In His Own Shadow

Author's Notes: Hopefully, this doesn't come out too long after the last. Either way, let's carry on.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"'Talking or Thinking emphasised'"

"The thoughts of others as heard by Ishiro"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shibetsu-shi, Kamikawa (One Week Later)-

"The food was good, thank you," Ishiro assured the waitress, offering a light smile as heterochromatic pupils scanned the bill. "Thank you for asking."

"Well... Aside from it being company policy," The waitress began to say, gathering Ishiro's used plates and glass, before stepping away from the table. "I guess you could say it's not hard to see when one needs someone to talk to."

"Point taken," Ishiro mumbled, his eyes following her momentarily before falling back upon the bill.

Shaking his head, his smile soon faded, and a look of indifference fell upon Ishiro's features. He reached into his wallet and withdrew the specific amount of bank notes needed, along with several more tucked under the bill, intended as a tip. Taking one last look at the money on the table, Ishiro soon rose to his feet, a packaged sandwich in his hands. He soon found himself stepping towards the izakaya's door and out into the pouring rain.

'The bus stop is that way... It shouldn't be too far, an umbrella should be enough... Hmm?' Ishiro pondered, his shadow growing longer and reshaping into an umbrella over him, only for a blur of pink movement to catch his eye. 'No, probably shouldn't... I'll just head home.'

Taking one last glance over the blur of movement, Ishiro shook his head, before stepping out into the rain, shielded only by the umbrella manifested through his hardened shadows, only to pause again. Sighing, the raven-haired teen turned around, stepping over to the movement to try and catch a glimpse of its source and attempt to reassure himself of his eyesight, or at the very least, to stem his curiosity.

"What the..." Ishiro mumbled, crouching down and staring forward. A pair of eyes, each with a slitted pupil amidst seas of amber, returned his gaze. Umm, I can't say that I expected this."

Before the raven-haired teen sat a small pink fox, her originally bushy tail and loose fur drenched in rainwater. She now shivered while curled up in a ball-like shape, unlike her earlier activeness while darting around. Tilting his head slightly, Ishiro looked on in bewilderment as the fox mirrored his move.

"Right, well, I... Can't just leave you here like this, can I?" Ishiro sighed, reaching out cautiously before gently tugging the shivering creature under the umbrella that shielded him. "Even I'm feeling the cold if I'm being honest."

As if confused by his actions, the small pink fox tilted her head upwards, looking up at Ishiro whilst still shivering with the rest of her body, before ultimately accepting the situation and rolling up into a ball-like shape once again.

"... Alright, alright, here..." Ishiro mumbled almost begrudgingly, peeling off the packaging for his sandwich before ripping small pieces of the bread, salmon, and lettuce, and slowly inching his hand towards her slightly pointed face. 'Please don't bite me...'

The fox looked up cautiously, eyeing Ishiro with no subtlety of suspicion in her gaze, as her pointed nose began to sniff at the offering. Still eyeing the raven-haired teen before her, the fox took a cautious step forward, before gently biting the small pieces of food from his fingers, chewing contently immediately after.

"Good, get that in your system, I suppose..." Ishiro mumbled, unsure of what to say further as he looked up. 'Now... What do I do with you...'

-Nayoro-shi, Kamikawa (Half an Hour Later)-

Now himself shivering as the wheels of the mostly empty bus ground to a halt, Ishiro rose from his seat and stepped to the door, bowing to the driver, before hastily stepping out of the bus into the continued downpour, dashing under the unoccupied bus stop and taking a breather.

'Didn't think it'd be this cold...' Ishiro thought, rubbing his hands together before slowly unzipping his outer jacket, allowing the small pink fox to hop out and shake about, causing even more water to be splashed upon his clothes. 'Colder, even...'

Brushing some rainwater from his clothes and face, Ishiro leaned downwards, patting the fox gently on the head as he did so, prompting the fox to let out a silent yip and roll her head into his palm.

"Alright, I'll leave you be for now, alright?" He began to say, prompting a look of confusion and curiosity in equal parts from the fox, "Behind you is a forest, you see. I'm not able to take care of you... I can hardly take care of myself, so... Please understand."

Slowly rising to his feet, the raven-haired teen paused momentarily, before placing the remainder of his sandwich on the ground next to the fox. Offering one last smile, a shadowy umbrella formed over his head once more, before he stepped out into the rain, the pair of amber eyes surrounded by pink fur following his movements as his shape grew smaller and smaller.

-Tachibana Residence, Nayoro-shi, Kamikawa (Ten Minutes Later)-

Trudging through large puddles of rainwater along the road, Ishiro released a small sigh of relief as he stepped up the stairs before his door, retracting the umbrella over his head a moment later.

'Wonder how the fox is doing... Rain's clearing up, so she must be back in the forest now...' Ishiro thought, reaching for his key, before unlocking the door and opening it. 'Eh, I'd better get back to sorting my things before I leave in three months...'

As Ishiro pulled open the sliding door to his home, a soft pattering of feet could be heard behind him, as a familiar pink creature dashed into the house from behind him.

"Eh- Hey!" Ishiro called out, removing his shoes and closing the door behind him, before dashing after the small fox that had invaded his home. "Come back here!"

The pink fox looked back momentarily, yipping cheerfully, or cheekily even, before she continued to bolt and dart around the living room to the house, followed shortly behind by Ishiro as he attempted to give chase.

'So fast...' Ishiro pondered, looking around and dashing to a corner, attempting to catch the fox off-guard as he stepped out a second after, only to slip and fall over whilst the fox bounced over him. '... Smart too.'

Slowly rising to his feet again, Ishiro sighed and rubbed his temple, holding out one hand as his shadow lengthened slightly, and his eyes fell shut. Sensing around the room momentarily, he straightened the hand held up, his shadow shooting outwards through the house, and soon retracting back to him with the wiggling fox in its grasp.

"Phew... So, enjoy your tour?" Ishiro questioned, attempting to sound stern in tone despite his current struggle not to break any smile. "Because it's come to an end, I'm afraid."

The pink fox yipped in response, attempting to paw at Ishiro despite being dangled from a short distance away, her bushy tail wagging around as if functioning as a fifth limb. Shaking his head in bemusement, the raven-haired teen gently extended his hand forward, allowing her to paw at it whilst he stepped towards the door again, opening it before setting the small fox down at the entrance.

"Well, this has been fun, but it's time for us to part ways," Ishiro explained, crouching down to be more level with the pink fox, as the latter slowly shifted over into a seated position, looking up at Ishiro with wide, pleading, amber eyes. "... Alright?"

The small fox tilted her head slightly, letting out a low purr as she curled up into a ball-like shape once more. Her tail became far less active as she whimpered, all the while rain was still falling behind her. Staring at the fox for a second, Ishiro sighed while rubbing his head with his hand before rising to his feet and standing to the left.

"Fine. You can stay, but only for today, alright?" Ishiro offered, receiving a happy yip in response as the little fox darted inside, nuzzling his legs for a moment before dashing off to explore further. 'I suppose if it's just for one day... I should be able to manage.'

-Ishiro's Room (Three Months Later)-

After hours of silence and sleeplessness, the morning sun's rays began to creep in through the crevices left by the curtains and fall upon the barely-awake Ishiro, illuminating his room and casting its glow upon the posters, heirlooms, shinai, and yumi placed neatly around, whilst also highlighting the familiar shape of a pink ball of fur. As if realising her companion's consciousness, the small fox yipped happily, rising from her makeshift bed on the ground before running over and hopping up onto Ishiro's bed, gently pawing at the raven-haired teen soon after.

"Mmm... Alright, alright, I get it..." Ishiro mumbled, yawning silently as he sat upright to stretch, before gently patting the head of the small fox. "I'm awake now, Aiko. Please don't worry... I'll get up now."

Rubbing his eyes as Aiko climbed onto his shoulders and wrapped around like a scarf, Ishiro yawned, rising to his feet before stumbling over to the bathroom.

"Hmm...? Oh, thank you..." Ishiro mumbled, brushing his teeth as the pink fox pawed at his messy hair as if attempting to tidy it up, only to make it messier due to her inconsistent movements. "Very nice of you..."

Finishing up a moment after with a splash of water on his face, Ishiro grabbed a towel from the door, before stepping out of the bathroom, looking over at the packed bags set up in the corner of the room soon after.

'... Probably should've considered getting a lodging first,' The raven-haired teen thought, wiping the water from his face with the towel whilst Aiko yipped at his ear. 'For both of us, at least until after the entrance exams...'

Shrugging, Ishiro gently set Aiko back on his bed, stepping back into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Several minutes later, the raven-haired teen stepped back out into his bedroom, his long hair drenched in water as he looked down at the clothes he had been wearing since he had attempted to sleep the night before.

'Oh, right... Let's see here...' Ishiro thought, holding up two fingers as his shadow grew and sputtered.

Perched upon her companion's bed, Aiko watched on as shadows began to cover Ishiro's body, dissipating a moment after as he now found himself donning a regular pair of jeans, paired with a nagagi-esque undershirt, with a black, haori-like hoodie layered atop.

"Hmm... I guess this would do," Ishiro mumbled, holding up his hands and feeling the clothing, tugging on the sleeves before shrugging and going to his dresser, retrieving a small container soon after. 'Gonna need to get used to this...'

Retrieving a pair of contact lenses with black pupils, Ishiro stared at the window next to his dresser momentarily, gazing upon the slight visage of his reflection in the glass as a pair of red and gold glanced back at him. Pausing once again, the Tachibana heir shook his head, slipping the contact lenses under his eyelids before closing them to secure their place, opening them and allowing black pupils to obscure his naturally heterochromatic gaze.

"Alright, Aiko, time to go," Ishiro assured, walking over and gently lifting the pink fox into his arms, stepping past the window before pausing as both companions stared through it. "... Shame we can't enjoy one of Nayoro's rare summers... But don't you worry, Aiko... When we get to Shizuoka, I promise you'll be in lots of sunlight... Alright?"

The fox looked up curiously before yipping happily and pawing at Ishiro's hands. She peeked out at the rays of sun leaking into the room before nuzzling into Ishiro's arms, purring contently as she did so.

"Heh... Guess you're right," Ishiro joked, patting Aiko on the head before walking over to the door, taking one last look back at his bedroom; at the shinai, yumi, and posters placed around it, and stepping out soon after, his shadow pulling the luggage out behind him and shutting the door. "All things must come to their end, I suppose."

Going down the stairs to the living room, Ishiro glanced across at the small carrier he had prepared for Aiko, before tilting his gaze downward at the small fox in his arms. Sighing, he stepped over, gently placing Aiko inside, closing the small door before picking up the carrier.

"Sorry, Aiko... The train won't let you run around for nearly twenty hours, even if it is a private carriage..." Ishiro apologised, even as Aiko pouted and purred in a lower tone. "I promise, Aiko, I'll let you run around as much as you want when we get there, alright? I'm sure you'll have fun in a different environment..."

Ishiro paused, looking up at the living room of his home, glancing around at the paintings and scrolls scattered around it.

"... A very different environment..." Ishiro sighed, shaking his head before stepping towards the door with Aiko in tow, his shadow following behind with his luggage. '... One last look can't hurt.'

Stepping back, Ishiro glanced at what he would soon be leaving behind. His now onyx gaze fell upon the ceremonial kimono he used to wear for festivals, a pair of tessen sitting idly on a shelf, and the family katana still kept in its intricate sheath atop an equally detailed saya. Before long, a familiar yipping noise would interrupt these thoughts, prompting Ishiro to look down at the carrier he held.

"Hmm? Oh, right. Thanks for reminding me..." Ishiro assuredly turned towards the door once again.

Stepping to the shelf next to the door and retrieving his once-shattered kitsune mask, now reforged with lines of gold along the cracks. Stretching one last time, Ishiro slipped the mask into a pocket, before opening the door to the outside world.

"Let's get going, Aiko," Ishiro whispered, locking the door behind him and making his way towards the station, followed closely behind by the shadow dragging his luggage, and accompanied by the small fox housed temporarily within her carrier.

-Two Hours Later-

"Here's my ticket and identification card," Ishiro assured, presenting the documents before depositing them and turning around. "Thank you. Hmm? Oh, don't worry. She'll stay in her carrier. Thank you again."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Ishiro turned and stepped into the train through the open door, followed closely by the luggage dragged along by his shadows. Averting his eyes from the curious glances drawn by the carrier he carried and the fox which inhabited it, the raven-haired teen silently stepped past seat after seat, before coming upon the private carriage section of the train, stepping inside after unlocking it with a card.

"Well, looks comfortable enough..." Ishiro mumbled, finding his room and stepping inside before shutting the door, eyes falling upon and scanning the simple table, pair of chairs, and bed within the room. "Whatcha think, Aiko?"

Setting the carrier down, the raven-haired teen tugged at the door handle before releasing the small pink fox held inside. Immediately bursting out from the carrier, Aiko yipped with delight before darting around the room, sniffing and pawing at the furniture as she explored.

"Yep, just about what I expected," Ishiro sighed, taking a seat on the bed whilst staring blankly out of the window as the train began its voyage before Aiko hopped onto his lap to paw at his hands. "Hmm? Oh, don't worry, I'm doing alright."

Patting the fox gently on the head, Ishiro's gaze softened, watching as Aiko curled up comfortably in his lap whilst he stroked her forehead.

"Don't you worry one bit, Aiko... You always manage to cheer me up," He assured, patting the fox on the head before she stood up to continue darting around the room, allowing him to lean against the simple frame of the bed provided, as he reached for his phone. "Now, let's see here..."

Pausing momentarily as his eyes fell upon the numbers on a page labelled 'Mother's Friends', Ishiro hesitated momentarily, before sighing and copying the first one on the page, pasting it into the phone app immediately after. Waiting an extra moment, Ishiro shook his head and steeled himself, before clicking the button to start a call.

"... Hello?" Ishiro began to say, his voice barely a whisper as the call connected. "Greetings. I apologise for my decision to make contact so... Abruptly, especially after many years... My name is Ishiro. Tachibana Ishiro to be exact... I'm Sayori's son."

-Midoriya Residence, Shizuoka (Twenty Minutes Later)-

"Ah, I see... Well, don't worry, Ishiro," A woman with shoulder-length green hair that extended to a short, spiky ponytail at the end assured over the phone. "We've got an extra room, you can stay here until the entrance exams have ended. My son is going to the same exams, after all. So it might be helpful for both of you."

Inko stepped to the side, taking a seat on the couch in the living room as she listened to Ishiro's reply, before continuing.

"Oh, don't worry. You won't be a hassle, Ishiro," Inko assured, nodding as if Ishiro were before her. "We don't often get guests, even less so guests who stay longer than a day... But we can handle it! Remember, the apartment's down the street from the station, follow along the path and you'll come across it."

"... I see. Very well," Ishiro replied from the other end, "I humbly thank you again, Midoriya-san. I will long be in your debt."

"You're very welcome, Ishiro," Inko assured, "Have a safe journey. I'll have the room ready for you when you arrive, don't you worry."

Soon after ending the call, the green-haired woman sighed, stood up, set her phone aside, and moved toward the mostly unused yet seemingly well-maintained guest room.

'Sayori's kid...' Inko pondered as she opened the door and stepped inside. 'Wonder how he's been doing... He does speak in the way Sayori said she didn't want him to grow up speaking. I've not seen him since, well...'

-A cemetery, Nayoro-shi, Kamikawa (Eight Years Ago)-

Under the pouring rain, and stood amidst a small crowd of spectators, all dressed in the formality of attire suited for a funeral, a young boy with short, raven-black hair stood out in the silence, if not for the traditional black montsuki and hakama, or the ornate katana still contained within its saya, then certainly for the heterochromatic pupils that had never seemed more empty inside.

Having refused an umbrella, Ishiro stood silently, his clothing and hair soaked in freezing rainwater, its only benefit being its capacity to wash away the tears that would otherwise be seen to have rolled down his cheek. Before long, the boy stepped forward as the appointed kannushi fell silent, the crowd parting into two and flanking each side as he approached a single, unclosed grave with a coffin placed within.

"... This is the katana I inherited, as is your will. But I have no right to claim it as my own, mother," Ishiro whispered, holding out the katana as his hands shook slightly, followed by his trembling voice. "May this blade guide and guard you in the darkness beyond, as you have done in the light of existence. I place it here in hopes it may succeed where I failed; that it may protect you where I couldn't, not from time, not from fate." The raven-hair boy mumbled, kneeling on the wet soil before gently placing the katana atop the coffin. "I've failed, mother. I've failed to shield you as you've always shielded me. Let this blade do what I cannot, and allow it to watch over your spirit where my soul falls short..."

Falling silent momentarily, Ishiro rose to his feet, turning away and brushing off some dirt from his clothes, before turning back towards his mother's grave.

"Forgive me... Mom," Ishiro began to say, tears masked by raindrops starting to stream down from his heterochromatic eyes once again. "Forgive me for never being enough."

Before long, even as Ishiro stood by the freshly covered grave, the crowd scattered as the rain continued to fall. A sole figure, shaded under an umbrella, remained behind, staring at the grieving boy, a look of pity spreading across her face. Shaking her head, the woman stepped forward, stopping just inches behind Ishiro as she held the umbrella over their heads.

"... It's by no means my place to judge, but..." The green-haired woman began to say, "You can't just stand here in the rain. You're going to catch a cold."

Tilting his head slightly, narrowed eyes of red and gold fell upon the kind woman's face momentarily, as if scrutinising her before Ishiro turned back dejectedly towards the grave, remaining silent as rainwater dripped from his soaked hair.

"Oh... Apologies. I didn't mean to pry... My name is Inko. Midoriya Inko. I'm Sayori's friend," She began to say, pausing for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder. "My sincerest condolences, Sayori... Well, Sayori was a good friend... And a great person."

"... I see," Ishiro began to say, wiping some tears before turning back towards Inko. "I'm sorry for being rude. I... I just wasn't..."

"Wasn't in the mood to talk? That makes sense," Inko assured, "You've been through so, so much these few days. No one can blame you for not wanting to talk to anyone, even less so people you didn't know beforehand."

"Guess so," Ishiro mumbled, staring ahead still before shaking his head. "Sorry... It's not been a week, but... I... I already miss her... So very much..."

"Well... That's a good thing, I'd say," Inko explained, staring ahead at the grave whilst holding the umbrella steady. "Missing someone when they're no longer here, is the greatest expression the heart can give, is it not? Heh... I've got a kid around your age, and one day I'll need to be telling him this as well, but... Might as well tell you now. There's no more pretence to it, no facade to hide behind, no mask to put on. To miss Sayori like this... Well, it's raw and honest. It's born from the depths of a love that cannot fade, the shameless acknowledgement of just how much Sayori meant to you, and just how much she loved you in return."

Inko paused momentarily, wiping a tear that streamed down her cheek before continuing.

"It's okay to feel sad now, but Sayori would've never wanted you to drown yourself in it," Inko continued, "Someday, you'll see that she's never truly left you, that the love you both shared never went away, like a gentle breeze that will never stop shading you in your darkest days, even as you grow up. It's okay to cry, that's... That's what love feels like when it's too big for you to hold onto inside. It's something no one can ever take away from you."

The two stood in silence for a moment as Inko pulled away. She held her umbrella over them both and shook her head.

"Oh, my apologies. There goes me being all philosophical and all... Back then, Sayori always wanted me to speak in this... Overly formal, metaphorical tone," Inko explained, looking down before tilting her head up. "Though... I doubt that's what she'd want for you. It'd be far from what she'd ever want for her son to be what she hated about herself... Tell me, Ishiro..."

The raven-haired boy looked up, wiping his tears and attempting to put on a face of indifference, barely holding back tears as he attempted to make conversation again.

"What's your dream?"

"I... Well, I want to be a Shinshoku..." Ishiro explained after some delay, rubbing the back of his head as Inko shook hers.

"Oh, no no... That's not what I meant, Ishiro," Inko replied, "Not the dream you tell your father for whatever reason, or the dream you tell Sayori to reassure her that you'll be safe. I mean it as in... What is your actual dream? What do you want?"

"... I want to be a hero," Ishiro admitted. "Just... Mom would never have wanted that for me. My father, well... Who knows."

"Yeah? Well, there will always come a point in life where it'll come down to what you want, Ishiro," Inko assured, "Do you have a quirk?"

"No, I don't, but..." Ishiro attempted to explain, attempting to wrap the words around and spin a sentence, only for them to not come to mind. "It's... Complicated."

"Nothing wrong with that," Inko stated immediately, patting his shoulder gently. "My son doesn't have a quirk either, but he wants nothing more than to be a hero. Heh, maybe one day you'll both meet again in UA when you're old enough. The point is, it's your decision. Be what you want to be from here, live happily, and always do your best. You do that, and Sayori will never have reason not to be proud of you, wherever she is now."

Inko nodded again, straightened, and gently placed the umbrella in Ishiro's hand. She then stood in the rain momentarily while Ishiro stood in contemplative silence.

"Though... I suppose in the end, I've said enough," Inko assured, holding a hand over her head to shield herself slightly. "I'll leave you two be now, though, can't have you catching a cold now, can I?"

The green-haired woman shook her head bemusedly, before waving and moving away to seek shelter.

"Nice meeting you," Inko yelled from afar, her voice growing fainter and fainter as she moved further. "May our paths cross again one day!"

Ishiro turned back to the newly consecrated grave, now holding the umbrella over his head as he remained silent, his lips only parting to allow a faint whisper.

"... Thank you."

-Midoriya Residence, Shizuoka (Present Day, Half an Hour Later)-

'Eh, regardless, that should be that...' Inko pondered, looking around at the spotless yet mostly empty room. 'Should be good enough for a short stay, though... Probably should tell Izuku he's getting a new housemate for a bit...'

"Mom? I'm home!" An energetic, youthful voice called from the living room as the door clicked open.

'Perfect,' Inko thought to herself, turning off the lights in the guest room before stepping outside. "Just a moment, Izuku, I'll have dinner out right away!"

-On the Train (Thirteen Hours Later)-

Setting his laptop aside on the dresser next to the bed in his room, Ishiro rubbed his eyes, removing the contact lens he wore which obscured his rutilant eyes for the larger part of the day, before tilting his head towards the window and peering at the darkened sky.

"Probably should get some sleep soon..." Ishiro yawned, slowly moving off his bed and standing in front of the window, peering out at the many different sights that seemed to shrink away upon meeting his gaze. "Hmm?"

The raven-haired teen tilted his head down to the left, watching as a sleepy Aiko tugged on his fingers with her teeth, doing so just lightly enough to not dig into his flesh by accident.

"Oh, uh... Hello, sorry if I woke you up, I didn't mean to move around that much..." He explained, scratching the back of his head as he sat back down and gently held the small pink fox. "Hmm? What is it?"

Aiko fussed slightly, looking up and poking at Ishiro with one of her paws as if trying to nudge him to sleep considering her pokes faced the pillows on the bed.

"Oh, well... Maybe after dinner, alright?" Ishiro asked, only for Aiko to pout and poke him more. "Oh, well, hey, just because it's currently one in the morning doesn't mean I won't be able to get some food to eat... Okay, let's see here..."

Gently setting Aiko down on the bed, Ishiro rose to his feet once again, moving over to the dresser and retrieving his wallet, before stepping in front of the small pink fox once again.

"Alright, listen, I need you to stay right here, on this spot, okay?" Ishiro requested, prompting Aiko to tilt her head and jab forward with her right paw. "Yes, I'm going to try it again, hence why I need you to stay still, please?"

Holding out his hand, the raven-haired teen watched as Aiko rubbed her chin gently into his palm, nodding her head soon after before rolling up into a curled ball-like shape on the bed.

"I promise, I'll be right back with you..." Ishiro promised, patting the fox on the head again before gently placing his palms together and closing his eyes.

Immediately after, the skin on his hands began to rip and tear, revealing the flesh underneath and soon even the bones which held them in place, before vanishing completely in front of Aiko. Several minutes later, a dim glow sparked, slowly materialising into blood and bone, organs forming before flesh covered them, skin and clothing soon wrapping around as Ishiro reappeared, panting softly as he held a bag of takeaway fried rice with some roasted pork cutlets also packed within it.

"Well, it certainly didn't get any easier to attempt it... Thanks for anchoring me here, Aiko," Ishiro assured, patting the excited pink fox on the head before he took a seat at the desk provided, unpacking the food and putting his hands together in a silent prayer, to which Aiko seemed to copy next to him after bouncing up onto the desk. "... Heh, you are just too... Much, sometimes... You know?"

Aiko tilted her head slightly, before waddling closer and sinking her teeth into a pork cutlet, nibbling on it happily as Ishiro sighed.

"Should've known you'd do that... But, don't worry. These are all for you," Ishiro assured with a rare smile, gently pushing the small box over. "You enjoy that now, and get some sleep after, alright?"

The pink fox purred silently in protest, before going back to eating happily upon meeting the unmoving expression of her companion.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to wake you up in the morning..." Ishiro promised, picking up his chopsticks and beginning to eat in silence whilst staring steadily into the outside world, and the ebony night that enchanted it.

-Six Hours Later-

Before long, the orange rays of the dawn's early light began to seep in through the carriage's window, prompting Aiko to slowly stir from her spot on Ishiro's bed, yawning as she stretched and slowly rose to her feet. Tilting her fuzzy head around and sniffing the air, the pink fox yipped happily and bounced up from her spot, waddling over and hopping onto Ishiro, who had only just managed to fall asleep not too long prior, before beginning to paw and lick at his cheek.

"Hmm...? Oh, come on now... I just..." Ishiro grumbled, rubbing his heterochromatic eyes as he sat upright, gently patting Aiko on the head as he gazed out the window. "... Fell asleep. Hmm, well, guess we're almost there... Well done."

Aiko purred happily, nuzzling into her companion momentarily before prancing off elsewhere in the room as if celebrating her 'technical' victory. Shaking his head, Ishiro begrudgingly rose from the bed and stepped towards the sink to wash up, just as the loudspeaker overhead blared a message of good morning, the current temperature of Shizuoka, as well as the time of arrival.

'Slept for an hour more than the night before... And the exams are tomorrow...' Ishiro thought, brushing his teeth and glancing at the mirror. 'This should bode well.'

-Midoriya Residence, Shizuoka (An Hour Later)-

"432... 433... 434... 435, there," Ishiro mumbled, holding Aiko's carrier in his hand as his shadows pulled along his luggage, rutilant eyes glimmering in the apartment building's dim hallway, as small flashes of sunlight reflected off the mix of tradition and modernity he wore. "Here goes..."

Reaching out, Ishiro gently tapped on the doorbell, before pulling back and waiting. Quick footsteps approached the door, before Inko opened it, coming face-to-face with Ishiro for the first time in seven years, the latter bowing his head soon after.

"Greetings, Midoriya-san," Ishiro began to say, as Aiko attempted to imitate his bow in her carrier, a fact that had not escaped Inko's glance. "Apologies for the lack of much... Earlier notice. May I come in?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Notes 2: Yeah, this chapter is a little bit of filler... Though, I can promise that the next chapter will be mainly centered around the entrance exams, and Ishiro's early interactions with his future classmates. Until then, I wish you all well.

Regardless of which, do feel free to leave any thoughts regarding the chapter, or the story as a whole, in the review section below. I am always eager to see what you've thought.