author's note : not dead. life is hard. i got laid off on my birthday.

Chapter 57 : Time to Breath 2

The Todorokis were thoroughly scanned, as they walked an hallway that was recently repaired, clearly.

Thanks to the various wars that happened during the Dawn of Quirk, various projects fell apart. Finding ruins and actually exploring them was a lucrative yet risked activity. You could find a bunker, full of old technology from the peak of pre-Dawn of Quirk era, or you could find one of the deactivated bunkers from the AI uprising of the 90's.

For obvious reasons, this wasn't a desirable outcome.

Currently, the Todorokis were in such a ruin, discovered and repaired by the State of Japan. It was a prototype for a fusion nuclear reactor. Energy for everyone, with almost no waste. Yet, the technology was never completed and the main component was lost to time. As a result, only the mainframe existed and the place where the reactor and the fusion was supposed to happen was empty.

Until recently.

A lot of scientists were currently watching Enji in his fiery glory bringing energy to the compound. The possibility to study a star in a controlled and safe environment was a boon to most of the scientists there. There was talk about renovating all electricity lines to link the facility to Japan's power grid.

The head scientist looked at Rei Todoroki before checking his files. He wanted to be sure why they were here and saw their reason: trying to communicate with Enji, see how much of him was left there.

The man, with an actual eraser head, nodded towards them. He wasn't an idiot and he was part of the team that oversaw Enji's transfer here. To be honest, everyone's fear of Enji going rogue was, according to him, groundless. The man was too calm and quiet to do anything. Also, considering the videos and All-Might's conference about the threat Endeavor helped to destroy… Well, the scientist actually had empathy for his situation.

"We managed to accommodate a room for you to speak with him. As you might have suspected, the conversation will be monitored. Rest assured, I will personally see that nothing goes out to the media."

The Todorokis acknowledged his warning and appreciated his kindness. They didn't expect someone that kind with them here.

They actually had to relocate in the aftermath of Exegol. While Natsuo kept his position as Inko's intern (mainly because she threatened to use anyone trying to do anything against him as a puppet for the muppet show), Fuyumi had to change schools. Surprisingly, the parents weren't really okay with having the granddaughter of a supervillain teaching their children.

The head scientist lead them to a room that allowed them to see Enji through a special glass, in a safe way. Speaker and everything needed to speak were there too.

Rei and her children sat down before taking up the mic. Her husband currently had his eyes closed, probably sleeping. Could fire sleep? Did he even need to?

"Enji? This is Rei. I am here to talk."

This prompted Enji to open an eye. With a deep voice that made them remember wood cracking under the heat of a fire in a chimney, the Giant of Fire answered.

"Leave. I have hurt enough people."

"Sadly, Enji, I don't care. We will talk. You will listen."

—--

"So… What's the point, sir?"

"You mean, aside from basic ethics, human rights and not being an asshole?" The sarcasm was strong in the head scientist's voice as he answered to his intern. Seeing his puzzled face, the scientist followed. "Endeavor's state is a boon for science, no discussion asked. However, unlike his father, he actually did nothing wrong. Considering what he told us about living quirk and how they have to burn/sacrifice things to become what they are, we need to check if it is possible to make them revert into a weaker state by giving them their emotions and feelings."

"... Why?"

"State secret. You aren't high enough in the hierarchy to know."

The head scientist, though, was cleared to know. Namely, the fact they had Wolfram, a S-Class villain who was kept in stasis in the middle of what looked furiously like an ascension to the rank of living quirk.

Some were advocating to kill him, while others pointed out the issue of being sure to kill him before he finished his ascension. However, if they could revert the process, they could make him human again and solve the issue at once.

The scientist was among the one who simply proposed to encase him in a block of weighted cement and drop him in the middle of the ocean. However, it was still a risked move.

So, for the hope of everyone, Erasu Hedo hoped the Todorokis managed to help Enji.

—--

Eri was happy.

It was a strange and new feeling for her, ever since she was freed from Chisaki. Maminko constantly took care of her, trying to make her smile. Dadhiro was bringing gifts, shiny things that sparkled. She liked them. Finally, there was Brother Zuku, who was always bringing her favorite characters to play with her. She liked it when he once summoned a platypus with a funny hat. He was fun and jumped everywhere.

However, this time, she was even happier: Mister Rappa was here!

The huge muscular man didn't expect to be declared honorary uncle but even a massive brute like him couldn't say no to a teary Eri. Especially when there was Inko "I know where you live" Midoriya behind the young girl when she dropped it to you for the day.

So, while they were waiting for Nedzu to finish preparing a kindergarten for super powered young children who needed protection, Rappa was also the honorary nanny for Eri.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

As a result of having Eri staying on his shoulder, Rappa had to face his girlfriend Otsu laughing her ass off, her tail violently slamming against the floor. She loved the picture of the big brute being forced to be a caring man.

Granted, part of her was impressed by Rappa actually knowing how to take care of a child. He answered by reminding he was an actual uncle to a student in UA, the ginger girl who lost to Izuku. Right.

"However, my dear Rappa. Are you sure you are authorized to bring her here?" Otsu asked, curious.

Here being Rappa's underground ring which also worked during the day. Currently, on the ring, fought a man with the ability to summon a frying pan and in front of him a thug who could harden his body.

Of course, teeth and blood flew across the place and…

"GO FOR IT MISTER PUNCH!"

Eri loved every second. Maybe because the frying pan dude looked a bit like Chisaki and it was satisfying to see him getting punched? Probably.

"She seems fine and happy. Besides, that's what I did with my niece and look at her. She is a class rep for a hero class in UA!" Rappa said, while headpatting an happy Eri.

Everywhere around them, most thugs had the same thought. They knew Eri for only a few hours but if something happened to her, they would kill everyone involved.

More seriously, they wouldn't even have the time to do that, because hurting Eri would mean having Rappa, Miruko and Otsu on your trail.

Still, more than a few people missed the fact that some people spied on them.

—--

Purifier read the report with his morning coffee cup. Yep, the girl seemed to be fine. Now, if his scientists could continue to retro-engineer Chisaki's erasing bullet…

—--

"So… You are the girl dating my baby brother?" Hana asked Nejire, scanning with expertise the young blue haired woman with the aura of an airhead. However, Hana was a top vigilante, an expert in infiltrating places and she knew when someone masked their real personality.

Nejire, with her cute smile, seemed absolutely inoffensive. However, there was something in her eyes… Like a predator who was checking on another one as they were stalking the same prey.

Meanwhile, Tenko was trying to ignore the two women having a staring contest while he was playing cards with a regular of the shop.

Currently, most of the neckbeards stopped freaking out whenever a girl came into the shop. To be fair, because of Tenko/Tomura and Izuku, well…

Some were actual regulars now, so they actually learned how to grow out of their "M'lady" phase too. Not that they even tried to flirt with the girls since they were either Izuku's girlfriend (top hero student of his year) or Tomura's (the girl being able to destroy you was also a convincing argument).

"Tenko, your sister is a bit scary. Hell, do you know any woman that isn't scary?"

"My friend. I fear only three things in this world. Izuku's mom, my sister and Nejire." Tenko explained as he was preparing his deck for the upcoming tournament.

Since he got an actual pardon for his past… At least the parts that were known by the government… He could actually enjoy the present a bit.

To not burden the Sako's household more (since they were still living in a small apartment and having Eri was already taking some space), Tomura was currently living on UA's ground. That and because it allowed Nedzu to actually monitor him, just in case he was doing an elaborate and convoluted plan to destroy hero society.

"Ok. On a side note, do you know why Nejire is bringing a deck? Isn't she usually playing with a pre-made one?"

Izuku and Tenko nearly snapped their neck as they saw Nejire pulling out from her bag a deck safely tucked in a small pouch. Her actual and personal deck.

"Oh, that's simple. I am participating in the tournament. Also, Tenko? I remember you boasting that if you were to lose this tournament despite having a new foolproof strategy, you would agree to be my butler for the rest of the month." Nejire said with a warm smile… But her eyes said something else entirely, making Hana take a decision.

Namely hugging the girl from behind.

"It's official. My dumb brother's side quirk must be luck. I don't know how else he managed to get a perfect girl like you to be by his side!"

"... Want me to lend your brother for the month?"

"I adopt you."

Izuku almost laughed at his cousin's situation, as the two women of his life teamed up against him.

"Izuku? I swear that if I can embarrass you with Tooru, I will." Tenko said, with venom in his voice.

This made everyone in the shop laugh harder.

—--

Rappa was cleaning the blood from his face, when he saw Otsu, panicked behind him. He just came out of his fight and he had a good time. Also, he was pretty sure she was fighting Crust just before, so she should be good.

"... RAPPA. WHO IS WATCHING ERI?"

… OH SHIT!

Both adults actually rushed out to the bar, where Eri was supposed to stay…

To see her playing with toys and Yui Kodai, Rumi's insane intern. Bakugou was simply the angry intern, after all. Yui, meanwhile, had an official ban list of items to bring in the ring.

One of them was any kind of sodas.

Meanwhile, Bakugou was showing Eri how to throw a good punch.

This situation made Otsu suddenly realize something. Were they corrupting this sweet girl into becoming one of them, a bloody battle maniac?

NAAAAAAH.

—--

Twenty years later.

"OH GOD, RUN, IT'S THE BLOOD QUEEN!"

Eri, laughing while she wore her deadly knuckles jumped in the fight as every time she got hurt, her wound rewinded back in time, making her effectively immortal in a fight.

Thanks to using her quirk so often, she now mastered it perfectly.

As a result, everyone thought her rewinding quirk only affected her and not the others, making her ability to heal any wounds a state secret…

"YOU CAN RUN, YOU CAN TRY TO HIDE… BUT YOU WON'T ESCAPE ME!" Eri said, in a frightening smile reminding people of Rappa.

Truly, she was the heir of the Battle Maniac.

—--

The tournament began and Izuku, Tomura and Nejire were luckily in different branches. They wouldn't have to fight each other before the semi-final or the final.

Izuku, to his dismay, had to play with a deck specially made by the Yaoyoruzu. Being sponsored allowed him to have a lot of cards as a hero but it also had a cost, sadly.

Tenko knew that and smiled. If Izuku had his true deck, he could have been a threat. Without his deck? He would have to learn and make new strategies on the fly and was as a result more reliant on luck.

Tenko knew that his Villain deck was still as powerful as before. He would have loved to add an All For One card but the company explained they were forbidden by the HPSC to do so.

—--

Hinata was drinking her fifth bottle of coffee. For god's sake. She has almost finished purging her organization now… BUT SHE HAD TO HIRE A SHIT TON OF OTAKUS TO GO THROUGH ALL CARD GAMES STILL EXISTING.

This goddamn Midoriya was an asset, true, but he increased her workload by ten times.

The banlist kept expanding every goddamn minute. The moment Dark Souls was spotted, it had been instaban.

The moment the Yaoyoruzu's explained they wanted to do an All For One card and a "Endeavor, Emperor of Fire" variant, Hinata had actually thrown the messenger out of the building. Thankfully, Hawks was on standby and saved the poor sap.

—--

Meanwhile Nejire was crushing her opponents. The first one underestimated her because she was a girl.

The second thought it was a fluke.

The third recognized her as Ryukyu's apprentice and asked for her autograph.

The fourth was a girl that asked her on a date (Nejire politely refused, as she already had someone).

As a result, by the time she finished her match and was one of the finalists, Izuku and Tenko barely began their own match.

Despite Izuku owning several of the new cards from the company, it wasn't his main deck. Also, even with his main deck, the blue haired guy often crushed him.

He put up a brave fight but in the end he lost to his cousin. Still, both shook their hands as a sign that all was good and Izuku actually whispered something to his cousin.

"Good luck. You will need it against your girlfriend."

Tenko stared at Nejire and smiled.

"Thank you. You will need it too. I told Tooru that you needed someone to comfort you after losing and I am pretty sure I saw her in the stands."

Izuku's stare of betrayal as Tenko just announced he unleashed a wild invisible predator on his track was perfect.

"Either that or someone with a very powerful telekinetic quirk…"

"That joke was done too many times, Tenko."

—--

While the final of the card game began, Enji was still listening to his wife, trying to let him remember happy moments the two of them had together.

Things he broke because he was a monster.

"Rei. Just… Stop."

The Monster said, before seeing a green light in front of him. More energy? He would give it.

Enji raised an arm, which bore no flesh. His blood was pure plasma. His flesh, made of fission. His bone was his grief.

Enji put his arm in the hole open in the wall, almost melting everything inside it. Almost. It was time to provide more energy to the facility and help science. Help the world.

"Dad, you can't just ignore your problem!" Natsuo yelled through the microphone. Even he was angry when seeing his father in such a desolate state. "You never were the kind of man who ran away!"

"Was I? The way I see it, I ran away from my duty at home by burying myself in my work. I have failed Touya and Shouto, sure… But I have failed you and your sister even more." Enji was sarcastic at first but then the regret came back. "You were alone, without a mother and without a father that was never home."

Natsuo… Actually had nothing to say against that as it was his main reason for being angry at his dad. However, he was a bit surprised that Endeavor actually even noticed that fuck-up.

"I didn't even congratulate you when you managed to enter the medical university… Or Fuyumi when she became a teacher. I should have."

Shouto, for now, stayed silent. It was… Strange. Seeing his father, all broken and down. It wasn't right.

Yet, he couldn't find any words for him. To comfort or to berate him.

Meanwhile, Fuyumi was also struggling to find more words. However, before she could say anything, someone knocked at the door. It was Dr. Erasu Hedo

"Sorry, but it has been two hours already. For test purpo

ses and according to the protocols…" The good doctor didn't have to finish his sentence.

"Enji, don't think it's over." Rei shouted at the speaker before having to leave.

Her husband sighed.

"I don't need to think. I know."