"Hmmm, an interesting quirk if nothing else. Let's call it Osmosis. You like that name, fella?" The doctor said as he gave him a lollipop. He began typing furiously as Kisho waited for him to finish in the chair next to his table.

"Hmm? Did you hear me? You know what Osmosis means?" The doctor asked, this time turning towards Kisho to give him more attention.

"Oh, uh, no I don't. What's Asm…Asom…"

"Osmosis is the process that occurs when a solvent moves from one permeable membrane to another. Or to put it simply, when water moves from the inside of a cell to the outside. And you," he pointed at Kisho for emphasis, "can control that process with your entire body. Your body is essentially a cell membrane!"

Not having the feintest idea what those words meant, Kisho didn't feel the same excitement the doctor had. Even though he'd finally gotten a quirk, it was nowhere even close to something as strong as his older sister's or even some of his classmates.

"So I can just move water through my body?"

Sensing the boy's disappointment, he tried to give a positive take on it. "In basic terms. You can control the amount of water in your body at any given time. Sounds basic right? But you don't have to worry about drowning, eh? Just move the water out of your lungs and the oxygen will stay! And if you ever feel thirsty? You can literally drink from the plants if you want! Though I wouldn't recommend it. Leaves a peculiar taste in your mouth. Have you ever tried to-"

"How would you become a strong hero with it? How can I use it to fight people?"

"You won't. It's not a power suited for combat. You'd be more useful for…" The doctor held on that for a good moment, trying to think of use-cases for a quirk like this. "You can probably turn green if you eat a bunch of leaves, so if you become a spy, you'll be hard to find in the woods. Assuming you take on the characteristics of what you absorb. And most absorbers do, so it's safe to say you should be able to."

Kisho tuned out the instant he heard the first two words. He'd expected as much considering he hadn't discovered what his quirk was naturally. With such a weak quirk, he wondered how he would achieve his dream of being a superhero. He tried not to let it get him down and kept a smile on his face when the doctor gave him another lollipop after his visit was over. Even so, he wasn't going to give up hope that quickly. Waving goodbye, he began thinking of how he could fight using Osmosis.

"Dad! Look!" Kisho tried to get his attention. He held a dying potted plant in his hands, and began to concentrate hard. Soon, the plant began springing to life and its vibrant green color was restored. His father peered up from his desk and moved his glasses down.

"Hmm. Not bad, for you. Now leave me be."

Downtrodden, he put the plant on the windowsill.

That's a man who's seen some things. Much more exciting things than a puny little water hydration quirk could even imagine rivaling. I spent all month practicing that one too.

He brushed his disappointment aside and began thinking of new ways to impress. Taking a second to think, he immediately scratched off drinking infinitely and finger-drinking.

"Give him a little credit, dear." An older voice called from the kitchen. "It takes time to develop anything with his type of ability."

Mom's no good. She'll just cradle me like always and say I've done a great job, even if it's something small. I don't like seeing her face either, it's-

"Aw, what's wrong Kisho? Is Kirio being a stick in the mud?" His mother appeared before he finished his thoughts, and she gave him exactly the reason why he hated to see her.

Her smile's always so sad.

The first day of middle school. It was something Kisho had been very excited about. He'd always wanted to get to know people better, but because of how highly children's opinion of you could be based off a lacking power, elementary was not a fond memory for him. With the maturity that naturally occurred over the years, he believed people wouldn't judge as they used to.

The teacher had been going around the room having everyone introduce themselves, with their quirk being an optional trait to mention.

That's pretty considerate for the insecure kids. I probably would've taken the same route, but I'm looking for someone who can be a good compliment to my power, so I can't hold back info either.

"…and nice to meet you as well. Next, you in the jacket? Are you awake?" The teacher said to the student in front of Kisho, alerting him to how close his turn was.

The kid rose slowly, keeping his hoodie on over his head, making sure no one could see his full face. Only his eyes were barely visible as they looked around the room in a suspenseful manner.

"…My quirk is unlike any you've heard before…I have control over a very particular liquid substance. One which some of you are very…" He paused for a moment, before eyeing one girl specifically. "…familiar with. Hehe…"

Huh. Dad used to say that people were shaped by their quirks. This must be what he meant. I wonder what he can use?

He tried to glean more details of the shrouded figure's face, but to no avail. It was as if he felt his gaze and turned away swiftly with every attempt.

"This liquid, which I control, is known as…Dihydrogen Monoxide."

"Uh, could we get your name first? I don't believe-"

"SHUSH!" The figure said to the teacher, who did so immediately, more out of shock than anything.

"Hey! You can't shush the-"

"Shhh!" They said to another student, in the same way you'd scold a pet.

"If I'm to recall-"

"Zero! Zip! Zilch! Nada!" Several more students were silenced before he continued on.

"Thank you…as I was saying, Dihydrogen Monoxide is quite the dangerous chemical, you see. It is used in many poisons, as well as household cleaners like bleach, and even ammonia. Why, by itself…it corrodes metal like it was nothing. Hahaha! And I control this exact substance!"

Kisho didn't know what this substance was, and he knew he didn't want anything to do with it. The power he had could be catastrophic with this chemical he spoke of. The rest of the class seemed to agree with his thoughts. Many speculated he could hold hostages for ransom easily with his power.

"A clever joke, but a joke nonetheless." A voice said, muting the noise in the classroom. A white-haired kid walked to the front of the class, a marker in hand already, likely brought from home. Beginning to write down the chemical's name, he asked the teacher a couple questions.

"Do you know chemical formulas? How to write down a substance in base elemental forms?"

Caught off-guard, the teacher stammered in his response. "Oh! Well, of course I do! It's required! I must teach it to you!"

"…speak for them. Then could you tell me the formula for…a-hem…Dihydrogen Monoxide?"

"Okay, let's see. Dihydro – two hydrogens – plus monoxide so one. That's 2 hydrogens, one ox…H2- Oh come on!" He exclaimed as the boy wrote the formula H2O on the board.

"NOOOOO!" Yelled the cloaked boy, letting some of his face show. "I've been had! Curse you, you smeckledorfed eggface! Feel my wrath!" Running around the room in an overly comedic fashion, the class erupted into laughter as he flew around lightly spraying water on everyone. He took time to drench the kid who exposed him near the front of the class, much to his chagrin.

"W-why…ugh, this shirt cost exactly 29.97! Do you know why that's important! Those are the first four numbers of the speed of light! And you've…you…"

The kid finally removed his hood to reveal a smiling kid, no older than Kisho himself. Brown hair, and quite charismatic compared to the now socially awkward white-haired kid, who Kisho just noticed also had glasses on.

"Relax, I'll get it out of there!" He pulled the water right out of his clothes, and instantly it was as if he never even got wet.

What control and ease! He made that look effortless! He doesn't even need a dryer…does he even get wet himself? We'd be perfect for each other! Two water users, what more could you want!

"Very funny, now would both of you take your seats, please? We still have yet to hear our watery threat's name." The teacher wasn't truly annoyed in the slightest. He actually had a smile on his face when they returned to their desks.

"Oops! Sorry about that! Got too caught up in my role. I'm Suiiki Saru! I'm 11. My favorite dogs, IN ORDER, are German Shepards, Border Collies, and Huskies! Actually, switch Huskies in front of Collies! My favorite color is blue, I listen to the Beat-Alls, Black Album is the BEST! I was born March 22nd, 2190, my dad's name-"

"Stop!" Shouted the teacher in exasperation. "…please. Thank you but…just your quirk or hobby, if you would like to tell us."

Suiiki grinned sheepishly towards the rest of the students, chuckling at his earnestness. "And my quirk is Hydro-Mastery. Thank you!" Performing a salute, he sat in his chair with a thud. A round of applause came from around him, though it wasn't the courtesy clapping that came with everyone else's introduction, but genuine applause from his performance and charisma.

"Alright, alright, enough games. Moving on, the young man behind Suiiki?"

Feeling relaxed because of the lifted tension, he stood up and confidently presented himself. "Kisho Ushiro. I actually have the same birthday as Suiiki, so I think that's pretty cool. My quirk is Osmosis."

Confused faces began to spread throughout the class – which for Kisho was expected. "It's not complicated. Osmosis is merely the movement of water from one organic body to another. For instance, taking water from a plant and moving it to myself to heal. Or vice versa."

"Whoa, you have water too!? My dad said those quirks were rare!" Suiiki interrupted. Kisho was happy the person he had his eye on was pleased with his power. "We're like, meant to be! Dude, we have to be a team! Team Dihydrogen Monoxide, rise up!"

"Enough Suiiki! I love your enthusiasm, but let Kisho finish!" The teacher said, trying to rein him in.

A girl with hair that was mostly black with frayed parts that were pink stood up without being asked. "Holy shit, talk about sleep-inducing. We went from one good water power, to possibly the stupidest thing I can imagine."

The teacher lost his smile with a stern expression replacing it. "Excuse me, Ranika! You will watch your language and your attitude in my classroom!"

"Enough of these games, man! Suiiki was probably the last person who matters, so can't we skip the rest? When's the fighting start?"

"Ranika, sit down. The other students can sit out if they want to. You don't make any decisions for them."

"Tch, to hell with this. Call my sis when you start doing something." She grabbed her bag and left without another thing to say.

Troublemaker. Looks like those types do exist. Calling my quirk the stupidest thing…she probably doesn't even remember half the quirks of the other students.

The teacher rubbed his face with one hand, muttering under his breath. "Why in my class?" Following after her, he poked his head inside the class before he chased her. "We're going to have a little show-and-tell tomorrow, so I'd suggest getting to know your other classmates and make friends. We'll continue when I get back, just quietly talk amongst yourselves for the time being."

The door closed, and instantly the room exploded in a storm of sounds. Kids began showing off their flashy abilities and making conversation with students next to them. Kisho thought it would be a good time to get to know Suiiki, so he began to reach forward to tap him on his shoulder.

"I SAID QUIETLY!" His booming voice came in through the door, rumbling the classroom and even rattling their insides. They immediately were seated and quiet, in fear of him using his quirk like that again.

"Thank you."

During recess, Kisho sat on a swing nearby watching as Suiiki was hounded by the students. Even though he respected the difference without malice or hatred, he couldn't help being a bit jealous.

Noticing him watching, Suiiki tried pulling away from the crowd to join Kisho. "That's it, show's over! I'll show you more tomorrow, but I can't reveal all my tricks at once!"

The crowd groaned, disappointed with his departure. Suiiki paid it no mind, something Kisho wished he could do. Being able to dismiss all that attention seemed alien to Kisho, who had always longed for it.

Must be nice having an awesome quirk like that.

"Kito! Or Kisei, whatever your name was! Teach wants us to do show and tell with another partner for our quirks! Let's figure out what we can do together! Like some tag moves! I bet we could put on a good show together if we come up with some ideas!"

"Uh…what would we do? I don't know how I would be able to help you out. I think I'd be unneeded." Kisho looked at the ground, feeling inferior.

"Don't say that! There's gotta be something only you can do! Let's see…What can you do with your power? Any specifics?"

"I can heal myself or other people if I absorb water. And there's a way to reverse the water absorbing too. I move the water inside them instead and it bloats things a bit. Don't know what I'd do with that."

Suiiki suddenly smacked his hands together, startling Kisho. "I've got an idea! Are you free after school, because this is going to be…complicated."

The next day, several duos had put on strong showings. One girl's fire dragon looked professionally done with how much control she had over it. Unfortunately, most of the class thought it was boring when they saw it was just fire. Another pair created a walking and talking peanut, complete with monocle and top hat. Everyone laughed as it told different jokes and danced around. Eventually the time came for Suiiki and Kisho to give their performance.

Butterflies in his stomach, he made his way to the front of the class, already hearing whispers speaking poorly of his quirk. I'll show them today. Just you wait and see this!

"Thank you for that, I'm sure the real Monsieur Legume would've been pleased with your imitation. Next, we have Suiiki and Kisho giving a display of an "invisible barrier?" I hope I'm reading that correctly?" He checked with Suiiki, who flashed a thumbs up to confirm. "Okay, whenever you boys are ready."

Suiiki got into position beside Kisho. "Greetings everyone! Today, Me and my assistant will be giving you a demonstration of a vortex made from pure water! Now don't worry, you aren't in danger of getting wet at all! For I've created, through the power of magic, an invisible barrier that doesn't let water outside!"

He made an act of miming a square wall around him and Kisho. "It's impenetrable! With that in mind, let's get this show on the road!"

On cue, Kisho opened his mouth, and Suiiki pulled an extremely large amount of water out from inside.

Because I can absorb infinite water, I can also store it inside my body for a while! This is nothing for someone like me! He thought proudly. He even got a few claps from around the room.

"Thank you kindly! Feast your eyes on the spectacle of wonder! Behold!" Turning the water into a sphere, he spun it rapidly, shaping it into a tornado in his hands, half the size of himself.

"Whoa! It's like the water bottle tornadoes!"

"Most impressive, admittedly."

"Okay, this is epic!"

Suiiki had a confident smile on his face, until he started to 'lose' his handle on the tornado. "Wh-Whoa! Oh no, it's going to-!"

The class's applause turned into fear as they covered themselves with their bookbags and folders to protect themselves from the deluge. Spinning itself apart, it flung out of formation and sprayed all over the place, except it hit the barrier Suiiki had told them about, seemingly splatting on an invisible wall.

"See! All according to plan!"

"A-hem!"

He turned to his assistant, who was still drenched in water, dripping head to toe.

"Oopsie! Ehehe, could I get some more water, Kisho?"

"I'd say you've had enough!"

"Oh come on, pretty please?"

"Not a chance! That was reckless!"

"Pretty please with a cherry on top!"

"Not even with a cherry on top!"

"What if I said pretty please with a cherry on top with chocolate syrup covered with rainbow sprinkles on a big, fat banana sundae?"

Kisho did all he could not to burst out in laughter. They hadn't rehearsed their faux argument much, so Suiiki was doing improv that he hadn't heard before. The class was struggling to keep it together, and even the teacher was trying to hold back his snickers. Once Kisho finally got his giggles under control, he did the next part of his trick.

"A…Alright, fine! Since you're so persistent, I'll give you water to DEATH!" Spouting water from his mouth again, this time he kept going in a never-ending stream. Suiiki tried to hold it all between his hands in a ball, but it got so big that he could barely fit it between them.

"That's enough! Kisho, I'm satisfied! Oh no, this is getting…" He turned to look at the audience. "…out of hand!"

Kisho redirected the stream directly at Suiiki, covering him in water and quickly filling up the area of the barrier they had made. From the outside, it was as if they were inside a big container that someone was pouring water into, even though there was no wall in sight.

Soon, it had almost completely filled with water, and Suiiki was forced to swim up to where Kisho was now floating, still spewing water.

"Hey! Kisho!" Kisho closed his mouth, stopping the stream momentarily.

"…what?"

"Water you doi-Blubblbiblub!" Suiiki was stopped as another deluge came from his assistant's mouth.

The class was in hysterics now, falling out of their chairs with laughter. Meanwhile, the teacher was so impressed by the invisible barrier trick that he had already started clapping long before Kisho absorbed the water back into his body.

"Excellent! Most impressive!" He cheered as they dried themselves off and took a bow for their routine. "I take it the barrier was Suiiki's quirk? That was an amazing showing of skill, all while performing a comedy act at the same time! Wonderful!"

…I was there too.

"Suiiki's quirk is so cool!"

"His handle on his ability is most admirable."

"Did he really need Kisho for that?"

"He was kinda lame with his quirk. Funny though!"

"For sure, Suiiki's was the best so far!"

And yet he's getting all the attention again!? Is he not finished basking in all the spotlight constantly?

Kisho realized what he was thinking and put a smile back on his face as he went back to his seat.

That's no way to think of someone who went out of their way to include me. Even with my quirk, he still found something for me to do. I should be pleased to even be acknowledged at all.

Should.

"Sorry, I promised my friend I'd hang out again with him today!"

Kisho's face fell when Suiiki told him the news. "Well, I won't be a bother if I come along too, right?"

"Uh…well, Daisuke's pretty shy around people. It's a wonder he even gets through school. I'll just play with you tomorrow!" With that, Suiiki left the classroom to find his friend before the buses left.

This is the third time he's done that. He doesn't even talk to me much in school anymore. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. He is the most popular kid in class, stands to reason he's always busy.

Thinking to himself, he saw Suiiki pass by the door again and go back to a classroom near the exit doors. There, he met up with another boy, presumably the one he had left to go meet up with.

…no harm in getting a closer look at this 'Daisuke'. I mean, if he can captivate Suiiki, there's gotta be some reason why.

Leaving behind his belongings on the desk, he peered behind a wall and made sure to stay out of sight. Cupping a hand around his ears, he listened in to their conversation.

"You came yesterday too, Suiiki. I-I'm not sure my mom likes you coming over so much. Especially without…warning…"

Soft voice, slight stutter, that's definitely Daisuke then. Matches Suiiki's description of…without warning? I thought he promised-

"Please! I just…want to do some more training! You have a great quirk for that kind of thing!"

There was a pause, and Kisho thought they might've left out the doors already. He almost came out from his spot until Daisuke spoke again.

"Why don't you just tell him the truth instead of avoiding him?"

"…don't know what you're talking about."

"You said you got along well with him, what changed? Did he make you mad or something?"

"No, Kisho isn't mean or anything! Just a bit…weird is all. Plus, his quirk is so odd…I thought it would be interesting, but it's really-"

"Weak?" Daisuke said with a shocking amount of firmness. "Or is he too just not cool enough for you to be seen with?"

"…" Suiiki's silence was all Kisho needed to hear. Drying his eyes, he went back to his class to grab his bookbag, and silently walked to the front gate of the school, where his mother's car was waiting for him.

She called out to him in a chipper manner. "There you are! I was getting worried since you took longer than usual."

He stayed quiet as he got in the car, leaning his head against the window. She noticed his behaviour, but tried to make conversation anyway.

"So, how was school?"

"Eh…"

"Aw, don't give me that! Oh, what about that boy you were going to bring over today? Soichi was it? Is he coming? You've talked so much about him, I can hardly wait to meet him! And you know Ami's going to love him, I bet she'll lick him all over when she first sees him!"

"…" A large and audible sigh told his entire story, and she decided against saying anything more. The remainder of their trip home was almost silent, the noise of the car slowly lulling Kisho to sleep, while his mother's hand caressed his face.

"…I'm sorry, sweetie."

"No, Kisho isn't mean or anything! Just a bit…weird is all. Plus, his quirk is so odd…I thought it would be interesting, but it's really-"

"Weak?" Daisuke said with a shocking amount of firmness. "Or is he too lame for you? Not cool enough for you to be seen with?"

"…" It took Suiiki a long time to answer his question.

"Well? So that's how it is?"

"No…it's not that at all. I don't know why I said that stuff, it's not true. I just…"

"Just what?" Daisuke pressed harder, trying to squeeze out the truth from his friend.

"I don't know how to act. It's like, really strange and quiet sometimes. Around most people, I can tell a joke or be silly and it'll make them laugh, but around him…it'd feel like putting on an act."

"Wait, so you've been staying away from him all this time because you felt awkward? That's no reason to avoid someone. What if he got the wrong idea? He might think you hate him since you always stay away."

The hissing sound of the buses letting out pressure brought them back out of their conversation, and they rushed towards them as they began to pull off.

"Come on, we'll talk about it at my house. You need to apologize tomorrow!"

"For what?"

Daisuke jumped on the bus and closed the doors before Suiiki got on.

"Ah! Alright, fine! I'll say I'm sorry!"

Kisho sat in the living room playing with Ami, throwing a ball about the house and watching her small body run after it. She returned with it in her mouth and jumped on his lap, placing it in his hands.

"At least you don't think I'm lame, right? Though I shouldn't give a dog too much credit. You don't have a quirk that lets you talk, do you?"

She simply barked happily in response.

"Figures you'd say that."

He tossed the ball with more force than he meant to, bouncing off a vase, hitting the side of a door and tumbling into the bathroom. Kisho watched in horror as the vase spun about until it stabilized itself and rested back in place.

"Phew. Close one."

"Hey, what are you doing out there? Kisho, I thought I said no more ball in the house!" His father called out from the kitchen.

"Oh, come on Kirio, let them be." He heard his mother say to his father. "He doesn't have anyone to play with. Besides, Ami's so small, what could she possibly do that would be so devastating to this house?"

"That's not the point I'm making. I told him that he-"

"So it's just a matter of your authority being threatened?"

"Yes! I mean no, not threatened! Just dismissed."

"Honestly, you're the same as you were back then. So insecure about being respected."

"For goodness sake, woman! You want to take his side on this as well?"

"There's no side, Kirio! This is what I mean! Everything is some sort of-"

"I don't care anymore! Since you're okay with him disregarding me, how about you make sure he's not getting into trouble?"

"Pompous ass!" She stormed out of the kitchen, just as Ami came back from the bathroom, drenched in water and getting the whole floor wet. "Ew! What is- Did you close the toilet bowl?"

"Sorry, mom! I'll clean her up right away!"

"What's that I hear? Already going to hell? That's what happens. What'd I say?"

"Stay in the kitchen, damn it! I thought you said I could take care of everything!"

"Couldn't help but notice how badly you were doing. Now Ami's tracking piss all over the damn place!"

"She's not covered in piss, but there's a pile of shit in the kitchen, about 6 feet tall!"

Kisho ignored the arguing while he maneuvered around Ami, who was trying to jump on him while still covered in water.

"Down Ami! Don't touch…don't! Stop it! You're soaking! Did you dive into the toilet or something? How are you so wet?" Staying on the opposite side of the living room table, he stopped, getting an idea. "Wait a minute…if you're wet, then this shouldn't be a problem."

He let Ami jump to his arms, slightly cringing from the dampness of his fur coat. Putting his hand on the Spaniel, he activated his quirk on her. After a moment, he started to see the water on her coat draw into his arms, a success for his ability.

"Yes! I figured I should be able to do something similar to him! Mom! Dad! Check this out!"

"I'll be there in a second Kisho, since your father can't be bothered to."

"What are you talking about!?"

"You made such a fuss about doing it earlier that I…"

I shouldn't have even tried. Those two could argue over what color the sky is. Those two HAVE argued over what col-

"Arf! ARF!"

A large yipe alerted him to Ami's sudden pain, and with horror he realized water wasn't the only thing he was taking from her. Running through her eyes and nose was blood and pus, seeping into Kisho's own body. Her form started to shrivel up, and her barking sank in volume with each passing second.

"AHH! Ami! Hold on, I'm so sorry! Damn it, me and my dumb ideas!"

His mother rushed over when she heard the dog's distress, and seeing its state, fell backwards onto the floor, so startled she was that she could barely say a thing.

"What's going on in there? Something happening? Someone, say something!"

Kisho was panicking, but he tried to take action by grabbing Ami's drinking bowl and healing her using the water inside. His mom's eyes widened even more.

"Kisho, stop! We need to take her to a hospital!"

"Mom, I can heal her myself! It was me who messed up in the first place!" He didn't notice she had already made her way over to him. She gripped the arm that was holding Ami and tried to yank it away from the dog. "What…Get off! I'm trying to help her!"

"You don't know what you're doing! It would be better for someone-"

Her sentence was cutoff midway through when she pried his hand off the dog, falling over with him to the floor. Because of the sudden movement, Kisho had lost control of his quirk, and the harsh, visceral sounds of blood and skin squelching was accompanied by blood spraying across the room, all over Kisho, his mother, and his father, who had just entered as well, seeing the carnage that had ensued.

"AHHHHH!"

His mother let out a piercing shriek as the dog's bony husk fell to the floor, similar to an animal that had undergone taxidermy. Kisho couldn't find anything to say, his tears blurred his vision as his brain still tried to process what had transpired. He wiped the blood off himself in an almost trance-like state as his father picked up Ami's corpse.

"What!? You could do that all this time and you didn't tell me!? No, you must have just found out too? This is huge! Stupendous even! My boy has a quirk that's actually worth something after all! Kazuki, what are you so worried about?"

Filled with disgust, his mother smacked the corpse out of his hands. "Excuse me?! Don't call me by my first name as if you know me, because I have no idea who you are! Your son has been wanting your attention all this time, and the only time he gets it is when he murdered an innocent animal?"

"Oh, honestly, Kazuki, quit your whining already! This is something to praise him for, and all you're doing is sitting there worried about a dumb dog!"

Kisho couldn't stand to look at his now deceased pet, and even more so after his mother called it a murder.

"I didn't mean to, mom! I really didn't mean to…I just wanted-"

"Don't be like that! This is the beginning of something extraordinary! You have an amazing gift!" His father patted him on his head lovingly, speaking in an encouraging manner.

"…amazing?"

"Absolutely! Your mother can't see it, but us men? We know something good when we see it! If we cultivate your power now, who knows how much more impressive it'll become?" Lowering his voice, a more devious smile appeared on him as he whispered in his son's ear. "Maybe you'll even get all that limelight Suiiki's been getting to himself, eh?"

His mother's face twisted into pure rage at his father, in a way Kisho had never seen before. "You manipulative trash! You're the same as you were with Kyoya! I should've known you couldn't change!"

"Harsh words for someone who just called their son a murderer, don't you think? Perhaps you should check yourself before criticizing someone else."

"I didn't call him that!"

"Yes, you did." Kisho instinctually said, catching himself midway through. However, seeing the guilt run across her face was oddly satisfying for him.

"…Honey, I'm sorry. It wasn't…I shouldn't have-."

"No, you should've, because it's true. I killed her, it's all my fault."

Kirio grabbed his son's shoulder with a hard grip, but he spoke with pride. "That's my boy! Take responsibility! Own up to your actions, BUT never say sorry! As long as you have confidence, nothing is a mistake, just something for others to deal with! And hell if they don't like it! They can leave for all you care."

A long, squishy, tentacle pierced through his father. To say Kisho was scared was an understatement. He couldn't be blamed. For his entire life, he never even knew his mother had a quirk, let alone seen it firsthand.

"Don't speak another goddamned word, you piece of shit! I'm not letting you corrupt him into becoming like you!" Her body was transparent, allowing Kisho to see his mother's insides, which looked very different from a normal human being's. Instead of nerves, bones, and muscles, he saw a nucleus, several other organelles, and multiple long, whip-like appendages on her body.

"A….a Cell?"

"Kisho, listen to me. Your father's lost his mind. You're not safe here anymore. Get to the car, start it, I'll be there in a minute."

He glanced at her with fear in his own heart. "Are you going to kill dad?"

A side glare was the only reply he got. "Into the car!"

"The hell she is!" His father shouted, reaching into his back pocket and throwing a pocket knife at her. It simply passed through her body, doing no visible damage to her whatsoever.

"Mom, please!"

"Get to the car, Kisho! I won't ask you again!"

"Kisho!" His father cried out. "Help! She's lost it completely! Think rationally! If I'm not there for you, who will be? You think she'll help you get stronger?" Several more tentacles pierced his body and threw him into a wall.

"Mom! Stop!" Kisho tried to grip his mom's form, but she was almost like water now. His hands found nothing to grab onto, passing through the weird liquid substance.

"KISHO! Don't touch me!" She screamed, whipping him hard with one of her flagellums to knock him back.

"Don't hurt him! He's your own child, and you see fit to attack him like that?! What are you so afraid of your own son for?"

"SHUT UP!" She slammed all her tentacles onto him with full force, cracking even the wood floors of the house underneath his body. A yell escaped from his mouth for just a moment, until his neck was strangled by her, only choked sounds coming from him. The other appendages squeezed the rest of his body like a python, crushing his bones with audible pops and snaps, blood starting to leak from his wounds profusely. They twisted around his body, stretching his bottom half opposite to his top. He began to go pale at the extreme loss of blood and quickly after lost consciousness, breathing his final breaths at the hands of his wife.

And then she wilted. The whips around Kirio disappeared, leaving him on the floor gasping for air. Her body had gone nearly flat, and the organelles inside were deformed and rotten. She quickly reverted to her human form, her own skin clinging tightly to her bones not unlike Ami, and she soon fell to the ground at Kisho's feet.

"…oh my god. Mom? Mommy I…couldn't let you…you were going to kill Dad! Please, I'm so sor-"

"Hey, what did I say about saying sorry!" His father was at his side, the wounds healing nearly instantly. Even Kisho was surprised at how quickly he recovered. "Heheh, you see that? Kyoya didn't call me "The Regenerator" for nothing."

Not replying, Kisho cried over his mother's body. Seeing Kisho still distraught about his mother, he sighed, scratching his head until he threw his arms up in the air. "Come on, you have to get over this!" He grabbed Kisho's arm and shoved it inside the remains of his mom. "Breathe, calm yourself. Getting upset and crying won't solve anything. Do you remember that plant you brought back?"

Kisho snapped his head towards his father in shock.

"Didn't think I was paying attention? I remember all the good shit, boy. Now picture that, and do it very, very, slowly."

Sniffling, he did as he was told. To his relief, his mother's form was slowly restored, and she began breathing again, with a slightly reddish hue to her skin color.

"Stop!" Kirio pulled his hands away before his mother was fully healed. "If you didn't notice, me and your mother aren't on good terms anymore. She'll probably try and kill me again if we get her back up to speed. Never thought the old girl still had that in her. Long time since I've seen her do anything with it."

"Dad, her legs haven't healed yet. I have to get-"

"If you do, I won't be able to help you cultivate your power. I'll take care of her while she's bedridden, don't worry. And when you feel like you're good enough, you can give her back her entire body at any time! No risk, and all the reward!"

Kisho didn't like the idea, but he had to admit after seeing his mother's outburst, he couldn't trust her completely either. Seeing her still in an unconscious state, he reasoned it was the best course of action, especially if he wanted to get stronger. Kirio took the look of resolve on his son's face for his answer.

"Looks like it's decided. Put your mother in bed, I have a friend who specializes in developing young kids powers. I'm going to talk to him next month, see what he can do. For now, go put her in bed and get some rest. We have a busy day for us tomorrow!"

Leaving him to his own, his father picked up Ami's body.

"W-what are-"

"Son, she's dead. Take it from me, healing can't bring back what's gone. Move on. You'll always be weak if you can't do that." He took the body outside presumably to their dumpster.

Ami…I'm sorry. If only I didn't panic.

He clenched his teeth and wiped his nose. "That's the last time I'll say that. From here on out, I have to control this power more so I don't have to say it ever again."

Taking his mother's considerably light body, he carried her to her bedroom and placed the bedcovers on her. This entire time, she had been unconscious, and only now did she wake up. Kisho felt his heart drop when she looked at him with sorrow.

"Where's your father?" Her voice was soft and severely hoarse, a sign her vocal cords were still heavily damaged.

"He's going to help me train. He said he'll help me become stronger."

She turned her head to the ceiling and closed her eyes. Hearing nothing else from her, he decided to leave her alone for now and took his leave.

One Month Later

"…you want to attain your son's quirk?"

"…well, for a time at least." Kirio said, motionlessly. "If it gets proper training, I'm sure it'll be stronger than anyone we know! I saw his hair change color when he absorbed the dog, we're talking about a possible All For One situation here! Kyoya, we cannot pass that up."

"You address me casually as if we are still friends."

Walking around the barely lit room, Kyoya circled the chair he sat in like a vulture. His contempt for him was easy to tell, his face always scrunching up whenever he glanced at Kirio.

"Do you know what you put me through? Your abrupt departure left a pretty big hole to fill. One that ruined much of my business and personal life. Sure, I've lost other workers without warning before, but my only healer? My right hand man? Do you understand what it even means to stand in front of me?"

"But I gave you Hanako! The doctor said she had a quirk stronger-"

Kyoya slammed his fist into the table. "A quirk does not replace a PERSON! My entire structure completely collapsed after you left! And so soon after we lost Awaki? My funds were in disarray, my public image was tarnished, I lost my seat in the government for 4 years! And yet you have the audacity to show your face here? Asking to help you gain your son's power?"

"It was all too much! Kyoya, that was not my fault! And I did my best to leave you with something new! A quirk that had ten times the use, the power, the utility-"

"Hanako is a loose cannon, something she unfortunately helped develop in my oldest daughter as well. And regardless, I still had to wait until she was in her teens to get any real use out of her quirk. A mesh screen is better than nothing, but I'd still rather the full door. Thankfully, I have replaced it completely now."

Sensing a dangerous turn in the conversation, Kirio tried to steer it away from its conclusion. "Well, let's rectify my mistakes. I'll come back full-time! Be by your side once again! Just like the good old days! Your right hand man! We were invincible together, no wound was too big!"

Considering his proposal, Kyoya finally sat down in his own chair across from him, the only other piece of furniture in the room. "…from what you've told me of his training, you've done everything needed to kickstart his growth. I suppose I know of an extraordinary way to boost your son's quirk development. However, it will definitely come at a high…price."

Feeling his heart leap, he instinctually grabbed Kyoya's hand in gratitude. "I'll pay it gladly! Whatever it is, I have the means!"

Smiling, Kyoya pulled back from his old partner. "Glad to hear it. Your sacrifice will go a long way to improving your son's development. It was a pleasure finally seeing you again. Nothing makes me more satisfied than both parties getting what they want."

"A true dealmaker to the end. Thank you so much, Kyoya. I promise you, this is the right decision."

"Oh, believe me, I know."

A hand touched his back, and several large bone growths sprouted out. They shredded through his skin and tore his muscles open, making him collapse to the ground with a scream.

"The first step to becoming stronger, is to devalue human life. After that, he won't have any petty morality issues with seeking out his goals."

As Kirio attempted to splutter out words, his voice caught in his throat when he saw his attacker, her long, mauve hair revealing a sinister smile.

"…Hanako? Why would-" He was interrupted by her foot smashing into his ribcage, making him let out another groan.

Donning his overcoat and hat, he backed away from her towards the door and took care to avoid any spurts of blood. "She's been wanting to do this for a long time, so this is truly killing two birds with one stone. Except the part where you inherit his power. I'm more interested in what your son will do. You've already shown me your colors, so I've no more use for you."

His body began to fall apart rapidly, unable to contain the growths sprouting inside and out. Quickly, he tried to heal himself, but Hanako stopped him by stabbing him with a large blade, sealing his quirk away.

"Mordred sure is a piece of art, I'll tell you what. One of our finest creations. I'll leave you to it then, Hanako. It was a pleasure doing business with you two. Remember, five more years of service."

"I heard you the first time, don't push your luck! Lest you want to end up mangled too!"

Kyoya frowned at her flagrant disrespect but silently nodded and left her to her whims. The muffled sounds of blood spraying and bones breaking filled the room as he closed the door behind him. He smirked to himself, taking a cigarette and putting it in his mouth, right in front of a "No Smoking" sign.

"Who knows what that boy will do when he hears of this. What type of monster would destroy a family in such a way?"

A final scream rang through the hallway as a gurgling sound signaled the end of the man's life.

"haah…tragic."