A Traveler From Another World | Bakugou x Kirishima x Reader

Don't Touch Gems in Old Libraries

It all began in a world separate from this one, where there were no dragons and no magic. (At least, that's what you thought at first.)

Episode 1- A Traveler From Another World
Part 1- Don't Touch Gems in Old Libraries

Finals were almost upon me, and I was drowning in the stress of yet another overdue, procrastinated essay for me to finish. Once again attempting to be productive, I found myself in the dusty, ancient aisles of Berkeley's library, dragging my fingers across the crumbling spines of ancient, neglected books. It always surprised me how big the library is. Most days, and especially if I was tired, it felt more akin to a labyrinth, with its huge shelves and curved ceilings.

There was no reason for me to be there. I wasn't being productive, and I knew would never find a place for me to study, especially not without a reservation. My fingertips brushed smooth leather, much different from the worn fabric of the other books, and I stopped, turning to stare at the different texture. It also coated in a layer of dust, which implied it hadn't been cared for or even touched in many, many years. Mom had always told me I would die first if I teleported into a horror movie, but my professors had told me that my curiosity was an incredible trait for me to have. Stupidly, I carefully pulled the book from its place on the shelf.

The book dropped out of my hands onto the brick floor. I swore, jumping back and glancing down the row of books. Thankfully, no one was there. I picked it up again. It was a lot heavier than I'd expected, considering it was a few inches smaller than a regular piece of printer paper. I stared at the cover. It didn't have a title or an author; just smooth, reddish-brown leather with a golden insignia of a dragon's wings coming out of a gem. My hands trembled slightly.

Whatever this book held would make an amazing topic for an essay. I looked around for an empty table. Surprisingly, this section of the library was dead silent and empty. Regularly, I couldn't go anywhere in the library without hearing whispers, someone blasting music through their headphones, and the rustling of paper. It was an annoying yet comforting atmosphere in the stress and heat of finals, something I could always count on when visiting. This wing was the opposite.

Students and staff alike did not consider the library silent and empty during finals week. I shrugged it off. It was probably nothing. This was the worst part of campus. It was dingy and somber back here; it was one of the oldest parts of the place, shrouded in dusty light from ancient flickering fluorescent bulbs. I couldn't comprehend how they were even still working. My mother, who'd graduated around twenty years ago, had always mentioned the back area of the library having shitty lighting. She had said it was a good, quiet place, easy for me to relax and study in.

Firmly tucking it under my arm, I wandered down the aisle, turning right to my favorite overstuffed armchair. Sinking into its cushions, I set the book down on my lap and rifled through the first few pages, looking for a table of contents. The language was unlike any I'd seen before; its symbols were sharp and jagged. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I tucked my knees up to my chest and peered closer at the scripture. The ink was uneven; some words were darker than others, and as I flipped through more of the confusing scripture, I noticed a few ink smudges. Someone wrote this book by hand. I realized, mindlessly turning another yellowing page to see what else this book had hidden in its pages.

I stopped mid-page turn, my mind beginning to race; inlaid in the fragile pages, was a gem, around as big as my fist and as red as molten lava. Tentatively, I plucked the jewel from its home and held it in front of the lamp beside me. It sparkled in the light, casting a red shadow onto my arm.

What was something so valuable, simply sitting here? Entombed in this leather-bound book with its incomprehensible scripture and yellowed pages. Better yet, what was it doing at Berkeley? The place didn't have a huge reputation for its incredible history majors; its most popular were all STEM-related. I turned the gem around, continuing to question what it was doing inside a book of all things.

Take it. I blinked. No, the gem's university property; it was in a library book. But it looks like a real ruby-

My train of thought crashed as the gem began glowing in my palm, its surface warming as its glow brightened. My heart pounded in my ears as the light consumed all of my other senses. I opened my mouth, attempting in vain to scream, as the floor beneath me vanished and my body became weightless. All I could see was the blinding glow of the jewel still clutched tightly in my fist. I was not in the library. That was clear from the howling wind grabbing and tugging at my clothes like a river.

The light dimmed, and I could finally see past the bright red attacking my senses. Instantly, I wished the color still surrounded me because now all I saw were clouds and a bright blue sky all around me. As the last of the light faded from the gem, I felt myself drop, falling through the clouds before everything went dark.