Why Should I Smile? (Ch 2) (Patreon)

I tilt my head in curiosity. “You want to give me a job?”

Mt. Lady nods. “I just debuted today, and I’m not ashamed to say that the hero school I graduated from wasn’t really the best. They taught us the basics in combat, but their main focus was on how to get media attention.”

She readjusts her position, leaning back against the couch with one arm extended over the cushions while she crosses her legs. “Not to mention that they just said that my quirk makes me huge and left it at that. You just told me more about my quirk than that school did during my entire three years there.”

I blink, taken aback, before giving my completely honest thoughts. “That sounds like a horrible school. What’s the ratio of successful heroes from it versus dead heroes?”

She blinks, now taken aback by my words. “Uh, dead heroes?”

I nod, ignoring the way Mom tries to signal me to stop talking. It’s not like I’m spreading rumors or anything, just stating facts. “Yes. Heroes are put under file along with the name of the school they graduated from. These files remain even if a hero were to retire or die. This allows the HPSC to identify which schools to assign more funding to in the case that they consistently turn out successful heroes. As well as identifying which schools to shut down if too many heroes they allow to graduate die or abuse their positions to break the law.”

Mt. Lady definitely looks green now, to the point that Mom rushes out of the room and brings back a small trash can with a bag in it that she hands to her, along with a glass of water. “My year was the last one to graduate. They got shut down a week ago.”

I grimace, but given my expression hasn’t really changed I suppose my face just tenses a little? “My condolences. Maybe you should contact any friends you have and warn them to be careful? Or perhaps try to convince them to become sidekicks for the more established heroes, rather than banding together or starting their own agency?”

She nods rapidly. “Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll definitely do that.” She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She does this a few times before seeming to calm down. “Ok, back to the point before… that.”

She meets my eyes. “I want you to work for me as an analyst. The pay may not be great since I literally started today, but working for any hero would definitely open doors for you in your career.”

I can’t help but be confused. “Career? What career?”

“Huh?” She returns my confused look. “Aren’t you an analyst?”

I just look at her blank-faced. “I’m a middle schooler.”

“Wait, what?” She blinks back at me for a moment before pulling her phone out of her pocket and rapidly tapping away at it with a frown on her face. Seeming to get where she wanted, she blinks at the screen before looking back up at me and blinking again. “I… guess I was too excited and didn’t read the full file. When your advice worked I was sure you just had a quirk that makes you look younger.”

I let out a slow breath as my mom tenses. Of course she did. And now I have to tell her that I’m quirkless, and she’ll get mad at me for wasting her time here. I really wish Mom didn’t have to hear-

“You’re quirkless too!? That’s impressive!”

“Huh?”

I stare at her with my mouth hanging open, but she’s not looking at me, she’s still looking down at her phone. I look at Mom and see my shock mirrored on her own face. “You really are in middle school… To be able to know my quirk better than me with so little information… You’re definitely a scary kid.”

She looks back up at me, ignoring the stunned faces of both me and my mother as she continues. “Are you planning to go into heroics? I can’t offer you a full job since you’re still in school, but I should still be able to offer you work part time. Or maybe I could just buy a full analysis of my quirk from you?”

The mention of going into heroics is enough to draw me out of my shock and my mouth closes with a click. “I can’t be a hero.” I say immediately getting a bemused look from Mt. Lady.

“Why not?” Why is she even asking? She read the file she has.

“I’m quirkless.”

“I’m still not seeing the problem. If I ever have to fight in a tight space -or heck,inside any building!- then I’d be fighting quirkless! That doesn’t mean I’m just going to give up and go home though!”

She really doesn’t get it. “I can’t be a hero, because I’m quirkless. I’d just be a liability.” I speak calmly, digging my fingers into my legs so that I don’t clench my hands. I already went through this. I spent ten years going through this. I won’t go through it again.

She snorts, waving my objection away. “And who told you that? It’s stupid.”

“All Might.” Two words. Two, simple words. But to anyone in Japan, they mean so, so much more. It doesn’t matter who you talk to, everyone puts stock in the number one hero. Civilians, heroes, and the government put stock in him defeating any villains that cross his path. Villains put stock in him being strong enough to take them down, and a few even take pride in it. Being taken down by the Symbol of Peace is considered a badge of pride to villains, according to the internet. Like they’ve suddenly become big names in the villain world.

“All Might told me that I can’t become a hero. That I’d be a liability.”

“Oh.” Mt. Lady’s face twists, clearly unsure how to react. Mom has no such doubts, wrapping her arms around me and bringing my head to her chest.

“Oh, Izuku! I’m so sorry!” The same words she said back then… I can’t help but think. The same words she said when we first found out that I’m quirkless.

I don’t blame her for them, not really. She just knew what it took so long for me to know. That I can’t ever become a hero.

“Well…” While Mom tries to comfort me about my former idol crushing my dream, Mt. Lady finds her voice. “If All Might said it…” She frowns, her own uncertainty clearly warring with her trust in the number one hero. After all, who better to know who can become a hero than the one everyone considers to be The Hero.

I sigh, interrupting her own inner conflict. “It’s fine. I agree with him, now. Which is why I want to take you up on your offer.”

She perks up at this, clearly happy not to have to question the character of the man she admires most. “Oh? So you’ll work part time? Or do you just want the one-time analysis?”

“Full time, actually.” I correct, continuing before she can question me. “I’m going to apply for the early graduation test for middle school. It takes three days for them to process the results, and since they count weekends it should be done sometime Monday morning.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that test supposed to be super hard? I knew a few cocky kids back then who tried it and they ended up coming to school crying the next day.”

I shrug. “I’m confident in my brain.”

She shrugs back. “If you say so. Your analysis certainly agrees.” She taps her chin, looking up at the ceiling for a moment. “I can schedule my patrol for the afternoon, if you’re sure you’ll pass.”

I give her a firm nod. “I am.”

She smiles at me, handing me a card. “I like the confidence. Shoot me a text tomorrow so I have your number, then on Monday I’ll call you so we can meet up. You ok walking with me on my patrol?”

I nod. “I’ve chased hero fights since I was little. It won’t be a problem.”

She lets out a snort of amusement. “Good to know.” She gets up, holding out a hand that I take, giving it a firm shake. “I look forward to working with you, Izuku Midoriya.”

I nod back with solemnity. After all, this is going to be my new boss. “Likewise.”

She laughs, taking her leave. Once we hear the door close, Mom finally breaks her silence. “Honey, why didn’t you tell me you met All Might? Is that why you were so sad?”

I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t sad, Mom. I just had a hard time finally accepting that I couldn’t become a hero. And I didn’t mention All Might because it only happened today.”

I blink, recalling all the events of the day. “Huh. Actually, so did meeting Mt. Lady. So much has happened in one day. It’s kind of unreal.”

Though she accepts my words, it’s clear that Mom is still worried, wringing her hands as she speaks. “Well, yes, I suppose if you met two heroes and got a job it would be a lot, but Izuku, are you sure you’re ok?”

I nod. “I’m fine. Though I suppose that if I want to be any good at my job I’ll have to read up on what an analyst actually does, officially.” I look down, grabbing hold of my chin as I rapidly tap my finger along my jaw in thought.

“On the surface, it seems like being an analyst is simple, just doing what I’ve been doing with quirks. But that can’t be all there is, if it was, anyone could be an analyst if they felt like it. I’m sure there’s more. Plus I’ll need to find out how to officially become one, their requirements, restrictions, what kind of tests or interviews I’ll have to do so that Mt. Lady doesn’t get in trouble for hiring me. The labor laws got changed so long ago that my age isn’t an issue, so long as I pass the early graduation test. But if I don’t then it would be a problem for Mt. Lady, so I should probably study up on all of the material to make sure I don’t mess up and ruin her plans. But I guess I can always give her an analysis of her quirk as an apology for wasting her time. That’s a surprising amount of stuff I need to get done, I should get to it right away. But what first? It would have to be the test, right? Early graduation is the keystone that all the other plans ride on, but I also need to study for it, but I’d have to get it done today to get the results on Monday so I don’t disappoint Mt. Lady. But-”

“Izuku!”

I’m pulled from my thoughts by Mom’s yell, only now realizing that I was muttering again. Sheepishly, I rub the back of my head while apologizing. “S-sorry Mom. I guess I’m kind of excited for Monday.” I give a dry chuckle. “Who could have guessed. Me, quirkless Izuku Midoriya. Working for a hero without even going to high school. Bakugou will be so jealous.”

“Izuku.” Mom’s frowning at me now, concern clear in her eyes. “I don’t think you are ok.”

“Huh?” I give her a confused look. “Why’s that?”

“You said that you’re excited, right? That you’ll have a great time working for a hero?”

Well, there’s a bunch of stuff to get done before that, but it sums up the point. “Yes?”

She meets my eyes, completely serious when she says something shocking. “Then why haven’t you smiled a single time since you came home?”

I blink. “Huh?”

I frown for a moment before smiling. Or at least, that’s what I try to do. But the corners of my lips refuse to move upwards. I have to physically pull them up, but that’s not a real smile.

I look at my Mom in confusion as I realize she’s right. “Huh.” I say, bemusement in my voice. “You’re right.”

It looks like I can’t smile anymore.