Instant Crush - Daft Punk (Featuring Julian Casablancas)

"Hey, how have you been?

I remember when you were conflicted,

Wasting days away,

It's like we're still living in the past."

Airports were always a hassle.

"Hey! You-, That's mine, asshole!" I yelled angrily as an Italian guard took away my lighter and cigarettes. Setsuna sighed behind me, shaking her head as the bastard rummaged through my suitcase. "Hey! Don't take that bottle of rum away from me! I haven't finished drinking it, you cunts!"

"Sora. It's their job."

"Well, tell em' to fuck off! I paid good money for it!"

"I'll pay you back whatever amount it totals up to. Just shut up and let's get through the security check, I don't want to miss the flight," Setsuna replied. "Hey! Pricks! Hurry the fuck up, there's a bunch of other people behind him!"

"Yeah!"

"What she said!"

The guards huffed out in annoyance as they handed me back my stuff and let me pass through the gates, albeit with less alcohol and cigarettes than I'd have liked. Kaminari and Jiro were waiting for me on the other side, matching smirks on their faces as I stood beside them with a frown on my face.

"You can buy your alcohol again."

"I can't," I replied with a frown. "We're heading to New York. You need to be twenty-one to buy alcohol and cigarettes. And Aizawa doesn't want me to repeat another night out in Venice. Tsk."

Kaminari sighed at that.

"It was so fun too. I was winning so much in poker."

Jiro's eyes narrowed at that.

"You told me you lost."

"Er, oops?"

"You still should have invited me," Jiro replied with a sigh. "I probably wouldn't have come out, but at the very least I wouldn't have worried about you two. But no, you two went off and decided to have a night out by yourselves without telling a single soul - Not even Tokage told anyone either, and that's dangerous in a foreign country. Especially because you met Yozora and Stain, what if a fight broke out right then and there?"

"Er-,"

"You wanna deal with her?"

Kaminari scoffed at that.

"Why should I deal with her?"

"She's your girlfriend."

"She's your best friend!"

"So what?!"

"So… you take responsibility!"

"Fuck you!"

"Nu-uh!" Kaminari replied, pointing his finger at me in an accusatory manner. "It's your fault!"

"How's it my fault?!"

Jiro giggled at our antics as she rested her head on Kaminari's shoulder. I looked away with a sigh, it didn't make me feel good but whatever, it's not like I wanted to see the girl I loved kissing my best friend happily.

"It's both of your faults," Jiro replied with a smile. "Oh well, it's not like I don't miss it. The days when you two would be the class idiots and mess about. It's a shame, you know. That we've had to grow up."

I frowned at that.

"We're still kids. We can still mess about."

"I agree with Sora," Kaminari nodded his head. "You're talking as if we're the ones living in the past?"

"I mean… You are. No one else is willing to act the way you two are, not even Mineta. In this class, the only two idiots who still act like nothing has really changed from our first year are you guys," Jiro told us. "I mean, it's why I like you, Denki. It's why we are friends, Sora. It's different from everyone else and their incessant pursuit of being a Hero. You two are the only ones that I know that act like you don't even want to be in U.A., let alone Heroes in a sense."

Hm.

"Well, she's not wrong," Kaminari replied, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "If I wasn't forced to be here to study and whatnot, I'd have graduated or left by now. I'd have gone and become an adult or something. What about you, Sora?"

"It's the same thing. I'd love to just work on my cases, but instead, I have to do my homework an hour before it's due," I said with a sigh. "School isn't serious. I mean we are graduating in a few months. After that, we'll never have to deal with it ever again. So you can't blame me for not taking it seriously, now can you?"

Jiro laughed at that.

"I mean, you aren't wrong."

But I wasn't exactly right either.

Thankfully, Setsuna interrupted our conversation by latching herself onto me, like she always did. It was weird, watching Jiro and Kaminari snuggle up to one another as Setsuna practically teased me the same way.

"Hey honeybun, what's cooking good-lookin?" Setsuna asked with a sly smirk. "How's my American accent?"

"Shit. I don't think that's how Americans speak."

"How would you know?"

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You don't know everything."

"I know more than you."

"Do you?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Setsuna laughed, sticking her tongue out at me.

"It's okay not to know. I'm sorta nervous about going to America. I mean, I've always wanted to go, especially to New York," Setsuna told me. "Think it'll be fun? Personally, I really want to go and try out all the food there! Did you know they have chicken and waffles together? Who does that?"

I looked at her in confusion.

"Fuck do you mean they do that? Bullshit."

"Seriously, look it up! It's crazy!" Setsuna told me. "Or just corn dogs in general! They deep fry everything! Or biscuits and gravy? I mean, seriously! Biscuits?! What do waffles even taste like?"

I smirked at that.

"Sounds like you'd rather be eating food than go on patrol."

"No shit, Sherlock. Why'd I want to save Americans? Or anyone?" Setsuna asked me, smirking at me. "I think I'd rather let them die while I try out some of their dishes. Promise you won't rat me out? I know you work for the pigs, but for a copper, you're pretty chill."

"Says the Hero. You literally defend a broken system."

"I get paid more than you do."

"Yeah, but you also have to make more public appearances than me," I replied, wagging my finger at her. "I don't have to suck up to the public so my ratings get higher. Or sell merchandise. Remind me again of your Hero name. Lizardy? What are you, a child? I could even think of a better name for you than that."

Setsuna rolled her eyes at me.

"Okay, Detective Dragon."

"Hey! I didn't choose that name!"

"You chose Aozora."

"Which was a sick name by the way!"

Kaminari snorted at that, shaking his head at me.

"Do you even remember your original names?" Kaminari asked me. "They were God awful. Hey guys, I think the Flying Hero: Cloud was such a good name! Oh, you don't like it? Or the hundreds of other ideas that Midnight rejected because they sounded stolen. Ichigo? Luffy? Naruto? Yusuke? Gin? C'mon, it took you until the end of our class to come up with Aozora."

I flushed red at that.

"You never told me you were terrible at picking names!" Setsuna lightly teased. "I suppose it makes sense. Even now, you have terrible luck when it comes to nicknames. I really wonder how the name 'Sora Yamazaki' even became a thing for you. Your name literally means sky above the mountain promontory."

"Says the girl whose last name practically means lizard!"

Setsuna frowned, flicking my forehead.

"It's still a better name than yours."

"Whatever floats your boat, you psycho bitch."

"I'm the psycho? Okay, buddy."

"Did you just call me buddy?!"

Setsuna smirked as she trailed ahead, her suitcase following behind her as she winked at me, shooting finger guns at me. This time, I was going to be forced to sit next to Yaoyorozu and Iida on the flight to make sure that I didn't drink alcohol and get absolutely hammered.

"Told ya' I'd get my American skills up. What can I say? I'm a natural."

I snorted at that.

"Yeah, naturally demented."

Chapter

Eighty-Five

'Summit of Kilimanjaro, Full of Snow'

I twisted and turned in my bed.

Our hotel was glamorous.

Thankfully, Kaminari and I shared a room together as I stared at the ceiling. For some reason, I couldn't go to sleep tonight. The luminescent light from Kaminari's phone, as he messaged Jiro, didn't help me either, or perhaps the lights from the New York City skyline that penetrated even our flimsy curtains didn't help the fact that I felt stuck in this place.

I wanted to explore.

I wanted to see more of this place.

But I-,

I immediately sat up and jumped away from my bed as it felt like the room lurched side-to-side, my splitting headache not giving me a single moment of reprieve as I fell to my knees and began to gasp for air - Blood slowly dribbling down from my mouth to the floor feeling more like drool than something serious.

"Sora!"

I closed my eyes, pushing the window open to allow some fresh air into our room, leaning my head against the wall as Kaminari rushed to get me a glass of water. Ultimately, there was nothing I could do since I wasn't allowed to take the medicine Recovery Girl had given to me. They were banned in other countries for a reason, and that's because they were the worst type of painkillers imaginable.

One's that got you seriously addicted to them.

The only reason Japan hadn't banned them yet from what I could tell was because of All Might. He himself had used the painkillers just to get up and walk every day, let alone fight, and in the chaos ensuing his death, the government had more pressing issues to deal with than a pain-killer.

"...Dude," Kaminari sighed as he slid next to me. "You scared the shit out of me."

"S-sorry."

"Nah, don't sweat it. Need me to help you carry you to the toilet? I'll clean up the blood from the floor, don't you worry about it!" Kaminari told me with a grin. "...You should rest man. Seriously. I'll go and tell Aizawa about what just happened, we'll take you out of the tournament and-,"

"NO!" I yelled, watching Kaminari's face fall. "I-, Please. Anything but that."

"...You can barely stand up."

"No one needs to know."

"Sora, I know. This is serious."

"Well, that's a secret between you and me now, Denki," I replied with a grin. "Please, man. I already know that it's fucked up, what I'm asking you to do. But I promise I won't go out much, I won't drink, I won't do anything outside of resting here in this room and going on required patrol! Just keep this a secret from everyone."

"...Why?"

I flinched away from his gaze.

Why?

That was a complicated question I didn't know the answer to, but deep down I also knew that I had the answer I had been longing for the entire time. It was because this was the last time I could relax with Class A, before long we'd be graduating and going off to be adults. I'd probably die in a year or two with how everything is progressing, if not sooner if I don't get killed by a villain.

Maybe they wanted to make memories that lasted them a lifetime.

I just wanted memories that would comfort me when I die-,

"I don't want to ruin everyone else's holiday," I answered honestly. "I already know that because of me everyone is worried. But someone like Setsuna - I just want her to be happy. To experience everything she never could, and I don't want to drag her down because of my sickness. At that point, I'd rather kill myself."

"...Alright. I'll lie for you," Kaminari told me with a sigh. "Don't pay me back or anything. You just take it easy and sleep as much as you can, alright? I'll tell Tokage, she can come and ditch whatever activities she wants to come and-,"

I shook my head at him.

"Don't… Tell Setsuna. I want her to enjoy New York. She deserves it."

Kaminari smiled at that.

"You really love her, don't you?"

I-,

…

"Love? I'm… close with her. Don't twist what we have into something that it isn't. There's no way we'd work out, I'm dying and she has her whole life in front of her - Plus I'm not her type," I told him, ignoring his gaze as my hands curled up into fists. "She deserves someone better than a guy who can't even make it to the toilet without throwing up blood. Anyway, cheers for this. I'll be sure to sleep as much as I can."

"Alright… Just take it easy for me, alright?"

I scoffed at him.

"What are you, my older brother? I'll be fine."

And Denki laughed, nodding at that.

"Yeah. You're right."

New York City.

In the heart of the bustling East Coast lies a city unlike any other: New York City, a vibrant tapestry woven with the threads of history, culture, and innovation. As the sun rises over the iconic skyline, it illuminates a metropolis that never sleeps, pulsating with energy and opportunity.

New York is a symphony of architecture, where towering skyscrapers stand as modern marvels alongside historic brownstones and ornate bridges that span the glittering waters. Each neighbourhood possesses its own distinct personality, from the eclectic streets of Greenwich Village to the opulence of Fifth Avenue, offering a mosaic of experiences waiting to be explored.

Yet, beyond its tangible beauty, New York City represents a beacon of dreams.

It is a place where individuals from every corner of the globe converge, seeking to carve out their slice of the American Dream. In its streets, one can hear a chorus of languages, witness a kaleidoscope of cultures, and taste a fusion of cuisines, all united under the shared pursuit of ambition and opportunity.

Central Park, a lush oasis amidst the urban jungle, serves as a sanctuary where city dwellers can find solace amidst the chaos, while Times Square pulses with the rhythm of life, its neon lights casting a spellbinding glow upon the throngs of people who traverse its streets day and night.

Moreover, New York City is a crucible of creativity and innovation, a place where artists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries come to turn their ideas into reality. From Broadway theatres to world-renowned museums, from cutting-edge startups to multinational corporations, the city teems with the relentless spirit of progress and reinvention.

But perhaps, above all else, New York City represents resilience. It has weathered storms both literal and metaphorical, rising from the ashes time and time again, stronger and more vibrant than before. It is a testament to the indomitable human spirit, a living testament to the power of perseverance and the belief that, in the city that never sleeps, anything is possible.

In every gleaming skyscraper and every bustling street corner, in the laughter of its residents and the echo of its history, New York City stands as a symbol of hope, ambition, and boundless possibility—a place where dreams take flight and the pulse of humanity beats strongest.

That is what I'd like to say about the city.

In my old life, I always wanted to visit it.

But as Sora Yamazaki, I couldn't give less of a shit about a city I'd never been to. Perhaps that was why days passed with nothing ever happening - Sure, I went out with Setsuna and ate weird food we had never tried before, but that was more her thing. And sure, I went bowling and visited historical landmarks with Class A and B, but they enjoyed that far more than I did.

Maybe that was why I enjoyed spending most of my time cooped up in my hotel room.

Outside of the fact that I was far too sick to stay up for long anyway.

"...You aren't going to the Yankees game?" Aizawa asked me. "Everyone in Class A and B is going. I got tickets for everyone. Are you not a fan of baseball? I'm sure I've seen you follow it every now and then."

I hummed, eating the rest of my breakfast.

Fried eggs.

"Not a fan of the Yankees," I replied. "Too much history, too many wins, you know? I get they're a strong team, and I get that they'll just continue winning as long as they can. But it's the same story every year."

Aizawa nodded at that.

"So, you're not going?"

"I'm more of a Mets fan," I said with a grin. "They're more my style."

"Young upstarts that are cocky and think they can do anything? I can see the similarities between the two of you," Aizawa said, rolling his eyes at me. "...But why do you support Liverpool then? That's something I've never got. You hate the past, but you support the biggest and most successful team in England. Or joint most successful. Yet, you'll turn around and support the Mets. That's contradictory."

"Life is contradictory."

"They're two different philosophies, Sora," Aizawa pointed out. "Well, for what it's worth I'm not going to the Yankees game either. I'm not a fan of baseball. Can't think of anything else I'd rather do with my time than watch grown men hit a ball with a metal bat."

"I don't think we've ever talked about sports, Uncle."

"Well no - Because I'm not into sports," Aizawa told me. "Outside of your fanaticism for Liverpool, I don't follow any sport. Maybe golf, but that's due to Hizashi playing it in high school. Have you only just been interested in football?"

I bristled at that.

"...My friend. Denji. He played baseball in middle school," I whispered, putting down my fork as I stared across the New York City skyline. "He told me about how good the Yankees were. I supported the Mets just cause' it annoyed him, and in a sense it created a friendly rivalry. Whenever they played, I went to his house and watched it with his grandfather, the old man you now know as Shigeo."

"So, you don't want to watch the Yankees out of respect?"

I scoffed at that.

"I don't want to watch the Yankees cause I don't want to see them win. It's as simple as that," I replied with a smirk. "Hey, it's been three days since I last smoked. I know you need to be twenty-one to purchase them, but could you pass me a cigarette? Or just a packet in general."

Aizawa frowned at me.

"..You can't go even a week without smoking."

"It's a part of my schedule, you know I don't like change," I smirked at him. "I always thought I was changing myself when growing up, but it's not that. I'm just peeling off another layer and becoming more comfortable with myself. Isn't that just being an adult?"

Aizawa scoffed as he threw an unopened packet of cigarettes at me.

"When did you become so mature?"

"I don't know. Probably during the countless times when I've nearly died since I was fifteen?"

"Get in line, kid. It's been nearly twenty years and that hasn't slowed down for me," Aizawa gruffly replied as we both opened the window in my hotel room and began to smoke, the calming buzz reminding me why I enjoyed it so much. "You know, after you sacrificed your powers and were still in a coma., I thought about retiring. I failed you entirely. It's funny to talk about now, but I wonder where I would have gone if I did retire. Maybe to a city like this?"

I tilted my head in confusion.

A city like…

New York?

"Why?"

"It's something new."

"Fair enough," I sighed, taking a long drag from my cigarette. "When I was a kid, I always wanted to see this place. You know, in every movie it's in all you see is the glamorous parts of it. How good it looks. And this is a beautiful city. But I don't think I could move here, I mean it'd be learning a new way of life."

"Isn't life about new experiences?"

"It is?" I asked in surprise. "I always thought life was about living fully until the end."

"You didn't always think like that. In fact, that's a far cry from how you used to be in the past," Aizawa said to me with a grin. "You helped people because you wanted to. You wanted to save them. But, ever since you learnt about the fact that you're dying, that's seemed to have changed. It's funny how you went from one opposite to another."

"...I said I'd help Class A change the world."

"No, you said you would guide them to the points where they can change the world. Someone as selfish as you does not care about the world, not really," Aizawa replied. "I'm the same. So long as the people I care about are fine, I'll live to the fullest. That's what death does to a person. It changes your ideas about life. Suddenly, life becomes less about something you should protect and something you should cherish. Appreciate. Before it's snuffed out. So, why do you think we're smoking out of a hotel window with two Yankee tickets in my pockets?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"So you do want to go."

"I want to spend time with my nephew. Just because I can. Just because I enjoy seeing him happy, is there anything wrong with that?" Aizawa asked. "Knowing you and your personality, I think you're going to say something witty, right? Like how I've never really called you family before? Like how I've never been so brazen about my attempts to love you? Are you going to ask me why I'm acting like this when I've never done so before?"

I snorted at that.

"You know me so well, Uncle."

"Well, I'm not going to lie and say that it doesn't make me happy knowing I've become so predictable to a young adult," Aizawa chortled loudly, waving the tickets in front of my face. "When I was your age, I was convinced I'd be alone. See, we're mirrors of each other in a sense. My mother died, I never knew my father, lost the girl I loved and watched my best friend die. My life was touched with loss, and you're the inverse. You lost the girl, sure, but you keep on chasing after her. You lost a friend, but how many have you gained? How many have filled that hole in your heart? You never knew your biological parents, but one gave their life for yours and your adoptive family loves you."

Hm.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying, for a life filled with hardships you've also had it good. Great even. So I don't get that tortured look on your face as if it's over - Or rather, I don't like that look in your eyes. You look at me, and everyone else like we're a dream," Aizawa told me seriously. "Like any moment now, you'll just wake up and we will disappear. I've noticed it more and more since you told Class A and your family about your fate. About the fact that one day very soon you could die. You're the one becoming more convinced of it. Of the fact that soon you could…"

"You call it fate, then you backtrack the next sentence. Which is it? Am I going to die, or am I going to live? Yeah, one day I'll die. But what's the matter with you?" I asked him. "It's funny. Just a few days ago you were telling me to drop this, but now you bring it up. Everyone seems to bring it up while telling me to drop it. I can't go a freakin' day without someone reminding me of the fact that I'm going to die soon, no one can even imagine a world where I live. Can't we all just not talk about it? I'm here right now."

Aizawa scoffed at me.

"After the stunt that you pulled in Venice? Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Drugs. Get drunk. Go to the casino. Waste a night away and claim it doesn't matter all the while looking to do it again, as if frantically trying to prove to us that you are alive. You didn't even look like you enjoyed it," Aizawa whispered angrily. "That's what I don't understand about you, Sora. You're dying and are trying to live life to the fullest, but you don't look happy while doing so. So which is it? Are you happy that you are dying and so you're living your life fully? Or are you dying because you're happy wasting your life away? What are you trying to say? Are you so afraid of dying that you're willing to go to such lengths to do this? To prove that your life means something in the end?"

…

I shrugged my shoulders in response, flicking what was left of my cigarette down below.

"Why are you asking me as if I know the answer? I just do what I do."

Aizawa's eyes narrowed at that.

"Isn't that the problem? What do you want to do?"

"Find my brother, find a cure, date Kyoka if she ever loves me back, maybe watch everyone else be happy with their lives. Is that so bad?" I asked in response. "I think those are normal goals. Fuck do I know what I want to do after that? I'm eighteen. I decided to be a Hero as a kid on a whim, not because I was passionate about this job. I'm not a heartless monster that won't save others, but I'm not a paragon of justice that I'll let myself die just to save a stranger."

"Not true. You've done it before."

"I was naive."

"You were more yourself."

"I'm still me. Flaws and all. Just because I'm not the type of Hero that'll drop everything to save a little girl doesn't mean I'm ignoring myself," I reminded him. "I know what you are thinking. That I'm losing myself again? That's not true. I know how I feel, and I'm far more open with it. So I don't get your points? What is it that you want me to do? To give up smoking? To stop drinking? I'm just acting like I always have."

"No, you're stuck in the past," Aizawa said. "You have that look in your eyes. This isn't two years ago. You're not in your first year anymore. Hell, you're not even a child anymore. You're an adult in the eyes of the law. Which is why I'm perplexed, why do you want me to treat you like a kid? I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you, and all you do is blow me off each time. You can't even see that your vices have caught up to you. You spend most of your time smoking or drinking now."

I-,

Heh.

"Can't I just enjoy my youth?"

"Enjoying your youth isn't smoking these in a hotel all alone while everyone else goes out and has fun," Aizawa reminded me. "Nor is it getting drunk every night, doing drugs and going to the casino to spend money that isn't yours. Enjoying your youth is the same as enjoying the world around you, and accepting yourself in your current moment. You're not doing that, Sora. I hate baseball. But I'm going to the Yankees game. It's a new experience for me. Feel free to come, who knows. Maybe you'll learn something else."

I sighed, waving at him as I took out another cigarette from the packet he gave me.

"Nah. I'm fine just staying in this room."

Aizawa sighed.

"Fair enough. It is a comfy room."

I nodded at that, taking a drag from my cigarette.

"Comfy indeed. Funnily enough, it reminds me of the comfy room I had when I was a kid."

"A kid?"

"Yeah. Before I decorated my room in Hinata and Gekko's house, it looked like this when they first took me in," I told him. "Plain. But I like it plain. That way, when you leave, it doesn't hurt as much."

And Aizawa shot me a look I couldn't quite decipher as I said that.

"What?"

"Nothing," Aizawa replied with a frown. "Absolutely nothing."

Right.

Absolutely nothing.

That was how much worth going to the Yankees game in the present meant to me - Absolutely nothing. As soon as Aizawa slammed the door shut, I couldn't help but let go of the coughs I was holding in desperately, a sliver of blood escaping me as I lost control of my balance and fell to the floor.

The warmth of the cigarette helped me stay awake as I stared at the ceiling.

Hah…

So this was my fate.

Hm.

"Yo! What are you doing?"

I watched as Kaminari and Jiro were sitting in the pool on our hotel roof. They were the only two people up here, everyone else had gone to check out the city - Other than Setsuna who was having an 'afternoon nap'. Not that I could exactly blame her. This was a big city, and the fact that we were patrolling some parts of the city just made me realise how fucking small it was compared to Musutafu.

Musutafu was a big city.

Not comparable to Tokyo, but it wasn't comparable in a sense.

Musutafu was a part of the Shizuoka prefecture.

Tokyo was a prefecture.

In comparison, New York was kinda just… average.

Perhaps the same size as Fukuoka.

"Sora!" Jiro waved at me while wearing a purple two-piece swimsuit. Damn. "Did you come here to do some swimming with us? I tried to ask everyone else, but they were too busy. Apparently, they want to look at the museums."

"Boring!" Kaminari replied with a grin as he dapped me up. "Hey man, you alright? You didn't come to the baseball game yesterday… Are you sure you're up for a swim?"

"I'll be fine," I brushed his concerns away as I sat down next to him and Jiro. "I'll just take it easy. Or something. It's not that deep, honestly. Plus I don't even like baseball that much so I couldn't care less."

Jiro's eyes narrowed at my words.

Crap.

Of course, she would notice my lies right away.

"...Well, as you're feeling better now, everything is fine, right?" Jiro eventually replied, passing me a towel. "Here. You didn't bring one and I brought spares. Idiot, you can't just keep forgetting stuff and stealing things from me."

"Huh? Sora, you steal things from Kyoka?"

I sighed at that.

"No. I don't count the pens I borrowed from her for an exam."

"I was talking about the fact that you used to regularly take my music CDs," Jiro replied with a grin tugging at her lips. "Technically, you still have a few of my CDs somewhere. You never gave them back after we…"

Broke up.

After we broke up.

"...You want them back?"

"Dumbass, we are in New York - How the flying fuck are you going to get my CDs back from Musutafu!? Anyways, keep 'em. To be honest I've sort of outgrown 'The Cure' and 'My Bloody Valentine'," Jiro told me. "They just feel sort of juvenile now, if that makes sense? I have nostalgia for those records, but they just feel like they don't represent who I am right now. I bet you never even listened to them, so what am I talking about? Not like you knew good music in the first place, I always had to show you real music none of that shit you listen to."

I cringed at that.

I did listen to those records.

I listened to those records until I fell asleep each night.

They were some of my favourite albums and artists… To this day.

"Right, haha," I nervously replied, scratching the back of my head as I looked anywhere but at Jiro. "So, er, what have you guys done since coming here? Outside of patrols and a few places Setsuna took me for food, I haven't seen much of the city. To be honest, I expected more ya' know. In a sense, this city is just sorta boring."

"It's New York City!"

"And it's a total bore," I told Jiro. "I mean I can't drink alcohol, I can barely smoke, I can't do anything fun! What's there to do in this shitty place?! I can't wait to go to Australia next, I know that will be fun!"

"Life isn't always about alcohol and cigarettes."

"Well, he's sorta' right," Kaminari added. "Kyoka, why do you think we are here of all places? Fuck do we care about museums or anything? As much as I like baseball, I don't care about the Yankees. To be honest, America is sort of overrated. What do you do here outside of eating junk food?"

"Er…"

"Central Park was nice," I muttered. "Well, sorta. I wish the fans didn't recognise Midoriya right away. You know. Leave some fans for the rest of us, instead he just had to show his face and everyone and their mothers came running."

"Is that a hint of jealousy I hear?"

"Midoriya got gifted a pair of panties from a well-known celebrity as a stunt. I'd dread ever having someone do that to me as a publicity stunt. But, I can't deny the fact that I would like an audience as big as his," I replied with a devious smirk. "Imagine the amount of scams I could pull? Hehe. That's passive income. All I have to do is promote some shitty product and it's free money."

Jiro glared at me, hitting me across my back with a dry towel.

"That's horrible! Aren't you a detective?!"

"Cut the man some slack, alright? I'd do the same," Kaminari replied. "I mean jeez the amount of money to be made from Heroboo's is insane. I mean All Might merch is still selling like crazy, and the man has been dead for four months now! Imagine how much of an untapped market Midoriya has?!"

"Some of us don't want to be a Hero obsessed with money!"

"But think of the gifts I'd be able to buy you!"

"With stolen funds!"

As Jiro and Kaminari continued with their back and forth, I leaned back on the summer chair and took in the sun. Ah, summer. Instead of spending most of my time buying cold snacks at the seven-eleven next to U.A., here I was travelling the world on the worst holiday of my life - But, it could be worse.

…

"-And that brings me to another point! Sora! Sora!"

"What?"

"WHAT?! Were you even listening?!" Jiro angrily snapped back, clicking her fingers in front of my face. And just like that, my blissful nap was shut down. "I said that we need to talk about you and your nonchalant attitude! To be honest, I'm sick and tired of it! You aren't even making an effort in our holiday together. Fair enough, you're not the type to go around and whatnot, but here you are next to us and you don't even want to talk! You don't even want to ask us what our plans are later!"

"...I have plans."

"Like what?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response.

"I don't know. I'll see whatever pops up, ya' know?"

"You're incorrigible."

"Yet, loveable. You say I'm nonchalant, but that's not true."

"You… I remember the stunt you tried pulling back at All Might's funeral. Don't think I forgot. I never told a single person about what happened between you and Zero," Jiro replied harshly. "You think I haven't realised it? The only reason you even tried to go and kill Zero was because you were dying. You'd rather die in a fight than let your illness take you. You promised us you would let us in, and talk to Tokage since you're so close with her. It doesn't have to be me, you know."

I hummed at that, shrugging my shoulders at her.

"I-, Good theory... You're wrong though."

"Huh?"

"Zero knows I'm dying," I replied. "He's known the entire time. That's just the type of guy he is, probably why he was so incessant in me to switch sides or whatnot. He probably saw how futile my attempts were, maybe he found them charming or something. I… Have a few theories as to why. But none of them concern you. To be honest, I don't think those theories are even true. The real reason I want to kill Zero is out of respect, he's my rival, and neither of us will stop until the other is dead."

Jiro looked lightheaded at my words.

To be fair, it was the first time I outright stated it.

"...And you're okay with that?"

Kaminari asked that question, his brows furrowing as his eyes were determined. His hands balled into fists as he struggled to keep his emotions under control, and for once I couldn't help but sit up to face him.

"Yeah. You got a problem?"

Kaminari scoffed at me, shaking his head in response.

"Nah."

…Huh?

"Eh? Denki?" Jiro asked in confusion at her boyfriend. "What do you mean? Your best friend is aiming to either kill or be killed because of the stupid rivalry he has with a villain! And you won't talk some sense into him?!"

"Why'd I do that? He's sure that this is what he wants to do, so I'll make sure that it happens. I'm his best friend after all," Kaminari replied with a sad smile. "I gotta make sure that Sora's dreams are achieved, you know? Else I'd regret it for the rest of my life. And to be honest, I know that Zero's gonna be gunning for him either way. There's no stopping him, not when he's as headstrong as Sora, it's just their fate at the end of the day."

"B-But-,"

"You don't get it, Kyoka. You never have. You never will. This isn't just between Sora and Zero, it goes deeper than that," Kaminari told her. "...Sora. Are you sure you are even ready to do what you just said? To kill someone, I mean. It… It taints the soul. It changes you forever, there isn't a take-back for that. The ultimate burden someone must bear is taking the life of another, you understand that, right?"

I stared right at Kaminari.

"Know from experience?"

"Answer the damn question, smartass."

…

"Yeah, I'm ready," I replied, nodding my head in response. "I mean, Zero's been ready to kill me for years. But he never went through with it. He should have gotten rid of me, but all he's ever done is help me. I owe him. He's a villain, and in the end, the only way I can help him is by stopping him. But he won't just stop, even if I throw him in prison, right Kaminari?"

Denki grinned at that, bobbing his head in agreement.

"Yeah. That sounds like him alright. Either you kill him or he'll kill you. Just like rivals in a battle manga, neither of you is willing to give up on your dreams," Kaminari told me wistfully. "...It's sort of crazy. You know, I think that he probably appreciates that about you. In this world of Heroes, someone like you is always there to break the status quo. Your mere existence is like a beacon of struggling against fate, Sora, someone who doesn't back down no matter what. Even if you lose to Zero."

I laughed at that.

"If I die, I die. But I won't. I refuse to lose to him after all."

Kaminari grinned at me.

"Thought so. It's not like Zero's just going to roll over and die, you know."

"I don't want him to."

Kaminari nodded in understanding-,

"No! Absolutely not! Stop encouraging him and his banal ideas, Denki!" Jiro shouted angrily. "Next thing you're going to suggest is that he becomes a revolutionary or something because he criticises the system! Or what?! Are you going to say that Sora should start going around killing others-,"

"Kyoka."

"WHAT?!"

Kaminari sighed as he pushed Jiro into the empty pool.

"Hold your breath."

I chuckled to myself, mentally preparing for the shit storm that was to come.

"DENKI!"

Thankfully, Jiro got out of the pool quick enough and stormed away leaving only Kaminari and myself left in the pool area. We both sat in comfortable silence, the two of us staring at the calming waves of the swimming pool.

"Hey, Sora. I knew you said you were serious about killing Zero, and I'm serious in what I said too, but-, I don't know-, Urgh. Words are just annoying sometimes. What I'm trying to say is…"

I shook my head at him.

"Ya' don't need to say anything man. It's not like I won't try and stop Zero first, at the very least he's a decent guy. He's helped me a bunch of times, and you know, I think in another life we could have been good friends - Sorta' like me and you in a sense," I replied with a smirk. "You're my best friend. But still, you shouldn't have said that to Jiro. You know how she is, especially when it comes to me and my death. Especially now that I've told everyone about…"

Kaminari sighed, nodding along at that.

"I… get it, Sora."

"You do?"

"How would you rather die? Doing something you wanted, or stuck in a bed filled with regrets? I know you. I know what death you would choose," Kaminari replied. "...I guess that's why it is sad for them. For everyone else. They're caught between wanting what's best for you and what they want for you. I mean, if your best friend was dying how would you feel knowing he was trying to die in a more honourable but painful way than on a bed?"

…

"True. I'm just surprised that you understand."

Kaminari laughed at that.

"I just want what's best for you, man. That's all I've ever wanted, from the very first day we met and we became friends," Kaminari told me. "Hehe. I still remember it, the two of us discussing our favourite female Heroes with Mineta chipping in right at the end. And look at how far we've come since then?"

"I know, right? Haha."

Silence descended upon us once more.

"Say… have you ever heard of the story on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro?"

I shook my head at him.

"Nah. I don't think I have. How does it go?"

"I got it from an old show that used to be popular a long time ago," Kaminari replied. "A man injures his leg during a hunt, he's in the middle of the savanna, with no means to treat the wound. The leg rots and death approaches. Last minute, he's picked up by an aeroplane. He looks down and sees a land of pure white below him, glistening in the light. It's the summit of a snow-capped mountain, the mountain is Kilimanjaro. As he gazes down, he feels the life flowing out of him. He thinks, 'That's where I was headed.' He then dies right after, looking at it."

I laughed at that.

"Huh, that's neat. The man found what he was looking for in the end."

Kaminari nodded, though his smile didn't quite match his eyes.

"I hate that story, Sora."

Tilting my head in confusion, I watched as Kaminari stared at the swimming pool that kept on flowing. In a sense, it was like life. No matter what happened in the pool, the currents still pushed forward continuously - Even if things were dropped in it, even if people died, the pool would still exist. This world still exists, even after death.

"Men who only remember the past, well, they only do so before their death. As if they are frantically trying to find proof that they were alive in the first place," Kaminari told me bitterly. "The story is about ideals and death. I hate the story because it's about a dumbass who stubbornly dies achieving his goals. The bastard thinks that having lived a good life is better than living a happy life."

I hummed at that.

"What's the difference?"

"A good life is dying, achieving something. A happy life is realising that there are more important things in life than ideals," Kaminari told me. "...How are you going to die, Sora? Is someone looking at the summit of Kilimanjaro satisfied, or are you going to live happily until the end? What do you value more, Sora? Arriving at the summit or being able to climb another mountain in the future?"

I shrugged my shoulders honestly.

"I dunno man. It all seems like a bunch of bullshit to me."

"Yet, the gear of fate turns one way or another."

Narrowing my eyes at Kaminari, I couldn't help but notice that look in his eyes.

Why was he so sad…?

Whatever, it's not like I cared.

I sighed walking through Times Square.

"Oh my god! It's Invisible Girl!"

"Holy shit it's Class A from Japan!"

"Invisible Girl! Please! Sign my figure to you!"

"INVISIBLE GIRL! INVISIBLE GIRL! INVISIBLE GIRL!"

Walking alongside Hagakure was certainly an experience. I never just realised how popular Class A was abroad, although it did make sense especially after the certain international fame brought to us and Japan after All Might's funeral. I just didn't expect Hagakure of all people to be the one that everyone recognised the most, although I suppose it made sense since she had the most unique Quirk out of the entire class.

She was invisible.

So I couldn't see if she was blushing or not as we walked through the streets on our patrol.

"You want to make a stop and talk to your loyal legion of fans?" I asked her, a smirk tugging at my lips. "I don't mind waiting for the incredible Invisible Girl after all. You'd think you saved the world with how much they're talking about you."

Hagakure sighed at that.

"Don't remind me. I hate this."

I blinked at her in surprise.

"Huh? Why?"

Even though I couldn't look at her face, I felt her sharp glare.

"Why?"

"...Sorry. Not my place to ask."

Hagakure stopped as we turned a corner into another street, why was New York City such a weirdly designed place?! It felt more like a grid rather than a city. Certainly odd compared to Musutafu or even London-,

"Sora. What are we?"

I turned to look at Hagakure in surprise.

"Er… Well… I think we're friends. You weren't violently opposed to me coming back to Class A, and you weren't mean or anything. Just distant. Like a lot of our class to be honest," I honestly told her. "But, I'd like to think we're friends. I remember back in our first year, you used to have trouble sleeping at night and we'd have late-night conversations because I stayed up playing a game or something."

Hagakure snorted at that.

"True, true. It's weird to think those nights were two years ago now."

I sighed at her.

"Don't remind me. I already feel old enough."

"Do you… Do you remember what I was afraid of the most?" Hagakure asked me, her voice fluctuating between being confident to ask me and unsure of whether I would answer. "I mean-, It's totally fine if you don't remember! I don't want to put you on the spot or anything, you're not under any-,"

"You're afraid of being forgotten."

I watched as Hagakure stopped stuttering, her hands freezing in place as I imagined her mouth to have opened from the shock of my words. I couldn't help but grin at the look of surprise that probably took over her face, at how wide her eyes had probably become while we stood in the middle of the pavement.

"...You remember."

"Of course, I remember. I also told you that there was no way any of us would forget you and that if I ever forget you I gave you permission to kick me in the balls," I added. "Well, unfortunately for you, I don't forget. I'll never forget your fears, Hagakure. Not when you yourself told me them. If I did that, I'd be even more of a shit friend. And if you remember correctly-,"

"That's your biggest fear," Hagakure cut me off with a sigh. "Yeah, I remember. As if you could ever be a shit friend, Sora. Well the current you, I mean. Sure you're sort of distant at times, and you can be inconsiderate, but-, Well-, You're dying. For some reason, it doesn't feel real, you know? That you are dying."

I shrugged my shoulders at her.

"Fair enough."

"It's not fair at all," Hagakure whispered. "It's not fair that as soon as you come back, something else is taking you away! Just when I thought that maybe my life would be getting back on track and that our memories from our first year would be replicated, I found out that those memories can never be relieved. All I'm stuck with is the shitty future that's scary. Suddenly, I don't care if I'm forgotten. If I'm invisible. Knowing that you're dying, knowing that the unknown future is coming to us all is far more scary."

Ah.

"...You're afraid of the future."

Hagakure nodded at that, or I assumed she did.

"It's pathetic, no?"

"Not really," I replied, shaking my head at her. "I know tons of people who are afraid of the future. No one can predict it after all. All anyone can do is look at the uncertain future and pray that everything is fine. All anyone can do is just hold their head high and live till the end happily."

"...Is that what you're doing?"

I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I didn't reply.

Was…

"Sora."

"Yeah?"

"I may be invisible. But, I'd like to think our friendship isn't," Hagakure told me as I felt her reach out and hug me. My eyes widened as I hesitantly put my arms around her, hugging my friend back. "No matter what, no matter how afraid I am of the future, I want to be there for you! As a friend! I know I may have been distant! But-, I'm sorry, okay?! I-, I don't want you to die without ever knowing that you're a good friend of mine! You're basically family!"

…

"I don't want you to-, Why is it that your life is filled with tragedy?!"

…

I patted her back, soothing her woes as she cried into my chest.

"Why?! Why can't we all just be friends forever?! Why… WHY?!"

"Hey now," I told her, patting her head as I smiled warmly at her. "This means a lot to me. Really. Compared to everyone else who's walking on eggshells around me, I appreciate this more than anything. Telling me to stop smoking or give up my place here just pisses me off, you know?"

Hagakure sniffled at that.

"You… don't mind?"

I shook my head at her.

"Being concerned for me? No, I'm not a fucking cold-hearted bastard. I know you all care about me, that's not the issue. It's just-, How do you think I feel watching you guys struggle to deal with knowing the truth?" I asked Hagakure. "You're all amazing people. You can achieve so much. But instead, you're toiling away being afraid for me, and I don't know, I guess it puts it into perspective."

"How much you mean to us?"

I shrugged my shoulders at her.

"Sorta. More so realising that there isn't much difference between us."

"H-huh?"

"Do you guys think I'm not afraid of dying?"

"B–but, you-,"

"What? I act up? Why do I act normal? That's because if I made a big deal out of it, I think I'd be paralysed with fear," I told her honestly. "So I don't. I am afraid of dying. But I'm more afraid of breaking my promises to myself, I'm afraid of being a loser again. So, I'll force myself to move forward. And here I am. I'm not as strong as you think I am, I'm just determined."

…

"Sora."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For always listening to me. If I had a brother, I wish he'd be like you."

I scoffed at that.

"Dumbass. I am your brother already."

Hagakure laughed at that, and for a second, I swore I saw her face.

Maybe it was the light reflected onto her.

Or perhaps I was seeing things.

She had long, messy, wavy chartreuse hair, with pink specks, bushy eyelashes, and big round eyes, with pupils that were teal on the outside and yellow on the inside - And she was beautiful. I watched as Hagakure wiped away the tears, putting on her best front as she grinned at me and that was when I stopped 'seeing' her in a sense.

"Then let's walk towards that future we're afraid of together!"

…

I laughed at that.

"Right."

It was the final day of our trip to New York City I started to pack up my luggage when I got a knock on my door. I hummed to myself as I opened the door to see Tokoyami staring at me, and for a brief few seconds, I simply looked at him in confusion.

"Er…"

"Ho, Sora. Mind if 't be true I cometh in for a chat?"

"Not at all. Come in, come in."

I opened the door for Tokoyami to walk inside and marvel at the hotel room I was sharing with Kaminari. He and Jiro had gone out on a date night to some fancy place Jiro had booked, something about enjoying the 'Big Apple' before they left it.

"What's up?"

"Well, doth thee recall the conversation we once did hath't? About humour like monsters?"

I nodded in response.

"Yeah, sorta. Something about you feeling like a monster cause you couldn't control your Quirk when you were a kid and you hurt your older sister," I replied, humming to myself. "Everything good? Did your parents… Er… Did they do something to you?"

But Tokoyami shook his head at my question.

"No. The truth, Sora, is that they've been supporting me all along."

I stayed quiet as Tokoyami gripped his jeans tightly, a scowl appearing on his face as he abandoned his usual dramatic way of speech. Tears threatened to spill down his face as he refused to meet my eyes, and all I could do was patiently wait and support him as I tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Come on."

"Where to…?"

"Just look outside my window," I told Tokoyami with a grin. "Look at the lights from all the buildings in this city. A boring city. But a beautiful city nonetheless. I sorta want to come here when I'm a little older if I'm still alive, maybe indulge in a few more adult activities and have more fun! Haha, I don't regret anything but at the same time I wish that we'd have more time in this city."

"...It certainly is charming."

"Right? Man, I know I basically spent my entire holiday cooped up in my room or eating, but, I wish I had more time. To, er, enjoy it more with everyone!" I told Tokoyami honestly. "...It's just hard. I mean I'm thankful that Kaminari is here with me, I don't think I'd have been able to make it to the toilet if I didn't."

Tokoyami's eyes widened at that.

"Your-,"

"I need medication so that the headaches don't annoy me too much. I'm supposed to take them daily, but I'll have to wait before we go to Sydney tomorrow before I can take them again," I told Tokoyami. "Just keep that info to yourself, alright? The real reason I didn't partake in any class activities this time was because I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed, let alone walk around and watch baseball for a few hours."

"...Why don't you give up?"

"I'm stubborn, Tokoyami."

He laughed at that.

"I know. You know, back then, I think we were wrong. Neither of us were monsters, just stupid kids who didn't know any better," Tokoyami told me honestly. "My parents and my sister booked tickets to come and watch me in London for the sports festival. They want to cheer me on in person, they want to travel a long distance just to support me. I thought I was unlovable, I thought because of my Quirk I'd never get along with them, but-, I was wrong."

I nodded along at that.

Once upon a time ago, I felt the same way.

The follies of being young and stubborn.

"Shouldn't you be happy? You were wrong."

"...All I feel is regret."

I laughed at that.

"Move on from it. Mate, you have your whole life to make up for the mistakes you made as a dumb kid lost in his own mind," I told him with a grin. "They don't blame or hate you. That means that they love you, and why wouldn't they? If you were never a monster to anyone outside of your own mind, then that's telling. Just as I was wrong, so were you. A stupid kid can't be a monster when all they needed to learn was how to love themselves."

And Tokoyami sighed, his shoulders relaxing at that.

"...It sort of takes me back, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we made a manga together. Bleach. The story of a boy who could see ghosts fighting Soul Reapers and more," Tokoyami reminded me. "Ever since you left, I put it on hiatus. I've been afraid to reach out to you for so long. What if you still thought of me as a monster? Instead, you've been far more open and willing to share the parts of yourself that you hid from us for so long. True growth. Not too dissimilar to the protagonist of our manga…"

"Hiatus, huh? Say what if we resurrect our series?"

Tokoyami's eyes widened at that.

"You really mean it?"

"Yeah! Why not? It was fun writing the series while you drew it. Plus the passive income was great. If you're down to do it again with me, I'm down to write it again. But not Bleach. I think it'd be better if we started a new series," I told Tokoyami who hummed at me in response. "What? Do you object?"

"No. It's just… What series would we serialise?"

I hummed at that before it hit me.

Haha.

Why didn't I think of it before?

"Dude. My Hero Academia."

Tokoyami blinked at me in confusion.

"What?"

"Why don't we write a series about our time at U.A.?" I asked him. "Sure, we're graduating in under a year. But I never want these memories to fade. Even if I'm not here, I don't want you guys to look back in sadness at once, you know? Even if it's a selfish series that never ends, at least this way I'll never fade away in a sense."

And Tokoyami laughed.

He laughed so hard until he choked out sobs.

"That's-, You-, Man. I really hope you don't die, Sora."

"Huh?"

"I want you to be here when I write the final chapter of 'My Hero Academia'," Tokoyami told me with a grin. "I want to share the series conclusion with you. I don't know how long it'll take till I finish it, but you better promise me that when the series ends you'll be there to read the final chapter alongside me! It's an ending unless we are all together!"

…

"Yeah," I smiled at Tokoyami, nodding my head confidently. "I promise, I'll be there."

I didn't know how long I had left.

But at the very least, I wanted to live as long as I could.

For them.

For all the idiots that touched my heart one way or another.

I think it's important to mention the two distant members of Class A - Hagakure and Tokoyami! Easily a weird and underrated duo because of their Quirks they've been treated very differently from everyone else!

Not in the mutation sense of racism (Which I will get to) but rather how they perceive themselves and the fears that come along with it. A lot of this chapter is centred on the theme of fear - What that fear is to others and how Sora's fears affect him.

Fear is debilitating.

It causes you to stay in your room 24/7 doing nothing as you imagine a world where you aren't afraid, and I suppose that's the point. For those of you who are afraid out there, don't worry! You have tons of people who'll help you if you stumble!

You aren't ever truly alone so just go and make the first step!

Soon enough, you'll forget about your fears!

Sora's always faced his fear head-on, out of stubbornness and because he's someone who hates to sit back and relax. That's a massive contrast to me, someone whose fears attack me and cause me to do some stupid shit in real life that hurts others - In a sense, I've always understood my fears and acted against them, and that fear causes me to question a lot of things, but I always reach out to my loved ones because that's all I have.

Well, semi-similar to the current Sora I suppose.

So, writing Sora in this chapter as less of his usual self was hard actually. Because I usually don't relate to Sora, I'll relate to the tons of other characters like Setsuna and Zero as I put Sora on a pedestal of sorts - He's the main character, and yet, within the context of this chapter you could feel like Sora was the one being comforted the most.

He's stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he doesn't have an answer.

A mirror I suppose to the DECIDE Arc of Part 1. Only this time, Sora isn't bottling everything up, he's trying to make sense of how he is feeling and explaining it to the others who are trying to understand him, but young love and life itself is too complex to just break down into one emotion or another. So for once, I wrote Sora acting more like me than I ever would have wanted him to act, and this chapter perhaps represents something more than I can put to words as well.

I mean Sora's actions aren't lining up with his feelings, there is a disconnect there and I'm highlighting it for a reason. There is something misaligned within Sora, a side of himself he's never been able to accept - The past.

Not his past mistakes, I mean the past.

Memories that are gone.

Feelings.

Hopes and dreams.

Sora grows, but he's never grown up if that makes sense. He still feels like a teenager, and he is. But he's also a young adult, and as someone who wrote this story as a teen and is now a young adult I understand the idea of feeling lost and confused about who you are, and what you want, and that's growing up.

I have problems with my past, a very similar flaw to Sora has.

So this saga that includes this arc and the next is important to me and Sora because whatever answer I draw up is the answer he'll come up with too - Perhaps the one instance that this story will ever delve into SI territory as so far Sora's past life is the opposite of mine in every way!

Alas, I'll see you all next time.