when one door closes, another opens.

The world is harsh and unforgiving to those at the bottom of the power chain.

You know, There's a saying, "Not all men are created equal." well, Izuku Midoriya learned this very lesson at the age of four, and the thing that made it sting the most. Was that it come from the very person he once called his "best friend"?

Izuku, the trembling, green-haired boy nicknamed "Deku," stood protectively in front of a girl his age. She sat on the ground, clutching a small burn on her arm, a few tears streaming down her face. "T-This isn't right, Kacchan. You're hurting her." Izuku stepped forward, arms raised in a stance as if he were ready to fight. "If… i-if you keep hurting her, then I-I'll be forced to stop you myself!" He forced out the last bit with every ounce of bravery he had left.

"Ha! You? Stop me? Don't make me laugh," the ash blond sneered out as he slammed his palms together, igniting a small explosion that crackled from between his hands. Creating a scene some adults might walk away from. "You're just a quirkless Deku. You're nothing. But it seems like you need a reminder."

With that, Bakugo lunged forward, flanked by his two lackeys, fists crackling with mini-explosions. And despite his brave words, Izuku found himself helpless against the trio's onslaught. Kindness alone wouldn't protect him, good intentions alone couldn't save him. and it especially won't, if you're just a "weak, good for nothing, quirkless, Deku"

.

.

.

Lying on the ground, bruised and burned, Izuku felt the ache searing through every limb, pain flaring with each breath. The world's harshest truth was imprinted on him, as sharp and raw as the pain he felt. that in this world "not everyone is created equally"

this was one of the first things he learned about this thing we call Life

---

Now, at 15, Izuku Midoriya had somehow survived the years of torment. Every insult, every bruise, every condescending laugh—all endured with a fragile yet unwavering hope. Through the pain and put-downs from nearly everyone in his life, he clung to a dream that most called hopeless. Despite being quirkless, scrawny, and untrained, he was determined to become a selfless hero who saved others with a smile.

What a fool.

"Oh, if only my conviction were enough to make it happen," he thought as he scribbled down meticulous notes in his worn and torn notebook. He has always fantasized about being like the heroes he studied, imagining himself with a Quirk, using "his" powers to protect others. But even as he dreamed, it was snatched from his hands.

Or more specifically, his notebook was snatched away right from his grip by none other than his former best friend Bakugo Katsuki, now his most. . . involved bully.

izuku looked up and saw the glare that bakugo gave him, "don't you think that I'm not done with you." he said with as much venom as a scorpion could ever produce in a year, dripping from his voice. You could tell with a glance that Bakugo HATED izuku with every fiber of his being. izuku would love to ask, why? But I'm pretty sure you can understand what his fate would be if he did.

Bakugo turned the notebook over, reading the title written across the front "Hero analysis for the future - No.13" Izuku tried to grab it, but Bakugo pulled it away with a sneer. "What's this?" he mocked. "How pathetic." Without a second thought, he slammed his palm into the notebook, scorching the cover before tossing it out the window. *plop* it made a little sound as It landed in a pond outside.

"No!" Izuku shouted, watching helplessly as his hard work tumbled into the pond below, pages burning and smoldering.

izuku was about to talk back at bakugo about his. . . display and opened his mouth to retort but instantly shut it as red eyes met green. bakugo walked up to him while stroking his already Mount Everest-sized ego even more by talking about how "he will be the only one to get into UA"

after his little speech, he squeezed the shoulder of the broccoli-headed teen, using his quirk as added intimidation to singe his clothing. "so don't even think about applying or else" Crackles popped and scorched the teen's shoulder slightly as bakugo threatened him. Leaving Izuku stunned into silence. Unable to make any coherent words as bakugo gave him a "friendly smile" that was just as friendly as his "friendly reminder just not even 5 seconds ago"

bakugo and his lackeys walked out as Deku was staring out the wind, shell-shocked and unable to move. But he could handle this, he had already Many times before but bakugo decided to add the cherry to the top of this cake, and well, there was no going back after this.

He stopped right before the door with a smug grin and spoke "You know if you really want to be a hero that badly there might just be another way. just pray that you'll be born with a quirk in your next and take a swan dive off the roof of the building."

*Crack*

...

The words left a deep, long-lasting crack in Izuku's already fragile and barely held-together hope of becoming a hero. His former best friend had just told him to end his life, and though Izuku knew, deep down, Bakugo wasn't truly a friend anymore, or even an acquaintance, he still held onto the fading belief that things could get better. He clung to the dream of being a hero, no matter how fractured that dream had become. no matter how much bakugo put him down, he forgives him. well, only his hero fog-covered, self does.

his real self, deeply buried within. he would never even give him the chance to be forgiven. 

but right now, delusions are in control.

but not for long.

---

'that idiot, what if I really jumped? then he wouldn't be able to go to UA due to suicide baiting.' izuku thought, not even realizing that if he jumped, he would die. only thinking about bakugo in this situation. not even taking a second to think of his own life as something more than something useless. but obviously, he won't realize this. he's still in his fantasy land where everything is ok.

he stared down at his burnt notebook flooring at the top of the pond, being nibbled upon by fishes. 'my dreams have turned into nothing but fish food. isn't that lovely' he thought as he swatted the fish away and grabbed it.

a few more cracks formed on his metaphorical glass cup of water known as his dreams and hopes. now, it was closer than ever to being destroyed. yet even after all this, it still is fine.

---

Then came the final blow.

now, izuku was saved by all might from literally being suffocated to death, all might the number one hero of all time decides to. instead of asking about the victim's symptoms how healthy he is. or if he maybe feels like he has something in his lungs. or maybe even just I don't know. take them to a goddamn hospital to check for if he has any GOD DAMN sludge in his lungs.

but no, he signs his autograph as he was knocked the fuck out and after he awakens tries to leave. 

this is the number 1 hero guys. this is the best we got. a muscle head. . . at least he stayed with him until he woke up. taking the guy to the hospital or calling an ambulance would of been the best option but, hey. an idiot can only do so much thinking.

 with Deku now awake, he sees All Might. but instead of You know. asking what happened, or calling an ambulance or anything else. he does what he does best, and like the ever-enthusiastic fanboy he is. ignores all of this and starts to geek out about meeting All Might.

but All might, short on time. jumps away . . . only noticing after a good 10 seconds in the air that a tiny green-headed child is clinging for dear life on his leg. 'This is not good' All might thought, and like the intelligent individual he is, starts to PUSH HIM OFF HIS LEG "Hey hey hey what are you doing" he says as he literally tries to commit manslaughter. "Let go." he says as he is now trying to throw him off his leg.

now Deku, being the actual intellectual being that all might wishes to be. thinks things through and desperately shouts "STOP IF I FALL FROM THIS HIGHT I WILL DIE"

"Oh," the ever so wisdom-filled all might said, before dropping down to a building's rooftop. letting Deku down from his leg.

now, with the 2 of them alone izuku spills his heart out asking the question that he has had on his mind from ever since he was just a little kid. letting out all his emotions just to get the answer to his one question. "can I become a hero just like you, even if I were quirkless?"

but sadly, All Might crushed his dreams and destroyed them without a single ounce of remorse, and even after destroying his dream. he adds salt to the wound by saying he should become a doctor or police officer since it is more "realistic." 

this is the last and final straw for Deku as his entire worldview shatters, his dream that clouded his vision for all these years were destroyed. leaving him able to view the world through new, better, and clearer eyes. he could now realize how stupid he was, how stupid his view was. and how stupid his dream was. no, how stupid this society was.

but then he had an idea, what if. what if he changed it. what if he changed society to a place where everyone no longer needed to suffer? where no one could be mistreated just because of genetics. where no one, could end up like him now?

but how could he do that if he was as weak as he was now? 

. 

.

.

then a question popped up in his head "What, is a quirk." no more specifically "What, made a quirk? a quirk!" 

and after a minute of thinking.

all might had left, leaving the broken deku on the roof of the building. but after a while that broken deku rebuilt himself with a new resolve. 

to get stronger, to reshape the world. into a world where no one like him, could ever suffer again.

*boom*

an explosion could be heard in the distance and izuku knew where he was going first. to test out a little theory he had. that heroes arent all they were made up to be.

A/N Wow, I am really not the best at making a "super serious, super dark. you are going to die" type of story. so I added a bit of humor. please don't shish kebab me in the comments of this. i know it ain't the best but just think of it as junk food.