parents with a knife. He refused to answer any questions by police. He has a quirk and will be sent to the Cloudy Hills Asylum. We will update this shocking story when we get more information."
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Why'd you do it, Kaachan? A mixture of fear, anger, and grief sap all of Izuku's energy and usual cheerfulness.
His mother and father came in with soup and placed it on the table. She hugged him. "I'm sorry Izuku. I know Katsuki was your best friend."
Mr. Midoriya frowned sadly. "But we're happy you're safe." Their worries are clear. They could've lost their son and they're happy he returned home alive.
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Ten years later Izuku is in college and everything is great. Iida, Ochaco, and Tsuyu hang out with Izuku often and though life is mostly school work, it's still exciting. They visit amusement parks, museums, and cafes. But he can't discard an uneasy feeling. Midoriya is always looking behind him, added extra locks to doors, and installed alarm systems.
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He was always afraid that Bakugo would return. And today he's heard the worst news in a long time. Inmates escaped from Cloudy Hills Asylum. Armed guards patrolled the streets through the city too. Leaving a store, Izuku heard his phone ring and answered it.
"Izuku? We heard the news. Come home."
"I will."
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On a bike, Midoriya went home. Something's wrong. He doesn't know how but it is. The world is too quiet. Tossing his bike carelessly on the lawn he enters the house –and finds blood drenched on the walls, floor, and ceiling.
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Standing there like a morbid statue is Bakugo Katsuki. He eyed Izuku's dead parents emotionlessly, unsympathetically. Glaring explosions are in his hands and like torchlight, ominous shadows flicker around the room. The device is gone.
Izuku cries and Bakugo looks up at him.
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"Bakugo…why did you…"
"It's Kaachan," his voice crackled. He hadn't talked ever since his arrest.
Shocked and terrified, Izuku stared dumbly at Bakugo.
"You and I were best friends, Deku. Remember?" His eyes flashed. "I'm going to be mankind's savior. You and I were outcasts. For what? Their pathetic fear? I won't let my quirk be removed. Because I have powers I should decide how the world will change. And I decide that cowards should be erased. You and I my friend are going to show the world that they undervalued us."
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Izuku didn't run. Bakugo shot an explosion at him and he dove out of the way. Running he hit Katsuki and sent him flying. Leaping out a window Midoriya ran –an armed guard had to be close by, right? Bakugo recovered and tracked him down and fired another explosion. The blast hurled Izuku far and when he fell it stunned him. A shadow hovered over Izuku. Bakugo shook his head and lifted his friend over his shoulder.
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Blending into shadows Katsuki vanished. He traveled through the city to a hideout called the LOV. Not the League of Villains. In this world it was called the League of Vigilantes. He, along with Shigaraki, Toga, Dabi, Twice, Spinner, Kirishima, Kurogiri, Shinsou, and Shoto vowed to change the world. Gathering an army of outcast like them, quirkless and with quirks, they planned to only let the strongest and kindest people survive.