If there was one thing Izuku Midoriya knew better than the rest, it's that life could be really cruel. And this day was definite proof of that.

His classmates and teachers mocked his dream of going to U.A. His prized notebook was destroyed, just when It was done. Bakugou still wanted nothing to do with him, and in fact said:

"Take a swan dive off the roof, then maybe you'll get a Quirk in your next life!"

And those words were growing more and more tempting by the minute. He was currently standing at the very same roof, overlooking his classmates as they walked home, even though the bell had yet to be rung.

"Hey, Deku!"

Midoriya looked down, and there he was, Katsuki Bakugou, sporting his usual scowl.

"Get moving already!"

What he probably meant that moment was for him to get down and walk home with him, in a walk that would certainly be filled with ridicule for him.

Midoriya, however, had other plans-

*DING! DONG! DING! DONG!*

And so did the bell.

Startled, Midoriya lost his balance and fell off. Not that he minded too much, he had accepted his fate the moment Bakugou called to him. Even if there were people who'd miss him, they'd be lost in the sea of people who wouldn't.

Only one thing left to do.

Goodbye cruel-!"

Wait... really?

Goodbye cruel world, that's it? Those would be his last words, some generic farewell to the world at large? That wouldn't do! He needed something more specific, something more uniqur.

Maybe "see you in the next life!"

Nah, that's too vague, and if he changed it to include Bakugou or anybody else, that would make them look bad.

How about "you saw This coming!"

Well, everyone's shocked expressions clearly said otherwise-

"Wait a minute, I'm still murmuring. And if I'm still murmuring, that means I'm still alive..."

Now wondering what was going on, Midoriya looked down and discovered, to his shock, that he was currently flying high, his reflection in the lake's water revealing the reason why.

On his back were a pair of large, majestic avian wings, flapping as they kept Midoriya in the air. And they weren't just any ordinary kind of bird wings.

They were swan wings.

"W-Whoa..." Midoriya looked at his wings and slowly smiled. "I... I have wings!"

"He has wings!" one of his classmates exclaimed.

"No... not wings..." Bakugou argued, his eyes glued to the flying boy. "A Quirk..."

Anf as everybody kept staring at the boy, Bakugou's sense of amazement were slowly replaced by his favorite emotion: wrath.

"What the fuck, Deku!?"

Midoriya flinched at this statement, and looked down as his wings dissipated into a sea of white feathers. And, with nothing left to keep him in the air, he fell.

"Oh shit!"

Midoriya closed his eyes. This was definitely it, if this fall didn't kill him, the fact he just sprouted wings out of nowhere would certainly be his end. Hopefully, death by impact would be swift and quick-

"I AM HERE!"

Midoriya was grabbed by a pair of muscular arms, And once he opened his eyes, he saw why.

All Might, the greatest hero alive, was carrying him. But his characteristic smile couldn't hide his worry for the boy as he put him down.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah... I guess so..."

"Good," All Might gently patted Midoriya's back. "Because we need to take you back to school."

"Oh, right..." Midoriya lowered his head. "I do have a couple things to explain, don't I?"

The answer was yes and no.

Yes, in that Midoriya had been asked a couple questions at the principal's office about the wings and why he jumped off the roof.

But no in the sense of, once those questions were asked and answered, he was released from the office and he went outside... to be greeted by Bakugou's glare.

"Explain."

"I-I just did-"

"Not to that bakd idiot, to me!" Bakugou hissed as he grabbed Midoriya by his shirt. "What the hell was all that with the swan wings and you jumping off there!?"

"I was taking a look at the scenery when the bell rang and I lost balance!" Midoriya exclaimed back, though more out of fear than genuine anger. "And the wings just sort of, happened!"

There was more to it, but Bakugou probably wouldn't care about it.

"Hmph, so that's the story, huh?" Bakugou narrowed his eyes. "You're not hiding anything from me, are you!?"

"I just found out about this myself!"

"...Hmph," Bakugou dropped Midoriya. "If you say so. But keep this in mind, Deku, this changes nothing. Just because you got a Quirk, doesn't mean you're my equal or anybody worth my time!"

"I didn't say that-"

"But you thought about it!"

"I didn't do that either!"

"Tsk, just remember your place, Deku. And also, you better still quit that stupid pipe dream of joining U.A.!"

" What's this about U.A.?"

Bakugou flinched and turned, meeting face-to-face with All Might's wide smile.

"A-All Might! W-W-What are you doing here?!"

"Just a second ago, I was feeling worried about the kid who fell, so I thought I could check if he was alright," All Might scratched the back of his head. "Did I come At a bad time?"

"N-No, I-I-I was just..." Bakugou glanced back at Midoriya and got an idea. "Encouraging my friend here to go to U.A. with me!"

Bakugou shot a look at Midoriya, and he quickly nodded.

"You're both planning to go to U.A., huh? That was my old school!" All Might laughed joyously. "I like your ambition, lads! I'll be cheering you on!"

Bakugou smiled. "T-Thanks."

With another look at Midoriya, Bakugou left the school, leaving All Might to help Midoriya stand back up. "I didn't come At a bad time, did I?"

"N-No, you came just at the right time, in fact," Midoriya answered as he flashed. "By the way, Did you really come here to see how I was doing?"

"Well, that, and there's a young lady waiting outside for her son," All Might shrugged. "So, I thought I could look for him."

"Is she small, plump, and has geen hair?"

"Yup!"

"That's my Mom!"

"Ezcellent!" All Might extended a hand towards the boy. "Let's go see her!"

Midoriya almost accepted All Might's offer, but a question in his head stopped him.

"Before we go... can I ask you something?"

All Might silently nodded.

"What do you think about Quirkless people?"

All Might didn't respond right away. Or for a while, one would say. He didn't even scratch his chin, he just... stood there, like a statue.

"All Mi-"

"I think they're amazing!"

Midoriya blinked twice.

"We live in a society where Quirks are everything: Quirks give people power, authority, a sense of self. And with the growing population of people with Quirks, it's easy to forget the real, admirable survivors, the Quirkless."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you while we walk."

Midoriya finally accepted the hand, and as they walked, All Might fulfilled his promise:

"In a world where Quirks are everything, people without Quirks are seen as oddities at best... and wrong at worst. We've become so symbiotic with Quirks that in our minds, someone without a Quirk has an existence that just feels wrong. But that has never stopped the Quirkless before! No, they do like the people of old: they keep fighting and moving forward, until they feel theyhave done everything can, or that they've gotten enough of this world."

Just like Midoriya until now.

"I-I see... s-so, if that's what you think about the Quirkless in general, what about the idea of giving them power?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I mean, it's something I've asked myself sometimes: if anybody anywhere found a chance to give a Quirk to a Quirkless person, would they do it? Would they give the Quirkless... a Quirk?"

"And where did This idea come from?"

"W-Well, it's just that... I thought I was Quirkless until today, and I needed to hold on to hope somehow. Besides, it just makes more sense in my opinion."

"How so?"

"Think about it: what's the point of giving more power to someone who already has power? Why not give it to rhe powerless minority who'd definitely need it more?"

The pair stopped in that moment, All Might's smile faltering as he raised his head in contemplation. Not that Midoriya saw this, to him, All Might had just... stopped, for whatever reason.

"All Might?"

The man snapped back to reality. "Sorry, I got... lost in thought. That's certainly an interesting question, Young..."

"O-Oh! Izuku Midoriya, sir!"

"Young Midoriya..." All Might's smile returned and they began to walk again. "I feel you will certainly be a great hero."

Midoriya's smile became nearly as wide as All Might's in that moment, and it remained in his face as his Mom ran up to him, showing concern like her usual self.

But he was focused on a brand new goal, one he thought impossible until he summoned his wings.

He was going to enter U.A.