"You, Midoriya Izuku can be a hero "

The silence stretched as the words began to sink in. He could be a hero? How could All Might say that? Was he playing some kind of sick joke on him? But then again, he was the symbol of peace. He wouldn't do that... would he?

Panic bubbled in his mind at the thought of these words being nothing but a cruel joke. One more way for life to bring him down.

How could someone as useless as him possibly be a hero?

His ears were ringing and dark spots were beginning to form at the edge of his vision. All Might's booming voice, the only thing keeping him from having a full blown panic attack. His words cutting through the static ringing in his ears.

"My boy, my quirk has been the subject of countless interviews and questioning but I always try to redirect the media and deflect their questions, because, until this day, my quirk is one of the most guarded secrets in my life.

My quirk, known as One for all is a stockpiling quirk, a power passed on every new generation to the next to only those worthy of wielding its power" Wait what? Izuku could only stare with wide eyes as he gazed upon the older, taller hero standing in front of him, it didn't make any sense! quirks were supposed to be hereditary! Ever since their appearance, not a single one had been passed on from a person to another. It was impossible!

All Might smiled softly at the mumbling teenager in front of him. "I'm being completely honest with you kid. I too was quirk less once until my predecessor saw potential in me and gave me this power, turning me into its 8th holder."

Izuku didn't know what to think anymore. All Might, quirk less? But why was he telling him about his power? "Wait... what are you trying to say?" Izuku didn't want to get his hopes up. For all he knew, All Might just wanted to ask him about Kacchan or if he knew someone worthy of such an honor because it sure wasn't plain old useless Deku.

"I've grown weak and old my boy, after the incident five years ago I don't know how much time I have left as the symbol of peace before I'll be forced to retire" Electric blue met emerald eyes and held them for a few seconds " The world needs a new pillar of justice and I think that you my boy would be the perfect candidate. I know this is sudden, but accepting this would mean taking on a huge responsibility and burden too but I believe that you young Midoriya will be a great hero"
How was he supposed to respond to that? How could he possibly decline such an offer? But wasn't it selfish for someone as unworthy as him to take this kind of power? And what if his mom found out? His guts twisted at the thought and a shiver ran through his spine. No. he would make sure to hide this from her at all cost.

He felt something wet dripping down his cheek, suddenly very aware that he was crying. He felt so overwhelmed. By these dangerous feelings bubbling up inside of him. The fear of his mother finding out, the dark thoughts at the back of his mind telling him, yelling that: No! A useless kid like him could never be worthy of this kind of honor but at the front of those feelings, he could feel excitement and hopefulness bubbling to the surface. And weren't these feeling dangerous indeed? Izuku looked up gathering as much courage as he could master, eyes brimming with determination "I accept." A small smile threatened to overtake his expression he could finally become a hero maybe life would finally be in his favor

---------------------------------

Well, it was good while it lasted. Izuku's good mood somehow lasted half an hour after All Might had left, remembering that he was still technically homeless for the weekend and would need to find somewhere to sleep.

After a little while, he finally settled in an old kid's playhouse at an isolated part of the park, curling up on himself, sleep threatened to overtake him as he thought about what kind of training he would do with All Might tomorrow. It was a good thing he had packed some running cloth and sneakers.

The next morning izuku was woken up by the sounds of children giggling as they peeked inside the small playhouse, probably laughing at the way the greenette was lying face down on the dirt.

He hastily got up and ran to one of the public bathrooms, of the gas station, near the park. After changing out of his current cloth and into his somewhat acceptable workout clothe he made his way down the trash-filled beach. All Might had asked to meet him there.

Now that he thought about it, why was he meeting the number one hero there? He was too much in shock yesterday to question it but now his mind was racing with the possible reasons for this specific meeting.

He arrived there, faster than he realized. The beach being just a couple of blocks away. Surely, waiting for him there was none other than the skinny skeleton figure of the symbol of peace. Once he noticed him the man quickly made his way towards him.

"Ah, young Midoriya! Right on time!" All Might's booming voice greeting him, it was way too early for this tone. "You might be wondering why I asked you to meet me here right? "He continued, a smirk blooming in his features as he gestured to the piles of trash consuming the beach around them

"h-hey all Might, yeah I was kind of wondering actually..." The greenette replied hesitantly as if expecting to be scolded for his curiosity

"Well you see my boy, although I do feel as though you are worthy of One for All, I fear that you are still not ready to take it on" Ready? Ready for what? Some kind of requirement to be able to handle the quirk maybe?

Looking up into the frail man's eyes, Izuku searched for some kind of answer to his question, the eyes of the man before him were nothing like the hateful glare his mother graced him with, this man's eyes were soft and had some kind of respect and stern gaze to them. Izuku felt a little more at ease looking into those eyes.

"we need to train that fragile body of yours, at your current state you wouldn't be able to handle the backlash of my quirk. We have ten months before UA's entrance exam and I plan to turn you into a proper vessel by then my boy!" Ah yes. UA the best hero academy in Japan and even the world. Its entrance exam was nearly impossible to path with a weak quirk, let alone quirk less. Maybe Izuku would finally have a chance.

"Oh okay... but what are we doing here exactly?" The boy asked. Eyes scanning the area around them.

"Well you see Midoriya-kun a hero's job doesn't depend on just beating up the bad guys. A hero needs to contribute to even the smallest things in society, like looking after the environment and general health of the public" The taller man answered "In these ten months I'd be restricting you to a tight schedule to help get you to get in shape and clearing this beach will just be your first act as a future hero! But the question here is my boy, if you are willing to pour your all to improve and earn that power of mine!"

"You can count on me All Might" The boy replied, eyes lit with a fiery determination and glint that wasn't there the first time they had met. All Might couldn't be more satisfied in his choice of successor.

---------------------------

Therefore, began ten months of pure hell.

Izuku woke up every day at the crack of dawn. Effectively avoid running into his mother and having to explain where he's going and why. Her finding out about it would be a living nightmare.

His guts twisted at the mere thought of this scenario and what it meant for him.

All Might, on the other hand, was working him to the bone. Every day, he'd go out on a run around the city and then they'd meet at the beach. There he'd clear some part of the trash that was consuming it.

To say that Izuku was tired was an understatement. However, the satisfaction he got at the end of his work out was worth it. With each step he took, with every section he cleared, he was one step closer to accomplishing his dream.

It all made it worth it, a new feeling made its way into his heart. A feeling he was scared to have forgotten about, hope.

Izuku had just come back from his morning training with All Might nearly two months after that day at the park. He planned on sneaking into his room before his mother woke up. However, his plan was foiled when he was met by his mother's piercing glare. A gaze that threatened to burn holes inside of him. His blood ran cold, shivers runing down his spine as his eyes took her in.

How could he possibly think that he could get away with this without her noticing? Of course, she would find out and now all that was to be done is stand there and wait for whatever punishment she had in store for him.

A sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

His mother's gaze was narrowed and calculating his every move.

"where were you brat?" She hissed, her posture relaxed but her expression promising nothing but pain.

"I- I went out on a r- run" He answered nervously knowing that silence would aggravate her mood, he looked at her finally noticing the half-empty bottle she held in her hand and the way her feet swayed as she stepped closer

Inko had woken up to an empty house, opting to drawn her misery in red wine. Even her useless son had left her, the irony.
Izuku eyed the bottle warily, with his mother's current state there was no chance that this would end well.

She took a step closer, eyes looking at him but not really seeing, as if her mind was somewhere else, looking at him but seeing nothing but misery and pain. Her face twitched in disgust as she gazed upon her worst creation, her biggest regret really was not leaving while she had the chance. Maybe she should have gone with Hisashi.

The Greenette backed away slowly, his mind screaming at him to run, his flight instincts taking over.

This was nothing like the usual drunk episodes his mother had. This wasn't the screaming and crying state she would usually be in. This calm and threatening aura that surrounded her made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

Inko raised the bottle to her mouth and drank the rest of its content in one go. She turned around to throw it in the trash near the hallway but seemed to think better of it. Izuku could see the exact moment she seemed to decide her next course of action.

The malicious intent pouring out of her as she lifted the bottle into the air with her minor telekinesis quirk and slammed it against the wall next to his face.

Some of the shards straying off course and embedding themselves into his cheeks. Evidently, she had used her quirk to change the direction of the small shards of glass. The bottle having shattered into a hundred tiny pieces.

Years of abuse had risen his pain tolerance but the shock had still sent him tumbling to the ground. Hand rising to cup his cheek as he could feel dampness begin to spread.

Mind vaguely registering what had happened and that this dampness was a somewhat mix of both his blood and the tears that had started to roll without his consent.

Did his mother hate him that much? But after all, it's been this way for years, he didn't know why he was still surprised at this point by her actions and hatred towards him. maybe part of him still liked to think that things could get better between them.

With shaky movements, he tried to get back up but a harsh kick to his stomach and one to his hip sent him toppling over again

"Stay down brat, I'm leaving for the weekend, make yourself useful and clean this mess up, you worthless piece of shit" She sidestepped him making her way out the door, picking up the suitcase that he had failed to notice in all the commotion.

The door clicked shut behind her but Izuku didn't have it in him to try and get up anymore. He curled up on himself and cried.

How much time had passed while he just sat there, Izuku didn't know. He must have fallen asleep at some point, if the dimmed light coming from the window was of any indication.

With uncertain movements, he made his way to the bathroom. Taking the first aid kit- or what was left of it- from under the counter.

He hissed as he took out one of the bigger and deeper shards that were embedded in his cheeks, body moving on autopilot, as he patched himself up. Once finished, he looked at his handy work and decided it was enough for now.

He made his way downstairs determined to take advantage of most of the Inko free time he had. Maybe enjoy some fresh air to get his mind of things. He walked a couple of blocks from his neighborhood, passing multiple alleys and storefronts.

Passing one of the alleys he normally used as a shortcut to get to the beach, he heard someting that made him pause. Voices talking, laughing at something.

He peeked his head from behind a dumpster, curiosity overtaking him. His eyes landing on three teenagers, they probably his age. They were cornering someone at the back of the alley. Laughing and taunting him.

Said boy was backed against a wall, he had wild purple hair that somewhat defied gravity. His shoulders tense despite the resigned look on his fate. As if he had given into his fate, his eyes having some kind of blankness and void. The void that Izuku was so familiar with when he looked in the mirror on his bad days.

"Hey now! Just admit it already, you were born to be nothing more than a villain! "One of the teenagers taunted

"Don't talk to him, you idiot! He'll brainwash you!" A boy shorter then Izuku but with a bigger built responded.

"I'd like to see him try that after I'm done beating his jaw in" The teen kicked the purple haired boy in the guts sending him toppling on the ground, bent over and wheezing.

The third boy who had some kind of mutated quirk that made him look like a lizard, having scales formed on his neck and hands, sharpened his retractable claws and swiped at the kid's arm creating a deep cut on his forearm. The boy hissed in pain but still didn't respond

The boy prepared himself to kick the helpless kid again. However, Izuku couldn't just stand there anymore, he moved without thinking, running at the group and stepping between the purple haired boy and his tormentors. At the time only one thought was going inside his mind

I'm not going to let anyone suffer the way I did. Never.