The laughter in the classroom had reached a deafening pitch, and I could barely keep myself composed. Kacchan—Princess Explosia—was sitting in his seat, face buried in his hands, the wings on his back trembling like they were about to fly off in fury.

I figured it was time to let him off the hook—mostly because if I didn't, Kacchan might actually detonate something.

Taking a deep breath, I focused on the mark on my hand, and with a mental flick of a switch, I released the transformation.

The glittering pink glow around Kacchan faded, the tutu, wings, and wand dissolving into sparkles that drifted away like a bad memory. In seconds, he was back to his usual self, his school uniform rumpled, but otherwise intact.

The class stared, slack-jawed, as if someone had just turned water into wine in front of them.

"Wha—what just happened?" one of the braver students whispered.

Kacchan stood, cracking his knuckles, and the room collectively flinched.

"Alright, listen up, you bunch of extras," he snarled, his usual bite back in his voice. "Nobody saw anything, got it? You didn't see me. You didn't see Deku. You didn't see shit. If I hear one word about this, I'll blow you all to hell."

The class instantly nodded in unison, muttering hurried agreements.

Then Kacchan turned to me, his glare more annoyed than murderous this time. "Deku, you better fix this mess, or I swear I'll—"

"Already fixed," I said, cutting him off with a smirk. "You're welcome, by the way."

Kacchan grumbled something under his breath but didn't argue further.

And then, to everyone's shock—including my own—he turned back to the class, crossing his arms. "And anyone who wants to keep laughing at him better shut the hell up too. You're all just a bunch of useless nobodies who don't have a clue what you're talking about. So zip it."

The room went dead silent.

I blinked, genuinely taken aback. Did Kacchan just... defend me? What alternate universe was this?

"Uh... thanks?" I said, my voice laced with confusion.

Kacchan shot me a glare. "Don't thank me, nerd. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this because I don't want any of these idiots talking about me. Got it?"

"Sure," I said, unable to suppress a grin. "Whatever you say, Princess."

His eye twitched, but he didn't lunge at me like he usually would. Progress.

The teacher, clearly desperate to regain some semblance of control over the class, clapped their hands loudly. "Alright, that's enough! Bakugo, Midoriya, sit down. Everyone else, stop gawking and let's get back to the topic."

Reluctantly, everyone settled back into their seats, though I could feel their lingering stares burning into the back of my head.

As the lesson resumed, I glanced at Kacchan from the corner of my eye. He was sitting stiffly, his hands clenched into fists on his desk, but he wasn't glaring at me. In fact, he looked... resigned.

For the first time, I realized that Kacchan understood exactly what kind of mess he was in. He wasn't just annoyed or angry—he was trapped, just like me.

And honestly? That was the best thing I'd seen all day.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Most of the class bolted for the door, no doubt eager to escape whatever strange reality they'd just witnessed. I was packing my things, hoping to slip out unnoticed, when I felt a firm hand grab my arm.

"Deku," Kacchan growled through clenched teeth.

I froze.

Oh no. Here we go.

Before I could protest or even figure out what was happening, he was dragging me out of the classroom like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey! Kacchan! Let go! What are you—"

"Shut up," he snapped, yanking me down the hallway. "We're talking. Now."

I barely managed to keep up as he hauled me toward the back of the school, eventually stopping in the empty courtyard by the gym. He let go of my arm and turned to face me, arms crossed and his expression serious—serious enough that I knew he wasn't about to just blow me up and call it a day.

Still, I kept my distance. Just in case.

"What's this about?" I asked, rubbing my arm where his grip had been.

Kacchan sighed, running a hand through his hair, clearly trying to figure out how to start. It was weird seeing him like this—less "angry explosion gremlin," more... human.

"Look," he said finally, his voice quieter than usual. "I'm not happy about this. About any of this."

"Join the club," I muttered under my breath.

He ignored me, continuing, "But if we're stuck with this stupid magical girl crap, then we're gonna do it right. Got it?"

I blinked, completely thrown. "Wait, what? What do you mean 'do it right'?"

Kacchan's eyes narrowed. "UA, Deku. I'm going to UA. And if I'm stuck with you, then you're coming too."

I stared at him like he'd just announced he was running for president. "You... want me to go to UA with you?"

"Don't make me repeat myself," he growled. "If we're gonna have these stupid powers, we might as well use them to crush everyone else. You're weak, Deku, but with that stupid mark of yours, you're stronger now. So stop being useless and keep up."

I couldn't help but laugh—partly because this whole situation was absurd, and partly because Kacchan was basically admitting he needed me. Sort of. In his own, roundabout, aggressive way.

"Wow, Kacchan," I said, grinning. "I didn't know you cared."

He glared at me, his hands sparking. "Don't push it, nerd."

"Alright, alright," I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. "So, what's your plan? We team up, kick some butt, and get into UA together?"

"Exactly," he said, his voice full of determination. "You're not backing out of this, Deku. I don't care how scared or pathetic you are. We're going to be the best, and I'm not letting you drag me down."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I won't just use my powers to make your life miserable?"

"Because," he said, smirking now, "if you do, I'll make sure your life is even worse."

Ah, there it was—the classic Kacchan threat. Comforting, in a way.

"Fine," I said, shrugging. "But don't blame me if you end up in another tutu."

His smirk faltered, and for a moment, I thought he might actually strangle me. But instead, he turned and started walking away.

"Be ready, Deku," he said over his shoulder. "We're starting tomorrow. No excuses."

I watched him go, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me. Was this really happening? Were Kacchan and I... teaming up?