A/N: Hey, Everyone, if you have stumbled upon this story and aren't familiar with my other works, take a look at Blood Lilies & Blood Orphans. All of these are written in the same universe and have intermingling characters. It is beneficial to keep up with Blood Lilies, which is set nine years before Blood Orphans starts, giving you some backstory into Eraser and his first-class at UA High. Blood Orphans is set in the current MHA Universe with Eraser's current Hero Course 1A Deku and the others. This will follow another set of transfer students who get into UA, and we will dive into All For One's plan that has been ten years in the making. All three stories are currently active and open to SYOCs.
Blood Lilies: Who were Shouta Aizawa's first students when he came to UA as a teacher? What triumphs, trials, and tragedies befell his class to turn him into the man we see today? This class 1A is set 9 years before Deku and the others at UA. This is the prequel to Blood Orphans going into the backstory of Alexis Knight, her classmates, and the early years of UA High School.
Bloodlines: Focuses on the hero work done in North America and goes into the aftermath of what has transpired in Blood Lilies. We will see the Bloodlines Investigation Unit open as Heroes with interest in the number of children's disappearances over the last four years join their ranks. What awaits our Investigation team as All for One's plan to leave a trail of bodies in his wake? Will our Investigation team be able to handle what they are bound to uncover? It's time to find out. (This story is set 6 years before Blood Orphans start)
Blood Orphans: UA. High School has known for some time it has needed to change its hero entrance course. A flashy quirk doesn't make a hero; they learned that at the Sports Festival. After All Might's retirement. UA makes their changes, adding a third hero course with individual students on the roster. Class 1-Z is born. These students have a lot to live up to and much more to prove. As UA prepares these new transfer students to get them prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other hero classes, The League of Villains is doing something similar to a set of teens who have been training for years in secret. It is time for All for One's plans to become a reality. The only way to beat the heroes is at their own game, and in a way, they won't expect. The heroes of UA will have their work cut out for them as they find themselves thrust into a fight they may not be able to win. All sides are playing for keeps.
Open to SYOC heroes. As this investigation team gets closer than a certain someone would like, villains are tasked with getting rid of the Bloodlines investigation team.
Prologue:
~Three Days since the Musutafu High Rise Attack~
"I thought I'd find you here,"
The sound of another human being caused Lexi to jerk to attention, her back to him. He didn't miss the tension lining her shoulders or the curling of her fist along her thigh. It was the subtle shaking of her hand against her leg that gave her away. He buried his hands into the pocket of his dress slacks, unable to explain the wave of emotion he too felt. He didn't take it personally when she didn't show at the Graduation Ceremony. He'd personally been expecting it. After everything was settled for them, the aftermath of the losses weighed on them all. A few had started to comment, but he had put a stop to those conversations before they could begin. He'd be lying if he said it didn't frustrate him to think a few wouldn't be able to see why this was so hard for her and so many of them. Perhaps he gravitated toward her because she reminded him of himself, how he'd felt after Oboro Shirakumo died.
"The ceremony went well; Enoki and the others were there,"
He casually came closer; she didn't retreat but instead stood her ground. Lexi's silence was more telling than if she'd shouted her feelings in his face, not that it was something she would do. She kept her feelings mostly to herself. However, she'd never been one to hide like this. This went beyond his scope. Anything he would tell her felt like it would drown out what she was going through.
Shota stopped at her back, looking out at the cityscape over her head, the wind blowing back her strands of dark pink hair. The irony of the rooftop escape wasn't lost to him; it was the only place no one would look for her. It was the only place they couldn't. He also knew about the reporters hounding the families of the victims, the school, and her apartment.
"He's worried about you,"
He bit back the other words he wanted to say. Surprised to see that she had turned to regard him, but no that wasn't what had his attention. It was the dead look held so deeply in her eyes. A look that told him she was two steps from the darkness that would swallow her completely.
His fingers brushed her cheek before he had even realized his body had been moving as his mind was flashing back to the first body that was found in the rubble, to the next and the next before his mind settled on when they had found her alive after the collapse, how she had been in a fit of hysteria, giving CPR to the body of a little girl in a pocket of space that was supported by broken sections of the building. It was an image that would haunt him, as she had completely disregarded her injuries.
Her movements were so precise and yet so desperate at the same time, as all she wanted was to save someone, anyone. It had taken her several moments to even notice they were there, to register their presence at all, to hear what they were saying. Her words were a plea, as she curled her blood-stained hands along his shoulders. "Sensei save her, please! This is all my fault!" His gaze went to the girl, and even from here, he could see that it was too late. They were too late for them all. The color and swelling of her right arm told him just how severe the broken bones happened to be. "There is nothing we can do," he whispered, watching as her eyes filled with tears. He knew this tragedy would not be the last; he still had yet to tell her about the rest of her class.
"I'm sorry."
His fingers tightened on her upper arms as he came back from his memories of that day. He pulled her closer. Surprised when her arms curled around him and after a moment he curled his own around her. "There was nothing you could have done differently...don't let this destroy you."
"You know that's a lie," her words were cutting and quiet. Aizawa had been debating how to respond and had taken too long; he didn't want to fight with her, even though she was looking for one.
"I don't want to fight with you," he said with a sigh as he began to head for the door. "When's the last time you've eaten?" Her silence was answer enough, she refused to lie and instead would go quiet when it was clear the answer wasn't something he would like. "I'll be back shortly."
Her fingers snagged his sleeve, halting him in his tracks.
"I'm sorry, " she whispered, her head bowed and her hair hiding her eyes. "Don't worry about it, " he muttered as he turned to look at her.
"I'm leaving…I can't be here," came the quiet words of the young girl who looked smaller than he'd ever remembered.
"I know. Do you want me to drop you off?"
The silence was his answer as her lips brushed his cheek before he was left on the roof alone. He couldn't blame her for leaving before the funerals were held in the coming days. The weight of their deaths haunting them all in so many ways. Their lives would never be the same. This was all their fault; they hadn't protected them. How had he failed so badly as their teacher? How had he allowed things to happen like this? He hadn't been able to protect them. His fingers drew blood as the wind carried away his tears as he bowed his head. A failure he would hold for the rest of his days. There was no way this wouldn't change them both; this would destroy them if they let it.
~Present Day: Five Days Since the Musutafu High Rise Accident ~
Location: Reinhart, South Carolina, USA
"I don't need to be here,"
Adrianna Kennedy was all too familiar with that line; she heard it all the time from most of her clients. This wasn't anything the elegantly dressed professional hadn't heard at least a hundred times before. With a gentle smile and long blonde hair braiding along her back, she leaned forward in her chair. Her notepad was forgotten on the small table between them. Lacing her fingers together and placing her elbows on her knees, she debated how far to push the teenager in front of her. She may be eighteen years old, but that, in her opinion, didn't qualify her as an adult.
Japan pushed its heroes out so quickly in their three-year program at UA. The most prestigious hero school known to man, but they didn't train their heroes to handle the pressure of being heroes; they never touched on the loss they would face in their line of work. How to manage the mental stress and deal with the loss of life they would face in the world. Everything was riding on them, and the world was watching. Any slip of their mask and people would call them incompetent.
She had seen what this life could do, how genuinely thankless it was at times, you worked so hard to save people, and sometimes it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. This is why she worked so hard for them, to be the ones to pick up the pieces of those who didn't need to be here. Those were sometimes the ones who needed her the most.
"Let's talk about what happened a few days ago," the blonde pressed gently. She didn't elaborate on what she wanted to talk about. She held out her hand, offering the young girl the option of showing her what happened rather than talking about it out loud. Adrianna found this worked well in the first few sessions, but eventually, they would move to speak aloud, the incidents in question.
"That's none of your business!" came the sharp reply of the young woman who now seemed poised for violence. Her blue eyes narrowed as though the shrink in front of her was the enemy she needed to beat down to keep the memories at bay. Her right wrist was still in its hard pink cast from wrist to the upper part of her arm past the elbow, a sign that her injuries from the incident had not merely been something to brush off. Her left fist was curled tightly in a fist, and a faint shimmer of color along her skin told her just how far she was willing to go.
"I believe it is, Alexis," she said gently, her voice soothing as she paid no regard to the show of force, she dealt with pro heroes who suffered from the things she was going through, but most weren't as young as her. "You aren't sleeping, you aren't eating, and when you do fall asleep, you're plagued by the tragedy that took your friends."
As those words hung in the air between them, she could see that Alexis Knight, who was referred to her by her father and who was fitting the bill on these sessions, was shutting her out and writing her off, like she was writing out everyone in her life. She was made aware of the accident at UA High just two weeks ago. It had been all over the news, but she'd received the school's official report after she explained who she was and why she was looking into getting a copy of the girl's file. She had spoken very briefly with the girl's teacher Shouta Aizawa and more at length with Principal Nezu.
"You weren't there! Don't act like you understand me or what I'm going through," came the angry shout as she rose to her feet and advanced toward her. Her blue eyes hard and her hands fisted at her sides. Her hand raised as it came down on the side table that she was sitting next to. It cracked under the pressure but held. "Charge my dad, but we're done here," she said, heading for the door.
Frowning, Adrianna tried one more tactic to get her to speak on the subject. "Just this morning, you almost struck your Nanna after she tried to wake you up," she remarked softly. "Only your training kept you from landing that blow. If you can't move past this event, I can't deem you fit to work in the States, " Doctor Kennedy rebuked, with a frown. She really did want to help, but she had an obligation to the public's safety as well. "Miss Knight, I can't help you move past this if you don't take the first step," she added gently. "Your abilities can be very dangerous, even deadly. Let us work together to move forward."
"I'll manage on my own, I don't need your help." With those parting words, all she could do was watch as the young girl fled her office and slammed the door on her way out. Frowning, she leaned back in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had been told the girl was stubborn, which she could see. She also noticed that Alexis felt she deserved her memories and did not move past this accident. She wasn't moving past her emotions or acknowledging them. It would be an issue sooner or later.
She'd seen this with the war vets she dealt with who had a form of survivors' guilt and could take years to work through. Everyone was different; everyone had various issues and memories to work through and accept. The first step was admitting they had a problem, and sometimes the hardest one to take was admitting they needed help. Her gaze landed on the file on her desk, and after a moment, she rose from her seat to move over to her desk to open the file revealing the wide grinning smile of a fifteen-year-old, first-year student at UA High. She had to give it to UA to be thorough and give her the complete, unredacted file that even had the Musutafu High Rise Attack in the file and the hospital report.
As if the world wanted to push her day into becoming any worse, the phone on her desk rang. Frowning for a moment, the doctor debated answering it. On the final ring, before it went to voicemail, she replied. "Doctor Kennedy speaking, how may I help you?" she asked out of habit. Her gaze drifting back to the file as she absently read it and listened for the person on the other end to speak. "Doctor, I want to know how my daughter's session went," came the demand of one of the most influential business tycoons in the United States. There was not a company in the United States who wasn't aware of who Dante Knight was. If you wanted something taken care of, you called him, and he got it handled for you, for a price, of course.
"That would be a violation of Physician-Patient Privilege, Mr. Knight," she explained smoothly as she held back a sigh of exasperation. "I can tell you that it will take time, Mr. Knight. I'm aware of the reporters pressing for an interview with your daughter-but I would recommend that it wait. She is not ready to be pressed with questions," she advised curling her hand on her desk into a fist. She had a feeling no matter what, she told him that he would have his daughter scheduled for an interview in the next few days. Mr. Knight wanted to capitalize on the public's desire to get first-hand knowledge of the UA Tragedy. "I pay you to pick up the pieces, Adri, not to give me parental advice if you don't feel up to it; I can find someone who is," he warned, ending the call before she could respond.
Pressing the phone angrily back in place, she leaned against her desk and debated her options and was all too aware of the fact that there was little that she could do in this situation. Alexis would go through with the interview in a misguided attempt to get her father's approval, tac on the fact that she felt guilty for surviving the interview would not go well. Reporters were known for being single-mindedly focused on getting the story they wanted their viewers to hear. They twisted the words and the truth more often than they reported on the actual facts. Alexis would be thrown to the wolves, and as long as there were dollar signs at the end of the road, Dante would be there to collect and wouldn't care about the trauma inflicted on his little girl. It was with a heavy heart that she sank into her seat and pressed her hand over her eyes, knowing that all she could do was wait. Trust wasn't built in a day, and she had other patients to see, but for a moment, she just needed a minute to collect herself.
~Meanwhile~
Fingers curling along the fabric of her sweater, she tried to breathe through the rising panic that had begun to set in the whole time she was listening to that shrink talk so casually about her friends who had lost their lives, how some had lost so much more. She wondered if it would have been better if they had died, to lose the ability to be heroes before their lives had even started. Where was the fairness in that?
It felt like the buildings winding corridors had been closing in on her, just like the building collapse. There were flashes of sound that echoed in her ears, the groan of the building as the whole thing shifted, the sound of the windows shattering outward from the force. She, for a moment, felt the building under her feet rumble and shake, causing her to lean against the far wall as the memories played through an onslaught in her mind. She could smell the smoke from the fire that had started on one of the upper floors and rapidly traveled to the other levels, traveling up to the last five. She breathed through her mouth and kept moving as she turned one of the corners and found the elevator; she couldn't get in that tiny cramped space. She'd had an issue with enclosed spaces before the high rise, but it had only worsened after the accident.
Alexis shoved open the stairwell entrance and made her way down, hand curling along the railing in the death grip that she knew she needed to keep her feet. 'I need to get out of here,' she thought to herself and was thankful it was mid-morning, so there was no one traveling to work this late, as everyone was already there. It was so easy to pretend that she was fine, to act like Japan never happened. Like the last three years of her life didn't exist, that she didn't remember her closest friends, many who were no longer here, their lives stripped from them far too early and others so severely wounded they had been lucky to survive until help had arrived and found them alive.
The ground-level exit loomed, and she pushed against it taking in large gulps of air as she stumbled her way out into the busy streets and the sunshine. It wasn't as packed as New York City, but a lot of people liked to walk around when the weather was nice. Some shot her concerned looks, but no one made a move to steady her, just moved out of her way, not wanting to get involved.
A young man had seen her though and approached his hero costume so glaringly apparent as to what his profession happened to be. His excitement was so evident it made her nauseous just catching a glimpse of him from across the street. Someone who hadn't yet to face loss and what that meant. People were so stupid, allowing children to believe they could play the role of a hero. Her anger at being approached was apparent on her face as her world righted itself in her fury of looking at this young boy who was only trying to help her. "Miss, what's wrong?" he asked gently, his hand resting on her shoulder to try and keep her from moving further into the crowd.
If she had cared, she might have realized that she was the reason the citizens were giving her such a wide berth, as though they were afraid of her. Her outlet to her rising rage and self-loathing was found as she swatted the young man's hand away, the blow hard enough to break the tender bone underneath, but his quirk saved him from having anything more than a bruise. "Get your hand off me kid, you should know better than to act all chummy with someone you don't know," she growled out her blue eyes hard as she twisted around to face him. Her choice of words wasn't lost to her as, in reality, he was older than her by a few years.
The young man raised his hand to the back of his head and gave her an easy smile, but it didn't reach his eyes that held energy very similar to the sun. "Ah, yeah, I guess you're right. That was pretty rude of me; my name's Solarium," he told her as he held his hand out to her. He would be lying if he wasn't curious as to why she was out here. Her injured arm didn't escape his notice or how she'd been in distress earlier when she'd left that office building. "Just who are you?" he pressed as he looked down at her. Why did she look so familiar?
Lexi muttered a swear word in Japanese under her breath, one she was sure would have made Aizawa cringe. She pushed that thought aside; he was another problem she wasn't sure how to deal with, their last exchange had been a disaster, but that was her life, wasn't it? She ran away from her problems to another continent, so she didn't have to face the most important people. "Why is that any of your business?" she questioned as she turned around and began to walk away from him. She knew her rights and was well aware that he had no reason to detain her.
Isaiah frowned as he watched her walk away from him, really he wasn't even sure why he was pressing so much to get any information about her at all. It really wasn't any of his business anyway, and he needed to get back on patrol, but he just couldn't help himself. "It's not, but you looked a little -" he hesitated for a moment on his word choice and decided to be honest about it. "Lost," he finished watching as her shoulders tensed, but she didn't try to get him to leave like he'd been expecting. "You're clearly not just a civilian; if I had been anyone else, you could have done some damage," he teased, watching her as they walked through the dwindling crowd.
Brushing back her dark pink hair, she glanced at him out of the corner of her blue eyes and debated what to do about him. "I could be a villain for all you know," she countered; although she wasn't, she couldn't help but notice that he was a little too trusting. "If you're going to keep following me, you can call me Syph, but we probably won't see each other much after today. I'm only in town for a little while," Lexi added; she had little intention of seeing him again. This was just a chance meeting and his lucky day.
"You should come to the Hero Agency Expo, it's where a lot of internetworking goes on for the Heroes of the US, it's only around about once a year, but it's a good way to get to know people we may not have the big name such as All Might like they do over in Japan, but we do alright on our hero boards," he told her as he laced his fingers behind his head as they walked. "It starts at the Rolland Hotel a few blocks from here, doors open at 10 am," he was quick to tack on. Isaiah knew he was pushing a situation that she may not want, but she looked like she could use some friends.
Frowning, she was quiet as she digested what he told her. Her immediate answer of no was halted, she could either be stuck at home with her mom, or she could get out of the house and hide out for a little while. "I'll think about it," she told him with a small smile. "You should get back to your patrol," she told him before slipping through the crowd and leaving him behind. Solarium could have caught up with her but decided it was best to get back to his own duties; besides, he would search up that name in the hero database once he got back to the office.
~Two Hours Later~
The tattoo shop caught her eye from across the street for the past few days. She had begun to make a habit off of looking at the books they had of different tattoos. She'd be lying if she said that she wasn't sure what to do with herself some days. It was as though she were in limbo and waiting for the other shoe to drop. There were still days where it didn't feel real what she was going through, that her friends were really gone. Other days it was a little easier not to get swallowed by the guilt. The busier she kept herself, the harder it was to be swallowed back in time.
"You've been coming by for days now, kid. What are you looking for?"
Blue eyes raised to meet the silver eyes of a man who looked like he could bench press her with no problem at all and crush her without having to try too hard. Brushing back a strand of hair, she approached the counter and laid her elbows on the table between them. "A reminder," she told him simply as she waited to see what he would say to her request.
The man frowned and ran his hands over his bald head; he had several piercings in his ears and tattoo sleeves down both arms. He had seen his fair share of adults and kids alike who claimed to want a tattoo to commemorate events in their lives, both good and bad. He gave the girl in front of him a stern look. "Of what?" he questioned out of habit; it wasn't that he cared per se, but he had to be sure she wasn't going to come back and complain that it wasn't what she wanted after it was all said and done. His work was always top-notch, and with his quirk abilities, the ink never faded and was still as vibrant as when it went on. It was part of the reason he was so damn popular in this area.
Lexi narrowed her eyes at him and debated what to do about him. What was with everyone being so damn nosy and in her business? She didn't have to deal with that in Japan...well, before the High Rise, before she'd left, the reporters had been looking for anyone who would give them a story; the dead bodies hadn't even cooled yet. Vultures the lot of them. "My friends who died. Is that enough information for you?" The question hung between them.
He quickly noticed the detachment but didn't comment on it. As he gave her another once over, it clicked why she looked familiar. The High Rise was almost all that had been talked about for almost a week by the news media, even here in America. It wasn't often that UA High lost students before graduation, a black mark on the school that it wouldn't live down any time soon. The news networks wanted a story, and a few of the survivors had dropped her name, not realizing the media wasn't out for anything more than a scapegoat. Alexis Knight was the one who gave the engagement order, and thus in the eyes of the public, she was at fault. It was all how you spun it.
"Yeah, kid," Vincent told her as he motioned to the back and placed a sign on the desk saying he was busy. As he left the counter and went into one of the hallways, she glanced around the front area once more before stepping after him. The hall wasn't very long, a few closed doors lined the left wall before the right opened into a large open space with a chair very similar to what you saw in doctors' offices, but it was used for other purposes. He motioned for her to have a seat, and she did with only a moment's hesitation as her gaze sized up the room. He didn't comment as he sat on the rolling chair next to some other instruments that were going to help him complete the task at hand. "So what are you wanting and where I'm assuming you have some ideas," he questioned as he began to clean his equipment out of habit as he waited for her answer.
"I want the roman numeral six on my cheek right here," she told him as she pointed where she wanted it. Frowning, Vincent debated on the morals of going through with a tattoo that was going to be permanently on her body for the rest of her life, and it would never run or fade if that were the case. With a sigh, he knew he couldn't go through with this without making sure this was really what she would want. "Are you sure about this? Once I get this on, it won't come off," he warned as he readied some ink into a small pan; it was black; the option for color was available if she wanted it.
"I'm sure," she told him with the utmost seriousness. Lexi wanted to show in her own way that she would never forget them. This was also a way of repentance for the way their lives had been cut short. She couldn't bring them back, but she would remember them and ensure people wouldn't be able to forget them either. "Lie back and pull your hair away from your face," he instructed as he leaned over and got to work. As the needle gun touched the ink, it glowed as he forced his quirk to activate at the end of the gun and affect the ink. "Try to hold still," he mumbled as he placed a heavy hand on her chin to help keep her from moving. "Don't want it to be crooked," he continued his voice low. It didn't shock him anymore what people decided to get, but it was those who lost people; there was something special about them, a loneliness that they couldn't get rid of.
Lexi closed her eyes and let him get to work without having to worry about her staring at him. As her phone went off, she picked it up, reading one of the new messages she'd received from Enoki and his family. Frowning, she hesitated for several moments, almost wishing to respond, but she knew she couldn't. It wouldn't do any good; she's proven to all of those that she had abandoned that she was nothing but a coward when things got tough. Instead, she ignored the messages, aware they would eventually stop altogether. It was better that way; it would be better for all involved if she was never seen again.
As she placed her phone down, she frowned as another message light up, and it was from her father explaining about her interview the next morning at 8 am and how he'd pulled some strings for her to get her cast removed at 0530. Her father was never without connections, no matter the field and how someone would be doing her make-up and hair at 0700 before the interview. He also instructed that she get back home and her time at the tattoo parlor needed to be cut short and that she better not disappoint him. 'Too late,' she thought smugly. The message she sent back was short; her relationship with her father was pretty complicated, it was like that all the time. 'Ok.'
Lexi knew exactly where he stood on his opinion of her. He was a manipulative ass and one that she preferred not to be like. She was only important if she did exactly what he wanted. Her time at UA had been the best time of her life. It gave her a freedom she didn't have here, but when the going got tough, she ran home to avoid facing those who needed her the most.
Vincent sat back, his muscles cracking as he leaned back to release the tension in his shoulders. Setting the gun down, he gently twisted her chin to admire his work and was pleased to see it looked pretty good on her. "All done," he said as he stood up from his chair. He was impressed she didn't make a peep when he'd given her this tattoo; most tended to tense or jerk away out of reflex, but she'd been prepared and had done well. He silently held out a mirror for her. "Take a look if you want," he said; once she took the mirror, he began to clean up the little bit of mess left, and then he took his gun apart and let it soak in a sterilized solution to clean it.
The pink-haired girl tugged back her long locks as she ran her fingers through her hair and moved her muscles to get the blood flowing. As she finally took a glance in the mirror, a little nervous and strangely excited to see something she had chosen to get, it was a choice she had made. Lexi reminded herself never to forget the lives lost. It wouldn't be enough to bring them back, but it would be a step in the right direction. Most people wouldn't understand, but some would know why she felt the need to do this. "It looks great, thank you."
"No problem, we can settle payment upfront." The two of them began to walk up front, and as they made it to the front desk, she handed over her father's card. "You're a war vet, aren't you?" She questioned as she leaned her elbows on the desk before she pocketed the card as he handed it back to her. "Something like that," he admitted with a frown; he wasn't sure what to say. Most didn't want to know his story or what he had lived through so far. "Anyway, put this on two to three times a day; it'll help it heal."
"Thanks, I'll do that. See you around, Vince, " she promised as she heard a car horn outside. She flashed a small smile his way and a wave before she exited the shop and headed for the black sports car that was illegally parked by the curb. "I'm surprised you still work for my old man Riven, " she said as she slid into the passenger seat and regarded the young man who was only about four years older than her. The man hadn't changed much since before she had left, still the same above six feet of muscle with messy black hair and golden eyes and curved horns on his head. Her gaze traveled down his exposed arms and looked at some of the new ink she could see. "Some of those are new, though," she commented lightly as her gaze traveled to the young woman seated in the back who was as quiet as she remembered unless she felt the need to tell you how incompetent you were.
Riven didn't miss the way Alexis tried to keep the conversation on them, rather than allow it to shift in any way to her. His gaze flicked to the rearview mirror as he regarded Anastasia, who was typing on a miniature handheld computer. A small device was in her ear, but at his gaze, those bright blue and light purple eyes raised to his own. Showing him, she was using her ability for things he wasn't privy to. As his partner went back to her work and left him to this endeavor, he was on his own. It wasn't really a surprise that the two girls didn't get along well. They tolerated each other, and that was about it; he really wasn't sure what the issue was, but he had a feeling it had to do with how strict Ana was; she didn't bend in following the orders of her father.
"They are nice, huh?" He asked her as he hit the accelerator and cut off a car behind them. Alexis was quick to fasten her seatbelt; some things would never change as she gave a small laugh to hide how she really felt. Hating the tension inside, the feelings, the pain, everything she had to push down because she wasn't in a safe place, she wasn't around those who wouldn't report back to her father. This wasn't anything new; it had been like this for years. If she wasn't on top of her studies, of her training with her instructors, it was all or nothing. Anything but the best wasn't enough for her dad. He eventually wanted her to take over his company, his vast connections to those with wealth who needed things handled discreetly. She didn't want any part of toeing that grey line of what was legal and what was probably illegal.
"Yeah, so how have you been Riv, I've been back a few days; where did my dad send you?" She questioned as she drummed her fingers across her leg as she turned her to look out the window as the city blurred around them. She used to love this, and now it seemed even this wasn't enough. Her fingers tightened into a fist as she hid her hand from view as her nails dug into her palm.
"You know it's confidential, Miss. Knight, remember what happened the last time you got too curious," spoke Anastasia from the back as she cut into their conversation, her eyes hard as she glanced at her from where she sat in the back, her hands folded neatly over her device, which was now closed. She really needed to remember her place; when she didn't, it was harder on them all. Her father expected absolute loyalty.
Lexi forced a smile on her lips and regarded Riven, who had his fingers tight on the steering wheel, and his gaze wouldn't stray from the road. Her eyes lingered on a scar mostly hidden by his bangs that framed his cheeks. 'Remember what you did... as I can forget. All I do is act tough,' came her thoughts as she changed her question. "Forget I asked Ri, so…" she trailed off, hating how she had to pick only neutral topics, and there really wasn't anything she had to say; she was obviously avoiding the elephant in the room. Riven was as well, and really, they just struggled sometimes to be friends. There was so much red tape. "I got a tattoo finally," she finished lamely as she tried to fill the silence as she looked out the window. "Father won't be pleased, but it's nothing new with him."
"Probably not, but it's your funeral." The young woman spoke up from the backseat, her colorful eyes full of accusation as she stared her down. Her tone was matter-of-fact. She wouldn't know how to tell a joke if her life depended on it, but she wasn't.
Riven was quick to cut in as even he noticed the lack of tact with what she said, and he caught the broken expression that slid across her features before Lexi had looked out the window to hide it. His golden gaze narrowed in the rearview mirror, and Anna just shrugged her shoulders and went back to her computer. "I knew you had a rebel streak in you somewhere." He teased, reaching over to ruffle her hair. It had the desired effect, and she grumbled and swatted at his hand. "I've always had one; just ask my teacher. I bet I've given him a few ulcers." she told him with a laugh, but it held a hollow ring to it.
Both of them kept the banter going as the drive continued ignoring the emotional detachment from both parties as their job titles kept them from anything serious. It made her miss Japan all the more and yet glad for the pain of being away. The memories of the hospital, seeing those who had survived but at the cost of grave injury. The morgue, seeing the bodies of her friends who died. She'd demanded to see them, to not just take his word for it. The conversation tapered off into silence the rest of the way, which was for the best because, honestly, she was exhausted.
It wasn't long after that they arrived at the massive gate entrance to her parent's property. As the gate opened and Riven drove through and began to make the trip down the long and windy road that would eventually take them past the horse stable before going further down the rural road to where her house was nestled back behind the large trees. Cutting it off from the view of any main roads and most large landmasses around wouldn't be able to see it either. Her father, Dante Knight, was very much a man who liked his privacy and preferred to keep the world at a distance when he wasn't working. Then again, she was sure it had something to do with the work he did and who might be out to harm him. She wasn't one who paid much attention to what he did. It was in her best interest to know as little as possible.
As Riven parked the car, she got out and looked up at the darkening sky and the lights that filtered through from the large windows of her home. It was the perfect example of the term picture-perfect; on the outside, they looked like the perfect family, but on the inside, in those walls, it wasn't perfect. In fact, it was far from it. It was one of the reasons she'd pushed so hard to go to UA in Japan three years ago; a nearly impossible goal was placed as her reward. She managed to make it, and her father had little choice but to agree. He was at the very least, a man of his word. It was the one career path that her father couldn't interfere in; he skirted a line in his business that she didn't want to do.
Muscular arms leaned across the top of his car as he waited to watch the entrance and the surrounding area, but his golden gaze was on Lexi out of the corner of his eyes. He always kept her insight; it was one of the reasons he was assigned to be her guard when she was home. Despite the fact they came from different worlds, he still considered her the light that shines on the darkest day. His life was full of dark deeds, pain, and misery, but still, she didn't treat him any differently, she was always kind to him, and it was through that connection that her father would exploit her in his favor. He clenched his teeth and raised his eyes to the man who was waiting at the top of the steps.
"Alexis come inside," he ordered, his gaze briefly meeting Riven's own before he turned on his heel and walked inside, knowing that she would follow; she would always listen to him.
Lexi brushed back her hair from her cheek and tucked the strands behind her ear, a subtle move to steel herself with her decisions she'd made and to prove she wasn't ashamed of them. She flashed him a small smile, but he could read the tension in her body as she followed after her father.
They lingered on the grounds waiting until she made it inside before he slipped back inside, ignoring how Ana was still tucked into the backseat. "You could move up, you know." He muttered, well aware she wasn't going to move. "Your driving is atrocious. I'm good here," came her response as she was once more on her little handheld computer. With a soft sigh, he took the car around to the back of the property to where a smaller house was where they stayed.
As the door closed behind him Dante moved toward the kitchen where his wife had placed their dinner. He didn't regard Alexis as she walked into the room and took a seat at the table in her usual spot. Her gaze was careful to avoid her father's because this was just the calm before the storm. This was how things always progressed. As normal as always before his anger snapped.
Her gaze slid to her mother and for a moment they locked eyes. Lilian Alexis Knight was someone who carried herself with the utmost dignity. Many would find her calculating and distant, but it was no secret their marriage had been out of convenience rather than love. Still despite the fact neither truly loved the other they stayed together, each with their own number of loves to fill in where the two of them refused to dwell. The smile the older woman flashed at her as she cut at her steak only after her father had taken his first bite, wasn't lost to her.
"How has your time in Japan been? I've been very lenient with you and your studying at that school. Imagine my surprise to see on the news that nearly your entire class has suffered grave injuries at such a young age. Six of your classmates died right?" He questioned as he cut into his steak as though this were nothing more than a conversation about the weather. "A pity I'm sure for all involved, " he said offhandedly.
Her fingers tightened on her fork and she was all too aware of where this was going, he was testing her. She swallowed and was quick to lock down any lingering emotions. "Yes, father." She picked up her fork and moved around some of the food on her plate a moment as her stomach knotted with nerves and as she placed the peas in her mouth, all she could taste was ash. She managed to keep a straight face, but her mind flashed for a moment back to the smoke-filled upper levels of the fire.
Alexis removed the fork and let the hand under the table curl into a tight fist to hide the trembling there. She closed her eyes for a moment and plastered a smile on her lips, one that would please the man across from her. For the longest time, she'd wanted his approval, but now it would seem she transferred that need to someone else, to those in her class, to those who mattered, and yet here she was right back to where she had started even after running as far as she had.
"My training at UA was something else." She answered him with barely a smile, a slight tilt of her lips, and nothing more. Had you asked her just six days ago, before the Musutafu High Rise Attack, she would have been full of animation, joy, and excitement over everything they were doing, everything they had learned in the last three years...everything they had accomplished. It all came crashing down in ways they all knew were possible, but they had never expected, it was always a that would never happen to me sort of scenario. The world was so very cruel. "I will fit into the Hero Society without issue once I transfer a copy of my license to the Department of Heroics. I was actually invited to the conference tomorrow morning. After my interview, I'll head over there, if that's alright with you. It may not hurt to get better acquainted,"
She suggested knowing that giving him the illusion of what he wanted was the best course of action.
Those same blue eyes, so much like her own, regarded her as he was searching for something, anything he didn't like. Dante was not a man easily pleased; it was no secret he had wanted a son and had been given her instead. Still, that didn't mean he would treat her any differently. He expected excellence, intelligence, and a level of obedience. "We shall see," he murmured as he stood up with his plate and walked around her.
In hindsight, she should have expected something like this. Her father was always testing her. She either met his expectations or she failed them. There was never any in-between with him. She couldn't help but compare the men in her life, in ways she hadn't expected. Every one of them was different, her friends were either assholes but not in a bad way, supportive and her best friends. Aizawa was more of silent support, he allowed her to figure it out on her own, he didn't give her the answer. He pushed her to exceed her own perceived limitations.
Dante lingered behind her, as he let his plate go above the table in front of her. As the plate fell, he reached around her, the steak knife raised and going for her face.
She didn't rise from her chair, but she reacted to both threats without issue. Her powers focused at the juncture where the knife would have otherwise punctured the soft skin of her cheek, and smash against her teeth. Instead, the knife bent upon impact but did no harm. As the fingers of her left hand hit the underside of the plate and spread her fingers wide, keeping it from falling from her fingers and tumbling down.
"Was that necessary?" Lilian questioned from where she was seated across from them, her lips pressed into a slight frown. Watching as Alexis set the plate down on the table. She didn't necessarily agree with the way he trained their daughter, but she didn't object, not when the training passed levels she would deem inappropriate. Perhaps she was living vicariously through her daughter too. Her powers weren't hero material and thus she took over her father's prestigious law firm instead. It was one of the reasons she had advocated for Alexis to go where she wanted in her life, with more freedoms than she herself had. This also left her unaware of the strain on the heroes of their society. It was something Alexis had done very well to hide from them.
"One must always be prepared for the unexpected mom," Lexi said quickly, ever the defender of her father and his unusual methods.
"She understands Lilian," Dante said as he moved to the kitchen sink, not yet beginning to wipe up the mess. "You should have been faster Alexis."
"I'll do better Father," she promised her fingers curling over her knees under the table.
"You have an interview early tomorrow morning. Remember we have a lot riding on this. I suggest you go to bed early." He moved to hold his hand out to his wife. "We have some things to discuss, we will see you in the morning, Alexis."
She flashed them a wide smile and closed her eyes ensuring her true emotions didn't fall through. "Of course, have a good night."
Alexis waited for them to leave before she rose to her feet and left the plates, glasses, and uneaten food on the plates before she moved to slip up the stairs to her room. Their maid would get the dishes as always.
Her quiet steps were soft, not making a sound as she moved toward her room, with every step she could feel her mask slipping, her tight control weakening. Finally, she reached her room shutting the door and sliding down to the floor as the first tear fell.
She missed her friends, she wanted everything to be ok again, but nothing was ever going to be the same. Lexi was still able to see her family as much as she wanted...she was the coward who didn't have to face the reality of all that was lost. When her friends needed her the most she ran away.
Nothing more than a coward.
There was one thing she could do to make this right at least.
Tomorrow the world would know the truth about the Musutafu High Rise Attack.
~ Phantom's Hero Agency~
~ Isaiah Sullivan Pro Hero: Solarium ~
Fingers brushed through his short light blonde locks, where they were usually more orderly, but with how often he was running his fingers through them, they were standing straight up on his head. With a groan, Isaiah rested his elbows on the desk and stared at the database again as the search results brought up no matches to the name given. He'd even resorted to several attempts at different spelling. "Just who are you?" he questioned the screen as his other monitor had pulled up the local camera footage using a form of virtualization software as it attempted to find just who she happened to be. He couldn't help the nagging feeling like he'd seen her before, but he just couldn't place it.
"Who's she? There is no way that's your girlfriend! She's way out of your league." A gasp left the other's lips before he was off and running again. "oh man, are you stalking her?! You are! Aren't you? Don't lie, Sol-"
"Shut up!" he growled, his fist slamming into the chest of Oliver Sinclaire as he pushed the green-haired man away from him and his computer screen. "Haven't you ever heard of personal space, dude?! And this is none of your business! I don't need another rumor started because you decided to run your mouth to Marissa at the front desk again."
Oliver's Cheshire-like grin only widened as his dark grey eyes danced with mirth. His posture looked loose and relaxed, but it didn't match the look in his eyes as he grew still as he regarded him, so still, it was almost as though he wasn't even breathing. "So it's unrequited love, isn't it?" He teased as he leaned back on his heels as he stood next to the desk chair Issac had been perched in since his patrol had ended almost an hour and a half ago. "No, it's not!"
"Where did you meet her, and why the interest?" he questioned seriously, his gaze darting back to the blonde before lingering on the image on the computer screen.
"On patrol today, she looked lost. I don't even know why I bothered to talk to her, but I guess you could call it curiosity." Isaiah explained as he too let his gaze go back to the computer screen. "Anyway, I didn't get much out of her, but a name Syph...but it doesn't seem to be in the Database, so my guess is it was a fake name; I did invite her to the expo tomorrow, though."
"Well, it sounds like you did all you could. So I'd wait and see what happens tomorrow, maybe she will show at the expo. Either way, you did the best you could. Let's grab some dinner! You know I hate eating alone." Oliver whined with a nudge in the ribs as he stepped back, his braided green hair swaying slightly behind him.
"Only if you're buying," Isaiah told him as he stood up, casting the computer one more glance before he turned away from it, he'd check on it in the morning. "Phantom has a meeting tomorrow so we can't get too hungover either!" He warned as the two of them headed out of the Agency.
The computer search program gave a beep of sound into the silence, the beeping continuing at a low tone of sound every couple of minutes. A small feature that let whoever know that their search had found a match.
A large shadow loomed over the faintly glowing computer, his gaze intent on the screen as it pulled up the full Civilian name, Pro Hero name, age, and current license status of the girl Isiah had been looking into earlier.
"You're quite a long way from Japan."
A/N: Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you enjoyed it! You will find out more in the next chapter about the Bloodlines Investigation Unit. This chapter was pretty Alexis-heavy, but it's necessary to set the tone and the stage for what is to come.
I hope you enjoyed the beginning of Bloodlines.
-AJ Aviary