"Normal Speech"

"Internal Thoughts"

"Video/Radio"

"All might"

"Jack of Blades"

Chapter 3

Two years passed the family in the blink of an eye. Young Izuku's school night spent was light training in practicing with a small slingshot and pop gun Shay had bought for Izuku to use. The boy's summers were used for more intense training with the use of melee weapons and hand-to-hand combat, as well as further lessons in Will manipulation. The Hero of Oakvale thought back on much of his time in the Guild and his lessons under the Guild Master and Maze to be used to help Izuku grow.

As the weeks passed Shay watched with pride as his son grew stronger with every lesson. The child soaked in all the information his father would give him, be it in combat . . . or his father's past. Though Shay had yet to tell Young Izuku everything he had gone through, knowing his father was from a different world altogether had been a shock to the young boy. But it also galvanized his resolve to learn all aspects of his father's side and master his powers. Though at Inko's behest, Izuku learned at least the basics of the Physical Shield and Heal Life spells before any others.

Shay agreed wholeheartedly, as these spells would prove the most useful for Izuku to protect himself and train even harder. Though Izuku could barely heal a small cut with barely any blood that his father had made onto his hand, or block much more than a light poke from a stick. Then again it was Shay who was using the stick. This made Shay think of getting his son a sparring partner, someone for him to train with and surpass. Someone like he was to Whisper.

Though outside of his training and especially in school Shay had told Izuku to keep his training a secret. This made Izuku ask why when all of the other kids showed off their abilities all the time. Only for Shay to try and explain, keeping Jack a secret for as long as he could, leaving it only as the enemies he had made would like nothing more than to hurt him and his mother. Especially if they believed they could find a way to copy their blood. This made Izuku understand his father's reasoning more, though he still hated not being able to show he wasn't Quirkless as they all thought.

Shay understood how his son felt to be an outcast. Being taken into the Guild so much younger than normal students, being the favorite student by the Guild Master and Maze. Though then he only proved he was more dedicated to training his body and mind to surpass even their top students. To show them to not underestimate the 'Farm-Boy' as they loved to call him.

But this would lead to the third time Inko and Shay had been called to the school to speak to the principal. This time though Shay wasn't called away on Hero duty and sat in the principal's office as Inko spoke outside with their son about the incident. "Mr. Midoriya, it is good to finally have a face to the name. Though I wish it was under better circumstances." The principal said, a rather overweight man with most of his head bald, save for some graying hair that was combed over to the other side of the bald spot in the front. Holding out his hand as he gave a smile that made Shay's skin crawl, a similar feeling he had felt when dealing with the more . . . Slimy individuals within Bowerstone.

"As do I," Shay muttered, shaking the hand offered. "Unfortunately, work doesn't make it easy." He continued as he sat down in a chair.

"I'm sure you work all day and night and aren't out with undesirables." The principal muttered the last part under his breath as he also sat down. Those words didn't go unnoticed by Shay, whose eyes narrowed slightly but held his tongue . . . for now. "Well, all the same, I'm sorry that you've had to come in for this. But considering the severity of this incident; I'm happy that you are here as well." The principal continued, using his quirk to have a picture float in the air and land in front of Shay to show a section of wall appearing to have been blown apart. Large enough for an adult to walk through without ducking their head. "As you see here, the damage certainly isn't something we can just pass off as a simple accident. Severe property damage close to a load-bearing corner will have to be repaired and replaced immediately, then there's also your son throwing them into the wall in the first place. As well as endangering the other students in their scuffle."

"I completely understand that, so I'll offer to pay for all damages caused by both students." This got a raised eyebrow from the Principal at how easily Shay offered to cover the damages. "As for the two troublemakers? I'd ask that you leave them to me. I have been thinking of a few ways of dealing with them."

"While I'm sure you might have some fitting 'punishments' for them. I can't simply pass it off." The principal said, drumming his fingers against the desk.

"Yet you pass off children being attacked for being Quirkless." Shay interjected, one of his hands gripping the arm of the wooden chair tightly as he felt the wood cracking slowly under his grip. "Calling the children who use their Quirks on the Quirkless as; Simply playing or 'Rough Housing'."

"Excuse me?" The principal asked, voice with surprise and disgust at such . . . accusations. "There has been no such thing taking place in our school. If there was such prejudice. Then we would, of course, stop such harassment and prevent any further incidents."

"That is a blatant lie!" Shay snarled, throwing the chair he had been sitting in back against the wall behind him as he instantly stood up. Towering over the principal as the chair broke the moment it impacted the wall, crumbling into a ruined heap behind Shay. Making the principal shrink back into his chair at the sudden anger and strength of Shay.

"N-Now, Mr. Midoriya! I assure you that I am telling the truth!" The principal stuttered, holding up his hands in an attempt to calm the furious parent in front of him.

"I've seen my son's uniforms and his own body burned, bruised, and cut! My wife tells me she finds him like that every day when she comes to pick him up!" In his anger, Shay momentarily released his control over the illusion of his body. Allowing the blue tattoos of his Will to glow through his skin and his eyes to glow in rage. "Are you telling me that my wife is lying to me?! That a man shouldn't listen to the worries of his wife?! The gall!" His words only made the principal shake more. "If we were in my homeland; I would cut out your tongue for telling me that, and for lying about my son."

At the threat the principal's hand shot towards his desk to reach under it, no doubt to activate an emergency alert to local heroes. Only for Shay's hand to grab the desk and violently throw it against the wall. Shattering it before his other hand reached out towards the principal and grabbed him by the shoulder. Lifting his body suddenly and effortlessly. The illusion that made him look like a normal man broke as his Will now focused fully on the other man. The principal's widened as he now saw Shay revealed in all his ethereal glory as 'Oakvale'. "P-Please! I'm sorry! W-We never meant to cause such an offense!" He begged, unable to move a muscle as he looked down at the angered hero. "W-We had no idea that you were a hero!"

"And would that be the only reason you would've done ANYTHING to protect my son?! Even when the law is clear about ensuring the safety of ALL students regardless of if they had a Quirk or were Quirkless?!" Oakvale snarled as the sheer power of his Will began to pour out of his eyes. "I should break your limbs for such arrogance. Make you crawl in your belly like the pathetic worm you show yourself to be." His hand clenched as the sound of the platinum gauntlet groaning the tighter his grip became. "I only hold myself back because of my family. So you will instead turn them both over to me for their punishment. Then you will make sure all of your faculty will follow the law, or I will be back and make sure they get the message. Am I understood?"

Getting a quick nod from the shaking principal, "Y-Yes! P-Please! I'm deeply sorry! I- I'll sign full control of their punishments over to you, sir!" He quickly said, signing his signature on a piece of paper Oakvale grabbed and used his will to make a signed letter of permission from the principal.

"Good. Now then. I apologize for the mess. But you did infuriate me by lying." Shay said as his body returned to that of a normal man. Around them both the room began to clean itself up once more as the chair that had been destroyed was rebuilt, papers restacked, and the principal's desk slid back in front of his chair as Shay sat him back down. "As long as you hold to your job as Principal . . ." He said, holding up the paper before folding it and putting it away in his clothing. "Then we will have no further issues. You wouldn't want me to charge your school with abusing children because of something they couldn't choose."

The Principal gave a simple nod, looking pale as sweat dripped down his forehead. Slumping back into his seat when Shay turned and walked towards the door. Only breathing a sigh of relief when the door to his office closed. Before frantically picking up his phone from his desk and quickly pressing one of the numbers. "Ms. Ichihana? Please send the teachers responsible for all Middle school classes to Kindergarten to my office immediately! No! I do not care if they are in the middle of lessons!"

Outside the room, Shay gave a heavy sigh as he struggled to not charge back into the office and do more than simply yell more at the pathetic man. Leaning his head back to look at the ceiling with his eyes closed, "you can't just go around swinging your fists and blade anymore, Shay. This isn't Albion." He thought as his eyes opened and he lowered his head. Seeing Inko and Izuku just outside the secretary's office through a glass window."You have more to lose."

Taking control of his anger again he walked towards his family as he heard the secretary's phone begins to ring. Inko stood up from the plastic chair that was left in the hallway outside of the office. Holding Izuku gently by his shoulders, his clothes having been burned and torn in the fight like every other time so Inko had brought spares to change him in the bathroom while Shay had spoken to the principal himself. Izuku was only looking down at the floor, clearly ashamed as Inko spoke. "How did it go?" She asked, sounding worried as this was the first time he'd had time to come to the school for these meetings.

"Better than expected," Shay replied, pulling out the signed paper as he gave a forced smile. "The principal has allowed me to be the one to designate and oversee the punishment for both of them. At that Inko felt some relief as she saw, but then she noticed his smile felt forced. She knew something happened inside the office. She always knew when he was forcing a smile and faking being happy. He knew she'd want to talk, and most likely never let him talk to anyone here alone ever again.

But hearing that his dad would be the one deciding their punishment made Izuku shake and grow pale. Knowing his father would most likely train even harder than before as he had when he accidentally used a cuss word in front of his mom. Or the time when he ran out in front of traffic chasing a ball downhill and it was his father he had run out in front of. The memories of those punishments forever burned in his mind. The miles of running, hundreds of pushups and sit-ups, hours of sword, Will, and marksman training when his mom wasn't around to rein him in. All to be done before dusk.

Now was no different as Izuku already felt the phantom pains and sweat starting to form on his forehead. "I see. Well, that's something. Still, we'll have to talk to Mitsuki and her husband first before you take them both." Inko said, noticing Izuku shake her hands and looking at him in concern. Only for her son to keep his head down toward the floor.

"Then why don't we invite them to come over and we can talk this over." Shay said, tucking the paper into his jacket as he leaned closer and kissed Inko on the cheek. Before he turned and reached down to take Izuku's hand as Inko took the other. Together walking out of the school.

(Three Days Later)

Izuku panted heavily as he hunched over with his hands on his knees to keep himself standing. Sweat dripped from his nose and soaked his eyebrows as he wiped away as much as possible with one hand and flicked the drops away. Only to soon feel even more coating his skin once again.

But those few seconds of rest were soon broken as an explosion was sent toward the young boy. Forcing him to jump back to dodge as his shield just barely absorbed the blast. Soon followed by a second explosion that sent broken stones flying in all directions as Izuku skidded on the ground. "Get up, Deku! We're not done till you can take more than one blast!" A little girl's voice, other than Kasumi Bakugo, cut through the air. Standing in front of Izuku with her arms crossed as she gave him a death stare towards the boy.

Only to have a slight smirk as he slowly pushed himself off the ground, stumbling from just trying to stand as his body shook. Begging for him to stop and just stay down. But his mind wouldn't back down. "I can do this all day, Kacchan." He muttered, raising his fists for another round. Making Kasumi break out into a full grin as more miniature explosions filled her palms.

"As proud as I am to see you willing to charge to your death." The voice of Shay cut in before they could continue. "You must always be aware of your mana reserves. Don't be afraid to stop maintaining your shield spell to build up mana faster to cast stronger spells." He said as he came closer and held out a blue potion that Izuku took and drank. Shuddering as he finished the bottle in one gulp. The taste was something he'd never get used to, but it refilled his mana fully as he gave a sign. "It might leave you open to hits, but if you understand when to dodge, block, and redirect the attacks of your enemies you can turn it around with a powerful spell."

Izuku only nodded as he cast Heal Life and felt his body recover from scratches caused by the explosions. Only his training clothes remained tattered and coated in the dirt to prove there had been any damage he'd taken before. But still, his body wanted nothing more than to take a break. Rest for even five minutes and let his body heal on its own. Which his father noticed in his wobbly legs.

"Kasumi. Here." Shay said, walking a few feet away from Izuku as Kasumi stuck out her tongue as she passed him. "Your tongue belongs in your mouth, not the air." Shay said, not even turning around as he went to his position. Making Kasumi bite her tongue in surprise.

"How the hell do you keep doing that?!" She yelled, pointing a finger at the old man.

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out." He said, taking up a stick he held lazily in one hand and the other behind his back. That only made her angrier as she gritted her teeth and made small explosions form in her hands. "Now, you will be facing me, little lady."

"FINE! THIS TIME I'LL KICK YOUR ASS, OLD MAN!" She yelled as she charged him. Only to be smacked on her arms hard enough to make them swing to her left. Kept the explosions out of his way as Shay then smacked her on the top of her head. "AAUGHHHHH! STUPID SHITTY OLD MAN!" Swinging her arms back around to hit him with another explosive.

"I suggest you drop the attitude, little Missy." He said as he once again slapped her arms away. This time over her head before giving her a booping stab on the forehead. "No one wants a 'Hero' yelling and screaming obscenities towards them." This only got a growl from the girl as she tried to charge him once again. Only for Shay to sidestep and trip her up with the stick and hit her on the back. "Anger will only blind you to an obvious opening. Making you fall into their trap and only lead to your death."

Kasumi only growled in anger as she blushed from another bout of humiliation she'd received from the adult. It had been like this for the past three days. Same thing day after day since she agreed to use the old man as a way to get stronger and show how much better she was than Deku. Only to be met with the same results over and over again. Defeat and the taste of dirt. It only made her angrier every time, but it was also a good lesson for her. Even if she would never admit it to anyone.

Off to the side against a tree sat Izuku, holding a blank book in his lap that he had begun to write in. Watching his father effortlessly counter Kacchan's attacks and retaliate with a light smack of the stick he held. The same thing he had done for the past three days whenever Shay and Kasumi began their training. His dad had been the one to suggest it so Izuku could work on his writing skills and still learn from him by watching the two of them. After only the first day his handwriting improved vastly, as had his drawings on each move his father used. So every day he retook the same notes he had before to improve the drawings and the details he could fit onto one page and still be legible for Shay to review later.

"It's one thing to be proud of your powers, and another to have that pride become arrogance," Shay said as Kasumi tried to toss some small rocks with sand to distract him. Only for Shay to twirl the stick and cause a gust of wind that knocked them away as Kasumi rolled to his left.

"DIIIIEEEE!" She screamed as she cupped both hands together to focus her Quirk into one larger blast. Only for Shay to once again deflect as he pushed her hands into the dirt and sent her flying back. "SONOFABIIIIIIIITCH!" She yelled, spinning in the air before crashing to the ground and skidding off ten feet.

"Such arrogance will blind you as much as your anger. Only making it easier to predict your attacks." Shay continued, walking to Kasumi and offering her a hand. Which she only swatted away.

"I'm fine! I can get up on my own!" she snarled, pushing herself up and slowly standing. "I'm not weak!" Before trying another surprise attack with him so close. Only for him to slap the arm away once again.

"It is not a weakness to accept help from those that offer it." Her teacher said before the stick came back around for another bonk to her noggin. Almost knocking her over once again. Only to be stopped by the very same stick that had been hitting her. "Those that are weak go around trying to prove they are strong." Shay continued, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "I'm far stronger than most, if not all, of the heroes of this world. Yet I have no desire to be the Number One hero, nor do I go around bragging about my powers. Such actions are the beginning of arrogance, which will lead you down the path of Evil. Torturing others just to make yourself feel 'big' and 'powerful'.." This made Kasumi's eyes widen as she turned to face him.

Her a villain?! Preposterous! . . . Right? "The only desire I have is to protect people, to keep others from suffering. As I have. As many others have before." He continued, slowly moving to face the young girl as his face shifted to show the visage of Oakvale under the illusion. "That is what it means to be a hero. For strength without heart, means nothing. You will only feel empty, and in turn, cause others to suffer for your vanity."

This made Kasumi grit her teeth as she glared at her sensei. But it also made her think back to how she was before and after she had developed her Quirk. Before she had been cocky sure but was more of the confident girl that had no doubts in her abilities and choices. But since Deku was said to be Quirkless and had offered her a helping hand when she fell off the tree into the creek she had only felt looked down on by the Quirkless kid. Insulated that she needed help. So she made his life hell. Always attacking him whenever she could, using him as her training dummy to blow up whenever she felt pissed off at him and make herself feel like she was right to do so every time. . . . every time she picked on others for their Quirk or being Quirkless. "I see I've finally started to get through your stubbornly thick skull," Shay said as Kasumi growled as she looked away from him and glared at the ground. "Take a break, Kasumi. Best for you to rest and continue to think over my words. Izuku!" He ordered.

Making Izuku jump and slam his book shut as he snapped out of his muttering. The new book already has twenty pages of detailed mistakes he'd made against Kasumi, and how his father effectively countered each of Kasumi's attacks. As well as his words of wisdom to a section of their own at the very front. Tossing another stick to Izuku who caught it as he closed his eye in fear. "Ready?" Shay asked his son, getting a nod from the boy before they began to fall into the moves. "5, 1, 2, 4, 7, 3!" Shay ordered. Izuku followed the blocks he had been taught and mimicked the way his father had first shown him. "Good! Faster now!" He said, mixing up the particular block he wanted to see Izuku display. "Don't focus on my blade, watch my entire form for an opening!" Shay continued as he gave a kick. Making Izuku jump back to gain some distance and rolled to the right to avoid his father's strike. "There you go! If you can't deflect or block then dodge and reposition to make an opening."

That was how their days went. Izuku attempted to maintain his Shield Spell for longer, while Bakugo tested her explosive Quirk on him and vented the frustration of being beaten by their teacher. Followed by Izuku healing his injuries while Shay attempted to teach Kasumi discipline and restraint. Both of which seemed like trying to lead a horse through a burning barn calmly as it fell apart around you. But there wasn't NO progress. More of a cocky attitude with an intelligent mind hidden behind it. Once Izuku was healed and rested it was Kasumi's turn to rest. While Izuku trained with a stick against his dad practicing fighting stances, or range and accuracy with his slingshot and popgun. As the years passed Izuku dropped the stick and picked up a blunted katana for his melee training, and a bow and arrow for ranged practice. Using a real gun in the forest wasn't a good idea after the first time they tried and Shay quickly teleported them out when some Pro heroes came by to investigate,