Option B won with an incredible number of 38 votes, and against the unbelievable number of 0 votes, Method B was chosen. Option A almost won by a hair.
[I hope you like the new cover.]
...
Previous Chapter
Astra, carrying the girl in her arms, began to walk out of the alley calmly, unbothered by the curious and surprised stares of the passersby.
Her imposing presence and the stillness of her face seemed to wrap them in an aura of security.
Thus, Astra guided them toward the beginning of a new life, confident that mother and daughter would find a place to belong under her protection.
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Chapter 11: Connections
Astra walked through the empty streets, her imposing figure carrying both the mother and daughter.
Looking at the woman walking behind her, Astra noticed she seemed tired.
Without hesitation, she grabbed her with her tail and lifted her onto her back. The woman clung to Astra's neck, feeling an unexpected comfort. With both of them on her back, Astra spoke, asking the woman:
— "What are your names?"
The woman, resting her head on Astra's back and feeling the softness of the contact, opened her eyes and, with some embarrassment, replied:
— "My name is Junko... no last name. And my daughter's name is Airi."
"....."
Astra didn't respond when Junko said her name. She continued walking in comfortable silence.
Junko, looking over Astra's shoulder, glanced at Airi, who rested in Astra's arms.
The girl, though weak and trembling, seemed to find comfort in Astra's embrace, settling in without saying a word.
Shortly after, they arrived at the bus stop. After waiting for a while, the bus finally arrived. They got on, and Astra looked at the driver.
— "Two adult tickets and one for a child, please."
The driver observed her silently, making no comments about her unusual appearance. He had seen strange things over the years and simply accepted Astra's payment without a word, continuing with his job.
...
...
...
30 Minutes Later
The bus arrived a block away from Astra's house. With the same ease with which she had lifted Junko earlier, Astra carried them again and brought them to her home.
Upon arriving, Astra led them into a spacious yet minimalist space designed to provide safety, far from the threats still lurking on the streets.
Junko looked around in amazement, unable to help feeling a little overwhelmed. Although the mansion was austere, it exuded a strange energy, one that seemed to come directly from Astra.
— "Welcome to your new home," Astra said with unwavering calmness, letting them inside.
"From today onward, you'll be my servants. Since you're the first, you'll be the head of the others if more come. Your daughter will work as well, but not too much. For now, we'll focus on her recovery."
— "Thank you for your consideration, Astra-sama," Junko replied, adding "-sama" at the end as a sign of respect and acknowledgment of her new role.
Placing Airi on the couch, Astra sat beside her.
Airi began looking around the house with fascination, delighted by how different it was from the tiny box she had lived in before.
Junko, however, remained deep in thought. Her mind revolved around the words Astra had spoken when they first met. Doubts consumed her.
She feared that Astra might be just like everyone else she had encountered before—people who rejected them.
After a moment of silence, Junko dared to ask, cautiously looking at Astra. In her eyes, there was a different kind of fear compared to their first encounter.
Slowly, carefully choosing her words, Junko began to speak.
— "Lady Astra... there's something we need to tell you. Something you should probably know before... we begin."
Astra turned slowly, showing no signs of annoyance. Her gaze fixed on Junko without a word. The silence between them only added to the tension.
With trembling hands, Junko moved closer to Airi, who was distracted by the details of the place.
Gently, she began stroking her daughter's hair before continuing.
— "My daughter... Airi has a gift," Junko said, her voice barely a whisper. "It's... complicated. A quirk that connects people's minds."
Astra observed her silently, unfazed. Though partially fascinated by the gift, she maintained her composure, controlling her emotions through her mastery over her body.
Junko went on, trying to remain calm.
— "She can't read thoughts in the conventional sense, but she can make people's minds connect... Meaning, people can experience what others feel, see what they see, even hear what they hear or speak to each other."
Airi, who had been looking at Astra, nodded her small, serious face in Astra's direction. To Astra, this only seemed adorable, but she continued to listen intently.
"But," Junko added, her expression clouded with concern, "she doesn't fully know how to control this power. Sometimes, people can get trapped in the connection—they can't disconnect from each other's thoughts. It's dangerous if not handled carefully."
Before Astra could respond, Junko spoke quickly, her tone almost pleading.
"But don't worry, ma'am. She'll learn to control her quirk, and it will be useful. Besides, if people do get trapped in the connection, once my daughter faints, her quirk deactivates, and the danger disappears."
Astra looked at Airi and, after a tense silence, finally spoke in a soft tone.
"I understand. It's not a common power, but it can be useful... depending on how it's used."
Junko and Airi exchanged a glance, relief washing over them at Astra's understanding. Junko felt grateful—Astra had not rejected her daughter.
Even though it was a mental quirk that might seem harmless at first glance, mental quirks were not well received by society. People feared them, associating them with villains.
After all, who would want their mind read, controlled, or manipulated?
No one. And that's why most of society views mental quirks with suspicion. Even if Airi's quirk sounded harmless, it wasn't.
The ability to let two people share feelings or sensations could be dangerous, no matter how innocent it seemed at first.
It seemed "innocent" because many people associated feeling what someone else feels with love, friendship, and other positive emotions.
But people always think of the worst-case scenario, even if only fleetingly.
And it's not uncommon for someone to wonder: "Are these my thoughts, or someone else's?" "Could they control my mind by making me think what they want?"
Or, in the worst-case scenario: "If someone feels pain, could I be connected to them and feel what they feel?"
This last possibility alone would lead many to label Airi's quirk as villainous. After all, who would want to feel pain?
Then there's an even more terrifying idea, one that would drive some to eliminate her.
The question is: Can death be connected?
Death extinguishes consciousness, leaving nothing. If one person is connected to another, feeling what the other experiences, wouldn't one also feel death when the other dies?
After all, their brains are linked in some way, sharing sensations. When someone dies, their brain shuts down seconds after their heart stops beating.
If consciousnesses are connected, wouldn't one extinguish with the other?
The mere idea of feeling death would terrify even the bravest soul. And in a society where heroes and villains are everyday occurrences, people might see this power as a threat to everyone.
Imagine being able to connect the minds of an entire city and then killing just one of the connected individuals, causing a chain reaction that ends them all.
It would be an unstoppable ability.
But Astra didn't fear this power for a few simple reasons. First, according to what Junko had said, Airi needed permission to connect her mind with others—though Astra didn't dismiss the possibility that, with training, Airi could eventually bypass consent.
Second, Astra herself had experienced death and didn't believe her brain could trick itself into thinking it had died just because someone else connected to her had.
And third, her regenerative abilities made her less vulnerable to brain damage, though she had no intention of testing this theory.
"Junko," Astra finally said, her tone calm and firm, "you can rest easy. I know your daughter's ability might be dangerous to others, but I don't fear it. After all, all I need from you is for you to do your job. In the meantime, we'll train your daughter to control her quirk and, eventually, master it."
Junko couldn't hold back her tears of gratitude and joy. She bowed repeatedly, overwhelmed with relief and thankfulness.
— "Thank you, thank you, thank you... I promise I won't disappoint you, Astra-sama."
Letting the woman express herself, Astra finally asked:
— "And you, Junko. What can you do?" Astra asked curiously.
Junko, with a bitter smile, replied humbly:
— "Nothing. I don't have a quirk. I've always been... normal, so to speak. But that doesn't stop me from taking care of Airi."
Astra nodded, accepting the answer without further questions.
— "That's fine. Everyone has something to offer. Now, go take a bath and get ready. I need you both prepared for... what's coming."
Junko froze, blinking in shock as she stood motionless.
She couldn't believe how little Astra cared about her lack of a quirk. She had expected to be dismissed, yelled at, or, at the very least, apologized to, but Astra treated her completely normally.
And, somehow, that made her feel good—treated like anyone else.
Lost in her thoughts, Junko didn't notice when Astra grabbed her and took her, along with Airi, toward the bathroom, pushing them inside and closing the door.
— "Stop overthinking, woman, and take a bath. You're going to make my house stink," Astra said.
From inside, Junko snapped out of her thoughts and shouted:
— "I'm sorry, ma'am!" She then walked toward her daughter, began stroking her hair, and after a moment, stepped into the shower.
...
...
...
Time passed slowly. Astra approached the bathroom door without looking inside, leaving some clothes in a small drawer.
— "You can wear my clothes. Afterward, we'll go buy you something more suitable," she said indifferently, turning to leave.
Junko wanted to refuse the offer, but her gaze fell on the worn and dirty clothes she and Airi were wearing. She pressed her lips together, silently accepting.
The two women took their time getting ready.
Airi, her reddish hair still damp and messy, clumsily tried to comb it, while Junko inspected the clothes Astra had left, making sure everything was in order.
It was hard for her to accept help, but just wearing something clean and decent felt like a small miracle.
When they finally stepped out of the bathroom, Astra was waiting in the living room, observing them with a neutral expression, though her evaluative eyes analyzed every detail.
Junko had tied her hair back with some makeshift pins and wore a slightly oversized white shirt that contrasted with her timid movements.
Airi, on the other hand, wore a small dark shirt and pants that were a bit too big for her. Though her figure still looked fragile, her face showed a palpable determination, as if she were trying to project a strength she didn't fully feel yet.
Astra nodded slightly as she looked at them.
— "Good," she said in a soft but firm tone. "At least you no longer look like beggars."
Junko lowered her gaze, slightly embarrassed by the comment but also relieved. She knew that despite Astra's harsh words, there was an undertone of acceptance that gave her strength.
— "What's next, ma'am?" Junko asked, trying to hide her nerves as she clasped her hands.
Astra crossed her arms and looked out the window, deep in thought.
— "First, you'll eat something. But I want you to cook," she said, pointing at Junko with her gaze. "I want to evaluate your cooking skills. Meanwhile, I'll train Airi. She needs to learn how to use her quirk."
Junko looked up, surprised by the statement. That Astra was willing to train Airi, despite the risks her quirk might pose, filled her with hope and responsibility.
Without another word, she walked toward the kitchen, eyes blazing with determination.
"I'm going to cook something for the lady that'll make her dance with joy," she thought as she tied her hair back and rolled up her sleeves. "I'll show her she wasn't wrong to give us a home."
Meanwhile, Astra turned to Airi and began walking toward the living room.
— "Kid, I'm going to train you. I'll take my valuable time to do it, so you'd better work hard and prove I wasn't wrong about you."
Airi nodded quickly, clenching her small fists with determination, but she couldn't help pouting at the word "kid."
— "I'll do whatever it takes, Lady Astra!" she exclaimed firmly, before adding with a slightly annoyed tone, "And I'm not a kid. I'm 16 years old. I just look younger because I haven't developed well and I've been hungry. But I'll grow soon. You'll see."
Astra looked at her in surprise. It was hard to believe she was 16, as she barely looked 14 or 15. The age difference between them wasn't much, only three years, but Astra didn't let that distract her too much.
She let out a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
— "I hope so, Airi. Because the world won't be kind to you for what you can do. You'd better learn to be stronger than everyone who fears you."
Airi grew more serious and nodded with determination. She knew all too well how cruel the world could be. She had once tried to get into the U.A. but failed both the robot combat test and the written exam, as she never had the chance to study properly.
She hadn't even finished high school, unlike many who managed to at least complete part of it before pursuing a future as heroes.
However, Airi wanted to help her mother. She knew she was still weak, but she was determined to change.
Training a little would be nothing compared to everything they had been through together. She was ready to do whatever it took to please Astra and, above all, to protect her mother.
With a determined look, Airi prepared to begin her training.
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Fin Del Capitulo 11]
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This chapter has been more relaxed, focusing on the introduction of Junko and Airi. Airi's quirk was inspired by Ino, specifically during the Fourth Great Ninja War when she connected everyone's minds, creating a massive mental network. From there, I developed ideas to make the quirk more dangerous, which I detailed in this chapter.
The next chapter will also be a calm one, but it will delve into exploring a concept of Astra's quirk that many forget from the original version of Majin Buu. Additionally, when certain paths are closed, others open, and that's something I plan to address in the next chapter. Some people might not like this idea, but I love it—especially considering that, in Majin Buu's case, it's a relatively unknown detail.
[For now, I'm sorry I can't say when the chapter will be uploaded, as I still don't have Wi-Fi at home.]