"Wow Katsuki-kun!" One of the other kids exclaimed, making me turtle into my shirt. I just hated this. Katsuki, my twin brother, looked down at his shaking hands with a huge smile on his face. He had bright flares of explosions coming from them.
The classroom clamored, and all gathered around as I sat alone. Katsuki and I were the first ones, but it appeared my quirk wasn't working right.
"Yeah! Whoa!" another yelled, grinning and bouncing. I groaned and laid my head down on the table, wanting everyone to shut it. I knew Katsu had a good quirk... but then.
"Hey! Ren! Show us yer quirk, bro!" A voice exclaimed, blue eyes meeting mine, my best friend Tetsutetsu grinned with his sharky teeth and he nudged me a little. I smiled and my head emerged from the inner sanctum of my Endeavor t-shirt.
Everyone grouped up, and I stood up, feeling the tingle in my hands, my eyes set and my mouth set in a smile. I rubbed them together and got ready. Katsuki grinned. He was watching with the biggest smile on his face. He always liked me so...
"Come on, bro! Yours has gotta be as cool as mine!" He exclaimed, "We're twins! So it's gotta be someth-"
Suddenly... *oot!* *oot!* fart sounds. A small whiff of ignited glycerin and then gone. My hands shook and then they settled down. I tried again, shaking, the smell of glycerin, then gone again.
*oot!* the giggles of my classmates sounded really mean and I gritted my teeth and tried again.
*oot!*
"Ha... haha... haha hahaha! That's... that's so funny! Farts! Farthands!" Katsuki laughed, the only ones not laughing were Tetsu and Izuku. Izuku looked at my brother and Tetsu clenched his fists.
"Farthands! Farthands! Farthands!" they chanted, I flinched down, my eyes looking down at my hands.
"O... oh yeah! Well... well! When I get my quirk, I'll beatcha all up!" Tetsu yelled, making them laugh harder.
"Ooo! Tetsu and Renaru sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" They called. Tetsu grabbed my arm and yanked me behind him.
"Come on, dude, let's just go," he said. I shook my head.
"Hell no!" I snarled, "We both know I ain't backing down! Playground! After class!"
Katsuki smirked and sat down, "Fine!" He snarled.
"Fine!" I snapped at him.
"Good!" he snarled.
"Great!" I huffed. We just stayed mad at each other for the rest of class. Of course it didn't boil over, it wasn't right to fight him but I just hated that feeling of being backed into a corner. I would get the snot kicked out of me.
I ended up walking home with Tetsu and Katsuki. With the end of another day we just walked home on our own because Mama was at work. Katsuki just didn't talk to me. All he did was stick his little hands in his pockets.
I always was the weaker one, and he waited. Katsuki grabbed my shirt and smirked.
"Everyone sucks, like you, so get outta my way and you won't get hurt, kay bro?" he asked.
"Oho wow, barely a day and you're already being a big fat jerk!" I said, he threw me off him and I fell hard, scraping my knees and hands in the fall. Tears stung my eyes and he just walked away.
I knew all of us weren't created equal.
I came home to see Mama and Katsuki. With my chest hitching and my sides hurting, I hid in the entryway, listening and trying to make myself smaller. My legs and arms were stiff, and I tried to rest.
"So you banged him up just cause his quirk wasn't working right Katsuki, you know Renaru isnt... isnt like you,"
Katsuki just sighed, "Renaru's boring! And if his quirk doesn't work, how am I gonna be a cool hero with a lame butt brother like him?" Mama huffed heavily.
"Katsuki, just... bear with him,"
"Nah Mom, you're not seeing it how I see it. Renaru's just gonna get hurt."
"So you're beating him and Izuku up?" She asked, her voice kinda sounding like she was ready to yell at him.
"To get them outta my way." Katsuki said, I could see that smirk on his face as clear as day after a rainstorm.
Mama sighed and peeked around the corner, seeing me. She smiled, but I just went to my room. She didn't follow me, her reddish brown eyes so much like me and Katsuki's. I just wanted to lay down on my bed and sink into sleep.
My room was full of hero stuff, posters and toys, books, all kinds of things. Auntie Inko got them for me often because Mama couldn't. I curled into a little ball, feeling my hands tingle again, but I just cried. I grabbed a small plush of Endeavor. Mama said Dad blessed it with good luck before he passed away, but I still wanted to be a hero. I knew I had a strong quirk, but I gotta train for it, not like...
"Sweetie, you okay?" Mama asked, the light from the hallway lighting up my room. I shifted away and she sat down on the edge.
"Honey..." she sighed.
"Mama... I... I wanna be a hero..." I sniffled. She pulled me into her arms and squeezed me tightly. She just rocked a little. Humming a song and just letting me cry it out. I just wanted to help out my mom with a few things. She always looked tired and sad.
I don't want her to be sad anymore.
"I know baby, I know," She sighed, "Just keep going alright, you'll get there one day,"
I looked up at her, "Really?" I asked.
"Yeah!" she exclaimed, "Just train your heart out, Renaru! But... but not too much! And take breaks! And do it in a gym where you can get help!" She snapped at me. I laughed and kissed her on the cheek.
"Don't worry, Mama!" I exclaimed, "Imma get real strong! And when I do, I'll become an even better hero than Katsuki can!"
"That's right! You keep going! No matter what!" she declared, kissing me on the forehead. Ever since I could remember, I had to wear bands and braces on my arms and legs. I just ended up running and push u, a small start but with Dad's little cassette player uming rock into my ears it made me feel like I was climbing mountains.
Riding my bike with Tetsu metal on the back in the basket. He always helped me out whenever I needed it. Riding with him metallic would help me out with my leg strength.
"You got this, dude! Show Katsuki he sucks ass!" He yelled, hands on my shoulders and the bike straining to speed up. We rode down the street, our eyes on the landfill outside of the neighborhood.
Quirk training was a whole other ballgame. Tetsu would metal up and I'd have to hit him with all I had with my quirk. Easy, right?
Wrong, because when I did the hand thing Katsuki did, suddenly my arm burned with tingles. Then it tore out of my hand, intense and forceful. The winds buffeted the two of us and Tetsu hit the dirt.
My arm went numb, and I realized I burned the surrounding trash to nothing but goo. Tetsu hopped up and smiled. Everything was wasted, and I hissed at the slight burning feeling.
"Dude! Your quirk is strong... OH SHI- What happened to yer arm!"
I blinked and smiled, "What about it?" I asked.
"It's... it's bleeding, dude!" he exclaimed. Looking down, I saw my arm really doing that, the slight burning feeling turned into a terrible burning feeling. I shook a little and looked at my burnt hand.
I didn't know what happened, but it hurt. "Ow. Ow. Ow." I hissed, holding it and Tetsu smiled.
"It's progress, dude, but... maybe hold it back," he said.
"I couldn't hold it back, though," I said, It felt like I couldn't control it.
The second Tetsu and I got back to my house, Mama looked at my arm and glared at us. She got out the first aid kid with a heavy sigh and we both sat down for a lecture after riding back from there.
"Boys... what didja do out there?" she growled, her eyes narrowed, darting between us like a laser pointer. We balked and she just wiped the wounds on my arm clean, it stung but felt good after. Mama was used to me getting banged up.
"We were training! Like... like his quirk and stuff, out in the junkyard!" Tetsu bellowed. Mama tightened the bandages.
"You two did WHAT?! You both know the rule, Tetsu!"
"To... not go into the junkyard..." he sighed.
"Right, Imma tell yer mama and Dad about whatcha did, you two could have gotten seriously hurt or gotten someone seriously hurt! Ren, go to your room, sweetie. I'll come get you in a minute."
I slid off the chair and shuffled to my room, seeing Mama's sad face really made me sad too. I sat on the bed, thinking about that feeling of release I had from that doubt that I had a bad quirk. It felt stronger than Katsu's.
I wasn't scared but... I was. It was so strong! I laid on my bed and sighed. Not everything was that easy. Mama came in, her face still sad, but I just curled into a ball.
"Renaru, I know you're doing what I said, but remember what I said?" she asked.
"You wanted me to be safe this time and I coulda really hurt Tetsu." I said.
"Yeah, next time... just wait before you go all Demolition Man on anyone," she sighed. I nodded, and she hugged me tightly. I smiled, and she kissed me on the forehead.
"Besides! You gotta get a cutie to like ya! I'm sure some girls are gonna be on their hands and knees, begging you to date them!" she exclaimed.
"WHAT WAS THAT, YA OLD HAG?!" Katsuki thundered, "RENARU IS WEAK! THE GIRLS WILL LIKE ME WAYYY BETTER THAN HIM!"
"YOU SHUT YER FACE, KATSUKI!" Mama yelled back. I just sighed and closed my eyes, ready to sleep. I wanted to just sleep. So that's what I did. I fell into dreams and everything was okay at least.
"One, two, three, four! One, two, three four!" Katsuki yelled, "March onward, heroes! Gotta find that villain!" I ran, my legs pumping and my arms swinging wildly. I couldn't let Katsuki catch me. They already got Izuku and now I was down to the only one not apprehended.
I had to get away; we were too close to the river, and it swelled a lot this year. I rubbed mud on myself and ran for the hills. At least trying to stop one of their quirks, Thermal Location. But I didn't notice Katsuki coming in.
He chased me, trying to get me cornered, but I just kept running no matter how much my sides hurt and my legs screamed for rest. Tetsu and I's training helped me out. The smacking and squishing of mud and branches stung me and I kept going. My eyes set on a safe place nearby.
I skidded to a stop, doubling over and wheezing. My eyes were blurry, and I coughed a little. Everything was spinning, and I didn't know what to do. Then...
"Whoops!" A voice echoed before a hand roughly shoved me, tumbling down into the waves of the river, rushing me down. I surfaced.
"Ma- Mama!" I called, "Ka- Kat-" I went under, dark again but I fought my way to the surface again, breathing harder than ever, coughing and reaching out for something, anything to make myself stop.
No footholds, nothing. I was a little piece of driftwood, they'd find me two days later on the bank, alone and forgotten. Quirk too wild to save me and too weak to survive on my own. I made one more try before I fell under again.
"Kid... kid! Kid, wake up! Come on! Don't be dead..." a weird voice said, almost like a lazy thing, I slowly opened my eyes, covered in something warm and soft, someone was kneeling over me. He had wings. Red and big eyes that were bright and a weird smile on his face. He sighed in relief. His slicked back golden hair looked so cool! He looked like a hero!
"Dang, you're a heavy sleeper, little dude! He exclaimed, Good thing my feather's gotcha in time or you'd be a goner!" I sat up and coughed up some water, breathing hard. The winged hero patted my back.
"Easy kiddo, easy," he sighed, "Let's getcha home." I shakily got to my feet, noticing he didn't have a coat on. He smiled and helped me up. He looked so cool, but he just hoisted me like a bag of groceries and took off. The rush of air and the slam of wind hit me like a truck. It was so COOL!
"Oh! Totally forgot to ask ya! You afraid of heights?!" He yelled.
"THIS IS AWESOME!" I screamed back, "WOOOO! YEAH!"
"Okay! I'll take that as a no!" he yelled back, going lower once he found Mama, she looked so sad and angry all at once. When we landed, the hero put me back down and I almost took off his coat before he halted me with a raised hand.
"Heroes gotta look cool, and hey, nice Endeavor plush, Skyguy," he said, turning around with a smile.
"Hey wait! Don'tcha need it?" I asked.
"Ehh... I got time to get a new one," he reasoned, "One pearl of wisdom for ya," he turned and knelt back down, hand on my shoulder.
"No matter what, you keep flying," he said. Launching off the street and flying away. I watched him go and Mama scooped me up into her arms.
"Honey, what happened, suddenly Katsuki comes home all... quiet and junk, then I ran into that guy and he found you and now... now I... Renaru?"
"Mama, Katsuki and I... and Izuku too, were laying out in the woods, and... when I was resting, Katsuki... he shoved me into the river," I mumbled.
"What! Honey, no..."
"He did, Mama! Does... does he hate me? He's getting scarier and scarier!" I yelled, tears falling from my eyes, "I don't wanna be... I don't..."
Mama just hugged me and carried me home. I changed my favorite hero. That hero was so cool, and seeing the city from so high up made me feel... good! I wanted to keep on seeing it that way, so I wanted to.
I wanna be where he is. So now it's up from here. Katsuki waited for us when we came home, the night whining and crying out. Mama sternly glared at him. It was a long and hard climb to the summit, but I could do it.
Just fly.