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Chapter 4

We landed with a hard smack, Midoriya and I slamming into the concrete roof of a building as we rolled across the hard surface. We began shaking, trying to regain our composure. My lungs ached. My face burned from the wind and my palms stung from the fall.

His lips were chapped, his eyes sunken and bloodshot. He was sweating and there was a little bit of drool coming from his lower lip. His hair stood straight up and bounced as his body trembled.

"Midoriya!" I punched his arm and he squealed and grabbed it, turning to look at me like I had just murdered his entire family.

"What was that for!?" He screeched.

"I just met you today and you're getting me in more trouble than I have in the past fourteen years!" I glared at him.

"I-I'm sorry!" He squealed as his hands began swirling through the air as he tried to defend himself. "But technically we met eleven years ago," he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You green-haired quirkless little-" I began rolling up my sleeves as I prepared to smack the life out of him.

"Not a very smart move you two." All Might put his hands on his hips as he looked out across the city, turned away from us.

"My whole life just flashed before my eyes," Midoriya whispered. "Twice," he glanced up at me as I settled for just glaring at him.

"Bang on the door for a while. Someone will let you in." I looked at the door to the roof behind us before grabbing onto Midoriyas bicep, pulling him to his feet as he continued to tremble beside me. "Now, I have to go. See you on the flip side," All Might began walking away from us.

I twisted Midoriyas body as I checked him over for any scrapes, giving him one last glare before I signaled for him to follow me to the door.

"Wait, not yet. One second." Midoriya pleaded as he snapped to his senses.

"No! I don't have any time." All Might was obviously growing increasingly angered, holding his hand up to stop any more of Midoriyas advances.

"I didn't just get dragged through the air like that just for you to leave and not answer his stupid question." I sighed.

"I have to know!" Midoriya yelled from beside me, reaching his hand out for the man he had looked up to all these years.

All Might stopped, but he didn't turn around. Midoriyas hand was slowly curling in on itself as he lowered it to his side. His face hung low so that his hair blocked me from seeing any facial expressions.

"Is it possible to become a hero even if we don't have a quirk?" Midoriya yelled out in desperation.

"We?" I squeaked.

"I'm a normal kid without any powers. Could I ever hope to become someone like you? Could we ever hope to become someone like you?" He squeezed his eyes shut as he yelled, almost as if he was hiding from the heroes' answer.

"Midoriya, I don't want-"

"Without a quirk?" All Might cut me off.

Suddenly, he began groaning in pain, his body contorting like he was a puppet. Steam began rolling off his body like he was burning alive. He began muttering, trying to cover his face as I watched in utter horror.

Had we run into a villain with a copycat quirk?

"People don't think I have a chance. Well, I mean not everyone," I saw Midoriyas hand gesture to me in the slightest from the corner of my eye. Did he not see what was happening in front of us? "They say that not having any powers makes us some kinda weakling," I couldn't see All Mighf anymore as he was now completely engulfed in steam. "My classmates like to make fun of me. But you know what? That makes me wanna prove them wrong. Ever since I was a kid, I've thought that saving people is the coolest thing you can do. I want people to see my fearless smile and feel safe. And be the kind of hero everyone in the world looks up to. Just like you!"