Third chapter's up! After that, and maybe a next one, I'll stop posting as often though.
Warning: Kira's language, Kira's training and Kira's determination.
Enjoy!
Kira watched as the boy wept, on his knees, unable to move a muscle. His tears were tears of relief, tears of joy, and never had she been so shaken by his cries before.
"You are worthy to inherit my power."
The ginger stiffened at his words, and Izuku stopped shaking, raising his head and confusion written all over his face.
"Inherit… your power…?"
"What's with that face?" the Hero laughed. "It's just a suggestion. The real show starts after this. Listen, young man. You need to decide whether or not you will accept my power!"
Is he saying… that he can pass on his power? Kira was a confused as her friend. It's possible to pass on a Quirk?
"I'm talking about my power, young man. The tabloids called it 'superhuman strength' and a 'boost', and I constantly dodged the question during interviews with a funny joke," stated All Might. "Because the Symbol of Peace, All Might, had to be a natural-born hero. But, young man… and young lady. I will tell you the truth."
This is getting crazier by the second.
All Might spread his arms in a dramatic gesture.
"My Quirk was passed on to me like a sacred torch!"
"It was… passed on to you…?"
"That's right. And next, it is your turn," announced the top Hero.
"W-wait! Wait a minute!" exclaimed the green-haired boy. "It's true hat your Quirk is something hotly debated as one of the world's greatest mysteries, so much so that not a day goes by without someone talking about it online. But, well, I don't really understand hat you mean by inheriting or passing on a Quirk…"
The boy started muttering under his breath, a bad habit of his that Kira had yet managed to get rid of, and the girl shook her head in despair.
"Why do you always start with denial?" she sighed.
"Nonsense!" agreed the man.
"What!?"
"See, even the top Hero agrees with me," she jabbed her thumb at All Might. "You ought to learn to be more positive, Izuku, and listen while you're at it!"
"I may hide a lot of things, but I don't lie!" assured the blond man. "The power to transfer power… that is the Quirk I inherited! I was crowned with… One For All!"
Light emanated from his palm, and the two teens could only watch in awe.
"One For All…"
"That's right. One person cultivates the power and passes it on to another person, who also cultivates it and passes it on. It is the crystallization of power that spins together the voices of those who need help with a courageous heart."
"But why… why are you giving me something so great?"
This is an amazing power, Kira bit her lower lip. But why Izuku- no, I don't need to ask that. Izuku is the one most deserving of this power. But… why now, of all times? Because of his injury? Without a doubt. Does he-
"I have been looking for a successor," informed All Might. "And then, I thought it would be alright for you to inherit it. You are just a Quirkless hero fanboy, but you were more heroic than anyone else back there!"
"B-but why not choose Kira?" The girl stiffened, then blinked, pointing dumbly at herself as the green-haired boy looked her way. "S-she's really strong, and she was already helping as much as she could before we even arrived, and-"
Without hesitation, the girl went to him and whacked him behind the head.
"Izuku, are you stupid?" she snapped. "I can barely control my own powers, what do you think would happen if I took All Might's as well? Plus, you deserve this chance more than anyone. And you know what? Had I been Quirkless, I wouldn't even have approached the scene, much less intervened like you did. You're a brave, strong-willed boy with dreams as big as his heart, and if you believe you don't deserve the chance your very idol is giving you, than no one does!"
He gaped at her, tears falling again, and there were a few claps from All Might.
"Good pep talk, young lady," nodded the Symbol of Peace, grinning a little. "Though, it's up to him, whether he accept my power or not. So, Midoriya Izuku, what will you do?"
There was a moment of silence as the green-haired boy clenched his fists tightly, before wiping away his tears and getting back on his feet, resolve hardening his eyes as he stared at All Might.
"I'll do it!"
"An immediate reply… that's what I thought you'd say!"
The ginger smiled softly at her friend. While receiving All Might's power surely wouldn't be easy, she knew that, of all people, Izuku would be able to achieve it.
.
.
The green-haired boy waved, before going inside. Kira stared for a moment, before finally turning to All Might. After the boy had taken his decision, the top Hero had volunteered to escort the both of them back home, seeing as it was getting late, and the ginger had decided to use the opportunity to ask a few questions.
"Ne, All Might?"
"Hm?"
"You're not giving him false hopes, are you?"
At that, the Hero stopped in his tracks and looked at her, his expression unreadable. Usually, she wouldn't dare to question a Hero, and even less the strongest one, but it was Izuku they were talking about. She wouldn't let him get hurt if she could help it.
"He's my best friend, and he dreamed of becoming a hero since we were five," she pursued, serious. "You're giving him a chance, and I'm really grateful for that, but if you're going into this to, in the end, take back your words…"
"I'm not," promised the man, serious too. "I believe in the young Midoriya."
"Good."
Satisfied with that, the girl started walking again. After a second, the Symbol of Peace followed in her steps.
"You are a very good friend to him, aren't you?"
"… I try," she shrugged. "To be honest, I think I failed him, in a way. Even though I kept encouraging him to move forward, I never told him once the words you told him sooner. 'You can be a Hero'… those never left my mouth because, deep down, I feared they would end up destroying him. But now… now, I see that I was wrong."
She looked away, somewhat ashamed, and startled when All Might suddenly ruffled her hair, making it even messier than before.
"Always standing by his side was enough for him, I believe," he then said. "I admire your sense of friendship, Suttoki Kira!"
The girl gaped at him like a fish out of water, and the man laughed.
"Come with young Midoriya in two days. I think I can give you an advice or two for your control."
With that, he walked away, still laughing. It's only once he was out of sight that the teen snapped out of him, and realized he had actually escorted her all the way home.
This man…
A grin stretched her lips.
I can't wait to get started!
"Tadaima~"
"KIRA!"
"SHIT."
Trying to avoid the assault, she failed to escape and found herself trapped into a headlock, graciously offered by her oh-so-dear brother.
"Where were you!?" he snapped as she struggled.
"I-"
"Don't answer, I already know!" She cringed at his tone. "What were you thinking, going ahead of danger like that!? First this morning –don't make that face, I saw it online- and then after school!?"
"It's not like I could just turn my back when I was able help, damn it!"
She kicked his chin –not enough to really hurt, but enough to force him to let her go- and put some distance between the two of them. Rubbing his sore chin, the older boy glared at her, and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I helped back there," she said. "I saved lives with my Quirk, and I even discovered a new ability! I'm growing stronger, Ren, and I want to use this strength to become a Hero, so that that way I'll be able to help people everyday, to protect you, and even find that man!"
At that, he gritted his teeth, before sighing heavily.
"You're not backing down from this, are you?"
"I'll graduate to U.A. and become a Hero," she repeated. "And even if you don't approve… please support me into this."
"It'll be dangerous."
"I know."
"You might get hurt, or worse."
"I know."
"… you're my baby sister…"
He hid his face in his hands. Feeling her heart clench, she went to him and hugged him tightly. While he was a good head taller than her, he wasn't very intimidating when in such a state.
"I'll become a Hero, and find the one who killed our parents." He shook a little at that, before relaxing and hugging her back. "I'm not backing down."
"Then I won't stop you. But please… just be careful, alright? You're my only family. I don't want to loose you too," he pleaded.
"I'm not leaving anytime soon," she assured.
They stayed like this for a moment, before she finally pulled away.
"Don't think you'll get rid of me that easily," she joked.
"A shame," he rolled his eyes, back to normal.
She laughed at that, before the smell of spicy Tokiyaki reached her nose, making her salivate. If there was one thing she loved, it was spicy food. Not wasting a second, she took her seat at the table, eagerly awaiting her meal.
Ren laughed, before serving her her plate.
"Itadakimasu!"
They started eating.
Her brother was twenty-five years old, and worked with the police. Seeing as the fire ten years prior had marked him for life, taking away half of his sight, he wasn't able to become a field agent, and thus settled on becoming the Archivist. Archivist was a very important job, for he was the one keeping the information on each and every person living in this city, and even beyond that. All of the data was written by his hand and kept in a room where only he had access, the lock adapted to open only thanks to his Quirk.
Seeing as he was in possession of such valuable information, his identity was kept secret, only known to his sister, the police officers and higher ups. To any other, he was merely the secretary of the office, or something of the sort. Much less gratifying, but perfect for a cover.
Ren was taller than her, with white, shoulder-length hair contrasting with her own, but the same red eyes –kind of. The right side of his face had been burnt during the incident, when he saved her from the fire, and he lost his right eye in the process. He covered the whole thing with an eyepatch but, objectively speaking, Kira found him very handsome.
He was kind, always ready to help and, despite his certain aversion for fire, he loved his sister more than anything in the world. And, even though they often fought, they always made up in the following half-hour, if not less. They only had each other, after all.
"By the way, you're cleaning the dishes for a month."
"What!? No fair!"
"That'll teach you to get into such dangerous situations."
"Tche."
She threw her fork at him, but the projectile was deflected before it could reach its target.
That was her brother's Quirk. He was like a walking magnet, attracting any metallic object at will, but he could also repel them by creating a magnetic field around him. He could also reverse the polarity of any object, a technique he used to open the lock leading to the Archive Room.
"Jackass," she muttered.
"A month and a week."
"That's abusing your power! You can't do that!" she protested.
"I'm the adult here. A month and two weeks. Wanna keep it up?" he taunted.
Knowing she couldn't escape it, she merely pulled her tongue at him in answer, making him laugh at her.
Jerk.
When she woke up the next morning, pain was all Kira knew. Her whole body felt terribly sore, each muscle aching, and an awful headache was hammering inside her skull. Simply twitching her fingers sent painful shocks through her nerve system, and blood started pouring out of her nose when she forced herself to sit.
Needless to say, Ren didn't let her go to school that day.
Now I know the effects of going passed my limits.
…
I think I'll be more careful next time.
…
Ow.
…
Son of a bitch.
Two days later, she was finally able to move on her own. She still felt sore, but she couldn't wait to meet with Izuku and All Might to get started. She knew her friend would be the Hero's priority, but any advice from a Pro could help, and she wasn't one to spat on opportunities when they presented themselves.
After what seemed like hours, she finally reached the meeting point: Dagoba Municipal Beach Park. When she arrived, the green-haired boy was already there, trying to pull a fridge while All Might sat on top of it. She blinked at the weird sight, not sure if she was seeing right.
Izuku has even less strength than I.. how could he possibly pull that fridge?
"Err… why are you pulling a fridge?"
"K-Kicchan!"
Loosing his focus, he slipped and kissed the ground. She cringed.
"Sorry…"
"Ah, young lady! I was wondering if you would come!" greeted All Might.
"I had a rather painful time getting here," she winced, rubbing her arms. "Because of what happened at the market two days ago, I couldn't even get out of bed without being assaulted by heavy nosebleeds until today."
"That's why you didn't show up at school… Are you okay now?" worried her friend.
"Just sore," she assured. "I'll be able to start my training again tomorrow. So, why are you cleaning the trash, if you don't mind me asking?"
"One For All cannot be wielded by a weak body," answered All Might with a shrug. "The limbs would come off and the body would implode."
"How nice," she scrunched her nose.
That made the Hero laugh and her best friend hung his head in despair at her lack of proper reaction. Seeing that, she patted his head.
"Don't worry. You can do it," she smiled at him. "I know you can."
He gaped for a few seconds, before beaming at her.
"Hai!"
He returned to his training with that. Kira watched for a few seconds, somewhat amused and pained at how difficult it seemed to be for the poor boy, before heading to All Might, who suddenly puffed back to his normal form.
"Alright, let's get to it!" she beamed at him. "I know Izuku is priority, but any advice is welcome by now, seriously."
"Such youthful spirit!" he offered a thumb's up. "Very well! Now, listen closely: the secret to perfect control of your Quirk is…"
She leaned closer, excited.
What is it? What is All Might's secret?
"MEDITATION!"
…
…
…
"Eh?"
"Meditation!" he repeated. "You train your body but not your mind, so how do you expect to manage the balance that'll assure you control over your powers?"
"B-but I tried!" she protested, wailing her arms to put emphasis. "Many times at that! It just doesn't work!"
"How can you find what you need if you don't know what you're looking for?" retorted the Hero, poking her forehead.
He… kind of has a point.
"Okay, what do I do?"
The blond man nodded in approval at her resolve, and gestured for the fridge that Izuku still failed to even move an inch despite his greatest efforts. Raising an eyebrow, she however climbed on, biting back a hiss of pain at the sudden pull on her muscles. Once on top, she sat cross-legged, before looking back to All Might, awaiting further instructions.
"Close your eyes."
She did as told.
"Good. Now, I want you to concentrate… on nothing."
"… I am very confused right now."
"Erase everything from your mind. Unbound your spirit, push away your thoughts, and allow your very soul to roam free in the void you are to create," he explained patiently. "Set it free, and let it find the very core of your power."
"Core… of my power?"
"Every Quirk has a source, an origin. Most of the people don't know of its existence, or just don't care about finding it, for they don't need the precise control," precised All Might. "However, in your case, control isn't an option. As of now, you're barely keeping it on a leash, like some sort of wild animal. You have to tame it, so that it doesn't fight against your control each time you use it. Once you find your core, then you will be able to understand your abilities themselves, and the rest of the answers will come on their own afterwards."
The young girl was still somewhat confused about the whole explanation, but grasped the most of it. She had to find her core, and learn… or something like that.
Let's just find it for now. The rest will come later.
Taking a deep breath, she then forced herself to block out the sounds of the outside and forget about everything.
Forget…
Forget…
Forget…
.
.
What am I trying to forget?
After an hour, Kira had to stop, unsuccessful but with a heavy headache. She had concentrated so much on forgetting everything… that she forgot not to concentrate on anything at all.
I'm such an idiot.
As she prepared herself to go back home, though, All Might reassured her. Finding her core wouldn't be easy, and surely wouldn't happen in barely an hour, or even a month. Himself had taken half-a-year to do so. In the meantime, he advised her to meditate each opportunity she got, without forgetting to train her body as well.
When she inquired about why Izuku didn't do the same, he replied that the boy had to focus his whole attention on physical training for now, and on control later, or he wouldn't be able to contain the power and the vessel, too weak, would be destroyed.
How truly charming.
But Kira wasn't giving up, neither on Izuku nor on herself. As of today, they had ten months before the U.A. entry exams. Even if it wasn't a lot, it would be enough. They simply had to put everything they got into it.
Ten months would be enough.
It has to be.
The ginger girl shot a worried look at her friend. Barely a week had passed, and he looked like a zombie. However, he still pushed himself beyond his limits, and it only made her feel ashamed of herself.
I need to train harder. I stop each time I reach my limit, but there's no way I'll surpass them if I keep this up. I have to go beyond, again and again and again, or I won't make it.
She opened a still empty notebook, picked up her pencil and, without wasting another second, started writing.
TRAINING PLAN
TIME: 10 MONTHS
6:30 (awakening, morning routine)
Her alarm clock started ringing. With a groan, Kira forced her muscles to move and somehow managed to reach the annoyance troubling her sleep. Slamming down her fist to turn it off, she was about to go back to sleep when she remembered her newfound resolve.
With a sigh, but knowing it wouldn't work any other way, she rolled off her mattress… and fell on the floor with a loud 'THUD'. The slight pain caused by the all-but-soft landing finished waking her up, and she threw her blankets on her bed with a scowl, knowing it only was the first morning and that the next ones would be the same, if not worse.
Getting up, she started stretching her arms, legs and torso, then her wrists, ankles and neck. The warm-up doing its magic, she felt more awake than ever fifteen minutes later. Feeling better, she then headed to the bathroom to get a cold shower, hoping to chase away the last traces of sleepiness painting her face.
On the way out, she caught sight of Ren, sleeping once again on the couch. With a shake of her head, she pulled a blanket over him and put away his papers, before returning to her previous activities.
I've barely started, but I feel like this is going to be the worst ten months of my life.
9:00 to 4:00 (school)
"… and while the apparition of Quirks is still somewhat of a mystery…"
Make the void… empty your head… forget about everything…
'SNAP'
"Shit!"
The rest of the class started laughing as the teacher loomed over her with a very unimpressed look.
"Careful with your language, miss Suttoki," warned the woman. "And do pay attention when in class, if it isn't too much to ask of you."
Kira's cheeks turned as red as her eyes as she mumbled an apology, and the teen caught the distinct 'looser' sent by the jerk, yours truly. Without even looking, she threw an eraser at his head. It smacked the blond in the face but, by the time he tried to retaliate, the teacher was back to the front of the class and facing her students yet again.
The two of them exchanged a glare. Then, he mouthed 'loosing control again, Carrot?', and she had to bit her tongue to refrain from screaming in frustration.
I'll show him, determined, she reported her attention on the current class. And when I grow even stronger than him, he'll be the one loosing control.
12:00 (lunch break, in between classes)
"Come on, Izuku, keep up the pace!"
"I-I'm… trying…" the boy managed to reply in a breath.
He was panting like a dog, sweating heavily as the sun happily bashed its rays onto their heads without any mercy. They had decided to eat, then go for a jog around the park.
However, while Kira had developed a great stamina over the years, the green-haired teen wasn't as used to such physically demanding tasks. She tried to slow her pace, of course, but she couldn't just let him walk either. Also, she knew he wouldn't forgive her if she decided to go easy on him. After all, he too was training hard, so as to become a suitable vessel for One For All.
Finally, after forty-eight minutes, they managed to finish their jog. They stopped at the entrance of the school, the ginger gulping down some water while her friend collapsed to his knees, his breath hitching.
"Y-you d-d-do… this every… e-every day…?"
"Maybe we should slow down a bit," she frowned at his state. "Just pushing passed exhaustion won't work-"
"No!"
She jumped a little at his sudden exclamation, and he rose back on his feet, legs shaking like jelly but his chin held proud and his eyes like steel.
"No," he repeated, hands trembling under the effort. "We keep it up, until I can go even faster than you!"
Ten months usually wouldn't be enough to beat a stamina built over years, she thought, surprised. But with him…
"Come on, we still have some time left!"
But with him… it feels like nothing is impossible.
16:00 to 17:30 (Judo class)
"Again!"
Harder.
"Again!"
Faster.
"Again!"
Stronger!
She trapped her opponent in a cross-lock, heart thumping fast. The boy under her stared at her with wide, almost terrified eyes, and there was an intense moment of silence.
"Suttoki: win!"
The girl let go of her hold, and the her opponent instantly crawled off the tatami, apparently done for the day. Cracking her knuckles, she then faced the rest of her class, eager for another spar, but none of the students seemed willing to indulge in her silent demands.
"Alright, everyone!" then called the teacher. "That's all fort today, good work! And Suttoki, come here for a second."
As the rest of the students left, she joined her teacher, curious. The man was in his late forties, with a blue beard and a Quirk that allowed him to copy any technique or movement he saw only once. This ability would have allowed him to become a great hero, but he chose instead to pass down his knowledge to the new generation.
"What is it, Shinomiya-sensei?"
"Well, it would seem you no longer find any challenge in my class," he sighed, scratching his beard. "If you're interested, I'll look into transferring you to the more advanced one."
"R-really!?"
"Well, you've been flying through ranks and classes for many years, now," he shrugged. "I don't see any problem with it."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Changing class meant new techniques, new challenges, new training routine and new opponents. It would only help her improve, and it was yet another opportunity she wasn't about to let go.
Happy, she hugged the man tightly, and he chuckled, patting her head.
"Thank your own efforts, not me," he said with a smile. "But if you don't mind answering, I do have a question for you."
"What is it?" she pulled away, curious.
"Well, your Quirk is pretty strong, uh?" he remarked. "Becoming a Hero with those powers of yours alone would be easy. Why do you insist on becoming a master in martial arts, then?"
She thought for a moment, before shrugging.
"A Hero shouldn't rely on their powers alone," the teen replied. "What would they do if they became unable to use them during a mission? Every Hero has at least one weakness, and my own would be pretty easy to guess, considering the nature of my Quirk."
"Water?"
"Yup," she popped the 'p'. "Let's say that I'm to fight a Villain under the rain. I wouldn't be able to use my Quirk, then. I'd make a pretty lame Hero if I was beaten by rain, of all things, wouldn't I?"
Shinomiya-sensei laughed at that, slapping her on the back. She lost her balance somewhat, but stayed on her feet.
"Good answer!" he grinned. "Now, I'll see to your transfer tonight. I'll contact you with your new schedule tomorrow."
"Arigato gozaimasu!"
17:30 to 19:00 (training with A.M)
"I-I don't think this is a good idea-"
"Nonsense! Now focus!"
Izuku watched as the ginger shook, and winced in sympathy. When he looked at what All Might put the girl through to help her concentrate, he felt more at ease with his own hellish training.
His best friend was currently standing on top of the damn fridge –which he still wasn't able to move-, on one hand, with a broken television on one feet and a tire on the other. The other hand was tied in her back, and her eyes were covered with a scarf.
Kira struggled to keep her balance, but soon found herself falling from the fridge and kissing the ground. Spatting some sand with a disgusted expression, she then glared at the Hero through the half-fallen cloth blocking her sight.
"This is stupid," she accused, getting up and dusting herself. "How am I to focus on nothing if I have to concentrate on keeping my balance?"
"Think, young lady!" the blond man roughly poked her forehead. "If you achieve this task, then it would mean you no longer have to think about concentrating, right?"
That's… her eyes widened in realization. Actually brilliant…
She clenched her fist, before climbing back onto the fridge. Once there, she placed her hands on her hips, looking down at All Might with a fierce glare.
"When," she then snapped.
"Uh?"
"Not 'if' I achieve it," she corrected. "But when. Give me the damn tire."
Surprised for a second, the top Hero then offered a satisfied grin, and handed her back the tire. Lifting herself back on her hands, she forced herself to forget about her already shaking limbs and took a deep breath.
Alright… again!
"Now come on, the ten months will be over before you know it!"
Izuku tripped and fell. Kira snorted quietly, but the faint noise caught All Might's attention.
"What are you laughing at? Get back to work!"
"Y-yes sir!" she gulped, returning to her own training.
19:00 to 20:30 (Bo staff training)
They exchanged blows at a quick pace. As Kira was about to hit her opponent, though, her Master used the opening to get her in the guts. Grunting, the took a step back as the woman before her lowered her staff.
"You've got to be careful about the openings, Suttoki," she said, as harshly as per usual. "I like your boldness in a fight, but it'll mean nothing it you can't back it up. Now get lost, it's getting late. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Hai! Thank you for your time, Nami-sensei!"
20:45
"Tadaima!"
"Okaeri!"
The teen let herself fall on the chair, instantly stuffing her mouth with the dinner made by her brother. The white-haired man gaped at the quite… disgraceful sight, for a few seconds, before shaking his head.
"Kira, what-"
"I need to eat a lot to make up for the energy I use during the day," she cut his question, not even looking at him. "I'll be on the roof to train some more after, if you need anything."
"R-right…"
Her brother could only watch as she finished her bowl, instantly asking for another. He served her again, and she didn't loose a second. Seeing that, he hit her with his spoon.
"Ow… what was that for?"
"If you eat too fast, then you won't be able to digest properly," he scolded. "And vomiting everything won't make you gain more energy."
At that, she offered a sheepish smile, and started eating again, though more slowly.
Once done, she thanked him for the meal before heading for the roof.
"Oi!"
The teen caught the jacket he threw her way, surprised he was letting her off the hook so easily.
"I can't stop you, I know I can't," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "But… let me help, at least. Don't hesitate to ask, okay?"
Her throat tightened under the emotion. Ever since they started living together, he had disapproved of her ambition of becoming a Hero. For him to now offer his support and encouragements…
Unable to stop herself, she launched herself in his arms. He chuckled, hugging back.
"You can do it, Little Spark."
Ren… arigato.
21:30 to 22:00
"Urgh, I can't do it!"
Frustrated, the young girl let herself fall onto her back. Rubbing her eyes, she let out a tired sigh.
How can I do it? It mustn't be so hard, right? What am I even searching for? What the hell is my core in the first place? What does it looks like, feel like?
Ugh…
Stifling a yawn, she then looked at the sky, only to feel a shiver running through her whole body. There, on the dark night sky, were shining thousands of stars, each brighter than the other. The sight was beautiful and, without any light from the ground to darken theirs, she could finally truly see them.
So beautiful…
She suddenly felt at peace. At the mercy of the universe, she was calm, collected. Her breathing eased, the erratic beatings of her heart slowing their pace… Without noticing, she slipped into a deep sleep.
It was the same routine for the next seven months. Slowly but surely, her body got used to the new schedule. Getting out of bed still was a challenge, though she no longer needed a cold shower to fully wake up. Her training regime was intense, demanding, and she often fell asleep during her meditation. Her jogs with Izuku were getting better, but not by much, even though the boy had yet to give up. As for the sessions with All Might… well, she still wasn't able to achieve the one-hand-stand, but she wasn't letting go.
She knew she was getting closer each day that was passing by. It was only a matter of time and, even though said time wasn't a luxury they could afford, she knew they'd both be able to achieve their goals before the entry exams if they kept working hard.
Fall had reached the city, tainting the trees of red and orange. The pavements were covered with dead leaves, and a swift, cold breeze was now blowing through the streets. Seeing as the sunrays soon wouldn't be enough to warm them on their own, the two friends and All Might decided to use of one of the few last days of good weather to go for a jog.
Both teens were carrying an heavy televisor, running without loosing their breath on talking. They were focused, determined-
'THUD'
And dead tired.
Kira let her load crash on the ground, her arms shaking violently, and Izuku quite literally collapsed under exhaustion. All Might, who had gone ahead, stopped his scooter and turned to them.
"Oi, oi, what's wrong?" he barked. "There are only three months left! You won't make it if you keep that pace! Wanna give up? Wanna take it easy and rest today?"
"N-no!" the ginger protested, though weakly.
He stared at them for a few seconds, realization slowly dawning upon him.
"Overwork…?" he frowned. "The 'Aim to Pass: American Dream Plan' was adjusted with your body in mind to make sure you'd make it in time for the entrance exams, young man… and yourself had only to focus on finding your core so as to control your abilities, young lady."
His eyes narrowed.
"You haven't been sticking to the plan, have you?" he grew somewhat angry. "Overdoing it will have the opposite effect! Don't you want to get in?"
"I-I do…"
"O-of… of course w-we… do…" Kira's breath hitched slightly, and she placed an hand on her beating heart with a wince.
I didn't know it could get painful, damn…
"B-but… I can't just… g-get in…"
At that, the ginger snapped her head at him, surprised.
"I h-have to work… a-a lot more than… other p-people… or I w-won't be… able to… c-catch up…"
His fingers dig painfully into the dirt as he forced his overused body to move, and the only thing in that moment that refrained Kira from bashing his head for being so reckless was her own exhaustion.
"I want to be…" the green-haired be struggled to raise his head. "To be strong like Ki-Kicchan… and to become… the greatest Hero… like you!"
The blond man stiffened, and the ginger shook her head, knowing there was no way for her friend to change his mind. Then, All Might turned into his hero form, lifting effortlessly the exhausted boy from the ground.
"You go-getter fanboy! I like that!"
The girl mentally facepalmed.
Of fricking course he does.
"But! If that is the case, then you really can't rush things now! I understand your feelings, though. Leave it to this old guy to adjust your plan!" he promised.
"You're not old… All Might…"
At that, the Hero started laughing loudly. Kira simply snorted, however drawing the man's attention.
"What about you, young lady? Must I take a look at your schedule as well?"
"T-that won't be… necessary," she assured, somehow managing to get back on her two feet. "I've already got… an overprotective brother… on the case."
The Hero started laughing again at that, and the teen could only offer a slight smile. As promised, he truly was invested in Izuku's achievements, and even her own, despite her demands to prioritize her friend.
His efforts wouldn't be in vain.
I promise.
"High! Low! High! Low! High! Low! Suttoki, faster!"
"Hai!"
Gritting her teeth, she ignored her the protests of her muscles and started going through the warm-ups faster.
"Suttoki, stop opening your arms so damn much! You're here to learn how to fight, not how to dance! If you wanna waltz with a partner, you've come to the wrong place!"
"Yes ma'am! I apologize, ma'am!"
"Urgh, that's why I hate kids…" But Akazuki Nami didn't have much room to talk, seriously. She was the one who accepted to personally train the girl after all. If she didn't believe that the teen could do it, then she wouldn't be so harsh. "Get up, brat! We're not done yet! If you want to have even half a chance in those exams of yours, then you've got to move your ass a little more!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Suttoki, late again?"
"S-sorry…"
"Sorry won't cut it," the teacher narrowed her eyes. "Ever since the beginning of this school year, you have been late… no, you have been on time four times, and I counted. You ought to be careful, or you might very well fail your classes."
"Nan, I'll be fine," she assured with a confident grin.
The teacher simply shrugged, returning to the front of the class. Kira offered a sheepish smile at Izuku, who simply shook his head, and ignored the snickers of the rest of the class. It was true that she hadn't come on time a lot this year, but who could blame her? She had to train harder than ever if she wanted to get into U.A..
Plus, Izuku and I are studying like crazy too. There's no way we're going to fail.
No way.
"There you go!"
"Wait, that's the third bowl-"
"You need to eat!" She gulped at the dangerous glint in her brother's eyes. "Don't push me to make you eat by force."
She offered a military salute, before digging in, making him laugh.
"Izuku, I don't get it…" the ginger whined, banging her head on the desk.
"I thought you understood the last one," he blinked, confused.
They were now working on mathematics, though each problem failed to find a solution when in the hands of the ginger girl.
"But this one's different!" she protested.
"That's… kind of the point, you know?"
"Ugh! I'm not good at these sorts of things," she groaned, rubbing her temples. "I'm more into street-smarts than academicals-smarts, you know?"
"You're all brawns but no brains, then?" taunted her friend.
"Wha- how dare you?"
Her outrage was the last straw. The both of them stared for a second, before breaking into a laughter fit. It was so violent that the green-haired boy rolled off his bed, making them laugh even harder until tears streamed down their face.
It's only two minutes later that they managed to calm down and look at each other without breaking down again. Once able to breath normally, the boy shook his head with a tired smile.
"We're really tired, aren't we?"
"No shit," the girl snorted in a very unladylike manner. "But to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. We're going to ace these exams, got it?"
"Right!"
They bumped fists, but the shock made Kira's old –very old- pencil to break, spurting ink all over her face. There was a second of silence, before Izuku broke down laughing once more, soon followed by his friend.
Kira was tired. It was five a.m., the day of the entrance exams, and she had yet to find her core. However, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to worry. Even though she had failed to gain greater control, her intense training had greatly helped and her body was stronger than ever.
In the distance, she could faintly here Izuku struggling to push another piece of trash. There was also the distinct noise of the cars in the city, and a few cries from the birds farther away. However, all she could truly hear was the slow pace of the waves hitting the beach.
It's lulling melody didn't help her fight against sleep. Even though she had gotten used to getting up at ungodly hours –it had become an internal clock, and she no longer needed her alarm-, the hellish ten months seemed to weight heavier than ever on her shoulders.
The teen enjoyed the warm rays caressing her face. Now, all she could feel was the sun, all she could see was darkness and all she could hear was the tide. Slowly but surely, she felt her consciousness dropping deeper and deeper, though to where, she wouldn't be able to say. Not really caring to pull back, it took her a moment to realize that she could no longer feel her body.
It was as if her very mind was now free from the weight of flesh, bones and blood. It felt… good, strangely so. Peaceful. It brought her back to that time on the roof, when she truly saw the stars for the very first time.
There was suddenly a spark.
Curious, she tried to follow it. The closer she got, the brighter it seemed. Before she knew it, she had reached what seemed to be a tiny sun trapped in a cage of some sort, with heavy chains of gold and light. It was raw, destructive, she could feel the heat radiating from it, and the only thing she could think at the moment…
A beast in cage.
Setting it free felt dangerous, but letting it be seemed downright cruel. And, while her reason was screaming at her to go back, her instincts kept her locked in place. After another moment of hesitation, she brought her hand closer to the cage, passed through the bars and, without a second thought, broke the chains.
There was a a second, a minute, an hour, she couldn't tell, couldn't think, but a moment passed without anything happening. Then, the chains shattered, the cage was engulfed in smoke and the sun imploded.
There was a flash of light, before flames hotter than she ever felt before suddenly engulfed her entirely, and burned everything to ashes.
"HOLY CRAP!"
Kira fell rather ungracefully, falling in the sand like a sack of potatoes. Ignoring the harsh landing, all she could focus on was the sudden warmth flowing through her veins, like lava.
It feels… good. I feel good…
"Kira, are you okay?"
She snapped her eyes open, taking a few seconds to focus back onto reality, and saw Izuku looming over her with worry written over his face. All Might was next to him in his hero form, offering her his hand. She took it, and the man helped her back on her feet.
"You found it, didn't you?" he asked, though he already knew.
"It feels… amazing," she stared at her hands, only realizing now that she was shaking. "I never knew… never thought…"
The teen didn't know what to do. She wanted to test her new freedom, wanted to scream to the world 'I did it!' even though none would understand.
An hand fell onto her shoulder, the tilted her head to Izuku, who offered her a thumb's up and a grin. She blinked, before understanding dawned on her.
"YOU DID IT!"
Laughing, she hugged him tightly, spinning him around a little as All Might laughed too. She only placed him down when he grew dizzy.
"So, did you become the vessel?"
At that, he made a weird face, and placed an hand over his mouth while looking away.
"Y-yeah…"
The girl shot a wondering look at the blond Hero, who simply laughed again.
Well, whatever. We both did it, and that's all that matters.
.
.
Two hours later, the two friends were now before the U.A. High School Entrance Exam Location. The tiredness had left place to excitement and nervousness and, already, the place was filling with many other hopeful students.
"God, we made it…" the ginger sighed in relief.
"Let's go!"
Kira did her best not to gape. Just the entrance of the building was impressive, what would the inside be like?
"Outta my way, Deku, Carrot!"
"K-Kacchan!?"
"Don't stand in front of me. I'll kill you," he snapped.
"Damn, Spikey got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Run for your lives," deadpanned the girl.
As Izuku suddenly became a nervous wreck, the blond boy scoffed at her, apparently very angry. She was about to fire another insult –she had to change her mind somehow- when he simply continued on his way, roughly shoving her in the shoulder on the way.
She pulled her tongue at his back, however catching the whispers suddenly echoing all around.
"Hey, isn't that Bakugo?"
"The one from the sludge Villain incident?"
"Oh, he's the real thing!"
Worried for a moment, Kira then allowed herself to relax when no one seemed to recognize her. It would seem words of her own implications during the three incidents with Villains on the same day hadn't made it to the public, which greatly helped. She didn't want fake assumptions to be made on her because of articles spread all over the city.
She was about to propose to Izuku to get going when the boy tripped on his very feet. The teen could only watch as he fell, unsure whether to laugh or cry at the face he made. Before she could decide how to properly react, though, he stopped moving midair.
He's floating… could that be All Might's powers taking effect? So soon?
It was only then that she noticed the girl on the other side, her hand placed onto his backpack and apparently the one making him float.
"Are you alright?" she inquired kindly.
Izuku started panicking, and the new girl put him down with a short laugh.
"It's my Quirk. Sorry for using it without asking first," she apologized while offering a bright smile. "But it'd be bad luck if you fell, right?"
Kira muffled a laugh at the stunned expression of her friend as the mysterious girl started chatting energetically.
"Aren't you nervous?"
"U-u-u-u-u-h-"
"Ne, ne, let's both do our best!" she beamed at him, before finally noticing the red-eyed girl. "You too!"
"Break a leg," grinned back Kira, amused by the vibrant personality of the girl.
"Well, see ya!"
The ginger waved back as the girl went inside, before turning to the green-haired teen, only to find him making yet another weird face. Deciding just not to ask, she was about to propose to him yet again to go inside too when someone tapped her shoulder. Curious, she looked to the boy behind her, faintly recognizing his uniform as one of the Seniors from the Hero Course.
"Ano, are you Suttoki Kira?" he asked, smiling kindly.
"That'd be me," she confirmed, puzzled. "Can I do something for you?"
"Well, you were asked to meet with the Head of the Committee before going to your exam orientation," he scratched the back of his head, apparently apologetic. "I'm to take you there, if you don't mind."
"Err, sure? Must be pretty important if I'm asked for just before the exams," she replied, though confused. "Ne, Izuku? I've got to go, apparently. I'll see you in the orientation exam room, okay?"
"R-right…"
As his inquisitive stare, she merely shrugged, as puzzled as him, before following the Senior inside.
"It's here."
"Thanks for guiding me," she smiled at him.
"No problem," he smiled back.
He then left, and she stared at the door, before knocking. It instantly opened on what seemed to be a gigantic mouse, or hamster, or… whatever it was. She was about to freak out when she realized it was probably the Headmaster they all had heard about at least once.
Still, to see it in real…
"Ah, miss Suttoki Kira, I presume?" he greeted with a sympathetic smile.
"In the flesh," she nodded, shaking his hand. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, yes, come on in!"
The girl did as told while he closed the door, and she sat on the couch.
"Some tea?"
"No, thank you."
He served himself a cup, before taking a seat before her.
"Alright, so it is concerning your entrance in U.A...," he announced.
The teen tensed a little. Would there be a problem? Did they believe her Quirk was too troublesome? Were her grades unsatisfactory? She hadn't completed the written test yet, but maybe they took a look at the grades-
"You have actually been recommended!"
…
…
…
"Eh?"
He chuckled at her dumbstruck expression, and she shook her head.
"W-what do you mean, I've been recommended?" she was terribly confused. "I don't have any contact in the Hero field, and-"
"You have been recommended by Death Arms and Backdraft, along with the Archivist, and also a civilian family you have apparently saved from a fire during the sludge incident almost a year ago."
Her heart missed a beat.
Death Arms and Backdraft? That family? MY BROTHER!?
"I-I don't understand… I mean, I know what I did last time, but it was done without thinking," she protested. "And is the Archivist even allowed to recommend someone? Are civilians allowed to?"
"Well, we obviously have to consider the situations and reasons behind each recommendations, and while yourself are related to the Archivist –his identity is known of myself and the higher ups only, do not worry-, he completed the recommendation file with the utmost objectivity," he explained calmly.
"But… I…"
Kira was at lost at what to do. For the passed ten months… no, for the last few years of her life, she trained harder than ever to one day be able to enter this very school. She spent sweat and tears and blood on this very task, aiming for one goal only: becoming a Hero. The teen always wanted to rely on her own strengths to overcome obstacles, and she was who she was today because of her determination to pass the entrance exams with flying colors.
But now…
All these efforts… for naught?
"Are you alright, Suttoki-chan?" frowned slightly the Headmaster. "You seem somewhat upset…"
She looked down at her lap, thinking for a few seconds, even though her decision was already made.
"Headmaster, with all due respect… I can't accept these recommendations."
He didn't seem surprise, and merely smiled, as if he already knew she'd say that.
"Now, why would that be?"
"I want… I want to enter U.A. thanks to my own efforts," she bit her lower lip, unsure of how to say it. "One cannot become a Hero alone, but getting in by using mere recommendations doesn't feel… right, you know? I want to be accepted because of my own strength, and not because of someone else's word, no matter how grateful I am to them."
"I understand," he nodded, still smiling. "Though it is unusual for one to refuse the recommendations, it wouldn't be the first time. We'll simply forget about them and evaluate you like any other hopeful student, then."
"Then thank you, for your time and understanding."
"Of course, of course. Good luck in the exams, Suttoki-chan!"
She bowed, before leaving his office.
Once outside, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, her heart beating wildly.
To think they would recommend me to U.A. How did the family, Death Arms and Backdraft even know about it? And for Ren to pitch in too…
Warmth spread in her chest.
Thank you, all of you. I can't accept your help, but I'm grateful.
I won't let you down. I swear.
Determination shoving away her stress, she pumped her fist in the air.
"Tcha! Let's do this!"
Next up: the Exam! As for the recommendations, well, I just thought that Backdraft of all people would recommand her after her intervention, and Death Arms saw what she could do too. As for the Archivist, well, he knows everything there is to know about everyone's Quirk, so he can offer a good analysis of people. Concerning said Archivist... well, Ren's job is going to have an important impact on the story later on. If you have any question abou that or Ren's Quirk, don't hesitate to ask!
Also, I apolozige to those who might believe Kira is too strong or a little Mary-Sue. I don't see her like that, but I know some people might. I however believe that, if she started training at a very young age, then she truly can be as strong as she is right now.
Hope you liked it anyway, and I'm also hoping for your opinion on the story!
Plus Ultra!