The night was still, but the weight of the day's revelations lingered in the air, casting a quiet tension over U.A. As Deku sat beside Kuri in her room, his mind still raced with the incredible truths she had just shared. Magic. Witch bloodlines. A hidden history that somehow connected them all. And to think, this was just the beginning of what he had to understand.

Before he could ask more, a gentle knock interrupted them. The door creaked open to reveal Reiko, her soft smile and vibrant, plant-green eyes a welcome sight.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked, stepping inside, her presence like a calming balm to the room's charged energy. She wore her usual warm smile, though a knowing glint in her eyes hinted that she had a sense of what Deku and Kuri were discussing.

Kuri shook her head, beckoning her over. "Not at all. I was actually hoping you'd join us." She glanced at Deku with a reassuring nod. "You remember the story of how we met, right?"

Deku's gaze softened as he looked between them. "Of course. You two were… the first people I really felt I had to protect."

Reiko smiled, a tinge of nostalgia and warmth in her expression. "And here you are, still keeping that promise."

As she took a seat, her hand grazed a nearby plant, and small green sprouts burst into bloom at her touch. Her plant/luck quirk had always seemed more like a gift than a power; flowers and vines grew where she went, and with her, things tended to work out in their favor, even in the darkest situations.

Kuri looked at her sister, a smile pulling at her lips. "Reiko, we're going to need your quirk more than ever, especially with everything going on."

Reiko nodded solemnly. "I know. With everything that's happening, I'm just glad we're all together. We'll get through it." She turned her gaze to Deku, her eyes filled with a calm confidence. "And we'll protect each other."

Xxx

The sun dipped low over the training grounds as the students finished their drills for the day, the last golden rays casting long shadows across the forest surrounding U.A. Deku and Kuri had been pushing themselves hard, especially after their recent conversation. Every new detail about One For All, her bloodline quirk, and their unexpected connection had fueled a fresh determination within both of them.

As they gathered their belongings, Deku glanced toward the woods. Something tugged at his senses—a strange, almost instinctual pull. Kuri noticed it too, the faintest flicker of unease.

"Do you feel that?" Deku asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kuri nodded, her empathy quirk picking up on a subtle, distant pulse of fear and guilt. "There's something… or someone… out there."

Without another word, the two slipped quietly into the woods, following the trail of tension Kuri felt. The forest was dense and quiet, the air heavy with something unspoken. They moved carefully, their footsteps silent on the damp ground. Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light caught their eye through the trees.

As they approached, they saw Aoyama standing alone in a small clearing, his back turned as he gazed down at something in his hand. Deku and Kuri froze, watching as he held a piece of cheese with a message scratched into it.

"I know everything."

The words hung ominously, almost mocking in their simplicity. Aoyama's shoulders slumped, his expression shadowed with guilt and fear, unaware of Deku and Kuri's presence. Kuri's heart clenched, her empathy sensing the waves of shame and despair rolling off of him.

"Aoyama…" Deku's voice broke the silence, soft and cautious. He stepped forward, startling Aoyama, who spun around, panic flashing in his eyes.

"Midoriya! K-Kuri!" Aoyama stammered, his voice trembling as he tried to hide the piece of cheese behind his back. "What are you… why are you here?"

Deku and Kuri exchanged a glance, the realization dawning between them. There was something unmistakably different about Aoyama's demeanor, a heaviness that neither of them had seen before.

Kuri took a step closer, her voice gentle. "Aoyama, what's going on? You can trust us."

Aoyama's face paled, his gaze darting between them as if he were trapped, desperately seeking an escape. He took a shaky breath, his eyes filling with tears. "I… I never wanted to hurt any of you. I never wanted to betray anyone…"

Deku's eyes widened, the full weight of Aoyama's words settling heavily in his chest. "Betray…? Aoyama, what do you mean?"

Aoyama choked back a sob, clutching the cheese in his hand like a lifeline. "All For One… he forced me. If I didn't… he would have hurt my family."

The three of them stood together in the quiet woods, bound by the weight of a secret that would change everything.

Xxx

As Bakugo and Reiko chatted, there was a commotion outside. The voices of their classmates echoed down the hallway, and Reiko's luck quirk seemed to stir. Her instinct took hold, and she felt compelled to follow the sounds.

"Let's go," she said softly, her tone serious. The three of them stepped into the hallway, following the voices to the common area, where Bakugo was already waiting, arms crossed. His gaze softened when he saw Reiko enter, and for a brief moment, his scowl faded.

"We need to talk," Bakugo said, nodding to Deku. "Something's up."

They all gathered around as their teachers entered the room, their expressions unusually tense. Aizawa's gaze swept across them, his voice calm but weighted with gravity. "We've discovered something critical… something that could change everything."

As he spoke, Aoyama entered, his face unreadable. A silent tension built in the room, everyone sensing something unsettling. Deku felt Kuri's hand tighten around his, her empathy quirk picking up on the storm of emotions swirling around them.

"Aoyama…" Aizawa continued, glancing toward him. "We've recently uncovered information about a traitor within U.A. Someone connected to All For One."

Deku's heart pounded as the words registered. He glanced at Aoyama, disbelief and confusion battling in his mind. The shock rippled through the room, his classmates exchanging glances of disbelief and betrayal.

Aoyama's face grew pale, his usual flamboyant demeanor stripped away. "I… I never wanted this," he whispered, barely able to look at any of them. His voice trembled as he spoke. "I only did it because… if I didn't… my family…"

The room fell silent, tension thickening with every word. Reiko felt her quirk stir again, a feeling like the delicate balance of luck tipping dangerously close to chaos.

Kuri's empathy flared, sensing the agony and fear radiating from Aoyama. She stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. "Aoyama, you're one of us. You've always been one of us." She reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever you've done, you're here now. And we won't abandon you."

Aoyama looked at her, surprise and relief flooding his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but the guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders. He struggled to hold back tears as he finally let his secret be known.

Deku, Reiko, and Bakugo exchanged a look, silently agreeing on one thing: whatever happened next, they would face it together.