Chapter 4

Children were crying as they clung to their parents. While their parents in their turn held their children as close as they could. All stood outside in the rain in front of the elementary school, as sirens wailed and police officers ran around, heading the command of their chief.Yet one girl stood away from her mother. Deaf to the calling of her name. Her hair soaken wet by now as she stared at the large figure in front of her with big eyes.'Watch it kid,' came an annoyed grumble from the giant of a man. 'Haven't you had enough trouble for today?'But the girl shook her head.'You caught the bad man, didn't you? So I'm not scared.''Well then, just run off to your parents, girl. Go on, off you go.'The flaming hero seemed a little uncomfortable as the child remained put. Not sure how to handle the situation, for most children scurried away at the sight of him. Adoring him from a save distance, not from up close.'I like your flames,' the girl stated as she looked at his mask, before her green gaze lowered to the flames closer to her height. 'They're so pretty. Can I touch them?''Ha, didn't your mother teach you how dangerous fire is, girl,' the hero asked as he crossed his arms. 'Try and touch it and you'll get burned.'But instead listening to his warning, she reached out her hand towards his flamed boots. He did say 'try and touch it, right? So that meant she was allowed to. Before Endeavor could even register what she was doing, her small hand had already brushed through the flames.'What did I tell you!''Ichika!'As Endeavor took a step backwards, a woman with green hair ran over to the pair. As soon as she was next to her daughter, she fell to her knees with a cry, holding her child close to her chest. Her face tearstained as she looked for any injuries.'Look mom, look how pretty it is.'Much to Endeavor's surprise, the girl was unharmed. Instead she looked at her mother as she proudly showed the woman her hands. Cupped between them was a small ember burning brightly, moving slightly as she held it up.'Look how it dances!''It sure does, sweetheart,' Inko agreed as she gently petted Ichika on the head. Then she straightened up to look at the shocked hero nervously. 'I am so sorry. She's just so fascinated by fire. She tries to grab every flame that she can get her hands on.'Inko bowed her head as she apologised. Then she turned her head to her daughter again. Her green eyes now stern as they locked eyes.'Now you go and return Endeavor his flame, Ichika. You can never take something without asking first.'But before Ichika could even reply, the demanding voice of Endeavor boomed. Having overcome his initial shock, he now held is usual glare while he looked down at the two. His piercing turquoise eyes staring at the child while she had watched the small flame in her hands. Moving it from one hand to another, enlarging the flame, before it shrunk back to a small flame.'Let the girl have it, I couldn't care less. As long as she won't get in my way again.''Yes, of course, sir! Thank you.' Then the green haired woman turned to her daughter. 'Thank Endeavor for his kind gift, sweetheart.'Thank you, mister Endeavor,' Ichika murmured as she bowed politely, a wide grin plastered on her face. 'I will treasure it forever!'

Ten years have passed since that day and now Ichika finally stood before the man once again. This time not as a curious child with a fascination for fire, but as an anxious teenager - her fascination for fire still present. She sure had chanced since than. But Endeavor hadn't changed one bit since that day. The man still was a mountain compared to her and she was above average height! His eyes still a piercing turquoise colour as he looked at her from behind his desk.

'Ichika Midoriya, I presume?'

At the sound of his deep voice, Ichika gulped before nodding. Barely managing a shaky 'yes' as she heard Burnin chuckle next to her.

'Well, I'll be downstairs if ya need me, sir. See ya later, kid.'

And with that, the woman left. Leaving a nervous Ichika alone with the number 2 hero. She still couldn't comprehend that she was actually an intern now at Endeavor Agency! She was actually going to work for this man!

'Well, are you just going to stand there? If you do, you would do well to look for another hero agency.'

'I'm sorry, sir!' She quickly bowed in apology once she met his glare. 'It's just… I'm just a bit overwhelmed. I mean, getting picked by you, that's like… the best thing ever!'

He didn't even seem surprised by her confession, nor did his glare falter. Instead he remained his stoic self as he stood up.

'You lack strength,' he told her as he walked over to her. 'And you also need to work on your skills. They aren't the worst, but they aren't good either. You have a powerfull skill and you know it. It is clear that you rely solely on that and that only. Even your flexibility is of no use if you don't use your full potential.'

By now Endeavor stood right in front of her, towering over her as he brutally analysed her fighting style. Or the lack of it actually. And the worst parts was that he was right! She knew most of her opponents couldn't stand the heat of her flames, which is why she never actually needed to do much. And with her lack of ambition, she never thought of strengthening herself. Up until now she had managed with just her quirk and her flexibility when the occasion called for it. And her quick wit every now and then.

But to hear her idol criticise her like that really made her feel small. Really small. And it didn't help that he was towering over her with that his arms crossed and that scrutinising glare.

'The good thing is that I have seen some potential, or else I wouldn't even had deemed you worth my time,' Endeavor then continued. 'Being this young and having such control over your quirk is remarkable. Right now we will work on your strength. Strengthening your body will allow your body to handle more. More beatings from you opponent, but also more of what your own body has to offer. If you train well, that last move of yours will be possible. Your body just isn't ready for it yet.'

Though not your typical words of encouragement, Ichika still smiled at his words. This man was know to be stoic, unreachable even and scary to most. To have him give her even the slightest of compliment was a shock. But if he thought this was what she needed, then she would give her all!

'You think you can handle my training?'

'Yes sir!'

'You've got one week to prove yourself. Impress me and I'll allow you to stay. Fail and you'll have to look for another agency. So no slacking off, no shortcuts. Still think you can handle it?'

'Yes sir!'

He nodded in satisfaction.

'Good. Now then, what is your hero name?'

'The flame hero; Phoenix.'

'Hey, hey! Is it true,' called a voice from the laptop.

'Hm? Is what true?'

'About your brother, silly,' the periwinkle haired girl exclaimed excitedly as the redhead sat down in her chair again. A glass of water in her hand. 'I heard Mirio say that he is going to take the entrance exam next February. Is it true?'

Ichika glanced over to the said blond with a quirked brow as he rubbed the back of his head in guilt, apologising for running his mouth while she was away. But then she just smiled at him and shook her head. It wasn't like it was a secret or anything, so there was nothing to apologise for. Then she turned her attention back to Nejire. The girl still waited in anticipation with her curious blue eyes.

'Well?'

'Yeah, he is,' Ichika told her proudly. 'My baby brother is taking the entrance exams this year. I'm helping him study for the written exam and he has started a whole schedule concerning his training and diet.'

'Wow, he must be so lucky to have you as his sister,' Nejire mused with a pout. 'You're like super smart! And if your brother has a similar quirk, then he will definitely pass!'.

Suddenly she felt a bit anxious. Yes, she was able to get good grades. If she studied well, she usually scored between 80% and 95%. Key word beingif. And Izuku was really improving under her tutelage. So the written exam wasn't what worried her, it was the practical exam. Principal Nezu was true to his word and had removed the requirement to have a quirk, but that still put Izuku in a disadvantage. He was quirkless afterall and the practical exam was hard.

Then again he was training real hard and he definitely was starting to bulked up. Though his training was a mystery and so was his trainer - if he had one - for the Izuku would not speak of it. Though she thought it to be strange, Ichika passed it off as Izuku probably hitting puberty. Perhaps he thought it was embarrassing enough to have his older sister help him study, so he wanted to keep her out of his other business.

Not that Ichika had much time to tutor him at the moment, for she was busy due to her internship. And same with her friends, though Ichika was the only one who was able to stay close to home. Mirio, Nejire and Tamaki were away for the week to get to know their agency, which was why they were video calling at the moment. Telling each other about their day at the agency and just meeting one another.

'So how was your day, Tamaki,' Ichika asked, turning the attention to the quiet teen. 'Did you do anything exciting?'

Eventhough no one was actually in the same room as him, Tamaki felt three pairs of eyes on him. The though alone making him feel uncomfortable and the tips of his pointed ears reddened in embarrassment. Yet his voice was clear, even if it was a bit quiet.

'No,' he said as he looked away from his camera. 'Fatgum had taken me on a patrol, but everything was quiet today. Just a couple of small incidents. Cat in a tree, a lost child. That's all.'

'It's not like we can do much, though,' Mirio reminded the them as he leaned back in his chair. His usual hairstyle now down and free of any hairproducts as he ran his hand through it. 'We don't have a Provisional Hero License, so we can't use our quirk for heroic activities.'

Nejire nodded, clearly annoyed by this. Stating that she couldn't wait for the Licence Exam so she could actually participate in such activities.

'And I've got a secret weapon to make sure I pass,' she added with a wide grin.

'Really? What's your secret weapon then?'

A giggle came from the girl as she leaned in closer to her camera. Her eyes shining mischievously as she answered.

'Ichika of course,' she said cheerfully. 'I'll be hogging you all for myself when it's time to study, you hear me? I will not fail!'

A sigh left her lips as the said redhead shook her head. Though a smile quickly found its way on her lips. She should have seen that one coming. Still, she agreed, through not before telling the boys that they would be welcome for tutoring too, whenever they felt like it.

'Well, I'm going to bed you guys,' Mirio stated with a yawn. 'Sir Nighteye probably has a long day planned for me tomorrow, so…'

'Yeah, same,' Ichike agreed. 'Endeavor's brutal in his training, so I'm beat. I'll see you guys later.'

After saying their goodnights, Ichika turned off her laptop and prepared for bed. Tomorrow would be her third day at the hero agency. Would Endeavor take her along a patrol? Or would he only focus on her training? She hoped not, she wanted to hit the streets and see the man in action up close! It would be a bummer if she didn't get that chance.

She laid down in her bed. Though not before checking her alarm. It would not be wise to show up late with Endeavor as her teacher! But her clock was set right and Ichika rolled to her other side to find a comfortable position to fall asleep in.

Tomorrow she would do her best to impress the flame hero! She had to, or else he would send her away.

A familiarpingsounded and Ichika turned around to reach for her phone. Who would tekst her this late at night? But as she unlocked her phone and opened her messages, she smiled softly. It wasn't anything special, just a simple message wishing her good luck for tomorrow, followed by a thumbs up. It was the sender that brought a smile to her lips.

After sending Mirio a 'thank you' in reply, Ichika sighed in content as she lied back on her back. Her phone in her hands as she pressed them to her chest. She wasn't even denying her crush on the boy anymore. And why would she anyway? Mirio was funny and sweet. And not bad on the eye either! But she wouldneveradmit it out loud! No way was she going to risk embarrassing herself by confessing her feelings to him. Besides, she didn't want to ruin their friendship.

But she didn't need to worry about that right now. She was all alone, laying in bed with just her phone and her thoughts. Thoughts that drifted to a Mirio flirting with her, thoughts of a Mirio leaning in closer and closer as he closed his bright blue eyes, while Ichika drifted into a pleasant dream. Her worries for tomorrow gone for the night.

'Get up, girl! We're not done yet!'

Ichika struggled to get back on her feet, panting heavily from the sparring against Endeavor. Her face was flustered, her arms bruised and her legs sore. When Endeavor said he was going to train her, he meant business! And to think the man had gone on patrol earlier that day! How come this man had even more stamina than Mirio? This was insane! Was he even human?

Even now he stood before her, not even breaking a sweat. While Ichika herself was panting heavily and swearing like crazy. No, this man was inhuman, that's what he was!

'I told you I wouldn't go easy on you, girl,' Endeavor said as Ichiks struggled to stay on her feet. 'If you are already struggling to keep up with my training after just one week, then you have no business here!'

'Well,youwere the one who said I had potential,' Ichika scowled with a glare. 'Wouldn't that mean that you'll have to admit you were wrong?'

The man glared at her as she fake gasped, before she started to mock him.

'Oh no! Throwing great Endeavor was wrong! No wonder he's oy number two.

'Why you little brat!'

An angered Endeavor threw another punch at her, which she could barely block. At least she had been able to block him as she crashed to the wall. The impact slight lessened due to the kick against his arm. But unfortunately it wasn't enough to fully block his assault.

On her first day, Ichika had found out the hard way how strong Endeavor really was. The man was true to his words when he said he wouldn't hold back, just because she was a child - which of course resulted in Ichika coming at him in anger at the insult. She was not a child!

Though after training it got her thinking. She knew her moves became sloppier when provoked, but what about the number 2 hero? Would his judgement be clouded too? And if so, would it be enough for her to counterattack?

For the passed couple of days she had put her theory to the test. Watching the hero work from up close during patrol rounds, his interaction with others. And to her luck, the hero had decided to personally see to her training so Ichika had the whole week of sparring. Or beating actually.

Yet each day she had tried to talk back to the hero in the hopes of angering him. Try and see a weak point to take advantage of. Yet up until now, she had failed. While he was quick to anger, it hadn't been enough to distract him. And it seemed he didn't even know what she was doing.

'You're just like Shoto,' Endeavor growled in anger as he stalked over to Ichika, who still stood stooped over. One hand against the wall for support, while panting. 'You're always talking back to me, always trying to provoke me! You should be thankful that I decided to train you personally, while I could be training my son instead!'

By now he stood right in front of Ichika. His piercing glare terrifying as he looked at her. Yet she still managed to crack a smile, even if it was a weak one. So hehadnoticed, he just did not acknowledge it. Not that it mattered. For she had finally reached her goal. A long awaited opening!

While he was scowling at the teen, Endeavor had dropped his guard enough to leave an opening. And without wasting time, Ichika acted boldly. A quick kick to his leg, should at least catch him off-guard. And from there she could counterattack. But unfortunately Endeavor was too quick and tried to block her attack. So thinking quickly, Ichika used her flexibility and jumped for a high-kick.

A startled groan came from Endeavor as he took a step back. His glare now replace by a look of surprise as he looked at Ichika, a hand placed on his jaw where her foot had hit. As for Ichika, the girl was just as surprised that she had managed to even land a blow. The moment she had landed, she fell down to her butt in fatigue. Sweat dripping from brow as she stared at the redheaded man in front of her with big eyes. She did not know who she had manage to catch him off-guard enough for him to be as surprised as she was. But she was impressed nonetheless.

Yet she remained quiet, her little victory cheer only in her head. For she was afraid she would anger the hero if she would cheer out loud, even if her kick was probably nothing more than a mosquito bite to the mountain of a man. It was more the embarrassment the kick would bring Endeavor that worried Ichika. Imagine, the number 2 hero getting kicked by a U.A. student!

But to her surprise, the man didn't glare at her once he got over his surprise. Instead a low grumble came from deep within him as he scoffed. He rubbed the spot on his jaw a bit, before removing it, revealing a red mark. But he was not angry as he reached out a hand, for the smirk on his face betrayed he was at least a bit impressed by her action.

'That was a smart move,' he complimented as he helped Ichika to her feet. 'Trying to catch me off-guard like that. You may not be physically strong, but you've got some balls, I'll give you that.'

Ichika could only stare at him. Still unable to utter word. Her idol was actually complimenting her after she had kicked him in the head! And he wasn't even mad about it! How weird was that? He should be yelling at her, be infuriated. Not complimenting her like some proud parent.

'Your week is over, so I guess I have to give you my verdict.' Endeavor crossed his arms as he inspected her. He seemed to be ponder over something for a moment, then he continued. 'You still have a long way to go. You are still physically weak and you need to work on your technique.'

Ichika lowered her gaze. She knew it! She had failed. Yes, Endeavor seemed to be shocked, but it wasn't enough for her to stay. Perhaps she could see if Hawks would allow her to do her work studies with him once she had her Provisional Hero License? He was after all a rising star, guiding rank by rank with each year. it was worth the try, right?

'But with the right training and that quirk of yours, you'll be a fine hero one day,' Endeavor continued matter-of-factly. 'I will see you every other weekend until your Provisional Hero License Exam.'

At this, Ichika looked up in surprise. He was allowing her to stay? She was allowed to do her internship at his agency for even a longer period of time? Really? She wasn't hearing things? Perhaps she had did her head too hard against the wall?

She dared to look at the man. His eyes did not betray anything. Cold and penetrating. But his large hand was extended to her, which she accepted with a trembling hand of her own.

'Welcome to Endeavor Agency, Phoenix. Good to see the girl who stole my flame has lived up to my expectations.'

A/N Thank you for all the new followers and alerts. Here's the long awaited next chapter of Arising from the Ashes. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.