All men are not created equal. I learned that lesson when I was 4 years old.
Midoriya Izuku laid on his back, covered in bruises and his clothes smeared with grass and dirt stains. He'd just been put through the ringer for the capital offense of standing up to his 'friend', Bakugou Katsuki. The blond boy Izuku had once considered as good as a brother had been turning into something of a bully, the praise and power associated with his Quirk going straight to his head. Izuku had been trying to hang out with Katsuki and his two other friends when the human dynamite stick had started picking on another boy, even pushing him to the ground! So, Izuku did what he felt was right, get between 'Kacchan' and his target to try and defend the boy reduced to tears. Like All Might, like a Pro Hero!
And what had he gotten for his efforts? Katsuki and the other two had stomped his ass into the ground and twisted their heels for good measure. He ached. Had he actually gotten a broken bone or two? Katsuki had definitely left some burns from his explosions, but when Tsubasa had jumped up and down on his chest maybe his portly form had managed to crack a rib. Izuku wanted to cry just thinking of how it would feel to sit up and try to limp his way back home. Let alone the freakout his mom would have when she saw him in this state.
Izuku's young mind was caught in a loop, playing over the past hour and wondering how it was fair. With a sinking feeling in his guts, he realized that it simply wasn't. Katsuki had a Quirk, an awesome Quirk. Even Tsubasa and Tesaki had some kind of superpower in the former's wings and the latter's extending fingers. What did Izuku have? Nothing. He was Quirkless, ordinary in a world where extraordinary was the norm. The fight had been stacked against him from the start: 3 on 1, superhumans against one plain human, fighting dirty against Izuku whose brief defense had tried to stick to the 'rules' and not cause real injury.
Izuku felt tears well up in his eyes, not an uncommon occurrence. Still, this time felt different. Some of it was from his extensive injuries and the pain in his tiny body. But the pain in his heart was even worse, somehow. It felt like a tiny little hole had formed inside as it sank in, to the depths of his soul, that some people could get away with things that others just couldn't. Katsuki could be a downright mean kid and still be praised by teachers and neighbors and their classmates and total strangers just for having an amazing superpower. And Izuku, guilty of the crime of being born 'wrong', would probably be getting in a lot of trouble with his mom and would be in even MORE trouble if he told the truth. Mom would tell Mitsuki-obasan, who would try and punish Katsuki, who would take it out tenfold on Izuku's own hide the next time they met. So not only did he get beat up (hard), but now he had to either lie or keep his mouth shut when his mother demanded an explanation for why he was just shy of needing the hospital.
It wasn't right! And yet, it still was. And nothing Izuku could think of doing would change that fact.
Still, Izuku gulped and forced himself to sit up despite the agony it caused. Because, Quirkless or not, he was going to be a Hero. Heroes dealt with unfairness and injustice every day! This was a setback, but Izuku would not let it stop him. He lost this time, but next time he could do better! He could get lessons in fighting, or try and talk Katsuki down from his bullying instead of provoking him, or something… something different from being treated like a human punching bag by the 'friend' he'd had since he was in diapers.
"Are you quite well, young one?"
Izuku jolted, and had to bite back a wince at how the jerking motion aggravated his injured everything. He looked up, and saw a woman crouched down next to him, hands laid on her knees. Her face was set in a sort of calm, neutral mask. Still, Izuku was pretty sure he saw a warmth in her dark blue eyes. She was wearing traditional layered robes in a golden yellow, like she had just come from or was going to one of the historic districts. The most noticeable thing about her was her bald head, which gave a stark emphasis to her sharp cheekbones and hawkish nose. She looked a little odd, but compared to some Mutation Quirks or Hero costumes she was unremarkable.
Izuku rubbed an arm over his eyes to try and clean up the evidence of his crying. "I'm fine, ma'am. No need to worry about me."
The woman hummed in the back of her throat. "If this is what you consider 'fine', I shudder to think what would merit the term 'bad' or worse. You're bleeding, burnt, and I'm fairly certain you have internal injuries. What happened to you, young one?"
Izuku gulped. He wanted to tell the truth, but this could turn out even worse than telling his mom. This well-intentioned stranger could call the police if she heard he'd been assaulted, even by fellow children, and getting even a small note of violence or other villainous behavior on Katsuki's record would not end well. Not at all. Swallowing, he tried to sound convincing. "It's nothing, ma'am. I just… fell down."
The woman's expression only shifted a little from its original position, but it was enough to perfectly convey her skepticism and a mild sense of being insulted at such an obvious lie. "Oh, really? You fell, you say?"
Izuku felt the burn of shame in his shoulders and down his spine. He looked down. "Okay, I didn't fall. Some other kids hit me… a lot."
"Do you happen to recognize them or know their names? Such behavior should be reported to their families, don't you think?" the woman said, her tone somehow both gentle as water and firm as stone.
Izuku shook his head immediately. "No, no, never saw them before in my life!"
"Child, please," the woman said, her eyes narrowing.
"I… it's not worth the trouble, ma'am," Izuku tried to protest.
"I beg to differ. There's roughhousing, and then there's what I see in front of me. You require medical attention and that goes beyond a simple playground squabble. But do tell, why are you trying to protect those who did this to you from the consequences of their actions?" the woman asked, still in a deep squat and seemingly perfectly comfortable to stay there next to him however long it took to get the truth out of Izuku.
Izuku hunched into himself, feeling the shame of his weakness and stupidity in trying to defy Kacchan and being put in his 'proper' place. "It's not like it matters. I'm Quirkless, ma'am. It doesn't count, what other kids do to me. I'm the one who'd get in trouble if you made me name names and point fingers."
The woman sighed, as if she now understood perfectly. "Ah. Well, from one Quirkless to another, I say that while it may not get the response that it deserves, you should still advocate for yourself. If you stay quiet when they knock you down and don't speak up, it tells them that they can get away with doing it the next time as well."
Izuku blinked and looked up at the kind stranger. "You… you too?" he asked. He'd never met another Quirkless person. He knew it was more common with adults than kids or those closer to his age, but still.
"Yes, I too am a mere baseline Homo Sapien," the woman said with a curl of humor and a slight upturn to her lips. "And believe it or not, I'm much older than I look. I remember when it was those with Quirks who were treated as lepers or bullied or seen as 'freaks' and 'subhuman'. Now it's the other way around, but that does not make it any better. Regardless of where society draws the lines of right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, beautiful and ugly, we all are still people in the end. And every person has the right to not be treated like… this."
Izuku gulped and felt his stupid tear ducts act up again. "Then why does it still happen?" he asked the woman who had taken the time to come check on him.
"People have been asking that question for as long as there have been people. We have come up with many answers, but no one can agree on which one is the 'right' one. Maybe there is no right answer, or any answer at all. It doesn't make sense, young one, I know. But not everything does. And not everything has to," the woman said with a timeless calm and wisdom.
"I guess," Izuku nodded, even that small motion enough to make him want to hiss. "So, you say I should tell on the kids who did this?"
"I'm saying that your silence would send a certain message that might lead to more of the same. Yet I cannot promise that speaking up would do any better. It's really up to you, young one. Sometimes, in life, one has no good choice to make, only less bad or uncertain. What does your heart tell you to do about what happened today?" The sweet bald lady looked at Izuku expectantly.
Izuku tried to do as she asked, to feel instead of think. "I think those boys aren't really bad people, they just don't like me because I'm… me. Getting them in trouble with the grown-ups will just make things worse. I need to stand up to them, somehow, and I need to do it myself," is what finally came out his mouth.
"Very well. But that confrontation, however you prepare for it, is for another day. Right now, we should really get you home," the woman said, offering her hand.
Izuku took it gratefully and used the surprisingly sturdy grip and help him up to his feet. It didn't really hurt more or less once he was upright, just different levels in different places. Izuku kept his hand in this nice lady's, not wanting to let go. He knew about 'stranger danger' and all that, but something in his guts (past the bruising) told him he could trust her.
"I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way. Nice to meet you," Izuku said to the first person to give a damn about him besides his parents in what felt like forever. Ever since his diagnosis came out, really.
"You may call me Korai-san, young Izuku. A pleasure to make your acquaintance," the bald woman nodded back in acknowledgement.
Izuku frowned. "Doesn't that mean really really old, like, 'ancient'?"
"Yes, it does." Korai-san said no more on the subject of her name. "Now, shall I escort you to your residence? I truly worry you wouldn't make it without assistance."
Izuku gave simple instructions back to his family's apartment and Korai-san helpfully kept to the sluggish pace that was all he could manage. She seemed comfortable with silence, only speaking in direct response to one of Izuku's questions. And he was so soon out of breath from the pained exertion of moving in his current state that he joined her in keeping quiet. She never once let go of his hand, though, and Izuku could not think of any other time in his life where someone had simply shared space with him like this. His mom loved and adored him, he was her baby, but she came on a bit strong. Kacchan had been more of an idol, an ideal to strive towards and always fall short of. With Korai-san, though, Izuku felt he could just be and she would allow him to do exactly that. No more, no less. It was strangely intimate, so far as Izuku understood the concept. He barely knew anything about her besides her name and the fact they were both Quirkless, yet he felt as comfortable as he imagined he'd be with an older sister or aunt or true friend.
Or maybe he was just loopy from too many knocks to the noggin.
Izuku reached the base of the long, long flight of stairs up to the fifth floor of their apartment building. As if she could hear his thoughts, Korai-san spoke up. "I may carry you, if you feel you cannot do the climb. Would you prefer piggyback or princess carry?"
"Piggyback. 'M not a girl," Izuku mumbled, almost ready to fall asleep standing up. Getting your ass pummeled really took it out of you, let alone the limping trip back home afterwards.
"Of course, Izuku," Korai-san nodded, though there was a touch of hidden laughter in her tone and the crinkle of her eyes.
Once safely secured on her back, Izuku held on tight as Korai-san managed the climb, not even getting out of breath despite the extra weight and a steady pace. "What do you do, Korai-san? You know, for work?" Izuku asked, his curious side feeling comfortable enough to show itself.
"I own and run an antique bookshop," Korai-san answered. "I'm also somewhat skilled at their upkeep and repair. Some call me the 'book doctor', and there are weeks I make more business restoring volumes people bring in than from sales of my merchandise. It's a calm and quiet life, which suits me well."
"Ooh, that's cool. Do you have anything from the Pre-Quirk Era?" Izuku checked.
"More than half my stock predates the Dawn of Quirks, in point of fact. I also have an autographed first edition of Destro's manifesto. Many find it interesting, yet none seem to want to actually buy it," Korai-san gave an amused huff.
"Do you have a family? Someone special, kids, anyone?" Izuku asked, perhaps a bit more blunt and rude than he normally would be but he was too tired for manners.
"I had one. They're all gone now. I alone remain," Korai-san said, her voice not getting sad so much as nostalgic.
"Sorry," Izuku said into her shoulder. "You seem so nice. It's not good that you're alone."
"Who said I was alone?" Korai-san said with good cheer. "I have a few pets, and people I consider good friends. Beyond even that, I have you now, and the baker I get my bread from, and my customers. No one is alone, Izuku, unless they close themselves off to everyone and everything. The trick is to recognize and treasure each connection that comes along."
"Huh," Izuku hummed, turning that idea over in his head. "That makes sense. But why would anyone close themselves off like that?"
"I suppose they decide the pain of solitude weighs less than the pain of losing someone," Korai-san shrugged. "Which apartment number was yours again?"
Izuku gave the number. When they reached his apartment door the sky was just starting to turn as late afternoon began to bleed into early evening. "Will I ever see you again, Korai-san?" Izuku asked as she softly placed him back on his feet.
"If you want to see me, and of course if your mother approves, then most definitely." Korai-san reached into one of the folds of her robes and withdrew a business card. She pressed it into his much smaller hand. "Call that number or visit my shop if you want to have another chat. Although, as I recall, you expressed a desire to stand up to certain children, presumably in a physical conflict much like the one you lost today. In that case, I am available for self-defense lessons."
Izuku blinked. "You know how to fight?"
"I know how to defend myself, protect others, and defeat opponents," Korai-san said back, which seemed like just a long way to say 'yes' to Izuku. Though he felt he might be missing something. Korai-san was complicated and very wise, that was his growing impression.
"Well, if Mom says okay, I'll totally take you up on that!" Izuku found it in his battered body and empty energy reserves to beam up at her. "Would you like to meet her?"
"Alas, I must return home with haste. I have a bored cat, a lonely dog, and an irritable owl that were expecting me back by now. This is where we part ways, young Izuku." Korai laid a hand on his head, light as a feather. "May your body stay strong, your mind stay open, your heart stay full, and your soul stay light. Farewell, Izuku."
It must have been Izuku's imagination, but it almost seemed like fireflies or sparks from a campfire trailed from Korai-san's hand when she withdrew it from atop his curly mop of hair. Shaking his head to clear the hallucination, Izuku dug deep and managed a wave. "Bye, Korai-san! Thanks for everything!"
Korai-san gave him a small but very real smile, then turned with a rather cool swish of her robes and took off at a light jog down the stairs she'd just carried him up.
Izuku watched her go, wondering if he'd just made a friend. Could kids his age be friends with adults they weren't related to? He'd ask his mom… right after he fended off the worried inquisition as soon as she saw him like this.
Izuku pulled his key out of his pocket and let himself into his home. He noted that only his mom's shoes were tucked by the door. Dad had been working late a lot lately. Had been for months, and Izuku was pretty sure it wasn't a coincidence that it started the day after he came home from the doctor with his lack of a gift officially verified. Izuku knew it was silly to blame himself for his Dad being ashamed to have a Quirkless son. Well, 4 year olds were allowed to be silly.
Shaking his head from thoughts of his increasingly absent parent, he called out for the one that had only ever failed him once. "I'm home!" he called.
"Izuku, baby! You were at the playground for a really long time! I hope you had lots of fun!" his mom called from the kitchen.
Izuku forced weary legs to carry him to where his mom could see him. "Not exactly," he mumbled, half-wishing he could just sneak into his bedroom and skip dinner. Anything to delay the coming flood of concern and motherly panic.
"What do you– Ah!" Midoriya Inko looked over from where she was meal prepping and shrieked so loud Izuku heard a ringing in his ears afterward. "Izuku!" Faster than some speed or teleportation Quirks it felt like, Izuku's mom was crouched and checking him from head to toe. She seemed to get more worked up with every booboo she found and every wince from Izuku as her soft hands mapped out his injuries. "Baby, who did this to you?! Was it a Villain?! I'll call 911!"
"Mom, calm down. It was just some kids," Izuku tried to talk her off the metaphorical ledge.
"Were they in your class? Or were they older? Why did they do this to you, baby?!" Inko demanded.
Izuku had learned with Korai-san that apparently a direct lie wouldn't work. And that was on a complete stranger as opposed to the woman who'd birthed him. So instead, he told a piece of the truth that was more convenient than the whole thing. "They were older." By only weeks or months, but still, Kacchan, Tsubasa, and Tesaki were all older than Izuku. He'd always been the baby or runt of their quartet. "And they did this because… they had a problem with kids like me," Izuku forced himself to say.
Inko's eyes filled with tears. He'd gotten his oversensitive internal waterworks from her. "Oh, Izuku. I'm so sorry."
"Not your fault, Mom," Izuku told her. Part of him, just a small part but still there, resented that he was now comforting her. She acted like it was her personal fault that he'd been born Quirkless. Which made no sense to Izuku, and he hated (not much, but there were a few cinders burning in his heart) that his Mom was so caught up with her own issues with his Quirklessness that he had to be the one taking care of her and not the other way around as was proper.
"Well, did you get their names? Did you recognize them? We can report them to the police, they'll definitely get grounded when their parents find out!" Inko offered, moving past her little pity moment to get back to outraged mama bear mode.
Izuku hesitated, but he found he couldn't lie on this. "I don't want them grounded, Mom. I want them to lose. I want to learn to… defend myself." Something about the way Korai-san had said it made it sound so much better than how to 'fight'.
"Izuku? What are you talking about? You know you can't fight with your… condition," Inko said, almost looking like she'd swallowed lemon juice.
Izuku frowned up at his mother. "Mom, people were fighting for thousands of years before the start of the Quirk Era. Most Heroes have their own CQC style that they teach to their sidekicks that doesn't require any kind of Quirk usage. Just because I'm Quirkless doesn't mean I'm a cripple! I can learn to fight just like anyone else. And I even have a teacher lined up!"
"What do you mean?" Inko blinked. She seemed taken aback at the fire Izuku was showing at that moment. Normally he was her sweet little cinnamon roll.
"This very nice woman, Korai-san, found me after the bullies finished with me and helped me get back here. She's Quirkless too, by the way, and she offered to teach me some self-defense. She probably has to deal with the same kind of stuff from grown-up jerks like the kids who hurt me, so she probably knows what she's doing! Here's her card, you can call her and ask her yourself!" Izuku handed over the small rectangle of stationary.
Inko examined the card, front and back. "I know this store. I've seen it in passing but I've never gone in. You say the owner helped you and offered to train you in martial arts?" She sounded rather dubious.
"Korai-san is very polite, and very smart, and she's so… at peace. Not happy, really, but it's like she's ok with everything life has thrown and will throw at her. I want to be like that. She's not a Hero or anything… but she was my hero today," Izuku found himself saying.
Inko looked into Izuku's face. Some deep tension that had been there for months felt like it eased just a tad. "I think it's very nice you made friends with another person like you, baby. I'll want to meet her myself, but if she was genuine with that offer, I don't see why you can't learn a few moves to scare off bullies. But don't go hunting them down! Good boys never start fights, they only finish them."
"Yes, Mom," Izuku nodded, his cheeks hurting from the smile he just couldn't stop. For such a crappy day, it seemed to be having a really nice ending.
Then Mom went to fetch the first aid kit, and Izuku learned that the cure was sometimes just as bad as the injury. She insisted iodine was the best for cleaning his many wounds.
Fed, bathed, and tucked into bed, Izuku fell asleep looking up at his posters of All Might and other Pro Heroes. He still admired them, Heroes were the coolest after all. But maybe he should remember the everyday heroes like Korai-san out there. And even if he never ended up a Hero, maybe he could still be someone's hero someday.
The Mystic Hero
The next few days were NOT fun for Izuku, waking up in pain and still having to go to kindergarten. Katsuki and the other two seemed very smug, as if beating someone up so bad they limped the next day was something to be proud of. Izuku decided that it just wasn't worth trying to get back at them until he was all trained up by Korai-san. So he'd just sneak around or run like a coward until he was confident he'd win in a fistfight. As for the jeering and name-calling and constant harassment over his Quirkless status… well, as his mom always said, words will never hurt him. Maybe if he repeated it enough times he'd even start believing that.
After the session ended on Friday, Izuku packed everything in his backpack and went to meet his mom at the entrance. Today they were set to have afternoon tea with Korai-san. Izuku and Inko had both spoken with Korai-san over the phone since that first meeting, and Izuku's parent seemed assured enough to risk an in-person meeting to discuss Izuku's training. Inko insisted on playing hostess, but Izuku had learned that Korai-san was very particular with her tea. She was apparently bringing her own stock and equipment to their apartment for reasons beyond his understanding. Grown-ups could be so weird.
Izuku and Inko took the familiar route back to their apartment complex. They reached their floor and found Korai-san waiting patiently by their door. "Oh, Korai-san, yes? I'm Midoriya Inko, and you've met my Izuku. I'm so sorry if we kept you waiting," Inko said after a bow of greeting.
"Worry not, Midoriya-san. I purposely arrived early. I assure you it was no trouble to wait for your arrival," Korai-san said with her small smile and stoic calm. Now that he wasn't drowsy with pain, Izuku realized there was something… intense about her. Not like she was angry or anything, more that she had a certain presence that Izuku had to that point only associated with the biggest and strongest of Heroes and Heroines. While taller than average, Korai-san didn't seem anything special on the surface apart from her baldness and colorful robes. Still, for reasons Izuku couldn't put his finger on, he was getting the feeling she was fully capable of kicking a grown man's ass and not even getting out of breath. Just something in the way she held herself, the way she moved, the way she carefully crafted her words.
Inko audibly gulped, as if she sensed the same weight in the air around the bookshop owner. Gathering herself, Inko went to open the door. "Please, do come in! You're more than welcome! I can't begin to thank you for looking after my boy after all that unpleasantness."
"It was my honor and my pleasure to come to his aid," Korai-san said, which sounded a tad odd and formal but she was just like that, Izuku was pretty sure. She patted a bulging sack bag in sunset orange that stood out brightly against her robes, cream-colored today. "I brought my tea set. If I may trouble you for some water, I'll get started immediately."
Inko led Korai-san into their apartment, and Izuku was treated to a front-row seat of what he was sure was a masterful example of tea making. Easily replying to polite questions from Inko and Izuku simultaneously, Izuku watched Korai-san do her ritual for preparing tea. She filled her own kettle with filtered water, then set it on a stand before lighting a small burner directly underneath with a match. Then she asked seemingly innocuous questions about their day or how they were feeling with a thoughtful expression. Satisfied with their answers, she pulled out small boxes of tea leaves and assembled what Izuku realized was a personalized blend on the spot. The right amounts and ratios of dried leaves placed in a ceramic bowl, she crushed them into powder with her own mortar and pestle before tying up the resultant flakes into her own tea bags. Placing the bags in her own mugs, she poured the steaming kettle water into each cup right to the brim. She individually played with each bag, making sure it was steeping evenly in all three cups. Finally, after some internal count that was probably exact to the second, Korai lifted all 3 bags and took them to the garbage can. Then she took her own spoon and a cloth-covered jar of honey and deliberately shook a dollop into each cup. Finally done, she cleaned up her equipment, and by the time she sat back down at the kitchen table the tea had cooled to a comfortable drinking temperature. The whole production had flowed smoothly, as if Korai-san had rehearsed the whole thing beforehand.
"Enjoy," Korai-san offered as she took her mug and held it in both hands. "Do tell me if it's not up to your standards. I welcome criticism so long as it's constructive."
"That is an excellent practice," Inko said, sounding a tad overwhelmed by the entire ceremony that had gone down in her own kitchen. She took her mug and took a cautious sip. She blinked. "I am so serious, did you slip something illegal in this? I've never had a cup this tasty before!"
Curious at what prompted such a reaction, Izuku took his own mug and carefully sipped the hot liquid. He gasped once it was past his tongue. "Wow! It's like drinking magic! What's your secret, Korai-san?!"
"It's just tea, with a little honey. It's all in the preparation, and I have studied and practiced making tea for a long time now," Korai-san grinned back at Izuku and his mother. "I will admit these leaves come from my personal garden, and I consider it a part-time job to grow and maintain each tree."
"I was honestly expecting Lipton's or something," Inko chuckled, taking a long, lingering sip. "This really is extraordinary. If nothing else comes from our meeting, know it was worth it just for this cup!"
"Thank you, Midoriya-san. I appreciate that." Korai-san took her own sip, her eyes moving in a slow, smooth way as if she were observing the whole room at once and frequently updating her memory on where everything was. "You have a lovely home."
"Oh, you're too kind," Inko blushed.
Izuku took another gulp. "You know how they named kombucha after Dr. Kombu? I think I'll call this koraicha, it's so much better than normal tea it's in its own category!"
"I take that as high praise, young Izuku," Korai-san said with warmth. She took another drink from her cup before setting it back on the table in front of her. "Now, with the ice broken as it were, let's get to business. Am I correct in presuming Izuku still desires to learn the art of physical combat, and that this is a sort of interview to determine my credentials on your part, Midoriya-san?"
"Hit the nail on the head," Inko nodded, her demeanor turning serious. She set her cup down too. "Are you formally trained in hand-to-hand, have any kind of experience with teaching or coaching a young boy? With all due respect, Korai-san, you are a Quirkless shopkeeper. What would you know about winning a fight?"
"I am indeed formally trained, earning Master rank in my particular school of training in my younger years. I have indeed taught students of a variety of ages and body types in the same manner I was trained. And I have a number of victories against opponents with and without Quirks under my belt," Korai-san said without so much as blinking. "Your caution and concern is understandable, Midoriya-san. But keep in mind that I am older than you by a wide margin and I did indeed have a life before settling down in my bookshop."
"You don't look that old," Izuku butted in, not liking how tense this was getting right from the off.
"Appearances can be deceiving, young Izuku. I am old enough to be your grandmother. I am simply blessed, or perhaps cursed, to not look like it on the surface," Korai-san said, and she certainly sounded like a wizened old crone at that moment. For all she appeared mid-40s at the oldest, Izuku suddenly was sure her real age would surprise him at how high it was.
Inko was frowning. "What school of training, precisely? And how can I be sure you are competent enough to teach my Izuku how to keep from getting hurt?"
"The literal translation to Japanese would be 'the way of the warrior mystic'. It's unique to the monastery in Nepal where I trained before I came to Japan. If you wish me to demonstrate for your entertainment or scrutiny, I must decline. Either take me at my word that I am skilled enough to teach your son, or do not," Korai-san said, not quite rude but very direct.
"Oh, you're Nepalese? You don't look it," Inko said, finding herself a little on the back foot. She'd never quite met someone like Korai-san, she just didn't react anything like Inko was used to in other people.
"In point of fact, I am Celtic. I was something of a traveler in my youth, and my wanderings brought me to the Kamar-Taj in Kathmandu. I stayed for a number of years. Circumstances bid me to leave it behind, and the path I took afterwards brought me here to Musutafu," Korai-san said with eyes distant with memories before they refocused on the mother and son in front of her. "To the matter at hand, I have experience. I am willing to share that experience with Izuku so that he might be better prepared to protect himself from your average brawler. How far he progresses to his own mastery will be a matter of innate talent mixed with the fruit of his own labor. If at any point he asks to stop or I feel he's not taking my lessons seriously, I will end the arrangement. The question to be answered is whether you both consent to Izuku becoming my student."
Izuku spoke up after his mother was silent in thought a little too long. "How long will it take for me to get good enough to win against the average person?"
"That is a complicated question, young Izuku. First, define 'average'. Do you mean in regards to formal training in attack and defense or in terms of physical strength, speed, and reflexes? In your age group or against a grown person? Also, how do you define 'win'? Do you mean pinning your opponent in a hold they cannot escape from? Breaking skin? Breaking bone? If you meant the boys who hurt you the day we met, I cannot speak with any certainty. I don't know how much training they have, if any, or what factor their individual Quirks would play in any conflict. In my experience as a teacher of this particular art, it could take as long as 6 months with a full hour of dedicated training daily before I deem you competent enough to be less dangerous to yourself than any opponent."
Korai-san pinned Izuku with a look sharp as a needle sticking a butterfly to a page. "Something to bear in mind, young Izuku, is that I would not be training you for one revenge fight. If you agree to become my student, I will do my utmost to lay a foundation which you will rely on for the rest of your natural life. It will take exceptional strength of will and self-discipline to become proficient in this style, but the benefits will extend to every aspect of your life. The forms and conditioning will strengthen your body. The drills and spars will strengthen your mind. The meditation and self-awareness necessary will strengthen your heart. And, perhaps, the knowledge and confidence in yourself to handle a physical ordeal will strengthen your soul. It is a substantial gift I offer you, young Izuku, but you must be willing to pay the price to receive it. If you are not, then we shall remain no more than friends. I will not mentor an uncommitted pupil. Either you will put your all into this, or you will not and we will stop. Decide which with care."
Izuku looked down, unable to meet that piercing stare. He didn't want to admit it, but he had been thinking of just training until he was good enough to beat Kacchan in a straight fight and then that would be that. Korai-san, instead, was taking it as a significant investment of time and energy and she wanted to be sure it was worth doing. It was a much bigger deal than he imagined it would be.
Still, he thought of that day again. Not so much the part where he'd gotten butt-whupped. The way it started, with Izuku wanting to defend that poor kid Katsuki had made cry. Izuku, in a way, had won in his goal of taking the attention off that particular victim. Izuku still wanted to be a Hero, Quirk or no Quirk. It was his dream, the reason he got up in the morning. He was young, but he knew it in his bones that that was the most important goal in his life. What kind of Hero couldn't fight back against Villains? What good was a Hero who only ended up defeated (or worse) trying to defend innocent civilians? Put that way, Korai-san's teaching would lay the groundwork for Izuku's future career, at least in part.
And then it just seemed so obvious. Izuku looked up and met Koroi-san's unfathomable gaze with determination. "If you're in, I'm in, Korai-san."
Korai-san's lips turned up in a pleased smile. "Good. But we still need your mother's consent."
Izuku shamelessly turned to his mom, who still looked on the fence, and used The Eyes™. She crumbled like a house of cards. "Alright, Izuku. If you give me your word to take good care of my baby, Korai-san, then I'll allow this to happen."
"You have it, Midoriya-san," Korai-san nodded. "Now, young Izuku, do you have any non-negotiable commitments for the rest of the day?"
Izuku blinked, thrown by the question out of left field. "No, I finished all my homework already. Dinner's at 6 and bedtime is 8, but that's it. Why?"
"Because now you are my student, and I fully expect you to practice at least a little every single day for the duration of this relationship. You have 10 minutes to go to the bathroom and change into any clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Then we will go to the yard outside and assess where you stand in terms of physicality. It will not be pleasant, but it is necessary," Korai-san, or Korai-sensei rather, said as she finished her mug of tea.
Izuku sort of gawked at the bald woman, before he realized she really wasn't joking. Well, he promised, and Heroes keep their promises! Izuku finished off his tea and ran to the bathroom. Once his business was done and his hands were washed, he went to change out of his school shoes and into sneakers, probably better suited for hard exercise. Then he dashed back to the kitchen. He caught the tail end of a talk between his mom and Korai-sensei on where she got her honey. Apparently it was imported from an old friend in New Zealand, so it was actually legit manuka honey. Izuku cleared his throat and bowed. "Ready to start, Korai-sensei!"
"With time to spare. A good sign, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I bid you farewell, Midoriya-san. Would it be an imposition to leave my bag here while I'm outside with young Izuku?" Korai-sensei posed to Inko.
"Oh, by all means," Inko allowed. "Keep in mind he's still recovering from what happened earlier in the week, please. Nothing too extreme on his very first day."
"Duly noted," Korai-sensei nodded. She borrowed a couple water bottles from their fridge before making for the door. Izuku obediently followed after his new master. They made their way to the base floor of the building. At the bottom of the steps, Korai-sensei turned and indicated a flat stretch of concrete wall. "We shall start with your chest and pushing muscles. Place your hands against the wall as if you were going to do a pushup."
Izuku got into the position.
"As I promised your mother, we will not do anything too extreme. However, I guarantee you will feel all this tomorrow morning. Now, lean towards and then push away from the wall as if you were doing a pushup against the ground. Remember to keep good form. Breathe in going 'down', breathe out going 'up'. Keep a steady pace, the same amount of time going both directions; don't just drop to the 'ground' and then bounce back up. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. You can face the wall or face the sky, but make sure your chest touches the wall as gently as you would kiss a baby's forehead. Remember all that, and do these wall pushups until you cannot do any more. Go."
Izuku's head was swimming with all that rapid-fire information, but he did his best to obey. He thought this was a joke compared to 'real' pushups, but he was surprised to discover a distinct burn in his upper arms by the 15th or 16th rep. Still, he had his instruction. He pushed through the burn, forcing his muscles to keep moving as Korai-sensei bid. He lost count, and then he reached a point where no matter how much his brain screamed at his arms, he could not do another rep.
"Stop. That is enough," Korai-sensei said, again displaying an uncanny ability to read him like a book. "You will rest for 2 minutes. If you need water, you may have some now. Then we shall move to the abdominals."
Izuku guzzled down half a bottle, surprised how much of a sweat he'd built up doing a baby version of the traditional exercise. "Korai-sensei, why didn't you have me do normal pushups to test me?" he asked once he had his breath back.
"Many reasons. We are starting light given your stage of recovery. Low intensity exercises for high reps help to develop endurance more so than the reverse, which trains for power. There is a progression in bodyweight exercises and starting from square one on your first day seemed appropriate. And I wished to see how far you would be willing to push yourself, having no idea how much I have planned until I release you for the day," Korai-sensei rattled off. Not as if he were an idiot, more simply pointing out all the angles she'd approached the issue of his first day of training. "Now, sit on that bench, lean back, and tuck your knees back up to your chest."
Izuku went through equally strenuous rounds of knee-tucks, half squats, pulling himself against a telephone pole to simulate pullups, and then pushing himself up from the ground into a backbend. When his whole body was aching and his shirt was soaked like he'd been on a water ride at the theme park, Korai-sensei brought him back to the flight of stairs. "You have five minutes to go up and down this flight of stairs as many times as you can. If you trip or fall, I will catch you and you will have to start over. Don't push too hard, but show me what you're made of. Remember, slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and breathe with intention. Go."
Izuku didn't quite 'run' up the steps, but he definitely climbed faster than he normally would. The fact that the stairwell was designed for adults and not short kindergarteners made sure it was a hard challenge anyway. He sank into the burn that had gotten no more enjoyable after prolonged exposure, just forcing himself to move with no more brain power involved than coordinating his limbs. Korai-sensei would keep count, his job was just to do as much as he could as fast as he could as clean as he could.
"Stop. Come down here and catch your breath," Korai-sensei said what must have been 5 minutes later.
Izuku's arms, legs, torso, even his neck and head felt like watery jelly. It was getting hard just to stand up. "THIS… is light?" he huffed between big gasps for breath once he reached his sensei's side.
"Yes." Korai-sensei said no more than that, and Izuku had to remember that he'd promised. He had to keep it, no matter what. Even if he was already debating pretending to be sick to get out of tomorrow's training, let alone the third day and so on stretching out into the future.
"Now, we shall do some cool down stretches. Keep your eyes on me and simply mirror my movements. Precision will come with time, for today this is merely to promote healthy blood flow and ease the soreness you'll be feeling tonight," Korai-sensei said. Then she went into what felt like a tai chi routine, except Izuku knew tai chi since his mom did it and this wasn't that. Still, he did his best to copy what Korai-sensei did as she gently moved into full body stretches that flowed like some odd dance.
After 10 minutes without a noticeable repeat in the forms they were doing, Korai-sensei stood up straight. "It is 5:30. I shall escort you back upstairs and work out a formal schedule with your mother based on our mutual availability. In the early days, I am able to come here to train you. In time, though, I shall expect you to commute to my shop and we shall practice in the garden out back."
"Right," Izuku nodded, feeling almost as bad as he had after the beatdown. Still, however grueling all the exercise had been, there was an odd sweetness to all the aches and pains. He felt… accomplished. These feelings, good or bad, weren't something that happened to him, because of others. He'd tested his limits and met them the old-fashioned way with grit and sweat. It still sucked, but it was a good kind of suck, if that even made sense.
Korai-sensei patiently walked beside him at the best speed he could manage all the way up to his apartment. Izuku let them in with his key. He went straight to the couch and belly flopped onto the cozy softness as soon as he managed to get onto the cushions. He was vaguely aware of Korai-sensei and his mom talking in the background, and only the roaring pit in his stomach kept Izuku from resisting the urge to just fall asleep right there in the living room before dinner.
Finally, Korai-sensei took her leave, along with her bag filled with tea paraphernalia. Izuku ate dinner in a bit of a haze, took a bath with his mother as normal, and he was out like a light as soon as he was in his pajamas and tucked in.
Over the next 3 months, Izuku learned that his first day really had been Korai-sensei's idea of 'light'. It wasn't just the workouts, though those only got tougher, longer, and more intense. Korai-sensei gave homework. So on top of all his stuff for school, he had to read certain books, write essays based on prompts, and play lots of puzzle and strategy games. Korai-sensei's logic was that the mind was as much a part of him to train as any muscle, and he had to keep his sharpened like a knife. Plus, there was all the meditation. Which turned out to not be as easy as sitting funny and humming. The way Korai-sensei described it, meditation was the ability to detach from thoughts and emotions to return to 'center' and act from there instead of impulsively or enmeshed with things outside his 'true self'. She described it as 'finding the home deep inside' amidst the chaos of everything 'outside'. Izuku wasn't sure he did it right, but he did his best to follow Korai-sensei's instructions when they took their meditation breaks. He'd get better with practice, right?
There were highs and lows to being Korai-sensei's student. The most obvious low was how exhausted Izuku got after each lesson and the aftereffects that could linger for days afterwards. Still, there was that elusive yet undeniable 'high' he got after pushing himself through that mental and physical wall of resistance and coming out the other side better than before. The kata were pretty cool, and Izuku had genuine fun doing drills to learn and work the elaborate movements of the Warrior Mystic style into his body and brain. All the lessons meant he had very little free time outside school or even on the weekends, but who really wanted to hang out with the Quirkless kid anyway, right? He got to meet Crookshanks the cat, Heen the dog, Archimedes the owl, and explore Korai-sensei's awesome bookshop with the beautiful garden growing out back. He got to drink Korai-sensei's spectacular tea, and he was pretty sure he'd never had the same blend twice.
Then it was spring vacation and kindergarten was over. Izuku would be starting primary school next month! He was sure it would only get harder to maintain his apprenticeship to Korai-sensei alongside his education, but he was determined to make it work. His mom had decided to throw together a little 'graduation' party, a little way to mark the milestone in Izuku's life. Izuku had mixed feelings about the event coming that evening.
On the one hand, his mom's pork katsudon and sweets. On the other, Katsuki would be there, Inko and Mitsuki somehow oblivious to the fact that their sons no longer were joined at the hip and the Bakugous of course invited. Izuku had to endure his stuff being stolen or even blown up if Katsuki could sneak it from him during school hours, and the urge to use some of the moves he was learning on the explosive blond seemed to grow by the day. Still, he'd made a promise to both his mom and Korai-sensei to never initiate a fight unless it was in defense of himself or another person. His stuff was just stuff, totally replaceable, and not worth breaking his vow.
Izuku left the apartment with his mom. There had been a lot of packing of boxes over the last couple weeks. Inko insisted that his father Hisashi had gotten a big promotion and him moving overseas would be a good thing for the family, but Izuku could read between the lines even at the tender age of 4. He wasn't sure if a legal divorce was involved, but his dad was cutting ties and leaving behind his broken son and the wife who'd failed in her duty to deliver a 'healthy' son. Izuku had made what peace he could with it, and his pillow had the tear stains to prove it.
They went at the local park, Izuku's mom laying a party tablecloth over a picnic table and setting up the places for all the expected guests. A total of 3 other kids and their parents out of the whole class had agreed to come. Katsuki was being dragged along with Mitsuki-obasan, Hamada was the only other kid in the class who'd known Shogi for Izuku to practice with and they'd become playful rivals if not true friends, and Kameko was probably just coming for the free food. Korai-sensei said she might pop in but Heen had an appointment at the vet so she might run late or miss the whole thing.
At the appointed time, everyone who'd agreed to come had shown up. Inko happily handed out a variety of games or encouraged the kids to just go nuts in the park (so long as they stayed in eyesight of the parents, of course). Izuku played a half-hearted game of hide-and-seek, tossed a ball with Katsuki at Mitsuki-obasan's insistence (she seemed to find her boy's tendency to aim for the head innocent somehow) and enjoyed a couple good games of Shogi with Hamada.
Inko had just called them to get the food she'd kept in a thermal bag when disaster struck. There was a big commotion as Katsuki and Kameko started to get into a screaming match.
"You're such a big jerk! Just 'cause you got a neat Quirk you think you're the best thing since sliced bread! Get over yourself!" Kameko shouted in full voice, presumably snapping after one too many snide comments from Katsuki about her weight.
"You're just jealous, fatass extra. I'm gonna be the #1 Hero and you'll just end up old and alone with two dozen cats since no one would ever want a lard butt like you!" Katsuki threw right back, a cruel smirk on his lips as he used words he knew would hurt.
"You're so mean!" Kameko whined, starting to tear up but still angry enough to chew nails. "You're gonna end up a Villain, not a Hero!"
Katsuki's response was to throw his hand at Kameko's face and let off an explosion close enough to singe her cheeks. She screamed in fright and tumbled backwards. She huddled on the ground, looking up with true fear as Katsuki snarled at her like a rabid dog. "Shut up, you bitch! I'm no Villain! I'm the best! I'll be a better Hero than All Might! Keep your dumbass mouth shut about shit you know nothing about!"
Izuku moved without thinking, finding himself standing between Kameko and Katsuki. "That's enough, Kacchan."
Katsuki snorted and spat right in Izuku's face. "Stop pretending to be a Hero, Deku. You're just a Quirkless loser, a tiny little pebble on the side of the road compared to the real Heroes like me! Now get out of my way or I'll make you."
Izuku reached up and rubbed the spittle from his cheek. He felt the anger and the fear and the guilt and all the other things he'd felt the last time he'd stood up to Katsuki. The difference was, this time he had more than a shaky stance and gumption to rely on. He had the lessons he'd learned and was still learning from Korai-sensei. He had faith in himself to do better than he had last time. And even as things got tense, he found himself able to keep a cool head and not do something rash.
"If I step aside, will you hurt Kameko?" Izuku asked, his voice a tad wavering but his spine straight.
"I won't hurt her, Deku. Just going to remind her who she's talking to and not to disrespect her betters," Katsuki smirked. His red eyes were filled with injured pride and childish rage, somehow kept under tight control. It had never occurred to Izuku that Katsuki might be censoring himself, but he was struck with the intuition that all his bullying and boasting was nothing on what Katsuki could do if he really lost it.
"I heard 'yes'. So I'm not going to step aside," Izuku said firmly.
Katsuki narrowed his eyes. "Don't you remember what happened last time, dumb Deku?"
"I do. But I'm still not moving," Izuku said.
Katsuki seemed so confused, which seemed to only piss him off more. "Last chance, Deku. Get out of my way."
Izuku took a deep, centering breath and shifted into his stance. "No."
"What is going on over here?!"
The bubble of tension popped as Kameko's dad came charging over and helped his teary-eyed little girl up off the grass. The parents had arrived, noticing the scuffle about to get out of control. Kameko and Izuku were fussed over by their respective mothers, Mitsuki-obasan twisted Katsuki's ear and loudly scolded him for being a troublemaker, and Hamada wisely played silent spectator. They awkwardly returned to the picnic table to have dinner, but the 'party' atmosphere was well and truly soiled. Most left almost before they'd finished eating, leaving Izuku and Inko with the cleanup and an awkward silence.
"Izuku, baby… was Katsuki one of the boys who hurt you the day you met Korai-san?" Inko asked with no warning as they approached their apartment building.
Izuku sighed, but he knew better than to try and weasel out of such a direct question. "Yes, he was."
"I thought you two were best friends," Inko sighed, as disappointed with herself for not seeing it as Izuku for keeping his silence.
"We were. Not anymore. He turned… darker after his Quirk came in. Deep down, maybe he's still that nice boy Kacchan I looked up to and admired so much. But he's covered up by this new Katsuki who's… well, just the biggest bully I know outside actual Villains," Izuku came clean to his mother.
"I'll have a word with Mitsuki," Inko sighed. "Still, I'm glad you've been training so hard with Korai-san. But remember…"
"Good boys don't start fights. Just finish them," Izuku finished for her. "I know. I wasn't even going to fight him because of me back there. I just didn't want him to hurt Kameko."
Inko got a small smile of purest pride. "Sounds like a very heroic thing you were about to do, baby."
"Like something All Might would do?" Izuku chuckled.
"For sure, Izuku."
They reached their apartment door to find Korai-sensei waiting with Heen on a leash at her feet. The Petit Basset Griffon scampered on his little feet right up to Izuku. Izuku obligingly offered his hand to shake the paw held out to him. "Evening, Korai-sensei. Everything good with Heen here?"
"He needs more exercise and less food, he's just this side of being obese for his size," Korai-sensei sighed with fond exasperation.
Heen gave a huffy cough, as if protesting he was merely big-boned.
"I apologize for missing your party. But I figured I could at least deliver your gift in person." Korai-sensei reached into her robes, today a rich indigo, and brought out a small volume. "The original version of this is in Sanskrit and part of my private collection. I took the time to transcribe it into Japanese for your benefit. Let me know what you think after you finish reading it… in 3 days at the latest."
"Yes, sensei," Izuku bowed, accepting the thin booklet enrobed in gift wrap. He was curious. "What's it about?"
"I shan't spoil the surprise. Just… keep an open mind, young Izuku, when reading it," Korai-sensei said. She seemed… almost nervous, for the first time Izuku had ever detected from her. "With that delivered, I'll be on my way. Always a pleasure, Midoriya-san." With a nod to his mother, Korai-sensei tugged on Heen's leash and left them to enter their apartment.
Izuku helped his mom put everything away and went to take his bath. Once he was all clean and in his warm pajamas, Izuku sat up in his bed and turned on the bedside lamp. It was still too early to go to bed, and the book Korai-sensei had given him hadn't felt very thick at all.
Carefully unwrapping the gift wrap to save for later, Izuku regarded the spiral-bound journal in his hands. The cover had all the standard information of any book, even though it was clearly made from a cheap notebook you could buy at the 100-yen store. Izuku read the lines in Korai-sensei's precise, flowing handwriting multiple times. Finally, he read them aloud to see if that would make them make sense. "Welcome to the Moon Crown: An Initiate's Guide to the Mystic Arts. Written by Unknown. Translated by… the Ancient One?"
Little did Midoriya Izuku know that his whole world was about to change. Where until that point he'd believed superpowers were something you were born with, after he finished the book for the second time past midnight, he realized the truth.
There was a superpower you could learn. And it was called the Mystic Arts. Or, in other words, magic.