Years ago, when she had been in her own galaxy, when she'd lived solely in the Jedi Temple, and when she had based her entire belief system on what a good Jedi was on the words of the masters and not her own thoughts and experiences, she had asked Master Yoda a question.

It was a big question. So big that her 4 year old frame has felt like it was going to burst if she didn't ask it. Like it was crowding out everything in her mind and body until it was the only part of her and she didn't want that. Didn't want it to consume her. She couldn't focus on anything else but that. Not her history lessons. Not her language classes. Not even lightsaber practice. Just… the question.

So… after a session on meditation… Ahsoka had approached Master Yoda, the oldest and most decorated of all Jedi in the entire order… and asked him a question.

She could see now, with age and maturity, just how audacious her question had been. It was something that Masters debated for years, to the point that while they were supposed to be serene and peaceful… they would still refuse to talk to others who disagreed with them. Jedi had nearly gone mad trying to learn the truth of it. They would leave the mortal world and return to the Force STILL not knowing the answer. Master Yoda himself most likely had struggled with the question himself for ages. But she'd come to him with all the trust and faith that children had, and asked it anyway.

"Master Yoda? If we are tools of the Force… does that mean we have no free will?"

They had just learned about Free Will in their philosophy class, the first lesson for determining if something was alive: was it able to act of its own free will? A droid couldn't go against its programming, after all, so while sentient they weren't alive. But Ahsoka had been troubled by that question, unable to unlodge it from her brain. Did she have free will?

Master Yoda had merely chuckled at her question, patting her arm. "Tools? Hmmm… with your crèche masters talk too, if speak such a way they do." He then chuckled again but Ahsoka had grimaced, not wanting to get the crèche masters in trouble. "Tools we are not. Unthinking a tool is. Unable to listen, it is. To understand. To question. These things, do they can not."

"But the Jedi let the Force guide their actions," Ahsoka had pressed. "The best Jedi open themselves to the Will of the Force. So… how can I be a good Jedi and have Free Will?"

Yoda had looked at her for a long time and just when she'd begun to worry that she'd upset him and had been preparing to apologize he spoke. "Truly wonderful the mind of a child." He had smiled at her and patted her hand and at once Ahsoka had felt reassured even though he hadn't answered her question. There simply wasn't any way to feel worry when Master Yoda was around, especially back when she'd been a youngling. Where other Jedi was so big and powerful and fierce, even at their most calm, he was always a small little rock of comfort. "Listen to the Force, a Jedi does, yes. Tell all though, does the Force? No. Tell it does not." He paused, considering her for a moment. "To this way go, tell you I can." He gestured towards the door… then gave her the slightest of nudges with the Force, causing her to let out a squeak. "Or push you, I can. The former the Force is. Suggest is does… but options you are given, not commands. Through the door, go you can. Or not."

It had made sense then and it made sense now, though it had grown and changed just as much as Ahsoka had herself. From that simple idea that the Force suggests, not demands, to the realization that the Force would try to guide you to a path but it wouldn't tell you what that path was. And sometimes it was a path that made no sense to you. And more disturbing sometimes it wasn't the best path. Oh, perhaps for the Galaxy it might be… but not for her. The Force whispered that the life of a civilian, while beautiful, didn't outweigh the lives of a planet and thus one should be willing to sacrifice one to save the many. But… when you were looking at that one being and held their life in your hand… that was a different story entirely.

'And yet,' Ahsoka thought as she walked into the arena, 'it feels like there is no choice at all here. That I was led to this very moment and never really had any free will to avoid it.'

Because coming at her from the opposite side of the stadium was Bakugo.

'Izuku doesn't realize that I've been listening to his stories about 'Kaa-chan',' Ahsoka thought darkly to herself. 'Or at the least he thinks I'm taking them at face value. But even without knowing what he's like… I could have told him that they weren't friends.' Ahsoka set her jaw. 'Bakugo is a bully. He's a violent thug who thinks that the world must do whatever he says and he can, in turn, do whatever he wants. That he is the king and we are just the 'stepping stones on the way'.'

She narrowed her eyes.

'He's about to learn how wrong he truly is!'

~MC~MC~MC~

"Why not just turn it to one of the other events?"

Rikiya seethed as he watched the two first year UA students enter into the arena for the Semi Finals of the Sports Festival's final event.

"I mean… so what?" Kizuki asked as she lounged in his private viewing room, the massive screen meant for airing movies projecting at that moment the UA Sports Festival. She had a martini in her hand and was half slouched in her chair, boneless but still managing to look refined and dignified. "A few foolish children decide to waste their time."

"On a national stage they are making a mockery of their quirks. They are hobbling themselves. They might as well lop off their own limbs to the hoots and hollers of the crowd."

On the screen Tano spun around to avoid Bakugo's first charge, moving to try and grab his arm and put him in a submission hold only for the blond to twist back around and strike her in the stomach. She didn't go down though, instead responding with a strike of her own that clearly surprised Bakugo.

Neither used their quirks. Why he didn't know. Didn't care either.

Kizuki though clearly wasn't seeing the problem of what was going on. "They get a bit of attention for a few moments and then everyone will be running stories about the Second and Third years. They will be forgotten… if not seen as the worst of the lot presented this year." She sipped her drink. "Would you like me to run an article about them? Oh, I could make is so acidic…"

Rikiya considered that for a moment before shaking his head. "Not with UA supporting them. Those teachers… they are encouraging this travesty." He looked at the media master. "What do you know of them?"

Tano went for a leg sweep but Bakugo leapt over it, putting him in range to deliver a devastating knee hit… but he didn't get a chance as Tano had clearly been ready for him to avoid her strike and as such had kept going down, lying flat on the ground and rolling to get over to his side before she snapped back to her feet with a show of agility that was jaw dropping. She clapped him on the ears, causing him to stumble, and then went on the offensive once again.

"Well, Present Mic you know of, of course," she stated with a shrug. "He isn't actually hiding, what with his radio show."

"Yes," Rikiya muttered. "And he has shown to be rather liberal in his views about the quirkless."

Present Mic had often sang the praises of those that fought just beyond using their quirks, much to Rikiya's irritation. He didn't have a problem with heroes learning how to use all parts of themselves to fight, of course. He wasn't an extremist. There were a few people out there that felt that everything should be done with just a quirk and that your entire existence should revolve around them. He wasn't short-sighted like them and was quick to squash such people like bugs when he was forced to deal with them. They gave his cause a bad name, trying to latch onto it.

No… he believed that ALL parts of one matters. Body, mind, quirk. To neuter one was the neuter yourself.

"And the other?"

Bakugo screamed out something as he managed to grab Tano's wrist and hurl her over his shoulder. She landed hard onto the ground and rolled just as he went in for a stomp, skittering away like a frightened ant as Bakugo brought his foot down again and again in an attempt to take her out.

"The new Heroics Instruction, Kenobi Obi-Wan," Kizuki said, finally sitting up straight. "He is a VERY interesting one."

"What have you found out about him?" Rikiya asked. He didn't like new players in the game unless they were on his side.

The reporter eyes practically sparkled like a child on their birthday. "He suddenly appeared in Japan just under two years ago along with his brother, Skywalker Anakin."

"Different names?" Rikiya asked.

"Apparently something common where they are from. A small… well, from what I've heard it is more of a cult than a community. Seeking out people that have a similar quirk to the rest of the group and training them. They have others who don't possess that similar quirk but they either work in the military or are brought in via marriage. Amidala Padme, or Skywalker Padme as she seems to switch between the two, has a rather weak quirk, as does Captain Rex who is apparently their major domo, as far as I can tell.

"Anyway, they arrive and begin making connections. Skywalker is developing bio-mechanical organs and limbs with Powerloader… they already have begun testing on arms and legs, based on one he made for himself."

Rikiya filed that away. While it wasn't a result of a quirk he saw the great benefit to such work for his own goals. Far too many people had powerful quirks but were hampered by their mutation quirks or were injured learning about their quirks. With the ability to give them back regular lives… well, it would only strength his cause. Remove the fear that such quirks caused.

But he shook his head. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. "But what of Kenobi?"

Tano leapt over Bakugo's head, startling the teen as he hadn't expected her to be able to clear him so easily. She struck with a fist into his side, making him grit his teeth before she made a false swipe at his face before going once more for his stomach, getting in a hard hit that doubled him over. She refused to let him have a moment to breathe though, moving to strike him again and it was only Bakugo leaping back that saved him from the flurry of swings she sent his way.

"I am getting there," Kizuki said with a pout she probably thought was cute. Rikiya was far too used to her doing such things, though, and merely waited for her to continue. "But you must understand the amazing group. Amidala now works at Might Tower as a liaison to the government AND developing an outreach program to help reformed villains."

Once more Rikiya found himself filing information away. 'Villains are the greatest cause of Quirk Fears in the public… if they were to disappear our cause would have one less hurdle to deal with.'

Bakugo grinned as he grabbed onto the fleshy white and blue pieces that were part of Tano's head and squeezed, causing her to cry out. He held on and forced her head towards his knee, slamming it into her right eye. But when he went to do it again Tano, with a savage scream, was on him, not so much striking him with punches but clawing at his face like an animal, forcing him to let go. Tano, for her part, growled low in her throat and rushed him, absorbing one strike before finally getting in close enough to drive her fist into his face with a sickening pop.

"Kenobi though… seems to have visited our fair lands before." She leaned in and whispered, despite them being the only two in the room, "Midnight and him met a few years ago and the result was a child."

"Midnight has a child?"

"A daughter with Kenobi. She was raised by him these last few years but now has moved to UA. Kenobi Eri. They are highly protective of her, you can understand, but I've managed to get photos."

"Hmmm," Rikiya muttered. That wasn't much use… only if Midnight or Kenobi became a threat to him but even then he had no desire to hurt a little girl. 'That is what makes us different from the villains… they seek out destruction, reveling in it. I revel in the power of my quirk. What it allows me to do. The freedom of it. There is nothing glorious about slaughtering the innocent… after all…' He smirked. 'How are they to learn their place is they are dead?'

"Oh, and Captain Rex is the one that trained that quirkless boy that caused all this." She waved her hand. "But that secret child… oh that is a delightful bit of-"

"Kenobi is connected to Midoriya?" Rikiya asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well… yes." She shrugged. "I don't know how much he's interacted with him but-"

Rikiya glowered at that. "So that's why he's singing the praises of the quirkless… he has skin in the game."

Kizuki sighed. "I don't see what the big deal is. It's a minor fluke. A blip in the news cycle. Its not like it will change things. Heck, they've probably ruined their chances at getting internships."

"Not with Kenobi and Present Mic filling their ears with how great this is," Rikiya stated. "And Nedzu is most likely already calling in favors to ensure they get more offers than First Years normally do." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't like this… not at all."

~MC~MC~MC~

Ahsoka panted as she looked down at Bakugo, who was still struggling despite her knee planted right in his back. When he'd grabbed her lekku the jolt of pain… well, it had triggered something in her. It had been agonizing and blinded her and she'd just… reacted.

She remembered what she had done but it was foggy. Clouded. She remembered once, when she'd been very small, a crèche master has shown all the younglings the Jedi Mind Trick, so they understood just what it was and how to defend their minds not just from it but other forms of attack. After all, one couldn't stop something if they didn't understand it. It had been very carefully done, with other masters watching and no one made to do anything embarrassing or painful. Ahsoka had been told to sit in a blue chair. She remembered how the suggestion had clouded over everything else, to the point that she didn't even realize she was moving until she was in the chair. And afterwards it had been almost dreamlike trying to remember it. They had been warned not to attempt it without a master with them as there were some people that became addicted to the feeling.

It had been like that. Like someone had given her a Force Suggestion. 'Beat Bakugo'.

And she had. He was pinned to the ground and even as he snarled and growled like a beast he couldn't move a muscle. Midnight came over and counted him out and the crowd cheered (though she knew that they would have been bellowing far more if she had used the Force and Bakugo his quirk). Still, she had won.

…but she didn't feel like she had won at all.

She walked back to the locker room, her body not feeling like her own. It wasn't until she realized that Anakin was there, along with Padme, that the dam burst open.

Ahsoka, with a strangled sob, rushed to them, allowing the two to hug her as she broke down crying.

She wondered if Padme understood what was the matter.

She wondered how her master would help her.

Because the fact was clear.

To beat Bakugo…

…she had tapped into the Dark Side.

Even though she hadn't used the Force. Even though she had ONLY used her own skills… she had given into fear and anger. Fear that she would lose to him and disgrace herself. Anger that Izuku's tormentor would notch another victory. And when he had grabbed onto her lekkus all that anger and hate had burst out of her and she'd savagely took him down. And she had enjoyed it. Found it the most wonderful thing in the world. Wanted to do so much more. To ignore the silent agreement that they would only spar and instead just brutally destroy him. Feel his body slowly break before she reached into his mind and tore apart all that made him him.

She had wanted all of that.

It wasn't the Jedi way.

Ahsoka sobbed as she desperately clung to Anakin.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Come on, get to the good stuff!" someone in the bar called out, jeering at the screen. "I wanna see the little baby heroes blow each other up!"

"I don't know," someone else said as Kurogiri washed a glass and put it back on a shelf, "I wouldn't mind if they just tossed out that blond bastard and let the orange chick wrestle with the one with the huge tits!" He laughed at that, the sound echoing about the room thanks to his mutation causing him to have three mouths, one in the center of his face and two others on his cheeks. "Did you see that pert little orange ass of hers bounce? Get her some implants and she'd be fun for a ride!"

"Heh!" the first one said, warming up to the idea. "I hear they teach baby heroes how to handle a hard pounding, in case they are ever caught. Just means that they can take a good dicking without sobbing!" The two broke down into laughter. "Fuck, I could-"

He never finished as he and his friend were left briefly screaming before collapsing into dust.

"Don't… talk about her that way," Tomura rasped as he brushed off the barstool one of the men had been sitting at, plunking himself down.

"Those were our latest recruits," Kurogiri reminded him.

"Then we need to get better ones," Tomura said, staring at the screen as it replayed the fight Tano had just had with Bakugo. "They are idiots."

"Why did you care about them talking about the girl?"

Tomura smiled. "Look at her. At first I thought she was a nobody… another NPC that just goes through the motions. Like those generated soldiers in those battle games that are just there to make the battlefield look more cluttered but don't actually do anything against the enemies. But then she cut loose…" He smiled. "Oh… that was poetic destruction."

"I suppose so."

"Kurogiri… find out about her quirk. Find out about her past. Her likes. He dislikes. What she likes to do for fun."

Tomura smiled.

"I think I just found my Player Two."