The Deku

Chapter 3: The Gateway

Months had passed since those life-changing events took place.

Izuku didn't like to think about where he ended up after that. He didn't bother opening himself up to much after that.

All he really did that stuck out was stand outside of the gates of UA and watch the high school students walking together from building to building on the campus.

His mother wasn't his primary source of inspiration to become a hero. After all, she hadn't been as supportive to him in his darkest moments as he needed her to be. It was just that, nothing else seemed to matter now that she was gone.

Police all over Japan searched and searched for the Inko Midoriya but found no traces of the unmarked black van nor those cruel villains who took her.

Despite their best efforts, they made it seem like they didn't care at all.

He had to think rationally. Lots of people go missing. And their families are deeply affected by it every time. They become impatient and not understanding and closed off. Even though he was conscious of that, it couldn't stop him from feeling the exact same way.

If only he was born with a Quirk. If only people noticed what he could do rather than tear him down and treat him like he was useless. He would have destroyed those awful men. Beaten them to a pulp and turned them all in to the police in a heroic way.

Every kind of "should have, could have, would have" rotated in his brain all hours of the day and it wore him down.

But when he came to the gates of UA, he felt better.

This day in particular, he noticed a pair of students, a tall blue-haired boy with glasses, and a shorter brunette girl with round rosy cheeks were walking out of class together. They seemed to be good new friends. It was still very early in the semester for them.

Izuku was just sent to a traditional high school studying generals. It just felt like a repeat of middle school, only much lonelier.

So he watched the two UA students exit the gateway with several others on their way to the train station. And he decided to follow them.

The students walked and talked down the sidewalk. The brunette sounded very passionate about their conversation concerning their hero course. The blue-haired boy seemed very authoritative but just as passionate and friendly.

Honing in on the conversation they were having, Izuku followed a little closer, trying to blend in to the small crowd around them.

"Do you think I should make some alterations to my costume? It didn't seem to help me in today's exercise. I felt aerodynamic but just a little too tight." The girl sighed.

"Aerodynamics, especially regarding your Quirk are very important to keep. But if you think you should loosen it a bit, I'm sure the costume department will be happy to stretch it since it's so early in the year and just our first day wearing them." The boy explained. Some points he made, he emphasized by swinging his wrist or his arm pointing four of his fingers straight.

"What is your Quirk?" Izuku blurted out. He was so deep in thought, he hadn't realized he said that out loud and winced as they turned around in surprise.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, sir." The boy said frowning.

"Y-You're both UA students, right?" He asked.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, that's right." She shared a concerned look with the blue-haired boy, only she seemed a bit more patient and sympathetic at first glance. "We had our first big training today in costumes."

"Uraraka." The boy addressed her. "Let's not just tell anyone about what we do as students of UA."

"I-I was just curious... I've always wanted to go there." Izuku sighed.

"Do you have a Quirk?" The girl known as Uraraka asked.

"What, me? N-No. I don't..." The green-haired boy shuddered, tightening his grip on his backpack strap.

"Oh... Really?" Uraraka raised her eyebrows.

"If you want to become a hero, it's certainly no easy task being Quirkless. Let alone getting into UA High." The taller boy exhaled.

"It's not supposed to be easy for anyone." Izuku corrected him, losing a little patience himself.

"What it really takes is desire. If you have desire to become a hero then you need to be ready to train yourself for it and work and study and exercise." Uraraka mentioned.

"Right..." Izuku lowered his head. "I want to, but I guess my desire does tend to come and go." He let out a small chuckle to lighten the mood.

"You're probably wondering what insight we have about a Quirkless becoming a hero, then." The blue-haired boy said.

"Iida, I hope you're planning on encouraging this guy." The brunette girl narrowed her eyes teasingly at her friend.

"I consider myself a realist, much like our teacher. It's not right to encourage false hopes..." He sighed.

"Guys, I'm willing to do anything to become a hero... Even if it means I need to do more because I'm Quirkless, I'll do it." Izuku raised his head and stood tall.

The girl Uraraka smiled at him. "My name's Ochako Uraraka."

"And I'm Tenya Iida." Iida said.

Izuku smiled lightly. "I'm Izuku Midoriya."

The two students both had a moment of thought at the same time.

"W-Well, first thing I'd recommend: exercise. And not just any exercise. Find something to benefit the community and build you muscles moving or building or deconstructing something big." Iida cleared his throat.

Uraraka giggled and added input here and there from her own perspective.

Izuku pulled out his notebook and began to write everything he heard into it. Exercise routines, hero ideologies, costume designs- benefits and flaws, even study habits and dieting.

He never forgot what was always lingering in the back of his skull, but Izuku felt happy he got this chance to talk with a few nice students and get some of their opinions on things.

Those men never left his thoughts however. He still needed to bring them to justice.