Hana did n't go home that night.
Ren did n't flash back exactly when he'd fallen asleep. An hour ago? Two? All he knew was he woke with a stiff neck from leaning on the lounge, and Hana was still there beside him, sitting on the bottom with her back against the lounge's base, head bowed, her wet hair from the rain now dry and messy.
The wall timepiece showed 430 a.m.
Ren rose sluggishly, trying not to wake Hana. The house was still a mess from last night. Books lay scattered. The broken press. Patches of slush still clung to the bottom, beginning to crack as it dried.
He walked to the kitchen, searching for a broom.
In the trash caddy, he noticed the dirty dishes from last night — his forefather's and his own. ignoble. He allowed
he'd formerly gutted them. Or perhaps it had been the day ahead. Or two days agone
. maybe he'd only imagined washing them.
He turned on the cold valve. sluggishly, he washed the dishes again.
When he placed the last plate on the drying rack, Hana appeared at the kitchen doorway. Her eyes were still fluffy, hair messy, her clothes from last night's rain now dry but stiff.
" You did n't sleep? " she asked, her voice coarse.
" I did. Just woke up beforehand. "
" You washed the dishes "
" Yes. "
" The dishes "
Ren did n't answer.
Hana did n't press. She seized a small kerchief from behind the door, wet it, and wiped her face. " I'll help clean the house. "
" You do n't need to. "
" I'm not asking if I'm demanded. "
They worked until the sun rose.
Hana swept up glass shards and rustic debris. Ren took the mop, recalling the slush that was hardening. They said nothing. Only the sound of the broom bristles and the cloth rubbing the bottom.
When Ren lifted the remains of the broken press, his hand brushed against commodity beneath the wood pile. A book. Leather- bound, thick, worn. He pulled it out.
The frontal cover, faded gold letters Takeshi Kaido's Notes – Time 1 of the idol period.
He opened to the first runner. His forefather's handwriting — small, neat, letters slanted to the right.
moment, my apprentice entrusts a secret to me. A secret I'll guard until my last breath. heritage is further than an heritage. It's a key. A crucial to cover the world from destruction — or to bring it to ruin. I choose protection. May the bone
who inherits this from me do the same.
Ren sat on the bottom, the book in his stage. Hana moved closer, sitting beside him.
" What's it? "
" My forefather's notes, " he said, flipping a runner. His hand quivered slightly.
My Hero Academia heritage – Chronicles of Genesis
Chapter 2 A Promise Amidst the remains( Part 2)
The Emperor I ca n't believe he was tempted too. Absolute power dazed him.However, the world will fall, If he gathers all the Genesis Vestiges. I must hide the heritage nearly safe. Far from his reach. maybe pretending to be ordinary, I can cover it until the coming generation is ready.
Ren broke, reading. Hana remained silent beside him.
" The Emperor, " Ren said vocally. " Number one idol. "
" That's what it says "
Ren jounced. He flipped another runner, presto, searching however he was n't sure what he sought.
He began walking moment. His smile reminds me of my son. May he grow stronger. Stronger than his father.
Ren stopped at that line, hand pulsing no further. His forefather had written about him as a baby. Amid all these secrets, conspiracies, vestiges, and shadowy associations, his forefather still had time to write about him beginning to walk.
Hana reached for his hand. " You're not alone, Ren. Flash back that. "
Ren looked at her. She had n't poured yet, hair still messy, eyes fluffy, cheeks dry but with faint traces of gashes. Yet she was then. She had n't left.
" Why are you still then? " Ren asked — not angry, just asking.
Hana looked at him. " You're asking why? "
" Your family, your mama — "
" My mama is at work. She does n't know I'm then, " Hana intruded. " And if she did, she'd tell me to help some neighbor in trouble. "
" I'm not a neighbor. "
" You're my friend. "
Ren did n't know how to answer.
Hana stood, picking up the broom she'd left in the corner. " Let's clean first. also we read that book together. We'll find out what all of this means. "
" Hana — "
" Do n't start, " she said, looking at him. " You formerly promised. Flash back? "
Ren flashed back . Last night, in the pouring rain, in the wrecked house, they had promised. Hana had promised. Together.
He stood, grabbing the mop. " Fine. But you have to rain latterly. You smell. "
Hana tossed the broom at him. Ren laughed. For the first time since his forefather's end, he laughed.
The police arrived at nine.
Two of them — one man, one woman — wore crisp uniforms and carried scrapbooks. They walked through the house, examining broken windows, shattered closets, and the still-dirty bottom. They questioned Ren and Hana in turns.
" Did you see anything? "
" Two people. Wearing masks. "
" Do you know them? "
" No. "
" What were they looking for? "
" I do n't know. "
The womanish officer studied Ren nearly. Her eyes sharp, searching for falsehoods. Ren met her aspect
in silence.
After an hour, they left, promising to increase details. Ren knew it was just a formality. Ordinary police could n't do much against people who could turn their bodies into gravestone or the bottom into slush.
Hana stepped out of the restroom, hair still damp, wearing Ren's large shirt as a new outfit. " They're gone? "
" Gone. "
" Trust them? "
" Not sure. "
Hana sat on the lounge, pulling her knees up. " Your forefather's tablet. Shall we read it? "
Ren recaptured the book from under the bed — he had hidden it there when the police came. He sat beside Hana and opened to the middle runners.
Time 88. I decided to betray. Took one artifact — Chronos, which we call Legacy — and fled at night. Two of my companions failed covering my escape. I'll noway forgive myself.
Hana read over his shoulder. " Chronos Legacy. "
" Grandpa stole it. Or saved it, " Ren rumored.
Time 95. The Emperor retired. Everyone hailed him as the topmost idol. They did n't know, behind the scenes, he was erecting an army. Ouroboros was born moment.
" Ouroboros, " Ren said. " That's their name. "
Hana squeezed his hand. " Ren, this this is big. Bigger than just stealers looking for relics. "
" I know. "
Time 110. I'm old. Ren, my grandchild, the only stopgap. He has no Kai, but his heart is pure. maybe that's what's demanded to repel the temptation of the heritage. I entrust everything to you, my child. Forgive me for burdening you with such a heavy fortune.
Ren closed the book, gaping at the wall where his forefather's print still hung. Grandpa smiled in the picture, holding baby Ren in front of the Hero Tower in Tokyo.
" He hid all of this, " Ren said vocally. " For times. Pretending to be a sheltered man. "
" He defended you, " Hana said. " He wanted you to have a normal nonage. "
" But he knew I would inherit this. He knew one day I would — " Ren stopped, breath catching.
Hana did n't answer. She just sat next to him, shoulders touching, no distance between them.
" We need help, " Hana eventually said. " We ca n't face this alone. "
" Who? "
" Mr. Takeda. History schoolteacher. He knows idol history. perhaps he knows commodity. "
Ren lowered . " We ca n't tell just anyone. "
" We do n't tell everything. We ask about the Genesis Vestiges. About Ouroboros. We watch his response, " Hana replied.
Ren study of Mr. Takeda. The schoolteacher who loved telling stories of old icons , whose eyes sparkled when tutoring history, and who formerly told Ren, " You know more than you suppose, child. One day, it'll be useful. "
" Alright, " Ren said. " But be careful. "
By noon, they left the house. Hana had changed clothes — her mama had come by early with a change of clothes and packed lunch but left snappily for a customer appointment. Ren refused her offer to go home. Hana's mama gave him a long look, also jounced.
" Take care of her, " she said to Hana. " Take care of yourself. "
They walked to academy. Houses along the thoroughfares looked ordinary. Women safeguarded at the request, children ran about, a black cat slept on the grocery store roof in the same spot as history. The world continued as usual. No bone
knew Ren's house had been attacked. No bone
knew he now wore a cuff able of copying powers.
At the academy gate, Ren broke. He looked at the old two- story structure, faded white makeup, the assembly yard in front. The place where he'd been mocked, lowered, indeed beaten. The place where he'd learned that without Kai, he was nothing.
" Shall we go in? " Hana asked.
Ren jounced. They entered.
Takeda was in the schoolteacher's room, alone, reading behind a office piled with papers. He looked up as they entered.
" Ren, Hana. Can I help you? "
Ren and Hana changed ganders. Hana jounced slightly.
" Sir, " Ren said, " I want to ask about idol history. Outside the class. "
Takeda set the book down. His eyes shone as usual. " Please, sit. Want some tea? There's a thermos. "
They sat. Ren uncurled his studies.
" Sir, in idol history, are there any heritages with special powers? Besides natural Kai. "
Takeda lowered . " intriguing question. There are numerous myths, but no solid sanctioned substantiation. perhaps you read a novel? "
" This is n't practice , Sir, " Hana intruded, voice firmer than usual. " It's particular. We set up commodity. An old object. Sculpted circle with twelve blotches. Grandpa wrote about the heritage. About the Genesis Vestiges. "
Takeda went pale. Ren saw his hand holding the tea mug fluctuate.
" Your forefather " his voice coarse. " Takeshi Kaido? "
Ren was surprised. " You knew my forefather? "
Takeda did n't answer. He stood, walked to the door, gazed outdoors, closed it, and locked it. Returning to his office, he sat, aged than Ren flashed back .
" I was Takeshi Kaido's pupil, " he said still.
Hana drew a deep breath. Ren remained still.
" Decades agone
, I was one of the many who knew the verity about the heritage. Your forefather was n't just a sheltered man. He was the Guardian of the heritage. maybe the last bone
. "
Ren felt commodity in his casket. Not a Bond Link — not yet. Just a feeling he could n't name. Pride. Fear. Emotion.
" Sir, " he said, " what should I do? "
Takeda looked at him for a long moment. also opened a hole, producing an old business card. " This is someone to communicate . Prof. Kei Nakamura. Ancient history expert. Former coworker of your forefather. He may help. "
Ren took the card. The paper was yellowed, edges rasped. A handwritten name and phone number.
" But be careful, " Mr. Takeda said. " I do n't know whose side he's on now. "
" Do n't trust him? "
Takeda gave a bitter smile. " In this world, Ren, not all icons wear capes. Not all villains wear masks. Be careful who you trust. "
They left the schoolteacher's room. The corridor was empty; recess was over. Voices of preceptors in classrooms drifted noiselessly.
Hana held Ren's hand. " Shall we communicate Prof. Kei? "
" Tonight. "
" Are you spooked? "
Ren looked down the long corridor. Sun streamed through the windows, making the dust patches visible in the air.
" I do n't know what I'm hysterical of, " he said. " But I ca n't back down. Grandpa trusted me. "
Hana squeezed his hand tighter. " We'll do this together. Flash back our pledge? "
Ren smiled. Small, but real. " Flash back. "
They walked out, leaving the empty academy before, toward the still- messy house, toward the night that would bring the first phone call to Prof. Kei.
Behind them, from the alternate- bottom schoolteacher's room window, Mr. Takeda watched. Two small tails fading down the road.
" Take care of them, Takeshi, " he rumored. " cover them. "
He drew the curtain. The schoolteacher's room went dark again.