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Chapter Text

The battlefield is unrecognisable.

        Sukuna’s presence devours everything. The sky, the Earth, and even the air they breathed. Infinity strains against Malevolent Shrine in a storm of cursed energy so violent that the world itself seems to scream. For the first time in Kotone’s life, she saw Satoru struggle; not grin, not toy with his opponent, but actually struggle. The “strongest” struggling against “The King of Curses”. This battle would be known far and wide as: “The strongest sorcerer of today vs The strongest sorcerer in history." Kotone’s fists locked tight, her nails carving sharp crescents into her palm, causing warm blood to seep through her fingers. Kotone’s cursed energy surges through her like a second sun. Blinding, unstable, and desperate. She screamed his name once, then again, but the storm swallowed her voice whole. Suddenly, there was silence. She witnessed her older brother's body fall, lifeless, the shimmer of his limitless flickering, and go out like a candle.  In the same instant, something inside her tore open; all the walls she had built, all the control she held onto up to that point. It shattered. Her cursed energy erupted outward; wild and endless, warped and hot. Unlike other times, when she's used her cursed technique, she wasn't releasing it, but instead, it was tearing her apart from the inside. The pain was rough, harsh. There was a hand on her shoulder; her younger brother Kazuke had gotten to her before anyone else. He braved the distortion Kotone had caused with mild difficulty. Kotone lifted her head, her eyes filled with tears. Yet, Kazuke was calm, not a single shred of sadness or panic. He then grabbed her hands quickly and got to his knees, "Kotone, look at me," Kazuke said to her in a tone that was stern but reassuring. Kotone's gaze snapped to his fully now, tears still falling. Her crown of braided white hair flailed about with a cursed energy, the stars in her purple eyes sparkling even as she shed tears. Before Kotone could respond, a soundless pulse rolled out from the broken sky, reality exhaling. The air folds in on itself, and before both of them can move, the world drags both into the vast unknown.

         Gasping awake on the cold pavement, her cursed energy still sputtering like a flame in the wind. Kotone sits up, being blinded by a sudden light, a way too bright light. Once she sat up, she took deep breaths to calm herself before looking around, only for panic to set in again. Everything was wrong. They weren't in Shinjukyu anymore, but somewhere else entirely. The sky was bright, and cars had come to a halt and stayed where they were. Kazuke knelt beside her, scanning their surroundings with that calm look of calculations that's more infuriating than comforting right now. Kotone looked up, following his gaze and noticing tall towers, buildings that stretch what seem to be endlessly into a sky that is unrecognisable. This isn't our Japan.  "...Where-?" Kotone starts but gets cut off by Kazuke, who notices her limitless starting to flare up again. "Kotone, breathe first." She does, barely. Each inhale is a razor in her throat. This ripple wasn't gentle, but what caused it? 'We're not home, we know that much," Kazuke remarks while studying the buildings. Yet his voice shows caution. Kotone notices the crowd of people starting to show, while Kazuke is paying attention to something else. People are staring, cars are honking, and phones are out recording. Their eyes said it all. They weren't fellow "people" to them, but anomalies. "We're being watched," Kotone mutters under her breath. Slight annoyance showing, causing Kazuke to turn his attention to the now forming crowd. He weaves a thin layer of cursed energy through the air, invisible threads humming with a quiet threat.

         "Then let's make sure the wrong people don't get too close." He whispered back. Suddenly, footsteps were heard. A lot of them, rushing towards us while yelling, their arms out and ready to attack us at a given moment. "Stay where you are! one of them sho. A dome suddenly appeared, shimmering and glowing around the plaza. Kotone pushed herself up slowly; her eyes felt heavy, but the energy under her skin was feral, cursed energy coiled around her like a living thing, powerful. Kazuke stepped in front of her, hands in his pockets with a loose posture, daring them to make a mistake. One of the men takes the bai, and they shoot a blast from their hand. The blast screams towards the two, then it freezes in midair. Kazuke's sharp eyes catch the light, his emerald eyes showing beneath his shagger white hair, a green outline shimmering around him, limitless was active, then it fizzled out and dispersed, but didn't hit any bystanders or buildings. He contained it so itdidn'tt hit anyone. "That wasn't a Quir," A big-bulked man said, letting out a slight gasp. "No, it wasn't," another man responded in awe.

Chapter Text

     A blonde-haired woman walked forward, passing through the crowd with a calm aura, but also demanded obedience. She had green eyes that seemed to complement her hair. She wore a typical blazer with a lab coat over it with the initials "U.A" on the shoulder and pocket. Around her neck was a stethoscope that didn't fit her outfit at all, but she somehow made it work. Once she came all the way through the crowd and was now in front of Kazuke and Kotone, she turned and spoke to the other heroes. "These two are injured, and if you keep poking, one of you might end up in critical condition, so stand down." "Doctor Suji," one of them started, but she cut them off abruptly, "That's Doctor Nayeon, to you, and I wasn't asking. " The Doctor then turned to Kotone and Kazuke, "Follow me, quickly," and she started walking towards a huge facility. She didn't stop, expecting them to follow her without question. While this didn't bother Kazuke, who was already moving, it did bother Kotone, who gritted her teeth and followed behind him.

     They sat in the medical wing, the machines humming loudly. It was too loud and clean in here, one would think it's almost dystopian in its sterility. Most would describe this as unsettling if it weren't for the unthreatening blonde woman sitting in a chair at the computer a few feet from them. She's relaxed, doing calculations and paperwork; yet Kotone sat on the edge of this hospital bed, bandages on her arm. Kazuke leaned against the wall, silent as ever. Meanwhile, The Doctor adjusts her gloves. Serious, and yet with the eagerness of a child. "You're both lucky you didn't tear your bodies apart with that outburst," she says, hiding a smile as she works. More seriously, "whatever system you're using, it's precise. But you're running on fumes." Kotone looks away, not answering. Kotone never liked doctors. It's why Satoru or Kazuke always had to go with her to doctor appointments. But this one was different; she didn't pity her, which was a nice change. Yet she studied her, piece by piece, trying to solve her. Kazuke broke the silence, "Are you... Notsurprisedd?" The Doctor turned her head and tilted it curiously, "Should I be?" "Most people are. There was a bit of silence, then The Doctor responded calmly: "Well, let's just say, I've seen my fair share of things. So I don't question a lot nowadays. Besides, it's not hard to tell that you two aren't from here. This world, I mean." Kotone tense's "No, we're not. How do we get home?" The Doctor doesn't say anything, she just nods once, firm and as if not missing a moment, responds, "Let's make something clear. While you're here, you do as you're told. If you break something or someone or yourselves, you tell me, as I'm the only one equipped to heal you two." She looks at both of them, and they both nod. "My name is Doctor Suji. One thing you'll notice here is that everyone is infatuated with being heroes, so most people have chosen hero names. Unfortunately, even I have one. You can call me Nayeon, or Doc." Nayeon says this in a calm tone, and her voice goes soft as she turns to face both of them with her undivided attention.

     Nayeon stands up and stretches. "I can heal, which isn't uncommon here, but mine is what those would say is substantially better in every way from your traditional healers. I can heal everything at the cost of something else. Haven't come across something I couldn't heal." She then closes the door and locks it. Kazuke is still relaxed, but he is now looking at her with slight caution. "I'm a rather relaxed person, you see." Nayeon then turns to them, and her eyes now glow yellow. "But if you were to do something to one of the other students, then I wouldn't have a choice, now would I? And judging from what I saw out there, I wouldn't even need my other two quirks to take you both down simultaneously." She blinked, and her eyes went back to green. Kazuke and Kotone were taken aback; they've only felt this pressure from their older brother, Satoru, and the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna. "Now! Let's try to get you into this school so you can better understand and use those quirks, yeah?"She looked directly at Kotone, who frowned at Nayeon as she unlocked, opened the door, and walked out, closing it behind her with a click, signaling her relocking it again. "Don't try to leave either! I can find you before you even leave the building, kiddo," and just like that, she was gone, her heels clicking on the floor as she got further and further from the door and down the hallway.

Chapter Text

     Kotone wasn't in the room, but she could feel their judgment, through the walls, through the stagnant air that carried through the vents and under doors; every vibration a Morse code, signalling their future's uncertainty through their fingertips. The walls inside the medical bay of the U.A. school carried sound differently. Everything was fluid and clear. The voices travelled down the halls of U.A.; each word slipping under the door like unfortunate whispers; seemingly meant to reach the sibilings, whether they wanted them to or not. "Not like anything we've seen before," a man muttered. Another voice, flat and steady, replied They're dangerous. Especially the girl." Dangerous? Kotone thought, her hands clenched into tight fists, and she began tearing up the paper sheet, guarding the bed. A small pile of paper confetti began to form. The word sits heavy in her chest, and yet claws through her mind like that of a cat. Nayeon's voice cut through, clean and precise, "She's unstable. Not malicious. When it comes to the girl, there's a difference." Unstable? Kotone laughed. What an understatement. Other fragment slips through: trust, lost; must watch carefully. Kotone tuned out the rest. She knew what the verdict was; they associated her and Kazuke as anomalies, threats of the highest order, specimens, pieces on a board to be observed, studied, and ultimately, contained.

     And yet. . . Nayeon defended them, defended Kotone. Of course, she wasn't condemning them either. Simply holding an ethical line. For reasons Kotone couldn't explain, that unearned trust- that safety- stung more than if she had called her the monster she was, outright. The medical wing went quiet again, the king of quiet that hummed inside your skull until you just started imagining noises. The machines continued to tick faintly as the green band around the siblings' wrists glowed with an artificial pulse; it was mocking Kotone with its neat rhythm.

***

     This place was everything they werent. Kotone sat on the bed with her knees pulled up tightly, arms folded loosely. She watched the glowing and beeping machines, wishing she could burn through them just by staring. But nothing here belongs to her. Kotone turned her head and spotted Kazuke leaning against a wall, his hand buried in his pockets, his eyes half-lidded but sharp. He hadnt spoken a word since Nayeon left them in there. He didn't need to, as his silence was a language all its own. The weight pressed more heavily the longer Nayeon was gone. Then words spilt from Kotone's mouth before she could stop them, "I keep seeing it." She rested her head in her hands, pressing her temples as if the pressure would make the memory stop repeating, and if she was lucky, it would dissolve into nothing. Defeated, she looked up at Kazuke to gauge his expression. A simple head tilt, just enough to show hes listneing. "His face," her voice trembles, cracking at its edges. Though Kotone manages to keep her expression hard. "The way he just-" She swallowed, fist curling. She could feel her blood boiling hotter with every word, until finally she erupted. "How could he lose like that?!" Her eyes are now wide, angry tears forming. The words hang still in the air for a moment. Kazuke stays silent for a moment, then walks towards Kotone, who was still trying to hold back tears but failing. He didn't say anything, but just stood next to her. Kotone preferred that over him consoling her, it would make her feel weaker than she already felt. "You saw it too, I know you felt it too, so why," Kotone whispers in between her sobs. "He always wins. Always." Kazuke finally spoke up, crossing his arms again. "I did see it. I didn't know what to say," he started, "It was overwhelming, to think that Sukuna was able to figure out how The Divine General bypassed Infinity. And so quickly at that," He let out a sigh. So does Kotone. She started to collect herself, wiping her face with her sleeve.

     "Of course, it was to be expected. He wasn't winning. Not against Sukuna." Kazuke said, staring at the ground, not making eye contact. Kotone's anger returned, "You're too calm about this." She gets out in a rushed tone, "You-" "I am not calm," Kazuke remarks, cutting Kotone off abruptly. "I'm focused. You lost control because you couldn't accept it. That's why we're here," his words were sharp. "You don't think I know that?" Kotone yells at him. "I mean. . .Yeah," Kazuke replies, meeting the glare of his older sister. "I think you're still pretending it didnt happen." Kotone looks away and bites her lip in frustration. The heat in her chest spikes, then falters. He's right. As always. Finally, Kotone concedes, ". . . Maybe I am." She looked at her hands, finding comfort in her personal map, calloused and scarred. It was a quiet cander. As uncomfortable as this truth sits with her, she noticed a whisper of calm ran with its confession. Again, the silence, but heavier this time. The ripple she caused, Satoru's death, this foreign alien world was pressing down on them from every direction. Kazuke's voice broke through again, quieter, more tense. "We can't afford to break here. Not now. Were being watched and I know you can feel it." Of course, he can, Kotone thought, always the sharp and calculating one.

    "You mean, Nayeon?" A ghost of a smirk flickers at the edge of his mouth at Kotone's question. "Yup, Nayeon," A small laugh now, "she's different, sharp, controlled. She's already taking us apart in her head." Something twists in Kotone, a bit of uneasiness and dread. "Honestly, she reminds me of him." Kazuke raised a brow at her statement. "Satoru?" He pushed off the wall, his long shadow stretched across the floor. "Then treat her like hi., Don't underestimate her. But don't lose yourself trying to measure up either." Kotone huffs, but softer this time, while carefully thinking about what her brother said. "You're annoyingly logical," Kotone says, a small smile brewing on her lips as she turns to Kazuke. "It's why we're still alive," and for the first time since everything fell apart, things started to align and make sense.

Chapter Text

     The siblings have been in the med wing bay for over 4 hours. Kotone was on the verge of just smashing down the door and demanding answers and talks, but it made sense to keep them there, strategically. "If I were them," Kotone thought, I'd do the same. Two strangers appear in the middle of a city, crackthe air open like it's made of glass, and nearly trigger an evacuation just by existing. Of course, they weren't invited to the party. But the walls are thin, so it wasnt hard to listen if she focused on it. Kazuke leaned against the wall near the door; Kotone deemed this his "signature pose." Kazuke had his eyes closed, but was also listening. From a bit under the door, you could hear them, the adults. "...Not Quirk users. Something else entirely." Nayeon's voice was deliberate. Kotone could imagine her standing at the head of the table, calm, her coat sharp, and her eyes structured and refined. They talked about the siblings like they were storms. Sheer power caught in jars, energy readouts, and power levels. But it's hard to hear; Kotone's heard something before regarding Satoru. Whose very presence made him untouchable. Today proved them wrong, proved Kotone wrong. Why do I bother gauging, guessing at powers so great even my smartest idols cannot fathom their destruction, let alone their existence? At a certain level, is it not just a twist of fate that determines the winner? A flip of a coin by something greater? Kotone had pondered.

  "Theyre dangerous. Especially the girl." The voice cuts harshly in the discussion. "Now now, Aizawa," I can hear from Nayeon. They're strategic and cold, afraid of the uncertainty the pair brings. Kotone doesn'tt blame them, but it doesn't cross her mind, the humanity that the two retain. No matter how powerful they could get. Kotone pleads in the back of her mind for Nayeon to feel her pain through the walls. She's in pain. She's grieving. Kotone whispers to herself, keeping her truths slightly hidden. They view them as dangerous now, but soon they see their worth, how much of an ally they would be. Another woman's voice speaks through, softer, almost thoughtful. "Looked more like an emotional overflow than a direct attack." An ally? Kotone sighs, relieved. But the words theyre throwing around, unstable, dangerous, catastrophic. So many words with edges, Words shes heard all her life, but wouldn't think she'd be seen as an enemy and have them used on her. Satoru would know what to do, but I have Kazuk,e and that's all that matters, Kotone thinks.

     Kotone's thoughts return to eavesdropping on the discussion down the hall. Nayeon didnt falter either. "The boy, in particular, kept things from escalating. If he wanted, he could've leveled the plaza before any of us touched him." Kotone glanced at Kazuke, who doesn'tt seem to react to the mention, not even a shift of his weight, but she knows he heard it as well. Kotone wondered if he took this as a compliment, of his restraint, or maybe a warning; that someone knows a weakness of his; that someone knows she is one of his few vulnerabilties, Now that Satoru is gone, we are all each other has. While in thought, she slowly stops focusing on the conversation. Of course, a few words do drift from under the door. "It might happen again," Aizawa says eventually, his voice a grim anchor. The silence that follows is loud. Then, Nayeon retorts calmly, "It is a risk I am willing to take. Whatever may come of it will be mine to bear." Kotone could feel the shift even through the walls. Nayeon has serious power here, but she said it like how Satoru would have, and that causes her to shift where she sat. She started fidgeting with the paper on the bed again. Nayeon was so calm and absolute, like she had that level of certainty that makes everyone else step back. For a moment, Kotone hated her for it, for sounding like him, for wielding a power like that, like she didn't know what could happen to her. Kazuke finally exhaled after being silent for what felt like eternity. "Theyre deciding where to keep us," he says, like he's commenting on the weather. Kotone lowers her head again. "Doesn't feel like were welcome here," "No, we arent" he replied.

Chapter Text

     The announcement wakes Kotone up before the sun fully claims the sky. A soft chime cuts through the dorm halls, followed by a voice too cheerful for this hour. "New student placements will begin in thirty minutes. All students, please report to the central atrium." Kotone sat on the edge of a bed, her uniform jacket hanging off her shoulders like she was wearing someone else's skin, whilst her hair remained damp from the fastest shower shes ever taken in her life, but the cold didn't bother her anyway. Her head was much too congested for that. Kazuke, stoic as always, leaned against the wall, same uniform but a relaxed posture. Kotone didn't understand it, but somehow, he made the transition look easy. Like he was designed for chaos and uncertainty. The early light catches his white hair, glinting like it's in on a secret. "You're quiet," he says to Kotone. She responds, breathing out her nose, sharp and short. "You know, I don't like being told where I belong." He stared at her, then chuckled. "This will be good for you K, for us. You have your challenge, and it's time to show them you know exactly where you belong and what you're doing. Just embrace the distraction for a while," Kotone looked up, finding his expression unreadable, but his eyes held a steady challenge, shes known that look all her life.

     ***

     The atrium hummed with voices as the pair stepped inside. Class 1-A on one side, loud and bright. Like they've already mapped each of them out. Class 1-B, on the other hand, was more disciplined, but the sparks were there, too. All the chatter halted when Aizawa stepped forward, those bandages around his neck hanging like a warning sign. The tall, burly man known as Vlad King stood beside him. "Listen up," Aizawa started. "We're bringing in two... unique students. Their situation isnt standard, so neither is this arrangement." Whispers explode instantly. 

"Two new kids? Mid-term? You're kidding."
"Transfer students?"
"They look kinda intense-?"
   

     Kotone and Kazuke stand up and walk forward to take their seats in front of the podium. Kotone could feel their stares press against her skin. Some were curious, some cautious, and a few openly sceptical. Kazuke's hands were in his pockets, shoulders relaxed next to her, but she knew he was reading everything, cataloguing faces, postures, potential threats. If this energy is any indication of the strength in this institution, those who seek to define us won't stand a chance. After the assembly, the day passed by, and Kotone and Kazuke would officially be given their dorm rooms, and since they weren't yet enrolled, they were confined to their rooms unless it was for food or the bathroom. Eventually, night had fallen, and Kotone opened her balcony and walked out on it, letting out a deep sigh. Below, the dorms hummed with that low, tired rhythm of students winding down; voices faded to murmurs, hallway lights blinked like lazy stars. Above, the sky stretches wide and clear. A rare scatter of constellations wink down through the darkness. Kotone stood there barefoot on the cold concrete, toes curling slightly against the chill. The wind threaded through her hair, causing silver strands to shimmer under the moonlight. KKotone'seyes catch the stars, holding their light until the constellations swirl faintly in the violet as if the night sky has taken root inside her. For a moment, she stopped thinking and just breathed.

     This wasnt home, she knew that, the feel of it. The air smelled wrong, the distance felt wrong, everything was wrong. A sound slips from her lips, a laugh, but with slight bitterness. Kotone reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the dice. God, they're old. Worn smooth by too many rolls to count, not charmed or rigged. Just honest. It's comforting to possess a token of normalcy. Something so different from what she was. These dice she carried around were once new, born, and in her hands they will become round as marbles, and one day dissolve into sand between her fingers. Granted, it will take some time, but they will have an end, just as they had a beginning. They knew their maker, and now in her calloused hands, they've come to know their destructor well. Before Satoru's death, they were once the same, the dice and her, but alas, now the parts diverge. The similarities are gone, but serving as a memory of what once was. Her fingers move, automatically, letting the die spin. The simple motion grounds her.

     "You were supposed to win, stay unbeatable," Kotone thought. Her mask slipped, her shoulders began to tremble, not with fear but with the unbearable weight of reality finally catching up. The dice squeeze for air out of her hot hand, and they hit the ground and clatter softly against the rooftop. Snake eyes. Kotone stared at the result. Once, She wouldve called it bad luck, but now, her lips began to curl into that of a gambler's grin. "Even if the odds are impossible, they'll bend. They always do." She says to herself, thenlooksd up into the night sky.

Chapter Text

     Morning light floods U.A's halls like liquid gold. Whispers chase them everywhere. News of the "transfer students" had spread faster than a curse, trailing through corridors like ripples across water. Kotone and Kazuke were on their way to class. Kazuke stopped at the entrance of 1A. He hugged Kotone tightly, which caught her off guard. She looked up at him, but all he did was smile and sigh, then turn and walk towards his class, 1B. When Kotone entered, every pair of eyes tracked her. Curiosity, suspicion, awe, confusion. She let her gaze sweep over the room slowly. Lida, the class president, moved first to meet her. His posture was oddly perfect, and his voice was booming with WAY too much enthusiasm. She wondered if he ever got bullied for how much of it he has; the bullying wasnt enough then. "Welcome to class 1-A! We hope you'll adhere to the rules and maintain the spirit of-" Kotone brushed past him like wind. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, buddy." The silence after was loud. A girl leaned towards a boy with green hair and whispered amongst each other. The green-haired boy stared at Kotone while jotting down notes in his journal.

     Across campus, in the faculty room, the teachers discuss the two "new" students. Vlad King is the first to break the silence. "So the troublemaker is with Aizawa, and I get the quiet one? Thank God. But still, we only saw what they could do when they were found in the city. Do you think we should have a sparring match between the two classes? Get the kids used to them while also examining what they are really capable of?" Vlad asks, hoping for a definitive answer. The principal, Nazu, begins to speak up. "I'll allow it, but it needs to be done in USJ. We'll need a lot of staff to stand by in case something happens. This will give us a chance to see their abilities in action and help them choose a hero name." With that, the meeting adjourned, and they all dispersed to their classrooms, telling the students to change into their hero gear and meet them at USJ.

     The mock city hums awake under a pale sun. Steel catwalks, glass facades, and narrow alleys act as a playground for a dressed-up warzone. Aizawa stands high on the command platform, his bandages draped, eyes half lidded but still razor-sharp. Vlad King mirrors him on the opposite rail, arms folded and a grin carved across his face like he's waiting for the first explosion. "Objectives simple," Aizawa's voice cuts through the loudspeakers. "Each class has a base. Capture the other team's flag or immobilize the opposing squad. Standard capture rules." Vlad gestures towards the screens. "Team leads will coordinate. Faculty will be observers. They won't hesitate to terminate the exercise if readings spike into "We're not repairing this today" territory. Don't make us do that."

     Kotone locks eyes with Kazuke, who smirks at her, causing Kotone to also smirk back. No matter what, at the end of the day. It'll be those two who duke it out. Kotone rolled a coin across her knuckles. She then stretched. The temporary PE uniform she had to wear was way too tight. A quiet, steady rhythm against the rising noise. The morning light catches her hair; starlight flickers briefly in her eyes before settling. Across the field, Kazuke slides his hands into his pockets, white hair falling into his gaze just enough to shade the green eyes beneath. Two sibilings. Two storms. "Try not to lose," Kotone murmurs to no one in particular. Bakugo snorts. "I'll try not to kill you." Kotone ignores him, the coin flips once, caught mid-air, then Aizawa's voice booms through the loudspeaker, "Begin."

Chapter Text

     1-A moved first, fanning through the left quadrant of the cit like a well-oiled machine. Shocker- Leader takes point, clean and methodical; Midoriya matches him, muttering to himself about quirks and combinations. Todoroki ghosts through the alleys, laying sheets of frost that slice through corners like quiet blades. Uraraka floats to get a good overwatch, her cheeks puffed with determination. "Two things," Kotone says loudly to the whole class. "They'll have to think linearly, Two? Don't. I'll leave a door open, but don't take it." Midoriya blinks as if catching on. "Leave... A door open? As in bait?" "Exactly," Kotone answers while matching the pace of Lida and Midoriya.

     Kazuke, on the other hand, doesn't bark order, his presence is enough. Instead of defualting to the class rip, 1-B just formed around him, followed him. Kendo and Tetsutetsu anchor the boulevard, living shields layered with support quirks. Vine threads her tendrils into infrastructure, weaving slings to pull teammates out of danger. Shishida prols the flank, senses tuned. Monoma's off to the side, grinning like he's already written his own narrative. Kazuke stands at the center, hands still in his pockets, green eyes blocked by his long hair. But they hum with life and start floating when he subconiously activated his "quirk". It's soft, but sharp, and he's already reading Kotone's team like a book. Where she strikes through instinct, he plays the role of the tactician, always moving invisible pieces, and 1B listens. That's what stands out the most. In the few hours he's been in their class, it's like theyve already synced with him. Especially Kendo. Her eyes never leave him. She doesn't question him, doesn't second-guess. She adjusts. Adapts. I can see it from here, I can tell from here.

   The city trembles before the fight even starts. Power surging in every dimension, humming through every object and particle; a cruel precursor to their imminent destruction.  Bakugo’s been eyeing her since the coin left my fingers. Every twitch of his hands, every click of his tongue — it’s been building. She could feel it like static before a storm.  He doesn’t hesitate. He moves like a grenade that’s already had the pin pulled. Kotone's mind is focused, counting the seconds before the throw.  She catches his glare over his shoulder. “Let’s settle this,” it says without words. I could ignore him. I should. But something in the way he squares his shoulders makes me smile, just barely. He’s been itching for this. And if I’m honest… so have I. 

      We broke away from the others without announcing it. One alley turns into another, steel beams overhead cut the morning light into dizzying stripes. Bakugo's explosions crackle the air in fits; heat licks my cheeks as he barrels forward. "DONT HOLD BACK!" he roared, to which Kotone kindly meets him halfway. His first blast was clean, no wasted motion, of course, obviously, he's been training. But Kotone moved through it like water, cursed energy sharpened her limbs. He attempts a punch, she pivots. He explodes, she rides the shockwave, using it to sling herself behind him. He grins, and she grins in return. For a minute, it's just rhythm. Music. His explosive fury against her precision. He's fast, faster than she expected, yet his tells are loud. The proud make noise. When she finally caught his wrist mid-swing, her cursed energy flares once, violent light humming against his gauntlet. She twists, sweeping his legs and driving him into the concrete in a single fluid motion. His back hits hard. That looks like it hurt. Kotone stood over him, not even breathing heavy. "That enough?" she asks him. He snarls in return and tries to push up, but she's got him trapped under her heel, which is pressed on his chest, pinning him gently, but firmly. A spark jumps from his palm. Kotone leaned down, eyes narrowing. "Good fight," she murmurs to him. "You're loud, but you're better than I thought. He didn't bark back or say anything hostile like she expected. Instead, he just glares, fire still in his veins, raring for another go, but somewhere behind it? Respect.

     Once Kotone and Bakugo dusted themselves off, there was a loud yell, causing them to look behind them, spotting Kendo. "Bakugo!" Kendo exclaimed as she rushed at him. Kazuke was beside her, hands still in his pockets like none of this surprises him. Kendo proceeds to intercept Bakugo while the two sibilings sqaure off. Metal rings through the air as their blows clash, Bakugo barking laughter between his explosions, Kendo grins but miraculously holds her ground. Kazuke and Kotone then turn their attention to each other. They face each other across the empty lot, air thickening between them. "Limitless off," Kazuke say's queitly while breaking into a sprint towards Kotone. "Obviously," she responded as she rushed towards him, both of them dialing it down, no infinity, no barriers. Just them. Kazuke moves first, clean and concise. She blocks high, ducks low, and weaves through his trikes. He's precision, her? Pure instinct. Kazuke manages to sweep her leg, but Kotone rolls and catches his ankle. He quickly twists our before she can actually lock it. He drives an elbow to her temple, allowing Kotone to catch it an inch from impact, cursed energy vibrating in her bones. They jump back, separating, no one's breathing. A crowd from both classes gathers to watch them. The rest of 1-A is behind Kotone, and 1-B is behind Kazuke. Kendo glances over her shoulder, hair swaying with movement. Bakugo's already getting back up and squaring up again. Kazuke and Kotone like eyes and raise their hands in unison. Their signature handsigns. Energy floods the air, so thick it hums. Kotone's violet cursed energy flares like a star about to burst, while Kazuke's emerald threads tighten, precise and focused. "Domain Expansion"

Chapter Text

     The words leave the sibilings' mouths in unison. Kotone's space fractures first, a starlit void, sharp and endless, bleeding through the air. Kazuke's folds over it, a crystalline construct of order and green light. They collide. The ground cracks like glass. Shockwaves tear down the street. Students stumble back as reality itself bends between us, neither Domain overwhelming the other. Starlight slams against precision. Chaos against control. And neither of them yields. The faculty move instantly. Eraserhead blings into the fray, the loose bandages whipping through the air as his Quirk locks onto both of them, yet nothing happens. Then it dawns on him, these aren't normal kids, hence not normal Quirks; this on-the-spot discovery makes him widen his eyes a fraction. Yet, something approaches on the field, a figure: blonde hair, green eyes, and a lab coat flowing behind her. Doctor Nayeon was here. A Doctor? Here, of all places? Nayeon strode onto the field, white coat flaring behind her, a flag of authority. For a heartbeat, no one moves; to them, she's their Doctor. She patches their wounds, heals them up. What on earth could she be doing out in the field in the middle of a domain clash? Nayeon takes a few more steps forward, and then a low murmur of a single word. Her eyes changed from green to dull gray, ey but whatever she said seemingly ended the domain clashes, as well as left Kazuke and Kotone out of breath. The pair looked up at Nayeon, confused but smiling. The domains were snuffed out like candles in a storm.

     Everyone stares. Not just the students but even the faculty were unaware of what their doctor did. After a few seconds, Nayeon takes an audible deep sigh, her eyes returning to their normal green. The world settles slowly after a storm like that. Dust drifts through the air in a smoke that coats everything. Cracked pavement hisses faintly under the morning sun, and both classes stand scattered in loose clusters. Class 1-A is buzzing with adrenaline, while 1-B murmurs like a hive that's just witnessed something legendary. Bakugo leans against a half-crumbled wall, his arms crossed and chest still rising hard, his eyes keep flicking towards Kotone, part challenge and something else... Kendo was laughing, breathless, pushing stray orange strands out of her face while Kazuke stood a few steps behind her, his hands buried in his pockets. His long white hair falls forward, shading his green eyes like a curtain. But Kotone remembers what it looked like a few minutes ago- lifted and weightless, his power humming so strong the air bent. Everyone saw it, someone decided not to mention it, while others decided to ask him later, but Kendo kept sneaking glances back at him, cheeks faintly pink.

     Suddenly, a THWUMP sound shakes the ground, and a tall buff blonde man with a really big smile lands, bright golden aura blazing. Even now, the sight of him pulls at the air itself. This must be "The Symbol of Peace" that everyone talks about. "Doctor Nayeon," His voice booms. I haven't seen a display like that in years!" Nayeon stood in the center of the cracked street, her coat snapping behind her, completely composed. "I prefer quieter rooms, All Might," she replies smoothly. He laughed, the sound ringing through the entire mock city. His smile softens as he regards Nayeon witha gentle bow of his head. "Why, if you hadn't focused solely on medicine, I'm sure you would be standing where I stand now. Number 1! And everyone here can attest to it!" Nayeon looks down a bit, a small smile forming, "I wouldn't say all that..." All Might now turned to face her fully, "Butthat'ss not all you can do, is it? You actually have more up your sleeve than you're keeping hidden," he says, yet he says it like he knows the truth. Nayeon brings a finger to her lips, "Spoilers," she says before walking away.

     The students murmur. Most of their reactions are delayed by sheer shock. This tall, glowing man shows up and is acknowledging their nurse, like an equal. The murmurs get louder until everyone is talking. A wave of whispers surges through both classes, and the volume only grows.

"What even was that?" Awase asks

"It was like the air folded in on itself," Tsunotori says aloud

"Did they... overlap their Quirks?" KuroIro asked

"No way, nothing registered on the scanner's" Monoma replied in a whisper.

"I thought the city was gonna implode,"   Sero told Mineta

"She shut both of their Quirks down with one word," Midoriya remarks, pulling out his notebook and scribbling in it.

"She's terrifying..." Jirou remarks

"Bro, I'm in love," Mineta says, awestruck

"There is no way you have a chance, dude." Kaminari teases him.

    Hawks whistle low from the platform. "You kids just met another big shot." Then someone from 1-A, a voice half in awe, says:" She's like some kind of Sovereign Voice, or something." The phrase hangs for half a second before the guy beside him turns to him, "Yo..Say that again..." There's an awkward silence before the entire field seems to adopt it. "The Sovereign Voice..."

"It fits. She didn't even move." Kodai from class 1-B whispers.

"It's like her words rewrote reality," Tokage murmurs.

     Nayeon doesn't correct anyone; she feels like there's no need. A faint knowing smile stays on her face as she turns to leave, All Might following behind her as they discuss lesson plans. Bakugo pushes off the wall, stomping towards Kotone. For once, there is no yelling. Just a low fire simmering in his voice. "That was good," he says roughly with a cough. "Next time, no holding back." Kotone arches a brow. "Mmm, I'm pretty sure you were the one on the ground, Bakugo." She teased. He snorts, but a grin breaks through anyway. Across the way, Kendo punches Kazuke lightly on the shoulder. "You were like, hella scary calm back there," She says, laughing. Kazuke gave her a small shrug, his hair now hiding his green eyes. "Someone had to be." Kendo tilted her head, and there, Kotone sees it, that look. The memory of her brother's hair lifting, his eyes glowing green like a blade unsheathed. Kendo's laugh gets louder and brighter. "Next time, you're on my team. Deal?" Kazuke doesn't answer, just gives her that unreadable look from beneath his fringe.

     Once everyone changes back into our school uniforms, Aizawa gathers all of class 1-A and 1-B to the courtyard to decide on hero names. Vlad was in a meeting, so this little arrangement made it easier for Aizawa to handle both classes. "Hero names, say it proud. It's going to stick with you for the rest of your career.  Everyone sounds so unique, thought Kotone. Someone has been thinking of this since they were kids. Great explosion murder God Dynamight, Shoto, Uravity, ingenium, Creati, Red Riot. But one name really stuck. Deku. It was a name he's been nicknamed while being bullied growing up, and he decided to turn that into his hero name. Finally, it came down to Kotone and Kazuke. Midoriya, Deku, was scribbling suggestions for the two. Then someone yells out "Starlight!" "Celestial!" Bakugo scoffs at the randoms out of place ideas. "She's not naming herself after some glitter bomb," he said loudly. Kotone rolls her coin in between her fingers. "Starlight... Has a nice ring to it. I'll go with that teach." Kotone looked up at Aizawa, who nodded in return. Then he turned to Kazuke. "Well?" Aizawa asks, raising an eyebrow in question. 1-B buzzes loudly. It's not rambunctious like the sports-team atmosphere of 1-A; it's the chatter and anticipation of a formal yet wild diplomatic assembly. Monoma mutters, "The Calm Reaper," Tetsutestu yells nonsense, and Kendo just watches closely. Kazuke brushes a strand of his white hair away, green eyes catch part of the light. "Verdant,"  Aizawa smirks, then nods and tells everyone to return to their classes. As everyone mingles on their way back to class, there's lots of chatter, some about Kotone and Kazuke and their "Quirks," others about Doctor Nayeon's fan name, some even calling her "Doctor Doom" (The hot one). Nayeon overhead this and gave them a look that could end civilizations. Bakugo walked near Kotone, close but not too close. Kotone looked for her brother, who was next to Kendo again. His hair falls over his face again, but when Kendo steps closer, it lifts, just a little. A pulse beneath the calm.

Chapter Text

     The dorms fell quiet a few hours later after the intensity of the joint training and the unease that lingered from when we first arrived 2 1/2 days ago. Even U.A. seemed to hold its breath. The night sky stretched endlessly overhead, a deep indigo canvas scattered with stars, their cold light spilling softly across the rooftops. Kotone sat at the edge of the dorm roof, her legs dangling over the edge. The dice rolled among her fingers as she looked out at the night sky. Her silver hair caught the moonlight, and in the reflection of that light, her violet eyes flowed faintly. The rooftop door creaked slowly open, then a nervous shuffle followed by a sharp intake of breath. Kotone learned to read presence back when Satoru was helping her figure out her limitless. "Yes, Midoriya?" Kotone asks, waiting for a reply. He stepped out like he was afraid the night might swallow him, notebook hugged tight to his chest like a shield, his green hair catching the faint breeze. "Ah-! I didn't mean to interrupt! It's just uh... Gojo.." Kotone tilted her head but reamined focuzed on the dice she was fidgeting with. "You're rather loud and annoying, Midoriya." Silence. Midoriya was trying to figure out what to say in response to this. He then froze mid-step, smiling softly. "Kaachan says that too." "Well, I'm sure he isn't as nice about it as I am, knowing him." Kotone continued fidgeting with the dice before sliding them into her pocket. Not missing a beat, she turned her attention fully to him. "So? Why are you up here?" Kotone blows air upwards, trying to get a strand of her hair out of her face. "I... wanted to ask about the wayyoufight. It's not like anything I've ever seen. It's certainly not Quirk-based... but it's also not random." Kotone chuckles softly, her shoulders bouncing up and down. "Who said it wasn't random?" Her response made Midoriya's eyes widen. "But you- your movement, your counters, even the way debris lands, there's no wasted motion. It's too consistent. There's some kind of system, right? Or... is it all about probability?"

    Kotone didn't answer right away. Instead, she took the dice out of her pocket, threw them in the air, and caught them. "Here's the thing, Midoriya," Kotone said, her voice going soft, eyes locked onto his. "Most people bet on certainty. I bet on possibilities. That means, I don't need to be right, I just need to... tilt the world, until 'right' lands in my hand." His breath hitched. Then the scribbling started; furious, messy, the kind of writing that can't keep up with his thoughts. "So, If its not Quirk phenomena, then what is it?" Midoriya asked her questioningly. "Cursed Energy. Hard to explain, but just think of it as like energy to supply my Quirk." "I, see.. Can anyone here possibly learn it?" Kotone turned away and started laughing. "No, that's impossible. If someone here was able to do that, then they'd be amazing to say the least." Kotone wiped the tears from her eyes. "Since I came here, Quirks seem to rely on outward expression. Cursed energy is internal. It's will, control, instinct. A cruel battle: you, fighting for what you want to happen, against everything that could happen, could be channeled through you, should drop the reins for even a moment. You don't train it like a muscle. You survive it. It's ingrained in you since birth." Midoriya lifted his head after scribbling a bit. "What about what you and your brother did during training? When the air folded in and everything felt like it was... ending?"

     Kotone smiled, "Domain Expansion." He tilted his head as if to say "wha?" "Think of it as forcing the world to play by your rules," Kotone began to explain. "We create a closed space. Inside it, everything bends toward our will. Our techniques become absolute. Perfect accuracy. Zero escape. In the world, there is a balance of probabilities, infinite and constant. Like a fifth dimension. You see the world through 3D; the experience of time is the 4th dimension; and lesser known 5th is the balance of probability. You cannot experience 'reality' as you know it, without all five. Quirks work within the manipulation of outward expression, so the manipulation of three dimensions, X, Y, and Z. But you haven't tapped into the 4th or fifth dimensions. What I was saying earlier, about cursed energy being internal, ingrained in you since birth. That battle is hard because you are more aware of your capacity to tap into the streams of the fourth and fifth dimensions. Over time, you long not to be a channel, but a wielder of that power. As a channel, it is exhausting- as a wielder, it is like you can finally breathe." Kotone looked at him to see if he was keeping up. Midoriya's mouth was open, awestruck. "That's insane," he mumbled while scribbling yet again.

     "Domain expansion is the manipulation of all five- it's overwhelming to outsiders, but the most natural state people like Kaz and I could ever exist in. And yeah, it is insane. Got it, memorized?" Kotone pointed to her head and looked back out at the night sky. Midoriya closed his book and cleared his throat. "Gojo, how did you end up here?" For a heartbeat, Kotone considered brushing him off. But then the stars caught her eyes, and the rooftop's silence became something else, a kind of confessional space. "Because Satoru lost." She said quietly. The name sounded like a drop of ink in water, spreading silently, staining everything. Her eyes fell to her hands. Midoriya blinked, "Uhh..Satoru? Is he your-" "My brother," Kotone cut him off. "In my world, Satoru Gojo was known as the strongest. But.. There was a battle, a battle that would determine the shift of the world. He lost. And shortly after, we showed up here. I believe it was my fault, all that energy, the remorse and anger. All those feelings I held inside, they just burst. We're trying to get back, but we have no idea where to start, and we're stuck here training our stupid techniques even though we know what we are doing with them and it's just-" Kotone stopped, realizing she was starting to vent. Kotone sighed, "He wasn't supposed to lose. But he did, and now we're here. And... And I just don't know anymore. I don't know how Kaz is keeping himself together. Every moment I'm not distracted, my thoughts return to that moment, when everything fell apart." Midoriya's usual muttering quieted. He didn't try to comfort her. He just listened. Outside of her head, her thoughts didn't bounce back stronger, reverberating guilt and fear, flooding my mind. It was quiet for once, and then it stayed that way; it was nice. 

     From an open window below, faint sounds echoed from the common room's kitchen, the floor below them. The hiss of a water dispenser, voices talking, music playing. Then, not from below, but from behind the two, Kotone and Midoriya hear the shuffle of feet. "Kaachan?" Midoriya says, turning around. He must've heard us from below and came up to eavesdrop. Kotone was sure he caught part of the conversation, but she wasnt sure which part. He isn't exactly subtle either. The poor idiot is just as loud in attempted subtlety as he is in battle. Kotone didn't acknowledge him; he'd most likely hear the important parts whether she liked it or not. The three stood on the roof, her talking to Midoriya, Midoriya asking questions while filling his notebook with scribbles and endless questions, Bakugou walking to join them with his hands in his pockets. 

     High above the dorms, hidden among the surveillance network U.A used for campus security, a faint light blinked. Inside a small control room, Nayeon, Aizawa, and Nezu stood around a monitor. The rooftop scene played quietly on the screen, sound transmitted through an embedded mic. Midoriya scribbling, Kotone talking, and Bakugou yelling at both of them. "She's opening up," Aizawa muttered. "Good work, boys," Nayeon said quietly, knowing that the two boys weren't in on it, but they were helping someone get through their problem. Her eyesreflectedd her thoughtfulness. "The sooner they understand what they're dealing with, the better." Nezu sipped tea, smiling that knowing smile of his. "How fascinating... Domains, cursed energy... It seems we've only scratched the surface.

Chapter Text

     The day after, classes 1-A and 1-B joined classes for the week. Some of the teachers were out on emergency business. At night, Eraserhead, Nayeon, and Present Mic all went to Principal Nezu's office. "We got a lead on this ripple that the siblings arrived in; however, it appears to be associated with the League of Villains. All Might is looking after the students. I'm sending you three to gather intel and come back. This is behind the scenes. We just want a few answers." Nayeon whistled, "What am I? Support?" She chuckled. "Yes, but I trust you to get both of them out of there if things get too rough, Suji." She nods her head and walks off, taking off her lab coat. They put earpieces into their ears and leave the campus to infiltrate one of the bases. Nayeon yawned as they jumped across rooftops. I'd rather be in bed right now than digging up stuff about the two kids." Eraserhead sighed, "I get it, but sooner or later, we'll need to know more about them if we want to help control their Quirks. You yourself vouched for them, so you should be putting in equal effort." He stopped and looked over a balcony. A few grunts were moving some cargo into a truck. The two looked at each other and jumped down. Nayeon landed on top of one, Eraserhead on the other. "I think you broke something," one of the grunts groaned underneath Nayeon. "Well, that's just absurd. I'll have you know I barely eat anything, and I don't weigh that much. In fact-" She cut herself short, as if she was about to spill a big weight loss secret.

     Present Mic opened the door and ushered them inside. There was stuff all over the place. The league of villains appeared to be here not too long ago; the grunts just happened to be moving stuff around for the higher-ups, the actual league. Nayeon looked at a board full of notes. "Hey, guys? Come look at this," she relayed in a hurried tone. Eraserhead and Present Mic went over to her. "Is that-," "But that was 2 days ago-" Eraserhead and Present Mic look at each other. Nayeon touches her earpiece. "Nezu, come in." There's a small silence, then a click, and Nezu is heard. "Any developments?" "Well, besides them mass producing Nomu's... We think All for One has also...Discovered this ripple." Nayeon takes down a picture of All for One standing next to the place where the siblings appeared. "Well... Thats unfourtanete, Go ahead and come back, we'll relay what you've found to the authorities." "Gotcha on our way." There is a click signaling the connection lost, and Nayeon turns to find Eraserhead and Present Mic at a table looking at a laptop, a video replaying over and over. 

     "Come on, we have to-" Nayeon stops dead in her tracks. "That shouldn't be-" "Possible." Eraserhead finishes. All of them watch the screen in silence. The video shows a Hero running into a building after a grunt, his Quirk being used to fire light energy from his hands. He rushed in and managed to get a few civilians out safely, only to be shot in the back. He fell to the ground, All for One behind him. The Hero stands up and tries to fire his light energy again; his hands glow, but nothing comes out. He tried again, and this time his hands didn't even glow. The three watch in anticipation as the Hero is stabbed with what seems to be tendrils, and then tossed aside like a ragdoll a few seconds later. All for One then floats into the air and is gone. "What the fuck?" Nayeon steps back in horror. He just-" "We don't know that yet," Eraserhead said, abruptly cutting her off. "Are you fucking kidding me? He was shot in the back, and seconds later, his Quirk cuts out. Only for the big bad to show up and kill him? We have no idea what those tendrils do. It's safe to say there's something out there that can take your ability away. For how long is unclear. We need to tell Nezu right now-" Nayeon taps her earpiece only for it to short-circuit, she quickly takes it out of her ear, and so do the other two, throwing theirs on the ground. There's a loud crash, and All for One descends from the ceiling, moonlight trickling in.

     "Well Well Well, if it isn't the two heroes and the famous U.A Doctor. Why, I didn't expect you three to crash this base; we haven't yet finished packing up." He didn't even finish talking before blitzing Nayeon, who put her arm up, blocking a direct attack to her neck. Eraserhead's eyes glow red; he's not blinking. His Quirk is active, disabling All for One's Quirk. Nayeon knees him in the gut; he blocks, and they both jump back. "My, how interesting. lightning-fast reflexes, Doctor. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are more than just a healer." "Yeah? Well, I tend to keep things private." "I see, that's unfortunate." All for One blitzes past her straight to Eraserhead and grabs him by his head. "See, your Quirk would work if it weren't for me having multiple Quirks." He slammed Eraserhead's face into the ground, grabbed him by his hair, and threw him into the wall. He was out cold. "Eraser!?" Nayeon turns but is grabbed by All for One, his hand wrapped around her throat; she struggles to breathe, clawing at his arm. "Now, I'm going to take your healing Quirk, as I'm sure it would do nicely in my arsenal." He released red tendrils, the same ones they saw from the video, but before they could make contact, Present Mic yelled, his Quirk amplifying his voice more to increase the output. All for One wasn't expecting this and dropped Nayeon, covering his ears. She gasped for breath and scrambled to the other two, coughing. Her eyes changed from green to yellow, and all three of them glowed golden before fizzing out of the room, leaving nothing but sparkles and light particles. "Well then, looks like Miss Doctor does have a few tricks up her sleeve. I'll have to keep a note of that." All for One shakes his head to get his balance before rising into the air and out of the roof.

     The trio reappears in Nezu's office, Nayeon breathing heavy, still trying to catch her breath, Present Mic coughing, and Eraserhead still out cold. Once Nayeon catches her breath, she informs him of everything they discovered. He listened intently as Nayeon healed Eraserhead back to full health. "He should be fine now, but he'll wake up soon. He took a pretty big hit." They converse some more before Nayeon takes her leave. Present mic carrying Eraserhead to his place. Nezu looks at his desk, processing all he's learned in this one night. This was just the beginning.

Chapter Text

     When Kazukle and Kotone arrived, the name "Gojo" meant nothing in this world. It was just two siblings from a fracture in reality. But a year and a half later, the world had learned to say it with the same weight they used for pro heroes. It wasn't history that made it powerful; it was their fights, what they learned, who they inspired. The way their Limitless warped space and probability itself tilted until pro heroes stopped seeing them as students and started seeing them as something else entirely. The Gojo name became a legend. Whispered through U.A halls, across hero forums, and in quiet strategy rooms of Japan's top agencies. All of them were wondering when the two would officially go pro, so they could snatch them up. And then there was Nayeon.

     Nayeon never sought the spotlight. She was content in her "domain" of sterile lights, precise command, and surgical control. But after the mock training battle, the government didn't give her a choice. Or, well, they didn't give Principal Nezu a choice. The fact that she alone was able to cancel out two Quirks simultaneously caught the attention of the Public Safety Commission. Nezu couldn't keep it hidden from them any longer. Within weeks, she was forced to attend meetings, get tested, and register to be a hero. She didn't apply; she didn't even audition. They made it happen. Then came the testing, where the government's evaluation facilities were built to measure the best. Stress simulations, emergency drills, high-threat combat scenarios. Nayeon entered like it was routine. She walked out having broken records people didn't think were breakable. Her power set was released publicly not long after.

The recently discovered U.A school Doctor, Suji Takafushi, has been retested and evaluated for hero duties after her display during a U.A mock battle. Her updated chart now shows she can:

• Command people to do her bidding
• Can copy other people's abilities and magnify them by 10
• Can make anything out of nothing with

She is now a registered part-time hero. Due to her not having an actual hero name prior, her official hero name will be Sovereignty. 

      Overnight, the world stopped calling her a "support hero." She didn't hold any Top Ten position, and she wasn't technically even full-time, but that didn't matter. "She's Top 3." Was the discussion? "All might, Endeavor, Nayeon. Sometimes it wouldn't even be in that order; people would swap the positions. The whispers turned into headlines. Analysts debated how she'd rank if she accepted a full-time slot. Endeavor's supporters swore she couldn't surpass him. Her growing legion of admirers argued she already did. Even Endeavor didn't deny it. She'd saved his life once on a mission that should've killed him. When asked about her rise, he simply said: "I'd expect nothing less." But power was only part of it. The world became infatuated with her. In her white coat and hero gear, Nayeon carried a presence that made pros straighten their backs. But when she stepped out as Suji, her civilian identity, she transformed in the public eye. No lab coat, no stethoscope. Sometimes just a fitted shirt tucked neatly into slacks, sometimes a crisp jacket over casual wear. Nothing extravagant. Yet she moved with a poise that made people stop in their tracks. Autograph requests followed her like a shadow. Some recognized her immediately; others hesitated, wondering if someone who could put together could really be her. She signed with a calm, soft smile, the same one she wore in operating rooms, on and off the field, and in the nurses' office. But this one was warmer, more personal. And she knew the effect she had. Occasionally, she would get confessions from other pro heroes, men and women. Suji never shied away from it. She wasnt oblivous, she flirted back just enough to send hearts racing.

    A remark here, a slight lean there, a faint smile that fueled entire forum threads for days. She was single, unbothered, and if the world wanted to adore her, she didn't mind letting them. Even within U.A, her fanbase was chaotic. It wasn't just a handful of boys. Girls from 1-A and 1-B whispered about her in dorm halls, practicing her calm walk and failing miserably. Upperclassmen called her "The Untouchable." Others, half-joking, called her "Doctor Nayeon-sama." And the best part? She didn't even try. Nayeon didn't chase status. It simply bent around her. Even for us, things changed with her. At first, Nayeon was simply "Doctor." A force of calm who patched us up and kept us standing. But over time, through midnight drills, battlefield cleanups, and quiet rooftop talks, the walls lowered. Kotone started calling her Nayeon-tan, half-teasing, half-affectionate. She'd roll her eyes every time, but never told her to stop. Kazuke, ever the stoic, called her "Doc." No frills. No jokes. Just quiet respect.

    People soon noticed the three of them together constantly. Nayeon at the center, Kazuke and Kotone orbiting her like twin stars. Students, pros, even reporters started joking that they were her "adoptive kids." Some meant it was a joke. Others weren't entirely kidding. And honestly... It wasnt far off. Even though a year and a half passed, there was no time for slacking. Kotone and Kazuke got stronger. Nayeon trained Kazuke personally. She drilled him in medical terminology, emergency procedures, and surgical precision until his cursed energy manipulation became indistinguishable from a scalpel. By the time most students were still learning how to stabilize each other's wounds, Kazuke could reset bones mid-battle, mend crushed organs in seconds, and perform triage with the calm of a battlefield surgeon. At the same time, his mastery over Limitless grew sharper than anyone expected. By the end of the year, his barrier had reached a level Satoru once held. It automatically distinguished friend from foe. Allies passed through untouched; enemies slammed into an immovable wall.

   As for Kotone, her path was split between Aizawa's tactical brutality and Nayeon's precision. Despite Aizawa being hostile to the pair at the start, after what he, Present Mic, and Nayeon discovered, all three realized, theyd need to somehow make them stronger, and with Present Mic digging, doing some extensive research, that just left Aizawa and Nayeon, as well as some of Kotone's classmates. Aizawa was still distant in his own way, but where guidance was needed, as her teacher, he helped her. 

***

   Bakugou and Kotone started as fire and glass. Every spar exploded. Every word scraped. And yet, somewhere between the blasts and insults, something shifted. He stopped aiming to crush her and instead started aiming to match her. His temper didn't change much for anyone else, although he was occasionally more mellowed out compared to months before; he was softer for Kotone. She, however, was not as dense as her brother. It was in the study hall where he stopped right next to her and asked what she was doing that weekend. Kotone told him she was going to hangout with Jirou and Kaminari, but after that, she'd be free. He told her to text him when they were done and to leave her afternoon open, so she did. Their first date wasnt flowers or movies. It was a kitchen. There's a small place near U.A where you pick ingredients and cook. Bakugo dragged her there, muttering about showing her "how it's actually done." Kotone didn't admit it, nor let it show, but she was curious. Turns out, he's annoyingly good at cooking. Clean cuts, sharp focus, perfect timing. Kotone, on the other hand, burned rice and water twice. Nearly split her hand open. She could bend reality, but couldn't dice an onion. He barked, cursed, then laughed. Soft. Unfiltered. "Stick to bending space, Gojo," he muttered. Guiding her hand with his own. His palm was rough, but his touch was steady. By the time they sat down, he'd done most of the cooking, though he insisted she "helped." Kotone pretended not to notice how he set her plate just a little neater than his.

   The walk back was quiet. Comfortable. He shoved his hands in his pockets; Kotone rolled the dice lazily between my fingers, watching the stars blur over the dorms. Then he stopped. Turned toward her. His eyes, which are usually sharp and burning, were soft. He leaned in. Kotone's chest tightened; Infinity flickered up between them instinctively. He didn't curse, He didnt snap, he just looked at her. "Relax, Kotone. I'm not gonna break you." Something in his voice pulled the breath from her lungs. She let Infinity fall, and for once, she didn't need it. Under the dorm lights, he kissed her, something soft and certain. Nothing like the chaos of him in battle. Just Katsuki.

***

   Kotone wasn't the only one. Kazuke never flaunted anything. He stayed quiet, eyes hidden behind his white hair. But Kotone noticed Kendo showing up more. First for training. Then late-night sessions. Then just... being around. She's louder, brighter. But she fits. He never pushed her away; he never does that unless someone matters. Watching them made Kotone smirk. The training grounds were quiet at night. That's just how Kazuke liked it. No shouting, no explosions, no distractions. Just the rhythmic hum of the lights and the sound of his own breathing. He wasn't expecting anyone to join him, so when the door creaked open, Kendo walked in- orange hair tied up, a water bottle under one arm, and a confident grin on her face. He stared for a second longer than he meant to. "You're here late," she said. "I always am." He replied. Kendo stepped closer, setting her stuff down like she owned the place. "Then I guess I'm training late too." Kazuke didn't argue. Kendo had a way of announcing things like they were already decided. She stretched casually, humming, before sliding into a stance opposite him. "You're not running drills?" he asked. "Nope, I'm sparring with you." Her grin widened, and something about it made the back of Kazuke's neck feel warm. He shook it off; they've spared before, so this isn't anything new.

   Kendo kept closing the distance between them. Subtle shifts, stepping too close when she didn't need to, brushing against his shoulder during grapples, teasing his guard with little feints she'd never used before. Her "attack patterns" were strange. Inefficient. But she wasn't sloppy; she was doing it on purpose. In the beginning, Kazuke blocked, parried, and redirected. But every time she got too close, his heartbeat spiked- not because he was worried about getting hit, but because he didn't know what to do. She'd smirk, like she knew exactly the effect she had. They moved faster, feet echoing against the polished floor. At one point, he sidestepped, she lunged, and together they slammed into one of the side wall panels hard enough to knock it loose. The panel crashed to the floor with a metallic thud. They both froze. A moment later, Vlad King's voice boomed from the hall. "...Clean it up." Kendo burst into laughter. Not mocking, just pure unfiltered amusement. She held her stomach, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. "It's not that funny," Kazuke muttered. "Oh, it's absolutely funny," she said, still giggling.

   They finished cleaning up the panel side by side. Kendo hummed under her breath as she worked, bumping her shoulder occasionally, pretending it was "accidental." Kazuke ignored it, but he could feel the heat creeping up his neck. Once everything was back in place, she leaned against the wall, looking at him with that same playful glint. "Hey, Kazuke." Kendo started. He looked up from where he was adjusting the bolts. "Yeah?" "Have you ever been on a date before?" The question blindsided him more than any punch. "...No," she blinked once, then smiled more softly this time. "Good, then this is your first one." His brain stalled. A date? this? She pushed off the wall and walked toward him slowly, hands tucked behind her back, posture relaxed like this was all part of some plan he didn't have the instructions for. He tracked every step, every shift in her stance, like he would a combatant. But this wasn't a fight. "Relax," She said, tilting her head, "You look like I'm about to attack you." "Well, it's because you're unpredictable," He admitted. She laughed softly in response. "You'll figure it out," she whispered. They started putting the last of the gear away, but the air between them had changed. Charged. She stepped in close as he slid a practice sword onto the rack. He turned to say something, but she was already there, close enough that he could see the faint freckles on her nose.

   Then, she grabbed his collar gently, tugged him down, and kissed him. It wasn't dramatic, but it wasn't some perfect cinematic moment. It was soft, a little clumsy, and real. He froze at first, his hands hovered awkwardly, unsure where to go. He didn't seem to mind. She leaned in just a little more, guiding the moment. Eventually, his hands settled at her waist, tentative, unsure. She pulled back with a grin that made his chest tighten in a way a battle never had. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" she teased. "I've faced cursed spirits less confusing than you," Kazuke muttered. She laughed again, the kind of laugh that stuck with you. The walk back to the dorms was quiet. She swung her arms lightly beside him, occasionally brushing against his sleeve like it was the most natural thing in the world. He didn't say much. He didn't know what to say. But for the first time, He didnt feel like he had to calculate every move.

Chapter Text

     The night had that kind of quiet that set his nerves on edge. Not because of the silence, but because of the thick, tangible quiet that surrounded the charged space between them. The kind that hummed beneath the skin, like a thread pulled taut. Kazuke walked beside Kendo down the narrow commercial street, patrol jackets catching the neon light spilling from shuttered storefronts. Her boots clicked rhythmically against the pavement. He didn’t make a sound. “You’re doing the floaty hair thing,” she teased, nudging her shoulder lightly against his. “It’s a C-rank patrol, not a war zone.” “It’s called being prepared,” he said, feigning sarcasm. She nudged again. “Prepared for ramen after?” “Yes.” He was focused, but her playfully sweet talk was disarming. For a moment, his hair stopped doing the “floaty thing” as he started thinking about ramen and Kendo beside him. He wouldn’t say anything, but he liked the idea of calling more and more of their moments together “dates.” “There we go,” she said, her easy grin seeming to warm the air around them. He enjoyed the warmth of her presence, but he hoped she couldn’t see through him too well. Their dynamic felt easy, like nothing ever had. That meant it was dangerous, right? But he didn’t want to leave her. She felt safe, and he knew this with certainty. But he felt scared, too. Rare for Kazuke. Rare for anyone to be powerful. One thing is to know someone like Kendo; it’s another to be known, completely defenseless. Vulnerable.

***

     Two pros shadowed them a block behind, handling the usual civilian reroutes. Routine. Predictable. Safe. Then Kazuke stopped. His hair lifted fully, each strand rising as if the air itself had decided to stop obeying gravity. Lattice threads snapped into place across alleys and rooftops, shimmering faintly in his perception. Space compressed. Something was coming. Kendo read him instantly, the grin fading from her face. “What is it?” “Fall back,” he said, sharper than he intended. “Kendo—behind me. Now.” Her jaw set. “Let me help, Kazuke.” He looked into her blazing eyes. He didn’t know what was coming, but in this moment, he knew he didn’t want Kendo anywhere near it. It didn’t matter how strong she was, how much she empowered him just by being there. He wasn’t going to lose her—not now, not ever. “This isn’t a debate, Kendo. Please. You can’t get hurt.” His voice softened toward the end. Whatever was coming, it arrived faster with each passing second. They were running out of time. He needed her to get away. But she wouldn’t budge. “Please–” She stepped forward, grabbing his hand, her eyes steady. “Let me stay. Let me help,” she was serious. No glimmer in her eye suggested she planned to leave his side. But his eyes were firm, unwavering. She softened, pleading, searching his wild eyes as he counted down the seconds before whatever was coming arrived. “Kazuke, look at me! Don’t make me watch you do this alone. I won't be able to bear seeing you get hurt, knowing I could’ve saved you if you’d let me. Don’t do that to me. Kazuke, please.” Kazuke looked up, around, then back down to Kendo. He saw the sincerity in her eyes and knew she meant every word. After a breath, he relented, “Okay.” But not because he wanted her to stay and help, rather because she now had no time to get far enough away—she was safer with him for now. He would let her be his partner another time, but today, the risk felt too high. Today, she was too important to lose. He was vulnerable now. The street inhaled. A seam split the air ahead, invisible but unmistakable. The pressure hit like gravity shifting directions. One of the pros vanished beneath a kinetic wave. The other skidded into a storefront, glass exploding in a glittering arc. A figure stepped through the warped light: mask, cloak, presence like a black star collapsing inward. All For One. He didn’t speak. He moved. Kazuke’s lattice detonated outward-threaded scaffolds locking into place, angles snapping tight. Infinity wrapped around him like a second skin. Blue flared, redirecting the incoming shockwave upward, carving a fissure through the night sky. Kendo was already moving, smashing falling debris aside, clearing a path for fleeing civilians. Seeing her in that moment, all Kazuke could think about was all the ways she could get hurt. It was unbearable, and he couldn’t focus. “Kendo! Fall back!” he yelled. “Please!” he begged. “I’m not going anywhere, Kazuke. Now focus before you get us all killed!” Her face softened from hard and serious to a playful smile with that glimmer in her eye. For some reason, it gave him the confidence he needed. He felt she was going to be okay on her own and that he could focus on the task at hand. She wasn’t a liability—his weakness—she was his strength. “Damnit, Kendo!” He laughed—a miraculous event in history—and took off. 

   The city erupted in chaos. All For One feinted toward Kazuke, moving faster than the pros could register. Kendo lunged to intercept, stubborn and fearless. But a tendril, black and silent, curved through space, signing its dark name like smoke. The sound it made when it struck wasn’t loud. It was wet. Wrong. Kendo staggered mid-step, her enlarged fists shrinking as crimson spread across her uniform. The attack hadn’t sliced. It had rewritten. A wound meant to erase. Kazuke caught her before her knees hit the pavement. His hands flickered with Reverse Cursed Technique, glowing steadily, hair rising higher until it nearly hovered like a storm. “Stay with me,” he said, forcing calm into precision. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” He dove inward, not with hands but with focus. Arteries, bones, organs—diagnose, seal, restore. Nayeon’s drills snapped into sequence like muscle memory. For a moment, it worked. Then, the energy slipped through his grasp like water through shaking fingers. The wound wasn’t resisting. It was devouring. Her hand trembled as it found his face. “Hey… look at me.” “I can fix this.” His voice cracked, raw. “I can fix anything. Don’t-” She smiled, small and stubborn. “Don’t blame yourself. You were… always enough.” “Itsuka…” “Ramen,” she whispered, as if promising him a future they’d never reach. “After.” Her hand slid from his cheek. Her eyes went still. The lattice shattered. Threads snapped out of existence like glass filaments breaking one by one. His hair rose fully, suspended in the charged air. Blue flared at multiple vectors, red bloomed in his palm without a word, and Hollow Purple howled down the street in a single, grief-fueled detonation that tore concrete and light apart. All For One tilted his head, intrigued. Layered quirks rippled around him, the blast carving a building in half as he stepped through the smoke.

     Kazuke had laid Kendo down a few blocks away, then reappeared in front of All for One, his anger showing; for once, he wasn't calm and collected, but rash and unpredictable. Anger makes you do things. To All for One, he became predicatble. All for One studied Kazuke like a puzzle. But Kazuke was already there- inside the echo, limitless re-forming through instinct rather than thought, blue compressing, red detonating in vicious rhythm. He wasn't the quiet tactician anymore; he was precise, but faulty. All for One adapted. Each calculated move Kazuke made was mirrored, twisted. Blue implosions redirected. Limitless threads unraveled mid-pattern. His own angles used against him. Every step he'd ever relied on was being read, countered, dismantled. Pain hit when a kinetic ripple slammed into his ribs. He stayed upright through sheer stubborn will, coughing up blood into the night air. He launched another Hollow Purple, screaming this time. The villain swatted it aside like a child brushing away uneaten veggies. All for One's head tilted. "Those eyes..." the filtered voice purred. "They burn like his. Like All Might's. How... disappointing."  The street folded as another wave hit. Kazuke hit the ground hard enough to taste iron, then blacked out.

Chapter Text

     He saw light, but not streetlight, when he opened his eyes. The nurse’s office smelled like antiseptic and washed linen. Bandages wrapped his hands. His chest burned when he breathed. He pushed himself upright slowly, eyelids blinking over sandpaper. Two figures resolved through the brightness. Kotone sat at his bedside, dice clenched so tight the metal creaked. Her violet, starlit eyes were red-rimmed but dry, like she’d already burned through every tear. Nayeon stood behind her, arms crossed, jaw tight, the usual calm dimmed by the night’s work. Kazuke opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Kotone spared him the question. Her voice was flat, like it had taken hours to hammer out the tremor. “She’s gone.”  He looked down at his hands. These hands had rebuilt tendons. Set bones. Pulled people back from death’s edge. Now, these hands were nothing more than the tools that failed Kendo when she needed him most.  Nayeon stepped closer, voice careful but firm. “The strike corrupted her core. It was engineered to erase, not wound. You could not have saved her. If only I were here and not in America. I could've done something... We didn't even get to see her body, by the time we got you situated and taken care of... The authorities took her.”  He didn’t respond.  Kotone’s dice flashed between her fingers once, then vanished into her palm. “Say something.”  Silence. “Kazuke?” Her voice broke a little on his name. He turned his head. For a heartbeat, she flinched, not at bruises or blood, but at his eyes. They weren’t the clear, calculating green she knew. They were dull. Hollow. As if something vital had been switched off inside him.  Nayeon saw it too. For just a second, something in her face cracked before she forced it back into place. Outside, the city moved on. Inside, something ended.  Kendo was…gone.  All For One’s name spread through the hero channels like rot. And today, the youngest Gojo, who had stitched battlefields together, held lives in steady hands, stared through the world with eyes that no longer burned. 

***

     The first thing Kotone noticed in the days following Kendo’s death was the silence. It was deliberate. The kind built cutting the world out, piece by piece;  until all that was left was her own breathing and the beating of her own heart. The muttering radio static of “normal” life was gone. A comfort she took for granted and never realized. Every thought rang clear and sharp, nothing left to dampen the pain each brought.  Kazuke lived in that silence now, haunting the heavy halls of the U.A. Every night after the incident, when everything became still, and the dorm lights dimmed, she’d find him on the training grounds.  No teachers. No classmates. No Kendo waiting at the edge of the field with that bright, grounding smile. Just him, barefoot on the cold concrete, limitless lines etched into the ground like a spiderweb drawn in light. He’d cut his hair. At first, she didn’t recognize him. The long white curtain that used to fall over his eyes was gone, cropped just enough so you could see the green clearly—even when Infinity wasn’t active. It changed his whole face. Sharper. Older. His Infinity was always on now. Always.  Before, it would auto-detect everyone, friend or foe. Kotone, Nayeon, and the others. It was subtle, but it was there. A quiet acknowledgment that they were allowed close. That trust meant something. But it didn’t live here anymore. She remembered standing by the edge of the field one night, hidden behind the shadow of the bleachers, watching him. His hands were raw. Blood streaked his fingers, smeared across the fractured ground where his cursed energy had scorched the surface over and over again. He didn’t even heal them. He just kept going, letting the pain become another weight to carry. He recalculated everything. limitless humming and collapsed like breathing organisms, hundreds at a time. Blue flared in controlled detonations, Red bloomed sharp and precise. Hollow Purple carved the air like it was paper, each shot landing closer to perfect than the last. But it wasn’t the techniques themselves that scared her. It was the way he moved. Kazuke used to fight like a tactician, clean, precise, and measured. Now… she doesn’t know; it felt like a compulsion toward perfection, no longer a choice. He moved like someone who didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Like someone who’d rewired their entire existence to make sure nothing slipped through again. He whispered to himself sometimes, barely audible through the hum of energy.
“Too slow.”
“Wrong angle.”
“Again.”

     And he’d run it back. A hundred times. A thousand. Until blood mixed with cursed energy on his palms, and his breathing turned ragged. He didn’t cry. Not once. He didn’t rage as he did on the night of the attack. He just worked. Grief had turned itself into an equation he was determined to solve.  Weeks bled into months. He stopped joining them for meals. He stopped laughing, not that he ever laughed much, but the faint smiles, the quiet dry remarks… they were gone too. Kendo’s absence left a gap in the world, and Kazuke filled his with purpose so relentless it scared her. Every time she tried to talk to him, he’d give the same answer. “I’m fine.”  It was flat, detached; empty platitudes to keep her from prying further. But she saw it. Every night, she saw the way his shoulders shook after a particularly brutal set. The way his hands trembled, not from fatigue, but from holding something too heavy for too long. Nayeon tried, too. She watched him from the sidelines sometimes, her usually composed gaze threaded with worry. But even she knew, this was a weight he’d chosen. No command could make him stop. Kazuke wasn’t healing; he was preparing. And in the quiet, watching her little brother train until his hands bled and his Infinity wrapped tighter around him like armor he refused to take off, she understood something she didn’t want to: The boy who used to anchor battlefields was gone. In his place stood someone colder. Sharper. A hunter sharpening his blade for the day he’d meet All For One again.  But the worst part? She couldn’t stop him. All she could do was watch from the edge of the field as the person she loved most built a wall of power between himself and the world—brick by brick, night after night.  She silently prays that when the time comes, there’ll still be something human left on the other side.

   ***

     Several months later, it was a night. The sirens didn’t wail, they howled. The sound threaded through the halls like a living thing, a low pulse that rattled lockers and set my teeth on edge. Red lights spun against the walls like furious eyes. This wasn’t a drill. This was war. Kotone was already moving before the announcement even hit the speakers. Her jacket hung half-zipped, dice rolling between her fingers in a rhythm that kept her breathing steady. The corridors were chaos, students funneling toward evacuation points, faculty barking orders, but the pull on her chest wasn’t fear. It was something sharper. Wrong. She rounded a corner at full sprint and nearly collided with him. Kazuke emerged from the opposite hall, and for the first time since that night in the alley, his eyes weren’t dull. They were burning—sharp, furious green, wildfire catching dry grass. His hair whipped upward, every strand floating weightless in the air as cursed energy erupted around him in a pressure wave that made the light fixtures hum. The floor vibrated beneath my boots. The smudge in the sky widened overhead. Reality warped like someone pressing a thumb too hard against glass.  And then his voice tore through the campus: “ALL FOR ONE!!!” The scream wasn’t just loud; it shook the field. Windows cracked. Kotone's stomach flipped. Hawks glanced up from the perimeter wall, feathers bristling. Students froze in mid-evacuation. Even seasoned pros turned toward the sound. Kazuke was no longer quiet. A ripple split open above the north field. Space bent outward, black veins spiderwebbing through the sky. All For One stepped through the tear like a shadow, deciding to take form. Kazuke was already airborne. His limitless detonations in every direction, not precise like everyone was used to, but violent, snapping, shifting grids carving the air. Blue spheres flared and collapsed in rapid succession, leaving streaks like afterimages in the sky. All For One tilted his head. “Ah. There it is.” Kazuke didn’t answer. He didn’t even hesitate. His cursed energy roared around him as he shot forward, hair snapping in the wind, eyes locked onto the villain like a predator, finally finding the scent.

     Normally, her brother moved like a tactician. But now? Now he moved like a storm breaking its restraints. Blue spheres slammed into the ground like artillery shells. Red bloomed at his fingertips without restraint. Hollow Purple flickered in his palm, unstable, raw. Kotone wasn’t far behind. Probability bent beneath her feet as she flipped outcomes to cut corners, leaping through the air to catch up. She had to stabilize the field before he tore the entire campus apart with his fury. As debris rained from the initial clash, she twisted probabilities, shifting rubble mid-fall to avoid the dorm wings. Steel beams rerouted in midair. Stray attacks that should have cratered the walkways fizzled into safe angles. Infinity flared around her, reinforcing structural weak points, keeping the battlefield from collapsing entirely. “That’s not the calm one anymore…” Kotone had heard Hawks mutter somewhere above, feathers flaring as he dove into support. All For One didn’t falter. If anything, he seemed… entertained. “Those eyes…” the filtered voice purred. “They burn as All Might’s did. How…nostalgic.” Kazuke’s roar split the sky. He collapsed a Blue sphere point-blank in All For One’s face, forcing him to shield mid-taunt. Another Hollow Purple began to form, jagged and unstable. The fight stretched on, though it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. Time warped when the two of them clashed in the air. He wasn’t fighting, he was hunting. Every movement he made vibrated with something feral. All For One layered quirks like steel cables, bending space, shattering ground, twisting kinetic force—but Kazuke met every trick with brutal, unrelenting aggression. When All For One bent the terrain, Kazuke broke it. When he redirected space, Kazuke overwrote it with his cursed energy. And then, mid-fight, All For One disappeared and reappeared behind him. “Predictable,” the voice hummed.

     Kazuke spun, raw power flaring, and for the first time, their strikes collided head-on. The shockwave tore through the field, shattering windows across the dorms. Hawks had to dive to catch two students blown off their feet. Kazuke pushed harder. Kotone could feel it, the moment he stopped caring about restraint. His cursed energy spiked, tearing at the clouds overhead. Hollow Purple swelled, unstable and enormous, his scream echoing across the field: “I’M GOING TO TEAR YOU APART!!” Her chest tightened. She knew that tone. It wasn’t just rage. It was pain, raw, jagged, still bleeding. She dove, Probability threads flaring around him like an invisible net. When she reached him just as he launched forward, the ripple behind All For One widened with dangerous instability. Infinity snapped up around them like tempered glass.

     His cursed energy slammed into hers, the air between them cracking like thunder. He pushed, growling, teeth bared like he didn’t even see her anymore. But she stood her ground, violet eyes locked onto his, dice flashing between her fingers in defiance. “KAZUKE!!” Kotone screamed over the storm. “NOT LIKE THIS!!” For a heartbeat, he fought her. His energy crashed against hers, wild and heavy. And then, just as the ripple began to collapse, All For One turned. “Siblings sharpened by loss,” he said, voice calm, mask gleaming. “I’ll return when the edge is perfect.” And then he was gone. The tear in reality sealed as it had never existed. The field was smoke and ruin. Emergency crews rushed in. Students were herded further back. Pro heroes fanned out to stabilize what was left. She hovered in the air a moment longer, her chest heaving, Infinity flickering faintly around me. Kazuke stood below, in the cracked earth, hands trembling. His hair slowly fell, cursed energy simmering but not gone. His green eyes were still burning—not with hope, not with focus. Rage. Pure, unfiltered rage. She landed beside him. No words. Behind them, on the observation gantry, Nezu, Eraserhead, and Nayeon watched in silence. Nayeon’s gaze lingered on Kazuke’s posture. “He’s not done,” she said quietly. Nezu’s ears twitched. “No,” he replied. “He’s just begun.”

Chapter Text

     A few days later, Kotone stood outside the U.A dorm, no dice, just sitting outside, eyes closed. The breeze whipped her hair around her face; she let it. When she opened her eyes, a fracture in the sky unfurled like silk. Clean and stable. Edges hummed with energy that finally listened to her. Unlike the first time, it didn't roar open. It dent tear the world either. Kotone tilted her head, watching the glow ripple outward. "Huh, guess I finally stopped blowing holes in reality." "Took you long enough," Nayeon called out while approaching. Her arms were folded, her blonde hair shifting gently in the breeze. Kotone smirked, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The portal pulsed once, steady. Beyond it wasn't home. Not exactly. That path had been sealed the moment they had arrived. The Ripple's route from their world had shut like a locked door. Still- Kotone could move between worlds now, sure, but not the one that mattered most. Not yet, at least.

***

     Footsteps echoed behind Kotone and Nayeon. Kazuke emerged from the side stairwell with his hands in his pockets, his hair drifting in the night wind. His eyes burned faint green again; it wasn't rage anymore; it was focused, sharper than anyone had seen since Kendo. "You're leaving," he remarked. It wasn't a question. She glanced over her shoulder. "And you arent?"  "No," he answered simply. "There are leads, I'm staying for now." Kotone's brow furrowed. "Kaz-" "I've watched you long enough." His gaze lifted towards the swirling portal. "I know how you do it, and when I'm ready, I'll find you again. Anywhere K." He stepped past her, standing in the grass like he was memorising the layout of the front dorm campus. For a moment, the shadows stretched long behind him, swalling the sides of campus. "You'll catch up," she replied softly. He looked over his shoulder. "I always do," she didn't argue; he'd already made up his mind. Then Nayeon stepped forward, her boots clicking lightly against the tiles. She had her med bag slung over one shoulder, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "I'm going with her," she said. Kotone blinked in surprise. "What?" Kotone turned to Nayeon, who was smiling. "Someone's gotta keep you alive, and if youre going to start poking holes in universes, youll just get lost without an adult." For a second, she didnt have a clever response. Nayeon's presence had been her anchor since the moment they met. She had kept her alive through chaos, trained her, teased her and helped steady her. If anyone could keep up with where she was headed, it was her. Kazuke exhaled through his nose. Nayeon shrugged, "Figures," she said while walking towards the portal. "Try not to break the school while were gone."

***

    The night air was sharp enough to taste. By the time they had reached the courtyard, it felt like the entire school was holding its breath. Students lined the path down from the dorms, teachers and pros gathered near the gates. floodlights throwing pale halos across the grass. There wasnt a need to look around to know every eye was on her and Nayeon. Kotone noticed that a small hole was forming and rapidly moving towards the front of the crowd. Katsuki, his jaw was locked tight. Hands jammed in his pockets, eyes fixed on her as if he blinked, shed dissapear. His footsteps were louder than the rest of the world. She tried to keep her usual edge. "What's with the face? You'll wrinkle." Kotone smiled softly. "Shut up," he muttered automatically, but the sharpness wasnt there this time. His voice cracked at the edges, rougher than usual. She stepped closer, while the crow blurred away, and for a moment, it was just the two of them. "I'm leaving," she relayed quietly, like saying it out loud made it real. "I'm aware." Silence stretched. Her coin spun slowly between her fingers. For the first time in a long time, she didnt know what to say. "I don't know how long I'll be gone," she admitted. "Or if... If it makes sense to-" Katsuki cut her off. "Kotone. Don't do that thing where you talk yourself out of what we already have." Her chest tightened, "Katsuki-" "I get it, he responded."You've got to get back home somehow, right? This must be the way." He took a breath, like it physically hurt him to let the next words out. "I care about you, you know that." The way he said it wasnt soft or poetic. It was him. Kotone's throat burned; she wanted to make a joke, flip a coin, roll some dice, laugh it off. But nothing came out. So she just whispered, "I know," and before she could blink, he grabbed her by the collar and kissed her. This was firm, lingering, like he was trying to burn the feeling into both of them so it couldn't fade. Her fingers curled into his shirt without thinking. When they finally pulled apart, his forehead rested against hers, breaths mingling in the cool night. "Don't lose to anyone," he said softly. She swallowed hard, cheeks warm. "Wouldn't dream of it."

     He stepped back, hands sliding into his pockets again like armour snapping back into place. But the look he gave her stayed- unwavering, fierce, real. She turned towards the portal, for a heartbeat, she almost couldn't move. Then she flipped a coin, caught it mid-air and forced a grin his way. When the two girls stepped into the portal, his figure blurred in the glow- but the warmth of his hands and the weight of his words followed her through. Back in the courtyard, the portal expanded, its glow soft and steady. Nayeon had stepped through first. She paused at the edge, glancing back once, at Kazuke, at the campus, at this strange world that even she felt foreign to, despite living there for years. Then she vanished into the light. Kotone turned to face everyone one last time. No speeches, no long goodbyes, just a flip of her coin, caught clean in her palm. Her eyes found Katsuki's, his hands shoved into his pockets, chin titled stubbbornly upwards as he wasn't about to shout something just to keep her there. She waved, nodded to Nezu and the others, then entered the portal, the light swallowing her whole and fizzling out.