Dusky afternoon light streamed into the classroom, deep golden beams illuminating Class 1-A and signalling that school was almost over. One student in particular slouched tiredly even whilst he noted down everything the teacher said, his pen scratching against paper erratically.
Midoriya Izuku was glad it was finally ending- the panicked fiasco in the cafeteria earlier today hadn't been kind to his scant energy reserves. How did those reporters make it past the U.A barrier anyway, he wondered. Luckily Iida was there to help facilitate the evacuation smoothly; he shuddered to think what would have happened without the bespectacled boy's guidance. To say that Iida performed admirably at being the Class President was an understatement.
"-and so, we'll continue on chapter 5 tomorrow. Before we go- Iida, Yaoyorozu; the both of you are needed for a meeting later with the other Class Presidents and Vice Presidents in Room 3 - 2. It should take around an hour." Aizawa-sensei grunted, his stony gaze traversing across the room to target Izuku with the slow, deadly precision of a tank's turret. "Midoriya, see me after this. The rest of you, dismissed."
So much for finally going home to get some proper rest. Iida patted him on the back with an expression that said 'Good Luck' while Ochaco shot him an apologetic smile. The rest of the class streamed past Izuku, some giving him pitying looks at the ordeal he was about to face.
With the classroom finally empty, the exhausted boy sighed internally and marched towards his doom.
"You… wanted to see me, Sensei?" he started hesitantly.
"As a matter of fact, yes." Aizawa glared from within his sleeping bag, lips thinned in disapproval. "Do you mind explaining why you've been wearing that tired look all day? And not just in my classes either, I spoke with Midnight and Cementoss during lunch break. If you're not taking your classes seriously—"
"N-no, Sensei! It's not that, there's just a… an issue that came up yesterday so I didn't sleep much." Izuku stammered, bracing himself for the incoming query. Aizawa's gaze hardened, seeming to stare right into his brain with the intent to read his mind.
"..."
A dozen responses ran through Izuku's mind, ranging from variants of 'I miscalculated, Sensei', 'I messed up, Sensei' to 'It won't happen again, Sensei'. Anything to keep his newly discovered Quirk a secret; he wasn't quite ready to let anyone know of Kiri's existence. What ultimately came out of his sleep-addled brain was—
"I'm waiting very patiently for you to speak, sensei."
If Aizawa's glare grew any hotter Izuku would be leaving the classroom with a new tan. The pro hero's hair and scarf started to rise threateningly, an effect reminiscent of the Quirk apprehension test last week.
"Elaborate."
"Um, it's a… family… issue." He was already regretting his answer; despite mixing some truth into his statement, there was a high possibility that the man before him was trained in detecting lies and could see one coming from a mile away.
"Family... Issue." the teacher repeated, tasting each word as if it's some fascinating morsel. "Tell me more about this… issue of yours, Midoriya."
"Y-yes Sensei. I, uh, recently had a… new addition to my family yesterday. It was a little hectic, so I didn't really sleep much. I-it won't happen again." Izuku managed to stammer, doing his best to avoid the pro hero's gaze. If he'd just held his ground he would have witnessed Aizawa's eyes softening just a tiny bit, a look of understanding crossing his features.
"I see. Very well, off you go." Aizawa said after a short silence, chin nodding towards the door casually.
"E-eh? Um… just like that?" Izuku blinked, surprised.
"I've taken care of kids before. I know what they can be like." the disheveled man explained simply. "Congratulations, I guess."
"Ah…" Izuku began, then latched his mouth shut in favor of playing along with the misunderstanding. Aizawa thought that he just got a new younger sibling—he was on the right track, at least.
The classroom door burst open with a deafening bang before either of them could continue, a thin and blonde man barging into the classroom with the excited fervor of a party-goer.
"Hey hey hey!" Present Mic laughed, doing a little flourish to announce his glorious arrival. "Work is over, it's time to PARRRR-TAAAAY! Woooooo! Come on Shota, let's Rock N' Roll! Oh, sup Midoriya."
Izuku just stared while his homeroom teacher blinked wearily, clearly having been subject to situations like this on a regular basis.
"Hizashi, I'm busy now—" Aizawa began, only to be cut off by hand thrust in his direction. The other pro hero was having none of that, a great big grin on his features.
"Not anymore! C'mon, we've got to get ready for the mixer later with Midnight!" He grabbed Aizawa by the sleeping bag, clearly full of energy in contrast to his friend's lethargic demeanor. "Who knows, you might even meet a nice gal there!"
"Why did I agree to this again?"
"Because you're such a good friend!" Present Mic answered without missing a beat. "Don't worry; I'm gonna personally make sure you have a good time, you old sourpuss!"
"I highly doubt that." Aizawa said sarcastically, having completely given up on resisting. "We'll be having an important event tomorrow so make sure you get enough sleep, Midoriya. Dismissed."
"Parrrrtay! WOOOO!" Present Mic's voice jubilant voice echoed down the hallway. "YEEEAAH!"
"Um... Okay. See you then, senseis." Izuku watched the odd scene play out, Present Mic dragging Aizawa down the corridors like an oversized sack. The teachers had their own lives too, he supposed. With a shrug, the boy began making his way to the main gate. Offhandedly, he wondered what Kiri was doing now… hopefully she was okay.
[x]
Uraraka Ochaco rocked back and forth on her heels lazily, occasionally glancing at her smartphone. She was currently standing a little outside the school gates, a bored expression on her girlish features while she waited for a certain plain-looking boy. Taking a quick look around Ochaco noted that she wasn't alone; another girl in a U.A uniform was waiting nearer to the gate patiently.
This other girl was more cute than beautiful though she stood worryingly still, almost like a soldier at attention. Ochaco could have sworn the girl wasn't breathing at all until she exhaled a little, her ample chest rising and falling slightly. She seemed to notice Ochaco looking at her, a stoic face and piercing blue eyes locking onto her for a fleeting moment before turning back to stare at empty air, having decided that her onlooker was irrelevant.
Ochaco had shuddered a little under that frosty gaze, briefly wondering if the strange girl had been glaring at her. Hopefully not, that would be a little awkward. Maybe she was waiting for her boyfriend. Ochaco briefly wondered what kind of guy an Ice Queen like that would like. Wait… waiting? Wasn't she doing something similar?
The brunette shook her head to clear those thoughts out of her mind, a faint tinge of red dusting her cheeks. She was just a friend to Deku, that's all! Still, she did owe him for saving her life back at the entrance exam… and he was kinda cute…
"Hi, Uraraka-san! Whatcha doing~?"
There was a flurry of surprised movement as the girl in question let out a little squeak, turning to face the source. Ashido Mina laughed musically, a cheeky smile on her face. The pink-skinned girl was extremely carefree and friendly, having become fast friends with Ochaco only hours after the two meeting.
"Hi, Ashido-san." Ochaco breathed, having calmed down. "I'm just waiting for someone, that's all. I thought everyone already left?"
"I was catching up with an old friend of mine who also got into U.A." Mina explained, her happy-go-lucky attitude already starting to affect the other girl. As they launched into some small talk more students began to stream out from the school, making their way home.
Once the two girls started chatting amongst themselves, Kiri, who was currently disguised as a U.A student turned her attention to the other individuals in the area. She had recognized Ochaco and Mina though, keeping in mind that the were her brother's classmates.
Among those individuals was a particular pink-haired girl, her hands clutching a large box full of futuristic-looking gadgets and tech. Behind her stood a disgruntled teacher, arms folded in disapproval.
"Awww… Power Loader-sensei, do I have to take all of them home?" the girl complained, pouting. She took out one of her gadgets and started to wave it around in his face excitedly. "Don't you at least think some of these babies are super-cute?"
"That's the rules, Hatsume. No unauthorized tech on school grounds." Power Loader grunted. "I can't believe you managed to smuggle so many of them right under my nose... Look, if you wanna make gadgets in school that's fine by me, but just don't bring the stuff you made at home."
"Ehhhh~ Why not~?"
"You bringing any one of those devices into U.A has the potential to cause a serious security breach that villains might exploit. Sorry kid, I don't make the rules—I just follow them."
"Phooey." Hatsume pouted again, then produced a mercurial orb roughly the size of an apple that floated into the space between them. "What about this cutie then, he's my little Guardian Angel~ Isn't he just adorable? C'mon, pleeeeeeease?"
Power Loader scrutinized the harmless-looking floating orb with a careful gaze and a raised eyebrow, a frown hidden under his huge yellow helmet. It let out a very underwhelming squeak, sounding like a strangled mouse. Hatsume was still looking at him with those pleading eyes, trying to win him over.
"Pretty pleeeease? With a cherry on top~"
"Fine." he grumbled, finally surrendering to her puppy-dog eyes. "But if you want to bring any of your tech into the school it'll have to come under review… which I will be conducting personally in the near future. For now, just bring 'em home."
"Yes!" the girl cheered delightfully, turning to her little companion. "Y'hear that buddy? You'll get to go to school with me!"
The orb let out a small beep of acknowledgement as Hatsume hugged it lovingly against her ample bosom, giggling.
"That's if that thing actually passes the regulation standards." Power Loader grunted, rolling his eyes. "See you tomorrow, Hatsume."
"Thanks, sensei! Bye-bye!" A trio of silver tentacles sprouted from the orb to help carry the box for its master, trailing behind Hatsume while she waved happily.
"Really, that girl…" Power Loader shook his head before marching back into the school. A pair of female students walked past him, saying goodbye to him as they passed.
"So Vlad-sensei was saying the life of a hero is not just honor and glory, right? I mean, that's to be expected in this day and age…" the orange-haired girl said while her brunette companion listened expressionlessly, the only indication she was listening being a curt nod whenever appropriate.
"Yeah so I was thinking what he said was the truth, even if it's brutally honest—" She stopped mid-sentence upon passing the main gate, having spotted something rather interesting. "Hey Yui, look at that girl."
"Nn?" Yui mumbled.
"Don't you think she looks a lot like you?" She nodded towards the stoic-looking girl waiting at the gate. The pair walked up to her, curious. "Um, hey! Excuse me!"
Kiri's attention switched to the pair approaching her, mentally reminding herself that she was not to blow her cover under any circumstances. She even had a little schoolbag that she'd created as part of her disguise. The two girls gazed at her in apprehension, one of them clearly amazed by the resemblance Kiri had to her friend.
"Hi, I'm Itsuka Kendo, and this is Yui Kodai. We're from class 1-B!" the orange-haired girl introduced herself, then gestured to her companion. "Sorry to bother you, but I just couldn't help but notice how you look almost identical to Yui here!"
Kiri made no response except to tilt her head very, very slowly, resembling an Owl examining something interesting. Yui mimicked the action at the same rate, the pair looking like mirror images. Their height, hair color, hairstyle and skin tone were identical, the two girls practically indistinguishable save for their eye color—Kiri's pupils were light blue while Yui's were dark blue. Neither girl made a sound as they righted themselves, both of them staring stoically at each other in silence. Kendo smiled, her head swiveling back and forth to alternate between the two girls… though she started to get rather nervous when the silence stretched on indefinitely.
"Nn?" One of them began.
"Nn." Another answered.
Kendo couldn't tell who said what, glancing between the two. She had to look really close at their eyes now to tell them apart.
"U-umm. Yui, are you sure you two aren't sisters or something? She looks exactly like you!" Kendo began, trying to add some humor to the situation.
"I am not Yuu. I am Kiri." the stoic girl finally stated, breaking the silence.
Yui watched her doppelganger for a moment before stretching out her hand gingerly, attempting a handshake.
"I'm not Yuu either. I'm Yui." the schoolgirl said quietly.
Kiri stared at the outstretched hand blankly before taking it in her own. The two shook hands agonizingly slowly while the redhead observed in the background, subject to one of the most bizarre scenes she'd ever seen in her life.
"Well, uh, that certainly was… interesting." Kendo said, still slightly bewildered. The feeling was soon forgotten when she checked her wristwatch, replaced with a sudden sense of urgency. "Uwaah, we're gonna miss the train home! C'mon Yui, we gotta move!"
Grabbing the Yui by the hand, she looked back at Kiri with an apologetic smile while they rushed off.
"We'll see you around, Kiri-san! It was nice meeting you!" Kendo waved. Yui made a little goodbye wave too as she got dragged away, still expressionless as ever. Kiri responded with a wave of her own, curious. What a coincidence it was, to share such a similar appearance with a stranger. Before she contemplate further a familiar sense of exhaustion came into her range, causing her to snap back into attention.
Ah! Onii-chan's here!
[x]
Izuku's slouched form shuffled sluggishly past the school gates and looking more tired than ever, a hand coming up to his mouth as he yawned wearily. It felt like the day had been stretched to become twice as long. He was about to trudge on home when a girl collided into him, catching him with a tight hug.
"W-wha?! Who—" He focused a little, now recognizing the figure before him. She was slightly shorter than he was, her raven locks of hair brushing his chest. "Kiri? Is that you?"
"Onii-chan." she replied, nuzzling against him while simultaneously affectionate and expressionless. Izuku scanned the surroundings quickly and assumed that no one was around to see them.
Unbeknownst to him, Ochaco and Mina peeked from behind a faraway corner with their jaws open in shock. They had wanted to call out to him only to be interrupted when the frosty-looking girl from earlier had intercepted and engulfed him in her embrace. Now the two of them hid behind the corner to watch the scene play out, their curiosity reaching near-insatiable levels. They were too far away to hear what Izuku or his companion were saying, doing their best to remain unnoticed in order to observe the pair. Who was this girl?!
"Hey, kiddo." Izuku beamed, stroking the top of her head tenderly. It was hard for him to think of her as anything other than a little sister with his innocent personality. "What are you doing here?"
Kiri separated from him slowly, blinking. "I came to fetch you because you're tired."
"Fetch me?" he asked, slightly confused before he broke out into small chuckles. "You wanna accompany me home? Alright, sure."
Without a word she calmly reached up to pull and squeeze his cheeks lightly, both girls observing their apparent closeness with great interest and bewilderment. Izuku didn't seem to mind, letting the girl do as she pleased while he took it all with a drowsy expression.
"Onii-chan, you're tired." Kiri chirped.
There was further confusion she leaned into him, tiptoeing so that she could press her forehead against his. When she pulled away Izuku felt refreshed, the exhaustion that had been plaguing him for the entire day drained away in seconds. However, he was a little worried when she stumbled back a little unsteadily and caught her in his arms.
"Hey, hey." Izuku righted her, worried for her well-being. "Did you just… transfer my exhaustion to yourself?"
A little nod confirmed his suspicions, though she looked perfectly fine now. Temporary disorientation from the transfer, he supposed.
"Don't do that anymore, okay?" he chided gently while tussling her hair. "I don't want you to get sick just because of me."
The girl bowed her head low, before nodding in understanding. "Okay."
Meanwhile, Ochaco and Mina watched the scene from their hiding spot in stunned disbelief, both girls letting out scandalized gasps- from their angle it'd looked like the girl had tiptoed to kiss him, with him following up smoothly by hugging her tight. The pair couldn't believe what they were seeing… it seemed that Class 1-A's little Cinnamon Roll wasn't as innocent as they had originally thought. The girl bowed her head meekly, Izuku's hand coming up to tussle her straight raven hair delicately again after letting go of her. The frozen Ice Queen that Ochaco saw earlier seemed to have melted into a shy, submissive girl.
From this distance they could see a kind, loving smile bloom across Izuku's face, seemingly praising her. Both of them felt a slight warmth building up on their cheeks at the unusual yet captivating display. Neither of them had seen him smile that way before…
"Alright, let's go home. I'm sure Mom has cooked something nice for you today." Izuku smiled, before stopping when he felt a small tug on his sleeve. Kiri was looking at him expectantly, still tugging insistently.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Her fingers brushed against his nervously, almost like she was seeking his approval before doing anything. The girl glanced at him, then at his hand. Despite her attractive teenage form, he couldn't help but see her as the child that had called out to him last night, a creation of his Quirk that he now purely loved like a sibling or a daughter. Just as her intentions were utterly pure and innocent, so were his.
"You want to hold hands?" Izuku asked, smiling a little when she nodded shyly. Wordlessly he took her hand in his, feeling her squeeze his palm reassuringly. "Whatever makes you happy."
Ochaco and Mina watched with their eyes wider than dinner plates before realizing with more than a little horror that the pair was headed this way. Scrambling to find cover, the two managed to hide just in time behind a wall of bushes, watching through the gaps. Little did they know Kiri could sense their presence, though she was confused as to why and what they were so shocked about.
Both girls watched until the pair disappeared around the corner, hand in hand. A few moments later they burst out from their hiding spot, letting out breaths they didn't even know they were holding.
"Eh?! W-what was that? WHO was that?" Ochaco heard someone exclaim, only to realize that it was her own voice.
"I can't believe it, Midoriya-kun… the shyest guy in our class…" Mina began, looking thoroughly befuddled. "He's usually so flustered around girls but just now—he was clearly the one in charge! I can't believe how smooth he was, did you see that perfect follow-up? That innocent, naive persona was nothing but a smokescreen… he played us like a damn fiddle! Bravo, Midoriya!"
"T-that's not the point! That girl that was with Deku-kun, she was completely different around him compared to when she was alone! She was all cold and intimidating before he showed up."
"So, he has melted an Ice Queen's heart… man, this is just like one of my shoujo manga." Mina whispered melodramatically. "I've underestimated you, Midoriya-kun. Wait till the girls hear about this—"
"No!" Ochaco exclaimed, prompting Mina to blink in surprise. "I-I mean, let's not spread rumors about Deku-kun's personal life. It wouldn't be very nice."
"Hmmm. I suppose it wouldn't, would it?" Mina shrugged. "Oh well. Say, Uraraka-san, wanna grab some dinner? I think I need to calm down a little. In fact, I still wanna talk about this!"
Ochaco sighed and looked wistfully into the distance before a new, confident gleam of determination flashed across her eyes.
"Call me Ochaco, Ashido-san."
"Only if you call me Mina!"
[x]
After a short walk Izuku and Kiri reached the Midoriya residence, the girl keeping an attentive eye on her brother—he was already starting to get tired again, his exhaustion beginning to return. Within the blink of an eye she was a child once more when they entered the house, her bare feet pitter-pattering against the wooden floor.
"Hey mom. We're home."
"Ah, Welcome Home! Dinner's almost ready!" Izuku's mom peeked out from the kitchen, a benevolent smile forming on her cheeks. "Hello, Kiri-chan."
The little girl trotted into the kitchen and peeked at the pot of soup Inko was currently tending to on the stove, sniffing to take in its aroma.
"Hmm? Here, try some." Inko smiled and lowered her ladle for Kiri to have some warm soup. A few moments later she tugged at the older woman's apron to ask for more wordlessly, to which Inko chuckled and lowered the ladle for her again. "Heh. I used to do that around my Mom, too."
Izuku nodded tiredly and sat down at the dinner table, contemplating the events that took place today. Kiri took her place alongside him, eying each dish patiently as they made their way to the table one by one. Izuku smiled, watching her carefully inspect the plate that his mother handed over with some side dishes and vegetables.
"Go on, it's for you." Inko encouraged the little girl who was looking between her plate and the older woman like she was asking for permission. "Eat lots of vegetables so you can grow up strong and healthy."
"She doesn't really need to eat, Mom." Izuku explained. "She just likes to sometimes."
"Hey, who knows. It doesn't hurt our budget much anyways so don't worry about it." she chuffed, plopping down on the opposite side of the table. "So, anything interesting happen today?"
"Nothing much, class as usual." The boy said casually while inhaling some rice and fish. "Kiri-chan came to pick me up 'cause she was worried for me."
"Did she now?" Inko's face lit up like a light bulb, a brilliant, radiant smile spreading across her face. "You did good, sweetie."
Kiri looked up from her food and stopped chewing, nodding slowly. Inko giggled at her small reaction, a hand to her mouth. Through their mental connection, Izuku felt a small surge of pride from the girl when she was praised.
"She's so stoic! It's cute, in a way."
The little girl mumbled something, inaudible.
"Hm?"
"Thank you." Kiri said quietly, gulping down her food.
"No need to thank me for the food, sweetie. I mean, it's my duty as a housewife-"
"Not for the food. For—" A pause, followed by a slight tilt of her head as the girl considered what she was about to say next. "For… accepting me."
"Of course I'll accept you!" Inko smiled warmly from across the table. "After all, we're family."
There was a surging wave of emotion from the mental link, almost like a dam breaking and water rushing through. Izuku didn't feel it himself, though he knew what it was. Kiri stared at Inko for a while, then slid out of her chair to carefully walk around the rectangular table. She closed her eyes and bounded over the last few feet in a rush to bury her face into Inko's shirt, hugging her tightly.
Though Inko was surprised by the sudden contact at first but gradually relaxed, a motherly look overcoming her expression as she ruffled the girl's hair lovingly. Kiri rubbed her face into Inko's shirt, soft murmuring emitted from within the fabric. It was only when Izuku leaned in closer that he could hear what she was saying.
Thank you," She was whispering, her tiny frame shivering with gratitude. "For letting me have a family."
At that point, Izuku didn't see a construct, nor a mental projection that his mind created. All he saw was a lonely kid who longed for a place to truly belong, for a real Family. And now she had finally found it here. His little sister. So what if she wasn't actually human? Without a word, he too got up and slowly trudged over, the three of them huddled together in a warm family hug.
A little later and after everyone helped to wash the dishes they were already getting ready to sleep, Inko finally allowing her son back into his own bed after finding out that Kiri could return to rest in his mind.
"So… you can sleep in either my mind or the real world? Things just keep getting weirder and weirder. What's it like in there?" Izuku asked from his bed, watching the young girl float around his bedroom.
"It's big." Kiri said simply, causing Izuku to raise an eyebrow. "And empty. I like it in there."
"Empty, huh." Izuku chuckled, his eyes tracking her movement though the air. "You can stay here if you want to. We're family, after all."
Kiri eyed him curiously, pushing off a wall with her feet to position herself right above him. Hovering above him, the girl gradually began to sink until she landed onto the mattress beside him. She edged her way under his blanket wordlessly, huddling under them for warmth.
"Family… I've always wanted something like that."
"Well, you have one now." Izuku said softly, shifting so that she would have more of the blankets for herself.
"Onii-chan…" Kiri looked down at her little hands, then back up at her brother. "Promise me that you won't leave me?"
"Hmm?" The teenager puzzled as to why she would say something like that. "Why would I ever leave you?"
"Because everyone always does." she said softly, not daring to look him in the eyes. Izuku got the feeling that she'd been bottling up some heavy issues... Perhaps now would be a good time for her to get them off her chest.
"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, if you want to..."
The little girl was silent for almost a minute, before she finally made up her mind to speak.
"Back then, there were people who took care of me too. I was happy just being with them… but they're gone now. I'll probably never see them again."
"Who were they?" Izuku asked, curious.
"The first was Shaku. I still can't pronounce his name right. He looks like a bad guy and smells even worse. At first he was really mean and always got mad at me… but after awhile he started to take care of me, too. Taught me how to read and speak. How to fight. He always fed me when I wanted food, even though he was poor." Kiri reminisced, a nostalgic tone in her voice. "One day he had to go back home. His real home, to find answers."
Izuku simply nodded to show that he was listening, not wanting to interrupt her story.
"The second was Bubi. His real name was really long so I just called him that instead. He was really nice to me too, and taught me how to write. Lets me watch his TV but scolds me if I sit too close." An unknown emotion flashed within her eyes. "I used to visit once a month… but then he got ill one day. Really, really ill- he nearly died. He was so afraid… afraid that his illness would spread to me just by being near him. Afraid that he would hurt me. So he forbade me from ever coming back to see him for my own good."
The little girl's lip trembled a little, her eyes blinking rapidly.
"I miss them so much." Kiri gazed up at her brother, traces of sorrow within those doe-like eyes. She tugged at her grey hoodie, sniffing. "This is all I have left to remind me of them."
"Oh, come here." Izuku sighed, wrapping her up in a tight, loving embrace.
"Everyone that takes care of me always ends up leaving. I don't want you to leave too." Her frail body shivered in his arms. "I don't want to be alone."
"You're not alone. Never alone." Izuku hugged her a little tighter, causing her to emit a small squeak. "Here, hold out your pinkie."
Kiri did as she was told, blinking curiously when he intertwined his own pinkie finger with hers.
"Onii-chan?"
"This is a pinkie promise. I promise that I won't ever leave you, okay?" Izuku smiled, his words full of honesty. "So you don't have to be scared, Imouto."
The little girl looked at their joined fingers, then back up at him. There was no mistaking it; a tiny, nearly imperceptible smile had formed on her lips, warm and full of adoration.
"Izuku-nii-chan!" She barreled into him hard and knocked the air from his lungs, rubbing her face against his chest. The boy simply went with the flow, patting her on the back to try and calm her down.
"I love you, onii-chan…" Kiri said innocently, her words muffled by his pajama shirt.
"I love you too, kiddo." Izuku said, before letting out a yawn. "Come on, it's time to go to bed. Get some sleep, alright?"
[x]
Deep within Izuku's mind, two phantoms were watching the sky with small smiles. The wind swirled and churned against the towering greatwood, its massive bulk providing them shade from the Sun's brilliant radiance.
"Well, isn't that sweet." Nana observed, her smile tinged with a little… regret?
"Sensei, are you alright?" All Might asked, puzzled.
"I'm fine, I just… she just reminded me of someone, that's all." Nana said quickly, hiding her previous emotions with a quick smile. "Kids, am I right? Adorable little creatures."
"She hides her true behavior in that adult form… she certainly behaves like an actual kid when she's looks like a child."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"The usual; stuff like attraction to shiny objects, attempting to eat anything that looks even remotely tasty." All Might listed. "She tried to eat my Soul."
"Meh, probably nothing will happen even if she does so don't worry about it. Moving on, why has the real you been doing such as crappy-ass job of teaching the boy how to use One For All?"
"E-eh?!" the hero sputtered, surprised by the sudden change in topic.
"Don't 'eh' me, Toshinori. The kid's still breaking his limbs every time he uses it! What's up with that?"
"Err, um, To be honest Sensei, I don't know. How to use One For All came to me naturally—"
"Well that's because you already had an excellent physique back then, not to mention you're a natural genius." Nana huffed indignantly. "Young Midoriya's different from you in terms of both physique and talent so he has to work his way up… I can't give any advice either seeing as the level of power between you and me is different; I didn't have my bones getting blown up every time I used 100% back then."
"We could always ask one of our guys—" All Might gestured to Nana's halo. "—if they've got any techniques they could share. Then we can just get Kiri to relay the information to Young Midoriya."
Just as they mentioned the girl her signature doorway of light appeared, Kiri stepping through and looking positively overjoyed.
"Hey, Kiri-chan." Nana greeted. "You're just in time, I'm about to summon one of the old wielders."
"Nn? Okies."
"Wha—you are?"
"Yeah. It's not like you're busy, right?"
"I just wish you'd tell me earlier so I could prepare myself a bit." the blonde grumbled. "Don't they need a little time to prepare, too?"
"Hah, speak for yourself!" Nana laughed. "Those guys are just lazing around all day when they're not hibernating; either eating, drinking, or playing cards. In fact, I think that's exactly what some of them are doing now."
"What." All Might said dubiously.
"Yeah, wanna listen? Come here, you two." Nana held out her glowing palm, Kiri and All Might grabbing on to see what would happen.
"Four of a kind! Read 'em and weep, suckers!" A loud voice proclaimed triumphantly from nowhere, victorious. Though neither of them could see what was happening within that halo on Nana's head, they could certainly hear it.
"It is you who will be doing the weeping! Take this: Straight Flush!" Misha's voice roared, causing the previous voice to gasp in horror at the sudden turnaround.
"N-nani?! Impossible!" There was the sound of cards shuffling and poker chips being swept across the table, followed by some grumbling and Misha's bellowing laughter.
"Oi, Chen. You in there?" Nana asked, interrupting their card game. "You're up. Come on out."
"Fine." A new, bored female voice replied, accompanied with the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. "I was losing anyways. Swap with me, Nana- maybe you'll do better."
"Wha- you're gonna let the Commies introduce themselves first?!" The first voice protested indignantly, annoyance clear in his tone.
"You know how this works, dude. We go in order of—" Whatever the retired hero was about to say next was interrupted by an argument breaking out.
"Cyka. I say once, and I say again. I'm not a Communist—"
"Better dead than red, you damn Ruskie-"
"Is only game, comrade. Why you have to be mad?"
"Mad?! Oh I'll show you mad, Sputnik!"
"I should go break that up." Nana groaned, pulling away from the two and glowing with ethereal light. When that radiance subsided a new individual stood in her place, five souls burning bright in the halo above their head.
Wielder Number Five eyed the pair before her with a bored expression, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two almost lazily. She was svelte and slightly shorter than Nana was, dressed in one of the strangest outfits All Might had ever seen.
A tactical plate carrier equipped with a multitude of pouches was oddly coupled with a lengthy dark blue Qipao; the Chinese Dress hugging her body to emphasize her well-defined hips and long, smooth legs- each boasting a thigh rig that held empty holsters, ending in black stiletto heels. A tiny, miniature oriental crown was perched atop her swept-back pastel orange hair ending in a ponytail, looking more like a large hair ornament instead of actual headgear.
The juxtaposition of aggressive military gear and silky oriental dress was extremely eye-catching... but the thing that troubled him the most was her relatively youthful appearance; she looked like she was in her late twenties, her vulpine beauty frozen in time forever. All Might briefly wondered if she died at such a young age before pushing the thought away.
"Finally, we meet." she hummed, her eyes flicking up and down his muscular form briefly. "Greetings, Yankee man."
"Actually, I'm Japanese—" All Might began, only for her to completely ignore him in favor of scrutinizing Kiri with a cautious eye. The girl stared right back with slight interest.
"And this must be the Construct. Fascinating." The woman straightened, then cleared her throat. "I am Chen Jia Yan, but everyone just calls me Chen. We're in Japan, huh… I think some of my descendants live here now. But I digress. Let me make this clear; I am no hero."
"You're not?" All Might asked, confused.
"No. To put it simply, I got paid for my many talents."
"You're a Mercenary." the hero said with immediate understanding, eyes narrowed.
"I prefer the term 'Bounty Hunter'." Chen stated, brushing off his glare easily. "It pays well... and I had bills to pay, mouths to feed."
"How did you get One For All?" he questioned suspiciously. It was hard to think of a situation where someone like her could acquire the power only passed on to those who were deemed worthy... Individuals of her profession weren't exactly known for their heroism. People like her were abundant during the chaotic dark age of meta-humanity.
"You should ask the one who forced it upon me in the first place. I never wanted this."
All Might blinked, barely even comprehending what he'd just heard. A forcible transfer? He hadn't even thought of it. What kind of circumstances would result in something like that happening?
"You think it's fun for me to be stuck in here instead of my rightful place among my ancestors?" There was a slight undertone of irritation in the woman's voice when she turned to face him, frowning. "To you guys this might be Heaven but for the first few years… it was my Hell."
"Look, I didn't mean any offense."
"I'm sure you didn't." she said flatly. "Well, at least I get to see something new in the Construct."
"Why do you keep calling her that? She has a name, you know. Kiri." All Might said.
"Strange little thing, isn't she?" Chen studied the little girl with a look of scientific interest. "Pretending to be Human.Curious, yes. Then again, I never did trust things like her… too unpredictable. She's a type of being in the same vein as Projections and Quirk-created Minions, but with true sentience. How unusual."
"Nn." To her credit, Kiri didn't look very offended or upset at the supposed insult. Perhaps it wasn't an insult and more like a cruelly logical observation. All Might however, started to feel a slow burning anger rising up deep within his chest. Who did this woman think she was?
"Don't talk about her like that." All Might grunted, teeth clenched.
"All I speak of is the truth." Chen shrugged, her statement full of cold, precise logic. "She's a Golem. An Idea come to life and given form, purpose—because someone so wanted to believe in her."
"She's more than just an Idea—" All Might argued. "She has a will of her own, a Soul—"
"A Soul? We're not so different, you know. She and us. What, you think you're still human? Call us whatever you want; Souls, Stars, Embers, but we aren't people anymore. We're memories of those who came before; the originals are long gone. We've been reduced to a mere concept. This place is no paradise… more like a graveyard."
"What's your point?" he growled, trying to reign in his anger.
"I'm not trying to make a point, merely an observation." the woman stated passively. "Just as lessons can be learnt from history, the boy can learn from us. Our memories—no, we will show him the way, prevent him from making the mistakes that we made. The Construct will be our Messenger."
"Real high and mighty, aren't you."
"Hardly. I have my fair share of sins that I won't sugarcoat." Chen extended an open palm that began to glow with her signature orange light, nodding to both All Might and Kiri. "Let me show you."
"What are you doing?" All Might asked, looking at her glowing palm uncertainly.
"Sharing my memories with you two. Let's make this quick."
"Why didn't Misha do this? It would have saved a lot of time…" The hero and the little construct joined hands and placed them into the glow, awaiting the incoming rush of memories.
"Perhaps he thought some things were better left unseen." Chen said, her signature orange light intensifying by the second. "I will not be as kind."
There was an electrifying jolt and the World around them spun on its axis, blurring into a disorienting mix of swirling colors and sound. All Might and Kiri found themselves staring through Chen's eyes as their incorporeal forms floated between her memories, phantom observers looking through a window to the past.
"He's cute isn't he Ma? I just wish you didn't have to leave so soon…" someone off-screen said softly. The voice was in Chinese, but somehow both All Might and Kiri could understand, the meaning behind the worlds relayed straight into their heads. A little boy came into view, his tiny fingers clinging onto hers.
"I have to. We need the money—" the woman's voice echoed, faraway and ghostly.
"This is… your son?"
"One of my Grandchildren, actually. The youngest." The bounty hunter's form hovered alongside All Might and Kiri, arms folded.
"You… how old are you, really?"
"I died when I was seventy-six." she replied, taking note of how All Might's eyebrows shot up into his hairline with disbelief. "My appearance is a side-effect of my Quirk: Insomnia. The longer I stay awake, the stronger and tougher I get. I used it too much when I was younger you see; my flesh toughened up to a point where the effects became permanent… I couldn't feel anything after that. Eventually I stopped aging, too."
The scene shifted once more to show a gathering of people who were undoubtedly Bounty Hunters, lined up and listening to a dark shadow of a man.
"There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds him. You are free to use any methods necessary—but I want his body intact." he was saying, his voice distorted and menacing when he rounded on Chen, a finger specifically pointing at her in warning. "No disintegrations."
"As you wish." Chen's past self nodded.
The world blurred into a dark alley, thunder and lighting crackling in the grey skies above. A lanky, terrified man was cornered, his eyes full of fear. He had a third, closed eye on his forehead, the eyelid spasming and shuddering… almost like he was trying to keep it closed.
"P-please don't… I-I didn't!"
"Fugitive Metahuman Abnormality ID number N034. Temporary designation: 'Ravager'. You are under arrest." Her heels clicked against the wet concrete ominously. "The charges are as follows: Aggravated Assault, Destruction of private property, Grand Theft, Arson, and Murder. I have a warrant for your capture or termination."
"I didn't mean to h-hurt anybody."
"No one ever does." She raised her rifle, the muzzle crackling with electricity. The smell of ozone filled the air. The man didn't look like a "Ravager" at all, letting out a frightened sob. "Come quietly or there will be trouble."
"No! I don't- I don't want to- STOP! Don't—YOU'LL LET HIM OUT!"
Chen moved in—the man's third eye snapped open. Memories shifted into a diluted mess, colors and shapes mixing like oil on water. When the perspective finally righted itself they were faced with a caricature of violence. The street was shattered into pieces, numerous bodies surrounding a deep crater. Civilians.
All Might covered the little girl's eyes, though she pried his hands away to see what was happening. She'd seen much worse, having experienced death and destruction first hand primarily due to her efforts in rescuing people from disasters.
The fugitive from before was gone, replaced with a gibbering thing. From man to monster, nothing to nightmare. A goliath of flesh; freakishly huge muscles bulging until they stretched the grey skin translucent to show salmon-pink tendons and sinew underneath. The worst part was its face… if one could still call it that. A maw of dagger-like teeth, dripping with saliva. Tight skin lashed against pearly-white bone, much too little to cover all that flesh and—was that… chitin?
The forehead and crown of the beast's head was missing, its pulsing brain exposed for all to see. It had three eyes, two 'normal' ones that drifted lazily and independent of the other, each looking in every direction possible like a chameleon. A third, larger eye darted around sporadically at the center of its head reminiscent of a pinball, its odd placement within the creature's brain almost comical.
All three eyes froze, rolling in sync to zero in at one specific point. Pinkish bloodshot sclera and poisonous green pupils stared across the boundaries of time and space and right into All Might's soul, the hero feeling his fists clenching in response to the threat even though this was a mere memory, a record of the past.
Something was wrong with Chen's vision, her right side an inky pool of darkness. She was still fighting, the thud-thud-thud of her heavy rifle drowning out the screams of nearby civilians. Her opponent leapt from building to building like a crazed, oversized monkey, moving in ways humans weren't meant to move, darting and twitching with uncanny speed. Small explosions bracketed the beast, causing it to let out an inhuman bloodcurdling scream; she's switched to HE rounds.