A Jump Changed Everything

He called himself Deku

When she made it to the scene, her coworker had already lost too much blood. There was no saving him. However, she had expected a goliath of a man or one with a flashy quirk or someone... impressive. But over her close friend stood a boy. Maybe 14, 15? His mop of hair was falling through his hood. The darkness obscured most of him, and she could tell his lower face was hidden by a mask.

He didn't look up. Barely twitched, yet the flick of his finger was enough to send a tremor down her spine. He knew she was there. As her friend's blood spilled to the cement, fear radiated through her. A child accomplished this? How... and why?

The public was waking now. Citizens with cell phones and photographers couldn't be far behind. Snapping from her train of thought, she realized he was looking directly at her. His eyes blazed with an inexplicable rage; she almost thought he would slaughter her. The murderer surveyed her visually for a split second.

"Dust Hero: Disintegrate. You've based your career cleaning up after heroes and villains alike, restoring cities to their glory. Your quirk can essentially demolish any nonliving object under two feet in diameter. You can also rip chunks from larger objects and destroy them, making you an excellent hero for natural disasters," he suddenly said.

"How-" she started. He was so small, sounded so young.

"I know many things," he stepped forward, flicking the blood from his gloved left hand. "You should advise them of that."

The green haired boy moved past the young woman. "Tell 'them'?" she echoed. He nodded towards two journalists heading their way. An intense light blinded them for a moment, and it soon became clear one had a camera.

"Heroes! Villains! Citizens alike!" he suddenly called out to the ever growing crowd. She noticed the slightest pang of awkwardness in his stance. "Let the world know that I AM HERE!"

"What's your name!?" someone shouted.

"Deku."

***

A short .gif of "Deku" running away from the crime at high speeds has gone viral in the past 48 hours. Reports all over Japan have been flying about the little killer. Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he kill a crime-fighting hero? How did he kill a crime-fighting hero?

Meanwhile, Enji "Endeavor" Todoroki was focused on the idea of heroes rising to take his place as No. 2. It was unacceptable! 24 years he had held the position, and he was definitely going to make it to 25... right?

Hope seemed lost. With quirks evolving to be stronger by the generation, it appeared that his rank would finally change. Were his flames no longer good enough? He had raised his sons to have stronger quirks than him, but they were supposed to be special. Only THEY were supposed to be strong, yet there were commoners from non-heroic families with equally terrifying powers.

Then the news covered the Deku epidemic. Since the .gif was posted, he had killed two more pros. That's impossible! He had thought. What kind of monster quirk could this child have? That's when the idea hit him. It wasn't a humane thought, but... what other options were there?

It would be so easy to take out the competition indirectly through Deku.

And so, Endeavor has hired a man to contact Deku. Today, he receives the boy's phone number. Finally. He picks up his cell phone, dialing in the code. He prays it's really him.

"Hello, this is Mi-" a young voice starts from the other side.

"Are you Deku?"

The other side goes dead silent. Enji realizes he may have been a little too blunt.

"Oh my god, is that Endeavor?" he finally says. Oh. Okay. "The flame hero?"

"You didn't answer my question," the red-haired pro replies. If this wasn't Deku, he had already made a fool of himself.

"Why do you want to know?" the boy asks suspiciously. He is very clearly shaking from excitement.

"I'm not going to turn him or you in," Endeavor states firmly.

Deku's eyes go wide. What? A man so well known for his ability to do good wanted a killer? This had to be a trap. After a moment of thinking, he decides that he should attack the man over the phone. This was exactly the kind of thing he hated. Heroes should be heroic, not... this! It would be safe to tell Endeavor that he was Deku if he could kill him later, Deku's fifteen-year-old logic told him.

"Maybe I am Deku. What do you need?" he wipes away all uncertainties. It's best to pretend he isn't at all scared.

"I want to arrange a meeting with you, young man," Endeavor tells him.

"If you try to turn me in, I'll kill you," he bluffs.

"I don't doubt it. Be at my headquarters on Friday. 2 pm. Wear inconspicuous clothes. Tell my receptionist you're here for an internship. We're going to have a talk, that's all. Okay? If you don't, this number goes straight to the police."

Deku shivers at the thought of his mother seeing him go to jail. "Okay."