Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya didn’t have a quirk, which was unusual in a world where superpowers, known as quirks, were the norm. Everyone who knew him was aware of this fact, and it became almost a badge of honor—or dishonor—in its own right. Despite lacking a quirk, Izuku was one of the top students in his class. While he might not have been the absolute best, he excelled particularly in chemistry. English skills? Those could use some improvement…
Beyond the confines of his textbooks, there was always a spark in Izuku’s heart– an almost obsessive fascination with spiders and their web-spinning abilities. This interest was fitting, given that he was hard at work perfecting a formula for the web fluid he envisioned creating for this year's high school science fair, which was being hosted at UA High. (When Izuku found out where the event was being held, he couldn't contain his excitement and proceeded to scream and jump for joy while sharing the news with his mother, Inko.)
The idea for his spider fluid had been developing in his mind for quite some time. Ever since childhood, he had dreamed of attending UA and becoming a hero. However, without a quirk, that dream felt unattainable. After middle school, Izuku shelved the ambition and enrolled at Midtown High, his second-best option as it aligned with his passions for science.
Now, halfway through his first year at Midtown, things were going well. In fact, some might even say they were great because the science fair is… TODAY! WAKE UP, IZUKU!
Izuku's alarm had been blasting for five minutes. Drowsily, he blinked against the light trickling through his curtains, stealing a glance at the time before succumbing once more to sleep. In the haze of his peaceful slumber, he found himself dreaming of getting ready for the day in the bathroom.
Izuku
Izuku..?
A soft voice broke through the remnants of his dream. He was just getting his shoes on!
"Izuku, honey, wake up or you will be late for school! It’s your big day.” Inko Midoriya coaxed, gently nudging her son from his cocoon of blankets."
"I’m awake, Mom,” Izuku mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
Crap, no, I'm not. I'm going to be SO late! Izuku thought, feeling a surge of adrenaline. Why did I set this alarm so early?
With that thought in mind, he jumped out of bed, accidentally slamming his All Might-themed alarm clock in the process. He hurriedly rummaged through his wardrobe, grabbing a pair of black cargo jeans that felt slightly wrinkled from being at the bottom of the drawer. He put on a T-shirt that read, "If you believe in telekinesis, please raise my hand." Izuku loved quirky phrases, and since he was heading to UA today, he figured he might as well try to get a hero to raise his hand with telekinesis.
Perfect. He thought, glancing into the full-length mirror. The reflection staring back at him embodied both firmness and a hint of agitation, like he was forgetting something.
Regardless, Izuku dashed toward the front door, hopping on one foot while awkwardly trying to shove his toes into his iconic red sneakers. In the rush, he stubbed the big toe of his opposite foot against the doorframe, causing him to mutter a curse under his breath. He hoped that Inko hadn't heard the profanity. With one last glance at the ticking clock, he bolted out the door, heart pounding and determination ignited, ready to conquer the day and make it to school on time.
“Izuku Midoriya?” His teacher says in a not-quite-amused tone as Izuku marches into the bus waiting outside the school.
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re late… again.” His teacher eyes him up and down before turning his attention back to the class. Izuku takes the most convenient seat and listens as his teacher continues.
“As you all probably know, we are going on a field trip to UA’s science fair,” the teacher announced. The class broke into hushed whispers. “Some of you have even been selected to participate in this event. If you were selected, you know it is your responsibility to bring your project. Now, please quiet down so we can start heading to the school.”
As the bus began to drive, Izuku got lost in thought. He was geeked, to say the least. He had never been to UA before, and the idea of finally touring the school and showcasing his spider fluid to other students was incredible! Maybe the teachers at UA would see his project and think, “Wow, we need to get this kid in our support course!”
Actually, they will say that! Izuku thought.
No one has ever thought of my design before, well, not that I know of. And—
Oh wait.
There was a reason why he had set his alarm earlier last night. Izuku suddenly remembered that he had totally forgotten his web fluid at home, and they were already on the way to UA High.
“Stop the bus!” Izuku shouted, voice breaking the hum of conversation filling the vehicle. He shot up from his seat, heart racing. “I forgot my project at home! I can grab it quickly—”
The atmosphere tensed as Izuku’s teacher stood up, arms crossed tightly over his chest, eyes fixing on Izuku with a piercing gaze. “What did I say before? Your project, your responsibility. We’re not turning this bus around; you will have to go on the tour like the rest of the class.
Izuku’s heart sank, feeling an embarrassed flush at his cheeks as he slowly slumped back down into his seat. Hidden from the rest of his classmates, he turned his gaze out the window, watching the scenery whip past them, as his thoughts bubbled up. It’s all my fault. I should’ve double-checked I had it in my backpack this morning. The thought gnawed at him. If I’m not good at this, then what’s the whole point? Maybe Kacchan was right. Izuku scrunched up his face into a frown before, but he shook his head, refusing to finish the thought. No, I told myself that even without a quirk, even without becoming a hero, I wouldn't be “useless Deku.” I will prove him wrong, no matter what.
The bus came to a halt, the sound of tires screeching against pavement jolting him from his endless thoughts. They had finally arrived at their destination. Izuku turned his attention to his teacher, who cleared his throat to gather the students’ attention.
“Alright, everyone, you’ve been divided into your tour groups. " Midoriya,” he continued, and Izuku held onto his last string of hope, “since you forgot your project, you will be joining group two. The student who have their projects ready will proceed to the campus grounds for the fair. We will reconvene here at 2:30 PM. And remember,” his voice took on a sharper edge, “don't cause trouble; this is one of the top hero schools.” With that, the class went to their assigned groups and headed to the entrance.
A sense of dread settled in Izuku’s stomach as he was walking with a group of five other students. He felt like an outsider as they clustered together with excitement buzzing in the air. They were being shown around by their guide, Snipe, the prestigious No. 25 pro hero. Izuku could hardly contain his nerdish behavior. Snipe was known for his marksmanship and different abilities associated with it; Izuku could talk about him all day, but he’s no All Might. And because All Might isn't giving him a tour, Izuku’s enthusiasm started to wane, and his thoughts drifted back to the science fair.
That's when he got a genius idea.
Summoning every ounce of courage, he suddenly raised his hand and exclaimed,
“I have to go to the bathroom— uh, emergency, sir! Don’t wait for me!” Without a single pause, he began to walk briskly in the opposite direction.
“Oh, well, a restroom is located down the hall to your right,” Snipe replied, a hint of confusion in his tone, but he continued with the tour, oblivious to Izuku’s “genius idea.”
The moment Izuku broke away, he felt a rush of adrenaline and a small feeling of guilt. Though, to be honest, he actually did need to use the bathroom. The morning had been so chaotic, and in the rush to get to school on time, he had forgotten to do a basic necessity. Now, he had his excuse to slip away from the tour and, hopefully, try to recreate the project he desperately needed.
Izuku had been dodging tour groups like a retired Navy SEAL, relying on a mix of intuition and sheer luck to navigate the halls of UA High School. So far, he had evaded an awkward encounter with Midnight, almost rejoined Snipe’s group not once but twice, and skillfully sidestepped a teacher who had innocently asked where his class was located. Somehow he had successfully slipped into the Support Course wing without drawing any attention to himself.
As he stepped through the door, he was met with a scene that resembled a chaotic workshop. The air was thick with the smell of metal and chemicals; half-finished inventions were cluttered on every available surface. Workbenches were strewn with an assortment of mechanical parts and tools, while intricate mechanical arms dangled precariously from the ceiling like metallic vines. Boxes overflowed with spare parts— wires of various colors and sizes, screws, and bolts that Izuku decided could easily assemble a city.
“Perfect,” he thought out loud, hope igniting in his chest. This mess was exactly where he needed to be; if anywhere he could find the chemicals essential for his project, it would be here. Izuku navigated through the cluttered maze of inventions, making sure to avoid any tools that lay in his path— well, he tried to.
Suddenly, the silent peace was shattered. Literally.
CRASH
In an unfortunate series of events, he had bumped into a toolbox, sending it careening off the edge of a workbench, flying into a nearby shelf. That caused the shelf to lose grip on a precarious stack of glass beakers, and with a spine-chilling sound, they shattered into glittering shards across the floor.
“...”
“Oops.”
The silence that followed spoke volumes.
“Definitely cleaning that up later,” he muttered to himself, glancing nervously around the room to ensure no one had heard the commotion. After a reassuring moment of quiet, he refocused on the task at hand and hurried over to the battered chemical cabinet, scanning the somewhat neatly labeled bottles with perceivable urgency.
“Salicylic acid…” He squinted at the shelves, searching for the right container. “...there!”
His face lit up with a triumphant grin as he snatched the bottle, feeling a rush of excitement.
“Now I just need methanol.”
A few shelves and a few disgruntled mutters on how “they should really organize this place!” later, his eyes fell upon the familiar label, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness!” He quickly gathered the remaining ingredients, the thrill of creativity propelling him forward, and dashed to an empty workstation that was slightly less cluttered than the others. With deliberate care, he measured each chemical, combining them with skillful precision. As he mixed the substances together, the solution thickened into a pale, viscous material that held a surprisingly elastic quality.
Izuku gently prodded it with a stirring rod, watching the transformation with wide-eyed amazement.
“It worked…”
He marveled at the way the mixture stretched, similar to his original project, but this time it snapped back into place.
“A biodegradable polymer with high strength.. If I can just improve the adhesive properties more, this could actually—”
His train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a faint scuttling sound. Hm? He turned his attention to the cluttered workbench where the movement had originated.
What he saw caught him off guard: a spider. But no ordinary spider; this one's body shimmered in hues of vivid green and electric blue, almost glowing with a supernatural radiance. Tiny, intricate patterns pulsed along its abdomen as if a vibrant light were flowing beneath its exoskeleton.
“... Woah,” captivated, he leaned in for a closer look, his curiosity piqued, “how did you get here, little guy?” His voice barely registered as he was utterly mesmerized.
The spider froze, and for one second Izuku swore that the two of them stared at each other, suspended in a moment of stillness. Then without any warning—
SNAP
In a blur of motion, the spider leapt at him with astonishing speed.
“Wha–?”
A sharp, jarring sting cut through the back of Izuku’s hand as he instinctively recoiled, sending the spider sailing onto the table before it was banished under a pile of blueprints and sketches.
“... Owch.” He grimaced as he examined the tiny puncture marks on his skin, which were quickly turning a vibrant shade of red.
Rubbing the spot gingerly, he frowned in peak annoyance.
“That's just great.”
With an exasperated sigh, he resigned himself to the inconvenience.
“Just my luck.”
Assuming it was nothing more than an ordinary spider bite that would quickly fade, he gathered the container holding his polymer web mixture and turned toward the door, determination fueling his steps.
“I’ve got to get to the fair before judging starts,” he muttered, pushing the bizarre spider from his mind.
Behind him, lurking and hidden beneath the scatter of papers, the mesmerizing spider lay motionless, its body waiting patiently in the shadows. Its colors slowly faded to gray. By the time Izuku disappeared down the hallway,
the transformation had already begun