A One-shot that stuck in my head. Enjoy, Izuku of Persona! Inspired by playing Persona 5.

"You should give up. It's impossible for him to develop a quirk."

"Professionals heroes are always risking their lives. I cannot simply say 'You can become a hero without a quirk.' It's not bad to dream, but you have to be realistic."

Those words, from the doctor and now All Might, surrounded Izuku as he made his way home. They echoed within his minds as he stared at his burnt notebook titled Future Hero Analysis #13. Being able to meet with All Might and get his signature was supposed to be the greatest day of his life. But now, looking at his notebook, all it did was bring him angst. It was everyone's dream to become a hero, but he had no chance just because he was quirkless.

He considered chucking his notebook into the nearest trashcan but opted to stick it in his backpack. As he did so, he touched a pack of cards, noticing them before pulling them out. They were a gift from his father, who had bought it for him for his birthday. As he warmly looked at the pack and slowly spread them, everyone could easily see they were tarot cards.

Izuku remembered what his father had written on his birthday card, apologizing for not being able to come home but yet still encouraging him to follow his dreams. His father also told him that he had bought these cards from some weird old man with a very long nose, so long that he thought it was the person's quirk. The seller said that they contained great power, and would become stronger if the one holding the cards formed 'Social Links'. In short, making friends.

Sadly, even after getting these cards for his 10th birthday, Izuku was unable to even make friends. All due to his status as quirkless, combined with the fear of evoking Katsuki Bakugo's wrath.

"Hehe, guess I am a fool," Izuku chuckled to himself mirthlessly as he drew a tarot card at random to reveal the Fool, "To keep on chasing an impossible dream. To try to break through the rules and chains of this world. To change the fact that people aren't born equal, and that I would always be at the bottom. I was just being a fool who wanted to avert his eyes to reality."

Izuku didn't notice where his feet were taking him when he heard an explosion, followed by the shaking of the earth. Despite telling himself it was pointless to go investigate and see the other heroes in action, that it would just bring him further pain to see his dreams so far away, Izuku still wandered towards the action, just to see Sludge Villain All Might had captured earlier, putting the tarot cards in his pocket.

'What's he doing here!?' thought Izuku, 'Didn't All Might capture him? Wait... did he escape when I grabbed onto All Might? Then that means this is my fault!'

When he heard other people saying that the Sludge villain had caught someone, his guilt further increased. All he could hope was for someone with a suitable quirk to come by since All Might was currently out of commission for the while.

Izuku kept apologizing in his mind as he stared out into the scene just to see his prime bully, Katsuki Bakugo. His face cried for help, for someone to save him.

Izuku didn't even think but reacted by rushing into the scene. Despite other heroes calling out for him to come back, Izuku kept on moving before hurling his backpack into the Sludge villain's eyes, blinding him and damaging him at the same time. After dodging a blind swipe, Izuku began to claw at the Sludge villain, trying to dig through deep enough to free Katsuki.

"What are you doing here? Why!?" coughed out Katsuki as he managed to inhale air as much as possible, having been suffocated for a bit.

"I don't know why!" screamed Izuku, "My legs moved on their own! I guess... it's because you face seemed to be calling for help."

The sentence echoed through All Might, who was currently in the crowd in his weakened form before he seemed to gather strength.

As Izuku fruitlessly clawed at the slime, a blue butterfly seemed to fly past his face, and yet nobody noticed it but him.

"This is truly an unfair world...and your chances of succeeding in your life goals are almost zero. But if you can hear this... then there may be a possibility for you," said a voice in Izuku's head before the butterfly faded away.

"Just a little longer," said the Sludge villain as he managed to open his eyes before suddenly sprouting hands in between Izuku and Katsuki, "Don't get in my way!"

The Sludge villain slammed Izuku into a wall, causing most of the heroes to try to run forward.

"Don't come close!" threatened the Sludge villain, giving them pause, "I'm killing this kid for annoying me for so long before taking the other kid's body!"

The Sludge villain created another hand and fired it towards Izuku, ready to kill him and use the Explosion Quirk he stole to make sure he was dead.

'No!' thought All Might as he was ready to dive in and save the kid.

'I guess this is it for me,' thought Izuku as he saw the attack coming, 'I'm so sorry... mom... dad..."

"What's wrong? Are you just going to stand there?" rang a voice in Izuku's head, "Are you going to let society's chains drag you down like that? To die without even trying? "

'... NO!' thought Izuku as he began to struggle, 'I don't want to die! I don't care what All Might says anymore! My father told me to pursue my dreams, even if they seemed too far-fetched!'

Suddenly, pain burst through Izuku's head, as if acid had been poured onto it. Within his pocket, his tarot cards began to glow as he screamed in pain. He could feel something clawing out from within his body.

"Good," said the voice, amusement tingling within his tone, "Vow to me. I am thou, though art I. Break through all those chains and views society has put upon you. If they ignore, sneer, and spurn at you from their so called 'heavens', then scream to the heavens above and force them to notice and acknowledge you as their equal! Show them who is heaven's equal, even if one is chained by their views! Rebel against those who would force their views onto you!"

Before the attack could land on Izuku, gusts wind suddenly bellowed from his body, blowing both of the Sludge villain's hands away.

"What the?" voiced everyone's thoughts loudly. Even All Might paused at the sudden gust of wind.

Izuku raised his heads up to reveal a mask on the upper half of his face, an insignia on the forehead on the mask that could plainly be seen. It was quite similar to mask used in Chinese plays to portray a certain monkey king.

"When was that there?" gaped the Sludge villain before preparing to lash out.

Izuku paid no attention to the villain as he raised his hands to the mask, feeling the weight of it clearly on his hands and face. He suddenly felt the urge to pull it off, and began to do so without any hesitation. It didn't matter that he could feel his skin being peeled off as he did so. He didn't care that blood began gushing out of his face. All he knew was that he needed to get this mask off him to get rid of this pressure building within him!

Everyone watched in horrid interest as Izuku yelled and yanked the mask off him, blood spurting all around his face. The mask hung off his hands before he finally dropped it, his bangs covering his eyes. As Izuku slowly raised his head to look at the villain, Katsuki could easily see those timid green eyes he was used to seeing turn brilliant gold, with confidence pouring out of it. The Slime villain shuddered as he saw Izuku give a smirk right at him, coupled with those gleaming gold eyes, even though blood poured from his face.

Even the heroes paused at that face, the blood pouring down his face made it look like he was crying blood, but his face told a different story.

Izuku felt the tarot cards in his pocket grow warm, as if giving him strength, before he whispered the words that were in front of his mind.

"Per...so...na!"

Blue flames erupted all around Izuku, though the fire did not seem to harm him as it wrapped around him. The blood suddenly evaporated, as if feeding the flames before the fire covered his face. The Slime villain flinched as he saw the smirk turn into a malevolent grin, distorting Izuku's face until all he could see was that grin and yellow eyes. The fire consumed Izuku's body, though still maintaining a human figure. Then the fire slowly began to ascend upwards to leave an unharmed Izuku, though his eyes went back to their vivid green color. Iron chains rankled off the fire, which still maintained a human figure. Izuku himself still had that same confident expression, though his clothes had somewhat changed. He could be seen wearing green Chinese light armor and green tassets.

The blue fire above him slowly faded to reveal a monkey in full golden armor. On the monkey's head was a crown with two long feathers coming off it, combined with a red cape on his back. Chains wrapped around the monkey's body, though the violent shuddering was weakening them.

A golden staff suddenly appeared in Izuku's hand, and with a flourish, he pointed his staff at the Sludge villain.

"Howl to the heavens, Sun Wukong!"

The monkey howled as the chains that held him captive suddenly broke off, wind bellowing as he did so. The remaining flames reformed into the same mask onto Izuku's face.

'How do I get him free?' thought Izuku in a calm manner unlike himself.

"Think back to how you made him flinch, and you have your answer," suggested Sun Wukong.

Izuku's mind flashed back to the previous seconds before remembering how the villain had flinched when something smacked its eyes.

"The eyes!" shouted Izuku before slamming his staff to the ground.

"Got it!" yelled Sun Wukong as he dashed forward and mimed the same action, except slamming his staff into the Sludge villain's eyes.

"Argg why is it always the eye!?" wailed the Sludge villain in pain as the staff not only hurt him, but freed the top half of Katsuki.

"Grab on!" commanded Izuku as he ran towards Katsuki, extending his staff to him.

Katsuki was too dazed to even argue as he latched onto the staff. With a huge grunt, Izuku managed to pry Katsuki free of the Sludge villain, both of them tumbling away as soon as Izuku had finished.

"Nooo!" screamed the Sludge villain as he reformed once more, "Give him back! With his power, I could defeat All Might!"

"This ends now," growled Izuku as he raised his left hand to his mask, which suddenly burst into flames once more, and yet still maintaining its shape, "Zio!"

Sun Wukong jumped back to Izuku's side before twirling his staff above his head before slashing the air. Almost instantaneously, lightning crackled from above the Sludge villain and struck him!

"#$$ ((*&%&*^$#!" babbled the Sludge villain before slumping over in defeat.

Silence reigned as Sun Wukong faded from view before everyone began to cheer. Izuku's heart almost burst in happiness as those cheers were directed at him for once.

"Remember your rebel spirit," laughed Sun Wukong from within his mind, "Never let society push you over for something you can't control. Instead, break through those chains."

Yea a really short story that stuck in my head. Still, if anyone wants to try to continue this story, go for it! It's not going to be on my make a full story list... least not for a long time..