Chapter Text
Despite the last obstacle course relay having finished for the day, Yaoyorozu Momo can still hear the frantic and fumbling footsteps of her competitors ringing in her inner ears. Most people have migrated away from the course, instead turning their attention on each other as they wait for Nezu-Sensei to announce the names of the four students who will enter UA as recommendation students.
Most of Momo’s peers are being showcased to other heroes, their referees naming off the accomplishments, prospects, and pedigrees of their recommendation students for everyone to hear. Momo cannot help but compare this practice to the exuberant cattle auctions she’s seen in the old American western movies her brother hides from their parents under his bed.
Some student hopefuls thrive, others show indifferent, and a small few appear uncomfortable by the excessive ‘look-at-me’ attention being directed towards them from all sides.
Momo is just happy not to be involved in the bragging. Her mother is busy talking to a potential sidekick and had instructed Momo to scout her competition. A vague endeavor Momo is choosing to ignore in favor of looking for her earring that had fallen out during the start of her race.
The air around the track still smells of the loose dust kicked airborne during their race, an oppressive scent that makes it difficult to breathe near the track. Yet, the black-haired girl sucks up the uncomfortable feeling and begins searching.
She is brushing the dirt on the ground around with her shoe, when she notices the fresh scent of grass breeze through the air and a pair of red sneakers enter her focused view.
“Hello,” A small green-haired teenager greats. “Do you need help?”
Momo blinks and dips her head, “If you would not mind, one of my earrings fell out during the race, but it seems like a lost cause without a locator quirk.”
“Okay.” The teenager says before sprinting away from the track and out of Momo’s view.
“Don’t mind Izzy.” Another unfamiliar voice says, and Momo falls when she turns to see Wing Hero Hawks leaning against one track’s railings eating a bag of chips. “They get caught up in their own head.”
“I would never judge someone over such a minor incident. Besides, many people have similar problems. Personally, I can understand the struggle of getting stuck in your head. I often get lost in thinking about atomic configuration and, uh, new designs for Matryoshka. Which, now that I say it out loud, must sound stupid to such a high ranking Pro Hero.”
“Adorable, so what is your name?”
“Oh, yes, my name is Yaoyorozu Momo and my quirk is Creation.”
“Interesting,” Momo looks to see Izzy holding a large rake in their hand. “I hope you don’t mind me asking but does Creation allow you to make organic and inorganic materials, or are there limits? Can you make something that has aged? Like could you create a paper that has the properties of paper that has aged fifteen years?”
“Izzy.”
“You're no fun, Hawk.” Izzy sighs disappointedly before sticking their tongue out at the Pro. “Anyway, my name is Shirakumo Izzy.”
Momo couldn’t help but frown at the brief introduction, and couldn’t help but wonder if she’d made the Shirakumo dislike her. Did the other teen feel Momo had commandeered too much of their referee’s time? Or did the teen think Momo vein for caring about an earring while they are awaiting such important test results? Or maybe-
“Izzy, we aren’t in Hōrudo. It’s normal for people to introduce themselves with their name, quirk, and in this case middle school.”
“Oh, ya, that makes sense, I guess.” Izzy murmurs while looking embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I figured you noticed my QSB patch.”
“QSB patch?” Momo can’t help but repeat the words, she’s heard of QSB patches before but she’d never seen one in real life. “I was told we could not alter our uniforms.”
Izzy nodes, turning their arm to the side and for the first time Momo notices the yellow patch stapled to their gym uniform that the school provided them. “Ya, the school made an exception to the rule. According to the ‘Quirkless Protection Acts’, quirkless people are required to wear a QSB in their designated color at all times.“
“Oh, I never knew that. Are their different colors?”
“Ya, Hōrudo has an extensive badge system to distinguish people. Most quirkless peoples QSBs are yellow, red QSBs are for-”
“Momo!” Her mother’s voice startles Momo, and she looks to see her mother walking towards them, her face turning a violent red color as she approaches. The glare she sends Hawk is strong and cold. “You should be ashamed bringing them here. They should go to school in Hōrudo, where they are safe and with other people like themselves.”
Hawks shrugs his shoulders casually but Momo sees the way his wings reach out to Izzy, “UA is a private international institution, which means as long as Nedzu allows it, Izzy may attend.”
“Let’s go, the school will announce the results any minute now.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Good luck, Yaoyorozu Momo! I hope to see you at UA.”
Momo’s grin wouldn’t leave. She is officially an UA student and she will be in class 1-A.
The ceremony is uneasy, as Momo could feel the discontent of over two-hundred Hero hopefuls in their mediocre applause.
Mother doesn’t allow her to go onto the stage to receive her medal with the other recommendation student because, “We are making a stand.”
Despite not knowing what stand they are making, Momo claps loudly when Nezu calls Shirakumo Izzy’s name and announces they will also be in class 1-A.
“Congratulations, Miss. Yaoyorozu.” Momo looks up to see Nezu smiling cheerfully at her from the bench she is sitting on, waiting for her mother to get their car. “I am sorry that we couldn’t have you on stage to accept your award today.”
“Yes, my mother said we were taking a stand and for that reason I could not go up and accept the award.”
The hybrid animal nods in understanding, “I understand, I came to give you your award and also return something that you had lost.”
“Something I lost, Sir?”
The small creature nodes his head and hands the girl a folded piece of notebook paper. Curious, the girl opens the tissue and finds her earring and a hastily scribbled writing. “May I ask what you think about Young Shirakumo?”
“Shirakumo seems very nice and willing to help others. I assume they must be skilled to have gained the attention of a Top Ten Hero like Hawk. They seem to have the potential to be a great hero.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, would you mind if I gave you some advice?”
“It would honor me, Sir.”
“Be careful of the stands you make. One of my biggest regrets is not taking a stand against prejudice, and I have only just begun trying to atone for that mistake.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
‘Hōrudo QSB Badge System:
Yellow- Quirkless (ME!)
Red- Parents who have a quirkless child
Orange- Children who have (1) quirkless parent
Green- People who have uncontrollable quirks
Pink- Sympathizers
White- Foreigners
Blue- People who have undesirable quirks
There are more types of QSB Badges, but these are the most common. I look forward to seeing you in class.
-S. I’