Holy hell so two days are left. ONLY TWO DAYS! And since I've got nothing better to do and I'm really excited, here's the new chapter! It's my longest as of yet, and it contains all of the Hero Killer Arc if you're wondering. Why? Because I could.
Warning: Kira's language, Kira's stubborness and Kira's lack of self-preservation.
Enjoy!
Two days later, all of the students found themselves at the train station. Kira had her backpack, the suitcase with her costume and equipment, and the cage containing the three cats, which was hidden under a cloth. She had no doubt that her teacher wouldn't want to loose his cool image before his students –babysitting cats wasn't exactly in his known character-, and so she took pity on him and decided to save his ego by hiding them.
That, and because she knew he'd have one hell of a week. Spikey wasn't any less of an asshole than at the first day, after all, and he wouldn't have any pity on the poor man.
I'll take that as my revenge for forcing me to take them in and call us even.
"You all have your costumes, right?" Aizawa-sensei arrived from nowhere. The students quickly gathered around him. "Remember, you aren't allowed to wear them in public. Don't drop them or anything. Also, make sure you mind your manners with the Heroes at your internships. Now, off you go."
"Hai!"
As the crowd dispersed, Kira quickly made her way to him, and handed the cage over. He sighed, but took it anyway. Grinning, she bowed, before running to join the others.
Now that I think about it, it's the first time I'll be going out without an escort, she mused, reaching her friends. Then again, I didn't even tell Ren about where I was going, so I doubt Hagane of all people would know about it.
"Where is your internship?"
Kira startled, looking over at Todoroki.
And froze, when remembering she never actually talked to him about it.
"Ah, ah…" She looked away, somewhat nervous. "Funny story, actually…"
He raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head. He obviously easily understood what she was wary to tell him. There however was a small smile on his lips, and she relaxed when realizing he wasn't mad at her.
"I guess it's better than making the trip alone," he then remarked.
"Oh, you're going to your father's Agency too?" she understood, surprised. "I didn't think you'd do it. Weren't you trying to reject him completely, or something like that?"
"I am. But first… I need to be able to use that… power of mine," he replied. "You were right. Taking this power as my own and using it for my own dream is the best way to actually reject him. It's the same as with your Hero name, isn't it?"
"I guess it is," she shrugged, smiling a little. "Talking of names, though… We'll need to come up with one for you!"
"I don't know yet."
"Well, how about… White Fire?" she proposed, thinking fast. "Or… Mr. Freeze! No wait, something tells me that's plagiarism. Maybe Icy-Hot?"
Her ideas earned a small laugh from the boy as they took seats near the window. The train started moving a few seconds later, and Kira pouted a little at the boy.
"Why are you laughing? I'm serious!"
"That's why it's funny."
"Jerk," she muttered.
"Oh, is Bakugo around?" He mimicked searching for the bomber in the crowd of passengers.
The ginger gaped at him, surprised, before laughing. She hadn't expected Shoto, of all people, to make jokes. Maybe he was actually a closet jokester or something.
One way or another, it's good to know he's comfortable enough to show that side of him. Who knows? Maybe this internship won't be as bad as I first thought it'd be.
.
.
Hero Killer Stain had left without accepting their offer. Shigaraki Tomura was thinking it over, obviously bothered by what had been said. Kurogiri was wiping the counter, not saying a word. However, he soon found something in the way of his cleaning. Or rather, someone.
"What has gotten into you, Seishin no Hagane?" he asked flatly.
The masked man was all over the counter, an half-empty cup of alcohol in his hand and a scowl over his face.
"I'm bored," he grunted. "My sweet little Kira went off on an internship, and I don't even know where!"
"Why do you keep playing around with her?" replied the shadow-man. "We could have gotten her to join a long time ago. She has grown stronger, as you predicted, has she not?"
"Ooh, she went beyond my own expectations!" agreed Hagane, a little more cheerful now that he thought about that particular bit of information. "Creating her own fire… I never thought she'd be able to do it! She truly has grown stronger since our attack."
"Then isn't it time for her to join the League, then?"
"She's not mentally ready for that," refused the black-haired man in mild annoyance, waving his hand as if swatting a fly. "Even if we took her now, she'd be too stubborn to accept. No amount of threats will make her join willingly. No, we need to wait for her to come to us. Build the stage, prepare for the final act, get ready for the show, you know?"
"And how exactly do you intend to do that?"
At that, his scowl shifted into a smirk, and he drank what was left of his drink. "Not telling. I'm not fond of spoilers, you know?"
.
.
"I have been waiting for you, Shoto. And you as well, Kira. It seems the both of you are finally ready to take the path of the mighty, uh?"
"I have no intention of going down a path you made," retorted his son. "I will take my own path."
There was a little staring contest between the two. Before it could last too long, though, Kira stepped forward. The movement drew Endeavor's attention, and he raised an eyebrow when she bowed before him.
"I wished to apologize for my outburst, back at the Sports Festival. It was rude, and I had no right to interfere with personal matters," she apologized, serious. She then straightened, and looked at him straight in the eyes. "However, I will not apologize for my words. I said what I was thinking, and I do not believe someone should apologize for saying the truth."
"Where are you going with this?" the man wondered, curious.
"I wished for us to… start anew, if you will. I might… deeply disapprove of your doings as an individual, but I can't say the same about your Hero self," she explained. "As such, I came here not as an enemy, but as a student who wishes to learn what she can from a professional. Does that seems manageable?"
The Pro Hero stared at her for a moment. It apparently was a Todoroki trait to judge someone by their eyes –she remembered her friend doing the same a few times over, now-, and he seemed to like what he found, because he nodded in agreement.
"Very well. Shoto, does that wish applies to you too?"
"Yes."
"Then I will set aside personal matters for the duration of this internship," agreed Endeavor. He might be ruthless, but he knew fighting them against this would only strengthen their profound dislike towards him. "I however expect the very best, from the both of you."
"Hai!"
"Good. You should get ready, now. We're going out."
"Where?" inquired the dual-haired boy, surprised.
The fire hero grinned. "I'll show you what a Hero is."
The two students exchanged a glance at that, and Kira simply shrugged, before the two of them left the office to go get ready. As they stepped outside, though, the ginger stiffened.
"No..."
"What is it?" frowned Shoto.
She didn't answer, instead grabbing her backpack. Opening it quickly, she then plunged her hand inside. After a second, she paled dramatically. Before he could ask what that was about, though, the ginger pulled out… a cat.
The one she named Deku, if he recalled.
"Why did you bring your cat?" he asked in disbelief.
"I didn't! I thought he was in the cage with the others… Damn it!" She wanted to strangle the little guy, but he was just too cute for that. "Ugh, I can't be mad at him. Say, you think Endeavor will fry him on the spot if he sees him?"
"… He'll surely ask questions first?"
"Good enough. Deku!" The cat looked at her cutely, and she sighed. "We'll have a serious talk once this day is over, little guy. For now, I'll just… bring him along. And hope it won't turn out to be a disaster."
"You're bringing your cat on patrol," deadpanned her friend.
The teen shrugged in a 'what can do you' gesture, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, though didn't say anything against it. If his father found out… Well, they'd just find an excuse on the spot.
At least this won't be boring.
Kira was waiting in the lobby downstairs for the other two to arrive. Having the time, she started checking her costume. It had been repaired since the fight at USJ, and it was as good as new.
She snapped all of her fingers, easily producing sparks. Nodding to herself, she then checked her boots. They too produced the sparks. Hitting them on the floor, the wheels came out. Rolling back and forth a few times, she deactivated them. Then, she grabbed her staff, and extended it a few times to make sure it wouldn't block if she ever needed to use it.
While she could produce her own fire –something she guessed was possible because of her little stunt back at USJ-, using the sparks as she was used to was still easier, and much less draining. In a fight where she would have to worry about endurance, she couldn't use her newfound ability as her heart's content. She still wasn't used enough to it, she needed to train more before being able to use it efficiently in actual fights. And so, that was why she still had many lighters at her belt. One could never be too careful, right?
"I see you are well prepared."
"I don't like to be taken by surprise," answered the girl, turning to face Endeavor. "One can never be too careful."
"True. I saw your physical abilities during the Sports Festival. What type or martial arts?"
"Judo. I also have Bo Staff training."
"Good," he nodded approvingly. Shoto then joined them, and the Hero gestured for them to follow him. "Let's go."
"Where exactly are we going?"
"Hosu City."
"… UH!?"
.
.
"Meow!"
"… was that a cat?"
"No!"
"No."
Endeavor stared at the two students for a moment, not really believing them, before reporting his attention on the guy he had just stopped from stealing someone's bag. Kira breathed out in relief, and Shoto refrained the urge to facepalm.
.
.
Kira had to admit that, even though he was a downright asshole with his family, Endeavor knew what he was doing as a Hero. As they returned from the patrol, Shoto and herself didn't do anything but watch as he easily handled the few cases of criminality they encountered.
Still, though… those Villains are nothing compared to those we fought at USJ. Or maybe it's just because they were facing the number two Hero that they seemed so weak?
"Kira, are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'm coming."
She finished tying her hair and pushed away her thoughts, before stepping out of the changing room. Shoto was waiting for her outside, him too wearing his training clothes, and they headed to the gym together. It seemed that Endeavor was interested to see how they'd fair against each other, and so he asked them to spar together.
We've been sparing for a while, but a Pro's advices can only help.
They reached their destination, and went in. Endeavor was already there, giving instructions to a man, who was quickly writing things down. When seeing them, the Hero shooed him out, and the man wasted no time in leaving.
"What was that about?" wondered Kira, curiosity getting the best of her.
"An official report of the incidents that I have handled today," answered the man, his beard as fiery as ever. "Each Hero has to give such reports on a daily basis or, at least, when they handle criminal incidents."
"That's how the government knows how much to pay the Heroes and their Agencies," added Shoto, placing his bottle of water near the wall. "And how they keep track of the incidents all around the country so as to keep their data up to date."
"I see. Ne, Endeavor! What are the rules for the spar?" she then asked, starting to stretch her arms and legs.
"No Quirks. Bring your opponent down. It is merely a spar to get a better understanding of your general abilities."
The ginger nodded, and finished warming up. Once she was done, she went to the middle of the gym. A moment later, she was joined by her friend. They bowed, before taking their stances.
"Start," ordered Endeavor, arms crossed over his chest.
Kira pounced at her friend. Seeing as they were used to each other's fighting style, she always needed to come up with new tactics if she wanted to win. Of course, she couldn't solely rely on her Judo. That's why, over many training sessions, she had started to incorporate a few moves from other martial arts. Nothing serious, and she definitely wasn't a Master, but it was enough to have the surprise advantage over her opponents.
Shoto swiftly avoided her punch, and grabbed her arm to try and throw her off balance. Expecting it, Kira twisted her body mid-air to land safely, before sweeping his feet from under him. He jumped high enough to avoid it, and she used the opportunity to kick him in the stomach. He however grabbed her ankle and tossed her aside. She rolled on the floor and easily fell back on her feet, before rising her arms to block the oncoming attack. The strength of the blow made her slid back a little, but she used the movement to grab Shoto's arm and make him pass over her shoulder, before slamming him harshly on the tatami.
He groaned a little as she let go of him. "Each time. I fall for it each time."
"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon enough," she laughed, helping him back on his feet. They then turned to Endeavor. "What'd you think?"
"You are used to sparing together, aren't you?" he remarked.
They both nodded in confirmation.
"Shoto, you still lack balance when it comes to your left," then stated the Pro. "That is why she manages to get you with that move as often. And Kira, you are holding your punches back."
"I am?" she blinked, surprised.
He nodded and walked up to her. He gestured for her to spread her arms, which she did, and he pointed to her biceps.
"You have great body strength," he stated. "However, you are used to enhancing your attacks with your Quirk, aren't you? Be it to simply make you blow more powerful, or faster, or even by encasing it fully with fire, you always use your Quirk to enhance your attacks. So, when you aren't using your Quirk, you unconsciously hold back your strength as if you were."
"I… didn't even see that," she admitted. "So I should focus on not holding back?"
"Yes. However, I believe it is something you can easily work out on your own," he replied. "You obviously are used to experimenting with your Quirk. You can form a whole body armor, can't you?"
"Y-yeah, but I found out how to do it by accident."
"No matter. Here is what I expect you to be able to do by the end of this week! You will not work on controlling your fire. You will become your fire."
"… what?"
"It is something you can already do, though unconsciously," he explained. "Becoming your fire or, otherwise said, have your body itself turn to flames."
"Ooh, like your beard? Or my hair, when I really get into it?" she understood, snapping her fingers. "That… actually sounds cool. But you want me to be able to do that before the end of the internship?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you incapable of meeting my expectations?"
"Hell no," she scoffed. She wasn't about to refuse a challenge, and even less from Endeavor. "I'll do it, just you wait!"
He nodded, approving of her spirit, before turning to his son.
"Yourself will attack her with your left side," he informed. "Focus your flames on your fist to enhance the power of your hits. You attack, she defends. However, Kira, you are not allowed to block or avoid. The only way for you to escape the blows is to manage the ultimate shield, if you wish to see it that way. You will only stop when one of you is too exhausted to pursue, if not the both of you. Now, get started!"
"Hai!"
The Hero then left the gym. Kira breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. She had no idea where to start, but maybe trying to go with the feeling she had when she used her Quirk to the point where her hair became fire? She didn't know how it happened, though. It just did when she used too much fire. By trying to turn her whole body into flames, though, not only would she quickly exhaust herself –it was producing her own fire, after all- but it also meant that she would-
"Oof!"
The ginger fell on the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. Coughing harshly, stars dancing between her eyes, it took her a few seconds to realize that Shoto had actually punched her.
"T-the hell…?"
"Apologies, I thought you were ready," he cringed, somewhat bewildered. He looked to his left hand. "I didn't think… it'd get that strong…"
"Y-you need… to learn how to control that strength," she replied, forcing herself back to her feet. "And I need to… to learn that new technique. Let's try again!"
"Right."
.
.
The next morning, Kira was up early, as per usual, and went to the training field outside to accomplish her routine. Stretching, warming up, jogging, stretching again, and then meditating. Once she was done with that, she started working with her Quirk. Moving slowly, eyes closed, she focused on the flames she was manipulating as they moved in synch with her.
They are an extension of me.
There is no need for control.
It is a question of understanding.
As she worked through the movements, she failed to notice the two spectators, who were watching from the window.
"She has excellent control for her age," mused Endeavor.
"She's a hard-worker," simply answered Shoto. "Why have you extended an offer to her?"
"Am I not allowed to be interested in the younger generation's potential? I do run a Hero Agency, Shoto. Like any Agency, I need fresh blood in my ranks."
"We both know you couldn't care less about your Agency," the boy scoffed. "You're interested in her personally. Why? Is it because of your similar Quirks? She's not some brainless idiot, you know. She won't become a tool for you."
"You might still be caught up in your rebellious phase, but I have no doubt she will be bright enough to understand what you still fail to see," retorted the Hero. "Who knows? Maybe she is better suited for my ambitions."
"You're hoping to replace me," understood the dual-haired boy, gritting his teeth. "You see her merely as a plan B. Do you really think she'll follow you so blindly?" He then let out a sharp laugh. "She's the most stubborn person I've ever met, and she's too free-spirited for someone like you to control. She won't take up anyone else's ambition over her own, and even less yours."
On that, he left. Endeavor simply watched him go, before reporting his attention on the ginger outside, thoughtful. He wasn't a stupid man, and he knew his son most likely wouldn't obey him now, despite all the efforts he put into forming him. However, maybe all hopes weren't lost just yet.
Suttoki Kira was strong. Her Quirk was much like his own, if not better. She had great potential and the determination to always do better. She was ambitious, headstrong, stubborn; exactly like him.
We're more alike than she might believe, he mused, stroking his fiery beard. Outside, Shoto had joined her for a morning sparring session. If my son won't surpass All Might for me, then maybe I can use his friend instead.
I'm sure we'll be able to come to an agreement.
.
.
The following days of the internship passed quickly, and in the same way as the first: patrols through the city and training sessions. Endeavor, as promised, focused on giving them advice to work better with their Quirks and abilities, and answered any question they asked about Hero work in general.
Kira was helping Shoto to get better control of his left side. He couldn't just use it whenever he wanted to, he needed to work and learn how to control the size, the heat, the power… As for the ginger, she had yet to succeed in the technique. There had been a few times when she almost managed, but she always lost her focus and ended up turning back to normal.
But she wasn't giving up just yet. She knew she could do it, she just had to work harder.
"GYAH!"
The scream made the three of them freeze. They were out on a late patrol in Hosu City, Endeavor hoping to catch the Hero Killer: Stain, but Kira hadn't expected for Villains to actually show up. And even less real ones, not those petty bag thieves.
An explosion ensued. The ginger's eyes widened as a bright fire took over many of the buildings farther away. It took her a second to realized Endeavor was already running ahead, obviously not intimidated.
"Come on!" Shoto nudged her forward.
"R-right!"
They started running after him. More explosions and screams echoed. The closer they got, the harder it became to advance through the panicked crowds forming.
Come on, get out of the way already!
However, as they managed to catch up to Endeavor, her phone started beeping, signaling a message. Surprised, she pulled it out. Then, she noticed that Shoto had done the same, apparently receiving the message too.
"What are you two doing? Don't look at your phones!" snapped Endeavor.
"It's from Izuku…" she frowned.
"It's only his location," added Shoto.
Kira paled, understanding dawning on her. Without wasting a second, she started running in the opposite direction, ignoring the Pro Hero's calls. Shoto soon followed after her, after handing over their coordinates to his father.
Izuku was in trouble, and she'd be damned if she let him down.
.
.
Izuku couldn't believe it. The Hero Killer was about to kill Iida, and he couldn't do anything but watch as it happened. His body was frozen due to Stain's Quirk, and he just couldn't force himself to move.
"Stop it…" He gritted his teeth. "Stop it!"
As the Villain brought his katana down, though, heavy flames suddenly forced him to jump away from the student. He fell back, rising his blades in a defensive position.
"One after the other…" he grunted. "There are a lot of people getting in my way today."
The green-haired boy couldn't believe his eyes. There, at the end of the alleyway, were none other than Kira and Shoto. The girl's hair was aflame, her ruby eyes burning with anger. The boy was calmer, holding a phone in his hand.
"Midoriya. You need to give more details in times like this," he remarked. "You made us late."
"T-Todoroki-kun… Kira-san," gasped Iida, still lying on the ground. "Y-you too?"
"Why are you guys here…?" Izuku wondered.
"Why? That's our line," retorted Kira, hitting her feet on the ground. The wheels came out, and she bent her knees. "Took us a moment to realize that you were in trouble, but I knew you wouldn't send your location just for the hell of it. Shoto!"
The boy instantly covered the ground in ice. Stain jumped to avoid getting caught, and Kira propelled herself at him. Her speed enhanced by the ice, her rollerblades and her fire, she appeared before him in the blink of an eye.
"Don't you dare… hurt my friends!" she punched him under the chin, hard enough to make him stumble back.
Using the opportunity, Kira quickly grabbed the injured Pro lying closer while Shoto used his ice to move their two friends farther from the Villain. She placed the Pro on the ground, next to them, before turning around to face Stain once again. Their friends now safely behind them, the Hero Killer would have to go through hell and back before getting to them.
"The Pros will be there in a few minutes," informed Shoto, taking his stance. "This is just like the information about him implies. We won't let you kill them, Hero Killer."
"Kicchan, Todoroki-kun!" called Izuku, still immobilized. "You can't let him see your blood! I-I think he controls his opponents' actions by ingesting their blood orally. That's how he got all of us!"
"For real?" the ginger scrunched her nose at the guy. "Dude, that's just nasty."
"That's why he uses blades, uh?" understood Shoto. "Then we can keep our distance, and-"
Before he could finish, though, the Hero Killer threw a knife at him. It was too fast, and neatly sliced his cheek. Kira cursed, jumping away as she barely avoided the one thrown her way. Stain instantly moved, appearing before Shoto.
"You have good friends, Ingenium!" he exclaimed.
His hit was easily blocked by some ice.
Wait, didn't that guy have a sword!?
"Shit!" Kira shot a few fire balls at it, effectively deflecting the katana that the Villain had thrown while they weren't looking.
Using their inattention, Stain tried to lick the blood on Shoto's cheek. The boy instantly activated his left side, the flames forcing their enemy to back away. Kira took the opportunity and attacked yet again. Aiming a kick at his stomach, she however had to deflect her own attack when he tried to neatly cut her leg in two. Backing away, she pulled out her staff and elongated it, barely blocking his assault in time.
Thank God this isn't some cheap equipment.
"Not bad, girlie. But you have to die too."
"You know…" Her arms shook a little under the effort. He was much stronger than her, and blocking his blades was harder than it looked. She however grinned. "You're a very bad seller. Maybe you should consider changing career?"
Fire was sent his way by Shoto, forcing him to back away once again. Kira quickly joined in, combining both of their attacks so that he couldn't pass through as easily.
"Why…" Iida was struggling to understand. "Why are you three… why… Please, stop! I've inherited my brother's name. I have to do it… That guy's mine…!"
"You inherited it? That's strange," replied Shoto, not even looking at him. "The Ingenium I saw before didn't have that look on his face, though."
"Incoming!" warned Kira as Stain managed to bypass their flames.
Shoto instantly formed a gigantic wall of ice. "You've got a lot going on behind the scenes in your family too, uh?"
The ice wall was suddenly cut to pieces. Obviously, that katana was much sharper than a normal sword.
"To block your own view against an opponent faster than you… What a foolish plan!"
"You sure about that?"
Stain's eyes widened as Kira appeared behind him. She managed to hit him behind the head but, before she could move away, he threw at her one of his knife. Pain flared in her forearm as it pierced through, and she was suddenly pinned to the wall like some sort of fly on display.
"Gah!"
"Kira!" Shoto blasted some more of his own fire, trying to reach her.
"Fuck!" she cursed, dark spots dancing before her eyes because of the pain. She somehow managed to pull the blade out, and cradled her arm to her chest. "That hurt like a bitch, damn it! Killer dude, you've got issues!"
Tinier blades embedded themselves in Shoto's arm as he reached out for her. Then, Stain ran at Kira, intending to finish her off. As he reached her, though, something suddenly jumped from her costume. He stumbled back as a… a cat? Yes, it really was a cat… Anyway, he stumbled back as the cat angrily scratched his face with its little claws, drawing blood. Annoyed, the Villain grabbed the cat and threw it away. The poor kitty harshly collided with the wall, and didn't get back up.
"Deku!" panicked Kira.
Before Stain could try anything else, though, Izuku suddenly jumped out of nowhere and threw the man away.
"Izuku!"
"For some reason, I can move normally, now!" exclaimed the boy.
"A time limit?" wondered Shoto.
"No, that kid should've been the last one he got," answered the injured Pro Hero, still frozen. "I can't move yet."
"Izuku, move!"
The boy obeyed, and Kira sent more of her fire at their enemy to keep him away. The green-haired boy wasted no time in returning to their side, panting harshly.
"He takes in a person's blood to keep them from moving," he resumed. "Since I got free first… I can think of three possible reasons. One, it is less effective with more people. Two, the amount ingested affects how long it works. Three, there is a difference in effectiveness based on a person's blood type."
"B-blood type…?" echoed the Pro Hero. "Mine is B…"
"I'm type A," added Iida.
"Blood type?" They all stiffened as Stain smirked. "That's correct."
"That's cool an all," grunted Kira. Pain made her grumpy, but who could blame her? "But even knowing that, we can't do anything against this guy. We also need to get those two out of here. Izuku, Shoto, you guys can-"
"No," they answered flatly.
She sighed, but didn't insist. She already knew they wouldn't accept to let her face Stain alone, but it was still worth a try.
"Our best option is to hold on by avoiding close combat until the Pros get here," then suggested Shoto, pulling the blades from his arm with a wince.
"Agreed."
"Wait. Todoroki-kun, you've lost too much blood already," pointed out Izuku. "And Kicchan, your wound won't stop bleeding either… You guys cover me, while I attack from closer!"
"That's a pretty big risk," warned the dual-haired boy. "But alright."
"The three of us against him?" Kira offered a grin. "I say we can do it. We'll protect those two, no problem."
"Three against one, uh?" mused Stain. "It won't be easy."
Izuku then propelled himself at him. Kira instantly followed, offering her fire as a cover for the boy as he approached quickly. He had apparently gotten better at using his Quirk, which allowed him to move fast enough to avoid her flames, but the protection it offered him managed to keep the Hero Killer from actually landing a hit. However, she couldn't keep it up forever. As soon as she stopped, Stain took the opportunity and kicked Izuku into a wall.
Shoto intervened, using his own flames to block the Villain's attempts to attack the green-haired boy. Kira started running again, staff in hands. As soon as she reached him, though, he simply vanished.
Fuck!
She raised her staff just in time to block his blades as they were about to cut her from behind. However, obviously expecting it, their opponent instead aimed for her hands. He managed to slice most of her fingers, drawing blood. In pain, slightly panicking –she was a B type. If he got her, she would no longer be able to fight at all- she slammed her staff into his neck. He couched harshly, and she managed to kick the blade with her blood out of his hands, before falling back.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" Her fingers were covered in lacerations, blood seeping through and already spreading on her staff.
She put it away. She couldn't use it anymore, or else she'd risk having the Hero Killer licking her blood from it.
Fucking disgusting Quirk… Awesome, but disgusting.
However, there was blood on his other blade. The ginger stiffened when he licked it, expecting to freeze, but then realized it wasn't her blood that he had ingested as Izuku collapsed.
Fuck!
Well, at least, he's the one who'll get back up the fastest.
"Please… stop!" begged Iida, now crying.
"If you want us to stop… then get up and stop us!" snapped back Shoto. He formed another wall of ice, through which the Hero Killer sliced his way with ease. "Look properly at what you want to be!"
Kira jumped at Stain, physically colliding with him to force him away. "Shoto, the fuck are you doing!? Focus!"
He created a wall of ice between their enemy and her as she jumped back to her feet, instantly creating a tornado of flames to keep him away.
"To your right!" warned Izuku.
Shoto formed more ice to block his advance. However, no matter how many times they pushed him back, he kept avoiding the attacks and getting closer and closer.
"Fire and Ice… You're too focused on your Quirks. You're being careless!"
He managed to slip under their guard. Kira's eyes widened as she realized he had been aiming for Shoto, and was about to slice his arm off.
"No!"
Two knives were sent her way. She avoided the first, but she second suddenly broke in three parts, all of which pierced her left arm. She fell to the ground, hissing in pain, before realizing that her friend was still in danger.
She wouldn't get there in time.
"Shoto!"
Iida was suddenly back on his feet, deflecting the attack. The katana broke in two, and the boy harshly kicked their enemy a few meters farther.
"I-Iida-kun!" gasped Izuku.
"You got free?" Shoto breathed out in mild relief. "That Quirk isn't as great as I thought."
"Todoroki-kun, Kira-san, Midoriya-kun… This has nothing to do with you three, and I apologize. That's why… I can't allow you three to bleed any more than this!"
"It's no use trying to be reformed for appearance's sake," retorted darkly Stain, his own hand bleeding because of the broken katana. "A person's essence does not change so easily. You will never be anything but a fake who prioritizes his own selfish desires. You are a cancer to society that warps the idea of 'Heroes'. Someone must set you straight."
"You're an anachronistic fundamentalist," remarked flatly Shoto. "Iida, don't listen to the logic of a murderer."
"No, he's right. I… have no right, to call myself a Hero," replied softly Iida. "Even so… I cannot give in! If I give in, then Ingenium will die."
"Out of the question!" Stain pounced.
Shoto pushed Iida back, forming a wall of ice between them as a shield. Kira joined in instantly, her flames almost hitting their mark. He however avoided the attack, jumping high enough to hang to the wall.
"Idiot! The Hero Killer is after me and that kid in white armor, right? Don't fight back… It'd be better if you ran away!" pleaded the Pro Hero behind them.
"As if he'd let us leave so easily!" snapped Kira, gritting her teeth. "There are two options for us, guys: either we fight until Pros come, either we take him down ourselves. One way or another, the risks are high."
"You have an idea," realized Shoto.
"I do. Cover me!"
"Hai!"
Another wall of flames rose as Stain tried to interfere. Blinded, he however managed to pin Iida to the ground with another of his knives. Todoroki created more of his ice, but their opponent was too used to his tactics, and managed to pierce his shoulder when throwing two of his blades. Gasping in pain, the dual-haired boy nearly toppled over. Noticing the opening, Stain jumped.
Before the Hero Killer could try and land the finishing blow, another wall of fire rose between him and his pray. Growing more and more agitated, he glared harshly at the ginger, who now stood in his way.
"If you want to get to them… you have to go through me first!" She started running at him, fire encasing her fists. "Just stay down already!"
"Wait, Kira!" Izuku saw what she didn't see.
The blade hidden in the man's sleeve.
"No!"
The ginger's mouth opened in shock. The boys froze in horror, easily noticing the blade that pierced through her chest. Stain chuckled darkly, pulling his blood-covered tantō. He slowly ran his tongue over it, ingesting the crimson liquid, as Kira coughed harshly and collapsed to her knees.
"You were brave, little girl," he remarked darkly. He lifted his weapon above her head. "But those who stand in my way… die!"
"KIRA!"
His blade embedded itself in her skull. Izuku started shaking, badly so. Iida could barely breath. Shoto couldn't look away.
The wind stopped blowing.
There was no move, no noise.
Even time itself seemed to stop.
Then, Kira suddenly rose from the ground and landed a solid punch under his chin. Holding nothing back, she hit him with all the strength she could muster. Said strength enhanced by her fire, she managed to send him crash through the wall. Cringing a little, the ginger then straightened, cradling her bloody arm to her chest once again.
"Ki… Kira…?" gasped Izuku, eyes full of tears.
"Sorry about the fright, guys," she apologized, a little sheepishly. "I needed to get as close as possible."
"You managed the technique my damn old man gave you," understood Shoto, relieved. Then, he frowned. "That was reckless!"
"It was a calculated risk," she retorted, quickly returning to her friends' sides. "It was do or die, but I guess it was enough of an incentive for me to successfully manage that damn technique."
"B-but… what about the blood?" Iida had trouble getting over the shock. "We saw you… the blood…"
"It was Native's," she answered, jabbing her thumb at the still paralyzed Hero. "He agreed to let me use his blood so that we could set Stain up. Worked out pretty well, uh? Though now, he'll be paralyzed for even longer…"
Suddenly, the rubbles of the destroyed wall moved. From them rose a very pissed off Hero Killer, who obviously wasn't done with them.
"Are you fucking serious!?" protested Kira, taking a step back.
"Todoroki-kun, please, freeze my engines to regulate them!" then asked Iida.
"What?"
"Just do it!"
Stain jumped, ready to strike them down. Shoto instantly obeyed Iida's demands. As soon as he was done, Iida activated his Quirk once again. Rising to his feet, he then propelled himself at their enemy.
At the same moment, Izuku jumped, the power of One For All coursing through his body.
"Go!" exclaimed Shoto.
The two boys managed to reach the Villain, who failed to react in time. Against many opponents, he was at a disadvantage. Both boys managed to land serious blows on him. Not out of it yet, Stain tried to slice Iida in two. The bespectacled student however avoided the blade, and landed another hit. Taking advantage of the moment, Shoto wasted no time in engulfing the Villain in his flames, along with Kira's.
The two boys slid down the wall of ice Shoto created in the meantime, and landed back safely. As they jumped into defensive stances, though, they realized that Stain was effectively knocked out.
"He's surely be out of it after all that… right?" hoped Izuku.
Shoto let out a shaky breath. "Then, let's restrain him and get out to the street. Is there anything to tie him up with?"
"Just in case, let's take all his weapons off him first," added the ginger.
"Good idea," agreed Izuku.
They quickly worked it out. Taking all of his weapons away –there were a lots, and Kira held no doubt that they had missed a few-, she then took care of restraining him with a fire lasso. Tightly holding on, she promised herself to burn him to a crisp should he wake up and try anything.
"Native-san, can you move?" then asked Izuku.
"Yeah, I'm okay, now."
By the time they were done, the Pro Hero had gotten over his paralysis. That, or it had wore off because Stain could no longer activated his Quirk, what with being knocked out and all.
He then pulled Izuku up on his back.
"A-ano…"
"You hurt your legs, didn't you?" remarked the Hero. "Let me do this, at least."
"T-thank you very much."
"I'd say that's more of my line, you know?"
"K-Kira-san… may I pull him?" then asked Iida.
She stared at him for a few seconds, unimpressed.
"Iida-kun… Can you control fire?" she asked flatly.
He flushed a little, suddenly realizing the stupidity of his request. He quickly apologize, before going to stand behind her. She nodded at his initiative. If Stain tried to attack when her back was turned, she could count on Iida to prevent anything drastic from happening.
"You know… I'm really sorry, guys," then apologized Native. "Even though I'm a Pro, I was just in the way."
"No… I don't you could have done anything one-on-one against the Hero Killer's Quirk. He's too strong," replied Izuku, a little dizzy.
"Fighting four-on-one, with the guy making mistakes himself, we still barely won," remarked Shoto. "He was probably flustered by the time running out and Kira's ruse, and forgot about Midoriya's recovery time."
They finally exited the alleyway, and Kira breathed in deeply. Now that she thought back on it, they very well could have died in that damned place.
Man, Ren will throw a fit when he hears about this. There's no way he won't know about what just happened.
"Now, let's quickly get him to the police-"
"What… Why are you here!?"
At the new voice, the four students and the Hero looked at the source, only to find an old man in a Hero costume standing on the other side of the street.
"G-Gran Torino!" gasped Izuku. "Gran Tori-"
The little old man disappeared.
The little old man reappeared.
The little old man kicked Izuku in the face.
"I thought I told you to stay seated on the bullet train!" he yelled.
"Who's that?" sweatdropped Kira.
"T-that's the Hero I'm interning with, Gran Torino," presented Izuku, rubbing his sore nose. "B-but why?"
"I was told to come here all of sudden!" replied the old Pro, fuming. "Well, I don't really know what's going on, but I'm glad you're okay."
"Gran Torino, I apologize…"
"It's around here!"
Numerous footsteps could suddenly be heard. From the corner of the street arrived a few Heroes, all confused as to why they were sent there.
"Endeavor told us there was a request for help here, but…"
"Children?" wondered another one.
"Those injuries look serious!" A third one's eyes widened as he noticed all of the blood. "I'll call an ambulance right away!"
"O-oi… this is…"
The sole woman of the group gasped. "Don't tell me… it's the Hero Killer?"
"What!?"
"Call the police too!"
As one of the Pros made the call, another went to to tie the Villain up with actual rope and a pair of shackles. As soon as she was certain he wouldn't be able to escaped, Kira let her fire lasso vanish… and collapsed, her legs giving in under her weight.
"O-oi! Are you okay?" One of the Pros was instantly next to her.
"Just… just glad it's over…" She breathed out deeply, before smiling at him. "I'm fine, don't worry!"
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on her arms. On her right forearm, there was a wound that was still profusely bleeding. Her left arm still had three blades deeply embedded in it. Her gloves were also in tatters, her fingers covered in lacerations.
"Kid… you're definitely not fine."
"I-I can still stand," she retorted, forcing herself back to her feet. "See? Perfectly-"
Darkness edged over her vision. Dizzy, she stumbled back, but Izuku swiftly grabbed her shoulders to stop her from falling. She offered him a grin, and he shook his head with a sigh, before pulling her into a tight hug.
"Uh?" she gasped, startled.
After a few seconds, she realized he was crying.
"Izuku…?"
"I thought… I thought he killed you, Kira," he choked out, tightening his grip. "I saw you at his mercy… and I saw you being hurt… and I couldn't do anything…"
"I'm sorry, Izuku," she hugged back, ignoring how the blades shifted painfully in her arm. "I'm really, really sorry. I didn't have the time to explain, and I knew there was a risk that I wouldn't be able to do it, and there just wasn't another option-"
"There was!" he protested, a little angry. He pulled away, and she was forced to face a tear-covered face. "There was another option! If you just talked to us… worked with us… We're friends, aren't we? Rely on us a little! I know you want to protect us, but don't you think we feel the same way about you? Don't you think we want to watch your back and help you and- and can't you just see how much you mean to so many people!? What if you rally had died there, Kira? What if he really did kill you… then what? What about me? What about Todoroki-kun and Iida-kun? What about Ren and Nao-san and- and everyone else!? What do you think… How do you think we'd feel…? You can't keep thinking as if you weren't important, Kira, because you are! Learn to be a little more selfish, damn it!"
The ginger gaped at him, unable to let out a word.
No, she didn't think about them. She just thought about protecting them… about how dying for her friends wasn't so bad of an end.
… I really am the worst, aren't I?
It took her a moment to realize she was crying too. Wiping away her tears, she then offered a shaky smile to her best friend.
"You know, Izuku… You should stop being so emotional all the time." She let out a strangled laugh. "You're a very ugly crier. Also, don't curse. It doesn't suit you."
He laughed too, rubbing his eyes to erase the last traces of his tears. Then, he fully let her go from the hug, though kept his arm around her shoulders to make sure she wouldn't collapse.
"J-just put me down…" She grunted in defeat. "I'm done playing tough for tonight."
He nodded, and gently helped her sit against the wall. He then frowned at the blades still sticking out of her arm, but she shook her head when he tried to pull one out.
"Don't. I'll just bleed out more quickly," she warned.
"R-right…"
"Kira."
The ginger looked up to Shoto. He handed something to her, and it took her a few seconds to recognize it.
"Deku! Oh my gosh, I completely forgot!"
She happily took back the cat. He was conscious, and obviously full of energy. He started licking at the smaller scratches on her face, making her laugh a little as she kissed his nose.
"You're the real Hero of tonight's troubles, aren't ya? Yes, yes you are," she cooed. He meowed, as if agreeing. "You were really brave, right? Such a brave, brave kitty…"
Shoto and Izuku shook their heads as she kept on petting the cat, though they were both smiling, glad to see that she would be okay.
Iida suddenly showed up next to them, gaining the three's attention.
He bowed deeply. "You were injured because of me. I am truly sorry. I couldn't… see anything… through my anger…"
The boy was barely holding back his tears.
"I'm sorry too," then stated Izuku. "Even though you were feeling so cornered, I didn't notice at all. Even though we're friends…"
At his words, a tear managed to escape, and slowly ran down Iida's cheek.
"Pull yourself together," said flatly Shoto. "You're the class rep, aren't you?"
"… Yeah." On that, he quickly wiped away his tears.
Kira smiled a little at that. She really was glad everything was over, now-
"Watch out!"
At Gran Torino's warning, she snapped her eyes up, just in time to see some sort of monster flying at them at high speed.
Wait, isn't that-
Izuku was suddenly grabbed by the monster. Kira's eyes widened in shock as it started flying away just as fast as it came, her best friend trapped in his claws.
"Izuku!"
Panicking, she tried to get back to her feet. Deku, startled, hid in her hood. Blood splattered on her cheek, but she paid it no heed as she stumbled on the sidewalk, barely able to move because of the strong wind blowing all of them in the opposite way.
Something wet suddenly rubbed against her cheek. A blur of brown and red to her right made her stop in her tracks.
What…
She didn't even have the time to be scared. Stain, easily freeing himself with another blade hidden in is sleeve, used his Quirk to paralyze the flying Nomu thanks to the blood he had licked from her cheek God that's fucking gross before jumping. Grabbing Izuku with one hand, he stabbed the monster in the head with no hesitation whatsoever.
"This society overgrown with fake Heroes… and the criminals who wave their power around idly… should all be purged. Yes… this is all… to create a more just society."
He pulled out his knife. Blood spurted out, but he ignored it. No one dared to move, scared of what he'd do next. He had Izuku, after all. One wrong move on their part, and he was as good as dead.
"He… he saved the boy?" wondered one of the Heroes.
"Idiot! He took a hostage!" corrected another.
"He killed someone with no hesitation…"
"Anyway, get ready to fight, now!"
"Why are you all standing around in a group?" Endeavor suddenly arrived. "The Villain should have escaped this way."
"How… are things on your end?" inquired a Pro.
"Things got a little rough. But don't tell me that man is…?" A feral smirk spread on his lips as his fire flared up. "Hero Killer!"
"Wait, Todoroki!" Gran Torino stopped him.
Stain slowly rose back to his feet, letting go of the student. His mask fell to the ground as he faced the eternally second Hero.
"Endeavor… you fake!" Kira felt like she was suffocating under the sudden killing intent that filled the air. "I must make things right… Someone must be dyed in blood… I must take back what it means… to be a Hero! Come! Try and get me, you fakes! The only I'll let kill me… is the true Hero… All Might!"
We're gonna die we're gonna die we're gonna die we're gonna die-
'CLING'
It was as if the air suddenly cleared. Able to breath again, Kira coughed harshly, leaning against the wall so as not to fall. Tears burning her eyes, she then realized that Stain was still standing… but unconscious.
"God…" The ginger felt like throwing up.
It really was over now.
Still, though… I knew we missed some weapons! Damn it!
Shaking her head, she then reported her attention to the Fire Hero. "Endeavor! There was a gigantic fire we were heading for in the first place, wasn't there? Is it still going?"
He snapped out of his shock, nodding. "Yes. Authorities are handling it the best they can-"
"Okay. Great. Take me there." She pushed away from the wall to fully face him. "Please."
"Kira-san!" protested Iida. "You can't-"
"This is what I'm good at, Iida-kun," she cut him off, straightening her spine. "I can help, and so I will. Endeavor! Where is it?"
The man stared at her for a few seconds, before shaking his head, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You have done enough for tonight. You will go to the hospital along with your friends, and let us handle the rest."
"But I can help! I've done this before!" she protested hotly. "I just grab the fire from the buildings and let it disperse in the air, easy-peasy!"
He wasn't budging on his decision, though.
"Kira…" Shoto placed an hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off.
"Fine! I'll go myself, then!" She started walking away as fast as she could, ignoring the dark spots that kept moving in her vision. "I swore to help people with my Quirk… and that's what I'll do, damn it!"
There was a blur of white that collided harshly with her head.
The girl instantly collapsed, knocked out cold, and Gran Torino landed next to her, dusting his hands.
He scoffed. "Kids these days…"
Everyone present, Heroes and students alike, sweatdropped at that. It was a little extreme but… well, whatever worked, right?
.
.
The next day
Kira stared out of the window next to her bed, her face void of any expression. She was staring at the smoke still rising in the horizon. The fire was almost all out by now, but it had spread over to other buildings quickly, making things all the more difficult to handle.
If I had been stronger…
She clenched her fists, but hissed in pain and forced her muscles to relax. Both of her hands and both of her arms were covered in numerous layers of bandages. Her fingers were particularly messed up and hurt like hell. She couldn't move her arms without feeling an atrociously painful strain on her muscles. And of course, she was also covered in bruises.
I sincerely hope all of my fights won't end up with me at the hospital. That's not very Hero-ish.
There was a knock to her door, but she ignored it. There was a distinct sigh on the other side, and the door slid open. She simply kept on staring outside, knowing she wouldn't be able to stay calm if she did otherwise.
"The mighty Hero-to-be is awake, is see."
"If you have come to mock me…" She gritted her teeth. "Now's really not the time."
"Mock you?" It was Gran Torino, the old man who knocked her out a few hours earlier. "Why would I? I was being serious."
"I was too," she snapped, finally looking at him. "I could have helped with the fire! There were so many people hurt… so much damage… If you let me go do what I could do, this fire could have been handled in an instant! We could have avoided all… all of this! I could have helped!"
"Girl, while your spirit truly is a sight to behold…" He jumped on her bed, and suddenly smacked his walking cane on her skull. She cursed, rubbing the sore spot. "Idiot! You couldn't even walk straight, what made you think you could have helped, uh?"
"Because I wanted to! God, what's wrong with you?"
"Flash news, brat: you don't always get to do what you want to do," he replied seriously. She made a face at that. "Wanting to help, even in the state you were in, truly is worthy of being called heroic. However, you cannot allow your health to be endangered so casually!" He sighed heavily at that. "Trust me, being a martyr isn't all fun and games."
"I wasn't trying to be… I didn't… I just wanted…Ugh!" She was frustrated. God, was she frustrated. "Fine! I get it! No stopping fires when I've been stabbed more than twice by a crazy psychopath," she huffed.
"That's what I wanted to hear," he nodded solemnly.
Is he serious? She sweatdropped.
The crazy old man then jumped off her bed, swiftly landing on his feet. Kira raised an eyebrow at the display. He had some moves for being so old, that was for sure.
"Anyway, you can walk, can't you?" he then asked. "Come on, what are you waiting for? Your friends are awake too, now."
"Really?" At the news, she forgot about her sulking for the moment. "Are they okay?"
"As much as you are, I would guess. Now come on, we've wasted enough time chit-chatting."
"R-right!"
She got off the bed. Swaying a little, she however forced herself to keep her balance, and followed the Hero out of her room. Outside was another Hero waiting for them, one she guessed was responsible for Iida's internship.
"I'm Manual," he smiled, extending his hand to her. "It's nice to meet you."
"Same. You know, I usually would shake your hand but, right now…" She wiggled her injured fingers, though instantly regretted it as pain flared once again. "Ouch…"
"That's what you get for being so reckless," stated Gran Torino, suddenly serious again. "Let's go. You kids are going to receive a serious scolding, all together."
"I'm jumping of joy," she deadpanned.
For only answer, he hit her over the head again.
"Damn it! Stop doing that! You'll end up giving me a concussion!"
"Less sassing, more walking!"
"Tche. Crazy old man…" she muttered, though didn't disobey.
"Oh, are you wounded kids awake?"
The three boys raised their heads at the door. Manual, Gran Torino and Kira walked in. The ginger smiled a little, offering a shaky wave. Her smile was instantly replaced by a pained wince as she cradled her arm, muttering 'I have to stop doing that' under her breath.
"Kid, I've got a lot of complaints for you," the older Hero looked over at Izuku. "But before that, you've got a visitor. Girl, go sit with your friends."
"… okay?"
A little confused, she did as asked, and went to sit on the nearest bed, next to Iida. As soon as she was done, though, a very tall figure entered the room.
Where the hell did he come from!?
Wait… he's got a dog's head!
"Hosu's Chief of Police, Tsuragamae Kenji," presented Gran Torino.
"C-chief of Police…?" echoed Kira, suddenly pale.
We used our Quirks to attack a Villain, but we're not officially allowed to do such a thing. We're only students, using our Quirks without a permit is actually a crime.
But… are they really going to punish us?
"You all are the U.A. students who brought down the Hero Killer, right?" inquired the dog-man. "Regarding said Hero Killer that we arrested… He had fairly serious injuries, with burns and broken bones, and is receiving treatment under strict guard as we speak, woof. Since you are U.A. students, I'm sure you already know that when superpowers were still becoming the norm, the police attached high importance to leadership and standards, and made sure Quirks were not used as weapons. And then, the profession of 'Hero' emerged to fill that gap, woof. For an individual's use of force and power that can easily kill others…" His eyes lingered on Kira, who shrunk over herself, then on Izuku, who winced. "Actions that normally would be appropriate to denounce… to be accepted officially is thanks to early Heroes who followed the ethics and rules of the profession, woof. Even up against the Hero Killer, for uncertified individuals to cause injury with their Quirks without specific instructions from their guardians or supervisors is a clear violation of the law. The four of you, and the Pro Heroes Endeavor, Manual and Gran Torino must receive strict punishment."
Tensed silence ensued. Kira clenched her jaw, bitter. She knew about the law more than most people did. Hell, she didn't have much of a choice, being raised by a police officer and all that.
But this… this wasn't fair.
"So what? You're punishing us for stopping a murderer?" she spat, unable to stop herself. "Had Iida not been there in the first place, Native would have been killed! If Izuku hadn't come when he did, then the both would have died! And then, if Shoto and I hadn't come… then who would have? No one knew the Hero Killer had reappeared! Are you saying… are you saying that rules are more important than other peoples' lives?"
"K-Kicchan, wait-"
"Are you saying that as long as it turns out all right, then it's okay to bend the rules?" retorted the Chief, expression unreadable. "I expected better reasoning from you, Suttoki Kira-san."
"Why, because of who raised me? Give me a break," she snapped. "Isn't it a Hero's job to save people? In our situation, what were we supposed to do? Either we let our friends die, either we intervened but didn't fight the Hero Killer and got killed ourselves! I call bullshit on this!"
The man-dog simply sighed at her words. "That is why you are not a full-fledged Hero yet. Goodness, what are you being taught by U.A., Endeavor and Ren-san?"
She jumped to her feet at that. "Don't bring my family into this! It has nothing… it has nothing to do with him. Or any of them, for that matter. Look, we all did what we did last night because we felt like it was the right thing to do. And I… I understand, that the law is the law and that we can't just bend the rules for each and every situation that comes up. However… Our mentors have nothing to do with all of this. We disobeyed direct orders from our superiors, and so we are the only ones to blame for this mess. Don't punish others because of our actions. Please."
She held his gaze, not backing down, as silence ensued.
The more she thought about it, the more she knew it all made sense for them to be punished. The law wasn't fair, but it was the law. They couldn't just make an exception for them because it turned out okay. What kind of example would that set? But Gran Torino and Manual and… well, Endeavor too, she guessed, had nothing to do with their decisions.
"I apologize for my previous outburst," she then bowed deeply. "I was completely out of place. However, please, consider my request."
Her arms were hurting badly again, her muscles too tensed, but she kept her head low and her back bent neatly. She had shown a great lack of respect for a much higher authority, and her brother had taught her better than that.
He'll already throw a fit once he hears about what I've done. No need for him to also worry about having a foreign Chief of Police on his back.
"… You are full of surprises, Suttoki-san. However, do hear me out, woof. What I have just told you… is the official opinion of the police." She finally straightened at that, startled. "And the punishment and such would only happen if this were all made public, woof. If this were made public, you would probably be applauded by the public, but you would not be able to escape punishment. On the other hand, this is a bit underhanded, but… if it is not made public, the burn scars would support Endeavor being the Hero who saved the day, and it would end there, woof. Thankfully, there were very few witnesses. The violation could thus be crushed here." The ginger felt some relief wash over her. She fell back on the bed, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "But! This would also mean now one would know about your good judgment or achievements. So tell me… which do you prefer? Personally, I don't want to be the one to find fault with promising young ones because of one big mistake, woof." And on that, he offered them a thumbs up.
Kira felt kind of numb, and dumb too. Not only had she let her temper get the best of her once again, but against someone who wasn't even an enemy. Hell, he was trying to help them out!
So fucking stupid…
"Either way, we will need to take responsibility for being negligent in our supervisory duties," admitted Manual, wiping away a tear.
The ginger deflated a little at that. It would seem that their actions would have consequences on others, after all.
In a way, though… Endeavor's getting to claim having arrested the Hero Killer, so I guess it makes up for the punishment.
And honestly, I can't really feel guilty when it comes to him.
"I'm truly sorry," Iida then bowed before his guardian.
"Good! You'll cause trouble for others, you know?" warned Manual, lightly hitting his head. "If you understand, then don't do it again."
"I wont!"
"I-I'm sorry," Izuku bowed his head.
Shoto gritted his teeth but bowed too, obviously not happy with the decision but going with it anyway.
"Because of the unfairness of adults, you will not be able to receive the praise you would probably have gotten, but at least…" Tsuragamae then bowed too. "As someone who also protects the peace, I can say thank you."
The ginger felt really flustered, now. She averted her eyes, cheeks going red, with a few sparks flying from her hair.
"Start with that next time, would you?" she muttered, embarrassed.
Izuku smiled at that, knowing her all too well, and Shoto simply patted her head. A little more and he was the one blowing up, so she kind of saved him the humiliation. Obviously guessing what he was thinking, she sent a half-glare his way, which he simply pretended not to notice.
She was to easy to rile up, seriously.
.
.
Kira finished changing back into her casual clothes. Once again, she ignored the pain in her arms and hands, too happy to get rid of the hospital robe. When ready, she quickly made her way back to the boys' room.
"Alright, who's ready to get out of this hellhole- wait. What's with the long faces?"
Her three friends stared at her, before Izuku and Shoto glanced back at Iida, who simply looked down at his bandaged arm.
Dread settled in her guts.
"What's wrong with your injuries?" she asked, worried.
"My left hand… might suffer from lasting damage," he admitted. He offered her a reassuring smile, though. "But it just means that I'll have trouble moving my hand and fingers, and experience some numbness. Apparently, there's a possibility that it can be healed with nerve transplant surgery."
"That… that bad, uh?"
Iida lowered his head. "When I found the Hero Killer… I stopped being able to think. The first I should have done was tell Manual-san, but I forgot myself in my anger…" He sighed heavily. "I hate him, but he spoke the truth. That's why, until I become a true Hero, I think I want to leave my left hand as it is."
"Iida…" muttered Shoto, unsure of what to say.
Izuku bit his lower lip, unable to find the right words. As for Kira, she simply stared at the bespectacled for a few seconds, before offering an encouraging smile.
"I understand." He jumped a little at her words, and she snorted. "What, think you're the only one with a revenge complex? Mine is rooted even deeper than yours. Kind of."
"Kira-san…" He stared at her for a second. "How did you do it? To have that man before you… To…" He didn't know to word it, but she understood easily what he was trying to say.
She looked down at her bandaged hands. "Seishin no Hagane… the one who killed my parents… He's now targeting my brother, and myself. He won't stop until he gets what he wants. But I… I won't stop, either. At first, I wanted revenge. I wanted to grow strong enough so that I'd be able to kill him myself. I didn't care about the rest, you know? I completely lost myself to my anger… But I had my brother. I had Nao-san. I had Izuku, too. I realized that seeking revenge wasn't what a Hero should do. And so, instead, I started seeking justice." Ignoring the painful stings that coursed through her fingers, she tightly clenched her fists. "I lost sight of that goal when he first appeared, back at USJ. But now? Now, I see clearer. I know better. I learned from my mistakes, just like you did last night. And I… I've come to accept that that man is also a part of me. I'm growing from accepting this, just like you're now growing from accepting Stain's existence. His deeds. His words."
She extended her fist to him, and grinned as broadly as she could. "You're not alone, Iida-kun. You've got your friends and your family supporting you. So… Let's grow stronger, Iida-kun. Together."
Gaping at her for a moment, he then smiled back, and bumped his fist against hers. They both startled a little when Izuku suddenly joined his fist –the hand the had injured during his fight with Kira- to theirs. He nodded firmly, and they nodded back.
"Now… I feel kind of bad…" Shoto's statement caught their attention. "Every time I get involved… it feels like other people mess up their hands… Is it a curse?"
The three students' eyes widened. Then, Kira snorted, before bursting in laughter, soon followed by the other two.
"T-Todoroki-kun, I didn't know you could make jokes!" laughed Izuku.
"I'm not joking! I'm like 'The Hand Crusher' or something like that," insisted the dual-haired boy.
There was a moment of silence.
Then, Kira completely lost it, and they started laughing even harder, ignoring the attempts of the poor boy who kept insisting that he was, in fact, serious.
.
.
It took Kira and Shoto another day at the hospital before they were finally allowed to leave. Iida had left the night before, but Izuku would have to stay a little longer because of his leg. After promising her best friend she wouldn't try anything reckless for the rest of the internship, she left with the dual-haired boy.
"Are you sure you are well enough to leave already?" Shoto wasn't as convinced as she was about her health. "You could always stay a day more, or-"
"Nope!" she refused yet again, grinning. "It hurts like hell, but I'm not staying any longer than I have to. What about you, still hurting?"
"… a bit," he admitted, glancing at his bandaged arm. "I'm the one who got the less injured, though."
"True, true… How are you feeling about the whole ordeal, though?" she then asked, more seriously. They reached the lobby in the meantime. "With your old man taking the merits for the Hero Killer's arrest…"
Much to her surprise, though, the boy didn't seem mad. In fact, he looked almost… amused, by the situation.
"My father is receiving praises for an act he hasn't committed," he replied, pushing the doors open since she couldn't do it. "Trust me, he might be a terrible person, but at least he's honest. He's pissed for sure. Honestly, I can't wait to see his face."
She chuckled a little at that, stepping outside. "That's one way to see it, I guess. On another note, though, do you know where Deku went? He-"
"Would that be him?"
Both teens startled a little, spinning around to see Endeavor in his Hero costume… with Deku the cat purring in his arms, obviously enjoying the warmth provided by the man's Quirks.
"Y-yeah, that's him," she rubbed the back of her head, sheepish. "Sorry about that. He just… kind of followed me all the way to your Agency and I only noticed once we were there."
"As long as it isn't a hindrance," he replied, handing the cat back.
Deku meowed happily, instantly licking her face again, and Kira blinked. The man had been… oddly gentle.
Could it be… that he's a cat person!?
...
That's pretty funny, actually.
"Now, let us waste no more time," he claimed, suddenly back to his usual self. He started walking away, and the teens already had to jog a little to catch up to him. "Your costumes are in the car, and we will go on a patrol right away. Unless, of course, you feel too weak to handle this."
He abruptly stopped in his tracks, letting his gaze pierce the students. The ginger gulped a little, though annoyed.
I'll show him weak, that mother-
Her arms stung despite the numbness, and it acted like a slap. Blinking a few times, she then sighed heavily, and lowered her head.
What am I thinking? I can't even open a door by myself.
"I apologize. I'm afraid my injuries won't allow me to take part of this mission."
Shoto blinked slowly, obviously not having expected her to admit that. Like pretty much everyone else, he had grown accustomed to the girl throwing away her sense of self-preservation and hiding what she deemed her weaknesses.
Endeavor simply stared at her for a few seconds, before a small smirk twitched his lips. "Good answer. Come on, we're going back to the Agency."
"W-what?"
"Did you really expect me to allow you back on patrol duty with your injuries?" He raised an eyebrow as the two nodded. "I was merely testing you. I know my son, and he knows his own limits. You, however, do not. Or rather, you ignore them. As a future Hero, you can't allow yourself to simply ignore your health. How are you supposed to save, help and protect others if you can't do the same for yourself?"
That's… a very good point.
Seeing that she understood his point, the Pro nodded firmly. "That is why I was testing you. Had you agreed to come despite your injuries, I would have prolonged your stay in this hospital to until the end of the internship."
The ginger paled at that, a chill running down her spine.
He wouldn't have…
But he would, she knew that. He so would.
"R-right… Anyway, you said we were going back to the Agency, uh?" She quickly changed the subject, ignoring the faint amusement on both Todoroki's faces. "Why, let's not loose any more time!"
"Eager, are we?" mused the Hero.
"To escape the journalists?" she replied, glancing at the bunch of said journalists that were slowly approaching from behind the Pro, as if hunting down a prey. "Yup, pretty much. What about you? Feeling up for another interview about how you... erm, handled the Hero Killer?"
He instantly scowled at the reminder, and literally stomped away, ignoring the sudden pleads from the media representatives. Kira laughed softly, then louder when she noticed Shoto's very pleased expression.
"Okay, come on," she then urged. "If we stay any longer, it's us they'll go after."
At that, he grimaced, before quickly going after his father. Seeing as she couldn't hold the cat, Kira put Deku in her hood, before following her friend.
Not dealing with those rabid journalists, not today. Nope, nope, nope~
.
.
The internship ended as quickly as it began. Because of their wounds, they hadn't been able to physically spare, but they did work on control some more. Now that she used it once, Kira understood better how to do the technique –something she managed two times on three now.
The day they were leaving, though, Kira was called to Endeavor's office.
Alone.
Shoto had watched her go, wary, but she reassured him easily. If his father tried anything underhanded against her, she'd get out without a look back and be done with it. She was still on her guard, of course, but however relaxed a little when realizing she wouldn't be alone with the Hero, as another man was present when she arrived.
"You wished to see me?" she greeted, closing the door behind her.
"Aa," nodded Endeavor, gesturing for her to take a seat. Once she did, he leaned back in his own chair. "I won't bother with wasting our time: Kira, once you have your Hero license, I wish for you to join my Agency. Or rather, join me, as my official apprentice."
"… uh?"
He snapped his fingers, and the other man placed a stack of papers before her, along with a pen.
"I will train you. I will form you. I will make you into the number one Hero," resumed the Fire Hero. "Stronger. Better. It is what you are seeking, isn't it? Strength… I will give you that, and much more."
"… number one Hero, you say?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You want me to replace Shoto in your ambitions."
"I do. My son lacks resolve, but you don't. You have the skills, the Quirk and the drive to become the greatest Hero this world has ever known, Suttoki Kira," he praised. "Strength is what you are after, is it not?"
"It is," she confirmed, shifting a little in place. "I want to become stronger... but you're completely off the mark on an important point."
"Which would be?"
"I don't want to be the 'greatest Hero this world has ever known'," she mimicked, rolling her eyes. "I couldn't care less about fame or recognition. I seek to become stronger because that is the only way I will ever be able to protect those I love. As I'm sure you are aware, a certain Villain is targeting me and my family. If I do not become stronger, then I will stand no chance whatsoever ever against him." She sighed, running an hand through her hair. "I want to become stronger so that I can use my abilities to help people. To be number one, number two, or even dead last… as long as I can help, then I don't care about popularity. It's a trivial, completely stupid system that destroys the idealism of Heroes in the first place."
His eyes narrowed at her words. "Careful of what you say. One might believe you are taking after the Hero Killer's ideals."
"I'm not," she shrugged, somewhat indifferently. "That has always been my point of view on the world we live in. However, I can't change our society. No one can. So, instead, I'll just work my way around and deal with it. Anyhow, one way or another… Well, frankly, I'm not interested."
"Then how about a little deal?"
Understanding he wouldn't let her leave until she at least heard him out, she sighed and gestured for him to pursue.
"Then, I will say this… If you accept my offer, then I will stop pursuing Shoto," he announced seriously. "Permanently."
"W-what?"
"I will not insist any further on him becoming my heir. I will not interfere with his life or his future anymore. I will not even contact him again about anything but professional matters. Of course, I will not disinherit him or anything of the sort, but I believe you understand what I am saying."
"… If I take Shoto's place, then you'll let him go?"
No.
Fuck, no.
This isn't right.
This isn't fair.
Why me, damn it? Why do I have to choose!?
"Exactly. So, what is it that you say?" He offered her another paper, which she slowly took to read over the contents. "A contract, to formalize our agreement. Sign it, and my son… Shoto…"
"… will be free," she completed, swallowing harshly.
"I wouldn't put it so dramatically, but yes, if you wish to see it that way."
Kira placed down the contract, thinking fast. Giving up her own future for her friend's? In a way, she didn't have much to loose. Nothing, in fact. After all, what future did she have? None, as far as she was concerned. Helping people was all well and good, but she couldn't just do that. She'd need to join an Agency if she wanted access to places and technologies and information… Being Endeavor's official apprentice could only work in her favor, too. Well, officially, anyway. She held no doubt that it'd be hell to live through and, in the end, she'd be like a bird in a cage.
A pretty cage, yes, but a cage nonetheless.
Am I ready to give up my freedom?
Am I ready to give up my future?
Am I ready… to give up my life?
She bit her lower lip, closing her eyes. Then, slowly, she grabbed the pen, and clicked it open.
Who am I kidding? Of course I am.
For my friends, I'd do anything.
.
.
"What happened?"
Kira stared Shoto for a few seconds, unsure of what to say.
Then, she beamed at him.
"Don't worry. Everything's fine!"
"Kira," he frowned. "What happened."
It wasn't even a question.
… Damn it. I can't lie to him.
So she told him everything. About Endeavor's offer. About his real intentions. About the deal he wished to make with her, about how she was supposed to choose between her future or her friend's, about the contract…
She trailed off reaching that part, and the dual-haired boy paled a little.
"Kira…" She averted her gaze, finding the ceiling suddenly very interesting. He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "Kira! Tell me you didn't sign this. Please, tell me you didn't."
"A-actually…"
::
She bit her lower lip, closing her eyes. Then, slowly, she grabbed the pen, and clicked it open.
Who am I kidding? Of course I am.
For my friends, I'd do anything.
But as she was about to sign, her muscles froze by themselves.
"You were right. Taking this power as my own and using it for my own dream is the best way to actually reject him."
That was what Shoto told her, back on the train, on their way to the internship. Why was she thinking of this now?
"You can't keep thinking as if you weren't important, Kira, because you are! Learn to be a little more selfish, damn it!"
Her heart missed a beat.
What the hell… am I doing?
Without hesitation, she placed the pen back on the desk. Then, she grabbed the contract… and started ripping it into pieces.
"I'm sorry, Endeavor," she grinned, carefully tearing the paper apart. "But my friends scolded me a few days ago, you know? Told me I wasn't selfish enough, and all that jazz. He'd be really mad if I accepted this contract for my other friend's sake and, trust me, you don't want to see him mad." She threw the remains of the contract on the desk as the Pro Hero's jaw clenched tightly. The girl then rose to her feet, and straightened her spine to face him with all of her might. "Shoto can fight his own battles. He doesn't need me to save him from you. In fact, I'd say he's already doing a pretty good job at that. Wouldn't you agree?"
On that, she grabbed Deku –which had been playing with the hem of her skirt ever since she sat down- and placed him in her hood. Then, she bowed a little, before turning around and heading for the door. As she reached it, though, she stopped.
"Our truce was nice while it lasted, Endeavor," she informed him, honest. "And I really hope that, one day… you'll understand your mistakes and grow from them."
Before he could react or reply, the girl left the office, the door slowly closing behind her.
::
"And that's pretty much it!" She concluded, grinning. "Now say it… I was awesome, wasn't I? Come on, admit it!"
Shoto stared at her for a moment. Then, he hit her over the head with the side of his hand. She cursed, rubbing the sore spot, but quickly forgot about it when her friend brought her in a tight, somewhat awkward hug.
"You were awesome," he then said softly. "And… thank you."
Surprised at first, she then smiled a little, and hugged him back, ignoring her injuries yet again. "Anytime."
Geez, okay, so a lot happened in this chapter, so I won't linger on it and simply answer any question if you have them. I do wonder, though, what'd you think of the contract thingy? Gave you the scare yet? In many fanfictions on any story, there sometimes is this cliché of a contract that steals one's future, right? I didn't want Kira to fall for that cliché, and so she didn't.
Also, someone once asked me what was the difference between Kira's Quirk and Endeavor's Quirk. Here's the answer!
- Endeavor's Quirk consists of controlling and creating fire. He can do fireballs and stuff like that. Kira, though... Kira can create and control, sure, but it's much more than that. She is fire. Like, look at it this way: for Endeavor, fire is a tool. For Kira, fire is a part of her. That's why she has a greater potential when it comes to exploiting her abilities and growing stronger.
That's all for now. I'll see you guys in two days! Plus Ultra!