Fortune’s Favor

The sound of the alarm clock on my bedside table was the first thing I heard as my eyes snapped open. Despite being forced awake, this was probably the most satisfying sleep I've had in years. 

I spent all night scouring the internet for heroes, villains, or just anybody that had a quirk similar to mine. A hero's quirk is part of the brand and fame so it wasn't hard to look most of them up. Villains were more difficult because the information available online is mostly from bystanders who witnessed their quirk in action.

Still, I didn't find much in either regard. That didn't mean it was completely hopeless. While I didn't find any quirk similar to mine, I'd gotten some inspiration on how to utilize mine. 

If my quirk allowed me to empower objects with abnormal effects, what's stopping me from granting an object and abnormal effect that emulated a quirk?

That's what I want to test and it's why I'm awake by five in the morning. My alarm clock was one of the items I'd empowered in my quirk testing spree. It forces any unconscious person within the range of its sound to wake up when it rings. 

My bed was empowered with a relaxing effect that left whoever slept in it completely refreshed. Both were mundane uses of my quirk but they're useful all the same. It allowed me to get a feel of how much energy is needed for different effects. 

It only took me a few minutes to get dressed in a light tracksuit. My aim for this early awakening is to put an empowered item to the real test. 

The running shoes I currently had on were empowered with the abnormal effect of increasing my running speed. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous as I left my small house. 

It's quite early so the streets are almost empty. I started off with a brisk walk, calming my nerves and slowly warming myself up. It was when I reached the five minute mark that I picked up the pace and really started running. 

It wasn't my first time going out for a morning run so I'm familiar with my running speed. Well, whatever record I had before today, I shattered them as my legs carried at much greater speed than I anticipated. 

The breeze blew my hair back as I tore through the streets at greater speed than I ever imagined. I had put a lot of energy into this effect when empowering the boots so it's quite satisfying to see the result. 

With all my excitement, I soon realized a new problem; I'm going too fast. The feeling of my body slamming into a pole was what alerted me to that issue. 

It wasn't a nice feeling. 

Xx-Xx-Xx

I managed to drag myself back home about an hour later. My little accident aside, it was a very productive session. It took a bit but I was able to control how fast I was running, maintaining a speed that was still quite fast. 

I caught the attention of a police officer during my run but I was more than fast enough to escape. I'd briefly forgotten about quirk regulations that prohibit the use of quirk in public. 

Granted, I wasn't exactly using my quirk but I still don't want to entangle with the authorities. The versatility of my quirk gives me a significant advantage over others, an advantage that would be slightly less useful if it became public knowledge. 

The police may be the 'good guys' but I don't exactly have the best opinion about justice related authorities. 

All in all, I'm quite satisfied with my performance today. Still, I'm not quite sure that it'll be enough to pass the exam. The physical aspect was still a mystery. For all I know, it could be a physical apprehension test or a scenario based exam. 

I have to prepare for both scenarios. 

While this train of thought ran through my head, my legs carried me to the empty room in this house. My parents' room, it hadn't been used since their demise but I had kept it clean and spotless. 

Just being here brought back a lot of emotions. It reminds me of why I want to be a hero. It motivates me so I can't afford to forget. 

I moved to the wardrobe where I had neatly arranged their things. There I found it, my mother's jewelry box. Some of my father's accessories were in there as well but it was mostly hers. 

Digging through the box, I pulled out a pendant, one of my mom's accessories. I haven't empowered anything since I woke up so my reserves are filled up. 

Holding the pendant delicately, I guided my energy into it. I'd empowered other items yesterday but this was more personal than any other. I invested a bit over half of my energy into the pendant, granting it a shielding effect. 

My hands shook slightly as I wore it on my neck, a warm feeling encasing me completely.

Memories flashed through my mind, vivid as always. My ten year old self, laying in the wreckage and ruins of debris and fire. The violent sounds of fighting rang in the air but the only thing I could see was the charred body beside me in the ruins. 

Dark hair and blue eyes, the very same ones I inherited. My mother, dead to the world, her last expression being one of shock. My father laid limp at the side, his entire body being one big burn scar. 

The fight happening around us between the suited man and a frowning hero didn't stop, only growing in intensity. 

I shook my head, coming out of my trance and still feeling the protective effect of the pendant. The next thing I took out was my father's wedding ring. 

His quirk allowed him to speed up the natural healing rate of those he touched. It used his own stamina but the consumption rate was quite high. Regardless, I have fond memories of him healing my cuts and wounds when I was younger and more reckless. 

Lacing the rest of my energy through my hands and into the ring, granting it a healing effect, in honor of my father. 

Wearing the ring, I raised my hand to my face, still bruised and a bit swollen from my encounter with the pole. A blue aura surrounded my palm as I laid it on my bruised face, feeling a soothing effect as the soreness and pain that I'd ignored so far quickly disappeared. 

I didn't need a mirror to know that it worked. These two items, reminders of my parents and their love for me. They may be dead but they'll live on through me. 

I just have to live long enough.