AN: Note that the first few chapters will be fairly similar to the first few of the original book, but that's because they were early enough that if I edited them it did no harm to the overall plot. However, there are some changes nonetheless in this compared to Quintessential. Nevertheless, enjoy~ 

Also you don't have to have read Quintessential. That book is a mess and a half. 

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𝙖𝙨·𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚 

𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙗 

𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 (𝙖𝙣 𝙪𝙣𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜) 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚.

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Presenting.

The time in any kids' life when their scent changes, signifying their second gender for all the world to smell. For many this happens while their hastily coloring outside of the lines in the kindergarten room, or even just as they sit down for supper. A sudden burst of whatever smell will waft around them, signaling Alpha, Beta, or even the illusive Omega.

Betas took up around fifty percent of the population, while Alphas took up 35%, leaving Omegas with a dwindling  15%. The minority though, made up for it with their sweet, sweet scents, often  times imitating baked goods or even flowers. Alphas had muskier scents, like leather or fire pits, while Betas where stuck with bland ones, like bread or flour. 

Ah, yes. Presenting indeed was a great time in any person's life -almost as exciting as getting their quirk- but for the lucky few, or unlucky few, that slipped through the cracks, presenting was just one more thing to worry about. 

For Adaliah, she knew this much too well. 

The seven-year-old sat on the too-big hospital bed, knees tucked to her chest as her chin burrowed between her chest and knees. Her white locks fell behind her, knotted and greasy,  yellow eyes nearly as drab and flat as her hair. The bandages around her neck (hiding the nasty wound underneath) scratched at her sensitive skin, but she ignored it, in favor of glaring out the window. It was currently raining, the drops dragging down the tainted window as she frowned. It was exactly how she felt.   

Visiting hours were long over, not that she had many visitors, but it meant that her room would be quiet. Her room mate seemingly drifted of too sleep hours ago based on how quiet they were, leaving the room in complete and utter silence, one that echoed a taunting howl of loneliness around her.

The T.V in the corner played some stupid children's cartoon, something the girl grew out of a while ago, the voices becoming white noise as she fiddled with one of the buttons on her shirt. She was still invested in the window, the night sky dark but still light enough to highlight the raindrops that continued to fall. It was a sweet serenity until broken; The tacky curtain behind her screeching as it was roughly pulled open. A new scent quickly invading her nose. 

An Alpha's scent.

 Turning quickly, on instinct rather than curiosity, she was faced with a dual hair colored boy, bandage wrapped around his left eye, a neutral look on his features. 

"Greetings."

"Hello..."

"How old are you?" The boy slowly crept towards the timid girl, watching as she quickly scooted away from him.

She paused, watching like a frightened deer as the boy crossed to the other side of the bed. "Seven." 

He hummed lowly. "Same age as me."

"I'm Shoto Todoroki." The boy slowly walked ever closer to her, clambering onto her hospital bed once he was close enough. Both were clad in pajamas (His All might onesie contrasting with her Eraserhead pants and shirt), bandages decorating their upper halves. 

"I'm Adaliah Chisaki." She had  reluctantly scooted to the side, allowing him to perch beside her. "You can just call me Liah though." 

Her fingers continued toying with the button, ever so conscious to the boy's eyes watching her every move, calculating when she would move next.

"Do you have an ice quirk?" The boy asked, referring to her white locks. Looking to her, he finally realized her eyes held a beautiful yellow, dandelion color. They seemed to glow, they were as bright as the sun in his eyes.

The girl shook her head, her eyes dampening even further. "No, uh, I have a light quirk...I can show you?" His dual-colored hair bounced as he hurriedly nodded, scooting closer to her. Reaching for his right hand, she allowed streams of golden light to fall from her palm, surrounding his hand. She instructed him to use his quirk, only to shock him as nothing happened. She called the beams back, ice quickly spreading around his fingertips, which he quickly diminished.  

"Is that why your in the hospital?"  

She shook her head again. "My mother punished me because I didn't listen." She said it like it was an easy fact, not taboo in the slightest. And to Todoroki, it wasn't. If anything he could relate. "Why are you in the hospital?"

"My mother poured boiling water over my fire side."  

The girl hummed, nodding her head as she dropped his hand. "Your an alpha, right?"

It was a perfunctory question. His heavy scent of fresh linens with a kick of spice wafted around him wherever he went, giving her her answer; still her manners kicked in. He nodded his head, getting ready to stand as the atmosphere chilled his spine, the shy girl obviously scared.  Todoroki slowly stood, noticing as her own eyes traced his every move, almost as if he would pounce at any moment. 

But he didn't.

 Instead, he stood at the bed side, waiting for his new found friend to follow; which she did with little hesitation. The two seven-year-olds walked down the hallway of the hospital, not one nurse questioning them as they did.

Soon enough they found themselves waiting for the elevator, which opened with a ding, both walking in, hand in hand. "What are you?"

"I haven't presented yet, but they think I'm gonna be a Beta."  

They left the elevator as the doors opened, the two finding themselves in the hospital's cafeteria. The boy had continued to lead her to a table, allowing her to sit as he watched over her. "I'll be right back, please stay here."

She nodded, watching as he walked away, quickly approaching the clerk, his mouth moving as if he were making conversation. The clerk smiled before bending over and handing him two plastic wrapped sandwiches before waving him off.

The dual-colored boy walked back to her, handing her a sandwich with a small smile, the girl taking it with a thanks. Adaliah placed the sandwich down, though, choosing to fiddle with her shirt button once more.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Shoto had asked through a mouthful of uneaten sandwich.

"Habit. Sorry- I just get so-nervous." She swallowed tightly, dropping the button momentarily before picking up the habit again.

Shoto finished with what was in his mouth, looking to her as he set down his sandwich. "You don't have to be nervous, button, I'll protect you." A bigger smile graced his features as he held one of her hands.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

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Funny enough, after she was released from the hospital, she never saw him again. He was released before she was, and that was the last they ever saw of each other.

At age eight now, she had grown very little, still rather small, but much changed within her. She was a lot more closed off, she kept her head down, voice small, acting much like the beta she was. Her mother was still incredibly strict, training her and her quirk at every possible moment, yet, she found time in between training sessions for her small visits to the local park, where she currently was.  Normally her brother would join her, but he had disappeared to god knows where. 

It was a rather cloudy day, no sign of the sun visible, a threat of rain overhanging the girl as she sat at the top of a metal slide. She was wearing blue jean overalls and a long sleeve, plain black shirt. Her white locks had grown to her mid-back, but she still had the same bright yellow eyes.

"You gonna go down the slide, extra, or you just gonna sit there?" A sharp voice broke her thoughts, an ash blond standing over her. A growl escaped him as his fire pit alpha scent seemed to surround her, triggering something deep in her.

She jumped at the loud noise before scrambling to move out of the way, sputtering out several apologies as she did, watching as the boy sat in the very same spot she did. He groaned before turning his head to look at her. "Names Katsuki Bakugo." He snapped, watching as she flinched. The smell of burnt sugar quickly invading his nostrils, causing him to scrunch up his nose. 

"Adaliah Chisaki. Call me Liah though." Her voice was merely a tremor compared to his own boisterous shouts.

"I'll call you whatever I damn well please!" He snarked again, this time turning completely to face the girl. He hated being told what to do, and he was going to tell her that, however the flame he had died out as he watched her cower, most likely afraid of him. The smell of beyond burnt sugar continued, only empowering as his red eyes focused on her. He sighed before caving. "Liah."

The burnt sugar smell disappeared almost immediately, a smile appearing on the girl's face as she looked up. A new scent of sweet vanilla was in the air, showing just how happy the girl was. 

"You an omega?" 

It was as he asked the question she realized her own scent, which stumped her. "I thought I was a beta."

"Guess your a late shower." He huffed before looking down at her again, his inner alpha howling in joy, his ashy fire pit scent amplifying. He stood up momentarily, slowly walking over to where the shivering girl stood, placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder; Taking a deep breath shortly after, watching as Adaliah slowly stopped her shaking.

 "I'll keep you safe, 'mega- er, Liah."

"Can I call you 'Suki?"

"Don't push it, extra." 

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What do you mean vine references at the end of each chapter aren't allowed?!

Katsuki: What's the dumbest things you believed as a child?

Izuku: That my dad would come back.

Shoto: That I would grow up happy.

Adaliah: Ya'll need to chill. I was gonna say the kool-aid man existed.

-

Adaliah: I hate sunlight, and I'm slightly allergic to garlic.

Shoto: Are you a vampire or something?

Adaliah: I mean I haven't completely ruled that out.

Izuku: Well, you have blood pumping through your veins right?

Adaliah: ...

Adaliah: I do have blood, yes.

-

Izuku: I know you think my mind is a little clouded because I like Adaliah a little bit.

Uraraka: Did you just doodle your wedding invites?

Izuku: Excuse you, this is our joint tombstone.

Uraraka: My bad.