Lancelot

Los Angeles, United States of America. Sunday, July 18th, a few minutes past two o'clock in the afternoon.

Our main character is two years younger than the original cast.

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On the top of a grassy hill is a boy no older than seven. His blue eyes staring at the sprawling metropolis out in the distance. The harsh afternoon sun causes beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

The boy's tousled blond hair is turned an even lighter shade of blond thanks to the sun. He has clear blue eyes and a smooth, pale complexion. With perfectly symmetrical facial features and angular cheekbones he can be considered cute for his age. Give the boy a few years and he will likely become a heartthrob for many women in the future. He is tall for his young age as he stands at the same height as your average ten year old but he has no way of knowing that.

His legs are crossed in the lotus position and there is a bored expression on his face. Lancelot is terribly bored as he has lived in Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles with his father for as long as he can remember. Everyone who lives here is a famous hero, politician, or someone with a lot of money. There are no kids present besides the occasional visit by a relative of one of the neighbors. This annoys Lancelot to no end as he has never had a real friend. Even when the kids do visit they never want to play with him and tend to hide from him.

The only visitors that ever come over are heroes who never have time to play with him. They are usually talking about "adult stuff" with his father in secret. This only amplifies Lancelot's loneliness and desire to have friends. He can find some peace when he stares out into the distance at a clock tower not far from their neighborhood. Watching time tick by and wishing he could grow up faster so he can finally leave this terrible life behind.

Heavy thoughts for a seven year old but he's been training with his father every day since his fourth birthday. Pushed to his absolute limits until his body is close to breaking down and then given unknown supplements that repair his body at a cellular level. He asked his father what these supplements are but was told not to worry about it.

His training consists of exercises that strengthen his body such as push-ups, running, sit-ups, combat, and a multitude of other workouts. He is also required to read numerous articles filled with information on current heroes, villains, and the hero society. His father tests him after each article to make sure he is truly reading and learning the information contained within.

The poor child is given an barbaric training regimen on a daily basis and expected to complete it. When his body finally breaks he is given supplements to repair him back to an optimal state. These supplements can only be used when he is exhausted and unable to continue. They reconstruct and strengthen the body but along with that comes an excruciating pain. Imagine the pain as if someone was drilling into your skin and then picture that throughout your entire body. His mind nearly crumbled the first time he had to undergo the pain and he went unconscious moments later. He got used to it over time which caused his father to get an even more potent version of the supplement. Cruel doesn't even begin to describe what he is forced to go through.

Thankfully, his dad promised to take him to a Quirk Testing Center today to see if they can awaken his Quirk. This is the only light he has left in this dark world. Lancelot has never felt like he has a Quirk but his dad for some reason believes he has a Quirk and a powerful one at that. Most children awaken theirs before the age of eight so there is only a year left before he is deemed Quirkless. Should such a fate await him then he would rather not even be alive. There is no doubt in his mind that his father will discard him and leave him on the streets.

Ah yes, Lancelot's mother. Lancelot never knew his mother but has seen pictures of her in picture frames around the house. She was a Pro Hero like his father but used the alias, [Gear Hero: Samantha]. His father often stares at her picture with a emotionless gaze but Lancelot has seen him cry a few times while clutching her picture in bed. She was murdered when he was only a year old by a group of villains called RIOT. His father never talks about her unless absolutely necessary because it causes him to shake in anger and lose his temper. Something that Lancelot would gladly avoid.

Saying he isn't curious about his mother or want to know her is a lie. He wishes there was a chance to see her in person and if he could just go back in time then maybe he would. Supposedly his father used to be an entirely different person in the past but his mother's death broke him. Sounds like an excuse to Lancelot but what does he care. His father is no different than a demon in human skin.

"Come boy. We are going to be late." A male voice wakes Lancelot from his thoughts.

"Yes father." Lancelot replies while scrambling to his feet. He turns around and is greeted by a man with an appearance almost identical to his own. A handsome appearance but there's a cold expression on his face. The only difference is their eyes, the man has pitch black eyes with a red iris in the center. He is tall and lanky but Lancelot knows the truth about his father. Underneath that fragile appearance is a frightening power. His father is the [Compass Hero: Directional]. He can summon a compass from his chest that points to whatever he wills it to. Whether that be heroes, civilians, or villains. Lancelot is not entirely sure how it works but he knows that his father is incredibly famous because of this ability. Not many know this but his dad actually has a second ability which is called [Slim Power]. The slimmer his muscles are, the more powerful he becomes. That doesn't mean he isn't strong but rather his muscles are so compact you wouldn't think of him as someone with great strength. Lancelot has learned the hard way not to underestimate his father. His Quirk is a unique one called [Compass Power].

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Outside the Quirk Testing Center located in downtown Los Angeles.

The drive to the Quirk Testing Center was tiresome. Traffic can be brutal in Los Angeles, especially during the middle of the day. Lancelot was on the verge of falling asleep until a slap across his face stopped him from attempting such a thing in his father's presence. Grudgingly, the boy stared out the window and watched his surroundings pass by like a blur. Wondering when he can finally leave this life behind.

"We have arrived Mr. Guinevere." The chauffeur announces as the car rolls to a stop.

Lancelot doesn't hesitate to exit the car in a hurry with his father in tow. The first thing he notices after disembarking is the building before his eyes. Within a radius of one mile there is nothing besides this building. The ruins of a few old buildings can be found but they are already being reclaimed by nature. Very abnormal considering this is downtown Los Angeles.

'This is it?' He wonders while examining the old broken down building. The fact that the building is still standing could be considered a miracle. Next to the fancy skyscrapers a mile away, this building resembles something from an old horror movie. The walls were no more than the same rock and dirt beneath them. Overgrown foliage covers the gaping holes in the roof while thick ivy keeps everything together. Remnants of shattered glass in the rotting wooden frames where windows once were. A crumbling brick sidewalk leads to a slanted birch wood door seemingly hanging on a single hinge.

"What a dump." Lancelot mutters.

"Remember your training. Do not judge a book by its cover. Outside appearances can be deceiving." His father comments from the side when he hears his comment. Lancelot frowns but holds back from saying anything else.

"Hurry up." His father urges without looking back as he starts walking towards the broken down building.

Lancelot quickens his pace to remain a few steps behind his father. They stop outside the broken entrance where his father pulls a dark badge from his pocket.

*Whoosh!* The brick sidewalk beneath them disappears and a gaping hole of darkness appears instead. Time seems to stop as Lancelot looks up at his father before back at the hole beneath their feet. He gulps before plunging into the darkness.

"AHHH!" Lancelot screams as he free falls into the dark tunnel. His blond hair flapping in the wind as they continue their free fall for a few more seconds.

*Boing!* Lancelot's collides with something elastic at the bottom of the dark tunnel. His body bounces another ten feet in the air before colliding with the elastic object at the bottom of the tunnel once more. When he finally stops bouncing he notices his father is standing before a steel bunker door.

There is a robot standing next to his father. Like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, it has a human body but a computer monitor for a head.

*Access granted. Welcome Adam Guinevere. Alias [Compass Hero: Directional].*

A robotic voice comes from a voice box below the computer monitor.

*Unknown entity detected. Please verify identity or risk termination.*

The robot states as a crimson light flashes on the computer monitor. Pulling out a handgun from an unknown location, it proceeds to point it directly at Lancelot who tenses up in fright.

"Lancelot Guinevere, son of Adam Guinevere. He is here to awaken his Quirk." Adam answers for his son. He shakes his head in disappointment when he notices Lancelot is frozen in fear.

*Searching database to ensure accuracy of statement.*

…

*Access granted. Entity confirmed to be Lancelot Guinevere. Son of Adam Guinevere the [Compass Hero: Directional] and Samantha Guinevere the [Gear Hero: Samantha].*

Adam visibly trembles when the robot says his deceased wife's full name before recomposing himself.

*Please enter. Doorway to Quirk Testing Center Alpha closes in fourteen seconds.*

The robot advises as the bunker door starts to open. Adam grabs his son by the shirt and tosses him inside before the door closes on both of them.

Lancelot wakes from his fear after sliding across a cold marble surface. His blue eyes go wide with shock as he gazes upon his surroundings.

"What is this place…" He wonders out loud.

"The first Quirk Testing Center created in America. Also known as Alpha. The center used to be in that old building upstairs but the higher ups decided to turn it into a special laboratory instead. This is the location many Pro Heroes take their children to awaken their Quirks if they haven't yet awakened to them on their own." Adam explains in a rare moment of patience.

Lancelot quietly digests his father's words while looking around the laboratory in awe. This was definitely a research laboratory like he read in books! White coated scientists dashing about in choreographed silence. The rhythmic clattering of machines and fluids being transferred from one test tube to another.

"Adam! What brings you here today?" An elderly scientist with a full head of gray hair and an antique walking stick asks his father.

"Lancelot needs to awaken his Quirk." Adam answers briefly.

"Straight to the point as usual I see. Very well, follow me to room thirteen down the hallway." The old scientist says after inspecting Lancelot for a brief moment.

He walks at a surprisingly fast pace for someone using a walking stick. Lancelot has to speed walk in order to keep up which confuses him. Why does this old guy need a walking stick in the first place?

They head down a long hallway with numbered steel doors. There are glass panels allowing you to view inside a majority of them besides the occasional few which have a sign saying "HAZARDOUS" in bright red letters on the door. Most of the rooms with glass panels are empty but some had a couple animals inside.

Their slight adventure ends with Lancelot unable to satiate his curiosity in what might be behind those closed doors. Sadly, they already arrived at room thirteen. Different from the others, it seems to have more privacy as there isn't a glass panel to view the inside. The old man opens the door to reveal a modern doctor's office but with a large machine on the right side.

There are tubes and cables coming from all different parts of the large machine. Within the center of the machine is a swirling gold liquid resembling some kind of divine elixir.

"Take a seat in the chair young man. Let me get everything ready real quick and then we can get your Quirk figured out alright?" He instructs before going over to the machine and fiddling with the controls.

Lancelot nods his head slowly. His dad closes the door behind them and then leans against the wall out of the way. He watches everything with clenched fists and a hopeful gaze. Lancelot climbs into a black chair in the center of the room.

"You might feel a little pinch." The old man says before sticking Lancelot with a needle in his left forearm. Lancelot doesn't even flinch at the pain. He has been subject to much worse over the past two years. The needle connects to a larger tube which in turn connects to the machine.

"Relax. I am going to turn on the machine in just a moment but first let me take a measurement of your Quirk levels." He says while attaching two patches with a thin electrical wire to Lancelot's wrists.

"What is a Quirk level?" Lancelot asks.

"Ah! Sorry, I thought your father told you of such things." He apologizes before putting a finger on his wrinkled forehead in contemplation.

"Think of a Quirk level as the strength your Quirk currently has. Just because someone has a Quirk level of ten doesn't mean that someday it couldn't be over five thousand through training. We measure Quirk levels by ability points or AP for short. Basically the higher AP you have, the stronger your Quirk theoretically is. That doesn't mean that someone with a Quirk of 2,000 AP would just instantly be able to use all of their power. Think of it like they have more potential than the normal Quirk user. Of course if you don't have a Quirk than your AP would be 0. We can determine whether or not someone has a Quirk by examining their pinky toes. If you have two joints in your pinky toe than it is very likely you will be Quirkless. All Quirk users have one joint in their pinky toe. Considering the fact that your father bothered to bring you here, I believe you have the latter." He explains with a kind smile.

"How do you measure Quirk levels?" Lancelot asks another question.

"Curious one aren't we? The easiest way to determine Quirk levels is by sending electric currents throughout the body to stimulate it. Think of it like upsetting the Quirk I suppose. You wouldn't be happy if someone invaded your space without permission right? The Quirk in this case will fight back and from there we can determine its AP by how vicious the counterattack is. Things are a bit different for those who have Mutant Quirks though. That should be a good enough explanation. Are you ready Lancelot?" The old man asks with a serious expression.

Lancelot takes a glance at his father before steeling his resolve and nodding his head. This moment may be the turning point in his life. Adam takes a deep breath and grits his teeth in anticipation.

"Close your eyes and concentrate. Feel the electricity traveling throughout your body and search for a liquid substance. That substance should feel like a third limb, as if it has always been a part of you." He advises before starting up the machine which whirs to life with a loud hum.

Lancelot closes his eyes and feels the volts of electricity racing throughout his body. He scans his body in anticipation of the liquid substance the old man told him about but doesn't feel anything.

'Please be there...please be there.' Lancelot begs in his mind while trying to hold back tears as his anxiety starts to mount. He doesn't dare imagine his fate if he truly is Quirkless.

The old man frowns and decides to increase the voltage against his better judgement. Usually those volts of electricity should have been sufficient to awaken his Quirk but clearly it didn't. He stares at a computer monitor next to the machine while waiting for a reaction. The monitor is blank with dotted lines (----) present that shows it is still analyzing.

"I feel something!" Lancelot suddenly shouts with a huge smile on his face. He can feel a liquid below his navel slowly starting to wake up. With the electricity increasing it seems to be growing upset and breaks free from the shell it was hiding within.

"I feel it! The liquid!" He shouts again before opening his eyes to see his father's reaction but then notices his shocked expression. His father is staring at the machine with his mouth wide open and tears pouring out of his eyes.

"My god...how is this possible…" The old man mutters while staring at the numbers on the monitor in disbelief.

Five numbers in large white letters and two words of text take up the entire monitor.

"11,713 Ability points...how" He mutters again while trying to determine if the numbers are some sort of error. Pausing the electric voltage he examines the equipment closely for any malfunctions.

A seven year old has a Quirk with 11,713 ability points. Such a thing has never happened before or even come relatively close. Sure, there are Pro Heroes with ability points in the five digit range but never has a child had anything remotely close to them. This goes against anything they thought was possible. How could his body possibly store such immense power? Lancelot has broken any record imaginable. There is nobody within his generation and no more than two hundred heroes across the entire planet with ability points in the same ballpark. Judging by the numbers alone, does it not seem like his Quirk has infinite potential? How powerful might he become in the future if his Quirk is properly trained?

"No damage to any of the equipment and everything is running properly. Well...you sure surprised me kid! Now I am even more excited to see what kind of Quirk you have!" The old man says with a fire in his eyes.

Adam Guinevere stares up at the ceiling with a smile on his face for the first time in six years.

'Are you seeing this Samantha? Look at our son! How I wish you were here to witness this in person.' Adam's mind wanders off while staring at the ceiling. Tears drip off his face and onto the white marble floor.

Lancelot opens and closes his fists while trying to get a grasp on his newfound power. The liquid is continually circling his body, traveling from the point below his navel and into his blood vessels.

Rather than returning back to the spot below his navel, it seems to be accumulating at the tip of his fingers and is trying to open something. All of the liquid is pooling within his finger tips and slamming against something. Think of it like someone desperately trying to open a door but they aren't strong enough. There are ten pools forming in total, one for each finger. He can feel a slight tingle down at his toes but nothing like the pool of liquid gathering at his fingers.

"Lancelot! Lancelot! Are you listening?" The old man shouting at him brings him back to reality.

"Err...sorry I was busy feeling the changes in my body." Lancelot answers honestly.

"No worries, no worries! I was just wondering if you are ready for your Quirk awakening. This will be a bit forceful as usually a child will awaken their Quirk at four years old. Cases like your own where a child doesn't awaken his Quirk at the proper age but has a Quirk is rare. We administer a special liquid to awaken the Quirk for the first time. Don't worry. I will be managing the machine and before something goes wrong I will stop it. Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on something that makes you happy." He advises while waiting for Lancelot to give him a signal to proceed.

"I'm ready." Lancelot says. Truthfully, he is a bit scared. He read cases of people awakening their Quirks for the time and dying shortly after because they weren't able to control it. That would be a pretty crappy way to die. Just when you thought you had everything, poof! Welcome to the afterlife!

With a final look at his father, Lancelot closes his eyes and clears his mind like he was taught in training. Sifting through his memories, the one thing that makes him feel at peace is that clock tower. He latches onto the memory and the hope that maybe his life will change for the better after all of this.

"This will be painful so clench your teeth and hold on!" The old man shouts because the hum of the machine is growing in intensity by the second. Lancelot grabs both arm rests tightly while waiting for whatever is about to come.

The gold liquid in the center of the machine is swirling around as the suction from a tube grows by the second. Finally, a portion of the gold liquid zips into the tube and races from the machine to the needle on Lancelot's left forearm. The old man monitors the situation with a watchful eye.

Lancelot grits his teeth as the gold liquid burrows into his body. A searing pain radiating from his left forearm makes him frown. His Quirk seems to have detected another unwelcome visitor as it slams against his fingertips even more furiously this time. Lancelot's hands tremble uncontrollably as the two forces collide for the first time in his left hand.

"AH!" Lancelot screams in pain as the gold liquid encircles his Quirk and starts to invade it. The two begin an intense battle for supremacy with Lancelot's Quirk winning the opening battle so far.

"ROBERT! What is going on?" Adam asks as he cautiously approaches his son in the chair.

"This is his battle now Adam. I have never heard of a Quirk like his. So truthfully, I don't know." Robert, the elderly scientist, answers with a concerned gaze. His hand is trembling above a bright red button that will shut everything down if he presses it.

The gold liquid is like molten lava as it flows through his veins and dives deeper into Lancelot's body. His Quirk is growing even more agitated as time continues to pass. More of his Quirk continues to pour out of the spot below his navel in a frenzy before entering battle against the gold liquid.

The battle continues for several minutes until a winner is decided. The gold liquid in the machine has been completely drained and Lancelot's Quirk circles his body in a joyful manner. If you were to look inside his body, you would notice that Lancelot's Quirk is light green in color. Not to mention that his Quirk seems to have grown immensely after absorbing the gold liquid. Should they measure his Quirk levels now, they would be shocked to see that it went up by over 1,000 ability points!

Adam wipes the beads of sweat from his son's forehead and then looks at Robert in confusion.

"Your child is a freak." Robert states with a frown. That gold liquid is an elixir produced from many rare plants gathered around the world. Typically a child only needs a few drops to awaken but the child before him just absorbed two liters worth.

'Could he be Quirkless? No. How could he feel his Quirk if he was? Unless he was deceiving us the entire time. The machine could have malfunctioned too which explains the abnormal ability points.' Robert contemplates the possibility in his mind.

Adam bites his bottom lip while looking up at the ceiling for guidance.

*Huu…* A deep breath escapes from Lancelot's lips.

He looks around and notices that the old man and his father seem to be staring off into space.

"What happened?" Lancelot asks while staring at the room in curiosity. Neither of the men make any indication that they heard his question and have not moved in the slightest. If he had to describe it, they seem frozen in place.

Then a pain more intense than anything he has ever experienced hits him. Lancelot sits up in the chair and covers his eyes with his hands before crying out in pain. Blood seeps through the gaps between his fingers and drops to the marble floor. Then it ends. The pain goes away as quickly as it came. He removes his hands from his eyes and feels the blood trickling down his face.

If you were to look at the boy's eyes now you would notice a clock engraved into his blue irises. His black pupil sits at the center of the clock where the hour hand and minute hand would be located. Engraved in the sclera of both eyes are numerous clock cogs. His blue eyes are even more beautiful now. The clock and clock cogs add a mysterious vibe to his overall character which only increases the boy's attractiveness. If he was going to be a heartthrob before, now he will be a genuine lady-killer in the near future.

None of these changes seem to bother Lancelot as he blinks his eyes a few times before looking around again.

He looks around the doctor's office and then his eyes freeze when he spots a wall clock. There is no movement at all. The wall clock is no longer ticking, as if it is frozen in time. Lancelot starts to panic but then with a jerk everything returns to normal. His face goes pale after returning back to the present. He thought he was going to be trapped in that motionless world.

Lancelot is pale with fear. Noticing this abnormality, the duo start to get concerned.

"What happened?" Adam asks before getting the shock of his life when he looks at his son's blue eyes and the blood streaks on Lancelot's face.

Lancelot slowly explains what he just experienced. Making sure to describe everything to the best of his ability.

Adam looks at Robert for some kind of explanation but the old man is giddy in his seat.

"Your Quirk awakened! I am absolutely positive that your Quirk just awakened!" Robert shouts excitedly.

"Are you sure?" Adam asks cautiously but can't hide the joy in his eyes.

"Positive. One hundred percent positive!" Robert replies.

Lancelot watches their exchange with a nervous expression. The pain he felt when awakening his Quirk startled him and then seeing everything frozen only made him scared.

"Why don't you try using your Quirk again?" Robert suggests. Adam nods from the side and Lancelot shudders at first but reluctantly agrees. He doesn't want to face his father's anger.

Closing his eyes, he feels his Quirk still circulating his body. Although, some of it seems to be missing. Confused on how to control his Quirk he orders it to stop but it ignores his command as if it didn't hear anything. Frowning, Lancelot focuses his concentration to his left hand. This is where he first felt that intense pain so maybe it will listen to him better. After a brief inspection he notices that there is a tingling sensation stemming from his finger tips. They seem to be absorbing something from the outside which is then entering his body and assimilating itself with his Quirk.

Unsure of what to do, he decides to ask his father and the old man.

"I can feel a tingling sensation in my finger tips and something seems to be coming into my body." Lancelot explains what he feels to the best of his ability but that doesn't help much. He is still a seven year old despite having an above average intelligence and muscular structure.

Adam and Robert are equally confused as Lancelot. They have never heard of a Quirk like his before or those symptoms. There aren't any marks that would indicate anything could be absorbed by his finger tips since on the outside they appear like anyone else's.

The difference is inside his body. Ten doors opened in his finger tips and flowing in through those doors is the energy that Lancelot is feeling. That energy is time itself. He is absorbing time from his surroundings.

"Your Quirk may be similar to your father's. He can summon a compass but only from his chest. If I had to make a guess than your Quirk may have something to do with your hands." Robert throws an idea out there since it's better than nothing.

"Try clapping your hands, making a fist, punch the air, or snap your fingers. See if any of those trigger your Quirk to activate. If they don't then we can try something else." He adds.

Lancelot looks to his dad for confirmation before starting. He claps his hands, makes a fist, punches the air, and finally snaps his fingers.

With a jerk, he realizes everything is frozen again. The only thing that can move seems to be him. Rather than fear, this time a slight smile creeps across his face when he realizes this is a world he has all to himself.

He snaps his fingers again and time returns to normal.

"I figured it out! All I have to do i-..." Lancelot is about to report his findings but his father intervenes before he can expose his secret.

"AHEM! Wonderful boy. Why don't you go outside in the hallway for a little bit? I'm going to have a chat with Robert here." His father interjects with a kind smile. Lancelot shivers and scurries out of the room. Whenever his father has a smile like that, he is going to get a beating if he doesn't comply.

While Adam and Robert are having a discussion inside the doctor's office, Lancelot is busy feeling his newfound power. Dozens of possibilities are racing throughout his young mind and he can't wait to start training.

He looks left and right to see if anyone is nearby before snapping his fingers and freezing time again. Gaining confidence, he decides to try walking around to see what might happen. Taking just a few steps from his previous position, he stands still and waits until he is pulled back to the present.

With a jerk he returns to the present and is standing in the exact same spot he just walked to. Overcome with joy at this discovery, Lancelot doesn't even notice the fatigue washing over him. Using his newly awakened Quirk three times in a short period of time has left him lethargic. He can hardly keep his eyes open right now.

He teeters on his feet for a few moments before his eyes shut and he collapses onto the floor. The last sound he hears is his father's anxious voice shouting at him.