Chapter Thirteen: Sparks in the Shadows
The soft glow of the library's overhead lights illuminated Momo's face as she pored over the simulation logs on her tablet. Rows of data scrolled across the screen, but her sharp eyes caught every detail. Beside her, Izuku sat hunched over his notebook, scribbling furiously as he tried to piece together the mystery of the forge's strange reaction to the simulation earlier that day. The weight of the pendant against his chest felt heavier than usual, its warmth a constant reminder of the power he carried—and the responsibility that came with it.
Mei, meanwhile, was sprawled across the library table in her usual chaotic fashion, various tools and scraps of metal scattered around her as she tinkered with a miniature prototype of the stabilizer. She hummed to herself, utterly unfazed by the tension in the room.
"This stabilizer is amazing," she muttered, holding up the tiny device to inspect it. "But I *still* think we should try supercharging it. Think about it—if we push it beyond its limits, we might discover something groundbreaking! Like, boom! Revolutionary!"
Izuku looked up from his notebook, his expression equal parts admiration and concern. "Hatsume-san, pushing it too hard could destabilize the entire system. We were lucky the suit held up during the simulation earlier."
"Lucky? Pfft. Luck had nothing to do with it," Mei replied with a grin, waving a wrench in his direction. "That was *pure genius engineering*."
Momo sighed softly, though her lips curved into a faint smile. "As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, Hatsume-san, we need to approach this carefully. The simulation failure wasn't just a technical issue—there was something *else* interfering."
Izuku nodded, his grip tightening on his pencil. "She's right. I don't think it was a glitch. The energy spike… it felt *wrong*. Like something was manipulating the system."
Mei tilted her head, her grin fading slightly. "You mean like a hacker or something? Or… something *bigger*?"
Izuku hesitated, his hand brushing against the pendant beneath his shirt. He couldn't bring himself to tell them everything—not yet. How could he explain the forge, its mysterious power, and the whispers that had been haunting him? But he also couldn't ignore the fact that Mei and Momo were both deeply involved now. They deserved to know something.
"I don't know for sure," he said finally, his voice quiet. "But whatever it is, it's connected to the energy from the forge."
"The forge?" Momo asked, her brow furrowing. "You've mentioned that before. What exactly is it, Midoriya-san?"
Izuku swallowed hard, his heart pounding. This was it—the moment he'd been avoiding. He didn't want to burden them with his secrets, but he couldn't keep them in the dark forever. Mei and Momo were his friends, his partners. They trusted him, and he owed them the same.
"It's…" He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "The forge is… a power I discovered. It's hard to explain, but it's like a… a source of energy that I can use to create and enhance things. It's what makes the Harmony Suit possible. But it's also… unpredictable. Sometimes it feels like it has a mind of its own."
Mei's eyes widened, her curiosity instantly piqued. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you telling me you've got some kind of magic energy thing powering your inventions? That's *awesome*! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"
Izuku blinked, caught off guard by her reaction. "I… I didn't know how to explain it. And it's not exactly… magic. I don't even fully understand it myself."
Momo, on the other hand, looked thoughtful, her fingers lightly tapping the edge of her tablet. "If this forge is the source of the energy we've been working with, then it makes sense why the Harmony Suit is so… unique. But if it's unpredictable, as you say, then we need to be cautious. A power like that could be dangerous in the wrong hands."
Izuku nodded, his chest tightening. "That's what I'm afraid of. During the simulation, it felt like… like the forge was reacting to something. Like it was being… *watched.*"
The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them. Even Mei looked uncharacteristically serious, her usual grin replaced by a contemplative frown.
"So what do we do?" Momo asked softly, her steady gaze meeting Izuku's. "If there's a threat, we need to be prepared."
Izuku hesitated, his mind racing. He didn't have all the answers, but he knew one thing for certain: he couldn't face this alone. The forge's power was growing, and whatever was lurking in the shadows wasn't going to stop. But with Mei and Momo by his side, he felt a flicker of hope.
"We keep working on the Harmony Suit," he said firmly. "We make it stronger, more adaptable. If the forge reacts to threats, then maybe we can use it to protect people. But we have to be careful. Whatever's out there… it's not going to stop."
Mei grinned, her confidence returning. "Careful? Pfft. Careful's my middle name! Let's do this, team!"
Momo smiled as well, her calm presence grounding them. "We'll support you, Midoriya-san. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."
Izuku felt a warmth spread through his chest, the weight of the forge's power momentarily lifting. He wasn't alone—not anymore. With Mei's creativity and Momo's steady resolve, he felt ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.
But as they packed up their materials and left the library, Izuku couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows were closer than ever. The forge's hum was quiet now, almost too quiet, and the memory of the whisper lingered in the back of his mind.
The shadows were moving. And soon, they would have to face them.
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To be continued.