8 Ch. 9 - Just Like Me

It has been few weeks since Izuku got Mittens and Emerald as his pets. Never did the boy show much emotions towards domestic animals, let alone the cuteness killing his heart. It was a rough start, but nonetheless, these cuties warmed up faster than any animals to the green-haired teenager.

His emotionless expression is gone when it comes to his pets. For the people? He had a calm look, with a mixture of an expression that cannot be described.

Now it was just a walk in a park. Actually, he was doing it every day. Waking up in the morning, eating breakfast, playing, reading, or watching the news or whatever that satisfies him, then lunch. After that, it's training time, etc., you know how the routine is when you want to balance your health and body. However, the routine changes when its weekends.

He didn't train every Saturday and Sunday, giving full attention to his pets. But that doesn't mean that he never gives attention to them in weekdays as well. If he had free time, even just a moment, he'll take it.

As of now, Izuku just finished eating lunch and feeding his pets as he takes a rest in the living room to watch the latest news.

What caught his eyes is the news about a mysterious man in black that is doing works like apprehending the robbers and such in every night. Of course, he knows that it's him they're talking about.

It's bound to happen anyway. He also sees some citizens answering questions about the man's name, is he good or bad, you know how it goes when one video or case went viral.

In the middle of the news, he grabbed the remote and turns off the TV before resting his body on the couch with Emerald and Mittens, who jumped and curled up beside him on each side. A smile was formed on Izuku's face as he patted his pets.

It took about a few minutes for him to rest until he stood up and went to his room to get the laptop and find some school, hopefully that is okay with his Quirk.

There was a news report on the internet where the Entrance Examination U. A is already over, but that does not matter to him. He went on to find some schools that are on par or close to a school like U.A. Two schools caught Izuku's attention; Ketsubutsu Academy High School and Shiketsu High School.

Ketsubutsu is okay, but when Izuku look into the information or the history of Shiketsu High School, it intrigued him since Shiketsu High School is on par with U.A.

He wanted to go there, but the only problem is will they accept Quirkless people?

Izuku shook his head left and right, because of a high chance of the school never accepting Quirkless people, even though he had a 'Quirk'.

Still doesn't know how he had a Quirk, he closes his eyes and took a deep sigh.

"I guess this is how my educated life ends." He said as he prepared his clothes and bag, just for him to get ready to train again.

It took a few minutes for him to walk out of the house since he fed Emerald and Mittens once more before he went to the training grounds, which is the Dagobah Municipal Beach.

Walking while thinking, Izuku had so many thoughts about what will he do next. Thinking if there is any school that can accept his Quirkless condition. Well, there are many schools, but it's not his taste.

"Dear!" That word causes Izuku to snap out of his world of thinking as he heard the shout. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about it. Like, really bad!

He went to the source of the shout. Once he is there, he saw many people surrounding... one man, whose eyes are looking up.

This made Izuku get curious, because they are looking up as well.

With this, he looked up and terrified at what he was witnessing, including the people around him.

A girl is on the rooftop of the building that has seven to eight floors. Not only that, she is so close to the edge that she's going to commit suicide.

For the girl's point of view, she sees so many people watching her, including her father.

"(I can't take it any longer. It would be better this way.)" Crying for the last time, she looked up for a few seconds... before she lifts a foot and starting to descend so horrible. In short... she fell off the rooftop. Teeth are gritted as she closed her eyes, and embraced the inevitable impact.

The height and the speed of falling caused her heart and body to shiver in fear and also made her lose consciousness. But before she lose conscious, "(Thank you, Papa, for everything.)"

Then, a sad smile was formed on her stained face and had hoped for meeting with her mother.

==Time Skip==

'Beep' 'Beep' 'Beep'

That is all she can hear. Because of it, she slowly opened her eyes, only for them to shut and tightly closed due to the blinding light that's hurting her vision. When she finally got used to the light, she opened them again, only for her to stare at the white ceiling with a light that is slightly hurting her eyes.

"You're awake." She heard a voice. A desperate one. Then, a figure appeared before her very own eyes. Looking at her is the one who spends time with happiness, even at the obstacles she was facing throughout her entire life.

The figure is none other than her father. He slowly embraced her and she returned the favor.

Unbeknownst to her, there is a boy, who was sitting on a chair, staring at her and her father. Their eyes met just as her father released the hug and separate himself from her. Before she said anything, her father beat her to it. "He's the one who saves you."

Hearing that from her father made her look down in shame. The boy stood up from the chair and slowly walked towards them to introduce himself to the daughter, whom he saved. He already told his name to the girl's father, so it's the girl left. "My name is Izuku Midoriya."

He said, almost face-to-face with each other. Almost, because the girl was still looking down.

"Why?" That is all she said, preventing herself to let him know her identity. It's a low tone, but loud enough for her father and the boy to hear. Of course, this made the green-haired boy to frown.

"Why? Why did you save me? You shouldn't barge into someone's business... unless you know what is happening." She said with a tone of pure depression while still looking down in humiliation and cannot take it any longer. Hearing it made Izuku unable to find words that needed to come out of his mouth.

"You should've let me fall. You should've stayed away from me. You shouldn't save me. I can't take it anymore." This time, a stream of tears finally came out of her eyes and land on her hospital's patient clothes, causing her to cover her face with both of her hands and began to sob and silently cried as her father hugged her, comforting her with everything he has.

It took a few minutes of agony for the girl to recover and recompose herself. Of course, Izuku waited until she felt relief, even it is just a little bit. Finally, Izuku said, "I know how you feel, miss."

That is all he said as the girl asked, "How? How would you know? You don't even know the pain I've always carry. It's more than just torture. It's a hell, god damn it!" She raised her voice of hate and cursed at him. For her, she thinks that the boy before her only feel guilty.

A moment of silence came by, because of Izuku never answering the girl's question due to her shouting at him, but his concern for the girl's life overpowered of him cowering in fear. But that fear was of no more, because he always endured it from his childhood bullies with willpower and moved on.

After a silence, he finally asked her one thing that makes her lose her anger quickly.

"Miss, you're Quirkless, aren't you?"

The sudden question made the father and daughter's eyes wide open. The girl didn't utter a word and her silence is enough to answer Izuku's question. The boy then said, "It's okay for you to never believe what I'm going to say now, but I've been on that road before."

She shook her head, never believing at what she's hearing. Her head motion made Izuku explained, "I got my Quirk a few months ago, but all my life I was Quirkless. I can see it in your eyes. You're hurt, verbally, physically, and emotionally. Many children commit suicide because of how people treat each other unequally, especially the children."

He grabbed his chest before he continued. "The feeling of how we can't take it anymore and the way how society treats us badly enough that we're worse than slaves."

Hearing the way he talks about himself, and how the society treats him made the girl feel so bad for him. It's like they're the only ones that are the last survivors when it comes to the annihilation of the Quirkless society.

"Suicide attempts are rather very high to Quirkless people, although many didn't occur without a reason. It takes a lot for them to reach that point. You have reached that point, but I prevent your demise because you're so young to die." His speech slowly turns into a whisper, because what he was going to say next made him remember something. An impact to his life, like a meteor destroyed the dinosaurs and the world.

...

"So am I."

The father and the girl were shocked, taken back, confused, and had a look of disbelief when they heard those words that came out of the green-haired boy.

"Wh-What do you mean?" The girl asked, curious about why he said that. As of this point, Izuku told them that day...

The day that changed his life and made him, him today.

==Flashback==

5 years ago. It was night. The sun was already set, and there are no more people passing on the road, only lights on the traffic and buildings. Of course, the situation made Izuku feel happy that no one really cares about him.

"(I guess this is it.)" Two years ago he lost his father in an incident that's called the Yokohama Massacre, but now it's his mother who passed away. It was too much for him. He is so young to have no parents that can guide him. What else can he lose so easily?

"(I guess you're right, Kacchan. I really like to thank you for that advice.)" With those thoughts in his mind, he looks at the night sky above and closed his eyes, remembering Katsuki's advice.

"You know, there's only one way for you to get a Quirk. Just take a dive off the roof and pray that you'll reborn with a useful one."

After remembering that conversation and those words, a senile smile grew on Izuku's mouth and an insane, yet low laugh came out. For a specific reason or reasons, that laugh is mixed with pure depression, making him more delirious with insanity running through his mind.

It took three minutes for him to stop laughing and said, "I really should thank you Kacchan, for guiding me the way to get a useful Quirk." Tears are now streaming out of his face before he finally did it. He jumped off the 7-floor building.

His body quickly got tensed and gritted his teeth as he embraces the sweet and sour embrace of death. Sweet, because he is no longer living. But sour, because he needs to endure the immense and large pain that he is about to get.

...

But instead of hitting the floor, he felt something warm that surrounds his back. He slowly opened his eyes and what he saw next is a pair of royal blue eyes with a sad look, staring at him with a frown as well.

"Why? Why did you save me? You should've let me. I'm not really worth the living in this hell world." He said as he turned his head to the side, avoiding eye contact with his 'savior' causing the person to look at him with so much worried in the face.

"I'm just a Quirkless piece of shit to him and to everyone I can't even fight, let alone someone help me but no. Nobody even dared to help me." As of this moment, Izuku broke down in tears as he finally let it all out, the words he really wanted are now out. The person stayed quiet while holding him.

It took a few seconds of the green-haired boy trying to relax by deeply inhaling and exhaling. The 'savior' did not say a word until, "That's not true."

This made Izuku slowly stare at the person and just realized that the person who 'saved' him is a girl, who had a very long periwinkle hair that matches her royal blue eyes. "What?" He asked in disbelief, not believing what he just heard from the girl.

"That's not totally true. You may be Quirkless, but you're not a kid who is always crying out loud about not fighting." Izuku was so conflicted at this moment, doesn't know if she compliments him or add insults to injury.

"All I can see is a kid who had a bright future, even if his life is full of darkness. Quirkless or not, you are worthy to live. Worthy to endure all those pain that inflicts so much damage to you." The girl said before she dropped Izuku gently to his feet, who was still shocked by her statement.

"We all know that people today are full of themselves. I can see that, but you are different. You can rise to the top from the bottomless sight of darkness. I see a person who can become a hero in his own ways. That's why you have so much to live for." She said with a tone that can relieve someone from stress, or possible, depression.

"Never stop driving yourself to the fullest. Ignore those who belittle you and your life. Focus on what you want to become. It is not really wrong to dream. Just make sure that it's achievable." Those words struck Izuku from the deepest and hardest angle of his heart as he stared at the girl, who was smiling innocently.

In his eyes, she was shining like an angel. And at that moment his body felt so light. She's right. Just ignore those who hurt you and do what you want to do. Izuku look down, not in shame, but in deep thought about how her words literally changed his view in his life and heart.

He slowly rose his head up, just for him to meet her, who was smiling at him.

"Thank you so much, miss. Your kind words made me who I want to be. I... I really thank you from the bottom of my heart." His voice was wavering because it was full of emotions. Emotions that are running wild that he cannot contain it. Those words caused her smile to went bigger.

"No problem. I've met so many people like you, but no matter what, you are who you are. I've no doubt that you'll become a hero in your own way. Ignore those who put you down, okay?"

Izuku nodded from her words, following her advice of not letting him get down by everyone, even if he is Quirkless or a normal child. "I can help you go home Oh yeah. Where do you live? Is it far from here or near here? Is your home big or not? More importantly, do your parents know about why you left the home? I hope not, since it's very dangerous in the night and that they'll get angry for what you did."

Of course, those bullets of questions made Izuku taken aback and also made him blush from those quick words that came out of her mouth. Not only that, but it also brought Izuku out of his emotion since he's not good at talking with the opposite sex, let alone an emotional and serious topic.

Realizing that her curiosity level went beyond 9,000, she stops at her tracks, placed one of her hands on the back of her head, and smiled sheepishly as she said, "Sorry about that. I tend to get out of control."

Hearing her statement made Izuku nodded before he said, "I-I-I-It's okay. I, uh, I live not far from here." Without even wasting a second, "Well, what are we waiting for? Come on." She said, not wanting to wait any longer as Izuku quickly nodded with a blush on his face and went towards the direction of where his house is.

Of course, the girl was walking beside him. But seeing the boy's reaction, the one where he got blushed and stuttered, that made her to silently giggle and thought to herself, "(Cute.)"

While escorting him back to his house, Izuku glanced at the taller girl for a few seconds before looking forward.

This day on, she became his savior.

Soon, they finally reached Izuku's house as he turned around and nervously said, "Th-Thank you for helping me get back to my h-home."

"No problem. I'm just glad to help."

Little did she know is that it does really help him since it's a life-changing event. She's his savior after all. Well, only to him.

"Okay, see you later." She then walk away while Izuku kept looking at her long periwinkle hair that was waving in the hair because of the breeze or the wind. She continued, but stopped walking next, which did not go unnoticed for the green-haired boy.

"I forgot something. What's your name?" She asked after turning her head to look at Izuku with an innocent smile and tilted her head, giving a vibe of curiosity.

"Hm? Ah. It's Izuku. Izuku Midoriya. And you are?" This time, he's the one who wanted to know HER name. A moment of silence was replaced until the girl's smile got bigger and finally told him her identity.

...

"Nejire Hado."

==Flashback End==

"We didn't see each other after. That's the only time I saw her face, but no matter what. She saved my life." After hearing the story, the girl and her father felt so emotional and happy at some point that someone saved his life, and his goal to become a hero.

"Well, this happened to me before that event." He then rolled up his long sleeves and revealed so many scars on both of his wrists.

They were about to ask him, but he beat them to it. "I got my Quirk a few months ago, but when I was Quirkless, I tried to commit suicide by slicing myself, specifically on my wrists, but my neighbor always see me and carried me to the hospital. It almost became a hobby to me, but now it's not."

A sigh of relief came out of the girl and the father. They didn't want to imagine if a person's hobby was cutting his wrists all the time.

"I know that this is hard to give in, but for the sake of your father, please continue to live. It's not too late to change your way of life." He explained, "Imagine a dream where you are so satisfied with. If you want it to happen before your eyes, do whatever it takes for it to happen."

Hearing those words of his made the girl look down on thoughts about the dream that she wanted to be.

If she cannot become a hero, then that means...

She slowly lifted her head to look at Izuku and said, "I want to be a support, a person who can help people in many ways. I... I want to be like my Papa."

Her father smiled once he heard about the dream her daughter wants and so does Izuku, who smiles at her, knowing that he help her in a way where she can do it by herself.

"It is not really wrong to dream, just make sure that it is achievable. I can see it in your eyes that you can do it, no matter the cost." Izuku said before the girl's father butted in. "I'm truly grateful for you to save my daughter." The father said with a genuine smile, showing appreciation to Izuku's actions awhile ago.

"It's fine, sir. At least she's okay. I have to go now. I have something to take care of."

Izuku waved goodbye to the family. He was about to leave the room, but someone stopped him from walking outside the room.

"Melissa!"

Those words caused him to look at the girl while his hand is on the doorknob. "Melissa Shield's my name. David Shield is my Papa... I... hope we meet again, Izuku Midoriya." The girl said, introducing her and her father's identity to the green-haired boy.

Finally knowing the father and his daughter's name, Izuku smiled and said, "We will."

With that, he left the room with a smile on his face, for saving another person's life... who was just like him ten years ago. The childhood years of being bullied, the situation they were in... it was something that made them experienced...

That the world is truly not peaceful. Not because of villains that terrorized the citizens... but because of the treatment between the Quirkless society and the people who had Quirks.

That was on Izuku's mind as he kept on walking... and it's the same for Melissa Shield.

They already know... that all men and women... are not born equal.