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A young Izuku, the size of a toddler, his curly hair a messy mop on his head, can be heard running down the hallway of his childhood home. His mother, Inko Midoryia, was a little taller, and thinner back in those days. She follows his beckoning excitement to his room. "Mom, hurry! C'mon, Mom! It's computer time!" Izuku cheers, as he reaches up to open the door handle.

"Already? Let's see...." Inko teases playfully as Izuku climbs onto the computer chair. She opens a familiar web page with a video clip that has been watched by millions across the world.

Izuku's little fists knock the desk in excitement, "Faster, let's go!"

Though Inko sighs at his impatience, she can't help but laugh at his limitless enthusiasm for the video he has watched almost daily for a long time now. "Geez, I think you've added 10,000 views to this one yourself, Izuku. I don't know why you like it, I think it's scary." There is truth in her words, Inko had always been a little scared of the situations Heroes find themselves in.

However, to Izuku, this video clip was his greatest source of inspiration. The video clip in question was of old disaster footage from a long time ago. The scene opens to a dark landscape covered in debris, fire, with it a sense of mass panic and audible screams. Some screams are from injured bystanders, some in mournful agony, and others in support of the Hero who boldly charged into the wreckage in an attempt to save innocent lives.

Not only is this video a piece of Japan's history, it is also a clip of the first-rate work a pro hero was capable of. This is a video of All Might's awe-inspiring capabilities. Proving once again that All Might is the greatest hero the world has ever known.

The person filming the video was standing near the overturned bus full of citizens, he and some of the other fortunate bystanders that were uninjuried could be heard speaking in the background. Their comments are about the big muscle man on top of the bus carrying at least eleven citizens at one time. His blonde hair shines brighter than a yellow sun, and two strands of his hair stick straight up in a V.

Bystanders in the video can be heard asking questions as they watch from the sidelines where it's safe. "Are you seeing this?" and "Who is he? The guy's already saved a hundred people at least and it hasn't even been ten minutes." are the most audible questions that can be heard above the chaos.

"This is... this is crazy! I can't believe it!" The filmer says in aw, zooming in on the man's face. Just as the video zooms in, All Might's face finally comes into focus. Etched into his chiseled features is a jovial grin as he releases booming and boastful laughter. As though this was a completely normal situation for him.

"Fear not, citizens!" His echoing voice reaches the bystanders as he stands tall and proud. "Because I am here!" This video will later become known as All Might's debut. And his career will consist of many heroic saves just like this one. He did become the number one hero after all.

While the crowd cheers on screen, off screen Izuku's little feet kick in joy, his squeals of excitement filling the small room. "He's the coolest in the universe!" He cheers happily, his All Might figurine bouncing with his hand. "When I get my quirk, I'm gonna be a hero just like him!"

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"I'm afraid there's no hope for him." The doctor, in his pristine white lab coat, bluntly informs Inko Midoriya a few months later. He had just done a routine physical and body scan on Izuku.

"Oh dear," Inko gasps, beside her Izuku's face is frozen in shock. "So, you really think there's something wrong, then? Most of the other kindergarteners in his class have begun showing signs already."

The doctor looks over his paperwork again with a frown that hides under his bushy mustache, "My records say you're a fourth-generation quirk user. What powers do you and the boy's father have?"

Inko uses her quirk to float a pen towards herself while explaining, "Nothing too special. I can float small objects towards me and my husband breathes fire."

"They're useful enough I suppose," the doctor nods his head sympathetically before spinning in his chair to turn on the light box which displays an x-ray of Izuku's foot. "Izuku should have already manifested one of these quirks or some kind of combination, but after viewing his x-rays, I don't think he's going to."

Izuku and Inko follow his finger as he points to Izuku's pinky toe on the x-ray, "You see, when superpowers first began appearing there were many research studies conducted and doctors discovered a link between the bones in a person's foot and their likelihood of developing a quirk. People with powers have only one joint in their pinky toes. Their bodies have evolved into a more streamlined version of the human form. As you can see here, Izuku has two joints in his pinky."

He lets out a gruff sigh, flipping the light box off. "There are roughly twenty-percent of the population that does not have a quirk these days. Based on the research that's available, it's safe to say your son isn't going to develop a quirk."

The words Izuku never wanted to hear were said aloud. His dream of becoming a bright and shining hero, could they really never come to fruition? The shock still keeps him frozen in place, his expression neutral, as his heart works over time to process the information his brain just received.

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Inko paces nervously outside Izuku's bedroom door. A mother carries their child's dreams close to their hearts as well. And when your child receives terrible news, it's a pain a mother can feel too. Inko's own heart is breaking as she tries to find a way to explain to her young son that the dream he has will never come true.

From outside the bedroom door she can hear his favorite All Might video playing on loop. Except this time, Izuku's cheers of excitement aren't ringing through her ears. With a heavy heart and a deep breath, she carefully opens the door. The first thing she really notices is all the All Might posters and memorabilia they've collected the last couple of years. As the bystanders in the video repeat all the familiar phrases on que, "Who is he? This guy's already saved a hundred people and it hasn't even been ten minutes!"

All Might's distinct laugh haunts Inko as she gathers the courage to stand next to Izuku, "Fear not, Citizens! Help has arrived! Because I am here!". Except, All Might isn't here to save her son from heartache.

"See that, mom? There's always a smile on his face no matter how bad things get," Izuku's trembling finger points at the monitor as his tearful eyes look up at Inko. "Even when things seem impossible, he never gives up."

Inko feels her heart snap as she drops to hold her son. Izuku looks at her, his face still so naive and youthful, "Do you think... I can be a hero too?"

His mom sobs, her breath hitching painfully in her throat, "I'm so sorry Izuku! I wish things were different!"

As Izuku reflects back to the moment his dreams took a painful nose dive, he can't help but talk aloud to himself. "Mom... That's not what I needed you to say. Couldn't you see? My world was crumbling... And there was only one thing I wanted to hear... I made a decision that day." His shoulders straighten as he draws on his resolve, "No matter what anyone else thinks, I have to believe in myself. And I'll keep smiling, just like him!" To prove his point, Izuku tries to imitate All Might's deep boastful laugh.

Behind him, a kind of sludge starts to rise out of the sewer grate, taking on an eerily human form as it squeezes itself through the small cracks. The first thing that alerts Izuku to its presence is the wet squelching and strange panting sound. Then he hears a bone chilling whisper, "A medium... sized body... to hide in."

Izuku gasps, whipping his head around to look at the strange creature, "A... Villain?"

Within a matter of seconds the villain's sludge-like form launches at Izuku, coating his body with its slimy elastic flesh. Its body distorts around Izuku's and the Villain brings an eye down to look into Izuku's. His voice can be distinctly heard despite the way it's mouth is distorting to help swallow Izuku.

"Don't worry, I'm just taking over your body. It'll be easier for both of us if you don't fight back. It will only hurt for a minute. You'll feel better soon." The villain sneers as Izuku struggles pitifully to escape it's clutches. The slimy skin is already covering Izuku's mouth and nose, cutting off his oxygen.

"I can't... breathe..." Izuku thinks to himself as he tries to come up with some kind of plan to fight back. His notebook falls to the ground, the book ominously opening to a hand sketched picture of Izuku's ideal hero costume. A costume that resembles and pays tribute to his favorite hero.

The villain laughs at Izuku's continued struggles, his hands desperately trying to pry the sludge away from his mouth. "Grab all you want, my body's made of fluid. Thanks for the help. You're a real hero to me, kid. I didn't know he was in the city. I gotta get outta here fast, before he tracks me down."

Izuku, unable to speak or cry out for help, can only laminate the situation in his own mind. "My body... getting... weak... I think I'm dying... No way... this can't be the end... Somebody... Help!"

A loud clambering of metal being smashed upon sounds through the alleyway, pulling both the Villain and Izuku's attention to the sewage drain the villain seeped out of. "Fear not, Kid!!" All Might's booming voice calls out as he leaps out of the sewage drain. The Villain barely has time to panic before All Might's feet hit the ground. "I am here!".

All Might's fist swings back to draw in power, "Texas..." with his right hand he delivers a devastating blow to the villain. The speed and power of his swing harnessed enough wind to blow the Villains body off of Izuku. "SMASH!" He cries out triumphantly. In his left hand is a grocery bag with two empty bottles of two liter colas.

The Villain is still trying to comprehend how the number one hero was able to remove his body from the boy with just a single punch, "Shock... wave?!" He gasps, his body struggling to maintain any kind of human-like semblance.

Meanwhile, Izuku is just as stunned as the villain, his skin, specifically his mouth, are flapping in the intense winds produced by All Might's smash. Everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. The lack of oxygen and the shock to his system quickly leave his world darkening around the edges as his body begins to pass out. He at least manages to get a look at his savior, and he swears he must be dreaming... "All... M... ight..." He chokes out before succumbing to the darkness.

With Izuku passed out on the ground, All Might makes quick work of securing the villain into one of the empty two liter cola bottles. The villain's elastic sludge-like body easily fits inside, filling the bottle and resembling a sort of forbidden substance.

All Might gazes down at the boy on the ground, unsure of what else to do, he quickly makes repetitive taps to the young boys face, thirty-seven taps to be exact*. "Hey! Hey... Wake up! Hey!" He sighs in relief as Izuku comes to with a yelp and quickly sits up. "Oh good! Thought we lost you there!"

Izuku is too shell shocked to do anything other than gape at his long-time revered hero. All Might laughs dramatically, a hand resting on his forehead. "Well, looks like you're moving around all right. Sorry about that back there. I didn't mean to get you caught up in my justice-ing. Usually I pay more attention to keeping bystanders safe. But it turns out this city's sewer system is pretty difficult to navigate!"

His boastful laugh comes out a little more sheepishly as he admits to what took him so long to capture the Villain. He pulls out the two liter bottle containing the Villain to show Izuku, "Anyway, you were a big help. Thank you! I've captured the evil-doer!"

"The most amazing hero in the entire world... All Might..." Izuku thinks to himself in disbelief. "the real thing... in the flesh... standing right in front of me! He looks so much cooler in person!" Even in his day clothes All Might tends to have a flamboyant presence.

Izuku's internal thoughts start to become external speech as he quickly tries to find his notebook, "Holy crap, I gotta get an autograph. I've got a pen around here and my notebook..." He locates the notebook on the ground near him and grabs it. the page opens up and he's greeted with All Might's all capital, full page, signature. Izuku gasps, "He already signed?!"

He quickly picks himself off the ground and bows several times in a row to show his gratitude and excitement, his babbling increasing rapidly. "Thank you so much! This will be an heirloom, a family treasure passed down for generations to come!"

All Might can't help but laugh a little at the quirky kid. He takes notice of his own state and quickly braces himself to make a quick exit, knowing he is running out of time. "Now, I must bring this evil-doer to the authorities! You can catch me on TV again next time, until then stay out of trouble!"

Izuku steps forward, panic setting in as he realizes his role model is already attempting to take off so quickly. "Wait... you're leaving? Already?"

The pro hero's shoulders tense as he prepares himself to jump, "Pro heroes are constantly fighting time as well as enemies!". Something that is all too true for All Might.

The panic continues to grow as Izuku starts to think to himself, "He can't go yet. There's still so many questions I have to ask him..." And meeting pro heroes isn't an everyday occurrence, even if you get to be a bystander during one of their villain undertakings.

All Might crouches down, his legs storing enough power to launch his body into the air like a speeding missile, "Now Stand back, I'm taking off!" His voice booms as the air pressure rapidly changes from the force of his jump. "Thanks for your continued support!"

His launch into the air appears seamless, yet the pro hero feels a light weight on his leg. When he turns his head he sees the small awkward kid holding onto his leg for dear life, his mouth and skin flapping in the wind. "Huh?" The hero gasps as the boy starts screaming, his instincts kick in and he tries to push the kid off his leg, "Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you're doing?! Let go! I love my fans but this is too much!"

Izuku's voice comes out shaken and sporadic from the wind warping his mouth, "No... way!... We're flying!... If I let go... now... I'll die!"

All Might instantly stops trying to push the kid away, instead he grabs him tightly, "Oh yeah, that's a good point."

The kid's eyes fling tears and his mouth still flaps in the wind as he tries to talk, which All Might finds rather unsettling to look at. "I... need to ask you... so many things! You're my... hero..."

Sensing that this child posses a strong persistence and relentless nature, All Might concedes, "Okay, okay! Just do me a favor and keep your eyes and mouth shut! It's freaking me out!". He spots a vacant rooftop nearby and quickly drops down. The time he has been so worried about is starting to run out quicker and quicker, especially while he is in this form. He tries to cover the sounds of his cough, but he knows it's only going to be a matter of moments now. "Shit".

Izuku is too busy wheezing, trying to catch his breath and calm his nerves. He knows he did something reckless, but being up that high in the air and at such powerful speeds, "Scary..." he mutters. "My whole life just flashed before my eyes!"

All Might is busy trying to look for a quick escape, he sees a door and quickly points it out to the kid, "Not a very smart move kid! Bang on the door for a while, someone will let you in. Now, I have to go. See you on the flip side." He tries to keep his voice steady and cheerful, but it's getting increasingly more difficult to choke down the coughs.

The sense of panic washes over Izuku again as he quickly tries to prevent the Hero from leaving, "Wait, not yet! One second!"

"No!" All Might's voice bellows, shocking Izuku into place. "I don't have any time!"

With a shaky breath, the boy steals his resolve and prepares to ask the question he has needed answered his entire life. "I have to know!"

In his mind he can remember all of it so clearly.
"Sorry kid, It's not gonna happen..." The first person to trample his dreams...
"I'm sorry Izuku..." His mother had said through her tears, "I wish things were different..."
And just a few hours earlier during class, even Kacchan tried to make Izuku see 'reason', "Defenseless Izuku! The school's already crappy, you really wanna embarrass it more by failing so hard?"
"Sometimes I do feel like a failure..." Izuku thinks to himself as his memories attempt to crush him, "Like there's no hope for me. But even so... I'm not gonna give up! Ever!"

His fists tremble at his side as he braces himself, "I have to know! Is it possible to become a hero, even if I don't have a Quirk?" Due to his desperation and fear, his eyes pinch shut, "I'm a normal kid without any powers. Could I ever hope to be someone like you?"

Little do these two know, Izuku's lifelong dream of meeting All Might might have come true, almost like a miracle. But neither of them could have predicted how this chance encounter would change the course of both their futures.

*I saw a tik tok video that someone had slowed down and counted how many quick slaps All Might used on Izuku. If I find the video again I will share it! It's actually kind of funny!

Preview: V Izuku & Katsuki: Part III, The Deflated Hero
All Might's booming voice would like to announce a special message!
"Never fear, adoring public! I am here! For the next chapter preview!" He leans in to whisper to the audience, "I'm going to tell you why time is so important to a hero like myself. And wait-?! That goo villain has taken a boy hostage and is running amok in the town? This isn't good! But... I can't use my powers much longer..." All Might groans, "You're pathetic, a fraud All Might!"