Rebel

(| Two |)

When Izumi was halfway through her first year of middle school, she asked her mom if she could join a gym.

"It would make it so much easier than just doing what I can at home." The girl had explained, "And I can even pay for it by doing work for the neighbors. Please Mama!" Izumi had pleaded.

Eventually her mother relented and let Izumi join one. A local gym, small in size and population but just as good as any other.

That's where Izumi met someone that would change her life for the better.

Akio Ayumu.

Izumi had been dancing on her toes in the small boxing ring they had in the corner of the gym. The padded square risen slightly off the ground with ropes marking the edges. Besides her, a tall man stalked on the other side of the mat. His brown hair, spiked up much like Katsuki's, and eyes glowing a faint grey color.

He already had a bruise forming on his side where Izumi had kicked him, and another on the opposite shoulder where the girl had landed a punch. Both had their knuckles wrapped in cloth, though the male had said they should use boxing gloves.

So he couldn't hurt her as much.

As if.

With a quick movement she had be practicing on her own for a month now, Izumi slipped forward-knocking the man's knees out then pushing him backwards. In an instant she was on top of him, pinning him down with an elbow to his throat and a hand above his face.

"Give?" She asked, breathing a little hard. Her green braid fell over her shoulder, just brushing the man's nose. Her bangs were frazzled, curls bouncing over her eyes and hanging to block some of her sight.

"Yes." The man hissed, pissy he had lost.

Izumi had been teaching herself since the start of school. She watched videos, read websites and books, and watched things on tv when her mom wasn't around. The studying of quirks and analyzing of heroes and villains only helped her pick up fighting styles. She had notebooks for quirks, for heroes, for villains, and now for martial arts.

The green haired girl strode out of the ring, towards the bench off to the side where her duffel bag sat. The green bag matched her hair, her sports bra, and her shorts. Over her sports bra sat a loose black tank top. The only contrast to green and black on her were her bright red sneakers.

In the two weeks she had been at the gym those sneakers and green braid were fairly well known. She had sparred with most people here, there weren't that many skilled fighters, however. Most where just single moms or men trying their hardest to get rid of a beer belly. Though there were some that fought, like the man she had just beaten.

Footsteps heading her way had Izumi looking up from her bag, earbuds wrapped around her neck and phone in her hand.

"Hey there, I saw your fight." The guy that had come up to Izumi stood quite a bit taller than her, though Izumi was fairly short. He had black hair with a blueish tint at the ends, that curled quite a bit less wildly than Izumi's. His dark eyes were rimmed with blue on the inside and outside, and gleamed underneath his bangs. "You're pretty good. How old are you?"

Izumi looked him up and down, there were plenty of creeps in the world after all. But this guy didn't fit the bill on that account, now he was genuinely curious. "Twelve." Her birthday had just passed, being on summer break for school. The girl had gotten all of her homework done in the first two days and spent the rest of the time here and going over books.

"Whoa!" The guy smiled, flashing very white teeth. "I knew you were young, but goddamn." He chuckled, glancing over to the guy still nursing his pride and licking his wounds in the ring. "Who teaches you how to fight?"

"Myself and a whole lot of internet." Izumi smiled bashfully. She had a long ways to go, but was proud of where she was.

"You are just full of surprises aren't you!" The man stuck his hand out. "Hi there, I'm Akio Ayumu, but just call me Akio. What about you, little miss?" Akio was built like a swimmer, with baggy basketball shorts and a T-shirt for a different gym on.

"Izumi Midoriya, most just call me Izumi." She shook his hand while smiling full force. Her freckled cheeks pulled up, bright with a slight flush from the man's kind words. Big green eyes squished shut as her rosebud lips pulled up.

"Well Izumi," Akio crossed his arms while grinning. "I happen to be very well trained in mixed martial arts, would you like me to teach you?" Izumi's eyes flew open, emeralds on full display, as the man beamed down at her. "There's only so far you can get on your own. Having a teacher helps."

After Izumi had told him yes, over and over again might she add, they set out a plan. Turns out Akio was a Policeman, and had just transferred stations. That day he had just observed where exactly Izumi was at, thinking up what he should do.

When they made to part for the evening, Akio spoke up. "Hey Izumi, why are you so interested in this?" His smile was kind as they walked out of the gym.

"Oh, um," Izumi pulled on the end of her braid, twirling it between her fingers a bit. "I want to be a hero." She muttered.

"That's really awesome!" Akio grinned. "What's your quirk?" His blue eyes were sweet and not full of the malice Izumi was used to.

"I-um . . ." She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. She tried to prep herself for Akio calling off everything, for another person to laugh at her dreams and shove her aside. "Don't. I don't have a quirk." She got out, curling in on herself a bit.

"Man," Akio blinked. "You must be real determined to still want to be a hero then! That's awesome, a quirkless hero sounds so cool. And seeing what you did today, I have no doubt you can do it." Akio didn't notice right away when Izumi stopped in her tacks. "Hey kid?" He asked, stoping in front of her and waving a hand to get her attention.

"You really think so?" She whispered.

"What?"

"You really think I can be a hero?" Green eyes looked into blue, so desperate for an answer and hoping to not be crushed

"Of course."