Whispers of the Heart

The Brightest Star In The Sky

As dawn broke, the night slowly faded into the horizon. Sero stirred from his slumber, blinking away the remnants of sleep. "Mhh..." He nudged Kaminari, who was still lost in dreams, yawning softly. "Hey, Kami... time to rise and shine, buddy..." he murmured, playfully tapping the boy's forehead. Denki jolted upright, a startled snort escaping him as he wiped drool from his chin. "Ughh... what’s going on?" he groaned, his eyes heavy with sleep. Sero tossed a pile of clothes at the dazed blonde. "Get dressed and wake the others, will you?" he instructed, already pulling on his own outfit. Denki shivered as he slipped into his clothes, glancing up to see the winter sky above. Rubbing his hands together for warmth, he set off to rouse their friends.

As the group stirred from their slumber, Katsuki rose to make a bold declaration. "Listen up, you extras! I've got a new scheme to take down that damn Deku."

Tenya shot up, his voice filled with urgency. "But the last time we followed your plan, we nearly met our end! I can't stand the thought of our team getting hurt because of your reckless ideas! Especially since you can't even confront the prince directly!" He glanced around, searching for allies in his plea. Momo, Ochaco, and Jirou all nodded in agreement. "Honestly, I don't want to risk my life for someone so troublesome..." Ochaco confessed, her gaze fixed on the sand beneath her feet.

Bakugou's frustration boiled over, his eye twitching with rage. "You’ve got to be kidding me, you damn rabbit!" He stormed toward her, gripping her collar and pulling her close. Ejiro quickly intervened, yanking Katsuki back. "Hey, chill out! You're scaring them..." he cautioned, placing his hands firmly on Katsuki's chest. Uraraka shivered, retreating behind Iida for safety.

Katsuki's anger flared, his red eye blazing. "Fine! You all can handle this on your own. I don’t give a damn!" He kicked at the sand in frustration before stomping off the beach in silence. The group fell into an uneasy quiet, but Kirishima couldn't let it end there.

"Wait! You can't just-"

"Don't follow me, damn it!" Bakugou snapped, his irritation spilling over as he scratched Kirishima's arm harshly. The red-haired boy winced, cradling his new injury. "I-"

"Don't even think about it unless you want to meet your end," Bakugou growled, striding away with clenched fists.

The rest of the group hurried to Ejiro's side, anxiously examining his injury. Momo meticulously cleaned the wound, ensuring no dirt or debris lingered before applying a careful bandage.

"Guys... we can't just leave Katsuki alone," Mina said, her brow furrowed with concern.

Iida firmly shook his head. "He's on his own now; I refuse to assist him any longer. If you want to survive, stay close to me." Tenya scanned their faces, noting their resolute nods of agreement.

Meanwhile, Katsuki brushed the snow from his shoulders, clutching his torso as a sneeze escaped him, the biting cold seeping into his bones. He glared defiantly at the swirling snowstorm ahead, but as he stumbled over a hidden root, he fell into the soft, white blanket of snow. With a few sniffles, he grumbled, "Damn cold... Tsk..."

Sitting up, his arms shook from the chill. "I need to... find Shouta..." he muttered under his breath. Snowflakes clung to his eyelashes, and he blinked rapidly to dislodge them. His nose was starting to redden, and he could feel the creeping onset of illness, frostbite threatening his fingertips.

Determined, he rose to his feet, wrapping his tail and cape around himself for warmth. Panting softly, he stared at his palms, trying to summon his explosive power. The cold, however, stifled his quirk, making it difficult to ignite the familiar crackle of energy. Frustration boiled over as he kicked a nearby tree in anger.