Mha: Quirk Of Insight by Ember Hollow at Inkitt

001 - Your Hero Academia

The summer sun beat down on everything, and the cicadas would not shut up. Their shrill chorus had a way of scraping at the nerves.

In the park, a black-haired boy sat on the ground.

His face was pale, almost sickly, but his build was far too solid for someone his age. The contrast gave him a strange, mismatched look.

Right now, though, his brows were drawn tight. He made no move to run. Beneath those dark, heavy eyebrows, a pair of pale eyes watched the three boys standing in front of him.

"If you're going to hit me, then get it over with," the black-haired boy said evenly after the silence stretched too long. "I still have to go home."

He spoke as if he were not the one about to get beaten.

The three boys took that as a provocation. The one in front had spiky blond hair like an explosion frozen mid-blast, and his face twisted first. The other two followed his lead, cracking their knuckles as they stepped in.

Anyone with eyes could tell what this was: a bunch of brats picking on the weak kid.

Though, to be fair, the "weak kid" looked stronger than any boy his age had any right to be, while the three doing the bullying looked scrawny beside him.

"If you're Quirkless, then act Quirkless!" the blond boy snarled. His temper looked as explosive as his hair. "Who the hell gave you the nerve to keep picking fights with me, huh?"

Again and again, ever since his Quirk had awakened, this guy had come at him like he had a death wish.

"Fine. I'll beat reality into you." The blond boy's eyes sharpened. "You Quirkless loser. Acting like you're above everyone."

That word landed.

Loser.

The black-haired boy, who had seemed detached until then, trembled once. He said nothing, but his fingers dug into the dirt hard enough that his knuckles went bloodless.

"Ha! What else do you call someone with no Quirk in this era?"

"You keep picking fights anyway. Gotta give you credit for guts, I guess."

Behind the blond boy, his two lackeys, one chubby and one thin, burst into laughter. They had hated that calm look on the black-haired boy's face from the start. Seeing him shake with anger only made them laugh harder.

After a while, maybe because they had finally worn themselves out laughing, the three of them got ready to move.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Fast footsteps cut through the park.

Then came a breathless shout.

"Stop!"

All four boys froze.

The black-haired boy on the ground blinked. His already pale face tightened with resignation.

'How did he even find me? Does he have a hidden radar Quirk or something?'

A green-haired boy with freckles ran in and threw both arms wide, planting himself between the bullies and the boy on the ground as if his skinny frame could shield anyone from all three of them.

"This is too much, Kacchan!"

His voice shook, but he did not move.

"Why do you always have to bully Re... Ren?"

The green-haired boy was furious. His body trembled. Tears clung to the corners of his eyes. Even so, he stood in front of Ren and glared at the blond.

"Huh?"

The blond scoffed at the interruption and looked down at him with open contempt. The moment their eyes met, the green-haired boy lost half his courage. His outstretched arms drooped, and his hands clutched at the hem of his shirt as he shook.

"It's too much, Kacchan. Too much!" he shouted, as if trying to drown out his own fear. "You already made him cry! If you keep doing this, I really won't forgive you!"

It might have sounded impressive if tears had not started spilling down his face.

"Move, crybaby."

"B-but Ren is..."

A strong hand reached from behind him and shoved him aside.

Ren Mikage stood up.

His pale eyes were bright with something sharp and furious.

"Out of everyone..." Ren coughed once, then forced the words out. "You're the last person I want saving me, crybaby."

On the final word, he moved.

Midoriya only saw a blur. Ren was already in front of Kacchan, his fist driving straight into the stunned boy's face.

The blond boy flew backward and hit the ground hard.

"Hah... hah..."

Ren dragged in harsh breaths. His whole body trembled, but he stayed on his feet.

"So what if I don't have a Quirk?" he said through his panting. "Don't look down on what I've trained for."

"Ren-Ren!"

Midoriya's tears stopped in their tracks.

He stared at the shaking figure in front of him, the boy who was still standing despite everything. Something bright and stubborn settled in his wide eyes.

Then he charged in too.

A long while later, the blond spat on the ground.

He looked down at the two battered boys lying in the dirt, his eyes full of disdain.

"Next time you pick a fight with me, it won't end this easily, loser."

With that, he turned and left the park with his two lackeys.

Ren and Midoriya lay there bruised and breathless, too tired to care. For a while, they only stared up at the sky.

"Hey... Ren-Ren?"

Ren's face stiffened.

"Why do you always pick fights with Kacchan?" Midoriya asked quietly. "His Quirk is really strong. We can't beat him."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Ren-Ren?"

The childish nickname made Ren flinch so hard that, for a second, even the pain in his body felt lighter.

"B-but..." Midoriya's expression tightened. He gave an awkward little laugh. "Ren-Ren sounds friendlier."

Ren looked like he wanted to argue, then stopped.

Whatever crossed his mind killed the complaint in his throat. He only raised one arm over his forehead and stared blankly past it, eyes unfocused.

"Forget it," he muttered. "I'm going home. If I'm late again, Mom's going to tear me apart."

He sprang up with a practiced kip-up, brushed the dirt from his clothes, and started for the park exit without waiting for the freckled boy still lying on the ground.

At the edge of the park, Ren stopped.

He looked back.

Midoriya was still on the ground.

For a brief moment, disgust flickered in Ren's eyes.

"One more thing," Ren said coldly. "Don't use 'we' like we're the same."

"Why?"

The cold words hit Midoriya harder than the beating had. He scrambled upright and shouted after Ren's retreating back.

'Do you look down on me too?'

'Do you not want to be my friend either?'

But Ren did not hear him.

He was already too far away.

Only his low murmur drifted back.