Chapter Text
The crisp December morning air nipped at their skin as Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya trudged back toward the dormitory after their grueling Saturday run. The early morning frost sparkled on the ground, and their breath formed mist in the chilly air. Sweat clung to their faces, evidence of the intense competition that had become a Saturday tradition between the two.
“Why’re you so slow, Deku?” Bakugou barked, glancing over his shoulder with an impatient frown, though there was a playful gleam in his eyes.
“I’m not slow!” Midoriya huffed, pushing himself harder to match Bakugou’s pace.
“You’re just… too fast!”
“Damn right, I am,” Bakugou smirked, clearly enjoying the usual banter between them as they approached the dormitory.
As they neared the entrance, Midoriya suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
“Kacchan, look!” he exclaimed, pointing toward the ground near their door.
A small, neatly wrapped rectangular box sat there, its pristine white paper standing out against the cold stone ground. A simple tag was attached, reading in bold, blocky letters: "From a Friend."
Bakugou frowned, lowering his gaze at the box.
“What the hell is this?” he muttered, crouching down to inspect it, though his expression remained skeptical. He poked it with a finger, clearly expecting something to jump out at him.
“Be careful, Kacchan!” Midoriya warned, his curiosity getting the better of him.
“What if it’s a prank? Or maybe—”
“Shut up, nerd,” Bakugou grumbled, though there was no real anger behind the words. His eyes lingered on the tag, but no other clues were revealed.
“Should we open it?” Midoriya asked, looking at Bakugou with a mix of caution and excitement.
“Obviously, we’re opening it,” Bakugou replied confidently, tearing into the wrapping without hesitation.
Inside, instead of a photo frame, they found a small pendrive. It was sleek and black, with a faint glimmer to it in the morning light. There was no indication of its contents, but a small note was attached to it with more blocky writing: "For when you need it."
Midoriya took the pendrive from the box, his green eyes scanning the note before he glanced at Bakugou.
“Do you think it’s a message from someone? Maybe a recording or something?”
Bakugou looked at the device with his usual guarded expression, but his curiosity was piqued.
“Tch. Who knows. Let’s check it later.” He paused for a moment, glancing at the note again.
“Who do you think it’s from?”
“I don’t know…” Midoriya said thoughtfully, his fingers still lightly gripping the pendrive.
“But it must be someone who knows us well.”
Bakugou shrugged, a rare, almost genuine grin tugging at his lips.
“Whatever. Let’s just get inside.”
The two of them stepped into the warmth of the dormitory, but a faint, almost imperceptible shadow watched them from the corner of the building, disappearing quickly as they passed by.
The warmth of the dormitory greeted them as Bakugou and Midoriya entered, the box with the mysterious pendrive still on their minds. After dropping their things in their rooms, they each took turns in the shower, washing away the lingering chill and sweat from their morning run.
When Katsuki emerged, his hair still slightly damp and spiky, he headed straight to the kitchen. “You better not complain about this, Deku,” he called out as he grabbed the ingredients from the fridge.
“You’re eating whatever I make.”
Izuku, now clean and wearing comfortable lounge clothes, peeked around the corner.
“I’m sure it’ll be great, Kacchan,” he replied with a small smile.
“Your cooking’s always really good.”
“Tch, of course it is,” Bakugou muttered, cracking eggs into a bowl with practiced ease. In no time, he had whipped up two plates of omurice, complete with neat ketchup designs. He slid a plate across the counter to Midoriya, who took it eagerly.
“Thanks, Kacchan! Itadakimasu!” Mido said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the food.
“Yeah, yeah, just eat.” Baku grabbed his own plate and plopped onto the couch in the dorm’s common area. The other boy followed, the two eating in companionable silence as the events of the morning still weighed on their minds.
Once the plates were cleared and cleaned (thanks to Midoriya’s insistence), Bakugou brought his laptop to the coffee table.
“Alright, let’s see what’s on this stupid thing,” he said, plugging the pendrive into the port.
Midoriya sat cross-legged on the floor beside him, leaning in as Katsuki opened the drive. There was only one file, simply titled "Epic."
“Epic?” Midoriya murmured, tilting his head.
“That’s… vague.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Bakugou said, clicking on the file. His face was set in concentration, though there was a flicker of curiosity in his sharp eyes.
The screen went black for a moment, and then a single text note appeared:
"This file will unlock only when the entirety of Class 1-A, Present Mic, Aizawa-sensei, and All Might are gathered in the common room and agree to watch its contents together."
Izuku blinked, his mouth slightly agape.
“That’s… really specific. How does it even know if everyone’s here?”
“Who knows, and who cares?” The blonde growled, his hands clenched into fists.
“What kind of stupid game is this?”
Midoriya tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“Maybe it’s something really important if it needs everyone to be here. Maybe whoever sent this wanted it to be a surprise or something?”
Bakugou leaned back against the couch, his frustration giving way to contemplation.
“Fine. But we’re not waiting forever. If those idiots don’t show up, I’m busting this thing open myself.”
The Broccoli boy laughed nervously.
“I’m not sure that’s how pendrives work, Kacchan…”
“Shut it, nerd.” But there was no real heat in his voice. Instead, he closed the laptop with a resigned sigh.
“We’ll round everyone up after lunch.”
Midoriya nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. Whatever was on that pendrive, it seemed like it was meant for all of them—and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something big.
Here’s a more detailed and engaging continuation of the scene:
After lunch, the dormitory buzzed with the usual hum of activity. Some students lounged in the common room, while others finished chores or chatted idly in the hallways. However, the air quickly shifted when Izuku emerged, calling everyone to gather in the common area.
“I need everyone to meet here, please!” he called, his voice tinged with urgency.
“What’s this about, Midoriya?” Todoroki asked, stepping out from the kitchen, his calm expression tinged with curiosity.
“You’ll see! Just… please trust me!” Midoriya stammered, his green eyes darting nervously toward Bakugou, who was already setting up his laptop on the coffee table.
While the students trickled into the room, Midori had reached out to Aizawa, Present Mic, and All Might, convincing them to join as well. Aizawa’s response was as predictable as ever.
“Is this absolutely necessary?” Shouta asked, arms crossed, as he stepped into the common room with a groggy expression.
“You do realize I had better plans for my day off than entertaining some vague mystery, right?”
Hizashi was much more enthusiastic, slapping Aizawa on the back.
“Aw, come on, Eraser! Let’s see what the kiddos have cooked up. It might even be fun!”
Toshinori followed with a smile, his towering presence commanding the attention of the students.
“Young Midoriya seems earnest. If he believes this is important, I’m willing to give it a chance.”
Once everyone had gathered, the room was crowded but buzzing with curiosity. Katsuki sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table, his laptop open and plugged into the pendrive. Deku hovered beside him, nervously wringing his hands.
“Alright, nerds, listen up,” Bakugou barked, silencing the murmurs.
“We found this thing this morning after our run. It’s weird, and it’s asking for everyone to agree before it’ll show us what’s on it. So shut up and pay attention.”
Hagakure leaned over the back of the couch, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“Wait, wait, wait—so it’s some kind of magic drive? Like, it knows if we all say yes?”
“Something like that,” Midoriya said, pushing his index fingers together.
“It’s… specific. The note said everyone in Class 1-A, along with Present Mic, All Might, and Aizawa-sensei, had to be here.”
“Creepy,” Jirou muttered, crossing her arms.
“Who even sent it?”
“No idea,” Kacchan replied curtly.
“And I don’t care. But we’re about to find out.”
“What if it’s dangerous?” Iida asked, his hands chopping the air dramatically.
“This could be a trap. We should assess the risk thoroughly before proceeding.”
“I don’t think it’s malicious,” Izuku said thoughtfully.
“The note just said it wanted us to agree. That’s all.”
Shouta sighed loudly from the corner.
“Why didn’t you just tell me this from the start instead of making me come here?”
“Because you wouldn’t have come if I did,” Bakugou shot back without missing a beat.
Aizawa raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
“Fair point. But I’m still questioning my life choices right now.”
Present Mic grinned.
“Relax, Eraser! Let’s just see where this goes. I’m all in!”
The students exchanged uncertain glances, but one by one, they nodded.
“Alright, let’s do it!” Kirishima said with a wide grin.
“It sounds unbreakable!”
“More like insane,” Baku muttered under his breath, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
“Okay, here goes. Everyone ready?”
The room echoed with a mix of affirmations, ranging from eager excitement to cautious murmurs. Bakugou typed a single word: Yes.
The screen flickered, the black background melting away to reveal glowing white text on a shimmering golden field. Slowly, the words scrolled into view:
"Do you agree to see a story from another world?"
The room fell silent as everyone read the message. A shiver ran through the air, as if the question itself carried a weight none of them had anticipated.
“A story from another world?” Todoroki murmured, his heterochromatic eyes narrowing.
“What does that mean?”
Kaminari scratched his head.
“Is this gonna turn into some sci-fi movie or something? Like, alternate dimensions?”
“Or maybe it’s about parallel versions of us!” Mina suggested excitedly.
“What if there’s a Bakugou who’s nice?”
“Oi, I’m nice enough!” Kats barked, his face flushing slightly, though he didn’t turn away from the screen.
Shouta pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I still don’t understand why we’re entertaining this instead of immediately investigating it.”
“It’s already started, Eraserhead,” All Might said with a small smile.
“Let’s give it a chance.”
“Fine,” Aizawa grumbled.
“But don’t blame me if this turns out to be a waste of time.”
Bakugou turned back to the screen, his eyes narrowed in determination.
“Alright, let’s answer the damn question. Yes or no?”
Everyone glanced at each other, and then, as if on cue, the class echoed together: “Yes.”
Katsuki pressed enter, and the screen shifted once again, the golden glow brightening as the screen dissolved into swirling light. But, as soon as the golden text faded, the screen on Bakugou’s laptop went dark.
“What the—” Kacchan started, his scowl deepening as he clicked the trackpad furiously.
“Oi, Deku, this dumb pendrive just killed my laptop!”
“No, look!” Midoriya pointed toward the television mounted on the wall of the common room.
The TV flickered to life without anyone touching it. A dark background appeared, and in bold, glowing letters, a countdown timer began ticking down from 10:00. Beneath the timer, another message scrolled across the screen in a friendly yet mysterious font:
"Prepare snacks, drinks, and whatever you need. What you’re about to see will last approximately two hours. When you speak, the playback will pause. To continue, press 'Play' on the TV remote. Get comfortable because we’re about to begin!"
A hush fell over the room as everyone read the instructions. Then, inevitably, chaos broke loose.
“Two hours?!” Kaminari exclaimed, his eyes widening.
“What the heck is this? A movie night?”
“It’s more than that,” Yaoyorozu said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
“The message suggests this isn’t just passive viewing. It will stop when we talk, meaning it expects interaction.”
“Sounds exhausting,” Mineta grumbled, leaning against the back of the couch.
“Can’t we just skip it?”
“Absolutely not!” Mina said, bounding over to the kitchen.
“If we’re watching something for two hours, we need popcorn. Lots of popcorn.”
“Snacks! I’ll help!” Kirishima said, following her with a grin.
“Who’s in for some sodas?”
Meanwhile, Todoroki wandered over to the fridge, retrieving a bottle of tea.
“Two hours isn’t that long,” he said in his usual calm tone, pouring himself a glass.
“But the message said to get comfortable. Maybe we should bring extra pillows and blankets?”
“I can grab some from the storage room,” Sero offered.
“This place has, like, a million cushions we never use.”
“Alright, fine, if we’re doing this, we’re doing it properly,” Jirou said, shaking her head but heading toward the cabinet where the dorm’s stash of snacks was kept.
“No complaints about running out halfway through, got it?”
In the corner, Aizawa sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here while they plan a party around a mysterious pendrive,” he muttered, though he didn’t leave.
“It’s good bonding time for them,” Yamadasaid cheerfully, nudging him.
“Besides, don’t you wanna see what all this hype is about?”
“I want a nap,” Shouta deadpanned.
Nearby, All Might chuckled warmly.
“Young Midoriya’s intuition is rarely wrong. Whatever this is, it might just be important. Let’s humor them for now.”
As the students hurried to prepare, Izuku turned to Katsuki, who was still sitting cross-legged in front of the now-useless laptop.
“Kacchan, aren’t you going to help?”
“Tch.” Bakugou stood, brushing himself off.
“This better not be some dumb prank.” Despite his grumbling, he headed toward the kitchen to grab some cups and a few energy drinks, muttering about how he wasn’t going to let anyone screw up the setup.
In less than ten minutes, the common room transformed into a cozy viewing area. The couches were lined with extra pillows and blankets, bowls of chips and popcorn were scattered across the tables, and the students settled in their spots, buzzing with anticipation.
“Alright, everything’s ready!” Mina called, plopping down beside Kirishima with a big bowl of popcorn.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Bakugou grumbled, snatching the TV remote and standing in front of the screen. He raised the remote, his sharp eyes scanning the group.
“No interruptions unless it’s important. Got it?”
“Got it!” the class responded in unison, their curiosity outweighing their usual banter.
Katsuki smirked, his finger hovering over the play button.
“Alright, you nerds. Let’s see what this damn thing has to show us.”
He pressed play. The screen flickered, and the countdown hit zero. The room fell silent as the mysterious story began to unfold.