"So…a hero?" The father says as he and her daughter exit the school grounds. They just finished their parent-teacher consultation about students' career plans.
"Honestly, I thought you would be angrier," Kaya Yasuda replies looking in the opposite direction of her dad as they continued to walk down the street.
"I'm not angry. I'm worried." Akifumi places a hand on Kaya's shoulder causing her to stop walking but continues to look away from him. He looks around noticing the convenience store. "How about we get some Karaage and talk while we eat?"
Kaya hesitates before nodding her head and mumbling an okay.
She knew this was coming. Her classmates and teachers wouldn't think anything odd of the career path. If anything, a lot of her peers probably wanted the same thing. Her dad was more on the cautious side though. The type to think that anything you do and say in public can and will come back to bite. Even without that he possesses a strong sense of protection over his immediate family.
They enter the store, buy the karaage and sit on the stools aligned across the storefront.
Kaya rubs her shoed feet together in nervousness. This moment was coming for weeks. Perhaps she should have mentioned it sooner to get it over with but she feared how her dad would react and let that consume her. She takes a big bite of the oily chicken and swallows after only a few bites.
"I just want to let you know I thought about this a lot. If it doesn't work out I have back up plans but… I really want to help people. I can't stop caring. I know it's not the only way, but for now I think it might be the best and even practical way to achieve it." Kaya keeps her eyes on her food.
Akifumi slumps forward on his seat. Kaya really does look just like Yuzuki, and with her anxiety to boot. She has his stubbornness and defiance though. He already knows that he's unlikely to change her mind even if he had his own preconceptions of her becoming something along the lines of a lawyer, librarian, or teacher. He really wants to say no as if it's his decision to make. Both Kaya and Himari have been through enough as is and being a hero is guaranteed to bring her more pain. "If it's you I know you've looked into it, but I'll still worry."
Kaya looks towards her dad. He hasn't exploded in indignation yet. Was he really going to accept it just like that? Had she been fretting for weeks for nothing?
Akifumi's voice becomes jovial. With a giant grin he says, "At least let me brag about you when you get into U.A."
When, not if. Kaya's heart warms at the acceptance and belief. Even so, "The entrance exam is still months away!" Wait… "U.A.? But Ketsubutsu is closer."
Akifumi blinks. "You don't want to go to U.A.?"
Kaya waves her hands in front of her. U.A. would be amazing to go to. Their facilities, prestige, and connections could help immensely in the early years of a career. "It's not like that! I just though that with Ketsubutsu being close and all that I'd…" Kaya drifted off.
"It never hurts to apply to one or both, but Kaya, take it from me and never settle. Whether it's Ketsubutsu or U.A or anything else – do what you want to do."
For a moment Kaya tries to discern whether he was using his quirk on her or not. In this case it probably doesn't matter. She remembers another time with another person:
"I understand you were thinking of me, but please don't ever use me as a reason to go do what you want!"
"Okay, then just watch me! Ah, but if I do get in please don't go around telling everyone. You know how I feel about that and it's still to early to know!"
Two different ringtones howls simultaneously.
Immediately Kaya reaches for her phone as that tone was set for one specific person. "I got it dad. That'll be Mari!" Himari Yasuda was her younger sister. Due to their closeness in age and similar interests her and Kaya were as much best friends as they were sisters. "Oh no."
"What's wrong."
Kaya faces her phone towards her dad, showing him the message he undoubtedly received too. "Seems her 'luck' strikes out again. She agreed to wait around a while longer to give her statement to the police. She didn't use her quirk so she isn't getting charged with vigilantism, but more importantly she's not hurt and she calmed the guy down. We'll probably get home before her though."
"I wish she would have used her quick regardless. I worry about that one."
Kaya stays silent ending the conversation. Mari was a year younger than herself but her views, intellect, and action makes her someone worth admiring. I wish others would see in her the things I do.
.
A girl with straight, waist length brown hair opens the door to their shared room.
"Mari! You're back."
The bags under her eyes were extra prominent today.
"It's been a loooong day." Himari drops her bag next to her bed before plopping down face first onto her mattress.
"What was it this time?"
Himari rolls over on her side. "Someone having a hard time. In the middle of divorce and a layoff. He's currently staying with a friend but decided to follow her to work and was emotionally volatile causing a big scene before turning violent. Claimed he could pressurize air to cut things to try and scare off everyone watching."
It was easy to talk about. For Himari it was because the issue was done and dealt with. For Kaya it just seems like a story from a book despite knowing it was real. Plus, the added safeguard of the unspoken rule that the things discussed between the two in their room was private.
"When dad heard he told me that he wished you would have used your quirk."
"Of course, he did. But what would that do? If he's violent because he feels threatened and cornered then using my quirk would only serve to panic him more and potentially cause him to lash out. I just talked to him from a distance away. Thankfully he didn't actually want to hurt anyone but since he was threatening people the police charged him."
"Well, I'm happy you're okay and everything worked out." Kaya smiled. Then she thought back. When was the last time Mari even used her quirk? "But you know… I lot of people bend the rules. I guess what I'm getting at is that it's okay for you to use your quirk."
Kaya thinks back to her second year of elementary school. Mari's quirk allowed her to nullify incorporeal things. It was first recognized when people physically close to her had their quirks stop working when they were within 32 meters from her. One of Mari's classmates had an amplifying quirk that accidentally cause the temporary nullification of all non-mutant type quirks school-wide. While quirks technically weren't allowed to be used in classes there was a lot of leniencies as most were still going through quirk counselling to properly control them. Kaya had never seen so much help be given to one person so quickly in regards to quirk counselling. Whether from complaints of other students, their parents, or the trash talk of claiming such a quirk was dangerous and would surely impede heroes Kaya couldn't be sure. It was a horrible time though, and could only imagine it would be worse for Mari.
It did however bring about a story of how the invisible girl from class C was in fact invisible and not a ghost.
The look on Mari's face makes her look genuinely confused. "I know that. I just don't think I need to."
Noticing the silence Himari explains, "I want to empower people. Anything I remove will only disempower them of lead them into a false sense of security or success. Even if it's negative emotions. If I erase the sensation of hate or dissatisfaction it doesn't solve the problem. Only pushes it away for the moment their out or reach or I stop trying. I know- I know there are ways for it to be useful still but after-" Mari's eyes swelled with tears. "After-"
"It's okay I know." What was a selfish blessing for Kaya was something that haunted Mari.
.
"What kind of hack is that?"
Kaya remembers when everyone, including herself, thought she had a mimicry quirk.
"What a fraud. I bet it's just hallucinations just like her mom!"
Except there were plenty of quirks she couldn't copy and many of the ones she could didn't copy the user exactly. She remembered one kid who knew the contents of books just by touching it. She of course mimicked the action, but when she later learnt the condition of its use was hunger, she suddenly couldn't use the skill unless hungry. The inability to copy every quirk was first attributed to her young age and inexperience, but then later reregistered her quirk as 'Imagine'.
Imagine was a type of imagination manifestation. Anything manifested must be within a 14-meter radius. Essentially within the distance of a freight truck trailer. Plenty of space when just relaxing but only giving her a second or two to react to fast people. Not to mention that prevented long distant uses since manifestation cease to exist if momentum attempts to propel it 'beyond the barrier'. Yet any manifestation couldn't be directly applied onto another person. Emitting creations were the easiest and if willing to bear the nausea some things and actions could be self-applied.
Kaya considered the quirk wasted on her. She's serious in nature, uncreative, and often uninspired. The arts always have always been her weakest subjects. What was even more unfortunate was her inability to visualize, also called aphantasia. Without the ability to mentally imagine, manifesting anything became a task 100 times harder. Hence why copying what she perceives is always easier.
Kaya lays on the grass, arms and legs spread wide, as she looks up to the star filled sky as she attempts to regain and steady her breath. More practice. She needs more practice… and better lung capacity.
Short sprints over long distance running probably wouldn't serve her in the long-run.
.
Kaya pulls her hair up and holds it steady with a large claw clip, a different hairstyle than her typical low short twin tails tied at about the chin. Her small green hair accessory still worn on the upper right side.
She looks into the mirror adjusting her yukata as needed before nodding in approval to herself.
Mari left an hour earlier with her friends to the festival.
Kaya leaves for the festival locking the door behind her. When she arrives she turns the screen of her phone on before opening LINE. She sends her location then types See you soon! along with a smiling sticker of mitsuami girl.
Coming!
In a few short minutes a teenage girl with long silky hair put into an updo with decorative ballerina red armeria flowers. Her yukata blue with white flower print and an orange obi wrapped around her mid-section.
"Kaya-chan!" she waves with vigor while every part of her smile and eyes light up with pure joy.
Festivals had their way with people.
"Kanzaki." Kaya greeted in return. Miwa Kanzaki was a from the same year at school. They weren't classmates this year but they got to know each other last year when Kaya transferred into the class after summer vacation. Thinking about it made her realize they've known each other for almost a year now.
Kanzaki runs the last few steps towards Kaya before latching onto her arm. Kaya tries to hide the fact that she instinctually froze, uncertain of how to deal with someone touching her. Before getting a chance to process what to do Kanzaki tugs on her arm and directs her in the area of food.
Fantastic!
When was the last time she went out like this?
Even with all her training she should still make time for things like this.
After all, time passes by fast when you don't live it and Kaya doesn't want to look back and have no fond memories.
"Let's get some Takoyaki."
The night was spent with food, games, and festivities.
.
Coming up next…
Graduation: You're My Hero
(Finally to the part with characters you know, love, [or maybe hate?])
Notes: There will be a bit of romance but friends take priority, especially at first, and it will be a bit of a slow burn. Haven't 100% confirmed pairings yet though, just some notes of how people generally get along.