The afternoon sun spilled long shadows across the school gates as the last bell echoed. Malik walked beside two of his closest friends, Renji and Aoi, down the cracked pavement, their laughter cutting through the quiet hum of the street.
Renji, tall and wiry with sandy brown hair and a constant smirk, nudged Malik with his elbow. "Yo, you guys heard about that kid from Aldera Junior High?"
Aoi raised a brow. "The one who keeps challenging people?"
"Yeah, that one," Renji said, scrolling through his phone. "Apparently, he's been going around picking fights with strong quirks from other schools. And get this, he hasn't lost once."
Malik blinked, adjusting the strap of his bag. "You're kidding."
Renji shook his head. "Nope. Word is he's kinda crazy. Dude apparently grins the whole fight like he's enjoying it."
Aoi frowned. "Sounds like trouble. Why would anyone go around picking fights like that?"
Malik hummed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Maybe he's testing himself. Or maybe he's just an idiot with too much pride."
Renji smirked. "You'd like him."
"I don't go looking for fights," Malik replied with a half-smile. "But I wouldn't mind seeing what he's about."
Aoi tilted her head. "Oh? So curiosity killed the cat?"
Malik chuckled, the corners of his lips curling into a teasing grin. "More like curiosity makes the cat stronger."
Renji laughed. "You're weird, man."
Aoi rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. "They said the guy's got some kinda explosion quirk. I heard he even blew up part of the sports field at his school during one of his fights."
Malik's brow rose. "Explosion, huh?"
Renji nodded. "Yeah. Imagine taking one of those to the face. Apparently, the teachers can barely keep up with him."
Malik's expression grew thoughtful, his gaze flickering upward. "Explosion versus Repulsion…" he murmured, tapping his chin. "That'd be interesting."
Aoi groaned. "You're actually thinking about it, aren't you?"
He grinned. "A little."
The trio reached the corner where they usually split ways. Renji slung his bag higher. "Anyway, I'll see y'all tomorrow. I got cram school tonight."
Aoi waved. "Don't blow up your brain."
Renji pointed a finger gun at her. "No promises." He turned to Malik. "You?"
"Probably hitting the convenience store. Need something cold after that quiz."
"Gotcha. Later, Kurosawa."
"Later, Renji. Aoi."
They peeled off one by one, leaving Malik alone on the quiet street.
-----
The air was still, just the faint hum of traffic in the distance and the rhythmic thud of Malik's sneakers against the pavement. He sipped from a half-empty bottle of soda, absently tapping his thigh to the faint beat coming through his headphones.
Then a shadow passed over him.
He blinked and looked up.
Something... someone was soaring through the sky. A massive, muscular figure with wild blonde hair gleaming like sunlight itself. The unmistakable silhouette of All Might.
Malik's eyes widened.
"Wait…" he muttered.
But what made him pause wasn't the Symbol of Peace. It was the sight of a scrawny kid hanging onto All Might's leg for dear life.
"What the…"
For a long moment, Malik just stared.
The blond giant rocketed away, in what seemed to be civilian clothes, vanishing over the nearby building with the kid latched on in tow.
Malik blinked once, twice.
"…Okay," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I should've gone home, I'm obviously studying too hard, add in all my training and gym time....yeah I must be exhausted."
Shaking his head, he kept walking toward the convenience store, the sound of the vending machines faintly audible as the sunset deepened into orange-gold.
-----
All Might landed heavily on a rooftop, coughing violently. The scrawny kid, green hair sticking up in every direction, stumbled to his knees, eyes wide with awe.
"You....you're!"
"Yes, young man!" All Might began, then wheezed mid-sentence. Steam poured from his body as he shrank down into his frail, thin form.
Izuku Midoriya's jaw dropped.
And thus began the conversation that would shake his world.
------
Meanwhile, in a back alley of Musutafu, a faint gurgling sound echoed. Two soda bottles rolled to a stop, bubbling green liquid sloshing inside.
Crack.
The plastic bulged.
Splurch!
The cap burst open and the Sludge Villain oozed free, dripping onto the pavement with a grotesque grin.
"Finally…" the creature hissed. "Free again… now… where is a good host…"
Then his single eye widened as he felt it, the pulsing energy of a strong, volatile Quirk nearby.
He slithered through the alleys until his gaze landed on a group of teens walking down a main street. Among them is Katsuki Bakugo.
The boy's hands sparked and popped with fiery explosions, his grin sharp and fearless.
The villain's grin widened. "Perfect."
Before anyone could react, the sludge surged forward, enveloping Bakugo in a torrent of ooze.
"WHAT THE HELL—?! GET OFF ME!" Bakugo screamed, detonations bursting from his palms, scorching the walls around him. Flames erupted, smoke billowed, and civilians scattered.
The villain cackled, voice muffled through sludge. "Such raw power.... perfect!"
The ground shook with the force of the explosions.
------
A few blocks away, Malik had just stepped out of the store, sipping a cold drink and munching on a steaming bean bun when the first explosion tore through the air.
BOOOOOOM!
The shockwave rattled the windows. The sound was deep, violent, not a training explosion or a controlled one from a demolision site.
Malik froze mid-bite, the air rippling faintly around his palms as his instincts flared.
People turned, gasping. Sirens began wailing in the distance.
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing.
"…That's not a firecracker."
He crushed the empty can lightly in one hand, tossed it in the bin, and glanced in the direction of the smoke plume rising into the sky.
A slow smirk spread across his face.
"Guess my day's not over yet."
He clicked his heels together. The soles of his sneakers slid back with a soft whirr, revealing the pale shimmering pads on his feet.
The air pressure around him shifted, faint ripples forming under his shoes.
He crouched slightly, adjusting his weight.
"Let's see what's up," he murmured.
Then.... BOOM!
The air beneath him burst as his Repulsion Pads fired, launching him upward like a cannon. Wind whipped through his hair, his hoodie flaring as he soared into the sky.
Higher.
Faster.
Each kick propelled him again... boom... boom... boom!
Below, the city lights blurred. Ahead, black smoke twisted upward.
And Malik, grinning through the rushing wind, whispered to himself:
"Time to see what kind of chaos is ruining the afternoon vibe."