Midoriya couldn't help but feel let down by the world's Symbol of Peace. After the research he's done on Pro Heroes so far, All Might seemed like someone who'd understand his beliefs on what it means to be a hero. Though after seeing that gruesome injury, the verdette could understand why he'd think that; nevertheless, it didn't make it any less disappointing to hear.
Taking a seat by the guardrails, Midoriya took the leather case off his back. Unzipping it, he pulled out a metal disk with a white star in the center inside a blue circle surrounded by three rings colored red, white, and red respectively.
Holding it in both hands, he gazed at the American-themed disk with an introspective expression. 'I know what I'm capable of. I know I have what it takes. Still though... There's so many powerful heroes in this era and then there's me. Just a super-soldier with a shield. I can't help but wonder... is there really a place for me in this era?' He paused to consider a thought.
'Does the world even need Captain America anymore?'
Fresno, CA - April 2042
A few tear droplets splattered on Izuku's smartphone screen as the USMC recruiter's voicemail concluded. Izuku buried his face in the palm, choking back a few sobs.
'Don't cry dammit! Don't cry!' He mentally yelled.
The recruiter had broken the news. Though he had done exceptionally well on the ASVAB, his physical test had been less than spectacular. Izuku was expecting that result and had hoped he at least did enough to meet the test's minimum requirements. He didn't like settling, not one bit, but fully understood his own physical shortcomings and that he just needed to get his foot in the door.
Reality had other ideas, unfortunately.
In summary, due to his physical and medical ailments, he was deemed medically unfit for service in the Marine Corps.
It is stated in our nation's declaration of independence that 'all men are created equal'. It's a nice sentiment, something certainly to uphold in terms of human rights; but, in reality, that statement is not the truth. Some people are just born stronger, smarter, gifted, and… healthier than others.
Izuku wiped the tears out of his eyes, 'Now what?' He glanced at the side table by the couch, which had a framed photo of his mother, Inko, holding him as a young child. There was a cut-out slot in the photo where his father used to be. 'I based my whole future on getting in the Armed Forces. What do I do now, mom?'
Izuku sat in silence, his mind beginning to drift to another time.
"Alright! Go, go Ultraman!" a seven-year-old Izuku chanted, engrossed in the television displaying the Japanese sub of the old tv show.
"Izuku!" Inko called from the kitchen. "Pause it for a sec. It's time to take your afternoon meds."
"Aw… okay…" Grabbing the remote and pausing his show, little Izuku scampered to the kitchen. His mother was in the process of making dinner while talking on the phone.
"Asthma, heart arrhythmia, and pernicious anemia? He's only seven, Doctor… How could Izuku have this many issues so young? His father and I don't have any of these diseases. Is there anything we can do? … Yes… I understand. Thank you, Doctor." Inko ended the call and let out a deep exhale.
Izuku spotted several pills lying on the counter with a big glass of water. After swallowing the pills, an involuntary shiver raced down his spine. He never liked taking them, but his mom told him he needed the medicine to control his asthma and prevent those painful stomach ulcers from returning. He took a big swig of water before turning to his mom, noticing her sad frown.
"Mom… are you okay?" He asked innocently.
Inko sniffled and turned to him with a feigned smile. "Oh… I'm fine, sweetie. You can return to your show. Mommy will have dinner ready in a moment."
Izuku could tell she was sad. He could feel it. He wanted to help her, but he wasn't sure how. So, he did the only thing he knew that he could do. Walking up to her, he hugged his mom's waist. "I love you mommy."
Inko smiled warmly and patted his head. "I love you too, honey."
"Mom… I'm sorry…"
"Sorry for what?" Inko raised a brow, confused.
"I'm sorry I get sick all the time…I make you worry…" Izuku teared up. "... if it weren't for stupid germs…"
"Oh Izuku…" Inko knelt down and pulled her son into a tight embrace. "You don't have to be sorry for anything! It'll get better in time. Trust me!"
Izuku sniffled. "Okay…"
"Just know, no matter what, mommy will always love you." Inko softly said.
Izuku sobbed a little, touched by his mom's words. "I'll… always love you too, mom… I'll try to get better…"
"Hey…" Inko moved her fingers through her son's hair. "You remember the family motto, right?"
Izuku nodded.
"Can you say it?"
"さらに先へ." Izuku repeated in Japanese.
"That's right. Do you know what it means?" She asked.
"Uh," He racked his little brain for a moment to remember the lesson, "to 'go plus beyond'?"
Inko chuckled and shook her head. "Close. It translates to 'Go Further Beyond'. Doing your best and then some."
"Go Further Beyond?" Izuku repeated.
"That's right." Inko smiled determinedly. "Even when you think you're beat, even when you get pushed down…you get back up and keep going. Never let others discourage you. You just keep chugging along."
"You mean," Izuku blinked, "like Ultraman?"
"Uh… y-yeah!" Inko briefly hesitated. "Just like Ultraman!"
"I… I think I get it." Little Izuku then glanced back at the tv, which had the paused frame of Ultraman preparing to battle. Staring at it for a short moment, his eyes then lit up as inspiration struck him.
He looked back at his mom with a determined smile. "Don't worry, mom! I'll get better! I'll be stronger when I grow up! I'll work hard! I'll go plus ultra!"
"Plus ultra, huh?" Inko couldn't help but giggle. Her son was so adorable. "That does have a nice ring to it."
"Yeah!" Izuku cheered while jumping around excitedly. "Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!"
Izuku stood up from the couch and walked over to a decorated table by the wall. On it was a dark green urn with a framed picture of his mother standing by it.
"Hey mom… I didn't get in. It sucks." Izuku sighed and rubbed his neck. "My ailments aren't as bad as they used to be… but they're still around. Guess the Marines couldn't take a chance on me."
He was silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts.
"But… that won't stop me." He spoke up. "I'll keep training. I'll push myself to the brink and then some."
A sixteen-year-old Izuku walked into the kitchen where his mother was about to get started on dinner. "Mom… you asked me what I wanted to do with my life… well… I know."
"What's that, Izuku?" Inko asked.
Izuku then explained to his mom his goal of joining the armed forces and was beginning an exercise and diet regimen to help prepare him.
"W-what… inspired you to do this?" Inko stammered. "Is… does this have to do with Peggy leaving for the Marines soon?"
Izuku shook his head. "No… Well, partially. It really just reinforced that I want to help people. With the way the world's going, people need someone to watch out for them. The armed forces are already calling for new recruits. I - I have no right to ignore that call, mom."
"Izuku… your health issues." She pointed out.
"I know, but I think the exercises and diet plan I mentioned can help. I won't be super-buff or anything, but I can at least do my best, right? さらに先へ." Izuku hopefully said.
Inko looked down with an uncertain frown. "Sweetie… I'll always love and support you… but please don't put all your eggs in that basket…"
Izuku was a bit heartbroken by his mother's reply. Before he could respond, Inko descended into a coughing fit - trying to hold herself up by the kitchen counter. Izuku quickly rushed to her aid and helped her to a chair.
"You okay?" Izuku asked worriedly.
"Y-yeah… I'll be fine, sweetie. Just need rest…"
Izuku, however, looked unconvinced.
"I… I know you said I shouldn't put all my hopes on that… but I'm not giving up - no matter how many times I get pushed down, I'll get back up.!"
Clenching his fists tightly, he adopted a determined expression. "さらに先へ."
Musutafu, Japan - April 2196
Midoriya nodded to himself. "Right. I have to stay true to myself. No matter what." He said resolutely. "さらに先へ."
BOOM!
A sudden explosion in the distance snapped Midoriya out of his musings. He quickly stood up and lightly gasped at a pillar of black smoke rising in the air. To his estimation, it appeared to be several blocks away.
"A villain?!" Immediately, Midoriya placed the disk in the bag, slung it on his back, and headed toward the door. "Gotta make sure people are safe!"
Racing down several flights of stairs, Midoriya rushed out of the building and down the sidewalk. Several more explosions went off as sirens rang in the distance, prompting the verdette to run even faster.
Yagi Toshinori was panting heavily as he ran down the sidewalk as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast. He was then taken aback when the Quirkless boy from earlier suddenly dashed past him at car-like speeds.
"HUH?!" Yagi's eyes widened. "...he's so fast…?"
'But how? He said he was Quirkless…?' Yagi shook that thought aside and refocused on getting to the commotion. Questions for later.
Bakugo Katsuki was not having a good day.
It had started with the extras from his school being especially pushy; always trying to get him out to the arcades, smoke, and even to the bars to drink and (hopefully) pick up chicks. Idiots. They were never going to get anywhere if they continued doing that crap.
He refused to go with them. He couldn't go with them. They'd only be a distraction. He was the smartest kid in his class, but he had to work his butt off studying for UA University's entrance exam and keep up with all his work from Jakku High as well. Bakugo didn't understand why they couldn't get that through their thick skulls. He finally got them to leave him alone though, at least for today.
Then, he had a run-in with a stealth gaijin at the school's front gate, staring at the building like a moron. His Japanese definitely needed work too, which had only made that encounter even more frustrating.
He promptly left while making a mental note to keep an eye out for the stealth gaijin around campus in case he was actually a creep or stalker.
The day got much worse as, on his way home, he was suddenly overwhelmed by some guy made of sludge. Now, he was fighting for his life trying to get the sludge-man off him, but to no avail. The explosions from his Quirk were causing only property damage and fires around the street.
In summary, he'd had better days.
"I'm gonna send you back to whatever sewer you crawled out of!" Bakugo exclaimed loudly, setting off more explosions across his body. "LET ME GOOOOOOO!"
The Sludge Villain grinned in twisted excitement. "I really hit the jackpot with you, kid! With a Quirk like yours, I can get my revenge on that bastard All Might!"
Meanwhile, a crowd was beginning to gather at the end of the street from the commotion.
Midoriya slowed down upon approaching the crowd, squeezing his way through people in order to get to the front. He gasped at the destructive scene transpiring. Several buildings were on fire, charred debris was scattered across the street, and smoke choked the air.
He was mildly relieved to see several heroes were already on the scene including Death Arms, Backdraft, and Kamui Woods. Mt. Lady was also present, but it appeared she was unable to get closer since she couldn't fit her giant form through a one-lane street without causing property damage.
When his attention shifted to the cause of the destruction, his eyes shot open in shock.
"Oh no…" He murmured. 'That's the same guy who attacked me! That can't be right! All Might captured him. I even gave him back the second bottle…'
Midoriya thought back to when he and All Might were flying through the air. His expression was filled with dread when he realized what happened. 'The other bottle must've fallen out when I was holding onto his leg… which means this is my fault…'
"Why aren't the heroes doing anything?" a civilian asked.
"It looks like they met their match, plus the villain captured someone and things aren't looking so good," another civilian responded.
'A hostage situation? Oh no, that'll make things worse…' Midoriya inwardly dreaded. 'I wonder how long they've been in there. How could they survive being suffocated like that? I thought I'd die after like a minute of struggling…' The fear from his near-death experience threatened to return, but he suppressed it. He couldn't let his trauma control him, especially now.
He cringed at the thought of somebody going through the same traumatic experience, especially since he was partially to blame.
"Wait, I'm confused, isn't that the same Villain All Might was chasing earlier today?" one civilian asked.
"What, All Might?! No way he lost, where is he?"
"Can someone call him or something?" a young woman asked.
"Seriously, why hasn't he shown up to help the Heroes?!"
Yagi had finally arrived and remained at the back of the crowd. He looked down to the ground and clutched his chest in frustration. His time-limit was up and there was nothing he could do. He was just a worthless bystander.
'I'm worthless.' Yagi Toshinori shamefully thought. 'Pathetic…'
Midoriya clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, feeling the same shame. 'I'm the one to blame. He wasted his energy on me. I should've just let him go and turned that second bottle over to the authorities myself! Dammit Izuku!'
The Japanese-American didn't spend long berating himself before he mentally slapped himself, looking forward with a determined glare. 'Okay… All Might's out. So, who's here? Mt. Lady is unable to get here without causing destruction - putting more lives at risk. That leaves us with Backdraft, Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and several other heroes I'm not familiar with.'
He gazed at the scene analytically, many scenarios playing out in his head with the current assembled roster of heroes. 'Okay… it's tough, but they can make it work with this group. That sludge guy is made of fluid, so perhaps Backdraft can use his water to spray him down and lessen his viscosity, if possible. It could also prevent the villain from creating more explosions, at least for a while. Backdraft is currently putting out fires, but as long as the buildings are evacuated, they can afford to let them burn a few more minutes if it means saving the hostage. Firefighters shouldn't take long getting here. Death Arms, meanwhile, can keep the villain distracted while Kamui Woods sneaks in and uses his branches to pull the hostage out of the villain's body. Other heroes can provide backup and help evacuate and protect bystanders. Once the hostage is free, they can focus their attention on detaining the villain until more pros show up.'
Midoriya waited for the Pro Heroes to make any move but grew exceedingly frustrated by the second. Backdraft was too focused on putting out fires in empty buildings while the other heroes were simply standing by.
'Come on! Why are you just standing around? There's enough of you here to formulate a plan of attack!' Midoriya grew frustrated.
"Death Arms," With keen hearing, Midoriya heard one of the heroes shout amidst the explosions and sirens, "I think the boy is getting weaker… what should we do?"
"None of us have the Quirk to stop this guy. I hate it, but we're just gonna have to wait a little longer till more Pros show!" Death Arms yelled, sounding frustrated.
Midoriya clenched his fists to the point his knuckles turned white and fingers popped. 'What!?' He inwardly yelled; his body visibly beginning to tremble in anger. 'So what if your Quirk isn't perfectly suited? You're supposed to be Pro Heroes for crying out loud! Work together! Are you too afraid to put your lives on the line? Is that it?'
Midoriya's blood boiled at these "heroes" actions, or lack thereof. He could feel the urge to rush in himself but stopped… remembering what he was told about Quirk regulation laws. Japan's Quirk laws were some of the strictest in the world and forbade citizens from using Quirks on others unless it could be proven to be in self-defense or you were authorized by the government.
He wasn't authorized; so, he'd be breaking the law if he rushed in. Still…
'The hostage may not last much longer. They can't afford to wait!' Midoriya mentally shouted.
'I'm a disgrace,' Yagi insulted himself.
'Someone has to take action.' Midoriya thought anxiously. 'A real Hero has to come.'
'I'm not a real Hero!' Yagi clutched his side even harder; pain and shame overwhelming him.
'Someone… anyone…' Midoriya was internally holding out hope one of the Pro Heroes would take action, but they didn't. They were merely helpless bystanders.
Looking past the heroes, Midoriya saw the face of the person being held hostage by the Sludge Villain. His eyes widened in shock. He recognized the spiky ash blond hair and red eyes; it was the same guy from the high school gate earlier!
The teen was struggling hard and trying desperately to open his mouth to no avail. Then, Midoriya saw the look of absolute desperation in his eyes, pleading for someone to help.
Midoriya Izuku's body moved on its own. He couldn't stand by any longer.
With a fierce look of determination, Midoriya sprinted out of the crowd and toward the Sludge Villain.
(Music: Boku no Hero Academia OST - You Say Run. Start 0:22 time stamp)
All Might and the other Pro-Heroes gasped as they witnessed Midoriya Izuku rush straight ahead.
"NO, YOU IDIOT! STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED!" Death Arms panicked.
He ignored the protests and continued running down the fire-filled street. In a swift motion, Midoriya pulled the case off his bag, unzipped it, and pulled out the American-themed disk while tossing the case off to the side. The crowd looked on in shocked bewilderment.
"Not this brat again…" the Sludge Villain remarked, looking towards Midoriya.
'Green hair…?' Bakugo thought, confused. What was that stealth gaijin doing? Why was he rushing in to save him? Did he have a death wish?!
'Gotta distract this monster long enough to pull that guy out!' Midoriya swiftly analyzed his surroundings for anything that could help and immediately spotted something several meters behind the villain: a water hydrant. Perfect, but he'd need a distraction first.
"You're toast, kid!" the sludge-man yelled, stretching out a slimy fist toward Midoriya.
Midoriya dodged to the side at the last moment and jumped onto a wall, using it as a springboard to launch himself back forward - leaving a small indention where his feet pushed off.
Yagi saw this and was taken aback. 'H-how…? That shouldn't be possible…'
Returning to the ground, Midoriya, with one hand, slid off his yellow satchel and tossed it at the villain's face. Several items went flying out and struck the monster's eyes, momentarily stunning him. His grasp on Bakugo loosened enough to give the blonde teen the opportunity to finally breathe.
With the Villain distracted, Midoriya readied his left arm. 'Gotta throw it precisely!' His eyes narrowed while expertly gauging the trajectory and then flung the shield from his hand like a frisbee.
The unique bell-like sound of the disk's metal sung through the air. It rebounded off a nearby street pole perfectly, heading toward its target. The shield struck the hydrant at the right angle to spout a torrent of water directly towards the Sludge Villain.
"The hell!?" The mudman shouted as water was doused over him, putting out several fires nearby in the process.
The disk bounced off the hydrant and towards Midoriya's location, who reached out to snatch it in midair. All of this happened in one fluid motion.
The Pro-Heroes and bystanders watched the scene in shocked awe. How did that happen? How could that frisbee have broken the hydrant? And he caught it so easily? Was it part of his Quirk?
Yagi's eyes widened in shocked disbelief. He knew of only one object from history that could do what that disk just did. But it couldn't possibly be his shield. It disappeared along with him over 150 years ago.
"Dammit!" The monster cursed as his parts of his goopy body started falling to the ground. "My own fluids are being watered down…!"
Midoriya rushed in to grab ahold of Bakugo and pull him out of the sludge-monster. He then pulled him several meters away where he could kneel and catch his breath.
Bakugo coughed a bit, and then looked up at Midoriya dumbfounded. "What the hell!? Green hair…COUGH…What're you doing here!?"
Midoriya stood back up, slid his left forearm through two brown leather straps behind the disk, and held it up like it were a shield.
He looked back at Bakugo with a confident, reassuring smile. "To save you! Could not watch you die!"
Yagi Toshinori gasped in utter shock. Here was this young man, who claimed to be Quirkless, risking his life and doing everything in his power to save someone from a much stronger foe; meanwhile, he, the so-called Symbol of Peace, was just standing back doing nothing.
"World believes only power important… but… I think heart matters most…" Midoriya's words from earlier came to the forefront of his mind.
All Might who before had felt himself anchored down and powerless, felt a surge of emotions rip through him.
'After everything I told that young man… He's the one doing everything he can to save that boy. Not the other heroes. Not me.'
An ideal Yagi had cherished since his youth yet had been watered down in the last few years, was suddenly reignited with a new intensity. His grip on the light pole he had been leaning against tightened. The metal creaked under his fingers as steam began to rise from his body.
All Might's teeth grit together as he dug deep into himself to find his power. As the steam increased, his body began to grow.
Yagi Toshinori fully resolved himself. 'I have to do something! No matter the cost!'
"Damn brat! I'm done playing with you!" The Sludge Villain managed to move away from the water torrent, gaining enough control of his goopy body, and moved to attack Midoriya.
"Save the boy! This thing will kill him!' Death Arms yelled as the Pro Heroes advanced to rescue Midoriya from the mud-man's attack.
Midoriya did not express fear and stood firm in front of Bakugo, holding his shield out to protect the ash blonde and himself. A small explosion went off in front of him, forcing him to shift his shield to cover his face.
"I really am pathetic."
Midoriya lowered the shield to see All Might blocking the sludge-man's attack.
"All Might? But…"
"I told you that power is crucial to being a hero, but I remember now… that power alone is worthless without the heart to use it!" All Might lifted the slime tentacle upward and clenched his fist tightly while Midoriya and Bakugo looked on in amazement.
"Pros are always risking their lives! That's the true test of a HERO!" All Might yelled with blood leaking from his mouth; illustrating the pain that he was suffering from due to pushing himself beyond his buff form's time-limit.
"DAMN YOU, ALL MIGHT!" The Sludge Villain stretched out numerous sludge tentacles to strike the Number One Pro.
"DETROIT SMASH!"
All Might punched the Villain square in the face and the force behind the punch scattered the villain and easily put out the fires around the street. The heroes were able to protect the onlookers from the shockwave and the rest of the wind.
(Music End)
All Might was on a knee, panting hard. Everyone, bystanders and Pro Heroes alike, looked on in awed silence at the display of his raw power.
Then raindrops fell. The light outside also grew dimmer.
"It's raining…?" a civilian questioned.
"Look at the clouds!" another bystander noted. "They're moving!"
Storm clouds swirled high in the atmosphere above the exact spot where All Might threw his mighty punch.
"Holy crap…" Death Arms gasped. "He changed the weather…"
All Might stumbled for a moment before correcting himself. Bearing through the intense pain, he maintained his bright smile and held up his right arm in victory.
As a result, the crowd burst into cheering for their Number One Hero's victory.
All Might glanced over at Midoriya tending to Bakugo, who seemed to have passed out from a combination of exhaustion and the backlash from his Detroit Smash.
'This young man… is something else.'
Later, the Pro Heroes collected all the scattered mounds of sludge, and the Villain went into police custody where he belonged. A crowd of reporters and cameras gathered to get an opportunity to speak to All Might.
Meanwhile, Midoriya sat on the sidewalk while being chewed out by Death Arms and Kamui Woods. They were less than pleased, but Midoriya didn't seem to care.
"Moron! Do you have a death wish?!" Death Arms exclaimed.
"There was no reason to put yourself in danger like that!" Kamui added, equally irritated.
Midoriya scowled at the Pro Heroes. "Someone had to."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Death Arms demanded angrily.
"Hostage was suffocating… you did nothing! Chose to stand around and wait?" Midoriya snapped. "Should be ashamed of yourself!"
"Now, listen you-" Death Arms was stopped when Kamui Woods put a hand on his shoulder.
"You can give your statement to the police, Death Arms. I'll handle this." Kamui said, leaving no room for argument.
Death Arms shot once last glare to Midoriya and then walked off with a huff.
Kamui directed a stern gaze at Midoriya. "Tell me, kid, were you using your Quirk in that fight?"
Midoriya shook his head. "No."
Kamui didn't see any sign of deceit on the young man's face, but some people were good at lying. There was no obvious sign of illegal Quirk usage (even while accounting that amazing feat with the shield), so they couldn't bust him for that. However, that didn't mean he didn't break the law. He was curious about something else though.
"That shield… where'd you get it?" Kamui Woods questioned, curious to know if it could be classified as a weapon.
"Just a replica. Custom order." Midoriya responded, keeping a straight face. "Decoration for room."
"You're telling me you used a wall-hanger to bust a water hydrant?" Kamui was skeptical.
Midoriya shrugged with a nervous smile. "Good replica, I guess."
"You a foreigner, kid?" He asked, noting his shaky Japanese and western accent.
Midoriya nodded. "Yes."
"You should know then it's illegal for citizens, foreign or not, to interfere with Pro Hero business, even if they have good intentions." Kamui pensively stated. "Even if you didn't use your Quirk, we technically can still have you arrested on account for hero interference AND destruction to city property with the hydrant."
Midoriya did not flinch at the threat of detainment. "I know. Not sorry." He firmly responded.
Kamui Woods and Midoriya's gazes were deadlocked one another, neither willing to back down. After a moment, Kamui finally closed his eyes and deeply exhaled, reaching into his pouch on his wooden belt.
Suspecting the Pro-Hero was reaching for a set of handcuffs, Midoriya held out both arms in compliance. Even though he didn't agree with it, he wasn't going to resist arrest.
However, Kamui surprised him by handing him a slip of yellow parchment instead. Midoriya took the paper and briefly looked over the bold Kanji on the paper. A fine?
"This is a fine for damaging the water hydrant. That was sound thinking on your part to use water to prevent the Villain from creating more explosions and simultaneously weakening him in the process. Wish we had thought of that. Nonetheless, it is still destruction to public property, and we can't ignore it.
"We're also letting you slide for interfering with Pro Hero business this time and this time only." Kamui firmly asserted. "You can pay your fine at city hall or the city's website. If you pay it on-time, this whole incident can be kept off your record. Deal?"
Midoriya nodded in understanding and placed the fine in his satchel. "Fair." He sighed, politely bowing his head. "Thank you."
Kamui nodded and proceeded to walk away. "Try to stay out of trouble, kid. Hate to see you get arrested." He stopped to give him a glance over the shoulder. "With your attitude and drive, you'd make a great Pro Hero one day."
With that, Kamui left to join the other Pro-Heroes by the police and crowd of reporters.
Midoriya gathered his things and proceeded to walk away with mixed feelings.
Bakugo, meanwhile, was being praised for his bravery by some of the other Pro-Heroes; one Hero even offered him a Sidekick position if he decided to go Pro. Bakugo, however, wasn't listening as he stared at the ground in deep contemplation.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the verdette amble away with a conflicted expression.
Later that day, the sun was descending over the horizon, casting a golden glow over the city. Midoriya Izuku was walking down a relatively secluded path, opting to take a different path to his apartment. All the while, he had his smartphone up to his ear in a conversation with a certain someone.
"Look, Agent Coulson, I know you're not happy but-"
"That's an understatement, Cap! You could've nearly blown your cover! You're lucky the Japanese media is giving all the credit to All Might and not focusing on you at all." Agent Coulson exclaimed over the phone, sounding quite irritated.
Special Agent Phil Coulson was his own personal liaison to SHIELD, an American extra-governmental counter-terrorism and intelligence agency, tasked with maintaining both national and global security. Basically, if Midoriya needed to contact SHIELD or vice versa, Phil Coulson was the man to go to.
Unbeknownst to Midoriya, Coulson had volunteered for the position and seemed very adamant in doing it.
"What were you even doing in that part of Musutafu anyway?" Agent Coulson continued. "That's way off the normal route from the community college to your apartment."
"Well, after finishing my classes, I heard there was a villain attack near Tatooine Station, so I went to check it out. Took some notes on the Pro Heroes there." Midoriya calmly explained. "I decided to just walk back, get some fresh air."
"And you just happened to stumble across the scene with the sludge guy? That sounds way too coincidental for my tastes." Agent Coulson was rightfully skeptical. "Are you sure there isn't anything else I need to know?"
Midoriya wondered if he should mention his initial encounter with the Sludge Villain which led to meeting All Might and discovering his secret. But he made a promise to All Might, and he was a man of his word. "No. Nothing that's relevant. Was just a coincidence, I guess."
"Right… And you couldn't turn the other way and let the heroes there do their jobs?" Agent Coulson questioned.
"You weren't there, Agent Coulson!" Midoriya yelled, aggravated. "There were more than enough heroes there to formulate a plan, but they were completely okay with just standing around, waiting for someone else to do their damn jobs! The hostage… he would've died if someone didn't act."
"I get that, Cap. But Japan's Quirk regulation laws are very strict. This isn't the 2000s wild west anymore. You have to be mindful about this stuff now." He lectured.
Midoriya paused to sigh, momentarily collecting his thoughts. "I know… and I am trying to follow the rules, but if I see someone in trouble, I can't turn the other way; whether I break the law or not."
Coulson was silent for a moment before exhaling deeply. "You don't make things easy, Cap. Heh-heh…" He chuckled ruefully. "Happy to know you're the real deal like the legends say. Don't worry about your fine, by the way. SHIELD will cover it and I'm not taking no for an answer. You have more important things to focus on than trying to pay a city fine."
Midoriya smiled lightly. "Thanks, Agent Coulson. That does take a load off my mind."
He received a fixed pension from the agency that covered living expenses and a good allocation for leisurely things. Not having to wonder about how to pay back a 150,000 Yen fine was a relief.
"Wouldn't be the first time SHIELD has had to clean up messes, certainly won't be the last. Just… try to be more careful going forward. If the world found out that-"
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Midoriya rolled his eyes. "If the world found out their fabled First Hero was still alive and wasn't a natural-born one, Pandora's box would be opened. I get it."
"I don't agree with it either. But we can't afford to take this lightly." Coulson expressed sternly. "There are many resourceful villains out there that would drool over the fact that artificial superpowers are possible."
'It's already been over 150 years. If they haven't figured out her serum's formula yet, I doubt they ever will. Least she can rest easy…' Midoriya solemnly thought.
"SHIELD and I'll be here if you need us, Cap." Coulson continued. "Just keep studying hard and training your body back into fighting shape. UA University's entrance exam is no joke; only 1 out of 300 applicants are accepted."
"I know, Agent Coulson. I'm studying hard to get caught up on everything." Midoriya stated.
"You can just call me Coulson, Cap. Or Phil. Whatever's comfortable with you. OH!" Midoriya heard Coulson's tone shift to excitement. "You should take the time to also catch up on some of the latest pop culture trends in your free time. That way when you get into UA you know the lingo of your peers."
"If I get into UA," Midoriya corrected.
"When!" Coulson retorted strongly. "Also, unrelated, there's a new movie from Disney coming out about you in July. A new trailer just released today. You think you can check it out and tell me your thoughts?"
Midoriya sweat-dropped with a sheepish smile. 'Coulson sure is a fanboy…'
"Uh… sure. I'll add it to the list." he replied.
"Good! Also, thanks again for signing my replica shield."
"N-no problem." Midoriya lightly stuttered, feeling bashful.
"Spend your time wisely, Cap. Don't be afraid to make some friends while you're there. Coulson out."
With that, the call ended. He placed the phone back in his pocket and sighed deeply. He reached into his satchel to pull out a notepad titled Things to Catch Up On. Flipping over several pages of various list items that included movies, books, and music from the last 150 years. At the end, he added "Disney movie trailer about me?".
He sighed heavily, placing the notepad back in his bag. "I have my work cut out for me." He murmured in English.
"Green hair!"
Midoriya stopped and turned, surprised to see it was the ash blonde running toward him. "H-hi… it's you. Didn't get your name." He awkwardly said.
Bakugo stopped a few meters away from Midoriya and took a short moment to catch his breath. Did he run the whole way here? "It's… Bakugo… You… gaijin… what's your deal?"
"Huh?" Midoriya tilted his head in confusion.
"Why'd you rush in like that?" Bakugo clarified. "You don't know me. So why?!"
"Oh… well… looked like you need help. Body moved on own." Midoriya shakily replied.
Bakugo's gaze narrowed as if he were scrutinizing Midoriya's reply. His body moved on its own, huh?
He shot Midoriya with an expression mixed with indignation and confusion.
"Yeah, well… it was All Might who saved me at the end of the day, so don't think I owe you or anything, got it?!" Bakugo yelled angrily. "And don't you dare think you can look down on me for this, Green Hair! I will be Japan's Number One Hero! And this'll only make me stronger! Not you or anyone else will have to ever save me! Got it!?"
Midoriya simply nodded. "Y-yeah… understand."
"Also, work on your damn Japanese! It's freaking annoying to listen to." With that, Bakugo stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and stomped away.
After Bakugo turned a corner, Midoriya shook his head and chuckled lightly. 'That guy definitely has a lot of pride. Bakugo...' A thought then occurred to him. 'He said he wants to be the Number 1 Hero… I wonder if he's trying out for the UA entrance exam too? Should ask him if I see him again.'
"I AM HERE!" All Might announced, popping up from around a corner.
Midoriya yelped at All Might's sudden entrance. "All Might? W-why you here? The reporters?"
"Ha-ha-hah!" All Might laughed boisterously while flexing his impressive biceps. "I stand for justice, not sound bites! Because I am ALL MIG-"
In the middle of his monologue, All Might's form suddenly reverted to its shriveled state in a puff of steam. He was also spitting out blood for good measure too.
"HEY! YOU OKAY!?" Midoriya screamed in concerned shock.
"Y-yeah…" Yagi Toshinori wiped the blood off his mouth. Clearing his throat, he spoke in English, "Young man, I came to thank you and revise what I told you earlier… I also have a couple questions."
"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked, curious.
"If it hadn't been for you, I would've just been a worthless bystander in the crowd. Thank you."
"You shouldn't thank me." Midoriya shook his head. "It was partially my fault that the villain was there to begin with… I got in the way of your work, unintentional or not. I wasted your energy and not to mention your time."
"I'm not done. Of all the people there… it was only YOU who acted, despite being Quirkless. Seeing you try to save a life spurred me to action." Yagi confessed. "You reminded me that true heroism isn't about power… but the heart. And you showed that more than anyone today."
Midoriya lightly gasped and looked at the emaciated man in surprise.
"There are stories about every Top Hero; all the way back to the First Hero… and how they became great. Most have one thing in common… their bodies moved before they could think."
A small smile began to take shape on Midoriya's face as he understood where All Might was going with his speech.
"And that happened to you today."
Several key memories from Midoriya's past surfaced, ranging from various people telling him that he'd never amount to anything to loved ones gently telling him it'd be impossible to achieve his dreams.
"Midoriya? No way!"
"He's an idiot if he thinks the military would want anything to do with him."
"You're just a scrawny, little weakling who'll be lucky to live past 30!"
"Sweetie… I'll always love and support you… but please don't put all your eggs in that basket…"
"I'm sorry Izu-kun… I'm your friend, so I won't lie… you really should reevaluate your options."
There had only been one person who had believed in him - and her memory was causing his heart to clench.
"Heroes, soldiers or not, are measured by their heart not their strength. And you… you got lots of heart!" Her cheerful yet wise voice echoed in his head.
The wind started blowing as cherry blossoms flew.
"Yes. Those who inspire others to do good, Quirkless or not, are heroes." Yagi declared.
Midoriya lowered his head unable to suppress a proud smile and felt his eyes get a tad misty. Hearing the Symbol of Peace confirm his ideals was reassuring. Maybe he could find a place in this crazy comic book-esque world.
"T-thank you, All Might…" He replied.
Yagi Toshinori smiled at the verdette. "There's something I need to know about you though." His expression became serious. "Earlier, you ran past me on the sidewalk at a speed too fast for any normal person. And in the fight, you left a small indention in the wall when you pushed off… Those both are superhuman feats. How is that possible if you're Quirkless? You didn't lie to me, did you?"
Midoriya internally flinched. He really does need to be mindful of his actions. 'Well… no sense in trying to cover it up…'
"No. I didn't lie. I really am Quirkless… but I didn't say I was powerless." Midoriya replied.
Yagi cocked a brow ridge, bewildered. 'What does he mean by that?'
"Not sure I understand what you're saying… What about that shield then?" Yagi directed his gaze to the circular case on Midoriya's back. "With how that thing bounced off objects and broke the fire hydrant, no way that thing is a prop."
"Well… you see…" Midoriya stopped, unsure of how to explain.
"And you used it quite well! Color me impressed. Heh… with the way you swung that thing around I would have thought you were Captain America or something," Yagi joked, trying to lighten the air. "I'm just curious to know your story, yah know?"
Midoriya looked away with a nervous expression while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
All Might noticed the change and was confused. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
"Well…" Midoriya's eyes were directed to the ground, squirming under Yagi's gaze. "You think… you could keep a secret for me, All Might?"
"Of course." Yagi replied truthfully. "You're keeping my secret, after all. Least I can do is keep one of yours."
"You swear to keep this between us?" Midoriya lifted his head to look him straight in the eyes.
He was completely serious.
Yagi was confused. He wondered what could be so important that the verdette would swore him to secrecy.
"I will." Yagi nodded. "You have my word."
Midoriya's shoulders relaxed slightly. Letting the straps fall off his shoulders, he pulled off the case and unzipped it - pulling out the replica of the First Hero's support item.
"This shield… isn't a replica," he confessed.
Yagi blinked twice. It wasn't? He stared intently at the item. The memory of Midoriya's shield was engraved in Yagi's mind. He had seen that object throughout his youth being wielded by the Captain in old footage, movies, and posters. Yagi then paused to look at Midoriya more closely. Something… did seem familiar about him.
No. That wasn't possible. Just a genetic coincidence. Also, it'd been over 150 years since the Captain's time. Then again, He was very old as well...
"What do you mean, young man?" Yagi inclined.
Midoriya sighed heavily, sliding his left arm through the shield's straps. "Honestly, I'm not sure how to put this lightly. I'm still new to this era and all… trying to catch up on everything I've missed. But I thought it wouldn't be a big deal carrying this thing around with me. Gives me comfort, I suppose. If anyone asked, I'd say it was a replica and they'd leave it at that." He stopped to nervously strum his fingers against the shield's cool, smooth surface. "But today… I had to use it, and it nearly gave me away to everyone at the scene."
Yagi's eyes widened at the shocking possibility based on Midoriya's reply. The truth was bubbling just beneath the surface of their conversation. It couldn't be. He had to - no, he needed to ask even if it sounded crazy.
"Are you," Yagi hesitated, not believing the words about to come out of his mouth. "You're Captain America?"
Yagi Toshinori, All Might, had seen many things in his years as a Pro Hero. Petty theft, gangs, murderers, kidnapping, natural disasters, Trigger busts, and crazed supervillains - the works. This, however, did not fall under any of the above.
Midoriya's eyes were closed for a moment as if he were processing All Might's question and whether to respond. Finally, he opened his emerald eyes revealing the seriousness behind them.
"Yes."
Just like that, Yagi's world was flipped upside down. He leaned his hand against a nearby wall. All the remaining strength in his weakened body was fading away at the dawning realization.
"I… I think… I need to sit down…" All Might said faintly.
He then felt himself collapse face-first to the sidewalk; his vision getting blurry.
"ALL MIGHT!?" was the last thing he heard before consciousness left him.