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As Midoriya trudged home, the weight of the day was crushing him like a heavy blanket. The fight in the playground replayed in his head—a mix of insults, blows, and humiliation. It could not get any worse, and then he felt a chill.
A green, gooey slime poured out from the shadows.
"Ah-haa! What do we have here?" The villain warbled, voice slithery and dripping. "A perfect skin suit to conceal in."
Midoriya was frozen.
He couldn't get up before sticky, slimy tentacles latched onto his arms—freezing cold and suffocating. It wrapped around him like a snake, tightening with every breath.
"No… not now…" Midoriya gasped, struggling against it. If only I had a Quirk like Hikari… I could fight this thing off!
"Surrender, little boy," the slug mocked. "You have no strength. Give way to me."
Midoriya struggled violently, fear spreading.
And then—
BOOM.
Hurricane gusts howled down the alley, ringing metal and rubble-dashed wreckage. A giant form fell between them like a celestial shooting star. Short blond hair blown back, two characteristic tufts standing up like proud antennae. Clad in a tight white shirt and green cargo pants, he radiated power and charisma.
"Don't worry, young citizen!" the man bellowed. "You're safe. For I am here!"
"All Might?!" Midoriya cried.
All Might crushed the villain with one punch into a pool of green goo. Bits of it flopped about, trying to re-form. He just reached into his cargo pockets and drew out two ten-gallon soda bottles and began scooping up the goo.
"No villain escapes when I'm near!" he smiled.
Midoriya's heart is pounding. He rescued me… He really did rescue me!
But as All Might was about to take off, duty calling, Midoriya reacted on the spur of the moment.
"Wait! Please!" he cried, running forward. He clung to All Might's leg for all he was worth. "I must ask you something!"
All Might looked down in shock. "What in the world—? Hey, kid! Let go, I can't fly like this!"
Too late.
They went flying off in the air like a firework dud, crashing onto the roof a second later. Midoriya hit the ground hard but crawled up.
"Sorry!" he panted. "But I had to talk to you!"
All Might sat up, brushing wrinkles out of his shirt with a laugh. "You're stubborn, I'll admit that. Now, what do you want?"
Midoriya's eyes lit up. "What's it like being the Symbol of Peace? How does your Quirk work? How do you stay so strong and smile all this time?"
All Might chuckled. "You must be my biggest fan. But I can't reveal the secrets of my Quirk."
Midoriya's phone started ringing, a bright ringtone. He was nervous and struggled to get to it. The screen lit up with Hikari's call, a photo of them both laughing over lunch.
"Last question," he said, shivering. "Can I be a hero… even if I was born Quirkless?"
Silence.
All Might didn't answer. Smoke began instead to emanate from his form. He collapsed before Midoriya's very eyes, muscles collapsing, face fading to a thin, cadaverous complexion with tired blue eyes and matted blond hair.
Midoriya shrieked.
"This… this isn't real! You're not All Might!"
All Might caught his breath and strode out onto the edge of the roof. "Don't go broadcasting this online. Or sharing it with anybody. I believe you."
He pulled his shirt up, revealing a grotesque, stitched-together scar discolored by an unnatural pale hue.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXv3dS7HvY
"Five years ago, my breathing apparatus was destroyed. Lost the whole stomach. I can only stay in my hero form for about three hours a day."
Midoriya's voice trembled. "Was it Toxic Chainsaw? I remember that fight…"
All Might's eyes grew misty. "No. That was a trap. The reality was hidden. A pro hero's daughter was kidnapped, someone I was extremely close to. I blamed myself."
He lowered his shirt.
"Being a hero is risking your life daily. And without a Quirk…?"
Midoriya's air was cut short.
"I'm sorry, kid. But no. You can't be a hero if you don't have a Quirk."
The words hit like a bullet.
"But you can still help others. Police officers do it every day. They don't get the praise, but it's just as virtuous."
All Might stood up to depart.
Midoriya looked down at the ground, phone still on the ground.
A call came in. He hit the speaker, trying to keep the tears out of his voice.
"Midoriya!" Hikari's voice. "Where are you? There's a monster causing chaos at the Tatooine Shopping District. I'm going there. Meet me!"
All Might froze in his tracks at the entrance. The sound of her voice… familiar. Comforting.
"It's not bad to have a dream," he said softly. "Just… make sure it's one you can hold on to."
The Tatooine District
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Flames engulfed the street. Smoke curled into the air, buildings collapsed in on themselves, and panicked shouts were heard. Hikari clenched her fists at the edge of the chaos. A bystander informed her that the culprit had kidnapped a boy with a fire Quirk. Then she saw it.
A spike of blonde hair.
"Bakugo!!" she and Midoriya shouted at the same time.
"I don't believe this! He's supposed to be at the arcade," Hikari snarled.
The villain was the same sludge creature. It had latched onto Bakugo, keeping the heroes at bay. Midoriya didn’t hesitate. He ran.
Charging into the fire, schoolbag in hand, he hurled it at the villain’s eye and scrambled up its body.
“Kacchan! I’m here!” He yelled, clawing at the goo around Bakugo’s mouth. “You can breathe now—hang on!”
Bakugo’s eyes opened, wild and furious.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkV6o2b9WIL
"Deku?! What the devil are you doing here?! I don't need you!"
"I couldn't let you die!" Midoriya sobbed.
The villain spat. "You're in the way, brat." It raised a slimy hand.
But the attack never hit. A radiant shield covered Midoriya and Bakugo. Hikari hung behind them, eyes alight with might.
"Midoriya! Seize him. Now!" she cried.
He did. The two boys skidded across the pavement, hacking up bile. Bakugo groaned.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0Yllyinil
"Don't touch me…"
Hikari swung back to the bad guy. Her hair turned the color blue with white tips. The air turned cold. Ice emanated in every direction.
"You played with the wrong people," she said coldly. "You hurt my best friend."
The bad guy charged—and stiffened right away.
"You better take care of this," she growled as All Might descended beside her. "Or next time, I won't call you by your other name."
All Might smiled weakly. Then smashed the bad guy to pieces. Later, the sludge criminal was caught.
Midoriya was scolded by the experts. Hikari tuned them out, crouching beside Bakugo.
"Bruised, but not broken," she whispered. "You will make it through."
Bakugo didn't glance at her. Grunt.
And Midoriya, standing slightly taller himself, glanced in the direction of All Might who shot him one slow, solemn once-over before melting into the crowd.
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