(Twenty Minutes Later in the Yagi Residence)
"Hmm...so, if I carry the 2 over 'x', then…" Katara mumbled to herself as she did her math homework.
It was then that the front door opened, and in came Toshinori, who was slightly out of breath.
Katara stood up from her place on the floor near the coffee table and asked Toshi in a hurry, "You okay? I saw the news."
Toshi took a quick breath and coughed a bit in his hand, letting specks of blood fly out of his mouth. "Oh, uh, hey, Katara. Yeah...yeah, I'm perfectly fine. I only just began using my All Might form today."
"Okay…" Katara sighed in relief. She wasn't going to have to clean up any blood then, thankfully.
"Hey, don't worry!" Toshi said with a smile. "I'm not that careless."
The waterbender just looked at the man with a dubiously raised brow.
"...Oh come on, I know my limits." Toshi defends himself as he sweat-dropped.
"...Still Toshi, you don't want a repeat of what happened last time, do you?" Katara said with a frown.
"Oh, uh, no...I definitely do not." Toshi winced at the memory. He felt bad for letting her clean up all the blood… "Uh...I'm still sorry about that, by the way."
Katara shook her head with a smile, "Don't worry about it, Toshi. I'm just glad you saved those people from that villain and stopped that building from collapsing on all of you."
"Heh, me too," Toshi said with a smile. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he said, "Woo, that one was really stressful for me, not gonna lie."
"Well...you know, you could let the other Heroes do some of your jobs for you just so you won't have to be All Might for so long." Katara said with a slight shrug.
"Well..." Toshi frowned as he glanced down at the floor. "...I just can't let people think I'm slacking off…"
Katara frowned again, this time in pity. She could understand his position, and even see what he's saying, but...she feels like he pushes himself too hard to try to be this symbol that everyone claims he is…
He says that he does all of this because he truly loves it. Saving people from disasters and villains, being a Hero, he wouldn't trade it for the world. He doesn't do it for popularity's sake, he truly does it because he wants to be Hero, to save and help people.
Katara just sighed tiredly. "Just...promise me you won't go overboard and change into All Might over something minor."
Toshi looked up at Katara and chuckled meekly. "Well…"
Katara gave him that 'look' which meant that he better say the right thing.
"...I mean…" Toshi sighed in defeat. "...Okay...I'll...I'll try…"
The waterbender smiled and nodded. "Good enough."
Chuckling at her statement, Toshi walked around to go to the kitchen. "So, Katara, how was your day?"
"Oh, it was nice!" Katara said with a grin as she sat back down on the floor near her homework. "Ochako had to go back to her home to meet up with her parents though. They're visiting her today."
"Oh, well that's good," Toshi smiled as he got a frying pan out of a kitchen cabinet. "I still feel bad for the girl having to live all by herself. But at least her parents are paying for her rent."
"Yeah…" Katara frowned slightly at the thought of Ochako having to live alone in her apartment so she wouldn't let her parents waste money on her...
Once Ochako told her more about her situation, Katara honestly felt for her as well. She wanted to not only become a Hero to help people out, but to help out her father's construction company, that being the reason why she wanted to make a lot of money. While she thinks earning money for being a Hero sounds a little...unethical, she can understand where Ochako was coming from, so she wishes her all the best at that.
Deciding not to think about Ochako's living condition right now, Katara then said to Toshi as she turned to look in his direction. "I did meet someone interesting today, though."
"Oh? Who may that be?" Toshi asked her as he grabbed some bell pepper to make supper.
"It was a boy at a very junky-looking beach that I decided to go to. I was over there to, um...well, train my bending, I guess I should say." Katara admitted, a little embarrassed.
"...A boy?" Toshi paused in his bell pepper chopping, turning his head to blink at her.
A boy? In a junky beach? Toshi thought. Could that be-?
It was then his thoughts were interrupted by Katara's giggles. "Oh don't worry, Toshi, he wasn't 'laying the moves on me' or however you say it around here. In fact, he was actually...well, anxious, really. He acted kind of spaztic."
...Anxious...spaztic? ...Wait a min-
"I mean, poor guy, I think he was...well, maybe shy, but he really sounded frantic…" Katara frowned. "...He said he was Quirkless."
...Okay, yeah, that's Young Midoriya.
"Uh-"
"I'm thinking he has some self-confidence issues because of that, really. He said he was training to go to UA.," Katara finished with a sad tone.
"...Um...we-"
"He said no one told him he could be a Hero. I didn't ask him if his parents ever told him he could, but...the look on his face makes me think that they didn't."
"...Oh…you...you think so?"
"...I don't think so...I just feel it..."
Toshi frowned.
...My word…
While Toshi didn't want to think about his actual parents, he also didn't want to think that there were more people like them...
Katara continued. "He did say someone told him that he could be a Hero, though…" She smiled slightly at the thought. "Whatever that person said to him, it really affected him. He kept going...and I told him that he could prove them wrong."
Toshi's eyes widened as he blinked in surprise.
"..." Katara looked at Toshi. "You think anyone can be a Hero without a Quirk, right?"
...Toshinori now felt really bad.
It's like...It's like what I told him the last time at that rooftop...I even told Young Midoriya that he couldn't apply to UA without a Quirk...
He looked at Katara, who was giving him such a look of hope, expecting him to say the right thing. If he tells her what he already said to Midoriya...then...
...I…
"...Toshi?" Katara asked, the look on her face deflating slowly as he took his time to answer.
...I really have to be truthful here...
"...Yes."
Katara blinked as her hopeful expression at Toshinori renewed.
"...Yes, they can," Toshi said with resolve.
I really am a fool...I need to apologize.
Toshinori looked at Katara...and smiled.
"I...hope this kid will do extraordinarily well. He certainly sounds like he has the spunk," Toshi praised.
Katara smiled back, happy at Toshi's answer. "I was hoping you would say that."
Toshi nodded as his smile remained. However, his thoughts returned to Midoriya.
Young Midoriya is going ahead of the schedule...he's pushing himself too hard. I need a talk with him.
As Katara went back to her homework, Toshinori gave her one last look before going back to making supper.
Should I tell her? ...No. I can't tell her that I'm training Midoriya. That would only complicate things. I'll tell her after the UA Entrance Exams...which will be a while, yes, but it will allow her to concentrate on her studies. I also don't want her to know about the history of One For All's past bearers. I just told her Nana has it and that's it...I don't even think I even told her what Nana's Quirk is. I was being vague about it on purpose...
As he chopped some bell peppers, he also had another thought.
I should buy lots of bottled water. That way, Katara could practice her bending away from the beach, where Young Midoriya could train himself to become the next bearer. I don't want him to get distracted, although, I need to talk to him about how he's overworking himself.
Nodding to that, he continued to prepare dinner, while Katara did her homework.
And so as the days and months went by, Toshinori decided to buy LOTS of bottled water for Katara. Upon asking why he's doing that for her, Toshi told her that it's a lot easier so that people won't see her do her bending and mistake it as Quirk usage, which made sense
That, and Toshi told her that the boy she met would probably like to concentrate on training himself without distractions, something which Katara could see the point in as well.
With that in mind, Katara began to practice her waterbending around the house. It was a bit difficult to maneuver inside the space, as the bottom floor of the house was basically one room, so she tried some waterbending upstairs, but she still felt boxed in at some of the rooms, including hers. This country of Japan was limited in space, so she herself had a difficult time practicing her bending at her new home. But it wasn't all that bad. Honestly, she can try to improvise, like guide her water upstairs, freezing and unfreezing water bottles, and do certain whip moves with her water. She would even try to use her bending to cook food with water on the stove. Anything that's mundane, even watering plants with waterbending, she did for the sake of practice.
She kept all this up during the course of four months. And along with studying, it was quite a hassle. But until that day arrived, she was ready to show her skills and grit to the judges. Toshi even said he was gonna be one of the judges!
That made Katara wonder though if he will be in his All Might form the whole time, which made her ask about that.
Turns out, Toshi has some more explaining to do.
Apparently, some Heroes who also happened to work at UA knew who he was beforehand, skinny-form and all. When being told of that, Katara couldn't help but wonder if Toshi was just too trusting of some people, or if he was that reckless.
Then again, now that she thought about it, she did understand why he would let some Heroes know his identity. He had to communicate with them on a daily basis in UA, and with Tsukauchi being part of the police force, that meant All Might had first access to some sort of intel when it came to villains.
Speaking of these police outings, he's been attending them even less now. He assured Katara that they can handle themselves some days without his help, and that he trusts them to become the 'fine protectors of the city.' That, and he figured that he could help Katara with some things, like her homework.
All in all, she seemed to be getting the gist of everything in this world, as well as doing well on her studies.
The only issue she really had was that she didn't know when she'll return to her world, but thankfully, now wasn't her time to go. If she was being honest, she wanted to spend more time with Toshi, Ochako, and even cheer on Izuku whenever she met him again. She made a connection with these people and didn't want to just leave them so soon. Especially when the only method of leaving this world was by dying…
She didn't want to think about that.
Four Months Later - February.
Exam Day - 6:30 AM
I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE!
Katara groggily got up from under the covers of her bed, and reached for her phone. She can't help but chuckle at the alarm she programmed into the phone.
It's mighty effective.
She snorted a laugh, now aware of the pun she just now thought up.
Pushing the covers off of her, she changed out of her pajamas and proceeded to get ready for the big day. She already made it through the written part of the exam, and she was accepted to go to the testing site.
Putting on her blue jeans and blue jacket, she went downstairs and frowned when she realized just how quiet it was. Usually, she would be greeted by the sound of sizzling bacon or eggs, but the kitchen was dead quiet.
It was then that she saw a note on the kitchen counter. Curious, she went over to it. It read:
Katara,
I had to go meet up with somebody very early in the morning. I regret to say that I won't be able to drop you off at the entrance exam building, but just know that I will be rooting for you in the judges section up there! I know you can do it! If you're anything you say you are, then give those robots the what-go! I'll be cheering for ya!
...Albeit a little quietly to myself, cause I don't want anyone to think I'm playing favorites.
But YOU CAN DO IT! I believe in you! :)
Good luck, Little Lady Katara!
Signed, Toshi
Katara couldn't help but smile warmly at the note.
You truly are a sweetheart, Toshi.
She quickly ate an apple for breakfast, before heading out the door, strapping her new thermos full of water around her torso for the exam in case she couldn't find any. She looked down at her phone, the GPS telling her where to go. She was given directions by Toshi, but they drove past the place once just in case.
As she walked her way while glancing at her phone at times, her thoughts went back to the note that Toshi left.
I wonder who Toshi was supposed to meet in the early morning? I mean, when did he wake up? Around six? Five-thirty even? I hope not five...well, either way, I hope he'll make it to the exam to judge us.
Katara kept walking to her destination.
You know, I wonder if Izuku will be there...I really hope he'll get in.
It was then Katara had another random thought.
Toshi told me not to bother him when he was training, and Toshi also started to attend those police meetings even less and less-
Katara stopped.
Wait...could that be...I mean…is that possib-
"Oh! Hey Katara!" called out a familiar girl's voice.
The waterbender looked over to her right and saw that Ochako was heading toward her down the sidewalk, waving to her all the way. She was wearing a winter coat and other winter clothes, as well as wearing a scarf around her neck.
Katara smiled widely and waved back to her friend. "Hey, Chako!" she said to her, calling her by the nickname she calls her.
"Heeey!" Ochako said in her cheerful way as she jogged. Once she stopped next to Katara, she asked, "You going to the UA entrance exams building?"
"That I am," Katara said with a grin.
"Awesome! We should totally head that way!"
"Sure thing!"
As they walked towards the exam building, they began chatting about what to expect.
"Man, I really hope I'll do well on the exam! This could be my only chance to get into UA and try to support my family!" Ochako told Katara.
"I'm certain you'll do great, Chako!" Katara encouraged her. "I just hope I'll be able to do well myself also. I'm a little rusty on some of my techniques...for, uh, my Quirk."
"Well, don't you worry! You certainly take your Quirk very seriously, and you showed me all the awesome moves you could do with it, so I'm super confident that you'll get in! Besides, your Quirk is really cool!" Ochako praised her.
Rolling her eyes with a smile, Katara chuckled. "Oh please, your Zero Gravity Quirk is just as awesome as mine."
"Aww, well, I can't control mine really well though. You learned how to control yours like...gosh, I don't even know! You said you trained yours when it manifested or something?" Ochako asked her.
Katara then briefly thought about the day when she was little...when she still had her mother...
"...Y-Yeah. I did," Katara said a little shortly. "Somewhere around that time."
Ochako nodded with a smile, thankfully not noticing Katara's strained response. "Well, either way, I hope UA will teach me how to control my Quirk better!"
Before they could discuss another topic, Ochako bumped into someone as they walked on the sidewalk into an intersection.
BUMP!
"ACK!" exclaimed Ochako.
"Oof! Hey, watch it!" said a gruff young male's voice.
Ochako plopped on the ground on her rear, while Katara went to her side.
"Hey, you alright?" Katara asked her friend in concern.
"Haha, yeah, I'm fine," Ochako answered with a sheepish smile.
Katara nodded as she helped her up. She then turned her attention to the young man who bumped into Ochako. He looked quite handsome in his school uniform, his dirty-blond messy hair resembling a small, spiky explosion. He also had red eyes, which looked more deadly than charming with his ugly scowl.
Not backing down, Katara returned the glare with her own. "You know, you could say you're sorry for bumping into my friend."
The boy didn't even look at Ochako as he stared at her. "...Hey, you're that girl from the news."
Katara blinked, "Huh?"
"It was a few months back...I think last June…" he said, his scowl being momentarily replaced with slight curiosity as he kept on staring at the waterbender.
...Oh. Is he talking about that incident with Dukunara? All the way back? Katara wondered.
"Huh? What did you do, Katara?" Ochako asked her in confusion.
"Oh, well...I-"
"You didn't even use your Quirk, did you?" The young male asked with a sneer.
Upon seeing his reaction to that, Katara blinked again. "Um...no?"
"...Tch. Why the hell didn't you use it then? You Quirkless or something?" he asked her in disgust.
Katara just looked at the guy for a second before she frowned. "Well, for one, a hostage was being taken, and the guy himself wasn't evil. He was just mad at people labeling him a bad person because he was related to that Sludge Villain. Secondly, no, I'm not. I just didn't want to use it on something like that."
"..." The boy scowled at her once more. "...Feh. At least announce that you have a Quirk next time, instead of acting Quirkless."
Katara's frown deepened. She didn't like how this guy was acting one bit. "I'm sorry, but why should I? Does that offend you somehow?"
The young man growled in frustration. "If you have a Quirk, then use it."
"Didn't you hear what I said?" Katara challenged him in annoyance. "I couldn't do anything to harm the guy with the hostage in his arms. Besides, the guy himself was hurting, and I know from experience he was just angry."
Apparently, the young man didn't like the input that Katara gave him. "He's related to that damn Sludge Villain! If he's related to that fucker, then he shouldn't have any sympathy!"
"Wait...what happened?" Ochako asked either one of them in confusion.
Now what this male said has gotten her anger boiling. "Just cause he's related to the Sludge Villain, doesn't make him a bad person!"
The male just growled and looked at her with aggravation. "...Hey. It's exam day. What school are you going to?"
Surprised by the sudden change of topic, Katara just answered, "Um, UA."
"...Hmph!" he harrumphed. "Do yourself a favor and find another course then. Or hell, just find another school. I don't know what Quirk you have, or even if you do have one, but UA is the top Hero school in Japan, a place where strong students become upcoming heroes. If you ain't gonna use your Quirk, then that school isn't the one for you. UA is for the people who want to be recognized as actual Heroes, and if you ain't gonna use your Quirk to show how strong you are, then you might as well just be Quirkless. I plan to make it to the top as a Pro Hero in UA, not be some therapist that talks about their problems and shit. So don't get in the way of anybody, including mine, or waste anyone's time with what you have to offer."
Katara just looked at him appalled.
Ochako didn't like how this guy was talking to her friend either. "Hey, she does have a Quirk, and she WILL go to UA! Including me! And even if she didn't use her Quirk, that's still a great thing to do without using it!"
"Oh yeah!? Just what is her Quirk then if she even has one!?" he asked harshly.
"Water Manipulation!"
The boy and Ochako turned their attention to Katara.
She looked intense as she glared at the boy.
"What's your name?" Katara asked him fiercely.
"...Bakugou Katsuki." he said, sneering. "My Quirk is Explosion."
"I didn't ask for your Quirk." Katara sternly told him. "I just asked what your name is. And just to let you know, I'm going to UA to become an actual Hero, a hero that saves people from danger and does what they have to do because they care. You know, a hero that people actually deserve and look up to! Something you probably need to relearn in whatever school you put yourself in."
Katsuki's eyes widened in shock at the bold statement. He narrowed them into a glare. "Hey, you listen here, you-"
"No, I'm not done yet! You also need to know that anybody who is Quirkless can still be a Hero!" Katara told him off strictly. "I know someone who is trying to become a Hero even without a Quirk!"
Ochako gasped, while Katsuki went cold silent, his eyes widened a fraction in shock. His shock eased away as he just dead-on glared. "...Who is it?"
Katara glared back at him, about to say his name until she thought about the consequence of telling him. This Bakugou looks like he would make Izuku's life a living hell if she ever revealed his name to him, or if they would even cross paths with one another someday.
"...You know what? You don't even deserve to know the name of this person. You don't even deserve to know my name." Katara said to Bakugou with an icy tone. "All you need to do right now, is rethink your priorities and learn to act like a real Hero and not act like an ass!"
Katsuki glared hard at Katara, scowl plastered on his face, his teeth gritting as he looked like he wanted to actually explode back obscenities at her, to put her in her place…
"...Feh! You're lucky I have an exam to take!" Bakugou curled his lip up in another sneer as he turned around and walked away from the girls. "Here's hoping you lose the whole damn thing!"
Katara glared back. "You too!"
Bakugou paused in his walk, growled harshly, and just kept walking.
Frowning at the retreating figure, Katara let out a huff.
Ochako looked back and forth between her friend and the distant Katsuki. She turned back to her friend to say, "Um, okay, first off, that was cool how you stood up to that big meanie, but what did you actually do that got you on the news?"
Katara let out a weary sigh. "I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to get to the UA exam building. I promise that I'll tell you after we finish it."
"Oh. Uh, okay." Ochako blinked, and didn't press any further. The two then continued walking in silence.
"Wow! This is the entrance to UA! We're really here!" Ochako said with stars in her eyes.
Teenagers with all sorts of different Quirks walked up to the steps of the building, the words "UA Entrance Exam" written in large font above the entrance. The two girls looked on in awe as they realized that at this point, their careers as heroes depended on them being able to pass this test.
Katara looked up at the steps that lead upward to the academy building ahead. It all led up to this...this is the step forward to going to UA and becoming the newest beacon of hope to the people in this world.
Toshi told her that he wasn't gonna play favorites, but he'll cheer silently on the sidelines at the judges' section. When she thought of Toshi, he thought of what that jerk Bakugou said about Quirkless people in general.
I won't let you down, Toshi...
Still...she sometimes wondered if this was even worth it. To even go forward in this world to make a difference, only to...to die in the end...
I have to keep going. No matter my outcome here, I need to live on for Toshi, Ochako, Tsukauchi, and everyone around here, including the Quirkless. … Now that I think about it, I really do hope Izuku gets in...I wonder if I'll see him here?
"K-Katara?" Ochako asked.
...Wait...no...that didn't sound like Ochako.
Katara turned around behind her to see that it was none other than-
"Oh! Midoriya!" Katara said with a beaming smile. "You came to the exam!"
Midoriya was wearing his school uniform, his green, bushy hair still the same with his freckles and backpack slung on his shoulders. He waved to her a little shyly, looking a little nervous just like he was when she first met him.
"U-Uh, hey! W-Wow, we, uh, m-meet again..." Midoriya stuttered, a blush on his face as he gave out a timid smile.
Ochako looked at Midoriya and back at Katara. "Midoriya?"
Upon seeing that Ochako hasn't met Midoriya before, Katara said. "Oh, yeah, this is Midoriya! Midoriya Izuku! He was the one that I said didn't have a Quirk."
Izuku froze at this, his face becoming dumbfounded as his eyes widened.
"Huh?" Ochako blinked in confusion. "He...doesn't?"
"Ye-"
"NO!"
Both girls jumped in surprise as they turned to Izuku.
"I-I-I mean, I-I just got-I-I mean, it just came to me!" Midoriya frantically exclaimed as he stuttered.
Katara blinked and looked at him for a second. "It...came to you?"
"Y-YEAH! I-I-I mean, yeah, it, uh, it seemed to be a...a dormant Quirk! I, uh...I guess...it came super late...heh…" Midoriya nervously explained.
...
The wind blew between them, with a discarded newspaper flying by as the three stood still in silence.
"...Huh." Ochako broke the silence. "Well, that's...something."
Midoriya began to tremble in place.
"Wait...so…" Katara narrowed her eyes to study him.
The boy gulped.
"...You have a Quirk now?" Katara asked him.
"Uh! Y-Yeah! I mean, I-I know, it's...sudden. I mean, even I was, uh...surprised myself...but, I didn't have it for too long. I...don't even know what to do or...even how to work it, really. It just...happened…" Midoriya lowered his head and gazed to the ground, rubbing the back of his head in anxiety, hating to hear the next words that might come out of Katara's mouth.
Katara looked on at Izuku, trying to wrap her head around that information.
So...he had a dormant Quirk? He had one the whole time, but it was hidden, and he didn't know about it? ...Huh…
"...Well...hey, that's great!" Katara said, a smile forming on her face.
"R-...Really?" Midoriya asked in surprise.
"Yeah! I mean...you have a different goal now, but hey, maybe UA is the perfect place for you to get this newfound Quirk that finally awakened in you!" Katara advised, her smile uplifting.
And it was a genuine smile...but at the same time, she felt a little...disappointed. But not in Izuku! Just...this whole time Izuku was trying to get in while being Quirkless...then all of a sudden, his Quirk just manifested in him. That must've been a blow to his motivation…
But honestly, she can't help but admire Izuku for still going along with applying to UA, even when he just got a Quirk.
Still...it kind of feels like a cop-out…
"Oh! Uh...um, y-y-yeah! That's right! I, uh, I can try to...to perfect my Quirk…"
Midoriya then turned to Ochako whom he just now noticed. "Oh! Uh, h-hi! W-Who are you? A-Are you friends with Katara?"
"...Uh, yeah…" Ochako said, seemingly confused. She then turned to Katara and whispered to her, "Did he call you by your first name?"
Katara's eyes widened at that. "Oh...uh...I-I prefer everyone to call me by my first name!"
Ochako looked at her oddly and glanced at Izuku, who looked confused a little bit. "...Oh. Okay…" She then smiled back at the boy, "Well, either way, hey! I'm Uraraka Ochako! So you were gonna apply to UA without a Quirk? Whoa, that's actually pretty cool!"
"Huh? Wha-...really?" Izuku said in surprise with a slight blush on his face.
"Yeah! But you said your Quirk appeared because it was dormant? Wow, those are really rare nowadays! What kind of Quirk do you have if you don't mind me asking?" Ochako asked in enthusiasm.
"Uh...I...I don't have a name for it yet, but...I'll think of something..." Izuku said, frazzled and somewhat in a daze.
Katara smiled at her friend talking to her new friend. She got her phone out of her coat pocket and looked at the time. "Oh! Chako, we got to go! The opening ceremony starts in five minutes!"
"Five minutes!?" Izuku exclaimed. "W-We got to get there now!"
"Oh! Yeah! Well, let's go!" Ochako said in agreement.
So the three teens made their way inside the building.
Mmm...good coffee.
Toshinori sipped the dark liquid through his frail lips. He was in his golden-yellow suit and in his civilian form, sitting in a comfortable chair.
Well, this is it. Exam Day...I hope some of these kids will be accepted in UA. If they do, then they have a long way to go, but I can only hope they will be formed into great Heroes someday.
He looks at the multiple screens that are in the judges' room, seeing that everyone was filing inside the building and into the ceremony room. There were two kids who had entered that especially caught his attention, though...
Toshi smiled at the sight.
Ah, Katara and Young Midoriya are there! They finally made it to the building, and together even! Oh, and of course that Uraraka girl is there with them! Heh...it looks like Midoriya is making new friends...and so is Katara…
Toshi's smile faded a little as he suddenly remembered what he said to Izuku before he gave him his Quirk.
"Hey, Kid…" Toshi said to Izuku after he made the confirmation that he now earned his Quirk.
Izuku, who was almost emotional, stands tall and looks like he was ready for anything. "Yes, All Might?"
"...I'm sorry that I said you couldn't be a Hero without a Quirk."
Apparently, Izuku wasn't expecting that. "Huh?"
"Just know...this is just a power...a power being held by a Quirkless boy...a boy who will make that power his own. You said you want to become a Hero...that's a big dream indeed for someone like you...so...prove those naysayers wrong. Prove them you can...prove them that you can be a GREAT Hero!"
...If Izuku wasn't crying before, he was sobbing with joy now.
"NOW!" Toshi said as he transformed into All Might. "Here it is! You deserve it! Your very own Quirk! EAT THIS!"
Toshinori smiled warmly at that memory.
"The great All Might, huh?" said a bored voice from behind him.
Toshi looked behind him and saw it was none other than Aizawa Shouta, also known as Eraserhead, carrying a senior-size coffee.
The skinny man chuckled, "Yes! Hello there, Aizawa! I heard you're teaching the first-years?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Aizawa droned. "Although, I have something to ask you about one of the attendees."
"Oh? What do you mean? What seems to be the problem?" Toshi said, a little puzzled.
"Well..." Aizawa was holding a piece of paper in the other hand as he said, "I just checked the new attendees for the first-years, and...you wouldn't happen to know of a Yagi Katara, do you?" He raised an eyebrow when saying this.
"...Oh…" Toshi's face paled. "...Sh-She's my niece."
"...Hm...word of advice: Don't play favorites, especially when it comes to family members in this type of field. Be fair to all the attendees."
"Uh, h-hey, I know. She just wants to be a Hero. I mean, I haven't pulled any strings or anything! She did it all on her own. No worries, I'll treat her like how I should treat all of my future students."
"...Alright then. See to it." Aizawa turned around and walked back to who-knows-where.
...Yikes. Toshi thought with a wince. Not only can I not show any support for Midoriya, but I can't seem to show support for Katara as well...this is gonna be tough. Of course, I need to only focus on Midoriya, but I can't let Katara feel left out...
With that, Toshinori sipped his coffee as he contemplated how he should juggle these responsibilities.
- End of Chapter 8 -
And that's it for this one! ^_^
I have to let everyone know, I might actually fall back on my promise. I really have some cool stuff to write on "Joke's On You, Kid" and "Silence", and well...maybe I can do one update with JOYK and Silence and maybe two updates with "The Effect of Water". How's that? ^^;
Either way, I hope y'all are enjoying this so far! Next chapter will be when they will finally do the exam! ;) And many surprises are in store, so get pumped for that! ;)
What do you all think of this chapter so far? Tell me with a review! Or if you like it, give me a fave and a follow! I love either one! :D
See y'all later and keep on rocking everybody! :)
-TSP