Before Nikita knew it, the school day was over and she had missed every possible chance to talk to Shoto. Shoto's team was the only other team to finish their trial in record time, he froze the entire building in one go with his quirk and was able to walk up to the missile with no interference from his opponents. The longest and most intense battle was between Uraraka and her partner a cute somewhat fanboy-ish boy with dark green hair and green eyes by the name of Izuku Midoriya against Iida and his hot-tempered partner, a boy with pale hair and bright red eyes by the name of Katsuki Bakugo who took his role as villain way too far.

Nikita bid farewell to her new friends and slowly made her way down to the foot lockers to get her shoes so she could walk home. As she walked she mentally scolded herself for missing every opportunity to try to talk to Shoto. His father had made her family leave so suddenly she didn't even get to say goodbye. What did he think of her?

Her heart stuttered in her chest as she spotted a familiar head of two toned hair waiting by the foot lockers. Was he waiting for her? A small smile wormed onto her lips as she thought of how she used to greet him as a child and a mischievous thought crossed her mind as she sprinted toward him.

"Sho-chan!" She dove at him and giggled as he struggled to catch her and keep them both upright.

"Ah! Niko!" He struggled to hold her up as she turned to dead weight trying to smother him.

Her heart sung, he'd called her by the special name he'd given her when they were children. "You remember me!" She grinned as she headbutted him and rubbed her face against his with a giggle.

Shoto managed to disentangle himself from her and take a step away to distance himself from the spastic girl, "You're a little hard to forget." He pointed trying to sound cool and indifferent but there was a small smile threatening to reveal itself. "You haven't changed a bit." He was as stoic and reserved as always, but there was something colder about his personality now.

Nikita smiled somberly at this, "That's not true. I've changed quite a bit." Her golden gaze fell on the scar adorning the left side of his face, "You have too."

There was something morose about him now, she knew his father was awful but his mother had always tried to stand up for him and loved him dearly, she'd taken comfort in that thinking he'd be alright since he had a loving mother to balance out the terribleness of his father. "You're right. Did you and your parents move back?"

Nikita's heart wrenched at the mention of her parents. He didn't know! She knew Endeavor was made aware, there were several of her parents' old associates who worked under Endeavor at the funeral the day before, though Endeavor didn't think to show his face to pay respects to the people he once called comrades. If she thought him capable of remorse she'd have thought it was because he had a guilty conscience for casting them out and forcing them away, and possibly sending them to their deaths. It was his agency that had called them away, they weren't even affiliated with him anymore, he'd cut all ties with them to keep her away from his son. "...Just me..."

Shoto noticed the usually bright bubbly girl's hesitation and sudden change in mood. Something was wrong. "Are you headed to the station?" He asked in an attempt to offer to walk with her to try and figure out why her mood had suddenly declined, why there was so much sorrow and heartache in her cat like golden eyes.

"No. I'm just on the other side of the city, and I like walking." Nikita had always hated travel, she hated being confined in small moving spaces like cars, busses and trains.

"I'll walk you." Shoto offered as she swapped her shoes for her street shoes and put her school slippers in her locker.

Nikita accepted his offer with a nod and they fell in step with one another as they left the school. Their movements in sync, like always. When Shoto had first started practicing with his ice quirk, Nikita learned to access the snow leopard's abilities making her impervious to his ice, she could maintain a foothold and avoid any damage to her skin. They'd always worked flawlessly together, always in sync. If his father didn't think her quirk was such a lowly unworthy quirk, he'd probably have commended them on their synchronization and teamwork.

"What happened?" She asked him after a few blocks.

Shoto was quiet for a moment, "My mother couldn't bear to look at my left side anymore because it reminded her too much of my father. She threw boiling water in my face." Though he'd said it was his mother's doing Nikita sensed no resentment directed at her in his words. He blamed his father.

"Where is she now?" Nikita pondered.

"A hospital." He felt her gaze on him and turned to her grateful she didn't look at him with pity, but understanding, as always. Even though they were just children, he'd always been able to talk to her, about anything. "Why weren't you in class yesterday?"

"I was at my parents' funeral."

Shoto faltered at this. "They're-?"

Nikita nodded and continued on her way without breaking stride only to pause as she felt his hand drop onto her shoulder giving it a reassuring squeeze. Her heart swelled at his attempt to comfort her but it was still heavy with grief.

"I'm sorry."

She turned into him and threw her arms around him. He didn't push her away as he had done so before when she'd try to cling to him. Instead he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back.

Once they broke apart, they continued in silence, passing the library Nikita had seen earlier in the morning as the sun began to set casting an orange glow over the city. All the pristine white city buildings took on an orange tinge, looking almost like a burning empire. It gave Nikita an ominous feeling that something was coming. Shoto had never been extremely social or talkative and after the bubbly girl that had pulled him out of his shell had disappeared from his life without a word, he'd become even more withdrawn.

"I still intend to keep my promise." Nikita smiled softly as she thought back on one of their many playdates. Endeavor and her parents were away on rescue mission after a natural disaster, and she'd broken into the Todoroki compound to catch the tail end of one of Shoto's many training sessions with a trusted instructor who, on his father's orders, never held back. After noticing Shoto was more suited to long ranged attacks, Nikita promised to be his shield in close combat as her quirk was more suited to close range combat.

The faintest trace of a smile crossed his lips as he remembered the day. His instructor had knocked him down with a heavy blow and had made a move to attack while he was down. Nikita had appeared shaking with rage, her body had shifted and changed into a monstrous saber tooth tiger, it was a full body transformation and had frightened his instructor enough that the man had ran away screaming like a girl. "Pretty sure you gave that man a heart attack." Once she'd returned to her original form she promised to be his shield while he yelled at her to put clothes on as her transformation had completely destroyed her clothes.

"He deserved it." Nikita giggled, "He shouldn't have been bullying a child."

"Can you control it now?" Shoto asked her curiously as they left the nicer bustling part of the city and made it to the poorer section of the city where the apartments and houses were run down and in need of repair. "What did your mom used to call it? Beast Mode?"

Nikita laughed at this, "A lot better than before but it still takes a lot out of me. I think Beast Mode is fitting." She paused once they reached her apartment building. "This is me."

Shoto looked to the rickety building but made no comment on its shambling appearance. "See you tomorrow. Goodnight, Niko."

Her heart fluttered at this, "Good night, Sho-chan." She waved farewell as he headed back. The Todoroki compound was in the rich part of the city, a fancy estate fit for a King.

Nikita watched him walk away feeling almost giddy, happy that they'd been able to reconnect, that he remembered her and that despite his damaging past was able to smile in her presence even if it was the smallest trace of a smile. As she turned to head to her apartment the mouthwatering aroma of smoked salmon, seared tuna and grilled shrimp wafted toward her. There was a small gathering of outdoor grills a little way away from the apartment building next to a small picnic area. There were a few people sitting at the wooden picnic tables while a young man who appeared to be in his twenties tended to the grills.

Her stomach growled and she began to salivate at the delectable smell of seafood attacking her senses. She didn't have any groceries save for the snacks and muffins in her apartment from the other tenants. A soft whine escaped her as she thought of eating a tasty tuna steak. Checking her wallet, she groaned as she realized she barely had enough to afford anything more than canned tuna, until the finances were squared away with her parents' lawyers she didn't have access to any of the funds they'd left for her. They'd said it wouldn't take long, that it shouldn't be more than a week.

As she made her way toward the stairs, a voice called out to her, "Hey kid! Come get some dinner!"

She looked around curiously trying to see if there was anyone else they could be addressing before looking to the young man standing at the grill. Pointing to herself with a questioning look, he laughed and motioned her to come over.

Nikita timidly crossed the overgrown lawn. She bowed politely in greeting once she'd reached the small picnic area, "Thank you all for the card and the welcome basket."

"Awh! Isn't she just the cutest little thing!" A girl who appeared to be a university student with long lavender hair and bright blue eyes squealed "I cannot handle it, look at those cute little tiger ears. I just want to squeeze her!" She attempted to scramble off her bench to tackle the teen but was held back by a young man who also appeared to be a university student, he had dark hair and obsidian eyes, they held no iris or sclera, his entire eye was black giving him a demonic appearance.

"Lav, you'll scare her away." He grumbled as he kept the girl in place before nodding his head to the wary teen. "I'm Craven, this idiot is Lavender, and chef loudmouth over there is Trent." He pointed to the man behind the grill who had a face full of freckles, unruly ginger hair and bright green eyes.

"It's nice to meet you all. I'm Nikita Nida, thanks for taking care of me." She bowed again.

"Must squeeze her!" Lavender attempted to break from Craven's hold to no avail, though he didn't look it, as he was tall lanky and scrawny, he was really strong. Nikita thought back to the card they'd left her and put the names to their apartment numbers. Craven was her next-door neighbor in apartment 11, Lavender was in apartment 8 and Trent was in apartment 10.

"Have a seat, and unless you want squeezed to death, I suggest sitting over here." Craven pat the bench beside him.

Nikita folded herself onto the bench next to Craven feeling somewhat awkward. "T-Thank you."

"Was that cute boy with the fun hair, your boyfriend?" Lavender asked with a big grin that grew wider as the teen's cheeks flushed crimson.

"Ah, n-no we're just friends."

"Too cute! Must squeeze!" She attempted to glomp the teen not caring if she glomped Craven in the process.

Craven deflected her with ease before turning to the raven-haired teen with the cute little fluffy tiger ears poking up out of her unruly mop of hair. "UA, huh? That's pretty impressive, what class are you in, general studies, support or business?"

Like most people who saw the physical appearance of her quirk, he assumed it wasn't a strong quirk. Nikita shook her head. "Hero class."

"Really?" Trent looked up from the grill, "Ah! Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so shocked it's just you're so petite and cute and not very threatening."

"Rude!" Lavender growled at both of them before slapping Craven's black jacket with her left hand. Nikita stared in awe as the jacket suddenly turned to a bright unflatteringly uncharacteristic shade of blinding pink.

"Lavender!" Craven snarled, "Turn it back!"

"Only if you two apologize to the cute little kitten...and let me squeeze her."

"You're not squeezing her." Craven rolled his eyes before bowing his head politely to the teen, "Sorry I didn't mean to assume or cause any offense."

"Yeah. Sorry." Trent echoed.

"It's okay." Nikita smiled. They were an odd bunch but she could tell they all meant well.

Lavender reluctantly tapped Craven's jacket with her right hand causing it to return to normal. She threw a wink at the cat like girl, "My quirk isn't useful enough to do anything heroic, but I do plan to use it to save Fashion...or Interior Design!" She cried dramatically.

"Glad you got it all figured out." Craven rolled his eyes at her before turning back to the teen, "Are you settling in okay?"

"I think I'll be alright. I still need to finish unpacking, but so far so good."

"If you want help decorating, give me a yell, I'll come running!" Lavender grinned before muttering under her breath, "And squeeze you."

"Make sure you clear it with Hana, last time you made some creative design choices, she was less than thrilled." Trent chuckled as he piled the finished meat onto a plate and made his way to the table.

"That's because she made the entire apartment building a horrifying lime green color and it caused a car accident." Craven snickered.

"That crazy old bat just doesn't understand my art." Lavender sighed.

"Who are you calling a crazy old bat?!" Nikita almost jumped as Hana poked her head out the window of Apartment One to yell at Lavender, her amber eyes fell on the cat like girl and she hurriedly scrambled out of her apartment "Oh! Nikita! How was your first day of school? Were the other kids nice to you? Do I need to call any of their parents?" She rambled on as she got to the table causing Trent and Craven to laugh.

"She got a boyfriend." Lavender teased her causing her cheeks to flush scarlet.

"What?!" Hana gasped, "Is he cute?" She turned to Lavender.

"Super cute." Lavender grinned as Nikita buried her face in her hands before slinking under the table to hide. "AH! MUST SQUEEZE! SO CUTE! LET ME AT HER!" Craven once again deflected the loon with ease.

"He's not my boyfriend." Nikita whined. "We're just friends."

"She likes him." Hana surmised.

"Most definitely." Everyone agreed simultaneously.

After much more humiliation at Nikita's expense, they all sat down to eat. The food Trent had prepared was as delicious as she had imagined. They ate together and talked and laughed until the sun had gone down and the sky became blanketed with stars. Once it started to get late everyone shooed the cat like girl off to bed telling her she needed to get rest so her studies wouldn't suffer. It seemed she had gained a strange new family.

Video- "Skydiving" By LIGHTS