Angel: Good news, I just finished proofreading the rest of season 2 as of last week so hopefully, seasons 3 and 4 will be edited sooner than later for me to upload, because there are certain episodes that I know people want to see in the story.
As for questions, the most common one was who is Izuka's mentor for internships, and it is revealed in this chapter, so I will not answer. I will say that it's both predictable and but also necessary for character development, reception of that may vary. As for Stain's reaction to Izuka, I don't have much to say because then I would spoil.
Another question I got was about Izuka in the fantasy setting. For context, check out the 2nd season's 2nd ending for that AU. I've seen comics do that AU as well. Uhh, Izuka would be an archer, maybe a hunter since her Quirk requires knowledge of archery for her shooting stars. As for design, I was thinking maybe something similar to Lucy's Sagittarius Form from Fairy Tail, but if not that, I don't have a final design in mind since it's not part of the main storyline.
" You'll all be interning with pros. Got it?" Mr. Aizawa informed Class 1-A. "Even those of you who didn't get any offers."
Izuku was shaking in his seat for exercise. "You've received an offer from a hero who'd like to take you on," All Might informed with his back towards the twins. "The hero's name is...Gran Torino," He then looked back at them in terror. "He taught at this school back in the day, but only for one year. In fact, the man was my homeroom teacher."
Izuku opened the door after knocking. "Hello, I'm here from UA High. It's Izuku Midoriya. I'm really looking forward to..." He then gasped as a man was surrounded by what looked like blood! He then gave a shout of horror. "Holy whoa, he's dead!"
The man then looked up with a smile. "I'm alive!"
"Ahh! He's alive!" Izuku shouted, and then let out a sigh of sweet relief...
"Heh, whoopsy," Gran Torino gave a sheepish chuckle. There was a welcome sign above the doorway. "I was carrying a nice big plate of sausages covered in ketchup when I accidentally tripped and fell down," Gran Torino was definitely not what Izuku was expecting. He was probably half Izuka's height, wearing a hero costume and holding a cane. He was also shaking as he dusted himself off. "Clumsy me."
Izuku gave a small frown, not saying a word. Okay, that's a little weird.
"Now, who did you say you were?" Gran Torino looked up at him.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya!" Izuku flinched while speaking. "From UA High School!"
"You're who now?" The old man put a hand to his ear.
"I'm Izuku Midoriya!" The boy spoke up louder for him. Gran Torino paused for a few seconds and stared at him.
"...So what's your name, boy?"
Izuku gave a nervous expression looking at the man. Oh great. He was All Might's teacher, so I knew he had to be pretty old, but I didn't expect him to be bonkers. And honestly, he couldn't see why All Might would be afraid of someone who couldn't even remember his intern's name... Gran Torino fell onto the ground and the boy yelped in alarm.
"I could really use some food."
"Some food?!" Izuku asked him in disbelief.
"Hm?" Gran Torino looked up with a small smile. "Toshinori?"
"Midoriya!" Izuku corrected the man, though it still seemed to be lost on him. The boy gave a nervous chuckle and dug into his pocket. "Heh...excuse me. I just need to make a few phone calls," He held out his phone and then stepped into the doorway anxiously. I should probably let All Might know the state this guy's in. He's not fit to mentor. And maybe if I call Izuka, she could convince her mentor to take me on instead. He heard a noise and glanced over his shoulder. Once he got a good look, he let out a yelp to see Gran Torino going through his case. "Hey, uh, wait, that's my stuff!"
"Why don't you fire off a One for All smash at me?" Gran Torino ignored his protesting. Izuku then gasped as he stared in surprise. The man from a few seconds ago seemed to be completely gone now... "I wanna know how far you've come in terms of handling its power."
Izuku blinked as he didn't think the man even remembered about the Quirk... Is this even the same guy as before?
"This is a pretty good costume," The old man commented and Izuku closed his mouth, narrowing his eyes a bit. "Now where's that attack?"
"But sir..." He hesitated; a, he had no interest in hurting someone Gran Torino's age. And b, he didn't want to use his Quirk against a living person so soon after the Sports Festival...
"...Hey, what are you doing here?" Gran Torino wondered as he seemed to be back to his other self in no time flat.
Izuku opened his mouth in disbelief. What the heck is with this guy?! He then decided to get straight to the point, hoping that would get him somewhere with his new mentor. "I'm here because I need to learn how to control One for All. I have to get so much better at it, and fast," He clenched the fist with the scars over it. "I'm also here...because I don't know if All Might has much time left." Gran Torino didn't say anything, he just continued looking at the case in silence. "I'm sorry. But I can't waste my whole week messing around like this, sir. I hope you'll excuse me," He bowed his head to the retired hero. He then turned around, not even bothering to get his case back.
"As I thought," Gran Torino spoke up seriously, getting the boy's attention as he gasped. The man then sighed as he stood up and boosted himself to the ceiling. He then repeated this action to land on a wall, touching the floor as he moved around so quick, it was unbelievable to Izuku. He zipped to the boy and then went upwards, landing above the doorway and holding onto it. Izuku gave a shocked gasp up at the man, who looked at him with a fierce expression. "It's time for you to show me what you can do, ya newbie. He, he, he! I watched the UA Sports Festival on television. The way you used your power was unthinkable. Reckless! He's not training you well, yet your sister seems to have a bit more caution. He may be the Symbol of Peace and the number one hero, but All Might's a total novice when it comes to teaching. I can only imagine what a blunder he is in the classroom."
Izuku's eyes shook as something came to mind, all the way back when All Might was first teaching Class 1-A in combat.
" Now. Shall we get started, you buncha newbies?" He grinned at the group of students.
Hey, All Might called us newbies, too. And he has two sides, sometimes playing dumb. This really is his teacher! Gran Torino's look finally gave Izuku a sense of what All Might went through. It was like the boy was about to get scolded, and he realized now why the hero was so terrified of this retired hero.
"I can't stand to watch you use your Quirk that way, so I suppose I'll have to teach you," Gran Torino grinned a bit evilly down at him. "Now, hurry and get your costume on."
Izuku gave a nervous, but ready smile. He kinda regretted what he said earlier now. "I'm ready. Teach me everything." Once he reached his case, he was surprised to see a manual along with his costume. "Instructions?" He then looked at his new costume—after waiting a while for his new costume to be fixed, it was finally ready.
Dear Izuku Midoriya. As we made repairs to your costume, our designers decided to make a few changes in regards to materials and appearance. Thank you for understanding. But trust me, it's gonna look a whole lot cooler!
He gave a confused sound as he had new gear he didn't even recognize. He then put it on. I can't believe the support group changed stuff around without asking me. I guess I shouldn't be surprised after seeing Hatsume at work. He put on his new gloves—considering his mom made his costume, along with Izuka's that went unchanged, he wished that they had consulted him about it. He wanted to keep the old design. Well, whatever the case. This will be my first battle in the new version of my mom's suit! He then put the collar over his neck, clenching his fists. "All right. Let's get started."
"Show me a smash," Gran Torino instructed the boy.
"Uhh," He was still cautious in doing so—he didn't wanna wreck his mentor's home! "You're sure this is a good idea? I'm kind of worried since I've never used this suit before," He glanced at his gloves, which did look a bit big. "Plus, you know, this place is small," He glanced around at the furniture, some of it looking a bit old. "And if I accidentally fired a smash at 100 percent, then...your body wouldn't be able to handle it!"
"Good grief, kid," Gran Torino gave an amused smile. "A chatterbox, aren't ya?" He held out his arms and then zipped past. Izuku flinched in alarm as he looked around, the hero moving around so fast he could barely keep his eyes on the man. "I'm losing patience!" He kicked Izuku from behind.
"Okay, that really hurt," Izuku gritted his teeth in pain. Gran Torino zipped right past him and he gasped. The man laughed as Izuku was already getting annoyed, yelping as he couldn't tell what direction the hero would go in next. Gran Torino then smashed his own microwave once he landed on it.
"What? You didn't realize my true strength earlier?" He didn't look up at the boy, who gasped in realization. The man then looked up with a smirk. "I can't believe you're the ninth holder of this great power. All Might's hardly taught you anything. And it's a wonder your sister even learned a new ability under him. Guess all that fame doesn't translate into being a good mentor."
Izuku stepped back in alarm; the senile man from before was long gone now. Gran Torino zipped past again, hitting the boy so hard his head snapped up. He landed on the ceiling and then moved around again. He's too fast! How does his Quirk work? Before Izuku had time to think of anything else, his mentor kicked him from behind once more. He landed on his knees as the man zoomed around him in all directions. Come on, think! There's no place for me to hide, and he's not giving me any openings. He then darted his eyes around trying to pinpoint when Gran Torino would strike. It's no use trying to figure out where he is. I need to stop him from moving somehow. He then moved down his arm. Imagine the egg in the microwave, not exploding! His arm powered up underneath his glove, which then glowed yellow. He then noted something about Gran Torino's movements. He's passed behind me twice. That means...
Gran Torino zipped over while holding out a fist, about to attack Izuku again. The boy then turned around, and the man gave a pleased look. "Clever analysis, newbie."
Smash! Izuku moved his arm, but the man moved away from it.
"Nice try. But you're a little stiff!" He stated while Izuku looked up in shock. Smoke appeared from the bottom of his boot. "And there's discord within your mind," He reached out his hand, pinning down the boy with his hand over Izuku's face. "That's why I bested you."
"Crap, I thought for sure I was gonna land that punch," Izuku grumbled a little underneath the man's hand.
"Listen to me. The way you used One for All in the cavalry battle and the tournament showed that you're adjusting to the Quirk. You understand its fundamentals. But your admiration for All Might and sense of loyalty to him are shackles on you," He touched Izuku's cheek with two fingers. "As well as your passion to prove to your sister that she can be a great hero."
"Shackles?" The boy wondered in confusion. "But how?"
"It's true that you need to get stronger, and quickly," Gran Torino got onto his feet. "Time waits for no man. Real villains don't care if you've reached your full potential yet. And you think One for All is more special than it really is," He then walked away from the boy.
Izuku sat up rapidly. "Then...what should I do?"
Gran Torino reached the doorway. "Think about that on your own time," He looked over his shoulder. "Meanwhile, I'll go buy us some grub. Clean this place up while I'm gone," He left the home, leaving Izuku baffled.
"Huh?!" He had a bad feeling he was gonna have to face the fact that they fought in a small place...was it gonna be like this every time they had to fight? But Gran Torino's words were also causing him to rethink. My admiration for All Might...my passion to have my sister be a hero...are shackles?
Meanwhile, in Hosu City, Manual was showing Tenya around. "On a normal day, I'd just be waiting for client calls to come in. Not really exciting," He gave a sheepish smile. "But things have been fairly hectic here lately."
"So you're using street patrols to suppress crime," Tenya noted as he looked around.
"Yeah, exactly," Manual gave a small smile. "Man, I kinda can't believe Ingenium's little brother is interning at my agency," He waved to two students waving at him with happy smiles. "I'm sure you had offers from pros with much bigger followings than mine."
Tenya didn't respond to this as he looked away, thinking of Stain... The Hero Killer. So elusive he's managed to avoid capture for his deplorable crimes. I know that I might not find him. But still... He thought of Tensei at the hospital and came to a stop. He looked towards the peaceful city...for now. I have to try to track the villain down. Because...I can't forgive him for what he's done.
"Now I get it," The hero killer himself spoke as he was standing in the League of Villains' lair. Shigaraki and Kurogiri stared at him. Their master was listening in on them. "You must be the ones who attacked UA. And you wanna recruit me to build up your little group again."
"Yeah. It'll be great, you've got so much experience," Shigaraki attempted to butter him up. Having someone like him would boost their strength immensely. And they could pull off killing All Might successfully.
"And what's your mission?" Stain asked the leader.
"For now? I really just wanna kill All Might," He informed, tilting his head as he was getting a little excited just thinking about it. "I like to destroy anything that pisses me off," He then held up the photo of Izuku getting first place in the obstacle race from the Sports Festival. In his other hand was a photo of Izuka painting in the PE fields. "Like these little brats here. Game over."
Stain then narrowed his eyes, as he didn't like the answer he was given. "I was a fool to think you could offer me anything," He snarled a little. "It turns out, you're the type of person I hate most in this world." Shigaraki flinched, staring at him in confusion and wondering where that came from all of a sudden. "The goals of your 'league' are those of a child," Stain reached out to his weapons, gripping them. "What meaning is there to killing if you don't have real convictions?"
Kurogiri stared at the man, assessing him silently. The Hero Killer Stain...Tomura Shigaraki cares only about wanton violence, so we brought this man in to guide him. Perhaps we made a mistake.
Stain slowly pulled out his blade. Kurogiri then held out a hand towards the television. "Master. Should I step in?" He wondered to the boss.
"Let it happen. It's possible this is the only way he'll learn anything," The master spoke up, and Shigaraki listened while staring at Stain. "He needs to think about the ways he must grow. How he can mature! Only then will he reach his potential." It was silence as all three listened, All Might's poster now ripped off in the bottom.
Izuku stared at the broken microwave, rubbing his chin. The words of his mentor were still on repeat for him. My admiration for All Might and my passion to prove to Izuka she can be a great hero are shackles. I understand the fundamentals, but there's discord in my mind. I believe One for All is more special than it is. He remembered All Might punching the Nomu out of the USJ, as well as his fight with Katsuki during combat class. He also recalled Izuka's quick movements with Katsuki when they fought in the Sports Festival. Is that what's making my movements stiff? And why Izuka is sometimes more careful with her moves? What does stiff even mean? Okay, look at all this in a different way. What makes a movement flexible?
This time, both Katsuki and Izuka came to mind of how they moved during the obstacle race. He then gasped, pulling out his notebook. "I know! How I think about it," He started writing something down. "One for All—those big smashes are like my special moves. But I saw him use it up close. Why didn't I notice then? Now I see," He gave a small smile at his deduction. "Quirks are just extensions of our bodies. So then...I need to start thinking of One for All as being part of me." He then gave a small gasp as he faltered with his pencil. "And...to let Izuka figure out on her own what she needs to do be a good hero..."
Have I been unintentionally holding her back all this time? I guess some of my admiration for All Might has transferred over to her too. She needs to be her own person...not something I expect out of her.
"That's it! I get it!" As he was talking, Gran Torino was hiding in front of the door, holding their food.
Well, at least he's mentally adept and forward-thinking. For a kid, He thought to himself with a small smile. He then glanced over his shoulder. But I already knew that from the festival. That, and the fact that he looks up to his sister and respects her a lot. You found a good one, huh, Toshinori? Or should I say, All Might?
Meanwhile, in an agency located in the center of Tokyo, Katsuki was getting very impatient. "Where the hell are they?!" His voice boomed while standing in front of the sidekicks from the agency. He had picked Best Jeanist for his internship, as did someone else apparently. And he had been waiting on them for 3 minutes now. Whoever this other intern is, I'm still stronger than them.
"Calm down," Best Jeanist held up a hand; he didn't want to start without the other intern. "She shouldn't be any longer, it's only been a few minutes."
Katsuki let out a small growl, looking away. "Can't believe I have to do this with another extra and we have to wait on her…whoever it is, they better remember that I—"
"Sorry that I'm late!" A familiar voice called out as she ran in while adjusting her skirt, to his utter shock as he stood there in silence. Izuka was the other intern Best Jeanist was referring to. She couldn't even believe that he wanted her, and some of her classmates were a little surprised that she picked him. But deep down, she wanted to learn how to control her abilities better, and there was no one who could do that except someone from the top ten heroes. She stopped right next to Katsuki, but didn't notice him. "I had trouble finding the bathroom. Is the other intern already here?"
"I'll let it slide for today, but the rest of the week, you must be on time. And yes…he's here right now," Best Jeanist gestured to Katsuki.
"Oh, really? T-This isn't a great first impression of me then at all for everyone. Hi, I'm—" She turned to him and then gave a sound of shock. The two stood there staring at each other as there was a bit of an awkward silence, and then it was broken not too long after.
"Huuuuuuuuuuuh?!" Both of them shouted in unison.
Short stack?! I have to intern with her?
Bakugo-San is the other person I'm interning with?! This isn't exactly an ideal team-up… She sweated at the back of her head, gulping. It wasn't that she hated the idea, but...of all people, it had to be someone she barely got along with at times. She could count only on both hands how many times he both scared her and helped her in her times of need.
"Now that you're both here, we can finally get down to it," Best Jeanist snapped them out of it and they stared as he looked out the window. "To be perfectly frank, I don't like you very much, Bakugo."
"Huh?" Katsuki and Izuka both blinked in shock as the hero turned around to them both. He stared them down for a couple of seconds.
"I know full well why he chose my agency. Because I'm one of the top five most popular heroes," And he did have a point—he was currently ranked number 4 out of all the heroes in Japan. "For Midoriya, I could take a guess. Because of how well I control my Quirk and my experience compared to the other offers she received."
Katsuki gritted his teeth a little. "Hey, look, you're the one who made an offer for me. And for short stack, apparently," He glanced at Izuka, who pressed her fingers together awkwardly at his look. This was especially worse now that he was here too given her recent sketches of him. And she didn't even know what it was supposed to signify at all.
"Yes," Best Jeanist sighed a little, adjusting his hair. "Recently, all my recruits have been perfect little angels, so you certainly stood out," He pointed to Katsuki specifically. "Midoriya on the other hand is much more better suited for this agency with the description I just gave."
"Oh, um, thank you, Mr. Best Jeanist," Izuka gave a sheepish expression, blushing. Katsuki looked annoyed at being basically chopped liver to the hero right about now.
"I watched the way you fought at the Sports Festival, both with Uraraka and with Midoriya," He spoke up to the two. "You have a good handle on your powerful Quirk, and a decent grasp of its application as well. You're an outstanding talent. I'd say you're already good enough to take on as a sidekick. Midoriya has a somewhat unstable control of her Quirk, given her movements were a bit slow, but does have a basic understanding of her capability. If she continues improving on the fact that she needs to stable her Quirk, she'd be at your level in no time. However, you do have fatal flaws."
Izuka winced as she was ready to hear them. She could name a number of problems from both of them...Mr. Aizawa tended to do that on a normal basis anyway.
"You believe you're the best, and you display that belief without regard for how it reflects on you or your image. You have a ferocious nature," He then turned to Izuka. "And you are still a novice on how your Quirk works, without diving into understanding how you can use it. Not to mention, your relationship with each other is very poor. Although for some reason, you felt the need to defend him during his fight with your classmate, despite experiencing his attitude towards you."
Katsuki was starting to get angry as Izuka bit her lip. He wasn't wrong about either of them, but also, on the surface she would agree that she and Katsuki...didn't get along well. But that was when she took away the few times he would show his softer side, which she knew that people never saw of him. For some reason, I feel really bad for him, even though we're not on good terms. We still bicker and argue, though not as much as we used to. It's not like I can tell people what he's done for me outside of saving my life...he'd kill me if I said anything about those to anyone outside of my brother I guess. She closed her eyes with a nervous smile.
"Don't tell me you brought me here just to give me a lecture!" Katsuki stormed forward, only to be stopped in place. His arms and legs were suddenly tied together with very thin material. Izuka's eyes widened as she turned towards Best Jeanist with a small gasp.
"I have to correct people like you. It's part of my duty to society," Katsuki gritted his teeth at being restrained. "Heroes and villains are cut from the same cloth." They both looked up ahead at Best Jeanist, as part of his clothing had broken off to restrain the boy. This was the doing of his Quirk. "So your job here is to watch me, and to get along this week with each other. I'll show you what makes someone a hero."
Izuka recoiled back in alarm at what he was saying. Why don't I like this feeling? I know that some of the heroes didn't like how he acted in the finals, but correct him? Like...reform him completely in an entire week?
"What in the hell are you doing?" Katsuki demanded to the hero.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm educating you on becoming an exemplary hero, and for Midoriya to handle her Quirk better," Some of Best Jeanist's sidekicks looked smug towards the interns, because they had seen how Katsuki acted at this point. "That includes being aware of the way you speak, your appearance, controlling your emotions, your morals. There are countless things you both need to learn, but in the brief period of one week...I will stitch these things into the fabric of your being."
I have to say something, even though it's for Katsuki. But...if I don't, then who would? "M-Mr. Best Jeanist?" Izuka spoke up a bit timidly. "Is this really the best way to…adjust Bakugo-San and his personality?"
Both Katsuki and Best Jeanist glanced at her with wide eyes. Why the hell is she talking for me? Katsuki looked baffled, though also a little annoyed. It wasn't like he couldn't speak for himself...then again, she did this during the Sports Festival too. As if...she could understand him, when he knew she never would.
"Hmm…well, this is an internship. You were told of what to expect from your teacher before your arrival for any hero, let alone me," Best Jeanist eyed her curiously. I remember she defended him during the Sports Festival. Even after everything, she still feels the need to help him. Is it because they're classmates? I doubt they can tolerate him either, let alone a girl who can't stand crowds judging by her anxious expressions during the award ceremony.
She gulped nervously as she did remember what Mr. Aizawa told her. However, she wasn't expecting this kind of action towards someone she owed too many times at this point. "Well...y-yes, but..." She fiddled with her thumbs nervously, hoping that this wouldn't affect the internship for her. "I-I wasn't exactly expecting you to try and change a person in a week this drastically. Bakugo-San may not be ideal, but he's also the reason I'm still even alive. And...he's a really good fighter. Ah!" She flinched and then waved a hand rapidly. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to speak out of turn!"
Best Jeanist blinked and then gave a small sigh. "Very well. Then if that's how you feel, then perhaps we can start off slow with appearance. We'll work our way as we go along."
Katsuki's mouth didn't wanna open as she bit her lip, looking at the ground. What the hell...?
Izuka walked down the hall in worry over what she had said back there. I hope Mr. Best Jeanist doesn't think ill of me now that I spoke up for Bakugo-San. I don't even know why I felt the need to, it's not like he appreciated it or anything. Izuku's been influencing me way too much with his admiration of Bakugo-San, I think. I'm getting way too caught up in things with him for me to do that for him twice now. Is that really the reason why my negative feelings have started to lessen about him...?
If Izuku having influence over her was really the case, she would've felt this way years ago, not all the way into high school... No...that can't be it. I think...deep down, a part of me wanted to do something for him since in his own way, he was encouraging me to become stronger despite his attitude not changing mostly. The part of me that...sees him as his own person, and not a bully...
"Hey."
She flinched, glancing back to see Katsuki approaching her. Speak of the devil. And he doesn't look too happy with me, great... "I don't need your help with anyone, got me? Who the hell do you think you are? Don't forget that I'm still better than you," He snarled as he came to a stop in front of her.
Izuka blinked at his belief that she stood up for him just to make herself look better. When really, all she wanted to do was a small token of appreciation for his actions towards her ever since they were in UA—some of them, anyway. And now it was like he wanted to scrub their less negative interactions away like they meant nothing. "Then I guess you can keep having that superiority flaw Mr. Best Jeanist mentioned," She said offhandedly and he gasped in disbelief.
"What'd you say to me?!" He shouted in her face and spit flew into her face. She wiped it off with the back of her wrist. Now she was back to being annoyed by him thanks to his assumption.
"Please use your ears. I'm not spelling it out for you why I said those things. And I didn't say them for the sake of it either..." She then started to walk off and he stared after her. He then gritted his teeth angrily at not being able to understand what her goal was here.
"Y-you're...you're so...annoying, damn it!" He shouted after her, though he had a slight blush on his face.
"It's nothing I haven't heard before," She glanced back at the boy knowingly, opening the door to her room. "Either treat me like a fellow intern or not. But don't ever say I never did anything for you now," She then closed the door, leaving him stunned.
She can't be serious...was this because of the Sports Festival? And the way she fought back just now...why am I not pissed off by it?
"Whoa!" Two voices exclaimed in unison at Fourth Kind Agency. Both Eijiro and Tetsutetsu had actually picked the same agency, just like Katsuki and Izuka did. Though it was more of a coincidence than deliberate compared to them.
"Tetsutetsu?" The red-haired boy's eyes widened in shock.
"Kirishima!" Tetsutetsu shouted and then they both smiled, clasping hands.
"Hey man, what are you doin' here?" The two asked in a friendly way; after the Sports Festival, they had gained more respect towards each other.
"We were able to put in two offers this year," Their mentor for the week, the Chivalrous Hero Fourth Kind, stood in front of his desk. Eijiro had picked him because he reminded him a bit of Red Riot. "Let's begin right away."
"I look forward to working with you," Tetsutetsu and Eijiro bowed in unison.
"I was impressed by the guts both of you showed at the Sports Festival. I like you two. However...being a hero isn't easy, and you can't rely on brute force alone. So this week, you'll learn from my experience."
"That's the chivalrous hero," Tetsutetsu commented with a big grin.
"He's so manly!" Eijiro clenched a fist.
Fourth Kind slammed a fist onto the table, looking a lot less chivalrous now. "Wait for me to finish speaking!"
"Yes, sir!" The two boys flinched in alarm and then bowed their heads. "Apologies!"
"Seems I'll have to teach you proper manners, too."
"Thank you very much, sir!" Eijiro and Tetsutetsu shouted at the same time.
Fourth Kind then leaned back in his seat, folding his hands together. "First, let's talk about why we're even here. Pros receive wages from the government, so we're civil servants. But there's more to it than that. With the Quirks we offer, our responsibilities are different from regular workers. Now, regarding our actual duties."
"Basic hero goal: control crime. Right?" Gunhead asked Ochaco, who looked up at him while following. Both of them were walking around town. "When a crime occurs, the police will contact us. These requests come in all at once, filtered by district. We file reports on the services we provided. Assisting with arrests, rescuing people, et cetera. Then a special agency looks at our work and decides how much we should be paid. You'll catch on quick, kiddo."
She gave a look of awe towards her mentor. I didn't expect him to be so friendly.
"Additionally, heroes are allowed to have side jobs," Uwabami, the Snake Hero, spoke up at a TV station, as she was dolled up. "There were a lot of arguments about this when the world of pros was first being established...but the heroes ended up being so popular that the public demanded it." Her interns were Momo and Itsuka, both of them looking towards her baffled. "For example: I'm about to film a commercial. Stick around, okay?" She put on some makeup.
"Um, well..." Itsuka gave an awkward look. "I was kinda hoping I'd see something a little more action-y."
"No!" Momo suddenly exclaimed, catching her fellow intern off guard. "This sort of attention is something you can't avoid if you're a pro! Besides...she was kind enough to offer her wisdom to an unworthy student. So I'll take every lesson she has to give!" She gestured to herself in determination.
She's really into this Itsuka almost couldn't believe her passion, since she had barely interacted with anyone from her rival class until now. "Okay. But isn't there anything else we can do while you film this commercial, or whatever?" She didn't expect this type of work, turning to their mentor.
"Do you know why I chose to recruit you two?" Uwabami stood up, looking at the girls. "Any thoughts?"
"Well, I guess..."
"It must be because you saw such heroic potential in us!" Momo was quick to answer, interrupting Itsuka.
"Of course I did. But there's another reason," Uwabami told the two confused girls. "You're both very cute young ladies. I actually had reached out to your cute little classmate with the puppy-face," She pointed to Momo, who blinked as she realized she meant Izuka. "But she rejected it. Oh well..."
"...Huh?" Both of them opened their mouths, unable to process what she just said. Their appearance...made her want to seek them out?
"Heroes must practice and train constantly," Death Arms spoke while in Tatooin Station. He was running with Kyoka down the street. "You can't take a break, even when you're on patrol."
"Right! Kay!" She called out from behind. Oh man! This is so much harder than class.
Mt. Lady laid on her couch, eating some chips. She also looked up at a newspaper in her hand. "You know what's a useful skill?" She wondered a bit lazily. "Knowing how to pass the time while you're waiting to be called out to rescue someone. Got that?"
"Uh, sure," Minoru was cleaning her agency, though he was definitely not happy about it. This is not the kind of role play I was hoping for. At the very least, he could admire her from afar...but even then, this turned out very disappointing for him.
Tsuyu was interning with Selkie as she was doing pushups. A whistle went off to count the pushups.
"I've been waiting for you, Shoto," Endeavor spoke up with pride as Shoto stood across from him. "You're finally ready to walk down the path of the mighty."
"I have no intention of following any path you've created," Shoto dismissed this immediately. "Only I can decide my future."
"Heh," His father gave a small chuckle. "Is that so? You should go get ready. We're going out."
"Where to?" Shoto looked up in confusion.
"It's time I show you what it means to be a hero," His father simply said with a small smirk.
Night time had finally came as Izuka was drawing in the common room. She had a snack of pocky nearby as she was sketching. She glanced out towards the window, hoping that everyone's internships were going well. Especially Izuku, after what she saw from All Might, he might be going through some intense training. I won't bother him if he's busy. That's probably why I haven't heard from him tonight. I'm sure he'll call when he wants to.
She then looked at her paper, as she was actually drawing Katsuki...again. At this point, she might as well go along with it or else she'd be wasting paper. She was drawing him with an intense look in his eyes looking forward, surrounded by flowers and explosions. She faltered after drawing his eyes, lightly stroking the paper. The girl then froze, glancing away with a blush on her face. "So what if his eyes are intriguing to look at...?" She muttered with a hand to her cheek.
"Midoriya."
"Uh?" She glanced back to see Best Jeanist in the doorway. "Oh, Mr. Best Jeanist." She then yelped, snapping her book shut. The girl then laughed, darting her eyes around rapidly. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see how you were doing. Are you adjusting well?" He took a seat next to her.
"Yes, everyone's been great. Er, well, I can't say the same for...you-know-who," She gave a sheepish knowing smile. She hadn't seen Katsuki ever since their talk earlier. Something told her that he wanted to cool off after what she had said. She wouldn't be surprised if he was confrontational later about it...
"Well, everyone adjusts differently. What you said back there to me about changing someone...it reminded me of why I wanted you as an intern," He revealed and she blinked in confusion. "What I said back there was the truth. But...it seems that every day, you manage to surprise people with how much you're willing to do for others. That is just a small essence of being the hero you want to be."
She gave a small frown, looking out the window again. "I honestly never wanted to be a hero ever since I got my Quirk. And that's because my brother was...a late bloomer," He listened to her attentively. "So I...just never bothered using it. But now...ever since I've been in UA, I've changed a lot. Especially with how I've acted with my classmates. So I hope that with learning with you...I can figure out what I want to do as a hero. Maybe saving people, fighting, leading an agency...it could be anything, really."
"I'm sure you'll find answers here," Best Jeanist then stood up. "And that you and Bakugo can find a common ground."
"Mm," She looked away with a small pout. The only thing that they had in common was that they liked getting on each other's nerves...although she would also argue that they seemed to gravitate towards each other despite that. "More like finding more ways for things to get complicated."
"I'd like to think that deep down, Bakugo does respect you. I noticed that before the cavalry battle, he seemed like he was going to ask you to join his team," He revealed, Izuka's eyes widening a bit. "Maybe even for a moment...he considered you worthy. Good night, Midoriya. Don't stay up too late."
She stared after him as he left, blinking slowly. She then looked back down at her sketch of Katsuki with a small smile. Even if it wasn't true, she'd like to believe it a little.
Best Jeanist walked into the hallway and then walked right past Katsuki standing near the doorway. He had been listening the whole time and glanced back at the girl. The small smile was still on her face as he gave a small huff, turning away. It's not like he had a point. Shorty still has a lot of training to do before even matching anyone's level.
Or at least, that was what he wanted to keep telling himself as he thought of her comet punch, her shield, and her aim with her shooting stars getting better. He then clenched a shaking fist, gritting his teeth.
Why am I being a damn liar?
Gran Torino was snoring, a bubble from his nose. "I'm snoring, I'm snoring..." He muttered in his sleep.
Izuku stared at him in disbelief. "He can't be serious!" He then gave a small frown. The first day of training down...and all he did was test me once. No actual hero work or field training. He just passed out after coming back with food. He then walked off to let the man sleep; he knew that his classmates and his sister had probably done both of those things for most of the day. Gran Torino...I didn't get any hits when I searched for that name. A UA teacher for just one year.
He opened the door that led outside, glancing around curiously. He's one big mystery. He then walked down the street. I need to change the way that I think about One for All and for how I think about my sister's progress. It's part of me. My classmates use their Quirks as if it's completely natural, even Izuka's getting better at using her Quirk as time goes on. But I still think of mine as something I have to call upon. He then looked at his hands. If I could use even five percent of my power like it was nothing, I'd be able to move like Kacchan. Mr. Aizawa and Kirishima said the same thing. He then made his hands into fists in determination. If I can just master my Quirk, I'll be able to do so many things, like Izuka and how she discovers new powers when it's needed.
He then looked towards an alleyway that was full of garbage, to the point that anyone could barely walk through it. But first, I need to be able to use it instantly. He stepped forward while looking up to the sky. "All right! I'll try this out. Five percent should be enough here," He looked at all of the spaces he could move around. "One, two, three, the roof. That shouldn't be too hard, right?" He then bent down to prepare himself. "Imagine the egg into exploding in the microwave!" His legs started to power up, the bottom of his feet glowing orange. He then jumped up high, wind coming from the bottom of his feet. He then hit the wall face first, not even close to the roof.
I...was afraid that would happen He thought in pain as he fell, landing on the garbage bags with a grunt. He had a small cut over his lip. I need to brace myself, and use my arms to cushion the impact. Which means, for the second jump, I need to put power into both my arms and my legs. But if I don't do it quickly enough, then I'll end up breaking my bones in the fall! He thought of it as wall jumping, not unlike Katsuki actually. And if he ended up breaking his bones, he'd worry people again...
"I can't take the time to visualize the result like I normally do," Izuku groaned a bit from the ground. "But I have to try it," He narrowed his eyes in determination as he sat up. Once he was ready to try again, he bent down like before. His legs powered up again and then he jumped, reaching out his hands. Gotta put some power in my arms. He then hit the wall again, sliding to the ground.
This didn't stop him as he bent down again, jumping up as high as he could. This time I'll switch faster! Before he could, he smacked into the wall yet again. As he landed, a couple walked nearby and he yelped, garbage flying from the alleyway. "Faster, stupid! Do it faster!" He scolded himself that he still hadn't gotten this down.
"Is it a villain?" The woman asked in fear. They watched him jump and fail again.
"Let's go, it's not our problem, honey!" The two then ran off as fast as they could.
"Faster!" Izuku urged, more garbage flying off.
The next morning, Gran Torino walked down the stairs with a grin. "Good morning. What's wrong? You look beat," He noted Izuku's bruised face as he had spent hours hitting the wall...
"Well, I was training on my own yesterday and went too far. If you ever meet my sister, don't tell her..." He revealed to his mentor. "I tried to take everything you said to me and put it into practice, but it was just no good. Heh, obviously I still have a long way to go," He scratched the side of his head.
"It's your first time trying, so it's to be expected," Gran Torino lightly touched his nose. "That is how training works. Of course, I suppose All Might can't wrap his mind around that. He was pretty much able to use One for All right off the bat, so I taught him in a very different manner. Course he had the body going for him, so there's that."
"Whoa, All Might as a student, huh?" Izuku gushed a little. "Come on, what was he like back then?"
"Hm?" Gran Torino glanced over his shoulder. "Huh..." He then looked up in thought. "It was all combat training for him." In particular, there was one time he knocked the wind out of Toshinori. Izuku then shook in fear, looking almost as terrified as All Might did before he left.
No wonder All Might was so scared of this guy!
"The training was difficult, but I couldn't hold back on him," Gran Torino continued while looking towards the ground. "He was entrusted to me by a sworn friend who had just passed away."
"Oh," Izuku blinked in realization. "All Might's predecessor? So, can you tell me anything about the guy?"
"Huh?" The man looked up in confusion and before he could answer, the doorbell rang.
"Package for you!" Someone called out from outside.
"I-I'll take care of it for you," Izuku rushed over to the door. Gran Torino stared at him in thought.
So you haven't told him about the seventh holder yet, eh, Toshinori? And since I'm assuming his sister knows everything he does, she doesn't know either.
"Got it. Thanks!" Izuku told the delivery man from Amozan, and the package was revealed to be a new microwave. "A microwave?"
"Yeah, for some reason, mine broke yesterday," Gran Torino grinned, acting like he wasn't the reason why it broke in the first place... "Heh, so I bought a new one!"
Izuku gave him a deadpan look. I can't tell if he's being serious or not.
He then grinned up at his intern. "So whaddaya think, how 'bout we eat some of that frozen food I bought? It'll be good!"
"But the only thing you bought was dessert," Izuku reminded the man while sitting up.
"What can I say, I like the finer things in life," Gran Torino grinned as he strutted off. Izuku then heated up some fish cakes, the old man giggling as he tapped his hands against the table. It almost reminded the boy of his sister whenever their mom would make ramen. He then thought about how he could improve his training.
Using my Quirk needs to be as easy as taking a breath. Thinking about it objectively, everyone else besides Izuka has had 15 years to get into that kind of mindset. But not me, and time waits for no one. At this rate, in order to draw out more than five percent of my power, I'll need to put in the kind of commitment I did on the beach.
The microwave dinged and Gran Torino's mouth watered at the dessert in front of him. "Oh, yeah, look at these delicious babies! Come and get 'em while they're steamin'!"
"My time is limited," Izuku was still stuck about the training as he grabbed a plate. "What do I focus on?"
"Why the long face, boy? Just focus on these pipin' hot pastries for now," He picked one up and took a bite, hurting his teeth. "Still frozen!"
"Uh?" Izuku recoiled back in shock—he followed the instructions to the T! "No way! I'm still positive that I microwaved them like it said to."
"What are you, an idiot? You stuck a huge plate in there, didn't you?" He huffed while pointing at the microwave. "If you do that, there's no room for it to turn! So only one part of it gets hot. Have you never done this before?!" He growled up at the boy.
"Oh, ours isn't the turning type, so no, I guess not," Izuku answered nervously as he waved his hands. "I'm sorry that..." He then gasped, his eyes widening in realization. "I've got it! Whoa, Gran Torino!" He then held up a fish cake. "I see now! The frozen pastry in my hand is me!"
"No, it's not," Gran Torino stared at him in bewilderment. "Are you okay?"
"Uhh, I don't mean literally. I'm not really a dessert," Izuku then turned to the other fish cakes. "But I get it! Up until now, I've just been summoning One for All. Only when I really need it. In the places I need it. Like flipping on some kind of switch. But if I do that, my reaction time gets slower and slower with every move. Which means...I shouldn't be flipping the switch off," His legs then started to glow with power. "I just have to leave the power on the whole time. Imagining the energy that used to be focused in one place, spreading throughout my entire body!" He then gritted his teeth as his whole body was surrounded by energy.
Gran Torino smiled proudly up at him. Didn't take him long to figure that out. Good.
I need One for All's power surging through all of me, continuously! The five percent that I can use! He then stood up, green energy flowing within him.
"Visualizing a pastry in the microwave is pretty boring, kid, you sure you're okay with that?" Gran Torino asked as he watched him.
"All Might said that about my egg already...and it was fine with me," Izuku answered back confidently.
"So tell me," Gran Torino grinned while tossing away his cane. "Can you move in this state?"
"I don't...know for sure."
His grin then widened. "Wanna give it a try?"
Izuku looked up with a big grin on his face. "Yes. Let's do this!"