The Broken Hero, Jashi

Part 16~Grand Torino

Sighing, I held my directions in my hand. All I wanted to do was to turn back around and return to Shota. I wanted to train with him and be safe but I can’t. Father's warning rang in my ears, forcing me to stay. 'Do not fail me, Izu. Or you will not have a home to come back to.' Rubbing my arm, I could feel each  bruise biting painfully at my skin, a little reminder that I couldn't fail.

"Hey, Midoriya! You're going on an internship too, I didn't think they did that with anyone other than hero courses."

Turning to look at the speaker, I recognised Kirishima. I pushed myself off the wall and took my crutches. "Everyone in the school can. General studies students usually don't though as no one can be bothered to deal with us. Toshi is still stuck with Shota for the next two weeks. He looked like he was preparing to walk into hell," I joked, laughing to myself.

"So, where are you going?" Melissa jumped up to me, smiling widely.

"I'm interning with Grand Torino, whoever that is," I spun quickly, not wanting to reveal what Bill told me about him- not that it was much information anyway. 

"Really?!" 

Rising my eyebrow, I looked over her, a little confused by her outburst. 

"We will be interning together," she cheered, grabbing my arm but accidentally making me lose my footing. She helped me stand back up and gave me back my crutch, looking a little sheepish from almost knocking me over. Oddly, I didn't care. I was more focused on the pain in my arm.

Deciding it's best we get on the train, He pulled on Melissa's sleeve and pointed to the train. She nodded before rushing off, helping me on once I got to the doors. We sat down together but I was tired and fell asleep pretty much instantly. Staying up to past three this morning has not done me any good. How does Toshi survive like this?!

Groaning, I glared at the person who was shaking me. "Come on, Midoriya," Melissa said, shaking me some more. "We are here."

Forcing myself out of my seat, I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Melissa had both her and my bags in her hands and despite my protest she insisted on carrying them.

I hopped along the road as she spoke cheerfully. Apparently she used to live on I-island before coming into the mainland. According to her, her father was a brilliant engineer who used to work with All Might- that's where I knew her from. She was the girl All Might saved. There were huge stories around her dad and All Might who clearly knew each other. Not the time. 

We pulled up to the building, Melissa entering with our bags. I struggled to get up the stairs- why were they so thin?! Snapping my head up, I watched Mellisa fall back. Speeding up, I looked over her shoulder and understood.

Lying on the ground with blood and intestines spewing out, was Grand Torino, dead. Or at least he wanted us to think he was dead. He wasn't dead. I had seen enough nightmares in my life to know that blood was the wrong shade and those were not intestins. 

"He's... he's dead," Melissa screamed in panic.

"No. No he is not." Walking past him, I went to the kitch, pouring myself a glass of water. 

"He's not...?"

"I'm not."

Once again, Melissa screamed, kicking the old man across the room, green lightning surrounding her. I let out a laugh, watching the man groan as Melissa apologized. 

I sipped at my water, watching it unfold before me. 

"What was that for?" Grand Torino sat up, rubbing his chest with a cough. 

"You pretended to be dead! What was that for?!"

"Who are you?"

"I am Melissa, that is Midoriya. Now tell me why you were playing dead!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't play games with me!"

"Fine, I wanted to see how you react to a murder. He clearly did better than you." Torino pointed over his shoulder at me. 

Melissa gave me a weird look, tilting her head. "How did you know he was dead?"

Setting my glass down, I walked forward, kneeling in front of the 'blood and intestines'. "For one, this blood is the wrong shade. Such bright red blood is more common in certain fish rather than homosapiens. Two, the instins are really wrong. Wrong shape, size and texture for human or most instins found on this planet. Three, the blood would be a lot thicker if his instincts have been pulled out. And four, the murder itself made no sense. Who would bother with pulling open the stomach and lying face down? If they were looking for something, organs, blood or possible drugs and smuggled goods, they would lay you on your back and search your body that way. It is much more efficient. Plus the blood splatter is wrong and closer to what would happen with a stab or gunshot to the heart."

Both looked at me weirdly as I realised I had said that all outloud. 

"Sorry, I spend a lot of time learning how to identify the injuries before having to search the body. It's helpful when you need to work out a motive," I semi-lied to them. Honestly, father had made me learn. He said if I was going to be his son, I would need how to take over the family business, working both as a hero and a villain.

"Midoriya? You alright, kid?" Grand Torino hit me around the back of my head making me snap out of my thoughts. 

I froze for a second before lowering my hand, taking it away from my arm. I had been rubbing it unconsciously, I needed to stop that before someone noticed. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Good, then hit me."

Deciding not to question the old man who pretended to be dead, I launched at him. He jumped away, using his quirk to make himself faster. Oh what I wouldn't do to have an information pact about this guy right now. Following his patterns, I caught his eyes for a brief second. It was quick but it was enough. 

The building was destroyed and All Might was lying dead in front of us. 

Grand Torino didn't seem affected by the illusion and punched me. Of course he punched my 'evil eye' and broke my glasses. Closing my eye, I yelped in pain. "Hey! Not cool!" My illusion disappeared around me as I placed my hand over the eye.

"Then hit me!"

Growling, I swiped my foot across. Grand Torino jumped over it but that gave me the chance to grab his shirt and slam him into the ground. The ground cracked under the pressure as my eye flashed angrily. Grand Torino looked terrified as his own personal hell surrounded his mind. "Don't hurt the eye!"

Suddenly, it dawned on me what was going on. I pulled away and covered my eye, taking a heavy breath. No! I did not use that part! I never use that part! Never!

Curling into a small ball, I buried my head in my knees. "I'm sorry."

"You have little control of your Quirk and you refuse to use parts of it. I saw that during the Sports Festival. You and Melissa have a lot to learn," Grand Torino explained making us look at him. "But first-" a small ding came from the kitchen- "my food is ready!"