MHA: Dragon's Pride

Mei Hatsume hums to herself as she finishes packing up the last of her babies, a bright smile on her face. After making sure everything is secure and won't jostle, get loose, and only has a fifteen percent chance of suddenly exploding, she zips up the bag and picks it up before turning to the open window. The pink dread locked girl takes a deep breath of the fresh air before she raises the bag above her head with both hands…

"YEET!"

…and chucks it out the window with enough force that both of her feet momentarily leave the ground.

After she's securely on the ground once again she listens and cackles hearing the dude helping her complain loudly enough for her to hear from her room on the second floor. No cursing though, so she'll have to work harder!

Taking one last look around the bare room previously filled with all the babies she's made in the past, she feels a wave of nostalgia wash through her. She's lived here her entire life, and now she's finally leaving it behind.

And she won't ever return.

Mei Hatsume has always been interested in how things work. So much so that when her quirk came in her parents got her tested to see if Zoom wasn't just a secondary aspect or a mutation. But the results were conclusive that -other than a slight modification to her synapses allowing her to process more information thanks to the enhanced details she could perceive- Zoom was in fact her only quirk.

Not that they minded, of course. No matter what her quirk was, Mei would always be their daughter! Really, they weren't even sure why they were surprised, given they both had eye-based quirks. After assuring their daughter that they weren't disappointed that she was just like them, they decided to get her a treat!

Now, for most kids that would be something like ice cream, a favorite restaurant, a movie, etc. Mei Hatsume though? When her parents told her she could get whatever she wanted, her mind immediately went to something they half-expected, but were still surprised by.

"I want an engineering kit!"

In an age of quirks, a number of which could result in increased mental or physical abilities, many companies have increased the range of 'toys' available to children. Science kits, cooking kits, and art kits gave way to physical training kits, computer kits, and, of course, engineering kits, to name but a few.

Even without an intelligence quirk, Mei Hatsume's parents knew she was smart. So they thought nothing of getting her what she wanted, believing that there would be no harm in such a thing and that she would be responsible with it. Heck, with how smart she clearly was it would probably help her with her future career! What they failed to consider, however, is the fact that she was a smart child!

It was only three days after they got her the kit that they came rushing into the kitchen following the sound of an explosion and plume of black smoke, seeing their daughter grinning brightly, even covered head to foot in soot. At that moment, they started to wonder if this was a good idea. Something that Mei Hatsume continued to make them wonder about for the next nine years.

Said inventor is abruptly jerked out of her thoughts by the sound of something crashing to the floor coming from downstairs. She sighs before heading out the door, making sure to grab the baby she made when she was eight from its hook on the way. If anyone ever bothered to ask her the name of this baby, she would lovingly reply that she calls it 'Fuck off Bitch'. It has the appearance of an extendable nightstick, though the handle is obviously a kind of black rubber, with the rest of the rod compressed in the handle until she activates it. If someone pointed a nightstick at most people in today's society, they would most likely laugh before flashing their quirk to show how little they care.

Mei Hatsume will enthusiastically admit to getting a very large amount of satisfaction after showing those same people how little both their opinions and quirks matter to her.

She kicks over the small pile of trash that has gathered in front of her door dismissively, ignoring the crumpling papers underfoot. She barely pays any more heed to the scattered bottles that crunch under her slightly heavier footsteps, cautious of stepping lightly and having her foot fly out from under her. Again. The shards of glass that come from the broken bottles aren't even worth that much consideration, with Mei Hatsume having long made herself a pair of everything resistant boots. Well, everything she could test them against. Getting her hands on some powerful acid isn't nearly as easy as she'd hoped. But with her new situation…

She rolls her eyes after going down the stairs and glancing into the living room, seeing her inherited pink hair splayed out in a tangled mess across the arm of the couch above a slack-jawed face staring up at the ceiling with glazed eyes that are capable of seeing through any object. The arm draped over the back has a depressed needle sticking out of her forearm. Drugged up again… Figures. She pulls half a dozen small inventions from her pocket that she leaves on a shelf holding some family pictures. Back when things were good. She's seven in the latest one, holding a trophy with a maniacal grin and soot dying her hair black. Her parents are standing behind younger her with wide smiles, though by this point even she can tell they're strained.

As she turns back to the front door she shoots a glance at the chair across the coffee table where a chubby balding man is smoking a cigar, wearing a loose beige suit with the buttons undone to reveal an incredibly hairy chest. A gold chain hangs under the collar and tangles with it. He would see her if he bothered to look away from his phone. She doesn't see her father, but knowing him…

She knows that she should just walk out, leave everything behind without being noticed. But despite her abysmal (read: non-existent) social skills, she understands that it's important to make sure there's a clear acknowledgement of her leaving. So she raises her hand and waves it wildly while shouting loud enough to filter throughout the entire house.

"BYE DRUG MOM! BYE WEIRDLY NICE DRUG DEALER! BYE ALCOHOLIC DAD! I'LL PROBABLY NEVER SEE ANY OF YOU EVER AGAIN!"

Her goodbyes said -accompanied by a reasonable amount of amusement at the drug dealer dropping his phone and falling out of the chair and onto his face after being startled by the sudden shout- she turns to the open door and takes her first step to freedom-

Only to come to an abrupt stop when a half-empty beer bottle flies directly in front of her face. She sighs as she turns to face her father, hiding her baby alongside her leg while pressing the button to activate it. Unseen by the cloudy rage-filled night vision eyes of her father, a short silver baton with the tip ending in a flat cap with an additional mushroom-like extension shoots out of the handle and starts sparking.

"Where'd you think you're going?" He slurs as he stumbles forward with unsteady steps. Mei rolls her eyes again, idly wondering if her helper is going to hear the commotion and come inside. She hopes not. This is going to be the last bit of time she gets to spend with her father. The final lesson she's going to be able to try and teach him.

"I'm leaving?" Mei half asks half states with a tilt of her head, her eyes hidden behind her steampunk styled goggles. Not from any intentional design or anything, it's just that she made them from things she gathered at the beach a few years ago after disinfecting them. Because despite what others may say or think, she does know how to stay safe while baby-making. If she didn't, how would she be able to make more babies?! "I mentioned a while ago that I was moving out, remember?"

Her father sneers. "The hell you are! After all the stress you've given me and your mother, you think you can just walk away!?"

"I left a few things on the shelf for you and mom to sell. If you bother to try and get what they're actually worth you can probably get enough money for both of your vices to finally kill the two of you." Mei says it casually, like it's a matter of fact that they'll end up killing themselves through drug and alcohol use. To her, it is. Judging by the way her father's face flushes an even deeper red, he seems to disagree.

"Whose fault do you think that is!? You insufferable little-"

He takes a heavy step towards her, his arm raised to strike her across the face. Whether with an open palm or a closed fist is uncertain, since he's tried both before. Mei doesn't wait for him to bring his hand down to find out.

She twists and jabs him with the tip of her baby, and her father only has enough time for his eyes to widen in a familiar fear before he's launched up and back into the kitchen and slamming on top of the table. The force of his landing snaps the legs and drops both man and table to the ground, crushing a dozen empty bottles and probably some discarded needles as well.

She stares at him for a moment in silence, remembering a very different man, sitting in a very different home, at that same table. One that loved and supported her dream to create, accompanied by a worried but enthusiastic wife and mother. She shakes her head sadly as she turns back to the front door, this time walking out unaccosted.

Her frown turns upside down when she sees the truck holding all of her babies, a tarp laid over the large pile and tied down to ensure nothing flies out. She turns her smile to the fancily dressed middle aged man waiting for her outside the door and pumps her arm. "Sweet! Thanks for the help, Mustache!"

Said mustached man releases a long suffering sigh. "Must you continue with that form of address? If you refuse to refer to me by my name, I would appreciate it if you could at least use my designation: Gentle."

Mei pretends to think about it for a moment. "Nah. Your mustache sticks out way more than your gentleness. So does your hair, since all of it is silver. Oh! Maybe I should call you Silver instead!"

"Please don't," the man sighs. "I already have enough trouble convincing people that I'm barely thirty years old. Not to mention the accusations whenever Brava and I go out together."

Mei nods understandingly even though she's never met the man's girlfriend and has no idea what he's talking about, patting him on the shoulder while she walks to the truck. "That's rough, buddy."

Danjuro Tobita huffs out a breath as he looks at the girl's retreating form, though he can't help the small smile that graces his lips. After being recruited by the DAB along with his partner (as well as being informed of their name and what they do) he'd been assigned as a sort of guardian to watch over the girl. And he must say, he admires the passion she puts into her work! Not only does she put her all into creating her inventions, but they are often-times incredibly effective. He has no doubt that Mei Hatsume's name will go down in the annals of history!

If she can be convinced to try and dial back on the explosions, that is. Though he supposes infamy is still a kind of fame.

"Looking creepy there, Criminal."

The former villain/vigilante side-eyes the man who walks up next to him and sniffs disdainfully. "Do not compare my admiration of someone to your attempt at indoctrinating a young girl into villainy, Giran."

The Underworld broker scowls at him as he scratches at his arm over his jacket. "Don't you go belittling my good name. She wanted money, I made sure she could get paid for what she could do. Just like every other person that comes to me looking for work."

Gentle looks at him deadpan for a moment before raising his eyebrow, causing the broker to sigh. "Yeah, I heard it as soon as I said it. I blame Bush."

Moving past the awkwardness of Giran's poor choice of words, the DAB agent glances back at the house where he can hear a man screaming in rage. "What's your business with Mei Hatsume's former… residence." He wouldn't dare call this place a home with what he's observed over the past few days. Giran shrugs.

"With the Hatsumes? Nothing. Though there is an old associate who's been getting out of line. I'm just letting him know that his actions have consequences." He sighs. "Makes me wish Bush was still around. She built the kind of reputation in a single year that usually takes a good villain half a decade to get."

"Hmm." Gentle just hums noncommittally before giving him a short bow. "Well, as interesting as this surprise reunion has been, I must be taking my leave to get Mei Hatsume to her new living arrangements."

Giran waves his hand carelessly. "Yeah, yeah. Help the kid get settled." An amused smirk crosses his face. "Gotta make sure the new generation can take over for us old timers~."

Gentle groans quietly. "I will never understand your proclivity for antagonizing those you favor." He turns away and heads to the truck, hurrying his pace when he sees Mei Hatsume open the hood and peer at the engine. "So long, actually old friend!"

"I'm only a few years older than you, dammit!" The broker shouts at the showman in mock anger, chuckling as he watches him convince the girl to not take apart the vehicle transporting them and 'improve' it. He sighs as he starts walking towards the house, drawing his gun as they drive away.

"Really irritating that people still think I won't do my own dirty work. Especially when they break my trust."

`~`

The moment the truck comes to a stop on the sands of Dagobah beach, Mei jumps out and runs off. Much to the consternation of her chaperone. She ignores his calls to return and guide him, because she described a number of the defenses she's established during the drive. To say that he's concerned at the…thoroughness… of the girl is understating things.

He'd much rather not be showered with individual grains of sand super-heated to the point he's actually being pelted by millions of tiny shards of glass. Yes, his quirk could protect him from such a thing, but that's one of the less dangerous of her protections!

But Mei Hatsume doesn't even consider the man, too busy excitedly rushing through the piles of garbage towards the only permanent structure in the place. At the center of the maze-like dump site, she comes to a stop, not even breathing heavily from the run. All the heavy lifting she's done carrying supplies for her babies has done wonders for her physical condition. Not that she particularly cares about that, but it does mean she doesn't have to ask other people to help her with strength-related things.

The pink haired inventor plants her hands on her hips after lifting her goggles to rest on top of her head, her cross-marked eyes gleaming as she stares at the building in front of her. What's above the sand, at least.

It doesn't look like anything special, just a basic square. But if she ever decides to make any building babies she can just replace it! She asked DAB to make it easily replaceable just for that reason!

Within the square are two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and shower, and a dining room. Overall, smaller than her previous living space, but belonging solely to her. Though she will have to pay attention to whatever guests the organization decides to send for a visit. It shouldn't be often though, so she should have the whole beach to herself!

And why wouldn't she? After all…

Mei Hatsume's eyes flash, her pupils seeming to extend into her vertical crosshairs for a brief moment while she bares her teeth in a savage smile. "This, is my Territory."