Chapter Eleven: Queen of Spades
She always liked the way things sparkled in the dark more than when they blanched in the sunlight.
Grocery bags slung over her arms, Ayumi carefully made her way down the wide streets of Hosu. The smell of fish was a permanent in the busy city, many workers opting for a quick fish based meal when on the run. Ayumi couldn't help but be tempted and convinced by several food stands to purchase a vide variety of fish (begrudgingly). The city's scenery, however, was grand enough to overpower the fishy stench, the eyes eating away at the surrounding cityscape instead. Countless skyscrapers stabbed at the sky, each one lit up magnificently by signs and screens climbing up the sides. Civilians moved unanimously, a constant pour of people always pushing onward in a pack like manner. If you weren't careful, it was easy to get swept away in Hosu's hustle and bustle - Ayumi should know. The wide eyed girl's stimulant levels spiked whenever she wandered in Hosu, her senses insatiable within the boundaries of the buzzing city. Usually, the hallucinations would blanket over her mind first, vines and cement covering the surface of everything, her eyes gone. Then, came the blaring loud sound of blood rushing, her ears gone. Clammy sweat erupted from her pores, her touch gone. The scent of fish became an overpowering odor, Ayumi unable to breathe past it, her nose gone. And, as a result of such chaos, Ayumi's mind was on the fritz, attempting to untangle and unmangle her overstimulated sensory nerves, but alas to no avail. In short: Ayumi learned to love and hate Hosu equally.
"Hey, Ayumi - look!" The green skinned girl's churning brain had somehow blocked out Jin's presence, the ten year old forgetting entirely that she had gone on the trip with her brother. By then, Jin had hit his growth spurt, still remaining lanky but putting on a bit of well deserved muscle. Although his physique was changing, the boy's hair never had, never would. The elder Bubaigawara kept the tasteful brown locks trim and trained, his hair being one of the few things he felt confident about. Said locks were practically bouncing in excitement as Jin pressed up against the glass of a shop.
Ayumi turned in the same direction as her brother, training her sights on the TV screens the teen had gotten so worked up about. Crowds, color, noise - the screens depicted some sort of popular festival. Ayumi opened her mouth to inquire about the extravagant looking festivities, when a finger was abruptly slammed onto her mouth, Jin pointing back to the screen.
"This year's annual UA Sports Festival kicked off with a bang, competitors of all three age groups relentless! No mercy was shown on the battlefield this year, the 1v1 battles even getting bloody at some points! Stay tuned for more highlights and reruns of today's fights!" The TVs collectively shut off, earning a groan from Ayumi's brother.
"I wanted to see that!" Noticing his little sister's confusion, Jin explained, "That was the UA Sports Festival! It happens every year at a special hero school called UA, and the kids compete against each other to show their skills off to pros. You have to be really strong to get in!" Jin sparkled in the lack of light, wonder and hope surfacing. Ayumi admired his spirit, Jin's perseverance admirable in a tragic sort of way. Although her brother put on a happy face, Ayumi didn't need x-ray vision to see the pain Jin held in his eyes watching the screen. In another reality, one where the two didn't have to worry so much about what was for dinner and how they were going to clothe themselves, Ayumi liked to imagine Jin would've been on that screen, showing the world just how strong he really was.
But instead, the two were pressed up against a shop's window, fogging up the glass with their unspoken cries of despair. Shortly, the shopkeeper came out and forced the internally distraught siblings to move along; loitering was prohibited.
—
This was his dream.
From the cover of the tunnel, Ayumi could hear the roar of the crowd, so many impassioned by the festival just as Jin once was. The sickly girl's heart tightened under the weight of her memories, finding the temptation to buzz it all out with the drug of her choice enticing. However, the dread of responsibility kept the brunette busy enough to ignore her inflamed emotions. Like Aizawa foretold, Ayumi was not competing in the sports festival, making it easier for the haunted girl to control her recollection of moments with her brother. They weren't persistent like hallucinations, hallucinations that snuck up and stole you from your own consciousness; she could see the memories before they came, Jin's earthy scent plugging her nasal cavity and making it difficult for Ayumi to breathe. The pair planned every year to try and make it to the festival, but each year their plans were ruined as quickly as they came about, whether their mother had shown up unannounced or Ayumi was having an episode. As Ayumi stood in that tunnel, alone, she hoped somewhere Jin was watching, hoped somewhere Jin hadn't changed.
"Ayumi! Get over here! I need your help passing these gummies out!" The familiar screeching of everyone's favorite medical hero echoed down the tunnel, Ayumi cringing as her eardrums were tortured by the awful pronunciation of her name. As always, it seemed Ayumi was stuck with Recovery Girl, this time specially employed to assist with injuries resulting from the day's activities. Although it was clear the bloodshot girl was being dumped off because there was nothing else for her to do, Ayumi was told Recovery Girl specifically requested her help. Then again, the staff probably wanted to butter her up to enhance her willingness to work for them - might I add, WITHOUT PAY.
"I'm coming, old lady!" While briskly walking in the direction of Recovery Girl's wails, Ayumi couldn't help but wonder about Kirishima. They trained a few times after the debacle Aizawa set up a couple of weeks ago, and each time Ayumi found it harder to stay stoney. She imagined his shark teeth constantly chomping away at her tough exterior, most likely smiling the entire time. That's just the type of guy Kirishima was: sweet and strong, one might say disarming.
Her visions of the red head came to a halt, instead replaced by an irritated Recovery Girl. She chastised Ayumi, saying, "I didn't choose you just for you to be slow. I'm ancient and I'm faster than you! Now, you're going to take these gummies to all the first year students in the waiting rooms." When Ayumi didn't move, the medical hero shoved the bag of gummies into her arms, yelling, "GO!"
"Whatever." A genuine scowl graced Ayumi's features, the cast aside girl not enjoying the busy work she was being forced to complete. She stormed off, deciding to visit 1-A's waiting room first. It was only natural.
Approaching the door, the bruised girl's sense of isolation fading upon hearing the commotion from outside. Typical. A sharp inhale, then the brunette pushed the door open, what once was complacency with her class melting into absolute annoyance at the sight before her. Kirishima stood between the hostile half and half boy from the seat in front of her and the Midoriya kid, a sacrificial peacekeeper by nature. The rest of the class seemed on edge as well, some worriedly eyeing the confrontation, while others were fidgeting, off in a world of their own. However, their attention turned to the unprepared girl, who almost blushed at the sudden eye contact. Almost.
She coughed, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Uh, I have gummies for you guys. Recovery Girl says they're supposed to energize you before the matches." When nobody made a move, Ayumi went to drop some gummies on the table beside her. She was interrupted, though, by Kirishima, who grabbed a pack from the bag, as if telling everyone it was okay.
The red head chuckled upon seeing his classmates' shock at the interaction, assuring them lightheartedly, "She doesn't bite guys!"
Before he walked away, Ayumi grabbed Kirishima's shoulder and pulled him back to her, hissing, "I just might if you make a scene like that again, numb skull." The boy smirked in response, moving out of the way once again as their classmates lined up in front of her. She heard the chuckling of the red head's friends, unappreciative of the way they looked at her then whispered excitedly amongst themselves. It was degrading, but no one said she had to be nice to them either, the bruised girl's bruised pride motivating her to drop the gummy packs at the feet of the blond and black haired boys.
"Oops." Ayumi exited, wondering how she was expected to get along with people like them.
Her visit to 1-B was uneventful, as it was for the support classes and business ones too. However, the general studies course was an exception.
Indigo hair?! Somehow in the midst of everything at UA, Ayumi hadn't even considered asking what class her card partner was in, formalities lost between the two completely. Her partner's expression almost mirrored hers as she crossed the threshold of 1-C's room, hesitance lacing her every move. A line formed once she announced Recovery Girl's message to the future participants, some giving dry chuckles or sarcastic remarks in response. One by one, each student took their fill, the card kid app earning at the end of the line (of course).
The indigo kid grabbed the last bag of gummies, saying a quick, "Thanks," then, once Ayumi made to leave, he followed her quickly out the door, making sure to hold it closed.
Though she wasn't surprised by the eye bagged boy's weariness, the bloodshot girl was shaken by his next words: "What? Come to taunt me?"
Although a quick remark readied itself at the tip of her tongue, the bruised girl opted to inquire, "What are you getting at?" Both recomposed, a subconscious clash between their stoic auras commencing, neither willing to relent.
Once the safety of their silence had been broken, however, the pair was left wishing it hadn't. The indigo kid scoffed, declaring, "I'll just have to beat you like the rest of them then. I might be in 1-C, but I damn well know I can cut down a few of you 1-A ego maniacs." The type of venom the boy spat came from a place of hurt, meant to make others feel the same. Ayumi knew it all too well.
The brunette rolled her wide eyes, nearly unable to contain her amusement with her card partner's child like tantrum. "Is that so? I don't doubt it." Ayumi didn't know his quirk, but quirks were futile when passion was what drove the successful.
"Fine. If you won't take me seriously, I guess we're done here." The inflamed boy turned, hoping he could shut out the uncertainty his cryptic counterpart instilled in him.
Ayumi wouldn't let him off that easily, however, claiming boldly, "So what? Is this how you act when you're not throwing cards on the table? You're angry, you're different, you're misunderstood - who isn't? If you really want to be noticed, to be taken as seriously as you want to be," Ayumi paused, trying to paint her blunt thoughts artfully. "You need to show them why you're the queen of spades in their game of hearts. You need to show them why you're worth as many points as you think you are." His footsteps ceased, instead Ayumi's filling the void the lack of noise had brought. Her mouth was tired, the girl with the snake bite rings tenderly tugging at them, refusing to admit the anxiety such grand speaking brought her.
One walked towards the stadium, the other walked towards the infirmary, each still holding cards up their sleeve, as suspected by the other. Distrust was necessary, though, when the world gunned for you.
—
Ayumi borderline wished she had stayed and suffered the awkward discomfort she had created between herself and the indigo kid.
"Where have you been?!" A smack to Ayumi's arm was delivered by a Recovery Girl reddened with anger. "Aizawa has been waiting for you, you dimwit!"
Ayumi sighed, melancholia managing to mask and suppress the potent lingering feelings left by the indigo boy's outburst. Why am I acting like I know him? The two weren't close - that was a fact. When their relationship existed between the four walls of Ayumi's room in the security wing, cards were the only thing that could possibly wedge their way between the two. On the outside, the pair shouldn't know each other; quirks and classes didn't mix well with pride and joy. Cards did, though, so Ayumi resolved to move on and forget the confrontation ever happened. She hoped the indigo kid did too.
Indigo on the brain, the wide eyed girl was yanked out of her thoughtful daze by the suffocatingly white bandaging constricting her mentor. Aizawa slouched, withering under the unwanted attention such a costume brought. "I have some people for you to meet."
Confusion struck Ayumi, as she wondered aloud, "Who wants to meet me? I don't have any footprint at all." No one has my records because I don't have any...
"Think of them as...acquaintances of mine."
"I thought we were keeping my existence under wraps?" Ayumi questioned, then shooting back with a snarky tone, "I might as well be competing in the festival!"
Aizawa sent back a stern glare, demanding, "Let's go."
"Whatever." The two made their way into one of the various waiting rooms. Ayumi was met with the speculative gaze of three pros, all seeming to tear apart every aspect of her with hungry eyes. One sat, one stood, and one leaned against a wall. Such an abrupt entrance on the pair's part made Ayumi feel set up. Unease spiked her nerves, but what else was new.
Sitting was a female, minty green hair capped off with an orange bandana. The color clashing didn't stop there, however, as her entire suit was a war between greens and oranges and yellows. Ayumi would've looked away in disgust if it weren't for the woman's inviting gaze, a light smile dusting her lips.
Standing was a large man with a wide face, suited up in a bright yellow hoodie and black mask. He had a carefree look upon his face, the man complacent with his takoyaki sticks he held in bulk - one for each finger. Ayumi couldn't lie - she liked the vibe.
Leaning was a slender man, his thin nose and glasses matching the typical nerd's profile, couple with his matched suit. Although he leaned, the man remained rigid, as if trying to pull away from the wall while being pulled in. Even more confusing than his posture's paradox was the man's green hair complete with yellow highlights.
"Uh..." Ayumi didn't know what to say, perplexed by the presence of the odd bunch before her.
Luckily, Aizawa butt in, "This," he motioned towards the group, "is Team Sodapop." As pained as he appeared when uttering the name, he strove on. "The woman is Miss Joke, the one with the mask, Fat Gum, and Nighteye's the leaning one. They'll be working with us to perform the drug bust."
Ayumi's eyes widened, and, for the first time Aizawa had ever seen, she smirked, claiming, "So then, boss. When do we start?"
Past and future converging in the same building, at the same event, Ayumi couldn't help but wonder if Jin could feel her contentment across all the divides separating them. I'd like to play cards sometime, Jin.
