Chapter Text
The nostalgia of the school’s corridor made Dominik’s stomach bubble. It had been sometime since he had walked the corridors of UA High, with nothing but a backpack of books and dreams of making it big in the hero world. Still, the seemingly endless hall of lockers and the stench of teenage musk that lingered in the air, even when students were in class, was still capable of giving him nervous butterflies. Every time his gaze wondered, he was met by the faded visions of the memories from his childhood; the first time he asked a girl out, the first time he was bullied by older students with more flashy quirks and shortly after that, his first fight with a fellow UA student. Many people say that your school years are the best years of your life, mostly they were right, but the negatives can still follow you forever, even if you’re a big time Pro-Hero government official.
The sounds of gracefully authoritative heels brought Dominik back to this time. To his side, he caught a disapproving glance of his superior. The back of his neck burned in embarrassment, she obviously caught him staring into space rather than concentrating on the task at hand, not very professional. His quirk didn’t activate, but he was sure there was bound to be a lecture that followed when they were done for the day. Every year, government officials would come in and speak to the first year students at UA High about a very serious issue, though most students thought it very boring. Before Dominik could revise any further, they had arrived at their first stop on their school tour, Hero course's class 1A. Dominik quickly straightened his tie, pulled down his cuffs and knocked strongly on a solid part of the sliding door, announcing their arrival to the teacher. This was his favourite part of his job, he always loved coming to see the next generation of Heroes, over the years, he had become quite adept at singling out who had what it takes, and who simply did not.
They were called in by a gruff voice. The door slide open with an almost silent swish, stood at the front of the class was a tall man with dog-tired eyes, shoulder length, unkempt black hair and what looked like a three day stubble under a bundled scarf around his neck.
“Mr Aizawa, as I live and breathe. UA are still employing you after you expelled all those students last year? How full is your class this year?” He chuckled heartily to himself and held out his hand.
“Hilarious as always, Dominik.” Mr Aizawa made no attempt to hide the sarcasm in his tired voice as he took his hand. His arm flapped aggressively as Dominik shook hands with the same enthusiasm he showed every year when they came. Aizawa often described him as ‘exhausting to be around’, but that was his job, his purpose for being here. His natural charisma helped to draw the students in, talking about laws and legislation or rules and regulations, was never exciting, as soon as those words are mentioned in a classroom, the bright faces and eager minds suddenly dim. Dominik strode purposefully and stood behind the short podium, it seemed even shorter for the near seven foot, goliath. He instantly felt most of the students stiffen at his presence. Not only could he engage crowds with his personality, but his physical height and obvious strength crammed into a official secret-spy style suit was also quite intimidating, he very rarely had anyone question his authority. The first thing he noticed, was that there seemed to actually be a full class this year, this is new, he wondered. Suddenly, Dominik’s quirk activated and he could rapidly hear all the questions racing through the student’s minds.
Name: Dominik Kwest – Quiz Master // Quirk: Question Telepathy. He is able to hear the questions of anyone in the same room or close vicinity. If he concentrates on one person, he can also pick up snippets of other recent internal thoughts. He has also been able to plant questions into minds, but only if a target is relaxed enough.
As usual, the questions he heard were the standard, who is this guy? Why does this guy look like he came from a funeral? What does this guy do?, and the less frequent but still often heard; I wonder, is he a spy? If he moved too awkwardly, would that suit just go… poof?
The classroom itself was large, with lots of natural light. Each student seemed to have a sufficient amount of space between their desk and they didn’t seem jammed in. Not much different to when he was sat in these very same seats. The nostalgia brought a thoughtful smile to his lips. His usual process was to stand there for a short time and let the class take him in, it allowed him to survey the room and quickly assess who he might be hearing about in the future of Hero work. Most importantly, the first few questions he heard were able to help him define the mood of the room, whether he could be his more energetic self and perk them up, or whether he needed to be more calming and draw their attention in. Annoyingly, it was clear that this class was evenly split. There were four, perhaps five students who seemed quite academically inclined, their focus and gaze were kept on him. Definitely three students whose attention span rivalled that of a goldfish, and one particular boy who eyes were unnervingly fixed on his superior who waited at the door. A few stood out, but how they reacted to this talk would tell him more. With a deep breath he deduced, this was his time.
“Future Heroes of the world, it’s good to finally meet you. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about this class.” He said this line every time, it’s always good to see a spark of pride in those young eyes, but in this case it wasn’t a lie. After the USJ and Hosu Incidents, the sports festival in between, and then there was what happened at the summer camp, they were all he saw in the news; which was odd as normally it would be the third year students who were making this kind of impact. “Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Dominik Kwest, and I am a government liaison for quirk holders.”
There were a few mutters amongst the class. Most students now seemed quite intrigued as to why they are here and what they would talk about. His role was to be the bridge between those with quirks, and those who were quirkless. Mostly this meant adapting the ever-changing worlds of the Hero profession and the government, having a direct hand in the rules and regulations that govern the Hero profession and to keep balance between the Heroes and the citizens, as well as making sure the police force was never undermined. It was a hard job, a constant twenty-four hour stress since crime never slept, but one he relished none-the-less. Finally, he heard the question that became scarcer every passing year; hey, isn’t that the pro-hero, Quiz Master?! His smile widened further, there indeed was a time where he too was a pro hero, and if he was honest he still loved to be recognised. Though his career was somewhat short and his quirk wasn’t flashy, it was invaluable when it came to interrogating, trying to work out a villains next move in the field, or realising if they were telling the truth. His relationship with the police was strong since he aided them in all these tasks, it still is strong, even now. It wasn’t long before his superior came and offered him the position of a lifetime. True, he’d be out of the spotlight, but he would be making a big difference in the world for Heroes now, and in the future, and that was his true passion.
The next few minutes passed well. Dominik cracked some jokes about his size, suggesting that his special move was making his buttons pop off and hit people in the face. He even got most of the students chuckling lightly. The whole class seemed genuinely interested after a brief rundown of what they would discuss with them, each for different reasons; some wanting to know about the laws so they didn’t break any rules; others were more concerned about when they could get in the thick of it and smash some heads, it’s not surprising they were so attentive, after all they had been through. He clasped his hands together and drew them in even further. “That’s not all we do ladies and gentlemen. Yes, our most common concern is ensuring the safety of the citizens, as you all well know, but we are also here to protect you. Now, since you are all future heroes, you may think that what my colleague is about to say doesn’t apply to you, but it is very important that you, as quirk-holders, are aware of your rights.”
There were some murmurs around the room and questions flooded his mind again. There was a time when the constant questions would drive him insane, before he had learnt to control his quirk, it seemed like a lifetime ago now. “Please welcome, my esteemed colleague, Aydia Amond.”
A woman, who stood in front of the closed door, made her way to the podium. She was near silent, save for the sound of her heels clicking on the floor. Her hair was long and poker straight, falling softly down her back. It was the most mesmerizing shade of white, not the kind of white you would normally associate with clouds on a sunny day or the inside of an apple, but the pure kind that seemed clear, near translucent, like glass. Her skin was flawless, and her features were soft and defined, not a freckle or mole in sight. Her crisp white shirt cut off at the elbows, showing defined forearms that looked polished and cared for, like a sentimental piece of jewellery. When she spoke, her voice a silvery and feminine.
“Students of class 1-A, as quirk holders, you each have rights. Today, we’re going to talk about one particular Article of these rights, Article 5 of a Quirk Holders Basic Rights; You’re right to anonymity.” Some eyebrows rose in confusion, and there were a few exhales of annoyance. “Some of you may be aware, when your quirks first manifest your parents or guardians are required to register that you have a quirk, and what kind of quirk it is. Since you're normally quite young when your quirks first come in fruition, you may not know that your parents also have the option to declare anonymity. This means that the only people to know about your quirk would be a very select group of government officials, and you would not find it on any public database.” She spoke clearly and precise, like she had given this speech to many people before.
The overall reaction of the class was shock, a young boy spoke out in response. “You mean there are people out there who don’t want others to know about their quirk? Honestly, I can’t think of anything more strange, how on Earth can there be anyone who doesn’t want to show off their mad skillz?”
Aydia let out an exasperated sigh. “Thank you, boy with streaked blonde hair, for making my career sound pointless in one blow.” From the corner she heard a slap as Mr Aizawa planted a palm to his forehead. “As future heroes, it may sound strange that some people would want to keep their quirks secret. Nevertheless, everyone should be aware of their rights. The fact is, more and more quirks are being discovered every day, and with each generation come more exotic and dangerous quirks. Not everyone wishes to become heroes and use their quirks openly, some wish to live a simple, quiet life. There are some people who worry about their safety, and that they may be targeted should their quirks become public.”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense, and she knew why, what happened at the summer camp was still fresh in their hearts, even if the kidnapped student had now been recovered, it was still raw. She pressed on through the deepening silence. “To keep your quirk anonymous is a very complex and select procedure. I can tell you that barely a handful of people have ever been accepted, and completed the process.”
A hand swished into the sky at a speed that made Aydia blink in surprise. Before, she could acknowledge it, the boy who pushed up a pair of thin-rimmed glasses spoke. “Please Miss Amond, could you enlighten us as to what kind of quirk would be considered suitable for anonymity?"
She couldn’t help the curious tilt in her head. It was very rare she met a student so articulate and yet brash for obvious answers. Though she was thankful that his question seemed to break the awkward air that tried to take back over the room. “I’m afraid not. I cannot comment on the quirks or the people that have been approved for anonymity. I can however, tell you to think about the quirks you have in this class. There are some that could be deemed extremely deadly, even villainous.” Before the atmosphere could change again, she quickly waved a hand in dismissal. “None of your quirks would be deemed appropriate to be kept secret.”
Curious murmurs came from the students as they looked at each other in near disbelief.
“Are you being serious? There are people out there with even-more-awesome quirks than ours?”
“It is not just the quirk. There are many factors that need to be acknowledged to determine if someone is at threat, or a threat themselves…” Aydia was cut off by eager students.
“Oh my goodness, I wonder what kind of quirks they are!”
“I know right! I bet it’s like, ‘mind control’ or something.”
"Nah, that kid from General Studies has some kind of mind control."
"Yeah, but has he ever put himself up for... this Article 5 thingy?"
"Oh..."
Aydia smiled as she began to feel the class slip into a debate about what kind of quirks would be ‘cool’ enough to be secret. So far her talk had gone much better than it normally did, it certainly was refreshing to see such hunger for legal knowledge. It was then she noticed a small boy at the front of the class, almost directly to her right side. His eyes were fixed intently on her, had she been a weaker woman, she probably would have felt unnerved by his staring. Her attention was taken when her colleague coughed to cover a hearty chuckle. His jerking shoulders instantly told her that Dominik was desperately trying to stop himself bursting into hysterics. Suddenly Aydia felt control of the room slip through her fingers.
“Class.” That one word from Mr Aizawa, brought instant silence to the room. “You may be aware of Dominik, or Quiz Master, his quirk lets him hear the questions and thoughts going through your mind.” The small boy gasped in shock, his hands trembling as he looked towards Dominik, who in turn averted his gaze and sucked so hard on his lips to stifle a laugh that his olive skin turned pale around his mouth and a stray tear tumbled down his cheek. “Aydia, or True Clarity as she is also known, has only a few more things to go over with you, so please settle down for a little while longer.”
As if on cue, the overcast clouds outside parted. Natural sunlight poured into the room and right onto True Clarity, who stood with a small, thoughtful grin on her face. She let out a soft exhale of release and as the light hit her, her hair shimmered gently like speckled crystals and rainbows appeared on the wall behind her. The blue of her eyes, which resembled the calm above troubled waters, shone a little brighter. In this moment, she was beauty incarnate. A true mystery.
Name: Aydia Amond - True Clarity // Quirk: Diamond Density. Her whole body holds the properties and strength of a diamond, even her hair and nails. She can’t be scratched by anything other than a diamond.
The next few moments passed easily, some students asked relevant questions, which somewhat surprised her. Above all, she felt it nice that these future heroes showed an interest in trying to do things the right way. There were some who even wanted to know about her pro hero career, it had been some time since she had recounted her old life, it caught her off guard but she found herself reeling off her experiences and loosing track of time. Soon enough, her talk had started to go over their allocated time, which seldom happened.
From her hip came a short, sharp vibration. As she checked her pager, she briefly considered ignoring the message since her talk was going so well, until she heard the same vibration coming from her colleague in the corner. They both looked at each other with the same concern in their eyes, keeping their military composure intact, although barely so. To try and contact the both one them at once, could only mean one thing. Dominik reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a round black box that fit nicely in his large palm. He placed it on the podium, his back to the class.
“Please see that Principle Nezu get this.” He said quietly, discreetly sliding the box to Mr Aizawa. Spinning around to the rest of the class with his usual cheeky grin. “That’s all the time we have today. Please excuse us.” Both Aydia and Dominik bowed to Mr Aizawa and the still-chattering teens. “Thank you for your time today Mr Aizawa, and you too class1-A.”
They left before anyone could question why.
****
A little while earlier, on the other side of the country….
“This has got to be one of the worst scenes I’ve come across in my entire policing career.” Detective Inspector Yukiyama Yasotaro said in a hushed tone as his heavy duty boot squelched in a pool of semi-dry blood. He noticed his second in command, Deputy Inspector Hayashi Kobo, a young, slender and incredibly intelligent man, nodded in a glum silence at his statement. A Detective Inspector’s job was never easy, there was always some gruesome scenes to be investigated, his frown lines and crow’s feet that naturally came with age were deepened from the stress of the job. Huicho was a small town just off the outskirts of the city, Yasotaro spent so much time in the city that when his deputy called him to come out here, he had to take a minute to remember where the quiet town was. Perhaps that was what made this sight worse, that such a horrific crime could be committed in such a small and gentle town. He pulled on a white latex glove and squatted in front of the lifeless bodies of a man and woman. The man laid stretched out, face down on the floor, his arm reaching out to the woman who rested against the wall, one leg out, the other curled inwards, her palm rested on her calf, as if she had also tried to reach for him.
“This is what I’ve been given so far, Sir.” Amidst the sound of snapping cameras from the CSI team, Kobo spoke in a stern tone, desperately trying to pull himself from the scene he was about to describe. This was unlike him Yasotaro noted, he was usually so professional and understood that this was a job, never personal. “It happened during the early hours of this morning. From what we can gather with the very little we have, it seems that the couple were aware when the intruder came into the house. When the first officers got here, the chest they had used to barricade the door was already tossed to the side, most likely when the intruder managed to break through.” Holding a digital tablet in one hand, he pointed with a pen to a shattered chest, some of the doors had broken from the impact and spilled out various garments on the blood soaked floor. “It's most likely the man had already been injured downstairs, judging by the trail of blood leading up to the room, but had still managed to get himself upstairs with his wife, where they then attempted to barricade themselves in the room for safety. The intruder then broke through and the man, who we believe was face-up on the floor, here, managed to get a shot off from his own weapon, but it missed and hit the door.” Kobo pointed to a spot on the floor where there was a large streak of blood, and then followed an imaginary path of trajectory for the bullet, right to where it now sat in the middle and towards the top of the plain oak door, an almost impossible shot. "The intruder shot the husband again, this time in the leg, took his weapon and then his shot wife in the head.” Kobo took a deep, shuddered breath as he continued. “The detectives and forensic team assume his weapon was taken since they have yet to find one. Since he had no weapon to reach for, it looks as though the husband then crawled across the floor to his wife. They were both found like this." He let out a long sigh. "Post mortem will confirm, but I believe he bled out from the gunshot wound in his left side. Neighbours contacted local police when they heard shots fired.”
Yasotaro begun to gently run his glove over the victims, looking for the tiniest of clues that could shed more light onto the situation. He didn’t speak, except to ask his deputy an occasional question, which he answered. He stood up and looked around the room. It was quaint, the furniture was sturdy and of good make and the walls were well decorated. There were photos smashed on the floor and paintings of local landscape on the walls.
What he couldn’t work out was, why. In the city there were so many variables that could lead to something like this, people fell out over the smallest things when they were fuelled with alcohol or drugs. The Heroes in the city did a great job of helping to maintain peace and keep drugs off the street, but criminals will always find a way, it was their job to stay one-step ahead of them. This couple however, lived in a normal house, in a quiet town. They were nicely dressed and aside from the crime, their house was clean and neat. They had nice things, but nothing so lavish to deemed worth stealing. The only jewellery the woman wore was a wedding ring and a bracelet that looked like strings of diamond woven into a braid. All the man had was his own wedding ring, and what looked like a sports watch, the face of the which was smashed beyond repair. Nothing stood out about this crime, accept that it made no sense. Yasotaro took a long sigh as theories raced through his head. He would be no man if he didn’t admit that some crimes, even after all this time, still made him want to run home and hug his family.
“Do we know the victims?” Yasotaro asked.
“Our detectives are questioning the neighbours.” Kobo began to tap quickly on his tablet, pushing up his thick rimmed glasses as they slipped slightly. “We’re running fingerprints now, but it looks like they’re not known to the police.”
Less than a minute passed when an officer strode in, seemingly out of breath and holding out a mobile phone. “Excuse me, Detective Inspector, Deputy Inspector”. The uniformed officer acknowledged them both and held out the phone to Yasotaro. “It’s for you, Sir.”
“Who is it?” He asked, getting increasingly annoyed that the officer would interrupt their inspection of the crime scene when they had just arrived.
At that time Kobo, who had his eyes glued to his tablet, grew wide-eyed at what came up on screen. “Uh, Sir, I’ve got a hit on the husband and wife.”
“What does it say?” Yasotaro’s attention was now firmly fixed on Kobo’s confused expression.
“It’s a- uh… S.H.A.D.O?” It was difficult to tell if he was asking a question, or making a statement.
“A shadow?”
“No, Sir. S.H.A.D.O.” He spelt out the letters of the acronym. “There’s no other information. I can’t find anything about what this means.” He continued to tap, shaking his head and huffing in frustration as he got nowhere.
Yasotaro looked at the officer, who still stood straight, holding the phone in his hand. “Thank you. I’ll take the call.”