1 You Can't Be a Hero

All men are not created equal. This was the reality I learned about society at the young age of four.

"It would be best if you give up."

Once again those words tormented him. The indifferent dull voice of the doctor from many years ago superimposed with Kacchan's mean taunting.

"I-I just want to be a hero too!"

Midoriya looked up at Bakugou and his crew with tears in his eyes. His precious notebook, where he wrote everything he knew about heroes and all his hopes and dreams for the future, was now in Kacchan's hands. An evil smile crept on his lips. Suddenly, in his left sparked a small explosion, fortunately only brushing past the notebook.

"What a loser. You know what? Take this back. Try your luck with the UA exams. It would so much funnier to see you fail. Because you will fail! There's no way a quirkless nerd like you can pass. And even if by some miracle you can indeed pass the exam. What will you do? You'll be just a hindrance and get killed by some small fry. The teachers will probably expel you before you get seriously hurt! That would be so FUNNY! HAHHAHAH!"

With those words he threw the notes on the ground and left, still laughing.

Izuku looked at it. In silence, he picked it up and put it in his backpack. A loud noise came from the fish fountain in the backyard. He hesitated, then he sprinted towards it. It didn't matter what Bakugou said, he wanted to become a hero! And heroes don't back down from danger!

When he arrived at the scene he froze on the spot.

The villain was huge, but most of all super disgusting. It was a slimy creature, like a monster born from jelly vomit. It was obvious from the open manhole, and the unbearable stink, that he came out from the sewers. But it wasn't that abomination which made him stop in his tracks.

That smile. That hair. The muscles which threatened to burst out of the simple t-shirt. That aura of invincibility and absolute power. Even if he wasn't wearing his costume, he could recognize him everywhere. ALL MIGHT WAS HERE!

Izuku saw him throwing an amazing punch. The villain almost disintegrated. He was about to say something, but then the shockwaves reached him and he fainted.

"Young man, are you okay?"

Midoriya opened his eyes. All Might's face was right above him.

"A-all Might!"

The famous hero helped him stand up and patted his back.

"Young man that was dangerous! Please, be more careful next time! Well, I have to go now! Goodbye!"

All Might took two bottles and put them in his pockets. He was about to go away when the high schooler grabbed his shirt.

"W-wait! I want to ask you something... It's really important for me!"

"Mmm? What is it?"

Izuku looked him in the eyes.

"Can even a quirkless person like me... be like you someday?"

He finally asked it. The question he always buried deep inside him, unwilling to make it. He was about to hear the answer. Because, no one else than All Might, the number one hero, the symbol of peace, his idol, could be more qualified to answer. And no answer other than his would have any importance. Hope filled his soul. If All Might said it, that even he could be a hero, then maybe...

"You... are quirkless? I..." All Might faced the naive boy in front of him "A hero is always putting his life on the line. His life and those of the innocent people who have to be protected depend from him. This job... I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that you can do it even without a quirk. You can't be a hero. If you aspire to save people there are always other paths you can take. It's not bad to dream. But you also have to consider what's realistic."

Izuku was in his bed. He didn't remember how he returned home. He only remembered All Might's answer. They weren't anything new. How many times his mother, his teachers and his friends told him something like that? But it was different this time. Every single word was like a hammer swinging down on his heart at full force. For the first time, he realized.

"I... can't be a hero..."

He cried. A lot. He suffocated his sobbing into his pillow, and he slowly fell asleep.

The light of the sun warmed up his face. Midoriya woke up. He rubbed his reddened eyes and got out of bed. In front of the mirror inside his bathroom, he could see the mess upon his face.

[This is not me] he thought.

All Might was right. Everyone was right. His dream was impossible.

[And so what!]

A fire burned inside him again. It didn't matter what they thought. He wanted to be a hero capable of saving everyone. If he couldn't become a hero... It didn't matter at all!

He still wanted to save them! He still wanted to fight the evil of this world!

[I have decided! It may be a bit pathetic... but I'll do as All Might said! I'll take another path: I'll become a police officer! They will all see what I'm capable of! I won't back down! I'll catch more villains than any hero! Will they still call me a quirkless loser? Will they still say I don't have what it takes to become a hero?]