Hayze:
Yeah, so I’m gonna need you to repeat that.
Moore:
What, do you think I’m joking?
Hayze:
I’m gonna go with a soft yes.
Moore:
Why didn’t you comply with that robber? You knew your life was in danger; surely you didn’t want to get shot.
Hayze:
… When you’re looking down the barrel of a gun, the pull of a single trigger being the only difference between life and death, that’s when you realize what you’re made of, who you really are. I promised myself that if I’m going to be a pro hero, I must be willing to stand tall and not falter when moments like those arise. I’d rather die than live my life as a coward.
Dr. Moore smiles.
Moore:
Good answer; I can tell you’re one of the good ones.
Hayze:
What? What do you mean by-
Moore:
I guess I should introduce myself; I’m Dr. Kelsey Moore. I run the science wing of U.A., I’m not a hero, but I teach multiple courses at U.A. I share an office with Mr. Bradley Hunt, a man you met earlier today.
Hayze:
Okay… and?
Moore:
I got to take a look at your file, quite the predicament you’re in. You want to be a hero, but your quirk isn’t up to snuff.
Hayze:
Not to be rude, but I think I’ve already figured that out.
Moore:
Well, I can help you out.
Hayze:
What?
Moore:
I’m a doctor, but not the medical kind. My quirk is called Genekinesis; I can analyze a person’s genetic makeup and understand the significance behind every gene. It’s not a heroic quirk by any means, but it helped me determine my career path. I’m the best geneticist there is.
Hayze:
Alright… but how does that help me at all?
Moore:
If you’re willing to come with me to my lab at U.A., I can explain further.
Hayze:
Why can’t you explain it here?
Moore:
Because important things shouldn’t be discussed in a random parking lot; I know it sounds weird, but if you trust me, good things might happen.
Hayze hesitates for a moment.
Hayze:
(Something seems off… but I don’t think she’s lying… and what if she can fix my quirk problem? I can’t pass up this opportunity.) Alright, you’ve caught my interest, but you must understand I’m a little skeptical about all of this.
Moore:
I know this is strange, but please, trust me.
Hayze stares at Moore for a moment.
Hayze:
Okay, I will.
The two get into Dr. Moore’s car and drive to U.A., she guides them to the parking garage, flashes her ID to the guard, and he lets them in. She parks the car, and they start walking toward the garage elevator.
Moore:
So, tell me, how much are you willing to give up to be a hero?
Hayze:
Why do I get the feeling you’re foreshadowing something?
Moore:
Just answer the question.
Hayze:
Honestly, everything, but that isn’t saying a lot, given I don’t have much to begin with.
Moore:
That’s fine. I’m just glad to hear that you’re that committed.
They walk into the elevator. Dr. Moore presses a button.
Hayze:
Well, I guess I should ask now: Why me?
Moore:
What do you mean?
Hayze:
Why is it me that you want to help? I’m sure there are plenty of other people with weak quirks that want to be heroes. Why me?
Moore:
I read your file and saw how you failed the H.A.E. nine times, but you have flying colors on both of the other sections.
Hayze:
I get that, but there are a lot of people like that. What’s unique about me that made you instantly want to track me down in my home, follow me down the street, and speak to me?
Moore:
You noticed that?
Hayze:
Who wouldn’t notice a car trying to stay 10 miles below the speed limit right behind you?
Moore:
*laughs* yeah, I guess you’re right. I wasn’t very stealthy. To answer your question: it’s your quirk. I’ll explain once we get to the lab, but I wanted to meet you and learn more about you and your quirk. Fortunately, I learned everything I needed to know by seeing you in action. You fought that robber with no hesitation; that’s something a hero does. You understand what it means to be a hero at a young age. Your dream is one worth helping you try to achieve.
The elevator stops, the door opens, and they start walking down the hall.
Hayze:
You’ve talked a lot about helping me… but haven’t given me any details. What exactly are you trying to do here?
They stop at a large door; Dr. Moore uses her ID on a panel to open the door.
Moore:
Come inside, and I’ll show you.
They enter a massive circular lab room with control panels and different lab equipment all around. Dr. Moore walks up to a locked freezer and uses her ID to open it. Inside there are four syringes with a bright purple liquid in them.
Moore:
These are how I can help you.
Hayze:
What the hell are those? Some kind of drug?
Moore:
No.
She closes the freezer.
Moore:
Do you understand the basics of how our quirks are decided?
Hayze:
No, not really.
Moore:
It’s all genetic; you see, when quirks were first coming into existence, it was because of evolution. We developed a new set of chromosomes, a.k.a. set #24, the quirk gene. This new chromosome pair determines your quirk based on a few different scenarios; you know how gender is decided, right?
Hayze:
Well yeah, that one is easy, you get an X chromosome from your mom, and then if you get an X from your dad, you’re a girl, but if you get a Y, you’re a boy.
Moore:
It works similarly to that, except geneticists call these two chromosomes A and B. You inherit one of these chromosomes from each of your parents, and the combination you receive determines whether you have a quirk and what kind of quirk you develop. So, for example, you received an A from your parents, so you developed a fused version of their quirks.
Hayze:
But why can’t I heal others then?
Moore:
When I say “fused,” that doesn’t mean perfect fusion; sometimes details get left on the cutting room floor, unfortunately. You developed some traits of your father’s quirk and some traits of your mother’s quirk.
Hayze:
Well, there’s some rotten luck for me.
Moore:
If you receive two B’s, then you don’t get a quirk at all. And finally, if you receive a B and an A from either parent, you will develop a brand-new quirk.
Hayze:
Huh, so why does about 80% of the population have a quirk of some kind? With that math, only about 75% should.
Moore:
It’s like how the United States is 55% female. It should be 50/50, but that’s just an estimation. It’s all luck.
Hayze:
Okay then, what’s all this genetics talk leading to then? I still don’t understand what that purple stuff is.
Moore:
My quirk has helped me become one of the premier geneticists in the world. Because quirks depend on genetics, it got me thinking about gene modification’s potential to “create” quirks. So, I started to develop a serum that could do just that.
Hayze:
Wh- what?
Moore:
That’s what the purple stuff is or, as it is appropriately called, Project Q.
Hayze:
H- How does it work? Has it worked? And how does my quirk play into all this?
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Moore:
In order, it tricks the genetic structure of your body into believing it inherited an A and a B, forcing the development of a new quirk in your body. It’s worked on two people before, one, I’ll keep a secret for their privacy, and the other is my very own sister.
Hayze:
How come nobody has ever heard about this? You gave two people quirks that should be all over the news!
Moore:
Because I’ve kept this project a secret since the day I started development.
Hayze:
And why is that?
Moore:
I can’t let this serum fall into the wrong hands.
Hayze:
Like whose?
Moore:
If I told the world about this, the government would seize my work. They’d try to weaponize soldiers with nearly a dozen quirks to fight their wars. I can’t allow my most incredible creation to become a weapon of mass destruction. That’s why I’ve kept it a secret all these years, and you’re now the sixth person to know about my life's work. Never tell anyone about this, you hear me?
Hayze:
Yes, I understand.
Moore:
I’m sure you can guess the first two people; the other three are Mr. Hunt, the school principal, and the nurse, Recovery Girl, that’s all. This serum could change the world’s balance of power, especially if bad people try to get it.
Hayze:
I understand.
Moore:
Good. Now for your last question. The two people I’ve used the serum on before didn’t have a quirk to begin with… so it was easy to reconfigure a B to an A because B’s determine whether you don’t have a quirk at all. You’re different. You already have a quirk, which makes this interesting.
Hayze:
How so?
Moore:
You see, in your case, I’d be changing an A to a B. In their cases, the second B didn’t have to do anything. I converted the first B to an A that would trick the body into developing a new quirk. For you, the second part of the pair would be the A that would have to react and develop the new quirk. So I’d be forcing a chromosome I’m not configuring to work on its own. You understand the difference, right?
Hayze:
Yes, I think I do, but would I lose my healing quirk?
Moore:
No, that quirk has already developed; it can’t be taken away; this would only cause you to create a second, hopefully stronger quirk. There are rare cases of some people being born with two quirks, so we’re not talking about something theoretically impossible.
Hayze:
That makes sense.
Moore:
In fact, your healing is what makes this possible. Not only are you a good kid who deserves to be a hero, but you have a quirk that works perfectly for this experiment. If the serum doesn’t work, you can heal any damage done to your body… if it fails.
Hayze:
So, I’m your guinea pig?
Moore:
No, no, no I-
Hayze:
Relax, I’m joking. Sign me up for this.
Moore:
Wait, I didn’t mean- you should think this over for a day or two and then give me your final answer. You need to understand that even if this works, there are potential side effects to worry about, and you’ll have to spend considerable time understanding and learning the new quirk. You’ll be so far behind in your development that U.A. might be out of the question. Furthermore-
Hayze:
I said sign me up.
Moore:
But I-
Hayze:
I get it. Side effect this, behind the curve that, it all sounds intimidating, but you just told me that this serum you have could give me a chance at being a hero. I’m not gonna let this chance pass me by for anything. I don’t need a day or two.
Dr. Moore takes a second to think.
Moore:
*laughs* I guess you’re right; it would be a bit of a tease for me to bring you here, explain everything, and send you on your merry way. You took that test nine times. You’re committed enough for the challenges you’ll face along the way.
Dr. Moore clenches her fist.
Moore:
(I promised myself I would never use the serum again, not after last time… but it’s in my DNA as a scientist to want to learn more, to see what my most incredible creation can do under every circumstance… and I might not get a better candidate than him…) Let’s get started! Take your shirt off and lie on the table.
Hayze:
Okay.
Hayze does so. Dr. Moore takes all four Project Q syringes and places them into different arms on a machine.
Moore:
I’m going to restrain your arms and legs.
Hayze:
Wh- why?
Moore:
You’re going to be injected with all four of the syringes simultaneously, one in each arm, your chest, and your neck. You’ll only stay conscious for a few seconds, then you’ll start convulsing.
Hayze:
Okay… so I’m going to have a seizure, basically? Is that the worst of it?
Moore:
No, then you’ll enter a coma.
Hayze:
Huh… for how long?
Moore:
I’m not sure.
Hayze:
What?
Moore:
Well, the other two woke up after about a week, so that’s my estimate. You’re trial #3, so next time, I’ll be able to give a definitive answer.
Hayze:
Great…
Moore:
*smiles* Don’t worry, everything will be fine.
Moore walks over to her control panel.
Moore:
Just remember, you could get another weak quirk. I can’t control the outcome, so just be prepared for that.
Hayze:
I’m aware, and I’m hopeful.
Moore:
Alright, let’s get started.
Hayze:
Okay, so should I brace myself or-
Moore:
Starting now!
Hayze:
Wait, no countdown?
Hayze gets injected with all four needles at the same time and the serum courses through his veins.
Hayze:
(Woah…)
Hayze passes out. Dr. Moore looks at his unconscious body.
Moore:
(I hope I didn’t just make a huge mistake…)
Hayze wakes up in a bed inside the same lab room. He sits up groggy, his head pounding.
Hayze:
*groans* Note to self, don’t let a woman you just met inject glowing purple liquid into your bloodstream after being shot about an hour and a half earlier.
Hayze tries to stand up, but his legs are wobbly. He falls back onto the bed.
Hayze:
(Jesus, how long was I out for? Other than my legs being asleep, I don’t feel all that different; I wonder if it actually worked…)
Hayze grabs a paper on the table next to his bed and gives himself a paper cut. It instantly heals.
Hayze:
(Well, at least she was right about the healing not going away…)
Moore walks into the lab and sees that Hayze is awake.
Moore:
See? I told you it would be a week.
Hayze:
Jesus, oh god, what about my school?
Moore:
I took care of that. As far as they know, you had pink eye.
Hayze:
Well, luckily, it’s my senior year, so my grades don’t matter all that much. But more importantly… Did it work?
Moore:
It definitely did, but it’s on a case-by-case basis. I don’t have a consistent way to test what your new quirk is.
Hayze:
Well, that’s great… but you’re sure?
Moore:
I’ve done this twice before. It worked. I guess you’ll just have to go about your day and see if you randomly discover how to use it, the same way everyone learns about their quirk.
Hayze:
Okay, but I swear to god, if I got Healing 2: Electric Boogaloo, I’m gonna be pissed.
Hayze stands up and is wobbly at first, but he gains his balance and starts walking towards the exit.
Moore:
I’ll show you the way out; you’ll have to walk home. I have classes to teach.
Hayze:
That’s fine. Thank you for everything, Dr. Moore. You might have just given me a second chance at being a hero, which means the world to me.
Moore:
Don’t mention it; I’m glad I could help someone with my work.
Hayze exits.
Moore:
(The truth is I brought him in that night just to feel the waters about the potential of using the serum again; I didn’t expect to actually go through with it… All I wanted to do was explain everything to him and give him a few days to think it over, but I probably needed those days more than he did, if I’m being honest. My mistake was not forcing myself to think things over, but I can’t concentrate on that anymore; what’s done is done, and now I hope the best for him.)
Hayze walks down the street towards his house.
Hayze:
(It’s such a weird feeling knowing a week has passed and I really didn’t live through it, it’s like I skipped ahead in time.)
Hayze stops for a second.
Hayze:
(…which also means that my final chance at the H.A.E. is a week sooner, and I still have to figure out if I have a new quirk or not, and then I have to learn how to use it in time for the exam… fuck.)
Hayze reaches his house and walks in through the front door.
Hayze:
(It’s kind of funny how fast everything happened. I went from fighting off an armed robber to an experimental test dummy to being in a coma in like two hours… I guess that’s what I can do when I have nothing to lose and nobody to go home to. It lets me live my life loosely. I hope that’s not how I’ll live my whole life.)
Hayze walks into his living room and sees the paper that Mr. Hunt had handed him. He picks it up.
Hayze:
(If Dr. Moore’s experiment didn’t work, this might actually be what I have to settle for… I don’t want to think about that, but Hunt said it best, sometimes hard work has its limits.)
A montage begins showing Hayze’s training and studying. As the days pass, there is no sign of a new quirk having been developed. Hayze checks his calendar and sees the H.A.E. test is fast approaching, much to his chagrin. Later in the week, Hayze walks down a city street with his head held low and his hood up.
Hayze:
(Well, it didn’t work… I should have felt something by now, I know she assured me it worked, but I hardly know her, how can I trust her? Whatever… I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.)
Hayze continues walking down the street in disappointment. He looks over at a pair of heroes patrolling the streets.
Hayze:
(My parents were terrific heroes, well known, saved lives, gave their own to help others, and I can't do any of that… It's just so frustrating. Here I am, trying my hardest to fulfill a dream I never had any business believing in. I let my guard down. I knew it was too good to be true. I knew that something was off. I could feel it. I was born with a piece of shit downgraded version of my parent’s magnificent quirks; for all intents and purposes, I
should
have been one of the greatest heroes based on my lineage. I loved hearing stories about them; it inspired me to be great, continue their legacies, and save lives. All I’ve wanted my whole life was to be a hero like them, but I got dealt the worst hand possible, and it pisses me off so much that everything I’ve ever wanted to achieve can’t be done because I wasn’t born good enough. I fight every day to counteract my deficiencies, train, and study hard, but none of it matters because of rotten luck.)
Hayze closes his eyes and grinds his teeth.
Hayze:
(I don’t want to give up, I don’t want to settle for anything else, I just want to be a hero. I don’t care about being the strongest, or even famous for that matter. The pay doesn’t mean anything to me either. All I want to do is help people… but at the end of the day… not everyone gets what they want… and it pisses me the fuck off!)
Hayze clenches his fist and lets out a frustrated grunt. Suddenly a loud explosion goes off, the ground shakes, and Hayze is knocked off balance.
Hayze:
What the hell?
Hayze opens his eyes, revealing that his irises have turned red.
