Deku Rises

-Preparations-

"…You will be a Hero."

It was those very words that he always wanted to hear, from anyone.

"What do you say, Izuku Midoriya?"

The freckled-face teen slowly looked up at the older man, his green eyes wide with tears still streaming down his face.

Bruce gave the boy a small smirk, showing his pearly white teeth, "What's that look for? It's a proposal, after all. I may not be able to give you a quirk, but I can give you the next best thing, especially for someone who's quirkless like me. You see, the tabloids like to think Bruce Wayne is your average billionaire playboy who relies on Heroes for his own protection. That's what society expects the quirkless to do: rely on the Heroes to protect them. Not every Hero can protect you, kid. I've learned that for a very long time."

"B-But…why not become a Pro-Hero yourself?"

The older man fell silent for a moment, his smirk falling as he kept his gaze on the student, "I'm afraid it's too late for me to go down that path. But, it's not too late for you, Midoriya. I've seen how passionate you are about becoming a hero and I'm willing to help you make your dreams come true."

Izuku wiped the tears from his green eyes and sniffed back any snot that tried to leave his nostrils.

"That is, of course, if you allow me to. What do you say?"

Izuku straightened his posture from his spot on the ground. His fists clenched on his lap, and he grit his teeth in confidence as his head snapped up to meet Bruce's gaze.

I've seen what Mister Wayne was capable of. He took down four villains without breaking a single sweat. If that means I can handle myself like that, then…

I simply can't refuse!

"Yes…I accept!"

"A quick answer. I like your determination, Izuku Midoriya." Bruce slid his hands into his pockets as he gave a nod in his direction, "Your training starts tomorrow. I'll have a good friend of mine pick you up after class. Be sure to bring appropriate attire. You'll need it."

As Bruce turned to leave, Izuku stood back up on his feet and watched as the billionaire stepped away from him. He hasn't felt such confidence fill his heart in a long time. He looked down at his opened hand before closing it to form a fist. Quickly stealing a glance at the now setting sun, Izuku felt his face grow warm as he turned to head back home.

It was this very day that I learned dreams can become reality. It was this very day that started my journey to become the World's greatest hero!

This class couldn't be any slower.

Katsuki Bakugou slumped in his seat, prompting to put his feet on his desk as his hands slid in his pockets. He was too deep in his own thoughts to recognize what his teacher was even saying. Not like he listened to him anyways. He was beneath him. He knew he was the most gifted student in this school, and Katsuki loved to show it. Especially to the weakest link.

That's when his blood-red eyes shot over to Deku.

The green nerd was jotting down notes as he listened to their teacher's rambling. Word spread that he was attacked by a villain yesterday, and nearly died before All Might came to his rescue. All Might. Out of all the heroes that could've saved his quirkless ass, it had to be the number one hero. He should be teasing him being so useless against a villain, but knowing he met All Might himself didn't sit right with him. Was this jealousy? Never. It can't be jealousy.

"…And remember, you still have time to apply to your high school." Their homeroom teacher spoke as he looked over the paper he's been reading, "I see some of you still haven't filled out an application yet, but some of you did. I'm seeing some Shiketsu and Ketsubutsu requests…and of course, UA as well."

One of the male students let out a sneer, "Is Midoriya still wanting to get in that school, Teach?"

Another male student let out a laugh, "He should just give up while he can before he gets crushed!"

Izuku made a small noise as he sunk into his seat, his cheeks turning red. Normally Bakugou would join in on the hazing, or at least be the start of it, but instead he'd just sit back and watch. His thoughts held him back from making a comment. That damn nerd…

"Alright, settle down, you two." The teacher spoke, "If Midoriya wishes to get into UA then that's his decision." Izuku grew a small smile on his face, "But whatever comes after will be his own fault." His smile dropped instantly.

Thankfully the bell rung, signaling the end of another day of school.

"Class dismissed. Have a good day, everyone."

All the students exited the classroom, leaving only Izuku and Katsuki behind. Izuku was collecting his things while Bakugou watched him with narrowed eyes. It was obvious to the freckled-face teen that his former childhood friend was watching him, which was why he nervously put his books in his bags. He'd steal a quick glance at him, but the ash-blonde bully would scoff.

"Oy. Deku." He called out after a small, awkward silence.

Izuku stopped and slowly turned his head to him, "Y-yeah…Kacchan?"

"Meet me outside. I have some shit to say." He bumped shoulders with the fragile teen as he exited the classroom. Izuku didn't say a word, opting to instead watch his back as he left. That wasn't like Kacchan to talk to him one on one, especially in such a calm manner. It was actually much more nerve-wracking than his normal outbursts.

It's not like Kacchan to talk so calmly to me. Is something wrong with him?

His face morphed into one of worry.

Why do I get the feeling this is gonna be worse than normal?

After collecting his things and wishing his teacher a good day, he stepped outside his Junior High where Bakugou was waiting for him near the entrance. All the students had already left the building, so it was only the two of them around, which only made Izuku's nervousness grow.

"W-What…what did you wanna—"

"Why did All Might save you?"

He was taken aback by his sudden cold question.

"I-I'm sorry…?"

Bakugou sharply turned to face him, his teeth grit, and his red eyes flashing with anger, "Why did All Might waste his time saving your pathetic ass?!"

Izuku took a step back and started to shake. His mouth was ajar as his words struggled to leave his mouth. Is that what was upsetting him this whole time?

"H-He's a Hero, Kacchan! Isn't that what heroes—"

"But why did it have to be All Might?! Why him?!" Bakugou took a step closer, to which Izuku took a step backward, "You wasted his time in saving you! If you had a quirk, you could've saved yourself from that villain! Why do you have to be so weak, Deku?"

Izuku flinched with every word. They say sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you…but he especially knew that wasn't true.

"B-But I'm not weak..!"

Bakugou froze in his spot, his red eyes wide. His hands unconsciously slipped outside his pants pockets as he leaned forward at Izuku, "What…did you say?"

His fists began to clench, and his emerald eyes gazed into Bakugou's blood red ones. Though he was clearly nervous, he was trying his best to hide it.

"I'm not weak, Kacchan. I saved a life yesterday—"

Crackles of explosions went off in Bakugou's hand, cutting him off. Izuku let out a terrified gasp as he started to slowly retreat to the school doors. Bakugou, however, took hold of Izuku's wrist and pulled him forward. He grabbed his shirt collar and held out his open palm, which cracked with small explosions like firecrackers yet again.

"Does little Deku really think he's strong?" He seethed, "You know your place, nerd. And it's beneath my boot!"

"Izuku Midoriya, I presume?"

Izuku looked over Bakugou's shoulder while the latter did the same. Standing behind them was a tall, elderly man sporting a rather expensive suit that resembled one a butler would wear. His wrinkled face and balding hair were merely signs of how old this man is.

"Eh? Who the hell are you?"

"Y-Yes?"

Ignoring the rude blonde, the man gave him a bow before his piercing blue eyes landed on the green-haired teen, "I am here to escort you to Master Wayne's office, sir."

F-Figures. Mister Wayne is probably too busy to pick me up himself...

Bakugou darted his eyes between Izuku and the old man before he let go of him, and turned his attention to the elderly man.

"Wayne? You mean that quirkless rich guy? What does he want with Deku?" He questioned, examining the old man from head to toe.

"Why have such a name for this young man?" The old man asks, his tone remaining calm and proper.

Bakugou scoffed as he looked back over at the said boy, "Because he's useless. He's nothing but a weak, defenseless Deku." Izuku hung his head low as Bakugou berated him.

And what the elderly man said next would make Bakugou simply seethe with anger.

"That's where I'm afraid you're wrong, young man." The old man looked over at Izuku, "Come now, Master Midroiya. Master Wayne is waiting for us at the office." He quickly turned, ignoring Bakugou's outburst as he yelled profanities targeted at both him and Izuku. The nervous boy slowly walked around the screaming blonde, who stared at him like a lion readying to leap at its prey. Once he was a fair distance away, he followed Alfred to the limousine that was parked just outside the gate.

I'm not weak, Kacchan…

Once Izuku stepped inside the limo, with the old man opening the door for him, Bakugou let out a "tsk" and walked the opposite direction back home.

"Stupid Deku. What does that rich asshole want with him anyway?"

Izuku gawked at the limousine he was in. This was the first time he's ever been in one, and it just so happened to be the very same one Bruce Wayne rides in. The leather seats stretched nearly around the whole inside which gave him much legroom, and resting to the right against the side was a bar. Empty glasses hung right next to an icebox that filled with various bottled liquids, most being the ones he wasn't old enough to try yet. The limo also bared a rather large TV screen in the back of the car.

Noticing the gawked expression on his face, the elderly man looked through the rearview mirror as he spoke, "I do apologize for not providing any beverages to your liking. Master Wayne insisted I come pick you up and nothing else."

Izuku took the seat facing the rearview mirror and gave him a bow, "It's alright, mister…?"

He saw his blue eyes go wide in realization, "Oh heavens me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Alfred Pennyworth, butler to Bruce Wayne himself. It's nice to meet such a young hero like yourself."

H-He just called me a hero! Ohmygosh!

Wait…butler?!

"M-Mister Wayne has a butler?!" Izuku covered his mouth from his own sheer volume.

Alfred let out some chuckles, "I've been the butler to the Wayne family for most of my life. I was his parents' butler first, before the tragedy…"

"Tragedy…?" Izuku tilted his head. There was a tragedy that involved Mister Wayne's parents…?

"Oh, silly me. I had forgotten that incident hasn't affected your generation." Alfred looked back at Izuku through the rearview mirror, "But, I insist this subject is best talked about with Master Wayne. It is rather a sensitive subject for me to discuss without his presence."

"I see…" Izuku nodded.

He never figured Bruce Wayne to be sensitive about certain subjects. Based on what he's seen on the news, Wayne tackled most of the controversial subjects made with the Hero community. He says he wasn't a politician, but he views subjects from a business standpoint. After all, his company has endorsed some of the world's most well-known Pro-Heroes.

"Master Wayne told me you're rather obsessed with heroes." Alfred broke the silence, "They are quite fascinating, aren't they? Risking their lives to protect the innocent from danger…It's not an easy job."

Izuku held his breath in and stiffened, but gave Alfred a nod in agreement.

"But do not assume I'm trying to make you second guess your decision, Master Midoriya." Alfred reassured the teen with another smile, "Master Wayne can be quite the teacher. In fact, I think you'll do well with him. I can see the potential he was talking about when you stood up to that bully of yours."

"You mean Kacchan? He's my friend…" Izuku's voice trailed off. He knew it sounded baffling when says it out loud, but he truly accepted Bakugou was still his friend.

Alfred fell silent for a minute before he nods his head, "I see. Well, regardless of who he is to you, good for you for standing up to yourself."

The limo came to a halt and Izuku looked out through the tinted window to see they stopped at some sort of security gate. Alfred poked his head out from the window and spoke to the security guard, who nods his head before opening the gate. As they drove past the post, Izuku noticed the guard was waving at him. They entered a parking garage soon after where the limo came to a complete stop. Alfred stepped outside and opened Izuku's door.

After taking an elevator up to the lobby, Bruce was waiting there for them. He was leaning on the lobby receptionist's desk, that well-known charming smile on his face as he spoke to her. The young woman was obviously lost in his eyes, and Izuku could see the blush on her face from where he stood. The lobby itself was fairly empty, with the exception of a few luxurious couches that served as the waiting room while two flat-screen TVs hung from each side of the wall next to the receptionist's desk.

"Master Wayne." Alfred coughed to interrupt the conversation between the two.

Bruce and the woman broke eye contact before Bruce approached the two, his smile still on his face, "Sorry about that. Thank you for bringing him, Alfred. What would I do without you?"

Meanwhile, Izuku stole a glance at the young woman, who was sending him a nasty glare from her seat. Izuku felt himself shrink.

Why is she looking at me like that?

"I wonder that myself, sir." Alfred simply says. Izuku wasn't sure if the older man was joking or not, but regardless, it was quite humorous.

"So, are you ready for your training, Midoriya?" Izuku nods his head with determination, clenching his schoolbag. "Today is the first day of the rest of your life. I hope you came prepared. Follow me, and I'll bring you to my office."

Just before Bruce could turn, Alfred stopped him, "I presume you're going to give Master Midoriya the tour first?"

"He likes heroes, after all." He replies as he places a hand on the bar to the glass door, "Welcome to Wayne Enterprises, kid."

As soon as that door swung open, he let out a scream of joy at what was in front of him. The whole first floor of the building was packed with Wayne Enterprise employees wearing suits, with every two or three of them walking with a Pro-Hero Izuku has never seen before. The heroes were all discussing with the suit-clad employees, some expressing eagerness and joyfulness while others showed signs of annoyance and anxiety. The overwhelming sound of various chatter managed to block out the sound of the indoor fountain right in the center of the building. Right smack in the middle of the said fountain was The Wayne Enterprise logo, which eerily resembled the fountain at Universal Studios Japan.

Most of the walls were made of thick glass so those who are stuck inside all day can look out the window and enjoy the sun. The balcony's that separated the first two floors hung two jumbotrons that faced each other. One was showing the current stock of Wayne Enterprises, as well as others from around the world, while the other was airing national news. All Izuku could smell was a weird mixture of brewing coffee and a nice lemon scent thanks to the cleaning products.

"As you may know, not only does Wayne Enterprises provide smartphones and other technology for everyday use, but also the necessary gear for heroes to help bringdown any danger that threatens a life," Bruce explains as he leads Izuku through the crowded floor.

"Ahh! There are so many heroes here I've seen before!" Izuku gushed, taking out his burnt notebook to take notes, "Look! There's Thirteen! A-And Kamui Woods! I even see heroes I've never seen! That guy is wearing cannons on his arms. His quirk has to be the ability to fire cannonballs through his arms! Though the downside would be combat wise, his punches would be slow due to how much they weigh. Which means he needs to keep his upper body strength up at an insane rate if he wishes to…"

As Izuku kept mumbling, he never noticed the people around him stopped and stared at him questionably. The chatting ceased as even those upon the balconies looked down to see what's happening. Bruce tapped the boy on his shoulder and he looked up to see everyone staring at him.

"Uh…I'm sorry." He nervously laughs as he waved himself off.

That was enough for the crowd of employees and heroes to return to their conversations.

"Very observant. You remind me of Master Wayne." Alfred chuckles from behind Izuku.

Bruce playfully rolled his blue eyes at his butler before leading Izuku to the closest elevator, "For the next few months you'll be seeing a lot of heroes here. I hope you can contain some of that excitement that you just showed everybody. Don't want it to distract you from your training."

Izuku nods his head, "Yes!"

"Great. Now, let's—"

"Oy! Wayne! Hold it right there!" A voice shouts from the middle of the crowd.

When some of the crowd dispersed, a dark-skinned young woman was stomping her way over to the three. Her muscular physique was enough to put any man in a trance when given the opportunity, and her red eyes were narrowed directly at Bruce. The most notable feature was the set of white rabbit ears on the side of her head, which was pointing up at the ceiling. Her long white hair reached down her back as she brushed some of it away from her face.

"Oh, dear. I'm afraid Miss Usagiyama is upset yet again." Izuku heard Alfred sigh.

"I heard that, Pennyworth!" She shouts as she approached the three. There were two Wayne employees trying to cease her volume and reassure her they can fix her problem, but it fell on deaf ears, "And you're damn right I am!"

Pro Hero: Mirko

Quirk: Rabbit

Bruce cleared his throat and stood in the middle of the elevator doorway, "Mirko. I assume this is about your boots."

As if on cue, she held up a pair of purple-thigh high boots with a metal plating around the heel and toes. The plating was cracked and snapped, with a piece even dangling off the boot. Silently, Izuku was taking notes of the young hero, quietly mumbling yet again to himself.

"This is the third time they broke this month! I need them fixed!" She held out the boots for Bruce to hold, which the billionaire simply looked at.

"…"

"…You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Sure am. Just, follow us in my office and I'll give Lucius a call." Bruce motioned for the hero to step in the elevator, which she obliged. The two Wayne-Enterprise employees insisted on handling Mirko's problem themselves, but a glare from the rabbit hero quickly shut them up. Alfred pressed the top button: Bruce's penthouse suite. As they waited for the doors to close, some of the employees and heroes stared at the four as if they all had two heads.

"…WHAT?!" Rumi shouts just as the doors closed.

As the four patiently waited for the elevator to reach their destination, Izuku was jotting down notes about the hero next to him. It was by then he realized the height difference between the two, with Mirko being only a head taller than him. He also noticed the puffy, white rabbit tail that poked out from her skirt. It took most of his willpower to not keep staring at it since if he had been caught, it would've turned deadly.

With nothing but the elevator music playing, they continued to sit in silence before Bruce broke it with a simple statement.

"Your kicks have been getting better, I see."

Izuku stopped writing to look at Bruce, who had his eyes locked on Rumi, who smugly shrugs her shoulders. The awkward atmosphere of the small room ceased which even made Alfred crack a small and gentle smile in the rabbit hero's way.

"You should've seen the look on this villain's face when I broke down his walls. I think the guy soiled himself."

Bruce nods his head in understanding, "It's a good thing your boots broke. That means we can move onto a much stronger material."

Rumi nods her head before she finally realizes that Izuku was next to her. Her red eyes looked over at the frail boy before she placed her hands on her hips. She examined his small frame from head to toe as the teen started to sweat nervously.

She's so close…!

"Is he your new intern or something, Wayne?" She asks with a risen eyebrow, "Since when did you personally start working with your hero agency?"

"No. His name is Izuku Midoriya, and he's my student." He responds, causing Rumi's eyes to go wide, "He's Quirkless like me, and wants to be a Pro-Hero. I'm helping him fulfill his dream."

"I never took you for the caring type, Wayne." She says before looking at Izuku again with a smirk, "The first Quirkless hero, hmm? You're pretty ballsy for following that dream, kid. It might get you killed sooner rather than later, y'know that?"

Izuku hid his blushing face with his notebook, "I-I know the risks…but, i-isn't that what heroes do?"

Rumi kept her stare fixated on Izuku for what seemed like forever before a devilish smirk cracked her lips, her red eyes burning with passion as she spoke these next few words:

"And that's the best part!"

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open with Bruce and Alfred stepping out, leaving Rumi and Izuku behind for a short moment. Even though she wasn't that taller than him, Izuku felt as if he was a midget compared to her. His notebook was pressed against his chest as his green eyes refused to look away from her ruby ones.

"That's enough, Rumi." Came Bruce's stern voice as he stepped between the elevator doors, "Let's discuss your upgrades in my office. In the meantime," He looked over at Izuku, "go get changed into your gear. Training will start as soon as I'm done."

Rumi obliged while turning her attention to the billionaire, "Tell Lucius I'm ready to use titanium—"

"Absolutely not." Bruce cut her off as they turned the corner of the large room. Izuku could hear Rumi's muffled shouting from the opposite side of the wall, though he can't quite make out what she was saying.

"Do not worry about Miss Usagiyama. She'll warm up to you over the course of your training." Alfred spoke from behind Izuku, a cup of tea in his hand, "Would you like some tea, Master Midoriya?"

The freckled face teen shakes his head as he turned to face him, "No thank you, Alfred." As the butler set the cup down, Izuku took this time to look at his surroundings. For a penthouse suite, it was decorated very minimally. A few expensive looking painting were hung on each side of the wall, the polished tiled floor beneath them was so clean that Izuku could see his own reflection in them, two leather couches rested across from each other which allowed the person sitting to get a great view of the Musutafu skyline, and finally, all the way in the corner of the room was a king-sized bed that sat on top of a velvet rug.

"Master Wayne tends to keep decorations at a minimum." Alfred chuckles as he eyed Izuku examining the room, "Now, it's best if you get changed into your gear. Master Wayne doesn't like to repeat himself."

"R-Right!" Izuku quickly nods his head.

As Midoriya changed into his workout gear, which consisted of a white jumpsuit with green trimming, he heard a door swing open. Alfred remained in his usual straight posture when Rumi stomped out from the corner of the room, a larger than life smile on her face. Noticing the joyful vibes emitting from the hero already, Alfred held out a cup of tea to her.

"Tea, Miss Usagiyama?"

"I'd be crazy not to accept your tea, Alfred!" She took the cup and took a seat on the leather couch, Alfred sitting on the one across from her.

"I assume the meeting went well?"

She nods her head, "Hell yeah it did! My new and improved boots should be coming by the end of the week. Lucius said they have to run some tests on it before they send it to me."

Alfred took a sip of his tea before placing it on a small plate on the table between them, "And what shall you do about hero work before then?"

"I kept the older ones that aren't too broken." She replies after taking a sip of her tea, "As long as I can still kick villain ass, I'll be fine." Her red eyes trailed over at Izuku, "Oh! Bruce wants to see you in his office. Get ready to start your next few months in hell, kid!"

Izuku's face paled as he slowly nods his head.

"Uh…o-okay..!"

"Miss Usagiyama!" Alfred scolded the rabbit hero, who only let out a snicker in response.

When Izuku entered his office, he found Bruce waiting for him on the other side of his desk. His office was just as minimum as his penthouse with it only baring his desk with a large computer screen sitting on top of it and a large oil painting of a mustached man standing next to a beautiful Japanese woman.

"I was his parents' butler first, before the tragedy…"

So they must be Mister Wayne's parents…

His attention then turned to the glass cabinet against the wall, which was filled with various framed photos of a younger-looking Bruce Wayne along with trophies and certifications.

"It's gonna be a tough journey ahead of you, Izuku." Bruce cut right to the chase, standing up from his office chair, "For the next ten months, your endurance and strength will be put to the test. We're going to work on your body, your agility, stamina, fighting…all the basics you need to reach your peak. Your first three months of training will be hell."

Izuku felt pale yet again, "H-Hell?!"

Bruce stepped over to the glass cabinet and took out one of the framed photos, "UA's Hero course is no walk in the park. As their biggest endorser, I've seen firsthand what the exam throws at new potential students."

"If I recall, Mister Wayne, didn't you…graduate from UA?" Izuku asks the older male with a small head tilt.

A small smile cracked Bruce's lips, "I did, from the business course, however." He placed the photo back in the glass cabinet, "I've gone to school with some of the most well-known Heroes in Japan. Including All Might himself."

Izuku nearly fell out of his chair upon hearing the news.

Mister Wayne…and All Might?! In the same school?!

"Y-You graduated the same year as All Might?! Are you two friends?!" Izuku pondered, his green eyes wide and glowing with excitement, "What was he like when he was my age? Was he just as strong as he is now?!"

"We know each other." Bruce simply states, his smile dropping from his face, "As I said, I was in the business course, and he was in the hero course."

" I see…" Izuku sounded rather disappointed.

"Now, on with your training." Bruce reached over to his desk and placed his hand on the underside of his desk. A part of the wall to their left opened up, and inside was a large room that resembled a dojo complete with matted flooring and walls. On the walls were various weapons like shurikens, bo staffs, and even katanas. There were even punching bags and dummies resting in the room. The dojo reminded Izuku of one of those old school martial arts films they'd play late at night.

"This is where you train…?" Izuku was in awe at the sight in front of him.

"From time to time, yes." He nods his head before entering the large room, "This is where you'll be spending most of the next ten months at. As for your studies, me and Alfred will be your teachers. Those notes you have on heroes will come very handy in the future. I suggest looking them over as much as you can."

Izuku nods his head again, but the nervous look he had on his face didn't go unnoticed to Bruce, "Y-Yes, sir!"

"Rumi agreed to be your sparring partner whenever I'm not available. She's fierce, and her quirk is pretty dangerous. She'll be your main obstacle to tackle before we truly accept that you're ready for the Hero course." Bruce explains as he and Izuku kept their heads fixated at the dojo.

I have to beat M-Mirko to know when I'm ready?!

"Do you truly believe you can handle such a task, Izuku Midoriya?" Bruce turns his head to look down at him, his steel blue eyes meeting his green eyes.

His eyebrows furrowed, and he clenched his fists with determination. This now sudden surge of confidence acted like adrenaline for him, and he couldn't wait to get on with his training.

"I know I can do this!" He shouts with pure determination, causing a smile to curve Bruce's lips again.

"Haha! I like this kid!" Came Rumi's voice from behind them. She had her hands on her hips as she approached the two, "That fuel you got inside of you is something else, especially for someone who's quirkless. We're gonna work you and shape you into a badass hero!"

Izuku's eyes lit up from the praise, especially from a Pro-Hero like her.

"Then let's get ready." Bruce stepped over to the wall of weapons and places his hand on one of the bo staffs.

"Today is the day you start your journey."