A/N: Woah, I can't believe this has taken so long! I'm so sorry, guys. I hope you like it!

Word Count for Chapters 1 pt 1 & 2 & 3: 43,285


Simone Wilson lifted her backpack on her shoulder, and pulled her black hair out of the straps, and debated putting her long hair up as she ran her fingers through her hair at the ends in thought. "I'll put it up later, " she muttered to herself as she slipped the hair tie on her wrist. Taking in her appearance one more time and letting her gaze sweep over her room as she patted her pockets, checking for everything. "Keys? Check. Phone? Check. ID check," she said to herself; finally satisfied she wasn't about to forget anything, she shut her door and headed for the stairs where the laughter of two children could be heard.

As she rounded the stairs and headed for the living room, it was to see their two little ones bouncing on the couch cushions, her mom must be doing the laundry, and someone wasn't doing their babysitting duty. "Liam! Olivia!" Her harsh tone for a moment caused the two little ones to look at her. "Don't bounce on the couch. You know you're supposed to sit on your a- butts," Simone was quick to recover from that possible slip up. The last thing she needed was the Toil and Trouble Twins repeating that particular word for the next two hours. Her mom would never let her live that down, and her bad side was so not one to be on.

Liam was a cute little boy of wo and a half with blonde hair styled in a mohawk and light blue eyes, and the little girl Olivia was just a few months shy of matching his age at two years old. She had curly black hair tied up in two short pigtails and bright brown eyes. It was apparent they weren't related to each other or her, but blood didn't make a family. Her family fostered children and eventually adopted them, focusing on those without quirks. They were mostly overlooked by parents wanting a child. In the age of quirks, a lot had been forgotten. Their family was very blended, and they didn't just take in younger children. No, they had adopted two younger sisters Aislyn and Gracie. One was fourteen, and the other was thirteen, and her older brother Trey was eighteen.

Simone was the only biological child of her parents Evelyn and Darius Wilson. They had begun their fostering about ten years ago after one of their friends had been killed by a villain attack leaving their son Trey with nowhere to go. He settled into their family, and eventually, their family grew as they fostered and eventually adopted other children. Trey had no desire to be a Pro hero, but he worked to continue his education and be a lawyer.

"Cawch Sisi," Liam began as his little legs bunched up, and he bounced a little higher on the couch. A little game was what she got for a one time snag and catch when he'd tumbled off the back of the sofa. Now, this has turned into a game. Simone set down her bag behind the gate. "Only one turn each, " she told them as she quickly twisted her hair up in a messy up knot at the base of her neck. "Yay!" he cheered as Oliva clapped and screamed out a baby laugh as she sat on her bottom and waited her turn.

He climbed to the top of the couch and held his arms out to balance himself as he waited for the word from her. Simone toed off her shoes and her socks before one foot leaned back, and the other was bent further. "Go, " she shouted to him as she repelled herself at higher speed with her quirk and twisted to her back as she snatched his smaller body out of the air, her arms curling along his back. Her hand cupping his neck as she slides along the hardwood floor to stop as a pair of boots and the sound of a throat clearing loudly behind her.

"Don't let mom catch you doing that," Trey told her. His light green hair was long down to the middle of his back, and his yellow eyes were hypnotic. Still, he could put anyone to sleep if he activated his quirk. He was a Godsend with the babies and a blessing to her parents. He was a part of their family. The nineteen-year-old had sworn off ever being a pro hero after he lost his parents, it was a topic she'd only tried to have with him a handful of times, and it always ended the same way. He never talked about his parents or how he felt. After a while, she realized that it was his choice, and she couldn't force him to talk about any of it. He thankfully had not held any hard feelings toward her own desires to want to be a hero and had been quite supportive of her. They trained together often, often resulting in several sparring sessions in the backyard. While he may not be a pro hero, his excuse working with her was to stay in shape for the college girls he'd meet after this year of high school was over.

"Again, Again, " Liam cried out as she set him on his feet, and he took off for the couch again.

"What's with all the noise?" Aislyn questioned, hanging her body over the railing to look down into the lower level, her glasses precariously still on her face and her white hair hanging below her, causing Oliva to point and giggle as she climbed onto the back of the couch as well, but her arms were held out to be picked up rather than to jump off.

"Careful, Liv." Trey said softly as he picked up the little one in his arms and raised a brow at Simone, who still hadn't gotten up from the floor, so he'd had to step over her. Olivia rested her head on his shoulder. She was getting tired. In just a few hours, the little ones would be going to bed soon.

"Oh, Mom! Simone's feet are smoking!" came the cry of Gracie as she rounded the hallway leading to the master bedroom on the left with a towel around her long dark green hair, she'd clearly just gotten out of the shower. She was always in a rush to tattle on whoever was doing something they weren't supposed to. "I bet she was using her quirk in the house again!" she called out, already heading for the laundry room down another hallway, where her mother could be heard listening to some light music as she got her own away time from everyone.

Aislyn shared an eye roll with Trey but laughed out loud at Simone's disgruntled look on her face as she got to her feet and moved to retrieve her bag. "Are you all ready for your exam?" she questioned as she came down the stairs to join in on the little family gathering as she settled on the couch, Liam was quick to go over and wanted to be picked up as well. With a soft sigh, the fourteen-year-old picked him up, and he sat in her lap, kicking his bare feet back and forth.

Simone absently rubbed Oliva's back, who was still cuddled up to Trey. "Yeah, I'm just about to head out. I was hoping to see Dad before I left, but I don't think he's home yet. I'll be sure to call when I get there, though, and I'll let you know how it goes. Worse case, I'm back at Shiketsu, which isn't bad either. U.A. is only picking a handful of students from all over to get into their hero class. They are opening up," she explained, frowning slightly. 'No pressure,' she thought heavily. "It's like a once in a lifetime chance."

"All Might retired after the fight with All for One, the really scary looking dude. If I had to guess, they, just like all the other schools, are noticing the changes they have to make. UA has more though after losing that kid who won their sports festival this year and with those villain attacks," Trey commented offhandedly as his gaze strayed to the news that was playing on the tv. It was on low. He didn't miss the fact that not one news outlet had mentioned this event, so it was pretty safe to say the media wasn't aware of this new class yet. He couldn't help but wonder what that would mean for those that did make it into their school.

~Meanwhile~

Evelyn glanced up from the clothes she was folding to regard Gracie as she came down the hallway. Her fingers tucking the green strands that had escaped from her towel, and her hazel eyes brightening as she saw her. "Mom," she repeated to fully catch her attention as if she was sure that her mom didn't hear her the first time. Evelyn was all too aware of the stunts pulled by her children, and she had tried to explain to Gracie the importance of family wasn't always out to get someone in trouble, but Gracie was very structured, and things had to be done as per the rules. While Evelyn understood where she was coming from, it could be hard for the others to understand because it was so easy to forget where Grace had come from. What she had been put through as a little girl. Thankfully Child Protective Services had been able to remove her and get her in a safe environment. It was so easy to forget sometimes as she often acted like any typical thirteen years old.

"What is it, Gracie Lane?" she questioned with a grin; it had been a nickname that had stuck around. "Simone was using her quirk in the house, she was playing with Liam, and she's not supposed to do that," Grace explained as she took the cue from her mother at her incline toward the clothes and began to sort the socks together and to find the right pairs and matching them up without complaint.

"Oh, was she?" came the red head's question. "I'll have to remind her not to do that, but I think she's just excited; honey, today is her transfer exam with U.A," Eve said gently as she began to gather the basket now that they were all done with the clothes. "Come on, let's see what everyone is doing," her mother said as she began to leave.

Grace followed after her and said after a moment what even she was surprised to hear coming from her little girl. "You're right, Mom. She's probably just really excited about UA," her thirteen-year-old mentioned with a wide smile on her lips. "She's been training really hard even before she got the letter," she said as she hung her towel over her shoulder as they walked back to the living and combed through her long green locks.

~Living Room~

Simone stayed where she was, lingering between the living room and the kitchen entrance and the exit to the front door back through the baby gate by the stairs. She glanced at the time on her phone. She needed to be leaving.

As Evelyn and Gracie came through the doorway, one with a basket of folded clothes, and set them down on the kitchen counter before hugging her daughter, her mother had shoulder-length bright red hair and amber eyes who happened to be a little taller than she was. "Good luck today, let us know when you get there and how it goes," her mother was not the most affectionate ever, that was more reserved for the babies, and she was okay with that as she wasn't the most affectionate person either. "I will," she promised, moving toward the door, but her words caused the flurry of hugs and well wishes to be sent her way.

Trey's hand patted her on the head on her way out, his smile widening as he saw the look she gave him. "Be careful today," he told her seriously before he stepped back and allowed her to actually leave. "I will be," she told him with a nod before she slipped out of the house to the continued chorus of 'I love you's and good lucks.'

With a shake of her head, she turned to head to the station. It wasn't that far of a walk from her house. The car that stopped beside her had her giving it the major side-eye before the window rolled down and revealed the man behind the wheel who had wavy short black hair and blue eyes. His ability was nothing too significant, but to breathe a heavy black smoke from his mouth and nose like a dragon, it was one of the reasons he wasn't a pro hero. He had tried but found he just wasn't cut out for that line of work and went another avenue.

"Hey, Dad, I didn't think I'd see you before I left," she greeted, glancing around before stepping over to the curb to talk with him. "I know, pumpkin, but I was able to get off early today. I can drop you off if you want," he offered, hesitating slightly as he wasn't sure if she would want him to take her or not, but he was hoping that she would. Their life was the perfect blend of love and chaos, but it usually meant sometimes the little ones took most of their time. His work at the law firm didn't give him a lot of family time either. He hoped to fix that, but things were never always that simple. So he was hoping to spend a little time with her.

She leaned her arms into the windoww as they talked, and as he offered to drive her, she smiled softly at him. Things at home have been stressful lately. Having a large family as they did it came with financial strain. Still, it was something she never really heard her parents complain about, but she'd seen a few of the bills placed behind the sugar container on the kitchen counter around the first and fifteenth of every month. "That'd be great, Dad," she was quick to assure him as she climbed into the passenger seat and set her bag between her feet on the floorboard before buckling her seatbelt.

Darius shifted his car into gear and began the track to U.A. High. "Are you sure you want to transfer?" He questioned, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel as he stopped at a red light. He didn't look at his daughter. It wasn't that he wasn't proud of her; it was just that U.A. has been in the news lately for various reasons, and not all of them were positive. He was well aware that it wasn't U.A's fault, but they were still a target, and with them being more in the public eye, with All Might being a teacher there didn't help.

Simone shifted in her seat to look out the window for a moment as she contemplated what he was really asking her with that question. Will you be safe? "I do, I know you're worried, but this is the choice I want to make. We can make a difference once we become heroes," she started as she tapped her fingers against her seat, pausing for a moment before she continued with her point as the light changed to green. Their drive continued to U.A. High. "UA has had their issues six years ago and just recently, but evil triumphs when good people do nothing," she glanced at her father with a frown. "I know you're worried that something might happen, like what happened to Trey's parents...but this is my choice. This my chance to see if I've got what it takes to stand with UA if I don't make it. I'll still be with Shiketsu, and I'll still become a pro," she told him, her fingers curling into a fist at her side. She was to have a quirk that could be used to fight villains, to help people. She wanted to help people. She wanted to protect them. Like her family and people just like them. "I want to protect and help people, Dad."

He was aware of the risks of heroes, it was a precarious place to be, one shift in the wrong direction, and you, despite your best efforts, could be the one facing wrongful death suits and others of that variety. The world only loved you for as long as you did what it wanted you to, acted in the way they desired you to. To be so in the public eye was not the best place. It also made you more of a target for your loved ones. It was one of the reasons he was against this. UA was more and more in the public eye as their year started. It was mainly All Might becoming a teacher there that caused the villains to look at UA differently, but he couldn't say it was the only reason. This was not something he could merely get behind and be comfortable with. Once this was all said and done, should his little girl make it into UA, he would be having a meeting with her teacher immediately.

Simone knew what her father's silence was; he would never fully see why this is the path she wanted to take. His worry for her well being and the well being of his family clouded everything else. He didn't want to bury his little girl before her time. He knew what it was like; despite the best efforts, lives were lost in villain attacks. Heroes could not be everywhere, and the police were not equipped to handle those with quirks that were able to harm or kill them if they decided to.

Turning to look out the window, the drive to UA was done mostly in silence, neither party ready to give in to the other. The amber-eyed youth was almost positive the rest of the car ride was going to be done in silence. They just a few minutes away from UA High before her father broke it. "I just want you to be safe," he said with a heavy sigh as he glanced at her from the driver's seat, his black hair a little disheveled from where he was running his fingers through it.

"I know, and I'll be safe. We've been trained for this. Our classes and our teachers have all helped us get to this point," she said with the confidence she felt. She was passionate about her standing and her own skillset; it was something very few could keep up with the training they had. Civilians were at a severe disadvantage against them, and if they continued with their training, villains would be as well. "I know you never wanted me to be a hero. You wanted me to be anything else. But I want to do this. I can do this!" She paused a moment to let those words sink in for him."It would be nice to have your support, but I get it- This is the path I've chosen, and it's not for everyone." She told him firmly as she pulled the door handle of the car, all too ready to put some distance between them. She opened the door as the car stopped in front of the school, her fingers grabbing her bag and swiftly shouldering it as she shut the door. She didn't give him a chance to respond. She really didn't want to hear it.

Darius could only watch in disbelief as his daughter walked away from him and into the school before he could get a word out. As he pulled out his phone, he had to smile slightly to himself. That was her mother's sure-fire personality shining through right there as he clicked the call button. He watched her glance at her phone before pressing the call to accept it. "I do support you, pumpkin, I love you, and I will always support you, but it's my duty as your father to protect you. Knock em' dead killer and call us to let us know how it goes," he told her as he pulled away from the curb and continued his conversation with her via the Bluetooth setting in his car. Her laughter was what he was aiming for as it filled his car.

Simone continued her way into UA as she finished her conversation with her dad. "I love you too," she said softly, eyes darting around to see if anyone had overheard her before she promised to give them a call when it was all over. As she tucked her phone into her bag, she put it on silent. She entered the auditorium, her gaze taking in everyone who was already here with one sweep. Everyone looked like they would be a challenge; a few kids stood out, some of them went to her school. She wasn't close with any of them though, they weren't in the same classes, but that didn't mean she didn't know a little about one young man in particular who was sitting in the back on the right side of the room closest to the only other exit in the room. All you needed to know was he was a complete asshole, but that was Tora Inazuma for you. Turning away, she settled in a seat to the left, but next to the walkway. She wasn't a fan of being between people. She tucked her bag under her seat and leaned her cheek against her fist as she waited for this exam to begin. She almost wished that it would start now, better to not have the anticipation of waiting.


Dark brown eyes widened as the young man darted back a step only to trip on a rock and fall flat on his back. As the sound of air left his lips, he watched the branch above him get sliced off and begin to fall toward him. A strangled sound, a cross between a shout and a curse, left his lips as he rolled out of the way as the heavy fat branch struck the earth where he'd been only moments before. He clamped a hand over his mouth and began to regulate his own breathing. 'That was close,' he thought to himself as he felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek.

Carefully he brushed back his dark brown hair, all too aware of the way the front spikes were going to stick up even more. This last-minute training session like this wasn't exactly advised by the facility. Still, he couldn't just hang around and do nothing. Zion Sawada was one of the only students he knew of at UA High that had gone nearly fifteen years of his life without knowing that his quirk wasn't just a carbon copy of his father's, but his mom had a quirk he'd inherited as well.

It would explain a few things, but when you only had one parent teaching you something, it was clear his other side of his quirk would be a little on the wild side. He'd counted many things that had happened as a fluke, but after the entrance exam a few months ago, that he hadn't managed to pass to get into UA's Hero course. Still, his written test had helped him get into General Studies, it left him wondering about the time where he'd whistled to get another test subjects attention to the robot approaching him, and the boy hadn't realized he'd tried to call him without breaking his words he'd been saying to keep his other part of his quirk active. That little blunder had allowed him to realize there was something unique about him. The wind had struck the robot condensing enough to blast a hole through it, the point of such a hit hadn't been enough to help him out, but it had left him with a lot more questions than he'd been able to answer.

As his breathing evened back out, he heard his cell phone go off and picked it up on the second ring. "Hey Dad," he greeted as he held the phone to his ear as he wrapped his nimble fingers around his water bottle and began to head back to his dorm room, all too aware that he didn't want to stay out too much longer, the school would start their rounds soon, and he didn't want to have to explain himself. It was a touchy subject with his father, the idea that the mother of his kids had left him alone to raise them like she did. So he and his older brothers decided to never bring her up. His second quirk was unexpected, and it was why he felt the need to keep it a secret from his family, at least for a little while longer. Mostly because he was worried about how his father would react to the news, and he didn't want to hurt his feelings. While noble, it was a dangerous thing to do. He would have to mention something sooner or later.

"Hey Zi, we were just calling to see how you were doing," came the response from his father Kazuma Sawada as the older man leaned back against the couch in his living room, the phone was on the coffee table, and around him were his two oldest children Kiryu who was nineteen years old and almost the spitting image of him with matching brown hair, except he had his mother's blue eyes. The other was Naofumi, who was seventeen years old and got his blonde hair and blue eyes from his ex-wife, Zefia. Zion was the only one who was his spitting image. Kazuma had never expected to become a single father, but life was never quite fair, but it was something he wouldn't trade for the world. Thankfully his accounting job had made their lives a lot easier; it was a blessing for him to be able to move to a safer area.

Naofumi leaned forward, his fingers on his knees as his spiky blonde hair had gotten a little longer and was now reaching just below his neck. He knew he'd need to get it cut soon. "What he really wants to know is if you will be home for your next holiday," he cut in cheekily with a wide smile as he laughed, ducking out of the way of a piece of popcorn his older brother had thrown at him. "That's mine, don't waste that!" he growled, his blue eyes locking with his older brother's more serious stare.

"Well, maybe you should shut it and let little Zi answer our questions," Kiryu told him as he rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat in the leather chair. Things were alright financially for the small family, but it helped that the older boys were working to help with the bills. Kiryu was currently enrolled in the local community college, working hard to knock out his Gen Ed classes before going into a larger university for his last two years of school. His quirk didn't exactly offer access to the hero world in the way that Zion's did, so he was going to use his talents in other adventures. He was currently also working on getting his band off the ground. He could thankfully play a variety of instruments thanks to the music he listened to and his quirk allowing him to perfectly replicate any rhythm sound he heard. He brushed back his dark brown hair behind his ear, he wasn't looking to become famous per se, but if it helped support his father and his family, he would do it. Singing was not something he could do, though. He had a few interviews lined up with a few music industries as well in the next few weeks. Hopefully, someone would be interested in his talents.

Zion's laughter filtered into the room between the family unit, and for a moment, there was no denying that his physical presence was missing; he was also the more reserved of the brothers, and he didn't immediately take to people; none of them commented on the fact they were pretty sure it had to do with their mother's abrupt leaving. "I see nothing has changed," he said softly, but it was clear that was something he was saying more to himself before he was back to answering their questions a little better. "I'm all good, dad, just heading back to my dorm after a little training," he commented as he began to take the route through a few trees before hitting one of the outer pathways that would take him to his dorm room. He wouldn't say that he didn't wish to be in the hero course; his powers were advancing; there was no denying that, but he still had a ways to go. Still, it wasn't something he felt he could disclose to his family, not yet. His fingers curled a little tighter around the bottle at those thoughts.

"I plan to be home for the holiday, I haven't heard anything saying we can't go home, but you know that could change," he said casually as he frowned at a figure that was standing outside the dorm he shared with his classmates from General Studies, it wasn't that abnormal to see one of the other teachers around, but to see Nemuri Kayama aka Midnight was a surprise; clearly she was here to see someone important. It definitely wasn't him, so he continued with his conversation with his family.

"Sawada, got a minute?" she questioned as she gave him a smile, that while it made others swoon over her, it only made him nervous. "Bro, who's that? You got a girlfriend you're not telling us about?!" came the obnoxious voice of Naofumi. "Of course not, you idiot!" he exclaimed, his cheeks heating with color as his wide eyes met the mirth filled eyes of Midnight. "But, uh-I gotta go though one of my teachers has a question. I'll call you guys tomorrow," he promised before he hung up, cutting off anything his older brothers dared to say. Turning, he faced her and glanced around, wondering if she was mistaken.

Her smirk only widened as she saw him seem to fidget in front of her. "We've been monitoring your developments," she told him, cutting straight to the point as she motioned for him to follow her toward the school instead. "You've made strides and have the potential we are looking for, so we would like you to go to the auditorium and take a test," she commented casually as she crossed her arms over her chest and silently took in the young boy as he walked next to her.

"So clearly, it hasn't been an issue yet for the school," he muttered more to himself. "Seems like a weird time for a test, though, so what's with the secrecy?" he asked as he drank the rest of his water from his bottle. "Consider it top secret, and just do your best on this test, and all will be revealed when you get there," she said instead as she handed him a case that she'd been holding, but he'd not caught on to just what it happened to be. It was his hero costume. With a sigh, he accepted it and silently digested what she was telling him. "I suppose a surprise isn't that unheard of coming from you," he muttered without thinking of just who he was talking to. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She wondered as her tone darkened as she regarded him with a more aggressive look than before.

"N-Nothing, thanks, Sensei, I'll head over right now," he told her quickly as he broke off into a light jog. Whatever was going on, it was clear it wasn't something that everyone was aware of, and he certainly did not want to be late. The auditorium was filled with other students and many that he wasn't aware of himself. Some of them looked familiar, though, but he couldn't quite place the why behind it. He settled in a seat closer to the middle on the left, sliding past a girl with black hair and amber eyes. She looked as nervous as he was beginning to feel, so maybe he wasn't the only one in the dark about what was actually going on here...but somehow, he doubted that. As he caught sight of her school uniform, his anxiety only got worse. 'She's from Shiketsu; I'm so screwed.'


"Are you ready for this?" The question came from his twin, who sat on his bed as she kicked her legs back and forth, her long black hair tied in a high ponytail just as she always had it. Her clothes changed day to day, and sometimes he saw her in the torn clothes he remembered from a few years ago. The most striking thing about her was that her legs were made of wood, even her feet. Which was good in the pro hero world and left things a little awkward in terms of dating. Lucky for her, that was the last thing on Kozue Hayashi's mind.

Genki looked over from where he was exiting the bathroom in a pair of light blue jeans and bare feet. His arms were exposed as a towel hung from his neck and showed off his wooden arms as he towel-dried his shoulder-length black hair. "As ready as I can be," came his easy reply. As he walked over to his closet and began to look through his available t-shirts, he could pick from. He flipped through a few before finally settling on a green t-shirt with a gold tree on the back of it. He slipped it on. "Besides, I'm not worried we've been training for this," he told her with a wide grin in her direction.

The knock-on his bedroom door caused him to turn his green eyes toward the sound. "Genki, who were you talking to?" questioned his father as the older man poked his head in, his short black hair brushed back with gel and glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He frowned slightly as he took a glance around his son's room to see once again no one was here, but this wasn't the first time he'd heard his son talking to someone, having a conversation with someone, and he wasn't on the phone. Call him overprotective, but after the loss of his daughter, he couldn't help his worries. The talking to himself when no one was there was something that had been happening ever since his daughter had died. He'd been told after trauma it was expected, but he was having his doubts now, but it had been less than a year since his little girl's death.

Kozue gave a low growl, her lips twisted in a sneer as she regarded the other man in the doorway. "I've told you before he can't see me; you better take care of this before it gets more complicated for us." She had moved from the bed though her outfit today consisted of a pair of dark blue jean shorts and a red t-shirt that hung off one delicate shoulder. She made a show of pressing her index finger against their dad's various places on his body and watching her finger pass right through him as though she wasn't a solid form at all. To be fair, she wasn't, but she wasn't a ghost either. She was something in between, something only her dear baby brother could see. The unique thing here was that she was well aware she was dead; she knew she'd died a few months ago, but she felt there was a reason she was still here. She had to watch out for him, even if it wasn't easy to do.

Genki held up his phone for him to see and rolled his eyes at his dad, trying to foreign a confidence that he so did not feel right now. He hated to lie to his dad, but there was no way he would understand or believe him if he told him what he could see and just who it happened to be. Revealing something like that was dangerous; people would be afraid and think he was a nutcase. That was a whole level of complexity that he didn't need. "Just on the phone with Kazushi," he told him, holding up the phone as the call ticked away. He would never admit to the burner phone that was stuffed in his bag that he'd be taking with him to the exam. He'd learned his lesson the last time something like this had happened.

Shin Hayashi hated the relief that washed through him at realizing the conversation he overheard was something so easily explained away. "Sorry," he said after a moment as his fingers around the doorknob tightened slightly at seeing the other bed in the other half of the room. He'd wanted to get rid of it, but he hadn't been able to do it. Not yet, and Genki had said he didn't mind still having his sister's belongings there. It was something he knew he would need to get rid of, but he just wasn't ready yet. But was it something anyone was ever really ready for? Who was ever prepared to bury their child? He turned away quickly, his eyes a little too bright as he took in a rough breath to try and still the emotion in him. "Dinner's ready. Come down when you're done here," he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he walked away, the door left open as he turned and took the stairs quickly. He needed some space, just a little time to get over the emotion threatening to overwhelm him.

The dark-haired boy stared after his father with a frown and his reply a soft whisper on his lips. He couldn't imagine what he was going through. It was different for him; the level of grief wasn't the same as he had been able to see Kozue when he'd woken up at the hospital. She'd looked fine to him, and if he wanted, he could touch her just like if she had been alive. He'd only said it once to his father, and his father had only cried harder and pulled him into his arms. It wasn't something he could explain. He didn't have a reason for why things were the way they were.

"How did you do that?" Kozue questioned as she walked over to him. Her fingers briefly brushed through his hair before her attention was on the phone that was still ticking away at the time as though he'd been on the phone for over five minutes now. "I told you before I'm not a complete idiot," he whispered to her, keeping his voice low so his father wouldn't hear him.

He stepped around her and shook his head before he brushed it down. Fighting the weird shiver that wanted to travel through his body. It was a bizarre feeling like an electric shock that traveled through his body whenever that happened. It wasn't precisely uncomfortable, but it was far from comfortable. The fifteen-year-old had never held her hand since waking up in the hospital. The sensation that had transpired from their touch was one of the reasons he didn't do it.

"Ah, Gen-kun," she cooed softly, her smile mischievous. "I know how tender-hearted you are. If you aren't careful little brother, it could get you into trouble. You need to toughen up." she advised as she yawned and stretched her arms over her head as she watched him grab his backpack from where it rested against the wall beside his bed. "I'll see you in a few, sis," he told her as he shouldered the bag and quietly shut the door. When she got like that, he knew it would be time for her to get some rest, and he wouldn't see her for at least an hour, sometimes longer. He wasn't sure why there was a difference, but he was pretty sure that keeping her corporal form tired her out.

Hitting the stairs, he took them one at a time and glanced at his father in the kitchen, who was sitting at their small four-person table that was only set for two. Genki sometimes wondered why his father never bothered to date anyone after their mother died but didn't press the issue. While curious, who was he to give dating advice to anyone? He'd never dated anyone or even been interested. He just wondered if his father was lonely given that, well, if he got into UA, he probably wouldn't be home all that much, and then it would just be Shin here all on his own.

Genki set his bag by his feet as he took his seat across from his father.

The man had his food in front of him, but he'd been waiting for him. "Dad…" he said softly as his father jerked his head up to face him, his eyes startled as though he was wondering when he'd gotten there. "Sorry, Gen...I was lost in thought," he told him softly as he laced his fingers together in front of him before he lowered one hand to the table before he remembered that it was best to pray for what they had. He didn't lace his fingers with his son's, but Genki folded his hands together and joined his father in a moment of thanks. "It's ok, so how's work been lately?" he questioned, knowing that a conversation that could get his father out of any emotional funk was his work, one of the few things his father was still passionate about. For a brief time, he'd taken some time off work, but he couldn't afford to take off much, not when his family depended on him for financial support.

"Work…" he mumbled as it took him a moment to get his brain working on that topic. "Work is ok. We've hit a bit of a snag in our development of a new prototype. Mr. Inazuma isn't very pleased with the delay, but we need to ensure the viability of the new metal before we can test it in human trials," he explained as he pulled out his portal laptop computer and powered it on. He was allowed to work from home sometimes, and anything he did off the clock, he was compensated for. His boss was great in that regard, but he was highly demanding, and excuses or failures were tolerated more than three times before someone was asked to hit the door. Thankfully he was safe, considering how much work he'd already put in the last few years on the many projects he was assigned to handle and complete.

"Look at this," he told him, pushing the computer around to face him after he'd logged into the company website and pulled up a few of the 3D models that gave him a better idea of what they were trying to create. The screen held very extensive metal models of some of the prototypes they were trying to develop. While Mr. Osuma Inazuma was missing his left arm and his right leg. They didn't focus on gear merely for him, no they made other sorts of ventures. They even made metal knee caps and other such advancements to further along the medical field and allow for even non-combat-wounded civilians to be able to get better quality products. So far, their success rate was very high and only going higher with Osuma's vision of pushing his company to the top of the market with quality products that would last and allow the body to better accept the foreign object in their body, that would hopefully eliminate the need for life long medication to keep the body from rejecting implants and even transplants. One of the objects on the screen was a metal heart that seemed to have all the inner workings of a real one, but it was clearly still a work in progress, and no model of it had been made yet to test. It was still in it's very first set of development stages.

Genki was quick to take several large bites of his food as he carefully scrolled down through several of the prototypes his father had up. To say he was impressed was an understatement. "Dad, those look amazing! I always knew you did important work, but I never realized all that you and your company were really doing," he told him seriously, his green eyes staring into his own, really wanting him to understand how proud he was of him.

His father merely waved his hand and looked away, clearly embarrassed with the attention being on him and his work. "Thanks. So…" he started and huffed out a breath. Genki couldn't help the question, he blurted out. He'd been hoping to be more tactful, to find a better way, but well, there wasn't much he could do about it now, not really. "Have you ever considered dating someone?"

Genki's cheeks heated with color, and he glanced away from the shocked look on his father's face. I probably should have asked differently. He quickly shoveled some food in his mouth and did his best to pay attention to his food only. At his father's laughter, he darted his gaze up to him, feeling the heat in his cheeks.

"I haven't really thought about it. I'm usually too busy with work." Came his father's honest answer as he sat back in his chair and took a moment to consider what it might be like to date someone, to put himself out there. "I might consider it, maybe…" he muttered to himself. He knew he wasn't getting any younger, but then again, was he too old? He didn't think so, but he kept himself so busy with work, would it be fair to try and drag someone into his life? It might be nice, though, but he was nervous about it. There just wasn't anyone he was interested in either, but then again, he'd never paid much attention to the people he worked with. Maybe he needed to start trying to have a social life a bit and join his coworkers once a week when they all went out to dinner. "It might not be a bad idea to go with the others from work, once a week...it might be good to meet some new people," he said as he took a few bites of his own meal.

Blinking his green eyes at his father, his grin widened as he listened to him talk himself into going to the social events at his work. It made him feel better about leaving, knowing that he wouldn't be completely alone all the time. If he got accepted into UA, he was pretty sure he would be busy with school work and his friends. He was pretty confident he could make at least a few new friends at this exam; whether he wins or loses, he had no doubt he'd be able to meet at least one person he could keep in touch with. His positive attitude was something that he knew others enjoyed, and being negative wouldn't get anyone anywhere anyway.

"It sounds like you would have fun if you go," he agreed as he cleaned the food on his plate before rising from the table as his gaze traveled to the clock on the kitchen wall. He knew that he had to get moving. Genki washed his plates in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher before he turned back to see what his father was doing. Still, he was already engrossed in his computer again, working on one of the prototypes he'd shown him from earlier. He shook his head and grabbed his bag, where he left it by the table. "I've gotta head out, Dad," he told him as he waited a moment for the words to register.

Shin paused in his work to glance up at him, his plate pushed to the side. He gave a sheepish smile at his son and stood up as he pulled him in for a quick hug. "I could dri-" he started to offer, but Genki stopped him as he stepped back and shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. I want to take the train and get used to what it will be like if I get accepted. I'll let you know how it goes," he promised him before he left the kitchen and left out the front door, pausing to lock the door behind him, knowing full well his dad was back on his computer as soon as he'd left the room.

With a soft sigh, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans before heading for the train station. He knew the trains would be running till about 2am like they normally did, so he had plenty of time. The walk didn't take that long as he was used to it when he'd go to Ketsubetsu Academy. Genki didn't have any problems making friends wherever he went; he was definitely one of those who never met a stranger before. He was even good at remembering their names so long as he did his own game in his head to remember them. It was a little rhyming game, but hey, it worked well, and people were always pleased to hear that he knew them by name.

The train as he boarded wasn't very crowded, and as he considered sitting with someone or not, he glanced around before deciding to sit next to the girl who was by herself. They talked about nothing really, but she did wish him good luck as he left on his stop before heading the rest of the way to UA High. He paused at the gates, elation running through him at the sight of it all. It was truly amazing. To think he'd been lucky enough to be recommended to even compete for a spot here. Do I deserve to be here? He couldn't help but wonder as he walked through the grounds before heading down one of the hallways toward the Auditorium. He frowned as a voice carried down one of the other hallways.

"How did you get this number?!" an angry voice demanded. His free hand curled into a fist. Moritsu was racking his brain for the answers to how his disgraced older brother had gotten his number. Their family had changed their numbers at the pressuring of his father. It was just another way to sever ties completely.

Keep walking, keep walking, Genki, this is totally none of your business. Don't look! Don't-

Genki wasn't able to help himself as he passed by that hallway on the way to the Auditorium and glanced down it to see the form of a young man with crimson hair talking angrily into the phone that was held to his ear, his free hand gesturing as he talked. He tried not to listen, but it was really hard, not too. He knew he shouldn't look by drawing attention to himself, but he'd been unable to help himself and peered down the hallway, only catching a few more angry words from the one-sided conversation that he could hear. He paused at the entrance of the hallway, feeling like he should try and give them some privacy, but it wasn't his lucky day as whoever was at the end of the hallway raised their head at that moment and saw him waiting in the middle of the walkway staring at him.

Oh crap! Oh crap! He's looking right at me. Time to get going! Move, c'mon move!

He thought to himself, annoyed that his body was refusing to cooperate with his demands. As he stood frozen in place, unable to tear his far too curious gaze away.

The low, raspy chuckle from the person on the other end of the phone had Moritsu tensing in the deserted hallway. He was tired of the hang-up calls at all hours of the day and night. It hadn't been just kids prank calling. It was something else he was sure of it; he could feel it. "Ah, little brother, is that any way to speak to your big bro?" Saisho questioned sarcastically. "I just wanted to wish you good luck with your exam at UA tonight." He told him before the line went dead.

Moritsu curled his hand around the phone before it was launched from his hand against the wall across from where he was standing with such force it broke into pieces. He was seething with anger and fear he couldn't explain. His older brother had found him, and it was clear it wasn't just for a friendly chat. No, he knew about his exam tonight, and it wasn't public knowledge. The question of how he knew was hovering at the forefront of his mind. This is bad, really bad. What do I do? He thought for a moment as he tried to regulate his rapid breathing. He needed to calm down, to focus.

"Are you ok?"

The question startled them both as green eyes met amber. The redhead regarded the black-haired boy and his timid expression on his lips as they were pressed together. His hands were fisted in front of him and his gaze dropped from his own quickly once the taller boy had looked at him. "Y-you looked u-upset," he added when the other boy had stayed silent even now.

Shaking his head, Moritsu forced himself to focus on the other kid. "It's not a big deal," he said, forcing a small smile to his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"He's lying." The voice of Kozue had Genki jerking his gaze to the girl that stood behind the other boy, a distrustful frown on her lips. He opened his mouth to respond to her and then closed it. Knowing it was better to not give anything away. But he did incline his head to signify he'd heard her.

"Of course it's not," he agreed as he knew it was best to let that go. It really wasn't any of his business. "Are you here for the exam too? It's going to start soon. We need to hurry," he rushed on as shy as he may be, he could talk a lot once he got going.

Moritsu could only get out a nod before the younger boy grabbed his hand and pulled him back down the way he'd come. "That's great! I love meeting new friends. My name's Genki Hayashi. What's yours?" he questioned as he released his hand the closer they got to the doorway.

The kid's excitement was somewhat contagious as the redhead gave him a small smile. "Moritsu Koibito, " he answered politely, not sure if he would exactly consider themselves friends. They knew very little about each other, but he wasn't about to correct him. He knew that if they ran into each other in the exam, he would take him down. He couldn't risk failing here. His right hand curled into a fist at the memory of his father's threat. He wished to be stronger than he was, to protect the one person most important to him. He didn't need her to defend him anymore.

He shook his head, aware he'd spaced out again. He really needed to focus. Get it together. His attention went back to the boy who was currently watching him a little too closely, but it seems he was also talking with someone else. For a moment, he just assumed it was himself. "I have to get back to my friend, but I'll see you in there. Good luck, Hayashi," he told him as he passed by him and found his original seat next to Koemi.

"Oh-" Genki said, trying not to be disappointed as he began to leave. "Good luck to you too!" He told him quickly with a bright smile.

"You've always been too nice, Gen," Kozue cut in from his left. Her hands crossed over her chest. She had mixed feelings about what was happening. On the one hand, she could see the point of keeping their distance from the other competitors; on the other, she wanted to smash the kid's face in for being mean to her baby brother. He could have at least offered to let him sit with him and his girlfriend! She raised her nose in the air and snagged her brother's hand for a moment, just long enough to get his attention before she let go. "Genki, c'mon." She ordered as she headed for the empty seats In the back on the left. She sat on the table with her legs dangling over the other side and smiled widely as her brother joined her, sitting in the seat the right way.

Together they waited for the exam to begin. Kozue was confident she could give her brother the help he would need to do well in this exam and get into UA. If only Genki felt as confident as she did. He nervously looked around and silently sized up the others in the room. Just do your best. He thought to himself.


A/N: Hey guys AJ here. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is the first part of chapter 1. I had to break it up into three pieces and shift one section of it over to chapter 2, which I'm working on right now.

Please review and let me know what you think. I am working hard to give all the characters the attention to detail they deserve. Some flowed a little bit more or had more to say these chapters than others and I was able to use some of their plot points to bring a little more to light with them. Orphan submitters don't worry. I am already working on the chapters for them. I believe that I'll be trying to have chapters specific to our Orphans and 1Z separately until they wind up mingling in later chapters.

Thanks for reading!

~AJ Aviary