- . My Hero Academia 180 degrees. -
Complete Summary.
Izuku Midoriya faces his darkest day as no one truly believes in him. Even All Might, his greatest source of inspiration, advises him to be more realistic about his dreams. Desperate, heartbroken, and lost in his thoughts, he considers the unthinkable, not expecting to be saved by a kind person who will continue to help him and for whom he will begin to feel something very special.
Meanwhile, Bakugo faces his own challenge when he is captured by the sludge monster, unaware that more than one person will be watching him with interest from that moment on.
Todoroki disappears, but this will only be the beginning of problems for his family.
And in front of All Might, the true essence of heroism begins to reveal itself, showing that being a hero goes beyond having a quirk.
Small warning for later chapters: Chapters and segments marked with (*) for suggestive or explicit content IzuxOcha.
1. Where Izuku decides to take a drastic step after meeting All Might, and Bakugo faces the sludge villain.
His feet took a shaky first step, but then continued forward with determination. Through sobs, and struggling to dry his face with the sleeves of his school uniform, Izuku kept telling himself that he already knew. He had known for years, but until this moment, he had clung to a tiny, fragile hope deep within him.
The sky was a brilliant blue, and a gentle breeze swept around him, brushing against his skin. That day, he had met the hero he admired most. All Might had personally saved his life and even given him an autograph, so things weren't all bad, he told himself, trying to force a smile as he edged closer to the roof's ledge.
Why had he met All Might? Was it really just a coincidence, or was it fate? Perhaps it was meant to spare him more suffering, to help him forget about pursuing a path that would inevitably end in tragedy.
All Might had just confirmed that his dream was just that—a dream, unrealistic and unattainable. Izuku understood what All Might had said; he really did, and he was grateful. But it had been too painful to hear.
He knew he couldn't be a hero without a quirk. He had always known that, but still...
As he took his final step toward the void, Deku closed his eyes, attempting to force a smile. His right foot hovered in the air, suspended in what felt like an eternity before his body began to fall headfirst into the abyss.
He didn't understand why All Might had to leave so quickly just moments ago. Maybe if he had stayed a little longer, Izuku wouldn't have felt so alone.
As he continued to fall, memories from his life flashed before his eyes. He remembered his mother hugging him when he was four years old, tearfully apologizing. He saw his five-year-old self, stifling sobs behind the door of his room while his parents argued in the living room, though he no longer remembered what about. Then, the image of his father, closing the door firmly behind him as his mother held him back to prevent him from following.
Maybe that's why All Might's words had hurt so much. Since his father had left, All Might had filled that void in his heart, becoming the closest thing to a father figure he had ever had. Now, that idol, that hope, had crumbled in a matter of seconds.
Izuku grimaced in pain, a shadow of despair settling over his face.
Meanwhile, on the ground, someone else began to move, their feet pounding the pavement with force, the hurried steps echoing through the air. As they ran, they dropped their school briefcase without stopping, their only goal being to reach him in time.
In Izuku's mind, the day's recent memories began to blend with the present. He saw Kacchan pushing him to the ground, calling him useless. Kacchan destroying his notebook and throwing it out the window without a second thought. He saw himself trapped, suffocated by that sludge villain, feeling his life slipping away. And finally, he remembered the imposing figure of All Might, with his muscular and dominating back, waving a simple farewell after jumping off the rooftop, wiping a small scratch at the corner of his lips.
"¡TOGAA!"
The sudden shout shattered the silence that enveloped Izuku, forcing him to open his eyes. Still falling headfirst, he saw a girl stretching out her hand with all her might, desperately trying to reach him. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, and he noticed that four of her fingers were already touching his hand. With wide eyes, Izuku realized what was happening.
It was in one of his hero analysis notebooks. Whatever her quirk was, it needed all five fingers to make contact for it to take effect. It was crazy to think about such details at a time like this, but at least it distracted him from the severity of his situation.
Without thinking much, and perhaps influenced by the desperate effort on the girl's face, Izuku moved his pinky to complete the contact with all five fingers. He felt an immediate change, as if an invisible force surrounded him and stabilized him.
Suddenly, he found himself less than three meters from the ground, flailing in the air until he managed to turn 180 degrees, though he had no idea what to do next. The girl was still straining, her eyes tightly shut, fingers clasped together with all her energy, until she could no longer hold on and let go.
Izuku was the first to hit the ground, followed closely by the girl, who landed on top of him with a thud that left them both dazed for a moment.
Rubbing her head slightly but reacting almost immediately, the girl pulled away a little to look directly at his face.
To Izuku, it seemed like she was surprised to see him up close, but shaking off that initial reaction, she looked at him with renewed concern.
"Oh, are you okay?!"
"Uh. I-I..." Izuku tried to respond, without much success, trying to back away slightly, embarrassed by what he had attempted to do and by the proximity of the girl's face.
However, when he tried to stand up, he was overwhelmed by a sharp pain in his foot.
They both noticed immediately the strange angle his right foot had taken, a result of not landing properly. Izuku turned completely pale.
She covered her mouth to hold back a scream.
The image of the girl who had saved him faded into darkness until he lost consciousness.
...
Ochako Uraraka desperately tried to catch the attention of passing pedestrians as she knelt beside the unconscious green-haired boy. Her voice, though tinged with urgency, seemed to be lost in the commotion around her. The people were all moving quickly, their faces marked by concern and fear, but they were heading in the opposite direction.
"Excuse me!" she called out, her voice rising in pitch as she finally managed to catch the attention of a man who was hurriedly talking on his cellphone. His expression was tense.
"Could you please call an ambulance from your phone?"
The man barely glanced at her, clearly distracted, but his gaze softened slightly as he registered the sight of the boy sprawled on the ground. With a quick nod, he pointed down the street. "There are several ambulances already parked at the corner," he said, his voice hurried as if he were already mentally checking out of the conversation. "You should take him there."
"How convenient." She quickly gathered her thoughts, trying to piece together why everyone seemed to be moving in such a rush. "What's happening?"
"A boy's been caught by some kind of sludge monster. There are already a few heroes on the scene, but it looks like none of them have the right Quirk to deal with it," the man explained briefly before turning and jogging toward the chaos.
Ochako's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly pushed the thought aside. "I can't worry about that right now," she reminded herself. The boy in front of her needed immediate attention, and she couldn't afford to lose focus.
She reached out and gently placed her hand on the boy's shoulder, her fingers trembling slightly as she activated her Quirk. The sensation of weightlessness enveloped him as his body began to lift off the ground. She carefully maneuvered him into her arms, cradling his limp form as she hurried down the street toward the cluster of ambulances.
...
From Bakugo's point of view, there were many heroes around him, all trying to damage that disgusting mud monster that was slowly suffocating him. But they seemed so weak and incompetent. He couldn't believe those idiots dared to call themselves professional heroes.
He squeezed his eyes shut, and tears he didn't want to acknowledge streamed down his face. He remembered that idiot Deku, who always seemed eager to help others but lacked the strength to do so. Always crying, but with his fists raised. That was the kind of person who died first, uselessly. It made him furious.
"PATHETIC! PATHETIC!" he wanted to scream but could barely manage a weak rasp.
"Pathetic," one of the onlookers muttered, almost as if sharing Bakugo's frustration, as he leaned against a wall, coughing up blood.
"I have to..." Suddenly, a hand on his shoulder caught his attention.
"Help is already on the way, so don't push yourself. It's not good for you," Tsukauchi, the chief of police, tried to calm him down.
Above the sludge villain, three red dots of light appeared. Noticing this, the closest heroes quickly retreated, trying to make the crowd do the same.
From the other side of the wall, three armored agents descended in rappel, using flamethrowers that effectively made the monster writhe in pain.
Still trapped, Bakugo felt the heat from the flamethrowers, his skin beginning to sweat, but the pressure on his arms eased slightly. That's when he saw his chance.
With a malicious grin, he opened his palms, sparks beginning to flare up.
"No. I won't forgive you. NEVER!" he roared, his voice filled with pure rage.
"DIE!" he screamed, channeling all his power into a massive explosion.
"Die?!" the onlookers echoed in shock.
A great explosion erupted from the alley, lighting up the sky for a brief moment. Then, large chunks of mud began to fall, but the monster no longer moved.
"He's really strong," the police chief acknowledged, while All Might watched in stunned silence.
...
When Izuku opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was All Might, though, of course, it was just a figurine on the shelf in front of his bed, the iconic pose of the hero frozen in time. The familiar sight was a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling in his chest, and for a brief, fleeting moment, he wondered:
Had it all been a dream?
But as he tried to sit up, reality came crashing back. His leg was encased in a heavy cast, his eyes were swollen from crying, and an unbearable emptiness gnawed at his heart, a void that seemed impossible to fill.
A painfully real memory surged to the forefront of his mind, cutting through the haze of confusion and hope.
"I'm sorry. You can't be a hero without a quirk."
The words echoed in his mind, sharp and unforgiving, and once again, tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the room around him. He clutched his shirt tightly over his heart, as if the physical pressure could somehow keep the emotions from spilling over, could somehow keep him from breaking apart entirely.
The door to his room creaked open, and Izuku quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, a futile attempt to hide the evidence of his sorrow.
The figure standing in the doorway was immediately familiar. The kind girl who had saved him. She was carrying a tray of food, and as their eyes briefly met, Izuku felt a flush of embarrassment rise to his cheeks. Instinctively, he lowered his gaze, unable to face her kindness in the wake of his despair.
"Thank goodness! You're awake!" she exclaimed with palpable relief, her voice soft and warm. She placed the tray on the bedside table, her genuine smile lighting up the room. But as her eyes lingered on Izuku, who kept his head down, not uttering a single word, her smile faltered.
"Please..." she began, her voice tinged with guilt as she bowed deeply in front of him, her sincerity evident in every gesture. "Forgive me for using my quirk on you. Because of me, you got hurt..."
Finally, Izuku lifted his face to look at her, still in mid-bow, his mouth slightly open as tears slowly started to spill over again. He had no idea how to respond, no idea what to say to this girl who was so earnest in her apology, so undeserving of his silence.
Who was this girl? And how could she be so kind to him?
When no response came, Ochako slowly looked up and saw Izuku Midoriya—his name had been mentioned by his mother—crying uncontrollably, his sorrow laid bare.
"Are you in pain?" she asked, her concern deepening as she reached out, her hand hovering just above his shoulder, hesitant to touch him.
"Izuku!" his mother's voice suddenly called out from behind the kind girl, who quickly stepped aside to allow the older woman to rush to his side. "I was so worried when you didn't wake up," she cried, her hands frantically checking his face and arms for any sign of injury, as if she could somehow erase his pain with her touch.
"Mom?" Izuku murmured softly, the word barely escaping his lips as he sought some context, some understanding of how he had ended up here.
"This young lady kindly brought you home after you were treated by Recovery Girl," his mother explained, her voice trembling with gratitude as she wiped her nose with a tissue. Despite the tension in the room, she managed a small, grateful smile.
"We owe this young lady a lot," she added, her voice filled with sincerity as she looked at Ochako with a mixture of admiration and gratitude.
Izuku made an effort to sit up, though his movements were slow and labored. His body still ached from the ordeal, and his mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. Meanwhile, Ochako Uraraka raised both her hands in front of them, a gesture meant to deflect their gratitude.
"No, actually..." she began, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as both mother and son bowed their heads in appreciation. "I was just apologizing to your son for using my quirk on him without his consent. I've heard of cases where that has ended very badly. The truth is..." Ochako trailed off, her words faltering as she struggled to explain her actions.
For a moment, Izuku recalled what he had heard her shout before he opened his eyes while falling. Her voice desperate and urgent. He wondered if she had mistaken him for someone else, if that was the real reason she had saved him.
A new pang shot through his chest, sharp and sudden like a stab wound, and he couldn't help but clutch his shirt with a fist over his heart, the pain almost too much to bear.
Both women looked at him with concern, though his mother's gaze suddenly turned more serious, more intense.
"When I went to the school to report your condition, some of your classmates told me that a boy named Bakugo has been bullying you for a long time," she said, her voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of anger.
Izuku felt a chill run down his spine, as he realized exactly where this conversation was heading.
His mother took him by both shoulders, her grip firm but trembling as she tried to hold back her tears. Izuku couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice breaking as she struggled to keep her composure.
The silence stretched on, heavy and endless, as mother and son now stared at each other with tear-filled eyes, the unspoken words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
"It's not what you think," Izuku barely managed to say, his voice a mere whisper, his throat tight with emotion.
"I want you to tell me," she urged, her grip on his shoulders tightening slightly. "Tell me if it was that Bakugo or one of his friends who pushed you off the building—"
Izuku covered his mouth with both hands, shocked that his mother would ask so directly, though deep down, he had seen it coming. He shook his head vigorously, his emotions swirling in a chaotic storm.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Ochako glanced around the room, her eyes catching on the various All Might memorabilia that adorned the walls and shelves, a testament to Izuku's unwavering devotion to the hero.
"By the way," she interjected, her voice breaking the tension as she remembered something important. "A few moments before I saw you fall from the building, I saw All Might running down the street, coming from that direction. That's why I turned around. What a coincidence, right?"
His mother's eyes narrowed, a new kind of severity settling into her gaze as she turned back to Izuku.
"Izuku. Does this have anything to do with All Might?"
Izuku continued to cover his mouth, the tears once again flowing from his eyes, his silence somehow betraying him even as he tried to keep his emotions in check.
His mother frowned, her expression a mixture of frustration and concern.
"Don't tell me you were trying to get his autograph and tried to follow him when he jumped off the roof," his mother ventured to guess, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Izuku kept his mouth covered, saying nothing, and lowered his head a little.
His mother sighed, the sound heavy with resignation, before standing up.
"You've taken this fandom too far, Izuku, but it's over now," she scolded, her voice firm as she began gathering all the figurines and posters in the room, stuffing them into a box with a sense of finality. She turned to leave, the box held tightly in her arms.
Izuku made no attempt to stop her, though his heart ached with every item she took away. She paused in the doorway, her voice softening as she turned to face him one last time.
"I'm doing this because I want you to realize that there's more to life than All Might. And that I'm the one who's here with you."
Unable to hold back any longer, Izuku collapsed back onto the bed, his body trembling as he covered his eyes with both forearms, the tears flowing freely now.
"That's true. I never stopped to think about how my mom would've felt if I had died from that fall," he thought, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks, the guilt almost too much to bear.
Now alone, Ochako and Izuku remained in silence for a while, the weight of the day's events hanging heavy in the air.
"As I was saying before, I'm sorry," Ochako apologized again, her voice barely above a whisper, but Izuku didn't dare remove his arms from his face, too ashamed to look at her. "It seems I made another mistake," she added, her voice filled with regret, though Izuku shook his head fervently, still not looking at her, unable to let her bear the blame for his own shortcomings.
"Well, I think it's been a long day for you. I'll let you rest for now, but I'll come back tomorrow to check on you. So, see you then," Ochako said, her voice gentle as she stood up, giving him one last look before quietly leaving the room.
She closed the door behind her, the sound echoing in the silence that followed. She remained outside for a few seconds, leaning against the door as she tried to collect her thoughts, the image of a boy smiling—who undeniably resembled Izuku Midoriya—flashing.
Uraraka stood there with a distant look for a moment longer before finally pushing herself away from the door. Inside the room, Izuku continued to cover his face, feeling the tears still flowing. He tried to calm down and, staring up at the ceiling, thought that despite everything that had happened, at least he had managed to talk to a girl for the first time.
...
He was slowly drowning in disgusting mud. No matter how much he struggled, he kept sinking deeper. Only his hand remained above the surface, desperately trying to grab onto something—anything—but there was nothing there.
Bakugo jolted awake in what was clearly a hospital room. As he turned, he saw his mother with an expression he didn't like at all. Was that pity?
"What kind of stupid face are you making?! Cut it out!"
His mother approached slowly, and with a sudden change in her expression, she slapped him.
"¡Touch me again, and you'll lose that hand!"
"I can't believe I raised you to be like this. I'm not saying I'm happy that monster almost killed you, but maybe you deserved it a little bit!"
"EH?"
Another slap came, just as harsh.
"I said, cut it out!"
"Is it true you've been bullying a boy in your class?"
Bakugo let out a small scoff.
"So what? He's a quirkless loser."
Anticipating the third slap, Bakugo caught his mother's hand mid-air, not expecting that she would strike his nose with considerable force using her other hand.
Bakugo growled in response.
"Ma'am, please," the doctor intervened from behind, "Maybe Bakugo isn't entirely to blame for his behavior."
"Do you think there could be a reason?" Bakugo's mother asked, rubbing her wrist.
"Don't talk about me like I'm not here, damn it!" Bakugo complained, still holding his nose.
"We ran several lab tests to ensure there was no residue of the sludge monster left in your son's body. We also discovered that his testosterone levels are excessively high. This is likely a side effect of his quirk. In a woman like you, who doesn't naturally produce this substance, it wouldn't be an issue, but in a male, it can manifest as severe mood swings with a tendency towards aggression and violence."
"You should test this woman too. As far as I'm concerned, she's almost a tomboy!"
Bakugo's mother threatened him with her fist from a distance, her action blocked by the doctor's arm.
"I recommend you administer this medication daily," the doctor said, handing over some boxes and syringes. "You might see some improvements over time."
...
"Thanks for helping me with this" Toshinori took a big sip of coffee, briefly catching a glimpse of his sunken eyes reflected in the dark liquid.
"It's nothing" the police chief replied, taking a final sip from his own cup. "I have to admit, I was also intrigued by that boy, Bakugo, after seeing how he took down that monster with a single attack. But, to be honest, what I found isn't very flattering, and I doubt you'll like it" he warned, handing him a folder.
On the first page, Toshinori found a picture of the boy in question, along with general information like age, weight, and the features of his quirk. However, as he flipped through the school records, All Might quickly understood what his friend was referring to.
"It seems he's doing well in school, but he has some issues with his temper. Maybe with some medication and professional help..."
"I wish that were all. It seems he's a bit of a bully, especially to one particular boy in his class."
All Might flipped through the pages until he found the information the police chief was referring to. His eyes widened in shock.
The young boy with green hair and freckles was unmistakable. He was the same boy he had rescued from the sludge villain, the one who had asked him if he could be a hero without a quirk. All Might deeply regretted being so harsh with him, but it was crucial that no one learned the truth about the Symbol of Peace.
"I tried to find him to hear his side of the story," said the police chief, lighting a cigarette. "You know, to see if Bakugo is really a bully or just a teenager who doesn't know his own strength." He took a puff and offered a cigarette to All Might, who seemed more interested in hearing the rest of the story. "But I couldn't find him. The boy Bakugo was bullying, Izuku Midoriya, is on leave after falling from a building a few blocks from where Bakugo was caught by the villain." He took another puff. "Apparently, Bakugo had previously told Midoriya that he should kill himself since he doesn't have a quirk, and also mocked him for wanting to join the hero course at UA."
All Might stood up, surprising the police chief. His expression turned stern, and he clenched his teeth. He was angry at himself. And a bit at young Bakugo for saying something so terrible.
"Fortunately, things didn't get worse. A young girl who was passing by, with a quirk that counteracts gravity, managed to intervene in time, but they fell badly, and young Midoriya ended up with a fractured foot."
"Do you happen to know where young Midoriya lives?"
"No, but..." the police chief placed the cigarette in the corner of his mouth and began typing on his computer. "I can find out in a few minutes."
"Thank you."
"Are you planning to visit him?"
"Yes, definitely" All Might confirmed with a determined air. "I just hope it's not too late."
...
Izuku's mother watched with great concern as her son carried the large cardboard box filled with All Might memorabilia, including the curtains from his room.
It was a relief to see him up and about again, thanks to Recovery Girl's quick healing, but she had a sinking feeling that something was seriously wrong.
"I'm going to drop this off at the corner. If I remember correctly, today is the day they collect this kind of stuff," Izuku made his way toward the door, but his mom stepped in his path.
"You don't have to do this, Izuku!" she said, blowing her nose into a handkerchief, her eyes glistening with tears. "I just wanted to teach you a small lesson, but that doesn't mean you have to throw away your things."
Izuku looked at his mom with concern as well. Setting the box on the table, he gave her a hug. Maybe in the past, he would have cried in a moment like this, but he felt as if he'd run out of tears. Besides, he had decided to be stronger for his mother's sake, so she wouldn't worry so much about him.
"I've been thinking about what you said, and I realized I don't need all these things if I have you."
"But..."
"And you're right, I took this obsession too far and nearly lost my life. I shouldn't have put so much importance on one person," Izuku tried to suppress the intense feelings that had overwhelmed him. "It's like Hero Hawks said in an interview: Sometimes, in our desire to save the world, we forget those closest to us, even our families. But I promise that from now on, before I do anything, I'll think about your feelings too."
"Izuku," his mom hugged him even tighter, and when she looked up at him, she was surprised to see him forcing a smile.
"So, I've decided to follow a different path from All Might."
His mom finally released him, somewhat surprised, and Izuku took this opportunity to head out of the house with the box.
"I'll be back in a moment."
Already on the street, Izuku noticed that it was another day of blue skies and a gentle breeze. He adjusted the box in one hand and observed a beautiful trail of clouds where a plane had recently passed.
He followed the trail with his finger in a straight line until he returned his gaze to the street and saw a tall, very thin blond man with sunken eyes standing in front of him.
"Ah!" Izuku gasped, dropping the box to the ground and revealing its contents.
The man gritted his teeth as he saw the young man bending down to pick up the All Might action figures that had fallen out, and he decided to help him.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, embarrassed as he received one of the figures from the stranger's hand.
"Are you going to throw this away?" the man asked, getting distracted by another of the figures and examining it closely in front of his face.
"Yes," Izuku admitted, though when he saw that the man was looking more into the box's contents, he smiled a little. "Unless you want them."
They looked each other directly in the eyes, and Izuku felt that there was something sadder in the man's gaze, beyond his physical appearance. Maybe he had some illness that made him look like that, and seeing him with the All Might figure in his hand, Izuku couldn't help but think that he was the complete opposite of the smiling hero.
"Is it that you no longer admire the hero All Might?"
"I think All Might is the greatest hero of all time. I've always been a huge fan, and you know? He personally saved me from the attack of a horrible monster that tried to suffocate me, and for that, I am eternally grateful," Izuku paused before continuing and lowered his gaze slightly. "But after he saved me, I realized that I could never actually become like him, no matter how hard I try. I think after my father left, I started to think of All Might as a kind of father figure, as a role model whose footsteps I could follow, but without a quirk, I now realize that's practically impossible. And I have to admit that it made me feel very sad."
When he looked up again, Izuku noticed that the blond man was crying because of his story.
"Please, don't feel bad for me," he hurried to offer the stranger a handkerchief. "There are many other things I can do with my life. All Might kindly suggested I join the police force, and I think he might be right. Although I haven't made a final decision yet."
The man stood up and looked at him with newfound determination in his eyes.
"Then I will help you."
In Izuku's eyes, there was something heroic in those words, and the reflection of the morning light behind the man made him appear stronger than he initially seemed
...
Author's Notes.-
The first chapter is ready! Your comments are always welcome! Thank you so much for reading, following, and liking. It always makes me smile :)