Hello Fellow Readers!
Apologies for uploading chapters so slowly. As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to stay close and true to the manga in order to adapt my fanfic. Considering there have been breaks between MHA manga chapters, I'm working on filler chapters such as this one. If you have any ideas you'd like me to explore, feel free to let me know. :)
Hope you enjoy!
-D
I'm panting as I get to my feet. My little body shakes a bit as I try to remain stable. The training chamber is marked with dents, scuff marks and craters throughout the dirty ground.
"Attempt again," a voice speaks through a sound system.
I concentrate energy at the soles of my feet. A little bit of energy emits, but it's not enough. I raise the energy but end up raising it too much, causing me to fly backward into a chamber wall. Gritting my teeth at the impact, I land on my stomach on the ground.
"You need to learn how to fly soon," the voice speaks. "We'll be needing you on missions as soon as you're old enough."
I pant as I push myself up, staring at the ground. My eyes wander to the clear glass doors nearby, seeing Keigo watch in concern as he clutches his Endeavor plush toy.
"That's it for today," the voice says before cutting off.
I catch my breath and get to my feet, heading to the glass doors. Keigo is eager to greet me but is worried as he sees me limp a bit. I continue to walk down the hall with him by my side.
"Aren't you gonna see the nurse?" Keigo asks.
"They're too scared to treat me…" I reply. "I'm okay."
I keep walking with a slight limp as Keigo can clearly see I'm not okay. We make our way to the atrium near the pond. Keigo follows closely as I find a spot near the edge of the pond, sitting down with me. I stare over at the fountain spewing water in the middle of the pond, the sound of splashing water soothing me.
"You did great today!" Keigo says.
"Ya think so?" I say.
"Yeah!"
"Thanks," I smile at him. "But it's nothing compared to you! You're great at flying!"
"It's easier for me because of my wings," Keigo flutters his wings. "You just need more practice and you'll get it!"
"It's a bit scary to fly…" I admit.
"At first…but once you get the hang of it, you'll learn to love it."
"What do you do so you're not scared?"
"Happy thoughts."
"Happy…thoughts?"
"Yeah. Think of things that make you happy."
"Hmm…I don't have many things…" I put a finger on my chin.
I look up in thought as Keigo suddenly has an idea.
"Try this!" Keigo hands me his Endeavor plush toy. "Hold my plushie and try to fly!"
I blink a few times before taking the plushie as Keigo helps me stand up.
"Endeavor makes you happy, right?" Keigo asks. "Use that to help you fly."
I blink a few times before closing my eyes. I think back to spending time with Enji and his family. A warm feeling fills my heart as I keep my eyes closed, thinking of the day we celebrated my birthday at the Todoroki estate for the first time in my life.
"See?" Keigo says. "You got it!"
I open my eyes and realize I'm some feet in the air. Gasping at how I'm using the right amount of energy at my feet, I beam with a smile.
"I'm doing it!" I'm excited.
"Keep going!" Keigo encourages.
I continue to move through the air, hovering over the pond in a wavering movement as I still try to stabilize my balance. In excited disbelief, I float up higher above the pond.
"Yeah, you're doin it!" Keigo shouts.
"I am!" I shout back.
Too busy laughing in excitement, I suddenly realize that I'm flying up to the glass ceiling of the atrium.
"Whoa! Watch out!" Keigo shouts.
I gasp in panic as I stop emitting energy at my feet right before colliding into the glass ceiling. Closing my eyes, I clutch the Endeavor plushie as I prepare to hit the water. I feel myself stop in midair and open my eyes to see Keigo flying in front of me. Confused, I look under me and see a group of his feathers holding me up.
"Don't worry, I've got ya," Keigo reassures me.
"Wow…" I'm in awe. "Your feathers are amazing!"
Keigo blushes a bit with a smile. He flies us over back to the ground, his feathers gently setting me down on my feet.
"You'll make a great hero one day!" I compliment.
"Ya really think so?" Keigo scratches the back of his head.
"Yup!" I nod.
Keigo smiles at my words of encouragement as some of his feathers happily flutter around us.
"Akira," a voice calls out.
Keigo and I turn to see some guards approach.
"It's time for your nuclear chamber training," the guard says.
My eyes widened at the guards as I freeze up a bit. Keigo notices how stiff I am as I drop the Endeavor plushie.
"Let's go," the guard tells me.
"I don't…want to…" My voice shakes.
"That's an order," the guard demands.
I begin to think of the chamber training, the thick foam balls hitting me all over. My body begins to tremble remembering the freezing water. I'm now in a frozen daze. Keigo picks up his plushie and moves forward to check on me.
"Akira?" Keigo is worried.
My body begins to heat up, the ground burning up underneath my feet.
"She's going into an episode!" a guard says. "Take Hawks out of here now!"
A guard quickly runs over, picks up Keigo and runs off. My breathing quickens as I begin to tremble.
"Get ready to sound the alarm!" a guard speaks into a radio.
I crouch as I hug myself, still in an empty daze.
"I don't want to…" I whisper. "I don't want to…"
My mind begins to race as memories of being inside the nuclear chamber flash repeatedly. A guard shoots a dart at my neck, but I have no reaction to it. Steam rises from the point where the dart hit me.
"The sedating darts aren't working!" The guard panics. "She's burning through the serum!"
My breathing continues to quicken. I have no doubt they'll lock me in a freezing chamber. I close my eyes to try to block out the images flashing in my mind but they continue. Suddenly, I feel a pair of small hands touch my shoulders. I open my eyes and look up to see Keigo standing in front of me.
"Akira…" he smiles. "It's okay…you're gonna be okay."
"Hawks! Get away from her!" a guard shouts.
I stare up at Keigo as he ignores the shouts from the guards. My eyes begin to turn to the guards, but Keigo places his hands on my cheeks and keeps my gaze at him.
"Breathe, Akira…it's okay…" Keigo comforts me.
Despite Keigo's palms burning up at the touch of my skin, he continues to smile warmly at me. His loving smile brings me comfort as I stare up at his sweet golden eyes. A sense of calm washes over me as I feel myself cool down.
"Keigo…" I'm in awe.
Just as I'm about to smile, a dart hits me at my side. The sedative immediately kicks in as I fall to my side.
"Akira?" Keigo is confused. "Akira!"
Keigo's yells echo as my vision blurs. I can see the guards force Keigo off me as he tries to stay. The echo of his cries are the last thing I hear before passing out.
I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times as I peer through the dim room. I see I'm in my bed and notice something under my arm. Looking down, I see that it's the Endeavor plushie tucked under my arm. I ruffle the blanket a bit as I slowly sit up.
"You're awake!" Keigo gasps as he peers down from the top bunk bed.
He jumps down and sits on my bed, eager to see I'm awake. He kneels in front of me on my bed.
"I was worried about you," Keigo says. "They shot you with some darts…and you stayed asleep since then."
"Oh yeah…" I slowly recall.
"Hm? That's not new?" Keigo is perplexed.
"No. It happens a lot…"
"Why?"
"I'm scared of the nuclear chamber…it's where they force me to use my quirk…"
I glance over at Keigo's hands and see that they're bandaged up.
"Did I burn your hands?" I worry.
"Um…" Keigo looks down at them.
"I hurt you, didn't I?" I'm saddened. "I hurt you with my stupid quirk!"
"No, it's okay! I'm fine!" Keigo reassures me.
"I'm sorry…" I say.
I pull my knees up to my chest.
"Do you…like your quirk?" Keigo asks.
I shrug as I continue to hold my knees up to my chest.
"I don't really like my quirk either…" Keigo admits.
"You don't?" I look at him in surprise.
Keigo shakes his head.
"It reminds me of my parents…" Keigo looks down.
"You have parents?" I'm surprised.
"Yeah, but…they didn't want me…"
Keigo takes his Endeavor plushie and holds it close as he's in thought.
"Why didn't your parents want you?" I ask.
"I guess they just didn't want me…" Keigo shrugs. "My dad would hit me…and my mom would call me a good for nothing… She said my wings aren't any good…" Keigo peers down sadly.
"Well that's not true," I respond.
Keigo glances up at me in surprise.
"I think your wings are amazing, remember?" I smile.
Keigo blushes a bit as he holds his plushie up to his face.
"Is that why you're here?" I ask.
"After Endeavor put my dad in jail…" Keigo says. "My mom and I were living out in the streets… Until one day, I saved some people from a car accident…That's when the Commission offered my mom to trade me in… I haven't seen her since."
"See? Your wings really are amazing. You saved people!" I'm in awe.
"Thanks…" Keigo shyly smiles. "What about you? Where are your parents?"
"I don't have any."
"Huh? Where did you come from then?"
"I'm an orphan."
"Oh…so you didn't have a family to begin with, huh?"
I shake my head.
"I guess we're both the same…" Keigo concludes.
"I guess so…but maybe that's why we ended up here together…To show each other love."
"Love?" Keigo is intrigued.
I crawl over to Keigo and carefully wrap my arms around him. He's surprised at first but enjoys the warmth.
"This is a hug," I explain. "I learned from Touya and his family… You hug people to show love."
"A hug, huh…Are they always so stiff?" Keigo wonders.
"Sorry…I'm still learning how to get better at giving them…" I pull back with an embarrassing smile.
"Wait…" Keigo pulls me back into him.
Keigo embraces me and I return it. I can tell he enjoys the warmth like I do.
"This is my first hug," Keigo says. "I want to cherish it."
I'm surprised at hearing this, remembering that I myself grew up without experiencing affection. Knowing how this feels, my embrace around Keigo gets tighter. We pull away after a while as we smile.
"We'll learn to give better hugs together!" Keigo proposes.
"Yup yup!" I eagerly nod.
Keigo and I quietly beam smiles as some of his feathers happily flutter around us.