TIME TRAVEL - I ADOPT A BUNCH OF BRATS

CHAPTER 11 - A TRAINING HE NEVER KNEW

"Ignore them Shouto, they live in a different world than the one I'm training you for." The words that were always repeated to him whenever Endeavor caught him staring at his siblings rang in his head. The youngest of the Todoroki siblings had gotten his quirk at the tender age of 5 and was instantly ripped from his siblings the day ice and fire sprung from his arms. Now, rather than watch his older siblings train their quirks in the backyard or help bake with the rest of the family, Shouto was isolated. Endeavor had made sure that his "Masterpiece" was safely hidden away on the far side of the house, away from his old bedroom and closer to the dojo.

Shouto didn't understand what his father was talking about, amidst the brutal training and blazing heat of his father's fire, the man had always said that his siblings had weak quirks. Powers that wouldn't make them strong heroes. Once, when he had the courage to ask his father, the man had only scoffed and said "Shouto, your quirk is the one that I have been waiting for. The others are failures who do not have the power or control to be my legacy." Shouto didn't get it. From what he'd seen of his older siblings' training, their quirks were extremely powerful. Touya could instantly create blue flames whenever he wanted, and would often shape them into beautiful displays, creating phoenixes, foxes, and other animals that almost seemed to dance across the sky.

Natsu on the other hand was able to erect large ice walls and slides. He had let Shouto go down them sometimes on hot days. Natsu's ice structures were very sturdy and like their older brother, his quirk seemed to come so naturally to him. There was no strain as the ice materialised wherever he pointed his hands. His sister Yumi, unlike Natsu, was extremely skilled at precision work. She didn't make giant structures like Natsu, she had showed off a spectacular knife dance, complete with ice daggers that gleamed in the afternoon sun. All throughout her performance, she would weave and throw her knives at targets she had erected beforehand, striking them through the center in every throw. Shouto thought his siblings were very strong. His father must not have known what he was talking about.

The next time he tried to bring up his siblings' quirks to his father, the man just looked confused when Shouto had told him that their quirks were strong.

"Shouto, you need to surpass your siblings. Whatever minor tricks they can do with their quirks are inconsequential. You need to be better because you are the best. You are my Masterpiece."

Shouto hadn't understood it at the time, but the longer he trained with his father, the more frustrated he grew. He was training hard with his father, but his quirk was still nowhere as good as any of his siblings. Whilst he was forced to train until he physically collapsed, his siblings seemed so naturally talented.

The youngest Todoroki would fall asleep, wrapped in his blankets with trails of tears dried on his face. He didn't understand why he had to work so hard, why he was the "Masterpiece" when clearly he was the least talented of his siblings. They all had such perfect control over their quirks despite their father not training them, instead, they played outside and laughed together.

Shouto would be bitterly jealous as he watched them have fun without him. They would play ball with each other and train in the backyard whenever they wished, they could stop whenever they wanted and there was no expectation placed on them. Shouto wished he was like them.

It was after a particularly harsh training session that Shouto was sat on his mama's lap, tear-streaked face buried into her chest.

"I don't want to be like him, mama." He sniffled.

"I don't want to be the same as him! I don't want to be the hero he is!" Shouto buried his face further into her bosom.

"He says I'm the Masterpiece! I don't even know how he thinks that when Touya, Natsu, and Yumi are so powerful! I can't ever compete with them!" Shouto was panicking now. He felt worthless. He felt like a fraud. He was supposed to be some powerful, miracle baby but he couldn't reach the power levels of his siblings despite having more training with their father. He felt like a waste.