SOULBOUND (MHA fanfiction)

II. The After Storm

The steady hum of Recovery Girl's equipment was the only sound breaking the silence in the room. Bakugo lay unconscious on the cot, his face still pale but his breathing steady. Deku sat nearby, his hands clenched together in his lap, his mind racing as he replayed the events of the night over and over. The storm outside continued to beat against the windows, its relentless drumming a reflection of the urgency gnawing at his gut.

Recovery Girl stood beside Bakugo's bed, examining the results of his lab work with a frown. "Hmm, that's strange," she murmured, rubbing her chin. "There's nothing wrong with his vitals."

"But he was screaming, like he was in agony," Lemillion interjected, his expression serious. He had already changed out of his hero costume into a casual U.A. uniform, but the intensity in his eyes hadn't faded. "And then something came out of Dynamight... like an astral projection or something. It was as if his soul was being pulled."

Todoroki, standing by the corner of the room, wiped his damp hair with a warm towel. "And if his vitals are normal, why hasn't he woken up yet?" His voice was calm, but there was a clear edge of worry in his tone.

Deku stared at Bakugo, his heart heavy with unease. He remembered the exact moment when that woman--- Liora ---had attacked. The way she had spoken, her eyes fixed on Bakugo with a familiarity that unnerved him. "That woman..." Deku muttered under his breath, trying to piece it all together. "She called him 'Katsuki.' Like she knew him... somehow."

"It's personal," Lemillion added, his voice quiet but sure. "You could see it in her eyes. She wasn't here for chaos-- she was here for him."

Recovery Girl looked at the green haired student, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Whatever she did to him, it wasn't physical. It's something beyond our understanding of quirks. We're dealing with something entirely different here." The small old woman sighed, glancing down at Bakugo from her round seat. "We don't know what she did to him. For now, we have to wait for him to wake up. But..."

"But we don't know when that will be," Deku finished, his voice tight with worry.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the gravity of the situation settled over them. Deku stood, unable to sit still any longer. He paced, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to work through his thoughts. "We need answers. There has to be a reason why she's targeting Kacchan specifically. And there has to be a way to stop her."

Todoroki walked over to the window, looking out into the rain. His reflection shimmered faintly in the glass, his mismatched eyes lost in thought. "I guess there was no point on thinking about it now. We are exhausted and so did she. Likely she won't attack anytime soon."

Lemillion straightened up, determination in his posture. "I'll get in touch with the Pro Heroes, see if anyone has heard of dimensional rifts or beings like her. Nighteye's network might still have some information we can use."

Deku clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the responsibility settle in his chest. "Then I'll talk to Sensei and the Principal. Maybe there's something they would know that can explain this. We need to be prepared-- if she comes back and we don't know how to counter her powers, we'll be at a serious disadvantage."

The storm outside continued to rage, the wind howling against the windows as if echoing the turmoil inside the room. Bakugo remained still, caught in a sleep that was deeper than anything Recovery Girl had seen before. Whatever had happened to him, it wasn't just a physical attack. It was something far more sinister.

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In the depths of Musutafu, a tear in reality appeared, splitting the air with a sharp, crackling sound. From the rift, Liora emerged, staggering as she grunted in pain. Her body, drenched and trembling, collapsed onto the cold, hard floor with a heavy thud. Exhaustion weighed down her every movement, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. As her voice broke into the stillness, a desperate cry escaped her lips, echoing through the dim, empty space around her.