Chapter Text
The turning point in our society occurred when a baby was born who shone like the sun. His name was Perseus and he was the first child born with a quirk. That was about 100 years ago and over 80% of the world has some type of augmentation or supernatural skill. Some quirks are almost godlike in their strength while others are minor abilities, but anything is better than being labeled quirkless. My older brother is considered a god among men; his name, Achilles, is spoken like a prayer and living in his shadow would be difficult for anyone but especially for a quirkless 14-year old that spent most of his time fanboying over heroes. When I was younger I used to run around in his hero costume and pretend I was as strong as him, now I just hope my parents would stop trying to subtly suggest I start looking into other careers.
“Patroclus !! Come down for dinner!!!” I heard muffled through my bedroom door, I guess dad just got home.
“Okay, mom! Be down in a sec!” I finished the sentence I was on and quickly shut my journal. Achilles was supposed to be home for dinner tonight but sometimes he can’t escape work. I can’t say I wasn’t happy about him missing dinner tonight. Once I made it downstairs I could smell the chicken teriyaki and would have been elated if it didn’t mark tonight as another night trying to convince me not to apply for UA. UA is the best hero school in the country and if I was going to be the first quirkless hero I would first need to graduate from there. The hero program began about 15 years after the first quirks appeared; the police were just not equipped to handle crime by superhumans, so the government began the “Hero Program.” I knew my parents meant well but their insistence that my dream of becoming a hero was impossible was a little disheartening.
As we sat down for dinner my dad asked, “Have you thought any more about where you are going for college?”
I responded with a generic “no, not really” but in reality, the UA entrance exam was the next morning and I was planning on being there. I am sure my parents were aware of this but if we left it unsaid we did not have to have the same argument as last night.
“You know, with your brain, you would be perfect for the support course of UA. I get the urge to follow after your brother, but you need to be realistic here Pat” my mom continued last nights discussion without hesitation.
“I know I don’t have Achilles’s strength, but I have been training for years and there are plenty of heroes whose quirks aren’t super physical! Hero Odysseus isn’t super strong he mostly uses his intelligence in fights” I know that this won’t change anything because I can quote my father’s response verbatim.
“You’re right.” This is a break in the script and it shocks me out of my own thoughts. “There are heroes who aren’t super strong, but we are worried you are doing this to prove a point and we just want you to know that you don’t have to be like your brother for us to accept you” he continues.
“It’s not always about Achilles!” Burst from me without any conscious thought, “I want to help people! I want to show kids like me that they can be a hero too!” I knew I shouldn’t yell but I just wish they would understand. I didn’t feel very hungry anymore, so I just went back upstairs and away from my parents' worried mutterings. My thoughts were racing so fast that I feared I would be up all night but blissfully after stripping off my binder I fell into dreamless sleep almost immediately.
Strangely, instead of the turmoil, I was expecting to feel, my head was clear for the first time in months. Today was the practical hero exam for UA; my future was riding on this test. I grabbed my journal out of habit, but I doubted that there would be much time to analyze the quirks around me. My parents were already at work and Achilles was still asleep, so I could eat breakfast in peace. After leaving a quick note to my mom on the fridge I grabbed the keys and began the drive across the city.
UA was massive. The size of a city block without any of the dirt and grime. Seeing the monstrous gates in front of me snapped me out of the daze I had been in all morning and suddenly my binder feels much too tight. The sight had stopped me in my tracks and I knew I needed to keep walking if I did not want to be late but the knot in my stomach kept me rooted to the
“HEY! Watch it!” I hear right before what feels like a truck hits me from the back. I instinctively go to apologize but when I look up I am once more speechless because instead of a stranger it’s the biggest asshole from my old school, Ares, right in front of me.
“What the fuck Patricia” he continues as I wince at the use of my old name. “I can’t believe you even bothered to show up.” Usually, I would have at least responded but before I can get over the shock he continues walking up to the gate.
The explanation of the rules passed in a blur and all I am completely sure about is that it is set in a fake city with scores for both fighting and rescuing. There are 4 arenas that we are divided between and I thank every deity in the universe that Ares was sent to a different area. The urge to throw up hasn’t left since my unhappy meeting with Ares but using some of the breathing exercises my brother had to learn for his anger clears my mind. There are about 30 of us in this zone and I instinctively start categorizing the quirks around me: there are only ten obviously physical quirks, one who resembles a wolf, but there's also a girl almost distracting in her beauty and a boy with violently red hair whose smirk seems to be challenging the world. While I am still staring at this boy who has the confidence of a king, the bell for the test rings and I am almost thrown off my feet when the crowd surges forward.