The autumn air did nothing to stave off the sweat beading the length of your spine. Every breath you took felt painfully empty, a dissatisfying gulp that left your chest tight. 

You hadn’t been called upon in years, not since you’d been forced into hiding. What could have changed? Who was so important that they required your services personally? 

Would this quirk even work like that anymore? 

Anxiety gripped your throat with sharp claws, and you forced yourself to come to a halt. The gates of UA stood tall and proud before you. You would have to mimic that energy if you wanted to get through this day alive. 

With a deep breath that gave your screaming lungs no relief, you grit your teeth and marched across the grounds to the infirmary. The vials of ‘healing tonic’ clinked like a cacophony of bells in your satchel. It was loud enough that you felt the whole world was alerted to your presence, like everyone knew where you were now. An exposed nerve, you thought that even the shadows cast from the trees would swallow you whole. 

The door to the infirmary swung open before you’d even reached for the handle. 

“Aunty!” You gasped, catching a glimpse of your welcomer. The small woman reached out with surprising dexterity and pulled her niece through the threshold before you could finish saying her name. The infirmary door swung closed behind you both, the lock falling into place swiftly. 

You took a grounding breath before evaluating the pro-hero before you. Aunty Chiyo, or Recovery Girl as was her pro name, had aged significantly in the time you’d been in isolation. You schooled your expression to maintain neutrality, but your stomach dropped low at the sight of the older woman. 

Had it really been so long? 

“Karina!” Chiyo finally greeted, with squinted eyes and a toothy grin. 

You offered your aunt a weak smile in return, forcing down the nausea that threatened to erupt from within.

“Hello, Aunty Chiyo,” you managed out as you offloaded your bag onto a nearby bench. You used the time that it took to transfer the vials into the fridge to get a grip of yourself. People age all the time, a natural part of life. 

Not you, though. 

You ground your teeth together, forcing your mind to be still. 

“Ah!” Chiyo sang, unaware of her niece’s inner turmoil. “Look at that youthful skin! You haven’t aged a day since I last saw you, Kiki!” 

“Thanks, Aunty,” you mumbled, your face burning at the sound of the childhood nickname. 

There was a comfortable energy as you both settled into each other's presence again. You discussed Chiyo’s workload for the beginning of the school year and the first-year class that had been the bane of her existence. The nurse had even needed to use one of your healing tonics on a particularly accident-prone student. 

That one surprised you. The healing tonics were needed for pro-heroes, rarely for students. Even if it was used on students, it was never a First Year that needed something as drastic as your concoctions. You were part horrified and part curious. 

But you knew that you weren’t here for a clumsy first-year student. 

Chiyo would never risk exposing you for that. 

Setting your cup of tea down beside you, the air sobered in the room. It had been so long- years, actually - since you had spoken to anybody, let alone family. While it was comforting, there was a reason you had been put into isolation and being summoned like this was no small decision. There was something severe that needed your direct involvement. 

Chiyo sighed, sensing the shift in the air. 

“I wish that I’d only called you here to catch up,” the nurse sighed wistfully. You offered a tight-lipped smile, reaching across to pat your aunty’s hand gently. You also wished this were a social call- you wished that you had the freedom just to call your aunt without fear of interception. 

“A very important person needs your direct attention.” Chiyo stood to her feet, brushing her coat from imaginary crumbs. “And I’m afraid that the fate of Japan rests in your hands with this.” 

The fate of Japan? 

You frowned, mind falling straight into overdrive. 

“Will I be stationed with them?” You asked, though the thought made your skin prickle with unease. 

“No, no.” Chiyo dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. “You’ll have a safe house, on campus here at U.A and he will attend you there. We can’t trust that his house isn’t being watched.” 

You felt her breath return to your lungs, relief relaxing the coiled muscles in your shoulders. That was a logical approach; your presence in the city was already risky enough. If you could minimise your movements and stay holed up in one place, it would reduce the risk of being sighted. 

You rubbed a hand across your face with a sigh. You already missed the Australian countryside, your farm, and your peace. 

It’s been one day, get a grip. 

“Are the tonics not enough for this hero?” You asked half-heartedly, knowing the answer already. 

“They’re not potent enough for both his injuries and his size,” Chiyo shook her head. “He needs it straight from the source, I’m afraid.” 

Your head whipped up to look at your aunty in horror. 

“His injuries and his size?” You gaped. “What kind of-” 

The question was cut off by a powerful

 knock hammering on the door connecting to the school hallway. Your stomach coiled up into your ribs, and you shot to your feet. The instinct to run was overpowering; your need to vomit was almost stronger. 

Your eyes flitted to Chiyo, who was startled by the loud interruption but otherwise unbothered.

Neither of you reached for the door, and the beat of silence echoed loudly in the room. 

You held your breath.

In the microsecond it took you to blink, the door was ripped off its hinges with a noise so terrible that your hands flew to your ears. 

“I AM HERE!” A thundering voice boomed, the volume rattling your bones. “WITH YOUNG MIDORIYA!” 

Even from across the room, you had to tilt your head up to take in the visage of the monster filling the entire double doorway. Impossible mass upon mass was stacked onto his frame; the sheer size of him blocked the light from the hallway. It was like a building had erupted into the office, painted red, white, blue, and yellow like a shining beacon. 

There was a young boy tucked under his tree trunk of an arm, being held like a football and dangling lifelessly. Your knees trembled, and your stomach turned violently. 

Both you and the intruder made eye contact at the same time, the smile freezing on his face as he realised there was a visitor. 

“HELLO!” He boomed, waving his free hand. 

You stared at him, wide-eyed and breathless, searching for a response- searching for anything to say back.

The beat of silence between you both was louder than his voice, and you could feel the contents of your stomach rapidly rising up your throat. When his smile became strained, you knew you had to do something. 

Anything!