~~~
Akira took what Endeavour said to heart.
His way of teaching and direction is different to how she's been initially taught, despite Light Bringer and Endeavour's tough and brittle demeanours being so similar. Though, she refuses to let this change dissuade her. Endeavour wants her to focus on mastering her traversal before moving on to her other difficulties, so she just has to get this down, or she'll never learn how to master everything else.
It's already the third day of the work study week and neither Kira or her classmates are any closer to their goals. It seems that no matter how hard they try, Endeavour seems further away than ever. Kira even more so. She's fallen behind her friends, as she struggles to use the light particles around her to traverse the city environment. This new way of movement is difficult, too difficult. She fears she'll never be able to learn it in time.
They're out on patrol again, high above the streets that guide the young heroes as they scan their jurisdiction. Being the number one hero, Endeavour's reach is vast, his patrol area seemingly never-ending. Bakugou, Midoriya and Todoroki are hot on Endeavour's heels and Kira's behind them, leaping from building top to building top, struggling to find where to place her feet. How does she overcome fear? How does anyone?
Her classmates have their own obstacles to overcome, but at least they don't have to be worried about simply travelling from one destination to another. Kira hesitates on the edge of a skyscraper, pausing for a second to catch her breath, to formulate some kind of strategy. It's not like she'll lose track of her classmates and Endeavour - the combination of Quirks aren't exactly stealthy. She looks down at the cars below, hearing the distant honk of horns and pedestrians chatting in a hurried fashion.
Kira's already changed her style of traversal, hence why she's falling behind. Instead of a constant light source projecting from her skin, she's boosting herself onwards in singular bursts, deactivating her Quirk only when she's airborne. She soaks in the fragile sun, trying to feel its familiarity under her skin, in her pores, but this goal seems far fetched. Her Quirk is versatile in many ways, but this? Maybe Light Bringer never changed how she moved around because she simply couldn't.
Kira groans irritably, watching her classmate's images shrinking as they advance, leaving her behind. She backs away from the rooftop, readying herself for a run up. She breathes heavily, mustering up some courage from somewhere unknown and charges, sprinting towards the building's edge and leaping, feeling the cold wind rush down her back, scooping her hair from her face. Her gut flips at the lack of solid ground under her feet.
This is a different attempt - she usually uses her Quirk to offer her an added boost from the building top, but this time, she merely jumped without her Light to help her. Hopefully, her instincts will kick in. Maybe the sun will reach out for her. But, as she keeps falling, the cold air snatching her breath away, she knows that her fate is inevitable. A smaller building awaits Kira below, far below and she braces herself, her Quirk shining under her skin, a blinding white that snakes up to her shoulders.
She aims her palms out, facing the incoming rooftop, when she hesitates again. Instead of using her Light like she's always done to soften her fall, she should create a light shield, like Endeavour suggested. That could be a start. She's never created airborne shields before, like bubbles, but a dome below on the rooftop could be a welcome introduction. As the surface gets nearer, Kira focuses, frowning as she pictures the shield in her mind. She's no stranger to creating shields, cocoons to protect innocent civilians, or keep criminals trapped inside, but, she's always generated them from up close. Now, there's distance. But, what choice does she have when the rooftop is steadily approaching as she falls?
"You don't need to use your hands to traverse," Endeavour adds. "You can simply walk on air."
Kira lowers her hand uncertainly. "On air?"
You can start by creating those shields you're so handy with," he says. "Then practice walking around on those."
It's already the third day - she can't be afraid of this anymore, of her potential. Kira strains with this new ability, seeing the cocoon being produced in her mind's eye, her palms glowing brighter and brighter. How is this any different than those hovering orbs she's created in the past? The large ones that lit up the factory during their week at Nabu Island? The only difference is distance, which really shouldn't be a hindrance.
However, her Quirk betrays her. In fact, it seems to have its own tactic in mind. Instead of creating a shield out of thin air on the steadily advancing rooftop below her, a burst of light shoots out from her palms, the force of it knocking her limbs back slightly. This pocket of light zips down to the rooftop below, even faster than her falling body, almost like it's being drawn to it. Kira frowns at the white cloud of light, roughly the size of a small car as it waits for her approach and then stares at her hands, turning them over repeatedly.
This isn't what she expected, but she'll take what she can get.
Kira braces herself for a rough landing regardless, her feet colliding into this fog of pure white energy. It isn't a soft landing, but it isn't rough either. There's no easy way to explain what it's like to land on light, but it's an odd sensation. However, for her first attempt, it definitely lacked grace, as her knees buckle under the strangeness of a new ability and she sprawls across the rooftop, banging her hips and shoulders. Thankfully, her hero suit saves her from any unnecessary grazes.
Kira lies on her back for a second, equally stunned by her new ability and winded from her fall. The sun leers down on her, as if mocking her for her inelegant landing, so Kira forces herself to her feet, rubbing her upper arm slightly and turns to the bundle of light still active behind her. She approaches it tentatively, though she knows it's not going to hurt her - it's part of her Quirk. Still, this new ability is strange, bizarre even. This gathering of white energy hovers just above the rooftop, flickering slightly. She looks down at her palms, before reaching out to the light. It doesn't feel hot, like she expected it to. In fact, she can't feel anything, like touching a dense fog.
"Okay..." Kira mutters to herself. "Now what? How do I get rid of you?"
When Todoroki uses his ice to traverse, he has the capability to melt it, so it doesn't leave a trail behind him, so she too needs a way to counter this new skill. Kira reaches both hands out, as if she's trying to trap it, but she doesn't know what the next step should be. Can she maybe absorb it? Or try and dissipate it?
She looks into the sky, knowing full well that she's lost track of Endeavour and her classmates and that she's definitely missing out on vital training, but this is her next step in her own personal goal. Maybe they're waiting for her nearby. What if they're watching her from a nearby rooftop right now?
Kira shakes her head and turns back to her light - she can't get distracted. For some reason, this light source feels... patient, as if it's been waiting for her to use it, to finally figure it all out. Kira lowers her hands when she realises that her intentions aren't going to work. She can't trap this white energy when it clearly doesn't even feel threatened. Instead, Kira waves her hand, gesturing to the sun and the hovering bundle of light drifts off into the sky, trickling and swirling up and up into the blue sky above. It spins and spins, heading towards the welcoming sun and Kira breathes out slowly. She finally understands.
"You talk about your Quirk as if it's a separate part of you," Endeavour says. "But, it's not."
All this time, Kira's been unknowingly treating her Quirk as if it doesn't belong to her, as if it's a separate entity. But, it's not. This power that threatens to overwhelm her, that eats away at her, it's hers. It lives inside of her. She owns it. Only she has the capability to control it.
"I wanna work hard to fight my Quirk."
"Fight your Quirk?" Bakugou repeats, returning her frown.
She nods. "Yeah. I guess I'm-" she hesitates, her voice wavering beyond her control. "I'm scared. Scared of what has happened, what might happen."
"That-" Bakugou says sternly. "That is the dumbest excuse I have ever heard."
Kira's shock must be evident across her face because Bakugou groans irritably, taking a step closer to her with such briskness that she nearly backs away from him. But, she doesn't.
"You're scared?" He nearly scoffs, looking down at her, but his eyes are missing that rage from a few minutes ago, replaced by sheer determination and truth. "Then- then do something about it!" He blurts, gesturing in the air with his arms. "Were you waiting for someone to tell you to get off your ass and change? If you think you're weak, then that's what you are. You get it?"
God - she hates it when he's right. Kira will never allow herself to forget their argument, a crucial stepping stone in their relationship. His words live in her mind, in her heart. She cherishes them, even the ones that wound her so internally.
For now, she needs to catch up, to continue this work study in the hopes of mastering everything about her Quirks. Kira steals a final glance up at the sun and leaps, envisioning this mystical light energy in her mind. Alas, it doesn't form. Nor did she really expect it to. This new ability is going to need focus, practice, training. She won't be surprised if she spends the rest of the week on this new ability alone.
Kira relies on her light beams to transport her from rooftop to rooftop, willing this new white cloud to shoot out from her palms instead, but it remains dormant, hiding away inside of her. She will make it her own.
Endeavour and her classmates aren't far - they have just apprehended a criminal. Well... Endeavour did. Bakugou, Midoriya and Todoroki all share looks of annoyance and determination, as they glare at the number one hero as he scolds the panting students. Kira drops down onto the road, albeit a little clumsily, and they all turn to her.
"Where the hell have you been?" Bakugou wonders, pointing at her slightly.
Kira sends him a look, but ignores his questioning, striding up to Endeavour instead.
"You've learnt something, haven't you?" The pro hero crosses his arms over his chest.
Kira slows her steps, as she approaches Endeavour still. "Is that why you didn't wait for me?" She frowns. "Why you let me fall behind?"
"I'm fully aware of where you four are at all times, if that's what you're insinuating," Endeavour replies, lowering his arms to his sides again. "I've decided it's best to let you find your own path," he adds, his eyes flickering in Todoroki's direction. "Instead of having it forced upon you." Endeavour then clears his throat, his commanding tone returning. "So? Show me."
"I... I can't," she says sheepishly. "I was able to create something new" - she holds her palms out, as if Endeavour might be able to summon it or something - "but, now I can't seem to do it again."
"Something new?" Endeavour repeats, looking down at her outstretched hands.
She nods in reply. "It came from my palms and I used it to brace my fall. It's kind of hard to explain..."
"Then save your breath," Endeavour says. "We'll continue our patrol. You keep focusing on this... new skill of yours."
"Yes, sir," Kira mumbles, finally lowering her hands.
Endeavour shoots off again, followed by Todoroki and Midoriya. Bakugou remains on the roadside with Kira and she turns her head to him, a deep frown on his brows, as if he wants to speak, but something is holding his tongue. Kira tilts her head inquisitively, but Bakugou simply curses, tearing his gaze from her and leaps into the sky after Endeavour. Kira watches him go, sighing heavily. He hasn't spoken to her directly since they started this work study, but she can't exactly blame him for his silence. His desire is to become a pro hero, so of course all of this takes priority over her. It hurts, but it's the truth.
Kira looks down at her palms for the thousandth time today and gives chase, racing off down the road in search of a safe space to activate her Quirk. She finds an empty alleyway, using her light to boost her up the side of the building and onto its rooftop, where she's less likely to cause harm. They continue their patrol, following Endeavour's lead, as they scan the city for incoming incidents. Kira tries to simultaneously activate this new skill while keeping up with her classmates. Suffice it to say, it's no easy feat.
They spend all evening performing their hero duties, only turning in when the sun starts to dim. Endeavour barely falters, only stopping for short breaks throughout the day. But, even then, he's constantly on the lookout for people to save or criminals to apprehend.
Again and again, Kira feels her stamina wain, her exhaustion creeping up on her, as the evening peeks through, the sun barely staying above the skyscrapers now. Kira isn't too concerned about her ultimate goal: to stop a villain before Endeavour, when she's too focused on her personal development. She just couldn't get this new power to reveal itself, as if it's suddenly shy to make itself known to her friends and the number one hero.
"That'll be all for today," Endeavour tells the four students, as he comes to a heavy stop on a rooftop. "You're getting faster, though it's still not enough. Remember what I said and focus."
Kira crouches down on the rooftop, staring down at the concrete beneath her feet, her eyes squeezed shut in both exhaustion and frustration. Her classmates copy her movements, sweat beading their temples, their breathing heavy.
Endeavour never slows down - he took down multiple criminals effortlessly, saved several citizens flawlessly. He's not the number one hero for no reason after all, but his strategic movements and his swiftness is too much. Despite his demeanour, Akira finds herself admiring him, though she still isn't sure if she's allowed to.
Endeavour takes off again, this time at a steady pace, his flames licking calmly around his body, guiding his journey. Kira and her classmates choose to jog on the rooftops, only using their Quirks to clear the gaps separating the buildings. Kira wipes her brow with the back of her hand and leaps over a short gap, bracing her fall with a slight grunt.
She's well aware with what comes next. Once they arrive back at the agency, they'll all receive a brief lecture about their failures today, followed by a series for taunts from Burnin' and then it'll be time for dinner. That's been the routine for the first two days they've been here, so why would today be any different?
Endeavour guides the students inside his agency, taking the lift up to the top floor. Kira decides to remove her gauntlets, as does Midoriya and Todoroki. Bakugou pushes his mask so it's scooping his hair back off his face. He looks extremely unhappy with his progress, or lack thereof. The lift announces their arrival and Burnin', alongside a few other sidekicks, are ready and waiting their return.
"Well?" Burnin' urges. "Anything yet?"
"No," Endeavour says plainly, stepping out of the lift.
Kira follows after, with Todoroki bringing up the rear. Seems he's not going to mention her slight improvement, or maybe he just doesn't believe her. It's not like she can prove that anything did happen. How frustrating...
"Come on, guys!" Burnin' bellows. "You're making the number one hero look bad!"
Bakugou groans irritably, storming out of the lift with his arms hanging limp. "Would you shut the hell up already?"
"It's only been the third day," Kira says to Burnin'. "We've still got time."
Burnin' makes a strange noise, one full of disbelief. "Uh huh, you keep telling yourself that."
"That's enough," Endeavour orders and Burnin' stops her taunts instantly. "Go and get changed, you four," he tells the students.
They all sulk back to their rooms, where Kira quickly prepares herself for dinner. She washes briefly, ridding the grime of a hardworking day from her skin and changes into simple, yet comfortable lounge wear. She'll be heading straight to bed after dinner anyways.
Kira leaves the her room the same time as Todoroki so they decide to head to the lunch hall together, walking side by side.
"Endeavour is a good teacher," Kira says without thinking.
"You think so?" Todoroki mumbles.
She hesitates slightly, cursing herself for her thoughtless words. "He's truthful," she replies. "That's what I meant."
"I'm not mad," he reassures her. "I'm glad he's decided to help you, Midoriya and Bakugou as well. It would have been a waste if he decided not to."
"A waste?" Kira tilts her head to view her friends sombre gaze. "I don't think so. It wouldn't have been a waste if you gained something from it."
Todoroki turns his head in response to her words. "What did you learn earlier?" He asks, changing the topic abruptly. "You said something happened."
"Yeah." She nods, looking down at her hands as she walks to where the dining room is located. "Like I said before, it's hard to explain, but it seems like I was able to create something to help me traverse a little easier."
"You still haven't been able to use this power again?" He adds, curious about this new skill of hers.
"I don't even know how I did it in the first place!" She admits, lowering her hands.
"I'm sure you'll be able to do it again tomorrow."
Kira sends her friend a smile. "Thanks, Todoroki."
He returns the gesture with his own, before they arrive at the lunch hall. Like the last two days, this room is just as busy as the others, full of life and hungry heroes. There are several long narrow tables that stretch across the length of the room, with a kitchen attached to the left side. Endeavour's agency has all the necessities, from hard working sidekicks to relentless chefs.
The smell hits Kira like a wall, her stomach immediately reacting to the luscious, inviting aroma. What's on the menu today? Yesterday, it was salmon and soba noodle stir-fry. Kira has never tasted anything as amazing since Lunch Rush's meals back in UA.
It's weird eating here, especially since they don't even have to collect their food themselves. Todoroki and Kira choose their seats, sitting opposite each other as other sidekicks enter the dining hall, laughing heartily about their day.
"I'm surprised you haven't mentioned my second Quirk," Kira decides to say, as she gets herself comfortable at the table.
"I guess... it didn't come as a shock to me," he replies honestly. "Midoriya has two Quirks, All For One has..." He trails off. "I wouldn't be surprised if Bakugou suddenly revealed he has more than one."
"You're not curious at all?" She frowns, tilting her head slightly.
Todoroki shakes his head slowly. "Not enough to start prying," he tells her. "Did you want to talk about it?"
"No, not really."
Midoriya and Bakugou finally arrive and Kira waves them down. The former returns her gesture, practically skipping over to sit down beside Todoroki. He still seems to have a ton of energy. Bakugou begrudgingly joins them, choosing to sit beside Kira, so all four of them are gathered in their own group on the long table.
Bakugou rests his chin in his palm, his elbow on the table as he waits impatiently for dinner to arrive. Midoriya is already in a deep discussion with Todoroki about their progress today, muttering quickly, positively gleeful with how this week is currently going.
"Kiriya and I were just talking about her new skill," Todoroki says and Midoriya turns to her sharply.
"Oh yeah!" He blurts. "What happened?"
"Well-"
Kira isn't able to finish her sentence before dinner is served. Multiple cooks and waiting staff bundle out of the kitchen area, holding several trays filled with delectable food in their hands and Kira finds herself whirling in her seat to get a better view. It smells amazing, strong enough to cause her mouth to water and her stomach to grumble its eagerness.
A tray is placed down before her and she ogles at it, ready to cast it aside and dig in. Her classmates all receive their own meals too and Kira removes the metal case, the heat causing her eyes to water. It looks like broccolini and soba noodle salad with wasabi dressing.
"Soba again?" Kira frowns down at her meal, before gazing at her friends identical dinners. "I'm- I'm not complaining or anything."
Todoroki looks upset, as he glares down at his dish. "It's my old man," he mutters, looking up to address the others. "Ever since he found out my favourite food is soba, he's been adding it to every meal. I prefer mine cold though," he mumbles the last part.
Kira stifles a chuckle, covering her mouth with her fingers. That earns her a stern look from Todoroki, so she ceases her humour. "I'm sorry." She shakes her head slightly. "At least he's trying."
"I'd rather he didn't," he replies, picking up his utensils. "It's not going to make me like him more. In fact, it's doing the exact opposite."
Kira sends Midoriya an uncertain glance before choosing to start her meal, picking up her own added essentials. Beside her, Bakugou is already digging in, clearly starved from all the effort he's put in today. She feels his leg bump against her own and she nearly drops her utensils in her shock, but she refuses to reveal her alarm to her classmates, so she slowly continues eating. However, in the corner of her eye, Bakugou too has hesitated, chewing his food a little calmer now.
They haven't been this close in a while, but this time they're not alone to share their vulnerabilities to each other, so there isn't much they can do or share.
Kira wants to be alone with him.
With that desirable thought in mind, Kira gently places her utensils on top of her bowl, her food barely having been touched. She's starving, but being this close to Bakugou in such a public space has her gut performing unkind flips.
"Kiriya?" Midoriya's utensil pauses just before his mouth. "You're not eating?"
Kira looks down at her bowl, as if she's forgotten her meal was even there. "Suddenly, I'm not very hungry."
"You're not ill, are you?" He sounds alert, worried, sitting up a little straighter at the table.
Kira waves her hands quickly. "No, no," she reassures him. "I just... remembered something. That's all," she adds lamely.
Todoroki narrows his eyes at Kira, before his eyes slowly drift over to Bakugou. He takes another mouthful before picking up his bowl. "Midoriya," he says. "I need your opinion on something."
"You do?" Midoriya turns his head to him. "What is it?"
"Not here," he adds, standing up at the table. "Follow me."
"But- I- My meal!" Midoriya stammers. "I'm not-"
"Bring it with you," he tells him.
Todoroki practically drags Midoriya away from the table, the latter complaining about nearly dropping his bowl and suddenly her and Bakugou are alone. Based on Todoroki's eyes, his quick departure, he's figured something out. Maybe he's not as dense as she assumes.
Endeavour's sidekicks guffaw jovially around her and Bakugou and the latter finally drops his utensils, his bowl empty of its contents. Kira stares down at her meal, at the sticks placed over the rim of the bowl.
"You should eat something," Bakugou speaks up, his voice monotone.
Kira slowly turns her head to him, his posture relaxed and unconcerned as he rests his knuckles on his cheek. He's directed his eyes straight at her, watching her every movement.
"You don't care about whether or not I've eaten something," Kira comments, her tone low.
Bakugou fidgets in his seat. "You're right," he admits. "There's only one thing that's been bothering me lately and it's pissing me off."
"One thing?" Kira frowns. "What 'one thing'?"
Bakugou digs into the pocket of his black bottoms and pulls out his phone. He taps a few buttons before pulling up their conversation from the end of the year. She re-reads their exchanged messages, though she knows the discussion off by heart now. She's re-read it so many times on her own phone, she's lost count.
The first message is hers, on the verge of telling Bakugou the truth behind her discoveries.
"There's something else..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"It's nothing."
"It's never nothing with you. It's always something, so spill it."
"I'll tell you in person. It'll be easier that way."
"Fine. But, I'm holding you to that."
"Here we are," Bakugou says, hiding his phone back in his pocket. "In person. So, you feel like sharing?"
Kira just stares at Bakugou, at the perfections he adorns. "You remembered about that?" She questions, in awe of what certain concerns he keeps close.
"I was waiting for you to bring it up but you haven't yet," Bakugou tells her, before narrowing his eyes sceptically. "Are you avoiding it or something?"
Kira chuckles half-heartedly. "You have no idea how strange that is coming from you."
"What the hell do you mean by that?" He looks almost offended.
"It means that you used to do nothing but avoid me," she explains, staring at her sad bowl of food. "You'd look the other way, or seem like you're disinterested whenever it became... personal. You'd keep your distance." She meets his strong gaze once again. "But, now it seems like you can't keep your eyes off me."
Bakugou scoffs incredulously, almost embarrassed by her conclusion, turning to face her more directly. "Don't try and change the subject," he says instead. "This has been annoying me for the past few days and I can't focus. So, you better tell me."
Kira thinks about the news she saw that day, the death of Kaori, her theory that she's somehow involved in the recent string of murders. How insane is that though? Why would she be involved? She's not important.
"It doesn't matter now," she replies, turning her head away, as a few sudden tears spring to her eyes. "It has nothing to do with you."
"Hey," Bakugou's voice calls to her, warm and inviting, not cruel and judgemental. "If it's important to you, then it's important to me. Right?"
Her eyes widen at that phrase, as he throws her own words back at her. She turns her head back to Bakugou sharply, feeling like she could throw herself in his arms then and there. How does he do that? How does he get through to her so easily?
"You really want to know?" Kira whispers.
Bakugou nods, his eyes full of curiosity.
"Okay." She returns the nod, leaning in a bit closer. "But- I'll tell you in private."
Bakugou shakes his head, full of suspicion and confusion. "What are you-"
"Just trust me," she interrupts. "I can't- I don't want to say it out loud. Here." She gestures around to the busy lunch hall.
"Fine," Bakugou looks down at her lips briefly, their bodies intensely close in such a public setting.
Kira breaks their proximity, leaning away when another thought strikes her. "Did you bring my necklace too?" She asks.
Bakugou blinks at her abrupt question. "No," he tells her.
"No?" She repeats. "Why not?"
"You said you were going to get rid of it, didn't you?" He replies. "So, I... got rid of it."
"You did?" Kira frowns. "Well, thanks... I guess."
Bakugou looks down at her bowl, gesturing to it with a lazy hand. "So?" He quips. "You got all that crap off your chest, so you should probably finish."
Kira sighs heavily, picking up her utensils. "You're right. I need the energy for tomorrow." She takes a bite, chewing and swallowing before nodding to Bakugou. "Are you not going to ask me what I managed to do today?"
Bakugou scoffs at her question, fidgeting in his seat. "No."
"No?" Kira's brows shoot to the top of her head, her tone playful and teasing. "Why the hell not? Both Todoroki and Midoriya seemed interested."
"Because I don't wanna hear about you getting ahead of me," he admits and Kira turns her attention to him briefly, noticing his sulky demeanour as he glares at something else in the dining hall. "And..." He trails off, forcing his eyes back to her. "It's pissing me off."
Kira hesitates with her food trapped in between her sticks because of his honesty, but she shouldn't be surprised by it. Honesty is the foundation of their relationship now. Each truth that they share with each other enforces this foundation, brick by brick, making it sturdier and sturdier.
Kira decides to keep her replies to herself, enjoying Bakugou's civilised company as she finishes off her meal, though she isn't sure how to react around him, as he keeps his eyes locked on her for the rest of the evening.
~~~