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Short pre-series speculation drabble, in which Momo meets Tobiume.
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First Flight
Momo writes her next paper cheerfully. And rather painfully, considering that the skin on the hand that she grips the brush with is at first glance, reddened and at second glance, cracked and peeling; upon further examination, the blisters nestling there make their presence known as well. Unless the nerves in her fingers are on leave in the leisure district or hiding in an endeavour to escape one of the demon-arts tests, one would imagine that it would hurt at least somewhat.
They're second-degree burns, at worst, and despite the tendency of some 4th Division members to overexaggerate diagnoses, even an academy first-year might have been able to express some worry at the abused tissue. But the smile that Momo wears is glowing and self-satisfied.
With each scratch of brush against paper- her neat handwriting oddly stilted today- a spot of red appears on her skin and fades as the pressure of the wood transfers to another finger, as the ink forms characters. Her hands are small and unremarkable. They have not likely been through this much before.
But they have held onto fire with surety today, fire which they will discover and harness.
The steel at her side smiles and decides that this will be an interesting alliance.
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Written on June 3, for Hinamori's birthday.