TELEKINESIS - Travis Scott featuring SZA & Future recorded in UTOPIA.
'Is this a dream?
No, I guess this is reality,
How am I able to stand next to you?
Touch you?
Would you still exist even if I were dead?
The answer is yes.'
It was chilly.
The atmosphere, not the weather. The April sun beat down on us, dragging our mental health off the edge as it teetered between two moods - That we were either 'so back' or we were so far gone we had looped back into being delusional thinking that we were back and we could be better. On one side of the room were Aizawa, Tokage and myself while sitting on the other side of the room were Nezu and her.
Katsumi Shirakumo.
I watched as she played with her light blue hair which looked almost silver under the flickering light of Nezu's office. No one said anything, either out of the sheer awkwardness that emanated from the situation or the fact that we were still trying to figure out what to say. I was still figuring out what to say. Yet, Katsumi - my biological sister - seemed disinterested in the proceedings.
If anything, she looked disinterested in general.
"How long," Aizawa slowly began, his voice gruff and furious, "...How long have you been hiding this from me, Nezu? Don't bullshit me either. I swear, I'll leave this fucking school in an instant if you're not truthful with me."
Nezu's grin just showed how calm and composed he was.
It was like he expected this.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss how long I've known about Katsumi. What I can say is that I haven't known her for long," Nezu replied. "I've known her less time than you've known Sora, but I've known her longer than you may think. Around about a year and a half, perhaps a little less."
I hummed at that.
"...Around about when All For One died," I said, connecting the dots. "That would make sense at the very least. So then, what do you know about Katsumi? About Tokage and me? What have you figured out - and what don't you know?"
Nezu turned his grin to face me.
"You're very perceptive."
"You're the one that manipulated the police into giving me a job as a detective, don't try to play cute now," I replied. "Answer my questions, maybe I won't chuck you in a cell for a day or two. How did you find Katsumi?"
"I'm not at liberty to answer that question."
"Nezu, I swear if you don't answer-," Aizawa growled, kicking up on his feet as he snarled at the headteacher of U.A. hatefully. "I've had to deal with a lot of shit because of you. Because you're the one manipulating the board, you're the one putting Sora and the rest of my class in constant danger as if this is a game and their lives can be sacrificed. And now this?! I-, I refuse to let this stand!"
"I don't expect you to, Shota. It was not my intention to keep this 'secret' away from you," Nezu told him. "In terms of your question… I can't divulge how I found her, because I didn't find her. Katsumi was the one who found me."
Within seconds, our attention was stolen by the girl who simply sat in silence.
She looked more like a robot than a human.
"...Is this true?" Aizawa asked her.
Katsumi slowly turned her head, her blue eyes that looked duller than they should have peered at the three of us, with Aizawa flinching at her gaze and Tokage looking away. It was only me who didn't turn away from Katsumi, and yet I was only met by a cold and icy stare that only led to more confusion.
"I was instructed to find Nezu-san, so I did," Katsumi told us, her voice lacking a certain sort of life that made it sound human. She sounded so flat. So robotic. "That is all. Nezu-san simply did what he was instructed to do."
"And who instructed you?" Tokage asked. "And who instructed him?"
Katsumi sat in silence at that question, much to Tokage's frustration.
"Hey! Answer me-,"
"...I am not at liberty to answer your questions," Katsumi cut Tokage off. "My instructions do not include that."
I winced at that, tapping Tokage on the arm. She huffed at Katsumi, sinking further in her seat as I got her attention. I swallowed some bile, shaking away some of my nervousness as I met Katsumi's piercing gaze head-on.
"Can I assume that your instructions don't say anything about disregarding my questions?" I asked her. "Let me rephrase that question. You aren't at liberty to answer Tokage's questions, and I assume your silence during Aizawa's interrogation means the same thing. But, can I assume that there are certain questions you can answer? And may I go a step further and ask if you're allowed to divulge any information to me?"
Nezu's gleeful laughter didn't detract from Katsumi's nod.
"Alright. Can you confirm who gave you the instructions if I say a list of names?" I asked her. I watched as Katsumi nodded at that. "All For One?" She shook her head. "Shigaraki?" She shook her head once again. "Garaki?" She shook her head once again. "...Was it Zero?"
"Who's Zero?" Katsumi asked me. "But my answer is no."
"Then…" I paused, thinking to myself. Why? Why now? There was only other possible name I could even think of, only one possible person that could have done this. Perhaps it was wish fulfilment, or maybe because this was exactly what he would do. Even if I never met him, the fact was that I knew him pretty well. "Was it Raiden Aotsuki?"
My question piqued the interest of Tokage, Aizawa and even Nezu.
That meant whoever gave Nezu instructions wasn't the same person as who gave Katsumi instructions. That much was clear. I watched as Katsumi didn't reply right away, choosing to stare at me in silence before slowly nodding her head, confirming my suspicions.
It was him!
It was my brother!
"It was him… Where was-,"
"This was over a decade ago," Katsumi cut me off. "...I received my instructions to find Nezu-san a decade ago. Until recently I was… not free. When I gained the opportunity to find Nezu-san, I did."
"Not free? Not free?!" Aizawa yelled angrily, glaring at Nezu's direction. "This is how you treat her? You hide her away, shoving her family in the dark and pretending she doesn't exist so you have a better pawn-,"
"Shota, I never did that," Nezu cut him off. "I know you think of me as some mastermind with a dastardly plan to victory. And I know that your nephew right beside you doesn't like me for those reasons either. I cannot claim that hiding the existence of Katsumi was the correct answer, but what would you have me do? Introduce her to a man who was so broken he and his nephew visited a graveyard every week to smoke and drink their problems away. Would you have liked me to have introduced her to you, Sora, when you were so far gone you ignored everyone in your life including yourself?"
Aizawa sighed at that.
And I… I didn't have a response.
"Where have you been living?" I asked Katsumi. It was scary how little she spoke or reacted, Aizawa had practically been raising his voice the entire time yet for her it was as if it was background noise. "Do you… Do you live with a family or…?"
"I live alone."
I nodded at that.
"I-, Uh, never mind," My voice broke as I looked at her, exhaling loudly. "Sorry. It's just… I didn't know you existed. If I did, I woulda-,"
Katsumi simply shook her head at me.
"You didn't know. Do not blame yourself for something you couldn't have prevented. I understand my position quite well," Katsumi replied coldly. "We're both bastard children, we share the same father who is as we speak a corpse masquerading as a known terrorist. You do not have any familial care for me, and that is understandable-,"
"That's not it," I cut her off hotly. "That's about as far as you can get from how I feel right now. I do have familial care for you, even if I just met you. I just-, To you, it may seem like nothing, but I'm not just going to abandon you when you suddenly appear in my life. Neither is Aizawa. To me, your existence means something more than just another sibling."
Confusion was etched upon Katsumi's face as she silently studied me, trapped in her own world that I had frankly no idea what was going on in that mind of hers. It wasn't even the fact that I barely knew it, it was the fact that she showed no obvious personality traits or interests - It was the fact that in the very brief time which I knew her I had only heard her speak a handful of times, and they were only to answer our questions.
Which then led to more questions.
"..."
"I agree with Sora," Aizawa added. "Neither of us is going to just ignore you, Katsumi. I-, I have a duty to both of you as Oboro's children. Even if you may call yourself 'bastard' children, that doesn't matter to me. It never has and it never will. If I had the opportunity to be in your life before, I would have stepped up. There isn't a need for you to live alone anymore."
"..."
It was only then that Nezu spoke up, twirling a pen around his paws.
"I agree. Her mentor is Denki Kaminari, someone the two of you are close with," Nezu replied, nodding at Aizawa and me. "And while I'd like her to live at the Class 1A dorms, I don't think she's ready for that responsibility. Which is why I took the chance to draft these papers up."
I watched as Nezu slid a few papers over to Aizawa and me.
"You'll officially adopt her, Shota. Until the paperwork is finished, however, she'll live with Gekko and Hinata Yamazaki. A fair trade, no? Both of you will get the chance to get to know her," Nezu told us. "And Katsumi has agreed with this plan without any wishes of her own. I suggest you take it. Because it took a lot for me to even get Katsumi to apply to U.A."
"What do you mean by that?" Aizawa asked.
"I mean I'm not the only party interested in her," Nezu replied cryptically. "But that's all you'll get for me. If I'm allowed to play my chess master persona, I'm going to pull the card that says I don't have to tell you anything which I know will elicit a dangerous reaction from the both of you. That said… You may go. Shota, please stay behind. There's a certain matter I wish to discuss with you."
Aizawa sighed but ultimately stayed seated as Katsumi, Tokage and myself left the office.
We walked silently together, each of us trying to collect our thoughts. I had a sister. Not like Miwa, and not like Mashiro either. Miwa was someone who I had grown up with, someone who was my family even if we weren't related by blood, and Mashiro was a child Yukari had years after me with a man she loved - But Mashiro wasn't any older than eight.
What could she possibly ever have in common with me, someone ten years older than her who had already gone through so much? It was the same with her twin brother, Tomoya. Ultimately, there was no chance for me to ever get to know them properly because it wasn't just the fact that Yukari had abandoned me, it was the fact that I didn't want to drag them into my life.
It was easier if I maintained my distance from them.
But Raiden - and now Katsumi - were siblings that felt real.
One's that somehow got entangled into my life without any rhyme or reason, just the luck of the draw. Maybe that was what frustrated me the most. The fact that no matter how prepared I thought I was, this world would always throw another curveball at me and I'd be forced to adjust, never able to throw back.
"...Hey," Tokage spoke up. "Aren't you going to say something to her?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know Sora, like the fact that she even exists!" Tokage whispered furiously, but Katsumi made no reaction as to whether she heard her or not. "Like the fact that for all intents and purposes, you should have been the final reincarnate! How many more are there? How many more can there be? Sora, this is the worst outcome. At the very least we knew who existed and where they were. What if-,"
"You can be assured that I am the last reincarnate," Katsumi cut her off. "All For One didn't make another reincarnate after me for… various reasons. Reasons I do not know. I was told I was the 'spare' and 'leverage' before he died. And it was his death that freed me."
"Freed you?"
"I was… in a facility."
I sighed at that, shaking my head as I reached for my cigarettes. I leaned outside of the nearest window, watching as Tokage and Katsumi paused to watch me take a long drag from one of the remaining cigarettes in my pack. Tokage shook her head, snatching my cigarette as she took an equally long drag from it. The two of us stared at Katsumi, who simply stood in silence more like a doll than a human.
"You shouldn't exist," I told her truthfully. "You shouldn't have been cursed with this life the same we were. You don't seem talkative, so I'm not going to force you to divulge information to us. About your life so far or your previous one. It's not my place to pry, even if that's what I want to do the most right now. Just… Even if you shouldn't exist, I won't turn my back on you."
"But… Why?"
It was the first genuine emotion that Katsumi revealed to us.
Confusion.
She was entirely confused by me and my actions.
And so I could only smirk, taking another drag from my cigarette.
"Why? Because that's what brothers do."
Chapter
Seventy
Two
'Overcoming Azure Lights'
"...Huh…"
I watched as Miwa blinked at me in confusion, her eyes widening as I sat next to Katsumi on the couch opposite her. Gekko and Hinata were sitting next to Miwa, and I cringed as their reaction ranged from shock and worry, which was understandable considering they had no choice but to take care of her until Aizawa could adopt her officially.
"She's… your biological sister?" Miwa asked me, and I nodded in response. I watched as Miwa's confusion was wiped away with pure joy as she jumped up from the couch with an excited squeal. "Oh my God! This is so cool! Hi, I'm Miwa! Oh my God, oh my God, I finally have an actual sister! Mum, Gekko, look I have a sister! Holy fucking shit, my prayers were finally answered-,"
"Oi. I'm still here."
"-I finally got a sister! Oh my gosh, this is going to be so much fun! Sora's a stick in the mud, tell me what is your music taste like?" Miwa's excitement couldn't be contained as she practically pushed me aside and squished herself right next to Katsumi, who could only look at Miwa as if she were an alien. Of course, Miwa didn't notice this and carried on like normal. "Aw, you're so cute! You look just like Sora did a few years ago! That was before he grew up and turned into a gorilla."
"..."
"Quiet too. Aw. Where were you when Gekko and Hinata adopted a kid?"
"I… Don't think I was born yet."
Miwa's laughter hid the fact that Katsumi was confused entirely by what was going on. I frowned but didn't say anything as Hinata and Gekko locked eyes with me, and I knew that a discussion was going to happen.
"Uhm, I have to speak with Gekko and Hinata for a little bit," I told Katsumi, who nodded at me in silence. "I'll be back soon. Just… stay? I don't know. Miwa put on a movie or something."
"Hai, hai! Oh, can I call you 'Sumi' as a nickname?"
I rolled my eyes at Miwa's eccentric personality, of course, that hadn't changed from when we were kids. I followed Gekko and Hayate as they led me to my room, and I made sure to lock it and play as I winced for the future lashing they were about to give me.
"Listen, before you shout at me, this wasn't my idea-,"
"Let's not pretend that you weren't going to try and ask us to take care of her anyways, or worse," Hinata cut me off. "And let's not pretend that we're stupid and oblivious to who you are, Sora. Truly, we're glad you found your half-sister, but-,"
"She has nowhere else to go!" I cut Hinata off. "I'm not going to kick her out on the streets. Have you seen her? Imagine her living in a dorm with nineteen other people, that's a recipe for disaster considering she can't even handle Miwa!"
"We never said-,"
"Yeah, well you certainly don't look thrilled about this-,"
"Would you be thrilled about this in our position too?" Gekko asked me seriously. "Son, we came back home to find out that we need to care for someone else under our roof. Now, I don't know what impression you have of us, but we're not made of gold-,"
"You don't have to pay for her," I told them. "I have a job. I have money. Whatever she needs, food, clothes, hell I'll even pay rent here, you just ask me. And I'll be damn sure that I can afford the best things for her."
Hinata scoffed at that, shaking her head at me.
"We're not taking money from you, and the money isn't the issue," Hinata replied, staring angrily at Gekko. "You're our son, we'll help you out because that's that. End of 's the way the hand has been drawn, there's nothing we can do but double down on it. We'll gladly take Katsumi in… But you can see the signs, right?"
I huffed at that.
"...Yeah. I can see the signs, she looks like she doesn't know what kindness even looks like," I answered bitterly. "That's why I can't just abandon her! Call it what you want, but when I go to that living room it looks like she's more of a robot than a human. I don't want that life for anyone, much less my biological sister. I get it, you raised two kids, and a third one is unfair and frankly too much work for you two. I understand-,"
"No, you clearly don't," Gekko cut me off. "When I said we're not made of gold, I wasn't talking about our pockets. So honey, don't stare at me like that. You said it yourself. She doesn't even know if we're being kind or not, that's the issue. Our hearts aren't made of gold, Sora. We're normal people and we can try our best to help that poor girl who's clearly been through a lot but we aren't equipped for this. We're just humans, and we'll try our best. And you're our son, and we don't want to see you get hurt by this, but in the end… We're not miracle workers. Sometimes our best isn't enough."
"We also don't have the space-,"
"She can take my room," I told them. "It's not like I'm here often anyway. Listen, tomorrow she's not going to school. She doesn't have clothes or a phone, and I know you said you won't take my money but please, at the very least let me pay for half of everything she needs. I-, I know I'm asking a lot. And I know I don't deserve it, all I do is just worry you constantly. I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me-,"
I watched as Hinata shook her head, wrapping her arms around me.
"Don't be silly. We're doing this because we can see how much you care. And we still won't take your money, if you want to buy her gifts that's fine - But for as long as she stays under our roof, she's our responsibility. I'll go with Miwa and Katsumi and we'll pick out nice things for her, don't worry about that," Hinata told me. "I'll need to take some time off work, just to help Katsumi settle in. I'll drive her to your school and you'll bring her back here, yeah?"
I nodded at that.
"Yeah. Sounds perfect. Sorry once again-,"
"Don't apologise, son," Gekko told me patting my back with a grin on his face. "You're doing this because you're kind. So raise your head high, I couldn't be more proud of the man you've grown into. Now come on, I'll need some help in the kitchen as Hinata irons out a few details with Miwa and Katsumi for tomorrow. Looks like this household is going to be a lot busier from now on."
I laughed at that.
"Yeah, from Aizawa and Nejire dropping by every now and then to Tokage and Yuuya practically being adopted into the family. Can't forget Ryuukei and his ugly mug whenever he shows up for dinner every Wednesday," I smiled at them. "You know… I never thought it'd turn out like this. When I was younger, I mean. Back then I was just stuck. Used to think I'd never find people that would accept me, and here I am two weeks away from turning eighteen."
Hinata smiled at that.
"I know that you used to think you were a burden, Sora. But we never once thought that of you. We just wanted to help you, and we have, and we will still continue to do so," Hinata told me. "And we will help Katsumi as much as we can too. But there's only one person who can help her, it's not us and it's Aizawa either. It's the only real family she has. I know you told us about Yukari, but this is different. You've seen how she is… being your usual over the top self isn't going to work."
I nodded at that.
"I know. I already promised her and myself that I wouldn't turn away from her, even if she thinks it's pointless," I whispered, anger leaking into my voice. "Why she thinks that I don't know. Why she was kept away from me and everyone else for so long, I don't know. Whoever made her like that…"
…
Katsumi's scars were visible.
Perhaps that was what horrified me the most, or rather the thing that I couldn't help but feel relatable to. How deep and old her scars were, how much they made up her identity as much as my scars made up mine. In a sense, it was sad how all we could ever be is just scarred children.
I followed Hinata and Gekko back to the living room, watching Katsumi from the kitchen.
Slow nods of her head to indicate she agreed with something, her eyes darting back and forth between Hinata and Miwa, converting the fact that she was listening, even if her lips were pursued together. I couldn't help but stare at Katsumi as she interacted with the rest of my family, struggling to keep up with what was going on - And it made my heart break that someone who wasn't any older than fifteen had been dealt such a shit hand at life.
"...Sorry," I apologised to Gekko, reaching for my cigarettes. "I-, Uh-, I need a smoke break. I'll be back, you can start cooking the pasta. I'll, er, I'll go buy some sauce for us or something."
I ignored the looks sent my way as I put on my shoes at the door and slammed it shut, sighing heavily as I walked down the stairs and left the building. I lit a cigarette as I sat down at the edge of the pavement, taking in the night sky as I took a long drag from the only thing that gave me a break from all this.
Ignoring the sound of the front door being opened behind me, or the presence of someone sitting down next to me, I continued to stare at the empty night sky. It was funny how nostalgic it felt, even if you couldn't see a single thing.
The stars were shining brightly even if I couldn't see them.
"You know, it's a shame you can't see the stars shining brightly in the sky," I told Katsumi who was sitting next to me in silence. "I guess this city's lights are too blinding to allow for that. Light pollution is a bitch, huh? But it was the same in our old lives too. I grew up in an even bigger city than this, I can't remember a single time where I looked up and was able to see more than a handful of stars. Maybe when I was a young kid, or maybe I just don't remember it well."
"...Why do you smoke?"
"Why wouldn't I smoke?" I asked her back with a smirk. "It's a bad habit, I know. I should probably give up considering-, Argh. It doesn't matter. Whether I smoke or not, in my eyes, whatever happens, happens. At least it's providing me with the relief I need right now, even if it's artificial."
Katsumi hummed at that.
"You're not a very talkative person, are you?"
"Should I be?"
"There's nothing wrong with it, don't get me wrong," I told her. "Maybe I'm a little too talkative. I know for a fact that Miwa could learn a thing or two about shutting up. You met her briefly, but Tokage's another person who needs to shut up, but that's only when she's teasing me. Usually, she's fine. If anything, you're a breath of fresh air for me."
Katsumi didn't respond to that as she stared at the ground.
"You look like you want to say something."
"...Why am I here?"
Ah.
I laughed at that, taking another drag from my cigarette.
"Why? I've been asking that question for nearly eighteen years. I've spent more time as Sora Yamazaki than I did in my old life… isn't that tragic? I died as a kid and I'm still a kid, and I guess you did too. I'd like to say we are here because that's what's best for us, but I know that All For One somehow managed to get a Quirk that allowed him to play with souls. I'd like to say that you're here because you have a life, but I don't even know why All For One created you."
I watched as Katsumi shrugged her shoulders at that.
"I'd like to say that the reason any of us were brought to this world is because we needed it. I'm not gonna pry into your previous life, I personally think it doesn't matter and that you should just ignore it," I told her. "That's what I do. Or try to do. Maybe it's not healthy, but what do I know? Everyone tells us that we only have one life, but it feels like we've cheated a bit, no? Either way, I don't really care. I stopped asking myself these questions when I gave up on U.A. the first time."
"You… gave up?"
I snorted at that.
"You seriously don't know anything, do you?" Katsumi shook her head at me, curiosity could clearly be seen dancing in her eyes as she tilted her head at me. "...About two years ago now, I joined U.A. I was a firstie, just like you. And I met all these incredible people, I slowly went from being afraid to change the future to embracing that change. I started to embrace everyone around me, and I let go of my fear of being abandoned. I let go of my fear of losing people. I became a protector in every sense of the word."
I paused, stamping out my cigarette.
"Then I failed. I failed at what I was supposed to do, failed at protecting what mattered to me the most," I honestly told her. "And so, I left. I gave up my responsibilities and ran away thinking I'd lead a better life. I didn't. I was so caught up in my grief and self-hatred I forgot that I wasn't living, I went through the motions ignoring everyone's advice. I thought I knew better, and it took a lot to make me realise I was wrong."
"...Then what?"
"Then I came back," I told her. "I went back and did things differently. I don't know if I've made things better or worse, and I don't care. I'm happier now than I ever was back then, even with all the flaws I have. Even with everything I'd want to change, things I will change, my life is way better now than back then. This is my life, and I'd better not waste it. It's funny, at one point in time I was afraid of death. I didn't understand it. You always think it's the end, but it's not. We're living proof of that, and I guess that's what confused me the most."
Katsumi's eyes widened at that.
"I don't know you, and you don't know me. I'm not going to sit here and pretend we have a strong bond or something. You don't know what I've been through, and vice versa. And neither of us knew Oboro Shirakumo, I've met the villain known as Kurogiri, and I don't know if you've ever met him," I told her. "But, I'd like to think that Oboro would have wanted us to get along. He was an orphan. He didn't have a family. And truth be told, so am I. So are you. But I found my family, and now I found you. I want to get along with you."
"Why?"
"Because I want to. I don't know how to explain it any more than that," I replied. "I wish I could, but I can't. And I know I'm not the only one. Miwa, Hinata, Gekko and even Aizawa. And I'd do the same even if you weren't my sister, I'd do the same even if you were some random kid who had gone through what I did. Another kid scarred by All For One and his cruelty. Because that's what I want to do."
Katsumi stared at me in silence.
"You're a kind person," She eventually said to me. "Too kind."
I shrugged my shoulders at that.
"And? I used to be ashamed of that kindness, it always got me in a ton of trouble. But I don't regret it. I wasn't a kind person once upon a time ago, but Gekko, Hinata and even Miwa - They never once gave up on me," I said to Katsumi. "They taught me not to be ashamed of my kindness. They taught me to be kind, no matter what. That's a lesson that I have to apply to my life even if it's a hard option. But, I suppose, isn't that what it means to live?"
"Live?"
"Yeah," I nodded at Katsumi, grinning at her. "I mean this is our life. No matter what, that's our truth. Sure, some of us can abandon our responsibilities and fight back against this chance, some of us can just do whatever we want for 'fun', and others can just live a normal life. Your life is in your hands. I don't know your mission, why you enrolled in U.A., or even what you wanna do with your life. That's up to you. If there's one thing I've learnt these past few years it's that it's our life so we deal with the hope and the despair that comes with it."
Katsumi didn't reply as she raised her head to stare at the sky with me.
Even if it was empty.
"...You're… different," Katsumi eventually whispered softly. "Different from what I thought you would be. Different from how I'm used to family being. I can see now why he was so interested in you."
I laughed at that.
"He? You mean Raiden, don't you?"
Katsumi nodded at that.
"You know I'm gonna' try and find him, right?"
"I don't think he wants you to find him."
"Too bad, I'm still going to go after him, no matter what," I told her truthfully. "You know, I'm glad you exist. Really. I don't know why or how you came to be, what your purpose was for even coming here. But that doesn't matter anymore. You decide your own purpose in this world, and you're now a part of U.A., training to be a Hero. I guess, I have to ask, do you even want to be a Hero?"
Katsumi blinked at me in confusion.
"I don't have a choice."
"You always have a choice."
"...I have a mission to fulfil," Katsumi told me. "I'm grateful to Nezu-san for giving me this chance. Being at U.A. and being a Hero is the only way I can complete my mission, without that I'm just… It doesn't matter."
"To me it does."
"You just met me."
"So?" I scoffed, shaking my head at her. "You said it yourself, I'm kind. Even though I just met you today, I still want to know and care about you even more than I already do for just being my sister. I want to help you out with your mission."
"You can't."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Because you are my mission," Katsumi answered, pointing right at me. "...I only met Raiden once. I was young, but outside of the doctors and All For One, he was the only one that gave me any reprieve from my day-to-day activities. I couldn't even see back then, but I will always remember his voice. I always thought it sounded warm. And his stories. He talked about you a lot, you know."
Hah.
I couldn't help but laugh at that.
"He did now?"
"He said you had been adopted by a family, that you went to school and defended Miwa from bullies, that you were strong-willed and would make a great Hero," Katsumi told me. "...He gave me a mission. A promise. That I'd protect you until your 'end'. So I'll honour that mission now that I am free, that is the mission Nezu-san has kindly allowed me to fulfil."
…
"The end, huh?" I whispered to myself, staring at the sky. For once, I didn't feel the urge to reach out for my cigarettes as I took in the crisp air, choking back whatever it was I felt. So, in the end, Raiden knew about me, huh? That left a bitter taste in my mouth. "...He's a bit of a cunt, isn't he? That pesky brother of know, there's one thing I really want to do when I meet with him."
"..."
"I just want to punch him in the face," I admitted to her. "Then I want to ask him where he's been, what he's been doing. I want him to tell me about himself, his real self. Not whatever mask he's put on."
"What do you mean?"
…
I laughed at that, shaking my head at her.
"Don't worry, I'm just being stupid. I'm talking about the metaphorical masks he's put on. Hehe," I replied. "From what I've heard he's worked with the Yakuza, and I have to wonder what else he's done, you know?"
Katsumi simply nodded in response.
"Are you usually like this?"
"What? Not impressed?"
"...You certainly leave an impression."
I huffed out at that, lighting up another cigarette as I got up from the curb. I brushed off the dist from my trousers and helped Katsumi up. It was funny how she was half a head shorter than me, but with her light blue hair and almost silver hair, it made her look smaller than me. Or perhaps that was her posture. I watched as she brushed off some dirt off her skirt and shrugged my shoulders, looking at the time.
"Gekko and Hinata are probably worried right now. Also starving. There's a family mart not too far from here, wanna go and buy some food for everyone? Sort of as an apology for running out," I said to her. "Think of it as a mission, since you seem to take 'em seriously. It'll be good for you to get to know the area around here too, especially because you'll be living here for a while. Man, what did I deserve to get a seriously cute sister like you?"
"...Cute?"
"I mean c'mon, with that hair and those eyes plus your attitude. Jeez. Those guys in your class are going to be throwing themselves at you…" I paused at that, standing a little straighter as the smirk on my face disappeared. "Those little shits. Don't worry, Katsumi. I'll set them straight. Anyone one of those fuckfaces even looks in your direction, I'll stab em'. If any one of them even dares to talk to you, I'll stab them twice. And if any one of them even tries to ask you-,"
I was interrupted as Katsumi simply emotionlessly stared at me.
She then reached over to karate chop my forehead.
"Bad Sora."
"OW!"
I blinked at the crowd surrounding my desk.
"Really?"
Funnily enough, it didn't take until I summoned my Nimbus for everyone to slowly back away. Huh. Neat. Maybe it was a cool party trick or something? It's not like I even changed the shape of my Nimbus to a weapon or something, it was just floating above my head slightly staring down at the rest of my class, menacingly.
"So?" Mina asked me, bouncing up and down in excitement. "Is she…?"
"My sister? Yeah, she is," I answered with a sigh. "Could you give me some space too? I mean, unless you want to give me a lap dance there is no reason for you to be this close to me."
"In your dreams."
"If I pay you some money, how about then?"
"Do you think I'm a sex worker or something?"
"You certainly dress like a slag so sorry for assuming," I replied with a grin, ducking Mina's angry punch to the face. "Jeez. The woman of this class and violent angry outbursts when embarrassed, I can't think of a better duo. Maybe Mineta and losing games, but I don't know if it's as iconic of a duo."
Yaoyorozu rolled her eyes at me.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Stop being dense and tell us the details already!"
Oh.
"About Katsumi? I mean, there isn't anything more to say I guess," I told them, scratching the back of my head sheepishly. "She exists and is living with my parents for now. What more details could you possibly want?"
Jiro sighed, shaking her head at me.
"We want to know what type of person she is! If we'll ever get to meet her or if you'll go hardcore siscon on us," Jiro said to me. "You know. Details. We know she exists, we know she's staying at your parents instead of the Class 1A dorms."
"Siscon?" I asked in confusion. "I'm not a siscon."
"Really? Your sister is a cutie."
"Mineta, you say that again and I'll chop your tongue off, you tiny tic-tac!"
"See what I mean?" Mineta replied dramatically. "You're so bad of a siscon that you threaten to kill me if I even compliment your sister. I was talking about Miwa by the way, not even your new sister."
"New sister? What do you think? I just went to the supermarket and bought her?"
Kaminari hummed at that.
"Oh! It's like Pokemon! You found her in the wild and caught her!"
"My sister is not a Pokemon!"
"Tsk, tsk. I never said she was a Pokemon, I said your situation is like Pokemon," Kaminari corrected me. "There is a difference, you sister-complex kingpin of steel! It's funny how you're like this with them, but when it comes to your own romantic life you are completely hopeless. I still can't believe you ruined that date with Yanagi on purpose."
I shrugged my shoulders at him.
"Eh, how could I cheat on my lovey Class A girls? "
The sheer disgust radiating from every girl in the class only made me laugh.
"My point still stands, if you want to meet with Katsumi, be my guest."
Eventually, the conversation died down as Aizawa walked in and our lessons began once more. That said, I didn't miss the looks that Kaminari slyly gave me. It was curious, especially since he was supposed to be Katsumi's mentor but he never once mentioned her to me.
"Hey," I whispered, getting his attention. "...Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"About Katsumi."
"I didn't know she was your sister," Kaminari defended. "I mean, she doesn't share your last name. How would I have known? Just because she has similar hair to how you once did doesn't mean I could have immediately known that you were related."
"...And what about our Quirks?"
"..."
I watched as Kaminari shut his mouth shut, tuning me out to focus on the lesson. My anger flared at that, but I simply turned away from him instead focusing on the lesson Aizawa was trying to teach. He was covering for Ectoplasm, teaching what was easily my worst subject - Biology. Despite my attention needing to be focused on Aizawa's lesson, my mind couldn't help but be distracted.
Firstly, the HPSC wanted to set up a meeting with me.
And then Katsumi appears.
It was something I hadn't told anyone, not even Aizawa.
Just how much of a coincidence it could be seen as. Especially considering there was only one person responsible for telling Aizawa and I both of those things. Only one person was responsible for it all, and it was Nezu.
The same person responsible for me joining the police.
Becoming a detective.
To my first case in Sendai, to even being able to attend All Might's funeral, all of it was starting to seem fishy to me. Even though, during the Yakuza war just last month, it was Nezu who managed to keep his hands clean despite everyone from U.A. being the largest force defending the city.
There was no way he wasn't aware of it all.
I frowned as the bell rang, ending our class.
"Sora," Kaminari's anxious voice called out to me. "I-...Er, wanna get lunch? Sorry, I know you're mad at me but…"
"I'm not mad at you, Denki."
"Oh, ok. Lunch?"
I slowly nodded at him, leaning back in my chair.
There was nothing I could do about it now.
The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating almost, as I sat across from Hawks, the renowned Hero known for his sharp wit and even sharper wings. It was funny, despite the fact that he worked for the HPSC and the newly founded Endeavour Task Force, it didn't seem like he was the bad guy.
But I knew what he was capable of.
The dirty work he had done, I was under no false pretences that if his orders were to assassinate me he wouldn't hesitate to stab me in the throat with one of his feathers. Likewise, I could see the way he looked at me nervously - After all, Hawks had been the one to test and ultimately give me my provisional Hero licence as Aozora. He was one of the few Heroes who knew the truth about me.
He had seen the destruction Overhaul had caused.
And Hawks was all too aware of who was the one who stopped him.
Me.
His gaze bore into mine, intense and probing, as if trying to unravel the thoughts swirling in my mind. I knew why he was here. It was about the case, the one Death Arms had dropped before his untimely demise. The case about the missing Ten Billion Yen that had gone missing around about a year ago.
"So, Sora Yamazaki," Hawks began, his voice smooth but tinged with an underlying tension. "I hear you were involved in the investigation Death Arms was working on. Congratulations on becoming the first Hero-Detective hybrid, by the way. Have you found any good information on the case you decided to pick up?"
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, trying to maintain a facade of composure. He wasn't even going to pussyfoot around, Hawks and the HPSC just wanted to go straight into business.
"Yeah, I saw Death Arms die during the botched funeral of All Might. But I'm sure you already know that since you were there," I replied in an accusatory tone. "Did you or anyone else from the HPSC kill Death Arms?"
Hawks blinked in surprise at my forward question.
"Why would you think that?"
"I know you, what the HPSC does to Heroes that they employ," I told him. "You're less of a Hero and more of an agent to carry out their dirty work. Anything to keep the peace, right? It's not like I don't understand you, but why the hell does everyone care about an unsolved case so much?!"
I watched as Hawks shook his head at me, shrugging his shoulders as he sighed heavily.
"To be frank with you, I don't know. It's not like you've captured the attention of the HPSC, if anything, they're just as confused as to why you're even looking into a dead case," Hawks told me. "...You're the only one that thinks the HPSC is corrupt. But you have no idea, do you?"
Hm.
"What do you mean?"
"Hachi Yamaguchi, before she was elected as our Prime Minister, used to work for the HPSC. She cleared out the executives of the company that only wanted profit and to cover their misdeeds," Hawks told me. "That's not to say that on the whole that the HPSC isn't corrupt. Ultimately however, the HPSC has changed considerably. We're more akin to the American's CIA or any other agency in the world with employed Heroes rather than anything. If anything our little 'missions' exist purely simply to ensure that there isn't a threat in this country."
I nodded at that.
So that was their angle.
Hachi and her Government wanted to maintain peace on the streets, Nezu and by extension U.A. wanted the age of Heroes to continue on forward as it currently was and finally, Midoriya, Endeavour, Hawks and everyone else at the HPSC represented a shift and transformation of what being a Hero even meant.
That was why Aizawa didn't trust them.
If it meant protecting society on the whole, they would do anything no matter the cost. In a sense, it was still corruption but not out of greed - It came from a place even worse than that. Pride. All the parties in this tug of war to determine the future of this country threw their hat in the ring and competed against each other out of pride rather than anything else, and that was what pissed me off the most.
"And you're content with this?"
"I can't complain," Hawks replied with a smirk. "I get paid, I do my job and I have my fans. Plus I get to work with Heroes like Endeavour and Deku. I'm not averse to doing my job, even if the work is sometimes dirty because now I have an option. Now, if I don't do it someone else will. Now, instead of keeping the HPSC's interests at heart, we now keep this country's interests at heart. That's a bigger responsibility than you can ever imagine."
I snorted at that.
"Is that so? You're obstructing real justice covering up your own crimes in the process using this country as your own justification to keep everyone in the dark," I pointed out to him. "Do you even understand why this case has to be solved? Because everyone, from the public to even the government have tried so hard to keep it buried and unsolved.
Hawks leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze never faltering.
"Indeed, I do. But what I'm curious about is how much you know about the missing funds from the Bank of Japan. Or rather, the multiple reports of the missing funds - It was only one that was leaked to the public."
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of the stolen funds. It was a delicate subject, one that could potentially incriminate me if I wasn't careful with my words, because from Hawks' gaze that fell upon me, I knew that there was a chance I wouldn't leave the room alive.
"I know what was reported in the news," I replied carefully. "Five billion Yen."
Hawks raised an eyebrow in response sceptically.
"Is that so? Because from what I've gathered, the actual amount stolen was ten billion Yen that last time. And I've also heard it wasn't the first time it has happened. And I know that you have an idea of that, so don't try and hide that face of yours, Sora," Hawks told me with a smirk. "You're a good detective. But you're a horrible liar. Did you know that when you told that lie, you couldn't look me in my eyes? That's arguably the biggest tell when someone is a liar."
I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. How did he know? Had he already uncovered the truth behind the theft? No, there was no way that he knew. Because from his words alone I knew exactly what the HPSC were after, ultimately they were just as in the dark about this case as I was.
They just wanted to solve this case.
"I... I wasn't aware of that fact," I stammered, my mind racing to come up with a plausible explanation, I couldn't let them believe I knew more than I let on even if they already suspected that fact. "Ten billion Yen? Multiple thefts? Wow. How did that go under the radar?"
Hawks leaned back in his chair, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.
"Interesting. You seem surprised, still playing the fool are you? Almost as if you're hiding something. Fair enough. Act however you like, it's not as if even if you do find something that you'll be able to do anything either," Hawks told me. "But please, tell me if you're hiding something important. We could help each other, and don't you think you'd look even better being apart from the HPSC?"
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.
"I assure you, I'm not hiding anything," I said, trying to sound confident despite the fear gnawing at the pit of my stomach. "And no thanks. There's no chance in me ever working with the HPSC. I'm more than happy with who I currently am, and the opportunities it gives me. Midoriya may think working with you is going to lead to peace, but you and the HPSC are nothing but stopgaps. Sure, for the next decade or so we will be at peace. But in a century? I doubt it. There's nothing you or the HPSC can give me to work with you."
Hawks's smirk widened into a grin, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
"We'll see about that," Hawks said cryptically. "Everyone thinks that they are invincible to the pressures of society, but before long you'll be staring right at the ugly truth. Run from it, dread it, your destiny will be the same just as it was for the rest of us. You either serve society, or you're the one served up on a platter for them. What would you rather be, Sora?"
I laughed at that.
"What… Either I die a Hero or live long enough to become a Villain? That's your question?"
Hawks sighed at that.
"You're too smart for your own good. Stubborn too," Hawks replied. "...I already know what path you'll take. It's not the path Aozora would have taken, that's for sure. Because you're not Aozora, are you? No, Aozora died a martyr for this city. But despite that, you still wear a mask. I can see it in your eyes, you'll be pulling this thread even if it kills you. You don't care if everyone views you as a villain, just so you get what you want. You've always been selfish, but it never made sense to me until now."
The tension in the room was palpable as we stared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills. I knew Hawks was trying to gauge how much I knew, just as I was trying to decipher his intentions.
But it was a battle of our ideals too.
Hawks, the Hero who sacrificed his own pride in service of others.
And me, someone who was too prideful to let go of my own goals even at the detriment of others.
After what felt like an eternity, Hawks finally broke the silence.
"Well, Sora, it's been... enlightening," he said, rising to his feet. "But I have other matters to attend to. While I'd love to spend all day talking to you about how interesting you are as a person, I think we'd both be ditching our responsibilities which is a luxury neither of us can afford."
I stood up as well, my heart still pounding in my chest.
"Wait," I blurted out before I could stop myself. "What are you going to do? Not even just about the case, but what about the League of Villains? Stain and his cult? I know neither Endeavour and Midoriya are going to sit still."
Hawks turned to look at me, his expression unreadable.
"Let's just say I'll be keeping a close eye on you," Hawks said ominously. "As for Endeavour and Midoriya, I really don't know what they'll do. This case is bigger than you realise, and if you're not careful, you might just end up getting stabbed in the back. Especially when you were just reunited with your sister. I'd say more, but that look in your eyes tells me you're willing to go down a dark path to find the truth. Maybe even kill me?"
"You don't know me or what I'm willing to do."
"No? You know, it's funny," Hawks told me with a grin. "When I first met you, everything you said and did suggested you'd be a great Hero. But then your eyes revealed to me who you really are, someone that would go to Hell and back for those he protected. I still see that person in your eyes. Clouded by anger, clouded by rage. Heed my warning, Sora Yamazaki. Because if you're not careful that darkness and eagerness to find out the truth may very well lead you into a path you can't recover from. And we'll all be there to stop you, as Heroes and Villains respectively."
With that chilling warning, Hawks swept out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I knew I had to tread carefully from now on. Not that I had any doubt about that part anyway.
I sighed.
Why was this so complicated?
Me, a Villain?
Tsk.
What a shitty joke.
I watched from afar as Katsumi 'interacted' with her classmates.
Sat in silence, watching them as if they were aliens. I guess it was ironic, I was watching her while she was watching everyone else - To say that I wasn't in the mood to eat my lunch was an understatement as I stood on top of the school roof, all alone. Not that it was by choice, but there wasn't a need to drag anyone in my class up here with me just to watch my sister fail at living a full life.
That was-,
"Stop frowning so much, you'll become bald before you hit thirty," Tokage's smug voice came from behind me. I turned around only to sigh at her presence as she threw a sandwich at me, which I barely caught in time. "What are we doing here? Taking turns to watch your sister?"
"...Just go back downstairs."
"And let you mope all alone up here? Fat chance of that happening."
"It's not like that, Setsuna," I told her, shaking my head. "…She doesn't know how to interact with others. With me. What would you rather I do? I mean we all have the sports festival in two weeks, I'm considering telling Nezu that there is no way she will participate."
"Why?"
"Just look! She doesn't even act human, she doesn't register when people talk to her," I snarled angrily, clamping down on the rails. "You can clearly see she's been abused. A kid like her. Do you know how angry and sad that makes me? That while I was off having fun and living my life, she was stuck-,"
Smack.
I watched as Tokage smacked me in my face.
Hard.
The stinging pain from my cheek didn't stop my thoughts from spiralling, but it did shut me up as Tokage sighed loudly, shaking her head at me as she ran her hand through her red hair then fell slightly below her shoulders. Within the last few months, it had grown considerably, as well as changed its hair colour numerous times, despite that it kept its shape and integrity.
"Stop staring at my hair, you and I need to have a serious conversation," Tokage said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Stop blaming yourself about Katsumi and her upbringing. There was nothing you could have done to save her. So don't feel bad about having lived your life, and don't feel bad about living it even now."
"But-,"
"It's her life. It's what she went though, not you. You can empathise with her, you can be there when she needs you to be, but I don't think someone who was strong enough to survive what seems like a gauntlet of terror needs your pity, because that is exactly what you're giving her," Tokage lectured me. "And you hate being pitied. I'm willing to bet she's as stubborn as her brother here. You're just being a hypocrite, so shut the fuck up and eat the food I bought you."
"…"
I smiled gratefully at Tokage.
"What?"
"I forgot how stubborn you can be," I told her. "Also, how smart you can be at times. You're right. I'm just getting way over my head, aren't I? It's better to show her the life she can lead from here on out than mope about the life she missed."
Tokage smiled at that.
"See, I knew you would understand, you just take a little long to get there! Heh. You know, you really shouldn't be up here all alone with me," Tokage slyly suggested. "People might get the wrong impression of the two of us just being up here alone during our lunchtime. Especially your sister."
"…No one thinks we're dating, idiot."
"You know it's really ironic that you're the one calling me an idiot."
"Tokage, everyone views you as basically another idiot that follows me and what I believe in," I told her. "Why do you think you basically don't get along with Class A? It's not because you're wildly different people, it's just that you've thrown your hat with me no matter what happens."
Tokage shrugged her shoulders at that.
"That's been clear since our first sports festival, Sora. You said you would prove me wrong, and you did," Tokage told me. "It's wild to think that it was two years ago now. Are you excited to join in on your third and final sports festival?"
I sighed at that.
"Don't remind me."
"Why? Does it make you feel old?"
"Hey! You're technically older than me by a year."
"Yeah, but who's counting? I'm not, and apart from you no one else is, so hope you enjoy the imaginary trophy you're getting, grandpa," Tokage lightly teased me. "I can't believe Bakugo's already eighteen. And you're next. Two weeks left till your birthday… Are you doing anything special?"
I shook my head at that.
"Nah, I don't celebrate my birthday all that much. Especially since I hate cake," I told her honestly. "Truth be told, I never liked my birthday even in my old life. I mean, it's just a day, right? Nothing special about it. It sorta loses its allure the more you grow up, or maybe that's just being an adult. Chances are I'll be working on my birthday even though it's Golden week, but that's life, right?"
Tokage hummed at that, leaning against the railing beside me.
"…Do you want to do something?" She asked me. "For your birthday, I mean. Even if all we do is go watch a shitty movie at the cinema, or have a meal at KFC, it would feel wrong for you to not celebrate your birthday with me or anyone else. I know that you don't want to celebrate the fact that you'll have another year less to live, but I don't know…"
My eyes widened at that.
Another year less to live.
Maybe for everyone else it didn't mean much to them, they had an entire lifetime waiting for them – But in comparison all I had was a few years left to live, and not even that was a guarantee. The more I used my Quirks, the more I fought and got hurt, the faster my body broke down and eventually stopped functioning.
It was a disease.
"If," I started eventually, capturing Tokage's attention. "If you really want to celebrate with me, we can do something fun. Just me and you. Maybe Monoma if he doesn't get too annoying."
However, Tokage shook her head at me.
"Nope. Everyone in your life's going to be involved," Tokage told me. "…You're underestimating how sad life can truly be when you're dying. I'd know all about that. At the very least, allow everyone you care about to remember you at your best instead of only letting them see you at your worst."
I blinked at her in surprise.
"I… guess that makes sense."
"It makes plenty of sense, you dolt," Tokage replied. "It's a regret of mine. From my past life, I mean. My parents never once got the chance to see me healthy. Not that it was my fault, I couldn't help it - I don't blame them for not being present in my life other than paying for my hospital bills, as soon as I was born, I was at risk of dying. Maybe if I had died younger, I'd have spared them the pain of hope. Either way, you better not make the same mistake as I did – Just because there is a chance you can live doesn't mean it's your fate to live."
"I know-,"
"Do you? You're sitting here all alone, you've been ignoring Class A even though everything you've been through in the past few months was to finally make things right with them, and you can't even do that," Tokage shouted at me. "…I know exactly how you feel. It's hard knowing that there's going to be a future without you. But we're all going to die one day, so stop fantasising about your death already and live beautifully until that moment."
"I can't do that," I told her truthfully. "I know, we met Shion, we had this conversation not long ago. But I-, I-, At the very least I'd rather know if there's a cure for me or not. The fact that we have no idea is what hurts because it's giving me hope. Hope that I can walk Miwa down the aisle one day, hope that I can see Katsumi smile, hope that I can find love before everything I care about is torn apart by my own fucking body failing to function."
Tokage sighed at that.
"…You haven't told anyone yet."
"How can I tell them?"
"Very easily, Sora," Tokage replied. "So easy. Do you… Do you even remember dying?"
I blinked at that, thinking back to the day I died.
I was run over by a truck in a school zone, I remember that much at the very least. The looks of despair on the students' faces as they crowded me in my final moments, the sheer sadness the truck driver had on his face as he repeatedly called the ambulance and told me to hang on. And then… nothing.
"It was like falling asleep," I told her. "I didn't feel a single thing."
Tokage nodded at that.
"I felt the same way too. It was the easiest sleep in my life, every single worry and dream I had disappeared. None of it mattered. I told you this once, and I'll say it to you again, Sora," Tokage said to me, holding my hand. "You don't have to worry about dying. Just live as long as you can, don't give up now. And if worse comes to worse, I'll be there till the end of the line. Hell, if all this stupid villain shit is over by the time you die… Well, I might as well end it all too-,"
"Hey!"
"I was joking."
"No, you weren't," I frowned at Tokage as I called her out for that comment. "…You better not die. You deserve a good life here. Love, money, fame. Everything you ever wanted in your first life. I'll never forgive you if you decide to forfeit all that."
Tokage rolled her eyes at me, however.
"The gall to say that to me as you mope all alone is astounding. Come on, don't make me smack you again," Tokage grabbed my hand as she led me to the exit of the school roof. "The more time you spend up here, the more I'm sure that Musutafu's dirty air is chemically altering your brain. Stop being afraid of the future and start living in the present, like your sister and everyone else is doing. Death is going to come to us all one day, so just live until then as much as you can."
…
I couldn't help but be reminded by Yukari's death.
After all, she died with a smile on her face.
…
Didn't I want the same thing?
And yet, something gnawed at my heart for even being in this position.
For this world being only something I'd spent so little time on, just like my other life.
…Anger.
"Sora."
I blinked in confusion as Kirishima approached me. I was making dinner in the kitchen, just a simple pasta dish with store bought sauce and sausages. It wasn't anything fancy nor was I really in the mood to cook something fancy, despite that it was Kirishima who stood in front of me wearing his P.E. kit that surprised me the most.
"Er… Yo? What's up."
"Are you busy later tonight?" Kirishima asked me, his hands twitching. It wasn't that Kirishima and I were on bad terms, but this was the first time since I had come back to U.A. that he willingly went out of his way to speak to me one-on-one instead of through someone or a part of a general conversation with others. "I… I need your help for a problem."
Hm.
I looked at my watch.
"I have an hour or so to spare, I think. Gonna meet with Nejire for a joint patrol," I told him. "So yeah. My food is nearly done, so I'll just put it in a container and take it with me. Not really that hungry right now."
Kirishima nodded at that, watching in silence as I reached over to my cupboard and brought out a large plastic container. In a moment of realisation, I placed two plastic forks in it as there was no chance that Nejire would have eaten a solid meal before our patrol - Knowing her, she was probably still asleep and wouldn't wake up until twenty minutes before we needed to go out.
I hummed to myself, placing my container in the fridge before I nodded at Kirishima.
"So, what do you need help with?"
"Er, I was tasked with cleaning up Training Ground Alpha. Class 1A had their battle trial there today, if you didn't hear," Kirishima answered. "...Your sister won, by the way. I heard she was ruthless."
Nodding to myself, I opened the main door out of our dorm for him.
"Yeah? She does look like she'd be a pain to fight, I won't lie," I truthfully told him. "She has a similar Quirk to me, only not as powerful or versatile. Despite the fact that she has a much longer range than I have, I'm pretty sure she can just snipe people with bullets made from her Cloud, how fun is that? I wish I could do that, but no, I had to be stuck with the more annoying Quirk that's temperamental. Tsk."
Kirishima chuckled at that.
"You still have issues with your Quirk? Quirks, I mean."
"Well, I can't control two of them," I told him. "The Healing Quirk is just always active, and the Foresight Quirk just kicks in whenever it wants I guess. I still have my Gambler's Quirk, but I don't use it at all - I don't need to, I'm strong enough where I don't need to sacrifice parts of my body to get injured for a temporary boost. And while Nimbus has changed a lot, it's something I've gotten used to. Even with all its kinks. What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. Hardening. May not be the flashiest Quirk, but you still fight quite well."
I watched as Kirishima shrugged his shoulders as we entered Training Ground Alpha. It was just as I remembered, from the battle trial I had against Class A just a few months ago to the very first training session I ever had at U.A… Along with the test I took to even get in the school in the first place.
"Man, how nostalgic is this, huh?" I asked him. "Heh. It feels weird coming back here as a third year. Makes me realise just how little time we have left. I mean, our final sports festival is happening in less than a week now. I'm turning eighteen in just a little over a week, and then it'll all come to you too."
Kirishima smiled at that.
"Yeah, it does feel weird. How much time I've spent here feels so little to the rest of my life that I've lived so far, to the rest of the life I am going to live," Kirishima told me. "How that time has shaped who I am as a person, how I've made bonds that'll last a lifetime… And somehow, you who haven't even been in my life for more than a few months at a time twice have somehow changed it for the better and for the worse."
I ducked a punch aimed at my jaw from Kirishima.
He looked a lot worse than I remembered.
"...I'm sorry, Sora. No one needed me to clean up this place, that was just a lie so I could get you here," Kirishima told me, cracking his knuckles. "You've been back for nearly six months now. Half a year, that's longer than your first stint here at U.A. You called it a tragedy, didn't you? Fact is you broke down and left in shame."
I nodded at that.
"Well, yeah, but I fail to see how-,
"You know, I could tell what you said that day was something you forced out. None of us really believed you meant it, but for some the damage was already done," Kirishima told me. "But you know that. It's why you said it. And despite that, despite knowing what you've done can't be reversed, you came back - And I'll admit, deep down I was so happy to see you again. Do you know why?"
"Because we are friends?"
Kirishima shook his head at that.
"Yeah, but that's not the answer," Kirishima replied. "You know about my father. A civilian who sacrificed his own ability to walk just to save someone. He's the one who taught me what it meant to be a real man, and then I found Crimson Riot who embodied everything I wanted to be. And then I met you. You were a good man, which is why I could only ask myself why a good man would betray what he stood for?! I had that question repeatedly asked in my head these past few months."
"...You already have your answer-,"
"I don't care about your answer!" Kirishima yelled at me. "You betray yourself and then you come back even manlier! You're stronger than before, everyone is starting to trust you again because you haven't fucked up. And even when you did, you realised your mistake and trusted us. A far cry from who you used to be. You managed to change who you were for the better… How?"
Kirishima's desperation leaked into his voice as he clenched his fists tightly.
"How the hell do you manage that?!" He screamed at me. "How the hell can you do all this without batting a single eye? It's like you don't even care, you just walk forward as always without hesitation. How?!"
Ah.
I got up from the floor, shaking my head at him.
"I'm not going to tell you," I told him, watching as he blinked at me in surprise. Instead, I bent my knees and smiled at him. "...You know, there's something I've always wanted to know with you. C'mon. Let's have a fight. No Quirks, no swords, just me and you. Let's see who's stronger."
I launched myself at him, punching him square in the face as he recoiled backwards into a wall, banging his head against a pipe. Kirishima snarled at me, using his small height advantage to grab me, throwing me against the same wall as he twisted his knee to slam to my stomach with a force that felt like his Hardening Quirk.
There wasn't any time to moan in pain however as I deftly dodged a roundhouse kick to my head, jumping to the side to use the narrow alley we were in to my advantage as I tackled Kirishima to the ground.
He was surprised as I struck his stomach, elbowing his nose as blood spurted out all over the pavement. Growling, Kirishima used his raw strength to throw me off him, my head banging against a nearby plastic trash bin, its contents falling on the floor behind me. Something warm and sticky trickled down my face, my own blood as I got up from the floor the same time Kirishima did.
Yet when he threw a powerful swing at me, I moved around him grabbing his arms and trying my hardest to suplex him, only for Kirishima to reverse the move on me. As my head came crashing down on the pavement, I locked my legs with his and pulled myself up to headbutt him in the stomach - Watching as he keeled over, winded from my attack.
I didn't waste any precious time as I used the palm of my hand to uppercut his chin, barging my shoulder into his chest before I sweeped his legs off from the ground watching as he fell to the floor once again with a dull thud.
Kirishima growled at that as he tried to stand back up, but I swiftly kicked him in the head, watching him crumple once more. I spat out some blood as I started to kick him over and over again as he lay on the ground, only for Kirishima to grab my right foot jerking it wildly to the right as I lost balance and fell on the floor right next to him.
Using that opportunity, Kirishima rolled over and began to wail punches on me as I was forced to block, eventually using my legs to kick him in the chest as I rolled away from him and used the tipped over garbage bin to help regain my balance and try to stand up.
But Kirishima was faster.
He charged at me, grabbing my head to knee me in the face as I fell backwards. Kirishima didn't waste any time as he jumped on me, punching me as fast and as hard as he could as all I could do was block. I could feel blood in my mouth, waiting to be released as the pounding headache I was feeling never relented once.
Yelling loudly, Kirishima raised his right fist in the air before he went to slam it against me, luckily I moved my head just in time and watched as his fist collided with concrete instead, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain as I used those precious few seconds to heatbutt his forehead directly.
I watched as Kirishima quickly toppled over, the two of us laying side by side.
"I'm done," I managed to breathe out. "You win."
"H…Huh?" Kirishima said. "No, you win. Argh. I don't think I've ever been this beaten up in my life. Damn. You throw a a fucking good punch man. I guess you really deserve the delinquent nickname they gave you. It was so badass… You're so badass."
I chuckled at that.
"You mean the Demon of Class E? Yeah, I guess you're right," I told him while grinning. "I hated the damn thing back then, but now? It's a fucking cool nickname. You know, the criminals have started to call me Detective Dragon. Do you know how annoying that is?!"
"What?! Detective Dragon is cool as shit!"
"Nuh uh, the Dragon of Musutafu is a way cooler nickname! Or even Dragon of the Police. Instead, I have Detective Dragon! I sound like a kid's cartoon character that has a massive toy line or something!"
Kirishima laughed loudly at that.
"Yeah… I can see that…" He replied, turning his head to stare at me. "Why did we just fight, Sora? What was the point? You still haven't told me how you can walk into your uncertain future without fear."
I shook my head at him.
"Without fear? Eijiro, I'm the most scared person in Class A," I told him truthfully. "I may act like it doesn't affect me, but it does. I'm not as manly as you think - Or rather, I think your definition of what it means to be a man is skewed."
"Huh?!"
"Your father saved someone at the cost of his own health and he doesn't regret it. Crimson Riot saved so many people because he was a Hero and lived by his own rules. I protected the people I cared about because that was what I wanted," I explained it to him. "The three of us have very different ideas and wants in life, but in your eyes we're still manly. But you misunderstand my actions, and I'm willing to bet you have misunderstood their choices too."
Kirishima blinked at me in surprise.
"Eijiro… I've never done anything without fear. Even fighting Overhaul, there was a part of me that was afraid. 'What if he goes after everyone in U.A. next?' Every single fight I've been in was because I was afraid of losing someone, afraid of not being strong enough, afraid of not being this or that," I truthfully told him. "Everyone else can see that now. Everyone but you. I don't walk into the uncertain future without fear, it's precisely because of my fear that I walk forward no matter what."
"But…"
"No, listen," I interrupted him. "I get that you want to be a man. So do I. But if there's one thing I learnt is that holding yourself to another's man standards of what it means to be a 'man' is stupid. You're you, and I'm me. We both have differing goals in life, different wants. Different definitions of what it means to be a man. Don't hold yourself to your favourite Hero's standards, or to what your Dad did. You're not them. You are you."
Kirishima's eyes widened as I told him that.
"..."
"Find your own definition of what it means for you to be a 'man'. Don't listen to society, don't listen to me, and don't listen to that brain of yours that thinks you're not good enough, you are," I said to him with a grin. "It's hard. You know, everyone talks about 'toxic masculinity' but I don't think many of them get it. We always hold ourselves to the standard of others we perceive to be better, not realising they do the same. Back then… I wished I was stronger, like you or Midoriya. That I trusted people more easily, that I trusted you more easily."
I paused at that, shaking my head at him.
"And look how that turned out. I upheld myself to an impossible standard, and I regret it so much. That's why now, I only compare myself to who I used to be - And I'm way better than that prick," I said with a grin. "...How about it? Me and you. We both discover what we want to be as men. No matter how flawed they may be, even if they fail, let's just find our own definitions."
"It's hard."
"Nothing in life worth anything is easy, Kirishima."
I watched as he nodded at that.
"...I resented you, Sora. For so long. How could a good man like you turn his back on everyone he loved? But you didn't. Not really. You just couldn't face us with the man you were back then, and now you can with the man you've become," Kirishima said to me. "...It hurts, you know. To realise I had idolised you in my memories when I shouldn't. Deep down, I think I knew that I shouldn't have back then and even now. Because the current you is different, but you're far more manlier!"
I smiled at that.
"There is nothing bad about being wrong. Choosing to continue being wrong isn't something you should aspire to do," I wisely told Kirishima, getting up from the ground as I lent him my hand. "I can't promise you won't fuck up like I did or worse. Or that we won't fuck up together. But you'll learn from your mistakes, and you'll be better. Is it hard? Yeah. The hardest thing you can possibly do. But… Hah. I guess it's corny to say, but that's what it means to be a man in my eyes."
Kirishima took my hand as I helped him up off the ground.
"You know, you're a good teacher."
I sighed at that, my eyebrow twitching.
"Oi. I'm not a teacher. Now come on, Recovery Girl is going to have a fit when she sees us."
"-Of all the stupid and reckless things you ever could have done, why on God's earth would you think that THIS is a perfectly reasonable and okay thing to do when sorting out your differences?!" Recovery Girl yelled at us. "You're so lucky it's late at night and I had a late shift! I ought to let you naturally recover from your injuries bit-by-bit to teach you a lesson, don't fight without supervision! Damn it."
I grinned at her as Kirishima laughed from the bed next to me.
"You batty hag, just give it a rest," I told her. "We're all fine-,"
Hack.
Hack.
Hack.
I was interrupted by a nasty cough that sprayed a sliver of blood over my bed. Right. I laughed at that, ignoring the horrified look Kirishima sent my way as well as the saddened look Recovery Girl had on her face as she gave me some tissues, but I simply shook my head at her.
It was my secret to keep.
"...Dude…?"
"I'm fine," I told Kirishima with a fake grin. "Honestly, it's all the smoking. I should quit one of these days. It's because of the smoke interfering with my healing Quirk. It happens now and then, but it's not a big cause of concern."
"Is that how it works?"
I shrugged my shoulders at him.
"Probably. I'm not good at science. But I think that's how Recovery Girl explained it to me, right?"
I watched as she looked more aged than ever before, slowly nodding to corroborate my lies once again. I didn't feel bad about it, however. Telling Kirishima and anyone else that I'm dying rapidly is going to achieve what exactly? If anything, it'll just make things worse for me. They'd tell me to quit while I have a life to live, to ditch my responsibility once again so at the very least they get to keep their friend.
"Come on, let's go," I sat up from my bed ignoring the scathing look Recovery Girl shot at me. "Everyone is probably worried. And we're fine, just a few bruises and cuts. And a broken nose. We'll take it easy, and I promise we won't fight again… probably."
"Probably?!" Recovery Girl glared at me. "Probably?!"
"No guarantees," Kirishima added with a smirk. "I mean, what if there is an alien invasion or something? I'd have to defeat Sora if he got manipulated and controlled by aliens. And then he'd commit a manly sacrifice or something."
"Why me?! Pick Midoriya or something."
"Uraraka would stop him."
"And no one would stop me?!"
"Well, Tokage would. But you're not dating."
I nodded at that.
"Thank God for that."
We waved bye to Recovery Girl as we walked back to the dorm in a comfortable silence under the orange sky, the sun hadn't even set yet which made for a peaceful walk. But what was most curious was how silent the city was. I couldn't remember a single time when Musutafu felt like it stood still.
"Hey, do you think something might have happened?" Kirishima asked me nervously. "I mean… Dude, even cars outside the school have stopped. Sora! Man, look over there!"
I turned around to see past the school gates.
The streets were practically empty.
And the only people who were still out were glued to their phones.
"...Come on," I replied, shoving Kirishima lightly. "Let's go back to the dorm, no point in staying outside this long. I'm sure everything is fine. Maybe they caught wind of our little fight or something."
I watched as Kirishima nodded at me, our pacing increasing as we walked back to our dorm, each step we took the pressure in the air increasing as fear gnawed at the two of us. What had happened? What was going on? Something major had clearly happened, and the fact that the two of us had no idea what was going on only made not knowing worse.
Something was seriously wrong.
It was telling that every light outside of the living room light in our dorm was shut, even as we opened the door, it was a rare sight to see everyone in Class A gathered in the living room in the afternoon. It was an even rarer sight to see all of Class B huddled nearby, with Aizawa and Vlad King whispering furiously in the corner. Suddenly, seeing all those people turn to stare at Kirishima and I as if we were aliens was nerve wracking.
"Er… Did something happen?" I heard Kirishima ask everyone nervously.
It was only for a split second that I could see fear in everyone's faces as no one replied. The TV was louder than it had ever been in, Kirishima and I heard the newsperson say his next line, a line that shook me to my core.
A line that filled me with dread.
"...We have regretfully come to find out that the Mayor of Musutafu, Eichiiro Daguchi, has been found brutally murdered in his home. Police have launched an investigation into the matter, with there currently being no evidence on the scene of the crime that a Quirk was used. We from the news, as well as this city, only have one question: Who would commit such a heinous crime… And where do we go from here?"
So, this is the start of the next arc!
Naturally, since Sora is a detective, I really wanted at least one 'arc' outside of the main plot of Part 2 to highlight and focus in on investigations and solving a mystery, just because I think it's cool. It shouldn't last too long - Maybe another 7-9 chapters?
But I really can't wait to write it out fully!
So until the next chapter, I'll leave you all with this final 'reveal'...
Tacos are massively overrated.