5 - Public Figures

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When Touya woke, he was in an unfamiliar room. His head throbbed and his vision was blurry, but he could make out the room. It had white walls, curtains drawn on tall, white framed windows. He was on a bed, also white, and he wore something different-a gown?-papery, animal designs covering it. Hospital. He looked to his side, saw a man sleeping in a chair next to him. He couldn't quite make out who he was. Bright red hair, agate blue eyes...Endeavour - his dad.
Touya clutched his head. How did I get here? He thought back to the last thing he could recollect from his memory. The fighting. Shoto, Fuyumi, Natsu. Oh god. He sat right up, scaring Enji awake. Touya jumped off the bed, ripping the wires from his arms and chest. He stumbled to the door, felt a hand grab his arm and pull him back.
"Touya, wait."
Touya jerked his arm out of his father's grasp. "Let go of me. Or I'll tell everyone what you did."
"I wouldn't recommend that." Endeavour said.
"Why not? 'Cause you'll be sacked a hero?"
"Because, then you might not make it to UA."
Touya's heart stopped. His dreams of becoming a hero. They could all be stopped by- "What? No. You can't do that!"
"Oh yes I can. And it will happen if you don't keep your mouth shut. Alright, Touya?"
Touya clenched his jaw. If he told everyone what happened, they would all turn on Endeavour. He wouldn't be able to stop him from going to UA if he wasn't a hero. But, what was the chance that everyone would believe him over Endeavour? Zero. "Fine. I won't say anything."
Thank god. Thought Endeavour. "Good, because you're coming with me tomorrow for a press conference, and you're gonna announce your acceptance into UA."
Touya sighed. "Whatever you say, Endeavour."

~<>~<>~

He looked himself in the mirror. I look stupid. Enji made him dress nice for the press conference they were about to go to. So he wore a black suit, black shirt, black tie, black shoes. It made his red spiky hair look stupid with it. Why no white shirt? Because he couldn't find one. He was just gonna have to make do with what he had.
"TOUYAAAAA!" His father yelled from downstairs.
"I'm coming!" Touya yelled, looking at himself once more in the mirror. He watched the large scar in the left side of his face as if he was expecting it to move. Oh this is gonna get people in a frenzy when they see how different I look. Touya ran down the steps of his home, hearing his father sigh as of saying 'finally'.
His father stood at the door, dressed in the same suit, tie, shoes, but with a white shirt. He raised an eyebrow, "Black shirt? What happened to your white one?"
Touya put a hand on his neck. "Lost it. Doesn't matter though, this one does fine."
Enji looked his son up and down. He paused, staring at Touya's pants. Two words. Ripped. Jeans. "Touya I am not letting you wear that. Change."
Touya groaned. "Dad, it's either this or the piercings."
"Fine. Go change out of those."
Touya grinned and ran upstairs, emerging a few seconds later wearing a pair of pants that matched his suit and silver piercings on the lobes and cartilage of his ears.
He sure has grown up. Enji smiled, ruffling Touya's hair. "Well, you'll be very popular today. Last time the public really saw you was when you still had white hair. They'll sure be surprised when they see you now." They'll be surprised about that nasty scar as well.
The two of them stepped outside, where a limo awaited their departure. It was a shiny black, sure to make a statement for their arrival to the conference.
"Hey, Dad, what's this press conference thing even for?"
Enji sat across from him, looking out the window. "Well, it's mostly just for me and other pro heroes to answer questions the public has about villain rates. But, I'm bringing you along so you can experience what it's like to be a hero. And, so that the public can also get to know you, because you'll be their future number 1." He said the last part with a smile, and Touya nodded in response.
They could tell that they had arrived when the crowd outside their limo had gotten much bigger, and when many cameras from different news stations were held up to their tinted windows.
Security guards cleared a path for the father and son to exit and enter the conference room with. Touya could hear a reporter outside, saying; "Today is the annual press conference for heroes. Behind me we have Pro Hero Endeavour's limousine. It is said that he is bringing a special guest. Nobody knows who it may be, but we are speculating that it could be his eldest son, Touya, who we haven't seen in over two years. Oh - Endeavour is about to exit his ride."
Enji looked at his son. "Are you ready?"
Touya nodded.
His father stepped out of the vehicle first, and flashes of light instantly bombarded his view. He smiled and waved. Then, Touya stepped out. It was loud. He heard reporters shouting; "Endeavour, who have you brought with you today?" "Is that Touya?" "Why does he have such a large scar?" "Touya! Look over here!" "Touya, can you tell us about that scar on your face?" "Endeavour, can we get a photo of you and your son?"
Endeavour continued smiling at the press, putting a hand on Touya's shoulder and leading him inside the building.
The door shut behind the two when they entered, and Touya was amazed.
The room was extremely tall, with grand white pillars holding the ceiling up. Around them were display cases filled with mementoes and outfits from previous and current heroes. There were framed photographs as well, depicting significant events where heroes saved the country.
Touya was starstruck. "Woah..."
Enji chuckled. "That's not the coolest thing you'll see today. See that room over there?" He said, pointing to the one they were about to enter. "In there are two pro heroes, Eraserhead and-" he sighed, "-All Might."
Touya's mouth was agape. He was about to meet his role model, his childhood hero-All Might. And his future teacher, Eraser Head.(Pretend Aizawa is older than he is)
Enji pushed open the door, and Touya saw two heads turn their way. One was of an extremely tall man, way over seven-feet tall. He had pointy yellow hair and a chiseled face. He wore a skin-tight hero suit, red, blue, yellow, and white, rather than a formal suit. This was Almight. The other was much shorter, but still taller than himself. He had long untidy black hair, and small eye bags under his eyes. He wore a sleek black suit, and goggles on his forehead. Eraser Head.
No way. This is not happening right now. I'm in the same room as Almight!
"Eraser Head, Almight. This is my son, Touya." Endeavour said, motioning towards Touya.
Eraser Head looked Touya up and down. This is Touya Todoroki? He thought. I thought he had white hair-woah...that's a bad scar.
Almight stepped up and stuck out his hand. "Hello young Touya," his voice was deep, heroic to some extent, "I'm Almight, it is wonderful to finally meet you."
Touya shook his hand. "Thanks, it's nice to meet you too. You're my childhood hero." He awkwardly smiled. Oh come on. Why did I say that.
Eraser Head shook hands with Touya, deciding to ignore the scar. "Nice to meet you, Touya. Last I remember you had white hair, if I'm not mistaken?"
"Uh yeah, it was white before, but after another awakening, it can be red or white." Phew, so glad he didn't ask about the scar.
Eraser Head raised an eyebrow, "Oh, can you demonstrate?"
Touya nodded, "Sure, why not." He stepped away from Eraser Head, loosening the tie around his neck. He took a breath, then lit his hair aflame with a blue fire. This time, he only used ice on the rest of his body, causing his hair to begin changing. It began at the roots, going from a bright red to a pinkish colour, then white.
The two Pro-Heroes were impressed. Especially Eraser Head. "So what is your quirk called? It's very impressive what you can do with it."
Touya breathed out. "Well, it doesn't really have an 'official' name, but I like to call it hot ice."
"Ice?" Almight asked.
Touya nodded, sticking up his right hand and coating it with ice.
Eraser Head and Almight were wide-eyed. "That is a very rare quirk, Endeavour."
Endeavour smiled. "Yes. His firepower is even greater than mine, not to mention his blue flames. His ice is also extremely strong, stronger than my wife's."
Almight put a hand on Touya's shoulder. "Well, young man, we must be going now, are you ready?"
Touya nodded 'yes' as the hero lead him towards another set of doors. Touya turned his hair back red just before the doors open, leading them onto a stage where a select group of reporters sat front. There were dozens of cameras pointing at microphones on a long table where they would sit.
The room was silent apart from the few whispers and the clicking of cameras. The three Pro-Heroes sat down, Touya sitting on another chair slightly behind his father's.
The conference began.
"Endeavour, how would you describe the villains right now?" "Eraser Head, what do you think of this years' batch of new heroes?" "Almight, how are the heroes doing with the sudden uproar of villains?"
Touya sat at the back, bored out of his mind. Ugh. Why did I ever think this was going to be fun?
Near the end of the two hour conference though, the real questions began to come.
"Endeavour, who did you bring with you today? Is that really Touya?"
"Yes, I brought my son, Touya, with me today."
"Can we ask Touya a few questions to end off this conference?"
Endeavour looked at his co-workers, who nodded. "Yes, of course. Touya? You can sit up here next to me."
"Touya, how'd you get that massive scar on your face?"
He uncomfortably smiled. "I'd prefer not to say, but all I can tell you is that it was a training accident." Yeah...training accident...
"Touya, last we saw you, your hair was white. Now it's red. What changed?"
"Um, well it's quite complicated. It has to do with my quirk, which is the simple answer."
"So, what is your quirk, Touya?"
Touya sighed. I really gotta do this again. "Well I mostly use fire," he held out his hand, a small blue flame emitting from it, "but I can also use ice, although it's a bit weaker." He held out his other hand, a small spike of ice coming from it.
Clicks from cameras sounded through the room, flashes accompanying them.
"How rare is that quirk?!" "That's incredible!" "What are your siblings' quirks?"
"Touya? Do you plan on attending UA and becoming a full-time hero?"
Endeavour grabbed the microphone, "Yes, Touya will be attending UA High School. That's all, thank you for having us."
The heroes stood up, bowed, and left the room, Touya following their lead.
The reporters yelled, trying to get the heroes and Touya to answer their last few questions.
When Endeavour and Touya emerged from the building, cameras were shoved in their faces, and hundreds of questions were asked to the point where you couldn't even make out the different words.
Endeavour and Touya entered the waiting limo, and they were gone, leaving the people starstruck by the young Todoroki. Their future public figure. The future of heroes.

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