Hey, Author's Note Time and a fairly somber one this time. My good friend and the one that inspired me to write Runic Legacy and Voidborne has been dealing with some particularly unsavoury people trying to be jackasses. Not giving constructive criticism, just being outright awful.

I appreciate everything you've done for me, hopefully you'll come out of this okay. Take care of yourself and never forget how amazing you are during your hiatus.

Thank you for all your support, Sushui_Temitsu.

One year later, Izuku age 15, Bedroom

Over the past year, I'd had a lot going on. I'd already completed my high school and college level academic subjects through online schools, the certification putting me on par with high level experts renowned in their areas of expertise across the fields of chemistry, physics, engineering, material science, electronics and cyber-security to name a few. It's surprising how easy it was to accomplish after creating a supercomputer in the storage space.

My visits to talk and "baby-make" with Mei had grown to become a regular constant in my life, going every weekend to tinker and, inevitably, blow something up. I'd made pretty good progress in taking down organised crime by a noticeable chunk on the global scale, my very existence striking terror into the hearts of criminals everywhere.

The stories had become faintly ridiculous at this point to be honest. Some thought Judgement was an angel sent down to smite sinners for their transgressions. Others thought I descended from a secret lineage of super-powered ninja. Yet others thought I was an alien seeking a new place to call home after the destruction of my planet. Those were just the somewhat believable ones as well. I was reminded why I never ventured into the shadier side of the internet that day.

Still, at least the little "VIP entrance" I opened up into the Commision's database hadn't been discovered yet, giving the Roses direct access to all their dirty little secrets and cover-ups. A small chip into their main server and a quantum entanglement transmission system straight to the hub. Untraceable, undetectable access to the system was the gift that kept on giving, one the Roses took full advantage of to keep taking down the false heroes as I focussed on criminals.

The arrangement between Stain and I was a fairly simple one. He would work with the Roses to purge false heroes and those that allowed them to run free, primarily corrupt handlers and members of the Commision that swept any and all evidence of failures and misdemeanours out of sight so that they could preserve their precious reputation. I would target the worst of the criminal underworld, those who take joy in the misery and suffering of others, those who feel nothing for what they do to get what they want. I didn't hunt the petty thugs or purse snatchers, those who were left with nowhere to turn and resorted to crime to survive.

I hunted the worst of the monsters that prowled the underworld.

Falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, I find myself in a familiar black void I hadn't visited since that fateful day. The day that my fate changed and my life took a wildly different path. As a familiar presence appeared besides me, I chuckle lightly "Really now, we have to stop meeting like this. I'd have brought cookies if I knew you were dragging me here tonight"

The strange spirit was floating alongside me in the void, looking mildly amused as her face kept changing grumbling "Well, I couldn't talk with you until now. Had to give you some time alone to make sure of what kind of person you were. No offence, but I don't feel like my powers ending up in the hands of a lunatic bent on harming innocents. I assume you can guess the rest"

To say I could guess was an understatement. It was fairly obvious looking back. One of the greatest tests of someone's morality is to give them great power and no oversight to keep them in check. The way someone acts when they are given all the power and freedom that they could ever want says much about who they are as a person.

Raising an eyebrow slightly I mutter "None taken. Guess this means that the trial phase is over now and this is the part where you see if I'm worthy of keeping your gifted powers? I don't know if pranking the Commision will count against me, but I will stand firm and say that I have no regrets in the slightest about doing so" prompting a burst of lilting laughter that made the void seem warmer than usual.

Clutching her stomach while spinning around as she floats around me, she cackles "Are you kidding me? If anything, it earned you extra points in my book. After all the boredom of being stuck in this insufferable hellhole, seeing pompous idiots getting messed with has been the best entertainment I had in so long. Not to mention you made a point of never going after innocents or the righteous. You even managed to get someone else to stop targeting real heroes as well. You're keeping them and I'll even give you a hint to the true nature of your powers"

The last words instantly caught my attention. Was she seriously saying that matter absorption, integration, mimicry, restructuring and remote manipulation wasn't the end of my new powers? I thought that it was already insane to begin with but this just took the cake. My thoughts were evidently quite clear on my face if her renewed laughter was any indicator.

Calming herself down she swiftly explained "Your power is linked to mine, the dominion of primal chaos, the stuff from the very beginning of creation. Think of it as the most purified essence of reality, the thing from which all else is created." before leaning in, whispering softly in my ear "Who said that your power is limited to inorganic matter?"

My mind suddenly exploded. "Who said that" indeed. It isn't a quirk, it never was and never shall be. Why am I still trying to look at its limitations the same way I would examine a quirk? Mentally clobbering myself for missing something so damn obvious, I face her and bow "Thank you for your advice. I would like to know the name of the one that has given me a new chance at life, if that's alright with you"

A sudden look of bitterness crossed her face as she opens her mouth and a howl of static and white noise escapes from her lips. Reeling in pain I clasp my hands over my ears and wait for it to end. After what feels like an eternity, I look up to see something I found hurt my heart, yet couldn't understand fully.

She was curled up crying into her knees, on the verge of a breakdown as she sobbed "I'm sorry...I'm...please don't hurt him...my fault...leave him alone...monster...why? WhywhywhywhyWHY!? Why does everyone that shows me kindness get hurt? What did I do wrong...why do others pay the price...why am I cursed?"

At that moment she didn't look like the all-powerful, playful spirit I'd seen before. She looked like a lost, grieving child that had been hurt and made to believe it was her fault, just like...Eri. The pain in my heart surged again and I put my finger on what it was. Sorrow, the desire to see her smile again and a burning rage towards those that had hurt her.

The same feeling that I had when I first saw Eri face to face as she cowered away from Chisaki in her cell.

Dusting myself off, I walk up to her and without a moment's hesitation and give a gentle hug. Gently stroking her hair, I remember an old pre-quirk European film I had watched together with Mum and the sperm donor. A simpler, happier time in my life. Remembering a song from the film I open my mouth and start to sing.

[Your author would like to inform you that the mentioned lullaby is "Hushabye Mountain" and if you want to open a tab and listen to it, I think it would read better. Your choice]

As I continued singing, the fear and pain slowly fell away. Her tears stopped falling as she released her knees and gripped my shirt, her head resting on my chest as she seemed a second away from falling asleep. Looking up at me, her face seemed to settle into one similar to my own. Long curly vibrant green hair, sparkling emerald eyes, a round face with freckles. She looked exactly like what I always thought my sister would look like if Mum and the donor had a daughter after me, maybe 12-years-old in appearance and gazing at me in wonder. When I finished, she dried her eyes and seemed to be working up her courage for something.

"W-why don't you hate me? I hurt you..." she mumbles, her voice thick with disgust and hatred aimed at herself for harming me. Stroking her hair, I chuckle "You never wanted to hurt me. You are no monster. You are a sweet girl that just wanted someone tell call you by your name and it went wrong. I'm not permanently hurt and you seem to be in more pain than I am" as I recalled my past and searched for the core of my convictions.

Slight laughter escaped my lips as I thought aloud "I want to be a hero with all my heat, but so many people have forgotten what that means. It means saving people, from whatever might be hurting them. Villains, natural disasters, their personal hells and inner darkness are all things that people need help to deal with, need to be saved from, sometimes and if I can't even save the person that gave me a second chance at life, the one that gave me a better future, I don't deserve to call myself a hero. I will save you"

Bringing her forehead up to mine she smiles a fragile, yet sincere twitch of her lips as she mumbles "You'd even save someone like...me" evidently in disbelief that anyone could possibly care about her. A steely resolve shone in her eyes as she looked in my eyes and spoke firmly "My original name was cursed to never be heard again, to never be able to answer to anything else and trapped all alone in the void. Could you...give me a new name? One that can give me a new beginning and an escape from all that pain."

Remembering an ancient myth, I murmur "If you wish for a name then how does 'Pandora' sound? It sounds really cool and I can't help but feel that it's a name that was waiting for you to claim for yourself" her glowing eyes and tight hug telling me all I needed to know about her joy in getting a new name and a new life with it.

Lifting her head, she gently planted a light kiss on my forehead mumbling "May this knowledge keep you safe, my..." as everything fades away to my bedroom, strange exercises and fighting techniques stored in my mind. Sorting them out while they remained fresh in my mind, I found two distinct sets of training exercises. One focused on improving my physical capabilities and control to their limits and beyond, similar to Stain's training methodology in approach, yet clearly of far greater quality in terms of effectiveness. The other was focused around the use of different types of close and ranged weapons, even guns in an ever-changing flow of weapons being used.

Their names were "Fate-Breaker" and "War-Dancer" respectively. Fitting names considering their uses.

Making my way out to a meeting point with Stain after switching with a projection, I contact him with an offer I think he'd like.

Two hours later

When Stain showed up, he chuckled lightly "It's not often that you're the one calling me. I'm guessing that it's business, but would it be so hard to drop by for a chat with your old teacher some times? Such a faithless student" making his version of a teasing joke. It's a side he rarely lets out, only ever showing it to myself and his apprentice Spinner. The manic killing machine is nowhere in sight, just a proud, grumpy master too stubborn to show his affection towards his students openly.

"Oh no, I have committed such a terrible sin, what ever shall I do?" piling on the mock horror as he snorts at my melodramatics. A slight pause and a serious tone manage to bring his attention back instantly. I'm rarely completely serious when not on one of my missions, so when I am it actually means something.

Bowing deeply, I formally speak "I never got the chance to say this beforehand, but I owe you a lot for training me, for believing in my quest to change things, for being the only person I could consider a father figure in my life. Thank you, for everything you've done for me. I probably never would have gotten this far or grown so much without you" seeing the swell of parental pride surge behind his mask as he took a moment to process the scene before him.

A clanging noise came from the roof access as Spinner stepped around the corner announcing his presence, observing this scene with a gentle smile. A fond rumbling laugh carried across the rooftop as he spoke "It's good to see that you're happy kid. I know we've had our...differences before. I was afraid I would lose the only person I considered a father to a new apprentice, but you never wished to take that. You wanted us both to achieve our dreams. I'm...sorry for allowing my pettiness to taint my perception of you"

His honesty and willingness to face his own shortcomings had just unknowingly passed him on a test that would allow him to be even better equipped for their crusade.

A deep breath calmed myself as I said "Actually I wanted to take to you and Stain. Somewhere we won't be overheard" as I warped us all back to the main base hidden away in the disused storm drain and pipes beneath Hosu. Stain and Spinner picked up their pace as we all dashed into a secured meeting room, checking for any scanners of detection devices. Once it was all clear I spoke calmly "I managed to gain two training methods that would allow you both to drastically increase your purging capabilities, but I need you both to swear by your crusade that you will never harm a true hero if you do learn these methods and will only allow those who would swear the same as you two have done to ever learn them. There's not enough true heroes as it is and I don't wish to have a hand in causing them injuries"

The sudden tension was almost oppressive. To swear by their crusade was a graver oath to make than to swear on their life. The moment quickly passed as they swore to follow those conditions. Heaving a sigh of relief, I pass them a physical copy of training manuals as Stain catches his breath and hungrily devours the knowledge in the 'Fate-Breaker' scroll before swapping with Spinner to repeat the process with the 'War-Dancer' scroll.

A long silence hung in the air as Stain coughed and chuckled proudly "If you're trusting us with these scrolls, I'm hardly about to betray that trust. We'll look after these scrolls and allow no-one to get near to them. Thanks kid".

The silence broken I laugh and start to warp back to bed smirking "No problem...Dad" with all the feeling that the word should have had with my biological donor.

Arriving back in bed I smile and fall back asleep, a gentle, peaceful smile gracing my face as I wander the sweetest dreams for the last five years. I finally found someone to call "Dad" and it filled an emptiness I had never been able to sense ever since the sperm donor abandoned us.

Today had been a good day.

Sorry the chapter took so long. My fingers seem to be doing their best to turn into icicles at it is not helping my writing rhythm in the slightest.

To Yurihentai641's review (love the username by the way, very cultured) about how he's so sure about getting experimented on. He's ten, just had a crazy dream where he ended up in a massive void, met some weird spirit that granted him a 'quirk' that is on another level of potential power, having a power ceiling that puts it at least on par with All-Might's (as of this point in the story) unknown quirk. It's not that hard to understand why he would get paranoid about it.

Anyway, stay alive, keep safe and hope that you enjoy this chapter and the ones to come.