Sorry for the lateness! Here it is for today!
The hum of the school bus vibrated through me, a dull counterpoint to the nervous flutter in my gut. It was a feeling I'd become all too familiar with since Izuku started at U.A. – a low, constant thrum of protectiveness that resonated deep within my bones. My eyes flickered across the aisle to where Izuku sat, fidgeting with the hem of his uniform. His green hair seemed almost luminous in the filtered sunlight, and I could see the faint tremor in his hands. One For All was a beast he was still struggling to tame, a wild current threatening to overwhelm his small frame.
"You alright, Izuku?" I asked, my voice a low rumble. I knew it was a pointless question, but the need to check on him was almost compulsive.
He startled slightly, his wide green eyes meeting mine. "Y-yeah, Anos. Just…excited, I guess." He forced a smile, but the worry was still etched there, just beneath the surface.
I nodded, knowing he was lying. "Remember what we talked about. Control. Breathe." My hand reflexively reached out, brushing a strand of his unruly hair from his forehead. He leaned into the touch, a small sigh escaping his lips.
I shifted my gaze to the window, the landscape blurring into a kaleidoscope of green and blue as we sped towards the U.S.J. The USJ, the Unforeseen Simulation Joint - a training facility designed to mimic rescue scenarios. My own class had been roped into this exercise alongside Izuku's class 1-A, and while I'd initially protested the idea of 'group training', I couldn't deny the relief that coursed through me. At least this way I could be close.
Months had passed at U.A. and everything, on the surface at least, was going smoothly. I had a handle on my own power set, a god-like strength and speed combo. A combination of super strength and speed and it kept my classmates in check, thankfully. But Izuku's situation was different. The volatile energy of One For All was a time bomb, and I was terrified of it going off without warning. And the fact that no one but our family and All Might knew about it, was something I intended to keep at all costs.
We pulled up to the U.S.J., the towering dome a stark contrast against the clear sky. The bustling energy of the other students was palpable, but I felt a cold disquiet settle in the pit of my stomach. It was an irrational feeling, a prickle of unease that had nothing to do with Izuku's quirk or the training scenario we were about to undergo.
"Alright, class!" Aizawa-sensei's voice cut through the chatter, bringing order to the chaos. "We'll be conducting rescue simulations. Don't get yourselves killed."
The words were business-like, typical Aizawa, but the edge of his tone didn't do anything to quell my unease.
We filed inside, the massive main plaza stretching out before us. Different zones, designed to mimic various environments, branched out from this central space. Everything looked fine, in fact, everything looked rather impressive, but the bad feeling was still there gnawing at me. This wasn't just nerves. Something was truly wrong.
I kept a vigilant watch on Izuku as we dispersed into our assigned zones. Kicking Bakugo's ass in the practical exams to keep him away from Izuku had been my main objective, and I wasn't about to let up the pressure. He was a rabid dog I didn't trust to be near my brother. The others were in high spirits, throwing themselves into the simulations without hesitation. I moved through the water zone, putting on a show for the teachers, but not letting my eyes stray far from the direction of Izuku's zone. My super hearing was focused, every rustle and sound was being dissected, cataloged. Everything was too quiet. Too calm.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. Time was moving too fast, not enough had happened to fill this time. It was almost like there was a lull in the program a missing piece. I clenched my hand into a fist, the strange feeling intensified. The air felt heavy and thick, a suffocating blanket that made me want to tear it all down, to get to the bottom of this strange anomaly.
My heart was thumping against my ribs, a frenzied drumbeat in my chest. I knew it, deep down. Something was coming. Something bad. And whatever it was, I had the sickening feeling that we weren't going to get out of this unscathed. I needed to get to Izuku. I turned to look in the direction his zone was in when I suddenly saw a dark shadow appear in the plaza. No, not a shadow but a portal. I immediately went on high alert. What in the world was that?