Chapter One

Inspiring Hope in the Hopeless

Since the dawn of quirks, many were born with powers that seemed to be given at random. The child of those who were quirkless suddenly had the ability to levitate objects through telekinesis. The child of those who had fire quirks might manifest an ice quirk. The child of those who had quirks might be born without one at all.

But there are those whose quirks have stabilised, bringing forth a new line of humanity. When quirks that manifest as physical mutations stabilise, with generation after generation bearing the same or similar powers, they become new breeds of humankind. Whether they be age old bloodlines from the dawn of quirks, or new lineages recently born, one thing is undeniable. Humanity is no longer the only sentient race that walks this superpowered world, for they now share it with the Heteromorphs.

In the small city of Asaka, located in the Saitama Prefecture of Japan, a mansion rested on a large area of land. It was a key attraction of the small city, not only for its size and grandeur, styled in a western element, but also because of the individuals who made this property their home. One such individual was waking up, rising before the Sun as she had been taught to do so by her mother, just as her grandmother had taught her mother, and so on and so forth.

With a yawn, Centorea Kurusu rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, stretching as she got up from her large bed. Shaking out her equine legs, Centorea, a Centaur heteromorph, looked behind her at the still sleeping occupants of the bed. Five individuals lay asleep, four females and a lone male. Centorea warmly smiled at the sight of her husband and four of her six sister-wives. While in the beginning it was difficult to get used to sharing the man she desired to be her husband with six other women, they eventually made the arrangement work. It helped that Kimihito, her perfect husband and partner, was the kindest soul Centorea knew, doing everything he could to accommodate the various needs for his heteromorphic wives, each having their own needs as a result of their heteromorph bodies.

Quickly getting changed into her sports clothing designed to accommodate her equine lower half and tying her long blond hair into her signature ponytail, Centorea quietly exited the house, trotting down the mansion's driveway before exiting out onto the streets. Picking up speed into a canter, Centorea gave simple 'hello's to fellow morning joggers that she passed on her route. She was ever grateful that the passersby didn't recognise her out of her signature suit of armour. While many heteromorph heroes were unable to blend into civilian life when off duty due to the nature of their quirk physiology, the Centaur species had existed since the Dawn of Quirks over two hundred years ago, meaning that their sight had become less uncommon across the globe.

Centorea even kept in contact with some extended relatives that lived in the area, the two she was closest to being Alusia Van Dalsia and Cheron Du Pell. Alusia and Cheron were born into wealthy families, a trait that all Centaurs shared. Call it an equine instinct from their quirk, but all members of the Centaur species looked after each other, and this was helped by the vast sums of wealth that the main families and branch families had gained over the years. Alusia, born into the noble Van Dalsia family, was Centorea's great-grandmother's sister's great-great-granddaughter. A relatively young subspecies of the Centaur race, the Lightweight Centaurs of the Van Dalsias deviated from the typical Centaur traits of martial prowess and physical might with agility and speed, opting to become athletes rather than heroes. Alusia herself had studied in Japan as a foreign exchange student rather than study in the ancestral home of the Centaur people in the United Kingdom.

'I do believe that she'll be representing Japan in the Olympics later this year,' Centorea mused to herself as she paused by a beach, taking a short break.

Setting off back home with the rising Sun behind her, Centorea thought of her other local relative that she kept in contact with. Similar to the Van Dalsias, the Du Pells were a relatively young subspecies, both deviating from the same point in their family tree. Consisting of members who possessed stronger, sturdier, and larger bodies than any Centaur, the Heavyweight Centaurs were all exclusively Pro Heroes at some point in their lives, without fail. Possessing strength that surpassed that of any regular Centaur, which already would be classified as only being possible with a strength enhancing quirk, the Du Pell family charged into action wearing armour that few humans could wear, let alone move in, and dual wielded weapons that most would struggle to lift either one of.

Cheron had been a Pro Hero who went by the name Armament, but after a career ending injury at the hands of a powerful villain who she defeated, took up the life of a farmer out in the countryside. While she could never fight as well as she had in the past, the rural community she had settled in had prospered under her diligence at farming, as well as the protection they received by having a former, but still very fit, Pro Hero in the area.

However, there were others of the Centaur species in Japan, such as Nicole Unicole, a VTuber working for the Black Lily company who was the first trueborn of her subspecies, that of a Unicorn.

'And probably the last of her subspecies,' Centorea grumbled, remembering her relative's obsession with the JPop heteromorph idol group ANM48 and her total lack of a husband, boyfriend, or any partner for that matter. Despite Centorea's insistence, Nicole was content to stay a VTuber living in Japan, much to her family's annoyance.

Then there was Rem Nighdrem, who Centorea hadn't seen in years. Due to her nature as a Nightmare, Rem possessed all of the standard traits of the main Centaur species, along with the ability to create nightmares in a sleeping individual.

Centorea shuddered as she remembered THAT particular memory of when the two met for the first time. While she and Rem barely saw each other, Centorea did know that Rem had been employed working at the most notorious Maximum Security Prison in Japan, Tartaros, so at least she was staying out of trouble.

Centorea's mind also wandered towards that of Meamil Airagu, but she quickly banished those thoughts. The less she thought of that husband-stealing harlot of a Dairy Breed Centaur, the calmer Centorea would be.

While Centorea did interact and keep in touch with many of her relatives, both close, extended and distant, it was an unfortunate truth that the more eccentric the individual, the more permanent the memory of one's interaction with them.

Slowing down as she made it back to the entrance to the Kurusu family property, Centorea took in the scenery as she walked the final stretch of the journey. Trees lined the driveway, stretching out into forests that covered most of the estate. While the scenery was pretty before dawn, it was made even better with the early sunlight streaming in through the trees, painting everything a golden hue. Picking an apple from a nearby tree, Centorea happily munched on her post-run snack as she reached the front door. Taking in a breath, she prepared herself for what was to come, and opened the door.

"Bapi, let go of my head, we're too high up!"

"Bapi beat Duibhe! Bapi strongest!"

"Bapi, be careful where you're flying."

"Sarah, give us a ride, please?"

"Yeah, please, Sarah?"

"Sorry guys, I need to get ready for school. The student council is meeting early today."

""Aw!""

Centorea's ears folded back, blasted by the sudden noise from inside the manor. While her daily runs in the morning were certainly to maintain her physical fitness, a small part of her did it to avoid this every morning. This being the difficulties of getting children ready for elementary school. And what Centora saw unfolding in front of her could only be described as barely contained chaos.

Clumsily flying around in the air, a blue haired child with wings for arms and scaled, clawed legs held a head in her talons. While this might cause any sane parent to worry about where the head came from, they would likely faint from shock seeing the very decapitated head talking to the young girl who held it in the air, as well as her decapitated body chasing after the flying child.

Said talking head was Duibhe Kurusu, the second youngest child in the Kurusu household at five years old. While anyone else would not be able to have their head decapitated and survive, Duibhe, her older sister Brea, and her mother Lala, all belonged to the heteromorph species known as a Dullahan. Their black sclera, pale hair, and blue skin made a Dullahan seem otherworldly, and many thought they were ghosts or grim reapers. This reputation wasn't helped with their heads being able to detach from their bodies, and both continuing to function without trouble. In actuality, no Dullahan had power over life and death, merely possessing a heteromorphic quirk that allows their head to detach from their body without issue.

Bapi Kurusu, the young Harpy girl, was the youngest of the Kurusu household at three years old. As a Harpy heteromorph species, Bapi's arms were replaced with feathered wings, and her feet with scaled talons, with the scales reaching up to her mid thighs. Her flight feathers had only recently grown in, and she spent almost every waking moment flying around the mansion. The exception to this rule was making his way over now.

Even after the years Centorea and her fellow sister-wives had been with Kimihito, his appearance had hardly changed from the day she first met her husband-to-be when they were teens. His black hair was as messy as ever, no amount of product could tame it for long, and his warm brown eyes looked at his daughters with abundant care. He had bulked up over the years, still having a lean figure, but his exposed forearms were defined and taut, a result of carrying his many children to bed when they fell asleep on the couch or in the car. His regeneration quirk allowed him to push his body to the limit, granting him greater strength than an ordinary man, and enabling him the ability to carry his children whose quirks caused them to weigh much more than an ordinary child.

"Come on, Bapi," Kimihito, the husband of Centorea and father of both Duibhe and Bapi, gently scolded, walking over to the pair of heteromorphs, "let go of your sister's head. I'm making pancakes, but only good girls get pancakes."

He wore a white apron over a black tshirt, and the small patches of flour on his arms showed that he was in the middle of his morning ritual of making a large breakfast for his family of nineteen.

Bapi gasped, quickly dropping her sister's head which was caught by her body, and Bapi flew over to her father, a smile on her face.

"Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes!" she cheered, latching onto her father's back and nuzzling in close.

Kimihito chuckled at his youngest child's antics before turning back to his second youngest.

"Duibhe, do you want pancakes as well?"

The Dullahan child nodded, holding her father's hand and walking beside him to the kitchen, quietly humming along to the song that Bapi was singing.

The other conversation that Centorea stumbled upon drew her attention. Fíóri and Fíos Kurusu, the Lamia twins, third and fourth youngest of the household, were staring up at Sarah Kurusu, Centorea's only child, with pleading eyes. The twins were nearly identical in appearance, with the only differences being their clothes and hairstyle, with both siblings having scarlet hair and amber eyes.

Fíóri, the older sister of the twins by minutes, wore her hair flowing down her back, using hairclips of snakes to keep her hair out of her eyes. Fíos, the younger brother, had his hair cut short, with the sides only barely reaching his ears. As members of the Lamia heteromorph species, both siblings had the lower half of a snake, with their scales being a similar colour of red as their hair. Their ears were pointed and scaled, and they were surprisingly tall for six-year-old children, often raising themselves up with their tail to make them seem taller.

Sarah, the object of their pleading, was a splitting image of Centorea, her mother. She had long, blond hair tied up in a ponytail, and much to her mother's private pride, had a similarly impressive figure that filled out her white school uniform. She was Centorea's pride and joy, not only because of her caring nature, but also because she was the eldest child of the Kurusu household at fourteen years old, making her Kimihito's first-born. Said pride and joy turned her attention away from keeping an eye on her youngest siblings, and it was only then that she noticed her mother standing at the front door, watching the chaos unfold.

"Mother, you're home," Sarah greeted, drawing the twins' attention. "Can you please tell Fíóri and Fíos that they can't have a ride today?"

""No!"" the twins pleaded, now looking at Centorea with pleading puppy dog eyes. ""Please Aunty Rea, tell Sarah to play with us!""

Centorea smiled at the twins' pleading, walking over and patting them on the head. "Sarah needs to go I'm afraid, so she'll have to play with you some other time."

Tears welled in the twins' eyes, threatening to spill.

"However," Centorea added, "while Sarah needs to go, I can play with you for a moment."

""Yay!"" The twins cheered, climbing up onto Centorea's back and wrapping their tails around her equine torso for stability.

Should anyone else try to do what her step-children were doing, Centorea would buck them off, give them a very stern scolding, and maybe give them a stomp for good measure. Within Centaur culture that had developed over the past centuries, someone riding on a Centaur's back without permission was akin to assault. It was only due to Fíóri and Fíos being family that Centorea allowed it to pass.

Walking into the dining room and ignoring Fíóri and Fíos' urges for her to go faster, Centorea walked into the sight of Kimihito serving up breakfast to the members of the household who were still here. Around the table sat the rest of Kimihito's children as well as three of Centorea's sister-wives. Meroune, the second oldest adult of the household at thirty-nine years old, even if she looked years younger, sat next to her only son, Eric Kurusu, the fourth oldest child at fourteen. Meroune was clothed in her typical gothic lolita dress with a seashell designed barrette adorning her head. Given her clothing choice for the morning, Centorea guessed she had a court case to attend soon, as usually the pinkette would simply dress in a bikini when in the privacy of their home.

Her son sat next to her dressed in a similarly formal white uniform and a long skirt covered him from below the torso. Like Fíóri and Fíos, Eric had scarlet hair, a stark contrast to his mother's pastel pink.

Rather than sitting in chairs like the rest of the household, Meroune and her son sat in wheelchairs, with the table designed so that the mother and son would be able to eat without trouble. This was because both were Merfolk heteromorphs, a heteromorph species just as old as the Centaurs. The species possessed gills on their waists that allowed them to breathe underwater, as well as powerful fish tails below their waists that allowed for swimming underwater.

Both mother and son ate at the table with a refined poise, cutting up small pieces of their pancakes and eating without making any mess. Even after all these years Centorea had known her friend, she still had the urge in the back of her mind to bend the knee to Meroune, and in recent years to her son as well. Centorea pinned the blame on her Centaur heritage, one that taught their children to prioritise nobility and honour, as well as the air of royalty that both Merfolk gave off. This was due to Meroune being the daughter of the current queen of Oceanis, a city located within the Pacific Ocean that many with aquatic quirks called home.

Across the table sat Papi, the mother of Bapi who was still clinging onto her father's back, as well as Papi's eldest child and only son, Hapi, the sixth oldest, also fourteen. All three were Harpies, with Papi and her daughter having light blue hair colouring and matching feather colours, whereas Hapi had dark blue feathers and hair. Both mother and daughter were as excited as ever, with Bapi nuzzling into her father's neck as he served pancakes and Papi eagerly eating her meal, still as energetic at thirty-seven as she was when they first met many years ago. Hapi, on the other hand, ate quietly, wearing a stern expression on his face. It never ceased to amuse Centorea how Papi's eldest was so different to his mother and little sister, preferring to spend his time reading inside rather than playing outdoors.

Hapi sat at the table dressed in a uniform similar to his half-brother Eric, both wearing the school uniform of Somei Private Academy, the school that the Kurusu household sent their children. Hapi's uniform had been altered, same as Eric's, as it didn't have any sleeves, allowing for his wings to be unobstructed. While most families would struggle to send two of their children, let alone eleven, to a wealthy private academy, the Kurusu household had no such issues. With there being seven sources of income, money was never an issue.

Papi, on the other hand, was already dressed in her police uniform. Due to the ever changing rosters of which officer was scheduled for the dreaded early morning shift, Papi made the most of the time she could have breakfast with her family and children. Even then, should Papi have a shift that prevented her from having breakfast with everyone else, she would often drag her father, the Chief of Police for Asaka City, to the Kurusu household after work for dinner, as well as her mother, if she was ever in the area.

Sitting next to Hapi was Kuu Kurusu, the only daughter of Suu, and seventh oldest child of the household at fourteen. Like her mother, Kuu had blue, translucent skin, with three tendrils growing from her head, one that acted like an ahoge on the top of her head, and two that stretched down over her shoulders, reaching to waist height.

Both mother and daughter belonged to the Blue Slime heteromorph species, one of the youngest and strangest heteromorph species recorded. Kuu and her mother were the only members of their kind, and it was Kuu's birth that confirmed that Suu belonged to a heteromorph species, rather than simply possessing a mutation quirk. They, along with the four other Slime heteromorph species, didn't possess internal organs, and required only liquids to maintain their semi-liquid form. Much was still being discovered about the Slime species, especially with Suu's rise to fame as a world-class film star, due to her ability to manipulate her appearance, giving her shapeshifting abilities and allowing her to take on any role. What was known about the species was their incredible durability, due to there not being any internal organs to damage, their vulnerability to large bodies of water that would dilute them to the point of death, and the fact that every Slime species descended from Undine, a member of the now disbanded Four Cardinals, an international hero team.

Much like how Papi and Suu were the closest of friends, their eldest children Kuu and Hapi had a similar bond, often spending their time hanging out together, and occasionally Hapi would fly Kuu around in a plastic bucket, allowing her to see the world from a bird's, or Harpy's, eye view.

The final mother and child pair at the table was Miia, the mother of Fíóri and Fíos, as well as her eldest daughter, Lami Kurusu, the second oldest child. Like her siblings, Lami had red hair and scales, though her hair was much longer than her sister's, reaching down to her waist. Unlike her younger siblings' abundant energy, Lami was a shy girl, preferring to stay with her close friends instead of trying to make new ones. Half of her face was covered by hair, causing only her right eye to be exposed.

Miia, the mother of the three Lamias, and self-proclaimed first wife of Kimihito, differed from her children in that she had pink hair and scales, though more of a hot pink than the pastel pink that Meroune had. Scattered around her plate, Miia was going over various papers and planning guides, getting herself ready for another day of teaching at Somei Academy as one of their P.E. teachers.

Sitting across from her were Duibhe and her older sister, Brea, the fifth oldest child. Both Dullahans had similar hairstyles to Lala, their mother, with their pale hair hanging loose over their back and shoulders, as well as the long cowlick that both mother and daughters seemed to have. What differed between the two sisters was their clothing. Whereas both were dressed in their uniforms, Duibhe's being different due to her being at elementary level, Brea was fond of mysterious accessories that she wore, such as a single eyepatch, black chokers or fingerless gloves. Like her mother, Brea had an eccentric personality, but despite this she was well-liked around the academy for her diligence and hardworking nature, even if her choice of words was often found to be strange.

Duibhe on the other hand didn't share in her mother and sister's eccentricities, more focused on the medicinal and material than spiritual and ethereal. It was her dream to be a doctor, just like her mother was a doctor at the Asaka City Hospital. While she was still too young to read any of the necessary journals and science books on medicine and biology, Duibhe had a keen mind for memorising facts, and loved to read about different mutation quirks and heteromorph species, each with their own medical needs.

The Lamia mother looked up at Centorea as she walked over, the two mothers smiling at each other. While everyone of Kimihito's wives got along well enough, Centorea and Miia were especially close, viewing each other as their dearest friend. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination that Centorea, as an only child, viewed Miia as a sister, and Miia, despite having many full-blooded and half-blooded siblings, came to view Centorea in the same manner. It helped that both Centorea and Miia were close in age, being thirty-nine and thirty-eight respectively.

"Good morning, Centorea," Miia greeted, raising a cup of coffee in her hand. "How was the run?"

"Fine, as usual," Centorea shrugged, Fíóri and Fíos unwinding off of her and sliding over to take a seat next to their big sister. Centorea herself sat on a cushion placed on the floor, folding her legs underneath her so she could eat at the table without worrying about the hassle of using a chair with her unique physique. Seeing that Kimihito had already placed a plate of pancakes laden with fruits and syrup, she gave a quick prayer of thanks before digging in, intent on regaining the energy she had expended on her run, all the while making small talk with her family.

Looking around the large table as she ate, Centorea took note of those who were absent, but more specifically those who were absent without reason.

"Husband," Centorea asked, catching Kimihito's attention as she looked around the dining room, "I know that Lala had an night shift at the hospital and will be home soon, and Suu is currently in Spain for the filming of some spy thriller, but where is Rachnera and Kórinis?"

"I'm here, Aunt Cerea," a tired voice answered from behind. Centorea turned her head to the side, seeing the third oldest child, Kórinis, shamble into the dining room, her eight spider legs supporting her as she rubbed sleep out of her six red eyes.

Like her mother, Kórinis was an Arachne, a heteromorph species that were similar to Centaurs and Lamia in the sense that they too had a human-like upper half and an animal lower half at the waist, that of a spider. While the Centaur species had a human upper half, the Arachne species, like the Lamia species, had a human-like upper half, with slight mutations that set them apart. For Kórinis and her mother, notable features were their multiple eyes, six in total, which were a solid red colour, lacking sclera or pupils. They also possessed an exoskeleton over their arms and hands, stretching up to the forearm, made out of a light, but durable and sharp material.

Like her siblings, Kórinis was dressed in her modified school uniform, the differences being the skirt she wore only needing to cover her crotch due to her unique physiology, as well as the long sleeves and gloves that she wore to prevent people cutting themselves on her chitinous arms.

"Did Sarah already head off?" Kórinis asked with a yawn, sitting down at her spot at the table near Centorea, cutting into her own meal of pancakes, laden with meats and other high protein foods required for her spinnerets to produce silk.

"Yes, apparently she and young Tenya had a meeting with the student council this morning as part of their duties of being President and Vice-President of their class," Centorea answered, controlling her expression to prevent her face from screwing up at the smell of cooked meat nearby. Her herbivorous nature as a Centaur gave her an incredible sense of smell, and unfortunately a distaste for meat.

"So she and Glasses are going to help organise the Sport Festival for Somei? I'm sure Glasses will be real cooperative with that, half of what he suggests will be through hand chops," Kórinis muttered sarcastically, absentmindedly chewing her food.

Centorea simply chuckled at her step-daughter's remark. She knew all too well what her protoge's younger brother was like, as well as his tick of chopping his hands through the air whenever he was serious.

"Where is your mother by the way?" Centorea asked, looking back at the room's entrance.

"She was still asleep when I checked in on her," Kórinis replied, rolling her eyes. "Must be lucky to be able to work from home."

Kórinis sighed, leaning back onto her arachnid lower half. "Don't worry, she probably won't be up for a few hours anyway, so we can all enjoy breakfast without any remarks being thrown across me."

Centorea winced, her poor relationship between her and Rachnera, Kórinis' mother, being a fact she wasn't proud of. Despite their relationship improving over the years, especially compared to when they first met as students staying at Kimihito's parent's house as homestays, Centorea would describe her relationship with the Arachne mother as cool at the best of times. Rachnera, the oldest in the house at thirty-nine years old, only two months older than Meroune, was Centorea's polar opposite. Where she was dignified and sophisticated, Rachnera's daily attire could only be described as lingerie with how much skin it showed off. Where Centorea was a powerful fighter, Rachnera relied on stealth and attacking when you were unaware. Even in the bedroom, Centorea was firmly attracted only to Kimihito, whereas Rachnera was openly eager to have her way with any of her sister-wives whenever Kimihito was busy.

Ironically, their daughters were the closest of friends, enjoying each other's company more than anyone else. Whenever they were able to, Centorea would often see them together, enjoying music, sparring somewhere on the Kurusu mansion property, or studying together. They both were planning to apply for U.A. High School, with Sarah confiding in her mother that she hoped to be placed in the same class as her half-sister. It truly was an ironic fact.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

The mansion was quiet now. All of the children had been driven to school, leaving Centorea, Kimihito and Bapi alone in the household. As Centorea strapped down the last pieces of her suit of armour, she went over one more time the route that she had planned to patrol. Unlike most Pro Heroes who had an office and patrolled in a fixed area, Centorea was more open in her patrol routes. Thanks to her Centaur biology, not only was she fast enough to keep up with cars and vehicles, but her stamina and endurance meant that her effective area of coverage consisted of the majority of the Kanto region. While she wasn't the only hero to have such an area they patrolled, immediate examples that came to mind were Miruko, a fellow heteromorph hero who travelled the country, and her own protege Ingenium, who operated throughout the Greater Tokyo Area with his team, it was certainly a feature that set her apart from more local heroes, and in a world where popularity was equally as important as results, it did help her ratings.

Equipping the last of her gear, consisting of pulling her ponytail through the gap at the top of her helmet and sheathing her sword, Centorea made her way downstairs, going through her checklist one final time.

"Husband," Centorea called out, poking her head into the living room, "I'll be off now. I likely won't be home until dinner, so make sure that all of the young ones do their homework before I am home."

"I know, Centorea, don't worry," Kimihito smiled, turning his attention away from the drawing he and Bapi were making. "I know I don't need to say it, but be safe. We're having curry tonight."

Centorea visibly perked up at the notice of the dinner plan, though anything her husband cooked was simply unmatched. Not only was he an excellent chef, cook and baker, but he always kept in mind the various dietary requirements of his many wives and children.

'Truly I am the luckiest woman to have found a husband such as him,' Centorea gushed, her blush hidden behind her helm.

"Centorea?" Kimihito asked, unsure why she was just standing there.

"A-anyway," Centorea stammered, embarrassed she had gotten so lost in her thoughts, "I'm heading off now. See you soon."

"See you soon," Kimihito farewelled, with young Bapi waving energetically.

"Bye-bye Aunty Rea."

Emerging onto the sidewalk outside the mansion property, Centorea started to pick up speed as she moved, until she broke into a gallop, stepping onto the road and following it, keeping an ear out for any trouble that she needed to resolve.

It was many hours later that Centorea decided to take a break. She had decided to stop by a cafe in the Shizuoka Prefecture, having already travelled through both the Saitama and Yamanashi Prefectures during her patrol. School had finished roughly half an hour ago, so there were many students who were either walking home or chatting with their friends.

Centorea still had her armour on, minus the helmet, so many were giving her looks of admiration as she quietly sipped her tea outside the store.

'I must really come back here,' Centorea mused to herself. 'This cafe brews tea that is simply heavenly.'

After finishing her drink, Centorea tucked her helmet under her arm, picked up her cup and saucer in her other hand, and walked back into the cafe. The inside was empty of customers, the only ones inside being the store owner and one other employee.

"I must say," Centorea began, walking over to the counter and gently placing both cup and saucer down, "that tea was simply magnificent. You are truly talented in the art of tea brewing."

"Oh, you flatter me," the store owner said, shaking his head. "I have simply gained the talent from my own love of tea. It's nothing special, truly."

The owner was a short, portly man with a grey beard and a receding hairline tied up into a top knot. His clothing was a red traditional kimono with a yellow undershirt, and his amber eyes were filled with mirth.

"Don't listen to Uncle," said the store employee, a teenager with black hair and his uncle's eyes. "He brews the best tea in all of Kanto, maybe even in all of Japan."

"Then the best tea brewer in all of the Kanto region should make sure you can brew a good cup of tea, dear nephew," the store owner chuckled. "If you really want to impress that girlfriend of yours, you'll need to do more than make warm leaf water. What was her name again, Jean?"

"It's Jin, Uncle, and she isn't my girlfriend, just a classmate," the nephew hurriedly corrected with a slight blush. "And please, don't talk about my personal life in front of the customers, it's unprofessional."

"Bah," the owner dismissed, turning his attention back to Centorea. He placed a hand next to his mouth, speaking in a stage whisper. "My nephew has a classmate at U.A., and despite what he tells me, I'm certain that there is the spark of romance between them."

"Uncle!" the nephew fumed, while Centorea simply chuckled.

"Children do have a tendency to want to keep a few secrets here and there, but there's nothing wrong with that," Centorea smiled, before turning to the teen. "What do your parents think about it? I met my husband when I was about your age, and started dating him the same year. My mother was up in arms over it, and it certainly didn't help that she was back home in England while I was here as an exchange student."

"I'm sure his mother would be fine with it if she found out, and his sister would likely tease him to no end, but I wouldn't be surprised if my brother didn't know, even if those two started dating," the owner scoffed. "He is too absorbed in his work, to the point where he barely has time for his own family. But enough about my nephew. You have my thanks for enjoying my tea, it is all I can ask of my customers."

"You are most welcome," Centorea said, lightly bowing her head. She turned to leave before pausing, a detail that was mentioned in the conversation coming to the forefront of her mind.

"Do you attend U.A.?" she asked the owner's nephew.

"Yes, that's correct," he answered.

"Which course are you in? Heroics, General Studies, Support or Business?"

"I'm in Heroics, class 1-B. Why do you ask?"

"U.A was my alma mater," Centorea smiled, "so it's always nice to see those who follow a similar path. My daughter and her sister will be competing in the entrance exam next year, and I have full faith they both will pass."

"Are one of them from a previous marriage of yours?" the uncle asked. "I don't mean to be rude, just that a man must be blind and deaf to wish to divorce a woman as lovely in appearance, voice and manners as you."

"No, but thank you for the compliment," Centorea smiled. "If anything, I'm the lucky one to have the husband I do. My daughter's sister is simply the child of another woman. Even though she and I don't get along, our children get along tremendously."

She was going to say more, but the sound of an explosion echoed out in the distance, causing all three present inside the shop to turn towards the direction of the noise.

"Well, I think that is my que to leave," Centorea said, her smile that she had worn throughout the conversation now gone, replaced with a calm determination befitting of a hero as she put back on her helmet.

"I thank you again for that excellent tea, sir. I'll be sure to come back soon. And good luck on your studies, young man."

Both bowed their thanks as Centorea briskly trotted out of the shop, quickly speeding up as her nose, which had a sense of smell a thousand times stronger than that of a human, picked up the acrid scent of smoke. Weaving through traffic that had come to a stand still, Centorea saw a gathering of civilians around where the smoke and fires seemed to be coming from.

'What are they thinking?' Centorea scowled, annoyed but the consistent reckless curiosity of civilians. 'Don't they know how dangerous it is?'

"Get back here, you fool! Stop!"

Centorea's gaze snapped over to where the shout came from. Through a gap in the crowd, she saw Death Arms, a local hero, try to stop a middle schooler from running into the danger zone. Despite what was happening, none of the other Pros present seemed to be rushing after the child.

'Cowards,' Cenotrea scowled as she tried to force her way through the mob of people. 'Simply because their quirks aren't suited for the situation means they can stand back and wait? How disgraceful.'

The boy had already reached the centre of the disturbance, a villain composed of some kind of sludge, while Centorea had only managed to force herself halfway through the crowd.

'I'm not going to make it,' Centorea shouted in her mind. 'Why won't these people just disperse?'

She saw the villain move to strike the kid who had been clawing at its body. Centorea gasped, fearing the worst, before a blond blur sped out of the crowd, grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him away from the villain.

"All Might," Centorea whispered, seeing the highly muscled form of the Symbol of Peace and No. 1 ranked hero of Japan.

"A Pro should always be prepared to risk his life!" he shouted, swinging his fist down on the villain. "Detroit Smash!"

The force of the blow sent air pressure rushing outwards, causing many to flinch and cry out in shock. Centorea simply lowered her upper body, leaning into the air pressure to stay upright. As the wind subsided, a droplet of water fell onto the concrete, then another, before a light shower of rain started to fall on the crowd.

"He changed the weather with a single punch!" exclaimed someone in the crowd. Soon more and more people were cheering All Might's efforts, with the reporters doing their best to get as many quality shots as possible.

"Still as amazing as ever," Centorea whispered aloud, amazed by the display of strength. As the crowd started to disperse and reporters crowded All Might, Centorea saw people crowding another middle schooler who wore the same uniform as the boy who ran towards the villain, presumably a hostage the villain had taken. The other Pros, meanwhile, had started berating the brave middle schooler who had rushed to his classmate's rescue. Barely suppressing a growl, Centorea forced her way through the crowd, deciding to make her presence known.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Do you realise how dangerous that was?!" Death Arms scolded Izuku, who simply hung his head in shame as he sat on the concrete floor. The Pro Hero's square faced expression was utterly furious, his large, signature arms almost shaking in anger. "There was absolutely no need for you to put yourself in danger!"

"I'm sorry, Death Arms," Izuku apologised quietly. "I don't know what I was thinking. One moment I saw Kacchan in that villain, then the next my legs were moving on their own."

Around them, various heroes and police officers were collecting the scattered parts of the Sludge Villain or helping to move debris and rubble that the villain had created.

"That's no excuse to do such a reckless action," another Pro Hero, Slugger, said, chastising Izuku. "Leave such things to the Pros." Slugger's hero costume covered his face, but his body's movement showed that he was also disappointed in Izuku's decision.

"Exactly," Death Arms agreed, nodding at his colleague's statement. "If you had simply waited for a moment, us Pros would have handled the situation without you needing to risk your life."

"Is that so?"

The two Pros and Izuku turned to where the feminine metallic voice came from. Making her way over was an armoured figure who seemed to have come straight out of a fairytale, her full body armour and sword strapped to her waist giving her the appearance of a knight of old. Izuku noticed the equine legs that the female knight walked on, and leaning his head to the side Izuku saw that from her torso was a horse's body.

'A Centaur heteromorph,' Izuku thought.

"You want to know what I saw?" the knight continued, walking up to Death Arms and Slugger, the former being slightly taller than the Centaur while the latter was much shorter. "I saw Pros standing about doing nothing as a villain held a child hostage, waiting and praying for someone else to do your job for you."

She tilted her head, her voice coming out condescendingly. "How does it feel for this child that you are berating to have done more than licensed heroes?"

"Who do you think you are, huh?" Death Arms shouted, his face close to the Centaur's helmet and his loud voice gaining the attention of those nearby. "What makes you think you can tell us Pros what we should have done?"

"You're Cavalry," Izuku said aloud, his voice getting louder and louder from excitement. "You're the Knight Hero: Cavalry, the No. 103 ranked Pro Hero. You don't have an office either, instead you operate across the entire Kanto region."

"Your knowledge of me is quite impressive," Cavalry said, causing Izuku to blush at the praise. Moving around Death Arms, Cavalry bent her knees, lowering herself closer to Izuku's level. She held out her hand, and in it was his damaged 'Hero Analysis No. 13' notebook.

"I saw that you had thrown this along with your school bag at the villain," Cavalry explained as Izuku gently took hold of his singed, waterlogged notebook. "I must say, what you have written there is very impressive. Are you simply a fan, or taking notes for the future?"

"F-for the future," Izuku stammered, internally debating whether or not he should tell Cavalry about his dream. From the research he had done around her, she was a very popular hero with those who held more traditionalist views on heroism. He'd also seen her work in team ups with many other heroes, even with Endeavor, the No. 2 hero in Japan.

"I w-want to be a hero, and I've applied for the U.A. Entrance Exam in February, but, um," Izuku hesitated, looking to see who was around. Both Death Arms and Slugger had both wandered off, with Death Arms giving Cavalry a glare as he left. All Might was still in his muscle form nearby, but he was surrounded by the press. Other than that, no one would be able to hear him when he spoke to Cavalry, so Izuku took a leap of faith. "I, I want to be a hero, but I don't have a quirk."

He shut his eyes, looking down at the ground. He wasn't sure what kind of reaction he was expecting from her. Maybe she'd laugh at his dreams, point out the logic of the impossibility like All Might had, or maybe offer hollow words of encouragement. Izuku wasn't sure which he dreaded the most.

Cavalry, instead of choosing options A, B, or C, chose a fourth option.

"My goodness," she gasped, bringing a hand to where her mouth would be underneath her helmet, "even though you don't have a quirk, you still leapt in to save that boy?"

Izuku simply nodded, not expecting this result.

Cavalry hesitated for a moment, before reaching her hands up to her helmet. Pulling it up and pulling her long mane of hair out through the exit at the top of the helmet, Izuku blushed as he saw her face. He wouldn't be lying to say that she could easily run for a spot for the most beautiful Pro Hero in all of Japan. So little was known about her personal life, though there were many theories about her. There were the occasional photos that the press had managed to capture, but they were always from an angle, never up close.

Her long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes immediately made her stand out from those that Izuku knew, even in a world of quirks that could change hair and eye colour. Her equine ears stood out to the side, twitching occasionally as they likely picked up sounds Izuku couldn't hear.

"To perform such a selfless act without having a quirk is truly commendable," she continued, snapping Izuku out of his thoughts. "People often forget these days that being a hero isn't about the product placements, the flashy moves, or the, ugh, skimpy costumes, but about helping others without expecting anything in return.

"But being a hero without a quirk will be difficult, there is no denying that. I will not lie to you, young man, without a quirk it is impossible to rank within the top 10, maybe not even within the top 100."

Izuku hung his head. He knew that was true, and her words did hurt, but at least she had gone about it in a different way to most.

"That being said," Cavalry continued, "with analysis skills like that, you could come to be in high demand. You could figure out the best ways for Pros to utilise their quirks in team ups, and you could even diversify your research by analysing the abilities and quirks of villains, and figure out their weaknesses and strategies to beat them."

Izuku looked at Cavalry with awe and wonder in his eyes. No one had ever seen his analysis skills as hero worthy, yet now a Pro saw it as his ticket as a hero.

"You really mean it?" Izuku asked. "You really think I could be a hero?"

"Maybe," Cavalry cautioned, only slightly dampening Izuku's spirits. "To be honest, I don't think that you could ever become a Pro without a quirk. It's suicidal, and you'll either go bankrupt from debt or die to a villain who strategy alone can't beat. But as a sidekick or tactician that heroes can rely on? Absolutely."

She reached into a side satchel, pulling out a notebook and pen. Quickly scribbling something down, she handed it over to Izuku, who saw it was a phone number.

"If you get into U.A., give me a call. My daughter and her sister are planning to attend as well, so if you get in, you'll likely see them in the hero course. Do well enough at U.A., and I'll try to pull some strings and get some people in contact with you."

Cavalry lowered her helmet back on, her voice once again gaining a metallic tone. "You can be a hero, young child. You may never be popular, or rich, or successful. If you choose this path, it will not be easy. But, then again," she chuckled, "very few worthwhile things in this life ever are. Farewell, young…"

"Oh, Midoriya, Izuku Midoriya."

"Very well, farewell, young Midoriya. I pray for good fortune in your endeavours."

Cavalry started to walk away, and while Izuku knew he had taken up more than enough of her time, he wanted one last thing. "Um, Cavalry?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning her body slightly.

Izuku bowed low at the waist, holding his notebook in outstretched arms. "Please, can I get your autograph on your page?"

Cavalry chuckled, and Izuku could feel the pressure on the pages as something was written. Looking up, he saw that in an empty portion of Cavalry's info page was a stylish, cursive signature.

Izuku beamed, holding his notebook that had gained even more value to his chest as Cavalry walked off, picking up speed as she stepped onto the road, moving out of sight. Izuku sighed, knowing his mother was probably worried sick. But even though it had only been one person who had believed in Izuku's dream of becoming a hero, his heart was clearer and more determined in his goal than ever before. As he set off home, he was also secretly glad that no one had been around to hear his conversation.

Unbeknownst to Izuku, he had forgotten All Might had been nearby, and even as he was surrounded by the journalists all vying for his attention, he had overheard the conversation that Cavalry had had with the young man. All Might's expression slightly changed, unnoticed by anyone, as he grimaced internally. There was a child who had been looked down upon his entire life for having a dream, yet everyone had shot it down, All Might included. Yet one hero had seen the potential. All Might knew that Cavalry was right, Izuku's analytical skills were beyond impressive, that much he had seen when he had taken a look at young Midoriya's journal after saving him from the Sludge Villain earlier in the day.

'I've got to make this right,' All Might promised himself, using his practised techniques of distracting the paparazzi to slip away. 'I've made up my mind. He leapt into danger without realising it, and his analytical skills must be nurtured. Most importantly, he has the heart of a true hero. He'll make an excellent holder of One For All.'

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

As Katsuki Bakugo made his way home, kicking a can that had gotten in his way down the street, he reflected on the hectic events that had just happened. He, the future No. 1 Pro Hero, had been held hostage by a shitty villain, and he had been helpless. It infuriated him to no end, the feeling of his body no longer being under control, his quirk that he put so much training and effort into being at someone else's disposal.

But the most humiliating thing was that it hadn't been any of the Pros at the scene who had rescued him, not that he needed their help, but instead it had been that useless bastard, Deku. A scrawny, weak, cowardly quirkless had been the first to try and save him. Not Death Arms with his super strength. Not Backdraft with his water cannons. Not Mt. Lady with her large, uh, fists. Not even Kamui Woods, someone who many extras in class and online thought was going to secure a spot in the Top Tens at the next hero ratings. None of them had tried, but Deku had.

"That Centaur lady was right," Katsuki muttered, giving the abused can another solid kick, sending it tumbling and bouncing ahead of him. "Those shitty Pros were outdone by Deku of all fucking people. What pieces of shit."

But thinking about that Centaur hero, he was pretty sure Deku had called her Cavalry, and what she had said caused Katsuki to pause. She wasn't wrong. Deku, as much of a weak, useless, no effort person that he was, there was one thing that Katsuki would admit that the quirkless wimp was good at, and that was analysing quirks. Back when Deku hung around Katsuki and his friends, simply by seeing a quirk in action for a few moments he would be able to figure out how their quirks worked. If it wasn't for the doctors confirming he was quirkless, Katsuki would be certain that Deku had some sort of intelligence boosting quirk. Instead, it was his refined talent in quirk analysis that made him as good as he was.

"If only that shit put as much effort into working out and getting into shape as he did with studying quirks, maybe I wouldn't need to put him in his place as much. He might even be worth having around," Katsuki growled.

His issue with Deku wasn't just that he was quirkless, though that was certainly part of it, a quirkless person could never compete with someone with a quirk nine times out of ten, thinking otherwise was simply insulting. No, the issue Katsuki had with Deku was his obsession with quirks. It was all the shitty nerd did. He never put any effort into his physical capabilities, only his mental. What use was a hero if they were as tough as wet paper? All it took was one hit and they were dead. That was something that shitty Deku just couldn't understand. All the brains in the world didn't matter if one hit was all it took for them to leak out of his head.

Katsuki would never admit it aloud, but he knew that he had been a little shit during the later years of elementary school. He had accepted a Darwinist mindset, where if someone was weak then they were worthless. It was why he allowed his friends to hang out with him. They weren't as strong as he was, no question, but they could hold their own in a fight. That was something that Katsuki respected. But his basis of strength was entirely on someone's quirk. That was why Deku was at the bottom, because he had drawn the genetic short straw, being born in a time when almost 90% of babies were born with quirks. His mindset shattered when he had watched a documentary about All Might's glory days.

His name was Sir Nighteye, and he was All Might's one and only sidekick. All Might's. The strongest person in the world, and many would argue, Katsuki first amongst them, that he was also the most powerful Pro Hero of all time. And yet his sidekick didn't have a strength quirk like All Might seemed to have, or any other powerful quirk. His quirk was weak, allowing him to see into someone's future for an hour, and only once per day. Yet even with such a weak, seemingly useless quirk, All Might took him on as a sidekick out of anyone else. Katsuki couldn't understand it, but after days of research online, he found out the reason. Sir Nighteye was a genius. He was regarded as the brains to All Might's overwhelming brawn. And he wasn't just smart, he was strong too. Not quirk-level strong, but peak human ability strong. He didn't rest on his laurels, but strived to improve himself. That, above anything else, earned Sir Nighteye Katsuki's private respect. The desire to go above and beyond, to push your limits and give your all to overcome the obstacle in front of you. That was what a hero was, and that was what Katsuki was. That wasn't what Deku was. He didn't push himself harder and harder in exercise. He consistently placed in the bottom quarter in their fitness exams at school. He didn't train like Katsuki did, pushing his body until it screamed, and then pushing it some more for daring to give up so easily. Instead of accepting he was quirkless, Deku held onto the delusion that he was a late bloomer. Please. Late bloomers had their quirks appear before they went through puberty. Deku might be a spineless, scrawny wimp, but he wasn't a child. And that made it all the more aggravating.

"Tch, and to think it was that damn Deku who was the first to try and save me."

The experience simply showed Katsuki how much of an extra all of those Pros were, and how incredible All Might was. He ignored the treacherous part of his brain that thought that the experience had shown that Deku had a hero's heart, even if he didn't have a hero's spine or body.

Speaking of which, Katsuki came to an intersection in the road, and to his right saw Deku walking home, his green mop of a haircut downcast as he moved.

"Hey, Deku," Katsuki called out, catching his classmate's attention. The greenet turned his gaze towards Katsuki, and his timid, scared rabbit of an expression caused words to spill from Katsuki's mouth.

"I, I never asked you to save me!" he yelled. "As if you could! You, who always comes last in the fitness exams, you damn extra! Even if you did more than those Pro Hero extras, it doesn't mean anything! Don't you dare pity me, I could've beaten that sludge bastard myself! Put some effort into your fitness, and only then can you even TRY to help me! Until then, don't you dare mock me, you stupid nerd!"

Katsuki spun around, turning his back on Deku and heading home. While people thought that his quirk was incredible because he had been born with it that way, it wasn't even close to being the truth. Each explosion created recoil in his arms, which needed to be strengthened to handle the bigger ones. His quirk relied on him sweating, which meant exertion, which meant he had to have enough stamina to exert himself to the point of sweating, but still have enough energy to beat up the extra who had dared to stand in his way to the top. This forced him to create a workout regiment, and that sludge bastard had made him late.

'Oh well,' Katsuki thought, breaking into a jog. 'I'll just work out my frustrations by doing a more intense workout tonight. The U.A. Entrance Exam is in less than a year, and I'll accept nothing less than the top spot.'

As Katsuki got closer to the Bakugo residence, the smell of spicy curry caused his pace to increase. As much as he and the Old Hag butted heads, they both agreed that Katsuki's father made incredible curries, one of the few things Katsuki would openly praise his Old Man about.

'That damn Deku had better start shaping up if he wants to get into U.A.,' he thought as he closed the garden gate leading to the front door. 'If U.A. allows a scrawny nerd like that into their hero course, I want no part of it.'

Opening the front door, Katsuki was greeted by the Old Hag yelling at him, demanding to know why he was late. Deciding to respond in a similar manner, all thoughts of Deku left his mind. After all, he had known him for years. What were the chances he would get off his arse and start working out now?

Sheesh, I thought this first chapter was going to be 4-5k words, but it ended up being 9.75k. Sorry about the lore heavy first chapter, I always find the beginning of a story to be the hardest to write. As you can see, this story will focus on two of the Kurusu daughters, the daughters of Centorea and Rachnera. Some things have changed to fit into the MHA power system, and characters being present will have ripple effects that will change entire plot points and story arcs.

Also, oh my goodness, MHA has come to an end. I read the final chapter, and I have mixed feelings about it. I'm of the belief that Izuku and Ochaco do get together after the War Arc, the scene of them walking side by side in the falling snow being my biggest piece of evidence, but come on man, why couldn't we get a confession from Round Cheeks? Anyway, kind of fitting that as MHA comes to an end this story begins. Out of all of my many planned out stories, this one has the most detail nailed down. I have plot points up until the Final War Arc sorted, as well as who is going to be paired with who. Yes, this means there will be ships that will set sail, so look forward to their departure. Not everyone in Class 1-A will have a pairing (Mineta, looking at you), but some lucky lads and ladies will.

Also also, with two new members of Class 1-A (because where else would they go?) that means that two members need to be hit with the Snappening and removed from existence. I know who it is going to be, and it will likely become a running meme in my various series, but place your bets; who are the two most expendable and/or redundant characters within 1-A? I'll give you a free hint, it isn't any of the girls. Not only are there only five female members of Class 1-A in canon, each of them has important relevance for the story and the development of characters. That, and I think the quirks for each of them are pretty neat.

Anyhoo, I'm off to write the next chapter which will cover the U.A. entrance exam and all the juicy details there. Either that, or by the time I post this I will have already written it to give myself a safety net. I'll decide in the morning (it's currently 12:27 AM right now, late night writing go brrr).

Catch you later…

- Jevm