Chapter 5: Summer's Burn
Izuku
"Good luck today Dear! Make sure to take plenty of breaks and stay hydrated! It's supposed to be record breaking heat by this afternoon!" Inko instructs, double checking his gym bag to ensure he has all his water bottles packed.
"Don't worry Mom; I will. And I looked over everything already last night!" Izuku relates watching her as she looks over every section anyways before nodding in satisfaction, hugging her goodbye and heading out.
He didn't expect her to wake up with him, curious as to why he was making himself breakfast so early.
And while she was still a bit wary of All Might and U.A. in general in knowing how often she heard of the danger their students got involved in, she wasn't going to hold her son back from his dreams.
"No matter what your past has been or what comes your way tomorrow, I'm proud of you Dear!" The memory of their discussion over dinner from days ago still brings a smile to his face.
The moon is still bright out as he heads down the street, orange and red wisps on the horizon the only sign daybreak will soon arrive as the sky slowly brightens to a light blue.
It's his first day of training, the beginning of learning everything All Might has in store for him.
The air is fresh with a mix of salt air and morning dew, All Might greeting him with a salute as he approaches. "Right on time Young Midoriya! We have plenty to cover."
He gestures then to the beach littered with worn and broken down appliances to debris, beaming. "You're going to clean all this up over the course of the summer!"
Izuku blinks, eyes roaming from one side of the beach to the other. This area was notorious for the trashing and dumping of objects as large as old fridges to smashed in TV's...
"Really?" He asks uncertainly, All Might only nodding in confirmation. He captures his perfectly startled expression with his phone; day 1 of his progress.
"The way your body is right now would be too unsafe to give you One For All! Don't try to overexert yourself in these starting days!" He advises.
About 2 hours in after managing to push a washing machine off the surf side back onto dry land does Izuku pause, staring at his sweaty reflection in the cracked glass of the appliance.
'Can I use my quirk on an inanimate object?'
He'd yet to test it out on anybody but humans, machines and insentient objects after all couldn't talk back to him, couldn't hurt him the same way so many of his classmates had done...
"It's worth a shot." Izuku mutters under his breath, directing his full concentration to the worn metal.
'Bend in half.'
The machine begins to wobble just slightly, falling on it's side as rusted steel bends and contorts. It takes much longer than any of his past commands, minutes passing before the machine is fully bowed in half.
'If this machine was sentient, a newer model, or even being controlled by a villain it would have crushed me by now I'm sure...' Izuku frowns, shutting his eyes waiting for the dizzy spell to pass.
Seconds to minutes mattered during a high stakes crime or villain attack and this indeed was a weakness he needed to combat; fast.
"I saw that Young Midoriya!" All Might calls out to him, jolting Izuku nearly making him collapse into a pile of discarded bottles he had been setting up. Much of the early morning joggers and beach-goers had been distracting him he thought with pictures and autographs, unsure why the number 1 hero was spending his time at one of the most dirtiest beaches in the area.
"Sorry, I'll do it the honest way!" Izuku stumbles out, disappearing around a pile of trash bags.
'So that quirk of his can command anything, human or not.' Toshinori muses, studying the crushed in washer. He isn't really surprised Izuku would decide to try and see if his quirk could work on one of the larger debris, granted he wished he would've told him he was going to try it out.
It's imperfect at this state, but it won't be that way forever.
"I don't mind you testing out your quirk, you'll need to learn to manage it down the line anyways. However, I recommend you be careful of your surroundings and how you use it public for now; people are quick to jump to conclusions." Toshinori notes, trailing after him as he drops his voice an octave lower.
Izuku follows his gaze to a group of tourists and locals then a few meters away, taking in the angle of washer in mixes of surprise and concern. They hadn't been there a moment ago he was sure, but All Might must've seen them coming down the trail towards them...
"Someone must've been real mad to take their anger out on this!" One man concludes with a laugh, tapping at side making it creak and groan.
A fisherman shakes his head, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hardly anyone passes by here to mess with all this junk lying about and I know this old particular 1970's washer wasn't bent up like this when I was setting up my supplies last night. Hope we're not getting any vandals trying to make this their new territory or something."
"Ah, that reminds me the police are still looking for that villain who attacked that teenage boy a few weeks ago, right? Ugh, I hope they get to the bottom of it soon!" A woman recalls, shivering and stepping back from the object.
'Are they talking about Kacchan? Villain?' Izuku frowns, gut clenching as his heart plummets.
Even after All Might discussed it with the police directly and Kacchan's report to an officer there was no villain, the public at large still believed there was a criminal on the loose; trust broken with fear lingering...
'It's my fault they're afraid, scared to even go out and about.'
Toshinori pats his shoulder gently, breaking him from tumbling into a spiral of darker thoughts. "Hey now, I chose you as my successor for a reason! Heroes don't let a few words get them down!"
And he grins as Izuku slowly relaxes, nodding his head as he straightens up and turns back to the next area of debris he wants to tackle.
"Right, you're coming along nicely Young Midoriya! I can't wait to give you my hair to eat to truly power you up!" Toshinori laughs at his renewed enthusiasm before realizing what he said.
Not good!
Because Izuku stops, turning back around to give him an utterly confused look.
"...What about eating your hair?"
-X-
Ochako
'Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo?' Ochako read to herself.
According to the websites and reviews she had glossed over the mixed Dojo and Training hall promised extensive basic and practical training of various martial arts that could help even a beginner become an expert over a series of months. Bright screenshots of students tackling and swinging each other flash out to her intermixed between shots of meditation being done in the mountains or forests.
"Provides fully efficient safety tips in protecting yourself from any small time crooks and even low-rank villains. Highly recommend for anyone no matter your current rank level, your quirk's abilities, or if you just want to become a better skilled hero!" She looks over, this one customer giving the Dojo a 5/5 stars.
Another boasts they feel ready to take the official Hero licensing exam after completing the Aikido course giving it a 4/5.
"Wow, such positive reviews! But the prices..." Ochako groans lightly under her breath, gazing at the starting yen ranges of 15,000 ($140 US). Even the cheapest option of 5,000 (About 50$ US) was nowhere near what she could afford.
'Well, there goes trying to get a head start like Deku! Guess I'll have to wait until I make more connections through U.A.' Ochako sighs, nearly sliding out of her chair in resignation. She'd been in this cafe over an hour having only ordered a small bagel with tea, feeling the stares of new customers eagerly wanting to take her seat...
Why did she think she would be able to afford this again? Exploring these associations and practice halls only reminded her of how little money she truly had to her name.
"Ochako Uraraka, is that you?" A voice calls to her as she's packing up her belongings, the accent making her look up.
It's from her hometown.
An older gentleman looks her up and down, beaming despite her clear puzzlement. "Wow, the last time I saw you with your Ma and Pa you only went up to my knees! How is their construction business going by the way? Didn't know you had moved to the city now too!" He chuckles, before stopping himself at seeing her expression.
"Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's me: Mr. Kimura! Moved on up to the big city to be closer to the missus when she was getting her infusion and rehab treatments after that fall she took. Loved it here so much she didn't want to go back, ha ha!" He explains.
It clicks then to her, from years ago: The Farm Couple.
During the summer and spring seasons they often rented out small machinery and builds from Mom and Dad to make it easier to pick all the fruits and vegetables they planted. She recalls the sound of cicadas buzzing on the trees by their shed, of her skin turning a blistering bright red staying out in the fields with them until sunset...
Sometime during her starting middle school they had moved and sold their land, the new owners however had abandoned the acres to time now overgrown with weeds and vines from the forests slowly reclaiming it all.
"Gamps & Gamma?" She breathes out before biting her lip in embarrassment, she had gotten into the habit of calling them by the affectionate nicknames their grandchildren had used for them before they too had moved away to the city on differing paths.
Mr. Kimura shakes his head though, laughing at the old moniker showing off his same toothy grin. "Yup, it's me Mr. Gamps alright!"
He plops down right next to her and Ochako stills, she hadn't expected to stay in the cafe for this long.
But Mr. Kimura pays no mind to her concern, waving to a barista he'll order something for himself.
"It's been so long since we've been back to the Mie prefecture. How have your old Ma and Pa been?" He questions.
And Ochako swallows, throat coiling. Closing her eyes she can clearly see again the piles of unanswered bills in the corners of the kitchen, the dark bags under their eyes of another restless night of sleep...
Her silence is enough, Mr. Kimura frowning. "I see. Times are changing what with this technology and people moving."
Ochako clears her throat, nodding. "That's why I'm here in the city actually Gamps, I got accepted into U.A.; I start there next semester. My goal is to become a Pro Hero and rise through the ranks to gain enough money to send back their way."
Mr. Kimura arches a brow, oh such a selfless goal. 'I'm sure she's kept her true motives from her parents too.'
Hazel orbs fall then to flyers and notes she was taking, snickering at Ochako's reddening.
"Well then Missy, how can Old Gamps and Gamma help you?" He asks.
Ochako holds up her hands defensively then, rapidly shaking her head. "No way! I don't want to burden anyone with this, especially not you Gamps!"
Mr. Kimura only grabs her hands lightly, shaking his head. "Dear, you don't know how many times your Ma and Pa got us out of a pickle or were just a good ear for us to mouth off to! Let us return the favor to their only daughter!"
She'd nearly forgotten how stubborn he and Gamma could be.
"So I repeat, what can Old Gamps do for you to ensure you'll be a top Pro Hero? In return, you're going to come get a proper home-cooked meal from Gamma every week or so! None of this fast-food business that's littered around every corner!" He orders gently.
Her cheeks are wet before she even fully realizes it, blinking away any more tears threatening to fall.
"Okay!"
-X-
Izuku
'Um, so how have you been? Great, I hope!' He practiced the line over in his head for probably the 12th time.
No, that still sounded stupid!
There's no guide for him to call a girl to discuss nothing in particular, All Might just giving him a blank look when he had finally worked up the nerve to ask him if he could provide any advice on how to start a conversation with a friend.
"Ha Ha, affairs of the heart aren't my forte! However, if you have any questions in regards to forging your way as a Hero; you can come to me!" All Might laughed.
And then he had quickly dropped the topic just as fast for them to stay focused on training.
Izuku sulked, flustering as his words repeated over in his mind. This wasn't an 'affair of the heart'!
A knock to his door saves him from mulling on it any further, Inko poking her head in.
"You alright sweetie? This is the first actual day you've had as a break from training; I can make you lunch if you want." She suggests.
She takes a sweeping glance around his room then, biology and anatomy textbooks littered around his floor along with workout guides and weights with All Might's design on each end.
The results of his workouts with All Might were already showing, the beginnings muscle already visible where there was once only soft flab. Part of her wonders if he's pushing himself too hard too fast though in seeing along with them bruises and faint scars, he's sore all over by the time he comes home in the evenings...
Izuku sits up off his pillow, ignoring the twinges of pain shooting out from said action. "Oh, that's alright Mom! I actually wanted to try and catch up with my friend I was mentioning to you, she helped me back when I was studying to get into U.A."
Inko nods, smiling at the memory. Her boy was happiest it seemed whenever he mentioned this friend of his over talks during dinner. He spoke eagerly of her quirk to her kindness, drawing her a mental picture.
'Said friend that I've yet to even meet.' She realizes.
"When will I get to meet her...Ah Uraraka, right? Already going on a date with her without even properly introducing me yet." Inko teases, chuckling at seeing his face go bright red.
She sounded at least from all that he told her to be the complete opposite of Katsuki, he hadn't mentioned Mitsuki's son since his discharge from the hospital and she hoped that he was no longer giving him a hard time.
If he was, Izuku was staying silent on it...
"It...It isn't like that Mom! This is just her first free day in a while too since she started training at this dojo and she wanted to get lunch for my birthday before we lost another chance to catch up-"
Inko ruffled up his hair affectionately to stop his tangent, grin widening. He was going to need some advice if he was ever going to actually dial her number. "No need to get so excited Dear, just give her a call and ask her what's she in the mood to eat! Have fun and be safe!"
'Don't let anyone push you around.' She adds silently in her thoughts as she backs out of his room to give him privacy.
Her son had confidence he hadn't shown in years, confidence that had managed to grow after so much bullying.
Inko returns back to the living room, switching on the TV and flickering onto the news for Musutafu Today. A sludge/slime villain was witnessed nearby a supermarket and bank she frequented, retreating into the shadows of an alleyway just as the police had arrived on the scene.
Summer is still filled with dangers, crime always seems to pick up with vacationers and tourists filling into the city during these months...
And her chest tightens switching to a daytime talk show quickly, heartbeat echoing in her ears.
Trouble likes to follow her only child, a looming shadow that threatens to blanket him in darkness if he's not careful enough.
'Please let the Police or Heroes get to him first.'
-X-
Izuku & Ochako
"Nishimura Yuichi? Didn't he used to be a small time hero or sidekick in the 80s and 90s? I think his quirk allowed him to do different types of kicks or punches depending on the weather." Izuku asks.
Ochako nods, glancing up from her soda. While she promised Gamps she was going to cut down on fast food, the saltiness of the fries truly hit the spot after forgoing them for so long. The restaurant isn't crowded despite the it being early afternoon, most customers taking their meals to go back into the humid afternoon. It hasn't rained in weeks she notes at feeling the fan's coolness swirl above, sun bright outside amid only a few wisps of gray clouds.
"Yeah! He's famous for his 'Hurricane Kick' and 'Thunderstorm Punch'! He said being a big time Hero was never his dream goal so he ended up going back to school and furthering his education in teaching and Martial Arts. I'm lucky I was able to get into his class!" She remarks.
She gestures with her hands then the way his fists had moved fluidly through the air during his first lesson. It's only been 3 sessions so far but it's enough to have gained a proper idea of how to handle enemies at a close range.
"Ah, um how have things been with All Might?" Ochako questions.
It feels like she's been one the just leading this conversation since they got here without giving Izuku a chance to talk as he nods along.
But Izuku pauses, smile slipping just slightly from his face.
'Only a few know of how severe this injury was to me. I still have to make weekly appointments with Recovery Girl to make sure my lungs and other organs are still okay. As you can tell by my coughing they aren't exactly 100% healed nor will they probably ever be ha ha...'
All Might still somehow managed to grin even while coughing up a fistful of blood, blood a deep scarlet in contrast to his paleness of his body every time he returned to his skeletal form.
"Oh, well you don't have to tell me if it's a secret or something!" Ochako adds at seeing Izuku's expression, pulling him back out of his thoughts.
"It's been good really. I'm learning a lot from him and how to handle my quirk." Izuku answers honest enough. He shakes away the image of All Might's haggard body, sighing.
"What do you look most forward to once we start at U.A.? I heard some of the teachers can be super strict! I hope we end up in the same class too, you're the only other student I know going there...well besides your sort of friend Katsuki." Ochako muses, changing the subject.
"Kacchan? Yeah, err he's always been that way! I got used to his personality after awhile." Izuku considers, granted said personality is what drove him to tease and bully him throughout their elementary and middle school days.
'How? Didn't it hurt to be called all those names?' Ochako wonders.
Did he change in seeing Izuku was no longer Quirkless or did he just pick a new target?
"Uraraka, don't worry! I can handle Kacchan or anybody now." Izuku assures her.
Something in her stomach flutters before she squashes it, if she hadn't seen Deku at the train station he would've been just another ordinary freckle-faced boy around her age...
"Train your mind and body first. The key to being successful whether you choose to be a hero or simply want to be stronger for your loved ones is to focus on improving yourself." Nishimura shouts.
"Yes, sir!" His class yells back in unison.
The mantra burns in the back of her mind, reminding her where her of her goals, of where her thoughts need to be.
Before either can further speak though the sound of a fire truck followed by an ambulance blares from outside, the scent of smoke pervading into the restaurant.
A manager comes out, white and sweaty in the face as he looks around.
"A D-rank Villain is in the area that could potentially be holding hostages; we need everyone to evacuate!"
-X-
Katsuki
"Damn it, let me fucking go before I blast you into pieces!" Katsuki curses, pushing off rising sludge to no avail. The group of middle-school boys who had thought his quirk wasn't so special (until he gave them a brief show) after seeing him briefly on the news from the Central Library fiasco had already long since run off, pure fear in their expressions.
Sewage and slime enter his nostrils, cold bulging eyes roaming over him before grinning.
"An explosion quirk, huh? You'll be perfect to use for my getaway!" He chuckles before shutting him up completely.
'Shit, he's going to take over my body. No fucking way can I let him get away with this!' Katsuki growls.
Though his body is slowly not becoming his own no matter how much he tries to fight him off, soon he will be the latest host for this parasitic villain.
And then he sees it from the corner of his eye, among the hordes of panicking civilian running in the opposite direction only two are heading this way.
Deku and Round Face.
It's not like that Infliction quirk of his will work on a villain of this nature, his body is nothing but a composite of muck that can't be broken or torn like bone or muscle.
But still Deku is getting closer, his gaze flickering from him to the sludge villain.
'Don't get closer Deku, he'll come after you next.' He scowls, throat and eyes burning.
That idiot can't hear his warning anyways.
Though he must have a plan of action because despite the shock and panic in his eyes seeing it is him captured, he steps forward.
"Another one of your kiddie friends wants to play?" The sludge villain scoffs following his gaze. His window of opportunity for escaping was decreasing by the second the way the Heroes had blocked off most of the main routes. The whir of a helicopter's blades resound over him watching his every move.
'I need to end this. Now.' He decides.
He squeezes tighter at Katsuki then, forcing him to fire off a series of blasts.
-X-
Izuku
'Burst the blood vessels in his eyes.'
Nobody is immune to pain.
This creature, whatever he is doesn't have a typical body.
However, he has regular eyes that don't stand out in particular to him. Eyes that can be blinded...
"You little bastard, what did you do to me?!" He howls, wraps of his globs loosening enough for Katsuki to break away.
He can't stop now though, he has to make sure he won't get up or potentially re-capture Kacchan.
"I'll kill you! Weak stupid kids like you think you have me caught?!" He growls, shooting his body in every direction.
'No, he's still trying to attack!' Izuku panics.
Because besides sight he still has a brain, he acted knowing he was a criminal in that robberies are bad and any Hero and police officer close by would be immediately after him as soon as an eyewitness identified him.
"The area has been cleared by Kamui Woods and the others." Ochako voices from somewhere to his side.
'Burst the blood vessels in his brain.'
And it takes a few long painful seconds before the globs encompassing his legs up to his torso stop, main body going still.
His heart hammers in his chest, splitting headache making him stagger as his vision blurs.
Police swarm upon the slime monster's body before he can move while another group of heroes move to assess Kacchan. They study his sudden bloodshot eyes in disarray and shock, canvasing his body for any other overt injuries as they secure him in place.
The noises and directions all swarm together, Ochako asking if he's alright keeping him steady.
But his lips are dry and he can't find the words to respond.
Kamui Woods and Death Arms stare in their direction, though he knows it's more so towards in having witnessed him just storm past the barriers defiantly in getting so close to a villain.
Do they think he's a murderer now at seeing the way the slime monster has so abruptly fallen? The very thought makes another set of goosebumps chill his skin. The questioning in their expressions darken soon enough with Kamui being the first to speak up.
"Just now; what did you do to him?"
-x-
Diverging from canon bit by bit. I'm still thinking of ways to incorporate One For All and Infliction, I really appreciate all the ideas and feedback given so far! I also want Ochako to improve as well in her own ways in strengthening her quirk besides what we've seen so far from canon. Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!