Chapter 2. Getting My Hands Dirty.
The first lesson I learned is never cry. Everything is a dull slog. My arms and legs weighed down by bruises softly aching and my eye still itches and rickles. I resist the urge to scratch it because that would only make it worse. I try to get up and my arms give out midway. Dad looms over me with his fist raised near his chest. Throbbing pain shoots through my body when my hands grab the ground to push me up. He's been hitting me harder.
"Come on Shoto! A hero should know how to take a punch!" He snarls, "So get on your feet and take it!" I get on one knee and he tenses up. HIs other hand was brought up into a fist. I wipe the dirt off my cheek and glare at him with tears running down my cheeks.
He rushes me and the creeping feeling of fear enters my chest as he closes in. The familiar feeling of rage burns in my chest as well. Anger that someone close to me could do something like this. I grit my teeth and suddenly something cold blows around me. The chill grows around me and I see ice shoot out of my foot as I bring it down. Jagged swathes of ice rush towards my father and he dodges them.
My left hand suddenly shoots up and heat blasts through that side with an intense jet of flame bathing where he stood. Dad can't dodge in time but he stops short of me. Just as quickly as they came out my flames went away. I lower my hand and back off with my thoughts screaming, 'Oh my god! Did we just shoot fire out of our hands? And wait… that's ice?!' I glance up at my father and he's not even shocked. He almost looks proud of himself.
"It's perfect!" He exclaims. "Finally! After so many tries!" he's grinning and striding toward me. I scramble backward with more pain shooting through my body. Did I just find out I have superpowers? I mean yeah it's not every day your dad suddenly bursts into flames.
But ice and fire are strange. But even stranger is how Dad is suddenly dusting me off.
"Finally. A perfect heir to my legacy!" He mutters. "You'll be a force to be reckoned with under my guidance!"
I feel him pull me close, patting my back gently. I feel my cheeks heat up from the sudden praise. I just lean into it. Just because I don't want to say anything that'd make me take another beating.
He grins down at me.
"You'll be stronger than the rest of your siblings," he says. "You're more than just my son now Shoto, you're my dream come true."
At that moment I learned my second lesson. My father is insane. So there's two right out of the gate. Also I figured out I have a superpower! That's cool! I wonder if I'll learn how to use it?
My eyes stare at the mirror. One ringed with tough red skin. It's been a few years now. I've been training nonstop. My power is called a quirk and almost everyone has one. I'm taller and much more muscular now.
I hear Dad coming towards my room. I tense seeing his shadow fall over the door. He slides the door aside as though it was nothing. He looms over me.
"Shoto. Get dressed." He orders. "I've seen your middling grades and the lack of effort. It's time I show you what you'll receive if you truly work up to your potential." I nod and look down at my feet.
"Yes sir." I mutter. Lesson three. Always agree. No matter how ridiculous it is and no matter how much it hurts. Even if it's something I can't do. Basically be a doormat. My survival instinct has too much strength.
Dad turns and stalks out of my room leaving my ten year old mind racing. What kind of trip is this going to be? I hope it's not going to be a boring one. Who knows what's gonna be in store for me? Dad leads me out towards the car and he gets into the driver's seat. I clamber into the passenger's side and shut the door. It feels odd to have a normal healthy body. It's been five years and I still can't get over how good my penmanship and balance are. The car used to be Mom's car but Dad uses it for whenever he needs to go out.
It's a classic four seater car with an air of luxury to it. Dad drives with the careful eye of an overly concerned parent and the speed of the car doesn't go below or go over the speed limit. Constantly checking the rear view and top mirrors with his meaty hands clenching the wheel like a lifeline. Guess that's normal for him because he just scowls at the road. He's driving towards a huge office looking building with a giant E over the door. Dad stops the car and gets out, opening the door for me to get out.
I gladly do so mostly because I was curious. He leads me towards the entrance with a smile on his face. I gawk at how big the lobby is. It looks almost like a hotel lobby but also not with a hall ending off with an office room. It's massive and full of cubicles.
"Heyo Boss!" A loud and almost rough voice calls, "Good morning! What gives? You're usually already out on your beat." A woman with bright yellow green flames for hair greets him. He moves in front of me.
"I have other business to attend to. Send all my cases to my office." he orders as he grabs my hand and tugs me along behind him. His grip is firm.
"Hold on a minute! Who's the kid?" she asks. Her distance between us closing fast and looking down at me with her wide grin. I don't make eye contact and just bow.
"I'm Shoto. You work with my dad, right?" She nods with her dazzling smile.
"Oh wow! This has gotta be your successor! He's really kinda cute I mean… well… without the-" Dad looms over her and his flames ignite on his face. Making his sidekick shrink back.
"Get to work." He growls.
"Right away!" She exclaims. "See ya Shoto!"
Dad rolls his eyes and I look down with my cheeks heating up from the interaction. He tugs me along with his grip tightening on my arm. He leads me towards an enormous set of double doors and he shoves them aside to reveal his office. It's massive with a fancy chandelier with a small table and chairs off to the side with a big desk towards the back. He's also carrying a huge stack of files along with him. He sits down and brings down with a heavy whack.
"These are the files of potential cases," he states. "I print them out and file them so if anyone raids here I could just burn them instead of the computers taking forever to delete them all." I watch him look them over and he changes.
He almost looks relaxed. He takes one out and holds it out towards me. "See. It details the incident and how it's resolved. As well as the villain or civilian or what have you that perpetrated it."
"So you print these out and sign off on them." I say. His azure eyes light and he nods excitedly. Almost looking younger.
"Exactly! Hopefully I'll get a case and show you how I work. Maybe that will motivate you enough to follow me! Although at a safe distance. With one of my sidekicks guarding you."
Suddenly his sidekick busts into the room, "Boss! We got one! It's in Osaka!"
Dad grins and stands to his feet. "Perfect. Come along, Shoto. It's time to show you how I work." I leave the agency with him not in the car but in a helicopter. The heliad lifts away and we go off towards the section of the country.
I watch us fly towards the city and the coter lands with a small bum. Dad and Miss Burning Hair jog out and I follow them. The city around us is chaotic and Dad immediately begins barking orders.
"Burnin! Guide civilians out of here! Call in our Osaka branch! Any news on what we're dealing with?"
"Sir!" Another sidekick yells. "It's a villain gone wild!"
Dad stops. "Shoto. Get back in the helicopter." He says. "I'd much rather you watch from the-"
An ear slitting roar shatters the rest of what he said. Charging right for us is a huge man with a dinosaur head. Dad plants his feet and a wave of heat hits me. He's fully flamed on and his eyes glare right into the foe he's facing.
"Watch and learn son! This is the purpose I created you for!" He thunders as the monster closes in. It slams into him and he barely skids back holding its mouth open with his hands latched hard onto either side of his mouth. Miss Burnin is firing shots into its legs as I make a mad dash towards safety. My legs were pumping so hard and my feet driving into the pavement as hard as they could. My arms swing and my chest heaves just before I make it there…
Sharp talons dig into my shoulders as something lifts me from the ground and all I can hear from behind me is…
"SHOOOOOTOOOO!"
My arms flail and I panic with my eyes searching for whoever's got me. I look up and see a pterodactyl lady flying me above the carnage. Being in the air fills my body with fear and I sweat bullets as she takes me u further and further away from my Dad fighting the massive dinosaur guy on the ground.
"Crahahahaha! How about that Endeavor?! I stole this cute little guy!" she cackles. I close my eyes and fight harder. Shaking and squirming with tears filling my eyes.
"DAD!" I yell, "Help me!"
The talons dig out of my body and I tumble whirling around and just blurring everything together. But then I feel something hot and strong slam into me midair. Massive arms wrap around me and I feel the heavy whack of the ground.
Dad holds me close. "Shoto… Are you alright?" he asks. I nod and he hugs me.
"Good. That's good." He says. "Let me finish this." He settles me down and rushes off to handle the villains. Blasts of fire bathe my vision with Dad fighting not just to protect me but to protect others.
He seems much different from how he is at home. Much more in his element. Powerful movements make the flames dance and change into wires or the villains with their heat. Seeing his torn costume and blood running from the wounds the flying villain slashed into him and the grazing from the bigger one. Sweat pouring off his face like waves.
"How dare you pieces of trash touch my masterpiece! I will burn you all to ASHES!" He roars like the fire around him. Instead of feeling the way I should by jumping up and down and screaming my heart out for him to win all I feel is doubt. Does he see me as his masterpiece? Why would he hit me and run me down if I was? Sitting there watching my father, wondering if I really should continue down this road if my father was one of those on it.
Without a second thought, I stomp on the ground with ice shooting out at the motion smothering the two villains and cooling him down. I almost want to run to him but he looks at me.
"Shoto…" he says. "You-"
"You were gonna get really hot! There's no way I'm gonna watch my dad be cooked alive!" I yell. He smirks before turning on his flames again and raging back into battle. My motions aren't as good as his but I try my best to copy them.
Soon enough his fight is over. Exhaustion fills my movements as I slog towards the helicopter and huddle against him before take off. He's bloodied and roughed up and I'm a little roughed too.
"I guess I did a little too much for one go?" Dad sighs. "I should've started small…"
I doze off letting my tired body carry me off to dreamland. With that I felt as though Dad did have a point now. A weight falls onto my head and there's a soft ruffling of my hair. A familiar thing bubbles in my mind. I'm too tired.
So I fall asleep. Maybe I could have a better day tomorrow. But at this point I remember this as the first time I ever felt like I really wanted to be a hero. Just so I could be strong like the man ruffling my hair.
"Dad?" I yawn.
"Yes, Shoto?" he asks.
"I wanna become a hero." I mutter.
"Good." he answers. And that was that. And a new lesson showed up. Lesson four: Get your hands dirty.