Despite how it looked the damage to Izuku's hand after the shock glove exploded had been mostly cosmetic. There would be serious scarring, but he'd have full use of his fingers once the bandages came off. The left side of his face hadn't gotten off so lightly. The searing metal scraps had left three long gashes in his face and one of them split his eyebrow. The fact that both of his eyes were intact was a minor miracle.

Izuku sat at the police station with Hatsume and tried to calm his nerves while waiting for their parents and the questioning. Even Hatsume was unusually quiet. She'd been given ill fitting change of clothes and had rubbed herself raw in the shower to get the Sludge Villain's stench off.

"… do… do you think we killed him?" Izuku said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean we? We didn't do anything. That was all on you." Hatsume said.

Izuku shuddered.

"… are we going to jail?"

"Once again, we aren't going anywhere. And don't worry about jail. Dad will have killed us long before that happens." Hatsume said and patted his back: "Chill, Izuku. I'm just fucking with you."

Izuku nodded and Hatsume smiled.

"Thank you for saving my life, Izuku. That was not the way I wanted to go. No one should die with their mouth full of shit." Hatsume said.

There was a knock on the door and a cop in a trench coat and fedora walked into the room.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, kids. I'm Tsukauchi. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"… are we in trouble?" Izuku said.

Tsukauchi sat down across them.

"Why would you be in trouble?"

"Izuku has problems keeping his fuck box empty." Hatsume said.

Tsukauchi blinked.

"I… see." Tsukauchi said and cleared his throat: "You two were very lucky. The Sludge Villain has been a top priority to us for a while now. Did he say anything that we should know?"

Izuku thought back on the fight with the Sludge Villain but all he could recall were blurry images and terror. There was just…

"… he knew I was Quirkless. There… there were these two guys from Shi…"

"Shi Hassaikai. Yeah. Izuku messed them both up good." Hatsume said.

"You fought two yakuzas?" Tsukauchi said incredulously.

"They were just kids calling themselves yakuzas, but I think the other guy took it personally. He did threaten to kill us both. Shit show so far." Hatsume said.

"I see." Tsukauchi said and wrote something down: "Did they have names?"

"… the other one was called Mustard." Izuku said.

"What did they look like?" Tsukauchi said.

Izuku and Hatsume described them the best they could and Tsukauchi wrote it all down.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Tracking down the lizard man shouldn't be too hard. Don't hesitate to call me if you remember anything else. Now, if you're not in a hurry, All-Might would like to have a word with you." Tsukauchi said.

"No! I mean yes!... I mean… yeah. We have time." Izuku said.

"Smooth, Izuku." Hatsume said.

"… he saved our lives." Izuku said.

"No. You saved our lives." Hatsume said.

There was something comical seeing All-Might going through doors. He was too big for doors and had to squeeze through them. All-Might nodded to Tsukauchi as he left the room. Izuku tried to keep his cool when All-Might sat down on the too small chair that complained under his weight. If Izuku had known that all he had to do to get an audience with All-Might was knocking out a villain, he would have done it years ago.

"… All-Might? Sir? Are you… alright?" Izuku said.

All-Might just laughed.

"I should be asking that. How are you two holding up? That was quite an adventure you had." All-Might said.

"Wasn't much of an adventure. I almost drowned in shit. That's no way for a genius to go." Hatsume said.

"I'm glad you're both taking it so well." All-Might said and looked closer at Izuku's new facial scars: "If you ever want plastic surgery for those, let me know. I'll pay for it, young Midoriya."

Izuku could only nod. His face was burning and not because of the scars and his heart was beating so fast it hurt.

"I could use a doctor as well. I had this weird hallucination where you turned into a zombie." Hatsume said.

A crack appeared in All-Might's smile.

"Yes, well… That's what I wanted to talk to you about actually. I was hoping you would keep what you saw in the down low. About me turning into a zombie. Unfortunately, that means we can't reveal what you two did."

"Of course." Izuku said without thinking.

"Thank you, my boy." All-Might said.

"Sure thing, Mighty. By the way. Heard you became a teacher in U.A recently." Hatsume said.

"That is true." All-Might said.

"Well, me and my boy Izuku here are applying to U.A in the Support Department and I was hoping you could put in a good word for us." Hatsume said.

Izuku looked at Hatsume horrified.

"… Hatsume… are you… blackmailing All-Might?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about blackmail? We did his job for him and are now covering his ass. I think it's just fair he does us a solid one in return. You can get in on recommendation. You think Endeavor's brat is going to be taking a test with the rest of us nobodies?" Hatsume said.

All-Might just laughed.

"When you put it like that, it does sound fair, but I don't think young Midoriya would like to get in like that."

"… no. I wouldn't." Izuku admitted.

Hatsume groaned.

"God, my back is killing me from carrying this team. Fine. Then you can do a cameo in one of our videos."

"Videos?" Izuku and All-Might said.

Hatsume took out her phone and jumped into YouTube. Painfully familiar narration filed the room.

"Best friends turned rivals will face in the U.A tournament! Katsuki Bakugou believes that might makes right while Izuku Midoriya will rise up to prove him wrong! Project: Indestructible will fuck Bakugou with its titanium dick in the finals! And the whole world will watch! Plus Ultra!"

Izuku looked horrified at the poorly edited video which showed pictures of him and Bakugou to the beat of Hatsume's narration. The hit count was closer to ten thousand and there was an entire series of videos where he was the unknown star. Izuku started praying to whatever god who'd listen to take him now.

All-Might raised an eyebrow.

"Titanium dick?"

"Would titanium cock have rolled off the tongue better?" Hatsume said.

There was a knock on the door and Tsukauchi peeked in.

"Your parents are here." Tsukauchi said.

"Man. Good thing I have a lot of cops here to protect me from dad." Hatsume said.

"… I… I'll be right there. I… I'd like to ask something from All-Might." Izuku said.

"Sure." Hatsume said and went with Tsukauchi.

All-Might looked after Hatsume.

"Your friend doesn't seem to like me very much." All-Might said.

"… sorry."

"Don't be. Disliking me isn't a crime." All-Might said and turned his sights back to Izuku: "What did you want to ask?"

"… I… this is going to sound stupid but… could… someone without a Quirk be a… hero?"

Izuku didn't dare to even breath while he waited for All-Might's answer.

"Midoriya. This is a dangerous profession and even with Quirks heroes are risking their lives."

Izuku felt his heart sink.

"But today you behaved yourself like a hero. What you did was very brave. You can be proud of yourself."

Izuku looked up and All-Might's smile was brighter than the sun. Too bright for him to face it for long and Izuku went back to staring at his feet.

"… the Sludge Villain. He… he might have seen you too. Will that be a problem?"

"He's in custody and who would believe him?" All-Might said.

Izuku was so excited he realized he hadn't asked for an autograph until he'd stepped out of the room. Hatsume was waiting for him in the hallway.

"… didn't you go see your dad?"

"I'm not trying my luck with him alone. What did you ask All-Might?"

"… just… if I could be a hero."

"I already told you can. With science! You don't need All-Might's permission to be a hero. All you need is science."

"… I guess." Izuku said and then looked at Hatsume sternly: "You shouldn't have talked to him like that."

"What? Like to a person?"

"… you tried to blackmail him."

"Hate the game not the player, Izuku. You think he wouldn't have blackmailed us if we hadn't played ball?"

"… what? He… he's All-Might. He would never…"

"Endeavor is the number two hero in Japan. Doesn't stop him from being an asshat. You don't become that successful without burying a few bodies." Hatsume said and walked past him: "Never trust the face people show to cameras."

Izuku followed her with an uneasy feeling. Mom and Blacksmith were waiting for them and mom pulled him into a tearful hug the moment she saw him. She held him for a long time and cried to his chest. Over mom's shoulder Izuku saw how Blacksmith looked at his daughter on the verge of tears. After some hesitation he hugged her.

"Let me see your face." Mom said after letting him go.

"… it's not as bad as it looks." Izuku said.

Mom had another crying fit when she saw the scars clearly.

"… Izuku… if something had happened to you… I don't…" Mom said without being able to continue.

It was that moment that it hit Izuku. He could have died. When All-Might showed up Izuku had thought that the situation was under control and had been under control all along. But All-Might had showed up late. The Sludge Villain could have killed him and Hatsume and there was nothing All-Might could have done about it. The same realization seemed to hit Hatsume too. They could have died.

"Midoriya."

Izuku turned to look at Blacksmith. It was strange seeing such a powerful man in such distress. Strange and terrifying.

"How's your hand and face?"

"… the doctor said that all the damage should be just… cosmetic." Izuku said.

"Good to hear." Blacksmith said and offered his hand: "Thank you for saving my daughter."

Izuku shook his hand.

"… Hatsume saved me too." Izuku said.

"Mei." Hatsume said.

"… what?"

"My name is Mei. Not Hatsume."

"It's not? News to me." Blacksmith said.

"My name is whatever I say it is. And I say it's high time Izuku drops it with the Hatsume nonsense." Mei said.

"You two seem to be close." Mom said.

Mei grinned.

"We're partners in Project: Indestructible. Check out our page in YouTube."

"… please don't." Izuku said.

"Come on, Izuku. Take some pride in your work." Mei said.

Blacksmith pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Mrs. Midoriya. I'm sorry for all the trouble we've caused but I'd like to get home now so I can have a heart attack in peace."

"You've been no trouble, Mr. Hatsume. Thank you looking after my son." Mom said and smiled at Mei: "Thank you for being Izuku's friend."

The car ride home was a quiet one. Izuku stared at his burned hand. Thank you for saving my daughter. You saved our lives. Today you behaved yourself like a hero. What you did was very brave. You can be proud of yourself. Something warm and refreshing was growing in Izuku's chest ready to burst. This… this moment was everything he'd ever wanted. To feel like he was something. Someone. Not the Quirkless freak Deku but someone who mattered. He would never let this feeling go. Mei was right. Together they could do anything. A burned hand and scarred face was a cheap price to pay.

When he got home Izuku took his painkillers like clockwork and lied down. It was all so much. He could have died but he had fought and beaten a villain. And he'd learned something new about Mei. Underneath all that energy was a lot of bitterness. Izuku picked up his phone and started doing research on Blacksmith and Endeavor. Blacksmith had been a competent but not especially outstanding hero trapped in Endeavor's shadow. The biggest news about him was the very unflattering interview he'd given about Endeavor after he'd left his agency. Or been fired. It was a bit hazy. Endeavor had promptly sued him for defamation and left him in shambles. Before that Blacksmith had been a rich man but a lengthy legal battle had turned him bankrupt.

Izuku's phone rang.

"… hi Mei." Izuku said.

"Izuku, my man. How you doing? Has it hit you yet? That we almost died with our mouths full of shit?"

"… yeah."

"Threw up twice after I got home. Was thinking about going a third time. You?"

"… the painkillers keep me calm."

"Way to go making me feel like pussy. Izuku…?"

"… yeah?"

"I was thinking… After that… do you still want to be a hero?"

Izuku didn't have to think about his answer.

"Of course."

Mei laughed.

"That's all what I wanted to hear. Plus Ultra!"

"Plus Ultra." Izuku said.

"And don't worry about the scars. They make you look like a total badass."

The next morning Izuku had to fight a shudder when he looked into a mirror. Grandma always said he was cute as a button. There was nothing cute about him now. The left side of his face had turned red and swollen around the scars and his left eye was welded shut. Mom looked ready to faint when she saw him.

"You can take the day off if you want." Mom said.

"… I'm good." Izuku said.

At school people fell silent when they saw him. Instead of mocking laughter all he could hear was mute shock. It was a welcome change. Izuku sat at his desk like usual and tried to read to kill the time but all he could think was what All-Might had said. He'd behaved himself like a hero. He could be proud of himself. Him. Izuku Midoriya. He'd done something to be proud of.

"What the hell happened to your face?"

Bakugou was looming over his desk like usual. Wait. No. Not like usual. Something was different. Had Bakugou always been this small? Izuku put down his book.

"… Bakugou. I... want you to apologize." Izuku said.

Bakugou stared at him for a while.

"You want me to do fucking what?"

"That book you burned… was a gift from a friend. I want you to apologize for that." Izuku said.

At school Bakugou was king and no one told a king what to do. Bakugou leaned in closer and hissed like a snake in Izuku's ear.

"Who the fuck do you think you are talking to me like that?"

It took even more courage than zapping the Sludge Villain but Izuku managed to look Bakugou in the eyes.

"… who do you think you are? Picking fights with people who can't fight back? Does it make you feel big? Does it make you feel like a hero?"

Izuku hit a nerve and Bakugou drew a sharp breath. His hand turned into a hard fist. Izuku did something he never thought he'd dare. He smirked at Bakugou. The flash of his teeth made Bakugou hesitate.

"… what's wrong, Bakugou? Hit me if you want to but… I don't think they'll let you in U.A if you beat up some Quirkless freak." Izuku said.

The whole class had turned to stare at them and Bakugou was twitching while he tried to control his temper. Finally, he just gave Izuku a shove and stomped back to his desk. Izuku went back to reading while the rest of the class wondered what the hell had just happened.

The following months were busy preparing for the U.A entrance exam. After a few weeks his face settled in and he could recognize himself in the mirror again. Mei had been right The scars made him look like a badass. Three dark slashes ran on the left side of his face and turned his cute face into something formidable. His hand wasn't as pleasant to look at. The skin was a mess of pink and white blotches and had the texture of melt wax. The skin felt a size too small. The hand drew too much unwanted attention and Izuku started wearing a glove to cover it.

When he wasn't helping Mei at her father's shop, he was studying or working out. Izuku had surprised himself by founding out that he liked exercising when he finally got the hang of it and the worst of the pain passed. It was exhilarating that he was a bit faster and a bit stronger then he'd been a month ago. The pain was still there but there was a sweetness to it now. He'd burned off what little remained of his baby fat and he could make out the faint outline of a six back on his stomach. His arms grew thicker and veins stuck out from the constant exertion. The changes in his body motivated him work even harder.

Finally, the time came to walk through the U.A gates for the exam. Mei was waiting for him at the entrance and had actually made herself presentable for the occasion. She'd washed off the oil stains and traded her work overalls for a black dress and a pink leather jacket.

"Feeling nervous?" Mei said.

"… yes." Izuku admitted

"Well, don't."

"… but…"

"Trust me, Izuku. I'm smarter than anyone. If I say we can do this, we can do this. Plus Ultra!"

"… I…"

"Plus Ultra!" Mei shouted.

"… plus ultra."

"Louder! Plus Ultra!"

"Plus Ultra."

"Say it like you believe it! Plus Ultra!"

People had stopped to stare at them. The old Izuku would have shrunk from shame but he was the Izuku who had beaten the Sludge Villain. So, screw it!

"Plus Ultra!" Izuku yelled and threw his fist in the air.

"Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!" They chanted.

Suddenly a guy with spiky red hair and a friendly grin full of sharp teeth joined in.

"Plus Ultra!" The red-haired boy yelled.

Mei laughed in delight.

"Plus Ultra! We're gonna ace this bitch! Plus Ultra!"

More people followed the red-haired guy's example and started chanting with them. Soon the whole yard had joined in and only a tall, well-built student with spectacles tried to make them behave themselves. No one paid any attention to him.

"Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!"

The chant was loud enough to make U.A shudder.

Everyone took the same written exam despite what department they were applying for. Izuku had prepared his whole life for this moment and the biggest challenge was fitting everything he wanted to say in such small space. Then came the practical exam. Izuku looked on with envy while the Hero Course applicants moved on to combat training. Finally, Mei had to drag him with her.

The applicants were divided into four groups and to Izuku's dismay he was separated from Mei. For their practical training the Support Department applicants had to assemble a machine from the pieces laid before them. Izuku looked at the parts, and a map was drawn in his mind on how they went together. He'd cracked harder eggs with Mei on his third month. Izuku got to work with his screwdriver and ten minutes later he was holding an alarm clock.

This can't be all, Izuku thought.

The practical exam had to have multiple parts. Then he looked around. Majority had barely gotten started. Those who hadn't been completely absorbed in their work looked at him with wonder and envy. Was this really all? Izuku raised his hand nervously.

"Yes?" The teacher said.

"… I'm done. What's the next problem?"

The teacher looked at him puzzled.

"Excuse me?"

"… I… I'm ready for the next problem." Izuku said louder.

The teacher walked up to him, picked up the clock and looked at it. He looked at it for a long time. Then he gave it shake. The hands kept on turning and he shifted his gaze to Izuku. The teacher leaned in closer to whisper in his ear.

"There is no second part. You're done. Welcome to the Support Department, young man."

Izuku left the classroom in a daze. Mei was waiting for him in the hallway grinning like a lunatic because of course she was.

"What did I say, Izuku? God, it hurts to be this awesome."

Shuichi was laying low in his hideout with Mustard. Not just from the cops but from Shi Hassaikai as well. After the fiasco with the Sludge Villain cops had started looking for them. They'd also sent people to question Overhaul who was less than appreciative of the attention and Overhaul's displeasure was known to kill people. They were laying on the couch watching TV waiting for someone to come and kill them when Shuichi gagged.

"For fuck sake, Mustard! Are you trying to kill me?" Shuichi complained.

"Wasn't me." Mustard protested.

"Well, it wasn't me either."

Mustard groaned.

"Goddamn it. Is the toilet clogged again?"

With heavy heart Shuichi checked the bathroom… and saw green slime climbing out of the sink.

"… slime boy?"

It was slime boy. A very small part of him and it was on its last legs. Spinner had seen slime boy separate himself into multiple parts, but he'd never guessed the copies could survive so far from the host.

"… Spinner… Mustard… you have to hear this. It's about… All-Might…" Slime boy said.