The next day, Nejire, Izuku, Mirio, and Aizawa showed up at the house. This wasn't a social call. Nejire probably tattled about Eri's horn, which meant we were about to play Doctor Doom and Friends.
Eri was inside, sitting on the couch with Mochi in her lap. That thing wasn't going anywhere. The little furball had its paws stretched out, batting at Eri's fingers while she giggled, completely in her own world.
Mom walked in, chuckling. "She changed the kitten's name yesterday. Now it is NekoRyuu, after Ryuu."
Nejire snorted, leaning over the couch. "Makes sense. She did say she wanted one just like him."
Izuku blinked. "Wait, Mochi—"
"Nekoryuu," Mom confirmed.
Aizawa exhaled, rubbing his eyes like he was already done with today. "This is the least surprising thing I heard."
Mirio grinned. "Aw, that is cute! She sees you as her big strong protector, so it makes sense she would want a mini version of you!"
Eri peeked up from where she was stroking the kitten's fur, her cheeks pink. "He is small now, but he will be strong, just like Ryuu."
Nejire ruffled her hair. "And you will take care of him, right?"
Eri nodded quickly. "Always."
Izuku still looked like he was trying to process the name choice. "But… you named him after Ryuu? Why not someone else?"
Eri gave him a look like he was missing something obvious. "Because I love Ryuu."
Izuku flinched like she'd just drop-kicked his soul.
Nejire bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Oh my god, she is so blunt."
Mom crossed her arms. "She wanted a kitten for Christmas. He promised her one, so he got her one."
Eri hugged the kitten closer. "He never breaks his promises."
Mirio grinned. "That is right! Ryuu is a man of his word."
Aizawa glanced at me. "You take her to a vet yet?"
Mom nodded. "First thing. She is healthy. Just eats too much."
Nejire gasped. "Wait, wait, she is just like Ryuu!"
I scoffed. "I don't eat too much."
Izuku and Nejire both gave me the exact same look.
Mom smirked. "You eat half the fridge."
Mirio shook his head. "I dunno, Ryuu. Kitten Ryuu might out-eat you one day."
Eri pouted. "No, he won't! I will make sure he doesn't get fat."
Nejire wiggled her eyebrows. "Unlike a certain someone we know."
I flicked her forehead.
Of course, as usual, the universe couldn't let me enjoy one wholesome moment without shoving a boot up my ass.
Aizawa cleared his throat. "Alright, enough. Let's get to why we are actually here."
I turned to Mom. "Eri, wanna go feed Nekoryuu? Mom will help you."
Eri nodded, rubbing her cheek against its fur. Mom stood up, taking her hand. "Come on, let's get you both something to eat."
Once they were out of earshot, I faced Aizawa. "Her horn is growing, but nothing out of control yet. We know her Quirk accumulates in her horn, so if it keeps getting bigger, there is a chance she might lose control when it overloads."
Aizawa's eyes flicked toward the kitchen. "How long has it been growing?"
"A while," I said. "It isn't growing like some horror movie tumor, but yeah, you can see it inching up day by day. She hasn't used her Quirk at all though, and it is still growing."
Nejire leaned against the couch, watching the doorway. "It makes sense. Her Quirk isn't a muscle. It is an energy pool. Whether she uses it or not, it is building up."
Mirio furrowed his brows. "Have there been any signs of her losing control?"
"No," I said. "She is just scared it will happen."
Aizawa sighed through his nose. "We knew this would happen eventually."
Nejire sat on the armrest, tapping her fingers against her knee. "So, what is the plan?"
"Same as before," Aizawa said. "Monitor her. Make sure she knows she is not handling this alone."
I crossed my arms. "She needs a controlled release."
Mirio nodded. "That is what we tried before, but it is not something she can just do on command."
Izuku chewed his lip. "There has to be a way to trigger it safely."
"There is," I said. "Pain."
Nejire gave me a look. "We are not hurting her, Ryuu."
I rolled my eyes. "No shit. I mean, her Quirk activated last time because of emotional stress and pain. If we simulate that in a controlled environment, it might work."
Aizawa scratched his chin. "It is not a bad idea. But it is risky. Even if she is comfortable, her Quirk might react unpredictably."
"Nah, leave it to me." I stood up, rolling my shoulders. "I will adjust her state of mind, then we will train. Sensei, I will need you there so she cannot erase me. I am too important for this world."
Aizawa gave me a flat look. "If that is your way of asking for supervision, fine. But do not screw this up."
Nejire smirked. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
"Yeah, for you," I muttered. "You are just here to watch."
She hummed, clearly unbothered.
---
I stood in front of Eri on the training ground. She was hugging her arms, shifting her weight like she wanted to vanish into the floor. For safety, Mom, Izuku and others weren't here. Just me, Eri, and Aizawa watching from the edge.
"Shorty, I am about to do something stupid. It will hurt like hell, and there might be blood. But don't panic. I am not dying today. But I may need your help, okay?"
Eri gripped her sleeve tighter, biting her lip, forced a nod.
[FUCKING DON'T.] The System's voice cracked like it was seconds from kicking my skull in.
'Doing it.'
[DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF? IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE YOU TRIGGERED LIMIT BREAKER. REMEMBER THE SPORTS FESTIVAL? THAT WAS WEEKS OF ACTIVATION, AND YOU STILL NEARLY TURNED INTO A CORPSE.]
'Yeah, and I didn't. I am still breathing.'
[YOU ARE ABOUT TO PULL THE PIN ON A GRENADE STRAPPED TO YOUR HEART. THIS IS NOT BRAVERY. THIS IS PURE, RAW BRAIN DAMAGE.]
I snorted. 'Cry about it.'
[FOUR LIFE-SAVING SKILLS, AND NONE OF THEM CAN UNDO THIS. YOU WILL DIE BEFORE ERI EVEN SCREAMS.]
'Yeah, yeah. Deactivate Limit Breaker.'
It was sudden, but it felt like a lifetime.
[Fuck You, I'm Alive Triggered]
[Last Laugh Triggered]
The moment Limit Breaker deactivated, everything hit at once. My chest tightened like someone shoved a vice into my ribs and kept turning. The blood that had been roaring like a wildfire in my veins turned cold and heavy, dragging every beat of my heart like it might quit halfway. Fingers twitched, legs buckled.
I stumbled, heat flooding out of my body. Skin turned clammy. It felt like my muscles were peeling themselves apart in protest, threads snapping under the weight they had been forced to hold.
[WARNING: MASSIVE STAT DROP. YOUR BODY IS COMPENSATING. BADLY.]
'No shit.'
The System didn't even snark back this time. That was worse.
My knees hit the dirt with a thud that rattled my teeth. Palms pressed against the ground, and even that burned like fire ants crawling under the skin. A faint copper taste filled my mouth. Did I bite my tongue? No, too much of it.
Eri took a step forward, but stopped, her eyes locked on me. "Ryuu!"
[YOU ARE BLEEDING INTERNALLY.]
'Yeah, no kidding.'
I gritted my teeth, even they were pulverizing. "A-any t-time now, Er-Eri."
My forearms shook under my weight as cracks spread down them, like something inside was snapping the support beams one by one. Veins felt like they were trying to burst through the skin. Every breath cut my lungs raw, like inhaling glass.
"Ryuu!" Eri's voice hit me.
"Focus," I forced out. My jaw cracked mid-word, and blood slipped from the corner of my mouth. "I n-need you t-to do it. Right now."
The ground under my palms was slick. I didn't notice at first, but the skin there was splitting, a thin trail of red streaking the dirt. My right forearm spasmed, bones shifting under the surface like they were trying to crawl out. The System screamed warnings that blurred together, heart strain, circulatory collapse, organ failure.
Eri took another step, her lip trembling. Her tiny fists clenched so tight her knuckles turned white. "I… I can't! What if I…" Her voice broke, and tears clung to her lashes like they were seconds from spilling. The glow sparked, fizzled, then came back like a dying lightbulb.
Aizawa stayed silent on the edge. His eyes locked on Eri.
"Eri, now," I barked, the sound tearing my throat.
Her horn started to glow, intensifying every second, shaky at first, then steady. A faint crackle buzzed in the air, and the moment she touched my skin, the pain shifted. The threads snapping inside me began knitting back, slow at first, then faster.
I sucked in air, the vice grip in my chest easing.
"Th-that is it. Good girl," I muttered. My hands tightened into fists as my ribs pulled themselves back into place with wet, grinding pops.
She blinked through tears, the glow on her horn flaring brighter. "It is working?"
"Yeah," I rasped. "Keep going."
The System's voice cracked back online, still furious. [YOU IDIOT. SHE IS BARELY IN CONTROL. IF SHE OVERSHOOTS, YOU ARE GOING TO CEASE TO EXIST.]
'Shut up,' I shot back. 'She got this.'
My left leg jerked as feeling shot back through it, the muscle fiber stitching itself as fast as it had been shredding. Blood clung to my shirt, but the warmth was dulling.
Eri's breathing picked up. She staggered but kept her eyes on me.
"Just a little more," I said. "Then you can stop."
She cried out, her voice cracking, "It is not stopping!"
"You can control it, Eri. It is your power."
Her hands trembled where they hovered over me, light bleeding from her horn.
"Listen," I said, forcing the words out. "Trust yourself. You are not scared of this. You are scared of losing control." I coughed, tasting metal. "You won't. I am still here, right? So breathe. Imagine you are letting out a heavy breath. Slowly hold it in."
Her eyes darted to the glow spilling from her horn. "What if I…?"
"You won't." I pressed my palm to hers, even as my own hand shook. "I said you wouldn't. Trust me that trusts you. You are not going to hurt me."
Aizawa spoke up from behind us. "Ryuu is right. You're the one in control. If you panic, it will spiral."
Eri squeezed her eyes shut, and the glow sputtered. Her breathing hitched, and then steadied. For a second, the glow flared brighter, but then it began to fade. Her shoulders dropped slightly, and the buzzing air around us calmed.
"There you go," I muttered, swallowing back the burning in my throat. "See? I told you. Your power listens to you."
Eri's fingers curled into fists as the light receded. "I… I did it?"
"Hell yeah, you did." I gave her a grin. "Told you. You are the boss here, not the horn."
She opened her eyes, the tears spilling over now. "I was scared."
"Being scared is fine," I said. "Just don't let it tell you what to do."
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