Springlocked Deku

Izuku's Guidance

After the day's challenges, Katsumi turned in early. As much as she liked her new classmates, she felt that she was neglecting her first true friend. Her eyes heavy with stress and exhaustion, she quickly fell asleep. Even still, Katsumi found that she was still restless... tossing and turning until she couldn't stand it, and opened her eyes. When the blonde did, she found herself in a dream. And Izuku stared back, right over her. It was unnerving...

Katsumi was clearly surprised by this action, shouting, "What the?!" She got up quicker than he anticipated, and her head hit him square in the nose.

He recoiled, feigning pain as he did so. "Gah! Warn me when you do that!"

Horrified that she may have actually hurt him, the normally defiant blonde apologized profusely. "Sorry! I just didn't expect that!"
Showing that he was actually unhurt, Izuku laughed quietly, "That's... that's fair."

Finally realizing that this was not the waking world, she looked around the void, asking: "Where are we?"
Izuku explained to the best of his knowledge: "Welcome to your dreams. Here, we can meet, and you can train. I'm not sure how this will affect your mind, to be honest... but... you still want to break into those companies?"
She nodded diligently, "For you to achieve your dream? Yes!"

"Alright. Then you need to be able to defend yourself. What kind of fighting style would you like to have?"

She thought for a moment, before deciding on a particular strategy. "I want to be quick, agile, in order to avoid blows before they can happen."
Izuku nodded, glad she didn't choose a berserker kind of fighting style. While it could work with her quirk, it would be highly risky to them both. But she was smarter than that. "That's a perfectly good strategy. Perhaps dual swords would be up your alley?"

She nodded, listening to any insights he may have. In this field, of combat and heroics, Izuku knew far more than she did. "That sounds good!"

Izuku thought aloud, "I'm not trained in swordsmanship, so I'll need you to imagine the best sword fighter you can think of. If it helps, you can pick someone from pop culture. You're more likely to learn if you learn from someone you like or respect."
"Right..." She closed her eyes, thinking long and hard, ang going through the possible options, eventually deciding on the Peacekeeper from For Honor. She respected the elegance and grace, and their ability to quickly dispatch enemies with dual blades and bleed. Since her quirk can augment damage in a similar way, she decided to learn from her.

His next statement made her open her eyes in surprise. She had been summon in her default form, encased in gambeson, with metal armor and two blades. Izuku glanced at her appreciatively, knowing full well she was designed in the pre-quirk era. "That's your choice?"

Smiling, she nodded, "I like her fighting style."

"Then imagine that she is your mentor..." When she did so, the assassin laughed slightly, before approaching the blonde. "You want me to teach you? Then we'll have to see what you know..." She tossed over two metal blades, before withdrawing her own. Picking them up, Katsumi was bearly able to repell the Peacekeeper's attack, which made her lose both of them.

"Pick them up. You must not drop your weapon at first hit."

She retrieved them, and was prepared this time. Even still, the Peacekeeper was too quick. Nicked several times, Katsumi was forced to quicken her pace, and engage in the dance she set up. Eventually, however, the blonde learnt to eventually supplant the assassin's tempo with her own. As the night went on, the training continued to reinforce Katsumi's muscle memory and mind.

Izuku pressed the importance of actual strength training, as she couldn't train her muscles at night. And she did in the morning. Even with her night training, there seemed to be no ill effects on her sleep. However, even with these positive signs, Izuku thought it'd be a good idea not to stress too much, as her choice of combat style just simply won't require nearly as much muscle like he did, but enough to get the job done. She wouldn't be getting OFA, nobody would at this point. It was gone as soon as Izuku's spark of life faded...

But, the spirit put that thought aside as she arrived at class. After giving a free morning announcement, they were given free reign of the workshop.

The day was spent working on gear for Class A, but after class, she remained behind. "Gotta finish a personal project. After the last person left, Hatsume asked her to lock up afterwards, and return the key to her office when she was done. Agreeing, the two souls waited for her to be out of earshot before Izuku asked, What are you going to make first?

Eye protection. I can make an integrated HUD that can give vital info.

Anything else?

I want it to be a... surprise... She smiled as she grabbed a piece of brass-titanium alloy, and got to work.

She toiled away on her vigilante gear, long into the night, and not stopping until Izuku told her to, in order to get some rest for the next day. But... Izuku was never told of a... certain symptom she'd developed. A symptom she would refuse to admit, because of her belief it was entirely natural. Their bond of friendship bordered on one sided reverence, and ever since they bonded their souls, it took her promise of helping Izuku, and turning it into a divine vow. It had become an obsession to Katsumi.

Izuku did not know of this, but still took advantage of the near-perfect control to make sure she took care of herself. After all, if she were to work herself to death, it would be both their deaths. And... while he didn't want to use her, she basically allowed it. When her consciousness couldn't handle the strain, he even took over, and took her back to her room. In the morning confusion, she nearly woke up the entire building.

HOW DID I GET BACK!?!

I brought you back. You literally fell asleep in the workshop. I returned the keys.

Oh... thanks...

She'd then forgiven him for that because it was her fault the situation even happened in the first place. As she went through the next day, Izuku noticed that it was as if Katsumi inherited his drive to succeed. Perhaps that was the case. Fortunately, they were able to keep their condition a secret. For now.