"Don't go," Guy said, tilting her head slightly, voice stubborn but trembling.
Ryuuto folded his arms. "Then give me one good reason."
"Then you give me one first!"
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "We just talked about this, didn't we? Fine. If you're sure you can control your powers perfectly, I'll leave right now. But if you can't—then you're coming with me. Just imagine… what happens if your ability goes haywire in the middle of a crowded street?"
"I can control it," she shot back.
"Then prove it. Let's run a little test."
"What kind of test?"
Ryuuto didn't answer. Instead, he vanished from where he stood and reappeared beside her—his hand halfway raised as if to pull her close.
"Wha—?!" Guy yelped, instinctively activating her power.
Her body sank straight into the sofa, like quicksand was dragging her under.
Ryuuto crossed his arms. "See? That's what I mean. When a Mutant can't regulate their ability, even mild panic or embarrassment can trigger it. Classic loss of control. Now, try to deactivate it. If you can't… you're coming with me."
"Then back off!" she cried, voice shaking.
He raised a brow. "What'll you do if that happens in public? At a party? Or worse—on a date? You'd phase through the floor mid-hug. Not a great look."
"I— I— wait, I'm sinking again—!"
Before she could finish, her body phased straight through the floor with a muffled scream.
Ryuuto blinked. "…And down she goes."
He ran down the stairs, kicked open the basement door—only to find her standing there, drenched, red-faced, and smelling faintly of alcohol.
"Please tell me you didn't just fall into a wine barrel."
Sniffling, she wiped her tears. "I did… hic…"
Ryuuto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, be grateful it wasn't the toilet. Would've been a different kind of tragedy."
"Ryuuto!"
"Fine, fine, come on. Let's get you upstairs. It's freezing down here."
Once they were back in the living room, Guy darted off to take a quick shower.
A few minutes later, she reappeared in a soft white dress and sat beside him again—this time keeping her distance.
"Actually," she muttered, "my parents wanted me to go to the Mutant school. I overheard them saying it might 'cure' me. Like I'm some kind of mistake. So yeah… I hated the idea."
Ryuuto looked at her, expression softening. "You're not a mistake. You're just a little out of tune with your gift. Happens to everyone."
She hesitated. "If I do go, I'm not sure I'll fit in."
"With me around? You'll survive," he said, smirking. "I already graduated, so I can be your teacher."
Her eyes widened. "You? My teacher? How old are you?"
"Eighteen. Why?"
"You're only two years older than me!"
"Wisdom isn't measured by age," Ryuuto said, pressing his palms together. "It's measured by—"
He blurred, chakra pulsing faintly—and when he spoke again, her voice came out of his mouth.
Guy froze. Sitting across from her was… herself.
"What the—?!"
She lost focus for a split second—her legs began to phase through the floor again.
"See?" Ryuuto smirked, shifting back into his usual self. "Still unstable. But you'll get there."
"You can—turn into me?"
"I can mimic anyone I've seen," he said. "And that's just one trick."
He lifted a hand—chakra spiraled into a glowing blue sphere.
"Rasengan."
The energy whirled like a contained storm. He pressed it gently toward the coffee table—
CRACK!
The table shattered into splinters.
"If I hit someone with this," he said calmly, "their bones would turn to dust. Provided they don't phase through it first."
Guy's eyes sparkled. "That's… amazing!"
He grinned. "Glad you think so."
Ryuuto wove a quick seal and floated off the floor, his body weightless. "Earth Style: Light-Weight Boulder Technique."
"Whoa!" Guy gasped. Then—she started floating too.
Ryuuto snapped his fingers. "See? You just needed a little lift."
"Waaah! I'm flying!" Guy spun in midair, laughing, kicking her feet like she was swimming. Then—bonk!—her head hit the ceiling.
Ryuuto winced. "...Gravity's still a thing, you know."
But seeing her laugh—really laugh for the first time—made him smile.
The defensive girl who had glared at him minutes ago now looked like sunlight in motion.
Maybe, he thought, this is what saving someone actually feels like.
He slowly lowered them both, deactivating the jutsu. Guy bounced lightly onto the couch, giggling as the cushions squeaked beneath her.
"What kind of skills do you not have?" she asked, eyes wide.
"As many as there are stars in the sky," he said dramatically.
"Liar!"
"Join the X-Men," he countered, "and you'll see more than a few."
"X-Men?" she repeated.
"They're what comes next. Mutants who've mastered themselves—protectors of their kind. The real deal. But it's not easy. You'll be facing a world that doesn't want you."
Guy looked uncertain… then whispered, "Would you still be my teacher?"
"Yeah."
"And… show me more miracles?"
Ryuuto smiled. "Definitely."
"Then I'll join!"
Overwhelmed with excitement, she jumped—right through him.
He stared blankly at the space she phased through. "...Okay, lesson one: solidify before hugging."
"Sorry! I'll control it next time!" she said, flustered.
"Your ability's unique," Ryuuto said. "You can phase through anything—living or not. From now on, your codename will be… Shadowcat."
Her eyes lit up. "Shadowcat… I like it!"
"Then wear it proudly," he said.
She nodded, then, with a shy grin, added, "Can I… try hugging you again?"
Ryuuto hesitated—then opened his arms.
This time, she didn't phase through him.
The hug was soft. Warm. Not romantic, not flirty—just human.
A rare kind of trust.
[Ding! Mission complete!]
[Reward: Orochimaru Data Pack acquired! Use now?]
Ryuuto froze.
"…Orochimaru? Are you kidding me?!"