"We will become heroes, together!"
Minato wakes up, smiling wide, remembering the words uttered that day, two years ago. A promise shared by the three boys. Minato was still living with the Bakugo family. Auntie Mitsuki, as he now calls her, refused to let someone so young by his lonesome, as well as not wanting to lose the one person who could set Katsuki straight. So, Minato ended up living with them. As Minato walked from his room, already in his uniform, he goes to wake up Katsuki. As he enters Katsuki's room, he starts calling him.
Minato:"Wake up, Katsuki."
Katsuki just turned around on his bed and ignored him. Minato, getting annoyed, tried again.
Minato:"I said wake up."
Katsuki ignored him, yet again.
Minato:"(Annoyed) Wake up, you tsundere!"
Katsuki:"Don't call me tsundere!"
Katsuki shouted, pissed off, after being awakened so rudely. Katsuki slowly got up, his body all sore.
Katsuki:"My body still hurts all over from yesterday's training."
Minato:"You were the one who chose to overdo it. We warned you."
Since deciding on working towards becoming heroes together, the three of them have been putting in a lot of effort, with Izuku studying and teaching the other two about all kinds of quirks, Katsuki leading the physical training to develop their bodies and strengthen their quirks and Minato studying his and Katsuki's quirks to enhance their versatility and strength, as well as helping Izuku develop all kinds of strategies and methods to face of against quirks of all types.
Minato:"Anyways, wash yourself and get dressed. I'll be downstairs."
With that Minato got out of the room and to the kitchen to have breakfast, where he was met with a kind smile.
Mitsuki:"Good morning, Minato-kun, today there's plenty of bacon for your breakfast. Is Katsuki up already?"
Minato:"Yup, he'll be here in no time."
Mitsuki:"Good, now eat well and study hard, like always. I'm sure you'll be able to get into UA without any problem."
Minato:"Thanks, auntie Mitsuki."
Minato answered with a smile. Ever since he moved into their house. Mitsuki had always taken good care of him, feeding him while always having in account that his quirk allowed him to eat only meat, taking care of the laundry, buying clothes for him as well as for Katsuki and even ocasionally buying some things he wanted but didn't dare ask, since he didn't saw them as a necessity. Eventually, she started seeing Minato as a second son, just like as Minato saw the Bakugos as family.
While Minato ate, Katsuki came downstairs, also in his uniform. They both ate and walked to school, with Mitsuki seeing them off. Along the path to school they meet with Izuku, who was waiting for them. The three boys then walked to school while talking about how close they are to joining UA. When they got to school, everyone started to watch them. During the last 2 years, they had become quite famous, especially Izuku. At the beginning of their second school year, Izuku had gotten so good at fighting, thanks to Minato's and Katsuki's training that he was able to fend off most of the students who'd try to bully them, and the ones he couldn't were taught a lesson by Minato or Katsuki, and never got close to him again, in fear of facing the wrath of the two strongest guys in school. After getting to the classroom the three of them go to their seats and talk, mostly about how Minato is adored by all the girls in school, much to the annoyance of Katsuki and slight envy of Izuku, when the door opens with the teacher entering and taking his place, with a small stack of papers in his hand.
Teacher:"Alright class, before we start, I want to talk about these. (Shows stack of papers) now these are your high school enrollment forms for next year. I brought them today to let anyone who changed their minds or made an error on the form change them. But, of course, (throws the stack into the air) you're all gonna go for hero course, right!?"
The teacher said, in a cheery mood, while all the other students started showing off their quirks.
Teacher:"Not only that, but this year, we have three people going for UA. Isn't that right, Amamiya, Bakugo and Midoriya?"
The teacher said, keeping his cheery mood. Katsuki immediately got up and started showing off.
Katsuki:"That's right! Just look! I'll get into UA, graduate and then I'll become the Number 1 Hero, and you just need to watch me! Got that, you damn extras!?"
The teacher immediately gets Bakugo to behave and goes on with his class, as Minato and Izuku chuckle at the blonde's antics, sharing his excitement for once.
(Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Minato, looking out the window, Chibi Izuku studying hard and Chibi Katsuki sleeping on his desk.)
When the classes end, the three boys get out and start walking to Izuku's house. Katsuki eventually starts to get impatient and runs off. Minato starts following him, trying to get him to calm down, while Izuku follows them, running lazily. When Izuku steps on a manhole cover, a strange green sludge crawls out and covers him. The sludge immediately shows itself to be a villain on the run, who tries to take over Izuku's body. He tries to scream for help, but his cries come out muffled. Minato, however, realizes what's happening and shouts to Katsuki. They immediately try to get close to Izuku when the sludge stops them.
Sludge:"Not one more step, or I choke him, got that!?"
Katsuki gets furious while Minato gets serious and starts studying the sludge.
Katsuki:"Tch. I'll just blow him up!"
Minato stretches his arm out in front of Katsuki.
Minato:"Don't. You'll hit Izuku. I'll take care of this. From the look of it, I don't think your explosions will do more than scatter him a bit. We save Izuku and keep our distance until the police shows up."
Minato crouches, confusing the sludge, before lunging at him fast, not giving any time to act, and sticks his arm in, grabbing Izuku, then, with one good pull, he separates Izuku from the sludge and jumps far back to Katsuki's side, letting go of Izuku to let him breathe.
Minato:"You okay?"
Izuku:"(coughs) I think so. (coughs)"
Sludge:"Damn you! I ain't going back to jail! I'll take over one of you, no matter what!
The sludge lunges towards Minato and Izuku, when Minato shouts to Katsuki.
Minato:"Blow him up, now!"
Katsuki immediately gets between his friends and the sludge, joining his hands, and lets out a powerful explosion. The sludge is blown away and ends up all scattered a bit ahead of them. The scattered sludge immediately re-merged into the villain.
Sludge: I'm not gonna lose to a bunch of brats!
The sludge lunges towards them again when a figures suddenly blurs past them screaming.
"Texas Smash!"
A powerful gust of wind scatter the villain all around, while the boys cover their eyes from the dust. When it settles, the boys can't believe what they see in front of them.
All Might:" Do not fear, for I am here!"
All Might then procedes to imprison the villain in a couple of soda bottles. The three boys couldn't believe it. The Number 1 Hero right there, in front of them. Izuku immediately starts fanboying.
Izuku:"A-all Might! P-please! (Takes out his notebook) C-could you give me an autograph!?
Izuku says, bowing in front of All Might. All Might obliges and compliments the way the boys handled the villain before saying his goodbyes and turning his back to the boys. Minato and Katsuki felt pride, for being praised by their idol, while Izuku tried to stop All Might for a minute, but All Might refused, apologizing for the hurry, and jumped away. To the surprise of his friends and All Might, Izuku went along, grabbing All Might's leg. The two boys were both nervous and surprised at what just happened.
Katsuki:"What the heck is Deku doing!? Ahhhh! Now we gotta go get him!"
Minato:"I don't think there's a need for that. I mean, he's with "the" All Might. Plus, even if we wanted to go get him, we couldn't. I don't know about you, but I wasn't able to see where they landed."
Katsuki realized Minato was right and face-palmed.
Minato:"That's what I thought. Let's go to the shopping street. I'll text Izuku and he'll meet us there."
Katsuki agreed and the two started walking to the shopping street. When they got there, they split up. Katsuki went to the convenience store and got some sodas for the three of them, while Minato went to get some groceries that Mitsuki had asked him to get. After buying the sodas, Katsuki was drinking his, near the entrance of the alley right by the store. Two children pass through him, playing ball, until it rolls into the alley. As they enter it to retrieve their ball, Katsuki looks at them and sees them touching a familiar soda bottle with a green substance inside. The child goes to open it and Katsuki immediately tries to stop them.
Katsuki:"Don't open that!"
(Timeskip brought to you by the Chibi boys showing their moves to Chibi All Might.)
"Let me through, goddamn!"
Minato said, irritated, as he tried to get through the crowd when he's tapped in the shoulder. Turning around, he sees Izuku, looking quite depressed.
Izuku:"What's going on?"
Minato:"It's that damn sludge again, he took another hostage! Come on, we gotta get close!"
Izuku's expression turned into one of terror. He follows Minato and eventually they get to the police line. Looking forward, the boys see the villain trying to take over somebody. Suddenly, explosions start emerging from the sludge and its victim turns to the crowd. The two boys look horrified, as they see their friend in complete fear, tears filling his eyes, as he suffers from the lack of air in his lungs. Seeing this, the two boys couldn't just stand there. Thanks to his quirk, Minato lunges at a massive speed, stopping right next to the sludge, leaving Izuku, who was running towards them, behind. He immediately grabbed Katsuki and pulls him back at full strength, sending him flying towards Izuku, who catches him, being pushed backwards, causing him to slide in the ground. As Minato tries to get back, the sludge grabs him, wrapping around him.
Sludge:"You again! Now I'm pissed! I'll kill you three and use your bodies as my covers!"
Seeing this, Izuku starts running again, while Katsuki regained his breath. The hero, Death Arms, shouts at the boys.
Death Arms:"Dammit. Now, he's gotten another hostage! You two, get back here now! It's too dangerous! You're gonna get hu-"
Katsuki:"(Angry) Shut up! What are we supposed to do. Run away while you just stand there, letting this guy do whatever he wants!"
Katsuki answered to the hero, before running to Minato, as well. Hearing this, the hero lowered his head in shame.
However a certain someone also heard this, feeling ashamed and enraged, he decides to step in. Reaching their struggling friend, Izuku starts clawing at the sludge, trying to dig him out. As the sludge was about to hit him, Katsuki sends an explosion to it, scattering it's arm around. As he was going for a second blow, the sludge villain used Minato as a shield, while he gathered it's slimy body, before catching Katsuki by surprise, attacking with it's sludgy arm. When he was about to strike, Izuku noticed him and shielded his blonde friend, closing his eyes. Izuku waited for the blow, but it never came. Opening his eyes, he becomes amazed at what he sees.
All Might:"That was quite brave, young men!"
All Might said as he shielded the boys with his left arm. He then started pulling back his right arm, getting ready for a punch.
All Might:"Detroit Smash!"
All Might shouts, as he throws a powerful punch, releasing a massive gust of wind, from the strength of the blow, sending the villain backwards, scattering the sludge all around. After the wind calms down, the people around the area open their eyes, watching the clear sky and the fires already extinguished. Everyone cheers and praises All Might. After the heroes and the police apprehend the villain. They turned to the three boys. Katsuki was being praised for holding against the villain for so long, much to his annoyance. Minato, as well, was praised, for fastly and efficiently rescuing Katsuki, despite having got caught himself. All Might was faced with a barrage of journalists, each of them with their own list of questions.
Izuku, however, was berated for endangering himself without having a quirk, much to his sadness, and leaves without anyone noticing.
While on his way back home, Izuku hears a shout coming from behind him.
"Deku!"
He turns and sees his friends running to him. When they reach him, they stop by his side.
Minato:"You could've told us you were going home. We would've come with."
Katsuki:"Yeah, you damn Deku! Next time, say something, you moron!"
Minato then karate chops Katsuki in the head.
Katsuki:"Ow!"
Minato:"Stop being a tsundere."
Katsuki:"Don't call me that!"
The two boys laugh at their friend's reaction. Izuku then starts speaking with a sad smile.
Izuku:"Hey, guys. I... I think I'm gonna give up on being a hero."
Minato and Katsuki look at their friend, worry expressed on their faces.
Katsuki:"What the heck are you talking about, Deku?"
Minato:"Yeah, Izuku. I mean, you're the one who wanted to be a hero the most, out of us three."
Izuku:"Ka-chan has his explosions and you have your super body, Minato-kun. Unlike you two, with your amazing quirks, I'm quirkless. So I can't become a hero. But... I can always become a policeman and back you guys up."
Izuku said, trying his best to make a happy face, and kept walking to his home. Not fooled by the act, Minato and Katsuki kept following him. Focused on the current topic of their conversation, the three boys failed to notice a certain someone speeding up to them.
"Aha! There you are!"
The boys become surprised, as they see All Might in front of them, all of a sudden.
All Might:"Do not worry, for I am he-"
All Might suddenly vanishes in a smoke cloud. A skinny, frail-looking man appearing in his place. Izuku immediately starts to worry.
Izuku:"All Might, are you okay?"
All Might:"Yes, I'm fine, thank you."
"A-all Might!?"
Minato and Katsuki, dumbfounded, try to understand what's going on. After making sure All Might is okay, Izuku explains to his friends about All Might's true form and his injury.
Minato:"I see, so that's how you lay low so well when you're not on hero work."
All Might:"Indeed, it has its advantages. I must ask that you all keep this a secret."
The boys:"No problem!"
Izuku:"But why are you here, All Might?"
All Might:" I'm here to talk to you, young man. I'm here because... I was wrong. During the incident of the sludge villain, while the heroes, myself included, just stood there, you acted to save your friend, despite being quirkless. (Looks at Katsuki) You as well, your words were the purest of truths. (Looks at Minato) You all acted your best to save anothers, putting them before yourselves, despite the risk, and that is the essence of a true hero. (Looks at all three boys) The greatest heroes have heroic stories that go all the way back to their school days, with most of them having one thing in common. Something that I believe I have seen in you today. They all acted unconsciously, not caring about the danger."
Hearing this, Izuku falls to his knees, crying and holding his chest with both hands.
All Might:"I apologize for earlier, young man. I was wrong... You can become a hero."
Izuku start crying even harder in happiness, while Minato smiled, looking at his friend, and Katsuki looking annoyed as usual, though he was happy for Izuku. After Izuku stopped crying, All Might continued his speech.
All Might:"There is something else that I wish to tell you. This too is a secret. An even greater secret that you three must not tell anyone, no matter what. Do you understand?"
The boys:"Yes."
All Might:"There is one thing that only a select few know about my quirk. It is not just mine, this quirk was passed to me by my predecessor, the seventh user of this power that was passed through generations. The crystallization of the desire to protect others, One for All. And I choose you, Izuku Midoriya, as my successor. Do you accept?"
The boys couldn't believe their ears. A quirk that could be passed on, and Izuku would be it's possessor. Minato puts his hand on his friend's shoulder.
Minato:"You should accept. You deserve it, more than anyone."
Katsuki:"It'll be the only way you have to become a hero anyway. (Grinning) But I'll still be the one who's gonna stand at the top."
Izuku looked at his friends with a big smile and a determined look. Then back at All Might, nodding.
Izuku:"I'll take it."
All Might:"(Smiling) Good. Meet me tomorrow at 5 a.m, in the Takoba Municipal Beach Park."
Having finished, All Might started walking away. When suddenly...
Minato:"Wait!"
All Might looks back to see Minato asking him to stop. His friends don't understand why he's doing this. He turns to them with a serious look.
Minato:"Could you go home without me? I'll catch up in a bit."
Izuku and Katsuki didn't understand, but decided to respect his wish. They knew that Minato wouldn't get serious unless there was a good reason. After they were gone, he faced All Might.
All Might:"What do you wish, young man?"
Minato:"I want to ask a question. You once said anyone could be a hero, so I want to ask you: (looking down) Could someone who did unspeakable acts, who did unforgivable things, who could perhaps no longer even be considered a person, become a hero? Could a monster become a hero?"
All Might looked at the boy's face trying to understand what he meant with that question, but the only thing he could see was pain. An unbearable pain that seemed like it was going to consume the boy. He then looked at the sky and answered.
All Might:"I won't pretend to know what you are referring to, young man. (Looks at Minato) But, what I do know is that if someone truly and profoundly regrets their past actions, then there are no unforgivable deeds. I also believe that someone with such a desire to help others, and such a sense of selflessness, cannot be a bad person. So, to answer your question, young man: Yes. You, too, can become a hero."
Hearing this, Minato nodded, dropping a few tears and smiling. He then bows.
Minato:"(Bowing) Thank you."
With that, the young boy and the hero went their own ways. Minato soon reached his friends and the three boys went their way, looking ready to face anything the future held in store.