The rush of a bullet train intensified as it swiftly entered another tunnel. The wind current whistled through the train as it emerged from the tunnel, a robust, though slightly crackling voice echoed through the intercom from the train's automated system, announcing,
"Next stop, Osaka! I repeat, next stop, Osaka!"
The aged train's seats emitted an incessant chorus of creaks, marred by years of use and neglect. Each time the boy shifted in his seat, the dissonant sound persisted, drawing frustrated sighs from his lips, as he attempted to sit up and secure himself by clutching to the train pole.
The boy was wore a tattered, weathered hoodie that had seen better days. Its once vibrant brown hue had faded into a somber, dark brown, and the fabric showed the scars of past countless encounters, barely holding its own stitching together. His face was hidden by the hood of this old hoodie. On the back of the hoodie, a stitched emblem depicting the undead head of Cerberus, though its stitching clung to the fabric, it was still secured. Beneath the emblem, was a stitched word that stood as a declaration:
"Mongrel."
Beneath the hood, as he lowered it a young man emerged, his attire pristine in stark contrast to the hoodie that had been noticed before. The young man's long, black, and unkempt hair framed his face, partially obscuring his eyes, which were a hazy shade of orange, as if yellow was given a soft tone of honey. Yet, they appeared weary and fatigued, bearing the marks of years of mistreatment.
As he raised a lock of hair to tuck in a Deku-themed headphone into place, his left ear came into view, revealing a missing part of his ear, what remained of his ear was met with multiple piercings. The boy let out a yawn, as he lifted his phone,
9:29 P.M.
As the boy lowered his phone, it quickly shook, emitting a subtle, vibrating hum. As he raised his phone yet again to inspect the caller, he recognized a familiar name.
"Kazuki"
The boy lifted his phone to his ear as he accepted,
"Yo, Kazuki."
a gruff, yet resolute voice broke the silence, with an urgent sound to his voice
"Mongreal! Where the hell are you, man?!"
Michi, the boy glanced out of the bullet train window and replied,
"I'm just pulling into Osaka, just give me like, five minutes, and I'll be in the club."
Kazuki's frustration reached its boiling point, and he let out an exasperated, almost unhinged sigh before blurting out,
"you better hurry you little shit! I've got 500000 Yen riding on your dumb ass!"
Michi couldn't help but chuckle at Kazuki's questionable financial decision.
"Oh boy, 500,000 yen? Maybe I should take my time, perhaps grab a bite-"
Before Michi could finish his sentence, Kazuki abruptly hung up the phone, clearly not amused by Michi's sarcasm. Michi chuckled,
"Jackass."
Michi lifted his headphone, and placed them back into his ears, immersing himself in his music as he stepped off of the bullet train. With a sigh, he quickened his pace, briskly striding through the bustling streets of Osaka.
Song: Bez Tebya: By Doriansmierdze
It is true, since the battle for Tokyo two decades ago, criminal activity had significantly dropped. Quality of life had improved threefold for years to come, but several regions still grappled with persistent criminal and villainous elements. Even with the presence of heroes like Deku, Uravity, Kishi, Echo, and many others, it remained challenging to match with the steady growth that is quirks. As time passed, it became evident that the quickest path to financial gain often involved with... activities "Outside the boundaries of the law.
As Michi navigated the bustling streets of Osaka, he found himself bombarded by a cascade of holographic posters flying over his head, yearning for attention. A persistent Ad Drone flew toward Michi, scanning him with relentless precision. Michi, clearly annoyed, waved his hand in an attempt to shoo the bot away, but it deftly completed its scan. Instantly, a barrage of user-designed ads flooded the open space around him.
"NEWEST INSTALLMENT OF THE FINAL FANTASY FRANCHISE HAS FINALLY BEEN RELEASED! SAY "MORE" TO LEARN MORE ABOUT-"
Michi sighed in a exasperated tone,
"Stop."
"APPLY TO HIGH SCHOOLS NEAR YOU EASILY WITH THE PRESS OF A BUTTON, THANKS TO THIS BOT'S SPONSOR, "SIGN ME UP!" SAY-"
Michi's frustration got the better of him, as he swung at the Ad Bot, barking,
"FUCK OFF!"
The collision sent the bot reeling in the air, and after a brief moment of processing, it responded,
"Noted. We will add, "FUCK OFF!" to our database to help give you a more personalized designated assortment of Advertisement, just for you!"
Michi Couldn't help but roll his eyes as he watched the Ad Bot move on to harass another unsuspecting bystander, only to witness the person to smash it into bits with frustration. Michi continued walking, scanning the chaotic city around him.
Song: War Paint Wolf and Bear
As he strolled along, his gaze caught sight of an alleyway to his right, he saw a group of Quirk junkies, "Quirkies" harassing a young, high schooler, upon inspecting his uniform, he recognized it as a high-priced high school uniform, Michi rolled his eyes, noticing that the boy is being extorted, in a muttering undertone, Michi spoke
"Don't make deals with Quirkies and expect a fair deal."
As Michi kept walking, he began to cross a street, as he crossed, he noticed a little girl clutching a teddy bear, desperately seeking help in finding her parents.
"Please! Help! I haven't seen my mommy or daddy anywhere!" She cried out.
Michi observed as several people walked past the distressed child, seemingly oblivious to her pleas. As Michi crossed the street, walking past her, he examined her, noticing her distinctive blue eyes and orange hair. Upon examination he recognized her, and began to roll his eyes. The girl ran up to Michi. pleading as she followed him
"Sir! Please help! I don't know where I am!" The girl pleaded with tears flowing down her face.
unfazed, Michi chuckled and carried on walking
"Nice acting Itazura. Keep up the act, and maybe someone will fall for your deceit one of these days."
Michi turned into an alleyway, as the girl transformed, revealing herself to be an older woman, at least in her thirties, she let out a long sigh as she took out a cigarette, lighting it, and exhaling. She exclaimed,
"Actually, I conned four men today."
Michi rolled his eyes, Itazura was one of the city's most notorious extortionists, thanks to her quirk, "Age" which allowed her to control her age and apperance.
"Yeah, yeah, good for you." Michi replied dismissively. "Are you coming to the club?"
Itazura shook her head, still chuckling, "Nah, I'm on a good roll. One of these days you've gotta join me Michi! We could pull of the little sister, big brother trick on these bozos and make REAL money!"
Michi continued down a set of steps in the alleyway, which led to a place with a sign that read, "The Cozy Corner Club" Although, it was supposedly a bar, the deteriorating front entrance, and concrete steps, and general disrepair indicated otherwise, Michi spoke as he descended.
"You know I don't extort. This is as far as I'll ever go with this..."
Itazura rolled her eyes, watching Michi's descent,
"Whatever, Michi. Just don't bring your pro-hero of a daddy around here."
Michi rolled his eyes hearing Itazura's comment as he pushed open the creaking door, leading into the shabby establishment. Inside, he found a dingy, run-down bar with the owner sitting behind the counter, sipping on a whisky while engaging with a lone customer. With a quick survey of the place, Michi noted the absence of any other patrons. He walked up to the bar, sitting down on a bar seat. Catching the attention of an inebriated customer, who pointed at Michi with a drunken slur.
"Hey! T-This kid is WAY too young to drink!" The man exclaimed
Michi responded with a scoff, addressing the balding old man
"And you're too old to be poking into other people's business!"
Annoyed, the old man grumbled and went back to his drink, while the barkeeper turned his attention to Michi.
"What would you like sir, a water?" He asked
Michi straightened his posture and gazed sternly at the bartender.
"Actually, I was hoping for something... Uncomfortable."
Using the secret phrase, the barkeeper removed his glasses, revealing purple eyes. In an instant, Michi was transported, vanishing without a trace. The drunk man, still befuddled, looked at the stool, and touched where Michi had once been sitting
"Wasn't there a...a... Ehhhh... Whatever..." The old man muttered, before returning to his drink, blissfully unaware.
Michi was spun around until he found himself transported, as he caught himself before falling over, lotus flower petals gracefully fell around him, touching the ground. As Michi was reoriented, he reached into his bag, and retrieved a mask, putting it on as he proceeded down a corridor.
The corridor was bustling with people. Including rough-looking individuals, salesmen, Quirkies, and everyday folk, engaged in conversations and discussions, all as well, wearing masks. However, as Michi moved through the corridor, an eerie silence followed in his wake. He continued until he reached the main arena, a vast concrete chamber filled with thousands of excited spectators, all engrossed in betting, drinking, and consuming their worries while watching fighters in the arena below.
Michi took a deep breath, gazing down at the spectacle before him. This is a place where he could be... Mongrel. Michi's true identity remained a secret here, as did most. The Cozy Corner Club was a place where people could be themselves without fear. Michi exhaled with a smile on his face.
"Good bye Shinomori-"
As Mongrel began to turn and walk, he collided with someone, and as he looked up, he instantly recognized the man.
"Oh... Hey, Kazuki."
Kazuki, an older, man stood before Michi, towering over the young man. His hair, as silver as the necklace around his neck, his piercing red eyes, responded sharply,
"Mongrel, where the FUCK have you been?!"
Mongrel kept walking toward the backroom, where he changed out of his civilian clothes, putting on worn green trousers that were more patches than actual pants, and a black tank top. He began to wrap his hands with old, tattered, and bloodstained hand wraps.
"I'm sorry. I am sorry Kazuki!" Michi hesitated. "I was busy... at the office."
Kazuki let out a long sigh, clearly unimpressed.
"The office? Don't bullshit me, kid. I saw your middle school uniform in your bag last time you were here. How old are you really? HUH?! 13? 14?!"
Michi's face went pale. Realizing his lies have been uncovered. In the past few weeks he's been "working" here, he has never had any complications with hiding his identity. Michi began to panic
"Um... Look Kazuki, I would've been honest, but-"
Kazuki's expression turned wild as he interrupted Michi
"But, what, Shitbird?"
Michi gulped, a sense of fear creeped upon him. Kazuki was the one person who genuinely scared Michi.
"I knew you wouldn't have hired me if I wasn't older... So I tried bullshitting it..."
Kazuki slowly laughed, as he approached Michi, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Kid, you can fabricate a backstory, a name, everything, but the one thing you can't hide is your height, you short FUCK!"
Michi looked at Kazuki with beating eyes, the one thing Michi didn't like was people remarking about his height.
"HEY FUCK YOU-!"
Kazuki pushed Michi roughly into the Locker room wall.
"You're done kid. After tonight, don't show your fuckin' mask here. If I see you, I'll bash your skull in myself. Remember, you're only fighting tonight because of the bet I MADE KID. MY BET, NOT YOUR FUCKING SKILL OR BECAUSE I LIKE YOU. YOU ARE MONEY. A DROP IN MY GODDAMN WALLET."
Michi let out a frustrated sigh as he headed towards the "performers" door. His shoulder pushing against Kazuki's forearm
"Yeah, because for a VILLAIN YOU SURE ARE KIND, THANK YOU, KAZUKI!"
Michi continued walking towards the arena, the gate raising as the announcer prepared to speak.
Song: Scorched Shore Wolf and Bear
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, hyping the large crowd as he introduced the fighters and encouraged bets.
"ALRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT FOLKS, PLACE YOUR BETS NOW! ON THE AWAY TEAM, WE'VE GOT THE NEW, "STALACTITE" A MAN WITH THE POWER TO FORM ANY STONE OBSTACLE! WITH 5 WINS, 0 LOSSES! A BRIGHT NEW FIGHTER!"
Michi took in his surroundings, it's a circular concrete jungle with a metal rusted cage above so the fighters couldn't hurt the bystanders. Michi looked down at his opponent, the man stood at 6'6, his arms massive, clearly with the strength to crush Michi in one might punch. His arms, and legs, made of cobbled stone.
"NOW WE'VE GOT OUR HOME TEAM, THE PEEPSQUEEK THAT WE ALL LOVE! "MONGREAL!" A MAN WITH THE STRENGTH OF MULTIPLE MEN, AND THE LEGS AS FAST AS LIIGHTNING! WITH 32 WINS, 3 LOSSES! A SEASON VETERAN OF COURSE!"
Michi couldn't help but feel pissed by the description assigned to him. He began to sweat thinking that he could easily be found out by Kazuki now.
Michi is clearly not tall, which makes since for his age, only being 14. His height, only being a solid 4'11.
"ALRIGHT, THE BETS ARE IN, OVER 15 MILLION ON STALAGTITE, AND 5.5 MILLION ON MONGREAL, IT LOOKS LIKE THE FANS ARE DOUBTING OUR LITTLE-"
Michi couldn't hold back any longer. He shouted in a stern, aggravated voice.
"STOP WITH THE FUCKIN SHORT JOKES!"
The audience cheered for "Mongrels" short temper
"WOAAAAH IT SEEMS LIKE HIS HEIGHT ISN'T THE ONLY SHORT FUSE! ALRIGHT! REMEMBER, NO MURDER, NO "ACCIDENTS" NO DISMEMBERMENT. BEEEEEGIN!"
Song: Coopa: By Kiraw
Michi was surprised by the sudden start, looking down at his opponent, as a large concrete tsunami surged toward him, Michi realized he had no chance of dodging it. In a split second, he gritted his teeth and activated his quirk.
Surge! Michi's quirk is a combination of his mother, Naomi Kashiko, and his father, Nemui Shinomori's! His upper body, his strength is enhanced to inhumane ability! His lower half, he is able to dash, and boost himself similarly to his father! But both powers are insanely draining of his stamina, especially when used simultaneously.
Michi swung his fist at the oncoming concrete wall, watching as it cracked upon impact. However, he realized that one punch wouldn't be enough to stop the attack
"Dammit!" he muttered.
The force of the wall pushed Michi backward, threatening to collide with the arena's surrounding walls. With determination, Michi raised his fist again, slamming it into the concrete wall, and creating an opening. using his legs, he boosted himself out of the way, narrowly avoiding the collision.
"Stalactite" laughed heartily, clearly relishing the battle.
"IT AINT OVER BUDDY!"
The opponent threw two more concrete walls at Michi, who assessed the situation as he soared through the air. He used his legs to boost himself above the concrete walls, flipping in mid-air, Michi looked down with malice "What's his weakness?"
Michi descended from above, using the force of his punch to deliver a devastating blow to the side of the giant rock man's head. The impact caused the man to stagger, but he quickly regained his composure.
As Michi glanced to his left, he saw "Stalactite" launching a punch that was perilously close to connecting. In a split-second decision, Michi jumped into the arena wall to evade the incoming attack, then sprung back towards the rock man.
Michi swung his left fist at the rock man's their fists colliding with a powerful, bone-cracking sound. The force of the impact shattered the bones in Michi's left hand, causing him to wince in pain. Ignoring the injury, he took a deep breath, and attempted another punch with his right fist, aiming for the rock man's stomach, only to discover that it was composed of the same durable material as his arms.
The rock man grinned under his mask smugly, "Sorry man, looks like a bad match up for ya."
Michi knew he was in a tough spot, but he swiftly formulated a plan to gain the upper hand. He began to back away from the rock man, making it seem as though he intended to retreat. Like clockwork, the rock man responded by sending waves of concrete to attack Michi.
As he dodged the incoming attacks using his boosted legs, Michi kept a sharp eye on his opponent. Then, it clicked in his mind.
"I got it! When he manipulates the stone surrounding him, his "Shell" leaves him... That means..."
With newfound confidence, Michi leaped towards the rock man. Utilizing his quirk, he propelled his leg into the man's torso, only to discover a soft, squishy stomach. The rock man gagged, his quirk deactivating in response. Seizing the opportunity, Michi used his one good arm to deliver a powerful punch to the man's head, knocking him to the ground.
Michi slowly walked over to the man, pressing his book into the man's neck, applying pressure.
"Call."
The rock man looked around, resigning to his defeat, he let out a sigh and muttered,
"I call."
Michi had won the match, and he could feel the eyes of the spectators on him both exhilarated and relieved by his victory.
After the fight, Michi took some time to heal and changed back into his civilian clothes. Determined to collect his earnings, he approached Kazuki.
"Hey, I'm here for my pay."
Kazuki turned to face him, holding a martini in his hand, his expression unimpressed.
"Pay? PAY?! You're lucky I don't snap your neck. Go see Frank, and get the fuck out of my sight."
Michi's eyes flared with anger, but he refrained from losing his temper. He had his reasons for being here, and none of them were for money.
"Fuck you, Kazuki. Stay the hell away from me."
Kazuki chuckled and downed his drink, surrounded by women. He casually waved goodbye as Michi was escorted away.
"Sure, kid. Whatever you think... Shinomori."
Kazuki muttered quietly as he watched Michi being escorted out
Afteer a grueling hour-long commute, Michi finally arrived home. Fatigued and worn out, he approached his house, opening his gate as he trudged through the gravel path, as he looked up, he saw the porch light turn on.
"Shit..."
Michi looked at the time.
11:42 P.M.
Michi desperately racked his brain for an excuse as he approached his house. He needed to come up with something believable... and fast.
"I was at Shizu's?" He though, but immediately dismissed it. Shizu had been Michi's go-to excuse for far too long, and it was beginning to wear thin. "With Cousin Senshi?" No, that wouldn't work either, Uncle Itami and dad are close. he needed something convincing.
Michi's father, Nemui Shinomori stood at the doorway, his arms folded, with Michi's younger sister holding onto his pant leg. The little girl pointed excitedly at Michi and spoke in her young, still-learning voice.
"Daddy! Daddy, I found MiiiiCHii!"
Nemui lifted Eriko, his voice sounding stern as he responded.
"It sure is sweetie, your brother you were so focused on where he was that you refused to fall asleep."
Michi entered the house and let out a sigh, preparing to deliver his excuse, he admitted,
"Sorry... Dad... I was with a girl, and... I lost track of time."
Nemui replied to his son with a stern expression that basically said "Don't bull shit me." clearly unimpressed with Michi's explanation.
Nemui covered Eriko's ears to shield her from the escalating conversation. She had already started dozing off, unaware of the tension in the room.
"Don't-" Nemui caught himself before letting out his anger, but replaced it with a firm, and disapproving voice "Don't even fucking try lying, Michi. Where the hell were you?! I called the Baga's, Itami's, and your school, your school said you left at 4! And none of your friends have seen you today!"
Michi threw his arms up in exasperation.
"I was... DUDE! I was out with friends. I lost track of time! FUCK! Stop grilling me!"
Nemui set down Eriko as he grabbed Michi's bandaged left hand, inspecting it closely. His tone remained stern. "You and your friends have a habit of breaking hands for fun?"
Michi pulled his hand away with a frustrated expression
"Not like you know what I do! What I do is my business!"
Nemui placed his hands firmly on Michi's shoulders, his voice unwavering.
"Don't. even. try. that. I am your father. EVERYTHING that relates to you is my business. Now, where the HELL were you?"
The tension in the room reached its peak as Michi faced the difficult choice of whether to continue deflecting his father's questions or to come clean about his... enclosed secret life.. Suddenly, Eriko began to cry, her tiny voice breaking the silence. Michi's eyes widened as he realized the distressed he was causing his younger sister. He quickly moved over to her, lifting her up and coddling her gently.
"Shh, shhh, Eriko" Michi tried to calm his sister "Dad and I are only have a discussion.."
Eriko continued to sniffle, her little hand reaching out to Michi. pulling on his hair, causing him to wince slightly.
"You didn't read me a bedtime story liek you promised!" She cried out.
Michi sighed as he gently pulled hios hair from his sister's grip. He sat her on his lap and settled on the sofa, his demeanor softening as he tried to comfort his little sister.
Nemui, sitting across from Michi, maintained his stern expression.
"This isn't done." He stated.
"I know dad." Michi replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "I'm.. I'm trying to find a way to articulate myself."
Michi took a deep breath, his voice breaking as he began to explain his actions.
"Um.. You've been busy.. and my time to apply to.. UA's Heroic is drawing closer."
Nemui nodded in acknowledgment, fully aware of the impending application deadlines.
"I'm aware. You and your cousins want to apply to UA."
Michi nodded again, his voice wavering.
"I remembered you telling me how you used to go to a beach near your home in Osaka to train your quirk leading up to your application..."
Nemui's eyes widened as he realized where this conversation was heading.
"Son, you didn't..."
Michi nodded sadly. "Dad... It gets worse. I... I was stopped by this guy, he gave me his card, to a bar... and well... He offered me... training... of a sort."
Nemui clasped his hands together, memories of his own past in Osaka flooding back. It was a rough neighborhood even before Deku became a symbol of peace and hope.
Michi mustered the courage to continue. "I fought... in this arena... type of thing... A lot... There was gambling, w-women... I DIDN'T TAKE PART IN THAT... just... just the fighting."
Nemui stood up, alarmed, and quickly activated the security measures in the house. He looked deeply concerned.
"What was the man's name?" he demanded.
Michi hesitated for a moment before answering. "He went by Kazuki."
Nemui turned around, his face pale with shock. "Kazuki? Kazuki the relentless? THE GODDAMN KINGPIN OF OSAKA?!"
Nemui's world seemed to crumble around him as he processed the gravity of the situation. "Michi... You... you might have just... thrown your whole scholarship away... Your chances of being a hero away!"
Michi looked up at his father, his face etched with stress. "I- I didn't know that it would be that bad. I just wanted training! I thought it was fine, but then... Then he... He knows who I am."
Nemui ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. "Son. Tomorrow morning, you and I are going to the Bureau of Pro-Heroes. I'm calling a meeting... and I need you to tell them everything you saw. Everything that happened. This is a huge lead, and your alibi."
Michi was overwhelmed with fear as he looked at his father. "What if they come after me? Us?!"
His heart raced, and he couldn't focus as his ears began to ring. Suddenly, Michi snapped back to reality, finding his father holding him.
"We will be okay," Nemui reassured him, his voice resolute. "He expects you to stay quiet about this... We can get the jump on him with this information and keep you from being blacklisted."
Michi nodded, his remorse weighing heavily on his shoulders. He realized that he had made a grave mistake, one that could have dire consequences for his future as a hero.
Song: Erased (Pt. II) By Essenger
Nemui's voice quivered as he continued to speka, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Son.. Listen to me, I told you everything I did before I applied to Ua, because I want you to be BETTER than me."
Michi placed his hand on his dad's trembling one, his own eyes glistening with tears.
"Dad... I know.. I messed up.. I know it's unforgiv-"
Nemui pulled his son into a tight, emotional hug, his voice choked with emotion.
"I know.. I've been either... piss drunk... or angry... or working... and that's unfair to you and your sister, and I understand you feel the need to test yourself, but please son, listen! Listen when I say this!"
Michi listened intently, feeling the weight of his father's words sinking in. It had been a while since they had such a heartfelt conversation.
"Son... I have made more mistakes than I am proud of, letting my anger, frustrations, and shortcomings overtake me. Do not let the sins of YOUR father overcome your future or influence you any longer. You have a power that can HELP people, you can do good for other people. It was your Mother's belief that we have a moral obligation to do those things!"
Tears welled up in Michi's eyes as he clung to his father in the hug, his own voice trembling with emotion.
"I know, Dad... I... I'm sorry."
End of Chapter one... Michi Shinomori... Origin!
