Forgive me for getting philosophical here but after mulling this over for a while I have no other way to pose this question and my answer to it.

What does it mean to be innocent? Most would say it's a state of mind, to lack a certain negative quality that can influence your choices in some way. I believe it's more comparable to a state of knowledge, of belief, to know something to be true that makes the world seem safer or simple. For me, that weekend had ended a great deal of normalcy and shattered a sense of safety that most kids my age would've never had on their mind. I sometimes wonder how our lives would have been without the disaster from which had changed for us. If I'd remained 'Quirkless' and grew up to have that simple and safe normal life my mother had always wanted for me. And I do know her desire was for me to be well and healthy. But our inheritance of a kind, had set us on a path that couldn't be easily changed. In a way the criminal Alan opened the door to a maze, shoved us through, and locked it behind us. Izumi gave us the best road map that we were ever going to get and helped us through those first steps. The failure of the law to keep us safe was what had set the two of us to stride forward. Not without fear, but certainly with a need to not be helpless again.

X

"We've figured it out."

Aizawa was proven wrong again today. He'd thought the tension in the conference room yesterday had been high. Now though, he wished he could go back to that 'scent of cherry blossom springtime air' of yesterday. Anger, frustration, and exhaustion shrouded the room like a thick fog and his temples pounded like war drums. The migraine, most likely from all the coffee he'd been swilling, had grown to such a rhythmic throbbing that the over-the-counter painkillers were only taking the edge off.

And the woman on the communication screen didn't feel a hint of it, though the entire room was plainly focused on her. She did have the air of a woman who was also harried and stressed, though.

While Eraserhead and every hero present had been going back to the store as fast as they could, the police had called Interpol, who in turn, had sent the Americans their new evidence on Blane's abilities. Now the Americans were calling them back with their end of the investigation.

The American Hero who addressed them all wasn't Apollo. Her name, both hero and private, was Janice "Bully" Barker and she was as famous in the States as All Might was in Japan. While the latter did have a more worldwide appeal, Janice was known for doing something so crazy that few would ever replicate, permanently linking her normal identity to her Hero one.

While there was a link between heroes and their civilian lives if anyone really investigated, there also was a separation of sorts. The hero got to decide how far that separation was. Some dove headfirst into their careers while others treated it like a 9 to 5 job and were done when they 'clocked out.' Paparazzi and the media usually only went after the costume and not the person wearing it as well but there were always some jackasses who would go out of their way to track some heroes to their homes and harass them when they weren't working. It was frowned upon but not illegal.

Janice was the first one to simply cut out that separation entirely. She was never not off the clock. Her costume was her suit and her mask was her face. Even her home address was public record.

Her Quirk helped in that. Known as Workforce, it allowed her to make semi-permanent clones that were almost like a hive mind and could do tons of different jobs at the same time. He had no doubt that it was one of her clones that lived in her home. It was so great for investigation and general ground operations that he wasn't surprised by the rumor that she was an investigative department all her own. It also explained her perfect Japanese.

Not only that, but looking at her the woman was so much the former's opposite that Apollo, with his blonde hair, bronzed skin, and absurdly white teeth, seemed almost a caricature in costume. She was a black woman, hair done up in a short military bun, with a black suit and tie on and an American flag pin on her lapel. Whereas Apollo had looked almost petulant in his frustration when Aizawa had nearly berated him, if any snide comment or looks were bothering her as she spoke, it didn't show. He'd almost applauded such steadfastness. It wasn't something he could pull off on his best day.

This wasn't his best day. Still, he as did everyone in the room, paid close attention to what she was saying.

"Apparently, our criminal had done more than gone on a killing spree when he went to break his partner out. The mental hospital and specifically his doctor, Morris Marine, had the specifics of his quirk on his private files. Dr. Marine was one of the victims during the breakout and his computer was one thing out of a massive amount of property damage. We can assume now that both were specifically targeted."

It made a sick sort of sense. A Quirk with that level of obfuscation would be an ace up the sleeve for anyone, but a major one for any villain.

"One warrant to search his doctor's house later and we got the last piece of the puzzle." From there the woman expounded. "His Quirk is called Wiring and he can hide himself and one other person in electronics. But there is a limit, only battery powered devices of significant voltage or disconnected appliances for no longer than 24 hours and whatever he is inside at the time cannot be plugged in otherwise he's forced out." A video was pulled up on screen, the one that had given them their evidence.

The resolution wasn't good, no matter if the camera was cheap or the computer had been damaged someway, the file had a bit of fuzz. The villain's first victim on Japanese soil, Kaba Osamu, looked all the straight lanced businessman he was. His record couldn't be more average and cleaner than if it had been snapped together like a puzzle. He'd been in the middle of recording something for his work when he must've noticed the battery getting low as the video showed him reaching for the side of the computer and a clicking noise following it.

"When your hotel victim plugged his laptop in to keep it charged, it was like someone opened a door and gave Alan and his girl the boot." Janice said for the members in the conference room who had yet to watch it.

The effect wasn't sudden. It took about twelve seconds. Kaba was in the middle of stating stock points to the camera when there was a flash and the roar of noise that blew out the was so bright it caused the camera to glitch but when the recording cleared, Kaba was pinned to his hotel room bed, the girl on top of him. The villain at large had the man by his legs, having dragged him from the desk or something. The video was stopped there just before the made the whole thing just that little bit nastier in Aizawa's mind was that Kaba's records registered him as Quirkless. The man wouldn't have been able to defend himself even if he'd wanted to.

"So how do we track him down if he can just hide in anything that runs on electricity?" Aizawa asked. This nightmare would get so much worse if their criminal could keep pulling the same trick. They had cameras trying to track him down and they'd yet to get word from any of their investigators and the public was getting rightfully antsy. The call center was flooded with false sightings and the like.

"That's the good news actually." Janice said, the corner of her mouth twitching into a tiny smile so quickly that he wasn't sure if he'd seen it or not. "He can only pull that off twice in one week."

The whole room seemed to straighten at that. Even Aizawa dared to let himself hope for a moment. That meant… Janice Barker read the room well because she nodded. "While he still has his blasting ability, he can't pull off that hide-and-go-seek trick of his for seven days."

Finally, the first bit of good news he'd heard since this mess had started. After lightening the mood slightly, the rest of the exchange was simply the cliff-notes version of the late Morris' files as well as them being sent by email. After that, Janice gave them all a polite bow and disconnected.

However, the heavy air quickly closed back in after that. They still had a maniac on the loose who could pop up at any time and decide he was going to go down in a blaze of glory and would take as many as he could with him. With how things had gone so far, Aizawa wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly what happened.

"THE. WHOLE. TIME." Each word, boiling with hate and brimming with poison, fell in the silent conference room like a hammer blow to the nails of disquiet that hung around everyone present. Every seat was occupied, and even more people were standing in whatever free space was available. Lower ranked heroes and police officers rubbed elbows, gathered around the table quite near the executive chairs of the topmost ranked heroes.

Save for the speaker's seat. Endeavor, a man who Aizawa considered always looking ready to haul off and hit someone when he seemed to be in a good mood, now resembled a man ready to turn the next person who sneezed in his direction the wrong way into a roman candle. His scowling face, the bunching of his jaw, large hands clenched into white-knuckled fists, and his flames fluctuating hot enough to singe the leather of his chair. He was literally burning with fury. Hell, if looks could Aizawa knew the glare aimed at the picture of the villain on the shared screens would've dropped the man wherever he was.

It was also that look which kept everyone who was standing far from Japan's Number 2 hero. No one wanted to be in the blast zone if he went off. In an act, that would've been funny in any other situation, those on their feet had gravitated to Yagi's side of the table. Not only did it seem like All Might had a way of making even people experienced with danger feel safer, but it was also to be closer to the door.

However, it seemed that no one had to make any runs for it as with a deep breath, the man got a hold on himself. His flames died down to their normal levels which allowed the overworked air-con to finally gain some ground in the packed conference room.

"He's laughing at us. Made everyone look like damn fools."

Aizawa could agree with that. This villain had been making his own people look like fools and, no doubt thought it was hilarious he could play them like a fiddle so well. They had underestimated him like the Americans had, thinking his mental instability would've made him easy to capture. And, also like the Americans, they had been served up a massive helping of humble pie.

It wouldn't have been so hard to choke down, if it hadn't cost two more innocent lives by the time they'd arrived. Misuki and the officer charged with guarding him were dead. The officer had been killed quickly. A baseball-sized hole blown in his chest but the store owner…his death hadn't been pleasant.

He didn't know when the bastard had revealed himself, but he'd taken his time on that old man. This most recent failure was bitter to swallow but Aizawa choked it down and spoke. "We have an advantage now. He doesn't know that we know about his limit. That more than anything will make him act differently. He's cocky, arrogant, but are triangulating his movements as we speak."

"So, what about the woman and her son?" Another hero asked. "Should we be worried?

"About what?" Aizawa frowned.

"Them being targeted like the store owner was?"

It was bad luck that Misuki had been at his store. There was no possible way that bastard had the resources and know-how to track down his victims in one of the biggest cities in Japan, only second to of the main reasons why they made sure to keep the media away from the victims was so that there wouldn't be slipups. One wrong line from a reporter or someone showing the outside of a building and the internet would do what it always did in situations when delicacy was needed: break it over its knee.

But before Aizawa could say that he was cut off.

An officer stepped forward from the line of them, a detective if he was correct. "No," The man stated, pulling his hat off and holding it to his chest. "On the off chance the villain was planning on going after them, he wouldn't find them. I made a welfare check with Inko Midoriya's neighbors and was told she left the city this morning."

And with the confirmation that he hadn't been helped into the country by him, there was no way this American could find them, Aizawa thought to himself. It was a small relief. Who knew the can of raw sewage that would dump on their heads if they lost both survivors to the same criminal!

"For now, everyone," he stated, rapping his knuckles on the table to bring all attention back to him. "It's a waiting and searching game. We know his tricks now. He isn't getting away this time. From this point forward, the entire city is on alert. No one is to patrol alone, not heroes and certainly not police. We will pick this city apart piece by piece to find this guy. Furthermore, everyone is to be paired up and never too far away from each other to respond if the other is attacked. If you think you've found him, do not engage or confront unless the public safety is in immediate danger. That goes for everyone." He stated while staring blatantly at Endeavor.

The muscles in the man's jaw bunched up, his brow pinching together, eyes flashing. Aizawa knew that he knew who he was probably getting paired with. Considering how this had gotten personal with the death of his intern, he knew that he wasn't going to get a chance to have some 'personal time' with the villain before dropping him in a cell. Not that the other could blame him for feeling so but All Might wouldn't let him. The Hero's flames flared briefly but said nothing and kept his arms crossed.

"The Support Department and the Police Department should coordinate everything through the radios," the hero looked to the beagle-faced police chief Kenji Tsuragamae, who gave him a nod of acquiescence as he adjusted his tie. He clearly didn't like having his beat cops in the line of fire where a uniform and badge would probably serve as a massive target on their backs. It couldn't be helped though, and everyone knew it. The media was circling like sharks, the scent of blood in the water from the busted noses that both the police and heroes had gotten since this debacle had started. And once it came out one of the victims in the robbery was dead, murdered by the same guy they'd failed to catch…

Aizawa winced, the drumbeat behind his skull sharply hitting a rimshot that lanced pins behind his eyes. Oh lord, what he wouldn't give for a nap. "We'll get started in an hour."

XXX

Inko lay in the guestroom bed, hands tucked between her head and a pillow so soft someone could drown in it and stared up at the wood rafters above. It was night and the only sounds around were the creaks of a settling house. One as big as her grandmother's made sounds all the time and probably had a draft somewhere.

It wasn't the sounds that kept her awake though, nor was it the lamp she'd left on.

Glancing over at the end table, she considered the book. Its worn leather cover and the red bookmark between the pages not even hinting at the enormity of its content. She'd yet to pick it up, much less read a page. Being this close Inko now realized just how thick the book was. It was about the size of a composition book but nearly as thick as a dictionary. Some pages were yellowed with age while other parts looked nearly new.

She'd promised her son a tour when they'd arrived today and after showing him her old bedroom, which was surprisingly unchanged, and answering his many questions, it had been almost time for dinner. Her grandmother no longer kept up the act of 'elderly woman' and had been sweeping through the kitchen, cooking and cutting and carrying things around better than any 20-year-old and gave just that bit of extra evidence to her that Izumi was telling the truth.

While Inko had done her best to keep up appearances for her son's sake, dinner was long periods of silence broken by Izuku talking to her grandmother with her two cents being added every so often. What she really wanted to say and questions she did have, were held back yet lingered around for the entire meal, clear to both of them that there was so much to cover tomorrow. They didn't even speak to each other while the dishes were being washed.

Now, here she was. Izuku put to bed, Izumi probably in her study, and unanswered questions buzzing around Inko's head like bees stinging every neuron in her brain with some answers to them within arm's grandmother had suggested that generations of family history and research was inside, so they obviously covered some of the problems on her mind.

With a gesture it floated to her hand, it's blank spine and cover gave it such an unassuming appearance that she genuinely had to wonder if it she'd seen it before now. Thinking back to the times she'd been in that very study, she realized she could've very well have seen it before now, maybe even touched it and never known how important it was.

Carefully, she opened it to the bookmark and scanned the page. It was in her grandmother's handwriting, neat and tidy lines of writing that took advantage of every inch of space it was a set of numbers and lists that she figured out was food by the frowned, not understanding at first.

20 lbs. beef/2 weeks.

30 lbs. rice/12 days.

10 lbs. assort. Veg/1 week.

Inko sat up so fast she nearly fell out of the bed. This was the amount of food she needed to buy for her and Izuku, and how long it should last. If this needed to be doubled…she couldn't afford…! Her moment of worry left her as she noticed the tiny note that read 'for you and Izuku'.

She must have worked these numbers out recently. The numbers on the list were daunting but not impossible, Hisashi normally sent eno-

She twitched, slamming that mental door shut before she fully stepped through it. Now was not the time to dwell on her husband. There would be plenty of time to do that later. This time when she focused back on the pages, it was with a determination not to be reeled back into her despair. A mental wall, resolute and solid, stood against it and was reinforced by the words she took in.

Her resolved crumbled when she flipped a few pages back into the entries made by the book's previous owner. She read the page again. Understanding what the words meant but not putting together their meaning. A third time didn't help. Nor did a fourth. But she didn't stop slowly scanning the page. So focused on trying to absorb what she'd read, Inko barely noticed as she began to drift off to sleep.

No falling this time. No streaks of stars or flipping around. Inko was just there now, much closer than before. The planet before her glowed a red that turned the void of space around it into a shade of dying rose. Its sight was both alien yet comforting. Being this close stirred a yearning in her chest that she hadn't felt from the distance she'd last seen it.

A melancholic weight enveloped her at the majesty of it. Looking upon it now, she could see the true beauty of it all. From far enough away, the yellow clouds and red sky and brown landmasses combined into an ugly mix that made the orb look like a massive infected wound hanging in the middle of space. But from this close, it could've been mistaken for Earth, just with different colors.

The yellow clouds were puffy, patterned into streaks or swirls as whatever weather played its part.

The sky gave the whole thing a garnet glow, a flawed jewel cut into the most perfect sphere…and Inko was dying for a closer look. To walk its ground, to taste the alien breeze, felt so right in her mind. She didn't know why. There was just a sense that she…

A distant buzz caught her attention and she looked around, confused. This was space, right? So how could she hear anything? The buzz grew, not only in volume but in texture, turning into a rumble that was steadily closing in around her.

Once she was able to narrow down it's direction, she moved to see the source. Her body, light and loose, swung around to see…

She squinted at it, not at all sure of what was approaching the planet. It looked like a child's toy, at first. A giant frisbee that had been painted with half-marbles glued on its surface. As it got closer, the lines became panels and the marbles became…glass?

Its approach slowed then stopped a way's off. Far enough that she couldn't have made out any more detail, but not so far that she missed movement from where the glass was.

Realization crashed through her and she gaped. That was a ship! An alien ship! The book hadn't mentioned anything like this. A massive machine that thrummed, powerful engines of some sort pushing it forward.

No sooner had she figured it out than the panels on its surface opened, the pieces rising into the massive construction and things came out. No, not things. Aliens, actual non-human beings, came pouring into space in dozens and dozens.

They filled the space between, humanoid creatures with different colors and features but matching clothing, shouting and screaming as they flew directly at the planet, at her. Whatever they were trying to bellow, if they even spoke the same language she did, went unheard by the answer that came. The only answer that sounded like something a human voice could make.

To call the sound a 'scream', suggested at an emotion the voice making it didn't carry. It wasn't a bellow either, the aliens were doing that and more. It was all whooping and clicking and snarling, a good racket. Nothing like the unyielding, almost inevitable aspect to the single voice that cinched at something in her. It was a rumble that clutched at the hearts of a village at the base of a volcano. It was the first howl of wind from a hurricane. It was the first growl in the wilderness heard upon waking in the dark of the night.

It didn't make promises or threats.

The man's war cry, rage and pain, made its single-minded intention known to all who heard it. If there were any words to it, Inko didn't know. However, her brain buzzed, and her senses expanded, her body filling in what language could not.

Complete and total destruction.

The figure making it, blitzed by her in a blue comet so fast that by the time Inko had even registered it, he was ascending to meet this charge head on. The incoming aliens closed their ranks to block the bright blue missile aimed at them and the ship.

They broke upon it. Firing yellow beams, Inko could only guess lasers, at the figure still shrouded in blue light. It was a volley aimed at a central target and collided together with the sound and flash of a grenade going off.

Their target wasn't even slowed. He smashed into those in his path like a spiked wrecking ball, turning those he hit directly into pieces and sweeping aside those who weren't. After seeing that, Inko knew if she'd been anywhere that could've even been described as 'in the way' she'd have long since run for all she'd been worth. Clearly there were braver souls than she in that crowd.

Instead of running, the aliens continued to charge and without any hesitation started to dogpile the figure as if they were players in an American football game. A few were knocked away but numbers won out and soon so many latched onto him or each other that she couldn't even see the blue glow anymore. Already they were slowing, just enough that she could make out a piece of a green outfit or chestplate stood out among the browns and alien coloration.

What followed was terrible and amazing to behold. Light slipped through the gaps between the packed in forms of the attackers, who were struggling to stop him or maybe holding on for dear life. Then a WHUMP met her ears, the sound of a heavy rolled up carpet hitting the ground from a great height and bodies went in every direction, some with parts missing.

The charge continued, picking up even more speed with less distance between him and the ship. Anyone who tried to stop him were either blasted, knocked out of the way, or dodged and sent off course or into another attacker. Moving so fast that Inko could barely keep up with her eyes, the man trailed light behind him, drawing curves and spirals through the aliens like a living brush, leaving casualties in the wake of each stroke.

At this point, most detail was lost. Inko was too far away and yet, couldn't bring herself to get any closer. The man wasn't fighting, he was a force of nature. A disaster. Inevitable and uncaring of the lives being taken…yet there was something desperate about it. It was looking less and less like a single man taking out everyone before him as with each attacker downed two or more replaced them. The blue comet slowed little by little, its tail shrinking closer to the man in the center. It was slight but eventually even as far away as she was, it was obvious that his speed had slacked.

It clicked for her then.

This was a last stand.

It took some effort, but she managed to tear her eyes from the spectacle, searching around. The empty void around her took her awe, the tinge of excitement growing in her mind and made it wither and die like a flower in a summer drought. This fighter was alone. A whole planet and the only thing standing between it and…invasion, she guessed, was one man.

That was as bad a sign as one could get. Suddenly, the sounds of battle stopped and Inko snapped back to the battlefield. She didn't know what had happened, but the blue light was gone. The trails that had been traced against the blackness of space gone as if never having been. Was the fighter dead? The idea caused a jolt of emotion in her so sudden that she didn't have time to identify it before the next odd thing happened.

Instead of continuing their flight down to the planet like she expected, if its only line of defense was dead, the aliens scattered out of the path of the ship so quickly that in spite of the vast room they had, some still managed to bounce into one another. Inko could recognize a panicked rush to get out of the way. Aliens or no, there was just something about it that emanated an instinctual fear to save their own lives.

With everyone out of the way, she was able to see something. The orange glimmer was difficult to see at first since she was slightly below the ship, having to look up this whole time. The orange light barely peaked over the top of the ship, its intensity wavering between laser pointer to the eyes and flashing mirror over the horizon

Then the shine grew. Like an isolated sunrise, orange light got brighter and brighter until the curve of a large orb finally peaked above the ship's edge. And it didn't stop. This must have been some kind of weapon. It certainly explained the other's rush to get away. They were in the firing line.

The orb beggared belief, every time she was certain it had reached its maximum size it continued expanding. Soon it was larger than the ship which now actually looked like a child's toy in comparison and she could see its surface in perfect detail.

Her stomach dropped even as she was forced to look more to the side than straight at it. It had an evil angry shine like a spotlight to the face. A star. It looked like a sun. It was as if someone yanked the picture of the sun off the page from every science textbook or article she'd ever read and put it here at this moment. She didn't have to imagine what the purpose of a weapon like that was. It terrified her, the waves of heat hammering down on her doing nothing for the frozen vice tightening around her heart.

It was against that intense lighting, that a lone figure hovered. His body little more than a pin of shadow against the orange. She knew who it was, not even having to think about who would be bold enough to stand defiant against a sun. The man who charged such massive numbers alone. That lone fighter.

What happened next seemed almost a parody of the spectacle and action she'd seen up to now.

There was no dramatic countdown with a digital timer. No rising whine of a device charging. Nothing lighting up to signal anything. Not even a voice or voices bellowing back at the warrior. The small star just…floated down, like a slowly deflating balloon or a dandelion puff caught in a slight wind. The massive energy ball slowly descended towards the planet and the fighter disappeared as well as any aliens, dead and alive who were in its unrelenting path, consumed by the orange, red and white shifting surface.

Horror sunk through every cell in Inko's body and all the way down to her soul as she watched it slowly, yet far too quickly, close in on the planet. One orb plunged into the other like a knife, sinking deeper and deeper until it was little more than a single pinpoint of light, dust and debris turning the area of sky where it impacted gray. A breath of nothing for a moment. Then the first crack appeared slowly as did the second and third. Like watching glass crack in slow motion, the glowing fissures spread more and more.

Then it exploded. The planet cracking apart as if it were a ceramic bauble that someone had put a lit firecracker in. Inko crossed her arms in front of her at the flash, already knowing it was useless. The blast wave, carrying liquid rock and heat, was coming for her.

She was too close.

She was too-

XXX

Izuku woke up with his usual burst of energy for a Saturday and quickly wriggled out of the large bed and started making it up. Sure, five in the morning was an unusual time for any child to get up at, especially on a weekend but not every child always wanted to be the first to watch the newest episode of the Heroic Hour Show featuring All Might. While the episode would broadcast again at eight, he loved the show too much to not watch it twice in one day.

As a consequence, the early rise was habit by now.

After tucking the sheets and quickly going to the bathroom, he reached out with his tail and with a bit of effort wrapped it around his toothbrush. It was a steady slow movement, the plastic thing felt ready to slip to the floor any moment. Bringing it around and passing it to his hand, he pumped his little fist in victory and started brushing his teeth. Soon his morning routine was done, and he hurried to get downstairs. Both the room he slept in and the bathroom were at the end of the hall and close to each other, so it was only when he was in the middle of passing his mommy's door that he noticed the odd noises.

Curiosity made him freeze in mid-step and hearing it again, he raised a small hand to knock. Two gentle taps got no response and he decided to enter. Taking care just in case she was sleeping, he gripped the knob and turned it so slowly and so carefully, the bolt barely made a click as it slid.

He pushed the door and nearly jumped out of his PJs when the hinges creaked, the 'cr-k cr-k cr-k' sounding like a jackhammer to his ears. Immediately, he froze, a muddled mix of apprehension and guilt stirring his belly as he listened, certain he'd woken his mommy up. Even though he'd only wanted to make sure she was okay, Izuku didn't want to disturb her.

With the door open, it took not even two seconds before the noise that caught his attention in the first place came again, crystal clear and enough to push his guilt away like a candle in a stiff breeze.

Whimpering.

His mother was whimpering.

Her back was to him but Izuku could see the shudder of her shoulders under the blankets. He approached the bed slowly, more nervous than he'd been outside. What could be scaring his mommy like this? The answer came to him just as he got close enough to make out the sweat beading on her face.

That villain. She had to be having a scary dream about him! He sometimes did, too. Thinking in the only way a four-year-old could, he reached out and gave her a hug. It wasn't a good one, he was short and reaching up awkwardly to hold his mommy, but he gave it his best. He didn't know if it helped her, but he gave it all he could. To be honest, that villain scared him too. He'd hurt those older boys and hurt him and his mommy bad enough that they had been in a hospital. His arms tightened a little more. That bad villain was the kind he wanted to stop when he grew up, the type that All Might could defeat with a single punch. He wanted to do that so his mommy wouldn't have to worry.

The shivering lessened and Izuku was sure it had worked. Stepping back, he saw a black leather book on the floor near his foot and, picking it up, set it next to the lamp. It was then that an idea hit him and as fast as quietness could allow, he left the room to find some paper.

XXX

Inko jolted awake, covered in sweat and gasping for breath. Panic flowed away from her mind, the vision lingering just long enough to make her question if it hadn't been a dream. Her skin tingled, a phantom scent of burning hanging around in her nose before being shoved aside as she breathed in the fake flowery aroma of her bedroom air freshener. So, with a trembling breath, she held back the sobs trying to escape from her chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks unnoticed, an extra bit of moisture to stain her sweat soaked pillow.

It took Inko a long, long time for the desire to curl up and weep to leave her. She didn't know why not totally. It was a dream of death on such an apocalyptic scale, yet…seeing it had hurt her to her core, both horrifying and heartbreaking in equal measure. Something deep in her soul cried out in pain too deep to sooth in any way but deep breaths.

Soon, the mental agony of what she seen drained out and left her feeling hollow long enough for physical pain to fill her like water in an empty glass.

Getting out of bed was only slightly easier than trying to lift her husband's car, Inko was certain. Every muscle hurt when she moved as if she'd been stretched and pulled like taffy. The cuts on her feet and arms burned, her skin tingled, and a weight had covered her, making it feel like the blankets were made of lead.

Soon though, the sheets became lighter and she swung her legs out of bed. After a quick shower, she sat on the mattress deep in thought. Glancing at the book left on the table, her mind orbiting what she'd learned, that vision, and what to do with it. For herself and Izuku, her choices here would decide the course of their lives. Her son wanted to be a hero and with this Quirk or curse or ability, that was apparently so dormant that an expert couldn't detect it until now, he could be. He now had to be.

Their normal lives were over and if she wanted to be certain of his future then hero work was the way to go. Even considering losing her son to a desire for conflict was enough to put goosebumps on her skin. And she wasn't sure about her own self-control either. The rash choice to simply go on a 'run' without shoes or direction was a burning example.

An idea slowly took shape in her mind and bit by bit it grew more substantial. Getting to her feet, she made for her grandmother's study downstairs as she remembered the computer on the desk. The desktop was probably the newest item in the house and when she turned it on, it was a relief to see a WIFI connection available. Clicking open the web browser, she focused herself to the task of researching.

Izuku would be a hero.

But Inko had no idea what that meant. The broad strokes she knew. Everyone did. Heroes handled what the police couldn't. But her experience in the last few days was a siren, screaming to her how shockingly ignorant she was about an industry that was her son's passion, that she even encouraged with their games. Besides All Might, what did she really know about heroes? Nothing, and that gap left her vulnerable.

For a moment her skin prickled in embarrassment and self-recrimination, nearly smacking herself over her idle ignorance. She was encouraging her son to dive headfirst into a life she knew nothing about. What kind of mother wouldn't even check? Settling in for a long early morning, she began to research…and she didn't like what she found. At first, she found pretty much what she expected. News articles on heroic acts that headlined that day. She got to the U.A website, among several other universities, with details of scholarship and grant programs with praise abounding over how this school or that school will guarantee your child has a successful hero career and how much money they would make.

What tarnished the shine off was an article on a less trafficked website on casualty statistics. Her stomach dropped as she read them. The percentage of Heroes killed in the line of duty decreased the longer the hero was active from their debut, but the percentage started uncomfortably high. Boiling it down to the essentials, the first six months to a year was the deciding factor and past that the chances went down sharply. She decided right then that she would make sure Izuku had the best preparation. That meant training, and training meant training equipment.

So, she went on a little bit of an online shopping spree. It took hours to find the right kind of stuff that would also fit in the apartment. Sure, they would have to move things around, but the inconvenience was a small irritation compared to being ready. Because, this wasn't just for her son. No, she'd never put her little ball of sunshine through what she planned and not do it herself first.

With the ordering done, she began looking up martial arts schools in the area around her home. By the time breakfast was cooking, Inko had a list of no less than 17 schools of various marital arts scribbled down. Before she joined her grandmother in the kitchen, she tucked the folded paper in her purse.

It was only then that she noticed a glass of water on the side table next to the book. Under the glass was a sheet of blue colored paper with Izuku's handwriting on it. This time when tears began to well up, she didn't try to hold them back as she lifted the drink to read the note.

Don't worry, Mommy.

I Am Here.

-Love Izuku.

(The Water is yours)

XXX

Breakfast was quiet but not silent. Izuku got to watch his favorite show with his meal in the living room while she and her grandmother sat at the table. This morning's breakfast was steak and eggs with toast. A heavy meal for anyone but them. Inko could tell that this was little more than a light snack to start the day off, a contrast to the heavy subjects in her mind. But she barely nibbled on her food. Her nerves had twisted knots in her stomach so tight she barely managed to choke down the one square of toast she had.

Belly both aching in hunger and swirling in nauseating loops, Inko sighed, leaned back in her chair and glanced at her son. Izuku mouthed along with a tune from the TV, a large piece of steak on the end of his fork clutched tight in his fingers. "Grandma, have you seen the red…" She paused, rubbing her chin in thought. The question hadn't been planned unlike the rest and she actually needed a moment to figure out what term to use for the vision.

"Planet?" Izumi finished for her. "Yes, I have and I'm assuming you have as well, since you're asking." Inko wasn't surprised in the slightest. She had years more experience on this than her.

"It's…" Again, Inko took her time to find the right word. "It's beautiful."

"That it is." Her grandmother said, taking a bite of her breakfast. "In older entries, some of our ancestors who did see it called it the 'Blood Moon'. A bit dramatic but then again…maybe not. When did you see it first?"

She didn't have to think very long about it. "In the hospital."

"Hmm… That seems about right. I saw it for the first time, shortly after your father was born." The answer, while clear, gave Inko the feeling that there was more to be said. "I guess you could call it an omen of sorts."

"And I saw it again last night, closer this time." Inko added, nibbling at her toast again. As much as she didn't feel like eating, having something on her stomach would help her feel better she knew.

"Closer?" Her grandmother looked up from her plate, curious. "What do you mean?"

"Just closer, you know?" She wanted to add that she saw things that had to be aliens or mention the warrior that faced them down by himself. "I saw some things. A battle, I think."

The momentary interest that lit a glimmer on her grandmother's eyes seemed to fade at that and she shrugged. "Get used to that. You'd think things would calm down when your head hits the pillow. At least, right up until you're dreaming about it." Then she smiled a little sadly Inko thought. "I once woke up your grandfather by bopping him square in the nose. Didn't even know I did it until he yelped, told me afterward I had one hell of a jab but my follow through was lacking."

Izumi chuckled at the memory, but Inko couldn't even manage a smile. She wanted to say there was more to it than that. There had to be. Waking up with terror and horrific painful sadness burning her down to the bone, a miserable despair so deep, dark, and clinging that she hadn't been able to see straight? No, that wasn't just a dream of battle. Maybe she could've imagined the aliens, the warrior in green cloaked in blue light. She could even convince herself that the ship was pulled from some science fiction movie or book or something she'd seen long ago.

The emotion though? That had been real, and she couldn't convince herself that even the worst kind of nightmare could've made her feel that way. However, any chance of continuing the subject for the moment it was pushed to the back of her mind as her grandmother stood up after taking her last bite of food. "But I'll explain more on the way."

"I suggest you change into some more comfortable clothes and a better pair of shoes." She said, as she gathered up the plates. "You'll be sore if you don't."

Inko didn't question it, she changed into a pair of jeans and sneakers and was back downstairs just in time to hear Izumi talking to Izuku. "…oing on a little walk, so stay out of the forest in the meantime. Understand?"

She could practically hear the nod. "Yes, ma'am."

As she rounded the corner, she noticed the duffle bag over her grandmother's shoulder, a faded green thing that was small enough to carry easily on a long hike. With a quick hug from her son, Inko followed Izumi out the back door. No sooner did the door shut behind them did her grandmother start as they stepped off the back patio. "Let's cover the basics first. You saw the food lists?"

Inko nodded. The daunting sizes were one of the many things that stood out in the book.

"Good, as you noticed I suggested a great deal of fillers. Rice and the like to go with the vegetables and meat. That's to stretch out meals. You've noticed the appetite changes, or course so here is my first warning. Go for quality when you can. As little processed foods as you can manage."

"Why?" She hadn't planned on buying much of that kind of stuff anyway but if her grandmother was going out of her way to say it, she knew she needed to listen.

"Well, that stuff's nasty. Have you ever tried spam?" Izumi chuckled with a shake of her head. "Won't recommend unless you've picked the mold off your last slice of bread."

It was a cold morning for the summer, with just enough chill in the air that it left dew sparking in the morning sun like tiny diamonds. However, Inko was far from focused on that as her grandmother took the lead and, for the first time in years, she stepped out into the forest that had once been such an adventurous playground.

It didn't feel so nostalgic now. Following the older woman to a slightly overgrown trail she'd either forgotten or never knew was there, the tall trees and the beams of sunlight cutting through the leaves gave everything a more…dreamy feeling. The whispering of the long grass against her legs as she walked, the chirping from the birds above, the warmth of the sun on her skin, if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine tha-

"So, what's your first question?"

At once the spell shattered as Izumi's prompting brought unanswered questions from yesterday crashing into new ones dredged up by what she'd read in the book. Silence followed as Inko, hurrying to catch up, shuffled through a near textbook of things that all wanted to come out at once. It was the tickle of her new limb brushing against a nearby tree that made her decision. "Why did you think this…thing wasn't a problem anymore?"

The answer didn't come right away. While she couldn't see her grandmother's face, there was a shift in her shoulders that gave the impression she was ashamed. "Two reasons," she finally said as she stepped around something in the grass before tapping her temple with a finger. "First, was the aggression. It had a tendency to rear its head long after the tails stopped growing in at birth. My father for example had a temper unlike anything I've ever seen before or since. Don't get me wrong, the man was a gentle giant, but it wouldn't take too hard of a push to make him blow his stack. And from what he told me, his mother, my grandmother, was even worse. Oh, I had a bit of a temper but nothing like my father's and when your…" She sighed deeply, rubbing her chin in thought as they walked nearly shoulder to shoulder. She tried and failed to look nonchalant but her eyes gave away apprehension. "I…we've lost plenty of family to it. Which brings me to the second reason."

She waited but it seemed Izumi wanted to listen to the forest around them, birds chirping, bugs whining by, the distant burbling of a creek which would've only been heard in lonely rural places like this. "Which is?" Inko said, her question ushering her grandmother to fill in the silence that followed.

"While I was raising you, you showed none of that, Inko. No desire to lash out when tested or a quick temper or barely reined in temptation to fight. Your boy takes after you even more so. I'd call the two of you timid if I wasn't called such by my own father, Hiroki."

Inko nearly fell over at that last sentence. "You? Timid?"

"Yeah, by the benchmark of our family's usual behavior, I was the unassuming, unassertive, demure daddy's girl of the family." Her grandmother laughed at the look on her face. "Surprised?"

'Surprised' didn't even begin to cover it. Of the two biggest personalities in her life, Mitsuki and her grandmother, Izumi won out. This was a woman who spoke her mind, blunt as a hammer, with the ability to turn her kind sweet-as-sugar personality into a wrecking ball that would smash aside those who thought there wasn't steel behind her politeness. Inko had once seen her berate a purse snatcher that had tried to…well, snatch her purse which failed because of the woman's iron grip. A grip that now had quite the explanation to it.

By all rights, a woman her grandmother's age would've screamed or called for the police

And she did it all without ever uttering a word of profanity.

The one time she had heard Izumi Midoriya swear was after that night in the hospital when they'd been at the county jail. It had been years ago but to hear the door, practically see it vibrate in its frame had been just as amazing to her as who it was she'd been cussing out at the top of her lungs. It had taken two officers to escort her out. The absurd image of such an elderly woman needing a pair of big burly men to keep her from running back into that room and continuing her verbal scorched earth policy had stayed would stay with Inko for the rest of her life.

And she was considered timid? It made Inko wonder what her great-grandfather was like. And if he was even more timid than his mother…?

"Guess I am," she admitted, pushing an errant tree limb out of the way. "If you're timid then what was the rest of the family like?"

Again, like in the dining room, a light in her grandmother's eyes faded and this time Inko knew for certain it wasn't interest draining away.

"Small and, speaking frankly, foolish. So many brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and mothers and fathers had the worst combination of our curse and personality. The temper and terribly feisty attitude mixed with no discipline whatsoever. No willingness to cultivate any either. Widows and orphans and children buried before their parents was practically in vogue among our line. Beit a war, altercation with police, a barfight, an altercation in prison, or even fights between other family members, things would always start at a dangerous level and then escalate further. There aren't any Midoriya's left beyond the four of us." Her tone was as grave as it was sad. "It's why when you showed none of the signs that I believed there was no point in telling you. You were going to live a safe, happy life with your family. Why worry you with something that never would happen? You did not even confront those who bullied you in school when you were younger and in control of your emotions and actions. You were entirely mild-mannered."

For some odd reason she couldn't explain, Inko found herself growing irritated at that last description. She had no reason to be, it was true. Back when she had been in school in town, there had been a group of girls who were about as delinquent as a small town could expect. Bullies, gossips, and starting the rare fight here and there, she'd somehow found herself in their crosshairs one day. Looking back now, she couldn't even remember any specific thing they'd done to her but…the memories of coming home to Izumi in tears slowly started washing back onto the distant shore of her recollection.

She blinked, surprised by how hard she was clenching her jaw and after taking a moment to remind herself that she shouldn't be upset. Needing to remind herself that it was all in the past bothered her even as she moved to the next question.

"Are our tails really that dangerous?"

"Yes." Her grandmother didn't even hesitate to think as if she knew the question before her granddaughter did. "While I've never seen it myself, plenty of firsthand accounts tell of the danger of looking into the full moon. Heh, bet that's where the werewolf myth came from, now that I think about it."

"So, to avoid it…" Inko left the sentence open, even though she knew where it would lead. The journal was clear about what needed to be done. The answer was uncompromising. "Cut it off. Quickly, do it the wrong way and it will be painful for you both."

She swallowed. "I can't."

Her response brought her grandmother up short, nearly freezing in mid-step before continuing, glancing over with a raised eyebrow.

"I just can't," Inko wilted under the surprising hardness of the stare, however her voice still came strong and firm. Its source was obvious.

The happiness on Izuku's face. His smile and how it just lit up when he first showed off his tail…

The distant horrible dejection he'd had when they'd been in the doctor's office. She didn't want to imagine how much amputating his tail, the single tell of his Quirk, would hurt him and the very idea of such repulsed her so much her stomach swam.

"If it were just me…" She took a deep breath, took care to avoid a stone jutting out in the path for any careless feet and started over. "I can't hurt him like that.

"Inko, you do understand this isn't a 'Quirk' that can simply be controlled. If either of you look into the sky at the wrong time, innocent people could die. On the slim chance you're not taken down or out by the MANY heroes that wouldn't pull any punches to stop you, what next? You say you can't hurt him, but others will."

"Then, we'll figure something out," she snapped, putting her foot down. She'd planned to stop there but the words, emotional painful words, flowed out before she could slam the gates closed. "You didn't see it! Before all this happened, we thought he was Quirkless. Worse, the doctor used the term the same way either of us would say 'useless.' Now, you're telling me that we have to take away the one thing that's made him happier in the last few days than I could've given him with years of support. Lastly, there isn't a courtroom in the county that wouldn't convict me for mutilating him. They'd call it child abuse, or worse, no matter the excuse. Would you take that chance? I know I can't, and I won't."

Face flushed from her short rant, she tried to calm herself down and was finding the task difficult. It was her grandmother's eyes that sobered her thoughts. It wasn't unkind or judgmental, just understanding but unyielding. "If it's between being hated or the lives of my family? Yes. Yes, I would."

Inko felt her hands ball into fists as she tried to find something else to look at other than that frustratingly pleasant supportive expression. "A fat lot of good that attitude did me."

She went cold at the same moment her grandmother gasped. The realization of what she said hit her full on and, looking back to Izumi, saw her smoothly aged features pained. She looked like someone had backhanded her and, in that moment, Inko wished she had. It probably would've been less painful for them both.

"I…Grandma, I didn't- I-I mean…" Her skin prickled with shame at the unfairness of her off the cuff words, the following guilt doubled when Izumi didn't yell or snap something equally harsh back, something Inko wouldn't have blamed her for. Instead her expression cooled to an unreadable flat neutral and, without another word, she spun on her heel and continued to lead the hike up the trail.

It was awhile before anyone spoke. Inko didn't know what she could even say, and her grandmother's silence remained stony.

Even as the path grew steeper and more overgrown with tall grasses and plants, she remained as hushed as a monk and continued uphill with the implacability of a locomotive. Inko did her best not to lag behind, unused to walking on this terrain. The forest was older here, the trees taller, the scrubs and grasses more overgrown. She'd never been this deep back when she was a child.

When the trail leveled out into a wide clearing after an hour, she was more wary than relieved. With all her focus no longer on watching her step, there was nothing to prevent the scolding she knew had to be coming. She braced herself by leaning against a tree to rest as her grandmother moved into the center of the clearing and put the duffle down next to her. The area was large and circular without a patch of tall grass to be seen or any grass for that matter. The dirt was pale brown from the sun exposure, the trees also conspicuously lacking as well.

Izumi's expression was still oddly placid when she turned to face her from the spot she stopped at. "I never told you about how your grandfather, my Takuya, died."

Inko blinked, more speechless than before. If she could've written a list of what she'd expected to be said at this moment, this subject wouldn't have made it to the top 200. Izumi smoothly lowered herself into a lotus position and gestured to the patch of grass before her. Tentatively, she made her way over and sat down, the dirt felt loose under her yet was dry, so it hadn't been disturbed recently.

Only once she was settled, did her grandmother speak. "I've kept the even to myself for a long time because the implications and consequences of that night hurt more than the pain I felt those years ago. Your grandfather was 28 and I was 47 when I was more than 8 months into my pregnancy though I looked more like I was in my early thirties."

Though they were not three full feet away from each other, she felt Izumi's gaze developing a distance, suddenly looking at her from miles away.

"The night my husband died was the same your father was born."

XXX

'Most…uh, not-meet-in-a-dark alley personality?'

"That's easy, Endeavor."

'Really?'

"Yeah, have you ever talked to the guy?"

Though his partner, Highroad, was talking through a com, Fujiwara also known as Freefall the Magnet Hero, could almost see the shaking head. Nope, just making eye contact is like staring into the sun. Like, look at him long enough and it'll start burning. Especially back in the meeting.

"I'd have picked Eraserhead. That man's gaze tells the world he's already like 99 percent done with everything and is daring you to make it a hundred." The laugh that burst from the hero made him feel better. It didn't last as another third voice broke in over their channel. 'Cut the chatter, both of you. Woof. Word from Endeavor and All Might, Grid 7-A and 7-B clear.'

Well, speak of the devil.

Fujiwara sighed but kept quiet, only taking a moment to inform that he was still patrolling his grid. "North here, all is normal."

Though the city was bustling, the tension in the summer breeze was a heavy cloak around Freefall's shoulders as he walked his given patrol route and the short break from it was enough to bring his spirit up. The buoy didn't last as he passed a middle-aged couple. He gave them a nod but instead of a wave or recognition of any kind they closed in on each other as if to shield themselves, their arm in arm stroll turning into a hunched quickstep as they picked up their already quick pace into a near jog. Almost every citizen he saw did something similar, be it businesspeople in suits or someone riding their bike. They all were in a hurry to get where they were going and not in the usual 'I've got somewhere to be' hurry but an 'I need to get off the street quick' way. The temperature was unseasonably cool for such a sunny day and added to the gloomy atmosphere.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Even his outfit, a blue and white body suit made to look like a futuristic space suit from a sci-fi felt wrong on his body. Made by the Support staff, it was a carbon nano-weave fiber outfit made into a fabric that hugged his body tight. He was told it could take large caliber bullets and not even leave a bruise. Add in his military-grade metal plated boots, that allowed him to float using his Quirk, Magnet.

But he still felt naked wearing it now. It didn't feel like enough, not when a maniac could pop out from around a corner and fry him before he could sneeze.

Wouldn't be so bad if general crime could take a hint and ease up for a day or two, but nope! Petty crime picked up over the last few days. After all, since when did criminals not take advantage when they thought they could?

As a result, all areas of the city were on high alert. Police were practically on every corner where heroes weren't patrolling, which was a large area as everyone was spread thin.

Split in rows from A to Z and columns from 1 to 7, the city had been divided among pairs of heroes that were strictly given patrol routes no further than a block from each other. Combined with constant checks with each other every 2 minutes and five with HQ, there was no reason anyone should be caught with their pants down.

So, one could've been forgiven a bit of chat on the line. Fujiwara didn't know Highroad very well, at least not well enough to know his name. So, what would be the harm in chatting with his partn-?

The hero paused as he glided past an alley, the clink of glass against something hard was like a firework to his ears in spite of the noise around him. His section, D-3, was a much older part of the business district and while these narrow lanes were common enough, few were as shaded and unlit as this one. He gazed down it, suddenly distinctly aware of how much shadow was down there. Trash bags were piled next to a dumpster about halfway down, deep enough that most of the rest of the alley couldn't be seen from this side.

The faint sour waft of garbage swatted his nose as he slowly made his way, carefully angling himself so that the darkest spots, big enough for a man to hide in, were in plain sight. Hands raised, Quirk edged to action like a finger teasing the trigger of a gun, Fuijuwara listened carefully as he made his way in. It was only when he was more than a fourth of the way to the dumpster that he realized he wouldn't been seen from the street and if anything happened.

He was about to reach for his com to report in when the clinking sound was made again. Hand frozen halfway to his ear, he frowned against the chill running along his skin. What should he do now? If it was the villain, he knew that anything he said would alert him to his presence and he wasn't confident he would win the fight that certainly would follow. If he didn't…he'd be alone against a murderer who the Americans hadn't been able to catch.

Another rattle and then – a yowl nearly made him fire. A small shadow shape popped out of the dumpster and he jumped as the black cat flew through his legs as if fired by a kitty cannon. He watched as it paused to turn, hiss angrily at him, then continued its scramble to another alley across the street. The reason for its takeoff became clear as another and much larger gray tabby, hopped out the garbage with a clatter of glass and rustle of paper and strutted away in the other direction.

With a relieved laugh, Fujiwara took a second to shake out his arms to stop the trembling that had started and was about to press his com to tell Highroad what just happened, with maybe some embellishment on him not making a noise like a five-year-old girl that just got a spider dropped on her face when the com snapped to life.

'Woof. Freefall, get to the next block. Now. Highroad is overdue and he's not responding.'

The hero felt his stomach start freefalling itself. He didn't ask questions, only sprinted full speed to where the other hero should've been.

He found Highroad in an alley similar to the one he'd just left, his black and yellow costume soaked with blood from wound in his back. He called for backup immediately as he turned the man over on his side, not noticing when he did, the manhole cover the man was sprawled next to slid more firmly into place from shifting man's weight against it.

XXX

Inko felt her heart stutter in her chest. The weight of her grandmother's words dropping on her like a stone from above.

"It was November 5th, a Tuesday and one of the coldest fall days on record. It was like winter had come overnight. Let me tell you, going to bed and then waking up at 6 in the morning to nearly a foot of snow was…quite an experience. It was bad enough in the city but where we were, at his parents' house in the mountains…" Her grandmother paused staring off, the distance of memory clearly not having dulled the event in her mind. "It was bad. The power went out, the roads were damn near impassible and it was just the two of us. His parents were caught in the city overnight. I can't even remember why they left."

"It had been a family holiday. He'd gotten time off work and I was getting restless in our home back in Kyoto. We both thought a fall retreat into the countryside would do us some good." Inko watched as Izumi took in a long deep breath as if bracing to lift a heavy load. "We'd planned to wait it out. It wasn't our first time being snowed in, after all. But that snow… it was the first in a row of dominos. My water breaking was the finger that pushed it."

The younger woman could help but wince at that but said nothing. It was a story being told and not the right moment for asking questions. "Something had gone seriously wrong. I'd been feeling twinges in my belly only minutes before it happened and there was blood in it. A scary amount. The contractions were even worse." A shudder ran through her grandmother and her hand drifted to her midsection as if she was feeling it right now. "It was like someone was trying to carve out my belly with a knife. Takuya had to make a decision. He wouldn't leave me alone in an empty house to brave the storm on the off chance he could bring back a neighbor for help and going all the way down the mountain was off the table, the roads were closed. There was a doctor who lived a little ways away so, with some effort we both got into the car and tried to get there. It took so long. I could barely walk straight, it hurt so bad."

At first, Inko wanted to say why didn't they just stay but that was more of an off the cuff urge than anything. She wondered what Hisashi and her would've done in the same situation. What could they have done? Isolated with no power, the baby is on its way and she's bleeding and the contractions are agony. What actual choice was there but to leave? If it were Izuku's life on the line…

"We didn't make it. We managed to get out on the roads easily enough but there was some driving in between. A 15-minute drive turned dangerous. My Takuya was a sensible man, I know he knew very well the risk he took with our lives. A desperate risk for a desperate moment. I don't think I'd have been able to talk him down even if I'd had the capacity to think straight." Another shudder followed dewy eyes, and Izumi heaved in another sigh, clearly trying to keep it together.

Inko reached out and put a hand over her grandmother's and felt a fragility so unnatural that it shocked her. Izumi's hands trembled like leaves and her fingers were almost like thin twigs compared to her own. For the first time, she actually looked her age. They stayed like that for a while until she nodded, ready to continue.

"I never saw what actually happened, my eyes were shut. Something hit the car. Hard. I was told later that the weight of the snow had triggered a landslide further up the mountain and had buried a few houses before it reached us. All I knew at the time was that it felt like the whole car had been picked up and tossed aside like a toy down some stairs. It was too much for me. I passed out. When I finally came to it was dark and cold. The windows had been shattered and snow had blown into the car. It had landed several hundred yards down the mountain side and was pinned against a tree. My dear Takuya…I didn't even need to check. He was gone."

Grief hollowed out her voice and spoke so softly yet so clearly in the mid-morning breeze, the sorrow in her eyes made Inko's chest hurt. "I gave birth to your father next to the dead body of his. I was bleeding, cold, dizzy, and was cradling my baby as close to myself as I could to keep him warm."

The horror of that last statement mixed with confusion in Inko's mind and she finally found her voice. "How did…I mean, good god. If…"

"We should've died." Izumi confirmed. "We spent a whole night exposed to the worst blizzard nature conceived." Her grandmother raised her arm between them, palm up and like a magic trick, a green glowing ball no bigger than a marble sprang into existence above her hand. Before her eyes, Inko watched open mouthed as it hovered steadily. "This is one of the gifts of the curse. I'd learned it from the journal though my skill in it even now is barely above novice level. Our ancestors called it Aura or Magic, but the most common term shared among most is Ki." The ball flickered and died. "I used this to keep us alive in that coffin. For hours. When we were finally rescued…it was everything I could do to stay awake."

Slowly, Izumi closed her hand and stood up and Inko instinctively got to her feet as well.

"In the hospital, they told me the cold kept me from bleeding out but by all rights, I should've lost the baby. They called him a miracle." She stated evenly, making her way over to the duffle bag and rummaging through it, pulling out an old karate gi. Without any warning or preamble, she began to strip off her clothes, kicking off her shoes first. Between the story and this 'Ki' thing, her mind was whirling and just when Inko thought there couldn't be any more surprises, her eyes went wide at the sight of her grandmother.

Before she'd thought Izumi was just slim in that healthy way that came from diligent exercise and diet when one became elderly. The wiry tightly muscled back that met her eyes could've come from a female fitness fanatic a quarter of her age.

Quickly, she turned her back to give her some kind of privacy but not fast enough to miss the brown nubby stump right at the base of her back as she raised her shirt.

"Your tail?" Inko blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Yes. It grew while I was in the hospital. I cut it off myself. Badly."

It took her a moment but suddenly Izumi's comment from before, about removing the tail the wrong way, made sense. "Was it painful?" Her own tail twitched, reminding her of its existence.

"Unbelievably so. I made the mistake of trying to use Takuya's buzz saw. It took three tries to cut through it, two of which was simply because I'd aimed wrong and only cut part way."

That made Inko spin back around. "What?!"

Her grandmother paused in the middle of tying the belt around her waist, giving her an odd look as if her being shocked at not only sawing off a limb but trying again two more times was quite unreasonable. "What?"

"You…You just…" Spluttering, she closed her eyes to gather her thoughts and then opened them. "Why not get it surgically removed?"

"Because such a surgery was elective, at best. And, by the time I'd finally gotten around to it, my financial situation wasn't good." Izumi finished knotting the belt as she spoke. "Takuya's insurance barely covered the funeral and he didn't qualify for any kind of pension at his job. I had to sell the house we'd bought together and move into a tiny apartment. His parents spared what they could but were living off of their own retirement and my own family…wasn't on speaking terms with me."

"But…you're…" This was her first-time hearing anything like that and then another small detail bloomed into a larger picture. The pictures she'd seen on the walls, in the study, save for the one that was face down on the mantle, there had been none with their family. Art, sure? Framed antiques, plenty. But not a single picture of anyone her grandmother had even hinted at being related. Inko hesitantly switched gears, suddenly more nervous than ever. "But you told me about your father-"

"Who was the only one left who gave me even the time of day after what happened. Put only me in his will and when he died a year 'bouts after my husband, to everyone's shock, he apparently had an excellent eye for investments. The man was a millionaire but lived like he was scraping by." She said, her green eyes flashing as she glared hard to the side. If looks could kill, several trees would've vaporized into sawdust by now. "But it wasn't the money that drove a wedge between the few bits of extended family left. That came later."

Inko didn't realize she was clutching at the hem of her shirt until a stitched popped. Winding her fingers free, she watched Izumi start to roll her shoulders then moving to stretch her arms. "It was the journal he left me as well. There is only one of its kind and your great-grandfather didn't give it to me for no reason nor did his mother give it to him."

"Why?" Mentally, she was scrambling trying to keep up with everything.

"Because we were a little more and a little less in the right ways." Her Grandmother explained, shifting from foot to foot and stretching her toes out in the dirt. "A little more patient, a little less cruel. A little more kind, a little less uninhibited. Can you imagine some nasty piece of work with our curse and the knowledge to use it? Especially before the days of Quirks? Sure, maybe in the mid-1900s and back someone could get away with being stronger than a normal human. Heck, making glowing balls of light might have gotten you crowned as a god in ancient times." She grunted, bending at the waist and touching her toes. "But there were plenty... No, there were so many bad apples in our long family tree and modern times forced us to change. Eventually, someone made the decision that maybe teaching power to the less sensible was a bad idea. Soon every child born in the family was closely observed by the journal owner at the time, both direct and extended, and judged not only by their behavior but how their parents raised them. More than a few feelings were hurt when the decision was made."

At first, Inko thought the idea a little paranoid but it didn't take her long to see the sense of it. In fact, the crystal-clear logic of it brought a thought to her mind that hammered an icy nail into her heart and brain at the same time. "Does he know about the journal?

Her grandmother froze in the middle of another stretch. "No, he doesn't. I wasn't inclined to tell him for the same reasons I never told you. He didn't show any aggression or even willingness to fight."

The tiny well of panic that built in Inko's chest was fanned away like a guttering candle at those words. Her father didn't show aggression? Where was that apparent docility when she was growing up? She and her mother could've- She shook her head to derail that train of thought. Okay, time to change the subject. "So, what are you doing?"

"'bout time you asked." Izumi's eyes crinkled at the corners, her warm smile finally back on her face. "We're going to have a match."

Silence. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Heh," she stood, done limbering up and faced Inko full on. Her karate Gi, as old and faded as it looked, fit her body well. The sleeves weren't loose but tight on her arms, trousers relaxed but not billowing, and the cuffs ended right at the ankle where it wouldn't catch her feet. "You are going to fight me, Inko." With a sharp exhale, she snapped into a guard. She raised her right hand, fingers together as if ready to gesture her closer, and tucked her left arm behind her back reminding Inko of a fencer in some movie she'd seen. The movement in between had been so fast that Inko heard the fabric crack like a flag in a storm.

It was that sound which brought her out of the stunned silence. "I-I can't fight you, Grandma."

"Sure you can."

It was such a simple answer, said in such a matter of fact tone, Inko was starting to wonder if she'd finally lost it and all the shocks she'd gotten had finally turned her loopy. She wasn't allowed to entertain the idea for even a moment as Izumi kept going. "I know you don't know how to fight. I wouldn't expect you to, but I did take some time to talk with my great-grandson. He wants to be a hero, that much is obvious and you're going to train him or, at least, with him."

"How did…"

"It's what I'd do in your place, Inko. Now put them up. I want you to really get a feel of what you're going to need to teach him, what you'll need to learn."

Coming to the conclusion that she didn't have much a choice, she raised her hands hesitantly and closed them into fists and tried to ignore the fiery thrill that suddenly shot a tingle up her spine. "Okay, I guess I'm-"

She blinked, and suddenly she was looking at the bottom of her grandmother's foot stopped from a range of about two inches from her nose. It was then her body reacted, twitching back out of the way of a blow that would've certainly connected but, unbalanced, she fell instead of dodged and landed hard on her rear.

Her grandmother remained like that.

Izumi didn't follow up her lightning attack like Inko would've expected, instead watching her as she scrambled back to her feet in a cloud of dust and dirt. Her grandmother lowered her raised leg, smooth as silk, with a concentrated sharpness to her face. "I know you don't know how to fight. That requires technique, and technique needs training, practice, and so on. It's something you'll have more interest in moving forward."

Another snapping of cloth as she ducked slightly, tucking herself into a boxer's stance.

Inko quickly raised her arms again to protect herself. Instead of attacking though, again unlike what she was expecting, Izumi's fists blurred as she started to shadow box the air frighteningly quick. Her sleeves flapped, arms whipping through the air in a combination of punches that were felt more than seen and her over-a-hundred-year-old grandmother continued to speak as if during a light stroll. "But that's not for me to teach. You and Izuku can find more martial arts teachers in the city than you can shake a stick at. I know myself too well, I'd be an awful instructor and for the love of- Close your mouth, dear. You'll catch flies that way."

Inko clicked her jaw shut, but couldn't stop staring as the last jab brought with it a breeze that tickled her cheeks. The force of which would've laid out a champ MMA fighter, she was certain.

"Hah." Izumi breathed out steadily and bringing her arms in at her sides, not seeming the least bit winded. "I'm going to teach you the feel of combat."

"The feel?" Before she could ask what the difference was, though her voice long since went numb from the sheer weight of the improbable sight she'd just witnessed, Izumi cut her off.

"I'm going to attack now. Do keep up."

"Wha- Wait!"

SMACK.

The sound was like a firecracker following as Izumi's leg met Inko's forearms.

The reasons she managed to block the roundhouse aimed at her neck were twofold. She already had her guard up, as slack as it had gotten, and Izumi so telegraphed the kick she made and where it was going that Inko didn't need much time to think. However, blocking it didn't change the amount of power behind it. Somehow, she managed to keep her feet after feeling like someone had thrown a table at her.

But if that simple attack was her grandmother going easy on her, which Inko suspected considering the speed she'd just seen, the kid gloves were off from then on in.

CRA-BANG!

The follow up punch was fast, so impossibly fast that the only reason Inko even knew what happened was because suddenly her grandmother's knuckles were the center in a smoking crater, shards of wood and bark standing out around it like a weird halo. No, not smoke. Thin wisps of steam flowed around Izumi's hand, wafting into the air.

She could only stare open mouthed in shock as he realized that the bang she heard wasn't from the impact but that her grandmother had hit the tree behind her so hard and so fast that the water at the point of contact had exploded.

No sooner had it sunk in just WHAT her grandmother had just done, Izumi turned into a whirlwind and Inko, being tossed around the clearing barely able to keep up, felt like a piece of paper at its mercy.

Batted all over, her bewilderment at the woman who raised her was matched only by a growing frustration at the pointlessness of her attempts to fight back.

She never got the chance to see the blows coming or going. A tap to her ribs here, a breath of air past her chin there, every block was turned aside or threaded through, any dodge was too slow, and she didn't even think about countering.

She had to force herself to keep her eyes open for what little good it did her. Soon, she was baring her teeth against another invisible flurry, which walked light taps up her left side.

Then finally, she punched. It was when a kick stung her ear as it passed. It wasn't a good punch, sloppy and poorly thrown, she still managed to brush Izumi's cheek with her knuckles.

Eyes shining, her grandmother's assault stopped.

"You saw it."

It wasn't a question but Inko, slumping to her knees, breathless and heart hammering, nodded anyway. For the barest fraction of a second, she'd seen…not quite an opening but a path of some sort, opening before her squinting eyes and acted without thinking. Without knowing what it was.

Actually, that wasn't quite it. She couldn't put a word to it. It was a deep inward recognition beyond her vocabulary to identify.

As Izumi leaned down and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder, what she said was better than anything Inko could've cobbled together as worn down as she was. "That, child. That is combat. Our family has a nose for it, a nerve in our brain that goes off like a firecracker and helps us see those opportunities to strike." And with that, she let out an easy sigh and stood. "Alright, now I'll show you how to throw a decent punch before we start heading back."

Hours later…

The walk down to the house went by in a numb haze of one-foot-in-front-of-the-other. All the aches and injuries from yesterday conspired to remind her vividly of their presence, throbbing and pulsing and making her feet feel raw. Yet there was an ease in her body and mind now. Like a crick in her neck had just been popped or an itch had just been scratched. She felt better now than she had in days.

Her grandmother was no exception, dressed back in her regular clothes. A lightness had taken over her as she helped Inko stumble her way down the trail.

They had gone at it pretty much all day. It was evening and by now the forest was thrown into a twilight half-life. Bright enough to travel the narrow paths by, but dark enough to inform the both of them not to linger.

She was pleased to see the house still standing when they arrived, Izuku, having seen them coming in from the window, sprinted away on his short legs to meet them. "Hey! Mommy! I figured something out!"

"Oh, what is that?

Reaching the porch, her little boy then said the most incredible thing she'd ever heard as he slid to a stop on the dewy grass. Still, thinking she was numb to surprises after all this, made it perfect for her to be blindsided by the sentence that flew from Izuku's lips.

She blinked and gazed over to Izumi who, by her wide eyes, told that she also couldn't believe her ears, before looking back down to her four-year-old's wide innocent smile, hands clenched into tiny determined fists. "Izuku…honey," she hesitantly began, still not quite sure and needing confirmation. "What do you mean by that?"

Her son tilted his head as if she wasn't making sense now. "I mean, I wanna fight All Might!" He declared, throwing his arms up in the air so that there was no reason for confusion.

"That's what I thought you said," Inko then looked at her grandmother, who offered her a nervous smile.

And then the world tips as Inko fainted.

XXX

Packing on Sunday morning didn't take too long. After breakfast and another few minutes of Izumi and her convincing Izuku that she was indeed okay after her fainting spree, she was back in her bedroom with her suitcase at her feet. While she was busy folding up the last of her clothes, Inko could faintly hear Izumi and Izuku speaking to one another downstairs. Their actual conversation was little more than muted mumbles of sound, but there was a sense of saddened happiness about the words. No doubt both of them were feeling somewhat unhappy at having their time together cut short. Izumi rarely got to interact with her great-grandson and Izuku seemed to love the vast amount of open area he could play in.

Finally clicking her suitcase closed, Inko hefted it up but paused when she saw the family journal still resting benignly upon the bedside table. With considerable hesitancy, she carefully grabbed the book and tucked it under her arm before leaving her room, suitcase in tow.

"—all the strongest Heroes!" Izuku was cheering loudly from where he stood by the door with Izumi. His face was lit up like a beacon as he grinned widely up at his great-grandmother, who wore a soft smile upon her own face.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll definitely try," Izumi said in a consoling manner, gently resting her hand upon his small shoulder. "Just remember to not try too hard or they might think you're actually a Villain."

"No way!" Izuku cried, eyes shooting open in horror at the mere thought of it. "I'd never do that!"

"Well, they might not be so sure," Izumi pointed out. "So, make sure you keep yourself under control and that they understand why you're fighting, okay?"

"Okay," Izuku agreed, pouting slightly still, but with a look of understanding in his eyes.

"Good boy," Izumi acknowledged, patting his head lovingly. Turning, she locked her gaze upon Inko's as she finally reached the bottom of the stairs. "Got everything you need?" Inko easily noticed her glance at the journal before her grandmother shot her a relieved look.

"Everything that I need, yes," Inko said, nodding slightly.

Beckoning Izuku, she moved out of the house and towards the car. Izuku groaned slightly as he pulled himself into his car seat, but Inko was more focused on hefting her suitcase and the journal into the trunk. Obscured by the raised car trunk, Izumi reached over and caught Inko's arm lightly as she was about to close it. The look in her eyes as Inko met her gaze was one of unbending steel. "The next full moon is in 10 days. You have until that time to figure out what you're going to do about them. Make sure it's a choice you can live with, even if it's one you and Izuku don't like."

For just a moment, Inko held Izumi's stare, her own gaze hardening in return to match her grandmother. Then, with the barest of movement, she nodded slowly. Seeing that, Izumi released her grip and stepped forward, embracing her granddaughter in a strong but loving hug. "Be safe, dear. And make sure Izuku stays safe too."

"I'll do my best," Inko answered, likewise hugging Izumi.

"Your best is all I can ask of you." And with that said, Izumi released her and stepped back. A sad look crossed her face as she watched her descendants get into the car and pull away from her home.

Inko wasn't sure how to feel as the trees closed in around the driveway, finally hiding the house from view like a curtain closing. She felt grateful to her Grandmother, sure. But there was some part of her, a tiny part, that wished she'd never had to learn what she did.

That final reminder didn't help either. 10 days sounded like plenty of time, until the thought of what would happen if she missed the deadline.

She couldn't help a slightly sour chuckle. This must've been what people who borrowed money from loan sharks felt like. 'Better have it together soon or bad things will happen.' Then she thought to the journal and didn't think about much else for a while.

Soon the time began to crawl as the miles of road stretched before her. It didn't help that her attention on anything but the leather-bound mountain of responsibility in the trunk. It felt like it would curdle like a pint of milk left in the sun. She'd tried to distract herself any way she could. The radio, calculating the groceries she was going to need to buy soon, counting the number of blue cars going the opposite way. By the time the 36th sedan was more than 15 minutes behind, it was lunchtime.

Pulling off the freeway and parking in front of the first diner she saw, Inko didn't realize she'd popped the trunk until she had the journal in her hands. Her curiosity didn't even allow her to wait before they went inside, Izuku leading the way as she began to flip through the pages. She barely even looked up from them to acknowledge the waiter as he led them to an empty table.

At first, she was focused mainly on finding a crash course of sorts on Ki. But, again, the deadline reared its head in her mind, menacing her with its clear threat. A reminder in the same vein of her husband's cold absence, a hole burrowing in the center of her chest and sinking her heart deeper into despair. Could she do this? If she messed this up, it wouldn't just be her neck on the line. Maybe cutting off Izuku's tail would be the lesser of two evils? Maybe-

It was lucky coincidence that Izuku had the menu blocking his vision and the waiter had just turned away to get them some water because the intense look that crossed Inko's face would've been unsettling to say the least. The woman didn't just cut off that train of thought. She killed the doubt. Dead. Mentally slicing off its head, burning the remains, and burying what was left deep in her subconscious.

No.

She'd fought Izumi on this. She told her grandmother she'd find another way and, by God, she'd do it.

It was a matter of seconds to find her great-grandfather's section. Right behind Izumi's part, his handwriting was a flowing calligraphy compared to his daughter's exact print. Quickly, she skimmed that pages not knowing what she was looking for but searching hard anyway. Mayb-

"Ma'am?"

Inko jolted visibly as she was torn out of her musings mid-page, twitching her head up to the uncertain looking waiter. "Yes?"

"I-uh, w-what will you be having?" He stammered.

Realizing that she hadn't so much as looked at the menus this whole time and also realizing that she was too hungry to care, she glanced in her son's direction. "You've taken his order?"

"Well, yes but-"

"Then I'll have the same."

It took some time to convince the waiter – then the manager – but having dealt with this type of thing before gave her a general map of what to say to hurry things along. Prepaying helped, lunch rush or no.

Still, it did take her away from the journal longer than she wanted. Right as she about to start thumbing the pages, though, a section of a sentence screamed for her attention, the messy scribbles were an ink scar across the paper, compared to the neat flowing characters she'd seen to this point. Like it was hurriedly scrawled down with an unsteady hand.

—could've killed everyone.

Smoothing out the slightly ruffled page, she started reading from the top.

January 5th,

I am an idiot. That's the only reason why I did something so stupid. It has to be. I could've killed everyone. I should've cut off my tail when it had grown back long before now. That'll be fixed tonight.

January 6th

I'm in a better state of mind now to write. I still don't know why I risked it. Staying out late the night of a full moon, but I did. A short drive to the store made longer by unexpected traffic and all that, but that's beside the point. I've discovered something. At least I think I have.

Maybe tinted glass or something as such can prevent what the moon does to us. Like protecting your eyes from the sun. But I'm only guessing here. Don't think that anyone's gonna be willing to roll that dice.

The only reason why I'm even putting it down is because I can't think what else pulled my dumb behind out the fire yesterday. I caught sight of the moon full on from my car in the middle of town with my tail and DIDN'T change! The windshield is tinted, so it has to be that. If not that, then it was only the grace of any god that was happening by at the time that I didn't hurt anyone.

I can no longer test my theory, but I wouldn't want to even if I could.

Those words followed Inko for the rest of the trip. The massive meal was eaten in relative silence with her barely tasting the food. She put on the best mask she could manage with her son through the meal and as they hit the freeway again. To keep herself from temptation, she put the journal back in the trunk, burying it deep in her suitcase under some clean spare clothes. Soon, they were close enough that the city's skyline dominated the horizon.

As if someone somewhere had flipped the switch, the light traffic suddenly became unusually heavy. It started to slow down at first, a few cars including her driving under the speed limit a few miles at a time and over time going slower and slower for longer periods until all three lanes of the freeway were packed in bumper-to-bumper.

"Mommy, what's going on?"

"I don't know, dear," but she suspected nothing good or at least nothing positive. Her suspicions proved correct. The police had set up checkpoint for entering the city as well as exiting along this part of the freeway and they were checking cars thoroughly, waving them through after inspecting them closely.

They inspected them so thoroughly, in fact, that it had to been nearly an hour and a half before her turn came and another 15 minutes before she was waved through. She wasn't happy that it added extra time to an already long drive and was even more sour the sun had gone down when she finally had the checkpoint behind her.

Yet her initial irritation faded to worry when she started to realize what that likely meant: the killer was still on the loose.

After three long days of searching.

She didn't feel relieved by the much lighter traffic after the checkpoints. And though she got to the familiar multistory garage in record time for this part of the city, cold knots twisted in her stomach. Pulling up to the booth, she couldn't help but start at the even more familiar face in the lit booth. It was the same young woman she'd met the first time and from the nod the younger woman gave as she pulled up and parked, she remembered her as well.

She stood from her small seat and bowed as Inko got out of the car.

"How was your weekend, ma'am?"

"Just fine." Inko replied, going to the back seat and opening up the door. "Izuku." She gently urged, taking one of his shoulders and gently shaking him. He'd fallen asleep at some point and groaned a little as his sleep was disturbed.

"Mom," he pouted with a look of such childish annoyance that she couldn't help but laugh which only made him pout harder and in turn, she laughed harder. It took away some of the unease stirring in her mind and filled her with a fresh energy that she'd thought drained out of her by the absurdly long wait in traffic and quickly dimming light of the evening. "Not funny." He said, crossing his arms.

Getting a hold of herself with a few last chuckles, she undid the seatbelt and started to scoop him into her arms. "Come on, let's get you out of the car."

The boy tried to wiggle out of her grip but Inko held fast. To her mild surprise, her little boy's objection to being handled wasn't against being woken up but being picked up. "Lemme do it! I can walk!" With a raised eyebrow as he never complained about this before, she let him down almost exactly where he'd been, stepped back and watched as he determinedly began scooting – dragging his little frame rump first across the long plush leather seats by using his tail as another limb to pull himself to the exit.

Gaze anchored for the spot of asphalt before the door, he hopped outdoor and landing with both feet stood at an almost soldier like attention with his chest puffed out and shoulders back. Before a thoroughly confused Inko could even ask what that was about, Izuku, marching like a little soldier, made for the back of the car.

The trunk was designed to automatically open at a touch when the car was stationary and parked so Inko wasn't surprised when it opened. It only clicked what exactly her son was doing when he grabbed at one of the suitcases, hers in fact, that a warmth filled her chest.

"Honey, you don't need to do that I can– " She stepped forward but was quickly waved away by a hand and another look that was as resolute as it was humorous to see on his round face. However, his words made her heart leap a little as he yanked the luggage up and out. "I am here, mommy." He decreed sitting it down and going for the next.

Speechless, Inko allowed him to continue and turned back to the woman who was looking as impressed as she was.

"That is quite a son you have."

"He is." Inko agreed with the nod. "I…uhm…yes, I'm returning the car?"

The woman went to all business, the composure of a polite employee returning like nothing happened. "Okay, allow me to check the car, update its current status, and…"

The ringing of a phone cut her off and the two women both glanced to the booth where a wireless telephone was hooked easily seen through the windowed door. The light on it wasn't blinking.

Another ring.

Even the woman seemed to be confused before Izuku pointed from where he was at to car, just done pulling his own suitcase out. "It's coming from there."

Inko looked to see her son was right. While he wouldn't have been able to see it from his angle, she could. The orange blinking light in the backseat center armrest was like a match in the dark. A car phone. Of course, a car like this would have that.

"Excuse me a moment." Leaving the door open behind her, she slid into the backseat and saw the receiver had a lock on it to keep it in place.

She froze, fingers hovering above the release button. Did she dare hope? 'But who else but her husband would know the number to a car phone in a car he owned?' was the answer her mind provided.

Another ring and with it, a second thought. Did she want to talk to him? That question unlocked the floodgates and threw them wide open, every heart aching, teeth grinding worry and fear she'd pushed away this whole time spilled out. Forget 'what would he say?' What could he say?! Nothing since the attack, not a peep from him for days and now, somehow, he knew that she was using the car? Who told him? And if they told him she was using the car, did he know why? Better yet: was there really any excuse, short of being hospitalized himself, good enough for her?

Not being able to answer that didn't help her make up her mind. If it wasn't, would hurt less? If it was, would it hurt more? With the opposite be true? And what if he lied? It's not like she'd be able to verify it. Would she be able to suss it out right away and what would she do if she did? Taking solace in a comfortable lie seemed just as appealing as demanding a harsh truth, at the moment.

With so much dread in her heart that it felt ready to burst, she pressed a finger down on the release and, after a deep breath, put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" she said, just in time to hear the other end click. Disconnected.

Inko knew that if she didn't put the phone down she would crush it. It wasn't anger that swept through her but it wasn't despair either, only some calm middle ground in a storm. The eye of a mental hurricane gently slipping over her and draining her self-control and bolstering it an equal measure. Putting the receiver back in the slot, she moved out of the car and shut the door. She wanted to… Wanted to… She didn't know what she wanted to do but, dammit, she'd do it when she found time!

With a sigh, she let go as much of it as she could then smiled as she spoke to the garage employee. "Please, take your time."

By now, Izuku was pulling the suitcases around and stop next to her, standing straight. "Ready, Mom."

She patted him on the head. "Good job. Think you can handle all that on the walk home?"

A determined nod was his answer.

The employee's meticulous work was done smoothly and efficiently, taking measurements checking gauges and everything. Inko had to guess that the woman was used to it since she herself had no clue about half the things that were being examined. Maybe she should? Taking some time to learn the mechanics within didn't sound so bad. In fact –

Her musings stopped, cut off by a metallic grinding like a heavyweight being dragged across stone. She looked around, the garage entrance was right in the middle of a wide and decently lit alley of sorts. Save for a few flickering lights, she could see clearly from one end to the other without much trouble which was why she noticed a manhole cover being moved aside. Still too far away to see details, it was clear that it was being lifted from underneath since there was no one else but them in the alley. With the car between them and the distant manhole, her curiosity kept her eyes focused on the odd sight. The woman who was on the other side of the car, checking tire pressure had her back to it and obviously didn't hear anything. But from the way he was still looking around, Izuku heard the sound but was too short to look over the roof of the car like she could.

So Inko was able to easily watch as a man pulled himself up and out of the manhole with obvious difficulty. Even from this distance, he looked haggard. His clothes dripping and his movements unsteady. Normally, she might've called over to ask if he was okay but something stopped her. A serious unease crawled over her skin.

The strange man seemed familiar in a way that made her want to leave right that moment.

"Miss?" She hissed, trying to keep her voice calm but quiet as the man didn't seem to notice them yet as he wrung out his clothes.

The woman didn't respond as she moved to the last tire. Inko looked down at her son who seemed to catch on to her mood. "Stay quiet and don't move." She instructed, quickly stepping around the trunk of the car as softly as she could. The woman was just standing up from her crouch as Inko reached her.

She opened her mouth but a wave from Inko stopped her. "We need to leave. Now." she whispered, her glance drifting over to the figure. He'd just finished twisting one sleeve and moved to the other.

The woman frowned before her gaze followed Inko's and she looked ready to argue when a clatter from where the man was caught the attention of both.

The man had started twisting the hem of his hoodie and a knife had fallen out of one his pockets, the metallic gleam sharp in the evening light. He turned and bent to pick it up, his head snapping around to them as he realized they were there. The garage employee no longer seemed willing to argue the point, her face going the color of milk. Inko still couldn't see the man's face clearly but there was a sudden intent coming off of him in waves.

Gripping the handle of the knife, Inko watched and dawning horror as familiar blue -white sparks flashed across the blade.

"Run!" She shouted. There was no point in stealth. She grabbed the woman and yanked her around to the other side. Not a second too late, a blue ball of energy crashed where a woman had been standing, sending the rear of the car sliding around to bang off of Inko's side. She stumbled, catching herself on the booth and shouted again at Izuku this time, who seemed frozen as he too figured out what was happening. Before Inko could move, the woman, bless her, scooped up Izuku and began sprinting off down the alley.

She began to follow but another blast slammed against the car swinging it around like a door on a hinge, smashing the tail into the booth and throwing her to the ground in a spray of glass. Scrambling to her feet as fast she could, she saw the car had been pushed all the way around and now left her exposed. There was nothing but clear space between her and the man who tried to kill her in that store. It couldn't be anyone else.

The hood was thrown back by the concussive force of the villain's Quirk and showed his face to her for the first time.

Up until now, Inko had never once given thought to what her attacker looked like under the mask he'd worn when they first ran into each other. Her focus had been on escape and, in the hospital, the shock he was still at large.

His startlingly young face, framed by a matted mop of blonde hair, was twisted into a predatory grimace of a smile as he bore down on her. His eyes practically gleaming in anticipation, he came towards her with long but unhurried strides like he was casually coming over to greet her.

She planned to vault over the car and, with the booth right against a concrete wall, knowing there was no time to run around it.

No sooner had she begun to move then the man twitched the knife to the left and fired. The cracking bolt slammed through the windshield, bouncing the heavy sedan like it was on hydraulics, and setting the leather seats alight as if doused in oil.

Heat hammering, Inko moved for the only immediate exit available to her: the garage. The knife twitched again as she threw herself up the ramp, the blast passing so close she could feel the tingle against her back and the following heat as the booth blew apart and, unknown to either present at the time, shattering the controls to pieces and sending the inner workings of the garage whirring to life.

The BOOM as the car exploded nearly knocked her clean off her feet and as she flopped against the wall, she felt the concrete of the structure tremble under her hands and forcing her to take in the massive puzzle of mechanics before her eyes.

Someone with a Quirk or a genius of engineering must've built this place because it was massive. Cars of all types and kinds stood in swing like cradles or on parking spot-sized platforms, all of which were moving in complex patterns that made her dizzy to even glance at. The vehicles were passing within inches of each other, going up and down, slotting in place just to be pulled out just as quickly like the garage couldn't make up its mind where things belonged. But not one car ever touched another. There was one moment where she was certain a yellow car, some Italian wedge-shaped thing in a cradle shaped metallic sling would smash into a white limo as one rose slowly while the other was crossing from right to left quite quickly. Yet they missed each other without either slowing or stopping to make way.

Pushing herself off the wall, she charged inside, glancing over her shoulder and seeing nothing but smoke and flames at the entrance. Turning back around, she barely ducked a red sports car swinging by and was thrown to the hard metal grate floor as what turned out to be a platform jerked suddenly and started sliding to the left along a set of rails. She only could guessed that this was supposed to be her platform for the wreckage that was now burning and billowing smoke inside the structure.

The man stepped through it and looked around slowly before seeing her, just as the platform she was on clanged to a stop. He raised the knife like a sharpshooter taking aim just as the platform jerked again and began to rise. Inko could see the blast pass under her through the grate. There was another clang and the breaking of glass, causing her to look up in time to see a blue ball of energy bounce through the window of a passing SUV and fizz out. As soon as the obstruction between her and him cleared, she pressed her body down low, expecting another volley.

He was gone.

No, she corrected herself quickly. The dark cloud pouring in was quickly obstructing any view of him she might've caught. The bright white neon of the lights, turning the cloud gray as it passed over them. Soon, the whole quickly disappearing first level looked more and more like a fog was rolling in. It gave the whole place the impression of something unnatural closing off her escape, colluding with the man – no, the murderer – who wanted her dead. She knew it was absurd to think that way, but she couldn't help it! The fleeting idea that some unknown evil or malevolent thing was assisting this monster in tracking her and her son down was so much easier to comprehend than that she, after everything that had gone on and what she'd gone through, was unlucky enough to run into him again, that it was pure coincidence he crawled out of a manhole like some yokai out of a myth in this one place.

Another jerk and clang and the platform stopped moving. To her relief, there was a walkway of sorts right where she'd stopped. Things were already bad enough without her being stuck at least five stories up without a way down. Easing herself slowly onto the catwalk, she tried to take stock of her situation. What was she going to do? What was she going to do? She couldn't stay here and risk being found but she didn't know this place, any hiding spot that she might find could potentially killer with all the moving parts the garage is made of but if she didn't do something– She closed her eyes, breathed in deep, and let her fear go. This was the time to think critically. If she lost her mind to panic then she would be a dead woman walking. This guy was obviously smart and yes, this was a man. A villain but not a monster out of some storybook that couldn't be touched or fought. He wasn't a yokai and the smoke was just that, smoke from the fire.

Smoke that was coming in and from the looks of things there was no place for it to go. If she did manage to find someplace to hide and wait for help, there was little chance that she be able to survive the smoke inhalation. And leaving out the fact she could reveal herself by coughing, there still was the villain to worry about. The noise of the machinery in the garage clattering and wearing away made it impossible for her to tell the banging of metal on metal from a heavy stomp on a step. It was quite possible she could end up running right into him by accident. Worse, it was a gamble on which way to go since she didn't know which way he went to start his climb up.

That's even if he did start his way up and was not still somehow powering through the smoke and waiting for her at the only exit. An exit that was on fire.

Faced with no real choice that didn't carry a ton of risk, she began to steadily make her way towards the descending staircase.

Every step she took was a challenge of nerve.

The garage itself vibrated and shook, making repetitive whirrs and clicks and clangs like the pulse a great living thing. When she paid attention to it, she began to realize that something was off about even that. She continued her walk down, turning her ear towards the center and listening closely as she pulled up the collar of her shirt and pressed it over her nose when she passed into the smoke.

Whirr. Rattle. Clang. Cl–click. Whirr. Rattle. Clang. Cl–click. Whirr. Rattle. Clan – Fizz-crack!

There! She paid no attention to the banging that followed the sound, only to where it came from. Below her and to the left. Not directly, it seemed like it came from an angle which probably meant that he was making his way up on the other side. She picked up the pace, no need to sit and start speculating where exactly he was so long as he wasn't in her way.

Inko didn't know how many flights she had to climb down but –

Crack! Her stomach flopped as a flash of blue shot out of the smoke, hit the ceiling of the stairwell and bounced off the wall right in front of her. The concussion when it popped blew a small ozone smelling clearing in the smoke. That been too close. She hurried even faster. The stairs felt like they went on forever. Flight after flight went by without any sense that she was making progress while the smoke was getting thicker and thicker the further down she went. Breathing became More and more of a chore the longer she was in the smoke. Her eyes burned with tears and it was taking effort not to cough.

Waving away the smoke was a useless effort she quickly discovered. There was so much of it and it was so thick, she could barely keep her footing down the steps without using both the railing and constantly looking down at her feet. Of course, the need for caution slowed her down. Inwardly, the need to get out of here as fast as possible warred with the common sense part in the back of her mind which pointed out that if she fell down the stairs and broke something or, God forbid, knocked herself out not only would she most likely not get out but she would do the hard part of the murderer's job for him.

Inko refused to make herself easy prey. She frowned, a frustration at that single word stirring almost foaming away in her chest, spreading until every muscle held taught against the rage bottled up inside. Her raspy breath shook as she bit back the scream threatening to belt out of her. Fury gnawed at the fresh threads of control that her grandmother's warnings had instilled. She was not a victim! This man wronged her worse than he could ever contemplate. He didn't just hurt her – no, he stole the precious peace she'd worked so hard for. Made her question everything about what she once knew was set in stone.

Her child's safety. She frowned against the throb in her temples as her tail violently lashed against a railing, buckling the section it struck.

Her peace of mind and satisfaction. Fidgeting hands balled into fists.

Her family. Her stride became less hesitant, no longer using careful steps.

Her marriage. Jaw clenched, her teeth ground together as a snarl slipped from her lips.

And now he was coming for her life? Her son's? Inko knew that if her little boy had still been here, this creature would've come after him as well.

Hate, pure and white-hot, lanced electrical charges through her brain followed by a cold revulsion sweeping away the final sparks of fear in her heart like the dying glow from ash caught in the wind. One by one, the environment around her became less and less of a concern. The sting in her eyes faded. The urge to cough at sour smelling smoke around her left completely, even though she had stopped using her shirt as a mask. The racket of the garage dissolve into white noise like the volume on a radio being turned down and tuned out. By the time she reached the bottom floor, a concentrated blend of emotion had turned the woman known as Inko Midoriya into a human shaped contact explosive ready to go off at any moment.

Totally numbed everything but a thirst to fight back, she wasn't surprised in the slightest when she made for the entrance or, at least, where she guessed the direction it was in and found the villain standing across from her. She didn't flinch nor step back as he turned to her with all the threat and intent of someone swinging a gun in her direction. He smiled wide, yellow teeth a ghastly added horribleness to his dirty rabid appearance, and raised his knife. "Gotcha."

X

The last wisps of smoke were finally starting to dissipate, having long changed from their previous acidic black to a misty white. Long lines of water were jetting out of the firefighting trucks and their hoses as Heroes, police, and firefighters trudged about the scene of wreckage. As was typical of the era, civilians were gathered around the perimeter of the cordoned of danger zone, hoping to either catch a glimpse of one of their favorite Pro-Heroes or to witness the latest of a long-line of Villain attacks or were just interested in getting the latest gossip. Reporters and journalists were bouncing about the site, trailing Pro-Heroes mostly, as they sought to get the big scoop and learn the untarnished truth of what had happened, rather than relying on rumors and hearsay.

For his part, Aizawa couldn't help but cast a tired glare in the direction of the vultures and bloodsuckers out there. But then he turned his gaze back towards the scene of the incident. And wasn't that putting it lightly. Inko Midoriya and her son were seated on a pair of emergency gurneys that were being gently but swiftly lifted into the back of an ambulance. Though the boy had minor injuries at best, Inko had been diagnosed with a bad case of smoke inhalation, numerous bruises and small cuts, and badly bruised and bloodied knuckles.

"I still can't believe it," a young voice uttered softly from nearby. Aizawa glanced in his direction, seeing that it was Mirai Sasaki, a young Pro-Hero who was still somewhat new to the Hero ranks and was the recently appointed Sidekick of All Might himself. The young man was gazing fiercely about the carnage with a critical eye for a long moment, before shooting another glance towards Inko Midoriya. "I predicted a great many things happening, a great deal of deaths and fear, at least five more Pro-Hero deaths, because of Alan and his rampage in the coming weeks. But I did not see this…this coming. At all!"

"It certainly was surprising," Aizawa agreed, having been dreading a similar situation as what Sir Nighteye had just described. "But we do catch a break like this every so often."

"It's humiliating, is what it is!" an angered and annoyed voice rumbled from the far side of the gathering. Aizawa didn't even need to turn his head to see Endeavor's disgusted frown as his furious flames washed their hot hatred over all who were unfortunate to be near him. "Such a dangerous killer with a nigh-unstoppable Quirk that is tailormade for escaping, brought down by an untrained housewife! It's pathetic and embarrassing! We're never going to live this down!"

"Oh, stop being such a grumpy guss, Endeavor," All Might said, grinning widely as always while the Flame Hero shot him a smoldering look of repressed fury. "This was a potentially bad situation that got resolved quickly! Admittedly not by us or to our standards. But we can now focus on other, more important affairs!"

As Endeavor and All Might got into another one of their heated debates, Aizawa turned his attention back to the scene before him. In his mind's eye, he re-watched the recorded footage of the clash between the murderous Villain and the seemingly-demure and defenseless Inko. Somehow, whether through fear-induced adrenaline, repressed fury of a scared mother, or some other factor he was unaware of, when she had been backed into a corner with only one way out, Inko had managed to close the distance between her and her assailant at speeds that Aizawa would've otherwise not thought she was capable of. And it hadn't been just her speed that had been impressive, but her ability to dodge the electrical surges and attacks that Alan had launched at her.

Aizawa had paid attention to Alan's expression as the woman had closed distance with him, seeing his cocky face changing to one of uncertainty he kept on missing his mark. Aizawa had been quickly able to realize that he was yet another example of the common trope of Villains nowadays. Those who relied almost exclusively on the power of their Quirks to win them the day. So, when Inko had got close, which was really the smartest thing she could've done in that situation, he had been caught flatfooted and confused. But what was more intriguing was that while the man might not have had any formal martial arts training, but he should've still been able to overpower her sheer brute strength.

Men generally were stronger than women, and she was as untrained as a person could get. Her Quirk was so 'passive' that it was next to useless in a fight. She should've been brought down in just a couple of blows. But she hadn't. Instead, she had lashed out and attacked Alan with such a ferocity that it honestly surprised Aizawa (and many of the other emergency personnel who'd since shown up) that she hadn't outright killed him! She'd fought like a madwoman, like a savage demon had possessed her mind and body. Not relenting or pulling any punches until her attacker was just a bleeding pulp on the ground at her feet, her face, hands, and clothing covered in his blood.

"We need to keep an eye on her," Mirai Sasaki said, unknowingly speaking Aizawa's thoughts. "That woman was able to defy my Quirk. There's something…different about her. I wanna know what and why."

"Her and her son," Aizawa stated levelly. "They both apparently possess the same Quirk now."

"Yes…" Mirai said slowly, his eyes narrowing in deep thought. "Yes, they do. How…interesting."

XXX

"World works in mysterious ways, don't it, Hijack?" Kazuki said with a cocky smirk as he glanced back to the semi-conscious Villain that was tightly bound and chained to the gurney he was on. Kazuki was the only guard in the ambulance and if he was honest, he didn't even think he needed to be here. This bastard had been thoroughly pounded into human shaped goo before they'd scraped him up and into a Tartarus bound ambulance. But he understood well why no one was taking any chances, not with all the shit this guy had pulled. A police escort of six cars, three head and three behind, all had their sirens on and were clearing a path of the freeway. Between the near-week long nightmare to be over and the long drive ahead, Kazuki couldn't help but gloat over this murderous creep. A little stress relief, if anything. "Bound for a lovely private suite in Tartarus until we can ship your sick ass back home to face American justice. Oh, the irony must be killing you." He didn't get any response from the back.

"Just leave it alone, man." Higara's voice drifted in from the driver's seat. "Bad enough I'm the one who's gotta be this guy's private chauffeur, don't wanna be hearing your tone deaf voice for the whole ride."

Kazuki flipped him off but quieted down nonetheless. He was tired anyway, it was late and he'd been practically yanked out of his bed by the phone less than an hour ago. What he wouldn't give for a nap.

Kazuki just shook his head to clear the cobwebs, reaching for the radio for a standard check in before glancing into the door mirror he was sitting next to and froze.

What he saw in the reflection was a black-suited man with a face-concealing helmet riding up towards the convoy on a motorcycle at alarming speed. Just as the man was nearing the back of the convoy, five more riders suddenly split apart from behind the front cyclist in a V-formation that created a moving roadblock behind them. 'Well, that's not suspicious!' "Check those bikes!" he called out, putting the radio to his lips. "Coming up on our right and our left!"

But even as he was warning the other cars, the six cyclists were drove in and past the police convoy. It was only because he was paying attention to the one of riders' that their movements, caught in the glare of the streetlights, that Kazuki saw the rider reaching down and tossing strange cylinders to the backs of the police vehicles they passed. Following the three cyclists that passed the armored ambulance, Kazuki's blood went cold as the ends of the cylinders all flashed from a bright green, to yellow, to an ominous red. "Oh my god…"

Six near simultaneous explosions suddenly went off around the ambulance, rocking the massive vehicle like a toy. The bursts of fire were so powerful they blew the burning police cars clear off the road, bouncing off into a median or over a guardrail. Kazuki didn't know if it was him or Higara that shouted first as the ambulance was pummeled on all sides by fire, noise, and debris pinging off the armor. Higara kept control though and floored it as Kazuki followed procedure and unbuckled himself, going for the emergency shotgun that armored ambulance supposedly had. Gripping it, he started shouting. "Go! Floor it! Gogogogo!"

"Oh, that can't be good…" was his answer.

Looking up from where he was frantically trying to load the shotgun shells into the rifle -why didn't these damn things come pre-loaded?- Kazuki saw what had Higara so spooked. The motorcyclists had swerved to the sides of the road, allowing the ambulance to rush on ahead without further harassment. But, in their place, standing up ahead in the middle of the highway was a man. Kazuki couldn't see his face because it was hidden in shadow, but he could clearly see that he was a powerfully built man, dressed in what was obviously an expensive high-society suit and tie. Normally, such a sight wouldn't have scared Kazuki, but between the situation and the fact they weren't being chased, there was just something about this man, an aura about him, that just screamed trouble.

They were still barreling towards him at high speeds but the man was clearly unafraid, standing there like he was waiting on an office client and NOT directly in the path of an over two ton speeding vehicle. Slowly, with obvious deliberation and intent, the man lifted an arm and held up his hand in a stopping gesture that reminded the guard of a traffic director. A nearly visible pulse of something emitted from the man's palm and suddenly they were airborne. The speeding vehicle instantly was lifted off the ground, its tires spinning uselessly as its engine roared. Before Kazuki could fully process what in the hell was going on the man twisted his wrist slightly and dropped his hand and the ambulance crashed to the ground in a roll, jostling and throwing about all inside mercilessly until it rested on its side.

Stars and other bright lights erupted in Kazuki's mind as pain filled every part of him, having gotten the worst since he was unbuckled. He lost all perception of time and self as his mind waddled and rocked. He was only vaguely aware of the sensations of lying somewhere uncomfortable. Then, of the sensation of being pulled somewhere. After what felt like an eternity, Kazuki was able to partially force an eye open and stared with numb incomprehension at the scene of a massive monster of a man with hands of green fire reaching into the chest of a thrashing and squealing man bound in chains. He blinked languidly and found himself staring up into the barrel of the shotgun he'd been trying to load.

Click. BO-

The ambulance and the escort would be found later and in spite of a massive investigation, the case went cold with no sign of the attackers or 'Hijack'.

XXX

'I'm…I'm…scared,' were thoughts that had been circling Inko's mind ever since she'd found herself cornered by the Villain who'd taken so much from her.

She was standing in the darkened room of her sweet, little Izuku's bedroom, staring down at his sleeping form. Her sweet, sweet son still had that same small smile present on his face. The very same one that he'd worn ever since he'd discovered the new brown, furry appendage he'd grown out. If she had the Quirk to do so, Inko was fairly confident that her son was once again dreaming those blissful dreams of him becoming a Pro-Hero akin to or greater than his idol. As much as she truly loved and cherished her son, Inko found herself quite envious of him right now. Being young enough to be able to adapt to sudden changes in his life so much more easily than her, not fully comprehending the amount of danger they'd just been in, and being able to fall asleep so quickly and easily, as though he didn't have a care in the world.

'I'm scared…' echoed in her thoughts as she reached down pulled up his bedsheets just slightly, enough to cover his little shoulders snugly. Then she carefully bent down and planted soft kiss on his pudgy cheek. Izuku mewed slightly in his sleep, somehow having felt the kiss and squirming slightly in discomfort. It was a small action, but it still brought a small smile to her face. "Goodnight, sweetie. I'll see you in the morning."

Silently making her way out of his room, she gently closed the door behind her. Prior to this whole ordeal, with that last chore done, Inko would've normally headed to her own bed and fallen asleep in short order herself. But now, after everything that's happened and everything she's experienced, Inko knew that sleep just wouldn't come to her tonight. So, instead, she headed for the front door of her apartment and quietly headed outside. The night sky was clear of any clouds this night, but only the brightest stars were visible. The light pollution from the massive city around her made casual stargazing an impossibility, one of the many things she'd missed from her childhood days. But she wouldn't have seen them even if they had been visible. Her mind was somewhere else entirely. 'I'm…scared…'

Intellectually speaking, Inko knew what was wrong with her. She knew why she was so scared. Pro-Heroes were trained and licensed individuals who's primary jobs were to help stop crime, fight Villains, aid in natural disasters and relief efforts, and protect civilians whenever possible. And just like with the police force or military, they could've be everywhere. There were only so many of them after all. And for every Pro-Hero (or Vigilante for the matter) in the world, there were easily three to five Villains. The chances of the Pro-Heroes being around and able to have saved her and Izuku that first time were very small indeed. She could understand, and maybe even accept that just fine. But her motherly instincts and personal fears told her that while the first time was forgivable, the second time that same Villain attacked was not!

Both times she'd been faced against a murderous psychopath, she'd been forced to fend for herself, to fight out of desperation to protect herself and her son, despite the terror that had been coursing through her veins. 'I'm scared,' was putting it extremely lightly. But it wasn't just physical pain, or fear of being made to watch and unable to save her son, or even fear for her life that was making Inko so scared right now that she simply couldn't find sleep. No, what was scaring her more than anything she'd ever experienced before in her life was what she had felt in herself during that second encounter.

Slowly, hesitantly, almost fearfully, Inko raised her bandaged hands to stare at her bruised knuckles. She could still remember the sensations she'd felt. The feeling of her fists making contact with her hated tormenter. The taste of blood in her mouth. The sound of her heart pounding wildly and deafeningly in her ears. The electrical jolts of adrenaline that raced through her blood as she drew nearer to her target. The sight of his widening eyes changing from bloodthirsty anticipation to scared confusion. But, more than that, far more than any of all of that, Inko found herself truly terrified of the incredible sense of joy and satisfaction she'd felt when she finally stepped back and stared down at the bloody mess she'd made of the man on the ground. The joy of being able to finally cut loose and indulge in something so primal, something she's never done before in her life! The satisfaction of being the one standing triumphant in the end.

In those short moments, Inko had never, ever, felt more alive than she ever has before in her life!

And the realization of that was the trigger and source of her current fear.

Yet, at the same time, she wasn't scared of where this path would take her. The Inko Midoriya of the past would've never understood what she was feeling now. Would've questioned her sanity if she'd even contemplated the ideas that were currently bouncing about her cranium. But this Inko Midoriya had already realized that her old life was well and truly over at this point. She'd never be the same humble and doting housewife and mother she had been a week ago. She'd be able to just step back and wait for a Pro-Hero to conveniently arrive to save the day anymore. She'd lost a great deal of trust in the entire Hero system because of these experiences she'd just been forced to endure.

So, given what her own grandmother had told her, as well as the secrets that she was starting to learn in the family journal, Inko could already see the new divergent path that her life was about to take her down. And as much as it unsettled her to imagine the changes that she and Izuku were about to undergo, she wasn't afraid of them either. She trusted herself enough to not let herself become lost to the baser instincts of her heritage, as so many of her ancestors before her had. And she trusted herself to teach Izuku the right principles and to gain mastery of his primal urges as well.

'I'm scared…but I've also never been so excited before in my life!' Finally lifting her gaze, Inko rested her hands upon the railing in front of her as she stared up at crescent moon that was slowly creeping up over the horizon. "Things will never be the same again. But…I won't let Izuku fall for the same trap as our forebearers. I won't!" Her eyes gained a slightly menacing tint as she stared at the moon. "Not even you will stop me. I swear it!"

It might've been her imagination, but the moon seemed to dim ever-so-slightly under her hard glare. Then, recollecting herself, Inko straightened herself up and stretched slightly as a yawn tore its way out of her. Okay, maybe she might be able to get to sleep now. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow. Her and Izuku both.

As she made her back inside, Inko never noticed the slight indentations in the railing she'd caused when she'd made her solemn vow.

XXX

This is where it all started, I think. My mom's obsession with training. Not just to prepare me but also herself. It became an obsession, bordering on an addiction worse than any drug. If you'd asked me then if Inko Midoriya would ever become a Hero, I'd have probably would've shook my head and laughed at you for being silly. I only have the advantage of the kind of hindsight that comes from maturity and very candid conversations between my mother and I. I know she wanted to protect me. By all rights, the best thing she could've done, if she'd wanted to, would've been to forbid me from even glancing in the direction of any hero program as was her right as my guardian.

But she didn't.

She knew how much it would hurt me if she barred me from Hero Work, how much in meant to me after it was 'proven' that I wasn't Quirkless. Maybe that was her biggest weakness. She cared so much, loved me so much, wanting to shield me from a dangerous world, yet refused to use that want as an excuse to stop me. Had she been a harder woman, cared less about what I, her son, wanted or the strain that putting her foot down would put our relationship, things would certainly be very different now. But hypotheticals and what-ifs are meaningless at this point. Her choice was to let me make my own choice and thus, work around and adjust her wishes accordingly. It still staggers me now when I think about all it cost her, not just in body but in mind. When I got a family of my own, her perspective was blown wide open for me. Just thinking about the sudden absence of a mental peace that comes with knowing your child is going to have a safe normal life and how my mom who loved me more that life itself, sacrificed that for me, brings tears to my eyes. When I asked why she didn't stop me then, her answer was she'd never considered trying.

Inko Midoriya gave me, Japan, and eventually the world, her all and everything, in spite of her own personal wants. And she did it with a smile.

-Izuku Midoriya, My Mother The Warrior.

Arc 0 END