Prologue:
For Izuku Midoriya, he was four when the world seemed to crumble right under his feet, walking out of a Doctor's office, that same doctor having just told him the worst news his four year old self had ever heard.
Quirkless.
He couldn't be a hero.
He cried. He cried when his mother held him, he cried the next morning, and the day after.
When word spread through the school, it only got worse.
Kaachan had gotten his quirk, an amazing one, his one time friend wanted to be a hero, he could follow that future.
Only it was a future that seemed he wanted Izuku to be less and less a part of.
The other kids called him names, showed off their quirks and said mean things about him not having one.
He didn't know what to do, how to change, how to be better, how to not be quirkless.
He was five when things changed again.
It was after the Aldera disaster, a whole city district, destroyed. He didn't know how many were hurt. Mommy hadn't let him see. But All Might had fought the villain there, the worst Villain, All for One. People said it was like "Dagobah all over again"
He wasn't sure what Dagobah was. Mommy wouldn't let him look up things about All for One either. Said he was too scary for him to be looking at.
He tried to tell her it was okay, that All Might had beaten him, All for One had run away, there wasn't anything to be afraid of anymore.
But she said no.
He heard that All Might was going to be on a show, Present Mic's morning show; after weeks and weeks of talking on the news, and answering questions about All for One and the big battle Izuku hadn't gotten to see or hear about.
All Might was going to talk on the show,
And take phone calls.
Izuku went to bed early the night before, woke up early the next day, waited by the phone with anxious, brimming energy
He'd memorized the phone number, and listened intently as the show went on.
-"What was it like? Fighting him I mean? No one's been able to fight him since the original Triumvirate; and half the world thinks they died trying."
-"I can tell you this Mic, he is easily the most dangerous and powerful villain I've ever fought in my career. But he is beatable, he is not invincible. More than ever I'm convinced that the Triumvirate beat him before. It's why he's been hiding all this time and why he's hiding again now."
-"He must be ancient though."
-"There are quirks that can slow down the aging process or halt it. Physiologically, I don't think he's any older than his fifties
- "Should other heroes try to fight him? Or not?"
- "Anyone who tries to fight him unprepared will only make him stronger. And under no circumstances should you ever fight him alone.
- Ahh well I think it's time for some callers, don't you think."
- "Certainly!"
He heard the phone ring on the radio, his heart jumped,
But then, when Present mic spoke he didn't hear him in his ear.
- Hello there you're on the Hot Mic, what's your question for our Number One Hero caller?"
- Hey there All Might, so having fought him, how powerful do you think the original Triumvirate would have had to be to take him down like they did? Or do you think maybe All For One was weaker since he had less quirks back then?"
Izuku bit his lip. Ten calls. That's all Present Mic gave on the show. He was sure. He'd checked.
How many people were calling?
- Yes hello, All Might, I was just wondering what hair product do you use? It's a very distinct look."
- Confidence ma'am!
He listened, one by one they called and he counted like they showed him in school.
Eight. There were eight.
That meant there were just two left…
He almost started crying, his one chance, his only chance to ask his hero what he *needed* to ask him more than anything and it was slipping through his fingers.
Then, he heard a voice in his ear as it came through the radio.
- "Hello there Number Nine. How're you doin?"
Izuku started, nearly dropping the phone in surprise. "H-hello?"
- "Hello little man why don't you tell us your question today?" Present Mic said.
"I-I"
Izuku felt his throat close up, pure panic gripping him by the neck and refusing to let the words come out.
- "Little man? Little man? Hello?"
Silence.
"Alright next-
"I'm quirkless!"
He practically shouted in his sudden mad rush to say something, anything, hearing his own voice come from the radio..
He lowered his voice, becoming something meek and quiet.
"I… The doctor's said I won't ever have a quirk. So… I… I just wanted to ask…. E-even"
He had to stop, both the tears and his sudden spike of fear.
What if he was wrong?
What if All Might said the same thing the doctors said? That the kids said? That his mom said?
He looked at the radio, as though he could look straight through the speakers and the happily blinking clock to see All Might himself.
"Even though I'm quirkless… can I be a Hero like you All Might?"
The silence came.
Then it stretched on.
It seemed to last for a long, endless moment and Izuku's whole world shrunk to those few seconds.
- Young man.
All Might's voice was low, almost grave and Izuku could feel the slap of rejection that brought the tears immediately to his eyes.
No. Please no.
- If you choose it, it is not an easy life.
He froze.
- "But the quirk in your body is not the sole measure of what it is to be a hero. Perhaps they can punch harder, move faster, See things others can't. But what is a hero, a true hero young man is measured by the spirit that beats in your chest."
Izuku felt his breath hitch, an apple lodging itself in his throat and the same tears that had overcome him a year ago, staring at All Might's image on a computer came on again.
- "If you want it hard enough, work hard enough and chase your dream, whatever that may be, then there's no force on earth that can stop you."
The phone slipped from his numb fingers, clattering to the floor.
- "You can become a hero."
When he was four. His whole world changed with one doctor.
When he was five. It changed again with just one phone call.
(X)(X)(X)