So here is the third chapter! Its taking me a while to crosspost the chapters from Ao3 to here but i'm doing it slowly! Again! If you want to get ahead, go to SilverWinterMoon on Ao3 and find the story! Its under the same name! Enjoy!
It was on a hot summer day when Saki left home. The sun beamed down and Saki could feel sweat dripping down her forehead. The combination of bright sunny rays and chirping of the crickets made it truly the best summer day.
Despite that, all Saki could feel was the chill running down her veins.
She was released from the Hospital after a few days of observation done by Recovery Girl. Given the little time she had, all Saki could do was pack up her belongings in preparation of leaving the comfort of her home.
Her parents held her the day she came home. It was an embrace that both comforted her and hurt her in equal measures. Tears welled up in her eyes but they never fell and her parents were quiet as they held her in their arms.
In the dark of the night, they whispered words of love, of trust and hope. That even with how her life was thrown out of order and now in constant danger, they hoped that Saki was able to find a path someway.
Saki could feel their wishes and kept them close to her heart as she waved goodbye to them and was escorted to UA.
And what a surprise it was, her escort none other than the former symbol of peace.
All Might.
He was taller than she imagined him to be. Towering over her tiny form, his arm was still in a cast and she could see the bandages peeking out from underneath his shirt. Hair as golden as the sun, he was smiling as he greeted her parents and assured them of her safety.
The moment Saki's eyes landed on his form as he stood in front of her house, she could feel the end of life as she knew it.
Now, as she stood in front of the Dorm she remembered from Before, she exhaled slowly and gripped onto her tote with tight hands.
This was her new beginning. A start that she wished never received.
But the world turned and never waited for a single person.
"Amano Saki."
Eraserhead, no, Aizawa Shouta greeted her gruffly.
Saki wondered if all the characters from the manga were taller than she expected them to be.
He was waiting in front of Heights Alliance, eyes half lidded but alert. His posture was slouched but it reminded her of a black panther, relaxed enough to spring into action at a moment's notice. His eyes scanned her form before seemingly coming to a conclusion. Saki wondered what he found. Did he see something of worth? Or another luggage to take care of on top of his worrisome class?
Saki had no way of knowing and gripping her bag, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.
"My name is Aizawa Shouta and I will be your homeroom teacher in UA." His voice was gruff but clear. He spoke slowly and his eyes were trained to her face.
"This is the Heights Alliance, the dorm you will be staying in for the rest of the year." Aizawa stated before he gestured for her follow him.
Footsteps slow, she followed the older man into the building. In the peripheral of her vision, she noticed that All Might was following them as well.
Saki wondered why All Might was chosen to escort her. Was it because of her involvement in his battle? or maybe he wanted to ask her of something. Honestly, she hoped that she could avoid any form of conversation with him. She was lucky enough that he never asked her any questions in the car ride over to UA.
Saki stopped short of Aizawa's back and held her breathe. Her heart was pounding, she almost bumped into the teacher's back as her thought had wandered.
This was not the best impression she wanted to give him.
Aizawa though did not seem to react to her panicking mind and turned to her and pointed out the facilities. "The first floor is the common room. This is where food, baths and laundry are."
Her eyes scoured the room and she took in her new home and she swallowed. The dorm was large, much larger than she expected it to be. She knew that it was quite big looking at it from the outside but seeing the interior really hammered in how extravagant the dorms are.
Absentmindedly, Saki marveled at how much money it must have taken for UA to build a dorm for each class like the one she was in and how quickly they had them made.
Even after so many years, this world never ceases to surprise me.
"Boys and girls are separated on the left and the right. Each floor has 4 rooms per gender and there is a total of five floors." Aizawa informed her as his voice broke her out of her thoughts.
Aizawa then punched the elevator button and the door opened. The group walked in and she could see him punching the button with the number five on it and slowly the door closed - she could feel a hum as the elevator went up.
The wait was awkward and the silence stifling and as soon as the door opened Saki resisted the urge to immediately scamper out. She patiently followed her teacher's lead. He brought her to the second room down the hall and beside the door Saki could see her last name on the nameplate.
Her room.
"This is your room, it comes equipped with its own AC, toilet, fridges and closet. It has also been treated so any uncontrollable burst of your quirk will not ruin the room. You have the rest of the day to unpack your belongings. The rest of your belongings should be inside waiting for you." Aizawa drawled.
Saki nodded at his explanation but then she paused. She looked down the hallway and listened for any other sound but only silence greeted her.
Something was missing.
"Aizawa-sensei?" She voiced.
Aizawa hummed in response.
"Where are the rest of the students?" Saki's words were slow and wary.
"The rest of the class will be moving in next week. You were asked to move in early so we could get a head start on your Quirk Control classes." Aizawa answered her query and Saki closed her eyes.
She was the first resident. The sole exception and the 'special' student.
Saki could feel her stomach churn.
"Not to worry Young Amano," All Might's voice was soft and gentle, "If you need any assistance, the teachers dorm is nearby and in case of emergencies you will be given a way to contact us."
"In addition to that, once the rest of the students have moved in, you can ask Yaoyorozu who is the vice president for assistance if you need any help." Aizawa informed her.
All Might then asked the teen to take down their cell phone numbers. Saki robotically brought out her phone and typed in the new numbers. Gazing at the phone in her hand, two new contacts stared back at her.
Her hands tensed. The feeling of reality baring down on her was becoming all too real and Saki swallowed.
"You will not be doing anything today but tomorrow morning I will come to pick you up and we can start you in quirk control." Aizawa stated. "Get some rest Amano, I will see you tomorrow."
Aizawa turned and shuffled to the elevator. All Might's hand hovered over her shoulder before dropping and instead he offered her a comforting smile before following his colleague.
Saki watched as the elevator door closed and she was left alone in the silence in the hallway.
She exhaled a breath she did not know she was holding and shuffled to her door. Her hand was raised above the door knob and she hesitated before she grabbed the handle and turned the knob.
The rest of the day was a blur, her body moving automatically to unpack her belongings. When she came to the sun had already set and all she could hear outside her window were the quiet chirps of the crickets.
Her room was set up, with the soft pale yellows and orange coloring her room. Her bed sheets freshly washed; they still had the scent of home. Her soft plushies was rested on top of the bed. Most prominently was her bunny plushy, worn with age and but well taken care of resting on top of the pillow. Looking at the room, it resembled her room back home.
It felt like a pale imitation of what she had.
She vaguely remembers going down the elevator and swallowing a few bites of her dinner. The food was amazing and wonderful and yet it tasted like ash upon her tongue. Soon after she was settled underneath her covers and her fingers clenched her soft bunny plushy, a false comfort to her circumstances.
Her stomach had not stopped churning. The silence was overwhelming. In the silence of her room, her breaths were all she could hear. Saki shivered, the reality of events sinking in. She exhaled as her eyes fluttered close into an uneasy sleep.
So marked the first night of many nights. Her new reality.
"So, how was she?"
Aizawa's head lifted from the stack of paperwork he was working on. Hizashi had leaned on his hand as he twirled the pen in his hand. In the corner of his eye, he could see Nemuri tilt her head in interest and Toshinori glance at him from the corner of the room.
He considered his words as he recalled his latest student.
"Quiet." He voiced.
Nemuri raised a brow, "Just that?"
All she received was a bland look from her colleague. She huffed and Aizawa could hear Hizashi snicker at the exchange.
Rolling her eyes, Nemuri turned to Toshinori and quirked her lips. "What did you think All Might?"
Toshinori hummed as he poured some tea into his cup, "Certainly she was quiet, but…"
The man's fingers tapped the rim of his cup as he paused. "She also feels lost. Resigned even."
Nemuri hummed and a frown crept up on her face, "The poor thing, with how she was brought in I guess it was inevitable."
Aizawa breathed out a sigh as he closed his eyes. His head ached and his body screamed in exhaustion, but he could not rest, not yet.
His eyes glanced at the report in his hands. Staring back at him was the picture of the petite brunette and he narrowed his eyes.
Tired, Recovery Girl's report stated. Wary, anxious, nervous, gentle. A series of words and notes stared back at him. Recovery Girl's notes after observing the child in the hospital was in his hands. It all summed up to the girl being an introvert. However, one line stood out from the rest.
Possibly suffers from Depression. Requires in depth analysis from a licensed psychologist.
A previously dormant quirk activating in such a publicized event. A series of events that has cornered the girl. Aizawa could see how that diagnosis come to be and he safely agreed with Recovery Girl's thoughts and Toshinori's impressions.
Yet, something nagged at the back of his mind.
He saw something reflected in her eyes. Depression? Possibly. Resignation? It was there. Exhaustion? He would recognize what he himself had.
But her eyes gleamed with age, of having knowledge and experiencing events. A knowing quiet wisdom was in that tiny girl's gaze.
The girl was thoughtful, considering her words before they left her mouth. Her gestures slow and gentle as if she was afraid to touch. Her hands careful, worried to let something slip through her hands. There was something odd and omniscient in that child and Aizawa was not sure why a teen was like that.
Aizawa hummed.
Perhaps he will get his answers soon enough.
The next day found Saki in front of her future teachers inside the Training Dream Land AKA TDL. She felt cold sweat drip down the back of her neck; she hoped that the teachers did not notice.
Her eyes glanced upon the many pro heroes that came to observe her. Curious eyes seemed to scrutinize her very form and Saki swallowed. Cementoss, Midnight, Present Mic, Ectoplasm, Recovery Girl, Nedzu, All Might and Eraserhead. Characters that she could only remember as fictional characters, people that she took every inch of effort to avoid now stood before her.
Fingers twitching, she stomped down the urge to run away.
"Let's begin Quirk Control Class!" Nedzu began, voice light and airy.
"Please relax Amano-san," Nedzu's voice pitched and Saki flinched, "We are here to help you. You are in the best hands of the nation so please calm down."
Easier said than done. Saki nodded her head minutely as she tried to relax her tense muscles.
"So, what do we know of your quirk? Recovery Girl." Nedzu started as he gestured to the elderly woman.
Recovery Girl nodded before she stepped up, "Unfortunately, currently Amano is unable to activate her Quirk at will, but we were able to come to several conclusions from the video captured during the Kamino Incident and whenever her quirk was activated."
"One, her flames are not actual flames. Instead they are incredible hi-dense energy in the form of flames." Recovery Girl articulated.
Present Mic blinked and his mouth began to open before Aizawa jabbed him in the stomach. The voice hero doubled over and shot a glare at the tired man who in return rolled his eyes. Saki could feel a sweat drop forming but the interaction made her relax so she kept quiet.
"Second," Recovery Girl continued, "Is that Amano can choose what to do with her flames. She can heal whoever she wants, and she can burn whoever she wants. A multi ability Quirk you could say."
Midnight's mouth opened slightly as she seemed to reach an epiphany. "So that's why the flames healed the injured but burned the villains."
Recovery Girl nodded, "Right. In addition to that her Quirk's abilities are extremely high."
"What do you mean?" Cementoss blinked.
Recovery Girl brought out a file and gave it to the Cement Hero. The teacher tilted his head slightly but began to read the report in earnest. Scanning the report his eyes steadily widened and at the end they were fully open.
"Is…" Cementoss paused, "Is this true? Because if so, this will change the future."
Saki's stomach dropped hearing those words.
Of course, abilities from a completely separate anime would be extraordinary under the guidelines of this Quirk Society. She was beginning to stand out when all she wished for was to stay away from the spotlight.
She could feel the bile climbing up her throat.
"What was in that report?" Ectoplasm questioned.
"Inside that report," Recovery Girl's voice was low, tone heavy and all the heroes shifted in place. "Was the medical file of a male injured in the Kamino Incident."
"The patient had been crushed under debris. His right hand was crushed and most assuredly it would have needed to be amputated. In addition to that he sustained pierced organs, blood loss and a myriad of other injuries. If the man had been brought to the hospital, he would have died on the operation table." Recovery Girl listed clinically.
"Amano's flames most likely saved his life. By the time Aizawa shut down her quirk, all that were a few superficial injuries; she healed all the life-threatening injuries the man had incurred. Amano had essentially fully healed a man at death's door with little to no cost."
"But that means…" Present Mic's voice trailed off.
Saki closed her eyes. She held her breathe and stared down at her feet. She did not dare to see the expressions crossing everyone's face. She did not want to see the wonder lighting their eyes.
She did not want to see the hope on All Might's face.
You shouldn't have hope from a coward like me.
"Once Amano has full control of her Quirk," Recovery Girl's voice echoed in the gym. "She will become a better healer than even me."
A beat.
Then voices erupted. The cacophony of noises left Saki reeling. She felt the falling of a burden on her shoulders. A pressure she never knew before. Saki felt as if she was pulled under water, the world muffled as she choked on air.
She felt like she was drowning.
"What are the risks for Amano?" Aizawa's voice cut through the noise. "A power like that must carry some risk for the user."
Recovery Girl nodded, expression grave. "You're right. After the initial activation, Amano was rendered catonic. Even after you shut down the Quirk, she was unconscious longer than what was expected."
"My theory is that while this ability has no cost for the one being healed, that is not so for Amano." Recovery Girl intoned. "The more power, the more energy she expends, the more likely that she will exhaust herself. A light case just renders her unconscious, worse a coma. The worst-case scenario where she expends all her energy though, could possibly lead to her death."
Saki's could hear her heart pound. The beat ringing in her ears. She exhaled a long slow breath as she took the information in. The explanation was surprisingly simple and yet she had a lot to unpack.
Not exactly the same as Katekyou Hitman Reborn.
She felt as if Recovery Girl was dumbing down her explanation, but there was no cell death or complex medical complications. Knowing that things could be so much worse, she took what positive thing she could and held on.
Though she was relieved that whoever was affected by her flames faced no problems, she bit the inside of her mouth as she realized the risks it held for herself.
"A high risk, high reward ability." Midnight murmured.
"That's not all." Recovery Girl frowned.
"That's not the end?!" Present Mic yelped.
"She suffered from intense muscle pains and cramps after she woke up. After careful examination, it seems as if her body has suffered an intense work out. Approximately two weeks' worth of it condensed into one day." Recovery Girl bluntly stated.
"So if she's not fit enough, the Quirk backfires on her?" Ectoplasm surmised.
"Her quirk has a lot of conditions attached to it." All Might murmured.
"We still don't know what other effects her quirk might have. We still don't know how much fighting ability it has since the only record of that is her flames burning the villains." Recovery Girl added.
"Though it seems as if she can choose what she burns as well." Aizawa observed.
All Might gasped, "The flames did not burn the wreckage."
"Correct." Recovery Girl confirmed, "We can assume she can choose what to burn, whether they be organic or not as well."
"What a fascinating quirk." Cementoss murmured.
The conversation flowed on but it felt muffled to her ears. As the teachers discussed her newfound power, Saki just stared at her feet. Her body taught and tense. The urge to run intensified as more time passed and she bit the inside of her cheek so hard she could taste blood.
She wanted to run.
"A unique Quirk for a unique individual." Nedzu declared as the discussion slowed. "Now that we know what her quirk can do and what she needs, we can begin with the class."
"But there is one thing that you have not mentioned yet." The principal pointed out.
The teachers looked to one another and Saki imagined that were this the anime she saw from her old life, they would have tilted their head to one side and question marks would be floating in the air.
"What does she need to do to activate her Quirk." Aizawa drawled.
Nedzu nodded. "All of Miss Amano's abilities are wonderful, but if she cannot even activate her Quirk, it will be all for naught."
Recovery Girl shook her head, "That's where the problems begin."
"This doesn't sound good." Present Mic lips pursed.
"Unfortunately, we were not able to fully determine what activates her Quirk." Recovery Girl apologized, "All that we were able to discover was that Amano requires intense emotions for there to even be a possibility to light the flame. However, if that was the only requirement this Quirk would have been discovered when she was four."
A pause.
"Another requirement to activate her quirk then." Aizawa noted quietly.
"Indeed." Nedzu concluded, "And that is what we are here for."
"Amano-san."
At the sound of her name, Saki finally looked up. The heroes were focused on her, their body language light with determination. She inhaled and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. Silently, Saki wished she had the same amount of courage that filled the very bones of everyone in this room.
Nedzu clapped his hands, eyes kind and bright.
"Shall we begin?"
This chapter is a monster lol Both in length and feelings. Please don't expect that the rest of the chapters are as long, I just had no self-control and didn't know where to stop lol.
Saki is going through and abrupt change and she is not dealing with it well. She's depressed and anxious but I think you would be too if you get no choice in your life all of a sudden. The teachers are aware though and she'll get help soon enough. But things only get worse before she gets better and this adjustment arc will be her stepping out of her comfort zone... a lot.
What do you guys think? Look forward to the next chapter and Please comment and leave a review! I wanna hear what you guys think of Saki so far XD