Shinsou pants harshly as he doubles over, attempting to control his breathing. He isn't used to this at all, the training he underwent with Aizawa is so much different than Nedzu's—who was taking over while All Might recovers in the hospital after the entire fight he had in Kamino. That incident had been completely terrifying, especially seeing Midoriya in the middle of the fight along with the dying hope at seeing All Might losing. It was a tensed situation that night, especially for the aftermath that may have happened. Truth be told, that that night had been traumatic especially knowing that Midoriya had been at the scene.

The only good thing that comes out of the entire training is that he isn't the only one who's dying at the moment. The rest of 1-A are on the ground moaning and whining about the difficulty. Midoriya is squatted down while holding his head and muttering slightly. Whelp, he thinks with creeped out expression, he's gone insane. Surprised it didn't happen sooner.

The brainwasher sighs and plops down beside the muttering green-haired teenager. They're training for their provisional license. Aizawa and Ectoplasm are helping them with their special moves while Nedzu is helping them with the mental part. Yet there's nothing mental about it. It's all more physical than anything. It's the worst thing ever but it's helpful. "I won't be surprised if you see the shadows clinging onto us."

He receives a breathy laugh and a smile as he leans against the child of one of the Seven Deadly Sins. "Oh, I don't even want to think about those demons. I just want a good rest. Put me to sleep with those Sloth powers of yours." His wide, puppy dog eyes and pouting lips would have cracked him if he hadn't thrown his emotions into a garbage can all those years ago.

"I would, but I'll be wasting energy on you."

"Wow, rude." Their laughter drifts over to those who are dying worse than them.

"Can you two not laugh? We want to die peacefully." Kaminari Denki, Hitoshi remembers. The guy with the electricity quirk that they call "Pikachu" for obvious reasons. The guy usually comes to Izuku and him for help with pranks or they all have late night chats because they cannot sleep and Izuku is usually working on a case and trying to get some reports done and over. The first time they had ever hung out, it wasn't a much of a "hangout" but more of a "get Kaminari to sleep" night.

"I get why you wanted no one in here," said Kaminari as he walked into the teen's room. Cases upon cases covered one side of the room and hero merchandise on the other. He shivered from either cold or slight fear from the images plastered on the walls, Shinsou wasn't sure, getting onto the bed and curling up under the thick blanket. "Man, I hate insomnia. Are you sure that Shinsou can help?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No offense dude, but you look like you need sleep more than me."

"I was born like this," he muttered, poking his bags with the pads of his fingers. Where most wouldn't like the bags under their eyes, he always liked them. Mostly because he always had them, having been born with them. Like how some would love their eyelashes, nose or something, Hitoshi liked the bags under his eyes. People could fuck off for all he cared. "Just lay down and close your eyes. I'll have you sleeping before you know it." The Child of Sloth glanced at the Child of Death with an "are you sure about this" look, earning a nod. Sighing in slight resignation, he turned back to the blond. "Don't blame me if I send him into a coma."

"Ooh, sounds festive."

"Stop," he muttered, glaring at the only blond in the room, not in the mood for memes. He pressed the tip of his index finger against the center of his forehead, concentrating on the brain waves of the other. He focused on having him sleep for a few hours, calming the guy's brain waves and constant running mind. Once he was knocked out, he turned to Midoriya with a sigh as he felt slightly tired himself. Upon noticing the look on his friend's face, he muttered something under his breath and ran a hand down his face. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about the Puzzle Games," he said, which he shouldn't have been surprised about. Ever since he found out about him being a civilian consultant, he would constantly find the guy thinking about the murders directed towards the pro-hero Sir Nighteye. These murders and the bundle of puzzle pieces that sprung up started a week after the Kamino Ward incident. Of course, it started a little earlier than that given the information Midoriya had mumbled. Apparently, Sir Nighteye has been adamant on ignoring the clues and messages he kept receiving, believing it was all a joke.

"That's the best name you can come up with for a murder case? Really?" He put his hands up in surrender at the look he received from the shorter, more adorable male. "Okay. What about it?"

"I'm trying to figure out one of the latest puzzles." He showed him the notepad with a riddle on it. "A figure wanders alone, no skin and only bone. Revenge on my mind, the past will come to light."

"That's freaky. Does it mean that their next target will deal with a person with a bone quirk or does it mean that the figure is the murderer who tells no lies?"

"Probably. That's a good guess. I was thinking that they don't have anything to hide; they've been skinned and don't have to hide their true nature or colors. They're doing all this for revenge because of the past he and Sir had."

Kaminari turned in his sleep, curling up. The two glanced at each other. "Let's get him to his room before we continue this conversation."

Uraraka and Iida sit down beside Midoriya and him, talking with a tired tone, their words somewhat slurred. Shinsou listens as he watches a few people pick themselves up and limp into the locker rooms from aching muscles. He isn't one to contribute to conversations with other people around. Sometimes it's because he's come close to spilling some secrets about the two of them and it isn't worth doing that to himself. He is perfectly okay with staying in the background and watching, listening.

Soon, everyone disperses and they all are allowed to head back to the dorms. Hitoshi glances at the Neko with a discreet smile and a nod, happy that she's there. He and Midoriya head to the former's room, needing to talk about their plan of action on the news they had received from their Personas a week ago. Todoroki will be joining in later. It's odd thinking about someone who isn't a Champion knowing about their Championship.

"Okay, so why didn't Death just appear to you in a healthier form?"

"How should I know?" He lets out a small sigh, running a hand through his dark green locks which have grown longer and have started to frame his face. They resemble green waterfalls. The boy's face is covered in makeup, obscuring the scars he had gained after the whole Kamino situation. The child of Death is midway between blind and not. Apparently, because he hadn't accepted Death's offer into being a full-fledged Champion, he was to suffer punishment if he were to have died the third chance he lost. His punishment: blindness. His eyes will revert back to when he was born through negative emotions, such as deep-seated rage, stress, terror, etc. The teen had suffered a lot of pain during his entire kidnapping if those scars on his chest and arms are anything to go by. Hitoshi hasn't any idea of what happened, mainly because Midoriya hasn't told him and probably won't tell him.

"So, on an unrelated note, is Bakugou avoiding you or am I seeing things?"

"He's been avoiding me," he says with a small sigh, almost forlorn as if he's remembering something that's sad. This kid, no matter how much he wore his heart on his sleeve, he always seems to come off as an enigma to the brainwasher. Hell, he doesn't even know where he went to school or what his favorite color is. All he knows is that he enjoys helping people and anything hero like, he's a civilian consultant, that he's a Champion, and he was the one who had approached him that day on the bridge and gave him that choice to make. He was the one to give him hope and kept him from ending it all. He made him realize things that no one but his family has ever done for him. A total stranger—one who turned out to be a partner in the future—had helped him out. He knows more about the brainwasher than the brainwasher knows about the bone-breaking child. "During the entire situation, I said a few things I regret and hadn't been able to apologize for any of it lately."

They fall silent. The only sound filling the room is the sound of them flipping through the pages of a book on witchcraft. The Neko watches the two, tilting her head as she observes her kit with a friend. It has been a long while since he's gone without someone to trust and here's the child of death helping him find his place in this school of heroes. Her tail flicks from side to side, staring at the two children only to rip her gaze away when the door opens to reveal her kit's other friend. A non-champion. "So what all are we going to be talking about?" he questions, sitting beside the green-haired teenager who doesn't even glance up at the dual-haired teen.

"Well, a week ago, Death and Sloth along with Fate had appeared to tell us about an imbalance." Hitoshi turns to the younger one of the three, looking at him with an indescribable expression. He sighs softly, rubbing his head. "The Immortal Being of Creation of Imbalance has gone missing. Two weeks prior, a week after the incident in Kamino, Fate foresaw a darkness overtake the world." The same week the Puzzle Games case had been hit with an actual murder. If the being Imbalance isn't found, who knows what will happen. He is an important Persona and their Champion is getting really weak, which does not spell for anything good. Life's Child is keeping an eye on them and yet, their condition is steadily decreasing. That in itself is a clue that Imbalance is not only missing but has been kidnapped. Balance, his gender-fluid counterpart, is in hysterics and being protected by Death just in case the one who kidnapped him wouldn't stand a chance. Death is quite powerful. One of the oldest Personas but younger than Life.

Todoroki Shouto gapes with wide eyes at the child of Death. "What?"

Hitoshi sighs softly with a hand against his forehead. He doesn't know how much they can reveal, so he keeps it summarized and keeps it vague. "Dark times will befall on this world and only the Champions of Immortal Creation will be able to stop it. That is if we can find the third Champion that's on campus. After that, we have to find the Champion of Time. Word has been out that she's a key to find Imbalance."

"So," he says, staring at the two immortal teens in front of him. "How will you find her? And do you think the teachers will even let you off campus?"

"Our Guides are on the lookout. Plus, the Ghouls can shadow travel me out of campus."

"The Nekos can teleport me."

"What? That's unfair. Why do I have to deal with screams and whines of agony?"

"Ask Death."

"Ha, I'd rather not."

Torodoki frowns as he witnesses the way the two act and can't help but feel left out. He knows that being a Champion is dangerous—so is being a hero—but he is the only one, apart from the Aizawa and Recovery Girl, who knows that they're Champions, but in the entire class, they can only go to him to talk about it or with each other. The two are talking about something he doesn't really understand right now which makes him feel awkward and out of place. He hasn't an idea of what they're talking about despite knowing exactly what they're talking about if that makes sense.

And, ever the lifesaver, Midoriya turns to him with a smile. "Sorry. I bet you're confused about this. We have to start telling you more about Champions."

"That will be really helpful." He pushes his hair back. "How do you know if someone's a Champion?"

"You don't unless they tell you or their Persona decides to appear and tell you. We can see each other's Personas, but not the guides. Those can only be seen if granted permission from the Persona."

"Except when it comes to one type of Guide," adds Midoriya. "Your Guides will come in different shapes and forms." He gives a small smile. "For example, my Guides are Ghouls. Each Ghoul is classified as a different thing. There are Human, Shadow, Feeder, Corpse, and Animal. The Animal type Ghoul is one I don't ever want to meet, given the things Beetle has said about them. Corpse Ghouls, when I was younger, I spoke to one and it appeared to those in the room. It's similar to Shinsou's quirk in the speaking to it. I believe that it may be like giving permission to someone—you know how someone speaks to you and you're given permission to speak to them? It's somewhat like that."

They stare at him, trying to process the jumble of words that he just spewed at them. Shinsou squints his eyes at the other, raising a finger to point at him. "Didn't you make a book for Fate's child?" Shinsou asks, deciding to bring something else in. Sometimes reading something makes better sense than listening to someone explain it.

"Kota? Yeah. I only gave him information on what Beetle told me. He can add more notes to it once he finds out more on everything else."

"Great. We can make a book for Todoroki on both of our knowledge combined."

"We can do that. Hold on," he says, standing up and rummaging through an unpacked box. He pulls out a big, 5-Star notebook, flipping through it. He walks to his desk, grabbing a sharpie and a pen. The teen jumps onto the bed with them, grinning as he writes the title on the black cover in the silver sharpie. "I'll give you this next Friday when I finish it."

"There's no way you'll be able to do that," doubts Shinsou, who hasn't been around Midoriya long enough to believe he'll be done in a week.

"Bet."

Shinsou stares at him for a second. "Bet."

"Don't doubt him, Shinsou. He has determination and years of analytical experience. You'll be surprised when he shows it off."

"You—"

Knock-knock-knock!

They glance at each other with a frown. Shinsou sighs, standing and heading to open the door. Violet eyes meet crimson irises, but the latter's gaze isn't trained on the former's. "Deku," says the owner of the fierce rapping with a slight growl in his voice. "I need to speak with you."

What does Bakugou want? We'll see in the next chapter! Have fun, good luck, have a good day/night.

Questions?

Comments?