❝ 花鳥風月 ❞

SUDDEN DAMPNESS can be felt on Yue's face, who's still peacefully laying in her bed; deep asleep.

There's a gentle, feather-like lick. Yue scrunches her nose at the sensation.

A bolder and wider tongue spreads across her face, which makes her jump up in defensive. She's utterly fearful that somebody got into her locked home, and her heartbeat raises profusely.

But a frown builds up on her forehead as she doesn't identify any danger in front of her.

Was I dreaming?

She thinks about the possibility for a second, yet as her hand wipes the elongated drool off of her face, she cringes and realizes that it's, somehow, reality.

"Woof!"

Her eyes fall down to the small creature lying on her bed almost too joyfully.

Yue just sits there, blinking, while staring at the adorably cute dog.

Its eyes are wider than a baby's, and it's tilting its head one way and the other. Wagging its tail happily, it watches Yue's curious and big eyes with familiarity and kindness.

"Do I know you?" She asks flatly and in suspicion.

Expecting a response would be rather stupid and naive, but the question is still necessary. Yue does not know what a dog is doing in her house, in her bed, at this hour. She doesn't have any pets, so who this might be is a big mystery.

The dog simply sticks out its tongue playfully, making it look even more adorable.

All Yue can do is blink in this moment. Desperately, she tries to recall yesterday's events, but it all seems to come out as a simple blur.

She doesn't know if the dog would be acceptant of her touch or proximity, so she respectfully extends her hand toward it with carefulness to make sure that she isn't disturbing it.

Yet the dog doesn't mind it at all. It even licks the side of her slender finger in content.

At the sweet sensation, Yue shrieks away. Being this close with a creature has been a long time ago, so she's both overwhelmed and panicking.

Sounds of fear escape her, gulping while backing away. Yue, whose heartbeat is speeding up irregularly, dials her uncle's number in an instant.

Meanwhile, the black-and-white flecked dog watches her innocently; continuing to wag its tail.

"U-Uh, you don't have a dog, do you?" is the first thing she asks as soon as he picks up the phone.

Edgeshot furrows his brows at the random question. "No." After a few moments of silence pass, he asks, "Is everything all right, Yue? I'm working right now, but if something's wrong, tell me."

Just as he questions her wellbeing, the medium-sized dog steps closer by its paws and crawls up her lap. She's shocked at first and doesn't know how to react.

But as it nestles itself further into her warm body and lovingly strokes her palm with its head, Yue's eyes widen in unexplainable delight.

"I'll call you later," mutters the blue-haired girl absently, while her uncle keeps talking—or rather scolding—her.

Carefully, Shirohono places her warm hands around either side of the dog, and holds it up so that it meets her eyes.

They stare at each other for a while. It's somehow like telepathic communication. Or Yue is just trying to get the intentions of the dog through eye-contact.

"You," she begins, voice staying monotone. Her eyes are narrowed in suspicion. "Are really cute."

"Woof!" It seems even more joyed now.

And that's when Yue realizes how this illegally cute dog landed in her apartment.

Night fell down to the city as her heavy feet were carrying her back home.

Another day of endless training had passed by, and Yue was just longing to jump into her bed and let her dreams sweep her away from reality.

That was until her ears captured sounds of extraordinarily loud barks. Out of pure curiosity, she strode further toward the noises, even as it lead her to a dark, abandoned alley.

There was no fear in her, really. She already knew that, if something happened to her, she would be able to defend herself with ease.

Three black-and-brown colored rottweilers were cornering a relatively smaller dog, hissing at it dangerously.

Before one of the intimidating dogs could attack their prey, though, their ears perked up to the sound  of Yue intentionally crunching down on a dry leaf.

They narrowed their dark eyes at her. The three dogs moved wolfishly in a pack toward the girl, who continued on standing straight and unfazed, as they growled.

Their suspicion continued, even as Shirohono squatted down to meet their height.

She glanced in between every single one of them, making sure to gaze into their eyes deeply.

Yue stared at them thoroughly. Her eyes suddenly darkened, drilling through theirs.

If the dogs could speak, they would state that they had never seen such dark eyes with so much light in them.

Yet the darkness was soaking the light up; more and more with every passing drop of cold water.

Suddenly, their growls developed into whimpers.

They back away fearfully. It's like they see an even more intimidating creature in front of them than anybody could muster. It utterly shocked her.

"No, no, I'm friendly!" Placing a hand on her heart, she remains surprised, but also tries to not let them be intimidated by her.

Light fired her eyes up again.

In a sudden, their view of her changed again, and they started wagging their tails. Every single one of the pack. It's almost like she had control over their emotions, like she could determine on how they should react.

With a smile, Yue scratched them behind their ears. They sank into her touch adoringly, tongues sticking out of their mouths.

"Don't mess with others again, all right?" said Yue, smiling. "Violence is useless. It doesn't result in anything good."

After inclining their heads obediently, they left.

More whimpers could be heard as she stepped closer to the smaller dog. Shirohono kept her distance, but made sure to extend her hand for offer.

Slowly, the black-eyed dog came out of the shadows. It sniffed on her hand, and then looked back up to meet her warm eyes.

As it realized that she is the complete opposite of a bad guy, it licked her finger in both gratitude and acceptance.

Yue chuckled, responding, "Why, thank you."

"Oh, God..." Her head falls. She groans at the realization. "I got myself a dog... I must've been completely knocked out for forgetting about it."

Shirohono can't take care of pets, considering that she still has school to attend, and that her uncle wouldn't be able as well due to his work.

But she also doesn't want to leave the husky on the streets again. At least not this fast. She doesn't know why, but the dog has a familiar warmth that pulls her closer.

It's almost like the dog fills in the empty space in her home. And Yue has simply been longing for that moment. The selfish realization causes her to nibble on her lower lip, contemplating.

But the dog seems to be smiling at her through its eyes. Eyes that tell that it's okay.

"I can give you to the animal shelter later..." murmurs the allured girl, petting the dog's head, who leans into her touch in an instant.

Soon, a small smile spreads across her face.

"Let's go outside!" She exclaims, jumping out of her bed. "I'll have to buy you food, and a bed, and you may have to pee..."

While Yue is changing her clothes swiftly, the fluffy husky follows every single one of her steps like a loyal companion. They go out after she grabs all the necessities for their journey.

Sunlight gleefully shines above the duo as if it has missed the sky and wanted nothing more than to warm up those dark blues to a radiating gold.

Yue starts jogging as some sort of morning training, inching toward her destination and enjoying the newly cool air while her dog is running right beside her.

It is a lovely day, the first of all the days of spring, with crocuses and daisies in the street's garden, and white asters blooming all around.

To say that she simply liked nature would be an understatement. She adores it. Ever since she was a little kid, there has been nothing more enjoyable for her than nature and its pure warmth.

The trees and the flowers and the animals who lasted all around are nothing but complete joy and happiness for her.

Imagining all of nature destroyed would be like leaving her soul gasping for breath.

"Welcome!" The worker exclaims as she opens the door of the pet store. "Would you like anything specific, madam?"

An older woman stands in front of her, a warm and genuine smile grazing her lips. There's that sincere need of wanting to help and share one's knowledge, and Yue notices that in an instant.

So she lightly smiles back at the friendly worker. "Hello. I have a dog." Shirohono looks down at the said pet, who barks happily in an instant. "But I'm not entirely sure on how to take proper care of it..."

"Well, what's this cutie's name?" asks the gray-haired woman, offering the husky a treat.

"Oh."

Pause. Yue hasn't thought of that, and now doesn't know how to respond.

As she gazes back down at the dog again, it looks up at her with its mesmerizingly, twinkling black eyes.

"Mei."

Thus, the lady glances up at Shirohono, surprise evident on her older features. "That's a really pretty name. So she's like a bright light in your life."

Her? That's cool... Yue smiles while gazing at her newly named dog, Mei. "Yeah..."

After she's done buying the needed essentials, she strides back home to get ready for school.

Shirohono already told Todoroki that there won't be any training sessions today, and he didn't complain at all; being rather relieved that he can sleep a day without physical pain that is emitted by her hard hits.

"I know, and I'm sorry," she murmurs, pouting. Yue desperately tries to put Mei inside of her schoolbag, but the dog simply backs away and shoots a saddened frown her way.

"I can't walk around with you in school. Animals aren't allowed..."

Her pout deepens. "Well, we do have people with an animal Quirk, but that's not the point—Hey, don't look at me like that! I'm not a dragon!"

Coming up with a compromise is easier said than done. Mei seems to be just as stubborn as her, and that frustrates Yue. "We'll go to the beach, okay? Is that what you want? Water?"

That alone is enough to make the black-and-white colored husky hop into her bag happily. Yue blinks in a dumb manner. She states flatly, "I just got manipulated by a dog."

Due to the argument taking more time than she had, Shirohono is running to school in order to not be late.

"Stay quiet, all right?" she whispers before opening the door of her homeroom. She then walks in with a neutral expression, her heartbeat high behind the false layer of impassivity.

But, as soon as she steps foot into the room, all of her classmates start staring at her with either complete curiosity or utter pity.

At that, she frowns—confused—while continuing to make her way to her assigned seat.

Yaoyorozu smiles at her in a rather saddened way, a small hand waving at her. Still, she stays quiet, which is rare for the sweet-talking girl.

Everyone seems to be staring at her arms. The spots they're curiously looking at are concealed with thick, white bandages, just as they are all the time.

Before these days, no one seemed to care—seeing them as an accessory that their classmate adores—but their thoughts have changed severely after witnessing yesterday's images and Mineta's sour mouth.

"Why is everyone looking at me?" Yue leans further forward to Todoroki, who is slightly fazed as well.

And that makes her even more uncomfortable. Todoroki is almost never fazed by anything and mostly clueless, so his reaction causes panic to rise within her.

Todoroki blinks, mouth ajar. He clears his throat as he notices him trailing off as well, deciding to rather look ahead than into her eyes.

"They saw your arm, Shirohono." He adds as a matter of fact, "Without bandages."

Realization hits her. Hard. Thus, Yue's eyes widen, breath already getting uneven.

It's like a string wraps itself around her throat, getting tighter and tighter with every passing second. Her breathing turns shallow.

All she can do is glance in between the faces of her classmates. She doesn't know what to do. Utterly and sincerely, she's overwhelmed and simply... scared.

Somehow, they're expecting an answer, but also know that it's not their place to ask. So they're simply waiting. They're waiting with widely-brimmed eyes and a sea of silence.

Breathe, she repeats countless of times. Fear is nothing but an illusion.

And so her heartbeat stabilizes slowly. In a confident manner, Yue stands up, face blank. "I have a fire Quirk. There's obviously going to be consequences of the severe heat. Will you guys stop staring at me like I'm a complete zoo now?"

"Sorry..." mutters Kirishima, embarrassed. "It's just that..." He tries to think of the right words. "We all thought that you can use your Quirk flawlessly and without failure."

"No one's Quirk is flawless, dumb-ass," Bakugou says from his spot all of a sudden.

His arms are crossed, sitting on his seat with his legs on the table. "Almost everyone has shit to deal with when using their Quirk. Have you never seen how heated up that Fireball always is? It's an attribute."

Though she doesn't enjoy agreeing with him, she nods. "Thanks for always observing me, Bakugou-chan, but—" The blond shouts at her immediately for the said accusation, but Yue simply continues nonchalantly, "It's true. Todoroki's left side is always warm, too, for example. Or Midoriya's broken limbs as well."

Gulping, she adds in a quiet tone, "There's nothing interesting about my burned marks. It's all just... part of my Quirk. Even through the pain, I won't stop fighting."

She seriously hopes that they buy that false articulation. And they do. Soon, they start being their lighthearted selves and nod in fascination.

"You're so manly, Shiro!" Kirishima cries out.

Suddenly, their teacher slams the door open. "When the bell rings, you have to take your seats!"

"Morning. Now about your end-of-term exams..." Aizawa mutters. "I hate to say that some of you have failed. And, as such... Everybody's going to the Forrest Lodge!"

This man is bonkers.

Just as her, the entirety of the class is shocked and voicing out their opinions. "It was a logical ruse!" reasons Aizawa.

Out of nowhere, there's a bark slicing in between the yells of the students.

Yue stills. Whilst her heartbeat raises again, she gulps, blinking. There is a tiny spark of hope that tells her that the others didn't notice the noise, but it goes out as soon as they all silence.

Todoroki suddenly says, "It came from outside."

Yue exhales in relief. She mentally thanks her friend for saving her without even blinking an eye.

So that's what friends are for, huh?

Their discussion begins again after trusting Todoroki's words, who now stares at Yue with questioning eyes; trying to find out what she's hiding.

But the girl simply avoids him, swallowing the lump in her throat. She looks straight ahead.

Another bark voices itself out.

The whole class turns toward Shirohono. And she seems to be just a tad bit too suspiciously silent.

"Shirohono," Aizawa begins in a slow yet stern voice. "Did you bring a dog with you to school?"

She gulps. "Depends on your reaction."

Aizawa isn't impressed by her so-called sly antics, and sends a self-explanatory look her way.

Noticing his command immediately, she sighs, before opening her bag and placing Mei on her table.

"IT'S SO CUTE!" They all exclaim in an instant.

Yet before they could rush toward the indeed adorable husky, their teacher stops them by his Quirk.

He exhales, asking in a tired way, "Why did you bring your pet with you to school, Shirohono?"

"I saved it yesterday." She nibbles on her bottom lip, embarrassed. "And I couldn't give it to anyone nor let it stay at home, so I had to take her with me..."

Sato asks, "What about your parents, Shirohono-san? Can't they take care of her?"

"No..." Avoiding the allured eyes of her classmates, Yue looks down at Mei while letting it play with her slender finger. "They are not at home. Work and all."

Waves of sympathy hit Aizawa in the same moment. He has some knowledge about her familial situation, which is how he is able to put the pieces together.

Regardless of the rules, he sighs, muttering out, "You can bring her to school, but..."

Yue gazes up at him with widely shining eyes. "While you're studying or in classes, she has to stay in the teacher's room. Don't worry, they'll gladly take care of her. Is that all right with you?"

"Of course!" The blue-eyed girl smiles widely. "Thank you, Aizawa-sensei!"

Classes end soon enough, making Shirohono stand up to pick up Mei from the teacher's room, like Aizawa instructed.

"You should join us, Shirohono," exclaims Mina, standing beside her all of a sudden.

Confused, the said girl frowns. "Join what?"

"We'll go shopping with the class," Jiro states, meanwhile Yaoyorozu is nodding enthusiastically. "Everyone is coming. You wanna come, too?"

Red grows on the tip of her ears. She gulps, being quick to gratefully decline by her hand waving around. "Ah, no..." Yue struggles to pick a significant event that is both inanimate and believable. "I have to train and... a few other stuff."

Well, that's no lie, she thinks to herself.

"You're always training, Shirohono-san." A concerned frown spreads across Momo's features. "Are you sure that you're not exhausting yourself? I hope you take good care of yourself..."

Those words make her even more flustered. "No, of course I do!"

Her breathing gets uneven. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

More or less, they believe her statement. Yue scurries out of the room to avoid any more questions, and picks up Mei in the process. Then, she's exiting the school.

Just to have Todoroki wait for her in front of the gates.

"Oh, sorry, I let you wait," she murmurs.

Mei has somehow made a way to climb her up, which is why she's laying on Yue's head comfortably. But the blue-haired girl doesn't mind.

"It's fine." Todoroki gazes at her with warm eyes.

They soon start walking beside each other. Some meters beside them are their classmates that are huddled up together while talking gleefully.

Seeing her classmates talking about their meetup causes Shirohono to ask, "You're not going with them?"

"No." He shakes his head. "I'm visiting my mother."

"Oh. That's..." Considering the fact that she doesn't have much knowledge about his familial situation, she doesn't know what to say. "...However you want to put it."

Todoroki almost chuckles at her overly careful words. But the sound doesn't leave him due to his memories clouding his mind. He locates his gaze to the ground.

Slowly, he allows his mind to speak for him, and opens up to his friend. "My mother is in the hospital at the moment. Actually, she's been there for many years."

Yue's eyes widen slightly, but doesn't cut through or questions anything, rather appreciating the fact that he wants to tell his story and its huge struggles to her.

It's admirable how he can openly speak about what haunts him, and she wishes to do so, too.

"I already told you that she gave me my scar." He touches the spot, his past making him travel elsewhere. "But that's not the reason why I have it. After it happened, she wanted to soothe the pain by her Quirk, but it just made things worse. She apologized a lot while doing that. I remember it all so vividly..."

As he notices Yue halting in her steps, he does as well. Todoroki is puzzled as to why she has stopped in the first place. His dual-colored eyes stare at her hesitant form.

None-stopping debates run through her head, the niggling and triggering emotions overwhelming her. In curiosity, Shoto watches how Yue's shaky hand lays itself on her left forearm.

Yet before her slender fingers could pick on the covers to unwrap it, she stops in her movements.

There's still something holding her back.

Which is why she looks up at him with a forced smile, acting like nothing has happened only a few moments ago.

"Sorry. Please continue."

"Is something concerning you, Yue?"

At that, her eyes open, relaxing from the lotus position she's in. "What do you mean?"

Taiyo stays with his eyes closed, meditating serenely. "I can sense your clouded mind from here. Did something happen at school?"

Knowing that he knows about every damn thing anyway, she decides to stick with the truth. Even if that truth is more confusing to tell than ever.

"No, it's not that..." Shirohono contemplates about which words to use to describe her current state. "It's just that..."

She frowns, stating flatly, "I'm confused."

"About what exactly?" Now, the dark-haired man gifts her his undivided attention; opening his eyes and letting his hands sit on his lap.

Many minutes of silence pass.

Yue is simply thinking, and doesn't even know where her thoughts start and where they end. There is so much on her mind that she just cannot sort into different folders or organize—all of her feelings run around freely.

Tears are suddenly building up in her eyes, and she suppresses a sob by covering her mouth with her warm hand.

Each of her emotions are overflowing, lapping above each other, leaving her as a completely chaotic mess.

It is a struggle to control oneself all the time, and this is the very moment where she breaks.

"Everything is finally going well again, but I feel like it's all just getting worse!"

Voice shaky, she continues blocking her sobs by her hand to not lose the absolute control of of her visually visible emotions.

"Everything is good, but it's not, and I don't know how to feel!"

With every word she releases, the area around them grows darker and scarier. The once blue-hued, almost magical sea beside them transforms into an unpleasant and ugly brown.

Overall, the colors of the once fascinating and vividly dazzling nature fade, evaporating because of her negative flow of emotions.

"I feel like I've connected with my uncle again, I'm finally going to school like I always wished to, my Quirk isn't bothering me, I'm able to unblock my chakras, and I finally—and for the first time—have friends!"

She yells out, frustrated. "Why am I still not satisfied? What more do I want?"

"I have everything I've ever wanted, but I'm still not satisfied..."

Finally, her breathing stabilizes after crying her heart out. She pulls her legs up and rests her chin on top of her knees.

Realization suddenly hits her, and she swallows the lump in her throat.

Unhurriedly, silent tears spill from her eyes, as her gaze is located on the now fresh, green grass. "I think I miss my parents..."

Throughout her breakdown, Taiyo has stayed silent yet observing. "It is good that you let your emotions guide you after feeling nothing but numbness for many years." His voice is calming, almost tranquil. "You're evolving more and more, and I couldn't be prouder of you."

"You're a part of my own." She stays in her closed off position, words coming out muffled. "You're only saying that because of my own conscience. You aren't real."

He shakes his head. "That is not true. Do you seriously believe that every single person on this earth has two different parts of themselves that were once real human flesh as well? Don't be foolish, Yue."

"I, too, was once living here," he reveals, causing her head to rise in interest. "Your other part—which is known to you as Yang—and I were lovers. We were real humans, and not something created from your conscience."

Once again, Shirohono is puzzled about the whole concept. "But... how do you even live inside of me? Do you just appear when you want to? And others can't see you, except for me... What about Hinote? And that so-called 'Yang'? I've never seen her around—or him. Sorry, didn't want to assume your—"

"As I've already said, I will explain the story of my female lover and I when everything is finished."

Next to the sternness he always displays on his striking features, there is honesty and concern. Yue appreciates how authentic he is, and strives to be more like him.

"Until then, I need you to know that the rush of your emotions is normal." He shrugs. "You're having a spiritual awakening, and sudden breakdowns or tears may be uncalled for, but totally normal. In fact, it's good."

A small smile shines through his lips. "Don't have fear of your feelings. They're the one that guide you in this world, after all."

Because of his truthful and helping words, Yue can calm down and be open about the fact that she has, indeed, feelings.

They continue meditating right after.

"Today, we will be dealing with the fourth chakra, which is located in the heart." Both of them breathe in and out thoroughly. "It deals with love and is blocked by grief."

"When the heart chakra is blocked, you may face difficulties, such as codependency, being closed down, or withdrawn."

Yue frowns at the strong emotions that go through her.

"If It is open, though, you may feel deep connections, harmonious exchanges of energy with all that is around you, and can see and appreciate beauty in everything."

Lay all of your grief out in front you.

Taiyo's voice is like a subconscious one inside of her head once again, making her feel everything stronger.

True to his word, her two loved ones sit in front of her - smiling at their daughter.

Yue gasps. And as she raises her hand to grab and hold onto them, they evaporate into dust.

A love of your lost ones has not left his world, it is still deep inside of your heart; and it is reformed in a form of new love.

Indeed, new and pure love toward someone else is there. Her uncle has a fond smile on his lips, gazing at her in the usual adoring and soft way, just as he always does.

She smiles right back at him, a single tear produced of gladness leaving her right eye.

Let it flow through you.

As Yue breathes out for one last time, her heart unblocks itself.

Finally, the day of the Forrest Lodge camp come through, and Class A and B are organizing themselves next to their buses.

One task is deeply set in Shirohono's mind, determined to finish it before leaving.

And so she stands behind the person she wants to talk to. Breathing in and out to prevent an uneven heartbeat, Yue taps on his shoulder lightly.

He almost doesn't notice her feather-light touch. But Todoroki turns around, sending her a questioning gaze. She gulps.

Words have never been their friends—most of them confusing either them or the ones listening to it. Yet a tilt of her head is enough for him to understand that she wants to privately talk to him.

As they're out of other people's sight, she exhales loudly. Then, Yue unwraps the bandage around her left arm very cautiously.

She points at the spot in the middle of her forearm, the mark between the many others sharing the same color as the one on his eye does.

With widened eyes, he analyzes the painful sight. He recognizes that the color of the scar is the same as the one on his eye.

Breath heavy, she mumbles, "I got this one from first fire and then ice, not like I told in class."

To not have anyone else see it, she's quick to conceal her entire forearm with the white bandage again.

Shirohono inhales a big breath, gazing up at him, a weak smile adorning her face.

"I did not show you my scars to gain any pity from you. Or to invalidate your own pain by mine." Her words are both confident and strong, just as everyone on the outside sees her. How the inward looks, though, is only visible to her. "I did it to let you know that you aren't alone"

Her sight continue burning holes into the ground, avoiding his boring eyes. "People like to say that time heals all wounds, but I don't think that's true. Wounds and scars remain, don't they? In time, your mind covers them up, whether it be literally or emotionally, and the pain lessens. But it's never gone. It'll always be there."

She looks up at him, shrugging. "Just as scars don't. They're constant. All we can do is endure it and live with them."

Curtly, she inclines her head. "I want to let you know that I understand."

A smile spreads on her lips all of a sudden. "We're friends. Friends stick with each other through light and dark days."

"Or that's at least what I've heard..." she adds, trailing off as she starts to become more thoughtful about the topic.

There are wounds that never show on the body. Wounds that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.

All that Yue can currently muster is covering them up by a thick and ice-cold wall. May someone break those dark walls by own interest and concern one day.

Todoroki doesn't know what to say or how to put his gratitude into words, so he stays silent, hoping that she knows how he feels. And she does.

Something in her chest feels lighter, as if compelled weights have been lifted.

"Where are Shirohono-san and Todoroki-kun? We have to line up now!" Iida suddenly yells out.

It catches both of them off-guard for a second, but they quickly rush to their other classmates to not seem too suspicious or cause any trouble.

"What where you doing with Todoroki-kun?" asks Uraraka as they're sitting inside of the bus, turning around in her seat to face Shirohono.

Said girl shrugs, taking it as a lighthearted question. "Nothing interest. We talked about Quirks."

"You and Todoroki have grown closer over time, Shiro-chan," Usui says from beside Uraraka.

Once again, Yue shrugs. "I guess."

"Can you damn extras shut up, so that I can take a nap?" mutters Bakugou from beside her.

I could've sat next to the quiet and mysterious Tokoyami, but had to get Blasty Boy? She scoffs lightly. Sometimes, when life gives you lemons, you have to squirt someone's eye.

"Aw, don't worry." The blue-haired girl collides her fist against his shoulder, to which he sneers. "You were my friend before Todoroki was, after all! Well, sort of..." She thinks for a moment, frowning dramatically. "I noticed that we have a really weird bond, Hedgehog."

Bakugou glares at her. "I will literally set you up on fire, Dumbo."

"That's fine by me." Placing the side of her head against the window, she folds her arms to make herself more comfortable in her spot while waving a reassuring hand. "I'm immune to fire."

All he can do is scoff at that, laying his head against the seat. "We'll see about that."

Meanwhile, Mei is peacefully sleeping on her shoulder, enjoying how warm Yue's body is.

What follows is a rest stop after an hour of driving. Staying in one place—where moving isn't really customary—she tends to get uncomfortable, and so stretches her limbs as soon as she steps out.

The sight in front of her is astonishing. Right now, they're standing in front of many mountains, trees tightly smushed together beneath them. Yue joyfully rushes to the gates that separate her from the serene scenery, taking in its fresh scent.

This is a place where she feels most alive.

"There's no point in stopping without a reason," Aizawa's thick voice cuts through the questions of his students.

It isn't enough to pull Shirohono away from her admiration, though, which takes her to different places. But as vibrations are sent through her feet, indicating that there are more figures present than thought, she turns around to face them.

"Hey, Eraser!" A feminine voice says. "Long time no see!"

Sickeningly cute-dresses women come out of a black car. They soon start introducing themselves. "Lock on with these sparkling eyes!" A brown-haired woman dances along her blonde friend. "Stingingly cute and catlike! Wild, Wild... Pussycats!"

"These are Pro Heroes who will be working with us during the camp: The Pussycats," their teacher explains furthermore.

Midoriya exclaims out of nowhere, "They're a four-person Hero team who set up a joint agency!" His cheeks are tinted in a sweet pink. "They're a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues! This year will be their twelfth workin—"

"I'm eighteen at heart!" The blonde one blocks his entire face by her paw. Mei backs away fearfully, hiding behind her keeper's leg.

From a corner, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Shirohono have the same thought in mind: She sounds desperate.

Nonetheless, the class greets them politely. "Nice to meet you!"

"We own this whole stretch of land here!" states the brunette, motioning to the scenery by her hand.

Pure-hearted jealousy washes over Yue, her soft smile growing bigger. "It's so beautiful... I wish I would live here! It's really spiritual as well..."

In response, the woman smiles; being happy at how much she appreciates nature. "You will live here for some time! All of you will be staying at the foot of that mountain."

"So far!" exclaims the rest of her class, except for Yue, who nods in sincere joy.

Noises of confusion leave Uraraka, who then asks, "Huh? Then why did we stop here?"

Soon on, they conclude that they're most likely to walk there by themselves. To most of them it's like a nightmare come true, but the blue-eyed girl has nothing else in mind than being able to live and meditate in such a magnificently spiritual place.

Yue was absolutely absentminded, which is why she didn't notice how the huge boulder she was once on falls apart because of the blonde's Quirk. With her classmates, she's swimming through the rocks downward to the forest.

"Since it's private land, you can use your Quirks as you wish! You have three hours! Come to the facility on your own two feet! after getting through... the Beast's Forest!" She informs them before taking off.

Their stares fall behind their backs and onto the dark-looking forest.

Yue's eyes scan the area in worry, searching for someone.

That is until the familiar bark releases her concern from her chest. Mei runs up to the girl. She jumps up on Yue's head.

There is not even a scratch the dog, which confuses her slightly. Nonetheless, she brushes it aside, and is simply glad that Mei is okay.

"Let's just go," says Yue through their complains in her light tone, already taking steps toward it.

Kirishima nods from beside her. "I agree. It's no use complaining. We just have to go."

However, their plan on being the first ones to enter the creepy forest is scratched off as Mineta runs past them. "Now to hide in the shadows and..."

Suddenly, there's a huge brown monster crossing his way, causing Class 1-A to stand more defensively; ready to use their Quirks. "...A beast!"

"Calm down, kind beast!" Koda comes running around, his voice utterly frightened. "Stay back!"

Unfortunately, Koda isn't able to calm the beast down, making Yue frown. "So this isn't an animal...?" she asks Kirishima, who slowly nods in uncertain agreement.

Ah, this is dirt clod! Realization washed over her after witnessing how its so-called skin falls down.

Yue was hesitant about using her flames on the giants; thinking that they're actual animals and how she doesn't want to hurt any living beings.

But she's swift to lure one of the creatures out of the forest—considering that she still doesn't want to damage any of the trees nor plants—and then points two of her fingers at it to emit a huge sea of flames.

"You guys defeated the beasts in an instant!" Sato exclaims next to Sero, who adds, "You did. it!"

Witnessing how many more of those beasts are presents, the class decides to work together to efficiently arrive on time. Jiro has her headphones inside of a tree. "They're coming!"

"Oh, my God, Shirohono, look!" Kaminari shouts out, pointing at one of the flying beasts. "It's one of your kind!"

Dragon-like creatures fly their way swiftly.

Catching onto his joke, Yue playfully narrows her eyes. "Funny."

Kirishima tries to boost her ego up, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You wanna start, Shiro?"

"I'm not using my Quirk in forests or trees, Kiri," mutters the said girl, quick to shake her head.

A smile spreads across her lips as she turns toward him to nudge his side, though. "What about you? You wanna show them who's the manliest one here?"

"Hell, yeah!" With that, Kirishima runs off.

"Why aren't you using your Quirk?" Todoroki is beside her all of a sudden.

"It has outcomes on the environment." She nods her head while talking. "If I use my fire here, it'll spread across the entire forest, which makes it burn down. I don't want that."

"Ah." Todoroki nods curtly, not saying anything any further.

As Yue glances around, though, she observes her classmates and the distinctive way they use their Quirks.

Specifically watching Koda communicate with animals is utterly mesmerizing to her. "I wish I had Koda's Quirk..." she mumbles out, lips curled downward.

Alongside the others, she starts jogging to reach her destination. Though she's suddenly lifted from her feet, making her eyes widen in shock.

One of the creatures has grabbed onto her collar. Yue is being pushed around by the dragon-like beast, it not wanting to give up; no matter how hard she hits it by her bare fist.

It even starts to fly higher and taking her further away from the forest's reach.

"The beast knows its kind," says Sero. Kaminari nods in agreement. "I told her so."

Bakugou jumps up in the air, throwing countless of his explosions on the beast. But the dragon is smarter than thought, because it dodges every single one of his attacks.

"Use your Quirk, dumb-ass!" Bakugou yells from beneath.

Through her veins rush pure adrenaline, as she's able to free herself from its hold and jump onto its back for control.

Whilst she finds an area that is free from any trees and looks rather deserted, Yue positions her hand on the head of the dragon and ignites fire that reaches until its very guts.

The dragon is destructed into millions of pieces, but Shirohono didn't think of what to do next. Because, right now, gravity does its thing and lets her fly down without any plan in mind.

Obviously, she doesn't want to use her Quirk because of all the trees in the way, so she's just watching the ground beneath wide-eyed. I've accepted my fate.

Her eyes are closed, not wanting to see the pain that is about to come.

Surprisingly, though, there isn't any.

Sero has pulled out his tape and wrapped it around her waist. Soon enough, he has saved her and she's safe on her feet.

An impressed glint is in her gaze. "Thank you," she mumbles, blinking to comprehend it. "Really."

"I-It's nothing." He scratches the back of his head, his cheeks a light shade of red.

Hours and hours pass until they have finally accomplished their goals. Nothing but exhaustion is what the teenagers feel, breaths heavy.

Slowly yet surely, every single one of them step out of the forest to meet up with the Heroes again.

"I'm hungry," Kirishima cries out in pain. "I wanna die!"

"But, honestly, I thought it would've taken you longer," the blonde cat exclaims. "You guys didn't have a hard time beating my earth beasts as I thought you would! You guys are great. Especially..."

She points at Iida, Midoriya, Bakugou, and Todoroki.

A tired sigh leaves Yue's lips, arms crossed over her chest as she stands right in between the group.

"Were you guys able to fight without hesitation because of your experience?" They ask.

Out of a pistol, Yue mutters out childishly, "Not me. I have my priorities straight."

Pixie-Bob licks her lips, startling the boys as she jumps up and kisses them. "I'm looking forward to where you'll be in three years! I call dibs!"

Yue cringes, backing away. "Illegal..." she mutters under her breath. "And disgusting."

"Whose child is that?" Midoriya asks all of a sudden.

Indeed, there's a still unknown kid standing next to the Heroes. "Oh, not one of ours," says Mandalay. "He's my cousin's kid. Come on, Kota, greet everyone."

Said boy looks ready to murder someone. And as Midoriya steps in front of him, it's proven, because he hits him right where the sun doesn't shine.

She doesn't want to. She really doesn't want to. But her malicious side takes over, making her want to laugh at the hilarious scene. Her hand stifles her laughter.

Iida comes to the rescue, holding Midoriya up while yelling his name. "You brute of a nephew!" He also shouts out to Kota. "Why would you do that to Midoriya's scrotum?!l

"Scrotum," repeats Yue, snorting at the term.

"I don't intend to hang out with guys who want to become Heroes!" Kota mutters frighteningly.

In front of her, Bakugou grins lazily. "Precocious brat."

"Isn't he kind of like you?" Todoroki asks.

Thus, the blond gets offended, meanwhile his female classmate holds back another wave of laughter. "What? Not at all!"

He starts walking toward the duo with angry steps. "Anyway, shut up, you GG bastard! And you, Fireball! Stop laughing!"

While Todoroki says a simple, "Sorry," Yue allows a cheshire grin to spread on her lips. It irritates Bakugou even more.

Before he could say something, though, Aizawa's voice cuts through.

Their teacher instructs them what to do, and the class obeys. After following his orders, they sit down in the cafeteria to eat.

"Aizawa-sensei." Yue isn't sitting beside the others like she should, which catches his attention. "I'm not hungry. Could I please be allowed to go outside and meditate in the meantime?"

To say that he's confused by her choices is an understatement. Everyone is craving food, considering that they had to fight against beasts for many hours. Though Shirohono stands in front of him, telling him that she isn't feeling any hints of hunger at all.

His eyebrows are furrowed. "You aren't allowed to go somewhere without some of us watching over you, so I'm afraid that that isn't possible." He thinks for a few seconds.

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Aizawa adds, "At least try to eat something, Shirohono. This was an exhausting day."

Gloomily, she nods with a low-casted head. "Okay..."

"Are you sure that you don't want to join, Shirohono-san?" Yaoyorozu asks.

Every single one of Class 1-A are bathing in a beautiful place, where no struggle can bother them. It's somewhere filled with tranquility.

Everyone except for Yue, who sits on the ground beside the bath fully-clothed.

She hates to stick out like a sore thumb, but the fact that she has to undress herself, and be revealed without anything to cover up the marks she despises is worse than that.

Utter fear and panic goes through her chest at the mere thought of that. She still doesn't feel comfortable in her body; even changing into her hero costume in front of them is like a nightmare to her.

So, with her hands on either side of her inner arms, she slowly shakes her head. "No. I already showered."

Uraraka shyly scratches the back of her head, glancing over at the blue-haired girl many times.

Noticing her boring eyes, she soon gazes at her as well.

"Uh, Shirohono-san... Could you maybe make the water hotter?" The other girls agree and smile widely.

It's a pure question, but the fact that her help is needed is enough to warm her chest up.

With an exhilarated nod, Yue stands up, and concentrates on her breathing for the creation of steam to work.

By an elongated exhale, hot steam comes out of her nose and mouth, which warms up the bath to a significant degree.

They exclaim loudly while thanking her. "This feels great!" Mina puts her arms up in joy.

Shirohono lightly smiles. Yet that expression erases itself from her face as soon as alarming signals are sent from her feet.

In appall, her eyes rip to the wall, which separates them from the boys' bathing room.

"Is something wrong?" Jiro quivers, concerned.

"Mineta," is all she says, but the girls immediately know to what she's referring to.

Stupid, little grape. She contemplates about whether or not to shove him away from the wall. If she does, though, she's faced with the boys' bodies, which is just as bad as Mineta himself.

Thankfully, Kota does the job for her. He pushes Mineta back down as he's on the very top of the wall.

"Before becoming a Hero," he begins. "You should learn about becoming a human."

Wow. An astonished expression takes over her face because of words, eyes pried open.

"Mineta-chan really is the worst, huh?" Asui mutters out. Ashido smiles. "Thanks, Kota-kun!"

As soon as Kota is facing the girls' naked bodies, he is caught off-guard and falls down from the wall.

Yue's eyes widen in shock, wanting to help him, but then remembering that he has fallen on the boys' side.

While everyone else is sleeping, Yue sneaks out of her room to go outside. Until this very moment, she hasn't been able to practice nor meditate. And it absolutely bugs her.

Aizawa's words stick to one side of her head like glue, but the other side simple doesn't care. Nothing can happen around here anyway, is what she repeats in her head as some sort of assurance.

So, with light feet, she allows the night to cast on top of her, watching the moon.

It's not that she loves to break the rules. Well, she does, but there is a more meaningful reason behind it.

The spirituality and familiarity of this breathtaking place lifts her spirit, wanting to take a deeper glance at it by herself.

Which is why she wanders into the forest with a curious glint in her eyes. Before stopping at a nice place, she touches a few of the branches and the leaves it holds up high in the air.

Among her friends of root and wand, amid each green leaf and delicate petal, there are the dancing birds and the squirrels that dart. It is as if the song, the scurries, and the subtle movements of flora are their voice, the song of the garden for those who listen with more than their ears.

Contently, she smiles. This is where she belongs.

Today, the moon isn't as glorifying as it usually is. Yue can feel how the moon almost shadows the earth, and the stars aren't shining as beautiful as they always do as well. The sight makes her frown.

When the moon casts a shadow on the earth, she can feel how it decreases the power of her Quirk. Light is what she seeks, and the sun and moon her very source. If one of them is blocked, it cannot function.

With a deep exhale, she plops down in the middle of the picture-perfect scenery, taking in its hypnotizing scent. Each leg is above each thigh as she begins meditating, the kind nature nurturing her soul in the process.

Time starts to become an illusion. She's pulled into a different universe - a friendlier, cordial one. Yue stays in that comforting position until the moon has reached its highest point, the stars accompanying it.

By taking another serene breath, she, out of nowhere, places her hand on the fresh grass.

"I can see you, you know."

"How the hell..."

At a leisurely pace, he steps out of the shadows, her back facing him.

That is until she flops down completely, gazing at the blond's upside down face.

"Magic," she retorts, dumbfounded.

Bakugou scoffs, recognizing that it's her seismic sense that made his presence noticeable. "Your dumb-ass was so loud while sneaking out that it woke me up," he changes the subject.

"Oh. Sorry," is all she has to say to that.

Clicking his tongue, he takes a seat in front of a tree that supports his back, a few meters of distance between them. "What're you even doing up?"

"I don't really like to sleep." Yue shrugs nonchalantly.

In her laid-down position, she folds her hands on top of each other and lays it on her stomach. "And I can directly see the stars and the moon from this spot. The city lights back home make it almost impossible."

Something in Yue's pants suddenly vibrate, which also gains Bakugou's attention as well. She grabs into the pocket of her pants, pulling her phone out.

As she reads her uncle's new message, her shining lock-screen is on full display, the night sky making it even more noticeable.

It's a picture of Aina, who smiles widely while pointing at a herd of dazzling daisies.

His crimson eyes examine it curiously. Then, he scoffs. "You have a picture of your sister as your lock-screen? I knew you were a softie."

"She's not my sister." Shirohono isn't fazed by his mean antics, knowing that there's more behind it. "Her name is Aina. She's from an orphanage I sometimes help at."

At that, he completely silences. Without even thinking, she starts explaining, "I got soaked by the rain, and she dragged me to her orphanage."

Yue smiles softly. "Aina is someone who can create a colorful rainbow after a gray rainfall."

He simply blinks, eyes glancing in between the radiant screen and the back of her head.

"I didn't fucking ask, Fireball..." he mutters after being silent for, in his opinion, too long. Bakugou huffs, diverting his gaze from her, arms crossed.

A wide smile suddenly spreads on her lips. "Look!" She points at the star-filled sky like a little kid. "You can see the Draco constellation right there!"

Her finger slides over the sky as if she's painting on it. "If you start from up there and drag it down, then back up in a nice curve..."

"Did you know that Draco, the dragon Ladon, guarded the golden apples in the gardens of Hera and her newly wedded husband Zeus?" Not wanting to think before talking for once, Yue has begun to ramble. "The dragon protected the apples, so that no one could steal them away. It's also one of the biggest constellations in the sky."

Silent, he gazes up at the constellation that is, in fact, prominent. Even if he doesn't want to admit it himself, the stars and the myth that Yue told him are compelling.

"Mythology-freak," mutters Bakugou under his breath, before standing up to leave.

Yue exhales serenely under the stars, letting all worries wash over her. The atmosphere feels so different around, and she grasps that instantly.

This is a place where no garish city lights or thunderous cars can bother her. A place where she is completely at peace.

"I believe it's past your bedtime, Shirohono."

Well, that is until her teacher's voice calls out to her. Yue cringes, stiffening for a second.

"Oh, really?" She chuckles awkwardly. "Ah-haha, I didn't even notice."

Slowly, she stands up to sneak back inside without him noticing. "Oh, wow, look! A moon!" She points at the sky to locate his attention elesehwere.

Aizawa knows really well what she is trying, but he allows her to believe that she has tricked him; looking behind him and at the moon.

Immediately, she rushes inside. He rolls his eyes.

Fun-Fact: Before Shirohono pursued on becoming a Hero, her goal was to be an owner of an animal shelter.

( AUTHOR'S NOTE ! )
it's bout to get dark. enjoy the good
times while you still have them.