Blossoms of the Dark

CL Selene: Empire

At the start of the school year, I used to be sleep-deprived because I stayed up every night talking with Shigaraki and Kurogiri.

Now, I am sleep-deprived because my trauma will not let me sleep.

Thus, I have to be slothful during school hours.

Even now, I hover in the realm between reality and dreamscape. It's not that I'm not trying my best to focus on what is currently happening. A task as menial as that is just very tiresome to me at the moment. My thoughts wander to a clandestine scuffle many nights ago.

_________________________________________________________

I had eavesdropped Bakugou-kun mutter to Midoriya-san to meet him after everyone fell asleep. Of course, that meant I stayed up. Call it curiosity or intuition, I had a feeling that I would learn something important. And given my latest problems falling asleep, might as well make most of the opportunity.

The two of them walked on a dark, dim road. I trailed behind a good distance, masking myself in shadows. They were quiet the entire time, but I was patient. Finally, they stopped at Ground Beta - the location of the Mock Battle that took place a year ago. Abandoned buildings lined the streets. I levitated myself to the roof of one of them. From my vantage point, I could easily see and hear the boys, but they could not notice me.

Bakugou-kun narrated a monologue. Reminiscing about the past, releasing his envy, pointing out inconsistencies, his failure, and the revelation that I suspected and knew for a long time: Midoriya-san inherited his quirk from All Might. Assumingly, he was quirkless before encountering the Number One Hero. Midoriya-san's silence was enough of a confirmation. Though, what was more intriguing was the process by how Bakugou-kun deduced this conclusion. He was closely paying attention to All for One's abilities. The gain and transferal of quirks, the Pussycat forced to retire due to her missing quirk, the plethora of power in the noumu. Bakugou-kun even concluded that All Might and All for One knew each other from before.

To most people, the only way to have a quirk is to inherit it by one's birthparents. Passed down by blood. But with my own quirk, which enabled me to take others' abilities without rendering them quirkless, the idea of there being another method of inheritance was not so far-fetched. I was impressed that the same notion came to Bakugou-kun. He even mentioned how both the beloved former hero and notorious villain were similar in this respect.

I knew Bakugou-kun was clever behind all that anger. No one can rank first on an entrance exam and a national event without having a sharp brain.

"If you hear the truth, how is that going to help you?" Midoriya-san asked, tentatively, only affirming the undeniable.

Bakugou-san was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. "You and me both ... we always looked up to All Might and aspired to be like him. The guy who I always thought was a damn pebble on the side of the road ... before I knew it, he was acknowledged by the person I looked up to most. And that's why you're gonna fight me! Right here, right now!" Perhaps that declaration should have surprised me. But my curiosity and intrigue were too prevalent to be superseded by shock. Midoriya-san protested, demanding an explanation and a retreat from the battle. Bakugou-san retorted calmly with, "I want to confirm what's so great about you that All Might himself would go that far for you." It was his next statement, though, that revealed a tinge of raw emotion. "If your aspiration was so much greater than mine, then does that mean my aspirations were wrong the whole time?"

Now whatever interest I had disappeared. This was a battle of male egos, and while they are entertaining sometimes, they were disappointing more frequently. Most women would agree. And I was not feeling too invested in one at the moment. The sounds of smashes, punches, kicks, and barrages echoed and vibrated all around. No meaningful words were spoken that would compel me to contemplate. I was not looking. I had turned away from them to lie on my back and stare at the dark clouds. Pondering. Analyzing.