Chapter 6: The Dawn

The next day

Amaku got up about a minute before his alarm went off. As his mind woke up, he eventually realized this was the long-awaited day. He slowly brought himself to sit up on the side of his bed, took a deep breath, stretched to get his body, cracked his neck, and looked around his room. Once the alarm on his phone went off, he hit the off button and got up from the bed as he proceeded to do his morning warm-up: 40 push-ups, another 40 push-ups with his thumbs only, 40 sit-ups, and 40 squats. Once he finished, he then went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and washed up. However, as he exited the bathroom, at the last minute, he turned back and grabbed his toothbrush, figuring that he would need it.

After getting dressed, he grabbed a black duffle bag from his closet and filled it with various personal effects. In the main compartment, he placed several articles of clothing, undergarments, two pairs of shoes, one or two books to read, and a few other personal items. He placed some hygienic products in one of the side pockets for his care, including the toothbrush he'd taken from the bathroom earlier. He also grabbed his wireless earbuds, ensuring they were fully charged before packing them.

With all these belongings stowed away, he took a step back and took a minute to confirm that he had everything he needed. He looked around the room lackadaisically, thinking something might appear in his line of sight. And sure enough, something did two things. He looked at the nightstand towards the two photos of his family. While one was the photo of a younger him and his parents in his old home, the other was a relatively recent one of him and his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He looked at them both for a short while before he eventually decided to carefully remove them both from their frames, observing them closely.

However, when he looked at the one with his parents, he couldn't help but linger on it. He momentarily set the other one down on the nightstand as he stared at it. His gaze was locked on the image of his mother, and in his head, he couldn't help but hear a faint, old tune that he would never forget

As the tune played in the back of his mind, he began to recall the memories of his old home, his times with his mother, Azumi, and the rare but unforgettable times with his father, Zoro. He remembered coming home every day from primary school to see his mother, embracing her after a long day. They would play and laugh together until sunset, and Amaku fell asleep in her lap. And every night, when Amaku had been put to bed, she would sing the same beautiful, angelic tune that seemed to rob him of any frustration and anxiety. All negative emotions seemed to fade whenever she sang that tune. As he remembered these long past times, the anxiety of what lay ahead seemed to dwindle. He felt somewhat calmer, still, and at peace. He kissed his mother's face in the photograph.

However, as he recalled these memories, a fast, blurry red hue suddenly appeared as an image flashed in his mind, and the tune disappeared. He briefly heard a rumbling in his mind and could almost feel a vibration under his feet. A moment later, another image with a red hue flashed in his head, matched with another rumble. He attempted to bring himself under control, holding his head with his hands, but the flashes and rumbling wouldn't stop. Another short moment passed, and in his mind, he saw walls being destroyed and coming down around him, furniture being buried in debris. He heard the brief sound of a woman's voice calling out his name, and the next thing he knew, the ceiling came down on him and practically buried him. All while this was happening, Amaku started breathing erratically, his head was hurting, and his eyes flickered between their natural brown color and the bright crimson they glowed when his quirk was activated. Once again, in his mind, he briefly saw flashes of a massive, towering giant with perturbed teeth, blank eyes, and spikey hair through cracks in the debris that was burying him. In a final flash, he looked forward to another pile of debris, and in it, he saw…

He suddenly heard a knock at the door which startled him out of his state of panic, halting the images in his head like the scratch of a needle on a record player. With his mind returned to reality, he placed the photo on the bed next to his bag. After taking a deep breath in and composing himself, he went to the door and opened it. There stood his aunt Harumi in casual wear.

"Morning, big guy," she said, a straight look on her face. That one look alone showed she was not looking forward to this day. Amaku knew this, and he couldn't blame her.

"Good morning, Auntie," Amaku responded with a slight nod. Harumi looked past him to see the bag on his bed.

"It looks like you've had a busy morning, huh?" she said jokingly, attempting to lighten her mood.

"Yes, Ma'am," Amaku replied respectfully. "I've just finished packing. I have everything I'll need."

"Yeah…well, almost everything," she said ominously.

"Auntie?" Amaku asked, confused.

"Come with me," she said.

Amaku followed Harumi through the house, trying to piece together what she was trying to do. She led him into the living room and had him sit down on one of the more petite sofas. She reached under the more oversized sofa against the wall as he sat and pulled a rather sizable package out from under it. She then walked up to Amaku with it in hand.

"I was…planning on giving this to you after we got your results for the entrance exam, but…well, we know how that went," Harumi explained. "After that, I'd been waiting for the right opportunity to give it to you. I even almost thought about returning it after what happened, but…I guess there's no time like the present."

Amaku took the box in his hands and laid it on his lap. After removing the cover and going through the paper mache, he was speechless by what he found. He laid the box down on the floor in front of him so he could get a better look at it all. Inside the box was a pair of baggy, dark red, gi-style pants with black flame-like stylings. At the waist was a belt with a silver demon's head on the buckle. There was also a pair of black tactical boots with silver metal trimmings along the toes and black and red wrist bracers, similar in style to that of a traditional samurai, with fingerless gloves attached. At the bottom of the box was a black, skin-tight, thin spandex T-shirt. On the right peck was a red stylized kanji for demon, and when he turned it around, the kanji was there once again, only this one was big enough to occupy most of the back side of the shirt.

Amaku stood back in awe as he looked at what was apparently his first official hero costume. He was astonished by the detail and care put into it.

"Auntie…I…I can't even…," he said, still dumbfounded by what lay before him. "I mean…when or even…how is this possible?"

"Wasn't as hard as you'd think," Harumi said. "I still have connections with an old friend in the costume design field who owed me a favor. The fabrics are made to adjust to how your quirk alters your muscle mass. So once you start powering up, there won't be any risk of you tearing it. On top of this, the material also cooperates with the aura you emit with your quirk, so whenever you create a barrier, it will always form outside of the costume while still conforming around you. Don't bother asking me how. Heisenberg has his ways…ways that, quite frankly, I gave up trying to figure out a long time ago."

As she told him this, Amaku ran his fingers over the fabrics of the shirt and pants, getting a feel for the material.

"How did you come up with the design?" Amaku asked

"That, believe it or not, was your cousins' work," Harumi said.

Amaku looked back at her with a surprised look on his face.

"Yushiro and Yukio designed this?"

"Yup. I knew you were busy with training and, no offense, but you don't have the greatest artistic hands. So I had them come up with a few different ideas. They came up with some pretty good ones. Honestly, I've got no idea where they got their grace with a pencil, but it certainly wasn't from me. In the end, we mixed and matched a few of their ideas, and this is what we got."

Amaku looked at the entirety of the costume once again, not saying a word..

"So…what do you-" Before she could finish, Amaku had his arms around her and embraced her closely. Harumi was momentarily stunned by the sudden gesture but eventually embraced him back.

"It's perfect, Auntie," said Amaku with a voice of genuine gratitude and happiness. "Thank you…!"

They remained in a hug for a bit longer until Harumi remembered they had a train to catch.

"Alright, big guy," she said, tapping him twice on the arm to let her go. "Go get your things, and I'll take care of the costume, ok?"

"Understood, Auntie," Amaku complied.

With his spirits raised, he returned to his room to retrieve his bag. After placing the photo in the empty side pocket of his bag, he turned to leave, but before he could, his gaze again passed over the nightstand, where he saw the frameless photo of his second family. He picked it up, briefly remembering the previous winter break from when it had been taken. The family had been saving up money for quite some time, and that December, they'd gone on a trip to Yokote city to celebrate the Kamakura snow festival. The photo was taken when they went to one of the Kamakura huts to see the lanterns. Amaku remembered that it was the first time he tried spicy udon with Akazake. His birthday was around the same time, so he and his uncle decided to sneak it in while Harumi and the others went to do something else. Because of his size, he visually passed for an eighteen-year-old, and by some luck, the server didn't ask for an ID. After just one sip, he was almost entirely out of it, and Hanzo had to practically carry him back to the hotel. Harumi was furious when she eventually forced the truth out of Hanzo.

As these memories came to him, so too was a sense of joy which brought down his anxiety and helped put his mind at ease. After briefly kissing the photo, he placed it in the side pocket and zipped it up. He returned to the living room where Harumi was waiting for him with a special-looking suitcase beside her, no doubt for his costume.

"Ready?" She asked. After taking a deep breath in, Amaku gave her an affirming nod.

"Come," she said.

After about a half-hour drive, they'd arrived at the station. Amaku removed both the duffel bag and the suitcase from the trunk of the car, slinging the bag over his shoulder while dragging the case on its wheels. He then walked over to the driver's side to say a few final words to his aunt before they parted ways.

"Come here, big guy," Harumi said, embracing him for one last hug, which Amaku returned in kind.

"Now, remember," she said, looking up at him. "No matter what may happen, no matter what you might have to face out there, remember your training, your family, and your promise."

"Yes, ma'am: Strike hard, strike fast, bring honor to the Keiyodoshi's and the Brokuma's, protect the innocent, and punish the wicked," Amaku replied in a stern, stoic manner.

"And the other promise?" Harumi asked sternly.

"…Reach out to you guys every chance I get," Amaku replied genuinely. He then performed the family's traditional gesture, holding his right hand to his chest and bowing. As he was leaning forward, Harumi took the opportunity to kiss him on the forehead.

"I love you, Amaku," Harumi said, holding back her sadness. "Now go…go become a hero."

"Yes, ma'am," Amaku said affirmatively. With that, Amaku made his way towards the stairs leading into the station, looking back at his aunt one last time before walking down them. This was it; this was where his journey began.