The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Kael Ishiro's bedroom, casting soft patterns on the floor. A gentle knock at the front door stirred him from his thoughts. He opened it to find a U.A. courier, dressed in the academy's distinctive uniform, holding a sleek, black envelope embossed with the school's emblem.
"Delivery for Kael Ishiro," the courier said with a nod.
Kael accepted the envelope, his fingers tracing the raised emblem. He closed the door and sat at his desk, the envelope resting before him. Taking a deep breath, he broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside.
A small, circular device fell out, activating as it hit the desk. A holographic projection sprang to life, revealing the smiling face of Principal Nezu.
"Congratulations, Kael Ishiro," Nezu's voice echoed. "You have been accepted into U.A. High School's Hero Course, Class 1-A. Your performance in the entrance exam was exemplary."
The hologram shifted, displaying a ranking chart.
U.A ENTRANCE EXAM RESULTS:
Rank 1: KAEL ISHIRO: Villain Points - 70, Rescue Points - 21, Total Points, -91
Rank 2: KATSUKI BAKUGO: Villain Points - 77, Rescue Points - 0, Total Points - 77
Rank 3: YUMI HOSHINO: Villain Points - 60, Rescue Points - 16, Total Points - 76
Rank 4: EIJIRO KIRISHIMA: Villain Points - 37, Rescue Points - 37, Total Points - 74
Rank 5: OCHACO URARAKA: Villain Points - 28, Rescue Points - 45, Total Points - 73
Rank 6: IBARA SHIOZAKI: Villain Points - 36, Rescue Points - 32, Total Points - 68
Rank 7: ITSUKA KENDO: Villain Points - 25, Rescue Points - 40, Total Points - 65
Rank 8: TENYA IDA: Villain Points - 52, Rescue Points - 9, Total Points - 61
Rank 9: IZUKU MIDORIYA: Villain Points - 0, Rescue Points - 60, Total Points - 60
Rank 10: TETSUTETSU TETSUTETSU: Villain Points - 49, Rescue Points - 10, Total Points - 59
————-
Kael's eyes scanned the chart. He had secured the top position, surpassing even the mighty Bakugo. A sense of accomplishment washed over him, tempered by the knowledge that this was just the beginning.
The hologram continued, "Your coordination, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to protecting others exemplify the qualities we seek in our students. We look forward to nurturing your potential."
As the projection faded, Kael sat back, the weight of the moment settling in. His thoughts then drifted to Yumi. He reached for his phone and dialed her number.
"Kael?" Yumi's voice came through, a mix of excitement and curiosity.
"Did you get your results?" he asked.
"Just now actually. I'm at Dad's and a robot-looking thing knocked on the door," she replied. "I got third place. Not bad, huh?"
"Impressive," Kael said with a smile. "I came in first."
"I saw that~" She said in a teasing voice. "Maybe I'll reward you later on, tehe.."
"I'm ready for you whenever you are."
"Oh! Uhm, I wasn't expecting you to say that..," Yumi said, her tone thoughtful. "But sure! I'll come overr~."
Silence fell for a few before Kael broke it. "We should talk in person."
"Agreed," Yumi replied. "Meet at our usual spot?"
"See you there."
Later that day, Kael and Yumi were sitting on a bench overlooking the city, the afternoon sun casting long shadows. They were in casual clothes, siting close to each other, arms touching.
"Midoriya really made it in," Yumi said, breaking the silence.
"I saw," Kael replied. "Ninth place, all rescue points. He saved that girls Hero career, risking his own in the process. He deserves that win."
"I agree with you there. Still, though, that Quirk of his is extraordinary. Do you have a Quirk that can examine other Quirks? I'm curious now as to what it is."
"I don't, unfortunately. But they say the later you awaken your Quirk, the stronger it'll be. So whatever he's awakened with, and as we can see, is strong."
Kael sighed and shook his head. Seeing this, Yumi decided to change the subject in order not to stress out Kael.
"So anyway…. You know we'll need Hero Costumes right? We can't go around in casual clothing forever. Lemme see some of your designs."
She took his phone off his lap, unlocked it, and went to his camera roll. There, she found a variety of photos of them, recordings of his training sessions, and then finally his designs for the Hero Costume.
"Wow! These are amazing! Did you design these yourself or did Dad help you?"
He assisted in the production of my final design using his Agency's resources, but all the designs themselves are my own.
"Oh, really? That's wonderful! Dad truly appreciates you for becoming his mentor. He often talks about how you've opened his mind to new possibilities and inspired him to become a more capable Pro Hero."
Voidflare, ranked 15th among Pro Heroes, possessed power comparable to or even surpassing Endeavour's. However, he never actively sought to elevate his rank. This was because Yumi's birth and his desire to be a father to her overshadowed his ambitions. Consequently, he engaged in occasional villain-hunting, but over time, he grew disenchanted with the concept.
He reasoned that with All Might roaming Japan and the crime rate being less than 3%, he could live a carefree life without any worries. And he did.
I don't believe I'm entirely responsible for him resuming his role as the Hero. Certainly, witnessing his daughter's desire to become the No.1 undoubtedly motivated him to attempt it once more."
"Mm maybe, but.." She glanced over at him. "Weren't you trying to be No.1 as well?"
Kael paused for a moment. While he had aspirations of becoming the number one Hero, a deeper desire gnawed at him since awakening his Quirk, BalanceKeeper. This objective had been haunting him since the day he discovered his unique ability.
"Yeah, you're right. I do strive to be the number one Hero. But I wonder…" He glanced over at Yumi. "Do you think I'll have to reveal my true self? My quirks, like Balancekeeper and my alter ego Equinox? The secrets I know, and all the parts of others I've taken. Do you think…"
"Kael. Stop that."
"Ack-!"
She gently flicked his forehead, causing it to swell instantly. "You know that no matter what happens, we're always there for you, right? Me, Dad, Ms. Nari, Yuto, Hana—we're all on your side. You can tell the world right now that you can take someone's Quirk and give it away, and we'll support you no matter what."
She rested her forehead against his and locked eyes with him. Kael felt a blush rise to his cheeks, her actions spoke louder than words.
"I promise to always have your back, Kael, through thick and thin. So, if you want to tell them, do it. And if the entire world decides to turn its back on the person who saved hundreds of lives when he was just 12, then I suppose we'll have to do the same."
There was that familiar warm feeling once more. It was the same feeling Kael had experienced the day Yumi left for America and the day she returned.
Don't worry about any of that. The burden isn't yours to carry alone.
"Yumi.."
Kael muttered as she slowly lifted her head off his. "I-I guess I should say, thank you, Yumi. I really needed to hear that."
It truly felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. As he gazed off into the distant horizon, Yumi placed her hand on his thigh.
"Of course, Kael. Whenever you need to talk, I'll be here for you. Feel free to come in my room, give me a call, or do anything else you need. I'll always listen."
As she stood up, her hand instinctively reached out and dug into his leg. Her black fingernails glistened under the light, and her alluring legs seemed to pulse with life. With her hair cascading down her back, she exuded an aura of beauty that captivated his gaze.
"Uh, so, wait, there's something I want to talk about," Kael said, standing up. She tilted her head, and her smile lingered in his mind. Seeing that made his mind go completely blank, and he could only stare at her.
"Hm? What is it Kael?"
"Ah, well, it's nothing. You've truly become beautiful, Yumi. Have I mentioned that before?"
"Mmm, only like everyday since I've got back. But don't stop! I like it when you compliment me." She patted him on the head and started walking away.
Kael's gaze descended to his hands, where a tiny, black dot in the center of his palm flickered and faded.
'The longer I go without using a Quirk, the harder it becomes to utilize the ones I possess.'
Over the past two years, Kael has been driven by an insatiable urge and a deep-seated need to absorb the quirks and characteristics of everyone around him. Despite his efforts to suppress this urge, he is acutely aware that eventually, he will succumb to temptation.
Kael clenched his fist, then released it and walked away from the bench, catching up with Yumi. As they strolled down the sidewalk, she intertwined her arm with his, her head resting on his shoulder, and a radiant smile spreading across her face.
'In order to protect this…'
This memory, and every single one that follows,
'I'll do whatever it takes…'
…