"Where is everyone?" Anakin asked as Padme grabbed his arm and began to lead him towards a small park across the street from the shops. He had just gotten done picking out which patches he wanted to get, going with Midnight, Present Mic, and a couple of designs he'd been told represented the city. He wanted to find out if they had racing in Japan so he could pick out a team he could root for; there were a few racers he'd kept up with during his training but he hadn't been able to support them due to Jedi Code frowning upon material possessions.

"Hizashi took Ahsoka to check out some place that sold, for this world, older music." Padme chuckled. "They put music on vinyl here, or at least they used to. Hizashi claims that makes the music sound better than the digital versions."

"Hmm… never really got into music so I can't judge. The Chancellor was always dragging me to operas and Obi Wan preferred that instrumental stuff with strings. Hope Hizashi is careful with what he picks out; I don't want Ahsoka waking us up blaring something that sounds like Master Tiin screaming after he got kicked between the legs by oppie."

"That is a… colorful description, Ani."

He chuckled. "And very true. You could ask Obi Wan if he were around…"

"He went off with Nemuri to get some books on Quirk Theory and the history of this world. You know how he is."

"Yeah, better her than us."

"And Rex is handling something, he said it was fine and he'd catch back up with us."

Anakin frowned at that. "He shouldn't have separated from us. Not with us not knowing what dangers this world has."

"He'll be fine," Padme assured him. "And if he isn't… well, this world has plenty of heroes, doesn't it? You don't need to always charge in and save the day anymore."

Anakin pressed his lips together at that. "But… I'm not going to be able to not help." He shook his head in frustration, looking up at the fluffy white clouds that were floating up in the sky above him. "Somewhere out there the Republic is fighting to defeat the Separatists. People are dying Padme… and we're stuck here."

"You think that doesn't bother me too, Anakin?" She asked softly. "You don't think I keep thinking about it, wishing I could do something? All I want to do is find some way to contact the Republic, let them know we are here." She sighed, shaking her head. "But we can't. Even if we couldn't… we can't."

"What do you mean?" he asked her, pausing at a small tree, leaning against it with his arms folded over his chest. "There might be ways for us to contact the Republic… it will take time, need to figure out some way to build a hyperdrive which shouldn't be too hard, create an alternative to coaxium but considering there are people here that can generate fire at will…"

"Anakin," she said softly.

"And if not then we can send out a satellite. Nedzu said they had space flight in this world they just stopped exploring when quirks came around. We send out one and keep broadcasting a distress signal. Maybe take a few years-"

"Try a few thousand," Padme said.

"I can make it far shorter. I have some ideas I've always wanted to try-"

"Anakin, we can't."

He huffed. "Why? Why are you giving up getting off this planet? Why don't you want to return?"

"I want to return," Padme told him. "I want to see my parents again. My sister and my nieces. I want to see R2 and Jar Jar and Threepio and Bail and everyone else. I want to get back to work and let them know what Dooku did, how he tried to kill us. I want to stop the war and make the galaxy safe again. But only if we could protect this planet."

"…what?"

"Think about it, Ani," Padme said. "You said it yourself: there is a man here that can generate fire at will. What do you think Dooku would give to have him fighting on his side? How many Senators would demand we force Midnight to join the Republic Army because she could put the likes of Ventress to sleep? There are people who look like animals but have human bodies… the Hutts would pay so much spice to have them perform for them." She reached out and cupped his cheek.

At once Anakin could see it. Nedzu locked up by the Separatist leaders, forced to come up with plans for them to take planets, tortured if he refused. Present Mic drafted to fight alongside clones, it made clear that if he didn't they would find ways to make him fight. The Jedi arguing about quirks, some claiming they were clear signs of the Dark Side and needed to be destroyed because they went against their doctrine. The Hutts making heroines like Mirko and Midnight perform every day before returning to the dungeons at night. The entire Clone Wars would become focused on Earth, all sides fighting for it, destroying every city, convincing the people they had to leave for 'their safety' and then having bombs put in their skulls to ensure they complied with their new masters, their powers to dangerous.

Everyone on this planet… would be made slaves.

His hand reached up to touch the scar hidden by his shaggy hair.

"You're right," he whispered. "You're right, Padme. We… we can't ever leave." He looked around at children playing happily, businessmen and women going about their day, people shopping without a care. "We have to protect them."

Padme smiled at that, shutting her eyes before she moving to hug him, Anakin returning the embrace.

"There… are good things about staying here too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said. "Anakin… look around you. No one cares that we are hugging each other."

He blinked.

"They don't care," he whispered.

"They don't care. Heroes on this world… they can marry. Have children. It doesn't matter."

Anakin huffed at that even as a bemused smile formed on his lips. "They don't care," he repeated before grabbing her hand and dragging her over to a woman who was coming out of what appeared to be a hair salon. "Excuse me… I know this is going to sound weird but… I'm married." He gestured at Padme. "To her."

The green haired woman smiled at that. "Aw, that's so sweet. Congrats you two!"

Anakin looked at Padme as the woman walked away. "They don't care!"

Padme just nodded, smiling her own stupid smile. "They don't care!"

The two hugged each other tight, not even needing to kiss, so relieved were they that, at long last… they didn't need to hide.

~MC~MC~MC~

Had he been any other child Izuku would have been absolutely freaked out that the dark skinned man that had just utterly destroyed three teenagers had offered to sit with him outside while he waited for his mom to get done with her hair cut. Except… Rex was the first adult outside of his mother to actually show any interest in his well being and as such he had been more than happy to agree to the man's offer.

That was how Rex and Izuku found themselves outside the sporting good shop, sitting on a wooden bench watching people walk about.

"That… was really cool what you did in the bathroom," Izuku said only to gasp as he realizing just how that sounded. "I mean how you beat up those guys! Though, I guess I shouldn't be cheering that on except they really weren't that nice and-" He swallowed. "I'm going to be quiet now."

"It's alright, kid," Rex assured him. "Don't mind at all."

"You… you don't?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course not. I've met plenty of people who like to talk. The Ge… Skywalker loves to do that though his is more jokes. And Kenobi is a fan of analyzing everything he sees. Trust me, I don't mind if you want to talk."

"Oh," Izuku said softly. "Are Skywalker and Kenobi your friends?"

"…people I work with," Rex said, figuring that was the safest way to word it. "Though we are close. Have to be, with all we've been through."

"Right." Izuku looked down at his red shoes, returned to his feet. "Thanks for helping me in there."

"Was the right thing to do."

"That… doesn't mean that most people would have stepped in."

Rex frowned at that. From what Obi Wan had learned from researching this world the kid wasn't just being sullen. Quirkism, it was known as. People in this world found all sorts of reasons to look down on people and their quirks. If they were too weak. If they were too strong (if one couldn't control them). If they weren't 'flashy' or 'impressive'. But the worst treated were the quirkless. It was why Nedzu had insisted Padme and him be listed as having minor quirks, as it would allow them to avoid many problems.

Sitting with Izuku and remembering how those three punks had treated the boy… Rex wasn't sure anymore how he felt about lying about his quirk status.

"Most people aren't willing to do what is right, I've found," Rex stated. "It's rare to find people who are willing to stand up in help. My brothers and I… many rely upon us to help them fight. And I don't mind it but… they could fight back themselves, if they just stood up and tried. Could have stopped those clankers a lot quicker-"

"Clankers?" Izuku asked. "I've never heard of Clankers. Are they from Australia?"

"Huh?"

Izuku shifted. "I'm sorry it's just… your accent… its Australian right. Or New Zealand?"

Rex didn't know where either of those places was but he figured it was better than nothing. "Yeah. Australia."

"I don't follow a lot of what happens there. There aren't as many villains in Australia as there are in Japan." The green haired boy suddenly perked up. "Your quirk is amazing, by the way!"

"My quirk?"

"Yeah! I'm not exactly sure what it is… I know it's not a mutant quirk so I'm torn between emitter and transformation. Emitter seems the most likely but it's possible you have a transformation quirk that just isn't visible. Maybe-"

"I have a mutant quirk," Rex said, remembering what Nedzu had told him. He had requested as much info as the principal had on the quirk he had assigned Rex; one didn't go into a mission without as much info as possible. Rex had spent hours studying the documents, committing them to memory so that he could quickly rattle of the information as fast as possible. "And it didn't aid me in that fight."

"It… what?" Izuku said, trying to wrap his head around what Rex had just told him.

"My quirk is a-" He didn't need to fake the annoyance, "-increase in bladder function."

"…does that mean your bladder is just larger? Or is it better at converting liquids into useful nutrients so you can drink more and produce less urine? Are you able to store it for longer without causing damage? Maybe-"

Rex's eyes went wide as the boy went rapid fire before he was reduced to mumbling under his breath, hand twitching as his fingers curled into the position one would use to write things down. "Kid," he said, waving his hand in front of Izuku's face, snapping him out of his mutterings. "You back with me kid?"

"Y-yeah," Izuku stammered, ducking his head. "I'm… I'm really sorry. I just really like quirks since I don't have one of my own and I like to think about them-"

"Nothing wrong with that," Rex said, cutting him off.

Izuku blinked at that. "But… but… everyone always tells me how creepy it is. How I'm just a stalker and that I also focus on quirks because I'm a worthless deku…" Izuku sniffed, lowering his head, wondering why he'd told Rex that. The man was so cool and had helped him despite being so weak… and Izuku had just told him exactly why that was a massive mistake. Why he should have just left him alone. He sniffed, tears welling up in his eyes. Stupid. He was so-

Rex reached over and gave his shoulder a shake, snapping him out of his depressed thoughts. "Kid, listen to me right now: anyone who thinks being passionate about something or wanting to learn more… they are the worthless one."

Izuku snapped his head up, staring at Rex, eyes wavering thanks to his tears.

"You think that heroes aren't passionate? You think they just get up and shrug their shoulders and only give it half their best? I'll tell you right now… anyone that goes into a fight without giving it their all is going to end up losing, simple as that. And the best fighters? They know that battles can only be won with luck so many times. You learn and you plan if you want to get out of the battlefield safely… and you plan even more if you want to get your squadmates through. You plan, they plan… and you all get home. You aren't weak for being passionate and getting information… they are."

He'd never considered that before. Or he had but he just hadn't… put it together. All the times he'd watched heroes he'd focused on what they could do to improve their quirks, how they could counter villain attacks, what they could have done to make a fight end quicker or minimize damage. He had taken so many notes, done so much research, even said that it was for Future Hero Work… but he hadn't put it together that it was okay because so many people told him it wasn't. And yet here was Rex who knew Present Mic and who had taken out those three guys, telling him that he was strong.

Strong like Rex.

"Wait," Izuku said, eyes widening. "If your quirk is just your bladder-" Rex grimaced at that, "-how did you manage to take out those three guys?" Rex opened his mouth only for Izuku to begin talking again. "I mean, I know there are plenty of heroes that learn how to fight without the benefit of their quirks. Eraserhead basically fights quirkless and while heroes like Mirko have enhanced physical abilities they still need to know how to move and fight in order to win against villains. In fact a lot of heroes suffer because they rely too much on their quirks and don't know how to fight without them or if it's a bad matchup. Mt. Lady's whole thing is growing huge but she doesn't really know how to do anything more than stomp and punch. If she learned how to moderate her size and learn some fighting moves…" he trailed off, mind racing as he rambled to himself.

It took a few minutes to realize that he'd zoned out… and Rex was still there, watching him with a slightly bemused smile.

"Sorry," Izuku said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and head.

"No problem, kid," Rex assured him. "I could tell you were working something out."

"Yeah," he said. "Are… are you a hero?"

Rex looked right at Izuku and shook his head. "No." The boy nodded. "Not yet."

Izuku's eyes went wide.

Rex chuckled. "Yeah… and I'm gonna be a hero without needing a flashy quirk. Just good gear and a good head on my shoulders."

"I… I wish I could do that."

The clone trooper thought of his little brothers. The young clones that hadn't yet gotten their armor yet. Who were so desperate to prove themselves and so fearful they wouldn't be able to. He thought of clones like 99, who had done all he could even though he wasn't fit for active duty. He thought of the shinies who had their heads filled with training but didn't know how to properly use it and what parts to toss away. He thought of all his brothers that just needed someone to give them a bit of help… and how he wouldn't be there for them anymore.

And he thought about this boy that was seated right next to him. Who didn't have brothers.

"You can, kid."

Izuku stared at him, swallowing.

"What?"

"You can do it. You just need the proper training. Someone to help you out. Show you how to fight. How to defend. How to lead."

"But I don't know anyone that can do that," Izuku whispered.

"Yeah, you do."

"…you?"

"I got nothing better to do."

"I… couldn't…"

"You can. And you will. It won't be easy. I'm not going to train you unless you are willing to give it your all. Promise never to give up and then when you almost do slam your fists into the durasteel and roar that you won't." He smirked. "But… I don't think that's going to be a problem. I think you have the passion and drive to keep going. Doesn't matter if you don't have a quirk at all."

Rex reached out and patted the boy on the shoulder even as Izuku began to cry. Only… these weren't tears of sorrow.

"Because… you too can become a hero."