A CLASSIC HERO STORY
Abe Chizuru, in Izuku's opinion, is a mystery.
She claims to not be a pro-hero but seems to know the industry inside out. She promised to make him into one, but the other heroes seem to be wary of her, and people who know her seem to always do a double-take when she mentions the fact that she's his mentor. It's weird and Izuku, for all his analytic mind, couldn't even begin to create his theories because he doesn't really know where to start.
And despite her lazy demeanor, Abe Chizuru is quite an awesome teacher. Right off the bat, she gave him a strict training regime he should follow; including meal plans, theories to study, and sleep schedule.
Though... Izuku wished that went off differently than what happened...
["First off, take off your shirt" Chizuru-sensei commanded, a glint shining in her now sunset orange eyes]
["EH?!" Izuku shrieked, stumbling back in shock. It can't be...?!]
[Chizuru's eyes darkened, making her orange eyes look like blazing hot coals]
["JUST. WHAT. ARE. YOU. THINKING?!"]
It turns out that one of the abilities of her quirk can see and determine the stats of the body with only a glance. From that, Chizuru can plan out a healthy regime for him without overexerting him or missing anything out. From morning to night, and even during school hours, he has a schedule he should follow. There was no wasted time but also not overwhelming.
Despite that... Izuku doesn't feel satisfied.
It was true that the current timetable for the month was upgraded and harsher than last month, but Izuku wanted more. And so, despite his teacher's warnings, Izuku shaved off time from his healthy routine and made time for an additional side training.
But of course, he should've known better.
The next time he saw his sensei, Chizuru was upon him like an angry bull. Her eyes in the color of burning coals. In an instant, she seized him by his shirt collar and lifted him off the ground effortlessly.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
For someone who absolutely loves Quirks, Izuku momentarily forgot the most crucial information his sensei shared with him about her quirk.
SHE CAN ABSOLUTELY SEE THE DIFFERENCE. EVEN AS MINISCULE AS A TENSE MUSCLE.
It wasn't even three days since he started his side training and here she is, raving like a madwoman.
"DID YOU THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE?" She asked in a dark voice. A vein throbbing on her temple can only mean that she's about to snap. "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU SUDDENLY COLLAPSE WHILE TRAINING, HUH?!"
"I- I'm sorry!" Izuku croaked out, hands pressed firmly together, and begging with all his might. For a normally chill person, Chizuru could be quite terrifying. "I-it's just that... I WANT TO BE AS STRONG AS I CAN BE!"
Sighing, Chizuru let go of the kid. "It can't be helped"
Startled, Izuku looked up at his sensei in confusion. He expected more raving: more shouting, and harsh shaking. Because that's the norm, right? But of course, Abe Chizuru isn't NORMAL. She doesn't do anything of what normal teachers do. Or was it only for a select few and THIS is actually the norm?
"I'd like to meet your parents"
"EH?" Izuku replayed the previous conversation and even at the fifth replay, he couldn't find what made her want to meet his mom.
"If you want to get strong so bad, then we'll bump your training a few phases up" She answered in a deadpan, hands on her hips. "But I need your parent's permission for that"
"Why?" He asked, a bead of sweat sliding down the side of his temple as dread filled him.
"..." Tension rose every second Chizuru didn't answer. Her blazing orange eyes simmering to dying embers.
"I told you before that the road to becoming a pro-hero is a long grueling journey," She said, "Do you know why?"
"Because it's not an occupation that people without a quirk are cut-out for...?" Izuku answered, head slightly tilted down and eyes staring to the side.
A tick mark throbbed at Chizuru's temple. With a vengeance of an insulted woman, Chizuru delivered a sharp chop at the teen's head.
"ACK!" The young teen rubbed his aching head where his sensei struck him.
"If that is true, then I wouldn't have taken you in from the start!" She shouted, annoyed.
"But..." His hands clenched into fists as degrading words carelessly thrown at him over the years filled his mind.
"It's true that there is no recorded data about a Quirkless Hero before in history" She didn't let him continue. "Do you know why?"
Izuku didn't.
"How many suicides do you think happen each year?" She asked and Izuku's green eyes widen at the implication. "Did you know that 5 out of 10 people that commit suicide are quirkless? If 20 percent of the world's population is quirkless, then half of that commits suicide."
["I'll show you that I CAN DO IT!"]
A voice echoed in her memory. The image of a teenage boy in the typical black middle school uniform and shaggy brown hair with indignant cinnamon eyes flashed in her mind's eye.
.
.
.
["I'LL SHOW YOU THAT I CAN BECOME THE FIRST EVER QUIRKLESS HERO!"]
.
.
.
But he didn't.
.
.
.
[A motionless body hanging from the ceiling and lifeless brown eyes staring back at her]
.
.
.
"I know that you've heard countless insults in your short life, but I want you to remember something," She said as she put a comforting hand on his messy green hair.
"IF 80% OF THE WORLD REFUSED TO BELIEVE IN YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE QUIRKLESS, THEN REMEMBER THAT YOU ONLY HAVE TO STAND UP FOR THE REMAINING 20% WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL THEIR LIVES TO BE SAVED BY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THEM!"
Grinning softly, Chizuru ruffled the soft locks under her palm.
"That's the kind of hero I want you to become"
Izuku couldn't help to stare up at her in astonished awe. How many times had this happened already? This sensei never seem to fail to amaze him.
.
.
Midoriya Inko doesn't know what to think, honestly. When her son regained that spark of hope she hadn't seen in years, she was absolutely thrilled! When he gave her a schedule and a list of meal plans for a month, she was delighted. Even more so when he gave her another schedule for the new month. With just a look, Inko knew that the timetables and the dietary menus were thought with only the best for her son. It was not planned hastily or even remotely generic.
When she asked who gave it to him, Izuku had this look on his face like he'd met his favorite hero.
"Chizuru-sensei gave it to me" He had said with a blinding smile. "She's training me to become a hero"
It was the first time she heard of that name, but definitely not the last. When she asked how he met this amazing woman, her son turned sad and answered that he met her at the rooftop of the police station after meeting All Might. She was surprised that Izuku finally met his favorite hero, but wondered why he wasn't as thrilled as she thought he would be. The story was short and Inko knew that there is something her son isn't telling her. But she let it slide and didn't ask any further questions. She just listened patiently as Izuku recounted how amazing his Chizuru-sensei was.
Day by day, Inko watched how Izuku followed the schedule to the last minute and saw the miracle it made. In just a month, her son had gained some healthy weight and unlike before this whole routine started, he doesn't look as skinny as a lady-in-a-godawful-diet anymore.
And then... the healthy routine was broken. One evening, Izuku started doing exercises that were not in the regime before going to bed. When she pointed it out, Izuku waved off her concern and said that it should be fine as long as he didn't overdo it. But he does.
And then Saturday came where Izuku is routinely scheduled to train under Chizuru-sensei's watchful eyes... Inko couldn't help but wish that his sensei would catch on soon that her son is overdoing it.
Not even three hours out, Izuku was back home and with a pretty woman in tow.
"Sorry for the intrusion" The young lady bowed in polite greeting. "My name is Abe Chizuru"
"Please come in" Inko politely invited, like the good host she is. "Izuku, why don't you show our guest to the table while I prepare some snacks?"
"Hai!" Her son agreed and quietly led his teacher to the dining table.
Inko flitted through the kitchen, taking biscuits out of the can and if she remembered it right, Izuku mentioned that aside from sports drink, his teacher always takes orange juice.
She couldn't believe it! She's finally meeting the one her son thinks so highly of! Calming herself with a deep breath, she took the snacks and drinks to the dining table where their guest sat.
"May I know what brought you here, sensei?" Inko asked once everyone was attended to and seated.
"I should've introduced myself earlier, Midoriya-san" The young lady bowed her head. "I apologize that it took this long"
"Nonononono" Inko waved her hands in frantic dismissal. "Honestly, I should be thanking you, sensei." Timidly, she folded her hands together. "Before Izuku met you, he was always so sad. No matter what I've done, I couldn't bring him to cheer up more than a few minutes" She then gave a small smile towards the younger lady. "And then, he met you, sensei. You brought me back the child I lost for years. For that, I thank you."
At the end of her speech, Inko bowed in earnest towards the surprised woman. Even Izuku was rendered speechless at this heartfelt gratitude.
"Anyway," Chizuru hid a blush with a fake cough. "I am here to ask for your permission to take Midoriya-kun's training a couple steps further"
Blinking, Inko waited for her to explain and Chizuru was more than happy to comply.
"I have noticed that your son had strayed away from the schedule I had provided for him..." Inko couldn't help but sigh in relief as her prayers were answered. She'd probably get grey hairs soon if Chizuru-sensei didn't notice it sooner than she did. "... And so, if he truly wishes to continue this, then I might as well guide him in the proper way"
"It is true that the path to becoming a pro-Hero is not an easy one, and definitely not a walk in the park once he achieves it..." Both mother and son silently took note of her confidence in Izuku to achieve his dream. "... so I am asking for your permission to take things a step further. I will start training him in combat"
"C-combat?!" Inko choked in that piece of information.
"As you know, Pro-Heroes not only save people but also battle villains..." Chizuru was quick to explain. "I was actually saving this training until his fourth month but I think that the sooner he started, the better." At Inko's unsure look, Chizuru gave an encouraging smile. "You do not need to worry, Midoriya-san. I will be teaching your son hand-to-hand combat. You may think of it as self-defense training."
"W-what should I be expecting with this?" Inko dreaded the answer for that.
Patiently, Chizuru laid out the possible results while this training commences: bruises, possible broken bones, extreme exhaustion, and possible future concussions. Inko paled at every future injury her beloved son might experience if he continued with this. But looking at Izuku, Inko has a feeling that he already anticipated this much. Looking back at Chizuru-sensei, Inko could see that she truly wants to guide her son every step of the way. That is why she's here now... asking for her permission instead of just going through with it.
"I-if..." Inko gulped. "... if I consented to this, when will this start?"
"Two weeks from now, Midoriya-san" The young woman replied. "I would like to condition his body and mentality first before charging head-on to such a daunting training"
It was quiet for a moment while Inko processed the information she received. Although the thought of Izuku learning to fight is terrifying, it is also comforting in the sense that he could defend himself if ever. Glancing back at her son, Izuku watched her anxiously. What would that look turn in to if she refused this offer?
"If it makes you feel more at ease..." Chizuru finally broke the quiet and both mother and son turned to her in anticipation. "... I am more than willing to invite you to join us."
"EH?!"
"Are you sure, sensei?" Izuku asked hesitantly.
And at Chizuru's determined nod, Inko stood up and reached out to grasp the young sensei's hand.
"Then if you will allow me, sensei..." There was a fire blazing in Inko's green eyes and determination coursing through her veins. "I would like to join both of you in training!"
.
.
"What have you gotten yourself in to, Chizuru-kun?" A tall man with cropped raven hair and broad shoulders leaned against the wall. Dark blue eyes shining in fascination as he watched the said young woman beat up a sandbag in the middle of the gym.
"Just got myself a couple of students" She grunted in reply, hitting and kicking the sports equipment with all her might. She was drenched in sweat but she didn't seem to care as she continued to attack her chosen foe.
"Students?" The man raised a brow at the news.
"Yeah" She replied, undistracted from her assaults. "A quirkless kid and his mom"
"Uhuh..." He hummed, waiting for further details.
"Kid wants to become a hero" As she delivered a punch, her fist pierced through the sandbag, rendering it useless.
"Sounds familiar, huh?" The man's eyes narrowed as the fascination dimmed. Chizuru didn't answer him. She merely dragged another sandbag, hooked it up, and resumed beating the hell out of it. "What are you planning?"
"Teach the kid" Chizuru replied. "That's what a sensei is for, right?"
"Anything else I need to know?" He asked with a raised brow and a sigh.
"I'd be bringing them here starting tomorrow" She announced before delivering a powerful kick that swung the sandbag too far into the air before it came back down, only to be met with a matching powerful punch, piercing through the equipment yet again.
There was silence as Chizuru unhooked the now useless equipment.
"WILL YOU USE THE GLOVES FOR ONCE?!" The man finally snapped, his deep voice echoing in the silent gym. "YOU'RE NOT EVEN PAYING FOR THE DAMAGES YOU KEEP ON DOING HERE!"
"I don't?" Chizuru glanced at him for the first time since he appeared, an innocent look on her face.
"Don't look at me like that" The man growled. "Ever since you came back to town, you did nothing but destroy my equipment!"
"I see..." The young lady nodded.
A vein throbbed at the man's temple. "YOU LITTLE SHIT!"
"Hey, Gin..." Chizuru called, she unwrapped the bandages around her wrists. "Help me train that kid"
"Why?" He grunted, annoyed.
"I don't want to have any more regrets" She replied.
"Whatever..." The newly named man sighed, rubbed his face in exasperation, and glanced at the other occupant of the gym in annoyance. "Let me guess, he has a familiar classic story?"
"Ah" Chizuru agreed, retrieving a sports drink from her gym bag.
"But I'll make sure that his' wouldn't end halfway"