Time went by as Izuku recovered. He talks and reacts more. The light in his eyes is ever so slowly returning. The blankness in his expression was fading away with every stroll he'd take in the courtyard with Ryu. Their outings have become a daily occurrence, the bond between them was growing with every passing second. This man managed to get through the boy's thick walls and was slowly saving Izuku from drowning in his own bitterness and sadness.
These past few weeks, they learned a lot about each other. Izuku learned that Ryu used to be an underground hero before his retirement. He lost his sight a long time ago, while he was on one of his patrols. A fire had erupted in one of the apartment complexes on his route. However, the incident didn't stop him from staying a hero. He worked hard, trained, learned to adapt and he managed to save so many people because of his determination and hard work. He later retired when his age was no longer suited for hero work.
However, Ryu couldn't stay forever and tried to see Izuku whenever he could.
Yet, in the short time they spent together, the man lit a fire in Izuku. His dream didn't seem too far from his reach anymore.
The man promised Izuku to train him. He will help him hone his senses and teach him how to fight and defend himself. Ryu will help Izuku see that his blindness isn't something that may hinder him. He will learn how to use it in his favor.
It will require a lot of hard work but Izuku is prepared to do anything to accomplish his dreams. Life was short, Izuku knew that all too well. He was going to make a difference and save as many people as he could. Even if it took all of his time and energy. He will become a hero.
_______________________
The training was going relatively well, Miss Luna granted him permission to go out every day before noon. He would wake up early and go for a run.
One day, he stumbles onto Dagobah municipal beach, he remembers going there as a child with his mother. It was beautiful there, a great contrast from the garbage-filled beach, it is now. Mountains upon mountains of trash were scattered everywhere. That day, he decided that part of his training would consist of cleaning it.
He couldn't see the beach's beauty anymore but maybe, just maybe, he could grant the others this opportunity. His mother would have loved it.
Soon enough, it became something of a routine for him. On the weekdays he will go through his usual exercises and training while cleaning the beach and on weekends Ryu would give him martial art lessons along with other weapons and self-defense training.
Those self-defense exercises consisted of intense sessions where he'd have to focus all of his senses on his reflexes and his awareness. They'd train for hours on end.
At the end of the day, he came back to the orphanage half dead. However, with the bone-deep exhaustion came a satisfaction he wouldn't trade for the world. He finally has something to live for, to work hard and fight for.
As the days passed by, he realized just how much his powers had changed him. His reflexes were enhanced, his senses were extremely amplified along with his flexibility and balance.
One day, while doing parkour training with Ryu, he realized just how easy, how right, it felt to jump from roof to roof, to scale the buildings of Musutafu as if they were his own little jungle gym. The city quickly became his playground.
Yet, training his enhanced senses didn't always lead to good things, because training made his range expand. Every night, he'd lay in bed, sleep forgone entirely as he tried to shut off his brain. To make them stop. The screams, the endless calls for help. Afraid and desperate for someone, anyone to save them. He could hear their pleas, their dying screams, their wishes for a hero to save them. Unfortunately, heroes never came to their rescue.
Izuku learned at a young age that heroes didn't always save the day. They couldn't save everyone, it was so painfully true. His mother's death was living proof of that, after all.
Izuku swore then and there, that he will become a hero that would save the people that were left behind. The people that heroes couldn't get to. He will do it no matter what.
_______________________
After a few months of training, Izuku mustered up the courage to finally tell his mentor about his plans.
At first, when Izuku brought up his plans of becoming a vigilante, Ryu immediately shut him down. He was a hero, after all, he wasn't going to encourage going against the law.
"Why would you want to do that? It's illegal Midoriya. You'd be no better than a villain!"
"You don't understand... I want to be a hero- I- I need to be a hero. but I can't! I- I just- "
"What do you mean you can't? Of course, you can! You're the smartest and kindest person I know! And with the training we're doing, you'll be ready for whatever the hero course has in store for you! Why do you want to resort to crime! You'll- "His exclaims were cut off by Izuku's shouting. The boy had never risen his voice before.
"IM DYING OKAY! I can't be a hero! I'd be dead by the time I graduate and it will be all for nothing! I- I can't! Can't you see? I need this... WHAT IS THE POINT OF ME SURVIVING, OF MY MOTHER DYING FOR MEIF I CAN'T AMOUNT TO ANYTHING! IF I DIE ANYWAY!" The raw emotion in his student's voice makes his heart clench. He's never seen the boy this broken before.
"W- what do you mean you're dying?" He asks carefully, dread pooling in his guts at the mere thought of this child's life ending.
"I- I'm sorry I didn't tell you before - The doctors said that the chemicals that got into my system the night of the accident are slowly killing me. Destroying my cells one by one. They say I have until my 18thbirthday before my organs shut down for good." Izuku's voice is strangely devoid of emotion as he informs Ryu about his sickness. It's unsettling, to say the least, to see this boy, this child, that he's come to consider as his own. Talk about his own death in such a manner.
Without another word, the man hugged the kid, sorrow and sadness filling his insides as he tried to remain strong for his student.
"Okay." He finally said, voice firm and steady, despite his inner turmoil.
"O-Okay?" The boy asked hesitantly.
"Okay, I'll train you, I'll help you become a vigilante." Ryu clarified, internally promising to stick by the boy no matter what.
______________________
His training went on for two years, by then, he could take on relatively anyone in a fight, thanks to his analyses and his fighting abilities.
Ryu trained him with many weapons but one of his favorites was Escrima rods. He learned long ago how to use his blindness to his advantage. He focused all his senses on his opponent. Focusing on every detail he could get. Quickly analyzing their quirk, along with their weaknesses. Even as to predict their movement by the slightest change of posture or demeanor.
On his 12thbirthday, Ryu gifted him a new walking stick. What was so special about that you may ask? That particular walking stick consisted of detachable and reachable Escrima rods, armed with a mechanism that can turn it into a sword if needed and charged with an electrical stun setting.
By now, the beach was long since empty of its trash. Izuku's hands suffered from it but the end result was truly mesmerizing. He could finally smell the ocean on his morning runs, hear the laughter of the children as they played on the sand and feel the easy atmosphere that settled on the beach. It was all worth it.
______________________________
Izuku hit the ground with a heavy thud. Wheezing as the breath got knocked out of him. His head spun as he tried to regain his composure. Two years have passed since Izuku first met Ryu that fateful day. The now-familiar voice of his mentor brought his attention back to their sparring match.
Quickly rising to his feet, Izuku tried to form some kind of plan to win against his mentor. The man has decades of experience and a pretty powerful stealth quirk that also gave him a form of ultra-vision. In order to defeat him, Izuku needed to be both stronger, faster and extremely focused. Given that without being able to hear or sense his opponent, Izuku would be fighting blind.
Using everything he has learned until now, the boy charges at the older man, he can feel the way his opponent's heart rate speeds up as he prepares to move, feeling the slightest shift of air and sensing the other's movements. He knows how the man will choose to counter next. He easily ducks under the incoming kick and swipes the man's legs from under him. Ryu falters but swiftly regains his barring and goes in for another hit. However, Izuku knew how to counter his hits now, he rushes in swiftly taking his escrima rod out, he hits the man in both the stomach and the knee. Using his momentum, the greenette jumps up, his enhanced flexibility and the years of training allowed him to perform a perfect summersault roundhouse kick. All in approximately two seconds and the match was ended!
His teacher was overwhelmed by the flurry of hits, gets sent back, tumbling to the ground. his hands rising to clutch at his abused cheek and stomach. However, despite the obvious pain, the man is in, Izuku can feel the way his breathing is slightly different. He's not talking about the wheezing breath, nor the irregular heartbeat from the adrenaline rush either. He's referring to the grin the man has plastered on his face. The proud smile he's currently sporting. Because, in those two years, this is the first time Izuku has managed to win in one of their sparring matches. This is the first time Ryu has ever been defeated in over three years.
The man clambers to his feet and approaches his student.
Izuku shifts nervously from foot to foot. Too anxious to actually say anything. However, he doesn't have to because the man does it for him.
"I think you are ready now, kid." Izuku's breath hitches because of these words, albeit short and simple, mean everything to him. Because, he's been training for years, putting his all in preparing himself and readying himself to do what he always wanted to do. Becoming what he always wanted to be.
He can't help the slight shake of his shoulders, nor the tears that trailed down his unseeing eyes as he finally gets to do what he's been yearning to do since that accident.
He will finally be able to do something, anything to help. To put an end to the desperate screams at night. Those cries for help. He'll finally be able to make a difference. His life, despite inevitably having to be cut short, will mean something. He'll be able to leave his mark in this world.
He feels the familiar grip of his mentor on his shoulder, firm and steady. A gesture meant to reassure him that everything will be okay, that he's worked hard for this and that he deserves it.
For once in his life, Izuku believes it.
________________________________
"So... Where are we going?" Izuku asks as he tries to follow the man to the best of his capabilities as they speed-walked to whatever place they're going to. It must be pretty weird for the other people, seeing two blind individuals basically running through the streets.
"You'll find out when we get there," Ryu replied in his usual deadpan voice. However, Izuku notices the way his heartrate is slightly faster, the man certainly doesn't seem like it but is apparently excited. Izuku just hopes that whatever the man has in store for him, it will go well.
So, lost in thought, Izuku doesn't notice when the man abruptly stops walking. This leads to his full-on collision with Ryu's back. His extensive training and enhanced agility are the only things keeping him from falling.
"Oi kid, pay attention. We're here." His mentor sighs in exasperation. Midoriya takes a moment to scan the area, they're standing in front of an abandoned warehouse. At first glance, it looks relatively normal and deserted. However, when he focuses, Izuku can feel the flow of electricity humming through the walls. Maybe a storage space of some kind? Why did Ryu bring him here?
He doesn't get to pounder on it though because Ryu is already stepping inside. "So, you know Izuku, I'm not going to be around forever. I'm going to have to go back to America soon..." The man says offhandedly. Yes, Izuku does know that. Ryu told him a couple of months earlier that at the end of their training he is going back to America. He has people there counting on him, after all. Izuku would be lying if he said that it didn't hurt. Knowing that in a few weeks, he'll be back to being on his own. However, he couldn't always rely on Ryu. He needed to be able to do this alone. "Still, I wasn't going to leave before I made damn sure that you were prepared. So..." He pauses as he slowly opens the door.
"This is my old operation base. Underground heroes don't always get to join agencies. I use it for storage now. However, I'm going to be heading to America anyway... So, I thought that it would serve a better purpose for you." Izuku's eye widens comically as he realizes the implications.
"Do you mean that..."
"Yup, it's yours kid." Ryu replies casually as if this wasn't a big deal at all.
"B-but I couldn't possibly- you've already done so much for me! I can't take any more from you!" Izuku exclaims, incredulity and confusion dripping from every word.
"Nonsense Kid, you deserve it. You're my student, it's only logical to help you. This way, you'll have a place to go to, to train, prepare and plan your outings. You're going to need a place to hide your gear and your costume after all." Izuku may be blind but the grin on his mentor's face is painfully clear as he rummages through a supply closet and pulls out a duffle bag.
"C-costume?" Izuku whispers in disbelief as he catches the bag. Trying not to squeal in excitement.
"Yup, I asked one of my old connection to make you one. It's made of reinforced shock absorbing fabric, accompanied by two shoulder holsters for you escrima rods and support pouches for your gear. The rest is up to you to make though, I didn't want my friend to realize who you are... Anyway, the support gear is also in there. I also added my contacts number, he owes me a favor so anything you need you contact him. He already provided you with some throwing knives, smoke, and flash-bang grenades. I even got him to add in some quirk suppressing syringes." He declares nonchalantly as he throws Izuku some of the mentioned needles.
"Oh my god..." Izuku finds himself, once again overwhelmed and speechless. Because this man standing before him has done so much for him. He had been there, a light in the darkness. Ryu stood by him through everything, has been there when nobody else was. He made Izuku believe again, he led him to hope. He even gave his dreams a chance, trained him and wasted so much time on his growth. Now once again, the man outdid himself. Giving Izuku a safe place to work and the protection he needs to do so. "T-Thank you Ryu." Tears slipping down his face despite his attempts to hold it in. Before he can stop himself, he rushes at his teacher and engulfs him in a bear hug.
"Crybaby." Izuku hears Ryu mumbles under his breath. However, the words are filled with such fondness that it makes Izuku cry even harder.
Now that he had the right training and the right gear, he was ready. He could do this. Izuku was going to make a difference.