Summary: BT and Izuku's first meeting doesn't go the way one would think it would or well, a robot with past memories being shoved into the mind of a 10-year-old goes about as well as one might think.
Cannon is dead here, I pretty much-moved events ahead by a year, All Might's in Musutafu for some unknown reason... Probably NightEye's fault...
Bravo-Tango-Seven-Two-Seven-Four
Darkness, the feeling of void space drifting in an endless abyss was all he could feel and visualize. The world around him was cold, dark, and unmoving. 'Where am I?' Came his first cognitive thoughts, followed by such thoughts as.
'What's going on? Why is it so dark? Where am I!?' Still, nothing came, nothing responded to the boy's cries for answers. There was nothing in the dark void he found himself in. Soon enough, he grew colder, no light nor objects pierced his visions of the world before him. But then, just when hope seemed dark something did burst through the abyss.
"Pilot, can you hear me? Jack, are you there? Pilot respond if you can hear me." Came the loud voice of what Izuku could only presume to be that of an A.I. or robot's. There was no emotion behind the words nor did the voice waver in any capacity.
"Hello? Who's there?" Came Izuku's frightened voice.
"State your name strange?" Came the almost foreboding words of the other being.
"Izuk-Izuku Midoriya." His voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper but the other seemed to still hear it.
"System override initiated, data transfer complete, connection established." The voice's mechanical side showed through as it called out different orders to itself. Going through a process to perform something.
"Are you-are you my quirk?" His voice was never rising above a whisper as Izuku continued to look out into the abyss trying to understand what was happening.
"Quirk?" A moment passed before "A Quirk, formerly known as a Meta Ability is a superhuman ability that a person can possess. Along with being unique to each user, Quirks are sorted into multiple categories. Quirk users are also limited to one ability and are thus unable to achieve any other." The being thought for a moment, as of course this process was unknown to the boy but it did cognitively think to itself. Processing what was happening.
"I must assume that what you call a quirk in this dimension is an ability passed onto a person? If so, then I am likely your quirk. But how that came to be is difficult for me to process. My data records show that my last mission. Operation Broadsword: where I was destroyed, ended in a success. However I do not know how I am nor, how I ended up in the mind of a child, it is difficult to calculate or perceive." The voice seemed perplexed, unable to process the events.
"So, what-what do we do?" Izuku asked the ominous voice?
"My protocol has been updated. Not by me nor my command. Protocol states 1. Link To Pilot. 2. Protect the Pilot. 3. Train the Pilot." The voice's flat tone came through Izuku's head with such force that he was now more unsure than before.
"Am I-Am I the Pilot?" 'Pilot of what?'
"It seems that my records state that you are now my Pilot Midoriya." The voice permeated through Izuku's head, diving deep into his thoughts.
"What am I training f-for?" Izuku still only spoke above a whisper.
The voice didn't respond, the abyss and void began to fade as the world around him changed. Izuku awoke to his room, All Might Merch, and hero analysis books scattered throughout. His alarm clock reading roughly 6:45 in the morning.
Izuku had been bullied for much of his early life, and the punishment had only gotten worse in the past few months. Kacchan had been getting strong as of lately and the teachers had been paying less and less attention to the boy's antics.
On the steps of the school stood Kacchan and his lackeys. Waiting for their favorite punching bag to show up. "Oi, DEKU! The quirkless loser, finally showing up to school." Called the stronger class member.
"Hey Kacchan." Came Izuku's voice as he tried to move past the boy. However, he should have known that wasn't going to work. "Did you finish the homework for last night, nerd?" He nodded, if he lied it would only be worse.
"Give it here." Izuku pulled the paper from his bag and handed it to Kacchan. The hot-headed boy smiled as he passed it off to the winged child. He studied it and soon nodded to Kacchan.
"That's all I needed Deku, now don't you ever think about looking down on me! AND DON'T YOU DARE GET IN MY WAY!" Izuku was pushed backward by one of the other boys and nearly fell down the stairs.
"Come on, let's leave this Quirkless bastard here." The other boys nodded and walked off. It'd become normal for Kacchan and his 'friends' to do that sort of thing often.
Izuku had resorted to making copies of the homework and stashing them in his bag. At least he wouldn't fail class.
The greenette made his way into the school building and headed towards his class. Many of his fellow students looked at him in disgust, 'the quirkless loser'. He could hear them, always heard them saying that even if they didn't speak. He knew it was true.
Diagnosed at the age of 4, he was by most margins likely quirkless. And, then he hadn't developed a quirk by the age of 5 and everyone just assumed he was in fact quirkless. So, no one ever saw the need to teach him the same as others. The staff and teachers all looked down upon him, even if his grades were well above average.
Most knew the statistics, 20% of people were born without quirks. Roughly 56% of them being over the age of 60 now.
And then the other metrics came in. Over half of people diagnosed as quirkless died before the age of 21, 58% experienced workplace discrepancy, and 75% of children diagnosed as quirkless were over 84% more likely to commit suicide when compared to those with quirks.
The life of someone who was quirkless was by no means glamorise, nor good. For those with the condition, most of the time they were looked down upon and seen as less than human. Izuku had experienced that first hand, no friends, no father, no guidance from teachers, and a mother who'd left him at the age of 7. Crying as she said there was nothing she could do.
Izuku walked into his homeroom class, the teacher looking to be in his mid to late 40's. Talking about the basics of Heroics, and asking questions about what people thought was necessary for society going forward.
The morning 'discussion board' as the teacher had called it, was there to help students express their own ideas. It also set the pace for the day ahead.
However, it served more as a reminder that Izuku was quirkless. That no matter what the topic was, he would never truly know what if felt like to have quirks. 'I should have never taken intro to heroics.'
The day passed as it always did, students chatting about what they were doing that night, their grades, and socializing as children do.
For Izuku on the other hand, he sat alone for most of the day, writing in his notebook titled 'Quirk Analysis Notebook For the future Number 12.' Izuku had already filled several other notebooks with information and just started on the newest one.
"Hey look, that nerd is writing in his notebooks again." Kacchan looked over to see what the lackey was talking about.
"DEKU, WHAT DID I TELL YOU!" The angry blonde walked over towards the boy.
"Not to-Not to try to be a hero?" Kacchan looked even angrier. While that was something Midoriya shouldn't do… It wasn't what he was referring to.
"NOT TO GET IN MY WAY, you useless extra." Kacchan shoved the boy.
"Maybe that'll teach you to stay out of my line of sight, Deku." Izuku just meekly nodded to the boy.
Satisfied with the green-haired boy's reaction Kaachan took his leave.
That was the first time his childhood best friend would physically hurt him. It'd been his lackeys or others before, but never the ashy blonde.
"It's time to start thinking about your futures. Now I would pass out some career aptitude tests but why bother. I know you all want to go to the hero track!" And with that the older man threw the aptitude test in the air. The students follow behind, using their quirks in a show of celebration.
'Anyone, who's anybody wants to be a hero. And that is no different for Aldera Junior High.' Izuku however, thought for the longest time that he'd never be a hero but he held out hope.
"Yes, Yes, You've got some very impressive quirks. But, no power usage allowed on school grounds, get a hold of yourselves." Most of the students soon quieted.
"Hey teach, don't lump me in with this bunch of losers. I'm the real deal, this bunch will be lucky to end up as second-rate sidekicks to some busted D lister." Bakugo's face held a large grin as he looked at their teacher.
"You think you're better than us Katsuki!" Came the voice of the rest of the class.
"Hmm, you've got impressive test results, maybe you will get into..." The teacher paused for a second and looked at Kaachan's school of choice. "Yuuei's heroics course."
"What he applied to the hero course?" Some of the students asked, surprised by the teens' choice. "That's like the number one school in the country!" Bakugo just smiled at the praise.
"I've got the test scores to back it up and I will end up better than even All Might himself!" Yelled the blond teen and once again the classes erupted into questions and thoughts.
"Oh yea, didn't you also want to go to Yuuei Midoriya?" Asked the older teacher, and with that, the smile fell from the ashy blonde's head. Anger bubbled under his toothy grin.
The class began to laugh, they laughed at Izuku's inability to produce a quirk and at the thought of a quirkless nobody even trying to get into Yuuei.
"Damn it Deku! You're even worse than these damn rejects. You're a quirkless nobody who would only burden others. You think they'd choose you over me!? ANSWER ME DEKU!" Izuku looked up to the boy who was now in front of him.
"Of-of course not Kacchan. I wasn't trying to compete against you. You've got to, believe me, ~ I just-I just that I wanted to be a hero since I was little and I may not have a quirk but I can still try my hardest…'' Izuku looked up to the blonde before him.
A murderous glint in his eyes Bakugo smiled. "You'd die in the exams you quirkless loser, just give up!" Izuku would have done just that if it wasn't for his want to help and the voice in the back of his head. 'Pilot, do not take his words to heart. You are not quirkless.'
After Class.
"I better write down some notes from that fight this morning before I forget anything." Izuku pulled out volume .12 from his backpack along with a pin.
"I don't know what you think you're doing Deku. But, we're not done." Bakugo stood above the green-headed boy, two lackeys walked up behind him as well.
"What's that? His diary or something?" Asked one of them.
"Real funny guys, just give it back." He tried to plead with them but there was no chance of that happening. And as he tried to reach for the stolen notebook, fire sparked from the ash blonde's hand, the notebook beginning to smolder as he smiled back at Izuku.
To add insult to injury, Bakugo then threw the book out the open window. "Most show potential early on, people just look at them and know they're destined for great things. When I get into Yuuei from this trashy hero school, they'll talk about me and then they'll know I'm legit. The next big thing."
"Here's a little bit of advice nerd. Don't even think of applying. Or else…" Izuku's jacket began to smolder when the ashy blonde placed his hand on his shoulder. Burning the cloth jacket on contact.
The three boys took their leave soon after asserting dominance, heading to the door and smiling at the realization that the boy may have finally realized he was not meant to be a hero.
"You know if you really want to be a hero there might actually be another way? Just pray that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof of the building."
Anger flashed in Izuku's eyes, some would call it bloody murder others would say the dying light of a dream that wasn't obtainable.
Izuku would say it was the spark of revenge.
All Izuku's life he'd been told he couldn't be a hero, that he was just a quirkless nobody. His father, doctors, and even his own mother had given up on his dream. Telling him he wasn't good enough, that he needed to be realistic with his dreams.
'But it's okay to dream is it not?' Izuku asked himself.
His mother had wished that things were different, that he'd had a quirk but that wasn't what the boy thought he needed to hear, it wasn't what he needed to hear in that moment. Izuku had lived his life knowing that he was a failure, that he was just a quirkless Deku.
Soon after leaving Aldera Junior High for the day, Izuku made his way out to the small stream that ran past the school. Fetching his notebook that was drifting along as koi fish nibbled at the pages.
"Hey, don't eat that!" All that work had gone down the drain in a matter of moments. All his time was gone. "Do not worry Pilot, I've saved all of the information you have written to my data banks." He hadn't heard the voice in a long time, and when it did come it was at the worst of times.
When he was down or alone when there was nowhere left to go. Reassuring him that things were going to be alright but how can that be. How can things get better if all they do is get worse over time.
'I have to keep smiling.' Izuku told himself that he needed to believe in himself if he were to ever be a hero. The greenette walked through a dark overpass, his left arm raised into the air to proclaim that he is here!
But, as he tried to impersonate his childhood hero a dark figure cast over him. Green slim jumped at the poor boy, suffocating him, and claiming that. "It's only hurt for a minute. You'll feel better soon!" The Slimy figure laughed at the boy's struggles.
'I can't breathe!' Izuku's mind yelled as the green slime made it's way further down his throat. Suffocating him, the slim thanked him for being a hero.
'Pilot you must resist. You are not ready, you need training, I can not help you in your current state.' The robotic voice pleaded with the boy, telling him to fight. But what fight did he have left, who would care, why was he worth fighting for?
The world went dark, and once again Izuku was in the void, darkness looming overhead as the voice spoke to him. Once again pleading with him to wake up. 'Pilot, you must remain conscious, you need to fight. I am of no use to you here.'
Then even the voice faded, the world around Izuku growing cold.
And then, heat, pain, touch. The feeling of being slapped hit his mind.
"Hey, wake up!" Another light tap on his face. "Hey, wake-" The man paused looking down at the boy before him who'd finally begun to regain consciousness. "I thought I lost you there!" Came the man's voice, his large smile greeting the shell-shocked boy.
"All MIGHT!" Yelled the green-haired boy, his face freezing in place as he looked at the blonde man. "Ahhh!" realization hit him, winding back against the dirt, recognizing the face before him. He couldn't believe it.
"Well, it looks like you're moving around alright. Sorry about that back there I didn't mean to get you caught up in my justicing" Came the heroic man's voice as he gave a hearty laugh.
"I've captured the evildoer in this bottle!" The man proclaimed as he thrust forth a bottle of the captured slim man. Izuku quickly realized that the man before him was for real 'All Might' and grabbed his notebook from the ground.
"Please All Might Sir, sign my notebook!" The man gladly accepted the book and quickly signed.
"Well, I have to get this guy to the police so they can book him. See you around young man." Izuku's mind raced. He had to know.
"Wait, I need to know! Can someone without a useful quirk be a hero! I have a sentient A.I. that gives me info and data on different things but I can't control when or how I talk to it! I'm a normal kid without any real power, could I ever hope to be someone like you?" The man looked behind him, eyeing the teen.
"The pressure is high, young man, and this job isn't easy. Pro heroes are always risking their lives, some villains just can't be beaten without real power so honestly. No, I don't think you can become a hero without a quirk that helps you physically. Unless it can predict the future or help you in some larger way then there is no way you can be a hero. Find something obtainable, like a police officer or detective if you want to help. " All Might jumped through the sky leaving Izuku and the cherry blossoms by their lonesome.
'Pilot, you must return home. Mr. Nedzu will be concerned otherwise." Came the voice of the A.I. But Izuku didn't want to return home. How could he, his dreams had just been crushed by a man he had looked up to for such a long time.
"Wh-why should I. I'm just a burden." Izuku's eyes began to water, he couldn't do this anymore.
"Sir you are not much of a burden, you only weigh 70kg's (150ish pounds) . More importantly, I have realized that your training can wait no longer. Our Titan link is still weak but we must continue to strengthen our bond and your body. I will create a schedule and a meal plan for you." 'What's the point, I can't be a hero, why should I…'
"Pilot, you must trust me. Your quirk is very strong but it will take time to build its strength." Izuku still couldn't hear what the A.I. was saying, didn't want to listen. He'd been told by his idol that he couldn't be a hero.
Izuku Midoriya would be something else, and would face those who'd looked down upon him with a hero's smile. He would be the world's next symbol, the symbol of Justice.
Authors Notes: Any suggestions are welcome, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. 👍