Bruce's training begins! But whoever said hero workouts were easy? Answer: No one.
Bruce's sobbing began to quiet down as he wiped away at his tears.
"Alright kid, we don't have time for that," Eraserhead said nonchalantly, "We need to get moving if we're going to start training."
Bruce raised his head a bit to stare at his idol before tilting it as a confused deadpan appeared on his face. "Huh?"
The hero sighed. "I saw what you did back there, and I can see you have potential." Which I usually don't say aloud. "You have no Quirk, but you still ran out there to save that woman when I didn't. You also didn't just run, you came up with a plan to get her to safety, even if it did nearly cost you."
His heroic spirit wasn't the one thing that stood out to him. The way he efficiently dodged the first attack, escaping with just nicks in his sleeves. How he managed to tear the bandages off the hostage despite their surprising strength. This kid had skills, he had power, and he was smart. Bruce somehow had managed to impress Eraserhead which was no easy feat.
There's never been a Quirkless hero before. Hell, there's never been a Quirkless student in U.A. before. Still, there is nothing preventing someone like him from entering. No laws or rules. He has potential; something that would be wasted as an officer or paramedic.
"Kid." Bruce looked back at his hero with the last of his tears drying up. "I've seen what you can do, and I'm certain you can do more. If you're willing to accept, I think I can find time in my schedule to help you prepare for the U.A. entrance exam."
Bruce's eyes widened. U.A.? Really? Not only does he think I can be a hero, he also thinks I can make it in the most prestigious school for heroics? He quickly wiped his eyes with his sleeve and sent a determined glare to the pro hero. "Yes, Eraserhead! I accept! Please help me become a hero!"
The pro nodded. "Alright, as long as it's your choice. But I have to make sure no trouble comes from this, so I'll need to speak with your parents for permission." Eraserhead noticed the uncomfortable tension that appeared in the boy's body. He sighed. "Since it's late that talk can wait until tomorrow. You can prepare your folks for it, and I'll give you my number so you can contact me." He pulled out his cellphone.
Bruce quickly got up and brushed his knees off while pulling out his own phone. "Yes, Eraserhead!" The hero almost rolled his eyes. That was getting old. "My name is Aizawa Shota, kid. Use it."
"Yes, Aizawa-sensei!" the boy said as he exchanged Aizawa's phone for his own.
Aizawa sighed. He could feel a headache coming on.
"So, kid, what's your name?" he asked casually while checking to make sure the number had saved properly in his (short) list of contacts.
The boy broke from his trembling state of staring at his hero's number on his phone and answered calmly, "I'm Bruce Wayne, Aizawa-sensei."
Now it was Aizawa's turn to stare, his poker face fractured. His eyes widened, and his mouth was slightly ajar. Another difficult feat had been achieved on the same day as the first.
As Aizawa tried to find his words, all he could manage to say was a simple, "Huh?"
The Wayne Manor was an intimidating work of architecture. Located away from the rest of Musutafu, the American-styled mansion laid sequestered behind a secured iron fence and even more, a taller front gate surrounded the vast Wayne grounds it settled on. A forest among the estate's edges partially hid the extent of the security. What else would you expect from a billionaire owner of a multinational enterprise?
"You don't exactly expect them to be a fourteen-year-old middle schooler," Aizawa murmured to himself as he drove up the long driveway to the manor. He had been let through after talking to Bruce through the intercom. His mind was still reeling a bit from the fact that he had been talking to one of the richest people in the world without even knowing. However, now that he did know, most the boy's behavior made sense.
It had been big news 6 years ago. Thomas Wayne and his wife, Martha, were gunned down late one night out in the city. The perpetrator was never caught. To make matters worse, their now-orphaned son had to watch it happen in front of him. He had been found crying over their bodies. After the tragedy, there were concerns over the fate of Wayne Enterprise and the child left traumatized. The corporation remained strong while the status of the child had been left unknown. It was uncertain what became of him and eventually it was concluded he just wasn't going to leave his mansion ever again.
"He was wearing a regular middle school uniform. Guess he's been keeping a low profile so he can go around in public without being swarmed by paparazzi. I can understand that decision." He pulled up to the gate in front of the manor and waited as it opened. Someone must have been watching for me. He drove up the path and stopped a distance in front of the grand staircase that led to the entrance. Aizawa secured his car and made his way up to the door. He rang the doorbell and listened as the sound echoed within the enormous structure.
The door opened, and Aizawa was greeted by a man he estimated was in his 30s. His salt-and-pepper hair was receding, he dressed formally, and he had a pencil mustache.
"Ah hello, Aizawa-san. Thank you for coming. I am Alfred Pennyworth, sole butler of Wayne Manor. Come, allow me to take you to the living room. Master Bruce-sama is waiting." The man held the door open for him and locked it after Aizawa had walked in. "Please follow me."
He was led down a darkened hall. Outside the large windows, the night shined. They soon made it to an open room furnished with expensive leather couches, a glass coffee table, and fancy floor lamps. There was a widescreen T.V. on one wall and over the grandiose fireplace was a portrait of the Wayne family. Bruce was seated on the largest couch and looked over as Alfred and Aizawa entered.
"Aizawa-sensei, thank you for coming. Alfred-san, thank you for bringing him." The pro hero nodded and went to sit opposite of Bruce. Alfred seated himself next to the boy. "Please help yourself to refreshments," the butler said as he gestured to a platter with three cups of tea resting on the table. "Thank you," Aizawa said as he picked up and sipped one out of politeness.
"I'm sure you have an idea about what I want to discuss."
Alfred nodded and sent a glance towards Bruce. "I saw the news coverage of yesterday's ... incident," he said dryly. The boy averted his eyes almost sheepishly.
"While I don't exactly approve of his actions completely, that's not what I want to discuss. To be frank, I think he has hero potential."
The butler looked at him with restrained surprise and began wringing his hands. "Pardon? You think Master Bruce-sama can be a hero?"
"I can't guarantee it since it will be up to his choices and things he can't control if he can succeed. However what I saw him do yesterday has convinced me he does have potential." Aizawa paused as he recalled the scene and continued. "Wayne is a quick thinker, a smart one. He demonstrated physical capabilities unexpected from him. Finally, he has essential traits of a hero. If he is trained properly, Wayne has a high chance in U.A.."
Alfred's expression shifted to a serious one. "U.A.? You're going to get him in?"
"I won't be doing any string-pulling or asking for bribes if that's what you're worried about. I can get him ready for the entrance exam though. I can help him improve the skills he has to prepare for whatever situation he'll have to face in the future. Of course, since you seem to be the one looking after him, I'll need your permission."
As the butler contemplated his answer, Aizawa turned his attention to Bruce. "I won't sugarcoat anything. This will likely be the hardest thing you'll ever do in your life. You will be the first and only Quirkless student in U.A.. We can keep it a secret, but if it does get out, given your status, people will jump to conclusions. They'll pass judgment on you without getting all the facts. Are you prepared to handle that?"
Bruce stared at him with those icy blue eyes and responded with no hesitation, "I have dealt with plenty in my life, Aizawa-sensei. Simple rumors won't have much effect on me."
Aizawa nodded. The kid had been through a lot, most likely more than publicly known, given how private the Wayne family was about their personal lives. "If we're going to make this work, what will happen is this. I have a gym I train at hidden away. You will not disclose the location to anyone. We will meet after school every day for four-hour sessions." He waited for Bruce to nod in confirmation. "I also will have you placed on a training diet. You won't deviate from it, no matter what. And I want weekly updates on how your grades are in school." Alfred perked up a bit at that statement. "You're a smart kid, Wayne, but you can't neglect your studies. If there's a significant drop in your grades, then we're done." Alfred straightened himself and nodded. Aizawa felt he had won the butler over with that requirement. "Still, I need your answer. Will you give me permission to train Wayne?"
Alfred closed his eyes and then gave a stern expression. "Yes. Please take care of Master Bruce-sama, Aizawa-san."
The knocking echoed through the gym. "It's open," Aizawa called out. Bruce stepped into the building and took in everything. There were training mats, gymnastic equipment, punching bags, and weights. Everything to properly train a hero's body. "Set your stuff to the side and get ready." Bruce walked over to a bench and placed his school briefcase and gym bag down, then unzipped his black track jacket.
Aizawa turned around from setting up the final training mat. He then got a good look at Bruce. Without his jacket, he wore just a white and blue tank top, three-quarter shorts, and his white leather sneakers. Bruce was pretty skinny, but Aizawa could tell he did exercise. He has the build of a gymnast, but he'll need more than that for combat. The hero pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of his pupil, catching him off guard.
"Come on, let's get started," Aizawa said as he pocketed his phone without explaining his actions. Bruce followed him to a mat and faced him. "Okay, I want you to try to hit me." The boy was taken aback a bit by the straightforward request.
"What? Is that really fine with you?" he asked. "Just try to hit me with your best shot," Aizawa said nonchalantly.
Bruce positioned himself in an amateur offensive stance. He then launched himself forward and threw out a punch. Aizawa easily dodged, gripped the boy's arm, and flipped him over his shoulder. Bruce hit the mat with a grunt and felt both his arms pinned down while his teacher pressed his weight down on the boy's lower back.
"You're strong and intelligent, Wayne. However, you have no experience or training whatsoever. If we're going to have you ready for the U.A. entrance exam, we'll be putting two-years worth of preparation in ten months. You understand what's ahead for you?" Aizawa asked as he released Bruce. He got up and looked at his idol with determination. "Of course I do, Aizawa-sensei. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to become a hero."
Bruce couldn't see the slight grin Aizawa hid behind his scarf. "Alright, since you seem willing to do just about anything." Aizawa went over to where his belongings were and came back with four compacted weights. "Each of these weighs 15 kg. You're going to wear them on your arms and legs each time you come here, and you won't take them off until training is over for the day."
Bruce stared at him, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. "Huh?"
And this was the beginning of his ten months of Hell.
Bruce's diet now mainly consisted of brown rice, eggs, fish, lean meats, rich greens, and beans. Alfred had replaced Bruce's morning, afternoon, and evening tea with warm milk. He had taken it upon himself to make sure his ward's meals remained delicious while sticking to the menu he was assigned to. Not that he had to worry. Bruce's favorite food was Alfred's cooking after all.
For the past three months, Bruce made sure to get up just before the sun each morning and go out for a long run. This was extra since it cut into his sleep time, but he knew he had to build up his body's endurance, especially after he threw up during his first run with Aizawa-sensei.
Bruce slowed down his pace and bent over panting with his hands resting on his knees. Sweat poured down his pale skin. This was the furthest he had ever jogged. He raised his head and saw a sign reading Takoba Municipal Beach Park.
I made it all the way to the beach? Good thing today's not a school day.
He walked over to a water fountain and drank his fill. When he reached to wipe his mouth, he noticed something strange. Near where a huge trash heap was on the beach, Bruce saw two figures. One was a tall, gauntly man with wild blonde hair, and the other was a boy with green hair who looked about his age. He watched as the boy struggled to drag a closet cabinet to a truck with rope while the man rooted him on.
So they're cleaning up the beach? At this rate, not much will get done. I don't think they'll mind a helping hand.
Izuku ground his teeth as he strained his whole body into pulling the discarded furniture.
"Come on, my boy! You can do it!" All Might in his deflated form cheered from the sidelines.
"I...can feel it...budging...a bit." Suddenly Izuku almost lost his balance as the ropes went a bit slack. He looked back in surprise to see the cabinet had indeed moved a bit. He went back to his task of getting to the truck. Now it was significantly easier to pull, though Izuku still had to through his muscles into the work.
"Look! I did it!" he exclaimed as he looked at the No. 1 hero. "Well done Young Midoriya!" he congratulated.
"Excuse me, I couldn't help but lend my assistance," an unfamiliar voice cut in.
Izuku turned around startled while All Might choked up a surprised bloody cough. There, standing next to the cabinet, was a boy who looked to be in his early teens. He had black hair, sharp blue eyes, and a neutral expression. He was dressed in a black track jacket, matching sweatpants, and white sneakers. He looked so casual, but Izuku sensed a reputable aura from him.
When did he get here? I didn't hear a single thing! Izuku gestured to the cabinet. "Did you... help me move that?" The other boy nodded. "I pushed it from behind to ease the strength you needed for pulling. You looked a bit worn out." It was true. Izuku had been running himself ragged, and the cabinet was the first of the last of the trash he needed to move that day.
"Oh sorry, I almost forgot. What are your names?"
"Ah, Izuku Midoriya. And this is..." he trailed off as he glanced nervously at his mentor. "Yagi. Toshinori Yagi." The boy nodded. "It's nice to meet you Midoriya, Yagi-san. I'm Bruce Wayne."
Izuku sputtered and All Might hacked up more blood in surprise. Bruce quirked an eyebrow at the blonde.
"Bruce...Wayne? As in the son of the Wayne family and youngest billionaire on Earth who owns one of the most influential worldwide enterprises ever?"
"Yes," came the stoic answer.
Izuku shook himself out of his stupor. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to meet someone like you here."
"It's fine. To be honest, your reaction is preferred over the rest of the public's. Anyway, are you two cleaning the beach?" Izuku and All Might shared a look before that hero replied, "Ah yes Young Wayne. We are hoping to restore the beach's beauty by taking all this trash to be disposed of properly."
"Well, would you like some help?" Student and teacher shared another glance. Accept or deny? Wayne most likely wasn't doing this as a publicity stunt, since no one else was around. There was no way he could recognize All Might in his deflated form, so there was no need to impress the No. 1 hero. That meant he just genuinely wanted to help clean up the beach.
Izuku turned to the other teen. "Okay, any assistance will be appreciated."
Bruce gave a small wave over his shoulder as he walked away. Izuku and All Might returned the gesture and watched as he disappeared from view.
All Might was the one to break the silence, "Well, that was... unexpected," he awkwardly stated. That was an understatement. He and Izuku had just collected trash from a beach alongside one of the richest figures in the world for about an hour. He looked at the truck and noticed how full it was. "We sure got a lot done, huh my boy?" he goodheartedly said. However, his student wasn't paying attention to what he was saying.
"He lifted up two mini-fridges with no problem. That adds up to a total of about 100 lbs. He then held up that old foldable table with one arm. Usually, it takes two people to move one. He also didn't show any signs of slowing down and had to leave because someone called him on his phone. He-"
"-oriya. Midoriya!" Izuku looked at the No. 1 hero now noticing he had been calling his name. "You were murmuring again." The boy blushed. "Sorry!" All Might let out a laugh. "It's fine, my boy. You were thinking like you always do." Izuku smiled, still a little embarrassed, but returned to his thoughts. "All Might, did something about Wayne seem...peculiar?"
All Might was not expecting such a question but answered, "His strength and stamina were impressive. Though what intrigues me the most is how he was able to get so close with neither of us noticing." Izuku nodded in agreement. He could tell that Bruce Wayne was strong for someone his age and size. He also had stealth that allowed him to sneak up on him and All Might which shouldn't be easy since the sand was crunchy.
No one is just born with such skills unless it was his Quirk. But something told Izuku that wasn't the case. These were abilities he had worked on and learned. But what would a billionaire need these skills for?
"Come on. Just five more minutes!" Aizawa called out. Bruce tensed his arm muscles as he forced himself to keep his position on the gymnastic rings. His arms held him in an upright position for a complete 55 minutes. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the extra weight strapped to his forearms and calves.
The timer on Aizawa's phone went off, indicating that end of Bruce's torture. "Alright, that's it for today. You can come down," he said as he turned away for a moment, expecting his student to just jump down like he usually did. What he didn't expect was a short scream and the loud "SMACK!" of flesh against training mat material. He turned to see Bruce embedded face-first into the mat below the rings. Aizawa rushed over and kneeled beside him. "Wayne, are you alright? What happened?"
Bruce popped his head up from the indent. "It's fine. My arms just gave out when you said the exercise was done. Nothing too bad," he reassured his teacher.
Aizawa sighed. He had learned in his short time with him that Bruce had a habit of downplaying the injuries and discomfort from when he pushed himself beyond his limits. Like the time he fell off the balance beam after becoming dizzy from dehydration. It wasn't something an ice pack couldn't fix, however, Aizawa still disapproved of Bruce taking unnecessary risks.
He helped the boy to his feet. "Okay, but let's take care of that bloody nose before you go home."
Bruce's body was stiff. His arms refused to move correctly and just hung still by his sides. His legs also protested each step he took to the train station, but he pushed forward.
"This is what it takes to be a hero. Push through the pain," he told himself.
Suddenly, he stopped as an uneasy feeling washed over him. He looked over his shoulder and saw nothing. He shrugged it off and attributed it to the dark night. After a few steps though Bruce once again felt eyes on him. He turned around completely.
"Is somebody there?" Obviously no reply. Then there was a someone behind him. Bruce quickly turned. There was a guy who looked to be a few years older than him. He smiled aggressively at him.
"The kid Aizawa's been hanging around with? You're coming with me." He reached to grab Bruce.
Suddenly Bruce felt himself ducking under the guy's arm and ramming his fist into his ribcage. When the guy curled in to cradle where a bruise would form later, Bruce sent a kick to the side of his head that flung him to the right. Immediately he turned to see a punch heading towards his face. He instinctively dodged, allowing the attack to go over him, and he pivoted himself to crash his heel into the person's side. With a grunt, they went crashing into a wall.
Bruce panted as he could now slow down to process what had just happened. Were they trying to mug me? How do they know about Aizawa-sensei? Did I really do this? I felt like I was on autopilot. Then he recognized the feeling of a presence behind him.
Before he could react, Bruce felt fingers grip his neck, and then he could no longer keep his eyes open. He collapsed to the ground, already in a deep sleep before he hit.
"My Quirk induces sleep in whoever I touch," a female voice said. "Since you were so worn out already, it worked like a charm on you," she said to the unconscious boy.
"Come on you two. We've got what we need."
Now for the Preview!
People from Aizawa-sensei's past think they can use me to get back at him for supposedly wronging them.
Unfortunately for them, a caged animal will bite.
Next time: Old Student, New Student
Time to put what I've learned so far into use.
