Chapter Text
The nostalgic sound of the rush hour bustle of Mustafu city, audible even from his height, brings a smile to the young man’s face as he discretely flew over the city. His crimson wings glisten in the early evening sun, gracefully flapping through the pleasant yet cold-winter breeze. He breathes in deeply, for the first time since his meeting with the commission.
His eyes are peeled for a group, who were harder to spot than he imagined. He kept repeating the descriptions in his head as he scours the area. A bald man in a wheelchair. African-American woman with white hair. Brown-haired teen. Red-haired teen. Navy-blue-haired man. Blue beast-like man. It seemed easy enough. Where were they?
Finally, the blue beast catches his eye. Ecstatic to have finally found them, he began moving into a perfect perching spot to get intel on the group.
"Look it’s Pro Hero Hawks!" A girl pointed and squealed from across the street from the group Hawks was stalking. The crowd raced over to below where Hawks had set up his “discrete” perch. Looks like I need to go to plan B.
Hawks swooped down to the ground to meet his fans. Cameras flash. The sound of traffic and horns is replaced with questions. Lots of them.
"Mr. Hawks, Mr. Hawks, may have a selfie with you?" He turned to the girl from before giving his usual charismatic smile while trying to keep his eye on the group in question, who also has joined the crowd.
"Sure, say cheese," he said making a peace sign and posing for the picture.
Hawks stood there for a while talking and signing his autograph when he caught one of the strangers’ in their eyes watching him curiously.
He raised his hand in dismal, “sorry but I must be off now. Got places and to be people to save. Hero job is never over.” He said as he excused himself from his fans and paparazzi and made his way over to the strangers.
"Heyo," He said while raising his hand in a brief greeting. "I've never seen you guys here before, are you guys new to Musutafu City?" he asked.
"That's correct," the wheelchair-bonded man said speaking for the group.
Hawks smiles at them. "Welcome then, name's Hawks."
"I'm Professor Xavier." The man in the wheelchair said introduced himself first. "These are some of my students. Scott Summers and Jean Grey."
Hawks' eyes flicker over towards the two Caucasian teens. The boy had brown hair and was wearing red glasses he looked about six feet.
The girl had fiery-red-long hair which hung loosely down her back she was slightly shorter than the boy and maybe taller than Hawks was.
"The others are my colleagues' Storm, Hank, and Logan," Hawks piers his gaze away as he looked over to the others and smiles.
"Pleasure to meet you all," he bowed spreading its wings in the process. "Want me to show you around?" he offered folding his wings back in.
"That's very kind of you to offer," Professor X said.
Why did they want me to look into these guys they are just normal citizens.
"Here let me help you," Hawks said using a small group of feathers to lift a suitcase up the stairs for an elderly lady.
"Thank you very much, young man," the woman bows as she goes up the stairs.
Hawks smiled at her and then wave his hand for the X-Men to keep up as he started walking again. Whatever the reason it was, best make sure they aren’t faking.
“You really are talented with those feathers of yours. Can anyone just use their quirks or do you have rules to follow as well?" Hawks looked over to his left shoulder meeting Jean's green eyes. A wide grin crossed his face as he replied. Especially with someone like her who's so captivating.
"Awe thanks, my wings are pretty ya know amazing—" He said as he fluffed out his feathers. "Yet we do have rules just like all the other countries, unless you licensed you can't use your quirk."
"That makes sense, untrained quirks are dangerous" Storm asked.
Hawks glances at Storm then ahead "You got that right. There are many types thrown into three categories."
The feathers he sent out earlier began to return to his wings as they walked. "Like my quirk, called Fierce Wings it's known as a Mutation quirk, it is a permanent alteration to one's body." Raising his hand he began to list off the other categories.
"The next group is transformation Quirks. The People who fall under that group can transform parts of their bodies or their whole body into something else for a short time frame."
"The Next group is Emitters. They have an activation-based quirk like controlling gravity or fire for example," he said while holding out the three fingers he had used for listing the groups with.
"Oh, I get so it's like My powers, Logan's Claws, and Hank's appearance."
Hawks nods his head looking at Jean with a smile. "Ooh... hahaha..." Hawks stammers nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess you know that already."
Jean smiles shyly back. "Yes, though Professor X knows more about quirks than any of us really do, he's studied them for years."
"Really?"
Just then a panicked scream rang out interrupting them as a dog raced across the street as a truck was approaching fast. Hawks didn't bat an eye as used his feathers to swoop the dog and return it safely to its owner within seconds.
"Impressive," Logan said as he watched the feathers return to Hawks' wings.
"You’re quite talented. I take it you've been training for a while now," Professor X said to Hawks.
"Well yeah they don’t call me number 2 for nothing,” He puffed up, brushing it off like it was no big of a deal. A giggle from behind made him smirk. Nailed it. He thought, side glancing at Jean to see if she had really noticed.
“Still not better than being number one.”
Scott said.
"Oh really?” Hawks ask sarcastically cocking his head to the side as he glances at Scott. “Thing is all of us Pro heroes we are swamped with work. Every one of us does anything to try to help people around us or keep them safe, Hawks sent out another group of feathers which return to him within seconds.
“Right now there are many heroes out there and their agencies scattered about to doing exactly what I’m doing right now, so you don't see as many of us heroes around in one location. he said.
His tone quickly grew more serious as he went on his triangular eyes narrowed slightly. "And since our former number 1 Pro Hero All Might retired more villains from the L.O.V (League of Villans) have been showing up creating havoc for us.”
Jean and a few others cast nervous glances at each other.
"It sounds like there are a lot of power struggles going around," Scott said looking at Hawks sparingly.
"Honestly does everything have to be a competition with you?" Jean asked as she elbowed Scott on his side. That caused Scott turns to look at her, opening his to speak. Only to be cut off again. "I mean it, Scott."
Hawks smirks and snickers, as she turns to look at him next. "Don't think you're getting away scot-free either."
Hawks stared back speechlessly as his smirk flattered as he quickly changed the subject. "I-in truth some of us heroes try to be in different parts of the city or in other cities that need us," he said looking away. “Due to lack of heroes in some places we have schools that help train the next generation who want to be pro heroes like me and the others someday." Hawks said pointing at himself as he spoke.
"We, should be thanking you," Professor X said. "For, giving us a tour of the city. I'm sure you were busy. This was a good learning experience for my students here."
Hawks smiled at him. "No problem, sir," he said. “It’s my job helping out citizens even if they are a tourist. What brings to Japan by the way?”
Professor X smiles, “I am actually here to meet up with an old friend of mine. I haven’t seen it in years. I figured this would be a good chance for my students here to learn about quirks and hero work outside of the US and how it differs from one another and are the same.”
"Huh, I see. If you want to learn more about you are talking to one most the most knowledgeable heroes out there but, UA might be your guys' cup of tea in the long run. It’s one of the most well-known hero schools we have. I bet you guys would learn more there than being here with me yours truly on the streets.” Hawks said.
"Did you attend the school as well?" Storm asked.
”Nope, but a lot of heroes had the honor of doing so. Yet all the schools have a rivalry with one another, you usually see it when the hero licensing exam comes about.”
“Sounds like you’re talking from experience.”
Hawks shrugs moving his wings. "Not really, I’ve had to compete against them once. Let’s say I schooled them all.”
"What of those who don’t have a quirk?" Jean asked tucking back loose of her long red hair.
"Well, the quirkless or normal citizens aren’t always treated the same as those of us with quirks. They usually end up taking different routes from those with quirks and well there are some people with quirks that some label villainous too along with mutations quirks have it the worst. It’s just a circle that no side wins," he said.
”Well spoken Hawks. I’m amazed you know so much.” Professor X said.
”What can I say? Being a hero ya end up seeing a lot of different things too. Both good and bad.”
"No way hero work is black and white like you’re suggesting. You have been bragging this whole time, what if we don’t care-“
"Fine with me," Hawks said getting a bit more serious again. "After all if you’re not will to risk your life then stop before you go too deep and you can’t get out.”
Silence fell over the group as they process what Hawks just said. As they continued down the street together.
“I’m sure not all powers are built for hero work and combat,” Jean said.
"Yeah you have point there," Hawk agreed. "Some quirks aren't made for hardcore physical combat or combat of any kind. Therefore they might go for a different route like police, medic, teacher, etc."
"Sounds like, everyone can find their own path." Jean smiles. I wonder if we were from here things might be different and what paths we all would take.
Hawks nodded. "Your right and that’s the beaut-," he stiffens spreading his to wings halt them. He looked around eyes narrowed and darting about, he was alert and tuned into to his surrounding.
"Something wrong?" Storm asked him. They noticed the change in his demeanor and posture as well.
"Shit that's not good," he said.
"Something smells off," Logan said just as a strange monster-like creature flew at them. It aimed at the X-Men and Professor X. Before anyone could act.
"Get back!" Hawks shouted as he lunches his feathers toward the X-Men and Professor to protect them from the attack.
But the move left him open and he took the blunt focus of the hit. Hawks grunted in pain from the creature's strikes.
"What is that?" Scott asked watching the winged hero fighting the creature before them.
Logan's silver long claw appeared. He was ready to fight whatever that thing was. "Whatever it is is friendly," Logan growled.
"Stand down this isn't our fight," Profesor remind them.
"It attacked us, Chuck!”
"He's right we should help."
Professor shook his head. "We wait, if he wants help he'll ask for it.”
Logan growled once more but sheathed his claws."Fine."
They kept watching the fight between the hero and the creature. Hawks, was moving fast with his strikes, as his feathers returned to him quickly. He was thinking to himself. "It must be sent by the League of Villains lab. like the others," His was fast as the rest of his feathers were now back. A new hero showed up as well body covered in flames.
The X-Men didn't like sitting back and watching, but the fight looked to be coming to an end as the newcomer burned the creature to nothing.