Toshinowa

2

The smell of the vomit, the blood. The pain as he hit me, over and over again.

"Stop! Please!"

"You're pathetic! How will you ever defeat heroes when you're this week?"

"I'm only nine." I couldn't stop the tears. I knew they weren't allowed, but they just kept flowing.

"And we've been training you for four years. You're still just as week as when we started. Ugh, I can't look at your face anymore. Get the hell out of my training room." Running down the hall. Also not allowed. But I didn't care.

"Momma! I don't want to this anymore!"

"I know, Toshi. But you have to keep going for just a while longer."

"I can't, Momma. Why does he want me to fight heroes? Why can't he do it himself?"

"He's trying to create an army, Sweetheart. But, if you can just keep going just a little while longer, everything will turn out all right. Can you do that for me?" All I could do was nod. "Good. Now come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

(-)

"Itzuki!" Shit.

"Y-yes?"

"Can you answer the question?" Shit shit shit shit shit shit shiiiiiiiiit. I had no idea what he asked. I had zoned out, thinking about her.

Who is the number one hero in America?

What. The crap. Was that?

"Um, Anna Pine. She controls trees, but her ability depends on the type of trees. She got her name from her special move, where she makes pine trees shoot their needles-"

"Ok, that's enough. That is correct."

"That's not fair! She's from America!" The class began to complain about the unfairness while I looked around the room, trying to figure out where the answer came from. Then I saw her. Shokya. She was smiling and slightly blushing, looking down at her hands folded in her lap.

Hm. I wonder what her quirk is?

(-)

"Hey, Shokya!" I found myself running after her in the hall.

"Before you ask, yes. It was me."

"How did you know that's what I was going to ask?"

"Because I know you were confused earlier. I used my quirk to tell you the question."

"Oh, cool! What's your quirk?"

"I'll tell mine if you tell yours." Damnit. I knew this question would come up. I hated keeping this secret. It was such a good quirk, I just wish I could show it off.

"Deal." I extended the silks from my wrists. "I don't exactly know what they are, but I call them silks. That's because they remind me off aerial silks."

"Whoa! That's so cool! Do they come out? Sorry, that sounds weird." I let out a small giggle.

"No, it's ok. They don't come out. They're basically an extension of my arms. If you pull on them, you pull on me. I can control them like any other appendage, and I'm pretty sure they're indestructible."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well..." I couldn't tell her the real reason for this conclusion. So I had to think of something, fast. What story would make sense to a normal high school girl? "I was bullied all through middle school. Kids with different quirks always tried to hurt my silks. They're fireproof, waterproof, and can't be cut with scissors or knives."

"Wow! Mine is basically my voice. I can whisper really quiet and project my voice in different directions so only certain people can hear it. I got through the practical communicating with the other examinees."

"That's impressive. I got through by throwing a bunch of robots around. I almost failed. My silks are strong, but they get tired, just like any other muscle."

"All quirks get tired. You just have to strengthen them. By using them a lot, you work them out, just like other muscles."

"Well, I guess I never looked at it that way." I was never allowed to use my silks in training. They wanted me to work on hand-to-hand combat without them.

"Anyway, I should get going. I have a flight leaving tonight for a family dinner this weekend."

"Oh." I tried not to let my voice falter. "Have fun!" As she walked away, I couldn't help but wonder.

Home. Where was that?