Chapter 4: Acceptance and Reality

Midoriya sat at his desk, breathing shakily. He glanced at the All Might clock next to him (Twenty-four hours of Plus Ultra Justice), confirming that twenty minutes had gone by since he watched the holo-disc that had been sent to him. His nose itched a little, which was probably what was calling him back to reality.

All Might's words rang in his head, one phrase in particular.

"I never should have underestimated you, Young Midoriya!" The Symbol of Peace had said. Even through the hologram, All Might stood with his hands on his hips in a ridiculous yellow pinstripe suit, a look of pride plastered all over his face. "You are definitely Hero material. You ranked high in both Combat Points AND RESCUE POINTS! We didn't even tell the students about Rescue Points! We look forward to seeing you at UA!"

He slowly rolled his desk chair back, stood up, and made his way to his bedroom door on wobbly knees. He cracked the door open to see his mother standing behind it, trembling. Behind her, Thor, the God of Thunder, stood there in a raggedy old hoodie. Thor tried his best to look nonchalant, but the wringing of his hands in the hoodie pocket was a pretty obvious giveaway that he was nervous as well.

Midoriya looked from the two of them as they stared back. Slowly, a small smile unfurled from his lips as he let out a small laugh that could be mistaken for a gasp.

"I got in."

Inko collapsed into her son with a hug, and Thor shouted, "HUZZAH," to the ceiling, prompting Mrs. Sakomoto in the apartment above them to stomp against her floor with a broomhandle.

Inko sniffled, "I'm so proud of you!" She straightened herself out, "I should make you your favorite for dinner tonight..."

Thor, however, clapped a hand on both of their shoulders, though noticeably more gently for Inko. "Nonsense. Tonight we dine in the halls of Asgard, befitting the new God of Thunder!"

--

Midoriya Inko had reservations over the last year when her son had come home one day, after being on the news, with a magical hammer. She was concerned when he had begun talking about historical figures like Thor, an Avenger from history textbooks, was suddenly training him. And while those things weighed on her mind, like any mother, the results seemed good for him at the time. He was getting out more, exercising, and he seemed happier too. Maybe becoming a Hero was possible for him. And while that thought itself brought maternal fears, she wanted to see her son succeed.

Thor himself had showed up every day since the exam, looking worried and asking about the results of the Hero Exam. After about five days of politely telling him that the results hadn't come in the mail yet, Inko had felt inclined to invite him in for tea. That was when Izuku finally had seen what was going on, and gave embarrassed introductions for the two. Thor seemed polite, if... odd, at the time.

Seeing Asgard, on the other hand, made her wonder if she had made an error in the type of person she was allowing to mentor her son for the better part of a year. Men and women in robes and armor were walking around everywhere, and for every weird look she gave them, she was getting the same in return for her own clothes. Although, a few Asgardian warriors seemed to recognize her son and would high-five him as they passed.

Still, she was not one to pass up the hospitality of someone as seemingly generous as Thor. Asgard cuisine was quite different from Japanese faire, and she had to stifle some laughter as the King of Asgard himself took a large bite from a turkey leg barehanded.

Izuku was talking to a warrior woman seated near the front - apparently her name was Valkyrie and she had played an important role in assisting with his training and the goings on of Asgard. Inko took the time to lean over and ask Thor, "So what sort of training have you been giving my son?"

Thor dropped the turkey leg and grinned lopsidedly. "All sorts. One of his earlier tasks was when we traveled to the underworld to fight the Draco Lich. But that's rather informal - I'm not much one for rank and custom. My second in command, Valkyrie - yes, her there - she has been helping me teach Young Midoriya weapon handling and proper battle form."

Valkyrie, who had overheard her name pop up, took a swig of ale from the tankard in front of her, before ruffling Izuku's hair. "This bushy-headed kid's become one of my favorite sparring partners. He's got a real warrior's instinct."

Izuku blushed and hid behind a leg of lamb. Inko tried not to look too terrified at the amount of information she had just been given. Apparently she had failed, as Thor reached over and grabbed her shoulder. "One can't be a Hero without putting themselves in danger. But I believe that's part of what makes Midoriya worthy; he'll leap into combat albeit recklessly. His mind is always working out the proper tactics. We'll train him to be a proper and cunning fighter."

"More than can be said for you, King Thor," Valkyrie snarked, causing some of the warriors to laugh. Izuku himself stifled a laugh, hoping Thor wouldn't catch on.

Thor just rolled his eyes. "I may be a hothead, but I always got things done, didn't I?"

"I was just thinking that a lot of this seems like gladiator training, not Hero training," Inko said quietly, so that just Thor heard.

Thor rubbed his beard, pondering the words, before leaning in to speak to just Inko. "You know, growing up, those two things were indistinguishable. I took part in many wars on my father Odin's behalf, hailed as a hero for all the bloody battles I won. But when I came to Midgard - Earth - I met a lot of brave and women who showed me that distinction. Honor, valor, wisdom, and kindness come with that title, not just feats of strength." Thor grinned to his ward's mother. "Your boy has those things - I have no doubt they factor into why Mjolnir chose him. He has the inner strength to be worthy of the title. The only thing missing in him was battle prowess, which is where I have come in."

"Well, I can't say you haven't done a good job," Inko admitted. "It's nice to see him able to stand up for himself. Are you going to be done once he goes to UA?"

"Heavens no!" Thor laughed. It'd been some time since Inko had heard such a hearty sound. "I'll stick around to be the boy's mentor throughout his training. Have to make sure he makes the title look good."

Inko chuckled. "Well...I'm glad to hear that. I think you're doing a good job."

--

Midoriya Izuku was usually a very diligent student, usually placing third or fourth grade-wise in a class, right behind Kacchan. He was not immune to staring out the window as the end of the term approached though. It wouldn't be long. Just a few more weeks and he would be starting the Hero Course as the new...

God of Thunder, he thought, squirming a bit. He didn't like calling himself a god. Even with Thor's powers, it just wasn't him.

"It looks like we have two students in this class who will be entering the heroics course at U.A."

This ripped Midoriya's attention right back to the front of the class. "Bakugou Katsuki," a few of the blondes friends whooped and made other obnoxious noises, "and Midoriya Izuku."

The class was silent for that, save for a few murmurs. While the teasing that came with being Quirkless had stopped, people were avoiding Midoriya for different reasons. It was always different; some were distrustful, claiming that the boy had hidden his Quirk for some reason. Others thought for sure the hammer was just some cool Support Gear that faked the abilities for him. And others just avoided him because they knew talking to him would attract the ire of Bakugou.

The teacher himself seemed a bit surprised. "Well uh... good job, guys."

Class resumed as normal, but Midoriya still was just itching to get home that day. He was the first one out of the door when the bell rang, but no sooner was he outside of the door when Bakugou came up and grabbed his shoulder. "We need to talk, nerd."

Despite tensing up at the words, Midoriya turned to look at Bakugou; the command was at a lower decibel then he was accustomed to. "S-sure Kacchan. What's up?"

Bakugou led Midoriya over to the fence towards the exit of the school. He glanced down to the hammer in Midoriya's hands - he'd taken to bringing it to school with him. "...quit."

"What?!" Izuku replied, eyes widening.

Bakugou frowned, fists clenched at his sides. "I'm telling you. Quit the Hero Course. Drop out."

Midoriya clenched his fists and grit his teeth. His eyes began to water with a mix of frustration and determination. "No."

Bakugou pushed him against the fence aggressively. "You can't -"

That was as far as he got before Midoriya pushed him off. "I will." He fought back a sniffle. I have to be crying at a time like this?! "I've always wanted to be a hero, Kacchan." His fists clenched at his side. "You know that. You've known since we were kids, watching All Might on TV."

Bakugou opened his mouth to argue back, but Midoriya didn't let him get a word in. "You aren't stopping me. I don't care how many explosions or nasty word you throw at me. This is what I'm meant to do. I know it. I can feel it."

Midoriya picked up Mjolnir. "It's why I was able to save you."

Bakugou looked down at the hammer, suspiciously, and back at Deku. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The smaller boy shrugged. "I don't know... I just..." He rubbed his eyes. "You're an asshole, Kacchan."

Bakugou's eyes widened; not expecting the response. Deku continued while he had the boy off guard. "But I still think of you as my friend. And I wouldn't have let you die. Because I'm going to be a Hero."

Wiping his eyes on his sleeves one last time, Midoriya pushed past Bakugou and walked quickly towards his house.

For once, Bakugou couldn't seem to find the words, as he stewed in his anger. He clenched his fists at feelings he'd never had before. "How... did I let this happen?" He murmured to his own white knuckles. Just you wait Deku. I'll show you who the strongest is.

"I'll never quit," Midoriya muttered to himself as he stormed off. I'm not your doormat anymore.

--

That feeling itself carried him through the next few weeks until it was finally time to start UA. Even with the fire in his belly, he felt the same nervousness he'd had before the Entrance Exam as he approached the building itself. Mjolnir in his right hand, he walked briskly towards the front doors.

Disguised in a hoodie and sunglasses; (though his shaggy beard and shaggier blonde hair still drew some looks), Thor watched from a bus stop. He had no reason to be there, but he couldn't help himself; having not had kids of his own (that he knew of), there was no stopping him from seeing off his protege on his first day.

"It's good to see you again, Thor."

Thor turned his head slightly, to see All Might looking at him from behind a tree. Disguised in his emaciated form, no one would bother him. "Toshinori," Thor greeted, curtly.

"I knew it couldn't be a coincidence that a certain young man would show up with that hammer if you weren't involved." The Symbol of Peace had a much more amicable tone, even giving the King of Asgard a small grin. "You chose wisely."

"I always do," Thort snorted, disdainfully. "You would know. I believe you have a class to teach, All Might."

"I do," All Might agreed, turning towards the school. "Feel free to visit any time. A speech from you would make a great lesson."

"Maybe," Thor shrugged. "I'll have to check my schedule. Quite busy, as you know."

--

Izuku took a deep breath as he stood outside of Class 1-A. He hadn't talked to Bakugou since they had argued outside of school weeks ago. Maybe...maybe he won't be in this class and I won't have to worry about it.

He slid open the door and his face fell, almost immediately. Not only was Bakugou there, but Angry-Glasses-Blue-Hair was also there, and they gave looks of disapproval. But before he could let a sinking feeling hit him, he heard a voice call to him, "Bonjour, mon ami!"

He turned and looked over, jumping back slightly as a blond boy jumped directly in front of him, shaking his hand energetically. "So glad to see you here!"

It took a second for Midoriya to register that he knew this boy already. Once it hit, he beamed and returned the handshake briefly. "Oh hey! From the entrance exam!"

"Oui! I realized we were never introduced!" The boy stepped back and placed a hand over his chest. Midoriya couldn't help but think the man was rather...exuberant in his mannerisms. "Aoyama Yuga."

"Midoriya Izuku."

As he stated his name, he saw a girl with long green hair seated a few desks away turn around. Their eyes met, and he realized it was another familiar face. He waved. "Hey Asui!"

She smiled and waved back. "Hey Midoriya! I told you to call me Tsuyu!"

He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks tinged a bit. "S-sorry! Glad to see the two of you here -WHOA!"

He'd barely finished the thought before a mop of brown hair was hovering a few inches from his nose; Uraraka had seen him and had charged up. "Hey Midoriya! Looks like we're in the same class."

Looks like you're REALLY close. Midoriya gulped, and instinctively looked away and scratched at his cheek to put a little distance between himself and the brunette. "Y-yeah."

Uraraka took no notice of his discomfort and went on, "I'm so excited! I can't wait to find out who our homeroom teacher is or what he's like!"

They wouldn't have to find out long; the door slid open and a man walked in. Well, no, this is inaccurate. A man cocooned in a yellow sleeping bag hobbled in, hopping like some sort of upright caterpillar. The sight was so bizarre that everyone in the class froze and watched as this happened, leaving what they suspected to be their teacher staring back at them. "Well?" He grunted. "Get to your seats."

This man, as Midoriya and his classmates learned the man was Aizawa Shoto, Eraserhead, a hero who typically rejected the spotlight. A Stealth-base Hero, his Quirk allowed him to erase someone's Quirk temporarily by looking at them.

Instead of going to the welcoming assembly, he took them all outside, finally stepping out of his own sleeping bag and into his Hero Costume. This wouldn't be a problem in and of itself, except that Aizawa revealed his reputation; he expelled students who he felt had no potential, including a whole class last year. This year, in his utmost generosity, he would be holding a Quirk Fitness Test instead.

"...And whoever scores lowest will be expelled."

Midoriya glanced around at the other of the students. Why were none of them nervous?!

Using their Quirks in fitness challenges was something he thought might happen, but not with stakes like this. Furthermore, while he had gotten in great shape between the physique Mjolnir granted and a year's worth of intense training, the Quirk itself didn't help with a ton of these challenges.

Until he got to the Ten Meter Sprint. Before him, Iida and Bakugou faced off. Bakugou used explosions to propel himself forward, falling just short of Iida's Engine Quirk. All the same, it gave Midoriya an idea.

Next up, he was facing off against a rather short student made Mineta. The smaller boy looked at Mjolnir and scoffed. "Psth," he said with an annoying lisp, "The only hammer I need to get girls is the one in my pa-"

Thankfully, he was cut off by Aizawa's whistle. As Mineta took off running, Midoriya turned around. Maybe I can't use Mjolnir to fly, but...

He jumped into the air, and spun Mjolnir in front of him, creating a large, concentrated air-blast. This propelled him backwards well past the ten meters, and he landed on his butt, looking up at Aizawa, who looked unimpressed as always. "...you tied Iida for top time."

Midoriya beamed down at his hammer. Okay...that's a good sign! He sighed with relief as he headed back to the rest of his classmates.

"Good one, kero," Asui said as she hopped past him to the starting line.

"Thanks!" Midoriya blushed. He was so flustered by the attention, he didn't notice the death glare Bakugou was giving him with shaking fists.

The last challenge was using your Quirk to throw a ball. Not too complex, but Midoriya wondered if he could do something similar with the ball like he'd done with running. Maybe I can throw it straight up and then use an air current? No, probably wouldn't get enough of a lasting push...

He watched the others go before him; Bakugou using his explosions to reach over eight hundred meters was impressive, but Uraraka made the ball slowly drift out of orbit to win the challenge completely.

As Midoriya stepped up to the plate, Aizawa stopped him. "Leave the hammer."

This gave the boy pause. "Sir...can I ask why?"

"I just want to see you do one with the hammer and without the hammer. Is it part of your Quirk, or is it Support Gear?" Aizawa asked.

"Summoning the hammer is part of the Quirk and it channels my other abilities." Midoriya explained, "So... kind of both?"

"Strange." The teacher grunted. "That's a new one. Fine. One with, one without."

Midoriya set Mjolnir down, walked three feet away, and held out his hand, summoning the hammer for demonstration. "The hammer IS part of my Quirk, sir. Nothing can stop it when I summon it."

"Well... that puts it in a weird category," Aizawa said. "How illogical."

Midorya gulped as he felt he was getting on the teacher's nerves, set Mjolnir down, and walked up to the plate. He knew he had three tries, but he didn't want to waste them. Closing his eyes, he clutched the ball, and tried to draw out his inner storm. He threw the ball with this and all his strength combined, but the boost barely got him one hundred meters; on the low end for the class.

Wordlessly, Aizawa handed Midoriya another ball.

"Alright try with the hammer," Aizawa grunted.

Planning his strategy, Midoriya threw the ball straight up into the air, summoned Mjolnir, and smashed the ball like a bat, knocking it into the distance.

Aizawa clicked his tongue and looked down at his device.

"Hmm. Nine hundred, seventeen meters," he read off neutrally. He looked Midoriya up and down slightly. "Well. Good enough. Next."

Midoriya breathed a sigh of relief as returned to his classmates blushing as he got a big thumbs up from Asui. After a few more rounds, Aizawa tallied up the scores, revealing the rankings.

Izuku's jaw nearly dropped. He was ranked second in the class, right behind Todoroki Shouto, the son of Endeavor. And right under him was... "Kacchan?"

From the other side of the huddle of classmates, Bakugou clenched his fists, humiliated in spite of the high ranking he received.

He would remember this.