Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

"So, what do you think?" asked Izuku. "If this works the enhancement drug should be stabler and the duration use extended."

"Let us hope that you are correct," replied S1. "Considering how the last test went."

Izuku grimaced slightly at the reminder. He had seen the state of the unlucky individual who had sampled the drug.

The enhancement drug Izuku created had not been completely successful so far. The drug itself, when injected into a quirked individual, gave the user a boost in quirk efficiency and power, as well as an increase in that user's physical attributes such as speed, strength, endurance, and stamina.

However, it also provided a boost in aggression and a big decrease in intelligence. Furthermore, it only lasted for a few minutes. And when it wore off the user, was left in a weakened state and unable to use their quirk for at least six hours.

It was a little similar to the drug Trigger, however with a few major differences:

The power-ups were stronger.

The side effects were more devastating.

It did not last as long.

Unlike Trigger, this drug did not force the user's quirk to activate. If injected the user (willing or not) would feel a surge of power course through their body but it would not force their quirk to activate.

Izuku had made several attempts to improve it, but with little success. So far, all he had managed to do was increase the allotted time for usage to twelve minutes as well as reduce the effects on the mind (well the intelligence part) slightly. Izuku was hoping for a bigger improvement this time but kept his fingers crossed.

"Deku," S1 called. "You need not worry. These things take time, and for most scientists, it takes years to properly create and perfect compounds like this. So, take your time."

Izuku looked up at the screen.

"You shouldn't give me this much credit," Izuku told them. "My idea came from your formulas and theories. All I did was derive inspiration from them."

"Regardless of that you have made progress and for that we are grateful. I will message you the results later. Goodbye," S1 finished, and the screen blinked out.

Izuku sighed. It had been 3 months since he joined the League. In that time, he had carried out his duties with quirk analysis rather well.

Some days he would go out to different cities (with help from Kurogiri) and observe either fight between heroes and villains or heroes saving people from accidents and record their quirks.

Other days he worked in his lab (a small space provided by the League not too far from his apartment) working on mixtures and formulas he developed.

He had mostly adapted to his new life rather well.

With members such as Kurogiri and Tomura, he was on reasonably good terms. Sensei and S1 (whom he only knew through voice chat) he worked well with.

Razor on the other hand, well, she hated him. Why? Even he didn't know.

Speaking of which, it was time for training with her. Sensei had not planned on using Izuku in the field of battle, however, the decision to learn self-defence had been brought on after a few… incidents. Most of which occurred when Izuku was out doing his job.

The first was when he was studying a fight between Endeavor (the no. 2 hero) and a shapeshifting villain, he almost got caught in the man's fire when the villain dodged.

The second was when another villain took him hostage. Fortunately, the media was not present, and no one there recognized him, so he was able to slip away unnoticed when freed.

Other incidents involved being attacked by thugs leading to Kurogiri coming to save him. In the end, Sensei ordered that he be taught self-defence, specifically by Razor considering it was her speciality.

In a training room next to the bar

Razor spin kicked Izuku hard in the face and he fell to the mat in agony.

"Seriously is this the best you can do you shitty brat," Razor complained. "Because if it is then you may as well just quit while you still have the chance. This isn't a place for little boys like you. Hell, even that bastard Tomura can put up more of a fight."

Izuku glared at her.

'I swear she's just like Kacchan,' he thought.

Noticing this Razor kicked him again. Izuku let out a groan as his face hit the mat.

"Well, you sure are a glutton for pain," she stated. "Unfortunately, I'm feeling tired at the moment so take a break you little shit." Razor then left.

Izuku just lay on the floor. He had been trying to work with Razor for two weeks now, but every time they met, she swore at him, insulted him, and attacked him. It seemed like she really did hate him, but Izuku couldn't fathom why. He couldn't remember doing anything that offended her.

At the bar

Unbeknownst to Izuku, Kurogiri was attempting to find out himself.

"So, why do you hate Deku so much exactly?" Kurogiri asked.

For a minute she said nothing. Finally, she took a deep breath and said "I don't hate him exactly. It's just, well it's complicated."

Kurogiri frowned. "This isn't like you," he told her.

And it wasn't. Razor had always hated other members for various reasons. There was hardly a person she didn't hate. Kurogiri and Sensei being exceptions.

Perhaps AFO was not an exception. More of someone she did not interact with enough.

"Would it be because he is quirkless?" Kurogiri asked.

It was the most likely reason. Razor looked straight into his eyes.

"No. I could care less about that. I've never been biased about that sort of thing," Razor admitted. "In my view, whether someone has a quirk or not is irrelevant. On the battlefield, we are all equal."

Kurogiri was confused. "Then what is it?" he asked. "I've seen how you treat him. You are harder on him than any other member I've seen you with."

Razor sighed. Not seeing a reason to keep it from him she explained why she treated Deku the way she did. Kurogiri remained silent during the entire confession. Whatever he had expected it wasn't this. It was very rare for Razor to show concern for anyone.

"Then you should tell him this yourself," Kurogiri explained. Razor gave him a look. "If you ever hope to work with him properly then you should both have an understanding of each other," he explained.

Razor growled in annoyance. She knew he was right, and she hated it. She got up and headed back to the room.

'I'd better do this before I change my mind,' she thought.

However, she stopped before exiting. She turned to face Kurogiri with a solemn expression.

"Mind if I ask you something Kurogiri?" she asked.

Curious, he nodded in response.

"The reason you've been so good to Deku, would it be because of Laura?" she asked.

Kurogiri didn't react, he just stared at her. The silence was enough of an answer for Razor. She then turned to leave.

One of the things about her and Kurogiri's relationship, they both knew heavily personal things about each other, and they neither judged each other by them nor went around telling other members.

At the training room

Razor walked in to see Izuku still lying on the floor.

'God he really is pathetic,' she deadpanned.

Hearing someone entering Izuku sat up to see Razor leaning against the wall staring at him. He groaned in annoyance. He hadn't recovered from her last assault.

"Listen up you little shit," Razor growled. "We need to talk."

Razor moved to sit down in front of Izuku.

"I was told that," she started but then stopped.

Expressing her feelings (in a non-violent manner) was not something she excelled at.

Taking a moment, she collected her thoughts.

'Just be honest with him, tell him what you think,' she thought. 'Regardless of how insensitive it might sound.'

Staring into Izuku's eyes she took a deep breath.

"I want to tell you, to explain to you," she quickly corrected, "why I treat you the way I do."

Izuku was quite surprised. Razor wasn't acting like herself.

"The reason I do is that I heard about your past from Kurogiri," she said. "Honestly …. I thought it was pathetic, and I mean you."

Now Izuku was just confused.

"Don't get me wrong I understand that you had it very rough, but at the same time, it's your own fault since you let it happen," Razor explained.

This made Izuku even more confused. "What do yo-," he started but was cut off by Razor.

"Deku during the time you were bullied did ever once stand up for yourself or even try to fight back?" she asked him.

Izuku considered this for a moment and said "Not really no."

Fight back! She couldn't have been serious! What was he supposed to do against a guy who could blow him up at any time, not to mention the other students who would gang up on him?

"Then how about this. Did you ever report what was going on or even go to someone for help?" she asked. "Like your mother." Izuku looked at the floor and said nothing. Razor put her hand to her head and sighed. "So basically, if I'm understanding this right, you allowed yourself to suffer, to be kicked around like a punching bag so much that when your 'idol' said you couldn't be a hero you tried to throw yourself off the roof," she stated.

Izuku still said nothing.

Having said her piece Razor got up and headed toward the door.

"Wait," Izuku said.

"Go home for today and think about what I've told you," Razor ordered. She then turned and faced him with a sincere look.

"Izuku I will train you, but I want something in return," she said. "The next time you face the one who hurt you, the one who drove you to suicide. Stand your ground. Fight. Let him know that you won't allow him to hurt you anymore. You have to. People like him break people like you on daily basis. And he will continue to break you unless you take a stand and fight back."

Izuku could do nothing but stare at her.

Razor turned to exit and said, "Not taking any action is basically the same as inviting him to hurt you, because he knows you won't fight back." She then left.

At Izuku's apartment

Izuku collapsed onto his bed. He lay there for over an hour thinking about what Razor said. As he took it all into consideration, he realized that she was right.

Over the years, whenever Kacchan or someone else had bullied him, he never fought back, he always let them beat him down.

It was also true that he had never told someone about what he was going through, not even his mother. He always told her he had fallen over, though her facial expression made it clear she wasn't fully convinced.

"God I'm an idiot," he said to himself, and he meant it. When his life was going to hell what did he do, nothing? He allowed himself to be pushed around every day because he thought (and at the time believed) that there was no way for him to fight back.

Well not anymore.

Razor was right he needed to change. He couldn't afford to be weak, not anymore. That person he used to be needed to die. If he was going to survive being in the League, he needed to be stronger. He had to be stronger.

As he thought about all of this he got up from bed and took out some scissors. He headed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

"This will be my starting point," he declared.

At the training room the next day

Razor walked in and saw Izuku waiting for her. He was all geared up for training, his hair had been cut short as well. But that wasn't what caught Razor's attention. What caught her attention was the look in his eyes, one she knew all too well. It was the look of a warrior, a look of determination.

Izuku approached her and bowed.

"I'm ready," he said. "And willing."

Razor gave a look of admiration.

"Good," she replied. "Let's get started, you shitty brat!"

Hi there! Well, what did you think of Deku and Razor during this chapter? I wasn't sure about the opening of this chapter, but I hope it was ok. Please review. The next chapter will be set during the entrance exam. Hope you enjoyed reading.