"Aki!"
You ran up to your friend. Kimiko had introduced you to her about two weeks ago, as she was getting her hair cut. It was cute now, a short peach bob, curled at the bottom.
Akiko turned to you with a frown. "[Name], what are doing you here?" she asked you. The noirette had just exited her high school--CIHA. She patted down her uniform and quirked a brow at your awed expression.
"I wanted to see CIHA," you whispered. You looked past the girl. "It's so pretty!"
"You've seen it plenty of times," she said.
"I know, but that doesn't stop it from being really really cool!"
She sighed, a small smile worming its way onto her lips, and brushed back a strand of long hair. "Next week is my last week as a sophomore," she informed you. "I'm going to be a junior in two months."
Akiko would be lying if she said the gleam in your eyes didn't make her feel a bit prouder.
"You're so~ cool!" you exclaimed, [e/c] hues wide and sparkling. "Sometimes I forget that you're a year older than us." Your face brightened at your own words.
"Oh yeah! Where are the twins? We were supposed to go out in the city today, remember? You said you wanted to walk me to work."
Akiko hummed and began walking. You joined her, subtly pushing her to the inner sidewalk so you could walk on the side of the street. "They retired to their dorms. They have a project due tomorrow."
You nodded in understanding, and your eyes softened. "I don't get to see you guys a lot anymore. 'Cause, you know, we go to different schools and all," you mumbled, a bit sadly. You played with the hem of your cheap jacket. You went to a public school, so you didn't wear a uniform.
"Speaking of school. How's yours?" You visibly brighten at Akiko's question.
"I just found out that a classmate from my junior high school was in my class the whole time! We got to talking and he's a really cool guy. He wants to be a hero!"
Akiko smiled. "Really? What's his Quirk?"
"Hm, I'm not really sure. He has horns that grow out of his head, though. One on the right, three on the left. He took the CIHA exam but failed the first time--he's going to re-enroll this year. A lot of people are, actually."
Akiko nodded. "I heard. It's all over social media too."
CIHA accepted only so many students. However, those who failed to get into the school the first time could try again next year and start as a sophomore. There were no try-agains after that, though.
"Why don't you try, [Name]?"
You choked.
"Aki," you whined, "don't joke like that. You know I don't want to be a hero."
"That's too bad," she shrugged. "I think you would make a great one. And, doesn't the government want you to be one too?"
You chuckled, softly. "Well, yes," you admitted. "They even offered to make me a hero early on, too, since I've had the training. If I do, I'm guaranteed acceptance into CIHA." You shook your head.
"But I like things the way they are now. It's calm, peaceful, you know? No stress, my grades are good, and it looks like I have a good chance at landing some scholarships to UCI if I keep this up."
"To study psychology, right?" You perked up at Akiko's words.
"You remembered!" The two of you paused at the intersection, waiting for the red hand to change to its walking man counterpart.
"Of course I did," she said, smiling. Akiko smiled a lot more now. You were just able to do that, make everyone smile. "We're friends."
The light turned red, and the crosswalk light glowed white. You and Akiko crossed the street, side-by-side.
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.
Akiko grumbled. The ringing wouldn't stop. She got up, still sleepy, and reached for the glowing phone on her nightstand. Her room was pitch black.
"Hello?" she mumbled drowsily into the phone.
"Aki. . ."
Akiko sat up immediately. She did not like the tone of your voice. Something wasn't right. "[Name]? What's wrong?"
Your voice cracked.
"Aki, I want to be a hero," you cried.
.
.
.
Akiko nodded in approval.
"I like it," she told you, and your eyes glimmered in joy.
"Really? Kojii, she said she liked it!" you squealed, turning to the fox-eared boy next to you. He pouted.
"But it's not flashy enough," he sulked. "It's so. . .ugh. That can't be your hero costume."
"But you designed it," you reminded him. "Are you saying your design is bad? It's really good! Don't be pessimistic!"
Kojii snorted. "Of course not," he said. "It's perfect, of course, but it doesn't boost your Quirk in any way. In fact, its only redeeming quality is that it's made from heat- and tear-resistant fabric. Don't you want something better?"
Akiko frowned and examined your outfit again. You wore a poncho with a high collar, covering your chin. Underneath was a shirt with sleeves that hung way below your hands, the fabric widening at the ends. It was paired with shorts, reaching halfway down your thigh, and boots. The entire outfit was white, pure and bright. Like your smile.
"I think it's perfect," you and Akiko said at the same time.
.
.
.
"You'll be okay?" she asked you. You sent her a reassuring grin, but it did little to ease your friend.
"Of course I will!" you laughed. You gave her a quick hug. "Tell Kimiko and Kojii that I left, okay?"
She nodded, silently. Your smile faltered.
"Hey, I'll be alright. It's just a rescue mission; I'm not fighting an actual villain. That's the other hero's job," you tried. "I just teleport in, grab the hostage, and get out. It'll be my grand debut as a hero! My name'll be all over the news--'Atlas'. You'll see!"
Akiko grasped your hands, tightly. Maybe if she held on long enough you wouldn't let go.
"Tell me everything when you get back."
You beamed and gave her hands a light squeeze.
"Everything!"
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---------
"It sounds like [L/Name] was a lot more cheerful back then, huh?"
Kimiko nods energetically in response to Uraraka's observation. Her short, curled hair bounces with the movement. "Yeah! And I was super~ mean!"
Kaminari sweatdrops. "It's hard to imagine you like that, though. It's like you and [L/Name] switched personalities."
"It wasn't as bad as this," Kojii says, crossing his arms. "Actually, she was even quieter than [Name]. She became way more bubbly around. . ."
He trails off, frowning.
". . .around two weeks ago. When [Name] made their debut."
Midoriya narrows his eyes slightly, contemplating. That can't be a coincidence.
Akiko sighs. "It was such a sudden change, too. Honestly, how do you not get tired bouncing around like that? I feel exhausted just watching you."
Kimiko grins in response. She pokes the student president's cheek with a claw, playfully. "The last thing [Name] would want is for us to be sad. It used to be their job, making us happy. They're. . .not, anymore," she says, trailing off at the end.
"Someone's got to do it! So I thought I'd step up to the task." Her voice grows more spirited. "I'll wait for however long it takes. Until [Name] is ready. But man, I hope it's soon. This job's tougher than you'd think!"
Kimiko laughs, a happy ringing. It chimes, sweetly, like bells.
---------
You wake up from your nap, still drowsy. The window of your dorm room lets in an unwelcome light from the crack in your curtains. Grumbling, you reach blindly for your phone, which you had thrown somewhere on your bed before you had collapsed unceremoniously onto your soft sheets.
8 new messages from Katie. You close your eyes, letting a heavy breath out. That's right. You had suddenly stopped texting her while you got caught up in talking with Aki; poor Katie must be so confused.
You type out a quick reply before rising. Stretching, you get off your bed and run your tongue over your lips. Your mouth is dry.
You walk across your dorm room to your kitchenette. Despite having free meals prepared by your dorm mates downstairs you cooked most of your food, excluding breakfast. Opening your fridge, you push aside the grocery bags you were too lazy to unpack and reach in the back for a water bottle.
You grope about at cold, empty air.
Frowning, you peer inside at the shelves. To your dismay, there is only one more bottle left. With a tired sigh you take it before closing the door. You will have to go downstairs to the kitchen and grab more.
You crack the bottle open and take a sip before grabbing your ID card. You step into the hallway and lock the door behind you, then make your way to the elevator.
You walk towards the doors of the kitchen, surprised to hear voices coming from inside. The soundproofing on the walls is thick and high-quality so no one would be bothered by the sounds of the cooking occurring within. Whoever is in there is exceptionally loud.
Knowing all this before you step inside doesn't really prepare you for the scene you unfortunately are forced to witness.
"What the hell do you mean 'there's no more meat'? What is this then, huh, Deku?"
"Kacchan, that's chicken. . ."
Two boys stand in the middle of the room, arguing. The foreign blond- and green-haired students have black aprons tied around their waists--they must be cooking dinner tonight. Briefly, you wonder where the original CIHA-assigned student on cooking duty is, and your question is answered when you spot a small quivering girl hiding in a corner. She is the only one to have noticed your presence.
Bakugou shoves the wrapped raw chicken in Midoriya's face. The small freckled boy flinches and takes a step back, shaking.
"It's still meat!" the blond snarls.
"But the menu says steak for dinner today, salad for vegetarians--" Midoriya mumbles at the end.
"Then just change the menu!"
"You can't do that," you butt in monotonously. Both UA students jolt in surprise. Turning to the girl huddled in the corner, you address her, tone softening. "Aren't there supposed to be other CIHA students with you? The minimum for cooking duty is three."
She answers you quickly. "They were replaced with t-them," she says, stuttering a bit. She looks in the direction of the two boys.
You shake your head, annoyed. Walking further into the room, you approach the fridge before pulling on the handle and releasing a draft of cold air. Sure enough, when you take a peek inside the meat drawer, there is no beef.
"Go back to your room," you say to the girl, sighing. She doesn't need to be told twice, and scurries off. You turn to Bakugou and Midoriya next.
"I'll make a quick run to the convenience store," you tell them, closing the metal door and shutting off the release of refrigerated air. "Start making the salad. I'll take over for the girl."
"W-we won't finish cooking in time," Midoriya says, avoiding eye contact. He shuffles shyly. "We have to make enough for the whole dorm, and w-we wasted a lot of time arguing. . ."
Bakugou snorts. "I don't want to cook with either of you fuckers," he snaps irritably. He makes a move to leave, but you stop him.
"You already skipped duty this morning. You were lucky Todoroki was kind enough to cover for you. No one's here to do it a second time, so I'll have to report your behavior to the principal."
Without waiting for a reply, knowing he'll be forced to stay, you teleport to the store.
.
.
.
Of course, when you get back, the two males are still arguing with each other--well, more like Bakugou was getting riled up over nothing, and Midoriya was trying to reason with him and further angering the dirty blond.
"You don't put hot sauce in salad, Kacchan!"
"What? It tastes better this way! Give it!" He tries to wrestle the bottle out of his classmate's hands.
You slam the four bags, full of raw meat, harshly onto the counter, surprising the two. The timid boy greets you, well, timidly.
"Ah, w-welcome back, [L/Name]."
Bakugou huffs. "You're slow. Dinner starts in thirty minutes."
You ignore them both and concentrate on the space o the kitchen. You nod to yourself. You should be able to do it--the space is familiar and there are only three of you.
"Could you unpack the bags?" you ask, and talk over Bakugou's attempts to refuse. "I have a way to finish cooking by dinner, but I have to focus. This'll save us some time."
Midoriya nods furiously and scrambles over to help. Bakugou, though reluctant, does the same.
Meanwhile, you grab a stool tucked in the pantry and set it out next to the island. Shutting your eyes, you lean back into the counter, relishing the cool stone top. The space around you quivers, brushing against you; it feels like nothing but still sends sparks along your skin. You let out a soft exhale, and reach out.
The kitchen is familiar and you easily grasp it, and like scissors you begin snipping away a time the edges. The space shudders as you mold it to your pleasing. You know Bakugou and Midoriya feel it--they stop and look around, confused.
Before either can comment, however, you cut the last part away and the air suddenly shifts--different, but the same. And it is.
"What the fuck?" Bakugou mutters under his breath, looking around with a furrowed brow. His freckled classmate stays quiet, peeking about nervously.
Without responding, you separate the kitchen from the time of the rest of the world.
Taking in deep breath, you try to soothe the pressure on your chest, wincing. It isn't too bad. Like the weight of a small dog, it presses down and your breathing becomes slightly more erratic, but it is definitely bearable. You grimace--the weight would be significantly less if you weren't also ensuring that both UA students were operating in their own space, separate from the kitchen's, where real time flowed so their lifespans wouldn't be affected.
You rise from the stool with a grunt. "Calm down. It's just my Quirk," you mutter, walking carefully to the cabinets. You remove a heavy grill and set it down on the counter with a 'thump'. "I altered time a bit so it flows faster in here, so we could actually finish in time. No thanks to you."
You throw in your last few words bitterly. Midoriya winces, and Bakugou clicks his tongue in annoyance.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" he scowls indignantly. "We're all getting sick of your attitude."
You scoff. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, you damn space-case. Acting all high and mighty, looking down on us just 'cause you're a hero. That attitude."
"My attitude," you breathe out. Whirling around, you slam your hands on the island countertop. "How dare you. You. . ."
So much blood.
You inhale sharply.
"It's all your fault," you begin, voice shaking in fury. "You and your twisted ideals of heroism. You worship these heroes, you treat them like gods, but they're the sickest, most vile people to walk this earth. . .scum. All they care about are images, appearances, rules, regulations, defeating villains. . .when are you going to fight the true villains?" You gnash your teeth. Midoriya tries to step forward, calm you down, but you stop him with your words.
"They care more about following some fucking laws over saving a life. They care more about how flashy their Quirk is rather than how much it can help. People complain about having a useless Quirk and let Quirks take over as if they are something greater than us instead of it being a part of them. All this, this idolization of Quirks, just so people with powerful, unique ones can rise to the top and become 'heroes' while those below suffer. And you. . ." you jab an accusing finger in their direction, seething, ". . .you are the more than willing messengers, spreading these falsities across the world and seeking followers in this sick little cult that praises your disgusting 'heroes'.
"You act like it's all fun and games, huh? Like heroics are a fucking joke. And you tell everyone, tell them about how amusing and grand it is to be a hero, and you get them all to want to become one, and those without potential you throw out like garbage." You chuckle, a condescending breath, dry and wheezing. "You got me. Now I'm a hero. But here's the truth--it's not all smiles and rainbows, is it? No, it's so much darker. Heroes are victims. And you, you. . .you encourage this. You deceive children and adults alike into believing that heroes are great. You rope more in, more victims, people looking for some fun, a little bit of excitement, but they don't realize that people die and kill and that if they are a hero only because they are looking for a bit of entertainment then they are incompetent!"
You voice raises to a screech. "And society only praises this ideal, of heroics being a job that is cheerful and exhilarating and thus produces heroes that are only looking for some fun! And more useless heroes flood the streets, claiming themselves to be right and just, arresting villains, killing them, lying, saying that they save people but here's the fucking truth, loud and clear: incompetent heroes save nobody! More incompetent heroes out on the streets means less people being helped! And you know who's at the heart of it all, the center of this ruthless cycle, hell's very own messengers?
"You. UA, the heart of modern heroism. It's all your fault."