Eight: Season 3

Episode 61: The Snap!

  Shoto-
  We got back to Arcadia, Tilcax following us close behind. We got off the Hellhounds. "Xia, can you go put them in the stables and take care of them?" I asked.
  "Yeah." Xia said, turning away to head to the stables.
  "Hey..." I began, softly, gently grabbing her bicep.
  "Yeah?" She asked.
  "I love you." I said, kissing her lips.
  She kissed back, and smiled. "I love you too." She said, and she walked away, her fingertips grazing mine as she left.
  "Ok Tilcax, show me where this all happened." I said.
  "You bet." Tilcax said.
  "Midoriya, go relieve TC, and get some rest...you look like shit." I said.
  He chuckled and nodded, we grabbed hands and  bro hugged as he left. Tilcax took me to the coast line. "This is exactly where it happened." Tilcax said.
  The waves gently rolled onto the shore over my feet and I nodded. "Thank you Tilcax." I said, and he, Armia, and Azal dove into the water, vanishing.
I sat down on the coast line. "Talk to me Jade." I thought, as her smile crossed my mind...then her laugh...her love.
I clutched onto my necklace from Keigo. I smiled as I remembered that night with just her and I under the stars.

"I don't really understand the letter."
"She's talking about the person you consider your boyfriend or girlfriend, or rather...your soul mate. Someone you love. It's cryptic but she's talking about your lover when you find them."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, I know so."
"Thank you Jade."
"Sure!"

I gripped my necklace tighter, my lips quivering and body trembling. "Where are you?" I whispered, crying.

Hanta-
Tianzo, Gaia, and Kenzo got back to Ember Grotto on their majestic and mythical Stags (think Xerneas).
A couple of Druids walked over and took the Stags. "I want patrols around the forests looking for any sign of—" he began, and he saw me.
"Hanta?" Tianzo asked.
"Hey Tianzo." I said.
"We need to tell Shoto, he—" Tianzo began.
"No, we can't tell him. If we do, you'll all be slaughtered by Xia. It stays here, I don't want anyone dying because of us. We made a plan, to return to Arcadia when we were fully healed. We stick to that plan or everything will get messed up." I said.
"But you all—Jade is..." Tianzo began.
"Jade's alive, albeit in horrible condition, but they won't kill her. She's too valuable to Barbra. They were gonna execute all of us Tianzo." I said.
"How did you escape?" Tianzo asked.
"Jade...she saved us. Don't ask me how, it involves some version of an adrenaline shot she created somehow." I said.
"That girl really can create anything." Gaia said.
"Yeah, her intelligence is next level compared to genius Azureans like myself and Daeva. It's like her brain function is on a whole other plane of consciousness. It's cool, and I'm pretty sure that's why Barbra wants her alive...to use her brain." I explained.
"I see." Tianzo said.
"I promise we'll return to Arcadia, but for now...we need to rest and recover here." I said, and Tianzo nodded.

  Xia-
I took the Hellhounds to the stables, watered them and fed them. I walked out of the stables and walked to the isolated cabin I worked out of. "Shit, shit, shit, shit! This is bad! This is so bad!" I exclaimed, pacing the room with my hands on my head.
Every thing was falling apart! How did Shoto know!? How long has he known! He was gonna figure out one way or another I was behind it.
"DAMNIT!" I yelled, in tears, punching the wall and breaking my fist. "AGH!" I screamed, and I had a full on Azula rage breakdown.
I threw everything off of the bathroom sink and roared in anger, tears of frustration rolling off of my cheeks. I looked up and saw my reflection in the mirror.
I panted, gripping the sink. "I'm losing it...I'm totally losing it." I said, smiling as I gripped my hair and laughed maniacally, tears falling from my cheeks as I remembered what Sero said.

"Shoto's not as dumb as you seem to think he is. He's gonna figure out something is going on, and when he does...you're fucked, especially if you hurt her."

  "How did I mess up so bad! Did I underestimate Shoto? Did I doubt his intelligence? Or did I forget...just how much he cares about Jade? Where did I go wrong!" I yelled.
  "You underestimated his ability to problem solve, even with so little information. He's very observant." Toya said.
  "What are you doing here?" I asked.
  "Coming to see you, what else?" Toya said.
  "Why?" I asked.
  "Barbra is going to use psychological torture on Jade. I'm not into that as much as I'm into the physical and sexual stuff. Unless I'm watching you do the psychological torture, then I'm into it." Toya said.
  "Your dad was wrong about Shoto, he's the biggest threat to everyone opposed to him. He's smart, I thought he was just some dumb beef cake who was only good at fighting and shooting. I messed up. I didn't think he'd be so calculating, analytical, and charismatic. I mean every clan is loyal to him...even the Goddamn Raiders. And his people...are even more loyal to him. Every single one of them." I said.
  Toya walked to me and wrapped his arms around my abdomen. "You had a breakdown... didn't you?" Toya asked.
  I teared up, looking around the place, my lips quivering. "What do you think?" I asked.
  "Shh, it's ok darling, I'm here now." Toya said.
  I started to fall to my knees and Toya held me against him. I cried out in anger and frustration, as he held me, rocking me. I gripped his arms around my abdomen and let the tears of anger and frustration roll down my cheeks. I shuttered as he held me, his cheek pressed into my neck as he cuddled me so tightly that I melted in his arms and just let him hold me, until I fell asleep.

  Toya-
  I laid her down on her bed and covered her up, and I laid beside her, pulling her into my chest, kissing the back of her neck. "You've done enough Xia." I whispered, kissing her neck gently as I finally got a good night's rest sleeping beside her...holding her? It was the only way I could sleep anymore.