THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MANGA.
IF YOU HAVEN'T READ UP TO THAT CHAPTER, PLEASE READ BEFORE GOING AHEAD
My Hero Academia belongs to Kohei Horikoshi, Shueisha and Viz Media.
Go and support the official release.
The rest of the day continued just like any other school day. Boba-sensei went over various subjects while students either scribbled notes in their notebooks or pretended to pay attention just to not get in trouble. Normally, Midoriya would fall in the first category, taking meticulous and well organized notes so he could maximize his own study efforts later. Today however was an exception as he couldn't focus on the lecture being given. Rather, he had his elbows resting on the desk. Sitting there in quiet contemplation as to not cause another disturbance in class.
Alright Izuku Midoriya, he thought to himself. There is a genuine possibility that by some miracle, you've been thrust into the past. His surroundings, the date, and the countless red marks on his arm from pinching himself to prove this wasn't a dream all supported this rather impossible idea. Which only caused the teen to ruffle his hair in confusion. But that should be impossible. Even with the technology we have today, time travel has always been in the realm of sci-fi. Part of him wanted to pull out his phone to search online for proof that this was a dream, but elected not to as to not cause another disturbance in class.
The Quirk inheritor took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Ok, calm down. I need to stay calm if I want to figure this out. Midoriya flipped to the back of his Hero Analysis notebook and began to write. First, let's go throught what I remember. I was in the hospital after the battle with Shigaraki and I had just passed One for All to Kacchan. Then Eri-chan and Togata-senpai came in to see me. Eri-chan's quirk went wild and then I woke up here.
Looking at the newly written info, his mind instantly went to the first part he had written. The battle. Of course the fight was still fresh on his mind. The first wave of destruction Shigaraki caused when he first woke up. The pain he felt when he used 100% of One for All in his arms. Watching his friend get impaled by the black tendrils of All for One. Midoriya shook his head, I need to stay focused. If this really is the past, then… then there's a chance I can stop the League. I… I can save everyone. I have too. He clenched his fist tightly.
But first I need to figure out my situation. He turned back to the list he wrote and looked at the second thing he had. Kacchan. Midoriya looked over to the seat where his friend sat. The spikey haired teen was scribing notes into his notebook, eyes to the front of the classroom. It doesn't seem like Kacchan remembers what happened at the hospital. He said the same thing I remember him saying on this day so there's a good chance he's the same person. Could it be since he was unconscious he wasn't affected by Eri-chan's Quirk?
That left the final thing he had written and the likely cause for this turn of events. From what Aizawa-sensei and Principal Nezu said about her Quirk, it's called Rewind. She can revert a person's body back to a previous state. It's how she was able to heal my body when I fought Chisaki at 100%. But how did she send me to the past… Eri-chan must have had an Awakening. Awakenings went by many names: Quirk evolution, transformation. But Awakening was the most common term used in society. When a person is faced with a life-or-death situation, their Quirk would evolve to become even stronger than it was before. Of course, even among heroes something like this happening was pretty rare since a certain catalyst was needed to cause the user's Quirk to evolve. So for a little girl to undergo an Awakening… Eri-chan already didn't have great control over her Quirk. Seeing me in the hospital bed must have been hard for her. The Quirk inheritor clenched his fist again, I'll save you Eri-chan. I promise.
The ringing of the school bell snapped Midoriya out of his trance. "Alright," Boba-sensei tapped his papers on the podium as several students stood up from their chairs. "Make sure to look over the material from class. It will be on the test." He made his way out of the classroom along with the rest of the students as some of them discussed after school plans.
Midoriya followed the lead of his classmates and began to pick up his things. I need to do some research on my phone once I leave. I need definitive proof. But before he could place his notebook into his bag, it was swippted of his desk.
"We ain't done talking, Deku." Bakugo waved the notebook back and forth, wearing a look of annoyance..
"Kacchan." The feelings were quite the opposite for Midoriya as he couldn't help but be relieved that his friend was alright and not limping while wrapped in bandages. Of course the image of his friend being impaled trying to save him was still fresh, but he was none the less happy to see him alive and kicking. Despite the look he was receiving...
Two other students walked up behind, "What you got there Bakugo?" The explosion Quirk user turned the cover towards the two, not taking his eyes off Midoriya. "Hero Analysis for my future." The boy with the wavy hair chuckled, "That's so lame."
Bakugo deepened his scowl, "U.A. is the best of the best. They only accept the real deal, people like me. So what the hell makes you think a Quirkless Deku like you can even think about attempting the entrance exam." He held the cover of the book flat with one hand and set off an explosion with his fist, charging the edges of the notebook.
The explosion snapped Midoriya out of his thought and watched as Bakugo walked over to the window. "Kacchan wait."
"The Best Heroes show signs of greatness even as students. I'm going to be the only one to get into U.A. from this crappy public middle school." Bakugo closed his eyes and pointed his thumb at himself. "Cause I'm the best."
'So vain,' thought the other two students.
With the quick flick of his hand, Bakugo moved to throw the book out the window. Just as the book left his hand, he opened his eyes when he heard footsteps rapidly approaching him.
No, not this time. Midoriya practically leaped out the window to grab his notebook. Just barely managing to grab it by the cover with his right hand as he leaned against the railing. His quick action surprised not only the other two students, but Bakugo as well. As Midoriya pulled himself back into the classroom, he thought to himself I won't let my dreams be fish food, not again.
The Quirk inheritor managed to regain his footing and took a step back away from the window. "Oi Deku," Midoriya jumped as he turned to Bakugo. "What the hell are you doing? You trying to pick a fight?"
"No no no Kacchan, it's just… This book is really important to me so…"
Somehow Bakugo glared even harder at Midoriya and slammed his hand on the nearest desk, resulting in an explosion. "You worthless Deku. You're Quirkless, you don't have a chance of getting into U.A. '' he walked over and placed his hand on the other teens shoulder, smoke coming from the singed clothing. "Don't think of applying to U.A. or else."
Bakugo turned to walk towards the door, followed behind by his two 'friends'. "No." All three turned back around to see the green haired teen looking at them, a strange sense of pride in his eye as far as they could tell.
Seeing it just managed to piss Bakugo off more. "What the hell did you say Deku?"
"I may be Deku, but I still want to become a hero no matter what. It's what I've wanted to do since we were kids. Sure, everyone says that I can never do it. But I won't let what everyone says hold me back." Midoriya flipped the cover of the notebook in his hands. Memories of his time at U.A. flooding his mind like waves on a shore, both the happy ones and the sad ones. "Even If I don't have a Quirk, I'll become just like All Might. I'll go to U. A. and I'll become a hero Kacchan."
The other three students looked at a complete loss for words. Yesterday, Izuku Midoriya was nothing more than a quiet loser. A meek nobody who wouldn't amount to the things he wanted to be. But now he was standing before them acting like a completely different person.
While the other two students looked confused, Bakugo's general annoyance turned into seething rage. What the hell is this nerd talking about, thought the explosion Quirk user. Does he actually think he can be a hero? A worthless Deku like him. Is he looking down on me? Just as Bakugo took a step towards Midoriya, hands clenched tightly into fist, the door to the classroom slammed open and caused all four to jump. "Hey, you four," Boba-sensi called from the door. "I know you four aren't a part of any clubs. Go home."
Midoriya was the first to take the opportunity to make his move. "Right, Sorry sensei." He bowed to him. "Have a good day Kaachan." With those words, he left the classroom in order to investigate his situation.
"Alright, now you three. Get going." Boba-sensei slammed the door shut leaving Bakugo and his two lackeys in the classroom. After a few seconds of silence, Bakugo clicked his teeth and began to walk towards the exit of the school while the other two students followed behind him.
The boy with the wavy hair leaned over to his friend, "Hey, what was up with Deku? Not just earlier, but in class too."
"I ain't got no clue," shrugged the other boy. "Yesterday, he was acting like his usual, wimpy self. Now he was acting like a completely different person."
"Yeah, Did you see the way he talked back to Bakugo just now-"
"WILL YOU EXTRAS SHUT UP ABOUT DEKU." Bakugo screamed while firing off a few explosions from his palm. His outburst shut the others up and the three continued to walk out of the school. However, Bakugo's mind still lingered on the moment from before. Stupid Deku. He's stuck on that stupid dream from when we were kids. You're nothing. Nothing more than a pebble on the side of the road. He clenched his fist, Don't ever look down on me…
"No, nothing."
Midoriya flipped eagerly through various news articles, forms and various hero blogs in an effort to help illuminate his situation. He tried desperately to find proof that this was some sort of dream or side effect form Eri's Quirk but no evidence came of his hunt. The U.S.J., Hosu, Kamino, The raid on Shie Hassaikai, Fukuoka, Deika City, Jaku city. Any of the major events since the beginning of his time at U.A. seemed not to exist. Or in Midoriya's case, it hasn't happened yet.
Letting out a sigh, he placed his phone into his pocket. "I almost can't believe it, but I can't find any evidence to disprove it. I really have been sent back in time. The date, everything that's happened at school, and nothing that happened since I started at U.A. showing up on any of the sites I looked at." The greennette placed his fingers on his chin, "I… need to be careful about how I do things from now on. I could end up affecting the events that happen later on. For now, the best thing I can do is take the days one step at a time, at least until I can get back into U.A." For the next several minutes, Midoriya descended into his mumble storm, planning his next move carefully
After walking down the streets absentmindedly for several minutes, the teen snapped out of his introspection and took a look at his surroundings. "Where… am I?" A quick glance around told him he was underneath a bridge. Oh yeah, this is the path I used to take home when I was at Aldera, he thought with a chuckle. I guess my body kind of went on autopilot while I was thinking. As he looked around the familiar bridge, a memory surfaced itself. Wait, isn't this where-
Midoriya's sentence was cut off by a sloshing sound. A large mass of thick ooze began to seep from the holes of the manhole cover. As the mass of ooze grew larger and larger, a pair of eyes and a mouth began to take shape. "A medium sized body to hide in," said the large mass of sludge.
It's the sludge villain! The memory of their first interaction quickly flashed in his mind. He's running away from All Might. The villain cried out as he sent his liquid tendrils toward Midoriya but the teen dodge out of the way in time. Rolling across the ground and tossing his bag to the side so it would not slow down his movements. "Don't resist Kid," the sludge villain spat. "Just give me your body and I'll make it quick and painless."
I know All Might is chasing after him in the sewers. I just have to hold off till he gets here. Getting ready to fight, Midoriya assumed his fighting stance and began to charge up his power One for All! Full Cowling. Shoot Style...
But nothing happened.
The usual surge of energy that accompanied the Quirks activation didn't appear and he looked down at his own hands. What's happening? Why isn't One for All working? "Give me your body," the villain charged at Midoriya and the teen rolled under the villain's wide swing. Now behind him, he tried to charge up his Quirk once more… But again nothing happened. He dodged another set of attacks the sludge villain threw his way and thought, Why? What's happening? I was able to activate One for All back during the-. As his train of thought went to the events of the day and everything that had happened. It soon became obvious why the power his idol entrusted to him ceased to work.
I don't have One for All anymore… Of course I wouldn't have it, this is the past. I don't get One for All until just before the entrance exams. Of course I wouldn't have it now.
"You damn brat." The villain growled, angered by the teens unwillingness to yield. "Just give me your body. I need to get the hell out of here before He shows up. I was hoping not to damage a perfectly good body, but you're not going down that easy. So… I'll have to rough you up a bit." Now the attacks came much more forcefully, large masses of ooze collected to form giant fists.
Midoriya did his best to dodge the fists as they cracked and chipped away at the asphalt, but another overlooked aspect of his situation became clearer as he evaded each blow. Not only do I not have One for All, but I also don't have the stamina I had. He clutched his chest as he gasped for air. I didn't start training until after this day. My stamina and physical abilities are not what they were before. I can't keep this up much longer.
The teen's exhausted expression didn't go unnoticed by the sludge villain, who laughed maniacally. "Looking a little out of breath there kid. How's about we call it a day?" In an attempt to end the fight, the villain spread himself out wide to surround Midoriya.
However, a loud pound and clanking of metal stopped the villain from launching his attack. "Fear not young man," said the large man appearing from the sewers. "Why? Cause I am here!"
Despite his fatigue, Midoriya couldn't help but smile at the appearance of his idol and then the man who had entrusted the future to him. "All Might…"
"Come quietly evildoer, You have nowhere left to run."
All Might's large frame and heroic stature caused the villian to take a step back. "Sorry, ain't going to happen All Might. If you want to stop me… You gotta save that kid first." He quickly wipped his arm around in Midoriya's direction. "Sludge Shot!"
The sludge villain collected pieces of broken concrete with his body and fired them towards Midoriya. The small scattered projectiles left no room for him to safely dodge the attack. But just before he could think of alternative options, All Might rushed towards Midoriya with speed that earns you the title of number one hero. The hero shielded the teen and was hit by the barrage as it poked holes in his clothing, but proving to be almost ineffective.
"You foolish villain." laughed All Might. "It's a hero's job to protect the innocent AND defeat evil." Pulling back his fist, the heroic smile on All Might's face twinkled. "TEXAS SMASH!"
The punch of the number one hero sent a shockwave towards the gelatinous villain, who struggled to keep his liquid form together. So powerful, was the villains' final thought before splitting into pieces and falling unconscious. His body splattering against the walls and roof of the tunnel.
As All Might retracted his fist and stood up straight, Midoriya couldn't take his eyes off the man. All Might…, he thought with a smile. Before the Battle in Jaku City, he had only gotten the chance to speak to All Might…
"I hear you and your classmates will be assisting in the raid," All Might said, pouring a cup of tea in his skeleton form.
"Yeah," Midoriya nodded. "We'll be split up amongst the two teams along with 1-B. Even Hado and Amajiki-senpai are going to take part." he brought the cup of tea to his lips blowing on it before taking a sip. "They're really pulling out all the stops."
All Might nodded, taking a sip from his cup as well, "Considering the League's involvement, it's not surprising. Tsukauchi has kept me informed about some of the details. The Police and the Commision see this as a chance to nip the bud so to speak."
"Do you think everything will be alright?"
The former number one hero looked hesitant for a second before giving an honest shrug, "I'm sorry, but I am not sure. This is the biggest operation that's ever been done." And that was no understatement. Hundreds of Heroes from around the country were coordinating to capture as many villains as possible. Several facilities used by the league were to be raided, but the two major ones were the Jaku city Hospital and the Mountain Villa.
"Do… You think I'll have to fight Shiguraki?" Midoriya gripped the paper cup as the words left his mouth.
"No," responded the hero immediately. "I highly doubt it. From what Tsukauchi has told me, you and your classmates will help in the evacuation efforts. As for the mountain team, they'll assist in just the initial assault. Plus, Endeavor and Miriko will be at the hospital along with Aizawa, Yamada, and Sir. They'll be fine"
Midoriya looked up from his cup, uncertainty in his eyes and All Might decided to change the subject. "Enough talk about that, The real reason I called you here was because I wanted to ask how your progress with mastering Float?"
"It's been going good. Uraraka has been showing me how to handle myself in the air," he placed his fingers on his chin. "And by combining Air Force and some of my notes from watching Kaachan, my mobility has improved. But it's not quite at Kaachan's level yet. My control with Blackwhip is getting better too. I can substitute my poor mobility with Air Force by using it as a tether. But that really limits my overall mobility depending on my environment. In the city or in a forest, it could be used well, but in a wide area…" Midoriya looked up and realized he had been mumbling. "Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his head.
All might smiled, pleased to see his protoge's habits, "It's fine. You've put a lot of thought into this as usual."
The teen blushed, "Well, that's cause I have to do my best for everyone." He looked back down into his tea, "Everyone's helped me reach this point. You, Kaachan, everyone in class, Aizawa-sensei, Gran Torino, Night Eye, and Mirio-senpai. Everyone has helped push me up to this point and if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here. I… guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm really lucky to have made it this far."
"Always with the water works," All Might said with a smile, noticing the tears form in Midoriya's eyes.
"Sorry…"
"It's fine. Just do your best tomorrow and everything will be fine."
Midoriya wiped his eyes and gave a determined smile to his master. "Yeah."
"You did well Young man." Midoriya snapped back to reality to see All Might standing before him. "Dodging his attacks and keeping the damage in the surrounding area to a minimum." He gave a thumbs up along with his signature smile, "Great work."
"Oh… Thank you All Might."
"Now, if you'll excuse me. I must capture this villain before he escapes." Pulling out two empty two liter bottles from the shopping bag he was carrying, All Might began to scoop up the sludge villain.
Meanwhile, Midoriya was barraged with a myriad of questions and thought of what to do about his current situation. Should I tell All Might about what happened? Would he even believe me? He shook his head, I doubt he would. I wouldn't believe myself. Still, I know things I shouldn't know, Like All for One and Nana Shimura. Maybe if I tell him that first, he'll believe me. OK, first there's something I need to do. As All Might continued to pick up the Sludge villain, Midoriya went over to his backpack and pulled out the charred book of his Hero Analysis number 13. "All Might…"
The Hero spun around, twisting the cap of the bottle closed as he did so, "Hmm."
"Please sign my notebook." Midoriya held out a pen and his notebook while politely bowing to his idol.
All Might let out a hearty laugh and slipped the bottles into the pocket of his pants. "Of course anything for my adoring fans." He flipped through the pages with the pen in hand, stopping momentarily to look at the notes and drawings of other heros. These notes… there quite detailed. Strengths and weaknesses of different heroes' quirks as well as analysis of why their quirks work. He flipped to the last pages of the notebook to the sketch of Kamui Woods. He even has drawings of new, up and coming heroes. "Did you do all these notes yourself young man?"
"Y-yes," stuttered Midoriya.
"Impressive. You have quite the mind under that large bush of hair." All might laughed as Midoriya bowed in thanks. Not wanting to take up space in the middle of the notebook, he flipped to the back to sign it. But at the back page of the notebook, a few words were scribbled along the top of the notebook. Battle, hospital, Kacchan, and Eri. Wonder what these mean. The idea of asking the young man in front of him was quickly shelfed. It's not my place to ask, plus my time limit is about to end soon. So with the quick flick of the wrist, 'All Might' was written onto the page and the book was handed back to Midoriya.
"Thank you All Might." He repeatedly bowed his head up and down. "This will be a treasured family heirloom for generations."
"Do not worry about it young man. Now I must be off, I must deliver this villain to the proper authorities."
"Wait, All Might. There's something I need to talk to you about…"
While stretching his legs, All Might just shook his head, "Sorry young man. A pro hero battles not only villains but also time. You can catch me again on TV."
I'm going to have to cling onto him again aren't I, Midoriya thought.
With one final stretch, All Might crouched down. "Thank you for all your support," He said, leaping into the air. The powerful hero was already flying through the air when he noticed a weight around his leg, which revealed itself to be the young teen form a moment ago. "Hey now. Let go of me. I appreciate the enthusiasm of my fans but this is a bit much," He said trying to shake the young man off his leg.
"I.. can't let go now or I'll fall. And don't struggle so much or the villain in your pocket will fall out." He tried not to struggle too much in order to make sure the sludge villain in All Might's pocket would not fall out. "Please, I… really need to talk to... you All Might." Midoriya's eyes and mouth flapped wildly thanks to the wind.
"Fair enough. Just do me a favor and keep your mouth closed." All Might turned his attention back to the direction he was flying and a drop of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. Damn…
Down in the city below, three middle school boys were making their way home through some back allies.
"Seriously, what was up with Deku today," The teen with the wavy hair reached into his pocket to grab a box of cigarettes. Popping one into his mouth as his friend extended his fingers to reach over and grab one.
"Totally, it's like he was a different person internally. Acting all confident like that. Definitely a first for me." The long haired teen looked over to the third person walking just ahead of them. "Yo Bakugo, you've known him the longest. Since you were kids, Right? Any clue what's gotten into him."
"WOULD YOU TOO SHUT THE HELL UP ABOUT DEKU!" Bakugo barked, letting off an explosion in his palm and scorching the empty can of soda in his hand. The other two recoiled back as the can was tossed aside. That look in his eye… It was just like when we were kids. When he would talk all big about being a hero. The memory flashed in Bakugo's mind like one of his explosions. "It pisses me off when he tries to play hero." He let off another explosion in his empty palm and turned around when he heard the flick of a lighter. "HEY," he shouted. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STOP SMOKING. Get caught and it'll go on my record too."
As Bakugo turned around to glare at the other two, their expressions shifted into looks of horror. The one with the extending fingers pointed behind Bakugo. A large swirling mass of sludge grew behind Bakugo and a mouth took the form of a smile. "A good body…with a nice quirk"
With a loud crash, All Might and Midoriya landed atop a highrise building after flying through the air for a few minutes. Releasing himself from the hero's leg Midoriya made an attempt to fix his hair which had been shaped by the wind. All Might walked over to the railing of the building to look at the area. "Of all the…!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Young man, that was extremely dangerous! You could have been seriously injured, had your grip loosened even a little."
"I know All Might, and I'm sorry," apologized the teen. "But this is really important, there is something I need to talk to you-."
"No! I will not wait."
All Might began to ready himself for another jump and Midoriya began to panic. I need to tell him about everything, but how?! I… need to keep him here just for a little longer. I have to say something, Anything! As his mind went into overdrive, searching for possible ideas or things to say, his mouth spoke before his mind could act. "Can someone without a quirk become a hero like you?"
All Might stopped and looked over his shoulder, "What?"
Even Midoriya looked surprised at the words that left his mouth. I just said that without thinking. The memory of the past replied itself in his mind. It looks like I got his attention… just keep going and try to think of a way to talk about the battle after. Midoriya closed his eyes and began to speak, completely missing All Might clutching his sides as steam bellowed off his body.
"Because I don't have a quirk and maybe a few other reasons, I've always been picked on. It's why I think saving people is just about the coolest thing someone can do." A smile unknowingly crept on to his face as he spoke. "The way you save people with a fearless smile, I want to be the strongest hero, just like yo-." Finally opening his eyes, Midoriya saw the skeletal form All Might standing before him. Crap, I talk too much and now he's run out of time. "Are you ok All Might?"
The skeleton nodded his head, "I'm fine." he said as spitting up a large amount of blood.
"AHH. You don't look alright." Midoriya walked over to All Might and offered him a handkerchief from his bag.
"Thanks kid," He wiped away the blood from his mouth. "You know, most people would be freaking out right about now. Finding out that the number one hero is actually an old skeleton."
"Oh you're not old All Might. Given you the time you appeared as a hero. You can't be anymore than-"
"Stop, don't say a number. You're going to make me actually feel old."
Midoriya scratched the back of his head, "Right sorry… As for why I'm so calm about this…" The first time I saw All Might in his normal form, I had a total freak out. "Anything is possible with Quirks." A statement made with no small amount of irony given his current situation. "I imagine it's like a guy sucking in his gut at the pool."
The hero laughed. "Good analogy there kid. It is like that." All Might slumped down and sat on the ground. "You've seen the real me, kid. Don't go posting about it online."
"I promise," Midoriya said with sincerity.
"Alright. You're probably wondering how I got like this." He lifted his shirt to reveal the large scar. Seeing it almost immediately made Midoriya flitch. "There's the right reaction. About five years ago, an enemy did this to me. My respiratory system was nearly destroyed and my stomach was removed. I've lost a lot of my strength from wasting away after those surgeries. I can only do my hero work for about three hours a day."
"And when you hit that limit, you go back to this form?"
All Might nodded, "Yeah."
A silence swepth the air as both parties mulled over the conversation. Midoriya played ignorant as best he could. All Might fought All For One with everything he had. "Did you win?"
All Might looked surprised by the question for a brief moment. "No. The villain I fought is still out there… and he's the reason I smile, to stave off the overwhelming pressure and fear I feel. A Symbol of pPeace who saves people with a smile must never be daunted by evil." He paused for a second to take a deep breath. "To answer your question kid, No. A pro should always be ready to risk his life. Without a power, can one become a hero?" All Might rose to his feet. "No, I should think not. If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option. I saw your notes and sketches in your notebook too, you could also work at a Support Company. Both are very admirable professions." Dusting off his pants, All Might walked towards the exit of the building.
"Wait. All Might…" Midoriya reached out his hand to try and get his predecessor attention. I still haven't talked to you about everything.
"It's not wrong to dream. However, You have to be realistic, kid." Withthose final words, All Might closed the door to the roof shut, Leaving the teen alone on the rooftop.
Alright, thought All Might. Time to turn this villain over to the police. He patted his pocket and found them empty. Panic set in immediately as he checked himself, sticking his hands in his pockets to double check. An explosion drew All Might's attention towards a pillar of smoke in the distance… from the direction he had flown over. Oh No…
Along the city streets, Midoriya walked alone with his notebook tucked under his arm. I never got to talk to him about the Battle. Though honestly, even if I did tell him, it's not like he would believe me. He clenched his free hand into a fist as memories of the distant past crept into his mind. I guess it still hurts to have the truth thrown in my face like that, even if I know it's true. As he absentmindedly walked down the street, a crowd of people caught the young teen's attention. Looking at the sign above the crowd flooded him with memories of the past. No no no, he thought running to the crowd.
Pushing past the crowd of people, He came to the front and saw the swirling mass of black sludge. Varius heros like Death Arms, Backdraft, Mount Lady and Kamui Woods were attempting to control the situation, but they were doing everything they could to keep the situation from escalating. No. I was careful this time so All Might wouldn't lose the villain. I… This is my fault, again. Looking over the crowd of people, Midoriya spotted All Might in his skeleton form. He squeezed his way through the crowd to get closer to the pro. "All Might," he whispered.
The hero looked over to see the green haired teen from earlier. "Young man! What are you doing here? It's dangerous."
"It's MY fault the villain got away All Might. If I hadn't clung to you, it would have bee-."
"Hey, is that Deku!?" The two stopped talking to each other and saw other boys dressed in the same uniform as Midoriya came towards him. "This is bad man," Said the long haired teen. "Bakugo got grabbed by the villain."
Not again… Midoriya walked to the edge of the line the police created to keep civilians back. Looking over to the villain, he saw the unmistakable features of his explosive childhood friend. And in that singular moment, the eyes of the two teens meet and it was impossible for Midoriya to forget the look on Bakugo's face. It was no different than the last time this had happened. Fear and terror written all over his face, it was the look of someone asking… pleating for help.
There was no hesitation. Midoriya's feet began to move before his mind did and they carried him towards the raging inferno.
"Deku, Wait!" The wavy haired teen reached out his hand to grab his classmate as he ran towards the villain.
All Might tried to do the same as he reached for the teen. "Young Man, Don't!"
Death Arms and the other pros also acted too late as they cried out, "Get back here, you fool! Stop!"
The villain was quick to notice the approaching teen, "it's that kid from before."
Amongst the sludge, Bakugo saw Midoriya running towards the villain. Deku?
Ok, think fast. Last time I just threw my bag and blinded him, but it didn't work. I have to do more. He looked around the rubble and saw something that could be of use. I may not have One for All, but I still have the training from U.A. Reaching down as he ran, Midoriya picked up a fabric awning used in one of the shops on the street. He pulled the rope running along the inside out with and held it in his mouth with his teeth. Just enough rope. Let's do this just like before, just like Kamui Woods does. Now within striking range, Midoriya spunn and flung his bag around and tossed it at the villain. It's not enough, I need more. He reached down on the ground and grabbed a piece of rubble and tossed it at the villain. The supplies inside scattered in the air and a pencil case flew out hitting the villain in one eye while the rubble nailed the other.
The pain caused the villain to loosen his grip on Bakugo and he made his move. Taking the rope from his mouth he reached under his arm of his friend. "What the hell are you doing," screamed Bakugo in a mixture of anger and confusion.
"My legs just moved on their own," Midoriya said, tying a quick knot. "And… you looked like you need saving!" All Might heard those words loud and clear, as he watched Midoriya toss the loose end of the rope towards the other heroes. "Death Arms! Pull!"
The pro heistated for less than a second, "I see what you going for kid." The super strength hero grabbed the end of the rope and pulled on it as hard as he could. With the villain in pain, his grip on Bakugo was weak enough for him to be pulled out by the hero, sending him flying over Midoriya's head. Slugger reached down to help the teen up and Death Arms screamed, "We got him, Kid, now get out of there!"
But it was too late, the sludge Villain regained his composure and focused on the teen right in front of him. With anger and intent to kill in his eyes he latched black tendrils, "You're dead you damn brat!"
Kamui wood tried to reach out with his bratched but they were too slow. For All Might, time seemed to slow down, almost to a complete stop. I'm so pathetic. This young man ran in and risked his life to save his friend while I just sat back and watched. Steam began to pour out of the man's body as he grew in size. Pathetic. Pathetic.
"DIE." Midoriya closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack but it never came.
"The lesson I left you with young man. It looks like I should practice what I preach." He flexed his muscles and the tendrils that attached to him disappeared. "A pro should always be ready to risk his life to save those in need."The number one hero railed back his fist and cried out, "DETROIT SMASH!" The powerful shock wave sent out a blast of air in all directions. Like before, The sludge villain wasn't able to keep himself together, exploding into pieces as everyone watched the display of power. The wind finally settled down and the street became silent, but as rain began to drip from the sky, the crowd exploded into applause at the marvel before them.
While the hero stood heroically over the rubble, Midoriya smiled as he sat on the ground. Thanks All Might.
Afterwards, the heroes helped collect the remains of the villain alongside the police. The media quickly arrived when they heard All Might was there. Just like before, Kacchan was praised for his bravery and I was chastised by the hero…
"What the hell were you thinking kid!" Around Midoriya stood Death Arms, Kamui Woods and Mount Lady. All drilling into him how reckless his actions were.
"Indeed," nodded Kamui Woods. "You could have been seriously hurt or killed."
"Yeah, and you totally stole my spotlight. Not cool," Mount lady pouted.
Ignoring the details of the woman's comment, Midoriya bowed his head. "I'm sorry. And I apologize for my rash decision. I promise not to do it again." He bowed his head politely in apology.
Death Arms shook his head as he let out a sigh. "Honestly kid you gave us all a heart attack when you ran in like that." Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, Death Arms looked to see if there was anyone beside the heroes nearby. The police were putting the villain in the transport vehicle while the media was still by the entrance of the street. He let out a sigh as he scratched the back of his head, "What's your name, kid?"
"Izuku Midoriya."
"Midoriya-kun. What you did was completely reckless, no denying that. And you would have been seriously hurt had All Might not shown up. And as a pro, I shouldn't say this… but you did good."
Midoriya looked at Death Arms in surprise. Kamui Woods nodded his head, "While it may have looked like you were blindly running in, you quickly analyzed the situation and came up with a solution."
"While the rest of us were waiting around for a hero to show up with a better quirk, you leaped straight in and saved that other kid," Death arms motioned with his finger over to Bakugo who was walking away. "It was pathetic." Mount Lady and Kamui woods nodded their heads at the other heroes' words. "You plan on being a hero?"
The question caused Midoriya to pause a moment but nodded with a determined smile, "Yes, I am going to U.A."
"You sound confident," Kamui Woods noted. "The most prestigious hero course in the whole country and you have the gall to declare 'you will' get in."
The teen frantically waved his hands as he shook his head, "o-oh no, I don't think that I'm better t-than anyone o-or anything it's just…" Memories of the past filled his mind. Training with All Might at the beach, his mom showing off the costume she made, him fighting alongside all his classmates at the Provisional License Exam, studying under Nighteye and Endeavor. "So many people have helped boost me up. Helped me become as strong as I am. I… I have to do everything I can to show that their effort wasn't in vain. To become someone strong enough to protect them."
The pro heroes were surprised to see the meek looking teen sitting before them speak with so much heart. Kamui Woods clapped his hands, "Nice speech. You have quite the motivation."
Midoriya let out a nervous chuckle and Death Arms outstretched his hand, helping him to his feet. "Getting into U.A. is going to be tough, kid. You better be ready to go Plus Ultra as they say."
"Yes Sir!"
Death Arms smiled, "That's the spirit. Now get out of here. Your parents are probably worried sick about you. And don't go saying we praised you online. That stays between us."
"Ok. Thanks again for saving me," Midoriya bowed once again to the heroes and ran off in the direction of home. Leaving the pros to themselves.
"You really think that kid's got what it takes to get into U.A.?" Mount Lady asked with the tilt of her head.
Kamui Woods nodded, "He certainly thinks fast, but for U.A. that's not enough."
Death Arms watched until the teen disappeared around the corner, "Who knows. With a Qui-." the pro stopped himself before he finished his sentence and placed his fingers on his chin in thought. "Did we even see him use his Quirk?"
The other two heroes immediately widened their eyes. Mount Lady thought for a moment, "I… don't think so. Maybe he's got one of those intelligence based quirks that let him think really fast."
"It's a possibility, but the young man is long gone so there is no point in worrying about it now." Kamui Woods turned around and walked towards the rubble of the buildings. "Come, we have work to do." The other two heroes nodded and began to work on finishing the clean up.
With the sun now setting over the horizon, Midoriya walked the streets of his neighborhood alone with his thoughts. I'm glad things worked out better this time. Before, all I did was get in the way. Now I was able to free Kacchan from the villain. So much that the other heroes praised me for it. He smiled at that, even if they did chastise me like last time…
"Oi, Deku." the green haired teen spun on his heels to see Bakugo, face lowered to the ground. "I… I never asked you to save me! You didn't do anything you damn Deku. I could have beaten him myself. How dare a quirkless failure like you take pity on me. Trying to win me over!? Don't you dare mock me! Stupid nerd!" The explosion user spun on his heel and hurried down the alley in the direction of his home.
Never change Kaachan.. Midoriya smiled as he watched his friend disappear behind a corner. Resuming his original direction he remembered that All Might appeared from an street to his left. He hesitated for a second but decided to peak around the corner to see if All Might was coming. A quick look revealed the pro hero stretching his limbs in his skeletal form. "All Might."
The teen's voice caused the hero to look up. "Geez kid, I was just about to make my entrance. I was waiting for you to be done talking with your friend."
"Sorry. Do you want me to go back so you can do it anyway?"
"No," he answered with the shake of his head. "The moment is lost. How did you know I was here anyway?"
"Lucky guess," Waved the teen. "The better question is why are you here All Might?"
"I've come to thank you and to rectify what I said to you earlier. As well as offer a proposal." Midoriya knew what the hero was referring to but elected to keep quiet in order to not let out that he knew anything. "Without you… If I hadn't heard your story I'd have been nothing more than fake muscles and insecurities! So thank you!"
Midoriya blushed and scratched the back of his head. "I honestly didn't do that much All Might. It was my fault the villain escaped in the first place…"
"Actually, that's not entirely true." The hero's words caused the teen to stop and stare in awe. All Might stuck his hands into the pockets the bottles were placed in and to Midoriya's surprise, his skinny hand came out from a hole in them. "When that villain launched that attack at you back under the bridge, some of the shrapnel tore holes in my clothes. I didn't realize until it was too late."
While the torn clothes was a new development from the events in the past, Midoriya still shook his head. "Still… You tore your clothes protecting me so that still makes it my fault. Even back there, even though I was Quirkless, I just ran in and..."
"EXACTLY.!" All Might shouted in his buff form before reverting back. "Kid, of all the people at the scene, even the other pros, it was you, timid and Quirkless, who acted! You sprued me to action! Most of the top heroes show signs of greatness even as children. Many of them claim that their bodies moved before they could think! And that's what happened to you today, Right?"
As All Might spoke, Midoriya's eyes began to water and he nodded his head shakelly. "Yes."
With the sun at his back, All Might looked to the young man who had pleated his heart out to him and said, "Young Man. You CAN be a hero."
I don't know why I started to cry. I had heard those five words from All Might before on this day in the past. But… hearing them again, made my heart burst. That All Might still believed that I was worthy of those words… It was great… and it marked the start of my journey to becoming the greatest hero.
…
After sobbing on the ground for what felt like minutes, Midoriya lifted his head to look at All Might. "Those qualities are why I believe you're worthy of inheriting my power!"
"I Accept," Midoriya nodded with no hesitation.
"A quick answer… Way too quick." All Might threw his head back. "Aren't you going to ask what I mean about inheriting my power. Most people would hesitate for even a second. If I didn't know any better I would say you knew what I was going to ask."
All Might's words caused a bit of panic to fill Midoriya's body. "No no no All Might. It's just like I said on the rooftop, anything is possible with Quirks and I mean your quirk has been a complete mystery for years. In interviews you always dodge the question and there have been countless theories online from some super strength to invulnerability so…"
Midoriya quickly descended into a panicked mutter storm as All Might looked on in complete confusion. "Alright, I get it kid," he said, getting the young boys attention. "It's true. I've kept my Quirk a secret because the Symbol of Peace has to seem like a natural born hero. But in reality, my quirk was passed down to me like an olympic torch. It is a Quirk that transfers power… And it's name is One for All."
"One for All…" repeated the teen.
"The first person cultivates the power then passes it on to another, then it is passed on once more. This crying out to be saved and those with brave and true hearts link to form a crystalline network of power!" All Might pointed at Midoriya, "I've been searching for a successor for a while now… and I believe that you are worthy! You may be Quirkless. A mere hero admirer. But… Back there you were more heroic than anyone else! So… Are you willing to accept this power?"
The green haired teen looked into the eyes of the number one hero with determination. "I accept All Might."
"Good answer," the hero said with a smile. "For now, we should save the details for later. It's getting late and I'd hate to keep you from your family any longer. Meet me at Takoba Municipal Beach Park in two days at 6 am. Once you're there, we can begin your training."
"Ok."
"Alright, Have a good day…" All Might's sentence trailed off. Standing in complete silence before face palming. "With all the commotion today, I forgot to ask your name young man. How rude of me."
"No no no All Might it's fine." The teen stretched out his hand. "I'm Izuku Midoriya."
"Well young Midoriya. To the future." The two shook hands to signify their relationship. "Now, I must be off." All Might inflated with steam into his buff form. "Here I am… Making an exit."
The hero ran down the neighborhood streets and disappeared. While there were several thoughts swirling around in Midoriya's head, the collective events at the hospital and villain attack were starting to weigh on his stamina. With the startline now set, Midoriya walked off in the direction of home… but not before stopping to pick up some training weights.
Two days later…
"Come on young Midoriya. This fridge isn't going to move itself," Laughed All Might while sitting on top of the fridge on his phone.
Midoriya was struggling to move the large fridge across the sandy beach, "You sitting on top of it isn't making it any easier All Might."
"I'm only adding an extra 255 kilos."
After managing to pull the fridge a mere 10 inches. The teen flopped to the ground in exhaustion. I can't believe I used to be like this. I had no idea I lost so much of my strength getting thrown into the past. He felt the bicep of his right arm, flexing it a few times to feel how much muscle was there… Which was next to nothing. I remember the training being brutal, but not this brutal.
All Might hopped off the top of the fridge, "You're a smart kid, young Midoriya. Why do you think we're doing this training in the first place?"
"Umm… my best guess is it has something to do with my body and One for All." Answered the teen fleeting ignorant. With the training set to begin, Midoriya racked his brain the past two days over whether or not to tell All Might about everything. As much as he hated to do it, there was no other option but to keep it a secret for now. The fact is my relationship with All Might is still new, to him at least. If I told him about me knowing about All for One, it might hurt his trust in me. For now, my main focus should be getting into U.A. I can start thinking long term after that…
"Exactly!" All Might's loud chant broke Midoriya free from his thoughts. "One for All is the combined strength of many people into one. If you tried to use it with those limp-noodles limbs. Your body would explode from the backlash."
"Uh… no limbs exploding please."
"But that's not the only reason. Yesterday I did some research about this beach. This one particular section has been like this for years."
The two looked across the trash covered beach and Midoriya was honestly a little saddened to see the thing he worked so hard on back to its previous state. Many times while at U.A., he would often come back to the beach to remind himself of where he started from. "Yeah, the ocean currents cause stuff to come ashore here and people often illegally dump their garbage here too."
All Might placed his hand atop the fridge, "The young heroes of today only want fame and glory. But being a hero is all about volunteer work! No matter how unglamorous! Never forget that…" With one swift motion, he pressed his hand down and crushed the large appliance as if it were a tin can. The display of strength causes other bits of trash to fly away, revealing the rising sun. "Let's bring back this beautiful ocean view!"
As the sun shined in his eye, Midoriya nodded in determination. "Yes sir!"
"Love that enthusiasm. And don't worry. This isn't going to be you blindly moving trash. It's all a part of this," from his pocket All Might pulled out a stack of papers. "My self-designed 'past the test, american dream' plan!" He handed the paper to Midoriya who skimmed it. "This is a training regimen to help you clean up this garbage and then some! You can chart your entire life with this!" The pro leaned in to whisper. "To be frank, this'll be super tough. Can you do it!?"
"Of course. I know that I have to work harder than everyone else. But…" All Might tilted his head. "I don't want to just pass… I want to catch up to everyone. So I'll go Plus Ultra. So I can be just like you All Might!"
The hero couldn't help but be stunned at the frail looking teen in front of him. This kid, he's got his eyes set on the far future! "Pulling out U.A.'s motto, nice touch. That's exactly what I like to hear! Let the training begin…"
CHAPTER TWO: END
Author's notes:
Ok… I really don't have an excuse for this chapter being this late. I was just in a funk for the back half of last year and didn't really get back into gear until recently. And I live in Texas and that Ice storm hit right as was about to start back up. Then Persona 5 strikers came out and I played that…
I'm sorry…
And considering that the War Arc ended in the time of this release, I now want to set in stone the events of my story vs the official cannon. BASICALLY, EVERYTHING IS THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE EVENTS AT THE HOSPITAL. DABI'S REVEAL HAPPENED. BEST JEANIST AND LEMILLION SHOWED UP. THE ONLY MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS THE FACT THAT MIDORIYA WAS AWAKE AFTER THE BATTLE.
Getting into this chapter, my main goal here was to sort of summarize the things I want to do as the story progresses as a whole. Changes to some events as a result of Midoya's knowledge of events and the consequences of that range from major to minor. As well as throw some original scenes in the mix as well, like All Might talking to Midoriya before the raid.
I won't give any news about an update schedule since it may be a bit choppy from here onward. But i'll do my best.
See you all next time ;)