Quirks and magic

Chapter 5: The Science of Magic

Izuku fidgeted with his clothes as his mother helped him slip into his training uniform. He was oddly silent, staring into the mirror intently, taking in the tunic he had been granted by Strange—his new sensei. His tunic was completely white—marking him as the rank of novice, as Strange put it—and flowing briskly whenever he fidgeted. It felt and moved comfortably, and it breathed. All in all, the tunic felt pleasant to wear.

"You look dashing!" Inko cried, interrupting Izuku's musings with the sudden 'flash' and 'click' of a camera. "Your first day of training, I'll need as many pictures as I can take for this! Oh, just imagine the scrapbook years from now!"

"Mom, please!" Izuku's face flushed red and he promptly turned away, hiding his face in his trembling hands. "I-I'm ready, so we should call sensei here while it's still early!"

And early it still was. The sun had just barely peaked over the horizon, and with all the buildings surrounding their apartment, the sky still glowed in vibrant and iridescent hues of red and yellow as the sun itself was not yet visible.

Izuku thought back to his sensei's explanation of what their first training sessions would entail. They were to be longer than the lessons Izuku would come to expect while school was in effect.

Izuku still had two more days before he returned to school to resume classes on a normal schedule again, but Strange had planned to use those two days to the best of his ability, covering as much of the basics for his new student while laying out the foundation of what would become his training regimen.

"Of course, none of this training shall take precedence over your regular school work," Izuku recalled Strange saying. "You'll need to remain diligent as a student at school as well, Izuku."

Inko certainly snapped to attention at that, assuring the doctor that she would not allow her son to falter when it came to grades, eliciting a small smile from Strange.

"I know, I know!" Inko pulled her son's attention back to the present for the second time that morning. "It's just...training! Magic! This is all so new for you! And also me! I can't even imagine—!"

Izuku cupped his mother's cheeks. "Mom! I'm...excited, too! I'm more excited than I've been about any other day in my life! Now let's call Strange before I literally choke on this excitement!"

Inko nodded and fetched her purse, rummaging through it to retrieve the calling card Strange had gifted her. She ran her fingers clockwise along the edge of the symbol as instructed.

"And a good morning to the both of you," Strange's voice echoed through the living room. A bright swirling flame sparked into existence, opening up the fiery portal with which Strange walked through, decked in his usual attire.

"S-sensei, I'm ready to begin!" Izuku said, offering as formal of a bow as he could muster.

Cordial to a fault, Strange thought as he turned his attention to Izuku. "The flowing white robes of the novice," Strange remarked on the attire he had gifted the boy. "Hopefully by the end of next summer you will have instead the crimson robes of the apprentice."

"I will have your son returned home with his expectations of training and assignments before sundown," Strange spoke to Inko before motioning for Izuku to follow him back through the portal and into the Sanctum.

Izuku stepped toward the portal, his mother tearfully waving him off from behind and his new sensei watching him expectantly from the other side. He paused momentarily. He balled his trembling hands into fists.

This is it! Izuku thought, determination flooding his mind and spirit. Stepping through this portal will be like my first step toward becoming a hero!