My Hero Academia: A Pack of Wolves - Slayer857, TheBlackNarrator - 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia (2024)

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

Prologue

All was normal for a Friday. The night was young, the air was clear, and the moon shone brightly upon f*ckuoka city. It was a quiet evening in the middle of summer, a slight chill in the air. There were many people walking the streets that night, some making their way home from late night shifts, others on their way to work for overnight shifts, exhausted workers making their way to bars for drinks, or drunkards wandering the streets looking for a good time. But then, as the peace seemed as though it would go undisturbed…

BOOM

A bar called Kuraidori’s Watering Hole erupted in flames in the night, the fire blasting through multiple windows of the establishment. The people walking the streets fled the scene in a mad panic, not wanting to be caught in the inferno. In the back of the establishment, the force of the explosion threw a burning man screaming from one of the bar’s second story windows. He hit the pavement hard, the bones of one leg crunching on impact. He screamed in agony as he attempted to roll in the pavement to put out his burning clothes. The fire was finally extinguished as he rolled into a shallow puddle of water. The flesh of his face was still sizzling and steaming from the heat, some of the hair on his head was burnt as well. The man attempted to stand up and run for his life, but a sharp piercing pain in his broken right leg forced him to stumble to the ground once again. He was left with little choice but to crawl for his life.

However, before he could gain much distance from the burning premise, the metal security door to the back entrance of the bar flew off its hinges and a tall, muscular man with a crew cut and a 5 O’clock shadow emerged from the flames unscathed. He looked down at the crawling man with eyes that glowed red with rage. The burnt man returned the gaze with a look of fear and desperation. Once again, he scrambled and crawled over debris and broken glass, trying to flee the scene with whatever strength he could muster. However, before he could gain much distance, the muscular man walked over to him, pressing his boot down against the right ankle of the victim to halt his scrambling. The man started screaming in pain as more and more weight was put on it. The muscular man looked down upon him with a gaze of hatred and malice, towering over him like a titan, and was once again met with a look of fear from his victim.

“Guardian to Alpha 0-1, confirm status, over,” a monotone female voice came in over the muscular man’s earpiece, snapping him out his focussed glare. The man put a finger to his ear to respond.

“Alpha 0-1 to Guardian, target destroyed, one hostile in the open, heavily wounded. Please advise, over,” the muscular man said. There was a slight pause before the next communication.

“Copy Alpha 0-1, mission parameters are unchanged. Complete your current objective and stand by for further orders, over,” the female voice came back.

“Acknowledged, Guardian,” the man said, coldly turning back to the burnt man.

The burnt man, in response to this, began to shudder and shake as he knew quite well what was about to happen to him. He immediately tried to claw his way out from under the muscular man’s boot, but to no avail. At the apex of the victim’s struggle, the muscular man knelt forward, grabbing the man by the throat and lifting him up high by it. The burnt man struggled for breath in the muscular man’s grasp, his feet wriggling in the air. He attempted one last look of desperation into his attacker’s eyes as he could not verbally beg for his life. And yet his plea was only met with more unbridled malice from the muscular man’s burning red eyes. As he looked into the pleading eyes of his victim, he couldn’t help but recall the decision that got him in this scenario today, the singular act that started it all…

Chapter 2: Choices

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: Choices

Many years earlier

There were very few customers in the grocery store. Brokuma Amaku, a well-toned young man standing at about six foot-four looked down at a selection of noodle packets with his brown eyes.

“Soba, ramen, cellophane, somen, wonton, chow mein…for goodness sake, Amaku, you glutton. Just pick one already,” he thought to himself. Eventually, he settled on the regular somen and put it into one of the two extra large baskets in his hand. Each was almost filled to the brim with vegetables, meats, and other necessities. He made his way to the register, whistling a peaceful tune. He made his way past many people, struggling to squeeze past one or two of them due to his bulky, muscular build. All of the people he passed barely matched his shoulder height, though this was mostly due to his own natural stature allowing him to tower over the shelves of the store. Despite his towering height, the people he passed simply shifted ever so slightly to make room for him, not paying him much attention if any.When Amaku reached the registers, he spotted an old friend working behind one of them: Mariko. She was a short slender girl about a year younger than him. She had smooth white hair with two small pig tails, large green eyes, and slightly red cheeks with a few freckles.

“Good afternoon, Mariko. It’s been a while,” he greeted her once he reached the register, putting his right fist to his chest and bowing. This was his family's traditional bow.

“Oh, hey, Brokuma! How’ve you been?” Mariko responded.

“Exquisite, thank you,” Amaku politely replied as he placed his items on the belt. “I didn’t realize you started working here.”

“Yeah, I didn't really have much going on once school ended, so I figured I’d make some easy money for myself, y’know?”

“I see. Glad to see you're keeping busy,” Amaku replied, still putting more items on the belt.

“Jesus…who’re you feeding, a small village?” Mariko remarked.

“Well, you know my family. You could feed us a week’s worth of food and we’d still ask for another bowl.”

“Heh! That’s true. So, anyway, what’s the plan for you once April rolls around? I think I remember you applied for UA High with your cousin, right?”

“…Yes… that we did,” Amaku said hesitantly.

“I’m pretty sure the entrance exams happened about a week ago, right? I hear that they're super tough. How do you think you did?”

“I am…unable to say for certain,” Amaku replied. “All we can do is wait for now. Speaking of, what are your plans?”

“Oh! Well, you see,” she stammered as she scanned Amaku’s items. “I was planning on going to Ketsubutsu, but then I thought…”

Mariko’s voice eventually faded out as Amaku was lost in thought. A pit entered his stomach as the words he’d spoken to Mariko played back in his mind. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears as he looked down at the floor with an almost overwhelming dread.

“Earth to Brokuma!” Mariko yelled. Amaku was snapped out of his daze.

“Huh-What!? Oh, sorry. I’m, uhm…” Amaku cleared his throat. “...glad to hear you’re doing well. I wish you the best, Mariko!”

“Right~….Anyway, that’ll be 19,000 yen!”

“Of course, one moment.”

Amaku went digging into his wallet for the money owed and gave it to Mariko.

“Alright, you‘re all set. Have a nice day, Brokuma!”

“Thank you, Mariko,” Amaku once again gave his family’s traditional bow and took his leave.

As Amaku exited the store, he embraced the mid day air. It was a rather normal early spring day. The ground was covered with patches of melting snow, cool spring air blew through Amaku’s short black hair and the afternoon sun shone over him. As he walked down the street, he continued pondering deeply to himself about his current situation.Like many others, he and his cousin applied for UA’s entrance exam. However, unlike many others, he was not met with any form of joy when the day of the exam came. Everyday since then, he couldn’t help but feel unmotivated, slow, weak. The depression weighed him down to the point where every step he took felt like he was walking through thigh-high mud. To him, the worst part was that he’d felt like an undeniable, disgusting truth had begun to cement itself into his mind, one that he’d been working all his life to change. Nothing could’ve broken him more, especially after all he’d done to try and prove this fact wrong to himself.Amaku looked down at his hand, almost with a feeling of disgust.

“What good is a hero who’s incapable of protecting the innocent?” Amaku thought to himself. He then suddenly heard wild honking as a car drove right past him which brought him back to reality and made him realize that he was at the street corner about to walk into traffic. As he stopped, he realized that these thoughts were getting him nowhere. He looked down at his hand and clenched it into a fist.

“No, I can’t think like that,” Amaku reassured himself. “I have to think more positively. Auntie Harumi said she would do everything she could to help me fix this. She promised that things would get better…just like I promised-”

But then, before he could finish his thought, Amaku heard an explosion behind him. When he turned around, he saw a huge cloud of dust and a smaller pile of debris from a nearby hardware store called Tadashi’s Tool Chest . Alarms from the establishment began to blare. Two men, a tall buff one in a tan suit and a shorter skinny one in a red suit, ran out of the store holding large bags of money.

“GET OUTTA THE WAY, RUNTS, IT’S OUR LUCKY DAY!!!” yelled the tall buff man in a deep dopey voice.

“Stay outta our way, people, or we’ll put ya down without a second thought!!” yelled the skinny man.

“NO ONE’S GONNA STOP DEAN AND COLT LUCKY, THE LUCKY DOUBLES!!!!” they both yelled out in unison.

Amaku watched on as the two men ran down the street with their stolen cash. While Musutafu was a mostly peaceful town, that didn’t mean it was exempt from small-time criminals. All things considered, this was a rather ambitious act made by the robbers.

“Stay here and wait for the med evac! I’m going after those two,” a voice yelled out from behind him. When Amaku turned around, he saw Mirror Match, a local hero in Amaku’s area of Musutafu, running in the robbers’ direction. His quirk allowed him to analyze the moves of anyone he looked at and instantly be able to predict and even copy that person’s fighting style. Amaku had always kind of admired him. Despite the fact that he may not have the strongest or the flashiest quirk, he still did his best to protect people and keep his section of Musutafu safe.

Driven by some unexplained instinct, Amaku followed the three of them for another seven blocks until they got to a park and they began to fight. The people in the park fled to avoid getting hurt while the ones in the nearby apartments shut their windows and locked down for protection. Amaku remained close enough to observe, but out of sight. To his surprise, the two of them began to get the upper hand on Mirror Match. While Colt, the buff robber, would hold his attention with devastating punches and relentless assaults with his fists, Dean, the skinny robber, continuously struck from behind with swift and precise kicks, making sure to stay out of Mirror Match’s sight. Eventually, the two of them end up knocking Mirror Match into a brick wall with a combined assault, rendering him powerless.

“So, I was right,” said Dean, co*ckily. “You can only copy one person’s fightin’ style at a time. ‘Sides, it’s not like you can adapt to what ya can’t see.”

“Gggghhhh…..you...bastards….why are you...doing this…?” said Mirror Match, struggling to pick himself up.

“The question ain’t ‘why’, Boy Scout. It’s ‘why not’? I mean, look at what we managed to do to ya. Sure, you may be a washed-up C-lister, but it ain’t like we’re breakin’ a sweat here.”

“Hell Yeah!!” exclaimed Colt. “Together, there ain’t no one ‘o can beat us! Not even that blonde pansy, All Might!!! The Lucky Doubles ‘er on a hot streak and no punk like you’s gonna stop us, right bro?!?”

“A bit ambitious with th’ ‘ole All Might thing, but ya’ got right the idea,” said Dean. “Who’s gonna stop us? Not the police, and by the looks a’ things, certainly not you, wannabe.”

“You…..bastards won’t…..get away...with…...this……,” Mirror Match gruntled, before finally losing consciousness.

Amaku watched on from the sidelines as the situation played out. Once Mirror Match had fallen unconscious, Amaku began to panic.

“Oh no….they beat him!” Amaku thought to himself.“And on top of that, he had the police stay behind with the other civilians! He’s down with no back up in there…. I have to do something…”

Amaku clenched his fist and began to rise from behind the cover he was using. Then, he suddenly stopped short when coming to the realization of what this could mean for him. If he acted now, he’d be in violation of the law that prohibits civilians from using their quirks in the same capacity as pro heroes. Ultimately, he restrained himself and went back into cover.

“ Maybe now that the robbers have won, they’ll take their prize and run,” Amaku hoped, loosening his clenched fist.

“ Then, once they leave, I’ll call 119 and they can get him to a hospital.”

“….Poor schmuck,” Dean said, letting out a deep sigh of disappointment. “Let’s just put ‘im outta’ ‘is misery and get outta here, ya?”

“Let’s do it,” said Colt.

The two brothers backed up and prepared to kill the downed hero. As they were doing this, Amaku began to panic as to what he could do.

“ Oh no…. if I don’t step in now, Mirror Match is dead! But if I defend him, any hope I had of going to UA is gone! Come on….Think!!!”

As Amaku was contemplating what to do, Dean took one last opportunity to gloat over him and his brother’s victory.

“And ‘ere I thought you heroes were s’posed ta’ be the best o’ the best. Yet ‘ere you are, layin’ in the dirt,” gloated Dean. “Y’all call yerselves heroes, but the truth is yer all a bunch a’ glorified, entitled clowns in tights who can’t even handle small timers like us. Yer not symbols, yer bad jokes. And it’s people like me and my brother ‘ere who’re provin’ that fact.” As he continued, Amaku only grew angrier with each word, more frustrated at himself for not doing anything.

“And what’s worse, you inspire a bunch a’ brainless kiddies to follow in yer footsteps….to the grave. Yeah, just let that marinate with ya‘….murderer. See ya’ in Hell, C-lister.”

These last words were enough to make Amaku snap. If a chance of getting into UA meant letting someone else die, then how could he call himself a hero?

“ Protect the innocent…. punish the wicked…..this is the role of a hero. No matter what society may think of him, he presses on and does what he must to see those two goals realized…..to hell with UA!!!” Amaku thought to himself. “ If I must forgo my goal of becoming a pro hero to save this man, to end the rampage of these criminals, then so be it….Father…Mother….I’m sorry.” His eyes were forced shut as all these thoughts and emotions ran through his head all at once.

Meanwhile, Colt and Dean charged at Mirror Match and were about to finish him off with a punch kick combo. The next thing he knew, Amaku felt himself extend his hands out in front of him and rush forward, with nary a thought in his head. A fraction of a second later, he felt something collide with his extended hands. Soon after, there was no stress, no anxiety, no fear, no hesitation, only fury.

Amaku stood tall, unyielding, and firm between the Lucky Doubles and Mirror Match. His arms rippled from the blows as their muscle mass swelled and began to let off steam. However, it wasn’t just his arms. The entirety of Amaku’s body had expanded underneath his torn shirt. Amaku himself was surrounded in some sort of field of red energy that conformed around his body and his hand were steaming as they held back the villains’ attacks. The Lucky doubles grunted in confusion towards this unexpected turn of events. Then, Amaku, who’d had his eyes closed, raised his head to look at the two criminals. When he opened his eyes, they’d gone from their natural brown color to a piercing fiery crimson. As he stared at them, he began to growl in a low, baritone voice as if he were some sort of beast.As he did this, the energy around him erupted into an raging flame-like aura of red and black, his muscles began to expand even more and his clothes tore even further. The two criminals flinched and grunted in pain as his grip tightened.

With a furious grunt, Amaku took both his opponents and threw them in separate directions. Colt landed in the open field, while Dean went flying directly into a tree, hitting the back of his head against it, and was too dazed to move for a while.

“Little Bro!!” Colt exclaimed.

Amaku, now enveloped in his aura, looked to face Colt. His burning red eyes stared him down with malicious intent.

“Why you little brat! Imma’ crush you so badly, they’ll be puttin’ ya’ back t’gether like a jigsaw puzzle!!!”

Colt then charged at Amaku, yelling with anger. However, in the middle of this charge, Colt was stopped short by a sudden blunt force to his abdominal section. Colt squeaked in pain as the air was knocked from his lungs. He looked down to briefly see Amaku’s fist extended into his gut. The force of the punch almost sent him flying, but Amaku caught him by the leg and pulled him back towards himself. Then, with a rage-fueled yell, Amaku followed up by firing a heavy hitting punch to Colt’s face. He maintained contact with his face as he forced Colt to the ground. Amaku then mounted Colt, holding him to the ground by his hair with his left hand and unleashed haymaker after haymaker to the face with his right. Each attack raised more and more dust as Amaku continued his vicious assault. Eventually, once Amaku was finished with this assault, he grabbed the savagely beaten and bruised Colt by the face, and with a mighty roar, lifted Colt into the air, and slammed his bloodied head down into the ground.

As the dust from the impact cleared, Amaku released Colt’s face and rose to his feet. All Colt could do was lay in the dirt, beaten and unconscious.

With Colt now finished, Amaku then looked over his shoulder to face Dean, his furious red eyes giving him a mighty death stare. Meanwhile, Dean struggled to bring himself to his feet, still feeling the impact from being thrown into a tree. When he finally came to his feet, he looked ahead to see Amaku giving his death stare and Colt embedded into the ground behind him. His eyes widened from shock and fear. He quickly turned his gaze back to Amaku who growled once again in a baritone voice. The latter clenched his fists in anger as he turned and began to walk over to Dean, each step kicking up a small bit of dust.

“‘Aight, kid,” said Dean, who’d begun to wobble as part of his fighting stance.

“I'll give ya this: ya got some pep in yer’ step and a fightin’ spirit; but right now, you’re outta’ ya’ right mind if you think you stand a chance against me’. Colt may be one helluva brute, but I got enough speed ta’-“

Before Dean could even finish the sentence, Amaku had blitzed right at him, sandwiching Dean between his knee and the tree right behind him. There was a crunching sound as Amaku’s knee dug into Dean’s ribs. His eyes were practically popping out of his skull as he slowly looked at his chest, squeaking and groaning in pain. He coughed up blood onto the ground and he then slowly looked back up to Amaku, who then delivered a right hook to Dean’s face, knocking him out.

The villain fell to the ground lifelessly. As Amaku stared down at his demolished opponent, the rage in his heart began to fester and grow. He gritted his teeth and once again growled like a beast. In his anger, reached out towards Dean with his left hand, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and holding him by it. The red and black energy in his right hand ignited as he clenched it into a fist and wound it back with the intent to continue his brutality and deliver the justice that his festering rage deemed suitable for the scum in his grasp.

With the villains defeated, Amaku turned back to look at Mirror Match and saw that he wasn’t moving. He didn’t even look like he was breathing. Amaku rushed over to remove Mirror Match from the wall and gently laid him flat on the ground.

“Mirror Match…Mirror Match, sir, can you hear me?” Amaku asked. After Mirror Match failed to answer, Amaku removed his spandex-like mask and moved his hand over his mouth to feel for breath. Luckily, Mirror Match was still breathing. Once his condition was assessed, Amaku called emergency services. After the line rang for about 30 seconds, there was finally an answer.

“119, what is your emergency?”

Chapter 3: Consequences

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Consequences

Same Afternoon

Ten minutes after Amaku placed the call, the police and medics arrived on the scene. The police took the Lucky Doubles into custody, restraining them and loading them into an ambulance meant for a special hospital that attended villains in custody before having them processed. They also made sure that any news and media reporters were kept at bay, blocking off the park area and making sure cameras did not capture anything before an official crime scene was established.

Meanwhile, the regular medics tended to Mirror Match, loading him onto a stretcher and attempting to stabilize him. They also tended to Amaku, even though he only had minor bruising and bleeding on his hands.

“Please follow the light with your eyes, Mr. Brokuma,” one of the medics said, shining a light into his eyes. Amaku put his hand out to block it.

“Doctor, I understand that you’re only doing your job, but I cannot further stress that I’m fine,” Amaku insisted. “Other than these bruises on my knuckles, I can promise you that I have no other injuries. Please, I insist that you direct your efforts to Mirror Match. He is in much greater need of care than I, I can assure you.”

“I appreciate the concern, son, but we already have people taking care of him,” the medic said dismissively. “You just experienced a villain attack and you’ve clearly been injured. For all we know, those knuckles could be the least of it. You may have had a concussion and you haven’t realized it. So please, just let us do our jobs, ok?”

Amaku softly sighed out of frustration and reluctantly complied with the examination.

“Not too big on doctors, are ya?” a voice called out. Amaku looked forward to see a skinny middle aged man with a brown overcoat over a brown suit approaching him and the medics.

“How ya doin’, son? Your name Brokuma Amaku?” the man said, reaching behind him.

“Yes, sir,” Amaku nodded. The man then presented a badge to Amaku.

“Detective Eijiro Kurosawa, Musutafu Police Department. I’ve got some questions for you, if you’ll come with me.”

“I’m sorry, Detective,” the medic intervened. “But your questions will have to wait. We need to get this boy to the hospital for a proper examination.”

“All due respect, Doc, that won’t be necessary,” the detective said. “The kid looks fine to me. All I can see is some clothes that’ve seen better days, no offense kid, and some bruised knuckles. As far as I’m concerned, these are just the signs of a growing boy. Trust me, I’d know.” The detective then turned to Amaku.

“Tell me, kid, do you think you need to go to the hospital?”

“No, sir. I feel perfectly fine,” Amaku shook his head.

“Then I believe that settles it, Doc,” the detective said. “I’ll take it from here.”

After being somewhat hesitant for a moment, the medic reluctantly released Amaku into the Detectives' care and walked off to the ambulance with Mirror Match. Amaku watched the ambulance for quite some time as they loaded in the stretcher carrying Mirror Match. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see that it belonged to Detective Kurosawa.

“Don’t stress about ‘em,” he said. “I promise you he’s in good hands. Besides, the guy’s been through worse than this.”

Amaku looked at the detective in silence for a bit, then gave a simple nod of acknowledgement.

“But anyway,” he said. “Enough about him, I wanna know your story,” he then gestured over to a car with an open door.

“Let’s take a ride, Brokuma.”

Once they arrived at the police station, the detective questioned him on what happened. Amaku delivered an accurate summary of the events to the Detective during his interrogation. Once the questioning was concluded, Amaku was asked to wait at the reception area. After about half an hour, the detective came to see him, carrying two cups of coffee in his hands

“Alright, Brokuma. Thanks for your cooperation. Coffee?” said the detective, offering him one of the cups.

“I’m good, thank you,” Amaku said, putting his hand up to deny the offer. “I hope I was of some help, Detective. If I may, do you have any idea what I should expect from public media announcements about this?”

“Well...the way I see it,” the Detective began, taking a sip from one of the cups. “It’s most likely that the station will make up a cover story saying that Mirror Match beat those villains, but it took a lot out of him. In terms of your involvement, the only story that would hold any water would be to say the villains attacked you, Mirror Match protected you, and you called emergency services when it was all over. But, don't worry, we'll do what we can to keep your name hidden.”

“Good...it’s for the best, I suppose. The last thing that I need right now is the press coming to my home and harassing my family.”

“Well, I wouldn’t really say that you’re out of the woods just yet. All it takes is a video from a resident of the park area sent to the press to make the story fall apart. And believe me, the media will be hunting down witnesses to the ends of the Earth.”

“Right…vultures will be vultures, I suppose,” Amaku said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Anyway, we called your aunt, let her know you’re here and that you’re perfectly healthy. She’s on her way to come get you.”

“Thank you, Detective. Also, I’ve been meaning to ask, have you received any word on Mirror Match? Is he alright?”

Detective Kurosawa took a sip out of the other coffee.

“I’ve got some guys down at the hospital. According to them, Mirror Match'll be fine. He’s in stable condition, but he’ll need some time to recover.”

“Good…good,” said Amaku with a sigh of relief. “…At least I managed to help someone …” he gruntled under his breath.

The Detective turned to leave and began walking down the hall. However, after taking a mere two steps, he stopped and looked back at Amaku.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“Pardon?” Amaku asked.

“You just said ‘at least you managed to help someone’ …what did you mean by that?”

Amaku was hesitant at first, but then, he looked back at the detective and considered the treatment he’d given him. That, and it was unlikely they would ever meet again. Perhaps he would make the ideal candidate for disclosing his situation to.

“Well, you see, I…my cousin and I are trying to get into UA High School,” Amaku began. “She took the recommendations exam some time ago, no doubt she aced it, while I signed up for the regular entrance exam they had last week. However…things didn’t really go as planned. My aunt has been trying to get me a second chance with them, and I’m rather certain that it doesn’t require a detective to figure out how this situation will affect my odds.”

“…oh…well, that’s, uh…huh…” the detective stammered.

“Indeed,” Amaku said.

The two of them sat in silence for quite some time, lamenting on what Amaku just said. Eventually, once about a minute had passed, the detective broke the silence to speak.

“Look…Brokuma,” the detective began, sitting in the empty chair next to Amaku. “I can tell you right now, I think you’re a decent kid with a good head on his shoulders and I know you meant well. So, for your own good, I’m gonna give you a painful truth now to save you a lot of hurt later,” the detective took another sip of coffee before continuing.

“I know you just wanted to help, but that doesn’t erase what you did. I saw what you did to those two, and I got a good look at the property damage you caused in the process. Avoiding things like this is why we have the civilian quirk-use law in the first place. Sure, besides Mirror Match, nobody in this incident got hurt who didn’t deserve it, but what if that wasn’t the case? Believe me, you're not the first one to pull something like this. Back when I was a lieutenant, I had to deal with a case where a civy tried to save a man while a hero was on the scene. Let’s just say…things got messy. And what’s worse, just like you, he wanted to become a hero, but after the incident, he was barred from applying for any hero course whatsoever. So, I’m sorry to cement your fears, but…even though you may have saved a life, I’m not likin’ your chances here...”

Amaku looked down at the ground, letting the words of the detective sink in.

“I know…I knew …” he said, contemplatively.

“But,” the detective continued, putting his hand on Amaku’s shoulder. “For what little it may be worth, I believe you did the right thing.”

Amaku looked up at the detective with a look of slight shock.

“Despite how you went about it, at the end of the day, you saved a man, a goodman. Fact is, over the course of your life, you’ll learn that doing the noble thing is gonna feel good like one time out of ten and that no good deed goes unpunished. Believe me, I learned that the hard way. So, that said, if you need anything, whether it’s help getting out of a sticky situation…or just a person to talk to, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”

The detective then presented a business card to Amaku, who accepted it with an honest look of surprise.

“I…thank you, detective,” Amaku said, genuinely.

“Hey…call me Kurosawa,” he said, extending his hand. Amaku took it in his and shook it.“Welp, I’ll see ya around, kid.”
With that, the detective walked away.

Amaku sat alone in silence once again, reading the card in his hand while pondering the offer presented to him. He still couldn’t believe that he’d just had this conversation. Then, not a moment later, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw that he had a text from his Aunt.

“Outside. NOW,” it read.

“… oh, lord,” Amaku thought to himself.

Once Amaku exited the station, he saw his aunt, Harumi, waiting for him outside her car. She was a middle aged woman of about average height, long, smooth, silky gray hair, brown eyes, and a fairly athletic build. As Amaku observed her, she displayed a look of anger on her face. However, it didn’t appear as though it was directed towards Amaku himself. As he approached her, she aggressively walked around her car to meet him halfway. As she drew closer, he’d already begun his defense.

“Auntie Harumi, I’m sorry,” he began. “I-“

Before he could continue, she hugged him by the waist and held him tight. Amaku was genuinely surprised by this, he’d been expecting her to burst out in anger the moment she laid eyes on him. Instead, this was how he was greeted. Rather than continue to question what was going on, he gently embraced her in kind. After about twenty seconds passed, Amaku began to speak again.

“Auntie, I-“ she immediately put her finger to his lips and shushed him.

“Not here, Amaku,” she said, her voice reflecting exhaustion. “Let’s just…go home.”

With these simple words, Amaku’s fears were instilled within him once again.

The whole ride home was nothing but suffocating silence. His aunt was most likely holding in her outburst until they got home. Amaku sat in the front passenger seat, his head next to the window. Every now and then, he would glance over to his aunt, who was going out of her way not to look back at him. Amaku could tell that she was doing everything in her power not to let out the frustrations that were written all over her face.

Once they arrived at home, Harumi took her things and left them on the kitchen counter. Oddly enough, no one else was in the house.

“Where are Uncle Hanzo and the others?” Amaku asked, referring to his uncle and three cousins.

“I figured since you lost the groceries during that scuffle, I’d have Hanzo take your cousins with him to get them…again,” Harumi said, condescendingly.

“I see,” Amaku replied

“So, until they get back, we’ve got some time to ourselves, just you and me,” she said as she made her way into the living room.

The room itself was adjacent to the kitchen and the front entrance of the house. It was set up with four sofas and a small coffee table in the middle of the room. Two of the sofas were one person chairs which were across from each other while the other two were made for multiple people and were also positioned across from one another. One of which was positioned near the entrance while the other was against the wall adjacent to a hallway leading towards the back of the house. In the far back left corner was a medium sized TV setup with a DVD player, cable box, and a Might Box 2 gaming console.

“Ok, look, I can explain,” Amaku said, a bit flustered. “Everything happened so fast, I acted out of pure instinct, and-“

Harumi put her hand up before he could finish.

“I don’t want to hear any sugar coating, Amaku,” she said. “Just…tell me what happened.”

After collecting himself, Amaku retold the events as they happened. He made sure not to skip over a single detail. When he finally finished his retelling, his aunt simply nodded and then sat there in silence. After a while, she eventually stood up and started roaming around the room. After about five minutes, she let out a heavy sigh and turned towards Amaku.

“Ok,” she said. “We can make this work. We have other options for a caree-”

“We can’t just assume that this won’t work out,” Amaku interrupted, rising off the sofa. “The police have a cover story in place, most of the bystanders ran away from the scene and the residents shut their windows for their own safety. So there couldn’t have been anyone nearby when I intervened. There’s still a considerable chance that the fabrication will hold. We’ll just find another hero school and-”

“It won’t work, Amaku!” she snapped back, suddenly jumping off the sofa and stunning Amaku into silence. “Witnesses or not, cover story or not, you savagely beat two men in broad daylight!! The academies will know what your quirk is and when they read the report, they’ll see that your knuckles were injured. If there’s even the smallest piece of evidence pointing towards what you really did, no school is gonna take any chances of the media using your acceptance to tear them apart. Before this, there was a snowball’s chance in hell that we could get you another chance with UA or we could just try another hero course. But now,…I’m sorry, Amaku, but it’s just not happening…you can’t be a hero...”

Amaku sat back on the sofa, processing what his aunt had said. As the truth set in, so too did the sorrow that came with this realization. Even though he expected this news eventually, he was still almost brought to tears.

“Come here,” she said as she walked over to him to give him a hug. Amaku leaned forward in his seat and embraced her at the waist, wanting whatever comfort he could get at this point. They remained like this for some time.

“I’m sorry for blowing up at you like that,” she said, holding him closely.“You did the right thing, Amaku. And I want you to know, I couldn’t be prouder of you for it. Even though you knew the consequences of your actions, you looked past your own desires and forwent your dream to save someone’s life. Even if UA doesn’t realize it, you truly are a hero…never forget that.”

She lifted his head up to face her.

“You hear me?”

“…Yes, ma’am,” he said, shakily. They resumed their hug for a little bit until Amaku eventually let go of her. He took the moment to collect himself, wiping the tears from his eyes. He then turned away from her and started walking down the hall.

“Where are you going?” Harumi asked.

“The backyard,” Amaku said. “I…need to clear my head.”

He continued down the hall and made his way to the back of the house. When he walked through the screen doors, he walked out onto the decently spacious patch of grass. To the far left side of the yard was all his training equipment, including dumbbells, a bench press, punching bag, and a thick wooden post with rope tied around the top half which was anchored into the ground. The moment he entered the yard, he went straight to the wooden post. He positioned himself to be properly aligned with it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out as he put up his hands and got himself into a traditional fighting stance. As he took in yet another deep breath, he opened his eyes and threw a controlled punch at the post upon exhaling. Upon contact, he felt his stress and anxiety dwindle slightly, as if they were being directed into the post.

As he drew back his arm, he took another deep breath in and upon exhaling, threw another punch. Once again, the tension he felt subsided slightly. He continued this process for quite some time as he reflected upon his situation. He thought about his day, the past week, his conversation with Detective Kurosawa, and his future in general. All these thoughts flowed through him and into the wooden post with each strike, helping him clear his mind and be at peace.

However, at a certain point, the sensation of his fist making contact with the post forcibly recalled the memory of his fight with the Lucky Doubles. He saw a quick flash of red as he remembered when his fist made contact with the buff villain’s face. When he remembered what he’d done, he felt a sudden jolt go through his body, slightly messing up his control and giving his strike an unexpected boost. The pole shook in its anchor as a result. Amaku drew back his arm after the strike and took a minute to recollect himself, then resumed his exercise. He once again attempted to direct all his stress into the post with each controlled strike, however, certain strikes would make him recall the memory of an attack from that fight and force a jolt through his body once again and with each jolt, his punches grew in power. What was worse was that each one felt oddly pleasing as he unleashed his rage upon the post. It eventually got to the point where all he could see in his mind was the memory of his brutal beat down of the two villains.

Each strike felt all to good for him to stop and the pleasure subsequently created a feeling of guilt and disgust towards his enjoyment of the feeling as he realized that the beliefs he held toward himself and his quirk were warranted, that he was an unstable, unpredictable risk, that he was nothing but an unruly monster with an uncontrollable rage within him. All these insecurities, anxieties and hatreds toward himself continued to swell until they finally boiled over and he unwittingly fully activated his quirk with a mighty cry of anger and demolished the wooden post in its entirety with a powerful haymaker. The wood splintered everywhere, the fragments spreading wildly and embedding themselves in the fence, the grass, the one patio chair in the yard, everywhere.

Amaku breathed and seethed violently as steam hissed from his fist after the impact. Eventually, he began to register what he had done, looking at his fist and coming to the realization that his quirk was active, then looking all around him and seeing the destruction he had wrought. He attempted to bring down his anger to deactivate his quirk, taking in multiple deep breaths. He was eventually able to do so and returned to his regular state. And yet, rather than a relieving sensation, he only became flooded with guilt and misery. He fell to the ground, feeling like he wanted to cry but he simply couldn’t muster the energy at this point, he was completely drained. All he could do was kneel there in the grass, silently drowning in his grief. He lifelessly stared up at the sky, feeling isolated, trapped, weak, and so unbearably alone…

Chapter 4: Demons

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Demons

same evening

Later that evening, the whole family sat at the table eating dinner. The meal of the night was hot beef teriyaki somen with Miso and Tonkatsu. The meal was prepared by his family while they encouraged him to just relax in the meantime, clearly an attempt by the whole family to try and cheer Amaku up, as these were all his personal favorite foods.

At one head of the table was Amaku’s uncle, Hanzo. He was a man at the age of fifty-five with a relatively skinny build and darker skin compared to the rest of the family. His neat, black hair was thinning, but he wasn’t quite bald yet. He had a neatly trimmed beard which went from black to white as the hairs went down his chin. He had soft, squinting blue eyes, a relatively large nose, and surprisingly smooth skin for one of his age. He ate his meal at a regular pace, not really lingering or showing any preference to any particular part of the meal.

On Amaku’s left side sat Harumi and his cousin, Hanako. She was about the same age as him, younger by only about a few months. She had an average build, sitting at about the same height as Harumi. Her facial features included silky, straight black hair that flowed down to her shoulders, round blue eyes, and subtle lips. Both she and Harumi were taking their time with the Miso, enjoying it thoroughly.

When the two finished their soup, Harumi gestured to Hanako for some water. Obliging her mother, Hanako reached her hand towards the pitcher of water at the center of the table to fill both of their glasses. However, instead of grabbing the pitcher, she waved her hands through the air and the liquid inside moved in tandem with her waving hands. She then manipulated the water to elegantly float into both of their glasses. After taking her glass in hand, Harumi nodded to her daughter as thanks, who nodded back in kind before they both took a sip from their glasses.

To Amaku’s right sat his two younger cousins, Yushiro and Yukiro. They were twin brothers of eleven years. Both were about 5 feet tall, with Yukiro being the taller one between the two but not by much. They both had messy black hair and large eyes, Yukiro inheriting the blue eyes of Hanzo while Yushiro the brown eyes of Harumi. They were each going straight for the tonkatsu.

The evening was rather quiet, almost to a dreary degree with the only noise that could be heard besides the family eating was the crickets chirping in the night. The Brokuma’s themselves ate in relative peace and quiet, which was a first given how under normal circ*mstances, the boys would normally be bickering and nearly screaming at one another while everyone else would be trying to enjoy their meal. That, and Amaku himself would normally be on at least his third helping or so, feasting like there was no tomorrow, and yet he’d barely even touched his first. He sat at the other head of the table, aimlessly fiddling with his somen, taking a bite or two every so often.

“So…how’s the somen, Amaku?” asked Hanako. Amaku looked up at her with a blank, deadpan expression.

“It’s…very good.” Amaku replied with little to no enthusiasm. “You did well with this, cousin…Thank you.”

Though in truth, his taste buds registered none of the flavor and the noodles turned to ash in his mouth. Hanako looked towards Harumi with a look of worry, one which Harumi returned with a similar expression. Harumi then looked to her husband, who also shared this concern. The twins also looked at one another with concern. Meanwhile, Amaku placed another noodle in his mouth, chewing it slowly to try and get whatever flavor he could out of it. His misery was plain for the rest of the family to see, and it was unsettling enough for them to be forced into almost complete silence.

“So…Hanako,” Hanzo said, attempting to make conversation. Though his next words couldn’t have been chosen more poorly.

“Any word yet from UA?”

The moment he heard this, Amaku’s grip suddenly tightened around his chopsticks so hard that the pressure split them in half. The sound of the wood splintering stunned everyone as they all turned towards Amaku who, despite having done such an act, still had a blank, expressionless look on his face. Though his right fist was tightly clenched and shaking slightly.

Eventually, Amaku, after taking a slow, deep breath, set the remains of his chopsticks down and arose from his seat.

“Thank you all for the meal,” he said in a half dead tone as he bowed to his family. “Please, excuse me.”

“Where are you going?” Harumi asked worriedly. “You’ve barely even touched your food.”

“I’m sorry, Auntie. I truly do appreciate your efforts, all of you, I’m…just not hungry,” Amaku said in a half dead tone as he pushed in his chair. “I’m going to my room…I am…tired…I am really tired…” he muttered.

He sluggishly walked past his cousins and made his way down the hall towards his room. When he finally arrived, he opened the door and took a moment to look around before entering. The room itself was a tad small for one of his stature, but it was just enough space for him to move around without feeling too cramped. At the far wall was a window and a queen sized bed that took up a decent chunk of the room while not most of it. By the far end of the bed was a dresser with various statues of anime and movie characters. Against the wall to the right of the bed was a nightstand with a lamp and a couple of shelves filled with books and other various items. Against the wall adjacent to the door he had his own personal computer set up as well as a closet with his shoes and other clothes. There was also a fan on the ceiling that his head would always nearly bump into.

As Amaku entered the room and closed the door behind him, he went straight for his bed and threw himself upon it, his head sinking face first into his pillow. After a few seconds, he slowly rolled over onto his back for a breath and stared up at the ceiling. As the fan twirled, he could feel a cool breeze coming down onto him from above, which was somewhat soothing and pleasant, but not too much so. For quite some time, he was lost in his misery, exhausted and yet in a weird way, was still anxious and unable to properly rest his mind. As such, he sat up and hung his legs over the side of his bed as laying down was clearly not bringing him any form of relief. He looked down at his hands, which were still somewhat bruised from his encounter. He then turned his gaze towards his night stand and grabbed a letter from UA that had been sitting there for some time. As he read over it, one line kept repeating back to him in his mind:

We regret to inform you that you are hereby prohibited from participating in this year's entrance exam. After taking careful consideration and repeatedly analyzing the specifics of your quirk: Fury, we have deemed that the potential instabilities and risks towards the other examinees that may arise from such a power are ones that we are unable to accept.

Out of sheer hopelessness, he let the paper fall to the floor. He then looked back to the nightstand at one of the two framed photographs, one which featured a younger version of himself, his mother, and his father in their home. The photo itself was slightly deteriorated and ripped at the edges due to time. He took it in his hands, observing it in silence.

It had been some time since Amaku had last spoken to his parents. He hadn’t spoken to them in over a month since he’d begun his prep for the UA entrance exam, training with his aunt and Hanako. While she was learning to better use her liquid manipulation in more versatile ways, Amaku was trying to refine his technique and learn to better harness his strength to end fights quickly before his anger could take hold of him. Hanako was a natural: fast, precise, refined, and quick to adapt in a fight. She’d gotten multiple recommendations from teachers and was nominated to take UA’s recommendations exam, which took place about a week prior to the regular entrance exam. It wasn’t until she came back home that she’d learned of Amaku’s prohibition from taking the regular entrance exam.

“Even after everything, I still have a long way to…” Amaku once again attempted to abandon this thought as he recalled another memory from the encounter. A brief image of the fight with a red hue over it flashed in his mind, forcing him to physically convulse and tighten his grip around the picture frame. He would’ve nearly broken it if it had not been for the knock at the door.

Amaku quickly looked towards the door and shortly after, he heard another knock. He set the photo face down on the nightstand and took a brief second to collect himself.

“It’s open,” he said as casually as possible. The door opened to reveal his uncle Hanzo, who peaked his head in through it.

“Hey, big guy,” he said casually. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, of course not, Uncle,” Amaku said formally. “I was just resting a bit, is all. It’s been a… long day, as you could imagine.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Hanzo said. He then stuck his hand through the door, which had a small cup of tea in it.

“…mind if I come in?” Hanzo asked.

“Please, by all means,” Amaku replied, gesturing for him to enter.

Hanzo came in and closed the door behind him. He approached the bed and handed the tea to Amaku, who accepted it and nodded as a sign of thanks. Amaku took a small sip from the cup, slightly pleased to find that it was his favorite mango decaf.

“Hanako brewed it just the way you like,” said Hanzo.

“I’ll be sure to thank her, Uncle,” Amaku said with a small smile on his face, setting the cup down on the nightstand next to the face down photo, something that Hanzo took notice of.

“So then, how can I help you?” Amaku asked his uncle.

“I just wanted to see how you’re holding up,” Hanzo inquired.

“Your concern is appreciated, Uncle, truly. But I assure you, I’m fine.”

“Yeah?” Hanzo said, his eyes darting slightly to the right and then back towards Amaku.

Amaku followed Hanzo’s gaze towards his nightstand and realized that he was gesturing towards the picture frame, which was not only face down, but slightly, though noticeably deformed from Amaku’s convulsion. A moment of silence passed as Amaku came to this realization. He then felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to his uncle.

“Come on now, kiddo…the truth. Tell me what happened out there.”

Amaku, after crossing his arms and taking a minute to gather his thoughts, then proceeded to recall the incident at the park.

“Well…I was making my way home with the groceries,” he began. “And then, as I was walking, I heard an explosion come from behind me. Those two villains had just robbed Tadashi’s Tool Chest and were making their way down the street with a large sum of stolen money. Mirror Match was on the scene almost immediately and he gave chase. And then I…I decided to follow them.”

Hanzo looked at him with a confused and slightly surprised expression.

“...You followed them?” he asked.

“My thoughts exactly,” said Amaku, contemplatively. “It was none of my business, it had nothing to do with me, and if I’d just gone about my day, I would probably still have a future right now. So yes, why in the Hell made me follow them to that park?” his tone was starting to become more aggressive. “I didn’t even hesitate, I just…my first instinct was to just…FOLLOW them! WHY THE HELL DID-”

“Amaku!” Hanzo interjected, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. Look…whatever reason you had, why doesn't matter now, ok? It happened. So, what happened next?”

Amaku took a second to calm himself before resuming.

“Right…Well, I followed them down to the park just off of 34th street. I hid behind a nearby bench and I witnessed the villains defeat Mirror Match. They then declared out loud their intent to execute him.”

Amaku looked down at his hands, his knuckles still slightly bruised and bloodied.

“It was at this point that once again, some sort of…gut instinct forced me to get involved. I intervened, defending Mirror Match. The villains defeated him by synchronizing their attacks, so I figured that I would have a better chance if I separated them. I threw one into an open field and the other into a tree, disorienting the latter. The other one attacked me out of anger for his wounded comrade. This one was the muscle of the duo and I was already made aware of their willingness to kill, so I hit him with a ferocious counter assault to insure he didn’t get back up. Soon after, the other one had recovered from his injuries and was also ready to fight. He was skinny, fast and agile. So I decided to catch him off guard while he was boasting and I crushed his ribs in between my knee and the tree I had thrown him into. With the two of them neutralized, I saw to Mirror Match and called emergency services.”

The two of them sat in silence for a bit after Amaku finished his retelling.

“Huh,” Hanzo said contemplatively. “Yeah…yeah that’s quite the pickle right there, I gotta say…buuuuut, maybe you’re kinda overplaying it just a bit?”

Amaku looked in shock towards his uncle’s reaction. How could he possibly be so calm?

“Overplaying?” Amaku asked in a dumbfounded tone. “Overplaying?! Uncle, don’t you get it? It’s over! Before any of this happened, there was at least a chance that we could make an appeal to the UA admissions committee, and if not, we had other schools to choose from. But now?! That chance…gone, POOF! Not just UA, but any hero school, period! With my current standing, the likelihood of a witness, my injuries, my-…everything points to my direct involvement in the incident. Do you really think that any school would give consideration to a denied UA applicant with a criminal record?”

“Criminal?” Hanzo asked in surprise. “Is that how you see it? Are we just gonna gloss over the fact that you freaking saved a man’s life-“

“IT DOESN’T MATTER, DAMMIT!!” Amaku retorted viciously, his eyes glowing red. Hanzo was stunned into silence by this outburst.

“None of that matters to these people! All that matters is that they claimed me to be an unstable risk, and they were right! I didn’t simply neutralize those villains, I HOSPITALIZED them! I BROKE the ribs of the skinny robber and I beat the other one senseless! Anywhere I apply now, they’ll look at my actions and they won’t see someone with the makings of a potential hero, but a sad*stic brute who’s only talent is mindless destruction!…And what’s worse…they’ll be right.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Hanzo asked. Amaku's eyes returned to their natural brown color as he looked down at his hands.

“During that fight…when I retaliated against those two villains…when I let loose out of the belief that it was all or nothing, it felt…good. Letting my anger and rage out on them, delivering punishment onto those I deemed guilty…it made me feel…at peace. Every strike brought me some twisted, callous form of satisfaction. A hero is supposed to know better…a hero is supposed to BE better…everything I’ve done…everything I’ve gone through was to prove that I am more than a monster, and yet-…even though I knew it was wrong, it felt…right…I…I’m no hero…and I never will be…I failed…”

Amaku then finally broke down, his face falling into his hands as he hopelessly wept into them. Hanzo allowed him to let some of the grief out before he once again tried to get his attention.

“…Amaku…look at me, man,” he said, taking Amaku’s sobbing face in his hands and turning it towards him.

“You can’t keep living like this. Believe me, I know what you’re going through. I may not have had as heavy of a burden or as high expectations set on me when I was your age, but I know what it's like to battle with your demons. Sometimes, you feel like you’re the only one in the world who knows what it’s like to suffer that hardship, to be discontent with how you see yourself. But you gotta realize eventually that we all have baggage.”

Hanzo let go of Amaku, looking down at the floor as he spoke.

“Others may have it better, some may have it worse. Which I know is hard to consider, but we all struggle. That’s something I realized when I met your aunt. I never saw it coming, but let me tell you, when you see a pro hero regularly visit the same bar as you, trying to drown their sorrows at the bottom of a bottle, it makes you...really step back and think about things. That one night when we first met, the low point she had hit, how desperate she was to find some form of solace that she spoke with some drunken moron like me, even coming back with me to my apartment for…well, let’s just say, one could only imagine the baggage she carried.”

Amaku was hanging off of every word as his uncle spoke. Much like his aunt from Hanzo’s story, he was in desperate need of solace.

“Honestly, I thought that maybe it would be just a once off and she was outta my life for good by morning. But, given the fact that you have cousins, it's pretty clear that that wasn’t the case. After that night, we kept meeting up, getting to know each other, helping each other look past the sh*t we were dealing with and…oh, God, I’m rambling now, aren’t I?” Hanzo chuckled slightly and cleared his throat.

“Look, the bottom line is, while some have greater struggles than others, we all have demons inside. But what defines us is whether we chose to run from them, or to acknowledge them and do something about it. And the way I see it, what you did, you showed UA that you know damn well that you’ve got problems, but you put the life of another before your own selfish desire to be accepted by them.”

Hanzo then put one of his arms around Amaku, bringing him in for a hug.

“The ability to acknowledge every part of yourself, good and bad, for the sake of others, that’s what I would call a damn fine hero. And if UA can’t see that, then I don’t know where they get off calling themselves the most prestigious hero school in the country.”

The two of them remained as they were for a while until eventually, Hanzo decided that it was probably best for him to give Amaku the time he needed.

“I’ll leave you alone,” he said softly, releasing Amaku and making his way over to the door. Amaku was left sitting on his bed, looking down at the floor nearly motionless. Hanzo opened the door to leave but stopped short, turning around to say one last thing.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said. Amaku slowly looked up to him, dried tears staining his face.

“Remember the line from that movie we all like… ‘the night is darkest just before the dawn.’ Well…this is your darkest hour…but the dawn will come. You hear me?”

Amaku stared at his uncle for a bit, then nodded slightly to acknowledge him. A small smile appeared on Hanzo’s face.

“Good…now get some rest, big guy…you need it.”

He then shut the door behind him as he left, leaving Amaku alone once again to properly process everything he said. Amaku meanwhile simply laid back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling fan.

2 days later: f*ckuoka

In f*ckuoka, at the headquarters of the Hero Public Safety Commission, an American woman in her mid twenties walked down a long hallway with a folder in her hand. She had long, straight blonde hair that hung over on one side, she wore a small amount of eyeliner, and knife style earrings.. She was wearing a black business dress with two buttons and she had a white dress shirt underneath it and black high heels whose clicking echoed through the halls with each equal, on beat step she took.

The woman made her way down the hall, carrying herself in a formal almost machine like manner, until she finally arrived at a set of fancy wooden double doors with golden knobs. As she entered, she found another woman sitting at a desk, working at her computer. The woman was around middle age, with turquoise eyes and slicked back ashen blonde hair. She was wearing black suit jacket and dress along with a purple shirt and a white necklace.

The blonde woman with the folder made her way over to the desk and stopped right in front of it.

“Madame President,” she said in a formal, almost deadpan voice.

The woman behind the computer stopped what she was doing and turned to face her, a stoic and steely expression on her face.

“Agent Tex,” she said in a cold and serious tone. “I could use some good news right about now. I’ve had about enough misfortune for one week.”

Agent Tex took the vanilla folder from under her arm and placed it on the President’s desk. The President looked down at the folder, observing it for a second.

“And what is this supposed to be?” She asked, keeping her steely gaze.

“I have made my final selection for the program, Madame,” Tex said in a cold, serious tone. The president’s left eyebrow shifted slightly in response to this.

“I see…well then, let’s have a look at what you’ve got.”

The President then proceeded to open the file and read its contents. As she did, Tex watched on with her unmoving turquoise eyes, her hands behind her back. Meanwhile, the president continued to read on, thoroughly analyzing the file’s contents. Then, as she flipped to the next page, for the first time since Tex entered the office, the President’s expression shifted ever so slightly from its usual cold steely gaze, something that Tex took notice of. To most, it would not have looked like much, but to Tex, it looked as though the President had seen a ghost. The President’s expression remained like this as she looked back up at Tex.

“This info is absolutely accurate, Agent?” The president said, presenting the second page of the file to Tex.

“Beyond the shadow of a doubt, Madame,” she responded, unfazed by the info in front of her. “And if you continue reading, you’ll come to realize exactly why he is an ideal candidate for the program.”

The president continued to read on, and as she did. Her expression slowly returned to its steely nature. After a short time, she set the file down on her desk and sat back in her chair, quietly contemplating the choice to be made. Tex observed on and could see the wheels turning in her head with every slight movement of her head and shift of her expression. Eventually, after what felt like an eternity of silence but in reality was a mere two minutes, the president looked back up towards Tex.

“Get Yokumiru on it. Send him out to meet the candidate and secure his cooperation. Should he accept, I will handle the preparations for his initiation personally.”

“At once, Madame President,” Tex replied, bowing to the President. She then turned away from the desk and made her way towards the double doors. Upon placing a hand on one of the knobs, she was halted before she could exit the office.

“Agent,” the President said, stopping her at the door. Tex looked over her shoulder to face her. “What exactly do you see in this one?” she asked.

“What do you see, Madame?” Tex asked in kind. The President crossed her arms in a mix of insistence and annoyance in response to this.

“...Dismissed,” she said sternly.

Tex once again gave a respectful bow before taking her leave. Once the doors shut behind her, all was quiet in the president’s office. After a while passed, she opened up the file once again and removed a photo from it. She looked at it, silently contemplating for quite some time until she finally reached across her desk to her phone. After dialing a specific number, she waited about ten seconds before someone answered.

“Jyunichi, get me Keigo…tell him it’s important,” the president said, setting down a photo…with Amaku’s face on it.

Chapter 5: Opportunity

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Opportunity

4 days later

Some days later, the Brokuma’s received a call that came directly from the government, informing them that one of their representatives wanted to speak with them directly and would pay them a visit at their earliest convenience. Thinking that they knew what was to come, the family figured it was better to tear the band aid off sooner rather than later and set the meeting up for the next day.

A day after the message was received, the doorbell rang and Harumi answered it. When she opened the door, she was greeted by a lanky middle aged man with beige, messy, chin length hair. He was dressed in a formal black shirt with a white undershirt which was paired with equally black pants. He also wore a loose tie and black shoes. In his right hand was a black briefcase.

“Good morning,” said Harumi, giving a bow with a fist to her chest, the family’s traditional bow.

“Greetings, Mrs.Brokuma,” the man replied in a blasé, unenthusiastic tone as if he hadn’t slept in days. A moment of silence passed before anyone said a word.

“May I enter?” He asked.

“…Oh, right. Sure, come on in,” said Harumi, allowing him inside.

Both seated in the living room, the man taking a seat in the chair closest to the door while Harumi took a seat on the sofa across from him.

“Make yourself comfortable, let me get my nephew in here,” she said. “Amaku!!!! Get out here, there’s someone here to see you!” she yelled down the hall.

Amaku came out of his room, dread and grim on his face. He walked into the living room and sat next to his aunt.

“So then, you’re Brokuma Amaku, I take it,” the man asked. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mera Yokumiru, I represent the Hero Public Safety Commission and I-“

“With all due respect, sir…there is no need for pleasantries,” said Amaku in a mix of hesitance and hopelessness in his voice. Yokumiru raised a me of his eye brows out of slight shock.

“Amaku!!” snapped Harumi.“I-I’m sorry about this, Mr.Yokumiru. He-“

“It’s fine, Mrs.Brokuma,” said Yokumiru, putting an assuring hand up. “Let him speak.”

“I’m…rather certain that all three of us know why you're here, Mr. Yokumiru,” Amaku continued. “So please, allow me to say one thing first.”

“...Of course,” said Yokumiru after a moment of silence.

Amaku took a deep breath in and continued on with a tone of sincerity and confidence.

“I’ve had some time to contemplate about my actions, and…I do not regret them,” he said, clenching his fist. “I take full responsibility for what I did, and I do so knowing full well what the consequences are. I did what I believed to be the right thing that day. When I saw Mirror Match against that wall, wounded and helpless, I refused to simply stand by while those villains attempted to execute him. I knew that by defending him with my quirk, I would be in direct violation of the law and potentially throwing away my chance to become a hero. However, while I feared such a result, the one thing that I feared more was living with the guilt of having let a man die just so I could achieve my dream. I would not build my future as a hero by sitting by and letting a hero’s blood be spilt. So, if you’ve come here to tell me that I am banned from applying to any school to become a hero, just know that even though I knew that my actions would lead to this…I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.”

Yokumiru simply sat there, silently staring at Amaku, who was now staring at the floor with a look of dread on his face. Harumi then put her hand on her nephew's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Then, after a whole minute of silence, Yokumiru finally spoke.

“Young man…I’m afraid that it’s true that you are barred from participating in any official hero academia here in Japan. Unfortunately, no matter how noble your intentions, you did very clearly break the law, even if it was in fact to save a life.” Yokumiru said.

Amaku tensed up as grief once again took hold over him, forcing him to shed a single tear as he started at the floor.

“However…” Yokumiru continued. “Even though you are barred from pursuing your goal through any traditional methods, I am here to offer you an alternative solution.”

Amaku, as these words were being processed in his mind, slowly raised his head up to face Yokumiru. Harumi herself turned to face him with a look of curiosity on her face.

“You see, we here at the Hero Public Safety Commission have taken a considerable amount of time to directly analyze your…particular situation. And as I’ve stated before, you very clearly broke the law. That, and the way in which you went about it not only brutally injured two people, villains or not, but it also caused considerable property damage to the surrounding area. However, we have not failed to recognize that you did act for the sake of the well being of another. While your predicament is a complicated set of circ*mstances, it’s not quite as unique as you may think. There are many just like you, people who were simply acting out of the desire to save another. But after carefully analyzing your situation, we have deemed that to force you to have to relegate your quirk to common everyday work would be a waste of not only such a powerful quirk, but also a waste of a potentially effective hero. Given that your aunt was once a night watcher hero in her day, there’s no doubt that she has had some hand in molding your mindset into that of one who will do whatever they must to see true justice done. So, with all that said, here is our offer.”

Yokumiru then pulled out his black business bag and placed it on the table. After opening it and digging through the multiple items inside, he pulled out a sheet of paper and a ballpoint pen, placed them on the table and pushed them over to Amaku and Harumi. At the bottom of the fine print there was space for two signatures. Upon seeing this contract and the two signature lines at the bottom, Harumi and Amaku looked at one another.

“We are offering you the opportunity to participate in a recently developed program issued by the Safety Commission for a select few individuals that we deem are worthy candidates, codenamed The Wolves Initiative. I suppose you could think of it as a sort of ‘experimental program’. Much like you, many of the candidates were denied the chance to become heroes through traditional educational outlets for one reason or another, and we offer them an alternative. Those who are selected are chosen to participate in a very uniquely designed curriculum that will mold them into the heroes that they were meant to be. You will be provided with room and board at one of our training facilities along with the other candidates. The program consists of various physical and educational training exercises that will help mold you into the most ideal version of yourself. You will also receive hands-on training in the field. However, before you make your decision, I must warn you from now, this program will be far different from any traditional hero academic program that you will find, even compared to an elite school like UA. And once you agree to this program, there is no going back. So I would think very, very carefully before you make your dec-“

“I accept,” Amaku interjected with absolute determination. Harumi turned and looked at him with a shocked expression on her face, even Yokumiru appeared to wake up a bit from this sudden response due to how sudden it was.

“Uhm…young man, are you sure about this? This isn’t the kind of decision that you just make on a whim-“

“I’m not,” Amaku interjected. “I know quite well what I’m getting myself into, and I acce-“

“Alright, timeout! Ok? Just…stop,” Harumi interjected as she grabbed Amaku by the arm and forced to stand.

“I’m sorry, Mr.Yokumiru, but would you excuse us for a moment? I need to have a quick talk with my nephew.”

“Yes, by all means,” Yokumiru said with a simple nod.

“Thank you. Now, come along, Amaku.” She said, dragging him into the bathroom down the hall and closing the door behind them.

She then turned to Amaku with an unbridled rage in her eyes.

“Just how badly has your brain rotted over the last few days, Amaku?!” She said in an angry whisper. “Do you have any, and I mean ANY idea, just what the hell you’re getting yourself into?! The safety commission doesn’t train heroes, they train soldiers.”

“Auntie-“

“The heroes trained directly by the commission are broken down to their very core and rebuilt to be whatever they deem fit! They’re just soldiers for the government pretending to be heroes-“

“Well maybe that’s what this country needs!!!” Amaku retorted. Harumi was stunned into silence by the abrupt response.

“Maybe this country needs soldiers that can make the hard call regardless of how their reputation is affected! Now more than ever, this country needs heroes who would do anything to forge a world where good people can live their lives in peace and scum are locked away in some god forsaken hole in the ground with no key. If it guarantees results, then I don’t care what kind of training I must do!”

Amaku clenched his fist and looked into Harumi’s eyes as his burned with a steely determination.

“I want you to look me in the eye right now and tell me that, no matter what program I would participate in, I would come out as this society’s definition of a proper hero. You know well enough that no matter what I end up doing, I would always be shone under a controversial light. You know it, I know it. And regardless, I made a promise…a promise to my father, your brother, that I would become a hero. And if I recall correctly, didn’t you promise me that you would do everything in your power to help me see that dream realized?”

“Don’t you put that on me,” Harumi seethed. “I may have made you that promise, but I also made one to both your parents, too. I swore that I would make sure you were safe and healthy so long as you were in my care, that I would guide you to lead a good, honest, and happy life. And I’m telling you, there are other ways for you to help people than forfeiting yourself to-”

“THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!!!!” Amaku exploded in anger, his brown eyes glowing red. Harumi was once again silent out of pure shock. Amaku tempered himself before he spoke again. “...Not for me...You and I both know that any chance of me leading a normal, happy life died long ago…and my chances of even being a normal hero died a week ago…”

Amaku clenched his fist in determination. “Auntie…I have to do this…I know you only want the best for me, but you have to understand, I cannot simply walk away from this.”

Amaku walked up to her and gently put both hands on her shoulders as he said this.

“As much pain as it carries, that’s why I have to do it. Because as much as the pain may hurt me, what will hurt me more is knowing I had the chance to do something and I just let it go…I have too much to make right to afford that luxury.”

Harumi slowly began to tear up as he spoke with a tone of genuine care mixed with determination. What made it worse for her was that she knew that much of what Amaku was saying was right. She had tried for so long to put him on the right path, but she was beginning to accept that in the end, this was how it had to be. Amaku went to wipe away her tears and then brought her in closer to hug her. She embraced him tightly and they both remained like this for some time. Harumi looked deeply into the eyes of her nephew, sorrowful tears rolling down her face.

“…You look just like him, you know that?” said Harumi, trying to contain her sorrow. “It…it’s truly something to see how much like him you’ve grown up to be. I failed him once, and I…I can’t stand the thought of failing him again by letting you fail.”

Harumi then set her head against Amaku’s chest as they continued their embrace.

“Auntie…I love you…and I owe you everything,” Amaku said sympathetically. “I know there’s nothing in the world you wouldn’t do for me, and I have no right to ask such a thing of you…but I’m asking. Let me do this…there is a darkness in me that will never go away, you’ve seen it. I am burdened with demons that cannot be tamed, but at least this way, I can point them in the right direction…will you help me?”

Harumi took some time before responding, but eventually did so with a slightly hesitant and shaky nod. Amaku breathed a sigh of relief at the sign of her long awaited compliance.

“Thank you, Auntie,” Amaku said, taking some tissues from a box near the sink and giving them to her. “Come…let’s not keep Mr.Yokumiru waiting any longer.”

Harumi took a moment to collect herself, cleaning her face of the tears, and they both went back out to the living room. They both sat down at the couch across from him, the paper and pen still sitting on the table in front of them.

“Apologies for making you wait, Mr.Yokumiru,” Harumi said, apologetically. “There was…a lot to be sorted out.”

“No need to apologize,” Yokumiru said, putting a hand up.

“After all, this is quite the decision for you both. So…have you both reached a verdict?”

Amaku and Harumi both turned towards one another and Harumi gave a nod of approval towards Amaku. He took the pen in his hand and proceeded to sign and date the piece of paper and passed it to Harumi, who did the same. After she signed and dated it, she placed the pen on top of the paper and pushed both back over towards Yokumiru.

“Excellent,” Yokumiru said, placing the paper and pen back into his work bag. “Now with the initial formalities completed, we will make the arrangements and prepare for your training regiment alongside the other candidates. Until then, I suggest you keep up with whatever personal training you may be doing already. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Amaku responded.

“Good, then our business is concluded. Good day,” Yokumiru said, bowing to both of them.

“Allow me to walk you out,” Harumi said, standing from the sofa.

The two of them walked out of the house where a car was waiting for Yokumiru. Before he could enter the car, Harumi stopped him short.

“Wait, Mr.Yokumiru,” Harumi said. He stopped at the door of the car and turned back to face her. “There’s something that I don’t understand. If Amaku really isn’t the first to be considered for this program, then surely there were other people out there with strength that was quite close to if not stronger than his. That, and as you’ve said, his situation is not all that unique. So tell me, why did my nephew stand out amongst the others?”

“…You are very astute, Mrs. Brokuma,” Yokumiru said. “To answer your question, though, I believe that you already know the answer.”

Harumi was confused by this at first. However, after taking a moment to consider what he meant, her eyes widened in a mix of fear and shock as she came to a horrifying realization.

“Yes…we’ve been watching your nephew…for a very long time now,” Yokumiru said ominously. “However, this was not our only reason. You see, a couple of days after the incident at the park, we received a visit from the very person your nephew saved, Mirror Match. He attempted to plead on the boy’s behalf and was quite adamant that our judgment not be so harsh on the boy, insisting that we use the cover story fabricated by the MPD. If there is anyone that you should thank for cementing your son’s position, it would be him. While we may have already had our interests in him, Mirror Match was the final push that influenced our decision.”

“…I see,” Harumi said, surprised at the act of charity. “And you think you can really keep the incident under wraps?”

“I make no such promises, but I can guarantee that we will do everything in our power to keep your nephew’s name and face out of the news. That, I can promise you.”

Harumi nodded in response to this, approaching Yokumiru.

“Well, in any case…thank you,” she said, extending her hand for a handshake, which Yokumiru accepted firmly.

“We’ll be in touch,” he said before entering his car. With that, the two parted ways.

Five minutes after leaving the house, Yokumiru pulled out his phone and made a call. After about thirty seconds of ringing, there was an answer.

“Cayne speaking,” said a female voice with a cold, formal tone coming in over the phone.

“Agent Tex,” replied Yokumiru. “Our business with the Brokuma’s is concluded.”

“And?” Tex asked.

“The candidate has accepted. We now have our final piece.”

“Acknowledged,” said Tex. “We’ll begin preparations for his training immediately.”

“What did you have in mind for his initiation?” asked Yokumiru.

“Actually, Madame President is seeing to the preparation of his initiation personally. She’s requested that agent Keigo be the one to test him.”

Yokumiru was silent for a bit before speaking again, he even woke up a bit when he heard this, his eyes widening considerably.

“Keigo?” Yokumiru asked with surprise. “She would use him just to test this boy? Why? What does she see in him?”

“You read his file, yes? Then you should know what she sees in him…”

Meanwhile, Harumi went back into the house, finding Amaku still sitting on the sofa.

“Stand up, Amaku,” she said sternly. Amaku rose up from the couch as she instructed.

“Backyard, now…we have work to do.”

Chapter 6: A Promise

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: A promise

One week later

Amaku and Harumi were in the backyard across from one another. Amaku was wearing a pair of black sports shorts, a gray tank top, and red and black sneakers while Harumi was wearing blue sweatpants, blue and white sneakers, and a gray workout top. Amaku was kneeling on the ground covered in dirt, breathing heavily and sweating profusely as the sun beamed down upon him. He could barely catch his breath. Harumi on the other hand was perfectly fine. While she was sweating from the heat, she was unscathed and her breathing was normal.

“Again,” Harumi demanded, standing with her hands behind her back.

Amaku looked up at her while kneeling, still breathing heavily.

“I…*wheeze*…I can’t,” Amaku said in pain and gasping for air.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I stutter?” Harumi said in a tone of aggression. “Get up and go again…Now.”

Over the past week, Amaku and Harumi had resumed training, making sure that he was at least somewhat prepared for the path ahead. During this time, they would go through combat drills, physical exercise, and Harumi would even have him go over some of the procedures that she could recall from her pro hero days so he’d be somewhat informed on hero protocall in the feild. All the while, the preparations for the program were finally complete. Two days before he was supposed to leave, Harumi would have him undergo a sort of final trial to confirm that his training was at a good enough place to at least get him started.

After a few seconds passed and Amaku started to get back control over his breathing, he began to rise from the ground, stumbling forward before immediately catching himself. As he mustered his strength and took in one last deep breath, he assumed his regular fighting stance. He and his aunt stared each other down for quite some time, while she still kept her arms behind her back, not moving an inch.

“...Begin,” she said.

Not even a second later, Amaku charged forward at her and once he was within range, fired a left jab at Harumi. However, Harumi, still keeping her arms behind her back, weaved her head to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. Amaku then immediately followed up with a right straight, which Harumi once again avoided by weaving her head. Amaku continued to throw attack after attack, mixing kicks into his assault.

He’d been trained by Harumi over the years in Judo, Taekwondo, and kick-boxing, all of which he learned to combine into his own unique fighting style. However, on top of being the one who trained him, Harumi not only knew his tendencies and weaknesses inside and out thanks to decades of experience, but her quirk allowed her the extra edge over him. Her quirk, instinct, acted as a form of sense sharpening and reflex enhancement. This not only allowed her to better detect an imminent threat, but also avoid it with extreme proficiency, proficiency that was only made stronger through her experience as a pro nightwatcher.

She continued dodging Amaku’s relentless assault until he eventually abandoned regular strikes to go for a grapple. However, as soon as Amaku’s hands were within range of her, she charged forward though his arms and delivered a precise strike to the ribs on his right side. Amaku flinched slightly from the pain, but was quick on the rebound as he attempted a swinging backhand at Harumi out of retaliation. Once again, Harumi ducked under the attack and swiftly moved to his right side, delivering three more lightning fast, precise strikes to his ribs. Amaku flinched slightly more after these attacks landed, and once again he attempted to retaliate, this time with a spinning back kick with his left leg. Harumi matched this rotation to avoid the kick, remaining aligned with his ribs. With his attack avoided, Harumi once again went for Amaku’s ribs, this time delivering a powerful, heavy-hitting knee. Amaku felt the combined sting of these attacks as he painfully grunted and grabbed his freshly strucken ribs.

As he staggered backwards, Harumi wasted no time pressing her advantage, dashing behind him and delivering a powerful kick to the back of his knee joint and forcing him down on it. She then immediately followed this by circling back around to face him and charged straight at him up with a powerful knee strike to the face. Amaku fell onto his back, grunting loudly and holding his bleeding nose from the pain of that last attack. As he brought himself back up on his knees, still reeling from the pain, Harumi walked over to him, looking down on him.

“Seems even after all this time you only learn the hard way, Amaku,” Harumi said in a strict tone. “...So be it.”

Harumi then resumed her assault, performing a downward sweeping ax kick upon Amaku’s face. However, before the attack could find its mark, Amaku stopped the attack with a single hand. Harumi’s expression shifted from one of pity to one of surprise. Meanwhile, Amaku’s eyes began to shift from their natural brown to a burning crimson as he stared at his aunt. He was not done fighting, but he was done being toyed with.

He then pulled Harumi’s leg towards him, forcing her off her feet, grabbed her again by the throat with his right hand, and forced her to the ground. Harumi grunted in pain, attempting to break free of Amaku’s grip on her throat, but to no avail. She then attempted to strike his face, but his reach was longer than hers, keeping her out of striking distance. As he stood over her, holding her down to the ground staring at her with burning rage in his eyes, he wound back his left arm as it was encompassed in his red and black aura. Harumi looked up at it, her expression displaying fear as she believed that Amaku was losing himself.

Then, after letting out a ferocious yell, he threw the attack at his aunt, who closed her eyes and braced herself for the onslaught. A powerful impact could be heard not an instant later. When Harumi opened her eyes, she looked to her right to see Amaku’s fist steaming from the impact it made with the ground not an inch away from her face. The ground around the impact was cratered and destroyed. When she looked back up at Amaku, his eyes were still burning red with hate and he was breathing and panting heavily like a wild animal, trying to bring his unyielding rage to heel. Eventually, after closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he opened them once again, returning to their natural brown color. He then released Harumi's neck.

“You may be right, Auntie,” Amaku said, a small grin on his face. “It’s true that I’m a slow learner, at least by your standards…but I learn nonetheless.”

After lifting his left hand off the ground, he offered it to Harumi.

“Heh…well done,” said Harumi, grinning while rubbing her throat and accepting Amaku’s hand. “May have been a bit sloppy on the comeback, but you did have me going all out there. You probed my pattern with your jabs, took all those hits without blocking or activating your barrier to bait me in, and if you had let your attack meet its mark, the fight would’ve been done right then and there. But most importantly, when you did fire that punch, you maintained control and managed to bring yourself back from your anger…you pass.”

Harumi walked in front of Amaku, placing her right hand over chest. Amaku did the same in response and the two of them bowed to each other.

“You honor me…Master Harumi,” Amaku said, jokingly.

Harumi playfully jabbed him in the arm.

“Shut up, wise ass,” Harumi, chuckled. Amaku chuckled as well while holding his arm.

“Come on, let’s head inside. Your cousins are probably hungry and your uncle will be home in a couple hours. I say we get dinner started.”

Amaku nodded in acknowledgement and the two of them went inside.

Later that evening, the whole family was sitting at the table for dinner. Everyone was in their regular spots: Amaku at one head of the table with Hanzo at the other end, Harumi and Hanako sat to Aamku’s left side, and Yushiro and Yukio sat to his right. The meal consisted of Miso soup, Oyakodon, Teriyaki Tonkatsu, Takikomi Gohan with chicken, eggs, rice, and onion, and to everyone's surprise, the main course was Vietnamese Bun Bo Hue pho, a spicy beef oriented noodle dish.

After the long day of training that his aunt had put him through, Amaku was starving and he wasn’t concerned with letting the rest of the family know. While the twins bickered and borderline screamed at one another, Amaku was on his second large bowl, devouring the pho like there was no tomorrow. Harumi, Hanako, and Hanzo watched in shock as he attempted to satiate his hunger, downing what looked like a mile long string of noodles and countless pieces of beef and veggies. Then, once the other solid ingredients were devoured, he wasted no time in drinking the spicy broth. After completely emptying his bowl, he slammed it down on the table and took a moment to breathe before reaching out to his left and slowly taking hold of a small cup of tea. He then proceeded to close his eyes and slowly drink it like a nobleman, holding the tea in one hand while keeping the other hand under the cup. Despite its small size, he took about thirty seconds to completely drink the tea in one sip, enjoying the drink to its fullest. As he finished the tea, the peaceful warmth of the drink making its way down his throat, he exhaled with satisfaction and gently set down the small cup.

For some time, he quietly sat in his chair with his arms on his lap and his eyes closed. Not in the same depressing, dreadful manner he did two weeks prior, but in a peaceful, satisfied way.

“Everyone,” a female voice said, breaking Amaku out of his silent state. He opened his eyes and realized that the one speaking was his cousin, Hanako. While Amaku, Harumi, and Hanzo all acknowledged her, Yushiro and Yukiro were both still screaming and bickering between the two of them about some video game.

“Everyone,” she said again in a stronger tone. The boys still refused to stop bickering and screaming.

Eventually, Amaku became annoyed by their screaming and slammed his right hand hard upon the table, shaking the whole thing. There was a collective BOOM in the dining room as the plates, dishes, glasses and silverware all rattled from the impact. Yushiro and Yukiro were stunned out of their conversation as they both stared at Amaku. Amaku, looking at them both, then gave a darting glance towards Hanako, telling them to listen to their big sister.

“Thanks, Amaku,” Hanako said.

“Of course, Cousin,” Amaku said with a humble nod.

“Anyway,” she continued. “I have some rather…interesting news to share.”

“ Good interesting?” Harumi asked.

“Well…yeah, it is generally good news, Mom. But… there’s a bit more to it.”

Hanako reached behind her and took out a piece of paper she had folded up in her back pants pocket.

“This came in the mail a few days ago,” she said.

She slowly unfolded it and set it out on the table for everyone to see. The paper appeared to be some sort of letter. But what drew everyone’s attention almost immediately, especially Amaku, was the Official UA seal on the outside of the letter. It matched the seal on Amaku’s rejection letter, so he knew for a fact that the letter was legitimate. Harumi took the letter in hand and read the letter aloud. The letter itself read:

Dear Brokuma Hanako,

Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that we inform you of your acceptance to the hero program of UA Highschool. You have been given this opportunity in recognition of your personal and scholastic achievements, recommendations, and your performance on the entrance exam.

We have enclosed a starter package with this letter so you can familiarize yourself with the school grounds, as well as the opportunities and facilities we offer. Feel free to reach out to us at any time, as we would like to make the transition as easy as possible.

We look forward to having you at our school this upcoming academic year and we look forward to seeing you go beyond Plus Ultra!

Sincerely,

The admissions board of UA Highschool

Stunned silence fell upon the dinner table for some time after Harumi finished reading. Hanako herself sat in absolute silence, staring down at the table with her hands on her lap. Then, out of nowhere, Harumi reached over to her daughter and hugged her. The others watched on as this happened.

“That’s my little stream,” said Harumi, trying to contain her excitement.

“I knew you could do it, baby girl!” Hanzo said in a proud tone.

“AWESOME, SIS!!!” the twins said in unison.

Meanwhile, Amaku sat in silence as this all happened. Amaku couldn’t have been happier for his cousin, but as he watched on, deep down, he couldn’t help but feel a small amount of resentment. Both he and Hanako had been working hard to become fighters, heroes, and above all, they were going to accomplish these goals together. So to see her succeed while he was left behind, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat uneasy deep down.

“…Thank you…all of you,” she said in a soft, hesitant tone.

“Well…why did you wait so long to tell us?” Harumi asked.

“Well…I…” Hanako said hesitantly.

Amaku looked up at her, noticing the uncertainty in her voice. Harumi slowly released her daughter to look her in the face.

“Hanako…what’s wrong?” Harumi asked, her excitement shifting to concern. “Why aren't you more excited about this? What aren’t you telling us?”

Hanako was silent for a bit, taking a deep breath in before speaking again.

“Mom…I’m not going,” she said in a firm tone.

Everyone’s expressions shifted to one of both shock and concern after she said this. Hanzo and Amaku stared at her while Yushiro and Yukio looked at one another. Harumi’s expression was the one that displayed the most shock of the five of them.

“You’re…you’re what?” She said in pure disbelief.

“I’m not going to UA,” Hanako said. “I’m denying the acceptance.”

“But…but why!?!” Harumi asked. “Hanako, this is everything we’ve been training for! All of this work is finally bearing fruit and you're just going to throw it all away!? This is your dream, the one you’ve been working to make come true for years. Why would you-“

“Because it wasn’t just my dream to go there!” Hanako snapped, suddenly rising from her seat. “Mom, you trained both me and Amaku so that we could go to UA and become heroes together. As much blood, sweat, and tears as I’ve put into this, Amaku has gone through hell and back to try and make his ends meet, and how did UA reward him? A ‘thanks, but no thanks’!” She yelled, getting up out of her seat and gesturing towards Amaku.

“All of the work he put into trying to get stronger, all that time he spent trying to learn to control his quirk, UA takes one look at him and they demonize him, not even allowing him to take the entrance exam! What happened to him was wrong, and we all know it! How is it fair that I achieved a dream that Amaku struggled so hard to make come true and yet he’s left with NOTHING!?!?”

Everyone was silent while this all happened, with Hanzo and the twins watching on in concern as this happened. Amaku, however, refused to stay silent.

“Hanako,” he said, rising from his seat. “Even if what you’re saying is true, that doesn’t mean that you should throw your future away just for my sake. Besides, it’s not like I’m out of options, I’m literally going to be starting my training for this Wolves program on Monday. It’s like you said: we’ve been working towards this for years. And right now, you're throwing away your chance to become a hero! All those years of training and studying, and you’re just letting it all go to-“

“This isn’t just about being a hero, Amaku!” Hanako interrupted him. “Amaku you…you may be my cousin, but I’ve always seen you as my older brother. When we were kids, you…you were in a horrible place, and…I…” Hanako took a moment to collect herself, breathing in and exhaling deeply before speaking again.

“I wanted to help you. I could see it in you, we all did, you were a good person with a good heart, but you always felt the need to bottle up your feelings and keep everything buried inside. You were so afraid of letting your demons out that you refused to let anything out,” Hanako moved around the table and walked up to Amaku.

“I couldn’t just sit by and let you do that to yourself. I did everything I could to try and help you because it felt…wrong to just leave you to suffer like you were. Then, when you started training with Mom, I saw you change. You were happy, and…and that made me happy, too. So I thought that if I joined you, we could help each other get stronger and be happy together…be heroes together… But UA…they took that from us. And I refuse to build my future off of the suffering of one of my own family...I won’t.”

She then hugged Amaku tightly, to his surprise, her head pressing closely against his chest. Amaku, in response, embraced his younger cousin, gently hugging his arms around her shoulders. The two hugged for some time until eventually Harumi stood up from her chair and walked over to confront her daughter, who released the embrace between her and Amaku to acknowledge her. The two of them faced each other and Harumi gently placed both hands on Hanako’s shoulders.

“Hanako… you’re certain you want to do this?” Harumi asked sternly.

“I’m certain, Mom,” Hanako said, confidently.

Harumi was silent for a few seconds, processing Hanako’s words. After closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she looked at her daughter with an expression of acceptance.

“…Alright then,” said Harumi. “Your future, your choice what to do with it, my little stream. But that said, what are you going to do?”

“Truth be told, there’s only one thing to do,” Hanako said. “There’s only one other place for me to go that has a hero course as renowned as UA’s…Shiketsu High.”

“The commonly considered rival of UA,” Amaku said, crossing his arms. “UA in the East, Shiketsu in the West…Why do I get the suspicion that there was a bit of spite behind your decision making when you chose them?”

“…Maybe a bit,” Hanako admitted with a slight inflection of guilt in her voice. “But that doesn’t change the fact that they’re still one of the most elite hero schools in the country, renowned enough to be considered UA’s rival, as you put it. I’ll need to take another entrance exam for them, but at the very least, it will be similar in difficulty to the one I took for UA. That said, it will take place in about a week, so…”

Hanako then turned to face her mother once again.

“Mom…since Amaku will be taking tomorrow to rest before leaving for his…program, will you help me train for the upcoming exam? While I’m confident in my abilities, if there’s even the smallest thing I can improve upon, I want you to help me find it.”

“Of course, my little stream,” Harumi said with a smile. “Anything you need, I’ll be there for you. We’llallbe there for you,” said Harumi.

Hanako looked at the others. Hanzo smiled with a nod of agreement. Yushiro and Yukiro smiled with a giggle and a thumbs up. When Hanako turned back around to Amaku, he gave her a genuine smile and softly placed a hand her cheek.

“Hanako…though there may be many ways to climb a mountain, they all meet at the summit. So, though we may not share the journey together, I promise you that we will see each other at the top…as heroes.”

Amaku then put his hand to his chest and bowed to her. Hanako, with a tearful smile, returned the gesture with a bow of her own.

“Right then! Tomorrow, we begin your training,” said Harumi. “But for now, let’s enjoy this meal while it’s still hot, yeah?”

With that, the family resumed their meal, ending the evening on an unexpected, but hopeful note for the future of the two eldest children of the Brokuma family.

The Next Morning

On Sunday morning, Amaku woke up early while the rest of the family slept so he could visit a certain place, even setting the alarm as quiet as possible to not disturb their slumber. He didn’t bother with washing up, he simply quickly threw on some clothes and a pair of shoes, grabbing an apple for the road. He attempted to exit without waking the others, however, before he could make it to the door, someone caught him before he could take his leave.

“You’re up early,” a male voice spoke from behind him.

When Amaku heard this, he stopped just short of the door.

“ Dammit ,” he thought to himself.

“Apologies. Did I wake you, Uncle Hanzo?” When he turned around, Hanzo was wearing a tan fishing vest, baggy work pants, and a pair of boots.

“Not at all. Ojiro needed today off and I offered to take his place for the early morning deep sea charter, so don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“Ah, right. Forgot it was Sunday,” Amaku said.

“So what’s your excuse? Pretty sure you shouldn’t be up this early until tomorrow, shouldn’t you?”

“I…wanted to visit a certain place while I still have time,” Amaku said, turning to face his uncle. Hanzo took a few seconds or so before answering.

“Aaaahhhh….I see. So you finally decided to pay 'em a visit, didn’t you?” he inquired.

Amaku nodded. After acknowledging this, Hanzo looked down at his watch, stared at it for a few seconds, then looked back at Amaku.

“‘Aight,” he said. “I can give you a ride there before having to go fishing.”

Amaku looked at his uncle with a hint of surprise.

“Are you certain, Uncle?” he asked.

“Yeah. The car is packed up already, so I’m willing to make the detour if you don’t mind the smell of bait.”

Amaku gave a small grin in appreciation of his uncle’s kind gesture.

After retrieving his keys, Hanzo and Amaku eventually made their way to where Amaku wanted to visit. As they made their way through Musutafu, the streets nearly empty at such an early hour, Amaku sat in the passenger seat with his head near the open window, staring out at the sights as his Uncle drove through the trafficless streets. After about a fifteen minute drive, they had finally arrived at their destination: Tsuna Park, a residential park area along the outskirts of Musutafu. Hanzo stopped the car a little ways down the street in front of a black entry gate.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Do what you gotta do. I think you know how to get back home.”

Before he got out of the car, Amaku gave his uncle a hug.
“Thank you for doing this for me,” Amaku said.

“No problem, man,” said Hanzo, giving Amaku a small hug back. He then patted him on the shoulder twice. “Go get ‘em, Tiger.”

Amaku nodded in response as he exited the vehicle. When he looked back, Hanzo gave him a two fingered salute, to which Amaku gave a gentle wave and with that, Hanzo drove off while Amaku watched him shrink into the distance.

Once his uncle disappeared from sight, Amaku turned back towards the entry gate to the park. After taking in a deep breath of the morning air, he began walking along the dirt path. The morning air was crisp and slightly chilly, a small breeze blowing through the lush green fields and the sun barely peeking over the horizon as he gently strolled down the path. Amaku took in the sights and fresh air as he made his way through the park, biting into his apple every so often. The park itself was completely empty, which again wasn’t all that surprising given the hour. And for Amaku, the barren silence was actually quite welcoming as he walked. Other than the rustling of the grassy plains and the quiet whispering of the breeze, the only sounds to be heard were his own footsteps and the sound of his teeth biting into his apple. After a few more minutes of walking, he finally came across a divergence in the road that led to a hilltop with a cherry blossom tree at its peak. Conveniently enough, there was also a trash bin at the fork, which he used to throw away his apple before he began walking up the hill. When he got to the top of the hill, under the tree were three gravestones. The one on the right read Zoro Keiyodoshi: loving father and husband, the one on the left read Azumi Fujioka: loving mother and wife, and the center one read Yusaku Keyodoshi: beloved son.

Amaku stared at these stones for quite some time. Eventually, he knelt to his knees and bowed to them.

“Mother…Father…,” he said. “My deepest apologies, I know it has been a while since I last spoke to you both. The last few weeks have been…eventful, I guess you could say.”

Amaku rose to his feet.

“I… got rejected from UA…but I saved a hero and defeated the villains who attacked him, which, while barring me from attending any official hero course school, got the attention of the Hero Public Safety Commission. One of their representatives came by to extend an invitation to receive training in one of their new programs. So…I guess you could say everything sort of worked out in the end.”

Amaku then turned his head towards the tombstone of his mother.

“Mother, I…miss hearing your voice. Whistling and humming your songs is no replacement for the original. I miss coming home every day to see your face, shining as fairly as the sun.”

He then turned towards his father’s tombstone.

“Father, I miss the days where you’d come home in the evening after one of your trips, sit with the two of us for dinner, and then afterwards we…we would-”

“Heh…look at me,” he chuckled shakily. “I’m still the same emotional child at heart I guess…Well, anyway, I should probably get going, Aunty Harumi will probably be worried if I’m gone for too long. I’ll be traveling pretty far away for this program, so I probably won’t be seeing you two for quite some time. I’m sorry I can’t visit more often, I…just want you to know, Father…I haven’t forgotten the promise I made…and I fully intend to keep it.”

Amaku put his hand to his chest and bowed to the stones.

“And I promise you both, no matter what it takes, no matter how high the cost…I will bring honor to the Keiyodoshi name…and become a hero.”

Chapter 7: The Dawn

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: The Dawn

The next day

Amaku got up about a minute before his alarm went off. As his mind woke up, he eventually realized this was the long-awaited day. He slowly brought himself to sit up on the side of his bed, took a deep breath, stretched to get his body, cracked his neck, and looked around his room. Once the alarm on his phone went off, he hit the off button and got up from the bed as he proceeded to do his morning warm-up: 40 push-ups, another 40 push-ups with his thumbs only, 40 sit-ups, and 40 squats. Once he finished, he then went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and washed up. However, as he exited the bathroom, at the last minute, he turned back and grabbed his toothbrush, figuring that he would need it.

After getting dressed, he grabbed a black duffle bag from his closet and filled it with various personal effects. In the main compartment, he placed several articles of clothing, undergarments, two pairs of shoes, one or two books to read, and a few other personal items. He placed some hygienic products in one of the side pockets for his care, including the toothbrush he'd taken from the bathroom earlier. He also grabbed his wireless earbuds, ensuring they were fully charged before packing them.

With all these belongings stowed away, he took a step back and took a minute to confirm that he had everything he needed. He looked around the room lackadaisically, thinking something might appear in his line of sight. And sure enough, something did two things. He looked at the nightstand towards the two photos of his family. While one was the photo of a younger him and his parents in his old home, the other was a relatively recent one of him and his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He looked at them both for a short while before he eventually decided to carefully remove them both from their frames, observing them closely.

However, when he looked at the one with his parents, he couldn't help but linger on it. He momentarily set the other one down on the nightstand as he stared at it. His focus briefly went to the image of his Father, Zoro. He was a tall, robustly built man with short black hair much like Amaku’s and a burly black beard. However, he did not focus on it long as his gaze soon shifted to the image of his mother, Azumi. She was a beautiful woman with gentle brown eyes, long flowing black hair that reached her shoulders, subtle lips, smooth skin, and a slender build. As he stared at her, in his head, he couldn't help but hear a faint, old tune that he would never forget.

As the tune played in the back of his mind, he began to recall the memories of his old home, his times with her, and the rare but unforgettable times with his father. He remembered coming home every day from primary school to see his mother, embracing her after a long day. They would play and laugh together until the sun set and Amaku fell asleep in her lap. And every night, when Amaku was put to bed, she would sing to him with the same beautifully angelic voice that seemed to rob him of all frustration and anxiety. All negative emotions seemed to fade whenever she sang. As he remembered these long past times, the anxiety of what lay ahead of him seemed to dwindle. He felt somewhat calm, still, and at peace. He kissed his mother's face in the photograph.

However, as he recalled these memories, a fast, blurry red hue suddenly appeared as an image flashed in his mind, and the tune disappeared. He briefly heard a rumbling in his mind and could almost feel a vibration under his feet. A moment later, another image with a red hue flashed in his head, matched with another rumble. He attempted to bring himself under control, holding his head with his hands, but the flashes and rumbling wouldn't stop. Another short moment passed, and in his mind, he saw walls being destroyed and coming down around him, furniture being buried in debris. He heard the brief sound of a woman's voice calling out his name, and the next thing he knew, the ceiling came down on him and practically buried him. All while this was happening, Amaku started breathing erratically, his head was hurting, and his eyes flickered between their natural brown color and the bright crimson they glowed when his quirk was activated. Once again, in his mind, he briefly saw the silhouetted flashes of a massive, towering beast through the cracks in the debris that he was berried under. In a final flash, there was another pile of debris, and in it, he saw…

He suddenly heard a knock at the door which startled him out of his episode, halting the images in his head like the scratch of a needle on a record player. With his mind returned to reality, he placed the photo on the bed next to his bag. After taking a deep breath in and composing himself, he went to the door. When he opened it, there stood his aunt Harumi in casual clothing.

"Morning, big guy," she said, a straight look on her face. That one look alone showed she was not looking forward to this day. Amaku knew this, and he couldn't blame her.

"Good morning, Auntie," Amaku responded with a slight nod. Harumi looked past him to see the bag on his bed.

"It looks like you've had a busy morning, huh?" she said jokingly, attempting to lighten her mood.

"Yes, Ma'am," Amaku replied respectfully. "I've just finished packing. I have everything I'll need."

"Yeah… well, almost everything," she said ominously.

"...Auntie?" Amaku asked, confused.

"Come with me," she said.

Amaku followed Harumi through the house, trying to piece together what she was trying to do. She led him into the living room and had him sit down on one of the more petite sofas. She reached under the more oversized sofa against the wall as he sat and pulled a rather sizable package out from under it. She then walked up to Amaku with it in hand.

"I was…planning on giving this to you after we got your results for the entrance exam, but…well, we know how that went," Harumi explained. "After that, I'd been waiting for the right opportunity to give it to you. I even almost thought about returning it after what happened, but…I guess there's no time like the present."

Amaku took the box in his hands and laid it on his lap. After removing the cover and going through the paper mache, he was speechless by what he found. He laid the box down on the floor in front of him so he could get a better look at it all. Inside the box was a pair of baggy, dark red, gi-style pants with black flame-like stylings. At the waist was a belt with a silver demon's head on the buckle. There was also a pair of black tactical boots with silver metal trimmings along the toes and black and red wrist bracers, similar in style to that of a traditional samurai, with fingerless gloves attached. At the bottom of the box was a black, skin-tight, thin spandex T-shirt. On the right peck was a red stylized kanji for demon , and when he turned it around, the kanji was there once again, only this one was big enough to occupy most of the back side of the shirt.

Amaku stood back in awe as he looked at what was apparently his first official hero costume. He was astonished by the detail and care put into it.

“Auntie…I…I can't even…," he said, still dumbfounded by what lay before him. "I mean…when or even…how is this possible?"

"Wasn't as hard as you'd think," Harumi said. "I still have connections with an old friend in the costume design field who owed me a favor. The fabrics are made to adjust to how your quirk alters your muscle mass. So once you start powering up, there won't be any risk of you tearing it. On top of this, the material also cooperates with the aura you emit with your quirk, so whenever you create a barrier, it will always form outside of the costume while still conforming around you. Don't bother asking me how. Heisenberg has his ways…ways that, quite frankly, I gave up trying to figure out a long time ago."

As she told him this, Amaku ran his fingers over the fabrics of the shirt and pants, getting a feel for the material.

"How did you come up with the design?" Amaku asked

"That, believe it or not, was your cousins' work," Harumi said.

Amaku looked back at her with a surprised look on his face.

"Yushiro and Yukio designed this?"

"Yup. I knew you were busy with training and, no offense, but you don't have the greatest artistic hands. So I had them come up with a few different ideas. They came up with some pretty good ones. Honestly, I've got no idea where they got their grace with a pencil, but it certainly wasn't from me. In the end, we mixed and matched a few of their ideas, and this is what we got."

Amaku looked at the entirety of the costume once again, not saying a word..

"So…what do you-" Before she could finish, Amaku had his arms around her and embraced her closely. Harumi was momentarily stunned by the sudden gesture but eventually embraced him back.

"It's perfect, Auntie," said Amaku with a voice of genuine gratitude and happiness. "Thank you…!"

They remained in a hug for a bit longer until Harumi remembered they had a train to catch.

"Alright, big guy," she said, tapping him twice on the arm to let her go. "Go get your things, and I'll take care of the costume, ok?"

"Understood, Auntie," Amaku complied.

With his spirits raised, he returned to his room to retrieve his bag. After placing the photo in the empty side pocket of his bag, he turned to leave, but before he could, his gaze again passed over the nightstand, where he saw the frameless photo of his second family. He picked it up, briefly remembering the previous winter break from when it had been taken. The family had been saving up money for quite some time, and that December, they'd gone on a trip to Yokote city to celebrate the Kamakura snow festival. The photo was taken when they went to one of the Kamakura huts to see the lanterns. Amaku remembered that it was the first time he tried spicy udon with Akazake. His birthday was around the same time, so he and his uncle decided to sneak it in while Harumi and the others went to do something else. Because of his size, he visually passed for an eighteen-year-old, and by some luck, the server didn't ask for an ID. After just one sip, he was almost entirely out of it, and Hanzo had to practically carry him back to the hotel. Harumi was furious when she eventually forced the truth out of Hanzo.

As these memories came to him, so too was a sense of joy which brought down his anxiety and helped put his mind at ease. After briefly kissing the photo, he placed it in the side pocket and zipped it up. He returned to the living room where Harumi was waiting for him with a special-looking suitcase beside her, no doubt for his costume.

"Ready?" She asked. After taking a deep breath in, Amaku gave her an affirming nod.

"Come," she said.

After about a half-hour drive, they'd arrived at the station. Amaku removed both the duffel bag and the suitcase from the trunk of the car, slinging the bag over his shoulder while dragging the case on its wheels. He then walked over to the driver's side to say a few final words to his aunt before they parted ways.

"Come here, big guy," Harumi said, embracing him for one last hug, which Amaku returned in kind.

"Now, remember," she said, looking up at him. "No matter what may happen, no matter what you might have to face out there, remember your training, your family, and your promise."

"Yes, ma'am: Strike hard, strike fast, bring honor to the Keiyodoshi’s and the Brokuma’s, protect the innocent, and punish the wicked," Amaku replied in a stern, stoic manner.

"And the other promise?" Harumi asked sternly.

"…reach out to you guys every chance I get," Amaku replied genuinely. He then performed the family's traditional gesture, holding his right hand to his chest and bowing. As he was leaning forward, Harumi took the opportunity to kiss him on the forehead.

"I love you, Amaku," Harumi said, holding back her sadness. “Now go…go become a hero."

"Yes, ma'am," Amaku said affirmatively. With that, Amaku made his way towards the stairs leading into the station, looking back at his aunt one last time before walking down them. This was it; this was where his journey began.

After purchasing his ticket, Amaku made his way down to the track where his train would be arriving. He took a seat at one of the benches in the boarding area, taking the time to rest and take in his surroundings. The station itself was reasonably crowded for a Monday, filled with people making their way to their day jobs, working men and women who were leaving for out of city business, and some just mothers and fathers taking their children out of the city for a day of fun.

Meanwhile, Amaku sat on his phone, waiting for the train to arrive. As he was scrolling through an online tabloid, he saw an article talking about the pro hero, EraserHead. Apparently, the pro had recently accepted a teaching position at UA. Harumi had once brought him up in passing while the two were going over ways to catch opponents off guard. Though she never worked with him, she respected his craft. His quirk allowed him to nullify the quirk of anyone he looked at. He used this power in tandem with a binding cloth and a small dagger to stalk criminals and strike when they least expect it. Why such a hero would take a teaching position left Amaku quite confused, but it was still interesting news.

As he was reading, Amaku heard a child laughing loudly. When he looked to his left toward the noise, he saw a little boy playing with his parents as they too were waiting for a train. Eventually, the mother lifted the boy onto her lap and hugged him close. The Father soon joined in, the three of them all laughing and smiling together. As Amaku watched on, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of longing and envy. Though he may have been thankful for his new life with Harumi and the others, he couldn’t help but miss his mother and father. Though he had many opportunities to try and make peace with their passing, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Or better yet…he wouldn’t . As much as the pain of the loss weighed upon him, he refused to part with it.

Some time later, the train for f*ckuoka arrived. Amaku grabbed his suitcase and duffle bag, making his way on toward the train as it pulled into the station. However, before he could even take a single step onto the express, he stopped right before the entryway. As he stood in front of the boardingway, he began to feel off. His head was spinning a bit, his vision began to blur, his heartbeat picked up a bit, he began to sweat slightly, and there was a faint ringing in his ears that slowly grew louder by the second. For a short time he was lost in this delirium until an outside force brought him back to reality.

“Excuse me, sir?” a voice said to him. Amaku, snapping out of his daze, looked to his right and was greeted by a man standing at about 5’9. He had short slicked back hair, a light skin tone, and was wearing a conductor’s uniform.

“Pardon me, sir. I didn’t mean to startle you, but the train will be leaving soon,” The conductor said, pointing toward the train. “Is everything alright?”

“Uhm…yes,” Amaku replied, shakily. “Yes, everything…everything is fine, thank you. My apologies, I’ll just be a moment.”

Amaku walked off to the side for a moment and started rifling through his duffel bag. After about half a minute of searching, Amaku pulled out a bottle of Xanax, took two pills out of the bottle, and swallowed them. As the pills went down, he took a brief moment to try and calm himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Upon collecting himself, he returned to the entrance of the train once more with his belongings in tow. After taking in one last deep breath, he slowly took his first steps onboard.

Once inside, he focused on maintaining his steady, rhythmic breathing as he looked around for a place to sit. He timed each inhale to be in tune with every three steps he took and the exhale to be timed with the next three steps. While this somewhat helped him with his heartbeat and vision, he was still sweating and the ringing in his ears persisted. Eventually, after making his way past several rows of seats, he found one where there was a window seat still available. After storing the suitcase with his hero costume in the overhead, he slid into the seat by the window and placed his duffel bag at his feet. Upon taking his seat, he laid back against the cushions attempting to get comfortable. He squirmed in place, trying to find the best possible position when eventually, the train pulled out of the station began their departure for f*ckuoka.

As the pressure of the speed of the train began to weigh upon him, Amaku’s heart beat once again began to rise and his vision started to blur. Luckily, the ringing had stopped, so Amaku, in an attempt to pull himself together, rifled through his duffel bag once again and pulled out a pair of earbuds from one of the side pockets. He rapidly put them in his ears and quickly pulled out his phone, looking for a specific song. When he eventually found it, he quickly hit play.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. As the peaceful, angelic music began to play in his ears, the chimes and various instruments playing in the background while a beautiful voice sang and hummed in his ears, he felt his anxiety die down and heartbeat slow. The pressure which was once excruciatingly painful upon his body began to weigh down on him in a more therapeutic way. Upon opening his eyes, his vision refocused somewhat and the sweating ceased. As the music continued, he once again regulated his breathing to a more rhythmic and steady pattern. The music, combined with the medicine taking effect, helped bring Amaku to a much more relaxed state. Upon recollecting himself, he looked out the window and gazed upon a large open field and with green grass a hilltop lined with cherry blossom trees. As he looked further outward toward the horizon, he watched as the city of Musutafu disappeared in the distance. As this happened, Amaku was sure to take in as much of the city as possible before it vanished.

With Musutafu out of sight, Amaku slowly turned his gaze forward once again, breathing deeply through his nose. He closed his eyes and a solemn sadness overcame him as he came to the realization that he was now beyond the point of no return. It was more than likely that despite his promise, he would not be allowed many opportunities to speak with his family. He rifled through his bag once more, pulling out the photo of him with the Brokumas. As he stared at it, he came to the idea that he could at least leave them all with a final text message. However, once pulled out his phone and opened up the message app, his fingers froze before he could even type a single letter. As much thought as he gave it, he couldn’t decide on a singular message. There were so many things he wanted to say, things he couldn’t tell them with all the words in the world. How could he choose just a select few to express the unending gratitude he had for them?After taking another five minutes to think about it, he finally came to the conclusion that perhaps the best way to get the message across was without saying a word.

Amaku switched over to the camera on his phone, put on the best smile he could, put a hand to his chest, and took a picture. He then inserted the photo into the group message, but even then he hesitated before sending the photo through. He thought that while it’s true that actions spoke louder than words, perhaps a word or two along with the image wouldn’t be the worst idea. As such, along with the picture, he sent a text saying:

I love you all, and good luck to you, Hanako. I’ll be waiting for you at the summit.

With that, Amaku put his phone away, and with the photograph in his hand, he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and attempted to get some sleep.

Chapter 8: Journey

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Journey

3 hours later

Some time later, Amaku was awoken from his sleep as the train came to a halt, the pressure rousing him from his slumber. As groggily brought himself to sit up? He looked forward and saw that the overhead display read f*ckuoka, Japan. He’d finally arrived at his destination.After putting the photograph in his hand in his back pocket, he grabbed his duffel bag from under his feet and the costume case from overhead and made his way out to the main entrance of the station. As he made his way through the station, he couldn’t help but feel weary as he was now in uncharted territory. Whilst ascending a flight of stairs, he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy as he climbed, a deep rooted anxiety creeping up his spine. He stopped halfway up the steps as he began to process this new environment. Everything here was new to him and he was on his own, no one to guide him, no one to give him a nudge in the right direction. He knew that any wrong step he made could spell disaster for him, which only further fed his rising anxiety.However, along with the anxiety, there was a small feeling of fortitude that came with it. While it was true there was no one to guide him, that also meant that there was no one to hold him back. Any decision he made here was his own, and while there would clearly be consequences to some of these decisions, then at least he would be paying for actions that were his own. Everything he’d done had let up to this moment, and now was not the time to be over-hesitant. Amaku embraced this fact of reality, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to reaffirm himself. Upon opening his eyes, he continued up the stairs.

Once he’d finally made it outside, he was met with a surprise as he found a bald man in a suit with shades standing in front of a limo, holding a sign with the name Brokuma written on it. Amaku made his way over to the car and confronted him.

“Brokuma Amaku?” the man with the sign asked.

“Yes?” Amaku said.

The man then put the sign under his arm and opened the door to the back seat, gesturing for Amaku to enter.

“Please step in the car, and allow me to take your belongings,” the man said.

“Thank you,” Amaku said. “But please be careful with that case, there's something very valuable to me inside.”

“Of course, sir,” the man said, giving a simple of nod of acknowledgement.

Amaku hesitantly handed the man his things and entered the vehicle, taking a seat in the back. As he entered, barely able to squeeze in, Amaku was greeted with the sight of a blonde, relatively fit, middle aged woman of average height wearing a black business dress sitting across from him. On top of this, she also appeared to be an American, which perplexed Amaku. She was simply sitting up straight in her seat, staring at him blankly with her turquoise eyes.

“Good morning, Brokuma Amaku. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” the woman said plainly as she extended her hand. Amaku shook it firmly and formally.

“Good morning,” Amaku responded, releasing her hand. “The pleasure is mine, miss…?”

“Maria Texas,” the woman said. “But during your time with us, you may either refer to me as agent Tex or Ma’am, understood?”

“…Yes, Ma’am,” Amaku said, a bit taken back by her forwardness.

“That’ll do.”

Soon after the man stowed Amaku’s things in the trunk, he got into the driver's seat. Moments later, they were off.

“Ma’am, we should arrive at HQ within half an hour,” the driver said.

“Thank you, Jyunichi,” said Tex. As she and Amaku sat across from one another in the back, Amaku sat with his arms crossed, attempting to remain calm and casual. However, on the inside, he felt a light suffocating pressure that was slowly growing. His gaze briefly darted towards the switch for the window, but he did not want to be disrespectful in a vehicle that was not his own. He squeezed his arms together tighter in order to resist the temptation.

“Anxious?” Tex asked. Amaku turned to look at her with an expression of slight shock.

“Well…perhaps a bit,” Amaku said hesitantly, looking down at the floor.

“Good,” Tex replied firmly. Amaku once again looked up at her with a bit of a shocked expression. “That means you won’t underestimate the challenges to come. However, do not allow that fear consume you. Just as mindless bravery can influence you to take unnecessary actions,” she gestured with her right hand. “Fear can hold you back from taking the necessary actions,” she gestured with her left. “Find a balance, and do what must be done,” she brought both hands together. “Understood?”

Amaku sat back in his seat perplexed. Upon first glance, her eyes appeared as though they stared at Amaku with cold, uncaring disdain. And yet her words reflected an odd mix of calculation and compassion towards Amaku’s situation. Regardless, Amaku nodded in acknowledgement towards Tex as a sign of acknowledgement and gratitude.

“You may open the window if you wish, by the way,” said Tex.

Amaku’s eyes darted back and forth between her and the window.

“Oh! Uhm, thank you, Ma’am,” said Amaku in a mix of relief and surprise. He then proceeded to roll down the window and he embraced the cool breeze. As it blew in his face, he could feel his anxiety die down significantly and the tension in his muscles loosened as well. For the rest of the trip, Amaku’s head remained right next to the window with his arm hanging on the edge.

After about half an hour of travel, they’d arrived at their destination. Once the car pulled over, Jyunichi exited the driver’s seat and opened the door for Amaku and Tex. Once Amaku stepped out of the car, he put his hand in front of his eyes as he was slightly blinded by the sunlight.

“Welcome, Brokuma Amaku, to the headquarters of the Hero Public Safety Commission,” said Tex.

As Amaku’s vision returned, he was greeted with a relatively large building with some sort of tower at the top and a diamond at the upper half of the front side. At the entrance of the building was a label which read HPSC. Amaku took in the sight of the building, analyzing each detail.

“Now then, right this way, please,” said Tex, gesturing for Amaku to follow her. He complied and they made their way in with Jyunichi following closely behind them with Amaku’s belongings in tow. Upon entering, he was greeted with the sight of a massive lobby. As they made their way through, Amaku took in his surroundings. The interior design consisted of walls and floors of stained white marble with white pillars along the walls. Scattered throughout the lobby were various people, some dressed in suits while others were pro heroes adorning their costumes. Though they were greatly outnumbered by the people in suits.

Amaku couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and amazement toward the establishment.

“Impressed?” remarked Tex as they walked forward.

“To say the least,” Amaku said with a sense of awe. “Although, I have to admit, for a hero agency, I’m surprised to not be seeing that many pro heroes here.”

“This is not a hero agency, Mr. Brokuma,” Tex said. Amaku turned towards her with an expression of confusion. “The HPSC is responsible for managing the interactions between heroes and society as a whole while also taking responsibility for the investigations of high priority criminal threats. We are also the ones responsible for organizing the provisional hero licensing exam for students aspiring to be heroes. And while we don’t necessarily recruit heroes as normal agencies do, we do have a select few operating under our direct employ. Think of us as the agency of agencies, if you would.”

As they approached the front desk, Jyunichi went in a separate direction with Amaku’s belongings while Tex took out her ID and presented it to the man sitting behind the desk.

“Texas: T-0401, here to escort a Wolves candidate,” Tex said. The man looked up at Tex, then behind her towards Amaku with a cold uncaring stare. He then typed in the provided information into his computer. A short time after, the information came back.

“You may proceed,” the man said, reaching under the desk and pulling out what appeared to be a pair of clothes. “Head to the sub level training area, he’s expecting you.”

“He? ” Amaku thought to himself

Tex nodded to the man, took the clothes in her hands, and once again gestured for Amaku to follow her. After making their way through the building, they arrived at what appeared to be some sort of changing room. As they stood by the entrance to the room, Tex turned to face Amaku.

“Take these, head inside and change,” she said, holding the clothes out to Amaku. “Leave the clothes you're currently wearing folded on the bench and leave any personal items in your pockets on top of them. Your belongings will be collected and held onto until you need to reclaim them.”

“Understood,” Amaku nodded, taking the clothes in hand and entering the changing room.

Upon entering the changing room, he placed the clothes Tex gave to him on a bench and proceeded to empty his pockets before changing. He reached into his back pocket with the intent to pull out his wallet, but when he did, he felt there was something else in there with it. When pulled his hand out of his back pocket, he pulled out the photo he had on him from before. Upon inspecting it, he took some time to remember each individual detail, from the placement of everyone in the photo to the details of the background. Before parting ways with it, he gave the photo a solemn farewell kiss, and he placed it along with his other personal belongings on top of his clothes.

About two minutes later, Amaku came out of the changing room wearing a gray hoodie with a number 14 on the back, a gray undershirt underneath, gray sweatpants, and a pair of white sneakers. Once he reconvened with Tex, she gestured for him to follow her and they continued through the facility. As Amaku continued to take in his surroundings, he saw multiple people in suits behind desks as well as one or two pro heroes amongst them. They were discussing various subjects, filling out paperwork, or working at their computers. It all gave off a sophisticated and professional vibe.

“I understand this is all very new to you, Mr. Brokuma, but you cannot get distracted,” Tex said, disrupting Amaku’s sightseeing. “You have more important things to worry about right now. Focus on the task at hand.”

“If I might inquire about that,” said Amaku. “You still haven’t told me why I’m wearing these? And who’s this person that’s waiting for us?”

“You’ll see,” she said in a flat tone.

The two eventually made their way to an elevator. While Tex approached the button to summon it, Amaku abruptly stopped a few steps behind her. He stood hesitantly as he stared apprehensively at the closed elevator doors, frozen in place as if his whole body had turned to stone.

“Uhm…is there…any chance that there’s a stairwell we could take?” Amaku asked, attempting to restrain his nervousness.

“Unfortunately, no,” Tex replied. “The elevators are the only way to the sublevel area and there will be no stops between this floor and our stop. It will be a straight shot to our level.”

“I see…” said Amaku, looking down at the ground with an expression of worry on his face. After seeing this, Tex walked up to Amaku, placing a hand on his shoulder. Amaku looked up at her.

“Mr. Br-… Amaku, did you really come all this way just to be stopped by an elevator? Is this really all it takes to stop you from claiming your future?” She asked sternly. Amaku’s expression shifted to one of slight surprise. “The descent isn’t that long, and I’ll be right there beside you. I’ll help you through it, understand?”

Amaku had been trying to get a read on this woman since the station, and yet she continued to elude him. On one hand, her tone and mannerisms came off as cold, calculating, detached, and highly professional, almost to the degree of a machine. And yet her words and actions emanated an aura of attention and thought that, in some odd way, gave off the vibe as if she really cared. While this contradiction served to confuse Amaku, it was also oddly comforting for him in a way.After taking a few seconds to process all of this, Amaku looked Tex in the eye and nodded in acknowledgement to her words. Tex nodded as well and they both entered the elevator. The space itself was rather cramped thanks to his figure and his head was right against the ceiling. Once inside, Tex took out an ID card and held it up to a scanner on the panel. Once the ID was scanned, a second panel appeared out of the wall with a button labeled SL. She pressed the button and the elevator began its descent. After descending for about forty-five seconds, Amaku began to feel a tightness in his chest and there was a ringing that slowly grew louder in his ears, soon followed by a blurring of his vision and a feeling of dizziness that made him stumble and fall to one knee. He quickly grabbed the side wall to try and balance himself. The Xanax had more than likely worn off and he didn’t have his ear buds with him. All Amaku could do was try to control his breathing and endure this for the remainder of the descent.However, as this was all happening, he suddenly felt something on his left shoulder. He lifted his head up to see that it was Tex’s hand on his shoulder and she kneeled on his level to look him in the eye. Through his blurred vision, he could see that she was making some sort of flowing gesture with her hands.

“Focus, breathe,” she said. The ringing in Amaku’s ears heavily distorted her words, but not enough to fully deafen him to them. As such, he continued to focus on his breathing as time went on, the ringing began to subside and his vision became slightly less blurry. He looked up to see Tex kneeling beside him.

“Stop trying to fight it,” she said soothingly, her voice coming in as slightly disoriented behind the ringing in his ears. “You can do this, Amaku. Relax your body and just let it flow…focus on the sound of my voice and breathe.”

Amaku followed her instructions, closing his eyes and focusing on her voice as he honed his breath. Slowly over time, his sense and balance were once again recentered and the ringing had ceased entirely. He then opened his eyes, and looked to see a perfectly clear image of Tex’s face.

“You’re good?” She asked.

Amaku looked her in the eyes and nodded calmly without speaking.

“Good,” she said. Just as she spoke, the elevator dinged. “Then on your feet, this is our floor.” After taking one last deep breath, Amaku complied and brought himself to his feet.

Once they exited the elevator, Amaku followed Tex down a large white metal hallway. As Amaku looked around, he saw multiple rooms behind metal doors, and the hall itself was lined with security cameras. He shifted his gaze towards Tex, who was fully focussed on the door at the end of the hall. Upon reaching the door, Tex punched a code into the electronic touch screen panel. After two beeps sounded off, the screen then gave a prompt saying voice verification required. She then held down the blue button and spoke into the microphone.

“Texas: 0401,” she said.

“Welcome, agent Texas,” an automated voice responded. The door then opened, revealing one last long hallway leading to a blinding light at the end of it.

“Just head straight down there,” said Tex, gesturing down the hall.

Amaku slowly approached the entrance way, an eeriness emanating from its depths. He then concerningly looked back and forth between the tunnel and Tex.

“What’s…at the end of this hall?” he asked.

“Your initiation,” Tex said coldly.

Amaku looked down the hall once again, staring at the light at the end and wondering what she meant. Regardless of whether or not he knew what awaited him, he knew that there was only one way to find out.Amaku began walking down the hall.

“Good luck…Amaku,” said Tex.

After these last words were said, Amaku heard the metal doors close behind him, looking back. He then turned back towards the light, took a deep breath, and continued down the hall. As he continued, each step he took echoed off the metal walls. Then, as he finally arrived, the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ so to say, blinded him upon the entry. He held up his hand to block out the light at first and as his eyes adjusted to it. When his vision returned, the reason as to why they were so far underground became all the clearer as Amaku found himself in a large, empty white room. He looked all around him, taking in the vast open space. The room itself appeared to be a massive, hollow, rectangular concrete cube. The ceiling appeared to be about 28 meters off the ground and the wall side walls appeared to be about 37 meters apart from one another. There were lights lining the ceiling and there didn’t appear to be any other doors or windows’ peering into the room.

“You done sightseeing there, buddy?” A youthful, high pitched male voice said jokingly. Amaku was startled by this voice, frantically looking around for the source. He then directed his attention towards the center of the room and found some sort of red oval object on the floor. The outside of it appeared to be made of multiple objects that resembled…feathers? With a mix of confusion and caution, he slowly approached the object.

“I take it you’re Brokuma Amaku?” The voice emanated from the object, furthering Amaku’s confusion.

“Uhm…yes,” Amaku replied with a sense of hesitation and confusion.

“Well, it’s about time you got here.” the voice replied in a laid back yet co*cky manner. “Seriously, there’s like no heating in here. I’ve been freezing my butt off for like twenty minutes waiting for you so I could set up this greeting.”

Just then, the red oval mass at the center of the room began to unravel and the feather-like surface spread out to reveal two large, red wings attached to a person. He appeared to be a teenager, no more than a couple years older than himself. He was of a relatively average height, with a slim narrow build, and ash blond hair. Amaku saw that his hair was messily swept back with a few tights sticking up and arching at the front. He possessed triangular, almost bird-like golden-brown eyes, notably thick eyebrows, and a round chin with a stubble.Amaku turned his attention to the individual’s outfit, which resembled that of an aviator. On the outside was a modified tan jacket with a high collar and slits over the shoulders to accommodate his wings, and underneath it was a black shirt with a wavy golden pattern. He also wore black gloves, tan baggy pants, and a round yellow-tinted visor.

“How’s it going?” The person asked casually. “You probably know me by my hero name…Hawks.”

Chapter 9: Initiation

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Initiation

same afternoon

The room was silent as the two looked at one another. After Hawks had revealed who he was, Amaku was left speechless. As he stood silently, staring at the winged hero, Hawks basked in the light of the room with a smug look on his face. Amaku eventually broke the overstaying silence.

“…Who?” Amaku asked confusedly. Hawks’ smug expression then turned to one of slight bewilderment.

“Uhm…Hawks?” he said, trying to get a reaction out of Amaku. “The winged hero?…Number twenty hero on the hero billboard chart?… Protector of Kyushu?… Ringing any bells?” he said, doing various gestures with his arms while his wings also slightly shifted with each expression.

“Uhm… unfortunately, no?” Amaku said.

“…Seriously?” Hawks said in a dumbfounded tone. Amaku shook his head and shrugged plainly in response.

Out of slight surprise and disappointment, Hawks looked down at the floor with a slightly sorrowful look on his face. He dropped his arms to his sides and his wings lowered in tandem with them.

“Well, uhh… this is awkward,” Hawks said with disappointment in his voice. “Huh…well, even if you don’t know about me, I’ve heard a few things about you, Brokuma Amaku. I saw the CCTV footage of what you did a couple weeks back. Taking down two villains on your own to save a hero, that’s some impressive stuff there.”

“Uhm…thank you, sir,” Amaku bowed, somewhat thrown off by this man. From how Tex spoke, Amaku was expecting some sort of big imposing figure that would shake him his very core. However, while he was indeed surprised, it just wasn’t for the reasons he was expecting.

“In fact, it was so impressive… I wanna see it again.” Hawks said cheekily. Amaku’s expression of confusion shifted to one of determination. The moment he was anticipating was drawing near.

“That’s gonna be the goal for your initiation,” said Hawks. “I want you to come at me with everything you’ve got. And I do mean… everything.”

“Very well, sir,” Amaku said, focus and determination emanating from him. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. Upon exhaling, he opened his eyes, which were now glowing red. Then, with a decisive grunt, he flexed his arms, and his muscle mass expanded, stretching against his training clothes, especially his sweatshirt. He then took his fighting stance, ready to face the challenge ahead.

"Hmmm…interesting," Hawks said with a curious smile. "Alright then, Brokuma. Show me what Tex sees in you. Come at me," he then gestured for Amaku to approach. However, Amaku did not engage. He simply stood there as still as a statue, not moving a muscle.

"Uhm…your move?" Said Hawks in a confused tone. Amaku still did not move. He stood there in his fighting stance for over thirty seconds, staring intently at Hawks.

"What's up with him?" Hawks thought to himself. "Is he scared?… No… He isn't petrified. He's standing too still, no signs of trembling or hesitation. There's something else going on here…unless…so that's your game?"

At that moment, hawks, with their fierce wings, flew straight forward toward Amaku at high speeds. Just as Amaku expected an attack to hit, he crossed his arms, and a shimmering red and black layer of energy surrounded Amaku's top half. However, after a while of not feeling any impact, Amaku lowered his guard. Hawks was nowhere to be found.

"So that's how you did it, huh?" A voice said casually, coming from directly behind Amaku. Amaku was shocked and stiff as he realized where Hawks was. His eyes slowly looked to the right, doing his best not to make sudden moves. Hawks stood behind Amaku with his back against his, both standing back to back and not making a move.

"That's how you beat the two robbers," Hawks continued. "While you were hiding on the sidelines, you were studying their quirks and fighting styles. Then, when you intervened, you used this…barrier to absorb their blows and separate them so you could pick them off more easily. You beat the big one by taking advantage of his open swings and slow attacks, and you neutralized the other by taking him by surprise while he was talki- WOAH!"

With a furious grunt, Amaku went for a surprise backhand as Hawks was talking, but the hero used his wings to quickly get out of the way and create some distance between them.

"Ohohoho! Takin' cheap shots, are we?" Hawks chuckled. "You know, you've got some cunning under that big tough mug. You're a fighter who lets your opponent go first, gathers intel during a fight, and waits for the chance to counter-strike. Smart…however…"

Hawks immediately took to the sky, hovering some distance away from Amaku.

"That counter-based style also leaves your enemies with plenty of time to think and plan for themselves. Besides, not all villains are skilled fighters; some are just thieves who'll make a run for it at the first chance they get, which means that sometimes, you'll have to be the one who engages. Say they're a flier, like me. What're you gonna do then?"

Amaku disengaged his barrier at this point, and his aura emanated from his body like flames. He then placed one foot forward, focusing his power to enhance his leg strength, and lunged forward into the air, charging straight at Hawks. He attempted to land a charging punch on him. Still, Hawks, utilizing the mid-air maneuverability of his wings, moved to the left and narrowly but smoothly avoided the attack. As Amaku arched back toward the ground, he leaned forward into a combat roll to recover from the failed attack. Upon exiting the registration, he planted his feet into the ground, and they scraped against the floor as he attempted to halt his momentum.

Once he did, he looked up at Hawks with burning red eyes. Meanwhile, Hawks looked down on him with a cheeky grin.

"Nice try, but…well, actually, no, it wasn't," said Hawks in a bored tone. Amaku grits his teeth in slight frustration, his aura increasing slightly. Once again, he planted his feet into the ground and propelled himself forward, charging straight at Hawks, this time going for a flying kick. Once again, though, Hawks casually drifted to the side and avoided the attack. Amaku performed a combat roll to recover once again. Hawks meanwhile playfully yawned as if to mock Amaku.

"Would you believe me if I said you almost had me that time?" Hawks remarked.

Once again, Amaku's rage began to fester, and he growled and gritted his teeth like an animal. He was about to charge right back in once again when suddenly, it hit him.

"No…Hold it together, hold it together!" Amaku thought to himself. "He's trying to compromise your judgment. You have to calm down… think, need a new strategy, need a new… angle… that's it!"

A couple of seconds later, Amaku began to power up again, his aura raging wildly and his muscle mass increasing and stretching against the fabric of his clothes once more. He planted his feet and again charged straight in at even greater speeds. He charged in at Hawks with a line of red and black energy trailing his path, yet despite the massive rate increase, Hawks again avoided the charge. Amaku went flying straight into the wall, cratering into it and creating a dust cloud around the point of impact. Hawks let out a sigh of disappointment as he hovered in the air.

"Welp… I'm bored," Hawks said in a lackadaisical tone, turning away from Amaku's point of impact. "I guess I overestimated how long that yarn of yours would spin, but I figured at least once you would surprise-"

Suddenly, a loud boom came from Amaku's point of impact. Hawks quickly turned around to see a trail of dust that led underneath him to the ground and then bounced towards the parallel wall. Right where that similar wall should've appeared in Hawks' field of view, for a brief moment, there was Amaku, charging straight at him with a powerful haymaker, his eyes glowing red with fury and his red and black aura radiating around him. As Amaku's fist came hurtling towards Hawks' face, the latter managed to shift to the side just in the nick of time for the first to brazenly scratch his face, leaving a small cut on his cheek. Amaku's momentum forced him to continue going past Hawks toward the far wall.

Upon making contact with it, Amaku used his enhanced strength to penetrate the concrete with his hand and slide back down to the ground. Still slightly startled by the close call, Hawks continued hovering in the air. He wiped the cut on his face with his thumb, looking down at the blood with an expression of intrigue mixed with muted concern. His gaze then shifted to Amaku, whose aura raged around him, and his muscle mass again increased. He looked up to Hawks, his burning red eyes focused intensely on his opponent. He stared at his cheek and noticed the cut left from the attack that he'd thrown.

"About time I landed something," Amaku thought. "If I can scratch him, I can catch him. And if I can catch him…I can beat him."

A split second later, Amaku charged straight forward, bursting from the wall and positioning himself directly under Hawks. He jumped straight into the air, attempting to land an uppercut on his opponent. Hawks managed to shift away from the attack as Amaku rushed past him. As he continued flying straight toward the ceiling, he manipulated his position so that his feet would hit it first. Upon impact, they cratered into the concrete roof, halting his momentum. Amaku wasted no time, immediately charging straight back at Hawks with a flying kick this time. Once again, Hawks shifted from the attack, though Amaku was much closer this time than the first attempt. Amaku returned to the ground, his feet cratering the concrete upon impact.

From then on, Amaku bounced all over the room, trying to confuse Hawks by taking unorthodox angles and mixing up his timing before charging in with an attack. However, despite his constant varying off attacks, he still couldn't land a single strike. There were many close calls, but Amaku couldn't land a clean hit. Even with his anger boosting his physical capabilities to such an extent, Amaku could not beat Hawks in speed. His intuition and reflexes and his ability to keep his cool in such a high-stress situation were something Amaku couldn't help but envy. Eventually, Amaku ceased his constant charging, sliding across the floor and his feet tearing up the concrete as his momentum came to a screeching halt. He looked up at Hawks, who looked down on him with smug confidence and a smarmy smile.

"Dammit!" Amaku thought, panting heavily while staring up at Hawks furiously. "Even with this mix-up, he's still out of my reach! At this rate, I'll never land anything… Unless…!"

At this moment, Amaku got an idea to get the upper hand finally. After inhaling deeply to catch his breath, he took up his charging stance, and once again, he began bouncing off the walls, forcing Hawks into the same song and dance they'd been doing. Eventually, Amaku launched himself off the floor at an angle toward the Hawks. Once again, hawks weaved to the left through the air to avoid the strike. However, before Amaku could reach the other wall, he focused his power into his hands, which started to glow red and black as the energy flowed into them, and unleashed it with a thunderous clap. The move produced such a powerful shockwave that the sleeves of his sweatshirt were destroyed, and Amaku was sent flying backward. The reverse speed was fast enough that Hawks was caught off guard before he could dodge. As Amaku swung at him with a powerful haymaker, all Hawks could do was block the oncoming attack with his wings. Letting out a furious cry, Amaku's fist collided with Hawks' wings with a powerful impact that sent him hurtling toward the ground. Upon impact, he rolled across the floor until his back hit the far wall, causing his golden goggles to fall off during the tumble.

Amaku stood some distance away and watched his opponent pick himself up. Hawks struggled slightly due to the pain and lingering shock of that last attack. He took a minute to reel from the pain as he brought himself up to one knee. He looked up at his wings to see they were shaking from blocking Amaku's haymaker. He then looked towards Amaku, who was still standing there, watching him as he recovered. As he looked toward the boy, he couldn't help but smile slightly and chuckle. It had been a while since he'd faced an opponent with such a keen intuition in combat.

"I gotta give it to you, kid. You're really making me work for it," said Hawks with a hint of pride as he rose. "I'll admit, my quirk isn't that great against power types like yourself, and I've learned to compensate for that over the years. But you, you've got more than power under there."

"I can assure you, sir," said Amaku, getting into his fighting stance once again. "You haven't seen anything yet."

He immediately charged straight at Hawks, aiming to take the initiative while his opponent was still somewhat disoriented. As he drew closer, hawks reached behind him towards his wings. Once Amaku was within range, he attempted to throw a punch aimed directly at Hawks' face. However, the moment he was about to make contact, Hawks had blitzed straight past him and was out of Amaku's sight. For a brief moment, it had felt as though time had stood still, and the next, Amaku could feel a sudden sharp stinging pain all over his body. He winced and staggered backward from the sudden sensation. When he looked down at his body, he found several thin long cuts all over himself, and his clothes were torn in multiple places as well. Confusion entered his mind as he observed the injuries that appeared to come from absolutely nowhere.

"You know… it's funny," said Hawks from behind Amaku. When he looked behind him, he saw that Hawks was carrying what appeared to be two large blades in his hands, each one with blood dripping from the tips. Upon closer inspection, Amaku saw they were not blades but abnormally large red feathers. Hawks then menacingly looked back over his shoulder towards Amaku, a severe and focused look in his eyes.

"I was about to tell you the same thing."

Before Amaku could take the initiative, Hawks immediately took flight and went in for a dive bomb attack, armed with his two feather swords. Amaku quickly dove forward to avoid the attack. Still, Hawks was almost immediately on him when he recovered from the roll. With less than a fraction of a second, Amaku was forced to quickly block the incoming attack by placing his arms together and activating his barrier to absorb the sword strike. As the sword made contact with the wall, Amaku could feel the sharpness of the blade straining against it, struggling to cut through the protective layer of energy. Not wanting to lose his advantage, Hawks immediately followed up with lightning-fast sword strikes, endlessly hammering away at Amaku's barrier and driving him back with each strike.

As this happened, Amaku watched Hawks' attack pattern through his block, analyzing his technique and waiting for his opening. After being pushed back about 20 yards by the relentless assault, Amaku found an opening during one of Hawks' slower swings and caught the sword in his hand, still protected by his barrier. His red and black energy went from being a solid wall to a flame-like aura once again as he pulled both the blade and Hawks closer to him to land a powerful point-blank strike to the face. However, Hawks almost immediately let go of the sword and flew back to avoid the attack and create space between them.

Hawks observed his opponent breathing heavily while attempting to recover from his blade attacks. The hand that Amaku had been holding the blade with was bleeding from how tightly he was gripping it. His breathing resembled a seething rageful beast, ready to charge its prey.

"So that's how it is," Hawks thought as he stared at the blade and Amaku's bleeding hand. "… Alright, let's see just how much that barrier can take."

"Hey, come on now, Brokuma!" Hawks yelled playfully with a smug grin on his face. "Don't tell me you're getting tired on me now. I thought you were just getting started!"

Amaku, with an animalistic growl, gripped the sword by its handle and hurled the blade toward Hawks. The latter shifted his head slightly, and the edge flew past his head and pierced the concrete wall behind him, keeping that smug grin on full display.

"Aaaww, thank you," Hawks said, playfully leaning against the embedded blade. "That's some impressive strength you've got. I'd be more impressed if you knew what to do with it, but…"

With his rage finally festering and boiling over, Amaku released a furious battle cry and charged straight forward at Hawks.

"And there it is," thought Hawks. He immediately extended his wings and started hurtling large feather blades toward Amaku. The latter quickly surrounded himself with his barrier, blocking his face as he charged forward. Each blade scathed and deflected off his barrier as he ran towards Hawks.

No matter how many blades came hurtling his way, he powered on through to reach his target. When he finally got Hawks, he jumped into the air to avoid the last two feathers; he quickly transitioned into a ground slam, his energy once again becoming a flame-like aura.

Hawks recalled one of the deflected feathers when this transition happened, directing it into Amaku's heel. Amaku screamed as the pain forced him off balance, and he tumbled to the ground. As he was bringing himself up, Hawks grabbed him by the face and took flight with him in his grasp. As they flew closer to the ground, Hawks held Amaku's head out in front of him, slamming him into the concrete. He then dragged him across the floor, Amaku groaning in pain until they eventually reached the far wall, and Hawks proceeded to slam him into it. Immediately after releasing Amaku and letting him fall to his knees, Hawks sent out two of his feathers, directing them straight through Amaku's hands and into the concrete, pinning him to the wall. Amaku once again screamed in pain as he was pinned, his hands bleeding as the feathers dug into his flesh. He tried to break himself free, but with each movement of his hands, there was a sharp and potent pain which forced him to halt his efforts. The pain also forced him out of his enhanced state, his muscle mass reverting to normal, his eyes returning to their natural brown color, and the red and black energy that enveloped him dissipating.

Hawks stood before Amaku, breathing somewhat rapidly while looking down at his opponent.

"Whew… well then, that was one hell of a warmup," said Hawks, somewhat exhausted. "That said, a warmup's all this has really been. Don't tell me after everything, this is all you've got?"

"NO!!!" Amaku yelled, reeling from the pain.

"Oh?" Hawks remarked with sarcastic intrigue.

"No! I'm… not done yet!… I can still fight!"

Hawks watched as Amaku attempted to escape his predicament again but failed to budge the feathers. With the pain running through his arms, he couldn't focus on his quirk, therefore, was unable to enhance his strength. Hawks looked on at the pitiable display.

"Really? So that's it?…huh," said Hawks, sighing with disappointment. "What a shame. I won't lie; I expected you to pull something there. I figured you'd show me something once I started getting serious. I thought that if anyone was going to surprise me, it would be you…but nope. All I've got is a lost little boy who quits when things get too hard."

Amaku looked up at Hawks with a slight shock as he spoke.

"Excuse me?" Amaku seethed.

"You heard me. All that strength, all that potential, and what did you do with it for so many years? Jack! Squat! Nada, that's what. You could bring down this whole building with your strength, yet you refuse to use it."

As Hawks continued on, Amaku hung his head in shame. Hawks then knelt down to Amaku's level.

"All those wasted years you had to learn how to properly control your quirk, and you spent them cowering away from the world, cowering from yourself and your power. You thought you were doing the world a favor by hiding away, right? Because at the end of the day, that's all you are…a coward."

With every word out of Hawks' mouth, Amaku clenched his fists tighter and tighter as his rage began to boil and fester again. In his mind, he started seeing the flashing images covered in a hue of red, much like this morning. He grunted like an animal, and his body convulsed with pure anger as the images from that dreadful night returned to him. As this was happening, Hawks drew in closer to him until he was right next to his ear and whispered:

"So, is it any wonder…that you let her die that night?"

At that moment, Amaku ceased shaking his hands. For a whole five seconds, he was utterly still. Hawks then rose to his feet. He then turned and began to walk away from Amaku, who looked up at him slowly as he walked away. As he did this, hawks took the opportunity to say one more thing to Amaku.

"Hell, if what I've heard about your little control issue is true, I'm surprised you didn't go berserk and do the deed yourself…"

This was the straw that broke the camel's back. With these final words, Amaku finally snapped. Out of sheer unbridled rage, he grit his teeth and growled like a wild beast; his eyes were once again aglow, only now, not only were his irises glowing red, but the bowls of his eyes turned pitch black. With an animalistic grunt, his muscle mass suddenly expanded even to an even greater state, allowing him to break the feathers holding him in place. His chest and arms broadened to the point where his sweatshirt was destroyed entirely, and his feet grew big enough to ruin his shoes. As hawks heard this, he quickly turned around in time to see Amaku removing the blade fragments with his teeth.

"Holy crap, where the hell has this been-"Before Hawks could finish, Amaku suddenly let out a deafening, guttural, inhuman primal roar, and his red and black aura exploded like an uncontrollable inferno. The air pressure released from this forced Hawks to take to the air and shield his face against the resulting winds. He struggled to fight against the resulting wind pressure as this roar went on for about fifteen more seconds. When it finally ended, Hawks quickly dropped his arms to reacquire Amaku in his line of sight, which he did, but not in the way he was expecting.

When he dropped his arms, for about a fraction of a second, he caught the sight of Amaku's right arm before he was almost immediately clotheslined in the gut. Before he could properly register what happened, he was embedded into the wall, cratering into it upon impact. Hawks screamed in pain as he was crushed between Amaku's arm and the concrete wall. Not even a second later, Amaku immediately grabbed him by the neck with the same hand and slammed him against the wall again. He slammed Hawks into the wall three more times, a painful cry coming from Hawks with each one. As he futilely clawed at Amaku's hand to free his throat, Amaku drew him in closer, allowing Hawks to get a proper look at what he had created. He was no longer looking at a teenager. But rather, a monster, baring its fangs at its prey and staring at it with eyes that resembled two glowing crimson circles amidst deep black abysses. Amaku once again roared at Hawks, spit and saliva coming out of his mouth and flying into Hawks' face.

Amaku then clenched his fist as his raging red and black energy was focused into his left arm, and he wound it back for a punch. He was one second away from letting his fist collide with the face of his victim; however, in a flash of quick judgment, Hawks immediately released all of his remaining feathers, even recalling the ones he'd used from before, and used them to penetrate Amaku's nerves and pressure points. Amaku, even in this primal state, couldn't ignore the impact of these feathers as they dug into his back and neck, sticking out like arrows from an archery rain. He staggered and flinched as the pain and shock entered his system.

However, he had not yet been knocked out as he struggled to move a single inch. His hand slowly drew closer to Hawks' face as he struggled to remain conscious. Hawks struggled to get out of his grip before the hand could reach him, straining his head as far back as it could go while still trapped in Amaku's grasp. But then, right as Amaku's hand was less than a hairs length away from his face, Hawks suddenly felt the grip around his throat loosen as it released him. He and Amaku collapsed on the ground, beaten, bloodied, bruised, and exhausted. Amaku reverted to his regular state as he fell unconscious, and Hawks lay on the ground, breathing heavily and rapidly to try and catch his breath. With these final dramatic events, the initiation was over.

2 hours later

Amaku was unconscious and recovering in the on-site medical facility. He was covered in bandages with one or two exposed minor scrapes and scratches across his body as he lay face down on an operating table. There was a breathing mask strapped to his face as the doctors were not only tending to his wounds but also preparing him for some sort of secondary medical procedure. While this was happening, Hawks and Tex were discussing what had transpired. Hawks was no longer wearing his aviator jacket and goggles, he was bandaged in multiple places, and his wings were in noticeable disarray with several feathers missing.

"What could you have possibly been thinking?!?" Tex said in a festering rage, struggling to maintain her calm façade.

"Whoa! What're you getting mad at me for?" Hawks said defensively. "Last I checked, your candidate was the one who nearly killed me!"

"Don't youdaretry to play the victim here, Keigo," Tex seethed as she got into Hawks' face. "You had the means to neutralize and defeat himlongbefore you got that far! You knew very well what you were doing! You even said it yourself, he has the strength to tear this building down with his bare hands, yet you continued to prod and push him, and you got what you had coming!"

"Again, I really don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this. If anything, you should be thanking me."

Tex was dumbfounded by this statement for about five seconds before she started speaking again.

"Thanking you?…THANKING you!?" She said, losing her calm façade. "The point of putting you two together was to demonstrate that though Brokuma may have control issues, he can still apply advanced strategic thinking with his strength enhancement. It was to prove to the president that he was more than a feral animal whose only notable attribute was his raw strength. She was already skeptical of the boy to begin with, so how does what you did help his case in any way?"

"And you see,that'swhere your problem was, Tex," said Hawks. "You were so focused on getting the President to approve of hiscurrentcapabilities that you didn't even consider selling her on the kid'sfuturepotential."

Tex crossed her arms angrily and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just think about it," Hawks continued. "Regardless of whether or not the kid was in full control, he managed to force me to pull out all the stops, even if it was for just a moment. Even in that less powerful state, he got a clean shot in, which already speaks volumes to his current capabilities. Right?"

Tex took a moment before responding with a hesitant nod.

"And,if what I saw in his file about…that…is accurate, then it's not only proof that he can learn to control this 'berserker' state, but it also shows what he could be capable of if properly groomed. Imagine that kind of power in service to the Commission. He could potentially become one of our greatest assets. But only if he's convinced that he needs to break out of this shell he's built around himself. You follow me?"

Tex did not speak as she leaned against the wall with crossed arms. An uncomfortable silence befell them for about a minute or so.

"... How's he holding up?" asked Hawks, breaking the silence. Tex looked at him with her arms crossed and a look of discontent in her eyes. After closing them and taking a deep breath, she regained her composure.

"Physically, he's healed, but mentally, that's a different story," she said with her usual calm and collected voice.

The two looked into the room through the small window in the door to see Amaku being tended to.

"After coming down from…whatever that was, he was severely drained both physically and especially mentally. The doctors said it was akin to the fall after a blood sugar spike. He was keeping so much of that anger-fueled energy repressed that he could not control the power surge when he released it all. When you knocked him out, the drop after such a power spike caused him to crash hard."

"Right, guess that makes sense," said Hawks. "So, uh, are they gonna do the uh…the thing?" he asked, pointing to the back of his neck.

"The doctors have healed him, so the procedure won't drain him too much. They'll be ready to proceed soon."

"Hm," replied Hawks with an affirming grunt.

Once again, the two resumed an uncomfortable silence as they watched the doctors do their work. While Hawks leaned against the door when looking in through the window, Tex stood straight and formally with her hands behind her back. After another thirty seconds of silence passed, Hawks broke it again.

"Look…for what it's worth, I'll vouch on his behalf when I report to the president," he said. Tex looked at him with her usual cold gaze as he said this.

"I meant what I said, the kid has potential," Hawks then stood straight and turned to Tex with a serious look. "But one way or another, he's gotta wake up and realize what he's gotta do. If he keeps running and hiding from his strength, he'll never realize any of that potential. You know this, Tex…so make sure he does, too."

Hawks then turned and made his way down the hall, a hand to his side as he walked. Meanwhile, Tex stared through the window at Amaku as Hawks' words played back in her mind. As angry as she was at him, she knew that he was right. If Amaku was ever to contribute to the program, he first needed to embrace who he was. Meanwhile, inside the room, two doctors, one male and one female, prepared to conduct a procedure on Amaku, marking the base of his neck with a red marker.

"How is he?" The male doctor asked with a scalpel in hand.

"Patient's heartbeat is stable," the female doctor said, checking Amaku's vitals. "…Brain wave activity is normal…patient is properly sedated…all vitals are green…" She then strapped a mask over her face.

"...Ready to proceed."

Chapter 10: Judgement

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Judgement

??????

Darkness surrounded the boy, haunting and enveloping him entirely. As he beckoned for a reason, a sense of clarity emerged amongst the chaos—there, in the distance, a light grew behind him. Suddenly, a calm, angelic voice rang out that felt all too familiar, bringing a tear to his eye. The boy called out to the voice, beckoning for it, pleading. He pumped his legs and ran through the void, sprinting relentlessly toward the light.

After ten seconds of sprinting, he leapt into the radiant light, feeling weightless for a fleeting moment before he landed on what appeared to be an all-but-familiar rug. A rush of memories flooded his mind as he recognized the intricate patterns he had encountered countless times.

He took a moment to steady himself as he stood up, his eyes scanning the room. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the open curtains, warmly glowing the neatly folded laundry. The air was filled with the comforting scent of fresh fabric softener, creating an atmosphere of tranquility. The place was as he remembered it, frozen in time with an air of familiarity and comfort.

His ears perked up at the sound of singing, this time emanating from the kitchen . The voice grew louder and more familiar as he approached the source and felt a surge of anticipation. With cautious steps, He entered the living room and saw a woman there, folding clothes while sitting on the floor by one of the windows. Her jet black hair cascaded down her shoulders and tied down towards her dress. Her face glowed with a bright, radiant smile that welcomed him home after the longest days and put his mind at ease on the darkest nights.

The woman continued to hum her beautiful tune as she lifted a red shirt in the air, neatly folded it, and placed it into the basket. For a moment, the boy could hardly believe his eyes. The passage of time seemed to have dissolved, leaving him wrapped in her presence. After watching her for what felt like an eternity, he couldn't hold back any longer. Throwing all suspicion and hesitation to the wind, he ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body heat. Tears of happiness streamed down his cheeks as he held her tightly.

“Whoa, what’s the rush?” She chuckled lightly. “You miss me that badly?”

She turned to face him and smirked, seeing the anticipation and excitement bottling up inside the young boy. She set him down right next to her on the sofa, allowing him to join her as she did her chores. He sat with his hands behind his back, quietly watching her graceful movements in awe. He loved these quiet moments with her, cherishing the simple joy of them being together. As she finished folding a red T-shirt, she caught his gaze and smiled affectionately.

"Come here, Yusaku, my little adventurer," she said, playfully patting the empty space beside her. Yusaku was by her side in a heartbeat, with a purely innocent glint in his eyes.

"What is it, Mama?" he asked. With a twinkle in her eye, she gently bopped him on the nose with her finger.

"Tag, you're it!" she said. Before he could react, she leaped to her feet, dashing around the living room with playful abandon. Her laughter filled the air like a sweet melody, and Yusaku quickly joined in the game, laughing and giving chase to his nimble mother. What transformed into a lavish living room filled with laundry now became a playground as they weaved in and out of furniture, the laundry momentarily forgotten. Their joyous, raucous laughter echoed off the walls, igniting the atmosphere. Yusaku ran with great speed, using his traction and agility to its fullest extent as he ran around the vast living room. His mother was swift and agile, doing what she could to outrun him. She ducked behind the sofa and then darted to the other side, teasing young Yusaku with her playful antics. He couldn’t help but laugh vigorously as he tried to catch up to her. Their laughter mingled with the sunlight, filling the room with warmth and love. The game of tag continued outside until they both collapsed in the backyard, exhausted and out of breath.

Catching her breath, Yusaku’s mother playfully tousled her son’s hair.

“You’re getting faster, my little man. Soon you might just catch me,” she said playfully. Yusaku’s eyes beamed, feeling a childish sense of pride.

“I’ll keep trying, Mama!” said Yusaku with a determined tone. “One day, I’ll be the fastest you’ve ever seen!”

She chuckled, her eyes reflecting her deep love for her son.

“I have no doubt you will….aaahhhhh, It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Yusaku rolled onto his back and felt the soft, ticklish grass beneath him. As he gazed up at the sky, he could see the birds flying to and fro, the clouds slowly moving along, but the air, the breeze alone, wrapped Yusaku in a chill, but one he adored. Just as he smiled and breathed a sigh of release, everything changed once he closed his eyes. Upon opening them, Yusaku snapped up cautiously as a flash of lightning tore through the sky, darkening it. The moon peered through the clouds illuminating the devastation around him. The defeating sound of thunder echoed in his ears, and rain lashed down upon the desolate area, mingling with tears on his cheeks. He staggered to his feet, his body battered and bruised in multiple places. Then, as he gained his bearings, a faint, haunting voice caught his ears as he scanned the wreckage around him.

“Yusaku…” The call was barely audible above the pounding rain. He followed it as though it were a mere echo. Yusaku ran to the source and found his mother, partially buried beneath the debris.

“Mama!” he cried, rushing toward her without a second thought. As he reached her side, he took her trembling hand in his, and a mixture of relief and horror poured over him. She was weak, her eyes clouded with pain and sorrow. Yusaku saw the immense effort it took for her to reach out to him, her strength fading with each passing second.

“Yusaku…you’re alright…thank goodness...” she said weakly, placing her free hand on his face.

“Don’t worry, Mama!” Yusaku said, trying to overcome his fear. “Just hang on, I’ll get you out!”

Yusaku, with all of his might, attempted to dig his mother out of the rubble. However, when he finally removed the debris covering her top half, with his eyes squinted from straining himself, he stopped to see his progress. As his eyes focused, he could barely comprehend the sight before him. Her lower body was severed, lost amidst the rubble. Blood stained the ground, mingling with the rain. Her once peach skin seemed to be drained, diluted of color as her life was slowly slipping away. Yusaku dropped to his knees, defeated.

“Yusaku…,” she whimpered, her voice barely audible. “I’m…I’m…so sorry.”

"No, Mama, don't say that! You're going to be okay! I promise, please just hold on!" Yusaku choked, his grip on her hand tightening. A weak smile graced her lips, but the pain in her eyes betrayed the façade.

"I love you, Yusaku... Remember... Always remember... my little... adventurer..."

He couldn't bear to see her like this. The world around him seemed to blur as his heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Mama…please…please don't leave me," he pleaded, tears mingling with the raindrops on his face. She tried to utter one last word with what little strength remained, but it was too great an effort. Her body momentarily froze, and then, as the last of her strength left her with a final exhale, her body gently went limp and the light in her eyes faded.

"Mama?... Mama!!!… MAAAMAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" he cried out, his heart wrenching with anguish.

The rain fell harder as if mourning with him and the thunder roared in a haunting symphony. Yusaku clung tightly to his mother's hand, unable to accept that she was gone. His breathing was hollow and arduous, even as he reluctantly released his mother’s lifeless hand. His tears mixed in with the rain as he looked down, only to find his palms stained with her blood. Guilt and anguish engulfed him, and the memory of someone’s words resurfaced like a corrosive sting from a viper.

" All that strength… all that potential… and what did you do with it?... That's all you are... a coward… so is it any wonder… that you let her die that night? ”

The words reverberated in his mind amidst the rain and thunder. A sudden flash of lightning illuminated a massive silhouette behind Yusaku. The air around him crackled with an unsettling energy, and when he turned around, his heart pounded in terror at the sight before him. Over him loomed a beasti*al figure that more than doubled the size of his now ruinous home. Though the lightning illuminated the it for a single solitary moment, Yusaku's fear forced nearly every detail of the creature to be ingrained in his mind. Everything from it's blank, uncaring eyes, it's teeth with perturbing fangs, its black spiky hair, the skin of it's back which more closely resembled a mountain face than human flesh.

At the height of Yusaku's fear, the beast’ slowly raised one of its massive hands, and as quickly as the beast itself arrived, the hand came crashing down upon him.

And that’s when he woke up.

Amaku jolted awake, gasping for air. His heart was pounding in his chest like a wild drumbeat. Sweat poured down his forehead, and his breathing was ragged and uneven. The remnants of the nightmares clung to him like a haunting fog, refusing to release their grip on his mind. As Amaku struggled to steady himself, a soft touch was quickly felt on his back. The next thing he knew, a pair of striking, golden-yellow eyes resembling those of a curious feline met his.

“<Amaku, it’s okay. Take deep breaths,>” gently said a female voice, her soothing tone reaching out like a lifeline for him to grab on to. Amaku attempted to comply, but his hands trembled vigorously and his body was still shaking from the vivid nightmare. Though his eyes were open, he was unable to properly process any of what they received due to his state of panic. He felt a pair of hands gently take hold of one of his, attempting to offer him comfort.

“<You’re safe now,>” the female voice said in a soothing murmur. “<Just focus on your breathing. Inhale slowly…and exhale…That’s it, Amaku. You got it.>”

Her words became his anchor, and slowly, he regained control over his breath. Each inhalation and exhalation felt like a step back from the nightmarish abyss that had swallowed him moments ago. With time, his mind and vision slwoly became aligned once again.

“<There you go, big guy,>” she remarked. “<You’re safe here.>”

Rubbing his temple, Amaku looked at himself and realized that he was wearing similar clothes as to what he was wearing during his initiation. He then looked around and took in his surroundings. Upon observation, he found himself in the back of a dimly lit truck. The air inside carried the faint scent of oil and metal mixed with a lingering touch of rain and must. The rhythmic hum of the engine provided a backdrop to the hushed murmurs of the other eight people sitting in the truck with him, all wearing the same attire as he was.

“<What’re you lot staring at? Mind your own business!>” The girl said, deterring the onlookers. The other people in the truck averted their gazes. As Amaku flickered his eyes, adjusting to the environment, he found a jaguar heteromorph sitting in front of him with her legs crossed. He now properly recognized her voice, realizing she was the one who's voice brought him back to reality.

“Who…who are you?” Amaku asked, his voice strained.

The Jaguar heteromorph's gold cat-like eyes once again met his with a curious yet warm glance. Her presence exuded an air of both confidence and gentleness. She smiled warmly, revealing her sharp teeth which glimmered like a light through a fog, captivating Amaku's attention.

“<Name’s Kira,>” she replied, her voice suddenly becoming more playful and energetic as she reached out her hand for a handshake. Amaku hesitantly took her hand and shook it, taking note of how oddly soft her fur was. There was something else about her though. In his mind, whenever she spoke, there was a very odd sensation in his mind. Though he put it off to the side for the moment, deeming it to just be a side effect of his long slumber. His eyes then shifted to her face, and upon further observation, she appeared to be no older than he was.

“I…thank you,” he managed to say, his voice still tinged with remnants of fear.

Kira’s gaze softened, and she inclined her head slightly.

“<No need to thank me, Amaku. Tex wanted me to watch over you while we’re on the road.>”

Amaku took note of the manner in which she said this. She didn’t refer to her as ‘agent’, but simply Tex, and she said it with such casual familiarity.

“I…take it you two are acquainted?” Amaku questioned. Kira chuckled lightly in response.

“<‘Acquainted’ is an understatement. Guess you could say she and I go way back.>”

Her tail waved slowly, like an anaconda waiting to strike.

“Um, your tail?” Amaku remarked.

“Hmm?” Kira co*cked an eyebrow and then turned to look at her tail. Her expression went wide as she realized what was happening.

“<Oh! Sorry, it, uh, does that sometimes,>” she said, shyly pushing back her red hair which cascaded over her shoulders.

Kira shuffled herself over to Amaku and sat closer to him. Her feet were inches away from his, but she kept her distance.

"So, then… Kira, was it?” Amaku asked.

Kira nodded in response.

“How did you end up in the program?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Kira leaned back and forth, her legs crossed, thinking about her answer. Her feline features softened with a warm smile.

“<Well…I’ve always admired the thought of pushing myself beyond my limits, and when Tex offered me a chance to join the Wolves Program, it felt like a perfect fit, ya know? A place where I can hone my skills, become something better…than myself.>”

“I see,” Amaku nodded in acknowledgement.

Kira co*cked her head to the side, looking at Amaku.

“Wha–” she was interrupted by another voice towards Amaku’s left.

“What about you, big guy? What brought you to join this merry band of misfits and misguided youths?” a male voice asked.

Amaku turned to his left to see a long black-haired Japanese boy around his age sitting with one knee up and his right hand on top of it. He had angular, obsidian eyes, a pale skin complexion, a fairly athletic build, and he appeared at first glance to be somewhere around 6’3. Beyond his appearance, something Amaku immediately noticed was that when the boy spoke, he didn’t feel the sensation from whenever Kira spoke.

“That’s…a rather complicated story in and of itself, mister…..?” Amaku responded hesitantly. The boy chuckled, shuffling his position to move towards Amaku.

“Aizo, Kazukuji Aizo.”

He reached out his hand for Amaku to shake. “Brokuma Amaku,” Amaku responded, shaking it and looking Aizo in the eye respectfully. Aizo turned to Kira and offered her his hand as well. Kira’s eyes widened as she took both of her hands and shook Aizo vigorously.

“<Pleasure to meet you both,>” she commented playfully. Kira turned towards Aizo, co*cking her head to the side. “<Sooo, super complicated story here, I get it,>” Kira said, gesturing to Amaku. “<But what about you, Batman?>”

Aizo’s eyebrow raised at the jab.

“Batman?” he asked. Kira laughed at Aizo’s expression.

“<Yeah, because you were sitting in a corner, brooding. You know… like Batman?>”

A chuckle escaped from Aizo’s mouth.

“Touché,” he remarked. “I grew up idolizing heroes and their dedication to protecting others, and when I heard about the opportunity to become one, I jumped at it the first chance I got.”

Kira nodded in admiration, her ears catching onto Aizo’s words. Amaku, on the other hand, looked at him with a hint of confusion.

“In that case, why choose the program rather than join a regular hero course?”

Aizo’s expression shifted. He glanced out of the truck’s window briefly before meeting Amaku’s gaze.

“I have my reasons,” he replied coldly. His gaze then shifted back to Amaku. “Why, were you not given a choice?” Aizo inquired.

“I…well…” Amaku was mostly silent for a bit, staring at Aizo out of surprise towards his intuition. He sighed heavily as he crossed his arms and shifted his gaze to the ground. Aizo gestured to Kira, shaking his head in confusion. Kira looked around the truck, thinking of a way to try and change the conversation.

“<Uh…hey, come on now! Why so grumpy?>” she said cheerily, putting an arm around Amaku’s shoulder. “<You did awesome in there! You went toe to toe with HAWKS and had him on the ropes!>”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I…wait…you saw that?” Amaku asked out of surprise.

“<Yeah, we all did,>” Kira said, gesturing between her and the other seven people in the truck. “<You were the first initiation of the day, so we all got a chance to watch. So yeah, guess you could say you’ve made quite an impression here.>”

When Amaku turned his gaze towards Aizo, he responded with an affirming nod. Amaku responded with a nod of his own, a small smile appearing on his face. As for the others, they attempted to avoid eye contact, keeping conversation amongst themselves as Amaku looked their way. Amaku’s expression shifted to confusion and slight concern when he saw this.

“What’s with them?” He asked, gesturing to the other passengers.

“<Oh, don’t mind them,>” said Kira nonchalantly. “<Pretty sure they were just freaked out by your…well, freak out, from your fight with Hawks.>”

Amaku looked at Kira with a look of confusion.

“Uhm…freakout?” he asked.

Aizo cleared his throat.

“Yeah, when you freed yourself after Hawks pinned you to the wall,” he said. “You got all huge and buff, that red and black light of yours went wild, and that scream you let out shook the whole building. It sounded like something crawled straight outta Hell. It was …somethin’.”

Amaku looked at Aizo with a mix of confusion and concern. Both Aizo and Kira noticed this, looking at one another in response to his confusion. Kira put a hand on Amaku’s shoulder to get his attention.

“<Amaku…what’s the last thing you remember?>” she asked.

Amaku took a moment before responding, trying to recall everything. Ambient flashes of red flared in his mind. The sting of blades, his energy reaching a fever pitch.

“I…I remember…pain,” Amaku said, holding his hands which were bandaged from where he had been stabbed. “After Hawks pinned me,I remember feeling …weak … helpless… and then…I-NNGG!!!” Amaku suddenly convulsed violently as he felt a stinging pain in his head, an image of Hawks adorned in a red hue briefly flashing in his mind.

“Amaku?” Kira said in great concern.

“ So, is it any wonder…that you let her die that night?” Hawks’ words echoed in Amaku’s mind. He held his head tightly as another red-hued image flashed by him. He convulsed again as his mind suffered another painful sting, with him shaking in response. He painfully recalled moments from his outburst, many of the images of Hawks adorned in a red hue. A brief animalistic growl or grunt accompanied each image that flashed. Meanwhile, the other passengers watched on in growing concern, scooching as far back as they could. Meanwhile, Kira did everything she could to try and get through to Amaku as he convulsed on the ground.

“<Amaku…Amaku, look at me!>” said Kira.

Amaku violently turned to look at her, his eyes flickering between brown and red as he attempted to hold himself together.

“AAAGH!!!....Make it stop…MAKE IT STOP!!!” Amaku said, tightly gripping his head in agony and violently whipping his head away from her. Aizo then attempted to approach to help.

“<Stay back!>” said Kira, putting her hand out. “<Let me handle this.>”

Aizo abided by her request, keeping his distance and allowing her to work.

Kira got down to Amaku’s level and lowered her mouth closely to the back of his neck.

“Dusk, dusk, dusk,” she quickly said.

Then, not a moment later, Amaku felt something flowing through his head. As it did, he felt the pain in his head subside. The red flashes and noises ceased, and the flickering of his eyes halted. He slowly let go of his head and brought himself off the ground, with Kira helping him up.

“<Easy…here,>” said Kira, helping him onto one of the benches. “<There…feeling better?>” Kira asked.

“I…yes,” Amaku said, surprised at this sudden wave of calmness. “What…what was that?”

“<So…while you were out, Tex had the doctors implant a little something in the back of your head that acts as a sort of… I think they called it a suppressor ? Basically, if you’re ever feeling really on edge, just say> dusk <three times and it releases a chemical that calms you down.>”

Amaku went to feel the back of his neck, feeling a bandage there.

“<I wouldn’t touch it,>” said Kira. “<Tex said that the area still needs time to heal after the operation.>”

“I see,” said Amaku, retracting his hand. Just then, a thought popped in his head, something he couldn’t believe he hadn’t asked until now.

“Wait…how long was I out?” Amaku asked.

“<Well…two days?>” Kira said nervously.

Amaku’s eyes shot open with shock and his mouth opened slightly.

“Two days?!” He proclaimed. “When-…I mean-… how?”

“Honestly, I’m surprised you woke up at all,” said Aizo. “After you went crazy against Hawks, you were about to wail on him even more and then he put like fifty feathers in you to stop you. And from what I gather, you were sedated for the implant. So you were probably pretty drained after the procedure.”

Amaku looked down at the ground in shock, processing all of this new information.

“Well…given how stiff I feel, being asleep for two days certainly lines up with that,” Amaku said jokingly as he stretched his arms.

Both Kira and Aizo lightly chuckled at this, surprised at his attempt to lighten the mood. Amaku himself had a small smile on his face.

“So…where exactly are they taking us?” asked Amaku. Then as if on cue, the truck came to a halt. Someone could be heard exiting the truck and walking around to the back. The next thing they knew, the back was lowered and the flap was released, allowing day light to enter the back area. The man himself was a man in a Japanese camouflage style military uniform.

“On your feet, cadets!!!” The man yelled. “Out of the truck, single file, chop chop!!!”

Amaku was the first one to exit the truck, ducking under the metal rim of the canvas and using one hand to block out the sun.

“Watch your step there, big guy,” the man said, referring to the dip at the end of the truck. Amaku acknowledged the man’s warning, bracing himself for the brief drop as he exited the truck. He dropped his hand as his eyes adjusted to the light. And as he looked around him, he realized that they were on a military air strip overlooking the sea.

Chapter 11: Truth

Chapter Text

Chapter 10: Truth

Same afternoon

As Amaku took in the view, several footsteps could be heard from behind him. One by one, the other cadets carefully stepped out of the truck, making sure not to fall off of the small dip. With their hands shielding their eyes from the sun, the bright aurora of the place began to show. They saw their truck and the others accompanying it parked on a closed off military base. The entrance was flanked by towering walls draped in a wolf insignia that gleamed in the sunlight. As the others continued to step out of the trucks, the trio noticed the other trucks were dropping off other cadets, all young like themselves. The atmosphere buzzed with

The atmosphere buzzed with a mix of expressions from the cadets. Expressions ranging from excitement, to anxiety, to determination, and many others. Amaku’s eyes swept across the base and he observed cadets of various appearances. Some of them looked tall and imposing, while others were more weary. Some looked like any other human, others were heteromorphs with various animal features, others had enhanced limbs and a few looked like mutated humans. For Amaku, two individuals stood out compared to the others. One was a large behemoth of an individual with hulking muscles, a long, unruly mane of black hair and intense blue eyes. He stood at at least 8’11 and was wearing dark-toned cargo pants, steel-toed boots, and a black sleeveless shirt that showcased his muscular arms. The other was a rather short individual wearing a black cloak and a highly detailed green face mask that appeared to be similarly designed to that of a Spanish day of the dead mask. Amaku recalled seeing one or two images online in the past. This one in particular possessed black lines around the mouth resembling the teeth of a skull, black mascara around the eyes, a black pattern around the nose similar to a skull, and various black embroidery and patterns all over the face. The cloak itself covered the individual’s whole body, so it was impossible to make out any other features that could suggest their gender. This particular individual was standing alone as far away from the others as possible. Why exactly was something Amaku couldn’t put a finger on. Regardless, he eventually moved on to the other cadets.

As he, Aizo, and Kira took in the diverse crowd, Amaku noticed that one thing stood out amongst all the cadets here; every single one of the seemed to be around the same age, no older than fifteen or so. Eventually, their eyes were drawn to something massive a few yards away. The sun glinted off the polished surface of an imposing cargo plane, its sleek lines, and the massive wolf insignia on the side of it.

Aizo let out an impressed whistle at the sight of this massive air craft.

“Now that’s a big plane,” he commented.

Not a moment later, more trucks rolled up in formation, almost like well practiced dancers.

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as more cadets emerged from the transport. Kira's excitement was palpable; her voice was tinged with a gleeful squeal.

"<I'm absolutely pumped for this! Seriously, nothing can ruin this mo->"

“CADETS!!! TEN-HUT!!!!” A voice, booming and authoritative, shattered Kira's words. “ Grab your gear and move out! Time's ticking, and we're not here to waste it! If you lot thought that this was yer’ final stop, think again! You ain’t wolves yet, but this next trial will determine who moves on and who’s goin’ home!!"

The trio as well as the other cadets shifted their focus to the source of the voice. A tall well built Japanese man with short, puffy orange hair and a neatly trimmed beard strode into view. His glasses, perched atop his nose, bobbed with every determined step. He sported a sleek, black short-sleeved top adorned with a pair of dog tags that dangled purposefully. He completed his outfit with a pair of gray cargo pants and sturdy black boots. A sense of trepidation spread through the cadets as the man's imposing presence filled the airways. Each of his heavy-booted strides echoed loudly, emphasizing his command.

Kira found herself struck with a mixture of confusion and awe at the man's presence. The man looked around, like a lion licking his chops before feasting.

The man's gazeviolently snapped toward Kira, his expression tightening with anger as he drew a deep breath. At that moment, the man angrily marched over to Kira. As he approached, Kira attempted to brace herself with what little time she had, but nothing could have prepared her for what was about to unfold.

"YES, YOUR GEAR, CADET! " The man thundered right in Kira’s face, Looking down at her with a fiery gaze. “ DID I f*ckING STUTTER, OR ARE THOSE BIG ASS EARS ON YOUR HEAD INCAPABLE OF PICKING UP BASIC GODDAMN INSTRUCTIONS!? GRAB YOUR GEAR AND MOVE YOUR ASS!”

His jaw unclenched, reminiscent of an animated character in a show, his intensity resembling that of a maniac. Kira was petrified by the wave of embarrassment, adrenaline and fear that washed over her as the man’s words reverberated through the airway. She could sense the weight of his anger, his disappointment, and his impatience, all directly squarely at her. The other cadets around her seemed to step back, avoiding eye contact with Kira and the imposing figure before them.

The man’s eyes bore into Kira, his fiery gaze waiting for her to make a move. Then, to the surprise of Amaku and Aizo, she held her ground, took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and met the man’s gaze head-on.

“<Yes sir!>" Kira responded, her voice steady despite the wave of emotions within her. "<I apologize! I will get my gear right away, sir!>"

"See that you do, cadet," he said, nodding sharply. "Time waits for no one, and you lot ‘er no exception! Now Chop Chop!" he said, clapping his hands.

With that, he turned on his heel and marched away from her towards the cargo plane, his boots reverberating with each echoing thud.

The tension that once held every cadet by the throat began to dissipate. Kira quickly turned to Aizo and Amaku, with embarrassment on her face.

“<Uh…sorry about that, guys,>” she muttered. “<We should probably grab our stuff like he said, yeah?>”

“Uhm…yeah, sure,” said Aizo, still a bit thrown off. Amaku simply nodded and the three of them made their way over to a trolley carrying all of various bags and belongings. Everyone made their way over and grabbed their things. Amaku, after searching for a short while, eventually found his black duffel bag. After checking its contents, everything appeared to be there, including his head phones, the photos, and his medication. After slinging the bag over his back, he then proceeded to look for the suitcase with his costume in it. However, to his surprise and concern, the case was nowhere to be found. He started to panic, frantically searching for the case, scanning the trolley multiple times, and yet he still couldn’t find it.

“ Oh no…no, no, no, no, no, no, no!” he thought to himself, his expression struggling to conceal his concern.

“What’s got yer’ panties in a twist, cadet?” said the aggressively angry man. Amaku looked behind him to see him suddenly standing there, giving him a judgemental stare.

“ When did he even get there? ” Amaku thought to himself. “Sir!” he said out loud, standing at attention with his hands behind his back. “My deepest apologies! It would seem that one of the personal items is not here on the trolley, Sir!”

“Is that so?” The man asked, stroking his beard as he walked up to Amaku.

“And pray tell, Cadet, what was this personal item of yours?”

“It was a silver metal case about yei wide and yei big, Sir!” said Amaku, giving accurate measurements with his hands. The man took some time before speaking again.

“So that was yours, was it?” Said the man. “I’m familiar with the case in question, and I can assure you that you needn’t worry about its well being. It’s being stored in our special care until you need it. Understood?”

“Sir, yes Sir!” Amaku nodded respectfully.

The man then walked around Amaku, closely observing him. Meanwhile, Amaku remained at attention with his gaze forward. The man sized him up as he slowly strode around him. Amaku noted that the man nearly matched his height.

“You’re a big fella now, aren’t ya?…State your name, Cadet!”

“Brokuma Amaku, Sir!” Amaku said, respectfully.

“Oh?…so you’re the one, are ya’? The one that went toe to toe with ‘the wing hero’ himself?” The man said with a slight reflection of intrigue. “I saw the recording of that fight, cadet. I’ll give you this, cadet: even if you lost in the end, you’ve got hella lot a’ guts and a fire in those eyes! You’ve got potential, cadet!” The man then turned towards the other cadets. “Hell, I might even say that we’ve already got ourselves a filled slot for the program!”

Some of the cadets looked at one another, whispering amongst each other while expressing concern and worry. Others turned their gazes towards Amaku with mixed reactions. Some with reverence, others with determination and resentment. He could feel all these reactions being directed towards him from all angles.

“Thank you, Sir!” Amaku said respectfully. “I will-“

“However!” The man then immediately halted right in front of Amaku, clicking his boots together. Amaku immediately sh*t his mouth and his gaze shot forward as he continued standing at attention.

“The only way you were able to turn the tables on Hawks was by lashing out like a wild animal, incapable of reigning in its blood lust. You gave into your rage for the sake of power!” The man got right in front of Amaku, meeting him at chin level. “Let me make one thing clear, rookie: you may have a wealth o’ strength under the hood, but in this line of work, raw power alone amounts ta’ Jack sh*t! If you think that this program will tolerate you lashing out like a tantrum-throwin’ toddler for any, and I mean ANY reason out in the field, then Cadet, I suggest you screw that thick skull o’ yers’ on tight, because you’ve got a nasty dose o’ reality ta’ wake up to, understood!?”

“Yes, sir!” Amaku said, his frustration slightly reflected in his voice. The man once again began to slowly circle him with his .

“You know, I got a good look at the… contents of that case,” he said. “Some mighty fine work, to be sure…one could even say that such craftsmanship is unfit for one such as yourself. Because last I checked…you’re not a hero, are you? In fact, your behavior suggests that you’re nothin’ but a feral, undisciplined animal. And last time I checked, animals don’t wear nothin’ but the skin and fur on their backs, am I correct, Cadet?”

Amaku, clenched his fist tightly behind his back as his anger rose to the surface, he closed his eyes so that no one could see them glowing red as he attempted to hold himself back. The man violently turned his head to look up at Amaku after receiving no answer.

“CADET! ” the man shouted ragefully. “When I ask you a question, then you better damn well answer me immediately lest you want the prints of my boot plastered on your ass permanently! Now, I ask you again, cadet: am I correct!?”

“Yes, sir!” Amaku replied, opening his eyes to reveal that they were still their natural brown color.

“Well then,” the man continued. “With this fact made clear, let it also be said that until you prove that you are worthy of the contents of that case, you will not so much as even lay eyes on that case! Are we clear, cadet!?”

“Sir, yes Sir!” replied Amaku.

“Good then! And let that go for the rest of you as well!” the man said, turning away from Amaku and walking amongst the other cadets. “I don't care what you’ve lost, who you’ve lost, or what you’ve suffered through! If you want a place in this program, then you’ve gotta earn it, you’ve gotta fight for it, you’ve gotta claw your way through the muck with all your blood, sweat, and tears to earn your place amongst the wolves. DO I MAKE MYSELF POSITIVELY, ABSOLUTELY, IRREFUTABLY CRYSTAL CLEAR!?!?”

“Sir, yes Sir!” the other cadets replied in unison.

“So then, as I’ve already told you, grab your balls, grab your sh*t, and GET YOUR SORRY ASSES ON THAT PLANE ON THE DOUBLE!!”

It was at this point that everyone doubled the efforts to collect their belongings and made their way over to the cargo plane as instructed. Amaku, meanwhile, finally relaxed and removed his arms from behind his back. He breathed a sigh of relief as he loosened his shoulders and let his arms fall to his side. As he looked down at his right hand, which was still shaking from the festering anger he still felt towards the man, he grabbed it with his left in an effort to cease the shaking. After closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the shaking stopped. Aizo and Kira both saw this, looking to one another with concern. Amaku then grabbed his duffle bag and went to join the others as they made their way towards the cargo plane.

As everyone began to board, the behemoth was the first to enter the plane with the others following behind him. Amaku was among the last to enter. As he looked around the vast empty space of the plane’s bay area, it was vast and roomy with various cargo crates and bags strapped down in various areas of the bay. Each piece of cargo was branded with the same wolf logo that they’d seen on the outside of the plane. There were also various seats with straps along the walls, no doubt for passengers, as well as one or two windows along each side of the plane. Towards the front of the plane was a single large seat which the behemoth walked towards and to the right side of it was a staircase leading to the co*ckpit.

As Amaku continued to observe the cargo bay, he felt his foot accidently kick something. He looked down to see a small yellow and red handheld device with ear pieces plugged into it. He picked it up and upon closer observation, the device appeared to be a Present Mic Pod 3 . Amaku was surprised to see one of these here as the PMP5 was the latest model. Amaku looked around to see who it could belong to, but no one appeared to be in search of a lost item. Seeing as they were about to take off soon, Amaku figured that he would hold onto the device for now and find the owner once they were in the air. As such, he stowed it away in his pocket and went to find a seat.

After searching for a moment, he found that Kira and Aizo were fortunately seated near one of the windows. They’d even saved him a seat in between the both of them. Amaku graciously accepted the offer and sat down in between them. Kira gently put a hand on his shoulder.

“<You good?>” She asked in a concerned tone.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Amaku replied. “This plane is pretty spacious, so, I think I’ll manage.”

“Uhm…I don’t think that’s what she was talking about,” said Aizo.

Amaku turned to look at Aizo when he said this, sharing a moment of silence with him. He then turned his head away from him and slowly looked down at the floor.

“…I’ll be fine,” said Amaku somberly. “He was simply speaking the truth. What more is there to say?”

“<I mean, yeah, but still,>” Kira said, slightly surprised by Amaku’s outlook on the situation. “<I’m sure he could’ve put it in a better way.>”

“And what good would that have done, Kira? Hm?” Amaku responded, turning to her with unintentional slight aggression. Kira jolted her head back slightly out of shock. “There are times when truth takes priority over kindness. Putting it in a gentler manner would be like putting salve on a tumor, it wouldn’t have addressed the problem. And as I said, he wasn’t wrong. It doesn't matter what hardships I’ve had to endure, it doesn’t give me, or anyone else here, the excuse to not improve. We have no time to be sorry for ourselves, all we can do is be better.”

There was a moment of silence after Amaku said this, Kira and Aizo looked at one another with concern, then turned their gaze back to Amaku. He breathed a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb in an effort to relax.

“I’m sorry,” said Amaku. “I didn’t mean to snap like that.”

“Don’t worry about it, man,” said Aizo, putting a hand on Amaku’s shoulder. “It’s like you said, sometimes the truth is more important than being nice. Otherwise, we’d spend our lives living a fantasy and never facing reality.”

Amaku turned to look at Aizo, surprised that their outlooks on the matter were so closely aligned. He then nodded to Aizo in agreement, who returned it in kind. Then, a moment later, the doors to the bay began to close.

“Testing, Testing, 1 2 3!!” a showman-like voice came in over the plane's speakers. “This is your dashing rogue of a pilot, Captain Maverick, speaking! All final preparations are being made and we will be taking off shortly. So please make sure that all carry-on items are properly stowed away, fasten your seatbelts, shut off mobile phones and portable gaming devices, and remember, this is a no smokin’ flight…well, except for me, anyway! Hahaha!”

The cadets all looked at one another with mixed looks. One person across from Amaku briefly chuckled but was then silenced by the sudden glances of judgment he received.

“Anyway,” the pilot continued. “With all that outta the way, just sit back and enjoy the take off!”

A few seconds after this announcement, the bay door was fully closed and the engines could be heard turning on for the outside. Amaku looked out the window as the plane made its way towards the runway. After a short time, the plane had aligned itself with the runway. At that moment, Amaku saw the man from before, standing off to the side with his hands behind his back as the plane was about to take off. The two of them locked eyes as the man watched the plane prepare for takeoff. For a brief moment, Amaku couldn’t help but feel a small rising anger as he looked at the man. However, rather than let these emotions get the better of him, he gave the man a respectful salute through the window. The man slightly shifted one of his eyebrows up in response to this, then after a couple seconds passed, gave a simple, brief nod of acknowledgement. Amaku stopped his saluting, but maintained eye contact as the plane sped up down the runway. The man watched as the plane sped down the runway and finally took to the sky. As it did, the man shifted his head to the side in contemplation.

“Hmph…” he grunted silently as he looked down at the ground. He then proceeded to walk off the air field towards one of the buildings.

Meanwhile on the plane, once the airstrip disappeared from sight, Amaku turned away from the window and properly sat back in his seat. They were now officially on route to their second trial.

Chapter 12: Alliances and Rivalries Part I: Behemoths and Tricksters

Chapter Text

Chapter 11: Alliances and Rivalries Part I [Behemoths & Tricksters]

Ten minutes later

“<You alright?>” Kira asked. Amaku turned to look at her, a bit of sweat still running down his face.

“I…yes, I’m fine, Kira,” he responded in a slightly shaky voice, wiping the sweat away.

“<You sure?>” Kira persisted. “<You looked a bit…off, for a sec there.>”

“It’s nothing, just…it’s my first time on a plane.”

“<Oh…so, how does it feel to fly?>” Kira gestured towards the window. Amaku looked out to see the vast blue waters below and the numerous clouds that they passed which were at eye level with him.

“Honestly…as far as firsts go, this will definitely be one to remember,” he said, somewhat giddily. Kira chuckled lightly in response to his amusem*nt.

“Alrighty then, cadets,” the pilot's voice once again came in over the speakers. “We’ve now reached a nice cruise altitude of 30,000 feet. Please feel free to leave your seats and move about the hull. This’ll be a smooth two hour flight, so please, get on up, stretch those legs, do as you please, and most importantly, enjoy your flight!”

Upon hearing this, many of the cadets did as the captain suggested and stood up from their seats, moving about the hull of the plane. Others remained in their seats, attempting to get some shut eye. Amaku himself remained in his seat, though he did take the time to unbuckle his seat belt. Kira meanwhile couldn’t have gotten out of her seat faster. She practically jumped out of it, stretching freely and showing off her flexibility.

“<Aaahhhh…freedom,>” she said in a relieved tone. “<Welp, Imma go stretch my legs, wanna come with?>”

“Appreciated, but I think I’ll just stay in my seat for now,” Amaku replied.

“<Alright, your call,>” Kira shrugged, walking off towards the other cadets.

“Think I’m gonna follow her lead, try to meet some new faces," said Aizo, undoing his seat belt. Amaku nodded in acknowledgement as Aizo walked off. Meanwhile, Amaku himself simply remained in his seat, observing the others. Some were walking about the cargo bay, some were sleeping, some were talking amongst each other.However, what caught Amaku’s eye was the behemoth sitting alone at the far end of the cargo bay. He appeared to be placing his hands at the intervals of his pockets as if he was searching for something. However, as he continued to search, he grew more and more worried as he was frantically checking his pockets, his personal bag, under the seat, all to no avail. Then, as he observed this, Amaku then had a thought and took out the PMP3 that he’d found earlier. Upon further inspection, the ear plugs that were attached to the device were abnormally large, almost as if they were made for someone of a larger disposition. He hadn’t paid much mind to it earlier as he was more focussed on finding a seat.

He soon realized what he had to do and made his way over to the behemoth, who was still panicking in search of his missing item. Once he was standing right in front of him, he extended his hand out to him, offering him the device. The Behemoth slowly brought himself together as he looked forward to see the device in Amaku’s hand. He then slowly looked up at Amaku, looking him in the eye with an expression of surprise on his face.

“I believe you dropped this,” said Amaku. “It was at the top of the ramp when we were boarding.”

The behemoth slowly reached out for the device with one of his monstrously large hands and took it from Amaku, looking at it with a mix of surprise and relief that it was not lost. Upon further observation, Amaku noted that the behemoth nearly matched Amaku’s standing height while he was still sitting. He then looked up at Amaku again with his intense blue eyes.

“<…Thank…you…>” he said slowly in a deep, guttural voice. Oddly enough, when he spoke, Amaku felt the same sensation he felt whenever Kira spoke.

“What is this feeling?” Amaku thought to himself.

Meanwhile, the behemoth set the PMP3 on his lap and extended one of his monstrous hands out to Amaku.

“...Jackson,” he said.

“Brokuma,” said Amaku, shaking Jackson’s hand. After a brief moment of silence between the two of them, Jackson scooted to the right while still remaining in his seat and patted one of his large hands in the empty space to his left. Amaku was slightly taken back by the gesture, standing in silence for a few short seconds, but eventually accepted the offer and sat down next to him. After doing a little bit of fiddling with the PMP3, Jackson selected a song and handed one of the ear pieces to Amaku. Amaku once again accepted the offering, taking the earpiece in hand. Although he had no other choice but to hold it in his ear it was slightly too big to fit in his ear. Once he did, Jackson hit play on the device and the next thing he knew, Amaku was listening to a smooth American style jazz song.

The song itself started out very softly, a simple guitar and xylophone introduction with no lyrics. Then as it went on, it introduced more instruments, including a trumpet, violin, soft base, and a few others. Despite this, the song remained very soft and calming, much like the music that Amaku would listen to on longer rides to put his mind at ease. As he continued to listen, he would slowly move his head from side to side to the beat of the song, and so too did Jackson. While the music was soothing to the soul, Amaku felt more than just tranquility, he felt as though a harmonic story was being played for him, as if the music’s soft, delicate tune was fingers strumming the strings of his heart like a harp. He felt both peace and emotion surge through him as the song continued to play. Then, with a single long note from the trumpet, the song came to an end, leaving Amaku with simultaneous satisfaction and a desire to listen more, like a mother reading a child a story before bed, but the hour deemed that story time was over.

Amaku slowly removed the earbud from his ear, still processing what he'd just listened to.

“<...You…like…it…?>” Jackson asked. Amaku quickly turned to him, snapping out of his daze.

“Yes…it was very nice,” said Amaku, still coming back to reality. “…Thank you, Jackson.”

However, Jackson shook his head in response to this.

“<…Thank… you,>” he said, gesturing to the PMP3. Amaku nodded in response to this, stood up from the seat, and bowed to him with a hand to his chest. Jackson replied with a simple nod. Amaku then walked away and left Jackson to his own devices.

He made his way over to his seat, making his way through the other cadets. However, before he could make it through the crowd, he felt a hand on his shoulder which held him back.

“<Neat trick there, slick,>” Amaku heard a suave, pretentious voice say. He turned his head back to see a black-gloved hand on his shoulder. Attached to the hand was a rather lanky, skinny boy a little older than him who stood at about a foot shorter than Amaku. His hair was messy, black and short, his eyes were green and narrow, his nose was crooked with a scar across it, his jawline was angled, and there were stubs on his chin. Amaku turned his gaze to the left and next to this individual stood a much taller boy who looked to be around 17 or so. In terms of height, he was just about equal to Amaku. Much like Amaku, he was clean shaven and well toned. His hair was black and neatly trimmed, but not quite as short as Amaku’s. He had a square jawline, a small straight nose, and yellow angular eyes. He stood next to his companion with his arms crossed, acting as if he were the smaller boy’s body guard. Upon further inspection, both boys appeared to be American, and yet he could understand the smaller boy perfectly.

Amaku then turned his gaze back to the smaller boy.

“What trick?” he asked.

“<You think I don’t know your game?>” The boy said. “<You steal that outdated piece of junk he had, wait for him to start panicking, and you give it back to ‘im to get on his good side. Classic, ingenious even!!!>”

Amaku then fully turned around to face him, taken back a bit by his words. But beyond that, there was something else. When the boy spoke, he felt the same sensation from when he was speaking with Kira and Jackson. Now that he was feeling it again, he was able to better understand it. The sensation felt as though he was recalling a long lost memory, one that had been lost to time and was only now coming back to him. He once again put these thoughts to the side to confront the boy in front of him.

“Why would I steal it from him?” Amaku shrugged, the faintest hint of rising disgust in his voice.

“<Ah, see, you shouldn’t be asking ‘why’,>” said the boy. “<You should be asking ‘why not’?>”

The moment Amaku heard these words, he was frozen stiff. His eyes widened a bit as he did everything in his power to repress his reaction and the sudden feeling of anger he felt.

“<It’s the obvious move,>” the shorter boy continued. “<Back at the airstrip, that sergeant Twat put you up on a pedestal, made you look like a threat. So, the obvious next step for you is to trick the biggest, toughest guy you see into being your friend and protecting you…>”

The boy continued to ramble and every word that came out of his mouth only caused Amaku’s anger and disdain to fester more and more until he couldn’t take it any longer.

“What…do you want?” Amaku interrupted, struggling to maintain a neutral tone of voice. The boy was silent for a bit, surprised by Amaku’s forwardness. The taller one unfolded his arms and drew a step closer

“<...Straight to the point then, are we?>” he said, trying to resume control over the conversation once more with a suave demeanor. “<Alright then! First, Introductions: name’s Stitch, and this here is my brother, Krush>,” he gestured to the tall boy with his thumb.

“<Yo,>” said Krush in a deep, tough voice, crossing his arms once again and co*cking his head at Amaku. He gave no response to this and instead stared at Krush with a focused, determined look.

“<Anyway,>” Stitch continued, regaining Amaku’s attention. “<Krush and I just so happen to be looking for someone to make our little duo into a trio. And after seeing how you fared against HAWKS HIMSELF, I’d say that you fit the bill quite perfectly. Not to mention that you just so happened to get the big dope over there on your side as well,>” Stitch gestured subtly over towards Jackson. “<Whatever they've got planned for us, it’s bound to be just as difficult if not more so than our initiations. And together, the three of us’ll be on our way to->”

“Three?” Amaku interrupted once again. “You said you wanted me because of my performance and my alliance with Jackson. So what three?”

“<Yes…but who said we’d need him to join our little group here? Three is fine, four is a crowd. If you join us, you can trick the big one into taking down some of the other cadets. Then, when it’s all said and done, we wait until his back is turned, and then, BAM!!! The three of us nail him and take our place in the program!>”

Once again, every word infuriated Amaku to the point where his fist was clenching behind his back from pure disdain towards Stitch. First he accused Amaku of a lowly deception, then he plots to abuse the gratitude of another and betray him at the earliest opportunity. Every word that came out of his mouth painted a clearer picture, one that with each vile detail drove Amaku to wretch.

“<So, all that said, I know this ain’t a small decision to make, So I’ll give you some time to think->”

“No,” said Amaku abruptly and sternly. Once again, Stitch was stunned into silence for a short while.

“<Uhm… pardon?>” he asked dumbfoundedly.

“I’ve heard your… generous offer, and I decline,” said Amaku in a tone of disinterest.

“<...Did you?>” said stitch, adorning a smile that almost looked like a crack on a mask. “<Because I feel like if you really heard me, you wouldn’t have just given me such an unbelievably stupid answer.>”

“Spoken like someone who’s never been told no in his life,” said Amaku. “Welcome to reality.” He then turned sways and began to walk off, but before he even took a step, Stitch’s gloved hand grabbed him by the wrist. Amaku immediately turned to loom at him.

“<Spoken like a guy who’s never made a friend in his life,>” said Stitch, frustration emanating from his voice. “<So let me educate you. When someone offers to be your ally when everyone else around you is ready to turn on you, you don’t just blow them off. Out there, without allies, you won’t last a day. You should be down and on yours knees, thanking me for making such a->“

“Wrong,” said Amaku, ripping his hand out of Stitch’s grip. “You should be on your knees thanking me for tolerating your venomous drivel for this long without breaking you in two.”

Stitch’s face displayed a mixed expression of anger and shock. Krush once again dropped his arm cross and displayed a look of surprise as well, though not to the same degree as Stitch.

“Let me assure you of one thing, you filthy snake,” Amaku seethed, getting closer into Stitch’s face. “Whatever trials await us at the end of this flight, if our paths cross again, it will not be a festive reunion.”

“<Are you threatening me?>” Stitch pushed back in a low, aggressive tone.

“Well you’re supposedly a master at reading people, aren't you? So look into my eyes, little man,” said Amaku, his eyes igniting a burning crimson. “You…tell…me…”

In that moment, Krush stepped between the two of them, acting as a shield for stitch. Amaku looked up to meet his gaze, his height meeting that of his opposition.

“And then there’s you,” said Amaku aggressively, refusing to back down to Krush’s challenge. “Do you have anything of substance to add here, or are you here to just stand around looking mean and then intervene when this idiot gets in over his head? Is that the sum of your ambitions…a meat shield?”

Krush let out a low, baritone growl, clenching his fist tightly in anger as he stared at Amaku, who still stood there staring at him with his glowing red eyes.

“Alright, enough!” out of nowhere someone came in and broke up the two, holding Amaku back. Amaku looked down and was surprised to see that it was Aizo.

“The enthusiasm and energy is great ‘n all, gents, but save it for the trial…both of you,” said Aizo, sternly looking at Amaku in his glowing red eyes. Amaku looked down at him, his face displaying a hint of surprise. As Aizo’s words started to register for him, he looked back towards Krush, who was still refusing to back down. However, once again to Amaku’s surprise, Stitch actually stepped in between the two of them as well.

“<Krush…stand down. It's not worth it,>” he said, putting a hand on Krush’s shoulder while looking at Amaku with restrained resentment. Krush looked down at his brother with cautious eyes. He then turned back to Amaku, staring him down for a short while one last time. After keeping his gaze locked for the entirety of that moment, Amaku finally backed down, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, they’d returned to their natural brown color. In response to this, Krush complied with his brother and stood down, backing away from Amaku. Stitch looked up to him and nodded to him one last time before looking back at Amaku.

“<Let me make one thing clear, asshole,>” said Stitch. “<You’re gonna regret crossing us like this, you hear me?>”

Amaku gently brushed Aizo’s hand off of his right shoulder.

“The only regret I have is letting you run your filthy mouth for this long,” Amaku said coldly. “Now, while I still have some sense of reason… get out of my sight.”

With that, the two groups then parted ways. Stitch and Krush disappeared amongst the other cadets while Amaku and Aizo returned to their seats. After making their way through the crowd, Stitch and Krush eventually found their own corner to speak privately.

“Well…that could’a gone better,” said Stitch in a slightly defeated tone.

“No kiddin’,” said Krush, crossing his arms. “He’s gonna be a real problem, brother. So, how do we handle this?”

Krush was in silent contemplation for a few moments with a finger and thumb to his chin. Eventually, after looking back towards Amaku, he came up with an answer.

“He wants a war…then we’ll give ‘em one,” he said sternly.

Out of surprise, Krush quickly shifted his gaze between both Amaku and stitch.

“You’re serious?” he said, trying to contain his shock. “You saw what he can do, right? The guy’s quirk is busted!”

“Maybe,” said Stitch. “But he’s not perfect. No one is. There's a crack in this one, just like the others. We’ll find it, and when we do, we’ll bring him crumbling down just like all the rest. You trust me, right, Krush?”

“...Right…”

Despite the assurances from his brother, Krush’s expression remained concerned, looking down at the ground in uncertainty. Stitch looked to see the worry in his brother’s eyes.

“Hey,” Stitch said, putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “He’s tough, but you're tougher. He’s smart, but I’m smarter. You and me, we’ll get through this the same way we always do…together. You hear me?” said Stitch, extending a fist bump to Krush.

Krush looked down at his brother, seeing the hopeful shimmer in his eyes. Seeing this optimism and drive so too raised his spirits as he gave a confident smile and accepted the fist bump.

Meanwhile, Amaku and Aizo sat together in their seats, silently keeping to themselves. After a while of silence, Aizo looked concerningly at Amaku, who was sitting upright with his arms crossed.

“So…what’s with them?” Aizo questioned, referring to Stitch and Krush.

“A couple of weasels looking to fix the competition,” Amaku said with a hint of anger in his voice, sitting upright with his arms crossed.

“What do you mean?” asked Aizo, raising an eyebrow?

Amaku then retold the events that unfolded leading up to Aizo’s arrival, including his newly formed alliance with Jackson. After he finished his retelling, Aizo sat in silence for a moment, looking down at the floor. As Amaku observed his expressions, he didn’t necessarily seem to be disturbed or shocked by the information, but rather it appeared as though the wheels were turning in his head.

“...I see,” said Aizo, still looking down at the floor. He then turned to face Amaku. “Why not take the offer, Brokuma?”

Amaku slowly looked at Aizo with an expression of shock on his face.

“Did you hear a word I just said?” asked Amaku in a borderline offended tone.

“Loud and clear, and I still stand by what I said,” Aizo continued. “Just think about it: even an amateur would put together that they would turn on you at the first opportunity. So, you accept the offer, play along for a bit, and when you get the chance, you and the big guy take ‘em out. Or better yet, since the other cadets will probably be gunning for your spot, you do as they say and get the big guy to take out the other cadets while you deal with the brothers, you meet up, and then complete the trial together. And if need be, you take care of him too.”

Amaku stared at Aizo with a disturbed expression as he listened to his advice .

“…Should I be concerned that you were able to come up with such an elaborate deception like it was nothing?” said Amaku. Aizo simply shrugged in response to this.

“It’s what I would’ve done,” said Aizo. “Just saying, if you’d taken the deal, you would've had five people who weren’t gunning for you, including me and Kira. But now, you’ve got only three who don’t look at you and see an opportunity to prove themselves, and that’s assuming the big guy wasn’t just offering temporary kindness before we’re all going at each other's throats.”

Amaku sat back in his seat in silence for a bit, his arms still crossed as he stared forward in contemplation.

“…You’re right…it probably would've been smarter to play along,” said Amaku. Aizo then turned towards Amaku.

“So…why didn’t you?”

“...Because…because in my eyes, lying is the refuge of cowards,” said Amaku solemnly. “Liars create delusions and fantasies for not just others, but for themselves so they can run away from reality and never have to face the consequences of their actions. I…I’ve done things I’m not proud of, I’ll admit that, but I’m here because it’s my responsibility to make them right. I’m here because I’m done running away from who I am. From now on, if I am to run anywhere, it’ll be towards something.”

Once again, silence fell upon the duo. Amaku’s gaze still remained forward and his arms remained crossed. He turned his gaze towards Aizo, who looked down at the ground in silence.

“Look, you may not agree with my ways, but I won’t compromise who I am,” said Amaku. “And who I am is not a liar. It may sound quite naïve out loud, unfathomably stupid even, but-”

“No…not at all,” Aizo interrupted. “I get it…really, I do.”

Amaku looked to Aizo, noticing the solemnness in his voice.

“I mean…don’t get me wrong, it’s an overly wordy way of saying you’re sh*t at lying, but I get it.” he said with a witty tone. Amaku lightly chuckled from this attempt at humor, and Aizo displayed a small grin from seeing him.

Suddenly, the two of them heard a commotion at the other side of the cargo bay. They looked ahead to see a bunch of the cadets huddled around something, cheering and laughing, but they could not tell what they were gathering for.

“Well then,” said Azio with intrigue. “I think Imma go check that out. Wanna come?”

“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll just stay here before I cause any more trouble for myself,’ said Amaku jokingly. Aizo simply shrugged in response and went off to see what was happening with the other cadets. Meanwhile, Amaku went rifling through his bag and much like Jackson, he pulled out his phone and earbuds and started listening to some peaceful music. He set the music, laid back in his seat, and attempted to relax. Though he may have made some new rivals, he sat in peace knowing that he managed to make one new behemoth of an ally.

Chapter 13: Alliances and Rivalries Part II: Checkmate

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Alliances and Rivalries Part II [Checkmate]

One hour and ten minutes later

Amaku sat back in his seat with his arms crossed as soft peaceful music with female vocals and soft instrumentation played in his ears. As the gentle melody played in his ears, he casually surveyed his surroundings. Aizo was still with the big crowd of cadets at the other side of the bay, though he still had no idea what was going on. As he looked to his right, he saw Jackson, who was still listening to his PMP3. Amaku turned his gaze even further to the right. A few seats down, Kira was speaking to the short individual with the cloak and face mask. Though he couldn’t tell what the two of them were discussing, judging by Kira’s expression, he could tell that she was deeply intrigued in the conversation. Eventually, both Kira’s and the figure’s gaze turned directly to Amaku, who was slightly caught off guard by being noticed by them. Kira looked at him with a small, playfully smile and waved at him. Amaku responded with a small awkward wave, still somewhat thrown off by the sudden attention. Kira and the other individual resumed their conversation, with her gesturing towards Amaku every once in a while. He couldn’t help but wonder, what were they saying about him?

In an attempt to get his mind off of it, Amaku diverted his attention to the far left side of the bay, where he noticed two individuals playing a game of chess on top of a crate. One player was a short, well kept looking boy with an athletic build, short white spiky hair, a sun kissed complexion, a well groomed goatee, and intense yellow eyes. He appeared to be around the same age as Amaku, perhaps older by a year or so because of the goatee.

The other individual was a tad taller than the boy. He had short spiky hair with a shade of turquoise blue resembling a frozen tundra under the moonlight. As Amaku leaned forward in his seat, he could see more of the white haired boy’s opponent. His ears were strikingly blue like glaciers from the arctic and his skin was notably cold and boasted a sky blue hue, encapsulating the floor around him. The boy’s frozen blue eyes were fixed intently on the chess match before him.

Both individuals were staring intently at the chess board, an intense match up of intellects playing out before Amaku’s eyes. He couldn’t see exactly what was happening as the frigid boy was in his line of sight. However, he soon realized how the game was going when the white haired boy made a move and the blue eyed boy suddenly rose from his seat in a frustrated manner. Amaku took his earbuds out after seeing this, wondering what the commotion was about and catching part of the conversation.

“<...-ttle bastard, you cheated!>” yelled the boy with a frigid tone, knocking over a few of the pieces in a fit of frustration. The white haired boy, still remaining in his seat, simply gave a suave, calm and collected smile.

“<Ah yes, the old ‘you cheated’ routine, classic,>” said the white haired boy in a refined french accent. “<I suppose your father went through so many romantic failures that the saying was genetically inherited, oui ?>”

Once again, when Amaku heard this, the odd sensation from earlier returned. It seemed that whenever specific people spoke, the feeling in his head would arise, but why?

“<Oh, go to hell, you pampered little trouser stain!>” said the frozen haired boy storming off.

Meanwhile, the white haired one began to pick up the chess pieces.

Amaku, perplexed by this boy, put his earbuds and phone back in his bag, and walked over towards the boy.

Once he made his way over, he knelt down on the floor and picked up some of the chess pieces at his feet. When he arose off the floor, he placed the black king and knight pieces on the board. As he looked forward, the white haired boy met him at eye level, placing the white pawn and bishop pieces on the board.

The boy silently looked at Amaku for a moment, a look of genuine shock on his face.

“Mon Dieu …finally, some common human decency on this plane,” said the boy in a tone of great relief. To Amaku’s confusion, he didn’t feel the sensation when the boy spoke this time.

“Merci beaucoup, mon rather large friend. You know, I’m surprised that you of all people are the first person I meet in this crowd of animals to have some manners.”

“I’m…afraid I don’t follow,” Amaku said, confusingly looking at the boy.

“Well, much to the chagrin of everyone here, we all saw your initiation. Needless to say, monsieur, there were many with jaws on the floor, if you get my meaning. You put on quite the performance, I must say, truly impressive strength.”

“So I’ve heard,” said Amaku, picking up a couple more pieces from the floor and setting them on the board.

“So then, do you have a name?” Asked the boy, also setting a few more pieces on his side.

“Brokuma Amaku,” he replied in a dignified manner.

“Alyxio DuMont Moreau, but Alyxio is fine, if that is your preference,” said the boy, extending his hand out to Amaku, who respectfully shook it.

After Alyxio set down the final piece, the two looked at each in silence for a few seconds.

“Care to play, Brokuma?” Asked Alyxio, gesturing down to the chess board.

Amaku was silent for a short moment, a bit surprised to see Alyxio following Japanese name traditions. After taking a short moment to think about it, Amaku nodded, accepting the invitation.

“Then please, have a seat, monsieur ,” he said, gesturing to the small chair on Amaku’s side of the crate.

Amaku did as such, sitting down in front of the crate, as did Alyxio. At sitting height, Amaku still towered over him.

“You won the last game, so victor first,” said Amaku, kindly gesturing for Alyxio to make the first move. Alyxio nodded and accepted the gesture, moving a pawn two squares forward. After taking a moment to think of an opening strategy, Amaku moved a pawn forward two squares, aiming make space for the bishop on the same square color as Alyxio’s king. Alyxio’s expression shifted ever so slightly in response to this move. He then moved the pawn in front of one of his knights two steps forward. To his surprise, Amaku ended up mimicking this choice as he too freed up space for a knight.

“Just out of curiosity, you seem to know how the pieces move, but have you actually played before, or…?” Alyxio asked with intrigue.

“I have, but it’s been a while. I’m afraid I may be a bit rusty,” said Amaku.

“Ah, I see…Well, if it’s between you and that sore loser,” Alyxio gestured towards the far corner where his previous opponent was sulking. “<Beggars can’t be choosers> , as the Americans say.”

For a brief moment, Amaku convulsed his head to the side slightly as the odd sensation through his head once again. Alyxio noticed this as his gaze shifted from the board to Amaku.

“Are you alright?” Asked Alyxio.

“I’m…I’m fine, it’s just…,” Amaku couldn’t bring himself to say.

“Just~?” Alyxio said, digging for more info.

“Well…this is going to sound weird, but…I’ve been getting this odd sensation in my head when certain people talk,” said Amaku, feeling ridiculous as he said this out loud. “I-It’s hard to explain, but, whenever I was talking to the jaguar heteromorph that was sitting with me, or when I was speaking with the large one over there, or those two brothers from earlier, and when you just said that proverb, it kind of felt like…like…”

“Like a long lost memory was coming back to you?” Alyxio interrupted. Amaku quickly looked at him, surprised to hear that he’d gotten it right on the money.

“…Yes,” said Amaku, baffled at how accurate he was.

“Oh, that’s just the translator quirk at work, no need to worry,” Alyxio replied, casually. Meanwhile, Amaku’s face was contorted in confusion by what he just said.

“I’m sorry…the what?” Amaku asked.

“The translator quirk?” said Alyxio, his eyes darting back and forth in confusion to Amaku’s question. “You… don’t remember?”

“Not…really? After my initiation I was unconscious for the last two days, so…”

“Ooohhh, I see, I see,” said Alyxio, coming to an understanding. “Then it must have been done to you without you knowing. Essentially, we were told to meet with one of the HPSC’s personnel yesterday. The lovely mademoiselle has a quirk that can download certain languages into other people’s minds and she downloaded English and Japanese into the minds of the cadets. Or just English, in your case. So now, whenever someone speaks English,<like this>, you’ll be able to understand it. The feeling in your head should disappear eventually, though it will take some time to get used to the English language, comprendre ?”

“Yes, but…why was I not feeling it when you just spoke?”

“Because I was speaking Japanese,” said Alyxio. “I'm mostly fluent, though it’s been a while, so I mix in some Français every so often.”

“…I see,” said Amaku, a bit overwhelmed by this revelation. “Honestly…it’s amazing how the variety of the nature of quirks never fails to impress.”

“Agreed. Now, it’s your move, mon ami ,” said Alyxio, returning focus to the game.

The two continued to play their game for another twenty minutes or so, trading a word or two amongst each other as the flight continued.

“So, tell me, Alyxio,” inquired Amaku. “Why did you join the program?”

Alyxio shifted his gaze up at Amaku, caught off guard by the forwardness of such an inquiry.

“Hmm, getting personal, are we, mon ami ?” said Alyxio.

“I’m sorry if I seem forward,” Amaku continued. “It’s just…you seem like a well mannered person, which is, as you put it, more than I can say for most of the people here. Though it’s true we’ve just met each other, I can tell you’re someone who’s been brought up well and you don’t exactly appear to be here against your own will. So, I’m just wondering why such a person would join this program?”

Alyxio, after taking a moment, let out a sigh before speaking again.

“Well…my last opponent, as much of un connard as he may be, still wasn’t wrong,” said Alyxio. “I’m willing to admit, I’ve grown up more fortunate than others. But you see, my family did not start this way. The story of our lineage begins with my great grandfather. He was a pig farmer who got drafted into the meta-human war of 2123 against the Axis Quirk Insurgency.”

Amaku looked down at the ground in a manner of shame as he recalled the war of which Alyxio spoke. Over a century ago, when quirks were still relatively new, the old axis powers from the historical world wars had risen once again. And much like the second world war, with Germany at the helm of the Axis Insurgency, they sought to flip the paradigm of power and create a new world order. Much like the original world wars, Japan sided with Germany and much like that war, the axis powers were defeated once again, with Japan suffering great dishonor. It would forever be a scar on Japan's history that would never fade, even a century later when the country became one of the crowning gems of hero society.

“Our family generational quirk, Bloodline Blade, started with him,” Alyxio continued. “He used it to save his entire battalion from an enemy ambush. From there, he continued to fight alongside his fellow troops and pushed them beyond enemy lines. His deeds and accomplishments during the war brought our family much glory and recognition, we were even considered royalty amongst many of the elite families. When the war was over, he was seen as a decorated soldier, a true war hero. Technically, he became the first hero of our line. As the generations moved on, though we continued to refine Bloodline Blade in accordance with my great grandfather’s will, none of our family saw the need to partake in modern hero beliefs. But when I was nine years old, the stories of my great grandfather’s deeds inspired me. I began to wonder, if he could do all of this even though he was a simple pig farmer, imagine what I could do with the resources and riches at my family’s disposal?”

Alyxio then looked down at his hand.

“And so, I got to work. I set out to become the best I could possibly be. Not just in body, but in mind. I took up old and new style fencing, including specialty classes for my quirk. Day in and day out, I pushed my body to the breaking point, refusing to stop improving. And I made sure that all in my home town knew my-“

“Uhm…not to be rude,” Amaku interrupted, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “But what does any of this have to do with why you joined the program?”

“I was coming to that, Mon ami. Patience,” Alyxio responded. Amaku then quietly put his hands up and gestured for Alyxio to continue. He then briefly recomposed himself and cleared his throat

“As I was saying, because of my rigorous training routine and my unorthodox education, I didn’t believe that it would be right to apply for a traditional hero program. However, part way through my training, this was when the Mademoiselle Maria Texas came into my life. About a year ago, during one of my private fencing lessons, she just showed up out of the blue, issuing a challenge of various trials, a fencing duel among them. And to my surprise, she beat me. I’d spent years honing my craft, trying to be the best possible swordsman I could be. And then this random woman came into my life and just knocked me to the dirt like I was a spoiled child. I should’ve been ripe with frustration and fury…but instead…I was intrigued by this woman. After the trials, we talked over tea and she offered me a chance to join the wolves initiative. But beyond that, she offered me the chance to honor the legacy of my great grandfather. Of course, I accepted. All I ever wanted was to be a hero of the people, to do the right thing while giving them an inspiring, triumphant performance.”

Amaku, while intrigued by his openness, was thrown off by this last bit, his expression reflecting his confusion.

“A… triumphant performance ?” Asked Amaku. “You wish to become a hero…to entertain people?” Amaku’s tone shifted to one of slight frustration as he spoke.

“Well…in a sense, yes,” said Alyxio. “I wish to demonstrate that heroes are not so different from ordinary people, that anyone can be a hero, Brokuma. Like my great grand-père, who had zero military experience before being enlisted, and yet he hauled twenty five men over enemy lines during the war. If a single pig farmer could be celebrated as a hero, then couldn’t anyone become one?”

“I’d argue that that's the problem with today’s society,” said Amaku in a tone of restrained contempt. Alyxio looked up at him with a bit of a surprised expression when he heard this.

“How so, Monsieur ?” Asked Alyxio with genuine intrigue.

“So many people have taken up the mantle that the word hero is no longer associated with an iconic status, but a common occupation. One that any greedy, attention hungry miscreant can take up for the sake of its lucrative benefits. This idea that ‘anyone can be a hero’ has made it so that no one is a true hero anymore. The truth is...we don't need heroes , we need men and women willing to do whatever it takes to achieve strong and lasting peace. The promise of luxury, compensation, and recognition for our deeds should be the last thing we care for. We have a duty to the innocent...no matter the cost, no matter how dirty our hands may get, the fact that they can continue to live their lives in peace is all the reason we should need to fight."

“If I might, Brokuma, what you speak of is noble, but that sounds more like a soldier rather than a hero,” Alyxio countered.

“And what’s so wrong with that?” Inquired Amaku. “Did your family’s great legacy not start from one? Was it not his noble actions that inspired you to do what you do?”

“Exactly my point!” said Alyxio. Amaku lifted an eyebrow in confusion to his agreement.

“Admittedly, your concern about the devaluation of the term hero may carry some validity, and I agree that not everyone who claims to be a hero lives up to the title,” Alyxio retorted. “But let me offer a different perspective. While ‘anyone can be a hero’ can be seen as overly optimistic and can incite less than ideal results, it adversely encourages people to act when they see injustice or suffering. Even if they are at first driven by personal gain, their experiences can transform them into heroes that prioritize the greater good. There's room for both heroes and soldiers, Mon Amí . Heroes can inspire and uplift entire communities, showing that collective effort is what makes change possible. But you’re right, soldiers, too, play a crucial role in maintaining security and stability. They often have to make difficult choices to protect the innocent. And so, the ideal mindset lies in a balance between the two. We need heroes to remind us of our potential for good, and we need soldiers to ensure that this potential isn't overshadowed by ego.”

"And enlighten me, how many lives need to be lost before these heroes learn to get over their love of the spotlight?!” Amaku said, his frustration finally boiling over and his eyes illuminating red.

Alyxio jumped slightly from the sudden outburst.

Many other cadets turned around from their areas noticing Amaku and Alyxio as well before returning back to their activities.

“They're just as likely, if not more so, to grow more corrupt and greedy over time as they are to be humbled. Besides, a great number of the quote on quote 'experienced heroes' still have their faces plastered on every street corner! Even All Might, the symbol of peace himself, has countless brand deals, video games, comics, trading cards, movies, interviews, headlines on the news, the list goes on! He is an effective hero and good man, I don't deny it, but his refusal to stop hogging the spotlight pressures other heroes ‘to shoot for the stars’, only ever doing deeds that make headlines. And when All Might and his fellow celebrities aren't ‘inspiring’ more and more attention hungry martyrs, they’re making life harder for the more obscure heroes who do what they do for the sake of doing the right thing, robbing them of potential funding and personnel, forcing them to rely more and more on police who aren't even permitted to use their quirks. It’s all connected, Alyxio! And it all comes right back to that singular phrase ‘anyone can be a hero’!”

There was a moment of silence between the two, Amaku panting somewhat heavily after his rant was concluded. After looking at Alyxio and seeing the reaction of concern on his face, he realized what he had done. Amaku then closed his eyes and took a deep breath to recompose himself. Upon opening them, the glow in his eyes disappeared and they expressed slight defeat in Amaku.

“I’m sorry…that was too far,” Amaku said in a calmer but more somber tone, moving another piece.

“No…it’s fine, Brokuma,” said Alyxio in a tone of understanding, making another move on the board. “If anything...You’re right. It's undeniable that some heroes let fame get to their heads. However, there is a silver lining to this as well.”

Amaku raised his head up out of curiosity to Alyxio’s words.

“Public recognition can inspire others to do good, to become better versions of themselves,” Alyxio continued. “Symbols of peace and justice like All Might can serve as role models for future generations. Even with their flaws, these famous heroes motivate others to step up and make a difference. Sometimes, to reach people and make a lasting impact, you need that spotlight, you see? It’s not just about personal glory; it's about spreading the message of heroism and the importance of doing the right thing. Even someone like the number two Japanese hero: Endeavor, whose public reputation is the least of his concern, is undoubtedly a role model in his own right. It’s true that we need heroes like him who stay grounded and committed to their responsibilities. But still, we shouldn't dismiss the value of both types of heroes. Those who embrace the spotlight can take to the sky and inspire a broader audience, while heroes like Endeavor provide stability and security on the ground. As I said, it’s all about balance, Brokuma. A balance between public appeal and duty. This is the role of a hero.”

Once again, silence befell the two and they continued to play, each letting the other’s argument resonate in their minds as they continued.

“I suppose you have a point,” said Amaku, breaking the silence. “I guess…when you’re raised by a retired night-watcher, you’re not really taught to value public influence or sending a message.”

Alyxio’s head shifted up to look at Amaku when he heard this.

“So, heroism runs in la famille for you as well, oui ?” Inquired Alyxio.

“I suppose you could say that,” replied Amaku. “She was the first in the family, much like how your great grandfather was considered the first hero of yours.”

“Is that so?” said Alyxio with intrigue as he made a move. “Well then, how did your mother feel about you joining a government program rather than a normal hero course?”

“Aunt, actually, and she was less than enthusiastic when one of the HPSC’s people came to our home and made us the offer. But, nonetheless, we both came to realize that it was the only way I could-“

“Wait,” Alyxio interrupted. “You were raised by your aunt?”

“...That I was,” said Amaku hesitantly as he made his next move.

“What of your parents? Your mère et père ? Where were they?”

Amaku was silent when he heard this question, slowly turning his gaze away from Alyxio as if he were ashamed of something, looking out the window on his right side. Alyxio shifted his head to the side out of confusion, trying once again to make eye contact with Amaku, but the latter would not allow eye contact to be made. After a short moment of nothing being said, Alyxio’s eyes widened slightly as he finally put together what was going on. He gently put a hand to his mouth and looked at the ground in shame.

“...Oh…oh Dieu, ” he said, his tone reflecting a sense of regret.

A more profound silence befell the two as Amaku refused to continue the conversation. All that could be heard was the banter from the crowd of cadets and the rumbling of the plane’s engines. The whole time, Amaku’s gaze avoided directly looking towards Alyxio, remaining fixated on the view out the window. After what felt like an eternity of silence, Alyxio finally brought himself to speak.

“I’m…I’m sorry, Brokuma,” he said, his voice consumed with silent regret. “…it would appear that now I am the one who has gone too far…”

Amaku turned his eyes back to Alyxio.

“It’s fine, Alyxio,” said Amaku in a forgiving tone. “But, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not discuss it.”

“Of course…but…If you’ll indulge one last question…why did you join the program?”

Amaku then turned his body back towards Alyxio, directly facing him. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“Well…at this point, it probably goes without saying that I know what it’s like to lose something… someone… dear to you,” said Amaku in a stoic, genuine tone. “It’s…it’s like a part of you is gone, and you never feel whole again, like no matter what you do, you will never feel truly complete. This emptiness, this hollow misery, it’s like a lingering shadow in the back of your mind, refusing to let you forget it…”

Amaku was silent for a short moment after he said this, looking down at the floor. Alyxio simply stared intently at him, hanging off every word.

“I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy, let alone another innocent person,” Amaku continued. “So…I decided that I would strive to save others from having to suffer like that. I would become my own ideal version of a hero: someone who protects the innocent and punishes the wicked, someone who will do anything to see that true justice is done. As such, I was trained over the years by my aunt alongside my cousin. We both swore that we would go to UA and become heroes together…but…once again, it goes without saying how that turned out.”

“What happened?” asked Alyxio.

“Well…to make a long story short, UA denied me from even taking the entrance exam, claiming that the ‘potential instabilities and risk of collateral damage’ of my quirk were not something they could accept at their institution. Less than a week later, things got… complicated,”

Amaku looked down at his hands, staring at his bruised knuckles.

“I…I’d rather not go into details,” Amaku said, deep shame reflected in his tone, though he also knew he could not legally go into details.

“Of course, Monsieur, ” said Alyxio. “What of your cousin?”

“She qualified for the recommended exam and passed it. No surprise there, really. She was always the natural learner between the two of us.”

“I see. That’s good to hear…how did she take the news of your rejection?”

“…She denied her acceptance to UA out of spite for what they did to me.”

Alyxio’s expression reflected great shock in response to this reveal.

“She…wow…” he said, lost for words. “…what will she do now?” Alyxio asked, making another move

“To further her spite towards UA, she’s now going to be taking the entrance exam for Shiketsu, UA’s rival in terms of academic reverence.”

“I see…she must really love you, Brokuma.”

“That’s just how we are,” said Amaku, making another move. “Nothing matters more to us than family. Not personal success, not our honor,…family will always come first to a Keiyo-…Brokuma. And that night, when she told us of her intent…she chose family…my only hope is she remembers to think of herself as well…for what she’s done for me, she’s earned it.”

“I see,” said Alyxio. “Well…if she’s any bit as skilled as you, I believe she’ll be just fine, Brokuma,” he said, giving an affirming smile. A small grin of appreciation appeared on Amaku’s face.

“And I do also believe that is…checkmate,” said Alyxio, moving his pawn to kill Amaku’s knight. Amaku’s gaze quickly shifted down at the board to see his predicament. His king was cornered by Alyxio’s bishop and pawn. Amaku was so drawn into their conversation that he hadn’t realized Alyxio’s play.

“Huh…Well, I’ll be damned,” Amaku said, admitting defeat. “Well played, my friend,” he said, extending his hand out of a handshake.

“Good game,” said Alyxio, accepting the gesture with dignity. “Care to play again?”

As Amaku opened his mouth to answer, the crowd of cadets behind him suddenly erupted in excitement. Amaku turned around to see the energetic crowd cheering at something in the center of the crowd. Then, to Amaku’s surprise, Aizo squeezed out from the gathering, holding his arm as if he was in pain.

“Aizo, are you ok?” asked Amaku with an expression of concern. Aizo was panting heavily while holding his right forearm.

“Barely…I almost lost my freaking arm,” he said, exhaustion and pain written on his face. Amaku looked down at his right hand, seeing it was red from something resembling fingers having squeezed so tightly around it that blood circulation was cut off.

“What did this?” Amaku asked, observing Aizo’s arm.

“Go see for yourself,” said Aizo, gesturing towards the crowd.

Chapter 14: Alliances and Rivalries Part III: Grit

Chapter Text

Chapter 13: Alliances and Rivalries Part III [GRIT]

Same afternoon

Amaku pushed his way through the tightly huddled cadets in an attempt to make it through to the center.

“Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!” They chanted.

When Amaku managed to make it to the center of the crowd, he found two individuals arm wrestling at a makeshift table made from a large metal weapons crate. One was an American girl whose height appeared to be around 5’11. She had long, lustrous blond hair cascading down her back in two meticulously braided strands, piercing blue eyes that cut like diamonds, and a fairly athletic and curvy build. The other was one of the two brothers Amaku had encountered earlier, Krush.

The two were locked in an intense stalemate as they strained against one another’s strength, their hands gripped tightly together. To Amaku’s surprise, the girl was holding her own quite well against Krush, holding him back at the dead center of the table.

“<C’mon, Krush! Finish her!>” yelled Stitch, who was standing right behind him, acting as his hype man. Upon hearing these words, Krush grit his teeth and grunted loudly as he exuded more force against the girl, pushing her hand back towards the right side of the table. For a moment, the girl now appeared to be struggling against Krush, her face twisted with agony as her hand was forced further and further back. However, right when her hand was about to touch the table, it stopped dead in its tracks. Krush looked at the hand in confusion as he kept trying to push against it, but it refused to budge.

“<Krush, what’re you doin’, man!?! You’re right there!>” Stitch yelled in confusion.

Suddenly, the girl’s expression shifted, and she adorned a confident, almost sad*stic smile as she looked Krush in the eye.

“He he he he…” she chuckled confidently, staring at Krush with a determined glee. “<Finish me…?>”

As she said this, the blue in her eyes appeared to illuminate, and suddenly, she was pushing back against Kursh, driving their clash back to the center of the table. Krush grunted loudly in an effort to drive her back, but it was no use.

She continued to drive him to the other side of the table.

“<Not in a million years, big boy!>” she said.

And with one last show of force, she slammed his hand down on the table, ending the match. The cadets cheered and screamed in celebration, praising Astrid. She rose from her seat, showboating and throwing her hands up to declare superiority.

“Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!” The cadets chanted in unison once again. Amaku, however, was not chanting. He simply stood there, staring at this obnoxious girl, whose vanity was so abhorrent that he couldn’t have cared less about her strength.

“<C’mon, who’s next, huh?!?>” Astrid taunted. She looked around, scanning the crowd for her next opponent, until her eyes fell upon Amaku.

“<Well, well, well,>” she said, eyeing Amaku with a sinister smile on her face. “<If it isn’t the mighty golden boy who took on Hawks.>”

Amaku could feel the gazes of the crowd turning to him. Much like back on the air strip, many looked to him in reverence while others gave him looks of resentment.

“<I’d just like to say that what you did there was pretty damn impressive,>” she said, gesturing a hand out towards Amaku.

Amaku was thrown off by this. He was expecting some sort of demeaning joke or insult to come out of her mouth.

“Uhm…Thank you,” Amaku replied. “I was-”

“<Of course I'm not a liar, so I'll just go ahead and say that was an embarrassing and clumsy display,>” she interrupted. Many of the cadets laughed at this insult, while others remained silent and watched on as this happened, Aizo among them.

“I…I beg your pardon?” Amaku said, taken back by this.

“<You think struggling to even match that bird brain is gonna impress me like it did everyone else here?>” Astrid taunted, gesturing to the rest of the cadets. “<News flash, crew cut: it doesn’t. If anything, I’m disappointed.>”

Once again, numerous ooooo ’s and snickers came from the other cadets. Amaku’s eyes darted back and forth as he attempted to maintain his composure. However, with his continuously growing dislike for this girl, that task was becoming more and more difficult.

“< Ooohhh, you landed two clean shots because he was toying with you and then barely managed to touch him the rest of the time!! Sooooo impressive!>” Astrid said sarcastically, waving her fingers for effect. “<Oh, gimme a break! You landed a half decent shot by pulling off a mediocre trick, had your ass handed to you when he started trying, and you only turned the tables by throwing a tantrum like some oversized man-child.>”

This last bit struck a nerve with Amaku, his festering frustration towards this girl nearly boiling over. He hid his tightly clenched right fist behind his back and closed his eyes to hide the glowing red underneath.

“<If it were me in there, I woulda shown that feather-weight pansy how it’s really done without breaking a sweat! Now that would’ve been a show right there, am I right, people?!>” Astrid boasted, raising her arms and gesturing for the crowd to back her up. The cadets clapped and cheered and whistled in worship of her, showering her with praise and adoration. Meanwhile, Amaku took a deep breath in and underneath his eyelids, his irises returned to their natural brown color. Upon opening them, he glared at Astrid with a stare of pity.

“Spoken like somebody who’s never been told ‘no’, let alone had to struggle for anything in her life,” Amaku retorted, crossing his arms. Upon hearing this, the smugness on Astrid’s face slowly disappeared and the rest of the cadet’s fell silent.

“<… What the hell did you just say to me?>” she said, her tone reflecting a mix of slight surprise and restrained anger.

“Every word you speak reeks of arrogance and entitlement,” Amaku continued. “Arrogance produces pride, and pride infects one’s technique, making them sloppy and predictable. With that mindset, you’d be lucky to have lasted five seconds against Hawks, let alone go toe to toe with him.”

The cadets once again let out a mix of ooooooo’s, looking toward Astrid for her response.

“<Spoken like a self righteous Mama’s boy who’s had a stick up his ass since day one,>” Astrid retorted co*ckily. “<I’ve had to put up with people like you all my life! White knights who talk a big game, but that’s all it was, talk! You’re just another long winded moron to add to the list.>”

Once again, the cadets let out a wave of oooooo’s and chuckles in response to Astrid’s retort. The crowd then turned to Amaku, looking for his response.

“Better a stick than a silver spoon,” Amaku coldly replied. “Every word that comes out of your filthy mouth paints a picture, one of a spoiled, self entitled brat who's had it all handed to her on a silver platter. You’ve had everything go your way thanks to Daddy’s wallet. But here, that entitlement will earn you nothing but pain and failure.”

Yet another wave of mixed reactions came from the cadets. Who now looked to Astrid to retort. For a moment, her face became twisted with hate and shock. However, right when she appeared to be ready to snap and yell at Amaku, her sneer of resentment shifted to a devilish grin of superiority.

“<Wanna bet?>” she asked. “<You think you’re so superior, crew-cut? Then come prove it,>” she said, gesturing to the crates that were used for the arm wrestle. The cadets cheered in excitement, demanding that Amaku take the challenge. His gaze shifted between the crates and Astrid, though he still maintained his cold, unfazed appearance. He remained in this stoic silence for a short time as the demand from the cadets grew louder and louder.

Eventually, Amaku realized that he could no longer remain neutral on this. After unfolding his arms, he silently walked over to the crates and took a seat, silently accepting the challenge. The cadets cheered in excitement once more, huddling around the table to watch. Astrid sat down across Amaku, still looking at him with a devilish, determined grin which only further fueled his dislike for her. Meanwhile, within the crowd, Aizo made his way to the front to get a better look at what was about to unfold. Even Alyxio had come over to see what was about to happen, standing right next to Aizo.

“ Eh bien,” said Alyxio. “This hardly seems fair, doesn’t it?”

Aizo turned to Alyxio, a bit surprised to see him here.

“You’d be surprised,” said Aizo, turning back to the table. “That girl’s been going at it for like the past hour and a half and she hasn’t lost once. She's a brat, to be sure, but she’s a strong one.”

“Perhaps,” shrugged Alyxio. “But our un ami plutôt grand is certainly no slouch in that department. If what we saw in his initiation is anything to go by, he won’t be going down without a fight.”

Meanwhile, Amaku and Astrid sat at the table, staring one another down. Amaku had a steely gaze of determination whileAstrid still had that determined co*cky grin. She then placed her arm down on the table, showing her rather well toned muscles. Amaku, in turn, laid his arm down on the table, displaying his bulky heavily built muscles. The two then locked hands, still not taking their eyes off one another.

“<Countdown, people,>” Astrid demanded. The audience then obliged.

“THREE…TWO…ONE…GO!!!!!”

Immediately, both competitors were locked into a contest of strength as each struggled to overcome the other. The two of them glared at each other, Astrid displaying visible struggle while Amaku’s expression remained cold and unfazed as he looked into Astrid’s eyes. The crowd cheered on in excitement as they didn’t dare avert their gaze from the competition.

As Aizo and Alyxio observed the competition, they both looked each other in the eyes with knowing stares. Not a moment later, Aizo felt a hand on the back of his shoulder and turned to see that it was Kira, accompanied by the short individual with the cloak and mask.

“<What’s going on?>” asked Kira.

Aizo then gestured over to the table. Kira looked towards Amaku and Astrid with a look of surprise on her face.

“<He’s…he’s messing with her, right?>” said Kira in a confused tone.

“I doubt it,” said Aizo, showing Kira his right hand. Her eyes widened slightly upon observing it.

“<Jesus,>” Kira said, slightly disturbed. “<She… did that?>”

“Yup,” said Aizo. “And now, she’s trying to turn Amaku into a testament to her strength.”

“<Uh huh…well, looks like both are on par in terms of raw strength.>”

“<That’s the thing though, mon cher… neither of them are going all out,>” said Alyxio. A look of confusion appeared on Kira’s face when she heard this. She and the hooded individual then turned their gazes towards Amaku and Astrid.

Meanwhile at the table, though the clash may have seemed intense from the outside, Amaku was not putting his all into it. He was simply not allowing his arm to budge from her efforts in an attempt to force her to use up the stamina in her arm. However, despite the supposed struggle that was displayed on her face, he could tell that Astrid was doing the same. With the two of them using the same passive tactic, they were effectively locked not in a physical stalemate, but a mental one. Then, as this was happening, Amaku recalled something from his fight with Hawks.

“That counter based style also leaves your enemies with plenty of time to think and plan for themselves ,” Hawks’ words rang in Amaku’s head. “Sometimes, you’ll have to be the one who engages. ”

At that moment, Amaku realized what he had to do. He then started applying more strength against Astrid, slowly forcing her arm down. The crowd observed in intrigue as Amaku further pushed his advantage, not daring to avert their eyes for even a second. Kira, Aizo and Alyxio all cheered for Amaku, encouraging him to end it here. However, much like her match with Krush, her hand stopped just before it could touch the table. Amaku looked to Astrid, who looked at him with that same devilish grin that he despised.

“<You really thought it would be that easy?>” she said co*ckily.

Suddenly, her irises once again illuminated a bright blue and she started pushing back against Amaku, turning the tide of the struggle. Much like with Krush, she slowly pushed Amaku’s hand back in the other direction. While the smugness on Astrid’s face grew as she pushed Amaku back further and further, his expression remained cold and focused on her. The crowd’s excitement grew as Astrid continued making progress.

“Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!” they chanted once more.

Aizo, Kira, and Alyxio watched on with mixed reactions. While Kira had an expression of concern on her face, Alyxio and Aizo remained observant and focused on the contest. Much like the two boys, the masked individual silently observed this contest of strength.

Much like with her last opponent, Astrid had turned the tide of the competition in her favor, forcing Amaku’s hand to hover about an inch above his side of the table.

“<Game over, crew cut,>” said Astrid.

With that, Astrid put one last push against Amaku for the finishing effort, and…

Surprisingly, to not just Astrid but the other cadets who were cheering for her, Amaku’s hand refused to budge. She tried once again to push the hand down to the table, yet it still would not budge. She grimaced her teeth as she attempted this final push three more times, still to no avail. Out of confusion, she turned to face Amaku, who’d had his head and his eyes closed as she struggled.

“Not…quite…yet,” he said, slowly lifting his head up to look at her and opening his eyes to reveal their intense red glow.

The other cadets looked amongst themselves, muttering and mumbling in confusion at this prolonged struggle. Alyxio and Aizo, however, looked at each other with small, smug grins as they realized what was coming.

“Here we go~,” said Aizo.

Kira noticed this exchange, looking at the two of them in confusion. She then shifted her attention back to the match to see that Amaku was once again turning the tides, forcing Astrid’s arm in the opposite direction. She grimaced and grunted out of frustration and strain as she tried to gain back her momentum, but could not do so before they were brought back to the center of the table. As their momentum reached the center of the table, it was halted as Astrid’s arm was engulfed in some sort of blue and yellow aura. Before the struggle could go in Astrid’s favor, Amaku activated his own red and black aura and focused the energy into his arm. The resulting boost in strength allowed him to keep the momentum right in the center of the table.

As the match went on, the two continued to push against one another, each putting more and more strength into their arms as time went on. Their free hands tightly gripped the sides of the table for extra force, and yet they still remained evenly matched. In the background, oddly enough, a few of the cadets had even begun to side with Amaku as the match went on. The crowd grew in excitement, cheering for both competitors.

“Astrid! Astrid! Astrid! Astrid!” Half the crowd chanted.

“Brokuma! Brokuma! Brokuma! Brokuma!” Kira, Alyxio, and Aizo led the other half who chanted. Though the masked remained silent, they stared intently at Amaku while remaining by Kira’s side.

Meanwhile, the intensity and ferocity between Amaku and Astrid grew. As did the intensity and emanation of their auras, with the red and black of Amaku’s energy raging in tandem with Astrid’s blue and yellow. As they looked each other in the eye, Astrid’s face showed an expression of anger and frustration, grunting and grimacing her teeth. Meanwhile, Amaku’s cool and collected facade was beginning to crumble as he focused more of his anger into power, growling in a low baritone voice while grimacing his teeth ever so slightly. As the two continued to struggle, their strength grew to the point where not only were their free hands digging into the sides of the metal crate, but their elbows were starting to dent into the top side of it. Neither would buckle, neither was willing to give up any ground, and neither was willing to let the other walk away victorious.

“Hey! You two!” the pilot abruptly yelled over the intercoms. The crowd halted their constant chanting, and Amaku and Astrid ceased their competition out of shock.

“I’m all for a good old fashioned arm wrestle, but I draw the line at damaging military property for the sake of whipping out your junk. And I’m talking mostly to you, girl.”

A round of oooooooooo’s came from the crowd of cadets in response to the insult, which only infuriated Astrid further.

“But seriously, all cadets return to your seats and buckle up. We’re on the final approach to our destination.”

With this instruction, all the other cadets disappointedly whined and groaned back to their seats. Amaku and Astrid looked at each other before she released her grip and yanked her hand away from him.

“This isn’t over, crew cut,” she seethed, rubbing her hand.

“On that we could not agree more, blondie,” replied Amaku, staring her down with a focussed, rageful stare. And with that, the two parted ways.

Amaku made his way back to his seat in between Kira and Aizo. He aggressively sat down with a grunt and crossed his arms, rage still lingering within him towards Astrid. Kira took note of this and turned to look at him.

“<Hey, don’t be so grumpy, big guy,>” she said, cheerfully nudging him on the shoulder. “<If that had gone on just a bit longer, you would’ve won for sure.>”

Amaku turned his head to her, not knowing that his lingering anger was keeping his eyes aglow.

“Would I have?” said Amaku, questioning his own capability. Kira’s head cautiously shifted back slightly after seeing his burning red eyes nearly stare through her. Amaku looked down at his shaking hand in deep contemplation.

“If that… game had gone any longer…I’m not so sure what would’ve happened…” Amaku was silent for a short moment after saying this.

“<Uhm…Amaku…are you ok>?” Kira asked cautiously. “<Your eyes…they’re still, uh…>”

Amaku briefly looked at Kira in confusion after hearing this. He then pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at himself in the screen’s reflection, surprised to see that his eyes were still glowing red. After realizing this, he closed them, breathing in deeply to temper himself. Upon opening them again, they’d returned to their natural brown color.

“I’m sorry, Kira,” Amaku said apologetically. “Seems that I’m allowing her to get to me rather easily.”

Kira turned her head in curiosity at Amaku when she saw this.

“<So you’ve got a tick?>” She asked.

Amaku looked at her in confusion.

“Tick?…where?” he asked, looking all over his body. Kira giggled playfully at this.

“<No, no, not like that,>” she said. “<I mean like a weird habit you have because of your quirk. It's a pretty common thing for heteromorphs like me. For example, my tail sort of waves when I’m excited, like it did earlier. I also do…another slightly more private thing,>” she said, slightly embarrassed as she glanced off to the side.

Amaku raised an eyebrow in confusion at this, but did not persist.

“<But anyway,>” she continued. “<That thing with your eyes whenever your quirk activates, it’s kinda the same.>”

“…Hmm,” Amaku grunted. He then recalled Kira talking with the masked individual earlier and how they appeared to be talking about him, or at least he presumed as much because of his earbuds.

“So, what were you discussing with the hooded one?” Amaku inquired, gesturing his head down towards where the individual in question was sitting. Kira followed his gaze to look at the individual.

“<Oh, her?>” she said, quickly turning her head back to Amaku, who was internally somewhat surprised to learn the individual was a female. “<Not much, really. She was just sitting alone in the corner seat there and I felt kinda bad. That, and something about her kinda just…caught my eye, I guess.>”

“Well I mean, with such a peculiar getup, who wouldn’t be curious?” said Amaku. “Did she ever explain that, by the way?”

“<Not really. She was actually trying pretty hard to avoid it.>”

“Hmm,” Amaku grunted. “So…were you two… saying…something about me?”

Kira opened her mouth to answer, but was quickly interrupted before she could say anything.

“Attention, all Cadets!” Came the pilot’s voice over the intercom. “We’re approaching our destination and will be landing shortly. So please, stow all personal belongings away in your baggage and be sure to tightly fasten your seatbelts. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”

Many of the cadets were confused by this remark, the trio among them. Regardless, they stowed anything on their person in their bags and fastened their seatbelts as instructed. Amaku was sure to securely place his phone and ear buds into his bag. Out of sheer curiosity, he looked over towards Jackson to see him fasten his seatbelt to find that he was properly accommodated for as he fastened giant straps over his chest.

“And now,” the pilot continued. “Behold…the voice of God!” he said dramatically.

The next thing they knew, the lights of the cargo bay dimmed and a device deployed from the ceiling. From said device, a blue solid hologram of the head of Agent Tex appeared before them.

“Good Afternoon, Cadets,” the hologram said. “As Maverick has no doubt told you by now, you are currently approaching your next trial. Many of you are no doubt wondering by now what exactly your next trial will be. Allow me to explain.”

The hologram of Texas then transformed into the image of what appeared to be some sort of circular tropical island.

“This is your destination: Armageddon Island,” Tex continued. “The island itself is relatively eight kilometers in diameter. Each of you will be placed on random spots of the island. From there, you will make it here, to the center of the island,” the hologram then zoomed in on the center section of the island, which revealed an open ruinous area and in the middle of it all, a huge pyramid-looking structure. “Once you reach the center area, you will come across these ruins and this structure. Your goal will be to reach the top of this structure and grab the red flag at the top.”

Amaku was somewhat confused by this premise. While yes, the island was quite large, many of the cadets appeared to be quite physically fit and capable of handling themselves. There had to be more to this. And well enough, his question was answered.

“Of course, to ensure that this will not simply be a literal walk on a sunny beach, there will be two major obstacles for you to contend with,” Continued Tex, as if she’d read Amaku’s mind. “The first of them will be these.”

The hologram then transformed into an image displaying three different types of robots. The first of them was Labeled victory. It appeared to be some sort of lightweight single-wheeler with twin gatling guns for arms, most likely a high mobility attack unit of sorts. The next was labeled imperial, a larger quadruped looking robot resembling a scorpion which possessed a large metal tail coming out of the back. This one appeared to be more heavily armored, but did not appear to have any long ranged weaponry of any kind. The third and final robot was labeled venator. It resembled a massive tank with two large missile launchers on its shoulders and two large, bulky arms coming out of the sides. No doubt that this was to act as a heavily armored artillery unit.

“For those of you who are seeing the firearms on these robots with concern, worry not,” Tex resumed. “The ammunition fired by the victory units are similar to rubber bullets. While non lethal, they are still quite painful and can cause significant injury. As for the venators, the rockets fired are not incendiary based, but are instead loaded with contents which result in a massive pink smoke screen and still pack plenty of force upon detonation. You will face multiple of these robots as you make your way through the center of the island. You may choose to engage them in combat or avoid them, however, it should be noted that they will not be your only form of opposition. Can anyone guess the final obstacle?”

The cadets all muttered and looked amongst each other in confusion. Meanwhile, Amaku, Aizo, Kira, and Alyxio had already put it together in their minds.

“I’ll give you a hint,” said Tex. “Notice how there’s only one flag…and there are thirty of you participating in this trial…”

It was then that everyone on board came to the same realization as the other four, looking amongst each other silently with expressions of worry and distrust written on their faces. This was no longer a simple race, but a battle royale.

“We will be accepting thirteen candidates by the end of this trial. The first to claim the flag is a guaranteed pass, while the others will be selected based on individual performance…Good luck,” said Tex before the hologram disappeared and the lights turned back on.

For a brief moment, all the cadets were left amongst each other, now reminded of the fact that surrounding them on all sides was competition. Meanwhile, Amaku looked not toward his competition, as his main enemies among the people here were obvious. Instead, he looked to the people whom he deemed his potential allies. Among them were the two most obvious ones, Aizo and Kira, Jackson was neutral towards him at most thanks to his kind deed, and Alyxio was more than likely an ally to him, though Amaku was still apprehensive about it. As he was taking all of these things into account, the voice of Maverick once again came in over the intercom.

“Good afternoon, Ladies and Germs,” he said in his showman-like tone. “This is your captain speaking. Our current altitude is about ten thousand feet and It’s looking like a beautiful, sunny day here at Armageddon Island . Temperature is looking like a lovely 37 degrees Celsius, 98 Fahrenheit for our western friends, and you will be reaching ground soon enough…sooner than you think.”

This last comment raised much confusion among the cadets.

“Though you may have had no choice whatsoever, we thank you for choosing Wolf Airlines. We hope you enjoyed your flight…and we hope you enjoy the fall!”

Before the cadets could even react, the floor beneath them opened to the view of the island right below them and the seats they were all so tightly strapped to were released from the walls, dropping them out of the plane with them all screaming as they fell towards the Earth.

Meanwhile, in the pilot’s co*ckpit, Maverick took a large huff of his cigar as he closed up the plane.

“Aaaahhhh…I love my job!”

Chapter 15: Armageddon Part I [Deployment]

Chapter Text

Chapter 14: Armageddon Part I

Same afternoon

The air rushed through the cadets' faces as they fell towards the ground, screaming in a panic. Amaku himself was barely managing not to panic over his current predicament. He felt the wind shoot through every fiber of his clothes, making his skin run cold. Around him, many of the cadets were clamoring and screaming.

“ AHHHHHHH! ”

“ HOLY sh*t!”

“ I WANNA GO HOME! ”

“ I SHOULD’VE JUST GONE TO ART SCHOOL! ”

As the cadets looked around at each other in a wild panic, one lone cadet started to chuckle. His laughter was both absurd and contagious, and soon a few others couldn't help but join in. Another cadet looked at him in confusion.

"Hey…uh…you okay there, bud?" he yelled in a shaky voice.

The chuckling cadet smirked and nodded, his eyes glinting with a mix of fear and hysteria.

"Oh, you know, I’m fine,” He answered, his eyes glinting with a mix of fear and humor. “It’s a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining, and uh, oh yeah- WE’RE FALLING FROM THOUSANDS OF FEET IN THE f*ckING AIR! But how're you doing, bro?"

Many of the cadets were in an uproar, all trying to find a solution for their harrowing descent, Amaku amongst them. He frantically looked through the air, desperately looking for a sign or such of what he could use. However, the next thing he knew, he felt something wrap around his seat and pull him through the air. Before he knew it, he was huddled up in a group with Aizo, Kira, and the masked figure. From the masked figure's back emerged some sort of green, ethereal tendrils that were holding the four of them together in a huddled up group.

“Hey, man,” Aizo screamed over the wind. “Having fun yet?”

“If this is your definition of fun, then quite frankly, you’ve most definitely got some screws loose!” Amaku replied.

“<Pretty sure we’re all missing a few of those, Amaku,>” Kira chimed in. “<I mean, would we be here if we weren’t?>”

“Fair enough, but my point still stands,” Amaku reluctantly agreed.

“<Oh, by the way, this is Trinity,>” said Kira, gesturing to the masked figure. “<Trinity, Amaku.>”

“Pleasure to meet you,” said Amaku, trying to speak over the wind and nodding to her. “Wish it were under better circ*mstances, but…” he shrugged. Trinity silently replied with a quick and almost non existent wave. Amaku’s gaze shifted to Kira, expressing his confusion towards this gesture.

“<She's not much of a talker,>” replied Kira. Amaku nodded in acknowledgement. “<So what’s the plan?>” she continued.

“Well, the temple’s at the center of the island,” said Aizo, pointing down towards the temple’s general location. “Chances are that we’ll end up parachuting some distance away from it.”

“<We have parachutes?>” said Kira in confusion.

“Well…yeah?” Aizo shrugged, confused by the question. “They’re built into the seats. Why else would they tell us to strap in tight before they dropped us? These flashing lights are probably proximity alarms which’ll deploy them once we reach a certain altitude,” said Aizo, gesturing to the flashing red lights on the sides of the seats. “You really think they’d drop a few of us to our deaths?”

Kira was silent, looking off to the side out of embarrassment for not taking this into consideration. Amaku could practically see her blushing through her fur.

“The plan is simple,” Aizo continued. “We land, we move through the forest, we take out any robots we encounter, and we make it to the temple. As long as we stick together, we should be-”

Before Aizo could finish, something came flying into them, ramming straight into Amaku with enough force to rip him out of the grasp of Trinity's tendril and separate him from the rest of the group.

“AMAKU!!!” yelled Kira, her voice fading into the distance.

Amaku was held by his face, being pushed through the air by an unknown assailant. He struggled against the person who was holding them, forcing their hand out of his face so he could see. Upon regaining his vision, he was met with a dreadfully familiar face.

“Miss me, crew cut?!” said a co*cky Astrid, staring at Amaku with her blue eyes ignited with determination. “I warned you this wasn’t over!”

“Are you serious right now?!?” Amaku said in a mix of surprise and frustration towards her timing. “We’re falling from tens of thousands of feet in the air and you pick NOW to do this?!? Are you honestly so petty that you’d throw your life away over some grudge match?!?”

“Who said I’m throwing my life away?” said Astrid. Upon hearing this, Amaku further observed her and found that she was no longer in her seat and that the yellow and blue aura he’d seen from her before was now enveloping her whole body, much like his quirk did for him. Not only this, but her aura appeared to be propelling her forward as well as the yellow and blue energy trailed behind her.

“…Of course you can fly,” Amaku groaned sarcastically.

“Oh, you’ll find I can do so much more,” said Astrid in an excited, sinister tone.

She then immediately went to strike Amaku with a powered up punch. Amaku blocked this attack by crossing his arms and activating his barrier in time to absorb the attack. The attack resulted in a powerful impact which created considerable distance between the two of them, and the point of contact was still steaming on Amaku’s arm. He could even feel a slight tingling in his forearms, meaning that the strike carried enough force to significantly strain the barrier.

Amaku was so distracted by this that he hadn’t noticed that she’d completely disappeared from sight. He frantically looked all around him, and barely managed to catch a glimpse of her before she came up from below and knocked him further in the air, all of which Amaku blocked with his barrier, but just barely. She unleashed a rapid barrage of punches that continued to push Amaku skyward. With each strike, he was starting to feel the impact of the attacks, a stinging sensation emanating in his forearms. His barrier was starting to fail him, and he knew this.

“Very well then, ” Amaku thought. “You want to play? Let's play!”

Eventually, he caught hold of one of her punches, drew her in close, and delivered a powerful counter punch to the face, sending her towards the ground. After being sent some distance away by this counter attack, Astrid quickly recovered and flew right back at Amaku. He once again prepared to counter attack as she approached, activating his aura to enhance his strength. However, to his surprise, instead of meeting him head on, Astrid shifted ever so slightly to the left, avoiding Amaku’s attack and flying right past him. Along the way, she grabbed hold of his seat and carried him back up into the air. After gaining more altitude, Astrid took Amaku, threw him even higher and then flew right in after him. RIght as Amaku reached the height of his momentum, he was met with a powerful slam from the side as Astrid flew right up to him and struck him from the right. Once again, Amaku was barely able to absorb the attack with his barrier as he was sent flying from the impact. Not a moment later, Amaku was hit from the other side by Astrid. She continuously hit Amaku from multiple angles at a rapid speed as he was falling through the air. And once Amaku had reached a certain altitude, Astrid once again grabbed hold of his seat and carried him further into the sky.

Astrid repeated this process once more before Amaku realized what she was doing. After recalling what Aizo said about the proximity alarms on the parachutes, Amaku put together that she was doing what she could to prevent him from reaching the ground safely, keeping him here in the air where she could dominate the fight. Astrid continued hammering away at him as he thought about what to do.

“Even if my barrier wasn’t struggling to hold up here, if she keeps going like this, I’ll never even reach the ground, let alone the temple,” Amaku thought to himself. “But that said, I’ve got no other way of reaching the ground safely and I can’t fend her off long enough for my parachute to deploy!...Unless…”

It was at this moment that Amaku recalled his Initiation fight against Hawks. He remembered the move that allowed him to get in the solid hit against him.

“That could work…or it could end with me as a bloody stain on the ground…”

As he thought this, Astrid had grabbed hold of his seat again and was dragging him higher into the sky.

“...I suppose there’s only one thing to do…‘take initiative’...”

As they continued to gain altitude, Amaku concentrated his energy into his arms, their muscle mass expanding as he put more and more energy into them. Right when they reached their maximum capacity, Amaku put his plan into action.

“Here goes nothing! ”

Amaku then immediately ripped off the straps of his seat, freeing himself from it. As soon as he leapt from it, he turned around to face towards the sky, falling with his back towards the ground. Astrid barely turned her head to see him for a moment before he unleashed the massive energy stored up in his arms in the form of a powerful clap. The move resulted in a massive force of wind and energy that sent Amaku towards the ground and Astrid further into the sky. As he fell, he straightened himself out and made sure he was facing towards the ground. He brought his arms out, focussing his power into them once again.

“... Hold…” he thought as he rapidly approached the ground, which grew closer and closer with each passing second

“...HOLD…” he thought as the strength of his arms reached maximum power. He held in the energy as long as he could, and right as he was as close to the ground as he could be…

BOOM

A thunderous, earth shattering explosion of force was released as Amaku violently clapped his hands together once again, the shockwave catering the ground while also propelling him back into the air towards Astrid. Meanwhile, Astrid herself had recovered from the blowback of his initial clap, his seat still in her hand. After frustratingly throwing the seat out of her sight, she looked back down to the ground to see Amaku rapidly approaching her, encompassed in his red an black aura which left a streak of energy trailing behind him. A devilish smile appeared on her face as she saw this, her blue glowing eyes ignited with envy.

“Ohohoho, bring…it…OOOOOOONNNNN!!!!!” she yelled, enveloping herself in her yellow and blue aura and charging downwards to meet Amaku head on.

Both fighters charged at each other at full force with the intent of meeting each other in a full power clash. Amaku wound back his right arm, focussing his power into it as he prepared a powerful strike. Astrid followed in his thinking, winding back her right arm and focussing her energy into it for her own full power strike. Both fighters let out fierce battle cries as they rapidly approached one another and not moments later…

BOOM!

Amaku and Astrid’s collision resulted in a massive explosion of various-colored energies and a shockwave that shook the trees below them. The sound that was born from the collision was one that could only be described as an ear piercingly loud sonic boom. Both fighters were sent flying in opposite directions due to the resulting shockwave. Astrid was sent out towards the beach while Amaku was launched into the forest. As he was sent hurtling towards the trees, he quickly activated his barrier to absorb the impact. He tore through multiple trees, which slowed down his momentum a little bit, until he made contact with the ground, tearing it up. He was halted suddenly when his back hit the trunk of a large tree.

Moments after the impact, Amaku’s barrier flickered until it finally dissipated and he was left with his back against an oak tree, sitting in the dirt battered and bruised.

“…Ooow…pain ,” Amaku thought as he strained from the impact. “...Everything’s in pain…well…at least I made it to the ground alive.”

He sat there in the dirt, taking a short moment to recover from the landing. Even if his barrier managed to absorb a good chunk of the damage, he still felt a considerable portion of the impact. As he laid there, he took a moment to look at himself and saw that his sweatshirt was in tatters, hanging on to his body by a few torn threads. He then observed his surroundings. The area he landed in was a relatively open clearing of the forest, a wide open circular area of dirt about 10 meters in diameter surrounded by trees and bushes. A brief sense of tranquility and peace came over him as he took in his surroundings, but he soon forewent this feeling as time was of the essence.

“Right then…need to get moving,” Amaku thought after taking a solid thirty second rest, the maximum recovery time his aunt had trained him not to over extend. He slowly brought himself up to his feet, still reeling from the pain. He supported himself off the tree he’d crashed into upon landing and finally brought himself up. After tearing off the remaining shreds of his sweatshirt, exposing his top half, he stretched his arms and legs to get the blood flowing through his body once again. He observed his own body once more in search of any major injuries, cracking his back, knuckles, and neck in preparation for his long trek to the temple.

However, as he was getting his bearings, he heard a snapping twig-like noise coming from the tree line. He quickly turned his head to the left towards the direction of the noise, but found nothing immediately. He slowly walked away from the tree he crashed into and vigilantly made his way over to the left side of the clearing. Once he was about half way across, he heard another snap coming from his right. He quickly turned to observe and once again found nothing. As each moment passed, he heard more and more of these snapping sounds from at least four different directions. Amaku halted his movements in the center of the clearing, believing that whatever was in the treeline had him surrounded with no chance of escaping.

Suddenly, he heard the rustling sound from behind him and he quickly turned around to face it. He saw a bush that was rustling ever so slightly for a brief moment. He approached it slowly, taking one cautious step at a time. Upon reaching it, he slowly reached his hand out to move the bush to the side with his left hand while his right hand was wound back in preparation for an attack of some sort. And right as his hand was within distance of one of its leaves, out from the bush emerged…

A squirrel. Amaku jumped slightly and quietly gasped, caught off guard by the animal’s sudden appearance. However, when it was clearly presented to him, he simply stood there staring at the small creature, his arm still wounded back. His expression shifted from one of caution to one of relaxed confusion. He stared at the animal and it back at him, its head turning and fidgeting as it squeaked and chittered. The two stared at one another for a good ten seconds before the squirrel scurried off across the clearing and headed to the tree line at the other end. As it disappeared into the bushes, Amaku was left bemused at the creature’s lack of fear and his own over reaction. This bemusem*nt soon turned into embarrassment.

“Brokuma Amaku, hero in training…felled by a squirrel, ” Amaku thought, shaking his head at the ground and scoffing. “ Well, at least it wasn’t a-”

Before he finished his thought, he turned his head back towards the bush just in time to defend himself from an attack from some sort of metal object, catching it with his bare hands. As he strained to hold it back, he inspected it further and realized that he was holding back one of the gatling gun arms of a victory- class robot. Its singular, red glowing eye stared at Amaku with cold hostility. Amaku stared back at it with glowing red eyes of his own as activated his quirk, his muscle mass suddenly increasing. He then took hold of the arm, dragged the robot out of the bushes and threw it into the other side of the clearing. The robot wobbled monetarily before regaining balance on its single wheel. Amaku immediately went to continue his assault, but before he could engage, four more victory robots emerged, cutting Amaku off from the first one. They zoomed all over the clearing at high speed until eventually grouping up across from Amaku, who was about at the other side of the clearing across from them.

“Initiate acquired! Weapons: armed! Surrender now, initiate!” one of the robots said in a high pitched mechanical voice as they all aimed their weapons at Amaku. In response, Amaku got into his fighting stance, his red and black aura radiating like a flame as he prepared for combat.

“Five on one…I’ll take those odds,” said Amaku, cautiously eyeing his ambushers. Then, as if on queue, another robot jumped out from the foliage and joined its comrades. This one was one of the Imperial units which resembled large scorpions.

“Initiate acquired! Combat mode: engaged! ” the Imperial unit said in a deep mechanical voice. The sheer amount of happenstance left Amaku motionless out of disbelief and frustration.

“Well…sh*t…”

Chapter 16: Armageddon Part II [Machines and Men]

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: Armageddon Part II

Same afternoon

Amaku cautiously eyed his ambushers, five victory bots and a single Imperial . He remained in his fighting stance, his red and black aura surrounding him. He keenly observed them as they had their weapons pointed at him, his eyes glowing the same shade of red as his opposition. Although he appeared ready to fight on the outside, he was still reeling from his previous encounter.

“Five light weight units and a single heavy unit,” Amaku thought. “The heavy one will be easy enough to maneuver around, but the light ones will be more of an issue. Their ranged weaponry makes it even more difficult since my barrier’s been overused at this point, and the openness of this clearing isn’t helping.”

Amaku looked around him at the woodsy area beyond the clearing, filled with heavy foliage and trees.

“I could try leading them into the woods, try to utilize the trees as cover, but that would waste time and could draw some unwanted attention. I’d be dealing with both the robots and other cadets.”

Amaku’s gaze then shifted back to his mechanized opposition.

“I have to end this fight here, and fast…but even so, with no way to defend against the Victory units’ non-lethal ammunition, that’s easier said than done…unless…”

Amaku looked down at the ground, twisting his foot in the dirt. The ground itself was relatively soft and easy to dig his toes through.

“… Soft ground…maybe,”

Amaku then turned his gaze back to the robots.

“Surrender now, initiate. You are trapped and outnumbered,” one of the robots said.

“You may be right…well, half right,” said Amaku. “I may be outnumbered,” his aura’s intensity growing as he clenched his fists. “…But I’m not the one who’s trapped here.”

Amaku then raised his arms high into the air and with a loud battle cry, he slammed them down on the ground. The impact resulted in a miniature earthquake that shook the surrounding area and encompassed the clearing and some space beyond it in a huge dust cloud. By the time the robots opened fire on Amaku, they were too late, their rubber bullets hitting nothing but air and the bark of trees on the borders of the clearing.

“Target lost, fan out and reacquire, ” the Imperial unit commanded. The other robots complied, circling up around the Imperial unit and moving forward through the dust cloud in search of Amaku. They scanned through the thick cloud, red lasers emanating from their gatling gun arms as they scanned the surrounding area. They could barely even see a meter in front of them due to the dust. Then, suddenly, something rushed past one of the Victory units, creating the briefest of sounds. The robot quickly turned to look behind it, aiming its weapon in the direction of the noise, only to find more dust.

A brief moment later, the sound of metal being destroyed came from the opposite direction. The robots quickly turned in the direction of the noise and opened fire. Once again, their shots met no mark but air and bark. All they could see was dust and the cleaved-in-half remains of one of their own.

“T-t-t-tar-ta-tar-rg-g-ge-get…a-a-a-ac-c-cqui-i-i-red… ” the robot glitched and sputtered, its single red eye jittering and flashing before finally slowly dying out. As this was happening, the sound of metal being destroyed once again sounded in the opposite direction which the robots were facing. Once again the others turned and fired in the direction of the sound while the Imperial unit thrusted its tail in the same direction. The tail and projectiles once again hit nothing as the robots were greeted with the sight of another one of their destroyed comrades. As they once again resumed their scan, one of the Victory units fired into the dust cloud.

“Target acquired!” the robot said, letting loose a hail of bullets into the dust. The other robots turned in the same direction and fired, once again hitting nothing.

“Target lost! ” said the robot who initially opened fire. Once again, the sound of metal being torn rang out and another robot was destroyed. Not long after, the other three Victory units were swiftly dispatched in a similar manner.

It was at this point that only the Imperial unit remained.

“Clearing area! ” the robot announced. It then fully extended its tail out behind it and performed a full circular swing with it. The attack hit Amaku as he was attempting to maneuver around it and smacked him into a tree on the border of the clearing. The attack also cleared away a great deal of the dust. Amaku groaned painfully as his back slammed into the trunk of the tree. The Imperial unit wasted no time and quickly charged straight at Amaku while he was still reeling from the impact. Once within range, the robot thrust its scorpion-like tail forward at Amaku, who quickly caught the tail before it found its mark. Amaku grimaced in great effort as he continued to resist against the robot’s strength, the bark of the tree he had his back against was splintering and cracking. Little by little, the tale drew closer and closer despite his efforts.

“Resistance is futile, initiate! ” the robot said. “ Surrender now! You have lost!”

Amaku stared at the robot in its single eye, the red glow of his own eyes growing even brighter.

“...No…” he growled, gritting his teeth as his rage began to fester and his muscle mass increased as he pushed back against the tail. The robot began to give up ground as Amaku slowly brought himself to his feet.

“...NO…!” he viciously seethed in anger as he continued to push against the robot.

“ ’ve given everything to make it this far!! ” he thought as he rose to his feet. “ And I’ll be DAMNED if I let you worthless rust buckets take that away from me!!! ”

Amaku then gripped the robot’s tail tightly, crushing the metal in his hands like a pair of iron vices. With a mighty roar, he jumped into the air and carried the robot with him, then came back down to the ground and slammed the robot on its back. The loud destructive sound of metal being crushed echoed out upon impact. Amaku, with the robot’s tail still held tightly in his grip, Lifted the robot over his head and slammed it down to the ground once more. The sound of crushed metal once again rang out. The robot’s chassis was further destroyed upon impact.

Amaku repeated this five more times until he finally left the robot on its back side. The robot was left in tatters; its main body was bent and torn, two of its legs had come off from the repeated slams, and the head which looked similar to its tail was holding on to the main body by just a few wires.

“M-m-m-m-Mai-ai-ain sy-sy-y-y-yst-e-e-ems-s-s c-c-co-com-m-mp-pr-r-ro-om-m-mi-i-ised…'' the robot stuttered and squirmed in its malfunctioning, broken state.

Despite the robot’s condition, Amaku’s rage was still boiling as he stared at his battered and beaten opponent with his crimson burning eyes. He pulled along the tail and dragged the main body closer to him. Once the main body was at his feet, placed a foot on the robot’s back side, grabbed hold of the base of the tail, and with a vicious battle cry, ripped the tail out of its socket. He then raised it over his head and with another vicious cry, savagely drove the tail through the chassis straight through to the other side. The tail went straight into the ground, spilling oil like a spear spilling the blood of a fresh kill. With this final attack, the robot ceased its glitching and fidgeting, its single glowing red eye slowly dying out.

Amaku released the tail and left it in the chassis of his opponent. He slowly backed away from the robot’s remains, his breath heaving in a mix of rage and exhaustion as his aura radiated from him. He stared at what he’d done with eyes filled with burning hatred. After staring for a few seconds, the fog of his anger began to clear as he regained his awareness. He slowly realized what he’d done, looking down at his hands which were covered in oil. He quickly composed himself, closing his eyes and clenching his fists. He eventually brought his breathing under control, which caused his flame-like aura to die down and his muscle mass to revert to normal.

As this was happening, he heard the sound of a sharp object tearing through metal come from directly behind him. His head suddenly shot up and his eyes opened upon hearing this sound. He quickly looked behind him to find that one of the victory units was laying on the floor heavily damaged, yet still semi-functional as it pointed its one working gatling gun at him. What truly surprised him was the shuriken that he found had been lodged into its head. With this final blow, the robot fully collapsed and shut down. Upon further inspection, the shuriken itself looked like some sort of…ethereal black light construct.

As he looked to his right, he soon realized where it came from. At the edge of the clearing, he saw someone standing among the foliage. The individual’s face was being hidden by the shadow of the trees, hiding their identity. Amaku quickly got into a fighting stance once again, trying to hide his exhaustion.

“Show yourself!” He demanded.

“Whoa, whoa, take it easy, man!” the individual said, quickly putting his hands up. Amaku’s expression shifted from one of aggression to one of confusion, the voice sounded familiar to him. The figure then slowly emerged from the trees and it was revealed to be Aizo.

“Hell of a way to say ‘thank you’,” he joked, putting his hands down.

Amaku let his arms fall and let out a heavy sigh.

“Sorry,” he said in a tone of relief. “And thank you, but I had this under control.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” Aizo continued as he made his way over to Amaku. “But I couldn’t let you have all the fun,” he playfully shrugged.

“Again, I strongly insist you speak with a psychiatric professional about your definition of fun ,” said Amaku with an eyebrow raised.

Aizo’s expression shifted to one of boredom as he dropped his arms to his sides.

“Life of the party, aren’t you?” he said sarcastically.

“I don’t party,” Amaku replied dryly. Aizo rolled his eyes and sighed in response.

“How’d you find me?” Asked Amaku.

“How couldn’t I? After I landed, I ended up watching that massive light-show you and Astrid made from your fight,” said Aizo, pointing up at the sky. “After you two clashed and made that huge explosion, I followed the trail of red light that fell and I found you here. Took down one or two robots on the way.”

“I see,” Amaku acknowledged. “Did you see where she landed?”

“Yep, saw a blue trail fly out towards the shoreline,” Aizo pointed past Amaku. “She probably landed somewhere along the beach.”

Amaku looked in the direction Aizo was pointing.

“Got it. She’ll probably be out of commission for a while.”

“How do you figure?” aske Aizo.

“When we were fighting, she may have been able to dish out significant damage, but she wasn’t nearly as proficient on the defensive. So logically, however much damage I may have taken on landing, she probably had it worse. So we should-…wait.”

Amaku perked his ears up as he heard something come from within the forest beyond the clearing. He heard the sound of twigs being crushed underfoot and the rustle of leaves.

“What?” said Aizo, “What is-”

“SSHH!” said Amaku, putting up a hand to silence him. He turned his head to the left and continued to listen as he heard more movement beyond the clearing.

“You hear that?” asked Amaku.

“...Hear what?” Aizo shrugged. Not a moment later, the snapping of twigs was mixed with the faint sound of voices. The noise was drawing closer.

“Dude, what’re you-”

“Move! Move!” Amaku whispered aggressively, shoving Aizo to the edge of the clearing.

The two of them each hid behind a separate tree. Aizo gave Amaku a look of confused shock and was about to say something, but Amaku put a finger to his lips and pointed back out towards the clearing. Not a moment later, some sort of blade came cutting through the bushes, followed by two other initiates. Both were around similar heights, though one was more muscular than the other and had blonde styled like a flat-top. The other cadet had a slightly less bulky build and his hair was also blonde, but styled as a short mohawk. His right arm had taken the form of a metal blade which returned to normal form as they emerged from the bushes.

The two cadets looked around the area, observing the wreckage left behind by Amaku.

“<Damn…tin cans didn’t stand a chance,>” the cadet with the blade arm nervously chuckled, staring in awe at the imperial robot impaled with its own tail. “<Well, at least we’re on the right track. The big guy’s gotta be close.>”

Based on both appearance and the fact that Amaku felt the odd sensation when they spoke, he confirmed them to be Americans. The other cadet flinched slightly and slapped the back of his neck.

“<Damn mosquitoes!>” he grunted in annoyance. “<f*cking hate the woods. How do we know he’s even here!?>”

“<Judging by the crater by that tree over there, this is where the red light fell after that explosion in the sky. And if what we saw during his initiation is anything to go by, this is definitely his handy work. After going through Astrid and these rust buckets, he’s bound to be running on empty.>”

“<Christ, this is a waste o’ time,>” the Flat-top cadet argued. “<We shoulda just gone straight for the temple after we landed! We’d have passed the trial by now if we weren’t dickin’ around tryin’ ta’ find one guy!>”

“<Are you forgetting that light show he and Astrid put on?>” the blade arm cadet said, turning to his partner. “<That ‘one guy’ was matching Astrid for strength even though she beat almost everyone else on that plane like it was nothing! So unless we want to be on the receiving end of that , we need to find him and take him out before he recovers! Now will you stop talking and help me out here?>”

The two of them continued bickering and as they were, Aizo gently waved to Amaku to get his attention. He pointed to himself and then to the cadet with the blade arm, he then pointed at Amaku and then to the Flat-top cadet. Amaku understood the implication and nodded to Aizo. Aizo then picked up a decent sized rock from the ground and signaled for Amaku to hold his position for the moment. After waiting for the two cadets to look the other way, Aizo then chucked the rock across the clearing towards some bushes on the other side. The two turned in the direction of the noise as the rock rustled amongst the trees. The two briefly looked at each other cautiously then back in the direction of the noise. They slowly approached the noise, the cadet with the mohawk once again forming a blade from his right arm while the flat-top cadet’s hands started emitting flames.

Once they were next to the impaled Imperial unit, Amaku and Aizo made their move and quietly approached them from behind. Aizo was ahead of Amaku, quickly approaching the blade arm cadet, doing his best to match the cadet’s walking pattern. Meanwhile, Amaku followed in behind him and approached the flat-top cadet as quietly and quickly as possible for one of his stature. Aizo was about to perform a silent take down on him, but before he could, he accidentally stepped on a twig which resulted in a loud snap. The cadet quickly turned around to see Aizo sneaking up on him and swung his blade at him. Aizo quickly constructed a Japanese style katana made of solid black light and blocked the attack. The Cadet with the Flat-top turned to see his comrade locked in a clash with Aizo.

“<I got him!>” he said, winding his arm back as if to send a flaming projectile at Aizo. Before he could do anything, Amaku came up from behind him, kicked him in the back of the leg to force him down to his knees, then tightly wrapped one arm around his throat and the other around his mouth. The flat-top cadet struggled as he was robbed of air, trying to break free of Amaku’s hold. In a move of desperation, the Cadet lit his hands on fire and grabbed the arm around his throat in an attempt to burn Amaku and make him release him. However, Amaku, taking notice of this, quickly activated his personal barrier and enveloped his arms with it, shielding himself from his victim’s burning touch. The cadet’s struggle eventually ceased and his flames died out as he fell unconscious.

Meanwhile, the blade arm cadet and Aizo were still locked in a duel with one another. During this, Aizo and the cadet were once again locked in a clash and to break it, he forced the cadet’s blade towards the ground and then kneed him in the face. The cadet staggered back a few steps from this counter, holding his bleeding nose while looking at Aizo with anger and frustration. Aizo remained focused and collected, taking a defensive stance with his black blade. The cadet then cried out in anger and charged back at Aizo. Once within range, he thrusted his blade forward at Aizo, who performed a spinning deflect to get behind him. Aizo then struck the back of his opponent's head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out.

Amaku walked over to Aizo, looking at his handy work. Meanwhile, Aizo looked over towards the impaled robot to see the unconscious flat-top cadet.

“Huh…neat little trick here,” said Aizo, gesturing to the unconscious cadet.

“Same for you,” said Amaku, gesturing at Aizo’s blade. Aizo looked to his hand with what appeared to be a look of disgust and forced the blade to rapidly dematerialize. Amaku took notice of this haste after recalling the slower rate at which the shuriken Aizo had thrown disappeared.

“Thanks,” Azio replied, returning his attention to Amaku. “Might not be all that impressive compared to yours, but it comes in handy in a pinch.”

“I argue it’s more than just handy,” Amaku humbly retorted. “You may not match my strength, but you clearly out class me in sheer variety of attack options.”

“...Has anyone ever told you you make it frustratingly hard to be humble?” said Aizo, looking up at Amaku and sarcastically shaking his head.

“That one I humbly admit to," Amaku said jokingly. "We should get moving, no doubt more will be converging here in search of me.”

“Alright, follow me. We should try and meet back up with Kira and Trinity. Superiority in numbers and all.”

“Wait… why weren’t Kira and Trinity with you when you landed?” asked Amaku.

“Well, after Astrid separated you from the group, I told Trinity to send me in your general direction to back you up,” Aizo replied. “The plan was to back you up and finish the fight once you landed and then you and I would regroup with the girls, but Astrid wasn’t letting you touch the ground. So I improvised from there.”

“Why not have them come with you?” asked Amaku. “You did literally just suggest ‘superiority in numbers’ after all, so why come after me alone?”

“Well…it was a split second decision, and I didn’t want to drag them into the fight if I didn’t have to.”

“I see,” said Amaku, taking a moment to process this. “Well then, lead the way.”

With that, Aizo and Amaku made their way through the woods.

Chapter 17: Armageddon part III [Brutes and Blades]

Chapter Text

Chapter 16: Armageddon Part III

Same afternoon

Amaku and Aizo made their way through the woods. The path they took, while not the clearest or smoothest in terms of how even the ground was, still had plenty of foliage for them to utilize to stay hidden. As they walked, the sound of trees and bushes rustling in the light breeze could be heard along with the sound of small animals chittering amongst them. The distant sound of cadets and robots fighting could be heard from all around them. Luckily, the noise sounded far away enough for the duo to not be too concerned.

The two eventually found a relatively smooth path that they could walk down. As they walked side by side, Aizo turned to look at Amaku with a curious gaze.

“So…mind if I ask you something?” he asked. Amaku turned to him and after a moment of silence, he nodded.

“How did you hear those guys coming?” asked Aizo. “Because I like to believe that my senses are pretty well trained and I didn't even hear a peep.”

“My quirk allows my rage to augment all of my physical abilities,” said Amaku. “That includes my senses of hearing and smell. It’s an odd side effect that kicked in during a training session when I was a kid. We never really figured out why it only enhances those two senses and not the other three.”

“Huh… cool,” said Aizo. “You know, since you mentioned training, that chokehold you did back there, takes a lot of practice to learn how to do without accidentally… well… i-it takes a lot of practice, is my point.”

Amaku’s eyes darted back and forth in confusion.

“...And?” Amaku shrugged.

“I’m just wondering where you learned to do that?” said Aizo.

Amaku did not answer this question immediately. All things considered, the two were still strangers to one another. However, when he took into consideration the things that they’d been through thus far, he began to consider that perhaps it was best to try and strengthen their alliance. After a period of silent hesitation, Amaku spoke.

“...My aunt,” he said. “She’s a retired pro hero, taught me just about everything I know about close-quarters combat.”

“Was she?” said Aizo. “Well then, might just be me, but strangling a man like you did doesn’t exactly seem like a heroic act.”

“Well, she was a Night-watcher. When you take up the task of fighting the scum of Japan in the black of night, you tend not to be too concerned with how heroic your actions appear to the public.”

Aizo’s head suddenly turned to Amaku with intrigue.

“Your aunt worked with the NW agency?”

“The very one,” replied Amaku with a nod.

Aizo was silent for a bit, analyzing the information that Amaku had just given him. After about ten seconds of silence, he once again resumed the conversation.

“Your aunt, what was her hero name?” he asked.

“She went by Guardianess ,” replied Amaku.

“ Guardianess? ” Said Aizo with a sudden interest. “Did her costume have a black hood with a feathery cape, white tactical waist belt, military-style vest, gloves and boots with bird-like talons, and a creepy raven mask with red glowing eyes?”

Amaku looked at Aizo, slightly taken aback by how he almost perfectly described his aunt’s old costume.

“...Yes,” he said, a bit lost for words. “How do you-”

“I used to be a Night-Watcher fan when I was a kid,” said Aizo. “Probably one of the literal tens who supported their work. Since they weren’t all that big on public appeal, I used to check on social media a lot for those rare eyewitness sightings. The one clip I’ll always remember is Guardianess taking on five or six armed bank robbers solo and then disappearing into the night.”

Amaku was silent for a few seconds, surprised by Aizo’s enthusiasm.

“Really?” Amaku asked. Aizo nodded in response

“... Hm,” Amaku grunted and then was once again silent for a short while. As they continued to walk, Amaku let this revelation sit with him. The Night Watchers weren’t really known for their public image, or lack thereof, but rather their proficiency of using the night’s cover of darkness to wreak havoc and instill fear in the hearts of the criminal underworld. They were good enough at their jobs that their methodologies were called into moral and even legal questioning. The following years of controversy and growing public disapproval eventually led to the disbandment of the organization. To find someone who cared enough to remember the details of his aunt’s costume was a surprise to him.

Eventually, the two emerged from the foliage and came across a clearing twice as open as the one that Amaku had landed in. As they made their way across it, Amaku made an inquiry of Aizo.

“So… since we’re on the topic of training, where were you taught to use a blade like that?” he asked.

“Hm?” Aizo said, turning to Amaku. “Oh, uhm… a good chunk of my training came from the commission, but my Mom also taught a little bit.”

“Is that so?” asked Amaku. “She works for the HPSC, I take it?”

“Not quite,” replied Aizo. Amaku was visibly confused by this.

“Then… why would your mother need to be proficient in wielding a sword?”

“Well, call it fate that we met, ‘cause my Mom was also a pro hero,” Aizo replied. “The whole blade thing was part of her getup.”

Upon hearing this, something immediately didn’t add up for him.

“Really?... And she supported your participation in the program?”

Aizo slowed down and remained silent upon reaching the clearing.

“... She… didn’t really have a say in the matter,” said Aizo, as he spoke, his tone shifted from a bright and curious one to a more serious and subdued one, leaving Amaku wondering what could have caused the sudden change in his demeanor.

“What do you mean?” He asked. Aizo didn’t say a word. When Amaku got a look at his face, he noticed his expression was twisted with a mix of gray emptiness and sorrow. Amaku knew this expression all too well. His eyes widened as he realized the answer to his question.

“…I’m… I’m sorry,” said Amaku in a genuine, somber tone.

“It’s fine… you couldn’t have known,” said Aizo, assuringly putting up a hand.

“Look… If it’s all the same to you, I…”

Amaku then gently put his left hand on Aizo’s right shoulder.

“No need to explain, Aizo,” said Amaku sympathetically. “Not to me… not for that.”

Aizo looked at Amaku for a short moment of silence, a mix of muted shock and slight intrigue on his face in response to Amaku’s sympathy. He then nodded to him respectfully. Amaku responded with a subtle nod of his own.

“Besides,” said Amaku. “This is neither the time nor the place. We must remain-”

Suddenly, Amaku froze as his ears perked up in response to the sound of twigs snapping from beyond the trees. Then, for a split second, Amaku saw what seemed to be earth protruding upward while also traveling straight at them from behind Aizo.

“Look out!” yelled Amaku. With little more than a second to react, his first action was to push Aizo out of the way of the incoming rocks. However, before he could evade or defend himself, he was met with a chunk of earth which perturbed from the ground and delivered a sudden blunt force to his abdominal section. The attack knocked the air out of him and sent him back several feet until his back slammed into a tree. Amaku fell to his knees, taking in a huge gasp for air with one hand holding him up on the ground and the other held to his stomach.

“Brokuma!” yelled Aizo, running to his aid. But before he could reach him, something swooped in from the trees and grabbed him, dragging him into the woods. Amaku, struggling after the attack to bring himself to his feet, turned towards the direction that Aizo was taken.

“A-Aizo…” he grunted, holding a hand to his stomach and breathing heavily. After a moment passed, he finally rose up from the ground and was about to give chase. However, before he could pursue it, a huge wall of earth rose from the ground and blocked his way.

"<You've got more immediate problems to deal with,>" a voice said from behind him.

Amaku quickly turned his head around and was met by the hulking stature of one of the two brothers, Krush, who emerged from the foliage surrounding the clearing.

“<We gave you a chance, pal,>” he said. “<We offered you a hand when no one else would, and you turned us away.>”

“And even now, I don’t regret my decision,” retorted Amaku, taking his hand away from his stomach and slowly turning to face his attacker. “No matter how dire my situation may be, I’m not one who will betray those who’ve shown me kindness… something that you and your ‘master’ refuse to understand.”

“<… The f*ck did you just say?>” seethed Krush, clenching his fist and glaring at Amaku.

“You heard me,” said Amaku, moving his hand away from his stomach. “Your brother’s nothing but a miserable cowering snake who goes around trying to get people to turn on each other and there you always are, following him around like a loyal lapdog, bearing his teeth at anyone who threatens his leash-holder.”

For a short time, Krush glared furiously at Amaku, his body shaking, his teeth gritting, and his fists clenched so tightly it seemed like he was ready to compress coal into diamonds with them. Amaku was ready for him to retaliate out of frustration. However, to his surprise, Krush’s frustration seemingly disappeared as his body stopped shaking, his hands loosened, and his grit-exposed teeth turned into a confident grin as he chuckled softly and sinisterly.

“<You can call us a snake and a dog all you want, but we still managed to get the drop on you and your friend and separate you,>” said Krush. “<Get all yer’ fancy insults out now, pal, because the fact still stands that you’re the one who’s exhausted and alone. So if you wanna get to your partner and my brother…>” Krush then raised his arms to about shoulder level, straining and grunting as they rose up. As he did this, a small hill elevated his position and numerous large boulders rose into the air, floating behind him. Suddenly his name made much more sense to Amaku.

“<Then you’ve gotta get through me.>”

Amaku returned Krush’s challenge with a concentrated stare. Though he attempted to project strength, deep down, he was feeling anything but strong. The damage and fatigue of his last two encounters as well as Krush’s surprise attack was starting to catch up to him. Not to mention that his barrier, which he’d been using quite a lot until this point, required him to divert considerable amounts of his quirk’s energy, energy that could otherwise be used to increase his physical capabilities. On top of this, he could not maintain the barrier and attack at the same time, an unbreakable mental block. There was also the fact that Krush was clearly quite efficient with this earth manipulation quirk of his. Even from the little he’d seen, Amaku could tell that he was capable of utilizing his quirk with commendable power and efficiency. That, and there was not telling what other methods he had of utilizing said quirk. No matter how he looked at it, Amaku was brought to the conclusion that he was at a significant disadvantage here.

Regardless of this, he was not about to let everything he’d done be for not. With a strategy formed, Amaku put both arms at his side and clenched his fists tightly. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose. Upon completing the breath, he opened his eyes, which were now glowing red with focussed anger. He aggressively grunted as he clashed his fists together, resulting in his muscle mass expanding and his red and black aura ignited. With his quirk once again active, he took up an aggressive fighting stance, staring defiantly at Krush.

“Very well then… challenge accepted.”

Meanwhile, Aizo was being taken further into the forest, his captor swinging from tree to tree. A few seconds later, Aizo was flung into a smaller nearby clearing, tumbling towards the center of it. Upon recovering, he looked up to see that his assailant was Stitch. To Aizo’s surprise, Stitch’s arms were stretched out to an extreme degree as if they were made of rubber.

“<Well, well, well. Looky what I just caught,>” Stitch said with a smug grin as his arms retracted and returned to their normal length. “<I’m actually kinda impressed; the big guy managed to make a friend. Not that it’ll help him.>”

Aizo quickly got back on his feet, staring at Stitch with focused eyes.

“I had a feeling you two would make a move on Brokuma,” said Aizo. “Then again, if what he said is true, I’m surprised you didn’t just try avoiding a fight altogether.”

“<Oh, well aren’t you f*ckin’ clever?>” said Stitch sarcastically. “<But the big guy should be the least of your concerns. I’d worry more about yourself right now, if I were you.>”

“Oh really?” said Aizo, constructing an old-Greek-style Xiphos with his quirk and taking an offensive stance. “I hate to break it to you, pal, but it’ll take more than a rubber band with arms and legs to worry me.”

In response to this, a sneer formed on Stitch’s face. He then reached down towards his boots and from them, pulled out two long, old-looking steel knives. He then twirled and flourished them until he finally got into his own aggressive, street-punkish stance.

“<How’s this for ya, then?>” Stitch taunted.

With the appearance of these blades, Aizo was filled with questions.

“ Where the hell did he get those?” He thought to himself, his face remaining focussed to hide his confusion. “ He didn’t have them during his initiation. He must’ve had them in his bag and then grabbed them before we dropped. But how the hell did he even get them on board without the commission… unless… doesn't matter now. I need to take him down and get back to Brokuma.”

In his left hand, Aizo then constructed a second xiphos sword, brandishing them both skillfully and directing them towards Stitch in an aggressive stance.

“Bring it, you skinny little sh*t,” said Aizo.

Stitch was momentarily surprised by Aizo’s gall and the appearance of this new shield, but this soon shifted to amused chuckling and a confident smile.

“This’s gonna be fun,” said Stitch with malicious glee, briefly twirling his knives. “COME ON!!!”

The two then charged towards one another, Stitch with his knives held at his sides and Aizo with his swords held in a cross-guard in front of his face. Aizo was prepared for a close-range encounter; however, before he was within striking distance, Stitch suddenly stretched out his right arm at great speed. Aizo, nearly caught off guard by this move, barely managed to shift his body to the side as the knife grazed his sweatshirt and flew right past him. When he turned back to Stitch, the knife wielder closed the gap and swung his blade at him. Aizo quickly defended with the sword in his right hand, the knife remaining mere inches from his face. In the corner of his eye, Aizo saw Stitch’s extended arm retracting. He quickly turned his attention to the blade that was coming in behind him and used his left sword to block it. He was now trapped between the two aged blades, which were slowly growing closer and closer to him despite his efforts to hold them back. They eventually got close enough to him that with every strained rapid breath, he could smell the scent of light rust from the knives. He then turned to see the look on his attacker’s face. His expression displayed a smile twisted with glee and malice. The violent glare in his eyes instilled deep concern within Aizo. It might’ve been that his opponent was caught up in the moment, but it almost felt like Stitch was actually trying to kill him.

With the blades closing in on him, Aizo quickly released his guard and ducked under the blades, which clashed against one another with a loud, metallic clang. While in a lowered position, he quickly delivered a strike to Stitch’s abdominal section with the rounded pommel of his right xiphos. The knife wielder groaned in pain as the pommel dug into his stomach. Aizo performed a quick and powerful leg sweep which knocked Stitch off his feet and followed up with a downward pommel strike to the gut, forcing him to hit the ground hard and land flat on his back. Aizo then skillfully transitioned himself to be positioned right on top of his opponent and then brought down both of his blades upon him. In the little time he had to react, Stitch performed a cross guard with his knives, stopping the swords from reaching him, but just barely.

“Yield!” Aizo demanded through gritted teeth. As the two struggled in their clash, Stitch mustered up all his might to create a gap between Aizo’s blades.

“<Not…on your…f*ckin’…life!>” Strained Stitch. Upon creating his opening, he caught Aizo off guard by extending his neck out towards his opponent and delivering an unexpected headbut to the nose. Aizo loudly grimaced in pain and fumbled back from the surprise attack, the swords in his hand dematerializing. Both fighters staggered to their feet, Stitch keeping a hand to his stomach and Aizo holding the edge of his hand to his nose. It wasn’t broken, but it was bleeding considerably as he stared at the red liquid pouring onto his hand. After about twenty seconds or so of struggle, both combatants managed to bring themselves back to their feet.

“<Not bad,>” said Stitch. “<You know what you’re doin’, I’ll give you that. But you made a massive mistake, showing me mercy.>” He then twirled his knives and once again took up his aggressive, street punkish stance with his knives. “<‘Cause I don’t plan on showin’ you the same,>” he sai, his narrow green eyes staring intently at Aizo.

Aizo, meanwhile, was still hunched over, seething heavily through gritted teeth while keeping the back of his hand to his bleeding nose. After a moment passed, he got fully upright, whipped the blood away from his nose, conjured a new pair of xiphos and assumed a defensive stance, extending the sword in his right hand out towards his opponent.

“Nor I you.”

Chapter 18: Armageddon Part IV [Blade of the Blind]

Chapter Text

Chapter 17: Armageddon Part IV [Blade of the Blind]

Same afternoon

For what felt like an eternity, neither fighter made a move. Both Aizo and Stitch circled one another, eyeing each other cautiously. Aizo’s guard stood poised and ready, monitoring even the slightest of Stitch’s movements. Stitch, meanwhile, stood ready to pounce, as if he were a predator hungrily stalking its prey and waiting for the opportunity to strike. And after about thirty seconds of this, he did just that. Stitch aggressively charged at Aizo, swinging his blades wildly, yet skillfully. He kept his movements rapid and aggressive, unpredictably making use of his extremely stretchable limbs and not giving Aizo room to breathe. Aizo, meanwhile, took a defensive approach, focusing on blocking, parrying, and weaving the storm of attacks. Every now and then, he would respond with a strike or two of his own in order to create space, but he never fully committed to a full on assault.

In the middle of their duel, a huge crashing noise could be heard off in the distance, back towards where Amaku was. Aizo turned his head towards the noise and saw a series of dust clouds that exploded over the trees themselves, followed by more thunderous crashing and rumbling in the ground.

“ Brokuma,” he thought, looking at the large dust clouds with worry on his face. “ Just hold on a little longer.”

While he was distracted, Stitch, taking notice of how his opponent had seemingly completely forgotten about him, was beginning to truly grow agitated. He charged in and violently swung his blades at Aizo, who returned his attention to the fight at hand and crossed his blades just in the nick of time to defend against the attack.

“<Why’re you starin’ off into space, hot shot?>” Stitch taunted as his knives clashed with Aizo’s Xiphos’. “<What, am I borin’ you? Am I not worth the effort to you!?>”

Aizo, with a grunt of effort, pushed back against the knife wielder and created some space between them.

“<I know this ain’t all you got,>” Stitch seethed, gripping his blades so tightly that his hands were shaking. “<You wouldn’t be here otherwise. Now stop runnin’, get your head outta the goddamn clouds, and SHOW ME WHAT YOU’VE GOT!!!>”

With the next assault, Aizo obliged his opponent. Stitch went for a wide swing with his left arm and in response, Aizo deflected the blade with an upward strike with his right sword, knocking the knife out of his hand. Aizo then immediately used the same sword to backhand strike Stitch across the face with its pommel, forcing him to spin around, and then followed up with a kick to the back, knocking Stitch to the ground face down. Immediately following this up, Aizo aimed to jump and come down on him with both blades.

Stitch, with the little time he had, instinctively took a handful of dirt from the ground, whipped around, and threw it into the eyes of his assailant. Aizo loudly winced and grunted as dirt flew onto his face and into his eyes, robbing him of his sight. As he came down to the ground, he fell on top of Stitch, the swords missing their mark as they struck the ground right next to his head. However, this was not the worst of it. Taking advantage of his opponent's blindness, Stitch delivered a heavy two-legged kick directly in the stomach and forced him off of himself. Aizo was sent tumbling backward, dirt caking up against his clothes. Pain echoed throughout his body, from his freshly attacked stomach, to his nose which had only recently stopped bleeding, to his eyes which burned from the dirt in them. Fighting through the pain, he forced himself back to his feet and rubbed his red, watering eyes. Even after this, he was still barely able to open them for more than a second at a time before having to close them again. That, and his vision was significantly more blurry due to the moisture.

As he was struggling to get his bearings, he eventually noticed that not only was he no longer under attack, but he hadn’t seen or heard anything from Stitch since he kicked him. He looked all around him, forcing his eyes open through the burning to try and gain an understanding of his surroundings. After about ten seconds of hazy observation, he heard a rustling coming from the trees at the edge of the clearing. Quickly manifesting a shuriken with his quirk, he turned towards the noise and threw it. The shuriken flew into the foliage and the far off sound of it striking wood echoed from beyond the trees. Given his current visual impairment, this result didn’t surprise Aizo, but he still felt the need to at least try to retaliate.

Then, not a moment later, he felt the sudden, striking pain of a blade cutting him across the left shoulder from behind. He grimaced and grunted, grabbing his left shoulder, then quickly turned behind him towards the source of the attack. He threw a wild haymaker in the direction of the attack, but missed his mark. For a brief moment, his blurry vision caught the sight of Stitch, who swiftly moved right past him after striking and then ran back into the foliage. In his right hand, Aizo manifested another three shurikens and hurled them in Stitch’s direction and once again, the sound of them striking the wood of a tree echoed.

“<If I said that was a nice try, would you believe me? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!>” Stitch cackled. Aizo swore under his breath out of frustration, rubbing his eyes in an effort to restore his vision. This helped with the burning slightly, but he still wasn’t able to keep them open for too long before closing them again. Preparing himself for Stitch’s next move, he conjured up another pair of xiphos. However, whereas the previous two had a solid, clearly defined shape, these new ones appeared to be in a constant state of flux, almost glitching as if they were about to dematerialize. He held the blades out in a sloppy defensive stance, shifting his body in every direction in response to every sound he heard. Every small rustle of the leaves or snap of a branch caused him to flinch in anticipation.

Once again, Aizo felt a sharp stinging strike him across the back. After letting out a brief cry of pain, Aizo retaliated by swinging in the direction in which the attack came from, his blades hitting nothing but air. Immediately after this failed counter attack, Aizo felt his legs being swept from under him and he was forced to the ground, landing on his side. Upon impact, the xiphos’ in his hands deformed and shattered like black glass.

“<Aaaww, so close!>” said Stitch, his pretentious voice trailing off towards the foliage once again. “<What’s the matter, lil’ boy? Got a little somethin’ in yer’ eye? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!>” As the taunting laughs of his opponent echoed all around him, Aizo snarled and slammed the ground in frustration. He was furious, seething, shaking, and in pain in multiple areas. Even with the multiple new wounds that Stitch had given him, nothing was more irritable and hindering upon his efforts at the moment than his dirt-blinded eyes.

“Aizo,” a familiar female voice echoed in his mind. Upon hearing this voice, Aizo ceased his seething and shaking. “In times of adversity, it does you no good to let your frustrations rule you.”

With these words echoing through his mind, Aizo calmed himself, slowly rose back to his feet, and took up a defensive stance. This time, however, he did not create any weapon constructs.

“ You have more than just one sense, kid,” a second formal male voice echoed. “ If your opponent robs you of your eyes, you still have ears and a nose. Listen for footsteps and breathing, scan for a unique scent to follow.”

With these words, Aizo recalled that everytime Stitch retreated, he would do so near a tree. As such, he blocked out all unnecessary noises, everything from the faint breeze in his ears to the background rumbling and noises from the far off fight between Amaku and Krush. Following a hunch, he listened for the abnormal rustling of leaves and the snapping and cracking of branches. At the same time, he breathed in deeply through his nose until he eventually caught a faint scent of rusted steel. Then, out of pure instinct combined with the observations of his opponent’s fighting style, Aizo weaved his head to the side as one of Stitch’s arms extended from out of a tree and flew right by him, the knife he was holding anchored the hand into the ground. Aizo quickly took hold of the extended limb and pulled with all his strength, forcing Stitch out of the tree and tumbling back into the clearing.

The knife wielder stared in shock at his blinded opponent, who was still maintaining a tight grip on his extended arm.

“<How the hell did you->” before he could finish speaking, Aizo quickly took the knife out of the extended arm and used it to skewer Stitch’s hand into the ground, ensuring he couldn’t go too far in any particular direction. Stitch cried out in pain as the knife dug through his flesh and nailed his hand in place. Meanwhile, Aizo took the opportunity in order to rush at his pinned opponent with a newly constructed pair of xiphos’. Stitch quickly reacted to his approaching enemy, and doing his best to ignore the pain, used his skewered hand as leverage to pull himself forward and out of the way of his attacker. Hearing the movement of something approaching him, Azio went for a sideways strike in an attempt to at least wound Stitch before he could escape. However, the knife wielder, with lightning fast instincts, slid underneath the strike, using his other arm to trip up Aizo along the way, and continued leveraging himself forward until he reached his anchored limb. Upon reaching it, he then quickly ripped the blade from out of the ground and his hand, painfully grimacing all the while. Gripping his bleeding hand tightly, Stitch once again disappeared into the trees surrounding the clearing.

Meanwhile, Aizo once again brought himself back up to his feet and began scanning for Stitch’s presence.

“<You…son of a bitch,>” Stitch’s voice said from beyond the foliage. Meanwhile, he heard the tearing of fabric from the same direction; more than likely Stitch was tearing up his own clothes to bandage up his wound.

“<That was my favorite hand, and you stabbed it with my favorite knife… I hope that little cheap shot of yours was worth it. ‘Cause for that…you better believe I’m gonna make this hurt!>”

With this threat made clear, Aizo knew that he had to end this fight with the very next encounter or there wouldn’t be another. With his senses heightened, he stood in the middle of the clearing and once again canned and waited for Stitch to make his move. As he did, a third, stern male voice spoke in his mind.

“ When your life is on the line, honor and principles become dust in the wind, ” the voice said. “ When your back is against the wall, when you’re faced with an enemy that wants nothing more than to see you dead, the only rules that matter are what you are capable of and what you are not. He who refuses to use every tool at his disposal is marked for death before the fight even starts.”

These words, though they brought upon Aizo a weight of shame and disgust, carried with them an undeniable truth which made the burden all the worse. Regardless, he knew what he had to do.

Standing up straight, he released his grip on his Xiphos’, allowing them to dematerialize and disappear.

“ You are the pride of the Kazukuji bloodline, the future of our family. If we lose you, we lose everything, ” the voice said with devout absolution. “ No matter what the cost, no matter what terrible deed that must be done, no matter who must fall so you may rise… You… Must… Survive! ”

With a newfound determination coursing through his veins, Aizo assumed the Sha No Kame sword stance and, using his quirk, constructed a traditional Japanese katana. With this new weapon in hand, he held his ground, standing in the center of the clearing, silently waiting for Stitch to strike. He turned his senses to the max, listening and smelling for anything that would give away the knife-wielder’s position. All the while, he himself was as silent as the grave, only ever making the slightest of sounds when shifting his feet in the direction of a suspicious noise.

After about twenty seconds passed, Aizo’s ears picked up the sound of rustling leaves and branches being abnormally shaken, most likely by an unnatural amount of weight being forced upon them. Not long after, his nose picked up the scent of rusted steel. Aizo had a general idea of where his opponent was, however, after fighting him for this long, he knew that Stitch wouldn't make a move unless he believed it was safe. As such, Aizo chose to face the opposite direction of his opponent’s supposed position, pretending to be unaware in order to draw him out. Sure enough, the ploy worked as Stitch suddenly emerged from the foliage, charging straight at Aizo’s back, his knife extended outwards with the intent to stab him. However, rather than flesh, the knife was instead met with the umbral black blade of Aizo’s katana, which deflected the blade upward. As Stitch’s momentum carried him forward, Aizo smoothly and efficiently spun behind him and delivered two lightning fast cuts down and across his back, making sure the wounds weren’t too far below the skin.

Stitch screamed in pain as he stumbled to his knees about fifteen feet away from Aizo. He tried reaching behind him, his wounds appearing as a bloody cross on his back through his torn sweatshirt and flesh. He looked behind him towards Aizo with a hateful glare, his painful cries turned to pained grunts and seething.

“<You… you little… bastard,>” he seethed, gripping his knives tightly. Aizo, sensing potential retaliation, preemptively slowly took up the Seigan no Kamae stance, holding his sword out in front of him. Meanwhile, Stitch’s breathing had grown more aggressive and rapid.

“<...I’ll… I’ll kill you… I’LL GUT YOU LIKE A PIG!!!>”

He then quickly rose up from the ground and, with a feral scream, whipped both of his arms straight out at Aizo. Aizo, combining his knowledge of Stitch’s fighting style with his focused senses, sprinted forward, and deflected both blades with an upward parry. He then released the katana construct, continued running straight forward while following the sounds of grunting and seething from Stitch, and rammed him in the gut with his shoulder. However, Aizo didn’t stop after this initial impact, he continued forward until eventually slamming him against a tree on the edge of the clearing. Upon impact, Stitch let out a pained gasp, coughing up saliva as Aizo’s shoulder dug into his stomach and his back slammed against the oak. His arms also retracted like out of control measuring tape receding into their holders and his knives fell out of his hands to the dirt.

Aizo then forced his eyes open, red, bloodshot and watering profusely, in order to locate his opponents hands. Upon finding them, he manifested a pair of daggers and used them to brutally nail Stitch’s hands to the tree, the blades holding them over his head. Once again, Stitch howled in pain from his wounds, but he was not lost in his pain for long. Much like the first time Aizo had him pinned, he retaliated and extended his stretched his head out for a surprise head but. However, this time, Aizo was prepared for this surprise attack, quickly shifting his head back as the headbut came at him. Quick to respond, he took hold of Stitch’s extended head and delivered a head but of his own, the attack landing square on Stitch’s face and breaking his nose with a loud crunch. Immediately after delivering this devastating blow, not giving Stitch any time to recover, Aizo maintained his grasp on his opponent’s head and delivered a heavy punch to the face which forced Stitch’s head to return to its normal state. Aizo then quickly manifested a katana with his quirk and held the tip of its blade right in Stitch’s face.

“Enough!” Aizo demanded in a mix of pain and anger. Stitch reluctantly, at least for the moment, gave up the fight and leaned his head back against the tree in a sign of surrender.

Both fighters were battered, bloodied, bruised and exhausted, each of them breathing extremely heavily now that the fight was over. Aizo, though he may have been the victor, was still barely able to see, his eyes still red and watering. It was taking everything he had to stand up straight, let alone maintain the katana in his hand and the xiphos’ pinning his opponent to the tree. Stitch, meanwhile, wasn’t looking much better. His nose was bleeding from the head but he’d just received, his pinned hands were bleeding all over the tree and down his arms from the xiphos, and for him the most painful thing had to be the giant cross on his back which was only stinging more due to contact from the rough bark of the tree. It was a miracle that either of them hadn’t fallen unconscious yet.

While the two of them were recovering, a series of massive booms could be heard from beyond the clearing back towards where the other two were fighting. Among them, the loud screams of a singular voice could be heard. Aizo, recognizing them to be the screams of Amaku, stared in the direction of the fight, wanting to run off and back him up. However, something was holding him back as he looked back at Stitch. He kept looking back and forth between the far off conflict and his downed opponent, unable to come to a decision. Stitch looked up at him, taking notice of this quandary.

“<What the f*ck’re you waiting around for?>” he asked. “<What, you’re just gonna stand there and let your->”

At that moment, something clicked in Stitch’s mind. He looked at the two blades pinning his hands to the tree, then to the blade being held in his face, then back up to Aizo.

“<Ooooohhhh…so that’s how it is?>” he said, a wicked smile slowly forming on his face. “<You can’t go to him. Your precious little swords here won’t last long once you gain enough distance and you don’t want me getting’ loose. Well, ain’t that a bitch?>”

Aizo turned back to Stitch, clenching his blade tightly out of frustration. He hit the nail on the head right off the bat. He had no way of keeping his opponent pinned without running the risk of setting him free by creating distance between him and his constructs. Even though his opponent was the one who literally had his back against the wall, time was slowly robbing Aizo of that advantage.

“<Well, lemme ease ‘yer mind on one thing, slick,>” said Stitch. “<The moment these things disappear, there’ll be hell to pay for you. So go ahead, try an’ make a run for it. But you best believe me when I say I plan on payin’ you back for everything you just put me through, only difference being that I’ll break your fingers one by one before I even think about nailing you to a tree.>”

Aizo turned away from Stitch, doing everything he could to maintain a somewhat cool and collected demeanor while the wheels in his head turned. As they did, plan after plan was formulated and each of them was thrown out. Eventually, though, one of them was not thrown out as with the others. One particular idea stuck with him, an unpleasant, twisted, one way ticket idea. Regardless of this reservations towards the idea, it was the only one that allowed him to leave the area without the risk of having to deal with Stitch.

With his mind made up, he slowly turned back to his opponent, who had a massive, snarky grin on his face. Aizo, meanwhile, looked down on him with focused resolution.

“<Oh, what to do, what to do?>” Stitch mocked. “<So few options, so little time. What’ll you do? Wait here and leave your friend at the mercy of my brother, or make a run for it at the risk of turning your back on me? And believe me, that last choice is a risk you’ll pay for dearly .>”

In response to this, Aizo brought his blade even closer to Stitch’s throat.

“...I believe you,” he said in a cold, almost callous tone.

He lowered his weapon slightly and pressed it against Stitch’s throat. The smug grin on the pinned cadet’s face slowly disappeared, his gaze shifting between the blade at his throat and the one wielding it. His expression of worry and confusion soon returned to its former smugness, though not quite as confident as it was before.

“Hehehehe…adorable,” he said. “Clearly your friend never told you, but I've got a gift fer’ readin’ people. You put on a good bluff, but you don’t have the balls to-”

Before he could continue, Aizo put a touch more force into his blade, forcing Stitch’s head against the tree to try and avoid the pain.

“Did you ever stop to consider… maybe you’re just not as clever as you think?” said Aizo coldly. He continued pressing the blade ever so slightly more against the throat of his opponent, who shifted wriggled against the tree as the blade’s tip poked against his flesh.

“You wouldn’t- GGKKHH!!… you wouldn’t dare!” Stitch’s voice strained from the pain.

“You’re a master of reading people, aren’t you?” said Aizo as the pressure from the blade actually drew a drop of blood from the knife weilder’s throat. Stitch’s groans of pain grew even louder as the red liquid dripped down his neck, onto the blade and into the dirt.

“Then much like the Big guy said to you on the plane,” Aizo then leaned his head closer to Stitch. “Look into my eyes, little man… You…tell…me.”

Stitch looked up at his tormentor with eyes of growing anguish and pain, only to be met with nothing but cold, uncaring emptiness as Aizo continued pressing the blade into his throat and drew more blood. Stitch clenched his teeth, and grunted as the pain continued to grow with each centimeter of steel.

Then, in the middle of all of this, another huge BOOM was heard from behind the two of the them, and briefly after, the sound of screaming could be heard, slowly growing louder and louder and louder as a something fell out of the sky and landed right behind Aizo and Stitch. The impact shook the ground and created a massive dust cloud which enveloped the clearing. Aizo briefly shielded his eyes from the dust with his arms while all Stitch could do was close his eyes and slightly turn his head away. As the spread of dust in the area began to die down, they both looked towards the source of the impact where the dust was most prevalent.

Through the thick cloud, the two of them saw…