IX

Thank you fencer29, I sincerely appreciate all the checks you do for me and greatly anticipate your comments. To all you other readers, thanks for popping in and seeing where the story goes next. Like it, love it, somewhere between? I'm pretty set in where the story's going, but still love input.

Teiko made oyakodon, a dish cooked at a low simmer until the chicken was tender enough to be cut with a spoon. She stirred in eggs during the last thirty seconds, until they were partially cooked, but still silky in consistency. Everyone dug in. They had their usual chatter and modest celebration, but for Toya dinner couldn't end soon enough. Nobody else swore that day, so Enji did the dishes. Though he grumbled the whole time, he still put in effort to become a part of his family. Teiko trusted her brother to be alone with the children, but made sure not to leave until she had given Natsuo a phone and put both he and Shoto to bed. "Call me if anything happens." She made sure the point was firmly drilled in Natuso's skull before she exited his room. She went to bid good night to the youngest. The instant Shoto's door was closed, Toya rushed the front entry and put his shoes on.

Enji practiced in the training hall. For the dozenth time that night, Teiko questioned whether or not she trusted her brother alone with the children. In the end, she decided she did. His night hours were devoted to his personal training. Even if he couldn't defeat All Might, he would be damned if he dropped lower than his second slot. If he tried anything, he'd go for Shoto, not Natsuo, who had the phone.

Teiko and Toya walked out into the night. "This must be some movie," Teiko remarked, as she'd seldom seen the teen move with such purpose. She checked her phone and made sure the ringer was on full blast.

"We're not going to a movie."

"Oh thank God." She seemed far more relieved than she should. The mobile was tucked into her pocket. "I hate movie theaters. They're dark, smelly, dirty, and cost far too much."

"You sound like you're eighty," Toya remarked. Maybe it was a mistake to bring her out.

"Going on ninety," she agreed. Even if he had wanted to drag her into some dingy room to watch a horror flick, she would have gladly done so to get to know the teen.

Though their destination was now a mystery, she didn't ask him where they were going or how long it'd be. The two moved in an easy silence. They boarded a bus and rode to the edge of downtown, where they slipped off at an unremarkable stop. On one side of the street were decent, well-kept buildings. At the other were abandoned structures that looked like safety hazards. "Ohhh," she exclaimed softly as the epiphany struck her. They turned and walked to the most boring building of all. It had clean white walls and no mark upon it. Toya opened the door and stepped into the Quirk Gym first.

They slid their cards through the number two slot. Dabi's stats pulled up, revealing his seven losses and nine wins. Maki's were far more formidable. Dabi had to look twice to make sure he was seeing properly. "I'll tell you about the level four later," she muttered to her nephew. There were no tallies in the level one category, a handful in the level two, but most of the level threes were victories. Thirty seven stood against six losses. For the first time in a while, he read the explanations posted on the wall.

Level 1: No cuts or bruises.

Level 2: Small injuries, functionality maintained.

Level 3: Broken bones and bruising permissible.

Level 4: Ultimate end.

He had worried about bringing her here, yet his aunt was the only one he knew that participated in level four. Toya prided himself on being unshakable, but he couldn't help but gawk at the stranger beside him. He wanted nothing more than to swipe his card again, which would withdraw him from matches, and go somewhere to talk. He was immediately matched with a someone called Stendhal. A monitor on the wall told him his battle would take place in the third arena. Teiko nudged Toya and pointed. "Are you going to accept?"

Toya reacted without thinking. He scanned his card to accept the challenge and stepped into the elevator with his aunt. As soon as they were in the small box, he turned to her. "A level four?" He whispered with obvious interest.

"Later," she repeated more sternly.

He wasn't in the headspace to take anyone on, but he'd already agreed. If he didn't show up at the match he'd take a forfeit, which was worse than a loss. Once they reached their landing, Teiko admired the battle zone. It was as large as a pro hockey arena and fully covered with transparent, metallic glass to withhold the fighters' quirks. She took a seat in the bleachers, which held half a dozen spectators. One of them had to be a judge, as it was the Quirk Gym's rule that all matches be ranked and scored accordingly. In addition to victories and losses, they used a complex algorithm to make matches fair and entertaining for all. It was because of such points that she doubted she'd receive an opponent.

Shit, I forgot to check his stats, Toya thought as he walked into place. The floor was made of metal block tiles. While it wasn't perfectly indestructible, it was more than enough to handle most peoples' quirks. For fairness, abilities weren't advertised.

Stendhal was one of the ones who dressed for the battle. He wore a gray suit with black, armored pads over his shoulders and legs. Atop his outfit was a pair of black boots and utility vest with multiple foldable knives tucked against his pockets and other folds of fabric. His black hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail and his face was masked by a shaped sheet of metal with indents for facial features. Toya noted blade sheathed across his hunched back as well as the plethora of pockets along his vest that could host any number of problems. Not many people took things to the same level as the bladed foe. As soon as the two were settled, the noise of a gong projected into the arena.

Their fight began in an instant. Stendhal rushed like a horse that had been released from its starting gate. He grabbed the handle of his blade as he ran. In the moment where his foe's arm was raised, Toya saw an opening and took it. He lifted his hand straight out and pushed a small waves of flames towards the man.

Stendhal ceased his reckless advance and dodged backwards from the blue fires' hungry grasp. He reached behind his right hip and pulled out a throwing knife. Quick as a flash, he tossed the weapon before he rushed after it.

Toya hadn't expected such a mundane approach. He's fast. He was cut across the cheek. Did he miss? Toya didn't have it in him to back up. He tensed and readied his fire. No. He must want my blood. He knew where Stendhal would go, so there was no need to dodge. The teen held his flames in check and waited until just the right moment. When Stendhal was almost upon him, Toya crunched his fist closed and delivered a finishing blow to the man's stomach. While it wasn't his favorite way to end a fight, he was limited by the rules of a Level 2 brawl.

He was appalled when he felt Stendhal lick his face. What the—agh! Toya's body betrayed him. The duo fell as one. Seconds passed, but as much as he tried, Toya was stuck. "What…the hell?" He groaned and tried to strain, but nothing would work. Stendhal rose, one hand at his gut, and looked down at Dabi on the ground. The gong noise rang again, which declared Stendhal's victory.

Toya felt the paralysis release. Thankfully, there were no lingering effects, so he got to his feet with ease. He didn't look at his opponent as he left the ring, but that didn't stop the figure from staring after him. Stendhal walked out of the rink and loitered by the bleachers. Through the mask, he shamelessly watched Toya reunite with Teiko.

The aunt tilted her head and addressed Toya's new shadow. "Yes, can I help you?" She chose to speak in front of witnesses. Should anything go amiss, the judge would facilitate.

Stendhal must not have wanted eyes on them, for he gestured with his finger, turned, and walked away.

Teiko laughed and casually set her hand on her nephew's shoulder. "Do you want to be recruited as a vigilante sidekick?" She muttered lowly to him. The boy was surprised.

"What? No." He spoke from reflex, without truly considering his options.

"Great, I'll come with you, just in case he blows. Only extremists show up in suits."

Toya wanted to argue that he didn't need her to fight his battles. He also knew that was the entire reason she was in his life. She'd beaten her brother, the boss battle of his life, so what was some… "Did you say vigilante?"

Teiko nudged him along and carried on the string of conversation. "That's what the Quirk Gyms were constructed for. They're a way for vigilantes to scout recruits. By training and measuring quirks, it's one of the more sophisticated systems out there. If you weren't so antisocial, or Enji's walking clone, someone may have told you."

"You look more like my dad than I do."

"My tits are nicer." Toya couldn't help but grin at her wit.

They turned down a hall and saw Stendhal. He loitered in the middle of the floor. "I've seen your face before," he said to the boy. "Both of your faces." He took a slow step forward. Teiko pushed her way in front of Toya and stood with a confident, nearly arrogant posture.

"That's a creepy way to start a conversation. Take of your mask and try again." She declared fearlessly. "I'm Maki, and this is Dabi."

"You both resemble a false hero too strongly for it to be coincidence." His tone seemed to linger on the verge of rambling. "You live in a big house with halls stacked with possessions and fame earned by selfish greed."

"Yup, that's pretty much how greed comes about. Selfishly," Teiko agreed. "Considering that all I see in your face is my reflection, I'd say you look a hell of a lot like a false hero too, by your own reckoning."

Toya didn't want to talk to the man anymore. He wanted to turn and walk away, but Teiko seemed to have a problem with leaving well enough alone.

"I saw your statistics." This time, Stendhal spoke directly to Teiko. "With so many victories and battles under your belt, you must have what it takes to ascend the ranks and join the pros. Why don't you?"

Teiko instantly disliked the man. From his outfit to his intensity, everything about him struck her the wrong way. "I'm not going to try to go public or make a point."

Stendhal's mask remained pointed at them. Even after Teiko nudged Toya away and left the hall, the figure remained in his spot.

Oyakodon recipe credit to Cooking With Dog on Youtube.

I'm basing the story on Stendhal's earlier days, pre-Vigilante series, when he's in training. I apologize that his speech isn't on point, but I'll give it my best to get into his fanatic mindset.