Chapter summary: Inko tries to connect with Itsuka... it doesn't go so well.
Chapter 4: Much needed words
Inko watched as the two youngsters played in the pool, Itsuka reassuring that she was okay. But, unfortunately, Izuku's energy didn't seem to be infectious. The dark circles under Itsuka's eyes being the first sign of her fatigue. Each of Itsuka's splashes diminished in ferocity from her exhaustion. And her shoulders slumped as if weighed down by the weight of the world.
Inko noticed symptoms of overworking yourself from a mile away. From the moment Itsuka entered the house, she looked to have a rough time unwinding. All of her movements were limp, yet she kept fidgeting. Itsuka fingers drummed against her thigh while she sat on the couch, and her foot tapped the floor so quickly that it looked like she was trying to create some kind of rhythm. The pro hero could hardly recall the last time she came over. There wasn't a day where Izuku didn't talk about one of the many courses she took. Itsuka wanted to learn English now, apparently. Itsuka never quit working. Discovering different ways to occupy her time. Even taking time to chill was a chore for her. Free time has become such a foreign concept that she has no clue what to do with it.
The worst part was that Inko knew all of this was her fault. Inko shattered Itsuka's spirit like it was a delicate vase. Itsuka tried to glue the pieces back together, but she made it worse. Inko recognized the feeling too well, fighting to prove to everybody and yourself that you weren't worthless, that you could make something of your meaningless life, even if that meant breaking yourself. These hardships made Inko the woman she was today, and she knew these same hardships would blossom Itsuka into something magnificent. She just needed guidance.
Inko would provide that guidance.
But how could she after all the things she said to Itsuka before? Who the hell calls a 12-year-old girl talentless? Inko had underestimated Itsuka's determination. Her hard work was paying off, but she didn't know when to stop—the trial to prove herself being too great of a task to halt for breaks. Itsuka had already proven herself. She just needs to see that.
The door opened, interrupting Inko's thoughts. Izuku and Itsuka entered the house. Izuku used his telekinesis to dry them off.
"Do you really have to leave now?" Izuku said.
Itsuka nodded. "Yeah, I have a lot of things I need to get done."
"Are you sure you can't just take the rest of the day off?"
"I really am sorry, but I can't." Itsuka went to grab her stuff off the counter. "I swear I'll come to see you as soon as I can."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Alright, I'll take you home after we change." Izuku turned his head towards Inko. "Oh, hey Mom, I didn't see you there."
Inko saw Itsuka flinch, but she quickly regained her bearings and began to leave to change her clothes.
"Itsuka!" Inko called out.
Itsuka ignored her. "Itsuka! I need to talk to you."
This time Itsuka stopped, and her tired eyes turned to look at Inko. "What could you possibly have to say to me that you haven't already said."
Inko winced, recalling her harsh words. "I just want to say that it seems you've been working hard…."
Itsuka turned around and kept walking. "It seems I have."
"But you might want to slow down."
Itsuka whipped her head around and glared at the woman. "In case you haven't noticed, I didn't ask for any of your words of wisdom. I've heard enough of that."
Ouch! Okay, that was understandable. But, regardless, Inko would still keep going. "Overworking will have the opposite effect of what you want."
Itsuka's glare intensified. "What I want is out of reach. You've already told me that. So I've gotten realistic."
Why is this kid so stubborn? Inko already knew that Itsuka was angry, but she could at least listen to what she had to say. She didn't work her ass off for her reputation just to get disrespected like this.
Sensing the tension, Izuku interjected, "Itsuka, why don't you go upstairs, get changed, and I'll meet you down here."
An excuse to get out of this discussion? Say no more. Itsuka nodded, then calmly made her way up the stairs.
"So you noticed to huh?" Izuku said.
"If you saw it, then you know I would notice. Itsuka is pushing herself too far."
"Oh, uh…" Izuku rubbed the back of his head and blushed with a dopey grin on his face. "I was sorta thinking about something else."
Inko sighed. "Izuku, I don't have time for your teenage hormones. What I need you to do is help me get through to her."
Izuku narrowed his eyes. "And why do you care so much all of a sudden."
"I've been in her position before, and I think I can help her."
"You're the one who put her in this position in the first place. So she is definitely not gonna want help from you."
Inko rubbed her temples and grumbled. "I understand that, and that is why I am asking for your help."
"And what am I supposed to do exactly?"
"I don't know. Just try… talking to her or something?"
Izuku stared blankly and tilted his head. "You say that as if I dictate her emotions."
"Look! Can't you at least try to help me?"
"I would if I could, but big surprise! It's hard helping people who don't want to be helped. I'm sure you know the feeling."
"More than you would think," Inko mumbled. "You know her well enough. What should I do."
"My guess is as good as yours. If I knew, I would've done something already."
"Well, what did you do when you first met her?"
Izuku shrugged. "I just cheered her up then made an effort to get to know her."
Make an effort… Get to know…
"Make an effort to get to know her!"
"That is literally what I just said."
"We make such a great team, don't we, son?" Inko rubbed her son's hair as he grumbled.
It was so obvious! Just let Itsuka know that she cared. But how are you supposed to talk to someone who doesn't want you around?
…
…
…
...Inko hoped Itsuka still wanted that autograph.
Of course, Tornado would want to find more reason to mock her.
Itsuka, fully dressed, was walking back downstairs of the Midoriya household, venting her frustrations inside her thoughts.
What does the woman want from her? First, Tornado tells her she won't amount to anything if she doesn't shape up. Then when Itsuka actually does something, the woman has something to complain about. So what, Itsuka was a little tired? Nothing a good night's rest couldn't fix. Though, she seemed to have become restless lately…
Whatever. Itsuka couldn't rest until she became the best version of herself anyway. So taking breaks was a no-go.
Itsuka made her way to the bottom of the stairs and waited for Izuku to finish getting dressed.
"Itsuka!"
You've got to be kidding her.
"No jokes here!"
Damn it!
"Language!"
Kendou smacked her forehead and rubbed her temples. "What do you want?"
"You asked for an autograph a few months back, right? So…" Tornado pulled out a pen and smiled. "You still want one?"
...Excuse her french, but you've got to be shitting her.
…
…
…
...Good, she didn't say that out loud.
She asked for that when? Seven months ago? And she's just now offering!? Well, she could screw off! Itsuka didn't care about how valuable that would be in the future. Nor did she care about the fact that Tornado was the one offering her. Yeah, Tornado may still be a super cool hero, but she couldn't give in! No matter how tempting this was!
"I'll give you the real secret to clear skin."
"...Make it quick."
Tornado smiled and signed her name in the notebook with her telekinesis. "Here you g-!"
Tornado's eyes widened as Itsuka snatched the notebook back (at least she thought she did, she never saw it leave her hands). Itsuka scanned the pages for her signature. She finally found the page with the word "Tornado." It was signed in elegant cursive, taking up two whole pages. There was also another message on the top right corner of the page. "Carrot juice?"
Tornado nodded her head. "It protects your skin from UV rays and makes it look way better."
Itsuka nodded and put her notebook away. "Thank you."
"So we're friends now, right?"
"IZUKU, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?"
"Language!"
Maybe she did come off as a bit creepy. Luckily Itsuka had unknowingly said all that stuff out loud, and Inko was able to bribe her with her real secret to good skin.
Izuku and Itsuka left after Izuku heard Itsuka's scream of terror, leaving Inko alone in the home.
That didn't work. So Inko would just have to try something else. She wouldn't give up. Inko would get close to Itsuka.
She owed it to Itsuka's Mother after all.
Itsuka walked her way over to the gym early in the morning. The sun wasn't set to rise for at least another hour. She generally worked out in the early A.M. because of the little time she had during the day. However, managing all of these classes has started to become a bit of a hassle. She couldn't find anything to take up the rest of her day, but she couldn't just do nothing. So she asked Yua to switch her to private tutors for the summer, making sure each of them came at different times a day. Was it tiring? Yes, but that just proved it was working, didn't it?
Unaware of her surroundings, Itsuka marched forward, ready to start her day.
Clink!
Itsuka looked behind her where the noise came from. "Hello?"
She was met with silence. "Helloooo!?"
Silence once again. It must've been her imagination.
"Itsuka!"
"Ahh!" Where did she come from!? How'd she get in front of her so fast!?
"So, you like to workout in the morning?" Said Tornado.
"W-what are you even doing here? Did you follow me?"
"Me too! It saves a lot of time during the day!"
"Don't ignore my question!"
"So… Where are we going~?"
Itsuka brushed her. "I'm going to the gym."
"Cool! I'll go with you!"
What is with this woman? Isn't this supposed to be a well-renowned hero? She was acting like a schoolgirl!
Itsuka was going to have to be as blunt as possible. "Listen, Tornado-"
"I'm off duty. Call me Inko!"
Itsuka deadpanned. "I'll stick with Tornado, thanks. Anyways I need you to listen because I'm not gonna repeat this."
Clap!
"Stop!"
Clap!
"Following"
Clap!
"Me!"
"I don't want to see you. I've already heard all I want to hear from you. Goodbye." Itsuka stomped off from the pro hero. Tornado ran to catch up to her.
"W-wait! I'll give you my merch!" She said
"I already have all of it!" Said Itsuka
"This hasn't come out yet!"
"I'll get it when it does!"
"I'll give you another autograph!"
Itsuka glared at the woman. "Why do you keep following me!? I thought I made it clear I don't want you around."
"I just want to get to know you."
Ignoring the creepy implications, Itsuka asked. "Do you really want to get to know me?"
"Yes! That's all I want."
"Well, too bad! Leave me alone." With this, Itsuka walked around the corner, leaving a disheartened pro hero.
"Get to know me… Yeah right. She didn't care about that before. She probably just wants to laugh at me."
"Still…" It mattered little how creepy the pro hero was being. She was still so damn good at everything. Her pure unrivaled confidence made villains shake in their boots and made fans want to be in her boots. Itsuka would do everything in her power to be just like that, no matter the cost.
...Well, that was dramatic, more than usual anyway. What happened there?
There was craziness in Yua's future. She could feel it.
She woke up on time. Itsuka didn't run off with the circus. No inconveniences on the way to work. And, get this, she didn't spill coffee on her blueprints. Her morning went perfectly.
"Too perfectly," Yua thought, sipping her coffee.
"Ms. Sakura!" Yua choked on her drink and dropped her cup. Well, there goes her perfect morning. She was glad she had pyrokinesis. It wasn't anything too strong, and it didn't get everything out, but it helped.
Before the drink hit the desk, a green light surrounded her cup. Yua stared in shock as the coffee went back into her cup and floated back into her hand. She'd recognize that power anywhere.
"M-Ms. Sakura! You have a guest."
The telekinesis, her co-worker's reaction, the green aura. There was no mistaking it…
"I'm sorry to bother you…." A woman with a green hero suit and a half-up-half-down bun made her way into the office. "But I really need to talk to you."
Yua fainted.
"You're lucky I caught you before you fell, Ms. Sakura."
Sakura woke up looking groggy. She slowly opened her eyes, and upon seeing the Pro Hero, she immediately began to panic. She quickly ran to her desk and stuffed her merch into the drawers.
"Don't bother. I've already seen all of it."
Sakura looked down in shame. Poor woman. She had horrible nerves. The way she shook reminded her of pop rocks and… Hold on. Were her eyes blank white circles before?
"S-s-so, w-what did you w-want to talk about? Wait, ARE YOU, MY CLIENT!?"
"As much as I loved your designs…." Sakura brightened. "That's, unfortunately, not what I'm here for." Sakura visibly deflated.
"Then, what are you here for?" Sakura's eyes widened. "No! I have a daughter! Please don't escort me to the police! I didn't mean to take more than one sample. The pineapple was just so good!"
Like Mother, like daughter, Inko thought. "Nothing that serious! Although it does concern your daughter."
Sakura's panic seized instantly and was replaced with utmost seriousness. "What happened to Itsuka? Did someone hurt her?"
"No… well, it's hard to explain."
"Try."
Inko took a deep breath. "See what happened was…."
*One explanation later*
Pop pop pop!
"YOU BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU?"
Okay, she deserved that. Of course, Inko could have easily stopped it, but, jeez, blueprints hurt a lot.
"I know I shouldn't have crushed her dreams the way I did. But I still meant what I said."
Sakura looked at the ground in sadness. "Even about being a hero?"
"I… I'm not sure about that. The world is cruel, especially when it comes to heroics. Even with a powerful quirk, I wouldn't recommend it to the faint-hearted."
"You've seen Itsuka is anything but that, haven't you?"
"I have. But…." Inko bit her lip. "Tell me. Do you know Itsuka's birth Mother?"
"M-Mother? I've never met her. Since I've adopted her, she's never asked, so I assume she didn't want to know."
"Well, I knew her very well." Inko smiled fondly. "She was one of my best friends."
"What happened?"
Inko looked turned solemn. "Do you remember the hero Raijin?"
"Of course! In his short amount of time as a hero, he rose in the ranks really quickly! By the time he was 19, he was already in the top 50!"
Inko giggled. "You really know your stuff."
Sakura blushed. "Let's just say Itsuka's not the only fangirl."
"If that's the case, then I'm guessing you remember his death?"
Sakura flinched a bit from the dark turn, but she nodded her head.
"There was an additional piece of information the news pages left out. In the final seconds, someone ran in, in hopes of saving Raijin. His wife, Makaira Kendou."
"You… You mean…?"
Inko nodded. "They both died that day. One of them died a hero. Another died as a face in the crowd."
Sakura stared in shock with tears leaking from the corners of her eyes.
Inko continued. "There have been many more tragedies since then. Some don't even get news articles. Even those with the most powerful quirks aren't immune to the world's unfairness. I couldn't let Itsuka think she was ready for that kind of life when she could hardly handle the one she was already living."
Sakura hung her head. "I… I understand."
"But I think I misjudged her."
Sakura looked up in curiosity. "What do you mean?"
"When my son first told me about Itsuka, she reminded me so much of Makaira. The way he spoke about her made it seem like she was the nicest girl to exist. Always looking out for others, no matter the circumstances. But that's what I was concerned about."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Of course it is. It made Makaira who she was. But while she may have been a pure soul, she was also a huge pushover. She just let people walk all over her, insult her, and take advantage of her. So I always had to be there to watch her back. And from the sounds of it, Itsuka was going down the same road. But she proved me wrong. Even after my harsh words, Itsuka just came back stronger. I'm still worried for her, though. She's stubborn, but that's why I'm here. I want to be there for her, so I need you to tell me everything about her so I can get to know her."
Sakura's eyes widened a bit before she bit her lip."Itsuka… she hides a lot from me. Not in a shady way, but like she's trying not to make me worry. I know she didn't have many friends. I don't count Yaoyorozu. I've never liked how that girl treated her. She would come home with bruises and scrapes from trying to play the hero. Itsuka always insisted she was okay, but I ended up calling the school anyway. The bruises stopped after that, but the bullying didn't, even with the teachers protecting her. It felt like I couldn't do anything at all. The best I could do was console her after school. Everyday Itsuka suffered, and yet…." Sakura smiled and let a couple of tears run down her cheek. "Her optimism was always so genuine. When I first met her at the orphanage, Itsuka would be helping the other kids, no matter how much they laughed at her. She mostly played alone, but she looked so happy playing with those All Might action figures. I swear she cried when they told her I was adopting her. Ever since then, Itsuka has provided nothing but joy. I can honestly say she's the best thing to ever happen to me!"
Inko surprised the woman by glomping her in a big hug.
"I had no idea that she'd been through that much. If I'd known, I would've adopted her myself. But you were always there when she needed you most. I think you're the best Mother Itsuka could've gotten."
The acknowledgement from the Pro Hero was enough to move Sakura to tears. She had no idea how much she needed the validation until now. Knowing that all her effort into making Itsuka happy wasn't in vain brought peace to her heart. She leaned into the hug and sobbed happily into Inko's shoulder, confidence in her parenting renewed.
"Thank you so much, Tornado."
"Sweetie, just call me Inko."
"Well, if that's the case, then call me Yua."
Inko nodded, then released the hug. "I think I might know how to get through to her now." Inko bowed. "Thank you very much." She walked to leave the room, but Yua called out to her before she left.
"Hey, wait!"
Inko turned and raised a brow.
"C-Can I get an autograph?"
Inko giggled. "Sure." Yua pulled an action figure still in the box out of her drawer.
Inko signed it in her regular elegant signature.
"If that's all, I'll hope to see you sometime soon. Oh, wait. Hold on. I just remembered something."
"What?"
Yua suddenly felt a firm grip from Inko's telekinesis. "You don't think I would let that stunt slide, would you? You're under arrest for stealing pineapple samples from the market."
"I TRUSTED YOUUUUUUUUUU-"
XXXXXX
"C'mon! Push through it!"
Itsuka forced herself to move, ignoring all of the pain. The burning in her legs, the churning in her stomach, her empty lungs, none of it was any concern to her. She's dealt with all of this and more. A little difficulty never hurt anyone. After all, no pain, no gain, right?
Itsuka tried to admire the sunset to distract herself, but her blurry vision got in the way. She didn't know if it was her sweat or fatigue, but it made it hard to focus. Her head was spinning, her thoughts became jumbled, each stride gradually became slow steps, and the slow steps were few and far between until she fell to her knees. "Get up, dammit! You're not done yet!" Itsuka already told herself she wouldn't stop for anything. The best heroes always fought through pain for everyone. How could she ever hope to be one if she couldn't even do it for herself?
The churning in her stomach came back full force, and she vomited. She tried to push herself back up, but the strength in her arms was non-existent. Her muscles strained with each attempt to get back on her feet. Eventually, she closed her eyes, succumbed to her exhaustion, and fell flat on her face.
Just when Itsuka thought it was all over, she felt herself rise in the air. She opened her eyes and was met with the Pro Hero Tornado, smiling with a bottle of water in her hands.
"Come to laugh at me? Go ahead. You were right. All my hard work meant nothing."
Tornado shook her head. "Actually, I'm here to apologize and correct my mistake."
Itsuka looked up in astonishment. "Why would you apologize?"
"Because I was wrong."
"W-what do you mean?"
Inko took a deep breath. "When I first saw you, I thought you were just a junior high school girl with unrealistic dreams. Someone who believed the world would wait for them to catch up. But I see now that's entirely untrue."
No… she couldn't be saying what she thought she was trying to say. Itsuka grabbed her tracksuit collar and bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. She couldn't help but think back on some of the words people gave her in the past.
You're useless, helpless, Itsuka!
"You've worked harder than anyone I've seen to become better than you were before. None of that training was for nothing. Think about how much you've grown over the year. And that's despite everything I've said to you."
It's good to aim big, Itsuka. Just make sure those goals are realistic.
Itsuka was once again on her knees, the battle between her and tear ducts lost.
"I know you don't want to hear this from me, but you've inspired me to be better, Itsuka. I won't push you away. I want to be there for you, to watch you grow. To help you be the woman I know you can be. There is no doubt in my mind anymore. Itsuka…"
I'm sorry, Itsuka! I'm so so sorry! I wish things were different.
Much like the trees in the park, Itsuka and Tornado's long hair blew in tandem with the wind. The orange sunset in the background casting shadows over both women as Tornado finally told Itsuka the words she's needed to hear for a long time.
"You can become a hero!"
Itsuka continued to sob, finally being given the much-needed confidence that she's been longing for. The psychical pain, the self-doubt, the heartbreak, all of it was completely worth it, just for this moment.
"And if you'll allow me…." Tornado offered her hand to Itsuka, who was still on the ground. "I'll be there to guide you along every step of the way."
Itsuka stared in wonder before smiling. She accepted Tornado's hand. And her eyes glowed with newfound determination. "I accept!"
Tornado smiled back and pulled her off the ground into a surprise hug. "Before that, though, I have something else to tell yo-"
Zzz!
Itsuka was sound asleep in Tornado's arms with a smile on her face.
"Go ahead. You've earned it."
This was the true start in Itsuka's road to Number 1.
Authors notes: This took a bit longer than expected, and the chapter was short too. I loved the scene with Inko and Yua, but I feel like I could've written the chapter as a whole way better. What do you guys think?
Some news, I'm going to start writing another story. Unfortunately, that means this story might not update for a while, but I won't keep you guys waiting too long, at the very most, for 2 weeks. so be on the lookout for that new story
I'll see you guys next time!
