Kitsunebi

by Mochacana

This was long before heroes and villains came about, this was long before Quirks came about, this...was long before she came about. How coincidental is it that the mistakes of her ancestors and family are placed on her? This is the story of a girl who wanted nothing more than love, life, and light...but only to yearn for death as she lives on. This time...can she be saved?

10. Exploit

I felt numb.

I can scarcely remember anything between defeating Muscular and going off alone.

When I got Izuku and Kota back to the lodge safely, I was tracking lines of blue fire, hoping I would find Toya at the end of one of them.

I couldn't find him at all and it was beginning to frustrate me. I'm starting to think he was doing this on purpose, to make me look even crazier than I already am.

I didn't forget the fact that Izuku told me about the League's goal to kidnap me and Katsuki, not at all. Either they do intend to kidnap us or are using Katsuki as bait to kidnap me.

I stopped and composed myself, taking deep breaths in and out to calm down. I had to make a decision...act selfishly and continue pursuing Toya or make sure Katsuki is okay and stick by him...

Unfortunately, the decision was made for me once I realized that I told Toya, who I thought was a conjure of my mind at the time, my hidden fondness for Katsuki...and now that I recall, he was silent every time I spoke about him.

I no longer felt numb...and my newfound adrenaline only increased when I got my hands on Katsuki.

"Knew you'd come running."

My eyes could only stare into those surprised vermillions...

The rush of an explosion going off near me and the air cutting past my...now burning hair me come back to reality.

We tumbled on the ground, and I tried my best to get as much distance away from Toya as we could. Letting him go, I rolled away from Katsuki before jumping back on my feet, and roughly patting the blue fire out.

I looked down at the ground to see the puffy purple strands somewhat charred black while others remained unscathed. The fire even burnt my hair tie, which explains my now uneven hair just barely grazing my shoulders.

With my opposite hand, a shady cornflower barrier surrounded Katsuki. I cautiously walked around the man wrapped in blue flames.

"Milah, it's dangerous here! Stay back!" Izuku yelled, sounding desperate.

"You're going to get yourself hurt! Run!" Shoto yelled as well.

As those blue eyes stared into my own, I did the same, ignoring those cries and shouts.

"Kamilah Shimizu..." He looked me up from head to toe. "I didn't get a good look at you earlier..."

I tilted my head, deeply frowning, "...Are you trying to add fuel?"

He smirked, "I already have," he said, flames lighting up in his hands.

"..."

All I did in response was set my aura ablaze around my hands just as he had with his flames.

'Asshole,' I thought as I glared at him.

"Look here... Leave my friends alone and only take me, okay?" I leaned my head forward with a crazed grin, "Aren't I the one you've wanted from the very beginning?"

I lifted my left hand, pointing at a raging Katsuki...who couldn't be heard due to me making it that way.

"...is what I'd like to say. But...you attempted to kidnap my angry Pomeranian...and I have a problem with that. So before I go, run me my fade."

He rushed at me, now suddenly in front of me with his blazing fist raised.

Someone's helping him, a portal of sorts perhaps.

Catching his hand with my right one, I felt the flames...but I didn't feel it burn my skin. Instead...it gave me some kind of high. A high I haven't felt in years...

A high that can beat the trance mela puts me in.

Toya seemed shocked that I was holding him without whimpering in pain.

I made a closed-eyed smile, "Ya know, I've had practice with hotter."

Swiftly making contact with his chest with my left knee, he doubled over. I set that leg down, then used my right to kick him away from me, sending him flying into a tree.

"Surely, that's not all you got?" I asked with a whine in my tone.

"I got this!"

"Toga, don't!" an unfamiliar voice shouted.

Taking a step to the right, I dodged the girl who tried to swing at me with a knife. She spun on her feet, swiping at me again in which I took another step back and more as she kept swinging.

"Come here! Let me stabby stab you!" she shouted excitedly.

"We need her alive!" I heard Mr. Compress yell.

"Stabby stab...?" I questioned as I kept dodging her. "How adorkable," I mused...finally finding myself unhinged.

Her grin widened and her cheeks got darker in red hues, "I already like you."

Deciding to take a risk, I grabbed the hand she wielded the knife with, yanking her close to me by her wrist and hitting my forehead against hers.

"Owww!" she whined, trying to push away from me. "You're cute, but you're mean!...and I like it!"

Sensing a rush of heat, I let her go and spun away from her after I got a kick to her side. Dancing is another form of fighting if you do the right steps and twirls.

Seeing that the fire is reddish-orange, my eyes widened in surprise as my gaze settled on a heavily breathing Shoto.

He began walking my way, I realized he wasn't carrying my classmate, Tsuburaba, anymore.

"What the hell did I tell you?! Run, Kamilah!"

I smiled at him, 'I honestly don't need him interfering right now.'

"I don't need protecting, Sho. Despite my build, I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

He gave me a...almost scary expression. Shoto began to run over to me until another blue wave of fire cut him off.

"Restrain her and catch her! Worry about the other kid later!"

I smirked, 'Mission accomplished. Now...'

Feeling a presence behind me, I quickly lifted my right foot over my shoulder and struck into that person's face.

Turning around, I landed multiple sharp jabs at this unknown villain's nervous points. By the time I was done with him, I think it'd be safe to say he was completely paralyzed.

Turning around once more, I saw...more than one Toya approaching along with blue streaks of flames.

"Look out, Milah!" Izuku shouted.

Putting my hands in front of me, I got a grasp on the roaring flames and when I pushed my hands out on each side, the flames followed my motions, almost forming a split red carpet, or blue carpet rather.

Immediately, the fakes were cremated, leaving the real Toya rushing me again.

Manipulating the flames to gather above me by moving my hands upwards, I formed a fox-like figure with my fingers, creating a towering cornflower blue fox behind me.

Bringing my fingers down in front of me, the fox-like aura-created creature rushed down at Toya like a feral animal pouncing on its prey.

Feeling the side effects of controlling his flames which was my body feeling like it was burning up and the wisps of blue forming on my face, I quickly dispersed the flames.

I fell to my knees, violently coughing and hacking up blood. The red liquid dripped from my eyes onto the ground, too. I was unsure of what that ability did or how long it'd hold him off, but it must've been effective.

I looked up amid my fit to see the fox still trying to bite at Toya whilst using its tail to fling the other villains from trying to get to my classmates.

"Milah-chan! Stop! You're overusing your Quirk!" Izuku shouted at me as his classmate dealt with trying to avoid the "Toga" girl.

I somehow managed to smile, "Aw..." I coughed up more blood, "Ugh...ah, shit...even beaten and bloody, you still worry about me..."

"What the hell, Fox?! If you knew you couldn't use your Quirk like that, you should've relied on me!"

I looked over to see Katsuki breaking out of my deteriorating barrier with his explosions. He looks angrier than usual...it's almost cute.

I decided it was now or never.

I staggered back on my feet and used teleport to get a head start, it appeared I was running after the phoenix to deal a good hit...

But before the fox could touch my target, I dispersed it into nothing...

And jumped at Toya with my arms out...as if welcoming a hug.

"Taeal 'iilaa kami ya habibi."

It's a good thing I noticed that whenever Toya rushed at me, a void of some sort would open behind him in case he got close to capturing me.

All I saw in the darkness is turquoise.

---

That's all I could see in the darkness that clouded my mind, turquoise...and what we should've been, could've been, would have been.

"She can't speak?"

"Afraid not, Mrs. Shimizu."

"Will she be able to?"

"Seeing how traumatized she's become...it's difficult to say right now. She may decide to speak soon...or maybe never again."

"Norio," Mama called his name worryingly, her crocodile tears building up.

"It'll be okay," Uncle Norio coddled her in his arms.

I continued to stare at them with no expression. I...I would consider myself expressionless, but I suppose to my family, I looked "dead".

"Ami," Kimy called me, gently squeezing my right hand to get my attention.

"She isn't...responding..." Joon mumbled, doing the same with my other hand.

"Give her time, Joonie..." Rika mumbled, placing her hand over his.

I continued staring at the "couple" before me, wondering if what I'm seeing is genuine, wondering if what I'm seeing is what I could've had if I just told him I lo-

"No, it won't be okay, Norio," I heard Aunt Yuiko speak. She looked...beyond upset. "None of this okay, Kamilah won't be okay."

Mama glared at her, "Be quiet. You're not making the situation any better."

"Neither is whimpering and crying. Do you think that's what Kamilah wants to see from her own mother? You're a hero, aren't you? You're supposed to be strong for her, not let her see you in such a vulnerable state. Kamilah has been through so much already."

Mama stood up, but Uncle Rio held her from getting close to Auntie.

"My child almost died! You expect me to just sit here, smile, and tell her she's going to be fine?!"

"I don't see why not. Judging by Kamilah's responses during our therapy sessions, you seem to do that all the time. Dismissing her feelings, telling her she'll be fine because she's a product of two powerful heroes."

Mama snapped her head to me, "You told her such lies, Kamilah?"

I didn't respond as I kept my gaze on her and Uncle Rio.

'I should've told him...I should've told him I love him. Why did I hesitate? Why did I do that? Why? Why did I kill him?'

"Kamilah isn't in a state of mind to address anything right now. Look at her. She looks broken, lost..." Aunt Yui sympathized with me.

"At least her burns aren't too bad. Right, Ami? You feel a little better, don't you?"

'Toya...I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I contributed to your death. You're gone because of not only your family...but me, too. I'm sor-...no, I'm beyond forgiveness. There's no taking this back. I can't be forgiven. The dead can't forgive...'

"Your little sister won't be able to respond verbally or physically, little one. She's still dazed from all that's happened," the doctor informed him with a soft tone.

"Ami..."

I could see the worry on my brother and friend's faces grow, but as usual, I kept my eyes on Mama and Uncle Rio.

"Is she...staring at us? Or through us, Doctor?" Uncle Rio asked him.

"Hmmm, it's hard to-"

"At you both," Auntie answered for him. "Whatever she's seeing...it's something related to her accident." Her expression softened, "Ami, were you..."

'In love? Yes...yes, I am. I still am. I have no right to be in love, but here I am...selfishly yearning for something impossible.'

---

I groaned at the pain spreading from my neck down to my shoulders. I moved my head around aimlessly, trying to make the pain move somewhere else.

When I did so, the conversation around me stopped, and I opened my eyes to see...dark. Just darkness. I was blindfolded. Moving my lips, I internally sighed at the fact that I wasn't gagged.

Feeling something rough around my wrists that were tied behind me and something else, I tried to get my bearings on my surroundings.

'So I've come back to my reality, great...and I'm emotionally unstable. I think there are more than 4 people around me...5 including whoever's next to me. How...should I go about this? Gotta be clever...'

Lifting my head steadily, I leaned back on the...metal chair, resting my back and head as if nothing was wrong.

"The hell...?" I mumbled.

"You up now, Fox?"

I was relieved to hear his voice...but then I lifted my head off the back of the chair I'm bound to, my body tensing at the realization we both ended up getting kidnapped.

"Katsuki...? What's...what's going on? What happened?"

"You happened."

I looked in the direction of his voice, hoping he could see that I was grimacing at him.

"Well, damn. I tried to be Captain Save A Hoe, and yo ass being ungrateful and shit." I huffed, "I told Hakim this ain't gonna work."

"Whatcha called me, thickness?"

"Now's not the time for this." I looked in each direction of energy I could see behind the blindfold, "We're not in a good situation."

"She can still see?" I heard a girl speak.

"Miss Shimizu's Quirk can do many things," a deep and formal voice spoke.

I scoffed, "..."

"Do you know why we brought you and your friend here, Miss Shimizu?'

I frowned, "..."

"We think you two would be useful assets to our cause. Mister Bakugo, because his temperament and Quirk would give us a great advantage. You, because of your Quirk and how you view society."

"..."

"How she...? Hey, Fox. The hell is he talking about?"

"...so...it was a lie. She was right..." I mumbled.

"What?"

I shook my head, "What makes you think I'll join for your cause?"

"We offer you a compensation I'm sure you won't deny."

"And that is?"

"Who that is. Zurui Shimizu."

"..."

"Our founder informed me that your father used to work for him under multiple communication networks."

"..."

"Did you know that?"

"...I know my dad did the wrong things to make sure I had."

Now he was the quiet one.

"I've always been aware that my dad was made out to be the bad guy...because he made himself appear that way, he did that for a reason. He went to Tartarus because of false accusations."

"..."

"I don't need any help getting him out. Besides...it'd be futile to break him out only for him to go back."

"You make it sound like you plan on dying," the blue-haired man, "Shigaraki" is what Izuku told me, sneered.

"I do."

My declaration silenced the whole room.

"But what if you don't?" Toya challenged me.

"...then, I'll..."

What would I do? If I'm ever to see the light of day again after committing murder...what will be left for me?

As much as I love everyone dear to me...I don't think I could live with myself on either side.

"Then, I don't care what happens to me. Kamilah Shimizu is gonna get what's coming to her," I answered nonchalantly.

"You're pretty calm seeing as that you're surrounded by enemies," Shigaraki addressed.

"Well, what's the point in screaming and panicking like a fucking idiot? I've had enough panic attacks in my life, thank you very much."

"Watch your tone, Missy," I heard that same unfamiliar voice. I think it's safe to say that's the same guy I paralyzed.

"Touche," Shigaraki chuckled his agreement.

"Oh, to correct your terminology, you're not my enemies...I ain't got shit against y'all." My head turned in the direction where the scent of smoldered flames was, "But him."

"Ooo! She's scary! I like her!" I heard the girl named Toga squeal.

"Dabi?" the gentlemanly voice questioned.

"I wish to talk to you privately."

"Why? 'Cause I kidnapped your "angry pomeranian"?"

A light blush covered my cheeks at having said that while in my unstable state. I heard Toga giggle at the nickname.

"As if she's in the predicament to be making demands. You're a feisty one," Shigaraki interrupted. "I'm glad to know that we aren't your enemies. That gives you all the more reason to join us."

"What if I don't want to...?" I challenged.

"Then, that's a problem. If only your dad would've gotten his hands on you, he could've molded you into whatever he wished," he retorted.

My mouth closed once he mentioned "dad".

"Kamilah-chan, why don't you do him a favor and fill his objective? After that, we can bail him out. Knowing your Mother, she hasn't let you seen him, has she?"

I remained quiet.

"So many choices, yet all the time in the world. We can sit here all day while you contemplate."

"...You don't want me. You...no, your leader wants my Quirk. This...All-for-One guy?"

"His prediction was correct... His power has grown within her. The only thing that's wrong is the name of her Quirk. Psychokinesis, I think not...but omnipotence," the gentlemanly voice spoke again.

"Omnipotence? You callin' me a goddess?"

"I think that's a yes because of the first few characters in your name, Doll," "Dabi" mumbled.

My head lifted from the back of the chair, "Maybe I am...Maybe I do have the power to do whatever the hell I want, whenever the hell I want, for whoever the hell I choose. Maybe...that's why I'm so mssed up."

"Kamilah," Katsu growled.

I looked in his direction, "What? I am...oh... Oh...oh?" I smirked, "Not you getting worried..."

"I'm not worried, crazy ass. Stop sympathizing with them."

"There's a fine line between sympathizing and understanding, Katsuki."

"Well, to further your understanding, I suppose it's fine to grant your earlier request," the formal tone speaker answered.

"Take care of her," I heard Shigaraki mumble.

"Dabi said you're a face of his past, I'm sure you'd be comfortable speaking to him," the formal tone speaker spoke once more.

I was startled by the scent of smoke nearing me and my hands were lifted from around the metal chair. I was yanked up by them, standing on numb, trembling legs.

"Where the hell are you-"

"It's okay, Katsu. He won't hurt me, none of them can. I'm too valuable of an asset to just discard," I told him with a reassuring smile.

"Tch... If you end up burning alive, don't blame me."

I was being directed with pushes to the small of my back to...what I assume out of this room.

"I figured that's how I'd go out in the end," I smartly remarked before a door was shut behind me...

Or should I say us?

'I thought he'd be yelling and cursing up a storm...but he's calm in this situation, too, thankfully. There's no doubt about it that Katsuki's gonna break free...I just gotta find my own route...'

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

Feeling my body pushed into some other room, I heard him close another door.

"You shouldn't ask questions you already know the answer to. It's impolite."

"Since when did you give a damn about being polite?"

"...Excuse me?"

"Don't play coy, Kami. You used to be so...unforgiving with your words. You'd tell shit like it is. Did Shoto soften you up?"

"...Actually, no. It was another childhood friend."

"You remember?"

"I always had, Toya. I just...I'm a terrible person. I couldn't do anything to help your situauion back then," I mumbled. "I was...powerless, and I still am."

'That's right...I used to be crueler. Over time...' I smiled, '...my little cinnamon roll softened me up.'

"What are you thinking?"

"But that doesn't give you a pass on for what you did, for not telling me you were alive this whole time. You lied to me...and it hurt so much that I just...I lost it back there."

"..."

"You knew I was suffering, you knew I've had mental issues for a long time...and you only added to them by lying to me. What's wrong with you?"

"...I had to do it."

"You didn't have to do shit, but say you were alive! That you were actually there with me on those dark nights!"

"..."

"If you would've just told me you were okay, that you were alive...that you'd still keep your promise of taking me away...I would've told you that I love you long ago to seal the deal!"

"..."

I wanted to cry, I wanted to keep yelling at him, I wanted to cuss him out and knock the ever-loving sense out of him...but I had no more tears left to cry, I had no more voice, I had no more strength.

"Kami-"

"I don't want to hear it right now. I just...I want you to untie this blindfold. I want to see your face."

Toya didn't hesitate in the least. He never hesitated in the past either...I suppose old habits die hard. His footsteps neared me, I could feel his hands undoing the blindfold behind me.

Blinking my eyes rapidly to adjust to the darkness of the room, I turned around to finally make eye contact with the young man in front of me.

"..."

"Disgusting, right?"

I shook my head, "No...more like bad boy vibes," I chuckled. "Can you do the same for my wrists? These binds are heavy."

"You won't run?"

I rolled my eyes, "To where? I don't know where this place is and I just might be in a whole different city."

He sighed, going around me, "You're reasonable," he mumbled while undoing the ropes.

"Why should I be unreasonable? That only makes your job difficult and makes me suffer."

"More like your friend," he said, flinging the metal binds in the darkness of the room.

"I know," I sighed. "So...what did that Shigaraki guy meant by "take care of her"?"

"Just to take you to another room and watch you until further orders."

"Ah... Hey, do they know about us-"

I shivered because he wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his head in the crook of my neck.

"They don't. I only told them you were a face of the past, with no relations and no connections. Damn...you smell so good...and you're plumper now, too."

Trying to keep a cool head, I huffed and puffed out my cheeks. "Are you fat shaming me?"

"Far from it, Doll," he growled as he squeezed me closer.

I'm sure that my face is cherry red and the fervor was going to spread more. With shaky hands, I wrapped my arms around him, making subtle grasps at the skin beneath his coat.

This felt...familiar, like a warmer home that substituted the cold one I was unfairly given. I wasn't born into a family...no one is. You have to make a family to have a home.

"Toya..."

He hummed in response.

"Did you mean to hurt me earlier? Do you intend to use me...? Why not just take my Quirk? All-for-One would be doing me a favor, really... I think this is the cause of all my mental problems; it increases my stress and my thoughts to act irrationally...like now, I want to be with you, I really do...but I still yearn for death."

"Then, you'd actually be helping us out if you give up so willingly."

"Do you want me to do that?"

Before he could answer, I could feel the slightest rattle on the floorboards beneath our feet. Toya let me go and turned around, heading for the door.

"Stay here," he said, glancing at me before exiting.

I hadn't realized my knees were shaking until they'd given out from under me.

"When you say it like that..." I mumbled. I hugged my trembling body. "I can't help but feel like the broken doll you say I am."

Hearing a crash, I tried to prevent myself from violently shaking.

What if it was their leader?

What if Toya told him my wish?

If he were to take it away from me, I'd be defenseless.

If he were to do that...Izuku...no, no, I can't let that happen! I'm acting selfishly again! Why does Toya make me act selfish?

What if...I'm going to be saved?

What? I'm not here against my will because I don't oppose anyone, so why use the word "save"?

All I did was use Katsuki's kidnapping as a scapegoat to talk to Toya again.

I grit my teeth, "I was wrong...I'm the sick piece of shit."

'Do I stay here or do I leave? Don't I need to help Katsuki?! B-But...he may not want my help. Though he's smarter than he looks...he'll never figure out I have connections with Toya; it's more of the fact he'll reject me forever since I pulled a stunt like that at the Training Camp. I care for them both...I can't risk hurting anyone simply because I sided with a group based on quick decision-making.'

Once I blinked, I looked around, seeing that I'm back in the real world.

Hearing heavy footsteps and the slamming of doors, I stood and ran to the window behind me, using my Quirk to shatter the glass.

'They're doing a search. Gotta move. Where to go? I don't fucking know, but I gotta get the hell out of dodge,' I thought, jumping on the metal platform.

Running down the rusting staircase, I was on the last step before a dark void appeared in front of me, making me slip and lose balance. I braced myself for whatever is about to happen as I fell into the dark space.

Nothing.

No impact.

No sound.

No surface.

Just floating, floating in a dark space.

"You won't get away that easily."

I looked around in the darkness for the source though it was useless because the voice spoke all around me.

"Who are you?"

"I am All-for-One, the teacher of the one following in my footsteps, and the leader of the League."

"..."

"Nothing to say, child?"

"What is there to say...Shiroya."

He chuckled, "So you figured it out. How long have you known?"

"I didn't know who you were...but I knew you were an imposter around the time I transferred to U.A. I may be crazy, but I know Toya."

"Clearly, you didn't know him enough to know that he'd pull a stunt like that on you," he mused.

He wants a reaction out of me, but I wasn't about to give him one. I know how people like him operate...I'm acquainted with one.

"If you want my Quirk, you can take it," I tested, wanting to see what he was about to do.

"Oh, dear child. It's not that simple. You see, I do want your Quirk. You've nurtured what I gave you to live on. I didn't expect such greatness and potential from you because you were such a fragile child...but you kept your resilience."

"I only kept my resilience because of Misuzu. She's the one who kept me alive, not you. You only tried to steal my Quirk by trying to conquor my body with whatever the hell you deceived my dad with."

"Right again, Kamilah Shimizu. And since I can't do that now that you're close to fully rejecting me, I have no choice but to have you join me by my side."

"I'm not your enemy, but that doesn't mean I'll agree. What makes you think I'll do that?"

"I think that Katsuki Bakugo has inflated your ego a little too much."

I stiffened at hearing his name.

"But no...that's not who I have to target to get you to comply. You forget that the love of your life is on my side and that your childhood friend possesses something I need."

"..."

"Oh? Did I strike a nerve? Your love for that young man will be your downfall. All because you couldn't let go, just like your mother with your father."

"..."

"And your overcaring attitude toward your friend will get you in trouble if you're not careful, just like your father."

"..."

"So, Kamilah Shimizu, I want to strike a deal with you. You get close to Izuku Midoriya, train with him, and give me every piece of knowledge he tells you after you inform him of your Quirks having a link...or suffer the consequences of your lover being a tool in my plans."

"..."

"Do we have a deal, Miss Shimizu?"

"..." I...gave a subtle nod.

"I need to hear you say it."

"Yes, we have...a deal."

"Excellent. I knew you'd make the right decision. You always do, so considerate for your friends and family not to be a part of your mess. Run along, little kit. I'll be watching."

Suddenly, my back came into contact with gravel and I let out a groan. Luckily, I wasn't dropped from a high place so I didn't break anything.

"KAMILAH! ROLL!"

I noticed a slab of concrete falling towards me, and I did as Katsuki screamed, just narrowly missing from being crushed.

I lifted myself to my knees and was about to push up off the ground when I felt someone doing it for me, pressing their back to mine.

"Update?"

"All-Might's here, the League's leader is here and fighting, we're surrounded right now, figuring out a plan to escape without dying."

I glanced around to see we...wasn't surrounded by the people from earlier, it confused me so I questioned him.

"What do you mean "we're surrounded"?"

"I'm not taking any chances with that monster up there."

I took a step to the side, turning my head a little to get a glimpse at whatever "monster" Katsuki is referring to.

"Oh...that is a problem." I grinned, "Why not stir up a little trouble? We could help Mister All-Might."

"What I'm saying is that I'm not taking any chances with that monster if it concerns you, fox," he reinforced, glancing at me.

I lifted a brow, "Huh?"

"Pst! Shimizu!"

I snapped my head in the direction not far off from where we were standing. I couldn't make anything out in the distance...I was worried that I was beginning to lose it.

"Katsuki..."

"What?"

"How many days has it been since I've been out?"

"Two. Why?"

"I think I...need my melatonin. My anxiety must be out the roof because I'm hearing voices that aren't there."

"No, Shimizu! It's us! Bakugo!"

Katsuki looked over his shoulder in the same direction the voices were coming from.

"The hell..."

"Create a smokescreen!" I heard Izu's voice whisper-shout.

'Izuku? What's he doing here?'

"Don't tell me what to do, you shitty ne-"

"Katsuki."

I turned around to fully face him. He looked down at me with a disgruntled expression, but he was willing to listen to what I had to say.

"Like we practiced?" I asked, lifting my scarred right hand in between us.

His eyes lingered on my hand, "..."

"We don't have time to think about this working, I'm confident this time."

Sighing, he stopped being stubborn and intertwined our fingers.

"Like we practiced," he said reassuringly.

As my blue energy grew from my hand and wrapped around our hands, I could see and feel Katsuki's sparks start up. Unlike the last time we practiced this, I felt nothing against my hand.

Not that his sparks hurt me in the first place, it just tickled and kinda went left because I kept giggling.

Immediately contained explosions went off around us, my blue energy swirling off the reactions and helping to create a smokescreen.

"What now?" I shouted to Izuku amongst the loudness.

"Icy Hot!" Katsuki yelled, making me look at him with confusion. "Catch!"

'Sho's here, too?! How come I didn't see-!'

"What the hell are you doing?!" I shouted as Katsuki picked me up in his arms with ease. He shifted me around for a better grip by tossing me up a little so he caught me by my back and the crease of my knees.

I struggled in his grip, "Put me down! You can't carry me! I'm too damn heav-"

"Stop with that "heavy" shit! Now's not the time, and I'm not the one carrying your thick ass!" he yelled at me as he spun around twice.

"What?! Who you callin'-KATSUKI!"

He flung me so high in the air through the smoke, but not enough to go past the smokescreen line. I thought I would hit the wall I was dropped by earlier, but instead...

I was caught by someone else because they grunted at the rough impact.

Looking up at my capturer, I was...I honestly didn't know how to feel.

"Shoto?"

"You're not heavy at all."

My brows furrowed at that being the first thing he said.

"Um...right, where the hell did y'all come from? And why are you dressed like that?" I gasped, "Wait, Katsuki!"

"Don't worry about him, Midoriya's acting out the plan as we speak."

"What?" I asked, looking around me to only see a young woman in a fancy dress with heels and a necklace.

Hearing a shout above all the noise, I looked up to the night sky to see Katsuki rushing to...an organized huddle of three. The one with red hair, whose name I think is Kirishima?, was holding his hand out, and Katsuki grabbed it.

The moonlight illuminating them seems like something out of a stage play or a fairytale of some sort.

"We need to move," Shoto told the young woman.

"Right," she spoke, moving ahead of him. "By the way, I'm Yaoyorozu. It's an inconvenient time, but it's nice to meet you, Shimizu."

I blinked multiple times, "...I'm sorry, but do I know you?" She only chuckled in response in which I looked back to Shoto. "Ya know, I can use my legs. I'm not immobile."

"You may be right, but after seeing the drawbacks of your Quirk, I don't want to take a chance and you get left behind."

I didn't respond to that as he and a young woman ran into an upcoming crowd.

"That guy...the one with the blue flames. Did he hurt you?"

I suddenly felt...an urge to get away, to escape. I tried to look up at Shoto...but, I couldn't. I felt ashamed, and guilt-ridden because I want Shoto to leave me behind.

I...had so little time with Toya, so little time for answers, so little time to make the next step.

My grip tightened on Shoto's shirt, 'When all this mess clears, I'm going to be interrogated by the police.'

I can't just go home and act like everything's okay. Hakim could be there, or he could be waiting at his apartment... No, he's well-informed and is getting involved in this somehow. Auntie knows what's going on, but there's no telling where she is. And because I'm a U.A. student, a descendant of a shogunate family, and a child of a hero...then they're coming home, no doubt about it.'

As if I'd let her put her hands on me again.

Whenever I am hyperventilating, panicking, or trembling uncontrollably, I'm unable to use my Quirk properly...but with what little control I have over my jitters...

"Kamilah, are you cold?"

"..." I made sure to meet Shoto's eyes, trying not to reveal anything as I stared at him emotionless.

"Kamilah?"

I shifted my body to move my face closer to his, trying to keep calm for what I'm about to do. Luckily, he stopped running so I could move more easily.

My hands moved up his chest, to his shoulders, and rest on the nape of his neck, angling his head up so I can rest my lips against his neck.

"Kami-"

"I hate you," I breathily whispered against his warm skin, then quickly bit into it, resulting in him dropping me.

---

["Wait. Hold on...I just received word that an odd group of teenagers retrieved Katsuki Bakugo. However, the search for Kamilah Shimizu is still ongoing."]

["What's this? All-Might looks...what's wrong with him? Why does he look like he's deflating? What did that villain do to him?"]

I gripped both hands so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my skin. My tail was wagging furiously.

"Ami...please, if you're hurt, be alive at least."

I've known her since we were babies, and to say she's "backward" is an understatement. I know she doesn't like hero and villain topics because it's as if the balance of the world is uneven. "There shouldn't be no top dog because we're all equal and bound to sin no matter what" is what she told me.

She believes in the good the heroes do for people, but that can be taken for granted. She believes in the bad villains do to people because some people deserve it, but it creates a want for more harm.

I can't help to agree with her despite my small fascination for heroes.

If there are any careers similar to a philosopher, she picked a good one, a psychiatrist is similar to a counselor, I suppose.

'This isn't helping...trying to take my mind off the panic...'

The doorbell rang. Startled by that sound, I sighed and got up to go answer the door.

Sis is at her job, and I told my friends not to visit until Ami's found because I tend to act irrationally when she's not okay, but I didn't tell them the latter.

'Which means...'

I sighed and closed my eyes as I swung the door open, "Aye, bro, I said, "no visits, no pop-ups". I could be over here, gettin' some by a bad biracial chick, and yo' ass just decided-"

"I can make that an reality."

Blinking my eyes open, I took in the soft smiling dark purple-haired girl. She was smiling despite having a few scratches here and there, and her coily long hair was...now seemingly burnt off, shoulder-length, and frizzy.

Closing the door, I took a few steps, seeing the same, but less frazzled, girl on the T.V. screen, reading "SEARCHING FOR KAMILAH SHIMIZU".

Walking back to the door, I opened it again, seeing that she was still standing there, her reassuring smile turned hesitant.

"I saw...that I'm on the news. Could you please let me in?"

Pulling her inside, I closed the door and locked it. I placed both of my hands on her shoulders, about to speak, but she did first.

"I know you have a lot of questions, Joon. I can only say I...kinda escaped on my own; you know I'm not one to wait for a savior. Who do I look like?" she giggled.

"You think this is a time to make jokes?! Ami, you could've been hurt! Or worse, dead! How did you even get caught up in this?!"

"I...tried to save Katsuki...and do something else. I gotta request something of you, Joon-Woo. Please, let me stay here until things quiet down, and inform Rika of my situation as soon as she steps in. It won't be difficult for her to catch my scent so there's no point in hiding from her."

"What...? You expect me to keep your whereabouts secret when everyone you know and cherish is searching for you?! As much as I want to keep you to myself, I don't think it's the right thing to do. Even your school is doing its best to keep the media under control!"

"I know, I know. I appreciate all they're doing...but I'm beggin' you, let me stay," she said as she stared deep into my eyes.

I frowned, "What's in it for me?"

"...We can cuddle for as long as I'm here."

I scoffed, "Gonna have to do better than that."

She pouted, "We can go on a date when this mess clears."

I made a sour face at her, "Who do you take me for?"

"Well, what do you want? It usually doesn't take a lot to make your puppy brain happy."

I smiled and took a step to hug her, "I want to keep you safe."

She shook her head, "What was the point of me suggesting any of that then?"

"Just to feel a sense of normalcy between us again. I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you," I explained as I took careful steps backward to help her inside.

She chuckled, "I missed you, too, puppy boy."

"I'm not a puppy anymore," I whined as I lightly kicked the door close behind us and used my thin tail to secure the locks.

"Speaking of puppy..." she began so I let her go, "I've been meaning to talk to you and Rika...about Aunt Li."

"...She told you?"

"Yeah..." she mumbled. "I don't wanna pry because it's none of my business-"

"I...don't mind. I just want to talk about it in the morning."

"Talk about it...the divorce or...?"

I lifted a brow at her, "Or...?"

A wave of concern washed over Ami's face before she shook her head, "Yeah, we'll talk about it in the morning."

She slipped out of my hug and rounded the corner, plopping on the couch and staring at the T.V. in which I followed her.

"Ya know..." she started, "I gotta respect All-Might...for reasons that remain unknown..." she said with a small smile. "You know me, I'm not really one for this kinda stuff, but I like a good fight."

I found it pointless to try and change her mind since she "means what [she] says and says what [she] means".

"You better hope All-Might wins."

Her head lazily swooned in my direction, "And why is that?"

"If he loses, heaven forbid, we'd live in a villain-ruled society, meaning they'll take away our freedom, our rights, and...our need to watch anime!" I spoke dramatically.

She blinked at me stoically, "...Them fightin' words. C'mon, Mister All-Might! Beat his ass!" she yelled at the T.V.

This resulted in me rooting with her and laughing the night away...

But that didn't stop me from catching an even more worried expression on her face when the fight was over and All-Might was pointing at the nearby camera.

---

Morning light filled the room.

"Mind telling me what's going on?"

"..."

"Well.."

"Joon, don't tell me you're safeguarding her. I thought you grew out of that," Rika sighed.

"No, he's not. I asked him can I stay here to lie low."

Rika crossed her arms, "Why?"

"It's not that I don't want to go back to U.A. or let the media know I'm okay. It's just...I need to be hiding right now...sort my thoughts, ya know?"

"Sort your thoughts? That's it? You can do that without being in hiding, Ami. Come on, tell me the truth."

I looked at Joon who had a pout, if he had puppy ears to complete the look with his Quirk, they'd be drooping right now.

My gaze returned to Rika, "Where do you want me to start?"

"To start off, I ask, you answer. If I ask for further explanation, you speak. Now, one...how'd you get kidnapped?"

"I didn't. I let myself get kidnapped to save Katsuki."

"Katsuki? Oh, that guy who hangs around you. Next question, what did those rejects want? Was it their intention to kidnap you?"

"Yes, it was their intention to kidnap me, and they wanted me to join their "cause" since my Quirk couldn't be taken."

Rika's face scrunched in disgust, "What? Why do they want your Quirk?"

"I've thought it over a little bit...and they want my Quirk because it's evolved into something the League's leader wants."

"When? How? And why?"

"Remember that incident with me? Not the one that made my family move to Musutafau, but I'm sure Joon has told you about the one where I nearly died. Ya know, I found out my mother begged Aunt Yui to suppress my memories on that? No wonder I don't recall shit on that happening. But anyway, I'm getting off topic. You see, I was an experiment the moment All-for-One gave me a Quirk, the guy All-Might fought last night. Because I was nearly birthed as a stillborn due to untreated illnesses my mother had and still has to this day, it came back to bite me in my 4-year-old ass. That Quirk overpowered and nearly killed me, but thanks to my dad and...a ray of hope, they kept me from meeting the Grim Reaper herself. Also, I turned out to be a failed experiment for a while...until something bad happened."

Rika and Joon stared at me with a mix of horror, disgust, and shock at my confession. I grinned in response to their reactions because this was just the surface of all that's happened to me.

I'm sure this isn't the end of it now that I know Toya is alive. I honestly don't know what to do with myself, my feelings are all over the place, and yet...I'm somehow still put together, I'm not broken, but I know that I'm breaking.

"What...was the bad thing...that happened?" Rika asked hesitantly asked.

"You both were there when I walked in my home, right?"

"..."

"..."

"Are you...ready to talk about that?" Joon asked.

I remained calm and gave a genuine smile, I took a quick breath in. "I think I am. Not to the full extent of course."

"What do you mean not to the full extent?" they both asked.

"You two are my closest childhood friends so I trust you both with that information I'm about to tell you. However, I want to keep some confidentiality so..."

"So...?" Joon eagerly wagged his thin black tail.

"Have you ever been in love?"

---

I opened the door to chaos.

The doctor was frantically moving...well, rolling about in her office. She pushed her swivel chair from one side of the room after disposing of some bottles with a lot of pills to the other side of the room to sort and sign some papers.

"That's what's wrong!" she exclaimed.

"Doctor?" I questioned.

"It shouldn't have taken this long to figure out, and I'm her aunt, damn it! I'm no exception either..." she mumbled as she started packing a bag full of files, documents...an odd-looking white pen and...stacks of money.

I tilted my head at hearing her say "aunt", then looked the doctor over.

"Love, that was it this whole time! Love..." she mumbled as she scribbled on a piece of paper.

As soon as she was done, her body stiffened, and she spun around to face me with a blank expression.

"Doctor?"

She blinked multiple times, then smiled, "Hi, Todoroki-kun. How can I help you today?"

"..."

She tilted her head, immediately confirming my suspicion.

"Todoroki-kun, are you o-"

"You're her aunt?"

Her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets, "Uh...aunt? Who? Me? I-I don't have any nephews or nieces.."

"Kamilah has certain mannerisms that resemble yours, Dr. Chinen. I've had my suspicions since she would make visits to your office before leaving school at the end of the day. From what I can tell, you both seem to get along well."

"...uh..." I had her stumped as she stared at me with her mouth open.

"And from what Midoriya has informed me, he's seen you around a few times since he met you when he and Kamilah were children."

She narrowed her eyes, "Have...have you and Izuku-kun been studying and stalking my niece?"

Now it was my turn to mimic her previous reaction.

She chuckled, "Don't worry, Todoroki-kun. I know you're not stalking Kamilah, you care about her just as much as Izuku-kun." She spun back around, scribbling on more papers. "Anyway...is she the reason you came to visit me today? I thought you'd want to know how Mrs. Todoroki-"

"I did. I wanted to ask you a question about a young woman who told me she hates me...even though I'm interested in her, but now my question has changed."

She spun back around so fast I thought she'd catch whiplash, "Excuse me?"

I shook my head, "I want to ask you if you're informed on anything about her search."

She stood up, placing the files and documents in her suitcase. "I-"

"You attended U.A. You've studied to become a hero. I know you dropped that career to become a psychotherapist. If it ever came down to desperate measures, you're considered a hero to call in because your potential was within the top 15 heroes in Japan."

"...Yes. I am informed of Ami's search. What do you want to know?"

"I hope you know I'm not using what I learned as a threat to expose you to Kamilah. I'm genuinely...worried about her, and I want to know if she's okay at least."

She smiled, "That's good to know. About Ami-"

I looked over my shoulder as the door opened, seeing two familiar and unexpected faces, still dressed in their costumes.

"Where. Is. She."

Kassandra looked...very upset. She passed by me, heading to Dr. Chinen, and stood directly in front of her. The doctor...returned her expression with the same energy.

"An-Nur."

"Chinen."

"Hey, girls. Let's both not escalate the already hea-"

"Shut up, Norio," they both snapped at him.

Surprisingly, Kai, or Mr. Shimizu, fell quiet and shook his head with a sigh until he noticed me.

"Shoto-kun?"

I nodded to him as a way of acknowledging him, "Mr. Shimizu."

"Where is Kamilah?" Mrs. Shimizu questioned.

"Why ask me? Why don't you ask your son? You're the one who put him in charge of her," the doctor responded bitterly.

I couldn't see Mrs. Shimizu's expression, but I could see her response in her posture, "Because of my Quirk, I know you've been involved with my daughter ever since she started here at U.A."

"Wow," Dr. Chinen chuckled. "Kamilah this, Kamilah that. I understand your...so-called worry for your daughter, but do you even ask to know how your son is doing? He's not taking this any better than you are."

"...where are my children," she grumbled.

"Oh? Now it's children? Well, if you must know...they don't want to be anywhere near you. That's all you need to know."

"You're just like him, a damn fox. They're mine, my children, and I'm their mom! You have no right to withhold them from me!"

"No, Jameela, no...you're their mother. You wish you could be a mom. But you failed...and I failed too because of you; there's only but so much I could do for Hakim and Kamilah because you withheld them from me."

"No, I did not! I kept you away from them because you took Kamilah away from me! Without my permission! You kidnapped her just like Zurui!"

"I didn't kidnap her. I tried to save her...because you threw a damn plate at her head out of pure mental instability. I would've let that shit slide if it were me who was hit. But you intentionally threw it at Kamilah!"

"How can you prove that?!"

"If I recall correctly from one of our other conversations, you said, "She looks like her damn father". I would ask, "Are you out of your mind?" but that was proven long before Kamilah was even born. Throwing things at your child, begging to erase her memory, prescribe her pills she didn't need, saying and doing the wildest shit to her-"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Kamilah...went through all of that?

'And she didn't even tell me? This was happening to her all the times I wasn't around. All the times she was smiling, inviting me to her home when I could, playing together, eating with her and her family... It was all a lie? Kamilah...lied to me...'

"Yui, what are you...?" Mr. Shimizu trailed off, most likely unaware of the events going on in his own home.

"Your wife, she doesn't accept Kamilah for who she is. Kamilah doesn't have a personality disorder nor does she have any diagnosed mental illnesses, but I will say she's suffering from an unknown neurological disease, and her depression isn't helping. I'm unsure of how our niece copes with it because she's refused to tell me how, but I'm positive it's not a healthy method." Dr. Chinen glared at Mr. Shimizu, "You know exactly what it means for someone to have an unknown illness in our family."

"..."

"Wh-What is she talking about, Norio?"

"I digress...But what I'm saying is Jameela refuses to acknowledge who Kamilah is, what she says, and how she thinks!"

"Jameela, what is Yuiko talking about? You made Kamilah suffer this whole time?"

"She's lying, Norio! She just doesn't want us to be happy! Can't you tell she's miserable herself?! She didn't have the ability to birth a child, and now she's trying to take mine away!"

"Oh, yeah! Go ahead and use that low blow to keep lying to your husband! At least if I had a child, she wouldn't make her aunt promise her not to tell her about all the bruises and scratches over her body!"

"JAMEELA?!"

"I told you, she's lying, Norio!"

If Mr. Shimizu was angry from hearing all of this...then I was livid.

Dr. Chinen turned to us, swinging the suitcase over her shoulder, "You called your daughter "crazy" because you said she thinks like a villain?!"

"What?!" Mrs. Shimizu shouted, confused, and overwhelmed. "N-No! We wouldn't think that low!"

"We? Hah, right. You brought my cousin into this, Jameela! Norio wouldn't dare stoop so low to that conclusion! You wanna know how I know that?! Kamilah is very much similar to Zurui, and despite him being a villain at the time, Norio still cared for and loved his brother! Yet you made him look at his niece like she's a stranger, just another citizen on the street to save!"

"Yui..." Mr. Shimizu mumbled in shock.

"That's it right there," she said, walking past us to the door and opening it, "If you really took care of her for 16 years, then you should be on your hands and knees, breaking down! You told me yourself you would never take Zurui's position as her dad, and that you would be a father figure to Kamilah, and I completely respect that. But you should treat her as if she's your own child, Norio. Because if it was Hakim..." She chuckled, "I don't even gotta say how you've given him your absolute best. Now's the time to do that for Kamilah."

Dr. Chinen slammed the door behind her.

I felt like all I could do is just stand there and process everything the doctor said. 'Kamilah...she was going through similar problems like me...and didn't bother to tell me because I was too busy sharing my problems with her. I...I'm terrible for not realizing that sooner. She could've ended up like me, or worse...like Toya.'

"Mrs. Shimizu..."

She slightly turned around, staring at me with one eye through her curly bangs.

"You... I can only hope you'll make things right with her as soon as she's found...rather, if she ever wants to talk to you again."

I did my best to put on a smile...

But it made abrupt trembles, and the anger wasn't helping.

---

"I leave her in your hands, guard. I can't stress this enough to you, but should anything happen to her, it's your job. Wait for her up ahead."

"Y-Yes, sir!" the guard stuttered.

"Goodness, you don't have to be so strict," I mumbled.

"It's a part of business, Kamilah...especially when it concerns a close one," Joon whispered.

I stopped, looking up at him, "Oh? We're close?"

"Well, duh."

I rest my hands on his suit-clad chest, making a mischievous smile.

"How close, Joon?"

He smirked, "That's Mister Fujisaki to you."

"Low-key don't mind becoming your future secretary, Mister Fujisaki."

"You little freak," he chuckled. "I rather you become Mrs. Fujisaki, send me off with a kiss, realize I left my lunch, bring it to my job, and right after lunch, you'll be my cherry on top."

I grinned, gliding my hands from his chest to around his neck, "You're just as much of a freak as I am though...so that doesn't make you any better."

He huffed, "Can't get too public. I am the son of a man who has a large corporation, and you're the daughter of-"

"Don't, you know I don't give a shit about that," I took a step back anyway despite my words, letting my hands fall to my sides.

"You're gonna have a bright future ahead..."

He stared at me, the mischief had disappeared from his eyes and so did his smile.

"You make it sound as if you're not going to have one yourself."

His smile quickly returned, "After what you told me this morning about what you pulled and why you did what you did in Iwa when those kids tried you..." Joon's devil tail happily swagged, "You bet your thick thighs I'mma have a bright future."

"Ami!"

Turning my head slightly, I glanced back to see Auntie making her way toward us.

I looked back up at Joon, who caught me off guard by pressing a quick kiss to my forehead and turned to head towards the chauffeur who held the door for him.

"Good luck, sweetheart."

Smiling at him, I hummed in response, "Take care of Saki, please! I think she needs a tune up!"

"Me and Rika will get to work ASAP," he informed before the chauffeur closed the door to the luxury car.

I turned around to see Aunt Yuiko approaching, "A woman in her early forties, running in heels...you don't hear that everyday."

"Hmph, I'm glad I still can. Hey, was that your special friend just a moment ago?"

I nodded.

She narrowed her eyes, "Was that Joon?"

"Yeah... Wait, why are you looking like that?"

She crossed her arms, "He's...grown into his looks is all. I almost mistaked him for an older guy in his early 20s."

"Yeah, a lot of women tend to make that mistake, and try to get his number or flirt with him."

She giggled, "Isn't he quite the charmer? Anyway..." Aunt Yui looked at me with a mix of seriousness and nervousness, "Are you ready to go inside?" she asked somewhat hesitantly.

"What about Hakim?"

"He'll join us shortly. He's...sorting something out," she mumbled as she looked off into the distance with a tiny smile.

"Okay...well, yes, I'm ready."

After all this time...I'm finally going to meet him.

---

It was...rude, but I couldn't help it.

This place was...amazing, my field of expertise, my haven from the normals.

Despite the quietness, I gazed in awe at some of the medication in solid and liquid forms being rolled around on trolleys or in plastic bags.

White top and bottom, white left and right, everything was white.

This is a dangerous color to make a person go crazy.

'Oh, wait...I already am.'

"Kamilah?" Auntie questioned.

"Shh, shh...I'm in my element right now, Auntie."

She giggled nervously, "And we're at our destination."

Stopping my sightseeing curiosity, I looked at her directly and nodded.

Auntie looked back to the guard and he began to open the door for us.

"Shimizu, you got some visitors! Turn around and walk to the table slowly!"

"..."

"Didn't you hear me, Shimizu? That's an order. Turn around and-"

Auntie placed a hand on the guard's shoulder, who turned his head back at her and she shook hers.

"Let us handle this, sir. You may enter behind us. I am Yuiko Momomiya, I earned my doctorate in psychology and psychiatry."

"Ah, the one who owns the non-profit hero and normal persons clinic. Yes, ma'am."

Auntie walked inside first, the guard not falling short after I went behind her.

I saw a man in a white strait jacket, trousers, and socks facing the wall. His skin is a bit tan and his floor-length purple locks are straight, somewhat unkempt. His hair was so long I couldn't see his face, and I'm unsure of how he could walk around without tripping.

Even as the door shut behind us, the man still just stood there, not moving, not saying a word.

"Has he spoken since...the security breach?" Auntie questioned the guard.

"No, ma'am."

"I see..." she mumbled, still staring at him. "Zurui...it's me again, Yuiko."

"..."

I got a special someone here with me now."

"..."

"You said, "Take care of my little girl", to "get to her". You left me with those words, and I've done my best to do so."

The man's back straightened, releasing cracks and pops in the quiet room.

I heard the guard behind me move a little, most likely preparing to take precautionary measures should anything happen.

"When you said that...I was scared something happened to her in that moment, but it turns out she's just fine."

The man slowly tilted his head...as if waiting for her to continue.

"What you said...left my mind completely. I got caught up in what you call...the "heroic theory": what's seen as evil in a law-abiding person's eyes will always be evil."

My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, 'That's similar to how I think. Not everyone and everything is evil because a person never knows what was the intention behind that evil action and/or person.'

"You told me to change Kamilah and Hakim's memories if you weren't gonna make it in Libya...and I did so, not by Jameela's begging though."

"..."

My body felt hot all of a sudden, I could've sworn I felt the warm liquid dripping from the crescents made in my palms. 'But...why?'

"Because you thought it'd be best if Hakim didn't suffer from helplessness and because if Kamilah lived a heroic theory life...she'd have a better chance of fitting into the crowd rather than dancing to the beat of her own drum...or she'd end up like you."

"..."

I started to remember. The architecture, the sun setting on the sand, the starry night of the desert...

Instead of anger...I felt sadness, sadness for my father going to those lengths to get me away from Jameela.

'So that's what was "redacted", my memories of Libya, Dad's face, Hakim "successfully" protecting me...the very first time he vowed to protect me and become a hero. That was so long ago...I forgot to ask.'

My father...nearly burned to death...had it not been for my Quirk working at that moment.

'But of all heroes...why Endeavor? Why did he have to be sent with Jameela to detain him? It's like this shit is fate... What else do I not know about the Todorokis other than what Shoto was comfortable enough to tell me?'

"I'm sorry, Dad. In the end...I didn't follow-" I stopped mid-sentence, staring at the man who is now facing me.

I could see he still has a youthful face, eyes full of light, and a bit of stubble on his chin. He looks...happy, overjoyed almost.

I hadn't realized the liquid streaming down my cheeks nor my trembling lips...nor my getting closer to him.

"Hey, kid," I heard the guard call after me, but I'm sure Auntie stopped him somehow.

Looking up at the tall and somewhat lanky man looming over me, I shakily reached my hands out to wrap around him. I didn't care if he couldn't hug me back...I already could feel his need to embrace his daughter.

"D-Dad...?" I sniffled.

His face resembled mines now, eyes lowering to keep the tears from dropping on my face. He leaned down to rest his chin on my head as soon as I carefully wrapped my hands around him.

The tears, the sobs, the sniffling, the shaking...it all came down on me so hard at that moment. I felt...relief. A relief that I thought I'd never feel until it was time for death to take me.

"C-Can h-he no...not speak?" I hiccuped, nuzzling my head in his torso.

"Only a little bit, here and there."

"Mm..."

"Imagine not being able to hear him for 10+ years...it was especially difficult."

I'm okay. The water in my lungs has cleared out, and I can breathe fine now.

SHE'S NOT HIS DAUGHTER! AND YOU, AREN'T HER MOTHER!

H-Hey...Kami, g-get up, I-I didn't mean...I didn't mean to hurt you. I-It was an accident...Hey, please...Kamilah...

After all this time...i-it gets m-me now? Death wants me n-now? No...n-no, th-that's unfair... It's unfair! J-Just a little longer! Toya needs me! He needs me, damn it

Milah-chan! Your hand, it's hurt! You have to stop!

I gasped, taking a step back to look at my father. "That's a lie, Auntie."

"I'm sorry?"

"Dad can speak. He can speak, he's just being prevented from doing so!"

"Um...yeah, I would think so because he hasn't spoken-"

"No, it's not that. It's a Quirk, a Quirk is preventing him from speaking!"

Dad frantically nodded.

"Is it All-for-One?"

He gave a reassuring nod.

"I figured. This explains it...the feeling of little to no pain. He gave me a physical pain-resistance Quirk. It makes sense with all those times I've felt more mental anguish rather than physical! I subconsciously nullified the pain of all harm directed towards me!"

Auntie's heels moved closer, "Okay! That's great! Um...but how do you use it?"

I looked at her with a frown, "I...I don't know."

"That...is a problem," she sighed. "Zurui...any ideas?'

He nodded, "...Com...bine..."

"Combine?" she questioned and he responded with another nod. "Combine...Combine what? Combine Kamilah's Quirk with another person? Maybe mine?"

He shook his head 'no'.

"I think...Dad means to use my "combined" Quirks like how I normally would use my original," I suggested, and Dad nodded. "Okay...let me try my hand at this."

I was a bit surprised that the guard was letting me do this, but I shook my head off the thought away. Focusing my energy on my hands, I held my hands up toward my Dad's face.

To help motivate me, I remembered most of the recurring memories of the times he talked to me, of how he smiled at me, and his laughter when I did something childish.

Kami!

My little Kamisama...

You wanna snack, Kami?

Good job, Kami.

Kami, Papa's proud of you1

Please, do something. Anything! I need your help, Misuzu! Bring our little one back! Bring Kami back!

"Kamilah."

I looked back up at my Dad, who was staring at me with bewilderment. He seemed awestruck at speaking for the first time in a long time. Either that or he was still amazed at seeing me. His voice was raspy and gravelly, yet I could tell his voice was naturally deep.

"Zurui, you...how's your voice box? It isn't damaged, is it?"

"No, Yui-chan...I don't feel any pain, it just feels like I..." he chuckled, "Like I haven't spoken in a long time."

I gasped, "So my null can work on other Quirks, too?! That's so...beneficial!" I cheered.

"I read it, Kamilah."

"Huh?" I asked with a tilt in my head, "Read what?"

"I could read your water flow, you felt sad and angry. Your flow was that of a tsunami not too long ago. Don't be angry at or sad for yourself. Be angry at me for causing your sadness...and trauma that didn't need to happen. Be angry at me for causing your current misfortunes. Be angry at me for All-for-One wanting to steal your Quirk. Yui erased your memories, yet you kept my ideals; you don't care for either side, but I know you considered joining the villains. Your friends want to become heroes...and if you were to go against them, you think you'd end up like me."

"..."

"But that's not the case at all. You won't end up like me, you don't have to. Your generation is more forgiving to heroes, more kind."

"...How would you know something like that? You've been locked up in this place for a long time without any info outlets."

"Misu-chan. She couldn't leave you alone for too long so she'd chime in to inform me about you sometimes." Dad's gaze moved to a teary-eyed Aunt Yui, "I got your message...and I was fully aware my daughter wasn't okay. You did your very best, Yui-chan...and I'm grateful to you for that."

"Rui..." she sniffled before pulling she pulled into an embrace.

"Ooph! Heh...still got a good grip, Big Three?"

"Big Three?" I questioned.

"Uhh, about that, it's just-"

"Dr. Chinen, Miss Shimizu! Are you alright?!"

A handful of guards that followed behind an authoritative-looking man filled the room pointed their electric batons and tranquilizer guns past Auntie and me at Dad.

I also noticed that the guard who entered with us was lying on the floor, clearly unconscious. What did Auntie do to him...? And how strong is she?! He's no ordinary size!

Taking the initiative, I stood in front of him with my arms out.

"Mind explaining what's going on, Doctor? This is the second time you've brought a stir of sorts in our prison." The man in the suit narrowed his eyes, "I hope you're not intending on breaking Mister Shimizu out of jail."

"I plan on doing no such thing-"

"You're lucky I took the legal route on this, sir," I told the man. "I was tempted by an offer to break my Dad out of jail...but then I remembered a certain broccoli boy of mine would be highly upset with me if I did that."

"...Excuse me?" he huffed confusedly.

"Talk your shit, Kami," Dad rooted.

"Rui!" Auntie exclaimed.

"Bet," I replied.

"Ami!"

"What my sister means to say is...he's free." We looked behind the suit man and he turned to see my brother leaning against the door with two large suitcases.

"Excuse me, but who let you in? You're psychic hero, Hatif. I'm aware you've been trying to gain access to Tartarus since you debuted. Was this your goal?"

Hakim smirked, "Yeah, it was. Now set the man free before you make my sister sad. I believe he's had good behavior for over the past 10 year..."

"With all due respect, sir, we cannot do that. It is not that simp-"

Hakim dropped one of the suitcases on the floor at a certain angle and what flew out...was cash.

American cash. Hundreds only.

"You can say thank you to my little sister and our western friends."

---

I finished the morning breakfast, then set my plate aside and picked up my phone.

'Already aware of what's going on today, so avoid every and all kinds of-'

Endeavor New Number 1 Hero?

All-Might Retirement?!

Where, and who exactly is Kamilah Shimizu? Why did the Shimizu family hide her from the world?

'Oh, great...media wants to know about me. Forget it, I don't like people in general and I don't like the press.'

I'm glad I had a shower before I was dropped off here to the hospital. I wore a simple form fitting black t-shirt, blue jean shorts, black high tops, a black baseball cap, and my designer shades I grabbed from my motorcycle's storage compartment, Saki. I had to go "incognito", but...I personally think I stick out like a sore thumb because of my skin color and shape.

As of now, I was checked into a private hospital for a quick check-up under a false name by Aunt Yui who went back to U.A. after being called there, Rika and Joon are here to keep me undercover, while Hakim was left to sort out any issues the authorities at Tartarus had. We all knew they were going to accept the money regardless because they're human, they're greedy, and if the rumors of unethical practices are true...

Well, this should go smoothly like how I planned.

Of course, when I randomly sent the virtual money I made from the modeling agency and from my part-time job which I recently quit to Auntie's account with a text reading "Illegal money to bail Dad out"...

She wasn't happy at all; although she surprisingly combined the savings she's made over the years with mine. As for the cashing in?

Aunt Yui did a little finessing and had it turned into American bills across the seas.

I texted her from Rika's phone to meet up with me at Tartarus after she sent me a scolding essay. I told her to bring Hakim with her, too. I followed everything Misuzu told me to do...so I assume everything had worked out...

Well, not everything.

I told Rika and Joon about Toya, about our relationship, about what happened before he found me, about how we found comfort in each other, about how we...fell in love, and about how he's been in my life this whole time without me knowing.

However, I left out important pieces like his family name, his background, and his accidentally hurting me because Joon looked like he was about to blow a fuse...but I did mention the fire and of course, the giant icicle wasn't left out because I had to explain to them that I tried to find him after "scaring him off".

I'm weary of Joon though...because something in me tells me all he heard was "fire" and "he's been in my life this whole time without me knowing". Neither of the devil dog twins knows about Shoto's past, but judging how Shoto isn't so willing to open up to new people...I have a bad feeling that Joon thinks Sho is the problem.

This changes Joon's whole perspective on Sho...the next time he sees him, if ever, he won't be acting flirtatious and friendly with him.

"If it ever came to that...what should I do?"

A soft knock at the door made me stop the activity on my phone. The nurse must be back to take my empty tray.

Getting up from the bed quietly, I opened it like how I would when touching it. I suppose my sudden force made the dual-colored Pepsi jump a little, seeming shocked by my actions.

"..."

"..."

"...What are you doing here?"

Shoto simply held up a bouquet, white Tulips specifically.

"Oh...uh, thank you?" I thanked him confusedly as I gently grabbed them and turned around to walk to the window. "They smell wonderful," I said after taking a whiff of the honey-citrus scent.

"Todoroki, we need to talk."

"..."

I set the bouquet in a vase on the windowsill, "It's...about yesterday..."

"..."

"What I said was in the heat of the moment. I was scared...so I said something like that to throw you off."

"So much...has happened to me these past few weeks...since before exams and I've just been spiralling..."

"..."

I heard the door close and footsteps approaching me, "I just wanted to say that I...I'm-"

Feeling arms wrap around me from behind, he pushed me against his chest, getting a surprised gasp at his abrupt actions.

"Todoroki! What if someone walks in? I'm undercover right now," I chided him.

"If I recall correctly, you called him "Sho". You're familiar with him...so why are you acting nervous now?"

My heartbeat felt like it bumped twice at one time and I felt like my stomach sunk.

Looking up, I saw those cold turquoise orbs...but they weren't calm at all, they were flowing with flames. With the sunlight shining down on us, I can finally see all of him.

He is...smiling...but it didn't reach his eyes.

"T...Toya..."

"You look scared, Doll...It kinda suits you."

"What...How...Did someone use their Quirk on you?" My eyes widened, "You...How the hell did you get in here? How did you know I was here? Are you here...to take me back to the League?"

"I won't do anything my Doll doesn't like...unless I'm ordered to," he mumbled against the left side of my neck, making me shiver.

'He's here on his own free will...? How did he find me? Does that matter right now...? What the hell am I thinking? Of course that matters, but-'

I shook my head and turned around in his grasp, "Toya, you need to leave right now. We can not be seen together."

"Why not? You love me, don't you?"

"I...I do love you, Toya. It's just that now's not a-"

"Say it again."

I probably stared at him with big doe eyes at his response. "I...love you."

"Again."

I blushed, "I love you."

"Tell me again, baby."

I felt like I was getting high off his voice...and I didn't want to make him stop any time soon. It feels like...this is supposed to be, how it was supposed to go that night.

"I love y..you, Toya," my voice trembled.

Tears seeped from my eyes as he caressed my cheek with his stapled right hand and I nuzzled my cheek into his caress.

Toya leaned down to snuggle into the right side of my neck, "I'm in love with you, too, Kami. Always have been, always will be."

He kept his other around my waist, closing what little space was between us. I placed my left hand over his hand to continue nuzzling into it and my other hand wrapped around him.

"I came here just to see and hold you by the way," he answered my earlier question, his grip on my waist becoming...protective.

"...you're not here to...?"

He closed his eyes, "No." His lips moved up from my neck to my ear and lightly nibbled on it. "I'm here because I didn't love on you enough before we were rudely interrupted."

I blushed once more, "What...What do you mean by that?"

He stopped nibbling on my ear, facing me towards him. He stared down at me, not saying a word.

His silence began to bother me to my core because I found myself trembling. My gaze moved to the ground, feeling shy and small beneath his gaze.

"Wh...why are you just staring at me?"

I tried to wiggle my way out of his grasp, but he wouldn't budge so I struggle to do so. I could've done anything and everything I wanted to, use Psyka or not, I could get out of his grasp...

But something in me didn't want to.

My eyes slowly gazed up at him...and I could almost see a spark in his eyes.

Whatever he saw in mine...made him let me go.

"You're too innocent," he sighed.

"Innocent,,,?" I felt a warm wave over my body, "W-What makes you think that?! For all you know, I could've lost my V-card..."

"Only a virgin would look at me like that," he retorted with a teasing smirk.

I flinched, "I see your teasing hasn't changed..."

"But that's not what I meant," he began, "As I've said before, the group of misfits I'm in with know you just as "a face from the past". Shigaraki originally sent me to...persuade you, no matter what it took," he huffed.

"And...you were going to fall through with it?"

He chuckled, "No." His eyes softened, "I saw it as an opportunity to visit you as soon as you were alone. I didn't want to be stuck with the memory of that cute face being angry and upset with me...no matter how pretty you'd be in tears."

I stepped back, feeling the windowsill come into contact with my back, wary of him. "Cute face, huh..." I mumbled, looking away from him.

His gaze moved toward me, "...Yep, Kami's cute face."

B-Bmp

"Say it..."

He quirked up an eyebrow.

"Say it again."

"...Cute fa-"

"No...my nickname," I pouted.

He scoffed, showing a bit of a smile, "...Kami."

"Again," I demanded, moving closer to him.

"Kami."

My eyes subconsciously closed, "Again..." I whispered, not realizing how fast I moved to him because my lips brushed against his.

The texture of his lips is...different. The burnt skin felt chapped, but his upper lip felt soft and cold.

I noticed he didn't say anything and I opened my eyes to see what he was doing. He leaned back from me, grinning, and picked me up bridal style.

"Wah! Toya...?"

He walked towards the hospital bed and settled me down on it, placing the covers over me.

"So eager, Doll. I don't need you getting an addiction so young," he...joked?

"What?"

He smiled...immediately warping into...Shoto. I looked at him with a disturbed expression, trying to process how he...or whatever Quirk device he was using to do that.

"Well, I gotta go...in 3...2...1-"

"AMI!" I heard Joon shout down the hall outside.

"What did you do?!"

"No time to explain, Doll. With that smart brain of yours, I'm sure you can piece the puzzle together," he said, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before heading to the window and opening it.

He jumped onto the windowsill...

"Wait! What about your mission?! Something bad will happen to you if you come back empty-handed, right?!"

He looked back at me, shrugging with a nonchalant expression, "I got it covered. See ya, Kami."

And with that, he was gone

I blinked owlishly at the breeze flowing past the curtains, '...what the fuck just happen?'

The door slammed down to the floor, startling me as Rika and Joon ran up to me.

"You alright?!" Rika asked, almost out of breath.

'Okay...play the part, Kamilah.'

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. What's wrong?" I asked curiously.

"Someone disguised as Todoroki entered this hospital. The only reason we debunked it is because of his smell," Rika summarized.

"Yeah, and to confirm, I called Todoroki...he's on the U.A. campus," Joon told me, gaze zooming in behind me. "Ami, did that imposter come in here? And did you open this window?" one of the police officers asked.

I nodded, "Yes, I did. I wanted to get some air in here, I felt stuffy. And no, no one came in here. Hm...weird..."

"Ami...to think you were in a potentially dangerous situation and see you're perfectly calm...no offense, but that's sus," Rika said, looking me up and down suspiciously.

"You should've saw how I was when I was captured," I said with an amused smirk.

"Excuse me. What may be the problem?" a nurse entered the room, looking at us with concern.

Rika and Joon looked down at me, then at each other, and nodded.

"We need to go."

---

I didn't think this process would happen so fast. It almost felt like a dream...

Even though I'm cursed...I feel better knowing that things are somehow quickly getting better. Even though I know I'm gonna end my own life sometime soon, and finally give myself to death so I can stop cheating her...

I want to leave behind a sense of peace for the people I care about, I want to let them know I'm not in pain...and neither should they.

"Ami?"

I looked up from the documents and directly at Aunt Yui. She stared at me with worry.

"Aren't you happy to hear that?"

"Happy to hear what?"

"Oh, you weren't paying attention," she giggled. "Understandable. You're in shock from all the good news."

"Paying attention to...what?"

"Shoto...he's worried about you, and as soon as he sees you again, he'll have something important to tell you," she said with a smile.

"...really," I mumbled with a sigh.

"Why so down in the dumps, Ami?" Rika asked me.

"I'm not, I'm just thinking."

"About?"

"...life."

The body weight next to me deepened as a newly shaven face with violet eyes that no longer have dark circles leaned in my view.

"Kamilah, you feeling ok?"

"Yeah...Dad. I'm ok."

He looked over to Aunt Yui who nodded before returning his calm gaze to me.

"No, you're not."

I made a face at his accusation, "Excuse me?"

A lazy smirk slipped on his face, "I'm sure you've heard Yui-chan say you remind her of me. You are my kid not only in appearance but in mental patterns as well. One side of his lips frowned, "Speaking of "looks", what happened to your hair? Yui-chan told me it was long."

"She got in a scuffle with that blue fire user, and he burned her hair off," Joon growled. "I'll burn something off alright if I ever catch him lackin' in these streets."

"Still "overprotective", I see," Dad noted with an amused chuckle.

"It was an accidental imprint, and you know it, Rui," Aunt Yui defended.

"Accidental, huh? I'd say history is kinda repeating itself," he said, glancing between me and a confused Joon.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Yeah, what do you mean, Dad?"

He took a deep breath, "Let's get down to business regarding our family friends."

"We're starting off there? Debrief us so we can have a general idea, Unc," Hakim spoke, arms crossed as he stared at him.

He chuckled, "As serious as Rio when he's on the scene I see."

"He is my father after all," Hakim replied with no ounce of prior hatred.

"I'll list by how the beginning, from event to event." Dad looked at everyone, "To start...the Shimizu's and Fujisaki's, formerly known as the Tsugaru's, have a prior history."

"We're aware," Rika spoke.

"The Shimizu-Tokugawa Clan was protected by the Tsugaru Clan...they were loyal to the Shimizu-Tokugawa Clan."

"Right," Joon confirmed.

"Juri Shimizu-Tokugawa is the first victim of our family curse, Shimizugawa. She died after giving in to an unknown sickness, leaving behind a mourning husband and two children. That husband being a Tsugaru Clan member. Ever since, incurable diseases and unknown mental illnesses have been prevalent in the Shimizu family. Of course, the curse only got worse when Quirks came about. Misuzu Shimizu is a crucial factor in my life, Yuiko's, Rio's, Kimy's, Joon's, and..." His gaze shifted to each person in the living area, "...All-Might's successor's life."

I glared, but Dad seemingly knew it wasn't directed at him.

"Huh?" Hakim huffed, a confused expression crossing his face.

"Let me finish," Dad cut in with a "hold your horses" tone. "Two siblings of each generation are cursed, they both yearn to die, and one of them are destined to. I am supposed to be dead...but I also suppose being locked up in Tartarus bided some time. Because I am the cursed parent, Kamilah...is also supposed to be die."

Aunt Yuiko's posture stiffened. Hakim's confusion morphed into seriousness. Rika gasped. Joon...was quiet, disturbingly quiet.

"As you and your brother have experienced, this curse will do everything in its power to make you fall in its clutches."

Hakim and I nodded.

"We, and by we, I mean, my and prior generations, tried to hide this curse from you both because we thought that if we don't speak about it, it would leave you alone, it'd be forgotten. Of course, we were wrong...and I apologize for telling your aunt not to tell you both. It only backfired."

"...Backfired?" Hakim questioned. "How so?"

"If I warned you about your mother, you both would've known the precautions to take with her, and you both would've been more careful and weary with the people you interact with..." He looked between him and me, "Like the Todorokis."

We both lifted our heads at that, then looked at each other with uncomfortable expressions.

"What are you trying to say, sir?" Joon questioned, leaning forward from the opposite couch in interest.

"Dad, how much do you know?"

He leaned back on the couch, hands in his jeans pockets, "Enough to know that you're both...possibly in deep shit."

"There's only but so much Misuzu could tell me because I let her transfer her soul to reside with Yuiko's before I was thrown in Tartarus."

"What? How... I-I didn't know you... Why did you do that? And why didn't you tell me? I could've done more had I known that!" Aunt Yui complained, coming out of her stupor.

He leaned his head up with a smirk, "That's because she transferred her soul to reside in Kamilah."

"Wait, wait, wait, hold on...transfer?" I questioned.

Dad nodded, "You read her background files, right? Her Quirk is Transference. She can transfer souls from vessel to vessel whether it be an or object or human, but it takes a lot of energy for her to do that."

"Just like how it takes a lot of energy for me to use Psyka. Dad, I need confirmation."

He straightened his posture and focused his attention on me, staring into my eyes.

"Shoot."

"After we left Tartarus, Auntie told me I have an unknown neurological disease. I'm assuming whatever illness Juri had is something similar to what I have. Did it come from the curse...or that woman."

He blinked, probably finding my reference to Jameela peculiar.

"Unfortunately...both."

I chuckled bitterly, "The odds were stacked against me from the very beginning, huh...*

"Since we're going down this line of Convo, might as well tell you the bad news. You have a right to know. For starters...your dad's a villain."

"Yeah, no shit."

His immediate response was a grin and a chuckle. "Zurui! That is no way for her to speak! Don't enable her!" Aunt Yui scolded.

"Well, what she's about to hear next validates that she can speak how she likes."

Aunt Yui's face scrunched up with a warning, "Choose your words carefully, Zurui."

"There is no careful way to say this...but Kami here is older than she appears to be."

We were all quiet, giving each other confused stares.

"Whaaa..." I trailed off into uncertainty.

"Well, you are 16...but you're not 16. You see, there's a suspicion in our family that Quirks dated back to the 14th century. Of course, they appear to have been very rare."

"Okay..." Hakim mumbled. "So what you're implying is...Juri's soul is inside of Kamilah?"

He shook his head, "Unfortunately, when that second Quirk overpowered her body, Juri's soul was lost...and even I'm not sure of how that was possible. So what Misuzu did was use her own child's soul to bring you back to us."

Hakim stared at Dad with disbelief, "..."

Aunt Yui had an uncertain expression, "..."

Rika and Joon looked between me and themselves, "..."

"So what you're saying is...she's my mother?"

He shrugged, "Not physically, but spiritually."

"...Her children...Did they...?"

"One lived on, but the other...a stillborn."

"Like me..." I sighed. I rubbed my short haircut back from my eyes, "Okay...okay. I'm just...digesting this. Dad, tell us more."

"Going back to All-Might's successor...I'm sure you know him well and are quite friendly," Dad told me with a smile. "So friendly you consider him a little brother."

"Midoriya-kun," Aunt Yui mentioned with a sigh. "That's what you meant by he is a source of strength to Kamilah."

"Source of strength?" I questioned. "I...guess so. I mean, he's unknowingly gotten me through some tough times. He's like a..."

"Weight pan of a balance scale?" Dad suggested.

I looked up from my lap and nodded eagerly, "Yeah! He weighs the good side of my emo-..." I narrowed my eyes with suspicion.

He grinned, showing off pearly whites. "Every cursed child has a mental space to retreat to, and it's also a place to speak to her when we're in between a rock and a hard place. Misuzu made it so."

'That explains her appearing to me when I was on the edge of considering forgiveness to Shoto at camp.'

"I suppose someone with a Quirk like that is capable of a lot," Rika mumbled.

"Yeah, that paired with the Quirk, One-for-All, it damn near made her seem invisible."

"One-for-All? What's that?" Aunt Yui questioned.

"Auntie, how much do you know about Misuzu?" Hakim asked.

"A lot. But I didn't know she was capable of doing this. I was only told what your grandparents and cousins wanted me to hear." She glared at Zurui, "You know you could've told me all this when we were kids. Why?"

"Because," he began, "Like Kamilah, I wanted to protect you and my sibling from getting too involved with me."

"..."

Dad chuckled, "We "foxes" are so selfish that we don't care about the consequences of our own actions unless it involves the people dear to us."

"That's exactly how I feel about everyone in this room...even Katsuki...and Izuku," I mumbled the former's name, but I'm sure they heard me.

"Kamilah, do you want to tell them?" Dad looked at me inquisitively.

"...I trust everyone in this room so...yes. Izuku is the successor of One-for-All, a Quirk Mister All-Might possesses. It passes down from user to user. I'm not sure how Izuku got it...but I'll do anything to protect him and help him grow with it. He's got a target on his back..."

"Is it that guy All-Might fought?" Joon guessed. "You didn't look so happy yesterday morning after that fight was over."

I nodded.

"Yeah, that guy, All-for-One," Dad grunted. "The guy I unknowingly brought into our lives and made shit even more complicated than it has to be."

"Don't blame yourself, Zurui. It wasn't your fault. Kamilah was sick and you did your absolute best to-"

"No, Yuiko. No. I didn't do my absolute best. Misuzu tried to warn me to not get too involved in the underground...and I stupidly went and got a Quirk implanted in my daughter from the Big Bad Wolf himself."

"But you didn't know who he was at the time! And I'm sure neither did Misuzu, or she would've told you, right?!"

"Of course she didn't know. That asshole got so many Quirks to silence anyone who gets in his way. It's like as soon as I approached him...Misuzu just vanished up until that point with Kamilah-"

"Stop. Just...stop...with that. I don't want to hear about that anymore. Can we move on?" Hakim intervened, bangs shadowing his face.

"Yeah," Joon agreed as he intertwined his fingers and rest his elbows on his knees as his gaze focused on me.

I could tell...neither wanted to be reminded of their powerlessness that day.

"...right. Back to Midoriya..." Dad huffed. "Is Midoriya aware of you knowing he has One-for-All, Kami?"

"No. Why?"

"Let him know. We're going to need you both to train together, get familiar with One-for-All and your newfound Quirk."

"About that...I agreed to a deal with All-for-One...train with Izuku, give that bastard every piece of knowledge regarding his Quirk..."

"What?!" Hakim shouted.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" Joon shouted.

"Hey, you two. Stop yelling at her. I'm sure Ami has a good reason for why she would do something like this," Rika stopped the two from yelling, then smiled at me softly. "Surely...what he offered was tempting, right? Something that sounded promising during a time of desperation to escape?"

I was about to answer until Auntie spoke first.

"Love," she whispered. "He offered love...or something along those lines, didn't he?"

"..."

Rika looked between Auntie and me, "Is that boy who you said suddenly came back into your life?"

"..."

"He was in disguise," Joon growled.

"Disguise?" Hakim questioned.

"That imposter at the hospital. He disguised himself as Todoroki and snuck in. He visited her."

"..."

"I can still...smell him on her..." he growled again.

"Joon," Rika said in a warning tone.

"I know we agreed to not speak about it any time soon, Ri, but this guy is now a threat. Ami. Answer me. Is that boy you told us about earlier that imposter from the hospital?"

"..."

"Ami."

"..."

"Kamilah."

"YES! DAMN IT, YES!" I sobbed. "Are you happy now?! I missed him so fucking much! Do you know how it feels...to think someone you've known and love has been lost after a tragedy?! When they've been there for you this whole time?!"

This was the first time Joon looked visibly upset and angry with me.

He grinned...but not joyously, revealing rows of sharp fangs.

"Do I know how it feels? Do I know how it feels? Of course I know how it feels to lose someone! I thought I lost you!"

"But you clearly saw that I was okay after pulling me out of that lake-"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN! I'M TALKING ABOUT THE GIRL I'M IN LOVE WITH WHO LOST HER SMILE!"

"That's enough, Joon!" Rika yelled at him.

"No...that's not enough. I'll never be enough for her. She needs to hear this. I want her...I want you to hear how I feel about you."

I didn't know what to say or do. What could I say or do? I just...sat there with sniffles and tears streaming down my cheeks.

"I don't care about any of this soul transferring Quirk shit. I don't know who you were after I pulled you out that lake, but I knew...a part of my Ami was lost. She wasn't entirely gone...but I knew, I could smell a missing part of her gone. You weren't the same afterwards...and seeing you in that hospital bed...I don't think any of those physical wounds hurt you as much as you were hurting inside. I saw it in your eyes, you looked like me the day you left Iwaizumi. Dead inside, but still moving to keep others from worrying. I have so many selfish desires...I want to eat you like pie, make you not feel like you wanna die, I want you to tie me down, not leave my side, not waste your time. I love you so much...so much it hurts."

I held onto each word he said. I'm sure it's because of his Quirk that he was describing the way he described his love for me.

This is the second time someone's confessed their love to me...and somehow, I feel less...scared this time now.

"...Ami?"

I managed a wobbly smile, "Don't love me. I'm undeserving of your love, Joon-Woo."

With that, I stood up and walked towards the door. Spotting a familiar set of keys in a porcelain bowl near the door, I grabbed them and opened the door.

I immediately heard footsteps behind me.

After Kimy left to chase Kami, the room was...more or less, tense and still.

I just sat here and listened to my daughter's childhood friend confess to her, and I feel...

Bad for the boy.

"Joon-Woo."

The devil-hound hybrid didn't look at me. He stared at his hands as if trying to figure out what to do with them.

"Like I said before...We "foxes" are so selfish that we don't care about the consequences of our own actions unless it involves the people dear to us."

"..."

"What I mean by that is that Kami wants to protect you from her. She'll do anything in her power to keep you from getting hurt..."

"..."

"Or getting hurt by her."

"..."

I knew he wasn't trying to hear it, but he needed to so the wound wouldn't sting too much.

"I'm unsure of her feelings toward you so when...this has settled down, I recommend properly asking her instead of barking your feelings at her like a wild dog when she's already been through enough with love."

At least what I said got a whisper of a bittersweet chuckle out of him.

"W parenting," Rika giggled, trying to ease the tension.

I smiled, "Thanks. I'm just getting back to being a parent."

"Zurui," Yui-chan called worryingly, sitting in the spot Kamilah was in.

"I trust that Kimy will bring her back, Yui. It's not like I can exactly...walk out in public right now."

"That's not what I'm worried about. It's about what you said at Tartarus." She looked at Rika comforting Joon, then leaned in to whisper, "About Todoroki being a threat."

"Oh...yeah, that..." I mumbled. "When you visited, Misuzu transferred a piece of her soul to me and informed about Todoroki being a threat," I whispered.

"What does that mean?"

"It means we're going to pull miracle out of our asses and have a talk with Enji."

Her eyes bulged, "What? We can't do that! He'll put us all behind bars!" she harshly whispered.

A sly smile slid on my face, "Maybe me, Kami, Kimy, Joon, and Rika...but not you."

"..." She glared, "That man is married."

I frowned, "That is not what I meant, Yui. I'm talking about Rei."

"Oh...you have a plan?"

"Yep. But that'll have to wait. We have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Like?"

"I want to see Norio...and Jameela."

"You know we can't, Rui."

"I think we can considering how his wife tried to stab my daughter to death at 5 years old."

"...Say less," she said as she stood up.

I stood up and followed her, informing Rika that we'll be out undercover and searching for Kamilah.

"To Bushida Boulevard, driver. Rui, after we...handle this, what should we do next?" Yui asked, getting in the car after the chauffeur opened the door.

"As much as I hate to go through with this, we need to contact Xitlalli, I...need to speak with Jindo," I informed her, buckling in next to her.

"...yeah, you're right. Even though y'all don't have the best history together, we're gonna need a lawyer for all of this. Do you...know they're going through a divorce?"

"...Misuzu didn't mention that to me. I guess she found it irrelevant to all the big stuff happening."

"Yeah...I try to keep in touch with Xitlalli, but it's difficult to remember with everything that's happening with Kamilah. I'm worried about both of them, Rui."

"Yeah, me too...It'll be good to see Xi again," I said with a tiny smile.

"Mhm. Speaking of difficult...what should we do about that deal All-for-One made with Ami?"

"I'm sure Kami made a plan to handle that. If she really is my daughter, she knows how to deceive others into thinking she'll comply with everything...and I'm sure Misuzu has her covered."

Yui nodded, "When you say that, I feel reassured. Another thing...Todoroki-kun knows what's going on with Kamilah."

"How much?"

"I got so lost in doubling down on Jameela, but he only knows about her mistreatment towards Kamilah. Should we do anything about him?"

"...Nah. There's nothing we can do."

"Excuse me? Didn't you say he's a threat to her?"

"I didn't mean that Todoroki."

Her brows furrowed in confusion, "Then which ones are you talking about? And what does Hakim have to do with the Todorokis? The closest he's ever gotten with them is Shoto. Jameela limited their interactions with a lot of hero families."

"How often is it that Rei talks about her eldest son?"

"She only speaks about him when we're alone. I keep total confidentiality with my patients so I can't say too mu-...!" Yui snapped her head to me, jaw hanging with a shocked expression. "That fire incident, her son, Ami coming home that morning... Please, tell me you're joking, Zurui."

"As much as I want it to be a joke, it's real, Yui. Very real. The person that disguised themselves as Shoto..."

"...Why am I always too late to realize these things? I'm a therapist...I should be able to see the reactions to these signs way before they even happen..."

"You can't blame yourself for paying attention to everyone you care about and care for. I didn't want you wrapped up in this disaster either, but...here we are."

"In one of our sessions...when Ami told me about befriending Shoto...I thought she was just happy to have a new friend in a new town. I should've known. I...I'm...a fail-"

"Mm-mm. No, you're not. I'm the failure, Yuiko. I should've been the cursed child that cleared this shit."

"...so you're saying Jameela shouldn't have had Kamilah?"

"I'm saying I should've combust myself the moment I got my Quirk."

"Don't...don't say things like that. I hate when you say things like that...and now that Kamilah has you back in her life, I'm sure she wouldn't want you to hear her say stuff like that either."

I crossed my arms and grumbled.

"I think the results would still be similar even if you...weren't here. Kamilah would've been born regardless, probably not as her, but you know the curse has its ways of having two children being born."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Is there...anything else that we should be worried about? What about her illness? I assume you survived because you were locked away this whole time...so you might still be vulnerable.

"If taught correctly, I think Kami can null it, like how she did with All-for-One's Quirk on my voice."

"What makes you so confident that a Quirk can null an unknown neurological illness?"

"If a person's body can adjust to a Quirk development, then I think it's possible a Quirk can work on a person's body. If we're not back when Kimy returns with Kami, we'll call to tell them to try it."

"Okay...and why are you so calm about everything?! You're not worried? Not even a bit?!"

"I've had years to sit and think, Yui-chan," I smirked down at her, "Don't you think it's time I get up and act on the things I've thought about?"

Now it was her turn to cross her arms and grumble, huffing and pouting. I held back a chuckle and relaxed into the seat behind us.

"One last thing...you said Bakugo-kun was a balance to Kamilah, remember? You meant that in the same way Midoriya-kun is a balance of strength to her?"

"Yui-chan...doesn't loving someone give them strength by reducing acute pain, depression, anxiety, and stress?"

"..."

"Well?"

A subtle smile slipped on her lips, "...Yes. Yes, it does."

---

A/N:

This took me 4-5 days to write, I just held off on publishing this to make sure I had to make sure all my facts and evidence were well-constructed so understanding could be easy. It never fails that whenever I write a story, I can't simply do a surface level of storytelling. It needs to be deep. I set a challenge for myself...and I like that I do because it keeps me motivated to keep writing but not do over-the-top scenarios. I'm sure I'll return to edit this chapter more because this is my longest one so expect updates for this one. I tried to remember to cover all the important info pieces.

"Taeal 'iilaa kami ya habibi" means "Come to Kami, baby" in Arabic

"and what we should've been, could've been, would have been" is a lyric reference to Could've Been by H.E.R.

"I want to eat you like pie, make you not feel like you wanna die, I want you to tie me down, not leave my side, not waste your time. I love you so much...so much it hurts" is a lyric reference to High School Sweethearts by Melanie Martinez.