In a world of super humans, the most powerful aren't simply the one with the strongest ability. It's those who use them the smartest.
When Marshall Teach was a young boy he remembered a particular line from a show he used to watch. "I'm not like those fools who are content with possessing ability alone." That struck a chord with the boy. More than just a good quirk, he wanted mastery.
-Then Marshall got his quirk. Dark-Dark. (He wasn't the most creative namer). He became a darkness human. As a child, when he first activated his quirk, others found it fairly underwhelming. His hands became a solid pitch black and almost blurry with darkness emitting from it. Some kind of transformation or emitter type perhaps?
"Huh, camouflage? Cool I guess." was the general reaction.
But Marshall was enamoured, he was fixated on it. He knew there was more to it... he'd make there more to it.
*A few years later, Aldera junior high*
Final exams were close and most students were applying for their high school of choice. To no teachers surprise, many had opted to apply for a hero course. When it had been revealed that the quirkless student Izuku Midoriya was no exception to this, his fellow classmates didn't take kindly to it.
Bakugo shoved Midoriya against an open classroom window, clutching at his shoulder with a smoking hand sizzling the shaking boy's uniform.
Bakugo: Huh? say that again ya damn nerd. You wanna be a hero!? A quirkless loser like you? Get real.
Midoriya: I didn't say that Kachan- I- I just...
Midoriya's defence died on his tongue as his childhood bully glared a red hot hole through him in response.
Midoriya: N- never mind
The bully pushed Midoriya's scrawny neck out the window in amusement.
Bakugo: Ha, think before you try and stand up to me next time, you f*ckin' insect!
Bakugo stared straight into Midoriya's quivering eyes as he held him half out the upper floor window whilst him as his lackeys laughed at the boy's terror, before dragging him inside watching him collapse on the floor.
Bakugo: You a hero? Hahaha you bastard, Deku, quit dreaming!
Izuku held his head down so as not to show the embarrassment on his face. Personally, he didn't see what was so funny...
But out of nowhere another- strange laugh interrupted the others, distinguishing itself. A few students looked over to the doorway where an unfamiliar student burst out in a fit of laughter accidentally spitting crumbs from his lunch.
Marshall: *Muffled* Zehahaha- *Swallow* -ahah...
... ... ...
Marshall: Just let 'em laugh.
Midoriya's head shot up in surprise.
Midoriya: W- what...
Marshall: Some guys just aren't worth fighting where we're headed! Zehaha!
Neither of the two boys remember speaking to the odd interrupting student before now...
Bakugo: Yeah? And where the hell's that?!
Marshall: Ain't it obvious.
Students: ...?
Marshall: UA, of course! Zehaha!
Some of Marshall's classmates were passing by tiredly grinning and joking about the same old Marshall, as they knew his attitude easily changed from some background character once someone starts squandering his ambition. They had to guess Midoriya's dream just happened to be similar enough. Marshall's laughter continued to irk Bakugo.
Bakugo: Shady bastard! What's an extra like you doin' making those kinda statements!?
Marshall: Hey spiky hair, just keep underestimating us for now. It'll make it all the easier when we beat you to the top!
Marshall thrust his arm in front of him gesturing to the explosive boy with a thumbs down and grin to boot, earning snickers and mocking chatter from the other students.
Student: Hey hey, this guy serious?
Student: Haha, so lame.
Bakugo's hands crackled violently as other students began to back away or book it entirely.
Bakugo: Wanna run that by me again!
The surrounding room grew darker and darker as tension built between the two before-
Teacher: Hey what's going on here!?
Light flooded the room once more.
Marshall: (Not yet, I've got to be patient...)
Bakugo: Tch.
Their surrounding classmates dissipated to their own lunch spots as the air became breathable again. Bakugo knocked into (Y/N)'s shoulder as he stomped out of the classroom in an even worse mood than usual.
Marshall: Guess I'll be seeing you around Izuku Midoriya.
Midoriya: Yeah...
Marshall: You've gotta big dream in mind, I can tell cause I got one too. I just hope you're prepared to back it up.
With that Marshall left. Neither Midoriya or Bakugo would run into the strange student again until after exams were over.
*Outside*
Marshall: Just a few more months and I can get started.
He grinned eagerly, adjusting his scruffy shirt collar and tapping the end of his beat up sneakers on the ground.
Marshall: My time... MY ERA!
Student 1: What the hell.
Student 2: What's with that guy?
Student 3: *Snicker* Loser...
*Months later*
The time for UA's practical entrance exams had finally come and many former junior high school students gathered to pursue a future in hero work. A less scrawny Izuku Midoriya skittishly entered the academy grounds with a familiarly nerve wracked attitude. his prodigy bully Bakugo overtook him with a casual death threat and after he thought he composed himself, Izuku tripped over looking as if he'd just about given up already on his journey before it started before his descent was slowed by a round cheeked girl that greeted him. Not too much later another boy strolled in after a few other students by his lonesome in a wrinkled white uniform shirt and black slacks and shoes with no jacket despite the brisk weather that time of year.
Marshall: *Deep breath* Lets get started...
Funnelling into a large lecture room, President Mic broke down the entrance exam with enthusiasm that none of the students seemed to reciprocate.
President Mic: Ya got all that?
Marshall: (Huh? He said there were three types of enemies to take down but here it has four.)
Suddenly a well kempt boy raised his hand with a strict intensity and the same question in mind.
Ida: Excuse me sir but I have a questio-
Marshall: *Callout* What's the fourth one for?
Ida: Excuse me!? It's only natural you raise your hand before asking a question!
Marshall blinked with a blank faced grin before raising his hand and repeating himself without remorse.
Marshall: So what's the deal?
Ida: *Hand swipe* Wait for him to call on you!
President Mic: Alright alright, examinee 7117, thanks for calling in with your request *Thumbs up*. The fourth villain type is worth zero points, He's just an obstacle we'll be throwing in your way. It's not that it can't be beaten... but there's kinda no point. I recommend my listeners ignore it and focus on the ones top of the charts!
Ida: *Bow* Thank you, please continue.
President Mic: That's all I got for you today-
Marshall: *Hand raised* Where's the bathroom?
Ida: Stop interrupting your delinquent!!!
The rows of students picked up with giggles and chatter, some less impressed than others...
President Mic: Uh... Good luck! Hope you practised hitting more than just books!
After changing, the students were divided up into large groups and sent off to different urban settings for their ten minute mock battles. There was some tension between everyone at the starting gate as many had come to realise that the spot in the hero course they were all competing for was in limited supply. Looking around Marshall met eyes with a familiar spikey blond time bomb.
Marshall: Oh man, we're in the same group. What's the chances?
Bakugo: (This guy...) Don't get in my way you shady bastard!
President mic interrupts the students conversation short.
President Mic: Right let's start! There are no countdowns in real battles! You're wasting air time here!
All the students took off and it wasn't long before all manner of quirks and scrap metal went flying in the city streets. Marshall still stood still in the city centre as everyone racked up one and two pointer robots. Bakugo burst through the air taking down one robot after another, noticing a three pointer turning round a corner a few blocks away. Chasing it down round the corner, he readied an attack before stumbling to the ground in confusion... It was gone. Marshall Stood there waving to the explosive boy from afar.
Bakugo: *Crackle* Grrr... What the hell did I say about getting in my way!
Marshall: I thought you missed it.
Bakugo: I never miss anything, scum!
Marshall: *Murmur* Well y'missed that one...
Bakugo: What'd you say!
The hum of another robot approached and Bakugo was quick to trash it before Marshall could!
Bakugo: HA! ...?
Turning round to gloat Bakugo found no one there to mock.
As the mock battles came to a close one final obstacle decided to appear. A massive rumble shook the city, drawing everybody's attention... The zero pointer.
It was gargantuan, standing as tall as the surrounding buildings it barged through! Its fist struck the ground making a shock wave blowing away some of the students.
Student 1: What is that!?
Student 2: I'm getting outta here!
Student 3: I wanna go home!!
*BOOM*
Bakugo: Move it extra's!
Bakugo flew past the other examinees, Boosting up towards the zero pointers head
Bakugo: Think I'm gonna run with my tail between my legs just cause you're a little bigger!? I'll kill all of you!
On the ground overshadowed by the Zero pointer, a shaky exhale escaped Marshall as he grinned in excitement putting his hands to the ground. A darkness under his hands grew deeper and deeper, emitting from his now pitch-black arms. Bakugo's palms glowed and veins strained as he built up the biggest blast he could.
Just as Bakugo was about to let it loose, The massive robot stalled in place, throwing off his timing. Over the roar of the robot's engine a voice echoed through the city streets.
Marshall: *Inhale* BLACK HOLE!
A blurry pitch blackness erupted from below the Zero pointer, writhing over its lower half. The blackness spread to the surrounding streets scaring off the other students, but catching the remaining robots in its depths! The Zero pointers engine cried in resistance but was utterly futile in its attempts as it was slowly swallowed by the sea of black engulfing it along with the surrounding buildings! The students just out of the darkness's reach were in panic as some were almost caught in it.
Student 1: Agh! It keeps coming!
Student 2: Don't touch it!
Bakugo stayed airborne, watching the Zero pointer crumpled into the nothingness without a trace left...
Marshall: Zeha- ZEHAHAHAHA!
The darkness whirred round Teach like a vortex of black smoke as it retracted below him without a trace of the surrounding infrastructure or road left.
He looked to the now grounded Bakugo a distance away. A vein bulged from his head as Katsuki stared back enraged.
Marshall: Zehahaha! Well damn... Didn't actually think you'd miss.