Chapter Text
1.
On a summer’s day as warm as Kenya’s own, Yuta woke up in another world.
It was a beautiful one, devoid of semi-sentient curses creeping through the crevices of every rusted pipe and hollow brick at the peripheral of his vision. He didn’t know where he was, and perhaps in a life where he hadn’t met Gojo-sensei, wouldn’t have cared – simply remained on his back while he gazed at the clear skies above, contemplating a life that was bloodless, loveless, and lifeless.
It was not what fate had in stall for him however, and in a present where he had learned from the past that it alright for him to stay alive if he continued to protect those in need of protecting, Yuta got up from the circle of abandoned buildings and ventured into the unknown.
The first hint that he did not belong was observed in the rather apparent lack of innate cursed energy in every pedestrian he walked pass. Their appearance varied, many quite unlike his own and some even distinctly inhuman. Yet, men and women walked and talked amongst themselves, the strange beings having company of their own. These odd creatures were not curses blended harmoniously with society; Yuta sensed no inherent malevolence present in every curse he’s encountered before – especially in the past two years he’s spent as a sorcerer.
A constant presence near him, Rika-chan had been silent but curious this whole time, patient for his words and affirmations to explore their surroundings. They eventually passed a sweets store, and her shadow shook in excitement. Curses did not feed the way mortals did; the knowledge hadn’t deterred Yuta from having picnics with her as they did as young and joyful children. “Yuta…” Rika-chan’s distorted voice picked up as they passed by a clothing store represented by mannequins in pretty dresses.
“We can see them later, Rika-chan,” he told her gently.
The second hint appeared the moment his lips quirked into a fond smile following his promise.
During his training, Yuta had become well-accustomed to working behind a veil. Their jobs as hidden protectors were a given for the good of the civilians and shamans themselves. It was a popular debate among the community barring the fact the veil furthermore smoked curses out like insects under wildfire, but tradition agreed the lesser attention attracted, the better, because nobody liked the distraction of having to count the bodies before the media vultures flocked. Thus, the flashy explosion came as a slight surprise which had him grabbing the hilt of his sword wrapped in its usual purple fabric.
Curses may be invisible to ordinary human beings, but the damage they brought was undoubtedly real. It felt strange to have a fight so out in the open, he thought briefly – whatever, a life saved is one more life lived. He’d gruel on the details afterwards. Muscle memory overwrote Yuta’s casual stance into something of caution now – he sprinted with light footsteps towards the place of clouding smoke and broken pavement.
Rika-chan vibrated in excitement. Her favourite colour was always red.
Yuta, admittedly, was not in any rush to get to his destination some hundred metres away. It was enough time for his second hint to reveal itself, pouncing from a rooftop nearby a curiously muscular blond man in a skin-tight suit. “FEAR NOT,” the man bellowed heroically, “FOR I AM HERE!” An unknown energy seemed to coat around his fist before it was struck right into the plume of destruction whereupon Yuta spotted a shady-looking fellow knee deep in the cement.
“Damn you, All Might!” he cried miserably, a green shield manifesting above him. To no use, because All Might’s punch had broken right through it effortlessly, shattering it into thousands of tiny pieces. Police sirens hounded closer and closer, their cars screeched to a stop as they sprinted towards the scene to set up a barrier, protecting cowering civilians who had semi-deep scratches at most from stray debris.
That’s interesting, was Yuta’s first thought.
“Where am I?” he said aloud.
Indeed, where was he – hopefully in Japan still because everyone spoke the same language as him.
The distraction of a crowd cheering for All Might allowed Yuta to slip away unnoticed. He did not belong here.