5 Chapter 5 - The Outlet

UPDATE:

So, I scrapped Atrea (Gabriel) since I felt like not many readers like reading female MCs, which led me to remake the character and turn it into a male MC.

What's changed? I made the MC become Leonidas, his real name, and his new fake name became Leo Morningstar. His powers would be similar to Thomas Andre from Solo Leveling (An underrated character, in my opinion)

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Months later.

A boy sat on his chair repeating a video posted on the internet; watching it sent wafts of anger into the boy's system. It was a video of his father fighting multitudes of villains. However, it always ended the same, a bright explosion.

The family came across the video days after Lucy told him of his father's status and what happened to him. To say he was distraught would be an understatement.

At first, he didn't want to accept it. Why should he? Why must he believe the death of his father? He was holding onto a thread of a miracle to happen.

Sadly, that surfaced video snapped his line. The mother-son duo wailed as they watched it; to make matters worse, some even bashed the Pantheon for his suicidal attack, but at least they were the minority.

After that, pictures of their old selves were broadcasted on the international news section by their local news saying that they were missing. To declare the Morningstars during those days were the embodiment of overwhelmed became a fact.

Lucy might have explained Leo's father dying on duty but has yet to explain why. From his perspective, they suddenly had to run in the middle of a rainy night, leaving his father.

And whenever he re-watched the video, uncontrollable tears would continuously stream down his face. And as he continued this process, his hate for villains, especially the big-mouthed villain, grew.

But just as he was about to click the replay button, his mom called. "Leo! Time for school! The school bus is here!" Wiping the streaks from his face, he rushed downstairs from his room.

Lucy, who had been waiting by the door, saw her son thudding at the steps of the stairs. As she observed him, she saw marks from fresh tears.

And as he was about to walk out the door, the house's light stopped him and made him face her. Leo, embarrassed from his earlier crying, avoided her gaze.

However, all Lucy did was hug him tightly. "We'll be stronger and get past this," she whispered and wiped the residual tears. Pointing the finger at his heart, "as long as this doesn't give, we'll be okay."

The son nodded with renewed warmth on his cheeks, "Now, what does your father always tell you?" hearing this, he pondered, remembering. ""As long as my knees don't buckle, I'll stay standing."' they said in unison.

Seeing the ignited vigor within Leo's eyes, she allowed him to leave to enter the school bus. Lucy watched him have a hop to his steps, 'Atreus, our child is strong, and it keeps me going too.'

Looking at her watch, she hurried her steps. "Time to go to my clients' children; their quirks need controlling and help. And I need the funds growing."

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Falmouth Elementary School

A boy with a mane of golden hair gets down from the bus; if the other children observed better, they would spot the golden markings on his arm.

Who else but the young Morningstar?

He was taller than most of his peers, probably because of his quirk. He stood at 5 Foot flat in his 10 years of living. His quirk was unique; it had multiple uses, manipulating energy from his body and he can strengthen his physical capabilities beyond human limits.

However, there are times when it becomes weird. At times, he can suddenly fly, and recently, bits of armor-like shells have formed on his body whenever he concentrates massive amounts on a particular appendage.

Anyway, he quickly navigated through the crowded halls of talking children. With their loud chatter, Leo picked up their topics immediately. Just some new Hero swinging through the buildings of New York City.

Having reached the class he has attended for months, some waved at his appearance while others merely stared. Nodding his head at those wavers, he sat down and daydreamed.

His daydream continued until the teacher he missed entered and clapped her hands for attention. "Alright, children," she observed, seeing who wasn't paying attention. And seeing all eyes were on her, she continued.

"Before we start class, who here has yet to fully control their quirks? Any uncontrolled bursts?" she questioned. The reason is that children had to have proper control over their quirks before attending Middle School.

There have been cases of students with emitter-type quirks suddenly activating and causing harm to those in their vicinity. And children with mutant-type quirks that inhibit animal traits tend to follow their animalistic instinct and react aggressively by accident.

All this is because of a law passed decades prior when quirked children started filling in the statistics for accidents within a school. And now, children who are unable to safely control their quirks before Middle School are meant to undergo Quirk Specialty training and get certified. Similar to Leo's mom's profession.

Anyway, around three children raised their hands. "Very well," the teacher said and immediately wrote a name and contact on the board. The name caught Leo's eyes and widened slightly.

"Our county has finally got a local quirk specialist, Miss Lucy Morningstar." Children who heard this instantly turned heads and looked at Leo. Chuckling at their reaction, the teacher continued, "Yes, she's your classmate Leo's mom. To the students who raised their hands, please tell your parents to give her a call. You still have a few months left before Middle School."

And with that, she left her students with a goodbye, telling them to prepare for their first class. But some were just too curious to follow.

"Pssst," a boy behind Leo whispered. "Is that your mom? That must be cool!" the boy clearly was interested in whatever Lucy's job did. "Does she train Heroes? Cuz I wanna be a Hero that saves the day!"

Looking back at hearing question after question, Leo answers him. "She helps children with unkontrolable quirks, Andy. And what was your quirk again?"

"You forgot again, Leo? My quirk makes TOYS! Just imagine me on the news; Toy Story saves the day!" he said with a puff of his chest. With a raised eyebrow, Leo absently nodded at his enthusiastic seatmate. "You already made a name?" Without missing a beat, "Sure do! Ya never know when someone might need toys! It could be a child, a grandpa, and my older sister!

"Although..." Andy continued with bits of puzzlement, "My older sister likes toys, weird, huh? She always told me to make these sausage-like toys, some in weird shapes too! She must be hungry, I bet."

Later in the future, teenage Andy would realize what he was making. For now, he just thinks his sister likes sausages, but with this realization, he found his true calling.

The classes went by quickly, and the young Leo was on the bus again, going home. Leo saw the types of houses his classmates lived in during bus rides. Some were in buildings, some in humble homes, and at times the bus would stop at an enormous lakeside manor that the children and he would gawk at.

However, different from his usual routine, the bus driver called him over. "Leo Morningstar! Come up to the front with your things!" Confused but obeyed, he walked to the front with his bag in tow.

"Yer' mom told me to drop you off here. She said she was working with a client's child here, so off' ya go, kid." And with him going down was the resident child.

He didn't know the girl apart from knowing she lived in this massive manor by the lake. "You gettin' help from my mom?" he asked, breaking the ice. And now that he observed her closer, he noticed that she had fin-like ears.

Yet, instead of getting a reply, he got a nod. Instead of thinking of why she was silent, he asked another question. "What's your name? I'm Leo, Leo Morningstar!" he introduced casually. 'Would that make her talk?'

Instead of talking, she typed words into a tablet. [Hello. My name is Siren McKenzie. My quirk inhibits me from talking freely; I hope you don't mind.]

'Oh, so it was due to her quirk. I wonder what it does?' Leo curiously thought. And before he could ask, Siren gave the tablet again, probably out of habit.

[My quirk, Siren's Anthem, makes my voice sound like a melody. And it enthralls people to follow me, and I can increase my voice's volume too. But don't worry, I won't control the world.] she showed the tablet with a smirk, making Leo chuckle.

As they walked, they continued chatting. [And what's yours? Does it have anything to do with the gold on your arms?] Reading the tablet, he thought of what to say.

His mom warned him about his quirk, to not say everything about it. Following her advice, "I can manipulate energy." Not leaving it at that, he showed a golden ball of energy forming on his hand. While doing so, the markings on his arm also glowed, which only happened when Old Man Talos changed their features and added gold markings like his father's.

Eyes like saucers, Siren marveled at it. 'I wish I had something so easy to use. Then maybe I would already have lots of people to talk to,' with these thoughts, her head slumped, along with her sky-blue hair.

Leo, seeing her slumped head, tried cheering her. "I don't know why you're suddenly sad. But my mom said if I want to cheer someone up, show them something nice." In saying so, he manipulated the ball of energy to show miniature fireworks.

Fireworks reflecting off her eyes, she involuntarily said a word, "Thanks~." Leo, not knowing the significance of it, said his welcome. But he did comment on how beautiful her voice sounded.

Only then did Siren realize and cover her mouth quickly.

She quickly made Leo stare him in the eyes, which bewildered him, 'Phew. He doesn't seem dazed, lucky.' Siren internalized. Unknowingly discovering a portion of Leo's quirk that even he doesn't know.

'What is it with girls making me suddenly face them? Weird day.'

After all of that, they finally made it to the manor. Entering the said house, the two children saw their respective mothers chatting with one another.

But before they could enter, a servant asked for their bags, to which Sarah naturally handed hers off. "Uhm, why do you want my bag?" Leo, in all his innocence, asked.

Seeing this, the servant felt embarrassed, 'Right, they're children. I forgot.' Clearing his throat with a cough, "To help you carry it, Sir Leo," with a genuine smile.

Handing it over with thanks, he simply thought of it as big-manor stuff. In his defense, he never experienced a servant, nor did he feel burdened by his bag. He was a child who stood 5 foot tall and with a strength quirk to boot.

Siren was standing at 4 foot 5 inches, so he understood if she needed such help. After all that small stuff, the two briskly walked to their mothers, who had watched the entire ordeal with small chuckles at Leo's reaction.

"Leo, darling, how was your day?" she lovingly asked and hugged him while observing his eyes. After all, the eyes tell everything. And seeing his eyes full of life, she felt relieved.

There were times when he came home with saddened eyes, to which she would invest all her time with her son the following days. Anything to rid him of the sadness of the death of his father.

She was lucky that her job was within a community of well-off people that paid well, and she was her own boss. She didn't have to leave her son alone to work a 9 to 5pm office job.

"Ah, Dr. Lucy, is this the handsome boy you have been talking about?" her client asked in sincere interest. "Indeed, he is!" And the child in question couldn't help but redden at the praises.

"Leo, this lovely lady is Farah McKenzie. Siren's mother, why don't you say hello?" Lucy stated and patted Leo on the back, getting his attention. Although, Farah hearing Lucy's compliment made her smile softer.

With a slight nod, "Good day, Ma'am," but his greeting earned him some laughs from the adults. "Oh, you! You can call me Aunt Farah; you make me sound old!"

Leo was about to suddenly ask Farah's age to confirm whether she was old, but in pure instinct, Lucy stopped him subtly. "Ah, Siren, sweety! It's good to see you again! Why don't we get to training right away?" Siren, hearing this exuberantly, nodded. She wanted her quirk under control, and so far, Miss Lucy has been the biggest help.

"Well, c'mon, Leo, dear. Let your mom and Siren do their thing. And let us do our thing," Farah said in her southern accent, guiding Leo into a room. "Uhmm... okay?"

Entering the room, he found musical instruments of all shapes and sizes. A guitar-shaped heart, a table with numerous buttons, and cylinders with many other cylinders. The works!

Farah seeing his astonished face, smirked, 'what kind of child would not wonder at instruments?' she pondered. "Now, darling. My family has been into music since sound learned to walk."

Going near the instruments, the harp, "this darling here is for the calm, the smooth, people that float in the sky." Twirling her fingers, she produced a soothing tune.

As she went on to each and every instrument, the subsequent explanation caught his ears. "And this table right ere'? This is the piano. It's for everythang, the smooth, the jazz, upbeat." she went and stopped like something important was next. "However," her long pause made him question too, "However?"

"However, I believe the piano is for the heart and soul," her words got Leo's full undivided attention, 'the heart and soul? Like what dad and mom always say,' he reminisced. Farah said passionately, "It plays all the tunes, and it plays delicately that it can almost speak."

"So, Honey, if you want something to help yer' heart. The piano is the way to go," she said, kneeling and tapping his chest to signify the heart. Wide-eyed at toning that she could tell he was slightly troubled, he asked.

"H-How can you tell?" Leo questioned with a bemused face. "Well, Leo. My quirk can hear the perfect pitch. And when people are sad, their heart has a different rhythm."

"You may be happy now, but it ain't every time in your case." Now this time, Leo was bewildered. "And how do you know that?" questions the boy.

"Oh! Your mom shared it with me; I ain't psychic, Hon! May your father's soul rest in peace," hearing this, Leo took a solemn face. Placing a hand on the boy, "Son, your mother and I have been friends for the past weeks since I took up her service. And let me tell ya', a kid bottling up their anger will stay a kid or become a gramps, not an adult."

"So, what will it be? You goin' to bottle it up or play some piano with me?"

"I didn't understand everything that you just said, but it sounds nice," his answer made Farah laugh. And so began Leo's outlet of anger, instead of glaring at a screen of his father dying, on repeat.

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CHEERS!

And NO, Farah ain't the pair. Hell, romance will only be a minor part of the story.