Green Phoenix (A Deku Fic)

1: Where it All Started

What makes a hero?

There wasn't really a right or wrong answer. Some said it was how many people you save, regardless of your initial intentions. Others argued it was how powerful you were in terms of defeating villains.

To Midoriya Izuku, it was your intentions and beliefs.

It was if you chose to do the right thing.

It was having a kind heart.

So why, when he stood before the number one hero - his idol, his inspiration, the man who gave him the will to live - did he feel heartbroken? That wasn't what a hero was supposed to make civilians feel, right? They were supposed to protect and comfort.

Not crush dreams.

" -orry, young man, but without a quirk, it is impossible for you to become a hero," All Might continued. " It would be too dangerous for you and the people you would need to protect. I'm sorry."

And just like that, the greatest hero in that generation was gone. And with him, Midoria's hopes and dreams.

The green-haired boy felt numb. He didn't register the endless stream of tears that ran down his freckled cheeks. He didn't register himself dropping to his knees, biting his lip and clenching his fists to stop himself from crying out.

So that was it.

If the only person he looked up to as if they were a god told him that he couldn't accomplish his dreams, then that must be true, right?

How ironic, that when the day he had dreamt of for years and years had finally come, his whole life came crashing down.

In a daze, he lifted himself up. Oh well. Maybe he could become a police officer, or a detective? He was always good at analysing, maybe that could come in handy.

He slowly made his way down the large building, cursing All Might for leaving him on a roof nowhere near his planned route-

Wait... Since when did he curse... All Might? He looked up to him - admired him!

Or... Or maybe that was in the past.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the hero's denying voice out of his head, dripping with pity.

He scowled. No, All Might was no longer his idol. He could have at least taken him back somewhere not so high up, for goodness' sake! What kind of hero crushes a quirkless boy's dreams and then leaves them alone on a faraway rooftop?!

He shook his head. All Might was nothing like how he had made him out to be - that was for certain.

A while later, Midoriya was dragging himself past streets, mulling over his interaction with the blonde hero. Also, maybe, questioning his life choices.

He was walking on auto-pilot, having gone past these streets time and time again, and nearly missed the villain fight going on nearby.

He frowned and pushed his way to the front, wanting to get a look at this villain - he might not have a chance at being a hero, but maybe he could analyse it...

At first glance, he wondered why the heroes hadn't done anything yet. The villain's quirk seemed to let him transform into a sort of gloopy monster - or maybe it was a mutation.

Immediately, he had many questions; if the villain could revert back to a person, how long could he keep this form? If not, did this mean he was practically untouchable? Could he even be killed?

The questions immediately stopped however, when he realised that this villain was the one that had attacked him. Meaning... they probably had someone hostage...