Hesci! I'm sorry it took so long to update. I ended up losing my notes for this chapter and had to start from scratch. Because of this, I decided to take a different approach by making this more of a conversation heavy chapter. I also added some stuff to the ending of the last chapter and reposted it at the beginning of this one. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but it was getting too long so I had to cut some stuff out. Regardless, I hope you enjoy!
The Old-Hag let out an exasperated sigh. "Once you read what's inside, you'll never be able to go back to a time where you were oblivious to its contents," Mitsuki explained darkly. It unsettled Bakugou to be stared at so intensely by eyes exactly like his. "I'm not exaggerating when I say it will forever change how you carry yourself from this point on. Paving the way for you to be bonded to Kyo for the rest of your life."
"What the hell do you keep going on about?" Bakugou growled impatiently. Taking an aggressive step forward. He was getting sick of her interfering with his quest for answers. "It's obvious you know more than you're letting on. Do us all a favor and spit out the truth already, you old hag!"
Mitsuki remained silent. Her identical eyes conflicted as she bit her lip tentatively. The timid expression she willingly displayed irritated Bakugou to no end. The blatant vulnerability his mother showcased felt like a slap to the faceas he witnessed her confident persona reduced to someone incredibly inferior to the woman he looked up to throughout his youth. How could someone so strong-willed be utterly disconcerted by a simple question? She was a fucking Bakugou, wasn't she? His mother lost her privilege to play coy with him after dancing around the topic at hand for so long.
"How the fuck do you know all this?" he urged again when his mother refused to answer his question.
A wistful smile spread across her features then. "Because Katsuki, that is what you call Hitsuzen," Mitsuki chuckled to herself. Her tone implying that he had missed some kind of clever inside joke.
Bakugou P. O. V.
Hitsuzen;
A naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible. A result which can only be obtained by a single causality and all other casualties would necessarily create different results. At least that's what the Kodansha Japanese desk dictionary defined it as in Bakugou's vocabulary work last semester. It also happened to be the twins' surname, which after stumbling upon their otherworldly secret, seemed like some kind of twisted cosmic joke to the explosive hero.
Two sets of identical eyes regarded each other in silence, though the emotions that reflected in each pair conflicted with the other. One burned with unrivaled irritation, while the second remained disturbingly thoughtful. Unsettled by the uncharacteristic calmness that resided within their depths, Bakugou tore his gaze from his overbearing mother.
"If you have something to say, just fucking say it already?" the teen growled to save face. Subconsciously transferring the majority of his weight on one leg with his arms crossed tightly against himself in a short-lived instance of self-consciousness. A degrading habit Bakugou steadily acquired after being repeatedly scolded by his teachers at UA, after a lifetime of receiving nothing but praise.
"I finally figured out how I know Kyo," his mother stated bluntly, which caused the blonde teen to stiffen ever so slightly despite himself. Mitsuki shifted slightly in her seat on the queen-sized bed. Her hand absently ran through the slumbering shinobi's copper locks beside her. Soft intermittent purrs rumbled in Kyo's throat as a result, which brought a kind smile to her face and a distrustful glare from the other teen.
"It took me a few moments to figure it out," his mother admitted after a brief pause. Taking a moment to replace the overused ice pack on the sleeping teen's burning forehead with a fresh one. The renewed coolness instantly helped soothe her restless charge, for his breathing immediately evened out until they became relaxed snores. "When I first saw him, I could have sworn he was the spitting image of a manga character I adored when I was younger. He even shared the same name, but the last name was all wrong. It wasn't until I heard his real surname that everything gradually clicked into place."
It took a tremendous amount of effort to retain the neutral expression on Bakugou's face. However, the explosive hero could do little about his fidgeting fingers, which drummed lightly against the inside of his arm without his permission. His developing hero sense flooded his system with unwanted adrenaline from his worsening nerves. A subtle bite of his inner lip luckily managed to curb most of his fighting instincts enough to keep the anxious tapping out of Mitsuki's ever-watchful line of sight.
"Is that so?" Bakugou chided in a cold tone. A vain attempt to dissuade her from continuing this conversation by highlighting the absurdity of her words. Perhaps if he managed to undercut her position, the young hero could convince his mother to mind her own business. "You don't honestly believe he's some fictional character come to life? Even you have to realize how bat-shit crazy that sounds."
His mother made no indication that she had heard him. Instead, she continued on with her nostalgic recollection. Her attention fixated on lightly stroking Kyo's face as she spoke as if she craved physical confirmation that he was indeed real. "Like I could ever forget the Hitsuzen name. I was well acquainted with who I assume was his mother back in my early college days," Mitsuki revealed with a light-hearted smirk.
Before Bakugou could deny her claim by telling her that such an occurrence would have been impossible, that she must have been mistaken, his mother cut him off. "Yes, Amaya Hitsuzen. The girl with wolf ears and tail that traveled across dimensions," his mother stated in a manner that made it seem like she was talking to herself.
It felt as though Icyhot had frozen him in place with how Bakugou stood there utterly speechless. His mouth gaped stupidly as if he were one of his idiotic friends with the unexpected shock of his mother's statement.
No fucking way….
The young ash-blonde's sweaty palms tightened into fists. Bakugou's hidden knuckles turned a striking shade of white with the strain he placed on his poor, abused joints. He absolutely refused to believe it.
It's not fucking possible! My luck can't possibly be that craptastic!
But the irrefutable truth stared back at him with knowing crimson orbs. Bakugou couldn't deny that her claim made remarkable sense. That it helped explain the inconsistency of her actions, her tenacious infatuation of the other teen, and her ample knowledge of a phenomenon the young hero still struggled to make sense of. However, no amount of logic could stop his persistent pride from arguing back with his mother. He'd rather spend a whole day with Deku than ever admit she was right about anything.
"Tch, you can't be serious? Other worlds don't exist," Bakugou countered in the best belittling tone he could scrounge up. But it wasn't enough to conceal how incredibly weak his lie sounded to his own ears. The ash-blonde could practically feel the metaphorical wall he was backed up against. Even still, Bakugou gritted his teeth in preparation to stick to his guns to the bitter fucking end.
"And your only circumstantial proof is a name? It's just a fucking coincidence," he urged in an offhanded manner.
Mitsuki grinned at that. "Katsuki, I think you'll find that there's no such thing as coincidence. There is only Hitsuzen," his mother remarked wistfully.
There's that word again. Why does the hag keep throwing that term in my face?
"Yeah, I get it. Carrottop's name is ironic, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Mitsuki, however, ignored his question to ask one of her own. "Katsuki, you keep accusing me of knowing more than I'm saying, but the same could be said of you, couldn't it?" the ash-blonde woman inquired with a smug smirk. One of her long legs came to cross over the other in a fluid movement, reminiscent of the grace exhibited by a self-assured predator. "A few moments ago, you claimed that other "worlds" don't exist, even though I clearly mentioned the existence of other "dimensions" instead. Why's that?"
Bakugou visibly blanched at his critical mistake.
With her son rendered utterly speechless, Mitsuki carried on. Her predatory stare locked onto him as she stalked ever closer to the truth. "I'm only asking because it's uncommon for someone to suddenly change the terminology when discussing the same subject. By replacing a phrase, a person inadvertently discloses their level of knowledge on a given topic and reveals their preferences to the other person," Mitsuki lectured in a pompous tone, which of course, grated on the young hero's nerves.
It never ceased to irritate Bakugou how his mother could easily discern the subtle discrepancies of his behavior. How a civilian ever managed to possess such inhuman senses that seemed to rival most of the pro hero's he'd come to know was a complete mystery to him.
"If you're going to deceive someone, at least have the decency to craft a convincing delusion that you don't fall victim to yourself," she finished with a self-satisfied laugh.
You're such a-
Her widening grin infuriated Bakugou enough to cut off his train of thought. Mitsuki's smug expression blatantly revealed how much she enjoyed watching him seethe at the notion of being called out on his bullshit. The blonde couldn't even fault her for it either. It was a rookie mistake. One he would make sure to never repeat.
"How about we agree to stop lying to each other, shall we?" she proposed with a smirk.
"Only if that condition applies to you too," Bakugou growled back as he angrily leaned against the door frame. Silently scolding himself for being caught from a simple slip of the tongue. With an intensified glare, he hastily snapped, "I'm all ears when you're ready to fess up."
Her smirk deepened. "Fine, what do you want to know first?" his mother asked, settling into a more comfortable position on her son's comfy bed.
The hot-headed teen's right eye twitched at her arrogance. "How involved are you with this otherworldly crap?" Bakugou demanded impatiently. Believing it was as good enough place to start his interrogation.
"Not very much," she answered easily enough. "I've never left this world if that's what you're asking, nor would I ever want to. I only know what I've witnessed from my time with my dear friend, Amaya."
The teen quietly mulled over her answer. His mother was being surprisingly accommodating for once in her life. She had even provided more information in her response than he had initially anticipated. If he wanted that to continue, it would be in Bakugou's best interest to show her the same courtesy. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
In a snappish tone, the hero-in-training asked, "What's your connection to her?"
"Not so fast," the old hag interjected with a raised hand held out toward him. "It's my turn to ask a question."
"What?!" Bakugou protested with sparkling palms. "No fucking way!"
"Katsuki!" his mother growled in warning. First, to rebuke him for attempting to use his destructive quirk to enhance his position in an argument. And second, to remind him that she was not asking for his permission. Instead, she was ordering Bakugou to submit to her decree or pay the consequences for defying her.
"Fine, whatever," he conceded with a begrudging hiss. The bright sparks popping from his hands gradually dwindled down until they faded into nothingness. His canines grounded together in agitation with enough force; he wouldn't be surprised if he chipped a tooth...again.
I knew this was going over too fucking smoothly.
"I'm right, aren't I?" she prompted with a stern voice. Her unnerving eyes narrowed at her stubborn brat as if she didn't fully trust Bakugou to answer truthfully. "Kyo is Amaya's son, who came from another world?"
"If you already know, what's the point in asking for confirmation?" the irritable teen huffed. Mildly insulted by her lack of confidence in him. He had already agreed to stop lying to her. Wasn't his word as a hero enough for her? "It's a fucking waste of a question."
"Just answer me."
"Tch, yeah, you were right," Bakugou muttered reluctantly. The slightest trace of a pout dulling the effect of his trademark scowl. He expected his mother to look triumphant with his admission, but her expression remained unreadable. Mitsuki eventually nodded in response, urging him to ask his next question.
"How did you two meet? What was your relationship with her like?"
"That's two questions, brat."
"Just shut up and answer the questions, hag!" Bakugou snapped. His hands clenched tightly at his sides to keep himself from sparking his quirk to life. There was No point in angering his mother more than necessary.
Mitsuki rolled her eyes but complied with her son's heated request. "I met her during my freshman year at university. She sort of crash-landed into my dorm room if I'm completely honest," the woman reflected with a soft chuckle. The warm sound and light shaking of the mattress made Kaidan, who rested on the shinobi's other side protectively, whine faintly in protest. Bakugou had been so focused on his mother's unwelcome intrusion in his room, that he hadn't noticed the dog's presence before then.
The glycerin user offered the husky an apologetic pat on the head before finishing her answer. "She ended up staying with me while she was in this world, and we quickly became friends. It was during that time, I learned about her and how she traveled from world to world, helping anyone in need."
Bakugou hung onto his mother's every word. As far as he could tell, she was keeping her promise. Answering his questions every bit as truthfully as he was answering hers. Though he wasn't foolish enough to believe she wasn't omitting any crucial information, she might deem unfavorable from him. Even so, It was perplexing how much her experience with Kyo's mother closely mirrored his own. Whether that was encouraging or not was still up for debate.
It was his mother's turn to pose a question. "Why is Kyo in this world? Did he come here alone?" Mitsuki unexpectedly inquired in an authoritative tone. Her abrupt question, coupled with its serious inflection, caught Bakugou off guard. Especially since it was similar to the one he had just asked her a moment before, which she answered fondly. Her change in demeanor distracted him from the fact that she was guilty of asking two questions at once as well.
"No. He came here with his brother and a female shinobi," the explosive hero muttered warily. Awkwardly shifting his weight onto his other foot. "They're currently instructing my class how to fight without our quirks. So far, they've taught us martial arts and basic weapon training."
Deducing that asking two questions at once was no longer an issue, the explosive shinobi demanded, "What did his mother do in this world? Was she dangerous?"
"No, she wasn't dangerous," Bakugou's mother defended too fast for his liking. Her body tensed subconsciously from the teen's question. Symbolizing the first chink of her impenetrable armor. The vulnerability piqued the hero's curiosity, and he made a mental note to return to this topic in the future. Noticing her son's scrutinizing stare, she resumed with, "She could certainly hold her own in a fight, but she never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. Amaya didn't come here for any specific reason. She was just passing through but was fascinated by this world and the concept of quirks. She ended up staying longer than she intended. Doing vigilante work here and there."
The hot-headed teen allowed his body to relax a fraction of a degree with that confirmation. It didn't really matter all that much since the older kunoichi was a different entity than the trio currently residing in Japan. However, it was comforting, all the same, to know his new classmates weren't affiliated with someone with a villainous track record in this country.
It's a start at the very least.
Crossing her arms to create a guarded stance, Mitsuki carefully implored,"How much has he told you about other dimensions? Or are the kids calling them "worlds" these days?"
The blonde teen rolled his eyes at his mother's quip. Childishly choosing to ignore it altogether. "He hasn't told me much," Bakugou muttered irritably. "I had only learned about this yesterday, which is why I had invited him over to learn more about it away from the good for nothing sidekicks I'm constantly surrounded by at school. Figured it wouldn't be a good thing for something like this to get exposed to a bunch of people."
His scowl morphed into a frown when he recalled how hurt Kirishima had looked when he canceled on him. It really sucked keeping this secret from the redhead, but information this dangerous could be disastrous if the wrong person overheard. "I know that there are apparently an infinite number of them and that doppelgangers of different people can be found on all of them. That's it."
Mitsuki nodded her approval.
Bakugou's answer to his mother's question prompted one of his own. "Why did Kyo's last name tip you off to who he was? If you know about other worlds, then you should know that other versions of people exist with the same names."
"Not that name," his mother began with a shake of her head.
The explosive teen raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her unwarranted declaration. Prodding her to finish her answer after a reluctant sigh. "Common definitions for Hitsuzen are inevitable, destiny, or fate, as the driving force in the world. For that reason, that name is exclusively reserved for a family that fights against the supposed "inevitability" of unwanted fates. In a way, mocking the very concept they are named after," Mitsuki carefully explained.
After pausing a moment to catch her breath, she carried on. "That's how I knew he was related to her. Since you're around the same age, I assumed he was her son. Honestly, I should have known by the accent he spoke in. I suppose after hearing it so often, I must have grown accustomed to it."
A heavy silence fell over the two ash-blonde inhabitants, which was only broken by the echo of Kyo's soft panting. Eventually, Mitsuki quietly asked, "Who else knows the truth about them?"
"As far as I know, only Aizawa and I," Bakugou answered carefully. He wasn't sure how she would react to his teacher knowing about their background. Would she be relieved? Or troubled? It was anyone's guess at this point. And here, Bakugou had always thought his mother had always been predictable. "Aizawa was apparently there when they landed in this world. He offered to shelter them in exchange for them, teaching us defensive moves for the future. It seemed he also wanted to keep a close eye on them in case they caused any sort of trouble in our world."
"He would be in on this," She nodded to herself, while her fingers lightly rested on her chin. Mitsuki turned her attention to her suspicious brat with a sly expression. "I'm surprised you haven't told Kiri at the very least-"
"Alright, Hag, if you're all-knowing about this crap, then tell me what the hell happened to Kyo?" the explosive hero demanded impatiently. Pointing his chin to where his classmate weakly writhed on his bed in a strange cat-like form. Thick beads of sweat collecting on his brow from the intense unexplainable fever he suffered from.
"Looks like curiosity got the best of him," Mitsuki chuckled at her own joke as she scratched one of the copper-colored ears on top of the shinobi's head.
Bakugou aimed a fiery glare in her direction. "Spare me your lousy wisecracks," snarled the explosive hero in warning. His patience was wearing dangerously thin as the minutes ticked on.
His mother sighed heavily at his angry expression. Grimacing herself, Bakugou could only hypothesize meant she regretted teaching him how to make such a frightening face to get whatever he wanted. With renewed composure, she continued with, "It's complicated. It would be better if Kyo explained it to you."
Again, Bakugou motioned to the unconscious shinobi beside her. This time with an exaggerated wave of his hand. Inwardly pleased to finally give his mother a taste of the same level of sass he was always served with at school. "In case you haven't noticed, he's sort of indisposed at the moment. Just tell me what you know already."
"Fine," his mother complied unenthusiastically. Roughly brushing a few loose ash-blonde strands back into place.
Mitsuki's keen eyes swiftly assessed the current state of Bakugou's bedroom. Meticulously taking in the sight of the various books thrown about the place from Kyo being thrown backward by that strange ray of blinding light. "Judging by the mess in here, I assume you both discovered that these mangas are more than just fictional stories? That they instead depict glimpses into other dimensions?"
The hero-in-training snorted at her presumption. "Of course we did. We aren't stupid," he huffed, turning away from her somewhat. Visibly offended by her remark. Bakugou regarded the manga still in his hand warily. Absently wondering if he should still be holding it with how they had easily knocked Kyo out the second, the shinobi touched one.
"However, we didn't expect them to be so dangerous. Thatcopycat tried to read a manga about his mom and got knocked the fuck out by some weird discharge of power." As the future number one hero spoke, his voice steadily grew quieter. Until eventually, it was barely more than a subdued whisper. "Then he turned into...well that!"
A low knowledgeable hum grabbed Bakugou's attention. "What you described sounds about right. Just like you two, Amaya and I stumbled upon the truth of these books with similar results," she revealed thoughtfully. Gently ruffling her afflicted house guest's copper hair in a comforting gesture. Followed closely by a pitiful moan from Kyo, which stirred something unrecognizable within Bakugou. Noticing the blonde's reaction, his mother responded, "You don't have to worry about him. He should be just fine before too long. Kyo simply paid the price of prying into things not meant for his eyes."
Without prompting, his mother somberly began to recount what she witnessed during her time with her friend from another realm. Willingly sharing the information with Bakugou without him having to ask a question. Mitsuki described how they had happened upon the mangas one lazy afternoon. How together, they quickly discovered they depicted glimpses of other dimensions and even significant past and impending occurrences. She reflected that they had fun reading them together, but whenever Amaya touched one about a world she visited or one she would eventually travel to, the kunoichi would suddenly lose consciousness with a high fever.
The hot-headed hero listened to his mother's narrative in respectful silence. "So that's why you were so prepared when I came back," Bakugou commented aloud when his mother had finished speaking. Recalling how she had expertly moved Kyo to the bed and significantly reduced his imposing fever in the couple of minutes, the hero had left his friend unattended.
Even still, his scowl deepened. "If you knew this would happen, you could have warned us about the risks!" It wasn't so much a question, but an accusation.
"Well, I'm warning you now brat," his mother shot back through grit teeth. Despite the venom that dripped off of her words, it put the teen at ease, hearing her voice had regained a hint of its usual fire.
"Tch, let me see if I got this straight,"Bakugou began with an exasperated hiss. His fingers pinching the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to alleviate his heightened migraine. "What you're trying to say is that this psycho ended up like this because he was exposed to something he wasn't meant to learn yet? Even if I were to ignore how fucking vague that sounds. It still doesn't explain why he turned into some kind of cat hybrid," the teen summarized with a curt disposition.
The paper volume in his possession felt absurdly heavy in his hand, while the one concealed within his pocket felt uncomfortably warm with the waning of its previous released power. Regardless of the risk they potentially posed to his well being, the young hero was unwilling to part with them just yet. There was still so much more Bakugou wanted to know about Kyo, the other travelers, the existence of other worlds, all of it. The possibilities were fucking endless. And they beckoned to every fiber of his being with a ferocity he could never hope to put into words.
Mitsuki shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but my guess is his demonic nature manifested itself to heal him when he was knocked unconscious," Bakugou's mother hypothesized tentatively.
A vast stillness fell over the room as the implications of his mother's words sunk in. A skeptical red gaze darted back to the comatose teen. The hero's jaw slackened a bit in disbelief. "He's a what?"
She couldn't be serious.
"I assume he hadn't mentioned that?" Mitsuki surmised offhandedly when she took in her son's troubled expression. Though most of her attention was focused on casually inspecting the trivial grime underneath her long painted fingernails.
"No, he didn't," Bakugou growled back in frustration. His mind still reeled with the new development. The hot-headed teen had no reason to start doubting his mother's words. But still, he couldn't fathom how Kyo could be what she described. "How the hell do you know?"
"Katsuki, I realize this is a lot to take in, but it wouldn't kill you to use your brain before defaulting to blind irritation," Mitsuki rebuked with a huff. Thankfully, she was too far away to deal a physical blow to the back of his head along with the unwarranted advice. "Just think about it. If his mother had a demonic lineage, then it would make sense for her children to as well."
Bakugou barely resisted the urge to hit his mom then. It was fortunate he did, challenging her never ended well for him or the house for that matter. Instead, the blonde focused his energy on centering himself, but that was easier said than done. He felt like his skull was going to split in half with the absurdity of the notion of Kyo being a demon. At the same time, it didn't seem all that strange with everything else that had happened to the blonde lately. The explosive hero's life had become exceptionally complicated since attending UA. Bakugou never imagined he would envy the monotonous simplicity of his middle school days.
If this was the type of insanity that Deku has to deal with daily, then the damn nerd could fucking have it, Bakugou thought bitterly.
"Does his ancestry bother you?" his mother interjected, disrupting his thoughts.
The explosive hero took a moment to deliberate on that. His crimson gaze flickered back to Kyo while he did so. With a plethora of furry new additions altering the shinobi's physique, it wasn't precisely what Bakugou would have envisioned a demon to look like. To the future number one hero, a spawn of hell should effortlessly instill fear into all that gazed upon its grotesque form. Not make the girls of his class swoon with the fiend's endearing feline features.
Furthermore, Bakugou had already experienced pure evil before. The ash-blonde had naively thought he had felt its icy clutches when he was repeatedly plunged into an airless prison. When he was smothered by that slime villain during middle school, and once again, when that scorched motherfucker dragged him back into a dark evershifting void full of bonafide criminals. But all those encounters paled in comparison to the malice that wafted off of All For One during his brief encounter with him amongst the ruins of Kamino District. That Villain was a true demon—a villainous monster without fucking equal, which this fledgling shinobi could never expect to measure up to. When you thought of it like that, Kyo's supposed demonic form was actually quite laughable in comparison.
Midnight's voice echoed through the young hero's mind then. "It's important to remember that one trait or act does not define a person. And that one's opinion of a person is not the same for everyone."
Bakugou's joint therapy session with Kiri felt like a lifetime ago. Even so, he recalled his promise to not let external factors such as social constraints dictate or sway how he personally thought about an individual. "If you couple that knowledge with your previous interactions with him, instead of his background, you'll be able to gauge what kind of person he truly is… Promise me you'll take these words to heart?"
The ash-blonde swiftly reviewed his experiences with the mischievous shinobi, as well as other interactions Bakugou had witnessed. Memories of Kyo helping him design the new winter version of his hero costume, along with a much-needed upgrade for his ingenious gauntlets, came to mind. How the copper-haired teen had hand-built and hung a swing set on one of the cherry blossom trees in the dorm courtyard for the little horned girl when no one was available to take her to the park during finals week. His crimson gaze drifted to where Kaidan rested at the shinobi's feet of his own free will. The husky had repeatedly proven to be a great judge of a person's character. And while he wasn't exceptionally friendly toward the shinobi, he didn't outright avoid him or openly despise him either. Which was better than the mutt treated more than a few of Bakugou's classmates.
Bakugou was suddenly reminded of the exchange between Kyo and Ponytail that first week. How the degrading term had put the trio on edge. The explosive shinobi's unreasonable anger at being labeled as such, finally made sense to him. It was as if Kyo refused to solely be judged as a destructive force of nature instead of taking the rest of his qualities into account.
It seems like the dominatrix broad knew what she was talking about after all.
Looking back at his mother, Bakugou recalled the numerous stories about paranormal creatures that she used to read to him before bed every night. More often not, the yokai, spirits, and cryptids weren't depicted as innately evil beings but were an essential positive influence within those stories. Mitsuki had raised Bakugou to regard these creatures with a reasonable level of respect instead of disgust. It stuck with him enough to influence how he named Kaidan and his blink quirk years later. Did she do that on purpose?
"No," Bakugou finally answered her question. Surprising himself by how undeniably genuine those words sounded to him.
His mother smiled at his answer. Mitsuki's crimson eyes welling with warmth and pride at her son's maturity.
With burning cheeks, the hero hastily changed the subject. "Do you know what makes these books so darn special? Why are they depicting people's lives?" the ash-blonde asked, turning his head away from her in a useless attempt to conceal his flushed face from her.
To Bakugou's disappointment, Mitsuki shook her head. "We never did figure that out," she admitted regretfully. With yet another heavy sigh, she leaned back in her seat in defeat. "My best guess is that some people possessed a quirk that allowed them to peer through the veil. They then illustrated the events they saw to make a living."
The blonde teen made a "tch" sound at the illustrator's selfishness but otherwise remained quiet on the topic.
Her expression darkened. "Amaya of all people should have known the dangers that came along with meddling with fate for her own benefit. But the temptation to learn more about the future blinded her to the risks involved. Foolishly ignoring the warning signs, the universe was throwing at her."
"What signs?" Bakugou muttered to hide his confusion.
The explosive hero's mother went on to warn Bakugou of the dangers of learning too much about your own fate. That it was especially dangerous to try to meddle with the future for your own self-interest. How the universe will step in to prevent you from infringing on its territory, whether that be glimpsing the future or attempting to rewrite fate itself. How it would punish you greatly if you ignore their warnings. Often by creating a worse future for all involved, the more someone tried to change it.
She recounted how stubborn Amaya was. That she had become fixated on the novels until the kunoichi became obsessed with uncovering more of the secrets they harbored. How it eventually came back to bite her. HARD. Effectively changing the trajectory of her future in a devastating way, which left many people hurt in the process.
"While it sort of worked itself out in the end, it could have been so much worse," Mitsuki revealed sadly. Her clasped hands rested dejectedly in her lap. "Kyo's mother felt incredibly guilty for dragging others into her mess. So much, she fled this world shortly after that."
Bakugou's scowl deepened. He wasn't sure how he should feel about that. The kunoichi might not have intended to hurt anyone, but it didn't change the fact that she did. His fists clenched tighter when All Might's deflated smiling face came to mind. It wasn't like he was in any position to judge, though.
"What happened after that?" he prompted irritably.
There was a subtle tensing of her shoulders at his inquiry. "That's where things get a little more...complicated," his mother began cautiously. Shifting a little clumsily as she leaned back until her arms supported most of her weight, while she kept her piercing gaze averted from his. "Sometime after Amaya left, I happened upon the manga in your hand."
Mitsuki described how, at first, she was relieved that her friend managed to move on from the events that transpired in this world. However, Bakugou's mother quickly discovered that wasn't the case considering it followed the adventures of the kunoichi's children after her passing. Disheartened, the glycerin user continued reading the series out of morbid curiosity.
"I didn't think much of it at the time. I had grown numb to it and eventually forgot that it was real. But eventually, the universe caught up to me as well," his mother confided sullenly. Her long fingers grasped Bakugou's dark covers until they were balled into her clenched fists. "One day, I tried to pick up one of the newer volumes, and I suddenly collapsed as a result."
Bakugou's eyes narrowed in confusion at this revelation. "But that would mean…"
Mitsuki lowered her head. "Since I had seen the same thing happen countless times before, I wasn't willing to tangle with anything like that ever again. I immediately stopped reading them to protect myself. At least that's what I believed."
"What do you mean?"
She smiled sadly at that. "Well, as it turned out. The books weren't responding to me after all," Mitsuki revealed ominously. Her troubled crimson eyes regarded the young hero for a long moment.
Bakugou scowled back at her. "Me?" the teen guessed skeptically after doing the math in his head.
"You see, Masaru had panicked when I collapsed and had taken me to the hospital when I was unresponsive. It was during that little incursion that we discovered I was pregnant with you brat," she chuckled wistfully. One of her hands gently wrapping around her tummy protectively, as if her hot-tempered son was still in her womb. "It wasn't until I accidentally grazed one of the mangas after you were born, with no reaction, that I discovered I wasn't the one being targeted before."
"Tch, well, if that's the case, how come it's not affecting me now?" Bakugou scoffed in disbelief. Waving the volume for her in a flippant manner just in case her eyes had momentarily stopped working. He had heard enough. All this talk of fate had already begun to sound like a broken record to his aching ears. Unless it was about him becoming the next number one hero, the Fates' could shove all this other annoying crap up their asses. "If what you said were true, Shouldn't I be laid out flat like carrot top then?"
"Oh, really?" Mitsuki chided in a doubtful tone. "You think it's not affecting you, huh?"
An abrupt sound caused Bakugou to flinch. Blinking his angered eyes a few times, the hero's gaze eventually landed on the source of the sharp noise. His mother's long fingers were still held out expectantly in front of him in what could only be the end result of her snapping her fingers. An embarrassing slow reaction time that would have landed Bakugou in the remedial class with the rest of his squad had Aizawa been there to witness the shameful display.
"I know it's past your bedtime Katsuki, but you really should have realized how groggy you've been during this entire conversation. Look at you, you can barely keep your eyes open," she scolded softly while her eyes studied him carefully. Zeroing in on the subtle flushness of her son's pale face and the thin layer of sweat on his skin. "It may not be affecting you as hard as Kyo, but as you just saw, it's still affecting you. Holding onto it for so long has dulled your senses considerably. While it's true that earlier volumes pose less of a threat to your body. The initial contact always has the strongest effect, and the strength of someone's connection to the person depicted in the books tends to amplify its intensity."
Her words sounded muffled in the explosive hero's ears. It took more effort than he was willing to admit to hold himself together now that his fatigue was brought to his attention. But he was nothing if not absurdly tenacious. With an aggravated growl, he forced himself to stand straighter than he ever had before. Glaring at his mother as he did so as if daring her to comment on it further.
The ash-blonde teen regarded the manga in his sweating palm. The pages had already begun to soak up the volatile substance his quirk produced. It would be so easy to ignite it. To purge its existence and the danger it presented to this world, tempting even. Instead, his grip tightened around it possessively.
"Well aren't you an expert on the subject," the explosive hero grunted with crossed arms. Stubbornly ignoring how his abused body screamed for him to rest his weight against the doorframe, even if it were only for a few moments. "Didn't you claim not to know about the inner workings of this otherworldly crap?"
"I believe you had asked how involved I was with it," Mitsuki growled back. Not taking kindly to being accused of misleading him. "And as I've stated before, I try not to get involved with it. All I know is what I had personally witnessed."
His mother quickly recounted an instance when a four-year-old Bakugou had rifled through her manga stash and stumbled upon the first few volumes. How Mitsuki had been absolutely terrified. However, much to her relief, besides becoming slightly groggy when flipping through them, the preschooler was otherwise unharmed. The glycerin user could only hypothesize that the books were too complicated for Bakugou to understand at that age. Though to be safe, Mitsuki packed up her stash and hid them away from her ever-curious son.
The sorrowful expression his mother sported made the blonde teen uncomfortable. This conversation was getting a little too emotional for his liking. With an irritable scoff, Bakugou tried his hand at lightening the mood in the only way he knew how. "I thought you took them away because Deku tattled on me, and you never bothered to give them back," the hero accused childishly.
His mother's eye twitched in annoyance. "Well, can you blame me? You burned down his treehouse."
"He said he was bigger All Might fan than me. What was I supposed to do?" Bakugou defended in a nonchalant tone. Unable to see any fault with his childhood logic, even now.
The blonde woman sighed heavily at her son's stubbornness. "Katsuki, I say this with love, but you're a bit of a sociopath," his mother remarked in a deadpan voice. The explosive hero only grunted. Not denying that claim in the least.
With a softened expression, his mother carried on. "You know, Amaya had always joked that it was a preordained event that the two of us met. That there was 'no such thing as coincidence across the various worlds in existence. That there was only Hitsuzen.'" Bakugou's mother began in a nostalgic tone. Once again, playing with the feline ears resting on top of Kyo's slumbering head. "It was her favorite catchphrase of sorts. It never occurred to either of us that one day our children would be destined to meet as well. Especially with how everything ended between us."
"Seems you've inherited the habit," Bakugou muttered under his breath.
"Katsuki, if you continue to befriend these travelers, you increase your chances of your fate intertwining with theirs," the glycerin user cautioned with an unreadable expression shadowing her features. "Aligning yourself with people from other dimensions has the tendency to drag you into their mess. It's by no means their fault, it's just how the universe operates. Knowing the risks involved, are you still committed to interacting with Kyo?" she asked in a somber tone.
Taking a page out of her playbook. Bakugou dodged her question with a couple of his own. "How about you? Do you regret involving yourselves with his mother?"
"No," she admitted hesitantly. "But the circumstances weren't the same as they are for you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"So, are you going to continue?" Mitsuki repeated once more.
"What if I am? Are you going to stop us?" challenged the young hero with a defiant step forward. His arms instinctively held out at his sides in his usual fighting stance.
Older crimson orbs widened slightly at the mention of "us" instead of "me," only to return to normal a second later. "No, I won't stop you," Bakugou's mother responded after a thoughtful pause.
With stiff muscles, she casually pushed herself to her feet. The movement caused the metal bed frame to creak underneath her. Mitsuki took the time to rotate her shoulders. Stretching her arms out in front of her after she did so. The ash-blonde woman then offered her son a grin before continuing, "You wouldn't be my brat if you weren't irritatingly stubborn."
Bakugou smirked at the sentiment. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders now that he had some of the answers he had been craving since the shinobi's mysterious arrival. Along with the comfort that came along with encountering someone who had gone through this bizarre predicament before. Even if that person was his infuriating mother.
"We've both come too far to give up now," The explosive hero declared as his features twisted in that chaotic expression that never failed to scare his classmates. Though to his equally hot-tempered mother, the face he sported was nothing short of endearing. "I at least have resolved to pursue this until I've achieved what I have set out to do."
"Is it too much to hope that you will stop reading if you also begin to pass out?" she speculated as she walked toward the door. A hefty silence trailed behind her as she crossed the room. "I figured as much."
"Tch, we promised to stop lying to one another," Bakugou shot back. His fiery gaze bored into hers. "Unless you intend for that to stop as well?"
This made his mother smile. "I wouldn't dream of it," the glycerin user reassured her son. She rested a tender hand on top of his spiky head. Ruffling his soft ash-blonde locks in an overly affectionate gesture as she had done a thousand times during his youth. And for the first time in a very long while, Bakugou allowed her to do so without complaint.
"Just be careful, alright? You've always been a trouble magnet, so don't push your luck," she chuckled in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood. Though the joke sat ominously in both of their minds. They both knew something monumental would end up happening because of this. They could feel it's approach like a bad dream. And Bakugou already had enough of those to last a fucking lifetime.
"Yeah," was all her son could think to respond with.
Mitsuki offered her son one last hair floof before planting a motherly kiss on top of the hothead's head, which he shrugged off when it lasted a fraction of a second too long. She snickered at his priceless reaction before exiting the room. Leaving her son alone with the other explosive teen.
A few minutes after his mother had left, Bakugou finally allowed himself to release the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The wave of exhaustion he had been fighting eventually became too much for him to fend off. Stifling a yawn, the hero-in-training forced his aching muscles to reclaim the spot beside the unconscious teen.
Once seated, Bakugou regarded the ominous-looking comic in his slightly trembling hand. Tired eyes flickered to his classmate and back again. A determined "tch" sounded off his tongue as the ash-blonde cracked it open. Intent on following the perilous path he had chosen for himself. With that, he began to read the contents of the first page.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Like always, I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue to keep reading. If you would be so kind as to give me kudos, likes or leave a review or comments on the story so far would be absolutely amazing. Not only does it help validate the work I've put into this story, but it also motivates me to update faster, knowing people are actually reading and enjoying it. You don't have to sing it praises either. Let me know if the chapters are too long, if I'm moving the plot to slow or if I need to add or cut out fight scenes or personal interactions. If you have a ship or friendship that you love, I can try to work that in.
I've gone back and redited previous chapters to fix the inconsistent grammar tenses, so it should be an easier read now. I also have another work called Pleasant Nonsense, which takes place a few months before this story.