Chapter 19: U.A? I would have shoved you in anyway!

Another day unfolds, and Yuki's world stirs to life. As the morning sun casts its gentle glow, he rises from his slumber, a sense of anticipation brewing within him. With a stretch and a yawn, he greeted the morning and embarked on the familiar ritual of freshening up.

Emerging from his room, he descended the grand staircase of the Takehara estate, where time seemed to move at its own leisurely pace. The scent of breakfast wafted through the air, beckoning him to the family dining hall. Around the table, his parents, sister, and grandmother had already gathered, a scene that echoed countless mornings before.

It's the abundance that strikes him anew every morning. The breakfast before them is a feast, a culinary symphony that speaks of their affluence. Yuki can't help but marvel at the sheer variety that graces the table.

In the rhythm of their days, every other morning a western-style breakfast will be prepared. And today is one such day. The table wears its ornate robe, adorned with offerings that span continents. Plates of bacon glistened enticingly, their savory aroma mingling with the warm scent of eggs cooked to perfection. A basket of freshly baked bread sat nearby, accompanied by jars of golden honey and jewel-toned jam. Glasses brimmed with freshly squeezed juices, a burst of vibrant citrus against the elegant backdrop.

Although they can't finish them all, what's left isn't wasted. The remnants of their morning feast find their way to the plates of the family's dedicated servants. As Yuki settled into his seat, the familial chatter ebbed and flowed like a soothing melody.

A spark of determination lights up Yuki's eyes as he takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the words he's about to utter. "I want to go to U.A. after this year," he declares, his aspirations carried by each syllable. He's been through countless scenarios in his mind, but in this pivotal moment, he opts for simplicity, for directness. His gaze shifts from the table to his parents. In his eyes, there's a glint of hope.

Beside him, his sister's voice chimed in. She grasped the significance of his declaration, the path he sought to tread. "Brother wants to become a hero?" Her words echoed through the room.

"I already thought when you would bring up that topic," his father remarked, his tone a blend of understanding and anticipation. The countless hours Yuki had poured into his training hadn't gone unnoticed, and as a parent, his father had sensed that sooner or later Yuki would want to go to a hero school.

His mother's voice followed. "If it's the hero license you're after, you need only say the word. A single call, and it's yours." she says, her voice resonating with a conviction that speaks volumes. In another family, this might have seemed like an offhand remark, a statement that would be easily dismissed. But this is Ayumi Takehara, and the name holds the power to certainly allow her what she stated.

It wasn't lost on Yuki that the power and influence of his family extended deep into hero society. Others might dismiss such a proclamation as an exaggerated boast, but in their world, it held the ring of undeniable truth.

"No, I still want to attend U.A.," Yuki asserted, a flame of determination flickering in his eyes.

"But U.A. is dangerous, you never know when a villain might jump at you," his father countered, a hint of mock seriousness playing on his features. It was evident that he was struggling to mask his true feelings, the thought of any harm befalling his cherished son almost a comical absurdity in his mind.

"Just look at yourself, you don't even believe that," Yuki retorted. He saw through his father's act, yet the act itself was endearing in its own way. Still, this wasn't about placating concerns, it was about chasing a dream that stirred his very soul. "This doesn't change my mind. I want to go to U.A."

His mother's voice joined the discussion, a layer of playful indifference veiling the underlying concern. "There are plenty of other schools you could consider, Yuki. Why U.A.?"

"Stop teasing our Yuki. Didn't you both also go to U.A. when you were younger?" his grandma interjected, her words a gentle reprimand wrapped in warmth. She paused, a moment of silence hanging in the air, before she continued with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. "Looking at you, it's clear you both don't mind at all and just want to tease Yuki." Her tone carried an air of familiarity, as though the prospect of Yuki attending U.A. was an open secret that had long been acknowledged within the family.

"Is that true? Why have I never heard of that?" Yuki questioned, a mix of surprise and curiosity evident in his words.

"Papa and mama are heroes?" Yuna's innocent voice chimed in, her gaze darting between the family members gathered around the table. The revelation seemed to spark a newfound awe in her eyes, casting her parents in a different light.

Shinji rose from his seat, a fond smile curving his lips as he approached his cherished daughter. Tenderly, he ruffled her hair, his words a soft declaration. "Yes, papa is a hero, even if he doesn't look like one."

Yuki's reaction was nothing short of dramatic. "What??" The exclamation burst from him, a vivid reflection of his astonishment. The revelation seemed to defy everything he had perceived about his parents, the idea of them as heroes felt absurdly out of place.

"Both your father and I are U.A. graduates, holding official hero licenses," his mother explained matter-of-factly, a touch of amusement in her voice as if this were a trivial truth.

"Is it really that surprising?" Her tone carried a hint of amusement, as though she found his reaction rather endearing. "And remember, the hero license only grants us the right to use our quirks publicly; it doesn't compel us to play the hero."

Hearing his mother's words, Yuki felt like the world had tilted beneath him. It was as if a hidden puzzle piece had suddenly clicked into place, altering his perception of reality. 'Whoa,' he mentally exclaimed, his internal shock nearly prompting him to flip the table.

'Calm down,' he chided himself, seeking to regain his composure. 'The Hero License is essentially just a ticket to use quirks openly. It doesn't come with a mandate to be a hero. How did I never see this?" He mentally facepalmed, berating himself for not recognizing such a glaring fact earlier. His fingers traced his forehead as if physically urging his mind to wake up.

"Guess I got caught up in the whole hero ideal," he mused, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Names can be pretty deceiving, huh?"

"In the first place, most who have a certain amount of power and influence over society do the same," Shinji explained with a casual shrug. "We need to attend a high school anyway, so obtaining a hero license in the process is just another benefit." His words were full of pragmatic reasoning, a calculated approach to the choices they were making.

Yuki's mind raced, a flurry of thoughts colliding like sparks in his brain. The revelation about his parents being heroes had jolted him from his assumptions. "So, I'm allowed to attend U.A.," he reiterated, his voice tinged with eagerness. His heart hammered in anticipation of their response, like the rapid beats of a drum before a grand performance.

"Not only are you allowed, I would have shoved you in there anyway. After all, all those sponsorships I gave them in the past would have been useless otherwise," his father chimed in, his words delivered with a nonchalant air, as if discussing the most mundane topic.

"Did you just say you bribed the hero school," Yuki interjected, his suspicion triggering a mental alarm.

"Bribe... another way to call it, but literally anyone does so. After all, do you think the government allocates enough funds to the hero schools to do what they do," his father explained, his response dripping with the kind of pragmatic realism.

The impact of this revelation reverberated through Yuki's thoughts like an earthquake shaking the ground beneath him. The pillars of his preconceived notions were collapsing, leaving behind a landscape of unsettling truths. His mind raced to reconcile these revelations with his ideals, yet amidst the turmoil, a sense of begrudging understanding began to emerge.

'Looking at it from a logical point of view, indeed the government would never provide the schools with enough funds to buy that many robots just for an entrance exam.' From this new perspective, the pieces started to align, forming a coherent picture of a reality he had been blind to. His mind, initially recoiling from the revelation, now began to accept it as an inevitable truth.

"Most influential families stand behind one of these top hero schools, ours just so happens to be behind U.A." his mother continued to explain. "After all, sponsoring the school provides us with various benefits, such as preemptively being able to scout potential heroes for the agencies under our name."

Yuki already knew that his family had many hero agencies under their name. As the pieces fell into place, he felt a surge of insight electrify his thoughts. 'Indeed, that really is a shrewd business perspective,' he mused. 'In the end, both parties benefit from this arrangement, the hero schools gain the necessary financial support, while their patrons gain unrivaled influence among the heroes.' In this symbiotic relationship between the elite families and the hero schools, Yuki recognised a game of power and strategy that ran far deeper than the surface might show.

"Other question, who do you want to recommend you, so that you can take the recommendation exam?" His father continued, his tone hinting at the underlying significance of this choice. After all those who have the choice are spoiled for choice.

"I don't think I'll take the recommendation exam. I'm opting for the normal route," Yuki stated confidently.

The room fell into a momentary hush as his parents exchanged perplexed glances. "Why would you do that?" His mother questioned, her curiosity tinged with a touch of disbelief. After all, the recommendation exam was a coveted opportunity for any aspiring hero.

In a typical Yuki fashion, he answered with a nonchalant shrug, "I heard they'll interview me if I take it, and that just sounds like a hassle." He paused, allowing the weight of his reasoning to settle in, before adding with a wry grin, "The normal one is a robot fight, as far as I've heard. Just one or two lightning strikes, and I'm admitted into the school."

"Lazy as always!" His entire family exclaimed in unison.. Even his sister, barely four years old, chimed in with a giggle, as if she comprehended this fundamental aspect of Yuki's personality.

"So, how far does our family's influence reach into U.A.?" Yuki's seemingly innocent question carried a playful undertone, a sly curiosity lurking beneath the surface. Surely there was no great plan behind this question, was there?

His father met the inquiry with a knowing smirk, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Let's just say they wouldn't dare kick you out unless you went so far as to kill a teacher or 'inadvertently' brought down the whole school building." He paused, his tone dripping with wry amusement, before continuing, "Even if you managed to sleep through the written exam and 'accidentally' turned the other examinees into human shields, they'd still not think about rejecting you."

Having heard his father's words, a rather mischievous grin crept across Yuki's face. His mind whirred with possibilities, each more audacious than the last. Meanwhile, Ayumi and Mayuri exchanged knowing glances, their eyes speaking volumes. In that instant, Shinji felt an icy trickle of realization down his spine, he realized he might have let slip more than he intended, a realization that sent a subtle pang of regret coursing through him.

Amid the unspoken exchange, Yuna's innocent voice pierced the moment. "I don't like it when Yuki smiles like this."

—

After breakfast, Yuki embarked on his journey to school, while Shinji, on the other hand, summoned Lady Nagant into his presence. With her arrival, she was filled with anticipation, knowing that her master's instructions would inevitably relate to Yuki.

As Lady Nagant positioned herself beside Shinji, her keen gaze met his, ready to receive the forthcoming instructions. And then, the words fell from his lips with a gravity that matched his serious expression.

"Apply to U.A. as a teacher, and make sure nothing happens to Yuki" he ordered, followed by a moment of silence and then, a recollection brushed the edges of Shinji's thoughts, prompting him to add, "Nearly forgot, also make sure he does nothing excessive while at school."

Lady Nagant's head inclined in a firm nod, a gesture that symbolized her unwavering acceptance of the directive issued by the man who had pulled her from the depths of Tartarus. Her gratitude toward Shinji resonated within her, an emotion that had only deepened over time.

In the beginning, doubt had whispered at the edges of her thoughts. Could she truly fulfill the role he had entrusted to her? Was she the right person for this task? Yet, as the days turned into years, those uncertainties slowly morphed into a sense of familiarity, an unexpected attachment to the duty that now defined her existence.

Thus, as she stood there, the echo of her past mingling with her present resolve, she reaffirmed her commitment to this mission, to her duty as both a protector and guide.

—

AN: I hope there are no inconsistencies in the next few chapters, as chapter 7 to this one were written after I had already reached chapter 30. I fixed whatever I found after proofreading, but one can never be too sure.

In the first place, these chapters were just about the things I originally mentioned in one or two paragraphs, so apart from reiterating something already known, nothing else should be affected.

Slight spoiler: The things mentioned in the first few chapters are more important than they seem. As mentioned in the description, this fic is not limited to the MHA world, and a chat group of schemers will be introduced soon.