Burn Notice
Chapter 1
Sleep didn't come easy, and I found myself waking up around five a.m. on the dot. I hated not getting enough rest as it was, so being up before the sun felt like a crime. I dragged myself into the bathroom and stared at my own sleepy face in the mirror.
My long, lavender-colored hair was ruffled from the restless night. My golden eyes looked bleary back at me. I was so not ready for today, but I had things to do, plans to make, and people to see.
After a quick shower, I threw on a tracksuit I used for training and headed out into the cool morning air. Well, cool for others. My Quirk kept me at a comfortable temperature always, and it took a lot to make me feel cold. I let out a sigh, a small gout of flames escaping with it, as I considered my options.
Obviously, I needed to train, but there were so few options available to me. Having an Emitter Quirk had its downsides, especially one based on fire.
I call my Quirk "Sol Guardian" because I can emit and control fire, both my own and others'. I can even absorb fire, which makes it useful for rescues. People joke that I'm a perfect blend of my parents: my mom can absorb fire and other heat sources, while my dad can emit and control fire. But I try not to think of it like that. Quirk Marriages are disgusting enough as is, though my parents actually met and fell in love in college. That's the good stuff.
It was about five-forty-five when I reached Dagobah Municipal Beach. One cursory glance, and... yep, there's All Might and Izuku. A soft smile settled on my face. Izuku really did need someone to believe in him. Feeling impish, I snuck up close to them as they spoke.
"And that's why I took the liberty to design a ten-month strategy to get your body into shape for the Entrance Exams!" I heard All Might say, handing Izuku a packet as I got closer.
I couldn't help but throw in my two cents. "Did you factor in Izuku's sheer drive and compulsive attitude to push himself harder than most?" I asked curiously, causing both All Might and Izuku to jump in shock.
"Kagu-chan?!" Izuku exclaimed in surprise, while All Might fell into a combat stance. Did I really sneak up on them that well?
"Young Midoriya, do you know this young lady?" All Might asked, not taking his eyes off me.
"Yeah, this is Kagura Hoshizora. She's been my friend for a very long time." Izuku introduced me, and All Might relaxed as I began to speak.
"Hello." I greeted with a formal bow. "I hope I wasn't intruding. I happened to be working out and saw Izuku. Thank you for saving him and Katsuki, by the way. They've been in my life since we were little, so the thought of losing them hurts." It was the truth, after all.
All Might gave me a soft smile. "I was happy to help those in need, Young Hoshizora." His smile faded a little. "However, your appearance complicates things a bit."
"No need to worry about me. I know when to keep a secret." I replied with a smile of my own. "You're training Izuku for the UA Entrance Exams, right?" Seeing All Might nod, I continued. "Then please keep in consideration that Izuku wants to be a hero like you, and giving him this chance means the world to him. It also means that he'll impulsively push harder than he needs to meet and beat your expectations."
"Really now?" All Might turned to Izuku, who looked flustered.
"Well... she's not wrong..." Izuku muttered, embarrassed. I knew his brain was already trying to figure out how to squeeze in more training.
"I know my boys." I replied with a smirk. "That said, might I suggest talking to Auntie about having Izuku test out of Aldera? He's smart enough to do so, and that'll afford you both more time to train. Plus, it'll definitely get him out of that toxic environment."
Before All Might could speak, Izuku groaned. "Are you still annoyed at the principal?"
"And our teachers. Don't forget about them."
"You said you were eighty percent sure, not a hundred," Izuku pointed out.
"What's wrong with his school?" All Might questioned with a frown.
"Oh, sorry, All Might…" Izuku started to apologize, but All Might waved it off, motioning for him to continue.
"Kagu-chan believes they've been preaching from the 'Meta Liberation Army' book at school."
"You make me sound like a conspiracist…" I murmured.
"Is this true, Young Hoshizora?" All Might asked. I nodded. "I know a certain individual who would enjoy investigating that. That said, I will definitely take all you've said into consideration."
"That's all I ask. I want Izuku to succeed because I believe he can be a great hero." I gave All Might another bow. "Thank you for believing in him too."
After promising not to mention their training several more times, I left the pair to continue while I resumed my journey. I didn't want to interfere with Izuku's training, but giving All Might insight on how he was progressing would surely help.
I let out a sigh. I needed to train myself, to refine my control, and push my limits too. Pulling out my phone, I opened the web browser app. Well... better search for a Quirk Training facility to—
I collided with someone and landed on my butt. Great, fantastic even. I even dropped my phone. Thank goodness I had a Quirk/Military-grade case on it.
"Oh, pardon me!" I looked up at the person I ran into…and wow, he's tall. I mean, All Might is giant, but this guy is towering. He had blue hair and wore glasses. I felt my cheeks heat up. I'm blushing. This guy is handsome, what the hell? "Are you alright, miss? Here, let me help you up."
He offered his hand, and I took it without hesitation, allowing him to help me up. "T-Thank you." Did I just stutter? Damn it, I was just teasing Izuku about this yesterday!
"It's no problem at all, miss. Here, let me get your phone." While he retrieved my phone, I tried to make my face stop resembling a tomato. Damn it, I can hear Mother giggling at me from her realm!
"Here you go." He handed me my phone and I smiled weakly.
"Thanks again… so um… My name is Kagura Hoshizora. It's… nice to meet you."
He smiled at me, literally smiled at me, and my blush returned! "It's nice to meet you too, Hoshizora-san. My name is Tenya Iida." Iida...holy crap, that's Iida? I was not prepared for this.
"T-Thank you again, Iida-kun…I-I mean!" Oh God, I want to die.
"Are you okay, dear? You look flustered." My gaze shifted from Iida to a woman who looked like him. Oh god, is this his mother? Isn't this too soon? She noted my face and gave me a knowing smile. Oh god, she knows! "Tenya, who is this lovely young lady?"
"Her name is Kagura Hoshizora, mother," Tenya replied, looking at his mother confused.
"Hoshizora?" She questioned with surprise. "Dear, is your father Takeo Hoshizora?"
"Y-Yes ma'am, that is my father's name…why?" Oh god…why is this getting worse?
"I know your father! He speaks so highly of you!" She exclaimed with a smile. Mother, I know you're there, please strike me down. This is painful and I want to die! And the Goddess is laughing harder now! "He says you're hoping to attend UA!"
"Really?" Tenya's eyes lit up with interest. Please don't look at me like that…
"Y-Yeah.. I was actually looking for a place to train my Quirk…" I murmured, embarrassed by all of this. "It's... dangerous to train alone."
"Well, why don't you come over to our family's facility then?" the woman suggested. Tenya looked shocked at the suggestion.
"Mother, are you sure that's wise?" Tenya questioned.
"It's fine, Tenya. She wants to be a hero and obviously worries about how dangerous her Quirk is. It would be a shame to our family not to nurture such potential."
"A-ah… you're right! It's only right for us to support our fellow heroes!" Iida said, launching into what I assume was a righteous tangent. His mother gently pulled me aside to speak to me while he continued his enthusiastic speech.
"I'm so sorry about my son, dear. He means well but leans too heavily into our family legacy," she said softly.
"I-It's okay, ma'am, really. I think it's admirable." I replied weakly. "I'm just… surprised he didn't notice…"
"That you find him terribly attractive? Tenya is a smart boy but, like I said…"
"Too much into the family legacy, right." I finished with a sigh.
"Here." She handed me a business card with what I assumed was their contact information. "I wasn't exaggerating when I offered to help you with your Quirk. Please do consider coming to us."
"I will, ma'am." I smiled. At least today wasn't a total loss.
"Hahahahahahaha!" I stood corrected, slumping as Katsuki laughed his ass off. Izuku was also chuckling weakly, but his eyes betrayed his amusement. We had all gathered at the Bakugou household for our weekly dinner, an event set up by our moms. We rotated homes each week, turning it into a regular, cherished get-together.
"Oh man, I can't! My sides!" Katsuki wheezed, holding his stomach.
"I hate you, Katsuki…" I murmured, thoroughly embarrassed. Earlier, his mother had asked me about my day. While carefully omitting anything involving All Might and Izuku, I tentatively explained my encounter with the Iida family. Katsuki found the whole story incredibly amusing.
"I can't believe it though," he said between breaths. "Out of all the guys in the world, the one guy that actually got your cold ass interested didn't realize you were into him!"
"Shut up, brat! Can't you see she's embarrassed enough?!" Aunt Mitsuki came to my defense. Thank you, Aunt Mitsuki. Please muzzle your Chihuahua. "I don't see you attempting to give me grandchildren any time soon."
I stood corrected; they were both horrible. I shot a deadpan look at her, and she grinned back at me. Very horrible. "I don't think you'd want grandchildren from Katsuki. Any woman who chooses him must be certifiable."
"What was that, tiny tits?!" Katsuki snapped. I didn't even hesitate—I slugged him right on the sweet spot of his chin, and he was out like a light.
"Kacchan!" Izuku shouted in shock.
"I can't say he didn't deserve that," Mitsuki muttered, clearly impressed by my right hook.
"Thank you for dinner, Auntie, but I must be heading home now," I said, preparing to leave.
"I'll drive you home, Kagura," Uncle Masaru offered. "The streets haven't been too safe at night recently."
I considered his offer and then nodded. The last thing I wanted was to flash fry someone if they tried anything with me.
As we walked to the car, I glanced back at the house. Katsuki was still sprawled out on the floor, Izuku fussing over him while Aunt Mitsuki continued to scold him. Despite the chaos, there was a warmth to these gatherings that I treasured. I felt truly blessed during this second go at life.
Once in the car, Uncle Masaru started the engine and we drove in comfortable silence for a while. "You know, Kagura," he finally said, breaking the quiet, "Katsuki doesn't mean any harm. He's just... well, you know how he is."
I sighed but smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I know. He just gets under my skin."
Uncle Masaru chuckled softly. "True. But he cares about you and Izuku. In his own rough way, of course."
I looked out the window, watching the city lights blur past. "I know. Thanks for the ride, Uncle Masaru."
"Anytime, Kagura. Anytime."
Once home, I greeted my parents. My dad was surprised to learn that I had met the Iida Matron, but he was glad that the meeting had gone well. My mom, on the other hand, shot me a knowing look. Damn it, she knows.
After a long, relaxing shower, I found myself brushing my hair again. I frowned. Today's encounter with the Iida family was definitely orchestrated by Mother, but I couldn't be mad at her. At the very least, I had an opportunity to train my Quirk.
I sighed, putting my brush down, and stared at my reflection in the mirror. As much as I loved my hair, it was getting too long to maintain and was honestly a serious detriment to being a hero.
"I could cut it for you, my daughter," the Goddess appeared behind me in the mirror once more. "It's usually a good idea to try something new, especially when you're attempting to impress someone you like~." I started to pout and she giggled. "It's okay to be embarrassed, dear. Here, you were thinking shorter, right?"
"Yeah... something that won't get in the way while I fight." She let out a hum before taking out a dagger. A part of me should have been afraid, but I felt comforted by Mother. I couldn't even understand why.
She hummed softly as she cut my hair with the dagger, and I felt at peace. Lucid, even. Was this her power? Was she making me feel this way? And why did I crave it more?
"All done." Huh? I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was far shorter now, but... "You look gorgeous like this, Kagura." I blushed and nodded, feeling too comfortable and tired to form words. My vision began to fade. "You must be exhausted, my daughter. Here, let me put you to sleep."
I felt myself being moved to my bed and tucked in. Soon, I was out like a light, my dreams filled with visions of nature under the moonlight.
If you're curious about the frequency of which I work through these chapters, it's because most of my day is spent in bed due to the egregious amount of pain I tend to be in; so I usually don't have anything else to do.
Some side notes here:
The reason why Tenya's mother wasn't named yet was simply because I didn't know what to call her. Do feel free to throw suggestions at me.
I'm 99% sure that you all know who the Goddess is but her methods will be explained later on.
As for the Canon, there will be a few changes that will be touched upon, however, because of the structure and how Kagura is handling things, there will be moments she'll hear about but not know until told. If you want me to change that, however, please let me know.
And yes, not sure if the context clues were there, Kagura is a humanoid Blaze the Cat, however she doesn't know that herself, what the Goddess did and is doing is screwing with her memories.
And no, Kagura herself doesn't hate Katsuki, but she's made attempts to stifle the worst of his attitude. Having grown up with Izuku and Katsuki, she knows their issues well and they know hers (hence why she decked him in this chapter, she's hella sensitive about her size).