"There there," Setsuna patted Itsuka's back as they and Neito and Midoriya walked to the station together. "It's not like he rejected your idea."

"Yeah," Itsuka sighed as she readjusted her school bag. "Wish we could've done it today though."

Izuku was alone in his thoughts as he lagged a few steps behind the others, his mind still on what Kendo had proposed to Kan-sensei.

"And what would this request be?" Kan-sensei asked as he turned away from his computer.

"An area where we can practice our quirks," Kendo said. "Or more specifically, a place to help Midoriya gain control over his."

Kan-sensei had frowned while Izuku had sat straight up in his seat, eyes wide at Kendo's proposal. "Kendo, with the nature of Midoriya's quirk, as you've seen yourself, he-"

"Breaks himself, I know," Kendo interrupted. "But he didn't today. At least not as badly as he did before. And based on what he told me, I think I know why."

Izuku glanced at his hand. It wasn't bandaged this time and felt completely normal. He'd received light praise from Recovery Girl for not having damaged himself as much as he had, but had been warned that any damage to his body was bad and that she'd rather not see him again soon. He clenched it into a fist, remembering when he'd punched Kacchan. He tried to remember the feeling right before the punch, when he somehow found a way to reduce his power level to not seriously hurt him. The only conclusion he was able to come to was that he unconsciously was able to reduce One For All's output because he was about to hit another human being. Not a giant robot, nor a hand gripper or ball. An actual person who could potentially die if he had used all 100% of his power on Kacchan. But while Kendo's proposal included that thought, she has also brought up something he hadn't thought of.

"If Midoriya is subconsciously limiting his power when facing a human, then all he needs to do is find a way to limit his power even further," Kendo had explained. "In martial arts, it isn't all about the punching or kicking. It's a whole body effort. So far he's focused his quirk on his fingers, hands, and legs. When he punched Bakugou, he channeled Superpower in his legs and fist, even if he didn't totally realize it. His power was more spread out."

Kan-sensei nodded slowly. "So what you're suggesting is that if Midoriya spreads out Superpower across different parts of his body at the same time, it'll reduce the output overall?"

"Yes!" Kendo exclaimed. "Although, I don't suggest he use his quirk right away. My initial idea was to maybe have him learn some proper fighting techniques, learn to control how hard he punches without his quirk, his body's movements, stuff like that. And maybe if he could control that, controlling his quirk would come easier."

Kan-sensei took a moment to mull over what she had said before replying. "It's an idea. But it's risky with Midoriya's quirk having such a volatile nature, However," he held up a hand at Kendo's crestfallen expression. "It's also not without its merits. I'll see if any training grounds are available for after school hours. If there is one, know that there must be a teacher supervising should things get out of hand." He rubbed his chin, grinning. "Looking out for Midoriya, you have the right mindset for both Class Representative and a hero."

Izuku remembered Kendo going bright red at the praise, stammering much like him before they'd all left. He'd been silent since then, but now he wanted to ask Kendo something that had been bothering him since her proposal.

"Kendo?" Izuku voiced, stopping just beneath UA's front gate. She stopped to look at him as both Monoma and Tokage stopped just ahead of her, looking back as well.

"What?" She asked, growing concerned by the look on his face. From just the two days she'd known him, she hadn't seen this sort of face on him. Usually it was an excited or nervous look, but this expression... He looked down.

"Just..." Midoriya frowned, then shook his head. "I just can't figure out why you're trying to help me. I mean, we only just met yesterday, and it just seems I've only caused you guys trouble."

"Trouble?" Itsuka echoed. "You don't mean that Bakugou guy do you?"

When he nodded, she felt a stab of pity for the greenette. "Midoriya, that wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, it was that jerkwad's fault for bullying you in the middle of lunch," Setsuna voiced, crossing her arms.

"And we intervened because our friend was in trouble," Neito stepped forwards, placing a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. His eyes became downcast for a moment. "Someone who's getting beaten down deserves a helping hand, no matter what."

"We may have only just met yesterday," Itsuka continued. "But it doesn't take long to make a new friend. And you are our friend, Midoriya. And that alone makes me want to help you. You may be struggling, but if I can do something, anything, to help lessen that struggle, I will. I want to."

"Everyone in agreement with that statement say 'I'!" Setsuna raised her hand high.

Neito rolled his eyes, but raised his hand. "I."

Itsuka smirked at her best friend's antics, recognizing her attempt at lightening the mood a bit. "I guess since I said it originally I don't need to say it, but I." She beamed at Midoriya, but her face fell the moment she saw the tears in his eyes. "Oh gosh, what's wrong!?"

"Oh crap," Setsuna looked scared. "Was it something I said!?"

"Midoriya?" Neito held both of the greenette's shoulders.

"I'm alright," Midoriya sniffed, a bright smile forming as tears rolled down his cheeks. "It's just... No one's ever said something like that to me before. Thank you, Kendo. You too, Monoma, Tokage."

Neito chuckled, his worries vanishing. "It's, well, it's what friends are for."

"Friends," Midoriya repeated, his smile brightening. It was one of the most precious things Itsuka had ever seen in her life. "I know we became friends yesterday, but... Somehow it didn't feel real until now. Kacchan made sure I never had friends growing up."

That made any smiles Itsuka, Neito, and Setsuna were forming vanish like smoke in the wind. "Midoriya," Itsuka spoke, softly. "I... It's not my place to ask, but this Kacchan. That's what you call Bakugou, right?"

"I- yeah," Midoriya nodded. "I've called him that since we were little. We... we were friends..." He trailed off, gaze cast downwards.

A long silence followed, where Itsuka glanced between her two friends, unsure of what to do. Finally it was Setsuna who breached the awkwardness. "Okay, enough of that for now." She clapped her hands together. "Back to the original conversation. Itsu, you wanted to train Midoriya?"

"Er, yeah," Itsuka nodded as the four resumed walking again. "I haven't told you yet, Midoriya, but my parents run a dojo."

"Really!?" His eyes widened. "That's so cool! Oh, is that why your name is Kendo?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "The dojo's been passed down for generations. I've been training ever since I was young, and I've even helped teach a few classes with my parents on occasion. From kendo to hand-to-hand skills, we got it."

"That's so practical for your quirk," Izuku said, whipping out his notebook from thin air. "Not only are you adept at fighting in close combat, but you can also surprise your opponent by enlarging your hands."

"Where the heck do you even keep that thing?" Setsuna whistled. "You sure your quirk doesn't involve materializing notebooks from nothing?"

Izuku reddened.

"Anyway," Itsuka glanced at him. "I think that if I can teach you basic martial arts, control how your body moves and how much force you put behind each attack, it could help you gain control over Superpower."

"That's..." Izuku cocked his head. "Actually a pretty good idea." In hindsight, it made a lot of sense. Instead of focusing all of his power into one part of his body and trying to limit that, didn't it make more sense to limit his output, then spread that percentage across his body to further limit the strain? He mentally kicked himself for not realizing this stupidly obvious method of training earlier.

"Right?" Tokage grinned. "You would think with a quirk like hers, Itsu would think with her fists more often than not, but she's got a really talented brain up there. Well, considering her first thought was to teach you fighting moves... I take back what I said. She tried acting so smart it looped right back around to solving things with her fists."

"Don't blame me if I chop you in the neck," Kendo muttered, just loud enough for them to hear. "Anyway, while we wait for Kan-sensei to get permission for us to use a training field, maybe we could find somewhere else to practice. I'd suggest my family's dojo, but it's pretty far away and I wouldn't want to make you all stay out too late."

Monoma frowned, folding his hands together behind his head. "Is there a place close by we can use?"

"Beats me," Tokage shrugged. "Not exactly my romping grounds. Midoriya, you know of a good place?"

"Yeah, actually," Izuku said, eyes lighting up. "I do!"

"Really?" Kendo whirled around, excited. "Where?"

"Dagobah Beach."

Izuku watched as Kendo's face fell and Monoma's frown deepened. "Midoriya," he said. "Isn't that place a trash heap?"

"Not exactly a place where one can find inner peace."

"Set, that's not what we teach at the dojo, how many times do I have to tell you that? In any case," Kendo shook her head. "Dagobah Beach was a terrible mess last time I was there, so I'm almost afraid to see what it looks like now."

To their great surprise, however, Midoriya grinned.

...

"Oh wow." Itsuka was dumbstruck.

"Holy shit."

"Don't let Shiozaki hear you say that."

"Who?"

"Shiozaki. You know, the Christian girl in our class? Vines for hair?"

"Oh."

"You really didn't know her name, did you?"

"Couldn't be bothered. I only got eyes for one green haired classmate. In any case, holy shit."

"...Yeah." Neito rubbed his eyes again. Nope. They weren't playing tricks on him. The local dumping ground of a beach was now pristine, not a speck of trash left on the sand. There were only two people as far as he could see, one hanging out on the pier and another in a dark hoodie jogging across the sand. "How the heck!?"

"Yeah!" Itsuka stared at Midoriya. "When did this happen!?"

"Oh, uh," Izuku chuckled weakly. "Some good samaritans cleaned up the place over the last year." He didn't mention that those good samaritans were him and All Might. Or more specifically it had been mainly him while All Might had watched. He didn't want to sound like he was boasting. He wasn't Kacchan.

"Well damn, this'll work," Itsuka muttered. "Alright, come on." She began descending the steps towards the sand. "This will only be until Kan-sensei gets us a place on campus. Then we can start using our quirks. Well, we can. We should probably wait on yours, Midoriya. But for now this beach will work for our purposes. We should start with some simple karate moves."

"Oh yeah, she's excited," Tokage remarked as Izuku followed her and Monoma down the stairs.

"You think?" Monoma snorted. "She's been trying to get us to practice at the dojo for a year."

"Being her childhood best friend, it's been way longer for me," Tokage said dryly. "We're going to get roped into training as well, you know. It's inevitable."

"Well, we are training to become heroes," Monoma shrugged. "So learning some fighting moves is in our best interest. Hell," he ran his hand through his hair in thought. "It might actually put us ahead of those 1A bastards."

"They're not all bad," Izuku defended them. He remembered seeing that nice brown haired girl sitting with the engine quirk guy at lunch the day before.

Monoma made a face.

"Alright," Kendo whirled around on the sand, her hair bouncing as her eyes shone. "Let's get started. Izuku, stand here. Oh, and take off your shoes."

Izuku bent to take off his shoes, feeling embarrassed doing so, even if he didn't entirely know why. Setsuna found his reddened expression absolutely delicious.

"You enjoy teasing him way too much," Monoma muttered to her.

"Hey, I'm not teasing if I'm not saying or doing anything to him. But hey, he has the best reactions, sue me."

"You two have to do it as well you know," Kendo told them, her expression giving no room for argument.

When Izuku, Monoma, and Tokage took their places facing Kendo, she nodded. "While this isn't an official dojo, proper etiquette must be performed." She took a stance with her heels touching and her toes pointing outwards and her arms at her side, palms pressed inwards. Izuku hurried to copy her, and while his form wasn't perfect, Itsuka found herself surprised how well he did just by seeing her do it. The three of them moved to copy her and she in turn bowed to them.

When they all rose, Itsuka said, "With that, try to copy this stance. The Hachiji Dachi , or Natural Stance." She moved her feet a bit farther apart and her arms no longer pressed at her side, but outwards a bit with her hands curled into fists. Once again, Itsuka was impressed by Midoriya's copied stance.

"You have a knack for this," she said with a raised eyebrow. "You really haven't done anything like this before?"

"Well, no," Izuku rubbed the back of his head, before starting and putting himself back into position. "I've studied a lot of heroes, and drawn them. With the martial arts heroes, I liked drawing them in their different fighting poses. Like Gunhead. His Gunhead Martial Arts is amazing and very practical for his quirk. I'm sure I must have at least a couple pages dedicated to his form and- and..." he trailed off, reddening. "Sorry, I, uh, get caught up when thinking about heroes, and..."

"No no," Itsuka was smiling, holding back her laughter. "In fact, I find that very impressive. You know a lot. Enough so that you have pretty good form. That's really good. Maybe put your feet a tiny bit wider- yep, that's good, right there. Now, left hand out, with palm facing forwards, and your right hand like this at your side." She demonstrated, her right fist curled at her side. "When you go to punch, thrust while pulling back your left hand into the same starting position as the right, while making a fist. And twist your forearm before the punch lands so your fist is straight and not upside down. That's what you call a Choku Zuki, or a Straight Punch." She demonstrated a couple times, slowly for Midoriya to see. He nodded and attempted the same thing, thrusting out.

"Try going slowly," Itsuka advised. "Get a feel for the motion behind each punch. How the rest of your body goes with the motion. And make sure to breathe. Keeping your breathing even is important."

Izuku nodded. He breathed in, then out. This training was to help him, in the end, master control over One For All, so he'd put all he had into it. Focus on the movement. Thrusting out slowly, twisting my forearm at the last moment to deliver the punch. Control how fast I pull my other arm back at the same time. Both must be in sync... Both... His slow punch faltered. Both must be in sync... Just like... My body and One For All.

He opened his eyes and stared at his open palms.

"Midoriya?" He heard Kendo ask hesitantly.

"I, just a sec," Izuku flexed his hands. Maybe... If I want to apply this to One For All... He took another breath, closing his eyes as he repositioned himself. Imagine the egg in the microwave. He moved his left arm in a slow motion thrust while pulling back his right. Keep the form correct. Don't let the egg crack. His left fist moved back as he thrust his right forward, letting himself feel his body move with it. Let the egg move faster. His punches began picking up speed as he kept himself in position, not letting the motions of his body along with his punches take him out of form. No cracks. I can still go faster. The egg in his head was spinning faster and faster in the microwave as he began punching the air, but it wasn't cracking.

"-iya. Midoriya!"

Izuku blinked, stopping mid-punch as Tokage bonked him on the head with her hand. "Wow, you were really spaced out there, Mumbles."

"Ah, sorry," Izuku grinned sheepishly. "I guess I ended up focusing too much."

"Don't be sorry," Kendo shook her head. "In fact, good job. You've got the basic form down and those punches are sure to be effective in a fight. But there are a couple other beginner moves I can teach you before we have to leave, so let's see how well you master those. As for you two," Kendo turned her wide grin on Tokage and Monoma. "Let me see your punches now."

For the next hour Izuku practiced everything Kendo showed him, with Tokage and Monoma reluctantly going along with it. From the Oi Zuki , Front Lunge Punch, to different stances, such as the Kiba Dachi , or Horse Riding Stance. The moves weren't so much as to learn how to properly fight, but to focus his thoughts on being aware of how his body stood and moved, controlling every aspect down to the last minute detail. By the time the sun had begun coloring the sky, Izuku was sweating and knew he would probably feel sore tomorrow. But focusing the entirety of his mind on the karate moves and the egg in the microwave had helped him feel more in tune with his body than he had before. He could only hope that he could use the same focus to master at least a tiny amount of One For All's power.

His thoughts were interrupted by Tokage's enthusiastic clapping. "All right, Mumbles! Woo woo! Looks like the next karate kid is coming along great!" She let herself fall to her knees, then onto her back. "Now don't mind me, just gonna take a break here while I catch my breath. You really know how to work your friends, huh Itsu?"

"Hush," Kendo told her, but she was grinning as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "You really are a fast learner, Midoriya."

"Thanks!" Izuku matched her grin.

Itsuka could feel the happiness radiating off his smile. It was infectious, making her smile wider. That's what she had hoped to achieve here.

"Not to rush you or anything, but we should probably head out soon," Monoma said, rising to his feet, wiping at his forehead.

"Yeah yeah," Kendo waved him off.

"Thanks again, Kendo," Midoriya bowed to her. She smiled and bowed back.

"You're a good student, Midoriya," she praised him as they both raised their heads. "I wonder if you'll be able to put today's training to good use during tomorrow's battle trials."

Izuku's eyes widened. "Oh yeah!" He had forgotten that it was tomorrow. Between breaking his finger and getting cornered by Kacchan, it had slipped his mind. He turned to face the sea, before spotting a familiar skeletal figure on the pier.

"You coming with?" Kendo asked when Izuku didn't move.

Izuku shook his head. "I'll stay here for a bit. It's not too long to my house."

The three of them nodded. "See you tomorrow then," Monoma raised a hand in goodbye.

"Don't stay out too late," Kendo advised.

"And don't talk to strangers," Tokage did her best mom impression. "And if you're not back home by ten o'clock, you're grounded, mister."

"Alright, time to go home," Kendo said, grabbing Tokage by the ear, only for the ear to detach. "So come along if you want this back."

"I could always regrow it," Tokage pointed out, but followed after her as she groaned louder than necessary. "Oh man, Itsu, I'm gonna be so sore tomorrow."

"Well, do this more and you'll get used to it. It's really good for you..."

Izuku watched them go, never feeling happier, before he turned around and walked to the pier. He broke into a jog, calling out, "All Might!"

The figure turned away from the sea, his sunken cheeks lifting up as he smiled. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Toshinori?"

"Sorry, All- I mean, Toshinori," Izuku corrected himself as he came to a stop. "Were you watching?"

"I was," he confirmed. "And I saw your performance yesterday with the ball throw."

"O-oh, did you?" Izuku glanced down.

"Hey hey, chin up, kid," Toshinori said. "What you did was amazing! It may not have been perfect, but you managed to reign in One For All and control it. Now that's progress, more than I had expected. You continue to impress me, young Midoriya!"

Izuku beamed at his mentor's praise. "Thank you, sir!"

"Now, about this fighting practice," Toshinori rubbed his pointy chin. "What's that all about?"

Izuku explained, starting from Kendo's theory on why he didn't break himself or hurt Kacchan too badly when he punched him, to how he's trying to relate the feel of his fighting posture to drawing upon and controlling One For All.

"It's not a bad idea," Toshinori murmured after he'd finished speaking. "Especially with One For All's nature. Vlad King said you all would need a supervising teacher every time you all wanted to train? Well, I can fill that role."

"You will?!"

"Of course," Toshinori smiled. "You are my protegee after all. No one needs to know that of course. I'll just be a teacher who happens to be free, and someone who has experience wielding tons of power." His expression became downcast as he looked out to sea. "Honestly, it's the least I can do. Most I can do is offer you advice, or different training regimens. Helping you learn how to fight? Sure I can give you a rundown of the basics, but actually practice with you? Not with this body."

"You've already done a lot for me," Izuku said, trying to cheer him up. "When no one else believed in me, you told me I could become a hero. You gave me One For All and helped me get to the entrance exam. So even if you can't do as much as you wish you could, you still do more than enough."

Toshinori looked back at the green haired kid and his confident smile. He couldn't help but smile in return. "Indeed, young Midoriya. However," he sighed as he placed his hands on his hips. "That doesn't mean I'm not going to do my best to teach you. I still have a couple ideas in this noggin of mine that may help you along your way to mastering One For All. It depends on how well young Kendo's training pays off however. Now, let's get you home. You should rest for the battle trials tomorrow."

"Yes sir!"

"I parked my truck not too far," Toshinori began walking, his successor already following. "I can give you a lift home."

"That'd be great, thank you!"

Toshinori huffed silently in amusement. Young Midoriya was the same as ever, placing him on a pedestal he didn't feel he deserved. But, truth be told, Midoriya was right about one thing. He had been the only person who'd believed in him. Because of him, Midoriya was well and truly on the path to becoming a hero. He remembered the day when he first saw the kid, running headlong into danger, regardless of the harm that could have befallen him. He'd shown bravery he hadn't seen in the heroes watching the event unfold. In that moment, he had known he'd found him.

His successor.

...

1 Year Ago, April XXXX

"-Just mere months after All Might's tense battle against Toxic Chainsaw, All Might would engage in a battle that ultimately led to his retirement and the death of several Pro Heroes. One epic final hurrah for the world's greatest hero against the villain only known as All For One. The events that unfolded were devastating, and it is thanks to all those involved that the battle did not occur in a populated area. While the fight was difficult, and led to great destruction, leaving the area known as Ground X, All Might pulled off a narrow victory thanks to his ultimate move, United States of Smash, and-"

Toshinori gawked at the television screen before hurriedly moving on, clutching his coat around him tighter, and angling his hat down. His real skeletal form had been revealed to the world then, so going incognito like this was always his best option.

The way they phrased their words, Toshinori grumbled. Made it sound like I died.

He found himself in Musutafu that day because Nedzu wanted to meet with him. He was an old friend, and principal of UA High. He had no illusion as to what the super genius wanted from him. To be a teacher at the prestigious school and raise future heroes. But there had been another purpose to Nedzu's meeting.

"You were the Symbol of Peace, not just to Japan, but to many across the world," Nedzu had said. "For many, you were what they looked up to, aspired to be. You gave the world hope. But now you are retired and we must now look to the heroes who try to fill in your shoes, and the heroes that come along after. But it's not enough."

"What do you mean?" Toshinori had asked, sitting up straighter.

"I'm sure you know," Nedzu sighed as he sat back down across from the skeletal figure. "In the five years since you defeated All For One, crime has steadily risen. They've gotten bolder with you gone. Of course most of them are apprehended without much issue, but there have been villains that have eluded us. Some have become quite notorious. Render, Moonfish, Crimson Bride-"

"-Muscular, Spine Breaker," Toshinori said, running his hands down his face. "I do know. Tsukauchi keeps me informed. So many villains that are too elusive and dangerous. And I can't do a thing to stop them."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Nedzu sipped his tea. "They'll be caught in time. But it's the state of mind the public is in that I find worrying. In the past five years, there have been signs of dwindling faith in heroes. Endeavor doesn't inspire people as Number 1 quite like you did. To be fair, it's a hard standard to live up to."

Toshinori chuckled weakly, drinking his tea.

"Applicants to UA keeps reaching all time lows, and I fear it's a trend that'll continue. People are realizing that a world without All Might is a more dangerous one. Which is why I want you to teach here at UA," Nedzu folded his paws. "Help shape the young minds and grow into not just fine heroes, but superb ones. Ones that can inspire the people of Japan, and the world, not unlike you did. But..." Nedzu looked straight into his old friend's eyes. "I think it also might be time."

"Time?" Toshinori echoed.

"Yes, time," Nedzu nodded. "To find a successor."

Toshinori looked away. "I was hoping I didn't need to. With All For One finished, there's no need for my quirk to be passed on to the next generation to fight him. However," he relaxed his hands in defeat. "I see what you mean. Having a symbol would go far in easing the minds of citizens everywhere." He glanced back at Nedzu. "Is that why you had me come here? To find someone among UA's student body?"

"It's a good place to start," Nedzu agreed. "I know Sir Nighteye's Work Study student has great potential. You could watch him in action and see for yourself."

He remembered seeing Mirio Togata spar. He was strong, and utilized his quirk well. But he had decided that he wasn't the one. While he could make a perfect new symbol of peace, he was already powerful enough on his own to inspire the hearts and minds of others. No, the one he was looking for would be someone who was neither powerful nor ahead of everyone else. Someone who could rise beyond what people had expected of them. To be a symbol of going beyond. Someone-

"GET BACK!"

The shout drew Toshinori from his thoughts as he approached a large crowd. They were staring down Tatooin Shopping District, where smoke was rising out of as fire raged on the street and in shops. He took in the scene quickly. Several Pro Heroes were on the scene, doing damage control, but doing nothing to stop the villain in the middle of the chaos. His body was made of dark green sludge and seemed to be-

Toshinori's eyes widened. He had captured a child! Why hadn't the heroes rescued him by now!?

But he knew from the moment he recognized them. With their quirks, they couldn't do much, not against a villain like that. So they had no choice but to stand by and wait for backup-

"Hey, stop kid!"

A boy wearing the same school uniform as the one being held by the sludge villain had broken free of the crowd and was rushing towards the villain, ignoring the fires raging at his very feet. Toshinori watched, transfixed as this scrawny green haired boy tossed his backpack, distracting the villain long enough for him to claw at its body to try to free the victim.

What am I doing, standing here and gawking like some helpless bystander!? Toshinori's mind roared as he witnessed an act of heroics that none of the other heroes present had shown so far. His body steamed as his muscles bulged against his coat. He couldn't keep One For All active for long, but he had more than enough to take care of a child-abducting villain. He had to, for both of the lives at stake, and the undeniable act of courage this young man had shown.

Part of the crowd took notice of him as his muscles bulged and stretched his clothes, before he leaped over the heads of the onlookers and the only now reacting heroes. He blocked the Sludge Villain's attack before it hit the green haired boy.

"A-All Might!?" The boy squeaked, eyes growing wide.

"Rushing out here was an incredibly foolish thing to do, young man," All Might grunted, already tasting blood in his mouth. "But also incredibly brave. You've reminded me that even us heroes have much to live up to."

"Dammit, All Might's here!?" The Sludge Villain yelled angrily as he swung another tendril of slime his way. "Go back to retirement, old man!"

"HA! Old man you say!?" All Might shot out his other hand, blowing apart the sludge. "Well then, let this old man show you how he took down villains like yourself back in his prime! Now," he said, focusing his attention not on the villain, but the blond boy still trying to escape, but no longer blasting explosions from his covered hands as he stared in shock. "Fear not, citizen, for I am here now!"

All Might drew back his fist, an incredible amount of power surging around it. "DETROIT-!"

"NO!" The sludge villain tried to move out of the way, but it was already too late..

"SMASH!" A great gale of wind blasted forth as he threw his fist, blowing out all the fires in the immediate vicinity. The gale tore at the sludge covering the young man's body before completely stripping it off him. He quickly grabbed him and the other boy as the winds traveled up past the buildings in a cyclone, tearing through the sky above.

When the winds finally died down, the skies grew darker, clouds having formed above. In a matter of seconds, rain began to fall. A cheer echoed down the shopping street.

All Might set down both boys before his body shrunk back down to his true form. He knelt, examining both boys. He had no idea how long the blond had been tortured by the villain, but he seemed to be alright from just a glance, albeit unconscious. The greenette was similarly knocked out, probably due to being in the close vicinity of his punch.

He kept his distance as paramedics arrived to examine both boys. When both had woken up and were cleared to leave, the heroes took the time to begin praising the blond for his determination against the villain. But once they began chewing out the other boy did Toshinori separate himself from the adoring crowd and approach.

"Excuse me," Toshinori interrupted the pro hero known as Death Arms. "I'd like to say something."

The hero glanced up, looking a bit irked that his scolding had been stopped, but he backed away to make room. The green haired young man's down expression immediately lifted the moment he saw Toshinori. He smiled at the boy. Clearly he was a big fan.

"What's your name, young man?" Toshinori asked.

"I-Izuku Midoriya, All Might sir!" The boy exclaimed. "I'm a huge fan! Oh, can you sign my notebook?!"

"Hey," Death Arms folded his arms. "He just had to save your ass from your mistake, so asking-"

Toshinori held up his arm to block Death Arms. "His "mistake" was doing the job of a hero to save someone in peril, something I saw none of you even attempt to do."

"Hey now," Pro Hero Slugger raised his voice. "We did what we could, but none of our quirks had any effect."

"It's not our quirks that make us heroes," Toshinori turned his gaze back on Midoriya. "This scrawny boy rushed headlong in when you had all but given up, determined to save his friend. If that's not heroic, then I don't know what is. Scold him? No. Warn him that he should never do that again. But we should also thank him."

"Th-thank me!?" Midoriya squeaked, going red. "N-no! M-my b-body re-reacted before I-I could e-even th-think, so-"

"Even so," Toshinori said softly, kneeling down to meet the kid's gaze at eye level. "For being a reminder of what it means to be a hero, I give you my thanks. Risking your own life to save someone else's. I don't know what your quirk is, or what you plan to do in life, but you have the heart of a true hero. Never forget that, young man."

The boy had wept at that, unable to form words. He then turned to the blond, who had just been staring at the exchange between hero and student. He placed a hand on his shoulders. "As for you, you too were beyond brave. Even when in the grasps of a villain, you weren't entirely helpless. Your quirk is strong and it helped keep the villain at bay long enough for you to be saved."

"I'll get stronger," he growled, punching his fist into an open palm, sparking a small explosion. "Strong enough to blow away opponents in one punch, just like you, All Might! I'll never be helpless like that ever again!"

Toshinori grinned. "One day I've no doubt you could achieve that. Train hard, young man, and be a hero who can in turn save those in dire straits."

Toshinori sent both boys off, watching them go before soon leaving as well. Eager fans followed, so he had to lose them in an alley before finally getting some breathing room. The sun was setting by the time he reached a neighborhood. He had followed Izuku Midoriya without much thought, driven simply by impulse.

"-I don't owe you anything!"

Toshinori stopped, watching as the blond kid from earlier stomped by, not even noticing him on the side street. Toshinori glanced down the other way to where Midoriya was staring at the other boy's back. Then their gazes met.

Toshinori walked up to the now frozen green haired kid. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I, uh, what-?" The boy tried to form a sentence, but was failing. Shaking his head rapidly, he pulled out a notebook and pen, looking for all the world like an excited boy on Christmas morning. "Could you sign this please?!"

Toshinori laughed, taking the items. "Well of course!"

Once he handed them back, he watched as the boy just stared at his signature, transfixed. He saw a smile about to form, before slowly fading away.

"All Might?" Midoriya's voice had become small, his eyes downcast. "Can I... ask you something?"

The change in tone and demeanor worried Toshinori. "Of course. What is it?"

"You said..." his grip tightened on his pen. "You said that I have the heart of a true hero, right?"

"Yes, you do," Toshinori said carefully.

"So, I..." Midoriya gulped, still unable to look at him. "For someone like me, who's always wanted to be a hero, that was... it was something I always wanted to hear."

Toshinori began to smile until Midoriya said, "But..." Now he raised his head, looking at All Might with pleading eyes. "Can someone like me, a quirkless wannabe, become a hero?"

Toshinori felt his eyes widen, a reaction that made Midoriya swing his gaze back down to attempt to hide his tears. He could almost hear his late master scolding him for his reaction. But he hadn't expected this. It wasn't because the quirkless population was so low compared to the rest of humanity, but because it reminded him of his own origins. And that, if nothing else, convinced him that the decision he was about to make was the right one. He wasn't always a believer in fate, but he was wise enough to follow its destined path when it presented itself.

"Look at me, young man."

Izuku Midoriya gazed up at him, his vision fogged by tears. He wiped them away, only for fresh ones to already begin forming. He'd just given up any hope he had of becoming a hero. He wasn't strong, he wasn't athletic, and to top it all off he was quirkless. He called himself what he really was, something Kacchan reminded him of almost everyday; A quirkless wannabe.

He expected maybe a kind smile from All Might, and something about how he could still do good in the world even if couldn't be a pro hero. But the expression he saw on his hero was a broad grin. It took Izuku so completely by surprise that his tears stopped.

"So you're telling me that without a quirk, you still rushed headlong into danger to save your friend?!" All Might threw back his head and laughed. "Kid, you really do have the heart of a true hero!"

"..." Izuku could only stare, fresh tears already forming again. But this time, a different emotion was swelling up within.

"All the greatest heroes started where you did," All Might said, placing his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Their bodies moved before they could even process their reactions, all to save a life in danger. So I say this to you now, as the former Symbol of Peace and Justice," He stood, gazing down at Izuku with the sun shining behind him, giving him an almost holy presence. "Young man, you too can become a hero."

Izuku was on his hands and knees now, sobbing. He remembered his mother's words from long past, apologizing to him over and over. Those were not the words he had needed to hear. And now, finally after all this time, the words he so desperately yearned to hear came from the mouth of the one he looked up to the most. But All Might's next words once again put a stop to his crying.

"Izuku Midoriya, I deem you worthy of my power. My quirk is yours to inherit."

...

Present Day

Izuku woke up with a start, blinking sleep out of his eyes. The words All- Toshinori had spoken to him all those months ago rang in his ears. He would never forget them. He'd vowed to live up to those words, to become a great hero one day.

"We're here," Toshinori spoke, his truck slowing to a halt. "Alright, get some rest. You look like you need it."

"Thanks again, Toshi," Izuku said through a yawn. He was too tired to even notice he had shortened Toshinori's name. "I'll do that."

Toshinori smiled at the nickname Midoriya had used, even if it had been accidental. He watched as the boy half stumbled to his and his mother's apartment, making sure he got through the door before starting up the truck again.

Best of luck for tomorrow, young Midoriya, Toshinori thought as he drove away. If Class 1A's battle training is anything to go by, you might be in for a tough time. He thought back to earlier, watching from a distance of how Izuku had been training. He grinned. Or perhaps, everyone else should be watching out for you. 

Kendo's brilliant idea was revealed, and maybe it's just what Izuku needs to begin mastering OFA. Did some world building as well, which isn't just Izuku's origins this time around, but also other stuff. Like some new villains being name dropped!

Only got 1 prewritten chapter left, and with college already kicking my butt, I'm not gonna have a whole lot of time to write as I thought I might. Well, even if updates are slow, I will ensure that they are of the highest quality! 

Also, I'm still taking quirk ideas. Feel free to keep 'em coming. Toodles!