Italics are used for Izuku journal entries and as well as flashbacks. Current events are not.

CHAPTER 5

ACROSS

JOURNAL NO. 13

PROPERTY OF AIZAWA IZUKU

Entry #4 Year xxxx, Summer, Day xx

Status Update:

We're already near the border between Seiryuu and Yuusari. By nightfall, we'll be in Yuusari and we'll be stopping by a little town called Kiyashi.

So far, we've been travelling at a decent pace. However, we were attacked twice already since leaving the village. The first attack had been late last night and thank goodness we decided to take turns in keeping watch. The second attack just happened around noon. They ambushed us as we passed by. Surprisingly, the attackers were not highly trained assassins but those half-baked brutes of bandits. It wasn't unusual for bandits to attack travelers like us but it was still unsettling. I was really expecting some assassins to come for us by now but so far, other than the ones in Hosu, we haven't encountered any assassins but instead we had numerous bandits attacking us. I didn't realize it at first but most of the bandits' attacks had been centered on Kacchan. It felt like I'm missing something important: something I didn't know but something I was supposed to know. We never really had the chance to ask the bandits since their attacks and numbers were keeping us on our toes. And they were, more or less, unable for questioning when we were done with them.

We were still able to defeat them with relative ease though. The numbers may not be on our favor but my companions were still strong quirk users.

During the first attack, Uraraka's quirk, Zero Gravity, was quite useful in chucking lethally heavy things (like boulders and huge rocks) on the opponents and during the second attack, Uraraka showed her expertise in hit-in-run tactics with her pegasus and her slim lance. However, the overuse of her quirk could cause her nausea which could actually put her at a disadvantage in long and purely 'grounded' battles that would require the use of her quirk but I think it was weakness that could be worked around on in the future.

On the other hand, Kirishima was the tough fighter. Literally. His Hardening quirk doesn't really give him much mobility but his offense and defense was top notch. Receiving a punch from him was like receiving a punch from a rock, or a boulder perhaps, judging from the few dozens of teeth that those bandits lost after fighting him. Despite being a knight who stereotypically fought on a horse, I think Kirishima was more comfortable fighting on the ground using hand-to-hand combat. Kaminari did tell me that Kirishima could decently fight with a sword and in fact, Kirishima had a sword but he somehow lost it by the time we first met them at Hosu. But rather than a sword, I think a hammer or an axe would fit Kirishima's fighting style more. I think I'll ask him next time.

As for Kaminari, he showed his proficiency with a spear early on but the problem was that his spear was broken at the moment and he can't use it. He also revealed to me that his spear actually helped him to control his quirk. His quirk, Electrification, was strong but it wasn't something that he could actually control and without control, his quirk could really hurt anyone in the vicinity, be they opponents or allies. He was still good to have though. Without his spear, we resulted to have him act as a human electric eel and stun opponents on contact. He also acted as a strong electric bomb when we were able to properly distance ourselves from him. However, his affliction of momentary retardation after he releases a huge amount of electricity was quite concerning. It was like watching a promisingly cool person transform into a…well…on Kacchan's term: a fucking moron which, I regret to admit, was an appropriate term on this case. On a happier note, he assured me that he could have his spear fixed in Kiyashi. Apparently, it was his mother's hometown and he visited the town from time to time. He told me he knew a good blacksmith residing there that could fix his spear in no time.

And then we have Mei. The both of us actually worked on the rear to support the others. Mei was an archer so she was best fighting at a distance. Mei's skill with archery was remarkable and her quirk 'Zoom' worked well with her chosen skill. Her shots were accurate even with moving targets so she really weakened and lessened the enemy's numbers. Another thing to note about her was her 'babies' which were actually different kinds of equipment she invented on her own. They were a bit weird but it seems some of the items were quite useful too.

Then there was Kacchan. How do I even begin with him? While there's no denying that Kacchan was strong (he's probably the strongest one within the group), he was also the main target and the one we were supposed to protect above all. I knew he was aware that there were people trying to kill him but I think it conveniently slipped his mind every time the fighting starts. He charged first during the last two battles and quite frankly, his recklessness gave me a mini heart attack. Kacchan was strong, no doubt. His skill with his swords and his quirk, Explosions, were prodigious and his battle senses were a cut above the rest but he wasn't invincible. And there was always that off-chance event when an enemy could sneak up on him and land a lethal blow especially when numbers favored the opposition. However, I also knew that Kacchan wasn't one to back down and I knew his temper well enough that it could end badly if I told him stand back. In the end, a compromise was necessary so I had Kirishima placed nearby enough (as subtly and as often as I could) so that he could easily reach Kacchan the moment that he's in trouble. So far, nothing bad has happened but I'm not taking chances on Kacchan's safety. No matter how strong Kacchan was, he was still the number one target. It's not that I don't trust Kacchan's strength. I just don't trust our enemies. And I can't imagine losing Kacchan. I wouldn't be able to live with it.

Lastly, there was me. Tacticians were stereotypically non-combatants. They don't actually fight. Tacticians made plans and preparations prior to a battle if there's time and they stayed in the rear to direct and instruct tactics. In my case, I can't help but join the fight. We were a small group compared to the numbers of our attackers and that means I can't have someone protect me all the time. Fortunately, I was taught basic self-defense by my father and I think I'm good enough with daggers and knives. And I think I did have a decent aim so I could also work with throwing knives, just in case. I also had my Erasure quirk which could provide good support against quirk users. Then I have my second quirk as a last resort. I get too weakened every time I use it so I can't use it in normal circumstances. It was simply not worth it and Kacchan made it quite clear that HE won't be very happy with me if I ever used it without the absolute necessity. During the last two battles, I used my Erasure quirk from the rear and those from the frontlines did the attacking. I also crossed blades with some of the attackers (bandits that managed to sneak from the back and those with troublesome quirks which provided high-mobility) but most of them were finished off by Kacchan. Almost every time that someone engaged me to a fight, Kacchan always appeared out of nowhere to finish them off like he was keeping watch of me and making sure that I don't fight someone long enough for them to land a blow on me. I guess protectiveness went both ways between the two of us. I mean, he did say that he would keep me alive. I think he was making good with his word but there was also this vague feeling inside me that tells me that Kacchan's sudden increase of protectiveness had something to do with what happened last night.

And speaking of last night, the revelations were rather…surprising? Mind-blowing? Positively unbelievable? I don't really know how to actually describe it but it did numb my brain for a few minutes there. I mean really, it's not every day that you discover that you've 'accidentally met' someone you've wanted to meet your whole life. It never really occurred to me that it could actually happen. That those super unbelievable coincidences actually happen.

Ok.

I believe you now, Fate. You can stop laughing now. I know I didn't really believe in you before but now I do. I really, really do so please forgive me for doubting your existence. And would you please be more considerate and gentler with my sanity from now on? It's been rather fragile ever since I met Kacchan.

Why did it feel like I actually jinxed something?

Still…to think that Kacchan was actually that 'Katsuki' this whole time… it was rather… I can't really put it into words but I could safely say that I'm glad and happy that it's him. At first, Kacchan was the most unexpected person to rescue a girl like me. Next, he became a friend that I have come to cherish. Then, he became a guardian that worried about my safety and health much more than I do myself. And now, he was the boy that I've apparently wanted to meet all my life.

Ever since I've heard of 'Katsuki' from my mother, I have often daydreamed and wondered about him and our meeting 'someday' but I never imagined that I would meet him like this. I'm glad. I'm happy. I'm thankful. And I've been feeling that every time that I call him Kacchan since last night even if he does drive me crazy sometimes.

But with Katsuki with me, I can't help but think of Shouto too.

I wonder what it would be like if Shoucchan was also with me here. Would he be glad that I finally met 'Katsuki'? Would he be friends with Kacchan too?

I guess all I could do now is wonder.

It's been eight years. It's been years eight years since that night. It's been eight years since I last saw Shoucchan. And he clearly doesn't want to see me. My last visit in Shizuoka and the number of unanswered letters I sent throughout the years proved that much. I still can't help but long for him though. Call me shameless for not accepting his wishes but I still want to see him. Years were supposed to mellow that desire but it only made it stronger. True, there was also that dread that bubbled within me through the years but it was nothing compared to my yearning. A part of me was afraid of hearing his reasons. A part of me was scared of the possibility that I may have unknowingly done something so horrible for him to keep his distance from me. And a part of me was dreaded to possibly discover that his reasons were actually justifiable and I'd be losing him all over again.

But still…

I want to see him again.

I want to talk to him again.

I want to hold his hand again.

Shoucchan was-

"Izuku-sama!"

I shut my journal as I saw Kirishima skipping his way towards me. I was writing under the shade of a tree that protected me from the heat and the glare of the mid-afternoon sun. Our group stopped to rest for a bit and stretch our legs for the long journey ahead. We can't do that non-stop travelling we did yesterday or we'd end up breaking our backs and numbing our butts. Of course, speed was important but it won't mean that much if we hurt ourselves. Horses' saddles weren't that much comfortable to begin with so breaks were, more or less, a necessity.

"Izuku-sama!" Kirishima called again. He was smiling happily and he held a small basket on his hand.

"What do you have there, Kirishima-kun?" I asked.

"I found some wild berries nearby, Izuku-sama. Would you like to have a taste?" Kirishima showed me the contents of the basket and true enough there were delicious-looking wild berries in it.

"I sure hope it won't only be a taste you'll be giving me, Kirishima-kun, because those berries look delicious." I smiled in anticipation. I can't help it. I have a soft spot for good food.

Kirishima playfully pretended to think. "I think I'll consider it if you share your shade with me, Izuku-sama."

I decided to play along. I crossed my arms and pretended to think. "Hmmm… that's a hard one… but fine… If you must insist, then you got yourself a deal, Kirishima-kun." I gave Kirishima a playful grin and we both chuckled as he settled himself beside me.

I took some berries on the basket and popped one in my mouth. It was absolutely delicious. It had a bit of a sour taste but its sweetness was more prominent. It was evident that Kirishima picked the right berries that were properly ripe enough to consume.

I popped another berry in my mouth and relaxed. I scanned my eyes around to see what the others were doing. Kacchan was with the horses. He was fixing the saddle of our horse since he noticed it got a bit loose. Kaminari and Uraraka were playing and throwing berries in the air for Shinku to catch. Then Mei was under the shade of another tree, tinkering with another 'baby' of hers. It looked like a mini crossbow that could be attached to her wrist.

"What's that, Izuku-sama?" Kirishima asked, pointing something at my lap.

I turned to him and then to my lap. "It's my journal, Kirishima-kun."

"Oh…what do you write in it, Izuku-sama?" Kirishima was awfully curious.

"Are you really asking me that, Kirishima-kun?" I gave him a teasing grin and leaned bit closer to give it more effect. "It's a girl's journal, you know. Do you really have the guts to bear the consequences of knowing the contents of this journal, Kirishima-kun~?"

"On second thought, you don't have to tell me, Izuku-sama!" He swiftly refused. He looked a bit terrified to be honest.

Looks like I scared him enough. I let a laugh out at his priceless expression.

"I was just teasing, Kirishima-kun. You don't have to look that scared."

"Oh…" He looked visibly relieved.

"But really, it's just normal journal. I write things that happened so far, people I've met, places I've been, feelings I've felt… It helps me sort out my thoughts." Not to mention, Papa recommended (read: insisted) that I write one just in case my clumsiness ends up giving me memory loss. "Do you write one, Kirishima-kun?"

Kirishima shrugged. "I did before but I keep forgetting to write stuff so I guess I just… stopped."

"Is that so…"

"Were you writing in it just now, Izuku-sama? I thought journals were supposed to be written at the end of the day."

"Normally, yes. I actually wrote my entries at night when I was first starting out but during the months I spent travelling for my fieldwork, it was getting harder to write during the night. I usually find myself too tired to write by the end of the day and the lighting was a problem too. In short, I decided to write in it during the day for convenience. Lighting won't be a problem during the day and I'm energetic enough to write in it. It was simply for practicality and convenience."

"That does sound logical." Kirishima admitted. "Hmmm…"

I popped another berry in my mouth. "Kirishima-kun, is there something else you'd like to ask me?"

Kirishima looked hesitant. His gaze turned to the ground then uncertainly stared back at me. "Umm… Izuku-sama, did something happen between you and Katsuki-sama last night?" Then he nervously flailed his hands in front of him. "I mean… I don't mean to pry, Izuku-sama. You don't have to answer… I mean… ah…"

"Why would you think something happened between us last night, Kirishima-kun?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"Well… Katsuki-sama's been acting weird towards you, Izuku-sama." Kirishima looked really worried.

Kacchan was? I mean, I noticed his protectiveness increased but I don't think it was that weird to cause worry.

"What do you mean, Kirishima-kun?"

"It's probably nothing but I noticed Katsuki-sama stealing glances at you when you weren't looking. And it's not just that. He's been muttering about…" Kirishima visibly looked torn as if he doesn't actually want to say it. "Katsuki-sama's been muttering 'goddamn old hag' every time he looked at you." Then his expression turned to concern. "Did you two have a fight? Is Katsuki-sama angry at you? Should I talk to him about it?" Then determination flashed in his eyes. "It's so not manly to insult you, Izuku-sama! I'll make him stop and apologize!"

Then he motioned to stand up and do just that which was so not good considering Kacchan's temper. He was jumping at conclusions too fast. I put my hands on his shoulder to stop and calm him down.

"I don't think that's that, Kirishima-kun. And we didn't have a fight last night if that's what you're thinking." I mean, I don't think so. Kacchan didn't really look that angry with me last night. We argued a little bit but I don't think it was that of a big deal.

"But…" Kirishima looked as if he wanted to protest.

"We didn't fight, Kirishima-kun. At least, I don't think so." I said, firmly.

"Then…" He still looked unconvinced.

"We just discovered something really important last night so it could be the reason why Kacchan's acting so weird."

"Oh…" He looked almost convinced until he seemingly remembered something. "But he's been calling you an old hag, Izuku-sama!"

I shook my head. "I don't think he was referring to me, Kirishima-kun. We actually discovered that my mother Inko and his mother Lady Mitsuki were close friends. And that we've been actually hearing about each other for most of our lives. And I think he was actually referring to his mother. He was also muttering about it last night. I also think Lady Mitsuki might have said something… weird to him… about me… and he was… remembering it?" I stopped at Kirishima's confused stare. I probably mumbled everything again. Oops. I really need to fix this habit.

I cleared my throat to start over again.

"Well, our mothers were apparently close friends and it seemed like they were trading letters over the years. When I was young, my mother used to tell me a lot of stories about her friends and one of them happened to be Lady Mitsuki. She told me about Kacchan and I've been hearing stories about him growing up and it seemed like Lady Mitsuki also told stories about me… to Kacchan. I guess we actually knew about each other before we even really met and we just became aware of that fact last night? Meeting each other in these circumstances was quite unbelievable, that's all… and… I think Kacchan's still processing what actually transpired between us… I think…"

"Oh… that's…" Kirishima blinked. "Should I believe in fate now, Izuku-sama?"

I let out a weak laugh. "It does seem like too much of a coincidence, does it, Kirishima-kun?"

"But if you only knew about it last night… then when Katsuki-sama rescued you and when you decided to travel with Katsuki-sama…"

"We didn't know about it then. Kacchan was Kacchan before I actually knew he was Katsuki and I was Deku the moment I introduced myself to him."

"Then… that's… wow, Izuku-sama!" Kirishima looked evidently impressed.

I chuckled. "Yeah, well-"

BOOM!

That explosion sounded real near. I turned my gaze towards its source sure enough there was Kacchan glaring down at us. And he looked absolutely pissed.

Oh no. Was Kacchan angry at me? Was Kirishima actually right?

"Kacchan?"

"What the fuck are you doing, Deku?" Yup, he was pissed. Royally.

"I'm talking to Kirishima-kun, Kacchan." I answered uneasily. He looked angrier at my reply. Why was he angry again?

"Then why the fuck do you have your fucking hands all over him?" He looked like he was about to pop a vein.

Then I realized he was right. I practically forgot to take my hands off Kirishima. I turned to Kirishima and took my hands off his shoulder. "I'm sorry about that, Kirishima-kun."

"No worries, Izuku-sama." Kirishima answered. He looked a bit nervous.

Then I turned to Kacchan. He looked at lot less angry now which was actually more relieving than I thought. He practically looked like he was about to kill me and Kirishima. Technically, he looked more ready to kill Kirishima than me, for some reason, but that's not the point. I've got to distract him somehow before he blows over.

Then I saw his gaze zero in on the berries that Kirishima offered me.

"Oh" I took some berries in my hand and strode towards Kacchan. "Kirishima-kun found some wild berries, Kacchan. Would you like to have one?" I picked up one berry and reached for his mouth.

Kacchan loosened his glare and looked at the berry apprehensively. Then he opened his mouth to take it.

That was unexpected. I actually anticipated that he'd refuse it.

"Um… Kacchan?" I peered at him in concern. "Are you upset with me about something? Should I ride with Kirishima-kun instead?"

And then he bit my finger.

"KACCHAN! My finger wasn't part of the package!"

"THEN SHUT THE FUCK UP, DEKU!" Kacchan yelled back. And yes, he finally released my finger. And yes, it was fortunately still in one piece.

One second he was calming down and the next second he was so pissed off. Again!

"What's gotten into you, Kacchan?"

Kacchan gritted his teeth and he was stubbornly not meeting my gaze.

I really don't get him sometimes. "If you can't calm down, Kacchan, then I'll give you space and I'll ride with Kiri-"

I was cut off by Kacchan's hand firmly tugging my arm and before I knew it, I was on his shoulder like a sack of rice.

"What the- Kacchan?!"

"Pack up, fuckers, we're going now! We're wasting our fucking time here!" Kacchan hollered to the others. He was totally ignoring me.

I turned to the others and they looked about as flabbergasted as I am.

I slumped in his shoulder and I sighed in defeat. Exasperation had never felt so real.

Then I felt him shift me and the next second, he smoothly deposited me on the horse before he climbed up himself. He took the reins and started off our horse not caring if everyone was following or not.

I gave him a few minutes before trying again. "Kacchan, tell me the truth. Did I do something to upset you? I know your temper's not that good but you won't get angry for no reason. It isn't like you. At all. There's always something that set you off no matter how small."

Kacchan stayed silent.

"Was it about last night?"

Suddenly, his arm was around my waist and I felt him pull me closer against him. Then I felt his nose buried in my hair. I can't help but flush at his unexpected action.

"It wasn't about that shit." I heard him mutter.

"Then what was-"

"It doesn't fucking matter anymore."

What does he mean by that?

"Just drop it, Deku." He said dismissively.

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed "I have one last question though."

"What?"

"Do you have some kind of fetish with fingers, Kacchan? You tried biting my finger last time and this time, you actually bit it. I don't think others would take it kindly if you bite off their fingers, you know. I think Kirishima-kun might not feel your bite with his hardening quirk and all but Kaminari-kun might just electrocute you. And Uraraka-san and Mei-san… Kacchan?"

I turned my gaze towards him and found him looking positively scandalized. Mortified even. Like I suggested he eat poop for dinner.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

I really don't get him sometimes.

(Yuusari. A few distances and a few hours later. Kiyashi.)

As predicted, we've managed to set foot in the country of Yuusari by nightfall and as we've discussed, we're here in the small town of Kiyashi to settle in for the night. The town of Kiyashi was the closest town to the border between Yuusari and Seiryuu. It was also near Kirin Mountain. The mountain was nothing really special but the inhabitants in there were admittedly quite concerning. It was rumored to be the home of a group of vicious bandits that were known to mercilessly pillage villages.

Kaminari assured me that there was nothing to worry about the bandits though. He admitted that the town was once terrorized by the bandits but some travelers settled in the town years ago and they served as the protectors of the town. Their presence in the small town deterred the bandits from terrorizing it so even if it was a town near the mountain, the bandits often left the town alone.

However…

"Are nights in this town always been this quiet, Kaminari-kun?" I asked.

From what Kaminari told me, the town was fairly lively even for a small one. It was already night time but it wasn't that late. I expected to see people walking around and even some shops that were still open and operating for business but this… I would've thought it was a ghost town if it wasn't for the lights seeping out of the shut windows of almost every house we passed through. It seemed like all the residents in the town were all holed up in their own houses and I could only wonder why. It was eerily silent too. It was too different compared to the description Kaminari gave me and I knew Kaminari wasn't lying. There was no reason for him to lie. It doesn't look like the town was razed or pillaged by bandits though. I'm fairly familiar of their handiwork and this was not it.

But still… The silence of this town was unsettling.

"No…" Kaminari finally replied. "It shouldn't be… It shouldn't be this quiet, Lady Izuku."

"Do you think something's wrong then, Kaminari?" Kirishima asked.

"I'm not sure…" Confusion was plastered all over Kaminari's face.

Suddenly, Kaminari snapped up and he hurriedly drove his horse in what seemed to be a two-storey house. It looked like it was also a store too but it seemed to be closed. Kaminari was already off his horse when we caught up with him and he was examining the closed shop. Unlike the houses we passed by, it seemed empty.

"They should be here…" I heard Kaminari mutter.

"You know who lived here, Kaminari-kun?" Uraraka asked. Strangely, she was the one holding Shinku. Shinku was with Kirishima during the whole travel.

"It was the blacksmith I told you about." Kaminari replied. He looked worried. "He lived here. Him and his three apprentice."

"They must've ditched town then." Kacchan suggested.

"No… can't be…" Kaminari frowned.

"Why not?" Uraraka asked curiously.

Kaminari turned to Uraraka. "They-"

"Well, if they ditched then they left a lot of merchandise here." Mei suddenly interjected. She was peering on one unblocked spot in the store's windows. She had some strangely shaped lamp in her hand that was illuminating the room inside. It was probably one of her so called babies. "They still have their things here and everything. If they ditched town, they should have at least packed up."

I dismounted my horse and went over to Mei. "Can I have a look, Mei-san?"

Mei straightened up. "Sure, Izuku-sama. I'll hold and keep my baby on for you."

"Appreciated, Mei-san."

I peered inside. It seemed to be a typical weapons shop but there were a few things odd about it. For a store, it was too messy. Some of the weapons had fallen over and were cluttered all over the floor. Another odd thing about it was the dust. It was a bit hard to see in the darkness but I could barely make out the settled dust on the weapons. Settled dust meant that those things weren't moved for quite a while and those weapons were not exactly in their right places. And this also meant that whoever lived in this house, haven't been living in this house for a while.

I straightened up and turned to Kaminari. "I don't think they're here, Kaminari-kun. I don't think they're here for quite a while now, honestly."

"So then they-"

I shook my head before Kaminari could say anything. "Let's not jump to conclusions or make any assumptions for now, Kaminari-kun. I don't think we have enough information for now to make a right one."

"Yes, Lady Izuku." Kaminari reluctantly conceded. He looked really worried.

"Then how about we do this: you guide us to the town's inn and settle there for the night. There's bound to be someone who knows what happened here. We could ask them and that way we'll know for sure what actually happened."

Kaminari perked up. "You're right, Lady Izuku. Let's go to the inn then." Kaminari quickly mounted his horse and Mei immediately followed after him since she rode the same horse with him.

I walked over back to my horse. "Kacchan? Something wrong?"

Kacchan had a serious expression on his face that wasn't there before and he was staring at some dark alleyway.

"Kacchan?" I repeated and this time, I got his attention. "Did you see something strange on that alley?"

Instead of answering my question, Kacchan just tugged on my shoulder to prompt me to climb up on the horse which I eventually did. When I settled down, I felt Kacchan's breath near my ear. I felt the hair behind my neck stand up at his proximity.

"Someone's watching us, Deku." Kacchan whispered.

The alarms in my head went off. "Who?"

"I don't fucking now but the shit's too shifty and too skilled for a normal resident. The shit moved and hid the moment I noticed."

"Could it be an assassin?"

"Again, I don't fucking know, Deku but I didn't sense any bloodlust if that's what you're asking. Either the dipshit is too fucking good at hiding his fucking bloodlust or it ain't an assassin at all. This town is fucking weird anyway. It could be anyone."

So Kacchan noticed the town's strangeness too. An uneasy feeling began to bubble up my stomach. I really wish that this foreboding feeling in my stomach meant nothing.

Kaminari led us to the town's inn which also doubled as a pub and we towed our horses, including Uraraka's pegasus, on a nearby stable. For some reason though, instead of coming with us, Shinku wanted to stay with the rest of the animals and he was happy rubbing himself on the straw so we decided to leave him there. Kacchan just said that he'll come to us when he wants to. And in hindsight, it might have been better idea not to bring Shinku with us to the pub being the odd creature that he was.

When we entered the pub slash inn, all eyes were on us. The occupants of the pub were clearly surprised to see us. The elderly man that was manning the counter was looking at us, eyes wide in surprise and something that I really couldn't tell. There was also a boy no more than ten years old who was handing out drinks. He stopped the moment we entered and his expression mirrored the old man's. As for the customers, there were men, a lot of them but I somehow get the feeling that they may not be the normal residents of this town. One, most of them had weapons on their person and two, most of them were quirk users. All of them were eyeing our group with interest and I felt it increase the moment they spotted Mei, Uraraka and me. The initial unease I felt a while ago doubled.

"Welcome." The elderly man suddenly said. "How may I help you?"

Our group approached the counter and I saw a flicker of recognition in Kaminari's eyes. The man must be someone Kaminari knew but for some reason, the man was avoiding Kaminari's gaze. The man was shifting uncomfortably and his eyes kept cautiously drifting to the other customers in the pub.

"I assume you travelers want a room?" The man asked.

"Yes, plea-"

"Ossan" Kaminari suddenly interjected. I could feel the worry in his voice but it seemed that the old man doesn't exactly welcome it as I a saw panic and dread flash across his eyes.

"Kaminari-kun, what rooms do you think we should take?" I interrupted before Kaminari could continue. I think the old man was trying to pretend not knowing Kaminari for some reason and I don't think those reasons were pleasant either.

I turned my gaze to a confused Kaminari, asking him to play along for now with my eyes and he seemed to get the message as he reluctantly backed down.

"You're the only guests here tonight." The old man said and I can't help but feel that he was insinuating about something. "We have a few single rooms and three twin rooms."

"We'll take those three rooms." Kacchan suddenly said. I gave him a questioning glance and he just glared back at me sending out a clear message that he doesn't want any protests.

Then the man grunted. "Alright"

And so the transactions commenced and I gave the man the right amount of gold and in exchange, he gave us our keys.

"The rooms are upstairs." The old man said and then he called out to the boy who was serving drinks. "Hiro, take some blankets from the storage room and put them on the rooms upstairs."

"Y-yes, grandpa." The boy replied and scrambled. So he was his grandson. It was a bit strange though. I mean, was it normal for kids as young as him to work this late and at a pub no less? Doesn't he have any other employee to help him?

Then I heard Uraraka squeak in surprise. I turned to her direction and saw that she was being approached too closely by one of the male customers of the pub. The man was tall and lean with loose medium length hair.

"Hey sweetheart, heard you were travelers. Staying here for long?"

If his intention wasn't clear the first time he approached then the cliche pick-up line cleared everything up.

Fortunately, it seemed like I wasn't the only who noticed Uraraka's discomfort. Mei had already gotten herself between the guy and Uraraka before the man could advance nearer.

"We were just staying for the night, mister. As you've heard we're travelers. We're just passing through." Mei said.

"That's a shame then but the night is still long. Think you ladies could join us for a drink? The lads are welcome too." Then he gave us a suggestive smile. "Provided you ladies could give us a bit of your time."

The boys of our group didn't really take that statement very well and neither did I and the other girls. Kacchan snarled and Kaminari tensed giving out his hostile mood. Uraraka looked even more uncomfortable while I could see Mei's stiffen. She was subtle about it though. She was trying to hold her ground and remain confident while dealing with the guy.

Kirishima almost surged forward to interfere but I stopped him. A fight might just break out if Kirishima interferes and I don't really want to do it here with the old man and his grandson present. Mei was also handling the situation and she hasn't asked for help yet and she wasn't backing down so I'll trust her to deal with this.

"That's a kind offer but we're too tired, mister, so try your luck next time." Mei said, coolly.

"That next time might just be difficult seeing as you are travelers." The man responded, smirking.

"Too bad. You'll just have to give up then." Mei answered the man's cockiness with her own.

The man narrowed his eyes and then smirked again confidently but before he could say anything more, the old man in the counter had cleared his throat to get our attention.

"The sheets have been carried up to the rooms. I suggest you travellers go up and settle down."

And that gave us the perfect excuse to leave. Kaminari tried to meet the old man's gaze one last time but the old man just refused to meet his eyes and with that, we headed upstairs to our rooms for the night.

After putting our things in our respective rooms, we convened in the room Uraraka and Mei shared. I was originally there to check if Uraraka was okay but the others eventually followed in with the obvious intent to talk. It was a bit cramped with all of us in the room but it will have to do.

"I don't like those men downstairs, Izuku-san." Uraraka said.

"I don't like them either, Uraraka-san." I replied while Kacchan scoffed beside me.

Kacchan had been rather… cautious, if that's even the right word, with the customers downstairs. The moment we got upstairs, he made his opinions vocal. I can't say I disagree with him though. I'd rather we keep our guard around them. Those men didn't seem very harmless with all their weapons and with the weird atmosphere of this town then it would be best if we take precautionary measures. I just didn't expect that one of those precautionary measures would mean sharing a room with Kacchan. Uraraka and Mei were an obvious pair since they were both unmarried girls and them sharing a room with one of the boys wasn't exactly proper. But then that also left me, also an unmarried girl to share a room with one of the three boys and, for some reason, Kacchan won't let Kirishima and Kaminari near me. Kacchan was adamant on not leaving me unguarded though and I think I couldn't really disagree or deny that when it comes to actual fights, I'm probably the most inexperienced. Not that it made me feel any better.

I've heard people say that regret comes in like a bitter pill and, now, I could affirm how true it was. I should have paid more attention in self-defense. I should have learnt to fight better. I should have-

"Do you know those guys, Kaminari?" Kirishima suddenly asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"No, I haven't seen them before." Kaminari admitted.

"But the bartender" I said. "You know him, right, Kaminari-kun?"

"Yeah, I know him. I know his son and his daughter-in-law. I know his granddaughter and his grandson. I've grown up seeing their family manage this inn and man the pub. And I also know that he was a decent enough old man who doesn't let his youngest grandchild work this late and definitely not in the pub. Unfortunately, I could see that changed-"

A knock interrupted Kaminari's speech and I could immediately sense everyone tense up and increase their guard. But when we expected a gruff man's voice, what permeated through the door instead was a young child's voice sounding so scared and desperate.

"Nii-chan…"

I saw Kaminari's eyes widen and he hurriedly opened the door. In the next second, he had a trembling boy tightly hugging his waist.

"Help… Nii-chan… they…" The little boy sobbed and it somehow struck my heart painfully. "They took kaa-chan… they took onee-chan… then… then… they killed… tou-chan's gone, nii-chan…"

When the boy first hugged Kaminari, I could see the worry and concern in his eyes but now, they overshadowed with rage.

"Who were they, Riku?" Kaminari asked then as if finally composing himself, Kaminari kneeled down to the boy's level. "Tell me who they are."

"It's the-"

The next scene came too fast. There was a loud sound. Then the door and the walls near it were gone. And the debris flew towards us.

For a while, I couldn't really see anything because Kacchan had quickly pulled me to his side and I had closed my eyes on reflex. When I opened them again, Kirishima was on the front with his hardening quirk activated, Kaminari was shielding the boy from damage and Uraraka and Mei had overturned a bed for protection probably with the use of Uraraka's quirk.

"Ladies, we do still insist you join for the evening and I really do hope you agree this time." It was the man who spoke to us from downstairs and behind him were his companions. There were blades like that of a mantis protruding from his arms which was probably his quirk. "Unfortunately, we have to cancel our invitation for the lads. We don't take it lightly when we're stabbed in the back." The man looked pointedly at the little boy in Kaminari's arms.

Kacchan was about to draw his sword when another man came up holding a knife towards the old bartenders neck. The situation just turned for the worst.

"Jii-chan!" The little boy exclaimed.

"And I wouldn't do anything rash if I were you. Blood spurts out plenty from a slit throat and it would be chore to clean up the mess." The man snickered and the other followed like the minions they were. "Think of the poor boy who will have to clean it up then."

Funny he should say that when he just broke the down the door and most of the wall. His threat worked though. We can't exactly attack them back. I really hate it when hostages get involved.

"What do you want?" I steeled my voice as I asked him. I couldn't show weakness now but at the same time, I have to be careful not to set him off.

"The company of you ladies would be one. The lads, well, to be frank, we'd rather like them gone and away. Oh and we'd also like that blonde savage's head if you don't mind. We could always use the extra gold."

They wanted Kacchan's head for gold? Don't tell me, Kacchan had a…

"We don't know what the actual deal is but the blonde savage has a bounty on his pretty little head. Of course, the bounty thing ain't exactly a legally imposed one but who cares as long as we get the gold."

Kacchan had a bounty. A freaking bounty on his head. I knew for a fact that his grand-uncle wanted Kacchan killed and hiring assassins wasn't the only method for the desired outcome. Giran had put a bounty on Kacchan's head and spread that fact to every thug and every bandit and every greedy-

That's why we were attacked so much today.

That bastard!

I didn't realize that I was clenching my fist too hard until I felt Kacchan's hand on mine. Kacchan settled his eyes on me as if telling me to calm down. I averted my gaze from him and I bit my lip. Focus. This was no time to curse in rage. We had to rescue that old man. But how will we-

"My baby!" A voice suddenly exclaimed.

Eh? Mei-san?

Everyone was rightly surprised when Mei suddenly exclaimed something about her baby. Every single eye in the room was looking at her. Why was she yelling about her baby no- Wait a minute… her baby?

"My baby could reach his dreams in a few more steps. I know he could. Just that he couldn't let go of my wrist for now. I couldn't. I just need to be near-"

Reach… a few more steps… wrist… near…

Mei wasn't definitely spouting nonsense.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Lass, we don't really have much interest in your kid. You can come over and we promise we won't hurt you or your kid."

I turned to Kacchan and whispered. "Kacchan, when the knife is out of the way I want you to get the old man. I'll erase those men's quirks for a few seconds so I want to the old man out of the way as fast as you can."

"You promise?" Mei said, acting scared.

"Yes, we promise. Cross our hearts."

Mei took a few steps towards them and when she was a right down the middle of the room. She flicked her wrist and some metal sprung out of it knocking the knife out of the hostage taker.

Then Kacchan followed my instructions. With a boost from his quirk, he flew towards the men, pulled the man aside while I erased their quirks.

When I confirmed that Kacchan and the old man was out of the way, I turned to Uraraka.

"Throw the bed at them, Uraraka-san!"

And that signaled the start of the fight.

Kaminari immediately took over protecting the old man and his grandson electrocuting anybody that came near. Kirishima started to bash heads and punch faces. Kacchan was attacking with his explosions. Mei was using a candelabrum she grabbed from a desk as a weapon. Uraraka was throwing a handful of usually heavy things. Meanwhile, I had my dagger out and my erasure quirk activated to slash every opponent near me.

A quick glance and I knew we were winning.

But we didn't quite reach absolute victory.

There was a blast and it didn't come from Kacchan. The window along with the wall was blasted off by some strong force. There was smoke. There was rubble. The next thing I saw was Uraraka unconscious with blood dripping on her forehead. Then there was a masked man attached on the claws of some kind of flying creature that looked like a cross between a man and a bat.

He said a few words.

And then-

(Just a few miles. Very near to Kiyashi)

When Iida had said that they would be stopping by Kiyashi to take care of a few rogue mercenaries, Todoroki Shouto wasn't expecting the sound of explosions and the sight of a blonde boy soaring through the night sky trying to reach a man attached to some kind of flying creature.

In a split second, the boy was slammed back down with the creature's tail. Iida immediately told him to hurry as they witnessed the scene and they both hurried to the town and when they did, they were both shocked to find the second floor of an inn damaged and littered with rubble. Then they spotted the boy who was recklessly chasing the creature in the air.

Fortunately, the boy was still alive but it looks as if he wanted to chase the flying creature again even with his injuries. A red headed knight was stopping the blonde boy from doing anything further.

"Stop it, Katsuki-sama! You're too injured!" The red-headed knight said as held the blonde boy down.

"Shut your fucking trap, shitty hair and let me go! They took Deku! Those fucking bastards took Deku!" The blonde boy was obviously too enraged to care about his injuries.

Iida was asking and demanding answers from everybody present but the situation was still too chaotic.

Looking at the boy, Shouto could surmise that this 'Deku' person was taken. The boy looked so distraught that Shouto concluded that this 'Deku' person was probably very important to the boy.

Then Shouto looked back at the night sky. The flying creature was nowhere to be seen now and somehow Shouto couldn't shake the feeling that something important was taken from him too.

And he could only wonder why.

(Many, many miles away. Yuuei. A few hours ago.)

Aizawa Inko was attending a social function hosted by another noble lady of Yuuei. She was enjoying herself quite a bit and she wouldn't have minded staying a few more hours longer if it wasn't for a desperate and panicking messenger (who was surprisingly Nishiya) saying that her presence was desperately needed back at the castle and that she needed to stop the king and her husband and oddly enough, her husband's cousin who was also her daughter's mentor. Inko tried to ask the circumstances but the messenger was panicking too much to actually answer her but what she got from him was something about a letter and that she needed to stop those men before they zoom away to Yuusari. Inko raised an eyebrow in confusion.

However, she couldn't really ignore the messenger's pleading and so she really had no choice but to leave the social function early and head to the castle.

When Inko was near enough, she didn't expect to see her husband, the king and her daughter's mentor on horseback obviously going somewhere with a few guards after them.

Inko called after them and when they didn't stop, she sternly and sweetly requested the carriage driver to go fast and intercept them by any means possible which was ignoring the road and taking a shortcut at the round-about pathways of the front lawn of the castle.

The three men those who were after them just stopped in time to prevent a collision. Inko got out of the carriage and smiled at the three men who were considered quite high on the kingdom's hierarchy.

"Are you going somewhere Shouta, Toshinori-sama, Nighteye-san? You seem to be in a hurry and I would love to hear why."

Shouta had frozen at the sight of her and the two other men began to fidget at her smile. Then the three of them spoke at the same time.

Nighteye had his hand immediately going for his eyeglasses, trying to hide his panic. "It has come to my attention that my niece met a young man-"

All Might, the supposed to be mighty king of the kingdom, sputtered. "Izuku! Inko-san, Izuku is- A boy!"

Shouta announced, in a tone so dead, it sounded like it came from the dead. "I need to kill my daughter's husband, Inko."

Inko sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Really. Those men. To think they were respectable men known for their calculated planning and sound decisions and then at the slightest development of her daughter's love life and they come out running like impulsive idiots.

So what if Izuku met a boy? It was bound to happen on her journey, it's not as if she got herself mar-

Wait a minute.

"What did you just say, Shouta?"

"I'm heading out to kill our daughter's husband, Inko." Shouta repeated in the same tone of the dead.

Oh.

So Shouta just wanted to kill her daughter's hus-

Wait, what?

OMAKE

(6 years old Todoroki Shouto, 11 years ago, Summer, Yuusari, Shizuoka)

"What are you reading, mother?" Shouto asked as he approached his mother's vanity table. "You're smiling."

"Shouto." His mother smiled as she turned to him. Then she opened her arms and gestured for him to sit on her lap.

Shouto eagerly sat on his mother's lap. Mother had always given him the best hugs and she hugs him a lot when he was on her lap. Shouto happily expected and accepted his mother's hug then he looked at the paper his mother was reading.

"What's that, mother?" He asked again.

"Oh, it's a letter from a dear friend of mine." His mother answered. "A noisy tiger was supposed to send me a letter too but it seems her letter would be late again."

"A noisy tiger?" Shouto tilted his head. He didn't know animals could write.

"Yes, a tiger, Shouto. A blonde tiger living in Seiryuu at the moment."

"Oh."

Mother was really amazing. She made friends with a tiger and the tiger writes her letters. Shouto wondered if he could befriend a tiger too and then maybe he would get letters too.

"What was the letter about, mother?"

"My friend was telling me about her daughter." His mother replied. "She tells me she's the cutest thing in the world with her green hair, big green eyes and freckles on her cheek."

"Freckles?"

"She said they were like little stars on the night sky."

Shouto pondered. How could someone have stars on their face?

"Would you like to meet her, Shouto? She could be your friend, you know."

A friend? Shouto doesn't know if he would like another friend. He already had Tenya for a friend and he was noisy. He was noisy enough. He's weird sometimes too. Tenya's hobby seemed to be chopping air and Shouto couldn't really figure out why.

But he really wanted to see the stars. He wanted to know how stars looked like on someone's face.

He wants to meet her, Shouto decided.

"Yes, mother."

"Yes, what?"

"I'd like to meet her."

"That's great then." His mother smiled. "I'll just send a letter to Inko and see if we could arrange something next summer and maybe you could meet little Izuku then."

So her name was Izuku?

Shouto thought it sounded nice.

Hey guys! Surprise! I'm still apparently alive!

I'm really, really, really sorry about the lateness of this chapter. My academic studies had been quite harsh for awhile and the main reason for the lateness was the bloody menace called a writer's block that I had a hard time getting rid of. I usually set objectives and outcomes for every chapter but I practically got stuck with the execution.

There are still some parts of this chapter that I'm still not satisfied about but I feel like I really need to get over this chapter. I don't want to spend another week thinking about this chapter, really. I just want to move on to next chapters already. I did my best at the moment though. I may revisit this chapter in the future and tweak some things but the outcome will still be the same though. I'll inform you guys if it happens. :)

Also if you find any errors, you are welcome to inform me about them but I would really like to know what you think about the chapter and the story so far.

Oh and Risaya inquired something on her review which was about a month ago. It has really been so long.

Risaya had asked: Who's the main pairing in your story? KatsuxDeku or TodoxDeku? Or is it love triangle?

The most accurate answer I could give now is that the story is going towards a love triangle at the moment. I love both the KatsuDeku and the TodoDeku pairings and I don't really know which one I favor the most at the moment. I don't really plan the romantic development ahead. I think and write as I go along the story. And besides, it seems like a downer to have a predetermined pairing at the opposite circumstances I made for the story: Shouto was the childhood friend and Katsuki was the new guy. I really want to see how this would turn out and see how I could develop it further. Uncertain feelings and uncertain pairings is kinda part of the thrill for me. ;)

As usual a big thank you to favorite-rs, I don't think that's even a word, but still a big thank you to you guys. It was pleasant surprise to see that I finally reached a hundred. Then another big thank you for the followers and a special thank you for the reviewers. You guys really motivated me a lot to get over my writer's block and write this chapter as fast as I can. You guys are awesome!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as usual...

Favorite, Follow and Review!