Dragon's Pride

The Worst Day

I'm going to be posting up to chapter five, then switch to my usual weekly chapter schedule. So look forward to the beginning of Izumi's Awakening!

In a world where eighty percent of the population has some form of superpower known as a quirk, that means that roughly twenty percent doesn't. But that's including everyone, from the oldest generation to the youngest. The percentage of people having been born without a quirk in recent times is actually much lower, closer to five percent. And when you consider just how large the world is, it's no surprise that I grew up without ever meeting another quirkless person.

Of course... that's not a good thing. If I had met someone like me, maybe I would have had a friend. I'm not alone! But... the closest thing I have to a friend is Kachan. But that's...

"Dumbass Deku! The fuck you think a quirkless bitch like you could do!? Literally the only thing you're even half decent at is analysis! You think that's enough to be a hero!? Be realistic! The most you can be is a housewife! And even then someone would only marry you out of pity!"

I swallow the lump in my throat, holding back the tears. This is basically an everyday occurrence, so I'm used to it. Still, before we know it we'll be going off to middle school. Would it really be too much to ask that he matures a bit and lay off the insults?

Apparently so. Still, at least when he's here the others are too scared to actively try to hurt me. The one time someone tried to hit me in front of Kachan, he sent him to the hospital. Not the school nurse, but the hospital. Of course, afterwards he said that he's the only one who gets to hurt me and then beat me up the next day. His personal punching bag. Emotional, for the most part, except when I manage to work up the nerve to stand up to him.

The constant soreness in my body reminds me that I shouldn't, but it's what a hero would do! And All Might always says that anybody can be a hero! Which means so can I! And a hero doesn't turn their back on those who need help!

If only someone could help me...

"B-b-but I can s-s-s-st-still try, ri-r-rught?" I choke out, biting my tongue from nerves and causing him and his lackeys to laugh.

"How do you expect to be a hero if you can't even talk right?" Kachan sneers, hefting his bag and beginning to head home. He pauses with one foot out the door, throwing some words over his shoulder that shatters what little delusions I've managed to hold onto that we are still kinda friends in a messed up way.

"If you're so set on getting killed as a hero, you might as well save us all the trouble and do it yourself before you waste everyone's time."

The words might have been casual to him, but to me they're heartbreaking. Piled on with the usual vitriol I got this morning from the neighbors and the looks from my parents, I frantically dig through my backpack for my comfort item as my breaths start coming faster and faster, getting caught in my throat. I have to tuck it into a secret pocket I sewed into my bag, otherwise some of the other kids would steal it. Not that my comfort stuff is valuable or anything, but to them, if I can't have a quirk then I can't be happy either.

I breathe a sigh of relief as my hand crinkles the object, and I pull out the gold colored tinsel garland. After one last look around the classroom to make sure it's empty, I put it over my eyes and tie the ends behind my head. I keep my eyes open wide so that gold fills my entire vision. Sure, it's not real gold, but the color itself still helps to relax me. At the very least it'll be enough until I can get home and snuggle against my gold pendant, bracelets, and hairpin.

I tried bringing one of those to school once since they're much better at helping me calm down than fake gold stuff, but a few other kids got jealous and told the adults that I stole it from them. And of course the quirkless kid couldn't have anything nice, despite both of my parents having good jobs, so they immediately took their sides. But I wouldn't give it up so they tried to take it from me.