"You can run, but you cannot hide. We come for you, Winter Child. We come."
Those are the words I, Midoriya Izuku, heard before being attacked by what seems to be a rotting dog corpse. It moved faster than the eyes could follow and was about to bite...
Disclaimer: The restaurant depicted is a fictional one, despite the photo being from an actual restaurant in Japan. It was just for illustrative purposes and it has no relation with the actual restaurant or staff working there.
Izuku stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his dark green button-up shirt. The color matched his eyes, and the shirt was just formal enough to show he'd put in some effort without going overboard. He paired it with comfortable black jeans and a clean white undershirt, the collar peeking out just enough to add a bit of contrast. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the nerves creeping up on him.
'This is going to be weird,' Izuku thought as he grabbed his phone and checked the time. He had fifteen minutes to get to the restaurant, 'Milano's.' 'I can't believe Ochaco set up a date between me and Mina. She could've picked a different day, though. Fridays are supposed to be our thing.'
With a quick tap, he opened the navigation app and input the restaurant's name. As he walked through the familiar alleyway where he first met Ochaco, a thought struck him.
"Actually, now that I think about it, X," Izuku said aloud, his voice low. "There was something I wanted to ask you."
"Yes, Boss?" the sword responded in his mind, its tone casual but attentive.
"That first time I met Ochaco...She called upon the blessings from Excalibur."
The sword let out a low chuckle. "She's a sweet girl, that one. I can see why you like her."
Izuku smiled at that. "Yeah, well... something answered. Same thing happened when we fought that Lich. I asked Nimue, and she said it wasn't her. Was it you?"
"I don't really do blessings, Izuku. I cut things. And anyway, I was trapped in that bloody rock until the two of you pulled me out. It's not me."
Izuku frowned, his steps slowing. "So who the hell tampered with her spell?"
"What did it do?"
"It healed me, shielded me, and filled me with this...incredible Rage."
"Impressive. But still, not me. If she tries it again, I might be able to catch a glimpse of whoever's casting it. They'd have to be close by, though."
"Alright. Let me focus on the date first. We can worry about mysterious blessings later."
He picked up his pace, careful not to move too fast and cause any collateral damage. The wind still whipped around him as he dashed through the streets, and in no time, he arrived at Milano's. Waiting outside was Mina, her outfit making Izuku's breath catch.
She wore a sleek black dress that hugged her figure in all the right places, the plunging neckline adding a daring edge. A simple black choker graced her neck, and several bracelets adorned her wrists. Her hair, styled in a ponytail, was a small detail that Izuku couldn't help but adore.
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