A/N

Content Warning:

This story focuses on issues that may be triggering to individuals. Some words may cause issues, but it gains a sense of reality that these words can be very harmful. There is offensive stuff in it, but some bits are from the unfortunate sense that not everyone is great and there's toxic nature.

Certain events may be triggering, so this story may not be for you as we incorporate problems that are problematic and not ok.

No way in shape or form this story is glorifying anything. We don't promote or encourage anything, but we want to be realistic.

Also, this is an era for Steampunk. We have major spoilers in the manga so don't read if you're not caught up.

Characters are aged appropriately to have the same age. If you don't like that, it's called creative freedom. This is just fictional and not real. Please, don't be a snowflake Karen and follow cancel culture. You have been warned.

We try to write the characters as canon to personality we can.

If you understand, feel free to read and get ready for all the feels!!

And dedicating major inspiration to outlander17

The loud sound of rumbling and chugging was huffing from the engine. Clunking and screeching as the train made its stop, encouraging passengers to hop on. The loud chattering of people was tuned out from a young girl's pulse beating strongly. The intensity of her situation grew as someone was screaming behind her.

It didn't matter to her. The voice was tuned out. Who cares what they were saying?

Freedom. She wanted to be free and happy. That's what her eyes were set on ahead as she ignored the trembling and sweating of her palms.

The wind was blowing so strongly that a few strands of her wavy coral locks whipped against her face. Her hand was tightening around a crumbled ticket. People kept bumping into her as she was trying to board the train. So close. She needed to escape this awful town. Start a new life on her own.

Forget the past to leave it behind her to die.

Her hand rubbed the throbbing pain on her bruised nose. Blinking frantically to not shed any tears in public.

Happy. I want to be happy.

Being 18, she was gaining adulthood. The right to make her choices.

The adrenaline was too much. She almost wanted to turn back as she was having slight cold feet. But when that boy behind her was inching closer, his voice became clearer. Still, she couldn't hear exactly what he said because of all the people chattering and giving confused looks.

Taking the large sack with her belongings, she pushed past the people. Somewhat expressively huffing out loud to make them notice her trying to board.

"KASUMI!"

She finally heard him call out to her, when she successfully went inside it. She sat by a window, seeing the 14 year old looking somewhat devastated. Kasumi put on a hateful glare towards him. She planted her middle finger and waved it onto the window.

"Screw off," she hatefully whispered out loud. Her head turned away from the window as the train was starting to move.

Finally, I can be with him.

...

7 years ago, Kasumi was taken into the car. She was about 11 years old at the time. Her distinct features of slightly wavy coral hair contrasted against the seafoam eyes that really made her facial characteristics stand out. Her unruly locks had neatly planted bangs. At the ends of her strands, there was a distinct curl. Her clothes were slightly wrinkled and worn. The dress was definitely more on the poorer side. She practically looked like a beggar.

Adults around her were whispering. Probably about her. Kasumi was too oblivious to it. She would tune them out as she daydreamed while looking out the window.

She was leaving another orphanage. Children who stay there for a while get transferred to another district in hopes to be adopted.

"What makes you think this place will be good?"

"Oh, it's certainly great for children like her. With a quirk like hers, it's for children who only have quirks."

More like problematic kids. She couldn't remember how many times this had happened. With quirks being such an odd occurrence, it would be hard to predict when someone would develop theirs. It didn't start out with any set age either. Some people would show their powers even as old as teenagers or adults.

Kasumi had a quirk, but she couldn't even remember when it had developed. Nor does she ever focus on those things. Her head was always stuck in the clouds in her own type of world. One where she could escape to and get rid of loneliness.

Oof.

There was a bump in the road. It showed the change of texture of the path they were on. An hour had passed already. She didn't know when they had stopped talking. It was a smoother ride. She could see bigger buildings from her view. Different from the typical countryside she was living in prior.

Would she miss the place? Ehh... Not really. She didn't have any friends there and the adults were mean. Why would she be missing that place?

At some point of the road trip, she had fallen asleep.

"Wake up, kid."

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she groggily stepped out of the car. She was careful not to let herself fall.

"She's a quiet one, ain't she?"

Adults always say that when they try to talk to her. All she would do was awkwardly smile or not. Maybe not smile at all as she couldn't even give them eye contact. Her shyness was terrible.

Of course, people misunderstand her that way. They'd get offended. The one man kept eyeing his pocket watch for the time. He smiled in satisfaction that they made it on schedule.

Kasumi looked up to see a huge building that you would typically see in this technology of the 19th century. Everything you see in the modern steampunk era. All the gears on the castle were quietly moving. Kasumi was in awe as she felt so tiny in comparison. It was so massive that she couldn't even see where the castle would end. There were castle guards positioned at different doorways from the distance.

"Quit gawking and come along now, lass," the man beckoned her.

Kasumi silently followed him as she lugged some of her belongings. There was a rectangular building attached to an open hallway of the castle. One would assume it was the orphanage as it was gated with iron. There were children already playing outside. There was an older lady, who had a regal and bouncy dress.

"G'day, missus." The man tipped his hat as a polite gesture. "I've brought you the new child."

The woman smiled down at the young girl, her tired eyes filling with just a bit more life at the sight. "Hello. Your name is...Kasumi, correct?"

Kasumi didn't answer her. Her eyes stared at the towering pillars of the outside hallway. The details of it made her study it more and more.

"Hey." The man snapped his fingers in her face to get her attention. He did it a couple times until she looked back.

"Listen when you're spoken to," he scolded.

All Kasumi did was press her lips together and nodded towards the orphan's keeper lady.

"My apologies. This one has always been like this since we've received her." He sighed and chuckled as if it was a pitiful thing.

The woman gave a gentle, breathy laugh in return. She put a hand on Kasumi's back to guide her. "That's alright. We'll get her to come out of her shell."

Kasumi involuntarily tensed up from the touch. Since the woman was a stranger, Kasumi felt off with the friendly hand on her person.

They were talking about who knows what. She was off daydreaming again because it was a boring conversation. They were discussing how Kasumi was held back a grade in schooling since she was a slow learner.

With that, the lady led Kasumi inside. Children on the outside looked towards Kasumi while she went into the building.

Kasumi was led into the girl's bedroom. There were beds scattered and untidied everywhere. She couldn't tell how many were set in there, but it was intimidating to her.

Which one would be my bed? She wondered.

She also hated sharing room with other kids. At her last place, her only roommate had gotten adopted. She gained the solitude she needed.

When the woman left, Kasumi set her things on what was chosen to be her bed. It took some time to unpack and sort her things.

Then, a random girl came running into the room, purposely laying on the bed Kasumi had chosen. She seemed to be a year younger than Kasumi, but she had a bratty smirk planted on her face.

The little girl kicked her legs up and down. It caused the bed to shake. Her shrill, high pitched voice carried effortlessly throughout the room.

"You're the new girl!" She practically yelled. "You're weird."

Kasumi didn't meet eye contact. She wanted to speak up and tell her that was her bed she was on.

But nothing came out.

"She can't talk so she must be retarded." Another girl made herself present. She was a brunette with a bowl cut. She was slightly on the chubbier side compared to Kasumi's scrawny frame.

Again, Kasumi didn't say anything but heard the mocking giggles of the girls.

She was trying to get herself on the bed, but the bowl cut bully mocked, "You didn't know? You're in the wrong bed. That's your bed over there."

It was an old bed at the end of the room. It was tilted and had a broken leg.

That's mean. Tell them. Stand up for yourself!

"Oh...." Was all Kasumi said super quietly.

The girls just laughed as they jeered for her to move. Kasumi obediently did what she was told. Doing that made the bullies feel like they had power over her.

Kasumi's fists started to ball.

Nightfall came and Kasumi had trouble sleeping. She tried not to think of any of the hurtful words as her eyes glossed over.

Her mind went a different direction as she imagined a world where she had many friends. A fantasy world where she could travel to different dimensions.

Have her own importance to the story where she could be so strong enough to fight with a sword. Having crushes on many guys who thought of her as pretty.

Sure, it was very mary-sueish, but she was still a kid. A kid that was lost in her own reality in order to cope with life.

...

In another part of the castle, a 12 year old boy was running around like he owned the place. In his mind, he should have.

It wasn't that he was interested in being the king or anything. No, what he was really interested in was gaining the attention of his father.

The boy was still only a child, but he worked harder than some adults. He sometimes stayed up all night training just so he could show off to his father that he was good enough. To prove that he wasn't worthless.

A sense of worth is something that a parent should already give a child without the child feeling the need to work for it. Children need to feel loved and cared for. The boy in question - Toya Todoroki - never felt that love.

He looked up to his father, loved him, and wanted to earn his respect. So even when painful burns blemished his skin and his hair began to change colors, he still worked as hard as he could to make himself seen. He was boisterous, energetic, and most of all, determined.

One day, he was walking about with a scowl. His feet stomped down with purpose in each step.

His younger sister, Fuyumi, noticed him pouting as he walked around. Fuyumi tensed up a bit. She was scared for her brother's sake. Despite being a year younger than him, she always held a sort of responsibility like a big sister would. It was a side effect of her longing to have a family that wasn't tainted by abuse.

"Toya, you shouldn't wander around everywhere!" She scolded. She grabbed his hand and tried to lead him away to his room. "Dad will get mad at you."

Toya's little hands that were scarred by his own quirk swatted her away. "I don't care! I'll do anything for him to notice me! You wouldn't understand, so leave me alone!"

Toya left his trembling sister there. He wasn't aware of just how terrified she was for his well-being, or maybe he didn't care. It was probably the latter.

He continued on through the palace with his goal in mind. Somehow, he was going to prove himself. He knew that he could be a strong king despite the injuries that his quirk caused.

He was just a child, and yet he was willingly destroying himself. All so the adult he admired would give him something. Anything. A smile would be enough. Even a nod. As long as he got some recognition, he would be fine. That was what he told himself anyway.

As he walked through, he spotted a set of bars in the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw a familiar sight. The door that resembled a cage and blocked his little brother off from leaving a designated area.

He was a little surprised that Shoto wasn't standing there, hands wrapped around the bars as he pleaded with Toya to let him out for a few minutes so he could see the rest of his family. That was how most of their interactions went. Toya, of course, refused to sneak him out. It wasn't that he couldn't. He was sure he could steal the key if he really wanted to. The thing was, he didn't want to.

He hated Shoto. Sometimes he wished the dual haired boy would just die already so that his father would have no choice but to train Toya again. Ever since Shoto's quirk manifested, their father only paid attention to him. He neglected his other two children.

He huffed as he walked past the door. He's probably in his room studying for his prince stuff. Or looking out the window like a weirdo. Why does he get everything anyway? Why does he get to have that stupid quirk?

His mind whirred with ideas. What could he try that day to gain his father's attention? Rowdiness? Or maybe the opposite?

He was so deep in thought that he hardly noticed where he was going. He was in the walkway that headed out of the castle.

He walked out the door and into a hallway with open pillars to see the outside. There were various children playing around. They were all so loud and obnoxious. It irritated him.

He decided to go back and try looking elsewhere. He started to turn around, but then a certain someone caught his attention. Her eyes were a pleasant seafoam color. Her hair was coral. Out of everyone outside, she was the quietest.

He picked up the pace, squirming his way through the pillars, until he was directly in front of her. The center of her attention. His cerulean eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Hey. You."

Kids nearby were starting to whisper and giggle to each other when they saw what was going on.

"Looks like someone else is trying to approach the stupid girl."