It all started with a slime villain. Well, actually, no it was a bit before that.

It started with everyone laughing at Izuku, making fun of his dream. Making fun of him, like always. But this time? This time it was even worse. Sure, Kacchan had beaten him many times over the years, but he never actually told him he would be better off dead before. That was new.

So yes, understandably, Izuku didn't think the day could get any worse.

Then came the slime villain.

If anyone asked Izuku why he had decided that grabbing All Might's leg was a good idea, he would tell them that he had acted on impulse. But in truth, he was past the point of caring. He felt stuck between bad and worse, and thought there was no way out. He simply had to do it, for his own peace of mind. He had to ask his questions. He wasn't sure he could hold on much longer to his dreams just by pure willpower. So he grabbed his idol's leg as he jumped, just so he could ask the question.

"I need to know." Izuku looked at the ground. "Can someone become a hero with the quirk of a villain?" He was shaking, the ever present tears in his eyes making an appearance once again. "I do not know why, but I think it's… it's really cool, being a hero…" His voice broke a little at that point "I wanna be a hero like you! Saving people with a smile!"

When he finally looked up, well, he was in for one hell of a surprise.

The man before him now resembled one of Izuku's skeletons more than he did All Might. For a moment, he didn't – couldn't – believe it was actually the number one hero standing before him. But, after a brief explanation, Izuku understood. He wasn't sure how to describe the feeling that took over him when he realized the truth. it was something of a mix between dread and sadness, with a hint of desperation on top.

"What is your quirk?" All Might asked, looking him up and down. "If it's suitable for a fight, then I don't see any reason why you couldn't be a hero with it. As long as you are willing to work with it."

Izuku clenched his fist. He wished he could. But it wasn't about him. He couldn't, with good conscience, say he would use his quirk in everyday life. "I am not." He answered, uttering every word with pain, unable to look at his hero. "I am willing to use it when the situation becomes hopeless, but I can't… I won't use it unless it's an emergency. That is why I don't… Why I wanted to talk to you."

He was almost afraid to look up. And when he did, he regretted it. All Might was looking at him serenely, and Izuku could already tell what the answer would be.

"You cannot become a hero without using your quirk. The work of a hero is just too dangerous, it's important to train your quirk for it. If you don't, then it may not be applicable when it all comes down to it. So, if you are unwilling to train with it, then you would better give up being a hero. But that doesn't mean you can't save people. You can also become a policeman, where they don't require you to use your quirk." His eyes bore into Izuku's. "But I don't believe in villain quirks. It doesn't matter what it is, what matters is what you use it for. If you truly want to be a hero, you have to accept your quirk. If you can't do that…"

He turned around, heading for the exit. "It's not bad to dream. But make sure it's realistic."

And that was it. His dream, shattered. There was no way he could… or would accept his quirk. How can you accept something like that? How can someone be a hero and then play around with other people's dead bodies?

He headed home with a heavy heart, deep in his thoughts.

Maybe he could become a policeman. That was a good job right? Not like being a hero, but…

Then there was the explosion. Maybe it was the familiarity of it, maybe it was simply because of his habit of chasing villain fights, but his curiosity got the best of him in moments, and he was already heading towards the source.

It had been a decision he would never regret. He may not have saved Kacchan, or changed anything, really, but All Might suddenly started believing in him. And that was all he ever needed.

"You can become a hero. With your quirk, and mine."

Two days later, Izuku met All Might at a seaside park at six a.m. in the morning. The whole place was filled with garbage, making it a really weird place to meet, but Izuku wasn't about to question the symbol of peace. And he ddin't need to.

"You are going to clear away the garbage." The hero stated with his usual smile.

Izuku felt his heart drop. All of this?

"I'll explain it to you later. But first…" The hero was still smiling, but his tone carried a hint of seriousness in it now, "I need you to show me your quirk." He held up a hand when Izuku tried to protest. "You only have to use it once. If what you say is true, then I won't force you to use it ever again." His everpresent smile faltered for a moment. "However I have hard time believing a quirk can truly be a villain's quirk." All Might put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "If it wasn't for your eyes, I wouldn't believe you. But you can't fake such an honest conviction."

And suddenly, Izuku froze. It felt as though even his heart stopped beating for a moment. All Might wasn't serious… right?

But one look at the hero told him that he was. Izuku wasn't stupid. He understood: This was just something All Might needed to know before he gave him his quirk. Otherwise, how could he trust him? And he understood, he truly did. But…

Izuku cast his eyes downwards. "If I show you my quirk…" He was all too aware how he started shaking, however he had no idea how to stop it from happening. "I'm afraid you will be disgusted of me." He looked up, finding All Might's eyes. "I'm afraid you won't want me as your successor after that."

All Might was so shocked for a moment, he almost deflated. "Do you really think that low of me?" He asked, his smirk disappearing for a split second. "I chose you as my successor because of your personality and determination, not because of anything else. It doesn't matter what your quirk is, I won't change my mind."

Izuku nodded, but he was looking at the sand again, not being able to stand the look of the hero. He hoped it was true. Not that he didn't believe All Might, but… This was something else. His quirk was against anything human. How could anyone accept it? He surely didn't.

And he had never shown anyone before. Not even his mother. So why was he suddenly ready to show it to the number one hero, the person he least wants to see him as who he really is.

But All Might had put his faith in him. It was time to return the favour.

"Here I go then." He muttered. "Please forgive me."

To All Might, it must have seemed like he was apologizing to him, but actually, he was apologizing to the dead for what he was about to do.

Activating his quirk was easy, even though he barely used it. He closed his eyes, and searched for the feeling. The feeling of power. Then he pulled, with his mind, like one would pull with his hand. He grabbed the feeling, and pulled, feeling the familiar tug in his heart. He commanded. Commanded the dead to make an appearance. To obey him. To bow before his will.

He opened his eyes as he heard the first clatter. A skeletal hand already appeared in the sand. Then slowly, more and more appeared, the skeletons pulling themselves out of the sand with ease. They weren't in a hurry, as if they were trying to make an impression. And that they did. In the morning light, it was one truly terrifying sight, as one by one, skeletal hands hit through the sand, followed by arms and heads and legs, accompanied by the constant clatter that bones made when they made contact with each other.

But it wasn't terrifying for Izuku. For him, this sight brought another, entirely different feeling. He was filled with the sense of power. He felt like he was unbeatable. Invincible. His army was at his command. They crawled out of the ground, answering his call, and they were his. They would fight for him. They would do anything he commanded.

Twenty-four skeletons climbed out of the ground, and Izuku could feel a connection to each and every one of them. They were all ready to obey whatever he said. He could flick his fingers and they would tear each other apart just because he wished so. They would tear anyone apart if he willed.

The hollows green eyes, all fourty eight, were on him. They were standing still, not moving, not doing anything. Just standing there, waiting to be commanded, as the sun slowly appeared on the horizon, bathing them all in blood red. The army of the dead.

Izuku stared at them, giddy with the feeling of control. "Bow." He commanded. And the skeletons did.

Why did he ever deny this power? What does it matter that it's made of dead humans? It's his army. He had never been more powerful. Why would he deny this from himself? Why should he?

It was his birthright to command the dead. His birthright to rule over those who had fallen. So why would he say no? He could do anything he ever wanted. Become a hero or a villain, it didn't matter. Because who could oppose him?

But then, he saw the steam. It was at the edge of his vision, where All Might was supposed to be standing. And that, that dragged him back to reality. "You can go now." He commanded quickly, grabbing onto the fleeting feeling of… humanity. What was he doing? This wasn't him.

But one moment of clarity was enough. The skeletons scattered and the bones sank into the ground. All the power disappeared, leaving Izuku feeling empty. Weak. Exposed and vulnerable. And utterly and completely disgusted with himself.

The scent of decay was still lingering in the air.

Izuku turned around, and promptly threw up.

Now that his personality was back, he barely dared to look at All Might. He must think him a monster. With a quirk like this… And there was no way All Might didn't see how Izuku changed when he summoned the dead. Surely, it was impossible to miss.

He straightened up, having emptied his stomach, and collecting all his bravery, he looked at his mentor with fearful eyes.

All Might, now deflated, was standing there frozen in place. He had an expression of poorly concealed shock written all over his face. Izuku gave him a moment to process what had happened. After all, this was something right out of a nightmare, and even for a seasoned hero, this must have been… shocking. Surely, All Might has seen terrible things before. But there was nothing quite like an army of skeletons climbing out of the ground just to say hi.

But then, All Might just shook his head, and looked at Izuku with clear, even though sunken, eyes. If he was still in shock, it didn't show.

"You can reanimate the dead." He stated.

Izuku couldn't do anything but nod, his anxiety growing every minute. He couldn't read All Might's expression, and he was terrified what he would say.

"What is the name of the quirk?"

Izuku blinked, taken aback. "I… I never really named it?" He answered hesitantly. "I thought about many names but… none of them really fit. And since it was never registered…"

"You never had to actually name it." All Might nodded. "Well, I suggest thinking up a name. It's your quirk, after all."

Izuku felt himself light up a little. Whatever this was, it wasn't disgust. All Might didn't resent him. That gave him a little bit of bravery.

"You are the first person I've ever showed this." He admitted, averting his eyes. And just like that, suddenly, feelings were pouring out of him. All the things he never said to anyone, out of fear, were now begging tob e said. "I always thought people would be revolted by me if they found out about my quirk. So I let them think I'm quirkless. It was easier than becoming a villain in their eyes." He clenched his fist. "All I ever wanted was to be a hero, to help people, but I didn't think I could. But you shared your secret with me and you believed in me. So… I thought…." Tears started flowing freely from his eyes. "I thought you deserved to see it." He shook his head. "I know it's inhuman, but…" He looked up once again. "Please don't give up on me."

"I absolutely will not."

Izuku raised his head, staring at All Might, who was once again in his hero form, smiling. "Thank you for sharing this with me, young Midoriya. I understand why you think this quirk is not usable, and on some part, I agree with you. The dead should not be disturbed. But they ARE dead. And that means if you have to choose between the living or dead, I know you have a heart that's true enough to always choose the living." He put his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "But I believe my quirk will be more than enough to be a hero. And for the skeletons… it never hurts to have a back up plan."

Izuku wiped his tears with his sleeve, and nodded with a smile. "Yes sir!" He shouted. He felt like a giant weight had left his shoulder. The truth was out.

Then a moment later…

"But why do I have to clean the beach?"