Soo... I may or may not be in a gang (MHA X TKR)

Ch 18: What does it truly mean to train?

Izuku left the hospital and by the time he was back in school the date for the Yakuza raid had been set, so Izuku began training to be in peak condition to save the child he saw that day. His scar had fully healed by now but stretching those muscles out was an effort that Izuku had to commit to, during this time before the raid he spent his time training, giving things like his addictions little time. As of right now, at 4:45 on a Monday after school, Izuku can be found in Gym Alpha hitting a sandbag with gloves on. Jabs followed by hooks followed by straights and uppercuts flew towards the bag, as he practiced his quirkless fighting, the clock inside the building beeped as Izuku took off his gloves and moved towards the bench for a drink of water, as he did he checked his phone.

—The Floaty One—

TheFloatyOne: Hey Deku, we've got to talk.

[read 1:20]

TheFloatyOne: It's important that we talk Deku, even if it's just for a bit.

[read 3:30]

TheFloatyOne: Fine, just text me when you can.

[read 4:36]

—The Floaty One—

—SonicForPresident—

You: [you sent a reel]

SonicForPresident:wya bro?

You: Gym Alpha, training? why?

SonicForPresident: Just checking up on you.

You: Bet, you wanna train w/me?

SonicForPresident: I'd love to but I have like 50 more laps to do and it's gonna take the rest of the day,

You: I getcha nw, Try wearing a mask while you run it'll force your body to use oxygen better.

SonicForPresident: Great Idea, ttyl?

You: Ye, ttyl.

[read 4:45]

—SonicForPresident—

Izuku refilled his water bottle and put away his phone, smiling at the text chain with Iida, he put his gloves back on and went back to punching, as he began using an outboxing style to focus on his footwork, the clock beeped again as he stopped punching the bag, he took his gloves off again, drank some water and put on a weighted vest, he then grabbed the jumping rope and began jumping, over time it became harder and harder to jump and keep his feet off the ground but he kept going, his breathing became sharp his lungs began to hurt and his calves were burning but he didn't stop, he began to lose his rhythm but he kept on jumping until he tripped on the jump rope and fell. He banged his knee on the floor and as he sat up he took off the jacket, feeling way lighter he stood up and sat on the bench to drink even more water, as he gulped down the water he cleaned the sweat off his brow with a towel and watched the clock on the wall as the time became 5:00, time flies when you train he thought as he pushed himself back up, put on the weighted vest and weighted wrist straps and began shadow boxing, by the time it was 5:45 he had gone through the same workout two times. He decided enough was enough and so he grabbed his stuff and left jogging, and as he saw gym gamma he began to sprint there, he set his stuff down, drank some water, and began practicing with his quirk, he flings himself around the gym with a full cowling at 23% stopping every now and then to shadow box before flinging off again.

All Might was walking through the campus going out to train for a bit in gym gamma, chances are the place would be empty, giving him space to workout without anyone watching, but as he began approaching the building he began hearing loud bangs, smashing sounds echoed within the gym, they didn't seem to follow a rhythm but the intervals between the noises where chaotic and without a set pace, there was a clear similarity though, it was quick, whoever or whatever was doing those noises were moving incredibly fast, scaringly so. Out of curiosity, the retired hero crept closer to the building, and as he looked through the window of the door he saw a glowing green streak of light dashing from corner to corner, side to side, floor to roof, it seemed to be in complete sync with the sounds. But to describe them as smashes wasn't fair, the best way to describe it would be a beating of drums, chaotic drums, played by someone lost and confused with no knowledge of rhythm. All Might walked in and as he slammed the door, the drums stopped and the light came to an end in front of him, revealing Izuku, his apprentice.

"What's up All Might?" he said panting.

"What are you doing?"

"Training full cowl,"

"Are you really training, or are you just wasting your time, tiring yourself out?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you not hear yourself, my boy? You have no rhythm, no control, no order. Your heart is in turmoil and instead of facing it, you overwork yourself, making up for your mistakes by beating yourself up for them. But this is not the way,"

"It's not like that, I'm just training!"

"Don't lie to me, You're like the son I never had, you're suffering is clear to me, You're lacking rhythm."

"What am I supposed to do then? I feel so frustrated all the time, about the people I can't save yet, from the things I lack, from the things I can't control, for everything that is JUST out of my reach. "

"That's exactly it though, you're focusing on the things you don't have, the things you can't control, but instead you should focus on the things you can control and accept what you can't control as a part of life. It's true, there are people you can't save, and it's true there are things you lack. But what do YOU HAVE!?" All Might shout raising his arms up to the sky, "If you focus on the dark, that is all you will find! instead, look for the light. I lost my strength, I can't save people anymore and I accept it, I'm grateful that I still have the future generation to teach, I'm grateful to wake up every day!" All Might points at Izuku "I'm grateful to enjoy this day, this moment! and I'm grateful to have you as my student! If you focus on a single petal you won't see the flower, if you focus on the flower you won't see the garden!"

Izuku stood there stunned, so much was said to him, so much he had to think about. "I... I don't know what to say,"

"Don't say anything, do you truly want to train?" said All Might as he brought Izuku into a hug.

"Yes sir," Izuku sobbed

"Then be aware of yourself, and accept yourself as you are. That is where your training begins. It may seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first." said All Might. And as Izuku began training again, flinging himself from side to side All Might began to notice change, even if it was small and inconsistent, rhythm was beginning to form. All Might smiled, and thanked the world for the opportunity to have met Izuku, All Might then walked out of the gym leaving his student behind inside the faculty, truly believing that Izuku could keep growing. 

And as All Might left Izuku was once again left alone with his thoughts inside the gym, and as he bounced off the surfaces of the gym he began thinking "It's truly amazing that I can live and enjoy the life I do, not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy and use facilities like these, or chase their dreams like me, I want to keep on growing, and to keep on becoming the best me I can." and as he stopped for a break, he began thinking out loud. "What have I done wrong, that I can still do something about? The way I talked to Uraraka was wrong, and I can still do something about it." 

—TheFloatyOne—

TheFloatyOne: Fine, just text me when you can.

You: I'm sorry, I was at the gym, I agree we should talk. Do you have time on Friday after school?

TheFloatyOne: Sure!

[read: 6:13]

—TheFloatyOne—