Rays of light filtered through the skylight of Monarch's gym, and an uncontrolled breeze swept through the place. Izuku was in the middle of this breeze. Panting heavily while Aguilar watched from afar, several months had passed since the shopping mall incident, but Izuku was starting to despair because he still couldn't properly control his quirk.
"¡Concentrate, Izuku!" Aguilar exclaimed. "Remember what I've taught you. The wind can't be forced. You have to guide it."
Izuku closed his eyes, trying to find calm amid his frustration. He knew Aguilar was right, but the desire to control his quirk sometimes led him to try to force it, which only resulted in a disorderly and erratic breeze.
Aguilar walked towards him, his expression serene and patient.
"Izuku, the wind is an extension of your will. If your mind is in chaos, the wind will reflect that chaos. Breathe deeply, clear your mind, and feel the flow of the air around you."
Izuku took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs. Little by little, the uncontrolled breeze began to calm down, becoming softer and more manageable. He opened his eyes and focused on the flow of the air, allowing his mind to synchronize with his quirk.
"That's it, Izuku. Feel the wind, don't force it," Aguilar said with a smile.
As Izuku calmed down, the breeze became more controlled. He used gentle movements of his hands to direct the airflow, forming small whirlwinds around him.
"Very good, Izuku. Now let's increase the difficulty," Aguilar indicated, activating several training devices that launched obstacles and projectiles towards Izuku.
Izuku, with his newfound calm, began to dodge and deflect the obstacles using his quirk. Although he still made mistakes, he was becoming more skilled and accurate with each passing moment. The training continued for several hours, with Aguilar providing guidance and corrections.
Finally, after a long and strenuous workout, Aguilar stopped the devices and approached Izuku.
"You've improved a lot, Izuku. But remember, this is just the beginning. Controlling the wind is an art that requires constant practice and patience."
Izuku nodded, sweating and breathing heavily, but with a smile on his face.
"Thank you, Mr. Aguilar. I promise to keep working hard and improve every day."
Aguilar smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"I know you will, Izuku. I'm proud of your progress. Now, rest a little. We'll continue tomorrow."
A couple of weeks had passed since Izuku started training his quirk with more intensity at Monarch's facilities. Progress had been slow and frustrating for him. Despite his efforts, he still couldn't achieve the control he so desperately craved. Frustration built up with each session, eroding the patience he had worked so hard to develop.
One afternoon, after an exhausting day of training, Izuku was alone in the gym, his thoughts swirling between doubt and frustration. He felt that, despite his efforts, his quirk was still out of his control, like a raging storm within him, impossible to tame. The breeze around him was erratic, reflecting the internal chaos he felt.
"Why can't I control it?" he muttered to himself, punching the ground with his fist, as small gusts of wind swirled around him, barely responding to his will.
Just then, the gym door opened, and Aguilar entered, observing Izuku from a distance for a moment before approaching. He had noticed Izuku's internal struggle in recent weeks, and he knew the young man was at his limit.
"Izuku," Aguilar said, his voice calm but firm, "you're trying to control the wind with frustration and desperation, but those feelings only push you further away from your goal."
Izuku looked up, his eyes filled with frustration and weariness.
"I know, teacher, but it's just... no matter how hard I try, it always seems to slip away from my control. It's like I'm destined to fail," he confessed, his voice cracking slightly.
Aguilar knelt in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Izuku, awakening a quirk as powerful as yours is never easy. It's natural to feel frustrated, but you can't let that frustration control you. You need to learn to let go of the fear of failure, to trust in yourself and your ability to improve over time."
Izuku nodded, trying to absorb Aguilar's words, but he still felt the weight of his own expectations crushing him.
"But... how do I do it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Aguilar looked at him with a mix of compassion and determination.
"You don't have to do it alone, Izuku. That's why I've asked for help. Someone who has experience with powerful quirks and who can guide you through this process."
Before Izuku could ask what he meant, the gym door opened again, and an imposing figure entered. It was Star and Stripe, one of the world's most powerful heroines, known for her relentless strength and unique quirk.
"Izuku Midoriya!" Star and Stripe said in her firm and determined voice as she approached him. "I've heard a lot about you, young hero. I'm here to help you discover what you can truly do."
Izuku stood up quickly, surprised and a little nervous by the presence of a heroine of her caliber.
"It's an honor, Star and Stripe," Izuku said, bowing slightly as a sign of respect.
She smiled, nodding.
"I've spoken with Aguilar about your difficulties, and I believe I can help you find the mental state necessary to control your quirk. But first, I want you to understand something very important: the power you have inside you is incredible, but it requires discipline and a clear mind to control it. We're going to work on that today."
Izuku nodded, ready to learn whatever was necessary.
"I will, I'll do whatever it takes to control it," he replied, his determination renewed.
Star and Stripe guided him to the center of the gym, where she began to explain her approach.
"My quirk allows me to impose rules on reality, but what I'm going to do with you is a little different. I want you to close your eyes, Izuku, and focus on your breathing. Forget about the frustration and fear, just feel the wind around you. Let it flow freely," she instructed, her voice calm but firm.
Izuku did as she asked, closing his eyes and concentrating on his breathing. Gradually, the breeze in the gym began to calm down, becoming softer and more controlled.
"Now, I want you to imagine you're in the eye of a storm. All around you, the wind rages and chaos reigns, but in the center, where you are, everything is calm. I want you to maintain that inner calm, no matter what happens around you," Star and Stripe continued, her quirk beginning to influence the environment, recreating the sensation of being in the eye of a storm.
Izuku felt the pressure around him increase, as if he were really in the middle of a storm, but he clung to the inner calm he had found. The wind roared, but he remained calm, focused.
"That's it, Izuku. Keep that calm, let the wind surround you but don't let it consume you. Guide it, don't control it," Star and Stripe said.
Izuku began to move his hands gently, directing the wind around him with a precision he had never had before. He wasn't forcing the wind, but guiding it with a softness that surprised even himself.
Star and Stripe smiled, watching as Izuku took his first steps towards true control of his quirk.
"Very well, Izuku. You've taken a big step today, but this is only the beginning. With practice and patience, you'll be able to master not only the wind, but all of your potential," she said, her voice full of confidence.
Izuku opened his eyes, feeling a new hope within him. He knew he still had a long way to go, but for the first time in weeks, he felt he was on the right track.
The next day, after a full day of training with Star and Stripe, Izuku had not only improved his control over his quirk but also his combat skills. Each exercise, each challenge had pushed him beyond his limits, forcing him to adapt and grow. However, despite the visible progress, Izuku knew he still had a long way to go.
That morning, Izuku woke up early, his body aching from the intensive training of the previous day. Even so, a renewed determination drove him to get up. He had experienced for the first time what it felt like to have true control, even if it was just a glimpse, and he didn't want to let that feeling slip away.
After a quick breakfast, he headed to the gym, where Star and Stripe was already waiting for him. The heroine greeted him with a smile, noticing the resolve in his eyes.
"Good morning, Izuku," she greeted him in her firm but encouraging tone. "I see you're ready to continue."
Izuku nodded, stretching his muscles as he mentally prepared for what was to come.
"Yes, Star and Stripe. I want to keep improving. Yesterday I realized what I can achieve if I focus and stay calm, but I also know I'm not even close to fully mastering my quirk," he confessed, his voice full of determination.
Star and Stripe observed him for a moment, seeing the fire in his eyes.
"That's the right attitude, Izuku. But remember, it's not just about mastering your quirk. As a hero, you must also strengthen your body, your mind, and your combat skills. Today we'll focus on that," she said, as she guided him to the center of the gym, where her elite team was already prepared.
The training began with a series of endurance and agility exercises. Star and Stripe's team, composed of some of America's most experienced heroes, put him through a level of intensity that Izuku had never experienced before. They launched attacks from various angles, forcing him to react quickly and use both his quirk and physical strength to defend himself and counter.
"Don't just focus on the wind, Izuku," Star and Stripe reminded him as she dodged a blow and countered with a gust of wind. "Your quirk is a tool, but you shouldn't rely solely on it. A complete hero can fight even when they can't use their quirk."
Izuku took her words to heart, adjusting his focus. He began to integrate his physical abilities more into combat, using the wind only when necessary. His movements became more fluid, more strategic. Although he still made mistakes, Star and Stripe and her team guided him, correcting his errors and providing constant feedback.
After several hours of intense training, Star and Stripe decided to change the focus.
"Alright, Izuku, you've made great progress today, but now I want us to focus on your quirk again. This time, I want you to face a single opponent: me," she declared, stepping forward.
Izuku felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. He had seen what Star and Stripe was capable of, and he knew that facing her would be a monumental challenge.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied, assuming a defensive stance.
"The wind around me remains calm."
The atmosphere in Monarch's gym became charged with tension as Star and Stripe positioned herself in front of Izuku. The glow of her quirk began to envelop the space around her, imposing an absolute stillness on the air. Izuku immediately felt the difference: the wind, his primary combat tool, had become inert, untamed, as if trapped in an invisible prison.
"The first thing you must learn, Izuku, is that you won't always have the ideal conditions to use your quirk. Sometimes, you'll face enemies who will limit your abilities or put you in difficult situations. I want you to learn to adapt to any circumstance," Star and Stripe said, her voice firm and confident.
Izuku nodded, though nervousness churned in his stomach. He assumed a defensive stance, aware that facing a heroine of her caliber without being able to fully use his quirk would be a monumental challenge. But there was no turning back.
The first move was Star and Stripe's. Without warning, she advanced with an impressive speed, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Izuku barely had time to react when she threw a punch aimed at his face. Instinctively, he ducked, dodging the blow by inches, feeling the wind stirred up by the hero's movement.
But Star and Stripe didn't give him any breathing room. She spun on her heel and launched a spinning kick towards Izuku's side, which he barely managed to raise his arm to block. The impact was fierce, and although he avoided the direct hit, the force sent him reeling back several steps.
"Don't get distracted, Izuku," Star and Stripe warned him, advancing again with a series of quick and precise strikes.
Izuku focused, remembering the words of Aguilar and Star and Stripe herself. He couldn't afford to rely on the wind; he would have to use his body and mind to the fullest. He blocked one blow, dodged another, and when he saw an opening, he threw a punch towards his opponent. But Star and Stripe deflected it easily, responding with a hook that landed in Izuku's stomach, making him stagger.
"You're fast, but you're still thinking too much about the wind," she said as she stepped back, giving him a moment to recover.
Izuku gritted his teeth, catching his breath. He knew she was right. Even now, he was trying to find a way to use his quirk, but the air was blocked, motionless under Star and Stripe's control. He needed a new approach.
He regained his stance and charged towards her, this time with no intention of using his quirk. His movements were more fluid, more focused. They fought hand-to-hand, exchanging blows and blocks at a frantic pace. Izuku began to adapt, using his speed and agility to dodge and counterattack. He found ways to use the environment to his advantage: a jump to a wall to propel himself and launch a strike from above, a roll to avoid a leg sweep and counter with a low kick.
Star and Stripe noticed the change in his style. Although she still dominated the combat, Izuku was beginning to challenge her in ways she hadn't anticipated. His attacks were becoming more creative, more unpredictable. But she wasn't a veteran hero for nothing.
"Alright, Izuku, but let's see how you handle this," she said, activating a new order in her quirk. "The air in Izuku's environment becomes turbulent."
Suddenly, the wind around him came alive, but not in the way Izuku had expected. He couldn't control it; instead, the air formed chaotic whirlwinds, trying to destabilize him. Every movement became more difficult, as if the wind itself were against him.
Izuku struggled to maintain his balance as Star and Stripe launched a new series of attacks. He blocked one, but another caught him on the shoulder, spinning him around. He was being cornered, his options becoming increasingly limited.
"Don't fight the wind, Izuku. Flow with it," Star and Stripe advised as she threw a punch.
The words echoed in his mind. Don't fight the wind, but flow with it. Suddenly, he understood. Instead of resisting the turbulence, he began to move with it. Instead of trying to control the wind, he let it guide him, using its momentum to dodge Star and Stripe's attacks with more fluidity.
The change was immediate. Izuku dodged a blow with an elegance he hadn't shown before, using the force of the wind to slide across the floor and launch a side kick. Star and Stripe smiled, seeing the spark of understanding in Izuku's eyes. Although his kick was blocked, it was clear that he had begun to understand the fundamental principle of his quirk.
The atmosphere in Monarch's gym was filled with palpable tension as Izuku and Star and Stripe faced off. The rays of light filtering through the skylight now seemed like spotlights on a combat stage, where every movement, every breath, felt charged with meaning. The air, which had previously been under Izuku's chaotic control, was now held in a turbulent but controlled flow by Star and Stripe, who watched her young opponent with a mix of challenge and patience.
"Remember, Izuku, you can't fight the wind. You must learn to move with it," Star and Stripe said, with the firmness of a veteran who had seen and overcome countless challenges.
Izuku, with sweat beading on his forehead, nodded as he regained his stance. The energy emanating from Star and Stripe was overwhelming, but also motivating. He wasn't facing a simple training session; he was being tested to the limit, and he knew it.
Without warning, Star and Stripe launched into an attack. Her speed was blinding, much faster than anything Izuku had experienced before. In an instant, she was upon him, delivering a series of precise blows that he could barely block. Izuku retreated, using all his previous training to try to match the pace, but every move he made seemed anticipated, every defense was disarmed with a skill that could only come from years of experience.
Star and Stripe smiled slightly, seeing the frustration in Izuku's eyes. She threw a punch aimed at his side, but at the last second, she changed it to an uppercut towards his chin. Izuku barely had time to move his head to the side, avoiding the impact by a hair, but the blow unbalanced his stance, leaving him vulnerable.
Seizing the opportunity, Star and Stripe executed a leg sweep, knocking Izuku to the ground. However, before he could react, she was already over him, her foot inches from his chest, stopping just before impact.
"Get up, Izuku," she ordered in a stern tone, but without losing her approving smile.
Izuku, panting and his body aching, rolled quickly to avoid Star and Stripe's foot and jumped to his feet. He didn't have time to rest or think about how much every muscle in his body hurt. He knew that if he wanted to improve, he would have to endure everything she threw at him.
"Come on!" he shouted, igniting his fighting spirit. Izuku launched a series of attacks with a mix of punches and kicks, trying to take advantage of his speed. He knew he didn't have the strength to overpower her, but if he could at least land a hit, it would be progress.
Star and Stripe blocked the first blow, then the second, but on the third, Izuku changed his direction at the last moment, diverting his quirk to the side to create a current of wind that unbalanced her. For a brief instant, he accomplished what seemed impossible: he made Star and Stripe take a step back.
But the hero wasn't easily surprised. Using the momentum of the current, she spun her body and launched a devastating counterattack. Her fist, charged with overwhelming force, impacted the air in front of Izuku, creating a shockwave that sent him flying backward with violence. Izuku barely had time to cover himself before crashing into one of the gym walls.
Pain shot through his body, but his spirit was unbroken. He got up again, staggering, his eyes fixed on Star and Stripe. He knew he was being overpowered, but something inside him pushed him to keep going. Something deeper than simple tenacity, something his teacher had taught him.
The fight continued, becoming increasingly intense. Star and Stripe increased the pressure, constantly changing her strategy to keep Izuku on his toes. She hit him with rapid combinations, cornered him with unpredictable movements, but Izuku kept adapting, improving with each exchange. He began to understand that it wasn't just about being stronger or faster; it was about feeling the flow of battle, anticipating movements, and adapting to them.
At one point, Izuku tried something new. Taking advantage of the turbulence that Star and Stripe had created in the air, he spun on his heel and launched a kick with his whole body. The kick itself wasn't particularly powerful, but the accompanying wind, although not fully controlled, created a vortex that threatened to trap the hero.
For a second, it seemed like the strategy had worked. But Star and Stripe, with her experience, anticipated it. Instead of resisting the vortex, she let herself be carried by it, spinning with the force of the wind and using her own momentum to propel herself towards Izuku. The next thing he felt was a devastating impact in his stomach that left him breathless. The force of the blow lifted him off the ground and sent him flying backwards, crashing back into the gym wall.
Izuku fell to the ground, his vision blurred and his body immobile. Pain enveloped him like a blanket, every breath was a struggle. He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't respond. His mind struggled to stay conscious, but darkness began to take over.
"Izuku, that was impressive," were the last words he heard before unconsciousness enveloped him completely.
When he awoke, he didn't know how much time had passed. The first thing he felt was the pain in every inch of his body. The second was the calm in the air. There was no more turbulence, just a gentle breeze caressing his skin. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking to clear his vision.
Star and Stripe was standing beside him, looking at him with a satisfied expression. Aguilar was also watching, his face reflecting pride.
"You've rested long enough, Izuku," Aguilar said, helping him sit up. "But don't worry. You faced one of the world's best heroes and achieved something that few manage on their first try: you made her retreat."
Izuku let out a soft laugh, which turned into a grimace of pain. Although he had ended up defeated, the fact that his effort was recognized gave him a sense of accomplishment he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"You did well, kid," added Star and Stripe, crossing her arms. "You have potential, but more importantly, you have the right attitude. You'll learn to control your quirk, I'm sure of it. Today you took your first real steps towards that goal."
Izuku nodded, with a small smile of gratitude on his face. He knew he still had a long way to go, but now, more than ever, he was determined to keep going, no matter how many times he had to get back up after being knocked down.
As he got up with Aguilar's help, a new determination ignited in his heart. He had faced one of the biggest challenges of his life and, although he had been defeated, he had learned more than he ever imagined.
"We'll continue training tomorrow, Izuku. But for now, you need to rest," Aguilar said, guiding him out of the gym.
As they headed for the exit, Izuku looked back at Star and Stripe. She returned his gaze with an approving smile. It was a reminder that the path he had chosen was difficult, but not impossible. And with teachers like them, he knew he had the strength to keep going, step by step, until he reached his goals.
Hi guys! How are u doing? I try translate the chapters that i have more regular, actually the spanish version is in his 15 chapter. Do you like the fic? I want read yours reviews.