Arthur Pendragon was a name many have heard of. He was the epitome of many themes: Chivalry, Loyalty, Strength, Bravery, Nobility. The list went on. But to the child who listened as his mother retold this tale for the hundredth time. He was a Hero, A pillar, A light.
Max leaned forward, his eyes wide and shining. "Mother, will I be able to be like him one day? Arthur?" He asked.
Shizuka paused, then smiled down at her son. "Of course you can, Maxy. You can be whatever you choose to be, I'll be proud no matter what." She ruffled his hair affectionately.
Max smiled. He made that promise in his little heart, he would be like Arthur one day. A Knightly Hero.
Shizuka gently closed the book, "Okay Max, it's time for bed. Tomorrow is a special day."
He puffed his chest and declared. "I shall be gifted by the heavens a power to fight evil!".
She chuckled and rubbed his hair, "Yes Max, you'll get your quirk tomorrow, but tomorrow is also your birthday. So you've got to sleep early okay." She said,
"Oh, that must have missed me. Hehe" Max admitted with a sheepish chuckle.
"It's okay Max." She kissed his forehead, "Goodnight Max."
"Goodnight Mother." He yawned.
Shizuka paused as she reached the door, her eyes glanced back at his sleeping figure. Her gaze watched his features with a faint nervousness.
She sighed to rid the thought. She wouldn't allow the feeling to cloud her for her son. No, she had to be strong.
Gently closing the door behind her, she said "No signs yet." Turning to the figure behind her.
Julius nodded, his black eyes carrying a hint of calculated worry. "It wouldn't show now, as it hasn't shown this past year."
He adjusted his glasses, a habit of his when nervous. "But we have to be careful of it. We won't know what version his quirk will be. Whether he would inherit both of ours to get a stronger version is unknown to me, and worst of all..." His voice dropped lower in apprehension "...if they could track it."
Shizuka nodded, understanding the worry. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll be fine. We've done all the measures necessary. That's why we've been safe for so long."
Julius allowed himself to relax slightly, "Yes. We'll just have to be more careful going forward." He held her hand.
Shizuka nodded as the two stayed in comfortable silence. Tomorrow would be an eventful day, not just for their son but for them as well.
***
Sakura local hospital was a fairly small hospital. Its location was in a fairly populated area of Shizuoka province. Not too far from people's houses, so it was quite convenient for parents to visit here for either checkups, but of course mainly to check for their children's quirks.
Max bounced excitedly, his cape and crown flowing with him—a gift courtesy of his parents for his birthday. Today he would be gifted powers from the heavens(getting his quirk.) so you could imagine his joy.
Julius and Shizuka smiled at their son's excitement. Though calling it excitement would be an understatement.
The family found their way to the waiting room for the quirk specialist. Few families were present so the wait wouldn't be too long.
'Hmm?' Shizuka noticed an area just a few meters opposite the waiting hall. It looked like a small playground. She glanced down at Max, who of course found it very difficult to sit still.
"Max, why don't you go over there to play. We'll come look for you when it's our–." She said,
He left before she could finish, yelled a quick thank you then disappeared from sight.
Shizuka sighed, the tension finally leaving her shoulders as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder.
Julius stiffened, surprised by the sudden contact. A faint blush crept to his cheeks. He stammered out, "S...shizuka, we're in public."
Throwing a playful glance at her husband, she chuckled softly. "For someone who's always so serious, it's hilarious how you blush at such the smallest contacts." She teased. Stretching slightly as she leaned on him even more. "Besides, you know I don't care about all that. Let them look, you're mine anyway."
Julius stared at his wife, a wry smile on his face. He adjusted his glasses, a small smile on his face, allowing himself to relax as well.
***
Max quickly found his way to the playground. His cape bellowing slightly, his sword in tow. His gaze swept through the area. Other children played around, some already using their quirks.
Max's eyes sparkled with wonder seeing this. But then, his eyes fell on a far corner of the playground, almost towards the end away from the majority of the eyes, almost as if done so on purpose.
Three children. One was currently on the ground...crying. Max observed. He glanced at the other two, older boys, mocking expressions on their faces.
Max clenched his fists at this. He bolted forward. "Hey, cease this instant!" He shouted, gaining their attention.
The boys glanced back, confused expressions on their faces. Seeing Max marching angrily towards them, they fully turned towards him.
One of them stepped forward, "Huh. Whaddya say."
The other mocked, "He speaks weird."
Max's brow furrowed. "Why dost thou trouble this girl?
The first boy scoffed; he gestured a thumb back at the girl on the ground, "She's a freak. Her ears are super weird."
Max glared at the boy, "That is unkind! Thou must not name others so"
The boys laughed, mockery dripping from his words. "She's a freak, and I'll do whatever I want to."
Max narrowed his eyes. "I won't allow that." He declared.
The first boy chuckled in mockery, "Huh, and whatcha gonna do about it?"
Max glared at the boy, feeling anger rising within him from such injustice. He glanced at the two of them, then the girl now on the ground, who was looking towards them. Unknown to him, his eyes sparked with a slight golden hue.
"Leave her alone now." Max said again, pointing his toy sword at them.
"Or what, you'll hit us with your toy. Huh?"
"Yeah, what will you do?"
Max couldn't take it. He dashed towards the first boy. Winding his arm back, he punched forward, hitting the boy in the cheek.
The bully staggered back two steps, not expecting the sudden blow. His eyes flared in anger, "You're dead." He punched forward.
Max's eyes widened, the fist inches away from his. But then suddenly, a golden glow covered the approaching arm. Almost like intuition, Max knew where the boy would hit.
He leaned his head to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. The bully, not expecting him to dodge, found himself falling forward.
Max suddenly leaned back, dodging the fist from the second boy, who stumbled forward, crashing into the first.
Max panted slightly, feeling himself suddenly very exhausted, but he steadied himself as he stood protectively in front of the girl, pointing his toy sword at them, threateningly. "Ye have been...bested. Stand down." He decided to declare a sentence from his favorite book.
The two boys glared at him. Slowly getting up, they prepared to continue, but a glance around them halted the thought.
"Tch, whatever. Freaks should be together anyway." The first boy scoffed as he walked away.
The other boy sent one last glare before scampering to join the boy.
Max sighed, lowering his sword. If they had decided to continue their assault, he didn't know what he would do. He felt himself fall to a knee, now noticing the exhaustion he was currently feeling.
"H...Hey," the girl from behind rushed to his aid, "A...are you okay?" She asked in concern.
Max smiled at her, letting himself sit on the floor. "Yea, those evil does have been fully bested now."
The girl titled her head in confusion. Not fully understanding what the boy just said.
"Well, u...uhm thank you." She bowed.
Max smiled, feeling a faint blush on his face at the gratitude. "N...no need to thank me Fair lady. It is my job as a knight."
The girl stared at Max curiously, "You're a knight?"
Max nodded his head rapidly. "Ye indeed."
"Is that why you speak so...weird." she clasped her mouth, realizing she had just insulted her savior. She quickly apologized, "Oh, s...sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
Max shook his head, not bothered by it. "it is alright. I am not offended. My tongue is of the old tongue, it is only right a knight such as I adopt it." He explained, nodding his head.
The girl oohed in understanding, "Oh, okay."
Max glanced curiously at her, "Why were such scoundrels talking bad to you."
The girl felt herself slump, she gazed down depressingly, hesitantly. "There...there said, my quirk was weird."
Max tilted his head, finally getting a look at her. She looked just like any normal girl. Short purple hair, with shades of black in it. But he quickly noted her elongated eyelobes.
He gently grabbed them."I don't see how your gift is weird. Those scoundrels are just stupid."
The girl blushed at the sudden action, though she made no move to stop him. 'His hands are warm,' she commented
Max, not realizing what he was currently doing continued to observe her ears. "Fair lady, your gift is quite unique, and unique is cool. So your gift is...cool." Max nodded.
The girl stared at the boy. No one so far had complimented her quirk, the other kids just called it weird. But this boy seemingly didn't care. She felt her eyes watering.
Mylo, seeing this, quickly waved his hands in panic as he saw her crying. "F...Fair lady, please stop crying. I'm sorry if I said anything wrong,"
Jiro giggled as she wiped the last traces of tears from her eyes. "N...no, you didn't do anything." She smiled. "Jiro."
Max glanced at her.
"I'm Jiro. Kyoka Jiro."
Max grinned, pointing a thumb at himself. "I'm Maxwell Pendragon, the Knightly Hero." He declared.
Jiro smiled at Max, giggling at his declaration. She felt herself relaxing slightly in his presence. Like a warm light had just entered the room.
A friendship was now forged between the two.
***
The two talked for who knows how long. After roughly 30 minutes later, their parents arrived in the room.
Max, seeing his parents, ran forward, an excited look on his face. "Mother, Father, the heavens have gifted me with its blessings."
Julius and Shizuka halted, processing their son's words. Then a smile broke onto their faces.
"Maxey, ohhh, I'm so happy." Star said, as she crouched down to hug him lovingly.
A smile spread across Julius' face, ruffling his son's hair. "That's great, well, let's get going to confirm what it is." He said, pride in his voice for his son. His eyes flashed, a brief, familiar golden spark that confirmed his suspicion: the quirk had finally awoken.
The small key chain on his son's neck had a small, tiny crack in it. 'Powerful,' he thought, but the chain was working but he decided to replace it after this.
Max glanced back at Jiro who was now walking towards them with her parents.
Shizuka glanced up at the parents approaching, her eyes narrowed slightly, but relaxed as she glanced down at the child. She glanced down curiously at her son, "Hmm, Maxey, do you know them?"
Max nodded, "Ye, she is thy friend in arms."
Shizuka nodded, internally happy that Max made a new friend.
Kyotoku stepped forward, "Hello, I just wanted to thank your son for saving my daughter."
Shizuka and Julius glanced at Max curiously. What happened in the room? The question echoes through their heads.
"It was my duty as a knight sir, I have no need for thanks." Max said.
Kyotoku blinked. His daughter wasn't wrong when she said her friend had an... interesting way of speaking.
Julius looked up at the time, "Sorry, we'll have to go to see the doctor now. But after, what if you guys come over, today is my son's birthday, the more the merrier after all." He had already checked for any Ill intentions from them, seeing none, he decided to invite them. Besides, it would be good for Max to have his friend over.
Kyotoku smiled, shaking his hand. "Well why not then."
With that the Jiro family left, with Jiro waving a bye before they did.
Julius and Shizuku smiled, they were a nice family, They both concluded. Well it was no time to waste, it was time to see the quirk doctor to find out what Mylo quirk was.