The shadows bending around the rays of moonlight stretched almost in respect for Deku as he slowly climbed the stairs. His footsteps echoing silently throughout the empty building. As he passed by an empty room, he noticed a small bed, old and unkempt.

He heard her voice echo through his head. The doctor had already crushed his hopes of being a hero already. As he sat there in front of the tv, crying and struggling to maintain a smile, she walked forward and held him close.

Expecting words adding to his sorrow, he felt warmth at what came instead.

"Don't let what that man said keep you down, sweetie. You can be a hero, quirk or no quirk. You can save anyone."

For a while, those words kept the pain away. He worked hard to prove her right and she worked just as hard. They had been enough, until…..

He flinched, looking away from the bed, trying not to see her there. Turning up the next flight, he saw the night sky glittering up ahead. The starlight seemed to call to him, little lights guiding him.

Once on the roof, he made his way to the ledge. He felt wrong, almost dirty….for standing where he stood, only hours ago. That man who looked so strong, and then so frail. Yet in that moment of weakness, he delivered a blow more crippling than any smash.

"You can't be a hero without a quirk". He grimaced, feeling hot tears of grief and rage pour down his cheeks. All Might, his idol, crushed his dreams. That smile that inspired so many, inspired him, failed him. Now, that dream was gone, nothing remaining but the edge.

"Hope you'll be reborn with a quirk and take a swan dive off the building!" The thought almost made him smile. Never did he think Kacchan would provide anything useful. In hindsight, it made too much sense. Why hadn't he thought of it before.

Slowly, he removed his shoes and placed them by the ledge. Barefoot, he stood on the ledge and closed his eyes, feeling the cold wind caress him. It seemed to be welcoming him, whispering be free.

"I'm sorry, mom," he whispered. "I'll be better next time."

With that, he let go. The wind whipped upwards at him, blending with the thumping of his heart. As the ground hurtled towards him, he felt happier than he had in a long time. But then….

"Super!" he cried from the top of her shoulders, laughing as they flew around the park.

In a moment of pure instinct, he reached out towards the ledge rushing by. He cried out as he felt his right arm dislocate violently. The fall was slowed, but not stopped. The pain was crushed with the blinding agony of his body smashing against the concrete.

Blood spurted from his mouth and bone pierced broken in his limbs.

In that moment, he felt scared. He didn't care what happened next or why he chose to stop, he didn't want to die.

"M-Mom," he croaked weakly. "S-Someone!" He flashed through his mind, that smile burning his vision. He growled.

"No, Not you!" He screamed as he forced himself onto his stomach and began to crawl. Where? He didn't know. He fought against the agony until his body wouldn't allow him to go any further.

As his vision began to darken, he saw a figure appear. A strangely hunched figure, with multiple hands, even one over its face. It reached down and picked him up.

"Its okay," it rasped. "I'm here."

Just before he blacked out, he could've sworn he saw another figure. One hidden in the darkness of a nearby alley. The moonlight distorting its features. The final image burned into his mind was that of wide, inhuman smile.

Shigaraki looked on as the boy lay on the table, his master operating on him. He was using that cell quirk. He watched in fascination as the twisted bone and tendons snapped back into place and mended under his master's hands.

His voice grew more ragged as he worked, until he stopped and backed up. Shigaraki rushed over to help support him.

"Thank you, Tomura," he said wearily, steadying himself.

"I'm sorry to make you do this, master," he replied sheepishly. His looked back at the boy. His wounds were mostly healed, thought there were a few noticeable breaks and cuts remaining.

"No, this is good. You took initiative and merely required extra, non-conventional help," he said. "Though I am curious, why did you take an interest in him?"

Tomura remembered earlier that day when he had been watching the spy cams. Master had developed them to follow All Might secretly, watching for weakness.

He had been dwelling on his hatred and twisted ideas of murdering the 'symbol of peace' when the kid came in. He was being attacked by that sludge villain, whatever his name is.

At first he hated the kid who worshipped All Might, just like everyone else. Then when he took off with the kid in tow, they had to land. He almost dropped the bottle containing the villain, but the kid managed to catch it in time.

Then the moment. That frail and twisted appearance almost made Tomura laugh. He had heard of it from his Master's lessons, but this was priceless. That mountain of muscle turned skeleton.

But then…..

"It was his eyes," he said quietly. "That look in his eyes when All Might said...whatever he said." In that moment, Tomura saw something. A broken soul, a near perfect reflection. "I'm not sure to be honest. I guess it was a gut feeling."

His master looked at him momentarily before slowly exiting the room.

"I'm off to the lab to rest. Let me know when he wakes. Let's hope your gut has a good sense, eh?"