Chapter Text
A few days later finds Izumi on a simple jog through the back streets of Naruhata, trying to destress. Shortly after Knuckleduster had started training Izumi properly they had fought an Instant Villain with a quirk that hardened his skin into rocks who almost certainly would have killed Izumi had it not been for her Master’s timely intervention. But true to form, Knuckleduster pummeled the guy into the dirt while taking hardly a scratch himself.
Their training had continued in earnest after that, and today was one of the rare days she was able to get away from him. She knew he was pushing her hard for a reason, because she is quirkless and she does need to work harder than anyone else, but he was pushing her hard enough that she could feel a breaking point coming.
So she wasn’t just getting away from him, she was all out avoiding him.
It’s not easy, when the guy seems to be able to sense where she is and show up at the most inopportune times.
But today, with an assist from Pop, she managed to get away from him for a little while. Jogging had always helped clear her head. She’d taken up the practice at her mother’s suggestion after Izumi missed the UA entrance exam, and hasn’t dropped it since.
Ahead of her, Izumi sees another jogger going slightly slower than her, so she speeds up to pass him. As she’s about to, however, she trips on her own feet. Because of course she would.
Large, strong arms grab her and pull her upright. She screams.
“Close one, friend. You really almost bit it. Sorry for the scare, I just didn’t want you to get injured.”
Izumi looks at the man speaking. He’s tall and square, with blue hair so dark it may as well be black. She recognizes him.
Oh my god, that’s Ingenium! Again! The second time in a week!
“You’re Ingenium!! So cool! I’m a big fan!”
“Ah, right now I’m just Tensei Iida. Nice to meet you…?”
“Oh, I’m Izuk-” she pauses for a second.
She’s just meeting Iida for the first time. He doesn’t know who she is, likely has no preconceptions about who she could be, she has free reign to introduce herself to him however she wants.
“Er, Izumi Midoriya.”
Iida looks puzzled for a split second but moves on quickly, “nice to meet you, Midoriya! Say, that hoodie of yours looks familiar… have we met before?”
“Umm… kind of? I was testing out my motorcycle the other day when you were chasing down that villain on the highway?” She gestures nervously to her head, “I had a helmet on, though.”
Hopefully that was convincing enough.
“Ah, that must be it! You should invest in some protective gear if you’re going to be using a bike like that, it’d be awful if you fell like you almost did today!” He laughs at his own joke. What a dork. Izumi can’t help but laugh too.