Alright, it's been quite some time since I last posted a new chapter, these days I find it hard to keep to the old schedule I had where I posted one new chapter for any of my stories per week. As promised, this chapter will have a lot of explanations as to how we got to the first chapter in the first place. Also, because of how the story will be structured, while this chapter will be based on events prior to chapter 1, the next one will take place in the present. for the foreseeable future, each even number chapter(e.g. 2;4;6) will be based on the past to help explain the things occurring in the present.
Chapter 2: Children can be so Cruel.
(Japan – 7 years ago)
"Deku, what the hell are you doing?" A 9-year-old Bakugo Katsuki demanded of his once friend, now prime bullying target. The small group of boys was in the woods, not too far from where they all lived, the same woods where Bakugo had taken the tumble into the stream three years earlier, but he liked to not think about that moment of weakness too much and no one had the guts to try and bring it up either.
"Stop it Kacchan! Why are you hurting him?" Opposing him for what felt like the hundredth time, and 8-year-old Midoriya stood in front of a boy that Bakugo and his three 'friends' had been beating up. He didn't know why they would do that as he had shown up late to the encounter, which was becoming something of a regular thing as they never slowed down for him anymore, but he couldn't sit back and do nothing, even if just standing up to the guy he envied and respected made him shiver in his little red shoes.
"Why? That little shit thought he could talk smack to me and get away with it." Bakugo told him, showing that his anger was steadily rising as he let loose some little blasts from his hands. It wasn't much in terms of power, but he had brought his quirk a long way these last 5 years from the tiny sparks it used to be, he knew it was great and would only grow stronger with time. That was what everyone else told him after all.
"But that's wrong! You shouldn't be beating people up for that!" Midoriya shouted back through his stuttering and nervous sweating. He could never understand it, what happened to his friend, why was he like this? Why did he always pick fights and use his quirk to hurt people?
"And what do you know? You're just a Deku, no quirk to back you up." Bakugo mocked him with a cruel-looking smirk. And that was it, the stigmatism that he had to live ever since he turned 5 and his quirk didn't manifest. Even now, he could recall in perfect detail how that visit to the doctors had shattered his hopes of one day having a quirk like everyone else in his Kindergarten class. Still, more than anything, he wanted to be a hero, just like All Might, even if no one believed he could, and that meant that he had to step in to help people.
"I know that heroes don't beat people up for no reason, heroes don't bully people, Kacchan! Only villains do that!" Midoriya didn't know where he got the words, nor the bravery to say them but he found himself yelling back at Bakugo as he stood his ground. His statement wasn't just out of nowhere, but it was also that no one had ever said to Bakugo's face.
"Oh snap, he's just signed his death warrant." One of the boys with Bakugo muttered to himself as he and others stepped back from the stunned Bakugo who was slowly but surely boiling with rage on the inside.
"He should really learn to shut up, now he's gonna have to pay for it." The other agreed with him as Bakugo started to shake as his anger built up higher and higher and his red gaze, already intimidating even when he was 'passive' filled to the brim with child like anger, but mixed that in with a violent streak and an explosive quirk, and you have a big problem.
"What are you doing?! He'll beat the snot outta you!" The chubby kid on the ground, covered with scarps and bruises, whispered loudly to Midoriya as the two of them stood to feel the worst of this explosive wrath aimed right at them.
.
.
.
"You know what, Deku? You're right." But just before the volcano could erupt, Bakugo calmed himself down and even more surprisingly, agreed with Midoriya.
"I am?" Midoriya wasn't expecting that as he stopped in his tracks.
"He is?" And he wasn't the only one as the other four boys present asked the same thing. They couldn't remember a time where Bakugo didn't beat the snot outta anybody near their age group for criticizing him or questioning his actions, heck, Bakugo would fight with kids way bigger and older than them and mostly win.
"Oh yeah, heroes have to stop bullies, don't they? Gotta beat up the bad guys?" Bakugo asked his old friend, seemingly calm but in reality, he was still as angry as moments before only that he thought of another way to get Deku back since the guy didn't seem to learn no matter how many times he beat him up. It would an entirely new way to hurt the quirkless boy and while he was young and even more immature, years down the line, he would come to regret this moment more than any other in his life.
"Y-Yeah, that's true. They have to fight the bag guys! Like All might always does." Back with Midoriya, he didn't suspect a thing as he wholeheartedly agreed with his classmate and bully, thinking that he had finally started to realize that his actions were wrong. The part of him that held onto the hope that they'll one day be friends again grew three times at that moment.
"Then it's a good thing I'm here. I caught you beating up that poor, defenseless extra." And with Bakugo's statement, that hopeful part shrunk four times as the statement, as the lie registered in his mind.
"W-What?" Midoriya found himself asking as he trembled even more now as he looked at Bakugo who sneered at him with that piercing red gaze of his.
"Look at him, you really went to town on his poor ass." Bakugo said as he pointed down at the kid that he beat up. On the inside, he smirked to himself at the ingenious nature of his little plan. If he couldn't get Deku to stop trying to think he was better than him by beating him, he'll do it to others.
"Oh yeah, that was cruel of you. Why would you do that?" Catching onto what their leader was doing, the three other boys were quick to join in on the story.
"We're so gonna tell the teachers about what you did." The other said to him as this seemed like the perfect way to not get in trouble if either of them tried to tell the adults.
"But I didn't hurt him!" Midoriya shouted back at them, his hands waving around as he tried to defend himself against these downright lies but it seems like they weren't even listening to him anymore.
"Listen here, if you don't back this up, you're dead meat, got it?" Bakugo treated the boy on the ground who, despite the pleading look from Midoriya, didn't hesitate to furiously nod his head in agreement, anything to avoid getting another beating.
'That was the first time of what became a cycle that I could never escape. Bakugo and his cronies told the adults the lie and with the victim too scared to contradict them, he went along with it. I got in trouble with both the school and the other parents who thought I was just unreasonable violent.' Midoriya thought to himself as he recalled how they told the teachers at their Elementary that he heat that kid up. They took him aside and not only gave him a lecture about it where everyone could see it but they punished him with no recess that day, leaving him to spend it, and the next five recesses in class, reciting proper manners.
'The worst part came when my mother was informed of this, I tried…I tried so damn hard to prove it wasn't me but with it being my word against theirs, it didn't do me any good.' That was the part he couldn't stand, how his mother cried about his 'actions' how she seemed to think this was her fault, that she could have been a better mother. He agreed with the teachers on the front of this not being her fault, but he was firmly against them when they said it was his choice to hurt someone else.
But it didn't stop there.
'Soon afterward, they did it again….and again…and again.' Midoriya remembered how for years afterward, Bakugo would always blame him for his violent actions, sticking him with the blame. Soon the other kids joined in on it, seeing him as the perfect 'get out jail free' card and always backed Bakugo up. After all, Bakugo had such a bright future because of his quirk that none of them wanted to get in the way of that. In his case, not a single one of them thought he was capable of being a hero, they barely believed him of being a functional, capable member of society to begin with. They believed him crazy for wanting such a dangerous job when his 'place' should be a no-name salaryman. Because of all that, they saw no harm in saddling up with the blame for all their misdeeds.
'Each and every time they could, they pinned anything bad they did on me and they got away with it while I was left with the blame and the record filling with marks and notes of delinquent behaviour.'
He remembered all the time he was called into the principal's office for something someone else did, for things that he never broke, for rules that he never crossed. Still, he held onto his innocence each and every time, which seemed to only anger the adults further, and in turn, lead to harsher punishments. On the one hand, even as a kid, he understood why they thought his pleas of innocence were annoying since they believed that he wasn't, but on the other hand, why did they never look into it? Why did not one teacher ever try to give him the benefit of the doubt?
'At times, I wondered how they got away with it, why no-one looked into these repeated reports, why none of the other kids ever spoke up when they knew I wasn't in that part of town or the playground. It wasn't until my 12th birthday that I found out. All of them thought me a fool for wanting to become a hero, for wanting to help people solely because it was the right thing to do.' He recalled that day, he was sick at home and while his mother still went out to work, he remained. The very next day, he was blamed for damaging some of the swings at the local park. It was heart-warming that after nearly four long years, his mother believed him when he said he wasn't the one. She knew he was sick, that he couldn't have left the house. Sadly for them, it was their world against the world of 20 other kids. When he brought this up with the school and in a fit of frustration, accused it to be Bakugo, claiming that he or someone else did it…The principal's reply shocked both Midoriya's.
'Why would Bakugo do such a thing? He's talented, smart, and has an amazing quirk. No doubt he'll one day become a great hero. All of his classmates have wonderful quirks to their names, they may not help in hero work but in the right fields, they'll go far in life. I understand you're jealously towards him, towards the other kids but you need to understand that some people can't become heroes. If you don't stop these acts of irresponsible outbursts, you'll be expelled from this school. Ms. Midoriya, I trust that you'll do your best to make sure he understand this.'
'We couldn't fathom it. The reason why none of them ever looked any deeper into my reported 'acts' was that they thought I was acting out for not having a quirk. Even as a child, I got the message and so did my mother. They didn't really think that, they just thought that Bakugo would make a great hero one day, all because he was lucky enough to be born with the quirk he got. They didn't care for his loud and curse word-ridden mouth, his disrespect towards his elders and teachers, his violent personality. All they saw was a good quirk, nothing more.' He thought to himself as he had not been asleep that night when his mother called Mitsuki to question her for her son's behavior. Apparently, she didn't know a thing as the school never once brought this up with her. She said that she'll talk with her son but that only seemed to make him worse.
Still, I worked hard to try and change people's minds, to show them that I was more than what others thought of me. This started with me helping my neighbors with their daily chores. Simple things, like walking their pets, doing their grocery shopping, watching over their kids. It was slow but it starting to work, at least for the most part. I also picked up more slack at home as with no friends outside my mother, I found that their afternoons and weekends filled with nothing but time, time that I used to keep in shape, to study, to better myself. Still, I pressed one, I wanted to be a hero, it was the only thing that got me out of the bed every morning and kept me from spiraling down deeper into the depression I already had to deal with.
(Aldera Middle School – Two years ago)
Later in their lives, the two boys had found themselves still in the same class throughout middle school but they were drastically different from when they were younger.
For Bakugo, he was even more explosive and short-tempered, especially when it came to his onetime friend. The worst part, at least by his definition, was that he couldn't lay a finger on him as Deku brought their parents into this. After aunt Inko had raised hell about his advice(bullying) to his mother, the old hag had made it clear that if Inko so much as called her to inform her that he did a single negative thing towards Izuku, he could kiss his dreams of going to any hero school goodbye. He tried to fight it, of course, he was destined to surpass All Might but to do that, he needed to get into the top hero school-UA, he would accept nothing but the best and no other school held a candle to UA as far as he was concerned, but he was cowed when she reminded him who was paying for his education, even his father, who normally stayed out of their arguments, put his foot down with this
Izuku on the other hand, drew more into himself through the years as being socially isolated made it hard for him to really be social, to go out, to do anything really. He suspected that Bakugo had something to do with it but he had no proof and these days, the two of them avoided the other like the plague. One out of fear and the other out of irritation. He did make some improvements. Thanks to all his free time, he had taken up exercise, at first it was just to better himself, to improve his future chances at making it in the hero course without a quirk, but as time went on and his mental state deteriorated, not a day went by where he didn't religiously exercise for at least three hours.
This over the years, there had been a swift in how he exercised, as he picked up watching videos online to better understand what to do. He noticed that he could perform their actions, their movements near-perfectly after watching them done, with some trial and errors of course. At first, he was delighted, he thought he had a quirk but that thought quickly died when he recalled that he had seen a doctor and that said he didn't. So he chalked it up to having a good memory. From then onward, he pushed himself to train, everything from daily jogs to weightlifting. His mother made sure he didn't go too far, didn't press his still-growing body too hard but for some reason, he felt as if he could go further. With Bakugo out of his life, he still had to deal with being bullied, just be others. Still, no one tried to do anything physical to him ever since Bakugo stopped. He figured that they thought if the biggest, baddest kid in school wouldn't touch him, there must be a reason.
What he didn't know was that was due to people noticing how he was building up muscle and power. Even though he was quirkless, none of them wished to have to fight a guy who consistently scored in the top three of their PE classes.
"Alright listen up, you're all 2nd years so you need to seriously start thinking about your futures. I'll be passing out hand-outs where you'll fill in which high schools you wish to attend but," The balding teacher started before he threw all the forms into the air. "Who am I kidding? You all want to enter the hero course, don't you?" He asked the class as they all brandished their quirks and cheered. The only ones who hadn't joined in were a certain dirty blonde and a green-haired boy.
"Yes, yes. You all have wonderful quirks but settle down. You all know that using your quirks is against school rules." The teacher laughed as he didn't really have a problem with them doing this. What's a little fun now and then, after all.
"Teach! Don't lump us together in the same group. I'm not gonna be stuck at the bottom with the rest of these rejects!" Katsuki, who had his feet on his desk, arrogantly stated from his seat, which as one would expect didn't sit well with the rest of the class.
"That was uncalled for, Katsuki!"
"Yeah!"
"You should all shut up like the extras you are!" Katsuki egged them on with a prideful smirk.
"Oh yes, if I remember correctly, you want to go U.A. High right, Bakugo?" The teacher announced to them as he just recalled that.
"U.A.? The national school?"
"It was in the top 0.2% this year, you know!"
"Their acceptance rate is always really low, too!"
"That's exactly why you guys are just extra!" Katsuki announced as he jumped into his desk and stood proud. "I gonna ace their mock test when they finally let us take em!" He continued as he pointed a finger at himself. "I'm the only one at this school who can possible get into U.A. I'll definitely surpass All Might and became the top hero and my name will be inscribed of top earners!" He finished, leaving the class in silence.
Till the teacher decided he wanted to burst his bubble. "Oh yeah, Midoriya, you wanted to attend U.A. as well, right?" He added which silenced even Katsuki who looked like he just remembered something really embarrassing at the worst of times.
'Why, why did he have to bring that up?' Midoriya thought to himself as he found himself trying to disappear from his desk. It didn't take long for the whole class to let him know how they felt about that. That response was confidence destroying laughter and mocking.
"Midoriya? Get real?" One of them laughed at him, the guy who had a quirk that increased his muscle mass.
"How does he expect to get into UA?" Another, one who could cover himself in a rock-like substance joined in.
"Idiot! You can't become a hero just by studying!" One of the girls, one he had a crush on back in 1st year for a week, till she found out about him and publically told him to get a life.
"They wouldn't even let you in, you're quirkless!" Someone else cried as Bakugo kept his mouth shut, which was proving to be a difficult task as he couldn't afford something he did reaching the old hag's ears.
"T-they got rid of that rule! You don't need a quirk to reply!" Midoriya tried to defend himself but at this point, he was so tired of doing it that he couldn't even get up from his seat. It was hard enough mustering the courage to meet their taunts.
"Midoriya, It's fine to aim high but there's such a thing as too high. Maybe you should think about going into another field of study, yes?" Their teacher spoke up, sounding as irritated as Izuku was tired. He had to deal with this student misbehaving just about every other week. Sure he never actually saw it but when both class reps and others kept reporting him, you start to gain a picture of the situation. It was sad too as the kid always scored perfect test scores. He didn't know how he did it, it was like the kid was a machine that kept one learning. Still, it would take more than just good academics to become a pro.
"B-But-," Midoriya tried to say something back but his shoulders fall and he barely bit back the tears when he saw that his teacher wasn't changing his mind. "Yes sir." He said as he looked down at his desk, one that he had to cover with more books than necessary to mask all the mean and rude gestures and messengers scribbled onto the surface. He didn't know where he went wrong but it seemed like to the rest of the world, he was nothing….just a Deku.
'That bastard, look at him! Thinking that he can stand in the same arena as me! When will he learn his place?' But to the mind of Bakugo, his desire to become a pro like his was a sign of challenge that the boy wished to fight him, to declare himself better but he couldn't act on that. Not when his old hag of a mother held his fate in the palm of her fucking hand.
(After school)
'I have to hurry! I can't be late!' Later that day, Izuku was rushing down the busy streets. Still in his uniform, as he hadn't had the time to go home yet. You might be wondering what could cause such a reaction from the boy, well the answer was a simple one. His favorite hero, All Might. The number one was in town for a fan meet and greet and he couldn't afford to miss it. In his hand, he gripped at the notebook that held most of his dreams in it. His hero analysis for the future, No.18.
"I made it!" Midoriya breathed out as he just reached the small convention hall where the event was taking place. Even now, it was swarming with people which made him question if he'll have enough time to see the number on.
"Jeez, kid. Where's the fire?" One of the people on security asked as he watched as the guy came barrelling down the sideward towards this place. If he didn't know was inside, he would have assumed there was a literal fire behind the kid.
"Sorry, but I didn't want to miss him." Midoriya answered him as he did his best to look away. He found it hard to look people in the eye these days.
"No need, he's still inside. Should be for another two hours." The guard them him with a chuckle as he gestured towards the entire. Where there was a line that looked unending for people who wished to talk with the man. Midoriya felt discouraged by the sheer amount of people present but he pressed on when he heard that unmistakable laugh echo throughout the place.
"Thank you!" He called out as he entered the place and got in line. Despite his nerves, despite time ticking on, he didn't leave his spot as he watched the line get shorter and shorter as time went by. What he hadn't realized in his excitement was that around one and a half hours had gone by the time he had been able to actually see All Might ahead of him.
'That's…that's him…All Might!' He thought to himself as his inner fanboy, rarely seen outside his house and his mother-loving, non-judging presence came out. 'He's even cooler in person.' He thought to himself as he was enraptured by watching as the man talked with, laughed with, gave advice to, and even took pictures with his fans. But as if fate decided he needed it, he kicked him in the balls when he realized too late, that time was up. They started to break the crowd apart as All Might moved to leave. He couldn't leave! He hadn't even had time to ask him anything! He desperately looked for something to use when he noticed the service entrance to the side. It was stupid he knew, but it was the only thing he could think of.
(Later – With All Might)
'That was more exhausting than I thought it would be. Guess I forget how many fans I have these days.' All Might thought to himself as he stepped onto the roof of the convention hall. The sun was setting in the distance and he guessed he had about 2 hours left before night fell. He had come to this town for two reasons actually. The first being that he needed to have a talk with Nezu earlier in the day, lucky for the both of them that he had walked in and out of UA in his civilian form, the school couldn't deal with the media storm if someone sighted him on his old campus. The second reason was that it was brought up to his attention that it had been a while since he had a fan meet and greet. Sure it was tiring but it was always rewarding to speak with members of the public when there wasn't some villain or emergency on their hands.
'Still, I got another hour before I hit my limit, that should be enough time for a simple, jump by before I head back to the hotel' He said in his mind as he did some stretches to make sure he was limber enough for one of his super jumps. His time frame for his muscle form had been shortening to the point where he only had around 6 hours worth a day. Maybe he'll take Nezu up on that teaching job. However, before any of that, a voice called out to him.
"Wait!" Midoriya cried as he made it to the roof in time. From all his fanboying, he knew that traveling like this was All Might's preferred method of travel. He was hard, getting past security without them noticing him but he had to speak with him.
"Hmm?" All Might sounded as he turned around. He kept his guard up just in case this was an attack, it wouldn't be the first, but he also made sure he still seemed approachable. It wouldn't do to scare an innocent.
"Wait, All Might!" Midoriya called out as he ran up to him, breathing heavily both from the physical toll it took to get here and the mental toll of keeping himself together in the face of his idol.
"A fan I see, my apologies but I must be going. Crime does not rest you know!" All Might tried to let him down gently as he didn't recall seeing him earlier. He must have been one of those who showed up late, he didn't like it-especially as his meet and greet started when most students were still in school, but that was the schedule set up by his management back at his agency.
"Please, I just have one question. That's all." Midoriya asked him, near tears at the prospect that his hero had to leave. On the logical side of his mind, he knew that he wasn't wrong, heroes were always busy but the more immature side of him just wanted to sit here and talk with him for hours. Ask him every question he had. For All Might looking down at him, he saw that same desperation in him, the kid wasn't good at easy it mind you, but he could see a bleeding heart when he saw one.
'I suppose I could spare a minute or two.' All Might reasoned as he didn't have anything too important. There were plenty of heroes around that could pick up the slack. "Alright my boy, what's the question?" All Might asked him with his bright smile. Midoriya then quickly thought about his question. He only asked for one so he had to make sure it counted. He wanted to know if he could achieve his dream. If the number one believed them to be possible…but then his mind flashed to the woods all those years ago, in perfect detail and how everything for him fell apart afterward. He knew what he wanted to ask.
"Why….why is it those with flashy, powerful quirks…those with power can get away with what they please while those without it must suffer for it. Is it wrong to want to be a hero…even if I'm quirkless?" He asked him. he wanted to know the why, why Bakugo, for all his faults and misdeeds could get away with his actions and still thrive in the world while he didn't. Hearing the boy's question brought up memories for the veteran hero. Memories of his past before he met Nana, of her demise, of AFO. Clearly, this boy was like him which in these times was a rare thing as most quirkless people were in the 50s+ demographic. He wanted to tell him yes, he really did, but then he recalled all the times he tried to be a hero without a quirk. All the bruises and hospital visits. And in the time since his own teenage days, quirks have only gotten more random and potent.
"My apologies, young man but the sad truth of the world is that those with power will always get their way unless something challenges that power and makes them accountable. That is what we heroes are for." He started, telling him one harsh truth before he hit him with the next, more devastating one. He hated having to do it, the look in the boy's eyes made that feeling even worse he equally wouldn't be able to live with himself if the boy got into a fight he had no chances of winning and perished. "But without a quirk, it would be impossible for someone to become a pro hero. If your wish to help others, there are many ways you can do that, you can become a doctor, an engineer, a teacher." All Might told him as gently as he could be he got ready to leave.
"It's alright to dream, but you have to remember to be realistic with those goals. I'm sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear." All Might finished as he took out. Though he didn't know it, he had just hammered in the second last nail in the coffin that would see Izuku's dream of being a hero buried and forgotten. For his part, Izuku was left in a daze, hearing the number one, his idol tell him the same thing as everyone else shattered just about every last hope he had in him. For once in his life, he hated the fact that he had a perfect memory, since at that same moment, every other time others beat him, mocked, looked down on him, they all came back with a vengeance.
He did the only thing he could do at that point. He went home, feeling colder than anybody should on such a warm day.
(Later)
Inko was worried.
She knew that there was an All Might meet and greet on the other side of town and that Izuku no doubt went, he even called her to say as much but….He should be home by now.
She worried for him, what mother wouldn't? He was her only child and she loved him with all her heart but, but it pained her to see what had become of him. The bright, cheery-eyed boy who would always smile, that had been gone for years. Now while he still wished to help people with all his heart, he rarely ever smiled and always tried to make himself small and invisible, as if he didn't think he'll like to be seen. It was in moments like these that she felt nothing but shame….and anger.
Shame that she ever believed that her son would ever do wrong, that he would ever hurt someone else for no good reason. She still saw it, his heartbroken eyes back when he was still such a small boy when she was first informed of his so-called 'misdeeds'. For four years, she betrayed everything that her mother should do when she kept on siding with the teachers, with the other children. Never taking his side to things.
She lost him then, since by the time she realized the truth, and how he was innocent the whole time. The son she had known was gone, replaced with a silent, near depressed boy who did everything quietly and spent his days either working out or in his room, by himself.
The feeling of anger came whenever she thought of Katsuki. She could never figure out what really happened with him. Sure her old friend was loud and stubborn, but she knew that she cared for her son deeply and in the beginning, he seemed to be turning out alright. He wanted to be a hero, just like Izuku and the two would always play together. But then his quirk came in. And it changed him. She recalls her tears at hearing it, really hearing her son tell her of all the bad things he did and how he always blamed him for it. She immediately brought this up with Mitsuki and she was promised that he would be disciplined for his actions.
That punishment didn't seem to work as when she had to make a quick trip to the store to get some things, she saw it. Katsuki and some other boys beating on her son. She tore through the group of boys to get to her son, who was on the ground with a busted lip and a black eye. She didn't even pay them any mind as she rushed her little angel to the hospital as quickly as she could. After that, she called up her friend and made sure she knew exactly what had happened. She was so close to opening up a legal case, you wouldn't believe it but Masaru, being the calm one between the two pissed-off mothers, was able to talk her that, they came Katsuki with one order that if he ever broke, he would regret it. If he so much as talked to Izuku again outside of official schoolwork, not only would Mitsuki bar him from attending any hero school but Inko made him very aware that she will make sure he would sooner wind up in a juvenile detention facility if he ever messed with her son again.
She didn't think herself scary most days but back then, according to Masaru, she had a face filled with so much rage and fury, she raging tiger next to Mitsuki's upset housecat.
Still, the damage once more had been done and her boy drew even more into himself. She loved that he still went out of his way to help around the building, how he tried to show that he was still doing his best to move on but she saw through the mask he put up, and had him signed up for therapy as soon as she could. She was stunned to hear the therapist's findings on him. Depression, anxiety, lack of any self-confidence, and even suicidal thoughts! She couldn't begin to comprehend it but lucky for her, the therapist was an expert and was quirk to step in. Izuku now went for two-hour therapy sessions three times a week, along with being on medication to help with depression and anxiety.
But both she and the therapist knew, however, that it was his goal of one-day going pro, of being a hero like his idol, All Might was what really kept him going. It was why that she made sure he knew that she supported her. That she was in his corner, 100% because even if she was still scared that he'll go pro and one day while helping others, she'll lose him…
She was terrified of what would become of him if he wasn't even allowed for given a chance to be a hero at all.
Which lead to her current issue. The letter in her hand.
UA, like most hero schools, started their recruitment drive early and potential students began their application process two whole years before the actual entrance exams. Like most hero schools, UA first required students to send in their information so that the school can then contact their schools or places of education to obtain their permanent records to see if they have any black marks they would need to worry about. After that, they then pick those with good records to take their mock exams. Once you passed that, you'll be allowed to take the actual entrance exam, provided that you maintain your grades and don't get into any serious trouble.
For that second and third part, she was sure that he could qualify, her son always got perfect grades, apparently, he could answer any question with ease and when it came to those involving memory, he was never wrong.
It was the first part that made her uneasy. Despite the fact that the primary instigator being silent, the fact of the matter is that her boy had numerous, false charges under his academic record. She wasn't sure that they'll look twice at his transcripts with all the black marks his records had. She was knocked out of her negative thoughts but the sound of the front door opening. She rushed to the living room to meet her son and ask about his day but came to a grinding halt when she saw him.
Tears, she saw tears in his eyes as he struggled to take his shoes off. That was all she needed to see before she rushed forward to him and took him into a hug. When he felt himself being taken into his mother's arms, the walls that had been cracking all the way home came crashing down and he let it all out. He cried his heart out as his mother did her best to let him vent and soothe him. She moved them to the couch in the living room so that they could sit down, foreseeing that this will take some time. She didn't dare ask what had happened, already having a few ideas about what might have gone wrong that day. Still, she could see that she wouldn't get anything out of him like this so she didn't bring it up.
It was only much later that Izuku finally calmed down enough for her to ask your question.
"Izuku, sweetie. What happened? You know you can talk to me, right?" Inko started as she rubbed circles into his back, keeping him as calm as she could as he pressed himself into her, despite the fact that he was much larger than her now.
"Hmmmm" Izuku sounded as he hid his face in her hair. If he was in a laughing mood, he would have pointed out how funny this scene must look. A muscular, shorter than average boy, hugging his significantly smaller mother like a lifeline. "I….met All Might today." He started with what she could guess herself, he did go to see him after all. "I almost missed him but I managed to catch him before he left." He smiled a bit at that one, though he was still a bit tearful.
"I asked him why people with power can do bad things and get away with it." He started as she brought him even closer. "He said that this happens all the time and its heroes who fight to correct it." At that part, she at least was thankful towards the man. He didn't say anything bad.
"But….when I asked if I could be a hero without a quirk," Oh no, Inko could tell where this was going. "He said no."
"Oh, my baby. Don't you listen to him. No matter what you decide, I'll always be with you. I know that you can be a better hero than all of them." Inko didn't let the moment slip as she looked her son right in the eye so that he could know for sure she wasn't just saying it, but rather she believed every word of it.
"But-!" He found his denial shot down as his mother placed both hands on his cheeks and pushed inwards, making it hard to speak but also drawing his attention more to her next statement.
"But nothing. They don't know you as I do, they don't know how hardworking you are. They only look at the fact you don't have some quirk, Izuku." Inko said, not feeling amused as she once did whenever she did this with his face as she wanted him to understand this far more. "You are strong, stronger than anyone has ever given you credit for. I know that you can achieve your dreams, and I will stand by you, till the very end." Inko made that promise, she loved her son, with all her heart and she was sick and tired of seeing the world try and take him away from her, to rob him of his joy. That's why she said what she said. No matter what he chose, hero, doctor, engineer, scientist, lawyer, politician…heck even villain. She will do what no one else had, she'll stand by him.
"M-mom." Clearly had words has the desired effect as the boy started to tear up but now rather from sadness, it was from sweet joy as he took his mother into his larger arm and started to cry his eyes out.
"Hush Izuku, let it out." Not minding being his large embrace, Inko soothed her son's heart. Making sure that her vow would never crack, never break, never weaver. She was with him, no matter what.
(Later)
"Did…did the letter came in?" It wasn't until a full hour later that Izuku, who had calmed down from his emotional roller coaster, asked the question she really hoped wouldn't come up that day.
"It did." Inko answered carefully. She may be supportive of whatever goals he sets for himself but she knew that the odds of the letter having good news were slim.
"…Can you see it?" Izuku asked her as she turned his head to face her from his position on the couch. They had moved around a bit and now the boy had his head laying on her lap as she moved her hand through his curly mess of hair. "I know that my odds are low, but I haven't been in trouble in one whole year, that's must count for something, right?" His words may have been optimistic but his smile didn't reach his eyes, he knew as well as she did that his chances had been shot by Bakugo and the rest of those demon spawns, at least, that was why Inko liked to think of them.
"I hope so too, sweetie." Inko said as she whistled for the family dog-Captain, to retrieve the letter from where she dropped it. The black and cream-colored mix of a Rottweiler and a Shibi Inu made itself known when it barked before it turned to the piece of paper that Inko was pointed at. With clear signs of training and obedience, the dog went over to it, picked the letter in its mouth while keeping its slobber away from it before it went back over, and handed Inko the letter. She gave the dog a smile as she patted its head, receiving content barks from the animal as even Izuku laughed a bit at the antics of their family pet as he reached over to give the dog a belly scratch from his position.
Inko then turned her attention to the letter that she was given and with a heavy heart, handed it to her son. Izuku for the most part just stared at him as he prayed that it would be a piece of good news that day. With that hope, he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He read it with as much attention as he could muster. Sadly for him, his hopes didn't come to pass as despite reading it numerous times, despite his wishes that he wasn't real. It was all there in the print.
'Due to your history of immoral behavior. We regret to inform you that you are not eligible for a place in any of the courses here at UA High school.'
"So that's it? All that work. All that training, and it's all for nothing." Izuku asked her, his voice void of any emotion as he read the letter for the 8th time, despite the fact he recalled everything from the first time around.
"I'm so sorry." Inko tried to say but he jumped to his feet as he started rubbing at his eyes. He may not have any more tears to shed but he did have a whole lot of pent-up frustration.
"And he got away with it," Izuku then started doing the strangest thing. He started to laugh. For reasons unknown to him, his already excellent memory started to improve drastically as he started to recall every time Bakugo made him his scapegoat, every time others followed his lead, every time he was made the butt of some cruel joke. "Who am I kidding, he always gets away with it." His laughter grew his volume as his already fragile mind started to crack. He could see it clearly now, it took him years but he saw Bakugo's actions for what they were. He didn't start blaming him just to get out of trouble, but to ensure that Izuku could never do what he always wanted to, become a hero like All Might. There wasn't a hero school in the country that would take him, not with his records as shot to hell as they stood.
"Honey." Now Inko was really worried, even Captain was worried going by the sad-sounding whimpers as they watched the boy clenched at his own head as his mind tortured him, over and over with the cold…hard facts.
"Katsuki was nothing but a bully and menace to me for years and in the end, he not only ruined my life but he got away with it! Why, why did he do it? Why wasn't he punished? Why did he get such an awesome quirk and I didn't!" Izuku cried out in desperation as he felt pain building in his mind as it felt like something from within his own mind started to claw, scratch, and bite its way to the surface. He knew that the brain didn't have nerves and therefore, he couldn't feel anything but he would swear for the rest of his life that this feeling was building in agony.
"It's not fair! Why do people like him always get their way?!" He yelled as blood started to leak from his nose onto the carpet. That proved to be even worse as his vision started to swim as the pain in his head only got worse.
"Izuku, calm down!" Inko said as she jumped to her feet to try and calm him down from what was clearly a very violent mental breakdown. She knew that they could be bad, the therapist warned her that this could happen if things suddenly took a drastic turn for the worst but why was he bleeding like this?!
"Arg! My head!" The boy cried as he left the pain climb to levels he couldn't handle and he passed out. He was caught by his mother as she fretted over him in her own stage of panic.
"Sweetie!" That would be the last thing he would hear before he lost consciousness in his mother's arm. What the two of them didn't realize was that is little breakdown was far more than that. It was something that the two of them would only discover later on.
It was his quirk awakening in full for the first time.
And that is the chapter. Now, some of the questions that came out of chapter 1 have been answered, even if more had been asked thanks to this chapter. Unlike other stories where Midoriya simply doesn't apply at UA, or in the chosen few, where he fails the hero entrance exam, I made the decision to make it that he wasn't even allowed to take the exam. It's not impossible as UA is said to have high entry standards as in the manga, one of Bakugo's 'friends' smoke, and whenever he's around them, Bakugo enforces a rule of no-smoking as to not dirty his record. If they would not let a possible smoker take the exam, they sure as hell wouldn't look twice at someone with a questionable disciplinary history.
I then thought to myself how much of an asshole he was to Midoriya and then realized, that would be a very original thing to do. Rather than have Bakugo tell Midoriya to kill himself, it perfectly falls within his character to pull something like this instead. If you need a good record to get into UA and presumable other hero schools, then if you hate someone's guts for seemingly no reason, like Bakugo, it would be the perfect way to screw with them. However, as I still have plans for him and don't hate him as much as I once did due to his character development, I threw him a bone in the form of making him commit this grievous act as a child as children are like the chapter name implies, cruel but also immature and petty.
That is why Izuku is suffering worse than his canon counterpart as though Bakugo can't touch him, that doesn't mean that the abuse ended. Quite the opposite in fact as his life took a turn to shit. Which is the reason that this version, is quieter than his cannon half and has to go for therapy.
That being said, Bakugo will go through some changes in the story as I did state he came to regret his actions. But he cannot take them back or undo the damage that he has done. And that damage will come back to haunt him and just about every other pro.
As for the second part with All Might, I did my best to make it seem more humane with his denial of Izuku's hopes by adding realism and kindness to it. Realism in that fact that fighting quirkless is a massive handicap and it should better be left to those with quirks and kindness with All Might trying to steer him towards other heroic goals and pursuits as though police officer isn't bad, he must have known that compared to hero work, its nothing. Sure there are detectives like his friend, Tsukauchi but he didn't actually say that.
In the next chapter will begin with the team from HIVE arriving in Japan and making contact with both their employer and the league as it stands.
Reviews:
wijmaids0: Those are some pretty wild guesses, but not impossible either. And you're right, at this point, Shigaraki will not react well to having babysitters, who, unlike Kurogiri, will not be as polite since they aren't being paid to do that.
