Colors in the Dark

[55] Festival

A/N: Holy shit I really missed two uploads in a row, huh? Well, this is my longest chapter yet, and that's saying something considering some of the ones during the training camp arc were ridiculously long. This one's almost twice the length as usual, but I wanted most of the festival in one chapter, so hopefully this makes up for the mini hiatus. Also, a rough visual guide of the Kamino kids, as drawn by moi! It was done on an old computer with a mouse, though, so please excuse any awkward lineart. Hopefully this helps you visualize during Ayami's performance.

Although Naizen couldn't see them, he could smell the infamous Hound Dog from a while away, noticing the canine-like Pro and UA staffman doing some tracking further into the woods, followed by a horde of Ectoplasm clones. However, some remained, like the one that was directing him and his siblings to the location of the first big event as the Festival's official opening time hit.

Still, he held his breath as they passed the Pro, praying they would stay out from under the heroes' radars. There was no reason they should be, if they hadn't been after almost three years since it happened, but that didn't keep him from worrying about what would happen if they did.

It was a relief that they found their way to the gym, where a certain Class 1-A would be performing, by following signs and the crowd. Even if Ayami wouldn't be there, Naizen didn't want to miss the concert her class was apparently putting on.

The lights were still on, but the large room was incredibly crowded, as well as noisy. Naizen winced, leaning against the back wall. "You guys go on!" He told his siblings. "Make sure Yori and Io get good seats!" Kumori, Shinobu, and Rikiyo, with the younger ones hands in their own, nodded. "And get some good pictures, too!" Ashikuro saluted as she followed them.

Mahi'ra, also quite bothered by the sound despite her scream-resistant ears, hung back. "Wouldn't want you to spend the whole time alone," she told him with a light punch to the shoulder, making sure not to hit his wings. "Besides, we're both tall enough to see from back here."

"I couldn't see the class if I was in the front seat," Naizen groaned. "But with the certainty of blasting speakers, staying back here's better for me, anyhow."

"There's probably going to be light flashes, too," Mahi'ra mused, tapping her chin with her blue-painted nails. "I'm not epileptic, but that doesn't mean they don't give me headaches. And I'd never leave you back here all by yourself!"

She was always considerate and ready to make a sacrifice for one of the others, which had only grown over the years. Just like Kana did for us... Her legacy will live on in each of our hearts. Mahi'ra landed in a much smaller school than she could have because she wanted others to have the chances she could have, choosing to repress the strongest parts of her power as not to hurt anyone.

She deflects all suspicion of her inner feelings with a smile she always wears and the skip in her step, but I can tell. I can almost smell it on her, the apprehension that prickles her skin just as it does to mine. We're all still broken deep down... but she's figured out how to lock it away to make others happy, a habit she never broke out of.

Oh sister... Naizen looked guiltily away from her, trying to focus on the voices around the empty stage. At least find someplace to let that negativity out before you implode.

"Hey," a deadbeat voice greeted, causing both young adults to practically whirl around.

It was Ayami's teacher again, with the Toogata boy and the Eri girl. "The show's about to start!" The blond told them. "Eri here's not much a fan of big crowds, so I hope you don't mind us hanging back here by you guys!"