The Maze

"Aww! C'mon! It'll be fun!" These words are the bane of my existence. When I say things can't or shouldn't be done, it's not because I'm against fun. I like to have fun. Dark Shadow likes to have fun. Fun should be had. Fun should not be mandatory.

"We just want to build a haunted house, you know?" Ashido was bouncing on her toes, her little horns moving in time. "I know you don't like to have fun.."

"No, I like to have fun." I interrupted her, "I just hate haunted houses. Haunting is serious. Believe me."

"Okay, well, maybe haunted house is a misleading term anyway." She smiled, "It's more like a dark maze! Its spooky! Dark! A-maze-ing!" She laughed at her own terrible pun.

"So, you want me to what? Help you build a maze?" A sneer, I really needed a good sneer.

"Yeah." Her dark eyes bored into mine, "A maze. It should have spots for spooking, kissing, maybe candy."

I almost couldn't contain my laugh, "Spooking and kissing? Maybe candy."

"You're killing me. Look, will you help?" She smiled, "Fumikage-kun, you're practically perfect for figuring out how to give everyone a little scare so we can have a lot of fun."

"Are you forcing Bakugo to help?"

"Forcing?" She shook her head, "No, he offered to make creepy snacks."

"Of course he did." I considered. "Okay. I'll build your maze. You are in charge of making it 'spooky'. So what do I have for a budget? Are there materials?"

"Nothing! Aisawa-sensei said he didn't care if we 'made a mess' as long as he didn't have to clean or have anyone arrested or pay."

If I had hair to tug, I would have tugged for all I was worth. How the hell was I supposed to build a maze with no budget or materials? Only one of us couldn't see over an overturned table! I almost asked Dark Shadow to knock her unconscious so I could run for it. Then I got an idea. I knew someone who could help make a perfectly spooky hedge maze.

Later...

"Hey, Tokoyami-san, isn't it?" Kan-sensei towered over me, his under-bite oddly glinting in the sunlight.

I nodded, "Yes, sir. I was hoping to talk to Shiozaki-san, when you're finished."

"Eh?" Ken turned, beckoning to the group, "Shiozaki-san? Come here, please."

"Kan-sensei," the vine twisted girl bowed slightly, "What can I do for you, sir?"

"It seems this student is looking for you, Shiozaki-san. If you want, you can leave, we're wrapping up here."

She raised her brows as she glanced out at me. "Of course, Kan-sensei," she inclined her head again and walked out to me, her ethereal costume billowing in the breeze. I was surprised she didn't have something sturdier for winter. Then I wondered if this was her winter gear. She stopped on light feet in front of me.

"Tokoyami-san, yes?" Her beatific smile lit her face.

Its times like this when I wished I could smile as easily as she could, "Yes. I was wondering if I could ask for your help, Shiozaki-san?"

She blinked large dark green eyes, "Why, whatever with?"

"Uh." I coughed slightly, "Would you mind if I escorted you to the locker rooms, my lady?"

She smiled again, "Indeed you may, how gallant."

She followed alongside me as I led back to the lockers, explaining about the spook-tacular (Ashido's terrible puns strike again) and my idea for a hedge maze. "Basically, we could work together to transform our common room into a giant maze. We're inviting everyone in the first year hero course. I think maybe some others." I shrugged, "Anyway, if you could help, I would really appreciate it."

She folded her hands in front of her, a simple prayer gesture before regarding me again, "It would be my pleasure, dark one."

"Er, Fumikage works for me."

"Apologies, did I offend?" She looked genuinely curious.

"Not really. Just..." I huffed, "Look, you're very sweet and I almost can hear an angel chorus when you speak, but I'm not... bright like you."

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." She smiled upward, then turned again toward me, "I am sorry, Fumikage-san, it was a poor jest." She inclined her head again, "When shall we meet again?"

I was so taken back by her... I was sure it wasn't an act, but her pureness. "How long do your vines last?"

"Depending on conditions, maybe as long as a full twenty four hours. They're naught but plants after all."

"Then after the school day on the 30th?" I mentally cursed, I hadn't wanted to do anything except get caught up on my favorite manga on my own birthday!

She pursed her lips for a moment before speaking, "Of course, Fumikage-san. After the dinner hour."

On the 30th

I waited for her on the stoop outside while Ashido and her helpers cleared the furniture. When I saw her, her uniform missing, I felt suddenly self conscious. I was wearing a 'Deep Dope' tee that Jiro had given me along with a pair of black jeans with a rip in the knee. Not intentional. Ugh. This is what it's like to be a bird-brain.

"Fumikage-san." She smiled up at me, her knee length skirt swirling delicately in the breeze. She was wearing a fluffy cardigan over a floral button up, the top two buttons undone, "May I say what a pleasure it is to be in your presence?"

"Same," I said, bowing her in.

She paused on the threshold, "Please, call me Ibara."

"Ibara-san?" She smiled as she passed me, and I swallowed. What was this girl doing to me? "I made a sketch. If you'll look it over, and decide what you can do?"

She looked at the paper, "This looks like something I can do. It will take awhile, please remain by my side?"

"Oh. Yeah, no, I wouldn't leave you." I was wishing I could smile again.

"I can do a square of six by six without getting too tired and having a decent amount of thickness. Just lead me where you wish me to go."

That's how it happened. We peered at my sketch. I watched her do miraculous things with her hair. I fetched her water and we ate crunchy Honeycrisps together. She watched me send dark shadow to check the maze. It was done. And not a minute too soon, since lights out was in just 15 minutes. We'd spent hours together! I'd spent hours with a girl and we had fun! I like fun.

Ibara gave her creation a critical eye before bending down with another of her soft, secretive smiles. She came back up, "It's time for me to depart, or I will surely burn in hell for breaking the rules." She twisted her fingers, a single black feather betwixt. "May I?"

"You wanna keep a feather?" By all the powers in the dark. She wanted to keep a feather! I'd dropped a feather and she wanted it! I squeezed my eyes closed, and nodded. I heard her leave, the door closing softly behind her before I could face the world again. I ran a hand though my feathers, the action making me smile inwardly. I don't know about being 'Spook-tacular', but right now, I was feeling pretty a-maze-ing.

AN/ I really, REALLY wanted to make Shiozaki into my favorite kind of Christian. The funny, snarky, bible loving kind. You know, the one who enjoys a good New Testament meme as much as I do... LOL But, she seems more like the Holy Warrior type. Scary. I tried to use nice old testament words with her. I am a lover of the pun. Sorry! Not sorry.