A small boy with colorless hair and dull gray eyes clung to the side of a building like a spider. His name was Ren Takeda, and his quirk was simple yet incredible—Grip.
Tiny, invisible biological suckers covered his palms and feet, allowing him to stick to almost any surface. Walls, ceilings, glass, metal—it didn't matter. He could climb, run, or hang upside down as if gravity itself didn't apply to him.
[Image Here]
But to be precise, Grip wasn't his original quirk.
Ren's true quirk was called Copycat.
His mother, Takeda Reina, had once been an A-ranked Pro Hero known as Mimica. Her quirk, Mimic, allowed her to replicate another person's quirk for a short duration. She was well-known throughout Japan for her versatility and tactical prowess—having once taken down several powerful villains almost single-handedly. Rumors even said the young Endeavor had tried to pursue her once, though Reina had little interest in fiery tempers.
Ren's quirk was a stronger evolution of hers. He could copy quirks permanently.
The first time it happened, he was only four. He'd touched an older boy at the park who wouldn't stop bragging about his ability to climb walls. Ren remembered a strange feeling, as if his whole body was going to burst. Then—suddenly—he could do it too.
When he rushed home to tell his mother, Reina was stunned. She'd examined him carefully before saying in a grave voice,
"Ren… you must keep this quirk of yours a secret. If villains learn about it, they'll come for you."
At the time, Ren didn't understand. But as he grew older, he realized what she meant. A quirk that could permanently copy others was terrifying. People would try to kill—or worse—to control him.
Now eight years old, Ren had spent years training his body while mastering the Grip quirk. Four years after his first copy, he finally felt ready to try again. It wasn't that his ability had a cooldown—his body simply wasn't strong enough to handle more than two quirks at once.
That would change soon.
He swung from one monkey bar to the next with effortless precision, his hands barely slipping. His grip strength was far above that of any normal child; the quirk had shaped his muscles and reflexes over time.
Ren's colorless eyes scanned the playground, evaluating each kid with a curious gleam. There was one with bat-like wings instead of ears. Another with three eyes that blinked independently. And then—
"So cool! I want that!"
Ren's pupils widened with childlike excitement as he spotted something that made his heart race.
A few meters away, a boy was laughing with his friends, bright arcs of electricity dancing across his head like living sparks. His hair was lightning—crackling strands of gold and blue that flashed and sizzled in the afternoon sun. The quirk Volt Hair.
"So cool! It's like his hair's made of thunder!"
Ren's heart thumped wildly.
Without a second thought, he hopped down from the monkey bars and jogged over.
"Hey! Can I play as well?!"
His sudden enthusiasm caught everyone off guard. The boy with electric hair blinked, a little awkward.
Ren Takeda wasn't exactly known for being social. Most kids called him White Cat—a nickname earned from his colorless hair and the way he was always found climbing walls or rooftops like some quiet, lonely stray.
Seeing him approach so cheerfully was... strange.
"Uh, sure—" the electric-haired boy started to say, but then—
ZAP!
A blinding flash erupted between them. The boy gasped as a jolt of electricity burst from his body. His friends screamed as arcs of white lightning crackled outward, striking several of them at once.
Ren stood frozen, trembling as his hair began to rise, glowing brighter and brighter until it shimmered like a white storm cloud. Sparks danced across his arms, jumping from fingertip to fingertip.
"Ah… it's— it's too much—!"
The lightning flared violently, turning the air into a web of blinding light. The electric-haired boy fell backward, unconscious. Two of his friends followed, stunned by the discharge.
Ren's body convulsed as his new power raged out of control. His own hair now blazed like white lightning, each strand whipping and sparking wildly.
And then—
BOOM!
A white flash swallowed everything.
When the smoke cleared, the playground was scorched. Kids lay dazed on the ground, and in the center of it all, Ren Takeda collapsed—his small body smoking slightly, his colorless hair still faintly crackling with electricity.
...
Ren woke to the sterile smell of antiseptic and the faint buzz of electricity in his ears.
He blinked groggily—white walls, fluorescent lights, the soft hum of machines. A hospital.
A nurse stood beside him, her hands glowing faintly as she pressed them near his forehead. Her palms shimmered with a gentle pink aura, like ripples of warmth in the air.
"Easy there, little one…" she said softly. "Try to stay still. Your hair's still sparking…"
Ren tilted his head slightly. His own hair crackled with faint white lightning, refusing to settle. Sparks popped and danced across the bedsheets, leaving tiny scorch marks.
The nurse exhaled, sweat dotting her brow. Her quirk, Soothing Touch, allowed her to calm the body and mind—useful for restless patients or unstable quirks. But this? Elemental quirks were always a nightmare to stabilize.
Ren glanced to his side. The other kids he'd zapped were on nearby stretchers, dazed but breathing steadily. A pang of guilt tightened his chest.
I didn't mean to hurt them… I just couldn't control it.
Maybe copied quirks are harder to handle… just like the first time with Grip.
He remembered nearly falling to his death from a tree back then. His small body had trembled for days before he finally learned how to control it.
As the nurse continued her work, Ren suddenly felt something—an odd pull in the air, a familiar stirring deep within him.
That feeling again. The same one he felt whenever he copied a quirk.
Can I… copy hers too?
He hesitated only for a moment before gently reaching out. His fingers brushed her wrist, and for an instant, his hand glowed with a faint whitish aura—like a gentle mist of light.
It worked… I copied it…
Ren looked down at his palm, then placed it against his chest.
"If I use it on myself… maybe I can calm down too."
"What are you doing—" The nurse blinked, surprised. "That's good—just don't move too much, okay? Your lightning's still—wait…"
She paused. Something changed. The crackling in the air faded, the static hum softened, and the bright sparks dancing through Ren's hair slowly dimmed. The storm of white lightning settled into calm.
Her eyes widened.
He's stabilizing himself…?
Within seconds, Ren was completely still—hair faintly glowing, but under control. The nurse exhaled in relief and unconsciously used her quirk on herself to steady her racing heart.
She looked at the boy again. He was smiling now—a warm, gentle smile that didn't seem to belong to an eight-year-old.
"Thank you, miss nurse," he said softly.
Her heart skipped a beat. That smile… so pure.
Of course, the hospital had been giving him special care—he was, after all, the son of A-Rank Heroine Mimica. Takeda Reina wasn't just a hero; she had once been a model and twice crowned Miss World Heroine. Her beauty was the kind that made headlines.
Looking at Ren now—the same perfect features, the same eyes—he really did look like her male reflection.
"I just learned to control it thanks to you," he continued with a soft chuckle. Then his gaze turned to the kids beside him. "Can you help them too? It's… my fault they got hurt
... I couldn't control my new quirk and so..."
The nurse felt her heart melt.
He's so kind… just like his mother, but softer. Like an angel.
"Wait," she said suddenly, tilting her head. "You said your new quirk…?"
Ren froze.
Crap. I forgot about that…
"Uh—well, you see—"
But before he could finish, the sharp click of high heels echoed down the hallway.
The nurse turned, her eyes widening as Takeda Reina strode into the room. Her elegant silver hair glistened like moonlight under the fluorescent glow, her sharp gray eyes sweeping across the room until they landed on her son.
[Image Here]
"Miss Takeda!" The nurse immediately bowed, flustered.
"Ren!" Reina's cold composure shattered in an instant. She hurried to his bedside and cupped his face, checking him over with trembling hands. "Are you hurt? Are you in pain? Look at me, Ren!"
The nurse could only stare. She's… so beautiful in person.
Reina pressed her lips to Ren's forehead. The nurse nearly fainted.
My goddess… she kissed him… I want Mimica's kiss too…
"Mom! I'm fine! I'm not a little kid anymore—ow!"
Ren yelped as Reina pinched his ear sharply, her expression returning to its usual icy calm.
"Really?" she said coolly. "If you were so mature, you wouldn't have done something I specifically told you not to do, would you?"
Ren wilted instantly under her stare. "S-sorry… I just—"
"Enough." Her tone was cold, but her hands trembled slightly as she held his shoulder.
Reina turned to the nurse. The woman's heart nearly stopped as those blue eyes landed on her.
"I'm taking him home. That won't be a problem, will it?"
"N-No, ma'am… not at all…" the nurse stammered, face flushed with a mix of fear and adoration.
Reina nodded curtly and took Ren by the hand.
"Thank you for your help," she said before turning to leave.
Those words echoed in the nurse's head like music.
She thanked me. Mimica… thanked me…!
As the two left, the nurse pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart hammering.
To be continued...
***
***
How was this first chapter? Did you find it engaging?
Are you finding Ren's quirk Copycat balanced for now?