Chapter Text
The year was 2009, and Cole MacGrath had just defeated The Beast and used the Ray Field Inhibitor to save the world from the plague caused by Ray Field energy... whilst also killing himself and nearly every living conduit alive at the time, whoops.
But hope remained in the unborn children of the next generation, after all, just because the living conduits died from the Inhibitor didn't mean all the still gestating babies were affected.
Thus, only a year later conduits began reappearing and with them, the DUP, lead by still somehow living conduit, Brooke Augustine. After the amoral imprisonment of over 300 conduits, however, a rogue conduit fought back, Delsin Rowe.
Delsin, with help from his brother Reggie along with fellow conduits Abigail Walker and Eugene Sims, would fight and defeat both the DUP and Augustine, made easier by his ability to copy and retain the abilities of other conduits. Afterwards, Delsin would temporarily return to the reservation he grew up on, but as time went on he realised he needed to act, and so lead the fight for the rights of conduits everywhere.
The world was at peace... until it wasn't.
In 2070, a baby in China began glowing like a lightbulb and was found to not be a conduit, but something else entirely... a meta, and the the social powder keg, exploded.
Conflict erupted between the three species of human pushing humanity ever closer to all out war with heroes and villains arising on all sides. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, mostly, and by the 23rd century, things were looking up. The normal human population was gradually shrinking only sitting at around 19% of the global population, conduits took up 26% with rest being meta, now renamed quirked, humans.
This is we're our story... begins.
—Musutafu hospital: Maternity ward—
AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
Another scream rocked the maternity ward at Musutafu general hospital.
"NURSE! GET ME MORE OXYTOCIN"! An exhausted doctor yelled as he looked back to his patient.
Said patient had been in labour for almost 17 hours and she'd been in pain the entire time.
"Come of sweetie, you can do this, the midwife says just a few more minutes". The husband states through clenched teeth as he held back tears of pain which were threatening to escape as a result of his wife, quite literally, crushing his hand over the past few hours.
"YOU SAID THAT 5 HOURS AGO"! The wife screamed in agony.
The nurse then returned with more pain medication.
It took another hour, but at last, she gave birth to her son... who immediately began crying.
"Congratulations mrs Midoriya, it's a boy"! The midwife stated in a raised voice to be heard over the boys crying.
However, no reply came...
"Mrs Midoriya, age you okay"? The doctor asked as he suddenly noticed her vitals monitor... the numbers were plummeting!
"SHIT! Nurse, get Dr Hiryu and Dr Taka, she's crashing"! He yelled as the midwife spirited the baby away to the postnatal ward.
"What... what's happening"? The husband asked in a frantic tone as his world began to spiral.
But then...
"H... Hiasashi...". A weak but familiar voice came.
Hiasahi immediately knelt beside his wife as the doctors rushed to help her.
"What... what is it Inko... what do you need"? He asked as tears formed in his eyes.
"P... please listen to me... you have to... to do something for me". Inko asks as she weakly holds her husbands hand.
"Anything... anything you want". Hiasahi states with tears in eyes, not ready to say goodbye to his wife.
"Take... take care of... Izuku". She stayed weakly, with her last act in life being the naming of her child, before...
*Bweeeeeeeeeennnnnnnn
—4 years later—
Izuku was ecstatic, so ecstatic in fact that he could barely sit still in the car, today he would find out what his quirk was.
Hiasahi on the other hand, was... reserved. It'd been 4 years since Inko died and yet he still couldn't look at son without thinking of that day, but he never blamed Izuku though, why would he? It wouldn't bring Inko back, nor would it make him a good father.
He turned slightly to look at his son, whilst also keeping an eye on the road.
"So, Izu, what kinda quirk you think you'll get? Anything you're really hoping for"? He asked.
Despite being only 4 Izuku was obsessed with heroes and quirks and had even began writing about them in notebooks as only a toddler could, with adjectives mostly.
"I don't know, but I know it'll be cool like yours". Izuku stated with beaming smile causing his father to laugh slightly.
Hiasashi was fully aware that his own quirk wasn't too impressive and neither was Inko's.
He could breathe fire at a temperature of just over 100 degrees whilst Inko could telekinetically manipulate small objects under 2 kilograms. Neither were really hero-worthy, but together Izuku could get a pyrokinetic quirk.
"Guess we'll just have to wait and see then". Hiasahi replies as they continue towards the clinic.
—Quirk Clinic—
"Your quirkless kid". We're the first words out the doctors mouth.
Izuku had undergone the standard suite of tests and both he and his father had been waiting for 2 hours for he results, and those had been the first freaking words out the doctors mouth!
No kindness or sympathy, no compassion nor empathy, just... callousness.
"Wh... what"? Izuku asked as tears began to form.
"You ain't got no quirk kid. No emitter, no mutation nor transformation. Completely quirkless". The doctors reinforced with the same callousness.
"So... so I can't... be a hero"? Izuku asked.
"Nope. Best give up on that dream now kid, it'll make life easier". The doctor suggested as Izuku spirit broke, as did Hiasashi patience.
"How dare you"! He stated as he glared at the doctor who seemed unfazed.
"Sir please, I'm just being hon...". Was about as far as the doctor got in his reply before he was grabbed by Hiasahi.
"How dare you talk to my son that way! What gives you the right to be so callous about his dreams you sonova..."! Hiasashi yelled as he throttled the doctor by his coats lapels as he caught himself from swearing whilst sparks of fire vented through his clenched teeth.
Thankfully, a nurse walked in and saved the doctor from an unwanted extreme facial tanning. Hiasahi then left with his quietly crying son in toe.
When they both got back in the car, Hiasashi looked at his son in the backseat who just looked... broken.
At that moment, he steeled himself for the road ahead.
"I will not fail you Inko". Hiasahi told himself as he fully turned to talk to his son.
"Izuku, my beloved boy". He said getting his son's attention.
"You... you wanna be a hero right"? He asked as Izuku nodded.
"Do you think you need a quirk to be hero"? He asked which was also responded to with a nod.
"Well you don't". He states firmly causing Izuku to look at him with confusion.
"You don't need some stupid power to be a hero, or even a good person. All you need is to remember these words, 'Never be cruel, never be cowardly. Hate is always foolish, and love is always wise. Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind'". Hiasashi explained as he quoted his words an favourite hero.
In that moment, Hiasashi had done what all fathers hope to do... he inspired his son.
—Intervening years—
Over the next 13 years life was rough for Izuku. His once best friend, Katsuki Bakugo, went from a trumped up brat to an ego driven nightmare, all because he had a cool quirk and Izuku didn't.
However, despite Bakugo's constant physical and psychological bullying, Izuku never wavered in his attempts to be the hero he dreamed he could be, and this came done to his father.
Hiasashi, despite constantly working as a firefighter, was always their for Izuku when things got tough and whilst Izuku never told him the full extent of what Bakugo and his cronies we're doing, primarily out of a desire to not give his father more things to stress over, Hiasahi was nonetheless a positive influence on Izuku's life.
Even when Bakugo began to exclusively refer to him as Deku, Izuku chose to actively ignore the demeaning name. His father had told him that answering to the name would only give it power over him and so Izuku never answered to it, which only enraged the blonde blaster even more.
Nonetheless Izuku was able survive these long years with his mental health in tact and a desire to become the worlds first quirkless hero.
However, little did Izuku know, that fate would turn...
—Day of Destiny—
It had been just another day at Corellian High. Izuku had been pestered all day by Bakugo and cronies whilst the staff did nothing to stop them, but at this point that stuff was white noise to him.
That day the teacher had handed out university sign up sheets for the students to use even though he and the rest of the class knew they would all just write down 'UA Hero University' and when the teacher vocalised this who but Bakugo piped up and told him not to lump him in with all the 'extras'.
Izuku just rolled his eyes at this statement because at this point he'd heard it a bajillion times. Bakugo at some point had deluded himself into thinking he some kind of anime protagonist who was destined for greater as whilst everyone else was nothing more than a meaningless NPC who just so happened to exist him his world.
At end the day Izuku snuck out of the classroom and made his way towards the back exit of the building making sure not to draw attention to himself as to avoid Bakugo and his cronies from wasting his time. Unfortunately for Izuku however, he wasn't sneaky enough...
"HEY, DEKU"! The ever grating voice of Bakugo shouted out.
Izuku had just existed the building hoping to avoid this encounter and would continue to hope to do so by ignoring the mad bomber.
Unfortunately this just made things worse.
"OI, I'M TALKING YOU YOU FUCK"! Bakugo yelled as he grabbed Izuku's shoulder and shoved him against the wall.
Izuku for his part just look at Bakugo with disinterest. They'd danced this dance a million times so he knew what was coming and was prepared. First the insults, then the physical abuse, finally topped with laughter and more insults.
However...
"The fuck do you think you're doing"? The blonde demanded vaguely.
"Leaning against this uncomfortable brick wall, Bakugo, what does it look like"? Izuku replied sarcastically. He knew their was no way to avoid the beating so he figured he'd have some fun for then.
"Not that you wastrel! I'm talking about about you, sighing up for UA! I'm the only person from this shitty school who's allowed to go their you hear me"! He explained in a tone wavering between egomaniacal and cruelty.
"Fairly certain looking at someone's private information without their permission is illegal Bakugo". Izuku states.
"I got permission from those pushover teachers. They know I'm destined for greatness and let me see your sign up sheet". Bakugo explained.
"And"? Izuku asked.
"And, I what you to rescind it, Deku". Bakugo growls.
"First, no clue who this 'Deku' you keep referring to is, I'm Izuku Midoriya, the guy you've known since we were in diapers. Second, I won't be rescinding my request because you don't control me Bakugo. You can yell and screams and hurt me all you want but you will not control me". Izuku explains in a calm and confident tone.
After that the two just stood their looking at one another for a moment, before Bakugo made the absolute worst decision he'd ever made in his life.
"You know what Deku, why don't you take a flying leap". Bakugo stated sadistically.
At that moment, Izuku froze as his last straw snapped.
"What did you just say"? He asked in a chillingly cold tone.
"I said, why don't you take a swan done off a room and hope for a quirk in the next life". Bakugo reinforced as he got in Izuku's face and pressed his pointer to Izuku's forehead to emphasise the point.
And snap goes the last straw...
*KAPOW!
Izuku grabbed Bakugo's wrist and yanked it down with a suddenness that caught the blonde off guard as he rammed his knee into Bakugo's gut!
From that moment on it was a slaughter.
Izuku beat the ever loving shit out of Bakugo as over a decades worth of suppressed emotions boiled over.
After about 2 minutes of vicious ass beating and groin stomping the blonde bully found himself turned every which way but loose before crumpling to the floor like s sack of potatoes as his victim stood leaning over him in triumph.
"Now you listen here Bakugo, cause I'm not gonna repeat myself. YOU are no hero! You're a selfish, sadistic, deluded, ignorant discharge of a person. The day a person like gets heralded as a hero is the day evil wins". Izuku calmly stated as she hoists Bakugo up from the ground by his collar.
"Now your probably wondering why I feel so confident doing this to you? It's because I know that bloated ego of yours will never let you tell anyone that you lost to me. And if by some infinitesimal chance we happen to meet at UA and you some who get in, know that I will personally ensure you never become a hero". Izuku explained coldly as the years of disdain welled up from his soul.
He then tossed Bakugo to the floor before leaving in hurry.
—Izuku POV—
After Izuku left the scene of his first fight he felt ashamed of himself.
He'd lost control, he'd exploded and he'd stopped to Bakugo's level and he was ashamed of that.
A hero did not go around beating people up because their feelings got hurt and committing aggravated assault.
As Izuku stewed in his shame however, he failed to notice a manhole cover rumbling before flying upwards as a deluge of greenish sludge with eyes and teeth emerged from it.
"A medium sized skin suit to hide in...". The sludge gurgled.
And just like that Izuku found himself surrounded by the nasty substance. The sludge swirled around his body clawing towards his face.
"Don't worry. I'm just hijacking your body. It'll only hurt for a few seconds. Then It'll all be over." The sludge states as its mouth forms above Izuku's head.
"Shit I can't breathe! My body... getting weak... I'm dying! I'm gonna die"?! Izuku thinks as he struggles in vain.
Thankfully, just then...
*WHOOSH!
Suddenly a manhole cover is launched away again and from it appears a man that is the epiphany of heroism, All Might!
"I AM HERE... TEXAS SMASH"!! The naughty hero cries out as he throws one of his iconic punches.
The Sludge Villain never stood a chance as his entire body is blown away by the sheer power of All Might's punch. The hero moves so quickly he is able to siphon the villain into a soda bottle he happened to be carrying.
"ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE, HAHA. HM?" All Might looks over and notices Izuku unconscious on the ground.
"OOPS, I HOPE I DIDN'T HURT HIM". The hero states, bending down to checks the kid's pulse.
"THANK GOODNESS HE'S BREATHING. THAT'S GOOD AND I DON'T SEE ANY INJURIES.'' He states happily before lightly shaking the boy to wake him up
"HEY... HEY... HEY, WAKEY WAKEY". He states as he shakes Izuku as gently as possible for a man of his strength.
Izuku's eyes fly open and in front of him stands the greatest hero known to man, the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace, ALL MIGHT!!! He's absolutely amazing, he's larger than life with an immortal smile and amazing hair. He's even drawn differently.
"What the... All Might"? Izuku asked as his faculties began to return.
"Yes, it is indeed I, All Might, and I'm thankful you seem alright by boy"! The hero replied boisterously.
"Oh this is nothing, sir. I once got hit by a car when I was 15, the doctors said it should've killed e but I was out the hospital in a month". Izuku explained casually.
"Not entirely sure how I should respond to that, my boy. But it sounds like you've got a durability quirk". The hero replies.
"Well... actually, I'm quirkless, sir". Izuku replied in a reserved tone.
"Oh... I see". All Might replies awkwardly before swiftly changing the subject.
He returned to the manhole and pulled out a plastic bag before then, pulling out several cola bottles before draining them, and began filling them with the sludge villains body.
"Guess that's why he's in casual clothes, huh". Izuku thinks to himself began aiding the hero.
"My boy you don't need to help with this you know". All Might states.
"Needs got nothing to do with it, I just wanna help". Izuku replies as he preps himself to ask his question.
"Huurr... All Might, can a quirkless person like me be a hero"? Izuku asked causing the hero to freeze.
"Uhm... we'll you see my boy, I think that um... you see it's just that I... I have to go and lock this villain up, yes justice must be served". All Might blunders out whilst dodging the question as he prepares to jump away.
*FWOOSH!
"Few, that could've been awkward". All Might states to himself.
While in midair however, All Might can't help but notice some extra weight.
The hero takes a look, and is lost for words.
"WHY WAS THE QUESTION AWKWARD"? Izuku asked as he yelled through the blistering winds whilst hanging onto the heroes leg.
"Hey, LET GO! I LOVE MY FANS BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH"! All Might states.
"IF I... LET GO NOW... I'LL FALL AND DIE"! Izuku yells struggling to speak in with the wind.
"OH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT." The hero admits has he begin to survey for a landing zone.
"I... NEED YOU TO ANSWER ME...ALL MIGHT-GAH!" Izuku yells out.
"OKAY, OKAY, I'LL FIND A LANDING ZONE"? All Might replies as he locates a landing zone atop an apartment building.
As he does so however, he feels a trickle of blood forms from the side of his mouth.
"Damn it, why now"? The hero asks himself as he begins the decent.
After a few minutes of falling with style, the two of them land on top of an apartment building where the Izuku does some parkour to land safely and All Might instructs him on knocking on the door until someone lets him down. And with that All Might prepares to jump once again.
"Wait just a moment you are not abandoning me again until you answer my QUESTION"! Izuku shouts.
All Might tries to get a word in before being interrupted.
"NO!! I WILL NOT WAIT! I'VE BEEN IGNORED BY PROPLE MY WHOLE LIFE AND YOU WILL LITSEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY"! Izuku continues, his emotions still running a bit high as a result of the days events.
The two then stood their silently for a moment before All Might replied
"WITHOUT A QUIRK...". He started before suddenly a sharp pain courses through All Might as steam begins to pour out of his body.
"OH NO... DAMN IT ALL... NOT NOW"! He mentally yells.
"I'm a kid without any powers. That's why... maybe that's why... I think that saving people is just about the coolest thing someone can do." Izuku explains as his fondness for heroes gets to him and finally he smiles cheerfully at his hero with great admiration.
"The way you save people with that fearless smile! I want to be a great hero, just like y-WHAAAAAT"!!? He continues before suddenly realising what's going on.
Slouched in front of the surprised teen is a skinny blonde-haired skeleton. After freaking out for a minute the crippled All Might explains his condition. He explains that he was injured 5 years ago and now he can only do hero work for about 3 hours a day. Even now this information is strictly classified and not known to the public if that were to occur chaos and villainy would surely ensue. So Izuku promises not to go blabbing about it. At the end, All Might brings the conversation back to Izuku's question.
"A Symbol of Peace who saves people with a smile must never be daunted by evil. The reason I smile is to stave off the overwhelming pressure I feel." All Might explains.
This revelation is a major shock to Izuku; the hope in his heart begins to fade.
"A hero should always be ready to risk his life. As for your question...". He continues sombrely.
Izuku braced himself the answer.
"...No, I don't think you can become a hero without a quirk". All Might states. No malice, no disrespect, no callousness, just pure fact.
After that, Izuku was just done with today and left.
—Street—
After that failed encounter Izuku's day was pretty thoroughly ruined and elected to just go home and forget about today.
*KABOOOMMM!
Unfortunately, today still had a few surprises in store.
Izuku ran towards the explosion and saw a sight that ruined his day even more.
The Sludge villain was reeling havoc in the street, being somehow escaped All Might's grasp and was now using none other that Katsuki Bakugo as a grenade launcher to keep the heroes at bay.
Speaking of the 'heroes' who were present...
Mt. Lady of as complaining about the street not being big enough for her full size.
Kamui Woods was complaining that Bakugo's explosions would burn his wood.
And Death Arms was complaining about his quirk not being right for the situation.
"What a bunch of morons". Izuku mentally sighed.
But then something happened, he ran towards the villain.
"Wait what? Oh come on body why now? I know I want to be hero but why do I have to save him"? Izuku asks himself as he saw a barrage of tendrils shoot towards him.
"Urgh, no use complaining now"! Izuku states as he accepts his current circumstances and began dodging the tendrils.
Thankfully over last 13 years he hadn't been idol in his attempts to become a hero and was currently as strong as 17 year old quirkless could boy could be, but even still this villain was not making things easy for him.
"God damnit why am I even doing this"? Izuku asked himself as he dodged several tendrils.
"I don't even like Bakugo and yet here I am risking my life for the most ungrateful person on the planet who if the situation was reversed certainly wouldn't do the same for me". He mused as he dodged yet more tendrils before throwing his bag into the villains eye.
"Yeowch! You little shit! I'll kill you for that"! The villain yelled as he unleashed more tendrils.
Izuku continued to dodge the tendrils of sludge and actually succeeded in getting close to Bakugo, unfortunately whether by accident or intentionally...
*KABOOOOMMMM!!
... he took a face full of explosion and was throw into a hole where only minutes prior electricians had been working on fixing some exposed power cables.
Guess who then fell onto said exposed power cables...
*ZZZZAAAPPP!!!
... the energy coursed through Izuku's body with unrelenting force, however, it didn't kill hims
—Izuku Mind—
As Izuku opened his eyes, he felt something... strange, as if he'd been destroyed and rebuilt at the atomic level. He looked around, but saw that time had slowed down.
"Wha... what is this? Am I... dying"? Izuku thought to himself as he looked around.
He saw the Sludge villain still helping Bakugo hostage as the present heroes still did absolutely nothing to save either of them.
"Is this really how I die? Trying to save an ungrateful nutcase who wouldn't even care if a died trying to save him whilst the supposed real heroes are busy standing around"? He asked himself.
But then, he saw something, words began appearing out of thin air.
One read...
'Let the man who bullied you receive his just desserts'
And the other read...
'Be the bigger man, and do what's right'
In that moment Izuku showed no hesitation and immediately picked the second option to save Bakugo's life, even if he owed the blonde bomber nothing.
As soon as he did so, Izuku instantly felt a well of heat emerging from what felt like his soul, it burned brighter than any flame, even volcanic lava couldn't compare.
He looked at his hands and saw a sphere of burning energy form, a burning slurry of particles, the fourth state of matter... plasma!
Wait how did he now it was plasma?
Didn't matter, what mattered now, was saving Bakugo and stopping the Sludge villain.
—Yagi POV—
Toshinori Yagi, better known as All Might, was furious at himself and his own weakness and foolishness.
He'd spent all his allotted time for the day and yet now, when he needed more than ever, he was weak.
He watched the young man from earlier, Midoriya, run towards that villain without a hint of fear or resignation, just raw heroic gumption, only to be ignominiously tossed away for his selflessness.
"You idiot Yagi! Why did you say those stupid, hypocritical things, that boy was perfect to receive my power, but now... now he's dead, and you couldn't save him". He mentally cried as he fell to his knees in shame.
However, he then looked up with new invigoration and determination.
The power of OFA swirled within him as he forced himself to transform.
"Young Midoriya, your sacrifice will not be in vain"! He stated slightly.
However, it wasn't needed.
*Fwoosh!
Three bright spheres flew threw the air and lodged themselves in the sludge villain, before suddenly...
*KABOOM!
... exploding with significant force.
Yagi looked to the spheres origin point and was stunned!
That young man, who he thought was completely dead... was standing upright with burning energy in his hands.
In moments the young man attacked the villain and it was a one sided slaughter. The young man's burning spheres vaporised large sections of the villains fluidic body at a time, and he even dodged all the bastards tendrils.
Was this young man even trained? Or just running on pure instinct in a trance?
By the fights end young Midoriya gall had significantly reduced the villains size and allowed the other heroes to take over.
"But... it be said he was... wait. No, it couldn't be"? Yagi asked himself as he looked on in confusion at the young man who then suddenly collapsed, likely from exhaustion.
———————————————————————
So, as the description stated (because I know you read all of it, right) I am writing this fic because no one else will.
Also, sorry about fridging Inko.
Next chapter: Learning the Ropes