What Makes A Hero

18

I'm back! Sorry about the long break, but as promised, I have returned to posting every Monday before January ended. Anyway, great to be back and happy Monday!   -T.A.L.A.

The first step took longer than he had expected because just any location for his new base of operations wouldn't do. It had to be centrally located for most of his activities, it had to have very few cameras in the area surrounding it, and it had to be in a bush place. Those three things all contradicted each other in the worst possible ways and removed most of his options completely from the list, and so after several days worth of searching he'd practically scratched out his entire list of possibilities. There went his hope of having some choice.

Then came his next group of requirements that were even more contradicting than the last, both with each other and the previous specifications, it had to be in an area shady enough that people would know better than to ask questions, but also in a safe enough area that everyday citizens would not be hesitant to come and go. It had to have few cafés and other places where people usually lingered about and it couldn't be in a residential area either.

And there went the rest of his list.

A part of Izuku wondered if all these requirements and lists were just another part of himself trying to slow down the process and continue as they were, but another part knew; this had to be perfect. If he got any bigger than the risks would increase, and he wouldn't cripple himself with a poor location or so that he didn't grow because then he'd be no better than the heroes he was metaphorically shoving along. Still he reprimanded himself for dragging his feet and began his search again, compiling a new list of potential locations.

He couldn't rent the place either, because he needed the liberty of making alterations, and it needed a few "back doors" so people who didn't want to be seen entering could, or so that he could slip in and put unnoticed.

          Another three days passed before he scraped his list yet again and began anew.

         It was foolish, he knew, to redo the work that he had already done twice now even as he got new options from it, because predictably by then after two short days he had thrown the work to the side again in favor of glaring at his paper-covered desk top.

That was about when he'd decided it would be best to take a breather and go for a walk.

          It hadn't been on any of the listings that he had found, and yet there it was. Mentally he checked off the items on his list despite already knowing that it met more of the them than any of his other options did.

         It was a small, rickety building. Rundown through years of disuse and, most importantly with a 'for sale, see inside' sign on the window. Izuku smiled. Perfect.

        The purchasing part was surprisingly easy, the current owner took one good look at him and with a shrug and 'Oh, what the Hell' gathered up the necessary documents before stating his price for the building. A few minutes of negotiation and not even a week later Izuku was the proud owner of his very own run down building.

     The renovating part was, obviously, a bit more difficult, but progress was made. It both helped and became increasingly an annoyance that much of it Deku wanted to keep the same.

     Keeping the front was a must for Izuku, it was just that perfect mix of rundown disaster and unassuming shop front that nobody would look twice, but nobody would also just decide to wonder in to window shop. That many of the buildings on the street that it was located were appointment only, required you to walk from a more distant, shared parking area,  were not the type that attracted window shoppers, or some mix of these made it just that much better.