Chapter Title: From the Ashes, from the Bottom of Society
Izuku was sitting in class, playing with his green hair. His hand was in a type of glove. It looked like the gloves digital artists wear to avoid triggering their tablets. To be fair, that is where he got the idea for the glove from. He didn't think it was looking cool, but a glove like that made from quirk resistant material would be handy. It would allow him to life a normal life.
Normal. You're normal if you have a Meta ability, commonly known as a quirk. Only the Quirkless are abnormal. But Izuku's quirk... it isn't like it is so weak that he could be quirkless. No, it is too strong, he can't control it. His Quirk causes problems... at least he isn't quirkless.
He played with his hair, thinking to himself, "I need to dye them soon again. The green pales out." He dyes his hair, side effect of the quirk he is cursed with. He was ripped from his thoughts when a classmate of his came into the room. Bakugou Katsuki, the top dog of the class. One of the class best students and an enigma to Izuku.
No, Bakugou himself isn't an enigma to Izuku. They used to be friends. Their parents, their mothers used to be friends. But that changed when he got his quirk. His curse. Midoriya Inko didn't want to be the mother of a child with a villain's quirk. She send him to an orphanage. Mind you, she didn't give him up for adoption, she didn't sign a release that he can be adopted.
A 'quirk' of the Japanese law is that such release is needed, it is separate from being given up. Most parents won't sign it to keep face in front of society. This results in too many children in overloaded orphanages. And no fostering. No one bothers to foster a child that can't be adopted. He is stuck in the system for a decade. But somehow, he never lost contact with Bakugou.
His friend won't be friendly to orphan trash. He won't be friendly to a villain. Again, his quirk that took his mother in a way took his friend as well. He is marked a villain because of it. Not even the quirkless student body won't want to deal with him. They say they suffer enough without him. Besides the odd snarl here and there, he isn't bullied. If anything, he is the bully. Well, he protects Bakugou's victims, he tries to. Mainly the other orphans attending Aldera Junior High. Bakugou himself, therefore, isn't an enigma. He knows the boy.
No, his quirk is the enigma. It is a Meta ability that is destructive in nature. While it isn't clear if Bakugou can control it or has just anger issues, Izuku can't control his. Izuku's quirk is nearly soundless, Bakugou's is noisy. As if dynamite explodes close by. It flashes brightly. The prime example for a 'flashy hero quirk'. Yet it is destructive like Izuku's very own 'dark villain quirk'. Why Bakugou is seen as a hero and he a villain, he doesn't get it. Maybe it is because he is a 'throw away child' or a 'villain'. Two ugly spots in one in the eyes of Japanese society.
Bakugou was late today. Not that the teacher cares. He only cares that Bakugou applied for one if not the best Hero school in Japan. Maybe even the world. No student of Aldera ever managed to come in... at least not into the hero course. There were and are a few, very few students Izuku knows that managed to get into the Management and General Studies course. And one who is in Support. Izuku knows that one personally. He only heard about the others from other orphans and the employees there. But it is true that none of Aldera alumni managed to get a spot in the Hero Course.
"Okay, now that Bakugou is there, we can discuss your choices for high school.", spoke their teacher. "But we all know you applied for hero schools!"
The class cheered, showcasing their quirks. All, but Izuku.
"Bakugou and Midoriya even applied for UA! Well, General Studies as well as Hero course in case of Midoriya.", spoke the teacher. "Why not Management or Support?"
"You seriously think you could top me?", yelled Bakugou, sparking explosions.
Izuku just sighed. "Just because I applied, doesn't mean that I have a superiority complex like you. I applied for everything under the sun.", he replied. He then turned to their teacher, "I plan to apply for these, but the Support one requires a prototype machine."
"Ah, that explains it!", he said, "Bakugou, please do not use your quirk. I want to discuss Plan B's with you."
"I don't need a 'Plan B'...", muttered Bakugou. He then saw Izuku's note book. "Hair dye? Stupid Deku."
Izuku rolled his eyes. His class was, despite everything, not that one track minded. Most of them had Plan B's. Izuku even had the feeling some of them only applied for hero schools as a courtesy, or as a trend. Weirdly enough, the boy with the elongated eyes seemed to be very serious about becoming a hero. Only Bakugou was the one who hadn't had a Plan B. He didn't even apply for different hero schools!
Izuku applied for any school that won't be an issue for commuting, had student boarding and was in the budget of the orphanage. He also applied for scholarships. Mainly ones for orphans specifically, though. Well, he didn't apply for that many ones that offer boarding. He feels bad to leave the orphanage. He made it his duty to keep an eye on the younger ones, especially the Quirkless and other kids with villainous quirks.
"Bakugou, why won't you even apply for other hero schools?" He said with a sprinkle of sarcasm, "Don't you want the feeling of institutions arguing over you?"
"I don't need advice from some villain scum.", replied Bakugou.
"Said the person with the same quirk as the German villain Dynamit.", muttered Izuku. He heard an explosion from Bakugou.
The rest of the class was just watching the interaction. They won't dare to piss off either one of them. Well, they take digs at Midoriya when they can hide behind Bakugou. But alone, they are afraid of the kid who, according to rumors, decayed his own parents. But they don't know this isn't true. It is just a stupid rumor, but the discriminating sheep won't know.
The day came to an end and they could leave school and go to their homes. Not that Izuku has one. He just lives there, but he doesn't feel home there. He was walking under a passage. He normally doesn't go that way, but today, he wanted to avoid Bakugou. He should not have to.
He was attacked by a slime blob. A villain with a very disgusting quirk. It was risky, but Izuku had an idea. Izuku got rid of one of his hands. He then stuck his hand into the slime. As soon as all five fingers were in it, the slime cried in pain. He let go of Izuku.
"Uh! You shouldn't have done that! Or do you have a license?", spoke a voice. Izuku turned around and saw none other than All Might.
He replied the Japanese Number One Hero, "I wasn't sure if anyone would save me. Not than anyone would care." He checked the ground for his glove. He fund it and put it on. He saw that All Might was putting the villain in bottles. Interesting restraining method.
"Um, All Might, I have a question.", spoke Izuku.
"Of course I give you an autograph, young, uh...", replied the hero.
"Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku.", he introduced himself. "But that isn't my question, not that I would mind one." He gave all Might a note book of his. And a pencil.
All Might signed fast. Too fast, Izuku could not ask. "Need to go, young Midoriya!" Izuku accidentally held onto All Might, maybe because the heroes movement was too sudden. All Might noted the boy hanging on him. He landed on a roof of an office building. Izuku then blurted out the question, before the hero could jump away again.
"Can someone with a quirk like mine become a hero?", asked Midoriya.
"Depends, what is your quirk?", replied All Might.
"D-Decay. I can decay anything, if I touch it with all of my fingers.", explained Izuku. "I was told this is a villain's quirk, even though one in my class has a similarly destructive quirk. Yet he is assumed to be the first one in our class to go to UA's hero course."
"Can you demonstrate your quirk?", asked All Might.
"Sure!" Izuku looked around, looking for something he could decay. They were on a roof, of course, there wasn't much. But two plastic cups of coffee. Remains of the break of two office workers. At least no shoes. He took off one of his gloves and grabbed one of the cup. First with two fingers, then three, four and five. It turned to dust. "Like I said, villainous. Yet my classmate who creates explosions..." He felt a tear run down his face, he rubbed it away.
All Might watched. "Young Midoriya, is everything okay?"
"Y-Yes... it isn't your business anyway.", replied Izuku, "Now, my question, can I become a hero?" While All Might thought what to reply, Izuku put his glove back on.
"If anything, your quirk may be better than the explosion one.", replied All Might, "I think you can be a hero, if you put the work in it."
Izuku looked to the hero, as if he couldn't believe him. "R-Really? Why?"
"Explosions are nasty, hard to control. They are loud.", explained All Might. "You can destroy things more precise, in a more controlled manner, silently. You could be a good Rescue or Underground Hero."
"T-That... makes sense? I-Thank you.", replied Izuku.
"But like I said, you need to put in the work... but seriously, is everything alright?", asked All Might, "You're tearing up."
Izuku noted he was starting to cry. He took a deep breath and said, "I... I am orphan. Adding onto my quirk being seen as villainous, I get told to c-commit suicide quite a lot."
"Oh... We better get you off the roof then.", spoke all Might, "Where do you life?"
"Black Gate Orphanage for troubled youth.", replied Izuku. He then saw the bottles. Breaking. "You better get going, the Goo is fleeing!"
All Might saw it as well and chased after it. With that, Izuku made his way to the orphanage.