Chapter 13
"And why should the boy be locked up in some facility in the middle of nowhere? He's changed! I've seen it with my own eyes."
All Might's question was answered with a scoff from Endeavor. "Of course you would be the first to fawn over anyone who gives you the puppy-dog act." He rolled his eyes. "You keep spewing the same sentiment, yet all we've seen from it is one trouble after the other. What part of that is supposed to make me believe it's changed?"
"The fact that we're standing here discussing this instead of fighting for the sake of the world should be enough." All Might countered. It was impressive how he could speak in such tones while smiling still.
Annoying too, or at least for the Flame Hero.
"And how do we know that won't be the case in the future?" Endeavor retorted. "What, three meager heroes who have their own lives and careers to worry about are supposed to keep something like him safe from the enemy's prying eyes?"
"I will be helping them as well."
"I find it ridiculous that the Number One Hero would abandon his duty to Japan to become a babysitter for some drone of a child."
All Might puffed his chest, "It is the future that is at stake here. Young Kayama's growth is necessary if we as a nation are to prosper! How would Japan look like to the rest of the world if our leading man was raised in a governmental facility away from the public? Leading the people starts with knowing the people! And only by dedicating ourselves to him can we secure our nation's prosperity."
"Good work on the big words there, big guy." Hawks cut in cheerily. He received a thumbs-up in return.
Endeavor whirled to face the rest of the Top Ten. "And you! Do you all really believe an unpredictable liability is what we need running around the public eye?"
After being dismissed by the High Court, the top heroes had retreated into a separate room where they were told to prepare to come to a verdict. The Artificial Sentience Rights Debate was nearing its end, and the fate of Izuku Kayama, aka Subject Nine, was hanging in the balance. During the three official court hearings for the past week, the jury didn't show much in terms of whose side they were on. They simply listened to both defendant and plaintiff, murmured over to each over occasionally, and watched as the boy in question watched them along with the rest of the courtroom.
All Might stood tall and proud by the door, ready to leave and announce his choice at the drop of a hat. Endeavor was not that far at his side, where both had a wide view of the room and its occupants.
Hawks sat at the long table in the middle of the room, wings fluttering slightly every so often as he played with a few stray feathers. He was joined by the heavily-armored Yoroi Musha, who sat quietly next to the stoic Edgeshot, who seemed to be meditating. Mirko had pushed her chair to the back of the room, using a nearby coffee table as a footrest while she picked lazily at her suit's fluffed collar. Ryukyu, Gang Orca, Crust, and Best Jeanist themselves were scattered around the room, making small talk or pondering to themselves.
"I doubt his true identity would be made public." began Jeanist, "But besides that, we all heard how those incidents came to be. Apart from those situations, Young Kayama has displayed much discipline and docility for someone who was to be used as a weapon of war."
"And what, simply because he is mild mannered we should let him roam free?" countered Yoroi Musha.
Jeanist shook his head, "I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that we can't be too quick in judging him."
"Ah, so we have another sympathizer." Endeavor rolled his eyes. "I expected more from you, Hakamada."
"It goes both ways, Todoroki. Cooperation comes a long way. Especially when the man in question could have wiped hundreds out or brought instability and chaos without batting an eye or shedding a single tear. I've talked to Midnight, apparently the only negativity surrounding the boy is the remorseful weight he carries from his past life and current accidental actions."
Crust pumped his fist, "That's true change right there, my comrades!"
Grunting, Yoroi looked beside him, eyeing the silent Edgeshot. "Kamihara, do you not have anything to say?"
The Ninja Hero hadn't said a word in the entire week of official court meetings and off-record debates. In fact, he had barely paid Izuku a cautionary glance!
The meditating hero opened his eyes, his posture straightening as he prepared to address the room. Even All Might and Endeavor leaned in, wanting to hear just what the elusive warrior would say.
"Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation."
Edgeshot went back to meditating, and Yoroi rolled his eyes with a growl. "Again with the haikus."
"IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU ALL?!"
The entire room went deathly quiet at Endeavor's roar of outrage. The flames that made up his beard and eye mask flared dangerously, and All Might had to take a few steps back to avoid the scalding heat. Even those at the back of the room could feel it.
"This is a national crisis! That weapon you fools keep calling a child has no right to simply roam free in society! He needs to be restricted, his very existence threatens the stability of our world! Yet here you are, twiddling your thumbs over what should be an obvious decision!"
"Oh come off it, asshole!"
Kicking her feet off their resting place, Mirko pulled at her large rabbit ears. "What, just because we're not sweating buckets or screaming to high-heaven about how balls deep in shit we're in means we're not taking this seriously!? The Court told us to come to a verdict, and I've got mine!" Her rabbit-like foot thumped against the floor agitatedly, "I'm just keeping my mouth shut because I for one don't want to put up with your nagging and screeching! Goddamnit! That's all you've done about that kid ever since you found out he fucking breathed, and throwing a tantrum when our opinions aren't what you want to hear! Tell me, since when the hell did I start having to answer to you?"
Her protests were supported with nods. "We've all been worried over this, Enji. It's an insult towards us for you to think otherwise." rumbled Gang Orca.
"It's like Best Jeanist said…'' Ryukyu began. She was startled at the glare she received from both Endeavor and Yoroi, but continued on strong at Crust's smile and hand on her shoulder. "…Cooperation comes a long way; it's the only reason why we took down Apotheosis's program, and why we've been successful as we are with Young Izuku. Throwing all that away because of our fear wouldn't do anyone any favors. Especially him."
"Your point?" inquired Hawks.
"We… we have to find a balance."
He nodded. "Good point."
Crust walked up to the winged hero. "If you don't mind, what's your verdict, Comrade Hawks?"
"Nah, not at all," he waved, "If you ask me, I honestly think the Commission's the better choice. Worked well for me, after all."
"But he isn't you, Hawks."
"Oh I know, Ryukyu. But that's the thing. We're dealing with systems that we've got no idea on how to manage. Not to mention check ups, training analysis, questionings; why move back and forth between locations and use up time and resources all for security reasons when we can have access to all these things at any time, at all times? Not to mention, a life of complete order and discipline is all the kid knows, setting him up with a pretty casual environment is a bit of an unwise move. Get my drift?"
"At least there's another in this room with common sense besides me and Musha." grumbled the Flame Hero.
"Proud to make you proud, buddy."
"But weren't the tests the thing that triggered all those incidents in the first place?" inquired Crust.
"True, but that's where trial and error come in. Though they really do need to cool it with the poking and prodding. Kid's bad enough on a mental level as it is."
Mirko's ears twitched as her enhanced hearing picked up a bit of commotion in the courtroom located outside their door. "Talk's over, princesses. They're getting ready to call us back."
Sure enough, a security guard popped open the door before addressing the room. It seemed that whatever was up for debate had been resolved. Gradually, the Top Ten made their way out the doors and back out to the courtroom; though not before Hawks nudged Mirko at the group's rear. "You never did say what your verdict was."
She nudged him back, "In front of these drama queens? Tch, hearing them bitch for the past week was torture enough already."
Hawks nodded before grinning cheekily, "So, what's it gonna be: cold tile floors or fancy rugs?"
Her lips parted in a fierce grin, "Put him in either one for all I care. He goes rogue, I'm still kicking his ass."
xxx~*~xxx
Izuku was hungry.
Over the time that he'd spent with Mother and his uncles, food was a luxury he grew to enjoy. Soups were quick to find themselves at the top of his list, with soft white rice being a close second. Vegetables were a wonder to explore, with different tastes and textures depending on whether they were cooked or raw, fried or broiled. Meats were quickly becoming a troubling pleasure, and while he hated to admit it, the meat known as pork in any shape or form was subject to immediate drooling.
God, if only his past self would see him now.
Really, his only saving grace was his limited consumption rate; one good meal took him nearly the full day to digest. And that went without mentioning the strange gurgling his gut seemed adamant on doing after eating, let alone all the burping that followed. But that's what happens when you go from eating a small platter of vitamin-rich sludge to scarfing down nearly two-and-a-half courses of a kaiseki dinner.
Was he complaining? No. Such actions were beneath him.
Anyhow, the white-haired boy was hungry. And unfortunately for him, just as Mother and Uncle Mic had found the cafeteria, an announcement had been made.
Izuku Kayama, and only Izuku, was to stand before the High Court of Tokyo.
It was safe to say that both Kayama's found the timing extremely… annoying. But, like a good citizen, the boy let himself be escorted to the courtroom; though not before reaching for one last affectionate grasp of his Mother's hand.
Stepping through the doors of the courtroom, he was a little surprised to see it empty barring the Top Ten's jury and the High Justices. He kept quiet though. It was highly unlikely that a place like this did things out of the green (was that the right phrase?) and without reason, so he stood at attention, and waited.
It was quiet. The Chief Justice, Isao Awaremi, doing nothing but giving the boy an extremely quizzical stare. Other Judges did the same, though weren't as blatant in showing it as everyone waited for.. whatever was to happen.
"You truly are something else."
Izuku blinked at the interrupted silence, "Thank you, Chief Justice."
The man never broke eye contact as he leaned forward to fold his hands in front of him. "When I first heard of this case, I will be the first to admit that I found sleep… extremely difficult to reach. A being that resembled a human, yet possessed the power comparable to a god;t was nothing short of a paradigm shift in our view of evolutionary science."
"The capabilities of HardDrive are not all-powerful, Chief Justice." Izuku rebutted, "Its basis is dependent on others' Quirks in order to function."
"A rather humble way of describing it," murmured a neighboring Judge.
"I don't believe humble is the right word when it comes to him. Logistical is perhaps a more appropriate word." said another.
"My statement remains the same," cut in Chief Justice Awaremi, "Nevertheless, I ask you this, Izuku Kayama: What exactly causes an emotionless super weapon trained for nearly a decade, to fall in the arms of a woman with no parental experience whatsoever, all in the span of four months?"
Izuku never looked away from the addressing party, but even then he could see the flaming figure of Endeavor –among others– lean in with expectancy. What had been the one thing that thawed a heart as cold as his had been? Nearly ten years worth of merciless training and heartless teachings should have lingered more stubbornly within him. So why didn't they? What did Mother… Uncle Mic… Uncle Shota and Superior Nezu and All Might show him to ultimately turn him from his previous path?
"Everyone and everything craves to be a part of something. To belong to a cause." Izuku began, "I thought I had been given that privilege while belonging to Apotheosis. But then, in a single day, I lost it all. Everything I had watched develop around me was torn down by the ones I was told were my enemies; the ones I was taught to have no mercy against. ...But as I struggled to remain conscious after my stasis pod malfunctioned and was destroyed. As I bled and burned and throbbed with pain, I found myself… taken in by my enemies, and nursed back to health. Why?"
His eyes began to glow with the light of Visualization. Turning, he faced the wall to his left. He ignored the growl of alarm coming from certain people in the jury, and focused on a single moment. He had been injured and dazed back then, so the visualized memory on the holographic screen at the wall was hazy and struggled to maintain a clear sense of stability. But Izuku continued anyway, determined to show them the first of his many surprises.
"It's okay sweetie. We're not here to hurt you."
The hologram froze, and faded away. Izuku turned back to the court, "They were the first words to have ever been said to me by my enemies." He looked over his shoulder, towards the doors that led to the lobby- where Mother and his Uncles were waiting. "There was no malice in their voices. No fear. Only… concern. And when I finally fell, EraserHead held me. Took me to receive medical attention. Did everything that an ally would. And even when my purpose, loyalties, and power were brought to the open, not once did he ever treat me like an enemy. Neither did All Might, Nezu, or Present Mic. Or Mother. Especially Mother."
"My faith in everything I was taught for nearly a decade was blown away in a single night. All that I thought I knew about society and its people was wrong. There is a world out there beyond the walls of my previous life. A world with more. And I… I want to be a part of it." Izuku, the ten-year-old capable of contending with top heroes, bowed humbly. "But only if you will allow me."
The courtroom was silent for a long time. The judges alternated between murmuring to each other and glancing at the boy, much of the jury doing the same.
"Well said."
Izuku rose to face the Chief Justice, who nodded in approval. "Very well said. But there is still one more factor to take into consideration: The future."
A far off Judge nodded to a guard stationed at the door. "Bring him in."
Creeak…
The doors of the courtroom swung open, the low creak of their hinges having all who were present turn to face the entrance of the doorways. Eyebrows were raised in confusion by most of the Top Ten, while the High Court motioned for the newcomer to stand centerstage. And as for All Might, his eyes widened in surprise. 'You…!'
Crisp in a pressed white suit with a matching shirt and polka-dotted red tie, a tall, grim-faced man with green and yellow-streaked hair stalked over to the center of the court. His posture was a lot like Izuku's- balanced, firm, and with an air around him that left no room for idle thoughts or actions.
"Izuku Kayama, I would like to introduce to you Mi-"
"Mirai Hasaki, otherwise known as the Pro Hero Sir Nighteye. Sidekick to All Might throughout his Bronze, Silver, and early Golden Age time periods of his career." Izuku looked hesitant, "He… was a target."
"Set up for assassination?" inquired the High Court.
Izuku turned to eye the man beside him, observant green meeting piercing yellow. "That, or whatever other purposes he could fulfill. Even recruitment if possible."
"It wouldn't have been." Sir Nighteye clarified confidently without bothering for pleasantries. "Your Honors, I assume this is the weapon you brought me here to… analyze?"
"It is." answered Awaremi. "Young Kayama, what else do you know of this man?"
"Apart from his previous partners, alma maters, and evasive and tactile fighting methods, nothing else, Chief Justice."
"So you know nothing of his Quirk?" questioned Awaremi.
"The information was never disclosed to me, Chief Justice. Too safeguarded by the government." It was safe to say that Izuku found the urge to Scan the Pro Hero for his Quirk's information extremely tantalizing. Record footage -rare as it had been- had shown Sir Nighteye to be an extremely observant and nimble opponent, outmaneuvering Villains and avoiding disasters like second nature. Actions even the best of training couldn't prepare you for. The boy suspected it to be related to his Quirk, and had taken it upon himself to analyze every movement used by the Hero in preparation for their fateful meeting.
Even if the man's Quirk was a mystery, it would only have taken a single moment of Scan or HardDrive's abilities to find out for himself once they met on the battlefield. The only challenge then was in countering his close quarters combat abilities, and managing to capture him; a task Izuku was confident he could achieve even now.
"My Quirk is called Foresight. It allows me to see a single person's future every twenty four hours. I will be using it on you."
"To ultimately decide your fate, we cannot rely solely on the present. You are unpredictable, and your nature is one that will teeter in the balance for as long as you live. We need to make sure we are prepared for whatever may come, whenever it may come."
"But are these visions set in stone?" asked Yoroi Musha. "Your Honors, can we truly rely on that Quirk to predicate the stability of our society- of our world?"
"Mirai's Quirk is resolute. I've seen it plenty of times throughout our partnership." said All Might, his shadowed blue eyes trying to meet his former partner's own. He was unsuccessful. "Everything that Foresight has ever predicted has come to pass, that won't ever change."
"Is that right, Sir Nighteye?" asked a Judge.
Mirai's face was a grim conflicted mess for a second before he schooled his features back to his usual expression, a sign only Izuku was able to see. "Yes."
"Then let us proceed."
Chief Justice Isao Aaremi nodded, and gave one last announcement. "Young Kayama, keep your hands behind your back and do not use Scan or HardDrive to research Sir Nighteye's Quirk. Sir Nighteye, you may begin."
The entire court held its breath as Mirai Sasaki held out his hand, his eyes staring deeply into Izuku Kayama's own.
End of Chapter 13
Ah, It's good to be back. I'm very sorry about such a long hiatus, and though I blame writer's block for stalling me in the second half of this chapter, I won't deny it's helped me a lot in planning the direction this story will go in– about three fourths actually! The only thing I've got left now is plan out the finer details for the story's finale.
So here we are! The climax of our story's introductory arc. It's been a long thirteen chapters to get here, and while they're not perfect, they're not the worst you've read either. Izuku's finally going to be put to the ultimate test: The Test of Time - Courtesy of Sir Nighteye, who I hinted at in Chapter 12, yet no one seemed to call out in the reviews. Was I that good? LOL :) The Top Ten are here too! I wanted to get a few outside opinions on this Artificial Sentience Rights Debate, and who better to be a Jury than the nation's best protectors? Some are all for locking up Izuku away in some lab, while others see the capacity for change and want to try something a little different. There are no real 'bad guys' in this scenario, just those who listen a little more to their heart than their head. I hope I've captured that in this chapter.
Thanks for reading, following, and favoriting this story. It really means a lot. Your patience too. I know it can be hard waiting for Authors to post after months of anticipation. Next chapter's on its way!
Apex Redeemer out!