Yomochi Imayuki.
'Where are you?'
------
Blub blub blub.
Imayuki opened his eyes, dazed from whatever caused his migraine. He was encased in a fluid filled glass tube, surrounded by walls of steel. A mask covered his mouth and nose, supplying a steady stream of air for his own breathing. Tubes were connected to his back, pumping him full of god knows what. His walls shook, a voice called out quickly after.
"Careful! Careful! That's an excellent specimen, I need him completely intact for the procedures!"
Fighting his growing urge to sleep, Imayuki strained his ears to hear more.
Through his steel walls came only the sound of heavy footsteps, and the endless muttering of an old man. In his efforts Imayuki heard only the words 'my finest work' before he passed out again.
------
On his second awakening Imayuki's steel walls turned into a cramped storage room, tubes containing grotesquely deformed bodies were his only companions. His tube was positioned in a corner of the room, directly in front of a door, one that was only slightly opened.
Imayuki's migraine had left him, and as he looked down he heaved a sigh of relief. His own body, though marred and slightly larger, had not been deformed.
creak.
He faced front again, the light from beyond the door blinding him for just a moment, the lack of a shadow beyond it indicating there was no person. Imayuki focused, he needed to see what was before him, anything that could help him later. As the door opened fully he saw a bulletin board, close enough that he could read the larger labels on it. The first thing he read was his name, Itsuki, on a pinned paper, filled with what Imuyaki could only assume was medical information.
He looked again, clear as day it was Yomochi Itsuki on the board. Imuyaki read further, the largest words clearly labeling a series of events, events that were imposed upon him. The things that he could read, related, swap, dead, active, success?, and his own name Yomochi Imuyaki.
'Cousin, so this is where you were.'
Imuyaki grit his teeth.
'This last gift of yours, your great dream. I'll let the whole world see its brilliance.'
Imuyaki focused, he knew, for a long time now how they worked. That something would still be left behind, and with his, he could influence what was new. It only took time.
------
Doctor Kyudai was exhausted, his last operation was intense, though objectively easier and simpler than others, he could not allow even the slightest margin of error.
He hadn't bothered to organize the room after the operation, his notes, his bulletin board were left as they were, his product moved into storage with the rest. A specimen for an experiment he couldn't do before, and a truly resilient subject that he had the greatest of gratitude for.
Kyudai muttered to himself
"I need to see how well it settles, then I can introduce new ones, complimentary ones, and the standard ones last. In the meantime it needs better preservation, the activity is way too low."
He returned to his office, to watch the video recording of his earlier operation.
"I need to preserve this inspiration for the next procedure!"
He collected a pen and notepad.
Connecting his computer to the television and brought the full recording, with four angles of his recent performance. From now until the next day he would focus once again on his procedure, this time able to document his own genius and his inspiration.
------
'Itsuki, a flag, heh'
Imayuki's focus could only last so long. the absurdity of his own situation got to him.
'This is not what I meant when I said I was going out to buy milk.'
The scars from his surgery had healed much faster than he expected, whoever had done this to him had clearly been caught up in something for the past day, no one had entered the room beyond the door for nearly fourteen hours now.
Imuyaki smirked.
'Maybe they went Down D Stairs, found a second specimen, went to Hiroshima.'
He paused,
'If he got isekaied I'd be pretty upset.'
Imuyaki went back to his project, using the last of his original quirk force to influence the new quirk factory the bulletin board supposedly said he acquired. He measured his progress by the feeling of familiarity his new quirk gave as he used it. Soon, the final drops of his original quirk force vanished, his new quirk embodying the feeling of deja vu.
'Itsuki, I'll use it well.'
------
After a whole day of review, and another day of planning Doctor Kyudai was ready to operate again.
"Okay Garaki, this one will go just as good as the last one, the perfect nomu is coming, my newest and greatest child so far will see the world soon."
Again he muttered to himself, his face held the nervousness of a father waiting for the birth of his child, and the reverence of the creation of an offering for the gods.
He took an elevator to his destination, waiting as the elevator descended, its numbers slowly counting down.
Garaki began to take deep breaths, he forced his shaking hands to steady themselves, and he adjusted his clothing.
When the elevator opened Garaki took himself through multiple layers of sterilization, his destination an operating room, with two nomus on standby and a connected storage room.
"That I must use this facility instead of my others is just revolting. But alas, I must keep my children safe from prying eyes. Mochi! Kochi! Bring your newest brother out to the table! It's time to operate!"
------
thirty-eight hours
Imuyaki used the remaining twenty four hours for rest and becoming acquainted with his new quirk.
'Itsuki, I think I get why you called it discharge, but you should've listened to me and called it aura or something.'
As named by Itsuki, his quirk, discharge, allows him to discharge things from his body, from pushing the air in his lungs out through his skin, to his own blood out of his skin. His dream of becoming a great hero despite his questionable naming sense and quirk applicability dazzled his family who had supported his dreams from day one.
Now, modified by Imuyaki it has been reborn.
"It's time to operate!"
Imuyaki readied himself.
Two nomus entered his room, he smiled. They picked up his container while Imuyaki faked unconsciousness. Bringing the container to the operating room they removed the lid of the tube and took out Imuyaki along with his breathing tube and the other tubes attached to his body. As soon as Imuyaki was placed flat onto the table he sprung into action. With the nomus' backs turned Imuyaki jumped and clawed at their exposed brains. Garaki looked on in shock.
"You were supposed to be dead! Ready to be reborn a nomu!"
Imuyaki flashed a smile wide enough for a joker cosplay.
"Should have taken out my quirk before you killed me."
The two nomu still stood, now between Garaki and Imuyaki.
"Kochi! Mochi! Capture him!"
Kyudai Garaki screamed, he scrambled to the door, A few tables rolling tables clattering out of the way.
"Bring it!"
Imuyaki despite the emptiness of his stomach, itched to fight, to really test his new quirk in action.
Kochi attacked first, a wild haymaker from the plain nomu on Imuyaki's right. It had gray skin, its body was reminiscent of a college athlete.
Imuyaki dodged under the hit, moving to the outside hoping to have Kochi block Mochi's offense. Mochi, a green skinned short and slender nomu quickly ran behind Kochi, throwing out a straight under Kochi's armpit, anticipating Imuyaki's moves.
"Weren't you lot supposed to be simpletons!"
Imuyaki crossed his arms, redirected Mochi's punch, and elbowed Kochi's ribs.
A dull thud sounded from Kochi's ribs as it quickly brought its left elbow down on Imuyaki. Mochi moved quickly past Kochi to throw a roundhouse kick at Imuyaki.
Not waiting for a second Imuyaki turned his body clockwise, throwing a kick at Kochi's right ankle and locking his left foot with Kochi's left ankle. At the same time he did the splits, dropping his head down below Mochi's kick and Kochi's head at the perfect level to receive it.
Thwack!
With another clockwise turn and a hand on Kochi's right shoulder Imuyaki twisted himself out and away from Kochi and Mochi's range.
For a second Imuyaki seemed to float, his footwork incredibly light letting him move about as he pleased.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
Imuyaki's grin only got bigger.
Mochi rushed at him over the shoulders of Kochi, a left haymaker being thrown at Imuyaki. Kochi twisted its body, far too agile for its size it turned counter clockwise and dashed backwards towards Imuyaki, bringing with it a spinning hook kick.
"HAAHAHAAHA! BRILLIANT, EXCELLENT!"
Imuyaki saw that his back was against a table, he couldn't retreat or dodge to each side on account of Kochi and Mochi's positioning, nor could he duck because of both their positioning and Kochi's kick possibly turning into another kick, whether it be brought with unnatural speed or Kochi changing the trajectory if its kick.
Imuyaki posed to catch both attacks and discharged his weakness of the past few days from his palms. He caught both attacks and pulled Kochi's leg making Kochi stumble into Mochi, and pushed Mochi's fist down, dropping Mochi atop Kochi and laying them flat against the floor.
"HAAHAHAHA ITSUKI YOU SEE THAT?!!?"
Imuyaki began emitting the magnitude of his excitement from his feet. He jumped and squashed both Mochi and Kochi's brains with a stomp, ending them for good.
"Now then,"
Imuyaki turned towards the door.
"where did you go?"
------
Garaki was flustered, he couldn't have imagined that his perfect specimen, the body for his most excellent child to date, wasn't brain dead. He ran, he knew he couldn't just leave the facility, he had to get one of the security nomu to defeat Imuyaki and hope that he could still bring his child to life. He ran, through the decontamination rooms and past the elevators to the completed nomu storage area.
He pushed open the door and saw the one nomu in storage, the rest stored in a different warehouse, ready for usage.
"Oh Ika! I need you to protect me, and to restrain the boy!"
Garaki yelled as he hurriedly undid Ika's restraints. His trembling hands betrayed his fear, Garaki couldn't stand the thought of losing a potential nomu, if Mochi and Kochi slow as they were actually harmed the boy.
Garaki shuddered. He hastened the process, and with a final click Ika was free.
The nomu Ika was black skinned, her eyes were as blank as any other, her mouth ajar as if in display of her own awareness, but what Garaki was counting on most were her quirks.
Tentacle tongues, tentacle arms, shock absorption, and the basic strength and regeneration enhancements. It was all Garaki could do within the limited time he had in this facility.
'Damn nosy policemen!'
His spite aimed towards investigations of corruption in Jaku Hospital.
'So what if a few incidents happen? Blame the practitioners not us higher ups!'
He rubbed his hands.
"Ika let's g-"
The door opened.
Imuyaki stood their, his presence silencing and shocking Garaki.
"I'm going to enjoy this."
Imuyaki quickly ran forward just as Ika began to act as well.
Immediately Ika threw her right arm at Imuyaki, splitting it into multiple masses of appendages cutting off Imuyaki's advance.
He maintained his smile as he instantly reversed his velocity dodging Ika's tentacles. As Imuyaki stilled Ika withdrew her arm, preparing herself to run forward.
Wisely, Garaki stayed silent and hid in a corner of the room, the exit was blocked by Imuyaki, and All for One was not available to be contacted now.
Ika rushed forwards, Imuyaki rushed head on again, his smile filled with exhilaration. Ika immediately threw both her arms forwards, each individual appendage occupying a different route Imuyaki could take.
Imuyaki ignored Ika's attempts, he ran straight ahead still, rearing back for a punch. He leaned back slightly, his core and chest muscles tightened as he shifted his weight from his back foot to his forward foot, twisting his hips and pulling with his full body Imuyaki slammed a punch straight into Ika's jaw. The impact bringing with it Imuyaki's great lust for battle. The excitement in his eyes shone as he screamed with great strength.
"BLAST!"
'I get why Izuku yells smash now.'
Ika, despite her shock absoprtion, stepped back twice as her arms stilled.
Then with great speed she opened her mouth to grab Imuyaki's fist, and wrapped her arm tentacles around Imuyaki, completely restraining him.
"I don't think you're capable of consent."
Imuyaki said to Ika, her non responsive eyes staring at him.
Garaki meanwhile found the courage to move towards Imuyaki, syringe in hand.
"You gave me quite a scare, there boy, I thought I would lose valuable material because you just refused to stay down."
Garaki walked slowly, confident that he had all the time in the world.
"Say, how did you get past Mochi and Kochi?"
Garaki had halved the distance.
"I squashed their brains."
Garaki nearly dropped his needle.
"What?"
He paused for a moment, processing Imuyaki's words.
Imuyaki, ever enthusiastic, tilted his head.
"I killed them, I made them really, really brain dead."
Garaki reddened in anger, he raised his syringe and approached.
"HOW COULD YOU!!! TO MY CHILDRE-"
"CUT!"
Suddenly Ika's tentacles fell, her tongue and arms dropped as Imuyaki was released from his bindings. He pounced towards Garaki, faster than Ika could regenerate her limbs and faster than Garaki could react.
"BLAST!"
A palm strike to Garaki's stomach sent Garaki flying to the wall, a loud smack rang out as his body hit the wall, the syringe hit the wall next to him, shattering into pieces everywhere.
Imuyaki still in high spirits began to circle around Ika, who had fully regenerated.
"Right then, will your brain regenerate?"
Ika roared and rushed toward Imuyaki, her tentacles now poised not to capture, but to strike him.
"Now that's how I like it."
Imuyaki dashed forward and gave a push to Ika's abdomen, ducking as he did. Ika's attacks missing just over his head.
"FASTER!"
Imuyaki barked at her.
Ika retracted one arm, now twisting her torso properly to add strength and speed to her attacks.
"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!!"
Imuyaki yelled as he weaved under and jumped over Ika's wild swings.
Ika advanced continuously giving Imuyaki less space as she alternated between both arms for her strikes. Each time they hit the ground a crack sounded out, echoing throughout the room.
"GOOD GOOD!! BUT YOU'RE DOING TOO MUCH!"
Imuyaki yelled into Ika's face as he got close to her, making her tentacle arms need to turn around to touch him.
Ika screamed into his face, her tongues lashing out to strangle Imuyaki.
"GOOD! BUT HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN!?"
"CUT!"
With a knife hand strike and his will to cut being emitted through discharge Imuyaki cut Ika's tongue off again.
Ika roared, spit flying into Imuyaki's face as her tongues regrew. He only smirked as he delivered a spear hand strike to Ika's throat.
"BORE!!"
Ika's arms lashed against Imuyaki's back as she tried to create distance between the two of them.
Garaki, having awoken from his impromptu nap gaped at the exchange. He could almost see red smoke following Imuyaki's every move.
Imuyaki jumped up and forwards, keeping range with Ika and dodging her arm attacks, throwing a kick at her exposed brain.
"HOW!!?!? YOUR QUIRK CAN'T BE THIS STRONG!! DISCHARGE IS USELESS ALONE!"
As Ika caught his foot wither her tongues Imuyaki responded to Garaki.
"THAT MAY BE HOW YOU THINK!!"
Imuyaki twisted off of his ankle, discharging water allowing it to slip out of Ika's grasp.
"BUT DISCHARGE IS STRONG!!"
He delivered a 540 kick to the side of Ika's head, using the point of contact to pull himself into a counterclockwise rotation around Ika.
"MY COUSIN GOT INTO SHIKETSU HIGH WITH DISCHARGE!!"
Now Ika stood between Garaki and Imuyaki.
"HE WAS WELL ON HIS WAY TO BECOMING A HERO!!"
Imuyaki pushed Ika over from behind, his foot hooked around her ankle.
Garaki screamed.
"THAT QUIRK HAS NEARLY NO USE!! WITHOUT MORE QUIRKS IT CAN'T DO MORE THAN BLOW OUT A CANDLE!!"
"WRONG!"
Imuyaki stomped on Ika's spine. He lowered his voice, his smile became small.
"With this quirk Itsuki could fly,"
Ika's tentacles flared again.
"With this quirk Itsuki could lift mountains."
Imuyaki spear handed Ika's spine at the neck.
Garaki screamed again.
"NOONE WITH THAT QUIRK CAN DO ANYTHING, YOUR ITSUKI COULDN'T DO ANYTH-"
"With this quirk Itsuki defeated you. You and your feeble mind."
Imuyaki discharged only the air from his lungs as he stomped onto Ika's brain, ending it for good.
"Itsuki proved you wrong,"
Imuyaki looked Garaki in the eye.
"Itsuki's quirk is strong."
Imuyaki approached Garaki. Behind him stood the image of Itsuki.
"N-No, Th=THATS YOUR QUIRK RULE OF COOL!! THAT'S THE STRONG ONE, ITSUKI COULDN'T HANDLE THAT IN HI-"
"Itsuki could, he just gave it back to me, with his last breath."
"..."
"He was awake at the end of that operation."
Garaki trembled.
"He discharged everything he had, everything that was left, and pushed it towards me."
Garaki sputtered a rebuttal.
"I WAS THERE I WAS-I WATCHED-"
"So was he, I remember, Itsuki's quirk could always transmit more than just air."
A fire seemed to burn around Imuyaki, the heat in his eyes grew as he walked closer to Garaki.
"THAT CAN'T BE POSSIBLE, I WATCHED, I SWITCHED YOUR QUIRKS I CLEANED OUT EVERY LITTLE BI-"
Imuyaki stopped, the glint in his eyes brighter than anything else Garaki had ever seen.
"That would be impossible."
"BUT-"
"You can't fully take away someone's quirk."
"THERE ARE-"
"No, there is no true way."
"YOU IDIO-"
"Quirks are more than just quirks."
"H-HUH?!"
Garaki sputtered, completely befuddled.
"Quirks are with us from birth, or childhood, to the end of our lives. Quirks journey with us as we grow and face challenges, as we face joy and sorrow. When we climb up past our preconceived notions. They are a part of our lives, they change with our lives. Like us, like that news anchor, as we face walls we cannot cross we reshape ourselves to cross these boundaries."
Garaki looked on dumbfounded.
Imuyaki continued, slowed down as he continued to discharge his very ideas behind him. Itsuki stood next to him as new images formed.
"Quirks are an acclamation of life!"
Behind Imuyaki a resplendent cherry tree filled with blossoms seemed to materialize, under it stood a great white crane.
"They are a representation of the soul, the purest testimonial for the people of thisworld."
Garaki couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Villai-"
"They show the deepest and most poignant insecurities of the people, their compassion, vulnerability are misunderstood by the masses as intimidation."
Garaki couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Quirkl-"
"They are those shunned and forgotten by others, hard workers who have yet to get their break, where so called villainous quirks display their insecurity, quirklessness hides it away until, in a moment of resplendent greatness they show themselves to the world."
Garaki had never heard such reasoning before.
He hung his head down low, unwilling to, and unable to process Imuyaki's great enlightenment.
Imuyaki struck Garaki in the head knocking him out instantly.
He smiled, brighter than before.
"Itsuki, let's go home."