His Other Half (KiriBaku)

Chapter 34

October 21st, XX84
-The Colosseum-

        To be fair, the fire was not Eijiro's fault. 

         Well, that wasn't true.

        The fire wasn't entirely Eijiro's fault.

         He may have tricked Prince Shoto into trying to use both his magic elements at the same time, which was awing to watch--until somehow the ice decided to freeze, melt, freeze, explode, and knocked the unexpecting prince unconscious, his fire sweeping wide to decimate the other opponents. Hizashi cackled from his viewing box, and even Itsuka couldn't smother a chuckle while the foreign prince blinked dubiously at his disaster.

        But Eijiro couldn't help himself. He'd gotten bored. Hopelessly, insufferably bored.

        The other competitors were scared to go after him now, preferring to aim at Itsuka or each other, since Tetsutetsu had gotten himself into so much trouble and Neito had been forced to go after him. One competitor--only one--threw a spear at him today, and he'd accidentally broken it in his haste to keep the sharp point away from his face, but the show of strength had unfortunately ensured that no one else wanted to play with him.

        That, and they'd all witnessed what had been done to Tama Shindo, a man most of them considered a powerful ally, a tyrant leader they feared to cross. Tama hadn't left a gap in the food chain when he fell to Eijiro's hand--the larger predator had merely extended his feeding ground, and they were wise to be wary.

        However, whether the fire was his fault or not, he knew he was likely in trouble when he caught sight of Tokoyami floating over the building facades, diving to rest on the chair where his prince usually sat. He couldn't enter the arena himself with the magical barrier still intact, but he could wait. 

        Itsuka giggled, noticing the bird and the way it glared with ruffled disdain at the popping cinders in the air. "You're in trouble~" she teased Eijiro. 

        The redhead threatened her with the point of his sword, their other competition for the day defeated. "Yield, before I cut you."

        She did, and without protest. She'd gotten close to beating Eijiro a week prior, when they sparred on the training fields together, but her strength wasn't a match for his speed or ruthlessness.

        Hizashi declared him the day's victor, again, and one of the court attendants began hosing down the field and drenching the fire with a sprinkle of water-based magic. Eijiro borrowed a comb from Itsuka, pulling ash from his hair as he left the arena until the sleek black bird landed on his shoulder and roughly nipped his ear. 

        "Ouch!" Ei protested, flicking the crow back with a solid thump against his beak. "I didn't even do anything, Fumi. I didn't start the fire--and look!" Eijiro gestured broadly to himself and returned Itsuka her comb. "Not a scratch! An accomplishment really, considering."

        Itsuka snorted at him. "It's really hard to make fun of you when you do it yourself, Red."

        "That's kind of the point. Fumi, where is His Highness?"

        The bird churred, ruffling his feathers as some kind of apathetic disapproval. Maybe he didn't see the need to grace them with his human presence, or maybe his transformations took more energy than they thought, but he made no move to fly off Ei's shoulder, answering the question with only a distracted nod towards the castle. 

         But he did reshuffle his feathers, pinning his beady stare on something in the crowd when they caught his eye. His talons dugs into Eijiro's plate guard, hard enough to hurt if not for the metal, until the fighter followed his gaze.

        A dark-haired man stayed seated in his row, despite the other onlookers filtering out of the stands on either side, his dark eyes pinned on Eijiro. He wore a high collared green tunic like the ones Neito and Katsuki preferred, a mark of the Argan High Court. Neito's family was known for the blue and violet shades that complimented their fair features and light hair, and the Midoriyas favored a specific shade of jade green. This green was different, lighter and less blue, embroidered in an almost yellow.

        Itsuka followed his curious stare, not at all surprised when she saw who had attracted it. "That's Yo. It appears he came to watch the man who crippled his brother."

        Yo Shindo held a different kind of fire in his eyes than Tama had. Where his brother had been a raging inferno of flaming hatred and fury, Yo was contained. Cool and indifferent, frosty and impassionate. He didn't hate Eijiro. Simply saw him as an obstacle that needed to be removed.

        Eijiro only cocked his head in the other's direction. "Interesting. His Highness says he wants to fight me. What does he do?"

        Yo stood, turning on his heel.

        And the whole colosseum suddenly rumbled, shaking violently from an impact that had never happened. People standing were knocked off their feet with startled screams and shouts of confusion, mixed with a cacophony of breaking glass and falling weapons. The chains above the arena rattled and the cage structure threatened to collapse. Eijiro and Itsuka stumbled for balance, and Tokoyami took back to the skies.

        But then as quickly as it started, the shaking stopped. Yo gave Eijiro a final look.

        And then he was gone. Swallowed by the rock and stone that made the colosseum.

        Itsuka regained her balance, her face pale and beaded with nervous sweat from their brief struggle. Despite the demonstration, she still answered Eijiro's question. "Neito says that Yo is the strongest magic-user in his family for the past six generations. He causes tremors that can shake the very lands. He has the power to level the palace with a single misplaced tantrum."

        Eijiro hummed, looking absently at the spot where Yo had been standing. He knew a threat when he saw one, and Yo had intended to intimidate him.

        "Bring it on," the redhead grinned, flashing sharp teeth. "This one will be a grand old time."