Tsubasa could vividly remember everything that played out as if it was yesterday. It was about a month or so before he would begin his first year at Aldera Junior High, and life couldn't have been any more hopeful.
Just the very thought of being one step closer to becoming a full fledged hero was enough to make him uncharacteristically giddy, although there was one unshakable obstacle standing in his way; Katsuki Bakugo.
Tsubasa can without a doubt say that Bakugo is one of the most conceited people he's ever met in his life. Because of that, it's incredibly difficult to even mention anything that goes against his line of narcissistic thinking.
With that in mind, there was no way he'd ever suggest the idea of going to the same school as him, that being U.A. High. The second that proposal comes right out of his mouth, Tsubasa will be left with nothing but a one hour scolding session from the big bad wolf himself.
It's an interesting friendship to be had for sure, but neither he nor Tesaki and Hashiga ever really bother questioning the logistics behind it for the sake of a peaceful experience.
Speaking of which, Tsubasa couldn't hang out with his friends at this point in time. First, there was Tesaki who was way too sick to leave the house. Then you had Hashiga visiting a relative from across the country, meaning he was outta the picture too. Last but certainly not least was Bakugo, being the only person in the group with a free schedule.
Despite the fact, there was no way in hell he'd even consider hanging around with that arrogant wretch by himself. Doing so would practically lead to a suicide mission!
And on top of all that, with just barely a guardian to look after him, Tsubasa is left completely alone in his house for almost the entirety of summer vacation. Culminating every obstructed element together, he came to the depressing conclusion that today and onward will be a snoozefest.
"Great, just fucking great. You'd think with all this bullshit happening, the world was out to spiral against me or some crap." Tsubasa uttered in irritation, not realizing that his life would soon spiral further than he could ever imagine.
The boy's eyes quickly shot over at the hanging clock as it ticked each second, wishing for the day to end. Unfortunately for him, it only made things worse by creating the illusion that time was going even slower. Eventually, it had gotten too slow to the point that everything felt frozen in place before he finally decided to take measures into his own hands "Alright, I had just about enough. I'm grabbing some fresh air."
Storming off the house in a ticked off manner, Tsubasa finds himself wandering through the streets of Musutafu while letting his thoughts take over for now. For some odd reason, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unfamiliarity. But why would that be the case though? As far as memory serves, he's definitely traveled through this city multiple times before.
It was upon further speculation however that he realized this was his very first time going out alone. Usually, he'd always be accompanied by his friends for their daily hangouts. And among those hangouts, Bakugo would always be the one leading the pack.
While he didn't necessarily mind taking up a more laidback role, it still felt awfully weird that the friend group would even have a supposed leader. Ever since the four of them had formed together, Tsubasa had always figured they'd be more akin to equals in spite of their dynamic. But now processing it a little deeper, things start to become more clear now "Me and Bakugo are not the same. If that was the case, I wouldn't be cowering at just the sight of him. God…why can't I simply just look him in the eye and tell him I wanna be…wanna…be…"
Suddenly, he felt a surge of unsteadiness course through his body as it ultimately surrendered to the pavement floor. Others around him watched in confusion as Tsubasa attempted to garner enough energy to lift himself back up, but it was to no avail. Soon enough, his vision begins to fade while he lays there, trying to piece out what was happening to him. And among the multitude of voices that rang throughout his eardrums, he could distinctly hear a familiar voice call out to him "Ryoma?"
Before he had any chance to answer, the world had turned completely black. It would remain that way for what felt like an eternity before a speck of light appeared, growing larger and larger over time. Once every shroud of darkness had been evaporated, Tsubasa's vision returned just to be accompanied by a different setting altogether.
A single dimly lit lightbulb dangled from the ceiling, casting a feeble glow that did little to dispel the shadows lurking in each and every corner. The air had a nasty scent, almost as if somebody had just smoked here. That's not to mention the dull blue tinted colors surrounding the wall, creating a rather dreary atmosphere.
Laying in what seems to be a bed, Tsubasa gazed around the room in confusion, hoping to decipher how he had gotten here in the first place. He then focused his attention over to the door leading to who knows where, wondering whether it'd be a good idea to leave or not.
As it turns out for him, he didn't need to make that decision.
Right when Tsubasa was just about to make an ultimatum, the door had opened to reveal none other than his grandfather who looked more than pleased to see him up and about "Ah! You're awake! For a second there, I thought it would've taken longer than expected…heh."
"G-grandpa? Wait, am I…?"
"In the hospital? Yes, why in fact you are. See, I was just heading my way back home when there you were, laying right in the middle of the street. I called out in hopes that you'd answer, but you remained unresponsive."
"Yeah…I seriously don't know what happened to me. One second I was doing just fine, and the next…it's like my entire body had completely given up on me. Wait, why am I even explaining all this to you? You're the doctor here, obviously you know why that happened. Do you?"
Tsubasa's grandfather watched the sequence of uncertainty unravel in amusement, lifting his glasses up to gain a better look before continuing on "Mhm, yes. Well…looking through our tests, we unfortunately couldn't find any source linking to your predicament. The closest we've come up with was narcolepsy, but it doesn't usually take effect until you've reached at least the age of fifteen. Perhaps this might be a special case for you?"
"Oh please, this has absolutely nothing to do with narcotics or whatever the heck you just said. I'm telling you, what just happened to me was not normal!" Tsubasa claimed profusely, inhibiting a light chuckle from his own blood who responded in a concerningly serene manner "Well if it isn't normal, then I suppose that'd be the end of this topic."
"Soooo…is that it? Can I go now? I mean no offense, it's not like I don't appreciate your company. Trust me, it gets lonely back at the house. And I mean REALLY lonely. But to be frank, I'm not really a big fan of hospitals."
"Oh, but we're not done here yet. See…we've discovered something very crucial during the middle of our little evaluation. As it turns out, we found something far worse than whatever had caused your sudden collapse."
From the way that his grandfather had worded it, Tsubasa was not at all pleased to discover the truth of the matter "Errrr…is it really as bad as you're making it out to be grandpa?"
"Well I suppose it depends. As I'm sure you are aware, we've never got to spend some quality time together due to my strict schedule. So I unfortunately have barely any form of knowledge regarding your character and lifestyle, to which I deeply apologize for. But hey, we're here now! So why don't we make the most of it and divulge in each other's interest. Now tell me, how much do you value your wings?"
"My wings? Uhhhh…well I mean I value them like a lot actually. Who wouldn't value something extremely special to them? It makes you unique in a way, especially when there are those who don't even have quirks to begin with. God, do I feel sorry for them."
"Yeah…I was worried you might say that. Ryoma, you don't have your wings anymore."
For a split second, Tsubasa didn't know how to react to such a hard-hitting statement. Then came a moment of disbelief, his body beginning to itch at such a terrifying notion "I-I…I don't have my wings? No…that's not true. You have to be joking with me here, right?"
"I really wish that were the case. But as a doctor and your granddad, I am obligated to tell you the truth. Why would I even lie to you?"
"Well…I don't know, okay?! Maybe you were feeling a little crazy today and decided to play a disgusting prank on me. Either that, or your assessment was somehow wrong. Or actually, this must be some sorta nightmare. Yeah, that has to be it!" Losing himself in a state of denial, Tsubasa forced out a smile in order to create a sense of optimism. However, it exuded a fakeness ever so apparent to his grandfather who tried to ease the situation "Ryoma, I know you don't want to believe it. But you have to trust my word on this. You don't-"
"N-no! You have everything all wrong! We still haven't physically tested it out yet, right? Just stand back and watch!" The boy stated before attempting to grow his wings out like he's done a million times prior, only for them to not pop up whatsoever.
Driven by sheer desperation, he continued on with numerous attempts in hopes of proving himself right. And after what felt like an eternity, reality had finally set in for Tsubasa, his eyes proceeding to falter for a bit I…I can't believe it. My quirk…it's really gone. How am I going to live on like this…? How am I going to become a hero now…? Why…WHY?!"
"Ryoma, please settle down…!" His grandfather demanded, but it was no use. Tsubasa could already feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins, wanting to smash every nook and cranny in this hospital room "Why grandpa?! Why don't I have my fucking wings anymore?! What the hell did you do?!?"
"What I had to do! Listen…during our search through the inside of your body, we've discovered a cancerous disease starting from your wing. If I had done nothing of the sort, you would've met your timely demise. Surely you'd rather live, am I correct?"
Tsubasa's angry demeanor was soon replaced by silence, staring face first into the floor as if he were in a hypnotic trance. While it would be extreme for him to say he'd rather die over a quirk, it didn't stop the existential dread coinciding within him.
From now on, he will forever be quirkless until the day he dies. Everyone around him will go on to do heroic things, while he'll be forced to stand in the background. The whole world as he knew it had changed entirely.
And it was all because of some stupid disease.
While he continued to gaze in revelation, his elderly guardian would inspect with a face that carried an out of place smile as they journeyed towards the door "Welp, I'm afraid I'll have to bid this conversation adieu. There are many patients here that need my attention and care at the moment, so sorry about that. But perhaps it'd be best anyways if I leave you alone with your thoughts."
"U-uhh…yeah." Was all that could come out of the now quirkless user's mouth before his grandfather disappeared into the limelight, leaving him to grapple with the weight lifted by a very disappointing truth.
And ever since then, that same disappointing truth has persisted throughout. Even after all that time, he still couldn't help but feel the immense pain from having to deal with that harrowing memory "F-fuck man…"
With each passing second, Tsubasa felt his body crumble by a nonexistent force that is despair. It certainly doesn't help knowing he will be forced to endure as a worthless figure within the hero world, not to mention that there was nothing that can be done about it.
However, this wasn't going to be the end, for he had promised to keep a strong face. No matter the circumstances, he will not be weak in the public's vision. Because after all, that's just one of the many aspects of being a hero.
Remembering his pledge, Tsubasa took a deep, shaky breath and stood up, pushing aside the crushing weight of his fears before wiping away any tears that still remained on his face "Not this time. I've survived long enough without a quirk, who's to say it'll be any different?"
Powered by a boost of confidence, he now saunters through the street with a grin plastered all over his face. The rhythmic tapping of his uniform boots on the concrete is a metronome to the beat of his heart, with each step echoing the excitement channeling inside of him "Yeah, what is there to even worry about? Midoriya may have vanished into the unknown, but I'm nothing like Midoriya!"
Soon enough, he finds himself walking through a dilapidated tunnel with his grin growing more and more, not heeding the warning sign that came along with it "Unlike him, I can handle anything the world throws at me! So c'mon now, give me your best shot!"
Unbeknownst to Tsubasa, a pool of green sludge formed from above a manhole cover. It swirled and floated about before beginning to assemble itself as a dastardly smile came into fruition, watching the boy with glee. "With pleasure!"
"H-huh?" Before having any time to react, he was immediately engulfed in a mountain of ooze, rendering him trapped. Despite his best efforts to escape, he couldn't break loose from the liquified substance. All that he could do was listen as the creature made out of sludge opened his mouth once again "Would you quit it?! Can't you see I'm in the middle of hijacking your body? It's only gonna hurt for about a minute or so, and then it'll all soon be over. Well, for you that is!"
His eyes widened at the insinuation, realizing that this sludge villain was intending on killing him. Panicked, Tsubasa used the remaining ounce of strength he had left to free himself from the monster's clutches. Unfortunately, it was just as useless as before. Soon enough, the teen's breathing has stopped thanks to the sludge enveloping itself inside his mouth "Y-you…I can't…gah!"
"Try and get out all you want, my body is made out of liquid! So sad you'll have to die, you're honestly quite the character. But hey, think about it this way. You'll be a hero in my eyes! If it wasn't for your help, I would've been dead meat! That's something nice to think about, eh? Being an awesome hero! Speaking of which, I better get outta hero fast before he tracks me down! So do me a favor and stay still while I take over your body!"
'Is this really it? Is this how my story ends? After all the shit I've been through? No…please! For god's sake, somebody help me!' Tsubasa thought as he was slowly being consumed by the sludge when suddenly, a large man bursted out from the same manhole cover that the villain had emerged from.
"Have no fear, you're safe! Now that I'm here, that is." The man in question announced his presence, standing heroically while wearing a confident smile as opposed to the sludge monster who gazed in horror "N-no! Are you serious?! All Might?!?!"
"TEXAS…SMASH!!!" With one mighty stance, the symbol of peace shouts with all of his heart before punching the air, causing a thunderous shockwave that blows away everything within the vicinity. The criminal struggled keeping his body together as the overwhelming strength proved to be way too strong, a hint of fear residing through their expression "I…can't…hold together…!"
In sure fashion, the sludge villain explodes into a million pieces, thus freeing the dreary Tsubasa who watched the hero as he descends into the ground before ultimately falling unconscious.
About a few minutes later, he was awakened with the help of being repeatedly slapped to the face albeit gently. His eyes opened to see All Might standing right before him, sighing in relief once their prayers had been answered "Thought we lost you there!"
Gasping in shock, Tsubasa stared at the man in awe while his heart pounded in a more frequent manner. Standing right before him was the number one hero himself! It felt way too good to be true, but here he is in the flesh! "I can't believe it…it's you. It's really you! All Might!!"
"Heh! Apologies for getting you caught up in my villain hunt! Mistakes like that aren't really my style, as I usually pay extra heed to keep the bystanders safe. But as it turns out, this city's sewer system is pretty hard to navigate!"
"Uh huh…yeah…" Drooling in amazement, it became incredibly difficult for Tsubasa to listen to All Might's chattering. How can one really focus when you're practically living what is possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"Anywho, my success in capturing this evildoer here is all thanks to you!" The pro hero spouted while holding up a water bottle that contains the very essence of the sludge villain.
The boy was still in a starstruck state, the drool getting close to reaching the ground 'I have to be fucking dreaming or something, because I'm sure as hell living in one!'
Just then, a thought came crashing down on his mind. With All Might now here, this would be the perfect time for him to ask a really important question regarding his future. If anyone had the answer, it would most certainly be the symbol of peace.
Taking in a deep breath, Tsubasa quickly regains his composure and gets ready to speak when he was unfortunately met with the pro hero's farewell "Welp, I better bring this guy to the police now! Make sure to stay outta trouble, clear?"
"Wait, what? You're leaving?" Tsubasa questions with a dumbfounded look on his face as he watches one of his all time favorites knelt down in preparation for lift off "A pro not only has to battle enemies, but time as well kid! Now stand back. I'm taking off!" All Might said before leaping a thousand feet into the air, proceeding to call out to the teen from way below "THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!"
Once flying across the sky would he soon realize that something was very off. Feeling just a tad bit heavier than usual, he looks down to see Tsubasa holding his leg very tight in a desperate attempt not to fall off "All Might! All I ask from you is one question! Just one!!"
"Woah! What do you think you're doing?! While I really appreciate the enthusiasm, this is just a bit much! Please let go!" The pro hero exclaims while trying to get the boy off of him.
"Are you serious?! There's no way in hell I'm letting go! Otherwise, I'll fall into the concrete and die!" Tsubasa replied profusely, continuing to latch onto him while going through the torture of experiencing the rippling effect course right through his body.
"Ah…that's a good point" All Might concluded before he started coughing, a trail of blood leaking from out of his mouth and scattering itself into the crowded streets. 'Shit…!' The symbol of peace thought to himself as he searched around the area for a proper landing, not noticing the water bottle he once carried plummeting down at a rapid pace.
Coming into contact with the ground through a massive thud, it subsequently brought back consciousness to the sludge villain who peered around their surroundings in confusion 'Where am I? How the hell did I get here? Oh…yeah. It was that bastard! If it wasn't for him, I would've been outta town already!'
"Who does that guy think he is? Shithead really has the audacity to play pretend" A rough voice manifests into the scene, quickly grabbing the villain's attention. Turning around with the little space that was inhibited inside this bottle, they spot a figure stepping into the light, revealing a pissed off Bakugo with a soda can gripped in hand.
Sauntering from right behind him were his two aforementioned friends, Tesaki and Hashiga with the latter looking more than concerned "Not gonna lie, what happened back at the school looked pretty rough."
"Yeah, we know you can be kinda harsh every now and then. But wow, this has to take the cake!" Tesaki continued with the conversation, elongating his fingers to grab one of the cigarettes Hashiga was holding.
Unknown to them, Bakugo was feeling way more angry than usual. Just the lingering thought of Tsubasa sent him over the edge, and not even he could quite figure out why.
The blonde marched ahead, gritting his teeth before kicking down a nearby water bottle, unaware of the villain that resides within. Right after, he crushed his soda can with the help of his explosive quirk, alerting his friends in the process who both backed away a few steps.
"W-woah! Are you actually getting all worked up over the guy? Like bro, you really shouldn't waste your time on him." The short haired teen pointed out, finding the whole situation amusing.
"Hey, someone's gotta teach that asshole a god damn lesson. If he keeps doing all that hero talk, then I'll just have to-" Bakugo stopped during the middle of his speech to witness Tesaki and Hashiga smoking, getting even angrier "The hell do you think you're doing?! Didn't I tell you two to quit smoking?! Get caught and it'll be going on my record too, fucking imbeciles…!"
"Hold on just a minute! Weren't you just squaring off with Tsubasa earlier today? News went around that you caused a fight or some crap. Is that true?" The more longer haired individual asked, scratching the bottom of his chin in wonder.
"For the love of god, that was different and you know it!!" The explosive teen responds in a typically aggressive tone, his temper reaching very close to exploding "I was just doing what I had to! You two shits on the other hand decided to smoke for the hell of it!"
"Alright! Geez…you don't have to get all up in our grill like that man. I'm just saying, it seemed kinda…uhhh…" Hashiga fell completely silent, conveying a terrified look on his face as did Tesaki.
"Huh? The fuck you two gawking at?" Bakugo inquired, looking at them contemptibly. They both pointed at the answer, their respective hands shaking like crazy. He then turns around to see a sludge monster forming right in front of him, their eyes looking down in satisfaction "Well isn't this perfect? A body with a good quirk. Personally, I like a skin suit that lights up the whole room!"
The blonde gazed in fear before attempting to retreat. To his dismay, he had been captured and confined by the grotesque villain who couldn't be any more pleased "What a lucky day! First I get freed from All Might's clutches, and now I've acquired such remarkable power! The deities have truly answered my beckoning!"
As for Tesaki and Hashiga, they stood in terror while the villain was reveling in its glory before turning to face the two. "Since I'm such a humble guy, I'll let you both go. That is unless you want to join your friend here…!"
Without hesitation, Bakugo's friends scurried out of the area, leaving only him and the sludge villain as it puts on a devious smile "You and I are gonna have so much fun!"
Meanwhile, All Might had just found a perfect spot to land. The second his feet touch the rooftop's surface, Tsubasa immediately gets off before covering his mouth so as to not let out any vomit. It worked indefinitely, though not without the displeasure of said vomit entering back inside his system "Oh god…that was not a fun ride…"
"For the love of…that was not a very smart move young boy! Look, just make sure to bang on the door and hopefully someone will come and get you. Now, I really have to go. See ya on the flip side!" All Might states before getting ready to make his second leap.
"Huh?! No way! I did not just risk my own life only for you to leave anyway! Just listen to my question man!" Tsubasa pleaded, but the pro hero didn't have the patience "Seriously kid, I don't have time for this! Just go ask some other hero If you're really that desperate, I'm sure they won't mind."
No. If he was gonna get an answer, it had to be from the number one hero. After being forced to endure endless torture from the likes of Bakugo, his classmates and society itself, Tsubasa was not gonna back down this time.
"Can I still be a hero?! Even without a quirk, is it still possible for me to become someone as great as you?"
Right as he was getting ready to leave, All Might turned frozen as a statue. Staying silent, the pro hero found himself in a current battle against the conflicting thoughts that pitted against each other, trying to find the right words. In the end, all that he could manage to say was a simple question back "Without a quirk?"
Just then, he made a guttural sound as blood poured out from their mouth once again, only this time it looked far severe. Steam now flowed from off his body, becoming a literal smokeshow while shrinking in size with each passing second. 'No! Not now god dammit!'
"To clarify, I used to have this really kick ass quirk that allowed me to grow a pair of wings. But then shit happened and I ended up being quirkless. I just…I want a second chance, you know? To prove to everyone I still have what it takes!" As he continued on with his speech, the boy had seemingly not noticed the smokey display happening right in front of him, too concentrated on his own feelings to even regard All Might's state.
With the symbol of peace getting smaller and smaller, the steam now wrapped around his entire body, his coughs becoming ever more violent 'Fuck…!'
"For the longest while, I've had the hardship of dealing with people looking down on me. They think of me as some loser merely because I don't have some awesome power. But you, everyone looks at you and sees the best hero the world has ever seen! That's what I want! I want them to smile just at the sound of my name! It may sound really corny…but I seriously strive to be a hero like you!" Tsubasa finished, beaming with pride before he witnessed the steam clear to reveal a completely different person wearing the exact same clothes as All Might.
"H-huh…?"
