Forest Time

His only job was to forage for things they could cook for the fall festival. There was plenty to take from in this forest, and they knew this forest so well already; like the backs of their hands. They had Kimura, Okano, Izuku, Itona, & Okajima on foraging duty, with a list from korosensei & the other cooks, what to find, how to find them, how many to bring… 

Okano & Kimura were heading back down the mountain to the restaurant, as were Itona & Okajima—they had all filled up their packs. Izuku would soon follow after them, but a patch of one of the ingredients had caught his eye. 

"I'll be- brr- be there ss-soon!" he called after Itona—his friend gave a thumbs up and sped off after the others. He had reconnaissance to do after this; the plan was to trade off but they were almost out of ingredients and the second day had only just started.

Izuku nodded to himself, turning toward the area he thought he saw some acorns. Then he froze.

A boy—hand against the tree while the other held a handful of acorns. He had a small beak and pink hair—no, tentacles. They looked like dreadlocks, tied into a ponytail, almost. Golden eyes shifted from the acorns to the green haired teen, large and curious, but full of so much tension. It was paralyzing.

It wasn't the boy's physical appearance that shocked him, however. It was just the fact he was there … and he seemed so familiar, he wondered why? Izuku's mouth ran dry, but he still didn't know why. A hard swallow.

"Are… c-can I he-elp you?" he muttered aloud, uncertain.

The boy shifted the acorns in his palm. Silent—Izuku couldn't read the mood. Tense, yet… passive? Confident? What was happening? The boy was hesitating.

Izuku took a step forward, his hand discreetly moving toward his phone in his back pocket. Just in case. "If- if you're lost, I-I can help y-you get- um, get to-t-to the um, the store?" 

Store? No, he meant restaurant—ah whatever. The boy didn't make any sign of moving—until he cocked his head back. 

"…You're… different than what I was told," the boy spoke slowly, an eyebrow raising. "In… a good way, I mean."

"Huh?" Izuku tilted his head, confused. His hand lowered from his phone. 

The boy shook his head, a smile moving through his beak. Strange. "It's not time yet. I'm sorry. Please remember me when it's time, Midoriya-san."

His blood ran cold—he knew his name? Something inside the boy creaked dangerously, lips drying out and tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. Instantly, his body got hot and embarrassed with unnerved energy. "How- how d'you know—"

Before he could finish, the other tossed him the acorns—which Izuku clumsily caught after giving a surprised yelp. He glanced up again—the boy fled behind the giant tree—

"Hey- wait—!" The assassin-in-training shouted, dropping the acorns into his bag hastily before running after the strange kid, sliding to turn around the tree and— 

Nothing.

Empty space. 

Izuku swallowed, eyes wide and a new layer of fear settled onto him. Swelling in his chest, tightening up his lungs and stomach. He wanted to throw up suddenly—there was a sense of paranoia that wrapped around his throat. He was being watched, wasn't he? This feeling—he hadn't felt it since—

He swallowed again, and took a few steps back. A deep breath in just to try and calm himself before kneeling down to pick up the other acorns into his bag. It was quick and sloppy, but he didn't care anymore—he slung the bag over his shoulder, took another paranoid glance around the area—and ran back to the school yard.

---

"Midori! Where've you been?"

"Ahh, um, got- er- um- well- dis-tra- um- uhhh…"

"Distracted? Oh I see! What was it? A pretty flower? Oh, was it a cute beetle!"

"Um… um- yeah! Yeah…"

"Izukun, you okay? You're looking a little pale there."

"I-I'm ff-fuh- fine! Jus'- ran the- um, way d-down, I'm he- uh, windy."

"Ah, I see. Well take a rest for now. We have enough ingredients to last us a few hours again. We'll go back to rotations in an hour."

"O-oh, m'kay, tha-thanks!"