Quirk (kwûrk)

4. A super-human ability usually developed at four years old.

--

It was January Second, and Izuku Midoriya woke up. Green hair spread around him like a halo.

His Hatsuyume was still startlingly clear in his mind.

He expected it to be Ni Taka again. The Hawk. A prediction for some rising fortune.

Maybe something else he wouldn't really remember.

Except it wasn't.

Izuku dreamed of San-Nasubi. An eggplant.

Usually, Midoriya didn't take much stock on those kinds of things. But something told him to trust it.

The boy was... doubtful, Nonetheless.

--

In Japanese culture, Hatsuyume is the first dream one has in the new year. Traditionally, the contents of such a dream would foretell the luck of the dreamer in the ensuing year...

...It's considered to be particularly good luck to dream of Mount Fuji, a hawk, and an eggplant. There are various theories regarding the origins of this particular combination and why it was considered to be so lucky.

One theory suggests that this combination is lucky because Mount Fuji is Japan's highest mountain, the hawk is a clever and strong bird, and the word for eggplant suggests achieving something great...

--

It was April again. Students sat in their desks, idle, as the teacher walked behind the podium.

Chatter had been filling the classroom for the past hour now.

Meanwhile, a forette sat hunched over in his seat.

Izuku read the textbook he'd been given. Skimming through it's introduction.

It was the standard, "Quirks first appeared Five Generations Ago. An advent of change and chaos." It kept repeating what was basically, "Superhuman abilities, or Quirks, are a genetic and evolutionary marvel." and how the "Superhuman Reform Act brought on a time of Peace and Prosperity".

That last one was untrue, actually. It was a time of martial law. The point when people began considering the Quirky, the superior brand.

When the word Quirkless officially became a term.

The boy was snapped out of his thoughts by the ruckus of his classmates. They had their Quirks activated in celebration.

Their teacher warned them about Public Quirk Usage, albeit half heartedly.

"Oi! Shut Up! YOU DAMN EXTRAS!" Came a rough voice.

A blonde boy with hostile red eyes stood in his seat. Lax and arrogant.

That? Was Bakugou Katsuki.

In short, he was Izuku Midoriya's bully.

They would be marking their tenth anniversary now . . . Yay . . .

"Ah, Bakugou! You are entering U.A. aren't you?" The teacher exclaimed fondly.

Dead silence.

Then, quiet, but awed murmurs. Things like "The National School...?", "Don't they have a zero-point two percent acceptance rate?".

"Heh, as if you extras could catch up to me! I'll be Number One! YA HEAR ME?!"

"Ah Isn't . . . Midoriya . . . applying as well?" The disdain in their Sensei's voice was apparent now.

A beat.

Then, this time instead of any noise of awe, the students let out a roaring, obnoxious laughter.

"What does Deku think he's doing?"

"Being an idiot, that's what."

"Isn't he Quirkless?"

"Says he isn't. What kinda' bullshit is that?"

Izuku dug his nose into the Quirkist text even further, if only to escape the solitary glare that was directed at him from across the room.

--

"What did you think you were doing Deku?!"

Bakugou slammed he--his hand on Izuku's table.

"What, Kaachan?" Izuku glared, as he stuffed his math book into his yellow backpack. His voice venomous.

Midoriya reached for his Notebook, proudly entitled "Quirk Analysis for The Future", but Katsuki quickly swiped it from the desk.

"What's that? His diary?" One of the lackeys beside the boy sniggered.

"Wha--Hey!" Izuku cried.

The blonde held it in one hand.

He spared a look at the front cover, and smacked his fist against the cheap paper as it blew up.

It came out slightly charred, but it seemed the boy wasn't yet done. He threw the book behind him, and it flew out the window, the pages fluttering outward.

Bakugou's lackeys, Nikaru and Iyagi jeered. That is until Izuku stood up, his chair falling back with loud 'thud'.

Everyone missed the bully's look of--regret?

"Why'd you have to be such a bitch, Katsuki?!" Izuku yelled.

The afformentioned blonde boy grit his teeth and clenched his fists.

Iyagi and Nikaru stepped back. Fearing the bombastic blonde's wrath.

As quick as it had come, it subsided, and Bakugou made his way to the door.

Midoriya glared at him all the way, until Bakugou stopped.

"Y'know, there is a way to get a Quirk, Deku." Bakugou announced. The two beside him looked suprised. "Just take a swan dive off the roof, and hope for one in your next life!"

The two other boys laughed along, as they made their way out the door, leaving Izuku alone with his thoughts.

--

Katsuki Bakugou...

...Quirk : Explosion

Mutation/Emitter Type

Sweat glands produce something akin to nitroglycerin, that can be activated at the palms at will. They generate a sudden heat that ignites the natural fuel in turn creating combustion...

...Fireproof hands, and slightly more resillient ear drums...Can withstand about 5060.300 C which is a little hotter than a normal nitroglycerin explosion. Usually capping off at 4990. 402 C...

...Possible Applications...

...Could possibly be modified to be used as fuel for a specific engine...

...Flight...

...Improvised Flash Grenade...

--

Izuku picked his notebook out of the Koi pond, somber, and more than a little furious.

He hated that nickname. Deku, wooden puppet, useless person, however you spun it. It was an insult.

Midoriya's steps became a little more forced.

--

It was a Monday. They had gone to the clinic for a Quirk Check-up. He remembered sitting next to his mother--Inko--all excited.

The Doctor came in, with the creak of the door announcing his presence.

The two adults exchanged pleasantries as Izuku sat in anticipation. The Doctor sat down, he looked stern.

"Mrs. Midoriya, your son is... a special case." Izuku remembered leaning towards him then. "I honestly don't know if he'll ever develop a Quirk."

"But...?" She looked confused.

"You said that you don't know right?!" Midoriya remembered saying, desperate.

A pregnant silence.

"I..." The man looked down

"Yes." The doctor's voice dripping with uncertainty.

--

Izuku walked under an underpass, when he felt a headache shoot through his brain.

He groaned. 'Might need some asprin later.' The boy thought.

Then, to make it even worse, he caught a foul odor. Something reminiscent of sewage and bile.

Midoriya involuntarily gagged.

"What is that smell?!" He coughed out.

He heard gurgling.

His migraine got even worse.

So much pain! Pain Painpainpainpain--

Izuku was on the ground, the gurgling sound coming back into focus.

He felt danger. Not unlike intuition but something infinitely... keener.

The boy's eyes widened, as he managed to get back on his feet and stumble back.

Clang.

The manhole cover fell to the side.

Tendrils of toxic green slime oozed out.

Midoriya needed to run. He needed to RUN!

Before he could, the goo, sped up as eyes squeezed out the tiny opening and formed two menacing rows of yellow teeth.

"A Medium-Sized cloak! Perfect..." The Sludge rushed forwards, fast.

Before the boy could think to dodge, he already had.

Izuku was in the air, a wheightless feeling overtaking him as he twisted his waist and torso, dodging each slimy tentacle, landing roughly on his feet.

Midoriya stared at his hands. Failing to notice the footsteps. Heavy and charged with power.

Izuku felt that familiar tingling in the back of his head, an intonation of danger.

The Sludge manuevered it's eyes around, as it landed on a tall blonde figure that exclaimed, "I Am Here!"

The man drew his fist back and the last thing the Ooze could say was, "Oh Sh--"

Woosh!

Wind rushed up the tunnel, pushing the still oblivious boy back a few meters.

Izuku finally realized the Number One Hero's presence and his eyes widened.

He rushed up to him, as All Might scooped up the last of the Slime into a bottle.

"All Might! Could you sign my notebook?!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Of course! Young—?"

"Midoriya! Midoriya, Izuku!" He bowed. The forette took out his notebook and flipped to a free page.

He held it out to All Might, with both hands.

Once the Hero was finished, he handed it back to Izuku. The aforementioned fanboy took it back like it was made of pure gold. To Izuku, it probably was.

"Now," All Might started. "I must go." He turned around putting the slime-filled bottles in his front pockets and bent his knees, preparing to jump.

"Wait!" Izuku said as he reached out to grab All Might. He had something to ask All Might. "I have something to ask you!"

All Might looked over his shoulder. "I am sorry, Young Midoriya but I must go." And following this statement, he jumped with his powerful legs. Propelling higher and higher until, to anyone looking from the ground, he was nothing but a barely visible speck.

However, no one was looking from the ground. Only birds, left to wonder what all the commotion was about.

With All Might, things were less peaceful. He was seventy-five kilometers high when he noticed it. A tugging in his legs. Sparing a look towards his feet, he nearly coughed blood (again).

It was the Midoriya boy. Barely keeping the surprise out of his voice he inquired to Midoriya. "Why are you so desperate!?"

"I-i Ha-a-ave to-o as-k-k y-o-ou a que-e-est-t-tio-on" The wind was pushing his dark green hair and the skin covering his mouth and eyes back almost comically

All Might would have laughed if it weren't so dangerous. "Okay, okay. Just close your mouth," he said quickly.

Izuku complied, keeping eyes and mouth closed tight. All Might sighed inwardly. 'Oh well, it's not like it hasn't happened before.' He thought, resigned to the fact that fans will always be this desperate.

Once they were safely on the rooftop of a random building. Izuku immediately crumpled to the ground. All Might prodded him with a foot.

"Hey, kid." He prodded him a little harder. Izuku looked dead.

Izuku moaned. All Might let out a sigh of relief.

Izuku sat up slowly. All Might gave him some space. And shakily, Izuku stood up. He still had his ugly yellow backpack on his lanky figure—however miraculous that seemed.

Then, the boy asked a question he himself had once.

"Could I become a hero?" He said. His voice was filled with a passion that All Might had only ever heard from one other person. Himself.

"Of course y—!" All Might started enthusiastically.

"Even if I'm quirkless!?" All Might winced.

"I-i want to make people smile. I want them to feel safe when I'm around." He put his fist over his heart. "I want to save people. Like you." His voice cracked at the last word.

The Symbol of Peace looked into his eyes. The ever-growing population of quirky people had completely shunned those who were quirkless.

They were given lower wages, charged more for food and clothes, were often sent to prison without proper trials, and most of all, bullied and treated like they carried a horrible and contagious disease. This was especially true in America.

But it was getting better. Or at least that's what All Might believed—or wanted to believe.

So, against his better judgment... he said yes. And Izuku's eyes, which were so full of desperation and anguish only moments ago. Lit up. And All Might smiled. He held out his hand.

"Let me te—!" All Might started but was cut off with a small poof of smoke.

In All Might's place was a thin, almost skeletal figure, with horrible eyebags, and startlingly blue eyes.

"What the—!" Izuku cried in shock. " Are—are you All Might?!" His rational mind quickly coming to the conclusion.

"Yes... I am All Might." The figure answered, his voice flat.

"Bu—." The conversation was cut short when a distant explosion shook the ground.

They both looked towards it. All Might felt his pockets. There was nothing.

Quick as lightning. The Number One Hero opened the door and climbed down the stairs. Izuku tailing him.

--

Izuku and a deflated All Might stood at the edge of the crowd.

They were in the Shopping District, and it was chaos.

Well, more chaotic than usual, and not over Chinese Dumplings, or Takoyaki.

There was a fire. A fire and a hostage situation. The ever so familiar Sludge Villain held in a blonde boy Izuku recognized. Many heroes stood on the frontlines but that was the thing.

They stood there.

Just Stood there.

While Katsuki choked and suffocated in the heat.

Izuku decided he had a problem with that.

So he did what his body wanted. And ran.

Pushing past people who he didn't know, who he didn't care to know.

Izuku ran.

Past the heroes.

Past the police tape.

He bobbed and weaved around the tentacles that came his way,

He dodged a giant slab of cement, one that would've crushed him where he stood.

He didn't look and he didn't see.

He. Just. Moved.

And when Izuku neared Bakugou and The Sludge Villain.

He pulled back a fist and slammed it against a slimy eye.

--

Where was All Might?

Izuku looked around as reporters crowded him. He had just been reprimanded, but while he was, he lost All Might in the sea of media men(beg to differ, judging by the hole in the satellite picture).

Midoriya was grabbed roughly by the ruff of his gakuran, as he was pulled along.

The boy knew exactly who this was, "Bakugou." He greeted.

The other teenager just grunted.

Now they stood near the mouth of an alleyway, not far from the commotion.

"Y--you didn't do anything alright?!" Bakugou announced as he looked away.

"Ka--"

"Nothing! All right?!!"

Izuku only gave a nod, and with that, the blonde walked away.

"Prickly isn't he?" A gaunt, sickle figure beside him asked.

Izuku stared at the Hero. "All--"

"My name is Yagi Toshinori in this form." He said as he held an open hand up.

"I am sorry Mister Toshinori!" He exclaimed apologetically.

"'Completely fine kid. How about I walk you home Young Midoriya?"

Ao they did, footsteps the only thing marring the comfortable silence.

Somewhere around Shiuzoka, All Might finally spoke.

"I believe that you could be a Hero young Man. But you need help."

"Will you train me?" he asked after a moment.

"Yes. But I need to tell you something."

Izuku only turned to the tall man and stared.

"My power's moniker is One. For. All."

Izuku felt his eyes widen. He was given a name. Above all else, names had power.

"A power that could be passed down from generation to generation. I deem you worthy to inherit my power Midoriya."

Izuku looked close to tears as he let himself crack. Let himself feel vulnerable.

Yagi smiled, "You will do great things."

"But sir I think... I think my quirk--I--I don't deserve this--" Izuku let his knees fall "I--don--"

Toshinori let a hand fall on Izuku's shoulder.

"You deserve it Midoriya, I honestly think you do.

Okay, this is a rewritten chapter. so if you see a dip in the quality then that means I'm not done yet. Toodles!