♧ Felicity POV ♧
With a few minor tweaks, my uncle's place looked exactly the same as it had ten years ago.
It was a wide two story house tucked away safely behind iron gates. Square roofed and white with a modern design, the white stone steps leading up to the front door were lit up by golden lights. The same kind of golden light was also pouring out of the many wide square windows, illuminating the modern fountain placed in the drive and all the different blue hydrangeas that were planted all around the front garden.
It looked just like it had back when I was five, when Papa would take me up there every Sunday so Shizue could work on helping me strengthen my quirk. But even so, I felt like some kind of strange alien when I entered, my white sneakers softly padding on the white marble floor as I followed him and Naima (his bodyguard and assistant). I knew I didn't belong.
But that was okay. I had other places to call home now. So it was okay.
Hugging my Totoro backpack to my chest, I found the courage to ask my uncle about a worry that I'd been tossing around in my mind the entire car journey. "U-U-Um...where's Umi-onee-cha...I-I mean, where's Umi?"
"Hmm..." he hmmed, raising his watery eyebrows in thought. "I think Umiko's at a photoshoot today. Or is it a show? Eh, I'm not really too sure but she's doing something model-y or pop idol-y which means she's getting some sweet, sweet dough."
I stayed silent. I privately thought it was a bit concerning for a father to be so unconcerned with the whereabouts of his very pretty, not very strong, daughter. But then again, maybe it was just weird to me since my own father had dotted on me so much. And besides, she was going to be eighteen in a week or two so maybe it was his way of helping her stand on her own two feet before adulthood.
Anyway, it may have been selfish of me but I was just really, really glad she and her brother weren't going to be there. After what our last interaction had been..I wasn't sure I'd be able to face either of them ever again. Or, at least, not for a very long time.
"I know you said you took care of it but where did you tell your grandparents you were going?"
"I told them I was staying over at a friend from school's house for the night."
He laughed, a light and cheerful sound. "That doesn't sound suspicious at all. Since when do you even have friends? Endeavor's kid doesn't count, your mommy set that up for you-"
"-h-his name is Shoto-"
"-so won't the whole friend thing be suspicious?"
"I...I have friends!" It came out with even more uncertainty than I'd expected.
"Whatever you say but isn't everyone from your school on internships right now?"
"I just said that one was at home recovering from an injury she'd gotten on her internship. They were so happy to hear I had a new friend that they didn't even question it."
"That so? Hmm, I guess that's not too bad. Since when did you get so good at lying, eh?" He grinned at me from over his shoulder as he continued walking forwards. "Hey, speaking of your school, how's it going?"
"It's okay. Aizawa is my teacher so that's nice."
"Aizawa, huh? The name sounds familiar. Isn't that the boy your mother took such a shine to? Ran's little protegee?"
"I'm not sure if he ever agreed to that. The first time I met him, Momma burst into the house, dragging him behind her, saying 'husband and daughter, look at what I found at work today, we're keeping it' and then Papa had to explain to her that kidnapping is not okay no matter how cute you think the victim is. She somehow convinced him to stay for dinner though because I remember hiding under my bed that night and waiting until he'd left."
He laughed, something that didn't match his next words. "Doesn't matter if it's relevant, don't ever mention your old man in front of me again."
Shizue then kicked the door open of what I remembered to be the training room, pulling me inside by the wrist as if he didn't trust me not to run off. "Heyyo, Nagisa! Where you at?!"
I suddenly did not blame him for not trusting me to run off. "Wh-Wh-What?! N-N-N-N-Nagisa-onii-chan is here?!" Going into full blown panic, I tried to free my wrist. "B-B-B-But...Umi-onee-chan's not here and they're always together so wh-wh-wh-wh-why is Nagisa...?!"
The person who was lying down on the weight bench suddenly put down the barbell he'd been lifting and sat up, lightly panting for breath. It was a tall boy with blue hair made from water just like his father's, except that his fell over his forehead. He was wearing khaki green pants and a black tank top that showed off his strong arms and drew attention to his abs, slightly damp with sweat.
He was so clearly a hero in the making and his appearance and physique made me, who was a baggy white hoodie with black sleeves and a cute little kitty face printed on the middle to hide my noodle arms, feel even more pathetic.
The boy's clear, water blue eyes caught sight of me and went wide with shock, his strong body going rigid. "Dad, what the hell is that thing doing here?"
Thing. Ouch.
Shizue clicked his tongue. "I invited her, my dear son."
"What?!" Nagisa shrieked, jumping up to his feet. "Why would you do that, are you crazy?! Dad, if grandfather found out...are you trying to lose everything?!"
My uncle simply grinned, swaying from side to side. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, we'll never know. Come on, boyo, where's the fun in life if you don't take a little risk?"
"This isn't a little risk! You're putting my entire inheritance, your entire inheritance, our family's entire fortune and quite possibly my future, on the line by doing this!"
"Yes. Isn't the thrill of it great?"
"You can joke all you want but she shouldn't be here and you know it. This isn't a game!"
"I...I think I should just go home-"
"Oh, ho, ho, ho, no, you're not going anywhere, sweetheart."
"H-Hey, put me down!"
"Nope. Look, isn't family supposed to stick together?"
"But, Dad.." I heard Nagisa let out a sigh. "She's not a Suijin anymore. She's a Nagai and she has been a Nagai for nearly ten years now. So, no, we're not family."
"Tch, tch. Details, details."
"They're very important details!"
I was in tears by then as I slumped weakly against my uncle's shoulder. "I just wanna go home."
"Dad, please put Felix down."
"But she'll run away."
"Maybe that'd be for the best."
"What makes you say that?"
"Dad. If Grandfather finds out about this, that's it, you're gone, I'm gone, right out of the Suijin family."
"Yeah, but we're gonna be flat broke anyway-"
"-Suijins are never flat broke-"
"-since your sister is more concerned with doing her nails than busting her body into action to get that coin."
"Umi still makes money," my cousin argued. "She's off making more money than I ever have right now. And so what if she'd rather be a model than be a hero, that's up for her to decide and not anyone else."
"Yes but Umiko is never gonna make the level of cash that heroes make. Just wait until you finish up with your schoolwork and training and become a pro. Then what she gets for standing in front of a camera will just look like mere pennies compared to your salary. You're gonna be making so much, Nagisa, and ever since you were kids, the thought that we'd be getting that much times two never failed to make me happy."
Shizue then sighed dramatically as if the next part in his story was the most tragic thing that ever could've happened. "And your sister just had to shatter my money fantasies to pieces when she said she didn't want to go down the hero route. And, being the loving and supportive father that I am, I would never want to spit all over her dreams so I forced myself to hold my tongue and redo all my budgets and predicted profits as she skipped off to her modelling agency."
"Held your tongue my ass, you laughed and told her to get real and it wasn't until Mom threatened-"
Two firm hands suddenly gripped my shoulders and shoved me before Nagisa. "But look here, son. Here we have little Felicity, who is somehow still willing and wanting to be a hero. This is our chance to make up for all that hero money Umiko failed to provide us with." I felt his hands squishing against my cheeks as I just stood there numbly. "Do you realise the kind of profit we could make off Felicity if we trained her up a bit?! Look at this face and tell me you wouldn't want that on a mug."
"I wouldn't want-"
"I was so overjoyed when you and your sister were born. I could already see how much money it had the potential to make - two twins, a beautiful girl and a stunning boy with identical quirks working together as fantastic looking duo to keep the world safe...and then, Umiko had to ruin it all and say she wanted to pose in front of a basic, normie camera instead of learning how to fight and do maths I guess. But now, if we were to combine your hero money with Felicity's hero money and Umiko's modelling money and what would we have?"
"One very pissed off son, one very scared UA student who doesn't know what she's gotten herself-"
"We'd have a boatload of cash is what!"
"A boatload of cash that we're going to lose all of if Grandfather finds out!" Nagisa yelled, snapping. "Dad, have you learnt nothing from what happened to Auntie Ran?! Nothing good comes from being around the Nagai family!"
"That's just a ridiculous superstition. And I'm certainly not superstitious. And besides, if we do all get cursed and die a horrible death, that'd be so interesting, don't you think?"
"I swear to god, if you get any ideas-"
"Okay, okay, I won't let all of us get cursed and killed but I can't help being bored. Everything's been so predictable lately."
"Mom left two days ago because you fucked your secretary."
"She always comes back. I'm glad I did it. I've always wondered what sex with another man would be like."
"You've got to stop putting your curiosity for the interesting choices above everything else. You need to get your shit together before it kills us all someday."
Those two sentences basically summed up my tricky conman uncle, Shizue Suijin. He's the type to choose all the weird options in a dating sim even if it means getting the bad ending just because he wants to see what'd happen.
"Come on, Nagisa, do just this for me! If you help me train her, I won't cheat on your mother again."
He looked like he was going to argue but hesitated after hearing that last part. "I still don't think Felix is going to make up for all the money Umi 'lost' you." He gave me a once over glance, unimpressed. "Felix isn't nearly as pretty as Umi."
"Damn, I didn't know we were in Alabama."
"We're in Japan, Dad. Haven't you heard of Eromanga Sensei?"
"Are you admitting to be a siscon then?"
"No. I am not a siscon. But I am also not fucking blind and can clearly see that my pop idol sister who goes to a modelling school is prettier than the basic brown haired girl who looks like she eats one meal a day."
"Ah, yes, but Felicity has something that our lovely Umiko does not."
Nagisa rolled his eyes. "And do tell me what that would be."
"That, my dear little son, is moe!"
"...you what?"
My uncle was getting more and more excited by the moment as he madly gestured at me, bubbling with enthusiasm. "The innocent face, huge eyes and little legs! Usually, most female pro heroes like Midnight go for the whole sexy look but I have never seen a female hero who's image operates entirely on cuteness! Don't you see?! She's sixteen, this is as developed as Felicity is going to get so for as long as she looks like this, I can exploit and market the hell out of her cuteness! Isn't the image of a powerful twelve year old looking girl keeping everyone safe from the clutches of evil just the cutest thing you've ever imagined?! All the world's freaks and creeps will go mad over the merch! How much of a genius do you think I am?!"
"I think that you're a seriously damaged man who's failed as a human being and should probably be reported and put down. And I also think that you're forgetting one key detail."
"And what would that be?"
He folded his arms, big blue eyes serious. "There's no point in trying to make a profit off a hero who can't fight properly. This might sound like a shocker, Dad, but the reason everyone loves All Might isn't because he's 'cute' but because he's able to actually save people."
"I know that. Seesh, why else do you think I asked for your help?" Grinning, he slung his arm around Nagisa's shoulder. "You, my darling boy, are going to help me train Felicity up to be one of the strongest heroes this world has ever seen so that she can save the world while looking cute while money piles up in my bank account!"
"U-Um, Uncle Shizue, I think that you're forgetting that I don't really want to be a famous-"
"Training and marketing strategies start now! It won't be long before the royalties start rolling in!"
I felt like a toddler who didn't like swimming but had just been thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool. "B-B-B-B-B-B-But I don't want to be a hero like that, ever since I was little I've just wanted to do something more like what Momma and Aizawa do, I really, really don't think-"
My uncle swatted at me with a nearby weight, shutting me up. "Great to know that we're all on the same page. Let's do this, darlings!"
What had I gotten myself into?
***
"Okay, so I just want to get a better idea of what your basic strength is and how your mind works in one on one combat situations so try fighting against my beautiful son a few times," Shizue said, pulling out a lighter and holding a cigarette in between his teeth. "I'll just be making some mental notes so don't mind me, okay?"
How did I get here? "O...Okay," I said in a little voice, anxiously pulling my shorts down.
If I was polite for the next few days and went along with everything, then I could go home without having gained or lost anything. I just had to keep my head down and do what I was told and then I'd be back in my beautiful, safe, familiar bedroom. That seemed like the safest path, the one with the least amount of resistance.
I sucked in a breath and then released it, activating my quirk. I felt personally stupid but my cousin got into a fighting stance, looking all cool and badass. I wondered if I could ever look cool like that, instead of always awkward and unsure.
"Oh, and one more thing," Shizue added as he leaned back against the wall. "Nagisa, no using your quirk. Now go, my lovelies!"
"Wait, what?" I exclaimed, looking over at him. "What do you mean Nagisa-onii-chan can't-"
All of a sudden I was lying on the mat, feeling dazed and staring up at the ceiling.
"...use his quirk..."
"Atta boy, Nagisa. Felicity, that was just embarrassing."
"No wonder that Bakugo kid beat your ass in the end," Nagisa commented, grabbing my hand and pulling me up to my feet.
I rubbed my sore head, sounding tearful. "I gave it my all. It's just that my all wasn't enough. I'm sorry that Bakugo is overpowered."
"Don't apologise," Uncle Shizue chimed in. "It's not his fault that he's so much better than you and that you're currently useless. Now, let's try that again."
***
"You have trouble flying, right?"
"Y-Yeah...I'm not very good at staying in the air for too long because it hurts my back and shoulder blades...and I'm also not very good at swooping down and pulling myself back up...or at landing properly...or at controlling-"
"Well, that's perfect because I've come up with the perfect way to help you get used to all that."
In spite of myself, my face lit up. I used to be a lot better at flying and it had been kind of fun when I was little so a part of me did want to improve at it. "Wait, really? What is it?"
"It's a little technique called 'Get Off The Roof, Felicity' ."
"Huh? What's that-"
Before I could finish, he grabbed onto my hood and tossed me over the roof's edge causing me to shriek and frantically rip my wings out. My poor hoodie was ruined.
***
"I taught you the basics of how to wield a spear when you were six, right? Make one, I wanna see if you've got those basics down."
"O-Okay."
My spear had barely been in my hands two seconds before Nagisa easily smacked it out of my hands with a water whip.
Uncle Shizue tutted. "Pathetic. Come on, make another, chop, chop, by the time we're through with you, you're going to be using that thing like you're from goddamn Shaman King."
***
"Okay, the next training stage is easy. We're gonna do some endurance. Now, all you gotta do it just stand there, completely still and rock solid for a few minutes. Alright?"
"Alright," I said, letting out a relieved breath, thankful that I was finally getting to do something easy. I was exhausted by then. "I think I can do that."
"Good. Now Nagisa, throw that brick at her."
"Wait, what?"
***
"Oh, come on, Felicity, are you serious?" Uncle Shizue said, sounding exasperated as Naima pulled over to the side of the road I was panting for breath on. "I don't know what's worse, the fact that you stopped running after five minutes or the fact that I caught up to you in a Honda."
Using his quirk, he splashed me with icy water, making me shriek. " Let's go, darling! Move those little legs!"
***
"Felicity, you can do it!" My uncle yelled, practically sticking his entire upper body out of the passenger seat window. By then, I was red faced, gasping for breath, stitches in my sides. My legs ached from the pain that is running, so much so that I felt like I was only seconds away from collapsing to the ground and dying right then and there.
But the fat, sugary doughnut with pink icing that Shizue was waving at me gave me strength. "I can do it!" I called back breathlessly but with clear tones of hope and joy.
"You can do it!"
"I can do it!"
"Do you want this doughnut?"
"Yes! Yes, I do!"
"So come and get it, baby!"
"I'm gonna get it!"
"You're gonna be a hero, baby!"
"I'm gonna be a hero!"
Yes.
In spite of my aching limbs and burning lungs, I found myself smiling.
I'd make things right with Papa and be a hero.