"Ahi! Ahi! Ahi!"
Ren yelped, wincing as his mother grabbed his ear tightly while unlocking the door to their apartment.
"Mom, please stop!" he pleaded, tugging gently. "This ear's gonna get bigger than the other one!"
Reina sighed, finally letting go once she had him inside. Her sharp gaze softened ever so slightly as she glanced at him, his ear red from her pinch.
"How many times have I told you not to copy other quirks, huh?" she scolded, her voice serious. "Your body could barely handle it this time. If you copy another one recklessly… you could die."
"Sorry, Mom…" Ren mumbled, still rubbing his ear. His eyes flickered with mischief, though. "But… other kids had such cool quirks. Grip is nice, but… boring. I wanted to throw flames… or smash everything like All Might!"
Reina's stern expression softened again. She crouched slightly, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Just promise me you're not going to copy anyone else, alright? The most important thing is that you don't get hurt."
Ren's colorless eyes lit up as he nodded eagerly. "Hmm!" He practically radiated cuteness, a little bundle of energy sitting in front of his icy mother.
"Mom will take care of everything, okay?" Reina added, the rare smile she reserved only her son forming.
Ren's attention immediately returned to the door as she turned to leave.
"Where are you going, Mommy?" he asked, jumping to follow her.
"I'm going to the Municipality," she replied calmly. "I need to update your Quirk certificate."
Ren froze, eyes wide. "And… what are you going to tell them? My quirk can't have changed from Grip to… shooting thunder out of my hair!" His voice was full of excitement rather than worry.
Reina crouched slightly again, placing a hand under his chin and looking into his curious eyes. A warm, confident smile curved her lips.
"Do you trust Mommy?"
Ren's lips formed a wide grin. "Of course!"
Reina gave a small nod, standing straight again. With a soft squeeze of his shoulder, she opened the door.
"Then everything will be fine. Just wait here, Ren. Mommy's going to handle it."
...
Ren sat cross-legged on the polished floor of their apartment, staring intently at his reflection in the large window. His colorless hair crackled faintly with sparks of white lightning, wild and unruly like a storm refusing to settle.
He took a deep breath and placed his hands over his hair. Slowly, he tried something new: just slightly lessening the effect of the Soothing Touch aura he had copied from the nurse. If he could balance it carefully, maybe he could control only the small, free portion of his quirk without letting it spiral out of control.
Come on… just a little… calm… focus…
Time passed in quiet tension. Each strand of hair sizzled and snapped as Ren's concentration wavered. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his small fists clenched, and his body trembled from the mental and physical effort.
More than an hour had passed, and his arms were sore, his muscles screaming from the strain. His eyes, though tired, were burning with determination.
Then, suddenly:
"Yes!"
He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of victory. For the first time, he controlled a portion of his quirk perfectly—a small but precise eighth of his hair now obeyed his every thought, standing at attention without wild sparks.
He collapsed back on the floor, breathing heavily.
"What hour is it…?" He blinked at the clock. "Strange. Mommy left… for an hour now…"
He turned on the TV, hoping for something mundane to calm his nerves. But the screen flickered, and suddenly, the regular programs were interrupted.
"Flash News!"
Ren froze. A photo appeared on the screen: his mother, Takeda Reina, her silver hair damp and matted, her face bruised and strained.
"What?!" His voice caught in his throat.
The newscaster continued in grim tones:
"Rank A Hero Mimica defended civilians against a mysterious group of villains today. She was seriously injured and is currently receiving emergency treatment. Doctors have stated that her survival is uncertain…"
Ren's hands trembled. He couldn't move at first. His chest felt heavy, and a sharp panic clawed at him.
"Mommy…"
Tears streamed down his pale cheeks, falling onto the polished floor. His small body shook, but beneath the fear and sorrow, determination ignited.
Then the newscaster added a glimmer of hope:
"Fortunately, All Might was present on the scene and intervened. Without his assistance, her survival would have been certainly impossible."
Ren's eyes blurred into a waterfall of emotion. But the moment the hope settled in, so did resolve. He couldn't just sit there. He had to go—had to see her, had to protect her.
He leapt to his feet, still trembling from exhaustion and panic, but with the part of his Volt Hair under control whipping faintly around his head, as if echoing his determination.
He didn't know exactly how fast he could get there. He only knew one thing:
I have to save Mommy.
...
He didn't even feel his feet hit the ground as he sprinted through the city, electricity flickering around him with every desperate step. His lungs burned, his heart pounded, but he didn't stop—not even for a second.
The neon lights of Musutafu blurred past. Horns blared as cars screeched to avoid him, and pedestrians gasped as the small, lightning-haired boy darted through the streets like a ghost of white light.
Mom… please be okay… please…
After what felt like forever, Ren finally saw the towering glass structure of Musutafu Central Hospital—the best in the city. But what caught his eyes first wasn't the building… it was the crowd.
Dozens of people were gathered outside, their voices overlapping in chaos. Reporters, photographers, and bystanders swarmed the entrance like flies to a flame.
"Where's All Might?!"
"Is Mimica gonna make it?!"
"Did she fight the villains alone?"
Ren's eyes widened. His hands trembled. He didn't have time for this.
Without hesitation, he activated Grip.
His palms and feet clung tightly to the wall as he scaled the hospital's facade, leaping from ledge to ledge like a silent shadow. Lightning crackled faintly around him as he reached the rooftop, slipping in through a maintenance hatch.
Inside, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air. The hum of machines echoed down the hallways.
Then, on the fourth floor, he saw her.
Through the glass of an emergency room, Reina Takeda lay on a hospital bed, motionless. Her silver hair was stained with blood, her breathing seemingly absent. Doctors and nurses surrounded her, their quirks flaring faintly as they tried to keep her stable.
Beside her, a massive figure stood—All Might. His broad shoulders were tense, his usual confident smile nowhere to be seen. He held Reina's hand tightly, his voice low but urgent.
"Come on, Reina! Fight! Don't you dare give up now!"
Ren's breath hitched.
Mom…
A nurse noticed him at the doorway and rushed over. "Hey! You can't come in here—"
But Ren was already moving. He slipped past her with impossible agility, darting between medical staff until he reached the bedside.
He grabbed his mother's free hand. It was cold, but still—still beating.
"Mom…" His voice cracked, and tears spilled down his cheeks. "Mom, wake up… please…"
All Might blinked, seeing him for the first time. "Reina's son…" he murmured.
Ren's sobs filled the room. "It's all my fault! If I hadn't—if I didn't make her go out—she—she wouldn't—!"
He broke down completely, clinging to his mother's arm.
A large, calloused hand rested gently on his small shoulder. Warm. Steady.
All Might.
"Kid… listen to me," he said softly, his usual booming voice replaced with quiet sincerity. "This isn't your fault. Don't carry that weight. She fought because that's who she is. Because she protects people. Because she's a hero."
Ren looked up through tear-filled eyes. "But… but she's—"
"She's going to make it," All Might said firmly. "She's one of the strongest women I've ever met. She won't go down that easily—"
Then—
BEEEEEEEEP.
The heart monitor flatlined.
"Her pulse is dropping!" a doctor shouted. "Everyone, now! Quirks ready!"
Chaos erupted. Healers and doctors rushed to act—hands glowing, quirks activating in flashes of green and blue. One man pressed his hands to Reina's chest, electricity sparking.
"Defibrillator Hands—discharge!"
Her body jolted—but the line stayed flat.
"Again!"
"Clear!"
"Discharge!"
Nothing.
"All Might…" whispered one of the doctors. "We're losing her."
All Might's eyes widened. "Reina!" he shouted, his voice breaking.
Ren froze. His tears stopped. Something inside him snapped.
No… not her… not my mom… I won't let her die!
White electricity surged from his body, flooding the room with blinding light. All Might turned immediately.
"Kid! Stop—!"
But Ren was already by her side again, pressing his trembling hand against her chest.
"Arghhhhhhhhhh!" he screamed.
The light burst outward—not destructive lightning this time, but a warm, radiant energy that wrapped around Reina's body like sunlight breaking through clouds.
The doctors stumbled back, shielding their eyes.
"What's happening?!"
All Might stared in disbelief. The light wasn't burning—it was mending.
Ren's thoughts were a blur.
I have to use all of Volt Hair's energy… everything… to heal her…
He pushed harder. Sweat streamed down his face, his body shaking violently. His vision blurred, but he didn't stop.
More… I need more… please, Mom… wake up…!
The light flared—pure white, divine. And then—
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The heart monitor returned to life.
Everyone froze.
Her heartbeat… was back.
The doctors looked at each other in disbelief. Even All Might's eyes widened, his breath catching in awe.
"He… healed her," someone whispered. "A kid did what fifteen professionals couldn't…"
But Ren didn't hear them. His body was trembling, smoke rising faintly from his arms. He coughed violently—once, twice—then blood splattered onto the floor.
"Kid!" All Might reached for him, but Ren's legs gave out. His vision tunneled, the light fading from his eyes.
Mom… I… did it…
He collapsed, unconscious, his small hand still clutching hers.
To be continued...
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How is this second chapter? Are you liking the novel so far?
If you have any suggestion, or any idea about some original quirk for Ren to copy, feel free to write it down here. I appreciate it.