Prologue - A World Without You
The solitude of the night hovers unbroken but for the gentle pattering of March rain and slow footsteps crunching on gravel.
The tall, hunched man moves cautiously over the cobbled pathway, his cane tapping rhythmic thuds as it guides each step. Cold droplets flick off his black trenchcoat and hat but the tips of his long, platinum locks hang drenched above his shoulders. In the dreary spring night, he moves like a languid phantom, a specter of utmost solitude lost to the passage of time by the hustle of modern life.
As he gradually approaches his destination, he spies a bleary figure where his route ends, standing motionless under an umbrella. Only when he gets closer do his fading eyes recognise the trembling woman, deaf to the world that exists outside the sorrowful rain.
"Uraraka-san." The brunette doesn't hear him even though he's close enough to see her quivering lips and trickling eyes, staring down at the lonely grave before her feet. "Uraraka-san!"
His words, now loud and clear, finally reach and she whips around, deer caught in headlights. When he notices the bags under her eyes, the sharp jaw of an adult, pale cheeks that have lost their once-youthful blush - does the age of his body sear a gnawing pain in his old bones.
"A-All Might." It takes her only a few seconds to overcome the shock and she furiously rubs at her eyes, trying to erase the tear stains. Watching her force a pained grimace hurts his chest. "I-I didn't . . . I-I . . . didn't know . . . Ehh-"
Yagi Toshinori remains silent, looking away to allow her some privacy to compose herself. As she swallows bitter tears and chokes down years of anguish, his eyes remain fixed on the name carved out on the gravestone, each black letter chipping through the fragile sinews of his heart.
"W-When did you return to Japan?" He turns back to look at her and although the cracks slip through her voice, she faces him with a pretty (lonely) smile.
"I actually landed only an hour ago. I was on the way to my hotel but before that," his gaze returns to the somber tombstone and Uraraka Ochaco follows. ". . . I just had to come here."
The silence that ensues hangs like a grieving curtain, wreathing them into unspoken mourning as the weight of realization crashes down. 'I've known . . . I've always known but . . .' Toshinori's shaking, wrinkled fingers reach out, inching towards the rain-smattered name. 'But seeing this . . . is too . . .'
As they come to rest against the cold granite, Ochaco mumbles, "Can you believe that . . . it's been 5 years now?"
[ "All Might!"
His face is radiant sunshine, glowing with the vibrance of a sunflower. The young man before him is the Hope he'd always wished for, the future that their world seeks, the beacon that guides their society.
He is Justice itself. ]
A stray raindrop trickles under the brim of his hat and trails down his nose, bringing him back to reality.
A reality where the Hero Deku-
-where his student, Midoriya Izuku-
In Loving Memory Of
Midoriya "Deku" Izuku
15.7.2*47 - 26.12.2*77
Beloved Son of Midoriya Inko
The Beacon of Peace
"May you light the way for us even in Death; for you, who brought us Absolute Justice, live on eternally in our hearts."
-no longer exists.
Loud footsteps barrage down the hallways of Japan's best high school for Heroes but the handful of staff on duty this beautiful morning only shake their heads. Familiar with who the aggressive, dominating gait belongs to, all gazes turn to the head of the teaching faculty. Trying to ignore the eyes boring holes into her for help, the black-haired woman quietly continues hammering away at her keyboard until a voice calls out, "Momo, please."
Scarred fingers pause mid-click and part-time pro Hero Creati looks over her shoulder, exasperated. "I understand, Cementoss-sensei." The aging man smiles gratefully at her as she stands up, saves her documents and shuts the lid of her laptop. Once she's fixed her glasses, brushed her fingers through her long hair and dusted down her skirt, Momo quietly leaves the room.
When she opens the door to the hallway, she's greeted by the sight of a familiar mop of spiky blond hair and a broad back that stretches taut underneath a form-fitting black T-shirt. "Bakugou-san, wait a minute!" On his way to the principal's room, he stops mid-stomp and swivels around to throw a scowling glare at her.
One look at the unadulterated rage in his eyes and she mentally prepares herself for an exhausting conversation.
"Oi, Yaomomo, what the FUCK does that bastard THINK of himself?!" In a few short strides, Bakugou Katsuki stands towering over her, and anyone not used to his presence for two decades would've definitely shrunk away. The No. 1 Hero of Japan, Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, was a mass of fierce muscle and intimidating aura even without the threat of his destructive Quirk. He was a man of indomitable spirit, excessive pride, and ruthless ambition - which is why it was so difficult to deal with him under circumstances like this.
"I . . . understand you're annoyed at being summoned with such short notice." Tucking a strand behind her ear, Momo straightens her back and tries to calm him down by speaking in a neutral tone. "But please try to understand, Bakugou-san, we're running short on time now. There's less than a month to go before we hold the entrance exams and regarding what we'd asked you to do-"
"HAAH?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" As a migraine begins to creep up her temple, she takes a step back. "I'm the country's No. 1! The Top Hero! I'm busy as ALL SHIT! And you think someone like YOU can tell ME when to complete my work?!"
'It's too early in the morning for this.' Resisting the urge to massage her forehead, she tries, "Believe me, I understand, but you should still speak to the Princi-"
"DON'T FUCK AROUND, YAOMOMO!" She swerves her head, trying to avoid the stray droplets of saliva flying around. "Why don't you tell that slimy, four-eyed bastard to-"
"STOP IT, Bakugou."
The blond freezes mid-sentence and Momo inwardly sighs in relief, wanting to slump down on the cool ground. Out of the shadows stalks a familiar figure dressed in all black, hands shoved into pockets and bandages wrapped loosely around a muscular neck. Katsuki looks over his shoulder and clicks his tongue in annoyance - but his shoulders visibly loosen from their tense position.
"What are you hoping to achieve by yelling at an innocent person, Number 1 Hero?" The way Aizawa Shota - retired pro Eraser Head - draws out the last three words makes him bristle. The older man doesn't stop until he's standing almost eye level with the blond, fixing him with one of his signature eerie stares. "Besides, you signed a contract, if I correctly recall." Katsuki gulps, taken aback when he's hit with those words - almost as if he'd forgotten. Taking advantage, Aizawa leans closer and drops his voice an octave. "I don't remember any laws in our glorious nation allowing Heroes to renege on officially signed documents, even if they're No. 1 in rank."
Momo uses this chance to quietly retreat a few steps as her old classmate is rendered momentarily speechless, mouth opening and closing in silent fury while he looks for proper words to retort. However, realizing that he's been trapped, Katsuki grits his teeth. "WHATEVER! As No. 1, I don't have time to waste arguing with you all!" He barks before he saunters off, stomping even harder.
Once he's disappeared around the corner, she finally lets out a loud sigh. "Thank you for your help, Aizawa-sensei. I really can't deal with him these days." Pressing a finger against her temple, she lets her irritation bubble up to her face. "He seems to get angrier every single time we meet. Really, it's been three years . . . I wish he'd at least remember I'm a Todoroki now."
Aizawa, still staring in the direction his ex-student had left, mumbles, "Well . . . I'm sure he's dealing with a lot on his plate too."
". . . I just hope he doesn't go down a path he can't return from."
She wakes up to the sound of a lovely bird singing.
Outside the metal bars of her window, where the spring breeze flirts with the petals of the budding sakura, sits trilling a dainty blue creature. She watches wordlessly as it chimes an unknown song, perhaps welcoming the vigorous beginnings of spring, perhaps calling for the company of a lover. But as much as she wants to wait and see if an eager mate answers its call, she has a mission to get to.
The ankle monitor strapped around her left foot is a clear reminder of that.
In the barren, sterile room, furnished with only a tiny bed, a short dresser, a small desk, an uncomfortable chair and a hanging face mirror, the girl stands up to begin her daily life. Beyond a metal partition wall lies her washbasin and toilet - she ponders whether she should approach the guard outside and ask to use the shower but ultimately decides against it.
She has a feeling she'll be needing it later.
'Should I hope for the best?' She thinks, slowly dragging the brush over her teeth. 'Or . . . should I try to escape?'
Instantly, images of merciless amber eyes staring down at her, ready to kill, flash through her mind.
Once she's washed the memory away with crisp water, she dabs her face dry and changes into a plain outfit - a white blouse and long, green skirt with black Mary Janes on her feet. Staring into the mirror, she runs a brush over her saffron waves to comb out the knots, and pins her bangs to one side. While her fingers work mechanically, pulling a small portion of her hair into a neat braid that hangs over her left shoulder, a million thoughts race through her mind.
Because today is the day her life will be weighed upon the scales of justice.
"~Good morning, dear Ume-chan! It's nice to see youngsters like you up bright and early! Did you sleep well?~"
'What an utterly insufferable man. I wish I could roast him over hot charcoal and watch every single one of his flimsy feathers burn to a crisp.'
"Good morning, Takami-san." She does not allow a single one of her vitriolic thoughts mar the elegant smile on her face, only reserving for him one of her most beautiful expressions. "Yes, I slept well. Thank you for your concern." Her lips only curve wider with each sentence and she's certain this hawk-like man notices the underlying poison. 'I've been sleeping on that uncomfortable bed for two months and NOW you ask, you shit-faced cretin?'
His eyes flicker with an unusual glint as he returns her smile. "Please, take a seat." She immediately does as he asks - after all, it was in all citizens' best interest to be very prompt in following 'requests' from the president of the Hero Public Safety Commission. In a country ruled by the mighty fists of just Heroes, this man was capable of catapulting someone's life as easily as he was of destroying it. "You both may leave for now."
The two guards that'd accompanied her from her ce-bedroom salute before leaving to station themselves outside. While it was not as grand as the president's room in the actual Safety Commission building, the soundproof walls and lack of windows were more than sufficient for a makeshift shelter. As the blond man shuffles his gaze to the neatly stacked file on his desk, Ume steals a glance at the security camera in the corner.
"Haha, you don't have to be so tense, Ume-chan." Jade eyes dart back to him as Ume resists the urge to fidget in her seat. She had to show that she was perfectly comfortable. "Relax, I'm not gonna do anything to you. Of course-"
The shift when he suddenly looks right into her pupils is sudden. "-as long as you don't do anything ungrateful."
For a fraction of a second, retired pro Hero Hawks has the eyes of a killer.
"~However, I'm sure the lovely Ume-chan is far too intelligent to be pulling any such pranks, right?" She looks for the correct words to say but he beats her to the punch. "Here you go, these are all your documents in order." He taps the black file against the tabletop before handing it to her, matching her stoic gaze with the conniving stare she loathes so much. "Once you've looked through them, we'll remove your ankle monitor and you'll be free to go to your new home. Everything you need, including some of your old belongings, have already been dispatched there."
Although her heart screams with joy at the words 'new home', at the chance to finally step out this metal cage . . . her hopes are dragged back to Earth when she remembers the price of her freedom.
"And . . . the contract?"
A sly smile splits Keigo's face in two, running to the edges of the faint crow's feet below his eyes. "Smart girl. It'd be wise to always keep your cool like this from now on." He slides forward an inconspicuous white document and even though Ume can see there isn't much content, she can feel her soul slowly sink beneath their weight. But somehow, she keeps her fingers from trembling too much as she takes the pen he offers her.
'Once I sign this . . . there really is no going back.'
Her eyes briefly flutter close.
[ "Promise me one thing . . ."
-Is the sickening smell of ammonia-
-Who is . . . screaming?-
-". . . I don't want to die"- ]
". . . Will you back out, Yureino Ume?"
Even with her eyes shut, she can feel Takami Keigo's predatory glare decay into her skin.
[ "I promise . . . I'm here to save you." ]
"I think you're mistaken, Takami-san."
He raises an eyebrow but waits for her to finish, wary of the radiant smile that blooms across her face. A visage of polished beauty and gentleness, reminiscent of a harmless damsel. A pretty face that could do no wrong.
She slightly tilts her head to one side, soft orange locks falling over her cheek. "My name isn't Yureino - it's Yabusaki. Yabusaki Ume."
As she signs the contract, Keigo's feathers feel it before he himself does - the creeping chill that slowly spreads over the room. For a moment, he thinks he sees a blur of white shift in the corner. But he knows better than to actually check. Instead, he smirks at her, asserting his confidence. "~Ah, of course, Yabusaki Ume-chan. I must've misremembered."
Neither of the two let their smiles falter as she hands him the document and he scours it to confirm its legitimacy. Satisfied, he clasps his fingers into a bridge and rests his chin upon it, raking in a deep breath. Amber pupils gaze intently at the ceiling.
"Next month," Keigo speaks slowly, rolling the gravity of each word on his tongue, "when the entrance exam at UA is held, a dangerous traitor will infiltrate the freshman Hero course. This traitor will be sent to commit acts of terrorism against UA, and severely topple the stability of our current society by causing mass destruction at this country's premier Hero institution."
Except for the clenching of her fingers, she remains completely still.
"Your job, Yabusaki Ume, is to investigate this traitor's identity and trace their connections to two people. One is the current principal of UA and the board member of Libertia Industries, Manyaku Intelli. And the second," Keigo's voice almost drops low and she can see the hesitation on his face, the way his gaze shifts nervously for a few seconds.
". . . Is the current No. 1 Pro Hero a.k.a Dynamight a.k.a Bakugou Katsuki, against whom corruption charges have been filed." Her face contorts in displeasure as the faces of the two men settle into her mind, both some of the most dangerous individuals in their country. She wonders if the ruthless man before her feels not an ounce of pity for tasking her with such a dangerous mission. "You have 359 days to accomplish your task, just a little under a year, until your 18th birthday. Because," her jaw tightens as he regards her coldly, "once you become an adult, even I won't be able to do anything for you."
"Find me the traitor, Ume-chan, and I promise I shall absolve you of your murder charges. Don't disappoint me, okay?~"
So, I don't think SYOCs are very popular right now but I tried my hand at writing one anyway because you only have one life. If this story gets enough engagement, I plan to try and release two chapters every month. The rating of this story may eventually go up to 'M' but I plan to keep it to a 'T' for now.
The SYOC form and some background context can also be found on my profile. The last date for submission is 12th May, 2025, GMT 6:30 a.m.
FORM:
PART I - BASICS
Full Name: (Their government-given, official name that is written on most of their documents)
Nicknames/Alias(es): (Any unofficial nicknames or monikers they're called by their friends, family etc. Also, if their real name is NOT their official name, include it here)
Age: (Self-explanatory)
Gender: (Self-explanatory)
Sexuality: (Self-explanatory)
Race: (I'm expecting most characters to be Japanese but a couple of mixed-race students would be welcome)
PART II - APPEARANCE
Height: (In centimetres please)
Weight: (In either pounds or kilos)
Body Type: (Please be descriptive here and highlight what their prominent body parts are)
Hair Color and Style: (Subject to change if I receive too many OCs with similar hair colors or hair styles on a first-come-first-serve basis. Also, please be as descriptive as possible with this one. If you'd like to send me links to references, that's also okay)
Eye Color and Shape: (Eye colors, like hair colors, are also subject to change. Please also describe their shape and size. Once again, references are welcome here too)
Skin Color: (Self-explanatory)
Clothing Style/Outfits: (Please describe what style they usually tend to dress in. If you would like to send me outfit examples, that's also appreciated)
Uniform Style: (How do they wear the UA uniform?)
Other Notable Features: (If there's anything special about their appearance, including features because of their Quirk, please write it down here)
PART III - PERSONAL INFORMATION
Background: (I would suggest looking at character wikis if you have no idea what to write here. Basically anything and everything from their birth that shaped them into the human being they are at the beginning of the story. Please include some notable events that are original compared to canonical MHA characters. This is one of the most important parts of your character's profile)
Notable Relations: (Any characters like family members, friends etc. who have an important place in your character's life and what their relationship with them is like. Please give some basic info about them)
Personality: (One of the most important parts of your character profile. I'd suggest not caging your character into a stereotype and writing as much detail about them as possible. Please try to make them as realistic as possible and not a Mary Sue/Gary Stu. Once again, I'd suggest reading character wikis if you have no idea what to write on here)
Hobbies: (Self-explanatory)
Likes: (Objects, activities, food, traits etc. they like)
Dislikes: (Objects, activities, food, traits etc. they dislike)
Tics: (Do your characters have any regular habits, unusual or not?)
Ambition(s): (Why did they join UA? Why do they want to be a Hero? What do they hope to achieve during the course of the story or beyond?)
Voice Type and Speech Pattern: (Please describe what their voice sounds like and if they have a special speech pattern. You can also send references of real-life voice actors, actors etc.)
Dialogues: (Please give a few dialogues your character will use in the story at certain points)
Pros: (What are some good things about your character that makes them likable?)
Cons: (What are some bad things about your character that makes them unlikable?)
PART IV - QUIRK AND HERO LIFE
Hero Name: (Self-explanatory. May be subject to change if it's too similar to other OCs or canonical characters)
Hero Uniform: (A detailed description of your character's Hero Uniform. You can also send me a rough sketch if you'd like)
Quirk: (The name of your character's Quirk, a general description and all its effects. Also, if you have any movesets or skills, please include here with their name in Bold. No OP Quirks)
Quirk Pros and Cons: (Every Quirk is useful for something and has some sort of weakness. Please make sure to keep this balanced)
Battle Style: (A description of how they fight. Offensive, defensive, support, long-distance, speed attacker, tank, mixed, healer etc.)
PART V - EXTRA INFORMATION
Character Expectations: (What would you like to see your character achieve or go through in the story? Are there any special scenes or events you want for them?)
Miscellaneous: (You can add here any extra info I might have missed)
Rules -
1.) Only 1 character can be sent per person.
2.) When sending your character, please use this format - NMJ: [Character Name]. For example - NMJ: Yabusaki Ume. I accept both doc links and copy-paste PMs.
3.) Your character's Quirks should not be similar to the canon characters in MHA. Some similarities are okay but they should not be a detail-to-detail copy.
4.) Some of your character's traits may be subject to change if they share similarities with accepted/earlier sent characters.
5.) I cannot state this enough - please, PLEASE don't make your character perfect. No OP Quirks and no Mary Sues/Gary Stus.
6.) I'm hoping for a minimum cast of at least 20 characters (including my OC) so that leaves 19 spots free. However, if I receive enough good characters, I may increase the spots to 24. However, for now, the total number of open spots is 19 out of which I need 2 recommendation students.
7.) There are 2 "special" student characters I need. If you are interested in creating them, please PM me.