Chapter 13 : Desperation

"Ah Mr Todoroki, I've been expecting you." The man gestured for him to sit at the table with him. Todoroki took a split second to scan the room he had woken up in yesterday in daylight. It wasn't real different, Except that the candles had been blown out and the room was rarely bland and single chest of drawers which sported a electric-kettle and a box of teabags.

"Why did I come back here." Todoroki asked to KoNo but also to himself.

"Is that supposed to be a riddle?" The man calmly asked while sipping his tea.

"No, I just don't know why I came back here."

"Maybe you subconsciously came back here because you finally met someone who doesn't judge you based on your Father's actions?"

"Maybe." Todoroki blankly stared at the peaceful old man before sitting down at the table and realising what he said. "Wait, What do you mean by my Fathers actions?"

"Your Father is Endeavour right? The No.1 Pro. Celebrated for his defeat of the League Of Villains. So you being his son most people would praise you for his victories… or judge you for his mistakes."

"Yeah." Shouto states meekly while rubbing the back of his neck. "Wait, How did you know I was Endeavor's son?"

"I remember you, A few years ago there was some…uh…. School tournament that was broadcasted in the news that you participated in."

"The sports festival?" Todoroki asked inquisitively.

"Yeah that it's…." He took as second to scratch his beard. "…You were fighting some green-haired kid."

"Midoryia." Todoroki confirms, Again filling in the blanks.

"Anyway I saw you in that."

"Ok then."

"I have my own question for you."

"And that we be?" Todoroki asked now engaged in the conversation.

"Is there any other reason you came back here?"

"I….I…Don't want…"

"Don't want to what?" KoNo interrogated.

"I don't want to be powerless!" Todoroki finally exclaimed. Revealing himself to KoNo and himself " I don't want to be powerless, I almost died in some alley the other because I was careless and unprepared and then I woke up and you had saved me… and then we fought and you basically won without even trying. I was bred to be a hero and built to be fighter and I can't even get that right." He took a second to breath.

"And then there is you, Some old man who walks with cane yet is swift as lightning and compares us when I am nothing like you… It just makes me feel powerless." Todoroki collapses onto his knees and wipes the tears he didn't even know had formed before hearing a voice echo throughout the small room.

"Follow." He looks up to see KoNo had disappeared and a door that was previously closed open. Stepping into the conjoining room was pitch black due to the lights being off and if there were windows they were covered.

"So you think you're powerless huh?" A voice echoes through out the dimly lit room. "What?" The echoed voice repeats itself. "You think you're powerless" Todoroki takes another step into the inky room before the door slams shut behind him sending the room into a pitch-black darkness. He slowly lifts his right arm and flicks his wrist igniting a flame in his palm allowing him to see slightly better in the murky room.

Across the room KoNo strikes a match and then uses it to kindle various candles around the room before using it to light a lamp in the middle of the room and blowing it out. Todoroki allowed the fire in his hand to die out and the soft orange glow from the candle light to envelop the room.

Compared to the other room this one seemed more lively, It contained much more furniture all though still little, There was two trunks pushed up against one wall, Across the room a Wing-Chun dummy sat and a small relatively empty bookcase. On the last wall there was another door but this one was shut. He took a step into the room and attempted to take another before something gently pushed him back.

KoNo tree branch staff kept him from continuing. Todoroki stared at him confusingly. "No shoes on the mat." Looking down he could see that the centre of the floor was covered with a sparring-mat. He slipped off his jet-black combat boots and his light-weight navy coat and stepped onto the mat.

"Let's begin." KoNo steps onto the mat leaving his cane standing straight up, Which bewildered Todoroki. His eyes quickly snapped back to KoNo who was bowing to him. He stood there for a second before awkwardly mirroring the mans bow, they both recoil back into fighting position.

They both stared each other before KoNo rapidly advanced and grabbed him by the solider and tossed him onto the mat.

"First lesson… You need to keep up with me."

I'm sorry for the boring chapters, I honestly want to get to the more meaty parts of the story, But I want to start with a strong foundation but believe we're edging closer to the more interesting aspects. Again, Glad to see feedback and hope to see you in chapter 14.