Chapter 1: The Rescue
The house stood at the edge of a thick, shadowy forest, its rotting wooden planks and crumbling walls barely illuminated by the flickering light of candles inside. A chill hung in the air, heavy with the scent of damp earth and something else—something unsettling. The faint sound of muffled cries echoed through the creaking halls, accompanied by the low, rhythmic chant of her parents, their voices rising and falling like a sinister lullaby. Raku's heart raced, pounding against her ribcage as she huddled in the corner of her small room, clutching her knees to her chest.
Raku's wide, terrified eyes darted toward the window, where the moonlight cast ghostly shadows across her angel-like wings. The feathers, once pristine and white, were now ragged and discolored, remnants of the painful "purifications" she had endured over the years. With each passing moment, a mix of confusion and fear twisted in her gut. Why do they have to do this? she thought, staring at the walls adorned with crude symbols that only fueled her unease. They love me. They're trying to protect me from the darkness inside.
"Raku!" her mother's voice called out, sharp and commanding. "Come here! It's time for the purification. We need to rid you of the curse!"
With a shiver, Raku pushed herself against the wall, resisting the urge to run. A curse? she wondered, biting her lip. In her mind, her parents were always right, guiding her away from the evil that lurked in her very being. "I don't want to!" she shouted, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and defiance. "I'm not a demon! I'm just… me!"
"Silence!" her father's voice boomed, and the chants from the other room intensified, drowning out her protests. "You must understand, Raku. We're saving you. You're special, but special can also be dangerous. You must be purified!"
Tears prickled at the corners of Raku's eyes as doubt gnawed at her heart. What if they're right? She felt trapped, a marionette in a twisted play, unable to escape the strings that held her to this fate. The warmth of her parents' supposed love felt colder with each chant, each promise of salvation that now felt like a lie.
Suddenly, the door burst open, splintering the moment of dread. Shadows loomed in the doorway, and the faces of two strangers appeared—figures cloaked in dark uniforms, their expressions unreadable. "We're here to help you, Raku," one of them said, his voice calm yet firm. "You're safe now. You don't have to go through this anymore."
Raku's heart raced as she watched her parents gather around a crude altar they had fashioned from broken furniture and scraps of metal. Her mother's face was illuminated by the flickering candlelight, casting eerie shadows across her features, twisting her smile into something unsettling. In her hands, she held a small dagger, its blade gleaming ominously. "Tonight, my sweet Raku, we will rid you of the darkness once and for all," her mother said, her voice laced with a fervor that sent shivers down Raku's spine.
"No! Please, don't do this!" Raku shouted, her voice cracking as panic surged through her. She could feel the tension in the air thickening, as if the very walls were closing in on her. "I'm not a curse! I'm your daughter!"
Her father stepped closer, his expression hardened with conviction. "We are saving you, Raku. This is the only way for you to be whole. The world is full of monsters, and we cannot allow you to become one of them." He raised his arms, and the chanting began anew, filling the room with a haunting rhythm. The words, foreign and twisted, echoed in her ears, blurring her sense of reality.
As her parents continued to prepare the sacrificial elements—scattered herbs, candles, and the dagger—Raku felt a knot of dread tighten in her stomach. This isn't love, her instincts screamed, but she fought to silence the voice of reason. They care for me. They're trying to protect me. Each item they placed on the altar seemed to solidify her growing horror, a physical manifestation of the betrayal she refused to acknowledge.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Raku's thoughts spiraled into a whirlwind of confusion. What if they are right? she pondered, her heart torn between the teachings of her parents and the gnawing fear that something terrible was about to happen. The chants echoed louder, and Raku felt as if she was drowning in their fervor, lost in a sea of madness that threatened to swallow her whole. "I love you both! Please don't hurt me!" she cried out, desperation creeping into her voice as she struggled against the invisible chains that held her to this nightmare.
Suddenly, the door burst open once more, the strangers from earlier storming into the room with urgency. "Stop! This ends now!" one of them shouted, drawing Raku's gaze away from the altar. Relief surged through her as she realized she might finally be free from the torment, but a flicker of fear lingered—what if her parents were right, and this was all part of the darkness they had warned her about?
Just as the chanting reached a fevered pitch, the door crashed open with a thunderous bang, sending splintered wood flying. Aizawa, his hair wild and eyes sharp with determination, stepped into the dim light, followed closely by Present Mic, whose voice boomed with authority. "Step away from the girl!" Mic shouted, his presence electrifying the air as he assessed the chaotic scene before him.
Raku's heart leaped with hope as she recognized her saviors. "Help me!" she cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her fear. Aizawa wasted no time; with a swift motion, he pulled out his capture weapon, a specialized tool designed for subduing villains. "I won't let you hurt her," he declared, locking eyes with her father, who stood rigid with shock.
"Stay back!" Raku's mother screamed, raising the dagger menacingly, but Aizawa was quicker. With a flick of his wrist, the capture weapon shot forth, ensnaring her wrists in thick, binding cords. She gasped, her weapon clattering to the ground as she struggled against the restraints. "What are you doing?" she shrieked, disbelief flooding her voice. "She's our daughter!"
"Not for much longer if you continue this madness!" Aizawa retorted, his voice low and commanding. Raku could see the grim determination etched on his face, a stark contrast to the frantic chaos around her. She felt a flicker of safety in the midst of her turmoil, knowing that help had arrived just in time.
While Aizawa focused on her mother, Present Mic took a step toward Raku's father, whose eyes were wild with fear and rage. "You don't want to mess with us," Mic warned, his voice booming like thunder. "This isn't a game. Let her go!" The father hesitated, momentarily paralyzed by the confrontation, but anger surged through him, igniting his resolve.
"Get away from her! She belongs to us!" he shouted, lunging forward in a desperate attempt to protect what he believed was his daughter. But Aizawa was faster, using the momentum of the attack to wrap the capture weapon around him, forcing him to the ground. "You're mistaken," Aizawa said, his voice steady as he restrained the cultist. "She deserves a life free from fear, not a twisted so-called 'purification.'"
With her parents incapacitated, Raku felt the weight of her emotions crash down on her like a tidal wave. Confusion, fear, and a glimmer of hope swirled within her. "Am I… am I free?" she whispered, searching Aizawa's eyes for reassurance. He nodded slowly, the tension in his posture easing slightly. "You're safe now, Raku. We're here to help you."
Raku felt her heart race as she watched her parents restrained on the floor. The adrenaline pulsed through her veins, mixing with confusion and fear. "Wait! Stop!" she shouted, her voice breaking as she stepped forward, instinctively wanting to protect the only family she had ever known. "What are you doing? They're my parents!" She felt torn, the two heroes who had come to save her now appearing as threats.
Aizawa paused, his expression softening slightly as he observed her frantic state. "Raku, please listen to me," he urged, his tone steady yet gentle. "They're not who you think they are. They're hurting you, and it's not safe here." His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, but they only deepened her confusion. Raku couldn't understand how the people she loved could be the source of her pain.
"They love me!" Raku insisted, her voice trembling as tears threatened to spill over. "They're just trying to protect me from my—my quirk! They said I'm demonic and need purification." She took a shaky step back, glancing at her parents, whose expressions twisted with rage and desperation. "You're wrong! They would never hurt me! You're the ones hurting them!"
Present Mic stepped in, his normally upbeat demeanor overshadowed by a more serious tone. "Raku, they've been lying to you. What they're doing isn't protection; it's abuse!" His voice rang with urgency, and Raku felt a flicker of doubt creep in. But the concept was too much to bear. "No!" she cried, shaking her head violently. "You don't understand! They love me! They told me I'm special!"
As she clutched her arms, trying to convince herself that she was right, Aizawa moved closer, his eyes filled with compassion. "Raku, we're here because we want to help you find out who you really are—beyond the lies." He reached out, palms open in a gesture of peace, but she flinched at the movement, backing away from him. "Just let me go home!" she pleaded, desperation seeping into her voice. "I want to be with my family!"
"No!" Raku's father shouted from the floor, his voice hoarse with fury. "They're deceiving you! We're the only ones who care about you! Don't listen to them!" Raku's heart twisted painfully, caught in a tug-of-war between her parents' harsh words and Aizawa's calm assurance. She felt as though she were being pulled apart, each side claiming to hold the truth.
Aizawa's gaze remained steady, unwavering. "Raku, you deserve to be free—to be loved for who you are, not for what they want you to be. Let us help you."
His words echoed in her mind, fighting against the loyalty she felt towards her parents. "But… I…" she stammered, her voice faltering. The instinct to protect her parents clashed violently with the dawning realization that maybe, just maybe, they weren't the loving guardians she had always believed them to be.
Aizawa took a slow step forward, his eyes never leaving Raku's, trying to bridge the chasm of fear that separated them. "Raku, I know this is hard to understand," he began, his voice low and steady. "But your parents aren't just protecting you—they believe your quirk is something that needs to be erased. They're dangerous, and they've hurt you more than you realize." He paused, letting his words sink in, hoping to break through the confusion swirling in her mind.
Raku shook her head, feeling the warmth of tears threatening to spill over again. "No… you don't know them. They've always been there for me. They just want to help!" Her heart raced as she recalled moments of comfort and love she had received from them, even as doubt began to creep in.
Present Mic stepped closer, his voice filled with a reassuring energy that cut through Raku's turmoil. "Listen, Raku," he said, leaning slightly to make sure she could see his sincerity. "We're here to protect you. Your parents are part of a cult that believes in 'purifying' people like you. They see your mutation as something evil, and that's not right. We're on your side; we want to help you discover who you truly are."
Raku hesitated, caught between the worlds of her childhood beliefs and the chilling reality Aizawa was presenting. "But… what if they're right? What if I am… demonic?" She glanced down at her damaged wings, a surge of shame washing over her. "I don't want to be a monster."
Aizawa quickly shook his head, determination etched in his features. "You're not a monster, Raku. You're special just the way you are. Your quirk is a part of you—one that deserves to be celebrated, not erased. But your parents have twisted that truth into something dark." He paused, letting the gravity of his words linger. "You deserve a chance to understand your powers without fear. And we're here to help you do just that."
Present Mic nodded in agreement, his voice imbued with warmth and urgency. "You're not alone anymore, Raku. We'll stand by you through this. Just take a deep breath and try to trust us, okay?" He smiled gently, hoping to convey the sincerity of their intentions.
In that moment, Raku felt a flicker of something unfamiliar—hope. It battled with the deep-seated loyalty to her parents, but the desire to know the truth about herself began to drown out the echoes of her upbringing. "What… what do I have to do?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Aizawa's expression softened, a mix of relief and gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Just let us help you. We'll get you out of here, and together, we'll face whatever comes next. Trust me, Raku—you're not alone in this fight."
Aizawa moved with practiced efficiency, swiftly deactivating the capture weapon and gently releasing Raku's restraints. "You're safe now," he murmured, his tone steady and calming as he motioned for her to follow him. Raku took a tentative step forward, her heart pounding as she glanced back at the chaos inside the house—the chants and desperate shouts of her parents still echoed in her mind.
Present Mic fell in step beside her, his usual upbeat demeanor a sharp contrast to the dark atmosphere they were leaving behind. "You're going to love UA, Raku! It's a place where people like you can learn to embrace their quirks and grow strong. No more hiding, just pure potential!" He glanced at her, trying to infuse her with his enthusiasm. "Trust me, this is the beginning of something amazing!"
As they stepped out of the house, the cool night air hit Raku, invigorating yet chilling. The eerie darkness of the forest gave way to the soft glow of streetlights in the distance. Yet, with every step they took away from her home, a gnawing doubt began to creep into her mind. "But what if they really do love me?" she questioned, her voice trembling. "What if everything they've done… it was for my own good?"
Aizawa glanced back at her, his brow furrowing. "Raku, love doesn't hurt. Love doesn't involve fear or punishment. What they've done to you is not an act of love; it's control and manipulation." He could see the conflict in her eyes, the flicker of doubt that told him she wasn't fully convinced.
Raku stopped for a moment, looking down at her wings, now gently flapping in the breeze. "But they always said they were trying to protect me. Maybe there's truth in that? Maybe I'm just not seeing it." Her voice cracked, revealing the internal struggle she was grappling with.
Present Mic placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice firm yet gentle. "It's okay to feel confused, Raku. It's a lot to process. But remember, we're here to help you figure it out. Your parents twisted their love into something that only served to hurt you. UA will be a place where you can discover who you are without fear."
As Raku looked up at him, she felt a flicker of hope mixed with her lingering doubts. The night felt heavy with uncertainty, but for the first time, she was stepping toward a future that might hold answers. "I'll try," she whispered, taking a deep breath as she followed Aizawa and Present Mic toward the promise of UA.
As they approached UA, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The looming shadows of the forest gave way to bright lights and laughter, vibrant sounds spilling into the night air. Aizawa led Raku and Present Mic through the gates, where students milled about, sharing stories and camaraderie. The air felt charged with energy, a stark contrast to the oppressive silence she had just left behind.
Raku paused, her heart racing as she took in the sight. "Is this… really it?" she murmured, her eyes wide with wonder. The school stood tall and proud, its architecture both modern and welcoming. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, and the sounds of laughter and cheer made her chest tighten with a mix of awe and anxiety. It felt like a dream, one she had longed for but never thought she would experience.
"Yep, this is where you'll start your new life," Present Mic beamed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "UA is a place of heroes, and you'll fit right in! Just look at all the amazing people around you!" He gestured to a group of students practicing their quirks, their laughter ringing out like music. "You're going to learn to embrace who you are, Raku."
Aizawa nodded, his expression serious but reassuring. "This is a safe place. You're away from the manipulation and fear. Here, you'll find support and understanding." He glanced at her, his dark eyes filled with determination. "We'll help you understand your quirk, no matter how long it takes. You're not alone anymore."
Raku took a deep breath, absorbing their words as she stepped further into the school grounds. A strange warmth blossomed in her chest, a feeling she hadn't experienced in what felt like forever. "I…I want to believe that," she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper. The weight of her past still lingered, but for the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope for the future.
As they walked through the bustling courtyard, Raku couldn't shake the sense that this was the beginning of something transformative. With every step, she felt the darkness of her past fading, replaced by the vibrant possibilities ahead. She looked up at Aizawa and Present Mic, her eyes shining with a mix of determination and uncertainty. "I'm ready to find out who I really am," she said, her voice stronger now, resonating with the promise of new beginnings.