Heya! First chapter is here like promised! Hope you enjoy!
Oh! Also, make sure to read the notes at the end of the chapter, since I want to some things a little before we keep going on this story.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Exams.
/
"'I'M HERE! I'M HERE! I'M HERE! I'M HE-'"
Izuku Midoriya slowly reached out his hand and turned off his alarm. Damn… what time was it?
6:27 in the morning.
The green-haired young man yawned heavily as he stretched, causing his shoulder and thigh joints to pop. He'd fallen asleep in the middle of his studies, so books and booklets were scattered all around. In the dim light, he could read the titles of those that were closed at least.
'Basic Police Report Writing.'
'Rules of Engagement.'
'Firearms Manipulation and Classification.'
'The Basics of Police Work.'
'Standard Procedures and Investigations.'
And others of the same sort… Because today was the big day.
At 20 years old, he was finally going to take his exams to become a police officer, the exam including a written and theoretical part, and a physical and tactical part. He was genuinely excited…
He dressed simply in a light blue T-shirt and gray shorts, grabbed his phone, and headed to the kitchen of his three-room apartment. A bathroom, his bedroom, and a living room/kitchen/dining area.
While preparing his breakfast, a simple omelet with some leftover noodles that had been in his fridge for a few days, he played a catchy song from his playlist, Thunder by an old Pre-Quirk-era band still renowned, Imagine Dragons, and hummed along while cracking his eggs. Today promised to be intense, all the tests in one day…
Yeah…
But he was ready, he'd studied enough for everything. He wouldn't mess up. He'd become a hero in his own way.
…
Flashback
"My boy, you need to be realistic...", began All Might, his grave gaze fixed on the young boy.
The words came out of his mouth with difficulty, as if he didn't want to say them. A ball of anxiety, doubt, and fear formed in Izuku's stomach… What was he going to say…? He sensed a 'but' coming… and that thought weighed heavily on him.
"I know you want to be a hero, that you dream of doing what I do… But without a quirk, it's impossible."
The young man felt his heart tighten. He wanted to respond, to say he could work hard, that he would never give up, no matter the situation, that he wanted to prove he could be a hero despite everything, even without a quirk. But the words failed him or stayed stuck in his throat, the weight of the truth crushing him bit by bit.
All Might straightened slightly, though his back remained curved under the weight of years and injuries, his bright blue eyes fixed on him.
"Face reality, my boy. Even with all your courage and heart, without power, you can never fight villains like the ones we face every day. It's far too dangerous."
Izuku lowered his eyes. These words felt like a dagger in his back. One that hurt even more because it was his idol saying it… All Might continued, searching for words that were less brutal but still cutting.
"However… You can still make a difference. There are other ways to save lives. The police, paramedics, firefighters… These people are heroes too, more than some of my colleagues. Without them, our society would collapse. They are among those who protect the innocent, even if they don't get recognition from the press."
The young man nodded slowly, but a tear began to form at the corner of his eye. The dream he had cherished his whole life, that of becoming a hero like All Might, seemed to slip through his fingers, like a wet rope. Fate hadn't chosen him to change the perception of quirkless individuals. He simply wasn't enough.
All Might stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder, but the gesture only deepened the pain.
"You have a big heart, my boy. I can see it. But a big heart isn't enough. I am truly sorry."
That was the last straw. The tears spilled over, cascading down Izuku's cheeks silently. He turned away, feeling shame and despair engulf him.
Without another word, Izuku turned abruptly and started to run. His footsteps echoed on the concrete of the rooftop as he fled, his dream collapsing like a house of cards under the cruel breeze of reality. All Might stood there, unmoving, his gaze sad. He had shattered a dream, and it weighed heavily on his conscience.
…
The days that followed were a dark blur for Izuku. The pain of the truth clouded his mind, each waking moment becoming a battle not to break under the pressure. At school, he had closed himself off in a heavy silence, unable to respond to Bakugo's usual taunts or the curious looks of his classmates. The mere thought of opening his hero notes, those he had written with so much enthusiasm, made him feel sick to his stomach.
Every day, every night, every hour, every minute, every second, he relived that scene on the roof. All Might's voice, usually so comforting on TV, now echoed as a cruel reminder of his failure. He couldn't be a hero. Without a quirk, he was just an ordinary boy.
…
A few days later, as the sun was setting on the horizon, coloring the sky and the clouds in shades of orange, yellow, pink, and red, Izuku absentmindedly turned on the television. His tired, red eyes, swollen from crying yet again, settled on the screen without really focusing. A news channel was broadcasting a live incident in town. A villain, one of those whose powers frightened even the bravest, was wreaking havoc. Flames licked the buildings, coming from a torn in half truck that crashed in a store, and civilians were running in every direction.
Heroes were on the scene, but something was wrong. Despite their power and incredible quirks, they seemed helpless against this monster of destruction. The villain kept unleashing his uncontrollable rage. And in the middle of the carnage, a boy, barely older than Izuku, was desperately trying to help trapped civilians.
Izuku moved closer to the screen, his heart pounding faster and faster. He saw this boy, apparently quirkless, taking reckless risks to save a family trapped under debris. The heroes were too busy fighting the villain to notice him.
The boy kept going, his bare hands digging through dust and rubble, Izuku could almost hear the nails scrap, a labored panicked breath…
Suddenly, the villain turned his crazed eyes toward him. Time seemed to freeze. His breath caught in his throat
"No…", whispered Izuku, a ball of anxiety rising in his throat.
The boy was brutally seized by the creature. The heroes shouted, one unleashed his Quirk at close range on the villain, with hailstones the size of basins striking the villain's skull and back, exploding and embedding shards of ice in his muscles and skin, but it was too late.
The villain crushed the boy without the slightest hesitation or difficulty.
The body fell, lifeless, broken. The camera quickly pulled back, the reporters maneuvering to avoid showing the body, but the image, even brief, was now etched into Izuku's mind.
That boy… a simple civilian, had given his life to save others.
Izuku's heart exploded in a storm of thoughts and emotions. The tears flowed again, but this time, it wasn't out of sadness.
He saw himself in that boy, young, fearless, willing to take insane risks.
This was reality, harsh and unyielding, that had hit him.
All Might had been right. A quirkless couldn't fight in the same way. He couldn't be a hero like the others.
…
That night, Izuku stayed awake, tormented. He replayed the scene in his head over and over. The question hammered his mind: why had he tried? Why would a quirkless try the impossible?
Then the answer appeared to him with painful clarity: because he wanted to make a difference.
Like him.
Because he wanted to save lives, even at the risk of his own.
Like him.
It wasn't about a quirk. It had never been about power.
It was about heart, about will.
But even with the best intentions, without the right equipment or training, it remained too dangerous. What he had just seen, that tragic sacrifice, was proof he couldn't ignore.
Izuku thought back to All Might's words, that conversation on the roof. Maybe he couldn't be a hero like him. Maybe he wasn't destined to fight villains or stand as a symbol of peace.
But he could still make a difference, in another way.
He then remembered those words All Might had spoken, so painfully: the police, paramedics, firefighters. These were also the ones who saved lives every day, without waiting for the recognition of the crowds or the media spotlight.
Izuku thought of those brave men and women, sometimes quirkless, sometimes with quirks too weak to make a major difference, but who risked everything for the safety of others.
Suddenly, the idea began to take root in him. Maybe his place wasn't on the front lines, but there were other battles, other ways to protect the innocent.
All Might had been right. He could be a hero in another way.
A bandage had been placed over his shattered dream.
"You were right, All Might…", began Izuku in a low voice, "I can be a hero in another way…"
End of Flashback
…
He finished cooking his eggs and slid his omelette onto a plate, before putting his noodles in the microwave, covered by a cloche in a plastic box, then leaned back against the fridge. Yeah, after much thought, he decided to try and to join the police. It was true that someone quirkless like him wouldn't have had a place in the mess that had happened.
The civilian population had been heavily hit by all the chaos… The war against the Liberation Front… The LOV… Tartarus… The Final War…
The heroes had suffered; everyone had suffered. Especially the class of the new Number 1. Lemillion. Yeah, they had been through it; no one could deny that.
The music ended just as the microwave beeped. Izuku opened it and took out his noodles, dumping them onto his plate in a messy pile before sitting down on his couch and turning on the TV as he ate.
It was the early-morning news.
A presenter appeared, smiling, with shining, white teeth, immaculate hair, and a stack of papers in hand.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all doing well and had a good night! Today, we have something big to kick off! Today will be the trials for our future police officers, not just for these brave men and women, but they'll be in the spotlight today!"
The current No. 1 hero will be present to observe the trials; this was confirmed two days ago during an interview he held, where he publicly stated that, and I quote, 'The police don't receive enough credit for the work they do, and they're not the only ones.'"
Izuku almost choked on a noodle. The Number 1 would be at the trials? Damn! Suddenly, he felt an immense pressure.
"Now, onto other news. Last night, a major smuggling operation at the Koyishu port was thwarted by a joint action of the 'Sentinels A' Agency, the Coast Guard, and Ground Zero's Agency-"
At that moment, Izuku turned off the TV, feeling a bit annoyed. He didn't want to hear the name 'Ground Zero' too much…
It was a part of his life he was trying to leave behind… Growing up had made him think… And he had decided to cut ties with Katsuki Bakugo. To try to forget him, forget the misery he had lived through… It was more for his own mental health and physical integrity that he had distanced himself…
The 'Sentinels A' Agency was one of the more esoteric agencies in the hero world… It was made up of several agencies, all grouped within the same building, with a rising reputation in the field… Anyway… He was getting sidetracked.
Finishing his meal, he put his plate in the sink. He didn't have time to wash it; he had to get ready to go.
He went to the bathroom and leaned on the sink, looking at himself in the mirror.
He hadn't changed much.
Still those big green eyes, full of life. That wild green hair…
The only mark was a scar on his left cheek from when he spectacularly tripped two months ago on the sidewalk… His mom had almost had a heart attack when she saw the mark…
"You haven't changed, Izuku…" the boy commented to himself before grabbing a toothbrush…
…
"Thank you.", Izuku said, taking his can of energy drink before stepping outside, putting it in the bag he was carrying.
He decided to wear simple clothes, black joggers with a camo pattern, a white T-shirt with a green hoodie on top, and finally, a padded coat to protect him from possible bad weather…
It wasn't forecasted, but you never knew. The weather hadn't been reliable lately…
He walked briskly down the street, easily navigating the urban jungle to reach the nearest tram station. The trials would be held in the north of Musutafu, starting around 9:00 AM; it was 7:30. He had plenty of time, but he wanted to review everything one last time.
Soon, he arrived and boarded the first car that came by. He settled comfortably on an empty bench, hugging his bag to his chest to save space, and closed his eyes…
The car was quiet, quite calm for a Tuesday morning; normally, it should have been packed.
"You're going to do it…", the greenette whispered to himself, leaning his head back against the window… But he opened his eyes when his phone vibrated, signaling a call. Izuku quickly pulled it out and looked at the screen.
'Mom'
He answered and pressed the device to his ear.
"Hello?"
His mother's voice came quickly.
"IZUKUUUU! MY DARLING!"
The greenette smiled; his mom… always the eternal mother hen.
"Are you doing well?"
"Yes… Thanks… Tired… I didn't sleep all night…"
He furrowed his brows slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Paperwork for the café… And I worry about you…"
"You don't have to worry, 'mom; everything will go well," reassured the greenette.
"Did you eat well, did you study well, did you sleep well?", his mother asked.
"Yes, yes, and yes.", Izuku replied to all three questions, and then a comfortable silence fell between them…
"Izuku… you've grown so much… It's… hard to believe…", his mother said.
Izuku smiled softly…
"Life goes by so fast…"
"That's for sure… I still remember holding your little form in my arms… So small… So innocent… So unaware of life… It feels like it was just yesterday…", his mother's voice shook with emotion… It tugged at his heart…
"Don't cry, Mom… Everything's fine; I'm still your little one, aren't I?"
There was a small contented sound on the other end of the line…
"Yes… But you'll understand when you have children of your own…"
Another silence settled, then suddenly, the quiet of the tram was broken by an announcement. They were nearing the station where Izuku had to get off.
The greenette stood up, phone still in hand, and grabbed a pole.
"By the way, Masaru and Mitsuki wish you good luck."
"Can you pass on my thanks when you can? I have to go mom. Bye."
"Goodbye, and good luck on your trials…"
"Thanks, Mom."
However, just as his finger was about to press the button, his mother spoke again.
"Wait, Izuku!"
His finger froze…
"… I… I'm so proud of you…"
The young man stood still for a few seconds…
"… Thank you, mom… I'll call you later."
And with that, he hung up. The tram stopped, and the door opened. Izuku stepped out alongside other people, looking left and right for an exit, which he quickly found.
He went down the steps and found himself on the sidewalk. A yawn escaped him; maybe he should have slept a bit more?
Yeah, maybe… He continued walking, crossing streets, turning left and right… until he finally arrived in front of a large gymnasium.
'Fitness Souls,' the sign at the entrance indicated.
If there hadn't been six police cars and four vans, he would have thought it was a gang gym or something like that. The name of the place gave that impression. The greenette pushed open the double doors, and just inside the entrance hall, he was immediately approached.
"Cadet Midoriya!", someone called.
He turned to see a man with a cat's head. Immediately, he stood at attention.
"Lieutenant Tamakawa!", the greenette exclaimed.
"At ease, cadet.", replied the cat-man, stopping about a meter away from the young man. Sansa Tamakawa was something of a legend in the police since the Final War, just like Detective Tsukauchi. He had led a group of fifteen officers into the fray when a horde of MLA members formed near Jakku Hospital to protect the target it contained.
Also known as Kurogiri.
Sansa, then a simple police officer, had successfully engaged in hand-to-hand combat and neutralized the group's main leader, a man with a head resembling a spider. His elimination had made the troop lose all cohesion, allowing the police to dispatch them.
This act earned him the rank of lieutenant, but also a scar on the side of his head.
"Are you ready?", asked the cat-man.
"Yes, sir. I'm ready and determined to succeed.", Izuku replied, his determination evident in his gaze.
The lieutenant smiled.
"It shows in your expression, cadet. Go change in the locker room; you'll be given a suitable outfit. Good luck."
The greenette saluted one last time before pivoting on his heels to head to the locker room. He was apparently the first, judging by the fact that he was the only one from his group walking through the gym corridors.
He quickly found the locker room, which was relatively easy as there were two tables in front of it with several boxes on top, and an officer waiting nearby, engrossed in his phone.
The man, whose knuckles seemed sharper than usual, looked up when he heard someone approach and offered a big smile.
"Ah, finally, the first one. Hello, cadet. Here, pick a uniform that fits you from one of these boxes and go get changed. One of my colleagues will guide you to an exam room afterward."
Izuku nodded.
"Thank you."
The green-haired young man looked through the boxes, picked a suitable uniform, and entered the locker room.
It smelled of sweat, and the air was rather heavy...
But whatever… It wasn't much different from the first time he went to the bar with some friends from his group. That had been even worse. They'd stayed relatively sober since you had to be careful with drinking, especially for future police officers; you couldn't get into the habit of being a walking sake bottle or other alcohol sponge.
He put on his uniform, a completely navy-blue ensemble with a large patch reading 'Police' on the back. There were also fingerless gloves. He shoved them into one of the four pockets of his pants. Izuku carefully tied the laces of his black shoes and left the locker room. As instructed earlier, a woman greeted him and gave him his room number.
The young man thanked her and headed toward it.
His written exam room was a gym room, but it had been repurposed. All the equipment had been moved to one side, and several tables had been set up. He sat at one, under the watchful and stern eye of an old sergeant.
Izuku waited for a moment until other participants arrived. Among them, he noticed someone in particular, and it brought a smile to his face.
Osaki Shihi was a tall, athletic young man with fine features, short black hair, and gray eyes tinged with pale blue. Son of aristocrats, he had renounced wealth to help those in need. His quirk, which only allowed him to adjust his height by a few centimeters, was too weak for hero work, so he had joined the police force.
He and Izuku were very good friends, which was why Izuku greeted him with a wave.
Osaki saw him, smiled in return, and went to sit at a table. The room quickly filled up, and fell into relative silence, until the old sergeant raised his voice.
"Well, all you ground-pounders are here.", the man barked, "A few rules before we start. No talking to each other or answering if I ask a question, or you'll get an instant zero on the test. No cheating. If your pen drops, don't pick it up; deal with it. You're in the police, damn it, don't mess around. Don't try to make a fool of me. You're not the first batch of rookies I've supervised. Did you understand me?"
The silence was such that you could have heard a fly scratch itself. A flicker of approval crossed the old sergeant's gaze, but it quickly disappeared.
"You rookies learn fast.", the man muttered.
He then took a stack of papers and handed them out to each person.
"Alright, you've got four hours, nonstop. Oh, and no eating or bathroom breaks; you should've taken care of that beforehand. If you have to go, too bad for you. Deal with it in silence. Shit in your pants or something like that."
Izuku swallowed nervously but focused on the sheet in front of him once it was there…
...
Writing a report, listing all procedures for securing a firearm, isolating a crime scene, safety protocols, practical cases in writing… Four hours later, without a second more or less, the sergeant's voice echoed in the room.
"Pens down, rookies. Your test is over. Anyone I catch still writing gets an instant fail."
The old man began collecting the papers, and Izuku handed his over without resistance. You didn't want to anger the sergeant, definitely not. Once they were all gathered, the sergeant counted the sheets and grumbled.
"Alright, get out of here. The cafeteria is open if you're hungry. Be in the main gym in…"
He checked his watch.
"An hour and a half, yeah."
Everyone left the room, but the first thing Izuku did was catch up with Osaki.
"Shihi-san!", the greenette called.
The young man turned and smiled when he saw him.
"Ah! Midoriya, I was looking for you. How did your exam go? We didn't get a chance to talk."
"Yeah, it went well. How about you?", replied the green-haired young man as the two headed toward the cafeteria.
"Well. I didn't expect there to be a question about isolating a crime scene, so I didn't review enough on that. I had some trouble, but it should be fine otherwise."
They arrived at the cafeteria, comparing their answers, which, although phrased differently, were mostly the same.
"What do you think, how did Wakai-san and Miyabe-san do?", Osaki suddenly asked.
Izuku shrugged, but a voice sounded behind them.
"Hey! If I flunk the exam, I'll walk around the streets in a dress and makeup.", exclaimed Kane Wakai, a young man with burning red eyes and fiery red hair, of average build with few muscles. He had a lot of endurance and was by far the one who could run the longest with heavy equipment on his back.
There was a reason for that. Kane was born on the streets and had participated in gang fights, where he had the advantage of being able to heat up any metal he touched, though he wasn't immune to the heat. It was for this reason that he wanted to change things, to make neighborhoods like the one he grew up in safer.
The redhead was followed by a young woman of medium height with short, white hair and pale eyes. Ina Miyabe came from an ordinary family and initially dreamed of becoming a hero, but she turned to the police when she realized her quirk allowed her to detect sound in the form of sonic spheres. Her quirk was deemed too weak for the hero profession. She had tried to enter UA, but all the slots for their entrance exams were taken.
"This little genius nailed the practical cases…", sighed Ina.
"Yep! There's no one more knowledgeable in this area than me!", Kane boasted with a big smile.
Izuku and Osaki laughed as Ina rolled her eyes.
"He's been bragging about it non-stop for eight minutes…", the young woman sighed.
"Speaking of minutes, I'm starving; anyone want to grab a bite?", Osaki asked.
An awkward silence fell over the group until Izuku broke it.
"Well… that's kind of what we're here for… Right?"
The four of them fell silent again…
"Oh, for heaven's sake. You guys are slow! Let's go; I'll starve before reaching the counter.", Kane said, starting to walk off. The other three followed.
A few minutes later, the four found a table off to the side, near the windows, and peacefully ate their sandwiches while chatting.
Izuku opened his can of energy drink and took a big gulp. The liquid stung his throat, and he grimaced slightly.
"Damn…", muttered the greenette, remembering how much his throat disliked this kind of drink due to the carbonation inside…
He set it down, propping himself up, and began to sip it occasionally, listening to his friends suggest ideas for challenges or scenarios that could happen. After a while, they spiraled into absurd delusions about rebel machines wanting to destroy humanity, so Izuku turned his attention to the outside.
There were several press vans that had arrived during their written exam, unloading their throngs of cameramen and journalists. There was also the mayor's white car, Toshiki Kino, who stood next to it, protected by a retinue of security agents and aides, talking with the newly appointed police chief, Naomasa Tsukauchi, the successor to the former chief, Kenji Tsuragamae, who had recently retired.
A large, deep black car with an extremely futuristic design stopped. Izuku raised an eyebrow. Hmm? Why did he feel like he had heard about or seen it before?
The front doors opened, and Izuku immediately knew why. Two giants emerged first, bodyguards equipped with advanced gear, then one of them approached the back and opened the door.
A man with blond hair, blue eyes, a simple face marked by a few scars, and dressed in a black suit with a tie stepped out.
The press rushed toward them, but one of the bodyguards deployed a kind of solid energy barrier in the shape of a semicircle that prevented the journalists from getting through. Only a man who had spent his life in a cave while the world burned would have recognized Mirio Togata, better known as Lemillion, the current No. 1 in Japan. The new symbol of peace after All Might…
The blond nodded with a smile to his guard, exchanged a few words, then turned and extended his hand. A skeletal hand gripped it firmly, and a man about 60 years old stepped out.
A skinny body, a face drawn by wrinkles and fatigue, blue eyes shining with a dull light of courage and determination, a mane of blond hair with two long strands framing his face… Dressed in a dark blue suit, the jacket over a white shirt, and a black tie falling over… Izuku nearly had stars in his eyes.
No… This couldn't be possible…
He received an elbow jab and turned to his friends, who were looking at him curiously.
"Midoriya? Are you with us?", asked Ina.
"Yeah… Yeah… Yes… I'm with you… Sorry… I… Just… I… Oh, hell. You're never going to guess who's coming with No. 1."
"Wait. Are you telling me that No. 1 is coming? Why wasn't I informed?", complained Kane.
"It's been a week since they've been talking about it. You really have your head in the clouds."
"Hey!"
Osaki gave a light kick to silence them, casting a slightly dark look at them, nothing too serious, before turning to Izuku.
"So, you were saying there's someone with him?"
The greenette nodded frantically.
"All Might is with him."
A grenade could have been thrown at the feet of his three friends, and they wouldn't have reacted.
"Did I hear correctly? All Might, as the former Symbol of Peace?", Kane wanted to confirm.
"Because there's another one?", Ina asked, giving him a light pat on the back, which only caused him to cough as he swallowed a noodle the wrong way.
Izuku nodded his head frantically. Seeing their faces, a few other cadets came to look out the window, and soon there was a gathering as surprised shouts rang out.
The greenette was in shock. He had never thought he would see that man, the one who had led him on this path to which he dedicated himself body and soul for his entrance exam. A part of him was excited beyond belief; just having the presence of No. 1 was an honor, and with All Might as well? It was the cherry on top.
However, another part of him, more anxious, began to expose apocalyptic scenarios in which he would mess up in front of all these people…
He shook his head. No, no negative thoughts like that. That was the worst thing to have before an exam.
A voice boomed at the entrance of the cafeteria, and all eyes turned to Lieutenant Tamakawa.
"EVERYONE, LET'S GO, STOP CLUSTERING AT THE WINDOWS LIKE BEES ON FLOWERS!"
Izuku looked down at his watch and widened his eyes in surprise.
"Has it really been an hour and a half?"
"Oh no…", Kane groaned, "I haven't even finished my plate."
Osaki stood up, stretching his arms, and Izuku did the same.
"Yeah, but anyway, no big deal… At least you got something in your stomach."
Kane grumbled as he got up, but Ina placed a hand on his shoulder. He calmed down immediately.
"You'll be fine, big guy, you've been through worse.", said Ina with a touch of humor.
The four then fell silent, following everyone else until they arrived again in front of the changing rooms. There, the boxes of clothing had been replaced by folding metal tables, on which were laid out airsoft guns, bulletproof vests, helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and various other equipment.
When it was Izuku's turn, he grabbed all his gear and entered his changing room. He donned the equipment with a series of grunts and clicks.
Izuku put his on without any issues, waiting only for Kane and Osaki, and the three boys exited. Ina was waiting for them, and Kane couldn't help but tease when he saw her face contorted by the fact that her chest was extremely compressed in a bulletproof vest that was too tight for her.
"Well, tough luck with the gear?"
A middle finger and a dirty look were the only responses, and Izuku burst out laughing. To him, Kane and Ina had a very amusing dynamic as friends.
The cadets were divided into several teams; Izuku was lucky to end up with his friends, in addition to eleven other cadets he had never seen before. A team of fifteen. There were seven teams in total.
Unfortunately, they were not chosen first. Nor second. Nor third. Nor fourth. And each time, the challenge was very long. About an hour each. The remaining teams began to worry.
In Izuku's team, some were very nervous. Izuku himself was too. Stress was contagious.
What awaited them? They didn't know.
Suddenly, the door opened, and everyone looked up.
A police officer, the same as for the previous four, was in the doorway.
"Team 7, it's your turn."
Damn. It wasn't them.
There was a groan beside him, and a cadet removed his helmet.
"Damn, they're annoying… When are we going to go? I feel like it's been years since we've been here."
"You're not the only one…", another one grumbled…
The room fell silent again. Izuku looked down, searching for something to do, and decided to examine his weapon.
A B130. An Italian pump-action shotgun originally… Efficient, that's one way to put it. The replica was pretty good overall; the greenette studied it for a while… He was almost sure that the weapon could fire real cartridges, but it was impossible to tell… However, the mini tank inside, which contained the balls, could be ejected like a real cartridge and could be loaded in the same way…
Izuku was engrossed in it for almost the entire hour, the back of his mind still worrying…
Then, finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened again.
"Team 4, it's your turn."
Now it was their time.
"Finally!" exclaimed the cadet who had removed his helmet earlier as he replaced it on his head and secured the strap.
The officer led them through the corridors, the rustling of their gear brushing against their uniforms echoing in the silence. Some checked their weapons one last time, while others checked their helmets and equipment.
Then, at last, they emerged into the central gymnasium, just as the previous team passed by. Izuku couldn't help but notice the red paint stains on five of their guys' gear.
Okay, so they would be shooting at them with paintball guns.
In the middle of the gym stood a large structure, its entrance concealed behind a truck and two response vehicles. Several officers crouched behind the vehicles, and two of them lay on the ground, eyes closed, with red paint splatters on their bodies.
One of them turned his head as they approached and rushed towards them, much to the surprise of the cadets, who quickly composed themselves.
"Finally! Damn, you're finally here; we desperately needed reinforcements at this point! We got a report that there are about ten suspects in that villa, armed, with several hostages, but when we tried to go in, we were shot at point-blank range. Damn, we lost Hogai and Tanzan... We couldn't do anything..."
The officer fell to his knees and began to sob, which shook the cadets, even though it was just an act on the part of the man.
The officer who had come to retrieve them crouched beside the man.
"It'll be okay, don't worry, they'll get a proper funeral..."
He then turned to the group of cadets.
"Your objective is to get in there, eliminate or apprehend the suspects, and rescue the hostages. Go on, officers, save them; these people are counting on you. You'll probably find equipment in the truck."
This wasn't just any simulation, Izuku thought as his body almost went into autopilot, repeating the movements he had learned at the police academy.
A few people went to search for equipment in the truck and came back with a battering ram, several handcuffs, a couple of medkits, two tactical shields, an optical baton, and several breaching charges.
There were also some pepper spray and tasers. Roles were assigned to everyone, and Izuku was placed in the front team.
The worst one. That was the one that would enter through the main door, while the others would go through windows or secondary doors.
The exercise began, and crouched behind a tactical shield, Izuku and his comrades approached the door... No shots were exchanged with the hostiles inside. One of his teammates grabbed the battering ram and positioned himself beside the door, while the rest positioned themselves around the door, watching the windows.
Surprisingly, it was not from their side that the gunfire erupted. Orders crackled through their team's walkie-talkies, apparently, they had already lost a guy. This was starting off great.
His teammate smashed the door in a precise blow with the battering ram, so forcefully that it almost came off its hinges. Another teammate threw in a flashbang, which exploded with a loud bang.
Gunfire erupted from inside, impacting the tactical shield of his teammate as he advanced. He didn't push far and ducked into the entrance, allowing Izuku to reposition and two of his teammates to neutralize the shooter non-lethally. They advanced into the vestibule, cautiously.
Izuku felt a drop of sweat on his forehead as they checked left and right. There was a door that the green-haired boy had to cover. A storage room or a cellar.
"Stop.", ordered the shield bearer before placing the heavy object on the ground, crouching to shield himself.
Izuku turned his head for two seconds, and the door to the cellar swung open.
The woman who came out was Erisu Asari, and Izuku knew her as a very kind and friendly person.
The complete opposite of the psycho armed with a butcher's knife she was portraying all too realistically for Izuku's taste, who immediately turned his head and shot her at point-blank range in the legs.
The woman groaned in pain, and one of his teammates shot into her hand, forcing her to drop the blade.
Then, he took out a taser and fired it at her.
While the weapons were fake, the taser was not. Erisu fell to the ground screaming, convulsing as electricity coursed through her body...
Izuku jumped on her, put her in an arm lock, and cuffed her. Erisu immediately ceased all resistance, speaking with difficulty.
"Good job, guys, but I think I've had my fill... Damn, I can't feel my body..."
"Sorry.", Izuku murmured before reaching for his walkie-talkie, "Suspect apprehended; please prepare a medical team for serious injuries to her legs.", reported the green-haired boy as a formality.
The team then moved forward and managed to cuff their initial shooter, who was too busy trying to stop the 'bleeding' caused by a shot to his 'artery'.
Meanwhile, other reports came in from the other teams. In total, three hostages had been found, two officers were 'dead', and three suspects had been apprehended.
But the hardest part was yet to come. And for Izuku, it came in the form of a 'criminal' with a quirk.
The man, built like a tank and resembling a crocodile, smashed through a wall and grabbed their battering ram bearer... Slapping him with such force that it left a large red paint mark on his helmet.
They broke formation to fire at the beast, which showed no signs of pain as the paintballs bounced off his massive body like gravel. The man, whom Izuku had seen before, Arata Ohta, who had been a trainer, moved quickly and 'mortally', delivering a massive slap to another cadet. However, the latter, in a panic attack, had pulled the pin on a flashbang and dropped it when he got slapped. It exploded, blinding the crocodile man, allowing Izuku and his teammates to capitalize on the moment, even though they were a bit disoriented, to neutralize the beast.
A spray of pepper in the eyes and seven shots to the chest took him down. The man laughed as they cuffed him when the shield bearer asked if he was okay.
They continued their sweep, room by room, passing on information and updates. They found one hostage held at gunpoint by a 'criminal'... But the criminal was shot by another team coming in from behind...
They managed to finish the practical about 54 minutes later, having encountered difficulties with one particular point in the house—two hallways where they were caught in a crossfire from two groups of two who had showered them with paintballs from both sides, where three other participants had 'lost their lives'.
It was exhausted, dragging their feet, that Izuku emerged from the house. Damn, he had been stressed like never before... And still, he would have to wait another two hours for the remaining teams to finish their tests...
As soon as they were allowed in the cafeteria, where the other teams were recovering, Izuku headed to a corner without even talking to his friends and collapsed onto a table like a drunkard...
...
The green-haired boy jumped when a hand rested on his shoulder and shook him gently. Completely alert and ready to jump, he looked around. Oh, it was Osaki.
"You awake? We have to go."
"Huh? But where?", asked the greenette, confused.
"They're announcing who will graduate.", replied the other.
Izuku blinked.
"Wait, what? Already?"
Osaki nodded; to be honest, he too seemed a bit surprised.
"Yeah, apparently."
Izuku stood up, arching his back to stretch before putting on his helmet. Damn, he had really forgotten to take off his gear.
"How long have I been sleeping?" he asked, looking outside and noticing it was dark. "Wait, what time is it?"
Osaki checked his watch before answering.
"Nine o'clock, almost ten."
Izuku groaned and rubbed his face...
"Oh man... Is it really that late? Did I sleep that long?"
"You collapsed.", confirmed Osaki, "Kane was worried; he thought you had fainted."
Izuku chuckled.
"Well, damn, I could have with the effort we put in."
The duo approached a table where Kane and Ina were talking, and the redhead jumped up.
"Damn it, Midoriya! You can't do that!"
"Sorry, I was too tired to do anything else...", the greenette apologized.
Ina chuckled lightly as she stood up too.
"He almost crapped himself at least seven times."
Kane shot her a glare, forcing her to stifle a laugh.
"You look like a pit bull that just got sprayed with water.", the young woman teased.
"I hate you.", the redhead replied.
"I love you too.", Ina taunted with a wink.
The quartet followed the group of young cadets, feeling a more relaxed mood. No pressure... It should be fine... Izuku couldn't help but go over everything he had done... Had he made a mistake?
No, he didn't think so; to him, it was a perfect run. Well, he would see.
They were taken to the gymnasium, where they were lined up in perfect formation in front of a wooden platform. There were flashes from journalists' cameras trying to capture them with Number 1, All Might, the mayor, the commissioner, and the whole crew in one corner...
Lieutenant Tamakawa appeared and positioned himself on the right, accompanied by five men and women dressed in black, looking serious, probably the examiners, and two police officers carrying two boxes, one larger than the other.
"CADETS! ATTENTION!"
A clap echoed as everyone corrected their posture by slapping their hands on their thighs. It wasn't mandatory, nor was it useful, but it was just there for effect, Izuku reminded himself.
They remained like that for a good two minutes while the lieutenant observed them.
"At ease.", the man finally ordered, and Izuku exhaled a breath he hadn't even noticed he was holding.
Then followed another minute of silence, before, with a rustle of clothing, Commissioner Tsukauchi stood up, descended from the stands, and moved onto the platform, looking at them gravely...
Then.
"Cadets, remove your helmets."
Everyone obeyed, and Izuku felt his heart race at the thought that his face might be published in the media, even though he was in a corner with all the others...
He unbuckled his strap, grabbed the helmet by the side, and took it off, tucking it under his arm.
/
In the stands, two blue eyes scanned the cadets while his good friend delivered a speech about the role of the Police.
All these men and women were admirable people, true heroes; it was rare now; many only did this job for the money...
Maybe this man...
Stain... the hero killer...
Was right...
The man had never been apprehended, especially after his outburst in Hosu, where a kid had only been saved at the last moment by his former mentor that was passing by, who had returned to duty since training young Togata and had now even formed a small group composed of a few people. A quick, deadly extermination team, destructive if necessary.
He thought about that when his gaze fell on a cadet with green hair, but All Might didn't pay too much attention...
Wait a second.
His gaze returned to the young man, and his blue eyes widened in surprise. Well, well!
His successor seemed to notice his expression, as he asked quietly.
"All Might? Are you okay?"
The former Symbol of Peace nodded before leaning toward him to whisper,
"If you don't have any plans afterward, would you mind accompanying me to see a familiar face?"
Lemillion followed his gaze to the young man with green hair, who radiated impatience.
"No, I see no problem. I have all the time in the world this evening.", replied his young successor.
"Thank you, my boy."
A silence fell between the two before the young blond asked,
"Have you met before?"
All Might nodded.
"Have I ever told you the story of the young man on the roof? Why one should be careful with their words?"
The other nodded, and his eyes sparkled in realization.
"Ah, so it's him?"
All Might nodded and turned his gaze back to the young man... It had been one of his worst acts. He had shattered a child's dreams by misusing his words; seeing him run away in tears had hurt him deeply...
So he was happy to see that the young child hadn't collapsed and hadn't sunk like so many others did when someone told them they were useless after he had left, but that he had followed his advice and was perhaps on his way to achieving his dream in another way...
/
Izuku was as excited as a flea when the commissioner stepped down from his platform, followed by the two police officers, the lieutenant, and the examiners, and began to walk through the ranks.
After a while, they reached his row, and Izuku straightened his back and raised his chin.
He had to be perfect, absolutely perfect...
Then the commissioner came to his height... stopped, and turned to him.
One of the two box carriers stepped forward, and with a smile, the commissioner turned, took something from the box, and slowly pinned it to his cadet uniform.
"Come on, relax cadet, no need to force it.", said Tsukauchi, then continued, "Congratulations on your success, cadet Midoriya."
The other box carrier approached, and Tsukauchi pulled out a rolled-up diploma, surrounded by a fine red ribbon.
"Well done, cadet.", said the commissioner with a smile to which Izuku couldn't react, frozen as he was.
He knew he was going to succeed; he had studied for so long... But hearing it in his ears... It was a shock; slowly, the greenette lowered his eyes to the diploma he held in his trembling hand.
His clammy hand.
Then his eyes fell on his badge. A silver badge pinned to his uniform...
His lip trembled, his eyes filled with tears, and he had to close his fists and shut his eyes to hold back the tears welling up.
Finally...
...
All his friends had gotten it. The four celebrated it as soon as they were allowed to leave the gymnasium.
They formed a circle and all jumped for joy. Then they gave each other big pats on the back, exchanged jokes, and laughed despite their fatigue...
And they found everyone in the corridors leading to the entrance hall, ready to go home.
However, Izuku nearly had a heart attack when a person turned a corner just as he was expecting it.
The greenette let out a surprised scream and jumped back to avoid colliding with the man standing there; the man himself was surprised and stepped back, stumbling, but was fortunately caught by another man right behind him...
However, all jaws dropped when the four recognized who the two people were.
"All Might? Lemillion?", Izuku gasped, the first to regain his voice.
All Might smiled gently and nodded.
"Indeed, young man, do you have a moment to talk?", asked the former Symbol of Peace, looking at Izuku.
Ina, Kane, and Osaki stared at their friend with wide eyes.
"I-I uh... I... Y-Yes, well... S-Sure.", stammered the greenette. His idol wanted to see him?
Him?
Of all the people he could talk to?
"Follow me then.", said All Might, keeping his smile, before turning on his heels and walking away.
Izuku glanced at his friends and gestured for them not to wait for him.
The three nodded and left, occasionally glancing back at him.
All Might led him to a break room, opened the door, and ushered him and the current Number One inside.
"Please, have a seat, mister… Uh…"
"Midoriya.", replied the greenette, regaining some of his composure from his stupor, "So… um… You wanted to see me?"
"Indeed.", replied All Might, sitting down on a couch with Lemillion's help, "Agh, my back, damn it… Thanks, my boy. So, I was saying, yes, that's the case… And I wanted to apologize for what I said on the roof. Maybe it was a bit too harsh on my part—"
Izuku interrupted him shamelessly.
"No, don't apologize. It did hurt my heart in the moment, and I won't lie that I thought about maybe giving up everything, but after reflecting, I followed your advice, and I think it's for the best."
All Might looked at him wide-eyed.
"Sir, sometimes you need to be blunt for a message to get through; that was my case, and it will be the case for others."
There was a heavy silence before Lemillion started applauding.
"Goodness… I'm going to cry…", murmured the current Number One, "Such reunions… I wonder if it'll be the same when I go visit Sasaki-Sensei and Torino-Sensei…"
All Might let out a small laugh and gave a friendly pat on the back to the young man, who was only a year older than the greenette.
"Probably, Sasaki has always been bad at reunions… It's a common trait…"
All Might joked before turning his attention back to Izuku.
"Well, in any case, I'm glad to see you've continued with your life and didn't let my words stop you."
Izuku smiled a little.
"Thank you again, All Might. Without you, I probably wouldn't have been able to accomplish my dream of helping people."
All Might nodded slightly, smiling himself. Izuku stood up, stretched his back, and said,
"Sorry if I'm leaving so quickly, but I need to get home fast… Especially since it's on the other side of Musutafu…"
Lemillion stood up as well and suddenly suggested,
"We could give you a ride! Where do you live?"
Izuku gave them his address and neighborhood, and the symbol of peace nodded slowly.
"The Might Tower isn't far; we'll drop you off.", the blonde young man decided.
"Huh?! No, really, it's not necessary!", Izuku tried to resist.
"I insist.", replied the blonde with a smile.
…
He had to give in. All Might dropped him off right in front of his home, at the foot of his apartment building.
Izuku was in shock, only moving a few seconds later.
Goodness… He had been in the ex-Number One's car… IN THE PRESENCE OF THE NUMBER ONE! His heart raced with excitement. It was something he could have never hoped for…
And—
"Oh crap!", exclaimed the greenette. He had forgotten something of crucial importance… An autograph from the Number One.
"Damn it, Izuku, how could you forget that…", the young man grumbled as he rubbed his face… And damn…
He took out his phone and turned it on… Ah… He had missed calls… 7 calls from his mom… Yeah, she must be waiting.
He pressed the call button just as he pushed the door open…
Tomorrow would be a new day…
As I said, here's some clarifications:
As you all understood, there's a timeskip, this story won't happen in the timeline we know. Here's the explanation why:
I know that there is very good fanfics mixing MHA and SCP (I would particularily point My Hero SCP (which is kind of an exception since the author changed many things) and a bunch of others for those who know.), however, I can't bring myself to use a kid Izuku while keeping the original darkness in the SCP universe.
There's a lot of fanfics where Izuku is an SCP, or gets recruited in the Foundation as a kid. I'm not here to rant a lot about those stories, they are good, don't get me wrong, but I can't see a scientist Izuku, or take once again the script of 'Izuku was contained because he's an SCP', gotta keep my work original.
That's why there is the Timeskip.
Now, onto smaller precisions in the chapter.
Since Izuku wasn't here, a lot changed in canon, and I changed things myself.
For example, Stain never interacted with Shigaraki, or very briefly, meaning Shigaraki attacked Hosu only for pure destruction. He also formed a small group of his believers that could happen to appear.
That means that our favorite villains are still in the wild!
Since Izuku never intervened, then what happened to Shigaraki? Huh... Let's say that... Well, he didn't end well...
Bakugo is still the a**hole we all know at the start.
I will let you guess what else didn't happen, but I am sure you will all be surprised about what might come in this story!
With that, I'm saying 'CUT!', and I will see you all next time!