The Force is not a necessity. What matters above all else is the heart of a Jedi.
I had only just managed to reconcile myself with that thought when, on a Sunday the following week, my Quirk finally manifested.
And then I nearly died, resulting in an immediate trip to the hospital. It would seem that even without a connection to the Force, a "bad feeling" has a way of coming true.
You might wonder how a Quirk manifestation leads directly to a hospital bed. But such is the inherent danger of these "individualities." I have come to understand this not just intellectually, but deep within my soul.
Allow me to explain what transpired, step by step.
I previously mentioned the timing of the awakening, but in truth, that wasn't entirely accurate. My Quirk belongs to what is commonly called the "Emitter" class—an ability triggered by the conscious intent of the user. This means it is entirely possible I had awakened to it long before that fateful Sunday without realizing it.
Had it been a "Heteromorph" type—where one's physical body is visibly altered from the human norm—I would have known the exact moment. But my change was internal.
As for the circumstances of the discovery... it is, frankly, a rather embarrassing tale.
That day, I was accompanying Hiromi on a shopping trip. Before heading home, we stopped at the mall's food court for a rest, and she bought me a frozen confection known as "soft-serve."
Its texture, its chill, its sweetness—it was far more exquisite than I had anticipated. To put it bluntly, it was delicious. I found myself musing that while this planet's civilization lagged behind the Republic, their culinary arts were certainly a match for it.
But in the midst of my enjoyment, a fleeting, selfish thought crossed my mind: I want more.
In that instant, the Quirk that had been slumbering within me sprang into action. An unthinking force, it simply carried out my will. It took the soft-serve and... multiplied it.
Yes, my Quirk is a simple one: the ability to duplicate things. Given that Hiromi possesses an "Enlargement" Quirk, it seems I inherited a variation of her power.
Seeing the ice cream multiply, I was delighted. I allowed myself a moment of pure, unguarded joy. Hiromi was startled, but more than that, she was overjoyed that her daughter's Quirk had finally appeared. Her eyes shone even brighter than mine. It was a mundane, happy scene of a parent and child—the kind of small, everyday moment that defines this world.
No one could have predicted that this joy would plummet into despair in the very next heartbeat.
Suddenly, the strength drained from my limbs. I became gaunt and emaciated in a matter of seconds. As my consciousness flickered, I collapsed, unable even to break my fall on the pavement. In that moment of searing pain, I prepared myself for a second death.
I can only begin to imagine Hiromi's state of mind, watching her child wither before her eyes. Having never been a parent myself, I cannot truly claim to understand her heart... and yet, I can feel the weight of it.
Perhaps my brush with death was a punishment for harboring greed—a trait a Jedi must always abstain from. Regardless, I felt a profound sense of guilt for the terror I put Hiromi through.
Fortunately, my life was not in danger. After a few days of hospitalization, the atmosphere around me shifted toward celebration for the child who had awakened a new power.
According to the doctor, my Quirk is indeed an Emitter type triggered by my will, but it carries a heavy price: it consumes my internal nutrients. The more powerful, prolonged, or widespread the manifestation, the greater the consumption.
A human body can only store so much energy. Once those levels drop below a certain threshold, vital functions begin to fail. This was the cause of my collapse.
Later, I was asked to perform a "test run" of the Quirk for further study. During this trial, I nearly starved myself to death again. I simply didn't know my own limits and pushed too far.
To nearly die of malnutrition while inside a fully-staffed hospital is a rare experience indeed. ...Or perhaps, on this planet, it isn't rare at all?
Regardless, I had two near-death experiences in a very short span. But regarding the second one, I have absolutely no regrets.
How could I? I had realized something. I had made a connection.
If this Quirk can duplicate matter... could it not also multiply the midi-chlorians within my own body?