"I see," Rigel said, as everyone (sans Katsuki, who went straight to his room, and Hiroshi, who was still at Hound Dog for his appointment) sat around in their dorm's common room, having showered and changed after their exercise. Fuka, Momo, Yui, and Setsuna all finished telling him the story between Katsuki and Hiroshi, as well as Hiroshi's own history (and Fuka's and Setsuna's roles in it). Izuku also gave a part of his story with Katsuki and his perspective on the hot-tempered teen.
"That is quite the complex story," Ardiana noted. "To think, that humans that are more like the ones we're more familiar with can exist here."
"And that they face a lot of trouble for it..." Rigel grumbled. "Goes to show that even with an Earth such as this, people will find something to be prejudice about."
"We're just lucky that any sort of normal prejudice against the Quirkless isn't ingrained in our society," Fuka sighed, shaking her head. "There's only like, a few Quirk radicals who believe that the stronger the Quirk, the better you are, like the people who believe in Destro's manifesto."
"Or are just assholes like Takagi," Setsuna grumbled, her eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms and remembered him.
"Who?" most of the people there asked.
"Oh, Kenji Takagi's one of Hiroshi's oldest bullies," Setsuna explained. "He and his gang would always picked on him. Well, on everyone, really. He did it 'cuz he was the first one in our neighborhood and kindergarten class to get his Quirk, Arm Muscle Increase, and it made him like, stronger than even our teacher. So a bunch of the adults and kids talked up about how he'd be a great hero and stuff, and it got to his head."
"He started picking on everyone, but especially Hiroshi," Fuka said, leaning against the couch's back. "Once it was revealed that Hiroshi was Quirkless, he thought it meant that he and his friends could push him around. Thing is, Hiroshi never let him keep him down. Even before meeting Hero, he was pretty resilient."
"What happened with him?" Juzo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yea, if he was so strong and stuff, did he try to apply for a hero course?" Kinoko added.
"Yea. Thing is, he's never applied himself to study, well, anything. His grades were always less than mediocre, he'd get into arguments with teachers over them, and he'd get caught being, well, just being a delinquent," Setsuna said. "And he never really, you know, worked out, so he's a bean pole who'd could just make his arms bigger."
"He failed every single entrance exam he applied for," Fuka said, as a giant chunk of the room held back snickers. "We all found out 'cuz his grandma gossiped to Grannie Fumino who told all of the kids in our neighborhood, and, well, you know gossip. Spreads like wildfire. He eventually settled on going to Seto High, since he'd be able to pick on Hiroshi there, so I followed them after turning down my acceptance to UA the first time. And, well, you guys know the rest."
"Do you ever wonder about how they're doing? Or well, your other friends?" Ochako asked.
"Well, it was only ever Hiroshi, Tsubasa, Setsuna, and I. Most people avoided Hiroshi 'cuz of his bad habits and because, well, Takagi would pick on them. Not always successful, but always enough to be a nuisance," Fuka answered.
"What about that fan club of yours?" Setsuna asked.
"I had a fan club!?"
"Oh right, that was supposed to be a secret," Setsuna said, as she and some of the others snickered while Fuka blushed. "Yea, me and Hiroshi stumbled onto it in middle school. Hiroshi told them that he was just going to forget about it but that they should keep an eye on the creep factor or they'll regret it."
"Wait, was it Ando, Kudo, and Miura?" Fuka asked, as Setsuna nodded. "I knew those guys were a little too friendly..."
"So what were Takagi's other friends like?" Mina said.
"Don't you remember? We met them on our girls day out after the Sports Festival," Setsuna said.
"Oh, that was THEM?" Kyoka said. "Yea, no wonder they didn't become heroes. Those guys were big losers."
"That dragon-kid seemed nice, though," Itsuka said. "He asked you how you were doing. Though I don't know if I approve of his choice in friends."
"Watatsu?" Fuka said. "It's... strange, he was really, really soft-spoken at that time. I guess he was always the nicest of the four, since he usually just served as their lookout when they tried picking on Hiroshi or us... But yea, Takagi and his gang is sorta the reason why Hiroshi doesn't get along with Bakugo, since he sees a resemblance between them, even if Takagi's a total loser compared to Bakugo."
For some reason, Setsuna had looked off to the side when they talked about
"Still, that's good to know..." Rigel said, as he leaned forward in his chair, elbows on his knees and his hands in front of his face in thought. "I'll... try to tread more carefully on what I say to the two about their pasts. Hopefully we can help Bakugo ease out of that aggression, though."
"He is doing better, slightly," Momo said, recalling their special exercise before Rigel's arrival. "He's more willing to listen, and he has been a little more helpful as of late during team exercises."
"Yea, he's not a total lost cause," Fuka said. "It's a slow process, but he's getting better... I'm just worried that Hiroshi's not able to see it since he can hold some pretty bad grudges."
"I'm... I'm sure your brother will be able to forgive Bakugo soon," Yui said, softly. "I know he can..."
Outside Hound Dog's Office...
"Thanks again for the help, Hound Dog," Hiroshi said, waving goodbye to the counselor.
"It's no problem! Always glad to help you and the other students!" Hound Dog shouted, waving back as Hiroshi closed the door. Hiroshi sighed as he walked down the hallways, staring at the ground.
He had talked to Hound Dog about his lingering negative feelings about Katsuki, and his guilt over them, since he knows and understands that Katsuki has been improving. Hound Dog reminded him that forgiveness wasn't instantaneous and was a process, and that it was normal to still have negative feelings over a situation like theirs. But still-
"Hey Hiro!" "What's up, fuckface!?" Jin said, waving to Hiroshi while he finished mopping.
"Oh hi Mr. Bubaigawara," Hiroshi said, smiling a bit at the masked janitor. "Had a good day today?"
"Yea, it's been alright." "Had to scold a buncha kids for tossing their trash onto the ground instead of a trashcan!"
"Wow, that was rude of them."
"It wasn't too bad." "Just annoying to deal with!" "Is something the matter, Hiro?"
"Oh, it's nothing, just... came back from an appointment with Hound Dog," Hiroshi said, scratching the back of his head.
"Right, right... Mine's coming up within a couple days, too." "Can't wait to talk to ol' Hound Dog about my week!" "So is it anything you want to share?"
"... Yea, I guess," Hiroshi said, as the two sat down (away from the wet floor). "It's... my feelings about Bakugo."
"That kid who blew up your sister's back?" "He's a tough case!"
"Yea... I've been trying to forgive him about, well, everything that's happened between us, but it's hard, you know?" Hiroshi sighed. "I feel that the fact that I hadn't really let go of them... makes me a bad person. Not to mention all those old grudges from before Hero and I met. They're still there..."
"You're not a bad person. It's like Hound Dog says, your feelings are perfectly justifiable!" "Especially since he hurt your sister so badly!"
"I know, but he's getting better, and I know that... so why do I still hate him so much?" Hiroshi muttered. "S-Sorry, I shouldn't be unloading this onto you like this. Especially since I just had that appointment with Hound Dog."
"It's alright, we're friends!" "You helped me, so I'll help you!" "I'm always here to lend an ear." "Just don't expect me to have all the answers!"
"... Thanks," Hiroshi said, smiling.
"No problem." "Just remember we're getting lunch with your friends this weekend at that new burger place!"
"Of course!"
Ryunosuke kept running. He couldn't stop. He was behind him. But no matter how fast or how much he ran, he was always a step behind him.
"Watatsu."
"Leave me alone!" Ryunosuke shouted. "I-I didn't anything!"
"You know that's a lie."
"N-No! It isn't!"
He tripped on something on the ground, and fell forward. He turned over, and watched as Hiroshi walked towards him, his eyes glowing red.
"P-Please! I didn't anything!"
"You've made this bed. Now lie in it."
Hiroshi's figure began to change into that of Hero, who raised his hand that was aglow with red energy. Ryunosuke covered his face, screaming as Hero brought his fist down onto him.
Ryunosuke shot up from bed, sweat dripping from his forehead. He looked around. He was in his room at his sister's apartment. Just like normal.
"Dammit, that dream again..." Ryunosuke grumbled, rubbing his forehead. He got up to go to the bathroom to wash his face. He closed the sink, and opened his mouth, a waterfall of clean water coming out of it, and splashing his face with his 'regurgitated' water. This was one of the only times he could really use his Quirk.
He hated it, having this Water Breath Quirk. It was one of the dumbest Quirks around. He could've had his dad's Dragon Up Quirk like what it looked like he had, but no, he only got his mom's Water Breath Quirk. He just got his dad's dumb looks. Sure, it had its applications, but still, he hated that he had these stupid whiskers (it made him look like an old Chinese philosopher) and horns (he can never find a good hat without getting it altered, which bumps up the price a bit).
"You're up early again, Ryuno."
Ryunosuke sighed as he turned to Mizuchi, his older sister. It wasn't fair. SHE was what he could've been. Got their mom's good looks without their dad's stupid Chinese dragon horns, mane, and whiskers, while also getting a strong Dragon Up Quirk that can breathe water out like a hose. She was a popular firefighter heroine for a reason.
"Yea yea, I know, Mizu-nee, just... had another bad dream," Ryunosuke said, shaking his head.
"About that Hiroshi kid you knew? And how he's gonna punish you for bullying him?" Mizuchi asked. Ryunosuke flinched at the name. "You guys went to the same elementary and middle schools, so I wish you had gotten to be his friend instead of that Takagi punk's."
"Kenji's not that bad."
"Ryuno, he calls you Gargle Buster half the time I see you hang around him."
"It's affectionate!"
"It really isn't."
"Look, the guy was Quirkless, he wasn't worth the time-"
"Oh no, not this 'Quirks are everything' bullshit again. You know that's a load of shit."
"Come on, being Quirkless-"
"- isn't any different from not being allowed to use your Quirk without permission in public. Seriously, why would you be so concerned about something like that when only a few people are allowed to?"
"Well, um-"
"Seriously, how many times have mom, dad, and I told you this? You know that sort of mentality is unfair. A giant portion of Quirks aren't always good for hero work."
"Yea, but-"
"No buts, Ryuno. You really need to cut those guys out of your life, like I keep saying. They're not good influences. They're holding you back. You could've-"
"Stop telling me how to live my life! Just because you get to be a hero 'cuz you got the best of our parents' Quirks, doesn't mean you get to lecture me on anything!"
Ryunosuke grabbed a towel and wiped his face off before shoving his sister aside. "I need to get ready for school, later Mizu-nee."
Seto High
"Hey, Ryunosuke," Kenji said, pointing out an open window they were walking by. The four boys looked out, and saw the girl's track team doing their stretches underneath the window nearby. "Why don't you... 'make it rain'?"
"K-Kenji, that's a bit much, isn't it?" Ryunosuke said, gripping the end of one of his dragon whiskers a little tight. "They're just stretching-"
"And you should provide some refreshment!" Kenji said, patting Ryunosuke on the back hard. "Come on, you loved doing this!"
"Yea, why'd you become such a wet blanket?" Kin'Ichi added, poking Ryunosuke on the cheek with his Golden Hair.
"Come on, just a little spritz!" Kumataro growled.
"G-Guys, really, we shouldn't-"
"Do it, Gargle Buster," Kenji said, his eyes narrowed and his grip tightened. Ryunosuke flinched before sighing, and walked towards the window. He formed a tunnel over his mouth with his hands, and inhaled, closing his mouth. His cheeks began to bulge before a stream of water came out of his mouth, creating 'rain' with his hands that fell onto all of the track team, drenching their clothes.
"Gah! Dammit, Watatsu!" one of them yelled, looking up at the window as she pulled at her wet clothes to stop them from clinging onto her. "What the hell!?"
"Don't mind us, just enjoying the show!" Kenji shouted down, laughing as the girls tried to get out of the 'rain' and grab their towels, only to find that they were also soaked thanks to Ryunosuke. "Come on, it's harmless!"
"What's going on!?"
Kenji and the others turned around, and saw their homeroom teacher Mr. Shinkei, walking towards them. He took one look out the window, and saw the drenched track team glaring at the four. "Did you do this, Watatsu!?"
"Well, um, you see-" Ryunosuke started to say, but Kenji stepped in.
"Come on, teach, we're just having some fun!" Kenji insisted. "We saw that the girl's track team were exercising real hard out there, and I told Ryunosuke that it'd be a good idea if he gave them a little refreshment with his Water Breath Quirk!"
"We were only doing stretches, you asshole!" the captain shouted, having heard the teacher's voice.
"Meet me at the principal's office after class," Mr. Shinkei said, pinching his eyebrows.
"I think we both know that you can't make us-" Kenji said, putting a hand on Mr. Shinkei's shoulder, who grabbed it. "OW! OW! OW! AAAAAAAGH!"
"You're going to meet me. At the principal's office. After. Class," Mr. Shinkei said, releasing his grip on Kenji's hand after using his Nerve Sensitivity Increase Quirk on him.
"Stupid teach," Kenji grumbled, as he turned to Ryunosuke. "Look what you did, Gargle Buster!"
"Me!? What did I do!?"
"You took too long to make it rain, letting the teach get to us!"
"Yea, Gargle Buster!" Kumataro said, smacking Ryunosuke on the back.
"Way to go, idiot!" Kin'Ichi added, slapping Ryunosuke across the cheek with his Golden Hair, before pulling out his phone. "At the very least I got some good shots of them all before he came along."
"Nice!" Kenji said, smiling. "Remember to send copies to us, Kin!"
"Yea!"
"T-That's a bit too much, isn't it-"
"Oh, come on! You used to love doing this stuff! Why're you being such a loser now?" Kenji said, exasperated.
"I... I just been thinking a bit some stuff, that's all," Ryunosuke said, gripping the end of one of his dragon whiskers tight. "Like, we should really start growing up-"
"Ryunosuke," Kenji said, grabbing his shoulder. His grip tightened and Ryunosuke winced at it. "Is this because of that Worthless Quirkless and his shitty alien who doesn't know good hero material?"
"M-Maybe..."
"Come on, dude, we all know that he's nothing without that alien as backup," Kumataro said, crossing his arms.
"UA made the biggest mistake letting him in and not us," Kin'Ichi said, as he looked through the pictures he took.
"Yea, UA's standards aren't up to bat if he's allowed in," Kenji said. "No hero schools aren't up to bat if none of us were able to get in!"
As they walked away, Ryunosuke stared at the ground, his fist balling up at hearing what they said.
He didn't need them to remind him.
He didn't need them to remind him that he had to give up going to Ketsubutsu Academy High.
Weeks before Graduation
"Dammit, that's another fucking high school!" Kenji said, ripping the letter he had in half and tossing it into a pile of torn paper. "And that was the last hero school around! There's no way I can fucking afford trying somewhere on the other sides of the country!"
"Same here," Kin'Ichi said, tearing the letter in his hand, while his Golden Hair ripped the rest of the opened letters. They had went to the park to read their 'acceptance' letters, only to find out that many of them were rejection letters.
"So our grades aren't amazing," Kumataro said, shredding his with his bear claws. "Who needs to know science and math when you're out there fighting bad guys!?"
"Exactly! I don't need to know what the Pythagorean Theorem is!" Kenji said, kicking at the pile of paper in front of him. "Those schools don't know what they're missing out, right Ryunosuke!?"
The three teens stared at Ryunosuke, who was shivering in excitement. "Guys! Guys I got into Ketsubutsu Academy High!"
"Huh?"
"Y-Yea! I did well enough on their entrance exam, and I apparently passed their practical!" Ryunosuke said, as he stared his acceptance letter. "Granted, they said that my performance in the combat portion wasn't great, but that my rescue portion was where I shined, so they'll put me in the Rescue course!"
"Too bad you're not going," Kenji said, to Ryunosuke's confusion.
"W-What? Why not?"
"'Cuz we're not going, Gargle Buster!" Kumataro pointed out. "We were rejected from Ketsubutsu, too!"
"I-I'm sorry, guys, but... this is my big chance-"
"No, it's not," Kenji said. He put his hand onto Ryunosuke's shoulder, and his arm increased in size and power as he gripped it tight enough to make Ryunosuke wince. "We're the Three Musketeers. We don't split up. We stick together! We all get big chances, or no one gets big chances!"
"T-There's four of us though-"
"So we're the Four Musketeers! Point is, we're all going to the same high school as we planned since we were little."
"That was only if we all managed to get accepted to UA or-"
"We. Sticking. Together," Kenji said, his teeth gritted and his grip tightening on Ryunosuke's shoulder.
"... Of... Of course, Kenji," Ryunosuke said. He held his acceptance letter away from his face, his hands jittering too much as he stared at his potential future.
"Oh give me that!" Kenji snapped, snatching the letter out of Ryunosuke's hands. He ripped it in half, then into fourths, then into eighths. He dropped the pieces onto the ground, as Ryunosuke sat back down onto the dirt, his gaze never leaving the torn letter.
"Now, let's see about this high school," Kenji said, picking up one of the final letters. "If we can't get into a hero school, we might as well go to a regular ass one instead."
Kenji tore the envelope open, and read through it, a smile growing on his face. "That's good enough for me. Seto High's no hero school, but a lot of the losers we know are going there, including our favorite punching bag."
"You mean Furinji? Why do you want to go to high school with him?" Ryunosuke said, snapping out of his stupor. "You hate him!"
"That's because his little girl squad's not going to be with him, Gargle Buster," Kenji explained. " They're all going to those dumb hero schools! Without them around, he won't have any protection. What good 'friends' they are. We'll be able to finally put him into his place without anyone interfering."
"Yea, yea, of course!" Kumataro said. He picked up his letter from Seto High, and opened it. "Got in, too, Kenji!"
"Same," Kin'Ichi said, looking at his letter. Ryunosuke sighed and picked up his own.
"... Me too," Ryunosuke confirmed.
"That settles it," Kenji said, clapping his hands together. "Within a few weeks, we'll be going to Seto High, and show that Worthless Quirkless his place!"
Of course that didn't end up happening. As it turns out, Fuka had turned down her entrance into UA so that she could go to Seto High to protect Hiroshi from that very situation. Then the first giant alien fight happened, and Hiroshi being at the center of it and becoming Ultraman Hero's host managed to snag him and Fuka a ticket out of Seto High all the way to UA instead. Now he was stuck here, and with no punching bag to really take it out on.
No one took Kenji's shit laying down anymore, not since he got a stream of rejection letters and Hiroshi's own unyielding will to let them pick on him. The teachers were also surprisingly more harsh on them then when they were in middle school, who were more laissez-faire in how they dealt with their students. Ryunosuke kept seeing himself at the principal's office more now then he ever did before.
"Hey, Ryunosuke."
This was all terrible. He and his friends being stuck here, while Hiroshi got to live out a dream that should've been dead.
"Ryunosuke!"
Just once, he'd like for things to go his way!
"GARGLE BUSTER!"
"Y-Yea!?" Ryunosuke said, snapping out of his thoughts as he and his friends sat on the roof. He turned to look at Kumataro.
"Got any smokes?"
"S-Sorry, Mizu-nee found them a while ago and confiscated them."
"That fucking bitch."
"C-Can you not say that about my sister?"
"Oh what, that she's a bitch? You've complained to us about her before when we were kids," Kenji said, leaning back against the wall. "She's always trying to ruin things for us, so why care about what we say about her?"
"Yea dude, what gives?" Kin'Ichi said, as he finished his yakisoba bread.
"I mean, she's just letting me stay at her place while I go to Seto, since it's closer than at home with our parents, so I feel like it's ungrateful-"
"You don't owe that bitch anything!" Kenji said. "You got us! You should've just hang out at our apartment instead of bumming with her."
"Dude it would've been cramped."
"Who cares!? Better that than having to deal with your bitch of a sister."
Ryunosuke sighed when the bell rang. "Let's talk about this later... we can't keep getting on the school's bad side."
"Tch, whatever," Kenji said, as they got up and went back inside.
Later
Ryunosuke sat outside, waiting his turn with the principal and Mr. Shinkei. Kenji and Kumataro had finished their talks with them, and went off to the front gate. He stared at his fists, and sighed. It was days like this that made being their friend tough. The guys were like his brothers, but sometimes, they could get him into a lot of trouble. He'd give up anything for them. He did give up anything, since he skip out on the chance to go to Ketsubutsu Academy High. They were worth it, though. He couldn't abandon his friends-
"Hey, Gargle Buster, it's your turn," Kin'Ichi said, taking Ryunosuke out of his thoughts. "Go and get this over with so that we can leave with Kenji and Kumataro and get some more smokes."
"Y-Yea," Ryunosuke said, getting up and walking into the principal's office. There, he saw the dolphin-headed principal sitting at his desk, while Mr. Shinkei stood off to the side.
"Take a seat, Watatsu," the principal said. Ryunosuke obeyed, and stared at the ground. "I'm very disappointed."
"Sorry, sir."
"We keep warning you and your friends about your behavior."
"I-I know."
"Seto High, while not nearly as well known or prestigious as the high schools with a hero course, is still a high school with standards. We accepted you and your friends because your grades met our standards, but as I can see, we should've conducted an interview of sorts, otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion. Again."
"O-Of course."
"... Watatsu, I believe that you're a good kid," the principal said, making Ryunosuke finally look up. "Mr. Shinkei told me that you have the best grades of the four of you, a few of your other classmates vouch for you that you tend to be forced into doing what your friends say, and that in class, you're the one on your best behavior. So I just want to know; why do you spend time with those three?"
"... They're my childhood friends, and well, childhood friends stick with each other-"
"Is that why you turned down your acceptance to Ketsubutsu's Hero Course?"
Ryunosuke froze.
"I contacted some of the schools you applied to, including Ketsubutsu, after spending so much time wondering about you. They told me that you had turned them down for some reason despite your excellent grades in their Rescue portion of their practical."
"... Yea," Ryunosuke said, feeling himself shrink in his chair. "Kenji... Kenji said that since none of them got accepted into any hero school, that I shouldn't go since I'd be splitting us up. And you don't split up with your friends."
"If they were really your friends, they would've let you go and support you. Not hold you back."
"They're not holding me back, they're-"
"If that's the case, then why are you here? They could've easily kept in contact with you through social media. You could've met up with them on the weekends. There were a lot of other ways you could've stayed in contact in this day and age. But instead, they forced you to stay back. Why is that?"
Ryunosuke looked to the side, unable to answer. The principal sighed.
"Listen, I managed to explain what happened to you to Ketsubutsu's principal, and they've agreed to extend an open invitation to you. You'll be able to transfer there by the beginning of next semester," the principal said.
"Wait, really!? That's great, does that mean that my friends-"
"They did not extend the same courtesy to them, Watatsu, especially after hearing about their conduct here," the principal said. "They've checked their entrance examinations, and they failed to even place in the General Studies Course there, as their passing entry grade is higher than here. So this offer is only for you, Watatsu."
"B-But you can't-"
"This offer from Ketsubutsu won't be around forever," Mr. Shinkei said finally. "You only have until next Saturday to give an answer."
"We won't force you to make an answer," the principal said. "But I do think that you need to seriously think about your relationship with your friends here, and whether or not it's good for you."
Ryunosuke sat there, in silence, as he thought about it. Another chance... Can he really take it?
"You may leave now, Watatsu. I sincerely hope you think about what you need to do," the principal said, giving the draconic boy a small smile. Ryunosuke nodded, and got up to leave.
Mizuchi Watatsu's Apartment...
"So," Mizuchi said, as she and Ryunosuke ate their dinner in silence. "Got another call from your principal and homeroom teacher today."
"... Is that so?"
"Ryuno, it's just like I've been saying. Those three are holding you back. You could've been studying at Ketsubutsu right now and becoming a hero. Instead, you're stuck at Seto being a delinquent."
"Mizu-nee, it's alright. You don't split up friends-"
"- your friends that keep getting you into trouble. Ryuno, you should be lucky that it was me that they called first instead of our parents. What would mom and dad say if they heard that you were soaking girls with your Water Breath? Again?"
"It was funny-"
"It's harassment, and if you keep this up, I'm going to punish you with my Hero Agency's own special course on why that shit isn't 'funny'."
"Kenji and the others were laughing-"
"And you already know how I feel about those three."
"..."
"Come on, Ryuno," Mizuchi said, pinching her brow. "I know you value their relationship a lot, but it's high time to ask yourself the question; do they really value your relationship as much?"
"... I'm not hungry anymore," Ryunosuke said softly, taking his plate of half-eaten food and throwing it away before putting it into the sink. "I'm... I'm going to bed."
After taking a bath, Ryunosuke laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling. No one understood. Those three... those three were the closest friends he's had ever. They never left him behind, and he couldn't leave them behind, either. He closed his eyes, and started to fall asleep, thinking back to the days they were all little kids.
Years Ago
Ryunosuke was off to the side, sobbing. It was another day of Kenji, Kin'Ichi, and Kumataro picking on him again. The three had been terrorizing everyone in their kindergarten, but especially Ryunosuke, since his Quirk was Water Breath, while most of the others had cooler Quirks than his. It was a lucky thing that they saw Setsuna and decided to pick on her by pulling her hair when they got caught by the teacher and put into timeout.
"Hey."
Ryunosuke looked up, and saw Hiroshi Furinji, one of the only kids who hadn't gotten their Quirk yet in their kindergarten. He had just finished helping Setsuna get her hand back from the three. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yea, what about it!?"
"If you're alright, then why are you crying?"
"I-I just hit my horn against the wall, that's all!"
"... It's Kenji and his friends, isn't it?"
"... Yea... those guys are just mean..."
"I know... they keep picking on everyone here, and it's not fair. Doesn't help that it takes like, three teachers to keep Kenji from picking on us all."
Ryunosuke buried his face into his knees, when Hiroshi sat down next to him. "Mind if I sit with you for a while. I'm kinda tired from helping Setsu out."
"... Whatever," Ryunosuke answered. Soon enough, Setsuna found them, and sat next to them, deciding to just sit there in the sun with them as everyone else ran around on the playground.
Weeks Later
"Ryuno! Ryuno! Check it out!" Setsuna said, as she and Hiroshi ran up to the draconic boy. She popped her hand off, and it floated towards him, making him scream. "I can control my body parts!"
"T-That's really neat, Setsu," Ryunosuke said, still a little disturbed, when her hand flopped down and squirmed.
"Nuts, I still need to figure out how to keep that up," she said, picking her hand up and attaching it to her wrist. She wiggled her fingers, making sure it was actually attached.
"You guys got such neat Quirks," Hiroshi said, smiling. "I can't wait for mine to come. I hope it's as cool as Hayate's!"
"Y-You really think my Quirk's cool, Hiro?" Ryunosuke asked. "I-It's basically just spitting out a lot of water..."
"Yea! Just think about how many fires you can put out and stuff!" Setsuna said.
"... Kenji says it's dumb."
"Who cares what Kenji thinks?" Hiroshi said. "It's cool."
"... Thanks."
A Few Days Later
"So you're really not going to get a Quirk, Hiro?" a girl with fin-like ears asked, looking worriedly at the steel blue-haired boy. He glanced at her, and gave a small sad smile.
"Yea... my parents said that the doctor said that it's called Quirklessness," Hiroshi said.
"That's so terrible!" Setsuna said, her hands over her mouth. "How can that happen?"
"They said it's rare nowadays, so I don't know," Hiroshi replied, chuckling a bit. "I guess that makes me special in a way?"
Ryunosuke looked at him, and fidgeted in place, not sure what he could do or say to his friend.
Days Later, Outside
"L-Leave me alone, Kenji!" Ryunosuke shouted, as the three boys threw dodgeballs at him. "I don't wanna play with you!"
"Come on, they're just balls!" Kenji said, as he pelted Ryunosuke with another one.
"Yea, don't be such a baby!" Kin'Ichi said, throwing ball after ball with his Golden Hair.
"Leave him alone!"
Hiroshi tackled Kenji, knocking the kid down. But it didn't take too long for Kin'Ichi to grab him with Golden Hair and pin him onto the ground with it. Kenji and Kumataro took this opportunity to whale on him with dodgeballs before resorting to kicking him.
"Hey! Dragon Kid!" Kenji shouted, to a retreating Ryunosuke. "Wanna come and show this Quirkless loser his place!?"
"I- uh- I- er..."
"He's a bigger loser than you! Don't you wanna take out some steam on him!?"
"I-"
"Either join us, or Kin's gonna do the same thing to you!"
Ryunosuke flinched, and reluctantly joined them in kicking Hiroshi. Ryunosuke gulped when he looked at Hiroshi's face, who stared at him with disbelief and anger at this betrayal. This wouldn't be the last time he'd see that expression.
Ryunosuke woke up, and looked at his phone's alarm. Sunday morning. He placed it down and rubbed his forehead and eyes. He had forgotten how he had met Kenji and the other three; as another victim of theirs before Hiroshi's Quirklessness was known. They changed, though. They didn't pick on him anymore. He was their friend. Not like Hiroshi, who barely did anything useful.
He got up and went to wash his face at the sink, and dried his face. He got changed, and walked towards the door.
"You going to hang out with that Takagi kid and his friends again?" Mizuchi asked, startling Ryunosuke.
"Y-Yea, what of it?"
"... Don't get any more smokes."
"God, stop getting into my business!"
"Hey, be lucky that it was me that found them! You could get into serious trouble for underaged smoking, Ryuno!"
"It's my life!"
"If it's your life, then why do you let that Takagi kid and his friends push you around!?"
"Because they're my friends, and-"
"And I'm your older sister!"
Ryunosuke gritted his teeth, not saying a word and slamming the door shut behind him.
In a parking garage...
"Hey, Ryunosuke, get us something to eat, I'm starving," Kumataro said, kicking Ryunosuke in the leg to get up from where they were sitting. They had been walking all over downtown trying to pick up girls, only to keep getting shot down. Especially by the ones with boyfriends.
"Yea, there's that new burger joint, Big Bang Burger, that opened up a few blocks from here, and I wanna get food from there," Kin'Ichi said.
"Alright, just hand me some money, I'll-" Ryunosuke said, getting up.
"Nah, got no cash on me right now," Kenji said, as Ryunosuke spotted the full wallet in his pocket.
"Same."
"Yea dude."
"I'm not sure if-"
"Come on, just put it on a tab like always for us," Kenji said, leaning back against the wall.
"A tab that's been increasing each month..." Ryunosuke muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Gargle Buster?"
"N-Nothing. I'll go get you some burgers. Anything in particular?"
"The biggest one they got, with the works," Kenji said.
"Same here," Kin'Ichi added.
"A fish sandwich," Kumataro said, the others staring at him. "What? I'm a bear, I like fish. Sue me!"
"Alright, I'll... I'll go ahead and get them," Ryunosuke said, walking out of the alleyway.
At Big Bang Burger...
"Oh god, that's how much their biggest is?" Ryunosuke said, looking at the menu while he waited in the to-go line. He looked through his wallet. "Guess I'm not getting anything for myself then..."
The door opened behind him, and to his horror, he heard some very familiar voices.
"- So you're sure you're good with buying all of us lunch?" Ochako asked, nervously. "I mean, you don't need to buy me anything."
"Yea, no problem. We've got more then enough money to get you guys food," Hiroshi said. "Especially since this place is new, so don't feel bad if you wanna try anything on the menu."
"In that case, I want to get the biggest they have!" Pony said. "I've been wanting Whataburger for months now, and I need a big burger!"
"I-I hope they have a katsu burger," Izuku said.
"I hope they have juice as an option!" Iida said.
"I'm good with anything," Kyoka said.
"I've never had a burger before... this will be something exciting to try!" Momo said, sparkles in her eyes.
"Me neither. It'll be interesting to try more Earth food," Rigel replied.
"Going to just get chicken tenders and fries," Fuka said, sighing. "Trust me, you don't want me to eat anything smelly because of my Quirk."
"Well I don't have that problem!" Setsuna said. "I'm getting something with extra- Watatsu?"
Ryunosuke froze, as he turned around and faced Hiroshi, Fuka, Setsuna, some of the UA Hero Course kids, and that maniac from weeks ago.
"Hey, it's one of the guys who solicitated the girls!" "What's up!?"
"Watatsu?" Hiroshi said, his gaze becoming hard. "I guess Takagi and the other goons are around here, too."
"I- Uh- You- Er-" Ryunosuke stuttered, as he began to shiver.
"Are... are you alright?" Fuka asked, raising an eyebrow.
"DON'T HURT ME!" Ryunosuke shouted, covering his face. Everyone in the restaurant looked over at the panicked boy, as he started to shake even more. "I- I'm sorry! Just don't hurt me! Please!"
"What the- What are you going on about?" Setsuna asked, surprised by Ryunosuke's outburst.
"Him! Just- Just don't bring out the alien!" Ryunosuke said, pointing at Hiroshi.
"... I'm not," Hiroshi said, his voice completely lacking any reassurance. "... Let's talk outside, people are busy eating here."
"Y... Yea, of course," Ryunosuke said, his head low.
This was going to suck.
"So. You're saying that you're sorry," Hiroshi said, not turning around to face Ryunosuke. Ryunosuke rubbed his foot on the ground, pinching both of his dragon whiskers the tightest he's ever pinched them. "About everything."
"Y-Yea, I'm sorry..." Ryunosuke said.
"... Are you really?"
"Huh?"
"Are you really sorry about everything?" Hiroshi stated. "Because the way you said it, makes me think that you're only sorry because you think I'm going to beat the shit out of you."
"Y-Yea! I'm... I'm sorry," Ryunosuke said, though now he wasn't really even sure. "I'm sorry-"
"For bullying me? For ending your friendship with me and Setsuna so you could start one with Takagi and his goons? For bullying Setsuna, Fuka, Tsubasa, everyone from our neighborhood and schools?"
"I... I... I don't know," Ryunosuke admitted. "I just... look, Kenji's... Kenji's a good-"
"- Bully. I know," Hiroshi snapped. He finally turned around to look at Ryunosuke, his eyes narrowed. "Watatsu, he pressured you into becoming his friend because I was 'weaker' than you. Despite the fact he was bullying you seconds before I came to stop him from bullying you when we were kids."
"You... You don't understand, he... he cares about us in his own way."
"Yea, using you to pick on the 'weaker' kids, and getting you to run errands for him. Come on, you seriously can't think he actually cares."
"He does! Otherwise, he wouldn't have wanted me to stay with him-"
"Wait, he 'wanted' you to stay with him?"
"Uh- Er... Yea," Ryunosuke said, looking at the ground. "I... I got accepted into Ketsubutsu's Hero Course, but Kenji told me that since he and the others weren't accepted there, that I shouldn't go, since real friends don't split up. Not like you did with your sister, Tokage, and Tensou-"
"Ryuno," Hiroshi said, softly. Ryunosuke didn't expect that, to hear his nickname from Hiroshi after so long, and so... gently. "That's... that's not them being your friend. That's them manipulating you."
"Y-You don't know that!"
"If they were really your friend, why wouldn't they want you to be successful?"
"They... I... You don't split friends up-"
"Ryuno. We live in a time where meeting up is easy, and we can communicate easily through social media and smartphones," Hiroshi pointed out. "There's no reason that they couldn't do that while you go to Ketsubutsu."
Ryunosuke stayed silent. There was that point again.
Were... were they really right about that? That Kenji and the others were... holding him back?
"Ryuno, I'm... I'm not sure if I'm really ready to accept your forgiveness. Especially since I didn't expect to meet you today," Hiroshi admitted. "Just know that I'm not going to seek vengeance against you or anything. You were always the last one to really get involved, so I guess you're the one I hate the least."
"R... Really?"
"Yea. Just... really think about what you want, and if Takagi and the others are really going to help you with it."
Hiroshi sighed, and went inside. Ryunosuke stood there for a while.
His sister, the principal and Mr. Shinkei, and Hiroshi... those people kept telling him to think about his relationship with Kenji and the others.
Should... should he?
"Hey Gargle Buster, what took you so long?" Kenji said, as Ryunosuke came back to them, bags in hand. "We were thinking that you were going to ditch us!"
"Sorry, there was... a big line," Ryunosuke said, half-truthfully. "It was super busy since it's new and all."
"Yea yea, give me that," Kenji said, grabbing a bag, with Kumataro and Kin'Ichi following suit.
"Hey guys, could you pay me back soon? They were really expensive," Ryunosuke asked. "Even the fish sandwich was a lot..."
"Yea, later," Kenji said, absentmindedly as he unwrapped the burger and took a bite out of it. "Next month, I promise."
"... That's what you said last month," Ryunosuke said, a little bitterly.
"What was that?" Kenji said, swallowing his bite and glaring at the draconic teen.
"Guys... Listen... The principal said I had another chance to get into Ketsubutsu," Ryunosuke said. The three spat out what they had in their mouths, shocked. "And I think... I think I should take it."
"That means that they're offering the same thing to us, right!?" Kumataro said, getting up and towering over the shorter teen. "If you thinking of taking it, then we're-"
"No. He... He said that it was only for me," Ryunosuke explained.
"And you said yes!?" Kin'Ichi said, aghast.
"N-No, he's giving me until the end of Saturday to make a decision-"
"Then you're not going," Kenji said, firmly. "You don't split up friends-"
"Guys, it's alright. I... I can always just talk to you through social media, and we can always just meet up to hang out sometimes," Ryunosuke said, pinching the end of his dragon whisker. "Just because I want to go to a new high school doesn't mean we can't be-"
"What? You wanna be like the Worthless Quirkless and betray your friends?" Kenji said.
"I'm not betraying anyone here, I just- I just want to take advantage of this second chance! The biggest reason why I followed you is because we could pick on Furinji 'cuz his friends weren't going to Seto, but his sister ended up going there to stop us! A- And it didn't matter anyway! After the Tyrannion and Ultraman Hero fight, those two got transferred into UA! So we're all stuck here in a school full of people that think we're all losers that flunked every application to every hero school, and I-"
"- You what?"
Kenji, Kumataro, and Kin'Ichi were now all standing up, staring at Ryunosuke intimidatingly. "You what, Gargle Buster?"
"I... I... I can't stand this anymore!" Ryunosuke cried. "This entire time, I- I kept following you all around, 'cuz I thought you're my friends! B-But instead of ever supporting me, you guys just- you guys just keep getting me into trouble! I can't take any more of this! If you were really my friends, you should be happy I've got this second chance! It's not going to happen again, and I-"
Kenji's arms increased in size, and he punched Ryunosuke in the gut, sending him flying across the pavement for a couple meters. Ryunosuke gasped for air, as Kenji and the others stared at him.
"So, you wanna break up the Four Musketeers, huh?" Kenji said, cracking his knuckles.
"We should've known you'd try to do something like this!" Kin'Ichi said, cracking his neck and knuckles, while his Golden Hair 'cracked' their tips.
"It's a shame, dude, we thought of you like a brother," Kumataro sighed, as his bear claws began to slightly extend. "But you should remember what we can do-"
Ryunosuke opened his mouth and blasted them with a surprisingly powerful stream of water, the strongest he's ever made after his practical at Ketsubutsu. The three flew backwards, skidding across the parking garage's now wet pavement, far from the beaten teen. Before they could get up, Ryunosuke took this opportunity to run off, getting far away enough that by the time they got up, he was nowhere to be seen. Kin'Ichi tried to move Golden Hair, but it was too waterlogged to move.
"That fucking dickhead! He's dead when we see him at Seto!" Kenji shouted, his voice echoing throughout the parking garage as he slammed his enlarged fist onto the ground.
Ryunosuke had ran. He had ran far.
Very far from the parking garage.
Everything hurt. His stomach. His lungs. His body. His mind.
They were right.
Everyone was right.
People moved out of the way of the teen, tears streaming down his eyes and water from his mouth.
He was such an idiot for letting this happen for so long.
His real friendships with Hiroshi and Setsuna. Thrown away for a bunch of guys who didn't care about him.
His acceptance to Ketsubutsu. Ripped apart by a bunch of guys who wanted to keep him chained to them.
His future. All in the toilet because he thought they were friends.
He collapsed near a water fountain, tired and sobbing. He curled up, alone and-
"Watatsu!?"
He looked up, and saw Setsuna and Hiroshi running over to him, with the rest of their friends nearby, looking at him with concern.
"What happened?" Hiroshi asked.
"You... Everyone... was right," Ryunosuke sobbed. "T-Takagi... Ussuri... Kaminoke... they were never really my friends... I'm... I'm so sorry-"
"Easy there, let's get you somewhere where we can help you out," Setsuna said, as she and Hiroshi helped him up.
"W... Why? I... I-"
"It's the right thing to do," Hiroshi said. As they walked towards the others, Momo had put her phone away.
"I just called Principal Nezu and Mr. Aizawa. They're going to be coming here soon with Recovery Girl to help," she explained.
"You alright, kid?" "You look like you got fucked up real bad!" Jin said.
"Got... got punched in gut-"
"I'll go get you some ice!" Izuku said, as he and Ochako ran to the nearest convenience store. Fuka lifted Ryunosuke's shirt, and saw how it was red and swelling.
"Looks like whatever Takagi did, gave you a nasty bruise in the making," she said. "I don't think it's anything life threatening, but considering how it looks like you've been running for a while, probably worse than it would've been."
"Hey, Ryuno."
Ryunosuke looked up at Setsuna, who gave him a little smile. "Hiroshi told me everything that you talked about outside Big Bang Burger. I... I can't exactly forgive you yet for everything... but you know, I think we can at least try."
"... really?" he whispered.
"Yea. I don't necessarily blame you for being a shithead, since most of the time you were pressured," she said. "I do think you need to be held accountable for the shit you've done, willing or not, but at the end of the day, you just... didn't have the best relationships. Hell, me and Hiroshi probably could've tried much harder to make sure that you didn't end up being one of Takagi's friends."
Hiroshi looked off to the side, and took a deep breath, before sighing.
"Same. I... I still have a lot to process about with you, but at the very least, we can help you be better. Or at least, your future classmates at Ketsubutsu can," he said, as Izuku and Ochako came back with a big bag of ice. "To be honest, I guess I always hoped that you'd find your way out of there."
"... thank you..." Ryunosuke whispered, still in tears. He closed his eyes, and kept thinking to himself.
"I'm going to change. I will change..."
Back at the parking garage...
"That fucking Gargle Buster!" Kenji screamed, punching the wall, cracking it. "This has Worthless Quirkless's name all over it!"
"To think, he'd really choose to leave us behind like this," Kin'Ichi grumbled, as he rung out the water in his Golden Hair.
"God I'm going to smell so fucking bad after this," Kumataro grumbled, as he shook his body to try and get all the water off his wet fur.
As they fumed and stormed about Ryunosuke's betrayal, Kenji thought back to when it all started. When that damned Worthless Quirkless came into the picture.
Years Ago
"Wow, Kenji! Your Quirk's so cool!" Kin'Ichi said, looking at Kenji, whose arms were disproportionately huge to his tiny body, and his shirt's sleeves ripped apart.
"Yea, I can't wait for my Quirk to kick in, too!" Kumataro said.
"Your arms are so huge!" a boy with bat-winged ears said. "They're as big as All Might's!"
All of the kids were marveling at Kenji's huge arms, as he imitated poses he saw All Might make on television.
"That's right, I'm the best!" Kenji said, flexing. It was great. He was getting all sorts of compliments, especially since he was the first one to get their Quirk. "I'm the strongest there is!"
"Yes, yes, it's an impressive Quirk," one of their teachers laughed, walking over to stop him. "But remember, you're not allowed- H-hey! Hey!"
Kenji picked up the teacher, lifting them above their head. "Kenji, put me down this instant!"
"Alright, if you say so, Mr. Namida!" Kenji laughed, tossing him across the room and making him land on a stack of pillows. The kids cheered as the other teachers helped the poor man up.
"Kenji, you-"
"Aw, come on, Mr. Namida," one of the younger teachers said, chuckling. "Let the little guy be excited about his Quirk. Weren't you super excited when you got your Quirk at their age?"
"I'm gonna be the super-est hero there is!" Kenji said, when he spotted a steel blue-haired boy off to the side, drawing a picture. He frowned. Everyone was paying attention to him. Why wasn't this kid?
"Hey! You!"
"Huh?" Hiroshi looked up from his picture. "What?"
"Don't you think my Quirk's super cool!? I bet you're jealous!" the horned boy said, flexing his arms again. "It's the greatest, right!?"
"Uh..." Hiroshi said, looking to the side. "It's... cool, and it is yours, but..."
"... But what?"
"Well, it's just your arms, right?"
"Yea?"
"Well, All Might's like that, but all over, right?"
"... Your point?"
"It's... kinda weird to say that it's the greatest when it's just your arms, right?"
The kids began to murmur around them, as Kenji started to sweat a little.
"Well, All Might's old! I'm gonna be the super-est hero when we're all grown up!" Kenji said, trying to regain momentum.
"Sure, but, well, everyone's still waiting for their Quirks... so it's not like we know if yours is really the best, right?"
"Hiro's got a point," a girl with fin-like ears said.
"Kenji is just the first one of us to get his Quirk..." a boy with four eyes said.
The mood in the room began to change, as Kenji looked left and right.
"Maybe I'll get a cooler Quirk!" Setsuna said, her eyes gleaming with hope. "Oh boy, I hope it's something like turning into a dinosaur!"
"But your dad's got a Sharp Tooth Quirk and your mom's got a Body Part Quirk," Tsubasa pointed out.
"I can hope for it, though!"
"I think my Quirk will be great, too!" Ryunosuke said. "My dad and sister can turn into dragons, so maybe I can!"
"D-Don't worry, Kenji! You're still real cool!" Kin'Ichi said.
"Yea, who cares what the others think!?" Kumataro said.
But their voices fell on deaf ears, as Kenji's eyes were fixated on Hiroshi. He... He was looking down on his Quirk! He was the first one in their kindergarten to get a Quirk! Being first meant being the best!
How... How dare he not respect his Quirk!
Some Time Later
"Leave me alone, Kenji!" Tsubasa said, as Kenji picked her up and held her in the air with his massive arms.
"Come on, I thought you'd want to fly with your wings!" Kenji said, as he began running around with her on the playground.
"Not like this! Stop!" she cried.
"Hey, he's giving you a free ride, be happy!" Kin'Ichi said, laughing as he and Kumataro followed Kenji.
"Guys stop it!"
"Hey!"
Kenji and the other boys stopped in their tracks, and saw Hiroshi standing to their right, an angry frown on his face. "Stop picking on Tsuba!"
"I'm not picking on her, I'm playing with her!" Kenji said, tossing Tsubasa up a bit. She cried as she fell back into his hands, only to get tossed up into the air.
"Seriously, Kenji! This isn't cool!"
"So what? What are you going to do about it? You still don't have your Quirk yet-" Kenji said, when Hiroshi shoved him. Tsubasa fell out of his grasp, as Setsuna came and caught the smaller girl.
"Come on, Tsuba! Let's go!" Setsuna said, taking the girl's hand and running to get the teachers. The boys began to wrestle on the ground, Kin'Ichi trying to pry Hiroshi off with his Golden Hair, though he wasn't strong enough to really do it. Kumataro scratched Hiroshi's back, leaving a light but bloody scratch on it as it ripped through his shirt.
"You're gonna pay for that, you dumb-" Kenji shouted.
"Hey! What's going on here!?" Mr. Namida said, as he and the other teachers ran towards them, Setsuna and Tsubasa leading them.
"Hiro pushed me!"
"You were picking on Tsuba!" Hiroshi said, wincing as he touched his back.
"Did you do that, Kumataro?" Miss Goro, one of the teachers, asked, seeing the scratch.
"Y-Yea, but it was because he attacked Kenji-"
"I was trying to stop you from picking on Tsuba! She was crying 'cuz Kenji kept tossing her in the air!" Hiroshi said.
"I was just trying to help her fly!"
"I didn't want it!" Tsubasa said, hiding behind Mr. Namida's leg.
"Kenji, Kin'Ichi, Kumataro, go to timeout. Hiroshi, go with Miss Goro to the nurse's office to get that cleaned. When you get back, you're going to go into a different timeout corner," Mr. Namida said, as the three boys glared at Hiroshi, while Hiroshi only nodded. "I understand you wanted to help, but you should try getting us first to handle it."
"Yes sir," the four said. As the three boys followed Mr. Namida, Kenji shot one final furious glare at Hiroshi, who returned his own as Miss Goro led him in the opposite direction.
Many Weeks Later on the Playground
"So you're really not going to get a Quirk, Hiro?" a girl with fin-like ears asked, looking worriedly at the steel blue-haired boy. He glanced at her, and gave a small sad smile.
"Yea... my parents said that the doctor said that it's called Quirklessness," Hiroshi said.
"That's so terrible!" Setsuna said, her hands over her mouth. "How can that happen?"
"They said it's rare nowadays, so I don't know," Hiroshi replied, chuckling a bit. "I guess that makes me special in a way?"
"I-I bet it would've been one of the best ones!" Tsubasa said, as a boy with four eyes nodded in agreement. "You said your older siblings are gonna try and go to the school All Might went to, right? If you had a Quirk, I'm sure you'd have gotten in!"
"Thanks you guys," Hiroshi laughed. "Honestly, I'm just glad that it's me and not anyone else here. I... I can handle having no Quirk."
As kids surrounded Hiroshi and cheered him up about being Quirkless, Kenji fumed.
He had no Quirk.
He was worthless.
So why was he getting any attention!?
"Hey!" he shouted, as everyone turned to look at him. He activated his Quirk, making his arms huge and flexed. "Why look at someone with no Quirk, when you can look at someone who does!?"
"Don't be mean, Kenji!" the girl with fin-like ears said.
"Yea!" a boy with a clock face for a face added. "We should give him some time!"
"It's alright, guys, he's right for once," Hiroshi sighed. "You guys should go have fun. I'm fine."
The kids all looked at each other, before leaving Hiroshi alone to go and play on the playground. Only Setsuna and Tsubasa stayed behind.
"You guys can go play, too-"
"We wanna play with you, though!" Setsuna said, grabbing his hand. "Let's go to the merry-go-round! I bet you that I can fly off it!"
As everyone played around for recess, Kin'Ichi and Kumataro went to Kenji.
"Don't worry, Kenji! You're still the best!" Kin'Ichi said.
"Yea, who gives a dang about someone that's not getting a Quirk!" Kumataro added.
Kenji didn't respond, however, as his fists tightened.
So he was getting all that attention, only to toss it aside like that?
All that attention that he didn't deserve, and he's chose NOT to take it?
How can anyone like that exist!?
Days Later
"L-Leave me alone, Kenji!" Ryunosuke shouted, as the three boys threw dodgeballs at him. "I don't wanna play with you!"
"Come on, they're just balls!" Kenji said, as he pelted Ryunosuke with another one. Ryunosuke's Quirk was so lame, just breathing out water. He's just gonna need to toughen up by dealing with the dodgeballs.
"Yea, don't be such a baby!" Kin'Ichi said, throwing ball after ball with his Golden Hair. He was getting better each day using it, now being able to lift other kids with it now.
"Leave him alone!"
Hiroshi tackled Kenji, knocking the kid down. But it didn't take too long for Kin'Ichi to grab him with Golden Hair and pin him onto the ground with it. Kenji and Kumataro took this opportunity to whale on him with dodgeballs before resorting to kicking him.
"Hey! Dragon Kid!" Kenji shouted, to a retreating Ryunosuke. "Wanna come and show this Quirkless loser his place!?"
"I- uh- I- er..."
"He's a bigger loser than you! Don't you wanna take out some steam on him!?"
"I-"
"Either join us, or Kin's gonna do the same thing to you!"
As Ryunosuke joined in kicking Hiroshi, Kenji's face was the angriest frown a little kid could get. The nerve of this Quirkless kid trying to be a hero! He had no powers, so what made him think he could do anything!? He only became angrier when he saw that Hiroshi's face wasn't one of pain and regret, but defiance and anger.
That Worthless Quirkless was going to learn his place one day, and it's going to be him who teaches it.
Present Day
"So we going to go to his sister's place and kick his ass?" Kumataro said, ready to beat him with his bear hands.
"No, she's a fucking pro, she'll just get in the way," Kenji growled, punching the wall again. "But he's going to pay! Him, Lizard Lips, Gradeskipper, Featherduster, and Worthless Quirkless!"
"Oh my, what anger! What frustration! What a grudge!" a voice said, echoing through the parking garage. The three looked around the empty parking garage, when they saw a shadow forming on the wall near the spot where Kenji was punching earlier.
They stepped back, on guard, as the shadow walked off the wall, and formed into the alien that they've seen clips of, Virus. He was clapping his hands at them. "I must commend you all. If it weren't for your continuous beating of this wall and your screaming shadows, I might never have found where you were at!"
"What do you want!?" Kenji said, his arms growing huge. "You want to fight someone that's real hero material!?"
"Yea, we're not scared of you fucking aliens!" Kumataro said, his claws growing.
"If my hair wasn't still drying, I'd kick your ass seven ways to hell!" Kin'Ichi added, as his hair limply moved up.
"Easy there, kids, I'm not here to fight," Virus said, holding his hands up. An aura began to radiate off of him, forcing the teens to immediately fall to their knees from its pressure. "If I was, you'd have already lost," he laughed.
"S-So what do you want!? B-Before I kick your ass!?" Kenji shouted, struggling to stay intimidating.
"Nothing, just wanted a little chat with you all! Answer questions, things like that," Virus said, releasing his aura and letting them stand up. "You see, I've heard around the grapevine about your grudge against a person I'm familiar with! A Mr. Hiroshi Furinji, correct?"
"The Worthless Quirkless?" Kin'Ichi said.
"What about him?" Kenji spat out. "He's only special now because of that shitty alien of his! He was nothing before, and he's nothing now!"
"Yea, UA doesn't know shit!" Kumataro followed. "They should've taken us instead of him and his fucking friends!"
"Yes, yes, a tragedy for you four," Virus said, pacing a bit before 'noticing' that there was a person missing. "Oh wait, where's your fourth friend?"
"Fucking split, that's what," Kenji grumbled. "All our years of friendship, gone 'cuz Gargle Buster's a fucking wimp."
"Well, I suppose three will do," Virus said, to their confusion. He dug into his pocket, and pulled out three strange purple crystals. "Because I have a proposition."
"... The hell are those things?" Kin'Ichi said, eyeing the crystals.
"These are what I like to call 'Despair Cores'," Virus said, as he picked one off his hand and examined it. "A work in progress, I'll admit, but it's something I think will be quite exciting for you all."
"What... what do they do?" Kumataro said, his right index claw trembling as he raised it to poke it. Virus paced away from him, however, making Kumataro retract his hand.
"It's quite simple," Virus said, the few lights in the parking garage shining off the Despair Cores. "These things contain a bit of my species' power, as well as that of a... 'special' alien. And whoever I give one, will gain some of our powers and that alien's."
The three teens looked at each other. If that's true, then does that mean-
"Seems like you three are quicker on the uptake than some people will give credit for!" Virus laughed. "That's right, I think you three are perfect to try out my first batch! Well, I suppose it was four, but considering how your friend abandoned you, well-"
"Don't fucking rub it in," Kenji said, his fist tightening. "So why choose us?"
"Because you deserve it, of course!" Virus said, spreading his arms out. "Furinji stole what should've been your alien, didn't he? He stole what should've been your spot at UA, didn't he? He's gotten all that fame that should've been yours, didn't he? Everything, ever since you were children, he took what was yours!"
Kenji's fists were so tight that his skin could've ripped from the tension. His teeth gritted so hard that they were close to cracking. His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead could've exploded with how they bulged. Kin'Ichi was a close second, while no one could really tell with Kumataro due to all the fur, though he also was angry.
"But I'm here with this proposition as I've said," Virus stated. He held the three Despair Cores between his fingers. "With these Despair Cores, I can grant you similar powers that I and my alien allies can use! You'll be able to match Furinji and Ultraman Hero in battle! You'll get all the power, all the fame, everything that was denied to you on that day!"
Kenji froze at the proclamation. The power he was denied...
"If you think a hero would give in like that, you-" Kumataro started to say.
"I'll do it," Kenji said, a greedy smile spreading across his face, cheek to cheek. The other two looked at him with shock, but before they could protest, he turned to them and put his hands on their shoulders. "You guys do realize that this is the only chance we'll get to show that Worthless Quirkless who're the real heroes, right!? He cheated his way into UA with an alien inside him who does all the work! Meanwhile, an alien's offering us power without the need for him to bonding us!"
"Yep, these powers will be 'yours' if you take them," Virus said.
"So it'll be us in control! We won't be cheats like him!" Kenji said, his smile becoming more and more manic at the prospect of alien powers. "The fact that Gradeskipper, Lizard Lips, Featherduster, and Gargle Buster are in hero schools and not us, just shows that everything's unfair! We're the best, but we're stuck in a regular damn school!"
"Yea... Yea that's right!" Kin'Ichi said, slowly nodding in agreement.
"If those losers are in hero schools and not us, then what's the point of being a hero!?" Kumataro said, his eyes narrowed.
"Give us that power, alien!" Kenji said, pointing at Virus. "We'll become the best damn aliens out there!"
"Glad to hear!" Virus said, walking to Kenji, the Despair Cores ready. "By the way, this might hurt quite a lot."
Before he could ask why, Virus placed the Despair Core into Kenji's sternum. The crystal burned through his shirt and buried itself into his chest. Kenji screamed as purple 'cracks' and 'veins' grew from where it was placed, reaching to his face, arms, and stomach. His eyes flashed from brown to red to purple, all in a cycle.
"Wait, can I-" Kin'Ichi began to say, when Virus placed the other two Despair Cores into his and Kumataro's chests. The two fell to the ground, screaming as they went through the same process as Kenji.
"Hm... seems like this might take a while..." Virus said, pulling out a pager. He pressed it, and in a few minutes, one of Kurogiri's portals opened and the mist man poked his head out. "Kurogiri, can you help me out and take these three to the spot?"
Kurogiri took one look at the three writhing teens on the ground. "So you're recruiting teens as well? Wouldn't your allies object to their presence?"
"Oh, they already know about what I'm doing, so they'll accepted them, whether they want to or not," Virus said cheerfully. Kurogiri grumbled as he followed Virus's order, and Virus picked the three up and tossed them into the portal.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Mr. Virus," Kurogiri said. Virus put his hands into his pockets as he paced around a bit.
"Trust me, Kurogiri. There's no way that you'd understand what's going through my mind," he answered. "Don't worry about me going through, I'll go back there on my own eventually."
Kurogiri obliged, and disappeared. Virus pulled out the two remaining Despair Cores in his pockets, and tossed them up slightly, as if he were preparing to roll dice.
"I think I'll keep these ones to myself for the time being... Now, what's the next step I should make?"
ORIGINAL AO3 NOTES:
- Are Kenji, Kin'Ichi, and Kumataro a bit over the top in their assholery? Honestly, I'm kinda split. On one hand, it feels a bit too much to me, but on the other, there ARE people who are like that. I feel like they've stayed consistent in each of their appearances, but still, I can understand if people take issue with how over-the-top-mean they can be.
- As usual, doing a little stretching here about how I think Japanese high schools work 'cuz I'm not totally familiar with how they work besides looking up some bits here and there on articles and Wikipedia, and I really don't want to try spending TOO much time researching stuff for a fanfic. Even if I enjoy doing stuff like that.
- I'll be honest, I never ever actually intended for Kenji and his friends to become this prominent or important (as seen with the fact that Kin'Ichi, Kumataro, and Ryunosuke were all nameless in the first chapter and didn't even get descriptions). But that pretty much changed when I decided to take up UHA, and I thought more about them and their potential, especially around the Sports Festival Arc. Like making Kenji into a foil to Katsuki in some regards. And I certainly never really thought about Ryunosuke's relationship with Hiroshi at that point. Their relationship was never really intended to be like that, especially since in the third chapter's flashback he was a willing participant in kicking Hiroshi while he was on the ground. But I'm gonna just chalk that up to him getting used to bullying Hiroshi by that point. Too bad I still didn't give much thought to Kin'Ichi and Kumataro. They're still basically Kenji's lackeys/enablers, and though at the very least I think I've shown them that they're pretty much just as bad as Kenji, they've got little personality of their own.
- Adding onto this I do think that at some point, I'll be going back and editing some of these chapters to reflect some of the changes and ideas I get (like changing the flashback in CH3 to make it so that Ryunosuke's more on the lookout before joining in). But that won't be for a long time, I think.
- Is it a big coincidence for Hiroshi and Ryunosuke to meet up at the burger place? Maybe. But it IS a new place, and I think a lot of people would want to be trying it.
- The ending was originally going to end at Virus's "I have a proposition". While I did like it being a cliffhanger of sorts, I thought that it'd raise a lot of questions when they reappeared (since I do think it would've been obvious they said yes). Like, "Why didn't they assault Ryunosuke and the others after getting their powers?". So I chose to extend it a bit more and changed it to be a different sort of cliffhanger.