My Hero Academia: Lion of Courage
Chapter 53: Gifts and Knowledge
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia. All rights go to Kohei Horikoshi.
Author's Note: Hey, everyone! It's been a long while, I'm sorry to keep you all waiting for so long! I've finished my novel's rough draft and I'm currently in the process of proofreading and editing, so my updates on Lion of Courage won't be as constant anymore. My novel comes first, though I'm glad to be back. Hope you enjoy this newest, yet shorter, chapter.
Ojiro was breathing heavily from today's training with the legendary Open Palm, which wasn't helped by the weighted clothing his mentor made him wear throughout the day. He was on his hands and knees as he struggled to catch his breath; Mashirao had suspected that the training would be hard, but he didn't know it'd be this hard.
"You did well today, Ojiro," Open Palm complimented as he helped his student to his feet. "But there are some rather glaring weaknesses you need to address."
"Such as?" Ojiro questioned.
"First, there was too much time between your tail-based attacks," Open Palm critiqued. "When you attack, do so repeatedly and don't give your opponent the chance to retaliate. Focus on using light attacks in quick succession rather than heavier attacks that'll leave you open." Ojiro nodded his head in response.
As the Tail wielder thought on it, he realized that many of the times Open Palm had countered during their spars was because he had tried using a heavier attack that left him open to the martial arts master. Of course, having to wear the weighted clothing throughout the day didn't help in terms of speed. His whole body felt sore simply from that alone.
"Second, you need to improve your technique with your windmill shuriken. It's obvious that you're still learning to use one properly. Did you buy one as a means for long range attacks?"
"Yes, sir, I did," Ojiro confirmed. "I recently bought it before the Sports Festival. I had hoped to use it during the Festival, but my request was denied."
"And it's a good thing they did," Open Palm responded. "Your skills with the windmill shuriken are novice at best. You'd need more practice before you can wield a weapon like that in actual combat."
The Tail wielder certainly couldn't disagree with that. Today had shown that he didn't yet have a proper grasp on the new weapon he had bought, despite his recent practice with it. Perhaps it was for the best that U.A. denied his request to use it during the Sports Festival as he could've used it improperly, which could seriously injured himself or someone else.
"Third, don't make the mistake of being over reliant on your Quirk. The biggest reason why I teach martial arts at U.A. is to keep students from becoming so reliant on their Quirks that they have nothing to fall back on if an opponent gets past them. Don't be afraid to use your punches and kicks too, Ojiro. One thing I learned about martial arts is to NEVER restrict your fighting style; make use of every limb as much as you can."
"Yes, sir," Ojiro replied as he nodded his head, then groaned. "Man, these weighted clothes are killing me."
"Get used to them, Ojiro; you'll be wearing them every day," Open Palm stated. "It's a great way to strengthen your body while performing martial arts." Just then, Open Palm's phone went off, indicating an alarm. The blind martial artist found his way to his phone and tapped the screen several times before he managed to turn it off.
"That's all for today, Ojiro," Open Palm announced. "Put the weighted clothes back on the table and then you can go home, but remember what I told you."
"Don't be over reliant on my tail, use lighter attacks and train with my windmill shuriken more, sir," Ojiro answered, earning a proud smile from his mentor.
After Ojiro got his weighted clothes off and changed into his school uniform, the Tail wielder bowed his head and left Open Palm's residence. His mind was full of the intense training he had gone through today, the weaknesses Open Palm had pointed out to him after the day, and how he would improve upon those weaknesses. Sadly for him, the doubt he felt surrounding his Quirk and abilities lingered in his mind.
"All you can do is swing a tail around! You're pretty much useless!"
"What are you going to do, wag your tail around and distract the villains like a dog?"
Ojiro sighed heavily as he walked away from Open Palm's residence. Could he ever hope to stand out like his classmates, like Bakugo and Raionhato? Perhaps with Open Palm's tutelage and training, he could. Maybe he wouldn't be the flashiest hero, but he'd be the strongest he could be.
An hour after Ojiro left, Kenzo Suzukaze started preparing dinner for himself while thinking on the apprentice he had taken on. He definitely saw much potential in Mashirao Ojiro as a Pro Hero and as a martial artist; he had personally hoped both Ojiro and Kendo would come, but he respected Kendo's decision to want to gain field experience rather than stay and train with the LEGENDARY OPEN PALM...he still respected her decision.
Sadly, Ojiro's potential was hindered by his self-doubt, which was unquestionably brought on by being both a mutant and lacking a flashy Quirk. He knew that Ojiro's self-doubt wouldn't go away in a week, but at least he'd be helping him to start overcoming it. After all, he'd be failing as a teacher if he didn't encourage his students to go Plus Ultra.
He stopped preparing dinner when he heard a knock on the door. Already suspecting who it was thanks to his Quirk, Open Palm walked over to the door and opened it, greeting the visitor with a smile.
"Hello, Nemuri," he greeted.
"Hey, handsome~" Nemuri Kayama replied as she walked in and kissed her lover's lips. "Hope I'm not interrupting."
"Ojiro already left and I'm preparing some dinner," Open Palm answered. "Would you like some?"
"That sounds wonderful," Nemuri accepted before a mischievous smirk stretched across her face. "Make sure to save room for dessert~"
"You know I can't see your face, right?" Open Palm reminded his lover.
-0-
"So Ojiro did well today?" Nemuri asked as the two sat down for the now completed dinner.
"He did indeed, though his issues seem to be more internal than external," Kenzo answered. "Ojiro is so...plagued by self-doubt because of his Quirk. He feels he can't keep up with his classmates, especially people like Bakugo and Todoroki."
Nemuri had noticed that with Ojiro during his time at U.A.; in spite of his own battle prowess, the Tail wielder often suffered from a sense of inferiority when compared to his classmates. It was definitely harder to be recognized in today's society without a flashy Quirk like Explosion, Half-Cold Half-Hot or Snowstorm. It was so sad for the R-Rated Heroine to see youth dampened by doubt and a sense of inferiority; she hoped Ojiro could learn to grow out of his self-doubt through her lover's tutelage.
"I can understand how he feels, which is why I hope he'll grow out of it," Nemuri responded. "Perhaps his friends will be a positive influence on him as well. After all, Raionhato's Quirk is rather unflashy and he stood out pretty well. He did receive the 3rd most amount of internships from the Sports Festival."
"That's true," Kenzo brought up as they finished up their dinner. "Plus, I did hear of how Raionhato and Bakugo had a rematch in Gym Gamma, which ended in a stalemate. Raionhato could've gone up to the final round had he not let his anger get the better of him, which also brings up Furaya."
Furaya was Quirkless, no power of his own, yet despite that, he was the first ever Quirkless to win the Sports Festival. Ojiro had two positive students to learn from to help him move past his self-doubt, one a close friend in his own class and the other who would join the Hero Course soon enough. But as he knew, his apprentice's self-doubt wouldn't magically go away in a matter of days; it was a process and he was certain Ojiro would be willing to take on that process to reach his true potential.
"I still can't believe what the U.A. Board did to Furaya," Nemuri spoke with disgust as she helped Kenzo put the dishes in the sink, despite Kenzo's protests. "We got rid of the rule that Quirkless can't join the Hero Course years ago and yet...it's just downright hypocritical."
"I don't think any of us like what the board did to Furaya and that other student they kicked out," Kenzo stated as he approached the sink. "Nemuri, please; you're my guest. I can't let you do the dishes."
"But we're also lovers, remember?" Nemuri whispered as she kissed Kenzo's cheek and began to move to his lips.
"Nemuri..." Kenzo chuckled before she started kissing his lips. The martial artist tried to start the dishes, but Nemuri wouldn't allow him as she stood between him and the sink. Realizing it was futile, the blind martial artist wrapped his arms around his beloved and sat her down on the table. The two kissed intensely and passionately as their hands explored each other's bodies, caught up in their amorous desire for one another. Nemuri let out constant moans as she felt her lover intensify his kisses before picking her up once more. He began to carry her to the bedroom while the two of them continued sharing their lustful kisses.
"You're...a real handful sometimes, Nemuri..." Kenzo spoke as they got into his bedroom and began stripping his beloved of her clothes.
"But you love me all the same~" she spoke in a sultry voice as she too began to pull off Kenzo's clothes. The martial artist didn't waste any time as he pushed Nemuri onto the bed and climbed on top of her, using his hands to feel her silky smooth skin.
"And I'll show you how much I love you once more," Kenzo stated as he fully gave in and kissed his lover while they stripped themselves of the last of their clothing.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Chief Tsuragamae greeted the Pro Hero Lioness after she arrived at the Hosu City Police Station.
"Of course, Chief Tsuragamae," she replied as she shook the chief's hand. She had already changed into her Hero Costume before leaving her house to save her the trouble later, which consisted of a light brown fur collar, a golden brown jumpsuit with brown leather armor toeless boots and fingerless gloves to allow her claws to protract, and a lion-shaped mask with amber-colored lenses.
"As you were informed, the Turbo Hero: Ingenium was severely injured by Stain not too long ago," the police chief explained to the leonine hero. "So I've been calling out requests to available Pro Heroes to help. Stain's rampage has already cost forty Pro Heroes their lives and crippled eighteen more; he must be stopped before more lives can be lost."
"Who else have you called?" Lioness questioned.
"I called Endeavor, so he should be here hopefully by tomorrow," Tsuragamae stated.
Lioness's expression soured a little, though she kept it professional enough so the police chief wouldn't notice the change in her scowl. She loathed the idea of working with the Flame Hero: Endeavor, who had always antagonized her, her family and her friends, especially Rebound. She couldn't stand Endeavor's hateful jealousy towards her close friend just because people liked the Reflection Hero more than the Flame Hero.
When Rebound became the #2 Hero and bumped Endeavor down to #3, the Flame Hero's hostility only grew worse. Endeavor would always diminish Rebound's accomplishments, treat him as though the Reflection Hero condescended to him and treat him as though he was unworthy of the position. But the day Kokoro died was when Lioness truly lost whatever respect she had for the Flame Hero.
"What!?" Endeavor roared after Rebound had announced his retirement following his wife's death at a fire in an apartment complex. "He's suddenly retiring!?"
"He just lost his wife, Endeavor!" Lioness scolded the Flame Hero in response to his outburst. "He's retiring so he can take care of Anzu! Can't you see that!?"
"The only thing I see is that unworthy buffoon throwing away his work and dishonoring the position he stole from me!"
A low growl started to emit from Lioness's mouth and her amber eyes narrowed at the Flame Hero, enraged by his sheer heartlessness towards Rebound's situation. Her dearest friend had just lost his wife suddenly and tragically, which prompted his understandable decision to step down from Pro Hero work so he could take care of his daughter...and Endeavor's response was to call him an unworthy buffoon? Even in the face of such terrible tragedy, Endeavor couldn't stop mocking and insulting her friend.
"He's degrading all Pro Heroes by doing this, making us look weak by holding the #2 rank for six years and now suddenly retiring because he's letting grief break him." He stopped when he heard a loud growl from Lioness, almost sounding like a roar.
"You heartless bastard! Rebound just lost his wife in a fire and all you can do is insult him because he wants to look after his daughter!? This isn't about him degrading Pro Heroes, this is about him 'insulting' your ego! You've ALWAYS hated Rebound because people believed HE'D be the one to surpass All Might rather than you! Ever since U.A., you were jealous of Rebound because people loved and respected him more than you as a person and as a Pro Hero! He didn't 'steal' your position, he earned it, but you won't see it that way because you're so full of hatred towards him! You hate that he's retiring because you NEVER surpassed him and you never WILL! You call him an unworthy buffoon, but at least he's not a heartless monster who only cares about himself! YOU are the unworthy buffoon and you will NEVER be better than either Rebound or All Might!"
Lioness's fangs were bared and her eyes fiercely fixed upon the Flame Hero after expressing her disgust at his disrespect for his better. Despite the terrible way Endeavor had treated Rebound for years, which had only gotten worse after he took the position of #2, the Razor Claw Hero wanted to believe that he would show respect to her friend in this time of tragedy and understand why he chose to retire. But instead, he just sunk lower and showed no regard for Rebound, no sympathy, only condemnation and disdain. The Flame Hero narrowed his eyes and glared at the leonine hero.
"You watch your tone with me, Lioness," he spoke deeply and angrily. "Rebound isn't here to protect you anymore."
"I don't need Rebound's protection," Lioness rebuked. "And if this is the way you're going to treat my friend even when he's grieving, I will talk to you however I want. You are not owed my respect, you bastard."
"But I am still your superior as a Pro Hero and you will not speak to me that way," Endeavor stated almost threateningly.
"You're disgusting, Endeavor," Lioness snarled before she shoved the Flame Hero aside and walked past him.
Ever since that day, the Razor Claw Hero had lost all respect for the Flame Hero. There was no heart to be found in him, no compassion, no love, no empathy; all that would be found was hatred, envy, pride and selfishness. Nakano dreaded the idea of working with someone like him, but she knew she had to put those feelings aside to track down and defeat the Hero Killer. She needed to follow the advice she had given to her son after his loss at the Sports Festival, after all.
"Has Ingenium regained consciousness?" Lioness asked with sympathy.
"He has, though we've been unable to question him about his encounter with Stain," Tsuragamae answered. "Once again, we have nothing to go about on Stain or his Quirk."
"Then we must continue to remain cautious," Lioness stated. "Based on the information you sent me before I came here as well as what happened to Ingenium, it seems Stain has a pattern of isolating his victims before striking. It may be too soon to say, but perhaps his Quirk doesn't work well against multiple opponents. It would explain this pattern of how he kills or cripples his victims."
"We've considered that too, but without solid knowledge about his Quirk, it's only speculation right now, I'm afraid," Tsuragamae responded. "But one way or another, he must be stopped; there's no telling of how many more Pros he'll cripple or kill."
Once Lioness had the information she needed from the Hosu Police Chief, she left the police to find a hotel to stay in while she helped in Tsuragamae's mission to apprehend Stain. She was just grateful she didn't have to share a room with the Flame Hero during her stay in Hosu, but once Stain had been apprehended, she'd be free to return home to the Shizuoka Prefecture.
After checking into a hotel and unpacking her belongings, Nakano sat down at a table and once again went over the information Tsuragamae had provided for her about Stain. Looking over the evidence once more solidified Nakano's claim of Stain preferring to isolate his victims before dealing a crippling or killing blow, implying that he possibly struggled against multiple opponents. But she didn't know what his Quirk was, so it was mere speculation at this point. Regardless, as Chief Tsuragamae stated, the Hero Killer had to be stopped.
"Whoa, what is so important, Mei?" Hayata questioned as the pink-haired inventor dragged her best friend to her house after classes had finished for the day.
"You'll see!" Hatsume responded as she hurried, paying no attention to her surroundings yet still miraculously staying alive.
Despite the tumbling from being dragged by Hatsume, Hayata kept an eye out for anyone who could cause trouble for the two of them. Ever since the Sports Festival, Hayata had endured no end of criticism and threats, his detractors doing whatever they could to demoralize him and make him drop out of U.A. If it weren't for the fact that his father, Jin, was a police officer, odds are most of them would've gone further to 'ensure' he 'knew his place'.
Luckily, the cheering Hayata received rung far louder than the hate. Many people across Japan, especially the Quirkless, praised Hayata for his victory at the Sports Festival and defying the long-held belief that Quirkless couldn't be heroes. Even some of his current General Studies classmates had congratulated him and began treating him as their hero. Both the shouts of his supporters and the spewing of his detractors filled Hayata with the resolve to keep going, to finally tell the world 'Enough is enough'.
As for Hatsume, her heart and mind were filled with immense joy at what she would show Hayata once they arrived at her house. It was a very special project she had been working on ever since he had won the Sports Festival, one that she was certain Hayata would need once he joined the Hero Course. She had pulled several all-nighters to get it done, but she didn't regret any of it as the pink-haired inventor wanted to ensure her childhood friend's success.
Upon entering, Mei immediately dragged him inside and threw him onto the couch before she ran off into the basement. The falcon-themed swordsman gave a small chuckle before sitting up and awaiting for his childhood friend to return, being greeted by the sounds of loud clanging, banging and shattering; any normal person would've worried and rushed to head down to help, but Hayata knew Mei all too well and patiently remained. After a short while, Mei rushed back up, pushing something on wheels covered by a white sheet and then stood proudly in front of the Quirkless warrior.
"Hayata, you have been my best friend ever since we were kids," she proclaimed, enthusiasm and pride shining from her like the sun. "And when you won the Sports Festival...that's the proudest I've ever been to call myself your friend, which makes me all the more proud to present you with...THIS!" Mei grabbed the white sheet and pulled it off. Hayata's eyes widened in surprise when he saw what the sheet's removal had revealed.
It was a wooden rack bearing a set of silver-colored samurai armor with black outlines, which appeared light yet very durable with a white armored waistcoat underneath. The silver cuirass had the emblem of a falcon emblazoned upon it, its wings spread out and its talons ready to strike. The shoulder guards also had a falcon motif with the wings curved forward and the head in the center as if gazing upon its prey. The gauntlets each had a falcon's wing on the outside, looking almost sharp enough to use as weapons of their own. The final piece was the helmet, which had the crest of spread out falcon's wings and a mask that appeared like a falcon's beak.
Hayata stood up from the couch, his eyes glued on the armor as he slowly walked forward and touched it. He was fascinated by its appearance, his face uncharacteristically in shock at what he was looking at.
"You...you made all of this?" Hayata questioned.
"It took me several all-nighters, but I got it done," Mei responded. "After you won the Sports Festival, I requested to Power Loader that I make your hero costume; took some convincing, but knowing me, I managed to persuade."
"Please, please, please, please, please!"
"Only your dearest friend should have the honor of making your Hero Costume, wouldn't you say?" Hatsume asked with the biggest smile on her face. Hayata turned his eyes away from the armor to look at Mei...and a beautiful smile came onto his face.
"Mei...thank you," he spoke all the while Mei did her best not to faint from the sheer beauty of Hayata's smile. "Let me try it on."
Hayata began taking off his school uniform, first his jacket followed by his tie and shirt though kept his pants on before walking over to take the armor off the wooden rack. Mei covered her nose as it began to bleed and leaned on a nearby table to keep her balance as she gazed upon her friend's toned body; she may complain about how obsessed he was training, but she always forgot her complaints whenever she saw his muscular torso. She savored the sight of Hayata's body, even though it had been marred by some scars from training with his uncle over the years.
Unfortunately, the savoring was broken when Hayata placed the cuirass over his body, hiding his muscular torso from his childhood friend. Once he was covered entirely in the armor, he stood before Hatsume with his normal stoic expression.
"Holy...it looks great on you!" Mei barked with excitement. "Oh, you're going to love this baby, I know it!"
"I already do," Hayata answered. "Let's head out back so I may test it out."
-0-
Hayata stood breathing heavily after having spent over thirty minutes swinging Falcon's Talon and running in short bursts of speed thanks to his boots while wearing his new armor. To his amazement, his falcon-themed samurai armor was very light yet extremely durable, showing no signs of wear or damage from several objects Mei threw at him to test its durability. He had confirmed what Mei and himself said: he approved highly of the armor Mei had created for him.
"Mei, this is truly amazing," Hayata spoke.
"What else could you expect from U.A.'s greatest inventor?" Mei proclaimed. "If you were powerful in the Sports Festival, imagine how strong you'll be now!"
Mei could already envision her friend in official combat: combining the speed of his boots, the strength of his armor, the sharpness of Falcon's Talon and his own combat prowess, Hayata would be an unstoppable force. Pro Heroes far and wide would know of her babies, which would lead to them learning of her inventing skills and how she contributed to creating Japan's first ever Quirkless Pro Hero. Her name would be revered far and wide-
"You are a truly amazing friend, Mei," Hayata told the pink-haired inventor. "I do not believe I would be where I am without your help."
"Oh, you are too modest," Mei responded, attempting to fake humility. "Sure, my babies are wonderful and carried you throughout the Sports Festival, but they'd be useless if you didn't put in the effort...perhaps too much effort."
"Huh?" Hayata replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Try relaxing every once in a while, Hayata," Mei suggested. "I've lost count of how many times you've been found unconscious because you trained yourself too hard."
"Firstly, are you really in any position to scold considering how many 'all-nighters' you pull?" Hayata questioned. "Secondly, I must train as hard as possible; I'm already at a disadvantage due to my lack of a Quirk. My classmates will not wait up for me, so I must do what I must to keep up."
Hayata remembered how many of Class 1-A's students fought in the Tournament, remembering how most of them fought with great prowess and ferocity, especially Bakugo, Todoroki and Raionhato. Despite their flaws that contributed to their defeats, or in Bakugo's case, his humiliation, each of them were a force to be reckoned with; he learned that when he fought Todoroki and Bakugo in the tournament. If he hadn't trained as much as he had, Hayata believed that he would've lost against one of them and he'd have to leave U.A. forever.
The Quirkless's phone suddenly went off, indicating a call. Hayata looked at the screen to see his dad's name and answered.
"Hello, Father...oh, it's that time already? I'm currently at Mei's house...I'll show you when I get back home...take care." He then hung up.
He went inside and changed from his armor into his school uniform...and Mei took in EVERY SECOND as she gazed upon his toned torso, his six-pack abs, his well-developed muscles from his years of intensive training with Genkei.
Genkei...Mei remembered how Hayata told her that his uncle and mother were still arguing after his victory in the Sports Festival. His mother, Takara, was adamant about not letting him into the Hero Course, fearful that he would meet the same fate as his uncle did years ago when he was brutalized and crippled. Any time the topic was brought up, she'd shut it down and refuse to give it any thought. Genkei, on the other hand, viewed his sister's actions as cowardice and accusing her of simply wanting Hayata to be walked over his whole life. He could no longer fulfill his dream of becoming a Quirkless Pro Hero, so he passed it onto his nephew, hoping to tell the world 'Enough is enough'.
"So...are things getting better with your mom and uncle?" Mei asked cautiously.
"If by better, you mean 'their arguing is getting worse', then yes," Hayata responded before giving a heavy sigh. "I see where both of them are coming from, but they need to understand that I am my own person: I am not another tragedy waiting to happen nor am I a pawn for my uncle's crusade. The sooner they accept it, the smoother things will be for me."
"Let's hope so," Mei responded.