Disclaimer: Boku no Hero Academia characters and plot events belongs to Horikoshi Kohei.

To Be a Hero

no pain, no gain

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Shortly after meeting Gang Orca, Shiro was led by one of his many assistants to a changing room where she will be putting on her hero costume to start her training. The agency was even bigger than she first had anticipated because she didn't realize there were so many levels, including ones that went underground towards the ocean where the entire place was lined with impenetrable glass. Every sidekick that she'd passed by held themselves tall and proud because of who they worked for, and she couldn't be more thankful to have been accepted as an intern for such an esteemed hero.

"You're the only student in the past few years that Gang Orca had sent out an offer to. He must have seen some serious guts at the sports festival," the assistant said as she directed Shiro into an empty room. "He's usually too busy with missions to participate in the U.A. draft."

"I want to get stronger, so I'm honored to be working besides Gang Orca," Shiro replied straightforwardly.

The assistant nodded at her conviction gave a word of advice. "He's really tough, but if you can push through his challenges, then you won't regret it."

"Thank you."

"Good luck, Aisaka-san," the assistant said and left. You'll seriously need it.

Once the door closed, Shiro composed herself once again and started to unpack her hero suit case. Since the USJ attack, her costume along with some others were sent to the support department to be repaired or touched up. Her sleeves had been torn so she expected the team to re-sew the fibers, but when she pulled out the costume she realized there was more things done to it than a simple sewing job.

Instead of the original fiber that made up the mesh sleeves, it was constructed with a more durable alloy-like material and she was surprised to feel how light it still was. In addition to the fiber switch, her old utility belt was replaced with a sleeker model that fit snugly on her hips. Finally, a new visor was prepared for her in replacement of the one that broke. The only thing that remained unchanged were the binding ribbons for her hair. Shiro picked up the new costume manual and note that was stashed inside and read it with bewilderment.

"Dear Aisaka Shiragiku-san,

When making repairs to your costume, our company decided to make some changes to the materials. The design is similar to the original, but you'll find the new additions and repairs to be more durable. I mean, it's definitely cooler because I personally added a few of my babies into the upgrade!"

Something tells me this was Hatsume Mei's handiwork...

After changing into her costume, Shiro checked the comfort level of the suit and then touched the side of her visor to fix the position only to find in surprise that her field of vision zoomed into the ground. She blinked and touched the side again, and this time it zoomed back out.

This must be one of Hatsume's 'babies'... A visor that can focus on the target better, she mused at the gadgets for a while longer before realizing she had spent too much time playing around with her new costume. Exiting the room, she quickly went to find the gym that Gang Orca had instructed her to meet.

"Rule number one!" Gang Orca barked with narrowed eyes as soon as she entered the gym, startling her. "To be a sidekick, you have to be prompt and at the hero's side at all times. You are the hero's most trusted comrade, so you cannot be late to the scene. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Shiro replied with a wave of shame. "I-I'm sorry, it will not happen again!"

The hero grunted in acknowledgement. "Then listen up. Heroes must practice and train every day. That's because there are always villains stronger than the previous one you've taken down. Heroes must always be on high alert and be mindful of their surroundings for the safety of others and themselves. In addition to direct hero work, many also take up side jobs or go on specialized missions. To be a great hero, one must be able to handle all of these things together," there was an almost sinister smirk rising on Gang Orca's face as his eyes bore into Shiro's soul.

"Now, I have told you that I will assess your abilities with a personal test spanning through the entirety of the week. Are you ready for it, Aisaka?"

It was already a lot to take in, but Shiro wasn't planning on backing down yet. She had a feeling that the hero wasn't really asking, anyway. Seeing the resolved look on her face, Gang Orca pulled out something hanging by a string.

"This is your test."

A bell...? the girl was at a loss as she stared at the bell. What was she suppose to prove with that?

"If you can retrieve it from me before the week is up, then you pass my assessment. It will be hanging on my belt in the same spot and you are allowed to try and take it from me at any time, whether we are out on patrol or simply eating breakfast before training."

Immediately, Shiro understood the hero's intentions, "In other words, you are testing for my strength, stealth, and intelligence all in one..."

"Exactly," the hero nodded and tied the bell to his belt. He crossed his arms across his chest, "The bell can be taken by any method suiting a hero facing off a villain with a stole jewel or ticking time bomb. It is up to you to determine which is the best course to take at any given moment. But no matter what, I will not be giving any mercy."

"What if I don't to retrieve the bell by the end of the week?" she asked curiously.

"Then you will fail this internship."

The pressure of failure hit Shiro hard and she nearly buckled. Is it even possible to fail an internship like this...?

Looking at the serious expression that the hero wore, she immediately believed it. But this was a near-impossible test because she was up against the number ten Pro Hero known for his strength and enhanced senses on land and sea. It was as daunting as a defenseless seal trying to outsmart an orca—someone who can literally eat her for breakfast.

But...

She had to try. There was no other way around it. If she were to be put in the shoes of others—someone such as Midoriya or Uraraka or Shinso—she knew they would not give up. They've shown that with their strong will to not give up. She wanted to be like them and to prove to Gang Orca that choosing her from his hiatus was the right decision.

"I... I understand," she said. She will not run away.

Gang Orca can see the sliver of fear in her determined eyes, but he had no mind in going easy on her. If he was set out to train her for one week to become a better version of herself, then he will not do it half-heartedly. This was how he operated and he hoped he made the right choice in choosing a student who can take the mental and physical challenge.

"Then, the first order of things," he turned away from the girl and started walking out the gym. "I will show you what a hero is. Come."

It took Shiro a second to snap out of her concentration and she followed behind while eyeing the bell keenly as it swayed with the hero's stride. The jingle it gave off was soft, but she could hear it if she listened for it. It dawned to her that the hero was giving her an advantage because he will always be heard while she was silent. Thus the key was not a confrontational attack, but a sneaky one.

She noted that the distance between them wasn't too wide and if she was fast enough, she could take it within a few seconds when there was an opening. She got that chance when one of the hero's staff walked over towards them and occupied the hero's attention. Immediately, her right eye spun.

"Good morning, Boss—"

Bam!

The girl found herself on the ground as she stared up at the bewildered staff's face and the smirking hero. She gritted her teeth silently in disbelief on how fast and keen Gang Orca was. She had barely made her move and he had already swiped her to the ground with a swift maneuver.

"Not good enough," Gang Orca bellowed without mercy. "Don't just do it aimlessly. Looks like I will have to give you another lecture. Get up."

That wasn't even an aimless attempt...! Shiro thought incredulously. Her strategy was to make every opportunity to her advantage... If she can't outplay the hero in strength, then she will outwork him with her attempts. Breathing in to clear her mind, she mentally braced herself for the hardships and bruises to come.

"I won't give up," she vowed.

She's hardheaded, but I like the spirit, the hero thought. Let's see if she bends or breaks by the end of the week.

While Shiro was being presented with the impossible challenge from her chosen hero, Bakugou was facing a different challenge with his.

"Frankly, I don't like you."

"Ha?" Bakugou raised his brows with insult. After changing into his hero suit, he was brought to Best Jeanist's large office with the rest of his prissy sidekicks. The No. 4 Pro Hero regarded his expression coolly from behind styled bangs.

"You only chose my agency because I'm one of the top five most popular heroes, right?"

"You're the one that put in an offer!"

"Yeah," the hero agreed and thumbed a strand of his silky blonde hair. "Recently, I've only been getting good little kids, so you were the first one in a while to strike a chord. I watched you at the sports festival. You were able to freely manipulate a Quirk with high potential and had a good grasp of application as well. You're an outstanding talent good enough to be recruited as a sidekick already, but you have a fatal flaw. You believe yourself to be the strongest, and you try to put that into practice while not caring about how that looks—you have a ferocious nature."

Upon hearing the hero's lecture, Bakugou was shaking with rage. He didn't come to be fucking told that his personality was trash by another hero, even if the hero was regarded as one of the top Pros. That didn't mean shit if he was not going to be learning anything! He marched up to Best Jeanist to give him a piece of his mind, "If you just chose me to give me a lecture, then you can—!"

Bakugou's eyes widened when he was suddenly immobilized. He narrowed and a growl ripped from his throat when he saw that the hero had seized his threads on him to restrain his arms and legs.

"It is part of my work as a hero to correct people like you," Best Jeanist continued on with great cause. "Heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin. I'll show those glaring eyes of yours what makes someone a hero. The way you speak, your appearance, controlling your emotions, enforcing your morals... In the short period of a week, I will sew all that into your body."

I-I came to the wrong place...!

Late in the afternoon, Aizawa was back in his small home with a pile of paperwork. A stray white cat wandered across the kitchen table, and then another one, a shaggy, dark gray cat with equally dark, curious eyes, jumped onto the window sill that he kept opened and sauntered over casually to investigate what the hero was doing. With everyone out on their internships, he was free to work on paperwork from home. There wasn't much to do except sort out the legal papers for each internship, and there was another more pressing issue on his mind after coming back from the U.A. staff meeting that morning.

Since the USJ attack, the police have been trying to uncover any leads to the "League of Villains" but the progress was slow. They still do not know much about the league's whereabouts or their true intentions. Not much was disclosed to the heroes in U.A. because the police had taken full custody of the case, but Aizawa and All Might were personally given some insights as the heroes directly involved with the incident. According to Detective Tsukauchi, the Nomu the officials captured was sent to a specialized institution to interrogate, but the being was docile and brain-dead. It was like its only purpose in life was to follow orders from its ringleader.

Furthermore, DNA results of the Nomu's identity revealed that he was just a small-time thug with a criminal record of assault and extortion. How he became such a monstrous being could be contributed to the shocking result of finding at least four different people's DNA intermingled inside the original owner's body. Between the drugs and genetic engineering, Nomu was no longer a human but a weapon specifically made for destruction.

Aizawa knew from experience that defeating just one was already a taxing task; it would be devastating to entire cities if more Nomus were to appear... With Shiro and his other students spread out across cities, there was no reassuring way to calm his concern if a serious villain breakout happened again. They needed to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

"Meow..."

The white cat was currently swatting at a piece of paper that was set aside and he reached over to take it away. Her eyes locked with his for a moment before rubbing her head on his hand with a rumbling pur, like she was comforting him in a way. Aizawa scratched her chin and sighed. It wasn't rational to be concerned when his students were carefully being watched under strong and reputable Pro Heroes. Switching gears, he turned his attention to the piece of paper that was apart from the pile of legal documents for his students' internships.

While the internship draft was only aimed towards the hero course, the sports festival wasn't solely for students in the hero course. It was within his job, as well as Vlad King's, to note students who showed potential during the sports festival and see that those students are taken for proper consideration. But even with that said, it was still highly uncommon for those in other courses to transfer. Especially under Aizawa's scrutiny. He had a reputation of expelling more than 50 students from U.A., after all.

However...

The house was quiet saved for the white and gray cats swatting at each other when their paths crossed. Aizawa paid no mind as he picked up the pen besides the felines and finally signed his name on the document.

The cats stopped what they were doing and turned to watch the hero stand from his seat and curiously dropped from the table to follow. In his hand was a request to submit to Principal Nezu about a new mentorship. With Shiro being mentored by multiple heroes in the school as well as in her chosen internship, his focus on her was lessened and can be directed to someone else. Of course, he wouldn't have done it if he felt that there wasn't a right candidate.

"Meow!"

The white cat was still on the ground and rubbed her head on the hero's leg, but the dark gray cat had climbed on a shelf to be at the same level as the hero before jumping to sit on his shoulder. The cat meowed softly again as he peered at the student picture attached on the paper.

"What are you looking at?" Aizawa mumbled before he realized that he was actually talking to a cat. He nudged the cat off his shoulder and the cat landed next to the white one again. They danced around his feet, the initial fight forgotten as they've gotten used to each other's presence. "Pesky things."

He didn't think he used to talk to cats before... No, that would be irrational. Maybe he was getting lonely because Shiro wasn't here. Turning back to the only rational decision in his hand right now, he scanned it and sent it off to Nezu...

A request to mentor Shinso Hitoshi.

I'm dreading tomorrow...

Shiro winced as she felt her back muscles strain with each move that she mustered. She had tried the entire afternoon to take the bell from Gang Orca, by hook or by crook, and she was frustrated that she had been deterred without the slightest bit of effort. The hero wasn't kidding when he said she wouldn't be spared any mercy...

Being thrown down multiple times in a single day hurt like hell.

It was her last training of the day today and she was to pratice some essential martial arts moves with the other sidekicks for an hour before she could retire for the night. Tomorrow, she will have to think up of new ways to attack Gang Orca without blowing her back out—but that was assuming she could keep it up on top of the regular training program. One thing that made her extremely anxious was that the hero had not even used his Quirk on her yet, so it can only get worst as the days drag on.

I have to get the bell as soon as possible.

"Aisaka, if you're not focusing, then there is no value in this training exercise."

Shiro jolted when Gang Orca's deep voice cut through her thought process, and she straightened up even more and threw a harder punch despite her pain. Seeing that she was back on track, the hero let her off. The bell on his hip jingled like it was taunting her.

Gang Orca had noticed long ago that the girl was struggling silently because of the harsh impacts she repeatedly endured today, but he was glad to see that she was still holding on.

For now, at least. At this rate, she will not last even three days, the hero thought with a mental shake of his head. "As I always say, never do things aimlessly," he instructed further with purpose. "You can work to improve day by day, but you can never rush progress. Be level-headed and steady."

Something about that statement made Shiro think. She reflected on the hero's words and found that he was like Aizawa in many ways. She was never afraid of failure when she was training under Aizawa because he always made her strive to get better. As hard as he was, he taught her that failure was nothing to be afraid of as long as she learned from past mistakes... So it should've been obvious from the start.

The hero gave her seven days, so she was able to utilize those seven days to the fullest extent. But instead, she had been tackling the problem the same way each time in hopes of completing the test quicker without really stopping to observe. She thought rushing into action at any available opening will give her a greater chance at making it once, but she hadn't considered spending more time to understand Gang Orca and his habits like he must've intended for her to realize.

Even the top heroes have weaknesses, it was just up to her to find it.

That's why he said I was acting aimlessly... she finally understood what the hero meant that morning. One good attempt is better than countless half-hearted ones. She curled her fists tighter with determined eyes boring into the hero's back. I get it now.

"Alright, this will be all for today."

"Yes, Boss!" everyone chorused.

Gang Orca dismissed everyone just as the clock ticked to ten. He turned to the girl with a daunting stare. "Rest well. There is a long day ahead of you tomorrow," he warned. She didn't falter and the hero could see that there was a new expression on her face. Something had gone through her mind within the last five minutes.

"Thank you for today's training. I've learned a lot," she looked up at him with resolve. "And I won't act aimlessly anymore. I will work hard to retrieve that bell from you by the end of the week."

It was silent for a moment as the hero took in her words, and then he bared his sharp teeth with mirth. It didn't take her quite as long to get it as I imagined... Good, I'm not wasting my time. "If you understand, then there is hope," he said approvingly. "I will be looking forward to your progress, Aisaka."

"Yes, Boss!" she said, but the hero raised his brow in surprise at her response. She bowed her head and wondered if she wasn't suppose to call him that. "Sorry, sir... Everyone here calls you that, so I just assumed..."

"That's fine," Gang Orca's deep laughter filled the gym. "You do work under me now. I expect just as much from you as I do with my employees, so I only ask that you don't disappoint me."

Shiro's heart filled with warmth at the hero's approval of her. "I promise you I won't!"

"Ah..."

Normal Hero: Manual sighed as he took of his hero helmet at the end of the day. Since his agency was situated in Hosu City and the Hero Killer was last seen here, patrols around the city for every agency became extended and more rigorous. At least, he was fortunate to have such an excellent student from U.A. choose his agency. The kid was very intense and on guard, though, and he had an idea on why that was...

Despite it, Manual turned to the student interning after him with a small smile, "Hey, good job today. I'm not saying we can relax, but with the whole city on alert, villains can't come out, huh?"

"I wonder..." Iida replied as his thoughts trailed off.

Hero Killer: Stain... I knew immediately after I collected the information. In the seven places he has appeared so far, he always injured at least four heroes. I don't know if there's a purpose or superstition, but nii-san's still the only one who was attacked in Hosu. It's very likely that he will appear in this city again...

His eyes hardened with vengeance as his brother's hospitalized form flashed across his mind. Because of the Hero Killer, his brother may never have feeling in his legs again. The villain destroyed an honorable hero like Ingenium, and Iida will not stand there and do nothing about it.

No matter where you are... I will dispose of you with these hands!

"So you were the ones who attacked U.A."

Shigaraki regarded the Hero Killer from behind the hand mask carefully. After Kurogiri brought the villain back to their base, the villain was given a short introduction to who they were and what they wanted of him. Though, he can't say the villain looked or sounded all too impressed.

"But so what? You want to add me to your numbers?" the Hero Killer asked.

"Yeah. Come on, you've got so much more experience as a villain, sir."

"What are you after?"

"For now, I just want to kill All Might. I want to break everything I don't like," Shigaraki replied as he casually slouched on the bar. His expression couldn't be seen, but it was laced with malice as he pulled out two additional pictures taken from U.A.'s sports festival. One was of Midoriya, and the other was of Shiro. "Damn kids like this too..."

"Shigaraki, you know master said we must hold back from harming the girl," Kurogiri interjected immediately when he saw the picture of the ruby eyed girl. Though their master can't see the pictures, he had to let the younger male know to not be rash. The Hero Killer scoffed at the notion.

"I was foolish to be interested," he said threatening. "You're the type of person I hate the most. You want me to go along with your childish tantrum? What meaning is there in killing without conviction?"

Kurogiri was immediately aware of what was going through the villain's mind when he reached for the swords in his holster. Hero Killer: Stain was brought in to spur Shigaraki Tomura's growth, since he cares only about destruction, but this is... He turned to the dark screen, "Master, is it alright to let this continue?"

"This is fine! There's no point if we just tell him the answer. He should think about where he still needs to mature. Spur on his growth! This is what it means to educate."

"You think I will join your numbers and go through with your aimless plans?"

Stain pulled out his swords and charged at the the both of them. The warp gate user immediately shot out to protect the younger male, but Stain was fast and maneuvered aside to strike. Kurogiri found himself cut in the arm and unable to move. He can only watch in horror as the villain pushed down Shigaraki and impaled one of his swords into the male's shoulder, immobilizing him.

"No matter what you want to accomplish, it is necessary to have conviction and desire," Stain said. "Those without it and those who are weak will be weeded out. It's only natural. You only have yourselves to blame for the situation ending up like this."

"Oww... That's too hard..." Shigaraki groaned, but more than the pain, he was thoroughly annoyed. "Kurogiri, take this guy back."

"I-I can't move my body..." the man at the bar said with a grunt. "It must be the Hero Killer's Quirk..."

"This society overgrown with fake heroes, where the word itself has lost its true meaning, and the criminals who wave their power around idly..." Stain continued with conviction and moved his sword towards one of the hands on Shigaraki's neck. "Should all be purged."

"Not this palm... I'll kill you."

The villain was surprised to see the male reach up and stop it from making contact by grabbing the blade, and seconds later, the blade cracked and slowly started to disintegrate.

"You sure talk a lot," it was Shigaraki's turn to speak as the blade crumbed in his bleeding hand. "Conviction? I don't have anything grand like that. But if I had to say... Yeah, it'd be All Might. I feel like I really want to completely crush this society where trash like that gets worshipped."

The Hero Killer could feel a wave of danger course through his being and jumped back when the male tried to swipe at him with his hand. Shigaraki wasn't just immaturely throwing tantrums... He really is dangerous.

"My last injury was finally about to finish healing, too..." he complained further and stood up. The blood seeped through his clothes and dripped down his sleeves. Using his other hand, he scratched at his neck irritably. A single ruby eye was glaring out from behind the palm at Stain. "We don't have a healer in our party, you know. Will you take responsibility for this?"

"So this is who you are..."

"Ha?"

"It seems our goals oppose each other," Stain grinned maniacally. "However, we do agree on one thing—to destroy the present."

"Stop messing around," Shigaraki grumbled in annoyance and dismissed the villain. He was no longer interested in banding up, not after that stunt. "Go home. Die. I'm the kind of person you hate the most, right?"

"I was testing your true motives," the villain returned his single blade into his holster. "People show their true colors when they're on the verge of death. It's different, but you do have desire—a warped sprout of conviction living inside you. So, how will you bud? It might not be too late to wait until after I've seen that to dispose of you..."

Shigaraki gripped his injured shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "You're gonna dispose of me?" he scoffed. Seeing that the warp gate user was slowly gaining back his mobility, he ordered him to get rid of the villain from the premises. "Kurogiri, I don't want someone this crazy as a party member."

"But Shigaraki, he will be a great asset if he joins us. The negotiations was successful."

"..."

"Seeing that my business here is done, return me to Hosu," Stain said when the male kept quiet. His eyes held a form of deranged malice. "There are still things I must attend to there."

Happy holidays! I loved all the responses I got for the previous chapter and I'm stoked to know that you guys all loved the idea of having Gang Orca mentor Shiro! This chapter is a build-up chapter since this arc gets more intense with the Hero Killer in the mix. How did you guys like the bell test idea though? I can't deny that I got the idea from Kakashi (Naruto) XD Also, sorry for the minor spoiler that Aizawa starts mentoring Shinso! It happens/is revealed later in the manga but I suspect that most of you guys already know. I just felt this chapter was appropriate to introduce it ~

Please let me know your thoughts! ^^