I slowly shifted around in bed, forcing my eyes open with a yawn and looking up at the dark ceiling. After Present Mic's visit, things got a bit more interesting. Doctors still came in and out of the room, but along with the extra reading and me starting to practice a few words of Japanese with them when I could, they started coming back with information about my quirk. Information that I already knew or suspected, but information still.
The long and short of it? My Quirk could be released from my body through the right feeling, and from their guesses I'd be able to have it come out from anywhere on my body, just mainly through my hands right now as they felt the most familiar to me. That made sense to me at least – I used my computer a lot back home along with other hobbies so of course I'd be most used to using my hands to get things done.
It was when I asked them about the gas itself that things got interesting. Apparently, the gas was made up a mix of materials, some of which they could identify… and others that they had no idea about or couldn't find a match for it.
And once again that makes sense. My quirk is Nebula Gas… and in the show it was in, Nebula Gas was produced originally from a massive alien structure. It allowed for monsters to be created and for people to be killed… but it also allowed for people to harness its power. To fight for their beliefs, be it good or bad… and passive exposure to the it could make some aggressive. But it means I'm the only source of the gas. The world wouldn't be running on Nebula Gas generators or the like anytime soon. Not unless I focused on that… note to self, look and see if people can run generators with Quirks.
And that left me to my own thoughts again. What did I want to do here? With the sudden dropping in and all the tests that happened - as well as Shigaraki showing up - I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do long term. Even if I can be home schooled a bit there's a whole world out there. There's so much more that I could try to do. I could even use the skills in occupational health and safety I have from my last life to try and make things better.
I slam a fist into the back of my bed with a frustrated growl in my throat as I think that… because even thinking about it 'sounds' hollow. My Hero Academia is a world of heroes, of support, of superpowers. You got yourself killed because you let your empathy decide and you shoved someone out of the way of a car! Shouldn't you deserve to give yourself that chance?
But then again, that reasoning sounds hollow. It doesn't sound like a reason to be a hero. It sounds more like the reasoning of someone who wants to justify his actions. Who wants to make an excuse? I don't want to decide based on an excuse!
But that's the issue. I don't know. And for once… I can't just ask someone to help me. I'm still a kid, not only is my body not ready but no-one would take me seriously! This is my decision... I just wish it was easier to make.
Even with the next few days having me considering the choice I need to make; another was made for me before I even realized it.
"You have a place for me to move into?" I asked incredulously, my jaw slack afterwards.
Aizawa sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Yes and no. Your situation is… unique to say the least. That attempted kidnapping might have been a blessing in disguise really." He admitted. "Given the nature of your Quirk, you wouldn't be able to be moved into any regular foster home until you could guarantee you could control it anyway, and I can't always be around to help you out for that.
"Which is where I come in!" Another, deep, voice spoke up. As I looked over Aizawa I saw a face I had never really paid much attention to before. An immense pink afro was the first thing I noticed, followed by a pair of thick goggles over his eyes that seemed to have the outermost sections of the lenses rotate when I look at him. Beneath it was a thick and yet gloriously pink handlebar moustache – something I didn't think was a THING in Japan let alone the modern world.
Beneath the neck of course was a thick lab coat ensemble, a belt that had several scientific devices hooked on, some I recognized, most I didn't and all of which seemed to be from differing scientific fields. His hands were clasped in safety gloves where the fingers seemed too long and had an extra joint in each. Both were splayed out as if for dramatic effect. "Allow me to introduce myself! I am Doctorrr Yubi Hatsume- "and suddenly the get up and the fact that his English sounds like he's learned it from movie scientists entirely makes sense "-and I've been the head of the research into your Quirk."
I'll fully admit that I took a moment to soak in the undiluted glory of fully and finally understanding exactly where Hatsume Mei got her insanity from before I allowed myself to speak again. "So, what does that have to do with…" And then the penny drops and my eyes widen. "Wait, I'm moving in with your family?"
"Ohohohoh, nonono my boy." Yubi remarked with a smile. "But it WAS a good guess. And trust me I do plan to ask you a lot more questions. No, you see my home is right next to my very lab complex, something that has been quite useful as you can understand, and when Eraserhead told me you needed a place to stay it hit me that as I - and my darlingwife - aretheone workingonyoursuit…" And as he gets more and more excited, he suddenly switches from fluent English to even faster and more excited sounding Japanese, and at best I'm catching one word in ten.
Fortunately, the man stops mid-sentence and clears his throat. "Apologies. Your case provides such fascinating concepts from all fronts! But yes, you would be staying at my lab officially, while I work on the required safety materials to contain your Quirk. You'd be free to come and go between the house and the lab as you please, so long as you'd be around for us to conduct some further tests with that wonderful gas of yours! It's like discovering a brand-new element!"
My jaw hung open in shock from the combination of amazing generosity and… incredible amounts of enthusiasm and openness about the fact that he would still want to conduct science. I slowly looked over at Aizawa… whose right eye seemed to have developed a twitch and was clearly muttering loud enough for me to hear.
Sadly, it was also in Japanese but given Yubi's… enthusiastic behaviour I don't think I need to guess that much. "In essence Yubi would be taking guardianship for you while at the same time being the one in charge of your Quirk's tests and the suit. It's not the usual way things are done…" Aizawa noted but the rest was – understandably – left unsaid. "Any decision is up to you in the end however."
As one can imagine it wasn't exactly a hard choice. While there WAS the chance of being just a lab rat – especially as Yubi… um, Hatsume-san I suppose – doesn't seem to have been told about my whole reincarnation deal. But while one factor also had me put a measure of trust in the pink hair of what was no doubt just the tip of the eccentric iceberg that makes up the man.
Of course, you wouldn't expect that at first when we parked up next to the building. Oh sure, it was a skyscraper that looked more fitting for a business than it did a lab or a house, but I was admittedly expecting something a bit more… odd. Still with not much aside from a couple of spare shirts and pants from Aizawa – not that he had actually given them, but I somehow doubt Yubi put them on my bed after Aizawa left and he went downstairs to sort out the paperwork – we went into the building and into… an elevator. The fact that we came out on the 42nd floor boggled my mind. Mostly because instead of opening out into what I'd call a traditional hallway, it looked more like. The inside of a house.
The walls were a lovely shade of blue that could've made me think I was looking at the sky if I was in a rush, and at the end of the hallway was a welcome mat followed by three things. An image of Yubi - dressed in an outfit that seemed to merely be a red and black version of his scientific outfit. A woman in a rainbow tye-dye shirt and overalls whose red hair was almost impossibly curly – yet avoiding the same afro as Yubi's – and whom seemed to have specks of paint on her body and outfit. And finally what I assumed was a young Hatsume Mei if only because aside from the cute little grey outfit with a gear on her shirt, she was wearing goggles that looked very familiar. Above that picture was a pair of signs, both in Japanese, pointing to a more homely looking door to the left and a more professional seeming door to the right. Instead of heading to the right as I imagined, Yubi moved to the left… and as he saw me look at him confused, he just smiled. "I wasn't planning on you SLEEPING in my lab!" Yubi simply noted with a hearty chuckle. "I know the dangers, but so long as nothing scares you, having your meals and evenings in here shouldn't be a problem should it?"
What? But… but he should know I'm dangerous! The power I have has ruined lives before in another world. Does he know that? He's seen the show right? But he's… letting me in. He's inviting me to see it as home.
I feel the sting in my eyes and I do nothing to stop the tears spill out of them as I slowly look up at Yubi, a small grin decorating my face. "Yes, thank you!. I replied quietly with a happy sob caught in my throat. Yubi simply chuckled some more as he slowly knocked on the door. Really, I should have been less surprised when the door suddenly opened at the knock with a young pink haired girl – wearing goggles no less – leaped at him, speaking in rapid Japanese that even with Present Mic's materials I quickly lost track of.
Whatever she was saying was clearly heart-warming enough however as Yubi soon laughed, picking up who I assumed was a young Hatsume Mei and spinning around with her in his grasp, before putting her down – I'd have thought she was a bit old for that but fair enough. After that she looked over at me and grinned even wider before moving so fast, I barely got a warning before she was standing in front of me and rapidly asking me something in Japanese. Yes, not the most descriptive dialogue, but I'm still mostly weirded out at just how much Mei is like her future self even now!
Yubi spoke up, and Mei giggled at that. "Sorry! My English not so good!" Mei insisted – although credit where it was due, not a single hint of Engrish. "Hatsume Mei! New…" She briefly stopped as she clearly tried to think of the word. "Nee-san!" And clearly didn't succeed. "You make strange gas!" Was about all she got out before devolving back into rapid fire Japanese, although I distinctly heard the word "Baby" more than once and already started to feel a cold sweat start as I slowly took a step back.
Yubi made a brief coughing sound and Mei just grinned… but stopped talking. Note to self, find out if that energy is just how she gets around innovations, if it's natural or if she just has that much energy from drinks, sugar and the like. Still, Yubi just smiled at me and waved towards the inside of the house, Mei practically skipping in as I followed. If it hadn't been for everything else so far, I probably would have gone into another shocked state seeing just how the Hatsume Household was set up.
At first glance one would think it looked like the standard apartment, but with some odd wallpaper. It took a second glance for me to recognize just what the 'wallpaper' was. A mix of costumes, outfits, designs for costumes and outfits as well as the occasional picture, certificate or art piece involving the Hatsume family and - in what I assumed was the living room but looked like it had collided with an arts and crafts shop and come out combined - was a woman with long impossibly curly hair, red in colour and from what I could see had the same cross haired eyes that Mei had. She was dressed in a dark shirt and overalls of all things, but they at least had a rainbow coloured band that was splattered in spots with paint or what I'd guess is glue.
"Te, sweetie! Our guest is here!" Yubi noted.
The woman looked up from her workstation in the living room – of which I briefly managed to spot at least three kinds of fabrics, pieces of metal, what I think is resin along with scissors, needles, a sewing machine and more than enough to make my head spin at the implications – before she grinned just as wildly as Mei had. "Well well! It's good to see you, Andros, right?" She asked as she walked towards me, her voice showing a slight touch of an American accent. "Hatsume Te! Ever since sweet-fingers told me about your issues I've been trying to help out with some designs for a safety costume for you."
I gulped at that. "B-but I don't have any money to pay- "
Te just smiled wider at that. "It's already sorted, don't worry – right?" She asked, giving a glowering look past me, and I could hear the gulp come from Yubi.
"O-of course dear, I filled out ALL the paperwork this time. He's a foster child technically, and the government will be paying a stipend to help with his Quirk." Yubi insisted, even making a different gesture at each step of the process. "I even made sure someone else double checked it. This is nothing like the magnesium incident."
I blinked at that… before I looked over at the metal at the workstation. And then looked a little closer and noticed there was a welding torch. Usually that would mean shock and horror… but with all the weirdness so far today… I just giggled. That giggle soon erupted from me as peals of laughter as I briefly caught a smile on Te's face.
This… this actually feels like a home. Like a have a home for the first time since I arrived in this crazy world.
It wasn't until the next day that I was asked – on my own time no less – to come into the lab section of the building. While the living room and thus Te's workspace was the mix of arts, crafts and a living room, the lab was more akin to an open warehouse space that seemed to have no regard for coherency. Along one wall was a massive and rather scorched looking section, a central desk took up the middle of the room with a Bunsen burner, carefully stored beakers and many other scientific tools that I recognized from chemistry and physic – along with many I didn't – with any chemicals seemingly nowhere to be found… though the array of drawers on the central workspace scattered any thought of that. Aside from that was another wall with seemingly no window that seemed to be there to contain a single large chamber, with a few pieces of equipment scattered around it. Yubi himself was clad in a full body hazmat suit but eagerly approached me.
"Ah, Andros my boy, good to see you!" Yubi declared with a grin. "I hope the morning racket didn't mess too much with your sleep!"
I put on a slight smile with that. As you can imagine with a family like the Hatsume, Mei was not exactly quiet in the mornings. None of them were really, and it meant an early wake up call. Still… "It's fine Hatsume-san, I should've expected it. You're all very enthusiastic people." It helped that Te and Yubi both seemed to know my situation given how Te had been quick to comfort me about the rush of everything yesterday. A pillar of some sanity in a sea of madness really. "What did you want to do today?"
Yubi smiled at that. "Well, I wanted to run some tests on your Quirk!" He noted enthusiastically. "But Te said that it might be boring to have you doing them all day, so the afternoon will be dedicated to me helping you with your Japanese. I thought you could take it easy today, but after today we will be dedicating two and a half hours to tests, an hour for lunch, and then two and a half hours to English, as if you were going to school."
I blinked at that and tilted my head. "But… won't that affect your… actually what is it you do?" I questioned
Yubi shook his head "I am a research scientist of course! Working on your gas before reminded me of the think tank days, and I will be processing the results of our tests with others, but I didn't want to put that pressure on you." Yubi exclaimed with a hand extended towards me. "And don't worry about my funding. You present something strange and new Andros! A new type of gas that has materials never seen on this earth before outside of a certain TV show- "
"You know about it?" I blurted out before clasping a hand over my mouth. I hadn't even mentioned the name of the show to anyone, not in detail at least, and given Quirks I had expected that either it had never existed or that it would have been lost to time. If he knows though that does explain why he might let me in so readily.
Yubi let out a bellowing laugh. A little unsettling to be honest. "Oh, I only know it because of Te. I'm not one for letting other things influence my work, but she studies all sorts of things to gain new inspiration for what to do with costumes – and to find solutions that come with a particularly difficult request for a Quirk. So, when I told her about what your gas could do, she knew exactly what it sounded like. Kamen Rider isn't that rare of a source for hero inspiration, especially amongst the older crowd." Yubi exposited, wagging his finger back and forth. "But the combination of your Quirk, the gas and the fact you aren't even from this world… there's so much information we could gain just from you. And all that research means more publishing the results of our tests!"
I let out a small "Ah" of affirmation… even if I sweat slightly. Better him than me doing that. I might enjoy my time on screens like computers, but I DETEST trying to put together statistically significant results, and unexplored scientific territory? No, not for me. Quirk Science was NOT where I imagined going… even if getting to look at it and costume design was going to help with my options. Still… "So, what do we start with?"
Famous last words really. What I had expected was just some easy enough tests that required me to be there to produce the gas – and to be fair, that was the case at first. That large chamber was actually there to suck up the gas I emit in it or to shield anyone in it from the gas, allowing for an easy testing area as needed. But soon enough as the lessons in Japanese steadily got tougher and tougher, so did the tests of both my Quirk and to an extent my body.
At first this was simple enough -how well can I aim it, and can I aim it better, what does it do to certain surfaces and so on. It was in these first tests that I found out that while the Nebula Gas can eat away at metals, plastics and the like, it doesn't do so without a lot of gas being used. But then…
"A live test?"
I looked on in disbelief at the five men and women – two without Quirks, three with different Quirks, all in the lab today. In addition, Aizawa was there, and clearly looked about as sceptical as I was.
"Of course!" Yubi commented. "As unfortunate as the ability to create the Smash is, it might be better to understand what the process does to the body and how your ability to control them can be better refined!"
I shook my head at that and waved my hands. "No. Nope. No way. Nada." I insisted, before I turned and pointed at Aizawa. "Did you agree to this?"
"I'd only let him run the tests while I was here." Aizawa grumbled. "And as much as I hate to say it, I agree with Hatsume-san. While usually refining a Quirk like yours would be limited to practise in private or if you enter a hero school, given how your own Quirk works it would be better to figure it out now."
I sighed deeply at that… and gulped a bit at the pressure. I'll be blunt… I can be nervous when meeting new people already. The fact I'll be turning them into monsters? That was enough that I could see my fingers 'smoking' slightly.
To save a long day of testing, cancelling out my Quirk and attempts from me to forcibly cancel the transformation short, not only did it seem that there was no significant difference in what sort of Smash was made between men and women but those with Quirks and those without didn't seem to have any differences either.
In fact, as far as I could tell the Smash didn't seem to retain the Quirk. Of course that would be more definite if the one with wings hadn't turned into the winged armed and stealth bomber headed Flying Smash, but after making five Smash and fighting them off briefly while trying to dismiss the gas? I was exhausted.
Thankfully after that tests like that were few and far between over the coming year. And it was only a month after those tests were run that I got an even better surprise.
"It's finally done!"
I blinked and turned to ask… only to suddenly be greeted by a blue bundle flung through the air. I quickly grabbed it… and curiosity being curiosity, I unfolded the bundle… and my jaw dropped. I could see Hatsume Te coming closer, but I was too focused on the blue… well, it looked like a hazard suit, but not as baggy, almost like a one-piece blue suit with the headpiece being a hood and a removable gas mask. On the back of the suit was a large metal canister.
"Here you go Andros. That's your safety suit!" Te exclaimed with a proud grin. "It's not something you'd need to have fully on all the time, but until you can better control your Quirk it's the best thing you have outside of just venting your gas outside. It's stretchy so it should last you at least a couple of years, and I can always make alterations if they're needed."
I looked it over slowly, curious. "How is it meant to help with containing the gas?" I asked slowly. Not that I was doubtful, just… well I couldn't exactly see how.
Te grinned… before tapping the tank on the back of it. "This baby- "I do my best to hide a twitch "-here is designed to be resistant to even when you're actively trying to damage it, according to Yubi. So, if you get stressed out, instead of going out to others, it'll flow into the tank. And if you fill up the tank, the suit is designed to be stretchy enough that you can store a bit more in it and get to a safe place to release it all. But I know you don't want to be left out of things – don't look too surprised, I saw how your face lit up as you looked around the house when you first arrived. So, I made the suit as unobtrusive as possible. Skin tight when you wear it, but when needed you can remove it. Of course, it's only until you can control your- "
I didn't hear the rest as I just ran over to Te and gave her a hug… but I think that's because she just stopped… and then hugged me back.
Of course, most of my time was in the lab. While Yubi wasn't always experimenting with me, he had brought with him a tablet computer for me to use after the lessons. And this often meant that while Yubi was still busy working, or at least around dinner time, I'd often be joined in my exploration of the internet in Quirked society by Mei. While her English wasn't fantastic it soon became clear to me that by my trying to speak in Japanese to her was about on the same level if not worse. So it soon became another lesson of sorts, with each of us attempting to see how long we could speak in each other's language and getting corrections when needed.
You might think it'd be annoying, but Mei's endless enthusiasm - when she wasn't designing one of her 'babies' - and her knowledge of Kanji and Katakana was actually helping me get further along in my lessons and faster. For her age she's quite smart - but then I didn't expect anything less given who she is.
And in return I was helping add to Mei's English and telling her about what it seemed the Nebula Gas could do. Even ended up with me downloading some episodes of Kamen Rider Build, but after I did that she seemed to vanish for a few hours and insisted it was nothing after dinner.
And then one day she asked me something surprisingly insightful.
"Why don't you want to be a hero?"
I paused mid reaching over to swap to another online video… and turned my head to stare at Mei. She was grinning as per usual. "Uh… I never said I didn't." I said slowly, speaking in Japanese as she was for now.
She shook her head at that. "You do all this with Papa… but you don't want to be a scientist. You love looking at what Mama makes but you don't wanna design." She looked back at the screen. "Everyone in class wants to be a hero except me. But… you sigh when you see Riders. So why not be a hero?"
I gulped a but at that… before letting out one of those apparent sighs. "It's my Quirk. How am I meant to be a hero with it?" I pointed out. "But… it's also dangerous."
"So is making my babies, or Papa working with you. But I enjoy designing and making them, and Papa loves doing science with you." Mei countered… at least, once I spent a moment to translating what she said. "Danger is there. But you love the heroes. Quirk doesn't matter, just who you are."
I looked back at the screen at that… and smiled slightly. "You're very smart." I commented
"So does that mean-"
"No, you don't get to use the gas unless your dad agrees."
