Supsup, here's another MHA update! Sorry for the delay, ran into some issues I wanted to fix to make the Chapter flow more smoothly, but I think it's fine now.

Hope ye enjoy.

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Chapter 7 - The Meaning Behind a Dream

"Hiyaaa!"

Came the war-cry of the brown-haired teen who was my sparring partner for the day, charging in with a barrage of quick attacks before doing a quick spin kick towards my chest, blocking it and the next right hook that came a second later, hitting him with an elbow strike across his left temple that made him stagger backwards, taking a moment to recover before charging back in.

I, however, had a rather simple task; to not get hit and upon blocking every fourth attack, I was able to retaliate with a single punch or kick before repeating the same cycle. A bit of an unorthodox method for a spar, but given how the lesson for today was centered around strengthening your defenses, might as well take Sensei's word for it.

While pushing my opponent back, I took the split second for my eyes to wander towards Izuka who was not to far away from me, going back and forth in her own match but instead facing an older teen, it was a against boy who I believe is in his first or second year of Junior High and was pretty decent, but that didn't stop her from going even in her own match.

During my time here, and even before arriving at this world, some things you just have to experience to truly get the full meaning of it, including proper physical training. Watching videos and going off of memory worked considerably well up until a certain point, but it would be foolish to rely solely on that or think I wouldn't need proper insight to fine-tune some Heroes, and those who plan on becoming one need to be prepared for anything and everything, and being able to defend yourself if you aren't able to use your Quirk for whatever reason. There were people of all ages, some being regulars and some who just recently started attending, so there was plenty of variety in terms of skill.

Besides, with Musutafu having plenty of options to choose from, I made sure to look everywhere till I found just the right one. I was a little picky for this particular case, so I made sure to take my time when searching around.

Having a few years of physical training on my own while growing up under my belt, I didn't have to go through the basic introduction, rather willing to spring into action and rather let the Sensei rate my current capabilities. The beginner and somewhat intermediate fights were a breeze, as either by base durability or strength allowed me to hold my own in a spar on its own, which was a nifty perk when in and out of combat.

Seeing a pattern after beating multiple opponents in, Sensei had me go up against some older students, the teenagers to be specific.

While some Quirks give base forms a passive boost, mine was simply stronger by default, meaning even by holding back, it was enough to get me a win without "fully" trying just by that.

The next time we showed up, he wanted me to face off against him so he could get a "hands-on experience" before continuing anything else.

Obviously, I wasn't going to use my Quirks for any additional boosts since I think even at this age I was packing quite the punch, but now I had more freedom going up against a more experienced fighter. Besides, tactics were more important than firepower in this scenario.

Now, how did that particular matchup go?

Simple, me getting way too overconfident and actually thought I'd manage to exploit the openings during our fight, only to fall right into his trap.

The man was too damn smooth with his movements, and definitely had the confidence in his skills to boot, wanting the last possible moment before swatting away my hands and legs to stop my attack. We did several other spars afterwards, given the green light to do anything to come out as the victor, but I didn't have much luck there either.

When I got completely bodied without holding back, in such a short amount of time to boot, I knew we hit the jackpot.

Just by observing him and the older people who would come to the Dojo, I could tell we were gonna have a splendid time here.

Now knowing where my starting point was, the Sensei commended my knowledge and current skill level but was quick to point out the "flaws" present in my form. He was critical but made sure to not look at the negatives, rather use it as motivation to focus on certain areas to further improve my form.

Makes sense when you think about it, as if I spent so much time doing so many different things, I wouldn't think or even know some tidbits that were equally important in their own right. Also helps out that the man was very thorough in his explanations, even if it's regarding something simple. I paid close attention so I could start identifying said issues on my own in the future.

Izuka, on the other hand, was making solid progress in her own right.

Due to only starting somewhat recently and still at a young age, there was a lot of room to work with. Initially, they didn't expect her to already know a decent number of techniques and not be a complete novice, which I feel the Quirkless aspect might have had a small part in that assumption. That didn't stop her from coming out victorious in her matches, ending them as soon as possible with minimal damage to boot.

That, and I'm positive her drive for improvement didn't go unnoticed by the Sensei, placing her against slightly more skilled students to see how well she does as a result. The first few were like the rest until she quickly met her match, but that was enough for Sensei to get an idea of how to go about her situation.

Also, after explaining to him what our goals were, and how determined we were on the surface level alone, we might have already proven ourselves to him, but only time will tell.

"Keep up the fine work, you two," Sensei addressed the two of us since we were the last to leave, "I expect this level of dedication to be present for the foreseeable future, it would be a shame to slow down after such an impressive start. Next week I'll have you focus on refining your skills and increasing your stamina before we move on to anything else. Is that clear?"

Strict and somewhat harsh, but had just the right amount of heart mixed in as well.

All the proper ingredients you'd want in an ideal training instructor.

"Understood, Sensei!"

Dropping the serious facade, the older man gave us a warm smile while holding the door open for us, saying our goodbyes as we exited the building.

"So? What do you think of it?" I asked Izuka as we walked.

"It's amazing!" Izuka said ecstatically, "All of the people there are so nice, especially ones teaching us. They didn't mind that I didn't have a Quirk, but were glad I was so determined to learn new fighting styles. The Head Sensei was impressed I already had some fundamentals down but said there was room for a lot of improvement. Still, not starting from scratch makes it a bit easier, saying he's expecting great things if I keep this level of focus."

"That's good to hear, I'm glad it's to your liking," I said with a smile, "I spent a few days searching all over the Internet for the best possible pick in Musutafu, as well for it to be manageable distance-wise. Some of them even have retired Heroes that show up quite frequently, so when I narrowed down the options, this seemed like the best one."

"It's also not that far away for either of us, which is a big plus, If anything, it's just the right amount of distance for a pre-warm-up jog" Izuka commented, "If i'm being honest, I was pretty nervous when we started out, but having some prior experience greatly helped! After going up against several other students and actually winning, even if it's not much compared to everyone else, I'm sure it will only get better over time."

"Ooof, we better make sure we don't slack off then, otherwise Sensei will kick both our butts for getting lazy," I said optimistically, "Might still take a while, but we've done a pretty good job on your combat skills in the last two months that gave us a head start. However, now that we're here, at the rate we're going, we'll have nothing to worry about if we keep going at it."

"No other way but up, right?!" Izuka said with a bright smile, one filled with nothing but determination.

Forming a wide smile at her enthusiastic nature, I looked off to the distance to admire the stunning view of an orange sunset. We continued to walk at a slow pace as we weren't in any rush, rather wanting to enjoy some relief after finishing another day at the Dojo.

I tried focusing on virtually anything else at the moment, but the rumbling sensation in my stomach. I could've easily tapped several machines to take care of that hunger, but I refrained from doing so since I really wanted to actually eat something rather than just feed off of energy. Actually, I've been doing this for the last couple of days since Dad's schedule was rather hectic, and I was somewhat lazy to cook for myself since I had an easy alternative.

It was weird, it was essentially the same as eating but drastically different where it could be described as a totally different experience overall.

I wasn't getting sick of it by any means, If anything, I'm starting to miss what actual food tastes like. No offense to Dad's cooking, but after seeing him eat a burnt steak like it was nothing, I knew then and there I should accept that not every meal would turn out "perfect", to say the least.

Eh, could've been worse, at least it's not an occurring habit, otherwise, getting through meals would be the real challenge

"Say, Yukio-kun…" Izuka began lowly, dismissing all the current thoughts in my mind. "I was wondering…"

"Hmm? What's up?" I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"W-Well, considering its Friday, and we just got off training, but I was thinking-"

"I see, you wanna get a head start on Sensei's advice and tackle those issues he mentioned," I deducted, "While I'm usually against doing excessive training without proper downtime, I think we can make an exception this time. Maybe we ca-"

"Actually," Izuka said abruptly, cutting me off mid-sentence, "It's not that. I had… something else in mind. Because… well… you see…"

"More garden work?" I asked, sort of confident in my answer, "Whenever you beat around the bush this long, it has to be that. There's really no reason to feel embarrassed by asking me that, you know. Having you around to help out with the layout just feels…''better", I guess? Dad and I somehow always second guess where we should put each plant when redecorating, and when I'm on my own I spend a majority of time looking up different places to get some inspiration flowing. Now that I think about it, it would be an ideal time to switch out the old ones before they die out, still haven't decided with what to-"

"-Would you like to come over to my house?!"

My train of thought was broken when the request came out, a short but necessary pause needed to think back on what she just asked me.

Maybe it had to be the fact that Izuka struggled a bit to get it out, added to the fact I might have had a sort of derpy face as I genuinely was surprised by her suggestion. For some reason, I kind of thought it might be revolving around an odd activity or maybe some sort of location she thought I wouldn't be on board, it truly did seem that way for a second there.

Yup, seems like I'm forgetting who we're talking about here.

Silly me.

"Sure!" I said cheerfully, "Sounds fun! I'm just surprised it took you this long to ask me, considering you've been over at mine a couple of times and I walk you home whenever it gets late."

"I-I don't know, I was meaning to ask you for a while now, but well… I guess I wasn't sure how to bring it up in conversation…"

"Regardless, I'm more than happy to come," I said, "It will be nice to just sit around and relax for once, maybe we can watch a movie or something?"

"Yeah! We can do that!" Izuka replied cheerfully, but quickly looked off to the side sheepishly, "A-Actually, most of my collection consists of Hero-related movies, if-if you're alright with that."

"Most of them?"

Forming a low pout, Izuka muttered, "All of them…"

Another chuckle escaped my lips as the scene unfolded. Oh yeah, this will never get old. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised there, that sounds a bit redundant now that I think about it. Still, I haven't watched a decent movie in a while now. Usually, I just turn on the TV and try digging something up but give up halfway."

"Maybe we can buy some snacks while we're at it?" Izuka asked with uncertainty, "I'm not sure if we have a whole lot of them at home, so it wouldn't hurt to stock up just in case."

"Any preferences, or do we find the nearest store and take whatever?"

"Hmm, not sure, really," Izuka said while rubbing her chin, "I kind of want to get my Mom something while we're at it, so probably some sweets? Mom's been on a chocolate craving of sorts lately, so might as well."

"Yeah… I'm not fond of chocolate all that much, or sweets in general."

"You're not?!" Izuka practically screamed, eyes going wide at my statement.

Laughing awkwardly, I rubbed the back of my neck before responding, "Okay, that might be slightly incorrect now that I think about it. I mean, I don't mind them, but I can't eat too much of it without starting to feel a little… nauseous? Wait… that's not the word I'm looking for. Here's an example, you know how some medicine or syrups have a sort of "unappealing" taste?"

"Yeah…?" Izuka asked curiously.

"It's kinda like that after I eat a decent amount of it," I began explaining, "Like, I don't mind it if it's syrup or in small pieces till a certain point, otherwise, the sensation gets severely irritating around my horns. Not sure if all sweets have the same effect, but I never put that theory to the test, or explore different kinds of foods in general, mostly because I only ever eat what Dad makes for himself and I just take it as is. However, if you wanna get some, I guess I can make an exception."

"Wait…" Izuka uttered slowly, taking a few more seconds before speaking up, "Your dad doesn't cook the type of food that you enjoy, or even ask him to make something different for a change?"

"Eh, I kinda never really felt like bothering him with that," I shrugged truthfully, "Most of the time, because of his work schedule, I almost never ask for a specific dish or complain if it turns out differently than the picture in the recipe book. After my Mom passed away, he tried so hard to get everything back on track, being picky about food seemed like the last thing I should bother him with."

"I see…" Izuka muttered lowly, turning her head forward as we continued to walk.

"You okay?" I asked, seeing this particular form of silence usually meant something was on her mind.

"N-No, I'm fine… just," Izuka paused momentarily before quickly continuing, "I hope we find something that's to your liking, so both of us can enjoy a movie in peace."

"Might as well try finding a needle in a haystack while we're at it," I answered back somewhat bitterly, recalling all the places I visited when I would go out randomly exploring Musufasu. "Either I'm too picky in that regard or I can take whatever and be happy with it."

---

"Should I add an extra piece? Gah, they're probably hungry, better to make more just in case."

Inko pondered the thought while making dinner, the reason being somewhat of an important one. This was it, the day Inko has been looking forward to for the last couple of weeks, finally getting to meet Izuka's first friend, Yukio.

Maybe for some, it wouldn't be considered anything special or that important, but the same things can't be said for her, not in the slightest.

It took a little bit to convince Izuka to invite her friend over for the first time, always being met with a "soon", "eventually" or a "the universe might implode if I do" as a response. Well, that last one was a bit overexaggerated, but her daughter was a firm believer that it was a possibility, even before she could even ask the question.

Due to her daughter being rather talkative, Inko essentially begged for Izuka to invite her friend over so she can meet the boy herself. Luckily, today just might be that very day.

Well, she hopes that is.

Inko wouldn't be surprised if Izuka backed out of her promise in the last second, the multiple rehearsals they had shown her how difficult it was on her part. It was completely understandable from Inko's point of view, but regardless, all the single mother wanted to do was reassure her daughter to not "worry as much" as there wasn't a need to, especially when she already went to his house on multiple occasions.

Given the circumstance, Inko couldn't even fathom how these simple things were very important to her, for obvious reasons.

Inko wasn't stupid, nor clueless, but in a way, she was helpless to do anything.

Worst of all, she was responsible for feeling like that.

The single mother will never forget the day when she and her daughter went to the doctor, the smile on her face that was crushed into thousands of tiny pieces, and possibly the last time formed a genuine one prior to their appointment.

When Inko was her age, the idea of becoming a Hero burned just as bright, but slowly faded over time the more she would think about it. It's easy to give in to peer pressure and not think too much of the consequences of certain actions after the fact. It was a well-respected and greatly versatile profession, but ultimately, it wasn't for everyone, for one reason or another.

Being a Hero is something almost every other person wants to be ever since Quirks appeared, and in a way, Inko could understand why. They put their lives on the line to save people and keep society in a stable environment with how cruel and dangerous the world is as a whole. The thought of someone using their Quirk to harm and attack others, either for dominance or simply enjoying made her sick, but that's the way of the world, a harsh reality.

While she respected the profession for what it was, and all those do their part to help society, she never went beyond the surface level of the "culture" of it. Like many others, she simply didn't have that kind of drive to be in touch with the hero lifestyle, only wanting to live a peaceful life and have a family of her own. Even if she wanted to, raising a child while being a full-time Hero would be a near-impossible task, as properly splitting time between the two just doesn't seem like it would work out all that well in the end.

Aside from Villains, who simply use their power to get what they want, with no regard to the problems they cause in their wake, Inko wasn't sure how to handle a specific issue, one that only came into fruition once Izuka got her doctor's test results.

Kids were cruel.

At face value, that statement might seem a bit too harsh, and Inko truly didn't want to think that way, but over the years, it was difficult to not think that way every now and then. How couldn't she notice when Izuka would come home with a downcast expression or at best, a forced smile while acting nothing was wrong, but she couldn't fool her. To make matters worse, it was the ruined pieces of clothing or the occasional bruises she'd manage to spot before Izuka would hide them from sight.

It was always the same answer, albeit slightly altered to not cause any suspicion. That didn't excuse her behavior at home, where she simply couldn't act like nothing was wrong all the time without slipping up.

Inko never learned how she got them, or who would do such things to her, but it would make her blood boil every time. No matter how hard Inko tried, Izuka would never tell the entirety of her day without lying at some places to cover up each and every bruise/mark she'd got.

For years, Inko was forced to watch the same scene play out, again and again, unable to learn the truth to try and figure out a method to help her. After a certain point, all she would do is worry each time Izuka would go out, yet, even on days where nothing "major" happened, it was impossible to get the honest truth out of her.

Alongside that, Inko failed on another major account, supporting her daughter's dream.

After that day, Inko's concerns only grew bigger as more time passed, because she had no idea how to properly approach that subject. The difference between people who have a Quirk and those who don't was just too massive to simply ignore, frankly, it was downright unfair. At least with a Quirk, even a "bad" one, the odds of surviving in a battle against a Villain are significantly higher than those who are powerless.

Inko was a selfish parent, and she wouldn't want for her Quirkless daughter to potentially face off against deadly opponents, especially when she had no ability to defend herself, but she couldn't.

That night, upon entering her daughter's room, after seeing her pride and joy in such a state, it was the final crack that split her heart in two.

Inko couldn't just say "give up your dreams" or "find something else", as by the time the mere thought of those two things would make her stomach sick if she would even attempt to utter those words. It didn't help that Inko had no idea how to properly support her daughter's dream, nor where to even start. Guiding your child through the early years is detrimental to their outlook on life when they grow up, as well as supporting their dreams and ambitions instead of deciding their route for them.

Being Quirkless as a child is difficult, not that she could know a fraction of what her daughter experienced first hand, and kids see that as a form of deficiency. She didn't deserve to face that kind of treatment or be ridiculed for having a single extra toe-joint.

That one, small difference made her daughter's life a constant hell, by something that was out of her control in the first place. Izuka wasn't defective, nor broken in any way, shape, or form. When she learned of her daughter's condition that day in the doctor's office, not a single thing changed to make Inko even consider that something was wrong with her child.

Sadly, none of the kids her age saw it that way, rather seeing it as some kind of sickness.

However, one fateful day, that finally changed.

After so long, Izuka was smiling again. Not a forced smile that she saw many times before, but one filled with genuine happiness, and the change was evident.

How noticeable was the difference? It was a literal night and day level of contrast.

Before, instead of barely getting a sentence or two of how her day was, the two are now hardly able to get through their meals before getting sidetracked entirely.

In her own words, she held her friend to a very high degree and had nothing but admiration, for good reason. It was a little difficult keeping track of how specific Izuka was when describing Yukio, as her daughter is known to be nothing short of a Hero lover but can get a little too excited at times.

Although, it would seem that Izuka wasn't exaggerating when calling her friend a genius. While she was fairly smart for her age, Izuka claimed she learned more from the boy than years of watching Heroes from her computer, as well as some stuff she'd never figure out on her own.

There were obviously a few personal things Izuka accidentally mentioned before abruptly correcting herself, but for Inko it was evident that the two established a bond of their own. Given the specific way that she describes her day, it wasn't hard to come to that conclusion.

Most importantly, the boy didn't care that she was Quirkless, not one bit.

It was that revelation that nearly made Inko cry out in pure joy.

She wanted nothing more than for Izuka to feel normal and befriend someone who likes her for who she is. After so many years, that wish finally came true. Knowing those things allowed her to rest peacefully at night, a very odd and specific worry that always loomed in the back of her mind now almost nonexistent, which was a gift of its own.

Now, the only thing she can do for the time being is to wait for Izuka to invite the boy to their home, and hope she was able to do it after so much time practicing beforehand.

Ring! Ring!

Inko's eyes widened upon hearing the doorbell, making her head snap in the direction at the source of the sound.

She wasn't expecting anybody to show up at this time, and Izuka said she would come back in about two hours or so, a quick glance towards the clock only confirmed that possibility. Obviously, Inko knew this fact already, as Izuka said she and Yukio would be coming home right after finishing another day at the dojo they recently started attending.

She just wanted to be sure this was it, and if fate had some kind of cruel joke in store for her, it would really be the worst timing ever.

Putting aside the cooking utensils in her hands, and quickly lowering the heat temperature so the food doesn't get overcooked while she's away, Inko wasted no time in rushing towards the front door, only slowing down at the last second so she wouldn't crash into it uncontrollably.

Taking a quick glance through the peephole, it indeed was her daughter standing next to a white and black-colored-haired boy that was slightly taller than her, patiently waiting for her to answer the door.

"Yes!"

Inko released a low squeal while jumping back before quickly regaining her composure. "Calm down, calm down. You already agreed to act "normal" if Izuka held up her end of the deal. Keep calm, and just act natural."

Taking a deep breath, then another one just in case, Inko's eyes shot open while still managing to keep her excitement at bay as her hand went towards the door handle.

Sadly, before she could even turn it halfway, whatever mental strength she had for holding her excitement at bay went out the window in the blink of an eye.

---

"Sooo… what's your mom like?" I asked while waiting for the door to open, "Should I know anything in advance?"

"Umm, well… she's-" Izuka was about to respond, before the door flung open in a blink of an eye, causing her to come to an abrupt stop.

Instead of being overweight, or a leaner form when she was younger, she was somewhere in between, still in her mid-thirties I believe.

"Izuka! You're back already…!" Inko said in excitement, eyes jumping back and forth between me and her daughter, "And you brought your friend with you as well!"

"M-Mom!" Izuka started waving her hands frantically, "We talked about this! You promised you w-wouldn't do anything embarrassing!"

"Eh? What are you talking about?" Inko asked in confusion, "I didn't even do anything!"

"Then it's better you don't know how it looked like from our perspective…"

I could only chuckle at the woman's excited behavior, the scenario playing out exactly how I imagined it in my head, sort of. Seeing I was the only other person, aside from maybe the Bakugous to be invited to their home, I can understand why one was excited while the other was a bit anxious.

Although, I just might know the reason behind that.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Midoryia-san but it seems that introductions aren't necessary," I properly greeted the single mother, bowing my head slightly, "Sorry it took so long to meet you in person, but Izuka and I tend to get a little… sidetracked whenever we meet up. Regardless, thank you for inviting me to your home."

"My, a polite young man," Inko said joyfully. "You forgot to tell me what a gentleman he is, Izuka."

Heh, impressing adults is something I'll never get bored of doing.

Before I could say another thing, the older woman bent down to wrap her arms around my small frame.

While I, almost, always have a composed demeanor, I was left completely stunned by the gesture. It was probably because the last time I felt a mother's embrace was when my mom was still alive, and seeing how much of an impact I had on Izuka, she probably couldn't help but show her gratitude. Then a thought occurred to me, it's quite possible that Izuka told her my living situation, as I'm sure that little detail was hard to shrug off on her part, and who knows what else Izuka must have told her in the meantime.

Yet, even though I had every answer in front of me, I was still unable to find the strength to speak up.

Once Inko released me from her embrace, I was greeted with a wide smile that only made the lump in my throat more noticeable.

"Thank you for taking care of my precious Izuka and being such a caring friend," Inko began, taking a slow glance towards Izuka before going back to me. "Izuka told me a lot about you, and what you two have been up to these last few weeks. I'm so glad to know that she was able to find such a kind and sweet boy such as yourself."

"T-Think nothing of it, M-Midoriya-san," I stuttered, releasing a brief cough to fix my composure,. "I really didn't do anything special, really. I just treat her the way I would want to be treated, that's all."

"Hmm, if you say so," Inko hummed in a joyful manner, taking a moment to fix the white parts of my already messy hair. "Also, there's no need to be so formal with me. You can just call me Inko, okay?"

For some odd reason, I couldn't respond right away, instead just nodded several times in quick succession.

"Here, let's get you two inside,." Inko said while moving in to take both our bags, making her way back into the apartment.

"That felt kind of… weird."

I stood still for a couple of seconds longer, still running the scene in the back of my head that just happened not even a minute ago until Izuka nudged me out of my daze.

Our homes were vastly different, the obvious difference being one is a proper household while theirs was in an apartment complex. Regardless, it was decently sized overall, while not being too small either. There were only two bedrooms and a single bathroom, but alongside the living room that was connected to the kitchen, it definitely gave off a spacious feel for what it was.

"You two… are right on time," Inko said excitedly while dashing towards the stove, "Dinner is about ten-is or so minutes. I know you two must be starving, hope you don't mind the wait."

"Oh, what are you making?" Izuka asked curiously with her head tilted towards the kitchen.

"Your favorite, sweetie, Katsudon."

"Yes!" Izuka gushed, before turning to me, "Have you ever tried it?"

"Can't say that I have," I responded with a neutral expression, causing the green-haired girl's jaw to drop, making me chuckle as a result, "But I take it I committed a sin for never trying it?"

"It's the best!" Izuka beamed excitedly, "Essentially, it's a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, eggs, and some vegetables. A little bit of everything, really."

"Really? Hmm, sounds pretty good, and pretty simplistic as well" I said amusingly, going off of memory to recall what it looked like and dishes similar to it, "I usually like something spicy on the side for that extra flavor, otherwise, I always feel like something's missing while eating."

"I don't think we ever tried cooking it any other way, but I'm fairly sure there are different recipes that have some. I never bothered asking Mom to make it differently, since I thought it was perfect as is," Izuka said before looking off to the side. "Wish I asked sooner, but a detail definitely worth remembering."

That last part came out in the form of a barely audible mumble as if it was something to be kept secret that accidentally came out before momentarily excusing herself, disappearing and reappearing in the span of ten seconds.

Having some time to waste before dinner was ready, Izuka sprinted towards her room to grab ahold of the new book to her Hero Analysis collection. I will forever be amazed at how quickly she is able to write up so many pages in such a short amount of time. She told me her mom bought her a new notebook just two days ago, and has already used up about one-third of it already.

If anything, I'm amazed her fingers haven't developed arthritis from countless hours of non-stop writing.

"So, Yukio-kun," Inko said as she joined us at the table, prompting both of us to turn towards her. "Mind telling me the story of how you and my little Izuka met each other?"

Once the question came, my eye instantly darted towards Izuka briefly, neither of our facial expressions changing in the slightest, but that look in her eyes told me more than words could. It would seem she left out a few details on how we met, that much I expected. In canon, Inko never knew what kind of situation(s) her child was going through. Actually, that assumption was entirely false. She did know something was up, that much was evident in a lot of cases with Quirkless children and I find it doubtful that she was oblivious to it, but not knowing how severe it was? That was a whole other matter entirely.

Judging how secretive and closed off Izuka can be on certain topics, a sight I've experienced first hand, I'm positive she would tell her mother the bare minimum just to have a response of some kind. That aside, there was no way I was going to mention the "bullied" part on our first encounter, so I had to improvise.

Well, seeing as she didn't tell her anything about Bakugou, I'm fairly certain she told her almost everything about me, might as well add a bit of truth to our little lie.

Luckily, I didn't waste time coming up with a reply.

"I'm not sure how much Izu told you about me, but I sorta had a tough time making friends due to my Quirk… and not exactly being like the other kids, mentally speaking. I would usually go outside to the playgrounds near my house, but all the kids already knew what I was like so I stopped trying, deciding to go somewhere else for a change," I turned to look at Izuka, forming a smile that was both sincere and meant to hold up my part of the lie,. "When I first found her, I noticed she was the only one who wasn't playing with the other kids, or what I thought at the time, not using her Quirk because perhaps the other kids were scared of it. Knowing what it was like, I didn't want anyone to feel left out just because they were "a little different" than everyone else. The rest… is history, right?"

"Yeah… pretty much," Izuka followed along. "I was afraid he bothered with me not having a Quirk, but he was super nice and we actually ended up talking about them for the rest of the afternoon."

"Heh, if anything, I thought you'd be freaked out by my Quirk, not give me in-depth analysis on the ones I first showed you. Every other kid would think I'm a weirdo for talking too much regardless without mentioning that detail."

"Y-You know I would never think any of those about you!" Izuka waved her hands frantically.

"I know, I know," I mused with a cheeky grin. "Still, you know what I mean. Doesn't change the fact it was the best conversation I had in years, and got to meet an amazing person in the process."

Releasing a joyful chuckle, Inko spoke. "Now that I got to meet you in person, I can see why she talks so highly of you, Yukio-kun."

Throwing another, quick glance towards Izuka, she gave me a relieved smile for reacting appropriately on time, as well as acting it out brilliantly. That, and I'm positive she couldn't hide the joy from hearing that last sentence, even if it was worded like that so we can move on to the next topic, I meant it sincerely.

"But please," Inko continued. "Tell me a little more about yourself, dear. What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Hmmm, I don't know, really…" I mused while thinking about how to give a proper answer, "Aside from training my Quirk, I rarely do anything else. Oh, I also spend every weekend tending to our garden, or whenever I need to clear my head… that's about it, really. I'm not all that interesting, to tell you the truth."

"Oh, don't be so modest, Yukio-kun," Inko waved with her hands playfully, "Izuka already told me about your Quirk, but I'd like a demonstration first hand if you don't mind." Inko asked kindly.

Having a Quirk that houses multiple abilities, using it for a showcase of sorts was the last thing I thought I would use it for. Wanting to be creative for my demonstration, I took a few seconds to think about what I should do. As my eyes drifted off across the room to think, I spotted a small pile of simple white-colored paper napkins in the center of the dining room table. That alone gave me an idea of how to impress her.

I thought while taking a single napkin, absorbing some wood to turn my finger to said material, molding inward so it was thin as a pencil with the tip covered in black ink. I made a specific type of pen with multiple options when I needed to use it, but might as well know how to make a substitute on the fly.

"Okay… I practiced this… in just one, swift motion…"

Starting off by drawing the head of a cat, moving onto the rest of the body with continuous strokes for added detail. Afterwards, I decided to make a dog with equal amounts of detail, as I didn't have any other Quirks at the moment that can create objects or creatures while also being able to control them. I found out I can use my other Quirks for my creations, adding Dust Manipulation to the cat while the dog would have a small amount of electricity around its body.

It only works if I put in the proper amount of focus into each of them, while still being considerably weaker than if I were to use them. Because I would add abilities to my creations, they won't last long as a slight drawback, but since I wanted to use them as a demonstration, it was more than enough.

Once the two animals came to life, the dog wasted no time jumping towards the cat, jumping a few centimeters into the air to dodge its advancements. The two ran circles across the table before taking to the floor, where the cat used its ability to make faint lines of dust as obstacles, but that didn't slow down the dog not one bit. While slightly juiced up with energy, the dog was still unable to close the distance between his target, chasing the cat all around the living room in quick succession.

Jumping back onto the table, the dog used extra force to lunge at its target, catching the cat mid-air while releasing the stored electricity from its body. Like a literal scene from a cartoon, the cat spazzed several times from getting caught before it exploded.

Before the ink could hit the table, I used the same napkin to make sure not a drop would ruin the wooden surface. Completing its mission, the dog moved towards the napkin while releasing several barks in happiness, dissolving a mere second later. "Tada…!"

"My, that truly is a remarkable Quirk, or should I say multiple Quirks," Inko commented in awe.

"I wasn't sure what to make at first, nor to accidentally make a mess," I began explaining while folding the napkin several times, "The ones I currently have are on the simpler side since I only recently started asking people if I could copy theirs."

"Mine is rather simplistic, unlike yours," Inko said while demonstrating her Quirk, doing several hand movements to make a ceramic cup from the table move towards her, "I can attract small objects by focusing on it and moving my hand several times if its too far away or heavy, so pretty basic, really. "

"A telekinesis-like power is never a bad thing," I commented. "Depending on its range, and how long it takes to pull an object towards you, there are plenty of applications it can be used for. If it is limited by chance, using Support Items to throw and pull back said projectiles, or maybe even reposition them depending what they are."

"I told this to Izuka before, but I never trained it properly to reach its fullest extent, so I can't say for certain what it can be used for. For what it's worth, it definitely comes in handy around the house, so it has its perks,'' Inko said before putting a hand on her chin, forming a thinking pose before changing into a smile. "Speaking about my Quirk… would you like to copy it?"

I was caught off guard by her offer, not expecting her to be so straightforward about it. For some odd reason, I wasn't able to easily accept her offer. While taking it was beyond simple, a part of me wanted to respond differently. "T-There's no need for that, Inko-san. I'd feel kinda bad to ask you such a thing, especially since this is my first time at your house, no less."

"Think nothing of it," Inko merely waved it off with a smile,. "I know how much Izuka loves studying Quirks and what they could do, I think you two would have a much better use for it than me. Think of it… as a small gift, for everything you've done so far, it's the least I could do."

Seeing as I was reassured it wasn't a big deal, I still felt a bit unsure, since this wasn't like any of the previous instances where I would try to ask for permission. That, and simply accepting it felt… wrong? On second thought, that wasn't the word I was looking for to describe the feeling, which only made me even more hesitant while pondering the offer.

Turning towards Izuka, all I saw was an eager smile with her head bobbing up and down in excitement, which was more than enough to tell me to not worry about it.

"Seeing as I'm outvoted here, I guess I don't have much of a say in the matter," I expressed with a low smile, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. "Thank you, Inko-san. A lot of people wouldn't be too fond of someone else copying their Quirk, let alone offer it in the first place. It truly means a lot."

"I only hope it will be useful to you when you start applying for a Hero School," Inko said. "Speaking of which, Izu's also been telling me you two have been hard at work with your Hero training together? From what I heard, it's going pretty well so far."

"I guess you can say that," I said leisurely, wanting to keep this topic somewhat simple. "There's a lot of aspects to go over, really, so we're taking our time for now. It's mostly me showing the ropes and all that. Even though she might not have a Quirk, there are still plenty of methods for a person without one to become a strong and admirable Hero. I won't lie to you, it's gonna be a while until we see any proper results, but with how things are going, it's all but guaranteed."

"Although, I have to ask, Izuka told me you were rather knowledgeable in various fighting styles even before enrolling into that Dojo," Inko commented. "To even consider not using your Quirk in some scenarios is rather, what is the word I'm looking for… surprising, to say the least."

"I… had a lot of free time," I answered somewhat reluctantly, trying to find the right words to use. "You see, since my Quirk is a tad bit difficult to use properly, I took the slower approach of learning a bit of everything to figure it out, as well as ways to defend myself without using it all. Conveniently enough, a good chunk of it is just what Izuka needs to get into the groove of things. With my Quirk being so versatile, it's a useful tool for her to practice and find the right method we need so things go as smoothly as possible."

"While I'm happy to hear that you two are making excellent progress, I really do hope you're careful and don't overdo it," Inko said with a hint of worry, "Even though there's still plenty of time you can apply for a Hero School, you shouldn't push yourselves too much. You're still very young, after all."

"Not to worry, Inko-san," I reassured the green-haired woman's worries, "I already managed to find a Healing Quirk that helps us out when we're done at the end of the day. I was thinking of eventually going to a hospital and asking some of the doctors if I could copy their Quirks, which I don't think they would really mind honestly. It's better to have more than one just in case something happens."

"That's what I like to hear," Inko said with a wide smile, "It's reassuring to know how much you care for one another and make sure neither of you get too hurt in the process."

"Yeah… that's on her," I pointed towards Izuka with a cheeky smile, causing her to release an awkward chuckle. "I'm more of a "in the moment" type of person, rather than actually thinking stuff through all the way."

Well, both of us tend to bend that rule a bit, but that is to be expected, really.

After ten or so minutes of talking about various topics, up until Inko "innocently" started sharing embarrassing tales of her daughter's Hero obsession, much to her dismay. Due to her face turning into a very bright shade of red, even more than when I would tease her on my own, I simply contained my cynical nature while we waited for the food to be served, an action she was most definitely thankful for.

Dinner itself was rather peaceful, as the two of us we're too busy enjoying our food there was little room for any more conversation. Still, I'll give it too Izuka, her mom does know how to cook a pretty damn good meal.

Wait… why do I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something?

---

"Yo, Dad? You there?"

"[Yukio?]" Dad asked questionably through the phone, releasing a low hum as further confirmation. "[Where are you?]"

"Over at Izuka's apartment complex," I began explaining while leaning onto the wall. "She asked me if I wanted to come over when we're done at the dojo. Sorry, I forgot to tell you sooner, it was kind of a last-minute thing."

"[No, no, it's alright. If anything, I'm more surprised that you actually remembered to call and tell me where you are,]"

"Ah, come on, I'm not that thoughtless to just keep you in the dark, you know."

"[Oh, really? Is that so?]" Dad said sarcastically, but the tone of his voice signified it was meant to be taken light-heartedly.

"I-" I was about to immediately call out his claims, before almost every single instance I thought was nothing serious came popping up in my mind, instantly losing a good chunk of my credibility. "Okay… I might be flimsy with that at times, but I took the time to actually think about you and tell you where I am, okay?"

"[I can only imagine why,]" Dad replied with a grunt, noting the speaker was muffled as he was most likely talking to one of his coworkers.

"Anyway, you went to work today, it's your day off, right?" I asked curiously.

"[Nah, something came up,]" Dad answered, pausing momentarily before continuing, "[We took in two more orders in our already slightly overbooked schedule, so thought I might as well drop by and get us back on track. If you don't mind waiting, I can pick you up later after I'm done here.]"

"No, no, there's no need," I reassured him, "I already ate with them. Izuka's mom was already preparing dinner when we got here and had more than enough to serve me some."

"[Oh? That's… good, that's good,]" Dad said in somewhat of a relieved tone, "[Speaking of which, how long were you planning on staying over? I can stick around a little longer so I can pick you up later.]"

"Not sure, we were thinking of watching a movie so probably after that? Might stick around a bit longer if we get sidetracked, which most likely will be the case. No need to wait on me, I'll just walk home, it's not that far away regardless."

"[Well, just be sure you get home safely before it gets too late,]" Dad said, "[You know there more Villains out at night than during the day.]"

"Pfff, you forgot who you're talking to, Dad. There's no need to worry, If anything, they'll be more worried about the future hospital bills if they try anything on me."

"[Mmmmm…]" Dad hummed with a mix of annoyance

"Alright, alright, I won't take any chances and head straight home once I leave," I quickly corrected myself, "Happy?"

"[Very.]" Even though I couldn't see his expression, I could tell he had one of those smug smiles on his face while saying that.

Exchanging goodbyes, and Dad telling me to have fun, I ended the call before placing the phone back onto its charging port.

With that taken care of, I was about to join them back in the living room.

Until I came to a stop after not even taking a single step, a thought that just now manifested in my mind, one that I just now resurfaced.

Of all the time Izuka and I spent together, which was essentially every day, I noticed one thing that seemed to be drastically different from how I remember from watching the shows all those years back, aside from the protagonist being the opposite gender of course.

The All Might obsession.

Was it just me or did that whole aspect seem… toned down? Like, I did notice those tendencies, but on rare occasions, if that. Given that All Might is her main inspiration for becoming a Hero, it did seem odd that he wasn't frequently mentioned on her behalf, as both of us tend to talk for hours on end alone.

"I wonder…" I thought with temptation, unable to contain my curiosity any longer, "Hey, Izu, this is your room, right?"

Cue the redundant question while standing in front of a door with an All Might-style nameplate, elegant writing to boot, my question practically answered itself already.

But that's not what was on my mind observing the door.

One thing that has always puzzled me about hardcore fans is how much amount of stuff they have in their collection overall.

I'd always have a variety of crap I'd find interesting as if something catches my interest, but would never really clog my living space. At best, take a small number of each collection to stay around and put it in storage to not collect dust. Besides, I'm sure it's not that outrageous as I remember, and we're still kids, after all, it would take a few more years to expand the collection. If anything, it might have just been overexaggerated solely for comedic purposes.

Right?

"Ah! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!" Izuka screamed, running at full speed from the living room, "Don't open that-"

Before she could stop me, I already turned the door handle while gently pushing it.

Oh, I was wrong.

So wrong.

Everywhere, and I literally mean everywhere I looked, I saw All Might in some way or another.

Aside from the Number One Hero being present in every possible direction one way or another, the one thing that was drastically different was her desk. The shelf above it had a variety of different notebooks, mostly either light blue or pink for the main color scheme, with several stickers of the Hero's face or body scattered all over.

Little bit off-topic, but while scanning the room in its entirety, regardless that it was filled to the brim with All Might merchandise, everything was neatly organized and placed in such a way that it was close to perfect. Usually, most people would use any free space to add more pieces to their collection without a proper layout, but that wasn't the case here.

"Okay… I guess I should've expected this… but really? There's even an All Might rug…"

Seeing Izuka completely frozen in place, afraid of uttering a single sound, I contemplated how I should react to this. While going with an All Might joke seemed the easiest, I'd rather not put any focus on that. "You forgot how to breathe or what?"

That seemed to snap her back to reality, hiding her face with her hands to hide the newly formed embarrassed expression. "S-S-So… what do you t-think…?"

"When you said you were an All Might fan, I certainly wasn't expecting… this."

"I didn't know how to tell you about my… other hobby," Izuka began explaining, "I thought if you found out, you'd think I'm just some sort of crazy, obsessed fan… or worse."

"Oh, come on, what do you take me for?" I said lightheartedly, "You've been in my room, right? Between the two of us, I think I'm the crazy one here, thank you very much."

"Ah, it seems that you have found the All Might museum." Inko said, a devious grin on her face as she came into view.

"Actually, for a split second there, I thought I wandered into an All Might gift shop before I remembered where I was."

"Why me…" Izuka said in an embarrassed tone, using her hands to cover her face while simultaneously looking away. Oh, yeah, neither of us could refuse to give a lighthearted jab that was all pure fun.

It was just too hard to resist.

Not wanting to tease any further, and to let us spend some time alone, Inko placed the tray filled with the snacks we bought on the desk, closing the door on her way out while waving her hand joyfully.

When I was young, the one and only toy line I truly loved was Lego's Bionicles, and had an impressive collection, from the first ones until they had an abrupt finish to the product line. I might have had an obsession since in my eyes they were the ideal toys, with extensive lore behind them alongside stunning designs for their time. This, however, blows it out of the water by a large margin, at least I had variety.

Still, seeing as I had that phase, and would probably buy more if they managed to pump out more products while it was still popular, I can sort of understand why someone would have so many collectibles.

Not responding to her comment, I simply walked in with a curious look to scan the room in further detail. Logically, I instantly gravitated to the part of the room that had a wide range of action figures and statues.

"So many limited edition ones." I thought while observing the massive collection. I was too intrigued by the various designs and how every ounce of space was used up for an All Might item. At least almost all of them are action figures or collectibles, which were still cool for the toys there were regardless.

"Not gonna lie, I'm more surprised by the fact you don't have any merchandise from any other hero."

"W-Well, I do… but not as much as All Might stuff, if you hadn't already noticed…"

I merely chuckled. "Noup, can't say that I have."

Not wanting to fiddle with a rare collectible, I found the most basic and expendable All Might action figure I could find, using Inko's Quirk to pull it while simultaneously leaving a mark with a simple touch so I could use Rotation. Using the limited range of the Quirk, the toy flew either in circles or by quickly moving into different directions rapidly.

"I wouldn't say I'd be freaked out by this kind of discovery, rather interested in the reason behind it," I said leisurely, doing several spins in the air before plummeting down, then redirecting it to fly towards Izuka, with her catching the toy as I broke off the connection. "After knowing you for a while, I'm certain there's more to why you like All Might so much, right?"

Taking a seat on the edge of her bed, Izuka joined me several seconds later

"Sort of," Izuka said softly, eyes glued to the action figure in her hands. " At least I think there is."

"Now that isn't the type of answer I'd expect from you," I commented while leaning forward a little. "I expected a bit more… energetic response.

Izuka's lips formed a brief smile while releasing a chuckle. "I usually would, but I don't think fangirling is the right way to explain it."

"Then… how about you try a different approach?" I asked in a lighthearted manner, in an attempt to make it easier on her.

"When I first learned about All Might, I just thought he looked so cool and strong. Kind of basic, I know, but the more I watched him, something… clicked," Izuka began explaining slowly. "I somehow managed to watch every interview and talk show he did, and probably hundreds of articles online whenever new ones would be posted. Before I knew it, I wasn't just following All Might's Hero career, but everything he did and how it affected the people around him. There were instances where a Hero of his stature wouldn't be needed, but he'll do it regardless because he's just that type of person."

"He always makes sure everyone is safe, gives them reassurance in the form of a smile, and is never afraid in the face of danger. It's some of the traits that make him so memorable to everyone."

"So that's where you got your inspiration for becoming a Hero? To be able to do those things to the same degree as All Might?" I asked puzzlingly.

"Not entirely…"

"Oh…?"

There was a slight pause, with Izuka looking at the action figure with a blank stare before facing me. Silence was something I grew accustomed to over the years, yet this particular kind was filled with tension and uncertainty.

By now, we spent a hefty amount of time together, with the only exception being at most that would be separated. During which, a level of trust was established very early on, but there were still some limiters to it. That look in her eyes told me we were going into uncharted territory, on something that she might not be comfortable with yet. I immediately felt bad when I saw her expression, fearing I was pushing the conversation in a direction that might make her uncomfortable. I didn't want to put her on the spot or force the topic to continue, but I also wanted to show her I would listen and be open-minded with whatever she had on her mind.

In response, all I did was form a small, reassuring smile, as well as tilt my head forward slightly, as there was no real need to say anything verbally. I wasn't about to say a word that might insinuate she is required to tell me any of the issues that obviously bothered her. I told her I would do whatever is necessary to help out, and I genuinely meant every word that I said.

Only if she allows me to and feels okay in doing so, otherwise, let her walk at her own pace till that day comes.

However, it seems my action gave her enough encouragement to continue, in a slightly softer tone than before.

"When… I would try and protect someone from being bullied, I never cared if I was biting off more than I can chew. Okay, sometimes I wouldn't think about the consequences at all, but it would never really matter at the time. I always loved Quirks, everything about them, really. So whenever I would see someone get bullied, using an ability that can be used for good to harm others… I just couldn't stand it. Even though I was told to give up my dream because it was "impossible", I wanted to believe I could make a difference of some kind if I tried hard enough."

"I know I can never become the next Number One Hero like All Might, or anywhere in those leagues, as cool as it would be, it's just… not realistic… and that's okay," Izuka looked up with a low smile. "I realized that being a Hero ain't just where you rank on the popularity charts or boasting how much you did for society, but actually making a difference for the better. That's what All Might was able to achieve when more people learned about him."

Pausing for a brief moment, Izuka looked back down to the action figure in her hand. "With a powerful Quirk like his, he never cared about showing off, or making sure the spotlight was always on him, rather putting endangered civilians first before anything else. All Might can do so many amazing things, but he always puts the needs of others before his own. If anything, I'd want to have his courage and confidence to be able to accomplish such a thing one day on my own."

While I did have some question marks surrounding All Might and his sense of character, I often forget how big of an importance he was despite several flaws. Inspiring hope in others is a difficult job for a Hero if they can't back it up through their actions.

He was still a good man through and through, and I can't purely focus on the negatives with how much good he did for society. Guess I'll just have to see it before I could make my final judgment on the matter.

"Regardless…" Izuka said with a smile forming, making me solely focus back onto her. "I don't need to become the next Number One Hero to be a good Hero. Unlike you or All Might, I don't have a Quirk to help me out, so I have to make do with what I got. I was… sad that I never got an ability of my own, but now, after realizing some things, it doesn't bother me as much as it did before. If I am able to make a difference in someone's life, even if it's just one person, knowing I was able to help them in one way or another, no matter how big or small, it's enough for me to do it all over again without hesitation."

At that statement, I was left speechless for a few seconds.

This wasn't the type of answer I was expecting, but yet, I was so glad to hear it nonetheless.

Becoming a "Hero" in this world was no easy feat, not in the slightest. After observing for the last few years, I can easily come to the conclusion that a lot of preparation and dedication is needed without the promise of success of any kind.

To have that sort of drive and determination to make that dream a reality doesn't exist in everyone, regardless if more than half the population has an ability of some kind. To discover such ambitions, one must ask themselves if they have a reason for choosing such a profession in the first place rather than for it simply being a "cool" lifestyle.

Furthermore, she went as far as to tell me from past experiences what made her so determined and optimistic. Since my situation growing up was a little different, I was content with reality, unwilling to let this world knock me down, and that's before my Quirk even appeared.

For her, it was way different.

It was only four years, but that doesn't change nor excuse all the bullshit she had to endure, not in the slightest. People often forget that Quirks weren't present since the dawn of time, and that humans without any kind of abilities were the norm not so long ago. Sure, it mostly consists of kids/teenagers who have that sort of thinking nowadays when there are fewer Quirkless people around, but what gives them the right to judge others on what they can or can't for being normal people.

The issue itself with Quirkless people wasn't as severe as I was led to believe after doing some research, but it still existed nonetheless.

It was simply unfair, those thoughts alone were enough to make my blood boil, but I still managed to keep those feelings at bay. However, putting those thoughts aside, I was glad Izuka had put a hefty amount of thought into this, and a pleasant surprise I wasn't expecting.

She understood the full scope of being a Hero and what it means to risk your own well-being for the sake of helping someone else. Not to mention a whole lot of other stuff that might or might not happen, that not even a Hero can be prepared for in the worst case scenario.

For what it's worth, seeing how determined Izuka is in realizing her dream, and how her mentality was strong as ever, it gave me a wave of reassurance I didn't know I needed.

"I'm… trying to think of a response, but wow…" I expressed in a surprised tone, forming a warm smile before speaking up. "This was the kind of answer I was hoping to hear, to tell you the truth. Might seem hard to believe, but not a lot of people think that far ahead, I can tell you that much."

"It's been on my mind for a while now, I wasn't sure if it made any sense until recently," Izuka said sheepishly. "If anything, It was easier to put into words now that we were able to talk about it a little, and finally get it out in the open with someone aside from my Mom."

"Even so, I'm glad you shared this with me, Izuka," I responded in a softer tone this time around. "Lots of people want to become a Hero before applying for a Hero School, let alone the thought of what it takes to become a Hero in the first place. Without a doubt in my mind, I can proudly say that with this kind of mentality, you'll outshine all other Heroes by a huge margin…!"

"Thank you… Yukio-kun, it truly means a lot, especially coming from you." Izuka said softly with a genuine smile.

Forming a similar one in response, we enjoyed several seconds of comfortable silence after such a heavy topic slowly reached its peak.

"Speaking of which," Izuka perked up. "I never asked you, but do you have a favorite Hero?"

"Hmm, I don't think I do," I said with a curious look, trying to think of any Hero in particular that struck a connection to me, but that trail ended nowhere. "I kinda never bothered to pick a favorite."

"Really?" Izuka asked with her head tilted, somewhat surprised by my answer.

I merely shrugged,. "It's a bit weird, to tell you the truth. When I was very little and could think properly, the sheer concept of a society of super-powered individuals blew me away. While I was so fascinated by all the Heroes I've seen, picking a favorite never really came up, if that makes sense. Coupled with the Quirk that I got a few years later, I always had a hard time sitting on one thing at a time, y'know?"

"Yeah… seems kinda obvious when I think about it, now I just feel a little silly."

"Well, usually, almost everyone has a favorite for some sort of reason, whether it be sharing a similar Quirk with a Pro Hero, or looking up to someone for what they stand for, but I have a very specific goal so it's warranted."

"I just never heard you talk about any Hero in particular for longer than a few minutes at best, worth a shot asking, though."

"Anywho…" I took a glance around the room once the topic died down. "You said we're down to watch a movie, so where's that stash at?"

Walking over to the shelf and picking up a lengthy-sized box, Izuka tossed the lid to dump all of the movies onto the bed.

Okay, seriously, why do they still have physical copies for movies and such, especially when technology is so advanced? The same thought popped into mind when looking at books or cars to some extent, yet, no matter how hard I tried piecing it together, the answer to this question eluded me.

This is something I feel like will be on my mind indefinitely since there wasn't exactly a simple answer to it, even by "fictional" world standards this should've been considered outdated technology by now.

"Do you recognize any of the titles?" Izuka asked.

"Yyyyyyye-nnnnnnnnnnno, noup," I trailed off, forcing me to switch up my answer mid-way as for some reason, I thought I saw a cover with several characters resembling from DC's Justice League, but realized my mistake before I could give an answer,. "Though this one looked kinda familiar. Well, since there's so many to choose from, I'll go with the one that has the most badass artwork, I can never go with a random guess like that."

Digging through and taking a better look at the box covers, Izuka waited patiently for me to pick out a movie for us to watch, joining along to toss away the top layer of cases.

"Say, Yukio-kun." Izuka began softly.

"Hmmm?" I raised an eyebrow while picking up two cases before moving on to the rest.

"What made you want to become a Hero?" Izuka asked with her head tilted slightly, "I mean, I kinda already know why, but I never asked for your thought process about it. With a Quirk such as yours, wasn't there any other kind of profession that caught your attention before finally deciding on becoming a Hero, or is there a different reason?"

I didn't respond right away, solely because I was thinking the question over myself.

My reason for choosing this kind of profession was both simple and complicated. Why wouldn't you want to be part of something that was once considered fiction, especially in a world where a certain occupation is literally too good to be true.

Yet, it wasn't just because of that, if it only were that easy.

My gift, my true potential, can be used for far more than just saving people out on patrol. Developing new and altering existing forms of medicine, actually help some cases that never had or would never get the proper help by regular means, and so much more.

I had absolutely no reason to aim for that type of goal, especially with a Quirk that allows me to have everything with a simple touch, without any specific limits to boot. In my old life, I would have a different thought process entirely, since all negatives turned into potential positives, with so many options available to explore. Having several years to myself before my Quirk manifested, alongside knowledge of the events that will occur, a part of me couldn't just remain nonexistent, even if my chances would be far better by doing nothing at all.

While I'm given an opportunity to fix and improve this world as a whole, it was by no means an easy feat. Not to mention how difficult it will be once that whole thing takes off, only to get progressively harder from that point on.

That was my analytical and logical side talking, but for my human instincts, it was a lot simpler.

I could take it easy, and use every ounce of my abilities to just stay out of the limelight and try separating myself from all the responsibility from dealing with a new problem every other day. Why risk your life when you already have everything at your fingertips.

But alas, like most people, wish fulfillment is something everyone desires, and an escape from boredom at all costs. I definitely belonged in that category.

Guess I finally learned that lesson that I could never properly comprehend if the circumstances were different; what is there left for you to do when you can do anything and have everything you ever desired, especially with an ability that does all the work for you.

I wanted to feel alive since I was never given a chance to truly experience that kind of sensation in my old life in the first place, and I didn't want to waste it a second time.

Somewhat of a moronic choice, all things considered, but what can I say, this world needed fixing. Not just reducing crime rates, but so many other things looming in the shadows and who knows what else. Society could very easily turn to ruin with how poorly built the foundation is, so making sure it all doesn't turn to shit while striving for a brighter future doesn't seem like a bad thing.

Does it?

"I can do so much with my gift, way more than just any other Hero around," I began slowly, turning to face Izuka after staying silent a bit, finding the green-haired girl patiently waiting for my answer. "It was a thought that manifested probably not even a day after figuring out my Quirk, and ever since then, it only grew larger as time went on. And… I thought about it a lot. I was basically gifted with everything, quite literally speaking with how my Quirk works, yet, I never let that cloud my judgment. It seemed way more beneficial to focus on what it could do to benefit humanity for the better, rather than for my own personal gain. It would be so easy to do… yet, I would lack any sort of purpose, or actual meaning if I simply thought that way for everything."

"Even after knowing you for some time now, I'm still impressed how easily you're able to talk about it in that regard," Izuka said softly. "It's one thing to have a single ability, but a Quirk that can do anything is way different. Holding onto that kind of responsibility must've been difficult, not just looking on the surface level of it being a cool and powerful Quirk."

"Not so much in that sense," I elaborated, "I knew how dangerous and powerful it was right from the get-go, and I immediately made several promises to myself on how to use it. Sure, some kids found out a third of my Quirk's capabilities and left a bad taste in their mouth, but thinking ahead, rather than in the moment, greatly managed to shape my viewpoint. If anything, it compelled me to one day try and fix this issue, which includes both Quirkless people and those who are deemed "dangerous" for being misunderstood. Not just that, but so much more to make the world a far better place than it currently is. I accepted that part of myself already, cause there is no use in preventing the inevitable."

"Especially when people find out you are able to use multiple Quirks, not everyone might be accepting of it," Izuka said before quickly correcting herself. "Not saying they would automatically assume that! It's just that… with good Copy Quirks being extremely rare, and becoming a Hero a difficult journey of its own, there are a lot of variables that people most likely aren't aware of. That's also disregarding making new techniques on top of everything else, there is much more to discuss than what's on the surface level. More importantly, the person using those abilities is what people should take into consideration, not go off of what their Quirk can do."

"The general outlook and a good chunk of my abilities will be revealed to the public at some point regardless, and to be honest… I really don't care what they'll say about me," I said leisurely, not bothering to deny the truth. "I'll probably see some type of ridicule in the future because of it, might as well swallow that pill now and cross that other bridge when I get to it."

"You really thought this whole thing through, didn't you?" Izuka asked softly, prompting her to lean forward a little while yet to break eye contact.

I gave her a slight nod,. "People will find reasons to be concerned over a person having multiple Quirks and the "potential danger" if they turn into a Villain, while also taking into account those conspiracy theorists and biased news networks, talking won't get me anywhere. Sometimes, even honesty won't convince people of your true intentions, it's just how humans are, the mere thought of that is already depressing but it's just how things are. However, I learned that actions speak louder than words, and made sure my goals never get pushed off to the side because a few people have a bad impression of me. Those who care and take the time to get to know me will see who I truly am."

Silence filled the air once more, as there was a lot to digest at first.

"Besides…" I shifted the tone of the conversation with a simple smile. "It would be boring to just sit around and do nothing, can't hurt to live a little, can it?"

Izuka merely chuckled at the last part of my answer. "You really do have a unique viewpoint on certain things, Yukio-kun."

"What can I say?" I said with a simple shrug. "I told you I tend to overcomplicate stuff at times, keeping things simple never was my type of style."

"Well, you can expect me to be your number one fan when you make your debut," -

"Heh, I always thought that goal was a bit far-fetched and insanely difficult to achieve, but at one point, I just stopped worrying about whether it's possible or not."

"How come?" Izuka asked curiously, only to be met with temporary silence as I was forced to think carefully before answering. Not only to be honest to her but to myself as well.

While it was true I was a total nutjob in terms of training constantly these last few years, there was one issue that always set back a fair amount. Like I said before, human connection is a tricky one, and I'd be lying if it didn't affect me to a more severe degree if I wasn't so focused on becoming stronger, which was a valid enough reason on its own.

I was lacking a certain element I thought I could live without, or at the very least, make adjustments to said issue to ease both mine and my father's minds by a small amount. Yet, mental fortitude can only get you so far before it starts dwindling away.

I already experienced childhood, but the entire universe changing around me was a completely different learning experience altogether. As humans, we evolve and adapt to new changes, it's the reason we were able to survive since our inception.

This is a hellish and unforgiving world, completely biased and some people get treated as a freak as a result, disregarding the history of Quirks and how they can be essentially random/unorthodox given their nature.

Not to mention the Hero system having several flaws that shouldn't be even present in the first place. That was another headache down the line, but it needed a massive revamp, or it's inevitable gonna come crashing down like a house of cards.

I wanted to do so many things, but over time, being on my own slowly shaped my view of the world with constant paranoia and always thinking of what's to come rather than living in the moment. It was daunting and difficult to say the least, but I refused to let this world chew me out or get the better of me.

Sadly, for the longest time, I found it difficult to ever feel at ease no matter how hard I tried.

Yet, with a simple glance towards Izuka, I had my answer.

I didn't just see her as the main character in a story that was once fiction, nor what I was doing to be considered babysitting to reach her full potential, it was far more than that. What I wanted to do, the goal I wanted to accomplish, the crap I'll eventually have to go through, I won't have to deal with it on my own. I may have underestimated how important it is to have someone you trust by your side, to be able to help in such a way where there weren't any specific limits or restrictions.

The only real secret I had at the moment was my abilities, but by meeting Izuka, I was finally able to simply "not think" after years of doing nothing but that, and it truly was a blessing. Besides, if there was a single person truly worthy and deserving of inheriting One For All and mastering it, it's her.

Well, I'll be damned, it seems that the little promise we made to each other was in full effect.

I still can't believe that at one point I wondered if I made the right decision by interfering, but I am so glad I didn't make the wrong choice that day.

"Because I have you," I said with a wide smile, that alone caused the girl to gasp slightly but I wasn't finished,. "If I hadn't met you, I'd probably go on with a completely different mentality and likely to be even more stubborn than I usually am. No other kid was able to talk to me longer than five minutes before straight up leaving, but you never did that, and truly wanted to get to know me for who I am. Not to mention helping me with essentially fifty percent of the entire training and thinking process, I seriously doubt any other kid can do the same thing you managed to do for me since we met. Besides… just because we're gonna be Top Heroes doesn't mean I won't watch over you and those closest to me. You can always count on me for anything, because I know I can count on you whenever I'm in a tough spot, right?"

I ended my little monologue with a wide smile, feeling she should know how much she meant to me, having no reason to hide that fact since we're way past the point of hiding how much we meant to each other. In this world where you get scrutinized for having an unorthodox Quirk or not having one at all, I'm simply happy that someone was able to give me some basic human decency, and I was more than happy to return the favor.

Izuka, on the other hand, was left utterly speechless, her jaw left hanging slightly. Not like it wasn't unwarranted, as this type of stuff is something that was relatively new to us both, and still getting used to expressing ourselves on a level where neither of us is uncomfortable.

She eventually did break the silence, albeit in a different manner.

"D-Did you find a m-movie to your liking?! If-If not, I recommend w-we watch this one!" Izuka spluttered while hastily picking up a case from the large pile,. "Here, I'll go put it on!"

Before I knew it, Izuka appeared in front of the TV within a blink of an eye, making it so her back was turned on me. Logically, I knew how big some words are to digest, and given who I'm talking to, all I needed was to wait a minute or so for her to calm down.

Sadly, it would seem that it's gonna be a while till she doesn't get embarrassed so easily.

"Are we gonna watch the opening menu or the actual movie?" I said with a chuckle, making Izuka's head snap in different directions, quickly grabbing the remote to set everything up while the movie itself was paused.

"S-Sorry…" Izuka apologized sheepishly, walking back to sit beside me on the bed, still not able to look me in the eye.

"What about the snacks?" I asked with a small grin, making the green-haired girl apologize once more. Before she could get back up, I gently pulled the edge of her sleeve to stop her, wanting to save her the trouble this time around. "This one's on me…"

Now having Inko's Quirk, it was the ideal scenario to use it, and make sure nothing from the tray doesn't fall off. Since it was on the opposite end of the room, it wasn't too far distance-wise, but the only thing I was worried about was if it would be too heavy for the amount of fuel I use at the start.

Focusing on the tray filled with snacks, I took the slow approach while it gradually levitated into the air, keeping it in place to figure out how much energy needs to be distributed in what area.

"Interesting…" I thought as the tray shook slightly, locking it in place before making another move. "So it's necessary to not only focus on lifting an object off the ground but gradually increase the flow for it to actually move towards the user. Adding my own energy to compensate for the one-tenth version of the Quirk I got is a lifesaver, but it would seem I'll need to train up so I don't accidentally put too much or too little when in use, otherwise, I think it will just flat line completely. All three areas need the same amount of concentration and fuel to work."

It was only till it was only another meter away did it start to shake once more, springing forward from my position to touch the edge of the tray, Rotation immediately activating upon contact to make it weightless.

"Here ya go," I placed the tray in-between us, Rotation still in use so we can easily move it when needed. Absorbing some of the plastic tray to make a small ball, I aimed for the light switch with surprisingly good accuracy, instantly retracting it since it was marked and had better focus on it than the first two objects I tried it on. Huh, good to know, actually. "Shall we?"

"Y-Yeah, let's…"

After about roughly eight or so minutes into the movie, where the opening action and introduction scene just concluded, I couldn't help but take another slow glance around Izuka's room. Alright, the absurd collection I can see, absolutely nothing too extreme… but some design choices were questionable, one poster in particular.

I tried focusing back on the movie, especially since the opening plot truly did seem interesting, but my eyes couldn't stop looking back to that poster, cause damn was it distracting.

"Okay, for real now, I just have one thing that's been on my mind constantly since we got here."

Turning over to face me, no longer avoiding eye contact that we were several minutes into the movie, all Izuka did was tilt her head while waiting for me to continue.

"Don't you like… I don't know, in the middle of the night, if you had a bad dream, and wake up to find that there's something else in the room until your brain processes it?" I asked genuinely, turning over to point out a specific poster,. "Like that poster over there just above the door. If I, for the life of me, woke up randomly during the night and still half-asleep, the way that poster is designed with All Might's head being way bigger than the rest of his body, especially from a downwards angle, would jump every time. I don't know, something feels… off about that one in particular. It can't be the only one, right?"

I explained my random thought to Izuka with the most genuine expression I could muster, as once I spotted that weirdly designed All Might poster that looked too absurd at the right angle, especially with the lack of eyes on said hero.

All I got was an awkward laugh as Izuka twirled her fingers, most likely trying to find a suitable answer to my rather unorthodox question. It's there I realized how absurd my observation sounded, not intended in any harmful sort of way, but at the very least, it sure was questionable how I managed to come up with this wild and random thought as everywhere I looked, I was met with the smiling grin of the Number One Hero.

Hey, at least the room has personality to it, unlike my jungle of an unorganized mess of a man cave.

---

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

The low sound of Inko's finger gently hitting the surface of the couch while she tried to watch some random romance series on the television.

The keyword "tried", as she didn't pay attention at any point for the last thirty minutes when settling on the channel, spending an additional fifteen minutes flicking through the rest as a minor tick. She also spent an additional hour and a half after dinner mindlessly cleaning, serving as nothing more than an excuse to stay occupied, sadly, it was to no avail.

Her excitement was just too hard to contain, and could anyone blame her?

Now after finally getting to meet Yukio, it would seem Izuka's detailed, and somewhat lengthy descriptions of the boy weren't anything but accurate. It was fairly easy to see that he truly was different compared to any child his age, but she certainly didn't know what to make of it now that she got a chance to meet him.

Inko has seen and read about a handful of kids being exceptionally gifted at a very young age, making sure their career as a Hero is nothing of a successful one. Due to certain Quirks standing out more than others, that aspect alone attracts a lot of attention, and if the user is skilled enough, it was way easier to earn recognition amongst a sea of other potential Hero candidates.

But it wasn't all that, there was much to that whole process.

That's not even taken into account that every child must be taken care of differently, especially with exceptionally powerful Quirks to boot.

What greatly stuck out to Inko while talking to her daughter was when she told her that the boy lost his mother at a very young age, not even getting the chance to properly get to know her before the accident happened.

She wasn't solely concerned because it was her daughter's friend in question, but because Inko witnessed firsthand how being raised by a single parent can have tremendous effects on a child. All the times Izuka would ask about Hisashi and look away in sadness when she couldn't give her a proper answer on why he wasn't able to be with them, as a proper family.

Now for Yukio, who has great potential in various fields, while simultaneously outcasted, it can greatly affect their mentality while growing up.

Much like Izuka, the boy experienced ridicule and foul comments at a young age but for different reasons. It could be easily mistaken how mature the boy actually is for his age, but sadly, his peers only saw this kind of behavior to be unnatural and distanced themselves from him. That's not even taking into consideration what his Quirk is capable of.

After hearing all that, it was difficult for Inko to show any visible anger while her daughter first told her, but it just rubbed her the wrong way. While there's no doubt in her mind that Yukio's father tried to raise and nurture his son to the best of his capability, the unfortunate circumstance regarding his situation while being labeled a "freak" had its own fair share of obstacles.

There are just some things a parent simply cannot do, they can't connect to their child how a close friend or a significant other could be on an even level where communication isn't an issue, to understand them to such a degree where a parent never could. It was just how growing up works, plain and simple.

That is especially concerning in the process of befriending someone new. A parent can't hold their child's hand or try finding someone for them, but not caring about their social skills and not helping in whatever small way possible to ease that process was just wrong. Izuka had great trouble in that regard, and for Yukio, a similar case can be made as well.

However, after today, Inko knew that was a thing of the past.

How did she come to that conclusion? There isn't a clear answer, but one might call it a mother's intuition.

While she was cooking, Inko could barely focus on the task at hand as every few seconds, her eyes would instantly go to the two kids, chatting away like no tomorrow. The first time she did so, such a simple sight left her momentarily speechless.

The way her eyes sparkled when showing him one of her new Hero notebooks, and how Yukio was able to follow along with equal enthusiasm, It was all the proof she needed as far as she's concerned.

It also helped that their personalities were drastically different but compatible in just the right places. While her daughter is somewhat closed off, reserved, and timid, Yukio was more lively, expressive, and energetic. That allowed them to bounce off one another with such ease and it was an overall joy to simply observe their dynamic from the side.

Sadly, she was yet unable to distract herself, no matter how hard she tried.

Looking to the side and leaning back onto the couch so she can barely see Izuka's bedroom door, Inko desperately tried dismissing the thought of bargaining in and interrupting them.

Although… It was a little over two hours and neither of them came out or took a break from watching their movie. A semi-excuse to check up on them? No, it was still rather early, and probably too caught up in their own world without bothering to leave the room, no need to be a nuisance

Then why was she still walking towards her daughter's bedroom?

After staring blankly at the door for a solid thirty seconds, and yet to return back to doing literally anything else, Inko took a sharp breath before her hand turned the doorknob slowly. Upon opening the door just enough for her head to a peak, the single mother wasn't prepared for the scene in front of her, almost giving her a semi-heart attack.

Not for the wrong reason though, actually, it was quite the opposite.

Izuka was hurdled up next to Yukio, both sound asleep.

Her head was resting on his shoulder with her hands wrapped around his arm, positioned in the just-right position to not be considered uncomfortable. Yukio on the other hand, was sleeping in an upright position, his head slightly tilted to the side while still managing to sleep in such a position without an issue.

While watching them, Inko's eyes widened when Izuka's body jerked slightly, fearing she was caught spying on them. Instead of waking up, Izuka strengthened her hold onto the boy and rubbed her cheeks on his shoulder, but because of that, Yukio's head fell to the side, crashing onto her daughter's hair. Neither of those things was enough to fully wake him up, rather making him bury his face onto Izuka's head to use as a make-shift pillow, an action that caused her daughter's body to jerk once more before continuing to sleep comfortably.

Due to being so far away, Inko wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but she was quite positive she spotted Izuka's lips forming a small smile upon moving closer to her friend.

That was enough to make Inko release a low squeal, trying her hardest to keep that excitement from accidentally waking the kids up.

If Inko had difficulty taking her eyes off the two before, looking away now was outright impossible.

Memories of her daughter coming home with a forced smile and feeling down each time solely because other kids couldn't understand she was different came rushing back the longer she observed the two. It would hurt her each time as it always was the same issue, one she couldn't mend, fix or help no matter how hard she tried.

Now, however, in that specific moment, it felt like all of those issues never existed.

From here on out, all Inko wants is to continue seeing that smile every single day, but it seems a certain someone has the ability to do that simply by being right next to her, even while sleeping.

Taking a slight risk, Inko gently tiptoed across the room towards the bed, taking the untouched blanket from the side, covering the both of them in one swift but elegant motion, picking up the tray that was left off to the side before exiting the room.

Before closing the door, Inko couldn't help but take one last look at the two kids, a little longer than she originally intended, slowly closing the door as the smile on her face continued to grow.

Inko might have to possibly call Yukio's father personally and notify him of the… unforeseen circumstance that might prevent the boy from coming home tonight.

-Quirks

Attraction of Small Objets (renamed to "Attraction" for convenience sake xd) - grants the user the ability to use a telekinesis-like power that attracts small objects to them. The exact size limit of what the user can attract is unknown, although it may be possible to extend its limitations via training.

Das it for Ch7, hope it was worth the wait.

Now, before someone points out it's another Slice of Life Chapter, I can reassure its the last one for a while, since the next one will be a slight time skip. I thought it was necessary to get this one out of the way instead of briefly mentioning it in a paragraph or two, and a good way to end off their early years than just do time skips without anything in between.

Also, a small surprise for what's in store for the next Chap (well, an idea at least but down to doing it), to help/comes across/redeem Toga or Twice before canon starts.

Lemme just say right off the bat; no it's NOT turning into a harem or will Toga have any feelings towards the two in that particular way. I thought about it, and a good number of LoV people could've had a different fate if at least one person managed to help them instead of society neglecting them. I was thinking either Toga or Twice, since they seem like the best fit.

I'm more leaning on Toga since I don't think she gets enough love and would be an interesting addition to our little duo. She'd make a badass Underground Hero after finishing UA (I'm thinking Class 1-B would be a better fit since Vlad King is their homeroom teacher which would greatly help with her Quirk,), doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Also a little question I'd like to ask yall so I know how to continue; is it necessary to change the way Izu meets All Might or can it stay the same. If it's the latter (something I think is ok with), the only changes would be from Izu's thoughts after the encounter but different than in canon, and charging in to save Bakugo regardless, but a little more tactical and smarter about. That sligh change would be the right tweak for her character to be consistent with how different she is compared to canon. That's just my thoughts on the matter, at least.

I also won't ignore All Might in this, or how most people portray him. I'll dive deeper into this once we come around to it so I can explain my point better.

Welp, das all I got, I'd go on a bit more but A/N's are short not this long xd. Now we're getting to the good stuff, since I think that's what everybody's been waiting for, myself included. Lemme know what you think by leavin a review, will start doing the next one right away. If there are any typos or errors, I'll reupload the file tomorrow when I wake up.

The link for Discord is " www - discord gg - bTyYgzEm7r" (Removes the - for the internet links).

Cya