CHAPTER 5: STARE INTO THE GLOW AND THE GLOW STARES BACK

I sat straight up in bed as I was about to sleep that night as if someone had poked me in the ribs.

I just remembered that Toga was supposed to be a year older than me.

This had to be a result of entering another timeline, despite not being sure of how it could have happened. But how though? Everything else that's changed has only changed by little bits at a time, or otherwise insignificant things haven't happened, but to change a person's birthday by an entire year is on another level entirely.

I was pacing back and forth in my room quietly as possible, trying to figure out how this particular butterfly effect could have happened. It was at that point I remembered Eobard Thawne AKA Professor Zoom's famous line from "Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox".

"Break the sound barrier and there's a sonic boom. You broke the time barrier, Flash. Time Boom. Ripples of distortion emanated from that point of impact, shifting everything just a tiny bit, but enough."

I didn't break the time barrier, but maybe whatever or whoever brought my soul here broke another kind of barrier. The Dimensional Barrier? This world doesn't look like a Flashpoint version of My Hero… but so far I've noticed a bunch of tiny changes. Perhaps I didn't break the Dimension Barrier persay, but maybe I left a crack in it. Tiny distortions flowing from the little fissure, shifting selective things just a little bit. Certain encounters when I was four never happened and new encounters did happen because of my existence in the timeline, but otherwise, everything has gone on as I saw it in the show.

I need to be careful and try to keep the timeline as close to the original as I can, otherwise it could change beyond predictability, but at the same time, I need to make sure not to tip anyone off that I know how events normally go.

As quietly as possible, I ducked back into bed, turning onto my side. For what purpose was I brought here? There was no way I was reborn here without a plan, so how could this have happened?...I suppose I'll find out soon enough.

(2 months later)

The sounds of suburban traffic permeated the warm Saturday afternoon, even through my earbuds as they blasted Bored To Death by blink-182. I decided to try and emulate the look of my old life, with a dark blue sleeveless hoodie under a black vest and black cargo pants. The strings on my guitar were in need of replacement, so I decided to take a trip on my own via a train downtown. I also had another reason for going there, but I didn't tell anyone about that. Luckily, Mom seemed to trust me with a trip to the music store. The most she said was for me to be back home by supper.

I shook my head gently with a smile on my face. There were three certainties in this life; death, taxes, and Mom being straightforward. I bobbed and weaved through the crowd, moving almost to the beat as I sang along quietly to my music. Ah, 90's and 2000's rock. I respect the classics like Bon Jovi or the Beatles, but the early 2000's era is the best for music. Semi-Charmed Life was practically my childhood.

"There's a stranger staring at the ceiling / Rescuing a tiger from a tree / The pictures in her head are always dreaming / Each of them means everything to meeee…"

Pulling out my earbuds for the last stretch, I felt someone's finger tap me on the shoulder. Confused, I turned to see a familiar face… well, not exactly familiar, but I knew them.

The person in question wore black jeans and a purple band t-shirt only a few shades lighter than her dark purple hair, which was cut short almost like a boy. She sported a black choker which contrasted against her lighter skin. Her most distinctive feature was a pair of biological earphone jacks that hung to her shoulders.

This is Kyoka Jiro.

Just how many more of these people am I gonna meet prior to joining UA?

"Hey. Could you point me to the music store around here? I don't know this part of town very well."

"Well, as it happens, I was on my way there as well. Follow me, I'll take ya there."

"Okay." With that, we were off.

"So, you like blink-182?"

My head swiveled. She heard that, huh? "You know them? It's rare I meet people who share my taste in music."

The musical girl shrugged. "I like a lot of kinds of music and know a lot of bands. It's kinda rare seeing anyone listening to an old 2000's rock band these days."

I returned the shrug. "I listen to a lot of stuff. blink-182 is a good band, though they were a little generic at the start. As much as I like All The Small Things, I can't deny that they sounded kinda like Jimmy Eat World going through puberty."

She snickered at that remark. "Yeah, their later work sounded better as they grew up. 2000's punk rock is pretty cool, though it took a while for each band to decide how it sounded. Except for Green Day, they were pretty distinct from the start."

I nodded. "Very true. American Idiot in particular was an amazing album, and Walking Contradiction is an awesome song."

The rocker nodded, seeming to recall those songs. "Punk rock is my favourite genre, not too heavy, but heavy enough. What do you like?"

I shrugged. "I like a bunch of stuff. Pretty much anything as long as it's not generic, like the majority of country or the majority of EDM. Death Metal is also a little iffy, but everything else is alright."

Jiro raised a brow slightly. "Even symphonies?"

I nodded. "Yeah, they're intense in a different way from rock and roll, more dramatic somehow. It can be used for all sorts of background music too."

Jiro tilted her head in a gesture of dismissal. "Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Personally, they just bore me a lot of the time."

I nodded. I could see how it could maybe bore people, but the 1812 Overture will remain one of my favourite pieces. "Well, while we're still on the topic of music, we're here. I was coming to get some new strings for my guitar."

Not to mention, I had another plan for visiting. This part of the city also happened to be where Nighteye's agency was located. I had walked by the building a couple of times before Mom pointed it out to me on one of our trips. The letter I had written prior sat tucked in one of my vest's inner pockets. Hopefully, this would get him to soften up a little about Deku.

"Hey!"

I snapped back to reality as Jiro waved her hand in front of my face. "Sorry, what did you say?"

She sighed. "I was saying thank you for bringing me here."

I nodded. "Anytime… uh… earphone girl." Nice save, me.

She cocked her head a little bit. "I'm Kyoka Jiro."

I extended a hand. "Katsuki Bakugo. Nice chatting with you."

She nodded and shook the extended hand with a simple "likewise" and walked into the store. I grinned a little and walked in as well. It would take a while until she broke out of her shell, but I like her already.

After picking up the strings, I paid, put them in my pocket, and flipped my hood up for the trek to Nighteye's agency. Okay, maybe calling it a trek is a bit of an exaggeration, but it was still a bit of a walk. I had a plan to try and get involved in the Work Study program, but if Nighteye recognized me as the boy who left him the letter, that would get complicated fast. Hence the hood to hide my hair.

I had a tape dispenser in one of the outer pockets, so this should go smoothly.

I rounded the corner, the front door of the agency within view. Walking up casually, I drew a piece of tape and stuck the envelope to the door. The envelope had Nighteye written in the center, but below it I had written six letters. Well, technically three letters, just arranged differently. It should make him take this seriously. I hoofed it and ducked around the corner to avoid being seen. I guess I'll see how the letter pans out later.

Bubble Girl POV

I was on my way down to get some fresh air during my break, when I saw something unusual. Something was taped to the window. A letter? Opening the door and reaching, I removed the tape and examined the envelope. There's no postage or anything, just the boss' hero name… wait, there's more, just below. AFO/OFA? What's that, some kind of code? I scaled the stairs to deliver it to Sir Nighteye, wondering just what this could be about as I bumped into someone.

"Oop, sorry Bubble Girl, didn't see you there. Whatcha got?"

Mirio Togata, a UA second-year who was here for his work study. He's a nice kid, always looking for ways to make others smile. I held up the envelope.

"I found this taped to the front door. I'm taking it to Nighteye."

He nodded. "Okay. I'm meeting with Centipeder to go on patrol. Good luck!"

He began walking down the hall quickly. I wish I had his energy. "Same to you."

I knocked on the door to the office. Upon hearing him say 'come in!' I entered, holding the envelope up.

"Sir, I found this taped to the front door, no one else was visible on the street. There's nothing except for your name and what I can only guess is a code."

The green-haired man looked at me with his traditionally vacant expression. "What precisely does this coded part say? Should it be logged under credible threats?"

I looked down at it,glancing over the envelope one more time before reading it. "I don't know, it just says… AFO slash OFA." I glanced back at him. "Is that significant?"

His eyes widened after a moment of thought, mouthing something I wasn't able to catch, which was a real show of emotion for him. "I'll read it in private, Bubble Girl. Please, get back to your break."

It was rare that he read things like these himself or tried to dismiss me so suddenly. Usually he would delegate that to Centipeder. Something about the letters on the front must have him spooked. Did they carry some kind of significance? "O-okay, um, should I ask Togata and Centipeder to stay out as well?"

He nodded, staring at the letter in his hand. "Yes, that would be appreciated, depending on if I'm done reading it when they get back."

I nodded in return. "Yes Sir." I exited the office, shutting the door behind me. What could that letter have said to surprise him so? I don't know, but I'm not sure I want to know.

Nighteye POV

I waited as Bubble Girl exited my office. These letters clearly meant All For One and One For All. I walked over and locked the office door, staring intently at the envelope as I rapidly felt it with one hand. There seemed to be nothing in here other than paper. They knew about tightly regulated information, but they also knew that I know. Sitting back down, I opened the envelope and read the contents.

Sir Nighteye,

If you're reading this, then chances are the letters on the front caught your attention given your affiliation. And odds are as well that All Might has told you about his choice in successor. Before you jump to the conclusion of All Might or Midoriya blabbing, the former doesn't know me or that I know, ditto with the latter. And you can relax, I have no affiliation with All For One. I'm writing to you of my own volition.

You see, I have seen the future as well. Not a lot of it, but extensively enough to know that the most favourable outcome is the one where Midoriya becomes the Ninth holder of One For All. All Might's injury may have restricted his ability to perform hero work, but it did not affect his mind. When Midoriya goes to UA with this power, he affects so many people and helps them change for the better. Without knowing, he even bonds with an individual whose power could change everything. And before you bring up Togata, he's too old to cause any of the developments that would happen if Midoriya were to become the Ninth. None of the events would transpire the same, with the only key development remaining the same being the bond with the aforementioned individual. Also, one of your predictions about Midoriya's death will be false.

There will be Villains that rise up at the side of All For One and his apprentice, and Midoriya will be the main shot, and thanks to his knowledge and more analytical mind compared to Togata, he will be able to go toe to toe with All For One's apprentice. The other members of the apprentice's organization will be people whom society has rejected and they simply do not fit in the current society. The Hero Killer Stain will also have his image stolen and used by the organization, which will have major repercussions.

I'm being vague because if I tell you exactly what happens, it won't happen. I'm writing to you because I want to let you know I only intend to help with my knowledge of the future. I guess what I want you to take away from this is that too much depends on Midoriya receiving One For All, and that All Might knows what he's doing. I know you only want him to be happy, despite the fact that he pushed you away, but at the same time, being happy with another person's choice is another way to let them be happy.

If you wish to reply to this letter, attach a letter in an envelope marked with an X to the front door of your agency. Please don't try to capture or question me, that will just create a bunch of red tape and create a disruption in the timeline that could irrevocably change everything. Please, in the interest of preserving the timeline, don't try to catch me. I can keep the sensitive information mentioned here a secret, and forever will try.

I am not one of your inner circle, but I am someone on the side of the heroes. Keep an eye out for my next letter.

Sincerely,

Oracle

I sat there after reading the letter all the way through. Was it possible that one of my visions could be flawed? No, the future can't be changed. No matter what I do, it can't be changed.

But… this person, Oracle, knew about things that, by all accounts, they shouldn't, unless they were already in on it? Information about One For All was controlled very tightly, only a select few know about it. How did this person get any of the information? I know too little to make an accurate guess, and it will only tear us apart more if I start making accusations or begin investigating.

They also seemed rather invested in Midoriya… is it a friend of theirs? It's possible. He's also been very vague, so I have no way of knowing about the validity of their claims.

I put the letter back in the envelope and placed it in my desk. It seems I shall have to wait and see.

My POV

(The next day)

I was back at the training clearing in the late afternoon, the fall leaves painting the area with a shade of orange that reminded me not to shoot the trees as I held out my right hand. The familiar cyan glow crept over my skin as I willed it. Consciously using Sword Skill without holding anything is a lot like keeping a proper posture or holding an unfamiliar pose. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. The Quirk itself is a form of energy I can cover myself in, though right now I can only cover up to partway up my forearms.

I observed the energy more closely. Upon first glance it would seem like my hand was covered in very weak flames that adhered to my hand and whatever I held, but there was more. The energy crackles at higher outputs, about 50% of my current capacity or more, which again is easier when I hold a sword, it appears like a mix of fire and lightning, or like Kylo Ren's lightsaber at half crackle. Some experimenting over time revealed that if something was touching any part of my hand, it too would be shrouded in the energy. What I discovered pretty quick was the energy wasn't a barrier like lightsaber blades could be, or at least a weak barrier. If something were to brave the intense heat generated by the energy field, the coated object would act as a normal object. If it were a coated wooden sword against a tungsten shield, for example, the sword would still be damaged.

It could make punching Todoroki's ice easier when we eventually fight in the Sports Festival, but that would still require some work.

Sword Skill could burn or make cutting easier, but it didn't make the objects invincible. Furthermore, it had other drawbacks. Using it for too long at a time or producing too much energy at once would heat up my hands over time and draw on my stamina. Good for producing sweat for bigger booms, not so good for staying awake. Overusing it would burn my hands and put me to sleep for a bit. Luckily, the sound created by my explosions would help keep me awake.

I clenched my Sword-Skilled hand into a fist and punched a tree. "HRAAAH!"

The initial impact was sort of softened, but it sunk into the tree slowly like a dull butter knife through block cheese. I pulled out, and looked at my hand. I just wasn't able to output enough energy to match a coated blade.

Walking to the end of the clearing, I took a deep breath as I ignited the other hand as well and drew them back in the Galick Gun pose.

"FIRE!" I thrust my hands forward and used a moderate energy-covered Explosion from both hands aimed at the other side of the clearing only to stagger myself with the attack.

Combining the powers gives me some more power behind my explosions, but it also added to the recoil of it. I sighed. To quote Shikamaru, this was going to be a drag.

As I prepped to fire another blast, I got an idea. An idea that just might work. I'm not about to reveal my knowledge just yet, but I do want to see how Deku's doing with his training.

Deku POV

This training is tough, but thanks to the training I did with Kacchan, I've gained a slight muscle and a stamina increase over the years. The orange leaves of autumn contrasted with the white trenchcoat of the person who volunteered to be my trainer and wanted to pass on his Quirk to me. All Might. Though he looks pretty different now. The man was riding a segue as I carried a busted microwave on my shoulder, running after him.

So far, it's going pretty well. The gentle breeze cooled me a little, rustling the leaves as they brushed against the face that poked out of a cluster of them. I pushed myself just a little more to… wait, a face sticking out of the leaves? I must be hallucinating.

"Microwaves, am I right?"

I skidded to a halt and whipped around as I recognized the voice. "KACCHAN! When did you- How did you- Why are you in the trees?"

He seemed to think for a second as he smiled and emerged from the treeline. "No one should ever have to justify sitting in a tree. Maybe I was practicing my Tanukigakure no Jutsu, you'll never know."

The Tanuki Hiding Technique. A real life ninja technique exploits the fact that people rarely look at more than a 45* angle. Good for stealth and surprise attacks. I've seen and heard about heroes like Kamui Woods and Eraserhead using variations of that during battle and surveillance.

But he was at eye level… and those particular trees don't look like they'd support his weight...

He then shrugged as he continued. "Besides, I was looking around the area and came across you… lugging a broken microwave around."

He raised a brow and cocked his head as All Might turned around and began to drive back towards me. I fumbled for an explanation. "Well, uh, you see, the beach that's back that way is full of junk like this, and, um-"

"Well now, who's this?" The deflated Symbol pulled up to us and aimed the question both of us, but more so at Kacchan, a little irked at the distraction. It was usually pretty quiet around here.

"Katsuki Bakugo. Izuku's best friend and rival. Who are you?"

Rival? Seems like a bit strong of a word, but I guess it fit. "Toshinori Yagi, this young man's trainer. He wanted to get into the Hero Course at UA, so this seemed like ideal training."

He nodded, a finger to his chin curled at his chin in thought. "I see, I see. Junk hauling, huh? Well, it makes sense. you'd use different muscles with the size and shape of whatever you're lugging around. This area's within walking distance from our neighbourhood, and since it was a nice day, I decided to come out here. Imagine my surprise when I find my best friend around here too."

I scratched my head awkwardly with my free hand. How was I going to explain how All Might, or Mr. Yagi, and I met without arousing suspicion?

Luckily, All Might stepped in again. "A rival, huh? I think I can see how Young Midoriya gained his higher than average endurance. He told me you two sparred a lot."

Kacchan nodded with a smile on his face. "Heck yeah! We know each other's moves to a T and can anticipate them, to the point my Mom once saw one of our spars and said it looked more like a dance."

My trainer raised a brow. "Did she now…" I think that might have been a little too much information, but it was true. Kacchan did tend to overshare a little, which made me unsure about whether or not to trust him with the knowledge of One For All. All Might told me to keep it a secret, but at the same time, I want to tell him. We've been friends ever since we were little, and we've sparred for years, so he might be able to help me develop my Quirk once I earn it… wait, crap!

"Sorry for cutting off the conversation Kacchan, but we should probably get going. I'm on a pretty tight training schedule."

He nodded, seeming to get it. "I gotcha, Gonna need to throw yourself into your work. At least now I understand why we don't hang out near as much anymore. Hopefully once we get into UA, we'll get to hang out more again."

I smiled and nodded. That would be fun to do that again. "Alright. See you later Kacchan!"

All Might smiled. "Good luck, Young Bakugo. Maybe our paths will cross again one day."

"Maybe. Sorry I chewed up some of your time. See ya!"

With that, he turned around and jogged in the opposite direction, a hand raised to wave. I waved back and turned back around. "Alright, let's get going!"

He snapped out of his thoughts, as if he just remembered I was there. "Right. Let's go, Young Midoriya!" With that, he drove ahead on his segue.

I jogged after him a couple seconds later, letting him gain some distance before I began jogging as well. I could tell, Kacchan's gotten stronger. I'll get stronger too, not just to match him, but to get strong enough to bear the responsibility of One For All!

All Might POV

As I drove ahead of Young Midoriya, I became lost in my thoughts again. Yesterday, Nighteye called me for the first time since I told him I had chosen a successor.

Someone had given him a letter, informing him that this individual had knowledge of All For One and One For All, as well as my current condition and why I was in it. But they also said something else, which was what really grabbed our attention.

They had said that Young Midoriya was the right choice for my successor, and that the current timeline depended on him succeeding me. Also, that one of Nighteye's predictions revolving around Young Midoriya would be wrong

I have a good feeling about Midoriya, but this outside party claims to know about the timeline. Does this mean that there's an outside party that knows of the future? Nighteye's the only future seer I know, could it be a relative? Doubtful. There are very few people who know about One For All, and even fewer know that Young Midoriya is my successor.

Also, Nighteye's future vision is never wrong. Conditions need to be met for his visions to come true, but said conditions always come to pass. As I rounded a corner, Young Midoriya in tow, I continued to think. This person said at the end of the letter that they only intended to help us, to make sure the future remained on track. I want to believe them, but… something is off.

Something about this feels like him.

My eyes hardened. We need to find this person and find out how they found this information. If this turned out to be a threat, I won't hesitate to stop them, whoever they are.

"OOF!" Something soft hit the pavement behind me.

I stopped and turned. Young Midoriya was scrambling to his feet, his light blue track suit dusted up a bit. Did he fall?

"Sorry, tripped over a bit of the sidewalk. Let's keep going."

I smiled and nodded. It seems he's getting stronger by the day, thanks to the training regimen. He'll have to be to face the Villains to come. "Let's go, Young Midoriya."

My POV

(Three days later)

The sounds of late-afternoon traffic filled the air as I walked home from school. It was kinda boring, but if I wanted to get into UA, I had to pay attention and work hard. The problem was, the last teacher we had was bored too. I could tell from the fact that he looked like he could care less. As I ducked down an alley to save time, lost in thought, I bumped into someone.

"Oop, sorry about that."

A hand grabbed my shirt and pulled me up to the angry visage of one Danzo Hozuki… & $#.

"You're not going anywhere, punk." He got behind me and pushed me to the pavement, which I quickly sprung to my feet from. The black-haired boy extended those wings of his, the batlike shape blocking off any escape. They were likely incredibly strong to lift him, so running past is likely out of the question. If necessary, I could take him, but I wanted to avoid using my Quirks. The wingnut grabbed my attention again.

"We've got a score to settle. That quirkless runt you're friends with doesn't deserve to live, and you defend trash like that. Also, you attacked me several times for saying the truth around him. I shouldn't have to pay for speaking the truth. If you don't have a Quirk, you're worthless."

I grew angrier and angrier as he prattled on. But he wasn't done.

"So, to make up for all the crap you did to me, you're going to stand there and take my hits until I feel like I'm done. Got it?"

...just how stupid was this jackass? I reached into my pocket for the kunai, drawing it with a flourish. "I'm not just going to stand here and let you hit me. Look, let's just cool off, go our separate ways, and never speak to each other again, alright?"

He only grinned. "I knew you wouldn't see it my way. Urusai, grab him!"

I raised one hand at Hozuki and another at the alleyway behind me, imitating Zaku's Slicing Soundwave pose from the Chunin Exams. I held the kunai with my thumb and forefinger, letting the blade rest against my skin as I aimed to fire.

Akio Urusai stepped out from around the corner, his skin turning to stone. Right, this guy, he's from my class. But… upon a closer look, he seemed to be straining a little, like he wasn't used to his power.

Wait… this is her alley. This is my lucky day.

A knife flicked into Urusai's hand, quickly pulling a reverse grip and holding it to my throat as I let 'him' grab me. Upon that, they whispered into my ear. "When I say now, we both go for a wing."

I subtly nodded. Hozuki drew closer. "Nice going. Now hold him tight, this is going to take a while."

I snorted. "Okay, I know you didn't mean for that to sound sexual, buuuuuut…"

The bat-winged boy growled. "Smartass…"

He wound up to punch, but luckily, he didn't count on me having a friend in a low place.

"Now!"

I was released and we both attacked a wing, I went for the right wing and the double went for the left. Of course Hozuki was utterly baffled and caught off guard as he was slammed to the ground.

'Urusai' started melting as they raised the knife and brought it down on the wing, leaving a small hole as Hozuki hissed in pain, trying not to show it as he attempted to throw us off.

The fake melted away completely to reveal Toga, still fully clothed (thank goodness) and a glint in her eye that made me feel a little uneasy.

It was at this point the winged boy made no attempt to hide his fear as it sunk in that he was no longer in control of the situation. "Who are you? Where's Urusai?"

"He's a little knocked out right now. Just as well, really. I don't want a lot of his blood. Armour's boring."

She smiled wider and raised the knife high. "I do like the idea of flying though! You'd also look a lot better looking if you bled a little more."

I held out my hand to stop her, speaking to her with a touch of warning. "Toga, remember our talk."

She glared at me, lowering the knife a little. "He and his crony tried to hurt you. You must want to make him cry like a little baby at least a little bit."

I thought for a moment. This was true, but if a fight went on my record, I dunno how it would affect my odds of getting into UA. "Maybe, but almost killing him is a bad idea for an aspiring UA student like me. The most damage we can do to him right now is psychological."

Toga nodded, remembering that much about me. "So what should we do? If I can't make him bleed, what can I do?"

"Y-you know her?"

I looked back at the scared Hozuki, who seemed to muster enough courage to speak. I grinned. "Yeah. She tried to kill me once and we've become friends since then. So, in a way, I'm safe around this part of town."

Toga was fiddling with her knife, keeping a creepy smile on the whole time. Perfect. "Yeah. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't kill you, I like your blood."

I raised a brow. "'Maybe'?"

The bat-boy struggled to try to free his wings from underneath us, but it didn't work. "You're a freak! A Villain! Get offa me!"

Toga's grin fell as she heard that word. Unfortunately, he had just pressed the Toga button. He shouldn'a did that.

She stabbed his wing again, causing him to writhe in pain as he struggled to run. "Never. Use the word 'freak' in front of me. Understand."

It was more like a demand than a question. His messy black hair bobbed as he nodded frantically. "Yeah, I understand. Please let me go! I won't tell anyone about this, I promise, just let me go!"

There was genuine terror in his voice this time. I looked to the yellow-eyed knife wielder. "Okay. Toga, let 'im up. You'll probably see him again if he bullies anyone ever again."

Toga seemed to debate this for a sec before she got off his wing, myself following suit. He rose, fear written all over his face, and booked it, running as fast as his legs could carry him.

Toga's smile returned. "We beat him, Katsuki! Now he won't bug you or your friend again."

I smiled too, rather happy that the bully was off my back. "Yeah, I guess we did. It was lucky you took care of the other guy before he attacked."

She smiled at the praise. "Yup! I knocked him out just like you taught me to. You taught me a lot of stuff about fighting, which I've definitely made use of."

"On Villains, I hope."

She shrugged and made a so-so motion with her hand. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Toga, we've talked about this."

"Oh c'mon Katsuki! I try not to kill, and sometimes the wrong innocent person shows up at the wrong time. You make it hard for me to do whatever I want, sometimes." She crossed her arms, annoyed at my calling her out.

I sighed and let my hands drop. It seemed there was no arguing with her. "Just… try to keep it to Villains, huh? I don't want you appearing on the news one night, okay? Anyway, I'm probably later than usual."

She nodded. That former bit we agreed on. I didn't want to see her arrested, and she didn't want to be arrested. "Okay. See you later."

I nodded, putting my kunai back in my pocket. "See ya."

I began running out of the alley and towards home, eager to wrap up this year and get started at UA. I glanced at my watch as I ran towards the future, ready for almost anything this world had to throw at me, running faster when I saw that I was really late.

Cut! Print! That's a wrap! It took me at least two rewrites before I was happy with this chapter, and the letter did not make things any easier. Now SI-Bakugo's walking the thin line of getting involved while trying to remain not involved… if that makes any sense. He's talked to someone about what he knows, but at what cost? What changes will this bring? You'll have to wait and see. The shipping poll stands as such:

Jiro: 8

Kendo:18

Yaoyorozu: 20

I'm really liking how this story is turning out so far, and I'm really surprised with how popular this is. Over a hundred likes and favourites when this fic has barely gotten started? I dunno if that's average for this site or what, but I'm happy that you lot like it. Only one more chapter post for you to vote on the poll via review. On a different note, what did you guys think? DM or leave a review, I like hearing from my readers. See you next chapter at the Entrance Exam!