~Family~

~Free~

It has been 2 weeks since Rei had been released from the hospital. Shouto, Izuku and Rei got to spend some quality time with each other during these two weeks. Izuku had also started his training with Vlad. Having found a passion in forgery, he indulged himself in the art of craftsmanship in his free time with Vlad while not training with him.

Vladmir's training was brutal, Izuku had learnt that firsthand. Where Sen was hard on him, Vlad was brutal.

He was forced to perfect each slash from his blade. Vlad wouldn't move onto another technique unless Izuku had mastered the previous technique to the dot.

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times"

That is what Vladmir said everytime Izuku tried to move onto another technique.

Vlad had Izuku wear weights while they were working on his body. When Izuku complained, Vlad simply answered cryptically.

"You'll see" was what he said everytime Izuku complained.

Sen started teaching Izuku about Spiritual pressure or Reiatsu. How to utilise one's inner energy in various forms. He also taught Izuku how to best use him. Most moves he could currently use and his different forms.

He told Izuku about the two stages of a Zanpakuto.

The Shikai stage. A stage where Zanpakuto users can have access to half of the Zanpakuto's power.

And the Bankai Stage. A stage where the user can have access to most, if not all the power of the Zanpakuto. It is the strongest form of the Zanpakuto.

Izuku had also grown closer to his father. He had heard many stories from his father of his past and the different places he had gone to.

He had also vanquished the doubt in his heart that Inko and Toshinori still loved him. He had accepted that, even though Inko was his birth mother, those two were far from a parent to Izuku and Izumi was far from a sister.

Izuku had found a new family and he was happy. He even got a grandfather figure in his life as an added bonus.

He did not know yet but he his life was about to get happier.
______________________________________

"What!?!" A voice yelled across the kuchiki mansion. Hisashi stood their with a nervous smile on his face while Rei looked guilty.

"M- Mom is getting a divorce and custody over Shouto? Why didn't you tell me!" "Hehe" Izuku looked over to Shouto who was trying to hide his grin and pointed at him with a betrayed expression.

"You knew about this and didn't tell me! What type of friend and brother are you!?" Shouto diverted his eyes, suddenly finding the the fish in the fish tank more interesting than the current conversation.

"Haha! Sorry for not telling you Izuku. You were so concentrated on your training that I didn't get a chance to talk about the topic"

Izuku pouted then sighed "when's the date?" "Today" "The fu-"

*Smack*

Rei smacked Izuku on his head with a glare "language young man!" Izuku rubbed his head in pain.

Why is it always the head?, He cried internally. "Well your head is big..."
... "Seriously?" Sen did not answer.

"Sorry Izuku" hisashi apologized. "Get ready, we'll be leaving soon" Izuku looked at his father in confusion "huh? I'm going to?" Hisashi tilted his head "of course you are" Izuku chuckled "I don't have anything formal I could wear. I didn't even take any of my clothes from that house" Hisashi frowned but then smiled. "Go check your closet. I knew you didn't have anything so I got you a little gift" He patted his head.

Izuku smiled and ran off to change. Shouto watched with a frown as his surrogate brother went to change. He still felt guilty about the whole bullying situation.

Rei felt angry. She felt angry towards Inko and Toshinori. But she also felt angry towards herself. She had met Inko and Toshinori once when Izuku was about three. Inko and Toshinori were so kind to each other and seemed to love Izuku and Izumi wholeheartedly.

That's why, when Shouto told her about Izuku's situation, she didn't believe him at first. But slowly, she started believing Shouto when she really got to know Izuku.

How he would visit her with bags under his eyes and torn clothes. He felt so light and his body was clearly malnourished.

But... It was no use to think of the past like that. Izuku now had a proper family. She had already promised to herself that she will show Izuku the love Inko should've showed him and she would be damned if she went back on her word.

Rei was interrupted from her thoughts when Izuku came down wearing a black waist coat over a white shirt with a black tie. He wore a black dress pants along with black shoes.

Rei smiled as Izuku stood Infront of them. "Look at you! You look so handsome. Both you and shouto will soon start bringing home girls won't you? I can't wait to get grandchildren!" Rei captured both Shouto and Izuku in a tight hug.

"M- Mom!" Izuku and Shouto yelled in unison.

"Today is the day Mom will hopefully be free from that tyrant... Now that I think about it, this was the reason Mom and Shouto were dressed formally today" he said to Sen "...You just noticed that they were dressed... Formally?" "Well yeah... Sen... Sen?" Sen did not reply. He could not keep it with Izuku's stupidity.

Hisashi laughed "well we don't wanna be late so let's go"
______________________________________

"So that's it?" Shouto said out loud when they exited the court.

Rei had won custody over Shouto, quite easily. They did not even have to make an argument.

Hell, Enji Fucking Todoroki handed Shouto to Rei without so much of a fight.

He didn't try to take custody of Shouto. They were in and out of that court quick!.

"I can't believe it was that easy" Rei said in complete disbelief. "Is... It supposed to be that easy?" Izuku questioned his father who just chuckled "Don't worry Izuku, You'll soon learn how to intimidate the number two hero and a court. Just you wait" hisashi muttered under his breath.

*Sob* *Sob*

Sounds of crying brought Izuku and hisashi's attention to Rei who had started crying. Izuku ran to his mother and started comforting her along side Shouto.

"W- why are you crying Mom?" Izuku asked. Rei looked at him with tears flowing down her face "W- well Izuku. He won't be able to hurt your brother and me anymore"

Shouto who was also in denial this whole time, thinking it could not have been this easy, had a sudden realisation. He won't have to go home from school just to find pain. He won't have to spent several hours getting beat up. He won't be forced to be number one and surpass endeavour.

He won't... Be hurt anymore.

*Drip* *Drip*

Tears fell from Shouto's eyes without his consent. The realisation that he would be able to live happily with his brother and mother. He was going to be free.

Izuku resisted the urge to cry. He was Shouto's older brother. He couldn't cry Infront of him and he had to be strong Infront of his mother.

Even though he wanted to cry with joy, he instead opted to comfort both his brother and mother who would not have to taste blood nor pain again.
He wrapped both of them in a hug, smiling as both Rei and Shouto cried their heart out.

Hisashi watched with a sad smile.

What a truly fucked up world this is..., He thought.

"Pitiful"

A familiar voice brought everyone's attention to the owner. "What?" Hisashi asked in a cold tone.

Izuku, Shouto and Rei looked up to see the owner of the voice. "Enji" Rei calmly said.

"How pitiful" Enji's gaze was directly at Rei. His eyes held a rage that was being held back by a thin string. His eyes than travelled to Shouto. "You were destined for great things Shouto. But fear not, I will have you back. You will become the number one hero!" Enji talked to Shouto as if he was just  n emotionless doll- a tool created just to follow the commands of its owner.

"You bastard!" Izuku glared at Enji with disdain and rage in his eyes. His spiritual pressure skyrocketed.

Hisashi felt Izuku's Reiatsu condense around his hand, indicating that he was about to materialise Senbonzakura.

As much as Hisashi was interested in Izuku's sudden spike in Reiatsu, they were in public and thus hisashi wanted to not attract needless attention to themselves.

He was willing to let Enji go with a warning and a deadly threat. But now Enji had passed a line that should not have been crossed.

He crossed that line when flames gathered around his hand and he winded his arm back for an attack.

Hisashi knew Izuku could handle a little heat. But this was still his son and Rei and Shouto as well as countless other bystanders would get caught in the flames if the heat emitting from the flaming fist was anything to go by.

"Who do you think you are to glare at me like that boy?"

The air around Enji got cold. He felt as if someone was strangling him- Wishing death upon him in a million different painful ways.

A cold hand rested on his shoulder. Enji glanced back only to come in contact with the cold ice blue eyes of Hisashi staring at him with unbridled rage, begging him to make the next move.

Enji, though internally scared did not let it show. He shrugged hisashi's hand off and with a glare directed at Izuku and Rei, he left with his tail between his legs.

Hisashi stared at Enji with fury before turning towards Rei to help her up, only to get caught in a hug by none other than Rei.

Hisashi was shocked and stiff as a board. "R- Rei-San?" He stuttered out. "Thank you!" Hisashi chuckled "What are you thanking me about? It was all you who won in the court" Rei shook her head, still hugging Hisashi.

"No. I know you did something. You made it possible for me to get custody over Shouto. I know Enji. He would never let Shouto go- no matter what!. I don't know what you did neither am I going to ask you about it... But thank You *Sob* Thank you!" She cried into Hisashi shoulder.

Hisashi stood stunned for a second before returning the hug. "You are welcome" Shouto watched teary eyed before finding himself being pulled into a hug himself. He looked up to see Izuku had pulled him into a hug.

Shouto broke and cried into his surrogate older brother's arms. Izuku resisted the urge to cry. Wanting to be a shoulder Shouto could lean to instead. He wanted to prove to Shouto that he was not alone. That his older brother was right here, besides him.

Hisashi smiled a genuine smile.
I could get used to this, he thought. After a few minutes he led everyone to the car. Izuku, Shouto and Rei walked towards the car while Hisashi stood still for a second.

"You know what to do" he nodded. His shadow behind him warped before a figure garbed in full black clothes wearing a black metallic mask jumped from hisashi's shadow.

"Yes master" the figure phased in the ground as a black shadow before disappearing.

"Good... Enji, I'll enjoy this more than I should but I think you'll set yourself straight after this. If you don't then-"
"Dad are you coming or not?" Izuku yelled. Hisashi waved his arm before walking towards the car.

Hiding the sinister smirk that spread on his face he approached the family of three that were laughing again.

He would do anything to preserve these smiles.
______________________________________

*Snap* *snap*

White lights from camera flashes flooded a room full of interviewers.
Many talked over each other, trying to get the attention of the person being interviewed before one finally got called Infront to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Who do you think was the one who scarred and mutilated you? Will this effect your career?!"

The man being interviewed stared at his right hand, which was missing the index finger before placing it over his right eye, which had a red scar resembling a huge burn mark. The eye was entirely useless now. He could no longer see from his right eye. His eye wouldn't even open. His eye was burned along with his skin. Some burned skin had been merged with his eye due to the intense heat.
______________________________________

"Wait!. Who the hell are you?!"

"Ah!!!! Please stop!"

"It burns! Stop!"
______________________________________

"I don't know if this will affect my career or not. I-" the man paused. "I don't know who was the cause of this. But whoever this person was. They are a monster"

After this comment, many reporters tried getting more comments out of the man. The man disregarded the reporters and left.

The man pulled a small paper from his pocket.

The paper had one word written.
A word that spoke thousand times more than an action could...

...Shh...

Endeavour didn't speak. Nor will he ever.

If he valued his left eye and the remaining nineteen fingers he has..

He won't ever speak of what happened.

The secrets of the true face of the head of the kuchiki clan will die with him and so will his dream of being Number one.
______________________________________

Word Count: 2262

Sorry for such a late update. I don't have any excuse.

I hope you like this chapter. This arc has ended now. The next arc will be a short one (hopefully) than we will move onto U.A.

Thank you for reading! Please comment and vote

Peace Out!