#like they’re the only people who’ve felt a bit upset by their quirks

[sparkles-and-trash]

The double standard in the fandom with blaming all sorts of shit on All Might and praising Aizawa for being the «best teacher ever» never falls to astound me.

How is being super apathetic, using manipulation tactics and lies on students, and being generally very uninterested in them so much better than All Might?

He doesn’t want the kids in the war any more than Aizawa does, and still all I see is «Aizawa never wanted the kids to fight and now he’d watching them die waaah» and «All Might really sent these kids to war huh???» from the same people like what

All Might spends a lot of time on Izuku ofc, but how is that different than what Aizawa does for Shinsou?

All Might is great at cheering on all the kids. He took the time to really see and understand Bakugo.

He tries to be there for Shouto with the family issues.

Your little fanon version of secretly supersoft Aizawa isn’t real, and neither is All Might the Terrible.

They’re both flawed characters who’s doing their best, but one of them is a stereotypical hot tired man, so nobody bats an eye at him.

also, don’t get me fucking started on the fact that Aizawa never seemed to notice anything is off about Shouto.

People always includes it in fics, but he never ever mentions it.

As a teacher, it should be pretty obvious that something was wrong, and even if he obviously couldn’t take Shouto out of Endevours house, he could have done SOMETHING.

Talked to him. Anything.

And I know he is traumatized. I get it. But so is All Might. And Present Mic. And Midnight.

Everyone handles trauma differently, but if your refusal to deal with it affects your ability to be compassionate and ignore your own prejudice (like how he treated Izuku vs Shinsou based on his own experience when he had no idea how hard Izuku worked or what he had been trough) maybe you should’t be a teacher.

Again, the fact that he didn’t react to how Izuku clearly had very little control over his quirk and how he kept hurting himself???

I just think he is a very flawed character, and not half as great a teacher as the fandom wants him to be.

[elliepassmore]

Elatsoe Review

5/5 stars Recommended for people who like: magic, urban fantasy, ghosts, #OwnVoices, regional gothic, mysteries, Indigenous legends I absolutely loved this book, from the casual magic to the stories of six-great-grandmother to the ghosts to the creepiness of Willowbee. I'm such a sucker for those Tumblr posts about regional American gothic, and so much of the little details of this book felt like those but woven into a complete world. I liked reading about the little alterations made to our world to make it the one in the book, as well as some of the ways magic might be dealt with considering the way we deal with non-magical things. I thought the worldbuilding was really good, obviously, and I thought things were introduced in a well-paced manner. The mix of exposition and reveals were also good, and Little Badger did a good job of making the exposition not actually feel like exposition. I especially liked the way Little Badger brought some new aspects to some of the lore in the book, like how vampires technically needing to be welcomed onto Indigenous land or fairies being interdimensional beings. I thought the discussion of how magic interacts with the world was interesting, and I liked the added 'realness' of having two characters discuss the carbon footprint of certain magic uses much like the way we'd debate plane vs. train carbon emissions. Since this is kind of worldbuilding, I'll mention here that I very much enjoyed the creepiness of Willowbee. It's mostly a normal town from the outside, except for the fact that the occupants will stare down strangers the entire time they're in town. And the fact that there's a mansion on the outskirts and there are several misaligned parts of the town's history. The deeper into Willowbee and its history the characters go, the creepier the town gets. It's a really good mix of creepy without being over the top, and honestly it might be more of a situation where you go 'well that's...weird and unsettling' more so than it can be considered creepy, but still. The stories of six-great-grandmother were also a really enjoyable piece of the book and I liked hearing about her adventures. She seems like a really cool person and just absolutely gives zero fucks what other people think of her (though at least most people she comes across in the stories seem to respect her). The stories were definitely a good way to do some worldbuilding as well as give life lessons to Ellie and allowed for those things to be included in a non-intrusive, natural feeling way. I think it would be cool at some point to see some more stories about six-great at some point, maybe in a smaller bind-up or ebook. As for the characters, Ellie is the 3rd person narrator for the entire book except for one chapter 3rd person narrated by Vivian, her mother. Ellie's goal is to figure out what happened to her cousin while also keeping her family safe and preventing it from happening to anyone else. This book is a nice change from most YA books with a similar theme in that Ellie's parents are present and supportive of her and help her along the way to reach her goals, never once doubting her word. Family is a really big part of things and you can tell how much it means to Ellie. She's devoted to her family members and the traditions and secrets of her family. She's a good detective, willing to do the dirty work, and is smart enough to realize that live streaming some of her adventures is a good way to avoid being disappeared. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her dog, Kirby, as well, who has been a ghost for 5 years but is still a wonderful companion despite his incorporeality. Kirby serves as both a pet, a warning signal, and a good way to explain some of the ways of the world and about ghosts. All the ghosts were very cool and I liked learning about the family's history with them and some of the family secrets about ghosts. Ellie's grandmother seems like a serious badass for having a mammoth as her ghostly companion, and I think she would be another good one to have a book about. Below is also an interesting concept and I like Ellie's realization that it isn't necessarily one point in time, but it can be multiple stacked on top of one another, like all the oceans or deserts that were in one place across the billions of years that place has existed. Vivian also added some interesting complexity to the family's use of ghosts, since like all eldest girls in the family she has the ability but doesn't use it as much as her relatives seem to. In her narrative chapter we get hints as to why that is and a time when it was different, which I thought added some nice layers to her character and the story and use of ghosts as a whole. Jay, Ellie's best friend, also features prominently in the book as someone who helps with her investigation. He's a rather optimistic character and acts as a good support during the investigation, pulling out some pretty good resources as well. Jay himself is a fairy and aside from the obvious mentioning of it in the beginning of the novel, there are some more subtle bits dropped throughout the book that make it realistic, such as the pointed ears he hides under his hair or the part(s) where he uses a will-o-the-wisp as a flashlight. I thought his interactions with Al were amusing, considering he's fine with the other guy until it turns out how serious Al is about his sister, though I think he's more grumbly about it than genuinely upset. Despite being what Ellie calls a "Celtic-and-Nordic American," Jay respects Ellie's culture and traditions and is respectful when inquiring about things he doesn't know. I enjoyed the interactions between Ellie and Jay and it's obvious how close the two of them are. While the book ends with all the loose threads tied and I think it'll be a standalone, if Little Badger were ever to write about Ellie again I could see the two of them being partners-in-investigation in/after college. Something I did find off about their relationship, though, was the fact that they've supposedly been best friends since babyhood, yet don't know some pretty basic things about one another. In one scene, Ellie mentions that she didn't think he was actually related to Oberon and in another Jay is surprised to hear Ellie's full name is Elatsoe, both of which seem like things you would know about your best friend. I mean, the first name one is something you would probably know about your regular friends too, so it seemed kind of weird that he never would've heard her full name before. There are other times where it seems like they're more 'newly best friends' than 'lifelong best friends,' but overall I enjoyed their interactions and their friendship. Most of the characters in this book were awesome in different ways, though there's not enough room to go over them all. Ellie's parents were both supportive and trusting of her, though they did still worry and caution her like parents do. Pat, her dad, comes across as a warm person and I liked the little quirk of his that's revealed at the beginning re: gas and survival stories. He's a vet, so it only seems natural that he's married into a family where the women raise ghost animals. Vivian is a teacher and seems to be the more protective of the two, though she's not stifling about it. She's the parent who's mostly with Ellie during the book, since the dad has to work and is only really in the beginning, and we get to see a lot of how her and Ellie interact and the advice she gives El. Another family member is the cousin-in-law, Lenore. Poor Lenore has just lost her husband and has a still-young baby. I sympathize with that and with her sense of grief and pain. What I do not sympathize with is the way she handles some things. For one, she seems entirely too dismissive of the family's culture. In one part of the book Ellie is reminiscing on a time she visited with her cousin and that even then she knew there was tension between Trevor and Lenore re: cultural traditions. Well, in present-tense Lenore seems to almost completely ignore some pretty major parts of their culture, such as burying those who've passed with personal items and not using their name to refer to them for a certain period of time. Likewise, she knows the dangers of human ghosts, yet she still seems to want Trevor to come back as a ghost *SPOILER* and 1) even attempts to disturb his grave to get that to happen and 2) is said to seem very happy when news he did come back as a human ghost breaks *SPOILER END*. Al is, as mentioned, dating Jay's sister, Ronnie, and is a vampire/cursed man. The lore behind vampires was interesting, and I liked how Little Badger used a version of them that sees vampirism as an illness, since it adds a layer of complexity to the world and reveals some of how discrimination that is applied in situations in our world is applied in the world of Elatsoe. Al seems like a pretty laid back guy and he clearly cares about Ronnie and Jay. He's more than willing to help with the investigation, even when it gets him into some pretty serious trouble, and he takes most things that occur in the book with a pretty chill attitude. Ronnie, Jay's sister, appears toward the end of the book with some friends and is 100% willing to kick some ass in Willowbee. With only being in the book for a short time, she seems like a cool character and seems decently close to Ellie and her family as well. One thing I felt a little weird about was the one scene where she and Ellie are on the phone and Ronnie says "I get that you're asexual, so, like, it can be a friend or zucchini or..." (201), which felt a little along the lines of 'I don't care if someone's white, black, or purple.' I really enjoyed Elatsoe and thought the characters, worldbuilding, and plot were all excellent. I definitely recommend it for fantasy lovers, and I'll definitely be reading A Snake Falls to Earth when it comes out.

[hexusproductions]

Oz Squad - 50 Questions

Answering a list of 50 character questions in-character. The original list can be found here. 

Note: All boys were ‘questioned’ separately, but for the sake of brevity, all of their responses have been collected together.

1. Are you a morning person or more of a night owl?

D: “Morning person, I guess. But like, manufactured, after getting up at an early hour every morning.”

O: “I get up a lot during the night, because I can’t sleep. I’m more of a 24-hour owl.”

J: “I love getting up when it’s still early and seeing all the warm sunshine. It lets me check on my garden too, make sure they’re all doing okay.”

2. What’s the first thing you notice about a person when you meet them?

D: “Shoes. I don’t look at people when I meet them, so I usually end up seeing their shoes in more detail first. Which…does sound a little creepy.”

O: “Hands. Specifically what they’re doing, like a handshake or stuck in pockets.”

J: “How big they are! Like I’m mentally taking their measurements, in case I need to make something for them.”

3. You see a huge spider in your room. What do you do?

D: “Move away slowly, and then use my quirk to try and slingshot it out the window.”

O: “Grab a shoe. Sneak up so you don’t spook it into running, because then you can’t find them again.”

J: “No no no. Get away as fast as possible.”

4. If you could go back and change one decision you made in the past, what would you change?

D: “Only one decision? Okay. I guess I would try to do better in the entrance exam? Maybe I would actually be able to pass this time.”

O: “I guess, um. I guess I would stop mom from leaving the house on the day of the accident.”

J: “I would stop my last prototype from exploding. There was smoke everywhere. People were very mad.”

5. Tell me about your first kiss.

D: “Mine was with Ozzy. I think he figured out I had a crush on him and he kissed me while we were studying together. It was nice.”

O: “Nothing special, really. She was my friend and we tried dating but eventually figured out we’d be better staying friends. There’s no hard feelings.”

J: *Blushy giggles* “It was sweet.”

6. Do you give people second chances?

D: “If they want one, then I’ll give them another chance. They deserve an opportunity. Right?”

O: “People who’ve made a mistake, I’ll give them as many chances as they want to fix that. People who fuck up, as in majorly, get one second chance. There won’t be any more after that.”

J: “If you’ve done something bad enough that I feel like you need to ask for a second chance, then that’s the only chance you’ll get. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you during that chance.”

7. Are you a cat person or a dog person?

D: “Um, I don’t know?? Dogs are cool, I guess.”

O: “I would die for any dog.”

J: “Both are great!! Except when they eat my plants. Then that’s bad, please don’t do that you’ll get sick.”

8. Do you think you’re attractive?

D: “I got a boyfriend, somehow, so that’s fucking incredible.”

O: “Meh. If I am I’m not trying to be. I do feel like I am when I’m in my hero gear.”

J: “I’m cute, and I don’t always like that. Sometimes it’s nice, but sometimes it isn’t.”

9. What’s your worst habit?

D: “All of them. Um, sorry, I mean, I say things without thinking?? It’s a real problem.”

O: “I worry. I don’t want anyone to get hurt, emotionally or physically. I feel like it’s my job to stop that from happening.”

J: “I mean, occasionally I can get a little side-tracked. Other people get annoyed with me for it, but it’s kind of like my brain is a train that keeps going along the track even when it should be stopping. Stopping for passengers and fuel and things, stuff like that.”

10. When was the last time you cried?

D: “Like two days ago probably.”

O: “Not sure. I think it was when Dion went missing during his internship.”

J: “Uhh…I do try not to cry too often. I don’t wanna seem, uh, unmanly. The last time I cried was because Higan was going through some stuff and he seemed really upset and my heart kinda broke for him.”

11. Are you a good liar?

D: “I break super easy if someone puts pressure on me. If I don’t crack then I might be able to get away with it.”

O: “I think so. People take almost everything I say at face value because my tone is like, monotone. I don’t lie much but when I do, I use that to my advantage.”

J: “Not really. I keep piling things on until people can tell that I’m not telling the truth. My best lies have been when I wasn’t paying attention.”

12. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

D: “I try to let people do what they want. But, piling on unnecessary pressure, especially after being told to stop because it’s causing stress for other people.”

O: “People who act cocky and proud after they’ve lost. The ‘I let you win’ people.”

J: “Being interrupted while someone is trying to talk.”

13. Have you ever had your heart broken?

D: “I guess, technically. I think some people might not care about me as much as I thought.”

O: “You mean in the romantic way? Not really.

J: “Sort of. It breaks for my friends because of things that were done to them, not because of them.”

14. Are you more likely to use your fists or your words in an argument?

D: “Words start coming out first. I’m not great with my fists, and I’d like the argument to end quickly.”

O: “Words first, as a warning. Then fists if things don’t calm down.”

J: “Words…? I don’t usually get into arguments.”

15. What’s something you’re naturally good at?

D: “Um…I don’t know. My quirk’s pretty powerful but I can’t get it up to those levels without being super stressed out. So, nothing, really.”

O: “Keeping a level head. Staying consistent.”

J: “I can eat three or four Warheads at once!”

16. What’s something you had to work hard to be good at?

D: “Helping people and being worthy of being a hero. I only got into the course because I worked hard and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.”

O: “Combat. My dad owns a gym, so that helps.”

J: “I’ve gotten way better at inventing things so they do what I want them to. Same with ‘reading the room’, so that way I know what I’m supposed to be doing instead of going off and doing my own thing.”

17. Can you tell when someone is flirting with you?

D: “Yes and no? If I start thinking someone’s flirting with me I get really fidgety, but sometimes they’re not, and I have to apologise for getting it wrong.”

O: “Usually, yeah. I don’t always stop ‘em but I don’t reciprocate if I’m not feeling the same way.”

J: “Nope. If I’m not focused on what you’re saying then it goes completely over my head.”

18. Do you think money can buy happiness?

D: “Maybe. It might be nice to test out, just for a bit.”

O: “No. Only giving someone what they need can.”

J: “Yeah! If you have more money you can buy even more stuff.”

19. Do you believe in destiny?

D: “All destiny is made up, right? Being told you were meant for something is something only real people do.”

O: “The idea that someone’s whole life has been leading up to one point is super cool. It sounds like an underdog story.”

J: “I think some people have a destiny, but some people are free to explore and do whatever they want.”  

20. Are you a good cook?

D: “I can make noodles and eggs, and toast. Only really simple things. I’m very good at making food quickly.”

O: “I improved when I started making more dinners and lunches. Sometimes I bring leftovers to school too.”

J: “I’m not good in a kitchen. No-one trusts me in a kitchen either. A lot of yelling happens.”

21. What do you think happens after you die?

D: “A funeral. Your loved ones show up and they grieve. Hopefully.”

O: “I hope Heaven and Hell exist. Just for the people I want to end up eventually in a better place. Not now, but someday.”

J: “I don’t think about it. Something good, that’s all I wish for.”

22. Did you have to grow up fast?

D: “I got rushed. Um, I mean, I’m sure everyone had the best intentions and wanted me to do my best! It did seem really fast though.”

O: “Yeah…kinda did. I know it was only recently, but it feels like I lost that whole year I was gone while my family put ourselves back together.”

J: “No, not really. Felt kind of slow, actually. I feel a little guilty, you know? All of my friends seem to be doing worse than I am, or I feel like I’m doing better. It feels unfair. They shouldn’t have to live with what they’re going through.”

23. Who do you look up to?

D: “…I don’t wanna answer this one.”

O: “My dad. Heroes like Gang Orca and Eraserhead. All total badasses who win the fight or give as much as they can while trying.”

J: “I look up to my family, my friends, and myself. I want to push myself to do the best I can every single day.”

24. When you go to a tavern, what do you order?

D: “Just like soft drink or something. Something sugary.”

O: “Water. Simple and refreshing.”

J: “Lemonade, the sourer the better.”

25. What do you like most about yourself?

D: “Not much, really. Um, sorry. I guess…I’m a hard worker. I work hard.”

O: “I’m smart and I can win a fight. I take care of people and I protect them from being hurt again.”

J: “I’m very clever. I’m always coming up with new ideas. Not all of them all allowed, but most of them are really good.”

26. What do you like least about yourself?

D: “That I don’t seem to be enough.”

O: “I always say I’m fine.”

J: “I’m not happy with my body yet. But it’ll get there! Eventually.”

27. Do you want kids someday?

D: “I don’t want to mess them up. I mean, I don’t know.”

O: “Yeah, sure. I like the idea of being a dad. I’d just want my own house first.”

J: “Kids? Hm…at the moment, I don’t think I want kids. They’re great, but if things go my way I’ll be working long hours all the time and have a bank loan or something. Hypothetical future me is way too busy.”

28. Are you a planner, or more spontaneous?

D: “I like having a plan. If I know what I’m meant to do, then that helps avoid a panic attack. They can get pretty bad.”

O: “I take things as they come along. In the middle of a fight it’s especially helpful to be able to think on my feet.”

J: “I always have an initial plan and then I get taken on a few detours here and there. Does that mean I’m a bit of both?”

29. Can you keep a secret?

D: “Same thing with lying but way worse. Nobody tells me secrets, because as soon as I let my guard down, I say it out loud. I don’t blame them for not telling me though, I understand. I’m trying to work on it.”

O: “As long as it’s not hurting anyone I’ll keep the secret as long as I can.”

J: “Sure, why, did you want to tell me something?”

30. Do you like being the centre of attention?

D: “No, no, it’s awful. I’d rather be a little off to the side, the side of the centre of attention. That probably doesn’t make a lot of sense…”

O: “I love it. Gives me an excuse to show off for a bit.”

J: “I like to be in the centre of attention occasionally, when I have something I’d like to talk about. Otherwise I’d rather point the spotlight at someone else, give them an opportunity to have the same thing.”

31. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

D: “And there was no way out of it? I would be honest. With everyone. I’d tell everyone exactly what I think and I wouldn’t care about the consequences.”

O: “…oh, jeeze. I don’t know. I’d give everyone a hug. My mum, dad, the lads, Dion. I’ll hug Higan, even if he accidentally poisons me. Just…just so they know that I care about them.”

J: “I would tell everyone so that we could stop it from happening.”

32. Do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

D: “Yeah but it usually doesn’t end up turning out that way. I get told what to wear and when to go and what I should be doing, until eventually I just go along with it just to get it over with.”

O: “I usually end up looking like a mess because I rush getting ready. I have never once worn a tie properly in my life.”

J: “I don’t think I have a lot in my closet for ‘dressing up’. I have a lot of short sleeve button-up shirts, I think I can get away with those. I really prefer wearing overalls.”

33. Where do you feel safe?

D: “Alone. I mean, when I’m not being watched.”

O: “In a boxing ring, or any kind of sparring match. Even though we’re encouraged to be a little aggressive, at the end of the day, everything is in a controlled environment.”

J: “Working. You know that sweet spot when you’re super invested and focused and nothing can distract you? That’s the best.”

34. Do you love or hate being alone?

D: “Being alone is great to start with. But, after a while, the room – the lack of company – gets to me and I start thinking I’ve forgotten to do something important.”

O: “Not really, to be honest. I like having one or two other people around, even if they’re existing and doing their own thing.”

J: “I actually do like being by myself, because it lets me do whatever I want, without disturbing anyone else.”

35. What’s the last nightmare you remember having?

D: “I haven’t had nightmares since I was a little kid. None that I’ve seen. I was being chased by some big ball-shaped thing with a big mouth.”

O: “Mm…no, I don’t want to talk about it. Please. …It was recent.”

J: “Be-Being impaled. I couldn’t breathe, my throat was full of, moss or something.”

36. Do you admit to mistakes when you make them?

D: “Always. Sometimes when I haven’t actually made a mistake.”

O: “I’ll say sorry. That’s the same thing, right?”

J: “I always try to say sorry and fix my mistake. I try extra hard if I’ve made someone upset.”

37. Do you want to grow up to be like your parents?

D: “That’s what I’m supposed to do. Be a great hero, in the top ten just like my dad. But I don’t know if that’s possible for me to do, and I don’t want to think about what he’ll do if I don’t succeed.”

O: “Yes, definitely. My parents are both strong in different ways, and I would love to be just like them.”

J: “I’d like to grow past them. I love them and my dad is pretty good in his field, so I’d like to get to the same point he is and then reach above that.”

38. How do you deal with being sick? Are you stoic, or super whiny?

D: “I don’t say anything about it unless it’s like, asking my mom for a sick day. I can take care of myself for the day.”

O: “Completely stoic. People don’t usually realise until I have a sneezing fit or something.”

J: “I stay away from everyone but it still sucks!! I just want it to be over so I can get back to work.”

39. What did your parents expect from you when you were born?

D: “The next great pro hero.”

O: “A rowdy boy that was going to make a mess of the furniture.”

J: “I don’t think they expected anything, really. I think they want to see what me and my little sister turn into, and support us from there.”

40. Do you have a strong sense of style?

D: “I don’t know, maybe. Most of my clothes are pretty basic. I’ve never really experimented before to see if I have any sense of style.”

O: “Ha, not really. I’ll wear what’s comfy. It can be covered in bright orange spots for all I care, as long as I’m comfortable.”

J: “Overalls and sunflower print are my signature style! They’re always my go-to.”

41. Would you rather camp outdoors or stay the night in an inn?

D: “Camping outside sounds like fun! I’m totally up for that.”

O: “An inn sounds safer, honestly.”

J: “Um, maybe inside? There’s a lot of risks in camping. There’s a lot of stories, too. About people being murdered…”

42. Is there a food that most people like that you absolutely hate?

D: “Jasper’s sherbet things are gross, honestly. But there’s nothing wrong with him liking them! They’re just too sour for me, and there’s too much in one pack.”

O: “Jelly. It’s a gross texture.”

J: “Huh, not really. I can’t really eat spicy food, but that’s pretty common.”

43. Are you more of a hoarder or a minimalist?

D: “I like hoarding when it comes to places like my bedroom, where it’s supposed to be my space. It feels good to personalise where I’m living, and I like to do that with as much as I can pack in there.”

O: “Minimalist, I guess. I usually get rid of stuff if I don’t use it anymore, see if any of my friends want it second-hand. I think the only exception is clothes, I like the look of torn clothing.”

J: “I like having lots of stuff. It’s all organised, so I know where to find everything.”

44. Are you superstitious?

D: “I’ll go along with all the luck superstitions, just in case. I’d like to think angels and demons are real, because I like those.”

O: “It’s fun to engage in, but I don’t really take it too seriously.”

J: “Ghosts will kill us if we invite them into our homes.”

45. Are you the kind of person who remembers people’s birthdays and pets’ names and stuff?

D: “I have all the special dates in my calendar so I don’t forget them.”

O: “Pet names are easy to remember. Birthdays can slip my mind, especially if I haven’t slept in a while.”

J: “Of course, doesn’t everyone?”

46. What do you do to feel better when you’re sad?

D: “Keep it to myself so that nobody sees and gets mad. Then I can let it out later.”

O: “Lie in bed, maybe take a nap. Have some alone time where I can just exist for a while and not really think.”

J: “I don’t really have any good methods. I guess I tell people I’m not doing okay, then they know why I’m keeping a distance, or they can try to help, if they want.”

47. Is it hard for you to trust someone?

D: “Not really. I end up saying stupid things in front of people and based on how they react, I know whether they’re someone who’s okay with me saying stupid things.”

O: “I put my trust in people pretty quickly, once I know what they’re about. If they’re not a murderer after the first impression, then sure, welcome aboard.

J: “I only tell people certain things if I haven’t known them for long. We have to be okay for a while for me to tell you the rest.”

48. Are you susceptible to peer pressure?

D: “Yeah, unfortunately. I’m trying to work on working through pressure instead of panicking.”

O: “I don’t have to worry about peer pressure because I’m usually the one doing the pressuring. It’s how I became friends with Higan – my other friends told me he was a freak, but I ignored them and wore Higan down until he agreed to hang out with me.”

J: “People tell me ‘We’re doing this’ and I’ll be like ‘okay’ and listen to them. That’s not peer pressure, I just like hanging out with my friends.”

49. If you decided to stop adventuring and settle down, what kind of job would you take?

D: “If I didn’t finish school and become a pro hero I think my dad would disown me, haha. Maybe work at the planetarium? I don’t know, I’m not really into space that much.”

O: “I’d take a job at my dad’s gym. If the best I can do to protect people is give self-defence classes, then I’ll take it.”

J: “A general engineer? Maybe go to another university and learn robotics!! Whoa!! That could be really good!”

50. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

D: “I wanted to be a super cool hero like my mom and dad. The big hands on the hips poses, the confident smile, I idolised all of that.”

O: “…Human cannonball…”

J: “I wanted to be a Power Ranger. I’d fight bad guys and protect my entire backyard.”

[phantoms-lair]

Uncommon Ancestry Snippet 2

All Might looked at the boy in the hospital bed next to him. “I owe you an apology, young Midoriya.”

Izuku looked up in surprise. “Not really. You couldn’t have known today was ‘Gang of super villains attack the school’ day. No one could have seen that coming. Unless they had some kind of precognition quirk, like SIr Nighteye. Of course if the visions were random they still might not have gotten it. And if it was directed would they have to have looked at one of the students or the USJ building itself-”

All Might smiled as Izuku went on one of his tangents on a theoretical clairvoyance quirk. He’d only known the boy a short time, but it was so classically him. “Not today, the day we met at Musutafu.”

Izuku broke out of his mumbling, startled. “Oh that. Don’t be. No one else thought a quirkless kid could become a hero either. I mean, it wasn’t the greatest moment in my life, sure. But It helped me focus on what I needed to do to fix that rather than just fantasizing about it.”

“At the very least I could have been kinder about it. But the truth of the matter is, I lied that day. I knew a way you could have become a hero. I almost told you. But I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” he heard no judgement in Midoriya’s voice, at least not yet. 

All Might looked at his skeletal hands. “You’ve probably heard me described as the most powerful hero ever to have existed. But for all my strength, the bald truth of the matter is my lifespan could probably be counted better in months than years.”

Izuku swallowed the denial on his tongue. He saw the horrific wound on All Mights chest, knew how his respiratory and digestive system was affected. But he didn’t want to hear that the Symbol of Peace was dying.

“I knew if I brought you into the fold you could become an amazing hero. Or you could die.  And in the end, I was too much of a coward to take the burden of knowing it was I that lead to your death.”

Izuku was quiet for a few moments, then chuckled humorlessly. “I should tell my family. They might be a bit more forgiving of that motive. They, um, weren’t really happy with the whole telling me I couldn’t be a hero without a quirk. But that’s all I told them! I didn’t mention your condition. Thought Gramma Vivi and Grandpa Lewis might have seen something today…”

“The two ghost looking people? I kinda got the impression they didn’t like me.”

“They’re not ghost-looking, they’re ghosts, but yeah. They and Grampa Arthur are from the time before quirks, so they didn’t take the idea that quirks should limit what you can do well. Um, if I may ask, how were you going to theoretically make me a hero?”

All Might weighed things in his mind, trying to push out the ‘they’re ghosts’ thing. That was something he wasn’t sure he was ready to think about. No, he missed his chance once, he wouldn’t do so again. “My quirk is unique. Most quirks are either inherited from a parent, such as young Iida’s Engine the combination of two parents quirks into one, like young Bakugo’s Explosion, or in rare cases have one unrelated to both parents, a variance of an ancestors lost quirk. But my quirk is different. Rather than be passed down genetically, it’s passed down from mentor to student, gaining power as it’s passed. It’s true part of the reason I agreed to be a teacher was to hide that I couldn’t stay in my hero form as long as I could before, but it was also to find a replacement. I was looking for someone with a quick mind, pure heart, and powerful quirk. And I shouldn’t have let the lack of the third dissuade me when I found someone who had the first two in spades. Someone with enough raw skill and guts to get into the UA Hero Course without a quirk.”

Izuku stilled. “All Might, are you offering me what I think you are?”

“Izuku Midoriya, will you become the ninth holder of the quirk One For All?”

Izuku felt his breath leave him as he his wildest wishes, his deepest most impossible dream, was offered up to him.”If…if only you’d offered it on that day. It would have been everything I ever wanted. But I guess Mom would never have contacted my grandparents, so I can’t be too upset you didn’t.”

“Young Midoriya, it sounds like you’re saying no?” All Might questioned. “I am. I have to. There’s no way I, in good conscience, could accept your quirk.” The words were some of the most painful he’d ever have to say, but he knew he had to say them.”

“You’re free, of course, to refuse, though I don’t know what conscience has to do with it?” Inside All Might was stunned. He couldn’t imagine anyone, especially someone as fascinated by heroes and quirks as Midoriya refusing what might be the most powerful quirk in the world.

“Eighty percent of the world is capable of superhuman feats. Even though next to none of them use their quirks, the mere having them makes the world a wonderful place. But for the other twenty percent things are very different. We’re the unspoken second class citizen. I did some research, you know, after. I knew some of it, like how quirkless people are more likely to not be taken seriously by doctors and stuff. But quirkless people are also less likely to be hired for jobs or promoted, even when jobs have nothing to do with quirk. It’s never said out loud, but quirkless people are the lesser, the incomplete. The Unworthy. Should have figured it out when the career counselor told me I was a waste of time to talk to.”

Each word felt like a gut punch. It had been rough when he was Toshinori Yagi, quirkless kid, but it sounded like things had only gone downhill since then. How had he missed it? Had Nana giving him her quirk made him just as blind as everyone else.

“But I’m changing all that!” Bright determination lit in Izuku’s eyes. “I managed to get into UA quirkless. Sure I had magic, but that’s not the point. I broke the mold and I’m changing the mindset. One quirkless kid did it, who’s to say another can’t?”

“You’re the Symbol of Peace, All Might, and there’s no one better for that job. But I’m the Symbol of Hope to all the quirkless people who’ve dared to dream. If I ‘mysteriously’ develop a quirk, it will justify to all the people who believe quirkless people are lesser that I’m one of them after all. I can’t do that. I won’t do that. I’m sorry…” “Don’t be.” All Might lay back on his bed. “I’m the one who missed my chance. If I’d been up front as Musutafu, well, that’s on me. I gotta say though, it’s going to be hard finding another successor who can match up to your potential.”

“Well, whoever you find, I’d be happy to work with them.” “I may take you up on that.” It was a heavy thing to offer, the acknowledgment between them that All Might might not be around to fully train his successor.

“My family will help too.” Izuku promised. “And they got an average quirkless kid into UA in ten months.”

“There is nothing average about you, my boy. But all the same, I think I’d like to meet them.”