Ghost In A Shell

by Strawberry_Glow

Summary:

Hagakure Toru was three when she died. She was hit by a car that a villain threw at her school. She died on impact.

Inoue Orihime woke up in Toru's body when she was being rescued and rushed to the hospital. Everything was just too loud, and there were too many colours, but the one thing that stood out the most was a small blue screen.

Notes:

• Inspired by Entirely Out of Spite by Bgtea

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor Boku No Hero Academia. Any characters that you may recognise are not mine.

Note: I use British English grammar and punctuation. I also suffer with dsylexia, and ADHD so I might go on tangents.

Chapter 1: (Auto) Pilot

Summary:

11/30/2025- Corrected "Toru" to Tooru
12/06/2025 - updated System formatting to boxes

 

When Orihime first heard of My Hero Academia, she had just moved in with Ichigo into their new apartment on the opposite end of Karakura. She went shopping at her favourite mall, and just as she was leaving, she spotted a crowd in the mall surrounding a stand of new manga releases and the main one everyone was buying was My Hero Academia.

 

Soon, both she and Ichigo were immersed in the world of quirks. Together they read the manga as soon as each volume was released. They made fun of hero names and costumes, were awed by the UA school environment and action packed elements of the manga. While the concept of super heroes was not a new one, the way the author introduced the elements of quirks made everything feel new and refreshing. The different types of quirks and the categories they were placed in, along with the music scores captured Ichigo’s attention, while the story line and interactions between the characters is what kept Orihime coming back to watch more.

 

The anime’s release was well received and earned praise from both of them. The costumes and fighting styles were fun to take apart as they tried to guess which character would get along best with their friends from both Seireitei and Karakura High.

 

There was a lot they liked about My Hero Academia; the growth of the main protagonist in, the exploration of a new school- even with his bully- and the potential friends and alliances that could be made with other departments, uncovering secrets and wanting to find out more about the protagonist's mysterious father. 

 

The two could even see themselves in a few of the characters. Ichigo thinks that Mina and Tooru are the most similar to Orihime, while she thinks that Eraserhead felt like the closet comparison to Ichigo that she couldn't see at the moment.

 

Ichigo loved Mirko, Eraserhead, Kirishima, Jirou and Kouda, while Orihime loved Shouto, Rikkido, Recovery Girl, Present Mic and Nezu. She even went so far as to get Plushies of all of 1A. Her absolute favourite character was Fat Gum!

 

Fat Gum had distracted her during the Overhaul Arc. She thought he was adorable! The large marshmallow man was too cute in his yellow hero costume and overall cute personality. It was just a bonus that he was hot when he lost all his fat, but she preferred him with the fat. That was him at his peak of course!

 

Then she also had a conspiracy theory- made purely out of fun!- that Yaoyorozu was Midnight and Fat Gum’s secret love child and they asked Midnight’s elder sister to adopt Momo as her own, to raise as a Yaoyorozu!

 

Ichigo could only laugh when he heard that.

 

But as the anime progressed, they both grew irritated by several annoying factors that were rather unnecessary  in their opinion.  

 

Such as the heavy handed reliance on quirks and the hatred for the quirkless, the overall idea of training child soldiers, the fact that no one looked into the past of Midoriya and Bakugo, the rather disturbing issue with Midnight flirting with underage students and wearing BDSM gear to work around said children , the fact that All Might and the Hero and Public Safety Commission hid the existence of All For One from the other heroes. Oh, and how the HPSC were much too powerful, as were the heroes. 

 

They seemed to forget that they were civil servants . The police should have more say in what happens with villains but were treated as mere assistants not even worthy of being sidekicks.

 

Then the censorship of important elements from the manga being outright ignored or switched and the show just more irritating from there, the girls revealing hero costumes that did nothing to protect them nor help them fight, the lack of support gear was frustrating as well as the lack of hero teams or even the absence of actual Analysts. 

 

They stopped reading the manga just as Shinso was being tested to join the hero course because it was getting too irritating to read.

 

But Orihime wanted to continue, maybe the manga would get better right? So on her day off from work, she decided to reread the first 5 volumes but didn’t even get past the third because why did the girls not upgrade their costumes?! 

 

Do not get her started on Yaoyorozu Momo or worse, Hagakure Tooru! The girl was not even wearing clothes! 

 

Just… Why?! 

 

Even Orihime wouldn't go out to battle, much less leave her house naked if she was invisible!  You never knew who had the right technology and was perverted enough to watch you!  Why have the teachers not said anything? Aizawa should have let them go to orientation, they might have missed something important because he had them all skip it!

 

    ‘Ugh! She could be so much better! This manga is so fucking stupid! I want my money back!’

 

Angrily, Orihime sat up on her bed, which stood in the centre of the room. She threw the book onto the desk that rested to the right of the bedroom, next to the book shelf that rested on the wall next to the bed. 

 

The book knocked her glass of water to the floor. Huffing, she got up, dragged her legs off the bed and made to move over to the glass, but got tangled within the sheets. 

 

She stumbled as she got up, accidentally pushed her mattress off the bed frame, knocked the lamp off the desk, bumped into the desk, and pushed down the book shelf. 

 

Which would have been fine if she were not directly underneath it, causing the books to rain down on to her, each one a heavy text book on sewing, medicine, literature or chemistry, slipped on the wet tile floor and onto the stupid manga she had been reading and somehow fell into a roll across the bed towards the window. 

 

As she scrambled to right herself, she grabbed the curtain in her fist, somehow managed to wrap the curtain around her arm and dislocated it. She flailed about in pain, a shriek escaping her mouth as she twisted herself in the curtain. 

 

It wrapped around her neck and she fell straight out her window. The last thing she felt was a pain in her neck as she dangled above the street.

 

The incident would later be classified as a robbery gone wrong as the backdoor of the apartment was found open and several items missing.

 

---

WARNING - MILD GORE AHEAD - GRAPHIC SCENE AHEAD!!! 

 

SKIP TO ***GRAPHIC SCENE END***

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

April 12th, 2235

Shizuoka Seiko Kindergarten,

Himawari’s Day Care Nursery, 

Shizuoka

 

     Everything felt numb. 

 

At first there was a deafening silence. 

 

     The world around her was quiet, the disbelief of what had just happened hung suspended in the air like the scent of petrichor after the rain.

 

     Then, all at once, a cacophony of sound erupted like a volcano determined to create chaos. Screams and shrieks of pain echoed from all around.  Children were wailing at the top of their lungs and some were gurgling from being crushed or stabbed. 

 

     The ground trembled as an explosion some ways from her rocketed the road and the reverberations from the blast caused the building she was in to collapse. A blood-curdling scream woke her. 

 

     Before, Orihime was just drifting in half a semblance of consciousness, but there was something about the voice that sounded so familiar, that it forced her to become more coherent.

 

‘Oh my god!’

 

     She was numb, but that did not stop the random jolts of pain her nerves shot her with every few seconds.

 

          ‘Somebody help me move the debris off the kids!’

 

‘Don’t move her! You’ll break her neck!’

 

‘No! Yusuke, please wake up!’

 

The sound of crunching gravel near her had her twitching. Something dropped and slid its way over to her.

 

         ‘Tooru-chan! Don’t fall asleep okay?!’

 

Who was Tooru-chan?

 

‘WELCOME USER…’

 

A robotic voice pinged as a blue holographic window floated in front of her eyes. She groaned, the sound sending pain to her head, so she turned her head away and closed her eyes, hoping that that would help the pain go away.

 

‘No, No, No! Don’t close your eyes Tooru-chan!’

 

The voices were starting to fade. She could hear something shuffling. Was that something falling? Or was it people running? Something was ringing. 

 

Ugh. Whose phone is that? Could they hurry up and turn it off?

 

Orihime tried to open her eyes but they felt too heavy. She was cold, everything felt strange and the sounds around her were dull yet somehow, loud enough to echo. 

 

She felt something wet and cold touch her arm. 

 

‘Oh fuck. THE CAR IS SMOKING!’

 

Is it raining?

‘WHERE ARE THE HEROES?’

 

Why is it so noisy?

 

‘HELP ME GET THIS OFF HER!’

 

Where am I?  

 

The sound of people grunting and the creak of something heavy and metallic hitting the ground was heard, just as a weight was lifted off her. Something long and jagged jerked in her stomach and she spluttered, pain jolting straight to her heart. 

 

The loud thud of a large object crumbling on to the ground, accompanied by the sounds of glass shattering soon followed, one after the other.

 

That hurt! 

 

Whatever it was she hated how it made her feel afterwards.

 

It was getting harder to breathe. 

 

‘To-u! Hol- …til-..., h-ro …, -nd…’

 

She coughed, it sounded wet. Something metallic was on her tongue. She tried to breathe through her nose, but something was blocking it. However, she could taste something, was it petrol, no it was thick and nasty…

 

Is that smoke? Is there a fire nearby?

 

  She tried to move, but a flash of pain tore through her legs and all the way up her left to her head. It proved to be too much and she passed out.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

The second time Orihime woke up, the air tasted funny. She was being rocked by something and the motion kept jerking something around her nose and mouth. 

 

The sound of wheels squeaking was making her head hurt. She tried to move her head away from it, but she could not even move.

 

Is something on my face?  

 

Her vision was too blurry to see anything but colourful blobs and she was pretty sure she could not open one eye. She was tired. Too tired to look around or even think properly. Where was Kazui? Ichigo-kun… where are you?  Her thoughts were getting muddled.

 

There was mumbling above her, as though someone was talking with their head in a bucket of water.

 

What’s going on?  

 

She felt dizzy, the rush and swirl of all the colours around her was making her nauseous. She could taste purple… tasted a lot like red bean paste pancakes. Her eyes rolled back and fell unconscious once more.

 

***GRAPHIC SCENE END!***

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

Thursday, May 9th, 2235

Shizuoka Saiseiko General Hospital

28 Days Later

 

Orihime was not quite sure what woke her. The sounds were slowly filtering in and separating, like light from a window and someone was drawing open the curtains after a day of rain. There was a constant soft, yet annoying- Beep, Beep, Beep- and a peculiar hum of another machine whirring near her ears that she could not quite pin down the location of. The murmuring of voices soon reached her ears.

 

‘- at do you mean? She should have woken up by now! What’s wrong with my baby?!’ A woman’s voice was shrill with worry. Her voice was low, smooth like honey, but she seemed to be a hair’s breadth away from a melt-down from the sound of her voice alone.

 

‘Please stay calm! She will be waking up soon!’ Another woman, this one seemed to try to soothe the other.

 

‘You said that yesterday!’ A man this time, his voice a smooth rumbling baritone. He sounded very impatient, worried and like he was crying for hours.

 

All too quickly, Orihime had two realisations. The voices talking in her room the moment had her eyes snapping open in a panic. Why were these people in her room… and why in Kami-sama’s name is she in so much pain?! Metaphorical and physical. Very physical .

 

First, she was in pain. A low groan escaped her lips as a migraine blossomed in her head and these people arguing were not helping. They were too loud, like her son Kazui when he played with his aunts and uncles.

 

The second, came after she got her eyes to focus on her surroundings and she surveyed her room. The ceiling white and rather high up, the window to her right with a small table underneath it. The window itself was high and wide but too thin for even a child to crawl through much less reach it. The walls were lavender with pictures best suited for a small child were plastered onto them. Her fists clenched on the bed, then opened to allow her finger to run along the sheets, which were soft, with little bunny rabbits and baby carrots on them, and the bed felt like a cloud.

 

The room was too clinical and clean.

 

This was quite literally, the exact opposite of her home that she shared with her husband Ichigo and their five year old son Kazui. 

 

She looked around her, noticing the EKG machine and several others to her left, and one huge black light lamp above her and something in her nose.

 

Slowly, she wiggled her toes and feet, then her fingers and hands, then she tried to sit up. Mindful of her aching stomach, she managed to, just barely, push herself into a moderately upright position.

 

The atmosphere was dim and there were three people arguing, standing at the end of her bed behind two chairs. Those two people were… invisible ? What in the world? While the last was a woman in dark blue scrubs who wore a doctor's coat… who had plants for hair… was facing her direction while the two invisi-people were… standing with their backs to her. 

 

Are they new arrancar?

 

Her movements seemed to grab the attention of the doctor. She gasped and rushed her way towards Orihime. 

 

‘Hello Tooru-chan! I’m Akane-Sensei. How are you feeling?’

 

Before Orihime even realised what was happening, the other two adults came running towards her as well. Orihime flinched, surprised by the speed of the adults.

 

‘Tooru!’ Exclaimed both of the invisible people. 

 

Wait… Am I this “Tooru” person?

 

She blinked. Eyes trailing down to her hands and she stared in shock. If she did not know any better, she would have thought that she lost her arms, but she could still feel them. She could see an outline of them, her arms were transparent, shimmering with a pale opalescent light that she could only assume came from the light above her. She did not know what her skin colour was, nor could she see anything like freckles. Her eyes snapped back up as one of the invisible people, this one dressed in a soft grey button down top, paired with navy blue trousers and a black belt, grabbed onto her left wrist in his own gentle hand. Her eyes were drawn to his hand, the limb looking like a swirling pool and purple and ice blue glitter, or a nebula in the galaxy.

 

Okay… that’s pretty and all but, there is a more important question… Why are THEY invisible!

 

‘Tooru-chan? How are you feeling?’ The man asked her but Orihime- or was it Tooru?- was not listening.  He moved to grab his water bottle from the table on her right.

 

She turned her eyes to the woman next to him, her features were slightly harder to pick up, but she could see an outline of the woman as light seemed to make a black outline around her. She wore a light mauve top and a cream skirt, neither she nor the man wore anything other than watches and matching rings.

 

Ah- Why am I invisible? I must be hallucinating! Why does that woman have plants for hair!? Better yet, what drugs did these people give me!? Or am I in a coma?

 

She opened her mouth to ask as one of the many questions she suddenly had, because there are three strangers next to her and two of them including herself where freaking invisible and one has plants for hair , but what escapes her was nothing short of a pathetic and extremely pitiful squeaking series of coughs followed by a wheeze as she started to choke. Her throat was dry.

 

I’ve finally gone mad!  

 

She started panicking. 

 

The EKG next to her started getting louder but she ignored it. 

 

Oh, god . Where were her friends? 

 

Why was she here with these strange people? 

 

How did she get here?

 

She started coughing again and she winced, because the coughing hurt her stomach and chest. She swore her throat was drier than the Sahara!

 

‘Tooru-chan, I need you to calm down!’

 

Orihime flinched when the invisible-woman reached out and grabbed both her hands. 

 

‘W-what?’ She manages to gasp out.

 

The invisi-lady sat on the bed next to her and bent over, pressing her forehead to hers and started taking exaggerated breaths.

 

‘Tooru, copy mummy, okay? I need you to calm down.’

 

MUMMY?! 

 

The woman pressed Orihime’s head onto her chest, just above her heart and Orihime felt herself relax. She gripped the woman and felt herself copying the breathing exercise subconsciously. She felt like she knew this woman.

 

The bed shifted as the man sat opposite the invisible-woman and began to rub soothingly on Orihime’s back.

 

‘You must have been so scared! Don’t worry, Mummy and Papa are here now!’ She crooned.

 

Orihime felt calmer than she could ever recall. These two were better parents than her last ones and she barely knew them! Not like it would be hard to be better than them.

 

She sniffled, and sat up, rubbing her eyes with her fists. Turning her head, she looked between each adult and then stuttered in a soft hoarse voice, ‘Who a-are you? Where am I?’

 

There was a gasp, from who, she was not quite sure. 

‘WELCOME USER…’

 

Orihime lurched back into her pillows, turning her head in surprise when, in front of her eyes, a glowing semi-opaque, holographic blue screen appeared just to the right of the heart monitor, accompanied by a high pitched androgynous and slightly monotone robot voice. She winced, pain jolting through her body at the swiftness of her movements.

 

The semi-opaque, blue message window reminded her of the video games she and Tatsuki liked to play with their friends at the arcade or on her computer. It was dull enough that it did not hurt her eyes, but she was confused as no one else seemed to see it.

 

The three strangers yelled something in alarm but Orihime was much too busy trying to collect her breath from the pain coursing through her stomach to pay attention. In her peripheral vision, she could see the words disappear only to be replaced with more.

 

‘... to a new experience! (๑>◡<๑) You have triggered this interface with the keywords, “Ugh! She could be so much better! This manga is so f******g stupid! I want my money back!” In order to improve user satisfaction, you have…’

 

The doctor was asking questions but Orihime was not listening. She did not even flinch when Akane Sensei took a blood sample. Something cold even touched her chest but she was too preoccupied to notice.

 

Just what is going on?

 

There were more questions and talking in the background but Orihime’s attention was now solely on the message window. She blinked rapidly, trying to stall the tears of frustration from falling from her eyes. Tension was slowly seeping back into her body. She had a bad feeling all of a sudden. She gasped, her mind coming to one unwanted conclusion.

 

Have I been… reincarnated?

 

‘Tooru please breathe slowly!’

 

‘Would you like some water?’

 

‘If she does not calm down I will have to sedate her.’

‘...Given the account ID User_03. 

Please wait as your account finishes binding to your assigned character. Waiting time: 15 seconds… 14… 13… 12…’

 

‘You WHAT?!’ The invisi-lady whimpered.

 

‘... Tooru?’ The invisible-man shook her arm in a vain attempt to gain her attention. ‘She’s become unresponsive!’

 

The doctor was busy checking Orihime’s vitals.

 

‘10… 9… 8… 7…’

 

There was a feeling gnawing at the back of her mind, one she had grown very familiar with.  One which let her know when something life altering was about to happen. She had enough experience with that feeling to know she should listen to it. She knew the consequences of ignoring it.

 

She thinks she feels a prick in her arm, but the next time she blinks, it was as if time had slowed down. 

 

The robotic voice, which was now three octaves lower, continued droning on in a creepy tone.

 

‘3… 2… 1… Calibrating… 

Checking ID... Binding User to Character ID …

 

Ping!

 BINDING COMPLETE!

 

Her eyelids felt heavy, very heavy, so she tried to blink, but she started to feel dizzy. When was the last time she breathed properly? She swears she was floating.

 

She finally blinked. Horror crashing down upon her faster than lightning could flash. Her next breath came out stuttering as her chest suddenly felt much too tight. Her body went limp, the tingly feeling making her numb, as she used all of her energy to process the words blinking before her eyes.

 

You are now bound to the character: Hagakure Tooru, the Stealth Hero. Codename:  Invisible Girl. 

 

CONGRATULATIONS!   CONGRATULATIONS!  CONGRATULATIONS! 

 

 Important things must be said three times! ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡

 

╼ |════════════| ╾

 

You have been chosen to become the System’s Host in the Hero World!

The System hopes you have an enjoyable user experience and welcomes you to the wonderful world of:

 My Hero Academia!’

 

The last thing Orihime heard was the robotic voice.

---

 

Once again Orihime woke up to the soft sounds of murmurs.

 

‘... wounds have fully healed and her condition is stable. She is well on her way to recovery. However, due to the trauma she experienced, both mentally and physically, as well as the hit on her head and the swelling of her brain, there is a high chance of memory loss. There is a concern that she may have permanent damage, or might develop a disability due to the damage that her brain has sustained, I do not know what the case could be, unfortunately, as that is not my field. In the meantime, I can, however, prescribe some medicine to speed up recovery and some supplements and painkillers in case she needs them.’

 

A pregnant pause, then the baritone she heard before asked, ‘What about rest. How long will she sleep, how long should we let her sleep? Will it be a problem if she sleeps too much?’

 

‘No. I recommend she stay on bed rest for at least another week, in light of the blood loss. The injury to her stomach can not handle too much stress at the current moment or it will open again.’

 

There was a whimper and a shuffle of clothes, as though someone sat down. ‘Thank you, sensei. We appreciate all you’ve done for us.’

 

Orihime opened her eyes and turned her head towards the voices. It was the same trio again, they were all wearing clothes as before. The invisi-lady sat in a chair near Orihime’s feet while the man stood behind her. He seemed to be watching her, because he softly cut in, ‘You’re awake! How do you feel now, Tooru?’

 

The doctor turned towards her, swiftly checked her vitals and performed other tests. Once she deemed her aware enough, she asked her, ‘I am Doctor Nastumi. Do you know where you are?’

 

Orihime shook her head but answered, ‘I think… I am in the hospital.’

 

Sensei smiled as she nodded. ‘Good. Can you tell me your name?’

 

Once more she shook her head. The doctor's smile faltered, ‘Do you remember how old you are?’

 

‘Nu-uh!’

 

‘Oh dear. One last question.’ She gestured to the couple behind her, ‘Do you remember who they are?’

 

Just as she was about to respond, she remembered the blue window. With the memory of what happened earlier playing at the forefront of her mind, she turned her attention once more to the doctor.

 

‘No sensei.’

 

That seemed too much for the invisible-woman as she burst out in tears, shifting her body towards the man behind her. Orihime guessed she was hugging him and felt a bit bad.

 

Sad that she made the woman upset, she cast her eyes down to her lap.

 

The next thirty minutes, the doctor explained in the most condescending way to her that she had been in an accident, which injured her badly, so she was taken to the hospital so that the doctors could help her get better. However, the accident gave her a “bad knock to her brain” and it took her memories away.

 

The doctor then left to give the small family some much needed privacy.

 

As soon as the door clicked shut, both of her “parents”- and wow what a thought- sprung up to her bead and hugged her as gently as they could while squeezing with enough love that she felt herself blush.

 

The only person who has ever hugged me like that was Sora.

 

The lamp above her hummed softly as she took the time to look at her new “parents.” The lady seemed to have short hair and was wearing pearl earrings that Orihime- no, Tooru - seemed to have missed before. While she could not see her face, she could feel the love practically radiating off of her.

 

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Tooru turned to the man. He seemed to just be a tall, glittery nebula like the void of a man. His only discernible feature were his large half lidded eyes that were sea-foam green and seemed to glow.

 

‘Tooru,’ He gasped, ‘We were so worried we lost you!’

 

‘You were injured so badly… Oh! Thank Kami!’ The lady then moved her hands up to Tooru’s face. ‘Now, you may not remember, sweetie,’ crooned the woman. ‘But, Mummy was born blind. That means I can’t see with my eyes, instead, I use my hands.’

 

Tooru gasped a tiny, ‘Woah!’ 

 

I did not see that coming… bad choice of words…

 

Mum laughed as though she heard what I was thinking. Papa squeezed my hand as he stood up and made his way over to the now empty chair. He picked up something that Tooru couldn’t but when he turned, he raised up his hand that held the item and shook the bag gently.

 

‘We brought your favourite toy, Mango-Chan.’ He placed the bag in Tooru’s lap, letting her take the item out to see that it was a crochet plush toy. A mango and pastel yellow bunny.

 

She cuddled it, something in her chest finally relaxing and she sniffled.

 

Her mother seemed to pick up on her change in emotion and pushed her to lay back down, tucking her in.

 

‘I think it would be best for you to get some rest, Tooru-chan. We’ll be here when you wake. Honey,’ Mum turned towards Papa, ‘ Could you get us all something to eat?’ 

 

With that said, both her parents bent down and placed a kiss on her cheeks and her heart felt warm.  Papa brought Mum’s chair closer to Tooru so that she could run her finger through her hair, and sat back down while Papa left, the door clicking softly behind him.

 

As Tooru snuggled into her bunny. System? She thought, feeling very silly but willing to try calling out for it

 

A blue window pops up.

 

 Greetings User Tooru.

She had hoped it wasn’t real but it was. What are you? Am I really in MHA? Where Am I exactly?

As though someone were typing, a string of words appeared on the blue screen at the same time the voice from earlier spoke.

‘This is the Enhancement System , your helpful guide. (｡◝‿◜｡) System is to aid the new Host in her mission to become a Useful and Very Important Asset in the world of My Hero Academia. 

 

The System is to keep track of all your Tasks, Scores, Missions, Story Progress, and is even equipped to manage internal INVENTORY and SHOP, which are available to you on the Menu screen. 

 

You are currently in Tokyo, 11 years, 8 months, 4 weeks, 2 days away from the start of the canon beginning of My Hero Academia; specifically in a hospital, the ward you are in is for children affected by villain fights.’

 

Huh… How old am I? And could you explain a little more? Orihime had an idea of what the system was, but she was not the most knowledgeable on the concept.

 

‘USER is three years old.

The closest similarity the Host can use to help understand, is to follow the logic of what you call “ Videogames ”.

Points are important. They are used like currency, as each point you will gain will be towards several systems, such as:

- Story Points

Those will allow you to purchase items from the SHOP.

- Experience Points

These will help you “ Level Up ” your body. Your senses will become stronger, most similar to what you are accustomed to from training with the souls of Seireitei. 

You would be permitted to purchase and use Equipment from other Worlds.

I… see.  Tooru quickly did the maths, if her body was 3, then in 11 years she would be 14-15. She did not know when OG-Tooru’s birthday was. Maybe she could find a way to get Yuuei to raise their age of acceptance? Become a university instead?

 

It was pretty far ahead, so she had time to plot and what not. That aside, how exactly did she get, well, here? Why and how was I brought here? 

 

‘You have been assigned a character whose soul has recently vacated its body for a seamless, non-problematic, integration into the Hero World. In User’s past life, you died in a tragic accident. 

 

However, seeing that you had unfinished business, your soul was deemed worthy and has been transmigrated to this world so that you may gain fulfilment! You are to live on as Character Tooru.

Tooru squeezed her eyes close, a heavy feeling settled into her chest. 

 

She died.

 

Actually died.

 

She could only imagine how Ichigo would feel, when he would come home to her dead body. Her darling son... And she just went and died!

 

She sniffled, then wiped her tears with a tiny fist. No more crying! This was the start of a new beginning! An opportunity to start anew with a blank slate! She would no longer hide her true feelings like she did when Sora died, when she thought she was alone, when she had thought it was just herself against the world.

 

With her mind made up, she called out again, System? What does it mean when you say I am now Hagakure Tooru?

 

The window flashed as the words disappeared, voice chiming as the words were typed out;

 

‘Indeed! Your role is to play Character Tooru! Her quirk is Invisibility and is always active.

 

(✿´ ꒳ ` ) You are to become the successor for Shuuzenji Chiyo, Codename: Recovery Girl, and train to perform as a Field Medic or Healing Mage.

 

Tooru rubbed her thumb along the nose of Mango-Chan as she absorbed the new information. She was not quite sure of what to think at the moment, she still felt like she was dreaming, everything just felt muddled and a bit too surreal for her, but she would be fine. After all, she and her friends survived Aizen and Hueco Mundo, the Seireitei… so she could survive this.

 

Speaking of friends… System, where is my Shun Shun Rikka?

 

Your Hibiscus Faeries will manifest as your quirk. (✿´ ꒳ ` ) They shall arrive on September 3rd, later on this year.

 

User would then be considered to have a dual-quirk as Character Tooru born with her quirk active. Both of Character Tooru’s parents have secondary quirks.

 

I thought Tooru already had a quirk… What exactly is a quirk?

 

‘In this world, humans and animals have evolved within the last two centuries to gain a “ meta-ability ”, now more commonly known as a “ quirk” . This is an ability that is unique to each individual called a Quirk. Most quirks manifest between the age of four and six. Some people , like Character Tooru , are born with theirs active .

 

Quirks are separated into four types:

Transformation ,

• abilities that cause the user to take on a temporary alteration of some kind.

Mutation,

• abilities that cause the user a permanent "abnormality" directly related to their power.

Emitter, 

• abilities that allow the user to generate and possibly control certain things, or alter existing things around them in certain ways.

Accumulation.

• abilities that require the user to accumulate something ahead of time, such as power, energy, mass, or a particular resource in order to function properly.’

As though she sensed a shift in my mood, Mum sat up, her hand coming to rest on my arm. ‘Ru-Chan? Are you in pain?’

 

Tooru only had a slight discomfort, but she did not want to worry her new mother. ‘Just a little.’ 

 

Mum tutted, and gently ran her hand through Tooru’s hair once more. ‘Papa will be back soon. You have to eat first before you can take your medicine. Then you’ll be much too tired to feel pain. Rest well for now, please?’

 

‘Okay mama.’ Her mother settled back into her seat and began humming a lullaby.

 

After a few minutes, Tooru thought she had spent enough time going over what the system had told her.

 

System, will you tell me how to earn points?

 

‘As you interact with the other characters, you may be awarded certain points, called “ Story Points ” or SP. These points are gained based on your actions, the relationships you build with others, any self growth you may experience and the completion of missions. 

 

Building relationships may give you “ Friendship Points” (FP) , “ Regret Points” (RP) or “ Love Points” (LP).

 

The more you interact with your environment around you, the greater amounts of SP you earn, this way you are encouraged to fully submerge yourself in the My Hero Academia experience!’ o(*’▽’*)/.+:｡☆’

╼|════════════|╾

SP can be exchanged for ITEMS in the SHOP. Users must keep track of their points to ensure that they do not fall to zero. If points reach below zero then your account will automatically be Terminated. 

 

Should you die in this world, you will not be allowed to become a Shinigami. Instead, you will be forced into the Reincarnation Cycle for the next millenia.

 

Tooru paused her fidgeting, while she was not too concerned with the point system, she was wary of it, it sounded too easy. She would research this later when she had the chance. 

 

Nodding to herself, she grinned, filing the information away to come back to later. She was getting sleepy, so she would only ask two more questions. If Papa was not back by the time she got her answers, then she would just sleep the pain away. 

 

Termination of an account means: 

the soul will be ejected from the body. 

 

Example: Hagakure Tooru - Host = Death.

At some point in time, you will unlock “ Side Missions, ” based on your actions and the choices you make. SP points will be awarded or deducted based on the success or failure of these missions-

 

Wait a damn minute! You said I died in my world!

 

User is correct!

 

But…  

 

But… that is too extreme!  Could you not just reset me to when I first woke up again?

 

I would understand being turned into a Hollow or some such nonsense, but to not even be given the chance to go back to the Seireitei?!  Gahhh!

 

System, is there anything I should avoid doing? Could something automatically have me Terminated?

 

You are restricted from the following;

-Refusal to finish missions.

-Attempting to cheat the System.

 

Does User have any other questions?

 

Many.  I have all the questions. 

 

So many questions. 

 

I will, however, limit myself to just this one for now. 

 

What is my primary objective and do I have any main missions? Please make it brief, I’m too tired to process any more info dumps!

 

To summarise, your primary objective is to: 

“ Ensure that certain plot points are met. ”

 

These are indicated as: “ MAIN MISSIONS ” - Under the Missions Tab. 

 

Failure to complete a MAIN MISSION will result in a severe points deduction.

 

Your MAIN MISSIONS as Character Tooru are as follows:

• Experiment with Character Tooru and your own quirks until you can do so without a thought.
• Part I of II. Secure Character Tooru a position to intern with the hospital or Recovery Girl.

 

You have a total of 10 MISSIONS. Complete current MISSIONS to unlock new ones.

 

…I thought I asked for it to be brief! It doesn’t matter anyways, I am too tired to think properly. Could we continue this conversation later?

 

 Of course User Tooru.

 

That was the last thing Tooru heard before she fell asleep. Luckily, her mind was too tired to dream.

---

So this is a plot bunny i had lying around in my google docs for a hot minute now... I finally wrote this at 2 in the morning… i also do not have a beta… so please let me know if you spot anything.

 

Well, what did ya'll think? Was it good? Don't forget to review! -SG out!

Chapter 2: SpiritedAway

Summary:

A mysterious man, a drug victim, Toru's parents being cool and some angst.

Notes:

I swear i did not intend to have this on hiatus for over a year. Fear not. i have discovered that i can schedule my chapters in advance. updates will be once or twice a week until we catch up to the pre-written chapters.

Part 2 to this one will begin Akari's pov.

I've finally fixed my outline for this story, and upgraded some dialogue/interactions between characters. Lemme know which part of this you guys enjoyed the most, yeah? This chapter fought me.

Do you guys wanted longer chapters like 6k or more words, or can i keep them short, around 1k to 3k words?

Oh, if you want, you can offer names and quirks for OCs in the comments.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor Boku No Hero Academia. Any characters that you may recognise are not mine.

 

Note: I use British English grammar and punctuation. I also suffer with dyslexia, and ADHD so I might go on tangents.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

 

Chapter II: Spirited Away

 

Day of the Attack

Undisclosed Location

3:07 A.M.

 

A man sat reclined in an office facing floor to ceiling glass—panel windows enjoying the view of dawn rising over the mountain town below. He held a glass of liquor in one hand and in the other, a waning cigar.

 

His phone vibrated once on the lacquered side table before a pale hand snatched it up. 

 

The room was dim, lit only by a paper lantern whose orange glow stretched across the wooden floorboards. 

 

‘Is it done?’ He inquired in lieu of a greeting as he shifted in his seat, crossing one ankle over the other, voice smooth and steady despite the hour.

 

A nervous breath crackled through the speaker. ‘N-not yet. The shipment just landed, Sir. The buyer moved up the time. He wants to meet at seven… He— er— Said he would be sending someone to meet one of ours.’

 

The boss merely hummed in response, then he sat his glass down. 

 

‘That’s fine. Just make sure he takes the trigger. I don't tolerate delays.’

 

‘Yes, Sir.’

 

‘If the Beasts think they’re in control of the deal, then it’ll be even sweeter when we steal their weapon cache. Have the bombs been planted?’

 

‘Yes. We managed to tag a few of the territories.’

 

‘Good. During the deal, have the runner use the drug. We only need him to cause enough of a commotion before the operation officially begins.’ He sat up, hand snatching his glass once more until he paused, the beverage a mere in from his lips as he grumbled, ‘Oh, Asahina-kun?’

 

‘Yes Sir?’

 

‘Send Mabashi-san and Ume-san to meet the runner.’

 

The call ended.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

 

Somewhere in Aoi Ward

8:12 A.M.

 

Elsewhere, another drug deal unfolded smoothly in a narrow alley behind a shuttered convenience store. The buyer— a shifty woman with a rodent—like quirk speed walked out of the alley, doing her best to not look suspicious. 

 

Once she was a few blocks away, she swallowed a black and red capsule. Not even fifteen minutes later, her body was starting to show signs. What she didn't know was that her dealer gave her a new strain of Trigger, and she was about to be a test run.

 

Her scream tore through the air some moments later.

 

The Trigger hit like gasoline to an open flame. Her frame, once an average height, grew to be four times larger. Her muscles warped and fur spread across her form, the small amount she had soon lengthening in patches. Her pupils flared into slits and she roared, her voice shrill and echoing. 

 

She now looked like a grotesque hybrid of human and Tasmanian devil.

 

Quicker than civilians could react, she hurled a truck parked aside as if swatting a fly. People scattered, screaming.

 

In her frenzy, she grabbed people and tossed them, uncaring of where they landed, and seized another vehicle— this one an occupied taxi— and flung it towards the street's far end.

 

The vehicle spun violently in the air, crashing through the front of a community centre.

 

She manoeuvred herself on top of a small building, punching through the walls and sweeping her arm through the windows.

 

The woman was just about to take a bite out of a man she had in her grasp when a stream of fire hit her on back. She screeched.

 

The pain causing her to drop the civilian as she tried to run away. Her fur burned and her skin sizzled from the heat.

 

She threw herself into the ground, making a small crater upon impact.

 

Another hero tried to swoop in and tranquillise her but she evaded.

 

What followed was a cat and mouse chase that racked up a large amount of property damage.

 

Determined to escape the insane Endeavour, she grabbed a tourist bus that was skirting around her and spun it like a wheel, letting it go in a rather impressive arc. It crashed into an elementary school building. Children screamed when debris fell onto the courtyard below.

 

A second car followed, smashing into the kindergarten a few yards away, spraying glass and rubble onto the occupant inside the playroom.

 

And in that room… a three year old Tooru who had previously been colouring quietly before the world exploded around her now lay underneath a piece of wall and car parts.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

 

Hoshizora

Hoshizora had just finished up his latest delivery to Kabaro Shizuoka Video Game Store.

 

He settled into the company van, sipping on his cooling tea when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

 

When he checked the screen, he saw it was a message from his wife, Akari, reminding him to eat his bento before he gets too deep into work mode.

 

He smiled to himself, feeling his heart flutter at his wife's antics. Feeling motivated, he mounts his phone into the stand slotted into the air vent and backed out of the parking lot.

 

He had not even crossed into the main road when his phone rang. Glancing at the heads—up—display, he saw it was an incoming call from an Unknown number. He double checked that his phone was connected to the car's Bluetooth. 

 

‘Moshi, moshi!’

 

‘Is this Hagakure Hoshizora—san?’ a brisk, professional voice asked.

 

‘Hai. Who is this?’

 

‘This is Nurse Akane from Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital. Your daughter, Hagakure Tooru, has been admitted—’

 

‘What?’ Hoshi shouted, swerving for a moment. He hit the breaks, barely managing to pull over and turn on his hazard lights. ‘What do you mean?' He demanded, voice a few octaves higher. 'What happened? I only dropped her off an hour ago—’

 

‘We advise that you and your wife come immediately. Her injuries require emergency surgery. Your daughter has sustain injuries to her shoulder, abdomen and head—’

 

He ended the call. 

 

His nerves were shot. A cold, sharp panic sliced through his chest.

 

Hoshizora sat upright, hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his fingers grew numb. One of his legs started bouncing without his permission.

 

Hoshi tried to breathe slowly. 

 

Hand trembling, he tapped his keypad, the speed—dial rang for half a second when his manager answered. Hoshizora relayed the issue and was given the day off to sort out his affairs.

 

He dialed his wife’s number.

 

She didn't answer. 

 

‘Shit!’ Hoshi cursed, voice cracking. ‘Come on, Riri pick up.’

 

The second call was a success, and his wife sounded exasperated when she greeted him.

 

‘Hello Hoshi-chan—’

 

‘I'm coming to pick you up.’

 

‘Ne? Why, is something wrong? Where you fired?!’

 

‘It's Toru. The hospital called, she's— she's been admitted. She's injured Akari!’

 

His wife's gasp was audible through the crappy speakers.

 

Hoshizora turned off the hazard lights and made an illegal u—turn, driving as fast as he legally could without crossing the speed limit. He was only a block and a half away from where his wife worked.

 

‘I'll go inform my boss.’ Akari announced, ending the call before Hoshi could tell her anything else.

 

He made it to the studio she worked at under ten minutes— a whopping twelve minutes shorter than the usual time it would take. Quickly, he climbed out the van, and ran over to the studio door.

 

He didn’t even have to wait long when his wife burst through the doors like there was a BOGO sale. 

 

Grabbing her hand, he guided her to the van. She ripped the passenger door open, climbing in so quickly that she almost dropped her bag twice.

 

‘Tell me everything!’

 

Hoshi huffed, jogging to the driver side then climbing in.

 

‘I called the warehouse before I called you and got the rest of the day off. I'm supposed to call back later. A nurse called me, she said Tooru has multiple injuries- head, stomach and shoulder. I didn't wait to hear anything else, I panicked and ended the call too swiftly.' Hoshi shared, calling the hospital.

 

The duo waited impatiently for the call to go through. When it did, Akari interrogated the poor woman for as much information as possible. However, his wife was completely unsatisfied with the woman's lack of knowledge as to how and why their daughter was injured.

 

Rudely ending the call, Akari ruffled through her bag for her own phone, hands trembling so strongly she nearly dropped it. ‘I'm checking the news.’ She gasped.

From the corner of his eye, he watched as Akari opened her news feed, listening to the phone AI guiding her.  He sat straighter when he heard the “BREAKING NEWS” tone. The broadcast auto-played and she rushed to raise her volume so Hoshizora could hear it as well.

 

“RAMPAGING QUIRK INCIDENT IN SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE — MULTIPLE INJURED.”

 

It was a live broadcast. 

 

Smoke billowed from a shattered intersection. Cars crushed under massive claw marks. A monstrous figure roared as pro—heroes scrambled to contain him.

 

And then the announcer spoke words that made her blood turn to ice:

 

“It's now been confirmed that Emergency responders have successfully managed to extract children from the damaged kindergarten and adjacent daycare, but the roads have sustained significant destruction, making transportation extremely difficult. Heroes are attempting to rescue the children trapped in the elementary school—”

 

Akari’s breath hitched.

 

Hoshi felt his lungs stutter. He had to remain strong. Needed to see his little girl. She may be invisible to the common eye, but not to him. He needed her to be in one piece. If not… His foot pressed harder on the gas.

 

Screw it, we needed to get to the hospital, now! I'll just shave off sometime.

 

‘The roads are blocked,’ Akari said, voice thick with unshed tears. ‘Half the juction's are unusable. Police and firetrucks have the roads sectioned off— oh god! Hoshi! We aren't gonna— what if she dies before we—’ She cut herself off, slapping a hand over her own mouth as the broadcaster described a child being airlifted out by the firemen.

Hoshizora grabbed one of Akari's hands in a vice grip.

 

‘Don't say that.’

 

Akari clutched his sleeve. ‘Hoshi… what if— what if she was under one of those cars? Our baby is tiny! She's smaller than her year group—’

 

‘She's alive.’ He forced out.

 

‘But she is three Hoshizora. She is three, and she could be dying because she got hit by a blasted vehicle when she was supposed to be safe at school! She must have been terrified. Hell, she gets scared when the vacuum cleaner is on— what do you think a collapsing building or an explosion or a car crash sound like to her?’

 

Hoshi swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his ear.

 

He was silent for a moment, trying to stifle his panic and get his thoughts together. When he was certain he wouldn't burst into tears, he managed a soft whisper in answer. 

 

‘She's strong,’ he admitted. ‘Just like you.’

 

Akari covered her face with her hand. ‘I should've let her stay with me like she asked. When I told her she had to stay at school— she had—’ Akari's voice broke and she sobbed loudly. ‘She asked me for an extra hug when we dropped her off this morning. I thought she was just being clingy—'

 

‘Akari, don't do this to yourself!’

 

Whatever she might have said was cut off by Hoshizora swerving into a back alley, only to drive into another street, drift across a round—about, then into another alley, tires squealing as they went, the van ducking behind some apartment buildings.

 

‘Hoshi— what are—’

 

‘I’m saving us time by using shortcuts!’

 

He was right. The traffic was barely moving where they had just left. and Hoshi had run out of patience. 

 

There was no time to waste.

 

Hoshizora flicked the turn signal and swerved into a narrow side street. He ignored the "one way" sign, like he did all the others.

The Hyundai raced through the forbidden lane, narrowly avoiding a delivery truck. He took another sharp turn, then another—shortcuts burned into his muscle memory from years of commuting.

 

For the next few minutes, the car was silent, excluding the phone that was still streaming the live broadcast.

 

“Heroes are evacuating the remaining children now. Cementoss just arrived. He’s stabilizing the debris.”

 

Hoshizora said nothing, just squeezed her knee.

 

As they turned around the bend towards the hospital, smoke from the disaster was visible now—thick, gray curls rising behind the distant rooftops.

 

Akari trembled. 

 

At last the hospital appeared—Shizuoka Saiseikai, its emergency wing overflowing with ambulances, heroes, reporters, and terrified families.

 

Hoshizora slowed only enough to avoid hitting anyone.

 

Akari unbuckled.

 

‘Honey—wait—!’

 

Akira sat back with a huff. It was during serious moments like this that she hated being blind.

 

Hoshi pulled into the nearest open space, threw the gear into park and got out swiftly. He ran to the other side, grabbed his wife's bag with one hand and tucked her arm under his own.

 

He helped her evade the reporters outside, carefully guiding her up the steps and almost didn't catch her when she tried to run to the doors.

 

The duo burst through the hospital’s sliding doors, breath ragged, eyes scanning wildly.

 

'Nurse! Somebody—please—my daughter—Hagakure Tooru—she was brought in—'

 

A nurse hurried over. 'Ma’am, please do not shout.'

 

 ‘Our daughter Hagakure Tooru was admitted earlier. Is she okay? What room is she in?’

 

The nurse placed a steadying hand on both their shoulders.

 

‘I’ll explain everything. Please come with me.’

 

They followed, hearts pounding, fear twisting like knives in their stomachs.

 

Because their little girl—bright, giggly, invisible little Tooru—was somewhere in this building.

 

And she was hurt.

 

 

 

Chapter 3: Spiritual Rhapsody

Summary:

Orihime has a strange dream during the last day at the hospital. Later, she spends time at home with overbearing parent.

Notes:

I aplogise in advance for any weird formatting. My tablet is giving me problems! This is this weeks update, on time too. Woot woot. Next chapter will be in Hoshi and Orihime POV. Be prepared for wholesome tooth rotting cuteness.

Are there any cute daddy-daughter scenes you guys want to see. The cuter, the better!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor Boku No Hero Academia. Any characters that you may recognise are not mine.

 

Rhapsody: an (intense) outpouring of feeling or a patchwork composition; describes experiences or messages 

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

*THOUGHTS*

Notes

‘Speaking’

System Messages 

Chapter III: Spiritual Rhapsody

 New Body, New Name, New Destiny

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

A bell jingled somewhere, was it close?  A woman signing a lullaby. Lavender scented warmth… a man laughing heartily.  Voices echoed faintly. 

 

Then little images began to appear.

 

A pair of gentle gloved hands slipping on a tiny pink shoe, onto a floating sock. A squeaky giggle.

 

Little feet tapping on wooden floor boards, a tiny figure rolling behind a chaise. ‘Shh. Mummy! We are ninjas!’ Rich laughter, a man wearing an apron wielding a spatula tapped the girl on her head as he walked by. ‘No playing in the kitchen.’

 

A woman wiping the little girl's face as she cried. ‘But I don’t wanna be invis-ble! Or my friends won’t be able to find me!’

 

‘Do you want ice cream, princess?’ A little girl gripped the man's leg, shouting at the top of her lungs, ‘CHOCOLATE!’ She declared, mispronouncing it with absolute confidence.

 

Memories flowed, and the child slept. A child who loved to put stickers on every surface. Who wanted to bring every dog home, regardless of it having an owner. Who made terrible paintings filled with weird textures and oils so her blind mother could smell and feel all of the effort put into the child's art.

 

A child who had a life… that was shattered under collapsing walls and flying cars.

 

Something tugged the child’s mind towards consciousness.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

Homeward 

Friday May 10th

 

When Orihime opened her eyes, she expected many things.

 

White sand. A ruined sky. The echoes of spiritual pressure like distant thunder. Maybe Ichigo shouting her name, or the soft whisper of Karui coming to ask for more cookies. She expected a hug, or maybe a kiss from her husband. To wake up as the little spoon or to her son sleeping on her stomach again.

 

What she did not expect was a ceiling.

 

A very ordinary, very boring, very modern ceiling.

 

Her confused eyes traced the lines— flat, square, unremarkable tiles with faint blemishes where moisture had seeped once, then dried. The lighting was low, most coming from underneath the door, and the plexiglass square to let doctors see in. A machine somewhere beside her beeped with mechanical consistency.

 

This wasn’t Karakura Town.

This wasn’t the Soul Society.

 

This was…

 

Orihime blinked again, slowly, like a newly hatched chick attempting to understand the concept of light.

 

Everything felt heavy.

 

Her head.

Her limbs.

Her chest.

 

For a moment she drifted to sleep- floating, feeling almost untethered, until she felt a warm pulse throb quietly in her chest, an echo playing under her right temple. 

 

She opened her eyes.

 

The next thing Orihime noticed was the pressure. It was soft, strangely reminding her of the gentle buzzing of electricity, or the static from a balloon. Almost as though her skin were vibrating at a low frequency. A muffled heaviness, like she had been tucked beneath a futon too warm for a mid-summer's night, a little stifling. But still comforting.

*Wait a minute…*  She sat up swiftly with a gasp, momentarily stunned by vertigo and the pain in her shoulder, leg and stomach. The memories came back to her with such force that she swiftly laid back down.

 

She was Orihime Kurosaki. Tall, caring, a woman.

 

But, something else whispered from the depths of her mind, you are now Tooru Hagakure— soft, small, a child.

 

The two identities tangled like threads in a loom, pulling, tightening, knotting. At their core they were similar, bubbly, bright and silly, but this Tooru was not the one that Orihime knew from the manga nor the anime. And now, she never will be.

 

Orihime exhaled sharply.

 

Her breath wasn’t quite her breath.

Her lungs weren’t quite her lungs.

 

Her voice— when she spoke earlier— was too soft.

 

Too high.

Too small.

 

She scanned her body for injuries, a little miffed that she did not have her Shun Shun Rikka. Once satisfied, she closed her eyes and concentrated, wanting to go through her memories next.

 

Will she had slept, memories not her own— fragments, scenes and tastes— had settled amongst her own. The emotions were muted. The sounds…

 

She sounded like a toddler. Something Orihime was still having trouble wrapping her mind on.

 

Her lashes fluttered, eyes adjusting to the dark room.

 

Good morning, User Toru.

 

She flinched, eyes stinging at the sudden intrusion of light. Even though the system was dimmed compared to its earlier level of brightness, it still hurt.

 

*Uh, hi? What do I call you? System? Do you even have a name?*

 

 

That information is classified.

User Tooru may use System as a term of address.

 

Orihime pouted. 

 

*Fine.* She agreed reluctantly. Her mind drifted to their earlier discussion. If she understood everything correctly, she was to be a Support type character, with a multifunctional skill. She had a couple of months before she would be reunited with her Shun Shun Rikka, so she would need to learn whatever she can between now and then.

 

 *When you had introduced yourself earlier, you mentioned you were specifically an Enhancement system. Is there anything else I should know?  Do you provide status reports or updates? I rushed you earlier. I’m sorry…*

 

 Yes, User Tooru. 

Answering your questions in order:

Yes. You have retained all memories, and power abilities from your previous existence.

+3 RP

User Update:

Physical limitations of this vessel must be accommodated. Observation period: three weeks. 

Tutorial Mode:

Mandatory. Tutorial Trial: Pending…

System recommends that User should focus on recovery. Adaptation and integration is vital to your survival.

Adaption Phase:

Day 2 of 21.

 

Orihime sighed, her entire body sagging. No matter how many reassurances the System gave her, waking up in Tooru Hagakure’s tiny body was surreal.

 

Her bare feet— so little, so soft— peeked out from under the blanket. Her fingers were chubbier, the nails small and round. Her hair was short, fluffy, and prone to sticking up like she’d rolled through a patch of static electricity. Tiny hands curled tightly around the blanket as Orihime swallowed hard. She had lived through battles with Hollows, fought to protect everyone she loved, endured despair… yet this— this helplessness— was new. Well, no, it was a long time since she last felt this way. It made her think of her elder brother, Sora…

 

*I can’t believe I’m… three years old… again…*

 

She couldn’t help but remember. Memories of Ichigo, of Kazui… of the life she had loved and lost. A sob escaped her lips.

 

Don’t dwell.

 

 The System intoned gently. 

 

Future potential requires focus. 

Today, you survive. Tomorrow, you adapt. 

 

Next to her, a shadow moved and rippled. Orihime gasped when it reached out and hugged her. She jolted in surprise. She hadn’t realised there were people in the room with her.

 

The one caressing her was Tooru’s father. When he was sleeping, his quirk seems to have been dulled because now that he was awake, she could once again see the swirling pool and purple and ice blue glitter, or a nebula in the galaxy. The scent of his soft grey button down top, like lavender and baby powder, felt achingly familiar, yet completely foreign. The juxtaposition did not help her mood, instead, she sobbed even louder.

 

These feelings were overwhelming.

 

She tried to grab onto his shirt, but her limbs felt too clumsy, slightly numb from how hard she gripped her sheet earlier.

 

‘Ru-chan? Did you have a nightmare?’ He whispered as he rubbed her back. She felt him reach over her, leaning her body with him until he settled back.

 

Unable to tell him the truth, she just nodded, burrowing her head into his arm. They spent a moment like that, just hugging and rocking to and fro. It was so soothing. The only time she experienced this was with Sora, then later, with her son Kazui.

 

A knock on the door was the duo’s only warning when the door swung open and light flooded in from outside. The room's own light was gently raised, controlled by the dimmer to the left. Dr. Akane entered, dressed similarly to yesterday.

 

'Good morning, Tooru. You slept well?'

 

Orihime flinched at the name. Tooru. Her heart ached. 'I… yes… I think…?' Her throat was sore, causing her to slur her words a bit. She felt the man chuckle.

 

'Good.' Dr. Akane’s tone was reassuring. She handed Orihime a small stuffed rabbit. 'Here. Hold this if you get scared. It can be Mr. Mango’s friend.'

 

The softness of the toy against her tiny hands sent a warmth through her chest. She blinked, tiny tears still clung to her lashes.

 

It reminded her of the one Tatsuki gave to Kazui.

 

‘Thank you.’ 

 

She blinked. Tiny tears still clung to her lashes.

 

Her father sighed. ‘Oh, baby. You’re going to be okay, princess. Please, don’t cry…’

 

Her throat tightened.

 

*They’re strangers… but… they’re also home. For Tooru. For me now.  In this world… I am Tooru. They are my parents. My family. I wished this was just a nightmare. But this… this madness is now my reality. I can’t break down forever.*

 

Orihime clung to Hoshi’s sleeve. A bittersweet ache pressed against her heart, but she inhaled slowly.

No tears this time.

'I’m sor-ry… I don’t ‘member you… But I can try?…'

 

Hoshizora pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'You don’t have to try too hard, sweetheart.'

 

Orihime nodded.

 

+5 LP

+1 SP

 

Then—something small flickered at the corner of her vision.

 

A faint shimmer, like heat distorting the air. In the shape of her fingertips.

 

Her breath caught. *Is that Tooru’s quirk?*

 

She stared in awe at her fingers half-fading, half-visible. Tooru’s quirk was unstable. Maybe it was emotion based now? Could she control it like the woman from Fantastic Four?

*I really am a different person now… But maybe… maybe that means I can protect people here too.*

The System hummed approvingly.

Tears slid down her cheeks silently as she made a promise to herself:

*If I can’t return… then I’ll live. I’ll live here. I’ll protect this world too. Even if I have to start again!*

Dr. Akane was busy flitting around Orihime but she paid her no mind, too busy staring at her parents' silhouettes.

Orihime sat up slowly to not jostle her healing wounds.  She stretched her arms above her head, the sleeves of her child-sized pajamas sliding back slightly—and there, at her fingertips, she saw it again.

A faint shimmer. Like air bending around her skin. Like a ripple in space. *Tooru’s quirk… I triggered it again. But how am I doing it?* The shimmer flickered like smoke to a flame before fading.

A rustling sound came from the visitor’s chair.

'Tooru…? Sweetie?'

Akari blinked awake, most likely rubbing tired eyes (Orihime is using her bangles to guess). She scooted closer. 'How do you feel?'

Orihime hesitated.

Physically? Tired.
Emotionally? Unstable.
Existentially? Complicated.

But Tooru’s mother deserved something gentler.

'Scared. But I… I’m gonna be okay,' she whispered.

Akari’s demeanor softened, and she brushed her daughter’s bangs aside. 'That’s my brave girl.'

The warmth… It was disarming. Orihime leaned into her mother’s touch without meaning to.

Akari smiled wider at that tiny gesture.

‘Wh-what are your names?’

 

Her mother hummed, ‘I’m Akari, and daddy’s name is Hoshizora.’

 

Orihime reached both hands out, feeling for her parents' hands. Once she found them, she squeezed them. ‘It’s nice to meet you,’ she bowed, ‘please take care of me.’

 

Her parents giggled at her silliness.

 

Orihime studied each unfamiliar detail with a quiet, instinctive calm. It didn’t stop the ache in her chest, but it gave her something to hold onto.

 

Her new parents stayed close.

 

Her new mother kept brushing her fingers through Tooru’s hair—which was surprisingly familiar in texture. Soft, silky, like she remembered her own being when she was little. Her father tried to hide how often he stole glances at the monitors.

 

She felt guilty. These people had suffered thinking their daughter was unconscious or unstable. They loved her deeply. But she wasn’t their daughter. The weight of that truth pressed on her ribs like something sitting there with cold hands.

+5 LP

+3 LP

+2 SP

+1 Emotional Fortitude

 

Orihime stared. This was the second time points showed up after she interacted with her parents.

 

She took the time to collect her thoughts and tried to sift through her emotions.

The minutes blurred in a haze of medical routines. Dr. Akane adjusted Tooru’s sheets to check on her legs, listened to her heart and breathing, drew blood, checked motor functions, eye tracking, etc. 

 

Throughout the entire examination, Orihime watched her doctor with wide eyes, rapt attention.

 

Once Dr. Akane was finished, she cleared her throat twice, adjusting her paper on her clipboard. ‘Stable vitals, decent reflex movement, clear breathing… you’re responding very well. No signs of quirk strain or nerve damage.'

 

Orihime tilted her head, absorbing the words even as her three-year-old mouth tried to catch up. 'Nerf… damage?'

 

Her father smiled tiredly. 'Nerve. It means the tiny connections in your body are okay.'

 

Dr. Akane nodded, ‘Tooru-chan has gotten much better. She may be discharged tomorrow. Give her small portions of food throughout the day. Start with liquids like broth and some soup. Gently build up her appetite. She also needs motor therapy. Throughout the day have her do simple light exercises or stretch her limbs gently. Try stretching for ten, maybe fifteen minutes. If she has any cramps, a gentle massage should do wonders. What she needs most is stability. Build a routine and stick to it for a few months.’ Doctor Akane sighed softly. 'It’s a lot of stimulation for someone so young. She’s perceptive. She may be processing more than most children her age.'

 

If only she knew.

 

If any of them knew.

 

While Orihime listened, the system flashed a reminder;

 

Part I of II. Secure Character Tooru a position to intern with the hospital or Recovery Girl.

 

She blinked. 

 

‘Akane Sensei? Can… Can I be a doctor too?’

 

Her father chuckled softly, brushing bangs out of her face. ‘A career question already?’

 

Dr. Akane smiled, giving Tooru a small nod. ‘If you study hard and learn lots about people and bodies and health, then yes! You could absolutely become a doctor!’

 

‘Study… people?’ Orihime muttered, pretending to think about it.

 

‘By reading books and learning ways to keep someone healthy.’ Her mother explains with a sniffle. *Sounds like she’s trying not to cry… or laugh.*

 

+1 SP

 

Orihime tilted her head. ‘Daddy Hoshi? Was I born invis-le?’

 

Hoshizora huffed a laugh. ‘In-visi-ble. And no, sweetheart. Your quirk activated early, yes. But you were not born invisible. It’s only been a few months actually.’

 

Orihime hugged her stuffies to her chest, eyes sparkling with interest. ‘What did I look like?’ She squeaked excitedly.

 

‘Ne? Well… Princess was a tiny peach-like baby, with beautiful hair. You barely had any at first, so I thought it was white or maybe iridescent, but as your hair grew, it began to shine. Like when sunlight hits water just right, it sparkles. Your lashes and brows are the same colour. You have my eyes, too. I’d say everything else you must have gotten from your mother.’

 

Tooru’s parents then went on to regale her with stories of her from before the accident.

 

The family spent half an hour bonding, with Orihime relearning things about them. When she started drifting asleep, her dad told her to get some rest. He grabbed his wife’s hand as he went to the door. ‘We’re going home for a shower and something to eat. Then, we’ll be back before you know it! Get some more rest, ne?’

 

Orihime just nodded. She gripped her stuffies in both arms, eyes landing on her sock covered feet. They were tiny, just like the rest of her.

 

A nurse came in with a tray of food and orange juice. ‘Before you rest, you need to take some pain medicine.’ She mixed the medicine into the juice and gave it to Orihime who drank it slowly. Once she drank it all, she reached for the small bowl of soup. The nurse fed her quietly, cleaning Orihime’s chin if any of her soup leaked out of her mouth.

 

*System? May I have a Status Overview?*

 

A chime followed her answer. The System’s mechanical voice answered her request.

 

Daily Status Overview initializing

Host Condition: Stable...

Emotional Integrity: 78%

Energy Reserves: 3%

Physical Compatibility with Vessel: Improving.

Adaptation Phase — Day 2 of 21.

 

'…Twenty-one days…' Orihime hummed. 'Three weeks until what?'

 

Tutorial Mode.

User is inexperienced with quirk utilisation, child physiology, and this world’s societal rules. 

After 21 days, User shall be strong enough to do proper exercises by then. Tutorial mode is to help assess User’s capability and to adjust to her new form more easily.

 

Orihime’s cheeks warmed as she frowned. *Reserves? Wait, did I tap into that when Tooru’s quirk flared earlier? I only felt a little overwhelmed! * 

 

Vessel requires energy to become visible.

 

*Can Tooru’s quirk evolve?*

 

Affirmative. User’s spiritual background increases the probability of early mutation.

 

The nurse finally stepped out, closing the door with a snik. A soft glow formed in her mind, projecting a semi-transparent panel only she could see. *During the tutorial… What would I be doing? *

Daily Task (Beginner Tier):

Stretching (5 mins)

Balance Training (5 mins)

Quirk Activation Attempts (3 mins)

User should be more mobile after three weeks of physiotherapy.

Rewards:

Stat Upgrades.

Should User continue to improve, System Functions shall be available once the Adaption Phase is complete.

Orihime nodded, her eyes falling close. That looks simple enough. Her last thought barely entered her mind before she finally succumbed to sleep.

 *How hard could toddler yoga be?*

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

First Week Home

Rirakuōre, Suruga Ward

Shizuoka

May 11th to 19th

The first thing she learned about her new home was that it was very colourful and too quiet. Peaceful.

 

Not in the peaceful way of Karakura mornings, where she could hear birds, vehicles driving by, Kazui running around and Ichigo’s grumbling as he got ready for work. This quiet felt expectant, as if the walls themselves waited to see whether she would fit inside them.

 

Her new parents fussed constantly.

 

Her new mother followed her from room to room with a soft blanket and snacks tucked under one arm. Her new father hovered as though she were made of fragile glass, always asking, 'Does anything hurt? Are you cold? Do you feel invisible?' The last one made her giggle once, then wince when laughing made her stomach cramp.

 

The cramps were the worst part.

 

They came in waves—leg cramps sharp enough to make her whimper in the middle of the night, shoulder cramps like needles under her skin, and tummy cramps that made her curl into a tiny ball on the futon.

 

Her mother always rushed to her side with warm compresses, soft humming, and whispered assurances.

 

Her father would panic, pace in circles, then kneel beside her, rubbing her back in slow patterns.

 

Orihime— still learning to respond to Tooru without flinching— never knew how to explain that the pain wasn’t normal for her. Not really. Her soul was used to a fully grown body, one she could heal without a single lingering scar. Her body was a battle-hardened one. But now, after being shoved into a tiny frame, overrun with a quirk activating too early… she felt as though she were not adjusting smoothly.

 

The doctor said it was “quirk instability.” Orihime privately thought it was her soul rattling against a life too small for it.

 

During those first nights, she cried silently into the pillow, careful not to draw attention. In her old life, before Ichigo and Tastuki, she was used to enduring things in silence—loneliness, pain, fear. But here, her body was too young to hide the tremors or the little gasps.

 

And every time, without fail, her parents rushed in.

 

Her mother would scoop her into her arms, whispering, ‘It’s okay, sweetie. Mommy’s here. I’m here,’ rocking her gently until the pain eased.

 

Her father would rub circles on her back and murmur awkward, protective things like, ‘Breathe, princess. Daddy’s got you. It’s alright. Let it out.’

 

She wheezed. Because this? This was parental love.

 

She didn’t know how to handle that kind of love.

 

At least, not yet.

 

· • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

Week Two

Part One

By the end of the first week, her parents had both made calls to their respective jobs, asking for permission to bring Orihime to work, at least, just for the next two weeks.

 

They obtained official permission two days later; her mother from her hair salon— where she worked as a human resource manager— and her father from the warehouse. Both their workplaces knew Tooru’s quirk had activated early and that she had just been released from medical observation. Their bosses weren’t unreasonable.

 

So they brought her with them.

 

In Tooru’s mother’s office, Orihime sat in a rolling chair beside her mother’s desk, swinging her legs and coloring in children’s workbooks that Akari’s coworkers brought her. Her mother explained paperwork and client calls in simple words.

 

And Orihime listened.

 

She always listened.

 

Her new mother liked talking, explaining random things, sharing her lunch and letting Tooru sit in her lap while typing.

 

Orihime found it… warm.

 

It was very quiet, and she enjoyed their interactions.

 

But between the two of them, she preferred to go to work with her new father.

 

He made things fun. She was looking forward to the next time she got to drive around with him.

Chapter 4: Geist goes with the Zeit

Summary:

Summary: Over the course of two and a half weeks, Orihime bonds with Hoshizora as he helps her with physiotherapy, as Orihime slowly learns to accept her new life. 

Notes:

Authors Notes: The last chapter ended quickly. So in this chapter, I shall expand it, but with Hoshizora's point of view. I made it double the usual length of previous chapters, nearly 81k words. This chapter, and the next one, focuses on Orihime’s emotional calibration, early social experiences, and hints on the effects of early quirk activation.  I’m doing my best to have a realistic approach to this fantasy life. Trauma is hard to fight. 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor Boku No Hero Academia. Any characters that you may recognise are not mine.

Terminology:
Geist (pronounced 'ga-ist') is a German noun. Geist can be roughly translated into three English meanings: ghost (as in the supernatural entity), spirit (as in the Holy Spirit), and mind or intellect. 

Zeit (pronounced 'zight') is a German word meaning 'time,' referring to duration, a period, or an era, and is used in German compounds like Zeitgeist (spirit of the time). It signifies time's passage, specific moments, or indefinite periods, often appearing as a prefix or part of phrases like "es wird Zeit" (it's about time). 

Psychology: A child psychologist has a doctoral degree (Ph.D./Psy.D.) in psychology, specializing in child development, enabling deeper assessments (IQ, learning disabilities), formal diagnoses (ADHD, Autism), and comprehensive evaluations, though neither prescribes medication. 

Therapy: A child therapist provides counseling and support (talk therapy) for emotional/behavioral issues, often with a Master's in counseling/social work. 

 

Think: Therapist for coping skills; Psychologist for detailed assessment/diagnosis. 

Credit: For more information, check out Meadowbrook,  Sherwood High or Compassionate Counseling Saint Louis.

 

To those who asked, yes; the chapter titles are puns and silly jokes on ghosts or invisibility. With this title, I am alluding to the fact that Orihime’s spirit needs time to settle. The next chapter will have the daddy daughter delivery day. I really wanted to happen in this chapter but I simply had wayyyyy too much already.

This chapter is dedicated to JamesBlafKing: gracias por apoyarme! 

*THOUGHTS*

Notes

‘Speaking’

‹~ System Messages ~›

 

Chapter IV: Geist goes with the Zeit

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

 

Hoshizora

9:46 PM

 

Night had folded over the neighborhood like a dark, soft blanket, the thin silver lighting of moonlight catching on the rain-streaked window pane. The gentle patter of rain outside created a rhythmic lullaby that draped itself across the bedroom, coupled with the soft slow music playing from the radio behind him, their room felt beyond comfortable— it was atmospheric— dark and the wind coming in from the window was cool, a great addition from the heat coming off of his wife’s form... Hoshizora exhaled slowly, sinking deeper into the familiarity of their bed—the soft cotton sheets, the faint warmth trapped from earlier, and the reassuring presence of his wife resting beside him. He had his head resting on his wife’s lap, eyes closed as she slowly carded her fingers through his hair, nails dragging along his scalp every now and then. 

 

Akari lay curled slightly on her side, the type of posture she always used when reading in bed. Her hair— its long, invisible strands— spilled over her shoulder and brushed lightly against his arm. Her book—its braille pages slightly thicker and textured than ordinary paper—rested squarely across his back. He could feel its weight, but more than that, he could sense the way she handled it: with a deep love for the simple act of reading.

 

Her fingers moved gracefully, delicately, over the raised dots of the page, the motion almost like a slow dance. Every so often, she would pause, breathe, and shift her hand to turn to the next page. The sound of her fingertips gliding—tiny brushes of friction—and the soft swipe of paper as she flipped to the next chapter were familiar notes in a song he had long ago memorised. They were some of his favourite sounds in the world.

 

Second only, in truth, to her laughter and Tooru’s.

 

Hoshizora smiled to himself, melting just a little deeper into their shared warmth. After everything—after endless sleepless nights, countless hours pacing hospital hallways, the anxiety of waiting for doctors to finish speaking—this domestic quiet felt like a miracle stitched together from hope and exhaustion. He breathed in the faint scent of his wife’s hair, lavender from her shampoo, and sighed. 

 

His mind drifted back to the last two weeks, in which they spent discussing therapy for themselves and their daughter, circling like a tired bird over the events of earlier that day. It had all been such a blur—one of those days where time both crawled and flew, where every minute was spent in anticipation.

 

They may not have been the ones attacked, but seeing their baby after she had been brought in was traumatising. Why? Because her quirk was unstable, she was visible more often than not, had limbs go invisible every now and then, sometimes, even her entire body. 

 

But, since the incident, she had been visible almost her entire stay. Her skin was mottled with green-yellow bruises, little scrapes and scars healing into scabs on her pale skin. Her hair had been cut into a short bob, beautiful strands shaping her small face. She was so tiny, like a doll laying on that damned bed. It hurt to see her like that, so much so, that Hoshizora was glad his wife was blind; she would shut down completely had she been able to see Tooru like this, not unlike him.

 

Hoshi sobbed everyday and night that first week she was hospitalised. His wife was his rock during that time. Once he felt better, he spent all his time doting on his wife, would cook for them both, and put all his attention on Akari when he was not a crying mess, doing his best to be her pillar as well.

 

Today, when they visited Tooru, he was ecstatic when Dr. Akane confirmed that she would be coming home. He cuddled up to his wife, listening to her softly read aloud her book that was resting on his back, he knew from many hours watching, that she had a finger tracing the braille on the page.

 

He was beyond happy, they were finally bringing home their baby tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow, their daughter would finally come home.

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

 

Last Week,

Thursday, May 2nd, 2235

The morning began with him and Akari seated side by side in the counseling center’s left wing. The building was chilled from the air conditioner running a touch too strongly, so he’d shifted closer to his wife, letting their shoulders touch as he unfolded a pamphlet he’d been given.

He read aloud as quietly as he could, knowing her ears would pick up his words as easily as others traced letters with their eyes.

'Child psychologists tend to work more with diagnostic evaluations,' he murmured, 'while therapists focus more on ongoing coping mechanisms and developmental support.'

Akari nodded, leaning subtly in his direction so she would catch every nuance of his voice. Her fingertips threaded lightly with his, grounding both of them. It took nearly an hour before their names were finally called, and they were ushered into a soft-lit room smelling faintly of eucalyptus.

Dr. Kenzou, the man who had become their therapist, greeted them with a gentle voice.  He was a tall, tan skin man with pale lavender hair. His slate grey eyes meet the galaxy of Hoshizora’s face, then he nodded, first to him, then his wife.

Akari sat next to her husband, anxiously playing with her beaded bracelets, her leg bouncing furiously in front of the desk. Hoshi had a hand resting on her thigh, mind running a mile a minute. He watched as Dr. Kenzou grabbed a file from one of the cabinets to the right side of the room. When he settled into his seat for all of two seconds, Akari was already showering the man in questions.

 

‘Can you give us a more in depth explanation between a child therapist versus a child psychologist? Could you recommend either one? Which one do you think would be best for a three year old? What type of therapy do you think will be of the most help to my child? Are there any materials I can read to become more knowledgeable about my child’s needs and treatment options? Do you think we shou-’

Both Hoshizora and Dr. Kenzou were momentarily stunned at the veracity of her inquiries before Hoshi grinned, and covered her mouth with a hand.

 

‘Breathe, sweetheart,’ he breathed through a laugh. His smile widened when his wife just huffed, sliding a beaded bracelet off her wrist and threw it at him, somehow hitting him square on the nose.

 

Dr. Kenzou laughed, although he covered it up with a cough. ‘To answer the question that I managed to understand, you wish to know the difference between a child therapist versus a child psychologist, yes?’ When they both nodded, he continued smoothly, ‘Well, first I want to say that I find it commendable that you would seek mental help for your child. More often than not, after a villain attack, most parents don't seek such help until much later in life. And by then, more problems had grown and festered.’ Dr. Kenzou leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. 

 

‘Child therapists and psychologists are often thought to be one and the same, but that is simply untrue. The lines between the clinicians often seem blurred but I must clarify the differences between the two mental health professions. A child therapist, or psycho-therapist, is a licensed mental health professional who helps children manage their behavioural, emotional, social and other challenges through different types of therapy, including, paint therapy, play therapy and talk therapy.

 

‘A child psychologist is a type of therapist with a doctoral degree. They specialise in understanding and addressing child development; the mental, emotional, and behavioural needs of children and adolescents. They assess IQ or learning disabilities, diagnose learning disorders like Autism or ADHD, and treat psychological issues. They can provide therapy, as well as perform psychological and neuro-psychological testing and assessments, and formal evaluations for learning disorders, such as anxiety, autism, ADHD and others.

 

‘Please take note, that NOT ALL therapists are psychologists. Key differences lay in the education, training and ability to provide diagnostic tests in addition to therapy. Both clinicians can work with specialties like anxiety or anxiety-driven anger, or even depression, etc. However, psychologists will deal with more severe mental illnesses or disorders, analyse the issues and provide an assessment and/or diagnosis. Neither clinician  prescribes medication.’

 

He asked about Tooru—about her temperament before the incident, her habits, her preferences, whether she had nightmares before, how she played with other children, whether she spoke much.

 

Hoshizora found himself answering most questions, not because Akari couldn’t speak for herself, but because every time she tried, emotion tightened her throat. He would squeeze her hand whenever he felt her body tighten, silently letting her know she didn’t have to strain herself.

 

He took notes—a habit picked up over the long, stressful month—to ensure nothing slipped through the cracks. The small green notebook he had bought two days earlier was already half full. Akari had suggested the idea, reminding him that stress tended to make memory slippery. She was right, of course.

 

As their meeting reached past the forty-minute mark, he had glanced almost guiltily at the wall clock. Time had slipped away from them. Dr. Kenzou noticed the sudden fidget and smiled knowingly.

 

'You’re eager to return to her,' the therapist said kindly. 'That’s good. She will need that anchor—your presence.'

 

Hoshizora bowed politely, almost too quickly. 'Thank you, sensei. We’ll come again next week.'

 

Then they hurried out, making their way to the hospital. The antiseptic smell, once suffocating, now brought a strange comfort—they’d spent so much time here that even its coldness had become familiar.

 

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

Friday May 10th

Hoshizora’s hand brushed lightly over Akari’s as they walked, the touch grounding them both. The city sounds faded behind the glass doors as they pushed inside. The soft beeping of monitors and the low hum of fluorescent lights greeted them. Each step down the hall felt disturbingly familiar, a rhythm they had learned like a protective mantra.

 

Tooru was sleeping when they arrived, her small body cocooned in a mound of white blankets. Even under the harsh hospital lighting, she looked fragile and delicate, almost unreal. Her tiny form was dwarfed by the thick blankets that cocooned her. Even asleep, her features betrayed the stress of the day: her small brows scrunched as though in silent protest, her lips slightly parted, and her breath shallow, uneven. Hoshizora’s chest tightened as he knelt beside her bed.

 

Akari, guided by her practised touch and the sounds of the room, reached out with a trembling finger and traced Tooru’s soft cheek. The warmth radiating from her daughter’s skin brought a bittersweet comfort. She pressed a gentle kiss to her child’s forehead, inhaling the faint scent of shampoo and laundry detergent that clung to Tooru’s hair. 'Sleep well, little star,' Akari whispered, her voice soft and reverent.

 

Hoshizora leaned down and placed a kiss atop Tooru’s warm forehead. He lingered a moment, letting his hand rest lightly on her shoulder. Memories of the past month— the hospital visits, the tears, the long, sleepless nights— pressed against him. He had never imagined that their lives would twist so sharply into a rhythm defined by monitors and medications. And yet, here they were, exhausted but present, their love a quiet fortress around their sleeping daughter.

 

A nurse appeared just then, her shoes squeaking softly against the polished floor. She gave them a polite smile. 'You just missed the doctor. Tooru finally managed to fall asleep for her evening nap. She had a panic attack earlier this morning— poor girl. She’s been exhausted since.'

 

Hoshizora’s jaw tightened as he nodded silently. Akari’s fingers lingered over Tooru’s hand, brushing against the tiny curve of her fingers as if to memorise the moment.

 

'So brave,' Akari murmured, her voice barely audible. 'Our little girl.'

 

Hoshizora swallowed. '…very brave,' he agreed.

 

They left soon after, their hearts heavy with quiet worry but their stomachs reminding them that they needed to care for themselves as well. Walking out of the hospital into the crisp evening air, the smells of the city felt foreign and yet grounding. Their steps were in sync, the silence between them a comfortable companionship.

 

They found a small café about ten minutes away, the warm glow of the windows promising a brief sanctuary. Inside, the smell of coffee, freshly baked bread, and a hint of cinnamon welcomed them. Hoshizora let out a tired sigh, loosening his jacket as they sat. Akari’s hand brushed against his, a small grounding touch that reminded him that they were in this together, no matter how heavy the days grew.

 

Over the next hour, they ate, then discussed schedules and upcoming appointments. Hoshizora’s phone vibrated suddenly, pulling him from his thoughts. For a moment, his heart jumped — was it the hospital calling? He fumbled the phone from his pocket and exhaled when he saw his father’s name, Ryusei, flash across the screen.

 

Hoshizora answered. 'Hi, Dad.' He tapped the speaker button just as his dad’s voice filtered through.

 

His father’s voice, warm but tinged with concern, immediately put him at ease. They spoke about visiting times, whether Tooru was still in the hospital, and if Hoshizora had been taking care of Akari. The conversation was long but comforting — a thread of familial support in the middle of their storm. Hoshizora felt a rare moment of relief in talking about routines and plans rather than fears and injuries.

 

Halfway through the call, Hiyono, Hoshizora’s mother, joined. Her voice was soft but worried, peppered with questions about whether they had eaten, how their day had been, and whether anyone was taking care of themselves properly. Akari described the week in detail — the therapy sessions, Tooru’s progress, small victories, and the setbacks that had come with them. The warmth in Hiyono’s voice was tangible, a tether to a world beyond hospital corridors.

 

The three of them spoke for over two hours, laughter and worry intermingling in a dance of comfort and love. When the call finally ended, Hoshizora felt a weight lift slightly from his shoulders. The outside world was still chaotic, but there was an anchor in his family — a reassurance that they were not alone.

 

Walking back to the hospital, the sky had darkened, and the streets were quiet save for the occasional car passing by. The hospital lights glimmered in the distance, a beacon guiding them back to their daughter.

 

When they entered Tooru’s room, she was still asleep, curled delicately under the blankets. Hoshizora dragged a chair over to her right side, letting Akari settle in on the other. They both sank into their seats, exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. The quiet was comforting, punctuated only by the soft hum of the hospital’s air conditioning and the gentle rhythm of Tooru’s breathing.

 

Hoshizora’s head tilted back against the wall for a moment. The world outside seemed distant. Akari’s fingers found his hand, holding it softly, grounding him. He closed his eyes, letting himself drift. Akari’s soft voice, humming a faint tune Tooru loved, lulled him further into drowsiness, accompanied by her bead bracelets clicking and clacking. The minutes stretched, blending together in quiet warmth. Neither noticed the hours fly by.

 

But the calm did not last. Hoshizora woke with a start to the sound of soft, choked sobs. His eyes snapped open. Tooru’s small cries had pierced the silence, a sound he knew all too well. She was awake, distressed. Panic immediately surged through him, but he controlled it, remembering the lessons of the past weeks.

 

'Little star…' he whispered, voice low and soothing. He leaned forward and gently hugged her. He sat on her bed and carefully  lifted her into his lap. Her small body was trembling as she clung to him, curls damp from sweat and a tear or two. He held her in one arm, caressing her cheek with his free hand.  He hummed a song he heard on the radio as well as he could remember it, doing his best to soothe her. 

 

Tooru’s sobs gradually softened, and she nestled against him, forehead against his chest. 

 

'Shhh…shhh… it’s okay… little star,' he whispered. The words felt heavy with love and exhaustion, a combination of desperation and relief.

 

Minutes passed in a quiet rhythm. Hoshizora’s hand moved gently along her back, soothing muscles tensed from the day’s stress. Her sobs lessened, replaced by quiet sniffles, until eventually, she rested her cheek against him. The rise and fall of her chest gradually steadied, and the tension in her small body eased.

 

Hoshizora lowered his head to brush his lips across the top of her hair, whispering stories of his usual work day. '…we made deliveries all over Shizuoka today… saw places with mountains and rivers… there were big trucks… and a stray cat that kept running away…' His voice was low and soft, each word deliberate, as if weaving a thread of normalcy and warmth into the fabric of the hospital room.

 

Tooru shifted slightly, a small hand pressing against his chest as if to anchor herself to the stories.

 

When she finally seemed to calm down, he kissed her head.

 

‘Ru-chan? Did you have a nightmare?’ He whispered as he rubbed her back. He reached over her to press the call button, hoping to get a nurse to check Tooru over.

 

He was not surprised when she nodded, burrowing deeper into his arms. He sat there in silence, just rocking back and forth. 

 

Hoshizora saw the moment her eyes grew distant and he wanted to scream. But he held it in.

 

A knock on the door was the duo’s only warning when the door swung open and light flooded in from outside. The room's own light was gently raised, controlled by the dimmer to the left. Dr. Akane entered, dressed similarly to yesterday.

 

'Good morning, Tooru. You slept well?' Hoshizora raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the clock. It was nearing seven in the evening.

 

His attention was drawn back to his daughter when he felt her flinch. She was silent for a moment, and he wondered if she was going to answer at all. She had become quite shy and rather silent. He was pleased he felt her whispering against his chest, voice quiet and a bit hoarse. 'I… yes… I think…?' He chuckled at the sound of her slurring her words. Tooru has a lisp that was too cute.

 

'Good.' Dr. Akane’s tone was reassuring. She handed Tooru a small stuffed rabbit. 'Here. Hold this if you get scared. It can be Mr. Mango’s friend.' The toy was a pastel green, with a collar and a peach carrot tie around its neck.

 

Tooru did not move at first, she stayed still in his arms. He could feel her tiny hands clinging to the front of his shirt, small fingers curling as though gripping him for safety. He began rubbing her back in slow, steady circles, humming a lullaby they had sung countless nights.

 

He could see her face, and it felt like he could also see her little mind working on her next decision. Slowly, she unfurled in his lap, peaking at Dr. Akane through her bangs— her huge wide eyes, red rimmed and teary— fell on the rabbit. She reached one tiny fist to Dr. Akane, and accepted the toy, then she pressed it against her chest, tiny hands gripping it tight. She blinked, tiny tears still clung to her lashes. She brought it to her chin, rubbing against it. He grinned proudly when she thanked the doctor all on her own.  That pride swiftly drained away when he saw her bottom lip tremble.

 

With a sigh, he tightened his hold on her, doing his best to reassure her. He didn’t want her to cry, because if she cried, then he would too, and he couldn’t have that.

 

Tooru clung to Hoshizora’s sleeve, and burrowed into his arms again. 'I’m sor-ry… I don’t ‘member you… But I can try?…'

 

A pang of pain stabbed into his chest. 

 

He inhaled deeply, resuming his earlier rocking as Dr. Akane flitted around them as she did her check up. He fought to keep his expression neutral and keep his heartbeat steady. He didn’t want to break down in front of her or an audience.

 

Hoshizora pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'You don’t have to try too hard, sweetheart.' She nodded on his chest and he stroked her hair. She pulled away, sitting up slowly. He watched her, hands open and ready if she showed any signs of pain or discomfort as she stretched her arms and— there! Her quirk activated! 

 

It was beautiful. A shimmer, like sparkling water reflecting sunlight. It was like a kaleidoscope of colours. He grinned when it happened again shortly after. His daughter was amazing.

 

A rustling sound to his side made him look towards his wife. She may be invisible to others, but not to him. No, she looked like a black-whole with a golden ring encased in a pale green one. Her hair strands of gold, long and shining, down her shoulders as they glowed, its golden aura fluctuating gently. Her eyes— shaped like their daughters had no iris nor sclera, and were a glowing white, shaded by pale lashes— blinked awake, as she rubbed them, making the cutest expressions. He smiled as she scooted closer. 'How do you feel?'

 

Tooru didn’t take as long as before to speak. 'Scared. But I… I’m gonna be okay,' she whispered.

 

His wife's eyes flicked around unseeingly, landing on himself then the bed, then back to Tooru, and her expression grew pinched. She scrunched her nose and bit her bottom lip, expression soon smoothening out. She nodded and suddenly, her demeanour softened, and she brushed their daughter’s bangs aside. 'That’s my brave girl.' They both smiled when Tooru leaned into her mother’s touch.

 

Tooru’s gaze dropped down to her lap and she brought her hands together, pointer fingers cutely tapping together. She pouted, eyes looking between her stuffed toys. ‘Wh-what are your names?’

 

Another pang shot through him and he gripped the bed sheet, eyes locked onto his wife’s pained face.  His wife hummed, ‘I’m Akari, and daddy’s name is Hoshizora.’

 

Akari reached both hands out, gripping two of Hoshi’s fingers and feeling for her mother's hands. Once she found them, she squeezed them. ‘It’s nice to meet you,’ she bowed, ‘please take care of me.’

 

He giggled wetly, tears beading in his eyes and he heard Akari do the same. Tooru was always a bit silly. Akari’s free hand was brought up to Tooru instantly, brushing her back and smoothing her hair. '…it’s okay… we’re here…' she murmured, voice trembling but steady. '…we’re right here, little star. Nothing can hurt you. Papa’s here. Mama’s here.' Hoshizora watched, concerned as Tooru stared into space, so he leaned down and  pressed a kiss to the top of Tooru’s head. 

 

For the next few minutes Tooru played with her stuffies, examining them, flipping them over and even put Mr. Mango on her lap in order to take a better look at her new rabbit. When she grew bored of that, her eyes looked around for a bit until they found the doctor and locked on to her.

 

Tooru’s attention stayed on Dr. Akane until she finished. Hoshi’s mood grew with the results, then he was ecstatic when Dr. Akane confirmed that she would be coming home. He paid close attention to her instructions and dietary recommendations. Making a mental note of learning how to massage a child safely. Relief washed through him so suddenly that he had to place his hands squarely on the bed to steady himself. His throat tightened, but he managed a—probably too enthusiastic—'Really?' that made the doctor laugh softly.

 

But joy was followed by a quiet, creeping worry. Tooru had gone through something unimaginable—something that stole her memories, and changed her personality. He was surprised by this good news, though.

 

He became even more surprised at Tooru, who actually asked the doctor a question— but not just a question— but a career one already.

 

‘Akane Sensei? Can… Can I be a doctor too?’

 

Dr. Akane smiled, giving Tooru a small nod. ‘If you study hard and learn lots about people and bodies and health, then yes! You could absolutely become a doctor!’

 

‘Study… people?’ Tooru muttered. She looked like she was thinking deeply about it too.

 

‘By reading books and learning ways to keep someone healthy.’ Akari explains with a sniffle.

 

Tooru looked at Hoshizora then. ‘Daddy Hoshi? Was I born invis-le?’

 

Hoshizora huffed a laugh at her lisp and mangled word. ‘In-visi-ble. And no, sweetheart. Your quirk activated early, yes. But you were not born invisible. It’s only been a few months actually.’

 

Tooru hugged her stuffies to her chest again, eyes sparkling with interest. ‘What did I look like?’ She squeaked excitedly.

 

 Too cute!

 

‘Ne? Well… Princess was a tiny peach-like baby, with beautiful hair. You barely had any at first, so I thought it was white or maybe iridescent, but as your hair grew, it began to shine. Like when sunlight hits water just right, it sparkles. Your lashes and brows are the same colour. You have my eye colour, too. I’d say everything else you must have gotten from your mother.’

 

He and Akari then went on to regale her with stories of her from before the accident. The family spent half an hour bonding, with Tooru relearning things about them. Slowly, Tooru’s eyelids drooped, the gentle rise and fall of her chest relaxing under his touch. Hoshizora and Akari exchanged quiet glances. Their daughter was slowly returning to sleep, cradled safely between them, soothed by their presence. She fought it of course, the silly stubborn girl. 

 

Hoshizora closed his eyes, holding her closer. Akari’s soft humming continued, fingers brushing through Tooru’s hair. For a brief moment, the hospital’s harsh lights and antiseptic smell faded and he felt the tension of the day drain from his body. The world outside, chaotic and relentless, could wait. For now, there was only this — the small, steady heartbeat of their daughter, the soft hum of Akari’s voice, and the reassurance that no matter what had happened today, they were together, and she was safe.

 

Hoshizora got up carefully, settling Tooru onto her pillow properly, adjusting her stuffies and her blanket over her sheet. He stepped back after dropping another kiss to her head, reaching to the side and  grabbed his wife’s hand as he made his way to the door. ‘We’re going home for a shower and something to eat. Then, we’ll be back before you know it! Get some more rest, ne?’

 

Tooru nodded, not saying anything as she cuddled with the toys.

 

‘Rest well princess. Sweet dreams!’

 

As they made their way down the hall, Akari suggested that a nurse give Tooru something to eat.

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · 

First Week Home

Rirakuōre, Suruga Ward

Shizuoka

May 11th to 19th

 

Hoshizora had never enjoyed feeling useless.

 

Broken engines, late deliveries, angry customers, even leaky roofs during typhoon season—those he could fix. He liked problems that made sense. Problems with screws and steps. Problems that followed rules.

 

His daughter did not follow rules. Not really.

 

So he hovered.

 

He knew he hovered. Akari teased him gently for it, clicking her tongue when he followed her and Tooru from room to room. But he couldn’t help it. Every breath she took sounded too small. Every sigh, too tired.

 

The first thing Hoshizora noticed when Tooru got home, was her wide curious eyes taking in everything. Their home was an eclectic space of colourful furniture, unique shapes and just wide enough for three people to walk side by side next to each other. She was on her mother’s hip, head swivelling around as she took in her environment.

 

She was quiet, and more often than not she would hide her face in their necks but right now— she pointed at things— eyes curious, and made adorable expressions at everything and anything.

 

Akari has been trying to get Tooru to speak for at least ten minutes now. She walked around the house with confident steps, bouncing their daughter gently in her arms.  She had a blanket already draped over her arm, snacks tucked neatly under the other. Akari always came prepared. Always a few steps ahead. The steady one, while Hoshizora’s heart tried to climb out of his chest.

 

Akari came to a stop in the living room. Feet naked against the tatami mat and slowly— carefully— sunk down to her knees. She put Tooru on her back to rest on a moss green baby bean bag. Hands trailing arms and legs as though searching for more injuries. The bean bag was on a small turquoise rug, a colour that had became Tooru’s favourite over time.

 

Akari took a snack pouch from under an arm— no, wait, that was a fruit juice pouch, he realised— and shook it above their daughters head. Tooru cooed at her. Hoshi sat down a few inches away, giving his girls some space and he spread out, resting his head on his hand as he stretched his legs out, facing them, with a clear view of their faces.

 

Tooru looked like a turtle on its back, her little legs were kicking every now and then, and she had her cat toy, Mr. Mango’s foot in her mouth, drooling all over it and dribbling on her own hand and chin. Her eyes track Akari’s every movement, flitting to the juice pouch then back to Akari. He could see her confusion, and remembered that Tooru— unlike himself— could not see her mother. She tracked her by her clothes, beaded bracelets and the white red hairband Akari wore today to match her cardigan.

 

Hoshizora shifted again, trying to settle into a more comfortable position when his baby’s eyes snapped to him. He paused, taken  back the swiftness of it. For a moment the only one moving was his wife as she spread out the drink pouches she brought, and then Tooru turned her head, once again watching her mother. She reached up, grabbing onto the hand that held the juice pouch. Tooru’s fingers curled around her mother’s hand with a surprisingly firm grip, head tilting to the side as she listened to her mother speak. Akari narrated every step.

 

'There’s a soft rug here,' she said, guiding Tooru’s foot to feel the texture. 'Your grandmother bought it for us when you were born.'

 

 Tooru tapped her toes along the fluffy material.

 

Akari smiled. 'Do you want to sit on it?'

 

Tooru nodded.

 

Hoshi took that time to settle and think. His baby, his sweet little princess, should not have eyes that looked old. She had hyper-vigilant eyes and that was unacceptable. He swore then and there that he would make sure she would laugh more— he would do whatever he could to make sure she would never look like that again.

 

Akari placed one of the decorative pillows into her hands. 'This one has little beads sewn on the cover. Papa says they fall off too easily, but I like how they feel.'

 

Tooru ran her fingers over the beads—slowly at first, then more confidently.

 

Akari then guided her hand to the edge of the coffee table. 'Careful, this one is solid wood. We keep your crayons in the drawer right here.'

 

The day became evening and with that, dinner time. He fed Tooru as they ate and discussed their schedule for the next few days. Dr. Kenzou had recommended they speak in front of Tooru to sooth her, and to make her feel as though she were a part of the conversation, as his colleague suggested that children liked to feel included. He paused her feeding to slip her some medicine, chuckling at her scrunched up face as she jerked away from the spoon. Her eyes filled with tears as a betrayed look flitted through them. He cooed, doing his best to soothe her. She made grabby hands at her bottle, so he resumed feeding her, and he continued talking with his wife, barely remembering to eat some of his own food.

 

When Tooru was full, she had a bottle filled with a few ounces of broth, he took her to the bathroom for her night time routine, speaking low to her as he went. He noticed that she would flinch when he called her name, and made a mental note to add it to his list for her future therapist.

 

His daughter didn’t fight him when he bathed her nor dressed her and he was so proud. But at the same time, he began to worry for her, when would she come out of her shell? She was like a little ghost. He chuckled to himself— a ghost in a shell.

 

He sat on his bed as Akari showered, playing with Tooru’s sock clad feet as she blinked bleary eyes back at him. Her cute face scrunched up in displeasure and he giggled. She was just so expressive. He scooped her up and brought her closer, peppering her face with kisses. She squirmed and he blew a raspberry on her cheek. She jumped and a giggle slipped out her mouth. 

 

The duo froze. Hoshizora leaned back just in time to catch Tooru’s expression of surprise, as though she had not meant to make such a sound. He grinned. Dropping another kiss and a raspberry on her other cheek resulted in her making another giggle. A gasp to his left made him look towards the doorway to see his wife step in in soft pink pajamas. 

 

She quickly made her way over and sat next to him on the bed. He passed Tooru over to her, watching as she dropped a kiss to their daughter's forehead, then her nose and each cheek.

 

He got up, gathering his things to go shower and give his girls some privacy. He figured this would be an important moment for the mother and daughter bond the two had to mend. He hoped it would.

 

They got settled into bed, Tooru laying on his chest, a thumb in her mouth and a death grip on Mr. Mango. Her new rabbit, currently unnamed, lay on the bed between him and Akari.

 

It rained again that night, not the soft pitter patter of earlier nights, instead, the rain hammered the rooftop, rattled the windows, and created a constant hush as if the world outside was muffled under a heavy blanket. The sound made the adults fall asleep almost as quickly as their daughter did.

 

The quiet did not last long as Tooru woke up crying. Hoshi jerked upright instantly. He didn’t think—he only moved, sat up, snatching Tooru off the bed and into his arms, bringing a hand to rub her stomach Akari flinched at the sudden motion and sat up, startled. ‘Hoshi—?’

 

‘It’s her,’ he breathed. He tried asking Tooru if she had a nightmare or if she had cramps but she didn’t answer— she just sobbed, gripping his shirt tight— trembling violently.

He felt the bed shake as Akari left, whispering that she would fetch something to help with the pain. He rocked and swayed, rubbing her shoulder and that calmed her down, from screaming to a sniffle and a whimper here and there.

 

‘Hey—hey, princess,’ he whispered, giving her shoulder another rub. ‘Papa’s here. I’ve got you. Shh, I’m here. I’m right here, sweetheart.' He pressed a kiss to her hair, holding her small body against his chest, feeling every tremor. ‘It’s okay. Papa’s got you. You’re safe.’ Tooru hid her face in his neck, clutching his shirt so tightly her fingers shook. ‘It’s okay,’ he whispered again and again, rubbing slow circles on her back.

 

Her eyes flickered open, glassy and unfocused. For a moment, she looked older than three. Too old. Like someone bracing for something she expected no one to stop. 

 

Akari was there seconds later, a warm compress already heating between her palms. ‘It’s okay, sweetie,’ she murmured, voice soft as rain. ‘Mama’s here. I’m here.’

 

Tooru let out a thin wheeze when Akari lifted her, small body trembling as she was gathered into her mother’s arms Akari rested Tooru’s head on her chest, right over her heartbeat. The change was nearly instant, Tooru’s body relaxed and she held onto her mother’s hair. 

 

Hoshizora knelt on the floor, massaging Tooru’s legs. He started from her tiny feet, using both thumbs to apply gentle pressure, moving upward slowly to help soothe the cramps. He worked each leg separately, pausing when she flinched, stretching his fingers to calm her muscles. 'There you go, sweetheart,' he whispered. 'Papa’s here. Mama’s got you, you're going to be just fine.'

 

It took until nearly three in the morning for Tooru’s breathing to be steady enough for them to coax her into sleep. That day  brought new worries. Whenever they called her name, she flinched—or worse, didn’t respond unless they tapped her hand to get her attention. She stayed rooted in place unless one of them was physically holding her, always clutching two stuffed animals against her chest. She didn’t explore the house. She didn’t speak. She tracked every movement with sharp, frightened eyes, always noting the locations of doors and windows.

 

Hoshizora recognised that look. He’d seen it in therapy groups—the wary, hyper-vigilant eyes of people who had witnessed horrors.

 

This was the family’s routine for the next two days. And each day, Hoshi grew more and more concerned. 

 

Sometimes—when Tooru was awake, she stared at the ceiling too long, or flinched when her name was called, and he wondered—he wondered if there was more happening inside her than anyone understood. The cramps were the worst part. Worse than the nightmares. Pain was something he could see her suffering through, and that made it unbearable. And sometimes—God help him—she endured pain with a quiet, practiced patience that didn’t belong to a toddler. 

 

They came in waves, cruel and unpredictable. Leg cramps that woke her up at night with thin, broken whimpers. Shoulder cramps that made her flinch when Hoshizora reached for her. And the stomach cramps—those were the ones that made her curl into herself like she was trying to disappear. He could see it in her eyes, that she was hurting, but she would stubbornly bite Mr. Mango's foot and bring her knees up to her chest, curling into a fetal position. She would cry, and he would too, because his baby girl should never have learned how to ignore such pain so early or ever in her life.  Whenever she became like that, he would hold her in his arms, and walk around caressing her head, grab a warm compress for whichever area was hiring and talk to her. It felt like hours, it could be mere minutes, but he didn’t care. He hated seeing his baby in pain.

 

When Tooru finally drifted back to sleep, curled small and warm, he stayed awake. Listening. Counting breaths. Memorising the weight of her against his arm like it might vanish if he didn’t. He thought about the way she laughed—then winced. The way she cried silently into pillows when she thought no one could hear. The way she leaned into their touch like she was learning something new.

 

He would do his damn best to soothe her and show her love.

 

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

It was Saturday morning and the family was quiet. The sky was hidden by thick clouds, casting the kitchen in shadow, only brightened by the light bulbs overhead.

 

Hoshizora was making some breakfast, and had some coffee brewing to wake him up some more. He did not notice that he spilled water on the tiles. When he slipped and shouted, his arm slammed into the cupboard. Akari jolted so hard she gasped out loud—and Tooru screamed, clutching her mother’s shirt. He rushed to soothe them immediately. 'No, no, I’m fine! It’s alright. I’m alright.'

 

Akari’s voice shook. 'Hoshi… are you sure?'

 

'Just slipped,' he said softly, retrieving a mop and walking very carefully. 'I’ll be more careful from now on.' And he meant it. Every movement from that moment forward became slow, measured. 

 

The hours dragged by and Tooru fell asleep in time for her midday nap. ‘We have to change things up a bit.’ Akari said, out of the blue.

 

‘What do you mean?’ Hoshi questioned, turning to face her.

 

‘We should ask our bosses if we can bring Tooru to work. I don’t want to hire a babysitter or send her to another daycare or nursery so soon. I just can’t, so the only other option is to bring her to work. I talked with my boss this morning and she agreed with me. She said I can bring Tooru with me when I come in on Tuesday.’ Akari put down the clothes she was folding, and made her way over to him. He reached out, grabbing her hands and pulled her into himself, gently gliding his hands upland down her arms. 

 

‘I agree. I don’t think I want to put her in another one so soon… or ever again really. I’ll call Mr. Omaeda tomorrow.’ He felt his wife nod against his chest.

 

Stepping back, Akari continued folding clothes and asked him to go pick up groceries—mostly items Tooru liked before her hospitalisation, hoping familiar tastes might bring some comfort. She would be able to enjoy them in the coming weeks. As he went about his errand, he called his parents, telling them of Tooru’s newest achievements. 

 

Nearly an hour passed and he came home just in time to find Tooru sitting in her high chair inside the kitchen, wrapped in a soft blanket with her two stuffed animals nestled against her chest. Her hair, still messy from sleep, fell over her face in loose strands. Akari stood at the counter, running her fingertips along the edges of jars to find the one she wanted—small, with a screw-top lid and a scented label she couldn’t see but recognised by touch. 'Mm… peaches. You used to love peaches,' she said softly, not turning around but knowing Tooru was listening.

 

There was no reply, but Akari could hear the faint rustle of the blanket—Tooru shifting.

 

'Would you like some juice?' she asked.

 

Another small shift. No verbal response.

 

Akari smiled—patient, gentle. 'I’ll take that as a ‘maybe.’'

 

She retrieved a small bowl, carefully guiding the spoon inside to scoop out the peaches. The syrup made a soft dripping noise as it hit the ceramic. 

 

‘I’m back.’

 

Tooru’s head lifted at the sound, curiosity filtering through her wary silence. She waved at him and he grinned, waving back.

 

‘Welcome home,’ his wife greeted. ‘Would you like some juice as well Hoshi?’

 

‘Hai!’

 

Hoshizora went around the kitchen putting the groceries in the correct places. He kissed Akari’s cheek as he passed, then moved over to Tooru and sat next to her, joining her in watching Akari move around the room. Once she was finished, she grabbed a small tray off the wall above the sink and put three cups onto it, then carefully made her way to the table.

 

‘One for you,’ she put a glass in front of Hoshi, ‘one for you,’ she reached out a sippy cup on the plastic surface attached to Tooru’s high chair, and grabbed the last cup for herself as she sat down, ‘one for me. 'They smell sweet, don’t they?' Akari continued. 'I used to crave these when I was pregnant with you.'

 

A small, almost invisible shift of interest.

 

Akari extended her hand again—slow, steady, offering rather than insisting.

 

Tooru reached out, fingers trembling, and brushed her hand against her mother until she found a finger and then she gripped it in her fist. With her other hand, she picked up her sippy cup and tasted her juice, eyes lighting up at the flavour. She squeezed her hand in response and Hoshi smiled, hiding his face with his own glass. They sat together in a bubble of silence, listening to Tooru hum everynow and then from the sweetness of the peach. A shuffle made him turn his head, slowly, in time to catch Tooru open her mouth. She made the tiniest sound—a small breathy noise, high-pitched and hesitant. Just two words.

 

'M… more, please?'

 

Akari placed a shaking hand over her heart. 'Of course, sweetheart. As much as you want.'

 

It was the first word Tooru had spoken since coming home.

 

He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes.

 

After dinner, the house dimmed into the soft golden glow of a single lamp turned low. Hoshizora cleaned the dishes while Akari sat on the couch with Tooru between her knees. The girl’s hair was tangled from sleep, anxiety, and days spent curled against her parents. He could see them from where he stood.

 

Akari reached for a soft-bristle brush she had brought from the bedroom earlier.

 

'May I brush your hair, sweetheart?' she asked.

 

Tooru didn’t respond verbally, but she tilted her head slightly, giving her mother access.

 

Hoshizora’s heart warmed.

 

Akari began brushing with slow, rhythmic strokes. The first few movements made Tooru tense. Yes—this, too, was familiar. The instinctive flinch. So Akari spoke gently while working through the tangles. 'When you were a baby,' she said softly, 'you used to fall asleep when I brushed your hair. Papa thought it was magic.'

 

Tooru blinked, listening.

 

Akari continued, ‘You always smelled like milk and baby powder. And you used to grab my hair—right here—' She guided Tooru’s hand to a strand, '—and tug so hard I thought I’d lose it.'

 

A small sound bubbled out of Tooru—almost a giggle— more a huff.

 

Akari froze in surprise, then smiled brilliantly. 'That’s right,' she whispered. 'It made me laugh every time. You did too.' She resumed brushing slowly. ‘Although, we did not know you were laughing at the time, because you made these adorable huffing sounds.’ 

 

Hoshi turned from the kitchen, drying a bowl, the last one, and leaned against the counters, observing the two on the couch.

 

He wasn’t sure when his eyes began to sting. He set the bowl down quietly. Akari and Tooru didn’t notice him, and he didn’t interrupt. The moment was too precious—too healing. Akari’s voice, gentle and warm, floated across the room like a lullaby.

 

The scene grew a bit too sweet for him, so he made his way to his room, flopping onto his bed and stared at the ceiling, letting his tears fall. He stayed in there for a moment, catching his breath and calming his heart, mind replaying the scene over and over again. When he deemed himself ready, Hoshizora joined them, kneeling beside them both. He kissed Tooru’s forehead, then Akari’s. They stayed like that for a long, peaceful moment.

 

• ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • · · • ⦁ ❀ ⦁ • ·

 

Hoshizora and Akari returned to their room. Their daughter slept in her bed, finally at peace.

 

Akari resumed reading, the book resting on Hoshi’s back just as before. Her finger traced the braille.

 

Swipe.
Turn.
Swipe.

 

Hoshi smiled into the pillow. His boss had agreed, allowing him to bring Tooru to work on Wednesday as it was a delivery day. He exhaled long and slow.

 

For the first time in weeks, he felt the warmth of hope. And he clung to it tightly.

 

He slept well that night, as his daughter finally slept without a single nightmare or cramp to wake her— and him— up.