Hollow Hero

Howl at the Moon...

Little 6 year old Izuku Midoriya followed Katsuki Bakugo and his 'friends' into the local woods of Musutafu, and... Izuku was terrified. The woods were haunted, according to the bigger kids, but that wouldn't matter. Katsuki might not be the boy he used to be, but he was still strong. Unlike Izuku, Katsuki had a quirk. Every drop of sweat the boy released had the potential to explode like nitroglycerin. Izuku by comparison was quirkless, just a small weak curly green haired boy, with nothing special or extraordinary about him. Sure he occasionally saw people that nobody else could out of the corner of his eye, but they were never there when he tried to look... like ghosts.

That wasn't a quirk though, according to his doctor. It was just his imagination. Little Izuku had a dream. He wanted so badly to be a hero someday, but without some kind help a part of him knew that's all it would ever be... a dream. At least he could support his best friend. Katsuki could become the hero they dreamed of being. Izuku just had to keep chasing him.

Izuku had done just that... for the last two years, Izuku was Katsuki's shadow, his constant cheerleader, and sometimes his practice target, but no matter what he kept smiling and chasing... like a lost puppy.

That is until Katsuki was leading them across a log over a small creek and fell. The others just watched in shock, but Izuku rushed to help him. In return Katsuki slapped Izuku's hand aside. After that the others abandoned him, either thinking it would be funny or simply not caring about him.

Izuku walked around as dusk approached, slowly getting lost and stumbling amongst the underbrush. Izuku ended up twisting and injuring his ankle in the dark as he desperately looked for a way to get home, and he began to cry in pain and fear.

As he cried under the light of the moon, he saw a large wolf walk toward him with a fanged skull face. The two just looked at each other for a moment before he heard the wolf speak, "You can see me? You are a truly unique morsel aren't you, human?"

Izuku smiled, he'd heard of animals with quirks before, but never expected to meet one, "Thank you mister wolf. Can you help me? I just want to go home, and I don't think I'd make a good meal."

The wolf chuckled, "Your reishi is powerful, so I'll make you a deal. I don't know where the exit is, but I do have a place where I rest. Survive long enough to heal, and I'll help you find your way home. Die, and what remains is mine to eat? Sound like a deal, human?"

Izuku shrugged, "If I say no, you'll just eat me now and not wait for me to die. You'll do what you want anyway, so I don't have much of a choice. My name is Izuku, by the way. If it matters, I'd like to see my mom at least one more time, so I'll take the deal."

The wolf chuckled, and lifted Izuku up by his shirt as it began to carry him away. As they walked, Izuku heard the wolf's voice in his head, "Call me Lobo, little pup. Fear not, I am a wolf of my word. When you are feeling better, I will help you find your mother." Izuku smiled, despite his situation, Izuku liked Lobo.

Over the next three days the duo spoke. Lobo spoke of a time before 'Full bringers' were so common. When Izuku seemed confused, Lobo snickered and clarified that humans with special powers were called Full bringer's. After that Lobo explained that they used to only occur if someone survived a 'hollow' attack, and Izuku couldn't help asking what those were as well.

Lobo just gave him a toothy grin, "Beings like me. A hungry ghost. I am a Hollow. Did you think my mask was just for looks? I am what remains of a soul that either couldn't move on or had something binding them to this realm. After that a spirit that falls to sadness, loneliness, or simply remains too long is consumed by that darkness, and a hollow is born. I am not the standard hollow though. In fact... if I devoured the power sleeping within you pup... I would no doubt become one of the highest ranks of hollows, but... I am zpvs gbuifs after all."