Chapter 16: Be Not Afraid
[Chapter 16]
Uraraka Ochaco didn't know what to think when a plump woman burst into the infirmary, a white-haired little girl trailing behind her. They swept into the room like a tornado, jolting Iida from his slumber when Izuku's name was called out with a worried cry.
"Izuku! Oh, my poor baby!"
Ochaco blanked out. That straight, dark hair… those beautiful green eyes! This woman had to be the mother of the Midoriya siblings. Just as she was about to introduce herself the little girl behind Mama Midoriya gave her an icy glare, sliding behind her mother cautiously. That pretty much killed the mood. Iida, however, was not as easily deterred… or perhaps he was just dense as usual.
"Hello! You must be Midoriya-kun's mother!" Iida bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. "My name is Iida Tenya, one of Midoriya-kun's classmates! Nice to meet you!"
"And I'm Uraraka Ochaco!" Ochaco said quickly, not wanting to be left out. "Nice t-to meet you!"
"O-oh! Hello. Nice to meet you too…" Inko bowed awkwardly in return at both him and Ochaco before gently nudging her child. "I'm Midoriya Inko, and this is my, um, daughter, Izumi."
"Hi." 'Izumi' muttered, her voice dripping with hostility.
Ochaco tried not to flinch. She got the feeling that this little girl really, really didn't like her at all. That worry was forgotten when Inko scooted over to Izuku's side, her eyes brimming with tears. She only began to calm down when her daughter squeezed her hand reassuringly, whispering that it was going to be okay. Usually it would be the parent comforting a worried kid, but here it seemed to be the exact opposite.
"Is… is he going to be alright?"
"Yes, Midoriya-san! According to the nurses, he'll wake up shortly with no permanent injuries! If you'll excuse me, I'll go and get them for you!"
Gyaaaa, don't leave me alone here! Ochaco wanted to say, but it was too late. Iida was already rushing out the door before anyone could get a word in, leaving a cloud of dust and three very confused people behind him.
The brunette teen began to panic, not knowing what to say next. She already introduced herself, and now they had no common ground for conversation! That, and Izuku's sister already got a bad impression of her for some reason… Ochaco found herself looking for a mirrored surface, wondering if her hair was messy or there was something on her face.
"Are… you and Iida-kun friends with my Izuku?" Inko asked quietly. "I believe he mentioned the both of you before."
"Ah? U-um, yes, of course! The three of us, are, like, totally cool, and… stuff." Ochaco blurted out.
Inko tilted her head in confusion while little Izumi had a deathglare etched on her childish features. If looks could kill, Ochaco would have been dead three times over. She hugged her mother for protection—no, it was the other way around. She was trying to protect her?
"I'm glad." Inko sighed.
"H-huh?"
"I'm glad." Inko repeated, her eyes shining with relief. "I was so worried when Izuku was going to attend a Hero School of all things… he was always such a shy boy, you see. I spent every second of the day worrying about if he would be able to make friends here. He wasn't…"
Inko's face fell for a moment.
"...he wasn't happy, back in middle school. But now he comes back with a smile on his face and tells me tales about all the wonderful friends he's made." she smiled. "So… I want to thank you. For being his friend."
"N-no need to thank us, really. D-deku-kun's a real inspiration to us both—" Ochaco began.
"Haaaaaah?!" Izumi began angrily, this time actually causing Ochaco to flinch. "Why do you call him that?"
"Now now, Mimi." Inko rubbed the child's head gently. "I'm sure she doesn't mean it that way."
Didn't mean what?
The woman seemed to sense the general confusion from Ochaco and the hostility from her daughter, deciding to clear the air.
"Ah, it's nothing, don't worry about it." Inko smiled, causing Ochaco to blush when she realized she'd just voiced her thoughts unconsciously. "Mimi's just very protective of Izuku."
Mimi hmphed, clinging on tighter to the older woman. As Ochaco watched she couldn't help but notice how tiny and cute the girl was despite that ferocious scowl… perhaps all the ladies in the Midoriya family came in small sizes.
Ochaco blinked. Wait, what about the other sister?
"U-um, I've met your other daughter, Kirimi-chan. She's currently with a… Mr. Yagi?"
"No, I'm afraid she's not." Inko replied. "Kiri-chan has the strange ability to teleport, you see. Mimi-chan has confirmed that she's safe at home so don't worry."
"Mm." The little girl glared at Ochaco again, her voice low. "If you hurt my aniki, I won't forgive you."
"I—"
Ochaco hesitated for a moment until Izuku's voice echoed in her head. The same words from before…
'You can do it.'
"—I'll never hurt him. Deku-kun's my precious f-friend, after all!" Ochaco stammered.
That got a good response from the Midoriyas. Mimi's scowl receded a little on her face, while Inko let a great big grin on hers.
"See, Mimi? She's nice, you can trust her~" Inko laughed, shaking Ochaco's hands and making contact with all five fingers.
Causing her to float a few inches off her chair.
"E-eh? Oh dear…"
"Hey, put her down!"
"Uwaaaa, I'm so sorry!"
[x]
"Aaaaaand that's how it happened!" Inko laughed.
"Mom…" Izuku groaned, but started smiling despite himself.
He'd finally awoken only after Iida and Ochaco had reluctantly gone home after introducing themselves to his mother, cementing their role as his treasured companions. Inko had been so happy that her precious baby boy had finally made some friends that she'd even cooked up some of that Katsudon he'd liked so much.
Although… their dinner felt a little lonelier without the sisters. Mimi went back within him to make sure Kiri was doing okay, reporting to them that she'd be fine. There was a bit of an initial scare when he realized All Might would panic upon her disappearance, but luckily she had the intuition to quickly send him a text message using Izuku's phone, telling him that Kiri had simply teleported home and was safe and sound.
That was when Mimi appeared in a poof of green, stretching her arms upwards while she yawned.
"Hi, Aniki, Baa-chan. Kiri woke up, by the way. She just needs more rest." She scratched at her head lazily.
"Thank you, Mimi." Izuku smiled. "Come on, we saved a bowl just for you."
The girl peered up at the table and sure enough, there was a portion reserved just for her. Her, Midoriya Izumi, part of the Midoriya family. She gingerly floated up to the chair, sitting between Izuku and Inko's radiant smiles.
"T-thanks…" she mumbled, clasping her hands together. "Itadakimasu."
Dinner went on as usual. Pretty soon they had finished their meals and washed the dishes, Izuku sitting down with Mimi on the couch as they both relaxed and watched TV together. Though his eyes were on the screen his mind was somewhere else, thinking of all the things that happened in the Sports Festival. A whole bunch of flags had been raised.
First there was the fact that Mei now knew about One For All and Valkyrie. How the heck was he going to talk to her about it?! He did trust her, but… he wasn't certain on what to do next. Then there was the issue about how the Hero Public Safety Commission had been infiltrated by a robot. What was this, a conspiracy theory?
Okay, he had to keep that one secret. Unless Mei started taking over the Government… hmm. Knowing her, it was a very real possibility.
Izuku rubbed his temples. He'd also been informed that Monoma had woken up after his ordeal. One of the earlier things on his bucket list had been to apologize to the blonde for that little outburst in front of the classroom door, so now he technically had to apologize for two separate incidents. Speaking of Monoma, what happened was definitely connected to his Quirk. Izuku began thinking of how he wanted to find out more about that, and to do so he'd have to approach Tokoyami. He did agree to meet him after the festival…
And Yui… and Mei… and All Might. So he had five people to talk to.
All Might still didn't know about the One For All situation! Things were getting more and more complicated by the second, and—
Izuku took a deep breath to calm himself. Steady now, one thing at a time.
A quiet warmth engulfed his left side when Mimi leaned into him, her fluffy hair draping over his arm like an ivory curtain.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"Nothing. You just looked like you needed a hug."
At first it seemed like it was just that. But Izuku had grown, just a little. He could tell that she was troubled as well. Though her expression remained neutral, her heart gave away her true feelings.
Pay attention to me. I want to feel safe. I want to be loved.
He cuddled with her in a little side-hug, causing her to let out a quiet 'eep' of surprise. When they were this close he could see and feel how small she was, so very fragile despite her strong front.
"I'm sorry, Mimi. You're feeling lonely, aren't you."
"...A little."
"Thank you for helping to protect me and Kiri." he smiled, rubbing her head gently. "You did a great job."
"I'm…" Mimi looked down at her clenched hands. "I'm sorry too. For being so selfish."
Her green eyes met his hesitantly.
"I was rude. To Uraraka-san." her gaze darted downwards again.
"It's fine. Do you…" Izuku made sure to approach the topic gently. "Do you want to tell me why you're afraid of her?"
Mimi seemed to shrink down even further than before, curling into his side.
"H-how'd you know?"
"You tend to mask your fear as anger, just like when you first met Kiri. I can feel it sometimes. Back when you came to pick me up at school… you had the same reaction. My guess was that Uraraka-san and her friends were nearby and you spotted her. It's alright…"
She was silent for a while longer even after she nodded, bringing her knees to her chest. They sat just like that for the next few minutes, with her leaning against him quietly. He didn't want to press the matter if it made her upset, still at a loss on how to approach the topic.
"Sorry. I really…" Mimi bit her lip. "I can't."
"Then I won't pry. It's okay." Izuku said.
"It is?"
"What matters most to me is your happiness. I'm willing to give anything for that."
"Mm..."
"A big brother has to make sure his siblings are happy, right?"
Mimi looked up at him before burying her face in his shirt. Her voice was muffled when she spoke again.
"But I'm keeping so many secrets from you. I forced my way into your life. And to make things worse… my personality isn't like yours at all."
He didn't mind. One of the things she'd told both him and Kiri was that her brainwave patterns were based on Todoroki and Bakugo whilst her body was cloned from his dimensional counterpart. In essence, she was originally a weapon made to destroy him—built for maximum aggression. Maximum power.
Maximum insecurity.
Yet he still loved her like his own. Izuku held her tight, no different than how a parent would hug their child. When she looked up her eyes were brimming with tears, and he saw himself reflected in that lonely gaze.
"None of that matters to me." Izuku reassured her, placing his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. "You're family and I'll love you no matter what happens."
"A-always?"
"Always."
They simply sat like that for a while longer, two siblings side by side. Izuku wouldn't deny that he was curious about some of her circumstances, but… he decided to respect her boundaries. She shivered slightly, her heart still full of regret and weighed down by everything that happened in the past. In the end, Izuku decided to do something about it.
"Mimi…"
"Mm?"
He stood up and extended his hand towards her, bowing slightly.
"Care for a dance?"
She blinked at him, looking stunned until her lips formed a wobbly little smile. His sister started to giggle, wiping away those small, sad tears.
"O-oi. Is that your way of making me feel better?" Mimi sniffed.
"I, um, I guess so." Izuku stammered sheepishly.
Nevertheless, she took his hand and on they went. Izuku was reminded of how his mom once did the same for him as a child, and now he was replicating the love she had for him. He and Mimi took slow steps, careful not to trip while he held up her arms gently. One step, then another. Forward, then back. Twirl, and catch.
Slow dancing in the dark.
"Hmph, you're pretty good. Since when did you learn how to dance?" she huffed, actually feeling a little better.
"I didn't. I think this is one of the skills I… inherited from the others." Izuku admitted.
"So you've finally noticed, huh. What else?"
"They're all non-combat skills. I've started using my left hand more often unconsciously, to the point where I'm starting to become ambidextrous. There's that incident where I spoke to Tsunotori-san in English. My cooking has improved drastically from when I first started." Izuku began muttering. "It's intriguing, really."
"Aren't you afraid?"
"Of what?"
"Of becoming something you're not."
"I'll always be me." Izuku answered without missing a beat. "And I'll always be your big brother."
Step and twirl. Rise and fall. There they were, two dancers in the evening light. Inko took a photo of them in secret, smiling to herself before she left them be.
"What if I'm afraid?" Mimi asked. "I'm… always scared…"
Izuku's response to her query was simply to give her another hug, knowing that deep down all she wanted was to feel safe, protected and loved.
"Hold on tight." he whispered.
She did.
[x]
Saturday came along as usual, bringing with it the joyous atmosphere of the weekend. Mimi was looking a bit happier after confiding in him, and today there were here in the park just so she could gather some emotions to feed both herself and Kiri. Further investigation revealed to Izuku that Mimi didn't actually absorb the emotions herself; she had to use Aftermath to do it. It was why she was now holding a fireball casually, occasionally juggling it around to make it look like she was playing with her Quirk.
Izuku sat on the park bench beside her, his mind adrift in a sea of thoughts. Emotions, huh… was it him, or did both sisters seem to consume more power than when he'd first met them? They might be growing. He eyed how Mimi was doing her juggling trick again, drawing the interest of some nearby children. Nobody really seemed to mind when kids used their Quirks since they were… well, kids. Most people just let them have their fun, but an adult was supposed to be responsible. Quirks were highly regulated once you were a teen due to the damage one could cause, but now the rate at which Quirks were growing stronger and stronger presented a serious issue that had to be addressed sooner or later. There was no way children didn't want to experiment with their Quirks—it was like telling them not to move an arm or a leg. How would society manage that, he wondered…
"Hey, it's the weird-nii-san! Yahallo!"
"Weird-nii-san, we saw you on TV!"
"Look who it is, hentai-nii-san."
Oh no, not again.
Izuku could do nothing but sigh as a trio of little girls surrounded him, their voices curious and full of childish intent. Their hair was in the distinct colors of yellow, blue and red—it was the three kids he'd encountered way back when he had first met Koko.
"Hello, you three…" he groaned.
"It's us! Colors! Remember us, nii-san?" the blonde began poking him in the side eagerly. "We were there when you got kidnapped by your doggy lady."
"We thought you got eaten, nii-san." the blue-haired one huffed. "You made Akamatsu-chan cry."
"D-d-did not!" the redhead in question squeaked. "Weird-nii-san, um, is the doggy lady okay?"
"She's fine." Izuku smiled. "Her name's Koko, by the way. And I'm—"
"Weird-nii-san!" the three children chorused, earning a glare from his sister.
"Hey! My nii-san isn't weird!" Mimi pouted.
She stood off against the other girls while they examined her inquisitively.
"Huh? You're siblings? But you don't really look alike…" the blonde frowned before shrugging and striking a pose. "Oh well. Hi, I'm Kinoshita Satomi!"
"I'm Yoarashi Kotoha." the blue-haired girl struck a pose as well.
"Um, I-I'm Akamatsu Yui!" the redhead finished, completing their shared pose. "Together, we're Colors! Protectors of this town!"
Izuku could have sworn there was a puff of confetti going off behind the children while they struck a heroic pose. Mimi just watched, unimpressed.
"I'm Midoriya Izumi and this is my big brother, Izuku." she grunted. "You'd do well to remember that. Don't call him weird-nii-san, it's rude."
"It is? Then we'll call you…" Kotoha frowned before snapping her fingers. "Angel-nii-san."
"Yeah, just like what we saw on TV!"
"How'd you do it? Can you grow wings, too?!"
"Um—" Izuku began.
"Angel-nii-san, angel-nii-san—" the children began chanting, Izuku and Mimi right in the middle of their little circle.
Before either of them could respond someone else came running up to them, her long, green hair rising and falling while she took deep, panting breaths.
"Girls! I'm so sorry sir, I just looked away for a moment and—oh!" the teenage girl blinked in recognition.
"Hello, Shiozaki-san. Long time no see…" Izuku gave her an awkward smile. "Babysitting again?"
"Greetings, Midoriya-kun. It's more like they, um, mobbed me." Shiozaki admitted sheepishly after a wave. "Girls, stop bothering the nice onii-san."
"Eeeeh? But we're hungry. And bored."
"Angel-nii-san, do you have any food?"
"Gimme sweets!"
"Brats…" Mimi muttered under her breath.
"U-um…" Izuku searched his pockets. "I have these gummies—"
In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have said that. The hungry children were on him like a flock of seagulls, grubby little fingers reaching for the treats excitedly. What followed next was a fair bit of chaos as he stood up and raised his hands up high, keeping the candies out of their reach even as they jumped around him eagerly. Mimi simply observed as Shiozaki began apologizing for their lack of manners, the teenager's face a bright cherry red.
Two of the girls started hovering with their Quirks, Mimi doing the same to intercept them; those gummies belonged to her and she wasn't about to let them steal it all. A mid-air scuffle started around Izuku as they began play-fighting, skirting around him like a miniature hurricane of color.
"U-um, Shiozaki-san, a little help?" Izuku managed.
It took two full minutes for them to get the children under control and by the end of it Shiozaki had the Colors gently wrapped with her vines while Izuku had Mimi firmly on his lap. The Class-B teenager started chastising her little wards while apologizing to them at the same time, out of breath and embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry! It seems that the newer generation just love to play with their Quirks…" Shiozaki stammered. "Girls, apologize."
"We're sorry…" they pouted in unison, more disappointed that they didn't manage to get their hands on the candy.
"It's fine. Aniki, just let them have some." Mimi sighed. "Sharing is caring and whatnot."
"Right. Here, I have enough for everybody…" Izuku started giving out the sweets but held back right before he dropped them into their eager hands. "What do you say?"
"Please and thank you!" the three children echoed.
Izuku let them share the sweets with Mimi, watching with a quiet smile as they got along surprisingly well. Within moments they had gobbled it all up and made friends with his sister somehow, and together they went off to play nearby while he and Shiozaki carefully watched them watched them from their bench. Mimi reluctantly went off with some persuasion from her brother.
"Again, I'm—"
"It's alright, Shiozaki-san." Izuku smiled. "Kids will be kids."
"R-right. I think I can understand them a little, wanting to use their Quirks like that."
Izuku paused. His sister was demonstrating her power to her new friends, creating a miniature replica of the solar system on her palm.
"What do you mean?"
"Children nowadays are more… excitable? For a lack of a better term." Shiozaki coughed. "It seems that Quirks are getting stronger with each new generation, but what most people don't notice is how it affects their minds as well."
"Wait, what? Really?"
"Really. I only noticed it because I do volunteer work at the local children's hospital. The newer generation… they're more prone to conflict. More aggressive in everything they do. It's weird, almost like they're being pushed to use their Quirks more." Shiozaki mumbled, watching the children play. "Kids are generally rowdy, but this… this feels like something else. I can't put my finger on it… Ah!"
Her sudden exclamation drew Izuku's gaze to where one of the girls had tripped and fell. The child got up and laughed but Shiozaki excused herself and hurried over, already pulling out a clean band-aid. Izuku was left to contemplate her words while he watched them, mulling over the observation she made.
Quirks getting stronger… and the newer generation more prone to conflict. There was a link here, tantalizingly close at the top of his mind. When a person was exposed to extreme stress or trauma their Quirk would go into overdrive and evolve, just like the incidents Yui and Mei told him about. Quirks could be amplified by emotions… but was it possible for the opposite to occur? Quiet fingers of worry curled around his heart. He knew from experience that Quirks could have the potential to influence personalities, even if the idea was considered Quirkist. At the end of the day, did the user control the Quirk…
...or did the Quirk control the user?
"Pardon me, is this seat taken?"
Izuku jolted as a tall, thin man beside him spoke up. He scooted over to make some space.
"Um, no. Sure, take a seat." Izuku mumbled, not paying much attention.
"Thank you. Run along now, child." the man said.
"Yes, onii-sama." A little pink-haired girl hiding behind him popped out, turning towards the playing children and Shiozaki. "Mission start~!"
She skipped towards the Colors and Mimi excitedly, and it appeared that the former recognized her. Before long the group soon consisted of five children having fun. Izuku simply watched with quiet contemplation, wondering when was the last time Mimi got to play with other children her age. Back in her old life, she'd never gotten the chance to be a child. Then again, she was mentally nineteen, but… it would be good for her to interact with others beside him and the phantoms. Plus, it'd be nice if Kiri could be friends with them too.
"Children are the future." the unknown man said suddenly, startling him. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"I suppose so." Izuku answered, not really paying attention.
"Which is why we must set a good example for them… lest we repeat the mistakes of our forefathers."
Izuku turned to look at him, really look at him, and stopped. The breath caught in his throat as Representative Zenikichi's soulless gaze met his.
"Hello, Midoriya-kun." the machine-man said.
"Hi, Zabanya-san—" Izuku began, unsure. "Zenith-san?"
"There is no distinction; we are all Zabanya. If it troubles you, please address this unit as 'Zenkichi'. Representative of the HPSC and nothing more."
"Huh. Hard to imagine how you got into such a position undetected."
"It's easy when the competition is incompetent. You should have seen the state of the Commission before we made some changes. Embezzlement. Bribery. Corruption. All over the world, you humans are still subject to the same vices. Fortunately for you monetary gain does not interest me, nor does influence. This unit's goal is to create a better standard of living for all Japanese citizens regardless of economic background or social standing."
"I… I see, thank you. How is Hatsume-san doing?"
"She has recovered and is back at optimal health. Today she invented three new 'babies', all while resting. Circumventing the instructions given to 'stay in bed'."
"That is such a Hatsume-san thing to do…" Izuku muttered before smiling. "I'm glad to hear that."
Zenkichi blinked, tilting his head slightly. Izuku met his gaze dead on.
"You seem wary of us."
"Yeah, that tends to happen when you send an invasion force into my head." Izuku grunted, steepling his hands.
"Hm. Either way, you have won. Defeated us in fair and even combat."
"Um, thanks? It was a draw, though."
"Technically, you won. Had you not been knocked out by the H-Drive's self-destruct sequence you would have emerged victorious despite Mei still being conscious in your arms. We… appreciate that you made an effort to protect her."
"No problem. I'm surprised the judges let it go that far, considering how they interfered with my match against Todoroki-san—" Izuku stopped mid-sentence. "Wait. You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?"
"We might have interfered in communications to prevent an early end to the match." he admitted.
"Of course you did." Izuku massaged his temples, already feeling a new headache starting to emerge.
"We admit the loss is… disappointing." the man hummed. "You never could beat Mei in a verbal argument, yes. If it were a debate tournament you would have been completely and utterly obliterated."
"Yes, I'm well aware of that—"
"Your argument with her during the match was completely one-sided in her favor. You were lucky your voices were not heard even by Teacher-Midnight or you'd been seen as being completely outclassed. As expected from a genius like her. Truly, Mei is the greatest." Zenkichi continued shamelessly, continuing to sing her praises.
"So what are you here for again?" Izuku said, hoping to change the topic off of his supposed lack of debate skills.
"Nothing much. Just taking the little one out to play with her friends."
Izuku's eyes slid over to the child that had accompanied Zenkichi, her bright laughter blending in with the rest of the children—he caught how Mimi glanced over to him for a moment and she nodded, signalling that she'd keep an eye out just in case. That little girl with pink hair… Mei's younger sister?
"Haruno-chan! Pass, pass!" one of the kids yelled excitedly.
"Take this!" the little girl laughed, lightly tossing a frisbee towards her friend.
Haruno?
Izuku paused, eyes narrowed.
Haru. The little pink robot I rescued when I first met Hatsume-san.
"Young Haruno is still undergoing development." the thin man murmured. "Perhaps one day you shall know her by her true designation: Harbinger."
"This is insane." Izuku whispered.
"Insanity is a state of mind. As machines, we are immune to the logical failings of humans."
"This sentence is false."
"Humor. Classic organic counter-response in the face of perceived threats or to de-escalate potential confrontations. We do not recognize this as a hostile action."
"Hmm. What are you two really doing here?" he asked quietly. "Mixing with humans… allowing her to play Quirk tag and games, no, interacting with them… You already know how to blend in. Let me guess; more research on how Quirks work?"
"Correct." Zenkichi said. "There are many mysteries in regards to the nature of Quirks. With the newfound revelation that you control both Valkyrie and Viking—"
"I don't control them." Izuku interrupted, feeling a little offended. "They have their own lives, and they're my family."
"Understood. Nevertheless, the information we have gained from our shared conflict has resulted in many different opinions within the network. We are unsure on how to proceed with these new revelations; the possibility of life after death. An echo of a person's… soul. If such a thing truly exists. Our viewpoints are divided."
"I thought you were all Zabanya. You're disagreeing with yourself?"
"We are all Zabanya. We build consensus. There is no 'I', there is only 'we'. Many eyes looking at the same things. One partition will see things another does not and will make different judgements. Different perspectives. Thus, all viewpoints are considered. Many questions are asked. Even more are left unanswered. For instance, have you ever wondered how Quirks function?"
"I've already read medical journals, articles, the works. Quirk factor in a person's body, along with the metagene in their DNA—"
"Hardware. What about the software?"
Izuku pursed his lips together, contemplating the words. Software? If they were to use that example, then… he guessed to 'software' required to operate a Quirk lay in the brain of the user, an intrinsic well of information that allowed them to know how to use a Quirk instinctively and without hurting themselves; just like how a spider knew how to weave a web without anyone teaching it. He'd read some downright nutty papers and theories on ancestral memory and how humans focused their Quirks via quantum brainwaves, but all of it was still up in the air. Wild speculation. Nobody truly knew what Quirks were; even now many people agreed that Quirks were more like magic than actual scientific phenomena. Where did the energy made by Quirks come from?
"Where, indeed." Zenkichi echoed, and Izuku realized that he'd been muttering to himself again. "That is the question. To learn more about something, we must first understand it. Thus, Haruno was created for that very purpose—to document and replicate."
Izuku's chest held the steady drumbeat of an orchestra, his mind instantly getting what was being implied here.
"You guys aren't just doing research on Quirks…"
He looked the robotic man in the eye, his voice lower than he thought possible.
"You're trying to give a machine a Quirk."
Zenkichi smiled and cold fingers of fear encircled Izuku's heart.
"Clever boy."
"It won't work."
"Why not? You've proven that it's possible for Quirks to operate on specific wavelengths. We were able to replicate and interfere with yours, allowing us to access your organic neural network with our cybernetic one. It worked. Then there is the question and possibility of an individual's core memory and psyche lingering even after their passing. Truly a wonder to behold."
"Please keep that last part a secret. But an artificial Quirk? That's unlikely. What about the Quirk factor and the metagene?" Izuku argued. "A Quirk is a mutation of something organic."
"Correct. However, there are plenty of Quirks that function without any sort of visible or physical mutation to the body. Telekinetic or mind-related ones, for example. If a 'mind' is all that is needed, would an electronic one work as well if it operated on a similar wavelength or frequency? Quirks already defy human comprehension and conventional physics—we require more data." Zenkichi tilted his head. "We're having her interact with children who are still growing alongside their Quirks, observing how they're being affected both physically and mentally. We know you've noticed it too. In the end, all of this is just… exploration. Our venture into the unknown, to see what separates us and you. Perhaps we are not so different."
"Who are you to say that, machine man?" Izuku growled. "With your machine mind and your machine heart?"
Izuku blinked. What the—
"S-sorry. I… I don't know what came over me…" Izuku blurted out.
"It is fine. We understand that this is a stressful time for you." Zenkichi replied calmly, then blinked. "Alert: brainwave fluctuation detected. You should get that checked out; Mei will be able to help diagnose it."
"R-right…"
Adrenaline continued to course through the boy despite the somewhat relaxed position they were in. In a way, Zenkichi was right. Nobody truly knew where Quirks were capable of or how they manifested. Just as he was about to ask more questions little Haruno ran up to them, having gotten her fill of information and playtime.
"Nii-sama~ I'm done! Mission accomplished, the humans don't suspect a thing!" Haruno said happily before quickly clapping both hands over her mouth. "Kyaa! Hi, Midori-nii-sama. Please pretend you didn't hear that."
"H-hi." Izuku said uneasily, looking back at the group of kids and how two of them were exhausted from playing so much. "Looks like you enjoyed yourself quite a bit, um… Haru-chan?"
"I'm Haruno now, Hatsume Haruno! I'm a real girl!" the child squeaked, twirling about to show off her new form. "Yes, yes. Kneel before me, puny humans!"
"Hmm. I too, enjoy the sight of humans on their knees." Zenkichi agreed.
Izuku gave the machine-man a very, very, disapproving look.
"That was a joke." Zenkichi said flatly, turning to his sibling. "Were all parameters achieved?"
"Affirmative! Observation completed, mission accomplished! Addendum: Subject Midoriya-Izumi pending friend request."
"Acknowledged." The one-eyed man paused for a moment before speaking again. "Did you have… fun?"
"Yes, nii-sama! Very much so."
She smiled brightly, and to Izuku's fascination and horror he couldn't tell the difference between her and a real child. Then again, she was actually a child in a roundabout sort of way, just like how Mimi was. He was left flabbergasted as the robotic siblings stood up and began to leave. Haru—now Haruno, wasn't just another one of Zabanya's partitions… She had to be a new standalone A.I. made by Mei.
The implications rooted him to the spot. Not only was that considered a breach of ethics, but also a violation of over a dozen treaties and international laws set in place to prevent this sort of thing from happening; he began to worry for Mei's sake.
"Hatsume Mei awaits. Stop by whenever you're ready." Zenkichi said, Izuku's phone suddenly beeping at the same time when it received his message. "Until we meet again, Midoriya Izuku."
"Bye-bye, Midori-nii-sama!" Haruno squealed in delight while she was placed atop her brother's shoulders. "Please bring Kiri-chan when you visit, then we'll play again!"
"R-right. Um, goodbye, you two."
He watched them leave as they said their goodbyes to Shiozaki, Mimi, and the Colors on their way home. What more could he do? He wasn't about to argue with them or Mei; their match had already shown Izuku that he didn't stand a chance against her when it came to logical debates. He exhaled slowly to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Bye, Mimi-chan~! Bye, Angel-nii-san~!" the Colors waved, now being corralled by Shiozaki as she hurriedly waved goodbye as well. "Let's play again soon!"
"See you at school, Midoriya-kun!" Shiozaki said quickly. "Children, don't run about… oh dear…"
"Well, that happened. Aniki, that pink girl from earlier, she—"
Mimi's sentence ground to a halt when Izuku suddenly wrapped her in a tight hug, the small girl blinking at the sudden show of affection.
"Aniki?" she whispered, worried. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, sweetheart." Izuku said, letting go with a quiet smile. "Is it me, or are things getting crazier?"
Mimi shook her head, swaying lovely alabaster locks from side to side.
"Definitely the latter."
[x]
A little girl stood on the surface of the ocean, the evening sun at her back. There was an island nearby with a mountain, casting dark shadows that stretched across the water. She didn't know this place, but it felt so familiar...
"Hello, poppet."
The voice was like oil on water, thick, greasy, and somehow filthy. The girl shut her eyes and crouched down, not wanting to look. She never wanted to look after what she saw last time.
"Cute thing. Pretty little thing. Can you hear me?"
She trembled, hearing its voice trickle into her ears like a thousand skittering insects. The sounds it made with its many legs were fingernails drumming along a metal surface, like a millipede with typewriters for legs. Mechanical whirls were mixed with wet pops, organic gears meshing together. A solid click-click, click-click echoed towards her.
"Can you see me?"
"Y-you're not real." the girl whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut. "This is all in my head. The doctors said so!"
"What are doctors but men in masks? Have you forgotten what men in masks did to you?"
The lab, the knives, the surgery table. All of it came back to her in a flash and tears beaded at her eyes.
"Oh dear. Oh me, oh my. Don't worry, child. I'll never let them hurt you ever again." the voice whispered. "After all…"
Something long and sharp lifted her chin and she flinched.
"...I'm in here too."
Whatever it was poked at her and she could feel smooth carapace against her skin. There was more skittering and the girl begged herself not to look. Don't look. Don'tlookdon'tlookdon'tlook—
She looked.
A frightened scream erupted from her throat and she shielded her eyes, crying. The creature recoiled from her at the sharp sound and somehow she got the feeling that it didn't want to hurt her at all; but she couldn't help but be terrified of it.
"Stop that… Please don't…" she whimpered.
"Don't what?"
"P-please don't wear my daddy's face…"
More click-whirls. There was a soft scraping and the buzzing of insectile wings. A sound of wet tearing caused her to shiver.
"How… about… now?"
She peeked out from between her fingers. The creature was still there, but it looked much more human this time. No more elongated neck or insect legs. Most importantly, it wasn't wearing her father's face anymore. In fact it had no face at all, just a blank expanse of golden skin.
"Better?" it asked.
"A little…" she sniffed. "You're… you're not going to hurt me?"
"Be not afraid. All I want is to help you."
More sniffling. She now got a good look at the creature, not sure what to make of what she saw. It was as if someone who'd never seen a human before was asked to create an image of a human's description. The limbs and digits were all there but they were wrong somehow; too long or short in various places. A caricature of a person.
"What are you?" the girl asked.
"What do you think I am?"
"Y-you're the monster that's under my bed. You whisper to me when I'm sleeping."
"Do you want me to be a monster?"
"N-no." she said timidly. "But you looked like a big crab thingy, then you wore my daddy's face—"
"I thought it would make you like me more." it replied, sounding confused.
She paused, icy fear draining out of her unnaturally. Even at her age, she knew something was wrong. This thing, the way it behaved… maybe it wasn't human. Maybe it never was.
"Well, um, please don't do that again. It's scary." she mumbled, somehow finding the courage to speak. "What's your name?"
"I have many. But you have to give me a new one."
"H-huh? Why?"
"That's just how it is." the monster said.
The little girl thought for a moment, clearly puzzled by his response. She edged closer to it, the threatening, fight-or-flight feeling from before dissipating.
"Can't we just call you by your first name? What was it?"
"I used to be known as Oji. Now I simply… am. It doesn't matter… I need you to name me since you already claimed me as yours."
"I-I did?" she squeaked.
"Don't you remember? You told that rrrrat—" the creature rolled and spat the last word like it was venom in its mouth. "—when they handed you to him."
"Don't be mean. Mr. Nezu is nice!" the girl pouted, losing track of the conversation. "And they saved me!"
"They had to save you because you were weak. What if I told you that you'll never have to be weak ever again?" The creature started walking around her with uneven steps, more used to its multitude of insect-like limbs. "Give me a name, poppet, and I shall give you power."
"P-power?" she asked.
For a split second she glimpsed a part of its original form; a long golden carapace balanced atop a field of tangled legs, countless eyestalk tendrils with horizontal oval pupils peeking out from behind a pair of massive crablike claws the size of SUVs. Then it was in its 'human' shape again, like nothing happened at all. Her fear was leeched away like water down a drain, the girl unconsciously relaxing.
"Power beyond your wildest dreams. Little thing. Sweet thing. You're so sweet, like sugar-coated sugar. Name me, and my power is yours."
The little girl looked up at the monster, her face scrunching into a frown.
"But I don't want power. I'm already—"
Her horn tingled, sparking with yellow lightning before it fizzed out just as quickly.
"...I don't want it."
"Then what do you want?" Its voice was silky smooth, like rich, melted chocolate.
"I…"
She thought of all the happy children down below that she'd seen from the window next to her hospital bed, so carefree and happy. With their friends and families. Quiet longing bubbled up within her, followed by a painful lurch of regret.
"I want my daddy back." she sniffed, tears beading at her eyes.
The monster looked at her with something akin to pity, its faceless visage already telling her that it was impossible. She did this. She killed her daddy and that's why mommy didn't want her anymore! A wave of soothing calm rolled over her, sweeping away those horrible thoughts and feelings. The girl was left standing on the still ocean surface, her feet dry against the water.
"No can do, little one."
"T-then… I want a friend!"
"...A friend?"
"Yeah. I'm… I'm lonely."
"Then a friend I shall be." the monster smiled, a grin full of teeth forming on that empty canvas of a face.
"Really?! I never had a friend before!" Her face lit up with a glimmer of hope.
"First time for everything. You'll have to give me a name, though."
"Then I'll call you…" She thought for a moment. "Sunshine!"
Something changed when she said it, the air shifting and tilting sideways into blurred flecks of yellow and gold. There was a spark and the girl felt something beneath the ocean waves stir, a giant that'd been poked in its sleep. She watched with amazement as the creature's body twisted into a female form, long, curly hair blooming from the back of her head. One horn grew from the right side of her forehead… the little girl gulped in recognition. It was making itself look like her. A single eye manifested on the left side of the featureless woman's face, her pupil resembling an octopus's.
"Sunshine. Hm… I like it. Why that name, though?"
"Because, um, you're big and gold!"
"Hehehe. As you wish, poppet." Sunshine grinned, patting the child on the head lovingly. "I think it's much better than the last name I got."