From Distant Lands - Juro's Return

Chapter Forty-One

Juro has my quirk.

I don't know how, but as Katsuki and I stand against him, I realize pretty quickly that he isn't the same villain from before. Arms outstretched, a crazed smile splitting his features, waves and strands of energy slam into us over and over again, driving the two of us apart and sending my body crashing into the asphalt.

I drag in a ragged breath, coughing against the way it sticks in my throat and rolling onto my hands and knees as I try to think my way through this. Blood clogs up my nose and my heart races. Juro took one look at Katsuki standing beside me and unleashed everything he had on us. Energy poured from him like it was bottomless and now I struggle to stand, wondering how it's even possible. I took his quirk... he should be powerless now. But even as I think it, I look up at him through stray strands of hair, my dress sticking to my skin and soaked in blood and grime.

Far to my right, I see Katsuki pushing himself up and I have to fight the urge to run to him. To get him as far away as possible. I know he won't leave me, not in a million years, but I can't stop seeing what happened to him. I can't stop replaying the moment I lost him and tearing my eyes away from him now is painful enough that I can't keep the look off my face. The fear. Juro grins at me.

"It seems familiar, doesn't it, little dragon?" he asks me over the roaring flames and rage wells up inside me. A growl tears its way out of my throat as I lunge for him, my body aching, bones protesting, but I ignore all of it as my fist connects. Juro ducks, catching my knuckles against his palm and huffing out a breath when my other hand barrels towards him. Every blow I strike, he catches and fury makes it hard to see straight. He holds both of my wrists, taking a step back as the force of my hit rocks through him and I give him a feral grin.

"Fuck you" I snarl, twisting my hands around to grip his forearms, my own energy snaking around him and winding tightly before I yank him towards me. I brace my feet, rearing back and slamming my forehead against his as hard as I possibly can. Juro curses, roaring as pain explodes inside my skull, but I shove it all away and sling him around, shoving his body to the ground. One hit, two, three, four, five...

"You son of a bitch!" I scream at him, my chest feeling raw and heaving with shuddering breaths as I hit him over and over again, knuckles tearing into the skin of his face. Seven, eight, nine...

"I hate you" I pant, rearing back to hit him again, relishing in the sight of the blood on his face and the look in his eyes before an invisible force barrels into me. I gag, unable to get in any air as he slams a concentrated bullet of energy directly into my gut. Agony makes my entire body shake and the power of his attack sends me flying backward until I collide with another body. When we hit the ground, the impact makes the gravel shudder and when I roll onto my side, desperately trying to take in air, I feel a hand at my arm, pressing gingerly, searching, seeking, asking...

"Kaida, look at me. Hey" Katsuki's voice breaks through the roaring in my ears and when I finally look up at him, I realize how tired we are. How long we've been at this already. I see the haggard look in Katsuki's eyes and the grim set of his mouth and he's almost at his limit. We both are. I suddenly know that this is it. Right here, right now... this is the last bit of time I'll get with him. That we'll ever get together. I grip his hand, the two of us surrounded by flame and debris and covered in blood, and tears begin to stream down my face in silence.

"Katsuki..." I say and I watch his expression change, watch the way his eyes widen slightly with terrified understanding. Katsuki can see the end in my gaze and I wonder if he knows it the way I do... if he can sense it. I shake my head, pulling him closer for only a moment.