Chapter 5: New Beginnings

Joey

Nemuri and Joey had been anxiously awaiting the results of the U.A. Entrance Exam. Joey and his friends had talked about nothing else at all, wondering who had scored enough points to pass and who hadn't. It was nerve-wracking, not knowing, not being sure if helping the applicants was a mistake, not sure if he should have left them, but then Joey thought about his departed Father, Joseph Freeman Sr. aka Wolfheart, and knew that he made the right choice.

Finally, the day had arrived, they got their letter from U.A. in the mail. Nemuri immediately pulled out her phone and called Marie, setting her phone to video message mode. Marie answered, even though it was ten o'clock at night back in Charleston, South Carolina. "Marie, it's here, is Kaminari-kun there?" Nemuri asked her daughter. "I'm on patrol now, Mom, we're on different shifts. Denki's probably asleep right now. And I can't leave my patrol area right now. Hey, Joey," Marie told her Mom, then greeted her little brother. Joey felt unexpectedly happy when he heard his older sister's voice and saw her. "Alright," Joey said as he took the envelope and tore it open, "Here goes something."

A small metal disc that almost looked like an ashtray fell out and fell on the table. Immediately the holographic projector activated, showing a video of the former Number 1 Hero, All Might. The old hero hardly looked heroic in his skeletal form, but he had a kind smile on his face as he spoke. "The true measure of a Hero is not just in the power of their Quirk, or their ability to fight. It is a culmination of their mind, their heart, and their body as one," All Might said, and then the holographic former Hero pointed to a screen, and it showed Joey and his friends as they tore through the robots, and then stopped and helped rescue the applicants trapped by debris.

"Not only did you and your friends demonstrate these qualities, Freeman-shonen, earning the second highest score of your group through your villain points, combined with a secret score of Rescue Points. After all, what kind of Hero would ignore those in need?" All Might then pushed a button on a remote and the screen in the hologram changed to show how everyone scored, and highlighted Joey's own score: 128 points! "Congratulations, Joseph Freeman Jr, and welcome to your Hero Academia!"

Whatever else All Might said was drowned out by the combined cheers of Joey, Nemuri, and Marie. Nemuri jumped up and grabbed Joey's neck and yelled, "I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IIIIITTTTTTT! THAT'S MY BOY! SECOND HIGHEST!" Joey was so happy he hugged his adopted Mom so tight he could feel her fast beating heart, and he just heard Marie yell, "I ALWAYS KNEW YOU HAD IT IN YOU BRO!" Joey smiled and looked at Nemuri and Marie and said, "I never would have made it if you hadn't helped train me for this."

Nemuri shook her head, "This was all you, Joey."

Marie agreed, "We only showed you the way. You're the one that had to walk the path. Little brother, I know that you'll be great in U.A." Joey heard the sound of gunfire from his phone and Marie said, "Duty calls. I love you, Joey, Mom. Make us all proud," and she hung up. Joey closed his eyes and happy tears fell down his cheeks, and he said a quiet prayer, Just watch me, Mom, Dad. I'm going to be the greatest Hero I can be.

Marie

The Second Wolfheart had a big smile on her face in spite of the gunfire as she rushed towards a liquor store on King Street. The robber was a small guy, but he had a big gun, one of the new AR-86s she was sure. "Hey asshole!" Marie yelled to draw the robber's attention. He swung to shoot at her, but Wolfheart was faster and quickly grabbed the barrel of the assault rifle and pointed it skyward. It was a shock to Marie when she felt the gun go off, she had to grit her teeth from the volume and hope it didn't leave her deaf.

In two seconds, the rifle clicked empty, and Marie yanked the robber close enough for a knee to the groin before finishing with a chop to the neck. As she was handcuffing the crook, a ball of light flew over and changed into a skinny waif of a woman around Marie's age wearing clothes that looked like the torn clothes of a zombie. "You alright, Wolfheart?"

Marie smiled, "I'm fine, Willow Wisp," Marie told her friend, Lilith aka Willow Wisp, "My brother got into U.A. I'm back home, and I got a smoking hot man waiting for me. I couldn't be better!"

"DUCK!" Lilith yelled, and Marie immediately ducked down as Lilith turned into a ball of light and shot forward, slamming into a villain who had a cannon pointed in Marie's direction. The villain's nose was shattered, several teeth were knocked out, and he was knocked out cold as Lilith reformed and handcuffed him. "Man, this is the third night in a row," Marie said as she lifted both criminals on her shoulders and carried them over to an approaching armored car.

"Hold on," Lilith said, and pulled down the shirt collar of the crook Marie knocked out. She revealed a tattoo that looked like a fist emerging from a human skull. Lilith went to the one she knocked out and lifted his shirt to reveal the same tattoo on his stomach. "Okay, this is serious now," Marie said when she saw the tattoos. "I saw a woman with that tattoo on her arm last night," Lilith said, "These attacks are no coincidence."

You think it's a new gang in town?" Marie asked her.

"I don't know," Lilith answered, "But I get the feeling that this is worse than just a 'gang'."

They watched the armored car drive away, unaware that they were being watched from miles away.

An Unknown Location

In a dark corner of an underground bunker that was lit only by a single fireplace, a gathering of people stood together. "Our brothers' sacrifice was not in vain," one tall figure said. All of them were clad in black hoods and robes that showed nothing except their eyes, barely. Their leader was designated by the rope tied around his neck like a noose. The Leader said, "Even now, we gain more intelligence about our enemies. The mutants shall be purged from our lands, and the world. Even now, my brothers and sisters, our movement grows stronger. The lies of the False Heroes shall be destroyed, and True Humans will emerge triumphant!"

The Leader raised a fist in the air and yelled out, "SURGE HUMANITATUM!"

The others raised their fists and responded, "OCCIDERE ANIMALIA!"