\\ 3rd Person POV //
\\ At UA //
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When the Sports Festival ended, all the students made their way back to campus. Like every other student, Class 1A changed into their uniforms and found their way back to class where they were debriefed by their exhausted homeroom teacher.
"Nice work. You have the next two days of school off to recuperate. I'm sure the Pros who watched the Festival will wanna recruit some of you. We'll look over the draft forms and update you when you return. Get some rest. You still have a lot of training," Mr. Aizawa tiredly announced.
"Yes Sir!" The class chimed altogether.
"Your free to leave whenever," he added before sluggishly leaving the room.
Once the authority figure left, everyone hopped out of their seats and found the closest person they could swarm. Suddenly the classroom was animated with chatter about the days events.
"You did really great out there Tsu!"
"Thanks, you too Ochaco, ribbit."
"I hope I get noticed!" Hagakure beamed.
"I wish I acted swiftly during my match against Tokoyami," Momo quietly said.
"Don't beat yourself up about it, you did awesome," Jiro reassured her.
At this point, Todoroki, Bakugo, Shoji, and Koda left the room. Those that were left clustered in groups. . . Until Mina put a spotlight on the green haired boy.
"Midoriya I can't believe you made it to third place!!" She squealed, and the others chimed in with similar comments while swarming him by his desk.
"Yeah man, you were awesome!" Sato gave him a thumbs up.
"You certainly caught the attention of some Pro Heroes," Tokoyami stated with a reserved smile.
"You honestly surprised me with that punch of yours during our fight, but you were great," Ojiro laughed.
"Yes, you performed really well! I'm sure you made your family proud," Iida smiled and did little hand chops.
"Oh, uh, t-thanks! I'm finding it hard t-to believe I got third place myself!" The freckled boy stuttered with a goofy smile on his face.
He briefly looked down at the medal hanging from his neck and tears welled in his eyes. He never would have thought back in his Middle school days he'd make it in the top three of the famous UA Sports Festival. He let that thought linger until he looked over at Rini - who was packing her bag - and he had to give her credit.
"But I can't take all the credit for this achievement. Otani-chan helped me out a lot in controlling my quirk. She's a good teacher and gave me a lot of tips for improvement. She honestly deserves the praise," he softly stated, causing all eyes to fall on the pink haired teen.
"Really? Otani-chan can help us improve our quirks?" They said in unison, and Midoriya lifted a finger to correct them but it was too late.
Suddenly, she was being swarmed. She fumbled with her last book as the majority of the class crowded her desk. Hitoshi, standing beside her, got pushed aside in the stampede and he resisted the urge to mind control them all to back off.
"Can you help me improve my acid shot? I want to be able to use it offensively in a fight!" Mina squealed and hopped up and down.
"Can you teach me some of those evasive moves you used during our match? I'd like to spar with you again sometime and improve my fighting style!" Kirishima beamed.
"How about me mademoiselle? Teach me how to dazzle brighter than my enemies!" Aoyama posed in a funny way while gesturing to himself.
"Oooh can you help me focus my electricity? Right now it just goes in every direction, but you can help, right?" Kaminari asked in a flirtatious manner, which earned him a glare from Hitoshi.
"Can you help me-" Mineta couldn't even finish because Sero did everyone a favor and taped the grape.
Rini awkwardly stood there with her bag sitting on the table. A sweat rolled down her forehead at the scene and she tried to get a word out.
"You guys shouldn't overwhelm her like that, ribbit," Tsu commented as she walked past them.
Everyone agreed then apologized. They gave her some space and Rini silently thanked the green haired girl.
"Um, yeah I would love to help you all out. Maybe we can train in Hero class or on the weekends," Rini smiled warmly at her classmates.
Happy cheers and comments were returned at her proposal. Then they turned to Hitoshi and complimented him again for his display during the Festival. The purple haired boy felt a warmth grow in his chest and he thanked his classmates for their nice comments before returning some. Rini saw all of this and softly smiled at her best friend warming up to the others.
Afterward, they all got their things packed up and started heading out. Rini felt extremely relieved the day was over and the future she saw didn't come to pass. She contemplated looking ahead again, but she figured she'd take the two days off and save the future vision for her internship. She no longer had any bad vibes so she trusted her gut feeling.
"What are you guys gonna do for your two days off?" Kirishima asked their large group as they all headed downstairs.
"Sleep," Hitoshi immediately replied, causing everyone to laugh.
"I'm gonna relax and binge some shows," Kaminari said, and he earned a lot of "same here" chimes from the group.
"I wonder what our internships will be like," Hagakure threw that out there.
"Oh yeah, I hope it's not gonna be hard," Sato rubbed the back of his neck.
"Hope we all get offers too," Ojiro added with a nervous smile.
Everyone hummed in agreement. Soon they were by the shoe cubbies and lockers, but as Rini opened hers, a small note fell out. She quickly picked it up before anyone could notice and studied the neatly folded paper. Without drawing attention, she opened it inside the locker and read the message written in neat cursive writing.
I know your secret. Meet me at Showa Park tomorrow at noon.
Rini furrowed her brows and stared at the note in disbelief. There was no way someone could figure her out so easily. Sure she made a few tiny mistakes in class by saying specific things but other than that people never suspected her quirk was anything but ordinary.
The pink haired teen glanced around and wondered who could have planted the note. She figured it couldn't have been anyone there so it must have been either Todoroki, Bakugo, Koda, or Shoji.
"Ready to go?" Hitoshi asked.
Rini quickly hid the note in her shoe and shut her locker door. She turned to him and played cool by offering a "yup" but he felt something was off. He didn't question it though.
"Alright," he smiled and they joined the others outside.
As they walked alongside their classmates to the bus stop, small conversation was made about their two day break plans and what agencies they think they got scouted by.
Among the chatter, Iida mentioned his brother and how he wanted to intern under his agency. This caught Rini's attention and she warmly smiled at the blue haired teen. She was so happy and relieved for him. And although she couldn't tell him she saved his brothers life, she felt that seeing the hopeful glint in his eyes was good enough as a show of gratitude.
Once everyone got to the station, they split and took their respective buses or trains. Rini and Hitoshi waved goodbye to their classmates and found themselves on their bus.
For the entire bus ride, Rini wondered who could have left the letter. She went over the four candidates and suspected it was either Todoroki or Bakugo who planted it considering they were always watching her like a hawk. She mentally sighed and figured to look ahead in the morning. Regardless of who figured it out, she felt it wasn't a risk worthy of telling Sir Nighteye.
Once they arrived at their neighborhood, the two hopped off the bus and as per their usual routine Hitoshi went over to her place. Since Hitoshi slept over at times, he had spare clothes in the guest room so he changed into them in there and Rini changed into her casual clothes in her room.
Because their parents were at work, they went straight to the couch and flicked on the TV. Rini went through the news channels while Hitoshi scrolled through social media looking at cat videos. When she went to the fourth news station, the sudden talk about the Hero Killer grabbed both of their attentions.
"Earlier this afternoon, Heroes in Hosu led by Ingenium attempted to arrest the villain known as The Hero Killer Stain. They cornered him in an alley but he managed to evade capture after injuring Heroes: Manual, The Fly, and Native. More on this story next."
"The Hero Killer? Did you see anything about him in your future vision?" Hitoshi sat up and asked her.
Rini tried really hard not to give herself away. She wanted to keep the fact she did look ahead and prevented a terrible outcome for Ingenium from happening, but it physically pained her to keep anything from her best friend.
"I. . . Yes. I actually did see this happen. . . I told Sir Nighteye where he would be yesterday and gave them instructions. . . If I hadn't-" She mumbled with a guilty look on her face. But at that last part the words got stuck in her throat and tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
Hitoshi gave his friend a sad look. He was honestly hurt she didn't tell him before now, but seeing her like this meant she truly saw something worth keeping secret. Which made him worry about her well being more.
"Rini, I. . . I'm not mad or anything. . . And you don't have to tell me what you saw. . . I'm guessing this outcome was a lot better than your vision," he softly stated, and she gave a nod.
Hitoshi let out a breath and gave a tiny nod. He understood now why she was acting a bit off during the Sports Festival. He felt bad for not noticing or saying something when he should have because this vision clearly took a toll.
Instead of saying anything more, he went over and pulled her into a hug.
Rini melted into his embrace and managed to let a few tears slip. She buried her face into his chest to hide them but he knew she was crying due to the sudden dampness in his shirt. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her and she slowly slinked hers around him in return.
The two stayed like that for a while simply allowing the comfort of each other to banish the burdens of life away. Finally, after a good few minutes, Hitoshi released her when he sensed she had calmed. He pulled back and she did the same, then she started rubbing away her tears. Hitoshi softly smiled at the sight, he never wanted to say it, but he always thought she looked like a sleepy kitten whenever she rubbed her eyes.
"Thanks. . . I needed that. . ." She said just above a whisper in her honeyed voice. He smiled down at her and said a "no problem" as she looked down at her hands. Then she gathered her thoughts and decided to speak her mind.
"I really should have told you. Its just I didn't want to burden you with the same thing I saw. . . It was about Iida's brother Ingenium. He got attacked by Stain in that alley and he almost lost his life. . . Iida was devastated and he would have done something regrettable if that future came to pass. . ." She trailed quietly while looking at the TV.
Hitoshi glanced at it and heard the news anchor continue telling the story. He didn't pay it any mind though since his best friend literally had a hand in the matter and was telling him all about it.
"I told Sir Nighteye everything I could with what I worked with and even gave a step by step plan. . . Its upsetting to see the horrible man still managed to get away and leave the Heroes injured, but this was a better future than the one I saw," she finished softly with a distant look in her eyes.
Hitoshi acknowledged everything she said with a small hum and nod. He wholeheartedly didn't know what to say at first before the words came to mind.
"I believe you. . . And don't worry about not telling me, you made the right decision. . . I probably would have been worried all day for his brother too. . ." He trailed quietly. Then he added with a frown, "I wish everyone knew how much you go through to help save people's lives. You deserve more than this."
Rini looked at her friend and gave him a soft look. She didn't want to agree with him but she didn't want to deny it either; her secret role in Hero Society went without praise and it would be nice to receive some form of it, but it would be too risky. Instead of saying anything, she looked down at her palms then gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement.
As the TV droned on, she could only hope Sir Nighteye and the other Heroes could locate the killer before he attempted to take anymore lives.
The pair got comfortable on either end of the couch again then continued to watch the segment in silence until the news anchor switched topics to the weather and random internet humor. Rini handed the remote to Hitoshi and he gladly accepted and flicked the channel to Animal Planets Too Cute that had a kitten episode on.
Rini happily watched the show too. Then the thought crossed her mind about the note in her locker. She didn't want to repeat the same mistake of hiding something from Hitoshi, so she told him.
"Um. . . There's something else I need to tell you. . ."
Hitoshi quirked a brow and gave her his full attention.
"I got a note in my locker earlier that said someone figured out my "secret" and to meet them at Showa Park tomorrow at noon. . . I haven't looked ahead yet but I'm assuming it's either Todoroki or Bakugo. . . I'm going to look ahead in the morning to find out. . . but when I go to the park, do you want to tag along?"
Hitoshi's eyes widened in stunned surprise at her words. He wanted to panic for her but he managed to contain himself. He closed his eyes and took a breath then met his friends gaze.
"Someone found out. . . And you want me to tag along with you to meet this person. . ."
Rini nodded.
"Okay. . . And you aren't the least bit concerned about this?"
Rini shook her head.
"Shouldn't you tell Sir Nighteye or your parents?"
"I considered it, but in all honesty I'm not worried because I have a gut feeling whoever knows won't expose me," she shrugged.
Hitoshi studied her calm demeanor and decided if she wasn't getting any bad vibes then it wouldn't be a big deal. He kicked back on the couch and put his arms behind his head then answered:
"Alright, I'll come."
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\\ Later That Evening //
\\ LOV Hideout //
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"Well, Tomura?" All For One curiously questioned from the TV screen.
After the Festival broadcast ended, Tomura got his full report ready for his Sensei. Once the sun set, he went straight to the bar to communicate his findings.
"The girls name is Rini Otani. The brat didn't show any signs of an obvious quirk after all. In fact, she moved like she knew everyone elses moves. And for the tournament, when she advanced and faced off against her classmate - some boy named Katsuki Bakugo with an explosive quirk - she ignored him and stepped out of bounds almost like she weighed her options and knew she couldn't win."
Tomura started off with his base observations and then went over them in greater detail. He took screenshot photos of the teen; and Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo since they were powerful. He explained how the pink haired teen along with her classmates were impressively trained. A good fifteen minutes passed until he finished, and by the end of it, All For One had a huge grin plastered on his face.
Everything his successor said sounded like music to his ears. Reality sunk in that he was close to attaining the most elusive quirk he ever sought after in all his years of life.
"Rini Otani," the villain tested her name on his tongue. His voice held curiosity and slight excitement like that of a spoiled child. He let her name hang in the air for a second or two before getting down to business.
"Now that we know she possesses a Perception quirk, we need to make the right moves from this point forward. Based on your observations from this Sports Festival and from what you experienced at USJ, I am assuming her quirk is centered around her own immediate future and what she perceives in her daily life. This will make capturing her difficult but not impossible. All you need is a well crafted plan with contingencies and a skilled group to carry it out."
"I already contacted Giran for more recruits. He said to give him a few days and he'll send over the best he can find," Tomura stated, and his Sensei was impressed.
"Well done."
Suddenly, Kurogiri entered the bar from a side door then took his place behind the counter. Although the misty man didn't have a face, Tomura could tell something was up. And before he could ask, a phone showing a news article slid across the bar counter.
"I just received word that the Hero Killer Stain almost got apprehended earlier this afternoon. According to the article, a total of six Heroes in the Hosu area located him in an alley. However, they ditched their efforts because he wounded half of them," he stated.
Tomura listened to him and read the article at the same time. He noted how the news said the incident took place an hour after midday and Hero Ingenium led the team. He didn't want to think too much into it, but he had a strong feeling Rini was behind this.
"Sensei, you don't think-"
"This girl's range is more powerful than I thought."
Tomura and Kurogiri fell into a stunned silence after his statement. Then the two waited patiently as All For One said what was on all of their minds.
"I find it hardly coincidental six Heroes stumbled upon Stain in an alleyway. . . I believe the girl had some hand in this matter."
Tomura glanced at the pictures of the pink haired teen and her classmates. He felt an itch coming on just by looking at the kids who stood in his way.
"What a pain. How could she have told those Heroes miles away in Hosu where he would be if she wasn't even there?" He grumbled while his fingers dug into his neck.
Then it clicked for everyone.
"The news."
All For One, Tomura, and Kurogiri stated the answer in sync. The gears in the villains heads began turning more and more the longer they pieced together the puzzle of this perceptive teen.
"She must watch the news and communicate her visions to the Heroes," Kurogiri began.
"And those Heroes wouldn't listen to just any brat. . . she must talk to the UA staff and they pass along the message," Tomura added.
"The UA staff or Sir Nighteye," All For One corrected his successor. "It wasn't a coincidence he was there at USJ. He may have known her before she joined UA. . ." He trailed off in thought.
The sinister man put a hand to his chin and pondered the notion of Rini's connection to Sir Nighteye. If she knew him prior to her arrival at UA, the evil man wanted to know just how long. He figured if she received her quirk at the age of four or five like every other kid, her parents must have kept it hidden all these years, but at some point they also must have reached out to the Perception Hero.
Then his mind wandered to the last fight he had with All Might.
He figured the pink haired girl came into the picture after that battle considering he and All Might clashed like titans. If she had any connection to Sir Nighteye back then, that fight wouldn't have ended with him on life support. . . He probably wouldn't even be alive.
Suddenly, a chill ran down All For One's spine at the thought and he felt something he hadn't felt in decades : fear. The hardened villain sat up in his chair and let the foreign feeling pass. Then he started to laugh.
Tomura and Kurogiri listened from their end as the man's despicable laughter resonated through the silence. It started off as a low chuckle reverberating in his chest until it grew into an uncontrollable cackle. Tomura had only ever heard him laugh like that once and that was when he found out All Might survived their battle. The fact he was hearing his laugh now unnerved him.
A good minute passed until silence overtook the room again. All For One sobered up from his laughter and relaxed into his chair again. Despite not having eyes, he looked up at the ceiling and hummed:
"After all these years, I've found an opponent worthy of being called the Queen Chess piece in this game of life."
Tomura glanced at Kurogiri questioningly but the misty man didn't understand what All For One meant either.
"A Queen Chess piece? What does that mean?" Tomura rasped while scratching at his neck.
All For One, still in his psychotic good mood, lightly chuckled at his successors question.
"I really wish you joined me in my games of Chess Tomura. But to answer your question, the Queen is the most powerful piece in the game that can move in any direction across the board so long as there isn't another chess piece in her way."
"Most powerful piece, huh? I don't see how this is amusing or convenient for us. And what does this have to do with anything we're discussing anyways?"
All For One grinned.
"Oh Tomura, this only makes the game more interesting."
The light-blue haired villain felt like face palming - despite already wearing his father's disembodied hand on his face - and instead scratched at his neck. Before he could complain, his Sensei added his last words of instructions.
"Find the Hero Killer and offer him to join us in our endeavors. You could use someone as strong and skilled as him on your team. And seeing as the Heroes found him in an alley, start your search there Kurogiri and work your way to the rooftops."
"Understood," the misty man declared.
"However, from this point forward walk as though your surrounded by eggshells. You can not afford to give yourself away by making it into the headlines, Tomura."
"I get it, don't make a scene," he grumbled.
All For One hummed in reply then mentally went over what they discussed about the teen. He had a lot of planning to do to help his successor get around this tricky Queen Chess piece. She can see their moves beforehand and pose a huge threat if she isn't captured early in the game.
"The second Giran finds the recruits, I'll help you formulate the plan," the evil man added, and Tomura frowned.
"You don't think I can create the perfect plan with contingencies?"
The light-blue haired villain crossed his arms and looked directly at the TV screen. Although he couldn't see him, All For One tilted his head in mild amusement at his successor.
"I trust you can succeed in any other given case Tomura, but this situation requires delicate precision and foresight; skills that come with years of experience. . . Once I help you remove this Rini Otani from the board, you are free to do whatever you want."
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\\ The Next Day //
\\ At Showa Park //
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When the bright morning sun peeped through the curtains of Rini's room, she woke up and lazily stretched. A huge yawn escaped her and she covered her mouth instinctively until it passed.
The night before her parents and Hitoshi's parents had brought home a bunch of food and goodies for their performance during the Festival. They essentially had a mini party and the teens enjoyed the loving praise. Once the food was done and everyone pooped themselves out, Hitoshi and his parents went back home.
Rini let out one more yawn and got ready for the day. She performed her routine then dressed in her favorite romper before heading downstairs and finding her parents sitting at the dining table with cups of coffee and a pastry plate resting between them. They were smiling and stuffing their faces which caused the teen to giggle.
"Oh gwood mowning Wini!" Her dad greeted brightly with a mouth full of chocolate cake.
Her mom, almost breaking out in laughter, leaned over the table and smacked his arm playfully for talking with his mouth full. He winced and started laughing at her obvious attempt at holding back giggles.
"Good morning, honey. Where are you heading?" Her mom asked with a smile after noticing her attire.
"Hitoshi and I are gonna head to Showa Park later," she called over her shoulder while digging in the fridge.
"Hm, alright. Have fun!" her mom replied.
"And be safe. The news said a lot of villains have gotten bolder lately because of the Hero Killer," her dad added with a more serious tone.
"Will do," she waved as she got a bowl of cereal put together.
Once the teen got her bowl of cereal, she went over to the table and set it down. She then quickly walked over to the living room and grabbed the TV remote before returning to the table and plopping down. Thanks to the open floor plan, she flicked on the TV and watched the news while she ate like she always did every morning. Her parents silently watched the news too while finishing their coffee.
Rini sighed as the news talked about the Hero Killer. She flicked through the other channels for ten minutes and found nothing significant just as she thought. The majority of crimes or incidents weren't terrible situations and the Heroes managed without her foresight.
"So honey, since we're all at the table. . ." Her mom began in a soft tone that caught the teens attention.
"Your mom and I wanted to ask how are you liking UA so far?" Her dad finished.
Rini smiled warmly at them and set her empty cereal bowl aside.
"I love it. The classes are great, and so are my classmates; except for this one boy named Mineta who needs to seriously reevaluate his behavior towards women. Also seeing Aunty Midnight almost everyday is super nice too. Oh, and now that our internships are coming up, I'm going to actually do Hero Work with Sir Nighteye out there in the city! I can finally help him more than just sending tips! I can't wait to get out there," she beamed.
Her parents smiled at her words. They could see just how happy she was being a Hero and studying at UA. . . Although her father was concerned when she mentioned the grape boy.
"That's really nice sweety-"
"Who is this Mineta guy?" Her dad crossed his arms and frowned, accidentally cutting off her mom.
"The purple ball head boy you saw in the Festival. In all honesty, he's a nuisance and a pervert, but he's OK when it comes to being a Hero. . ." Rini explained and couldn't believe she was defending him a little.
"I should have a word with Aizawa. . . Or Nezu. . . They can probably straighten him out with the threat of expulsion. . ." Her dad looked down at the ground and put a hand to his chin in deep thought, already plotting a way to get rid of the grape if it meant keeping his daughter safe.
Rini laughed and playfully rolled her eyes.
"You do that, papa bear," she got up and went to wash her dishes.
"Before your father cut me off," her mom said while poking him harshly, earning a soft "ow" from her husband. "I wanted to ask how about your other classmates? You and Hitoshi are getting along with them right?" She asked with a mothering tone.
Rini sat back down at the table.
"Oh yeah, they're a wild and enthusiastic bunch but other than that they're all nice. I made friends with the green haired boy you saw win third place - Izuku Midoriya - and Hitoshi and I helped train his quirk. He's really kind, he always thinks of others wellbeing more than his own, and I think he's going to make a fine Hero one day," she said in a soft tone.
She then went on to list and talk about her other classmates in an endearing way. Her parents listened intently and really saw the joy in their daughters eyes as she spoke of them. When it came down to her mentioning Bakugo, she said he's pretty rude but actually considerate in his own way.
Finally after fifteen minutes of chatting, her dad looked at the time and excused himself to get ready. Her mom did the same and they planted kisses on their baby's head before heading upstairs. Rini also looked at the time and recalled she needed to look ahead.
Its 8AM now so I can look ahead six hours which will give me a one minute nap, she calculated.
The teen then made her way over to the couch and got comfortable before doing her thing. She closed her eyes, worked out the time, and received her vision. . . And when she woke up she sighed and shook her head.
Of course you were the one to figure me out, she thought with an amused roll of her eyes.
Rini took out her phone and texted her sleep deprived best friend. It took him three minutes before he woke up and responded.
Toshi
Sup... what time is it?
Rini
Time to wake up
Toshi
-_-
Rini
Lol its 8:06 AM
Toshi
Ugh. . . Do I have to wake up now? Thought you needed to get to the park at noon??
Rini
Yeah...
but I wanted to leave early
:(
Toshi
Ughhhhhhh. Fine.
I'm getting up
Rini
:)
Thank you!
See you at 8:37 on the dot!
Toshi
K
Rini silently giggled to herself and put her phone away. She figured to watch some TV in the meantime and opted for cartoons. Minutes flew by and her parents got ready, bid her farewell, and left the house. The timely teen then looked at her watch and counted the minutes and seconds for Hitoshi. At exactly 8:37 he arrived and she met him at the door before he could knock.
"Why do you always have to do that?" he sighed playfully while putting his fist down.
Rini shrugged and they left for the park. When they got there it was coming on 9:20 and instead of entering the park, Rini tugged her friend towards some shops down the street. Hitoshi understood now why she wanted to leave early, there was a new cat cafe, so most naturally he didn't object and they entered the establishment.
Two hours flew by and they enjoyed their time surrounded by cats and munching on sweet treats. Hitoshi didn't question a single thing and simply enjoyed it, completely unaware of Rini's plan.
To the pink haired teen, she thought this would be the best thing to do before they met the person in the park. Hitoshi would be in a good mood and nothing rash could happen.
When the clock struck 11:45, they made their way over to the park. Rini quickly pulled out a hat from her small backpack and secured it on her best friends head, which caught him by surprise, and she told him to keep out of sight by a water fountain while she sat by the bench. He shrugged and did what she said, walking off nonchalantly with a boba from the cat cafe in his hand. Little did he know she sent him in that direction because a person with a cat backpack would be over there to distract him.
Rini smiled in amusement and sat patiently under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. The blossoms had already bloomed so only a few remained on the tree. She admired them until a figured appeared in her periphery and she briefly closed her eyes and smiled.
"You picked a nice spot to talk about my secret. . . Bakugo."
The perceptive teen then looked to her right and met eyes with the ash blond boy standing next to her with a tiny frown on his face. He wore a casual black skull shirt and some baggy pants with sneakers.
"Tch. I only chose this place because it was outdoors and in public," he scoffed then sat down.
Rini hummed and turned slightly to face him. He didn't do the same and kept his eyes focused on the ground.
"So. . . You figured it out," she got the ball rolling.
"Your quirk? Yeah, I figured it out. You may have fooled our idiot classmates but I connected the dots," Bakugo scoffed in amusement while meeting her gaze. He then paused before adding, "You have some form of Future Vision."
Rini hummed again. . . But her lack of a reaction made him confused.
"Aren't you gonna say something?!" He barked.
Rini shrugged and offered an amused smile.
"What do you want me to say?"
Bakugo knit his brows in mild frustration.
"Admit that I'm right because I know I'm right. I have evidence."
When the words left his lips, she looked up at the branches above them and admired them again. This caused the blond to grow more frustrated. She knew he was about to explain in detail all the little hints he picked up on since the first day of school, so she held up a hand and stopped him.
"Let me save you four minutes of talking by saying this. . . Yes, I messed up on the first day of school by knowing your name. Yes, I realize I mess up from time to time by mentioning specific details when I use my quirk. Yes, I knew the USJ attack would happen so that's why I ran inside to help. Yes, I helped Midoriya figure out how to control his quirk by looking into the future and seeing his progress. And yes, during our fight I knew you would send a huge blast at me and win so I stepped out of bounds to save myself the trouble. Congrats. Your the first person in our class to figure it out."
Bakugo's jaw practically dropped by the end of her long list of answers she provided to the questions he hadn't even asked yet. He sat there in an awestruck silence while she innocently smiled.
Much to Rini's amusement and relief, the blond only figured out her quirk. He didn't know that she was training under Sir Nighteye.
When the blond finally snapped out of it, he gave her a skeptical look.
"You. . . Really do have future vision then. . ?" He spoke slowly so he wouldn't stutter.
Rini gave a nod.
"So you really knew what would happen at USJ. . . And you told All Might and those other extras what to do to stop them. . ?"
Rini gave another nod.
Bakugo furrowed his brows more. He knew Future Vision was a rare quirk, and like the rest of the population he heard the users only predicted the future, they couldn't change it. When he pondered that thought, his brows then shot up and he faced the girl with a reserved form of shock.
"You can change the future. . ?"
Rini, enjoying the fact that the blond was as sharp as a tack, gave a humble nod.
The blond broke his facade and his mouth hung open in a tiny 'o' as he took another couple seconds to gather his thoughts. He looked away for a moment and pieced more things together. He now understood how she made it into the Hero Course; he thought she was privileged with a recommendation because of her aunt Midnight. He also could understand now why her quirk was secret; because if anybody knew, especially villains, they would want to use her.
The blond suddenly realized the real potential dangers she could face if anyone found out. . . Then he realized he was being a hypocrite considering he figured her quirk out and he had intentions of exposing her. He mentally chastised himself for thinking of doing something like that then came to a new resolution.
"Okay, I knew I was right. . . And I get why you kept it secret. . . So I won't say anything."
Rini tilted her head and sent him an appreciative look.
"Thank you. . . You know, your the first person to figure out my quirk without me having to explain. It's actually a nice change of pace," she lightly laughed.
Bakugo felt a tiny tint of blush cover his cheeks and he scoffed before quickly looking away.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It wasn't hard to piece together since you suck at hiding it," he grunted and crossed his arms.
Rini giggled again and he turned to her with a forced angry expression on his face.
"That wasn't a joke!" He half-yelled but she ignored him. He pouted and made a 'tch' sound.
After a moment or two, he wanted to jump back to the topic at hand and say what truly bothered him: the fact she was helping Midoriya succeed. He was about to start but Rini met his gaze and stopped him again. This time her smile faded and she spoke in a serious voice.
"I know you are upset I'm helping Midoriya. I know it burns you inside to see him achieve third place in the Festival because I helped him. I know you are going to tell me to stop helping him. But I want you to know that I won't. You don't get to dictate or push him around anymore and I am not going to give you the chance to do that to him again."
Bakugo froze at her cold demeanor and what she said. He was about to cut in but she wasn't finished.
"He told me how you were best friends when you were kids. How you turned on him in an instant and bullied him because he didn't get his quirk. How you shot down his dream to become a Hero everyday since you were kids. And how you convinced your Middle school to bully him as well. . . Why are you so adamant on crushing his spirit?" she said in a sad tone and gave him a pitiful look.
She recalled the training evening she had with the freckled boy and the way he answered her questions regarding their chaotic relationship towards each other.
Bakugo felt his heart drop. He never felt remorse for what he did, but hearing it from the pink haired girl made him feel extremely guilty all of a sudden. He looked down at his hands resting in his lap and felt a foreign feeling of regret towards his old childhood friend grow.
But as always, he was stubborn.
"Are you a therapist or some crap?"
"Why are you dodging the question?"
"Don't answer my question with another question!" He half barked.
Rini gave him a "really?" look before sighing and looking up at the trees again. She knew she had her work cut out for her when it came to the explosive blond in comparison to others in her life.
"You are really skilled, talented, and intelligent Bakugo. But you lack humility. Quite frankly, if you can pull your head out of your butt you might be able to see Midoriya is not your enemy."
"HAH?!"
"Did I stutter?" Rini glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and stated with a completely blunt tone.
Bakugo suddenly felt his respect towards the pink haired girl rise from her reaction. His pride and ego would never allow him to admit it, but she was intimidating him; which was rare for him. She was also making him face his harsh reality:
He was being irrationally malicious towards Midoriya all because of his overachieving insecurities to become Number 1.
Bakugo wanted to fight this verbal battle but he was losing.
"I. . . He. . . He is always looking down-"
"He wasn't looking down on you. He looked up to you. And you let him down. Many times," she cut him off and gave him another dose of reality.
Bakugo looked up at the perceptive girl. He met her lavender eyes and only saw sympathetic pity in them. Like a disappointed mother or older sister's gaze that could bring anyone to realize the error of their ways.
And suddenly the boy found himself moved by the sheer force of her words.
Bakugo let out a heavy breath and scowled at the ground. He stayed like that for a good three minutes while Rini patiently waited.
The blond really wanted to bark back at the pink haired girl but he knew she was speaking facts. He never in a million years thought he would willingly sit and listen to someone scold him over something personal. But now that he knew without a doubt she could see and change the future, he had no choice but to listen.
He reasoned if she, a girl with the ability to literally change the future, was chastising him now then he wondered what kind of future did she see of him.
". . . Do you know. . ."
"I haven't looked that far yet," she said passively. "But I do know if you keep up this prideful act you won't grow and succeed the way Midoriya is at the moment. Your responsible for holding yourself back. And if you want to achieve your goal of becoming Number 1 quicker, you need to change now."
Bakugo sighed.
How was he supposed to change?
"I. . . I don't know how. . ." He mumbled.
Rini offered him a warm smile.
"You do."
She then got up and looked down at the boy sitting hunched on the bench. She offered her hand to him with a smile and he felt his eyes widen at her gesture.
With a soft voice, she added:
"If you need help, reach out for it."
.
.
.