Shouto coughed out smoke that made his eyes sting. What the hell was going on?! Did Midoriya have a secret weapon he didn't know about? Had he been bluffing? Shouto created more ice in the wall separating them. Once the grey mist dissipated, he would…

Then he heard Hatsume's voice coming out of the loudspeakers.

"Sorry for the wait everyone! I'm the director of Project: Indestructible! Mei Hatsume! And it is my honor to introduce the next Symbol of Peace! The hero Indestructible!"

Despite his Quirk cooling his body a sweat drop ran down Shouto's back. This… this couldn't be happening. This had to be against the rules!

"Kick his ass, Izuku! Kick his ass! Show him what a real man looks like! There's a penny in my fuck box!"

What's a fuck box, Shouto thought.

"What a twist! I'm sure this tournament will be remembered for years to come!" Present Mic said.

Somewhere in the background Eraserhead gave a defeated sigh.

A crack appeared in Shouto's ice wall. What in the name of God was going on?! That wall of ice could have stopped a car! He heard a crunch when something struck the ice and then broke through. Shouto covered his face when ice shards flew towards him. Someone was walking through the smoke. He could see an orange light cut through the smoke.

No. No! This was impossible! The armor had been broken! This couldn't be happening!

Indestructible stepped out of the smoke.

The armor's green plating had been tied together with dark blue fiber and the smooth design reminded him of some huge predatory insect. And it was eyeing him like food. A visor that covered the user's face glowed with orange light. It was everything he didn't want it to be. Well protected and powerful but not too heavy to slow down the wearer.

For a moment Shouto was a child again. Training with his father. He was hesitating. Uncertain. Scared. All things father would punish him for. He wouldn't be punished! He wouldn't cry! He wouldn't complain! And he wouldn't back down! He would…!

Indestructible came at him with speed that could rival Iida's. He crafted new walls between them but Indestructible seemed to always know just where to hit to bring them down. What was going on?! Why wasn't it stopping?! Why couldn't it just give up?! No matter what he did, the thing just kept coming at him! This couldn't be happening! That thing was no All-Might! He wouldn't lose to some piece of junk!

"Shouto."

Even with all the distance between them, Shouto could hear his father's growl. Or had he imagined it? He had to. But he could still feel Endeavor's glare. He knew what father wanted to tell him. He wasn't pleased. He expected his heir to do better. Shouto would do better. There were never any rewards for doing well. His reward was a lack of punishment. No! He wasn't done yet!

When Indestructible broke through another ice barrier, Shouto was ready. He blasted the armor with everything he had. All of his Quirk! All of his pain and resentment! He held nothing back! No. Not quite. But he would not sink to that level! He would not sacrifice the last place in his soul Endeavor hadn't left his mark on. Not now! Not ever! He just had to stop Indestructible for long enough to be declared winner. He just…

Why didn't the damn thing stop?!

Even when it was covered in ice, Indestructible wouldn't stop! Scalding vapor rose from its surface when its internal power source burned the ice away. What kind of a monster had Hatsume created?! He couldn't lose here! Not when Endeavor was watching!

Then Indestructible was on him.

Shouto changed his strategy and coated his fists with ice. It didn't matter how powerful Indestructible was, the one wielding it was still a complete novice when it came to fighting. Even the way Midoriya walked had betrayed his inexperience. He on the other hand had earned his first black belt before his tenth birthday. He'd beat this thing with his bare hands if he had to!

Indestructible was holding back its punches. Trying to beat him without hurting him. It was too soft! There was no holding back in a fight! A real fight! Indestructible would regret turning this into a real fight! He aimed for the head. Pounding at it with all his power and the ice coating his fists made his blows even more powerful. No one could take hits like that!

So, why wasn't Indestructible going down?!

Every punch connected! He felt it!

"Don't look down on me!" Shouto yelled and threw a punch.

Indestructible grabbed his fist. Panic made Shouto throw another haymaker with his free hand but Indestructible caught that too. The steel fingers squeezed, and the ice cracked. Shouto's fingers were creaking and the pain brought him to his knees.

For the first time, Indestructible spoke. Its voice had a steel like echo to it.

"I win."

Tears burned Shouto's eyes. Not like this! Mother! Where was mom?! Why wouldn't she come and save him?! Where was she?! When he needed help?!

Help! Mom! All-Might! Anyone, Shouto prayed.

No one would come. What had he expected? He had learned that a long time ago. He was alone. So, he would have to save himself.

Shouto ignited his other Quirk.


For the briefest moment Izuku wondered how he was supposed to be able to fight in such a heavy armor. Then he turned on the power and a load came off his shoulders. This… he had been looking for this his entire life. This feeling. Was this how All-Might felt? How Bakugou had felt? Invincible? He wouldn't just survive anymore. Never again. He was done surviving. From here on out, he'd excel. Mom would never have to worry about him. No one would call him a Quirkless freak ever again!

"Daddy? Can you hear me?" Sagan said.

"Loud and clear. Good to have you back, Sagan." Indestructible said.

"Good to be back."

Indestructible grinned.

"Ready to kick ass?"

"What I was made for." Sagan said.

A mountain of ice stood between him and Todoroki. Sagan did some quick calculations and found its weak spots. Indestructible clenched his fists and threw a punch. With a few blows he brought down a mountain. Todoroki's look told him just how close he was to victory, but Todoroki wasn't going down easy and threw more ice at him but now he just looked like a one trick pony. Indestructible crushed his way through to his enemy. There was a strain in his arms and legs. His strained ankle took the most of it, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. For now.

"Sagan? How much power am I using right now?" Indestructible said.

"Seventy percent of the armors maximum capabilities. Going over that and you'll risk hurting yourself. At this level, the armor has enough power to run for ten minutes. Overheating will become a problem in six." Sagan said.

"Overheating?"

"The armor will start cooking you alive." Sagan said.

"Sweet Jesus."

"Don't worry. Mommy made extra sure to guard your crotch. Everything else can be replaced." Sagan said.

"Sagan. Never mention my crotch. I'm your… dad. That's weird."

Sagan laughed.

"Okay, daddy."

"Good." Indestructible said and smiled: "Ten minutes, huh? All I need is one."

When he busted through the ice and charged at Todoroki, Todoroki changed his strategy. He used his ice to craft his own armor and started trading blows with Indestructible. It was impossible not to be impressed. He would never allow anyone to call Todoroki a coward. The armor gave Indestructible a monumental difference in raw power, but Todoroki cleared it with skill alone. He'd have to polish his technique with Momo and Ojiro.

Todoroki had his Quirk and his skills but Indestructible had something else. He had Deku crying at the back of his mind. Deku was always crying. He had more than amble reason. Todoroki's words echoed in his mind and played off Deku's weeps.

Give it up. Not everyone can be a hero. I'm trying to help you.

It wasn't just Todoroki he was facing. It was every teacher he'd ever had. It was every schoolmate he'd ever had. It was everyone who'd ever told him to give it up. Because he was a Quirkless freak who could never be a hero! Todoroki wasn't just Todoroki! He was Bakugou!

He grabbed Todoroki's fist and when he tried to punch him with his other hand, Indestructible took that one too. Indestructible looked down on Todoroki… and every enemy who would have seen him fail.

"I win." Indestructible said.

In response Todoroki burst into flames. The armor screamed a hundred different kinds of warnings that he would have never been able to make sense of without Sagan.

"Dad! You need to run! The armor can't handle this! It's already starting to overheat!" Sagan said.

The arena had been set ablaze and all he could see was fire. Todoroki had disappeared amidst the flames. What was going on?! He had found no mention that Todoroki could control fire like his father! The armor was heat resistant, but the shock fiber wasn't. It burst into flames and Indestructible could only watch as his defenses turned into kindle. He was already starting to feel the heat.

"How much time do I have?" Indestructible said.

"Fifty seconds. If that!" Sagan said.

Without the shock absorbing fiber, Indestructible felt Todoroki's next punch even through his helmet. He stumbled, and Todoroki felt emboldened enough to punch him again. This time in the stomach. The ice protecting Todoroki's fists should have melted in the inferno, but he was creating new ice faster than it could melt. Indestructible tried grabbing Todoroki's fist again but when he got a hold of his fist, Todoroki spat fire at him. He felt the heat even through the helmet.

Something blew up in his ear.

Indestructible let out a mechanical scream of pain when the earpiece blew up in the heat and took his eardrum with it. The pain was the worst he'd ever felt. A centipede was eating its way through his ear canal and into his brain. His skull was on fire. Sagan's voice became a garbled mess like she was speaking a dead language.

Even then Todoroki kept coming.

His attack grew more vicious and precise. He kept punching the helmet and every blow send a new wave of pain through his deaf ear. The agony would have knocked him out if not for a new blow of pain to shake him awake.

"Shock!" Indestructible said not sure if Sagan heard him.

He felt current running through the gloves and swiped at Todoroki's face. When Todoroki backed away to protect his eyes, Indestructible forced the pain in check using a lifetime of ambitions and obsessions as a painkiller. Not yet! He wasn't done yet! Scarred face! Maimed hand! Deaf ear! He would never betray his dream! The world could throw all of it at him and he'd fight till his dying breath!

"Sagan! Full power!" Indestructible commanded.

It wasn't easy, but he could make out her response if he concentrated.

"Your body can't handle it!"

"I only need a few seconds! I'm not giving up here!" Indestructible said.

Sagan hesitated but then relented.

"… okay."

The armor's internal engine roared when it was pushed to its limits. The strain grew worse and wasn't anymore something he could just ignore. The pain in his ear numbed it all out. He was stronger than pain! He was Indestructible!

When Todoroki came at him, Indestructible was ready.

They went at each other with everything they had and fought amongst the flames. Todoroki coated himself entirely in an armor made of ice to counter his punches and the heat had started to mess with Sagan's programming. The visor was damaged and couldn't pin point the weaknesses anymore. They were in a stalemate. Indestructible didn't have time to form a strategy or find a weakness. This was a test of might.

Then he just had to be more powerful!

"Plus Ultra!" Indestructible screamed.

He grabbed Todoroki's waist and tried to throw them both off the arena. Todoroki figured out what he was trying to do and used the ice to root himself in place while trying to boil Indestructible inside the armor.

"No! You! Don't! Plus Ultra! Shock!" Indestructible said.

Todoroki screamed when the current ran through the gloves into him. Indestructible punched him in the face and broke his ice armor. Along with his fingers.

"More power!" Indestructible said and pushed.

His knees groaned. Then they flew.

Indestructible made sure that Todoroki was the first to hit the ground. When he was lying in the ground, the power went out and the armor turned into a steel prison.

"Sagan? Thank you." Indestructible… Izuku said.

"Happy to help. Looking forward to…" Sagan said before the power went out.

Izuku took the helmet off. His face was baked in sweat and blood flowing from his ear had painted the right side of his face red. The pain was a constant hum and all he could hear. His right hand was on fire and the broken fingers an agony all to themselves if he wasn't too tired to feel pain. Why was it always the jerk off hand?

"I see it, but I don't believe it! The Quirkless inventor from Support has knocked out the prince of 1-A! Let the boy hear you roar! Plus Ultra!"

Present Mic's words cut through the humming and the applause were loud enough for Izuku to feel them on his skin. Despite how hurt he was, he smiled. He'd done it! All his life people had said he couldn't do it when all he had needed was for one person to give him a chance. He'd done it! But he wasn't finished! All-Might was never satisfied with just getting the job done and he'd be like All-Might!

Despite the armor weighting him down like a mountain, despite the agony in his ear and the pain in his ankle and hand, he forced himself back on his feet. Through a monumental force of will he threw his broken fist into the air like All-Might would have.

"Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible!" Mei yelled through the loudspeaker and the audience joined her.

Tears were flowing down Izuku's cheek but not from the pain. This was everything he'd ever wanted. It was the greatest day of his life! He kept his fist in the air for as long as he could, and he would've loved nothing more than to let this moment last forever but finally his body gave out and he fell back into the ground.

"Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible!" Everyone at the stadium roared.

Todoroki turned to look at him. Both were too spent move and Todoroki could only manage a tired smile.

"Congratulations."

"… thanks. You… you almost won." Izuku said.

"Almost doesn't cut it." Todoroki said.

"And the winner is! Shouto Todoroki! Izuku Midoriya is disqualified due to outside interference!" Present Mic said.

"What?!" Izuku and Todoroki said.

"What?! This is bullshit! He was hiding a Quirk! I just…!" Mei yelled.

Aizawa-sensei stole his microphone back.

"The match is over. Midoriya. Todoroki. Wait for Recovery Girl. As for you, Hatsume. Principal's office. Now!"

Recovery Girl rushed to their side with her aides. Todoroki shook his head when help was offered and got up himself. His feet quivered under him but one of the nurses caught him before he fell.

"Don't push yourself." Recovery Girl said and turned to look at Izuku: "How do we take the armor off?"

"Let me help."

Blacksmith was running towards them. When he used his Quirk to remove the armor, he was careful not to hurt Izuku any further. Even if he had, Izuku was too numbed to notice. Recovery Girl leaned in closer to look at his wounds. Aside from his broken fingers and busted eardrum, there were second degree burns all over his arms and legs. She gave him a smooch that blew the pain away.

"You just won yourself a trip to the hospital. This is something that can't be fixed with a kiss." Recovery Girl said.

"I'll let your mother know." Blacksmith said and then looked at Todoroki: "You alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be. They said I won, didn't they?" Todoroki said bitterly and walked away.

His legs were shaking but he managed to stay on his feet. Blacksmith looked after him with… something. It was an emotion Izuku didn't have a word for.

"Ken. Help us carry him." Recovery Girl said.

Blacksmith flinched and turned back to Izuku. Without saying a word, he lifted Izuku in his back like he weighted nothing. Despite being past forty Blacksmith was still strong and fit. With Izuku in his back, he started walking towards the nurse's office without a visible effort.

"That was a good showing, Midoriya. You should be proud instead of sulking." Blacksmith said.

"… I lost." Izuku said.

"By a decision. Those don't count." Blacksmith said.

Tsu was lying in one of the beds in the nurse's office watching TV when they got in. She nodded at Izuku when she saw him, and Blacksmith put him down on one of the beds. She almost leaped out of the bed when she saw the burns in his hands and feet. Izuku was past caring. He'd won… and still lost.

"Izuku! Your legs and…! What happened to your ear?!" Tsu said.

"The earpiece blew up." Blacksmith said and looked at Izuku's bloodied ear: "Bad news, Midoriya. I think you got yourself a cauliflower ear."

"Are you… will you be alright?" Tsu said.

Blacksmith smiled at her.

"Don't worry. Recovery Girl has fixed worse."

Tsu was able to calm down a little.

"Okay." She said and then offered her hand to Blacksmith: "Tsuyu Asui."

"Ken Hatsume. Mei's father."

"I know. It's the hair."

"… Mei's on TV." Izuku said.

They all turned to look at the TV. The media had gone rabid and where falling over each other to get the closest to Mei when she was being dragged to the principal's office by Aizawa-sensei and Power Loader. She had her own Project: Indestructible jacket on although hers was pink.

"See?! Did you fuckers see?! I was right! Science can beat Quirks! And U.A couldn't handle it! Cheating fuckers! Visit Team Indestructible's website and leave a donation! In return no child has to grow without a jet pack! Look forward to Team Indestructible's agency's grand opening!" Mei said.

One of the reporters got close enough to shove a microphone in Mei's face before Aizawa-sensei could push her away.

"Anything else you want to say?" The reporter said.

"Reality is an illusion created by lizard people!" Mei yelled before Aizawa-sensei banged to school doors shut in the media's face.

"… uh. You heard it here first. We'll try to get an interview with Indestructible later." The reporter said.

Izuku, Tsu and Blacksmith stared dumbfounded at the TV until the school's loudspeaker system came on.

"Could Ken Hatsume come to the principal's office?" Principal Nezu said through the loudspeakers.

"Guess that's my cue." Blacksmith said and patted Izuku's shoulder: "Rest. I'll take care of the armor."

When they were alone Tsu turned to look at him.

"I think your match was the best. I… didn't know Todoroki could do that." Tsu said.

"… I liked your fight with Bakugou more." Izuku said.

Tsu started croaking and looked away.

The door opened and Mineta waltzed in.

"Man, that was a weird interview." Mineta said.

"Is Uraraka with you?" Tsu said.

"Don't worry. She left for an angry pussy hunt. Seeing her was an… eye opening experience." Mineta said and sat down: "How are you two holding up?"

"Frostbite." Tsu said.

"… broken hand. Burns. Busted ear." Izuku said.

"I know what will make you feel better." Mineta said and took out his phone.

"… what is it?" Izuku said.

"Just little something we did during the halftime while you were buried in your workshop." Mineta said.

Tsu had gone pale. Izuku could hear singing when Mineta clicked a video on his phone.

"A 1! A 2! A winner is you! Yay! A winner is A! 1-A!"

"You… you promised not to film that!" Tsu said.

"And I didn't. Uraraka did. She just mailed it to me." Mineta said.

Izuku peeked at the phone and saw… Tsu, Momo, Jiro, Mina and Hagakure doing a cheerleader dance while dressed as cheerleaders.

"No!" Tsu said.

"… what?... how?... what?" Izuku said.

"Emotions were running pretty high after the cavalry battle and the ladies thought it was a good idea at the time." Mineta said.

"You lying…!" Tsu said.

"Hey. I'm doing this as a favor to you. We all know you wanted him to see it." Mineta said.

"… what?" Izuku said.

Tsu's tongue lashed out and grabbed the phone from Mineta's hand.

"Delete!" Tsu said.

"Curse you, Tsu." Mineta said and then just shrugged: "Fuck it. Just fuck it. Seeing Uraraka made me realize some harsh truths. If you need me, I'll be at home, rethinking my life."

Momo and Ojiro sent him messages asking if he was alright. Izuku didn't have the strength to answer them and was soon moved to the hospital where he would stay until Sunday. He was so far beyond caring about a lost weekend that it was almost laughable. He couldn't even concentrate at what mom was saying when she came to visit. She was breathing hellfire when she saw the state he was in, but Recovery Girl managed to calm her down by promising that U.A would pay for his treatment and the hearing aid would make him good as new.

Before mom left, she promised to come back again tomorrow and told him to rest. Izuku could only nod.

He'd never been so tired, but he couldn't sleep. The audiences chant still echoed in his ears. Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! Indestructible! It had been his moment and… and then… it wasn't.

Tears burned in Izuku's eyes and he wiped them away.

He had to calm down. Have something else to think about. Present Mic's late-night radio program was about to start and Izuku reached for his phone. He turned the radio on clumsily with his left hand and lied back in his bed.

"Welcome boys and girls to an evening with Present Mic! I'm your host whose name is in the title! Present Mic! And what a day we've had! The annual U.A tournament came to an end in a spectacular fashion and we all have much to discuss! Let's see what our first caller has to say about today's events." Present Mic said and opened a line: "Welcome! What…"

"You son of a bitch!" Mei screamed: "You cheating puss bucket! I demand you call that rat bastard Nezu and make him declare Indestructible the winner!"

Present Mic just laughed.

"We already talked about this at school, Hatsume. For three hours as a matter of fact. Using gadgets was allowed. Outside assistance wasn't."

"I hope your family dies of dick rot! I hope your mother and sisters grow dicks, so they can rot off! People like you are the reason God stopped caring!"

"And let's move on." Present Mic said and hung up on Mei before letting another caller through: "Hello! I'm Present Mic and…"

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, dick cheese! Sagan is jamming the phone lines! You're in my world now bitch and the only god you'll know is pain!" Mei screamed.

"We'll be right back, folks!" Present Mic said.

A metal cover of Toto's Africa started playing. Izuku counted the seconds to see if the insane tug of war would go on but when the song ended much to Izuku's disappointment Present Mic had managed to purge Mei from his system.

"Sorry about that, folks. We're back now! Let's hear from our next caller." Present Mic said and let a new caller through.

"Wassup?! It's yer girl Toga!"

Izuku sighed and turned the radio off. He closed his eyes ad tried not to think about his defeat. He'd been so close. So close! If they'd just finished the armor faster, then…

He floated in darkness for a while until he felt someone being in the room with him. Izuku forced himself awake and opened his eyes.

A short, lean man was sitting next to his bed and playing with his phone. Like his phone and watch his dark suit was expensive. He had a mess of dark hair and… freckles on his cheeks. The man looked up from his phone and flashed him a boyish grin.

"Hello, Izuku." Izuku's father Hisashi Midoriya said.


Shuichi turned his iPad off. Too bad. He'd been cheering for Indestructible.

"Man, that sucks." Shuichi said.

"… he should've won." Eri said.

"He did. The school just stole it from him. That's how it goes with them. If you don't do what they want, they'll just rob you." Shuichi said.

One of the manor's doors opened and Overhaul stepped out. Eri's face grew even paler. Overhaul looked at her with those flat eyes that had all emotion sucked out of them a long time ago if he even had any to begin with.

"Eri. It's time." Overhaul said.

Eri hid behind Shuichi. She was crying.

"I… I don't want to! You promised! Not today!"

"I changed my mind. Don't make me repeat myself." Overhaul said.

Shuichi put his hand on Eri's shoulder.

"She said she doesn't want to go." Shuichi said.

Overhaul turned his empty gaze to him.

"What?"

"I said…"

"I heard you. You're telling me what to do? In my house? After I gave you shelter?!"

A sweat drop ran down Shuichi's face. This was a bad idea. Why was he trying to protect a girl he didn't even know? Why had he stepped in to save Mustard when they were kids? Guess he couldn't help himself.

"Dude. You're scaring a kid."

Overhaul's eyes narrowed.

"Fine. Then stop me. Knock off my mask and I'll let her go. For today." Overhaul said.

"You swear?"

Shuichi turned to see Rappa standing at the door into the manor and looking at them.

"You swear, Overhole? Wouldn't look good if you went back on your word." Rappa said.

Overhaul bared his teeth behind his mask.

"I swear."

Shuichi glanced at Eri and saw a child looking for a hero. Indestructible had thrown down even when he'd been unarmed and outmatched. How could he be any worse? Shuichi slid out of his leather jacket.

"Eri. Get back." Shuichi said.

Rappa took Eri's hand and led her away.

Overhaul was flexing his fingers. He didn't seem to have any enhanced physical abilities. Unlike Shuichi. His mutation had made his hide strong enough to repel knives. He was faster and stronger than an average man and healed faster to boot. Then there was his secret weapon.

"Come." Overhaul said.

Shuichi waited. If Overhaul wanted him, he could come to him. Finally, Overhaul grew impatient and rushed him. When Overhaul tried to grab him, Shuichi popped out his poisonous barbs. Overhaul yelped and looked at his bleeding hand. He stared at his own blood in disbelief. Had anyone ever made the smug sociopath bleed? Now all he had to do was let the poison do its thing and…

Overhaul attacked again, and this time plunged his hand through the spikes. There was an explosion and then… nothing.

"Shuichi!"

Mustard was leaning over him and looking horrified. Somewhere Eri was screaming. He got up and saw Overhaul dragging Eri inside the mansion. When he tried to run after her, Rappa stopped him.

"Let it go. You lost. He won't be as forgiving the next time." Rappa said.

"He… he blew you up." Mustard said.

"Yeah. Overhole does that. Done it to me a couple of times." Rappa said.

"Couple…? What…? What is he doing to Eri?" Shuichi said.

Rappa looked away.

"You have balls, kid, but you're better off not knowing." Rappa said and left.

Shuichi should have been terrified… and he was but… after Toga, Overhaul was nothing. At least the man was human. He wasn't so sure about Toga. It would take more than that to scare him obedient.

"Mustard."

"Yeah?"

"We're getting Eri out of here."


"Hello, Izuku." Hisashi Midoriya said.

Izuku could only stare. Was… was this a dream? A nightmare? Hisashi put his phone away and laid back in the plastic chair.

"Rough day, huh? You been working out? You used to be such a little twig."

"… dad?" Izuku said.

"Indeed. I'm a dad."

"… I… you… why are you here?"

"That is a good question. It all started this morning when I was working at home and my younger son burst in wanting to know why someone who looked just like me and had the same last name as me was competing in the U.A tournament. Missus didn't appreciate the situational comedy and kicked me out of the house until I had a chat with to you. So, here I am."

"… that's it?!"

"Well, I may have also heard that this Project: Indestructible of yours was making a killing. You got any loose change to share with your old man?"

"… you… you walked out on me when I was five! Me and mom! Because I was Quirkless! And you! Joke?!" Izuku yelled.

For a moment Hisashi looked confused. Then he seemed to remember something important.

"Oh, yeah. Darn. Foiled again." Hisashi said and got up: "Well, nice chat, son. Let's do this again never."

What had that look been about? When he'd still been naïve enough to lie to himself, Izuku had pretended that Hisashi had had good reasons. He was secretly an under-cover hero who had left to protect his family from his enemies. And then… someday he would come back. Everything would be explained, and they'd be a family again.

Hisashi had never come back.

So, what had been with that look? Was… was there something he didn't know? Some secret reason? Anything would be better than the truth. Anything!

"Wait! Dad!"

Hisashi stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

"… why?" Izuku said.

Hisashi sighed.

"Izuku, after ten years does the why really matter?"

"… I want the truth. Please. You… you never gave me anything else."

"Now that is a filthy lie. I've always payed the child support in time." Hisashi said and scratched the stubble on his jaw: "Izuku, sometimes you're better off not knowing."

"… please." Izuku said and turned on the puppy dog eyes.

His puppy dog eyes had beaten Recovery Girl. Hisashi didn't stand a chance. He sighed again. Louder.

"Fine. But you only have yourself to blame."

Hisashi sat back down and… poured himself a drink from a flask into one of the plastic cups on the nightstand. Izuku could only stare at the flask. Hisashi looked at him and then at the flask before shaking it.

"Want some?"

"… I'm sixteen." Izuku said.

"Didn't slow me down when I was your age. Hit he bottle harder than stepdad smacked me." Hisashi said and filled another cup that he handed to Izuku.

"Come on, son. Live a little. God knows you could use it after the day you've had. Saw the video with Bakugou. That boy is one cold-blooded gangster. What the hell happened? He used to be adorable."

Hisashi clinked Izuku's glass with his own before taking a sip. Then he started laughing.

"I remember this one time when you were four. He walked up to me like king shit of douchebag mountain and told me he was marrying you when you grew up and you'd run a hero agency together. And there was nothing I could do about it. I laughed my ass off." Hisashi said and sighed again: "Guess that didn't pan out. Are you gay by the way?"

"… what?"

"Inko just told me how she walked in on you two without knocking when you were playing and…"

"Dad!" Izuku said.

He just pecked me on the cheek, Izuku thought.

"Bi then I guess. Probably came from me. I did experiment in college." Hisashi said and stared at his drink: "What were we talking about again?"

"You left. Why?" Izuku said.

"Oh yeah. Well, you're sixteen. I'm thirty-seven. You do the math. I had you when I was twenty-one. Do I need to say more?" Hisashi said.

"… what?"

"I guess some context is needed. I'd just graduated from college and had bullshitted myself a very nice job in a very nice company. One that I still work for, by the way. Good gig but not many people my age. Besides the green-haired intern. We ate lunch together and killed time flirting. Really hit it off."

Hisashi emptied his glass and filled it again.

"Then the Christmas party happened. Me and Inko destroyed a bottle of whiskey together and… one thing led to another."

Hisashi was quiet for a while and Izuku dared to take a sip from his glass. It tasted terrible.

"Anyway, two weeks later I was nurturing a hangover when I got a call no twenty-year old wants to have. I promised to take Inko to the… clinic." Hisashi said.

"… what?!"

"We got stuck in a traffic for three hours. Want to know what you can do with that kind of time? Get cold feet, convince a woman you barely know to have your baby and marry you. That's what."

Hisashi emptied his glass but didn't bother filling it again and drank straight from the flask.

"I realized I'd fucked up when it was way too late and… for the next five years I hacked it the best I could. Beat my old man's record. He walked out when I was four. Naturally, I resented you the whole way for stealing my youth. I was dying, son. I needed a way out and then… you got diagnosed. I started a fight with Inko and ended it with walking out."

Izuku stared at Hisashi. There… there had to be more. This couldn't be all!

"And then?"

"Happy you asked. Went back to getting drunk on my off time and playing video games. Good times. Then I grew up and got married again when I hit thirty."

Hisashi emptied his flask but didn't look or sound drunk.

"You wanted the truth, Izuku? Here it is. I didn't want you. Having you was a mistake… but I guess... so was walking out on you."

Tears were stinging Izuku's eyes.

"… why? Why?! You…! You could have visited! Called! Anything!"

"When you leave like that, you kinda burn your bridges. Well? Feel better?" Hisashi said.

"… no." Izuku said.

"Yeah. Didn't think so. I'm sorry."

"… you're sorry? You… you think that will fix anything?"

"No. There's no fixing it or making up for ten years. If there is, I'm all ears. Want my advice? Figure that shit out fast because my dad walked out on me like I walked out on you. You're probably the same."

Izuku found a good use for the drink Hisashi had poured him and threw it in his face.

"… get out."

"Fair enough." Hisashi said and wiped his face.

Hisashi was halfway out of the door when he turned back and took out card from his pocket. He put the card on Izuku's nightstand.

"Here's my number if you want to scream at me some more and… congratulations. For making it to U.A. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get drunk before I go home tomorrow."

Izuku didn't get much sleep after that. He stared at the ceiling through out the night until mom entered the room in the morning. She only had to take one look at him to know something was wrong.

"Izuku?" Mom said.

Izuku turned to look at her.

"…mom."

"What's wrong?"

We got stuck in a traffic for three hours. Want to know what you can do with that kind of time? Get cold feet, convince a woman you barely know to have your baby and marry you. I didn't want you. Having you was a mistake.

Izuku started crying.

"… mom. I'm sorry, mom! I'm so sorry!"

Mom noticed the card on the table and after a moment of shock pulled him into a hug.

"It's okay, Izuku. It's okay. I'm here. I love you."

Izuku hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I love you." Mom said.

Mom held him until he stopped crying. It was hard to look her in the eyes afterwards. He was sixteen and still crying like a little kid. Mom seemed to understand and just gave him the magazines and hand-held console to kill time. There was also a letter. Who wrote letters in this day and age? Izuku picked up the letter but didn't recognize the handwriting.

"It was sent to U.A and they delivered it to me." Mom said.

"… okay."

"I talked to the doctor and he promised you'd be out by Sunday."

"… okay." Izuku said.

"I'll come pick you up tomorrow. Anything you want to eat?"

"… curry."

Mom smiled.

"Curry it is." Mom said and tried to take the card Hisashi had left.

"… no. Leave it." Izuku said.

"You sure?"

"… yeah."

"Okay." Mom said and hugged him: "Love you."

"… love you too, mom."

When Izuku was alone, he tried playing a game but couldn't concentrate. The broken hand didn't do him any favors either. He put down the console with a heavy sigh and picked up the letter and tore it open. Breath stuck in his throat when he saw a child's handwriting.

INDESTRUCTIBLE

I WAS DIAGNOSED QUIRKLESS. CAN I STILL BE A HERO?

Izuku stared at the letter in shock. This… this couldn't be happening.

There was a knock on the door.

"Midoriya."

Todoroki stood at the door. He was dressed in a smart casual way and there was a large bruise on his face.

"… Todoroki? You… your face?"

Todoroki rubbed the bruise.

"You didn't go easy on me."

Odd. Izuku could have sworn he had avoided punching Todoroki's face during the fight out of fear that he'd knock it off. But then again, things had gotten crazy in the end.

"Can we talk?" Todoroki said.

"… I… yes. Sure. Please. Sit."

"I won't be here long. I just wanted to congratulate you and give you this." Todoroki said and handed him the medal for first place in the tournament.

"What?! I… it's yours. I… I was disqualified."

"We were holding back and when we went all out, you beat me. Take it. Don't embarrass me any further."

After some hesitation Izuku took the medal.

"… thank you." Izuku said.

"For what? I just returned what's yours." Todoroki said and glanced at his bandaged ear: "Look… about your ear… I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean it to…"

"I know. I'll be getting a hearing aid." Izuku said.

"You're awfully chill about this." Todoroki said.

Izuku showed his maimed hand that had been bandaged.

"Not the first time I broke something."

Todoroki nodded and then just stood there awkwardly. Both of them tried to figure out where to go from here. Talking to Mei was so much easier. Every conversation happened on her terms and he just had to follow her lead. He… he hadn't really talked to people before attending U.A.

"… about your Quirk…" Izuku said.

Todoroki flinched. A flurry of emotions briefly lighted his face. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. He could feel it. He just didn't know what it was.

"I… don't like using it. It… puts too much strain on me and… it's hard enough to master one Quirk." Todoroki said.

That was a bold-faced lie. What didn't Todoroki want him to know?

"Well… uh… good talk. I… I need to get going." Todoroki said.

"Wait. Todoroki… I'm sorry about what I said. How I acted. I know you were only worried. I was thinking… maybe we could start over."

Todoroki looked at him and seemed utterly lost.

"… do you want my number? We could text." Izuku said.

"I… yes?... uh… what do we text about?"

"… um… stuff?" Izuku suggested.

"Stuff? Stuff sounds good." Todoroki said.

After Todoroki left, Izuku looked at the medal and then put it under his pillow for good luck. He thought Todoroki would be his last visitor, but he was wrong. Half an hour later a nurse peeked in.

"Midoriya?"

"… yeah?"

"There's this very sick looking man here to see you. He claims to be your teacher." The nurse said.

All-Might!

"Yes!... I mean… yes. Please. Let him in." Izuku said.

All-Might had ditched his yellow suit for a baggy t-shirt and jeans. He was holding a gift basket. The nurse gave him a suspicious look before leaving them alone.

"I think she thought I was a junkie." All-Might said.

Izuku… couldn't really blame the nurse. In his withered form All-Might didn't have a face that inspired trust.

"How you holding up, my boy?" All-Might said.

"… I… I'll go home tomorrow." Izuku said.

"Glad to hear it." All-Might said and sat down.

He opened the gift basket.

"I brought tea and cookies. I know from experience that hospital food leaves something to be desired."

"… yeah."

All-Might poured them tea and Izuku tried one of the cookies.

"… these are really good." Izuku said.

"Thank you. I baked them myself." All-Might said and then smiled awkwardly: "I'm sorry, my boy, but we need to talk about Bakugou."

"… okay." Izuku said.

"We took down the video of your fight and… what he said. There are copies but we're hunting them down." All-Might said.

"… how did you make Mei agree?"

"We didn't. Her father did."

"… okay." Izuku said and looked at his tea: "Is… Bakugou in trouble?"

"Oh, yes. His mother was spitting fire. There was even talk about kicking him out of U.A. Power Loader was very adamant about that. I was against it. For now, he's on probation. Would you have wanted him to get kicked out?"

"… I… don't know. I thought… seeing him suffer would make me happy but… it just made me feel worse."

"Good. Taking joy in others suffering leads to a very ugly place. I'm glad I was right about you."

"… I shouldn't have uploaded it." Izuku said.

"True and Bakugou shouldn't have said what he did. You made a mistake and will do better next time."

All-Might ate a cookie and washed it down with some tea.

"Would you like to hear a story?" All-Might said.

"…sure."

All-Might told him a story that started two-hundred years ago. Two brothers were born. The younger one was seemingly Quirkless but the older one had the power to take and give Quirks.

"The older brother was, what we in the business call, a massive asshole. He used his power to take over Japan's underworld." All-Might said and looked out the window: "That man's name is lost to time, but he called himself All For One."

Even though he was powerless, the younger brother opposed All For One. Then, for reasons All-Might could only guess All For One gave a Quirk to his powerless brother. A power that enhanced his abilities.

"What All For One didn't know, was that his brother did have a Quirk already. Like him, he could pass on Quirks. That's how One For All was born. The brothers fought and All For One won."

"… okay."

"A downer I know but before he died, One For All passed on his Quirk and the war continued through heirs for the next two-hundred years."

"… he was immortal?"

"He stole a Quirk that made him one. Finally, One For All came to me." All-Might said and pulled up his shirt.

A gnarly scar covered All-Might's side.

"I fought All For One and… beat him. But not before he blew my stomach open. Now, I'm fifty-two and wounded. My career will be over soon. It has come time to pass on One For All to a new vessel and I can't think of a better candidate than you."

Izuku's heart skipped a beat.

"… me?"

"Yes. That's what I said." All-Might said and pulled out a yellow hair: "If you eat this, you'll be next wielder of One For All."

Izuku looked at All-Might and saw everything he wanted to be. Powerful. Confident. Loved. The hero he dreamed of being. And now… he could. Even when he was diagnosed Quirkless, even when everyone told him to give it up, he never stopped dreaming. Even when he had no hope, he'd never stopped dreaming. Life without hope… was a terrible thing to live.

INDESTRUCTIBLE

I WAS DIAGNOSED QUIRKLESS. CAN I STILL BE A HERO?

"… I can't." Izuku said.

Izuku had never seen anyone look so surprised.

"Excuse me?"

"I… I'm honored. I really am and… I do want it but… me and Mei… if I had a Quirk, Project: Indestructible would be meaningless. We… we need to prove that you don't need a Quirk to be a hero. I'm sorry." Izuku said.

Everything he'd ever wanted and… he was turning it down. He wanted nothing more than reach out and accept All-Might's offer but… if he did, he'd betray something more valuable than what All-Might was offering.

All-Might laughed.

"You're full of surprises, young Midoriya. Never thought I'd be turned down."

"… sorry you came for nothing." Izuku said.

"Nothing? I came to see how you were doing. Besides, I need you to sign this." All-Might said and handed him a letter.

"… what is it?"

"My letter of recommendation that you be moved from Support to Heroics. I just need you to sign it to make it official."

Izuku stared at All-Might then at the letter. He thought about Aoyama and Ojiro. And everyone else in class 1-A.

"… will… will someone lose their spot in Heroics?" Izuku said.

"Why? Oh. You mean the twenty-student limit? Just because we follow the rules, doesn't mean we're fanatics. I was once the twenty-first-student in 1-A."

Izuku tore open the envelope as fast as he could and signed it despite the pain in his broken fingers. All-Might took it back and shook his hand.

"Congratulations, young Midoriya, and welcome to 1-A. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Izuku was left alone in his hospital room stuck in a trance. He stood completely still, terrified that even the slightest movement would make the universe realize that something good had happened to him and he needed to be slapped back into place. Then he heard singing.

"The atoms that we're made of have

Negatively charged electrons

Whirling around a big bulky nucleus

The Quantum Theory

Offers a very different explanation

Of our world

The universe is made of

Twelve particles of matter

Four forces of nature

That's a wonderful and significant story

Suppose that little things

Behaved very differently

Than anything big

Nothing's really as it seems

It's so wonderfully different

Than anything big!"

Mei kicked the door open to his room. She was wearing the same shirt Shinsou had in the tournament beneath her pink Project: Indestructible pilot jacket.

"Izuku! Guess what?!"

"… huh?"

Mei slapped him in the face with a stack of bills. It felt kinda nice. She threw the money on his lap.

"There's your cut on the t-shirts. Next, we're going to start our own radio show and it will be the best radio show ever! So, awesome it will drive Present Mic out of business and rot his dick off." Mei said.

"… huh."

Mei cocked her head.

"Something wrong, Izuku?"

Izuku told her.

Five minutes later the nurses threw Mei out telling her that their patient was in no condition for a five-minute-long victory dance.

Monday couldn't come fast enough. Instead of Support, Izuku headed to Heroics. He stepped in 1-A's classroom when class was about to start. Aizawa-sensei gave him a sideways glance and told him to introduce himself. Izuku stepped in front of his new classmates. He didn't see Bakugou or Iida. Tsu was smiling and Mineta gave him thumbs up.

"My name is Izuku Midoriya. I'm Quirkless. My hero name is Indestructible."