Chapter Text
At the age of four, Himiko Toga had a strange craving one day.
She hadn’t gotten her Quirk yet, Mommy and Daddy said, so all day at preschool she tried to figure out what was wrong. All day, she kept smelling this amazing scent. Something smelled really good, and she kept trying to find it but she couldn’t find it all day. She checked all over the playroom, in the nap room, even in the kitchen which got her in trouble because the teachers said that little kids weren’t supposed to go in there, that it was unsafe for her in there. But she had to find the smell, she tried to tell the teachers that, and while they smiled, they wouldn’t let her find it, telling her that little girls shouldn’t go into dangerous places without an adult. And when she asked them to go with her, she was told they were too busy right now, maybe after storytime.
At that, Himiko couldn’t argue. Storytime was very important and she’d heard that they were going to finish the story from yesterday that had been cut off by the end of the day. She really wanted to know if the princess was saved by the prince from the dragon, or if she spent the rest of her life with the evil monster. Himiko didn’t understand why it had to be a prince that saved her, but when she’d asked, Ms. Fuyumi said “Because princesses are saved by princes, Himiko. Princesses can’t save princesses, that’s not how the stories go,” in what she felt was a soothing tone. Himiko couldn't argue with Ms. Fuyumi, but it felt wrong to her that only princes could save princesses.
But either way, Himiko sat quietly and listened as Ms. Fuyumi finished the story. The princess was saved from the dragon by the prince, they kissed and everyone lived happily ever after. But what about the dragon? Himiko knew that she was supposed to like that the princess and the prince were happy, but something felt wrong there as well. Why was the dragon evil? Why did it take the princess? Her four year old mind wasn’t really sure, and that was a mystery for another day. Himiko wondered if her quirk had developed and she had this new Sense of the World quirk or something. Maybe she had enhanced senses, maybe that was why she could smell something enticing all day long. It was strongest by the windows, which were open. Maybe that’s what it was! She liked that idea - that her quirk had manifested and she wasn’t quirkless and she just had enhanced senses. Mommy could tell if someone was sick or healthy from their blood, so maybe this was something like that. Mommy was a very good doctor.
The day ended and Himiko was allowed to leave the four year old rooms. She has to go to the three year old rooms to find her little brother, Neito, but first, she smelled the amazing scent outside and she could go and find it now. She was allowed to investigate like a big girl. Neito would stay in the three year old rooms until Daddy or Himiko came to get him, so it would all be okay if she went and looked for the source of the scent. It was a little harder to find the smell now, as if it had gotten older throughout the day. But Himiko would find it still. And find it she did as she rounded the corner of the building and found a bird on the ground. It wasn’t moving, and as she walked closer, it didn’t seem dead, its eyes were watching around it, but she couldn’t figure out why it was so still. As Himiko grabbed the bird, something came over her and she bit down on it, feeling the warmth within slip and slide over her tongue, and everything felt better. She realized that all day, she’d been craving this taste. The scent was one thing but the taste of the bird was something else. It was not the best but her little four year old mind was mesmerized by the flavor. She fed on the bird, drinking it as dry as she could, not noticing people walking up behind her, not realizing how red her mouth was by now. And so when she heard her mom say her name, Himiko turned around with a smile stained red and the bird still in her hands, looked up at her mother with absolute love and adoration. “I got my quirk, Mommy! I’m like you now!”
Himiko didn’t realize at first what the looks on Mommy and Daddy’s faces were. But soon she realized that Mommy and Daddy weren’t happy about her discovery and she felt like she’d done something wrong when all she’d done was followed the impulses of her quirk. She’d manifested her quirk, this was supposed to be a happy day. But Mommy and Daddy weren’t happy for her. Why?
Rei and Ito stared down at their oldest daughter, blood all over her mouth, smiling up at them like some sort of demon. Rei moved Neito behind her so he didn’t see his sister like this, and looked at her firstborn like she was terrifying. Ito had no idea what to say to this, he’d known his wife’s quirk involved her ingesting blood but she only had to have a taste and certainly had never done this in her life. His nephew had the bizarre quirk with eating, last he recalled from the family dinners, sure he had a mild case of pica, but it made sense for his quirk. He could manifest the traits of what he ate, transforming to use them in his daily life. Minerals made what he did easier. But his daughter was eating a bird, covered in its blood, and looked like she was happy about this.
Rei Toga looked at her daughter, and with an imperial look on her face and an icy tone to her voice, she spoke. “Let’s go, Himiko. There is a lot we need to talk about tonight. And drop your little bird, wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about our family, would you?” She leaned down, wiped Himiko’s face of the blood, and pulled her away, forcing her to drop the bird. Ito picked Neito up and carried his son along behind his wife and daughter.
Himiko didn’t know what she’d done wrong, but Mommy sounded really mad. Maybe Mommy didn’t like her quirk, but Mommy’s quirk was about blood too. And Himiko did feel better after drinking the bird’s blood, so what was wrong with that?