"I hope I'm not late" asked a man as he approached from a bench in a park.

"Not at all, I arrived just a minute ago" answered a teenager who was sitting on the bench, it was late, around 7 PM. The air was just hot and the park completely empty, everyone left half an hour ago ... but the teenager didn't want to admit that he had been waiting all this time.

"Well then ... tell me how was school today ?" The usual question.

"... harsh ... as always ..." the usual answer "I guess you won't tell me about you this time too" why even ask ? This man was a complete mystery.

"Maybe one day" he answered as neutral as possible before sting next to the boy.

"That's what you always say ... our meetings have been going on for almost 5 years now"

"Humhum ... and each time you managed to pull out a story, I feel like an old man talking to his grandson in some kind of retirement home hahaha" He always tried to be funny, sometimes he was ... sometimes he was simply akward or creepy, it wasn't a problem though, the teenager knew he was a good person.

"Aren't you ?" He ironically retorted.

"I'm young in my head, my body however looks young but it's old ... very old, and after all ... I still have to keep this mask it's not like I could go everywhere, I would scare someone to death with this" True to his word he was always wearing this massive black mask in form of a skull with a lot of tubes around it.

"I still wonder how people manage to not notice it" wondered the boy.

"Of course you know how ... or you are going to find out right ? Please go ahead, I do LOVE when you look smart in front of me"

"... a quirk ? ... it isn't passive then ... but ... if you use it in the streets then you can't really control it's effects either so ... my theory is that you can only suppress it ... like you are doing with me right now, am I right ?"

"Almost"

"Where was I wrong ?"

"The part of the streets, I can't stay our for a long time you know this fact"

"Ah ... yes ... that injury, you never showed it to me Sensei ... " Izuku remarked has he gestured at the mask of the man"

"You wouldn't like what you could see" the man looked above him, Izuku didn't understand what he was looking at, he could hear something in a tree ... then he realised it was only a couple of bird.

"It's happening soon ..." reminded Izuku.

"Oh ... this famous school exam ? U.A. ... I'm still saying it is dangerous ... even for someone like you"

"I-I still believe that I can be a hero ... I haven't changed my mind"

"Even without a quirk ?" This sharp question definitely hurt the boy, the man felt guilt "... sorry I didn't mean to say that this way"

"No ... I understand what you wanted to say but ... I won't use quirks that do not belong to me ... I will use my power only when it's necessary"

"... you are handicapping yourself, that's what I always tell you but still ... I can't comprehend why you refuse to use it ... You only did once after all"

... The teenager didn't answer, instead he looked the other way.

"We are not so different ... you also keep saying this, but we are not the same, you told me how you used it but it doesn't mean I want to be exactly like you"

The man huffed ... Izuku couldn't discern with the mask if it was deception or if he simply accepted.

"Well ... I hope you know what you are doing ... just- ... don't hurt yourself, you became someone really important to me"

"... I won't let you down sir"

"Of course you won't my dear Izuku ... well ... here is an advice, at U.A. the entrance exam is literally destroying a bunch of robots in order to get points"

"R-robots ? But- how do you even know that ?"

"Hahaha it's not like it's a secret ... you haven't been digging that much, anyway I just wanted to say that wreaking havoc on some poor and weak robots isn't very heroic"

Izuku saw that obviously the man wanted to tell him something ...

"... you think it hides something"

"Oh I don't think ..." he didn't say anything else, he really wanted that Izuku figures out the solution by himself.

"Not very heroic ... there is another exam ... right ?"

The old man laughed softly and stood up, he stretched a bit and started to wall away.

"Who knows ? You will tell me tomorrow right ?"

"I won't have the results tomorrow"

"I was talking about the exam ! And who are you kidding ? You will get it ... good luck" he left ... yes tomorrow would definitely be a memorable day ... though he didn't know in which way.

The next day

Izuku just finished his breakfast and was getting ready to go out now he just needed his pair of gloves ... but he could only find one.

"... Izuku" Called his mother, she was holding the other glove in her hand "... I- ... I just wanted to say that I was proud of you ... no matter what happens, you are my son and-and nothing will ever change that, I- ... I always tried to support you as much as I could, maybe I was bad at my role, maybe I never knew exactly how to help you ... when we find out what was your quirk I- ... I was scared ... scared that you would never be able to have a normal life ... this quirk was just- ... it wasn't bad, no quirk is good or bad, only the user is. When this incident with Katch- I mean Katsuki happened I feared the worst ... in the end no one remembers what happened, on that day I knew that you would never be able to use this quirk without being considered as a villain, a monster ... and still you never have up, today you are giving everything you have and- ... and-" his mother gave everything she had too ... Izuku loved her ... more than anyone so far.

"Mom ...you can stop ... you didn't have to prepare all of this for me ... in fact it's me that would be completely destroyed if I can't come back and get a positive result ... I'm scared, but you know I have met someone just like me ... we talked a lot together and today I think I'm ready"

"Your friend ... I trust you Izuku ... please, if you make it to U.A. make sure to bring him here"

"Hehe, I don't thin he will accept but I will definitely ask him ... I should really go now"

"You still have two hours to be at U.A."

"You never have to much time" he answers grabbing his backpack before leaving his apartment ... "Not so heroic ..." and in one night he still haven't figured it out ... "heroic ... what's heroic ?"

He had to take the tramway in order to get to U.A. ... he kept trying to understand what was the point of this exam ... of course people- ... people had to prove that their quirk was useful but ... but it isn't all what makes a hero.

It simply doesn't make sense ... this kind of exam is simply disgusting and unfair, what if someone doesn't have a quirk suited for fighting but-

The team stopped, Izuku had reached his destination.

Three years ago

"What is this on your face ?"

"Just a scratch ... I tripped when I was using my phone"

"Oh alright ... are you gonna tell the same lie to your mother ?"

"... my poker face is that bad ? ... kacchan- he got angry again"

"Again ... and what was it all about ?"

"I- ... I had the best note for our last exam and- ... and he didn't"

"Jealousy then ... hum ... how pathetic, I still don't understand why you keep telling yourself he is your friend-"

"I'm not- it's just that-" The man turned around and stared at Izuku "I-... I- ..."

"See ? I just have to look serious and you lose all control ... there is a reason to why he keeps targeting you, I don't think he remembers the incident of course ... however he is abusing of your "quirkless" status ... as everyone is ... you look weak ... it's like a bucket of crab, each time one will try to climb up the others will just pull him back to the bottom"

"Please don't say that" Izuku's voice had became very low, he wasn't scared of being honest with this man ... he was just to scared of the truth.

"... One day, eventually ... you will show him how weak he is compared to you"

"... I will ... but without this power"

The man stood up and walked away "I won't be here for a week ... I hope you can handle yourself during this time" but then he stopped "Oh, one last thing ... never be scared of being smarter than the others as it is probably your best weapon"

Izuku smiled and waved goodbye at the man.

The gates of U.A were massive, the school was almost a small city by itself ... or a big military base, depends of your point of view. But right after the gate the inside was more welcoming, a bunch of trees with pink leaves, some were falling with the wind.

He stopped for a moment to look around him, but he didn't pay attention to the people walking rain him ... especially one who had planned to push him away.

"OUT OF MY WAY" Izuku was pushed aside and he almost fell down ... he didn't even received a look, his former best friend just kept walking. The other students around them were already losing interest and making their way inside.

"Are you okay ?" That however was unusual, Izuku looked behind him and saw a hand.

"No-no I'm fine than-" Izuku grabbed the hand and as he stood up he realised that this hand actually belong to a girl ... a very cute girl.

"I don't even know what this kind of person is doing here ... do you know him ?"

"I-I do ... but don't worry ... it's not important, you are here for the exam too right ?"

"Hehe yes ... actually it's great to be able to talk with someone else to- ... well release some pression"

"You don't know anyone here either I suppose"

"No ... I'm Ochaco Uraraka"

"Izuku Midoriya ... we still have some time before going to the conference room ... so ... how about we stick together ?"

"Sure ! I was going to ask the same thing"

Well ... Sensei was right, being himself was hard but oh how it felt good ... and wow he actually spoke to a girl ? And got her name ? In less than one minute ?

"... hello ?"

"Uh what- oh ... I spaced out didn't I ? Please don't tell me I said weird things"

"N-no you didn't say anything ... still we should go near, just in case we get lost, this place is gigantic"

"Yeah ... I wonders if every door is as great as the main gate"

"Most likely yes ... I'm so scared, I wonder what the exam is all about"

"... robots ..." Izuku said softly

... they kept walking, Ochaco didn't catch what Izuku said.

"What ? You said robots ?"

"Y-yeah ... a good friend of mine told me what it would be ... he didn't told me everything though, that would be cheating ... I guess ?"

"Robots then ... well I guess I can deal with this, my quirk is called Zero Gravity, I can suppress the impact of gravity on anything I touch ... well almost anything, it has to be solid and I have a weight and- ... well not time limit but I get sick if I do it for too long"

Izuku had to resist ... such a quirk was simply too interesting, it had so much possibilities, what if she could hold her quirk long enough ? Would the object or the person end up deriving deriving somewhere, who knows, in space ? To the moon ? Could she use it on herself ?

"And you, what's your quirk Izuku ?"

"M-mine ? ... well I- ... I-"

"... Is it related to the gloves ? If it's akward we can talk about something else you know, I'm not forcing you"

"I- ... yes sorry I'd rather not talk about my- ... my quirk yes"

They kept heading toward the conference room, they didn't talk much more on their way they mostly asked each others about their schools, exchanging phone numbers, planning to have lunch together eventually ... it felt so Strange especially for Izuku.

According to the schedule the written exams had to last for three hours but the physical exam however had no special indication.

Anyway, once they reached the conference room, which was in fact a gigantic classroom, they both received a seat number and a subject for the written exam. Ochaco looked rather confident, she could since the written exam wasn't necessary to be received ... according to the schedule again, who knows why the staff of U.A. still use this exam if the result don't matter.

Izuku's subject concerned, math, history and ... some kind of question about a hostage situation ... heroic philosophy ? He could face math and history but ... damn this last part, there is no perfect answer for such a question, he would just have to take the best option ...

Three Years ago

"What is this look on your face ? Something bad happened ?"

"... I- ... I wondered ... heroes can't be everywhere right ? Then ... they can't save everyone"

"Of course ... just like the police, it happens ... why though ?"

"You know I like to read articles about heroes and their quirks right ? ... well I- ... I found some reports about the villain named Muscular-"

"Trash ... tshhh ... excuse me I shouldn't have interrupted you ... Well if I had to give you an answer ... imagine thos situation, there is great war, a massive one between two civilisations of fighters, you are part of one of them and this one is pacifist ... however the other one simply thinks about killing everything and it is about to win ... if you could end the war by destroying the entire hostile civilisation along with yours ... would you do it ?"

"... What would happen if I do that ?"

"Simple ... no more war ... all the other civilisations are saved ... but yours will be gone forever ... in order to save billions you killed millions without their consent"

Izuku thought really hard about this question ...

"Do not bother trying to find another way ... this is your lesson for today ... It's about sacrifice, you have to understand that, No ... not everyone can be saved that's a fact ... but you shall never give up because of this"

"Sensei ... you are always talking about how most heroes are bad and corrupted by the system ... and yet you are helping me ... why ?"

"Because I think you can be different ... the right man in the wrong place can make all the difference ... yes, I won't rephrase this one"

"I should go now ... Mom is waiting for me"

"Oh yes, I'm not keeping you ..."

In the end Izuku considered that he did great, he managed to found Ochaco again outside for their lunch.

"So ? Your subject ?"

"Economy and chemistry ... and something about quirk analysis"

"Oh, I would have liked this last one"

"Quirk analysis ?"

"Y-yes, I do a lot, h-here look" Izuku took his most recent notebook from his backpack and showed it to Ochaco.

"W-wow ! It's so detailed" She closed it after reading the fifth page and took a look at the cover "Number fourteen ?! You made that much ?"

"Yes, I don't remember exactly when I started ..."

Ochaco noticed that the cover was a bit burned "Something happened ? An accident ?" She asked pointing at the burned corner.

"Not exactly ... I think we are going to be separated for the physical exam ... so ... good luck if that's the case ... and if it's not well ... we could help each others right ?"

"But- ... what about the points ?"

"Don't worry about me ... I won't try to steal yours ... as long as you don't try to steal mines"

"Seems fair then"

A bell rang, lunch time had ended, all the examines converged to another conference room, still a missive one but an actual room made for conference.

Izuku was far away from Ochaco once again, not a surprise however he ended up being RIGHT next to Katsuki Bakugo, hopefully this last one wouldn't notice him ... at least he didn't so far.

The rules of the physical exam were presented by Present Mic ... and the conference quickly turned into a one man show. The rules were simple three types of robots, each giving one, two or three points upon destruction.

There was also one last robot but this one didn't give any point for it's destruction, instead Present Mic simply said that the examines should just avoid it if it ever appears ...

After that everyone was sent to some kind of training facility inside U.A. Izuku didn't see Ochaco on his way, if he was right they were supposed to be in the same area.

The facility was enormous, obviously U.A. really enjoyed to do everything seriously ... the examines were given a few minutes so they could change, Izuku had a blue suit ... he didn't thought such about what he should be wearing for the exam ... expect for the gloves.

Four years ago

"Gloves ? ... that's new, the new "hyped" thing maybe ?"

"N-no ... in fact I had to ask you if this kind of gloves could prevent me from-"

"Using your quirk I know why you are wearing this, I tried this method myself to see what could stop me ... it doesn't work like that"

Izuku gritted his teeth and proceeded to tear apart the gloves but an hand stopped him.

"But-... they can be helpful psychologically, quirks do not only activate if you want it, your state of mind is a factor too and if the gloves make you feel safer then that's a solution"

"But you just said-"

"That I didn't stopped it, I never said that it wasn't harder to use it ... you did not listen until then end, as a good student you are trying to understand as fast as possible and I admire that, but you also have to listen sometimes"

"Sorry Sensei ..."

"... You should try black and green ... it matches very well with your hair"

The other examines sounded very "confident" about this exam, Izuku heard some discussing together as he was looking for Ochaco.

"At the very least we have one less rival to worry about ... look how skinny he is"

"Yeah, compared to us he won't last for long ... lucky us"

Bastards ... they shouldn't underestimate him ... there ! He found her again, she was trying to focus ... he decided to wait befo-

"Hey you ! Are you trying to interfere with everyone else on this exam ?" Another examine in a blue suit grabbed Izuku by the shoulder and dragged him further away from Ochaco.

"W-what ?"

"Don't you see she is trying to focus ?!" Either he was doing this on purpose or he really over reacted ... anyway this was just getting annoying.

"Of course I'm seeing this, you never imagined that we could be friends or that I had no intention to disturb her at all ?" Izuku really had to work out his character, his answer only made the other examine raise an eyebrow.

"STAAAAAAAART !" This came out from absolutely nowhere, the massive doors of the training facility opened and everyone simply stood in front for five seconds.

Izuku knew he should go but he really wanted to find Ochaco first-

"What are you waiting for ?" Asked a voice through a loud speaker "Go on ! You are wasting time"

He didn't have much choice now, he was already far behind the group and he had lost Ochaco. Izuku ran after one of the group and tried to find a part of the city where the robots were still active.

And it wasn't that simple ... he had ... no quirk, he couldn't simply smash the robots like most of the other examines did and most of the time someone else would steal his robot.

Ten minutes later he still didn't have any point ... It was now or never, he had to figure out what was the other part of the exam or else-

Suddendly a building collapsed right next to him and on top of it there was an enormous metal hand, no wonder it was the famous zero point robot. The other examines started to run away and so did Izuku, they were all running toward the exit as if the exam was already finished, instead Izuku just hid between two buildings if only he could figure out what Sensei meant ...

"H-help !" Someone yelled from the street in which the zero point robot had emerged ... Ochaco ... Izuku ran toward the origine of the voice without thinking and his friend was here stuck under a rubble, half oh her body was being crushed.

The robot was getting closer ... no one was here to help her and the other examines were just running away without even giving her a glance ...

"N-no ... that's not fair" Izuku ran the opposite way

The robot was getting closer, already his head was moving and aiming at Ochaco.

"I-Izuku ?! I'm stuck !"

"I see that ! You can't use your quirk ?"

"N-no I- ... I'm ... exhausted"

She was losing consciousness either because she was panicking or because she couldn't breath considering her position, Izuku tried but he couldn't move the debris ...

"A lesson about sacrifice ... just this once-" Izuku quickly took of both of his gloves and took Ochaco's hand "Everyone lives !"

One Year ago

"Using a quirk without taking it ?"

"Yes ... made some experiences about this when I used a quirk that forces another quirk to activate"

"It works ?"

"Not on every quirks but mostly on contact quirks ... I just thought this fact could be interesting ... hahaha I don't even know how many quirks you analysed but what's funny is that you could never analyse your own quirk"

"It's not like I could ..."

"You never asked your mother ? You said that her quirk wasn't so strong and- Oh nevermind ... telekinesis right ? Or the equivalent ... bad idea-"

"It could either hurt me or my mother more than any other quirk I could take, that would be the case for any quirk which requires a sensible muscle like the brain, the hearth or the lungs for example, it might also explains why our quirk doesn't work on mutation"

"... did you write this ?"

"I made some theory ..."

"Oh ... may I have a look one day ?"

"I thought you couldn't read"

"I can't but I can ask someone to do so ... and I could also correct some informations if you want"

"That would be great ..."

Izuku pressed Ochaco's other hand as well has his own other hand on the biggest rubble above Ochaco and the rubble started to float, just enough so he could get Ochaco away.

And he managed to save her at the very last moment, the next second the robot's fist ended right where Ochaco was previously stuck.

"STOOOPPPPP ! AND THAT WILL BE ALL THANK YOU ! SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS ! ... MAYBE !" Announced Present Mic through the speakers once again ...

The giant robot seemed to shut down ... Izuku carefully dropped Ochaco in a safe spot and he collapsed on the ground ... there he goes ... he completely failed the exam but on the good side he saved someone and managed to make a friend ...

"Places ! Places everyone, and again they thought it was funny to just make it pop in the middle of nowhere and- Hey ! It's not the time to sleep !" Izuku stood up in surprise as a cane hit is head, it was an old woman ...

"R-recovery girl !"

"Ah at least you know my name, what happened to your friend ?" She said pointing at the body of Ochaco with her cane.

"Sh-she got stuck under some rubbles and I think she lost consciousness because her body was being compressed under"

"Good observation, here you are going to help me would you ! Carry her ... It's not like I'm going to do everything myself right ?"

"Y-yes !"

Half an hour later

Ochaco opened her eyes ... she was on something soft ... a bed ? And the room she was in was completely white.

"Ah ! See, I told you she was alright" an old lady face appeared above Ochaco.

"W-where am I ?" She asked clearly confused by the drastic change of environment.

"You lost consciousness during the exam, so your friend over here carried you to the infirmary" she pointed her thumb behind her, Izuku was sitting on a chair and waving awkwardly.

"Izuku ! Thank you !"

"Without him Nezu's toy would have crushed you, the rubble were already barely letting you breath and your ankle was getting twisted ... don't worry though, right now your are in the exact same state as this morning"

"Thank you ...-"

"Recovery girl, I guess we will be seeing each others a lot if you managed to make a good score, I was watching but not judging so it's not up to me ... but I can tell that you made a great performance"

"R-really ! Thank you !" She made it ! Her parents will be so happy

"Stay here for five minutes please ... I just have a few things to see before you leave"

"No problem ... and you Izuku ? How was the exam ?"

"M-me ? I- ... hehe I thing I did as great as you" he smile seemed honest but their was somethings off with it ... "Well I- ... oh no ! I'm late ! SorryIhavetoleavemymomiswaitingformebutIreallywantedtostayuntilyouwakeuplet'stexteachotherslatergoodbye !"

Ochaco understood that his mom was waiting ... but she was still impressed that he managed to put so much in ten seconds.

When recovery girl came back with a cup of water and a bunch of paper she looked sad.

"Something is wrong ?" Asked Ochaco

"Oh ... no ... He is right ... he really did a great job, there is in fact two kind of point system ... villain and hero points if you prefer ... he got 0 villain points but by saving you he probably got the maximum amount of hero points"

"So ... why are you so ... down ?"

"Even with a hightsocre like this he won't get in"

"Why ?"

"... he is quirkless"