Finding Solstice

One

 The scent of the surrounding wind practically screamed 'freedom', the strong ocean breeze tinted with the smell of sun, salt and sand. The sound of crashing waves, soaring seagulls and raging currents beneath her were the only noises that filled Tori's ears, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon.

Seeing as the first light had yet to reach the slumbering faces of the people of Musutafu, the majority of Japan's population remained fast asleep, meaning that, for now, Tori had the entirety of the beach all to herself.

Shifting her position ever so slightly as to not disturb or tilt the surfboard beneath her, the brunette closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the sky, that of which was painted in hues of pinks, oranges and purples, and reveled in the feeling of the dawn's rays caressing her face, the shift of the powerful tide beneath her, and the knowledge that, at this moment, she was completely and utterly alone.

"Hmmm", Tori sighed, a small smile gracing her face as the water continued to roll beneath her surfboard, lapping up against her legs as the waves continued to crash back into themselves in a rhythmic motion.

'If only things could just stay like this forever,' she lamented, opening her eyes to reveal the amber irises beneath as she once again stared out at the seemingly-endless ocean.

Tori knew that peaceful moments like this were going to happen less and less often soon, especially after the upcoming week. Having been training for months now, the young 15 year old was approaching a momentous point in her life, as the entrance exams for U.A. High School were just around the corner. The rumours and gossip alone of how difficult and demanding the school program could be was already enough to send shivers down her spine, not to mention the personal experiences Tori's father and his friends had shared.

However, through the thought of the exams frightened her and Tori new she likely could skip the exam process all together and get in through recommendations, her father being the infamous 8th ranked her 'Soundwave', a more prideful and stubborn part of Tori wanted to get in the same way as everyone else to prove that she belonged there, that she had earned her place in that school and wasn't just some bratty teen with a rich dad.

Tori knew she wasn't the only one who had been unfairly placed under that stereotype.

'Now all I gotta do is actually make sure I pass...', she mused, eyebrows furrowing in concentration.

Shaking her head as to rid herself of those serious thoughts, the brunette focused on the there-and-than, leaving all of that worry for the upcoming days. She assured herself that everything would be fine, and that she had come to the beach this early to surf, not to overthink.

Turning her attention back to the waves in front of her, her expression much more lighthearted than it had been a minute ago, the 15 year old scanned the ocean, looking for the perfect opportunity to put her skills to use.

And, sure enough, moments after she began looking, the brunette witnessed as an untamed wave, one quite larger than the rest, began forming and climbing on the horizon, drawing closer to Tori with every breath.

Watching the approaching mini-tsunami with her golden gaze, Tori couldn't help but smirk as she lowered herself to her stomach on the surfboard, her grin having an almost predator-like edge to it as she began paddling out against the tide to meet her challenger head-on.

As it got closer, its shadow spreading over the water beneath it as if to foreshadow the coming doom, Tori stared up at it as she got into position to catch and dominate the watery beast, the determination in her eyes as stubborn as stone and as fierce as flame, the grin having not left her face for a second.