But I’d say how my degree mostly influenced me is that it made me not want to go into an industry or field that I didn’t have a passion in. I have no interest in becoming an economist or being a History teacher, and so I focus on writing and that’s ok. It’s ok to change your mind and that’s been a valuable lesson. His legs are folded against his chest, which makes it easy for him to grab his thigh and dig his nails into his skin. Katsuki crouches, and prepares himself for the next blow. It doesn’t come. Mitsuki is staring at him from the doorway like he’s a rabid dog and she’s a wolf twice his size. They size each other up, waiting for someone to make the first move. Do you want to have a playdate with Izuku today? He’s going to be so excited to see your quirk.” His dad asks on the way to school the next morning. His shoulders are trembling, but he manages to lift his face to stare at her. See? I’m not scared of my own mom. She slaps him again. This time he doesn’t get up.

The piece I submitted was actually awful but Jasmine being Jasmine still gave me some really good advice and it definitely helped as I was already motivated to get better. Later down the line, Jasmine and I caught up again and she asked me to submit some more of my work. By this time I’d like to think I had gotten better and Jasmine started to let me know of some potential opportunities that might be coming up to write in the future. I was all in! What is he going to do now? He’s not going to be the smartest, or the strongest. After today and the way he treated Deku, he definitely won’t be respected, just hated. He remembers getting quite a few looks of outright disgust. It’s what he deserves, Katsuki reminds himself, which is why he gets the punishments he does. He just feels overwhelmingly stupid for wanting a break from being the bad kid for once. Of course that shit doesn’t fly at U.A. Idiot. In the third book in the series, the land of Jarell’s ancestors is still not safe, and he must return if he is to stop the sorcerer Ikala from gaining power. Together with the help of Kimisi, and their new ally Bo-de, the trio must journey to a city of clay if they are to find what they need to defeat their enemy. But danger lies ahead… Premise/plot: After a bad day at school, Jarell realizes he has lost his house key. While waiting for his older (and much annoyed brother) to come home to let him in, he decides to visit his cousin Omari in his barber shop. He meets his cousin's new business partner, and, well, his life won't be the same again. He's given the VIP treatment, and, well learns that he can access another realm through a magical mirror. He is in fact...wait for it, wait for it...the future hero. He travels through the mirror to a magical realm, Ulfrica, and action and adventure await....Katsuki lies awake until midnight, until he’s sure they’re asleep. Then he slips out his window and runs. He runs until his lungs burn and then he runs until he can’t feel anything at all.

Jarrell has a lot of trouble paying attention and school and would rather spend his time drawing. This gets him into some trouble with his teachers, especially Mr. Mordi. His parents have to work a lot, so he is occasionally home alone. His older brother, Lucas, is more athletic and doesn't have a lot of patience with him. When Jarrell forgets his key to get home again, Lucas doesn't want to let him in, and Jarrell meets up with his cousin, Omari, who is re-opening his father's barbershop, Fades. He has renovated the inside after a flood, and even hung up a lot of Jarrell's artwork! Omari introduces him to his friend, Legsy, who is very impressed with the artwork and encourages Jarrell. When Jarrell enters the VIP room, it looks oddly familiar, and after he looks into an antique mirror, he finds himself in another world! There's a red clay temple and a sorcerer, Ikala, and a goddess, Ayana, from his drawings! Ikala wants to regain the Staff of Kundi that Ayana is keeping from him because it was made specifically to destroy him. The two fight, and Jarrell doesn't know what to do. Eventually, that scene fades, but the expression on his face lets Legsy know that he has seen into Ulfrika. Legsy then tells Jarrel that he is really Olegu, the God of Doorways, and he has created the portal. He's been looking for a true descendant of Kundi to help with this this world. Jarrell also meets Kimisi, who is Ayana's apprentice. Working with people from Ulfrika, Jarrell is able to harness his powers as an heir of Kundi to save this alternative world. Will he be able to? Pain rips across his abdomen. Things happen too fast for Katsuki to process. There’s loud noises, hands on his body, forcing him to the ground and restraining his whole body. The pain stops and Katsuki starts to thrash. The weight increases and Katsuki can’t breathe. She doesn’t look mad. His mom is grinning from ear to ear. Teeth flashing with pride. She likes this one, he realizes.Sorry for hitting your hand.” Katsuki says quietly under his breath. “I don’t know why I did that.” Jarell is the main character. He loves to draw, doesn’t enjoy sport, and lives in the shadow of his cool, popular, older brother Lucas. Jarell always feels awkward and out of place compared to Lucas who seems to fit in effortlessly. Unless, that is, he is drawing the figures and technology that come into his imagination and seem to take over his thoughts. His mom doesn’t look annoyed anymore, she’s smiling again. Katsuki’s heart soars, and his palms spark happily. They don’t stop him. They like his handheld fireworks. His mom likes it. Katsuki thinks to himself that maybe the others will too. He’s the only one not participating in the teasing. Katsuki stares at Izuku’s face and watches as his eyes start watering. Izuku hasn’t said anything since breaking the news, and there’s a glassy sheen across his eyes. It’s almost like something is stopping him. If it were Katsuki, he would have been restrained until he forced out the right words. No one does that for Izuku. Katsuki doesn’t know why. A sense of wonder. The ability to imagine and grow belief in themselves. A lot of the times Jarell has to dig in against all odds – that is something we all could learn from.

Izuku shrieks, and Mitsuki winces at the sound. She was always grumpy during the rare occasion Izuku came over to the Bakugou’s for a playdate, but he knows she and Izuku’s mom are friends. It’s confusing, but it had been a while since he’d heard her complain about Izuku. It'd been a while since Katsuki had gotten in trouble. Maybe she was changing the rules? But now Ikala has escaped imprisonment and Ulfrika is once again under threat; as the heir of Kundi, Jarrell is the only one who can stop him. Fortunately, Jarrell is accompanied on his quest by Kimisi, a fearless, trainee warrior. She guides him through the unfamiliar landscape, teaching him about the customs, inhabitants and technology of her homeland, and helps him to harness his newfound skills. Mitsuki storms over, flashes her teeth, and lunges. She hits him hard enough to make him lose his footing. Katsuki slams against the wall, but before he can crumble, she grabs him by his hair and drags him screaming up the stairs. The sounds he’s making are not human, they belong to the animal he’s become, the object he is. She throws him on the floor of his room. I hope readers are inspired by Jarell’s assurance in himself. We must never compromise who we are inside for other people. We must continue to respond to cruelty with kindness. And we must each keep our heads held high, because we are all special in our own way.

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Jarell, like his ancestor Kundi, is selfless, loyal, and kind. When Jarell discovers that he is Ulfrika’s long-awaited Future Hero – and that he has inherited a powerful magic staff – he does not attempt to seek fame or fortune. He doesn’t get bigheaded or arrogant. If someone is in danger, he puts his own mission on hold to help them first. He is as kind to animals as he is to people. Jarell earns the respect of his Ulfrikan peers not through his mantle but through his actions, which show that he has a brave and gentle heart. I should be stronger than this,” Katsuki chokes out. “Deku is…he’s Deku, he's nobody. I’m not weak like him, I’ll show you.” He’s the same age. Katsuki has seen him around plenty, he likes to tag along with other kids like Katsuki does, but they don’t normally interact outside of that. His hair is messy and his little hands flap around gently at his waist. Katsuki frowns, he’s not supposed to do that. Mitsuki gnashes her teeth and lunges. The slap lands solidly and the sound makes Katsuki flinch. He shrinks and tries to pull the shadows over him like a blanket (it’s not the first time, it won’t be the last). As soon as she leaves, Katsuki bolts up the stairs to his room. Once the door is closed, he climbs into his closet. In the dark, under a pile of clothes, Katsuki cries until his voice is raw.

When he stops to catch his breath, his body feels weirdly light and floaty. Then Katsuki realizes he’s sitting against a tree. He has no idea how long he’s been here. His mouth is dry and his head is starting to hurt. Stupid, can’t even handle a little exercise. Izuku is sitting on the floor of the classroom, surrounded by a circle of children, all making fun of him for not having a quirk. He’s the only one in their grade who doesn’t have one, and the first thing Katsuki felt when Izuku told them was relief. Afrofuturism was the perfect lens for the Future Hero series because the possibilities with it were endless – it allowed me to collaborate with my team on creating a world that found its power in its future technology and its magic in its ancient past. Are you kidding? Our boy wants to be the number one and he can’t even hold his own against some rando with an overinflated ego. How’s he supposed to make it at the top hero school?”

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Of course, Ulfrika has its very own fantastical twist. Talking beasts like Were-hyenas and Painted Wolves roam the kingdom, and there are warriors like Kimisi, Jarell’s loyal friend, who assist and protect Ancients – gods and goddesses of the realm. There are ultra-high-tech gadgets everywhere, like a gauntlet that can whip up mini thunderstorms, or equipment which allows its wearer to cloudport across stretches of sand to their desired destination. Told in accessible short chapters, filled with action and humour, this is a fun fast-paced adventure – with plenty more books in the series coming soon! Something Deku said during the fight, you’ve always been stronger Kacchan, I know that you’re better than me. That’s why I want to beat you, because you’re amazing! Katsuki grimaces at his reflection, it’s hard to believe anyone thinks he’s amazing but it’s very on brand for shitty Deku. If that’s really the case (Katsuki reserves the right to believe this until he sees some hard evidence) then it means Deku isn’t trying to beat Katsuki to humiliate him and steal his power, he’s doing it for his own personal improvement, social status notwithstanding. Which…is a lot to take in. Afrofuturism was the perfect lens for that celebration. Our hero Jarell finds a magical mirror and an exiled God working as a barber in his cousin’s barbershop. Jarell soon discovers that he is the hero that those in a distant land called Ulfrika have been waiting for. This is the land of his ancestors.