Chapter 1: The Beginning
Chapter Text
"Yukimura Kenzo, huh?" The hero, Present Mic, comments from where he's looking over the new student's file.
Eraser Head looks up from his own file, a mostly unremarkable recommendation by the name of Mineta Minoru.
"What about her?" Vlad King asks, staring down at his coffee like it will save him from all the files piled high on the table.
"Says here that she's Yukimura Kaito's daughter, a minor villain. Metalhead? The one with the bat?" The man states, flipping idly through the papers.
"A villain kid? What's she doing trying to become a hero?" Hero Snipe asks, head leaned on his palm. He has a file in front of him as well. Another recommendation, Endeavor's youngest spawn.
"No idea, but if this attached police report can be believed, she's the one who sent him to the police. Domestic violence taken too far, apparently," Mic reads, scratching his cheek. "She's got his quirk too, 'minor metal control'. Management was right to send her file up for review. Wonder how the physical exam will go?"
"Everyone! I bring snacks!" The sexiest hero, Midnight, says as she strides through the teachers' lounge's door. In her bags are a grand number of snack foods and sodas, much to the delight of Mic. Who starts shouting.
Eraserhead, sometimes better known as Aizawa Shota, none so subtly switches the Mineta file with the Yukimura one. He's intrigued now, in his own exhausted way.
"What have I said about taking my Mochi, Vlad? Back off!"
Aizawa grabs one of the iced coffees Midnight brought, and pretends that people aren't yelling.
"That is not minor metal manipulation," Snipe says with a sigh.
Yukimura crushed the head of the exam robot with a small wave of her hand, decked out in joggers and a too big worn hoodie in contrast to the students wearing school exercise clothes around her.
She's more exhausted looking here than in her school photo, bags under her eyes and the top half of her short hair put up messily
Aizawa forgets to blink again, and does so.
"She was in her first year of middle school the last time her quirk registration was updated. Might've been practicing," Vlad says, taking notes on a clipboard as he looks at each screen.
Yukimura sends a robot slamming into a building, saving another test taker from a heavy punch.
"Right," Snipe says, shaking his head.
That, Aizawa notes, is a higher level quirk. She'll very likely pass with the points she's racking up.
He watches her hoist up the boy she saved and wander towards the next nearest robot, either hearing it or sensing it. Her gait lacks the urgency of the other test takers, calm and moving with the flow rather than actively seeking as many points as possible.
Interesting.
Aizawa remembers to blink again.
"More than half of the robots have been destroyed in test center A," a support staff reports from her station, monitoring the robots in that center.
"Same for test center B. There's more applicants than last year and they're burning through them fast," another support adds from his seat beside her.
Aizawa watches a few students of interest decimate a few more robots regardless of tier before they announce they've gone through three quarters now.
"How many points has Yukimura got?" Aizawa asks, looking at another support.
"Seventy six, not including what heroic points you award," The man says, sounding a little awed.
Aizawa narrows his eyes.
She's faster than he previously assumed, then. Just good at looking at ease.
"We've just about ran out of robots! Clearance to release the behemoths?" The first support asks, the pale haired woman looking a little too eager.
"Any objections?" Sniper asks the other two heroes, both grumble their assent.
The woman cackles quietly, before tapping the release button.
The other center manager rolls his eyes and follows quickly.
Aizawa zeros in on the camera following Yukimura, watching her eyes narrow to slits as people start running and shouting.
"Evacuate quickly! I'll hold it back!" Is shouted on her screen and the test takers follow the orders easily. Now she lifts her arms, legs squared with a grimace.
The robot creaks to a stop, and Yukimura's arms and legs tremble visibly. Her expression stays the same though, one of mild discomfort.
She looks back, checking for how many have escaped the arena quickly before facing the giant again. She shifts her stance and draws her arms farther apart, sweating.
She mumbles something under her breath that the camera can't pick up, but with a sudden jerk the legs of the robot are torn and smashed into the buildings on both its sides.
" Holy shit," Her center manager mumbles, but Aizawa doesn't look away from the screen.
After the initial action Yukimura sprints away, shakily forming a metal shield above her head for any debris following her. One of the few people who stayed to watch her runs up and throws her over his shoulder, sprinting faster than her and out of the arena.
On the other screen, a green haired boy smashes a giant to pieces.
Aizawa feels a headache coming on.
"Well. Guess we know who got first place this year," Snipe says, adjusting his cowboy hat.
"Better than that explosion kid," one of the support mutters by his screen.
Aizawa blinks.
Yukimura Miho is proud of her eldest daughter.
She works a part time job and maintains high marks, takes care of her two younger siblings without complaint, and never ever blames Miho for her father's mistakes.
It might be more than she deserves.
Miho doesn't come from a line of particularly strong quirks. In fact, the first generation of her family to even have any was her great grandmother. Even then, their quirks were unnoticeable.
Small eyesight enhancers on her uncle Itsuki's side, and on her father's something so minor it's barely noticed.
Quirk enhansion. So long as Miho is touching someone, she can enhance their quirk past their previous limits. It doesn't help her at all, so most simply assume she's quirkless. Kaito chose her because she seemed quirkless.
When Miho had Kenzo, a girl despite to shitty name Kaito insisted upon, she expected her to have the same. Kaito wanted a son because his quirk had a male inheritance, and Kenzo wasn't a male.
Obviously that meant nothing once she beat the man with his own quirk.
So yes. Miho is proud of her eldest daughter for defying odds and going forward with her dreams despite Kaito and the world she brought her into.
"It's from UA, Kenzo!" Miho says with a wide smile, holding out the mail for the fifteen year old.
Kenzo blinks, and carefully takes it from her mother's hands.
"Oh. Well, I suppose I'll open it at the table," She murmurs thoughtfully, peering at the envelope with a tilted head. "Thanks, Ma." She quickly pecks her mother's cheek and settles at the table.
"Hurry up!" Yuki says, her and Yoshie having jumped up from their seats at the couch at the mention of UA.
Kenzo rolls her eyes, and tears the envelope open by the top.
She pulls out a small metal disk and sets it on the table. Miho and her youngest two daughters peer over her shoulders.
All Might suddenly appears.
"Hello, Yukimura Kenzo!" He shouts from the hologram, and everyone of them flinch at the sudden symbol of peace, Yoshie squeaking even.
"Huh," Kenzo sounds quietly.
"I am here to announce your acceptance into UA! Your scores in the written exam were high, and even better-" he steps to the side, and a scoreboard appears.
"Oh my god," Miho whispers, hands coming to her mouth.
"You had the top score for the physical exam as well!"
"That's amazing Ken!" Yuki cries, pouncing on Kenzo's half chair covered back and tipping the seat precariously. Kenzo smiles and makes the chair settle with a clack.
"Yeah yeah, Yu."
"You're at the top of the first year class, and remember, Yukimura-san, go beyond Plus Ultra !" All Might shouts.
Kenzo seems mostly unmoved by the number one pro hero congratulating her on her first place, save a small smile. Miho shoves any confusion over this down.
Kaito would seeth if he knew about her dream to be a pro hero.
"Oh, they sent a packet as well," Miho remembers, handing he the much less interesting vanilla colored envelope.
Kenzo sighs with the exhaustion of someone twice her age.
" Paperwork ."
Iida Tenya is ready for his first day in the most prestigious school in Japan.
He's first inside his class, and quickly followed by Yayorozu Momo, if he remembers correctly from what few parties he's attended. And after that, a half red and half white haired boy. He doesn't know his name, but he will find out!
Tenya's peer answers in what could be called a icy voice, but he knows his name now. Todoroki Shoto. He won't shake his hand, which does ruffle his feathers a bit, but he sits down in his seat again regardless.
Then, the next to enter the room is a dark brown haired, exhausted looking girl. She settles in the seat next to Todoroki and proceeds to take out a non school regulated hoodie , and lays her head down on it like it's a pillow!
He watches her in disbelief for a few moments, before finally having enough and standing from his seat, tapping her desk.
"That is highly improper, my fellow student, if I may be so bold!" He states, and he hears her quietly exhale, before looking up at him with half lidded eyes. Her eyebags are much more prominent closer up.
"Sorry for the inconvenience," She apologizes robotically. Tenya is faintly reminded of his house's staff on a long day, all fake smiles. Tenya scrambles to apologize anyways.
"No, I am sorry for being so forward! I am Iida Tenya, it is very good to meet you!"
The girl blinks once, yawns, then bows her head just enough to be polite.
"Yukimura Kenzo," She states, before closing her eyes again and laying her head down. Tenya huffs a little to himself, but sits in his seat anyways.
More students continue to enter after that, and Tenya makes sure to greet each and every one of them. Interstudent relations are very important for their future careers as Heroes!
Yukimura does not greet anyone, from where Tenya is sure she's sleeping, but even he must admit that she looks like she needs it. Even if it rubs him the wrong way.
Todoroki does not either, though. So he focuses on his new classmates instead.
"Get to your seats," A low, gruff voice says up front. Tenya has to stop himself from exclaiming in surprise at the odd yellow caterpillar.
Or, sleeping bag? Man in a sleeping bag?
The sleeping bag turns and rolls to where all the students can view him. Tenya reaffirms that this is in fact a man in a sleeping bag as he quickly settles in his seat. Yukimura looks up enough for her eyes to be visible above her jacket, and Todoroki remains as unmoving as before.
"All of you, put these on. I'll meet you out in the training field quickly ," What is likely their teacher states, rows of gym clothes appearing out of wall compartments. Each in a plastic bag with their names on them.
Surprisingly, in the sudden silence, Yukimura moves first. Lethargically standing from her seat and grabbing her bag, everyone else quickly following.
Their teacher has disappeared now, and Tenya readies his pre printed school map to direct people towards the locker rooms. He can't have people getting lost on his watch, of course!
A race! Tenya cannot believe his luck in having that be his first test. He, of course, doesn't agree with the ethics of expelling the person who comes last in these tests, but this is the top hero school in Japan. All of this is only to make sure that they're the best of the best and ready for their future.
Yukimura steps up beside him, hands shoved in her pants pockets and her eyes ever half lidded. He suppresses a sigh at her lack of enthusiasm. He wonders, for a moment, how she got into the hero course at all, let alone got to the very top of the ranking.
And isn't that a surprise, seeing such an unmotivated looking peer at the number one spot?
"Good luck!" He states instead of anything else, and she looks over at him. She's silent, but nods after a moment.
"Ready, set, go!" The robot chimes cheerfully, but before Tenya can move, his legs are planted in place.
"Sorry," Yukimura states quietly, then pushing him back, somehow using that momentum to toss herself forward. She lands in a clumsy roll, the robot chiming "Three seconds!" Cheerfully as he's finally freed from whatever she did.
Tenya quickly hurried forward, but the damage is done. His best subject is shot with an average score and Tenya resists the urge to curse.
Yukimura Kenzo is someone to watch out for, Tenya decides as he watches her triumph over every test, clearly using some sort of metal manipulation quirk to beat the system. She pulls the strength testers to their breaking point, puts coins in her shoes to float farther than anyone else in the long jump, sends the ball into the sky without throwing it in the first place!
She is in first again, and Tenya decides that he knows why she got first place before despite her appearance. She knows her quirk and uses it to her utmost advantage. No matter how that irks him, he cannot begrudge that.
He can dislike her though, under the admiration for her obvious dedication to being the best. Only a little, Iida Tenya is not a creature of spite until pushed too far.
"Well done, Yukimura! While I don't appreciate what you did when we faced off against each other, I can understand that we could not hold back!" Tenya states, holding out a hand to the girl off to the side.
She blinks surprise, breaking her air of exhausted indifference and looking between him and his outstretched palm.
"Oh. Yeah, sorry about that. It really was a bad match up," She says, taking his hand and shaking it surprisingly firmly. Tenya nods seriously.
"It was. So you have a metal quirk, then?" Tenya asks. She shrugs. Others appear to be listening in on the conversation.
"Metal manipulation, some magnetism as well. Just, metal stuff," Yukimura explains. She's shoved her hands in her pockets now.
"Cool!" One girl chimes, Uraraka Ochako if Tenya remembers correctly. "I've never met anyone with a metal manipulation quirk before, which of your parents did you get it from?"
"Yukimura Kaito," She says with a small smile like she's telling a joke that no one else can understand.
"You call your father by his first name?" Yaoyorozu asks, curious.
Yukimura shrugs. They all head back to their locker rooms chatting and Yukimura stays to the back.
A good first day, Tenya thinks. He can't wait to tell Tensei about it when he comes back from patrol.
Aizawa is one for observation before action.
"You're working two jobs?" He asks, feeling the familiar pressure of a headache building.
"I know who Kaito is and I know my mom can't afford to put me through UA on her own. It's two jobs or I don't go," Yukimura says, hands in her blaiser pockets.
"It impedes on your physical ability to sleep so little," Aizawa counters with, eyes heavy on her body language. He won't get a thing out of her face, she learned how to fake that years ago, clearly.
"I can't get a scholarship, if I do more people will want them. Especially the parents who got their kids in on nepotism," Yukimura says in a matter of factly. And Aizawa can't really argue, which is frustrating.
Just as frustrating to see a fifteen year old as tired as him and apparently under his care. She's got all the makings of a super villain origin story, or a hero's one. Aizawa doesn't want to see that scale tip the wrong way.
Aizawa makes himself blink, wishing they'd have given Vlad the problem cases this year instead of him. Then again he got on the shit list for failing a whole class last year, so he did this to himself.
Yukimura makes looking unconcerned an art form, everything she does so opposite to anxiety that he's suspicious. He's more of a detective than most other heroes, so he's been forced to get to know these things.
"You're right. But remember that things only get harder from here, Yukimura. You're dismissed, and try not to sleep through anything important."
"Thank you for your time, Aizawa-sensei," Yukimura says, bowing once before leaving the classroom.
First that Midoriya kid, then the Bakugou one, and now this?
Aizawa makes himself blink again, then tries to find his eye drops. He left them here somewhere goddamnit.
Kenzo takes off her UA blaiser and puts it into her bag, before throwing on her hoodie. Can't be caught dead in her neighborhood with that shit on.
She's tired, but she's got another shift at Mako's tonight and siblings to help with homework.
She breaths in the end of summer air, looking up at the sky. At least she's finally hit the plot.