A/N: Switching how I depict characters thinking. When it's obvious whose perspective I am writing under, I'll simply use Italics. If there is a swap in perspective, I will specify whose thoughts are being written with "so-and-so thought", or something similar.
This is regular text.
This is someone's inner thoughts.
This is what emphasis looks like.
Controlled insanity.
That was... one way to describe the current scene.
The two first year hero courses, classes 1-A and 1-B, were currently undergoing their four-period long training session with the specialized Pro Heroes UA employed. Eight of these sessions were scheduled to take place over the two weeks leading up to UA's sports festival. Fridays were still reserved for unique in-field simulation exercises (like villain combat or rescue missions).
The sounds of yelling, furious screaming, grunting, alongside many enthusiastic argument-filled conversations between Pro's and students were currently underway. Projectiles, debris, and… the occasional person were seen flying around every which way with breakneck speeds. The Pro's were making sure to utilize every second to the fullest; their determination and fervor quickly spread to the students of both classes once they got over the intimidation factor that came with training directly with REAL Pro Heroes. Training with UA teachers was a little different, as each class had acclimated to their personalities and Quirks.
But "intimidating" was… certainly an accurate term to describe the Pro's actions. They pulled no punches, and spared the students no harsh language or criticisms. Special care was being taken to minimize injuries however, considering how many days this training was scheduled to go on. Recovery Girl was on site, as always.
The specialized training took place outside. The exceptionally large flat area had been custom made by UA's resident architect, Cementoss. It spanned the size of multiple football fields in two directions, which converged to form a square on the opposite diagonal. The large area was checkerboarded with alternating squares of cement and grass. This setup allowed for nearly any terrain to be created at a moments notice, while the grass plots allowed for softer places to spar. Landing on concrete over and over was bound to wear anyone out eventually. Currently the cement squares had been molded into various pillars, walls, and sloped shapes to allow for the widest variety of combat scenarios to be tested.
The singular goal of these sessions, as many students were now quickly realizing, was combat training. Combat was unavoidable as a Hero; even rescue Heroes would occasionally have to step in to stop a Villain. Every Hero needed to be competent in close-range, hand to hand combat at a minimum. The overwhelming majority of Quirks were physical in some way; either an augmentation to the body and its functions, or an extension of the body. As such, it was expected that every Hero have at least basic mastery over hand to hand combat, and various submission techniques, as that would be the most common solution to subduing the average person (or villain).
Emission Quirks, like Endeavors, were far less common than most would believe. The roster of high ranking Heroes created a… skewed representation of the actual distribution of Quirks and their relative strengths throughout the world. Emission-type Quirks allow the user to function without putting themselves directly in the line of fire. But… no Quirk starts out strong, or fully mastered.
It wasn't fair, but it was reality. Once emission Quirk-types were mastered, they provided the user with extreme versatility in combat. This being, many of the high ranking Heroes possessed some form of ranged combat. If not, they made up for it in some other way. Usually by being exceptionally above average in some other facet of their power.
A prime example of a Hero with no direct ranged combat capabilities, who embodied the "exceptionally above average" logic perfectly, was Rumi Usagiyama: The Bunny Hero, Mirko.
While anyone could tell at a glance that the young Heroine was in exceptional physical condition, her true power lay dormant in her unassuming legs. Due to her wearing custom-made footwear, no one would know that her feet were that of a mutant thanks to her Quirk. Mirko's Quirk, Bunny, had been honed over two decades of training. After realizing early on that she could not become the same overtly versatile combatant as an Emitter type could, she got to work on fostering the strength she did have: speed, and power. The power residing in her legs was easily capable of shattering the thickest of concrete or asphalt; she had also demonstrated, on more than one occasion, that she was able to cause even the strongest of metals to bend under the force of her leaps.
Combining this with her undeniable technical skill and strategy, Mirko had proved herself to be an incredibly overwhelming whirlwind of physical force in combat. Able to move at blindingly fast speeds, kick with enough power to annihilate modern infrastructure, and utilize incredible mobility - a kind of pseudo-flight in urban environments - it was no wonder why she quickly became the highest ranking female Hero in Japan. Many of her fans hailed her as the "Female All Might". Although flattering, she knew that her abilities paled in comparison to the feats of strength she'd witnessed All Might achieve.
As for the students training…
Currently forty students, all in their gym uniforms, and thirty-two Pro Heroes were spread out among the massive training field. Many predetermined groups had been formed, with students pairing up with others who had similar skill sets, so they could be trained in all manner of ways by the Pro's whose powers they stood to gain the most from. The groups varied in size; those with more unique Quirks, such as Momo Yaoyorozu's Creation or Setsuna Tokage's Lizard Tail Splitter, were receiving one on one lessons. The largest group, the 'Melee combat' group, had nine students and was being instructed by seven different Pro's.
The Pro's attire varied drastically. Some donned their regular costumes as if this were another day of Hero-ing. Those with costumes that could be considered more specialized or… eye-catching opted to come in their own choice of workout clothing. Usagiyama's costume fell wholeheartedly into the latter category. Nezu insisted she wear something school appropriate. Usagiyama pondered the request in the moment, her mind wandering to Midnights typical choice of clothing. Deciding it wasn't worth arguing, she wore rather nondescript clothing. Brown knee-length shorts and a white tank top to match her hair and ears, while simultaneously showing off her rather muscled arms.
Izu was currently lagging behind Usagiyama as she followed her to a rather isolated corner where All Might waited. He stood as tall as ever, observing the wonderful chaos of students training with a hearty smile. He opted for his silver age costume, minus the cape. He was informed by Nezu as to which Pro he should look out for once training began. He recognized the name, but couldn't match it to a face. He quickly put two and two together as he saw a darker skinned woman with long white ears approaching. He spotted Izu following a bit behind; she was unabashedly distracted by the undeniably impressive displays of power going on all throughout the training field.
All around her Quirks flew wildly. She was paying particular attention to the class 1-B students, as this was her first exposure to their powers. Sure she'd seen her sister class out and about on the UA campus before… but this was her first time seeing them use their Quirks in earnest. Her hands twitched with nervous energy.
I wish I could take notes…
Needing something to occupy her hands for the time being, she simply grasped the cloth of her shirt, fiddling with it as she walked in Usagiyama's trail. Izu kept a particular focus on the group of nine students.
They're all close range fighters. Shouldn't… shouldn't I be there too?
Izu heard Usagiyama and All Might exchange greetings, but her mind didn't register it until they had both turned toward her. Usagiyama had said something to her, but missed it. Her mind was elsewhere. Turning to face them, she realized she didn't even know how to address the woman. She'd yet to exchange any words with her; the Bunny heroine sought her out as the students were paired up with pro's and simply motioned for her to follow. Seeing as she was the only Pro who approached her, she obliged.
Usagiyama was giving her an expectant look. Her hands were balled into fists and rested on her hips. Seconds ticked by as no one said anything. Finally, All Might broke the silence with a cough into his hand. He shot Izu a stealthy glance, his eyes were a soft mixture of careful worry, and a gentle fondness. He'd been in this situation one too many times. Leaning down to whisper in Mirko's ear, he whispered something.
Izu turned to one side, no longer facing them. She held her head low, ashamed that All Might had to help her already.
The woman's eyes perked up, her face morphed into a knowing smirk as she now understood the awkward silence.
She took a few steps towards Izu, extending her hand. "I'm Rumi Usagiyama. Or Mirko. You can call me whatever you want. Rumi sounds fine though, right?" She turned towards All Might. "You too, Mr. Might! Call me Rumi, if you would. All these formalities are just beating around the bush anyways, right?"
Does she believe my name is 'All', last name 'Might'? Yagi thought. He let out a quiet chuckle, quickly realizing she wasn't so dense. She simply knows that my name isn't common knowledge. But… 'Mr. Might'? At least she's… courteous enough to address me in a formal manner. I'm undoubtedly older… He studied his fellow Hero from his vantage point behind her.
Izu glanced at Rumi's outstretched hand.
She certainly isn't as intimidating as… other people I've had to meet. She… seems nice. Rumi was her name...
After a moment of consideration, she couldn't bring herself to shake Rumi's hand. "I'm… Izu Midoriya. Nice to… meet you?" She said quietly, her voice barely audible among the chaotic sounds of combat.
Rumi retracted her hand, seemingly unfazed by the girls refusal to shake. "Well Izu, me and this huge lug have been assigned to train you over these eight days." She finished with a snort, laughing at her own joke as she jabbed a finger backwards at All Might.
Izu tensed as Rumi used her first name. Only her mother and… on occasion All Might used her given name. No one else was close enough to justify it. It felt… strange to hear from the mouth of this new person. Shaking her head, she quickly tried to calm herself. Turning to once again face the pair of heroes, she nodded at Rumi.
Rumi's smirk grew. "Great! Why don't we jump right into it then? I saw some recordings of you in action, but they were all during some class events. Controlled environments with rules and whatnot, you feel me?"
I don't… but okay? Also wait, recordings? Izu wondered. Thankfully Rumi continued her shpiel.
"Why don't you and All Might begin our little training session with a quick spar? The furball told me you've already received some instruction from him, right? Plus, I want to see you in action for myself!"
Furball? ...Nezu? Izu had to stifle a chuckle. All Might was less successful, as he let out a noticeable chuff at Rumi's usage of the nickname.
Still a bit wary of the… eccentric woman, Izu shrugged her shoulders and nodded slowly. She turned towards All Might, hoping he would take the lead in the conversation next.
Thankfully, he did. "Well it's certainly been a little while since I've given Young Midoriya any real combat lessons, but I'm perfectly willing to give it a shot. Midoriya, what say you?" All Might extended a hand towards her, giving her the metaphorical floor to speak.
What do I think? I… I have so many questions! She glanced around at the others around her. Everyone, Pro's and students alike, were engrossed in their training. Some were battling, some going over technique, while other simple stood deep in conversation. Everyone's so focused…
She took a few steps towards All Might, who knelt slightly to be more on her level. She spoke quietly, asking; "How… how far should I go?"
All Might responded in an equally hushed tone, but responded almost immediately. "As much as you feel comfortable with, Young Midoriya. You… should remember your goals. Try to win. You should always try to win."
The tips of Rumi's ears twitched. Her elongated, rabbit like ears effortlessly picked up the quiet conversation going on next to her. She pretended to scan the horizon, hoping neither of the two would think she overheard. The plot thickens, Izu Midoriya. Nezu gave me a basic rundown of… you. But you're already surprising me. Show me what you can do! Rumi's grin only deepened, still having never left her face.
"Um. Okay." Izu said, still uncertain. She turned back to look at the large group of nine students. The seven pro's were currently engaged in vigorous looking combat drills. She spotted Kirishima and a few other of her classmates among the group. That group is for close range fighters, right? Why… why am I not in that group? She bumped her fingers together, trying to find a way to phrase the question on her mind.
All Might followed her gaze, quickly connecting the dots. "You're wondering why you aren't among your peers?"
She silently nodded. Toshinori straightened himself a little, reaching up to rub his face in consternation. He debated back and forth with himself, trying to decide how he should explain this.
Deep down she must know the answer… right? He looked at each student individually. They would certainly make great heroes, he had no doubt. But… there is a devastating difference here, Young Midoriya. Even… even among Pro's. If Nezu was unable to bring Ms. Usagiyama on board, he would have had to look overseas to find another suitable hero…
Knowing he couldn't wait too long, All Might began speaking before he'd fully formed his response. "The UA staff… Aizawa, Nezu, and I… thought it would be best if you trained with a more specialized group of Pro's." His eyes darted to some of the other students currently undergoing one on one training. It wasn't a perfect comparison, but he'd take what he could get. He gestured in various directions as he spoke. "You can see some of your fellow classmates also have smaller groups. Young Bakugo is currently paired up with Young Todoroki. As well you can see Setsuna Tokage from 1-B is individually paired with a Pro that suits her needs rather well."
Izu searched and found the groups mentioned, looking over across the large field. It's true, somewhat. The green haired girl… Tokabe? She's training alone with a Pro. Bakugo and Todoroki are training with… Endeavor. Her eyes widened slightly. She studied the man as best she could from this distance. Todoroki had some… interesting things to say earlier. What was that all about? Plus he knew things… She shook her head, trying to clear her mind again. Stop! It's not good to focus on stuff like that right now! Focus on the task at hand, Izu. But… they have unique powers that set them apart. I'm… so similar to some of my classmates in terms of style, right? I guess we're different in terms of… power then. Enough so to warrant a different group for me?
Still unsatisfied, she turned to face All Might. "We uh… can begin then?"
Rumi, still listening in, noted the lack of… well lack of everything in the girls voice. She's not the least bit intimidated? Sure she's sparred with him before, supposedly. But this is All Might we're talking about! I can't name a single person, hero or villain, who wouldn't be hesitant about entering a sparring match with a literal living legend.
In one graceful motion Rumi jumped backwards, landing on the edge of the grassy square. All Might and Izu now stood alone in the center of the square. They moved to stand a respectable distance from each other.
All the training groups were spread out enough that each group had at least one tile of space between them and the nearest group. The extra space was mainly to serve as a barrier to keep the different exercises of each group separate; especially considering the volatility of some Quirks. Izu and All Might were… a perfect example of why the extra space was required. But… it would soon reveal to be nowhere near as much distance as some would need.
All Might watched her with a careful eye. It truly had been a long time since he'd sparred with his successor. Izu visibly relaxed as she readied herself to fight. She seemed to… almost deflate. Her shoulders sagged forward slightly, she bent her knees, and her head was down.
After a few seconds of composing themselves, Izu looked up and exchanged a nod with All Might, signaling the start of the sparring match. All Might watched her expression carefully.
Her face shows nothing but focus. Nezu and Aizawa have mentioned seeing this… change in her once she truly begins to be engrossed in her training. I too have seen it in the time before UA, but never to this extent. She's certainly changed. It... doesn't always happen, but when it does… He thought back to Aizawa's words, remembering her sensei's almost frightening look of excitement. "When she focuses, anyone watching is in for a treat." All Might smiled.
Izu channeled her Full Cowling to 35%, the highest she could comfortably maintain for any reasonable amount of time. Green electricity surrounded her body, flaring up at first before it slowly settled. It calmly coalesced, evenly spreading around her body.
All Might quietly tapped into his own reserves of power, though his gave no visual indication. It's true that had greatly weakened, and continued to do so, seemingly daily. Due to the nature of One For All, Izu's prime would undoubtedly be stronger than he was in his prime, but he'd be damned if the girl would so easily outshine him here and now. Rumi was the only one close enough to feel the unique effects of being in range of One For All's raw power. A tingling sensation ripped through her body, her smile vanishing instantly. Her instincts were screaming at her. Flee! You need to run!
Rumi took a half step backwards, her mind reeling at the sudden overwhelming feeling of terror. Her adrenaline spiked as her bodies Fight or Flight response automatically kicked in. She quickly regained her senses, but the logical part of her brain struggled to maintain control. There's no real danger. Be calm. She told herself. Planting a foot behind herself, she braced for the coming fight. Her smile was long gone, instead replaced by a rare serious and determined look. There was no way she'd let her internal struggle make its way to the surface. She needed to watch this match.
Neither One For All wielder noticed, but the extent of their power was felt, however minimally, by all those around them, despite the distance. Many turned to stare at the two individuals, distracted from their own activities. Neither had made a single move, but the tension in the air was so thick you'd have sworn you could reach out and touch it.
Izu made the first move.
With a quick step forward, the lunged off her other leg, rocketing forward with breakneck speed. A small crater was left in her wake, dirt shooting behind her. All Might shifted his stance to lean on his back foot, his palm open in front of his chest. He bent his knees, prepared to catch her assault head on.
Seeing no reason to change her approach, Izu extended her arm in tandem with her lunge, electricity flaring around the length of her arm. She punched directly into his open palm.
All Might grunted, a blast of air extended behind him. He remained stalwart, absorbing her blow with little effort. He clenched his hand, hoping to grip her arm, but she pulled back before he could grasp her. He watched her carefully, seeing the electricity intensify around her legs.
She's going to move…
Sure enough, Izu leapt to the left, kicking up mounds of dirt as the grass gave away. All Might stuck his other arm out straight, expecting to clothesline her. He felt a woosh of air as she ducked below easily, the height difference working to her advantage.
All Might began to turn around to face her, while Izu had already leapt off the ground behind him. He felt a gust of wind hit the top of his shoulder. He reflexively threw up a hand to catch her kick aimed at the back of his head.
He caught her kick effortlessly. Izu blanched, wearing a bewildered expression. He wasn't even looking at me!
Seeing she had nothing to kick off of, All Might had plenty of time to wrap his hand around her leg. Now facing her, he was astonished to feel a powerful kick to his forehead.
His hand opened in surprise, and Izu launched off his shoulder, landing a good distance away.
She tensed her leg, briefly increasing her power to pivot off it and kick me. What the hell, Young Midoriya!
The kick had dealt virtually no damage, as All Might had more than enough time to massively increase his power surrounding his head to absorb as much of the impact as possible.
However… virtually no damage was not the same as no damage. The fight had only just started, and unbeknownst to the two combatants, the spectators of this fight gasped. Many wore incredulous expressions, sharing similar thoughts. She landed a kick on All Might! Rumi's grin had returned full force.
This would be a fight no one wanted to miss.
All Might rushed forward, knowing he had to attack for this to be a real match. He was upon her in no time, throwing a massive fist in her direction. Izu brushed past it, trying to run diagonally behind him again. With a quickstep similar to dancing, All Might jut his hips out, crashing into her shoulder as she tried to pass by.
Before the momentum could send her flying away, All Might reached out with blinding speed to follow up on his successful hit. In a flash he gripped her leg, hoping to swing her in a wide arc.
Izu kicked her leg out in response, sliding her foot out of her sock and shoe. Successfully evading his grapple once again, Izu flew to the side from his hip strike. She somersaulted in the air, landing a bit haphazardly, but remained standing. All Might dropped her red shoe, paying it no mind.
The seconds ticked by. He could see her frantically scanning her surroundings and him, looking for some kind of opening. Deciding not to let her plan, he advanced again, launching off the ground with a grace unbefitting of the mans large stature.
Catching her off guard, he shot a punch forward. She leaned back, hoping to catch the blow and retaliate. Both her hands shot up, but she wasn't quick enough. Her hands were carried backwards into her torso by the force of his punch. She went sprawling backwards, landing on her side with a thud.
He's still too quick for me. It's… it's so hard to read his movements. I barely have any time to react to his advances even if I have full view of him. Plus he reacted to my kick without even seeing me! Am I missing something?!
She leapt off the ground, kicking up dirt, and ran straight forward, ready to dash to one side of him again. All Might's eyes shot down to her legs.
She'll go left.
All Might baited her in with an early swipe of his hand, and Izu dashed to the left. He stuck his arm out straight again, this time catching her upper body. She crashed into his arm, falling down to the ground with a groan.
Many watched with bated breath. A few even took tentative steps in their direction. The fight was such an odd sight. The two combatants couldn't have been more mismatched. The massive, hulking form of All Might standing across from the short, almost frail green haired girl. The bout was quickly going more and more how many expected it to. Was the first hit just a fluke on All Mights part?
Seeing her disoriented on the ground, he pounced on the opportunity. Quickly kneeling, All Mights fist crashed down towards the girls stomach. Unable to get up in time, Izu lurched both her hands forward to catch the blow. She poured more power into her arms, briefly increasing to 40%.
The downward strike landed, and a shockwave of force traveled through her arms. Her elbows and shoulders cried out in pain. Her arms bent slowly as she strained against the downward force of his blow. He wasn't letting up. For a brief moment they struggled against each other, but his huge fist inched ever closer. She felt her upper arms spasm and she overexerted herself. The awkward position gave her no leverage.
I have to escape. Now!
She grit her teeth from the strain. Her left hand quickly found the ground to her side. She managed to find purchase, and threw herself to the side as best she could. Sliding out and scrambling to her feet, she caught the aftermath of All Might fist colliding with the ground. Bits of dirt and grass flew in an arc around his fist, which left a noticeable indent in the ground. He turned, still kneeling, and grinned at her. She shuddered, fearing what would have happened had she not gotten out in time.
Seeing her still in range, and gawking in disbelief, he threw out a backhand in her direction. Snapping out of her distraction, she brushed her palm against the left of his arm, leading the blow above her head. She jumped into his still kneeling form, shooting a knee towards his chin. He brought his other hand up, stopping her knee dead in its tracks. Her momentum still carried her over his left shoulder. She reached down, pouring more power into her hand. She gripped his shoulder, fingers digging into his muscle - rather painfully- so she could maneuver. All Might grimaced. She used the anchor to begin to swing behind him.
Seeing no way to react other than this... All Might stood up. His speed gave her no time to respond, and she had nothing to guide herself with besides his shoulder. His bulk caught her leg as she tried to pass over him; forcing both it and her arm upwards suddenly. Izu tumbled over him, and was forced to let go of him to catch herself as she fell to the ground once again.
All Might spun around as Izu got her feet below her. He threw his hands forward, fingers splayed, to shove her backwards.
She needs to stop getting in close if she sees that I can keep ruining her balance…
His face morphed to one of unfiltered surprise. His eyebrows raised in confusion as he felt her hands interlock with his. She knelt slightly, electricity arcing aggressively, and pushed. Hard.
Due to the angle caused by their height difference, and how close they were standing, All Might would be toppled over at this rate if they wrestled with strength. She had every advantage from this position. He moved a foot back to try and stabilize himself, however…
Right as he moved to lift his foot she growled, the electricity around her arms exploding with life. She surged forward with even more power, pushing against his hands. All Might couldn't stop himself from falling backwards, so he kicked his leg out. His huge leg found both hers, sweeping them out from under her.
They both relinquished their hold on one another, opting to lessen their own falls instead. Izu landed a hand on the ground, making her descent much more manageable. All Might shot his hands behind himself. With his size, he wouldn't be able to turn himself fast enough to land facing the ground.
Izu recovered first, leaping to her feet in an instant and rushed over - maintaining her increased power.
I can't compete with him at 35%. I'll need to try 40% all over, and go from there.
All Might hit the ground right as she arrived at his side. Seeing her golden opportunity, she took it.
Electricity flared violently around her leg, and her kick was nothing more than a blur. The wind howled as a torrent of harsh gusts exploded outwards in an arc around her leg. The blow found his side, and she heard him cough as her foot continued forward. Her strike rang true, and the Symbol of Peace went flying, tumbling roughly as he skid on the ground. In truth her foot ached, it felt like she'd kicked a steel barricade as hard as she could.
Finding a moment to briefly relax and plan, Izu huffed as her mind whizzed. Her eyes never left her mentors form. All Might was on his feet as soon as he stopped moving, though he did have a hand holding his side. He leaned left, then right. With a shake of his head, he met her gaze. For a split second she was worried she'd gone too far, but he quashed that instantly as he shot her a thumbs up.
A small part of her brain squealed in glee, while another was irked that she was missing her right shoe and sock, but it was no more than an annoying, fleeting afterthought. The rest of her remembered what she was doing, what she was still in the middle of. Her expression didn't change despite her excitement, and she began to tentatively walk a wide arc around her predecessor.
The fight wasn't over yet.
"Okay okay, you two have made your point." Rumi called out, cupping her hands over her mouth to make sure they'd both hear.
The sparring match between Izu and All Might had continued for three minutes after she landed her kick. All Might noticeably ramped up his speed and power, as if switching to a higher gear. He was serious. He answered all her attacks; deflecting, blocking, or countering all attempts she made from then on with a calculated precision. He did seem more reluctant to directly attack her after further increasing his output, though. But he advanced on her constantly, always keeping her on the defensive. She occasionally found kinks in his defences, and tried to capitalize on them to the best of her ability, but always came up short.
She was downed over and over as the fight progressed to its end. Many of class 1-A paused their own lessons to watch the ridiculous sparring match. They were astonished. Maybe "watch" wasn't exactly what many were doing. "Witness" seems more appropriate. The sheet speed at which the two combatants were moving and exchanging blows meant that only the battle hardened Pro's, and some of the sharper students, were able to accurately discern the true nature of the fight.
What many students did see, however, was the seemingly untouchable Izu Midoriya being forced to the ground again and again. Of course, she was going against the unbeatable Symbol of Peace, but still. It was an odd sight to see her of all people struggle at something that didn't involve speaking or socializing.
Those in 1-B were even more perplexed. Who was this short girl who could seemingly compete with All Might himself?! Was the common thought spreading throughout the majority of them.
All Might relaxed his posture, and was silently thankful for the end of the fight.
I still need energy to maintain appearances for the day… Not to mention I'm expected to do this for three more days this week. Plus today isn't over… He raised a hand to his forehead as he approached his successor. Am I in over my head? I already feel exhausted.
Izu was on her feet in an instant. Her breathing was labored and harsh, her face was flushed and would likely develop more than a few bruises. Many of her landings hadn't exactly been voluntary…
"How are you, Young Midoriya?" All Might had to stop his hand. It was gravitating towards his side, which still ached. Thankfully she hadn't kicked his injured side…
"I'm… fine." She huffed as she dusted herself off.
She's frustrated? All Might narrowed his eyes, trying to read her. She's still in her… focused state. I'm still not sure how to describe it, but there's definitely something going on here. I have feedback for her. I… was able to discern a lot of her weaknesses in that short fight.
All Might turned towards the approaching sound of footsteps. "Well, Ms. Usagiyama? What will you have us do? Nezu recommended I give you more… decision making leeway during these sessions, considering my past experience with Young Midoriya."
She cocked an eyebrow at the huge man. Second time he's mentioned his history with her. I know not to pry too much into his history, considering how secretive he is. But come on man! You gotta stop dangling that infront of my face! Internally she scowled, but kept a smiling outward expression.
"How considerate of you!" She had to resist rolling her eyes. "How about I give it a go with Izu here, then we can compare feedback on her performance."
"That's fine. Right, Young Midoriya?"
She nodded towards Rumi, still wearing a neutral expression. "Let's continue." She brought her arms up infront of herself, settling into a basic fighting stance.
Rumi eyed her with a hungry expression. Hoh… No hesitation! You can continue? Good. Lets see if you've learned anything from that fight just now. Will you let me take advantage of the same thing All Might did?
Rumi paused briefly as she watched All Might excuse himself to the edge of the grass square, a hand going to her chin. Am I expecting too much of her? She wondered. She's undeniably powerful. She could probably defeat 90% of the professionals here without a second thought. Plus Nezu mentioned no student can compete with her, but I expected no different after watching the fight just now. But can she support that overwhelming strength with intellect... or battle strategy? Whatever it's called.
Rumi reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a small metal device, pressing a button on it as she jumped a few feet into the air. Her custom footwear hummed to life, revealing hardened metal armor around her toes and heels. The space covering the middle of her sole was made of a flexible cloth armor, to allow her to take full advantage of her immense flexibility.
She glanced at some of the other student-Pro pairs that were currently sparring. Some had taken advantage of concrete constructs to alter the terrain they were fighting on. Should I ask cementoss to make something? She considered it for a few moments, but eventually decided against it. I should fight her on the same terrain as All Might; to really see if she'll try anything different. Obviously I fight much differently than All Might, but it wouldn't be right to change the terrain just yet.
Her eyes met Izu's, and they exchanged a nod.
Without so much as a word, Izu launched forward, maintaining her previous intensity. Electricity flared to life around her whole body as she aimed to close the distance between her and Rumi as quickly as possible. Her mind was processing everything several times faster than normal, but Izu couldn't help but feel something was off as she neared the bunny heroine.
She isn't reacting? She hasn't… she hasn't moved a muscle! I'm nearly upon her. Does she think she can move out of the way fast enough even when I'm at 40%?
Izu blinked. Rumi was gone. She stopped dead in her tracks as she arrived where Rumi was standing. She looked around furiously for her, but saw nothing.
Where is she?! Izu was dumbfounded. The most perplexing thing that she couldn't wrap her head around was… There's no crater! The dirt where she was standing, is still perfectly intact. There was no rush of wind either… How can she move at such speeds without any repercussions to the environment?
Caught thinking, Izu felt a huge force crash into the back of her head. Instantly her head met dirt. She jumped?! She stood up immediately, seeing Rumi standing arrogantly only a few feet away. That… didn't hurt too much. Not comparable to All Mights strikes at least. That might just be because I'm using 40% Full-Cowling, but I shouldn't take any more blows like that.
Another kick came suddenly, this time just below her shoulders. Izu stumbled forwards, but didn't fall.
Wha- What?! She was in front of me! How… how was she able to strike me from behind?
Rumi responded by, once again, landing a blow to Izu's back again. She stumbled forward more, trying to catch her breath.
That strike winded me. I don't know how, but she's able to attack me from behind repeatedly, even when I had seen in front of me only a moment before. Is this something from her Quirk? Can she teleport? No. No… she's a rabbit. Her abilities are physical. Figure her out!
Another kick came, this time to her right side. Izu grit her teeth and steeled herself. This time she was able to lean into the left leg and stop herself from getting moved. Her leg buried itself partially into the dirt, driven in by the transferred force of Rumi's kick.
Her attack's dont hurt me that much, but if I can't ever dodge or counterattack she'll wear me down eventually.
Another kick.
No! Stop thinking! Watch her! Don't lose sight!
Izu closed her eyes and exhaled. She quietly focused more of One For All's power into her top half. Her senses were raised to even greater heights, though she did her best to ignore the splitting headache that came with such exertion. Her head throbbed, but as she cleared her mind she could sense…
A tingling sensation on the back right of my neck…
Izu whipped around and threw her hand up. With bent knees she caught Rumi's attack head on. Izu couldn't help but smirk as she saw the rabbits surprised expression. Not wasting a moment, she gripped her elongated foot and moved to slam her into the ground…
Only to receive a MUCH stronger blow to the side of her face.
Right. She has two legs.
Izu was forced to release Rumi's foot, else all the force of the attack would explode through her jaw. She staggered slightly, taking a few steps to steady herself and let the kicks energy travel through her. She heard Rumi land softly somewhere nearby.
Shaking her head, Izu huffed in frustration. I've still yet to land an attack back. But that reaction gave me a key hint. You're fragile, Rumi. One blow is all it will take for me to win this battle. You don't have All Mights, or my, level of durability. Not even close.
Izu whipped her head around, finally landing eyes on Rumi. Their eyes met, and Rumi smiled.
"Well done. You were able to… make me get serious much faster than I expected. No time to chat, though, we're still fighting!"
Izu said nothing in response. She couldn't form words right now. A small trickle of blood made itself known, dripping slowly from her nose. Her head was throbbing from being enveloped in a 45% Full-Cowling all this time.
For the first time since their fight began, Izu was able to follow Rumi's motions. She leaps in a diagonal, aiming behind me. She shifted her body, tracking Rumi all the while. She puts a lot of power into getting behind me quickly, then rebounds off the ground to strike me in a blind spot. What will you do now that I'm following your movements?
Rumi wore a rare, serious expression. I wasn't joking, Izu Midoriya. You certainly don't realize yet… how much of a compliment that was. In my eight years of fighting crime, I can count the number of times I've had to fight in earnest on one hand. The beginnings of a smile tugged at the edges of her lips. Since we aren't fighting with our lives on the line, this is a rare opportunity for me, too! Against you, I can really let loose! Don't let me down now, young one!
Rumi leapt forward, just as Izu expected. However, since this was the first time Izu was actually witnessing Rumi's approach, she'd have no idea that this was very different from her previous attacks. Rumi kept herself much closer to the round as the rocketed towards the green haired powerhouse. She extended a long leg forward to draw her attention away.
It worked. Izu once again extended a hand to catch Rumi's kick, completely oblivious to…
Dirt struck her in the face, blinding her. Izu instinctively moved her hands to her face to shield from any further attacks. She kicked dirt at me with her other foot!
Rumi's attack hit her square in the stomach. Izu was unprepared, and hadn't tensed her abdominal muscles. All her confidence in her durability seemed for naught. This attack hurt.
Izu fell backwards. Rumi used her falling form as a launch pad, leaping off her and landing a safe distance away.
Izu laid on the ground, disoriented. Her head was swimming from the stress of her 45% Full-Cowling. But I'm not done yet! She was vaguely aware of some dampness on her stomach.
Izu kicked off the ground, standing up in an instant. She faced Rumi with a hard expression; eyebrows furrowed, lip curled up. She was pissed. Rumi was looking at her. She... looks so concerned. Is something wrong?
A moment later Izu's eyes opened wide, face quickly changing to one of surprised panic. The green electricity surrounding her vanished all at once, as she hugged her stomach with both arms. She bent forward and vomited up the previous periods lunch. Her head was swimming, and her vision was blurred with various different colors.
Right... Vertigo... right?! I whipped my head around with how I stood up. Her headache quickly multiplied in severity, and blood began to flow freely from her nose. Her eyes watered, and she began to cry uncontrollably. She knelt down to the ground, barely managing to catch herself. Her hands rested in vomit.
I should have known this would happen. I used One For All on my head. That was far too intense, and for too long. I'm still not used to actually fighting, and thinking, while im under the influence of so much power. My senses were in overdrive, and now I'm facing the repercussions. Why… why does my stomach sting so much?
Izu was vaguely aware of two sets of frantic footsteps approaching, thought she couldn't tell from where.
"Young Midoriya! Young Midoriya! Are you all right? Can you hear me?!"
Izu rolled to one side, laying on the ground and looking up at the clear sky. As the adrenaline left her system, every discomfort in her body seemed to get so much worse. I know All Might said something… but I… I can't think right now.
There was more frantic talking around her, and she felt a massive hand cup her cheek and wipe the edges of her eyes.
What happening? Why is everyone so loud? Isn't the fight still going on?
Most of class 1-A remembered the shock of seeing Midoriya carried away on a stretcher. She looked… horrible. Her clothes were dirty, and her face was a mess of bruises, blood, and… other stuff. It was quite a shock to see the undisputed strongest member of their class having to be excused from their specialized training session so early.
The entire session was currently paused for a halfway-point break. Quite a few grumbled at only being given fifteen minutes in between the first and second half of their specialized training. Classes 1-A and 1-B currently sat on one of the large dirt squares. Many from both classes saw this as a good chance to mingle with members from their sister class, so a large majority of them sat around in a circle, discussing what they've learned so far. After some brief convincing from Kirishima, even Bakugo reluctantly took a seat in the ever growing circle of UA Hero course students.
A tall girl with short orange hair spoke up, addressing the group as a whole. "What's everyone think of the Pro's their working with? There seems to be quite the variety." The Pro's in question were currently huddled in their own group. Many had clipboards out and were furiously taking notes.
"Variety is certainly the right word. There's Heroes of all caliber here. Rescue Heroes, Heroes from the JP's top 10, even some Heroes I've never heard of before!" A black haired boy with a headband said.
"Hey should we, like, introduce ourselves? We are going to be working together for eight days." Ojiro asked.
"We already did that in some of the larger groups." A guy with silver eyebrows responded. "For example… You're Kirishima! You're… Ojiro, Sato, and Shoji! Right?! Did I get that right?"
"Yeah, all of us in the melee combat group are at least roughly acquainted, since we're gonna be sparring with each other for the next two weeks." Kirishima confirmed.
"Well it would be kind of hard to get to know everybody, so sticking to our groups for names isn't such a bad idea." Ojiro said. "But wait, what about your question?" Gesturing at the orange haired girl with his tail. "The different variety of Pro's, right?"
"Yeah… it feels a bit strange that there's such a difference." The girl now known as Kendo replied.
Kirishima smirked. "You mean our classmates who was training with All Might, right? I know basically everyone was watching that fight. It was hard not to."
Bakugo scoffed.
"Yeah I was meaning to ask about that. Anyone know what the deal is? How is that girl even competing with All Might. He's THE number one hero…" Tetsutetsu asked.
"Midoriya is something else." Was all Sato had to say.
"Yeah she's crazy strong. Her Quirk is nuts. It's… pretty unfair." Ojiro said, looking down at the ground.
Bakugo spoke up, "Not like you extra's could compete with All Might if you tried. Midoriya is the only one strong enough to. After seeing everyone in class B today, I can confidently say that."
"Extra's? Whats your deal, man?" Kendo asked, pointing an accusing finger at the explosive blonde.
"Yeah what the heck! We're classmates, Bakugo! Show some respect for once." Sato agree'd.
A vein bulged on Bakugo's forehead. "Respect? Why should I have to respec-"
Someone cut him off. "She landed a kick on All Might. You guys saw it, right?" A lipless teen with wide eyes spoke up. "That should be proof enough that there's a difference between some of the students here. We're all here to be heroes, but we need to be realists." An odd silence descended on the group. No one could bring themselves to disagree. "Think about it. This is ALL MIGHT we're talking about. The infallible Symbol of Peace. And she kicked him. I watched the same fight you guys did. Sure I could barely tell what was happening because of how fast they both were, but what happened happened. We're all here to be heroes. But know your own capabilities and learn to recognize others', as well."
Sensing he was finished, Kirishima added on. "All Might dispatches nearly all bad guys instantly, right? Think about it, when was the last time anyone saw him actually battle for an extended period of time with a villain?"
"How can you prove he wasn't just going easy on her?" Testutetsu asked, shrugging his shoulders.
Bakugo quickly responded. "Did that look like 'going easy' to you? Could you, or anyone for that matter, have competed with All Might if that was him 'going easy'?! Huh?!"
Kirishima put a hand on Bakugo's shoulder, hoping to keep him from going overboard and insulting more people. But… no one challenged his statement.
"Why was she taken away in a stretcher, though?" Someone else asked.
"Who knows? Over exertion? She must have been going all out to even begin to compete with All Might, after all." Ojiro responded.
Bakugo scoffed again, and looked like he was going to speak up again.
"Okay okay, enough about her. We shouldn't talk about her, assumptions or not, while they're not here to explain." Kendo said. "Plus we got side tracked again. Pro's, remember?" Kendo raised her eyebrows, hoping to move the group towards a more productive conversation.
Kirishima drowned out most of the noise as the group devolved into various different conversations about who knows what. He exchanged a knowing glance with Bakugo. Why was Midoriya taken away in a stretcher? I know her power is pretty crazy, but I didn't know it could take a toll on her like that. She looked to be in pretty bad shape. Well… not that I'd expect anything less considering who she was up against. Even that bunny looking woman was seriously overwhelming! She must have been seriously holding back whenever we sparred together. He glanced at Bakugo, who looked especially pissed. Ah. He must be realizing that as well. She could've easily dispatched both of us. Instantly.
Bakugo was progressively digging himself a deeper and deeper mental hole. How am I supposed to compete with her at the sports festival. Nevermind the sports festival, how can I expected to compete with her at all?! The power she showed just now was only comparable to the creme de la creme of physical heroes. He glanced over at Endeavor, who was having a one-on-one conversation with All Might. I can't even imagine HIM taking her day. No way Endeavor is capable of dealing with Midoriya. He's ranked number two for a reason. I could tell that after working with him for only a few minutes! Everything about him. He's calculated, intelligent, and cunning in every sense of the word! But those things will only get you so far in the face of true power. That's why All Might is number one. He is true power. Overwhelming power! Endeavor is just a man with a flame Quirk.
He scrunched his eyes shut, hands going up and rubbing the side of his head in frustration. I need to get stronger! I need to! But… He opened his eyes, looking down at his clenched fists. They briefly popped with small explosions. Why can't I picture myself reaching anywhere near her level? I… I don't have the right to say it's unfair. I know people have looked at me and said the same thing! It's… it's unreal that someone exists that I have to say that about. Of course I… I would look at All Might and say that, but... he's different! He's unbeatable. That's his entire shtick… How can someone like Midoriya exist...
Special people do exist. I always knew that. Am I... Am I just a boy with an explosion Quirk?
Tsuyu Asui sat outside the large circle of students. Crowds... weren't exactly her thing. She was listening in, however. The commentary the other students had on each other and the various Pro's could prove useful. She'd spent a large majority of her time rather secluded from the rest of the students during her training. Far off on one corner of the comically large training field was a hastily constructed pool. Her training, which today largely consisted of full body exercises, was done exclusively in the water.
For a up and coming Hero like herself, one who would undoubtedly spend most of her time Hero-ing in her preferred terrain, honing her skills in the water was her best bet. It was also a huge help that her teacher was part seal! Selkie was a Sea Rescue Hero, exactly what she wanted to be! Asui couldn't have asked for a better match. He was able to give her lots of great insight on maneuverability in the water, combat advice, and so much more.
And this was only the first day! Her mind briefly flashed to an image of Midoriya leaving so early, on a stretcher no less... The first day and she looks like that. Was her training really that hard on her? That... can't be good for her, especially since we're supposed to have seven more sessions of this! Is... is she okay? I want to go see her. Will she be in class tomorrow? Will... she be able to see me for lunch again like we said?
Eugh. My head hurts…
Izu sat up, then immediately regretted it. She let herself fall back down onto the soft bedding. She was in a nurses office, by the look of things. Something was wrapped around her abdomen.
I feel… I feel like shit. She let out a soft chuckle. She rarely cursed, even just to herself. She couldn't think of a better word to describe her current feelings though. Her legs ached. Her shoulders ached. Her elbows felt heavy and stiff. Her abdomen felt the worst. Her spine and ribs felt bruised as she experimented with moving side to side. Everything just hurt.
She poked and prodded at her dirty clothing. She had fallen a lot during her two sparring matches. Right. I was training earlier today. What time is it? She looked around for a clock, but couldn't see one. The curtains surrounding her bed seriously limited how much she could see. Am I alone? She waited a few moments, purposefully making some more noise to alert anyone nearby that she'd awoken.
Confirming her suspicions, something rustled nearby. Not alone. A short shadow was visible through the curtains surrounding her bed. It slowly made its way over, eventually pausing near the foot of her bed.
"Izu Midoriya, yes?" An older woman's voice asked.
"I'm awake." Izu confirmed.
The curtains were pushed aside, Izu recognized the school nurse Recovery Girl standing at the foot of her bed. "You took quite the beating today. I hope you don't plan on doing this everyday of your specialized training."
"N-No. I don't. How much of today's training did I miss?"
"Well, considering you were carted out after your first two… battles… realistically you spent maybe fifteen minutes at the session today."
That felt like a gut punch. "Fifteen minutes…" Izu repeated. Fifteen minutes out of four periods? Everyone else has essentially a full day up on me now…
"Yes indeed." Recovery Girl walked over to Izu's bedside holding a clipboard. "How do you feel right now?" She asked with raised eyebrows.
"I feel…" She sighed. She couldn't lie. "...really bad."
"Well at least you're honest. You did take quite the beating. Though Toshinori told me he thinks most of it was... self inflicted?"
Toshinori?! She knows All Mights real name?! Does… does that mean she knows about One For All? He never told me…
"Aha! That look. Yes, I can tell what you're thinking. Toshinori has told me of your connection to him. That certainly is a… taxing power you've been entrusted with."
Izu sighed, still reeling over Recovery Girl casually dropping such a bombshell. What if there were other people in the room?! "I… yeah. My control isn't all there yet." She raised a hand to the side of her head, pressing against her temple.
"There's some water right here, it should help with your head."
Izu looked at the glass of water with ravenous eyes. "Th-Thank you for taking care of me, Recov-"
"Please call me Chiyo, dear. I have a feeling we'll be in each others company for a while to come."
Is that…? Did she mean that to be rude or was she just being honest?
"Um. Then thank you, Chiyo, for taking care of me?"
"There you go!" Her smile faded quickly, and there was an awkward silence as Chiyo continued to stand by her bedside as Midoriya gulped down her water.
"Easy now, you should get some food in you too."
As if responding to Chiyo, Izu's stomach grumbled. She was reminded that she did, in fact, throw up her lunch only a few hours ago. Izu blushed. She was definitely looking forward to some food sometime soon.
"Well, Izu, your earlier honesty was appreciated…" Chiyo let the last word hang in the air, pausing before she continued. "...I was hoping you could continue to be honest with me, yes?"
Where's this going… a sinking feeling slowly crept its way over her conscience. Izu sat up slightly, grimacing as pain sparked in her abdomen once again. She scanned her body a second time after removing the thin blanket covering her. Her shirt had ridden up her form slightly, and layers of white bandages peaked out from below.
I got kicked, right? Were bandages necessary? It should just be a bruise… Izu's eyes widened as realization slowly dawned on her.
"Yes you see… the injuries on your stomach…"
Izu's eyes spoke of the terror that was slowly enveloping her. Her breathing quickly accelerated from panic, inflaming the pain her chest further.
Chiyo extended a hand, resting it on the girls shoulder. "Dear… Toshinori and Ms. Usagiyama were both worried about your stomach you see…"
I remember now. I felt something strange… dampness... right before I collapsed… after Rumi kicked me. Did… did my cuts…
Izu couldn't keep thinking straight. She was hyperventilating, and was quickly descending into a chaotic thought pattern. Chiyo let out a quiet sigh as she watched the poor girl. There was no amount of medicine that could help what she was going through right now. Chiyo took a step back, letting the curtains fall behind her to give the girl some privacy. Izu slowly reclined back into the bed, tears streaming down either side of her head as she let out panicked sounds as she struggled to keep herself quiet. This reaction was all the confirmation I needed. I'll have to… I'm… I'm required to tell Nezu if she really is harming herself.
A/N: Hi.
Sorry for the delay. I tried to maintain a regular upload schedule but, like most things, it just didn't work out. I don't plan to stop writing this story however. If for any reason I do have to stop, I'll make it known in some form. So if I don't say otherwise, you can always assume I've got something coming eventually!
Thank you for the reviews! I always try to respond where appropriate. If you see something you don't like, let me know! I'd love to have a chat about it so I can improve.