On the top of a building,
Afternoon...

Midoriya's POV

"Even if I don't have a Quirk, can I become a hero?" I asked, slightly shouted at the Symbol of Peace before me, closing my eyes tightly and clutching my skirt. "Can even someone without a Quirk be like you?" I asked again, nervously waiting for his response. "Without a Quirk...?" All Might spoke out.

"It might have been because I don't have a Quirk, but I'm always made fun of... Maybe that is why... I don't know... But I think saving people is super cool." I stated in fidgety and kept twirling my fingers. I took a deep breath and exhaled it, closing my eyes tightly. "Saving people with a fearless smile. I want to be the greatest hero, like you...!" I opened my eyes big with a wide smile spread across my freckled feature, only to see a very skinny man blonde man, with hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, steam coming out of his body. My jaw dropped to the floor due to shock. "O-O-OHHOOOOHHH!!! WAHHHHHHH!!!!!" I shrieked loudly, flinching in surprise. My scream echoed on the top of this building we were standing on.

"Y-Y-You are deflating...! Wait, up until now... Huh?! Fake?! A fake?! You are so skinny!" I gasped and looked around me searching for All Might, still not believing in my eyesights. " I am All Might..." The skeleton man exclaimed before blood flowed out of his mouth.

I flinched and shrieked again. "NO WAY!" I denied this man standing before me. "You know how the guys at the pool are constantly flexing and posturing? It is like that." He stated in calmness while wiping off the blood on his mouth. "No waaaaaay!!!" I still denied him and kept pumping my fists up and down in panic.

"I-It just... It can't be... All Might is fearless... He saves everyone with a smile... He is the greatest..." I exclaimed in disbelief.

All Might breathed a heavy sigh. "A fearless smile, huh?" He uttered in seriousness, slowly sliding his back against the light turquoise fence and then sat on the concrete floor. He stared into my eyes for a long time in silence.

"Now that you have seen me like this, young lady, make sure you do not write it online, even by accident. This is a top secret." All Might reminded me, his eyes clouded with intense seriousness. He suddenly lifted up his shirt a bit, showing a serious, spiral-looking injury on his stomach. I gasped and back down a bit.

"It is an injury I got from an enemy's attack five years ago. Half of my respiratory organs were destroyed and I lost my whole stomach. I have become emaciated from repeated surgeries and the aftereffects. Right now, I can only work as a hero about three hours a day." All Might carefully explained to me in details. My eyes widened big. "That can't be... Five years ago... Was that when you fought Toxic Chainsaw?" I asked him and he nodded as a yes.

"You are well-informed. But a punk like that could not defeat me. And this fight was not made public to the world. I asked that it not be made public." All Might said, looking at his injury before rising his head, staring at me. "I will save people with a smile! The Symbol of Peace cannot be daunted by evil." He heaved a soft sigh and opened up his balled-fist.

"I smile to show the pressure of heroes and to trick the fear inside of me. Pros are always risking their lives. I cannot simply say, "You can become a hero even without power"." The number one hero stated in calmness. His words stabbed my heart like a sharp knife. I could feel the inside of me broke apart.

Gasp of shock escaped my mouth once again, my eyes were extremely wide. My body began trembling, a painful smile tugged on my lips. "I-I see..."

All Might got up slowly and said, "If you want to help others, then you could also become a police officer. They are often teased because they got villains delivered to their doorstep, but that is also a fine occupation." All Might said as he walked away from me.

"It is not bad to dream. But you also have to consider what is realistic, young lady."

As soon as the door shut closed by my idol, I burst into tears. I gripped my collar very firmly, feeling very hurt and broken.

Even my idol... The Symbol of Peace... The Number One Hero told me...

I can't be a hero...

Is this it? Is this the end? Do I really have to give up? I admired heroes so much... So much that I decided to become one.

I dropped on my knees and cried my heart out, my sorrowful tears falling on the concrete floor, soaking it. "Shiki-san..." I uttered sadly. I wanted to meet him so bad.

"Shi-Shiki-san... All Might said I can't be a hero..." I muttered to myself hurtfully, sobbing and weeping alone on this roof. A loud explosion snapped me out of my cries, causing me to weakly lift my head up. I saw smoke coming from a certain place in the city.

"A villain...?" I murmured and immediately got up on my two feets back when a rush of realization hit me. I stared at the explosion for a few seconds before rushing to the door. "What hero will go to the scene--"

But I stopped my pace when All Might's face and voice appeared in my mind. My heart felt like it was pierced once again, making me felt down. I clenched my palms into firm fists.

I sighed long and proceeded to walk out of the building in a very slow pace, feeling weak and down about this.

Why can't I be a hero...?
Why am I Quirkless...?
Why am I bornt this way...?
Did world and fate hate me that much...?
Did world want to see me suffering so badly until I break down...?

Why can't I be what I want?

....

Meanwhile...

"Shiki's" POV

DAMMIT! WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER MY CALL, MIDORI?!

I cursed under my breath, glaring at my phone in frustration. I already called for 15 times but she did not answer at all!

Her scream just now was not a joke... She is facing danger! Worse, she might have encountered villains!

I am such an idiot! If only I was there to help her...

Her GPS location is is turned off too... I don't have a way to track her down.

I stopped running and leaned my back against the electric pole, panting breatlessly. I closed my eyes tightly,sweats trailed down the side of my head.

Midori... Izuku... Please be fine...

.....

Back to Midoriya,
At the sludge villain scene...

Midoriya's POV

I heaved a long sigh of defeat, thinking about what All Might-- no, all people around me told me while walking slowly toward the scene. Tears seeped from my eyes.

Don't cry! You knew, didn't you?! The reality...

You knew. That is why you were trying so desperately, Izuku. You were averting your eyes, not looking at reality...

I have to face reality... Or it will only hurt me more... I have to forget my dream and move on...

Ah!

First, I lost Dabi! I still can't move on from him!'Now I have to forget my lifetime dream?!

Why did this have to happen...?

Dabi... Where are you when I need you the most? I really wanna ask why did you leave me that night... Why did you leave my questions unanswer...

You are cruel, making me suffer like this.

I heard a loud explosion again and turned to look at the direction it came from. "Is this where the explosion earlier was...?"

Hang on, does that mean, I came out of habit without noticing?

I just ignored those thoughts and crossed the road, heading toward the scene.

Ah, stop it already! It will just feel meaningless right now.

I tried my best to peek a glance through the chattering crowds. Eyes suddenly went wide when I realized...

It was the same sludge villain who attacked me that caused the whole ruckus!!!

Oh my gosh! What is that guy doing here?! Did he get away from All Might?!

I recalled the moment I hung onto All Might after he jumped, then a rush of big regret hit me. I held my notebook close to my chest.

He dropped it... And it was all my fault!!!!!

I stared at the villain in disbelief, tears was about to leak out again. I just ruined a pro's work!

I stood on my tip toes again to get a better view of the incident. I heard the chatterinng of two men, telling that a boy was being held hostage for a while already.

I looked back at the villain in worry. What if he kills that boy?

I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts and sharpened my sense to recognize the victim, and realized....

It was Kacchan...

____________________________

AN- I'm so sorry if there is many mispelling mistakes! I will fix it once I charge up my phone!

And guess what?
.
.
.
.
.
Dabi will appear soon enough. 😉