Which was worse? Having no Quirk or having a Quirk that tore you to shreds? Izuku's first day at U.A had almost been his last. Their homeroom teacher Aizawa was every bit as intimidating as All Might was reassuring.

And completely without mercy.

Bakugou could have learned a thing or two about tearing people down from Aizawa. But their teacher was not wrong. A Quirk he could not master was a liability instead of an asset. All Might had been… less than helpful when explaining how to use One for All.

"Just clench your asshole tight and yell Plus Ultra."

What the hell was he supposed to do with that? He envied his classmates who used their Quirks as easily as breathing. Even if he'd gotten into U.A he had a lot of catching up to do. Still, this was minor setback. Toga was right. He'd had bigger hurdles than this and survived every time. He'd survive this as well.

For now, he'd enjoy his first lecture with All Might.

No one could make an entry like All Might. He burst into the classroom in full hero regalia and looked more excited than Izuku felt. Everybody started cheering. Everyone except Bakugou who was staring at Izuku with his remaining eye. All of Izuku's excitement curdled up and died.

"Put your butts into gear, young men and women. Today we indulge ourselves in combat training." All Might said.

The cheers almost tore the roof off. An ugly glint appeared in Bakugou's eye and Izuku shuddered.

They put on their hero costumes. Despite Toga's protests Izuku had stuck to his original design. Toga's suggestions all showed too much skin. When they were done All Might led them outside to a dummy building.

"In that building there is a bomb. You'll be divided into four-man groups. Two heroes, two villains. The villains protect the bomb, the heroes try to disarm it and the villains." All Might said.

Please don't put me in the same group with Bakugou, Izuku thought. Please don't put me in the same group with Bakugou. Please don't put me in the same group with Bakugou.

"Young Midoriya will play heroes with Uraraka against Bakugou and Iida."

God damnit!

For a moment Izuku almost walked up to All Might and asked him to change the teams. He'd rather try his luck against the entire class then with Bakugou. The moment passed. He wasn't the same useless Deku anymore. He had to stand up for himself. He couldn't always rely on All Might to bail him out.

Bakugou took a small case from his pocket and removed his eye-patch. From the case came out a mechanical eye that he plucked into the empty socket. The mechanical pupil grew and shrunk before finally adjusting to the light.

"Wow Bakugou! That's so cool!" Kirishima said.

Kirishima was either the bravest or most oblivious man Izuku had ever seen. Who else would throw their arm around Bakugou's shoulder when he had murder written all over his face?

"Watch it you idiot. My parents had to pay themselves sick for this." Bakugou said.

"Worth every penny. How did you lose the real one?" Kirishima asked.

Bakugou glared at Izuku. The mechanical eye looked more human then the real one.

"Some asshole threw a rock at me."

"Tough break, dude." Kirishima said.

"Indeed."

All Might declaring the match started sounded like a call to Izuku's execution. Uraraka didn't share his fear and looked excited when they entered the building.

"Both Iida and Bakugou look really tough. How do we get past them to the bomb?" Uraraka said.

"… Bakugou will come after me. When I distract him, you must get past Iida." Izuku said.

Uraraka gave him a strange look.

"Why would he do that?"

"… he blames me for his eye."

"Why?"

He didn't have time to answer. A series of explosions let them know Bakugou had arrived.

"Deku!"

Rage had twisted Bakugou's features into something monstrous. Uraraka took a step back and Izuku would have ran away if his feet weren't frozen to the ground.

"… go." Izuku said.

That was all Uraraka needed to hear and she ran. Izuku wished he could have gone with her. Bakugou didn't notice or care that Uraraka escaped. The old Bakugou would have attacked immediately while screaming obscenities, but this new Bakugou had a cold patience to him.

"How did you convince the cops that you didn't do it?!"

"… I… I didn't."

"Liar! You're such a fucking liar! You lied to everyone about not having a Quirk! Mom almost didn't let me apply here because of you!"

Bakugou had said his piece and rushed at him. A well-timed explosion turned his lunge into a flip and Bakugou flew over Izuku. He tried to follow it with a wild hay-maker, but Izuku had known Bakugou for years and knew what to expect. He grabbed Bakugou's arm and slammed him to the ground. He hadn't realized before how strong All Might's training had made him. Bakugou was almost weightless.

An explosion hit Izuku in the chest and threw him off his feet. His costume was torn and the skin bloodied.

Bakugou got up. Izuku ran.

He ran until he couldn't hear Bakugou's footsteps, but he couldn't outrun his screams.

"Come back, you bastard! What's wrong?! Can't face me like a man?! Fucking coward! You're a fucking coward, Deku!"

Amused laughter filled Izuku's ears.

"He spends his days torturing those weaker than him and still has the gall calling you a coward." An unfamiliar voice said.

Izuku looked around.

"… who… who said that?"

"This Bakugou reminds me of my brother. Both are monsters who love pushing others around." The voice said.

What was going on? The voice was coming from his own head. Was… was this someone's Quirk?

"… who are you?"

The voice ignored his question.

"But the moment someone pushes back, they throw a tantrum. I'm not repeating the mistake I made with my brother. I'll help you deal with this monster, young successor."

"… what are you?"

"Think back. Think of all the things he said to you. All the things he did to you. Think of all the times he got away with it and why. Because you were a Quirkless freak and he had such a nice Quirk."

The voice opened the flood gates and every insult, punch and derisive laughter washed over Izuku. He remembered the moment it had all begun. In daycare when everyone found out he was Quirkless. When Bakugou gathered his followers for the first time to laugh at him. To mock him. To push him around! The Quirkless freak! The day they'd stopped being friends!

"Do you remember? How does it make you feel?"

Izuku couldn't speak. His jaw was welded shut. All of his muscles were twitching like they were trying to tear themselves off. They'd been friends! And Bakugou had tormented him! Tortured him! For fun!

"Are you going to let him get away with it?"

"No!" Izuku screamed.

"Deku!"

Bakugou was on him in an instant. Together they tumbled to the ground. Sparks cracked in Bakugou's fingertips when he prepared to bury his fist into Izuku's face. Izuku reached out, grabbed Bakugou's wrist and activated One for All.

Bakugou's wrist cracked like a twig in his grip.

The shock made Bakugou forget about Izuku as he stared at his broken hand. Izuku kicked Bakugou off. For the first time he saw something on Bakugou's face that he didn't think was possible. Bakugou was afraid. Bakugou was afraid of him.

"How does it feel Kacchan?! How does it feel when someone stronger pushes you around?! Huh?! Why aren't you laughing now?! Not so fun now is it, Kacchan?! Not when you're the one getting kicked!"

Bakugou tried to crawl away and raised his other hand to blast out another explosion. Izuku took hold of the other hand and let One for All fill his fist.

Bakugou started crying.

"… please… don't…" Bakugou whimpered.

"Do it! Before he does it to someone else!" The voice screamed.

Izuku jumped off of Bakugou. He stared at the crying Bakugou who was holding his broken hand. What had he done? And… what did he almost do? If… if he hadn't regained control just in time… Bakugou would have… he would have…

The loudspeakers came to life.

"The exercise is over! We've called for Recovery Girl!" All Might said through the loudspeakers.

Recovery Girl treated Bakugou's hand on site and Izuku was sent to the teacher's office. He sat silently and stared at his hands. He could almost make out Bakugou's blood on them.

"What the hell happened?" All Might said when he walked in.

Izuku wished All Might was angry, but he just sounded worried… and disappointed. All Might reverted to his true form and looked even more tired than usual.

"… Bakugou… is he… all right?"

"Recovery Girl fixed his hand." All Might said and sat down: "What happened?"

"… Bakugou… he blames me for his eye and… came at me. I tried to fight and… couldn't. Then… I heard a voice. It reminded me of all the things Bakugou had done… to me."

All Might looked alarmed.

"You heard a voice?"

This was it, wasn't it? The moment that All Might realized he wasn't the successor he was looking for and would take back his Quirk. Who'd let a crazy kid wield such power?

"That voice, did it mention his brother?" All Might asked.

"… what? I mean… yes. It was really hang up on his brother. Have… have you heard it too?"

All Might rubbed the scar on his stomach.

"Once. A long time ago when I faced that very same brother."

"… the voice called him a monster." Izuku said.

"Accurate description. I thought the voice was gone now." All Might said.

"… what… who is it?"

All Might told him a story that took place at the dawn of Quirks. Two brothers were born. One seemly Quirkless. The other with the power to take and give Quirks. For reasons no one knew the brother blessed with a Quirk gave one to his powerless brother. A power that enhanced his abilities. Little did he know that his brother was not so powerless after all. He could pass on his own Quirk. That had been the birth of One for All. As One for All's brother grew in notoriety One for All rose to oppose him. That battle had carried on for over a century. Every time One for All was passed on its power grew and an echo of that man still lived on.

After the story was over All Might gave him a stern look.

"Why didn't you tell me about your history with Bakugou?"

Izuku couldn't meet All Might's gaze.

"… you've done so much for me. I… didn't want to be a burden. I… I have to stand on my own feet."

All Might sighed.

"Asking for help when you need it isn't a weakness, young Midoriya." All Might said and looked at Izuku's shaking hand: "Are you afraid of it? Your Quirk?"

"… I'm afraid what it can do."

"Good. Healthy fear and respect for it reminds you of the responsibility you have. If you want to control your Quirk, you must first control yourself. From now on you'll be seeing the school therapist. It should help you keep your temper in check."

"… my temper?"

"If you didn't have it before you do now. One for All doesn't just enhance our bodies, but our emotions as well. You must have noticed how my personality shifts when I activate my Quirk. I'd forgotten how bad it is at the start."

"… but a therapist…"

All Might placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Young Midoriya, talking to a professional about your problems doesn't make you weak or unworthy. Do you think that a man with a broken leg is a weakling for going to the hospital?"

"… no, sir."

"Good. Remember, you're here to learn. No one expects you to be born perfect. Also, you're not the only one who needs to see a therapist. We can't overlook young Bakugou's anger issues."

All Might got up and activated his Quirk.

"Let's head back. And remember. I'm here for you. Don't hesitate to ask for guidance."

"Yes, sir." Izuku said.