The New Hero Generation

Chapter 1-You too can be a hero

Hi again, I want to re-iterate that any speculations about lore, story and characters are welcome. Even if I have plans of my own, hearing the perspectives of my readers can help me refine ideas or even come up with new ones I hadn't thought of.

Also, any questions are welcome. It'll help me figure out how I can take the tornado of brain thoughts and put them to text coherently.

In the distance, a little girl jumps up and down, her excitement contagious as she shows off her glowing fingernails to her parents. You watch, longing in your heart.

Oh, how I wish I had that quirk...

Nearby, a loving parent reaches for your binky, her hand outstretched as it floats gently towards her with every subtle pull.

I wish I had that quirk...

A little boy raises his palms, tiny explosions sparking energy that dances across his hands. Each spark grows, his grin widening until it twists into a scowl as his gaze locks onto you, filled with hatred.

I WANT THAT QUIRK!

A towering man pulls a civilian from the flaming wreckage, his booming laughter and radiant grin bringing hope to everyone—everyone except you...

YOU BASTARD! MY QUIRK! GIVE IT TO ME!

Suddenly, a door slams in your face. Your desperate cries for someone who left, for reasons unknown, echo into the void, unheard.

I just want my quirk...

The feelings of betrayal, loss, and hurt spurred the green-haired teen awake, his memories of what woke him fading too fast to recall most of it—except for that last, painful image of his father walking away. Tears stung his eyes, not so much from the dream's contents as from the mere fact of having it. It made him feel childish, still having bad dreams about his father. Logically, he knew they hadn't been abandoned—money kept arriving in the mail—but the truth of his father's absence hurt just the same. The only reason he knew what his father looked like was a framed picture in his mother's room.

Wiping his eyes, he glanced at the alarm clock. It was a full hour before it was supposed to go off. He knew there was no point in trying to reclaim that extra hour of sleep, so he rolled onto his back and sleepily reached for the string of his bed lamp. With a tug, the dark room exploded into a riot of red, yellow, and blue. The All Might themed lamp illuminated an All Might themed room, but he was so used to the visual clutter of heroic memorabilia that he didn't so much as squint as the bright colors barraged his waking eyeballs.

As he moved through his usual Friday morning routine, he made a few adjustments for the day. Instead of the scarily boring Aldera Junior High uniform, he donned their equally boring sports uniform, though he kept his favorite red shoes. Pausing before he opened the hair gel he typically used to tame his wild bedhair, he hesitated, then closed the cabinet. A blush crept up his cheeks as he remembered overhearing one of the girls mentioning they liked it when a guy's hair looked a bit scruffy and natural.

Once ready, he double-checked his equipment, ensuring everything was in place. Tiptoeing down the hallway to avoid waking his mother, he was surprised to find her already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Her tired eyes met his, hinting that she'd likely been up long before him despite her late work hours. She was already assembling their packed lunches.

"Morning, Izuku," she greeted softly, as if someone else in the house might wake up if she spoke too loudly. "You're up early."

"Yeah, I had a dream that woke me up before my alarm," he said, walking past her to a cupboard and taking out the new Fatgum-sponsored Cereal-Os they bought last week on special.