Izuku stared. Toshinori Yagi stared back, taken aback a little bit by just how loud this kid could scream, it was like something out of an anime. "Th… wh… y…" Izuku was having severe difficulty finding his words. "You deflated! Wait, where did All Might go…?" He started looking around. "There's no way you could be him, you're an imposter.
"No, I'm All Might All ri- blurgh." Replied Toshinori, but stopped as blood dripped from his mouth, earning more screaming.
Izuku was borderline shell shocked. "B-but how!? You look s-so…" He asked, but trailed off.
"Skinny? Small? Disturbing?" Suggested Toshinori.
"Unhealthy… let's go with unhealthy." Said Izuku weakly. "But how did you go from All Might to… well, Small Might."
Toshinori couldn't help but snicker at that. "'Small Might', clever." Izuku turned beet red at that, as he sputtered and tried to backtrack, apologizing for the 'insulting nickname'. The display immediately reminded Toshinori of a strawberry, with his red face and green hair. Make that a strawberry wearing a black headband.
Toshinori sighed as he went back on topic. "You know how guys at the pool are always sucking in and flexing, and trying to look buff? That's me." He explained while wiping the blood away.
Now Izuku was starting to feel faint. "I have to be dreaming…" He said. "All Might is a fearless, giant of a man who overcomes all obstacles and saves people with a smile on his face."
Toshinori looked at the ground. "There's plenty of fear behind that smile." He said as he sat down, leaning his back against the guard rail. "I'm trusting you to keep your mouth shut. Don't go talking about this online or to your friends."
"What friends…?" Asked Izuku weakly. He recoiled at what he saw when Toshinori raised his shirt.
"Pretty gross right?" Asked Toshinori as he looked at the scar that covered a third of his midsection. "I got this in a big fight five years ago. My respiratory system was basically destroyed. I lost my whole stomach, and all the surgeries have worn me down to this. It can't be fixed." Izuku's eyes widened. "Right now I can only do three hours of hero work a day. The rest of the time, this is me."
"Five years ago… Toxic Chainsaw did this to you…?" Asked Izuku, relying on his old hero research.
Toshinori was admittedly impressed. "You know your stuff, but no, this wasn't him. I did my best to keep the fight that did this under wraps. People would lose hope if they knew the truth. You can imagine the domino effect." Izuku could. Crime rates would definitely rise if people learned Toshinori's secret. "I'm supposed to be the guy who's always smiling, an unbreakable wall that's never afraid. But that smile just hides the fear I feel when the pressure is high." Izuku didn't like the implications that brought on. "Being a hero is dangerous. And there are villains that just can't be beaten without powers. So can you be a hero? Not without a Quirk."
And just like that, Izuku could feel his world, his dream, crumbling around him. He fell to his knees as tears formed in his eyes. "I see…" He said.
Toshinori stood up. "If you want to help people, there are plenty of other ways to do it. You could be a Police Officer. They catch crap because the heroes catch most of the villains, but it's a respectable profession." He walked over and opened the door into the building.
"So what you're saying is… without a Quirk, being a hero is impossible?" Asked Izuku weakly. Toshinori looked over at him, and barely refrained from flinching at the lifeless look in the boy's eyes.
"It's not bad to have a dream." Said Toshinori. "But you need to make sure your dreams are obtainable."
Izuku closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Then I'll obtain my dream." He said. Toshinori's eyes widened as Izuku's opened, a look of determination in them. "I'll become a hero! Because my Quirk is never giving up!" He then let out a shout as he ran towards the side of the building.
"What the hell are you doing?" Asked Toshinori. Then Izuku leapt off the edge. "What the hell are you doing!?" He rushed to the edge, expecting to see the middle schooler's broken body on the alley floor, but instead he saw Izuku hanging from a fire escape. He let go and dropped to the ground before running off. "Did that kid know that that was there? But the only time he could've seen it was when we landed…" Thought Toshinori. He let out a cough. "Whatever, I'd better get you to the station…" He reached down to his pocket, only to notice a severe lack of two sludge villain filled plastic bottles. Then there was an explosion. It wasn't hard for Toshinori to connect the dots. "Oh shit…"
"Hesrighthesrighthesright!Youcantbeaheroyoucantbea- Shut up!" Izuku squeezed his eyes as tried to keep the thoughts at bay. He wasn't going to quit, he was gonna be a hero! *KABOOM* Izuku looked in the direction of the explosion. His eyes narrowed and he knew where to go.
Despite the differences in their physical abilities, Toshinori and Izuku managed to arrive at the location at the same time. Their eyes simultaneously widened at the sight of Katsuki struggling in the villains grasp. Izuku glanced at all the pro heroes present and realized how bad the situation was. Mt. Lady can't get in because of the confined space, there's too much fire for Kamui Woods to operate, Backdraft is too busy with the fire to get involved, and if Izuku's own experiences were anything to go off of, the other heroes weren't even able to get a grip on this guy. That's when reality hit Izuku like a sack of bricks. This was his fault. "All Might wasted his energy rescuing me, and then when I grabbed him, the villain must've broken free." He thought. He covered his mouth as he saw Katsuki struggling against the villain, and Izuku realized that he was probably suffocating. What a bad situation. "I'm so sorry… Kachan, All Might…" Izuku remembered his last interaction with Katsuki, it was punching him in the mouth after Katsuki suicide baited him. While Katsuki deserved it, he didn't want their last interaction to be like that. He glanced back at Katsuki, and he saw the fear in his eyes. And then his body started moving.
The pros shouted something at him. He couldn't hear them, but he was willing to guess. It didn't matter though. "You're toast kid!" Izuku looked to see a slimy appendage swinging at him.
"Gotta think fast!" Thought Izuku. He remembered his hero notebook. "Page 25: right!" He grabbed his backpack. "Take this!" The throw hit home as a notebook tagged the villain in the eye, distracting him enough to give Katsuki the breathing room he needed. "Kachan!" Screamed Izuku as he began clawing at the sludge.
"What the hell!? What're you doing here!?" Shouted Bakugo.
"Isn't it obvious!?" Shouted Izuku as the memories came flooding back to him. Everything he'd endured, everyone putting him and his dream down. Forcing a smile to his face, he shouted. "Kachan! I couldn't just stand by and watch you die!" Katsuki's eyes widened at his words, as did Toshinori's.
"Get the hell off me!" Screamed Katsuki. Izuku wasn't sure if he was talking to the slime villain or him.
"Just a little bit longer kid…" Gurgled the villain at Katsuki before turning his attention back to Izuku. "And I'm done playing with you!" He then swung a slimy appendage at him. Izuku's eyes widened as time seemed to stop. He wasn't strong enough, despite everything, he couldn't help Kachan. But even so. Just then, the feeling of something being within arms' reach for him to grab returned. This time, he was able to reach, and grab ahold of it. The villain made a noise of pain as its arm went flying. Everyone stared in a silent shock. In Izuku's hand was a large, black, rusted sword.
"The Demon Slayer Sword…" Thought Izuku. He then almost lost his balance. "So heavy… but I can use this!" He held the sword in both hands over his head, before bringing it down over the area Katsuki was, cutting the sludge away and revealing Katsuki. Izuku's right arm shot forward and grabbed Katsuki's shoulder before hauling him out. "Let's get out of here!" Shouted Izuku.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Shouted Katsuki.
Just then the villain's other arm swung at them, but it was blocked by the sword, which Izuku used as a shield. "Be prideful later!" Shouted Izuku. Katsuki snarled before turning and aiming his hands at the villain.
"Fucking make me you damn liar!" He shouted as he fired off a massive explosion at the villain's face. Izuku wasn't going to be able to last like this. Not with a sword this heavy.
"Kachan, please!" Shouted Izuku, who was distracted long enough for the villain to use that to his advantage. Izuku's eyes widened at the sight of the approach of the slime arm. "Not enough time, don't have the strength." Katsuki turned to blast the incoming arm, but failed to see the second arm coming from the other direction. Just like when it seemed they were at the end of their rope, their saviour came charging in.
"I REALLY AM PATHETIC, AREN'T I?" Izuku and Katsuki stared in shock. All Might had saved them.
"All Might…" Said Izuku, then he realized the implications of this scenario, he could see the hero shaking, and his body was steaming.. "But, your ti-" He shut his mouth when he remembered Katsuki was there.
"I TOLD YOU THE TRAITS TO MAKE A GREAT CHAMPION, BUT I SEE THAT I WASN'T LIVING UP TO MY OWN IDEALS!" All Might said as he pulled his arm free from the sludge.
Izuku realized what was next and planted his sword into the ground before grabbing onto Katsuki, who tried to push himself free. "Do it now!" He shouted, to which All Might nodded.
Blood was spraying from his mouth like he was a giant sprinkler as he shouted, "PROS ARE ALWAYS RISKING THEIR LIVES! THAT'S THE TRUE TEST OF A HERO!"
"Damn you All Might!" Roared the villain as he attacked again.
"DETROIT SMAAASH!" Shouted All Might as he swung his fist and landed a devastating punch at the villain. That punch also resulted in a huge tornado. Izuku held on tight to the sword as he and Katsuki practically flapped in the wind like a pair of flags. He didn't know how he managed to hold on, and he was fairly certain that he was on the verge of vomiting as he felt bile rise in the back of his throat. Eventually the winds subsided, and Izuku and Katsuki were both kneeling on the ground, Izuku using the sword, still planted in the ground, as support, while Katsuki used Izuku as support, too shaken to be prideful about it. They flinched when they felt water droplets come into contact with their skin. Everyone looked up to see rain clouds above them, and rain began to fall.
"Holy crap, he changed the weather…" Said Katsuki weakly.
"Amazing…" Said Izuku. That's when Katsuki realized the position the two of them were in.
"Get the hell off of me you damn nerd." Growled Katsuki as he pushed himself off of Izuku.
"You were leaning on me." Wheezed Izuku. Suddenly the pair looked towards the now cheering crowd. All Might raised a fist towards the sky, catching himself as he nearly stumbled over. No one in the crowd noticed due to the distance, and Katsuki was too focused on them to notice either. But Izuku saw it.
The pros were mad. Very mad. "You know the law kid, you aren't allowed to use your Quirk to attack someone else. No matter the reason." Said Death Arms.
"I- I know but-" Said Izuku.
"Then why did you do it?" Demanded Kamui Woods.
"Because I didn't even know I had a Quirk!" Said Izuku abruptly. This caused both pros to look at the young boy in surprise. "My... my Quirk never developed, actually up until now, Kach- er, the one who was captured, was the only one between us with a Quirk." He explained "And in that split second, something just... snapped, and the next this I knew... I had that sword."
The pros stared at him for a moment before Death Arms sighed. "Well... it sounds like you're telling the truth, so we're just gonna let you off with a slap on the wrist this time, but only this time. Do I make myself clear?" He said.
"Yes." Said Izuku.
"Good... now get out of here kid before the media eats you alive." Said Death Arms as he then turned his head to look at the growing swarm of reporters. Izuku nodded and took off.
Against all odds, Izuku was able to avoid being 'eaten alive' by the reporters, and the sun was starting to set as he started on his way home. He passed by a collection of TVs that displayed the news, showing both Katsuki being attacked and his Quirk's awakening. He would've liked to talk to All Might, but with those interviewers so focused on him, he didn't get the chance. As he tried to think of ways to contact him, maybe through his website, he heard a familiar voice.
"Deku!" Izuku turned to the sound of approaching footsteps. Then a fist collided with his jaw. "You damn liar! You had a Quirk this entire time and just hid it!?" Ah, so that's what he meant during the deal with the sludge villain when he called him a liar. "What, did you think you were too good for the rest of us!?"
"No Kachan…" Groaned Izuku as he put a hand to the side of his face. That was gonna leave a mark. "I was serious when I told the pros. That was the first time using my Quirk."
"Oh, so you just happened to guess that that sword can cut Quirks then!?" Asked Katsuki in disbelief.
"I guessed, and I got lucky." Said Izuku sternly.
Katsuki scoffed. "Whatever, even with a Quirk like that, you're still the same useless weakling. So I stand by what I said, do not come to U.A." He turned to leave, before stopping. "And another thing! I was fine by myself! I didn't need you to save me!"
"Right, because you totally weren't on the verge of suffocating." Izuku decided not to say this aloud, for both his physical wellbeing and for the sake of Katsuki's dignity, which had already been through the wringer today. He sighed as the explosive blonde stomped away. He then looked down at his hand. "Actually, now that I'm thinking about it. I have a Quirk." The realization had slowly been sinking in, and it had finally reached him. "I have a Quirk!" It was everything he'd wanted. He had powers now. He could become a-!
"I AM HERE!" Izuku screamed as All Might slid out from behind a corner, doing a very strange pose. Like, a dab, but also not.
Wait, All Might!? "All Might!? Wait, why are you here!?" Asked Izuku in shock. "And how did you lose the reporters?"
All Might laughed. "I STAND FOR JUSTICE! NOT SOUND BYTES!" He (not really) explained. "BECAUSE I, I AM ALL MI- blergh!" And cue him transforming back into Toshinori, while puking up blood. At least Izuku didn't scream this time, despite looking very nauseated.
After a brief coughing fit, Toshinori continued. "Young man, I wanted to thank you, and discuss your question from earlier."
"My ques-?" Izuku took a minute to realize what Toshinori meant, then he figured it out. "OhmygoshAllMightImsorryIliedtoyouIswearIdidntknowIhadaQuirkwhenI-!" He started talking a mile a minute.
"Stop! Stop!" Said Toshinori, who could barely keep track of what he was saying. "It's pretty obvious that whatever your Quirk is, or what it did, you were unfamiliar with using, even though you seemed to understand how to use it." Izuku stopped and looked at him. "I can ask for an explanation later, but there are some things that need to be said first."
"Huh?" Asked Izuku.
"If you hadn't told me about your life, if you hadn't run into that fight, I would've just been another helpless bystander watching from the crowd. So thanks." Explained Toshinori. He had already said he wanted to say more, so Izuku kept his mouth shut and kept listening. "Moreover, you told me you didn't have a power, and I can believe that you believed that that was the truth, so when I saw a timid, 'Quirkless' boy, try to save a life, it inspired me to act. You see kid, all of the most famous heros have a story, and each of those stories start the same way. Their bodies move without them thinking, so that they could save the life of someone else. And that's what happened today." As he said this, tears welled up in Izuku's eyes. All Might had acknowledged him. He'd finally heard the words that he needed to hear. " Young man, you can become a hero."
Then he heard words that he didn't need, and definitely didn't expect. "I deem you worthy of my Quirk."
"...Huh?" He asked.
AN:
And thus concludes chapter two. Time for the training arc! Unfortunately, for this next part, I can't continue. Not on my own anyway, because I need the help of all of you! A third factor has entered the fray, so now there are three things I need you to vote on!
1: Should I shuffle up the hero classes?
2: Who should I ship Deku with?
And 3: Who should I have Deku befriend during the training period?
Your vote matters, so speak now or forever hold your piece!
So until next time, see you around!
And don't forget: Go Beyond! Pluuus Ultraaa!