Hi! Welcome to my story. This first chapter is mainly about the first and second episode but I wanted to introduce my story and emphasise what turns Deku. Don't forget to favourite, follow and review. Enjoy! :)

*~/0\~*= Time skip/ Break

Italics= Thoughts or emphasise on a word in a normal sentence.

Bold=Flashback / memory or authors note

*~/0\~*

Deku POV

All men aren't created equal. This was the reality I learned about society at the age of four.

It all began in China, in Qingqing City. There was news that a baby that gave off light was born. Ever since then, superpowers were discovered in various places, and time passed without the cause being identified. Before we knew it, the supernatural became normal, and dreams became a reality. The world has become a superhuman society and about 80% of the worlds population now has some kind of special trait. In this world swirling with chaos, the professions that everyone once dreamed about and admired came into the limelight. That professions is superheroes.

Along with the superpowers came an explosive increase in crime. As the country was stuck in the slow progress of drastic law reforms, courageous people started performing heroic acts from out of comic books. Guarding against superpowers and defending against evil. Heroes were soon accepted by the public, and it was established as an official position. Based on their performance, they are paid by the government and gain renown among the masses.

"Since you're all third years, it's time for you to think seriously about your future," Spoke the teacher. "I'll pass out handouts for your future plans now, but…" He tossed the paper into the air. "You're all pretty much planning to go into the hero course, right?"

The whole class erupted into a chaos of Quirks as they all chanted 'Yes!'.

"Yes, yes, you all have wonderful Quirks!"

My head hung lower and my raised hand fell limper.

"But using your powers at school is against the rules!" Sensei called out in attempt to calm the ruckus.

"Teach!" The noise was quietened and the focus turned to Katsuki Bakugo who has his feet crossed atop his desk and arms draped over the back of his chair, head tossed back. "Don't lump us all in the same group. I'm not gonna be stuck at the bottom with the rest of these rejects!"

The class once again burst into noise with curses thrown in Bakugo's direction.

"You should shut up like the extras you are!" He retorted.

"Oh, if I remember correctly, you want to go to U.A high, right, Bakugo?" The teacher asked unfazed by the commotion.

Eyes widened in shock, including my own. Oh god... "U.A? That national school?!" One gasped. Burying my head into arms I tried to hide from the world. "It was in the top 0.2% this year, you know! Their acceptance rates always really low, too!"

"That's exactly why you guys are just extras!" All eyes were on the arrogant spiky haired blond as he leaped onto the table. "I aced the mock test! I'm the only one at this school who could possibly get into U.A. I'll definitely surpass All Might and become the top hero!" Now that was too far. "My name'll be inscribed on the list of top earners!"

"Oh yeah, Midoriya wanted to go to U.A., too, right?"

Kill me now.

Everyone turned to look in my direction before bursting into laughter. "Huh? Midoriya? No way!" They mocked. "You can't just get into the hero course just by studying."

"Th-They got rid of that rule!" I tried to defend. "There's just no precedent..." My sentence was cut short by a hand flying towards me and slamming onto the desk, creating an explosion sending me backwards onto the floor.

"Hey, Deku! You're below the rejects, you're Quirkless! How can you even stand in the same ring as me?" He growled through his teeth.

"No, wait, Kacchan! It's not like I'm trying to compete with you or anything!" I scurried back in fear until I hit the wall behind me. "Believe me! It's just that it's been my goal ever since I was little. And well.. I won't know unless I try.." I told him my dream...

"What do you mean, 'unless you try'?! Are you taking the test for fun? What the hell can you do? You're Quirkless!" And he stamped on it, tore it to shreds.

*~/0\~*

The incident this morning is all over the headlines! I wanna hurry up and go home so I can write it down in my notebook. I was just about to tuck my pad away safely when it was snatched from my grip. My gaze trailed it upwards to see Kacchan fanning himself with it. My notebook is not a fan!

"We're not done talking yet, Deku." He grumbled.

"Katsuki, what's that?" One lackey asked, the two joining him in front of his desk. "Huh? 'Hero Analysis for the Future'? Seriously?" He started chuckling, the other lackey joining him.

"I-It's fine, isn't it? Give it back!" My hand reached towards the notebook but Kacchan pressed it between his palms and sent and explosion to it before I could grasp it. "That's mean!" Without a care he tossed it over his shoulder out the window like a rubbish. My aspirations are just trash to you, aren't they? A distraught cry escaped my lips as the book fell the multiple stories.

"Most top first-string heroes have stories about their early life, from their school days. I want the shine of being able to be called the only student to make it into U.A. from this mediocre junior high school. I mean, I'm a perfectionist." Kacchan smugly smiled.

I couldn't stop myself from trembling. How could he do this and call himself a hero?

"So anyway," He laid a smoking hand on my shoulder. "don't apply to U.A., nerd."

The trio walked away. "Come on, you could at least say something back." The black haired lackey sneered over his shoulder. Every word

"Don't say that. He's pathetic. He still can't face reality." Every word hurt.

Kacchan stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "If you wanna be a hero that badly, there's a quick way to do it. Believe that you'll be born with a Quirk in your next life and take a last chance dive off the roof!"

How could he... My posture stiffened and I looked to him, teeth gritted.

"What?" And with that my composure broke down with one look at him, and I was left dumbfounded.

*~/0\~*

Idiot! If I really jumped, that would mean you instigated a suicide! Think before you speak! I stopped before the pond and spotted my hopes and dreams floating on the water with the carp nibbling the edges.

"That's not fish food, stupid. That's my notebook," I fished it from the pond. "Stupid," Something seemed to shift in my mind. "Stupid bastard."

I have no one.. Everyday I'm mocked, laughed at, I have no one. Not even my mother supported me..

"You should probably give it up." The Doctor had told me that day.

"That's.. Is there something wrong with him after all?" She had replied. "Most of the other kindergarteners have already started developing quirks. He's the only one..."

The doctor went on to describe the bones in my foot but I never paid much notice, I was too broken by his words.

That same night I watched the video that always made me happy, except that time, it didn't. I sat in silence watching my favourite hero save the day, my dreams of becoming just like him now lying even further from my reach.

"Mum?" I'd asked. "He saves everyone with a smile, no matter what trouble they're in... He's such a cool hero." I turned to face her with tears welling in my eyes to see her crying also. "Can I be a hero, too?" I asked her that fateful question, something I was struggling to answer. She just held me and said she was sorry, over and over. That wasn't what I wanted you to say back then, what I wanted you to say was...

No one supported me. Not even my mother, all I had was All Might and he's who kept me going.

I recalled these memories on my walk home from school. Walking through a tunnel with my head hung low I kept the tears from escaping my eyes. It was quiet until the sound of moving liquid met my ears. My walk slowed to a stop as I turned to look at what created the noise. What I saw was something out of a nightmare. My knees were left trembling as I stared hopelessly at the green monstrosity towering before me. I hadn't been able to run two steps before the villain pounced. It consumed my body entirely and held me in its grip while the vile liquid filled my throat. It hurts. It's burning... Is this the way I'm going to go? The wannabe hero killed by a villain. Fitting...

"Don't worry. I'm just going to take over your body. Calm down. It'll only hurt for about 45 seconds. You'll feel better soon." It's chilling voice sank deep into my bones, sending a shiver through my spine.

"I can't...breathe..." I clawed at the green sludge but it only moved around my fingers and slid back into place.

"You can't grab me. I'm fluid!" It laughed at my futile attempts. "Thanks for your help. You're my hero." Hero.

My body. There's no strength. I'm dying... Am I dying? I'm dying! Somebody...Somebody! My notebook had flipped open to the page with a sketch of my hero costume. The image swam before my eyes, clouded by tears. "No..!"

All of a sudden a slicing sound broke through my hysteria. A pot hole lid flew past.

"It's all right now, young man." That voice, I know that voice! "I am here!" All Might announced. All Might! The metal lid came crashing to the ground and through the haze of my consciousness drifting, I heard those words: "Texas Smash!" A huge force of wind came rushing towards the villain, exploding the sludge this way and that. I was left free falling. In the last moments I cracked my eyes open to see the large silhouette of my idol. "All..Migh..." Then everything went black.

What's going on? Is that something.. tapping my face? I shifted slightly and forced my eyes open. "Hey! Hey! He- Oh, good!" Huh? Looking up I saw All Might's face hovering above my own. I'd like to say I didn't fanboy, but I did.

"I'm glad you're okay! Sorry 'bout getting you caught up in my villain fighting. I don't usually make mistakes like this, but I was in high spirits on my day off in a new place," I looked at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. "But, you were a big help, thanks! I captured him safely!" He pulled the pop bottles from his pockets to show them filled with the green sludge.

"The number one hero...All Might..." I hardly believed he stood right before me. "H-He's the real thing," My reason for existing. "He looks completely different in person!" He continued to stand there in all his glory, flashing his white smile. "Oh, right! An a-autograph! Where should I-?" I patted my body down for anything to get his signature. "The notebook!" I flipped it open to find the name 'All Might' spread across two pages. "He already did!" I started to fanboy again and bow many times. "Th-Thank you very much! It'll be an heirloom! A family treasure!" I still continued to bow.

"Okay! Well, I need to take this guy to the police. See you again on the other side of the screen!"

He squatted and began getting ready to go.

"Wait, already?" I asked, disappoint lacing my tone.

"Pros are constantly fighting enemies and time." He answered.

"Wait... There are still things I want to ask." You can't go. You're my reason to keep going, even though everyone else believes I can't.

"Well then, I'm counting on your continued support!"

I can't let him go. Grabbing onto his leg I held on for dear life as he leapt into the air and took off. We set off at a breathtaking speed, literally. The wind pushed my mouth and eyelids back creating an uncomfortable experience.

"Wait, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Damn, he noticed. "Let go of me! Your fanaticism is too much!" He shouted whilst trying to push me off.

"If I...let go now...I'll... I'll die..!" Nothing like stating the obvious."That's true." Really?

"I...have..a lot of things... I want to ask you directly!" It was difficult to talk with the wind blowing your lips around.

"Okay, okay! I get it, so close your eyes and mouth!" He barked back before clasping onto my backpack securely whilst we found somewhere to land.

"Th-That was scary..." I said from the floor, still shaking from the flight.

All Might walked to the edge of the roof. "Good grief. If you talk to the people downstairs, I'm sure they'll let you down. I seriously am outta time, so I really must go."

"Wait!" I jumped to my feet. Don't go. My hand reached out towards him.

"No! I will not wait!"

"But-!" My hand fell limp. Memories of the Doctor telling me I should give up, my mother apologising and Kacchan berating me flashed in front of my eyes. I had no one else but him. 'You're Quirkless!' A phrase often shouted at me, rung in my ears.

"That might be true. But even so, I... Even if I don't have a Quirk, can I become a hero?"

All Might stopped.

I bowed my head, cheeks flushing. "Can someone without a quirk be like you?"

"Without a Quirk?" His shoulders tensed.

"It might've been because I don't have a Quirk, but I'm always made fun of. Maybe that's why, I don't know. But I think saving people is really cool. Saving people with a fearless smile. I want to be the greatest hero, like you!" I looked up after the long speech and through the smoke that had appeared a body took form. It was much smaller and scrawnier than All Might and when the smoke completely cleared, I saw the figure who was mere skin and bones, with sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones I let out a rather girlish shriek. "Y-You're deflating! Wait, up until now.. Huh?! Fake? A fake? You're so skinny!"

"I am All Might" Claimed the scrawny man, looking rather pissed off before he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"No way!" I screeched. My idol..all this time.

"You know how the guys at the pool are constantly flexing and posturing? It's like that." He explained rather nonchalantly.

"No way!" I repeated, still not believing it. "It can't be. All Might is fearless. He saves everyone with a smile. He's the greatest.."

All Might sighed. "A fearless smile, huh?" He sunk to the floor. "Now that you've seen me like this, young man, make sure you don't write about it online, even accidentally."

I looked from the floor and saw him with his shirt raised. What shocked me was the horrid scar on his side. Scars ran from a centre point outwards, making the muscles seem distorted.

"It's an injury I got from and enemy's attack five years ago. Half of my respiratory organs were destroyed, and I lost my whole stomach. I've become emaciated from repeated surgeries and the after effects. Right now, I can only work as a hero for about three hours a day."

"That can't be. Five years ago, was that when you fought Toxic Chainsaw?"

"You're well informed. But a punk like that couldn't defeat me. This fight was not made public to the world. I asked that it not be made public." The slumped man looked away, lost in thought. "I will save people with a smile! The Symbol Of Peace cannot be daunted by evil. I smile to show the pressure of heroes and to trick the fear inside of me. Pros are always risking their lives." A frown draw across his lips. "I cannot simply say, 'You can become a hero without power'."

My bottom jaw fell slack. All Might.. "I see.." You were the only thing keeping me going and now, you tell me I can't be a hero.

"If you want to help others, then you could also become a police officer. They're often teased because they get villains delivered to their doorstep, but that is also a fine occupation. It's not bad to dream. But you also have to consider what's realistic, young man." With that, he left.

I thought I knew what it was like for your world to fall apart around you. When I was told I would never develop a Quirk just that happened, but I came to terms with it, I looked to All Might to see me through the depression. He was all I had and now, I had no one, even he, the great All Might, told me to not even bother trying.

Looking at the edge of the building Bakugo's words came to the forefront of my mind. Jump. The edge suddenly started to look appealing.