Toga was told from a young age to simply ignore her urges and just be "normal". Without a healthy outlet or even so much as therapy she eventually had a mental breakdown, and developed an obsession where she'd fall in love with people, and then kill, cannibalize and literally become those people because that's her way of expressing love. Because that's "normal" to her.
These two conflicting standards of normality, Toga's and the society's, are central to her character. Toga lived her life conforming to society's "normal" until she snapped and now she wants to be able to freely show love her own way, by killing and replacing anyone she falls in love with.
So when she found out about Ryuuzaki, among other reasons she sought her out because she thought she might have found someone like her, who was also suppressing the urge to eat/drink humans. Someone who could understand how she felt, and reaffirm her belief that it's normal to want to eat/drink human flesh/blood.
When I saw her backstory, my response (which is kinda troubling, if I think about it) was "this was a totally rational endpoint for this character to reach".
Like, what the hell was she supposed to do?
The real interesting part to me is that nobody set out to be malicious. Nobody tried to make her pray it away; it was purely people and society not being set up to accommodate her needs.
And if society can't accommodate you, if you can't live a good life by being normal, then the only thing for you to do is something else.
And maybe it's wrong, and maybe you end up getting old yeller'd, but it was still the best thing for you to do because it was the only thing for you to do.
When I saw her backstory, my response (which is kinda troubling, if I think about it) was "this was a totally rational endpoint for this character to reach".
Like, what the hell was she supposed to do?
The real interesting part to me is that nobody set out to be malicious. Nobody tried to make her pray it away; it was purely people and society not being set up to accommodate her needs.
And if society can't accommodate you, if you can't live a good life by being normal, then the only thing for you to do is something else.
And maybe it's wrong, and maybe you end up getting old yeller'd, but it was still the best thing for you to do because it was the only thing for you to do.
I don't buy this, quirks are a part of people but they are not the total sum of a person. People are more than just their quirks and who and how they act depends is their own choice, Toga's actions and behavior are signs of some serious underlying problems that may or may not have been made worse by her quirk and her actions are inexcusable period, especially given that she full well knows what she is doing is wrong she just doesn't care. It unfortunate that she didn't get the help she clearly needed after the fact but it doesn't excuse her actions at all.
So, I'm starting work on the next Chapter or two (haven't decided if I want to do it in one go or split it.) and, as you might have guessed, it's going to feature Nejire quite a bit. As you might also know, she likes to ask questions. A lot of questions. And, over the last two years, I've gotten a lot of questions about how Ryuuzaki's Quirk and dragon biology work.
And while I have plenty prepared already, I thought why not combine the two? So if you have any lingering questions nagging at the back of your mind like "How does Ryuuzaki keep bugs and other junk out of her eyes when flying?", "How does Ryuuzaki ever manage to sleep with her super-hearing?", "Can Ryuuzaki breathe fire out of her nostrils?" or even something like "What is Ryuuzaki's favorite colour?" well, now's your chance to get them answered. I will include any questions you have in the story, as long as they would be in-character for Nejire to ask and for Ryuuzaki to answer.
If you could learn any (or another one if they all know english from school) foreign language what would it be. Yes we know, but since Ryuuzaki keeps the fact that she knows Finish quiet I'm curious how she'd respond.
Maybe Nejire would try and get the birthday to plan a present or something?
So, I'm starting work on the next Chapter or two (haven't decided if I want to do it in one go or split it.) and, as you might have guessed, it's going to feature Nejire quite a bit. As you might also know, she likes to ask questions. A lot of questions. And, over the last two years, I've gotten a lot of questions about how Ryuuzaki's Quirk and dragon biology work.
And while I have plenty prepared already, I thought why not combine the two? So if you have any lingering questions nagging at the back of your mind like "How does Ryuuzaki keep bugs and other junk out of her eyes when flying?", "How does Ryuuzaki ever manage to sleep with her super-hearing?", "Can Ryuuzaki breathe fire out of her nostrils?" or even something like "What is Ryuuzaki's favorite colour?" well, now's your chance to get them answered. I will include any questions you have in the story, as long as they would be in-character for Nejire to ask and for Ryuuzaki to answer.
I can't promise my questions will be... insightful. But they'll be the fastball inanity-that-has-ideas stuff characters like Nejire babble about.
Mako Mankanshoku and Nora Valkyrie are left alone in a room with nothing but this fic. said:
What kind of Dragon are you?
How does your skin stay so bright and fresh?
What products do you use?
Are those spikes on your tail thagomizers?
What kind of meat do you like to eat?
Do you like it raw, medium-rare, or well-done?
Have you ever tried exotic kinds of animals?
What's the biggest thing you've ever picked up?
How far can you throw a car?
DO YOU LIFT?
Have you ever tried hanging like a bat?
Do those little bat claws on your wings help you walk around?
Can you move any of the other little fingie-thingies on your wings?
Do you have a favorite boy band?
Or are you more into idols?
What music do you listen to?
Have you ever thought about carrying weapons? Like a really big hammer?
What're your favorite strategy games?
What Warhammer faction do you like the most?
How did you buy those minis?
If you could have a breath weapon other than fire, what would it be?
Have you ever raced a missile before?
Do you mean that as in "Does she eat enough for a predatory reptile of her size" or "Does she eat enough to realistically support being able to perform the feats of strength she is capable of and the amounts of heat she is able to produce"?
Because the answer to those two is very different.
Do you mean that as in "Does she eat enough for a predatory reptile of her size" or "Does she eat enough to realistically support being able to perform the feats of strength she is capable of and the amounts of heat she is able to produce"?
Because the answer to those two is very different.
Do you mean that as in "Does she eat enough for a predatory reptile of her size" or "Does she eat enough to realistically support being able to perform the feats of strength she is capable of and the amounts of heat she is able to produce"?
Because the answer to those two is very different.
She probably eats a lot more than a reptile of her size. I think Crocs and Komodo Dragons eat like 10-20% of what an equivilantly sized warm blooded animal would eat.
I'd prefer to keep the Warhammer stuff to a cameo role at most, but if you're curious the answers are Total War Warhammer, High Elves (or Alpha Legion in case of 40k) and she found a few authentic minis on online marketplaces and the rest are 3D-printed.
Eh... no Quirk user in My Hero Academia actually eats in proportion to the energy output of their Quirk, including Nejire herself.
And I don't personally really feel like calling attention to how unrealistic that is is productive if you're not going to go anywhere with it, you know? Because the answer to that is the same as "why doesn't All-Might sink into the ground when lifting something heavy" or "how come Bakugo hasn't killed anyone yet because holy shit explosions are about x1000 times deadlier than people think", which is that this is a superhero/battle manga setting and you're not supposed to think about it that hard.
He's exerting enough force that he's actually very gently tossing what he's holding into the air, preventing the weight of the object to push him into the ground.
Or he's unconsciously using Float as a sort of Tactile Telekinesis to evenly distribute his strength so he both isn't pushed into the ground as well as holding the object intact.
Or the Narrative says All Might is too awesome for physics to work like that.
I suspect subtle wide spread Mutation enhancements, leading to a general Comic Book Physicality that allows people to be able to be much more physically excellent and durable than IRL.
Ryuko Tatsuma watched the bustle of the downtown Tokyo restaurant from her window as she waited, keeping her hands from her lap to stop herself from tapping on the table. Down below was the main dining hall, with clusters of circular tables surrounded by customers eating, drinking, chatting, enjoying themselves. Above the main floor, set on ascending levels along the length of the walls, were soundproof booths for meetings or simple privacy.
Such as the one Ryuko was sitting in, watching through the one-way windows. Waiting.
She spotted the hostess first, the same one who had guided her to her seat, making her way up the stars. And behind her…
There he was.
A man of average height in his early forties, with a vibrant yellow-blonde head of hair showing the early signs of balding and a well-trimmed, slightly bushy mustache on his upper lip. He wore a well-fitting business suit and large, square glasses on his nose, giving him a distinguished yet approachable bearing.
They passed from Ryuko's field of view for a moment, before the soundproof door to the private booth opened, the clamour of the dining floor leaking in as the two of them entered.
"Here you go." The hostess said with a smile as she stepped to the side to let him in, before stepping back out again. "Please, if you need anything, use the tablet to make an order."
The door closed behind her with a distinct thump, and then it was just the two of them.
Ryuko rose from her seat and gave a respectful bow, before offering her hand. "Ryuko Tatsuma. I am glad that you were able to come."
"Hideaki Kaminari." He responded with a warm smile, returning the bow and shaking her hand. It was calloused, and warm to the touch. "How could I refuse, when the Number Ten Hero asks to meet me?"
"Please, as I said over the phone, I am not here in any official capacity as a Pro-Hero, simply a private citizen."
"Oh, of course." He waved it off. "But even so, it is something that will inevitably affect my judgement."
"As you say. Still, I hope it was not an inconvenience for you."
"Not at all. It will do good for my eldest to look after the store for a while, get him used to the responsibility."
"Stepping up into the family business?" Ryuko asked, ignoring the sudden lump in her throat.
"Indeed. I've run an electronics store for twenty years, and one day it will go to Kenta. My other children have never shown an inclination towards my trade."
"I see." Ryuko replied, pausing for a moment to keep herself composed. "Would you like anything to eat or drink, before we get to business?"
"I think I would like to know what's going on, if that's alright with you." He shook his head. "I must confess, the question has been bothering me since you contacted me."
"Then I won't put things off any longer." Ryuko said, pulling an envelope from her pocket and retrieving a photograph from within, offering it over the table to Kaminari. "Do you recognize this person?"
He held up the picture, glancing up at Ryuko before looking back down again and shaking his head. "No, sorry. I assume she is a relative of yours?"
"She is my mother, Ryutsuki Tatsuma." Ryuko frowned, before pulling out another picture. "This is her twenty-six years ago."
"Ryutsuki…" He mused as he looked at the picture for a few seconds, before snapping his fingers, an arc of current sparking between them. "That's 'Tsuki! My apologies, I did not remember immediately. It has been twenty… six years? I had just graduated high school. We met at a bar, had some drinks, hit it off and… well, if you are asking about that, I assume you know where things..."
There was a pregnant pause as he trailed off, his face going pale as his eyes darted between her and the picture.
Ryuko watched his face crumple in horror as he processed the implication of her words, and the confirmation of his intuition, written large across her face.
"I am sorry." She began haltingly. "There is no good way to put this."
Then and there, looking him in the eye, she found that all those hours of rehearsing this moment fled her, leaving her stumbling over her own words.
"But it is most likely that.. You are my father."
Kaminari fell back on his seat in shock, eyes wide and distant.
"You.. are my daughter?"
"A DNA test would verify it for certain, but the weight of evidence is already considerable." Ryuko explained, looking at her hands. "The dates line up with what my mother has said, and when taking into account our respective Quirks…"
"Of course- You breathe lightning- I never even imagined-" He babbled, before falling silent for a long while, looking off into the distance.
"I believe you." He finally said, taking a deep breath. "I just don't understand- She said she was using protection. Even if it failed, why would she never contact me about- about my daughter?"
"Because it wasn't an accident." Ryuko explained, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice. "She lied about the birth control. She was being forced into an arranged marriage. So to force her father to break it off, she…" Ryuko choked up, gesturing with her hand.
"She deliberately got pregnant with you?" Ryuko could only nod at Kaminari's horrified face. "I don't even know what to say. Why not simply lie and say it was an accident?"
"She told me she was afraid you would figure it out. She didn't want to have to lie to your face on a daily basis. Then, of course, by the time I was old enough to ask questions she couldn't go back and claim it was an accident. So she told me you had wanted nothing to do with me."
"While I never even knew of your existence..." Kaminari looked like he'd been slapped across the face. "What… what happened after that?"
"My grandfather kicked us out into the streets, where I grew up." She admitted and he flinched, but she kept going. Better to get it out there. "It was- it was rough. We were very poor, and my mother was unprepared for taking care of a child."
"I was just a student, but if I'd known I would have-" He buried his head in his hands. "I am so sorry."
"Me too." Ryuko sighed.
"Please, go on." Kaminari asked, wiping at his eyes.
"When I was five or so, things started to get better as Mom met Dad-" Ryuko winced, looking up at Kaminari. "Sorry. I don't doubt that you would have been a good father, given the chance. But I thought you'd abandoned me while he adopted me as his own, and raised me from the age of six."
"Then I have much to thank him for." Kaminari smiled weakly, though it was clear the knowledge stung. "Your mother, on the other hand, less so."
"That makes two of us." Ryuko mumbled. "I'm doing alright now. Good, even. After they got married, things got better. She was happier. But I'll never forget what it was like to be scared about not having food on my plate tomorrow " She shook her head. "To her credit, my mother never loved me any less for how I came to be. And she was a dumb teenager in a bad place. But even so… she brought me into this world as a tool against her father, knowing she couldn't adequately take care of me, and lied about it for decades. It will take time until I can even decide if I can forgive her." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "And in public I have to pretend everything's okay between us, for my sister's sake- half-sister biologically, of course. But we never bothered with that term. She's under enough stress as it is, trying to follow in my footsteps at UA. I need to find the right time and place to break the news to her."
"Ryuuzaki Tatsuma, right?" Kaminari asked, perking up a little from his funk. "Denki, my middle child, spoke to me about her. He's also in UA's Heroics course."
Ryuko jolted in her seat, taken aback. "That is… quite a coincidence. 'Zaki never spoke of anyone by your last name."
"Oh, I wouldn't expect her to have, they're in different classes." He shook his head, with a bit of… amusement? "It's just, you were a big inspiration for him, a Top Ten Hero with electric abilities. That's how I knew about your Quirk. He had more than a few posters of you in his room, if I didn't know better I'd quite suspect that that boy had a crush on you at some point."
Oh.
Oh dear.
Kaminari chuckled to himself, pulling out his phone. "You deserve to meet your half-brothers. I should let them know the good news and arrange something-"
"I would like that. But if Denki knows my sister, it may be best to tell them together." Ryuko said, raising her hand. "Like I said I'm not ready to tell her yet." She explained, carefully picking her next words. "And I'd like to take things at their own pace, at least for now."
"Of course. Of course." Kaminari said, leaning back in his seat, putting away his phone. "I got ahead of myself there. We are, after all, still strangers. It is simply so… I have a daughter." He spoke as if he was trying to get himself used to the word. "I have twenty-six years to make up for. I feel like I have to do something. know that things can never go the way they should have, but I'd like to have some kind of relationship, as much as you are willing."
Ryuko couldn't help but shake her head. And here she had been worrying herself sick that she'd have to be the one pushing for contact, not the one putting on brakes.
"I understand. I do want to meet my half-siblings. But I hope that you can understand why it's hard for me. I held a lot of anger and resentment towards you, that built up over two decades. And though it's not directed at you anymore, those emotions, that pain I felt… it didn't simply go away when I learned the truth. And every time I think about what could have been, it hurts. It will get better, and I want to work on it, but all the same… it hurts."
By the end of it, Ryuko's hands were on her lap, gripping the fabric of her jacket.
Kaminari bowed his head, unable to look her in the eye.
"I understand."
"You… said you had more children aside from Denki?" Ryuko offered a change of topic.
"Indeed. Aside from Denki I have two more sons, Kenta, nineteen, who works in my store part-time, and Shiro, six, who just started Elementary School this year."
Three. Three brothers she'd never even known about. Or half-brothers. But so was Ryuuzaki, technically. But even if she got to know them, it would never be the same. But if her mother hadn't lied, would it have been?
Would she and 'Zaki have had the same, close relationship? She wanted to think so, but the courts might well have awarded primary custody to the parent with stable income and housing. And she knew her upbringing had been a major motivation in Ryutsuki's decision to have another child.
Would 'Zaki have ever even existed, in this alternate world?
"I know they'd be thrilled to know they have a half-sister, but if you do not feel comfortable with that yet, I won't tell them until you're ready." Kaminari went on. "I would, however, like to tell my wife the truth. She is my partner in everything, and I do not think I could keep a secret of this magnitude without her finding out. It would be better if I went to her with it first."
"That is reasonable." Ryuko said, rubbing her eyes. "I only ask that you not spread it any further than that."
"You have my word on it." He assured her.
"Thank you." Ryuko took a long breath, leaning back in her seat. "I think it might be best if we left it at that for today. We've given each other a lot to think about and process."
She could tell Kaminari was reluctant, but he bowed his head in acceptance.
"I won't lie and say I wouldn't like to keep going, but that may be the shock of it all talking. I feel this overwhelming urge to make things right, even if I know I can't." He said, looking at his hands, opening and closing them, before looking back up at Ryuko. "Thank you for coming to me with this. I couldn't blame you if you had decided not to. And though it hurts to know what you went through, it gives me joy and comfort to know that you had and have people who loved you, and that you were able to grow into a strong, successful woman. I would be proud of you as my daughter."
Ryuko closed her eyes for a moment, before reaching over to take a hold of Kaminari's hand and squeeze it . "Thank you. That means a lot to me."
Kaminari returned the squeeze, and made to stand up. "I guess this is it. I'd like to meet again, soon, but I'll leave it to you to decide when you are comfortable. Goodbye for now, Ryuko."
"Goodbye… Hideaki."
She'd held her composure together until now, but when the door closed behind him she let go. It didn't take long for the tears to come.
She cried. She laughed. She sobbed.
But when she was finished, she felt better than she had in a long while. She stood up and wiped her face, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she walked to the door.
It was a good day.
I am working on the next chapter of the main story and incorporating all of the questions you've provided, but in the meanwhile have this little Interlude.
Since it was requested, here's the updated family tree for easier reference.
Ryuunosuke Tatsuma
Age: Deceased
Quirk: Dragonoid
Type: Mutant
Description: Draconic humanoid with increased strength, speed, durability, size, wings and the ability to breathe fire.
Kaede Tatsuma
Age: Deceased
Quirk: Shifter
Type: Transformation
Description: Can transform body into any shape, as long as it retains the same mass as the original body.
Ryutsuki Tatsuma
Age: 43
Quirk: Dragon
Type: Transformation
Description: Can turn into a western dragon capable of flight and breathing fire.
Passive Quirk: Reptilian eyes, sharp teeth.
Kenshin Tatsuma (né Matsuoka)
Age: 44
Quirk: Rhinoceros
Type: Mutant
Description: Rhino-like humanoid with horns and increased size/strength.
Hideaki Kaminari
Age: 44
Quirk: Electrokinesis
Type: Emitter
Description: Can manipulate and store electricity, but cannot generate more without an external source.
Miyako Kaminari
Age: 41
Quirk: Dynamo
Type: Emitter
Description: Can generate and store energy over time, before unleashing it in a shockwave.
Kenta Kaminari
Age: 19
Quirk: Dynamo
Type: Emitter
Description: Can generate and store energy over time, before unleashing it in a shockwave.
Denki Kaminari
Age: 15
Quirk: Electrification
Type: Emitter
Description: Can generate electricity from his body and manipulate it to a limited degree.
Shiro Kaminari
Age: 6
Quirk: Electroshift
Type: Transformation
Description: Can transform parts of his body into living electricity.
Ryuko Tatsuma
Age: 25
Quirk: Storm Dragon
Type: Transformation
Description: Can turn turn into a nimble and agile western dragon capable of flight and breathing lightning.
Passive Quirk: Reptilian eyes, sharp teeth
Ryuuzaki Tatsuma
Age: 15
Quirk: Horned Dragon
Type: Transformation
Description: Can turn into a large and powerful rhino-like western dragon capable of flight and breathing fire.
Passive Quirk: Sharp teeth, horns, increased size/strength
The former. As mentioned in the essay omake, it's quite common for children to have a Quirk that is identical to one of their parents, or at least close enough that the difference is negligible.
Technically Kenshin is Ryutsuki's first fiance, Hideaki was a one night stand and she was never actually engaged to Endeavour, hence how nobody knew about it. Enji and Ryuunosuke were in talks about it, but as soon as she found out she pushed back and when her father made it clear her consent was not a factor, she went and got Ryuko conceived.
So it's your father's hookup's second partner's adopted daughter's sister.
Yes we know, but since Ryuuzaki keeps the fact that she knows Finish quiet I'm curious how she'd respond.
