i n f l u e n c e

p r o l o g u e

But he swore that he would prove him wrong.

Prove them ALL wrong.

By any means necessary.

"So?! You think you can rub shoulders with me, Deku?" Kacchan yelled, his explosions matching his attitude and personality," Would you look at that," he snarled.

His lackeys chuckled.

"The quirkless piece of trash actually thinks he can be something other than a filthy pebble!" He laughed.

His lackeys laughed along, making similar comments.

"Like hell that's gonna happen," One said.

"I know right. I think the kid is delusional," The other snickered.

That's right. Izuku Midoriya was quirkless. What's a quirk you may ask? It's a superpower that gives people an identity.

A purpose.

If not, they weren't accepted.

Accepted into where?

Society.

They were neglected.

Shamed.

In back alleys just like this one.

The percentage of the 'quirkless' population dwindled to about 17% of the population.

And with the greenette's absolutely FABULOUS luck...

He's part of that 17%.

That neglected 17%

That abandoned 17%.

That hated 17%.

The avoided 17%.

He hated society and society hated him.

It wasn't the best deal, but it was something alright.

He acted like he didn't see the murmuring glances or hear the snide remarks or mean quips.

He acted like he didn't care.

He'd heard them all before.

But he did care.

Those words hurt more than any knife.

He wiped away a few budding tears with his long sleeve on his black uniform with golden buttons. The same uniforms that others wore.

But he was nothing like them.

And they were nothing like him.

He dealt with that just like everything else:

Alone.

+=+=+=+=+

"Oh? What's that. Is the quirkless loser gonna cry?" The explosive teen mocked.

His fists tightened.

Bakugo saw this and instantly reacted," What. You got something to fucking say, deku?"

He wanted to fight.

Why didn't he?

Because he couldn't

But why.

Because he had no power.

Because he had no skill.

Because he had no quirk.

He had started to work out to maybe defend against Kacchan one day, but what's being totally ripped against a powerful explosions quirk.

He hid his six-pack and muscles under his baggy uniform so Kacchan wouldn't make a big deal out of it, like every other damn thing.

He continues to stealthily go to the gym but it's usually just to clear his mind or to get his mind off things.

To think.

Maybe he was just another pebble in the path of something bigger.

Maybe he was helpless.

Maybe he couldn't be a hero like he'd dreamed of being for countless years.

He needed to think about this. Later. He promised himself.

Katsuki stepped forward and punched the hero fanboy straight in the stomach, winding him.

It was quite a hard punch.

What kind of punch?

A right hook.

He always starts with a right hook.

Nothing new here.

He bent over and wheezed in pain, to try and catch his breath. A dead look in his eyes.

This was nothing new.

He had gotten better at hiding his pain but he would rather put on a show for Kacchan so he doesn't go full berserk rage mode.

That happened once.

It was not pretty.

"That was for the math test," He said, pure rage filling his red eyes.

He punched Izuku hard in the face and then sent an explosion to his gut: Making the All Might fan fall and cough a bit of blood onto the cold hard ground next to him.

'I guess he means business this time,' Izuku dreaded in his analytical mind.

"Get up ya damn nerd," Kacchan yelled.

Izuku obeyed and got up, trying not to fall down again, to not upset his bully even more. He was slightly bending over from the series of attacks with bit of blood leaking from his mouth. Leaning in the corner of the wall behind him for support. His eyes blocked from his hair.

But nothing he wasn't used to.

He'd felt this all before.

This pain that tore him apart slowly from the inside... it was nothing new.

But that's what made it so painful.

"And this," Kacchan said calmly, putting his hand on Midoriya's shoulder. Slowly burning it with his quirk," Is for thinking that you could be anything but a stupid pebble in my path"

Ouch.

That hurt.

More than normal.

Midoriya was silent as he turned into the group's own personal punching bag, shoved into the corner as he was beaten sensless.

It hurt.

But not more than the words.

Those words stung.

Those words killed.

Those words got to him.

They made him think.

They sparked his change.

For a fraction of a second, a dangerous aura fogged him.

For a fraction of a second, Kacchan tensed.

For a fraction of a second, Deku smiled.

For a fraction of a second, the world slowed.

...

For a fraction of a second, something changed.

Something turned.

Something twisted.

They all sensed it.

They all felt it.

They all ignored it.

All except one.

And his name was Izuku Midoriya.

-