Prodigies - My Hero Academia

Just Win

Friday, July 13, 20XX

Clouds hover low today, looming over the city and threatening those below with a storm. A vehicle lays upside-down on the street, tires idle and smoke rises from under it's hood. Tinted windows shattered, glass littering the cement. The black exterior slowly becomes engulfed in flames. Sirens wail in the distance when a young hero flees the scene. Leaping into the air, his body seems weightless. Drops of rain brush his face before landing on a tower rooftop with ease. Face distorted while still in a state of panic, heaving and holding his chest.

"Master," the student places both hands on his head to catch his breath, "who was in that car?"

Tall and true, a woman turns from the action to face her successor. The objective of this spontaneous training session was to stop the vehicle and as per usual, he didn't hesitate to provide. However, the task spiraled out of control due to incredible strength and field inexperience. He was desperate, refusing to be met with failure. So much so, three lives were put in peril and yet the master is content. Her dark hair catches the wind from their elevated meeting place. A small grin curls her lips to soothe the hero's distress.

"I can see why you'd be a bit shaken up, but this is nothing more than a convenient mistake." She reaches out to him with a gloved hand only to be rejected. 

"I feel like there's something you haven't been telling me for quite some time now." He spits, tensing at the sight of his mentor's silence and appalled expression. "I mean no offense, but our time is limited and-"

"You're right, Toshinori. Yesterday seemed like your first day at U.A. and soon you'll be heading to America." She chuckles, "When did you grow up and get so cool?"

Eighty percent of the population developed some sort of uncanny ability, pipelining to the dawn of heroes. The occupation rapidly spiked in popularity. Eventually, every child dreamt of becoming just like the noble people who use their quirks in the name of justice, serve their communities, and protect the innocent from villains. On the other end, twenty percent of the population remain powerless and are brushed off by their powerful neighbors. The world quickly stumbled into a systematic black and white society. Toshinori Yagi faced this reality when stepping out of the doctor's office after his fifth birthday. Unable to keep a smile, the boy's motivation stunted severely while watching his classmates thrive. He became unrecognizable to his peers. That quirkless label drove off friends, embarrassed family members, even closed several doors of opportunity for the future. Yagi kept his head low and mouth shut, unsure whether to be frustrated or depressed by something out of his control.  

Attending high school graduation with no real plan and entering the workforce, Yagi often kept to himself. The man lived with parents and worked an office job. Despite the impossible odds, his one true passion still clawed at the cage he called a mind. He pleaded and wept for years, hoping someone out there could hear it and grant his wish. 

Turning twenty was just another day until an attack on the city crossed his path on the way to work. Limbs shaking at the visual of mayhem and destruction. Looking up, he spots a plummeting filing cabinet and flakes of glass. The building floor above flooding with screams. Lifting an arm on reflex and squeezing his eyes shut, the man holds his breath. Yet, nothing happens. Everything is still for a moment. Opening one eye, a chill crawls up his spine. Towering over him in height, a woman meets his gaze. White cape draping her shoulders, she holds up the cabinet up with one gloved hand. Sheets of paper gracefully following and sweeping the ground. Nana Shimura, the previous wielder of One for All, offers him a comforting smile and reassures that it was going to be alright. The rest is history.

"Remember how I stopped hero work after your first year? You were so curious to know why, but too shy to speak up then." Her voice brings him back, "I knew you were concerned because I grew weaker every session after passing on One for All. What I failed to inform you on was that power now lives on through you. Only you. It has for almost two years.", fiddling with the end of her coat sleeve, "My master called this process a blessing. One that each holder has to endure to keep the flame alive."