A/N:
Heavy content in one section. Proceed with caution.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Dr. Chinen."
"Well...I'm rooting for someone," I responded as I sat a chair away from the new number 1.
"You teach at U.A. Shouldn't you not play favorites?"
"I'm not playing favorites, I just know that there's someone in there who needs extra support..." I kept my eyes on the group Kamilah joined, "As Number One, you're here to support all future heroes, but...you have a favorite here, too...don't you?"
He only grunted in response.
I smiled, "I thought so, Mr. Todoroki."
"You didn't approach me for just idle chatter, Doctor. What is it? Does it concern...Rei.." he mumbled.
"In a way, yes. She's talked to me a lot about her past. When she was in high school, she had many friends."
"...Is that all?
I shook my head 'no', "As you already know, I keep confidentiality with my patients; however, I must address the elephant in the room. You see, one of those friends of Rei's happens to be the father of a child participating in the License Event as we speak. This child is also a patient of mine...and I can't spill too much on her, but what I can tell you is that you hurt her in more ways than one over the years."
"Excuse me?"
"Zurui Shimizu. Ring any bells?"
Enji snapped his head at me, eyes wide, and most likely feeling uneasy with how calm I appeared.
"What are you saying, Dr. Chinen?"
I nodded my head in the direction of the girl I kept my eyes on, "You see her right there?"
His eyes searched the arena before spotting a girl narrowly dodging a ball thrown by Mika. Kamilah used her chain belt to wrap around and send the ball flying back at Mika.
She then took Katsuki-kun's outstretched hand with her bandaged one, cornflower blue energy surrounded their intertwined hands.
Realizing that those gauntlets Katsuki-kun wore would make it difficult for him to pull the string, she gave him a nod. Seemingly understanding, they skidded to a stop, then turned around; that's when Kamilah reached her other hand over and pulled the safety handle on his gauntlet.
A blue explosion flowed right to the two twins, catching them off guard and creating enough smoke for the group to get away. Shortly, she and Katsuki-kun caught up to the other two students, Kirishima and Kaminari.
It seemed as if Kaminari and Kirishima were impressed by that, but Katsuki-kun didn't look too happy with what was said before Kamilah gave a teasing expression.
"Shimizu...I didn't fully understand what that mission was about all those years ago. Do you mean to say that that's the same little girl I helped Kassandra save?"
I nodded, "She is...but you failed to recognize what was happening...and you didn't save her at the raid on the hideout. Doesn't that make you feel downright awful?"
He narrowed his eyes, "Is that your way of guilt-tripping me? I'm aware that you're from the Shimizu family, but how close are you to her?"
Infuriated, I took a deep inhale...and a shaky long exhale. "Zurui was right...the Hero Commission doesn't tell you heroes anything. Glad I was saved the ignorance by choosing a different profession," I bitterly spat. I glowered at the big hero, "Mr. Todoroki, she's my niece through the very man you locked up on false accusations, her father, Zurui Shimizu."
"What?"
"You heard me correctly. Norio isn't her father, but her uncle. I'm not going into detail about our family because you don't need to hear that. But what you do need to hear is that you hurt my niece time and time again. Zurui wasn't trying to kidnap her, he was trying to get her away from a bad influence, her mother and pro-hero, Kassandra. Not only does she resent you for putting him in Tartarus, but also for failing your so-"
As soon as I said his name, a loud explosion went off, leaving cornflower-blue sparks in the air. I turned my attention back to Kamilah, seeing her soaring through the air and right at Mika. Kamilah swung her chain belt around Mika and did a forward flip mid-air to put some force behind swinging him away from the group.
Assuming Katsuki-kun's explosion was elevated with Kamilah's Quirk to boost her, I knew she planned on soloing this out sooner or later. This was more than just a game of "dodgeball" to her at this point, she wanted her get back from all the times those two wronged her.
"What are you telling me this all for?"
"I'm telling you this...because we're going to need your voice in a court case...or two."
"Two?" he questioned, lifting an eyebrow.
"One for your unfamiliarity in Kamilah's so-called "kidnapping" and the other is for a possible murder attempt."
"A murder attempt... How does that concern me?"
"I need your testimony on Kassandra's behavior around you and how you both interact." I glanced across the stadium, seeing how Jameela was observing Kamilah fight the twins. "I and a few others have reason to believe she's been planning on your murder."
"I need answers, Zurui."
"Aw, not Uncle Rui anymore?" I teased the rising pro-hero approaching from my left.
"I'm being serious," Hakim reiterated. "You and Aunt Yui just pop up like nothing's happened, and give me little to no information?"
"Okay, okay...what do you want to know?"
He crossed his arms, facing the stadium, "...I didn't think you'd give up so easily."
"I'm only doing so because I want to earn your trust, Hakim. The last time we saw each other...you were holding Kamilah away from me while your mother kicked me out."
"...I'm sorry. I didn't know any better at the time."
I waved my hand dismissively, "It's fine. If it were your Aunt Yui, I would've done the same. You were just a kid, you were supposed to not know any better. Don't apologize for something you hardly knew about."
I could see him nod from my peripherals, "You were...never the bad guy, huh?"
"That's not entirely true. I've done some...things that are heavily looked down upon in society despite my good intentions behind it. I'm out now, I'm a free man...and I should become a new man. I missed most of my daughter...and my nephew's lives. I want to make things right and spend as much as time with them as I possibly can."
"..."
"You said you "want answers". Where do you want me to start?"
"...For starters, why is Auntie speaking to Endeavor? The man who helped your ex-wife imprison you?"
"I need his testimony on interactions with Jameela to support what I have to say.
"And what do you have to say?"
"You see, Hakim, we live in a society that's not going to believe a villain's story on the emotionally and mentally abusive relationship he had with his ex-wife. We need high ground, a way to get that is to have the new Number One hero tell his side of the story...and his wife."
"...I'm a little lost. Are you getting a divorce with her?"
I bitterly chuckled, "Your mother...refused to divorce me."
"You're...that can't be true-"
"If you think I'm lying, ask Norio," I told him as I nodded my head off in the direction of my brother.
Hakim shifted his head, finding his smiling father sitting next to a blank-faced Jindo; the two were having a conversation, but I was unsure about what.
"I don't get it. What's he doing here? I thought you said he was-"
"Recuperating the shit storm he just went through. The guy's always been resilient." I sighed, tracking the blond boy running next to Kamilah, "Even to the fact of when he accidentally found unsigned papers of Jameela's divorce to me. Your mother may be a whiny "she said, he did" character, but she's a clever woman. In case her marriage failed with your father, she was going to bail me out...and put me as the father figure again."
The amount of horror that spread on Hakim's face made my stomach churn. As horrified as he is, I'm just as much disgusted.
"W...What? Why? I-I don't understand. How do you know something like that?"
"...Look at your sister, Hakim. Don't you think she has enough evidence? Her very being? I mean, just dye her hair black and she looks similar to you, doesn't she? If that's not enough convincing, I'm unsure if you remember but after Norio was hospitalized in that coma from an "ambush from a villain", Jameela was quick to give up on your father making it, and finding a new husband—I'm sorry, her next best option to procreate with because her first husband's brother almost looks identical to him if he had short hair.
"..." Hakim placed his hand over his mouth and the other on his stomach, lurching over and coughing...coughing up blood.
"...you're the other cursed child." I stomped my foot, "Shit!"
"I-I'm fine, just a little blood," he dismissed and wiped his hand on
"Misuzu told me you were hiding your sickness from the whole family, from Kamilah. How long have you been doing that?"
"A long time. I was stuck in the mentality Jameela put me in...to be the best because I'm the eldest...but was always put on the back burner in comparison to Kamilah's Quirk and power."
"...excuse my language..."
"Huh-"
"That sick bitch is gonna pay."
"..."
"Were you ever jealous of your little sister?" I carefully asked him.
"...Don't say anything about this to her, but I...had my moments of where I did get jealous, but not enough to hurt her or sabotage her."
"...If only Toya Todoroki followed the same path," I sighed. I glanced at his surprised expression, "I digress. I'm trying to earn your trust. If you don't want to hear the rest, you can walk away-"
He stepped forward, "No. I need to hear more about the woman who calls herself "a mother", "a hero"."
"...Circling back to your dad being in a coma, that wasn't a villain's ambush. She found him to be a failure in...producing a strong byproduct. If I'm kettle, then your mother is the pot because I have enough evidence of her plotting so she could..."create" Kamilah."
Hakim had a tense expression, but he didn't say anything so I continued.
"It was convenient to her that I'm your dad's brother, that we've interacted before, that I was close enough to know her well. As you can see, I didn't know her well because I was so young and dumb until I "married" her. I know she plotted for him to be in a coma because she was involved with a villain we all know too well. Her repayment to that villain doing this?"
My eyes found Kamilah again, who lost some speed to make it look like she was a vulnerable target to the twins, Mika and Miya. As soon as Mika swooped down to attack her, Kamilah whipped out a golden chain wrapped around her and slung it to wrap around Katsuki Bakugo. I think he knew she was planning on using him as leverage so he used his explosions to propel them both forward.
Kamilah loosened the chain from around him and flipped forward once high enough to use his shoulders as another booster higher into the air. In that instant, I could see her say something to him with a sly smile before using his Quirk to boost herself. She used the chain again to grab Mika and did a somersault midair to fling him away from the group into the next city-like structure, following him by holding on to the other end of the chain, and Miya giving chase.
"To make her stronger than All-Might and to make her stronger than whoever he chooses as a successor should Tomura Shigaraki ever fail him."
"..."
"Jameela benefited from this, too, because that meant Kamilah will be stronger than Endeavor, the person she wants to get revenge on from helping imprison me, the person she blames for her parents getting killed by the fires in Libya for trying to help others get to safety from the genocide."
"..."
"All is going according to their plan."
Hakim was quick to jump the railing, but I put my hand on his shoulder to ground him.
"I know you're ready to leap, but we can't be froggy right now. Until another opportunity comes up for Kamilah to be "missing", we can't risk pulling her out of school. Besides, we need her to get her license. Being a licensed hero might cut her some slack from the crimes she's about to commit."
"But...I thought you were doing this honestly!" he complained.
"It's gotta get ugly before it gets better, Hakim," I told him. "In my place, Norio will tell Principal Nezu the surface of what's going on with the help of Jindo so he can release Kamilah from the school grounds. Atteninding U.A. isn't going to save her much after this. About her being "missing", there's gonna be another internship with heroes and we're counting on you to appeal to Kamilah for her to choose you again so we can start our secret mission."
"..."
"Any questions and concerns?"
"A hell of a lot."
"List them in one go so I can cover them all."
"How long has Jameela been working for All-for-One? What crimes are we about to commit? How deep is this going to go? What does Mrs. Todoroki have to do with any of this? Is Toya Todoroki a threat to Kamilah? Don't we have to warn All-Might and Midoriya? How are we going to prove any of this in a court and the Hero Commission? And...how ugly do I gotta be to get business done?"
"Jameela's been a double agent for AFO since illegally entering Japan. The crimes we're about to commit don't involve killing anyone, but are dire enough for lying; Norio, Yuiko, and I are hoping for temporary slaps on the wrists if we have a good judge. The deepest all of this is going to go is when we have to look back to our unforgivable history and our founder, Juri. It's more than just Kamilah being romantically involved with Toya and your friendship with Natsuo. Mrs. Todoroki...or Rei has been my best friend since we were teenagers so I have some background story about Ende-...Enji. I don't care for the guy, but I'm concerned about 2...no, all of his sons being involved with my family because whatever he did in the past to his children might backfire on all of us. Your aunt, Yuiko...used to date Enji when they were in high school and was supposed to be his wife...but was unable to bear children so the Todorokis broke the two apart. As for All-Might and Midoriya, we leave them alone and continue to let them think no one knows anything. I'm sure Kami is doing the same with Midoriya so she doesn't get him involved any further in her life than he already is, like how you are with Natsuo. As for proving everything, with a combination of your, Kamilah, and Yuiko's Quirks, we could make a visual moving memory to prove we aren't lying; making it happen is possible but you three need to work on it, especially you and Kami. Facing AFO, we gotta fight fire with fire, I'll need you to be at your lowest point, Hakim."
"...That's...a lot...to take in..." he breathed.
"Yeah, be the guy planning it all," I chuckled.
"Are we going straight after AFO...and are we going to kill him?"
"Yes and...possibly. Being imprisoned at Tartarus isn't going to keep the guy from breaking out. We'll leave Shigaraki to All-Might and Midoriya. He's a potential threat, but not our main target."
"What if he does become a threat? Then what?"
"...You'll hate me for what I'll do to a young man whose dream is to become the Number One hero."
"...so Midoriya does..."
I nodded, confirming what Hakim was about to say. "I'll go to any lengths to protect Kami...no matter how immoral they are...even if she ends up hating me for it."
"...I should tell her that, but I'm not going to. For selfish reasons of my own, I want her to feel what it's like not to be told something important, but it won't be to the point she ends up getting...got."
I shook my head, not wanting to think about that so I changed the subject, "...I'm sure Misuzu told you about what happened in Libya, too."
"While Kamilah was "missing", yeah, something told me to use my Qurik just before falling asleep...and random memories that weren't mine showed me what happened. I understand Jameela's distraught...but she shouldn't pin the blame on Endeavor. He was just there to help control the people."
"Try telling her that, she doesn't want to hear it, and that's not how it happened in her eyes. That's like telling Kami Enji didn't contribute to Toya's "death"."
He nodded, "You have a point. Kamilah would...never speak to me again if I told her something like that."
"She would also never speak to you again if you were to get in her way of killing Enji," I nonchalantly added.
Hakim's head whipped to me, nearly catching whiplash from it. "WHAT?!"
I shushed him because his shout caught some nearby attention...
"That's her plan. We'll talk about it later. Aizawa at 8 o'clock," I told him after walking away, getting some distance from him due to the approaching teacher and the stares from our "family"...
And from Jameela who sat a long way away from them.
Yuiko and I only came across Norio when we visited their house. My brother...didn't look like his usual self when we found him. I've never seen him like that...and after Yuiko explained the things she told him at U.A., he broke down again and told us to give him a few days before contacting him again. Jameela was nowhere to be found, most likely trying to find Kamilah all over Japan. Luckily, my smart girl used Null to block all and any intruding forces besides Misuzu.
It's apparent that rather than stealing Quirks, Kamilah can use their power to boost her own Quirk so she doesn't overdo it.
'It's most likely that Jameela didn't know I went to AFO for that Quirk to be implanted in Kamilah. It's very possible AFO didn't tell her I, too, was one of his minions. Kamilah was just a dying three-year-old to him back then, I guess she became useful to him after Kamilah showed potential with her Quirk and took an opportunity to manipulate her after Toya's "death".'
I grit my teeth, "Manipulative bastard."
But I'm not one really to talk since I'm willing to use Izuku Midoriya's romantic interests for the benefit of my child's well-being.
I stood up, staring at the white-cloaked figure who walked away from Hakim.
"Eonna? What's wrong?"
I looked down at mi hija, Rika, who held a curious expression.
"I...I'm getting tired from sitting down. I'm just going to walk a lap around. Plus, I don't see Kamilah, Furora, Miya, or Mika at all. I'll let you know if I do when I come back," I regretfully told a lie.
"Can I go, too?" Joon-Woo excitedly asked, devil tail wagging.
I giggled, shaking my head, "No, you may not, hijo. What if you see something that'll make you jump the rails and ruin Ami's chance of getting her license?"
He pouted and crossed his arms, his devil tail stopped wagging. He knew I was right.
"Maybe if you became a hero like Hakim, you could've been down there helping her out, hermano," Rika suggested with a sigh.
"It'd be backward if I saved a hero rather than a civilian. I'm too selfish," he retorted which made her giggle.
"Xitalit."
I looked at my hus-...ex-husband, "Yes?"
"...Hurry back. We need to talk."
"...okay, dear."
I walked down the steps, deciding to head in the opposite direction of the person in the white cloak so our "encounter" wouldn't look so suspicious.
Seeing all the other student's fights were amazing. There are so many different kinds of Quirks and students down there. It made me feel included despite not being a hero. Coming from a Latin American background, I didn't always feel like I fit in...and one person tried to make sure I felt that way despite being of a other heritage than Japanese herself.
"How's the marriage?"
Speak of the Diablo...and it wasn't me.
Hoping she'd ignore me, I spoke too soon. She always hated me...and I'm unsure why. I didn't do anything to insult or hurt her...but she did everything in her power to do it to me.
The click of my heels stopped, but I didn't face her, "I'm sure you've heard from Norio...or the children, Jameela."
"I did. I just wanted to make sure it was true. I feel bad for you, Xitalit. You and Jindo were such a good couple. He took care of labor and bills while you took care of the home and children. Don't you think that's how it should be?"
"...Not every relationship works like that, Jameela. I didn't have a problem taking care of my home and children, it's just...Jindo simply wanted me to be that. He didn't care much about my dream...of becoming a hero. This shouldn't have been the only way to support my family back home."
"Well, life doesn't favor us all, Xitalit. Sometimes, you have to make something out of nothing."
"You're right...it doesn't...when driving forces homewreck."
"...What did you say?"
"I'm saying...I feel bad for Zurui, Norio, and Jindo. Jindo is a good man...but not for me. Zurui was mine...but ruined what we had and took him away."
"..."
"Kamilah and Hakim would've been mi hijas..." I mumbled.
With that upsetting note, I passed her by, intentionally bumping into her shoulder. We were never on good terms, even just knowing her. I know a bad person when I smell one and I warned Norio to be cautious of her when they first started dating. Both he and Norio jokingly made it seem as if I was insecure because I was not the only one with melanated skin at the time, but it turns out I was right to be cautious.
What she did to me is something I never spoke about to anyone until recently. The only ones who knew what Jameela did were she, me, and just recently, Kamilah and Hakim. Maybe the man in the white cloak knows now, too.
As soon as I saw Kamilah, I stopped in my footsteps and saw her throwing a red ball at Mika, resulting in one of the targets on his body turning red. Furora had used the roots in the ground on a shocked Miya and struck a red ball to the now red target on her stomach.
I smiled and did a small happy dance.
"Shakira was right, hips don't lie," chuckled a teasing voice not far away.
A small gasp left me, making me cough a little from taking in a quick inhale.
"My bad, my bad," the familiar teasing only felt like yesterday.
I didn't show it, I couldn't show the familiarity we used to have or it'd look suspicious. That's why he kept some distance whilst looking at the team rivalry below.
"What are... How did you... When did you...?" I asked, somewhat shocked by how my nose knew that familiar sandalwood musk.
"I may or may not have had Yuiko and Hakim sneak me in. How did I get out? When it comes to a lot of green to fund a high-security prison, authorities don't care what's going on as long as it's inside that prison. And I got bailed weeks ago."
"...You didn't want to tell me anything?"
"I'm sorry, babe...I couldn't see you like how I wanted to. I'm a free man, but I can't risk my freedom being put on the big screens right now. I need to keep a low profile for what I'm about to do."
"What are you about to do?"
"Clear names."
"Clear names? What's that supposed to-"
He waved a white-fingered glove at me, "Ah-ah-ah...don't worry your pretty little head off. Everything's going according to plan. I just need you to stand there and look pretty...and properly divorce that asshole so I can take back what's mine."
I blushed, jumping at his last quick statement, "R-Rui..." I mumbled, a bit embarrassed.
"In your forties and still blushing like a teenager, Li? Someone's husband hasn't been praising them enough. Speaking of praising, I know we both have a kid...or two in your case. I know things won't go back to the way they were when we were younger. I know it's going to take some time for me to work on myself and for you to forgive me for leaving you. I was tricked into stupidly thinking Jameela needed my support when it was, at the time, just Hakim. But give me another chance...and we can start as friends again."
"...Has Norio forgiven you? For taking his wife?"
He chuckled, "Surprisingly enough, when I tried to ask for his forgiveness, he told me I didn't have to because it wasn't my fault...when it's clear if not entirely, I'm partly at fault for all of this. I want to make it up to everybody I care about and who was wrongly affected by my decisions...including you."
Kamilah threw another ball Mika, who swiftly dodged it before she used her Quirk to circle it back around at him. Sadly enough, he grabbed his twin sister and used her as a shield to block the red ball, lighting up her third and final target. Mika pushed her to the ground and fled the scene with Furora on his heels, leaving an uncomfortable Kamilah with a distraught and crying Miya.
I was in disbelief at that. I hadn't realized which of the two...or three hit Miya's second target. I was so engrossed in conversation with Zurui that I missed it.
"Well, that's just...terrible," Zurui commented. "Prevented from getting your license because of your brother's selfishness? Norio would never. Wouldn't let that shit happen to me though," he chimed.
"That's not nice," I scolded him.
"And I'm not always a nice person, Xitalit."
"Then...I'll always be the nice person in our new friendship...because...I forgive you."
I couldn't see it because of the hood of his white cloak hiding his face, but I could feel that happy fox-like grin on his face.
As we leaned against the wall in the anteroom, I finished my first water bottle while Furora finished her third water bottle.
"Damn, you're thirsty," I commented.
"All the time," she snidely remarked.
We both laughed at each other's antics.
"Speaking of thirsty, hot peppermint coming your way at 12 o'clock."
I glanced in that direction and, indeed, saw Shoto walking towards us.
"Who's that?" she purred.
"Nobody important."
"Wait a minute...isn't that Shoto Todoroki from the U.A. Sports Festival?"
"...It is."
She gasped, "Girl, act normal!"
I lifted an eyebrow at her, "Act normal? Whatchu mean?"
"Are you blind? That boy is fine..." she purred again, looking in his direction. "Just like his daddy."
"Ew, no, absolutely not. Also, you're a second year at a rival school, Rora," I tried to reason with her.
"...I am not included in what Ketsubutsu got going on," she huffed and I laughed at her.
"Kamilah."
We turned to him and Furora looked between him, who looked happy to see me, and my blank expression.
"Todoroki."
His shoulders made a slight deflate, "...You can call me by first name."
"And you can leave me alone if you don't have anything important to say about the task at hand," I snapped at him, looking away.
"Um...I'm not sure what you two have going on, I know Ami here can be a handful when she wants to be but I'm sure she'll get over it." She stepped up and bowed before leaning up, "Hi, my name's Furora Shimizu. I'm a second year at Ketsubutsu, but don't worry, I'm not out to get you like my classmates...unless you want me to. Anyway, it's..." she salaciously looked him up and down, "a pleasure to meet you, Shoto Todoroki. How you doin'?"
Shoto perked up, "Shimizu?" That's all he heard in her flirting.
She giggled, "Yeah, we're cousins. We've been close since we were arm babies. You see, in our family, once a man marries a woman, he takes on the Shimizu name rather than the other way around. But I don't mind being the new Mrs. Todoro-"
"What was Kamilah like when she was younger?" he cut her off, interested in my background.
I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore and bent over, holding my gut. I tried to stop as soon as I started, but it took one look at Rora's pouting face to start up my cackling.
"Hahahaha! Oh, oh, shit...hehe! Hahahaha! Girl, you tried, hahaha! A stickler for me, ain't he?"
"Kamilah? Wait...I'm confused," Shoto voiced his confusion, looking between me and Rora.
"Not funny, Ami," she hissed at me and I slowly recovered from my laughter.
"Hah...haha, don't concern yourself with it, Todoroki. She...she doesn't know what she's talking about," I got my last chuckle out of it.
He hesitantly nodded, "Kamilah, are you aware that you're the first 1-B student here?"
I leaned back against the wall, resting my right foot on it, "Nah. It didn't even cross my mind."
"Are ya even takin' any of this seriously? I didn't catch up to Mika so he might've passed by targeting some poor soul out there. If he has, ya know he's going to come back for ya, right?" Rora was now trying to reason with me.
"I'm aware...but I'm not worried about him right now. I'm worried about someone else..."
"...Ami," Rora called.
I looked at her, "Yeah?"
"Are you...?"
I lifted an eyebrow, "Am I what?"
"Are you...under the spell of the Japanese camellia?"
I blinked multiple times, "Excuse me?"
"Ya know! The language of flowers!"
"...Speak Japanese."
"You're in love."
"In love?" Shoto and I both questioned.
"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "Who's the lucky guy?"
I was quick to deny, "I am n-..." I squished my lips together before smirking, lowering my eyes, and twirling a strand of hair near my left ear, "Ya know what? I am in love."
I closed my eyes and spun around in slow circles, reimagining the quick steps to one of my upward kicks but as a slow and sensual dance. It's like one of the few times I slow-danced with the actual Toya in my bedroom...at the darkest of night. We only swayed and he spun me around a few times, but I savored every moment. Over the years, I repressed memories like that one so the pain of losing wouldn't hurt so much...
But little did I know he visited me almost every night after a few years of absence. I never bothered to ask him what he was doing during that time, why he didn't come sooner, and I might not if he doesn't sweep me off my feet again the next time we meet.
I should write a book before I die, shouldn't I? Call it Shameless Doll because I'm thinking about the present boy's eldest brother's hands on me.
"And frankly, Rora...I don't give a damn. He's good to me," I sighed dreamily like a high school girl...in which I am.
For some reason, I felt daring now. I guess that's the effect Toya has on me.
I thought I comically spanned back around to lay my head on Furora's shoulder...
"I bet he is," answered a gruff voice.
"..."
"..."
"Ba-"
"Furora, why do you smell like caramel?" I cut Shoto off, alarms ringing in my head to move away from this person I'm cuddled up to.
"...You know I like flowery perfumes, Ami. By the way, is he the lucky guy?"
"Whoa, Bakugo...Shimizu? She's your girl?" I heard another familiar voice, Hanta Sero as I remember.
I opened my eyes and looked directly at Sero, placing my hands on Katsuki's chest, "Not in an infinity of lifetimes."
I pushed him away from me and turned on my heels, about to walk over and lead a shit-eating-grin Rora away until I was stopped by a hand around mine.
"Not this time," Katsuki growled.
"Who's he?" Rora asked.
"Irrelevant," I answered.
"Katsuki Bakugo," Shoto answered.
Rora beamed at him, "Oh, thank you. You're so helpful...Maybe you can help some time-"
"Furora," I growled.
"You can't have them all, Ami!" she complained.
"The hell is she talking about, Fox?"
"Don't worry about it, Katsuki."
"Don't tell me whato t do."
"Well, you're doing it, aren't you?"
"Again, I say...now me personally..." Ashido once again instigated.
"You always do this, Ashido," Kirishima groaned.
"Gotta instigate," Kaminari popped in.
"Yeah, these two are funny," Sero interjected.
"But it causes a lot of distress," Yaoyorozu scolded.
"I think it's kinda funny," Uraraka chirped.
"Same," Ashido agreed.
"I think we should all just...take a breath," a beam of hope presented himself.
"In other words, what Izuku means to say is how about we all shut the fuck up," I summed up for them.
My suggestion silenced the area we were in, and I took in a deep breath before exhaling.
"Hey! Try sweet talk!" Furora whisper-shouted which went over all of the students involved heads even Shoto, who, of course, doesn't know what that is.
I disliked the way she said it, but I knew what she meant.
"Sa'zhir lak 'ufdil mimaa 'astatie 'an 'aqul lak 'anah ghayr maequlin," I told her in which she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Now you're the one who needs to speak Japanese," she remarked.
Shaking my head at her, I slowly turned around with a soothing smile, hand still engulfed by Katsuki's.
"Okay. You won't let go of my hand," I said as I lifted our hands. "You won't let go of it because you're upset with me about something. I want to address what you're upset about because I...want to know so I carefully tell you what I think and to de-escalate the scene you're causing. Please, give me your honest thoughts. Is that okay with you, Katsuki?"
He confusedly stared at me, "..."
"...Katsuki? Are you okay? If you don't have anything to say about what you're upset with, I can't help you. You need to let me know."
"...What the fuck are you on right now?" he genuinely asked.
I turned my head back to Rora, "As you see the results, there is simply no reasoning or sweet-talking a carnivorous Katsuki Bakugo. It is not in his deoxyribonucleic acid nor will it ever be. It is in his nature to be aggressive at all times unless an individual catches him off guard in the wild."
"She sounds so smart..." Kaminari mumbled with amazement.
"She's speaking about him like he's on a Discovery channel," Uraraka exclaimed curiously.
"To reason with the feral beast, you must do as I will proceed to demonstrate," I informed before clearing my throat and turning back to Katsuki.
My calm demeanor dropped and I eyed him like I wanted to fight him.
"WHO THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE GRABBING, HOTHEAD?!"
"His...woman?" Sero suggested.
"AYE! NOBODY ASKED ANYTHING FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY!" Katsuki screamed at him before returning the same energy to me, "AND WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE YELLING AT FOX?!"
"YOU DONE LOST YOUR EVER-LOVING FUCKING MIND SPEAKING TO ME LIKE THAT! DAMN POMERANIAN!"
"Is this their love language?" Furora asked Shoto.
"...Love what? Is that...how a love child is created?"
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO STARTED THIS SHIT STORM! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID TO ME!"
"ION KNOW WHATCHU TALKIN' 'BOUT! PIPE DOWN, LIL' BOY!"
"Ooo...not "lil' boy"," Ashido laughed along with Uraraka.
"Okay, this has escalated way beyond it needs to. Kacchan, Milah-chan, you both need to behave before the administrators-"
"DEKU, DON'T YOU DARE PUT YOUR TWO CENTS-"
I placed my other hand over Katsuki's mouth, briefly stopping my anger to look at Izuku with a genuine smile.
"Izuku, do you love your life?"
His eye bugged out as he swallowed and furiously nodded, "..."
"Let big sis handle this then, okay?" I returned my gaze to a still-fuming Katsuki. "If what I said bothered you that much, then I'm sorry. Okay? You don't need to be so angry about it. I didn't think anything of it...but it effected you, and I should've considered your feelings."
"..."
I think that might've satisfied him for now. Even if he says he doesn't want an apology, I think that made him feel better because he, indeed, piped down so I removed my hand.
"...Can you let me go now?"
"No."
"I apologized! What more do you want from me?"
"Not an apology," he mumbled like a kicked puppy...or should I say Joon?
"Well, I said what I said."
"..."
"..."
"But like...what did she even say to him though?" Furora asked Shoto, who shrugged. "I'm so over this. By the way, Ami..." I looked back at her smiling with glee, "I've been meaning to tell you about the kids who...uh, made you move down here to Shizuoka. The investigators re-opened the case because of a...Detective Tsukauchi? Know him?"
My eyebrows furrowed, instantly thinking of All-Might, "Maybe...but what about 'em, the kids?"
She got closer to speaking at an inside-room voice level, "Karma came back and bit that ass, real hard. They were charged for attempted murder against a defenseless child under no supervision. Serving 5 years to life...without parole," she chirped.
It's been years since that happened and I thought it was meant to happen to awaken something in me. I never cared about getting revenge on those kids who are around my and Hakim's age now...
But my heart felt closure I didn't know it was seeking. It seems like things can get better...
"Attempted murder? Against who?" Shoto asked her, who happened to be listening hard.
"Oh. Ami didn't tell you? I figured you two were friends so I thought-" As soon as she looked back at my poignant look, she reconsidered her words. "Oh, uh, it's something that happened in the past. Don't worry about it, handsome, she's good."
Katsuki lowered his mouth to my ear, "Finally got some closure, huh?" he mumbled.
I shivered at how close he was, slowly nodding my head in a daze before reaffirming it with a definite one.
"I did, but..." I looked at him with a smirk, "You know that's not enough for me." When he grinned at me, I turned around and took short steps toward a curious Rora. "That's not enough. Their lives may my fucked, but I need to fuck up their minds. I want them to serve their sentence, thinking..."How could you drown a bullied Quirkless little girl?" With the crocodile tears? I need it," I groaned in yearning.
"I always told Joon you were just as sadistic as him," she sighed, then laughed.
"Drown a bullied...Quirkless little girl?" Izuku repeated my words, approaching me. "Milah-chan...what did you...what happened to you?"
'Be honest, Kamilah.'
"Look, Izuku-"
As soon as I was about to answer my little green bean, the announcer started speaking again to direct our attention to a screen before all the walls around us fell and instructed us that the final phase of the exam would be rescue operations.
I looked back at a determined Izuku with a somewhat sorrowful smile, "Aww...it seems like life does everything to prevent you from knowing anything about me. Better luck next time, sweet cheeks."
"Shimizu!" I heard Komori call me, jumping up and down amongst the crowd.
"Separate ways?" Furora suggested.
I nodded as I passed her by, "Separate ways," I agreed before picking up speed towards Komori.
I stared down at the girl I trained so hard to become what she is now. Perfect. Not a flaw in her system. Sweet and sugary spice with everything nice. Acts out now and then, but overall, nice.
She's my favorite child, the better child, the only child.
With the possibility of not living long, I need her to succeed me and my ambitions. She may never understand them, but she doesn't have to, I just need her to do what must be done. When she passes this exam, she'll be further proven worthy and valuable by AFO. I'm aware Kamilah hates me, but I don't care. It's not like she can do much against me. AFO can use her as he likes...
And I can be free from his villainous clutches.
Honestly, I only care for my hide and my status. Kamilah is a successful byproduct of my name. Hakim is an utter failure. Yes, he became a hero, but out of the most ridiculous means. How can he want to protect his sister when she's stronger than him in both mental and physical capacity? He cares and loves too much. I'm somewhat glad Kamilah got that indifference from Zurui.
Zurui...habibi.
The only true man I've loved so much that it hurt me to imprison him. He left that wench and came to aid me in my time of "mourning". He's the only other person I care about and love. For someone as narcissistic as me, that's hard to do, break down my walls. Sure, he jeopardized Kamilah's value to AFO the night that bizarre Quirk accident happened and kidnapped her, but I forgave him a long time ago once I realized it'll be soon that I don't have to care for that brat anymore.
Now that Norio knows almost everything, he's no longer useful and he probably won't do anything since he's depressed. What a simp. I guess that means there's only one thing left to do now...break Zurui out of Tartarus and flee the country entirely. Surely, he'd agree...? How couldn't he? He'll be a wanted man and most likely targeted by people he wronged. I don't see why he wouldn't want to leave. He told me his family hates him so it'd be valid to leave.
However, the problem might be that psycho bitch, Yuiko...and maybe even that Latina slut. Xitalit.
I only fight for Kamilah to be in my possession because she's my joker card in the deck for AFO, but once he gets her, that psychotic infertile doctor can go fetch her. As for Xitalit...I got something for her. She used to stick to Zurui like she couldn't get off his dick for one second. I had his children and I know that shit eats at the dumb bitch every day.
As for the last girl, I'll have a problem with, I want to make her life as miserable as possible when I leave her in the hands of a drug lord. That should give me enough time to flee Japan while AFO fights with him. If Kamilah really falls for the bit of being married to a hero and remotely thinks she's going to be okay if she doesn't end up with one of those boys thinking with their dicks, she's in for one hell of a surprise.
I told the guy I drugged her enough for her to take anything he gave her. Kamilah has beautiful features, she has a voluptuous body that'll make any man go wild, and if treated any less than compared to me, she'll be an obedient overdosed sex slave.
A happy giggle left me as I leaned against the railing to watch my child rush into a breaking building to save a mock civilian.
"Kulu shay' yasir wifqan lilkhutat almawdueati."
"Mrs. Shimizu?"
I glanced to my right to see a man dressed in a short-sleeved white button-up, black trousers, and brown dress shoes.
"...May I help you?"
"Hi, I'm Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi with the Police Force." He smiled, "Why don't you take a seat?"
"You didn't check the conditions, dear."
I carried the elder lady on my back, "Listen, lady, I'm not the best hero in the world, but this is the best you're going to get out of me," I told her, setting her down in a safe spot.
"You have a pretty face. Would it kill you to smile, dear?"
"...I didn't know I training to be Mister All-Might," she got a giggle from me and she did the same.
"Just for your wittiness, I'll add some points and give you a tip. There's one more person in that building that needs help. I'll add more points when you return with them safely," she declared.
I gave her a thumbs up and re-entered the damaged structure, "Got it, grams."
I had split off from Komori earlier so she could save some people on her own. I didn't want to take her credit where it was due.
Getting on my hands and knees, I crawled through spaces that had unsteady flooring just in case it gave way. It didn't help that I was chubby either.
Narrowly missing some chords and hanging debris, I used my Quirk on those to lift them out of my way. Seeing some light ahead, I carefully crawled my way through and lifted myself out of the hole...until my hips got stuck.
"...I know not..." I planted my hands on each side of me and pushed up...nothing. "You gotta be kidding me..." I sighed.
"Need some help?"
I stopped struggling, looking up into crinkled honey-brown eyes, "...I thought you said, "separate ways"?" I smirked at her, grabbing her hands.
"I did. Maybe a coincidence? Tighten those thighs and suck in the stomach," she told me and I did as she said to which she yoinked me up and onto my feet.
"How'd you get in here?" I asked her, dusting myself.
"Same way you did."
My eyebrows furrowed, "How'd you fit yourself through, thickums?"
"Uh, my Quirk? Duh. Though a concrete building, the ground structure is still made of soil. I used some weeds in the soil to stretch it a little without crashing anything."
"I see. Have you found anyone else in here?"
"Yeah, the..."kid" over there," she pointed behind her to a guy who looked to be a picture-perfect kid.
I decided to smile and wave at them as a means of comfort...something I'm not the best at unless it's Izuku...and can I even say Shoto, too?
"I know it's dark and scary, but I promise we'll get you out safely," I told the "young boy" who nodded in understanding and I looked back at Rora, "Find a way out since you've been in here."
"I did, but it's up to the next floor. Since there's little to no sunlight in here, I can't raise the roots out of the ground high enough to boost us. Lend me a hand while I carry him?" She asked.
"Yeah, I can do that. I guess we're going to have to scale our way up if we want to get out of here," I told her as she picked up the "young boy".
"You're right, but...how are you going to get out? You can levitate other things and people, but not yourself, right? Or has something changed over the years?"
"Mm-mm. I still can't do that. It kinda sucks, but...I'll find my way out eventually! You two keep going without me," I shouted once I carefully fit them through an opening in the ceiling.
"Alright! But if you're still in here by the time almost everyone is saved, I'm coming back for you!"
With that, I didn't hear anything else from Furora or the boy she had with her.
It was just me...in the darkness...in the silence. The one thing I hate the most.
'Think happy thoughts, Kamilah. Smiles, sunny days, bunnies, Izuku...ooo, Izuku cosplaying a bunny sounds adorable,' I entertained the idea.
I could always use my chain to swing it through the hole and hope to catch onto something, but that would probably take a while considering I don't know the layout upstairs and my arms would get tired from tossing it through. Moving debris around could hurt or kill me, and jeopardize Furora. Teleporting was out of the question because, again, I don't know the layout upstairs. I could teleport outside...but that'd be too easy and the old lady won't give me extra points if she doesn't see the kid.
'I have saved two good handfuls of kids, maybe I should sit the rest of it out and give everyone else a chance.'
Just when I was about to sit on a decent-looking office chair, the building shook and moved about sporadically. I couldn't see it, but I smelled smoke coming from the ground and sudden wind from cracks in the structure.
"What the hell is going on outside?" I jumped, realizing what the combination of smoke and wind could do to me. "I'll suffocate! No, no, no, can't die right now. This would be a terrible way to go out. Think..."
Looking around the room, I spotted some office chairs sprawled about before noticing broken desks that were on their last legs. It was an unsafe method of getting out, but it was the best one I could think of. Die trying, right?
After using Psyka to stack the office desks, I found myself coughing a little bit because of the heat rising from the ground. Taking my time so I wouldn't fall off, I grabbed each surface desk carefully. When I finally got up to the next floor, I saw a blue light down below.
Peaking my head over the hole, my eyes widened when I saw blue fire.
"Sulfur? Who decided it was a great idea to put sulfur in the damn building?! At some point, it's going to get hot fast in here and the heat will kill me faster than the lack of air."
Recalling that this is possibly a six-story building where the top two floors are breaking from the rest, it's possible that this whole building will collapse before it even reaches the third floor. I moved fast, searching for the nearest exits to each floor, disregarding how unsafe they may have been. Yeah, I got a scratch or two, but it's better than taking me out right now.
Once I reached the fifth floor, I could see sunlight and a figure standing in the distance toward the light.
"Furora! We gotta move!" I shouted.
She turned around, holding the boy's arm, "What's wrong?"
"A fire downstairs is rising," I informed her as I pushed myself onto the concrete floor before getting up and walking over to her. "Sulfuric fire."
"...What does that mean?"
"It means it's hotter than normal fire, and we gotta jump," I told her as calmly as possible so I wouldn't scare the kid.
"J-Jump? B-But it's a scary fall! What if we get hurt?" he cried.
I placed my hands on his shoulders, "Hey, kid. We're going to make it. If I can kick a-...butt without a Quirk, I can save one without it, too."
"...3 points added."
Furora's amused giggle was cut short once the building began to lean back even more, widening the tear of the top two floors. Quick on my feet. I hurriedly wrapped one end of my chain to the "young boy" and the other to Furora.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Don't worry. I need to be able to hold the chain to save myself, too. Sit at the edge and slowly slide down. Trust me, I won't let go of either of you," I reassured, mainly for the "young boy".
The boy was hesitant, but I had the chance to groan, Rora grabbed his hand and told him it'd make him feel better so it wouldn't feel like he was in this alone. Once they had slid down, I adjusted my grip on the chain, being tugged forward a little, but I used Psyka to implant my feet into the ground as I slowly moved forward.
"You good up there?!" Rora shouted.
"So far, so g-"
"There you are, Ami! I've been looking for you!"
On instinct, I ducked a punch coming from beside me which made me lose my grip on the ground and slid me across the concrete toward the edge. Hadn't I readjusted my grip to my toes, we all would've fallen. I could see over the edge of the building, watching Rora hold on to the boy, trying to comfort him.
"What's goin' on up there?!" Rora yelled followed by crying from the young boy.
"Problem," was all I could say before moving my head to dodge another punch. I searched for anything to see what I could drop the two on, and I thankfully found a pipe sticking out to drop the chain on for now.
"MIKA?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Rora yelled. "WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! THIS ISN'T EVEN ALLOWED! WE COULD POSSIBLY D-..." She stopped short of her panic, considering the sobbing "young boy" in her arms.
"That's the plan...for Ami anyway. I'd be more than happy to save you and the kid though. But Ami's gotta go. She's a troublemaker in our family and we can't let her ruin it anymore!"
I avoided another punch to the head by rolling to the left and angling the chain on the pipe.
"Keep holding him to balance your weight while I deal with this, Rora! Brace yourself!" I shouted before dropping the chain.
She let out a quick scream before it was cut short by the chain catching on to the pipe.
Rolling over and standing on my feet, I glared at a teary-faced Mika.
Confused, I didn't question it but rather... "We're in a life or death situation as we speak, and you wanna be in your feelings right now? C'mon, bruh, get your fucking priorities straight."
"My priorities are very straight, Ami. Can't you see? Your existence is a problem. You misfortune any and everyone you encounter. No one you know will know peace while you're still alive!"
"And what makes you think that?!"
Suddenly, Mika pulled out a blade from his costume pocket and pointed it towards me. His face, no...his whole head was sludged away, being replaced by a familiar female one with golden eyes and a maniacal grin.
"Because you're a little too close to my Izuku!"
"You..." I gave a tired face, "What are you doing here?" My eyes lit up, "Wait a minute...if you're here, then-"
"Dabi's not here...but he did let me borrow some of his Quirk if I needed to use it." She narrowed her eyes, "What's your relation to him?"
"Classified."
She pouted, "Aww, he won't tell me either!" she whined.
My brows furrowed in disbelief and frustration, "Did you come up here to gossip or to fight?! How did you even get in?! And what did you do to my cousin?!"
"Don't worry. I didn't come up here looking like this, your cousin is okay...out cold, but okay!" she giggled. "The reason why I came here...is to see where you stand with my Izuku?" She got into a fighting stance, "Do you love him?"
"If I say no, would you leave me alone?" I quickly asked her, smelling the rising fire.
"Of course! But...I have another question."
'For fuck's sake...'
"What?!" I growled.
"Why does he love you?"
She caught me off guard with that question, making me tilt my head. "Well, of course, he loves someone he can look up to. I'm like his big sister."
She kept her smile, "That's not what I meant, silly! Izuku loves you more than just that! I've only met you both once...or twice," she giggled, "But I know love when I see it! You can't tell? You're so dense!" She lunged at me, "How I would kill to have a guy like him love me! And that's exactly what I'm gonna do!"
Narrowly weaving each knife she swings at me, she almost traps me between a wall and herself until I headbutt her, making her stumble back.
"Owie! That hurts...I don't see the problem! I wanna be just like you, Kamilah! That's only because I love you," she gushed.
"I don't swing that way!" I yelled as I ran away from her on the now crumbling building.
I could feel the first floor crumble beneath our feet, I heard Furora scream again but she didn't sound any farther than where I had dropped her and the kid.
"But I most definitely swing your way, Kamilah, Ami...Milah-chan!" she happily purred. "I see why Izuku calls you that. It sounds so much better than the other nicknames! You know, it's cruel that you don't return the love he has for you! I can see it in his eyes! He's completely enamored by you!"
'So she's here for Izuku? Did she already make contact with him? She said she wasn't disguised like Mika when got inside so she disguised herself as someone else? I gotta warn the administrators!'
I put my fingers in the form of a shadow puppet and activated my ultimate move, F.O.X, "FATAL OVEREXTERTION!"
All of the energy I had was used to form that giant fox, the same one I made at the training camp. I emphasized the fox's scale to make it hold up the building with its nine tails.
Feeling a halt in the structure falling over, I took this opportunity to run past her. She managed to nick my shoulder before I intentionally dropped to the uneven floor and slid down onto the glass windows. On my way down, I grabbed the chain from the pipe that was about to shoot outward due to the pressure on it from the building's weight.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"VILLAIN'S HERE!"
"WHAT-"
With as much force as I could muster, I planted my feet into the fragile glass window and used Psyka to support the glass beneath my weight. My muscles flexed as I flung Rora and the kid as far as I could landing on one of the fox's tails, hoping Rora got enough sunlight earlier to use her Quirk.
"Angel's Trumpet!" I heard her shout in the distance, instantly making me grin.
I think that's one of her Quirk's, Flower Power, skills, the ability to grow a trumpet to catch people in its petals and spout them out at a safe level to the ground.
I released the giant fox into seven kits to spread out and make a shield so the debris wouldn't strike them or any nearby civilians.
The grin on my face was short-lived after I finally spat out the blood I kept down. I prepared for impact as I slid down and jumped a ways away to the entrance where the old lady was waiting nearby, but of course, she was gone.
I rolled onto the ground and used Psyka to stop my body in case I got hit by debris or metal. I felt weaker than normal and my vision got blurry when I stopped on my stomach. I chalked it up to the smoke and used Fatal Overexertion.
Once the building fell to the ground, the rumbling shook my body, and dirt and debris scattered everywhere as I curled into a ball to protect my face and hands. I started breathing heavily for some reason. I guess the anticipation of being crushed got to me.
Cautiously, I got up from whatever indent in the ground, trying to see through the smoke so I could make my way out. I put my hand over my mouth and coughed up some more blood, nearly choking on it for being lodged in my throat. This time, it was darker.
'Gotta get to the first aid station,' I grimaced.
As the smoke cleared, I could make out Rora's figure in the distance. She was far enough to not be hurt by the building's physical remains, but close enough to get dust in her eyes.
I limped towards her, mentally cursing myself for pulling a muscle while overdoing it in the fight inside.
Rora looked relieved when she saw me approaching...but her face soon turned into confusion, then shock...and fear took over her.
"Ami...?" I heard her mumble as I limped closer.
"What? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
She slowly shook her head, looking me over before keeping her stare on my midriff. Rora covered her mouth with her hand.
"Are you...okay?"
"Yeah...? What? You didn't think I'd survive? Hell, I wanna die, but I can't. Death hates it when I cheat her. Forget all that right now, we need to warn the administrators about Toga-"
She shakily nodded, taking careful steps towards me. "Y-Yeah...I know, but...you don't look so well. You...Can I escort you to the admins so they can know what to do? W-We'll let them know after you're taken care of."
I lifted a brow at her trembling voice, "It's fine. I just need first aid, then we can go tell," I summarized as I turned my head down to see if I looked that bad.
She reached her hand out to me, running near, "Wait! Don't!"
I don't have a fear of dying. I don't have a fear of pain.
I do have trauma. I do have some unknown unresolved therapeutic issues with a lot of blood.
And damn it, there was a lot of blood seeping from the scar that had reopened.
This time, there was no icicle. Instead, a metal wire was stuck inside. I hesitantly looked behind me to see a bit of it sticking out.
There was silence, the ringing silence pierced my ears again.
My shocked gaze moved back to a closing in Rora whose figure became blurry now and then.
I reached my hand out to her, unsure of what I wanted to grasp...whether it was her hand or some sort of hope. I'm unsure. My body stumbled back. I didn't feel in control of it anymore, I felt numb both physically and emotionally. No pain, just absolute shock to the point I want to scream, but I can't.
It's excruciating...remembering my failure to save my lover from the path he lights up himself when it should be me who guides him, a ghostlight, kitsunebi.
"...help..."
This time...my call for help wasn't for Toya but for myself.
With one last stumble backward, I fell on my back. Suddenly, the ringing silence faded into me hearing my hyperventilating and Rora's screams for help.
The blue sky was pretty. It's like deja vu but as double trouble. My sacrifice for my friends and kin by drowning my emotions...and Toya's supposed death by fire. Water and fire...
Why is life so cruel to me? I understand I'm cursed, but damn...give a fox a break.
"AMI!" Rora screamed, bringing me back to the current situation. "T-THEY'RE GONNA HELP! OKAY?! JUST...just...just stay calm. The medics will be here before you know it. Okay?"
While I was daydreaming, she had laid my head on her lap and kept applying pressure on my wound, trying to stop the blood.
I knew she said that just to calm herself. I'm not upset; this seems like Rora's first exposure to a dire wound in battle. As a sweet country girl living in the countryside, she was never exposed to a lot of terrible situations.
When I was younger, I made a promise with Aunt Koko to Furora away from me and Hakim's home when "Mama and Papa turn into scary people". Confused and concerned, Aunt Koko kept our promise. Unfortunately, there was no keeping Joon-Woo away from me after he imprinted on me and tasted my blood, the reason why Rika imprinted on me was to keep him in check.
"MILAH."
Hearing the familiar, yet rapid, stomps of combat boots, I slowly turned my head in the direction I heard the angry pomeranian's voice come from.
My eyes drifted up to a huffing blond, dilated eyes filled with panic. I know that red and its shades are a sign of anger and warning, but this was unusual coming from him.
I moved my left hand to gently pinch his cheek, surprisingly not angering him, but it surprised him with how casual I was in this situation. In response, he grabbed my hand while the other helped Rora apply pressure to the bleeding.
"Good. She can still move," Rora mentioned to him. "Keep talking to her."
"What the hell did you do, damn dummy?!" he shouted, making me wince.
"You're too loud. I know there's an off-switch in there somewhere. She's in shock so she's sensitive," Rora hissed.
Katsuki grumbled shortly before complying, not taking his eyes off me.
"In shock..." He huffed, "Did someone intentionally hurt you?"
My mind immediately raced to Mika...or rather, Himiko Toga, who was the indirect cause of my injury. I glanced around to see if I could find her...but nothing.
"Was it one of those twins?"
I managed to shrug my shoulders, deciding to not inform him of Toga's presence or he'd get jumpy.
I looked at a teary-eyed Rora and softly tapped her thigh to get her attention because she seemed so far away in her thoughts.
"Yeah?"
I lowered my right hand to the blood on my stomach and wrote what I could on the ground between us.
"Ami, stop that. You shouldn't move-" She read what I had written, "Inform admin" and "find Izuku, make safe"?"
"What about Deku? He has anything to do with this?" Katsuki was quick to set off to which I shook my head 'no' as fast as I could, eventually making me dizzy and lay my head back on the ground.
"Easy, girl," Rora told me. "As soon as we get some professional help, then I'll go do as you ask. Alright?"
"Step aside, please," an approaching person announced, I assumed they were a medical assistant.
"No way in hell!" Katsuki barked.
"Bakugo, right? Do as he says. There's nothing we can do for Ami."
Katsuki gritted his teeth, "..." This is the most infuriated and devastated I've ever seen him. I almost feel bad for causing him to worry...
Almost.
"It's okay," an abrupt word from Aunt Yuiko. She sat next to Rora, applying pressure with both hands from a different, but effective spot. "Let the medics and I handle it."
Rora nodded, then looked back at me and the message I left her before standing and running out of my view.
Aunt Yui looked at a distraught Katsuki with a calm smile, "She will be fine, Katsuki-kun. Trust me."
Auntie took Rora's place, gently placing my head on her white soft skirt I'm sure got stained with blood and dirt.
She sighed, looking up from me at Katsuki, "I'm sure if I told you to leave, you'd fight me tooth and nail about her." She looked at the medics as they prepared a gurney, "Can he please stay?"
"What's the relationship with Miss Shimizu?" one of them questioned.
"Fri- She cut him off.
"Childhood friend going on boyfriend. He knows how she is, and it's best you let him stay here to keep her conscious and responsive," she strictly affirmed.
If I had the energy, I'd cuss out my Auntie, but I don't so that left Katsuki to look clueless and lost.
As he was moved further up to let the medics do what they needed to do, I noticed he didn't let go of my hand this whole time.
"Hey, Doc, how did you know we-"
"Ka...Katsu..." I managed to whisper.
With all the commotion and the murmurs of students from different schools, he surprisingly heard me and immediately regripped my hand to assure me he was listening.
"Hm?"
I made a tiny smile, "N..not...d-...dying."
The response I received was the one I was hoping for. I got him to crack a smile, a wicked one, but I still achieved it.
"You think you got time to be making jokes right now? Crazy Fox..."
"Nnn...nuh-uh...no..."
"Then why make one, huh?" he challenged.
I drowsily swung my head, "No...not...that. Ca...call me...gain..."
"What?"
"Dr. Chinen, the morphine's working. We'll be able to transport her soon."
"Okay, good," was all I heard until all I could focus on was Katsuki.
"What do you mean, Fox?"
"Mi...a... Call...m...Milah...'gain. Pl-please..."
"..."
"...Plea...?"
"Let the meds knock you out already...Milah."
With the sluggish muscles that still worked on my lips, I gave him one last smile before passing out to get high on that oh-so-good morphine.
A/N:
"Hija" translates to "daughter" in Spanish.
"Hijo" translates to "son" in Spanish.
"Hijas" translates to "children" in Spanish.
"Sa'zhir lak 'ufdil mimaa 'astatie 'an 'aqul lak 'anah ghayr maequlin" translates to "I'll show you better than I can tell you that he's unreasonable" in Arabic.
"Habibi" translates to "my love" in Arabic.
"Kulu shay' yasir wifqan lilkhutat almawdueati" translates to "Everything is going according to plan".
Furora Shimizu's costume: h, t, t, p s : / / i. pin img . "com" / 736x / 75 / 70 / 2d / 7570 2de4 8d61 50c9 fce0 ad21 1b33 48b8 . jpg
I'm so sorry for the dark part in Jameela's perspective. I thought that if I was going to include key character's perspectives, why not add her to the mix? I think this is the first time I've expanded on a "bad guy's" point of view and it scares me how easily I can just tap into dark thoughts like that. The decision for Jameela's P.O.V wasn't even planned, it just happened. Normally, I don't want to get into the nitty gritty intentions of what the opp has planned for my main characters, but I'm doing it for this story. From here on out, I think I'm going to make this story a bit more darker.
Another thing, I put a few pop culture references in this chapter. The next chapter will be a roller coaster so mentally prepare. One last thing, I plan to include the constant upkeep of mentioning Quirks my characters possess because I feel that I'm not including them enough.