"I'm sorry, but you can't be a hero."
Izuku had been told those words his entire life but hearing them from his idol shot holes in his soul. And all he could do in response is fall to the ground in front of him and cry.
Now Izuku just laid on his bed, thinking about the last couple hours.
"Just pray that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof of the building!"
"Don't worry. I'm just hijacking your body. Calm down. It'll only hurt for about 45 seconds... then it'll be all over."
"It's not bad to dream. But you also have to consider what's realistic."
"You looked like you were asking for help!"
"Young man, I'm sorry, but you can't be a hero."
Why? Why did it hurt so much? Why could he not be a hero? Why was he born powerless?
He'd asked those questions his whole life, in the back of his mind. Those feelings anger, loneliness, self-doubt.
He'd wanted to give up before. Moore often than he cared to admit, even to himself. But there had always been that tiny ember of hope. But now it felt like it was snuffed out, the darkness engulfing his mind. Maybe he was just a worthless Deku after all. What has he ever done that could be heroic?
I saved Kacchan.
Izuku's mind halted at that thought. Had he saved Kacchan? All he'd done was thrown his backpack, and hoped he landed the hit in his weak spot. Any hero there could have done the same thing.
But they didn't.
Something stirred in Izuku's mind, ideas forming he couldn't put into words. He hadn't even thought about his own safety before charging in to help Kacchan. The heroes there and even Kacchan himself had said he was being reckless. He didn't even realize he'd moved until he'd thrown his bag.
Something about that was familiar, like he'd heard it before. Hadn't a hero he'd seen said something like that before.
Izuku got up and went over to his computer, turning it on and pulling up the search engine. He looked for a clip he had seen of an old hero, from before All Might's debut.
He found the video eventually. In it it was a woman in some kind of black jumpsuit with no sleeves, showing off her arms. She was a very strong looking woman, but still feminine. Her shoulder length black hair framed her face, which had a wide smile on it.
It reminded Izuku of All Might's trademark grin, except hers felt more… real and heartfelt.
Izuku played the video. It was a short interaction between her and a reporter, right after she'd saved people from a burning building.
She'd been asked some questions, but one line spoke out to Izuku.
"There are stories about every hero, how they became great. Most have one thing in common, their bodies moved before they had a chance to think, almost on their own."
Something stirred in Izuku when those words washed over him. Something Ignited deep in his soul. That ember of hope relit, but stronger than before, swelling inside, billowing into a raging inferno.
He will be a hero!