Work Text:
Tomura was bored, utterly and totally bored.
And frightened.
But he was focusing on the bored because fear made you weak and Sensei punished weakness and it was already hard to just sit in the bar - Being seen, for some reason it was important to Sensei, he’d been told to be in the bar all day long! - as waves of pain rolled through him, each one making him hunch and whimper, each one making him grip his own bare arms tight enough to bruise because if he grabbed anything else he'd disintegrate it, but his punishment would end in two more hours and, he gritted his teeth, eyes clenched tight as it crescendoed and began to fade, he needed a distraction.
Sliding a hand into his pocket, he fisted his hand around the distraction he’d chosen.
“Show your initiative Tomura, prove your intelligence to Me.”
Sensei said it all the time so, holding the dose of the latest trigger upgrade, one he’d swiped from the doctor - even the man's name had Tenko shaking, he hated him, hated him more than he hated Sensei but no, that was wrong, Tenko loved Sensei, loved and obeyed and trusted Sensei!
Riding out the wave of dizziness caused by the conflicting impulses, long familiarity assisting him, Tenko sighed when he could see properly again.
Any time he had an honest feeling towards Sensei he’d be overwhelmed by how much he loved him, a quirk, Tenko knew it was a quirk but there was nothing he could do about it, he was trying, trying to get stronger but he was only eleven, and Sensei was so strong, Tenko didn’t even have a hope of escaping, never mind fighting back.
By his calculations he had another five minutes until the next wave of pain hit, he’d lost too many minutes already by doubting Sensei so, resigned, he decided to wait the next one out.
Carefully setting the glass ampule back into his pocket lest he break it when the pain hit, he waited.
******~*******~******~******~******~******~*****
It was supposed to be an easy day out, one where established masters and padawans take a creshling for an adventure, like, in their case, a picnic.
But not just any picnic, Quinlan had convinced them to do a catacombs adventure, and for it they’d chosen one of the newest creshlings, Anakin Skywalker.
At three he was old for a newly initiated creshling, Creshling Master Marvara’d said he was having a hard time settling in, coming as they believed he did from a desert world, but the way his eyes had lit up when Qui Gon had knelt and offered him his hand, had beamed up at Tholme and had nodded with glee at Obi and Quinlan when they asked if he wanted to join them today….
They all knew how he’d come to the order, found stowed away in a ship, food, water and a disposal unit all packed into a cramped storage bin, a thick blanket and a stuffed comfort item and that was all, he was too young to be able to tell anyone much of his story, and even mind reading and psychometricly reading the child's belongings didn’t give them any useful clues, only his strength in the force and that someone had loved him, totally and utterly, and managed to hide him away on, of all things, a Jedi ship.
It was an investigation still ongoing, but despite having heard of the boy - he was the talk of the temple after all - seeing him was different, like a jolt to their hearts, he and Tholme both, and through their bond, despite the rules being absolute, one master, one padawan, together they were resolved to have him too, because they felt it in the force, a joining, the tiny child to their family, he was part of them.
Only long practice kept that fact shrouded, hidden, and they'd gone on their picnic, deep under the temple complex, laughing and joyful.
***********************
Kneeling in the dark, he and his life mate held a bubble around them all, a tiny pocket, force protected, the three children held tight between adult chests as they knelt in a protective huddle.
Sheltering their padawans minds as best they could as light after light above went out, as Jedi after Jedi died in the halls above them, neither knew what was happening, the day had gone from innocent fun to horror in an instant.
Now, in hardly any time at all, above was only silence, droids carried no force signature, nor did disease, but together with foul intent, it gave a hint of what had happened, a shape in the force to show the cause of the emptiness above them now where once life blazed a beacon in the Force.
The caverns they were in had begun to crumble, their life signatures clearly having been picked up by the aggressors above.
Sith
The rumor had only just hit, a whisper, a legend out of time, not to be believed. But he and Tholme had believed, both had gotten hints for years that something was wrong, was hidden, was coming….
.
.
.
.
.
.
Newly made masters, one of their first missions off world alone together, no masters to watch them now, to frown, to scold, feeling as if a weight had dropped from their shoulders, able to speak freely at last.
To speak of their fears, despite having been taught by their own masters to let fear go, to let all emotions go, to examine and study and feel and then release the emotions into the living force.
Still, they feared.
.
.
.
.
.
A few years later, Tholme alone on a mission, the smuggling of Kyber crystals was heating up to levels never before seen. He'd followed a series of clues, gotten wind of a link, found a cache, hidden on an ice world, one hundred and ten crystals, of all colors and sizes.
But he’d only turned in eighty.
Even Qui Gon hadn’t known, had no idea that his best friend had taken all the crystals out of their containers, force shielded, the only way to safely transport them, small boxes fitting ten crystals each, and held each one, how thirty had spoken to him, how he’d tucked the tiny boxes containing enough crystals to wind him up incarcerated for a very short life - a Jedi in prison lasted minutes only - and it was only months later, when they were together off world again that he’d told him about it.
In frantic disbelief he’d done what Tholme asked, and he too had held each one, and each one bonded to him as well, linked, not strong, just a feeling of trust, patience, time.
Surrounded by wealth uncountable he’d looked at Tholme, crystals singing in the Force, and seen him, not as a partner in missions, not as a long time friend, companion, but as his love.
The connection between them was like a rope, a cable, a bridge between their spirits, souls long bonded come together again, it was only their life long training as Jedi that had hidden that fact from them, had obscured their love, but now they knew, now they remembered, the bond was set in place immovably.
They’d gone to a smugglers rendezvous, had bought the use of a workshop and made a tiny change to their appearance, so small it would garner only casual mention and then split the crystals between them, fifteen each tucked away into their newly modified light saber handles.
As Jedi, their light sabers were something no one ever would think to separate them from, and while their new look was commented on, no one ever guessed the wealth within.
.
.
.
.
.
Years forward again, and despite how they’d both vowed to never take a padawan, how the looming weight of the Jedi order, of the temple itself, bore down upon them, they’d never subject a child to their lives, yet within a day of each other, they each had seen a child, caught their eyes, felt the bond flare between, a soul long lost and found again, and fallen.
Totally and utterly fallen, and then they were four.
Four to hide, true natures only to come out and play when they were away from Coruscant, away from the temple, away from Yoda.
It had taken years to find the pinpoint of their fear, the focus, and he was it.
A being that lived over two thousand years, to someone like that, they were mayflies, pets.....
disposable
But their very disposable natures finally gave them their escape plan because Jedi Knights went missing all the time, it was why there were so many of them, the galaxy was at peace yes but it was due to the order that it was, and at any given time there were tens of thousands of Jedi Knights, thousands upon thousands of padawan, and just as many creshlings and Jedi Masters active, not to mention support staff numbering in the millions, all working hard to make sure that same peace remained constant.
That very fact, those numbers, gave them their plan.
They’d dedicated their lives to the order, willingly.
But once they had padawan’s of their own, their focus shifted, without their even knowing it, all of a sudden the lives they guided, protected, loved, were more important than their own, and far more important than the vows given when they were too young to know any better.
Jedi went missing all the time.
It was a fact.
So two Jedi with their padawans going missing would be missed, mourned even, investigated certainly but then, it would be over and their names would be added to the wall of remembrance.
And they would be free.
Five years they'd had together, as a family, hidden in plain sight as they set it all up but now their ship was ready, kyber crystals still kept safe, the force only knew why they had them but they did, and they had a mission, not vital, an easy peace keeping mission to a settled world but it bordered on a large pocket of unrest, a hot bed of smuggling, black market dealings and rogue systems.
They would go, sort the problem, their padawans with them, and then report their ship damaged, having to detour into a dark zone, a few garbled transmissions and then they’d disappear on their way home.
The mission was due to start in three days, just three days and they’d start their bid for freedom.
And then, the lonely frightened eyes of a tiny child caught theirs, and the Force flared, bond sinking soul deep, and they were five.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yet the force wills, and now the Jedi temple above was empty of life and the sounds of digging were getting closer.
“Are we going to die?”
Tiny voice, heavy weight of the question, utter trust filling the words.
Breathing Tholmes' breaths as their faces almost touched from how close they were, feeling the utter belief and love both from him and their three children, even tiny Anakin was sure they’d be safe, because he had Jedi Knights protecting him.
Refusing to let even a hint of his pain at failing them all show in the bond, he sent instead comfort and love.
Yes, a Jedi was supposed to have no worldly attachments but who couldn't love his mate, who would choose to not love children?
Speaking softly in the choking dust he said, “Somewhere everything is real, so somewhere the Jedi win, and somewhere the Jedi lose, and somewhere there are no Jedi at all, somewhere only sith survive, and somewhere else the sith never have and never will exist, somewhere the force is peace everlasting, and somewhere the force is conflict unending….”
"Remember," and this time he used the Jedi code that he and Tholme had rewritten when they were so much younger and had used together for years - "There are emotions and there is peace.” then his mates voice joined him in speaking the words aloud for the first time on temple grounds.
“There is ignorance and there is knowledge.”
“There is passion and there is serenity.”
“There is chaos and there is harmony.”
“But there is no death, there is only the Force.”
“The will of the force is all.”
“Little One’s, we have all lived many times before, died so many times before, have been together in life and in death. Anakin, how did you feel when we met, just a little bit ago?”
In the dark came a voice, “I’s cold, so cold, brrrrr, scared-ed too an’ d’en you was dere an’ I’s warm’n happy. Happy happy!”
Smiling in the dark at the relieved voice of a very young child, he said, “It was the same for us too, finding a heart anchor, a soul mate, finding where we are meant to be, together, that is what we all feel, together at last, together again.”
“And if we die here now we do it together,” he let his love surround them, joining with Tholme’s ever present love, “don’t fear death little ones because the force is love, and guides us, together we will find our way, with the will of the force we will come through this. Now, feel the force, reach out, let it guide us, there will be a way.” - and together, the little ones helping as best they could, they reached out, through the force, trying to find that way, a way to save their padawans and their little creshling.
Their own lives were willingly forfeit if that is what it took to save them, but, as all life forms do, they too wished to live, if for no other reason than to protect their young.
Filling the force around them with love and hope and the desire to live, together, as one, they reached out, reached out and touched another part of their soul group, unexpected yet so welcome…..
~~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~
By his count he now had ten minutes until the next wave of punishment washed through him, and, ampule in hand, the cover of its built in needle already popped off, Tomura reached out and tipped his water over.
Kurogiri never got angry.
It was a fact.
In all the time Tomura had known him, he never got angry, or sad, or frustrated, or happy.
Nothing!
Any mess was cleaned up, any tantrum was ignored. The man fed Tomura, clothed him, made sure he was where he needed to be at all times, took him to and from Sensei, reported on his movements, and never ever reacted with an emotion.
It had been a game for a few years now, trying to get a rise out of him, but this time Tomura was sure of a win.
No one could take a dose of trigger and not react so when a mist covered hand swept forward to catch the glass of spilling liquid, Tomura struck, snake fast, and the ampule was stabbed into the back of that hand, contents emptied in a blink of an eye, and it was done.
Watching Kurogiri draw back his hand, staring at it, then up at Tomura, the regular blinks of empty yellow eyes slid out of sync, each one blinking now to its own rhythm, and for some reason Tomura wanted to move back, but was frozen.
Another constant to the man was his mist, how it moved, what color it was, but as the man said, voice a faint gasp, "Tomura?" faint streaks of violet flared, as did mist like tendrils, flaring and twisting and writhing as, like a fire fed a sudden mountain of fuel, along with a soul rending scream, Kurogiri exploded, colors and sounds out of nightmares and....
Tomura abruptly realized that perhaps giving someone something untested might be a bad idea when, with the suddenness that made trigger so feared….
The victim regained control, a brief moment to know what was happening, what was about to happen, no way to avoid it, or stop it, the blank eyes were filled with life, with shock, with a powerful force and resolve.
This time though Kurogiri looked different, like he was on fire but the fire was made of rainbows, beautiful and dangerous, and his eyes were clear, frantic, human.
One raking glance across the room, one single coherent moment of clarity, and the world exploded again, only this time Tomura had an instant to watch as the three members of the league currently in the bar disappeared down crackling portals, and then he caught Kurogiri's eyes, saw love, love for Tomura in them, and then he too was gone.
The portal was filled with lightning, with thunder, and Tomura fell for a very long time.
****************************
First there was nothing, a body following pre-programmed orders, easy, simply floating and then, fire, it burned through the peace, flared nova bright, crisping to ash the barriers between him and memory….
A moment, endless yet so short, and he remembered everything….
Remembered Shouta and Hizashi, remembered his dad and the rest of his family, remembered love and laughter and a plan for tomorrow but tomorrow never came.
Tomorrow was taken from them.
Next he remembered what he’d been made to do, to be, a tool, murder.
He’d murdered so many people.
Failed so many!
Feeling the fire returning, seeing the boy he’d failed to protect in any way standing with wide shocked eyes, Oboro opened himself fully to the flames, to the power, used it, opened himself fully to it and REACHED and PULLED and PUSHED because like a flower, like a mandala, like a map and a guide, he knew exactly where each and every portal had to go, and he had the power to do it, it was like he was made of power, of strength and energy and love.
He was made of love!
Portals opened, he didn't know why they opened where they were but it was were they all had to go, needed to go, were supposed to be, one by one three of the league fell away, then Tomura was gone, Kurogiri flared even brighter as Sensei and the doctor and their abominations were gone, although the last ones he knew ended in a molten caldera, the feeling of no air, no life, a dead place of fire and the vacuum of space and they were dead and gone, free of the evil that had steeped their lives but still he reached, so far, so far, now though someone reached back, love, he remembered love like this, remembered this and them and gave himself utterly to the love, used it to make a bridge across the distance, a tunnel made from the power of love and fire and the energy of the universe itself, burning brighter and brighter and brighter as he gave all he had, pulling the love to him.
Done.
The love was here.
All was peace.
Drifting soft as a feather, gentle as a cloud, he died, a smile on his lips, peace in his heart.
*****************************
Falling together, weightless yet dwarf star heavy, using not just hands and legs to grip their children and each other, the force bound them too, shielding and protecting, as they fell and fell and fell.
*************************
Trying to remember how to breathe, Tomura gasped like a landed fish, the blow of his landing knocking all the wind from his body.
Eyes tight closed, terror ripped through him, it was supposed to be a joke, a gag, it was supposed to rile Kurogiri up for a change and be funny.
Now Tomura had fucked up, in ways he didn’t even know yet, Sensei was already punishing him, but now he’d broken Kurogiri, now Sensei really would kill him, or make him wish he was dead.
Refusing to open his eyes he curled into a ball, a weight of terror filling his heart, he was afraid.
Afraid of Sensei.
It took him a long moment to realize the split emotions didn't hit at the thought, didn’t make him sick, because the split didn't come.
Any feelings of revulsion toward Sensei should have instantly been smothered with love/respect/adoration and overwhelming sickness but….
He was afraid of Sensei.
How long, how long since the last wave of pain?
He was afraid of Sensei.
Poking at the idea like a bad tooth, Tomura thought, ‘I hate him.’
Wincing, curling tighter, he waited for the punishment to hit but….
It never came.
There was someone talking now though, but the tone, it was strange.
He’d heard nice people before, listened to them as he did espionage assignments in malls and on busy streets, he did know what kindness sounded like but, it was just never for him.
This sounded like it was for him though, and his biggest flaw hit like a sledgehammer, curiosity, irresistible, cracking an eye open he tried to see who it was talking to him, or to someone close anyway, and it was someone talking to him, a hero.
Bracing now not for pain but hate, the sight of a hero should fill him with hate, with killing rage but again, nothing, only more confusion and fear, he sucked a breath, deep and broken.
Oh, crying? He wasn't allowed to cry but again, no pain showed up, and looking farther he saw so much color, but his world was gray, dingy, drab.
Here though it was green, was blue, was fresh and outside and he tried to ask, but only a croak came out, and now the hero was reaching out to help him, and he whimpered, trying to ward her off, managing to say,” Dangerous, don't please don't wanna hur -” before breaking into hacking coughs.
“It's Okay sweetheart, it's okay, I’m not going to hurt you, now, that's it, can you take the bottle for me, hi, there you are, such pretty eyes, here, that's right, nice and slow, you look like you need some help, it's okay, I’m a hero.”
“My name is Midnight, can I help?”
Tomura though he’d never ever heard anything better, and he nodded because he really wanted help!”
What he got along with help, was a brand new future.
______________________________________
Dabi wasn't a good person, he knew that.
But over the last year, ever since he’d hooked up with the league, ever since he’d gotten regular meals and a dry place to sleep, something inside changed.
He didn't want to hurt anyone anymore.
Not even that most hated person, not even his father deserved to die.
It was like all his rage had burned to ash along with so much of his skin, so much of his life.
No one deserved to burn, not even him.
But he was stuck in the clutches of a super villain, only someone with Dabi’s fucking luck could have managed to get tangled up like this.
Mooching on a stool in the corner he watched their “fearless leader” (in training) cringe and shudder as he was hit over and over with an agony quirk, each time Dabi gripped his own drink so tight the glass was in danger of breaking, it was a fucking kid for gods sake, just a kid, he didn’t deserve this life, slave to a tyrant.
All for fucking One made his own sperm donor look like a toddler yelling at the sea, futile, useless, tiny.
At seventeen, Dabi had learned who to fear, who to hate, and it wasn't his father, or his baby brother.
Looking at Shigaraki, he felt a bit of relief, at least the kid’s spirit wasn't broken yet, the little shit was planning something, and then, like a snake, kid was so fast, he struck and Kurogiri erupted into flames of psychedelic mist flaring supernova bright, a frozen moment and then Dabi was falling, a scream ripping from him, falling and falling and falling as in panic his quirk activated and he burned as he fell!
And then WHAM - on the ground, somewhere, outside, sky like a blue dome above him, he was frozen in fear, in terror, that long moment when you know you’re hurt, hurt bad but not how bad, pain surging in like the tide, starting to white out the world, and a child's voice, high and frantic, “i’s otay, I c’n fix oooo, don’ worry!
Three, maybe four he guessed by how they sounded, focusing on the kid's voice instead of the wave of agony beginning to crest as he tried to move, tried being the operative word, and then the world went all melted taffy weird, and he made garbled gooey sounds, trying to talk, to say something.
Then, like a rubber band snapping back into place, all he was was tired, half curled in a crater in the sand, and a tiny green haired child was laying on his chest, sound asleep, and someone, clearly his mother with the matching hair color anyway was kneeling, hands outstretched, patting them both, asking “Are you okay, can I help, what happened, I saw you fall, Zuchan wandered off and then you fell from the sky, on fire, all flames and smoke and oh gods, all your skin was melting, Izuku, oh gods, his quirk, it must be his quirk,” she gathered the little thing up, cradling him close, “his quirk, healing, so powerful, I saw you, you were burned so bad, oh gods,” her voice was a tiny terrified whisper, “that's so dangerous.”
“Yeah,” Dabi, no, not anymore, Touya, he’d take his name back at last, looking up at her he said, voice easy and clear like it hadn't been in years, “fucker’s’ll want him, take him from you, cause that’s how it works.” Sitting up he looked at his hands, his arms, felt his face, hummmmmed.
No pain, no pain anywhere, and his skin felt smooth as anything.
Looking at her as she trembled in fear, holding her sleeping baby toddler kid thing tight, he smiled and said, “My names Touya, your son healed me, I’d like to help, please, I know I don't look like much but, yeah, I wanna help.”
“Hi,” she said, “I’m Midoriya Inko. It's very nice to meet you Touya dear. Now,” he thought he’d never seen anyone as brave as her in his life as she said, tears trembling, a smile wobbling on her lips, “I’m guessing you need a place to stay?” She laughed at his shock, shaky yet real, “Usually when someone falls from the sky on fire it’s not because their life is going great, now, can you get up? Let's get you both home, we can talk there.”
Staggering a bit in the sand, Touya took her hand, and held her bag in his free hand because she had her still sleeping little one draped across her shoulder, drooling all down her neck, and walked to his new life, one where his little brother had green hair, was so happy, and Endeavor didn't exist at all.
______________________________________
Screaming, Himico fell.
And fell and fell and fell and Kurogiri’s portal was all colors and lightning and thunder and she was so scared, so SCARED….
Landing with a whoomph of pain, she scrambled back, arms curved over her head, trying to protect her neck and ears, they’d always gone for her ears, her ears and head and neck and hair and they hurt her, always always always.
It was dark where she'd landed, but the bar was always lit up, they let her sleep in the corner if she didn't make any noise, it was the only place she could be where no one tried to hurt her, or make her do things that made her feel sick but it was dark now, not light, and she was outside, in the dark, she was afraid of the dark, and she tried not to cry, because noise drew people and people hurt her.
And then there was someone standing in what little light there was, and she hurt, and was afraid, and she held her knife, the one she’d been sharpening before Kurogiri went crazy and threw her down a rainbow nightmare and then they knelt.
“Hey there, it’s okay, can I help?”
She smelled the blood then, bright and sharp and good, and now he'd shifted a bit to let more light into the alley she saw he had ropes of blood coiling around his hands, along his arms, and she whimpered, she was so hungry, and the knife fell and she crawled, she needed, was so hungry, and he let her have some when she reached out, a rope of blood twining between her fingers, and it felt warm and silken in her hands, and tasted like life in her mouth, and he carefully lifted her as she sucked, frantically drinking, curled in a protective huddle that hurt his heart.
Kan hadn't gone looking for a child when he took over that fucker Eraserhead's patrol - grinning he corrected it to His very sick and annoying bastard of a best friend co-spouse Eraserhead who had flu but it really wasn't his fault - but as he adjusted her to a more comfortable position, and strode in the direction of UA’s main gates, his smile softened because he’d become a hero for this very reason, to help the ones no one else would.
Speeding up to a near run because he wanted this mite to be seen too as soon as possible, blood quirks were rare, and dangerous, and she was so very light in his arms.
Feeling it when she stopped drinking, when she went limp and slept, he felt a tug to his heart, he’d never felt anything like it, smiling down at her he wondered if they could get an extra room added to their campus apartment because it was clear she needed so much help, and they had so much to give.
Striding through the dark, a hero carried a pre-teen ex-villain to her new life.
~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
He’d heard the terrible twos were bad, but now his babies had hit their threes?
Was there a word for how bad four three year old's were?
Splinter didn't know.
Smiling at the memory of getting that name, how at two Leo had tripped, fallen, stood up on wobbly legs, holding up his hand, crying as he said, “Owie Owie Owie!”
“Don’t worry petal, here,” he’d taken that tiny hand in his, used his own very sharp claws to tweezer grip and pull free a fragment of wood, saying, "It's a splinter, see?”
How bright eyes had studied it closely for a moment, then a chirrped, "Spinter Spinter" and his son had danced in place, the way only very excited very young children did, and repeated "Spinter Spinter Spinter" until all his brothers had joined in.
He’d been Splinter ever since, although it took a bit to teach them how to pronounce it properly.
Splinter he could handle, seeing as he’d given them no actual word to call him, but Spinter he called the line at.
Curled in the nest - nap times were for him, he’d told them all, not them - but they loved curling up with him so much that it always worked, they practically raced each other to be first in the nest to “Share Splinters Nap Time!!!”
He wondered though why he’d forgotten to give them something to call him, like Father, or Sensei, but, he smiled, too late now he supposed.
Love for his odd little charges filled him, his life was nothing like he’d ever imagined it would be, hidden from the world trying to raise hybrid life forms, to be a hybrid life form himself as well, but he loved them, suddenly fighting back tears as he looked at them, so tiny, still so tiny and green and trusting him to be everything they needed, he was filled with such love, bursting with it almost.
And then the bottom fell out of the world!
Battle honed reflexes had him grabbing Leo and Raph’s wrists in a hand each, he gripped Donnie and Mikey’s wrists with his feet, grateful he’d curled up with no socks on, grateful his new form gave him feet that COULD grip, gripping so hard he knew it was bruising, they were screaming as they fell, rainbow nightmare tunnel twisting his sight, falling in directions his inner ear had no way to understand or even give a name to, sickness times a million as he held on, held on and held on and held on, yelling that it was okay, that Splinter was here, that.....
And then they landed, a thudding wholloping shocking landing into a heap, and he gathered them close, holding them tight, and snarled at the new world, driving anyone who might get close back, away.
They were in the open, could be seen, danger, DANGER!!!
****************************************************
Landing lightly, knees bent to absorb their momentum, Tholme activated his light saber as Qui Gon held the children, arms protectively placed, able to keep them together yet ward off blows at the same time.
First thoughts, a Cantina of some kind, stink of spilt alcohol, sound of tiny life forms crying.
Crying
All their eyes focused, even the creshling turning at the sounds of distress.
A rodent based alien, snarling protectively over reptiloid hatchlings, smaller even than Annie, huddled under their Parental’s protective arms.
“Okay, everyone, I think we’re all okay, just breathe for a moment, that’s it.” Tholme relaxed slightly at Qui Gon’s honey voice, the one he used in stressful situations, which this clearly was, gentle tones filled the air, soft yet carrying, and the rodents ears perked up, clever eyes studying them all, Tholme clearly saw when he/she/it spotted their own young, watched as the fur along its back settled to lay flat, heard them croon to the reptiloids.
Saw its attention focus briefly on the tiny one sobbing a wailing cry, their own focus taken by it as well, only to hear a high pitched chirping warble and both Jedi realized at once that one of their own boys was missing.
"ANNIE!"
Adult eyes snapped up and over, where the smallest reptiloid was wobbling on unsteady feet, reaching out for their creshlings own outstretched fingers, and they caught, and held, and laughed, the way small children everywhere make friends.
The force sung around them, living and breathing as it swirled, lines of loci and focus met and clashed and wove and settled and….
They were where they were supposed to be.
Fading to its usual back ground hum of power, Qui Gon and Tholme shared a glance, met and held the rodent parentals gaze as they relaxed fully at last, clearly they were force sensitive at the least, and despite having been so shaken by the journey, the children now all met in the middle.
Speaking no common tongue yet still they communicated, playing a finger game as they sat, Obi and Quinlan holding a reptiloid each, Annie cuddling with the other two, one on each side, the rodent adult sitting within touching distance of its young, each little one reaching out, now and then, just to have their hand taken, and held, even Obi and Quin doing it, as if they’d been cresh-mates and he their Creshling Master for their entire lives.
“Well, I don’t know about you love but this is NOT how I was expecting our picnic to go.”
Tholme laughed softly and agreed, “No indeed.”
“Now, communication, do you want the headache or should it be me?”
*-*
There was a reason Basic was the galactic common tongue, and it was because everyone could speak it, or at least understand it.
It was, as it said, a base.
A base of understanding.
But as the rodent parental clearly didn't understand when they tried speaking it to them, and also didn't understand any of the dozen languages they spoke between them and tried, just in case they did speak a common tongue but, when that failed, something else had to be done.
They thanked the force that Tholme was not just a linguist, but knew how, as did Qui Gon because his mate had taught him, (illegal knowledge gained on a dark and hidden smugglers base) how to speed learn a language directly from a living mind.
As long as the mind was willing, that is.
And even then, it came with a banging headache.
*-*
It took very little time to get the idea across, and together they knelt on the floor, Qui Gon on watch with the littlies, and Tholme reached out, gently placing his fingertips against the rodents forehead, and reached through the force and, only years of training kept his shock at bay when they reached back, strong, untaught, but so powerful in the force, they burned like a beacon.
Kind as well, gentle yet with the heart of a warrior, a parental indeed, strong and protective, their, his, his children were his life, his focus, alone for so long, hiding….
Hiding not for the same reasons as the two Jedi, but hiding just like he and his mate had hidden.
Deep in the link, Splinter (the reason behind the name given in a burst of full color memories filling Tholme with amusement) said as the method of language transfer was felt to him, *Oh, that doesn't seem very difficult, I know two languages but, can we trade, Basic seems very useful to me, and that way we have several different ways to communicate.*
And while it was blindingly painful, it was much less than expected, because while they traded languages Tholme also taught Splinter several Force related healing techniques, and memory transfer methods.
Eventually they broke apart, both being handed drinks, and helped to lay down, blankets having appeared from somewhere, and they fell deeply asleep, Tholme because he knew Qui Gon was keeping everyone safe, Splinter because he didn't know yet how to conserve enough reserves of energy to stay conscious after working so hard, and deep, in the force.
Neither noticed the new, and strange, child who’d joined the group.
~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
Izuku was six when his world went to proper shit, not that it’d been good before then, but after it, yeah, bad didn't even begin to cover his life.
Because that’s when mamma died, and daddy too, and while they'd fought and yelled all the time, and no one at school like him anymore, it was alright really, he was happy enough, but then….
He was at school when he got word, a villain attack, his neighborhood, so much damage, worst of all his building, it was down in tiny pieces, a mountain of them.
They never even found half the people who’d been in it, the villain had a fragmentation quirk, buildings, bodies, all reduced to tiny bits and as it all collapsed, they’d all mixed together.
*-*
His first foster home started alright, he was there almost a year, but the foster mother was strange, and although she didn't mind his being quirkless, she wanted him to dress like a girl, and Izuku liked girls, girls were strong and fierce and pretty so girls were great but Izuku wasn’t a girl!
And then she started talking to him like he was little bitty, and he called his social worker because she was scaring him now, but they said it was okay, she wasn't hurting him was she? and he had to say no, no she wasn't so they hung up.
But then she tried to keep him from going to school, and as bad as that was then she started trying to hand feed him, and making him wear a diaper, and not letting him out of the house at all so he climbed out the window of his room and ran away.
Not far, she’d dressed him up, a frilly baby dress, diaper and buckle shoes and he hated it, hated it so much, so instead of the social worker he went to a police station, and told a nice lady at the front desk all about it, and she told someone else and all of a sudden, Izuku had a new social worker and a new home, this time a group home.
He was there for two years, bounced in and out, from new fosters back to the group home, so many times, they always gave him back for the same reason, no quirk.
Oh, they all started out happy enough with it, but then his new school would let it slip, and the bullying would start, and the injuries, and then it would be too much and he’d be back in his familiar room, with all new kids, well, a few he knew, the ones no one wanted pretty much stayed put in the group home, starting again.
Then, when he was nine, he was moved all the way across the country to Musutafu, for reasons no one would ever tell him, just told him to pack his bag and away he went.
New social worker again, a tall grumpy man this time, not the short comforting woman he was used to, and in a new group home, a new place this time, not the shabby old building that he had grown to like, the way the floor boards creaked, all the kids could get together and actually play tunes on them they were so loud.
Not here though, here he was punished if he made a mess, any kind of mess.
And he’d always been a messy child, clumsy, especially when stressed or frightened.
So he was in trouble a lot now!
But it was there too where he heard about the boogie man for the first time, one of the older girls, a voice in the dark - “Yeah, he sneaks up on you when you're bad, or when you go out alone, or get lost, and he…..”
Mara-chan looked at all the kids, hiding under their blankets, only just eyes to be seen, wide with ecstatic fear and gave a low hiss of breath and then said, “No, it’s too terrible, I can't tell you!”
Of course that got a storm of protests so she relented and said, “That’s when he TAKES YOUR QUIRK!!!”
Then the light snapped on, they all got yelled at, and the light turned off again, when from out of the dark Mara-chans voice came again, “Of course you’re safe Izuku, no quirk, no boogeyman. Or maybe it’s true he can give quirks too, I heard that once,” she yawned, finishing sleepily, “if you c’n find him, maybe he c’n give you a quirk, that’d be nice, then the fuckers at school’ll leave you ‘lone.”
Izuku hadn't slept that night, instead he’d hidden under his covers, with his phone, trying to find out if the boogie man was real.
*-*
Two years, it had taken Izuku two years to find where he was going today, two years of everything getting worse, and then worse again, he’d even been abducted once, but he was lucky and managed to slip out of his jacket when they dragged him from the car he’d been pushed into when they grabbed him.
He’d run, run so fast, and gotten away but he still had nightmares about it, cause the one driving had laughed and said, “You gonna wish you’d never been born kid, never mind wishing you weren't quirkless but the boss wants quirkless scum like you, don’ know why.”
“Yeah, you're gonna wish you was dead soon.”
So, breathing deeply as he tugged his hat down over his eyes, his jacket not just big but on over another one, so he looked short, but wide, and his mask was in place, black, and dark tinted shades.
As long as he kept his hands hidden, no one would spot he was a kid, eleven, and small for his age.
He’d stuck dog chews - small antlers he’d stolen from a pet store - into his hat too, so he was justifiably proud of his disguise, even if he was sweltering in it!
Two years, two years of learning how to get deep into the internet, deep and into places he wasn't supposed to go, hacking and coding and tracing clues and hints and villain forums - he’d been amazed that villains had forums and chat rooms, just like heroes did, and hero fans did too, anywhere he could find a thread, a hint, a whisper to follow….
Standing now, in the worst ward in the entire city, eleven and desperate, a bar, boarded up windows, but the open sign was turned the right way, and he gripped his back pack tight, fingers white knuckled on it, his one treasure in its hidden pocket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He’d seen the glittery stone necklace fall, watched as the catch of the gold chain caught on her arm as she moved, a tiny jerk and it fell free, and if he still liked her he’d have said something, but he was wearing a diaper, and a dress, and his hair was long and the curls got in his face and he hated it, hated how she made him feel, so he just watched as she kicked it into the shadows of the cupboard, how she never even noticed, and eventually when he was freed of the highchair - he was almost seven, SEVEN!!! - he took the chance to grab it, a big central stone, beautiful deep purple, a circle around it of smaller, clear stones that made rainbows in the light, with the chain it was all so heavy to his little fingers.
He’d hidden it, kept it safe, it was his one treasure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Patting the hidden necklace in its pocket, praying it was enough to buy a quirk, any quirk, he raised his head and stepped bravely through the door!
*-*
‘Okay, I was not expecting this!’
Looking around the room at all the people who'd frozen at his appearance and for a moment the weirdness of it all froze him in place too, and then one of them was talking, but it wasn't a language he knew, and in one corner two people were kneeling, a tall man with his hands on the head of a giant rat, most likely a mutation quirk, and they had their hands on the tall man's head too, he was almost bent into a bow for the smaller one to reach….
They didn't move, only their breathing showing they were alive at all.
Casting his eyes around the room, not even looking at the one talking, he saw a crowd of kids, all younger than him, but only a bit maybe, well, two of them anyway were close to him in age, then there were, he counted, five tiny kids, four turtle mutations and a tiny boy, and they began to huddle up, clearly worried about who he was, so he crouched down, he loved kids.
The thought of scaring them hurt somewhere inside, so he smiled his best smile, trying to hide his wince from the latest collection of bruises, and the burn, ouch, yeah, it was hard to ignore burns, but he kept the smile on, and said, “Hi, I’m Izuku, sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone.”
Finally actually noticing he was still being talked to, he looked up at the man, who, even kneeling to not loom, was taller than he was, like, why was everyone so tall?
Suddenly remembering he was disguised, reaching up he tugged his hat off, cause of course the kidlings didn’t relax when he said hi, they couldn't see his smile, so he pulled the mask and glasses off too, and smiled again, finally meeting the eyes of the man now smiling back at him.
Brown, warm, like….
Izuku didn't have anything to compare the color to, maybe coffee with a bit of cream maybe? Or the expression on his face either but it felt like he knew him, had always known him.
Reaching out he frowned, “Have we met?”
The hand taking his one was warm, and callused like a hero so maybe, maybe that was it, the man was a hero, he had the eyes of a hero anyway, calm, watchful, kind.
So kind.
He was taken to the other kids then, and even without language he learned names, and they learned his, and the big hero was called Qui Gon Jinn, he though so anyway, and the older two boys were Obi Wan and Quinlan Vos and the youngest not mutant was Anakin, but he insisted on being called Annie, which was weird but Izuku knew you NEVER argue with a toddler about things cause you are so not gonna win!
And the turtles were Mikey, Donnie, Leo, and Raph.
The other two had been pointed at and the rat one was Splinter and the other one was Tholme.
Strange, strange names, and it was even stranger cause they were clearly not from anywhere Izuku was familiar with, and the bar looked like a storm had torn right through it, and everyone looked worried, even though the youngest were playing, the older ones were watchful, and wary, even though not at Izuku so he frowned, and felt his tummy cause he was empty empty empty and nodded.
If the place looked like villains had hit it, and he was looking for a villain, and instead found heroes and kids, then clearly something weird as fuck had happened, but kids need food, so did heroes, and so did he!
Marching over to where so much glass and stinky drinks were spilt he was gently caught before he could get too close, and he patted the hand keeping him safe, smiling up at the man, and he loved their hero costume, all like ancient robes but modern too, and the thing hanging from the man's belt looked wizard but Izuku was on a mission, so he patted the hand again and tugged free.
So, the bar was a wreck, no food there then, but bars had kitchens, so he looked in both directions and only one had a hallway so he marched in that direction, waving and saying, “It's okay, I’m just looking!" before peering around the corner and yep, kitchen!
Smiling at the small crowd watching him he ignored the clear command to come back because nice as the hero felt and smiled, Izuku was tired of always doing what he was told, so he walked into the new room, and started poking into fridges and cupboards, finding enough stuff to put on the counter, and started making sandwiches, it was about all he could make but, after the big hero checked on him, gave an approving smile and nod, patted a hand against one of the fridges and shook his hands and frowned in a clear Leave-This-One-Alone motion and didn't leave until Izuku nodded and agreed to not open that one.
Wondering what might be in it, he worked faster, if he was this hungry then the littlies must be starving, he knew it, cause they were sounding really grumpy now. Hungry grumpy!
It took him some time, and they were a bit messy, but he, along with Quin and Obi - they insisted, so he let the call him Zuzu like the little ones at the home did - made enough for everyone, and he found a big jug of juice which he watered down, cause just juice was bad for kids, and they all sat in a big circle on the floor cause the tables and benches and the bar were all so dirty, and ate, and he helped keep the tiny ones clean, and the hero - Obi and Quin called him Master Qui Gon instead of just Qui Gon or sometimes just Master and it sounded like a title?
Setting that aside he got up when the man was busy with a spilled drink, the bar didn't have any sippy cups, then he laughed at the image in his head, a bar full of babies all with sippy cups, and he went off again, making sure to slip out when no one was looking.
This time he heard Qui Gon calling his name, an urgent tone, but after food babies and toddlers and little kids all needed sleep, and if he just went far enough…
Sure enough, he found rooms, and a closet in the upstairs hall, and started dragging bedding and bed matts down to the big room, because all the other rooms were tiny, or full or damp or dirty.
He got scolded!
Even without the words he could tell the tone, but it wasn't bad, cause the man was worried instead of mad, Izuku could tell, so he nodded, and smiled, and went right back to it but this time he was caught and very sternly gestured to stay with the others, and the hero went away, or tried to, but Annie started crying, and while Obi and Quin didn't quite cry, they looked close, and the tiny turtles were sniffling in sympathy with Annie so Qui Gon had no choice but to let Izuku go, but he told Izuku to be careful!
Yeah, Izuku didn't need to know any of his language to get that order!
It took so many trips, and he remembered to check the doors but the hero had locked them already, and pulled the blinds down, and it was getting dark outside now but eventually everyone had a blanket and a pillow and something soft to sleep on, although the tiny turtles had pulled it all in a heap and tugged everyone in together, like a big sleepover, and soon it was only Izuku kicking his feet as he sat on a stool, liking how it would spin and sway with his movements, and Qui Gon still awake, and then the two frozen ones woke up, clutched their heads, and Qui Gon helped them over to the nest, made sure they drank, and they fell asleep too.
Not knowing what to do next, Izuku was starting to panic a bit when he was lifted into warm arms, taken to the sleep pile and the hero sat down with him still in his lap, and a blanket was tugged over him, and even asleep all the kids cuddled closer to the man, and for the first time in so long he couldn't even remember, Izuku relaxed, and slept without bad dreams.
*-*
It was some time in the night where he saw what the thing on Qui Gon's belt did, it lit up into a sword of some kind, an awesome support item, and the man made the ones pounding on the door leave in a hurry!
Blinking dazedly, Izuku realized they couldn't all stay where they were, it was a villain's lair for goodness sake!
Trying to figure out where to go, where to take them all, Izuku fell back to sleep, and slept until dawn.
*****************************
Waking Tholme very carefully he only had cold watered down juice to give him, not tea, or caff, or anything they preferred but it was better than nothing, and knowing the headache his mate had, how tired he was, how he’d even managed to sleep through the assault on the doors, helping him sit up, holding one hand around Tholme’s as he used both to bring the cup to parched lips, Qui Gon leaned into the man's warmth because he simply did not know what to do.
And now they had another child!
Qui Gon knew they’d fallen far, they were not just lost in the galaxy but he was sure, sure as the Force that they had crossed dimensional barriers, several at least, perhaps hundreds, maybe thousands, it was impossible to tell, but they were so far from Coruscant, so far from the dead Jedi temple, so far from the massacre that had taken place right above them.
Free.
Gently setting aside the guilt of surviving it all, he’d meditate on that when they had time, for now though, their newest child, filled with such loneliness, so determined and kind, and a soul that was so familiar, was part of their family now.
Even here, so far away, they could find familiar souls, and the child was strong in the force as well.
Leaning his head against Thome’s shoulder, glad his mate was half a hand taller than he, it made cuddling so comfortable, he said, “We are so far from where we started.”
“Yeah,” was breathed into darkness.
“The language?”
“Two, and I gave Splinter Basic. But while I was doing that, did you have to adopt another child?”
Qui Gon laughed, almost silent, and gave his mate the memory of what had transpired while he was trance learning, only to get, “Wait, that’s not either language Splinter gave me, it has a clear root base with the first language, one clearly Splinter's first, you know as well as I children learn languages differently to adults, the one he called Japanese was the first one he gave me, and then English, but what you just gave me of Izuku’s seems to be based on Japanese, it's close enough I could probably make do but…..”
“Is it possible? Oooooh, of course, they fell too, had to have, the babies were crying, he was guarding, of course, of course.”
Suddenly clutching each other tight, overwhelmed for a moment they let their emotions rule, then carefully soothed, examined, and let them go into the force, the Force had gotten them all here, and would guide them forward, they merely had to trust.
And work hard, the force didn't do it for you, after all.
Seeing dark eyes blinking up at them, in halting basic Splinter said, “I heard, and I agree, we fell, my son’s and I, fell in directions I have no name for, a long time we fell, again, I can not say how long but….”
“I doubt not we are not in our world now, and while my mind wants to fear, and panic, my heart is strangely calm, what is this Force you speak of, and showed me as we shared languages.”
Through the rest of the night, they talked, and became friends.
Soul deep and lasting.
********************
They needed help!
Izuku had tried talking to the tallest one, clearly also a hero, and it worked a bit, because he at least knew some kind of Japanese, although it was weird, like a period drama mixed with gibberish.
He got enough to know they were all from another reality, or dimension, or world, or time, or all of it at once even, and he finally closed his mouth cause Obi and Quin were laughing at him!
Which, rude!
But if only Izuku was from this world, and he was the oldest of the kids as well, even if only by a little bit, then it was up to him to make sure they were all safe, so he said, nice and clear, “We need a hero.”
And then got to try and explain it all, and they tried telling him about something called Jedi which they were, rather than heroes and he suddenly felt like crying, it was all too hard, and he got another hug, which was amazing, though how Splinter knew he needed it was a mystery to add to the rest because Izuku was really good at hiding how often he felt like crying.
And now he had a hand on his shoulder from the one called Tholme and Annie was hugging him too so it did make him feel much better, giving him enough comfort to try and tell them about who he thought could help them.
Calling up pictures, using only the most basic of words, and they agreed, which left it up to him to find the contact details, and reach out.
It took longer than he’d expected to write the message, but it was easy enough to send it, and then sitting with two tiny turtles leaning on him, he pulled up pictures of kittens, which always made him feel better, and suddenly he had everyone looking over his shoulders, or leaning in from the sides, and it made him feel like part of a family, and he tried to push the feeling away, to ignore it, because no one ever wanted him, but Tholme said, “No, Zuzu, feeling is good, is right, part of us always.”
It was what he’d dreamed of for years and his dams burst, and he was sobbing, and being comforted, and it was everything his lonely heart had needed for so long.
***********************************
Nezu was a busy mammal, head of a hero agency, principal of the leading hero school in Japan, the sworn and hated enemy of the Public Hero Safety Commission, father of five, mate of two, and leader of many.
So, time management was a skill he’d learned early on, back when he’d found his very first kitten, feral, snarling, digging in a dumpster for food, Aizawa Shouta. Smiling Nezu remembered that fighting raging bundle of mistrust and was filled with pride at where he was now, twenty and already a hero of note, working the final course to get his teachers license, so proud, Nezu was so proud of him.
Filled with a sudden nostalgia, he let his mind continue to wander....
Remembered Nemi, so brave, he’d found her on camera as he scanned for a person of note needed in a case he was working, just luck, and he’d mobilized his own team, they’d rushed to the rescue, trailing the car that had snatched her from the streets, they'd caught a trafficking ring, all the rest of the victims went back to their homes and lives but she, well, she was Nezu’s from that moment on.
Hizashi was brought to him, Shouta and his night wandering, dangerous indeed but Nezu wouldn't lock him in, never, so they’d compromised, his son wore a tracker, and a panic button, and at eleven he’d brought Nezu a treasure indeed, a golden haired wonder, muzzled and mute, but once free and part of their family he learned to sing again, to be free in heart as well as in body.
Then came their littlest one, the reason the commission hated Nezu utterly, hawks, Takami Keigo, Nezu had caught sight of the tiny child, a fledgling indeed, and what was being done to him.
It took Nezu a week, only a week, to find enough black mail on the ones responsible to get the baby bird in his custody, and he reveled in how much the ones responsible hated him.
It was almost time to topple the commission utterly, very soon indeed.
Smiling Nezu licked his teeth, imagining the taste of their blood, their throats between his jaws, before banishing it from his mind, instead thinking of his final kitten, between the oldest two, Hizashi and Shouta who were the same age, and Keigo, who was sixteen now, Oboro, who would have been almost ninteen now, if he’d lived....
If he’d lived.
It had been Keigo who'd spotted him, seen tired blue eyes peering from behind a dumpster, even Nezu had missed him at first, but once they got him, he completed their family, his beloved Ryou and Chiyo, helpmates, heart mates, he blessed having them everyday because even he would have been hard pressed to raise five kittens on his own.
It had almost broken them all when he’d died, their cloudy son, but they’d come through it, stronger even than before, but his loss still caught Nezu sometimes, a hole in their lives that no one would ever fill.
Shaking the weirdly nostalgic mood firmly from his mind, making a note of it though, because odd was usually a sign of something coming, and called up his work alerts, flags of anything out of the usual in any incoming transmissions, and one lept to his eyes.
The sender, one Midoriya Izuku - with one hand he was already calling up any public information on the name - tagline We Need Help.
Well, that was enough to get his attention, especially when he learned the kitten was only eleven, and quirkless.
And then the message which had him hitting the All Call for his family because -
Dear Principal Nezu, we are all at Miyako Street, number ninety two, a bar, it was where I was hoping to find someone called All For One but instead I found two families that were brought here by a quirk, or something, but they are not from here, they are from a different reality, or time, or something, but I don't understand good enough to tell you for sure because they don't speak a Japanese I understand properly, and I don't speak whatever it is they speak, Splinter speaks English too but again, it’s too weird and I don't understand most of it.
Please, please we need help, there's me, and three adults, and seven kids, five of them are tiny!
I don’t know what to do, so we need a hero, and you're so smart, I know you’ll keep them safe, please, will you help us?
All for One, and people out of time and space?
Well, he might be busy but he’d never be too busy for a cry for help like this!
***************************
He’d sent Ryou for the bus because with this many people to rescue, plus his own family, they needed the size, called Chiyo love to meet them in the parking lot, to bring anything she might need for children, the writer didn't mention any injuries but a full med kit was only a good precaution.
He was going to leave Keigo home but something said to bring him, despite his age and student status, and he always listened to those nudges, so they all ran, piling into the bus and were on their way, all of them suited up because you never knew what might happen, especially with any mention of All for One, they needed to be ready for anything.
************************
Pulling silently up to the bar, they all got out, and Nezu, while his family formed a perimeter, knocked on the door.
It was opened by a very tall individual indeed, but as Nezu was entirely used to being the shortest in the room, he didn't let that bother him.
What caught his attention fully was the man's eyes, warm, brown, the feeling of power, strength, care….
It was familiar, so much like meeting his kittens, meeting his help mates, that feeling of instant connection, of pieces slotting into place at last and he smiled, just barely, and the man smiled back and ushered them in.
The room beyond was filled with people, all ages, all different, and all familiar!
Feeling his family spreading out behind him once they all got in, Nezu could feel it, that rightness that sometimes came, no rhyme nor reason, right time, right place, just right.
Letting his eyes trail across everyone before him, keeping his attention as well on his own family, it was clear everyone felt it, Hizashi was crying, almost silently, as was the green haired child, and then he was rushed from the side but instead of a defensive reaction he opened his arms, and caught the tiny turtle mutation who was squeeeeling a high babble of happiness that only the very young can manage, and they all moved forward, met, and mingled, even if for only a brief moment.
They needed to get back to UA, get to safety.
It was the grey eyed one, sorrow in his eyes as he led him to the kitchen, and Nezu was already expecting it, already knew, and it was, tucked in the chiller, carefully being kept cool, it was his son.
A cry of pain dragged from him, and Ryou was there, gathering their lost one up, at least now they could bring him home.
Wrapping him in the cloak handed to him by the stranger, he accepted the kneeling hug as well, and then, strengthening himself with the love he could still feel, scentless yet thick in the air, they were the last to board the bus.
*-*
It was a strange mix of joy and sorrow that filled Nezu as they drove through the hidden gates in the side wall of UA, but now at least this mystery was on safe grounds.
All else would await a clean bill of health for the strangers, and some semblance of language.
Good thing he was very good at languages indeed.
*******************************
They’d all been kept together in one large space, which Tholme was relieved at, his and Qui Gon's children had bonded with Splinter’s babies, and all of them had absorbed Izuku into their midst seamlessly.
Added to that was how they had all felt the link, the connection, with the one called Nezu and his family, they were close at hand, only a single floor separating them, just on the floor above but as they were all stopping in any chance they got, it was as if they too were part of the mix, more often with them than apart.
Although they all could feel the sadness too of finding the lost son/brother, but their joy too was there, their gratitude, and while no one knew the dead one's final moments, they were all clearly there because of him, so they too felt saddened by his loss.
He had made it possible for the five of them to live, he had saved their padawans and creshling, although perhaps now they could simply call them their children, their sons.
They were free of the Jedi order, the suffocating weight of it's rules and demands was gone, free at last.
All because a lost soul was found, and now they too were found, because even lost they were home.
*-*
Nezu slid into a mind link with the being called Qui Gon Jinn with the ease of a Jedi Master, and he burned with power!
With goodness as well, he had all of Master Yoda’s power yet none of that one's coldness, none of his detached aloofness, no, Nezu was filled with family, and love, and dedication, and a malicious sense of fun that had Qui Gon grinning because this was a kindred soul indeed.
And not only did they share languages, basic, modern Japanese, modern English, a bit of Hutt because swearing really required it, and a touch of Wookie just because, but also their lives, most recently anyway, and plans because the one called Midoriya Izuku was theirs, it simply needed to be legal, and the one who’s base they’d all wound up in had to be investigated, although as all he and Tholme had felt was a fading evil, overcome with the living Force that surrounded them all, it was a good bet that the scourge was gone.
Another thing to be grateful to Oboro for.
Perhaps best of all, the little woman, one of Nezu’s two mates, she had a healing gift that took the blinding headache away, although mind linking did still come with a ten hour nap.
*-*
Eventually things settled enough for the Jedi and their padawan to meditate, and unwilling to be away from their youngest ones, they knelt in a quiet corner of the big room they were all sharing, and with a sigh of relief they slid into the force, reliving the past few days, feeling every emotion, experiencing it fully, and letting most of it go, leaving only the rightness of where they were.
Meditation was timeless, and they bedded deep in the calm of the Force for long enough for the stresses that had snarled inside to be gone, for only peace to remain, and then, coming higher into their minds they were met with the hesitant presences of everyone, they’d all been in the big room, Jedi were trained to meditate anywhere, the sounds of happy children couldn't interrupt them, so to find them all, even Annie and the baby turtles, reaching tentative fingers into the force, a vision filled them all.
A new order, a new family, a place for all, and UA to become home not to just Jedi Knights or Heroes, but to a group that would do what they could to make everyone's lives better, using everything they all brought to the table, Jedi training, Hero skills, the observational skills of Teachers, the careful eyes of dedicated Parents, the carefree and joyful hearts of children, all woven together by the living Force, it all blended into a brand new kind of school.
Imagination was just one of the ways the living Fore influenced lives, and for those already so strong in the Force, it only took gentle nudges for the vision to become reality.
Eventually, even the Kyber crystals found their way into support devices, not just light sabers but all kinds of support items, Izuku even having devised, at the age of nineteen, a light shield, which he said was far more useful than a sword any day, although his brothers all insisted light sabers were cooler.
And in this corner of the universe, peace and love really did come to rule the world.