Chapter Seven

Where We Stand Now

Four Years later

A young man sat in the garden area of his home.

He was meditating by the looks of it.

His breathing was deep and controlled, his muscular chest rising and fall with each inhale and exhale.

He opened his warm auburn eyes, and rose to his feet. He looked around, smiling at the greenery and sounds of birds in them. He couldn't see them of course, but he knew they existed.

The Young Man began to move as wind pushed against him and rustled the trees, causing his long brown hair to flow through it, warming his rosy cheeks and nose.

He made his way to a small set of stone stairs, slowly walking up. When he made it to the top, he was in courtyard of what looked like a standard Japanese house.

The Young Man was indeed, Katsu Muteki, grown into a strong and capable hero-in-training.

Katsu's features had grown too, his pouty cheeks and angry eyes shifting to that of confidence and handsome smiles. His hair had grown several inches, refusing to have it cut, despite it being done multiple times by Momo Yaoyorozu.

His muscles, his height, he was no longer a boy who'd do anything for attention.

Now...he was a protégé of one of the best heroes in Japan.

He rubbed the two tight wristbands on his arms, pushing a small button so it beeped red two times, and then grew silent, while the button stayed on.

The warm air dropped several degrees, as Katsu's breath was now visible.

"About damn time."

An icicle shot out of the ground, and Katsu jumped out of the way, smirking widely.

Shoto Todorki clenched his fist up on the roof, scowling subtlety as he leaped down, rolling on impact and standing up threateningly.

Katsu grinned, and began to punch the ground, his knuckles pounding the cobblestone floor, as he raised his fists in a manner that proved he was ready for a fight.

Shoto dashed forward and swung his right hand to punch across Katsu, who leaned back and raised his arms to block his head incase he followed up, and managed to block another punch from Shoto's other arm. Shoto then raised his right knee to hit Katsu's ribs, and attempted another kick. This time, Katsu lifted his right leg to kick Shoto's rising leg away, and jump up to connect his other leg with Shoto's chest, gaining distance.

Katsu rushed forward to close that distance and attempting the same move Shoto did, a haymaker. Shoto dodged like Katsu, leaning back only to crash his head back down on Katsu's forehead, hitting it rough and hard. He gripped Katsu's arm and threw him behind him, then kicking his back to push the younger man back.

Katsu took the hit and rolled, springing back up facing Shoto, as he smirked.

"I hardly felt that!"

Katsu then slammed his fist forward to strike Shoto who moved to grab the punch, only for Katsu to duck in and slide in between Shoto's feet.

Shoto turned around just in time, as Katsu had stood up, leaned to the side, and twirled into the air horizontally like a rolling pin, and when he got close enough, using surprisingly flexibility, landed on one leg and thrust his other at Shoto's head in a roundhouse fashion. Shoto raised his two arms up to block the kick, and swung his elbow back to strike back, while Katsu ducked under and sprang up. The Pro Hero then tried two punches at Katsu, who knocked them down with his own hands, but not fast enough to intercept the third, hitting him square in the jaw.

Using that momentum, Katsu twirled again and tried another roundhouse, this time, Shoto only had time to lift one arm, but it wasn't enough to block the kick, Katsu's leg connecting with Shoto's head. Katsu placed two feet on the ground and tried to knee him, only for Shoto to use his hands and redirect the kick to the side, so Katsu attempted another roundhouse this time to Shoto's side, right above his hip.

Shoto narrowly avoided it by stepping back, and blocking the follow up kick when Katsu twirled with the momentum of the first kick to try and kick again.

Now standing on one leg, Katsu flipped into the air and tried an axe kick to Shoto's head, which connected squarely.

Shoto grunted and dropped to one knee.

Katsu grinned, ready for another round, unaware Shoto was smirking at the ground.

Shoto placed his right hand on the ground, sending walls of ice in front of him.

Katsu chuckled walking around the ice, but his opponent was gone.

He blinked and cursed, knowing what was coming.

He turned around not in time for Shoto to deliver a running dropkick to Katsu's back.

Katsu flew forward and ate the ground, facing down on it as Shoto jumped to his feet.

"You are still relying on your quirk to keep you safe. If you rely too much on the fact you are invincible, you will be powerless when you no longer are."

Katsu grunted, placing his palms on the ground and lifting up to face him, as he glared at the two wristbands, "You got lucky."

He grunted and ran forward to deliver a flying kick, which Shoto easily ducked under, only for Katsu to hit the ground and wind up for a strong counter attack to Shoto's back.

Shoto ducked under and grabbed Katsu's foot, attempting to push it back only for Katsu to flip over him in a cartwheel fashion, landing on his feet.

Katsu raised his fists and reloaded them in an arrogant fashion, closing in, slamming his fist across Shoto's cheek, and then jabbing him in the gut and then ducking under a counter swing from the Pro Hero, landing another hit to Shoto's side, using the same hand to strike him in the cheek again.

Katsu had pushed Shoto against his own wall of ice, trapping him between the wall and his fists, if only Katsu could keep it that way.

Shoto blocked a punch with his elbow, and thrust the elbow into Katsu's neck hard, the younger boy stumbling back, where Shoto returned the favor of pummeling. He lifted his knee into Katsu's groin, and then slammed the back of Katsu's head, so he was bending over.

He grabbed the boy by his shoulders and threw him forward, slamming Katsu into the ice wall so hard, that he broke through it.

Katsu rolled on the ground groaning, shaking his head as the vertigo left him, standing up.

He placed one hand on the ground, and spun on it, twirling again in a circle before pushing up on it to land a upside down tornado kick that connected with Shoto's jaw, and when he landed on his back, rolled around to his feet and landed a powerful punch that knocked Shoto to the ground.

Shoto groaned and grunted, sounding tired and in pain.

Katsu dashed in to finish him and pin him down.

Only for Shoto to instantly whip towards him and block the kick, springing up to deliver a flurry of punches that while Katsu tried to block, were successful and hit hard.

Katsu groaned and stumbled back, realizing what happened.

"A feint? Congrats."

Shoto twirled and swept the legs out from Katsu, tripping him and pinning him down with a knee on one arm, and his foot on the other wrist.

"Yield!"

Katsu struggled instead, which gave him a punch in the mouth.

Katsu grunted and spat blood out, trying to break free.

Shoto sighed.

"Don't make me punch you again. Are you done?"

Katsu sighed.

"Yeah. I'm done."

Shoto nodded and stood up, lowering a hand to help Katsu up, which he took, hoisting himself up, "Can I take the quirk restraints off?"

"No. They stay on for an hour. Let you contemplate your failure."

"Yes Shoto."

Katsu stood at attention, as Shoto folded his hands behind him.

"Give me your thoughts."

Katsu nodded.

"I attempted standard MMA moves, but you matched me step for step. So I attempted Capoeira and must say I did better against you using those kicks and flips. But after your attack at my groin, I had to switch to boxing standard punches."

"Meaning?"

"I put my all into those moves, and you outlasted that."

"Exactly. How do you defeat a stronger opponent?"

"Outlast him."

"Exactly. Continue."

"It was all downhill from there. I had no plan after your groin attack, and was just stalling for time."

"Why? We were the only two fighting, what would you gain by stalling?"

"In a real fight, I may have an ally on the way, or another pro with me. Because only a fool goes alone into battle, and a bigger one doesn't tell his friends where he is going."

Shoto...

Smiled.

He was proud of the way his protégé was thinking. In a real conflict, he would have been right to do so.

"Then...you won the fight."

Katsu grinned, bowing his head, "You honor me, Shoto."

"You impress me, Katsu."

He bowed back.

"Does that mean I can take the restraints off?"

"No."

"But I won!"

"On a technicality."

"Fine."

Shoto nodded and gestured to the courtyard, "Clean this place up. Then join me for dinner."

"Yes Shoto!"

By the time he was done, Shoto had finished prepping the tea and soba.

His home was modest, and more traditional by japanese standards. While the Muteki Manor was more western by design, Shoto's was not. Goza Mats, bamboo floor, it was modest and simple. The doors slid, the walls moralized, the only thing fancy was the kitchen.

Katsu came in and set the mod by the door way, and sniffed the air, "Soba?"

"I deserve it after your fifth kick."

Katsu set himself by the table, and rubbed his area, "Yeah well, I deserve it after your nut cracker."

"Haha," Shoto dryly laughed, giving him his plate and chopsticks, "Now eat up."

Katsu nodded, and began to devour the food.

"How's work?"

"Well, we just finished a homicide case."

"Ooo! Who did it? Was it the butler?"

"It was the butler, yes. How did you know?" Shoto stared at Katsu and the boy smirked.

"I...lucky guess?"

Shoto took the reply and began to eat.

He knew what was coming up.

"Any...letters?"

Shoto sighed, "No. None today. He just wrote you one three days ago, yes?"

Katsu nodded, a frown on his face, "Yeah he did. No return address like the last several. When can we look for him?"

"I told you before-"

"How much longer, I mean?" Katsu asked, eyes shining with concern.

Shoto sighed.

"Kazumasa knows how to hide. He was in Japanese SDF and Special Forces. We won't find him unless he wants to be found."

Katsu sighed.

"It's almost been five years Katsu, he'll show up," Shoto reassured

"Yes, five years of constant supervision and no contact from anyone at home," Katsu folded his arms as he lounged back.

"You agreed to the terms that night in the interrogation room. Five years of training and mandatory hero patrols."

Katsu sighed, "I know. And I'm grateful. I can never repay that debt. I just wish out of all those days of training, hours of running mountains, I could spend a minute talking to him."

He didn't have much to say anymore.

"I'm ready to put this behind me," Katsu admitted, "I...want to put your training to good use. Actually, BE hero instead of following one as a sidekick."

Shoto nodded, "I know...it sounds miserable, doesn't it? Being second place?"

Katsu blinked, instantly aware of what Shoto was doing, standing up straighter and closing his eyes.

"Don't say that," Katsu warned.

"Being neglected from attention you deserve?"

Katsu took a deep breath, and opened his eyes again, relaxed, "That's not gonna work on me."

"Just making sure," Shoto replied, "Your rage has been your undoing for five years. This all happened because of your anger."

"An anger we BOTH agreed was justified," Katsu defended with a slow frown.

Shoto chuckled and nodded, "I suppose we did. And still do."

"At least you can go whenever you want."

"I know."

Shoto had done so multiple times. After the first few months, Katsu earned his trust and was allowed to stay at the house by himself, without leaving the place. Katsu didn't really have much places to go anyway. Shoto's training was not like his father's, but the room for friends was still openly vacant.

"How's Momo?"

"...she hasn't called me back."

"Damn. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

It wasn't okay. Why did she have to leave?

"Can we turn the news on?"

"Sure."

Shoto grabbed a remote and leaned back to reach the TV in the next room, turning the news on after several clicks.

"-eports indicating that this was once again the savage and grotesque work of the quirked serial killer that the public has dubbed-"

"The Kappa!" Katsu turned to watch the TV, "I remember this! You're agency is the one on the case, right?"

Shoto nodded, "Indeed."

"Can I help?"

"No Katsu, you can only help once you get your hero license," Shoto replied.

"Come on! I already have been in combat before."

Shoto nodded, "But not involved in a federal and official case against villains. You fight muggers, thieves, and delinquents. Facing a villain or any other killer is another story."

Katsu folded his arms, "I'm invincible."

Shoto eyed him and looked down at his chopsticks.

He began to stand up, "I'm thinking eating western style."

Katsu froze, and before he could do anything about it, Shot had already went into the kitchen drawer and pulled out a fork...

And a knife.

He twirled the blade in his hand, and stared at his protégé.

"Okay...point taken..." Katsu sighed, admitting his weakness to himself.

His quirk was a blessing on all accounts...yet it wasn't one without weakness.

One. Blades.

His quirk mostly revolved around his skin. His skins pores worked like a vacuum would regarding kinetic energy and blunt force, taking the energy and storing it in his muscles. His skin was stretchy, and nigh impervious to damage, and his muscles worked in a constant adrenal state, going beyond what physically should have been possible for an average human. It could store all levels of force and energy, and could be summoned back at will to go out his pores again. It acted as a pillow and cushion for his bones, so he never had to worry about the force being too much.

But blades didn't exactly exert energy or force.

They sliced.

They cut his skin before they could do their job, leading to bleeding and wounds he was weak towards. He discovered in on accident when shaving, shocked at the fact there was blood and it hurt. He later put it to the test and proved it by grabbing a pocket knife and puncturing his thumb.

He quickly grew wary of knives and swords.

Two. Germs.

This was easy to find out, because it had nothing to do with his quirk and everything to do with all else. His quirk acted as a shield, but not internally. He could still grow sick, poisoned, and suffer all health issues.

Three. Suffocation.

He always knew this one, especially since the underwater training Shoto employed that was borrowed from U.S army training tactics. He couldn't hold his breath very well, and didn't even try to test if it was an official weakness.

Katsu blinked his thoughts out as Shoto grabbed his chopsticks again.

"I..."

Shoto sighed.

"Lighten up. I'm sorry I threatened you with a knife..."

"It's okay...can we watch a movie?"

"What are you thinking?"

"I dunno...Star Wars?"

"Which one?"

"Whichever we left off on."

"That would have been...Rogue One?"

"Yeah let's start there...and...thank you...again...for everything."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I really mean that Shoto..."

"...I know."

Finally, I can write out older Katsu. No offense to baby kat, but he was way too...two dimensional.

Update soon!

Adios!