Midoriya stirred slightly, his bed creaking ever so much at the sudden shift of weight. His eyes were closed and there was an expression of utter peace on his face. The curtains were currently blocking out any morning sunlight that would have awakened him from his slumber, something the boy surely appreciated despite his ignorance.

"Psst...Midori-Kun. Are you asleep?" Came a whispered female voice breaking through the quietness of the boy's room. A few pokes from the girl indicated that yes, the young boy was indeed sound asleep.

The girl, still shrouded in shadows, giggled almost menacingly as she made her way over to the nightstand next to his bed. "Perfect."

Pushing his All Might stylized lamp out of the way, she placed an unknown rectangular object down gently on the table. Nodding to herself confidently, she quickly made her way out of the room and into the brightened hallway.

The girl stood almost perfectly at 5'2", her bubble gum pink hair oddly looked like octopus tentacles flowing from her scalp. Her unique yellow eyes shined with mischievousness as she quietly shut the door behind her. "Let's see how baby #9 works in third gear."

Mei pulled out a small metallic box with a few switches and buttons sticking out of it, along with a large retractable antenna. "Thanks for helping with this test Midori-Kun!" She shouted out gleefully as she slammed her finger down on one of the many buttons.

The sudden yell got the attention of the sleeping boy as his eyes fluttered open. His green curly hair was unbelievably messy as he sat up from his position. "What was that…?" He muttered to himself, eyes scanning the room. His eyes landed on the small box sitting at his bedside. A few seconds went by until his eyes widened and his hair stood on its end.

"O-oh no..."

This was all he managed to say before said box began beeping, not unlike a normal, everyday alarm clock. The beeping continued, however, gaining both speed and sound with each interval. Izuku's eyes clenched shut as he held his hands up to his ears. The sound just kept getting louder and louder until…

...it suddenly stopped.

Izuku sighed with relief, letting his hands fall from his ears and attempting to let the ringing fade. "F-finally."

His relief was short-lived however as the device began to smoke causing even more dread to flow through his system. Before he could utter another word an explosion rocketed from the device. Outside the door, the pink-haired girl couldn't help but cringe slightly as she slipped off her earmuffs and pulled out a notebook from her back pocket.

"Test #6 is deemed a failure. Could it have been excessive power being flowed to the speakers? Or maybe it was the power supply itself! The next test will include a larger lithium-ion battery with a better coolant implemented." She quickly wrote down with some muttering. All the while, her grin never faltered, not even when the boy walked out of his room with soot covering his face.

"H-Hatsume-Chan...how many times have I told you not to test your inventions on me?" He said groggily, a couple coughs surfacing from his throat as he tried to breathe through the lingering smoke.

Mei simply grinned at the boy and slipped her notebook away. "Sorry, won't happen again!"

'It'll happen again...' he thought to himself, wiping some of the soot off his face when another thought came to the front of his mind. "H-how did you even get inside my apartment!?" He screeched out.

"Kukuku~ Never underestimate the power of my babies!" She began to laugh before suddenly her demeanor changed and she gave him a wink. "Just kidding. Your mom let me in of course. Ah, that reminds me!" Mei began to make her way towards the living area, Izuku following in tow. "She wanted me to let you know that she's out shopping. How diligent of her early in the morning right? Right?"

The freckle-faced boy could only sigh in exasperation. How was it that this girl had so much energy? He had known her for a good chunk of his childhood and even now he wasn't sure. Looking at the clock in the kitchen, Izuku made a note of the time and watched as his friend made herself comfy on the couch, writing more notes down in her notebook.

He couldn't help but let a large blush cover his cheeks at the sudden realization that he was currently in the same room with Mei. In his house. Alone.

Mei seemed to take notice of his sudden inability to speak and looked at him from her position on the couch. "What's wrong Midori-Kun? Better hurry and get ready or else we'll be late for classes." She smirked at him. "Unless...you finally want to take me up on my offer and play hooky in favor of more research and inventing?"

"N-no! That's a-alright. We need our e-education!" He stuttered as he ran out of the room and into the bathroom to get ready, all the while trying to ignore the teasing laughter coming from the main room.

Mei was smiling to herself as she tinkered with the same device that awoke Izuku that morning. He swore that if there was anyone out there that could challenge All Might in a smiling contest, it was this girl.

Currently, the two were walking to the train station so they wouldn't be late to middle school. They both attended the same one thankfully, that being Aldera Junior High. The time was still early however and it looked like they would have a small amount of time to spare. Hence their leisurely walk with Mei spending her free time with the box in one hand and a screwdriver in the other.

"So Hatsume-Chan...what exactly is the purpose of that device?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Mei was many things, but one thing for sure was she didn't invent pointless/useless machines. Everything always has a purpose when it comes to her.

"Ah, curious about what it was made for Midori-Kun? Simple really." She said, turning a screw as she closed up the back of it. "Heroes need to be prepared for any sort of danger right? So what happens if a hero forgets to wake up and do his/her daily patrols? That's where #9 comes in! The SHAC (superhero alarm clock) ((name still pending))"

Her smile dropped as she stuffed it in her school bag. Izuku wondered what other parts or machines she had stuffed away in there briefly before she began to speak again.

"Third gear still needs some work though...you experienced that first hand hehe." She sheepishly rubbed the back of her head.

Izuku couldn't help but laugh along with the girl. However, his mind couldn't help but wander to the reasoning as to why third gear had failed. It amazed him how often Mei could find non-combustible items and turn them combustible. It was almost like a hidden talent with the number of explosions she set off.

"Well, it's as you always say. Failure is a key factor in getting better, yeah?"

She smiled at that and nodded, her hand instinctively reaching up to fiddle with her steampunk like goggles. "Exactly partner! We wouldn't have been able to make baby #1 without a little failure!" She shouted out, gaining the attention of some bystanders. Some whispered and giggled causing Izuku to blush in embarrassment at his friend.

Everyone's attention suddenly shifted however as an explosion rocked the streets, causing Mei to stumble slightly, grabbing onto Izuku so she wouldn't fall. "Oops, thanks for the catch Midori-Kun."

Normally the boy would have blushed beet red but he was more focused on the cause. He simply nodded, a serious look grazing his face. He helped steady the pink-haired girl before taking off down the street. "C' mon, let's go see what that was!"

Mei grinned and nodded. "Right with you partner."

When they arrived at the scene, a little way away from where they first felt the shaking, they were both stunned to see a large villain wreaking havoc on the nearby building in a rampage of sorts. His head was oddly shaped and reminded Izuku of what a human shark would look like. The villain was about the size of a small building so the damage was racking up fast.

"Oh no! Someone call a hero!" Someone shouted.

"Are there any nearby?"

"Wait, look! Kamui Woods!" Another shout had both of the student's attention.

A man who looked to be made of pure wood quickly came swinging onto the scene, while another man who was dressed up as a firefighter made a line of water that blocked citizens from getting close. The heroes had finally arrived.

"Look Midori-Kun! I bet Backdraft would benefit from a jet pack wouldn't you agree? His quirk plus our genius would surely improve his overall standing!" Mei told her friend with enthusiasm, writing down a few notes in her book.

Izuku didn't respond, instead fascinated by the way Kamui Woods moved. He couldn't believe he was seeing him in action! Kamui Woods was one of the highest-ranked heroes in Japan. He began to drown out Mei's voice in favor of thinking up anyway to improve said hero.

"While his quirk does allow him free control of wood, it's not the strongest material around. Maybe something that could block out flames? No, anything too bulky would only hinder his quirk, not improve it. Perhaps a whole new set of metallic whips for him to use against his weakness. Could there be a way to tell him this simply or should I wait? Kamui Woods seems the stubborn type that..." He continued his muttering to himself.

Mei smiled and gave her best friend a thumbs up "Perfect. I love it when you get into one of your brainstorms." She began to listen to him and write down many things that came out of his mouth. You see, Izuku himself was more of the ideas man while Mei would put those ideas into practice.

It was how the two of them had clicked so easily growing up. Izuku would spout what sounded like nonsense to most, Mei would write it down and later invent it. That's not to say the boy couldn't fix, improve, or tinker himself. It was simply a personal preference.

The two aspiring support heroes were broke out of their thoughts when a large woman dressed in tight spandex came running through the streets before delivering the final blow to the unnamed monstrous villain. One kick to the face and he was out.

"W-wow...Mt. Lady sure is ahem something." He blushed, looking away from her now posing figure. The cameramen sure loved it.

Mei rolled her eyes at the obvious blush on the boys face. Her smile never faltered however as she gave Izuku a knowing look, one which he caught as soon as she gave it.

"W-what?" He stuttered

"Oh nothing~ Just figured you'd probably wish you had my quirk right about now hehehe." She raised her eyebrows up and down and gestured towards Mt. Lady.

"I- wh- you-... HATSUME-CHAN!"

Thankfully, even after all the commotion in the morning, the two had made it on time to school. Mei had quickly saluted him goodbye and made her way to her class while Izuku made his way towards his own.

While the two still went to the same school, it would have been more surprising if they had the same class. He was in class 3-B while she was in 3-A and they constantly ate lunch together so it wasn't like they were starved for each other's attention.

'Though sometimes Hatsume-Chan gets really clingy at times... I hope she learns what personal space is before we apply to U.A.' He thought to himself, walking into the classroom and sitting at his desk. Taking a glance around the classroom he took notice of the many eyes on him and he had to shrink back in his seat just to feel comfortable.

It was common knowledge that he was the only quirkless boy in the entire school. 'Kacchan made sure of that' He couldn't help but think to himself.

Ever since that day he had shown such hostility towards him, their friendship sort of...crumbled. They barely spoke, only when Bakugou decided he was worth a damn to bully. Fortunately for Izuku, Mei had been around for much of the earlier times and helped defend him.

The sliding door shot open and in walked a spiky blonde-haired kid. A sour expression was shown on his face as he made his way towards his seat, taking but a second to give Izuku a terrifying glare before sitting behind him. The green-haired boy hid behind his notebook in an attempt to negate any hostility towards him.

It wasn't that he didn't like Bakugou per se. It was more along the lines that he didn't allow anyone to like him. Even his two lackeys that were constantly at his side sometimes felt uncomfortable around him. Mei, however, really didn't like him.

Izuku chuckled silently to himself, fondly remembering the time Bakugou had messed up some of Mei's blueprints (childish drawings) which had set her off.

'Even Kacchan seemed afraid at that moment. I was too and she wasn't even angry at me!' he thought.

"Alright everyone, take your seats. Class is starting." The teacher spoke with an uncaring attitude as he walked in, taking a seat behind his desk. "Remember, times a ticking so make sure to turn in your school applications so you can get into a school of your choice. If you need recommendations, check with the guidance counselors office after school." He spoke in a lazy drawl, flipping a page in his textbook.

Class was normal for the most part. Izuku was thankful for that, though there was a moment of Bakugou glaring straight at him after he announced that he wanted to go to U.A. The boy quickly cleared up that misunderstanding when he announced his desire to go into the support course instead of the hero course.

It was currently lunchtime so while most people decided to go to the cafeteria or leave the classroom, Izuku stuck behind his desk and pulled out a bag labeled with his name. He sighed happily.

"I really can't ask for a better mother..." He muttered.

"Better than mine!" A voice to his right made the boy jump.

"H-H-Hatsume-Chan!" He placed a hand over his beating heartbeat. "P-please don't do that. I could have choked." He pointed at his sandwich which he had already taken a bite of.

"Pfft, and I would have saved you. Now enough of that noise, take a look at this!" She pulled one of the nearby chairs and scooted it unbelievably close to the poor boy and shoved both her notebook and her face into his personal space.

"These are some very rough designs I got from your muttering this morning! Pretty cool right? See this part here..."

Izuku was trying to focus on what the girl was saying but she was just too close! Despite growing up with her, it still hadn't changed his nervousness when around other people. Bakugou had already shattered that when they were younger but now with...teenage tendencies...it was even harder.

"...and see, it matches up really well here. Get what I'm throwing down partner? Hey, Midori-Kun?" She received no response which caused her to huff. Placing her notebook down, she crossed her arms.

Before long, the boy finally snapped out of his thoughts and looked to his right where the girl was sitting with a sour expression on her face. Almost like someone had taken her tools and thrown them in the lake. Izuku scratched his cheek nervously. "Uh yeah s-seems interesting!"

Mei pulled down her goggles to cover her eyes before looking at Izuku with an unwavering stare. "Mmm yes... I do believe I see someone who doesn't want to capitalize on my newest baby. Is that really what ism seeing partner?" She questioned with a slight tone of annoyance.

"N-no! Of course not...sorry Hatsume-Chan. In fact, t-to show my support why don't I be the first to test it out when you make it!"

"When we make it Midori-Kun." She pulled her goggles off and placed them on her forehead like usual before tapping the side of Izuku's head. "This is where the idea came from after all." He flinched slightly but understood the meaning.

"Of course. You're right. Let me take a look again."

Their entire lunch spent snacking and reading over some of the ideas that were mashed from both Mei's and Izuku's brains (a dangerous combination). It seemed almost like grappling hook technology combined with the whip-like look of Kamui Woods, only pure metal. With this even a quirkless like him could get around the city in a flash, taking to the rooftops instead of the streets. It was an amazing idea though he wasn't sure how it could be used in combat effectively. The metal would surely weigh down the speed making it useless against speedy villains.

"Hehehe leave that part to me Midori-Kun. I've got an idea..." was the only response he received from his friend.

Soon school had ended and therefore he met up with Mei one last time for the day as they walked to the train station together.

"Hey partner, would you mind doing me a favor? Really? Great, thanks!"

'You didn't even let me respond' He deadpanned but resigned himself to his fate.

"Could you take SHAC here and start gutting it? I've got to get on making baby #13 and I won't have time to do both alone. Speaking of which, I'll be stopping by your house tomorrow so let Mrs. M know okay? Cool, catch you later!"

After shoving the box into his hands she took off running towards her train, waving goodbye without looking at him. Izuku smiled himself. She was a handful, sure, but he couldn't imagine himself without her. She was a blessing in disguise.

Realizing he was standing in the middle of the walkway, he made to start towards his own train. He fiddled with the box slightly but decided against opening it up until he got home. Wouldn't want parts falling out that he couldn't replace.

After his uneventful train ride home, he was somewhat lost in thought once again as he made his walk home.

Many things had changed for the boy the minute he had met Mei. One of the biggest being his realization into what he wanted to be. Someone that didn't need to be a liability to heroes while also providing the support that they surely needed. He imagined people like All Might wouldn't need much help but people like Midnight and Cementoss were sorely in need of an upgrade to their suits.

While in the middle of thinking, he didn't notice as a small sewer drain cover moved as he walked by. He pulled his notebook out, writing a few things down regarding Midnight's use of her quirk. Surely there was some way to project her sleep fumes, Aim it as a certain person so no hero gets in the crossfire…

He was unaware of the slime beast behind him until it was too late.

Hello! Glad so many people seemed to like my first chapter! I was expecting maybe a small amount but the number of people who favorited and followed far surpassed what I had in mind! I see that some of you like the length to be around 3 to 4k words which works perfectly because that's what I'm comfortable with! Starting next chapter I will give little bios of the characters at the end, not unlike the Anime adaption does during the halfway points. Until next time!