Musutafu Suburbs:

It was later next evening when he ran into Bakugou again. Deku had been asked to fetch the items. The ones he would have already gotten for his mother if not for the villain's attack. His clinic checkup had been fine, absolutely no signs of physical trauma from the incident. His mother had been pleased with that. Normally, she'd never let him go back outside after an event such as that, but she felt as if he could handle himself now. It was a thinly-veiled way of her saying that she didn't fear for her son anymore now that she thought he possessed a quirk.

Golden light cast the residential street in a warm glow. The sun was setting, Deku smiled. Cars passed him and birds called out lazily. The peacefulness was disturbed by the repetitive sound of pounding footsteps. They neared him. Deku glanced over his shoulder, flinching somewhat.

"Kacchan...?" He muttered in a confused state.

Bakugou stopped running around three meters or so from him. Planting his hands on his knees, the blonde boy caught his breath. His breathing was labored and obstructed by saliva. Deku gripped the strap of his bag nervously. Though, as time went on, the exhausted panting turned to panting from anger. Bakugou was seething.

"I never asked you for help!"

Deku stepped back, his ring humming with discontent. No, he didn't need to transform. Bakugou noticed the fear, exploiting it as he took another step forward with a cruel scowl. Clenching his hands, he shook with anger. Before giving Deku a chance to respond, he continued.

"And I never asked you for help! Got it?'

His ring resonated stronger. Deku took another step back. Sweat beaded at Bakugou's forehead.

"I was fine by myself."

They both knew that definitely wasn't true.

"You're still a quirkless failure to me. I don't know what kinda black magic shit you did, but you didn't get any of that power without my help. You said it yourself, right? I'm the reason you developed that pathetic mimicry quirk. Isn't it funny, how the only way you can fight is by copying other people? Even your quirk is pathetic just like you. Don't think you can look down on me!"

It was a conscious effort to restrain his transformation. His body begged him to, begged him to protect himself from this very real threat. Bakugou wouldn't take it too far though, right? Deku hoped he wouldn't do anything drastic, they had known each other since childhood. That meant nothing now though. Deku glanced towards the ground, remembering how Bakugou had urged him to commit suicide. That had been the moment, the moment when it had gone too far. Deku would never forgive him for that, praying on his fragile emotions and depressingly low self-esteem.

Clenching his brow, Kacchan spat out.

"Are you trying to make me owe you? Don't look down on me! You damn nerd!"

If anything, it was the opposite. Deku wanted nothing to do with the bully. He didn't need to have anything to do with him anymore. They weren't friends. As the menaced turned away and stomped off, Deku couldn't help but let out a laugh fueled by relief. His soul gem stopped resonating, he was safe. It was embarrassing how much that encounter had affected Deku. Heart racing, he chucked awkwardly and continued on his way home. Bakugou would never change. Even with a quirk, the boy would still find a way to antagonize him. The silver lining was that albeit begrudgingly, Kacchan had accepted his prior explanation. Bakugou believed his newfound abilities to be a quirk, even if somewhat suspicious. Deku didn't know if that suspicion was genuine or misplaced anger.

Half-an-hour of walking down the road later, a girl rounded the corner. He glanced up at her. White hair curled around her head in a side-chignon. Her outfit was plain, simple, he recognized it from the nearby high school. He would be going there if he didn't make it into U.A. Wind blew at Deku's hair, he brushed it from his eye. His soul gem resonated, but not from fear. It was picking up magic. She glanced at him momentarily but faltered. Her smile was warm, inviting. Kyubey strode up alongside her. Deku couldn't help but gasp at the realization. A ring was worn on her finger, a silver one embedded with a golden-yellow stone. Shaped like a sun, he stared a bit too obviously.

"Y'know, my eyes are up here."

She laughed but Deku blushed. It was a funny innuendo, one meant to break the ice.

"Oh, yeah, I was just a bit surprised, that's all. You're a-"

She nodded, interrupting him.

"Yes, I am. We have some things I'd like to discuss."

Kyubey stared, jumping up to sit on a nearby bench.

"Mind if I drop off these things to my mom first? I kinda wasn't able to do it yesterday and I don't want to bail out on her again."

He held up the shopping bags for her to see, not struggling with the weight as he usually did.

The girl nodded, brushing a loose strand of white hair from her eyes. They walked alongside each other to Deku's home, one noticeably more awkward than the other. Hands stuffed in his pockets, Deku pointedly kept quiet. He didn't have anything to say, and his surprise would probably mess up any words too. The girl was unperturbed, she wasn't as surprised. Her uniform was pretty, pale beige accented with browns and greens. Deku wondered if he'd get to wear that outfit, but didn't dwell on it. He wouldn't be going to that high school anyway, it was not of his concern. It was nice to wonder though, what his life would've been like if he didn't feel the burning passion for heroics.

They still hadn't spoken much by the time they ascended the steps to his front door. Knocking quietly, Deku hoped she wasn't home. He knew what she'd think, and wanted to avoid all of that mess. If she wasn't home, he could simply place the bags up in her room and deal with the problem at hand. He didn't think it was a problem- more like something that urgently needed to be addressed. Steps thudded towards the door. She was home. Deku glanced at the girl nervously, still somewhat in disbelief. It had all happened so fast, he still didn't even know her name. He had forgotten to ask.

His mother's eyes widened at the sight before her lips grew up in a smug grin.

"My dear found his girlfriend on the way? You weren't trying to sneak her in, were you, Izuku?"

Flushing a deep red, the girl simply laughed. A voice resonated in his mind, but it was not Kyubey's.

"Want me to play the part? I'm assuming you've had to resort to a few excuses after contracting. Hell knows I have."

Still looking at his mother, he attempted to think out loud to the girl. To his doubt, the effort was successful.

"Yes, please. She thinks my nonexistent girlfriend was the one who stitched my costume. I told her it was for if I get into U.A. I'm not the best at lying so it kinda just happened. Thank you for covering for me."

Still blushing, Deku responded out loud to his mother

"Yeah, we met at school. No, I wasn't trying to sneak her in. I just came to return what you sent me out for, we saw each other on the street and decided to hang out."

The white-haired girl nodded with a small laugh, corroborating his story.

"Did Izuku-Kun show you the costume I made for him? He told me he was applying for U.A so I wanted to offer a token of my support."

From the way his mother smiled at her, he could tell she approved. She bought it so far. The girl spoke to him mentally once more.

"My name is Kazane Otsuka, pleased to meet you. Izuku-kun."

His blush deepened. At least he knew her name now. Inko opened the door further for them, beckoning her son and his girlfriend inside.

Deku scratched at his green hair.

"Actually mom, me and Kazane were planning to go bowling. You don't mind, do you?"

Inko's smile didn't falter. Instead, she beamed and said in a false whisper.

"Ohhh? A date? My son is growing up! Have fun, Izuku."

Waving them goodbye, she held out her hand for the parcels, taking them and gently closing the door. Deku turned to glance at Kazane. Gripping her sides, the girl let out an unrestrained bellow of laughter. Tears stung at her eyes as she slapped Deku's shoulder amiably. At least Kazane wasn't uncomfortable.

"Bowling, eh? Sure know how to make a woman feel special."

This time, Deku successfully held back his blush. He wouldn't let her know how much her teasing affected her. Anything to do with relationships in general just made him break out in a rosy red. Walking down the stairs, she tightened the straps on her bookbag.

"At least she believed us, Kazane. I'd rather her think I managed to get a girlfriend than think I'm up to no good."

Unhelpfully, Kazane added.

"She could be thinking both, y'know, my mother warned me about what boys were like."

Letting out a gasp, he smiled at how outrageously funny she was. The warm feeling in his chest was foreign to him, foreign to him save for rare moments when Bakugou wasn't yelling at him or degrading him. Needless to say, it had been a long time since that warmth filled his chest. He could get used to her snarky attitude, he liked it a lot. Kazane was genuinely funny as if banter was second-nature to her.

"Haha. Umm, where are we headed now? You said you wanted to talk to me about stuff?"

She nodded.

"I thought you were taking me bowling?"

Deku shook his head in comic exasperation.

"No, we're not going bowling. Who even bowls anymore?"

Kyubey strolled behind them, lagging along.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't remember the last time I've bowled. We can go to a park or something if you'd like. I'm not sure if that's too public though to talk about this stuff."

Deku motioned to his ring, implying what he meant in regard to 'this stuff'.

"It's getting late, I don't think too many people will be there. Even if there are, they'll probably just dismiss us as teenagers talking about the latest manga."

She was right, all of this magical girl stuff really did sound straight out of a crappy manga. He wasn't sure if that was a bad or a good thing.

"Lead the way, then? I'm not the best at directions."

Kazane smirked and strolled down the sidewalk. It had been overcast earlier in the day but the heavy clouds had passed. The sun still hung half-way covered by the distant skyscrapers downtown, they still had a few hours of sunlight left. He figured it'd be enough time to cover whatever it was that Kazane wanted. Maybe she just wanted to be friends or allies, he hoped that to be the case.

Deku swung idly as he sat in the swing set. Directly next to him, Kazane did the same. She swung much higher though. He didn't swing, knowing it'd likely incur a wave of nausea. There was just something about the repetitive force of swinging backward and up into the air that disagreed with his stomach. Kazane was the first to break the idle chit-chat about the weather and recent news. She brushed a loose strand of white hair from her forehead, placing it back into the side bun.

"So you're a magical boy, eh? Kyubey never told me boys could contract."

He dug his shoes into the crushed stone beneath the swing.

"Yeah, I am. I figured something like that was on the go. He seemed unsure of what to call me. What'd you wish for?"

She paused, pointedly. The chain on her swing creaked as the wind picked up.

"That's- um..."

Deku interrupted.

"No, no! It's fine, sorry, it's probably really personal. I was getting chased by that sludge villain on the news a few days ago, before the mall attack. I managed to hide from it and Kyubey just strolled up to me and offered me a wish. I think I wished to become a hero like I had always wanted, something like that. I don't remember the exact words, but you get the jist of it, right?"

Kazane nodded, slowing herself down by dragging her uniform shoes on the ground. Dust kicked up into the air but was dispersed by a lone gust of wind.

"You're quirkless, right?"

Deku nodded.

"And you are too."

Kazane sighed but agreed.

"Yeah. Kyubey explained that part to me about interference or whatever. It made me feel not so bad about being quirkless, like I was destined to be a magical girl or something. Izuku, tell me, were you the green-costumed boy I've been hearing rumors about online? I read the report about what happened at the Tatooin shopping center, that was a courageous thing to do. Not many people would risk exposing their powers in exchange for saving one person."

It gave Deku something to think about. Why had he saved Bakugou? Any other person would have let their tormentor and abuser suffer, but Deku had been compelled by those almost-pleading eyes. Deku couldn't have ignored Bakugou's silent cry for help. Still, he was a bit nervous over the whole publicity ordeal. Nobody had seen his face but rumors could still pose a problem. He silently prayed that the buzz would die down, and not come back to bite him in the ass upon applying to U.A. Would they know? Deku shook his head, his face had been concealed. Plus, it's not as if Mt. Lady or Death-Arms would be at the school to identify his costume. He took a deep breath, he'd be fine.

"I still feel bad about not neutralizing the villain the first time I faced him. I know that it's not like I could've known about its ability to reform if separated, but still. A lot of people were hurt and property was destroyed. That person I saved used to bully me about being quirkless, actually. He's the reason I was hanging around at school late anyway. There was just something about the way he looked at me when he was being swallowed up by that villain. There was no way I could've stood idly by when I knew I had the power to do something. I think, as a magical boy, that I have both the responsibility to fight both villains and witches. Help use this blessing for good, right?"

She wasn't meeting his eyes. Her tone was tired, fitting to the golden ambiance.

"You did all that you could. I wish that I was as selfless as you. Not gonna lie, but I really don't deal with villains or any of that heroics stuff if I don't have to. I stay in my lane and they can stay in theirs. I know it sounds harsh, but I just don't want to use the extra magic. That's not to say you shouldn't either, it's just not for me. Ugh, I'm probably explaining myself badly."

She shook her head, unhappy at her own words. Deku fiddled with his ring, feeling it resonate with the airy and light feeling of Kazane's soul gem. It felt different than his as if it had a unique magical signature.

"My mom doesn't get it either. I've always wanted to be a hero like All-Might, ever since I was young. Even after being diagnosed as quirkless, I didn't suppress my dream. That's why I want to use my magic to help others, even if it's unneeded. You're probably taking the logical route, which I should honestly be doing too."

Again, Kazane shook her head.

"No, you should follow your dream. You're applying to U.A, right? That's probably a good thing, they'll teach you a lot of skills that'll probably be useful to your life as a magical boy. I considered it too but decided against it for my own reasons. I wouldn't have an explanation as to how I had suddenly- Yeah."

Deku now understood that he was lucky, lucky to have the power of mimicry. It was honestly a believable way for him to explain why he didn't use to have a quirk.

"Yeah, I'm applying to U.A before school starts up again. I feel like it's my duty. Thank you, I appreciate the encouragement."

Kazane didn't respond, simply choosing to swing in silence. A few peaceful moments under the sun's glow later, she added with a stern look.

"You shouldn't be this friendly with other magical girls, not that I mind though. They often compete aggressively for grief seeds and defend their territory. It's not uncommon for one to kill another over territorial disputes."

Deku paled, facing Kazane. Words failed to breach his lips.

"I-I-, didn't know that. I g-guess that makes sense. I never thought ab-bout that before. Are you l-like that?"

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, but his ring did not resonate.

"No, I'd have killed you already if that were the case. I need an ally, somebody at my back. If you were moral enough to risk your life to save your bully, I can trust you. It's hard, sometimes, I just need somebody I can talk to about this stuff, or bowl with."

She laughed, then continued.

"Kyubey's great and all, but he's not another human."

A deep exhaled pushed itself from Deku's nostrils. He had subconsciously held his breath, fearing her answer. Part of him knew she just wasn't like that. Swinging somewhat, he contemplated the idea of a hostile magical girl. He'd have to be more careful about demonstrating his abilities. It wasn't just quirk regulatory bodies he had to worry about. Following the idea of grief seeds and their apparent value to the logical conclusion, the territorial and competitive aspects made sense. Part of him just didn't want to think of that though, part of him wanted to relish the goodness of being a magical girl. Just as some quirk users were evil, some magical girls were evil too. They were no different.

"I take it this is your territory then? Sorry about that witch near the harbour, I had no idea actually."

A simple nod was enough to let Deku know it wasn't a problem.

"It was a bit concerning though, I must admit. I woke up in the middle of the night after my soul gem picked up a large flare of magic. You can probably slightly sense mine, some have described it as peaceful and light, somewhat cottony. I've never felt my own though so I can't confirm that. Normally, new contractees don't know how to reduce their magical signature, so it's not like I assumed you to be some veteran taking my territory."

Kazane took a breath, clearly caught up in explaining everything to Deku.

"We'll have to work on getting you to passively conceal your signature. It gives you away to most magical girls and witches nearby. I can tell from the difference in signature intensity that you've probably used a grief seed or two. I'm not sure if Kyubey told you yet but using a grief seed reinforces most aspects of your gem. Signature being one them, it restrains it and allows you to control your magic more precisely. Think of umm... How when you reduce the size of a waterspout, it has a higher pressure."

He was thankful for the explanation, as well as the analogy. It made sense in a way he couldn't explain.

"That's a great analogy! And yeah, Kyubey told me a bit about the grief seed usage thing, but not about my magical signature."

Kyubey stalked up to the two along the nearby monkey bars. Deku faced him, pondering his question and its phrasing. He didn't want to offend it, immensely thankful for the opportunity to contract in the first place.

"Why didn't you tell me about my magical signature, Kyubey?"

His tone was light-hearted, intentionally so. In response, Kyubey swished its tail rhythmically and spoke to both of them telepathically.

"Oh! Well, I felt like you two would make a great match and so if I did tell you how to control it, she wouldn't have been able to track you. Besides, Kazane is better at explaining these things than I."

Deku nodded and blushed, unable to meet Kyubey's eyes. Quietly, he said.

"Sorry for doubting your or whatever, I was just confused, that's all."

Kyubey cocked its head.

"It's no issue."

Kazane laughed amiably at them, reaching over to pat Deku on the shoulder.

"Yeah, as I was saying, my territory extends from the harbour to around the Tatooin shopping centre."

"Oh? Who's territory is it up by U.A? I'll probably be heading there in a few months."

Kazane bit her lip.

"That's the thing. I don't know. I've gone up there before to take out a witch, but I felt like I was being watched. I knew after defeating the witch that it wasn't my territory and so I got out as fast as possible. There was no need for conflict, and I didn't want to waste magic fighting. I'm sure it'll be fine. Anyways, how are you taking things? Do you need to talk about anything?"

At the question, Deku let out a sigh of relief. Pushing himself around on the swing, he let his muscles relax.

"I'm pretty tired actually. Other than that, I'm content. I think I'm taking things rather well, but I must admit to being excited about everything. I know how serious being a magical boy is after fighting my first witch. It wasn't what I imagined at all."

"What did you imagine, Izuku?"

Deku hesitated, nervous about seeming naive.

"Well, I expected pointy hats and green skin. Not a giant mask and flying pigs. The mask was eating its own- what's the word? Familiars- yeah, them. It vomited them back up at me and I barely got out of the way. You can call me Deku, only my teachers, and mom calls me Izuku."

She contemplated his words but didn't show any signs of an adverse reaction.

"Yeah, that's pretty normal for a witch."

Swinging her legs from the seat, she added.

"Oh! Like dekiru. I think it's fitting for a magical boy."

Deku wouldn't inform her of its ironic meaning, there was no reason to be a downer when things were positive. Instead, he asked.

"What's my magic signature like? Can you describe it?"

Kazane stood from her swing and yawned before approaching him. The crushed rock ground with each step.

"Hmm, since you're not transformed I can only slightly feel it even at this distance, but it's there. I don't know how to say it without sounding kinda mean, but it feels very analytical, but not in a judgmental kinda way. Fluttery, too, like your stomach after too much caffeine. I think that sums it up, yeah."

Satisfied, Deku got up too. That tidbit of information wasn't wasted on him though, his magical signature was restrained when not transformed. Having caught her yawn, he let out a restrained sound of exhaustion as well.

"I promise I'm not judging you, haha."

She playfully punched his shoulder. It didn't hurt.

"I know, I know. Tomorrow I can teach you a few things and go over the basics again in case you forget stuff. I'll meet you at your house in the evening and we'll go back to mine. After that, we can probably search for a witch. I'll teach you effective strategies for that too. Down?"

Deku's response was a bit too quick and eager.

"Yeah!"

Kazane rubbed at her eyes.

"Here-"

She held out her phone, the screen showing an empty contact sheet. Taking it in hand, he typed in his phone number alongside filling in a few other fields such as his birthday and address. Sending himself a text, he confirmed that it worked upon feeling his own phone vibrate against his leg. Deku smiled. He handed it back to Kazane with that same hopeful grin.

"I put in my birthday too, and my address and stuff. Just so you'll have it if needed."

Nodding and turning away, she added.

"I know my way home, and thanks for the number. See you tomorrow, alright? I might text you if I finish my chores before bed. This was a lovely chat."

Kyubey followed Kazane away.

Deku lingered in the park after her exit, swinging alone before leaving too. His mother was asleep on the couch by the time he returned home. He was thankful, as it prevented probing questions about his 'date' that he was sure would have otherwise occurred.

Kazane showed up the next day at the exact time she said she would. Staring at his slightly-dimmed soul gem on the counter, he spooned soggy cereal into his mouth. His mom couldn't see the thing, for which he was glad. The cereal was bland and gross, but apparently healthy. As the last spoonful entered his mouth, his phone vibrated with a notification. Mother hearing it too, she inquired.

"Who's that, dear? Is it Kazane?"

Nodding, he didn't bother responding. She'd probably say something embarrassing. Deku didn't want to hear anything like that. Since it was on the edge between spring and summer, Deku decided to forego a sweater or vest. It was warm enough as to where such was not needed. Glancing at the message, it read.

'Kazane: I'm outside now, can't wait to bowl :)'

LIghtly laughing, he slipped on his shoes and descended outside. The fresh vernal air engulfed him. He could smell blooming flowers on the wind. She looked up at him, a smile forming on her face. Her hair was done up in that side-chignon that complimented her facial structure nicely. Kyubey stood perched on her shoulder.

"Hey, Deku. Ready for a training session with Kazane? People have told me that I'm a very harsh teacher.

The duo continued down the street, towards the same direction as the park.

"Yeah, I'm ready. If it'll help me use my powers more efficiently and safely, I'll write essays if I have to.

She smiled once more.

"Enthusiasm always makes these things a little easier."

Deku turned into the park, but Kazane glanced back as she strolled past.

"C'mon, we're not going there. It's one thing to talk about magical stuff in public, but another to actually use it. There's an abandoned apartment complex near my house, it has an enclosed courtyard we can train in. Nobody should be there, and if there are they're not the kinda people that would be believed if they saw us and reported illegal quirk use or something."

He was fine with the idea, but trekking through an abandoned building didn't seem ideal. What if they stepped on a nail and contracted tetanus? What if they ran into a bunch of delinquents or even drug dealers for that matter? No, he told himself. Kazane had more sense than that to lead him into a drug den. Worst case scenario was that maybe a few homeless people were squatting somewhere in the building.

Fifteen minutes of walker later, they stopped in front of the large grey building. Cracked windows loomed overhead. Moss hung down and flowed with the wind. It was definitely abandoned. A crow cawed ominously. They glanced at each other, one smiling and the other hesitant. Surrounded by a tall fence, Deku took the initiative and slid his shoe into a link. About halfway up, he heard the sound of a creaking gate and groaned. Kazane had simply gone up to the unlocked gate and opened it. Needless to say, he found himself blushing while climbing back down. She didn't comment, and Deku viewed it as an act of mercy. The stained front door opened with ease. Dust hung in the air.

"Don't we need a mask?"

Kazane shook her head.

"No, our soul gems will passively heal the accumulation of toxins or pathogens. It uses a negligible amount of magic so don't worry."

He nodded as if what she had just said was completely normal. At least he'd never have to worry about food poisoning again, or the bout of cold he'd always get infected with once in the summer and winter. Still, it felt weird to be breathing in all of that dust. He coughed as something scratched at his throat. The building was dark, to be expected from the shattered fluorescent lights. It was peaceful.

Light flooded the hallway as Kazane pushed her way through another heavy door. Walking out into the light, they both entered the courtyard. It was about half the size of a soccer field, providing plenty of room for what Deku assumed would be magical training. A soft groan entered his ears as he saw Kazane sitting down on a patch of grass.

"Isn't it nice here? I found this place while hunting a witch. She had holed herself up here in the courtyard. I came back after though, I just love how disconnected it makes me feel like I'm in a post-apocalyptic movie or something."

Deku could definitely understand the appeal.

"So where do we begin?"

Holding up her arm, she pointed her outstretched arm towards him. Sunlight glinted off the golden-yellow soul gem.

"Well-"

Her body erupted in a gleam of golden light. Deku's soul gem was enveloped in that light airy comforting signature. It felt nice.

"We transform."

The sunlight seemingly intensified as white feathers encircled her like a twister. Wisps of clouds circled above as white feathers clung to parts of her body. Deku gasped as she seemingly caught on fire in golden sparkly flames. A piece of brilliant white armor formed on her chest. It looked like something a knight would wear from one of his video games, gilded with gold and somewhat opalescent. From the bottom of the chest-plate, a golden shimmering skirt erupted, knife-pleated and somewhat stiff. On her hands, a pair of lightly-armored dark cream gloves formed. They weren't heavy by any means, but seemingly offered a decent amount of protection. A golden circlet grew from her forehead, passing through her white hair and glinting with the intensified sunlight. To protect her feet, a pair of opalescent white boots formed, trimmed with gold accents and winged on the heels with white feathers. A star-shaped brooch was embedded over her heart, it teemed with sunlight.

Deku watched with star-filled eyes, taking in every moment of her transformation. It was cool, to say the least. His outfit was definitely not as cool, he honestly wanted armor like that. She laughed warmly at his apparent admiration.

"Once again, my eyes are up here."

His barely came to rival, papers flying about and revealing his green and plush outfit. She seemed just as fascinated as he had been watching hers. It made him wonder, did he look as good as her? It was a frivolous thought, but he wondered if people would take him seriously as a hero in his outfit. From appearance alone, it would seem to a stranger to serve no tactical purpose. If anything, the cape and sweater would serve as a detriment by restricting his movement.

Running up to him, she grabbed him a bear-hug. Almost crushingly tight, she gushed.

"Oh my god, you're so cute! I love your bunny-rabbit sweater, it definitely suits you."

Kazane stepped back, sitting on a large piece of concrete debris.

"You're welcome. I thought it was kinda embarrassing at first, to be dressed like this as a guy, but I don't mind it if its the price to pay for my wish and abilities."

She nodded.

"Now, I'll show you and talk about my own magic and abilities."

Holding her gloved hand out, golden flames erupted and cloaked it. Deku held back a yelp of surprise, holding back his instinct to help her extinguish it. The flames were pretty to look at, similarly, golden sparkles emanating instead of smoke. Approaching her, he felt no heat from the magical flames.

"Oh wow, it's so pretty! What do the flames do?"

Throwing a glob down onto a nearby twig, he watched as it began smoldering and crackling. Now, he could feel the heat.

"My flames will either heal or burn, it's quite useful actually. On the downside, it's only ever one at once. I can't for example, douse a familiar in flames while healing myself. I'd have to stop attacking all-together to heal somebody. You can probably heal yourself with your magic too but at a significantly less potent and efficient level. I wouldn't rely on it if I were you. My wish was centered around healing and so it's one of the powers granted to me. Kyubey explained that part to me, about how our wishes influence the powers we receive. My other ability is clairvoyance. In my transformation, I have a naturally enhanced aim and can use my magic for clairvoyance. I can see places if I have already been there. For example, if I really wanted to, I could see if people were playing at that park right now."

Deku nodded, contemplating both the applications of her abilities alongside the possible link between his wish and his own magic. Kazane likely excelled at ranged combat.

"That's a very interesting set of abilities. Can you control your flames from a distance?"

She nodded, seemingly reaching into her soul gem and retrieving a crossbow after another burst of gold light. It was a weapon that would compliment her abilities nicely. Using a crossbow and clairvoyance would probably let her pull off long-distance attacks at great speed.

Deku hummed in content.

"Sweet! Do you have to reload it with anything?"

Instead of responding, she demonstrated.

Golden light solidified into a bolt, automatically cocking itself back with the crossbow's string. In a loud snap, the bolt shimmered through the air and into a nearby wall. Golden sparkles lingered in the path of its trajectory. Cracks in the concrete wall spider-webbed out from the impact. The noise would probably prevent stealth attacks, the one apparent downside to her magic. As if having given a performance, Kazane bowed, seemingly pleased with her self from her smug grin.

Motioning towards him, Deku jolted and realized it was now his turn to share.

"I showed you mine, you show me yours."

Deku blushed at the innuendo, failing to meet her eyes for a second.

Reaching into his pocket, he produced that familiar leather-bound journal. Opening it, he was surprised to see more than the one lone page about Bakugou. An impressed sound escaped his lips. Two more pages were present, subsequently titled Hamamoto Fukusaburu: Superhuman Strength and Kubota Tsurayaki: Sludge Form. Much like Bakugou's page, they contained a small list of information and general observations he had made mentally during their fight. The journal seemed to be a mix of things he had observed during battle alongside things he hadn't known. For example, the two of their names. It was a weird feeling to gain that information without having to ask. Honestly, it made him feel like he had invaded their private lives. Well, for Hamamoto anyway, he had no regard for the sludge villain's privacy. Flipping back to Bakugou's page, Deku noticed that it had updated. Underneath his quirk outline, there was a small bar that extended to and read seven out of ten. Beneath, "magic cost' was listed.

Certainly a useful feature. He briefly wondered how long it would take for the other pages to update.

All of which Deku remembered being told, so there weren't any secrets or anything. Alongside a delicately drawn portrait, was a small biography of personal details.

"Uhh, sorry, I'm trying to pick what to show you."

Her ears perked up and she grinned.

"Oh really? I thought you were just reading a book."

The sarcasm amused Deku, he found it genuinely funny.

The explosion quirk was not what he wanted to test out right now. He already knew what it could do. Instead, he flipped to the page on Hamamoto. Reaching into the paper, that cold feeling enveloped his right arm. He could feel that armor solidifying around his fingers, but not like the gauntlets from Bakugou. The change was almost immediate when he removed his hand from the page. It surprisingly did not cause pain. Deku's form grew taller, gaining about a foot or two, muscles bulking up significantly. This quirk came with a pair of knuckle dusters made from that same pine-green metal. The shift was similar in appearance to Death Arms, he thought. Kazane gazed at him with a hint of worry. He was unsure if she approved. Having this much muscle mass felt weird, it wasn't like him. His arms couldn't even rest flat against his sides, it was honestly embarrassing. He placed the journal back into his pocket, noticing how the weight completely disappeared upon letting go.

"I didn't know I'd end up like this haha. It doesn't suit me at all. At least my costume grew with me."

If his outfit was not weaved from his magic or whatever arcane source, it would have surely ripped, scarring Kazane for life. She raised an eyebrow. Kazane didn't understand.

"How come you didn't know, isn't this your magic?"

Deku shook his head, staring down at his muscular body.

"My magic is to mimic quirks. This quirk belongs to Death Arms. I haven't used it before."

Kazane blanked. Her face lit up with a toothy grin.

"Holy shit Deku! Do you know how strong that is? You can practically get anything you want! I'm so glad we met up, we can be a real team together. Hold on now, I'm trying to think of somebody I know with a really strong quirk."

Deku beamed. Never in his life had he ever thought those words would be uttered to him. Never in his life did he think somebody would praise his strength. None of this would have been possible without Kyubey. It was all thanks to him.

"Haha, I wouldn't get too excited. It's not that easy for me to mimic somebody's quirk. It has to be used on me, probably when I'm transformed, and then it appears on a page in my journal. Depending on the quirk, I think it has a magic draining rate. The explosion quirk I have is rated seven out of ten for magic usage, whatever that means."

Kazane tapped her chin.

"Well, what's the 'rating' for that quirk there?"

Deku retrieved the journal and glanced at the page. It had updated. The bar on this quirk's page was significantly smaller. Magic Cost: Four out of ten. That had to be a good sign, that this quirk didn't require much magic to use. Thinking back to his prior witch fight, he frowned. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it probably wouldn't have been that useful. That was probably why the cost was so low, it was a one time use to transform his body into a hulking physique. It probably wasn't completely useless though. The journal was placed back into the large sweater pocket.

"Four out of ten. I don't think it's a constant drain -it doesn't feel like that, more like a burst of usage to get into this hulk mode."

Kazane glanced around the empty courtyard. A bird sang. Dust floated down from the sky, illuminated by reflected sunlight. Her eyes came upon a large chunk of concrete debris. Pointing to it, she said.

"There! Lift that piece of concrete for me, 'kay?"

It was done easily. Deku gripped under the debris, grip almost crumbling the material as he lifted it up in front of him. A surprised gasp came from Kazane. Albeit silently expressing it, Deku felt the same. Super strength would also be useful for certain situations. He'd definitely make use of it. The chunk was dropped to the floor, it shattered with a burst of dust.

She continued her contemplative lecture.

"Since it has a low rating, I'm assuming it drains your magic at a lesser amount. You'd be better using this quirk against a witch that fights up close and personal. Unfortunately... I haven't encountered that many who do so. A lot of witches have a sort of trump-card that can be used at a range. I'm definitely sure it'll be useful if you wish to use it for heroics, most of the quirks you get probably will be. I haven't forgotten about the explosion quirk you mentioned."

Deku's eyes lit up as he grinned.

"I know right? It's so cool! I got it from my frien- no, not my friend, it's complicated. I got it because he hit me with his explosions not too long ago. Anyways, I also have a sludge quirk I haven't used before. I got it during that villain attack on the shopping centre, it was all over the news. Thankfully though, long after I had left."

She jumped on top of another chunk of debris, hanging her legs off the side and swinging them ever-so-slightly.

"Hmm. I wanna see that sludge quirk."

Nodding, he retrieved and flipped the journal's page to the sludge villain's. Deku did not hesitate as he reached into the page, finding what felt like a handle and hauling it back out. It was shaped like a super-soaker and was made from that metallic green substance similarly to his other weapons. Discovering himself what this quirk would provide, his focus was not on Kazane, nor her amused reaction. Staring at his left arm, he watched as he tried to use his quirk, watched as his left arm warped and turned green.

With that familiar sludgy consistency, it morphed and slopped around. He undulated it, trying to get a feel for how it controlled. He spread the green quality to his torso, practicing the same movements. Upon shifting his head, he got a bit more nervous. After doing so, he felt a pang of blood in his eyes. Turning around sharply, he saw his reflection and let out a gargling gasp. His eyes were that same neon yellow, arched up and exaggeratedly menacing. His whole body was now that slimy sludge, save for that gold chain choker around his neck, still sporting his soul gem. Deku hadn't known what would happen to it, but this was a reasonable result. It made sense.

Curious, Deku aimed the super soaker at a nearby window. Pressing down on the trigger, he watched as a glob of sludge spat out. It shot with enough force to crack the window. Another pump later, glass rained down following a shrill shattering. Holding his slimy right hand up, he concentrated on the splattered sludge, willing it to return. Lo and behold, it flew back to his form, rejoining his body. Curiously, Deku sent out a sphere of his own slime, watching as it hovered mid-air. He split it in two, watching the two halves before returning it to his body.

Kazane clapped when Deku returned to his normal, scrawny form. Deku was relieved to be back to himself.

"This seems to be an interesting quirk. It seemingly allows you to dodge some attacks while giving you control over a relatively mundane and harmless material. Since it has no harmful properties on its own, you're better off giving it momentum and using it kinda like a battering ram or as large canon-balls. I don't have a good feeling about your soul gem being exposed while in that form, I'd be careful about it if I were you."

She yawned.

"Check the magic use rating for me, and we'll call it a day."

It was significantly darker than it had been before they started. Magic Use: Seven out of ten. Similar to the explosion quirk. He guessed it to be fair. Deku wouldn't complain, who would he complain to anyway? Kyubey? No, Kyubey had gifted him with this ability in the first place.

"Seven out of ten."

"Sounds about right. That's reasonable."

Deku frowned. "We didn't get much done today, we just showed each other our abilities and stuff. There's probably a lot more to learn, right?"

Her laugh was soft, but not mocking.

"Haha, don't worry Deku. We'll get there eventually. It's important that you showed me this stuff because it'll help me come up with effective witch-killing methods. You're right that there's a lot more to learn. We haven't even covered shields, healing, or signature masking yet. Give it time though. Check the brightness of your soul gem too, please."

It was a good reminder, he wouldn't have done so otherwise. Willing his transformation away in a flash of green light, he observed the brilliance of his soul gem. It still shined green but was noticeably dull. Kazane's gaze analyzed.

"It'll last long enough to fight a familiar. You have another use of your soul gem for after. We'll take down one and during the fight, I'll show you a bit about healing and defensive magic usage, alright? I'll be available tomorrow night, like always. Let's head back now, okay?"

They walked home together. Deku took note of her seemingly empty apartment. There were no cars in her driveway.

He laid in bed that night, unable to sleep. Everything was happening so fast. It was less than a week ago that he was a quirkless pathetic boy. It was less than a week ago that Bakugou had told him to commit suicide. Deku had already been a magical boy for four days. There were three quirks copied in his journal. He already had an ally. Things were looking up.

But still, he couldn't sleep. He worried about getting into U.A. Would they know? Would they take one look at his costume and laugh him off property? His sleep was restless and dreams tormented by a familiar hot-headed blonde boy. "Give it back! You're not Deku!" He shouted. In the grand scope of things, U.A entrance exams were just around the corner.