Rimuru, the Hero Copy Cat

Chapter 1

Izuku POV

I saw Rimuru walking up to me.

"Hi Rimuru, it's good to see you," I said, trying to sound cheerful despite the knot in my stomach.

Rimuru grinned, her blue eyes shining with their usual sharp, analytical glint. She tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear and adjusted her backpack. "Hey, Izuku. How's the hero research coming along?"

I clutched my notebook instinctively. "Great! I just finished analyzing some of All Might's most recent rescues. Did you know he's saved over a hundred people in a single day? He's incredible!"

"Of course he is," Rimuru said with a smirk. "You've probably got every little detail recorded in that notebook of yours, haven't you?"

I chuckled nervously. "Y-yeah, you know me."

Rimuru was my best friend, and we'd known each other since we were little. She always had this calm confidence about her, like she was ten steps ahead of everyone else. Her quirk, Analytical Copy Cat, let her analyze other people's quirks with just a glance, and she could store them in her mind like a database. She didn't show it off often, but when she did, it was amazing.

"Speaking of quirks," Rimuru said, tilting her head, "did Katsuki give you a hard time today?"

I froze. How could she always tell?

"Well..." I began, but before I could explain, an angry shout echoed down the street.

"Deku!"

Katsuki Bakugo stormed toward us, his hands crackling with tiny explosions. His scowl was enough to make my stomach flip, but Rimuru stepped between us before he could get too close.

"Katsuki," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Why don't you take it down a notch?"

"Oh, it's you," Katsuki sneered, but he didn't make a move. "What're you doing with this useless nerd?"

"None of your business," Rimuru replied smoothly, crossing her arms. "Unless you're planning to blow something up, in which case I'll remind you that I can copy your quirk and outdo you at your own game."

Katsuki's scowl deepened, but he didn't argue. He just clicked his tongue and turned away.

"Whatever. Just don't get in my way."

As he walked off, I let out a shaky breath. "Thanks, Rimuru. You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did," she said with a shrug. "Someone has to keep him in check."

We continued walking, the weight of Katsuki's words lingering in the air. I tried not to let it get to me, but it was hard. No quirk. No chance of becoming a hero. I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling under the surface.

"Izuku," Rimuru said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Do you still want to be a hero?"

I stopped in my tracks, caught off guard by the question. "Of course I do," I said quietly. "More than anything. But... without a quirk..."

"Don't say that," Rimuru interrupted. "You don't need a quirk to be a hero. You've got the heart for it, and that's what matters most."

Her words were kind, but they didn't erase the doubt in my mind. Still, I nodded, trying to believe her.

As we reached the crosswalk, Rimuru's expression shifted. She glanced at me, then back at the street, like she was debating something.

"What is it?" I asked.

She hesitated before speaking. "If you ever feel like giving up, just remember... there's more to you than you realize. Don't let anyone, not even yourself, tell you otherwise."

Her words stayed with me as we parted ways, and I headed home. Little did I know, my life was about to change forever.

Later that day, after I'd been attacked by the sludge villain and saved by All Might, Rimuru showed up at the riverbank, her expression unreadable.

"You're really something, Izuku," she said, crouching beside me as I clutched my ruined notebook. "Running in to save Katsuki without a second thought. That's what being a hero is all about."

"But I—" I started, but she cut me off.

"No buts," she said firmly. "You acted when no one else did. That's what matters."

I stared at her, surprised by the intensity in her voice. "Do you really think I can be a hero?"

Rimuru smiled, her usual confidence shining through. "I know you can."

For a moment, I almost believed her.

Rimuru sat beside me, her silver hair glowing faintly under the setting sun. She looked me in the eyes, her usual calm and knowing expression softening just slightly.

"Besides, you have a quirk," she said suddenly.

My eyes widened. "What? No, I don't. The doctors said—"

Rimuru held up a hand to stop me. "The doctors' machines can't detect everything, Izuku. There are quirks out there that don't manifest physically, quirks that are subtle, almost invisible. Yours is one of them."

I stared at her, trying to process her words. "But... what do you mean?"

She leaned back, resting her hands on the ground behind her. "Your quirk is an analytical one. I'd call it something like Analytical Appraisal. You've always been able to analyze situations, strategies, quirks, even people, better than anyone else I know. You just never thought of it as a quirk because no one told you it was one."

"That... doesn't make sense," I stammered. "Analyzing things is just something anyone can do, right?"

Rimuru shook her head. "Not like you. You pick up on patterns and details that no one else sees, and you do it faster than most people realize. That's why your notebooks are so detailed, why you can break down hero fights like you're inside their heads. It's a part of you, Izuku. You just don't know how to push it further yet."

I blinked, my heart racing. "But even if that's true... how does that help me become a hero?"

Rimuru smirked, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. "Because quirks like that have limitless potential if you train them. Become proficient enough, and you can do things most people think are impossible—like predicting the future."

I froze. Predict the future? That sounded like something straight out of a storybook.

"Think about it," she continued. "You already analyze fights and strategies instinctively. If you hone that ability, you could start predicting outcomes, anticipating attacks, and outmaneuvering enemies before they even know what's happening. Heroes don't always need flashy powers, Izuku. The best ones use their minds just as much as their quirks."

Her words filled me with a strange mix of hope and doubt. Could she be right? Was it possible that I had something, anything, that could help me become a hero?

"But..." I began, my voice trembling. "If I really have a quirk, why didn't anyone notice it before?"

Rimuru shrugged. "Most people only recognize quirks that are flashy or obvious. The ones that slip under the radar are often dismissed or overlooked. That doesn't make them any less powerful."

She stood up and brushed off her uniform. "You've got what it takes, Izuku. I'm sure of it. Now, the real question is... are you going to let the world tell you who you are, or are you going to decide for yourself?"

Her words hung in the air as I stared down at my hands, the remnants of my burned notebook still clutched tightly.

Could I really do it? Could I prove everyone wrong and become the hero I'd always dreamed of being?

For the first time, a tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest.

Maybe Rimuru was right.