Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Musutafu City. Year 2251
The wasp buzz of the city outside clashed with the quietude inside the small apartment. A boy on the cusp of adolescence and clad in simple clothes sashayed around furniture, his feather duster brushing over clusters of dirt and around furniture, his every step measured as he waltzed with the unseen. Incense smoke rose in its own dance as it carried clarifying aromas of patchouli and sage. Suddenly the boy and smoke intertwined, moving in a crazed choreography of spectral tendrils, his physical movements a somatic aspect to an otherworldly ritual where the room's very energies were refreshed.
Inko Midoriya watched transfixed from the kitchen, currently preparing the rest of the meal for her twins eleventh birthday. She loved both her sons dearly, was unbelievably proud of their kind and caring nature, and would do and sacrifice anything for them. However, from the two, Hari had always been strange and special in an almost ethereal way. Seemingly unaffected by his Quirkless nature to such a degree that the bile and pity directed his way found no purchase. All of it he simply shrugged off with an amused smile and twinkling eyes, laughing at a joke no one else knew.
As a mother she hadn't needed to do much for him, which kind of stung her a little. Hari had been much more mature from the beginning, helping anyway he could with chores or other tasks. She would believe he was born with a broom in hand, if she hadn't been the one pushing him out into the world. He was such a help that she didn't worry as much as she could've, letting her keep a slim figure and not expand like yeast dough. A sturdier pillar in this household there wasn't. If his grades hadn't stayed consistently good, she would've made him stop. Though, those things revealed other behavioural oddities of his, like just now.
His bloodstained eyes found hers spying on him, and Inko noted once more how strangely the light of the noonday sun reflected in them, dancing merrily through the smoke to a tune none but her son was aware of. Nothing fit him more than those mesmerizing orbs, hinting that he had seen things no one else had or should.
A blink later and it was gone. Instead he smiled brightly and waved at her before finishing his task.
"What're you making, mum?" he inquired, storing the broom into a nearby cupboard. "Katsudon for Izuku, right?"
She smiled over the steam escaping the pots. "Indeed, and a Shepard's Pie for you with Treacle Tart as dessert. As well as what you prepared yourself." that was another strangeness of her son, one of many; his taste in food. He ate all she sat before him without complaint, but soon Inko noticed that he'd rather have a different dish, seemingly comparing the food to something she had no idea about. It was nearly as if he missed a taste he never had, used to a completely alien palette. As it turned out that something seemed to be European food, British cuisine in particular. It took a while, but she managed to learn the foreign recipes for him, even if he seemed to grasp them better than she did. Though, those dishes were only served at special occasions.
'Not that him being a fast learner is a new thing.' she thought, pride swelling in her chest.
These things made her half-convinced that he did have a Quirk, maybe an incredibly subtle one. She had broached the topic half a hundred times, in fact. Even going so far as offering to pay for a DNA test – it'd be expensive, but she'd do it for him – to truly confirm if he was Quirkless or not. Every time he'd smile and tell her that he had enough quirks, and that it didn't matter what one was born with, but what one grew to be.
However, what scared, humbled and confused her the most was the look on Hari's face that he sometimes wore when looking at her. It was a gaze of awe and wonder, like he didn't believe she truly existed and would vanish any second he wasn't looking. 'Maybe that's why he's always hugging me when he comes or goes to school?' she thought, killing the heat of the stove once everything was ready.
Another stray thought suddenly hit her out of nowhere. 'Did I make my son dependent on me? Am I becoming a devouring mother?' she fretted, mumbling to herself as visions of her sons being incapable of living on their own filled her head. 'Have I been so selfish as to not notice that? What do I do?'
It all was interrupted by the doorbell, which Hari soon answered. "That must be my friends."
"Friends?" came the shocked reply, wondering why she only heard of them now. Then again, with how much food he made himself that seemed obvious now. At least her fears were a little diminished.
"Happy Birthday!" came the happy shout of a blonde girl shooting into the apartment, her grin so wide it split her face, showing fangs freely. She immediately jumped onto him and hugged Hari tightly onto herself, blushing madly all the while.
Hari grinned at the enthusiasm of the eccentric Himiko, hugging her back. "Hello, Himiko." he greeted, waving at his second friend right behind the first. The genius held two presents stacked on top of each other in her hands. "Saiko."
The silver-haired girl nodded back, purple eyes already analysing the apartment they gazed upon. It was a rather small two-bedroom apartment, but it was clean and evidently well cared for and maintained. However, she immediately noticed the complete absence of a father figure in any of the pictures around. In place of a roomba was a broom, the lack of many common appliances repeated itself a few times. "Happy Birthday." she said softly with a shallow bow, so as to not lose the gifts. After Harry relieved her off the gifts, Saiko grabbed Himiko and gave her a significant look. Together they turned to Inko and bowed as etiquette demanded. "Thank you for having us. We're in your care."
"Oh my, Hari didn't mention he'd have friends over!" Inko exclaimed with a barely suppressed squeal. "Make yourselves at home. Hari, please introduce us!"
He deposited the boxes on a nearby cupboard first, then pointed towards the genius first. "They're my friends Intelli Saiko." before he could get more out Himiko was already waving at his mother enthusiastically. "and Toga Himiko." it took some getting used to using the Japanese way of starting with last names.
"Saiko, Himiko, this is.." with a grin and a glint in his eyes, Harry wound himself up as if to present her, proclaiming grandly. "the best mother in the whole wide world, Midoriya Inko!"
His words caused the woman to blush in embarrassment, her hands clasped onto her face as she swayed in happiness. "Hari, you're embarrassing me!"
"It's the truth!" he insisted strongly, grabbing one of the presents and lifting it up to shake it. Doing so revealed nine letters beneath it, all but two closed with an intricate wax seal. "What's this?" Hari stored the present under his arm and picked one of the simple letters up, inspecting it as he said. "You two didn't have to go to such lengths, making so many birthday cards."
Saiko shook her head and deadpanned. "We didn't. Only two are from Himiko and me." she told him matter-of-factly. "The others sat in front of your apartment in a pile. I simply took the liberty to deliver it properly."
"Boring! Come on, open my present!" Himiko complained with a pout, prodding him in the ribs with her fingers.
The wizard let the letter fall onto the pile and slapped her hands away playfully. "Fine, fine." with no fanfare he ripped the wrapping paper off and opened the boxes. Rather tame but thoughtful presents were revealed. One held a scarf with his name embroidered on it, wrapped around some patchouli incense sticks he enjoyed. The second contained new boxing gloves, a hobby he had taken to during his Auror career and began to continue now. "Thanks, both of you."
"Go on and open your other letters. I'm setting the table." Inko told him, storing the gifts away and muttering afterwards. "I hope Izuku is coming on time and not watching some hero fight in the streets."
He grabbed the mail and made his way over to the table. Breaking the first seal, Hari took out the paper. 'Parchment, not paper!' he noted immediately, rubbing it longingly between his fingers. Nearly overcome with feelings of pure nostalgia. It was written in Japanese, coming from Mahoutokoro. 'An Acceptance Letter?' he thought perplexed, swiftly perusing the others. Even Beauxbaton, Durmstrang, Ilvermorny, Uagadou and Koldovstoretz were present, all written in Japanese. But Hari had only eyes for one, finally finding the one with a Hogwarts emblem on the wax and ripping it open.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Dear Mr. Midoriya,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl no later than the 31st of July.
Yours sincerely, Headmistress Rose Weasley-Granger.
Hari stared at the letter, stunned. His vision began to swim while his mind was completely elsewhere at the moment. The letter fluttered onto the table, joining the rest of them in a haphazard arrangement. Unnoticed by him salty tears soon stained the parchment, messing up the familiar green ink. 'Rose is still alive and Headmistress?' his thoughts racing at the speed of sound. 'But how? She'd be over 200 years old at this point.' Not really outside of the realm of possibilities for a witch, but still very much improbable.
Before he knew it, the reborn wizard was enveloped in a hug by Himiko, who tried to imitate what he had done for her.
"What's happened?" Inko asked alarmed, worried eyes looking for any clue as to his distress.
Saiko answered before anyone else could, wringing her hands. "Hari just read the letter and began to cry." there was an undertone of worry in her voice, looking at him insecurely. Mostly because the girl had never been good with emotions, or understood them much. Though, she slowly got better the more time she spent with Himiko and Hari.
"Who sent you the letters, sweetie?" Inko inquired, taking a look at the mail. She only grew confused and then angry as she switched from letter to letter, reading their contents one after another. "That tasteless joke is still done?!" she said disgusted.
That wasn't what he had expected at all. "Joke? What do you mean, mum?" he asked, having unconsciously picked the letter back up and he was now clutching it tightly to his chest like a lifeline. Why would his mother know about acceptance letters to schools reserved for magical people?
Inko could clearly see the hurt and confusion in her son's tearful gaze, and it broke her heart. 'He can't be strong forever.' she thought solemnly, assuming that her son was still affected by his Quirkless upbringing more than he let on. Obviously hurt by something that promised him he was special, only to find out it was ultimately lying to him.
The oldest Midoriya glared at the letters and began to pick them up none too gently. "It was a semi-popular prank in my grandparents' and my parents' days to pull on the Quirkless. It decreased swiftly until it vanished suddenly, fading into obscurity in my generation." the barely contained fury in those words burned, igniting a wrath the woman didn't know she had.
"Oh." came the disappointed reply. 'What is going on?!' he thought, utterly perplexed by this strange turn of circumstance. 'Why send out letters you don't plan to follow up on?' it wasn't at all how the young wizard thought things would go. "Did anything happen to those people, disappearances or something?"
That only caused Inko's alarm to increase. Though she tried to keep that under wraps for her son, barely succeeding in it. "No! No one vanished. It was just a joke done in bad taste. Why would you think that?"
He opened his mouth once and closed it again, that repeat a few times. He truly did not know what to say. Hari finally settled on. "I don't know." it was a cop-out, but he didn't know what else there was to reply with. 'What the bloody hell is going on?' he thought miserably. If they'd snatch Muggleborn from the streets than why send letters in the first place? Or why let them keep the memory of any interaction with the magical world, for that matter? It couldn't be a fluke, not with all major schools sending him an invitation.
"Forget about that for now." Inko tried to console him, giving him a hug that squeezed him between her and Himiko. She then wiped his stray tears away before clutching all of the offending parchments in her hands, even taking the one in his grasp as well. "I'll dispose of this trash and you enjoy your birthday. OK?"
Swallowing the lump in his throat, – that then uncomfortably settle in his stomach – Hari simply nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, mum."
The trio of friends sat in silence for few minutes while Hari cleaned his face, then Saiko asked. "Why are you so disappointed that this letter is a scam, if you adamantly deny to have any Quirk?" her head was tilted in curiosity, gaze quizzical as it roamed over his face. It made no sense, like so much about her friend, Hari Midoriya. If he was alright with being Quirkless, then why would it be disappointing to him that the letters' ridiculous claims were false? Ironically it was also what drew her to him, the mystery, and wanting to solve it. Not to mention that he could actually hold a conversation worth having, even if he was annoying sometimes.
"I don't need to deny having a Quirk." he replied, showcasing the hole at the bottom of his left palm she was talking about. "These are just for show!" he insisted, waving his hand around a little in a dismissive fashion. "A useless mutation that serves no purpose and indicates nothing. Much like differently coloured eyes or a difference in toe length to the average person."
Himiko simply looked on as the two went at it, – still holding Hari's right hand tightly – by now used to their tangents she didn't really understand all that much. Though they'd explain if she asked, so that was nice! Then she heard the front door open, seeing Hari's brother enter and put his red shoes on the rack at the entrance.
Saiko just barely prevented herself from snorting derisively. "You mean one of the same useless and non-indicating mutations your doctor used as proof of Izuku and you being Quirkless?" she asked rhetorically, referring to the extra joint in a Quirkless person's pinky toe. The girl had one eyebrow raised, challenging him to try and refute more than a century of medical research. Even if he should manage that, it would only strengthen her own position in the end. Just like him agreeing with it would do. "The fact that none of your parents have the same mutations as you makes it highly unlikely that it is simply an aberrant physical mutation instead of a function of your body inherent to you!"
The adolescent boy growled back at her, leaning so far over he was nearly butting heads with her. "Bullshit!" he expertly ignored his mother's shocked and scolding exclamation due to the use of expletives in their home. "You should know best that this is no Quirk, not after I indulged your curiosity for months!" some bite entered his tone. "Nothing came out of these useless holes! No fire, no streams of water, no beams of light, or anything else even remotely useful! The only thing that happened is me nearly pissing myself, and not a trickle of it came out of those holes either." it had been a hassle to not accidentally cast a spell out of sheer frustration and then potentially box himself into a corner once he used others. Though, he had used a few minor ones when alone in his room, but fortunately – or unfortunately – those didn't summon any Aurors or Obliviators to his location.
Himiko giggled at that. Saiko snorted this time, glaring back a little. "There are more than a few people that fly under the radar in that regard. Possessing Quirks with esoteric activation requirements or functions that people don't or can't really perceive." it could be something completely unhelpful, true, but at least he'd not be discriminated against. "Take me for example. I don't have that damn extra joint and yet my Quirk wasn't readily apparent either! My parents had to order a DNA test to convince people of it in the first place after my eighth birthday. Though, sometimes I do wish that that Quirk never got diagnosed." mostly because it placed a restriction upon her to not skip classes, with everyone assuming she'd achieve it by using her Quirk to cheat. Even though she was intelligent enough to skip classes without it. All because she did not have any easy visible indicators as to when it was in use.
She huffed and then crossed the metaphorical line as an equally metaphorical lightbulb began to glow over her head. "Maybe it's not even about you, but Izuku?" at that question Hari's bloodstained eyes grew as sharp and hard as flint, but she ploughed onward. "You don't want to give him hope that maybe he too has a quirk, should you also have one."
"Guys." Himiko tried to warn them with too soft a voice. Her hand going from Hari's to instead tug on his shirt.
The genius didn't notice any warning signs, and if she did they went ignored. "While that may be a nice thought you can't shield him forever!"
"A-am I interrupting s-s-something?" came the meek stutter of Izuku, causing everyone to whip around and look his way in surprise and making the boy flinch on instinct.
Hari shook his head vigorously, hopping from his stool to approach his brother. "Not at all!" A warm and hopefully welcoming smile was on Hari's face. "It's your birthday, too!" he promptly hugged his brother tightly, noting immediately how Izuku recoiled as he touched his back and arms, as if he was in pain. 'I swear, Bakugo is gonna pay for that!' he thought, lamenting them being separated by schools for the moment. For now the wizard only stored that information. It wasn't the time for such things to be addressed.
"Happy Birthday, Izuku!" he said softly, getting a slow hug in return. "Did you watch a hero fight again?" if there was one thing to raise Izuku's mood, then it was heroes.
The green-haired boy perked a bit up at that, a slightly reluctant and small but still shining smile on his face. "Yeah, a new hero debuted today! His name is Kamui Woods and..." Izuku rambled on about the new hero, speculating about how his Quirk functioned, its abilities, limits and much more. The tense atmosphere for now dispelled and forgotten.
From then on it was relative smooth sailing for the rest of the day. Everyone got their designated foods, including Himiko and Saiko. For the former Hari had prepared some Black Pudding as an experiment, which the blonde girl enjoyed immensely. Saiko wasn't picky and so simply got what his mother and brother ate, Katsudon. Which his mother had to prepare a small mountain of it to sate Izuku's hunger for it. Following the dessert of Treacle Tart came various boardgames and other fun activities. With Saiko absolutely demolishing everyone at Scrabble.
Soon the day ended with Izuku and Hari ready for sleep in their shared bedroom. It was large enough that they didn't need to resort to a loft bed, just so able to fit both of their beds inside without too much worry. One half of the room was filled with a huge amount of All Might memorabilia; be they posters, figurines, games, bedding and even a portrait. A little too obnoxiously American in terms of colour for Hari's still existent British sensibilities, despite both countries still having identical colours in their flags.
The other side didn't have too much, yet what little there was stood out. On the desk wasn't paper but parchment, an assortment of quills and brushes, and six stoppered inkwells arranged neatly. Hari didn't have these for any other reason than nostalgia, as well as the fact that he finally had become proficient at calligraphy in his first life and was unwilling to give that up now, not after decades of hard work to improve his chicken scratch. There also were a few plants he took care of. First to come into his ownership was a Japanese Aralia, hanging from the ceiling near the window. After that came a flowering Quince and a Southern Indian Azalea. All of them gifted a soothing fragrance to the surroundings, spending the room a sprinkle of colour that wasn't red, white, blue or yellow.
Just as Hari was about to drift off to sleep, Izuku asked. "Do you really have a Quirk?" his voice so small and barely above a whisper it was nearly lost to the night. Evidently curious, yet also unsure if he truly wanted to hear the answer.
The wizard closed his eyes, briefly contemplating if he should fake being asleep. In the end he sighed and replied. "There is a minuscule possibility, yes." while Hari kept his magic secret for now, he refused to lie to family in other matters.
"Oh." there wasn't much more said by Izuku, but Hari knew he wanted to say much more.
"I know you want to say more, so do it!" came the near resigned words of Hari, with him sitting up as he uttered them.
Izuku immediately surged upwards, his entire being ramrod straight, and of course wearing All might pyjamas. "Why do you talk about Quirks as if they're trivial?" his hands and teeth clenched tightly. A life of being Quirkless, of getting knocked over the head constantly about being worthless without one, made the lesson stick one way or another. "This could be your chance to be special!"
"The only reason I'd like a Quirk is to punch Bakugo's lights out with it for what he does to you regularly! Don't think I haven't noticed you flinching in pain at my hug!" Hari countered calmly, noticing Izuku shrinking into himself at the mention of the bully.
Izuku shook his head rapidly, waving both hands as if trying to deflect the words. "I-I-It's n-n-not like that." he stuttered out before catching himself. "He's training to be a great hero!" Hari's twin insisted in a mumble, but his pure green eyes couldn't meet his brother's bloodstained ones.
"And using you as a punching-bag to achieve it?" came the derisive answer spoken with a scowl. "If so, then he's got a long and difficult road ahead of him to become a hero." he stared at Izuku's quivering form in sympathy, somehow getting the impression he was missing something. "No, he's a bully and a perfect example of someone who thinks he's special due to his Quirk." Hari explained patiently, painfully aware that his brother was largely ignored outside of home. So, some attention – even negative – seemed better than none. "That he needs a Quirk to be special means he isn't very special to begin with. A Quirk doesn't tell me a person's personality, their likes and dislikes or if they're selfless, kind and generous. It tells me nothing at all, except a superficial bodily trait of theirs."
Hari then looked long and hard at his brother, crossed his arms and sighed. "But that's not really what you wanted to ask me, is it?" there always was something on the tip of Izuku's tongue when talking about heroes, before it inevitably got tied up. A thought that put something akin to longing in those innocent green eyes.
The green-haired boy rallied himself with all his might, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Do you think I can be a hero?!" he all but shouted, hands gripping the sheets tightly and his eyes closed as if afraid of the answer. Ever since that fateful day at the doctor's office, Izuku had nearly given up on that dream. His mother hadn't given him the answer he wanted that night either. Whereas his brother hadn't taken the news bad at all. A fact Izuku drew a good amount of strength from, until they got put in separate schools due to Hari beating up Bakugo one too many times. Still, from that day on it went from something he spoke openly about to a private dream.
"No," before Izuku could wilt completely with a whimper and hope to die, Hari continued. "because you can't become something you already are."
Green eyes widened in shock and disbelief, his mouth hung open as a copious amount of tears began falling. "W-W-W-What?" the boy sniffled, gripping his chest where his heart was currently being squeezed by some unseen force; hands pushing and pulling at it. Yet, a moment later, it felt more like they loosened a knot that had been plaguing him, removing a great weight of doubt from Izuku.
The raven-haired boy hopped out of bed and went to sit beside his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder to give him an anchor while looking him straight in the eyes. "Izuku, you constantly defend people who don't thank you, but instead join their bully afterwards. All the while your legs are shaking as they move before you can even think about it." not that Hari was in a different boat in that regard, minus the shaking. "Despite your fear – and knowing the most likely outcome to be defeat – you stand up to bullies, which takes even more courage when standing up to those you think of as friends." the reincarnated boy still remembered his first year at Hogwarts and what Neville did that night.
"Though, I didn't think you want to be a Pro Hero." the last two words were heavy with a multitude of meaning, causing his grip to tighten on Izuku's shoulder. The very idea of hero being a job wasn't one Hari was comfortable with, at all. Not to mention the other factors taking the meaning straight out of it. "I just assumed that you admire heroes, but you can do that without wanting to be one."
Izuku looked at his brother bewildered, tears still making his vision blurry. "What do you mean?" he asked, trying to clean his eyes semi-successfully. So shocked he even forgot his stutter. "It's always been my dream to be like All Might, rescuing people with a reassuring smile!"
The wizard decided to be blunt. "Really, what're you waiting for then? Highschool starts when we're 15, doesn't it?"
Now totally bewildered, Izuku couldn't help but shamefully say. "Y-Y-Yeah, b-but I don't ha-have a Quirk!"
"And? If that's stopping you, then maybe you don't want it bad enough!" While he knew that was being unfair and harsh to his brother, Hari knew he needed to hear it. "Did it stop All Might during his studies at U.A. Highschool?" the majority of people didn't know that All Might was classified as Quirkless up until his last year of Highschool, – or rather they chose to ignore it – however Izuku's obsession with the man revealed what was simply a matter of public record.
"N-no!" Izuku replied, sitting straighter.
Hari nodded, clapping his brother's shoulder. "That's right! What about Heroes with non-combat Quirks?" he then began to list a few of those, counting them on his hand. "Eraserhead, Sir Nighteye, Uwabami, Mandalay, Sirius. Did they just give up?" he could go on, having heard of these heroes from Izuku's ramblings, but all of them were heroes and none had particularly flashy Quirks. Yet every single one of them were Pro Heroes. Izuku shook his head in answer, so Hari asked once more. "So, do you really want to be a hero?!"
Izuku nodded his head this time. Throat tight with emotion, making him unable to swallow properly or bring out a single word. The usual waterworks began to start up again; with the boy overwhelmed by the amount of support and his brother's sheer belief in him.
"I can't hear you!" this time Hari punched him in the shoulder, hopefully bringing Izuku out of his stupor.
"I want to be a hero." the green-haired adolescent choked out, the shout half-stuck in his windpipe.
"Again!"
Izuku gathered all his power, hands balled and eyes closed. "I want to be a hero!" he bellowed.
"Shut up, I heard you the first time! Some people have work tomorrow!" the immediate female neighbour of their apartment complex shouted, pounding on the relatively thin walls in anger. Her patience at an end. Unkowingly witnessing the beginning of Japan's greatest hero.
It at least broke the tension somewhat, both chuckling sheepishly at each other. Harry grinned, ruffling his brother's soft and fluffy hair affectionately. "Good. Training starts tomorrow."
"Training?" Izuku echoed, a little shocked at the the turn of events. Not having expected this night to go the way it had or the offer presented now, despite it making sense in the back of his mind.
"Of course! You've got the heart of a hero and your mind isn't bad either, if your 7 notebooks are any indication." Hari grabbed Izuku's skinny arm and pocked at his scrawny chest. "Now you only need to start on the journey to get the body of one. Or do you expect U.A. – the best hero school in Japan – to simply accept you without working for it? I wanted to pick up boxing anyway."
Tears streamed down the freckled face anew, lunging at his brother a moment later. "Thank you!" Izuku brought out, repeating it like a mantra and growing unintelligible the more he said it. In the end he was blubbering, staining his brother's shirt utterly.
Hari didn't mind too much and simply hugged him back. Already ideas for a simple physical routine suitable for beginners were coming to mind from his day as an instructor in the Auror corps. 'He won't be thanking me before too long.' the raven-haired adolescent thought.
Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Musutafu City, Takoba Beach. Year 2251
It had been a month since the twin's birthday and the start of Hari's training with Izuku in a local gym. During that time both brothers made some progress, but Hari did a bit of extra training with his magic at this beach filled with trash afterwards. Using the abandoned location to practise where no one was looking. Especially honing his skills in Apparition and unaided flight for fast transportation. Luckily, Hari didn't need a wand for most spells. His proficiency with magic having apparently stayed with him; either through his mind and memories or somehow stuck in his very soul. One way or another he didn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Right now he was finishing his preparation for an excursion to Mahoutokoro; the Japanese school for magic. Unfortunately he had never been to it in all his years. Only knowing the volcanic island it sat upon was named Minami-Iwojima, and being aware – after a quick search through the internet – that it was located around 1300 kilometres south of his current location. Not in the slightest a trivial distance to cross by flying.
Still, the wizard was intent to look for more magical people, hoping to discover what happened over the two centuries while he was at it. The event at his birthday still stuck in his mind, and Hari had no idea what would happen to make the schools send letters they wouldn't follow up on. To investigate that conundrum successfully and without drawing attention to his absence, Himiko would impersonate him on the phone for his mother over the coming days. The only thing Inko knew was that Hari and Himiko had a sleepover over at her house for multiple days. Arranged during a time Himiko's parents were away and Saiko away on holiday with her own parents.
"Remember to not drink all of it at once! It can last up to a week for you." Hari reminded Himiko, once more checking that he had everything in his backpack. Food was there, a compass and an inflatable life jacket.
Himiko pouted, but nodded. "I know. A little sip is all I want for a day." the words were half-complaint and half-plea. When she saw the unimpressed look Hari threw over his shoulder the blonde fidgeted nervously and said. "Fine, it's all I need for a day. But what else do I get?"
Hari gave her a deadpan stare, claiming. "I gave you a new costume for your birthday to use for cosplay last week, didn't I?" came the rhetorical question. While Hari indulged her need for blood in various ways, be it through a direct donation or with foods made with animal blood, Himiko also liked to cosplay. Something that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knew of her Quirk. Just one step removed from taking someone's blood and literally becoming that person. Thankfully, acquiring that costume went rather smoothly with magic on his side.
The ash-blonde girl nodded, a blush adorning her face. "But you're supposed to give friends gifts for their birthday!" she whined before twiddling with her thumbs insecurely. "I'm doing a huge favour and..." she mumbled the rest under her breath, cat-like eyes flickering towards his neck when she thought he couldn't see. Himiko did that a lot, still not fully believing someone could be fond of her like she was.
"Himiko, you're my friend." Hari replied, closing the bag now that he saw satisfied that his supplies were in order. The pre-teen turned to her, saying "All you need to do is ask and I'll give you my blood with no qualms." he grinned playfully, chuckling. "You don't need to extort me."
"I know!" The girl insisted with another cute pout, complaining. "That's not what I want from you now, though."
His surprise was clearly shown by a raised brow. "Really? What do you want then?" he asked, intriuged.
"I want you to call me Himiko-chan!" she said, cutely stomping a foot on the ground and making her skirt flare out a bit.
It was an easy request to follow, even if he didn't really like using the honorifics, much less with close friends or family. "Alright, Himiko-chan, I can do that."
"Thank you!" a blushing Himiko squealed with a fanged smile, now throwing restrain out the window and hugging him.
The wizard left her to the hug for a minute, just barely able to pry her off of him afterwards. "I'll see you around then, Himiko-chan."
"Bye!" the girl waved enthusiastically, standing on her tiptoes for no reason at all. "Have fun training."
"I will!" he called back, glad and a little guilty that his lie worked so well. Himiko simply thought he meant to try and discover his Quirk to surprise his family, using the beach as a hidden training ground. After all, public usage of a Quirk was illegal without permission and could lead to arrest.
'Thankfully the summer holidays aren't over yet.' Hari mused, putting on the backpack and making sure it was strapped tight and secure. He knew much could go wrong with the plan, however there wouldn't be a better opportunity in the near future. Sadly he couldn't go to Scotland right now, the location much too remote for him to reach in a few days. Hari didn't even entertain the idea of convincing his mother to travel to Europe. Not to mention the expense of three flight tickets being too much for Inko to cover either way. 'Besides, going on an adventure with only the slightest bit of preparation? I truly feel eleven again!'
Hari made his way down to the beach, climbing over and weaving through the trash polluting it. Once he was out of sight and amongst heaps of rubbish the wizard made himself invisible with a simple Disillusionment Charm, feeling the success with the telltale feel of an egg cracking over his scalp and flowing over him. Following that he dismissed gravity, letting the air embrace him like a long lost lover.
'I'd never thank Voldemort, but him inventing that spell nearly makes me want to.' Hari thought as he flew over the ocean with an eager grin.
It was time to find out just what happened while he was dead.