Chapter 15: Fate And Calamity.
Her voice was steady, and shallow through the door but nevertheless I still managed to hear it perfectly and composed myself, simply wiping my face and taking advantage of the [Divine Protection of Immaculate Garb] in order to keep the clothes I am wearing in their best condition, no creases nor stains.
Eventually, after looking in the mirror and making sure my smile is as sparkling as ever, I clean the place up using [Swiftness] and finish in a fraction of a second, opening the door finally and seeing Nejire hesitantly standing there with a cup of coffee.
"I appreciate the gesture, however, currently I am going through a slight mental breakdown, furthermore I am immune to the effects of caffeine as I have a [Divine Protection of Insomniac Vitality] meaning I can sustain myself indefinitely without sleep. I appreciate the gesture."
"Reinhard just shut up and let me in so we can talk about your problems like normal people do. I get that you're having a moment but that doesn't mean we can't discuss it with eachother. The coffee was for me incase this gets too out of hand."
"Fine. Just please try to keep a rational mind, and I'd also appreciate if you didn't report this to Nezu."
"Reinhard I'm training to be a hero, I'm always gonna value your health over spying on you."
God I hope so. At this point I just hope I'm able to actually talk about it to her, hopefully I'm not cursed like Subaru was. I open the door fully to let her in and close it after she shifts her concerningly long hair through the door, then watch as she sets the coffee on the table and takes a seat on the bed, patting the spot across from her as encouragement.
Just to be sure that I'm not being spied on I activate the [Divine Protection of Electromagnetic Sense] and see that there really isn't a listening device on her, finally allowing myself to relax slightly before taking the seat being offered.
She takes a small sip of the coffee, staring into the mug slightly before looking up at me and staring, as if trying to piece something together but being unable to do so. Eventually, she sighs and softens her gaze.
"You're a kid who just won the Sports Festival. You've become an international icon in a single afternoon, people will be clamoring to even see you. Yet right now you look like you've seen a ghost."
She brings her left hand over and places it on mine, clasping them together as she tenderly rubs her thumb against my palm, attempting to comfort me as she once more looks me in the eyes.
"What happened, Reinhard? Did you meet Endeavour? Did you not perform as well as you wanted to? Did someone say something nasty to you? Well, don't worry cause Big Sis Nejire will beat them all up! I'll keep all the - "
"I died, Nejire."
She chokes, as if unable to even comprehend such an event occurring before mentally taking a step back and addressing her thoughts one by one, coming to the conclusion that this is more concerning than she initially gave credit for.
"How? I mean its the Sports Festival, heroes were everywhere to the point you couldn't breathe without one down your throat! Besides, I don't think I've ever seen you with so much as a scratch on you. Also, I don't think we're addressing the main issue in that people die when they're killed, meaning you should be in a grave if that really happened."
"Do you know what my Quirk does?"
She looks away, fully aware that I know she's been tasked with monitoring me before nodding and once again meeting my gaze equally, her eyes crumpling as if expressing sympathy of their own volition.
"One day, I wished to not die. And so, I didn't. Sadly, however, the world no longer wishes for me to die, and I am now unable to. I have died multiple times, actually. I'm not even sure if there's a limit."
Nejire seemingly stares at me, face blank for a moment before glancing at the cup of coffee and taking a deep sip, then another, until finally putting the cup back down, having come to terms with the information given.
"If that's the case, how did you die in the first place? How the hell did you even get hit?"
"How much do you know of Pre-Quirk society?"
"Well, I know about the old governments, NATO, the World Wars, and some of the old Religions of the world."
"Hm. Well, what we're focusing on is the old Religions. I'm sure you already know of the Quirk Seraphites, people who believe that Quirks are gifts from God and to be used in the name of the Lord, as well as the remnants of Christianity throughout the world."
"Yeah? Reinhard if you're trying to educate me allow me to remind you I've taken my world history course, for longer than you. I already know that many religions lost faith in the face of Middle Eastern Quirk cleansing, and how Hinduism now remains the sole dominant religion of Asia."
I pause for a moment, unaware of such events having occurred in world history, and take the chance to ask Nejire just what the hell she's talking about.
"Well, if I remember correctly, the first dual Quirk user, Ibrahim Al Asad, appeared in Saudi Arabia, and they began rapidly amassing power before slowly taking over the Middle East, starting with Iran and Iraq. Countries were too busy dealing with the fallout of the Quirk Emergence, even after 7 years, to deal with it and so his conquest went unchallenged.
Shortly after taking over the Middle East he began spending mass amounts of money on weaponry and armaments, rallying his people under a Holy cause in belief of his God given power. I think he had a team with him full of powerful Quirk users, the Angels he called them.
Eventually though Ibrahim grew confident in his power and decided to use the chaos of the Emergence to invade Europe, starting with Italy and pushing all the way to Belarus before other armies began to finally get involved after settling their domestic issues. The war lasted 6 years, and once it finished, after heavy deliberation, the UN came to the conclusion that they couldn't allow another Quirk World War to occur due to the damages sustained in Europe and systematically rounded up every Quirk user they could find in the entirety of the Middle East and executed them.
There was mass outrage, and the UN was even nearly abolished, though NATO suffered that fate in the end. The Middle East never recovered, and are still suffering the consequences of Al Asad's rule to this day."
Ibrahim Al Asad. Dual Quirk user? No. That doesn't happen so naturally only a few years after the Emergence. There's only one man I know who would go so far to cause harm and he's also the only one capable of granting Quirks. I assume he had taken control of the markets and began amassing money by selling arms to Al Asad, or maybe even had the man wire money to him directly. I'm surprised that All For One already had this much influence so soon.
♧◇♡♤
"Ahem. It appears we got a bit off topic, but thanks for the history lesson Nejire. It took my mind off of things, though, so that was nice."
I won't drop the knowledge on her. I refuse to allow her to know the truth incase God would try to take out his anger on her. I don't know how far he would go if his existence was exposed, I don't even know his name for fucks sake. I'll make up a story.
"Anyways, as I said, I indeed died, though the cause was entirely my own. Sometimes I wish for powers that require me to undergo stress to manifest, so in this case my body tore itself apart in order to grant me a power to restore anything to a previous state."
She gasps and puts a hand to her mouth, unable to comprehend a barely grown adult go through so much pain in order to be a better hero, however to her my dedication to being strong is admirable enough that she wraps me in a hug, squeezing me into her embrace with every ounce of strength she has.
I don't hesitate to reciprocate, happy that she was able to take my mind off of the events of today with a simple conversation as i tuck my head into her neck, enjoying the way she rubs circles on my back and the scent of her beautiful hair.
"It's okay to be scared, Reinhard. If I died, I'm sure i'd be terrified as well. But what's more important is that you got back up. You kept going, all for the sake of your dream. You were willing to endure so much torment, and I admire that a lot. If you're ever scared or if you ever hesitate, then remember these words from Big Sis Nejire. I believe in you!"
If there was ever a moment I could calculate the exact point I felt relief to such a degree, it would be this moment here and now. Those words, no matter how small they may seem or how easy they are to speak out, meant so much to me that I couldn't really comprehend it. I don't even know why. Perhaps it was a vestigial remnant of the real Reinhard within me reacting, or perhaps I had simply been desperate for someone to uplift me after todays events.
Events after that became a blur, but I won't hesitate to admit I spent a few more minutes hugging her. I also would hesitate to say I fell in love right then and there. After she left, coffee in tow, I once more went back into bed. This time, however, I was not scared of the future. If God wants to tear me down I will build myself back up, no matter what.
♧◇♡♤
▪︎Congratulations. You've Finally Grown A Spine.▪︎
Try it all you want, jackass. I'm far too happy right now to let you ruin it, nor will I let you try. I don't think it's an exaggeration anymore, I mean it when I say I'll find a way to kill you.
▪︎I'm Sure You Will. And I'll Be Waiting.▪︎
▪︎But, No, I Am Here For A Different Reason.▪︎
▪︎I Believe I Shall Bestow Upon You One Of My Many Names.▪︎
Does it matter? I'm still gonna call you fuckhead, asshole, jackass, cunt, and whatever else I could possibly think of at the time. Hell, what makes you think I care?
▪︎Paltry. Especially From Someone Who Was Crying In Bed Not A Few Minutes Ago.▪︎
▪︎But Alas, I Shall Be Merciful Now.▪︎
▪︎You May Call Me Hephaestus, the God Of Fate and Calamity.▪︎
Hephaestus? That shitty craftsman from the Greek mythology? If that's the case then you're far weaker than I gave credit. Don't make me call Zeus on you, fuckhead.
▪︎No. I Simply Chose It Because It Seemed Fitting.▪︎
▪︎After All, I Am The Architect Of Your Fate.▪︎
▪︎I Have Forged Every One Of Your Divine Protections With My Own Hands.▪︎
Yeah, I had a feeling. Still though, if you're a God with such impulses for entertainment why the hell would you be a God of Fate and let yourself be bound by it?
▪︎I Did Not Come Here To Discuss The Nature Of My Divinity.▪︎
▪︎I Simply Came To Inform, And Now I Have No Obligation To Remain.▪︎
▪︎I Am Eager To See How You Would Go About Killing Me, Reinhard. Most Eager.▪︎
The cold feeling on the back of my spine diminishes after that, yet for the first time I don't feel the same vestigial fear I always would. At least now I have a name to scorn in my mind.
Fucking Hephaestus, what a shit name.
♧◇♡♤
I don't see Nejire again on the way to school this morning, but honestly I don't think I'd be able to look her in the eyes after such an embarrassing display.
Class is bustling right now, with a vigor that is unmatched on the afterglow of the Sports Festival, hell even Todoroki seems to be happy. Astonishing, really.
Momo had taken a few minutes to be convinced that I wasn't trying to ignore her, but simply dealing with an unprecedented issue that had been resolved now. I kinda feel like an asshole for being attracted to two girls at the same time, but maybe thats the chivalry Wilhelm instilled in me talking. He never even looked at a woman in such a way once he found Theresia, even after she died.
I don't miss how Bakugou stares at me. He wants me dead, or at least something close to it because his eyes are glaring at me so hard that its physically harming him, the blood visible in his eyes being a giveaway. His fists are clenched, with several sparks being heard as he breathes heavily, counting to ten mentally and following the excersises his therapist gave him to help him think straight.
Aizawa walks in, holding several chunks of paper in a tray as he immediately activates his Quirk to stop the background chatter and draw attention to him for the period.
"Congratulations on your Sports Festival, and especially for your undefeated streak Reinhard. I wouldn't get cocky, though, because now you're gonna be stepping out into the real world in your hero internships. For that though, you'll need some codenames."
A scantily clad boot busts through the door right as Aizawa finishes talking, leading to Midnight strolling through the wide open door before posing, for some odd reason, and continuing the sentence Aizawa left off.
"Or else there'll be hell to pay! Heroes revolve around the name just as much as the concept of heroism itself, a name can bring hope to friends or despair to enemies. They're necessary to survive in the pro field."
Aizawa picks up where she left off, a barely noticeable twitch in his eye as he summons the energy to deal with her shit for just a few minutes longer.
"Thats why you're gonna be making some new hero names, and using them to apply for the heroes you'll be studying under for your internship. Some of you got a lot more attention than the others, though that is to be expected. You've got another 2 festivals after this so don't feel so down and under if you don't get the internship you want."
They hand us some whiteboard and begin giving us time to decide on our names. I immediately write Reinhard on the board and shoot my hand up to present the name. I don't need a special title, or a fancy name. All I want is to be myself, just like my mother taught me.
"Ah, that was quite quick, Reinhard. Well, come on up and present your hero name."
People were paying attention as I flipped the board over to reveal simply my name, with some sighing disappointedly. Midnight, on the left of my, cringed slightly.
"Well, I'm sure that would indeed work but why don't you use that cool title of yours, Sword Saint, hey? That'll make you popular for sure."
"I'm afraid I can't, Miss Midnight. Being the Sword Saint is a job, not a title to flaunt. Besides, one of the last memories I have of my mother Louanna was to always be myself regardless of how powerful I become, and I promised her I would stick to it. This is who I am, and this is who I always will be."
I know you're listening, Hephaestus. I don't care what you do, or what you think, but I've come to terms now. They may not be my memories, but I'll cherish them all the same.
"Oh! How youthful, that dedication to his promises. And who would've thought our very own sword saint was a mommas boy? Oh, you just get more and more delectable every day!"
"You are 30 years old woman get a hold of yourself, this is a school."
Just as Midnight is about to speak again, something that would most likely get her several questionable looks beyond what she is already being given, Aizawa steps in.
"I like it, Reinhard. Short, poignant. Anyways, here's your internship requests." He leans in closer, talking under his breath as he hands me the stack of paper. "There's a meeting being held at 6pm today, in the conference room. You're expected to be there."
I don't particularly pay attention to anything else once I hear that. All sound simply meld together. I can only wonder what they'll be talking to me about.
♧◇♡♤
The conference room is located in the far corner of the Eastern tower of UA High-rise, and currently I am just outside the door to the room. Honestly, I am curious about this meeting more-so than I am hesitant, plus it serves as a good opportunity to rid a problem.
When I open the doors I am met with 3 people, and a large computer screen. I assume the screen is to be used later but right now I am more concerned as to why Sir Nighteye is in the same room as All Might and Nezu.
"Ah, Reinhard! Glad you came. Please, take a seat. Oh, and don't worry this isn't official business, more something personal."
I take a seat and maintain proper posture, I don't know what is happening here but I certainly don't like it at all. I'm concerned what they could have seen that involves me.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sir Nighteye, former sidekick to All Might as I'm sure you're already aware. Don't bother introducing yourself to me, I already know everything I can know about you right now. I'm here to ask you a few questions."
He leans forward and I mimic the action, intrigued as to why he would go so far for me.
"Why is it that every time I try and see the future, whenever you are involved in it, my vision instantly stops and I can no longer view that future? More specifically, why do you not have one solid future?"
"I am sorry for that happening but it may be due to the nature of my Power [Divine Blessings], since it can adapt at any moment in time my future will be constantly changing based off of what I wish for in that moment."
He leans back, and glances over to All Might and Nezu who nod and turn on the TV screen, with All Might speaking out. "Cathleen, do it."
"New Order: Reinhard van Astrea may only tell the truth from now until this order is revoked."
What the fuck! They called in Stars and Stripes?! Why? Do they not trust me enough? What is happening right now? Do her powers affect me? Fuck, fuck! I thought she needed to have touched the target. Calm down, Reinhard. [Emotional Composure], rational thought, perhaps they had her cells make contact with me. New Order is enigmatic and far too finicky to apply rules to it.
"I'm sorry, Reinhard. You seem like a good kid, got a lot of spunk to you and a good head on your shoulders, but right now we need answers and you have them."
"Thank you, Cathleen. Now, Reinhard, the first question we have for you is this. Do you have any connections to, know anything about, or have any contact with All For One."
My mouth moves of its own volition, even as I activate [No Longer Human] on my pinky finger under the table and try to activate it on myself, the runic texts surrounding my finger fizzing out a second later. No dice.
"I only know a small amount about him, and it seems I learn more everyday. I know of his subordinates and followers, as well as his desire of my Quirk, I know the tale of Mugen and Yoichi, but I do not have contact with nor ally myself with him."
"And how did you come upon this information?" Fuck this is encroaching on really dangerous territory right now. I can't expose to them that their world is simply being toyed with by Hephaestus.
I lock eyes with Cathleen on the screen and watch as her eyes go foggy, using my newly acquired [Divine Protection of Mental Suggestion] to make her disconnect the rule before punching into her computer, making her seem like she is having bad connection.
I immediately discard the power after I am done with it, unwilling to carry what is essentially mind control in my back pocket due to the extensive list of horrendous acts I could commit with it, before mentally sighing.
"I have been following information about All For One for quite a while, I simply didn't know if I could trust any of you with the knowledge that he is still alive. I had planned to go and dispose of one of his subordinates before you decided to have me shackled to UA."
"Oh? Elaborate."
"When I first received my power, I was trained and warned of the dangers of the world. I wanted to use the Internship week to hunt down every lead I could find into All For One and his allies, and I believe I know where one of his most loyal servants is."
All Might leans in, completely enhancing the tense atmosphere in the room as his gaze hardens when I finish my sentence, Nezu himself is the same, though Nezu is first.
"A shame. I just got off of the phone with the Number One Hero of the Russian Federation, Rasputin. He wanted to take you on for the week and try to nurture your growth."
"You said it yourself, Nezu, Russia was scarred by the Quirked Wars, this is more than likely an attempt to neutralise or 'dissappear' me, so I refuse to go on that."
"Good, you're finally learning, you should by now know how important you are and how much trouble that causes. I never considered letting them have you, I was simply testing you to see if you had paid attention. Now, about this servant you found."
"Yes, I would first like to ask that I be involved in the assault on him. He is more than likely one of the most powerful men All For One has at his disposal, and I am currently the most likely to take him out for good right now."
Nighteye snorts in disdain at the notion that someone could hold more power than One For All, but I decide to follow everyone else's example and ignore him.
"Authority will be given once you prove your intelligence is not only actionable but also that this man is dangerous. What is his name?"
"Gigantomachia."
All Might, who had been silent during myself and Nezu's negotiations immediately sits up straighter and asks for authorisation, also deciding that I should be allowed to join him.
"Nezu, you and I both know exactly how much trouble Gigantomachia can cause. He's been around since the First Reformation, I barely managed to keep him down myself. Had All For One not left me to fight him as entertainment and joined in the battle instead I fear I would have lost that fight."
"Fine. We need an excuse for the government and the commission though as to why the star hero and the next pillar of society are gong to be off gallivanting around the country." I interject.
"Just have us be on the internship. Have All Might as my mentor, so that we not only have an excuse to take him down together but also to allow me to fight with his permission."
"A good plan. We shall discuss this further once internships start. I need to have a discussion with Nighteye alone. All Might, do not hesitate to eliminate him this time."
And just like that, my internship went down a much different path than I had initially expected. Sadly, I wouldn't be spending time with Nejire at Ryukyu's, but taking down Gigantomachia and maybe even the Doctor would be worth it. I'll mention him in the next meeting.
Now that they trust me thanks to Cathleen's Order forcing them to confront that I wasn't lying, I'll be able to remove obstacles much faster. I don't like what Nezu was saying though, about me being priority target among many nations, to the point that Russia was willing to send Rasputin, their recently crowned 'greatest hero in asia' to kill me.
Who else would try and do the same? Do I really represent such a threat? Were the Quirked Wars so devastating that they would willingly kill a child out of fear?
Now knowing of what happened in the middle East due to Ibrahim Al Asad, I already know that answer. I'll have to look over my shoulder more than ever lest there be a knife pointed at it. The knife would never kill me, but I'll always be the villain to them no matter if I retaliate or not, and I can guarantee they would manipulate the public to think so too.
Fuck, I really did not think this through. I thought [Supernatural Intuition] meant i always made the best choice in any situation, but now I'm starting to think Hephaestus removed it from me in order to create tension just so the fucker can laugh at me failing.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone