Chapter Text
Melissa Shield's life was one of mixed reactions. Most were very supportive of her, due to her high intelligence and promising future. Though some, even those who support her, put her down due to one factor. Her lack of quirk. She was quirkless, always has been, always will be. In the eyes of many, she would never amount to much more than an inventor. Or perhaps engineer. Even those jobs were now dominated by quirks.
Her father, David Shield, was a genius inventor. Even his weak, very niche quirk gave him an edge in his field. He had always supported Melissa, and claims he always will, but even he was hesitant to let his daughter seek a career in heroics. Even as a support agency engineer. It was to dangerous, he says. Even the ones in the background get attacked by villains. And she was quirkless, so she was in even more danger, he says.
"But Dad, quirks won't matter there, they legally can't use them against anyone anyway, not even villains. I'll be in no more danger than any of the others."
"Melissa you don't get it. I won't have you putting yourself in danger just to prove people wrong. Just because people think you can't doesn't mean you should!"
"But what if I had someone with me. I'll befriend hero students, work with them as pros. Every support worker has hero connections."
"You really think many will associate with someone quirkless?!"
Melissa fell silent. She fixed her eyes on the floor, and tried not to cry at the words her father had just said. All her life she was put down because of her quirkless status. By strangers, classmates, teachers. And now, it seemed, it was her fathers turn to get in on it. She turned to leave.
"Melissa, I-I didn't mean..."
Too late. She had already left the room. David sat down, head in hands. He truly had not meant to say it like that. He got too far into the protective side, and had degraded her instead. He only wanted to keep her safe. But he had just become what everyone else on the island already was. Just another voice telling her she couldn't do it.
Melissa left the room in a hurry. The tears she tried so desperately to hide now flowed down her pale cheeks. She didn't stop running until she reached her workshop. The one advantage of her father being a famous inventor.
"Athena, activate project Ravager."
Her AI friend, Athena, was someone Melissa designed to assist in her work. To provide information, support and generally make life in the workshop easier.
Athena did as asked, and a panel opened in a section of the workshop. A whirring noise echoed, and a large figure was presented to the room. It was a huge, menacing figure. It stood at around 6 foot 4, it's torso resembling a ribcage. It was silvery grey in colour, with purple outlines and a purple spine. It had no mouth, had a white protective cover over his main face and black wires that come down from the back of his head that mimic a mane of hair. It's dark grey and black limbs hung loosely as it was lowered to the floor, and it's eyes lit up, like a machine powering up. A deep, robotic voice resonated from it's form.
"Miss Shield, how may I be of assistance?"
"I-I need to be with someone at the minute, R-7000. You were the only one I could come to."
"I am honoured, Miss Shield, to be the one you think of. I suppose Athena has no physical form, though."
A robotic laugh that sounded a little too human sounded. Even Melissa laughed a bit, to which the R-7000 was pleased.
"I suppose not R-7000."
"So tell me, Miss Shield. What bothers you?"
"I-It's my father. He... said something just now that, well, got to me. He implied that no-one would want to be my friend, because I'm quirkless."
"You have immediately proven him wrong, my dear. I am here, am I not. A friend you yourself made, quite literally may I add."
The way that the R-7000 phrased his comfort gave Melissa an idea.
""I am here", R-7000 you genius! Uncle Might! He's always said that anyone can become a hero! I'm sure he'd support me, especially since I only care about the support aspect."
"I expect so, Miss Shield. Data suggests that he would be quite the positive influence. Maybe he'd even say that I, a robot, could be a hero."
"That's a great idea! You should definitely do that!"
"I was joking, Miss Shield"
"Nono, I'm serious. I'll need connections in the hero business right, when I'm in a support agency. Who better than someone I built myself. Also, I built you for combat, you're a security measure, my protection. And my friend. Who better to become my hero sidekick? My number one customer?"
"You make a convincing argument, Miss Shield. I am just unsure whether they would allow an artificial humanoid like myself to enter their school system."
"Of course they would! All kinds of quirks exist, I'm sure someone like yourself could be accepted no problem!"
"Thank you, Miss Shield. I'd be happy to be with you in your career."
"Great! Now maybe father will let me got to a hero school! Although he doesn't know about you yet, R-7000."
"That shouldn't be a problem, I'm very... personable."
Melissa smiled at her creation. She had designed him to be the perfect bodyguard, and her only true friend. She had always been very good at what she did.
She left her workshop, the R-7000 in tow, heading back to where her father would be. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about her father seeing her greatest project. She knew he loved new technology, but he was always very protective of her. When she entered the room, David immediately shot up.
"Melissa, I-"
"Not now, dad. There's something I want to show you." She gestured to the large humanoid who had just stepped into the room. "This is R-7000. He's a project I've been working on for a while. He's fully sentient, very strong, and completely loyal to me. He's like my best friend."
David couldn't believe what he was seeing. This incredibly advanced humanoid, taller than him, was made by Melissa by herself? And was considered her best friend? How few human friends did she have? What else had he overlooked?
"Melissa, dear, what do you mean? What is he?"
"He's my friend, Dad. I made him myself. I call him the R-7000. I made him to be the ultimate bodyguard for me. He's really strong, has multiple abilities, and I'm sure he'd breeze through a hero career. I can be a support agent, especially with him by my side. Please, dad. Trust me for once, I can do it!"
"Mel, I'm not sure. He's a masterpiece, sure. But are you sure he's stable? What if something in the programming goes wrong?"
"If I may, Dr Shield." The R-7000 spoke up, determined to support his creator. "I can assure you than my abilities are more than enough to shield my creator. And I would never betray her, nor let her be harmed. You have my word. She is safe with me."
David was a little on edge to hear R-7000 speak. The voice was quite menacing, and it was unsettling to hear the sentience of this thing be shown. The fact he had no mouth made the speech unnerving as well.
"W-well if you say so. Do you have a name?"
"My creator calls me R-7000, she has not designated a human name. " He turned his head to Melissa.
"I'll think of one, R-7000, but I've got to make it good."
Eventually David became more comfortable with R-7000. He relented that his daughters creation was a good addition to the family. A good friend to Melissa, and a provider of high quality security to his quirkless daughter.
The next morning, Melissa had to go to school. It was almost the end of the year, but she still had to go. She thought this might be a good time to show off her friend, and get him used to socialising. As she and R-7000 walked towards Melissa's school, she had a few concerns. What would people think of R-7000? How would they react to him? How would he react to them? A few looks were already being thrown their way as they approached the school? How would they react inside?
David had, of course, already contacted the school. He had requested permission for Melissa to be accompanied by one of her creations. He had warned them of R-7000's sentience and promised he was only there for security reasons. He had told them that R-7000's purpose was to protect Melissa as her bodyguard, and now that he was active he could begin that role. They had accepted the request, and thus R-7000 was allowed to accompany Melissa.
Melissa approached the entrance to the school uninterrupted, The large robot behind her probably scared off a few people. Some, however, were undeterred. As Melissa entered her main classroom, a tallish boy stood to taunt her. Approaching Melissa, he began laughing.
"Look at this. The quirkless inventor thinks she can bring her shit here. We don't want this junk around us, freak."
"I don't care about you. I will bring whatever creation I want."
"Oh, so now you grow a pair, huh? Know your place!"
He went to hit Melissa, but was stopped by a metal hand holding his wrist in a vice-grip. He looked at the source to find the robot with Melissa had grabbed him and was staring down at him with his near feature-less face. The eye slits on it's head bore holes into him, and the dots on it's forehead glowed red briefly.
"You will keep your hand off of my creator, insect." It's deep robotic voice echoed in the tense silence of the classroom. "She built me by herself, and has gained my friendship. What have you ever done?"
"W-well she has no quirk! She's useless."
R-7000 grabbed the boy by the neck and lifted him off the floor with one hand.
"And how, pray tell, has your beloved 'quirk' helped you now. You are weak, and at my mercy. She made me, thus has done more than you ever could."
Melissa watched on. She was happy to see that the idiots who bothered her before were now unable to step near her, thanks to her friend. She was also very pleased to see her creation in action. Proving to her that she had been successful.
The door to the classroom opened once more and the teacher of the class entered, and saw the sight before her.
"Melissa, what is this?"
"He is my creation, bodyguard and friend, Miss Jones. My dad should have told you about him."
"Ah yes, I remember. Could you call him off and sit down, Miss Shield."
"Yes, of course. R-7000, with me."
The creation released the boy, dropping him to the floor with a thud. He turned and followed Melissa to her seat, standing next to her with his arms crossed.
"Oh by the way, Melissa, what should we call him?"
"Well officially he is designated R-7000, but I think I have a more human name for him."
"And what would that be?"
"Izuku."