"You know what, Leo. I think we should stop here for today. That short history is taking a huge chunk out of you. Go back to bed while I prepare the students. We move as early as possible tomorrow."
"What about the story about how humans came about quirks?" Leo asked, trying to keep from sobbing any further.
"That's another long VR session which I don't think you have the time to watch. I can only tell you the most important part."
Leo sniffed.
"We are descendants of Earthlings. Our ancestors were earthlings. Just know that for now."
"I kind of figured that out. I just don't know how that got to be," Leo commented.
"The ancient humans, advancing their newly found space tech decided to go exploring the solar system. They were finding habitable planets in case of emergency. Then, they found E-73 Remoliluxus. What more can they wish for? It has the same number of hours as Earth, it has a safe atmosphere and the water is also good... But funnily, there was no life form here.
Experimenting, they decided to bring in plants and animals to breed at first and when these started reproducing normally, they introduced men as well. Male and female humans lived comfortably and it seemed that Earth has finally discovered an alternative star bluer than earth and more accommodating. But it didn't become obvious what effect Luxus has on humans until they tried to get some men back to Earth for further research."
"That was when they discovered quirks?" Leo guessed.
"Not entirely, but it was the beginning. The men arrived on earth's atmosphere but they couldn't breath properly. Earth's air had become poisonous to them. And with their body trying to fight the suffocation, one of the men reacted rashly and exploded, sending powerful shock waves with bright blue energy, rippling and disrupting the environment. They thought they had lost the man after the explosion only to find him alive and well, standing upright in the middle of the rubble. And what was strange was that he has a flame-like blue energy blowing out of his two fists like he was in a superhero movie.
This piqued scientist's curiosity. They took the men away to a lab filled with Luxus' Synogen gas and started experimenting. They then discovered how mutated their DNA has become. Planet Luxus has mutagenic effects, and it does not kill whoever has been mutated. It only makes them improve on their original attributes, and in some cases too, give them new attributes.
The improvement of the original human abilities is now known as Passive Quirks just like the mind communication ability we both have, while the formation of new abilities gives quirks with Active use mostly. These active quirk users became regarded as super humans and they were seen as important tools to win interplanetary wars.
So, since then men has been pushed down here with either their consent or not, to become mutants, expected to acquire active abilities, and someday become useful to Earth in this war."
Leo nodded absentmindedly. "But why do they still send children here? Do children born of Mutant parents not inherit the quirks?"
"Good question, Leo. They do, but there are many children also who came from non-mutants. With the right influence and money, they are sent here to discover quirks."
"With the right money? What does that mean?"
"It means, Leo, that Earth is not for the weak anymore. You will become a victim of ridicule if you have no quirk. Almost everyone on earth now has quirks. There are some who have been sent here with their parent's influence but their DNA didn't become mutated for some reasons. That is where technological advancements in quirk research comes in."
"How?" Leo asked.
"See, earthlings finally figured out how to force quirks on people. The research started about 40 years ago after taking the cells from existing mutants and modifying it to be compliant with the cells of non-mutants. They inject the person and chain him to undergo a painful mutation process.
Still, it doesn't work for everybody. Some people's DNA just can't be restructured. These people are called The Impossibles, and they are practically outcasts in the society. It's crazy how you become a laughing stock just because your body is so protective. In my opinion, they should run further research on these Impossibles to determine why they can't be changed. Maybe they could even create defensive quirks from them, just maybe."
"Does this mean that the non-mutants from a rich family can get a specific quirk that they want?" Leo was perplexed and angry at the same time.
"That's the little advantage of this painful process, they can pick the quirk they want. The side effect is the lots of money it takes to carry out, and the fact that the person comes out more cruel with his quirks than others. Why? The mutation process is ever painful and it lasts for days, this torture on them will only harden their hearts and they unwillingly become monsters. Oh, they are so ruthless."
Leo was feeling the creeps right now. So many things just doesn't feel right to him. Well, experience seems to be the best teacher, and he will be seeing everything for himself when he lands on earth the next day. But...
"But, Mr Loca, how did I have a quirk?"
"Well, I don't have a perfect answer to that. But it seems you are a descendant of one of the mutants who returned back to Earth thousands of years ago. Remember I told you how quirks was discovered after that man exploded with a strange energy? Well, many of those Mutant men didn't return to Luxus after the experiment. They stayed behind and found a way to live without the oxygen poisoning them, I'm not so sure. But the quirk must have been passed down your father and forefathers till it got to you. Your father or anyone among your ancestors would have discovered it if someone had triggered the mind communication signal like we did."
"But how did I set the signal off like you said? How did you find me on earth?"
"I'm still yet to discover that. I just picked a few words from you one fateful day, and I tried to reach you back. Then it worked." Loca explained.
Leo let out a heavy sigh. His head was spinning slowly.
"But Mr Loca, I'm scared."
"Why?"
"I don't have a quirk," Leo frowned.
"But you have," Loca responded.
"But I don't have an active quirk. You said the active quirk people will bully people like me."
"Well, try not to make it noticeable. That's all I can say."
"But, Mr Loca..."
"Yes?"
"In the VR system, when the nuclear weapon was released on earth..." Leo paused, breathing heavily.
"Continue, boy."
"I switched the camera at the last minute, and I saw myself outside the orphange... I... I was glowing with a strange energy around me... What was that?"
Loca sighed. "Well, this is the mystery behind you. And I think that was why you survived the attack. That weapon was so powerful that nobody was expected to survive it. But you did, with that strange purple energy. We tried to set that quirk to work when you're still lying in coma, but we couldn't."
"How? Why? Why did that happen at the last second?"
"There are many things I don't know, Leo. It must have been that your body sensed a great threat, and activated the emergency protection you didn't know you had. Maybe it only activates when you're in danger."
"What?" Leo was beyond baffled. He could hardly breath.
"And do you know why that file was a top security one? It was because that quirk you activated has never been seen or discovered yet. No quirk produces a dark purple energy, and no quirk has the ability to protect someone from an attack that massive."
"What does that even mean?" Leo asked.
"It means you are a special case, and you might possess the most powerful quirk ever. And not only that... You might be the first man to have double quirks. A passive one, and an active one." Loca concluded.
"WHAT?!!!" Leo screamed.
"You only have to work hard to learn how to use it at will. You must study hard on earth. You must rediscover this powerful quirk. It's all up to you."
"No..."
"Yes, Leo. And I won't show anyone that file until when it is really needed for research, I promise you that... Now, go take a rest while I prepare the space for tomorrow's journey. Bye."