Deku Rises

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to My Hero Academia and the Batman franchise. All rights belong to Shueisha, Studio Bones, Funimation, DC Comics, and Warner Bros.

-Quirkless Nobody-

"Enough, Kacchan! Y'already made him cry…Stop it! I won't let you."

The young Izuku Midoriya rose his small fists in front of him. His arms felt like jelly, as did his knees, as he sent a look of regret over at the person in front of him. The child behind him let out small whimpers while stopping the flow of tears down his cheeks.

Katsuki Bakugou's eyes went wide at the curly-haired boy in front of him. Even his two lackeys let out small, surprised gasps at his newfound bravery.

"So Deku, the quirkless wonder…" The ash-blonde child smirked and slammed his fist into his open palm, creating a small explosion in front of him. His two lackeys then mirrored his smirk, with one growing a pair of demon wings on his back and the other's fingers stretching out to inhuman length.

"…Thinks he can play Hero, huh?"

Too bad Izuku Midoriya's newfound bravery was short-lived.

A fist soon connected with the boy's cheek, then the inhuman-stretched fingers managed to wrap themselves around his head. Izuku flung his arms to land a hit but Bakugou would only laugh at his failed attempt. He took hold of his shirt collar and planted yet another fist into his small face.

Once that second punch landed, Izuku's vision had gone blurry. His legs gave out and he nearly collapsed to the floor. Unfortunately the long-fingered bully held him in place, allowing Bakugou and his friend to pummel the defenseless green-haired boy.

A few minutes passed, and Izuku felt himself slip in and out of consciousness. All he saw were the blurry fists of Bakugou and his friend, occasionally the blonde's face so he would ridicule him.

"Too bad you don't have a quirk to fight back with, Deku!" He spat his nickname like it was laced with venom. "A nobody like you can never be a hero like All Might!"

All Izuku gave in response was a grunt, courtesy of Bakugou's stomping on his stomach.

"Oy, Bakugou, why don't you show Deku how good your quirk is on him?" The long-fingered bully grins, holding Izuku up by his head. The boy's eyes were half-opened, and all he could do was let out small gasps of air.

Bakugou reeled his arm back, his hand opens as small bursts of explosions cracked on his palm. "Hold him still! I'm gonna blast him straight to the—"

"Hey! You three leave him alone!"

The three small children turned their heads at the man who yelled at them. He was a fairly young man, possibly in his early 20s, with slightly pale skin and black hair. For such a young man, he was relevantly skinny. The most notable feature was his green eyes that were piercing straight at the young children near the playground.

"Oh crap. An adult!" The winged child gulped, his eyes wide.

"Let's get outta here before we get in big trouble!" The long-fingered bully gulped as well, letting go of Izuku's head.

Unlike his friends, Bakugou sent the man a nasty look before scoffing. "Tsk. Whatever." He let go of Izuku's shirt, allowing the child to fall face first in the dirt. "This isn't over, Deku!"

The young man halted a few feet away from the fallen child when the young bullies ran off. He watched them carefully, making sure they were a fair distance away, before bending down to help the boy get up on his feet.

"You okay, kid?" The man asks with a frown. "Some kids they are. What gives them the right to pick on someone who can't even defend themselves?"

Izuku stumbled for a bit before letting out a sniff, wiping the tears from his emerald eyes. "T-Thank you…" He sniffles.

"No need to thank me. I was just doing the right thing." The man sent the boy a small smile while dusting the dirt off his shirt. "You wanna tell me your name, kid?"

"I-Izuku." He whimpers, rubbing his eye with his bruised hand. "Izuku Midoriya."

The man kept the smile on his face while stretching his hand out. "Izuku…Midoriya. Well, that explains the green aesthetic. Say, that Bakugou boy said you were quirkless. Is that true?"

Midoriya slowly nods his head, letting out a small whimper. It hurt him to live with the fact that he'd never get a quirk like his classmates. Especially one as cool as Kacchan's. The Pros he idolizes all have quirks…even All Might.

"No wonder why he's picking on you." The man narrowed his eyes. "He thinks quirkless people like us don't get to live a good life. People are not born equal, kid, but you shouldn't let that stop you." Izuku immediately snapped his head in the man's direction, his green eyes wide. "Those blessed with quirks expect us to shine their shoes for them. What kind of society even allows that?! Heroes protect those who need it, yet where are they when people like you and me are forced to eat dirt?"

Izuku had never felt so confused and afraid in his whole life. It was obvious the man was ranting, but it sounded like he was ranting more to himself than him.

"Y-you see, that's why us quirkless people have to stick together." The young man bent down to Izuku's level and placed his hands on his shoulders. "We need to rely on each other for protection. That's why I long hope to be a Hero someday…a Hero who protects ALL people, especially the quirkless. They deserve justice…especially a kid like you, who needs to smile without the fear of being picked on."

"You're…gonna be a Pro-Hero?" Izuku asks with the tilt of his head.

"I'm going to try to be one." The man let out a small chuckle until his two index fingers crept their way into the boy's cheeks. He then slowly raised them up, forcing a large smile on his freckled face. "I promise you, kid, that I'll be the Hero that you and every other Quirkless people inspire to be."

"Are you…really going to be a Hero, Mister…?"

"…John. You can call me John." The man now known as John answered. He opened his mouth to continue, but was cut off by the familiar ringing of a cellphone. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a Wayne-Tech flip phone. "Hello…? …Y-Yes, sir! P-Please, there's no reason for…! I understand." John hung up and shot back up to his feet. "Sorry kid, but I gotta go. Important business meeting. My life kind of depends on it, hehe."

"Will I see you again?" The child abruptly asks.

John was taken aback by his question, but his smile never left his face. "I'm sure we'll cross paths yet again in the future."

With that, John jogged away from the playground, but not before giving Izuku a wave goodbye. Izuku copied, a small smile on his face as he did so.

Maybe…that man had the right idea.

Izuku was told his whole life that he couldn't become a Hero once he was told he was Quirkless. Whether it was from Kacchan, Kacchan's "friends", or even the other students from his Junior High school, he was constantly reminded of it every day. Truth be told, the only person who supported his dream, other than himself, was his mother. Unfortunately, a part of him assumed she said it for reassurance.

Perhaps a Pro-Hero could change that trend…

"Can you become a Hero, even without a quirk? I'm sorry, kid, but that's not possible."

Izuku felt his own heart shatter inside his chest. His blood ran cold and his shoulders slumped over the Hero's words. The very man he idolized since his childhood, The #1 Hero, All Might…said his dream can't become a reality. His wish to be a Hero like him can never come true.

The sick-looking Symbol of Peace could only stare up at the now trembling boy from his spot on the ground. Though he didn't show it, it pained him to disregard a dream like that. However, he needed to give this boy a taste of reality. A quirkless boy like him becoming a Pro-Hero?

That wasn't a dream.

It was a death wish.

"You can't be a Hero, kid…" The frail Symbol of Peace rose to his feet, and casually walked past the still trembling student. "...but that doesn't mean you can't do good. There are so many ways you can make the world a better place without facing off against villains every day. You can be someone else's hero, even if you don't wear a cape, like a police officer."

All Izuku could do was stand there. His feet refused to move, and his jaw felt like it was wired shut. His curly hair casted a shadow over his freckled face, which started to become damp with his own sweat.

"…It's not wrong to dream." All Might sighs as he swung open the door to the roof. "However, you need to be realistic, kid. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to turn this guy in." He motioned to the liter soda bottle in his pocket. "Just…be aware of your surroundings from now on, alright?"

The door slammed shut, and Midoriya still didn't move.

"Heroes protect those who need it, yet where are they when people like you and me are forced to eat dirt?"

He pulled out his burnt notebook, courtesy of Kacchan, and could only stare down at it. He cherished this thing as if it was the only thing he had left in his life. It's where he kept notes of Pro-Heroes and their quirks. He even used some pages to sketch his own Hero costume…but it looks like he'd have to cross those out. Or even rip the pages out entirely.

Then, Izuku Midoriya finally moved.

He walked what was perhaps the longest walk he ever had in his life. His pace rivaled that of a turtle at the moment, but he was sure a turtle would still out speed him. All he could think about was All Might's words as he staggered along the empty road.

"You can't be a Hero, kid…but that doesn't mean you can't do good. There are so many ways you can make the world a better place without facing off against villains every day…you can be someone else's hero, even if you don't wear a cape."

Those words resonated with Izuku more than he expected, which is why he had let All Might leave without so much as a peep of protest, even as the tears streaked down his cheeks. Now the tears were gone, but the thoughts about the words remained.

Someone else's hero…

That thought echoed the most in his head. He'd look down at the sketch of his Hero costume, and stare at it with unsure eyes.

"Could I be thinking about this wrong? Do I really have to be a Her—"

"AAAAHHHH!"

A high pitched scream echoed out from a nearby alleyway up ahead, making all thoughts in Izuku's mind go away as he ran forward, his legs moving on their own.

M-My legs..! Why am I running?! Why?!

He kept running full speed down the alleyway before the scene in front of him made him want to run the other way. A group of men wearing what resembled winter clothes surrounded a girl around his age. Though he had a hard time seeing her face, the only thing he could point out was her long, blonde hair that look unkept.

"Hey now. Quit screamin', girl." One of the thugs smirked as he leaned closer to her, trapping her between his large arms. "You're getting' us excited the more you do."

"Leave me alone!" The girl struggled to escape, but the other three goons soon enclosed themselves around her.

"Aww, look at her squirming!" One of the thugs laughed.

"Hahaha! Look at those teeth! I like'em when they bite!"

"S-Someone?! H-Help!" Izuku heard her let out another cry.

T-This isn't any of your business, Izuku…! J-Just walk away and…!

What he saw next nearly made his heart stop.

When the lead thug moved his arm, her gold eyes immediately looked straight at him. He'd even see her own tears form in the corners of her eyes. He nearly choked on his own breathing, clasping his hand over his mouth.

And before he knew it, his legs moved yet again. In fact, his whole body reacted on its own, yet his mind was still being controlled by himself. When he got close enough, he unstrapped his backpack and hurled it over at the closest thug.

Ahhh! W-Why did I do that?!

"Oy! Whos'—GAHH!" The lead thug cried out in pain when Izuku's backpack nailed him right in his right eye. He fell on the ground, withering in pain as he clasped his gloved hand over his eye.

The other three thugs snapped their heads in his direction, ignoring the blonde girl in front of them. It was by now when Izuku noticed something odd about their clothing. Despite it being spring and they were wearing winter clothes, but they all had a matching penguin symbol on their jackets.

Winter clothes…? A penguin symbol..?

That's when it finally dawned on Izuku.

Oh, crap! They're…

"You know who you're messing with, kid?!" The lead thug growled, his teeth grinding together while standing to his feet. "You mess with one member of Penguin's Gang, you mess with all of us!"

The other thugs followed him, leaving the blonde all by herself as they slowly approached Izuku with malicious intent. The green-haired boy took a step back, his arms visibly shaking while sweat dripped down his chin.

"I'm gonna gut you for interrupting our private time!" The injured thug laughs. He rose his fists in front of his face, and Izuku watched with horror as his skin greyed and dried. His fists resembled that of large rocks as he pounded them together. "But first, I'll bash your brains in!"

Izuku glanced over his shoulder, his eyes meeting the blonde girl's again. However, as his was filled with fear, hers was filled with awe. She stared at Izuku, clearly having a blush on her face as she placed a hand over her cheek. He never felt so confused before…why was she looking at him like that?

When Izuku looked back at the thugs, they stopped in their tracks. Their eyes weren't on Izuku, but on somebody…or something behind him. The looks on their faces was a mixture of both confusion and awe.

Just as Izuku turned to look, he bumped into something. Actually, no, someone.

"Gentlemen." A calm and collected voice spoke from behind Izuku. The boy looked up to see who came to, hopefully, save his life. And who he saw nearly made him choke.

His potential savior was a man that clearly showed signs of aging with his salt and pepper slicked hair reached just barely above his ears. He looked to be a mix of Japanese origin and a foreign origin, most likely from Europe or North America. His steel blue eyes pierced at the thugs in front of him despite looking quite impassive. Izuku has seen people fairly larger than him, but being under this 6'2 man never made him feel this small before.

"Is there a problem here?" He spoke with a cold tone that nearly made Izuku shiver.

One of the thugs points at him, his red eyes as wide as saucers, "Holy shit..! You're…!"

"Bruce Wayne!" Another thug finishes with a cackle. "Can you guys believe it? Billionaire Bruce freakin' Wayne in our territory, with no Heroes in sight to save his ass!"

"Looks like we hit the jackpot, boys!" The lead thug laughs as he approaches Izuku and Bruce. "What's your rich ass doing here anyways? Don't you have a conference or something to attend to?"

Bruce fell silent for a moment before a small smirk curved his lips, "I just finished doing one, actually, before I saw this young man run down here." He clasped his hand on Izuku's shoulder, and the boy let out another yelp. "He did the right thing too. You may call him stupid, but I'd call him brave."

"Eh? So he's with you, kid?" The thug questions, leaning in closer to Midoriya.

"I-I…N-NO..I think y-you got the wrong..!"

Bruce pulled the student closer to him, his eyes now narrowed at the thug, "There's no use getting violent. I've already called the cops."

"What?!" The thug growls, his teeth grinding together. "You son of a bitch! I'll kill you like the dog you are!"

Before the thug could move, Bruce punched him square in the nose. Izuku didn't even get the chance to blink before the punch connected. Blood poured from the thug's nose as he collapsed to the ground unresponsive.

H-He knocked him out with one punch?!

Bruce pushed the teen aside as the remaining three thugs charged at the billionaire. The first thug that was closest swung a sloppy right hand, but Bruce quickly countered it with a spinning backhand straight at his jaw. Spit flew from his mouth when the hit connected. Izuku's jaw dropped to the floor as he watched the man fight…in his suit no less.

The second thug sent a right hook, but Bruce easily dodged it. In fact, he let the goon be on the offensive, sending out a flurry of punches that missed horribly. Bruce caught the last punch, and pushed his hand back, causing his wrist to flick back with a sickening crack. Izuku winced as the thug let out a blood-curdling scream before kneeling on the ground and clutching his broken wrist.

The way he's moving..! It's like he's reading their movements!

The last thug took a step back, looking around at his beaten team. Izuku could hear him gulping as Bruce slowly approached him, the sound of his shoes hitting the ground echoing in the alleyway. Just as he was about to give up, the thug who had his wrist broken stood up, and unsheathed an Army knife from his waistband. The worried thug glanced at the weapon, before he growled, baring rows and rows of sharp teeth that resembled a shark's.

Izuku took this chance to run past the brawl and towards the blonde girl. She had her gold eyes glued to the fight, and hadn't noticed Izuku till the latter spoke up with a soft and still nervous voice.

"Are you…okay?" He asks nervously, his hands hovering over the girl's figure.

The blonde girl looked at him for a moment before she gave him a smile, her sharp canines visible for Izuku to see, "Thank you for saving me."

"…you can be someone else's hero, even if you don't wear a cape."

Izuku turned back to the fight, watching with awe as Bruce stood his own ground. Why did Bruce Wayne, the richest man in all of Japan, decide to risk himself to save them…? He saw him run into the alleyway, and any sane person at that point would walk away. But not him. No. He had no idea what he'd be walking into, yet he still decided to see for himself what was going on. Why…?

"You may call him stupid, but I'd call him brave."

"I'm not gonna let some quirkless asshole take me in! No way in HELLLLLL!" The lead thug screamed as he rose to his feet, his quirk activated again.

Bruce incapacitated the knife-wielding with a swift kick to the jaw, before finishing the sharp-toothed thug off with a elbow to the forehead. As the two collapsed, Bruce snapped his head in the direction of the leader, who was charging at him with a war cry. He slipped into a stance, and braced himself for his foe.

"I'LL PUNCH YOUR LIGHTS OUT, WAYNE!" The thug screams as he cocked his rock fist back.

That's when his head darted forward, and his vision blurred for a moment. All he heard was a soft thud behind him before he was met with a forearm to the temple. The thug did a full backflip in the air until crashing down onto the ground. Bruce knocked him out cold, and he knew it too as soon as the hit connected.

Bruce let out a sigh of relief and looked over at Izuku, giving him a nod of gratitude, "Thanks for the assist, kid." The green-haired student was panting as he stood in place, his right arm outstretched in front of him. "That's not bad, using your schoolbag as means of a weapon. Pretty smart."

Upon hearing the praise, Izuku blushed and fiddled with his thumbs, "I just…sorta did the first thing that came to mind." That's when he realized he forgot something important. "Gah! B-But Thank you for saving me, Mister Wayne! I would've been a puddle if you hadn't stepped in!" He bowed to the older male.

"If it hadn't been for you stepping in as well, I wouldn't have noticed these guys here. So, allow me to thank you as well." Bruce gave the boy a bow in return.

I-I can't believe it! Bruce Wayne is actually bowing to me!

Bruce straightened before turning his attention to the blonde girl next to Izuku, "Are you okay, miss? They didn't hurt you, I hope?"

"I'm fine…Thank you." She answered with a flat tone, her attention solely on the unconscious group of thugs.

"You don't need to worry about them. They won't be up for a long tim—"

"Mister Wayne..? You handled these guys all by yourself?" A deep voice spoke from behind the group. They turned their heads to see a group of police officers standing behind a Pro-Hero. This Hero was a very tall, muscular man of a wide build and tanned-skin. He had a square jaw and short white hair, spiked out from behind. The costume he wore had a construction theme to it, complete with thick wrist guards and a yellow and black-striped caution pattern headband.

Pro Hero: Death Arms

Quirk: Unnamed Arm Strength Quirk

"I did, in act of self-defense." Bruce gave the Hero a firm nod, his facial expression turning serious.

Death Arms approached the group as the cops began to cuff the thugs, "I can see that. Well, at least we don't need to evacuate the area." He looked back over at the group of unconscious thugs. "I saw the symbol on their jackets. Don't tell me the villain Penguin is back at it again."

"Knowing Cobblepot, he'll want to try to break into Wayne Tower just to get back at me." Bruce concluded with a stern tone of voice.

"Last time he tried that All Might was waiting for him in the lobby." Death Arms stiffened a chuckle before glancing at the billionaire. "Do you need any Pros to stick around the tower just in case?"

Bruce shook his head, "That won't be necessary, Death Arms."

"Very well." The Pro nods his head before his attention turned to the two teens behind Wayne. "Did you two see what happened?"

Izuku nods his head, but the blonde girl remained silent. Death Arms called over the nearest officer, and soon the officer started taking notes as Izuku told him what happened. Bruce stood nearby so he could backup Izuku's claims. Not that it was a confusing story. When it was the blonde girl's turn to speak, she remained silent. She wouldn't even look in the officer's direction as he tried to pry her in answering.

"She's probably shaken up about what happened." Death Arms told the officer. "Be sure to keep an eye on those guys." The officer nods before putting his notepad away and walking back to his fellow policemen. "Since things are quite well, I suggest you head home, kid. Your parents must be worried sick."

"O-Oh! Right…!" Izuku picked up his schoolbag before strapping it around his torso.

"I can give you a ride, if you want." Bruce offered, taking a step forward.

Izuku's eyes went wide in surprise at Bruce's offer, before a small, shy smile curved his lips, "N-No thank you, Mister Wayne. I appreciate it though. T-Thank you again." He gave him one last bow before heading out the alleyway, apologizing to the unconscious thug when he stepped on his foot.

"What a weird kid." Death Arms mumbles. "It's best if you head home too, miss—Wha?" His eyes went wide when the blonde girl vanished from her spot on the ground. He didn't even hear her make a sound! "W-Where'd she go?"

Bruce, however, wasn't focused on that.

He was focused on the burnt notebook that rested against the wall next to him.

Izuku was silent on his way home. Even his thoughts dared not to say anything as he approached the street to his house. After all, he nearly had an out of body experience dealing with those group of men. If it hadn't been for Bruce Wayne of all people to step in, both he and that girl would've bitten the dust. Still, what fascinated him the most was the fact that his body reacted on its own not once…but twice.

He helped two strangers he's never even met before…kind of like a Hero. Maybe…maybe that's what All Might meant.

"…you can be someone else's hero, even if you don't wear a cape."

The sun started to set, and he already knew how scared his Mother was. She's been protective of him like any other mother, but he believed it doubled when they found out he was quirkless. If that had to affect anybody except him, it would be her. Watching your child's dream be crushed, and knowing you can't do a thing to fix it…that hurts. And he knew it too.

Well, hopefully looking over his notes can cheer him—

M-My notebook! Where is it?! I could've sworn I left it in my bag!

He frantically looked through his bag, pushing aside any books and pencils that were blocking his view.

Don't tell me..! I LEFT IT AT THE CRIME SCENE!

"I believe this is what you're looking for, Izuku Midoriya?" A familiar voice spoke in front of him. Izuku slowly looked up to see no other than Bruce Wayne holding his charred notebook in front of him. "It slipped out of your bag when you threw it at one of the thugs."

Said boy slowly took the notebook from his hand before his eyes sprayed tears like a firehouse, "AHHHH! T-THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU, MISTER WAYNE!"

"I see you keep yourself hydrated." Bruce mumbles before flashing the boy a small smile. "I couldn't help but take a look on what you write in there and I got to say, I'm impressed. Keeping notes on Heroes, noting how they fight and even their weaknesses, that's smart."

Izuku felt himself blush yet again, and he quickly covered his face with his arm, "I-I just…really like Heroes."

And what Bruce said next would nearly make his heart stop.

"Is that why you wish to become a Hero?"

Once those words left the billionaire's mouth, Izuku's mind quickly went back to All Might and his haunting words.

"You can't be a Hero, kid…It's not wrong to dream. However, you need to be more realistic, kid."

"I…I thought that was my wish. To become one like All Might." Izuku spoke so low that Bruce thought he was whispering to himself.

"Thought?" Bruce rose his eyebrow.

Izuku kept his eyes glued to the ground, and his hand tightened around the strap to his bag, "My whole life, I've been told that I can't become a Hero because I don't have a quirk. I've been still chasing that dream for so long, but…but hearing it from my own idol made me realize that it was true…"

Bruce kept staring down at the kid, his steel blue eyes never leaving his small figure.

"Could've fooled me." Bruce spoke, causing Izuku to look up at him. "A Hero would've done exactly what you did: run into the scene without hesitation. I would've never figured a timid and quirkless boy like yourself would risk his own safety to ensure someone else's. If you ask me, that alone makes you a Hero."

For some reason, Bruce's words resonated with Izuku far more than anyone else's. It was like all those negative thoughts drifted away in his mind as he spoke, praising him for his actions today. Hearing something like that, from one of the most powerful people in Japan, and from someone who works closely with Heroes…

It made his heart clench with determination.

"Izuku Midoriya, you saved a life today." Bruce continued, his tone getting more and more stern. "You also managed to help turn in members of one of the biggest gangs in Japan. Even some Pro-Heroes can't admit they've done that."

All this praise…

"You wish to enroll in U.A., correct? The most elite Hero academy in Japan?" Izuku nods his head slowly. With that, Bruce smirked. "I see a lot of me in you, kid. Being quirkless isn't any walk in the park. You feel like an outcast…as if you're a nobody. But, what you have to do is use that pain you've endured, and let it propel you. With the right training, you can become the next big thing. That's why I have a proposal for you."

Izuku's eyes went wide at Bruce's next choice of words.

"Let me train you. I will teach you how to defend yourself, and expand your knowledge beyond simple math and science. Because I know that if you succeed with this, Izuku Midoriya…

You will be a Hero."

Izuku dropped to his knees, and the tears flowed down his freckled face. His hand clenched at his chest and his teeth gritted in an effort to hold in the sob that dared to escape his throat. The sun had set directly behind Bruce Wayne, allowing his shadow to tower over Izuku and leave behind him a beautiful shade of orange.

"There's no hope for him."

"Huh?! Midoriya?! No way!"

"You'll never be a hero like All Might!"

"You can't become a Hero, kid."

When Izuku looked back up at the billionaire, the man's hand was held out while giving him a charming smile.

"What do you say, Izuku Midoriya?"

A/N: It's been a really long time since I've been on here...With this lockdown happening I figured I'd pump out this idea I've been planning for months. You can thank Writers Block for taking forever for me to post it. Since I'm free now, more chapters will come soon, depending on how well-received this story is.

So please, leave feedback if you have any regarding this story. I love reading them, and they make me want to write more. You can also criticize it, so I know what you guys liked and didn't like. Thank you!