Part 2 of the "Neo Genesis Altered" series.
Disclaimer(s):
I do not own Inazuma Eleven nor its characters.
All rights over the use of Natsuiro Tsuko go to me and are not supposed to be used without permission.
Rated T for safety.
Beware of the spoiler!
Slipping back inside the gigantic van after her little talk with the white-haired boy, Natsuiro took a deep breath as she sat down. Man, she really had to work on her stamina. With a press of a random button of her keyboard, the machine came alive. It had the picture of a missing boy and an article on it opened. She stared at it for a bit before closing the page, her eyes soon finding a black spot on the ceiling as she leaned back in the chair. 'I wonder how those guys are holding up against Teikouku...'
Rocking back and forth she groaned and closed her eyes. Well, she could use a nap right now. She had been working more than enough with the homework and extra work duties that she had been given by the Commander. There was no way she could complain about it though, not after all he has done. Letting her eyes slide to a close, a long yawn left her mouth. Yep, she really needed that nap. Those guys could live without her greeting them with drinks in the break between those playing halves.
The surrounding silence was peaceful and let her slip away easily. It made it all the harder to determine how much time had passed, especially when she was awoken by the stir inside the van as the team came back inside. They were not necessarily loud, yet they woke her up. Groggily rubbing her eyes, a yawn caused tears to blur her vision. She still noticed Kidou walking over to her. "Did we wake you?" he asked and her face immediately fell in a blank state.
Ignoring his question she stood up, her eyes fluttering to a close as she stretched her body in hope to erase the fatigue lingering. It didn't really help, yet it felt quite good to stretch her muscles for a bit. Looking around the team to find her buddy she wrung herself through Sakuma and some dude who had just been talking in the middle of the path and scooted over to the boy.
"So, how did the match go guys?" Natsuiro asked, going through the bag of the other absentmindedly to find a lollipop. Kidou had just walked back and leaned his frame against the pillar on the other side of their seats as a huff escaped his lips. "We redrew," he stated. It was silent before she looked up. "Eh?" He did say no more and took a seat between the others, as she just stared, confused about if she heard right.
Looking to the side to Narukami she found the answer she searched for in his eyes. She had to hold back her pride as it dawned upon her that it probably was her doing that made Gouenji join the game. Though she couldn't help but wonder what his techniques looked like. She had heard of him before and saw it on TV, but reality always proofed to differ from what you saw on screen.
It was out of her own experience she had learned that, but it never left that a big impact as what her own move inflicted on others. They just froze on their spot at times and one time that she had been mad the whole field had been frozen over. It had her left questioning the power of Hissatsu moves.
The engine of the van came to life, the door closing as a few who had walked through the cabin sat down. They knew very well that with a driver like theirs you should not stand upright as he drove off if you were not willing to kiss the floor. There were quite a few who had face planted this ground before. As soon as they were moving again, most stood up to continue their way. The van was big, but that did not mean it had some special interior. It was quite the ordinary van, well as far as she had ever seen a vehicle like this. Surely, the looks of it were abnormal.
Next to her Narukami had taken his phone from his bag and started a game up as she took the lollipop from her mouth. Raimon had won due to the withdrawal of the team, now didn't they? She wondered what the other teams in the environment would think after hearing such a thing. Surely, they would think that amateur club was a big deal and ask for practice matches. Good for them. That school with their lightning bolt logo was in for some big show if they were developing new Hissatsu skills.
Suddenly she grinned and leaned towards Narukami. "Redraw, huh? So the great, mighty Teikouku has been struck by lightning?" His eyes redrew from the screen as he looked at her in silence. Luckily for her, the game had no time limit or enemies that could kill him, or he would have done something to her for making him lose his game — not as if that had never happened before.
A sigh left his lips. "Seriously? Are you making fun of us now?" Her eyes lit up as she started to chuckle, his head shaking beside her as the boy tried to suppress a smile making a 'tsk tsk' sound to cover up instead. "You're the worst. We just lost," he said, putting up a hurt voice. "Just lost this game against this arch rival and you just laugh at us. We need support in those hard times. How can you be this heartless?"
She tried to contain her laughter as she took a look at Sakuma who had come to stand in front of her. "The Commander wants to see you," he announced. It made her face fall as she let out a deep sigh before she stood up, waving with her hand to let him know he could lead the way. He immediately turned around to walk towards where the Commander had situated himself in the van.
She looked around as the walls turned more black instead of the purple she had spotted in the other parts in the van. The purple lines had grown more bright as well, and she couldn't help but wonder why this part of the van looked like a haunted hallway of a scary house. Her head was a mess at the moment, she couldn't really pinpoint what she was feeling. So when the Commander waved to Sakuma to leave, she knew it was important.
Her feelings for the man were truly contrasting. She despised his way of doing things, but on the other hand was really thankful for that he had helped her out with her problems and supported her. Though due that she had also faced him doing what he did to Kidou. She knew that those students simple followed Kidou since he was their captain and believed he did what was right. However, the brunette believed every word the Commander said.
Kageyama turned to her as the door closed behind Sakuma. "How long ago we had that blast?" Her head shot up as she immediately caught on, the radars in her head spinning like crazy. "About 3 weeks ago, sir." He nodded, his face shifting expression as if he were deep in thought. "I want you to come to my office tomorrow. The effects of it seem to falter." Natsuiro gave a nod in response. "Yes, sir."
As she was about to leave the room, the man suddenly thought of something else. "Natsuiro." He waited for her to turn around before he continued, "Make sure that you keep an eye on Raimon's progress. I want to know all about their growth." Again she simply nodded, this time actually walking outside. The doors came to a close with an echoing thud and pink eyes stared in the dark hall at the emptiness.
'They are catching on, huh?'
Her phone buzzed and the confusion at the person's ID was apparent on her face as she unlocked to open the message. Her eyes scanned the rather long message in which she got asked to immediately move over towards the research room when they returned. Maybe for footage on Gouenji? Another message then popped up, her eyes just widening a fraction.
'What?'
Lydron presents...
AU ; OC insert
Based off IE project (Neo) Genesis
Sequel to "Nagumo Haruya's Childhood"
Written by Julius © Lydron
Dark Star
Dark Star © Lydron
{ Chapter 2 }
Assembled in their tiny club room, Raimon Junior High's soccer club was having a meeting after their practice match with Teikouku Academy. While most of them had decided to sit down on the ground, facing the whiteboard with their captain and Kazemaru standing beside it, Matsuno was leaning against the pile of tires Endou had probably left behind in there.
"The battle against Teikouku has pointed out where our problem lies, and..." Endou spoke up to the others, only for Matsuno to interrupt any of his further words. "It's not just a problem. We've got no physical strength whatsoever in the first place." While he had spoken up, the others had turned to look at him, but now, after hearing his words, they all turned away from him and let down their heads. A gloomy aura suddenly hung in the air, and as if on cue, Matsuno eyed them. "Ah, sorry. Did that depress you?"
Kazemaru crossed his arms and tried to ignore the statement the guy just made. "Endou, keep talking," he tried to break the tension. While he was just standing there without words, the request shook him back in place as he internally nodded to himself. While what Matsuno had just said was true, it was not all they had to practice for in order to improve himself. It was his job as this team's captain as well to help the team out.
"Well, improving our physical strength is obviously important," he agreed with Matsuno's words. "So I thought up this formation. I used Grandpa's notebook as the foundation." Inside the blue lined soccer field that was already present on the whiteboard, the brunette drew red circles with each number inside to indicate where each player would position themselves.
Leaning forward, Megane noticed that in the 4-3-3 formation it wasn't him in the front position. "I'm not a forward?!" he stated, sounding hurt by the fact that he wasn't placed in the upper front, but rather the right front. "What does a deserter like you get so say," Handa turned to him. Sending him a short growling pout first, Megane looked up while he lifted his glasses up. "I'd rather you call it a strategic retreat."
All of them wanted to slap themselves in the face at that stupid remark until Shishido spoke up. "Excuse me, captain. Aren't you going to bring in Gouenji-san?" At the mention of that guy's name, Someoka's head immediately shot towards the side to look at the others. He didn't really like how the first years were all obsessed with that platinum-haired boy, they had him, right?
"That's right," Megane immediately joined in. "That one point we managed to get was Gouenji-kun's, after all."
Kabeyama leaned back, while Someoka's mood that had gotten really bad by now went unnoticed. "With how we are right now, it's impossible to become as strong as him," the big guy mumbled. Just then Someoka couldn't hold himself back entirely. "That was just a fluke." He stood up, which gained the full attention of the others in the room, who were quite surprised by his annoyance. Gouenji had helped them from being disbanded by scoring that one goal, so why was he that angry?
As he raised his arm, his hand balled to a fist to show his determination, he spoke up again. "I'll show you what real soccer is!" They were surprised and still confused by his actions, as no one spoke up against these words. He clearly took that as a sign to continue. "Didn't Gouenji-san say he didn't want to play again?"
Unsure of how to respond to this outburst properly, Endou simply stated he wasn't sure about that yet, though Someoka didn't take that well. "Not you too, Endou." Placing his hands on his hips he seemed to scold the other. "You depend on him too much." Endou was thrown-back by that statement. "T-that's not true!" Someoka didn't respond to that, but rather looked at the others. "We can do it too! You have to believe in us more!"
With this fragile tension, the door behind them opened up, revealing their manager. "Guys, we have a guest," Aki spoke up, only to notice the tension hanging in the air as she set one foot inside. "Did something happen?" she dared to ask. They didn't really respond to her all that well, so she decided to let it be for now and let their guest in, telling them to come in rather awkwardly which raised the guy's interest until they saw who just entered their holy space.
Their captain stiffened up as well. Just the sight of this girl made him feel uneasy as if she brought misfortune or bad news with her. He wasn't sure, but he would just rather have her leave this place already. Standing there, she sniffed once before covering up her nose. "It stinks."
"Why did you bring someone like her here?" Someoka asked Aki, who simply responded that the girl next to her had something to tell them, and she had token it up herself to bring the other to them. Someoka clearly didn't like the sound of that. Meanwhile, Natsumo and Endou had gotten themselves tangled up in some kind of stare-down. Without breaking eye contact with the soccer club's captain, Natsumi spoke up. "Regarding the practice match against Teikouku Academy, at least you've temporarily escaped the fate of disbanding."
"Y-yeah," Endou started, but gained more confidence as he continued as if he thought that was all she had come to tell them. "We're going to keep playing matches!" Natsumi chuckled at that, but not because she thought it was nice to see the guy this excited, but rather because she knew what was coming next. "Your next opponent school has been decided."
That shook everyone, as they hadn't suspected a new practice match to be around the corner this early. Just a few hours ago they had played against Teikouku Academy. While the team was just set up a few days before the match, and they didn't really learn how to play together as a team yet, they hadn't expected a new match to be set up already.
Endou was the first to break out of this trance, as he tried to keep calm. "Next match?"
Jumping up after him was Kirimatsu. "That's too amazing! We have another match already!" Moving over towards his captain after he stood up as well, Handa placed a hand on Endou's shoulder who eyed him with sparkling eyes. "Isn't it great, Endou?" Said guy excitedly stood in place, as if he tried to control himself from jumping around the place in pure joy. "Yeah, it's like a dream! We get to play a match again!"
"This time it'll my turn to shine," Megane stated while pointing at himself. Kageno agreed with these words, as he spoke up in his low voice. "I'll stand out more next time too." Natsumi seemed somewhat irritated by the guys turning towards each other to talk about this match in all their excitement instead of listening for the details to her, and it could be heard in her voice as she spoke up. "Do you want to listen to the details or not?"
Endou turned to her as if on command. "Oh, my bad! So which school is it?"
"Occult Junior High. The match is one week away," she replied him. "Of course, it won't be just a simple match." Surprised to hear that, the brunette rose his eyebrows. "What?" He wasn't sure what that meant, as a practice match couldn't really differ that much from any ordinary match that much, now could it?
The girl smugly continued. "If you lose this time, the Soccer Club will immediately disband."
"That again?" Endou cringed. Well, with her coming here he could have known she had wanted to inform him on that. "But if you win..." she continued, only to falter mid-sentence. She wasn't actually all that glad to grant this tiny club the chance, though she was quite curious about how far this club could go and progress in an event like that - if they were able to overcome the obstacle that Occult would bring that is. "You will be allowed to participate in the Football Frontier. So do your best, all right."
After that announcement, she left, as she didn't have anything else to say anymore and didn't wish to stay any longer in a place like this. "The Football Frontier..." Endou spoke up, his gaze falling the poster on the wall, the others following his gaze. "We'll be able to participate in this?"
"This is amazing!" Shishido beamed. "This is the tournament for Japan's number one Junior High, you know?!" Kirimatsu joined his excitement, balling his fists as a grin spread on his face. "When we had only seven members, we couldn't even think about it," Handa murmured.
"It's too early to celebrate!" Someoka called out to order. "If we don't win this match, we won't be able to enter!"
"I know!" Endou grinned. "Guys, we definitely can't lose this battle! Let's practice!"
"Yeah!"
On Teikouku Academy's soccer grounds, the soccer team had gathered around and started practicing against one another. The Commander hadn't really given them any straight orders for that afternoon, so they had decided to freely practice their skills. Starting off with one-on-one's and individual shooting, which they rotated now and then.
The brown-haired captain had just seated down on the bench, taking a quick break. He was looking over the team, slightly curious about Narakumi's presence. The other wasn't often at practice these past days.
"Kidou-san," a boy with shoulder-length, pale dusty rose hair that slicked back called out for Teikouku's captain and game-maker. He sat next to the other, who was resting on the bench from their practice. "Have you heard about the matters in Raimon Junior High?"
"What about them?" the goggled boy asked, dropping his hand in which he held his water bottles to rest on his lap.
"After going against us, there's been a rumor going around that their team is actually really strong. What's so horrible about it is that they claim Teikouku cried over the one point they let go," Henmi explained. Kidou grinned at that, but his expression and the intention of that grin was hard to identify with his eyes covered like that. It made it hard to know which expression he made. "Let them say what they want," he stated. "We only fulfilled our mission, that's all."
"That's right," the dusty rose agreed. "But I heard after that match, there's been non-stop requests to play practice matches against Raimon."
Kidou made a sound at that which made it seem as if he was amused by that, yet Henmi decided to brush that off and continue. It was this after all why he had come to their captain, to ask this, and convey his worry. "Should we send someone to find out more?"
"There's no need to," Kidou simply stated, looking forward without locking eyes with the other that watched him. "We already have someone there."
"Narukami Kenya?" a student from off the field yelled. The guys with his grayish purple hair paused in his tracks. "That is me." With a nod, the student waited till the soccer player had walked over to him. "I was asked to deliver this to you." After excusing himself, the student left again.
Kidou stood up from his spot to get back down to the field when he heard the boy softly curse. "My presence is demanded," was all he said before he run off. The team watched him run off, which Kidou frowned upon. He had been called in by the Commander before about the spy. The man had said that guy was not only sending that boy, but with Narukami sprinting off like that he wondered what it was the man wanted from them.
Though he wasn't sure about that girl as well. She had lived for a short two years next to him around the time the both of them, and after those two years left for Italy with her parents in some sort of hurry. He had been surprised to see her last year when he enrolled in Teikouku, especially since she didn't seem to have changed one bit from back then, although he did.
Coming next to him as he too walked back down to the field, Henmi lightly hummed. "I wonder what that was about."
Not saying anything, Kidou simply looked the way his teammate had run off to before he went down, Henmi raising his eyebrows at that as he followed him. "Continue practice," the brunette demanded, shaking the others from their staring and returned to their activities.
On the other side of the school, rather far from these soccer grounds, was a room.
It was dark because of the lack of windows and a thick tension hung in the air as no one spoke, a bright lamp on the desk that was placed in the small room making this situation seem like an interrogation rather than a meeting.
"Why did you call us here, sir?" Narakumi spoke up, his unease clearly apparent in his voice. He shifted in his chair. "I should be at practice as well, after all." Natsuiro wanted to roll her eyes at that. The guy was probably worried about the punishment that would come if one couldn't complete the daily task the schedule provided, though she was pretty sure he had been informed he was excused from those as long as he helped her out.
The man took a small device from the table and pressed on a button, the screen behind him immediately lighted up and showed the face of a boy Natsuiro had only seen just a few times around the campus. "We send this guy to spy on Raimon Junior High, and he revealed to us that Gouenji Shuuya has officially joined Raimon's soccer club," the man started.
Next to her, she heard Narakumi choke on his breath. "Seems he realized it," she mumbled. Narukami turned his head to her at that, a frown on his face as he opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, only to be shut off by the man in the dark. "Indeed. Now instead of not playing for his sister's sake, he is rather playing for her sake as he realized she wanted him to play and enjoy more than anyone else. He can form a treat to us."
"But what has that to do with us?" came the boy's response. "The two of you will have to infiltrate keep in contact with the spy, of course, and gather as much data as needed," the man stated. Natsuiro rose her eyebrow at such a ridiculous request, lightly raising her hand. "Wouldn't it be easier for Domon to obtain that kind of information as he has infiltrated their ranks already?"
The man shook his head, taking a soft breath before he pressed another button which showed the exact plan the guy had been saddled up with. "We believe the young Endou Mamoru who is in charge of Raimon's team possesses a notebook that has been passed down from his grandfather, who was part of the legendary Inazuma Eleven. As he needs to earn their trust, it would be too much of a risk to make him ask for too much info."
Natsuiro hummed, understanding the situation although she wasn't quite sure what the man wanted from them. "And thus," the man continued. "I would like for Natsuiro to gather some Intel at this site." He shoved some papers her way as he now turned toward the boy, who seemed slightly confused. "For you, I would like to stay here and gather recordings. I understand you might wonder why I wouldn't send someone else along with her, but I think even I could trust my life with her."
"His life he says," Natsuiro could hear her partner speak under his breath. She wasn't all that sure what to think of this mission, though she was pretty sure she didn't buy that travel-sized printer for no reason. It was true she had bought it on a whim, but who could blame her. She had wanted to print out various stuff over time without being able to, and that shop had just adverted the discounted product as she was heading home.
Curling a lock of raspberry pink around her finger, Natsuiro hummed. "I understand, sir."
"Excellent," the man said, satisfied with her answer. He shut the projector down and sat down, folding his hands under his head. "You will infiltrate tonight," After these words he sent them a grin. Natsuiro only wasn't sure if it was that which made Narukami mumble she should withdraw this job right now or the fact she had to infiltrate another school in the middle of the night.
Not that she would be alone though...
A deep sigh left her mouth at the thump next to her, disappointment adorning her face as she faced the boy who had fallen down. Brushing off the dust from his pants as he stood up, sending her a smile - though that obviously hurt as she saw him flinch for a moment as he did - Natsuiro wondered why she had brought him along. The answer was simple, and she quickly ignored her own questioning.
"Let's go, those fake recordings will give us all the time we want, but I'm not sure if this school has any other mechanisms to get rid of intruders," she mumbled. All she got was a nod, but she decided she would be satisfied with that for now, he probably didn't trust his voice after that fall just now.
As they walked through the hallway, Narukami hummed as he shut the system down to open the doors on their command. They could have left the system as it was, yet they hadn't been sure if this school's security registered those kinds of actions. Though she could swear even if it did no one would be able to figure out it had been them who'd burst in.
Looking up as they passed a door, the guy cleared his throat. "Through here," he said in a hushed tone. She blinked, unsure of why that room would be in a place like this, though on the other hand, she could understand it as well as it was closer to the field. Pressing a few buttons on his device to open the door, Natsuiro scanned the hall to make sure there were no night guards or whatever around.
It made her almost laugh. Sure, they were going to steal highly personal and private information yet a perfectly ordinary junior high never had high security - unless it was Teikouku that is. She had wondered about the security at first but had learned not to question such things quite early on.
Finally, the doors slid open to reveal the specific room they had to gather their data from. While the boy with his grayish purple hair turned his back towards the room to check the hallways one-way last time, making sure no one had caught them entering the room, Natsuiro made her way inside. Once he was sure the coast was clear he followed his buddy inside, allowing the doors slid to a close behind him.
As expected, she had already started her thorough study of all the files in the room. Not wasting time he joined her. "What were we searching for again?" he murmured. Next to him, a huffy sigh was exhaled. "Their profiles?" she answered, sounding quite sassy to him. He didn't pay it any attention but simply continued his search, this time sure of their objective again.
It had been Natsuiro who had told him to join her on this mission, or he would have been at home, playing video games. Raising his eyebrow at the time displayed on the wall he corrected his thoughts, he should have been asleep by now. With another early day around the corner, he would normally never stay up till one a.m. Yet it must have been important to get those files if Natsuiro ignored the Commander's demand to go on this mission alone.
Lately, the Commander had sent his friend on more of these investigations as normally. He worried about her, but with a personality like hers, he knew she would be alright no matter the task that was given to her. She was surprisingly strong for someone of her built.
He heard her say something under her breath but decided to ignore it as he continued on his side. How earlier they could finish this, the quicker he could return to his bed and get some rest. Hopefully, his mom had no laundry to drop off in his room, or he would be in a pinch to explain why he was gone till this late.
It took them about half an hour until Natsuiro found the document they had come looking for, making their job to find the corresponding files much easier. With the compact mobile printer the girl had taken with her in her backpack, they made copies of the files, making sure to return them in their rightful places when done with making copies. They filed the documents in a binder which Natsuiro stored back in her backpack along with the printer.
Together they made sure to double-check the room to make sure they left it behind the same way as before they had entered, though Narukami doubted the people working here would take notice of a few slight changes. "I really doubt they will notice that," he commented when the girl started to rearrange the fake plants she had put aside while browsing through the documents.
Natsuiro huffed. "I am just being cautious."
That remark caused a small smile to play on the other's lips. "Well then, we should head back."
The way back went a lot smoother as their way there, though it wasn't quite the joyful event for both youths to get back to their school with a bike. If only the Commander had sent them a ride, though they both knew that was too much to ask.
Climbing back the way they came in, the two of them returned on the roof where they hauled the rope back inside. They proceeded to the side of the roof and threw the rope down the way they had come up before, which Narukami had questioned about. After all, wouldn't it have been a lot easier to just hack the security system and go through the front? It apparently had been a stupid question as Natsuiro had given him a glare and barely hit him on the head.
With the same troubles as going up, they managed to safely hit the ground with their feet. After they pulled the rope back and stored it in the small, black bag that lay with the other trash. They had made it look all worn out in order for it not to look suspicious, might someone have passed by that spot. Their plan, or Natsuiro's, was to dispose of the whole bag, as to leave no single trace.
Narukami had quietly gone along with it and simply followed her orders. He wasn't the type to follow every single order of someone, but when it came to a situation like this, one he didn't normally find himself in, he let the girl take control. For some reason she felt awfully at ease, he noted.
"Alright, we'll take a little detour to dump this one," she softly spoke, as if someone might have followed them, and she didn't want them to hear. "We can stop at the 24-hour shop on our way back to catch something to drink, maybe a midnight snack as well."
In response to that the grayish purple-haired boy pulled out his phone to check on the time, the bright digits showing him it was a little over half past two. A sigh escaped his lips while he stuffed the device away again.
Maybe he should have told his mom he was staying over or something, he really didn't want to deal with climbing back towards the window only to find his mom waiting for him on his bed as soon as he had climbed through his window. Honestly, he couldn't possibly tell her 'Oh yeah, just had to break in somewhere, ya know?' because that would only worry her even more.
Coming to a standstill he eyed the girl fill the bag with stones before slowly let it drop in the river. "Why the measurements on a simple bag with a rope in it, anyway?" it slipped out before he knew it, and he could almost feel the heavy sigh that escaped her himself.
"Because," she stood up, turning to him with a sharp, swift turn, "I cannot permit any mistakes."
There it was. That part of her that was so cautious about everything, the side of her he never could understand. He wished he could ask her, but something inside him screamed he shouldn't do that. It was due to his previous mistakes he decided to shut up and listen to it this time.
While she passed him and told him they should go, he stared at the spot she had dropped the bag for a lingering second before he followed. As she said, they made a stop on their way back at the 24-hour shop for a drink and something to eat, before finally returning to the school. Natsuiro had been given a key before they left in order to freely enter the school at this time of day. This, too, was something Narukami didn't question.
As they were walking towards their room to finish and round this thing up, Narukami suddenly felt like something was off. "Did you cancel those recordings?" he asked, to which he got a glare in response, which he took as a 'what kind of amateur do you think I am?' kind of look. But if that was not it, he wondered what had been bugging him. Maybe the fact Natsuiro had asked him to get along on the infiltration while the Commander had ordered that only Natsuiro had to go, after all?
Dazed off he failed to respond to the call of his name, his face meeting a soft clothing that blocked his view. As he pulled it off and took a look at the cloth, he noticed the girl had wrapped herself in a blanket as well and sat down on the table to organize the files. Without any further hesitation, he joined her side to help her out as good as he could. He actually didn't quite know the depths of the situation at all, but if this was important to help his friend out he would help her out.
Time ticked forward as they went through the files, sometimes searching online for evidence on something or to store the new information the copied files provided in a document Natsuiro had set up ages ago. Narukami had noticed the other reports in the document weren't only about people around their age, but quite somewhat younger as well, with a few high school students mingled in.
Natsuiro had probably gathered this when she was on another solo mission, which he presumed she had gotten quite often as he had seen her less and less at practice, and he shortly wondered if he should ask what this was all about.
"I can't answer your question, not now," she stated, as she had read his mind. Narukami stared at her with his mouth agape, until he figured she had practically read it off his face, as he often tended to show his emotions when he was worried about something. "Then I'll wait," he responded. Natsuiro hummed in a somewhat discouraging way, yet he knew she would tell him when she wanted to. She knew that keeping her friend on a distance like this wasn't good for any relation, though she wouldn't allow him to get fully involved in her business. Not more than she already let him be.
A yawn escaped his lips while his eyes searched the clock. It was almost a quarter for 4, and he had to be ready for practice at 8. Natsuiro glanced at him before she returned her task, biting on her nail meanwhile. "You can get some sleep you know, I told your mom you were sleeping over at my place since we had to study for a test anyway." Narukami wasn't surprised she had called his mom to be fair, but he huffed at her white lie.
This wasn't the first time either one of them had lied to his parents, telling his mom he was over at her place to study with the others, even though he had never had the chance to see much of her home for himself. Only once had he been there, just in the hallway when he had to pick the girl with her messy raspberry pink hair up when she was surprisingly late on their meeting point.
Her mom didn't seem anything like Natsuiro. Surely, his friend was adopted, but their personalities were a complete clash. As Natsuiro seemed to keep people at a specific distance, the women radiated warmth and had invited him to come for dinner sometime. Narukami had been quite curious about the family his friend was living with, but she never allowed him over.
Natsuiro picked her phone up after another few minutes, which seemed more like hours for the two, and he could have sworn her eyes widen a fraction. From what he could pick up from her movements she had opened either a picture or document on a new mission, and her serious expression and rapid way of typing didn't really give away it was anything else.
With a sigh, she sat back. "You should get some sleep as well," she heard her friend say, and she met up with his teal eyes bore into her own. "Then the both of us should call it a day," she grinned. Making that a deal the two saved up the document and stored the files back again. As Narukami took the couch to sleep on, Natsuiro nestled herself in the grand red armchair.
That night Narukami slept for just about 3 hours, and as soon as he woke up to another teen actively moving around. He groaned as he sat up, brushing with a hand through his messy hair. "What are you-" his voice was lost in the void as he noticed the papers. The training schedule was filled to the brim... Well, this was going to be an extremely long ass day well, huh?
It took them a little under 10 minutes to get to the field where the others were assembling, some of them seated on the bench or warming up while a few had not yet arrived. That didn't take long though and with the appearance of the Commander they all lined up neatly in front of them, Narukami on the side with the others while she stood in front of the team next to the man.
She passed the papers out and just on the view of the many practices lined out for today, she cleared her throat to silence them. With the schedule in front of her own nose, Natsuiro felt conflicted. She felt glad she wouldn't have to go through that harsh training, even though she had been restraining her urge to run up the field and blast the ball away every single time. Her eyes found teal ones, belonging to Narukami, who seemed to beg her to save him. A grin spread on her face which rested there while she stood up, catching the attention of the others as well.
"May I add," she spoke as she waved with the paper. "Anyone who fails to follow this schedule can count 50 extra laps after practice today and 50 extra laps tomorrow at the morning practice." While they all started to shout objections, she felt the stare of the Commander fall on her. "Now that will be 100 laps instead of 50 both times. Anymore objections?" Murmuring they turned around to get started and the man took that as a sign to leave.
Her eyes followed the retreating form until it was gone, eyes fixing back on the guys her own age starting their warm-ups.
'Yes. That's it. As long as I push them to their breaking point, I can stay.'
With gritted teeth the boy walked through the dark hall. Frustration emitted from him as he hid his balled fists away in the pockets of his jogging pants. His body was shaking, fuming along with his mind. He needed some form of release for this pent-up anger inside of him, though he didn't know what would calm him down or satisfy his soul. As an object rolled over, his eyes shot up, realizing at that moment he had made it towards the soccer field.
"Oh, can you give that back?!" someone yelled.
When their eyes met, his own cat-like golden hues widened. There was no shock or surprise written of his face, yet a wide smirk spread on his lips. That bastard over there, he needed to punch him. He had this uncontrollable urge to yell at him whenever he saw his face. The same went for another person he knew, but as he had just been told - and what had 'caused his anger - was that he had left unauthorized.
Nothing was done against that, however, and that had pissed him off. It was ridiculous after all. No one was allowed to leave without the old man's permission, yet that guy just did. He wanted to strangle the kid to death, but with him gone this guy would do as well.
"Oi," he snarled, the other's face showing that they knew all too well what he wanted. "I will break you."
The guy didn't back out as he charged at him, causing the surrounding ones to remark about how they should stop this behavior. Some started to hiss at each other as well though. No one knew how this had started, this hatred to the other. It was just there.
"Is that all, flower?" the guy he had just shoved on the ground spoke in a rough voice, hand clawing at his arms. His own hand found its way toward the slightly shorter male's throat and wrapped around it. "Oi, oi. Wanna say that again?"
"That is enough," a loud voice declared, making them break apart.
This time, their hatred for each other seemed to perish in the presence of that one specific person. Now side to side, their shared passion was focused on a whole other person, head tilted high as he looked at them with a deadly glare. "I see you returned after all," he hissed, the other next to him slightly surprised, unspoken thoughts of wonder going through the shorter guy's head.
No answer came, rather another warning before the big boy turned around and walked off.
"Get back here you fucker!" He yelled, running after the other as the one left behind seemed eerily calm. "That damn hot-headed dude," he whispered as he shook his head. As he turned around towards the witnesses he let out a small sigh before resting his icy eyes on them, his voice seeming to bounce off the walls and pierce through them as ice shards.
"Diamond Dust return to your dorms."
If you liked this story, you might like mine My Hero Academia AU story 'Ascension of Dusk' as well.
And if it's truly your cup of tea, you could have your own OC in there.
Ascension of Dusk - OC Submission [OPEN]
