46

Izuku looked at Gran Torino as the older man sat at the table staring him down. "Umm what do you me-?"

"Don't give me that, it's not a hard question. Why did you become a hero? There are plenty of reasons, but let me guess it was so you could be just like Toshi wasn't it. He was your idol and you wanted to be just like him. Or maybe you're just in it for the fame. You've had a good taste of that haven't you? You're the boy who beat All for One, and then saved dozens of people from a collapsing market. Must feel good to have your name on everyone's lips." Gran Torino said opening one of his eyes to see Izuku's meeting his stare for stare.

"That's not it at all!" Izuku shouted as he stood before Gran Torino. "You're right at first I just wanted to be like All Might who wouldn't, but after a while I realized that no one can be All Might. I met several of the vestiges and each one was their own hero. Noelle was nothing like Luffy she was regal and poised. Luffy wasn't anything like Naruto he was a man who valued his freedom and did as he pleased. Naruto inspired people with his strength so much so his friend was willing to give his life for Naruto's cause and Meliodas was the exact opposite of the first user. He was strong from the beginning and had the power to change the world." Izuku took a deep breath.

"I can't be All Might and even if I could I wouldn't want to be. All Might was the dream of Toshinori Yagi I have my own dream and will become the hero I want to be. A hero that can take on any threat and win. I want my strength to be the world's strength." Izuku said looking down at Gran Torino who cracked a smile.

"Well aren't you an arrogant kid, but I suppose that comes with the territory now doesn't it." Gran Torino said as he got off his chair and eyed Izuku. "Alright kid you've made your point I'll train you up real good. So what powers do you have again? Last I remember you had the stretching ability, then there was that spinning energy ball thing and then there was that darkness you used on All for One. Any new ones?" Gran Torino asked as Izuku went to the sink and ran water into a bowl. He set the bowl on the counter and then placed his hand above the bowel palm upward. Slowly water pulled from the surface of the water and gathered above Izuku's hand.

Gran Torino looked at the display as a memory played in his mind. "Look Sorahiko I can make a dozen water shots now." A young Noelle Silva announced happily. Gran Torino shook his head. "So you have Noelle's quirk I guess it was fate I picked you up when I did. I was there for most of Noelle's training so I know what kind of hurdles you might face and the best way to train you. Gran Torino grabbed his cane from the wall and walked over to the fridge. Izuku was excited he would be getting training from someone who saw this quirk in action.

"That's great I've been kind of winging up until this point using the quirks in ways I can relate to." Izuku said thinking of his usage of Luffy, Meliodas, and Naruto's quirks.

"I'm glad you're excited. Toshi was excited too until the first session." He said with a grim smile as he microwaved several Taiyaki. "Once I've heated these guys up we'll be on our way." Gran Torino explained as Izuku looked at him.

"Where are we headed sir?" Izuku asked as Gran Torino rubbed his chin. "Well due to your quirk I can't train you in the city. This was a lot easier when Toshi was in UA I had everything I needed to put him through the ringer there, but we all must make do with what we have. Oh well the two of us will go outside the city there's a big lake there that we'll use for our training." Gran Torino said as the microwave went off. "Yay!" He shouted happily as he pulled out a dozen or so Taiyaki. He let them cool for a bit before wrapping them up and placing them in a tote along with a thermos. "Alright I'm all packed let's go." Gran Torino said tossing the tote to Izuku as the two headed towards the train station.

Having just left the wilderness Izuku was a little surprised to be out in it again as he looked at the large lake in front of him. The water wasn't as clear as the lake where the Pussycats lived, but he could spot some fish swimming around in it. "Alright enough lollygagging pull up a wall of water kid I'll see how long it can keep me out." Gran Torino ordered as Izuku nodded pulling the water around him into a dome. Sorahiko stretched a bit before looking at the wall critically and then blasted into the air.

Izuku watched him fly into the air and then fly around at sharp angles before slamming into the top of the dome and landing next to Izuku. Izuku's eyes widened as he looked at the old man standing next to him. "That was way too weak you call that a wall!" Sorahiko shouted blasting into the air and smacking Izuku on top of his head. Izuku hissed as he rubbed his head.

"Sorry Gran Torino I thought it was strong enough. It was able to stand up to Tiger's blows." Izuku explained as Gran Torino shook his head.

"Well not everyone's Tiger now are they. This wall needs to be able to stand up to anything and everything. Tell me kid when you call up one of your walls what are you thinking?" Sorahiko asked as Izuku cocked his head.

"I mean I just think about a wall." The two stared at one another for a second before Gran Torino smacked him on the head again.

"Just a wall that's it? Do you really think that such a flimsy thought can create a wall to protect anything? Listen here kid even before Noelle received One for All she was able to create walls that could withstand getting hit by an eighteen wheeler. You need to put some thought into your wall and what exactly it's protecting." Gran Torino said before walking away and sitting under a tree. He reached into the tote bag he brought and started munching on one of the Taiyaki. "Take all the time you need and then call me and we'll try again. Oh and I don't plan on releasing you from my training until I'm satisfied, so you better get serious." Gran Torino said as Izuku sat down on the ground to think about what Gran Torino was saying. Think about my walls and what they're protecting? He asked himself as he closed his eyes and thought about it more. I mean I'll be protecting a lot of people as a hero. In Izuku's mind he saw an image of his mother, then his friends, his lovers and all the heroes who had helped him. I want to protect them all with the strongest wall I can make. As Izuku sat there Gran Torino watched as the boy began to glow a soft light blue.

That's it kid you're pretty quick on the uptake. At this rate I might be able to keep you around for a month. Gran Torino thought to himself as he finished his Taiyaki and walked over to Izuku's wall.

Izuku was brought out of his contemplation at the sound of tapping near him. He opened his eyes as he looked at Gran Torino through a thick barrier of water. "Now you're getting it kid this is a pretty good defense." He said before taking a few steps back as the wall fell back to the ground drenching the boy in water. "Still have a ways to go I guess, but now you know what you're capable of. Imagination is a weapon and those who don't have it die or in your case get others killed kid. Water is the most adaptive material on the planet it can take any shape you can think of as long as there's enough of it. You need to be creative and think big. That's the point of training boy to try out every crazy idea you can think of and see if they work. The bigger your repertoire the more situations you can handle. If you want to be that hero you strive to be then consider this your first step." Gran Torino lectured as Izuku wiped the wet hair from his forehead.

"I see what you mean Gran Torino I'll keep trying to come up with something that Even Noelle herself couldn't think of." Gran Torino grinned as he scratched his chin.

"Oh ho that would be quite a feat we'd be here all day if I listed off all the techniques that Noelle had under her belt. Very well then boy consider that you're passing mark. I'll complete your training when you surprise me with a new technique all your own, but for now try calling up that wall again I want to see just how sturdy it is." Gran Torino said stretching as Izuku smiled and pulled up water to form a thick barrier.

Denki Kaminari was sitting on the floor of the common room. He had been playing a game of Yu-Gi-Oh with Mineta, Tokoyami and surprisingly Shinso, but he was currently distracted by the miasma of gloom coming off his female classmates. Each one seemed to be nursing some kind of malaise. Ashido was scrolling through her phone for the thousandth time that hour becoming more depressed each time she did so. Jiro had her headphones in which wasn't unusual, but from the title card on her screen she was listening to some really somber tunes.

Ochaco had been gone all afternoon at the gym and the sun had set a while ago, but before going she seemed to be really angry about something. She nearly trampled poor Koji as she headed out the door. Even with Tsu's trademark poker face a blind man could tell she was sad or disappointed with something. What that something was Kaminari didn't have the foggiest. Yaoyorozu had buried herself in studying, but she'd been reading the same page for the last hour and the book was upside down! For a girl so attentive to detail that oversight was more obvious than a radioactive symbol. The icing on the weird cake was that Toru hadn't come out of her room at all today. "Kaminari, Kaminari, KAMINARI!" Shouted Mineta making Denki jump. "I floop the pig!" Shouted Denki as the trio of opponents looked at him.

"First of all wrong game secondly you have been conquered by my forces of the abyss and drowned in my darkness." Tokoyami explained as he illustrated that his skeleton horde had broken through Kaminari's forces and wiped out his remaining health points.

"Oh sorry guys it's just the girls are weirding me out today. I mean Ashido hasn't spoken a word since this morning. What do you think is up with them?" He asked as Mineta rubbed his chin.

"I've noticed something off as well. They all look like dejected girlfriends waiting for their boyfriends to call, but that's impossible if any of them had gotten a boyfriend I would have sensed the disturbance." Mineta said rubbing his knuckles against his chest proudly.

"You do have a point a pervasive disquiet has dug its claws deep into their souls. Something should be done to relieve their gloom before it begins to fester." Tokoyami said as he looked at his former opponents.

"That's easier said than done." Shinso elaborated putting his deck together. "No offense but none of us have the Izuku talent to pry into other people's feelings and not come off as annoying or intrusive." Shinso said as the others nodded.

"Definitely not so we need someone who comes off as genuinely concerned to not raise any suspicions." Mineta said as Denki snapped his fingers.

"Duh guys. Just get our vice Rep to do his job and problem solved." Denki said as the other three thought it over for a moment and nodded.

"That's a good idea Kaminari." Shinso said as the blonde stood up.

"I know right, just call me a genius. Now let's put the bait down." Denki said as he walked to Iida's room. Luckily the tall young man was just exiting said room preparing for a final run before bed.

"Ah Kaminari have you perhaps come to join me on my run? It's a good way to expend any excess energy so as to get a good REM sleep throughout the night." Iida said as Kaminari waved his hand back and forth.

"Sorry Vice Rep not this time, and I hate to interrupt your nightly routine, but I think there's something going on with our fellow classmates of the female variety." Iida quirked an eyebrow.

"Has Mineta been up to his old tricks?" Iida asked as Kaminari shook his head no. Unknown to either Denki or Tenya Shinso and Tokoyami were muffling the small boy around the corner so as not to blow their cover.

"No nothing like that. They just seem really down about something, what that something is I don't know, but as a concerned classmate I thought it best to bring it to your attention." Iida gave a wonky smile as he felt pride swell in his chest at having Kaminari's confidence placed in him.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention Kaminari. My run will have to be postponed for tonight; there is a larger issue at hand." Iida said as he made his way downstairs and approached the girls. "Excuse me ladies it has been brought to my attention that you all seem to be troubled. Rest assured as Vice Representative, but more importantly as your friend I am here to listen to any problems you may have and hopefully I can help you resolve them." He said placing a hand on his chest. There was an exchange of looks between the five girls in the common room.

"Uh thanks Iida, but there's really no problem." Yaoyorozu said as Ashido leaned forward.

"Yeah there's nothing wrong just you know thinking about the new semester, but on an unrelated note have you heard anything from Midoriya?" Ashido said looking to the side as the other girls looked at her. That was a terrible Segway!" Iida arched a brow at the question before realization dawned on him.

"Oh I see what the problem is." Iida said sitting down as all the girls' eyes grew wide. Had Ashido been too blunt with Iida? Normally the boy was far to wound up to get even obvious hints, but they may have caught Iida being unusually perceptive.

"Wait Iida it's not what you think." Tsu said as Iida held up his hand.

"No I understand and I would just like to say that I feel the same way." This stalled all the girls as Iida's statement sunk in.

"Umm Iida not to you know be that girl, but I don't think Izuku feels that way about you. I mean I'm sure you'd make a nice…partner, but something tells me Izuku doesn't play for that team." Ashido said as Iida looked at her strangely.

"What are you talking about Ashido of course Izuku is on the side of justice. I know you all are worried that Izuku might be facing danger at this very moment without us to assist him as am I, but we must have faith in our former Class Representative. I'm sure Izuku has faced some harrowing things, but he is with the number one hero there is no reason to assume Izuku is in any danger." Iida said as the girls all released a collective sigh seeing that Iida hadn't guessed the true reason for their melancholy.

"OH yes of course Iida thank you so much. You don't know how relieved that makes us feel." Yaoyorozu said as Iida nodded.

"Of course! I'm here if you ever feel you need to talk. Now if you'll excuse me I still have enough time to get a small run in." Iida said as he headed out the front door.

"You can't help, but be happy to have a friend like Iida around." Ashido said shaking her head with a snort.

"He really is passionate about helping people you can't help but like him." Tsu said. "I wish Ochaco was here to see that I'm sure that would have made her burst out laughing." Tsu continued as Jiro nodded.

"Most definitely."

The girl in question Ochaco Uraraka was hunched over in the gym hands on her knees as she panted. Behind her a voice rang out.

"Is that it then Pink Cheeks, that all you got?" Katsuki Bakugou asked as Ochaco took a deep breath and stood up straight and looked over her shoulder at Katsuki. The boy was as arrogant as ever with a cocky smirk on his face as his red eyes shone with pride. She grit her teeth. I don't know how Izuku put up with you for years! She thought to herself as she wiped sweat from her face. Ochaco was dressed in a black muscle shirt similar to the one Bakugou wore now and the UA track pants while Katsuki wore shorts that ended below his knees and both wore sneakers.

"Not even close Bakugou lets go another round." She said as she took her fighting stance. Bakugou snorted.

"You're a glutton for punishment aren't you Pink Cheeks." Katsuki said as he took his own fighting stance. This had become a new routine for Ochaco in her free time she was always sparring. Usually with Ojiro, but she knew that Ojiro would always hold back on her just a little. She didn't want that she wanted real combat to hone her skills, and the only person she knew wouldn't show her any slack was Bakugou. As far as hand to hand combat Bakugou was the best except for maybe Izuku, but that was no longer a resource at her disposal. She needed to get better if she wanted to help Izuku in the future she wouldn't be a burden she'd be an asset and to achieve that she'd even put up with Bakugou's shit. "You better wake up girl!" Shouted Bakugou as he ran towards Ochaco.

The two had agreed that this was strictly hand to hand combat no quirks allowed, which is why Bakugou was running towards her instead of blasting right into her face. Ochaco watched Katsuki run towards her as her lessons with Gunhead ran through her mind. Keep your eyes open no matter what. Watch your opponent's every move. How hard are they breathing, where are their eyes focused, the placement of their feet all of this is information telling you how they'll move and what they'll do next. Katsuki stepped off his right foot and that was when Ochaco struck. She slid her foot forward right as Katsuki put his weight on his left foot and swept it out from under him and as he fell Ochaco went for a punch to drive him to the ground, but Katsuki was agile and quick.

Katsuki placed his hand on the ground and pushed himself out of the way of Ochaco's punch landing at her side and driving his elbow into her ribs knocking the girl back as he closed in with a grab to the face that Ochaco managed to push aside using the momentum she spun on her heel and drove her leg across Bakugou's back pushing to boy forward. The two broke apart as Katsuki regained his footing. Ochaco was panting and sweat was dripping off her, but Bakugou only had a light sheen of sweat on his skin and he was hardly winded at all.

"I can see fucking Izuku all over you." Katsuki said as Ochaco's eyes went wide.

"W-w-w-what are you saying!?" She shouted as Katsuki smirked.

"The way you move and fight I can see his style in there all that passive shit. It pisses me off." He growled as he looked at her as Ochaco frowned.

"Yeah what about it. Deku taught me a little hand to hand combat." She said her face a little red at the thought of Izuku.

"Yeah well using his moves isn't going to get you to his level any faster thought is it?" He asked as he started circling Ochaco.

"What are you talking about using Deku's techniques isn't bad." She said as Katsuki frowned.

"Yes it fucking is! You can't get stronger by copying some shitty moves from Deku. At that point you're just a shitty version of an already shitty guy." He shouted as he stepped towards Ochaco who stepped towards him. There was a quick exchange of blows, but Ochaco was quickly forced back by Katsuki's fast and furious attackss. She stepped back, but Katsuki came after her. Ochaco growled as she backpedaled and was about to spin aside, but stopped instead back flipping and nearly catching Katsuki in the chin with her kick as the boy took a step back, but Ochaco was prepared as she pushed off the ground with her arms and came down with an axe kick that Bakugou blocked with his arms before throwing Ochaco off him.

She landed on her feet and rushed forward throwing punches and kicks at the blonde who blocked each one before grabbing Ochaco's collar and head butting her making her fall to the ground as she rubbed her forehead.

"That was cheap!" She shouted as Bakugou looked down at her.

"Like I care Pink Cheeks. Don't take your frustration out on me if you want to beat Izuku then show it to him not me! I'm going to beat that nerd and show him that I am and always will be better than him, so should you!" Katsuki said before looking down at her a moment longer and then turned around and walked out of the gym. Ochaco sat there for a moment thinking over everything that had just happened.

"I didn't want to use one of Deku's techniques, so I just kept attacking." She said with a sigh and then looked back at where Katsuki had left and smiled.

"I think he was actually trying to be nice." She said shaking her head before wincing at the pain in forehead. "Well nice for Bakugou anyway." She said to herself as she took a deep breath. "Still he's right I'm going to show Izuku how far I've come when we meet again. I can't stop training." She said standing up and headed back to the dorm for a bath and some sleep.