Kai was silent.

His forehead gently pressed against the tinted windows of the black Bentley he sat within, eyes aimlessly roaming to the pedestrians and buildings as they blurred by.

People, regular people at that, not the HPSC employees or other child soldiers Kai had seen for most of his second life. Normal civilians who went about their lives with seemingly not a care in the world. Smiles on their faces, eyes brimming with energy, and a peaceful atmosphere which could tame even the worse people.

The feeling was a reminder for him, to make himself remember why he endured years of glorified torture. The days spent alone, stuck with his own thoughts that were already negative to begin with, slowly inviting countless doubts about the future and his abilities.

'Worth it,' Those simple two words banished any lingering doubts quickly. He wanted to help people and keep those smiles forever, no matter how delusional it might be. He wanted people to not be forced to suffer, or to understand the horrors that were lurking so close, waiting for their time to pounce. They should not have to, because as egotistical as it sounded, no convenience store manager was going to one day decide "Fine, I'll do it myself," and fix everything wrong with a snap of their fingers.

Kai wished it were that easy, but his whole life in this world was a delicate dance, one with the weight of future knowledge on his shoulders trying to make him trip and fall.

No, most of these people were content with their lives, and not everyone wanted power, fame or money. He knew because he was one of them. Power was just a means to an end, to protect those he loves like Hina, and also to ensure he can protect a future where he eventually will meet others he might come to love equally as much.

The thought was more than a healthy dosage of sappy, Kai smirking at how naive his thinking was almost a decade after he got hit with the hardest gut punch in reality, which had been his death.

Despite dying, Kai was stubborn, and definitely selfless when it came to a few things and even selfish with other things. If he could reach his arm out, he would not hesitate, but he also understood he had to be strong enough to hold on to whatever hand he grasped.

He would not throw his life away, but if he was strong enough to guarantee it, then even the fires of Hell would only be another obstacle in his eyes.

Kai yawned silently, glancing at the older man who was currently driving him to his next stop in life, the silence surprisingly nice. For the moment he did not have to answer questions with convoluted meanings, try to pick apart every cadence and word, nor did he have to do so to pass some test.

This silence, it wasn't forced on him by loneliness or as mental training, this time it was by his own volition.

Three hours in said quietness later, and Kai could see the rolling open hills fenced off by metal bars fifteen feet high. Trees, gardens, cabins, a park, and even a golf course could be seen.

With the previous, he could assume he was close, and he quickly made peace with the drastic life switch from Agent Striker to Kai Yaoyorozu.

He had learned to adapt to abrupt changes long ago. 

There was no hand holding anymore, and if he honestly wished to make changes to the world, there would be no one to fall back on for the moment.

The HPSC may think they have gained another loyal dog, but they were vastly mistaken in that regard, since Kai planned something much greater.

To be the number one hero.

'Huh,' Kai thought as he saw the last stretch of fence leading up to a set of giant metal barred gates. 'Maybe wanting to be number one comes packaged with One for All, I never really wanted anything grand like that in my old life.'

He chuckled aloud at the thought, drawing a brief glance from the older man who drove him, his black eyes studying him before going back to the road. Kai cared little from the probing look, still within his head as they finally made it to the entrance.

'It's a little ironic, to once again be a ward of the rich.'

Just as before, when he was adopted in his old life, it was by a wealthy family with too much money to spend. He had been a simple orphan boy thrust into a lavish lifestyle that made his head spin trying to understand. A naive twelve year old boy taken in by famous actors as a charity case. It was a fun experience, but in the end it did not last long, the autoimmune disease one hell of a lifestyle killer.

Hopefully, this time, he won't suddenly get sick again and rot in a hospital bed for two years.

The vehicle pulled up to a gate, and the chauffeur held out a key card to a security guard who stepped out of his shack and sauntered toward them. They spoke a few words that Kai barely heard, and after supposedly a joke the two shared a laugh over, they were promptly let through. 

The drive up to the ten story mansion was just as peaceful, and upon pulling around a circle driveway with a fountain of atlas holding up the earth in the center, Kai's door opened without him doing so.

Before him stood four servants, one holding the door for him while the others bowed toward him and made their way toward the trunk to grab his few things.

Nodding to them, Kai led his focus elsewhere, eyes scanning the two tall adults who seemingly wore casual clothes. However, with a cursory glance, he noticed they were actually wearing well known designer clothes.

The woman stepped forward first, and surprisingly her outfit was a simple yellow sundress with a straw hat tied with a pink bow. She gave an aura of ease and care, as Kai would bet his life on the fact she was an animal lover with a Motherly personality. Her hair was just as dark as Kai's, resting on her right shoulder like it was a throne, perfectly smooth as if a curtain of midnight black weaved into silk.

How much of her appearance and attitude was real, he had no idea, but as she flashed him a smile that rivaled All Might in shine; it 'all might' not be a front.

"Hello Kai, it's nice to meet you. You can call me Auntie, or Mother, or whatever you prefer, Vivi is fine as well." 

She had a tinge of an English accent, her name also telling of her European roots as well. 

Kai mirrored her smile, bowing deeply, "It is nice to meet you as well Ms. Yaoyorozu, I hope we can get along well."

His words caused the woman to frown for a second, her eyes blazing with determination, for what exactly Kai was not entirely sure.

"Hmm." The gruff grunt brought attention to the other figure, the man wearing a simple white polo shirt accompanied by black slacks; of course with a Rolex on both his wrists. He looked like he was going out to golf, and if Kai could wager a bet, he believed it was exactly that. The man was handsome for his older age, not a gray hair or wrinkle on him, and his swept to the side black hair glistened in the sun. 

His voice was stern as he spoke.

"Young man, I am entrusting you to help protect the livelihood of my entire legacy. Momoto is a bright boy, rarely acts up, and is scarily diligent in his work. Yet he lacks physicality, you will make up for that, both in teaching and safeguarding."

Kai's smile was a little strained, "Of course, I promise to do my best."

"I hope you can do more than your best. I pulled out a favor from Chairman Yasu because I do not want adults with their own agendas to teach my son martial skills and after a spark of inspiration, I can't decide who better to help than someone similar in age, weight, and height. You are now an employee of the Yaoyorozu Family, the fact carries more weight than I know you can bear. Don't disappoint me."

Kai knew Arito Yaoyorozu was a man who did not pull his punches, was very serious about his family, and also liked to hear himself talk. He gleaned those bits just from his demeanor, cadence, eye movement, and countless other small variables shown through body movement.

With the same man's face morphing into a glare, Kai also noted he was a slightly arrogant man, but with enough money and power to back it up, confidence being a better word he supposed.

Kai knew how to deal with those who had an itch to throw their weight around, and that was giving them a reason not to.

"I understand."

The short response made Mr. Yaoyorozu slightly flinched, as if he was expecting the naivety and pride of a child to kick in and test his metal. 

Kai noticed this too, and for all the faults he had discovered in their short meeting, he also noticed a positive point for the man. 

Mr. Yaoyorozu's gaze no longer was sharp, more pensive as he studied Kai further, carefully reigning in his visible doubts for the moment. 

He was someone who learned from their mistakes.

"Now honey," The melodic voice of his wife cut through the tension with practiced ease. "Enough with the measuring contest, go have fun with Chairman Kotau and Lady Smithson. It's not everyday you can get two people like that in the same place for something other than oil prices."

Ms. Yaoyorozu stepped past his husband, suddenly gripping Kai's wrist and pulling him up the wide marble steps leading up to the wooden double doors. The servants behind them quickly caught up, barely able to get said doors open before Kai was practically dragged inside.

Instinct told him to pull away, to plant a dagger in her forearm and tear the tendon that would make her grabbing him virtually impossible, but Kai had seventeen years to help him bite down on that instinct and let himself be whisked away.

The entrance to the mansion was actually formal and nice, not extravagant or trying to shove wealth toward any who may enter. It was the same with their clothes as well, a type of wealth that everyone knew they had, so not acts of showing it were necessary.

The name Yaoyorozu was a household name for a reason.

"Ah, Momoto always wanted a little brother, I can't wait for you to meet him. Well, maybe not, you both are the same age, Your birthdays or only a day apart, so technically you are still younger…"

Kai found amusement at her airheadedness, cataloging another tidbit that both heads of the Yaoyorozu liked to talk a lot. He supposed in such an empty mansion, only with servants who would rather cut their throats then hold a conversation with their own opinions with them, it was warranted.

He continued to be led through winding halls, grand staircases, through ball rooms and literal art museums within their home. Ms. Yaoyorozu seemingly not noticing that at one point Kai had properly tuned her out, focusing more on the environment he would be living in.

He noted the sensors, the hidden camera and microphones, and even the servants whose gazes were not docile like they should, but calculating and watching him closely.

For now, it was obvious he was not welcome here, Arito Yaoyorozu making it rather clear, but he supposed the man had little choices in teachers for his heir. Anyone older would have formed their own opinions, goals, and could be swayed by money. Anyone younger would be unfit to teach, and too impressionable. A child soldier like Kai was a middle ground, since it was hard to come by nine year old children trained to kill, at least legally.

"And finally, here is my son's room, or the main one at least." Ms. Yaoyorozu said, pulling back Kai's attention.

He scanned the double doors, not really surprised to see two men in generic black suits standing guard outside, but when Kai chanced a side glance at a woman cleaning a vase on a console table and another man pushing a food cart, he knew immediately the two men in suits were decoys. 

Still trained, but not the main threat, the two servants aimlessly going about tasks were the real deal, Kai could see they shared a look he regularly saw in the mirror at times after training. A blank face devoid of all emotion, despite showing a smile or kind eyes.

"I'll go get him, Momoto was so happy to hear he would be getting a brother, wait here."

The woman disappeared into the room for a full minute, the door then suddenly opening and accompanied by a figure thrust toward Kai.

Kai blinked, looking at Momoto Yaoyorozu for all his tiny stature. He was a bean pole through and through, obsidian black eyes firmly locked on the carpet like it was the most interesting thing in the world, and black hair pulled back in a traditional japanese ponytail; like how a samurai would wear it.

"Hello…" His voice was barely a whisper.

Kai stood still for a moment, sharing a look with Miss Yaoyorozu who stood behind her son, eyebrows wiggling as if to express her demands.

Kai could read lips, but eyebrows were new to him, so with a practice in humility he bowed deep.

"Hello, my name is Kai Fumetsu, it is nice to meet you."

Momoto wore simple shorts and a white shirt with a satchel bag resting on his hip. The boy found interest in the last item, fiddling with the straps as an awkward atmosphere settled on everyone involved.

Kai took the brief air of silence to just think. 

This was once a female fictional character in a story he read right before he was hospitalized. The connection was small, but he had a fondness for My Hero Academia, both because his childhood dream had been to be like superman before he hit puberty and realized how embarrassing that was. And also because it was the main form of fiction he remembered the most of, most other things he had been too young to remember clearly or became foggy due to his sickness.

He wondered about Momoto's fate, contemplating how he should treat it, and if the whole thing was a real tangible thing.

Then, as he saw glimpses of Momo Yaoyorozu in the anime—though now she was begrudgingly a male—was a character with great potential.

Potential that would be needed, both for the good of Japan, and possibly even for the good of the world.

No one knew where All for One's ambition ended, if it even had one in the first place.

So, completely out of character, Kai was brash for once.

'Fuck fate.' He thought, a glint of mischief in his eyes as he thought about how things would be from now on.

"I heard you like reading." He started. "Want to show me what you got? I love reading as well."

The shift in Momoto's personality was abrupt, the sparkle in his eyes almost like laser beams, tiny hands grasping Kai's callus ones and pulling him into his rather huge room.

'Mother like son.' He summarized, not particularly finding wrong in it however, completely content with being pulled along to what he first assumed was a closet, but was instead a 1,000 square foot library filled with books floor to ceiling.

He gulped.

For the rest of the day, Kai spent it listening to Momoto talk about a variety of things, another trait shared between the three Yaoyorozu's it seemed.

They adored talking, and apparently the sentiment could cover hours, because only as the sun set was Kai able to get some breathing room. He glanced at the sleeping form of Momoto, the boy covered in the collapsed remains of the pillow fort they had made, now quietly snoring.

With nothing left to do, Kai left the room, utterly quiet both to not wake his new brother up and also because of his training.

Although, he did almost attack Mr. Yaoyorozu who stood outside the room, dressed in a full black suit and tie as he silently stared at Kai.

Their eyes met, purple against black, tension swirling into the unknown until the man finally stated his intentions.

"Thank you."

He briskly walked away, leaving Kai to stand alone in the hallway of his new home, contemplating the words spoken to him.

After soaking in the odd show of gratitude, Kai walked to his smaller yet still lavish room across the hallway, the place barren of any personality. 

Checking the drawers, all of his clothes were present, along with a dozen more designer clothes and shoes priced in the thousands. Plus a Rolex that fit a little too comfortably on his wrist when he tried it on.

A little overkill, but he supposed if he was going to be adopted and the public knew of it, they would have to show some charity to make it look like they cared about him to not draw suspicion.

Shifting his gaze to the bed too big for a kid his age, he noticed the last rays of the sun glinting off a metal case under it.

Walking over, getting on one knee, Kai slid out the slick black case. Realizing what the container was, something inside of him settled down as he noted it was his dagger gauntlets along with his wires; both lethal and nonlethal.

A nice anecdote to finish off his day, his mind mentally exhausted from paying attention to Momoto and his ramblings, mostly doing so to make comparisons to his canon and original female counterpart.

Shy, intelligent, studious, slightly vain, kind, and with a dash of childish ignorance, Momoto Yaoyorzu was one thing in Kai's mind.

A kid.

He had thought Momoto to already be the one who had attended UA. The person who had a firm grasp on his Quirk and so on. There were glimpses of it, yes, but he had forgotten there were still five years before Momoto would be like that.

"Five years." Kai whispered to himself, the next part said in his head. 'Five years before it all starts.'

He exhaled, hopped onto his new bed, and fell asleep rather quickly because of how soft it was.

A month passed in a blink of an eye, Kai currently sitting within the tea garden toward the west side of the Yaoyorozu property at a silver table for two.

Sipping a tea he did not remember the name of, he played chess against Momoto, the boy across from him somehow keeping up and even occasionally winning in some cases despite Kai having almost two decades over him of playing the game.

"Oh, Today Mother will allow us to go out in public, Would you like to go to the park, maybe to one of our private restaurants, maybe we-"

Kai cut him off, "We still have to train."

The Yaoyorozu heir visibly deflated, though still moving his bishop with calculative ease, "Why? Father said it is for self defense but I have a whole private military created for my safety. What would me learning to fight honestly do?"

Kai sipped his tea again, reflecting back on the month he had spent with Momoto. 

The time was honestly a quite nice reprieve to the HPSC. He assumed the role of an older brother almost immediately, mostly because of their mental age differences and also, weirdly enough, because he liked it.

He had been an only child, an adopted one but nonetheless an only child. He had been in Momoto's shoes before. A single kid stuck within a Mansion that at such an age seemed as big as the world. Alone, showered with gifts from parents but sadly too busy to be present everyday, and also desperately wanting to form connections with anyone.

As such, Kai was now Momoto's go to for any advice, but also the first person he complained to.

"I believed you were smart enough to know why Momo." He found it funny that the boy's nickname was just his female counterpart's original name. "It is not the thousand times you don't need it, but the one time you do."

Momoto stuck his tongue out, "Yes, I know brother."

The last word warmed Kai's stomach.

"But the chances are slim, my Father is too thorough for it not to be."

Kai wished to retort with 'Then what about for Hero training', but he had come to realize that Momoto did not want to be a Pro Hero.

It was not even on his radar at all.

The previous meant there had to be an event that made Momoto want to be a hero, but said event could be anything.

Would it be a generic kidnapping, maybe out of defiance of his parents, a sudden interest late in life, or to simply get permission to use his Quirk?

Kai's thoughts went back to his future knowledge, and he found that most of the cast, sans Izuku, Bakugou, Iida, Uraraka, and Todoroki, did not outright state why they had wanted to be a hero.

There was no basis to go off of, so he was left with the question of why did Momoto become a hero in the first place.

A problem.

Kai deflated as well, taking Momoto's knight with his own, "Too bad, we train, then we can go to the park. Also, how is your writing coming along?"

Another tidbit he found was besides Momoto's love for reading, there was also a hobby of writing as well.

The boy's cheeks burned with embarrassment, "Better now, but you can't read them yet Brother, they are still lacking and I don't want you to see them unfinished."

Kai rose to the challenge, "Hm, you mean the manuscripts I know you placed under your pillow this morning?"

Momoto looked at him in horror, especially as Kai suddenly sprang from his chair and raced toward the mansion.

"W-wait Kai! Hey, Kai don't!" Momoto soon gave chase.

The two laughed the entire run back, and once Kai made it to Momoto's room he was tackled by the boy, the two wrestling for a bit before they settled down to catch their breath. As if on cue, a servant appeared with water and apple juice.

They drank them down hungrily, giggling all the while and Kai mockingly faking to go for the novels hidden under the pillows, much to Momoto's dismay.

All was well, and Kai basked in the slight tiredness from their short run, glancing toward the window to see the roaming clouds.

However, as he watched, something fell into view in the window.

A red feather, swinging side to side in the wind as it settled on the window sill.

Kai watched it, mostly out of random curiosity, a trance taking hold of him.

"Kai?" Momoto pulled him from it almost instantly. "Do we really have to train?"

Kai gazed into the black eyes of his little brother, snorted loudly, and then finally exhaled.

"Fine, today we won't, but then you don't get Sunday off."

"Splendid." Momoto cheered. "I will go get the bath ready so we can spend more time outside today."

He took off, leaving Kai just to chuckle at his antics while he stayed seated on the carpet, back leaning against the foot of the bed.

For some reason, as he sat there, sipping the last remnants of his glass of water, his eyes slowly fell back onto the red feather, watching it for no apparent reason.

The red feather shook, then oddly enough rose from the window sill and started to spin in a circle.

Kai, entranced again, set his glass down and stalked toward the window. A gut instinct whispered to him, so his hand reached out and grabbed the ball point pen resting on a desk and hiding it behind his back.

With one hand, he unlocked the window, slowly pushing it up, the feather still unaffected by anything, just spinning aimlessly and without care.

Then a face rose up from the bottom of the window.

"Hey."

The pen stopped instantly, the sharp tip an inch away from yellow eyes, the two orbs embedded in a beautiful face. Locks of darker blonde hair were pulled back lazily into a ponytail, her nose small and cute, and eyes slightly lidded as if from exhaustion. Although, the biggest indicator of who Kai almost blinded was the giant red wings spread open upon the young woman's back.

"They trained you well."

Kai's eyes went wide, eyebrows threatening to pass his hairline as he just stared at the young woman before him.

Her beauty was one thing, but that was a small percentage of the fact most of his surprise was from recognition.

"Hawks?' Kai breathed out, pulling back the pen he had almost put through her skull.

"The one and only." She moved forward, folding her wings and stepping into the room. Making Kai step backwards to let her in. 

She wore a simple white blouse with a denim blazer and tight black jeans tucked into brown boots.

Hawks casually surveyed the room, "Nice place, way better than Facility Alpha."

Kai swallowed, "How-"

"How did I get inside a place that is crawling with top of the line security?" Hawks grinned cockily. "I'm just that good. Oh yeah, almost forgot, the name is Hawks, but you knew that, or maybe you know me better by Agent Red Wing?"

Kai's surprise was stuffed away, eyebrows now a thin line as he studied Hawks, "Yes, It is nice to officially meet you."

Hawks rolled her eyes, "Textbook greeting their kid, did they suck the personality out of you, or is it a front?"

Kai glanced around the room, knowing that there were devices here that were listening.

"No worries about others tuning in, got a jammer." Hawks stepped forward, leaning down and getting on eye level with Kai, cleavage now visible. "So this is the famed Agent Striker huh, Youngest initiate to pass the Assessment. You really give off a serious vibe you know that, like a yakuza boss staring down a grunt who let someone get away."

Kai smirked, one that was natural, but he quickly dropped it into a frown, "Why are you here, it can't be just to meet me?"

Hawks' shit eating smile that seemed as a default feature suddenly vanished, and Kai almost did not believe the sheer vulnerability that showed on the young woman's face.

"I uh, came for exactly that. Sir Nagant, Agent Caliber, went all AWOL. I was stopping by to warn you to not do anything reckless since the HPSC is on high alert. Also- you know, to finally meet someone like me."

Kai's heart clenched, "Yeah, I can understand that."

Hawks nodded, "Watching the few kids around you go one by one cuz' they weren't up to snuff."

"The exhaustion." Kai said.

"The pain." Hawks continued.

""The loneliness."" they both said in unison.

The silence was thick, and the two marinated in it, gazes slowly meeting.

Something, maybe it was understanding— but that did not feel quite right—sparked between them.

"I have to go." Hawks suddenly turned, wings folding back in as she made her way to the window in a hurry. "Later big shot, we probably won't meet ag-"

"Why not?" Kai cut her off, the image of Hina's face coming back to him. "Why can't we see each other again?"

Hawks turned, their gazes once again connecting, "Reasons."

Kai scoffed, "Reasons, or excuses?"

Hawks frowned, "Does it matter?"

Kai shrugged, glancing around the room for a few seconds before settling back on one of his favorite characters, someone he could also understand in this world once thought fictional.

However, this was not from his previous life, or reading about it in a manga or watching it as an anime. No, Kai deeply felt the weight Hawks was forced to bear.

And he would be damned to let her carry it alone, because even if he struggled with his own burden he knew no one should be alone in their fight.

"A month from now, please…" He asked, words lingering as he waited for her response.

She only nodded, stepping out of the window, jumping and spreading her wings, flapping once and disappearing into the sky.

Kai sniffled, then laughed to himself again before going to close the window, wondering what just happened.

Whatever it was, he was not exactly adverse to it, since he now had someone close to his mental age who also understood his plight personally.

A friend, it had been almost a decade since he could call someone that.

Kai nodded to himself, heading toward the door to go join his brother to clean up, but stopped suddenly in his steps.

On the floor, a single small red feather rested on the carpet.

Kai bent down and picked it up, a smile blossoming on his face, feeling how the feather was more like steel than soft as it was supposed to be.

He pocketed it, keeping his smile on as he left the room, wondering if Hawks would keep her agreement.