Recovery Girl- Origin: Part 1

(Hello, everyone. I'm back after a bit of a hiatus. I'm afraid real life is jerk sometimes. That said, I'm still figuring out where to take Deku and Uraraka, considering the events that transpired during the rest of season 3. Worry not; I intend for their story to be satisfying in cool. In the meantime, however, I wanted to tell a story focusing on someone else. It'll be only a few chapters, but it's an arc entirely about a young Recovery Girl. I'll be reappropriating the role of a yet-unnamed character for what I think is a fun OC. I've got the whole plot mapped out, and the story is about half-written. I plan to release it over three or four chapters, about a week apart. And once I finish that, it's back to the drawing board for Deku and Uraraka. As per usual, please leave a review. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far. You're all so awesome!).

Many years ago, when an elderly lady was yet a young, spry, and beautiful woman...

Chiyo left the hospital, shoulders sagged and hair frazzled out of place. Her heels clicked on the pavement, her ankles swollen from standing her whole twelve hours. And twenty-four hours from now, she'd have to do it again.

The heavy-lidded sun sank deep behind the towers, filtering through the city streets with blushes of crimson and gold. The day was crawling to an end, as was she.

She lived only ten blocks from the hospital, in a little apartment by herself, but those ten blocks felt like ten million. Every day, she felt exhausted, pushed beyond the brink. As if every single step she took was one too many.

Her decision to become a doctor had almost been decided from childhood. When her quirk had manifested, her parents were overjoyed. Her daughter would be able to help people. It didn't take Chiyo long to decide to keep quiet about her power, though.

Today alone, three different patients had maimed themselves in an attempt to convince her to kiss them. Coming into the ER, bloody, with broken bones, asking after the fabled, "Recovery Girl," who healed all wounds with a kiss.

It was… unnerving, at best. Horrifying, at worst.

She'd had half a mind to let the fools just die. But no. That wouldn't have been professional. So, she fixed their broken bones, stitched their cuts. Let them recover the old-fashioned, painful way. And if they were permanently scarred from their stupidity? Well, that was their own problem.

She sighed, leaning against a lightpole. She was only twenty-five, and she already felt too old for this. Maybe she should just give in and let someone marry her?

She spat at the thought and shoved forward regardless of exhaustion. She would never be satisfied as a simple housewife. She was born to heal, regardless of the actions of dumbasses…

Or the aching in my legs…

In any case, she was almost home, and she would find the sweet, soft embrace of a mattress and blankets awaiting her. Or so she thought.

She stepped off the elevator to see a young man, about her age, leaning against the door to her apartment. She recognized his face anywhere, from the hard-edged eyes to his perpetual scowl. Though his clothes had changed since high school, he still looked like the exact same delinquent she'd know back then. He even kept his head closely buzzed, black hair only a centimeter from his skin.

The cigarette was new, though.

"Eeeey, Chiyo," Urusuke grinned at her, taking a long draft of smoke, "Long time no see."

Chiyo's heart fluttered, but she forced herself to frown at him. "You bum. What are you doing here?"

His grin widened. "You mean I can't visit an old friend?"

She put her hand on her hip. "You are far too petty to simply stop for a visit."

"Ack," he clutched at his heart, "Damn, you haven't changed a bit."

"I see you haven't, either."

He squatted down and snubbed his cigarette, "Nope. Same old delinquent. Try as he might, old Goji never could quite beat the stupid outta me."

"How is Master Goji?"

"Ah, he croaked a few months back. Said he was tired of my shit."

Chiyo's heart jolted. "Master Goji is dead? I can't believe it."

"Well, the geezer was around when there dinosaurs walked the earth, so-"

"You ass," Chiyo said, kicking him in the shin, "Show some respect for him."

"Tch. You'd be just as pissed if he'd put you through the hell I'd gone through."

With a groan, Chiyo slumped against the wall next to him. "So you finished your training, then?"

"More or less." He clenched his fist and relaxed it.

"So, no."

"Pffft," said Urusuke, "I got most of it down. The rest of it, I can figure it out on my own."

Chiyo barked a derisive laugh. "Seven years," she scoffed, "You had seven years with the master, and you still haven't got your shit together. I still can't believe he chose you, of all people."

"He must've been losing it or something," offered Urusuke.

"No," said Chiyo, poking him in the side, "He saw something in you, deep deep deep beneath all the sludge and muck, he saw something resembling a decent human being. Sometimes, I see it too, when you aren't busy being an ass."

Something in Urususke's demeanor changed, as if he actually couldn't understand Master Goji's decision. He stared down at his fist again, lost in thought, his brows furrowed, before he finally whispered, "It still doesn't make sense. Why choose me? Of all the people in Japan, in the world, why entrust me with this?

"Before he died, he said that he'd entrusted to me the hopes of those who came before, of all the possessors of this power. That their desire to see a just and better future would enable me to do what was right. But I just don't see it. I just don't feel it. The power's there, but… I don't feel like a good person, Chiyo. I just feel like a sack of shit walking."

"Perhaps that's why he gave it to you," said Chiyo softly, "To teach you to give yourself to others. That's why it's call One-For-All, right? You give your everything for those around you."

"You would have made a much better successor," said Urusuke, "You already help people without anybody telling you. He should have just given you One-For-All."

Chiyo flinched at the thought. "I'd sooner die than become a hero. Way too much trouble. I can help people in other ways."

"Oh, and I'm much better suited for hero work," spat Urusuke.

"You were chosen for a reason. And that's all there is to it."

With a sigh, Urusuke rose to his feet. "Thanks for the talk, Chiyo."

She stood to meet his gaze. He really was still so handsome, with an added ruggedness to his features after years of training and fighting. She couldn't believe how long it'd been since she'd seen him, since he'd disappeared at high school graduation with Master Goji.

And somehow, it felt like not a single day had passed between them.

"I'm always happy to help," said Chiyo breathlessly, "But try not to be a stranger, okay."

"In that case, I have a favor to ask," said Urusuke.

"Anything."

A sheepish look took over his face, and he scratched his head, "Truth be told, I don't have anywhere to stay for the night, and I'm strapped for cash."

And like that, Chiyo let her annoyance with him come crashing back in. "Seriously?" she groaned, then decided, "Fine, you can sleep on the sofa. But I've got a long day tomorrow, so you'd best not make a peep."

Urusuke clasped his hands together, "Thank you so much, Chiyo. I really owe you big."

"Then in that case," she said, turning the key to her apartment, "You will let me take you shopping tomorrow morning. You look like a bum, and it'll do you no good to appear homeless as you stop crime."

"Who says I'll be stopping crime," Urusuke mumbled.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That's what I thought."

They went into her apartment. Suffice to say, it was a bit nicer than the one she had in her college years. Came with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and separate bedroom. It was nice to finally not be completely cramped. She could even have guests over on occasion.

Now if only she actually had a social life.

"There's running water if you need it," she said, kicking off her shoes, "And top ramen in the cabinets."

"You know me so well," he grinned, stumbling across the floor and collapsing onto the couch.

Now that Chiyo thought on it, Urusuke actually looked as tired as she felt. That wasn't the exhaustion of simple travel. She'd been so distracted by his sudden appearance that she hadn't noticed: he bore battle wounds. He'd been in a fight.

She pretended not to notice. If she started doting on him like a mother hen, he'd be out the door faster than you could say quirkless bastard.

Closing her bedroom door behind her to change, she called through the wall, "There're some beers in the fridge too, if you're interested."

She could almost hear him perk up.

"Never took you for a drinker," he said. She heard his footsteps, the opening of the fridge and the clinking of glass.

"I'm not," she replied, "I bought those over a year ago on a whim, and never had a reason to drink them."

"Well, I grabbed you a bottle," he said, kicking back on the sofa.

"Thanks, but no thanks," said Chiyo, opening the door and sliding next to him on the sofa. She wore simple pajamas, nothing flashy- heavens, no- just something soft to sleep in.

"Bah," said Urusuke, "Just one round, nothing more."

Chiyo frowned. She didn't like being drunk. But just one bottle wouldn't hurt. She took the bottle from him, but realized she forgot the bottle-opener.

"Ah, let me get this open," she said.

"No worries," said Urusuke, "I got this." He grasped the metal top and popped it off with ease.

"One-For-All," said Chiyo, "Bottle-Opening quirk."

"I could make a fortune. People can't find their bottle opener, and so they call me: Asahi-man! I'll burst through the door to applause, just to pop open their bruskies and celebrate for a toast before disappearing into the night."

"You've thought this through," laughed Chiyo, taking a sip of the beer. She nearly gagged. It tasted like shit. She politely placed the bottle on her knee-high table, deciding that she was not going to drink anymore tonight.

Urusuke belched. "Yeah, I'd be a riot at parties."

"So Urusuke," said Chiyo, "What brought you to Musutafu."

"What, I can't just stop by to visit an old friend?"

"I'd sooner expect you to start peddling ice cream to children."

He grunted. "Well, if you knew why I was actually here, the idea of me handing out ice cream cones won't sound all that outlandish."

She put her hand on his. "You know you can tell me, right?" she said, "All this time, I've kept your secret. I promise I can keep another."

He groaned, took another swig of beer, and sank deeper into the sofa. "Truth be told, I've been tracking a trafficking rink. There's a cell of slavers here in town, catching and kidnapping U.A. hopefuls with promising quirks. I'm trying to root 'em out and find my way to their boss"

"Wait, you're actually doing hero work?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in."

Chiyo giggled. "You're actually doing hero work. See, I knew Goji saw something in you."

An annoyed scowl flickered across Urusuke's face, but it was good-natured. "I said not to rub it in. I'm not cut out for this hero crap. I'm just doing what needs to be done, alright?"

"I'm sure Master Goji would be proud of you."

"Hey, don't bring him into this."

Chiyo stood and smiled. Then, she bent over and kissed his forehead, letting her healing quirk work its magic. "Get some rest," she said, pulling back, "You've got a long day tomorrow."

"You… didn't have to do that," he yawned.

"I know," Chiyo said, "But I wanted to. After all, I am Recovery Girl."