Chapter 4: Past Promises Made Again
The next day and over the coming week, Mareo worked with his team to get ready for Inko and Izuku's visit to their training faculty. Mareo was vague on the details of the purpose of the visit, only telling a select few of those who needed to know. He wanted to give himself as much time as possible to get everything squared away before the council caught wind of everything. Mareo searched through the files, digital and physical until he found the files pertaining to the Tsutsunami's sister. He looked over the file cabinet worth of information, which contained training regiments for weights, karate, judo, and Bukijtsu, along with test results and a food plan to build up stamina and strength.
Every day Mareo went home exhausted but more proud than ever, as each day he could see his vision of Project Velocity becoming more and more of a reality.
At the end of the week, everything was ready, so Mareo called Inko on a secure line and informed her. They quickly set up a day for Inko to bring Izuku in and run some tests on his quirks. In the end, they decided on next Saturday after lunch and Inko ended the phone call by thanking her old friend and Mareo remarked he was happy to be of service again. Even with everything squared away, Mareo didn't slow down, he doubled and triple-checked everything. He planned on only having a small team, himself and four others when Izuku arrived.
This meeting was just as secret as Project Velocity was at the beginning. A small team help a kid with a powerful quirk become a hero. In the beginning and in the end that's what the program was built to do.
On the day of the meeting, Inko worked from a long and resting sleep. Her worry had stayed constant throughout the week. Everything she saw Izuku, she couldn't help but think of the situation of her sister. Inko was reminded of how she had seen or heard from her sister for some time. But that was the price of keeping herself and Izuku safe, and while Inko didn't know how Kaina's situation was in Tartarus, Inko was sure her sister was thinking the same.
As Inko got out of bed and walked over to the window to open, the morning sunlight touched her face and she felt relaxed. Kaina always said she enjoyed looking up at the night sky and seeing the stars, but to Inko nothing could ever beat the sight of a beautiful sunrise. Inko looked at the rising sun and hoped that after a day her worry would become tempting.
Turning away from the window, Inko headed downstairs and started making breakfast. As she worked in the kitchen, she heard the sounds of Izuku waking up and a few minutes later he walked into the kitchen. He yawned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat down at the table.
"Izuku honey, we're going to meet up with some of Mom's old friends this afternoon. Is that alright with you?" Inko asked as she cracked a few eggs over a frying pan. She had decided to go with American-style scrambled eggs and toast. Let the egg cook, Inko pulled up a cabinet and grabbed the loaf of bread. At the safe timing using her quirk to plug the toast, which she slipped the beard into and pulled it down.
"But Kacchan and I made plans to play with each other this afternoon. You said I couldn't show him my quirk until I had some control over it. You said last night that I had control," Izuku said in a sad tone. He had worked so hard to learn how to control his quirk, he wanted so badly to show it to his best friends. They always talked about becoming the best pro heroes, and with their quirk, they could easily do so.
Inko made the mistake of looking over at Izuku and saw his big pleading puppy eyes. Despite all her training to be a hero, her ability to either take down a villain or talk them out of something. With her ability to end hostage situations, disarm a bomb and go toe to toe with the best pro heroes, Inko barely lasted a few seconds looking at Izuku before she broke. Kaina and Hisashi always said she had a too-soft spot for kids.
"Okay, Katsuki can come along. I'm sure they'll love meeting him too," Inko said in a defeated tone as she turned back to making breakfast. She could hear Izuku doing a small celebration at winning the conversation. Inko couldn't believe how much she was wrapped around Izuku's little fingers, but she had promised her sister to be a loving mother. Once breakfast was made and eaten, Inko disappeared into her room to make sure everything was ready for the afternoon. While she did this Izuku played in the front room by himself, waiting for his friend to come over.
Around lunchtime, a knock came on the front door and Izuku giddily ran to and opened it. On the other side of the door was Izuku's best friend, Katsuki Bakugo. He was wearing a black shirt with a skull on it and tan pants. As Izuku opened up the door Bakugo had his hands in his pocket as he looked at Izuku with an unimpressed face.
"Mom said you sounded pretty enthusiastic last night. So what's this thing you wanted to show me?" Bakugo said as he walked into the house. Izuku closed the door and fell into step with his friends
"My quirk," Izuku said, his voice starting to get fast. As he led his best friend to the dining room, a bounce appeared in his step. He had worked so hard to gain control over his quirk and it was so cool to him.
"That weird thing your arm did at school a week ago. I think I was the only one that saw that, I was going to say something but the Principal's action made it obvious that no one was supposed to see it," Bakugo said as he and Izuku sat at the table. Two sandwiches were waiting for them, making Izuku look into the kitchen to see his mother making herself one. Izuku tilted his head in confusion, since when had she been in the kitchen, "So what's your quirk so mysterious? I bet it is not even cool, not like mine."
Bakugo held a hand up and lit off a small explosion.
"Katsuki, no quirks in the house," Inko said from the kitchen. The second explosion quickly died in Bakugo's hand as a whiff of smoke appeared then he had to wave out of his face. He then turned to Izuku and gave a confused look.
"My quirks can be a bit destructive, yours too, so mom made the rule of no quirks in the house. To stop accidents from happening too often," Izuku explained as he thought back to when he first used his quirk in the house.
Bakugo shrugged as he lowered his hand and went back to his sandwich, "If you can't your quirk then how are you going to show me."
Izuku laughed as a mischievous grin that looked as if he had gotten away stealing a cookie from the jar appeared on his face, "There's a difference between showing and using. Let's have lunch first." This caused Bakugo to laugh and they both quickly finished their lunch. Once their meal was eaten and they had put their plate in the sink, Izuku led Bakugo into the living room.
Walking back into the living room, Izuku directed Bakugo to sit on the couch while he positioned himself on the floor between the couch and the ottoman. Izuku laid his arm across the ottoman and took a deep breath. Flexing his hand and forearm Izuku felt a small tingly feeling appear as steam formed around his arm. He felt his forearm and hand change, expanding as he activated his quirk.
A few seconds later Izuku's shot forearm while hand and fingers narrowed and curled into a barrel. Resting on the ottoman was now a purple and green long-range rifle and as Bakugo's mind recognized the change he jumped a bit in his seat. As Bakugo settled down and lowered himself back down to the couch, he leaned forward to get a better look. Izuku's arm looked like a mixture between flesh and metal and at the point of transformation, Izuku's veins were purple until they disappeared into his upper arm.
"What is it?" Bakugo asked as neither of them had seen a gun before. They were still only five years old and since quirk had been inherited by 80% of the world's population, people had stopped carrying small firearms for personal protection. And while Police carried around pistols, neither of the young boys had seen a gun that looked like Izuku's arm.
"My mom said it was a rifle. And get this I can twirl my hair and weave them into bullets." Izuku said as he began to use his left hand to twirl a bit of his hair. After a few seconds, the hair solidified into a bullet that Izuku used to make a show out of loading the bullet, "I haven't had a chance to get much practice. It is not as easy to hide as your quirk."
Izuku looked at Bakugo and noticed his best friend had a weird look on his face. Izuku looked back at his arm, then back at his friends. Arm, friend, arm, friend.
"What?" Izuku asked as Bakugo stared intently back at Izuku's arm.
"Midoriya look at your arm." Bakugo finally said.
That just confused Izuku further, wasn't the whole point of this to show off his quirk? Maybe Bakugo found it weird to look at or he found it cool, but then again that described most of the quirks that were heteromorphic. Either really cool or really weird, but Izuku couldn't tell which way Bakugo was leaning.
"I am." Izuku said in a sarcastic tone.
"No, I don't mean your right arm, cool by the way. I mean your left arm, you have a mark that wasn't there a few seconds ago and Aunt Inko isn't going to let you get a tattoo." Bakugo said, lowering his voice to a whisper as he slid off the couch. He grabbed Izuku's left arm and rotated it so the inner side of his biceps was revealed. Izuku looked at his left bicep, confused about what his friend was trying to point out, and then he noticed it. It was small, easily mistakable as a sharpie mess, or old carnival tattoo. But on Izuku's left bicep was a purple marking in the shape of a bullet. And Izuku was sure it wasn't there a few moments ago.
"What do you think it's for?" Izuku said as he poked it. It didn't feel sore like a new tattoo should be, nor did it rub off like a temporary tattoo would have. Izuku then inspected the rest of his left arm to see if there were any other markings, but he didn't find any.
"I don't know but it wasn't there earlier," Bakugo said. At that moment Inko came into the living room and looked between the boys.
"Alright boys, it's time to head out," Inko said. She had just gotten off a call with Mitsuki where they talked about Izuku joining Project Velocity. Mitsuki had joked about how Katsuki should join the program if nothing else to learn some manners. Inko ended the call by calling Mitsuki buff saying that Katsuki was welcome to join Izuku in training.
Bakugo looked between Izuku and Inko, "What where are we going?"
"To meet some of mom's old friends." Izuku said, hopping off the ground and Bakugo followed him out of curiosity.
Inko helped the boys load up in the car and then got in herself. After backing out of the driveway, Inko directed the car to the building where Project Velocity was stationed. On the drive there Inko thought back to the training she and Kaina went through. In the beginning, it was tiresome, they trained more than just their quirks, their minds and bodies were put through the ringers too. Each day they were exhausted and they often fell asleep on their way home.
Through that training, Inko became a strong woman, yet the life of a hero was something she never wanted. When she met Hisashi she felt marrying him was the only way out of becoming a pro hero like her sister. But now she needed to protect her family from whoever hunted her sister. Izuku needed the same training, to learn how to use his quirk and how to protect himself.
Within the hour they arrived at Project Velocity. Inko pulled the car into a parking spot and got out, as Izuku and Bakugo were right behind her. Izuku looked up at the building and thought it looked like it belonged to a corporate business.
He looked at Inko and said, "Mom, I thought we were going to meet some of your old friends." The Midoriya family had never really been that wealthy, nor had they been associated with upper-class workers. Hisashi was working in America and sent money home, but his pay barely covered the house and his apartment. The closest was the Bakugo family and Masaru's work in the fashion business, but they didn't live a wealthy lifestyle nor did Mitsuki Bakugo act like a rich woman. However, in Inko's mind, she definitely pushed the envelope.
"We are," Inko said as she walked up the stairs and opened one of the doors. She then turned around and gestured for the boys to follow her. Izuku and Bakugo looked at each other, grins appearing on their faces as they took off after Inko. She led the duo to an elevator and once inside pressed the button for the fifth floor.
As the trio rode the elevator Izuku looked at Inko and asked, "Mom, who are we exactly going to meet?" His mother never mentioned having friends who worked in a building like this.
Inko sighed then looked down at the ground, "Zuzu do you remember that conversation we had when you first got your quirk?" - Izuku gave a small nod - "Your mother knows some people that specialize in training young kids with powerful quirks, such as yours and Katsuki's. They help kids like you learn how to use their quirks and become heroes."
From that, Izuku got a big smile while Bakugo got a feral one. Now that they knew what was happening neither of them could wait to show off their quirks and what they could do with it. Yet it seemed to take forever before the elevator arrived on the fifth floor and opened. Once the door opened they were met with an amazing site.
A kid, only a few years older than Izuku and Bakugo, with bright red wings, was flying around the floor. As he flew around, feathers from his wings shot out and hit targets of varying sizes. These targets were placed all round the floor and the kid hadn't missed a single one. Izuku and Bakugo watched as the kid hit the last target with three feathers and then landed right next to a table. As the kid looked at the adults, all the feathers that had been shot into the targets, dislodged themselves and returned to the red wings on the kid's back.
Standing at the table were Fumiko Mareo and four members of his team. Mareo looked up from a monitor screen and said to the kid, "Well done Takami you beat your previous record by 3 and half seconds. Keep up that pace and you'll be on the level of a pro hero by the time you're a teenager."
The kid nodded as pulled a blindfold down from his eyes. Izuku hadn't noticed the blindfold as the kid was flying around, making the kid's skill even more impressive. The red-winged kids looked at the different targets. He then turned back to Mareo and said, "I thought the targets were supposed to be in different places. A lot of them felt like they hadn't moved."
"They were…." Mareo paused and then looked over the targets, a lot of them seemed to be in the same location as last time. He then turned to his workers and sighed.
This caused the woman to flicker and defend herself with, "I haven't gotten much sleep because of your little side project. So sue me."
Mareo sighed again, as he folded his arm and brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. She was a good worker, one of the best for the program, but all the work Mareo had to put in to cover her forgetful behavior. Somedays were harder than others. "Henkito. What am I going to do with you?"
The employee, now identified as Henkito, looked ready to defend herself but then noticed Inko and the two boys. The gears of her mind were visible as she took a few moments to recognize Inko. Once she did she got a big smile and yelled, "Inko, is that you!" Before running over and hugging Inko. Inko had to brace as Henkito was a forgetful person and with her strength enhancement quirk, a hug from Henkito could break a few ribs.
Luckily Henkito didn't squeeze too hard and Inko was able to still breathe. Inko hugged Henkito back and asked, "How's life been since I last saw you last?" Henkito didn't answer but just continued to smile until Mareo and the other present members of Project Velocity came over. After Henkito released her, Inko bowed to Mareo and thanked him again for his assistance.
"Mrs Midoriya it is good to see you again." Mareo then noticed there was more than one kid. One that Inko hadn't mentioned, "Excuse but I was informed you only had one child, yet I see two. One who does not have much of your or your husband's genetics."
Inko chuckled a bit then clarified, "This is Katsuki Bakugo, he's the son of one of my friends. I thought you might like to examine his quirk as well as my son's. I promise you won't be disappointed."
"Bakugo? You mean that hotheaded loud mouth friend of yours." Henkito said, then quickly covered her mouth. She looked at Inko as if she had just killed Inko's dog right in front of her.
Yet Inko didn't seem too worried, simply waving Henkito's worry away with a hand. "I'm sure she's been called worse and what she doesn't know won't hurt her." Inko could recall that Bakugo's first name for Mitsuki wasn't Mama, it was just straight to 'Old Hag'.
Mareo looked over the two boys, knowing it was just better to go along with it rather than figure out what part Bakugou played in all this. "Hello Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo, I'm looking forward to what you will show us today. But first I would like you three to meet Keigo Takami. He's the second wave of Project Velocity-trained heroes. If you're accepted into the program then you'll be spending some time training with him," Mareo said, as Takami walked up to the group.
Takami looked between Izuku and Bakugo then bowed and said, "It's nice to meet you both, please call me Keigo. I'm looking forward to training with both of you. Mr. Mareo held you in high regard, enough to make his team go without sleep for a week."
"Takami I didn't..." Mareo said, then looked around at the members of his team. Many had small rings under their eyes and their shoulders were hunched over. Only Henkito seemed to be the only one with energy, but that might be just because she forgot how tired she was, "Alright head home all of you. I told you to work fast, not work yourself into your graves. I can handle the evaluation by myself."
"Sir, are you sure?" One of the employees asked as it was unusual to be sent home this early in the day. Project Velocity didn't have a set-in-stone schedule for most things, as most of the timing was determined by how fast the trainee learned and improved. Yet to be set home only a few hours after the business day started.
"Yes, now go," Mareo said and not wanting to wait around for him to change his mind, the members of Project Velocity quickly gathered their things and left. Takami looked at Mareo with a look asking to be excused, "Sorry Takami but you'll be staying. If you are going to train with these boys, then you need to see their level of control."
Takami didn't say a word, just gave a small nod. Mareo then turned to Izuku and Bakugo and said, "How about a small demonstration of your quirks then I'll set up some small tests for you to go through. Midoriya, how about we start with you."
Mareo prepared as he needed to act as if he had never seen a quirk like Izuku before. To make it seem that Izuku's quirk itself was unique to Izuku. Izuku nodded and lifted his right arm. Mareo was ready to see Izuku contort into a weird angle, but his eyes grew as smoke appeared around Izuku's arm.
The next second Izuku's quirks took hold and his right arm was transformed, extending and building to a rifle. Mareo held his breath as he looked over Izuku's quirk, it was so similar yet so different from Kaina's. The same sleek barrel design but Izuku's rifle had a forestock and a body. It had no area for a magazine yet instead of loading a bullet through his hand as Kaina had to do. Where the charging bolt would be on a normal rifle there was a small slot.
"Well young man, that is quite impressive. How about you give us a demonstration of your quirk? Pick a target and show us what you've got," Mareo said as he felt the joy of being able to correct past mistakes once again. This time Mareo would have to play his card close to his chest, to compartmentalize information so no one knew more than they needed to. But if this worked out Mareo knew he could become head of a new hero program, one that could produce more heroes at a higher quality than any hero school could.
Izuku looked around and quickly spotted a target. It was up in a corner, perhaps 100 feet away and there were no other targets that were blocking it. Izuku took a knee as he gripped the barrel of his quirk with his left hand. Resting his left arm on his left knee to help keep his right arm steady, Izuku found this position to be very comfortable. He had complete control of where he was aiming, there was no sway in his arm as it stayed perfectly still.
Mareo noticed this too, as Kaina had often assumed a similar pose early in her training whenever she didn't have anything to rest her barrel against. It wasn't a bad form but in combat, it was a pose that left Izuku and Kaina vulnerable to almost all angles.
Izuku lined up his aim the best he could then flexed his right arm. A loud gunshot went off causing everyone that could to cover their ears. They all watched as the green and purple bullet whizzed through the air and soon struck the target. It wasn't a bullseye, not even within the inner circles. Izuku had barely even hit the target in the first place.
Yet Mareo was still impressed, Izuku had only had his quirk for two weeks. And though it was clear he hadn't had much practice, Izuku definitely had a talent for using his quirk. Through practice, Izuku could quickly get to the same level as long-range pro heroes such as Snipe. One day he might even be able to give Kaina a run for her money.
"A well-placed shot Young Midoriya and with how short of a time you've had your quirk, you most certainly do have a talent for it. Now anything else you would like to show about your quirk?" Mareo asked.
Izuku nodded his head, then weaved some of his hair into a bullet, " I can weave my hair into my ammo"
Mareo nodded as if he had heard nothing about that piece of information. He then turned to Bakugo and said, "Now I believe it's young Bakugo's turn." Inko seemed to be under the impression that Bakugo would be fit for Project Velocity, yet that particular decision wouldn't be up to Mareo. The HPSC council would be the ones to decide whether Mareo would be allowed to train either of the boys.
Mareo hadn't many interactions with Mitsuki and Mararu, only having met them for the first time at Inko's wedding, as Mitsuki had been one of Inko's maids. If he remembered correctly Mitsuki's quirk allowed her to sweat glycerin while Marasu's quirk allowed him to secrete acidic sweat that could cause small explosions. Mareo got a small smile at what a perfect combination could result from those quirks and if Bakugo had it.
Mareo was pulled from his thoughts as Bakugo stepped forward and said, "I'll show you old man. With my quirk, I'm going to make me the next #1 hero."
Bakugo raised his hand in a cupped formation and let off a good-sized explosion. Later after reviewing the security footage, Mareo measured the explosion to be about the size of a large SUV. But for now, Mareo got a big grin on his face as Fate had just handed him two extremely powerful quirks on a silver platter. Project Velocity's future was brighter than Mareo could even predict.
He had to train Izuku and Bakugo, even if he had to fight against the HPSC council or the board. Mareo was going to do everything he could to show the masterpiece that is Project Velocity.
Mareo cleared his throat as he turned to Inko and said, "Two impressive quirk. Perfect fit for Project Velocity. Something I'm sure the council will see that for themselves without much explanation. Let's have you return in three day's time and we'll begin their training."
Inko bowed slightly to show her appreciation then turned to Izuku and Bakugo, "Alright it's time to leave, boys."
"But we just got here. We want to use our quirks." Izuku said. They had barely been here for ten minutes and barely had a chance to use their quirks.
Mareo smiled and said, "Boys, you'll have plenty of chances to use your quirks in the future but for now the best you can do is listen to your mothers. Just remember when you train without a direction in mind then you'll never move forwards."
With that word of advice, Izuku and Bakugo accepted Inko's hand and she walked them to the elevator. Neither of them could wait until they could train with their quirks. Though their reason for wanting to be heroes were different they both wanted to give their best to become #1 hero. They both admired All Might, the symbol of peace and now they had the opportunity to train to become heroes like him.
Chapter 5: Meeting of Fate
After sending Takami home, Mareo finished up some paperwork and then went home. As he settled down for the evening, his phone buzzed. Mareo pulled it out and saw a text that he had been expecting for days.
"Fumiko Mareo, for violating section 10-15B of Project Velocity set by its council, you are to appear before the council in two days. At which your recent choices will be questioned and your viability as acting director over the program will be decided."
Mareo sighed as he turned his phone off and tossed it onto his nightstand. He wasn't too worried, he knew eventually the Council would hear about it. And now he knew they had been told by one of the four members of Project Velocity that had been there today. He wanted to figure out who the mole was because he hated how much of a hold the Council had over his program.
But now that would have to be put on the backburner, as the next day Mareo gathered everything he had been personally preparing over the past week. In the evening he caught a plane to Tokyo, then two days after Mareo had met Izuku and Bakugo he was standing in front of the Project Velocity Council. A group of HPSC workers that had been selected to oversee the program, were also the ones that decided whether Mareo was allowed to stay within the program. And as Mareo was not going to lose his life mission he made sure one last time everything was in order before he left his hotel room.
One way or another he was going to make sure Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo were brought into Project Velocity. He didn't care how much convincing it took, something he didn't think would take much, he was ready to pull out all the stops. He had the security footage of their tests, just to show the strength of their quirks. He had their state issue quirk documents, he had even managed to get their grade from school to show how smart they were. And it was not lost on him that some on the council liked the idea of having pro heroes trained by them and purely on their payroll.
Mareo arrived at the Hero Public Safety Commission headquarters and after scanning his ID, Mareo headed to the elevator. He rode the elevator up to the 39th floor. Once the elevator doors opened, Mareo walked out and headed over to the reception desk. He put his ID card on the desk and said, "Fumiko Mareo, reporting for the meeting at 10:00."
The receptionist took Mareo's ID and scanned it. Once the light turned green she returned the ID to Mareo and said, "Please have a seat, you'll be called when they're ready."
After taking and slipping his ID card back into his wallet, Mareo turned away from the reception desk and walked over a grouping of chairs. He selected one of the chairs and sat down as he rested his briefcase against the side of the chair. With nothing else to do, Mareo thought about what he was going to say as his word choice was going to be very important in the meeting.
15 minutes later, the receptionist called out, "Mareo, they're ready for you."
Mareo thanked the receptionist as he grabbed his briefcase and stood up. He walked over to the set of double doors and closed the handle. He let out a slow breath and pulled the door open. On the other side, he was expecting to see the HPSC council, and he did, yet what he was not prepared for was to see Madam President of the Hero Public Safety Commission and Prime Minister Kuma Renzo in their respective chairs.
Convincing the Council was easy, Mareo had personally known them for years and knew the kind of people there were. Yet there were two or some of the highest authorities in Japan, and Mareo had only met Madam President twice in person. As Mareo met the eyes of Prime Minister Renzo he bowed and said, "Madam President, Prime Minister Renzo. I was unaware that you would be joining us for this meeting."
"Yes, but Council Member Takuma had the mind to inform us of your two potential recruits. After the success of Keigo Takami, codenamed Hawks, your control over Project Velocity was limited but reinstated. Part of that limit was power given to this council to oversee any part of the program, Checks and Balances as our American friends put in their beginning. Power which was not only given to this council to myself and Prime Minister Renzo. Power you something you seem to have forgotten." Madam President said as she sternly looked at Mareo. Her eyes were narrow and focused on Mareo, with her lips pursed showing her readiness to finally put Mareo in his grave.
"I remember that agreement quite well. You are allowed to limit my control of Project Velocity should it appear that events of the past were to occur again," Mareo said as he sat down in his chair and put his briefcase on the table. Whenever Madam President took it upon herself to check on Project Velocity, Mareo always had to hold his tongue around her. He didn't like that he had lost his project to her control.
"Events of the past were to occur again.' That does seem to be the future of Project Velocity or did you not think it was important to think of that when you brought Izuku Tsutsumi in the other day." Madam President said.
"That was merely a power assessment, Inko Midoriya calling in a favor for her son. Nothing beyond old friends." Mareo said.
"Do you honestly believe that we would believe that? It's clear that you want to bring Izuku Tsutsumni into Project Velocity. We all know the possible future that comes from that, or are you too blind by correcting your past mistakes to see that?" Madam President said and Mareo began to speak but he was cut off, "We know you are watering the idea of using Kaina Tsutsmi's children, Izuku Midoriya. If you wish to train him, turn into a pro hero. And as it seems your method have not changed, how can you guarantee that 'events of the past' do not occur again,"
"True intentions, Madam?" Mareo asked, knowing where Madam President was going. It was the same argument she had used to gain control from Mareo. Her presscore was right, once people learned of Project Velocity they would think the HPSC was working on creating a privatized army. However, Mareo never thought that way of thinking could come from someone within the HPSC.
"Was your original plan for Project Velocity not to train future heroes from a young age to become war dogs for the Hero Public Safety Commission?" Madam President asked as she drew out a folder. Mareo recognized his original proposal plan from when he was trying to get Project Velocity sanctioned.
Mareo looked at the folder, then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He tossed them onto the table, making sure the flash drive keychain was one on top. "I never used that terminology, something I remind myself weekly. I used the flash drive as needed to remind myself what Project Velocity was designed to be. Its purpose was to train pro heroes that were up held to the quality wanted and needed by the Hero Public Safety Commission. Something that, and I know I don't stand alone in this, many pro heroes are lacking in."
"A politician's way of saying war dogs and isn't that what you got? Lady Nagant, skills given to her to make her obedient to the HPSC. She didn't question her orders, the wrong kind of soldier. I would call that a war dog, an obedient one at that, yet eventually her humanity caught up in the end and because of that she killed my predecessor." Madam President said, a small smirk appearing on her face. She was playing it perfectly to make it seem that Project Velocity just needed to be disbanded. That was what she had been trying to do from the beginning, as she had her program to train young heroes. Yet it would never get off the ground as long as Project Velocity was still around.
"Madam President, are you insinuating that this council is corrupt and ordering Lady Nagant to kill others in cold blood without anything more than personal agendas?" Mareo asked. He would not have Project Velocity, a program that was nothing more than a program to help teach and train young kids with powerful quirks how to become heroes, name be dragged through the mud. Yet the thought of a military-style army could be formed from the idea of Project Velocity, but that was never the true purpose of the program.
"I am not insinuating anything of the sort Mr Mareo." Madam President said, her voice becoming stern. She had a chance to finally knock Mareo's legs out from under him and she would not be losing this time. Project Velocity should be nothing more than a stepping stone for her program and her career.
Madam President and Mareo looked at each other until Prime Minister Renzo cleared his throat. Everyone immediately looked at him as he adjusted his collar, "Madam President, I am aware of how hard you have voted to terminate Fumiko Mareo's position over Project Velocity. You believe he was the sole reason the program failed in its first trial, yet as I have reviewed the history of this program I have found Mr. Mareo was not the sole issue with the program. Many decisions he made were contributory to the result, but not the main factor And like any new idea, there were bound to be obstacles to overcome." - Mareo began to smile - "Mr Mareo, do not think that is justification for the failure that occurred as it was still on your watch.. Failures were going to happen, but the one that happened was unexpected and could have been prevented if certain choices or actions had occurred. Despite this, I believe Fumiko Mareo is still the best man to occupy his position as Head of Project Velocity
"His success with the young hawk has shown that if nothing else, he and his program can and are willing to improve themselves. Until they become what they were always meant to be."
"Thank you, sir," Mareo said quickly, standing up and bowing.
"However Mr. Mareo, it does seem that you have forgotten the history of Project Velocity. So please explain to me and these fine people why training Izuku Midoriya and his friend Katsuki Bakugo would not allow history to repeat itself. So let us start with their quirk, Katsuki Bakugo first." Prime Minister Renzo said.
Maroe took a breather, they were getting to the part where he was in control, "Yes Sir. Katsuki Bakugo, quirk: Explosion. This quirk allows him to secrete a substance similar to liquid nitro-glycan within the palm of his hands. He can ignite the liquid on command, allowing him to create destructive explosions. The more he sweats, the more powerful his explosions can become, though dehydration is suspected to occur sooner than normal.
"What of his personality? In the video footage, he acted straight forward." Prime Minister Renzo commented as Bakugo was quick to show off his quirk and act smug about it.
"He's a hard-headed kid, I will admit to that, but his heart is in the right place. He believes he can be the next Number 1 Hero, better than All Might. And he has the drive to back that up. In the short time since he has gained his quirk, his understanding and control over the fundamentals of his quirk is beyond that of a middle school student. He's to the point where he understands how the positioning and formation of his hands can affect his quirk. In the security footage, Katsuki Bakugo can be seen cupping his hand together before igniting his sweat. He did this because he understood what it meant, giving him more control of the direction of his quirk." Mareo said as he opened his briefcase and pulled out a photo taken from the security footage when Bakugo's explosion was at its peak. He slipped it down the table and managed to stop it right in front of Prime Minister Renzo. Prime Minister Renzo grabbed the photo and turned it around to look at it. "With training from Project Velocity, I believe that one day he may begin to use his quirk to gain spatial advantage. Using a series of explosions to get him to hover in the air, each in turn could allow him to attack from any angle."
"More of an Endeavour than an All Might," Madam President said. Dislike for the Number 20 hero was common among the HPSC, even the bottom of the totem pole workers. All his activities and battles created a lot of paperwork for them to do.
"In a way yes, but I believe without the worst qualities," Mareo said, a bit surprised he and Madam President were able to agree on something. Through something such as that wasn't that big of a victory in Mareo's book.
Prime Minister Renzo let go of the photo and focused on Mareo, "And what of Izuku Midoriya? He is the main concern for this council, as we have seen in the past what can occur. Lady Nagant was a powerful and skilled hero, so what words do you have to convince us that you should be allowed to train him to become a pro hero." Prime Minister Renzo said.
"Thank you, Prime Minister Renzo. Izuku Midoriya has the same quirk as his mother Rifle. When using his quirk, Midoriya's forearm and hand transform into the barrel and body of a long-range rifle. This allows him to shoot bullets weaved from his hair at long distances. Instead of inserting ammunition through his hand, Midoriya does so through a small hole on his forearm. His ammo count and range are unknown at the moment. And for his personality. I can explain it all in a few words. Izuku Midoriya does not know who he is," Mareo said. Through this training, Izuku was going to be a good showing of nature vs nurture. If Izuku never knew he was the son of a notorious killer, then the only way he could become evil was through his unknown nature.
"Expound." Madam President said, leaning back in her chair. She had fought hard to have Mareo kicked off of Project Velocity, but now it seemed he had lost his mind. Even if he was allowed to train Izuku Midoriya, all Madam President would have to do is wait for Mareo's plan to blow up in his face.
"In short, Izuku Midoriya does not know that Kaina Tsutsumi, Lady Nagant, is his mother. Nor does her sister Inko Midoriya know what occurred that day over a year ago. Mrs Midoriya knows the story given to the media is not the truth, I'm sure she would have been able to figure that out on her own. More to the point she does not know the truth. She believes that her sister was being hunted and when Tsutsumi escaped, the people that were after her, framed her for killing those heroes.
"This has led to Inko Midoriya believing that someone hunted down her sister and now those same people may be after her and her son. That is why she contacted me, she wants to protect her son and help him become a pro hero. I asked if Izuku Midoriya knew who he really was and Mrs. Midoriya informed that he had been lied to. Izuku Midoriya with his entire being believes himself to be the son of Inko and Hisashi Midoriya and has no knowledge of Kaina Tsutsumi or his connection to her." Mareo explained.
"What if the boy was to learn the truth? The media has not mentioned Lady Nagant since the month after her betrayal, yet once this boy became a hero. The media of the past is sure to question his connection to her. Evidence will be brought to light and the boy may come to question his past. He may question who he is and may seek his biological mother out. He'll have more than a few questions for her and what do you think he'll do when he tells the truth?" Prime Minister Renzo asked, keeping a neutral expression.
"Hiding the truth will be difficult when that time comes, but for now the past can stay hidden without much help. When Izuku Midoriya learns the truth, then it will be at an age when it will not affect him," Mareo said.
"What do you mean? Can you be sure by training Tsutsumi that you aren't creating a worse problem." Madam President said. It shouldn't matter when it acts, when the truth comes to light, Izuku's world would shatter. Something Madam President was counting out, something she was going to make happen.
"Madam President, if I may be so bold to ask a question of my own. What is starting Izuku Midoriya from becoming a pro hero in the first place?" Mareo asked in a strong voice that caught Madam President off guard. He used her silence to answer his question, "Nothing. If it's not through Project Velocity, then it will be through the means everyone does so. He'll train himself, make himself ready for any test from any hero school. Who's to say Mrs Midoriya won't be the one training him. Either Izuku Midoriya becomes a hero through us or through UA, and who would you rather have to control over him? All Project Velocity would be doing is damage control, so when he turns learn the truth. He had trust in us and at the least we'll be able to stop him."
Madam President scoffed and said, "What to stop UA from kicking Tsutsumi out. They wouldn't be too happy once they see his quirk."
"Then what's to stop Midoriya from turning into a vigilante, he wants to be a hero badly. To protect those around him. Or worse he could become a villain looking for revenge. I think the Principal of UA would be able to see that too, can you?" Mareo said but didn't let Madam President get a word in. He let out a breath and continued with, "There's many possibilities that we can choose from, enlisting Izuku Midoriya into gives us best control of choosing the option we want."
"Are you sure, this is the best option?" Prime Minister Renzo said.
"I see possibilities. First Midoriya gives up on being a pro hero, unlikely to happen. Second, Midoriya becomes a pro hero through UA and never learns the truth. Third, Midoirya becomes a pro hero through the program and never learns the truth. Both of these are possible. Fourth is Midoriya becomes a pro hero through UA and learns the truth once people, teachers, students see his quirk. He shunned, and after enough time became something less than heroic, then as per usual we've the ones that have to deal with it. Fifth he becomes a pro hero through Project Velocity and when he learns the truth, he has enough trust in us. I see the fifth being the best, because we'll be able to control what he sees, what he hears and what he learns. We train him to be mentally strong enough to take the truth, teaching him that can be a hero despite what everyone thinks."
Mareo looked at Prime Minister Renzo, who stayed silent for minutes. Every second Mareo could feel his heart beating inside his chest. He understood this truly between him and Madam President and Prime Minister Renzo's say was the only one that mattered. Mareo kept his focus on Prime Minister Renzo.
At some point, Prime Minister Renzo stood up, pushing his chair back as he did so. He looked Mareo dead in the eyes and said, "Fumiko Mareo, you are being entrusted to train Izuku Midoriya and his friend Katsuki Bakugo. You are to train them to become pro heroes. But with the trust to ensure the past does not occur again. And with the knowledge that if you fail your obligations, your life will be forfeit to the government of Japan. You will strip off your title as acting director, your work will be destroyed, your name branded worse than villains and you will spend the rest of your life making up for the lives taken by Izuku Tsutsumi. Do you understand?"
Mareo swallowed his tongue and bowed as he forced out, "Yes, Sir."
"You may leave." Prime Minister Renzo said and pointed to the door behind Mareo.
Mareo came out of his bow and grabbed his briefcase. He began to walk to the door but stopped. He then looked back over his shoulder at Prime Minister Renzo and asked, "If fate finds an ill opinion of me sir, what would become of my wife."
"If sin falls, then it will rest squarely on your shoulder. But understand those that would be touched if that should happen. Your wife will be barred, Inko Midoriya as well. The blame will fall squarely on you, but it won't only be your fate touched." Prime Minister Renzo said.
"I understand, Sir," Mareo said with a nod then held out of the door. He felt his heart pounding on his chest, he needed to calm his nerves. Why did he have to give up smoking?
Chapter 6: Training Begins
Once Mareo returned home he held a small celebration with his wife. While his wife was always supportive of her husband's antics, she did have some concerns over Izuku being the son of Lady Nagant. But she had also walked the girls growing up, she had a soft spot for them. She did prefer Inko, but Mrs Mareo was happy with how much Kaina wanted to protect her younger sister. Mareo promised that she would be able to meet the boys as well, but it won't be for some time.
The following Sunday was the start of everything, Izuku and Bakugo were brought back to the training facility, along with Inko and Mitsuki. Once in the building, they rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, where they found Mareo waiting for them. When they walked out of the elevator, he turned away from an overturned whiteboard and looked at them, putting a smile on for them. "Good afternoon and good news the Council has approved the training of Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo. Today will be Day One of their training to become pro heroes."
"I'm pretty new to this and Inko has explained a bit, but how exactly will you be training our sons?" Mitsuki asked, she had never had an interest in becoming a pro hero. She had always chosen to be a fashion model as her dream career and she didn't expect there to be much overlap. It was actually her pursuit of fashion design that sparked her friendship with Inko. Inko always claimed that it was because Mitsuki wouldn't leave her alone, but Mitsuki just saw it as giving some much-needed friendly advice.
Mareo gave a small chuckle as he walked back to the whiteboard and flipped it around, "Anticipating this, I took the liberty of writing some stuff down." On the whiteboard were several different items ranging from nutritional balance to increase muscle growth and recovery time, to the amount of training that would be done each day to maximize growth in skill and muscles, while not damaging the body.
Mitsuki and Inko looked over the board. Inko didn't remember Project Velocity being this organized when she was being trained. It seemed in the years since she left, the program had become more refined. The two mothers looked down on their sons, as it was clear they had a lot of work they would have to deal with. Yet they looked more eager than ever before.
"This is a …." Inko paused as she tried to figure out the best word to use.
"A bit much," Mitsuki said, not worrying about finding the right word, "They are only five years old."
Mareo looked at the board and saw how misleading it could be, "Oh forgive me, much of this information wouldn't come into play until later. But Inko was you can Project Velocity has come a long way since your time here" - Mareo flipped the whiteboard back around - "For now we'll begin with the basics. Learning what limits their quirks have."
"But you have their government quirk files." Mitsuki pointed it out. Mareo worked for the HPSC, so he should be able to easily get ahold of any government document.
Before Mareo could ask, Inko did so, "A file can tell a story, but not the whole story. When I first joined the program, it was believed that I could only pull small objects to me, but as my quirk was tested and stretched I learned that I could do more than just pull small objects to me. I had telekinesis in its entirety."
"Precisely, that is why it's common for someone to change their quirk file as they get older, as they come to better understand how their quirk works. It happens all the time, even with more common style quirks. No two quirks are exactly the same, it's those little differences that can be the most important. We don't have that much time so step one is figuring out how exactly their quirks work. How does that sound, boys?" Mareo asked, looking at Izuku and Bakugo.
They looked at each other, then back at Mareo and began nodding their heads. They couldn't wait to learn what the limits of their quirks were. How powerful they were, how powerful they could become. If it meant getting one step closer to becoming a pro hero, then they were up for anything and they were excited.
Mareo chuckled a bit at their enthusiasm, hopeful they would keep it over the years. It would be important to keep it as the driving force that got them out of bed every day and continue training. For the rest of the day, Mareo ran tests to have a better understanding of their quirk. At the end of the day, Mareo sent them home with the homework that they needed to think of unique ways to use their quirks. Didn't matter if it looked stupid or useless, any kind of skill could have its uses.
Over the next month, Mareo trained with the boys and the range of their quirks. Izuku learned the range of his quirk was a mere 200 meters, but through training and practice, he was able to slowly increase that range and his accuracy. He was able to place nearly every shot into the center of the target, something he always smiled at no matter how often he got a bullseye. Bakugo focused on his quirk recoiling on his body and how he could use the momentum generated by his explosion to move around his enemy and attack from different angles. They often came home Sunday evenings exhausted and this caused their mother to believe their schoolwork would suffer, but every Monday they were up out of bed and eager to go to school.
The boy paid attention in class and was the top student, earning the highest scores in each of their classes, especially P.E. Their education grew so quickly they were easily months ahead of their fellow classmates. So part of training became further their education. Yet no matter how hard the week was or how long it felt, on Saturday morning the two of them were as excited as ever to train
In the coming year, as the two practised with their quirks, they gained a strong fundamental understanding of their quirks. By the time of his sixth birthday, Izuku was able to increase his range to 300 meters and learned that he could hold a total of 60 bullets, and he could hold them for two weeks before they disappeared and needed to be replaced. On the other hand, Bakugo learned that while his quirk was mainly in his hands, if he focused long enough he could get a smaller explosion to form around his body.
With every new skill they learned, they practised and trained until they had perfected it. By the time they were seven, they had skills that most first-year hero students didn't. But that didn't stop them, as Izuku and Bakugo would spend evenings together thinking of new ways to use their quirk. Many ideas were found to be just impossible, while there were a few that would have to wait until their bodies and quirks were stronger.
This irked Takami a bit, using younger kids easily matching up to his skill levels. He refused to be beaten by some brats. Though that didn't diminish his friendship with them, he enjoyed hanging out with them. Even coming over to either of their houses for dinner often. Their time together was mostly spent training under the program, they tried to get together outside of training.
Once Mareo was sure the two of them had an adequate handle on their quirk, he moved them onto the skill part of training. Martial arts, it being decided that karate and judo would best suit them, then beginning Bukijutsu once Mitsuki and Inko were comfortable with their son handling weapons. It was two weeks after Izuku's seventh birthday and it was Mitsuki's train to drive them in. And as Mareo had called the previous night telling them he had a surprise for them, Izuku and Bkaugo were very eager to arrive. Once Mistuki parked the car and unlocked the doors, Bakugo and Izuku rushed out of the car. Mitsuki cursed a bit as she fumbled to get out of the car and had to run after them, all the way screaming, "Wait you like maggot? Stress doesn't look good on me.'
Mitsuki managed to catch up to them as they ran through the front doors. However, she wasn't able to catch her breath until they got into the elevator. She shot a glare at the two of them as she was doubling over and breathing heavily. Mitsuki was in good shape, she had to be a fashion model, but there was a difference between a fashion model and a professional athlete. Mitsuki was still catching her breath as the elevator arrived on the fifth floor and Izuku and Bakugo rushed out. They found Mareo waiting for them, his kine smile very evident. And behind him were two people dressed in Martial arts attire, both having black belts tied around their waists.
The gentleman on Mareo's right was of a large frame and tall statue. He held a narrow look on the boys, as he had his hands folded against his chest. His black hair was cut to right above his shoulder and slicked back so as not to impede his vision. He had a weathered look, with a scar that started under his left ear followed back his jawline and ended at his chin. He looked over the two boys, their strength evident in their tiny frames.
The woman on Mareo's left was of a shorter stature and smaller frame, but she didn't look less immediate. Her blonde hair was braided behind her head and went down to her waist. Her piercing green eyes made it feel as if her stare was going straight through Izuku and Bakugo. She gave an animalistic smile that she knew put her co-workers on edge. She was going to enjoy seeing what the two were made of. And while the man was barefoot and had no gloves, the woman had a pair of fingerless gloves and socks on.
"Good Morning, Boys. I'm glad to see you are as eager to train as ever. Today I would like you to meet your new instructors. Sensei Hakaku and Sensei Hitomu, are Hero Public Safety Workers, but they are masters of the art of Karate and Judo. And they have agreed to train you two. You will train with your respective sensei, and then every two weeks you will switch and train with the other sensei. And when they agree you have the basics down, you will be trained on how to use your new skills in tandem with your quirks. Any questions?" Mareo asked and when neither of the young boys spoke up he continued with, "For now Midoriya, you're with Sensei Hitomu. Bakugo you're with Sensei Hakaku.
The two boys looked over their new mentors and then bowed, yelling, "Thank you for teaching us!"
"Dismissed, your new uniforms are in the changing rooms." Mareo said, waving the boys off to get changed. While the boys disappeared to change, Sensei Hakaku leaned over To Sensei Hitomu and whispered.
"Mareo undersold how eager they would be towards being trained. I could feel my frozen heart being thawed from their smiles." Sensei Hakaku
"Well don't get your hopes up, not even Endeavor can do that. Everyone's eager in the beginning, they all eventually break and then the real training begins." Sensei Hitomu said in a downtrodden voice as she shook her head.
The boys return shortly after, wearing martial arts attire that Mareo had set aside for them. Sensei Hitomu looked at Izuku and said, "Alright Dye Job, looks like you're with me for the next two weeks. Come with me."
Izuku bowed, then followed Sensei Hitomu to a different area of the floor where some padded floor mats were waiting for them. Izuku looked them over, then turned to Sensei Kuma to ask a question, "How are we going to begin…"
He was interrupted as he saw a fist getting close to his face. Yet before the attack could connect he jumped back and landed on his hands as if to springboard himself further away from Sensei Hitomu. However he didn't, he just put his feet back on the ground and began to stand. Yet those few seconds, Sensei Hitomu used her speed to get in close. Just as Izuku was straightening her back Sensei Hitomu dropped down and swept Izuku's feet out from under him. It took Izuku and gravity to realize his feet were no longer under him. Just as Izuku realized he was no longer standing, his head hit the pads. If it wasn't for the pads, he would have likely been knocked unconscious.
"Sloppy and lazy. Mareo told us you have some close quarters training, but obviously you are still a novice. You need to train those skills until they become second nature. Until You can act as such without having to think about it, or you would have reacted towards my follow up attack and not currently be on the floor. Your reflexes are good, a positive side effect, no doubt from your enchanted eyesight. Sensei Hakaku and I's purpose here is not just to teach you the art of Karate and Judo, but to expand your mind in the art of martial arts. To teach you the skills to win against any opponent and part of that is reading your opponent's movements and reacting accordingly." Sensei Hitomu said as she held out a hand to help Izuku to his feet.
Izuku took his hand and was hauled to his feet. Once had his balance he readjusted the shoulder of his gi as it had begun to become loose. As he did, in his peripheral vision he saw Sensei Hitomu attacking. With her advice still in his ear, instead of jumping back, Izuku dove to the side and quickly rolled out of the way. However as he sprung back up to his knees, Sensei Hitumo was waiting for him and put Izuku in a headlock.
"You were quicker and more effective this time, but a well trained opponent knows the same move won't work twice. After every fight anyone could improve and become better, but those who can improve themself during a fight are those who always find victory." Sensei Hitomu said as she increased the pressure on Izuku's neck. The edge of his vision was starting to go black and his eyes were bulging, but he would still breathe for the most part, "But this isn't like those video games you kids play. You're not the only one that leveled up, while you learn about your opponent's moves, your opponents will be studying your's. There are steps to mastering a skill. First there are the basics, improve upon those to have a solid foundation. Then comes advancing your skills, learning attacks that have more risk, but more rewards. But always be cautious, as there is always room for failure. Then comes mastery, your movements and skills are now second nature. You are able to react and fight through years of practice and training, your body and mind become one."
Sensei Hitomu released Izuku. Izuku leaned forward and worked to catch his breath. He took slow breaths until his vision turned to normal. Izuku then stood up and faced his senseo, "Now tell me what comes after mastery of skill."
Izuku paused as he couldn't guess. Mastery of anything was supposed to be the highest level a person could achieve. "I do not know Sensei."
Sensei Hitomu wasn't expecting Izuku to know. He was only six years old, and it wasn't something many learned of. "Few learn what the final step is, and fewer learn how to achieve it. So when you learn what the final step is, that's when you become unbeatable."
"I understand Sensei." Izuku said, with a bow.
Sensei Hitomu gave a small smile. Before she retired from being a Judo Instructor and became a worker for the Hero Public Safety Commission, she had seen many people come into her dojo. All eager to learn how to fight, yet the longest she had seen someone stay as eager as they were when they first walked in was one week. Past that, many dropped out, and those who stayed lost their spark to learn more. She was hoping Izuku wasn't like that, "Tell me, kid, what's your purpose here."
Izuku was confused and showed it on his face. He thought it was obvious, "Aren't I here to train in Judo and Karate." He didn't know that this morning, but that was what he was doing here.
Sensei Hitomu laughed and said, "You really are an innocent kid, Dye Job. Why are you here? What force drove you to get out of bed and made you come here to suffer through training that would make most grown adults cry."
Izuku thought about it for a second, still confused, and then he understood what his new sensei was asking. "I want to be a hero. To be able to rescue others with a smile on my face, as All Might does every day."
Sensei Hitomu looked Izuku in the eyes. Izuku believed in the purpose he had just stated, but under the stare he was getting he began to wonder if that was the wrong answer. No, it was the right answer, it was if he understood what it meant. Everyone said they wanted to be liked by All Might, he became the most popular hero. But what did it mean to be All Might? What skills would Izuku have to learn, what kind of training would be needed, and what practice would he have to learn to fight while always having a smile on his face?
"Fanboy, aren't you? So is the rest of the world kid, you say those words, but you are here to prove them. So let's start with the basics." Sensei Hitomu said, holding out her hand in a handshake gesture.
Izuku reached forwards to shake Sensei Hitomu's hand, however, Sensei Hitomu grabbed Izuku's wrist. Before Izuku knew what was happening he was lifted above her shoulder and slammed him into the ground. Izuku tried to take a breath, but Sensei Hitomu was quick to wrap Izuku's arm with her legs and then cut off Izuku's airway with her ankles. "And step one to learning is learning how it feels to be put into lock. You want to do it properly, you need to know how it feels to be on the receiving end. Feel how your body becomes locked and is now no longer able to move on its own. The force of your opponents becoming an immovable wall, that you have little chance of pushing back. To learn this, for the next two weeks, you'll be like this. You with your back on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. Once you have that, then I'll teach you how to free yourself."
"I understand Sensei." Izuku said in a breathless voice
Sensei Hitomu looked over Izuku and she believed there was some truth to Izuku's statement. Within only a few minutes, Izuku had gained a better understanding of what it meant to be a pro hero, and what it meant to train within martial arts. And that was more than most people she met.
The rest of the day, Izuku was put into different Judo locks of Bent arm, Leg arm, Cross arm, Straight arm and Knee arm. Sensei Kuma forced Izuku to hold each lock for ten minutes while instructing him to feel how the different locks moved his muscles, forcing his tendons to an extreme range of motion. How that prevented him from moving whatever was being locked and how it immobilized the other parts of his body.
Bakugo wasn't much better. He spent just as much time on the mat as Izuku did. He had spent the whole day learning how to block an attack. That or learning how to take a punch or a kick.
When the two of them got home, they were never more grateful to be about to take a warm shower than to go to bed. While both options, Judo and Karate, were open to Izuku and Bakugo, they still had their preferences. Bakugo excelled at Karate, getting the basic stance and form down quickly, while Izuku had taken to Judo like a prodigy. Every time Sensei Hitomu showed him a new move, Izuku internalized everything. How his body felt, how it was unable to respond and most importantly how Sensei Hitomu taught him to break free.
Over the next six months, Izuku and Bakugo's skills improved greatly as their sensei held nothing back. By the time winter hit, the boys had a good enough baseline that Mareo saw fit to let them use their quirks during martial training. That was where they would learn how to use their new skills and quirk in tandem. So in terms of Karate Bakugo practiced adding force to his attacks with his explosions. With a palm thrust, unleashing an explosion as his fist hit to increase the force directly into his options chest. While within Judo Izuku worked on the timing of transforming his arm to suddenly increase the range of his attack and push his opponents away from it. On the side, Izuku learned how to create better leverage with his elongated arm to either break out of a hold or to better immobilize his opponents without having to use much strength.
While they practised these skills with Sensei Hakaku and Sensei Hitomu, the boys found it better to practice with each other. So Every first Saturday of each month was set aside for the boys to spar against each other and train with someone of their own skill level. Mareo noticed along with the Sensei that as soon as the spar the boys' already accelerated growth was becoming more so. And Mareo remembered how well Kaina and Inko had progressed when they fought each other.
Every day Mareo marked their boys' progress and every day he was satisfied with how well everything was coming together. Project Velocity had just started out a program to feel a problem no thought the world had. He was lucky that the old HPSC President saw the same program. He was lucky to find Kaina and Inko. He was lucky that when it came down to it was decided he was too invaluable to the program to taste to the side. He was lucky to be able to find Takami and now he was lucky that he was training Izuku and Bakugo.
Mareo turned off his computer after finishing the day's assessment. As he stood up, he couldn't help but wonder when his luck was going to run out. If he was lucky, never, but like all other recourse eventually it would be run dry.