Irrational Problem Child

Irrational Hero

"Eat up, kid, then come to the backyard," Aizawa trudged away tiredly.

What was in the yard? You wolfed down your food even faster than usual.

Aizawa waited for you. A wooden plank lay like a small table, with a cinderblock holding up each end.

You looked up at Aizawa in confusion.

"Dad?"

"Break it," he ordered.

You eyed the board. It looked sturdy.

"I don't think I can-"

"Don't give up before you try" Aizawa interrupted, glowering.

Your eyes widened. Was this how Aizawa taught his UA students?

You approached the board, deciding to try slamming both fists down on it at once. This board is way too solid... but... here goes... you thought. With a deep breath, you swung and thunked both fists uselessly against it.

You gave Aizawa an apologetic look. He scowled slightly.

"Try again, and this time give it your all."

"But Dad... I did."

Aizawa stared down at you. He only had two weeks before the evaluation. The evaluation that threatened to take you away from his protection unless your mental state improved. He'd woken up every night to comfort you from your nightmares, but they weren't getting better. Time was slipping away. Unless he acted, you would slip away too.

You tried to interpret Aizawa's expression. You could see his thought flickering in his eyes, but you didn't know what he was thinking. Only that he was thinking very hard.

"Let's try something different, kid"

Aizawa pointed upward.

"Can you leap up to the roof?"

"Yeah..."

"Let's see it."

You bent your knees then sprang up powerfully, landing on the roof with light feet.

"Good, come down."

You hopped down and landed in a crouch, puzzled.

"Your quirk enhances your strength. The amount of force you demonstrated just now by leaping onto a two story building is more than enough to snap this board in half. Don't forget that the same quirk enhanced strength that powers your mobility can also power your punches."

You stared back, wide eyed. You'd never thought of yourself as strong, just fast and light. But explained like that, you could see the logic.

You approached the board again, then closed your eyes and swung with all your force as though you wanted the punch to propel you into the sky with the same power as your leap to the roof. You heard a loud, solid-sounding crack, and your fists fell into empty air. Opening your eyes, you watched as the splintered halves of the board fell haphazardly to the ground. The cracked edges looked even thicker and more solid than you'd assumed at first. It would take a REALLY strong person to do that.

I did that... I did that???

Your amazement froze you to the spot, until you felt Aizawa's warm hand on your shoulder.

"Good work, problem child."

You felt a glow of warmth.

"Dad... I just did that!"

"You did, yes."

"I just... did that!"

"Yes."