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?

17. Reverse Psychology

I have derailed. I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know where to go for help.

Can someone save me?

"Hm? Are you...?"

'Hello? Who's there?'

"Hey, c'mon, wake up, aegiya."

'Who's voice is that? I don't recognize it...'

"Please, wake up. I don't know what else to do without you..."

'Huh? They sound sad. Why do they need me to wake up? It's so serene here in the darkness.'

"Ami..."

Hearing that familiar voice sing my name made me flutter my eyes open. It's like I was reliving that day all over again.

My head felt clear. It felt like I didn't have any weight on my shoulders. Where have I been? How long have I been asleep? Why didn't anyone wake me up? Where's Toya?

I could've sworn I heard his voice somewhere in my sleep.

Sitting up from whoever I was laid against, I looked around to see where I was. Everything was moving. Trees and homes were passing me by. My hair flew in the wind and it felt relaxing, but not so much with the quiet mini panic attack I was having.

Looking down at my body, I noticed my hands pressed against a school uniform-clad chest. Wait a minute...this person isn't small like me, they're not wearing a male junior high uniform so...are they in high school?

Looking up at the person to get a good visual of their face, I was puzzled by the man holding me close with one hand while the other stirred the vehicle we were on.

He smiled down at me, tears gathering in his eyes.

"Thank goodness, you're okay. I was super worried you wouldn't wake up. Don't scare me like that again."

I tilted my head in curiosity, "Excuse me, sir...but I don't recognize you. Are you currently making an attempt to kidnap me?"

My question startled him, letting his intentions be known to me. He tried to explain something, but I blocked him out. Adjusting my eyes to the rushing surroundings, I searched for a safe way to exit this fast-moving demon.

Joon would call it that because it moves just as fast as he does.

I jumped at an epiphany, looking at the tall buildings in the distance. 'Wait...I don't recognize this place. This is a city which means...I'm a long way from home. My kidnapper got this far and no one was able to catch him?! So much for a prestigious shogunate hero family...'

Deciding I had enough of this foolery, I stood up on what looked like a black leather seat cover and bit the man's cheek.

"OW! WHAT WAS THAT-"

I lept off the moving vehicle mid-air. Bracing for impact, I tumbled onto some nearby grass.

I got back on my feet and looked at my clean hands, 'It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Does this have something to do with my Quirk?'

"HEY! GET BACK HERE! YOU CAN'T JUST GO JUMPING OFF OF MOTORCYCLES! YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN HURT! OR WORSE, DIE!" the man crankily yelled, turning the vehicle back around and sped it at me.

Taking off in an open direction, I pushed my little legs as fast as possible. To make it difficult for my recapture, I jumped onto some neighborhood walls and into different backyards.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOTTEN INTO YOU?! COME BACK!" the man shouted, probably taking a different route to get to me.

'Why would I do that when you haven't even explained to me who you are? For all I know, you could be pretending to care about me. I've never seen that man a day in my life.'

Seeing a tall glass weirdly shaped building up ahead, I made the turns to get to it. For some reason, I felt like I'd receive help there if I went. I don't what it is or who lives...or operates in it, but I had a feeling I'd get the help I need.

When I approached the building, it was sealed off by a gate. It was taller than the ones I jumped at home, but I'm pretty sure I could make it over.

"HEY!"

Once I heard the man's voice, I noticed some pretty blue sparks surround me and I found myself already squatting, jumping in the air. Those gymnastic lessons Mama put me in came in handy because my back barely grazed the metal bars.

I felt like I was floating...levitating maybe? Maybe even flying?

The moment was short-lived as soon as I landed back on my feet, but it felt freeing. The bars separated me from the approaching man so I dashed it into the grounds near the big building.

When I got ways down the sidewalk, I wasn't expecting a bunch of people moving about with a lot of...technical equipment, food, signs, and...costumes.

'What is going on here? Should I not have trusted my gut feeling? No matter, I'll make do with what I can. Maybe ask one of these people for directions so I can get back home...?'

Despite my constant use of "excuse me" and "do you have a moment?", it's like no one heard me or even saw me for that matter. Were they so enamored with what they were doing that they didn't notice me? Or was I just too small and quiet?

Whatever it was, I didn't like this...feeling ignored. It reminded me of grade school all over again in Iwaizumi. Wait...didn't I move? I...think I did. It's been such a blur...yeah, I do remember moving down here. I met people here, too. Toya and then...who else?'

While I got lost in my thoughts, I found myself wandering around as well. Since everyone was too wrapped up in what they were doing, I got home off to the side and decided to enjoy the pretty colors and lights around me.

I wanted to enjoy these nice things...before I had to go back home to Mama. When Hakim would be off with friends or at cram school, or Uncle Norio was on patrol...things at home with her weren't so colorful.

Shaking my head from the gloomy thoughts, I wandered around some more, witnessing...

'Oh...these are students. High school students. Then...this must be a school festival of some sort. Hakim did tell me that there were events like that and school sports festivals in middle and high schools.' I giggled, 'I can't wait to experience that with Midoriya-kun.'

Midoriya? Who is...! Oh! Midoriya-kun! Izuku Midoriya! How could I forget about the kid that followed me home and obsessed over me having hero "parents"?!

Remembering what he told me about not wanting me to get kidnapped made me giggle at the memory. So much for that. He ended up letting me get kidnapped anyway. I wonder where he's at now...

Then there was that mean kid, Bakugo. Right, I'm starting to remember the people I met here in Shi-...Shizuoka! He may be a pain, but I know he's got a soft spot beneath that tough exterior. If he'd stop bullying Izuku, he can't honestly be all that bad...

'I feel like I'm forgetting a lot of stuff lately. Maybe that man drugged me with something. Was there someone else I was supposed to remember?'

Shrugging off the worrying thoughts, I continued to witness people play games, win prizes, experience mini-events, and eat delicious foods I wanted to try so badly!

'This is so fun! I wish I could participate!'

"Little girl?"

Turning around to the shadow overcasting me, I looked up to see a gloomy man. He has dark hair, sharp black eyes, pointy ears, and a sad expression.

"Are you okay? Where are your parents?" he gently asked.

"...You noticed me?" I uttered, surprised by his attention.

He nodded, squatting down to my level, "You may be wearing a white kimono and have your hair covering your face, but I don't think you're a part of the haunted house attraction."

Suddenly, I felt fuzzy on the inside and shy. My face felt warm, too. He was...kind...and kinda funny.

"You didn't answer earlier. Are you okay?"

I nodded confidently, "Yes. I'm okay."

"And where are your parents?"

"I don't know...but right now, I don't care. I'm having a lot of fun here! But eventually...I will have to go home."

"Oh...well, what's your name?" he asked curiously.

"Oh!" I gasped, flipping my floor-length hair from the front of my face to the back, and bowed my head respectfully. "My name is Kamilah Shimizu. I'm 10 years old, I'm home-schooled, and I have three-er...maybe, four, friends. So...what do I call you, Mister?"

---

Ever since I told Mister Tama my name, he's been acting strange. I didn't know the guy well to begin with, but he seemed especially careful with me all day.

He played games and won prizes for me and he bought me delicious treats and savory foods. He even let me change into a prettier kimono in a dressing stall than the one I was wearing.

He was so gentle, attentive, caring, and good towards me the whole day. I was happy...but all good things have to come to an end sometime.

The sun was setting. We watched it for a while until he said he had to go get somebody. He promised me he would come right back for me.

'Today was fun...' My shoulders sagged and my head lowered, 'I wished it could've lasted longer. I don't wanna go back home.'

Straightening my posture, I slapped my hands on my cheeks, trying to cheer myself up.

"Don't be sad, Ami. Smile...just like Mama told you to. Smile through the sadness and the pain...it'll be better for me, it'll be better for eveyone."

A shadow swallowed my body whole and I looked up giddily, expecting to see my Prince Charming looming over me like the gloomy...well, shy and gentle soul he was.

"Tama-...ki?" My smile slowly faded upon seeing a familiar face, but he was...

"...Midori-...Izuku?"

"It really is you," he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath all while keeping his eyes on me filled with bewilderment.

Why was he older?

---

I'm unsure of where I was taken, but I held tight to Izuku as he carried me in his arms like a princess.

Izuku didn't come alone either. He was acquainted with an outgoing, tall blond man named "Mirio", a taller and scary man he said was his teacher, named "Mister Aizawa".

I trust Izuku. He knows what's going on and he knows what to do...right? I am a little scared of what's happening, but I refuse to voice it.

Izuku sat me down on a couch in what looked to be a living room. There were a few strangers around, I didn't know who any of these staring strangers. According to Izuku, they're his classmates.

"I need two people to find Bakugo and Todoroki," Mister Aizawa voiced to his...students, I think.

'Bakugo...? Katsuki...Katsu is here, too?' I thought, looking around for the angry pomeranian to be barking somewhere.

"On it!" A redhead with sharp teeth volunteered.

"I'll find Kacchan-" Izuku said, about to get up from beside me, but I clung onto him.

"Don't leave me...please?" I asked, looking up at him with a convincing sad face.

"Awww, don't leave her, Deku! She's so cute!" a chubby brown-haired girl exclaimed, charmed by my appearance.

"Stay with her, Midoriya. You're the only one she recognizes. I'll find Bakugo," a tall boy with glasses...and engines in his legs told him.

"Okay." Izuku looked down at me, placed his hands on my shoulders, and gave me an assuring squeeze. "I won't leave you, Milah-chan."

Mister Aizawa looked me over questionably, "Shimizu, do you know who I am?" he asked.

My fist tightened on Izuku's shirt, "I don't know who you are...but I do know you're scarier than my kidnapper," I spoke with no regrets.

"Wait, you were kidnapped?" Mister Tama asked, sounding panicked. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier, Shimizu?"

I looked at him in distress, "I didn't want you to worry you. And that's "Ami" to you, Prince Charming!"

"P-Prince...Charming?" Izuku questioned, sounding baffled.

"Yes! He found me when I was at my lowest so therefore he's my Prince Charming. He gets the special privilege to call me by my childhood name too," I assured him with a firm nod of my head and crossed arms.

"Whoa, better live up to her standards...Prince Tamaki," "Mirio" teased the shying away boy.

"Prince Charming, huh?" Izuku nervously chuckled.

I looked up at him and held his giant hand, "You don't need to be jealous, Izuku. Tamaki may be my Prince, but you're...my cinnamon roll." My shyness was replaced with happiness, "Ya know? Because you're just so sweet, I could dip you in my cocoa and just eat you up!"

When Izuku didn't respond immediately, I worriedly looked up to see his reaction to my confession. His face was cherry red and his eyes were endless swirls.

"Y-You n-never s-s-aid that last part before," he stuttered, seemingly short-circuiting.

I blinked, "I don't know what you mean, but okay."

"You two are really close, huh? If this is how you two were when you were kids, I wonder what it's like now," a boy with...Pikachu's design in his hair spoke.

He was jabbed by a girl with...earphones for ears?

Izuku recollected himself, "Actually, Milah-chan was never this open and high-spirited at the age of ten." He looked down at me with a worried face, "Something's...not right," he muttered and I tilted my head like a curious puppy.

"MOVE IT!" a booming voice announced.

Before I knew it, there was a fuming tall angry pomeranian in front of me. He looked like he usually does, ready to murder someone. But he was older, too...?

'I don't understand why they're older. No one's telling me anything. I need to find an opportunity to ask.'

"Kacchan, please, be gentle with Milah-chan. She lost most of her memory and she's reverted back into a-"

"I can see that," he interrupted.

The blond walked to different spots, I'm assuming he was looking at me from different angles and probably trying to figure out how to...I don't know, talk to me, I guess?

"How old is she?"

"She's ten," Izuku answered.

A conniving grin slid on his face, "Really...? You remember me, Fox?"

"Oh, Katsu..." I lifted my right scarred hand with a hand, "How could I forget?"

"Katsu"?" a pretty pink-skinned and pink-haired girl asked. "I've never heard that one before. Don't let her stroke your ego, Bakugo," she sang to which he responded by mean mugging her.

"Whoa, you did that, Bakubro?" the redhead with shark teeth asked. "I always wondered why she had it wrapped."

"It's okay! It didn't hurt!" I reassured him, but he didn't look convinced. "I don't feel a lot of pain. Besides, I like to think of this scar as the beginning of our fr-..." I blinked, confused. "Fri-...why can't I...? Why can't I say it? Frie-" I choked on the word I tried to say. "Wha...What's wrong with me?"

"Yep, the Shimizu we know is still in there somewhere," the pretty pink girl sighed with an amused smirk.

"Friendship?" Izuku suggested and I snapped my finger at him.

"Yes! That word...ifyoucanevenreallycallitthat," I spouted before covering my mouth with both hands.

"Oh my gosh, this is so cute!" a chubby brown-haired girl cheered.

"This is not cute, Round Cheeks!" Katsuki shouted at her.

"Hey...what about me?"

My attention turned to a peppermint-haired boy. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me when I set my eyes on him. He was so attractive even with the scar over his eye.

"Wow..." I mumbled.

"Don't "wow" him!" Katsuki shouted.

"Did...did it hurt?"

The peppermint boy tilted his head, curious about my question. "Did what hurt?"

"Ya know...did it hurt?" I tried to bait him in.

He seemed to understand what I meant, then smoothed his fingers below his left eye, "Oh, you're talking about that? For a little-"

I shook my head, "No, not that. I was asking did it hurt...when you fell from heaven?"

The only reason why I asked them that is because I heard the teenage boys say that to the teenage girls in my neighborhood. I hoped it worked on Peppermint Boy.

He hummed in question, obviously muddled, "..."

My eyes beamed up at him, "Shall I take your silence as confirmation of you being an angel? If that's the case, you're really handsome!"

"Milah-chan, you shouldn't randomly ask people that even if you do know them," Izuku lightly reprimanded me.

"She's so bold...but so adorable!" the chubby, brown-haired girl squealed.

I gave him a baffled look, "Izuku, what are you talking about? "Randomly ask people that even if I do know them"? Oh!" I returned my attention to Peppermint Boy. "About your question...no, I don't know who you are, Mister Angel."

He looked really sad when I answered, "I see..."

"HAH!" Katsuki laughed at Mister Angel's sad state.

Flailing my arms in worry at Mister Angel's sadness, I let go of Izuku's shirt and jumped down from the couch. He was too lovely and celestial to be sad.

I bowed my head in apology, "I'm sorry I don't remember you! Maybe if you tell me your name, I might remember!" I encouraged him.

He looked like he regained some hope, "...It's Shoto..."

"Shoto? That's a nice name. I like it-"

"Shoto Todoroki...but you can call me Shoto," he offered with the tiniest of smiles.

"..." I tilted my head in curiosity again, "Shoto...Todoroki? Wait a minute. I don't understand. He never...mentioned you, I don't think...?" I grasped my head, feeling an ache, "My head...hurts..." I muttered lowly.

His sadness turned serious now, "Who never mentioned me?"

"Well, you see, I have a friend-...well..." I blushed and placed my hands on my cheeks, shaking my head from the fuzzy feelings, "He's not quite a friend, but I guess, my boyfriend? I don't know, we haven't defined it just yet! Anyway! He has the same last name as you. He's the first friend I made since moving to Shizuoka...but I hadn't seen him in a while," I whined.

He seemed interested in what I said, "Oh, yeah? What's his name?"

I beamed up at Shoto, "Have you heard of Toya Todoroki?"

The expression that crossed Shoto's face was...extremely unsettling. He looked down at me like I did...or said something wrong.

"Todoroki?" Izuku called. "What's wrong? Do you know who she's talking about?"

---

I found her.

I was right to assume the Snow Fox was her.

There was a blizzard that night, but I remember her blue eyes. If she wore a white fur coat, I'm sure she'd look how she did all those years ago.

According to Shinto, white foxes ward off evil and sometimes serve as guardian spirits; they belong to Inari, the goddess of agriculture, prosperity, and success.

'As happy as that makes me, I can't let speculation prove this. I'll have to get Kamilah alone and make her tell me more about...the "Toya" she knows. I'll find out if she is a white fox...or a nogitsune.'

Not only was I happy...but I was also angry, and upset, and I felt like my trust was betrayed.

'If Kamilah was involved with Toya's death if she was there to hurt him or kill him...if she knew about me, Toya, and my family this whole time...and didn't let me know... If whatever Dr. Chinen was trying to tell me had anything to do with Kamilah being involved with Toya...'

I might just-

"Todoroki?" Midoriya called.

'But for right now...'

"What's wrong? Do you know who she's talking about?"

I shook my head, "No...I don't know anyone by that name," I responded quietly. "Our last names...must be a coincidence..." I brushed it off.

Kamilah sulked, "Mmm...I was hoping you both were related. Even though you're not...you look a little familiar. I haven't seen Toya in so long... I miss him..." she wept.

It was difficult...to not betray my emotions from the response I gave. That simply has to confirm it.

Kamilah moved to Shizuoka when she was four, and I didn't meet her until sometime after we were seven. The way she talks about him isn't deceitful or ill-intended. Though she's ten years old right now, the look in her eyes says it all. She likes Toya...and she always has.

This explains why she knew the route to my home whenever she tried to sneak me out. This explains why she knows how to control fire so well. This HAS to explain what she always said..."I've played with hotter fire".

If she does like him, if they were close...and he shared everything with her about him, our family, then...

'I've been...so emotionally broken, aloof, and out of place that I didn't realize Kamilah's been playing me like a fool...She been faking and lying to me this whole time.'

Then the reason why Kamilah is playing around with me, the reason why she can't easily let go of her hatred towards me is because she wants the same thing Toya wants...no, wanted.

I placed his hand on top of her head. It's like my prior expression was never there in the first place.

Kamilah looked like she wanted to ask me about it, but I think she thought I resolved whatever I was thinking about because I managed a smile. Little does she know, I...

"It's okay, Kamilah. I'm sure you'll see this person again."

She probably knew I was lying because the smile on my face didn't reach my eyes.

Though her personality is not the same as she had when she was ten, she's always been smart, and learning from Dr. Chinen, she'll know when someone's lying. Of course, a liar can tell when someone else is lying.

Unexpectedly, she nodded her head in understanding. Despite losing her memory, I guess she's playing it safe for now.

"Milah-chan, what was the last thing you remember?" Midoriya found an opportunity to ask her.

"Hmm..." She closed my eyes to get a better picture, "A devil man with horns woke me up and I think he was trying to kidnap me so I escaped him."

"A devil man with horns?" he questioned, then he seemed to get an idea. "I don't think the man you were with was trying to kidnap you."

She tilted her head again, "What do you mean?"

'I wonder if that's a tactic to make her look more charming or to make her look like she's playing dumb...' The bitter thought crossed my mind.

"You didn't recognize him?" I asked her, knowing exactly who she was talking about.

"No, not at all. Do you know who the devil man is?"

"He's your childhood friend, Joon-Woo Fujisaki."

Her hair went into a frenzy due to the accidental use of her Quirk.

"That man was not Joon-Woo! He had to be an imposter! Though a devil. my Joonie has a baby face and is kind to me!"

"Well, if anytime he called you "Ami" during your escape, then that might've been him," I told her.

"..." She kept an alert face, "Oh, no...I left my childhood friend behind! I hope he isn't mad at me. The next time I see him, I'll have to apologize."

"Do you think he knows more about your current situation?" Mister Aizawa asked her.

"I think he was going to tell me about it," she murmured in sorrow. "But I didn't listen because I thought he was trying to kidnap me. Mama told me and big brother to never talk to strangers..."

"Well, it's good you know that," Midoriya praised her and patted her on the head to which she responded with glee.

"Todoroki, can you get into contact with this Fujisaki?" Mister Aizawa asked me, but I shook my head.

"No. I never got his phone number...but if Kamilah was with him last, then she must have left her cellphone with him." I got the device from my pocket, not wasting any time calling her number.

I was hoping Fujisaki would pick up her phone. I felt indifferent to him, but we do-...or, did have something in common: our overprotectiveness about Kamilah.

Putting it on speaker, it rang multiple times. The air was tense and the anticipation was killing me...

["Hi, this is Kamilah! Either I'm busy with school, friends, or fam, or I'm tryna not die! Call ya back later!"]

There was silence after the beep, but I ended the call and scrolled through my contacts to see who else I could call. I was a little surprised she let her Kesen dialect slip.

"...She never had a voicemail before so she must've recorded that recently..." Midoriya mumbled through the tense quiet, seemingly embarrassed.

"Wow! That's what I sound like?!" Kamilah bounced up and down on the couch before she jumped onto her sock-covered feet. "I guess I grew out of my shyness of talking regularly around city folk! Wait just a minute! I want to know what's going on!"

"Ah, it's complicated..." Midoriya told her.

"I'm complicated," she huffed. "I may be a child, but I'm smart enough to see that things are clearly not right. You said it yourself, Izu, "Something's not right", remember?"

"Midoriya," Mister Aizawa called on him in a scolding tone.

"In my defense, even if I didn't say anything, she would've figured out something is wrong anyway," Midoriya matter-of-factly spoke.

"At this age, she's really smart and intuitive, Mister Aizawa. Give her some credit," I nonchalantly spoke. "And be careful with her."

"Never know what the Fox got up her sleeve," Bakugo commented.

"...It sounds like we've all become great friends," she meekly spoke.

Bakugo didn't look astounded to hear that from her, "We're not-"

"I'm relieved. I was afraid I'd never be able to make friends again," she cut Bakugo off, then she shook her head, "But that's besides the point!" She pointed at Midoriya and Bakugo, "Why are y'all big? And why am I small?! I know growth spurts don't hit that hard!"

"She's...so cute with her little dialect," Uraraka squealed.

She pointed her tiny finger at her, "And I ain't cute, damn it!"

Uraraka quickly shrunk in on herself.

"Now, Milah-chan, that's not ni-"

She gave Midoriya a sharp glare which made him shrink on himself as well.

She stood up on the couch, hands on her hips, "Looka here! Ion know what's goin' on, but I want answers! NOW! Y'all don't think I know how this works? I grew up 'round heroes all my life so I know it's reasonable to withhold information from a child who doesn't understand the distressing situation they're in. From what I've already gathered..." Kamilah looked herself over in the darkness of the reflection of the TV across from the couch. "I'm not 'posed to be this tiny...so it might've been a Quirk accident or somethin'." She looked at Midoriya and Bakugo, "Judging from both of y'all's reactions, this ain't how I usually acted for my age." She flinched, placing her hand on top of her head, "...My head keeps hurtin'...like I'm tryna remember somethin'."

"That's great and all, Milah-chan, but don't hurt yourself trying to do everything yourself. You've made that a bad hab-:

"You callin' the kettle black, Izu?" Kamilah shut him down again, making Midoriya bring on an annoyed expression. "It's in ya nature to do the same."

"..." Midoriya didn't, or rather, couldn't say anything back to her statement.

"What exactly did your family teach you at this age?" Bakugo questioned, making all of us present wonder where he was going with this.

Midoriya looked at me and beckoned me over with his finger, he whispered for me to call a certain number and I agreed.

Just then, I finally got someone to pick up my call.

---

I glanced at the older Katsuki, '...They taught me...what not to do...by genuinely displaying it themselves towards one another,' I thought to myself.

I shook my head in refusal to answer, "Whatever is going on right now, I'm sure my older...or future, self is handling-"

Images of my family vacation home flashed through my head.

["Hello?"] a feminine voice rang throughout the living space.

Noticing the couch feeling lighter, I looked up to see Izuku standing next to Shoto, who was holding a cell phone, with a relieved expression.

"Dr. Chinen?"

"Auntie?"

Our voices synchronized.

["Wha-...Midoriya? Is that you? You know, calling me from a different phone number, no less Todoroki's, will make me give you any other answer I gave you before."]

"...Just how did they get Dr. Hot Babe's number?" the Pikachu-looking boy asked the scary redhead, who shrugged in response.

"Yes, I know, Doctor. But this is urgent." Izuku looked past the phone to me, "Are you aware of your niece or nephew's whereabouts?"

She sighed, ["If that's your way of trying to get me to tell you where she is, you need to work on your interrogation skills."]

A complacent smile, something very much unlike Izuku, crossed his face for a few seconds.

"I don't think I need to. Somehow...Kamilah found herself back to U.A. and I was hoping you'd have any information on that? I thought she was away on a "family emergency". That's what Principal Nezu told all of us students, right?"

["...Sh...She's...there...?"]

"Yes."

["With you?"]

"Yes, along with some of my classmates and Mister Aizawa."

["Right now?"]

I jumped off the couch and up to the two tall boys, "Auntie!"

["What? Wait...Ami? Is that her? What happened to her voice?"]

"Shimizu was under the impression she was kidnapped, but apparently, she was with a childhood friend by the name of Joon-Woo Fujisaki when she "woke up". She's also reverted into a ten year old child. Not only that, but her memories and personality have switched and are seemingly misplaced. Any clues on how that happened, Doctor?" Mister Aizawa summarized.

["I...I have no idea. This is a lot to process. Give me a sec."]

There was background chatter, some noticeable names like "Rio", "Li", and "Zurui"-

My eyes went wide, "Da-" I clamped my mouth shut, feeling like I shouldn't say that aloud.

Why did I feel that way? Wait...what happened to Dad? I don't remember. Wasn't I just in his arms? He looked so sad the last time I saw him... I hope he's okay.

["...If there's a TV nearby, please, turn it on and go to the nearest news channel,"] Auntie gravely stated. ["I had no idea any of this was going on until just now, none of my immediate family did."]

Katsu was quick to pick up the remote on the table turn it on and switch the channels to whatever number.

The place that had flashed in my mind was on the TV screen...burning in blue flames.

["Just hours ago, the Shimizu family vacation home went up in blue flames. Some eyewitnesses spotted a fight going on between three individuals. Two other people showed up at the scene just before the fire. It has been heavily suspected that the villain, Dabi, was involved. Psychic hero: Hatif was on the scene at the time and has sustained burn injuries of the 2nd degree. He and another individual, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, were taken to a private hospital for treatment. Locals suspect that the reason why the potential villain, Dabi, was in Iwaizumi, the Iwate Prefecture, is because of Kamilah Shimizu. Months ago, she was abducted from a Training Camp in the Beast's Forest by the League of Villains for recruitment. It is believed among the locals that the group still wants her for recruitment, this has led the community to be suspicious and untrustworthy of the Shimizu family. Here are some of there statements."]

The screen cut from the woman reporter and to a disturbed middle-aged couple.

["The Shimizu's stayed here years ago and we were weary of them since the arrival of Kassandra, especially after the youngest girl told all of the neighborhood children her father was a villain and how her mother made him "good","] the man spoke.

["Who just lets their child go around saying stuff like that? I wouldn't be surprised if that girl did join the League of Villains,"] the woman said. ["And her mother, Jameela Shimizu? Not good either. Not only did she always give me and my husband ugly looks, but also her own children, as if disappointed in them, especially the eldest, Hakim. I also wouldn't be surprised if her daughter stabbed her eyes out."]

"Honey! You can't say that!" the husband exclaimed.

The world...felt like it was going in slow motion. What happened? What did my future/older self do? What...did my mother say or do for me to...stab her eyes out...if that's even the case?

'I...what? What did I do? I don't understand...'

Yes, I didn't understand...but the giddy feeling of my mother possibly being hurt by me for once has come to fruition...

Nothing was more difficult than suppressing the ends of my lips from curving up.

The screen cut to three teenage boys...seemingly the same age as Izuku and Katsuki.

["Shimizu...? Oh, I remember her! The weird girl!" I didn't have any beef with her, her bro and I were cool,"] one of them exclaimed cheerily.

["I've got nothing good to say about her or her family so I'm keeping my opinions to myself. I just know she's a liar,"] the second one murmured.

["She got my cousin and uncle locked up recently from a case the authorities recently reopened concerning her being "bullied". He and his friends, as well as their parents, were found guilty! It wasn't their fault! If anything, she, her brother you all call a "hero", Joon-Woo and Rika Fujisaki were all in on it. Shimizu is a manipulator. She's not a good person, I'll tell you that."]

Once again, the screen cut to an elderly woman.

["The Shimizu family were nice from what I experienced and saw. However, after the bullying and attempted drowning incident, I was concerned for the little one, Kamilah. She kept a grim look. No child should ever wear such an expression. The father, Norio, is a gentle soul, but his wife? How could she call herself a hero for letting her child look so hopeless? Well, with what recently happened at that hero school, what's done in the dark will come to light."]

The camera panned to a younger woman just standing out of the shot.

["No, no, grandmother. Your memory is all foggy. Mister Norio isn't the father of the girl. That would be Mister Zurui...you know...the one who suddenly disappeared? He and Mister Norio are brothers."]

["Hmm...oh, yes. Now, I remember! Now that I do...What a scandal, I feel bad for the children for their mother consummating with two different men, who share the same blood. Such dishonor, disgrace, and humiliation, I tell you."]

The screen finally cut back to the reporter, slowly shaking her head at the comments and opinions about me and my family.

["There are people uneasy and weary of the Shimizu family. Though undisclosed, it is widely believed that Kamilah Shimizu is the one who stabbed her mother in the eyes, Jameela Shimizu, or psychic hero: Kassandra. Because they're not opening up to conferences or answering questions, the public now distrusts all of the Shimizu family. All members of the family serving citizens as heroes have been temporarily decommissioned by the Hero Public Safety Commission. Some people believe Kamilah Shimizu is the U.A. traitor despite not being able to explain her nonpresence post-Sports Festival. Others believe she has a vendetta against her family and wants to drag them all down with her for all the alleged "abuse" and/or "misuse". As you heard, many out there are curious about the youngest child's father. It has been speculated that her father's past has-"]

The reporter stopped mid-sentence, looking away from the camera and off to the side, where a man approached her, holding some files, and whispered to the woman.

She gave a nod to the man after taking the papers, and he ran off-screen.

["I...I'm sorry. There's been some recently updated information."] She looked down at the papers, ["There have been recent reports that Jameela Shimizu, or Psychic hero: Kassandra, has been charged with multiple misdemeanors and crimes concerning her children, current husband, cousin-in-law, and ex-husband, Zurui Shimizu."]

"...Papa?" I mumbled, slowly walking toward the TV, entranced by what the woman had to say.

["Shimizu...or rather, the newly divorced An-Nur, will be seen in court to determine her fate with the secret abuse she has dealt to her family. Zurui Shimizu, an ex-hero and ex-villain, who was surprisingly released from Tartarus after his case was reopened, was open to a conference with reporters. He had this to say around the same time the Shimizu vacation home was lit aflame. Because of the new update, there wasn't any time to cover the inappropiate language in this clip. Viewer discretion is advised."]

The screen cut to...the man who I barely remember. His purple hair was long but put up into a ponytail, he looked like he got a recent shave and he was well-dressed in a white short-sleeve button-up, and blue jeans from what I could see at the podium he was standing at.

Despite this, he looked tired, and not like the happy man's smile I could see in my memories.

Auntie, dressed in her usual black dress and white doctor's coat, stood in the back with Uncle Norio dressed in his hero costume. Seeing all of this made me feel dizzy and uncertain, hoping whatever Papa said wouldn't jeopardize him.

The audience of reporters was running wild with calling him "Mr. Shimizu" and asking questions regardless of his not picking on anyone.

["Mr. Shimizu! Is it true you kidnapped your daughter?!"]

["Sir, why did you become a villain?! Did someone pay you to do the crimes you committed or was it self-desire?"]

["Excuse me, Mr. Shimizu, your nephew and daughter attended and are currently attending U.A. High School. Because of your history, do you think she'll continue to be accepted there?"]

["One at a time, please,"] Uncle Rio spoke.

Papa raised his hand at his brother and shook his head. Uncle Rio seemed hesitant to back down, but he was coaxed into doing so with a look from Auntie Yui.

Papa looked back at the audience, or rather, the camera.

["No matter what I say will make a difference in how Japan sees me. Regardless of any outcome, I'm the bad guy. I don't need anyone else's validation or approval other than the judge of our case to have custody of my daughter. For any caring and loving parent out there, let me ask you this..."]

No one decided to ask a question.

["You'd do anything to keep your child safe, right? Even if it's kidnapping them from the other parent who was toxic, mentally ill, heavily medicated, and physically, emotionally, and verbally abusive?"]

Still, no responses.

["That's your hero, remember? Kassandra. Most would call me a liar, but I have nothing to lie about. Why would I lie? To get back at her? Just this morning, I threw my old wedding ring at her and told her she could keep it. Yes...I hate her, but not for her having me end up in Tartarus prison. I hate her because of what she did to my daughter, my nephew...my brother, my cousin...even my parents, and sorry-ass family. Ion like some of 'em, but they didn't deserve what Jameela said to them."]

Auntie got visibly upset at his choice of words. Uncle Rio gave her a "let him say what he needs to say" face.

["What I'm tryna say is...I just want to be with my family in their time of need."]

Assuming a person raised their hand, Father nodded at them.

["Mr. Shimizu, I share your sentiments about your family, but...don't you think that being with them will jeopardize them even more? I'm sure you regret your past decisions, but public opinion will not be easy to sway. What will you do? I don't think it's possible to re-enter the hero field would make up for your crimes."]

Papa blinked once, tilted his head, then he blinked again, ["I don't care about public opinion. I also don't care to become a pro-hero again, I know for a fact that's obsolete now. As for jeopardizing my family...some of 'em got a stick up their ass-"]

["Zurui!"] Auntie whisper-shouted.

["Little tolerance of me...I mean,"] he coughed, ["But if they want nothing to do with me, I'll be more than happy to get them into contact with a family friend to change their identities and leave Japan."]

["Excuse me, sir."]

["Yes?"]

["Are there any thoughts on your daughter possibly being friends with the son of the man who put you in Tartarus? Though not in the same class, they attend the same school."]

The sudden smirk on Papa's face even put me in a disturbed mood, ["No comment."]

'Friends with the son of the man who put him in jail? I don't know...who that may be...? Who put my father in jail? What exactly have I done up until...high school age?' I worried.

["Sir, hypothetically speaking, if you weren't able to win this case, what would you do then?"]

["...It's rude not to properly ask a question. Just say that I won't win. I know how the media works. But just to appease you...I have backup plans if this doesn't work out."]

["With all due respect, sir, I think you're lying about Miss Kassandra's behavior and charges. Why would a hero of 25-plus years suddenly become the villain when their ex-significant other "magically" get out of jail and appear to have a conference with journalists and reporters? With Miss Kassandra losing her eyes in the U.A. incident and your daughter possible being "kidnapped" by her, how do we know you weren't up this? We don't know how long you've been out of jail so this could have been going on for days, weeks, or even months! It's suspicious and it sounds like you're bitter."]

["..."] Papa looked surprised, ["Oh...you're done? Well, if you want to know, my family keeps everything on the down low. We don't like everybody in our business if that's okay with you. Yeah, I've been thinking about a lot since being imprisoned and I knew eventually, I'd have to go through with this conference and many more to come. I have the right not to give you an explanation, villain or no villain. But I'm gonna do it...to clear my daughter's name. To my knowledge, I hadn't any idea my ex-wife was gonna show up at my daughter's school, I didn't know she'd try to kidnap her...for whatever reason, I didn't know they got into a physical altercation nor that my ex's eyes were gouged out until my cousin and brother notified me of the incident in the aftermath."]

["What are you trying to say, sir?"]

["I'm saying, "What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash?"]

["..."]

The camera panned over to the stunned journalist, who couldn't say anything in response. No one could say or do anything because they all looked afraid to answer the question.

Anger crossed Papa's face...if one could even call it that. His voice was serene, yet his face expressed disgust and lividness.

["I think we all know the answer to that question. I did bad things to make good things happen; I don't have to explain anything else to any of you. You'll hear it all when it comes out in court. As I expect, you'll make fake newslines, hysterical stories, and false claims just to get your five minutes of fame and cover your precious hero's coniving, deceiving, lying ass. And you wonder why people like me end up becoming villains,"] he scoffed. ["I'm done."]

With how close I was to the TV, I flinched a little when it was turned off. I forgot where I was and what was happening until I turned around, returning my gaze to Shoto holding the phone.

["Right now, it's not safe for Kamilah to be seen in public, especially as she is now,"] Auntie began with a tired sigh. ["Mister Aizawa, because Kamilah is familiar with three of your students, I'm entrusting them through you to take care of her until I get back."]

"...I'll take it up with the principal," Mister Aizawa concluded.

["Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Hey, Ami?"]

My little legs carried me back over to Izuku and Shoto, who squatted down for me to hear her better.

"I'm here..."

["Everything is gonna work out, okay? I promise. I know you want to see us and talk to us right now. As you just saw, the public isn't fond of...our family right now."]

My immediate reaction was a bitter chuckle, a coping mechanism, ["I'm aware I sound like a child and that I am a child, but I don't entirely think or speak like one. You oughta know that, Auntie. On the other hand, I know you, Papa, big brother, and Uncle Rio are good people. What does it matta if the world sees? Not like they can interfere with our problems."

["What about you? You don't think you're a good person?"]

"As much as I want to say "yes"..."

Something told me to look up.

I don't know if it was instincts, my future/older self trying to come back, or the heaviness of his gaze, but when I did, the blank face of Shoto seemed...heavy, as if judging me.

"You shouldn't ask questions you know the answer to, Doctor."

["...I don't have to be there to see it because I most definitely hear it in your voice. Your memories and personality are switched. Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, keep an eye on her, please. I'll see you soon, Ami, and I love you."]

"Kay, love you, too. Be safe."

After the phone call, there was a heavy, but brief silence in the air.

I felt all eyes on me. They were judging, trying to figure me out, wondering what I would pull for someone my age because of my intelligence.

I've felt it, seen it, and heard it all before. It's nothing new. Just when I thought my future/older self finally found a place to be safe, feel herself around...this shit happens.

"Go ahead...laugh," I broke the ice.

To my utter shock, no one laughed. Not a giggle or chirp fell from anyone's mouth. So, if not laughter, then...

"Or feel pity. I won't get mad."

Again, no one was saying "I'm sorry you're going through this" or "you don't deserve this".

"Being told "everything is gonna work out"...was never reassuring to the Kamilah I know. Does that still apply?" Izuku asked.

I nodded. "I know it's a part of the job...but a hero shouldn't lie and say everything's gonna be okay...when they don't even know themselves."

"There it is," Katsuki snapped. "Back on your bull-"

"She's a child," Mister Aizawa cut him off. "Just like you are. I at least expect you, someone who's known her for a long time, to empathize with her, Bakugo. I'm going to visit the principal's office and have a talk with him opening a place for Shimizu to stay here. Take care of her, watch her, and don't leave her alone. I'll be back," the scary-looking teacher explained all while heading to the door.

When it shut, the redhead was quick to say something.

"Geez, Bakubro. I see why you and Shimizu aren't friends, you're a total jerk to her, man."

"No one asked the peanut gallery for his opinion," Katsuki insulted.

'He never changes. Shame...' I thought, taking my hair out of the traditional Japanese up-do.

"Milah-chan, don't you trust in your family to handle this?"

I looked up at him with a solemn face, "...Do you trust me?"

Izuku was visibly taken aback by my question.

"After everything you just heard, do you trust me?"

"I do trust you-"

"I'm not talking about this "me". I'm talking about me you know now. Do you honestly trust her? How many secrets has she kept from you? How many times has she lied to you? How many times has she changed the subject? How many times do you know she was doing what she said she was doing? Did she even tell you about her past in her hometown, or did you accidentally find out just seconds ago?"

"..."

"Do you...or any three of you...who Kamilah Shimizu is and what she's going through in her current life?"

Izuku, Katsuki, nor Shoto say anything in response.

"Not so easy to trust when you don't know shit, huh?"

"Okay! That's enough! I don't know anything about you except for what Midoriya's told me about you, but I do know your attitude towards him, Bakugo, and Todoroki are uncalled for!" the chubby brown-haired girl exclaimed, clearly upset. "I know they care about you and you just seem to unaccept it. What's wrong with you? Why are you trying so hard to push them and everyone that cares for you away? Is it because you don't want them to get hurt or is it because you know you're not a good person? If it's the latter, just say so, drop the act, and work on being a better person."

The chubby brown-haired girl was breathing in and out after her burst of emotions. When she looked at her surrounding classmates, it was as if she realized what she just said and covered her mouth.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't...mean to say all of that" so...harshly. I apolo-"

"No...you don't need to apologize," I cut her off. "I may be a child, but I needed to hear that. I naturally put distance between close ones...like it's a curse-"

My head throbbed in pain again, causing me to close my eyes at the ringing effect. When I did, I thought I saw a woman's figure in the blurry distance of a desert full of sand.

Despite my outburst and how mean I was, Izuku still found it in himself to care about me.

He got on his knees, holding his hands out in worry, "Milah-chan, you okay?"

How could someone be so kind to someone so cruel? I'll never understand it.

"My head...has been hurting since I got here..."

"Maybe you're trying to remember something," the redhead spoke up. "Don't push yourself so hard."

"You've been quiet for a while now, Todoroki. Is everything alright?" the engine-legged boy asked.

I noticed that Shoto seemed out of it, not fully there. I wondered if he was always like this or if I was the reason he was acting this way.

"..."

"Todoroki?" the engine-legged boy called again.

He blinked multiple times, "Sorry...this is...just a lot to process," he sighed. "At this age, Kami-...Shimizu was very nice and kind to me. Seeing her take on this kind of behavior...it's making me rethink what she was actually all this time."

'What's up with that? All of a sudden, he's not calling me by first name...'

I looked at Shoto, "I'm sorry...you had to see me like this. I'm not as kind or nice as I've...or my older self, or the me you knew at this time, made myself out to be. I'm really..." I tilted my head, placing my pointer finger to my chin, "...as my mother once put it, "fucked up"."

"Milah-chan!" Izuku shouted at my choice of words.

"You can't blame me for what I've learned from that woman! From what I can remember, Papa tried his best not to use colorful language around me while she made it seem like she cared in front of others while in secret, she was-" I stopped myself before anything else was said. I ended up shaking my head, "No, it doesn't matter anymore. It's in the past."

"No, it doesn't "not matter anymore". You're physically, mentally, and emotionally disturbed, as your dad said on the TV. It's like dealing with you now, so...closed in and unwilling to open up," Izuku analyzed.

"Well, maybe she's not sayin' anything now for good reason." I crossed my arms, "I'm surprised you're not phased by the fact my father is an ex-villain."

"I am," he admitted. "If I said I wasn't, I'd be a damn lie, and you know it."

Hearing Izuku cuss was something unheard of to my 10-year-old ears so when he he did, I looked up at him in astonishment. I had the sudden urge to reprimand him, but that would make the situation feel reversed.

"Midoriya, don't use that kind of language around her," the engine-legged boy exclaimed at his inappropriate language.

He responded by holding his hand out towards me, "Regardless of her age, she still thinks the same way as she does now despite opening up a tiny bit. The damage has already been done. Using this kind of language is the only way she'll understand. I gotta match her energy."

"Took you this long to figure that shit out, Deku? I'm not surprised," Katsuki huffed.

"I don't like the fact...that your father committed crimes, that you knew about this and didn't say anything to me for years. You lied, and yes, it hurts. But that doesn't change the fact that I..."

I lifted a brow, "That you...?"

Izuku seemed hesitant and bothered by whatever he was thinking, but he eventually concluded what to say.

"It doesn't change the fact that whatever he did for you to be here, to be my friend, to grow up together...doesn't make me upset." He smiled, "I'm glad that I met you, Milah-chan. Despite the misconceptions you have about yourself, even if you faked anything you said to me or did with me, I still see you as an inspirational person...and if time were to rewind and I had the chance to never be associated with you ever again, I'd go after you again."

What Izuku confessed to me...made me feel like a light feeling in my stomach. It sounded...relieving to hear him say such admirable and respectful words.

"..." I looked away from him, making sure my locks covered my face, "I'm grateful you see me like that...unlike those hateful, backstabbing traitors in my hometown."

"Bakubro, say something nice, too," the redhead loudly whispered to the blond boy.

"Aah?! Nice?" Bakugo looked down at me with a disturbed, yet contemplative face. "...You're a fox."

"Wow," I exclaimed with a straight face. "Tell me something I haven't known my whole. Just so you know, older me has been called a fox all her life by my mother. It's a play on words with his name, Zurui, meaning "mischief"."

"...Way to make her feel better," the Pikachu blond sarcastically insulted.

"Shut up! It's first thing that came to mind!" he retaliated with a burst of crackles.

"It's just one nice thing, Bakugo. After all this time, I'm sure there's on thing Shimizu has done to make you appreciate her," the pink girl guided him.

"..." He thought this through, "..."

"I guess Midoriya is better at complimenting her than y-"

The pink girl didn't get to finish her sentence.

"You're crazy..." Katsuki couldn't even look me in the eyes for whatever he was about to say next, "...but I like...crazy. Keeps shit interesting, and makes me improve my skills."

My first response was an empty face, then it turned into the realization of what he just said, the next thing I feel is...embarrassment, and I found myself turning to Izuku with a lost expression.

"What did I do...wrong?"

I got a chuckle out of Izuku, "You didn't do anything wrong, Milah-chan. It's a genuine compliment from Kacchan."

I looked back at a peach-cheeked Katsuki before slowly easing my way behind a smiley Izuku. I clutched onto his yellow slacks, fearfully staring at the blond.

"That ain't no damn "Kacchan"...that's a skinwalker."

"Oh, wow..." the Pikachu boy responded with an amused expression.

"WATCH WHAT YOU SAY, DAMN PIPSQUEAK!"

"Keep your compliments to yourself, Dyna Boy!" I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Now, guys. We've been through this a hundred times-"

"And for the hundredth time, STAY OUT OF IT, DAMN NERD!"

"I thought you would've improved with Midoriya, but it looks like you just can't! At this point, I'm not even mad, just disappointed. How can you still bully a-"

Everything in me shut down except my brain because it began to think.

'...This is U.A., the academy Uncle Rio attended, the academy Hakim wants...or attended. U.A...or Yuuei Academy is a hero training school. It's been the best hero school since my grandfather and grandmother graduated. People with helpful Quirks attend the academy to become heroes. You have to have a Quirk...or high intellect just to pass the first test to attend. So if that's the case, then how did...'

I slowly looked up at Izuku, glancing at his hands to see scars, and then I took a step back to look at his overall figure. The clothes hid it well, but despite Izuku being older than me, there was no mistaking it.

My eyes watered and I squinted them to keep the tears from spilling as my hands came up to my mouth. My knees buckled, but I caught my weight with my Quirk...which was a visible soft blue.

"I-..." I looked between him and Katsuki, studying his overall figure as well.

Why hadn't I realized this sooner?

I bit my lip, holding back from outbursting with emotion, 'I'm so...I'M SO PROUD OF THEM! MY BOYS MADE IT! But I don't think I should say anything until I'm alone with them... If I asked Midoriya how he got his Quirk, I don't know if that would put him between a rock and a hard place.'

"What's with that ugly face, Fox?" Katsuki asked me.

I shook my head, then blinked the tears away in my eyes, "N...Nothing. I just thought of something very pleasant. Um, I have a lot of questions about my current situation, but can I ask one?"

"Sure, go ahead," Izuku encouraged with a beaming smile.

'Still so...bright...ugh, too bright...'

"Do my friends...if I still have any...think I'm a good person?"

His smile twisted into one of puzzlement and apprehension, "What do you mean-"

"Shut up, pipsqueak. C'mere," Katsuki brushed past Izuku and picked me up by the back of my kimono's collar.

"Kacchan, what are you-"

Katsuki lifted me so we could be face to face, "Teleport."

"N-No way! Let me go! I...I don't like being far off the ground!" I stumbled over my words, kicking my feet haphazardly.

"If you don't, I'll drop you," he threatened.

"Woah, dude. Take it down a notch!" the redhead shouted.

"You're scaring her! Put her down!" the chubby, brown-haired defended.

"You can't do that, Bakugo! Regardless of how well you know her, you can't do that to a child!" the engine-legged boy scolded him.

"Do it or I'll drop you," he continued to threaten me and ignored his classmates, glaring at me.

I closed my eyes, tightening my fist as I thought of the first place to come to my head, "Okay, okay!"

My body no longer dangled in the air like a worthless bug. I felt my body being shifted, but I was too scared to open my eyes to see what Bakugo was doing.

The sound of birds and the wind rushing through my hair gave me a somewhat comforting feeling, but I still refused to open my eyes. I wanted to be mad at Bakugo, however, he didn't know why I was scared of heights. Well...it's not exactly heights. It's the fact that I'm scared someone is holding me and could drop me because-

"Though you looked funny with how scared you were, I wasn't gonna drop you, brat. You're not so bright if you thought I really would."

I peeked one eye open, feeling water ready to spill over like a waterfall. I didn't find what he did funny at all. Again, I want to be mad at him, but he doesn't know. He doesn't know the real reason why when anybody picks me up and I say "I'm heavy". Evidently, future me didn't tell him.

"Why were you afraid anyway? You're skilled for your age. You could've broken your fall," he told me, no particular emotion in his eyes.

It was only when I opened my other eye, I noticed he was holding me close to his chest in his arms. It's like he was coddling a...well, exactly what I was seconds ago, a scared child.

Looking at our surroundings, I saw that we were in the very park I thought of, the park where we first met. I looked back up at Katsuki, bunching his yellow shirt in my fists.

"I think...you should ask my older self that."

"...I will."

"Um, why did you want me to teleport us somewhere?"

Finally, he expressed his first emotion in a while. It looked like disappointment and disturbed.

"Do my friends, if I still have any, think I'm a good person?" he mocked me with a high-pitched tone. "HELL WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT, FOX?! EVEN AT THIS AGE, YOU STILL LOOK AT YOURSELF LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH! JUST WHAT THE HELL DID YOUR OLD HAG SAY TO YOU TO LOOK AT YOURSELF THIS WAY! DON'T SEEK VALIDATION FROM EXTRAS JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE THE VICTIM OF THAT BROAD'S RAISING! YOU NEED TO ACCEPT YOURSELF FOR THE WAY YOU ARE, AND MOVE ON FROM IT BY GROWING TO BE A BETTER PERSON! NO ONE EVER SAID THAT JOURNEY WAS GONNA BE EASY, FO-"

Because of the proximity, his loud voice made me cover my ears, close my eyes, and flinch every time he began a new sentence. I don't understand why he was so mad.

We're in public so anyone passing by would be concerned about him raising his voice at a child that doesn't look related to him. Although, Bakugo most likely won't "give a rat's ass" as he would say.

When I heard him take in a deep breath, I'd like to think he stopped his shouting at me due to seeing my reclusive response or he just felt bad for yelling at a kid...though I highly doubt the latter.

"I understand where you're coming from, but-"

He cut me off.

"Shut up and listen to me, Kamilah. You morph yourself into whatever anyone needs. You did it without fucking realizing it. Deku? An encouraging and supportive friend. Half-n-half? I don't know your history with him, but it seems like someone who he can emotionally rely on. And it's not just them, you morphed yourself with your family, too. Looking like you're the troublemaker in your family to your mother, being a voluntary scapegoat sister to your brother, and being the wacky niece to your uncle."

He's reading me...just like a book. I didn't like it, it made me feel uncomfortable, this is exactly why I'm careful about who I open up to because...I'll have people like Bakugo reading me like a book that's been read hundreds of times.

He leaned down to grab my right hand, "Ever since that day I hurt your hand, I recognized you don't give a damn about your own life, that's why you morph your personality to fit someone else's needs. Whether you know it or not, you latch onto other people, hoping they'd give you reason to live but you end up thinking it's still not enough. I stuck around you because I felt like it was my responsibility to look after you and...because I care."

Katsu...cares...

Katsuki cares?

Katsuki Bakugo cares about me.

Hearing those words off his tongue felt so foreign. In the 3 years that I've known him...as I am now, that's something he'll never say. What changed him so drastically? Or rather, he's always been like this and just didn't know how to put his feelings into words. Does he act like this with other people in private, too?

There's so much I want to ask, so much I want to know about this Katsuki. If I were to interrupt him now...I wouldn't get to hear such benevolent and sweet words...or as sweet as they can be coming from him.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say Katsuki was acting like the Prince Charming to his princess, me. Reality will slip into view eventually, fairy tales only go so far...but I want this one to last as long as it can.

"I thought that "if I don't stick by her side, she'd be my first casualty as an upcoming hero", and best believe, that shit would've eaten me alive. You can play everybody like a fiddle if you wanna, but not me."

I gazed up at him, stupefied by his analysis, evaluation, explanation, clarification, and classification of who I am, me, Kamilah Shimizu.

Was I expected to say something back? If I were, how could I come up with a rebuttal? What could I say? I can't downplay anything he just said, he exposed me...and not just to him, but to myself. Have I been lying to myself this whole time?

Katsuki Bakugo, though a brute and roughhouse on the outside, was quick to pick up on anything that didn't fit a person.

I reopened my eyes, "You're...not wrong. It's a bad habit."

"More than a bad habit, an issue you'll carry into mid-adolescence. You may not care about what happens to you, but you care about what happens to the people you value which is why you make yourself out to be an example unworthy of following."

"Okay, I get it. Please, stop exposing me. It's...embarrassing."

He lifted me to where we could be face to face, "Well, stop lying so damn much, maybe I don't have to expose you."

I pouted and crossed my arms, "Is this the only reason you wanted to come out here with me? And isn't it, like, dangerous for me to be in the public eye right now?"

"I never told you to teleport us here," he snarled.

"As if I knew where to teleport on your school's campus," I sneered.

"I-..." His left eye twitched, "I'm not about to stand here and argue with a brat. Take us back already."

With an unamused face, it only took me to close my eyes again and try my best to remember the room we were just standing in. As soon as I saw him have a break in keeping stable due to my teleportation, I pushed away from his embrace and hopped out of his arms. Yet I stayed by his side.

"They're back!" I heard the pink girl's voice shout.

"I specifically told you to keep watch over her," Mister Aizawa scolded Bakugo.

"I did, but she was being a brat so I talked some sense into her," his refute came with a grumble.

The gloomy-looking teacher's gaze turned to me, "What happened?"

With a smile, I reached up to grab Bakugo's left hand with my right, "There was a bit of a misunderstanding, but Katsuki cleared it up for me."

Mister Aizawa didn't look fully convinced. He gave me a comical disbelievable face.

"A-Anyways, since I'll be staying here. I have a request!" I glowed, using what I learned from Izuku to appear persuasive.

"And that is?"

"May I stay with Katsu? Despite our differences, he gets me, and when I act out, I believe in him to settle me down."

"..." Mister Aizawa looked between him and me, scrutinizing his student, who appeared to be unthreatened, longer than me.

"...W-Well?" I tried to ease the man into replying with a "yes".

"Milah-chan, I don't think that's a great idea. I know you know how Bakugo was when you were younger, but things might've changed as he's gotten older. You might not see eye-to-eye any more than you-"

"I'm keen on saying, "no", but...I'll let it slide. Bakugo, you've made little progress in developing...nonetheless, it's progress. Treat this like an assignment, and get along with her. How a hero appears to a young child is important. Judging from what I've witnessed, you're walking on eggshells with Shimizu because she's a bit mature in the brain. So one mess up and I'm sending her to Midoriya, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," he brushed it off.

"Yay! I get to stay with Katsu!" My childish outburst caught everyone off guard, but I didn't care.

"I'm not done yet. As for you, Shimizu..." Mister Aizawa began, "Because of your intelligence for your age, you will continue to attend classes and further your education at this school. It is also best if you're monitored at all times, this is the other reason you will continue attending class."

I stopped my parading and looked up at the man with a confused smile, "I'm sorry...what?"

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you..." Izuku anxiously began, "You attend here, Yuuei Academy, or just U.A., the number 1 ranked school for heroics."

At first, I didn't respond, I only kept a smile on my face. Then, I found myself huffing out a giggle here and there. At last, I doubled over and laughed like a madwoman.

"What's so funny?" Mister Aizawa questioned.

"You see, Milah-chan never, ever...wanted to attend a hero school. She once told me "I'd drop dead before I betray my morals". Nevertheless, she somehow ended up here."

I cut my laughter short, "Sounds like something I'd say. I must be here for a reason, I wouldn't just up and go to a hero school..." I looked over at my shoulder at Izuku, "Unless you got on your knees, begged and cried for me to attend here."

His body went rigid and he didn't say anything. 'Gotcha.'

"Or...it's just to make my family look good...or a little bit of both. That's beside the point. Mister Aizawa, I have no problems attending classes."

"Good. Although, you will be sitting out on Quirk activities-"

"Great!"

"Until you prove yourself worthy of passing the first test," he finished.

"No," Izuku, Katsuki, Shoto, and I all agreed.

"And why not?" Mister Aizawa questioned, weary as to why we all answered in unison.

As if knowing what to do, Shoto, who I hadn't seen carrying something, walked towards Katsuki, tossing the object in his hands. The angry pomeranian leaned down and swished a bottle in front of my nose before leaning back up and taking a few steps away from me.

My nose began to feel itchy and tingly. I felt like I wanted to yawn, but I knew what was to come because I immediately recognized the mixed black and white contents in the bottle.

Izuku got behind me and hugged me by my shoulders. Green crackles of what looked like electricity illuminated his body, and I was starstruck by the pretty color. The broccoli boy braced himself as soon as a high-pitched squeak left my lips.

As expected...the surrounding furniture went skidding back against the carpet, cabinets clattered open and shut, a couple of students who were standing stumbled on their feet or entirely fell on their bottom, and the lights in the room flickered.

"Weeee!" the pink girl cheered with her hands up as she went skidding back on a couch. Meanwhile, the Pikachu boy was hanging onto the arm of the couch for his dear life.

"What the-" the redhead fell, interrupting himself.

The chubby, brown-haired girl went stumbling back before she was caught by the engine-legged boy.

Once everything settled down, I looked back up at Mr. Aizawa, whose hair was stuck in the air, and pushed back comically. I wanted to laugh, but my nose still felt sensitive.

"That's why, sir," I told him.

"If simple things like salt and pepper make her Quirk go haywire when she sneezes, I don't think it'd be wise for her to participate in any Quirk-related activity," Shoto concluded.

"The Milah-chan now has better control of this kinda thing. It's rare when this occurs, yet she gets embarrassed when it does happen," Izuku reminisced about the memory, sounding genuinely fond of it.

"...Shimizu, you won't be participating in any Quirk-related activities during school hours," Mister Aizawa sighed.

"Yay!" I pipped, accidentally knocking Izuku in the face when I raised my arms. I was quick to turn around and rub the part of his forehead I hit, "I-I'm sorry! It hurt, didn't it?! I'm such a terrible person! You're too cute and innocent to hit!"

"No, no! I'm fine!" he tried to console me, turning as red as a tomato.

I settled down, resting my hand on my forehead, 'No one here sees me as a bad person. It makes me happy...so happy that I want to express it, I just don't know how to.'

Izuku blinked twice at my quiet state, "I-I wasn't lying. I promise, I'm okay."

'But if it were to all turn around...if it were all to go to Hell...'

He began to worry since I kept quiet, "Hey, what's wrong?"

'I do not doubt in my mind that if everyone were to find out whatever bad things the older me did and will continue to do, they'd turn their backs on me. Shoto already seems...suspicious of me. Katsuki will feel betrayed and never interact with me again because he's already proven he had to expose parts of himself to earn my trust, and I with him. So...'

I smiled at him, "I mean, everything is wrong if I'm being honest. My brother's hospitalized, my father is being villainized, my uncle is suffering the consequences, my auntie is worried despite hiding it, my mother's heroic image contradicts her actions towards my family, I know my childhood friends in Iwa are worried sick...to the point they could get physically sick, and I've reverted into a 10-year-old so I don't know how to explain my current situation nor give any answers to solve it."

Izuku looked as if he regretted even asking me, causing Katsuki to growl at the flinching nervous boy.

"But despite all that..." I slid my hand down to my left freckled cheek, "'Aelam 'anah yumkinuni alwuthuq bik hataa la tudhiani."

Everyone in the room was confused by the words, some expressing obscurity, some trying to pick my words apart, and others hearing one thing in one ear while it went out the other...

But not Izuku.

He must've gotten better at picking up some of the words I say...or he did the obvious, and studied Arabic, like the adorable nerd he is.

He understood exactly what I said.

Izu leaned into my palm, giving me a reassuring smile, "You know I won't."

---

How did I end up here?

I assumed I'd take a bath or shower by myself because I'm old enough to do so on my own, yet these girls insisted I took a bath with them...and I didn't even know them.

Izuku did his best to vouch for me because I told him I was uncomfortable with it, but they practically brushed him over, told him and a grouchy Katsuki I'd be okay, and dragged me away with them. Shoto didn't even try to convince them not to.

I refrained from kicking and screaming like the impish child I wanted to act like because I'd look childish and I had some dignity.

My last interaction with girls didn't go so well...though I feel like whatever memory I'm remembering from feels like it happened farther in the future.

"So Shimizu...you got a crush? Or should I say, boyfriend?"

"Ashido! You insisted she bathed with us even though she's uncomfortable with us because she doesn't know us well enough, and now you're asking her a personal question like that! Have a little bit of empathy..." the chubby, brown-haired girl scolded.

The pink girl, known as "Ashido", turned to her, hands on her hips. Even though she was covered in a towel, the way her...breasts jiggled intimidated me.

'I wonder...if mine are that big...' I thought, looking down and pressing my hands over the small swell of my chest.

"Oh, c'mon, Uraraka, I know you're curious, too." She smirked at the well-mannered girl, "You think I haven't been paying attention...don't make me expose you."

The chubby, brown-haired girl known as "Uraraka" looked mortified, then looked away with a pink face. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, yeah, you do. I got a accidental scoop from Aoyama on your feelings on a certain someone. I don't know why you just won't admit it. You're lying to yourself, hon'. What's holding you back from confessing to him, hm?"

'Confessing? Like, confessing to a boy? I've yet to do that...I just haven't had the courage to confess to Toya. Either that or...what if I just don't love him at all and I'm confusing a share of similar pain for love?'

My eyes widened at the intrusive thought, wondering where it came from. It's not unusual when those thoughts occur, but it catches me off guard every time.

Why would I think such a lie? I'd never lie to myself...and the older me wouldn't lie to herself...

Would she?

"Mm, that's what I thought. Anyway, back to you, Shimizu. You don't have to answer, but your eyes don't lie. Cold-looking, but those are the eyes of a girl in love."

I looked up at her, giving a slight nod. "Y...yes. I am in love. Like I said, I don't know the label for our relationship, but...I know that I'm in love with him."

"..." Miss Ashido's smirk slipped from her face, seemingly dissecting me with her abnormally pretty eyes, "Shimizu...I know you were talking about a different boy earlier, but I don't think you realize you've said this about someone else you're close to."

I tilted my head, blinking rapidly, "Someone else...I'm close to?"

"So cute," both Miss Ashido and Miss Uraraka squealed.

"I don't understand. I have no one else who I feel this way towards."

"Of course you do!" she chirped. "For someone as smart as you, it should be obvious. It's Bakugo!"

My lashes fluttered in disarray, "...Katsuki?"

Genuinely thinking it over, I had some disconnects with what she said. How could my older self think about being in love with Katsuki? That's simply...not possible. He's focused on striving to the top. He told me hours ago about how I'd be his first casualty if he weren't there to watch me. I understand that he's grown emotionally and mentally, but it's evident that I'm...just a statistic to him.

We're nothing more.

"I'm sorry, Miss Ashido, but you must have mistaken something. Me and Katsuki aren't romantically involved. We kinda just...got stuck to each other."

She pouted, "Then you must not know yourself like how you think you do."

"Ashido, please, that's enough. Shimizu has already been through a lot today. The last thing she needs is something as petty conversations about love in her brain," Miss Uraraka tried to plead with her.

"Fine," she sighed. "But don't think I won't bother you about the deets when you turn back to normal."

As the two girls continued to chat, I slowly exited their conversation with the drifting thoughts of love and romance in my head.

I looked at my reflection in the bath water, 'If Katsuki and I are in some kind of romantic relationship...how would I know? Or do I already know? Am I just denying what I'm hearing and seeing?'

I splashed the water with my hand, rippling my reflection. This is so frustrating.

---

After the bath, Miss Ashido told me to wait in the bathroom with Miss Uraraka. It was only a few minutes later until she came back rushing in with a long periwinkle-colored t-shirt with a cornflower blue fox face on it that someone named "Yaoyorozu" "created" for me. Miss Ashido requested his "Yayorozu" person to also "create" a color-matching bonnet to go with it.

Miss Uraraka guided me to Katsuki's room after I had something to eat in Miss Ashido's bedroom. Miss Uraraka asked if I needed anything else to which I declined before knocking on his door and rushing off, mumbling something about his curfew.

'Katsu must not take too kindly to his classmates knocking on his door after a certain time.'

I heard footsteps.

The door swung open, revealing a disturbed Katsuki, seemingly ready to yell at anyone until he noticed no one was standing there...

At his eye level at least.

"Down here," I got his attention with a wave of my hand. "Sorry the bath took so long. Your female classmates kept asking me a bunch of questions."

He crossed his arms and leaned against the door, "Don't entertain them."

"I didn't try to. They kept call me "cute" and were persistent on me calling you "Katsu"."

The irate boy simply clicked his tongue against his teeth before pushing off the banner and waiting at the door's side.

I took it as his invitation for me to come in. He closed the door while I looked around his room, taking in the clean-cut bedroom.

"Kimy says boys his age...or at the time, usually have a messy room."

"I don't like a messy space, my old woman raised me better than that," he grunted.

"I can see that," I mumbled, slowly spinning around to take in everything.

For a while, there was silence between us. I didn't find it awkward or uncomfortable because this is how it normally is...or was between us whenever Izuku wasn't there to break the ice or be the middle ground.

Noticing his curtains, I peeked behind them, seeing a brick wall at first before raising my head to see the night sky filled with stars.

"Pretty..." I whispered right before taking my head out of the curtain.

I noticed a shadow cover me and I looked directly up as if a demon was being exercised out of my body.

I kept a blank face, "Hm?"

Katsuki's eye twitched, "...seeing you like this again...It's weird."

I smiled, "And seeing you at the age of 16 is interesting to me. You're...not as rambunctious as I thought you'd be."

"Hah?"

"What I'm saying is...you've grown, not just in appearance, but emotionally and mentally. I can see it. I'm sure older me appreciates it..." I looked straight ahead at the curtain, "...and then some."

"What was that?" he asked, offended.

I turned around, looking up at him with a frown, "Not everything I say is an insult. I see that hasn't changed about you. Tell me, what are we like now?"

Katsuki sat down across from me, resting his chin on his right hand that sat on his thigh and the other in his lap.

"What are you yappin' about?"

"I'm asking, "What is our dynamic now?" Clearly, you aren't hostile to me anymore, and you're trying to understand me...or rather, you understand me better now. What are our interactions like? If we're not friends, what are we?"

Katsumi only stared at me. Just from observing him, he looked pondered on what to say. Is it because he doesn't want to admit we...he's gotten better with dealing with me? Or...?

I tilted my head, "If we're not friends...are we boyfriend and girlfriend?"

That got a reaction out of him. His slouching seized as he jumped, looking at me as if I were crazy.

"What are you? An idiot?"

I bowed my head, "I'm sorry for making such a impossible suggestion-"

"I'm willing...but you're just..."

"..."

Katsuki kept eye contact, but was puzzled by his wording again, "..."

'Oh...I get it now,' I thought, my eyes downcast at the epiphany.

"I see...so I'm the one who's unwilling...I'm making it difficult for you. I'm the problem."

"...I wouldn't say all that...but you're giving me one hell of a time."

I bowed my head again, "I'm sorr-"

"Stop apologizing. You got your shit to deal with, and it followed you into your teenage years. Don't apologize for something you can't control. No matter how mature and responsible you are...you're just an impressionable kid taking on adult situations. I...nor anyone else blames you for that."

"Hm..."

"It may be hard to see that now as you are, but you will one day."

"...Thank you," I bowed my head. "When I find myself doing something an unhealthy adult would do, I'll think of your words."

"Good."

There was that silence again, but it was still the same.

I lifted my head, keeping my eyes down as I became fidgety, "I-If you want..."

"What?"

"I could...tell you my weaknesses so you can point them out. Despite me being older, it's still me. I'm sure I'll have myself willing to be with you if I...tell you what I like and what I don't like."

"Nah," he waved me off. "When have you ever known for me to cheat? I'm already on the right track...and I like a challenge."

"I should've known better," I giggled. "But don't say I never offered you a chance."

"As if I need a cheat sheet," he scoffed.

"Well...how are you and Izuku getting along these-"

Katsuki glared at me.

"...days," finished with a sigh. "Right. You don't want to hear about him. Shame on me for me hoping. Can I at least ask about you?"

"Go ahead."

"How are you doing in school?"

"Fine."

I blinked at his curt answer, "Oh...well, are you making friends?"

"Don't need any."

I pulled my lips inward, trying to give him a chance to add on, "So...how's your Quirk? Any improve-"

"I've learned many skills, and I'm still learning. My explosions propel me high enough off the ground to point it'd look like I'm flying. I also got these gauntlets that emphasizes my explosions. I'm thinking about-"

'Of course this would get him talking. He's still a fanatic for his Quirk. Obviously, that'll never change.'

"Hey, are you even listening-"

"Still striving for the number 1 spot?" I asked with my hands on my hips.

"You better believe it," he gave me the same energy I put out.

"Good...I can't wait to see you get there." My mood swung, "Hopefully...I can see you get there."

"Don't start with that," he huffed. "You're gonna see me get there, I'll make sure you're watching. You're gonna be so amazed you won't even see Deku falling behind me."

'Ever so proud,' I sighed a chuckle away.

"Now it's time I ask you a question."

I lifted a brow and shifted my weight on my right leg, "Hmmm? I thought you said you didn't want to cheat-"

"I won't...but your older self might if this guy is still around."

"What are you tryna say?"

"Who's Toya?"

---

"Son, how is-"

"I'm fine, Dad," Hakim snapped at me, clearly upset at the overall situation rather than his physical state, "I, I fucked up. Bad. I shouldn't have..."

"What shouldn't you have done, Hakim? What did you do?"

"..." He looked down, clenching his hands into fists.

Though he was hospitalized for 1st-degree burns to the neck, the back of his hands, and a couple of cuts and bruises, Hakim's overall physical self wasn't too bad. I'm both amazed and relieved that he wasn't badly hurt. He wasn't trained nor was he in a heroic position to deal with fires.

I assumed it was because of Rika's quirk, Dreamcatcher. Seemingly only able to seduce men into a dream where she feeds off of them, she can make whatever happens in that dream become a reality. It's my guess she made him heat-resistant while he fought against Dabi.

I suppose that's possible when his Quirk deals with the astral plane; his unconscious body fights well but is still vulnerable to some attacks, yet his subconsciousness is stronger because it's in tune with everything. Their Quirks are compatible.

"Miss Misuzu told me I needed to find Dabi and bring him to Kamilah. She said he was the key to breaking the curse over our family. I was against the idea from the start, but I couldn't stand to sit around and do nothing but watch my sister slowly drift into a vegetative state." He grits his teeth, "I couldn't stand to watch her lye there...and not be able to do anything for her."

"...As much as I want to be angry at you for going through with something...being angry wouldn't solve anything. I understand, son. What happened after you brought him to her?"

"Nothing happened at first, he just stayed close to her, hugged her, held her hand and whatnot. It's only when I took my eyes off of him for a second to check for any movement from Ami that he made a move to do something."

"What did he do?"

"He kissed her."

My brows furrowed, puzzled, "Kissed her? I mean, yeah, an adult kissing an unconscious minor is out of pocket. Wait, what the fu-"

"He thought he was slick, and slipped a pill into her mouth. That's when I took a swing at him with my katana. Unfortunately, he gave me the run around before simmering the medical equipment attached to Ami and ran off with her. He set the place aflame just like that after making it outside with Ami. Hadn't it been for Joon and Rika coming to the place because they felt something was off, hadn't it been for Rika rushing to me..."

His gaze slowly drifted to a quiet Rika, eyes red from all the tears she spilled earlier because she was afraid he had been burnt to death...

I shook my head, 'I...don't even wanna think about it...'

Hakim placed his left bandaged hand over the one gripping the hospital bed's rail, "If you didn't come rushing in, I would've died. I can't thank you enough, Rika. I'm grateful, and forever in your debt-"

"I told you to stop saying that. Ion't care about your indebt to me, I just care that you're alive and kickin'. If I didn't go with Joon, I would've never forgiven myself."

He gave a quick smile, "Still...thanks." He redirected his attention to me, "There were no immediate effects from what I could see in the smoke. I don't know what kinda pill he slipped her-"

"A retrogression pill," I told him.

He and Rika blanked, "...Huh?"

I shuffled in my pocket, holding a black pill, "A retrogression pill. An illegal underground black market sells them to criminals. Someone with a retrogression Quirk infuses their energy into these things, and mixes them with other agents like narcotics, antihistamines, dopamine agonists, and sleeping pills to make a person have memory loss or confuse their recent memories with ones in the past. In your sister's case, it's a bit different. She's turned back into a 10-year-old girl, and her memories are mixed up. Your aunt informed me of everything, she also told me that Kamilah is, ironically, safe at Yuuei. Because of her mixed memories, she's only familiar with Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki so she's under their supervision. After a phone call with Mister Aizawa, she called Joon to let him know he didn't lose Ami after she ran away from him because she thought he was trying to kidnap her. I'd think the same thing if I randomly woke up in a white kimono with a guy I didn't recognize riding a motorcycle. That aside, I tracked down that black market and with the enlisted help of Hawks, we put a raid op on it, the herbalist was taken into custody and questioned, but even he didn't know why Kamilah reverted."

Hakim seemed overwhelmed and surprised at how much had happened when he was and wasn't unconscious, he also looked flustered by how quickly I acted to find out where that pill came from. He was probably frustrated that he didn't get to help in the operation.

"That's good and all but... So even if you told Ami that Dabi...or Toya did this, she wouldn't believe you."

"She wouldn't. Your aunt didn't hear any verbal response from her when she saw our vacation home in blue flames. Either Kamilah thinks he's still dead or she thinks she just hadn't seen him in a long time, she wouldn't believe you. Her love for that guy...is too great."

"I don't think that's true," he countered. "If she loves him that damn badly, she would've woken up instantly."

"Whatcha sayin'?"

"As cliche and sappy as it sounds...it's like a prince kissing a princess to break a spell. This curse, the Shimizugawa Curse, it's not some "hang the witch that cursed the child" story. It's more of a love story. Going over it all would take a lot of time, but moral of the story, Juri's curse didn't actually come from the first heir of the Shimizu-Tokugawa, but rather a bitter and sour woman who was greedy and wanted to have children with Juri's lover so so she could use them in warfare and conquor."

"Sounds like someone we know," I groaned, shaking my head again at the thought of the woman I can't believe I called a wife.

"Or two..." he mumbled to which I hummed in question, Hakim copied my action and didn't speak on the matter.

"So...what you're saying is...we gotta find the guy Ami is in love with to have the curse broken?"

"Yeah, pretty much," he sighed.

I bit my lips, trying to think of another solution, "...Can't we make this easier and have you break the curse? Isn't there someone you're in love with?"

My son choked, coughing shortly afterward. Rika, pink in the cheeks, got up from her chair and rubbed her hand on his back.

"Matter of fact, I ain't never heard you speak about a girl. Stop being so focused on hero work and find yourself a nice girl...or g-guy..."

"Dad, I'm not gay," he stated with an offended face.

I put my hands up in defense, "Hey, I didn't say you were. It's just that I never heard you talk about any girls even in high school aside from..." My eyes moved to the teenage girl soothing him.

She only paid attention until she heard the room go silent. Her cheeks became rosier. It was only when the two looked at each other that her face became red and my son's ears had a discernable pink tinge. They both snapped their attention to me.

"Tío Rio!"

"Dad!"

"I didn't say anything!" I laughed.

"B-But you were assuming!" Rika accused, closing her eyes as she dealt with her embarrassment. "A-Anyway, speaking of assuming..." She walked over to me, pulling something from the pocket of her gym shorts, "After I made sure Hakim was okay when he fell unconscious from the smoke, I chased after Dabi and he "dropped" this."

She pulled out what looked like a hard drive, holding it in front of me. It was black and unlabeled.

"Did he say anything?"

She shook her head, "He burnt a tree and blocked my way. By the time I got around it, he was gone and this was left where I saw him last. I don't know if he dropped it on purpose or if it was an accident. I also don't know the contents on it. I saved it and hid it from the medics when they patched me up. I only felt safe giving it to you or Hakim."

She held it out to me to which I gently grasped it from her fingers, studying it more to see if I could decipher anything else about it.

"Whatever it is...it's got a lot of storage space on it," I noted, catching how much storage was printed on the back of the hard drive.

"I...hope it helps."

"I hope so, too. Listen, you two, I need you both to promise me that you won't speak to anyone about this hard drive. Contrary to belief, I don't trust the cops or Hero Commissions going through this. Keep this a secret."

"Yak-sok, Tío Rio," Rika affirmed with a raise of her pinky.

"Won't hear a peep from me," Hakim reassured with a nod.

"Good. I wish I could stay hear to keep you company and make sure you're okay, Hakim-"

"Duty calls, Dad. Do whatchu gotta do. I'd be up and on the move like you if I could," he groaned, receiving a disapproving stare from Rika.

"I'm leavin' him in your care, Ri," I relied on her, giving her a pat on the shoulder before going over to ruffle Kimy's hair, "Don't give ya woman a hard time; oh, and I already know about you two, no need to hide it," I whispered in his ears before giving him a soft smack on his back.

"D-...DAD!" he shouted, embarrassed.

---

As soon as Mister Rio exited the room, my focus returned to a moody and embarrassed hazelnut face.

I made my way back over to the pouting raven head, letting down the rail that separated us so I could sit beside him.

Hakim shuffled over to make room for me, "You sure you're okay? You didn't get hurt by Dabi when you ran after him, did you?"

I shook my head. "For the last time, Kimy, I'm okay, but you're not."

I kicked my sneakers off and swung my feet onto the bed. Kimy took the initiative to plop his head on my left breast, making me laugh at his gutsy behavior, considering we're in a public setting despite it being a private hospital.

"Yeah, I'm not. I need pillow support," he joked. "It helps me think better."

I curved my left arm over the pillow we laid against and skimmed my index finger over his braids, leading to the man bun he sported in the back.

He recently gave himself a fresh cut and his lineup was clean. Of course, this being Japan, finding a barber to deal with 4C hair is difficult...which is why he and Kamilah learned from his mother how to do basic styles like braids and afros, and they eventually carried on from there.

"Ama modeun yeojaaedeulhante geuleon mal-eul haess-eul geoya," I chuckled.

"I only say that to you," he stated as he turned his head up to stare me in the eyes. "You're my only girl," he lifted his head to gimme a short peck on my lips.

Anyone would think that with my kind of Quirk, I'd be a nymphomaniac for any man who showed the slightest interest in me. To some degree, that was true. Controlling myself was worst when I first hit puberty, and as expected, my hormones shot through the roof, and my body aged faster than the average eleven-year-old. I can't count how many times I've lusted over boys, but it slowly stopped when I imprinted on Ami.

Unbeknownst to her, she made my urges a bit more bearable because I could hug her to my heart's content...until she left. I felt like I was being separated from my lifeline and I struggled...my little brother and I struggled for so long. Our eomma did her best to help us control ourselves in public. Because she has a devil-like Quirk like ours and she was raised to thrive in feeding off of men and women alike, she didn't have much knowledge on how to control the urges...until she met appa.

How he...quite literally...met my mother was by her trying to take advantage of him when she was really hungry. He offered her his body for her to continue to live while she offered to be a housewife and mother because his parents pestered him to continue the Fujisaki family line.

Their whole marriage was a business...so I'm not surprised they're getting a divorce, especially now that Tío Rui is out of the cell and trying to clear his sullied name.

Appa isolated us to protect us, he gave us everything we needed: a big home to house a garden to cultivate food for us to grow and cook, all the entertainment we could ask for, and home-schooling once Ami and Kimy left. Rora still came over to keep us company and even offered to my brother and me to be imprinted on, but we refused. We were scared that if she was left alone with us...we couldn't forgive ourselves.

Appa always worked...but it wasn't because he liked to or didn't want to be around us, his family. It was because he was working to provide for us, and though we shared fewer times than a family should, I respect and appreciate him for doing so.

'I wonder if appa still plans on handing over the company to Joon. He may be seventeen years old, but he is more mature than he lets on. My question is...if Joon even wants to take on the position. Can he separate himself from Kamilah fully? Hm...now that I think about it...'

Can I bring myself to separate myself from Hakim since eomma and Tío Rui plan on getting married? That would make us...step-siblings. Wouldn't that be...strange?

Ever since Hakim and I have gotten back into contact, he offered himself to me. We've...gone no further than groping and making out...

But we haven't made anything official. It's like a friends-with-benefits situation.

"Hey," he called out to me, poking my forehead, making me come out of my stupor, "Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"

"...Hakim."

"Hm?"

My eyes lowered, nervous at how he'd respond, "Brothers and sisters shouldn't be in a romantic or sexual relationship."

For a moment, he didn't say anything as if trying to process what I said. Then, his face scrunched up into disarray, lips poking out. His expression soured shortly after and his lips formed into a straight line.

"My sister shouldn't be my first cousin, but here we are."

I gave him a look of disapproval, "..."

"...I didn't ask for my uncle to fuck my mom and gimme a sister."

I slapped him upside his head with my left hand and was gliding on his braids, "Hakim!"

He placed his hand over his head and inclined up off of me, "But I'm not wrong!" he countered. "And it's not like I haven't thought about this. Personally...I rather cross that bridge when we get there. All I need is for you to survive...it's my duty as a hero to make sure the ones I protect are well and safe."

"...I know."

I know that's all I may ever be to him.

"Besides, we've got other things to worry about," he mumbled while sitting up, untangling his braided man bun and popping the bones in his back from laying on the bed for so long.

"Other things to-"

His body slackened a little, there was the sound of a lock clicking in the room, I saw that the lock on the door had been locked and it was just then that Hakim's body straightened.

My eyes went back and forth between the door and his body, 'He used his Quirk. What for-'

He slowly looked over his shoulder, analytical ambers scrutinizing me. He didn't say anything as he looked me over. He was reading my body language.

His gaze triggered something in me. Suddenly, I found myself panting, shivering, lightly sweating, and damn near drooling. My fangs ached.

Hakim knew. He knew that I'd been holding myself back from feeding. Because I exhausted Dreamcatcher, it did more damage to my body. I hoped he hadn't noticed, but...

"How long have you been hungry?"

The jig is up.

I closed my eyes, my fangs bit my trembling bottom lips, "...Don' know." The blood that I accidentally drew made me feral so I hugged my body, trying to contain myself.

"Doesn't matter now...Take as much as you want."

I found myself clinging to Hakim's back, digging my claws into the front of his shoulders, the smell of his blood only turned me on more.

"Oh, Kimy...I will."

---

A/N:

"Aegiya" is a term of endearment for "baby" in Korean.

"I've never heard that one before. Don't let her stroke your ego, Bakugo". Mina was referring to the meaning of Katsu, "victory".

"I'mma take a bow so you can kiss my ass is a lyric from Drama Club by Melanie Martinez."

"Aelam 'anah yumkinuni alwuthuq bik hataa la tudhiani" translates to "I know I can trust you not to hurt me" in Arabic.

"Reality will slip into view eventually" is a reference to a lyric in the song Fairy Tale by Anita Baker.

"Yak-sok" translates to "I promise" in Korean.

"Tío" translates to "Uncle" in Spanish.

"Ama modeun yeojaaedeulhante geuleon mal-eul haess-eul geoya" translates to "I bet you say that to all the girls".

"Eomma" translates to "Mom" in Korean.

"Appa" translates to "Dad" in Korean.

I'll admit, I had fun writing a young and semi-happy Kamilah. She deserves it. I recovered some of my old writings on Kamilah's character, and I was a little upset that I didn't keep her "weird, happy, outgoing, more prone to open up to someone" character. But when it comes to writing any of my characters, I can't help but make them suffer either a lot or a little, lol. I'm not sadistic irl, I promise. Eventually, I will give Kamilah and her family the happiness they deserve.

Now that the storyline is...(sigh) finally picking up. I'll have to make all of my OC characters Quirks known. I feel as though I won't mention everyone's Quirks as I write because there's so much content I have to include and keep up with each character's situation (when in reality I'm just using this as an excuse/cheat sheet to refer back to when I need to remember someone's Quirk and make it work accordingly with another person's Quirk) so here are the known character's Quirks!

Amari, Quirk: Desert Sun, Ability: Light Manipulation, Hero name: Solunar

Aoto, Quirk: Punishment, Ability: Pain Inducement, Hero name: Gaman

Chiho, Quirk: Sixth Sense, Ability: Clairvoyance, Hero name: Mastermind

Furora, Quirk: Flower Power, Ability: Chlorokinesis, Hero name: Kiku

Hakim, Quirk: Dream Walk, Ability: Astral Projection, Hero name: Hatif

Isamu: Quirk: Phantastic, Ability: Hallucikinesis, Hero name: Phantom

Jameela, Quirk: Oracle, Ability: Precognition, Hero name: Kassandra

Jindo, Quirk: Terra-Wrath, Ability: Lavakinesis

Joon-Woo, Quirk: Dream Demon, Ability: Incubus

Kamilah, Quirk: Psyka, Ability: Psychokinesis, Hero name: Kitsunebi

Kako, Quirk: Fluctuate, Ability: Atmokinesis, Hero name: Tsunami

Koko, Quirk: Oasis, Ability: Hydrokinesis, Hero name: Mirage

Mika, Quirk: Soul Windows, Ability: Remote Viewing, Hero name: Kunoichi

Mirai, Quirk: Hourglass, Ability: Chronokinesis, Hero name: Yugure

Miya, Quirk: Deception, Ability: Reality Warping, Hero name: Contortionist

Mizuki, Quirk: Tide, Ability: Primordial Water Manipulation, Hero name: Kaguya

Norio, Quirk: Ryujin, Ability: Hydrokinesis, Hero name: Nishikigoi

Rika, Quirk: Dreamcatcher, Ability: Succubus

Xitalit, Quirk: Hellhound, Ability: Shapeshift

Yuiko, Quirk: Redact, Ability: Mneokinesis

Zurui, Quirk: Drought, Ability: Hydrokinesis, Hero name: Nogitsune