The alarm's shrill tone pierced my dreams. A familiar weight pinned me to the bed - Kaori sprawled across my chest, her tail coiled around my waist like a furry seatbelt. Her ears twitched at the sound, but she burrowed deeper into my neck.
"Five more minutes," she mumbled.
I reached for my phone, squinting at the bright screen. "Todo will break down the door if we're late."
"Let him. I'm comfortable."
"He'll bring Katsumi."
"Even better. She can blow up the door, and we'll have an excuse to stay in bed." Her tail tightened. "Structural damage is a valid reason to skip training."
"Since when?"
"Since I made it up just now."
I ran my fingers through her hair, careful of her ears. "You know they'll just train in here instead."
"Katsumi wouldn't." She paused. "Actually, no, she absolutely would. Probably call it 'situational combat training' or something."
"Exactly."
Her lips tickled my neck as she sighed. "Fine. But I demand compensation for this cruel awakening."
"What kind of compensation?"
She lifted her head, eyes gleaming in the pre-dawn darkness. "Carry me to training?"
"You have perfectly good legs."
"But yours are better." She stretched, deliberately pressing closer. "Besides, I need to conserve energy. Have to show off for the competition."
I caught her chin. "They're not competition."
"No?" Her ears flicked forward. "Then what are they?"
"You know what they are."
"Do I?" She sat up, straddling my waist. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like they've had weeks to learn all your habits. Your favorite tea. Your training schedule." She picked up one of Momo's hair ties from my nightstand. "The little things."
I propped myself up on my elbows. "You're the one who left."
"I know." She set the hair tie down with exaggerated care. "That's why I have to prove I still belong here."
"You don't have to prove anything."
"Sweet of you to say." She tapped my nose. "Wrong, but sweet."
"Kaori-"
"Race you to the bathroom!" She sprang off me, tail brushing my face as she bolted.
I flopped back onto my pillow. Some battles weren't worth fighting at 5:30 in the morning. Besides, she'd figure it out eventually - probably after Katsumi got tired of the tension and staged another "friendly spar" that ended with property damage and mutual respect.
The bathroom door creaked open. "You coming or what?"
"Thought you were racing me?"
"Changed my mind." She poked her head out, hair mussed from sleep. "Shower's more fun with company."
"We'll be late."
"Worth it."
She had a point.
===
The training ground stretched out before us, morning mist curling around the equipment. Todo stood at its center, already running through his warm-up routine. His movements flowed like water - each stance precise, each transition smooth.
"GOOD MORNING!" He noticed us before we reached him. "And an even better morning to see our prodigal rat return!"
"Think I'm more mustelid than rat." Kaori's tail swished. "Better reflexes."
"Fascinating! We must discuss the implications during our cool-down stretches!" Todo's eyes lit up. "Perhaps a comparative analysis of movement patterns-"
"Too early for analysis." Katsumi emerged, her hair pulled back in its signature spiky ponytail. "Fight first, nerd later."
Momo followed close behind. "There are benefits to proper theoretical discussion before physical application."
"Nerd." But Katsumi's tone held no bite. She bumped Momo's shoulder as she passed.
"Look who finally showed up!" Kirishima jogged over, his grin sharp in the dim light. "Man, feels like the whole gang's back together!"
"Almost." Kaori nodded toward the door. "Still missing a few."
Iida burst through right on cue, Izuku trailing behind. "Apologies for our tardiness! I was assisting Midoriya with his stretching routine to prevent further injuries!"
"I told you, I'm fine-"
"Previous evidence suggests otherwise! As your friend and class treasurer, I cannot in good conscience-"
"So!" Kaori clapped her hands. "What's the training plan?"
Todo beamed. "An excellent question! I've prepared a comprehensive schedule accounting for everyone's specific abilities and development needs-"
"Pairs." Katsumi cracked her knuckles. "Winners fight winners."
"That works too!" Todo adjusted smoothly. "Though perhaps we should consider-"
"Dibs on the rat." Katsumi's grin turned feral. "Been waiting weeks for this."
Kaori's tail curled. "Worried I got rusty?"
"Worried you'll make excuses when I win."
"Bold words from someone who still hasn't managed a clean hit on Yoichi."
"You volunteering to demonstrate?"
"Ladies." Momo stepped between them. "Perhaps we should establish ground rules first?"
"No permanent damage," I said. "No property damage. No psychological warfare."
Kaori pouted. "You're no fun."
"He's practical," Momo corrected.
They shared a look that promised future chaos. I made a mental note to warn Recovery Girl.
"Right!" Todo clapped. "Pairings! Bakugo and Sakurada, as requested. Yaoyorozu and Kirishima - an excellent opportunity to test defensive capabilities. Iida and Midoriya can work on speed training. Which leaves-"
"You and me."
"EXCELLENT!" He struck a pose. "Though I must warn you - I've developed several new techniques specifically designed to counter your spatial manipulation!"
"Good." I stretched my arms above my head. "I was worried this would be boring."
"The only boring thing will be your face when I kick it!" Katsumi dragged Kaori toward the far end of the field. "Come on, rat. Show me what you learned while you were gone."
"After you, firecracker."
Their banter faded as everyone split off to their designated areas. Todo waited until they were out of earshot before speaking.
"You seem concerned."
"They're going to destroy something."
"Likely!" He beamed. "But that's not what worries you."
I watched Kaori dodge one of Katsumi's explosions, her movements liquid-smooth. "She's different."
"Growth is natural! Even expected!"
"It's not that." I frowned. "She's... careful. Controlled."
"And this is bad?"
"It's not her."
Todo hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps she simply requires time to readjust! Like a flower emerging from winter's embrace-"
"Todo."
"Yes?"
"Are we fighting or poetizing?"
His grin widened. "Can we not do both?"
He moved before the last word left his mouth, hands already coming together for a clap. I teleported behind him, but he was ready - spinning into a kick that would have caught my ribs if I hadn't created a barrier.
"Your reaction speed has improved!" He landed lightly. "Though your barrier formation still telegraphs too clearly!"
"Really?" I layered three barriers in rapid succession. "How's that for telegraphing?"
"Better! But-" He clapped again, and suddenly I was facing the wrong direction. "Still too predictable!"
We fell into a familiar rhythm - attack, counter, teleport, barrier. Todo's new techniques proved interesting - he'd figured out how to chain multiple swaps together, creating a dizzying series of position changes that would have disorientated anyone without spatial awareness.
"Magnificent!" He declared after a particularly complex exchange. "Your control has grown exponentially! Though I notice you're favoring your left side - perhaps a lingering injury?"
"Bruised ribs. Training accident."
"Ah, young love's passionate expression!"
Heat crept up my neck. "It wasn't- we were just-"
An explosion rocked the field, followed by Kaori's delighted laugh.
"STAND STILL SO I CAN HIT YOU!"
"Make me!"
I glanced over just in time to see Kaori flip over one of Katsumi's bigger blasts, her tail streaming behind her like a banner. She landed in a crouch.
"Getting slow, firecracker! Too much time playing house?"
Katsumi's answering roar promised violence. Lots of it.
"DIE!"
"Your flirting needs work!"
"I'LL SHOW YOU FLIRTING!"
I watched Kaori weave through Katsumi's explosions with fluid grace. Something had changed in her movements - a new precision that spoke of intensive training. Each dodge flowed seamlessly into the next, her tail acting as a counterbalance while she-
Todo's fist slammed into my barrier inches from my face.
I turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Really?"
"A true warrior never loses focus!" He retracted his fist with a flourish. "Though I must admit, their match is quite captivating! The raw power versus calculated agility - a classic matchup that never fails to inspire!"
"Save the analysis for later." I layered three barriers in quick succession, using them as stepping stones to gain height. "You're fighting me."
"Indeed I am!" He clapped, and suddenly I was plummeting toward the ground. "And what an honor it continues to be!"
I teleported behind him, channeling infinite space into my strike. The familiar burn of power coursed through my arm, but something felt... off. Different from when I'd accessed Azure before. The energy was there, but it slipped through my grasp like trying to hold smoke.
Todo spun, barely blocking my hit. The force still sent him skidding back several feet. "Magnificent! Though your expression suggests dissatisfaction?"
"Something's not right." I flexed my hand, studying the way space bent around it. "It's like... trying to remember a dream."
"Ah! The eternal struggle of power refinement!" He launched into a series of rapid strikes, each one precisely aimed at gaps in my defense. "Often our greatest breakthroughs come not from forcing progress, but from understanding its natural flow!"
I blocked his combinations with barriers, buying time to think. The last time I'd accessed Azure had been instinctive - a response to protect others. Now, trying to call it deliberately...
"Your hesitation creates openings!" Todo's leg swept through where my ankle had been a moment before. I teleported above him, using gravity to add force to my downward strike. He clapped again, but I was ready - creating a barrier beneath my feet to launch myself in the opposite direction of his swap.
"Most impressive!" He landed in a ready stance, eyes bright with excitement. "Your spatial awareness continues to evolve! Though I notice you've yet to attempt that fascinating blue energy from previous encounters?"
"Working on it." I circled him slowly, analyzing his stance for tells. The problem wasn't the power itself - I could feel it there, humming just beneath the surface. But every time I reached for it, something blocked the connection.
Todo struck like lightning, his hands coming together in a rapid series of claps that turned the world into a kaleidoscope of shifting perspectives. I countered with my own teleports, turning his technique against him. For several seconds, we existed in a dance of instantaneous position changes - appearing and disappearing across the training ground like a bizarre game of high-speed chess.
"Your movements lack their usual fluidity!" Todo appeared behind me, already moving into his next attack. "You're overthinking!"
"You think?"
"Consider! When you first learned to walk, did you analyze each muscle movement? Each shift in balance?"
"I was a baby. I don't remember."
"Exactly!" He beamed, as if I'd made his point for him. "The body knows! The mind merely needs to trust!"
Trust. The word sparked something in my memory - the feeling just before Azure had manifested. Not determination or focus, but...
Todo's next attack came from three directions at once - a combination of claps that would leave most fighters completely disoriented. But in that moment, everything clicked into place. I stopped trying to force the power and simply... let go.
The world shifted into crystalline clarity. Each possible movement, each spatial vector laid out before me like strands of light. I moved without thinking, my body flowing through the gaps in Todo's assault as naturally as breathing. My counterattack struck home - a simple palm thrust enhanced by infinite space.
Todo's eyes widened as he flew backward, managing to turn his landing into a controlled roll. "YES! THAT'S IT!" He sprang to his feet, practically vibrating with excitement. "The perfect fusion of instinct and technique! Though..." His enthusiasm dimmed slightly. "Still no blue?"
I shook my head, already feeling the clarity fade. "Not yet."
"Progress nonetheless!" He dropped into a ready stance. "Shall we continue? I have several more theories about the relationship between conscious control and unconscious mastery that-"
A massive explosion cut him off. We turned to see Katsumi standing in a smoking crater, her hair wild and her grin manic. Kaori perched on a nearby training dummy, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
"Getting frustrated?" She called down. "I can take a break if you need one. Maybe grab some water? Do some breathing exercises?"
"I'LL SHOW YOU BREATHING EXERCISES!"
"Kacchan, no!" Izuku's voice carried from across the field. "Recovery Girl said-"
"SHUT UP, DEKU!"
The rest of our spar passed in a blur of motion and calculated exchanges. Todo's new techniques proved formidable, but without the element of surprise, I could counter most of them. The key was predicting his patterns - he favored combinations of three, using the first two swaps to set up the third.
In the end, it came down to stamina. Todo's quirk had a strict usage limit, while my barriers could last as long as I maintained focus. When his final clap came a fraction too slow, I seized the opening, launching him skyward. Before he could reorient, I teleported above him.
"Magnificent!" He declared, even as my kick sent him earthward. "Though perhaps we should-"
I landed beside him, offering a hand up. "Good match."
"The best!" He clasped my hand with both of his. "Your growth continues to inspire! Though I maintain that conscious effort may be hindering your access to that fascinating azure state. Perhaps if we-"
Another explosion rocked the field. Kaori's laughter rang out, followed by Katsumi's creative threats about rodent extermination.
Todo beamed. "Shall we observe their match? I have several theories about the psychological implications of their combat dynamics!"
"You just want to take notes for your rivalry collection."
"I would never!" He pressed a hand to his chest, the picture of wounded dignity. Then, after a beat: "Though if you happen to notice any particularly interesting techniques..."
I smiled. "Let's go watch."