All men are not created equal. This was something Bakugou Katsuki had known ever since he saw heroes fighting with villains on TV.
But even with that, Bakugou had always felt deep down that he would be one of the few standing at the top, a hero that would always win.
"Look how awesome this guy is mom! He's saving all those people like it's nothing!"
Then when he turned four, Katsuki realized that things are never that simple.
"Y-You Quack Doctor! I-I'm not quirkless…I'm not…"
Perhaps his journey might have ended there in a different world, one where he'd accepted his place.
But this world isn't that.
"I'm gonna be a hero mom."
"It's going to be really hard Katsuki. You might not be able to no matter what you do."
"I know I can do it. I can feel it. I don't care what anyone else says, or if it hurts, or if it's really hard."
"…Okay Katsuki. I'll cheer for you."
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*10 Years Later*
"Alright you lot. Since you're all third years, it's time for you all to seriously plan for your futures."
Mr.Yatsumoto Looked out over the classroom.
"I'll pass out all your handouts for future plans now, but…"
A smile grew on the teacher's face as he continued.
Many of the students activated their quirks in anticipation.
"You're all pretty much planning to go into the hero course right?"
"Yes!"
Came the enthusiastic response of the students, most of whom were using their quirks.
They were all briefly silenced by a flash of light from the back of the room.
Everyone turned their heads to see Izuku Midoriya with a glowing ball of flame hovering above his hand.
"I know we're all excited guys, but we're all not supposed to be using our quirks in class."
The classroom quickly quieted down, with some lighthearted ribbing to Izuku himself.
Mr.Yatsumoto quickly seized the opening presented.
"That's right, you were applying for UA, right Midoriya?"
The classroom quickly filled with murmurs, a blush growing on Izuku's face.
"Well, I know it'll be hard, but I'm sure I can get in if I put in the effort."
One of the other students in the classroom called out.
"That's Midoriya for you! Always going Plus Ultra."
The rest of the class was quick to agree, everyone saying that Izuku was a sure to make it.
While this was going on, Yatsumoto had continued reading through his student listings.
"Oh yeah, Katsuki wanted to go to UA too, didn't he."
The class seemed to freeze for a second, as everyone's head turned to look at the blonde, before some of them started giggling.
The stoic blonde met the gazes of his classmates head on, his 6' muscled form taller than many of his peers.
"What. You lot got something you want to say?" Katsuki growled out.
One of his braver classmates forced down their giggles as they answered.
"It's just, you still haven't given up on that Bakugou? You need a quirk to apply for UA!"
Midoriya was the next to speak up.
"Actually, they got rid of that rule a while ago. Kacchan can still apply, there's just no precedent of a quirkless student ever being admitted to any hero course…"
"Oi."
Everyone turned to look at the growl in Bakugou's voice as he stood up from his seat.
"Who cares if there's never been a quirkless hero!? I'm gonna be the first!"
Mr.Yatsumoto had clearly had enough at that point.
"Bakugou! Calm down or I'll take you down to the office and we'll call your mother."
Katsuki sat down with an obvious scowl on his face.
That didn't stop the whispers throughout the room.
"I thought he'd given up after he stopped picking fights last year."
"Yeah! He used to start fights with anyone, then he suddenly stopped last year."
Katsuki sat back pulled out his pencil, grinding his teeth. This was gonna be a long day.
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Katsuki put his work away and stood up as the class bell rang, one of the first out of the classroom. He kept up his quick pace as he moved out the main doors of the building.
He wanted to get an early start on training today.
Just as he was about to leave the campus, he heard a voice calling out from behind him.
"Kacchan! Wait up!"
Biting back a sigh, Katsuki turned back to see Izuku rushing after him.
"What is it Deku?"
Izuku frowned as he heard Katsuki's remark, before quickly recovering into a smile.
"I asked you to stop calling me that Kacchan. Anyway, me and a couple of friends are all heading over to karaoke and I was wondering if you wanted to come."
Katsuki turned back and started walking as he answered.
"Can't. Busy."
Izuku frowned as well, rushing up to Katsuki as he kept walking.
"But you always say that! Can't you just come? It's been forever since we hung out together."
Katsuki frowned and turned to face Izuku again, stopping.
"I stopped coming, when you stopped training together with me, and when your 'friends' made it clear they didn't want me to come."
"Wha- I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding! You just come today and we'll get this all-"
"Izuku. If your quirk disappeared today, how many of the extras you hang out with would still hang out with you?"
Izuku almost physically recoiled in shock.
"That's not true Kacchan!"
"Oh yeah? How often when the bunch of you are hanging out, does your 'incredible quirk' or your 'future as a hero' come up. Have any of them asked you to remember them when you hit it big?"
"So what Kacchan?"
"The point is everyone in our class is fuckin' two-faced! Haven't you noticed how they're always just following you around!"
"Kacchan that's-"
Izuku stepped forwards to respond when both of them heard a call from behind.
"Izuku!"
Turning, both of them saw a group of classmates at the exit to the school, Tsubasa the one calling out.
"If we don't leave soon, they might run out of rooms before we get there."
Izuku turned to Katsuki only to find the sandy blonde already walking away.
Shaking his head, Izuku rushed over to his friends, quickly getting drawn into conversation.
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Katsuki pulled out his phone as he walked down the street, quickly opening his contacts and selecting 'Hag'. After a few rings, they picked up.
"Katsuki?"
"Hey. I'm heading straight to the beach today. I want to get started early."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Phone us when you're done, and we'll come pick you up."
"Got it."
Before Katsuki could hang up, his mom had one last thing to say.
"Katsuki?"
"Yeah?"
"I know this last year has been hard for you, but if you had kept picking fights, they were going to put it on your permanent academic record. If they'd done that, you wouldn't even be able to apply for UA."
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Katsuki stayed silent for a minute.
"Katsuki? You still there?"
"Yeah. I know."
"Love you brat."
"Love you too Hag."
Putting his phone away, Katsuki looked up to see the polluted coastline of Takoba Municipal Beach.
When he'd started training when he was younger, Katsuki had gone looking for places to train. One of the options that had come up was a nearby forest preserve with 'no trespassing' signs, but once Katsuki had noticed the beach, he knew that this was it.
Sure some of the rustier trash was a slight worry, but nothing too concerning.
It had taken a bit for him to convince his mom, but it all worked out.
Walking down the stairs and to one of the emptier patches of Beach, Katsuki put down his bag and grabbed the makeshift training backpack he'd created from and older bag and stashed inside the cab of the singular abandoned truck on the beach. Moving it over to his workout area, Katsuki quickly got started on his more standard exercises, moving through his pushups and sit-ups.
These were followed by some of his more abnormal training exercises. Like handstand pushups. Getting his body into good enough shape that he could do pushups supported by just his hands, and keep balance at the same time had been a trial, but it was working wonders for his arm and finger strength.
Finishing off that section of his exercises, Bakugou moved on to the next section.
Why someone had placed a completely intact refrigerator on the beach, Katsuki couldn't tell you, but it was great for his training.
Squaring up his body with the front of the appliance, Katsuki took a swing with his entire body.
A loud smash sounded out as the Refrigerator shifted slightly.
Not pausing to cradle his aching fist, Katsuki followed up with another punch from his off hand.
Katsuki continued the assault for a minute until finally, with a roar he let loose one final punch with everything he had.
'I will be a hero.'
*Squeak*
Ignoring the ache in his hands, Katsuki took a closer look at the refrigerator doors. A smirk growing on his face as he noted the visible dent in the surface of the appliance.
Deciding now was the time for it, Katsuki moved over to the truck he had been using to store his workout bag.
Moving over to the cab, Katsui stuck his hands under the bumper and grasped the chassis.
With a mighty yell, Katsuki started to heave.
Inch by inch, the rusted suspension of the vehicle began to creak as the truck started to lift.
After a couple seconds, Katsuki dropped the bumper, his chest heaving as the truck settled back onto what was left of its suspension.
Still grinning, Katsuki grabbed his towel.
'Soon.'
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Katsuki slammed the door as he entered the house.
"Hag! Dad! I'm home."
He finished taking his shoes off as his dad walked into the entryway.
"Welcome home. You're early. Did training today go well?"
"Yeah. Went alright. Need to grab the first aid kit."
A call echoed out from the kitchen as Katsuki got to the bathroom, leaving the door open.
"Did you forget to wrap your hands again brat?"
"…No!"
"Bullshit!"
Katsuki ignored the hag as he pulled out the kit and got to work using the disinfectant. He was interrupted by his mom stepping into the bathroom and grabbing the bandages from the kit.
"Come on, you know the drill. Let me see your hands."
Sullen, Katsuki extended his hands.
Without even a comment, Mitsuki started disinfecting and wrapping the cuts on Katsuki's knuckles.
The two just sat there quietly except for the occasional hiss from Katsuki.
After a few minutes, Mitsuki finished wrapping up the cuts.
"You need to start wrapping your hands more. It'll let you punch harder without hurting your hands as much."
Sullen at the reminder, Katsuki nodded.
"Good. Dad should be finishing up dinner by now. Lets go eat, then you can tell us about what you want to do for training this weekend."
Following Mitsuki downstairs, the duo arrived just as Masaru was finishing up setting the table.
Katsuki looked down at the green chicken and fish slurry that his dad had put together.
Then looked at his dad.
"What the fuck is this shit?"
Masaru rubbed the back of his head, seeming embarrassed.
"Well, I looked up some articles on good training foods, and saw that chicken and fish, and some different kinds of greens were good for you. Then I decided to…experiment a bit."
Bracing for the worst, Katsuki took a bite of the mixture.
The taste…was not nearly as bad as he'd expected.
Everything was properly cooked anyway.
When he finally managed to finish off his plate, he stood up, planning to go upstairs.
Before he could actually get going however, Mitsuki called out.
"Not yet brat. We need to figure out how the next 10 months are gonna look."
Katsuki snorted.
"I keep training, and then I ace the exam."
Masaru grabbed the plates and moved into the kitchen. This had never really been his thing, for all he created culinary abominations for Katsuki's training.
Mitsuki kept talking as Masaru walked out.
"Now, I know you were never really a fan of Martial Arts classes, but it could still be good to get some fighting experience before you take the entrance exam to UA."
Katsuki snorted.
"No Fucking way. That shit's not real combat experience. It's kiddie shit unless you put ages into it. I'm better off just focusing on training more direct stuff."
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow.
"Fine. No Martial Arts classes. However, there are quirks out there you won't be able to just punch into submission. Or it'll just be a really bad idea."
Mitsuki stood up and walked over to the edge of the room and pulled out an aluminum baseball bat.
"So, your father and I got you this. It's pretty easy to use, but it will let you hit harder, and it keeps you at range."
Katsuki moved to grab it before Mitsuki pulled it away.
"You get this on one condition. Don't bring it to school with you. There is no way your teachers will be cool with it, and it makes you look even more like a stereotypical delinquent."
Katsuki snorted.
"You're the one that bought it."
"And you're the one that's gonna use it. Deal?"
Katsuki didn't even need to think about it.
"Deal."
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The next day found Katsuki on the beach testing out his new weapon.
He would admit it took a bit to get used to it, but-
*Bang*
It definitely had its perks.
Katsuki inspected the new dent in the fridge with satisfaction.
It would be a pain to figure out how to work it into his training schedule, but one definitely worth the combat options it would give him.
Katsuki put the bat aside for the time moment and got back to his physical exercises. Even if he did have a weapon now, that didn't mean he could stop training his body.
Moving into a handstand position, Bakugou got back to his pushups.
He only had 10 months until the exams after all.
And until he got access to the best training facilities in the country, this beach and the occasional visit to the gym would have to do.
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Aside from the addition of a bat to his training regime, the next ten months were fairly standard for Katsuki.
He pushed his body to it's limits, ate the occasional nutrient abomination from his dad, and went to the gym when he wanted to use the machines there to test himself.
Though he noticed as time went on, some of the gym goers started giving him odd looks when he was working out.
One interaction in particular stood out to him. He'd just been finishing up his set when someone had interrupted him.
"Excuse me."
Katsuki had glanced up to see one of the newer part-time gym trainers had come over to speak with him. He kept adding more weight to his set as he answered.
"What."
"You are aware this gym isn't licensed for quirk use, correct?"
Katsuki got on the bench.
"Yeah, so?"
The bench groaned a bit as he started lifting.
"…Can I get your name please? I need to check your membership."
"Katsuki Bakugo."
The woman hadn't come back after leaving, letting Katsuki continue his workout in peace.
Another thing that changed was that Izuku finally stopped asking him to hang out with the hangers on.
And the teacher had mostly backed off on the 'Plans for the future' assignment after Katsuki told him where to shove it.
The teacher had been rather surprised when his mother had backed that sentiment when she was called in.
For the most part everything was going well in school. Though Katsuki was a bit annoyed with how much time he had to spend studying.
Still, it all came together just before the exam.
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The exam was 3 days away, and Mitsuki and Katsuki had agreed that it would be best to let his body rest for the last 2 days until the exam.
So today was Katsuki's last day to see how he measured up.
After he finished up his warmup, he got to swinging practice.
The fridge had gotten too bashed to use months ago, so Katsuki had ended up grabbing a piece of sheet metal for swinging practice.
Winding up, Katsuki gave a swing with everything he had.
*Bang*
Smirking at the deformed chunk of sheet metal, Katsuki turned to the truck that had been mocking him for months.
Dropping his bat to the side, Katsuki braced himself and grabbed the chassis.
Then he started to lift.
With a roar from Katsuki, the truck suspension squeaked as the vehicle was lifted onto it's back wheels.
'Not yet! That's not good enough!'
With a massive shout, Katsuki put everything into his muscles and HEAVED.
With a mighty crash, the truck overturned, a spray of sand emanating outwards from the impact as Katsuki panted for breath, a manic smile on his face.
Time for the UA entrance exam.