Connections 2

Star Skyline sat next to a quiet Shoto, who was texting Momo as the doctor spoke to her.

Endeavor had gotten restless in the waiting room, and had started patrolling around the building, looking for an excuse to keep moving. Anxiously fiddling with her long hair, she cautiously answered the doctor's questions.

"Er, I never got my quirk tested for privacy reasons. Like here, the records are available to the public, and reporters in America are very nosy. My parents said they were trying to keep me safe." She explained, trying not to listen to conclusions the specialist was coming to in his mind.

The older man nodded, writing on his clipboard. "Last question. Are you under the effects of any quirk dampeners or amplifiers?"

Shoto looked up from his phone to shoot her a look, and she rolled her eyes at the 'I told you so' in his head. Shoto had been very clear they were not stopping for drinks, even after she tried conning both him and his father into it.

She had almost gotten his father by announcing she had never tried sake before as they passed a stand, playing into the man's love of traditional things. Shoto had stepped in like the level-headed man he is though, pulling the small cup out of her hands and drinking it himself. After the specialist's words, it looked like she couldn't threaten to complain about it to Momo afterall. Darn.

"No."

"Perfect, we can begin."

The specialist started prepping a needle, and Star stiffened. She already had trouble around needles after her capture, when they had injected a quirk amplifier into her system over and over.

She rubbed her arm subconsciously where the puncture wound from the night of Sports Festival had been. While she didn't know what caused it, she still felt uneasy looking at the specialist in front of her.

Observant as ever, Todoroki didn't even glance up from the text he was sending Momo when he asked, "Is there another way to test the quirk?"

"I'm afraid not, unless you want to wait a few weeks for another specialist with a different quirk. I was able to fit you in today as a favor to Sir Nighteye, otherwise you would have to wait for an appointment."

Star took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut. "Fine, do it quickly please."

When she felt it, she made the mistake of opening her eyes in surprise.

=She groggily opened her eyes as she felt pressure at the crook of her elbow. Her body felt heavy, like when your entire leg falls asleep and your brain forgets how to move it. It was hazy, like a dream when she stared into his grinning blushing face, =

"Olivia?"

=she realized the man was on top of her, pinning her wrist to the ground with one hand while his other hand held something to her arm. =

"Hey."

Something cold was on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to see the white office. The specialist was looking at her in surprise, and Todoroki had his hand on her shoulder. Breathing in deeply, she frowned at his thoughts.

"I didn't know I was projecting, I wasn't even trying to... Sorry."

The specialist nodded, "I am quite used to it dear, don't worry. Especially with children."

She felt Shoto's amusement at the man's implication, and she huffed, brushing his hand off her shoulder.

"I'm not a child…" She grumbled sourly, too quiet for the doctor to hear.

"Is this your husband?"

Shoto raised his eyebrow, and Star's own eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Oh, no, he's a friend. Why?"

"Well, I'm unable to disclose your quirk to non-family members, due to it being your personal medical information." The specialist explained, giving Shoto a look out of the corner of his eye.

Shoto shrugged, "I'll bring my old man up while you finish here."

She nodded, but felt anxious as he left.

"Are you ready, Miss Skyline?" The specialist asked.

Her text tone went off, and her phone screen lit up to show that Native sent her a location with a message. She frowned, wondering if he had covered up the incident at the party or something and wanted to meet at her favorite smoothie place to tell her. That was the best guess she had. "Miss Skyline?"

"Oh! Sorry, yes! I'm ready." She replied, embarrassed. Putting her phone back into her pocket, she gave the specialist her full attention.

"Your quirk is called 'Connection'. You are able to form connections with minds, creating an open channel."

Star looked at the man, her own brain freezing at the information. "But, I'm a mind reader."

"Indeed. As I said, it is an open channel. The more familiar the mind, the stronger the connection. Information can pass both ways. Usually as children we develop resistances that protect us from the effects of our own quirk. Like how your friend's father is fireproof."

It didn't surprise Star that the specialist mentioned Endeavor. The man had mentally recognized Todoroki the second they walked through the door. Apparently, he's a big Endeavor fan.

"From what Sir Nighteye mentioned about what you told him, it seems like you also used to have these as well."

"Er, I'm sorry, used to?" Was she damaged? Could she still be a hero when she wasn't even protected from her own quirk?

The specialist looked at her disapprovingly. "Frequent users of a drug called 'Trigger' often have their quirk grow faster than their resistance can keep up with."

Her eyes narrowed at what he was insinuating, and she suddenly wished Katsuki was here to yell at him for her.

"Your body used to protect itself by activating the quirk through touch, allowing you to choose the connections, as well as choose what was sent through the connection. Though, it seems your own mind was altered or suppressed pretty severely, perhaps by another mental quirk, and ended up affecting your quirk as well. Well, the part of your quirk connected to your brain, that is. Probably why you hadn't ever experienced sending your own information through the connection."

"What quirk could do that?" She frowned, fiddling with her hair anxiously.

She jumped when her phone went off, on edge. It was a text from Hawks, asking where she was. Confused, she typed 'at my appointment with Todoroki still, why?' and hit send.

The specialist shrugged, beginning the process of registering her quirk in the computer. "I don't know. A pretty strong one, if it was able to last 20 years. Probably used quite a few times. If not for your drug use, your quirk might have never broken through it."

Star huffed angrily, "I don't use d-"

Suddenly, the lights flickered as the building started shaking. Star opened the blinds behind her and looked out the window in alarm to see smoke and fire filling the sky, along with winged creatures.

She didn't get a chance to look closer though, moving in alarm as the floor started crumbling beneath them. She lunged to try and cover the specialist, but the floor collapsed, the ceiling caving in as they fell.

Star hit the ground hard on her back, knocking the breath out of her body. As she tried to breath in, debris rained down on her. She blindly turned her head, raising her arm to protect her face as she kept her eyes closed from the raining drywall and glass.

It was over as quickly as it started.

Star let out a groan as her bruised body ached. She felt something wet by her face, and realized she could only hear her own thoughts. Opening her eyes, she let out a piercing scream.

Staring back at her, were the lifeless eyes of the specialist.