Fumikage readjusted his stance to better maintain balance. After several minutes of intense conflict, the exhaustion was starting to take its toll. His physical condition, however, was not as crucial as his partner's. After sparring for such an extended period, the shadowy entity's seemingly immeasurable energy was starting to falter. Fumikage felt as if they were fighting against the current, and Dark Shadow's internal struggles reflected his sentiment.
But surrendering and conceding defeat was not an option. No longer would they submit. This time they would persevere and succeed. Only then would they be able to effectively demonstrate their progress.
Realising Dark Shadow's resolve was deteriorating, Fumikage urged for his partner be strong for just a little longer until he was able to decipher a possible escape from the situation. But the intention proved futile as upon commanding Dark Shadow to execute a surprise strike to the head, their adversary, having seemingly predicted their attack, performed the very same action. And this successful strike was the window of opportunity that allowed their adversary to seize control of the battle and subdue Dark Shadow by clutching it by the throat.
As he watched Dark Shadow struggle to escape their opponent's clutches, the familiar fight or flight response Fumikage experienced on occasion when his partner was in a possibly consequential or critical position resurfaced. He was torn between two conflicting motivations: a sensible solution and a rash compulsion. Ultimately, the latter feeling – the urge to intervene and rescue his partner – emerged the most dominant. How he would intervene, he wasn't entirely sure. He would have to improvise.
But his sudden approach naturally caught the attention of their opponent. With one swift and effortless action, Dark Shadow was fiercely propelled back towards him. Unable to react in time, his partner impacted him with brutal force. It was only after allowing the pain to register did Fumikage discover himself on the floor with his partner collapsed on top of him.
Fumikage witnessed the very same disappointment he imagined he visibly depicted on Dark Shadow's face. In spite of its physical exhaustion and trauma, Dark Shadow brought a clenched fist down upon the floor in frustration. Fumikage really had to will himself to resist performing a similar action. They'd been defeated yet again.
The approach of their opponent evoked great fear from Fumikage. He dared not give them the satisfaction of witnessing him in such a state after a particularly humiliating defeat, and so he tried to contain his frustration lest he potentially displease or disappoint the man he'd battled.
Fumikage did not concentrate on their face rather the hand they offered; a gesture he accepted after some reluctance. Dark Shadow began muttering unintelligible words to itself internally. Fumikage couldn't quite decipher what they were saying, but they didn't sound pleased at all. Fumikage couldn't blame his partner for their dissatisfaction and displeasure. He felt exactly the same.
Upon returning to his feet, Fumikage finally acknowledged his opponent. The literal and figurative mountain of a man demonstrated no visible signs of exhaustion or distress - as if their sparring match battle hadn't taken place at all. Fumikage was both impressed and irritated, and this discovery made the loss feel all that more impactful knowing that he'd been defeated seemingly effortlessly.
His father bowed respectfully, as did his own materialised shadow. Fumikage returned the gesture. Dark Shadow, however, did not.
"You fought well" announced the young man's father.
Before Fumikage could respond, a familiar glare of disapproval and disappointment appeared.
The older gentleman folded his arms. "But you've still much yet to learn. You're almost entirely dependent upon your Shadow. You must understand there will come a time when you cannot rely solely on your Quirk to succeed. There are some challenges and obstacles that even your Shadow cannot overcome. You cannot rely on it to fight every single one of your battles."
Fumikage tensed. Had he really become so reliant upon Dark Shadow?
"Your physical abilities, however, are not the focus of our training. We will dedicate efforts to improving your natural abilities, but for the time being we will concentrate on your Quirk. When you and your partner achieve true cooperation and synergy, only then will you achieve true strength."
His father's continued support and guidance was a service Fumikage was infinitely grateful for, and any and all feedback from an experienced hero was always welcome. But for what seemed like the first time in very long while, the most recent piece of insight he was offered did not sit well with him. If it wasn't his father's disapproving tone, it was definitely the implications that he still hadn't improved after several hours of intense training. Fumikage knew better than anybody else that he'd most certainly achieved better understanding of his abilities following his enrolment at U.A, so to be told that he was still inadequate was a difficult piece of information to digest.
But rather than object to the feedback, Fumikage instead acknowledged it with a polite bow. "I… Yes, sir. Thank you for this opportunity. I will strive to improve our-"
"Hold on! We're not finished here!"
Fumikage closed his eyes. Just as he fearfully expected, Dark Shadow wasn't about to allow his father to have the final word.
"What do you mean we're not cooperating together? Weren't you paying attention?"
Fumikage pleaded desperately for Dark Shadow to be still, but to no avail. However, an external force was able to capture the distressed Shadow's attention.
"You're agitated. Stand down."
His father's own spirt levitated in front of Dark Shadow, disrupting the interrogation. While Dark Shadow typically spoke in a shrill, nasally tone befitting an avian creature, his father's shadow's voice was a deep baritone, not unlike its hosts.
If Dark Shadow hadn't already been unstable before, it certainly was now after being instructed to be calm. "Oh, is that right? Yeah, you think you're big just because you beat us. I bet you feel real tough, don't you? Come on, let's go another round. We'll take you this time. We'll see who really needs to 'stand down'!"
The reptilian shadow flared its snout's nostrils and folded its arms. "You boast of your prowess but your performances prove otherwise. If you battled just as confidently as you speak, perhaps you would be able to compete."
Such a brutally honest assessment should've surely evoked a response; Fumikage knew all too well that Dark Shadow wasn't somebody to retreat from an argument. But Dark Shadow's response – or lack thereof – suggested they hadn't anticipated such a comment. Instead, they stared at their counterpart intensely, mouth agape. It was quite surreal to witness Dark Shadow in such a state considering it was almost always an omnipresent voice. His father's shadow's comment had definitely wounded it.
Desperate to apologise, Fumikage bowed his head. "I'm - I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. They did not intend to-"
Fumikage was abruptly silenced by his father. Their stern, unyielding expression suggested they'd hadn't been impressed with the display nor his attempt at recovering.
"Control your shadow before it controls you."
The breath was sucked from Fumikage's body.
"We're finished for today. We will resume our training tomorrow morning." The former hero averted his attention towards the entrance to their training area and proceeded to exit - without so much another word exchanged.
Thoroughly humiliated and disappointed in himself for his behaviour during and after the match, Fumikage sighed, both physically and emotionally exhausted. Nothing caused Fumikage greater distress and misery than disappointing his father.
"I'm…really sorry about that" whispered Dark Shadow apologetically. "I got carried away there."
Fumikage shook his head. "This is not your fault."
Dark Shadow did not answer and simply returned to dormancy.
It was neither the loss nor Dark Shadow's eruption of frustration that hurt Fumikage. Instead, it was his father's assessment of his performance.
Fumikage didn't need to be informed that he wasn't as powerful his father. It was understandable why his strength still couldn't compare to that of somebody with several years of professional experience. But Fumikage liked to believe that after many intense training exercises and regiments at home and on campus he'd – at the very least – improved his overall energy output and refined his fighting techniques, so to discover he and Dark Shadow's coordination and teamwork was still inadequate and insufficient was honestly heartbreaking and devastating.
He wanted to believe that his father had been exaggerating, but that simply wasn't true. Their assessment had been completely accurate. He still hadn't reached his possible potential. And this assertion angered him ever so much.
Fumikage had almost completely forgotten that his attendance was expected at school in less than an hour, which only offered him a short period of time to wash, dress and prepare for the day. How he wished a day off to allow himself to recover was possible, but doing so wouldn't be right.
The unexpected appearance of his mother startled Fumikage. Whether she'd been informed by her husband or if she'd surveyed the battle without their knowledge was unclear, but his mother's presence implied she was fully aware of the results.
Offering an apple and a glass of juice, she smiled warmly. "You did your best, and that's what's important."
Following such a disappointing and underwhelming performance, he didn't believe he deserved compensation or support. Declining their nourishment, Fumikage averted his gaze and migrated past her.
"And yet it still isn't enough."
Because of the exceptional power Dark Shadow possessed, Fumikage had frequently found himself receiving all kinds of praise and acclaim from his classmate's teachers. The legendary All Might, a figure Fumikage idolised very much, had even described him as an inquisitive and resourceful combatant capable of maintaining composure and control when under pressure or faced with adversity. Although appreciative for the support and encouragement, Fumikage did not all believe he deserved it. Fumikage made no efforts to correct these statements as doing so would be disrespectful. He only wished what was being said about him was completely true or accurate.
Just because he was capable of maintaining his composure did not mean he wasn't completely devoid of internal conflict or friction. Fumikage suffered with intense doubt and insecurities just like many people his age; he was just a little more adept at disguising his true emotions.
For the better part of his day at school, reflecting upon his experience earlier than morning and analysing every little component that went wrong was what he found himself occupied with when he should have been focused with another task. It hadn't been the first time he'd operated in such a state – he was almost always critiquing and assessing his progress– but the unfavourable training session had been particularly impactful in no small part due to his father's brutal honesty and his own ineptitude.
Unlike many students, Fumikage didn't derive displeasure or boredom from investigative research and studying. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. He may not have been completely motivated to work in his current condition, but collaborating with his partner would at least act as a serviceable distraction. The energy and optimism that only somebody like Mina Ashido could offer would be a welcome change of pace.
"Well, anytime now" mused Dark Shadow.
Resting against the hand-rail, Fumikage ushered for his partner to be still. "Be patient. She will be here. She gave her word."
Considering she too was obligated to sacrifice some of her personal time after school, Fumikage believed Ashido was entitled to indulge in some short activities before arriving. He would have preferred if she were as prepared as he was to commence, but he did not mind waiting.
"Are you really this oblivious? She's been here for the past few minutes."
Fumikage examined the direction Dark Shadow was motioning to, and true to their word, there was indeed a student obstructing themselves behind a corner. They weren't, however, making a real effort to hide themselves because their pink hair was still visible. It was unmistakably her.
"Just like last week, right?"
"I'm sure she has a perfectly good reason for why she hesitates to introduce herself immediately."
Dark Shadow smiled wryly. "Maybe she just doesn't like you?"
Fumikage sighed with exhaustion.
"That was a joke, settle down."
Following his disappointing performance earlier than day, Fumikage was in no mood for jests and teasing.
"That was hours ago. Just let go already". Dark Shadow scoffed bitterly. "As if his opinion counts for anything. He's an old man. He's been out of the game for years. We don't need his tutelage. We'd be better off without him dictating us on how we're supposed to behave. What does he have the we don't?"
Fumikage would be dishonest if he tried to deny he didn't reciprocate Dark Shadow's sentiments to a degree. A part of him did wish his father would offer him some freedom to act independently. But every time he found himself speculating the prospects, he reminded himself that abiding by his father's procedures was the most sensible course of action. Although they denied the notion vehemently, even Dark Shadow could admit that there were still many aspects about themselves that they could stand to improve upon, and considering his father had undergone the very same training and preparation at their age, their pathway to potential was still the most ideal one to follow.
Having seemingly concluded with whatever it was they were occupied with, his project partner finally revealed herself and began to close the distance, though the visible energy and enthusiasm they demonstrated a week earlier appeared strikingly absent; almost as if they weren't in any real hurry to introduce themselves. Fumikage dismissed these observations and motioned for Dark Shadow to return. After some negotiation, Fumikage and Dark Shadow had successfully reached an agreement: the spirit was allowed to converse when personally addressed, but for the duration of work meetings they were to remain dormant to avoid potential interruptions. Dark Shadow found the arrangement acceptable, much to Fumikage's relief.
With Dark Shadow dormant (for the time being), Fumikage was finally able to concentrate on something else, and that was how he was going to behave with his partner. In his current emotional condition – with his stress and adrenaline levels higher than usual - presenting a calm and refined demeanour was going to be crucial. Mina Ashido already experienced difficulty communicating with him, and Fumikage did not wish to potentially dissuade or discourage her any more than he already had.
It wasn't long before Ashido announced her presence, offering an apologetic smile. "Hey. Sorry I'm late. There was just…" she motioned behind her, "something I needed to take care of."
Just like the week earlier, out of respect for her privacy Fumikage refrained from inquiring about why she didn't immediately introduce herself. Instead, he welcomed her with a bow of his head. "I understand."
Ashido appeared as if she were to respond when she visibly hesitated and averted her gaze. Witnessing this, Fumikage did so, too. In spite of the time they'd shared together inside and outside of school, conversing with one another still hadn't become any less uncomfortable.
"So…" announced Ashido, dispelling the awkward silence, "are you… y'know…?"
"If you are, than I am, as well."
If their trek was going to be anything like the previous week's then Fumikage was certain she would prefer to accompany him from behind rather than adjacent him. But it was only after a few seconds did he realise she hadn't been following him. Upon investigation, Fumikage discovered she'd remained completely still.
Ashido's hands became folded over her chest as she fidgeted with them restlessly. "Sorry Just... hold on a second."
Fumikage studied her with concern. She'd been so eager to embark the week earlier. It was clear to him something was causing her a great deal of distress.
"There's something I need to ask you" she began, reluctantly, "so…can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"W-well, actually it's not really a question. I just… I thought you should now that I'm not feeling too well. I'm actually feeling pretty down right now."
"Is everything alright? Should I be concerned?"
Ashido shook her head. "Nah, it's nothing serious. I just – I've had a bit of a headache this afternoon, and a sore tummy, too. I'm just not feeling one hundred percent right now. And I don't know why… I know I promised I'd come along with you, but right now I'm not too sure I'll be able to. So I was wondering if you'd maybe…?"
Although she didn't sound unwell, Fumikage knew it wasn't his place to question or scrutinise. "I understand" he reassured. "I am not opposed to rescheduling our meeting if you aren't feeling completely comfortable."
"Wait… You're actually…OK with this?" She asked uneasily.
If he were being completely honest with her, he was quite disappointed to hear that she would not be able to attend. But her health and wellbeing was still more important to him than their work.
"Considering your condition, it would be unethical of me to pressure you into working. We will postpone our meeting for the time being to allow you to properly recover. Do you believe you'll be able to attend tomorrow afternoon, or would you prefer a later date?"
"I…"
Ashido presented an uneasy look. It was if she hadn't expected a compromise at all. "N-no, that's fine" she stammered. "That's…perfect, actually. I think I'll be alright for tomorrow. I just reckon I need to lie down, y'know, and get some food in my belly. I promise I'll be better by this time tomorrow. I swear. Thank you for…being so understanding."
Fumikage acknowledged her proposal. "I wish you the best of luck in your recovery. You'll be in my thoughts."
Her smile faltered, and, sheepishly, she averted her gaze. Witnessing this, Fumikage cursed himself for unintentionally suggesting something inappropriate. Dark Shadow's commentary wasn't helping, either.
"I… appreciate the effort you've taken to consult me about this in person" he continued, in an effort to recover from his previous comment, but his words seemingly had no effect.
Dark Shadow urged for him to try again, but Fumikage ignored their pleas. Unsure of how to continue the conversation, he elected to conclude it instead. Clearing his throat and recovering his composure, he prepared to bid her goodbye. "If that is all, then…I will offer you the solace you require."
Ashido stared at him, mouth agape. "Oh… OK. I…guess I'll see you around."
"Farewell."
With nothing more seemingly needed to be exchanged, Fumikage bowed respectfully. He was about to proceed in the opposite direction towards the school's entrance when he was suddenly treated to an unexpected sensation: the warmth of another's hand gracing his shoulder.
"No, wait."
Investigating the source, Fumikage discovered Ashido had discreetly pursued, physically halting his movement by extending her hand. Upon achieving eye contact, she removed her hand hastily and returned to fidgeting with straps of her schoolbag. But unlike before, her gaze remained affixed to him. Fumikage returned to facing towards her upon witnessing the desperation on her face.
Ashido seemed to have noticed she'd received his complete attention again and offered an appreciative smile – one that vanished as quickly as it arrived. "There's something you should know" she whispered. "I'm… not feeling unwell. I mean, I am feeling pretty down right now, but I'm not, y'know, 'sick' like I said. I was lying about that."
Her unexpected confession evoked curiosity and concern from Fumikage. She'd lied about her health?
"Was there a reason why?"
"No!" She answered, nibbling her lip nervously. "Well, maybe… Yes, I guess? Wait… That's not…" She sighed with frustration. "There is…but I can't-"
"If you don't feel comfortable collaborating this afternoon for whatever reason, I'll understand. I won't refuse an opportunity for us to negotiate. I'm positive we can reach a compromise."
She shook her head. "No. I can't ask you to do that for me. Just…forget about what I said before. I don't want to reschedule this. I want to work with you…but I can't. I just can't..."
"Would I be impolite if I asked for a reason why?"
Ashido winced. "I want to tell you, but I can't. It won't - there is a reason, but it's…embarrassing, and I'd really prefer to keep it private. I want to tell you what's happened, but I just can't right now. I promise I'll tell you some time, but I can't yet. Not now, at least."
One of the qualities Fumikage admired most about Ashido was her sincerity; he knew she would not have lied about her health if she didn't have a good reason to. Trying to make sense of her confession, Fumikage found himself arriving at several possible explanations for as to why she'd withheld the truth. There could've been any number of reasons why she'd fabricated an excuse, but one particular possibility proved dominant over his other theories.
"You haven't completed the work, have you?" He asked sternly.
The young woman's eyes widened in alarm before they slowly migrated south. Mina Ashido clutched the hem of her skirt and crinkled it uncomfortably. "…No, I haven't. I…haven't even started."
Such a discovery should really have evoked shock or surprise from Fumikage, or even some mild distress or frustration. But he experienced no such symptoms. Instead, the news that his partner hadn't even attempted their work was met with disappointment. This development hadn't been completely unexpected. The palpable urgency to explain herself when inquired about the progress the day earlier suggested she might've been trying to hide something. But Fumikage had dismissed these observations and given her the benefit of the doubt, and concluded her unease and discomfort had only been natural after being approached by him. He'd originally cursed himself for ever suspecting her of being untrustworthy or dishonest, but as he'd discovered, he'd ultimately been far too lenient.
Fumikage shook his head absentmindedly. "Why am I not surprised?"
"H-hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ashido replied defensively. "I just need a little more time."
"This work was assigned almost a week ago; more than enough time to produce a page of writing. Yesterday, you explained to me that you were finalising and polishing your draft. You gave me your word."
"I know, alright? I know what I said. I know had the entire week to work on this. I know I put if off until the last second. I know, OK? You…you don't need to hammer it in. I understand." Sighing, she folded her arms. "Now do you see why I didn't want to tell you? I knew this would happen. I knew you'd flip out on me."
Fumikage stared at her incredulously. Had she really implied he was the one at fault? Her lack of self-reflection was astounding, and Fumikage was not impressed with her attitude at all.
"You can't accuse me of behaving unreasonably if you yourself have not completed the work expected of you. One cannot have their cake and eat it, as well."
Ashido pouted. "I don't even know what that means…"
Fumikage sighed deeply, electing to approach the situation a little more considerately. "Forgive me if I sound… upset, but it's just come to my attention that for the past week my partner has neglected to even attempt the work expected of her."
"I didn't neglect-!"
Her eruption had attracted the attention of some of the congregating students who promptly studied the two of them with fascination and curiosity. Thankfully, the unwanted attention vanished almost immediately after, much to his relief. Fumikage dreaded to imagine what some of the students may have been thinking after witnessing such a scene.
Ashido's wounded expression evoked remorse from Fumikage. It was clear that their exchange thus far had been very difficult for her. Perhaps he had been mistreating her a little unfairly.
"You don't know the whole story" continued Ashido. "You're just jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst. I tried, alright? I honest to God tried. I really did try. I swear. I was going to boost it out last night. But… But something really important came up - something really, really important– and I needed to go. I honestly didn't think I would be gone for so long. I thought I'd only be out an hour or two. I wanted to rock off early to come home and work, but I couldn't just leave."
The hurt and sincerity in her voice all but confirmed she'd spoken honestly. Whatever had distracted her from her work the night earlier must have been quite urgent.
Willing to offer her a chance to properly explain herself, Fumikage inquired in her once again. "What was it that was so important, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm sorry, but... I can't say. It's private."
Fumikage sighed with displeasure. If she hadn't explained the truth earlier, why did he expect her to do so now? Her commitment to keeping information from him was becoming increasingly tiresome.
"I assumed as much" he mused, dryly.
"Hey, what happened last night is none of your business! Just because I have a social life and you don't doesn't mean-"
"But it does warrant my attention when it concerns the potential halted progress of our assignment."
Ashido folded her arms. "…I don't have to tell you anything."
"Perhaps not. But am I so unreasonable to ask of you to speak the truth? Following this most recent act of deceit and dishonesty, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to believe from you. How are we expected to collaborate effectively when we you can't even speak truthfully?"
"I'm sorry, alright!? I'm really, really sorry. I… I don't know what else you want me to do."
"I'd accuse of you doing enough, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate, would it?"
Rather than retort, Ashido fell silent yet again.
Having grown tired of empty apologies and excuses, Fumikage did not dare offer her another chance to exploit his faith and trust. There'd been a time when he could've behaved a little more compassionately, but he wasn't at all inclined to any more after being repeatedly deceived. Her immature and unprofessional attitude certainly hadn't helped either.
Fumikage had heard enough; there was nothing at all she could say that could make him reconsider offering his forgiveness or apologies. And with this attitude in mind, Fumikage defiantly turned face and proceed away from her.
"Wait… What are you…? Where are you going?" Ashido asked fearfully.
"I'm going to work on our assignment."
"…What?"
"Your services – or lack thereof – are no longer required. I realise now it had been foolish of me to think I could entrust you with such a simple task. If you can't even produce a short draft in under a week, how can I confidently depend on your involvement during the research and writing? I'll complete this assignment myself."
"Wait… Without me?"
"Yes, without you. Despite your incompetence, I still do not wish for you to fail. There will come a time when we must negotiate how we will present the research I gather, but until then you are free to return to your regular activities. You are absolved of this burden for the time being. I only ask that you cooperate with me when I require your presence."
"N-no, don't do this!"
Fumikage's movement was halted when Ashido unexpectedly appeared before him, ushering for him to stay. The persistent scowl she'd presented for the duration of their conversation was now absent, instead replaced with an expression of despair and fear as she clutched her hands together, pleadingly. It appeared as if she was on the verge of erupting into tears.
"Please! I wanna help! Please don't… I promise I'm gonna help from now on. I swear to God this won't happen again. I promise I'm gonna concentrate from now on. Just…just please don't…"
The conviction in her words still wasn't enough to convince him to change his mind. For no longer would he be played a fool. If she hadn't accepted the responsibility before, how could he trust her to do so now?
Fumikage offered no sympathy, "I honesty wish I could believe you" and resumed walking, abandoning his ex-partner. But not before leaving with one final piece of insight. "I will not allow your unwillingness to accept responsibility affect my progress. You might not value your learning, but I value mine."
He expected her to pursue him once more. She did not.
"…I care about my learning…" whispered Mina tearfully.
You're taking this a little too seriously, don't you think? So she forgot to do her homework…
Fumikage dismissed Dark Shadow's comments.
Hey, come on. Don't be like this. You heard her – it was an honest mistake. As if you're in any position to be judging her. You haven't exactly been the most reliable student when it comes to submitting work on time, either.
Dark Shadow continued to defend her vehemently, but Fumikage ignored their pleas. After her negligent and irresponsible behaviour, he did not believe she deserved to be forgiven so easily.
Something caught the young man's attention; something he hadn't been able to notice earlier. Coming to a complete halt, an image was projected on the building adjacent him: it was his reflection. Out of curiosity, Fumikage examined it - And what he discovered sucked the breath from his being. The unapologetic scowl depicted on his face... The one of pure, unfiltered displeasure, discontentment and disappointment… He recognised it immediately.
An unexpected wave of nausea impacted Fumikage like a powerful strike to the head. To prevent himself from possibly collapsing, Fumikage extended a hand and rested it against the building. Fumikage tried to stabilise his anxious breathing, but his inhales and exhales continued to arrive in disjointed sessions. This sensation wasn't foreign. He'd experienced before, typically after moments of distress or intensity. It felt as if the effects of a trance had been dispelled; like the veils hindering awareness of his senses and surrounding had finally been removed. And now that they had, the memories of his exchange with Mina Ashido assaulted his mind.
Dark Shadow materialised in front of him. "Hey, are you alright?"
"I'm…fine…"
"No, you're not. Hold on, mate. I've got you."
After accessing a compartment in his backpack, Dark Shadow produced a small, yellow cylinder. 'Rescue Relief' read the label. Fumikage wasted no time and accepted the item, removing the cap and gently applying two squirts of the spray the end of his beak. It was unclear to Fumikage if there really were special chemicals in the formula or if it was just a method to evoke the placebo effect. The truth was unimportant, however, as the aroma had always been successful in offering him relief or comfort whenever he felt anxious or agitated.
After regaining some semblance of control and composure, Fumikage was finally about to properly reflect upon their encounter – and he couldn't believe what he'd said about her as a student and as a person. He didn't want to believe those had been his words and actions. He hadn't just scolded her; he'd unjustly beaten down upon her worth and value. Fumikage dreaded to imagine what she thought of him after such a performance.
"…That was really me, wasn't it?"
Dark Shadow nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, it kinda was."
Fumikage made no effort to try and disprove the notion; his brutally hurtful words and the image of the young woman's sorrowful expression all confirmed that he'd been the one to commit such a vile act. Nobody deserved to have been spoken to like that, and least of all somebody as sincere as her.
Dark Shadow desperately apologised for any possible crime committed on its part. The spirit was adamant it had been the source of the aggression and hostility. Fumikage denounced the allegations. Dark Shadow could not be held accountable for the transgression. He was the true demonic entity.