The factory was a charred ruin, the air thick with smoke and cooling metal, Scorch and his henchmen tied up.
Zion slumped against a crate, his body screaming—ribs bruised, burns stinging, jacket half-torched from the fight.
Toru sat nearby, invisible but present, her hero gloves limp, her breath heavy, the silence between them heavy with exhaustion.
No sign of Kido or the other pros, comms dead, backup ghosting them. They were stuck, waiting, the night dark around them.
Zion's mind churned, his 20 stat points from the fight already split.
Alone, staring at the factory's busted ceiling, he muttered to himself, "Fuck, my stats are climbing fast. Too fast, maybe. But it's jack shit compared to All Might's monster numbers, and probably All for One's, so I guess it's ok."
His All for One, his edge, was growing, but those titans were mountains, their power a gap he'd claw through or die trying. And this fight, was proof he needed more.
Toru's voice cut through, soft, her gloves shifting. "Zion? You okay? You're, like, muttering to yourself."
Her usual chirp was muted, her exhaustion matching his, but there was a spark, like she needed to talk, to fill the dark.
He glanced at her—or where she'd be, and smirked, crude but warm.
"Yeah, just thinking. You holding up, ghost girl?" He leaned back, crafting a water bottle with Creation, tossing it where her gloves hovered, her catch clumsy but sure.
She laughed, a small sound, the bottle vanishing as she drank.
"I'm beat, but we kicked butt! You were amazing, all those weapons, bam!" Her gloves mimed his spear-throw, her vibe lighter, pulling him from his head.
He snorted, "You weren't half-bad, sneaking around, tripping those fuckers. We're a solid team." Their fight had clicked, her stealth amplifying his power, a rhythm he hadn't expected but wanted more of.
The talk flowed easy, normal shit—UA's food sucking, Endeavor's temper, Toru's love for cheesy hero flicks.
"You ever watch Hero Rising?" she asked, her gloves waving.
"The part where Captain Blaze saves the city? So cool!" Zion rolled his eyes, crude grin flashing.
"Cheesy as hell, but yeah, the explosions were tight. You're such a nerd."
Her giggle was bright, the factory's gloom fading, their bond a spark in the wreckage.
Then it turned, her voice softer, hesitant.
"Zion… you said I was good out there, 'cause I'm invisible. That's… nice, but…" She trailed off, her gloves curling, like she was hugging herself.
He frowned, leaning forward. "Spit it out, Toru. What's up?" it was rough, but he sounded like he really cared, her fight with him earning that.
She sighed, the sound raw.
"Being invisible… it's useful, yeah, but I don't always like it. Nobody sees me, you know?
Not my face, my smile, nothing. It's hard, feeling like a ghost all the time." Her gloves trembled, her vulnerability a punch, stripping her cheer.
Zion's chest tightened, her words hitting a nerve—his own secrets, his past, everything he went through, made him a ghost in his own way, hiding from other's eyes.
"Fuck, that's rough," he said, his hand reaching where her shoulder might be, grazing air, then fabric. "Didn't think about it like that. You're more than a Quirk, though. You're… you." His words felt clumsy, but her laugh was warm, shaky.
"Thanks, Zion. That means a lot." The air shifted, emotional, their fight bonding them, her openness a thread he hadn't expected.
An idea hit, his All-Seeing Eye twitching. "Hold up," he said, focusing, the Eye flaring, a pulse of clarity cutting through her Quirk's veil.
Her form shimmered—short, curvy, lime hair, just as her eyes, in a messy bun, her hero suit torn, smudged with ash.
"Holy shit," he muttered, blinking, her face real, alive. "I can see you, Toru. All-Seeing Eye's breaking your invisibility."
Her gloves froze, her gasp loud. "Wait, what? You see me?" Her voice cracked, a mix of shock and hope.
He nodded. "Yeah. Lime hair, cute nose. You're… kinda banged up, ash on your cheek, suit's ripped at the knee, but you… you're really pretty."
He paused, testing, "You blushing right now?"
Her laugh was a squeak, her form flushing pink, visible to him.
"Oh my gosh, Zion! That's… nobody's ever…"
She lunged, her arms wrapping him, her hug tight, warm, her face buried in his chest, ash smearing his jacket.
Before he could react, she pulled back, her lips brushing his—a quick, timid kiss, soft, gone fast, her form ducking, blushing harder.
"S-sorry!" she stammered, her gloves flailing. "I just… nobody's seen me like that, and you…" Zion's pulse jumped,stirring, his grin cocky.
"No complaints, ghost girl. You're cute as hell."
Her giggle was shy, their vibe deeper.
The talk rolled on, her confidence up, her questions sharper.
"So, Zion," she said, her gloves settling, her voice curious, "your Quirk… it's weird, right? You make stuff, move fast, get tough, and now you see me? That's not normal." Her tone wasn't accusing, but it was probing, her fight with him earning the ask.
His gut tightened, his All for One a secret. "Yeah, it's… versatile," he said, voice low, crude but cagey. "What's got you curious, Toru?"
She leaned closer, her invisible form vivid to his Eye, her eyes narrowing. "Just… feels like there's more to it. More to you. What's your deal, Zion?"
*****