Invictus

It started out as a day like any other, for one Midoriya Izuku. As it was spring break, the green-eyed pre-teen was exercising his hobby of Quirk Spotting by aimlessly walking around town and waiting for something to happen. It wasn't the smartest of ideas, but when one lacked a social life, one had to take enjoyment from what one could. Or that would have been the case, if it wasn't such a slow day.

"Two hours, I've been walking around, and not a single incident," Izuku moaned. "No violent attack, no bank robbery, not even a petty crime."

It was mid-afternoon, and any other day there would have been at least two or three incidents. However, it seemed that fate had decided to screw Izuku over. Just like his entire life. In a world where the unnatural was the new natural, Izuku was one of the rare few that was still mundane. Quirkless in a world of heroes and villains. It was a source of much pain for Izuku. Childhood friends had dropped him like yesteryear's hot toy. His parents and eldest sister had all but given up on Izuku fulfilling his dream. And while his second oldest sister tried to be supportive, even she had her doubts. Yet despite all that, he stubbornly held on to his ambition; to be the next Symbol of Peace. Like his idol, All Might.

"If only it was just ambition that would get me to where I want to be," Izuku sighed, as he aimlessly walked down the street.

No Hero School worth their reputation would accept a Quirkless Student. Not for the Hero Studies course. Never mind the fact there were many a famous hero who were successful, despite having a Quirk that wasn't combat orientated. Even U.A High, the number one academy in Japan, was rumoured to have a Practical Exam that was specifically tailored towards applicants with physical Quirks. It was incredibly unfair, in Izuku's opinion. Irrespective of his Quirkless status, the bias nature against certain Quirks upset him a lot.

The rumble of his stomach brought Izuku out of his thoughts. Frowning in mild irritation, Izuku decided to head to the nearest 7-Eleven for a snack. Upon entering the store, Izuku idly took note of the others within. Save for a brunette woman in her late thirties and a sickly looking man, the store was empty. He then headed towards the snack section.

"I feel like having pocky," Izuku mumbled, as he browsed through the shelves.

Once he found what he was looking for, Izuku headed towards the till. However, before he could pay for his snack, a man wearing a hooded sweater and baseball cap got there first.

"Open the register," the man softly requested, in a menacing tone.

In a moment that lasted an hour, Izuku's thoughts raced. From the tone of the voice, it wasn't so much as a request, than a demand. Also, judging by the click that he heard, the man in front of Izuku appeared to have a gun.

'I just had to complain about how dull the day was,' Izuku inwardly groaned. He took a step back, but the noise managed to attract the attention of the robber. Said man turned ninety degrees and glared at Izuku with his right eye.

"Don't move!" he growled. "Get over that way!"

The robber gestured towards the corner of the store away from the entrance. Barely managing to stifle a cry, Izuku ran towards the pointed area. The robber then pointed at the brunette woman, who moved next to Izuku with a squeak of fear. However, before the robber could order the remaining customer, the man raised his hands and shuffled towards the robber.

"Young man, I do not believe that you wish to anything you might regret," the sickly man said.

"Shove off!" the robber snarled, and gesticulated with his gun. "Get over there and keep quiet!"

The man did the opposite, much to Izuku's shock. He continued to shuffle towards the man, while attempting to remain as nonthreatening as he could. This in turn caused the robber to become more and more unsure. Suddenly, the bell that signalled the door to the store chimed. Both the robber and the sickly man turned to the door.

"Don't come inside! It's unsafe!" the sickly man called out.

In response the robber turned back to the man, and raised his gun, with the intention to shoot. Unfortunately, the man wasn't looking and was in danger of being shot. Without so much as giving it a thought, Izuku leapt forward.

"Look out!" Izuku yelled, jumping in front of the blond-haired man. A loud gunshot rang through the store, before Izuku fell to the ground. A sharp pain flooded through his body.

"Young man!" a voice cried out, as the man came into his sight.

Izuku tried to respond, but nothing came out of his mouth. His vision blackened, before darkness took him.

When Izuku woke up, it was to the smell of distinct smell of hospitals, white walls, and the sound of an electrocardiogram machine. He felt sluggish, no doubt from whatever anaesthetic that was used to keep him sedated. Also, there was a dull pain in a chest.

"Ah, you're awake," the voice of a man came from the side.

Izuku turned his head to the source and saw the blond-haired man from the 7-Eleven. Now that the tense situation was over, Izuku could properly take in the features of the man. He was overly skinny with an angular face. The blond hair was dishevelled but retained some spiky shape with two fringes that framed the side of his hair. His eyes seemed to be sunken beneath deep bags that gave the impression of a mask and he lacked distinct eyebrows. To cap it all off, the man wore clothes that were baggy, to the point that they were more hanging off the man than him wearing them.

"Wh...What happened?" Izuku rasped. His throat was dry, prompting him to cough upon asking the question.

The man swiftly presented a glass of water to Izuku's lips, who greedily gulped down the liquid. After finishing the entire glass, Izuku looked back to the man with an expectant expression.

"First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Yagi Toshinori," the man began, with a bow of his head. "And to answer your question; you were shot by the criminal, my boy. It was most fortunate that the bullet missed anything vital, and went straight through your body."

"That explains the pain in my chest," Izuku mumbled, before remembering his manners. "Ah! I'm Midoriya Izuku. Nice to meet you...all things considered."

"To you as well, young Midoriya," Toshinori replied, with a good-natured chuckle. "You took that bullet for me, my boy. For that, you have my gratitude."

"Ah...It...It was nothing," Izuku denied. "I just did what anyone would have done."

"On the contrary, young Midoriya, it is rare that a person would jump in to save the life of a stranger," Toshinori said. "Which leads me to ask why you would do so."

Izuku looked away, wondering why a stranger would ask him such a personal question. Yet despite his reluctance, something deep within him made Izuku answer.

"All my life, I've wanting to do more. To be more," he explained, looking back at Toshinori. "To...to do nothing more than be a hero and save people! Like everyone else! Like...Like All Might."

"Your charts say that you are Quirkless," Toshinori quietly noted.

"I know that!" Izuku loudly retorted, before softly repeating. "I know...But being a hero isn't about some flashy Quirk! It's not about the fame, or the money! I don't need a Quirk to just help people!"

"When you jumped in front of me, what was the thought running through your mind?" Toshinori asked with a thoughtful expression on his face, but then raised a hand to interrupt Izuku when the pre-teen made to answer. "Ah, wait. I think I can guess. Top heroes have their stories about them from their school days. Most of their stories have on thing in common. Their bodies moved before they had a chance to think."

Izuku's eyes widened in shock, as tears welled. For some reason, the memory of the words his mother said the day he was diagnosed as Quirkless flashed in his head.

"That was the same for you,too, wasn't it?"

"I...I...Yeah..." Izuku replied, as the tears began pouring down his face. He didn't know why, but Toshinori's words seemed to resonate within him. Maybe it was the fact that for the first time in his life, someone didn't dismiss his dream.

"I don't just think you can become a hero, young Midoriya. As far as I am concerned, you already are a one."

And with that statement, Izuku began to sob uncontrollably, but quietly. Those simple words were something that Izuku had wanted to hear all his life. An affirmation that his dream wasn't futile. That he could achieve it. To hear it from a stranger, when even his own mother didn't believe in him, made it all the more emotional for him.

"Get some rest, Young Midoriya," Toshinori said, with a gentle smile. "I shall let the nurses know that you are awake."

As the blond-haired man left the room, Izuku continued to softly cry into his arm.

It was only after a couple of days or so of recovery that Izuku was discharged from the hospital. Thanks to several of the doctors possessing healing quirks, the recovery process was shortened. All that remained from the incident was a oval scar under Izuku's left clavicle. It also meant that he wouldn't miss the beginning of Seventh Grade, which would start in three days.

The day he was discharged, Izuku had received a phone call from Yagi-san. It was confusing, if Izuku was being honest. He hadn't expected it, nor the request to meet with Izuku in person. While it felt...Izuku couldn't put words into it, but whatever he felt hadn't left him since Yagi-san had told him that Izuku wasn't a fool for wanting to be a hero.

DING DONG

"Oh...That must be Yagi-san," Inko said, drying her wet hands, from washing the dishes. Currently, it was just the two of them in their home. His father worked overseas, while his sisters were out.

She bustled towards the door, and opened it, revealing Toshinori, who was wearing a loose-fitting red suit.

"Yagi-san, please, come in!" Inko welcomed.

"Ah...Pardon the intrusion," Toshinori said, taking off his shoes, and putting on some visitor slippers.

Inko then led Toshinori into the living room, where Izuku was resting.

"Ah, young Midoriya, good to see you," Toshinori greeted, smiling widely.

And then, it was as if a light bulb lit up inside of Izuku's head, as a thousand observations crashed into a single cohesive thought.

'Blond hair. Wide smile. Two long 'bunny-ear' strands. Opinions about heroics,' Izuku listed in his head. Out loud, he stuttered, "A-A-A-A-A-ALL MIGHT!"

Silence.

"Izuku, are you feeling okay?" Inko asked, with a concerned frown. "This is Yagi Toshinori."

"No, no! Midoriya-san, he is...actually correct," Toshinori said, getting over the surprise from being outed so soon. He suddenly expanded, and the Midoriya residence suddenly hosted the Number One Hero. "AHAHAHAHA! I AM HERE!"

"All Might!" Inko squealed.

All Might deflated, just as suddenly as he expanded, returning back to normal. He smiled at the identical shocked expressions on the mother-son duo.

"Perhaps we should sit down," Toshinori suggested. "I have much to discuss with you both."

After a few minutes of preparation on Inko's part, the trio sat down, each with a cup of tea. It was completely surreal. Izuku had never imagined he would be hosting his idol within his home.

"I suppose I should explain why I am here," Toshinori said, after setting down his cup. "As you have managed to figure out, I am indeed All Might. This form you see before you now is my natural form."

"So, your Quirk really is a Strength Enhancement type," Izuku remarked, before cupping his chin. "It must strengthen your body in every aspect. Bone and muscular density. Muscle mass. The cardiovascular system. Respiratory function..."

He began to descend into inaudible mumbling, much to the exasperation of Inko, and the amusement of Toshinori.

"Izuku!" Inko chided, lightly tapping Izuku's head. "Enthuse later! We have a guest!"

He snapped out of his thoughts and he blushed in embarrassment.

"Ah! I...I'm sorry!" he spluttered. "That...That happens whenever I find out about a Quirk."

"It is not matter, Young Midoriya," Toshinori waved off. "Actually...Are you capable of breaking down any Quirk you see?"

"Um...Y-Yes!" Izuku replied, stuttering a bit. "Depending on how much information I get, I can breakdown a Quirk to its type, function, possible and actual weaknesses, and ways to counter them. It can take me anywhere between ten and thirty minutes to have a full report."

"That's...That is quite remarkable, my boy," Toshinori said, looking extremely impressed. "If you had not told me otherwise, I would have assumed that such an ability would have been your Quirk."

"I...If only," Izuku mumbled, with a wistful look. "That skill is from sheer hard work."

"I see," Toshinori frowned, before he turned to Izuku's mother. "Could I perhaps speak to your son in private? It is nothing bad, but I wish to ask him a question."

"Oh...Of course!" Inko looked a little bemused by the request, but bobbed her head in understanding. "I'll take a walk over to the nearby store. Please stay for dinner, Yagi-san?"

"I wouldn't want to impose..." Toshinori protested, looking hesitant.

"It's no imposition!" Inko assured. "I insist!"

Having no choice but to agree, Toshinori nodded. Inko then promptly left, leaving Izuku alone with the man.

Toshinori then transformed into All Might, "Well then, my boy, I shall return to the reason why I have come here!"

Izuku jumped, surprised from the abrupt transformation, but motioned for All Might to continue.

"Do you recall what I told you at the hospital?" the Symbol of Peace then asked.

"Yeah...You said that I was a h-hero," Izuku replied, his voice hitching slightly. Even after a couple of days, he still couldn't believe that someone believed in his dream.

"Indeed. And I still stand by those words," All Might began, beaming all the while. "In recent years, being a hero is less about the heroism, and more about the prestige one receives. It is...Not ideal. However, I believe that you possess all the right traits to become a hero. A true hero."

"I...what?" the green-eyed pre-teen was utterly confused by the direction of the conversation.

"I shall explain in greater detail at a later date, but I must ask this of you, Midoriya Izuku," All Might continued. "Will you become my successor, and the next Symbol of Peace?"

"So. You've found someone to inherit your Quirk?" a bipedal and talking animal enquired. "I didn't expect you to find one so soon. I was lead to believe that you intended on continuing as a hero, despite your severe injuries."

"Yes, Headmaster Nezu, that was the plan," Toshinori replied, in the form of All Might. "Until I met someone that I saw much promise in. A child that I saw myself in."

After his meeting with the Midoriya family, the Symbol of Peace headed to U.A High to meet with one of the few individuals aware of Toshinori's situation, the Headmaster.

"Is that so?" Nezu mildly asked, sipping from a cup of tea.

"He is Quirkless, like I was," Toshinori explained. "Which means that as far as his skills go, he is a blank slate. One that is highly intelligent, and full of latent potential. One who can be moulded into exactly what the next Symbol of Peace needs to be. One that I very much believe in."

"I see," Nezu said. He placed down the tea cup on the desk in front of him, and regarded Toshinori. "Well then, with that kind of confidence, how can I say anything otherwise?"

"Then I have your approval to use U.A High's facilities to train young Midoriya?" Toshinori asked, grinning widely.

"Yes. On one condition, however."

"Oh?"

"When Midoriya-kun is about to join U.A High, I would have you join the staff and teach Foundational Hero Studies," Nezu stated while smiling.

Upon hearing the request, Toshinori's grin widened further. Going by the Headmaster's words, Nezu seemed to have decided that young Midoriya joining U.A High was a forgone conclusion.

"If it is a simple as that, how can I possibly refuse?"

Author's Note: So, as I stated on my profile, this is my NaNaoWriNo17 project. It's just been sat on my computer without much love, but with the return of the anime into Season 3, I couldn't help but have another look.

The premise, as you all will have no doubt established is where All Might meets Izuku just as the latter is about to join Middle School. So approximately 2 years before canon. I've read a couple of stories where Izuku gets One for All sooner than in canon, but I cannot just suspend my disbelief at how much of a Marty Stu Izuku was portrayed as. At least, I'm hoping to show that just because he got One for All sooner doesn't mean that he's gonna kick the asses of the likes of Stain or Muscular with ease. There will still be consequences, some of which are life-threatening.

As an aside, some of you may have noticed that I gave Izuku two older sisters. Well, they aren't OCs, but rather from a different source material. If any of you manage to guess, I'll mention you in my next author's note.

Anyway, I have a number of chapters just sitting on my computer, but I'll be publishing weekly. As always; follow, favourite and review!