Disclaimer: This has been inspired by Quirkless Unbound by Shadowhuntress and Zyla_SweetBean on Archive Of Our Own. I strongly recommend you read that before reading this. Some scenes and dialogue will be the same, but will take place mainly from OC's perspective. This is to answer the What If..? question: "What if Maddie and Tenko were childhood friends?" A few minor plot points will also be changed. MHA belongs to Kohei Horikoshi.

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"Wait, really?!"

"You're joking, right?"

Nezu calmly sat back at the reactions of the two young charges, taking their incredulous statements in stride. "Yes, really. No, I am not joking." He rested his folded paws on his desk. "Of course, if you would still like to leave, I can put you, Madeleine, and your mother on the next flight out of the country."

Izuku thought about it for a moment. "I'm staying," he declared. He broke out into a wide grin. "Besides, becoming the first Quirkless hero sounds like the perfect opportunity to change people's view about Quirkless. Hopefully, one day, I'll put an end to the Quirkless laws and the Commission."

"I'm staying with the kid," Maddie seconded. However, her mouth twisted into a frown. "But I don't know about becoming a hero. People usually don't like criminals getting into the hero business."

"Well," Nezu said, "it will certainly take a lot of work, and it might require skirting past a few laws, but I can certainly make it happen." He raised a paw in the air, vindicating. "Besides, just because you are viewed as a criminal in the eyes of unjust laws doesn't mean that you are one. If anything, this will be your chance to prove them wrong."

"But-"

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea," Izuku chimed in, cutting off her protest. He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling. "With your power, you could help a lot of people. People like me."

"Exactly," Inko added, agreeing with her son. "You would make a fine hero, indeed. People would be crazy not to give you a chance."

"Now," Nezu continued, "with that all settled, I think we should-"

"H-Hold on, hold on a second," Maddie interrupted, halting the principal's flow. Nezu simply regarded her calmly, the way he had been this entire time. Everyone's kind encouragements felt so wrong, so out of place. To her, the word "hero" was not synonymous. It had gotten to the point where it overwhelmed her, that she had to stand up from her seat and say something. "I'm not sure if you quite understand what you just said." She pointedly looked the rodent in the eyes, the principal himself not giving a reaction. She pointed towards herself. "I've killed people."

Having that out in the open settled an oppressive atmosphere over the room. Maddie stared deep into Nezu's eyes, trying to figure out what game he was playing. Because there was no way he wanted her to be a hero. It must be a trick. Instead, to her utter astonishment, all the principal said was, "Yes. I am aware." As if it didn't matter.

Maddie felt the breath in her chest escape her, the room slightly spinning. "You..." she choked out. "You... You're actually serious about this.

"I am."

The girl could feel her entire world flip upside down. "B-But... why? I... I-I don't-"

"Frankly, the way I see it," Nezu cut off, "you are a young woman who has been dealt an unfavorable hand at life. Not only were you perceived as inconsequential by your peers due to your lack of a Quirk, but you were also abused once finally obtaining one. At such a young age, too." He tilted his head to the side. "Animals become vicious when they are cornered. They default to basic survival instincts. Humans are no different. If you poke the bear long enough, the bear will eventually attack to protect itself." His expression did not change one bit. "The issue with all of this is that the ones who did the poking are surprised and outraged that they were attacked. Even though they were the ones who drove the bear to violence in the first place." His eyes seemed to narrow. "It's a nasty, tragic cycle. It's one of the bases for generating hatred and intolerance."

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't excuse-"

"Young Madeleine." This time, it was Yagi who stood up and turned to fully face her. His hands descended on her shoulders, giving her no choice but to look him straight in the face. "What was your childhood dream?"

Maddie was even more baffled than before. "My... My childhood dream? Why does that matter?"

"Just humor me," Yagi stated, his gaze never wavering. He wasn't kidding about this. So, she allowed herself to travel mentally back in time, back to the simpler days where she would just watch cartoons while her mother cooked dinner in the kitchen nearby. It brought an ache with it that felt pleasant. "I... I wanted to be a hero, ever since I was a little kid. Like the ones I saw on TV."

"And do you still want to be a hero?" Maddie seemed to sag under Yagi's hands. "Well, yeah, of course," she said. "But I gave up on that dream a long time ago."

"There's nothing wrong with taking up that dream again," Yagi countered. The girl didn't seem entirely convinced. "But I want to save people, not kill them," she reasoned. "Trust me, I'm not hero material."

"If you weren't hero material, you wouldn't have gone out of your way to save Izuku," Yagi argued, willing her to understand. "Meddling where you're not supposed to is the true essence of being a hero."

Maddie couldn't believe her ears. All Might himself was saying that she could be a hero? Had everyone gone mad? Yagi could see he nearly had her convinced, which is why he sighed. "Look, Maddie," he said, the girl jolting from the use of that name. "None of us can force you to do anything. But it seems to me that you believe that everyone should hold you accountable for events that were outside of your control. You yourself hold yourself accountable. And that's holding you back." His face softened again, staring intensely into her face. It was like the whole world fell away, leaving just the two of them. "Believe me when I say that you can become a hero. No matter what you've done in the past. You have the heart, and I can just see you doing great things in the future."

Something sparked through her gray matter. You'll do great things one day, I just know it! Her mother's words echoed in her mind, reflecting what Yagi reiterated just now. All the years of being incapable, of being told she could never become a hero because she was Quirkless, seemed moot now. Perhaps, this was meant to be her purpose. Perhaps, she had finally found a reason to keep on living.

It all came flooding back to her at once, a rush of all the emotions she had kept locked inside all this time. Before she knew it, tears spilled down her cheeks, and she let them fall. Her hands came up to bunch the fabric over her chest, doubling over as if in pain. She heard Yagi huff above her. "Jeez, kid, you're as bad as Izuku when it comes to the waterworks." It was all in light-hearted fun. Vaguely, she could feel Izuku and Inko approaching her to hug her, joining in on the crying fest.

When it was finished, Maddie felt a buoyancy inside her that she hadn't had in years. "Thanks, guys," she told them. "I really needed to hear that." They were brought back to the matter at hand when Nezu cleared his throat. "It's wonderful to have you on board, Madeleine," the rodent cheered. "Although, I do have to remind you." He leaned forward in his chair. "There will be people who will try to stop you."

"I know," Izuku said, his face hardening.

"We won't let it stop us," Maddie joined in, holding out her hand towards Izuku. The boy grasped it firmly, both resolute in their decision. She turned back towards Nezu. "I'd like to see them try."

The principal clapped jovially. "That's what I like to hear." He was practically bouncing in his seat. "I'll do my best to handle the politics of this whole thing. In the meantime, it would be best to keep your aspirations under wraps. Madeleine and Inko will be safest here at U.A., especially while Madeleine is training to become a hero. We must help the both of you gain momentum so that when the public realizes what is happening, they can do nothing but be swept in by your tide or drown in it."

Yagi coughed awkwardly, Nezu's tail twitching. "Ah, I apologize. That was a bit dramatic. But my point still stands."

"I'm assuming we'll need to start their training as soon as possible, yes?" Yagi prompted.

"Leave that to me," Nezu said with a wave of his paw. "I have many trusted associates who will help get the job done. If possible, I would like Madeleine and Izuku to be trained together, just so we can get more done in a shorter amount of time. We'll need Izuku to perform some basic fitness tests to figure out the best way of helping him become a hero. We'll also need to assess Madeleine's level of skill, not just with her Quirk, but in all other aspects as well. It will be necessary to help her become the best hero she can be."

"Sounds good to me," Maddie said. "Anything that we need to provide ourselves?"

"I will let you know," Nezu answered her. He got up from his chair then, approaching Maddie and Izuku to shake their hands each in turn. "Thank you so much, Madeleine, Izuku, for choosing to trust us. You have no idea how much we appreciate it."

They both smiled at him, grateful that they were given such a unique opportunity. Inko couldn't tell Izuku enough how proud she was of him. Of both of them. Maddie thought about what her parents would think if they knew she was going to go to U.A. to become a hero. They would be just as excited as Inko was, that was for sure. A little bit of pink crept into her cheeks at the thought.

Eventually, Izuku grew exhausted, and she couldn't blame him. She was exhausted too. It had been a long day for them both. Nezu said he had some vacant staff accommodations on campus that she and Inko could occupy for the time being. Izuku, however, had to go back home with Yagi. Knowing that he would see her when he returned to campus for his training, however, made it easier for him.

Yagi would have their things sent over as soon as he could. Many of the events going on in U.A. were private, so it was easy for them to maintain a low profile. Maddie had to admit that the principal was right; this was a whole lot better than hiding out at Yagi's place. Not that she would ever admit that.

She crashed as soon as she found her new bed, only waking up once to eat dinner that the school's cafeteria had provided. She just barely caught Inko saying to her that her training would start first thing in the morning. She didn't have the energy to internally groan. For once, she actually looked forward to what the next day would bring.

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The next day brought the first day of her training. Maddie quickly scarfed down her breakfast, a mixture of anticipation and nerves tightening her gut. It was still exciting to know that she was going to take her first step in becoming a great hero. It would've been lovely if her parents could see her off, but right now, she had Inko and Yagi. The former noticed her nervousness, assuring her once more that this was where she belonged. It would take time for her to feel the same way. She knew that much. But just to hear that so many people believed in her after so long was overwhelming. There were still tears in her eyes once they left the teacher's accommodations area.

They met back up with Izuku and Yagi near the entrance to campus. As they made their way towards Gym Omega, where Yagi said they would all meet, Izuku was completely enthralled by his surroundings. Maddie couldn't help but feel the same way. It was only broken by Yagi telling them about campus, and Izuku unintentionally showing him up by going on another of his mumbling tirades. Yagi couldn't help but laugh, Maddie and Inko joining in. "I should be taking the tour from you, my boy!" he exclaimed jovially, making Izuku blush in embarrassment. Maddie responded by playfully running her fingers through his curls. The boy didn't seem to mind it.

"Ah, this must be it." They all walked towards one of the massive buildings dotted around campus at Yagi's prompting, stepping inside. It wasn't what you would normally expect from somewhere like U.A., but honestly, Maddie didn't know if she was meant to be expecting anything. It looked like one of the gyms back at her old school. The one where no one would let her run or play on unless there were mattresses covering the entire floor and two feet up the wall. Only the finest coddling for her and the other Quirkless kids on Assisted Living.

She was shaken from her despondent memories by a familiar voice greeting them as they entered. "I know it doesn't look like much," Nezu explained, "but as with all things, looks can be deceiving." Rounding the corner, the principal was dressed in his usual suit, a stark contrast to the man he was currently riding on the shoulder of.

The man himself looked like he had gone three days straight without any sleep. He was dressed all in black, the pale scarf wrapped around his neck acting as a sort of nest for Nezu. His long black hair was scraggly and greasy, and Maddie wondered if he even bothered to take a shower this morning. His eyes were rimmed by heavy bags, further playing into how sleep-deprived he looked.

Nezu held up a paw. "It's so nice to see you've made it!" he called. Yagi nodded his head to this, showing his gratitude. "Of course, sir. We appreciate your willingness to help."

The principal clapped his paws together. "Of course, of course! We would have it no other way." He gestured to the man he was currently perched on. "I've also invited Mr. Aizawa to join us today. He is one of our best hero instructors, and I have no doubt that any insight from him will be invaluable."

The man, Aizawa, looked between Maddie and Izuku each in turn, as if sizing them up. "Are these the kids?" he asked blankly. The words snapped both of them to attention. "Yeah, we're the kids," Izuku said.

Aizawa's eyes drifted down to the scarf covering Izuku's collar before they slid over to Maddie, his eyes narrowing. Maddie had no idea what to make of it before he spoke again. "I suppose we better get started," he said, holding up a remote she hadn't noticed he was holding before. "Contrary to what Nezu says, I do have other things to do."

When he clicked the button on the remote, the whole room seemed to spring to life. The walls shifted to reveal climbing walls and fitness equipment, a section of the floor opening to reveal a foam pit. A running track emerged, making a perimeter around the entire floor of the structure. Maddie faintly though she might look ridiculous right now with her eyes bugging out so much. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie. She couldn't help but let her jaw hang loose. Nezu clapped his paws again. "I couldn't agree more," he said.

Her nerves returned full force. She was actually going to be training at U.A. to become a hero. She was nearly convinced that this was all a dream. It felt like her chest had stilled. Izuku was frozen stiff right beside her, his knees shaking. Sensing their growing anxiety, Yagi stepped forward to clap his hands on each of their shoulders, standing just behind and in between them.

"Impressive, huh?" he inquired softly. "I remember the first time I got the chills when I first came here." He laughed deprecatingly. "It's been many years, but I still remember what that excitement felt like."

"This is your dream." Inko popped in then to Izuku's right, taking a hold of his upper arm and squeezing it gently. "I'm so proud of you. Both of you." Her eyes glanced over to Maddie too, the girl feeling a rush of warmth from the eye contact. "It may seem scary or surreal now, but this is a huge opportunity for you. And don't worry, I'll be on the sidelines cheering you on every step of the way." Her smile seemed to light up the room. Maddie had no words to say. Izuku just sniffled, fresh tears gathering in his eyes. He hurriedly wiped them away. "Thanks, Mom," he mumbled. Once again, he felt grateful to Maddie for bringing her here. This all felt better knowing that his mother was going to be there to support him.

The sound of someone clearing their throat got the attention of the young heroes-in-training, noticing that Aizawa had stepped onto one of the mats. Maddie and Izuku both understood the request, setting down their stuff to join the U.A. teacher, Yagi and Inko finding a good place to sit on the bleachers so they could watch.

Aizawa looked them up and down once more after they settled to stand in front of him. Now that they were closer, it seemed the man was assessing them. It reminded Maddie of how those scientists back at the facility "studied" her like a lab rat. Except, there was no malicious intent behind his scrutiny, no air of twisted curiosity about finding the best way to see what made her tick. She was silently grateful for that.

Seeming finished with his analysis, Aizawa first directed his gaze towards Izuku. "Well, you've both got a lot of healthy muscles on you. That's a good start." He raised his hand to point at the greenette. "But there's still a lot of work to do. And you." His pointed finger swung over to Maddie this time, making her jump. "I've been told you know how to fight."

That was more of a statement than a question. Maddie swallowed. "Uh, yeah," she answered anyway. "Show me." The girl flinched at the request, but she soon relaxed, knowing that the hero instructor most likely just wanted to see what she already knew. She hoped it didn't look too sloppy; what she was capable of now in terms of combat was all self-taught, for the most part.

Aizawa directed her towards one of the punching bags set up about ten feet away. Breathing out steadily through her nose, she crouched down, arms slightly raised, hands wide open. Aizawa quirked a brow. "Isn't that just a standard judo stance?" Maddie looked over at him, blinking. "I mean, I guess?" She didn't sound too sure. The greasy-haired man just sighed, shrugging, giving her the go-ahead.

Getting back into the groove, she sized up her target. A few moments went by. Then, her wings burst from her back, making a giant whoosh sound. Everything happened so fast from there. In one blink, she was poised and coiled up like a snake ready to strike. In the next, she was gone, nothing but a blur, before reappearing right in front of the punching bag. She was already positioned to strike, her foot wound back. She swung it around in a devastating roundhouse, connecting solidly with the bag. The impact could be heard throughout the whole room, the sand-filled object jolting violently from where it hung.

For a moment, no one moved. But Maddie wasn't done yet. She delivered a few more kicks before leaping away, doing a backflip as she did so. Her wings had tucked against her back, refraining from acting as a hindrance. She went at it from a different angle, dodging and weaving as if she were being attacked by aerial projectiles. Suddenly, she leaped high into the air, her wings flapping to give her the momentum. As gravity brought her back down to earth, she flipped a few more times before her foot extended once more, aiming directly for the punching bag. With a grunt upon impact, she drove the piece of equipment onto the floor, sending shockwaves rippling across the mats. She stood with her foot resting on the bag, the shape of it horribly bent, but not broken. She panted heavily, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead.

Looking sheepish, she turned back to her audience. Izuku was staring at her wide-eyed, thinking of her in a totally different way. Aizawa's eyebrows simply rose. "Impressive, I'll give you that much," he said in his gravelly voice. "However," he lifted his hand to point at her again, "there's a whole lot of room for improvement. Same as the boy, there's a lot of work to do."

Maddie chuckled nervously, absentmindedly scratching at her cheek with her finger. "Yeah, I thought so," she admitted. "I'm not nearly as aerodynamic as I want to be."

"One of the things we'll work on," he confirmed, turning so that he acknowledged both Maddie and Izuku again. "We'll start with basic warm-ups and stretches. The last thing I need is for either of you to pull something on me. After that, we'll go over what you know."

They both nodded. Izuku was surprised. He had taken off his scarf before starting training today, and not once had Mr. Aizawa commented about his collar. He seemed to overlook it entirely. Neither did he comment on Maddie's already developed combat skills. He didn't seem all that surprised by it.

The warm-ups consisted of stretches and a few laps around the gym. The latter was not Maddie's strong suit, which Aizawa noticed, of course. "You really need to work on your cardio, kid," he told her while she panted. "Can't rely on your wings for everything."

She shot the man a comedic thumbs-up. "You got it, coach." After that, they got into basic self-defense moves. Maddie knew most of them already, as well as her own unique fighting style. She and Izuku took turns sparring with Mr. Aizawa, Izuku being directed towards another punching bag after awhile to get used to hitting a heavier opponent. She was left to try out her fighting skills on their teacher. Izuku had gotten caught a few times watching them.

Aizawa deemed she had enough skill for a police officer trained by the academy but not much more. If she wanted to be a hero, she had to learn to adapt. That would be easy. She's adapted before, on numerous occasions, not just in fights. He was impressed that she had learned how to use her wings in combat, but there was a time and a place to be obnoxious in a fight, or to be lithe and nimble. She had to be more flexible. She knew that. She had always had difficulty going toe-to-toe with enemies five times bigger than her, and she expressed as much.

"One thing I've noticed with you," he told Maddie during a water break, "is that you tend to rush in and hit heavy, ending the fight as soon as possible. That'll work on some people, but not everyone." He put his hands in his pockets, slouching over. "There are those who you'll have to go slow and steady with. If you fall into the same routine every time, you become predictable. And that can be the difference between life and death." Maddie resisted the urge to swallow at how ominous that sounded, but she nodded anyway. He was right. She may have been surviving so far on the streets with her crude fighting style, but it would only get her so far. She had learned that the hard way.

"Before we wrap up for the day," Aizawa added, "there's one more thing I've got to see." His tired eyes fixed on Maddie's again. "That's not the full extent of your Quirk, is it?"

Maddie eyed him incredulously. "Uh, no," she responded. Aizawa held out a hand as if to give her the floor. "Would you mind if you demonstrated for me?" He asked very politely, much different from when he asked her to show her combat skills earlier. "Yeah, no problem," she agreed, holding out her hand. After a bit of focus, the familiar burn of fire in her veins coursed through her, and a small ball of white fire sprang to life, hovering just above her palm. Izuku gawked at it, letting out a drawn-out "Woah."

Maddie fought the urge to rub at the back of her neck, unused to being put in the spotlight like this. "It's not normal fire," she explained, drawing Aizawa's attention to her features again. "Then what kind of fire is it?" he asked. Maddie sighed heavily. "I don't know," she admitted, sounding embarrassed. "I can do different things with it in terms of attack power..." She trailed off, thinking deeply. With another heavy sigh, she stood up, the ball of fire still dancing in her hand. "It would be better if I just showed you."

Aizawa and Izuku stood back as Maddie faced the far wall, psyching herself up. The boy was practically bouncing on his toes, he was so excited. Taking a deep breath, Maddie brought both her hands together, cupping the ball of white flame. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, the ball of fire beginning to grow bigger. Its light also increased in intensity, until the shape of the ball vanished and there was just a bright white glow emanating from her hands. Snapping her eyes open, she extended her arms towards the wall, the light continuing to grow even brighter. A sound like air being sucked into a single point filled their ears, like a black hole. Finally, Maddie let loose, the ball of light rocketing towards the wall.

An explosion shook the foundations, sending debris flying everywhere. Thankfully, none of the pieces were big enough to hurt anyone. Maddie, Aizawa, and Izuku lifted their arms to cover their faces, the air from the force of the impact blowing hard in their direction. When it dissipated and the smoke cleared, Maddie blanched at the sight in front of her.

The wall had now been reduced to half a wall, a giant gaping hole indicating that it had once been whole before. The midafternoon sun poured in from outside, a gentle breeze filtering in. Maddie grimaced, lowering her face into her hands. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled. It was only the first day, and she had already caused property damage. At U.A., no less. Perhaps, it wouldn't be so bad if a hole opened up to swallow her right now.

Nezu had, at some point, jumped down from Aizawa's shoulder, holding a wide-eyed stare the same as everyone else's. "Oh my," he quoted eloquently, holding his paws behind his back. Aizawa just stood there next to him, trying to process what he'd just seen. He then looked down at the rodent, irritated. "You didn't tell me anything about this," he ground out.

The principal merely looked up at him to meet his gaze. "To be fair, I had no idea how powerful the girl was to begin with," he explained. "I do know, however, that she hasn't had any guidance on how to properly control it. That's part of the reason why I asked you to do this for me."

Aizawa's brow furrowed, Izuku, Yagi, and Inko rushing to Maddie's side, as she had sunk to her knees due to her embarrassment, trying to console her. This all went on in the background. "I've never seen someone who's capable of this kind of destruction before. And that was only the bare minimum."

"I never took you for someone who would back down from a challenge, Shouta." The man flinched at the use of his first name. Nezu stared imploringly up at him. "Not only are we training the world's first Quirkless hero, but we are also training someone who doesn't realize her own strength, and how to best utilize it. Any sort of strategies she may have developed on her own may not be healthy, in more ways than one. It will be difficult to set her on a different path." The corners of his mouth seemed to quirk upwards. "The girl has next to no confidence in herself and her abilities, and it's our job as her teachers to help her build her self-image. It's the same with Izuku. Both have the same desire to become a hero, but as with everyone, they need a helping hand."

Aizawa grumbled under his breath, absentmindedly tugging at his capture weapon wound around his neck. "They're both gonna need support gear," he stated. "The girl especially. Something to dampen the output of her Quirk so that she doesn't blow up half the city."

"Yes, that is something I was going to talk to them about," Nezu agreed, turning his attention back to the young heroes-to-be and the adults fussing over them. "As well as this." He procured a clear binder from seemingly out of nowhere, stuffed full of documents. "I've taken the liberty of gathering materials for hero courses for Madeleine and Izuku, as well as general courses. This is what they'll need for the written portion of the U.A. entrance exam."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "You've really planned far ahead for this, haven't you?" Nezu merely chuckled. "I suppose you could say that," he admitted. His tone grew wistful. "In truth, I've always felt strongly about the treatment of the Quirkless. I truly believe Izuku will be the one to turn the tide in their favor. And Maddie is quite a special case. For a very long time, people believed she was Quirkless up until she turned fifteen. Then, it suddenly manifested." Something flashed in his eyes. "In my opinion, I see two children who just wanted to achieve their dreams, but the world denied them that opportunity. I am simply giving what they should have received a long time ago."

Aizawa couldn't help but agree with the oversized rodent. He didn't know either of these two and he could only imagine what horrors they had experienced in their short lives. Because he was sure that was the case. The principal of U.A. had a knack for fixing broken things.

Nezu gave Maddie and Izuku the binder, going over what they had to cover for the entrance exam. Maddie did her best not to be overwhelmed; it had been awhile since she had been in school. She had asked Nezu why he was willing to allow a college-aged student to attend a high school known for nurturing young heroes. His simple answer was that she could obtain her high school diploma whenever she wanted. If that was in heroics, then so be it. There was no law stating that you had to attend high school specifically through the ages of fifteen to seventeen.

When Nezu mentioned the support gear, it got Maddie thinking. Having something to dial down her Quirk's power would certainly be convenient, especially in a fight. But she didn't want to be limited to just that. "Could I also get a secondary weapon so I can fight in close quarters?"

Nezu tilted his head to the side, his tail wagging. "You mean you wish to have an advantage in both close- and long-range combat?"

"Yes, exactly," she affirmed. The principal eyed her curiously. "Are you sure? That's quite a lot to take on at once."

"I'll get used to it," she replied. "I've already kind of been doing it before." Nezu didn't question her any further on the matter, saying that sounded very interesting and he would look into it. This is when Yagi decided to add in his own two cents. "I have a friend who might be able to help with that," he explained.

"We'll try different things during your training," Aizawa added. "Eventually, you'll find something that suits you." He placed a hand at the back of his head. "Welp, that's it for today. Someone must have forgotten that I have papers to grade." He turned to walk away.

"Mr. Aizawa, wait!" Izuku called, making the man turn back. "Um... why did you agree to teach us?" Maddie focused her gaze on Aizawa, indicating that she was wondering the same thing. He let out a sigh. "Why, huh?" he considered. "I guess... it would just be hypocritical for me to tell anyone they can't be a hero based solely on their abilities." From within the folds of his capture weapon, he pulled out a pair of yellow goggles slung around his neck. "My Quirk isn't nearly flashy enough to stand out in the spotlight. Doesn't really do much in terms of physical combat either."

Both of their jaws dropped wide open. "You're Eraserhead?!" Izuku exclaimed. Aizawa's hair floated above his head, his eyes flashing red by way of an answer. To his surprise, the boy shot forward to take a closer look, his green eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. He launched into a barrage of questions about his Quirk and how he used it in the field, rambling about what other strategies he used during a fight. Maddie followed soon after, looking much shier and more reserved, now that she knew who he was. She just merely asked him if he could use his Quirk on her. Either way, they both expressed exuberant excitement over meeting a hero in real life.

Aizawa glanced at Yagi, who had sidled up to the side to observe this bombardment. The bastard was probably smirking on the inside. "So, uh..." he started, keeping his expression as neutral as possible, "are they always like this?"

"Yes, they are," Yagi replied with a fond smile. "Yes, they are."

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Author's Note: This chapter features my OC's self-doubt and self-loathing, Yagi's unwavering encouragement, Inko being the best mom in existence, and Shouta Aizawa. Quite a lengthy one this time. Hopefully, nothing about my OC's power was cringey or difficult to understand. And don't worry, my OC and Aizawa will get along quite swimmingly, seriously. I'm not being sarcastic about that.

My grandma was sent to the hospital for pneumonia and my younger brother nearly burnt down our neighborhood. Just a quick recap of events in the past two weeks.

Praise is appreciated and constructive criticism is encouraged.

See you next time!

-The_Mayflower