『ARC THREE: AGENCIES AND CRYSTALS』

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By the time that Akihiko and Teshigahara were drawing close to his home, the skies had been overridden by the darkened and heavy billows that slowly came together throughout the day. The glare of the setting sun was veiled by the clouds. The soft pitter-patter of droplets raining down from above fell around the two. Puddles began to form in bunches wherever they could as the evening was assaulted by a drizzle. Ripples danced across the surface of the puddles.

The streets that lead to his home were mostly empty except for the occasional car running down the asphalt. The raindrops clinked against the amethyst that created Akihiko's hair. The drops would slip off the jagged surface, washing off the polish that he had applied early in the morning. A soft frown graced the teenager's lips as he realized this. It was not the worst thing in the world though.

He was lucky and unlucky that his Quirk transformed his hair into amethyst. Only some crystals could be placed safely in the wet hands of water, saltwater especially. It could literally come out to a mineral living or dying in some cases. Some gemstones could lose their luster, others could rust, and depending on how hard they are, many could indeed dissolve if they were submerged in water. He was grateful that amethyst was safe from any of those things. Nonetheless, he still needed to polish because if he did not, he could accidentally cut himself on a sharp edge.

Once the sight of his home came into view, Akihiko could not ignore the sharp glow of purple emitted on the porch. Sitting on the white wooden railing was Tanami, lazily swinging her legs back and forth as her brown boots were splattered with droplets. She was not coated in a fresh layer of water like he and Teshigahara because the porch managed to shield most of her body.

Although the boy wished against it, periwinkle eyes that mirrored his own connected. Diamond irises stayed gazing at each other before he was the first to turn away. Since he was too far to notice, he missed the way a frown tugged at his sister's lips. It was not long before Akihiko and Teshigahara arrived at the doorstep. He ushered the woman inside, handing her the pet carrier he was carrying where Mocha laid. The woman did so with a chuff.

Taking in a deep breath, Akihiko forced his feet to take a series of steps. He was careful to not kick any of the pots with bonsai trees or iris' that Tomohiro loved to take care of. Suddenly he stood in front of his twin who had already jumped off the railing of the porch as the soles of her shoes rested on the ground with a soft thump. Her hands were stuffed into a dark purple windbreaker, the hood ruffling a few times from a short breeze that blew.

Even if this was his twin standing in front of him, he found a cold feeling of dread gnaw at him in his chest. He felt a dull pain assault his temples for a few seconds before it faded away. Tanami's eyes had narrowed briefly, violet lashes hiding specs of her periwinkle irises. Blinking once, she observed the way her brother positioned herself.

She sighed heavily. Condensed moisture in the form of white mist escaped her mouth. Was it really that cold out?

"I'm sorry," the words were laced with regret and spoken in an airy type of way.

Akihiko's fingers twitched beside his thigh. A prickling sensation attacked his skin. "Are you?"

Tanami shifted her feet, her eyes lowering to see how interesting the leather on her boots were. For a split second, Akihiko saw the spaz of the different arrays of purples flash across his sister's hair. He was about to say something else but the words died on the tip of his tongue from the sharp look sent his way.

She rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. "Don't... ugh- how do I say this?"

An irritated frown pulled at her lips while she swallowed heavily. Tanami raised both hands and curled her fingers once before bringing her fingertips together. The soft glow of lavender, white, and blue danced across her skin before it began to clash together. In an instant, the illuminance solidified to reveal two small figures on a platform. The similar lustrousness of amethyst, white sapphire, and aquamarine shone in her palm and the hues shifted inside the gemstones.

Averting her attention, the girl's shoulders tensed up as her pinkys thumped against the aquamarine base. Red dusted her cheeks and colored the tips of her ears in embarrassment as Tanami kept her attention away from her brother's stare.

"I-I'll admit that I overreacted. I got angry and I blurted out the first things that came to mind..." Tanami chuckled half-heartedly. "I do that a lot, don't I?"

Placing a hand on the railing, Tanami watched the raindrops collide into the puddles. The ripples danced across its surface in various motions and rhythms. She drew an arm out to feel the soft pitter-patter of the wet drops colliding with the top of her hand. "It's hard! I mean... you know it's hard! I know it was so long ago but it still pricks at the back of my mind!"

She twisted her hand so that the drops would cascade onto her palm and gather into a small pool. Her other arm rested flat on the rail so that her body would lean forward in order to gaze at the one or two cars that would occasionally run down the street. "You know there was a jewel heist today? Phantom Thief had to stop a robber who was stealing piles of painite. Yua and I were walking down the street when it happened. Had to stop her from interfering. I know it only counts as vigilantism when you use your Quirk and not the bo staff she borrowed from school but- you get the jest?"

Akihiko rested his elbows on the railing, a deep breath escaping him at the same time. The sounds of raindrops hitting the roof resonated within his ears. "I saw it being broadcasted after the robber was caught at a bunny cafe. I had a moment where I thought they were ours- could be ours. The ones from so long ago. I was on the verge of freaking out until someone caught my attention and tore it elsewhere."

"The remainder of our crystals could be anywhere, huh? In museums, jewelry shops, the black market, wherever the heck that one guy with yellow eyes wanted to buy us." Tanami muttered in a wistful tone.

"We both know that Dad could not have retrieved all of them," Akihiko responded, fingers grazing against the wood. "That would have been a miracle."

"Yeah, Dad couldn't have retrieved them all. Too many to look for and the gemstones we create are real. Not fakes." Her wet finger poked at the tiny statues made to replicate the two of them. A droplet transferred from her finger to the tiny figure of herself.

The boy blinked once, and then twice. His lips parted in surprise. Did his ears deceive him? Did he hear correctly? "Did you just say Dad?"

Tanami's hand stilled for a moment before it returned to caressing the tiny head of mini him. Her eyelids quivered.

"Did I?" she paused to ponder. Her eyes widened in realization before a smile graced her lips. "Guess I did. As you said, it's overdue. Wayyy overdue."

She pulled away from the railing and for once in this conversation, she looked him in the eye and held her arms out. "Now are you going to accept my apology or are we going to keep not talking? It's weird not talking to my brother."

Akihiko relented and draped his arms around his sister. Allowing his tensed muscles to relax, he slowly pulled away. The tips of his lips tugged down into a slight frown. Tanami's skin was cold. Not freezing but it felt cool against his clothes and skin. Although he could not see it, goosebumps littered the surface of his skin just from the touch. She was probably waiting in the rain for too long. Waiting for him to return.

"How long have you been out here? You could have called me? What if you caught a cold?"

"I thought you would let it ring," Tanami admitted in a sheepish tone. "And it's not like I get sick easily!"

The teenager groaned in frustration and shook his head. "Even if I was mad at you, I would still answer you. What would I lose by answering your phone call?"

"Okay, you have a point." The girl carefully picked up the small crystal statue. Her eyes flickered up questionably. "Do you accept my apology?"

"That depends, are you going to respect my decision?" Akihiko questioned while straightening himself. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Because we are just going to keep going back and forth between arguments if we do not settle this."

Tanami nodded quickly, the crystals framing her head colliding with her cheeks. A shine of conviction swirled in her irises as she gripped the platform of the gemstone figures. "I won't argue with you about it. I might still think differently but it's your life, your opinion, not mine. Maybe my thinking will line up with yours eventually but not now. I can't expect the two of us to be on the same page all the time. But I won't fight with you about it any longer."

Running a hand through his fiberglass bangs, Akihiko rolled his neck to release the tension stored in his muscles. Just as a large breath exited his lips, he felt the strain that was latched onto his nerves and joints leave like the frustration that boiled his blood. "I forgive you."

Once those three words exited his mouth, the girl's face was flushed with instant glee. Without a moment's notice, she leaped forth and assaulted him with another hug. The moment her hands came in contact with his back, Akihiko felt a shiver run down his spine. Even though his clothes he could feel how cold Tanami's skin was. He pressed a hand to her shoulder and pulled away.

"Okay, okay, enough of that," he said quietly. "You are freezing! We need to go inside before you do develop a cold."

The girl nodded, a grin spread across her lips as a chuckle escaped her. "Yeah, let's go inside!"

Her hand slipped in his own and dragged him inside their home. He was happy that they were finally able to talk again but a nagging sensation pricked at his skull for some reason. He chalked it up to the coldness emitted from his sister's hands and nothing more. It was raining quite harshly after all.

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Feeling the softness of his feet sinking into the carpet, Akihiko tugged off the damp jacket from his body. It nearly took off his shirt as well but it was not a big deal. He threw the jacket into the bin of dirty clothes in his closet before shutting the door. Picking up the end of his charger, he plugged it into his dead phone. It had run out of battery mid-shopping so he wanted to see if Tomohiro had called him or something.

As he gave the device a minute to turn on, the teenager freed the textbooks and folders from the bag he had taken to the agency with his homework. Which he did not do. Maybe he should have asked Kohei for an extension on the assignments at the agency?

Hearing the chime of his phone coming back to life, he swiped the screen with his thumb without looking. He did not realize that he swiped away a notification that said he had missing calls. When he did turn to the screen, he was met with the normal apps and no notifications at all. Just as he was about to place his phone on his bedside table, he felt the vibration tingle his fingertips.

Akihiko frowned as he pressed the message.

Junpei

I'm assuming you're up and about now

The teenager sat down on his bed and positioned both hands on his phone. His thumbs were poised above the keys as he stared at the message.

Akihiko

If I remember correctly, you are technically supposed to leave me alone until I return to Mizu. It is Saturday

The small dots on the side jumped as the other was typing down his next words. Akihiko was seriously wondering why he had not blocked this number.

Junpei

No one's going to find out. I won't tell and neither will you

Akihiko

What makes you so sure I will not report this?

Junpei

Because you want to know why exactly I keep bothering you, right, Yama?

His fingers clutched tightly against the sides of his phone as he bit down lightly on his tongue. He seriously, seriously wondered why he had not blocked Junpei and he was frustrated with himself because he knew why.

Akihiko

What do you want?

Junpei

Wanna find out?

Junpei shared his location.

The boy glared at his screen. His mind muddled over the extremely vague information placed in front of him. His fingers slipped from the device as it clattered softly against the surface of the bedside table. Pressing his fingertips together, Akihiko furrowed his eyebrows. The saliva in his throat felt thick.

All of a sudden, Akihiko stood up and picked a random jacket from his closet. The hanger swung back and forth from the force he used to pull it off. As he slipped his arms through the sleeves, he peeked through the curtains to look outside. Rain still descended from the puffy, grey billows that coated the sky. The droplets seemed to never end.

From what he recalled, Tanami and Yua had kidnapped Mocha for the time being. The moment Tanami had laid eyes on the bunny, she instantly declared that she was going to tie a ribbon for decoration which prompted Yua to complain. Apparently, the magenta-haired girl had been terribly confused as to why Mocha needed a ribbon. Teshigahara had left earlier once she confirmed with Kohei and Tomohiro that he arrived home safely.

His eyes shifted to the clock. 9:47 PM.

Tomohiro would arrive home at either midnight or four in the morning. Either one. There is no between. He took a look at his shut door. Akihiko swiped his phone off his desk and noticed that he had only seventeen percent. That should be enough, right?

He slid the curtains to the side and slowly undid the lock. Opening the window, Akihiko was met with droplets colliding with his face. He shut his eyelids for a moment before cracking them open. The teenager pressed the sole of his shoe on the window seal, hands grabbing the sides of the frame. With a grunt, he hauled himself out the window and crushed the blades of grass underneath him. He hastily shut the window but tried to be as quiet as he could be.

Akihiko tugged his hood on and tightened the strings. The less his hair was shown, the better. A bit of his fiberglass bangs showed but not enough for it to give off such a high glow. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly registered the rain showering on his face.

Was what he was about to do stupid? Absolutely. Was he trying to sneak out of his own home? Yes. Was he going to regret this? Without a doubt. Was he going to turn back around and go back inside? No.

Checking his phone once more, Akihiko confirmed where the address was. He was really, really going to regret this, is he not?

Twenty minutes trickled by slowly. The unrhythmic sound of the rain crashing into puddles was a sound that Akihiko was growing tired of hearing. The same pitter-patter assaulted his ears. Whether it be in puddles, the sidewalk, or the roofs, the same noise all the time. He walked at a slow pace, the sides of his shoes coated with a bit of mud.

Since it was fairly late and it was raining, many citizens were not occupying the streets. Occasionally a car would strum down the street, the headlights blinding him momentarily. Lucky for him, the shops in the area kept their lights on so he was not engulfed in total darkness. Still, the hairs on the back of his neck stood as a feeling of nervousness and uncertainty clawed at his spine. Why was he doing this again? At this point, he did not even know anymore.

His footsteps drew to a momentary halt as he took a moment to open the door. Stepping inside, he was met with the strong scent of coffee overriding his nostrils. It was not an unwelcoming smell but he was not here to drink coffee. His eyes scanned the inside of the small shop, searching through the minimal amount of people that littered the area. Akihiko's feet drew to a close next to a small, two-person table where the person he dreaded to see the most was at the moment. His mind was still trying to calculate the reason as to why he absolutely needed to be here and it did not need so much though. Curiosity killed the cat. He just hoped that he would not be the one taking the consequences rather than the benefit.

A sigh of content left Junpei's lips as he raised the white styrofoam cup to his lips. Taking his sweet time, he sipped the hot chocolate with delight and hummed a cheerful tune. A small, tease-like smile slipped on his face once his eyesight landed on Akihiko's irritated form. His visible eye shut, mouth lingering on the rim of the cup as he felt the waves of smoke warm his lips. "Right on the dot! Hasty aren't we?"

For a moment, Akihiko rested his hand on the chair before pulling it back to sit down. "Get to the point."

Junpei's fingers curled a bit around the styrofoam cup before an amused chuckle ripped itself from his throat. "My, my, you just arrived! You're so to the point, it's frustrating! Anyone ever tell you that you need to relax?"

All Akihiko did was lean back into the chair and cross his arms.

"Hmm," the pink-eyed teenager placed his cup on the table, a sound coming from the rim connecting with the surface. "Guess not. Then again, today must have been an exciting day. I'm sure most would if they spent the day with Tigress and making up with their twin from a fight."

"How did you-" the words died down in the crystal's throat. He breathed in a deep breath and shut his eyes for a split second. Once he opened them, the sight of a purple butterfly entered his vision.

The insect's wings quivered, sparkles floating off the transparent thing. It landed on an outstretched finger. The butterfly's antennae shook for a moment before cracks began to run along the wings. Almost like tearing a paper apart, the insect crumbled until its radiance no longer existed. "Oh? That's new."

"You know using your Quirk like this is illegal?"

"And that diamond dagger wasn't?" Junpei replied sternly, a hint of annoyance lacing his tone. "I may be doing something wrong but you're not so innocent either, Yama. After all, we are not supposed to be in contact, and yet here we are!"

The amethyst-haired boy kept his lips pressed together tight. He knew, he knew he was not supposed to be here but he cannot keep himself from not doing so. He felt his frustration itch from underneath his skin but before he could even come to terms with it, it dissipated a few seconds after. It left him feeling relaxed and strangely satisfied with something he did not know.

"There it is!" the shorter male exclaimed, swirling his cup in the process.

Akihiko cocked an eyebrow. "There is what?"

In an instant, Junpei's cheer-filled expression disappeared. He tilted his head, a mischievous smirk sliding onto his lips. "Ah, you haven't noticed! Ohh, what a shock it'll give you! I give it.... hmm, today's Saturday... I'll give it until Monday! Then you'll see what I mean! It's right in front of you! My gosh, you are dense!"

"Are you just going to waste my time?" Akihiko questioned. The edges of his words were sharp with annoyance. "Because I could be sleeping."

"Again with the haste? My, my, you need to relax. You don't have to have your guard up against me. I'm harmless!"

The crystal had to raise a hand to his mouth to disguise his scoff as a cough. "What is your endgame here? I know we have met before. You said it yourself and not too long ago did I remember seeing one of those butterflies at the bar. You were at that river too, and do not try to play dumb."

Junpei took a slow sip from his cup and when he pulled it away, the same, annoying smirk had already graced his features. "Oh? Now you remember? Took far, far too long, Yama. Too long for your own good."

The black-haired teenager glanced up with some emotion swirling in his eyes that Akihiko could not distinguish. Another thing was that the crystal no longer flinched at the sound of his original last name. He did not react. It felt weird, unknown, and yet not unwelcoming. Why was that? "What are you talking about?"

"Who knows?" the boy shrugged. "I talk about a lot of things."

"You talk a lot and never get to what you mean unless it benefits you, right?"

That elicited a cheerful laugh from the boy in question. "Do you want a treat? Or a penny? Would you like a penny for your thoughts? You've partially hit the nail if you want to know."

Partially? Akihiko thought as his hand fiddled with the end of the string on his jacket.

"I do a lot of things that concern me. I don't care much about others unless they benefit me or they rub me the wrong way."

"And which side do I fall under?" The periwinkle-eyed boy crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'd say you concern me. We're intertwined, you could say. After all, it seems fate likes to cross our paths very, very frequently." Junpei wiped the side of his lip with his thumb. A drop of hot liquid slipped down his thumb as a result. "I didn't actively seek you out when I was younger. Odd coincidences that not even I can explain and my Quirk deals with accurate predictions made from deductions."

They were really getting nowhere with this conversation, huh? Akihiko felt like they were going around in circles. Pressing a hand on top of the table, he was about to dismiss himself and walk home. Why did he expect to get answers from Junpei out of all people? Why did he even walk here in the pouring rain with that obnoxious pitter-patter?

"Do you really want to know?" Junpei placed the styrofoam cup on the table. Drops of what was left of the hot chocolate were settled at the bottom of the cup. "Because if you do, even I can't guarantee what awaits us. That said, you really want to come with me?"

Holding his hand out, Junpei grinned. Akihiko's hand stayed firm above his thigh, curling into a fist. His fingernails were beginning to dig into his palm and he was sure that he looked there would be crescent indents dug into his skin. His hand slipped into Junpei's and they both shook. "Great! Are you ready to go? Because I know you're in for a shock!"

Akihiko was already regretting this, and yet he could not stop himself from going along.

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Author's Note

Yeah, Akihiko's making some questionable life choices right now. Whether Junpei is trustable or not, I would go with not.

Let's just hope nothing bad happens to Akihiko. I despise Junpei so I could care less about him.