Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) or any of its characters.

CHAPTER ONE

...

Not all men are created equal. It was cruel fact of life that Izuku Midoriya learned at a very young age. In a world where eighty percent of the world's population were gifted with superpowers known as quirks, he and the rest of the twenty percent stood out like a sore thumb. When he was just four years old, he was given the world-shattering news that he would not develop a quirk and in that moment everything he ever dreamed about becoming seemed to fly right out of his reach.

All he wanted to be more than anything else in the world was a hero just like his idol All Might. Sure, superheroes existed long before him near the dawn of quirks, but he was the ultimate. He was known as the Symbol of Peace who arose right when the world needed him most and put the biggest dent in crime anyone had ever seen. His strength was unmatched, and his smile could make anyone feel safe. How could a young and impressionable four-year-old not want to follow in his footsteps.

After the earth-shattering news from the doctor Izuku could remember sitting in his room alone in the dark watching his favorite hero debut in an endless loop. People were in trouble, and All Might was there to save the day with his bright and colorful costume and a smile on his face. He stood larger than life and all the large-eyed boy wanted was to be a hero like him. Even if he didn't have a quirk, he could still do it, couldn't he?

That's what he asked his mother when she walked in on him as the world was crumbling all around him. With tears in his eyes, he asked her, "Can I be a hero too?"

She was on the verge of tears herself. She held him close and told him, "Yes... you can be a hero too."

Those words filled him with hope, and he was more determined than ever to make it in a world dominated by superpowers. Quirk or no quirk he would become a hero just like his idol, just like All Might.

(I)

ALDERA JUNIOR HIGH

Ten years had passed since Izuku received the news he wouldn't develop any powers, but he nevertheless tried his hardest to prepare. He worked out daily and ate as healthy as he could. He'd also taken a few self-defense classes since when the world got out about his quirk-lessness more than a few bullies came out of the woodwork. Fortunately, he wasn't alone as he had one or two friends to watch his back.

He had just finished taking a few notes when he was suddenly interrupted by an all too familiar voice, "Earth to Izuku? Are you even listening to me?"

Nemuri Kayama, his official best friend. They had met during freshman year when Roshi and his crew tried to bully him. Things would've gotten physically had she not made her presence known with her phone recording the whole thing. Thankfully that caused Roshi to and company to back off and the two had been besties ever since.

Nemuri was tall girl for age standing at five-nine as opposed to his short five-five. She had short and thick spikey dark purple hair with layers of varying length and sky-blue eyes, along with a small beauty mark just below her left eye. She wore the standard girl's Sailor uniform that did little to hide the curvaceous figure she was developing. He tried really hard not to stare sometimes.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Izuku asked honestly.

The blue-eyed girl pouted before regaining her usual enthusiasm. "I was saying you and I should hit the arcade after school. Word has it that Okada's got the latest Super-Brawl cabinet."

"Are you serious?" Izuku loved Super-Brawl. The first game was good, and he'd seen some interviews and footage of the latest game online. Twenty new heroes and twenty new villains.

"As a heart attack." Nemuri giggled from her seat behind her friend. The look of excitement on his face made her cheeks tinge a bit. He was a tad bit short for his age and had a round face that was framed by a mess of fluffy dark-green hair that stuck up at odd angles around his head. His eyes were large and round and matched his hair and he had the cutest diamond shaped freckles on his cheeks. He wore a plain black Gakuran uniform with yellow buttons and white sneakers as opposed to the red ones he wore practically every day.

She brought back to reality by the sound of his voice. "Alright, but I'm not buying those nachos you like from Ko's along the way this time."

She pouted again as she leaned over her desk. "You're so mean Izuku, don't you know it's not proper to make a lady pay for her own food."

The green-haired boy rolled his eyes but maintained his smile. "You still owe me for the last five times we went there?"

"I'll pay you back..." she blushed. "Eventually."

"Uh huh?" he continued to smile. "Will that be this year or next year."

"When did you get so mean? You were so sweet yesterday." Nemuri whined.

Now it was Izuku's turn to blush. "S-Sweet!?"

"As a cinnamon bun." she whispered.

Izuku looked like a ripe tomato now.

Nemuri giggled. This was a sight she would never get tired of. Izuku was just too fun to tease.

To be continued...

Author's Notes: This is an alternate universe One-Shot series that won't be in any particular order about Nemuri Kayama and Izuku Midoriya if he was from the same hero generation as Midnight, Eraser Head, and Present Mic.