Cat's Rule the world.... since when?!

Answers, Blood, and a Chase

This is too much.

My heart was still pounding in my ears, the memories of Bakugo—Kacchan—mixing with the present. Everything about this was wrong. I shouldn't be here. None of this made sense. And the way they were all looking at me—concerned, confused, like I was some kind of alien—was only making it worse.

Bakugo took a step forward, his tail flicking behind him as he kept his eyes on me. "Deku, just calm down. I'll explain—"

"Calm down?" I cut him off, my voice shaky but loud. "What do you mean I'm not dead yet? What is this place? And why did those people call me 'human' like I'm some kind of pest?"

I took a step back, and I could feel everyone's eyes following me, like they were waiting for me to do something. The tension was thick, and I could sense they were worried—about what, I wasn't sure. Maybe the blood still covering my clothes, maybe the way my voice was rising, or maybe it was the fact that I was clearly on edge, ready to bolt at any second.

Bakugo sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "You're not dead, Deku. You're... just in a different place."

That clears up nothing.

"A different place?" I repeated, backing away another step. "What does that even mean? And why are people chasing me like I'm some kind of animal?"

My voice cracked a little at the end, but I didn't care. Everything was piling up—getting hit by a car, waking up in a place that made no sense, seeing Kacchan here, with a tail no less—and now this.

Bakugo took another step toward me, his hands raised like he was trying to keep me from freaking out even more. "Deku, just—"

"No!" I snapped, taking another step back. "Tell me what's going on! Why did people call me 'human' like it's an insult? What is this place? Am I... am I still in the real world?"

Bakugo's eyes flickered with something—frustration, maybe—but he stayed calm, his voice lowering. "You're in the borderlands, Deku. It's... between worlds. And yeah, you're human. People around here don't trust humans."

Between worlds? 

What does that even mean?

I shook my head, my thoughts spinning even more. The blood on my clothes, still sticky and uncomfortable, was the only thing grounding me in reality. It was a reminder of what had happened—of how close I'd come to dying, only to wake up here, covered in blood but without a scratch on me.

"They don't trust humans?" I echoed, backing up even more, almost stumbling over a rock behind me. "Why? What did I do?"

Bakugo frowned, taking another step forward, but I could see the concern in his eyes now. "You didn't do anything. But the borderlands... we don't usually let humans in. It's complicated."

Complicated. Of course it was complicated. Everything about this was complicated.

The others were watching me closely now, their eyes flicking between Bakugo and me, as if they weren't sure what I was going to do next. Mina was chewing on her lip, clearly nervous, while Denki looked like he was ready to jump in if things went south.

I couldn't take it anymore.

I need to get out of here.

Without thinking, I turned on my heel and bolted.

Bakugo shouted something behind me, but I didn't stop to listen. My legs moved on their own, pushing me forward, faster and faster, until I was sprinting through the garden-like property, my feet pounding against the ground. The adrenaline kicked in, and all the pain and exhaustion from earlier melted away.

I need to get out of here. I need answers.

I heard them behind me—Bakugo, Denki, Sero, Mina—they were all shouting, trying to keep up, but I was faster. I'd been running my whole life, and I knew how to move. Parkour had been my escape for years, and right now, it was the only thing keeping me sane.

I jumped, grabbing onto the edge of a low wall and pulling myself up effortlessly. My body moved on instinct, every jump, every vault, every twist coming naturally, like it was second nature. It didn't matter that I was human. Right now, I was more than that. I could keep up with them, maybe even outpace them.

They don't know what I'm capable of.

I launched myself onto a rooftop, rolling to absorb the impact as I landed, and kept moving. The blood on my clothes didn't slow me down. If anything, it fueled me. I needed to understand why this was happening. Why Bakugo was here. Why I was here.

Behind me, I heard Bakugo cursing, his voice echoing off the buildings. "Deku! Stop running, you damn nerd!"

Not happening, Kacchan.

I vaulted over another wall, landing in a narrow alleyway, my feet barely touching the ground before I was off again. But no matter how fast I moved, I couldn't outrun the confusion. The questions that were burning in my mind.

What was this place? Why did it feel so wrong? And why, after everything, was Bakugo the only one who seemed to know what was going on?

I turned a corner, nearly skidding to a stop when I saw a fence blocking my path. Without thinking, I leapt, my hands grabbing the top and swinging myself over in one fluid motion. It was easy. Too easy.

How am I doing this?

I'd always been good at parkour, sure, but this felt different. Like I was stronger, faster than I should be. And yet, I wasn't using a quirk. I didn't have a quirk.

What's happening to me?

I landed on the other side of the fence, panting, but I kept moving. My body was tired, but my mind was racing too fast to stop. And behind me, Bakugo's voice was getting closer.

"Deku, stop running!" he yelled, sounding more annoyed than angry now. "We're not trying to hurt you, idiot!"

Yeah, right. 

Because chasing me with guns totally screams 'friendly.'

But even as I thought it, I could hear something in Bakugo's voice—something that sounded... worried. Not for himself, but for me.

He's concerned? 

Why?

I slowed for just a second, glancing over my shoulder, and that's when I saw them. Bakugo was in the lead, his cat-like reflexes helping him keep up with me, but the others weren't far behind. They weren't trying to catch me, though—they were trying to... keep up?

They don't want to hurt me....I hope so....

 They're just as confused as I am.

I came to a stop, my breath ragged, and turned to face them. Bakugo skidded to a halt a few feet away, glaring at me like I was the biggest idiot on the planet.

"Are you done?" he snapped, his tail flicking in irritation.

I glared right back, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. "Not until you tell me what's going on."

Bakugo scowled but didn't argue. He just crossed his arms and sighed. "Fine. But you're not gonna like it."