Team STIK (Strike)

by Aragon365

One born without the power to make a difference. Another gifted with an incredibly powerful dual semblance. One who wishes to live up to his elder brother. And a faunus whose anger makes him almost as brutal as the Grimm. At Beacon Academy, these four unlikely souls would meet, and forever change the face of Remnant. These are their exploits. (Discontinued)

3. Ten Months of Hell

A/N: Not much to really say in this note, other than that this will be the last chapter before we get to the RWBY stuff. And thank you all so much! Over 300 views in less than a week?! I never thought I'd be so lucky! Enjoy the chapter!

Edit (10/30/18): This chapter had always been pretty good, but I did the best I could to improve upon it. Hope I did a good job!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or My Hero Academia. They belong to Monty Oum, Kohei Horikoshi, and their respective publishing companies. Please support the official releases.

I do not own the cover image

Chapter 3: Ten Months of Hell

"Wait, what do you mean by that? Command what-"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Toshinori laughed, his voice just the tiniest bit hoarse. "Don't worry I won't force this on ya."

He walked forwards, saying, "Listen well young man! This is your choice! Do you wanna accept my power or not?!" before coughing up even more blood.

Wait... what's he talking about? Accept his power?

Toshinori wiped the blood from his mouth as he continued, "There are a few things you should know about this Semblance before you accept. People have always guessed that it's Super Strength or an Invulnerability. When most people ask, I usually change the subject before they can think much of it. That's cause they need to think that their poster boy is a naturally powerful huntsman, just like most other people could be.

"But that's just it. I'm not. I can't and I never will be. I wasn't born with the power I now wield. It's something that was passed on to me by someone else."

The shock was instantaneous. Izuku couldn't speak for a full three seconds before managing to barely say, "Given to you... holy... no freaking way..."

"Yes way, and you're next, should you choose to accept it."

"W-w-whoa whoa whoa wait, this is a lot to process. It is true that no one's been able to figure out your Semblance, and there have been debates and theories going on for literal years about what it could be. But, well, the idea of passing on a Semblance or not inheriting it through genetics doesn't make a lot ofsenseI'veneverheardanythinglikethatbeforeandSemblancesareuniqetoeveronewho'sgotoneImeannoone'severbeenabletojustgivetheirpowertosomeoneelsethat'sjustplaincrazyifit'struethismaycausethemtorethinkeverythingtheyknowaboutheirpowerstobeginwithenitretheoriesmayhavetobestartedoverfromscra-"

"STOP NERDIN' OUT!"

Izuku, now aware that he was mumbling and going theory crazy again, immediately shut his mouth.

"You'll have to adjust your reality and accept this as the truth. I can transfer my power to another of my choosing. And that's only one of the unique things about my Semblance. Its true name is One for All. One inheritor improves it, and allows their own strength to stockpile within it. And when they are done, they pass it on to the next. It grows stronger with each wielder as it is given over time. It's this power, nurtured and cultivated by seven others before me, that I am able to do what I do. And the truth behind my strength. I am the eighth inheritor, and you, young man, should you choose to accept my offer, will be the ninth."

"But... why me though? What if I can't handle it?"

"Because you have the right mindset for a huntsman. Despite being powerless, you tried to save that boy. You may not have the powers yet, but you damn well acted like a huntsman should've."

He'd encouraged Izuku so much, and even shared the secret behind his own power. How could he say anything but yes?

Izuku stood up, the fire in his eyes now relit, as he looked Toshinori in the eyes and said, "I accept!"

Toshinori smirked. "No hesitance at all. Just how I thought you would answer."

However, being mentally prepared for something and physically able to handle it were two different things entirely. As Izuku would soon find out, receiving a Semblance as powerful as One for All was much easier said than done.

(Vale Municipal Beach Park, early morning, two days later, Izuku's POV)

Izuku pulled with all his might as he tried to drag the fridge across the sand, making no headway whatsoever in his attempts, the sand beneath his feet not exactly helping to shift the weight on his arms. He then fell to the ground with a loud thump, already exhausted from his attempts at moving the fridge from its spot on the ground.

"It's pretty comfy on this thing! How're you doing down there?"

And what made it worse was the All Might had been sitting on the fridge the entire time, which made moving the fridge that much harder. "People move these every day, ya know. And most of them don't have strength Quirks."

Managing to push himself off of the ground and sitting himself upright, the green haired boy responded, "Well yeah, but I'm trying to drag an extra six hundred pounds with you on top of it."

"Actually, I lost weight, so I'm at five sixty these days! In this form, anyway."

Izuku sighed as he rubbed his shoulders free of the tension they built up, then asking All Might, "Why do you have me dragging trash anyway?"

"HAHAHA! Take a look at yourself! You aren't ready for my power."

Izuku's face became cartoonishly distraught, as he squealed, "I thought you said I was worthy!"

All Might got off of the fridge and walked over to Izuku, saying "I'm talking about your body, not your mentality. My semblance is a lot to handle! The combined abilities of every inheritor makes a hurricane of kinetic force! If unprepared, your body won't be able to receive it. Your limbs would quite literally shoot out of their sockets if you even tried!"

"SERIOUSLY?!"

Izuku then shook his head to rid himself of those morbid thoughts. "So, this trash hauling is some kind of hardcore workout... and you're my... coach." Izuku finally realized as All Might flashed him a thumbs up in confirmation, followed up a "Correct!" for emphasis.

"But there's another reason too!" All Might explained as he walked back towards the fridge. "I did a little research, and it turns out this side of the beach used to be beautiful, but it's been in total disarray for the last few years."

Izuku stood up fully. He knew about this. Because of most tide patterns and wind conditions in Vale, some people would take advantage of the conditions to illegally dump trash. And no one had really taken the time to actually try to clean it. Then again, it was a very, very large mess, so he didn't really blame people since it was a big commitment to undertake.

"Most kids these days that wish to become hunters are all about slaying Grimm or catching the next big bad guy," All Might continued as he stepped behind the fridge and put a hand on top of it, and began to crush the fridge with barely any effort at all. "Things were very different before the Hunters Age and Quirks and Semblances became commonplace! Helping a community function better was what mattered, even if it could get pretty boring at times."

As All Might finished his sentence, he finished crushing the fridge, blowing away the trash behind him, saying to Midoriya, "Clear the trash from this entire section of the beach. That's your first step to becoming a huntsman."

Izuku turned around and saw just how much trash had been piling up over the years, a literal mountain of forgotten junk and old crap. And... he had to...

"All of it?! But there's so much! "

"Midoriya, how old are you?"

Izuku turned to answer his question, "I'm sixteen. I'll turn seventeen in a couple of months."

"Then you're gonna try for Beacon, am I right?"

"Well, yeah. You graduated from there, so it's gotta be the best school out of all of them, right? I know it's a long shot, but I'm gonna shoot for the moon. Even though it is shattered."

"You've got a lot of spirit, Midoriya! However, being a huntsman isn't doable without an Aura, at least. It's harsh, but that's the reality of it. And Beacon's initiation is by far the hardest out of all the academies. Which means..."

"That we've gotta get my body ready for your semblance quick! Beacons initiation is in eleven months, and everyone else probably already has a ton of training under their belts."

All Might them pulled out a few papers, and continued, "I've got you covered there, kid! This is my Aim to Pass Dream Plan. It's been specifically written with your body type in mind, so if you follow this to the letter, you'll clean up the beach a month ahead of time. We should be able to build you a weapon and work out the specifics of my Semblance by the time initiation rolls around."

"Even my sleep is scheduled," Izuku mumbled as he looked over the plan All Might had given him, before realizing something. "Why would I need a weapon though? Shouldn't your Semblance be enough?"

"That's not the point, Midoriya. Every huntsman has, at some point or another, used a weapon. And you wouldn't be able to use One for All to its full extent right away. Remember, while this Semblance is very powerful, it is also very dangerous, particularly to the user in the early stages. That's why I suggest that you only use it fully as a last resort until you're able to handle it."

"I understand. Hey, All Might?"

"Yes?"

"Did you ever use a weapon?"

"Why of course! A pair of the most durable gauntlets you'd ever see!"

"Why don't you use them nowadays?"

All Might's smile seemed to waver a bit, and though he was silent for only a few moments, the wait seemed like hours. And when he finally did speak up, his tone was remarkably serious, as though he was treading into old memories he didn't want to visit. But still, he answered, "The last time I'd ever used those gauntlets was during the fight that gave me a time limit. They were destroyed during the battle, and I haven't used another weapon since then.

"Changing the subject... if I'm going to be entirely honest, this'll be extremely hard. Are you sure you're still up to it?"

Izuku looked back down at the papers held between his hands. "Well yeah. I'll have to work way harder than anyone else to get in, but what other choice do I have?"

And then, ten months of hell began. Between all the running, sit ups, push ups, and the various pieces of trash he had to move, Izuku thought he was going to collapse more than once. And he almost did collapse a few times. But...

I know I can do better. I know I can get stronger than this!

(seven months later, somewhere in Vale, Izuku's POV)

Izuku and Toshinori, now in his deflated form, were running through a small park on the western side of Vale, the former with a slightly rusted safe over his shoulder while the latter zoomed by on a mall scooter, the autumn leaves crunching beneath their feet as they continued moving forward.

And then, the exhaustion started to catch up with Izuku. And he fell to the ground with an echoing thud, the safe clattering ahead before stopping about ten feet away. Toshinori stopped his scooter and turned to find his protégé on the ground exhausted. "Hey, what the hell, kid. After all that work, you're just gonna give up? What happened to you?"

It didn't take long for Izuku to try and get up again, though that proved futile. So instead, he reached his hand forward and began to crawl. Not yet. He wasn't done yet!

"... you're overworked, aren't you?"

And still, Izuku tried to crawl.

"I made that plan with your body type in mind. The resting periods were so that your muscles could properly repair themselves, but this... don't you want to go to Beacon? You can't do that if you're dead on arrival!"

"I don't just want to go to Beacon."

"Huh?"

"I don't just want to go to the best school. I want to excel there too! I'll do whatever it takes to get there. I want to be able to give people hope with my smile. Because I..." Izuku lifted his head from the leaf-littered ground with tears lining the corners of his eyes, "I want to be like you!"

And this struck a true chord with Toshinori. How long had he often been held up in such high regard by this boy? Of course he would try to be like him. Okay, it would take some major number crunching, but he could do it.

"Ha ha ha!" All Might said as his form suddenly filled out, picking up the worn body of his apprentice as he continued, "You've still got that spark, Midoriya! That's what I like about you! Not to worry, this old man will have you back on track in no time at all!"

"But... you're not an old man... All Might... you're like... in your late thirties..."

(three months later, Vale Municipal Beach Park, 6:15 am)

Toshinori got out of his truck and began to walk towards where he and Izuku had been training almost every day for the past ten months. Izuku followed the plan, and it was working very much in his favor. Would it be enough? Toshinori would know that soon.

Then, he heard Izuku yelling his lungs hoarse on top of a gigantic pile of trash, not seeming to care if anyone heard him. He was done! He'd achieved the first step! He was ready!

"Holy crap, kid," Toshinori said as he scanned the coastline, and found it completely clear of any garbage. "He even went outside of the boundaries I'd set up for him. There's not a single speck of trash left on the beach!

"You've blown my expectations out of the water! And right before we needed to stop, too.

"Oh... my... goodness!" All Might transformed as he finished his shocked statement. And Izuku, overly exhausted from clearing the beach, fell forwards, only to be caught by his mentor in a flash of movement at the bottom of the pile.

"Hey... All Might... I did it... am I ready now?"

"Yes, you are! You've done an excellent job, Midoriya! I'm proud of you!" All Might congratulated him before setting him down on the cold sand. "I've gotta say, I'm very impressed. I knew you could do it, but this is beyond my expectations!"

All Might then took out his phone and selected a picture before showing it to a hunched over Izuku. "Look at this. It's you from ten months ago. And look at how far you've come! It may be a long while before you can use One for All to it's fullest extent, but it's starting to look like it's possible!"

"Really? You've given so much time and energy to help me... how did I ever get this lucky?"

All Might placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder, extending the other to the pile of garbage behind him. "It was your hard work that moved this trash off the beach, not mine. And now, to reward you for your efforts, Izuku Midoriya.

"Close your eyes." Izuku did as he was asked. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, I bestow upon you the prowess and wisdom of wielders past. Infinite in potential and unbound by limitation, I release your soul, and by my oath, grant thee strength."

Izuku opened his eyes as All Might took his hand off of his shoulder to see a bright emerald glow surrounding his body. Was this... Aura?

"Someone once told me that the differences between being lucky and deserving are that one is an accident and the other is an earned reward. Never confuse the two. You've earned this gift with your own two hands."

And so, the ten months of hell Izuku had just gone through had received its payoff. Here he was, once a powerless Fractured, and now, the inheritor to one of the most powerful Semblances in existence. And he'd earned it.

Deflating back to his normal form, but still smiling, Toshinori beckoned Izuku to follow him, saying, "I'll drive you home. Get plenty of rest, you've earned it. And tomorrow...

"We'll see about getting you a weapon."

(the next day, noon, downtown Vale)

Toshinori and Izuku stood outside a rather homely looking workshop in downtown Vale. No one seemed to have much interest in it, so the shop remained empty, save for the sounds of various tools at work, their sounds echoing throughout. The sign read "Maijima Gadgets and Guns," named after the store's owner, Higari Maijima, an old friend of Toshinori's and one of the only ones to know of his condition, though he didn't know the secret of his Semblance.

The shops interior was filled to the brim with guns, weapons, and mechanical marvels of all types. If you could name it, it was more than likely on display. A man could be seen rummaging behind the counter, his hands, covered with heavy and thick gloves designed to cover his fingertips, were poking out as he dug through what looked to be a pile of... spare parts?

Moving on...

Toshinori opened the door to the shop, saying, "Mornin', Maijima! How've you been?"

The man behind the counter, who actually had a rather large and odd looking helmet, peeked out and, upon recognizing Toshinori, answered, "Better than you, judging by your frame."

The two let out very hearty laughs, the sense of familiarity between the two would be obvious to even the most oblivious of people. Toshinori walked over to Maijima, shook his hand, and greeted him properly. "It's good to see you after so long. Sorry I haven't kept in touch."

"Don't worry about it." He then noticed Izuku standing next to him. "And who's this young man?"

Izuku immediately stopped looking around at the weapons on display and practically snapped to attention, introducing himself, "I'm Izuku Midoriya. Nice to meet you."

"And that's not all. This young man right here is my apprentice." Toshinori said as he placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder, more than a little pride in his voice. "Don't tell anyone though. I'm going to be teaching at the school he plans to attend, and he needs to get in on his own merits."

"These lips are sealed. And good on you, kid! You must've done something amazing to catch his attention."

"And that he did. How's business? Last I heard, you finally took on an apprentice after all those years of solo work. How's that been going?"

"Well, the shop's been well, and we make plenty of money from custom orders. As for my apprentice... well, let's just say that she still needs to learn-" an explosion suddenly came from the back of the workshop. "… the meaning of restraint." Maijima finished in a dangerous tone, slowly walking to the back of the workshop and looking at the mess his apprentice had made. "NOOOOOOOOOOO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY WORKSPACE?!"

"I'm renovating it for the new welder."

"Mei. I know that you love to do these things... but this is too far! We can afford to have someone else renovate it!"

"But-"

"Mei, I know you just want to help, but you need to learn that everything has a limit. My patience included." Silence ensued for five seconds. "Look, if you could help the people up front while I deal with this hole you put in the wall, it would be a really big help. Just... don't do anything this extreme to my workspace again, alright? And be sure to give them a discount, one of em's an old friend."

"GOT IT!" She said, her voice dripping with enthusiasm as she rushed over to the counter, greeting them with, "HELLO THERE! MY NAME IS HATSUME MEI! HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"

With a few black marks on her tank top and sweats, it was easy to tell that she was a grease monkey, and the goggles on her head implied that she was very dedicated to her work. Her neon pink hair came down in dreadlocks, and her golden eyes almost seemed to have a target reticule in them.

"Yes," Toshinori said before continuing. "My apprentice here is looking to get a weapon. Is there anything on display that you could recommend?"

"CERTAINLY!" She exclaimed before grabbing Izuku's arm and rushing through the different aisles of the store, going through different weapon models and taking a few measurements as they went.

This was the precise time that Maijima came out of the workspace. "Well, I've covered the hole with some spare plating. It'll be enough till we can actually renovate the space." He then saw Hatsume showing Izuku various weapons, then placing them back at mach speed when she decided that it wouldn't be a good fit for him. "Ah. As enthusiastic as ever, I see."

"Where'd you find her, anyway?" Toshinori asked, curious as to why this particular girl had caught his attention. He'd been asked by many to take them as his apprentice, but he always said no

"She's an orphan. According to her, she's a half faunus, but she didn't get any of the physical features. Just the senses. I found her a couple years ago, digging through my garbage for spare parts, of all things. I'd have expected for her to be looking for food, but no, she just wanted to build something. I took her in, and she's been like a daughter to me ever since. She has her faults, that much is true, but... she reminds me of myself, in a way."

"And that would be?"

"She's always ready to build something new. A lot like me when first started this place." Maijima gestured to the entirety of the shop, his voice dripping with pride. Then his arms dropped, obviously remembering something he'd rather leave untouched. "She used to have night terrors, ya know. Doesn't talk about them much, and it's been about a year since she had any, but I worry for her. She still won't tell me about what happened to her before she met me. It's a sensitive subject for her, so we haven't really talked about it much."

"Is that why she builds? Is it... therapeutic?"

"That's part of it." Hatsume had now completely given up on what they had on display and was now showing Izuku various blueprints. "But I think it also gives her a connection to people that she'd otherwise have no way of contacting. After all, a huntsman is only as good as their weapon..." Maijima began his signature quote.

"...And a weapon is only as good as their huntsman." Toshinori continued.

"Rarely will one survive without the other." They finished in sync. It almost felt like old times. Almost.

"Look, Maijima, I'm sorry about-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence. You've got nothing to apologize for. It's my own damn fault I took the bait in the first place."

"But-"

"Look, I know that you still think that it's your fault, but it isn't. So get over it already. You've gotta stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, or you'll die before you're forty."

Toshinori was about to retort, but decided not too when he realized that Maijima was right. He had other people to rely on, so why not start asking some help every now and then?

"Thanks, Maijima." Then a thought dawned on him. "Did you-"

"Haven't told a soul, not even Mei. We're brothers in arms, Toshinori. You trusted me with this secret, and I'm gonna take it to my grave."

"Thank you."

After a few awkward moments in silence, Maijima decided to start their conversation back up."So... one backstory for another. How'd you meet the kid?" He gestured over to Izuku, who was now talking specifics on a blueprint with Mei.

"He tried to save a kid from a pro-criminal, even though he'd told me before he didn't have much control over his Semblance. Despite being practically powerless, he tried to save the kid. Afterward, we had a bit of a talk, I took him under my wing, trained him for ten months, and once we get his weapon made, we'll work out the specifics of his Semblance."

"Sounds like you really respect this kid."

"I do. He did what someone without control should've never done, but he just wanted to help the victim in front of him."

"Well, if you want my honest opinion, I don't think you could've chosen a better person to apprentice."

"Thanks. That means a lot."

(meanwhile)

"Are you sure you want to build them yourself? They'll take a week to finish, at least." Mei asked as Izuku rolled up the blueprint in his hands, the one that he'd finally decided on.

"Yeah. Thank you for your offer, but I need to do this myself. Most people who go to places like Beacon make their own weapons, and it just wouldn't feel right if I didn't do the same."

Mei than put her hand on her chin, now lost in thought. After a few moments of this, she snapped her fingers, telling Midoriya, "I'll be back in ten minutes," before disappearing into the opposite side of the workshop. She came out exactly ten minutes later with a small manual in her hands, and then explained, "This will help you with the construction, and it also has a list of the materials you'll need to build them. I can give you the circuitry, but as for the rest of it, you're on your own."

"Thank you. How much will all this cost?"

"Hmm... well, since you're only paying for the blueprint, along with the circuitry, it'd be about two hundred lien. But with the discount, I'd say around... one hundred fifty."

Izuku pulled out the amount from his wallet (many allowances were saved) and gave it to Mei, who happily pocketed the money. "I'll get the circuitry from the back." Was all she said before skipping inside the workspace once more, her face full of glee.

"So, I see you've decided to build it yourself," Toshinori said as he walked back over to Izuku, a knowing smile on his face.

"Yeah. It just feels right, ya know?"

"I know the feeling all too well, kid. Making those gauntlets myself was one of the most satisfying days of my life."

Silence filled the space between them for a few awkward seconds. "Hey, Sensei?"

"Yes?"

"You called the owner of this place Maijima. Does that mean-"

"Yep. His name is Higari Maijima, formerly known as Power Loader. He really hated the nickname."

"I know he retired, but why is he wearing that mask? The specifics of his resignation were never made public, and he'd never worn it before."

"That's something he should probably tell you himself," Toshinori said, leaving no room for argument. As he finished, Mei came out of the workshop with all the circuitry Izuku needed to build his weapon. Handing them off to Izuku, Mei gave him and Toshinori the biggest grin they'd ever seen her give, and said, "Thanks for doing business with us! Come again!"

"We will," Toshinori said before he and Izuku left the shop, a brilliant future ahead of them.

A/N: And that's a wrap for chapter 3! What did you think? Let me know!

And now, to answer some of the possible questions that you may have.

First, giving Izuku a weapon. Don't get me wrong, One for All is powerful in its own right, and at 100% it could probably obliterate a giant Nevermore with little to no effort. But remember what happened the first time Izuku used One for All at full power in HeroAca? That's part of it. The second is that I thought it would be cool to have Izuku build his own weapon. It actually kinda fits his personality in a way. It's a *SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER.* Huh. I guess you'll find out in the next chapter. (Goddamn spoiler blocks)

The next is likely the extra month that I gave to them in terms of prep time. This is only a slight deviation from the canon, and Izuku won't stand out as much due to the extra month of training from All Might. Let's be entirely honest, he may have been fighting robots during the UA exam, but he's going into a forest full of monsters that could easily tear him limb from limb. People have died during Beacons initiation before, and I wanted him to be a little more prepared than when he was basically dropped into the UA exam with almost no training.

I also managed to fit in cameos from both Hatsume Mei and Power Loader, the de facto engineers of the HeroAca universe. They were both fun to write, and, if it wasn't already implied, they will be appearing again at a later date.

I'm sorry if the end of the chapter feels less than energetic. I've had only four hours of sleep as of the time I'm doing this A/N, so my writing's kinda crappy. See you guys next time! And it'll hopefully have more energy than this one did!