Sasaki Kana Just Wont Die!

An Unexpected Guest

The cicadas chirp loudly, their strange songs ringing out were almost comforting as nostalgia covers me euphorically. As I approach my parent's home my heart begins to flutter excitedly. It's been five years since I've last seen my parents in person. I get them wanting to move back home to Japan after they retired. They spent their entire lives here, so it is understandable why they'd miss it. 

With my balled fist hovering over the front door, I hesitate, my knuckles only grazing the hardwood. I love my parents, I love my whole family. Really, I do. However, things got a little rocky after I turned eighteen. At the time it made no sense because I was young and naive to the realities of this world. I still remember the night they sat my sisters and me down for a 'family meeting'. They told us they felt guilty for hiding the truth of their relationship for so long, but that we were all old enough to understand now. They told us the parts we already knew, that they went to hero school together, graduated, and became pro heroes for the same agency, then became partners opening up their own agency. However, what we didn't know was that's all they were. There was never a romantic aspect to their partnership, to their marriage. Instead, they had made a pact that if neither of them was married by the age of thirty, they would marry each other and have kids to pass on their quirks. It was a lot to take in...that the only reason for your existence was to inherit powerful quirks. 

That was around the time they decided to retire and move back to Japan. My sisters took over the family agency in America and I...well I followed in the footsteps of my mentor and joined the army. To be honest, I just wanted to run away from it all. I felt like I had no real purpose anymore. The one person who had brought me out of that mindset before was gone now. So I decided to live my life the way she did until I figured my own shit out. So I served...and I was greatly recognized for my efforts, which gave my Pro-Hero career a mighty boost when I finished my tour. After that I quickly gained popularity with my bright personality and my ties to Star and Stripe, not to mention my powerful quirks. I rose in the ranks rapidly and after a few years, I earned the rank of number one hero in America, at the age of twenty-three no less. 

Now I'm back in Japan. At my parent's doorstep. The parents I never vocalized my concerns to, continuously running from my issues. But now's the time...I stop running.

What a load of crap.

I confidently knock on the door and not even a second later my father is swinging the door open.

"Honey! Our puddin' pie is here!"

My eyes go wide when he pulls me in with a crushing hug, huge orange wings wrapping around as well, and rushes me into the house to see my mother. His fiery red hair and blinding smile have a habit of instantly brightening even the sourest of moods. My mother who's hovering over the stove cooking up one of her specialties locks eyes with me as we enter the dining room. Her golden hair and eyes, which lit up at the sight of me, made her the essence of sunshine working hand in hand with her Solar Flame quirk. She drops her cooking utensils and they clatter to the ground as she scurries over to us simultaneously flinging off her baby pink apron. She envelopes me in her warm embrace and I can feel the heat of her dormant quirk radiating through her dainty sundress.

"Oh Kana baby, we missed you so much," she cups my face, "You have to tell us everything! How was the meeting? You look great! How's the agency? Are your sisters going to visit too? Are you hungry?"

I chuckle at her eagerness and my father interjects, "Now now honey, there's plenty of time to catch up," he wraps his arm around her and turns to me, "We know you've had a long day so feel free to relax, dinner will be ready soon." He smiles softly and ruffles my hair gesturing me to the couch to wait.