The next day I began making my way down the street heading towards Mei's apartment, thinking about how I'd be able to convince Mei to help me become a hero. I felt like what I was asking her was almost next to impossible and that she really didn't have to help me out, after all, we barely knew each other. But I had to give it a shot, if anyone could help me, it was her.

I spaced out thinking of the moment that leads to this visit.

"So," I recalled what young Mei Hatsume had said to me, "What do you say?"

I grabbed her hand to get myself up. After a while, she started to show me what most of her 'babies' could do. Invention after the invention was so unique and more impressive than the last. Then a thought hit me… would she be able to help me with becoming a hero? But how could she, and would she even be willing?

"Hatsume-san, do you think you could make something for me if I were to ask?" I finally questioned. Mei looked at me for a while with the same big smile she had on for a while. I had thought that she was about to say no.

"I-I mean if you can't I under-"

"Of course I can make you anything you want! The sky's the limit with a mind and determination as big as mine!" Mei said cutting me off while closing the gap between us until our faces were inches apart.

"What exactly did you have in mind, uh... Izuku, was it?

"Y-y-yy-yes but you can just call me Midoriya and as for what I want you to build for me, I haven't really decided on what. But if you could just give me till tomorrow, I'm sure I'll have something ready for you." I said with my face blood red.

"Sure thing, here have this," she backed off to grab a piece of paper containing her general information, including her number and address.

"By the way, I like saying Izuku more. There's something about that name that rings better than simple Midoriya," she said while giving me a sort of look. With that, she packed up her stuff and walked away waving goodbye. As she disappeared from my eyesight I began to make my way home thinking about what I would ask Hatsume.

Jumping back to the present I had finally arrived at my destination, which appeared to be your typical, small apartment complex. I glanced at the address that Mei had given me and made my way up the stairs, arriving at her front door. Before I could knock on her door, my thoughts drifted to how I could ask her to create something to help me become a hero, but those worries were interrupted by a loud explosion coming from behind the door. Trusting my first instinct, I kicked the door in an looked around for Mei. What I didn't expect was to get stunned with 10,000 volts, dropping me to the floor instantly. Once the electrical torture had ended I saw Mei holding the same gloves from yesterday.

"Oh Izuku, it's you," the young inventor said nonchalantly. "You know, Izuku, you shouldn't bust in people's doors like that, you'll give people the wrong impression," she continued

"I heard an explosion and thought you were in danger!" I hurriedly began trying to explain myself.

"Oh that's cute, you were just trying to be my hero?" She teased as she put that dreaded glove away. She lifted up these weird looking goggles from her face, revealing her golden looking crosshair eyes. She was wearing a black tank top with an orange mechanics jumpsuit, with the top of it tied around her waist, and she covered in ash, mostly like as a result of the recent explosion. She pulled me up from the ground and I looked around her 'apartment' and saw that it looked more like someone's garage then anywhere someone would reasonably live in.

"So Izuku, to what do I owe this visit?" Mei asked while trying to wipe the soot from her face. I shot her a confident look.

"Well I was thinking about what I asked you yesterday, and I was thinking..." I mustered up the courage to say the words I needed to say as she continued to look at me with the same happy look. "I-I was wondering if you could make me something that will help me become a hero!" I finally proclaimed.

"What do you mean like a gadget for your quirk?"

"N-No not exactly I was thinking.. like a full-on gadget that could make me be a hero." I tried explaining to her what exactly I was requesting.

"You see…. I-I-I don't have a quirk… I see all these amazing gadgets that you've made… and I get this feeling that you could give my dream a second chance…"

Mei kept looking at me with the same, almost spaced outlook, trying to wrap her head about what I had requested for.

"Hatsu-"

"No."

Mei had cut me off before I could even question her.

"Wait, why? But I thought you said you would be able to make anything for me?"

"Well ya, but I didn't think it would be something so big. I mean you seem like a really nice guy and everything but, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm kinda working out of my apartment right now." Mei scratched the back of her head in embarrassment

"I mean if I was still enrolled in U.A. I might be able to help out behind Power Loader's back."

"Wait you used to be enrolled in U.A.? What happened, did you drop out? I can't imagine with your brilliance that you'd flunk out!" I asked, confusingly wondering how anybody would want to leave one of the most prestigious schools in Japan. Mei blushed a little, I wonder if it was something I said?

"Well you flatter me but no… I was, uh, expelled for mayyyybe having way too many explosions," she responded very sheepishly

"Huh," I said giving off a puzzling look until I remembered that when we met she was being chased by U.A. faculty emerging from a smoking room of a building. Looking around her apartment I saw scorch marks everywhere, as well as some broken remains of whatever invention she had been attempting to make. I felt a little down knowing that my dreams were about to be broken again, but I wasn't going to give up. I worked up my nerve and looked at Mei with a serious look.

"Hatsume... What exactly do you need?"

"Huh persistent, aren't ya Izuku? Do most girls find that quality charming?" she joked, but her bluntness had taken me back and caused a slight blush to creep into my face.

"Why do you want this so badly?" Mei's happy cheerful self faded when she asked. I looked down at my feet thinking about what those words meant.

"All I ever wanted to do ever since I was little was to be a hero like All-Might. But being born without a quirk made my dream near impossible. after meeting you, I feel like that could change, seeing your brilliant intentions in action." Mei turned around to her makeshift workbench to face away from me with her head down.

"I don't know if you have ever experienced what it's like to have your dreams shattered before, and I feel like I'm grasping at straws, to be honest… I was hoping that you'd be able to help me, s-sorry for bothering you." with that I turned around to leave her home.

"All I've ever wanted to do was make amazing babies to my heart's content, and while I was at U.A. It felt like that would be my reality… until I screwed up for the last time. Now I'm going to be lucky if the hardware store well let me buy a screwdriver, and here you come in asking me to basically make a nuclear bomb out off two paper clips and a piece of gum." Her upbeat tone was replaced with a sad somber tone.

"Hatsume... If you can help me…. I will do whatever I can to make your dream a reality as well." I didn't know exactly how I was going to keep this promise to her but if she could help my dreams a reality it's only fair I could do the same.

Mei took a while to respond before turning around and returning back to her happy go lucky cheery self.

"Well if that's the case then I have to help!" She said filling me with such joy, I actually started to let out tears while I laughed.

"R-really?"

"Oh you betcha, now I just have to go over some blueprints and see what components I need you to acquire." After a few moments to herself, Mei began to go over some of the plans with me. Some of them seemed like basic stuff until Mei grew somewhat nervous looking at the list.

"Now there is a slight snag," the young inventor nervously said.

"What do you mean, what's the issue?"

"The issue is this thing," Mei pointed at a small green device that looked to be the size of a normal CD.

"It's a called a Kinetic battery. It's what we're going to use to power the device that will make this dream of ours a reality!" Mei proclaimed proudly. She was so sure that her plan could work with this device in hand, but I couldn't help but think about when she said "our dream", it made me blush a little.

"Well, where can we get it? Something tells me that this isn't something we can just get at the local hardware store," my response seemed to make Mei a little nervous.

"Well... that's the thing, the only place that has this thing is…. U.A."

"Wait what are you trying to get at Hatsume?" I asked, trying to get Mei to explain where her reasoning was headed.

"W-well, I mean, they're not just going to give it to us, so we're going to have to….. steal it from U.A." Mei's response took me back a bit.

Stealing from the school that just so happens to specialize in training the next generation of superheroes? This girl was crazy, but what's worse is that she had put me in a moral conundrum….Do I steal this so I could become the hero I know I was meant to be? Even if it means being branded a criminal myself? I looked down, trying to look for the answer deep down in me, but I was unable to find it… was I really willing to go this far? I looked back at Mei who had a concerned look on her face.

"Hey, it's okay. I can try to find another way."

"No, I'll do it." Now it was Mei's turn to be taken back by my response. "If I want to make my dream a reality, I'll have to work harder than anyone else chasing this same dream, and be willing to do whatever it takes. Even if it means if I have to break in and steal from U.A." I finished telling Mei.

Mei went right back to her cheerful self as she grabbed my shoulders and told me that she was going to get ready for tonight's heist. She informed me that the plan would require us to meet up late in the night, midnight would be fine since the school's security would be lowest during the night.

That evening, after dinner and before I was to meet up at the school with Mei, I dropped by the Hospital to visit my mother, who was still recovering. I admit I must have looked somewhat suspicious considering I was dressed in all black, which wasn't common for me. I saw my mother sitting up admiring the night sky, she turned to see me at the door.

"Oh Mom how are you, I didn't expect you to still be up." I sat right down next to her, trying to help her feel more comfortable.

"I wanted to stay awake and wait for my son to come to visit his poor injured mother." I looked down still feeling guilty about that night, 'Don't worry mom I'll make things right' my train of guilt was interrupted by mom whipping my face with one of her clothes.

"Oh, Izuku your still such a messy eater" Even when she's lying on a hospital bed, badly injured she still finds a way to act so caring. I smiled knowing that not even a spear through the chest could damper her spirits. Mom studied my new attire confused on my choice.

"I-Izuku w-why are you dressed like that?"

"Oh uhh I-It's for a small job" I looked at my phone to see the time "S-speaking of which I have to get going on that."

"w-wait you're leaving already?" She reached out trying to get me to stay.

"Sorry mom, I just came to check and see how you are, sorry I'll come back tomorrow and stay longer I promise mom." I gave her a kiss on the cheek goodbye and ran out the door to go meet up with Mei.

'Mom, I promise that I'll become a hero no matter what! I'm going to make sure nothing like what happened with Spinal happens again.' I thought to myself as I paced myself to meet Mei.

Mei had marked a place for us to meet up at, near the school border next to a grouping of trees Unfortunately for me it was pitch black and I couldn't see anything, so began calling out for Mei as softly as I could.

"Hatsume. Hatsume. Hatsu-" Mei popped out from the trees, hanging upside down and inches away from my face, scaring the life out of me.

"Hey Izuku, you're late." She stated in that carefree voice of hers.

"S-s-s-sorry, I had to stop by somewhere and run a quick errand. Hey Hatsume-san, c-c-could you not get so close?" I was always nervous around girls and with Mei's up close personality, it didn't do much to ease that problem. The young inventor flipped herself around on the tree branch and dropped to the ground with grace. Like me she was wearing all black, the only difference being that she had some sort of messenger bag with her. Mei whipped out a small handheld device and steered a drone over to us, explaining to me that in my absence she had done some reconnaissance to gather more information before we made our move.

Everything was going smoothly as we approached the school's wall Mei removed what looked to be a grappling hook of some kind from her bag and tossed it onto the wall, then tugged at it to make sure it would hold. Turning to me she asked, "Okay Izuku-kun, you have one last chance. Are you sure you wanna do this, cause once we do there's no going back and there's a chance we might be outlaws by the end of the night."

I shot Mei a confident smile. "You bet I am, you and me all the way, Plus Ultra!" Mei gave a little giggle at my choice of words.

"Well, in that case, you can go first, soon to be hero." Mei tossed me the rope and without hesitation, I started to climb the wall. Once I got to the top, scaling down would be a different situation. Fortunately, Mei had a plan for that as well. Once she reached the top, she scooted right up next to me and wrapped her arms around me, then she proceeded to throw us off the 25 ft tall wall. I tried my best not to scream as the wind whipped around our faces and my eyes began to water. As we were falling, the crazed young inventor threw an object, what looked to be some sort of pink baseball, at the ground. Once it had made an impact it expanded into a giant pink cushion, which broke our fall.

"Wow Izuku, you sure are comfy to land on!"

"J-j-just get off before somebody sees us," I stuttered out, feeling the blood rushing to my head in embarrassment.

The cushion started to deflate back into its original ball shape immediately after we scrambled off of it, and while I was beginning to feel the impact from the fall, Mei looked as if she felt fine.

We made our way over to one of the sides of a building. The brilliant inventor once again proved her mettle by bringing out a what seemed to be a regular laser pointer, but one that she had modified to be able to cut through glass.

Once inside we began to make our way to where the Kinetic battery was being stored, trying our best to avoid cameras and the occasional night guard. It felt almost disgustingly easy as we maneuvered our way through the building successfully. Never really encountering a serious obstacle blocking our path. Until we nearly reached our destination when we came across a reinforced steel door halting our progress. I was eagerly awaiting Mei to show off another one of her ingenious 'babies', they were becoming as interesting as quirks were to me.

The young inventor walked to the what looked like some sort of access panel and reached in her bag, If I was sitting down I would be on the edge of my seat. To my surprise Mei had taken out a wrench and smashed the panel open revealing its internal wiring, she started pulling cords allowing the door to open. 'I guess brute force is one way of getting in.' I thought to myself.

Having finally made our way in, we looked around the lab, searching for our object of choice. We also found all kinds of gadgets and gizmos scattered around the lab, probably designed for the recently enrolled students of U.A. After a good while of searching we had found exactly what we needed and Mei went to retrieve the device and slowly replaced it with some random CD. Looking back I'm not sure if she was being clever or just silly, but it didn't matter, because our chance of celebration was cut short. Like clockwork an alarm began blaring all throughout the building, revealing our presence to the school. I darted my eyes towards Mei who just shrugged.

"I knew we were going to get caught, it was just a matter of when."

I started to panic a bit as our only means of exit opened up to reveal a single man dressed in all black save for what looks to be some sort of scarf.

"Dear god, how did you low lives manage to get this far into the campus?" the man questioned us, almost lazily, as if we'd just woken him up from some sort of nap. "Now listen, I'm not really in the mood to get physical with you two, so I'll grant you both some mercy and let you go if you put everything back the way it was," his tone transitioned to one filled with sleepiness, to one that filled me with dread. I didn't know who this man was, all I knew is that the hard part was just beginning.