Summary: In 1941 the world was at war. The fighting didn't just take place overseas, however. Tensions ran thick back home. The enhanced population was targeted and forced into corners. It was better, safer, on the front lines than staying home. For Gael, joining the American armed forces wasn't so much a privilege but an obligation. He, along with a few others like him, was given a choice. Join their war along with their experimental program or face imprisonment. He agreed. Only, Gael had not realized it then that him becoming akin to a superheroes sidekick would light the powder keg to change.

And neither did the world until his untimely death.

But he didn't die. Gael was lost in time and had awoken in a world so similar to his own yet vastly different than he remembered it being. Now, living in a time much more accepting than his own, Gael found himself in a curious position. Seventy years had gone by in a blink of an eye and here he was, stranded in an unfamiliar country. He had no contacts, no money, and zero knowledge on how to move forward. Nevertheless, Gael was determined to live his life the way he wanted.

And if it meant going to school to achieve his goals, so be it.


Cross-posted on Ao3

I wrote and re-wrote the beginning of this story about six times. I had so many ideas but this one was my favorite. If you don't like original characters, this story is not for you. The story will follow my own character and I do plan on changing canon as the story progresses. This is also very self-indulgent. Just for fun! I hope you enjoy reading and please tell me what you think! Don't forget to leave behind a comment on what you think Gael's quirk is! I'm interested to hear what you guys think.

Also, I apologize in advance for any mistakes you may find.

This story is based loosely on X-Men Origins and Captain America: The First Avenger. It is not a crossover but you may catch a few familiar plot points.


Chapter One: Seize The Day

"You can't be serious! This is a civilian city!"

"It's the only way to stop this whole mess!"

"At the cost of thousands? They are not the enemy! They already lost! We can stop this!"

"I'm sorry, kid."

"There's still time, sir. Please. We can't— I can't let this happen. They already lost!"

"We can't. It's already coming. We need to go now. There's not much time left."

" Please, Sir!"

"I said no, Gael! Even if I wanted to, it's already too late. We can't stop it."

"...I can."

"Kid? Kid! Get back here! Gael!"

"I'm sorry"


Gael woke with a start. His heart hammered in his chest as he lay still in his sleeping mat. Cold sweat dripped off his hair and body. His nightshirt clung uncomfortably against his shirt. Ragged breaths tore through his throat, the sound of his sputtering breathing echoed in the sparse room. The teen took a moment to collect himself as he waited for the lingering effect of his nightmare disappear. After his breathing settled and his heart resumed to a much a slower pace, Gael finally opened his eyes. There was a short sigh of relief at the sight of his dreary warehouse ceiling. He stared for a moment, lost as he counted the rigged lines that crossed each panel. Horizontal then verticle. Pink tuffs of insulation peeked through the broken sections of the roof. Light streamed into the room, reminding Gael he needed to patch those up soon in preparation of the incoming cold weather.

He sighed again as he stretched across his sleeping mat. His joints gave a satisfying crack as he stretched his arms and legs as far as they would go. A yawn escaped him as he slowly stood from the ground. A tanned fist pressed against his mouth as it passed. He smacked his lips together, grimacing at the stuffy taste and feeling of his mouth. Quietly, the teen resumed his morning routine. He rolled up his mat nice and tight before stuffing the padded sheet in a dry corner. Once that was done, the teen padded over to the restroom across the floor.

There was no running water in the building. Gael had tested every spigot he found but none produced a single drop. It didn't come as a surprise to the teen seeing as his current residence had long since been condemned by public works. It would have been nice, he supposed. Nevertheless, the teen had grown up in a similar situation and knew a large bucket of clean water worked just as well.

After tugging off his large sleep shirt, Gael leaned over the cracked porcelain sink before pouring cool water over his head. It wasn't the best way to get clean but Gael had little choice in the matter. He took his time running a wet rag along his body. He made sure to scrub under his arms and behind his ears, taking care to rid himself of all the dirt his body had collected since the day before. The cheap scented soap he had bought felt gritty and left his skin feeling dry. It was better than some cleaning products he used in the past and left behind a pleasant smell so Gael couldn't complain.

The teen stared at his reflection in the cracked mirror as finger-combed his hair and he brushed his teeth. Damp, light brown locks curled at the base of his neck. It had been a while since he last cut his hair but Gael found he didn't mind the length. Droplets of water ran down his scar covered chest and arms. They were rather faded by now but the mere sight of them made Gael uneasy; Not from pain nor disgust but from the memory they entailed. Ignoring the raised lines and splotches of discoloration, Gael instead focused on his visible ribs. His stomach growled pitifully at him, aching food Gael could not provide. It was moments like these were Gael was grateful for his enhanc— quirk.

Gael spat the foamy toothpaste into the sink before rinsing his mouth out with more water. He used his nightshirt to dry the last bit of water clinging stubbornly to his body before draping it over the side of the sink to air dry. Gael glanced back at his reflection in the mirror and gave his best grin. Round, dimpled cheeks rose causing his eyes to squint and wrinkle around the corners. A remained smiling for a few moments, urging himself to remain natural, open, and most importantly, happy.

His smile, Gael learned, was his best disguise.

The grin on his face dropped after a few seconds. He did his best to make it look as natural as possible. He walked amongst some of the most perspective people he had ever met on a near daily basis now. It only took a day for Gael to realize something was wrong all those months ago. It didn't take a genius to realize something was amiss. It took even longer to accept it. Even now, Gael couldn't help but hate his situation. He hated everything about it but the teen couldn't let himself fall into a self-induced haze of pity. His team, may they rest in peace, would never forgive him. He's been in situations most adults couldn't handle. He's fought against men and woman twice his size and age. He's witnessed battlefields, gruesome injuries, and other unimaginable act of human terrorism from as young as twelve-years-old. Gael knew he was strong-willed. He had to be. But he couldn't help but doubt himself as he stared into his reflection. Amber eyes met his own. He could see his own waring emotions reflected back at him and for a moment, a brief moment, Gael wondered if the charade was even worth it.

The dark thoughts that threatened to invade his mind were forcibly shoved away as Gael tore his attention away from his reflection. The teen quickly covered his bucket of water with a rag, He didn't want his only available source contaminated with critters or nasty junk lingering in the air. Once the remaining bit of water was safe, the teen pulled on a clean school uniform after shredding off and replacing his undershorts.

Bare feet padded against the cool concrete floor as he made his way towards his bag and shoes he left near his sleeping area. He slid on his shoes and tossed his bag over his shoulder before heading outside. The sun had just barely risen into the sky. Light orange and pink clouds greeted Gael as he walked down the empty streets. He checked the time as he passed a bodega and huffed in relief. He had just under two hours to get to class. Plenty of time to check on his foster parents home before catching the bus.

Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto were decent people. They had taken Gael in when the police in the city had finally caught up to him after two weeks of his 'arrival'. They had even helped him immensely since taking him into their home. Got him the correct paperwork, signed him up for school, and provided everything he needed to succeed in his new classes. The Yamamoto's were decent people, however, Gael was not stupid. They did not like him.

To the outside world, the Yamamoto's were a picturesque couple. They were a beautiful couple with amazing jobs and a picture-perfect house. They were well liked by their neighbors, held a great reputation in their community, and to top it all off, they were registered foster parents. The Yamamoto's were, well, perfect. Gael should have considered himself lucky but what people didn't see was the contempt they held for their foster child. They never laid a hand on him or threatened him harm in any way but the teen felt uncomfortable sharing a space with people who didn't even try to hide their ill will towards him. He could handle the backhanded comments and insults they sent him behind their smiles. He could handle their blatant show of mistrust they had whenever he caught them staring at him as though he were about to steal their belongings. He could handle how they paraded him around to their co-workers and neighbors as though he were some charity case. Gael could handle it.

However, living with the Yamamoto's was not very difficult. In fact, Gael was relieved to note that he hardly ever even sees the couple anymore. They worked for the same company. A booming industry that had just become international. The two held high positions in their business and thus traveled a lot, in the country and out. Consequently. The Yamamoto's were hardly ever home. Their trips back to Musutafu were few and far in between. Unfortunately, the Yamamoto's did not like leaving Gael alone in their house when they were gone. In their words, They did not trust the slow foreigner boy with their belongings unprotected. It was insulting but, again, Gael could handle their cruelty. It could have been worse, after all.

The one good thing about the whole arrangement, however, was school. Gael had only attended a year of elementary school back in 1937. His parents had pulled him out and did a runner with him when it came out that he was enhan— when his quirk manifested in public. He was too young at the time to really understand what was going on. Actually, Gael remembered being happy when his mama told him he was not going back to the first grade. His teacher had been a real fat-head.

Now, however, with the Yamamoto's vast list of contacts, Gael had been accepted to the most prestigious high school in all of Japan. Of course, it wasn't just his foster parent's influence that got him in. He was still required to take the entrance exam to get in, after all. They provided the opportunity but it was up to Gael to decide if he wanted to take it or not. He had studied more in those two months than he ever had in his life. It was difficult, the language barrier had been especially daunting, but he did it.

The memory of Mrs. Yamamoto uninterestingly presenting him his acceptance letter to U.A's general course was definitely his biggest milestone since 1945.

The sight of an empty driveway at the Yamamoto home caused mixed feelings to stir in Gael's stomach. A weird mixture of relief and disappointment. He may not have liked his foster parents very much but their return meant he could enjoy a hot shower once more. He hardly ever had a chance for hot water back home, hell he was lucky to have had any running water at all. It was just one of those things you took for granted and felt a deep loss for when it was gone.

The teen never broke his stride as he continued down the path towards the train station. His eyes lingered at the dark home for only a moment before his attention drifted forwards. It wouldn't do to accidentally bump into someone due to his negligence. Gael let his hand brush against a few trees and bushes as he passed. He had run out of the pre-packed food he kept on hand just last night and was feeling a bit lethargic. He was careful to keep his eyes hidden behind his now dry, honey-colored hair as he did so. While quirk users were accepted in this age, it was still illegal to use his quirk without a license. There weren't too many people around and those who were weren't paying much attention to him but Gael liked to play it safe. He even made sure only to take a bit from each plant as he walked by. He didn't want them to shrivel up, of course.

Gael no longer felt as crummy as when he woke up. The bit of energy he managed to take worked wonders for his mood though he wasn't quite at a hundred percent. It would do until lunchtime when he could finally get some real food in his stomach. The train station had an ample amount of energy he could siphon off as well but Gael found he really disliked the taste in left behind. Instead, Gael quickly found his train and boarded without bothering to replenish his stores.

The ride to school was crowded. Filled with businessmen and women alike heading to work and a few students in their school uniforms. It made sense that there weren't too many students out at the moment. School did not start for another hour and a half. Of those students, only one shared the same uniform as himself. Another boy with dark green hair and nervous eyes. Gael smiled at the teen when they made eye contact but made no move to interact with him. He seemed like a nice kid if only a little too self-cautious but nice all the same. However, Gael kept his distance.

The two got off on the same stop. Obviously. But Gael lingered behind a bit and pretended to tie his shoe. He let the boy pass him, waiting for the other to leave his sight before he too took off in the same direction.

It had only been two weeks since the start of the semester. Since then, Gael did a decent job at staying under the radar. It was boring and a little more disheartening to him to force himself into a self-imposed isolation but he knew it was for the best. Six months was more than enough to find his footing in this new world but high school was completely different. There were references he didn't understand. Music he's never heard and movies he's never watched. Jokes from this time were unfamiliar and quite a bit different than what he was used too. Gael was a social kid. He knew that but he was not confident of his acting skills just yet. The urge to approach the boy from the train had been strong. He wanted nothing more than to finally gain a friend but he chickened out. He had decided enough was enough the night before as he prepared himself for bed. The isolation was not doing him any favors and Gael yearned to talk to someone. The boy on the train was his chance but unfortunately the nervousness he caught in the boy's tense figure mirrored himself.

No matter. He had more than enough chances inside the actual school.

Gael's breath caught in his throat as he passed the school gates. The reporters from the previous week were gone, thankfully, so the teen allowed himself to marvel at the pristine building in front of him. Even after two weeks, the mere sight of his school left his legs to feel like jelly. His heart felt full with awe and happiness at even being allowed to step foot inside. He never thought he'd have a chance to attend an actual school.

He took his time getting to his classroom; Room 1-C. He didn't remember all of his classmate's names or did he take the time to approach any of them. To be fair, most of them kept their distance from him as well. It disheartened him at first but, again, it was for the best. As Gael took his seat in the back of the class, he wondered what exactly it was that intimidated the other students. He wasn't very big and stood at an average height. When he spoke, he kept his tone easy and low. He smiled when they made eye contact with them and answered when spoken to. He didn't disrupt the class or take much of the teacher's attention. Gael was just... there.

It could have been his obvious foreign features or his less than perfect Japanese. Maybe they feared the possibility of a language barrier. Gael didn't think he was too bad. His accent was still very strong but it was getting better. He hoped. He watched as his classmates fill the room steadily. He listened passively to their hushed conversations and laughter with a bit of envy. He didn't understand it. The teen absentmindedly rubbed a hand to his face and froze at the habitual action. Was it the scar?

It was an old scar. About a year old. (Well, technically over seventy years old but who was counting?) It wasn't very dark but it was a bit prominent on his face. It ran down vertically over his right eye. From just above his eyebrow and down to his cheek. He was told it would never quite fade away but Gael had never minded that until that moment. He wasn't a vain boy but his already fragile confidence was a bit shaken at the prospect of his scars being the reason he was so unapproachable. Nevertheless, Gael knew there was nothing he could do about his scars. He only hopes it wasn't that and was not too late to make some friends.

The class was nearly full by the time Gael lifted his head from his desk. He let out a shaky breath as he glanced around the room and jumped in his place when he noticed the seat beside him filled. He hadn't heard the other boy approach the back of the room. Gael quickly looked away from his classmate but his curiosity was too strong. The boy Shinsou, he believed, was one of the quieter kids in class. He seemed alright and had kept to himself since the start. Like Gael, Shinsou stayed out of their classmate's way and tended to leave right as the bell rang.

He had a tired look and feel about him, as evidenced by the bags under his eyes and his posture. Gael had caught the boy jerk himself awake more than once during their lessons but never seemed to fall behind academically. His scores proved the teen was an intelligent kid and despite his lazy demeanor, Shinsou held one of the top spots in the class. The annoyed looks their classmates sent the purple haired teen was more than a bit amusing. Especially since Shinso never seemed to care or react negatively to the poorly concealed envy.

Gael chanced another glance at the boy but froze under dark purple eyes. Shinso looked rather bored as he regarded him. His head resting on a closed fist, eyes staring unblinkingly at Gael's own. Gael grinned sheepishly at the teen, a blush rising to his cheeks from embarrassment at being caught staring. He muttered a quick 'sorry' but Shinsou neither responded or reacted to his poor attempt of an apology. Instead, the other teen moved his gaze away from him in favor of their just arriving homeroom teacher. It was more than a little mortifying but Gael wouldn't let the opportunity escape him again. With that new goal in mind, Gael mentally prepared himself to actually be social for a change. As his homeroom teacher called roll, Gael pondered on what to say, how to start a conversation.

He wondered if asking about his quirk would suffice.

'What did he say his quirk was again?'