14 Chapter 14: The First Step
"So this will unpetrify someone turned to stone by your Quirk?" Aizawa holds up a little bottle with a clear liquid inside
After a few hours and a lot more tears Hitomi finally reunited with her family and they made their way back home... Aizawa came with of course
Hitomi chuckles "Well... That's enough to free a mouse at least, we'd need a lot more to revive a person"
Asa takes the bottle from Aizawa and peers inside "What's the recipe?"
"It Iiiiis" she looks at the back of her hand where it's written "Three tear drops to seven drops of Ethanol"
Asa is a bit surprised "That's it? Tears and alcohol?"
"That's it" she nods "And the Doctor said they should be able to reproduce my tears in their labs so I'm not even needed for the production! We could have entire vats of the stuff if we can afford it!"
Hajime and Asa both pull their Daughter into a hug and she can't help tear up a little... "G-guys I'm fine..."
Hajime squeezes them in the hug... "It's ok sweetie..."
She sighs shakily and sniffles... "People... People don't have to be scared of me any more right...?"
Asa kisses her forehead "No sweetie... No more... Though they never did..."
Hajime sighs "I'm sorry to be a downer... But this... Is just a fist step... There's still the Shidō situation..."
Despite taking the wind from their sails they can't help but agree with him...
Hitomi sniffs "You're right Dad... People are still gonna call me Monster... Murderer..."
Aizawa clears his throat "What if they call you something else...?"
"Oh they're calling me a lot more than that Mr Aizawa..." She chuckles at the unfairness of it all...
He shakes his head "No... I mean something new... Something good... Something like... Hero."
She blinks! Then laughs! "Uhhhh... Are you joking?" He shakes his head "Me? A Hero? With what everyone saying about me? Is that why you came over here in the first place?"
He nods "It is... And rumors have no legal standing when it comes to admission to a Hero School so why can't you join?"
"Because rumors do effect the school's reputation! I'm the Monstrous skanky teacher killer remember!? What School would risk taking me?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure... Perhaps... The elite School known as U.A Highschool?" He smirks as her jaw drops
"Are you crazy!? Why would the most popular Hero School take a headache like me!? The bad rep', the angry parents, the scared students!?"
"Because one of their best teachers would vouch for you" he nods to himself
She scoffs! "What teacher would risk their reputation like that?"
He points to himself "This one..."
"Y-you're a teacher at UA?" She stares!
He nods "And as a teacher and Pro Hero I can recommend a young person for a spot in the school..." Hitomi leans forward interested "But I won't recommend you."
"What!? Then why mention it!?" She's a bit mad about him getting her hopes up then squashing them
"Each only gets one recommendation and there's a promising young man that needs it more than you do... For only one reason"
"What reason is that?" She folds her arms
"I believe YOU can pass under your own power. I'll be able to get you into the normal exam easily and you WILL be able to pass"
She looks him dead in the eye and he can tell despite her bandages "Why are you doing this for me...?"
"I made you a promise when we officially met the first time... That if you wanted to when you were older I would help you become a Hero... And well... Your reputation isn't looking too well right now... Becoming a Hero Student could help with that... It's unfair what's being said about you..."
"Not a very noble reason to be a Hero... A better reputation..." She lowers her head...
"While it's true there are some really selfless people out there that save people out of the goodness of their hearts there are plenty of Heros who do it for money and fame... So you're doing it for a positive reputation? Big deal, what matters is the people you save along the way. And when we met weren't you in that situation because you were trying to save someone?" He Huffs! He's not used to saying so much at once
"I mean yeah but I was just doing what anyone should have"
"That's part of what it means to be a Hero... So what do you say...? Would you give it a try...?"
The girl turns to her parents "What do you think...?"
Hajime is pumped! "Go for it! My baby girl a Hero! Hehe!"
Asa smiles softly "We're with you 100% sweetie... Though I agree you've always had potential, why you used to deal with all the bullies around the neighborhood when you were younger"
"Moooooom!" She sighs "I need a minute to think..."
She sits and thinks while the adults make small talk... Aizawa making very small talk...
'I do have options... But not very many... With my already non existent reputation in shambles any future prospects I've had are on VERY thin ice... Without a solid career plan my future isn't secure... I've never had a potential career that fit with me... And yeah I considered being a Hero before... Especially with Hitoshi being very clear on his dreams... But do I have what it takes...? I felt so powerless with Shidō... Though wouldn't training fix that...? Or at least help...? Could I really help people...? If I agree to this I'll need to give it 110%... Am I willing to do that...? Take that risk...?'
After a long while... She decides! "I'll do it! And I'll be the best damn Hero I can be so nobody will ever call me a Monster again!" She turns to Aizawa "Mr Aizawa I'm gonna need training! A butt ton of training! Martial Arts stuff! Make my life hell!"
He chuckles "You're surprisingly enthusiastic about this..."
"Of course! I've decided to become a Hero so obviously I need to train! What kinda idiot would say they wanna be a Hero and then never train for it?"
[At the same moment across the city a totally unrelated young Green haired boy sneezes! Before turning around to see his favourite Hero slide in from around the corner yelling "I AM HERE!!"]
"So what's our first step?" She clenches her fists!
Aizawa thinks... "I can contact a few martial art based Heros... Gunhead should be happy to help... Doubt Mirko would but it won't hurt asking... And a few more"
Asa chuckles "Good start already then"
Hitomi elbows her! "Shush Mother the Heroes are talking" Hajime laughs at that!!
Aizawa chuckles "I'll contact you in a few days once things have been arranged... Use that time to finalize your decision and also brainstorm your own ideas for your Heroic self, be it fighting style, costume or even name... We've got ten months until the exam so there's still plenty of time to consider that stuff but getting an early start won't hurt..."
Hitomi smiles and salutes! "Yes sir Mr Aizawa sir!"
