『ARC THREE: AGENCIES AND CRYSTALS』

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Akihiko blankly stared at the rectangular metal box in his hands, his thumb brushing over the smooth surface. The thin yet reinforced walls of the box blocked the painful waves that were emitted from the shards of painite, moldavite, and Herkimer diamond. His lips pressed together as his grip on the box grew tighter.

Painite... was there some left behind from so many years ago in that bar? When did he even encounter painite in the first place? Where? If these feelings, these situations happened long before he even felt strange, how much did this amethyst affect him, and for how long? It could have been going on since the moment he received his Quirk and he had probably never even noticed. He did not notice actually. Someone had to spell it out for him.

Tomohiro was the one who put the pieces together before he even noticed it himself. Well, what did he expect actually? Tomohiro was a Hero that dug up information for his own work or for others. Settling the final piece of the puzzle should not be such a shock to Akihiko, but he still did not know what to think. Amethyst was indeed said to be a healing crystal. He never really believed it despite the fact he could create them with ease. The crystals never showed any sign of healing or displaying any strange powers. But then again, he did not notice until it was slowly picked apart for him to comprehend.

He slumped in his chair, the back of his jacket ruffling up to reveal his shirt. Next to his ear, he could hear the small thunks of grating crystal. It was bearable now since he did not have amethyst and painite's mystical properties slamming against his skull. Behind him, Tomohiro had a diamond-reinforced carving tool pinched between his fingers. The tip of the sharpened tool pressed against the amethyst before a clink was heard. It sunk into the crystal just enough for Akihiko to feel the strange sensation of something digging into his hair. Lucky for him that the sound did not bother him.

Clink, clink, clink!

Amethyst was said to open a person's third eye. He was not really sure what that meant exactly though. He never dug deep into the knowledge of crystals concerning their 'mystical properties'. He will probably have to do so just to find out which crystals will not make him feel like breaking his hair apart. Painite, moldavite, and Herkimer diamond were the first ones. He blinked, sleep slowly wanting to consume his body and mind. A light smack with the carving tool against his shoulder blade instantly made him perk up in alarm.

"No sleeping yet. This amethyst is already misshapen due to your scratching. I don't want to accidentally chop off a strand and leave it more choppy than it already is."

Akihiko hummed in response. He fiddled with the box, brushing his fingers against the material. He did not know what else to do at this point.

"Why don't you tell me why you were at that old bar?" Tomohiro asked as he narrowed his eyes in concentration. His voice was soft and did not carry an ounce of disappointment as it did earlier. He carefully swept the carving tool in a downward stroke. The end of the amethyst strip curled a bit once it was thin enough.

The teenager pressed his fingertips together. His skin was still red from the blue diamond and a small aching sensation danced across his hands. "I do not really know."

"Is that the answer you're going with?"

A puff of air slipped passed his lips. "Junpei took me there. I am not sure why."

"Why did you lose control?"

"I do not remember much. I vaguely recall images but none connect to give me a clear memory to know what happened."

Tomohiro positioned his hand on top of Akihiko's head. His finger slowly threaded through the strips of thin amethyst that have been carved. He pushed his head down lightly so he could focus on carving the bottom. At the soft-touch combing through his hair, Akihiko felt the muscles in his body relax. Like a sense of relaxation had washed over his body just by feeling his father's touch. He did not notice the soft smile that curled up on the ink-haired male's lips.

"Why will you not tell me anything?" the crystal asked as his eyelids fluttered shut.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you. There are gaps in both of your memories. Repressed memories. I assumed that you wouldn't want to hear about it since you didn't bring it up at all. I thought it would be better that way." Tomohiro explained briefly. He adjusted his grasp on the carving tool. "I'll tell you whatever you want now. You'll do something idiotic again if I don't."

In surprise, Akihiko lifted his head rapidly and took a look over his shoulder. Tomohiro had his hands suspended, one clenched tightly around the tool. "Really?"

"Yes."

"I want to know about Junpei for one."

"Alright." Halting his movements, Tomohiro slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He quickly typed something before handing it over to Akihiko. It was the Hero database with the username and password already entered. Practically, he was handed something that he should not even have even if he had a Hero license in his high school years.

"Thanks," Akihiko's eyes widened in slight shock as he stammered the word out. He definitely thought the Hero was going to say no. "Is this alright?"

"It's illegal to give someone who isn't part of the agency information on other people but I don't care too much. Sumiko is too busy to notice and Tsumugi is negotiating prices with some other agencies who want our work. Haichi is probably asleep at his sister's house since she needs something." The ink-haired male tilted his head, a few drops falling and soaked up by his shirt.

Shifting his attention to the phone, Akihiko wasted no time in punching in a name. He was slightly curious as to what negotiating meant but he assumed it was wiser to not ask about details. Negotiating could mean anything when it comes to a Hero agency. His eyebrow slightly twitched at the words appearing on the screen.

Name: Junpei Sayori

Quirk: Wings of Deduction

Wings of Deduction allows the user to create fractions of purple light in the shape of butterflies. When these butterflies come into contact with someone, clothes or skin, they can show the memories of the person whether they give consent or not. When the butterflies touch an object, certain facts and details can be extracted in order to piece together information to small or grand problems. With this information gathered, it allows the user to make predictions that will surely result in being a hundred percent accurate.

However, the drawbacks can be tremendous if the Quirk is used too frequently or too many butterflies are out in the open. The drawbacks are that eventually, the user will lose an important function such as voice, sight, hearing, and usage of their motor functions. In a worst-case scenario, the user will bleed from their nose, mouth, and ears followed by an intense migraine before fainting.

Family members:

Name: Ichika Sayori (Adopted mother)

Affiliated with a Quirk Exchange:

Name: Dai Itadori (Alias: Gambit)

Name: Marie Aki (Alias: Toy Maker)

Akihiko halted his reading, brows furrowing together in confusion. Gambit? I recognize that name.

"What is a Quirk Exchange? How is it connected with Junpei?"

At that question, Tomohiro paused his movements for a moment. A look of hesitation crossed his features before he released a sigh. "Around the time when I found you and your sister, we had gained intel about a deal that was going on in the underground between Gambit and another Villain known as Toy Maker. There was a time where it was common to sell children with rare or powerful Quirks. It was done frequently during the coming age of Quirks so it was unsettling to know that the practice never died down after hundreds of years. We used to call them and still call them Quirk Exchanges. Gambit sold children through these."

"Oh?" Akihiko echoed while raising a brow. His head was tilted in slight confusion.

Blinking, the black-haired male stared at the boy questionably before it dawned on him. "Right... schools don't teach students about the beginning of the Quirk Era?"

"Are they supposed to?"

The crystal only received a long sigh. "I'm going to give you a history lesson. When Quirks were beginning to develop, they were feared. If they were weak or strong, if a child presented with a Quirk, they were outcasted for being different or freaky so to speak. Around that time, Quirk discrimination was running wild. Then, people began to realize what could be done with children with Quirks. Use them."

Well, this is historically accurate, just not taught at all at schools.

"Humans are selfish and greedy amongst other traits that corrupt a person's common sense. Humans wish for things far out of their reach, things that will supposedly make their lives much, much better. They will trample on top of others like a stepping stone if it meant that they could come closer to their desire. They wore a mask, presenting an outer appearance that looked well mannered and friendly, waiting quietly for a chance to strike.

"Those who could not understand the unknown feared it. After all, if you cannot control it and have no use for it, why not just get rid of it? Or is it because one cannot comprehend the things in front of them that they would prefer to take it out before it can take them out? Eventually, those with Quirks were sold in Quirk Exchanges. A child with a strong Quirk in turn for money, power, whatever the other deemed enough to get the child. Naturally, it fell out of practice with the emergence of Heroes but that seemed like a hope rather than reality."

Saliva built up in Akihiko's mouth and throat. He swallowed it harshly, slowly trying to consume all of the information given to him. If society right now is not the best that it can be, how was it so long ago? Heroes were well known in this day and age but what about when there were none? How did cities even run well enough without the help of Heroes defending them? Then again, it took a long year for even Tomohiro to find them.

He bit down on his cheek. They were lucky Tomohiro found them, adopted them, and raised them as best as he could. Even now, with his father's knee ensnared in a brace and having to use crutches to move around, Tomohiro still does his best to aid the two of them. He was the best thing that ever happened to either of them and they would not replace him.

So was it safe to assume that perhaps Junpei had been in the same situation as them? Given and used by his parents just for his Quirk? They were lucky they were not sold off like that one man with golden eyes proposed so long ago at the bar. They were lucky that their parents had a tight grip on them for that.

"So Junpei was part of a Quirk Exchan-" Akihiko's words halted in his throat. His hand raised to grip the fabric of his jacket near his chest because all of a sudden, he felt his heart rate speed up. An aching sensation struck his temples but it was not unbearable like before. It felt like an ache you would get in your leg muscles after a long run.

He blinked a few times and the periwinkle faded from his eyes. Bright and multiple shades of purple had glazed over his irises like a natural polish. Lifting his head, the small infirmary that both he and Tomohiro occupied was no longer there. In fact, he could not feel his Dad's fingers threading through his hair nor the tool slicing through his amethyst hair. His breath left his lips as he watched with wide eyes at the scene that played out in front of him.

The infirmary had converted into the sight of what seemed to be the inside of an abandoned building. The walls and ground were made of pure grey concrete with pillars that spiked upward to hold up the ceiling. There were no windows, just a simple metal door near the far left wall. A plastic table with a couple of chairs were placed in the room.

Fifteen people occupied the room. The ones that stood out the most was a woman with long brown hair tied into a tuck bun. The tip of a red handheld fan was pressed to her bottom lip. Her gloved fingers tapped the wooden part of it as her other hand was placed on top of her hip. Her foot tapped impatiently against the ground, six people holding various types of weapons behind her. In front of the brown-haired woman was a frail young boy. He had messy, black curls that splattered across his face. His pink eyes stayed glued to the ground as his small hands were pressed to his sides. Small trembles racked his body.

On the opposite side was a man with dark crimson hair slicked back with gel. His blue eyes narrowed, inspecting the young child like he was a piece of merchandise rather than a human being. A grin slipped on the man's mouth. "What do I want in exchange for the child, Toy Maker?"

Toy Maker flicked her wrist and the fan's leaves spread open to reveal the beautiful pattern of sakura blossoms across the crimson. She hid the lower portion of her face as she pondered for a couple of moments. "Naturally. Everything comes with a price."

"What do I want, what do I want? Hmm..." Gambit's eyes had lowered before he glanced up. "I want information concerning Yokohama's Dragon. Rumor has it that you've acquired data as to how to limit the solaris energy that Hero uses. That's what I want, Toy Maker. I just want to confirm it's accurate before I sell it off."

A low chortle escaped the woman as she slipped a hand into the inside of her black purse. Pulling out her phone, she tapped the screen a few times. A few seconds later, a small grin slipped onto her lips before she waved the phone in Gambit's direction.

"Done," she lowered the fan. She shifted her gaze to one of the men behind her. "Get the boy."

The man who was instructed moved forward to fully pull over the boy to their side. With fear curling in his stomach, the child instinctively pulled away. Toy Maker's lips pressed together in a tight line, her gaze hardening while her grasp on the fan grew tight in repulsion. She harshly tapped her foot in the ground in an impatient manner. The man's hand was centimeters away from yanking the boy with him when he froze. Confusion stirred in the man's chest as some invisible force kept his body from moving. He gritted his teeth as a bead of sweat trailed down from his face from the force he was exerting.

"What are you waiting for?!" Toy Maker snapped as her lips pulled back into a snarl.

"I can't-"

Revealing themselves, wisps of purple matter floated around the room. Bewilderment was plastered on everyone's faces. No one reacted fast enough when the wisps suddenly shot out in different directions. The wisps swirled, curling tightly around everyone's wrists and ankles before swiping them off their feet.

Once that had been accomplished, the sound of the door unlocking echoed across the room. A second later, the door had burst open to reveal the sight of four Pro Heroes. The first two to rush forward were Charm and Phantom as they quickly latched the Quirk canceling cuffs around everyone's arms. Next was Inscribe who was inspecting all of those who were inhabiting the room for the exchange. Behind him was Puppeteer who was holding a small doll with multiple needles sticking through it.

"You're all under arrest." Inscribe stated as he tightened his grip on the handle of the pistol. His eyes shifted toward the boy and for a split second, you could see the way his expression softened. He clicked his tongue. "Phantom, take the child."

As soon as he uttered those words, the scene around Akihiko shattered. Like before, pieces of amethyst collapsed around him like a mirror fracturing under the weight of something thrown at it. He blinked a few times as the crystal pattern faded from his eyes. He raised a hand as he pressed it to his head. The sides of his skull were aching but it was nothing too bad that he would have to kneel over. The blurriness that decorated the edges of his vision disappeared and he was met with the sight of the infirmary once more.

"-hiko, Akihiko!"

Snapping out of whatever trance had grabbed ahold of him, the teenager instantly perked up. Strands of amethyst clanked with each other from the sudden movement. He shifted his head so he could gaze back at Tomohiro who was giving him a confused expression.

"What happened? You were out of it for a few seconds."

"Seconds?" Now it was the boy's turn for his eyebrows to meet. "I swear it was a couple of minutes...?"

"What did you see? Your eyes turned into amethyst, or I believe it is amethyst. We still need to figure this out." The ink-haired male questioned as he rested a hand on Akihiko's shoulder.

"I saw... I saw you, the rest of the agency, a couple of random people, and Junpei...? Yes, it was the Quirk Exchange you were explaining." He tilted his head a bit as he pondered on what he saw. Or what he thought he saw. It felt like he was an observer, forced to watch interactions or visions like an outsider intruding in a scene. "You look young."

Tomohiro stared at his son and deadpanned. "Of course I look young. I was ten years younger. I'm not even that old, I'm thirty-three."

"I didn't say you were old."

A short silence lingered between the two. "Turn around, I have to finish this."

"Wait, you didn'-"

"We'll finish this later. You froze for a couple of seconds and were staring at empty space."

"Did you see anything?" Akihiko brushed his thumb against his lower lip. He could still feel the tingling sensation running across his skin. "From what I saw?"

Tomohiro shook his head. "Not a thing. It looked like you were in a trance. We're going to come up with something to help you control this. A few seconds could be crucial when it comes to being a Hero. We need to turn this into a strength rather than a liability."

Right, every second could be an important factor for a Hero. Those precious seconds could save or end someone's life in an instant. Just like the shine in his hair, if he blacked out for a few moments, something terrible could occur to himself or others. He raised his hand, fingers wrapped tightly around the box. He wondered if this evolution of his Quirk was a blessing or curse because right now, it seemed to do more harm than good.

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It was Sunday afternoon when Akihiko finally managed to get a glimpse at what Tomohiro had done to his hair. They both fell asleep the moment they arrived at home at around five in the morning without so much as greeting Tanami and Yua as the two had knocked out as well from worry. One more than the other. Even now, Akihiko wanted nothing more than to still sleep but he forced himself out of the warmth of his bed.

Akihiko's fingers threaded through the fine strips of amethyst that made up his hair. It looked strange now that he took a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Instead of bulky and jagged chunks with sharp edges, the amethyst was carved and sculpted to reveal a choppy and somewhat curly hairstyle. Like the way the ends of his fiberglass bangs curled, the ends of the rest swirled up.

Out of amusement, he wasted a lot more time than he needed running his fingers through his hair. He picked at the longer strand- no strip. Strip fit more since he did not have actual hair. He picked at the longer strip that framed his face. He had scratched off a chunk of crystal that usually hit his cheek so he was left with one being longer and the other shorter. The strand was smooth and glossy from the polish he applied.

Curiosity bubbled inside of him as he playfully shook his head side to side. The strands of gemstone clunk together to make a bunch of dull noise. It was more fun to hear than he wanted to admit. A few more minutes passed before he figured that he wasted enough time messing around in the bathroom. The sound of his footsteps rapidly thumping against the stairs had signaled his arrival to Tanami and Yua who were in the living room.

The moment Tanami laid her eyes on Akihiko, she sprang up from the couch. A shine of delight swirled in her eyes as she jogged over to him. A crystal smacked her cheekbone as she clasped her hands together. "Your hair! What?! How did you do that?!"

He awkwardly tugged at the longer strip of crystal. "I broke off a lot more amethyst than I thought. Dad spent a couple of hours carving through it."

Shifting her position on the couch, Yua peeked her head up to take a glance at the twins. Mocha was laying on top of her stomach and it seemed like the teenager could not get up unless she wanted to disturb the bunny's sleep. Yua raised a brow as she rubbed Mocha's head with her fingers. A pretty purple bow was loosely tied around the bunny's neck. "How do you break amethyst? Isn't it supposed to be pretty fucking hard or some shit like that?"

"You break amethyst with diamond-infused tools," Akihiko responded bluntly. An image of shiny blue diamond appeared in his mind. Shaking his head, he dismissed it as he walked into the kitchen with Tanami trailing behind him. "I do not even want to remember it."

"What happened though?" his sister questioned. Concern was painted over her face as she opened the fridge. She pulled out a plastic container while Akihiko opened the cabinet to grab a plate. "You just disappeared but there were no signs of a struggle but Quirks-! And I- I was worried!"

Tanami's nose scrunched up as she balled her unoccupied fist. She half-heartedly punched his shoulder with a huff before pulling off the lid of the container. Settled inside and wrapped in plastic wrap was teriyaki salmon onigirazu. "You're not allowed to scare me like that again!"

"I do not plan on it. I am grounded for the next three months for that stunt." Akihiko took two onigirazus from the container and plopped them on his plate. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He began to unwrap the plastic, ignoring the crinkling sound that it emitted.

"Good! That's what you get for doing something stupid!" Tanami placed her hands on her hips. A frown tugged onto her lips.

"Are you trying to scold him or act worried because I think you're failing at conveying both," Yua commented from the living room. She watched as Mocha's nose twitched.

"Hey!" the female twin shouted. "You're lucky you have Mocha as a shield."

"I can't even move anyway. The bunny fell asleep on me. Guess I'm stuck here."

A comforting smile slipped onto Akihiko's lips as he watched the two girls start bantering. It was nice knowing that Tanami finally had a female friend. The two of them never liked growing close to others in fear but now, it did not feel so scary anymore. It was reassuring. It was like there was a blossom of warmth curling in his chest.

He took a bite into the onigirazu, the taste of salmon flooding his taste buds. From the kitchen table, he saw Tanami plop onto the sofa with her cheeks puffed out. It seemed like she lost the argument given Yua's smug expression. The sound of someone's knuckles rapping against the front door caught all of their attention.

Jumping up, Tanami made her way to the door. Opening the door, she was met with the sight of Kagemi who was leaning on the doorframe. "Kagemi!"

"Hey Nami," Kagemi replied as he swept a hand through his black and white bangs. "Can I come in?"

The crystal was quick to step aside to allow the teenager away. She shut the door and twisted the lock before making her way back to the sofa. She fell onto the cushion, sinking slightly. "Do you want onigirazu?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks," the black-eyed male turned to face Akihiko. Creases appeared on his forehead. Confusion swirled in his eyes but it was slightly hidden by the glare of his lens. "What happened to your hair?"

Akihiko swallowed the bits of rice in his mouth. He lightly tugged at one of the purple strands. "It is a long story."

"Ya might as well explain it. We have nothing better to do." Yua commented as she slowly slunk down further. Mocha showed no signs of waking up anytime soon. The girl released a huff of air. "I can't feel my fucking foot."

Kagemi sat beside Tanami as he sent a bewildered look at Mocha. "When did you get a bunny?"

"Yesterday?" Akihiko questioned as he narrowed his eyes. His brain was still muddled from exhaustion. "Yeah, it was yesterday."

Taking in a deep breath, the male twin placed what was left of his food on his plate. He placed his hands on the table, fingers laced. Before he went to gawk at the mirror, he did a bit of research concerning amethyst. He thought he knew everything about crystals but he disregarded mystical properties because well, how was he supposed to know this was going to be the outcome?

He glanced upward, wondering if his eyes would take on the crystal shine like how Junpei, Kohei, and Tomohiro described. Hopefully, they were still the same shade of periwinkle. "I think the amethyst in my hair unlocked my seventh chakra."

Yua was the first to speak up as she turned away from undoing a pesky knot in her magenta curls. "What the fuck is a chara?"

"Chakra," Akihiko corrected. He separated his fingers and maneuvered them in a way that emphasized the way he spoke. Honestly, he was trying to remember this all in one go so he could be wrong in some places. Oh well, he can clarify it later. "It ties back to the energy center of the body or something like that. It is confusing, to be honest. Apparently, there are seven main chakras that run down the spine. They start at the base of the spine and end at the crown of the head."

"So the forehead...?" Tanami placed a hand on her chin as she thought for a bit. For a split second, concern took hold of her features before a chortle left her lips. "Right? Or is it still the spine?"

"The crown is the top of the head," Kagemi replied. He had taken off his glasses to whip the lenses with the inside of his grey sweater. "Not the forehead."

Akihiko nodded. His lips pursed together. It felt weird to feel a bunch of crystal strips brush his cheek rather than a large crystal hitting his cheekbone. "From what I found out, the seventh or third eye chakra is mostly violet or a golden-"

Tanami snapped her fingers in realization. "Amethyst has a shade of violet."

"Here's the thing, until I control it or it stops hurting me, I can't make apophyllite, Herkimer diamond, moldavite, painite, quartz crystal, white hemimorphite, white calcite, white topaz, white danburite, white howlite, and selenite." As he counted off the list, he raised a finger for each one he said. He is pretty sure he listed all of the ones that would make him spiral. He should probably double-check though.

"You mean we?" his twin cocked his head.

Yua froze for a moment as Mocha shifted a bit. She peered up once the bunny had settled. "All I got was white from that list."

"Well, it's a good thing that gemstones come by the dozens," Kagemi commented.

Akihiko nodded and shrugged at the answers given. He took another bite of onigirazu. "Another thing that I found out was the crystal practitioners believe a person can use amethysts to enhance or sharpen spiritual visions and enlightenment. But these are scientifically unproven claims so I cannot be certain. Then again, Quirks are weird."

"You lost me."

"It is complicated. I told you." Akihiko rubbed the side of his head. Just trying to connect the dots was giving him a minor headache. He would prefer to focus on the taste of salmon from the onigirazu. Besides, tomorrow he still has school. Meaning he still has to participate in the game of tag that Team Alpha and Team Beta were playing.

"Let's talk after school at the arcade. Kohei wants us to bond or whatever with the class. We'll talk then. I'll give you what you want."

Getting up from the table, Akihiko dismissed the memory and placed his empty plate in the sink. Grabbing the container with onigirazu, he opened the refrigerator door and placed it inside. Just as he was about to shut it, something caught his attention. His brows furrowed together. "Hey Tanami?"

His sister hummed in response from the living room. "Yeah?"

"Why is there pie in the fridge?"

Silence hung in the air for a couple of seconds. "Uh-"

"I forced her to buy it," Yua replied.

Slowly closing the door, Akihiko straightened his back. Tanami hated pie with every fiber of her being. How did Yua even force Tanami to buy it let alone allow it inside the house? He shook his head. Yua did prove to be someone who would get their way no matter what. Ah, whatever. It is nothing he needed to concern himself with.

He just wished the faint buzzing sound in his ear would go away.

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Author's Note

A slightly slow yet long chapter this time. Akihiko's still confused and worried about this whole thing and in the end, he still hasn't gotten all the answers he's wanted.

Not gonna lie though, teriyaki salmon onigirazu sounds and looks good.