Chapter Text
“So she’s Quirkless?”
Toshinori nodded “Yes, we went the Quirk specialist when her quirk never manifested after her fourth birthday. She has the extra toe joint.”
Tsukauchi grimaced. “She will have a tough time in the future. Society is very hard on the quirkless.”
The blonde sighed “I personally do not care if Young Misuzu has a quirk or not. Unfortunately, society cares more for quirks than the actual person.”
And that was him speaking from experience. Tsukaichi knew his friend lived in a time where being quirkless was not as rare as today, but he remembers the type of environment the quirkless lived through. He lived through it himself before inheriting One For All after all.
For his friend’s daughter to fall to the same fate. The world was truly unfair.
However, the reveal that Misuzu was quirkless brought about its own set of problems beside Misuzu’s future.
“With this we reached another dead end to the investigation.” Tsukauchi sighed, looking as weary as Toshinori did.
Toshinori scowled, “We still do not know why All For One kidnapped Young Misuzu and killed off the rest of her family, we originally considered it might be for her quirk…”
“But with her being quirkless that shuts down that possibility.” Tsukauchi sighed “We even investigated Misuzu’s family background. A normal family of three consisting of a father with a minor fire quirk and a mother with a flower quirk. Hardly useful for All For One’s cause.”
Toshinori, no, All Might clenched his fist. “So why target Young Misuzu’s family in the first place? We have already checked her family history for the past three generations and nothing unusual adds up.”
“Would All For One already have stolen Misuzu’s quirk?” Tsukauchi pointed out.
All Might shook his head, “No, if he already did then why keep her alive then? All For One would also not know what type of quirk Young Misuzu inherited until it activated. He would have waited for her quirk to come in before he took it away if he deemed it useful.”
Tsukauchi winced, “If we had not broken into the hideout and All For One realized that Misuzu had no quirk…” He trailed off but no words were needed to finish that sentence.
Most likely Misuzu would not live to tell the tale.
The thought sent shivers down the two men’s spines.
Toshinori unclenched his fist and sighed. “In the end we might not ever know why All For One targeted Young Misuzu and her parents.”
Tsukauchi closed his eyes, it was another list of the many mysteries and problems that All For One has created. Another one of the many lost to the cracks of time and hidden shadows.
The small shuffle of feet made both men straighten up.
A small hand slowly pushed the door open, one hand rubbing sleep addled eyes and another hugging a lop eared bunny in hand.
“Uncle Nao?” A small voice still husky with sleep asked. A small lips still present in the young child’s speech. It was cute enough to make him relax and let a smile tug at his lips.
“Hey kiddo.” Tsukauchi kneeled down to the small child’s height. “I came to see you.”
Misuzu blushed a pretty pink before hiding behind her bunny. He could hear Toshinori chuckle behind him.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Misuzu asked, voice muffled by the plushie.
Tsukauchi reached down and ruffled her hair, “Yeah, i’ll join you and your dad for dinner.”
The tiny brunette peeked out from behind her plush before ducking down again. Tsukuachi couldn’t not help but smile, the young child was still very nervous around people. The psychologist said that due to the experiences she went through that she would be nervous around people for a while but compared to a year ago, Misuzu has gotten better at talking to people.
Though, as Tsukauchi considered the young brunette, with her diagnosis being quirkless he would have thought that Misuzu would be more… depressed. To not be given what was a right to almost everyone. Even though Misuzu was homeschooled, she still goes out and she has seen everyone with quirks. Yet, Misuzu has not shown any change in behavior.
How mysterious.
“Hey kiddo can I ask you something?” Tsukauchi questioned. Misuzu peeked out from behind her plushie and nodded as she tilted her head in question.
“Are you okay? I heard about what the doctor said.” Tsukauchi asked gently. He could see Toshinori watching from the corner of his eye. It seems that his friend was worried about his young charge too.
But Misuzu just blinked before she nodded. “I’m okay.”
And she wasn’t lying. His quirk was telling him she wasn’t lying.
“Really? Are you really sure?” He asked again, just to make sure she wasn’t trying to convince herself to be okay.
Misuzu just nodded again and now she was looking at him with a question on her face.
She wasn’t lying. His quirk was telling him she wasn’t lying.
“…Are you okay Uncle Nao?” Misuzu voiced out softly.
Tsukauchi chuckled nervously. He probably wasn’t being subtle enough. “Yeah, I was just worried after what I heard…”
Misuzu slowly lowered her plushie and really looked at him. He nearly straightened his spine with that look. It was one of those rare expression that he saw on her face. Not the blushing face, not the childishly droopy eye face. It was the oddly serious face, too old on a face still lined with baby fat and eyes still wide and innocent.
An expression that made it feel he was looked through.
“… I haven’t changed,” Misuzu’s voice soft and steady. “Yesterday I was quirkless and today I am quirkless. I haven’t changed.”
MIsuzu looked at him in the eye.
“I’m still me and i’m happy with me.”
It was an odd phrase to say the least, almost as if there was an underlying meaning to her words. But the self assurance, the confidence lining her words? Those were the truth and it oddly left him breathless.
Here was a young child, not even out of toddlerhood, okay with being quirkless in a society focussed on quirks.
Tsukauchi couldn’t help but let the small laugh slip out of his mouth.
He could hear Toshinori chuckling in the background as he walked over and lifted Misuzu into his arms.
“Yes my little bell,” Toshinori hugged the small child close to his chest. “You are still you.”
Misuzu looked at the two of them before her serious expression melted and she blushed a pretty pink again and tucked her face behind her plushie again.
Toshinori chuckled before he motioned Tsukauchi to follow him into the kitchen. It was time for them to start dinner.
Tsukauchi chuckled and followed his old friend.
Even though they may not know why All For One kept the child. Even though the small child lost her family. He’s glad that their efforts into investigating All For One was not in vain.
He’s glad they managed to save the kiddo.