Chapter One. Sunrise.

"Haha! My name is Kyojuro Kaenshita! The Flame Edge Hero!" I yelled, my hair billowing as I brought my stick to bear at Mama's Koi pond. "You better come outta there and face me, Koi monster!"

The pond bubbled, "So be it! I, the Flame Edge Hero, will declare this a draw!" I declared, sheathing my stick and turning my back, marching over to the back door and seeing Mama inside, her hair glowing and her eyes too. They were pretty and orange, almost like her hair. So I came in and she turned.

"Kyojuro, put the stick back outside…" she sighed, looking tired.

"But mama! It's not a stick! It's my blade!" I exclaimed, grinning as she gave me a smile of her own and walked over, taking it. She was so tall and so strong that she could make the ground set on fire and burst out!

Mama swung the stick, "Hm… not all that strong… that's not a good blade, Kyo…" she mumbled, "Hey! How about I show you our family's treasure?"

My eyes widened, "Treasure? No way! Mama, you said I'd have to wait until I'm older!" Mama smiled and ruffled my hair, it warmed a little as she touched it.

"Sweetie, this is just to look at. I don't want you waving a stick around when you're in battle. It's not really cool for heroes to do that," she said, kneeling and grabbing my shoulders, "Besides! You wanna be a cool hero, right?"

I nodded, and she stood back up, going into a closet and digging out a case, opening it and showing me our family's treasure.

"Years ago, your great great-great-grandfather had this sword made, for years it's been a symbol of hope and strength to the people of Japan, long before All Might! Your Daddy and I want you to wield it and vanquish evil once more when you're older! You got that?" Mama asked, poking my forehead.

"Yeah! I got it! So… this is gonna be my sword one day?"

"Yes, and I'm sure all the spirits of its previous wielders would be proud of you for wielding it! It takes a lot of hard work, pain, and time to get powerful enough, your father could barely lift it," Mama sighed.

"But… Daddy's so strong!" I exclaimed, "and… and you lifted it!"

"That's because I got enough passion, kiddo! Enough to set my heart ablaze!" She patted her chest, "That's the key, son… ya gotta set your heart ablaze, no matter what. No matter the challenge or the foe, you gotta reach in and stroke that flame,"

"I get it!" I exclaimed, "So I gotta light myself up with a smile and fight to the very end to save others, right?"

Mama smiled and picked me up, putting the sword back, "Of course! Now let's go finish dinner," she carried me back into the kitchen, and I looked at a picture of us and Daddy.

"Hey Mama, when's Daddy coming home?" I asked, Mama sighed and smiled.

"Your father is really busy directing those samurai movies you like… and well… he said he might come back," she said, "That's why we're making his favorite,"

"Oh! Okay! Imma go hide and surprise him!" I laughed, running off to hide in a small closet under the stairs. I peeked out and saw a shadow come over the door, and opening it was my father, golden hair stuffed under a hat, his dark eyes ringed with him being all tired.

He also had a little of a wobbly step. He looked around. "Hey Tekka, where's Kyo? I got him something from Kyoto…" he yawned a little as Mama came out of the kitchen and hugged him.

"Long shoot, babe?" she asked.

"You know it, you'll never guess who wrecked the area around the shoot during a villain attack?"

"Who?" I burst out of the closet with a big smile. "Was it Edgeshot?"

Daddy laughed and knelt. "Nah! It was Endeavor!"

"Oh… I was gonna ask if you could get Edgeshot's name on my poster…" I sighed, "Endeavor's all mean and scary… and Mama gets all awkward and angry when the news talks about him,"

Mama crossed her arms and pouted, "Yeah! Because he's a big dumb idiot!"

Daddy laughed again. "Haha! Yeah, he is… that he is…" he scooped me up into his arms, his white suit had crimson flames on the bottom of the shirt and ants, his hair was the same color as mine, but the ends were black while mine seemed hard and black.

"So! How's my favorite little swordsman? Any fresh adventures? Any new challenges?" he asked.

I smiled and shook my head. "Nah! I'm good! Right Mama?"

Mama chuckled, "Well… kinda. Kyojuro fell off his bike this last week, and he cried for an hour,"

"Mama~! It hurrrrt!" I whined, "I fought the Great Orochi, and he won!" I crossed my arms and pouted, looking away.

"Oh, right… right! Yes!" She exclaimed, "Exactly!"

"How about school, kiddo?" he asked, "You excited for it?"

I felt a little nervous. "Well… uh… I dunno… Mama might need my help and… and well… my quirk…"

"Quirk shimirk, kiddo! Quirk or no quirk your mom and I will be there no matter what!" Daddy exclaimed, "Now let's get going and eat!"

I smiled, and he ran into the dining room, setting me down and we all sat down together, my eyes on the food before we chowed down. I felt weirdly hot when I was eating the tempura, Daddy looked at me strangely.

"Uhh… Tekka, dear, don't freak out, but look at Kyo's hair…" he said.

Mama looked at me and her sticks fell into the rice. "Oh. My. GOD! Wait… wait… Honey, grab that knife for me, okay?" she asked me.

"Huhh But my shrimp! I gotta eat it!" I pouted a bit. Mama just sighed.

"Come on, sweetie, just do it,"

I nodded and grabbed it, "Now… just give it a swing, kiddo…" Daddy coached as I swung it hard, breathing out as a huge burst of flame shot out of the edge of the blade and then went out when I stopped.

"Whoa…" I breathed, "Mama! Daddy! I got my quirk!"

Mama's grin was wide and her hands clenched into fists, "HELL YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH! THAT'S MY BABY BOY!" she yelled, "BEAT THAT, MOM! SHE OWES ME A LAMBO NOW!"

"Whoa! Tekka, baby, calm down!" Daddy yelled.

"FIRST TRY, BITCHES!" Mama got up and grabbed me, hugging me tightly, "Don't you realize what this means, my boys?" she asked, "Sengoku, come on… you know what it means, right?"

"Bragging rights?" he huffed.

"Bingo! Kyo! Sen! I had a bet with my Mama and I came out on top! Mama's gonna get a slick new car!"

"But Mama…" I mumbled, "My hair's all weird and gooey at the ends…"

"Well… good thing we're all fireproof!" Daddy joked.

I smiled, getting up and bowing to them, "Thank you so much for bestowing this quirk on me, Mother, Father! With it, I'll become the strongest hero out there!"

"Someone's been watching way too many samurai movies…" Mama sighed.

"Awww! But it was adorable!" Daddy whined, "Babe!" he put down his phone, "Good thing I recorded it!" He smiled and patted his pocket.

"Oh yeah! One more thing!" He exclaimed, getting out a bag and digging into it, pulling out a white coat like garment with a flame like design that was orange at the top and red towards the bottom.

I smiled and held it, "Daddy… this…"

"I saw it and I thought of you, Kyojuro, now it's too big right now, but I was thinking down the road you could wear it as part of your hero costume!" he declared, "Whaddya think, kiddo?"

I hugged it to my chest, feeling my eyes water, "I… I'll… work hard… D-Daddy… Ma-Mama…"

The next day came with Mama, opening my door and grabbing the light-switch. Flicking it with a bunch of times.

"Kyojuro~!" She cooed, "Come on, Sunshine!"

"Mm… Mama… nooo…" I whined, I wanna sleep in!

Mama sighed, "Kyojuro, how are ya gonna be the strongest hero if you sleep in?"

I yawned and rolled over, "I can be the strongest tomorrow!" I groaned, "I don't wanna go to school!"

Mama came over and sat on the edge of my bed, "Why not, sweetie?" she asked.

"Cause I'm scared." I said, "You and Daddy always kept me away from other kids and… well…"

Mama grabbed me and hugged me, "Honey, look. No matter what happens, what do I always tell ya?"

"Keep a smile on your face and no one would bother you?" I asked.

"No! Not that one, the other one," she said.

"Set my heart ablaze? How is that gonna help me?" I wondered, "Cause I might burn something down…"

Mama laughed, "Not literally! Just be your usual self and people will like you! Just like me!"

"But when those guys with cameras tracked Daddy down, you blew up their van," I mumbled, "Then that time at the beach when they tried to take pictures of us you melted their cameras,"

Mama smiled, "Sometimes, some guys make Mama very, VERY, angry!"

"Okay… I'll try to," I said.

"Great! Now get ready and we'll head on out!" she declared. I got up and went over to my dresser, getting on my usual T-shirt, my hair ignited a little and Mama helped me tie my shoes. Daddy was already out on the set so it was just the two of us.

After breakfast we got in the car and drove off to the school. I watched the buildings zoom by and then when the car slowed down I got even more nervous. Because my Mama might be famous. She looked over at me and ruffled my hair, "Come on. You gotta rip the bandaid off sometimes," I looked at the school outside, Mama unbuckled herself and came over to the back to get me out. I already unbuckled and with a smile I said…

"Let's get it done then!" I exclaimed, grabbing her hand and she led me in, my backpack on my back and everything ready for the day. I noticed a HUGE guy holding a little girl in his arms.

"Darlin, please let go…" he rumbled, his voice sounding kinda funny, the girl's hair wound around his arms, "I know ye don't wanna leave me, but may I ask why?" he asked.

"I'm scared, father!" The girl said, sounding all kindsa sad, "What if you get more boo boos while you're gone?" she asked.

"Well… I'll have yer mother around, and yer aunties, I'll be fine, Ibara,"

Ibara hugged her dad and he saw me and my Mama nearby, "See, look at that boy. Doesn't he look nice?" he asked.

"Father… I don't want to leave you!" Ibara whined, hugging him even tighter. I looked up at Mama and she looked at them almost like it was kinda… like ya see something familiar or get that feeling.

She nudged me, "Go on and do your weird smiley magic thing ya do,"

"Mama… that guy is HUGE! How am I gonna talk to that really pretty looking girl?" I gasped, getting the big guy's attention as his green eyes looked down at me. He smiled. He had a long gray coat and shining silver glasses with a ton of cool looking scars on him.

"Aye, I am quite large fer this country's averages," he said, "Oh! Ehhh… where're my manners My name is Eugen, and this is Ibara, my daughter, I cannae help but overhear whatcha said about her,"

I nodded, "She's pretty! I dont get why she's sad!" I exclaimed, "I'm scared but I gotta do this anyway!" Ibara looked at me and I grinned, "So don't be scared, Ibara-chan!"

Ibara was let down and she scurried over to me, blushing and hiding near me. I grinned and felt a rough thing go around my arm. She waved shyly at her dad as he smirked and waved.

"Keep her safe now, lad!" He called. Mama smirked and knelt, grabbing my shoulders.

"See sweetie? It's not so bad!" She exclaimed, "Just keep that in mind!"

I grinned and I felt a soft tug on my arm. Ibara was pulling me along with her, "Oh! See ya, Mama!" I yelled, grinning widely. Everything seemed to be kinda normal. Ibara clung to me tightly, looking even more nervous as we went inside the school. She hid her face in my shoulder, whimpering a little.

"Hey… don't worry! How about we play something when we get into the classroom? I'll make it extra fun!" I suggested. Ibara looked up at me.

"R-Really?" she asked.

"Yeah! And ya get to pick the game!" I grinned, running into the classroom and… 'HUH?! No… no no no… this is wrong! SO WRONG! WHERE'S THE COLORING BOOKS, THE RUG FOR CIRCLE TIME, WHERE ARE THE CUBBIES?! Did I just get lost?'

I went back outside to check the room number, it was right. But everything looked so boring! I mean, I didn't get to wear my cool Edgeshot T-Shirt or even my favorite shorts! We all had desks and a podium, and the teacher was helping everyone find their seats. What kind of hell did Mama and Dad sign me up for? Is this what school is always?

Ibara shivered and hid behind me as the teacher came up to us. He looked nice enough, "Oh! These two must be… Kyojuro Kaenshita-kun and Ibara Shiozaki-chan, yes?" he asked. I nodded, and Ibara just shakily nodded. Our teacher looked around, seeing a little boy with white and red hair with one gray eye and one blue eye sitting alone. He smiled and gestured to those other three seats.

"Sit with Todoroki-kun, you two," he said. We both sat across from him, with Ibara refusing to leave my side and the boy looking up shyly at us.

"Uh… hi," he muttered, "My name is… Shoto,"

"Hey! My name is Kyojuro! It's nice to meetcha!" I exclaimed, "So… what's yer deal?" I asked.

"My deal?" Shoto asked.

"Yeah! You were sitting on your own and all that, so… I figured you had a deal or something!" I said.

"W-wait! I… I'm Ibara Shiozaki!" Ibara shuttered, blushing and looking at me, almost as if she needed assurance that she timed it right. I grinned and nodded and she smiled a little.

Shoto gave us a smile, his eyes shining a little, "I like All Might!" He blurted, "He's way cooler than my dad!"

"Wait… who's your dad?" I asked.

"He's Endeavor," Shoto grunted, "He scares me and my mama and I don't like it,"

"Oh, I see! Well, my Mama's name is Tekka, she's really really strong and won a bunch of awards for… for those muscly competitions back before I was around! Also, my Daddy makes movies!" I declared, "They're really cool!"

Shoto cocked his head to the side, but before he could tell me what he was going to say, Ibara piped up.

"My father was Germany's top hero, and my mother researches rare effects of quirks, my aunties all have different jobs, but my Auntie Yue has a fashion company," she said with a small smile.

I nodded and then our fourth member showed herself. She seemed a little different than the others, her dark green hair was wild and wavy, her smile crooked and confident.

"Heya! Name's Setsuna! Y'all can call me Setsy if ya want to!" She greeted.

Shoto nodded, staying silent.

Ibara jumped and hugged me, I didn't flinch, it was something she would normally do. And had been doing it since we first started being friends.

"My name is Kyojuro!" I exclaimed, "Nice to meetcha, Setsuna!"

She nodded, "Yeah! So… what's you guys' deal?" she asked.

"Quick version, Shoto hates his dad, Ibara is nervous and is attached to me, and I am just here because my parents chose this school! Cool, right?" I exclaimed.

Setsuna laughed, "Haha! Well… sorry I'm late, teach, my daddy got caught in a lecture!"

Our teacher just waved it off, but then I noticed I was wrong about the room, we did have cubbies and stuff, they were just in the desks! I sighed in relief as we all got out sheets of paper, we got to draw our families so I had a lotta reds, oranges, and tans to draw Mama and Daddy.

"Hey, Kyojuro, can I borrow that red?" Shoto asked.

"Sure!" I exclaimed, "I got plenty!"

Ibara was drawing her family, but she didn't have to draw much of the big lady. She had red eyes though and had a weird cup in her hand. Ibara smiled and I saw her family. There was Mister Eugen, her Mother, and her Auntie. Setsuna just drew a big guy with scales on him, he looked really tough and it looked like he was building a dinosaur. He had a long claw on his big toe and weird slit eyes.

"See, My dad is the famous paleontologist Alan Tokage! I think?" Setsuna wheedled, "My daddy says he's famous, but… everyone's making dino robots now…"

"Well, my dad makes movies! He does all kinds of them but my favorite is the samurai ones he does. So… also, my mama can lift him and all kinds of things! Like my family's special treasure!" I said, "But then sometimes she gets sad… and Daddy too…"

Ibara and Shoto nodded and Setsuna pouted, "Ahh! That's too boring, Kyokun~!"

"Still! It's the honest truth! My Mama and my Daddy want me to be a hero! So I'm gonna be a hero!"

Ibara smiled, "I want to be a hero to bring sal… salva… salivation to others!" she squeaked, "Like my father!" we all looked at Shoto. He looked back with a slight slump in his shoulders.

"I wanna be a hero like All Might…"

"Huh. Okay!" I brightly said, "Who's your favorite hero, Setsuna, Ibara?" I questioned them. Ibara clasped her hands together.

"My father!"

Setsuna leaned back, "Godzillo! He's really cool!"

I drove my thumb into my chest, "Me? I really like Edgeshot! He's really super cool! The way he can flatten himself and hide anywhere is soooo cool!"

Setsuna's head suddenly popped onto the table, "Oops! Dang It… it's really getting outta…" her hands came off, "Hand?"

"Ffft… Ftttt… HAHAHAHA!" Shoto laughed, "HAHAHA! Haaah! Hand! Her hands came off! HAHAHA!"

Setsuna smirked and her hands reattached, but her hands were trying to find her head, "No… no! Over here! Come on!" her head went back on.

"Ta-da! That's my quirk! How about you, Shoto?" she asked, he blushed a little.

"Well… I can make ice," he said bluntly.

Setsuna looked at me, "And you, Kyokun?" she asked. I smiled and clenched my hands into fists.

"I can grab a stick, a sword, a bat, any melee weapon and make flames shoot out! It makes me feel really hot though…" I mumbled, putting the finishing touches on my picture. Ibara shyly looked at my wrist, eyes big like saucers when she realized her vines were holding it.

Her vines let go, and she covered her face with her hands. I noticed her cheeks were all red. Setsuna and Shoto seemed to get it but I didn't!

"Wait… what's your quirk?" I asked. Ibara blushed and smiled, winding her vines back around my wrist. I gasped.

"No way! Your quirk is so pretty! Almost like my Mama's and Gramma's but not all burny!" I touched the vines a little, "Ooo… they even have thorns!"

Ibara looked up at me with a smile. I grinned and she turned red again, her eyes breaking away from mine, "Hey… why do ya do that?" I asked.

"Do what?" she wondered.

"Look away and get all blushy!" I giggled, "What, am I that good looking?" Ibara just fidgeted and I didnt wanna make her mad so I let it be. Mama would always remind me that some people don't like when they're being so forced to talk so... I didn't ask her more about it.

The rest of class was more like getting to know each other. Our teacher has a cool boiler quirk where he can boil water just by touching it! But soon it was recess time so I got to do whatever. Shoto and Setsuna and I got a ball while Ibara was nowhere to be found.

"Huh… I wonder where Ibara is…" I mumbled.

I turned to Shoto and Setsuna, who were already playing catch, "Uh, Imma go look for her! I'll be back!" I called, trying to find her. She wasn't at the jungle gym or the swing set. I didn't know where she was until I heard a loud wailing. I ran towards it, seeing a bunch of guys at the back of the school watching Ibara trying to reattach her pretty vines, tears gushing out of her eyes. They all laughed at her.

"Alright, freak! You look way better!" One of them snarled. He had a really beefy quirk and his two friends had blade quirks, mainly scissors. I couldn't just let my new friend get even more hurt!

When the beefcake ran at her, I got in the way! My stomach flared in pain but I stood my ground, glaring at them with a smile. "It's… It's rude… to hit a lady!" I said, "Do ya… do the same to yer mamas?"

They all laughed in my face, but I brought Ibara close, feeling her grab my hand. "If ya wanna hurt her, then take me down too! So come on, if y'all are man enough!"

Beefcake shot out a punch and got me right in the face, dead center. My nose didn't break, but it still hurt! Tears streamed from my eyes but I still smiled, wiping the blood from my face, "Ibara, get the teacher! I'll hold em off!" I declared, "They won't get past me…"

The two scissor guys charged at me, their fists outstretched as I suddenly dashed through them to Ibara, tackling her as the Beefcake swung at her. The hit grazed my hair ends and he yelled.

"Ow! What the hell!"

I just took that as our shot to run. I was dragging Ibara behind me, running like the demons of hell were on our heels. Mr. Boiler saw us running full tilt and got worried, steam hissing out of his mouth.

"Shiozaki-chan, Kaenshita-kun, what happened?" He asked, kneeling to our level, looking at my bloody nose and Ibara holding her vines in one arm sobbing.

I looked behind me, "Some chuckleheads cut Ibara's pretty vines and when I got there to stop em one of them hit me in the face! I got him back though!" I exclaimed with a grin.

"I'll handle it, you two go straight to the nurses office and get checked out," he said, seeing the older kids trying to sneak away, "Oh no you don't you three! You guys are coming with me! He stomped over to them and hoisted them with steam, Ibara sniffled and calmed down a little.

"I'm sorry, Kyojuro…" she sniffled, "It's my fault…" she dropped her vines and hid her face in her hands.

"Hey…" I sighed, lowering her hands a little, "I'm not mad! Or sad! I… I protected you because you're my friend! Friends keep each other safe! And I hate that you had to go through that! So smile, it's over! You're safe!"

Ibara sniffled again, blushing a little as I grinned and offered her my handkerchief that I forgot I had so she could dry her face. She took it and did so, "T-thanks, Kyojuro…" she mumbled.

I smirked, "You're welcome, Ibara!" I hugged her a little, knowing it still shook her up a bit. She hesitated but hugged me back, squeezing a little. Everything was okay now. I just let her go, and she grabbed my hand. We went inside to get checked by the nurse… This was the start of something great. I just didn't know what back then, except. I wanted to keep those I love safe.