DAYAM!!! Just as I was about go to sleep you guys crossed 300 P.S.
But a promise is a promise.
Here is the bonus chapter.
Next bonus chapter at 500 powerstones, as I am running low on adavanced chaptersš !! Keep it going!!
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Akira's shout ā accusing his mother of the unthinkable crime of having a social life ā hung in the air.
Honoka blinked. She lowered her glass of water slowly, the ice clinking against the crystal. She stared at her son with an expression that was one part confusion, one part exhaustion, and three parts amusement.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice dangerously calm, the kind of calm that usually preceded a lecture on manners. "Is it that shocking for me to have friends? Do you think I spend my off-hours staring at a wall waiting for your next training session? I do have a personality outside of being your mother and a doctor, you know."
Akira crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair with the arrogance only a thirteen-year-old could muster. He looked like a king on a throne, if the throne was a kitchen stool and the king was wearing a hoodie with a cat on it.
"Well," he countered, pointing a finger at her. "You are the one who told me the 'tragic backstory' of your college years. You said, and I quote, 'I was a machine made of caffeine and ambition.' You said you were a shut-in who hissed at sunlight and regarded social interaction as a distraction from anatomy. Excuse me for assuming your social circle consisted entirely of textbooks, cadavers, and maybe a particularly charismatic skeleton model."
Honoka's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. She cleared her throat, looking away toward the ocean view.
"W-Well," she stammered, smoothing out her dress. "That was ages ago. People change, Akira. Evolution isn't just for quirks. I did make a few friends later on. After... after I met your father. He was social. He was like a golden retriever in human form. He dragged me out of the lab. Eventually, I learned how to talk to people without diagnosing them first or threatening to sedate them."
She narrowed her eyes, turning the tables with the precision of a sniper.
"And how can you even judge me? You have no friends either! I check your phone bill, kid. The only people you text are me, your grandmother, and Nezu. And half of Nezu's texts are just chess moves or links to articles about the economy! You're thirteen! You should be texting about... I don't know, memes? Skateboards?"
"HEY!" Akira gasped, clutching his chest as if struck by a physical blow. He staggered back dramatically. "How could you? That is a low blow. A mother should nurture, not destroy. My social life is selective, not non-existent."
"I call it as I see it," Honoka shrugged, sipping her water. "You're a hermit crab."
"I told you before," Akira sniffed, regaining his composure and adjusting his collar. "Those kids at school are too childish for me. They want to talk about trading cards and who has a crush on whom. It's banal. I am interested in the geopolitical ramifications of quirk laws, the ethics of vigilantism, and beating Elden Ring on New Game Plus 7 without taking damage. We are not on the same wavelength. I am on FM, they are on AM."
Honoka rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. "Well, duh. Because they are fucking kids, Akira. You're supposed to be one, too. You're supposed to be cringe. It's a rite of passage."
Akira froze. He pointed a finger at her again, his eyes wide.
"Language, lady. You're a mother. Be a role model. If Grandma heard you say that, she'd wash your mouth out with rubbing alcohol."
Honoka opened her mouth to retort, then stopped. The realization hit her. She sighed, slumped her shoulders, and covered her face with her hand.
"Ahem," she muttered into her palm. "My bad. Ignore that."
They both paused, staring at each other across the kitchen island. The absurdity of the argument ā a thirteen-year-old scolding his mother for swearing while defending his own lack of social skills using video game terminology ā hit them at the same time.
Akira snorted. Honoka giggled.
A second later, they were both laughing.
This is fun, Akira thought, wiping a tear from his eye as he leaned against the counter. We should do this more often.
***
The next day, the vacation officially transitioned from "Relaxing Beach Episode" to "Logistical Travel Montage."
They packed their bags. Akira said a silent, heartbreaking goodbye to the heated infinity pool, promising to return one day when he wasn't being dragged across the country (Which he suggested). They locked up the cabin, the heavy click of the bolts signaling the end of the seaside arc.
By noon, they were back in the air. The white Shuzenji jet cut through the clouds toward the Japanese Alps.
Akira was sprawled out on the cream leather sofa, his legs hanging off the armrest. His Game Boy Color ā the "heritage piece" he had bought in Akihabara ā was clutched in his hands. The familiar 8-bit chiptune of PokĆ©mon Red filled the cabin, a nostalgic soundtrack to their luxury travel.
"So," Akira asked, not looking up from his intense turn-based battle against a Zubat in Mt. Moon. "Where is this mysterious friend of yours? What was the name again? Or did you make her up to sound popular? It's okay if you did, I won't tell Grandma."
Honoka, who was reviewing patient files on a tablet with a glass of sparkling water in hand, sighed deeply.
"Her name is Sasha Izumi," she repeated for the fifth time. "And she is very real. She and her husband, Shino, are currently stationed in a village deep in the Hida Mountain Range. They aren't imaginary friends, Akira."
Akira paused the game just as his Charmeleon leveled up. He looked up, frowning.
"The Hida Mountains?" he asked. "That's in the middle of nowhere. It's just snow, monkeys, and hot springs. What are two Pro Heroes doing out there? Are they on an adventure trip? Did they get lost and are too proud to ask for directions?"
"No," Honoka said, swiping to the next file. "They are both Heroes, but they specialize in Mountain Rescue and Disaster Relief. They're stationed in a remote village for a long-term assignment. Monitoring seismic activity, protecting the locals from wild animals... that sort of thing. It's unglamorous, but vital work."
She smiled, looking out the window at the snow-capped peaks beginning to appear in the distance like jagged teeth biting the sky.
"Sasha told me that this place has incredible natural hot springs and a mountain trail that hasn't been overrun by tourists yet. Doesn't that sound perfect?"
Akira groaned, slumping back onto the sofa and covering his face with his arm. "Mountain trail. That's code for 'hiking.' You're making me exercise again. I thought this was a vacation."
"Walking is not exercise, Akira. It's locomotion. It's how humans moved for thousands of years before Uber."
"It involves elevation gain," he countered, his voice muffled by his arm. "That makes it cardio. Cardio is the enemy of gains. I'm trying to cultivate mass here."
"Just play your game," Honoka laughed, throwing a small pillow at him.
"How are we getting there, anyway?" Akira asked, catching the pillow and putting it behind his head. "I doubt this jet can land on a mountain peak unless it has VTOL capabilities I don't know about. Does it transform? Please tell me it transforms."
"It does not transform. We're landing at Matsumoto Airport," she explained. "Sasha and Shino will be there to pick us up. From there, it's a few hours' drive into the mountains. Off-road."
Akira nodded. "Got it. More sitting. I can do sitting. Sitting is my specialty."
He unpaused the game and went back to grinding levels, muttering about the encounter rate of Zubats being a crime against humanity.
***
Two hours later, the jet touched down on the tarmac at Matsumoto.
The air here was different. As the cabin door opened, a gust of wind rushed in. It was thinner, crisper, and smelled sharply of pine needles, cold earth.
As they descended the stairs, Akira scanned the small private arrival area. It was empty except for a few ground crew members and a rugged, mud-splattered off-road vehicle parked near the gate.
Standing by the jeep were two figures.
The woman, Sasha Izumi, was a force of nature. She was tall, towering over most people, with sun-kissed skin that spoke of years spent outdoors. Her hair was wild, curly, and brown, seeming to defy gravity as it was tied back in a messy ponytail. She wore practical cargo pants covered in pockets and a tank top that showed off arms that could definitely bench press Akira without breaking a sweat. Her energy was palpable even from fifty feet away ā she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, waving frantically like she was trying to flag down a rescue chopper.
The man next to her is Shino Izumi. He was lean, built like a runner, with sharp features and dark hair cut short. He wore a heavy mountain jacket zipped up to his chin and had a calm, stoic demeanor that balanced out Sasha's chaotic energy perfectly. He looked like the kind of guy who checked the weather forecast three times before leaving the house.
"HONOKA!"
Sasha didn't wait for them to reach the ground. She sprinted across the tarmac, her boots pounding the pavement. She engulfed Honoka in a hug that lifted the doctor off her feet, spinning her around.
"Oh my god, it's been forever!" Sasha yelled, her voice booming. "Look at you! You look gorgeous! How do you still look like twenty-five? You have to share your skincare routine, or I'm arresting you for illegal quirk usage! Seriously, is it a serum? Is it the blood of the innocent? Tell me!"
Honoka laughed, patting Sasha's back as she was set down, looking slightly winded but happy. "It's good to see you too, Sasha. And it's not a quirk, it's just moisturizer and avoiding the sun. And maybe good genetics."
Shino walked up at a normal human pace, offering a polite nod. "Good to see you, Honoka. You made good time. The flight path looked clear."
"Thanks, Shino. The wind was with us."
Just then, Akira reached the bottom of the stairs. He adjusted his backpack, looking at the loud woman who was currently vibrating with excitement. He felt like a deer caught in headlights.
Sasha turned. Her eyes locked onto him.
They went wide.
She looked at Akira. Then she looked at Honoka. Then back at Akira. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"HONOKA!" she yelled, grabbing her friend's arm and pointing at Akira. "HE LOOKS JUST LIKE HI ā "
She stopped. Her hand flew to her mouth. The excitement drained from her face, replaced by a sudden, awkward panic. She glanced at Akira, then at the ground, realizing what she had almost screamed.
"I mean... uh... oh god."
Honoka smiled gently. She placed a hand on Sasha's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.
"It's okay, Sasha," she said softly. "He knows. We talked about it. The secret is out."
Sasha let out a massive sigh of relief, slumping against the jeep. "Oh, thank god! I thought I just put my foot in my mouth five seconds after you landed. I was about to yeet myself into the nearest ravine."
She turned back to Akira, her energy returning instantly, dialed up to eleven. She rushed over to him.
Before Akira could offer a handshake, a polite bow, or run for cover, Sasha grabbed his face. Her hands were rough, calloused from climbing, but warm. She squished his cheeks together, turning his face into a pucker.
"Look at you!" she cooed. "You look so much like your father! The red hair! The eyes! It's like seeing a ghost, but cuter and with less facial hair!"
She turned his head side to side, inspecting him like he was a prize-winning melon at a supermarket.
"But you got your mother's looks too," she noted, nodding approvingly. "That bone structure? That's all Shuzenji. You got the best package, kid. Holy cow. You won the genetic lottery."
She let go of his face and slapped his shoulder. It felt like being hit by a sledgehammer wrapped in a towel.
"The number of girls who are going to come after you is going to be crazy," she declared, stepping back to admire her assessment. "You're going to need a stick to beat them off. Or a quirk. Do you have a quirk for repelling fangirls? Because you're gonna need one."
Akira rubbed his cheek, feeling the heat rising in his face. He looked at Shino, pleading for help with his eyes. Save me, stoic man, he broadcasted telepathically.
Shino just shrugged, offering a sympathetic half-smile. You're on your own, kid, his eyes seemed to say.
This lady is a lot, Akira thought. She makes a caffeinated squirrel look sedated.
He sighed, adjusting his bag straps.
"Thank you... I think," Akira muttered, trying to regain some dignity. "But I plan to focus on my studies, not girls. I have a strict no-distractions policy."
Sasha laughed, a loud, booming sound that startled a nearby bird. "Yeah, right! That's exactly what your dad said! 'I'm just here to study, Sasha! I'm focused on my career!' And look what happened to him! Snagged the prettiest doctor in the class before graduation!"
She opened the back door of the jeep. "Alright, enough chatting on the pavement. Get in! We've got a drive ahead of us, and the mountains don't wait for sunset."
Akira climbed into the back seat, which smelled of mud and old coffee. The suspension creaked as Sasha jumped into the driver's seat.
"Buckle up, city chaps!" Sasha yelled, revving the engine. "The roads are a suggestion of where we're going!"
Shino sighed, buckling his seatbelt calmly. "She means the roads are unpaved and dangerous. Please hold on."
Akira looked at the sky through the window as the jeep lurched forward.
This is going to be a long journey, he thought, gripping the safety handle above the door. Maybe I should have stayed on the plane. At least the plane had snacks.
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We are approaching a key momentš. ETA 2-3 chapters
Plus if you want, you can read up to +10 chapters (It's 9 right now, the final advanced chapter will be up soon) and support me you can alway join my P@treaon. (Just search up Joe_Mama p@treon on google.)