Shirakumo: Starting Over

Chapter 10

??? POV

"Hey." A voice calls cutting through the never-ending void making my eyes open for the first time in a very long time. "My name's Shirakumo, and I know this isn't you." The voice calls as I look farther into the darkness for a shred of light as my body drifts like a man lost at sea. "I know you're scared and it's dark, but you need to fight it." Fight it? I can't, it's impossible. You can't fight a monster, can you? I had tried before, but was always to weak. I relax my tense muscles and lay back down to drift forever. I go to close my eyes when a blinding bright light fills the void, in it I see a boy about my age touching my forehead with his fingers, providing the first real comfort I've felt in years. He has light blue hair that contrasts with his dark clothes, which seem to be torn and tattered, his eyes are closed, but I can see his eyelashes are the longest I've ever seen on a boy, they're nice, pretty. I close my eyes to mirror the boy and when I open them I'm out of the void, and that same boy is looking at me with open eyes, beautiful eyes that shine like diamonds. It feels like forever as I look into his eyes, taking in all the sounds and colors around us.

"Hi." I say, unsure of what else I should've said. Hi is what you're supposed to say right? It's been so long since I've talked with someone. How long has it been?

"Hi." The boy responds pulling me back to reality and easing my thoughts. As I stand there I feel the weight of just how exhausted I really am, and I feel myself sway and fall to the ground. Two boys rush over to me as I turn to see one last glance of the boy that saved me, when I see he has also fallen. I look at him carefully trying to remember every little detail of my savior, and pass out as the two boys try to say something to me.

Shirakumo POV

I open my eyes and turn to see Shota holding my hand as I lay in a bed in the
nurse's office. "Ugh" I groan as I sit up, making Shota jump slightly at my movement.

"Careful Shirakumo." He says putting his hand on my back. "Whatever you did to that Nomu took alot of energy and you passed out."

"That boy." I say scanning the other boys, but seeing that he's not in any of them. "Where is he?" Shota pauses and he looks unsure of how to answer my question.

"All Might thought it would be safer to keep him in a more contained room." Shota says quietly.

"What does that mean?" I ask in a confused and slightly annoyed voice..

"He's in a holding cell." Shota says in an ashamed voice.

"What! Why?" I ask in a loud voice.

"We just wanted to assess his threat level." Shota says trying to calm me down.

"Threat level?! And what about me? What's my 'threat level'?" I spit out at him and I see his eyes fill with sadddness. "Sorry. I- I'm just having a hard time trying to be like I was before, and I thought maybe having someone like me, could help. I didn't mean to yell at you."

"It's okay." Shota says taking a seat next to me on my bed. "I was wrong to have pushed you about becoming a hero again. When you got back I was just so excited, and I just wanted things to go back to how it used to be. I'm sorry I pushed you too hard."

"It's okay." I say resting my head on his shoulder. "I was just scared about being a hero and having to face villains again, but after today I think I know what I want to do."

"And what's that?" Shota asks me.

"I want to finish school and become a hero, fighting villains is still terrifying but if I can save people, than I need to at least try." I say. "The void made me feel so powerless, but today, when I was looking out over the city on my cloud, I felt so calm. It was the first time I really felt like I was home."

"I know I was a little overprotective when I showed up at the market, but I really am proud of you Shirakumo, you saved all those people." Shota says wrapping his arm around me. "You know, that's the first time you've ever talked about what happened to you."

"Yeah." I say with a small sigh. "I guess it's just hard to explain, I mean there was just nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everywhere you looked it was all black." I explain as I feel Shota's comforting arm softly hold me tighter. "I would scream for what felt like days, but no one ever heard me. The only thing I could feel was that monster clawing its way inside of me." A small tear starts to form in my eye, which I quickly wipe away. "Wanna know something really fucked up?"

"What?" Shota asks.

"When I realized that boy was a Nomu I wasn't scared or angry, I- I was glad. It meant that I wasn't the only person that went through the void, and for the first time in forever I felt relieved."

"Shirakumo." Shots says softly. "Feeling glad when you find out someone is going through the same thing as you doesn't make you 'fucked up', it makes you human. I remember when you died, I felt so alone. It was as if my entire world was crumbling down and I didn't think I would make it."

"But you did." I say. "How?"

"Hizashi." Shota says simply. "He was there, and he was going through the same thing. He stood by me even when I didn't deserve it and in return we lifted each other up, that's also when I started to fall in love with him."

"You guys are cute together." I say.

"Thanks." Shota says with an embarrassed smile. "Having someone there that knew what I was going through helped me. Maybe it'll help you too."

"Are you sure?" I ask him as he gets off the bed and stands up. "You won't get in trouble, right?"

"No I won't." He says extending his hand to help me off the bed. "Now lets go, you have a boy to talk too."

"Thank you Shota." I say taking his hand and standing next to him, I still ache all over and my clothes are messy and torn but I don't care. I need to see that boy.