The air inside Gym Gamma was still and cool, humming faintly with the distant sounds of weights clanking and sneakers squeaking. Most of the students had gone home for the day, but two figures remained — one lifting, the other observing.
Kael, in a sleeveless U.A. training shirt, sat on a bench press, arms resting on his knees. Across from him, Izuku fumbled with the adjustment knobs on a resistance machine, still reading the instructions like his life depended on it.
Kael smirked. "You're gonna study it to death or actually use it?"
Izuku jumped. "Ah! S-Sorry. I've just… never really used one of these before. I was mostly doing bodyweight stuff until now."
Kael stood, grabbing a nearby towel. "No shame in that. Remember, these are just tools. It's how you use them that counts."
Izuku blinked, then nodded, his usual nervous energy softening. "You've been here a while already, right? Since class ended?"
"Yeah," Kael said, stretching his arms overhead. "Helps me think."
"You thinking about the alarm yesterday?"
Kael paused. "…Not really. I mean, it was a mess, yeah, but still."
Izuku looked down. "I froze a little."
"You didn't panic. That's already ahead of half the room." Kael picked up a medicine ball and gave it a short toss toward Izuku. "Here. Try this instead. Core work."
Izuku caught it — barely — and gave a breathless, "Oof!" as the weight sank into his arms.
Kael chuckled. "It's only 90 kilos."
"Only?!"
After a few reps, Izuku set it down and sat beside Kael on the floor, wiping sweat from his brow. The late afternoon sun filtered in through the windows, casting long gold streaks across the gym floor.
For a while, they just sat in the quiet.
Then Izuku asked, "Do you… like it here? At U.A., I mean."
Kael didn't answer right away.
"…Yeah," he said finally. "It's tough. But it feels right. Like I'm where I'm supposed to be."
Izuku looked at him curiously. "You don't act like you're trying to be number one."
Kael gave a small grin. "That's 'cause I'm not trying. I already am."
Izuku laughed, more relaxed now. "That sounds like Bakugo. But less angry."
"Please don't compare me to him," Kael deadpanned.
They stood and headed for the track and field loop, the sky dimming toward orange as evening crept in. Their shoes crunched lightly against the gravel path.
"Two laps?" Kael asked.
Izuku nodded. "Deal."
They broke into a jog, Kael keeping pace just a little slower than his usual. Izuku breathed evenly, eyes forward.
"You're adjusting fast," Kael said. "To the school. The pressure."
"I have to," Izuku replied. "If I don't, I'll fall behind."
Kael gave him a sideways glance. "You're doing better than you think. Your instincts in battle? Solid. It's just your confidence lagging."
"I… appreciate that," Izuku said. "It means a lot, it really does."
The second lap passed in companionable silence, filled only by the rhythmic sound of their steps and the breeze rustling through the trees.
Afterward, they stopped by one of the vending areas near the field.
Kael grabbed a bottle of water. Izuku bought a hot canned coffee.
They sat on a bench under a tree.
"I feel like I'm always trying to catch up," Izuku said, cracking the can open.
Kael took a sip of water, then said, "That's fine. As long as you don't stop moving."
Izuku looked at him, surprised.
Kael didn't smile — but his voice was warm.
"You've got a good heart, Izuku. Keep showing up, even when it's hard. That's how you win in the long run."
"…Thanks."
A long pause passed between them — not awkward, just still. The first stars began to appear above.
"Hey," Izuku said suddenly. "Tomorrow… you wanna train together again?"
Kael stood, tossing his empty bottle into the bin. "Sure. Im always down to train with you man."
Izuku beamed.
Together, the two of them walked off toward the lockers, their footsteps in sync.
…
Days later:
The late afternoon sun stretched long shadows across U.A.'s track field. The sky was a warm mix of orange and fading blue as Kael and Izuku jogged side by side at a steady pace.
"I forget just how long this track is," Izuku muttered between breaths.
Kael glanced over. "You were the one who said, 'let's run a few laps.'"
"Yeah, well," Izuku wheezed, "I didn't expect you to keep pace like it's nothing."
Kael gave a light shrug but didn't say anything. They kept jogging in silence for a few moments before Izuku finally slowed to a walk.
"I'm walking the rest of the way. My legs are already planning revenge."
Kael chuckled quietly and slowed to match his pace. "Fair enough."
The two strolled along the track's edge until they reached the grassy field nearby. Without a word, they sat down on the grass, letting the breeze cool them off.
Izuku laid back with a sigh. "The weather's perfect right now."
Kael remained seated, leaning back on his hands. "Almost makes you forget we're still at school."
Izuku looked up at the sky for a bit, then glanced over. "So… do you and Yumi always fight like that? That match the other day was crazy."
Kael smirked. "You mean organized chaos?"
"Oh, is that what you call it? But yeah, pretty much," Izuku laughed. "It looked like you were reading each other's minds."
Kael nodded a little. "We've just known each other a long time."
"I noticed she always hangs back right before you do something big. Like she's waiting for it."
Kael thought about that for a moment. "She knows my timing. I know hers. That's all."
Izuku grinned. "Must be nice, having that kind of trust."
Kael didn't reply, but his faint smile said enough.
After a few more quiet minutes, they stood and walked toward the school. The halls were mostly empty now. They headed to the cafeteria and grabbed whatever was left from the day — trays with warm rice, grilled chicken, miso soup, and a couple of drinks.
They sat near the windows, the last light of the day casting soft gold over their table.
Izuku stabbed at his rice. "Do you think Aoyama really believes he's the star of the class?"
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Have you heard him talk? Dude thinks this is some sort of fairytale."
"Fair point," Izuku said, laughing. "He's got confidence, I'll give him that."
Kael shook his head with a small smile. "It's entertaining at least."
"Yeah, until he tries to blind someone mid-sentence."
Their laughter drifted across the nearly empty cafeteria.
A few other students passed through behind them — a couple from Class 1-B, a teacher walking by with coffee, someone in gym clothes still stretching.
Izuku leaned back in his seat, a little more relaxed now. "We should hit the pool next time. It'll be a refreshing way to end the day."
Kael nodded. "Sure. It's a nice change of pace."
As they finished their meal, they got up and walked out together, the cool evening air greeting them. The sky had dimmed to blue-gray, stars just starting to peek out.
At the gates, they paused.
"See you tomorrow?" Izuku asked.
Kael nodded. "Yeah. Later."
And with that, they parted ways, the calm of the day settling in behind them.
…
The glow of early evening painted Voidflare's agency in soft orange, the sky outside his office streaked with fading sun. Inside, the light was dimmer—calm, almost too quiet. Kael stepped through the door, the usual bustle of the agency fading behind him.
Voidflare stood at the far window, arms crossed, shoulders rigid. He didn't turn.
"Shut the door," he said. "Then sit."
Kael obeyed without a word. When Voidflare finally turned to face him, his expression was heavier than usual—creased with lines that even his mask couldn't fully conceal. The silence that followed wasn't casual. It was weighed down with something unspoken.
Voidflare reached into his desk and slid a folder across the table.
"Brazil. Three separate attacks over the past two weeks," he said. "Pro Hero agencies, support labs, one international research hub. No survivors."
Kael opened the file. Scorched photographs. Debris. Bodies. Then—one image stood out.
At the center of a collapsed building, scorched onto the cracked concrete floor, was a strange symbol: a circle with a single jagged line running vertically through it—splintering at the top like a lightning bolt. Branching from the split were two angled wings, sharp and broken. The whole thing looked carved, not painted.
Kael frowned. "What is that?"
"The only thing they leave behind," Voidflare answered. "Same sigil at every strike zone. Looks like a cracked halo with wings. Most heroes are calling them 'The Fractured.'"
Kael traced the lines with his eyes. "So this group's not local."
Voidflare shook his head. "No. And they're not loud, either. No theatrics, no broadcasts. Just clean, surgical destruction."
He folded his arms tightly. "The Hero Public Safety Commission sent out requests to agencies worldwide. The Global Hero Council backed it. They're assembling a rapid response task force. I've been selected to join."
Kael's eyes sharpened. "You're leaving?"
"Argentina," Voidflare said. "Classified UN site. I'll meet with a few others there. High-tier heroes from Europe, the States, and Asia. We move after that."
Kael's fingers curled over the photo. "Why you though?"
"They asked for experience." Voidflare said flatly. " I've been a hero for 30 years. And I've dealt with operators like this before. But there's more."
He pulled out another photo—blurry surveillance footage. A scorched forest clearing. The sigil again, but something else this time: the unmistakable outline of a woman being carried off on a stretcher.
Voidflare looked Kael in the eye.
"Star and Stripe was there. She tried to confront them during a recon op. Alone. She was injured—bad. It took her entire escort team to extract her."
Kael's voice was low. "She lost?"
"She barely survived."
The silence between them hardened.
Voidflare moved behind his desk again, resting both hands on the wood. "This isn't a gang. It's not just another uprising. Whoever's leading them knows how we think. They strike where we're weakest. And… their leader hasn't even been identified yet."
"What about Quirks? Surely there's information on that, right?"
"When they tried asking Star to identify them, she said she couldn't remember. We suspect one of them has some sort of memory erasing Quirk."
Kael studied the sigil again. "Do you… think this group is connected to the ones I used to dismantle back then?"
Voidflare hesitated.
"I think you should be ready," he said finally. "For anything. I won't be here to cover for you, Kael. If they move on Japan while I'm gone, I need you to act without hesitation. No more hiding. Use everything in your arsenal to protect the people, your friends, my Yumi.."
Kael stood slowly, gripping the file in his hand. "You're coming back. Don't talk like you're not."
Voidflare's eyes met his, steady.
"That's the plan."
…