Machina

1.Many Heroes

"Oh that's right, isn't Midoriya also planning on going to UA," Izuku's teacher asked. Most of his class turned to look at him in surprise and disbelief.

"Eh, Deku! Are you serious," Bakugou shouted. "Hah, check again teach, there's no way in hell he'd be dumb enough to try and be a hero, no way he'd be able to without a quirk."

"Ignoring the dumb remark, as well as the part where he states I'd be useless without a quirk, he's right sir." Izuku looked up from the journals he had been writing notes in and studying. "It's true I'm applying for UA, I am not applying for the hero course, but rather, the support course." Izuku fidgeted with the watch on his wrist, the piece having a small black square displaying the time with a button on the side, the wrapping looking like a black wire or small cable.

"Ah, right, forget that you're not like the others, your goals, or... anyway-"

Izuku sighed as he went back to his journal. 'Nothing new there, being looked down on by classmates and teachers.' As the day came to an end, Izuku began gathering up his things, most of his classmates having left already. As he reached for his journals, one of them was snatched away.

"Hey Deku, I was curious about something." Izuku looked up into the eyes of his former friend and current bullie, Katsuki Bakugou. "What the teacher made me think, you're still trying for that damn hopeless dream of yours, aren't you!" Bakugou looked at the journal he was holding and scoffed as he read it's title. "Hero analysis, let me guess, despite what you've been saying, you're still tryin to become a hero, aren't you?"

His two lackeys began laughing at his words, one speaking in between. "Heh, are... are you serious, like someone like him could ever do anything to save anyone!"

Bakugou slammed his fist together, creating a small explosion that seriously burnt the journal in his hands, before tossing it behind him through an open window. "Ah, come on," Izuku groaned. "That wasn't just about heroes, but their gear too. Good ideas on support gear for said heroes, new or improved on what they have, not that I have the supplies to make something of that level. Sure Kacchan, I wanted to be a hero, but my actual goal is to help people, in any way I can. So I do mean it when I say I plan on working on support items."

"Hmph, shut the hell up Deku." Bakugou placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You can lie all you want, but I know the truth. I can see it in your eyes, I ain't no dumbass. You should just give up already, because you're never going to be a hero." Izuku felt his shoulder heat up as smoke began to come off his uniform, but kept his head down without complaining. Yet Bakugou was still pissed enough to shove him away, Izuku barely bracing himself against the wall, Bakugou's lackeys chuckling again at the sight before leaving with the explosive blonde.

A minute later, Izuku walked out of the school building with a smile on his face, stopping by the koi pond in which his journal was floating, picking it up. "Dang, hope nothing in here is too badly ruined. Well, good thing I backed my notes up on my computer." As he was muttering to himself, he pulled out a foldable helmet from his bag and put it on before pulling out another folded up item and turned it on before setting it down. A skateboard which he worked on himself, with a small pedal at the front that could make it go forward or backwards without him pushing. 'Well then, time to get going,' he thought as he stepped on and took off, humming a simple tune to himself. 'Ah, but Kacchan, you're just so darn observant, you're right, I do still want to be a hero. And I know how hard that's going to be, but that's why I'm going to the support course. Every year, students get chances to transfer to the hero course from other departments. Though, I do enjoy making things, it's just so satisfying. Now then, off to-"

Izuku was suddenly sent flying through the air as something came up from underneath his board as he was going through a small underpass, his body hitting the ground and tumbling a bit. Groaning as he began to prop himself up, he saw a large blob of what looked like sludge, the only solid that he noticed being a pair of eyes and teeth. "My, how lucky, a meat disguise sized m."

'Oh no, that can't be good.' Izuku grabbed at his watch, the main block coming off as the wire unravelled from his wrist, which he quickly threw into the villain's body, sliding the button to the side before flipping a switch that had been hidden underneath. His watch made three quick beeps as the screen began flashing a white screen with a lightning bolt before electricity surged through the wire, causing the villain to give out a gasp of pain before the device suddenly shut off with smoke coming from the detonator in Izuku's hand. 'Well that worked for a whole second... well, time for plan B.' Izuku brought out a store bought pepper spray and shot it at the villain's eyes before turning to run away.

But as he began to do so, a large banging sound startled him, causing him to trip and fall. "Worry not Citizen, for I am here!"

'Eh, is that All Might!" He braced himself as the pro hero delivered a powerful punch that sent the sludge villain splattered against the walls of the underpass unconscious.

"Now then, to gather up this villain," All Might announced as he brought out an empty soda bottle.

"Ah, wait, All Might, here, use this." Izuku brought out a small ball with a nozzle at the top and a button on the side. "I use this when cleaning up or gathering up spills or liquids when working. It should work... unlike this thing." Izuku said the last part as he picked up his taser watch.

"Huh, I've never seen anything like this before. But how useful."

"Ah, thanks, I made it myself. I kinda plan on going into the support course at UA."

All Might took the offered item as he listened, nodding along. "Ah yes, a noble profession, one that is just as important as the work the heroes themselves do. Wow, this really does work well." All Might starred as the nozzle closed itself up as it was now finished sucking up the villain."

"A-All Might, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ah, would you like an autograph, young man?"

"Oh, that would be nice, but I wanted to ask something else. While I do plan on learning how to work on or make support items, I've always wanted to be a hero. I-Is... is it possible for someone to become a hero... even if they don't have a quirk?"

All Might seemed to freeze at his question, before turning to answer him. "Young man, it is a dangerous world out there, and pros are constantly risking their lives every day. I cannot simply say that it is possible to do so, even without a quirk. There are people out there that even I would have a struggle against, under certain circumstances, with some villains not being people you can beat without powers. So no, you cannot become a pro..." Izuku lowered his head, tears beginning to form at the corner of his eyes. "But that doesn't mean you can't help others, or be like a hero." Izuku's head whipped up so fast that the hero before him wondered if he had suffered from some whiplash. "You see, even if you were not to be a hero in the field, you can be a hero in other ways. By making the much needed support gear that protects heroes and the citizens, providing help from behind the scenes. While it may not give you the same publicity, it does not change how important the role is. In fact, my good friend, David Shield is a scientist in America that makes my gear, and I see him as my own personal hero."

"A hero to the number one hero?" Izuku smiled as he grabbed his skateboard and turned around. "Hmm, yeah, you made some good points. Thanks All Might!" 'But I still gotta at least try.' Izuku got on his skateboard and rode it away. "Leave the device at the station, I'll come pick it up later!" He waved as he disappeared out of sight, briefly stopping at his house before heading to the beach, towing a small wagon behind him, the beach becoming a dump over the past few years, making it a great place to search for things he could make use of, one way or another.

An hour into said search, he had a toaster, two broken phones, a small tv, and a pair of busted walkie talkies. He was about to leave when he heard a rumbling noise from above the pile of junk next to him, and he looked up just as someone fell down on top of him.

"Oh, when did you get there? Sorry about that."