chapter 8: ambition

Applause. It is a simple, almost primal sound, yet it invokes an unexplainable feeling within the recipient. And that day, I was the recipient of perhaps the biggest applause I had ever experienced. And damn, did it feel good.

My past life had not been anything special. While I was doing good, I had never truly accomplished something that made my chest swell with pride. Perhaps this was because it had ended quite prematurely, but I still did not accomplish anything worth noting. But that day, when I was cheered for and applauded for something 'I' had done, that changed.

Altruïsm is a funny concept. To do a good deed for someone else with no concern for personal gain seemed illogical. Unnatural even, according to some. They would be wrong, however, as altruism was something that made humans feel extremely good, almost as if they were born for it.

However, it wasn't just the good deed that made me happy. It was seeing the smiles of the jeweler whose goods I returned and the old lady that got pushed away and knowing I caused them that made me happy.

I remembered the dilemma I had been having about my future and my ambitions or lack thereof. And as I looked over the crowd talking about my deeds, smiles plastered on their faces, I realized I had finally found my true passion. And with that realization came another. I finally knew what I wanted to do. I was going to be a hero, and I was going to be the best one this damn world had ever seen.

I felt excited that finally, after almost fourteen long years, I had found a purpose. I did not show this on the outside, though. I stood there, calmly, radiating a low-key swagger. I was still keeping the criminals afloat, waiting for the cops to come and take them away. I looked over at Izuku, who had immediately gone to help the injured old lady. As annoying as he was, he did have a character fitting of a hero and could be pretty capable on some occasions. We made eye contact and exchanged nods. There was no need for words between two brothers.

Soon, the police finally arrived. Even though I had only been waiting for a minute or two, The cops were still were pretty late. Seeing how fast the two robbers had taken off, they would have been long gone. I guess Mustafu traffic is quite the problem. Two cars arrived at the scene, a police car and an ambulance. The criminals were swiftly loaded in the cop car, while surprisingly, the old lady entered the ambulance. I guess she was injured worse than I thought. The fragility of the elderly is a scary thing. Being quite humbled, I silently swore to always take good care of my body, keeping it in top condition for as long as possible.

After making sure everything was settled, I started to walk back home with my brother in tow. However, before I could even take two steps, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was not Izuku's

A.N./// our mc finally has a sense of purpose. everyone and their pet knew he'd be a hero eventually, but you gotta have a reason to do so, because storytelling. i feel like I went a bit too strong with the goody goody thing, though. let me know what you think. love y'all