Three months can change a lot. Like, a lot a lot.
Three months ago, I was Quirkless Shinra, the kid everyone either pitied or ignored. Now I'm Lightning Shinra, the kid who can fry anyone by blinking wrong and shoot bolts of electricity that leave craters in concrete.
Three months of training with Nejire and Grandpa. Three months of discovering what this power can really do. Three months of slowly getting used to the idea that maybe I could actually be a hero.
Not that I had much choice in the matter. It's that or be a civilian.
"Your application looks good," Grandpa says, looking over the papers spread across our kitchen table. "UA's entrance exam is tough, but with your quirk and training, you've got a shot."
I nod.
The most prestigious hero school in the country. The place where All Might himself graduated from. And I'm applying there. Me. The formerly quirkless kid.
"You think I'm ready?" I ask, fidgeting with a pencil, small sparks jumping between my fingers involuntarily when I get nervous—a habit I still haven't broken.
Grandpa gives me one of his rare smiles. "You've come a long way, kid. You're not just relying on raw power anymore. You're thinking strategically, using your quirk in creative ways."
That's true. The past three months haven't just been about making bigger lightning bolts. It's been about precision, control, and figuring out the full range of what I can do.
Being two years ahead of the main storyline gives me time, at least. The real chaos, the USJ attack, the League of Villains, all of it, isn't supposed to start until Midoriya and the others enter UA. That's still about two years away. For now, UA should be relatively peaceful, which gives me breathing room to establish myself.
Plus, there's the whole question of where I fit into all this. I'm not a character from the manga. I'm... new. An anomaly. A wild card with powers from a completely different series.
I've also been keeping a journal of future events, trying to map out when they should happen.
Anyways, I still remember Grandpa's face when I showed him how I could transform parts of my body into electricity, or sense electrical signals through walls. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was impressed. And worried, maybe. Like my "quirk" was more than he expected.
It probably is. But neither of us has brought up the whole Devil Fruit thing since that first night. As far as everyone is concerned, I just developed an unusually powerful quirk really late. End of story.
"Also, you should invite Nejire over for dinner," Grandpa says suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.
I nearly fall out of my chair. "What? Why?"
He gives me a look. "Because she's been helping you train for months and I've barely met her? Because it's polite? Pick a reason."
I feel my face heat up. "It's not like that—"
"I didn't say it was like anything," he replies, but there's a knowing glint in his eye that makes me want to disappear. "Just bring her over for dinner. It's the least we can do to thank her."
"Fine," I mutter, already dreading it. Nejire and Grandpa in the same room? That's a disaster waiting to happen.
—
"Dinner with your grandfather? I'd love to!"
Of course Nejire is excited about it. Nejire is excited about everything.
We're sitting on a bench outside school, enjoying a rare warm day in early spring. Only a few months left of middle school, and then... well, hopefully UA.
"Cool," I say, trying to sound casual. "How about Friday?"
"Perfect!" She claps her hands together. "I can finally thank him for all the training tips he's been sending through you."
I smile despite myself. Over the past few months, Grandpa has been giving me advice to pass along to Nejire about her quirk. How to conserve energy, how to focus her waves for maximum impact, that sort of thing. She's improved almost as much as I have.
"Speaking of training," I say, seizing the opportunity to change the subject. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Shoot."
"So, there's only a couple months left before the UA entrance exam, and I was thinking... maybe you'd want to train with me and Grandpa? Like, officially. At our place."
Her eyes widen. "You mean train with THE Gran Torino? For real?"
"It's not a big deal," I shrug, even though it kind of is. Grandpa doesn't train just anyone. "He suggested it, actually. Said we could use the rooftop of our building. It's private, and he can set up some proper equipment."
"Are you kidding? That would be amazing!" She's practically vibrating with excitement. "When can we start?"
"This weekend? After dinner maybe?"
She throws her arms around me in a spontaneous hug. "Thank you! This is going to be so great!"
I tense up for a second, still not used to casual touch, but then relax into it. Nejire hugs everyone, it doesn't mean anything special. But still, I can't help but feel a flutter in my chest that has nothing to do with my electricity powers.
"Yeah, well," I say as she pulls away, "we both want to get into UA, right? Might as well help each other out."
Her smile softens. "I'm glad you decided to apply, Shinra. I know you were unsure about the whole hero thing."
I look away, uncomfortable with the sincerity in her eyes. "Didn't have much choice, did I? Can't exactly be a normal civilian with these powers."
"That's not true," she argues. "Plenty of people have powerful quirks and choose non-hero careers. You could be anything you wanted."
Could I, though? With a power like this? I've thought about it a lot these past few months. The reality is, I'm dangerous now. Electricity that can fry electronics, burn through concrete, maybe even kill if I'm not careful. Being a hero isn't just about following some childhood dream anymore, it's about learning to use this power responsibly.
"Maybe," I concede, not wanting to argue. "But for now, UA makes the most sense. Plus, someone's gotta keep an eye on you, make sure you don't get into trouble."
She laughs and punches my arm lightly. "Please. If anything, I'll be the one keeping you out of trouble."
"We'll see about that."
As we sit there planning our training schedule, I can't help but notice how easy it is to talk to her now. When we first met, I was so caught up in my own insecurities that I could barely look her in the eye. Now, we're... friends? More than friends? I'm not sure what to call it.
Sometimes I catch her looking at me when she thinks I'm not paying attention. Or she'll touch my arm or shoulder in a way that lingers just a beat too long. But then she'll be off talking about hero costumes or quirk combinations, and I'll wonder if I imagined it.
"Oh! I almost forgot," she says suddenly, rummaging through her backpack. "I got you something."
She pulls out a small package wrapped in blue paper.
"What's this for?" I ask, surprised.
"Just open it, dummy."
I carefully unwrap it to find a pair of black fingerless gloves with subtle blue detailing along the edges. They look expensive.
"They're insulated," she explains. "For your quirk. I noticed you sometimes shock yourself when you're tired or distracted. These should help with that."
I stare at the gloves, a lump forming in my throat. No one except Grandpa has ever given me a gift that actually meant something.
"You didn't have to—"
"I wanted to," she interrupts, looking uncharacteristically shy. "Try them on!"
I slip them on, flexing my fingers. They fit perfectly. I summon a small current of electricity, watching it dance across my palms without the usual risk of burning myself.
"These are perfect," I say quietly. "Thank you."
She beams, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. "You're welcome."
There's a moment, just a brief moment, where something passes between us. Something unspoken. Her eyes meet mine, and I feel that flutter in my chest again.
Then her phone buzzes, breaking the spell.
"Oh, I gotta run!" she says, checking the message. "Mom needs me home early today. But I'll see you Friday for dinner, right?"
"Right," I nod, still a bit dazed. "Friday."
She hesitates for a split second, then gives me another quick hug before dashing off, waving over her shoulder.
I look down at the gloves, running my thumb over the material. Insulated gloves. Such a practical gift, but somehow more meaningful than anything else she could have given me.
I glance at my journal on my desk when I get home. It's filled with timelines, notes, things to watch for. By my calculations, Midoriya should be in his first year of middle school right now, still quirkless and getting bullied by Bakugo. All Might is active but hiding his injury. The League hasn't formed yet. I have time to prepare, to position myself.
But for what? That's the question I keep asking myself. Just because I know what's coming doesn't mean I know what I should do about it. Save people? Change the story? Or just look out for myself and the people I care about?
Heroics. Nejire. It's not the future I imagined for myself, but maybe it's the one I'm meant to be.
Fate is funny that way, I guess. Sometimes it takes a magical fruit from another world to set you on the path you were always meant to follow.