Chapter 1: Finding Fire
Cold….ever since his quirk manifested, Izuku Midoriya has been familiar with the sensation, the slow curling of his body hair, the shivering, the goosebumps, the numbness that always grasped at his extremities. He was used to it; since elementary school, he's been known as that strange boy in a dark green parka and red beanie, seemingly always prepared for cold weather. The reason people found this peculiar is that this outfit could always be seen being worn by the boy…even in the middle of a record-breaking summer heat.
Izuku was a sweet and kind child; he loved his teachers, his school, his best friend Kacchan, and his Mother, Inko Midoriya, most of all, with All Might as his close second. If there was one more thing he could love, it would be fair to say that he LOVED HEROES! Izuku was a hero nerd, a fanatic even. He would always beg his mom to show him All Might videos on the computer or take him to see the new Hero movie that was out. He wanted to be just like them; he wanted a quirk so that he could save people with a smile, just like All Might. So when his mother told him to get ready to go to the quirk doctor at around the age of four, Izuku was ecstatic.
"Zu Zu!" his mother called up the stairs of their small apartment. "Hurry up, baby, we gonna be late!" She sighed with a worried look; she had been dreading this day. She knows how much Izuku wants a quirk, how much he wants to be a hero, but…" Will his quirk make him happy?" she pondered. "Will he truly be able to be a hero with either my or Hisashi's quirk?"
Her eyes wander to a picture frame mounted on a shelf in the living room; it depicts her and a handsome man with dark black hair, freckles, and a heart-wrenching smile, holding a newborn in a hospital room.
"Oh Hisashi…" she was holding back tears now, "I wish you were here to see our son grow up.."
Meanwhile, rushing around his room gathering all the most "important" items he needed to bring, Izuku begins throwing things into his All Might special edition bookbag.
"All Might golden age action figure...check, Endeavor blanket…check, Hero Notebook #2…check" he smiled brightly, finished with his preparations.
"COMMINGGG MOM!" he yelled as he dashed out of his room, grabbing his oversized green parka and his beanie on his way out. He raced down the short hallway and practically leaped down the stairs. This startled Inko out of her thoughts, she wiped her eyes before turning to her son.
"Ready?!" she looked at him and couldn't help but smile, he was adorable, and she swore he was almost vibrating with excitement.
"I sure am!" He beamed, a broad smile breaking across his face.
"Then let's get a move on," she laughed as she took his hand and exited the door. She felt so silly for worrying about him; with one last look at the picture frame on the shelf, she chuckled. "Your right, haha... He'll be fine.."
The ride to the Quirk Assessment Office was uneventful. Inko busied herself with driving and flipping through the radio stations while Izuku was looking out the window, imagining what he could do with his new quirk.
"Maybe I'll get mommies quirk, and I'll be able to move things with my mind!" He muttered quietly to himself, eye sparkling the whole time. "Kacchan will be so impressed! Maybe if my quirk is cool enough, he'll let me be All Might next time we play heroes & Villains." He smiled at the thought, but even his young brain understood that wasn't likely.
Still mulling over the chances of playing All Might in their next game, Izuku didn't notice that the car had stopped and parked in front of a sizeable official-looking building. He spots several parents and children sitting in the waiting room as they exit the vehicle and enter through the front door. Izuku huffed onto his frigid, cupped hands before rubbing them together as he and his mother made their way to the front desk; the young woman sitting behind it looked up from her computer screen to greet them.
"Goodmorning Ma'am," she said with a polite smile, "How can I help you today."
"Hello miss, my name is Inko Midoriya, and my son Izuku has his first quirk assessment scheduled for today," Inko muttered nervously.
"Alright, just give me a second to pull up your info… ah yes, little Izuku," the receptionist cheerfully began dialing a number on the landline connected to her desk. "Doctor Rengoku? Yes, your 2 o'clock is here… yes…yes.. I'll send them right up!" she declared as she returned the phone to its place. "Your all set to go ma'am. The doctor will see you now." "Good luck little man," she added as she waved at Izuku as his mother led him to a door labeled Doctor Ren.
—-
"So what is it?" The Blond boy had a familiar scowl spreading on his face. He grumbled as he shoved another slice into his mouth. "Fuckin spit it out!"
Izuku flinched as a bead of sweat wet his forehead.
"We don't know yet; Kacchan, the doctor said I'm a late-bloomer," Izuku muttered, his voice barely audible.
Deep in the Hero-covered room of Izuku, Katsuki Bakugou sits across from his friend, eating orange slices after an afternoon of video games, wrestling (mostly Katsuki beating up Izuku), and playing heroes.
The blond was silent. This was unusual for him, but his natural energy returned as he sneered at Izuku.
"Stupid Deku, your useless ass is ruining my plans! How are you supposed to be my sidekick if you don't have a quirk?!"
Katsuki was angry now. His mild confusion gave rise to his temper. Sparks of small explosions danced across his palm.
Izuku bit his tongue. He really didn't want Kacchan to get angry at him, but he was wrong!
"I have a quirk; the doctor said my quirk is why I'm cold all the time." Izuku heard himself yelling.
"Yeah, whatever! You really are a Deku!" Katsuki growled. "I'm going home; tell me when you figure it out, idiot!"
Izuku grasped his ears with a jerk; Katsuki had let off a loud explosion as he stomped away.
Izuku hung his head. "I have a quirk, don't I?" He questioned himself, almost hoping something would respond. "T-The Doctor said….." He was trying to hold back his tears. Kacchan had always teased him about being a crybaby, and he was already mad at him for not having his quirk yet.
"Please come quick," He whimpered as he sat alone in his room.
—-
Katsuki Bakugou
He was done, he tried….he really did.
After years of waiting, something within Katsuki ran out.
What was taking so long? Katsuki had gotten his quirk on time, even a bit earlier than expected. So what was wrong with Deku? Did he not have a quirk?
"Useless DEKU," he hissed.
Katsuki gradually asked Izuku over less and less. They had become distant ever since entering middle school. Katsuki even refused to speak to him at school. He had found a different crowd, drawn by his unique and powerful quirk. Those who began to insist that he was special….elite.
And He agreed.
"If I gonna be the number 1 hero, I can't hang around a quirkless Deku," Katsuki scoffed to himself. "That fuckin nerd, a waste of my damn time."
Katsuki was hustling down a busy sidewalk, hands pressed deep in his pockets. He was chewing his lip.
Katsuki suddenly shot forward, nailing a discarded bottle with his foot and sending it hurtling into an open alley. He heard it smash and rattle against the alley wall as he continued to walk down the street toward his neighborhood. He and Deku had stopped hanging out completely; they don't even walk home together anymore. Not that Katsuki cares. He always has extras following him anyway.
It doesn't really matter which one's they are.
Does it?
Speaking of them, the two lackeys caught up. "Yo Bakugou, wanna head to the arcade?" the chubby boy with wings asks.
"Yea, there supposed to be some new games or something," The skinnier child with the extendable fingers informed.
"Alright, fine, but only if you fuckers are paying," Katsuki snaps. As they all begin to head off toward downtown.
—-
Izuku Midoriya
The last couple of years after the visit to the doctor haven't been very kind to Izuku.
Since Katsuki started to avoid him, which was the beginning of middle school, Izuku hasn't been able to make any more friends. He mostly sits alone at lunch and recess and walks himself home every day.
It isn't as though Izuku is being poorly treated. It's more like nobody wants to get on Katsuki's bad side by interacting with the Useless Parka boy. Everyone thinking that he was quirkless didn't help either.
"Turns out nobody wants to be friends with a quirkless loser," he thinks to himself. He pulls his parka up to bundle himself more. Even on this sunny day, he could still feel a chill cut through his body.
"Even Kacchan avoids me now." His eyes watered. "Why was Kacchan so mean? Are we not friends anymore 'cause he thinks I don't have a quirk?!"
He did not know for sure, but he could guess that was probably it; everyone treated him differently after he returned to school with no quirk. "If only I knew my quirk, I know I have one, but it can't just make me cold!" he says, gritting his teeth. He sighs and hangs his head as he passes under an overpass towards his house.
Now 14 years old and in his final year of middle school, Izuku was still that kind, sweet child. He was a foot shorter than most boys his age and was pretty scrawny. To top it all off, over the last 10 years, his quirk hasn't grown, changed, or even shown itself.
"Damn it!" Izuku clenched his fist. "Why am I so USELESS!" he screamed, forgetting himself and that he was in public at the moment. When he realized he had made a loud noise, he looked around feverishly to see if he had disturbed anyone, as cold sweat began to form on his face. But as he looked around, he noticed that very few people were near him and that he had missed one of the turns to get to his street during his ravings.
He facepalmed. He couldn't even walk home right.
"I really am useless, huh?" He asked nobody as he turned to make his way back to his route.
The last thing Izuku expected was a reply to his question.
"Ohohoho, Look what we have here.." a voice cackles as an amorphous mound of Sludge slips out from under a manhole cover. "Aw, you feeling useless, kid?" he asked mockingly. "Don't worry, I'll put that skin suit to great USE!" the voice shrieked as the Mass lunged at the boy, restraining his arms and legs while pushing into his nose and mouth.
"Is this it?"
The thought crosses Izuku's mind as he thrashes against the tendrils that lash to control his body.
"I don't wanna DIE! Somebody HELP ME!"
He tried to scream, tried to move, tried to do anything but let this thing take him. But it was no use; the Sludge slowly began choking him, filling his mouth and nose completely.
"That's it, kid, don't resist; it'll be over soon," the Sludge barked gleefully. Even while passing out, Izuku could see the smile in the Villain's eyes as his vision started to fade black.
In the increasing darkness, Izuku suddenly felt a tingling. It started in the pit of his stomach and slowly rose to the base of his throat. He squirmed more, teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, but the tingling spread to incase his entire throat, and he began to feel a sensation that he hadn't felt since before his quirk appeared.
Izuku felt warm.
That warmth spread and Izuku felt it churning in his throat. Whatever it was, Izuku had no chance to investigate or even acknowledge it as darkness finally took his vision. The last thing he hears is the metal clang of a manhole cover bursting open and a loud cheerful voice thundering a familiar phrase.
NO NEED TO FEAR!
BECAUSE…. I AM HERE!
Darkness….
With a start, Izuku shoots up from the ground panting, before hunching over and losing his lunch. Seems his body is trying to get rid of whatever amount of Sludge is still in him. After he collects himself, he looks around and notices that the sludge villain is gone, and he is surrounded by EMTs. They were currently poking and prodding him while asking questions to ensure his safety and health. One of them explains that All Might had saved him and called them.
Izuku couldn't believe it. HE HAD MISSED ALL MIGHT! He wanted to cry, but he focused on gathering up his backpack, hero notebook, beanie, and other belongings scattered in the scuffle. After waiting for the medics to finish their inspection, he bowed, thanking them for their help, and hurried back towards his home. He was sure his mom was worried.
—
All Might
Bounding through the air, toward the downtown area, with his pockets full of Bottles containing the sludge Villain, All Might let out a ragged breath.
"That was a close one. If I'd have taken any longer, that boy may have been seriously hurt…or worse." He thought as he continued toward the jailhouse to drop off his unwilling passenger.
All Might winced. Not only at the thought of the young boy he had saved meeting a horrible end. But also at the stabbing pain that ached in his chest.
"I should take a quick rest before my time runs out; there still things japan need's All might for today."
All Might swiveled his head, looking for a private place to land before finding an isolated rooftop. Changing directions, he makes his way over, careful that no one sees him land. Once atop the smooth concrete building, he grasped the railing that surrounded the rooftop. Steam hissed in the air as All Might's muscular form diminished into a skeleton of a man, who began violently coughing.
"…More blood," Thought the man as he looked down at the hand he used to cover his mouth.
"It's getting worse. I must find a successor soon."
Toshinori Yagi wiped his hand off on his now oversized cargo shorts. Letting out a few more minor coughs as he does. He straightens up and looks around, taking in the bright, beautiful day that it was. Toshinori smiled wearily; he loved japan… so he must do his best to protect it. At that, he clenched and raised his fist before letting out a Loud Laugh as he resumed his All Might Form.
"HAHA, I AM OFF! TO DELIVER THIS FIEND TO THE AUTHORITIES!"
All Might laughed aloud before squatting low and taking off at incredible speed toward the jailhouse. Not noticing that the rough landing had knocked loose one of the bottles from his pocket. It tumbled between the building bouncing from wall to wall until it burst on the floor of an alley.
—-
Katsuki Bakugou
"What was that?" The heavyset boy flapping a few inches off the ground, turned toward an alley to their right. "Did you guys see that?"
"See what? Outta the way, extras!" Katsuki pushed past the other boys to look at the alley. They were all on their way home from the arcade, Katsuki leading, of course. But the banging had drawn their attention.
"Oi, is someone fuckin around in there!" Katsuki yelled as he let off a couple of explosions in his hands to add some oomph to his assertion.
"Ohohoho, must be my lucky day!" a voice at the brink of laughter whispers from the alley.
Katsuki's eyes widen as the Sludge grows and spreads, eventually towering over him.
"Seems like this one's even better than the last one!" the blob sings as he lets out a maniacal laugh, springing towards the blond bomber.
This burst of movement knocked Katsuki out of his stupor.
Throwing both hands forward, Katsuki lowers his stance, letting out a Roar.
"FUCK OFF!"
The only thing louder than the explosion Katsuki had released toward the Villain was the silence that followed. The only things that could be heard were Katsuki's heavy panting and the crumbling of concert and brick as the explosion had damaged both walls of the alley.
This had been the most enormous explosion Katsuki had ever created. He knew this, as did the other two boys. Dropping to one knee, the blond tries to catch his breath as the dust kicked up by his quirk settles. Suddenly two tendrils tear through the cloud of dust, snatching Katsuki by both his wrists and yanking him to his face.
"Nice try, kid, but it took a blow from All Might to put me out!" The Sludge Villain's hideous grin appeared through the dust as it finally settled. "You're swinging above your weight class, punk, so just give up easily." The grin widened.
—-
Izuku Midoriya
"AHHHHHHHH" Izuku screamed as he fell backward on the sidewalk, cowering with his hands blocking his face.
"Um…he doesn't bite, sweety. Are you alright?" The older women questioned.
Izuku opened his eyes, looking for the creature that had dashed towards him.
"Woof, Woof" The shaggy-haired dog sat in front of him, wagging its tail.
"Oh, my mistake; I must be a little jumpy," Izuku stated, looking embarrassed. He stood up, bowing a few times, and ran off.
Izuku was still shaken by his encounter with the sludge villain. Even walking home had become difficult at this point. Any loud noise, fast movement, or vaguely threatening-looking passerby sent Izukus's heart through the roof. As his mind kept flashing back to his near-death experience, he remembered the tingling sensation in his throat. He touches it with his hand.
"What was that?" He thought to himself. "It felt strange, it was almost warm, and it was getting hotter."
Izuku began muttering up a storm. Walking and discussing all the possible causes and or reasoning for that sensation. Suddenly his eyes lit up.
"Maybe it was my quirk!?" The thought brought a smile to his lips, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. "So my quirk makes my body cold but makes my throat hot? That doesn't make any sense… My father had a weak fire-breathing quirk.."
Izuku sighed; he tried his best not to think of his father. His grip on his backpack tightens, remembering the moments he had with him, the warmth and the love he had given to Izuku.
He shakes his head. He didn't have time to feel sorry for himself or reminisce; he had to figure out his quirk. He continued muttering to himself as he came to the intersection close to his home; he was almost there. All he had to do was turn left and continue right up to his door.
*Boom, Boooom Booom, Boom*
A series of violent explosions shattered the afternoon hustle and bustle of the area, knocking Izuku out of his thoughts.
"What was that?" He wondered aloud, turning his head to the right in the direction of the commotion. Izuku couldn't see what was going on from where he was, but something about the noise made his stomach drop. Gazing back to the left towards his home, he whispered, "Sorry, mom," before facing right once again, dashing towards the sound.
Rounding the corner, he finally could get an eye on the situation, and as soon as he saw it, he realized why his stomach had dropped.
Surrounded by a crowd of onlookers screaming and pointing, Heroes doing their best to keep the public at bay and put out some of the nearby fires, a whirling mass of sewage-colored slime spins while yelling obscenities and releasing destructive explosives. The explosions seem to have hit a couple of cars which are now leaking flaming gasoline. Wait, Izuku could see a person was being trapped and controlled by the Sludge.
"No…..KACCHAN!" Izuku dashed forward, his body moving before he even finished yelling his friend's name. Weaving through the crowd, he slipped under the arms of one of the heroes holding the perimeter.
"HEY, KID, GET BACK HERE. IT'S NOT SAFE!" One of the colorful heroes Izuku recognized as Kamui Woods screamed at him, reaching out with branches of wood growing from his arm to grab Izuku, but they charred and fell apart in getting too close to the increasing flame.
"Damn it," Kamui thought. "It is too hot for my wood…But how is that kid running in there like he's fine?"
"LET GO OF HIM!" Izuku roared as he raced toward the Villain. Who turns to look at the boy.
"Oh, you again? It's too late; I already got a better model. I don't need you anymore." the Villain sneered, shooting a tendril holding a piece of debris from one of Katsuki's explosions. "Get bent, kid HAHAHAHA!"
Izuku removed his backpack while ducking the tendril as it rocketed past him, denting a nearby car door. Rolling back up to his feet, he spun, releasing his bag towards the only visible weak spot.
"Nice moves brat, but some dark souls roll won't save y– AGHHHHHHHH," the Sludge's banter was cut short as one of his eyes was hit dead on with a heavy textbook-filled bag. The slime recoils, giving Katsuki enough space to spit out gunk and take a deep breath.
"FUCK ARE YOU DOING DEKU, GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!" the blond put all his frustration and anger into his voice, letting off massive explosions simultaneously. It wasn't enough, however, as the Sludge quickly recovered its position on Katsuki, keeping him trapped within it.
Izuku didn't even hear him. He was too busy using the momentum of his throw to launch himself at the monster. As he clawed and scraped at the pile of goo, desperately trying to release Kacchan, Izuku once again felt tingling heat travel from his stomach to his throat as it began to warm. He continues raking and pulling at the slime to no avail until he here a voice.
"Alright, kid, now you've done it" The bloodshot eyes of the Sludge Villain met Izuku's; he had never felt killing intent like this before. He stepped back as the slime he had removed slowly formed around his body. "I guess I'll just take BOTH OF YOU!" the Villain spit.
Izuku was frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the Sludge Villain in his Large eyes. Fear in his heart, he only broke eye contact to look at Kacchan. He was fully covered in the slime, with his wild eyes staring at Izuku. Izuku recognized the look in his eyes…. It was FEAR. Seeing his friend, whom he has known forever to be fearless, the warmth in Izuku's throat became hot, almost searing. As Izuku returned his gauze to the Villain, he widened his stance. His pose was one any true fanboy would recognize.
"H-Have n-no fear Kacchan, For..," A broad, forced smile appears on Izukus face. A green glow visibly behind his presented teeth. Taking a deep breath, Izuku felt something reaching out, grasping.
The nearby fires began to flicker as glowing red particles detached from the flames and swirled toward Izuku's mouth. By the time Izuku finished inhaling, the fires surrounding them had been reduced to embers.
He couldn't hold his breath any longer, his throat and mouth were burning, and for the first time in his life… he wasn't shivering.
He was going to do it; HE WOULD BE A HERO!
"I AM HEREAGGHGHGHGH" As Izuku roared the catchphrase of his favorite Hero, he suddenly began losing feeling in his fingers and toes. They were freezing, and his eyes started to water from the heat erupting from his mouth as a gout of green flame curled into the large Sludge.
"FUCKKKK!" the slime shrieks as the flames consumed the upper portion of its body, and a noxious odor of burning shit fills the air.
"AGGGHHHHGHGHGH..*cough*...*cough*" Izuku sputters and falls to both knees as the flamethrower releasing from his mouth cuts off; he was so cold, it was hard for him to stay awake.
The Sludge Villain again recovered, albeit his size was reduced dramatically.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" the injured monster screamed, "YOUR FUCKIN DEAD!"
Suddenly a gust of wind breezed by both of them, catching the Fiend's attention.
"What the F-"
"HAHA I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF MY BOY, SEEMS LIKE I SHOULD FOLLOW YOUR EXAMPLE HUH?!"
A muscular arm pierced into the body of the Sludge Villain as All Might appeared, grabbing onto the unconscious Katsuki's waist with one fist cocked back.
"NOW HOW 'BOUT WE TAKE OUT THE TRASH!"
"DETRIOT SMASH!"
As All Might swung his arm, a ripple of air pressure sundered the Villain's form leaving nothing but a pool of ichor with an unconscious homeless-looking man passed out in it. Izuku has never seen something so cool; a smile tugs his lips before the cold takes him.
"Lucky me," He thinks. "All Might saved me twice in one day."