Weight of Legacy

Origin and Terminus

[A/N]- Start

Alright, so this is the project I alluded to weeks ago. I know I said IoHA wouldn't go on hiatus so this could get written but Weight of Legacy has been legitimately been just about the only thing on my mind since the idea spawned. Make no mistake, I still have tons of love and even more ideas for IoHA's future. I just felt like I'd explode if this wasn't put out there.

The idea for this fic came from a "What if" that popped in my head a month or 2 ago. Namely: "What if Quinn had OFA and what if OFA!Quinn and IoHA!Quinn fought each other?" Naturally, that question led to this AU. Some things are still the same but I have some... misgivings, let's say, towards some canon events and characters. I won't get into that here. Well, not unless I'm asked to. Even then, let's keep those types of questions to PMs. Feel free to ask any questions about the story and characters but be aware that I'll mostly be operating under R.A.F.O. (Read And Find Out). If I decide a question can be answered in a way that spoilers are avoided, I'll be sure to answer!

As with IoHA, I'm not aiming for any specific upload schedule. Putting myself on a deadline like that never ends well and it tends to staunch my creativity more often than not. Have no fear, however, as I've wrote a synopsis for each of the first 10 arcs of this story and am currently working on the 11th. It helps to have the canon story to use for guideposts.

[A/N]- End

Not all men are created equal.

It's cruel. It's unfair. It's life. After the Great Plague of the 21st Century, it started. China's Qing Qing City saw the first of them. A baby; born with the ability to emit light. Not long after, these abilities spread like wildfire amongst the human race. While some saw them as a blessing, others treated them as a curse. Society went through a massive upheaval. How could it not, when the very definition of what it meant to be "human" was shattered? Not everyone was granted these powers, however. And not all who had these powers were kind-hearted. In the wreckage of a crumbling society, criminals rose up to lay claim to their desires. Money, power, slaves. The first "Villains" were born.

As these new threats emerged and spread, there were those who wished to stop them. "Vigilantes". They stepped up where governments couldn't or wouldn't. It was a new World War. Whole countries weakened or collapsed altogether, leaving their citizens to fend for themselves. What remains from this period of history mostly amounts to rumor. Myth. Stories told through the generations. Eventually, things calmed somewhat. The governments that survived the initial collapse began recruiting and sponsoring those who fought for peace. These became the first "Heroes". For many, it was a dream come true. An occupation that had only been seen in pop culture had made its debut on the world stage. The more open Villain organizations began disappearing. It was a slow process. Many Vigilantes disagreed with their governments' brands of justice and refused to submit themselves. In an effort to maintain some illusion of control, governments worldwide outlawed Vigilantism. With many Vigilantes refusing to submit or retire, they often clashed with Heroes. The world's population took heavy losses.

"Superpowers", "Meta Abilities", "Quirks". Through the years, people adopted different names for their newfound strength. Some say that, if humankind had never gained this power, interstellar flight might have already been achieved. As time passed, more people with Quirks were being born. The Quirkless population steadily decreased until, in the modern era, less than 20% of the global population was estimated to be Quirkless.

Society was rebuilt with Quirks as a central focus. Science and Technology boomed, once again, as Quirks were studied. Gone were the days of ostracization over one's sexuality, gender, religion, or skin color. However, this new Era of Quirks brought its own brand of discrimination. Those with Mutant-Type Quirks were shunned as monsters. Individuals with Quirks associated with Villains or their acts were treated just as guilty as the Villains, themselves. And the Quirkless... The Quirkless were viewed as defective. Reality is harsh. It's unforgiving. And not all men are created equal.