𝑩𝑨𝑫 𝑨𝑷𝑷𝑳𝑬 | ˢ.ᵗᵒᵈᵒʳᵒᵏⁱ ˣ ᵒᵖ!ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ ˣ ᵏ.ᵇᵃᵏᵘᵍᵒ

𝐏 𝐑 𝐎 𝐋 𝐎 𝐆 𝐔 𝐄

Prologue: Y/N, Origin

drip.

drip.

YOUR EYES  fluttered open with the cool sensation on your scalp. You glanced up, seeing a bucket on the tip of pouring.

It smelt disgusting, whatever was inside of it. The black, fermented goop which dripped onto your head and down onto the bridge of your nose. Then you looked up again: and you couldn't breathe.

INFINATE, DARKNESS.

An ever amassing void where you found yourself floating in the great chasm of shadow. No, not floating.

Sinking.

"The perf€$$#%%$•"

"%%*++essel"

And as if a string had been attached to your belly button, you lurched upwards; your head snapping back with a painful crack as you gained speed, hurtling up towards the light until it was blinding.

A lightning strikes.

The sky wilted ebony, and your sister's ghostlike silhouette was framed by the light of the storm. Bile lined your throat; an unsettling feeling churned in your stomach.

"Gin..." You muttered. Her colourless eyes snapped onto your figure, still filled with raw anger and betrayal. Another girl was stood in the room with you. "Sora." Her name felt just as easy to say.

"I'm sorry." She said solemnly. Gin's gaze remained on you a moment longer, before she ripped it away and faced her. "Gin, you have to understand, it's the only way-!"

"I understand just fine."

Sora's pained face grew weak at her words. At the time you were young: still docile, weak. Your mind was too primitive to understand why your sisters were fighting, only that they were. You sunk back into your sheets as the sky began to gurgle deep groans which made the plastic windows of the orphanage rattle unbearably.

"You should leave." Gin declared with no sign of wavering. Sora tensed at the statement.

"I know." She replied. "Y/N." You turned to look at her big glistening eyes. Your heart sunk. It felt almost as if this would be the last time you'd see her face. "I'm going to become a great hero. And I'm going to save you, okay?"

You nodded, trying to understand. But you simply couldn't. You watched as she sprinted away: away from the orphanage, and away from you. A final crack of lightning struck the ground, lighting up the room once more. The shadows of Gin's face melded together — oddly sharp — and growing ever more similar to the grand darkness of your subconscious.

"She's gone." She told you. There was no empathy, no kindness behind her words. Just the plain, hard truth.

-

Days passed like years, months passed like decades and that dreaded phenomenon that drove Sora away came back to haunt you at every waking moment. Gin was to turn 18 that year, meaning she wouldn't have a place in the orphanage. She had said that you must always stick together. That she would watch over you and keep you safe. But without the easygoing Sora to calm her Gin's countenance grew weak; her emotions erratic and the once lively chatter with filled the room of the 3 sisters was thrust into silence.

Drip

Drip

The bucket was still there in your dreams, waiting to be poured. But the dripping of saline tears onto the floor was perhaps even scarier.

It was like this most nights. Gin came back to the orphanage late: pale, shaking. A shell of her spiritedly former self. You dared to ask, and she claimed to have found work. She tried to get you excited— lift your spirits. But she just looked so gaunt that you dreaded her leaving.

It continued, but she never stopped trying. The tears didn't stop either. And then one night — one hazy, empty night — they did.

You lifted your head from your pillow tentatively, glancing over to Gin's bed only to discover that she wasn't there. Your head swivelled to the ajar bathroom door which dispelled a warm glow, and urged your feet to move towards it.

The door opened with a creak as you peaked inside: panicking at the sight of the floorboards and countertops which were covered in a pale blue.

And there was Gin, who looked at you from the mirror, scissors halfway up her hair.

"What..." You moved forwards. "What are you doing?"

She said nothing, but continued trimming away until her pastel locks reached just below her ears.

"I'm cutting my hair." She said plainly, placing the scissors down on the countertop before standing upright. The hair on your own head suddenly felt very heavy as you became more away of yourself. "I think..." She began, causing you to look up. "I think there's something I want to teach you."

Her words left much to be desired. She went to sleep not long after, not elaborating on anything she had just said or done. And then without much warning, she jostled you awake with a shake.

"Wake up." She demanded. You blinked, and apparently you had gotten yourself dressed; now stood outside watching as the halo of the horizon arrived with its golden grace. "Training." Her words broke the silence. "It's time I taught you to fight."

"What—?!" You didn't even have time to reply before she started throwing punches out of nowhere. You squeaked as you tried to avoid each one, jumping back with your eyes shut out of fear.

"Stop."

You spurred to a halt at her words. Once her attack subsided, your eyes fluttered open to face her.

"You need to have more courage Y/N." She demands. "Brave heart." She says, poking at your chest. "And stop using your quirk. That's cheating."

It's as if after that day, your whole world changed.

"LEFT!" You swung left. "RIGHT!" You hooked right. Sweat dribbled down from your brow in a stream of bends.

"I'm getting good at this!" You exasperated, raising your clenched hands. So focused on your efforts, you hadn't noticed Gin lunge forwards until her leg was hooked behind your knee and your face flat on the floor.

"Focus." She snapped. "Do not mistake confidence for ability. Or that will be the last mistake you ever make."

She spoke as if she were a master at her trade — like some old man who resided in the mountains. You had no idea where she had learnt all this, but hers was the only advice you had, and so what choice did you have but to follow it?

The consequences to messing up was hard. But as the year you had left until she was 18 slowly ticked over, your movements became sharper: more concise, more accurate.

"LEFT." You swung left. "RIGHT." You hooked right. Your feet moved naturally, crossing over and shuffling as you switched positions with each move. You advanced in a kaleidoscope influx of attacks, until your flat palm rested by Gin's throat.

"I've got you a present." She said with something comparable to a smile. You glanced at her sceptically. "A way out."

"You.." The words couldn't leave your mouth.

"An apartment in Musutafu. There's plenty of great schools there, shops, things to do."

Your eyes lit up in agreeable excitement. "Really?! We're really leaving?!"

"Yes." Her lips let out a sigh. "But you're going alone." Your smile dropped. "My boss offered me a lot of money to work around the clock. I know you want to argue, but the decision is final."

"But we've come so far.." You mutter.

"Yes.." She seemed somewhat reminiscent. "But this is as far as we go."

Tears swell in your eyes as you stare: blank faced. "I-I love you Gin.." You stutter to your sister.

She smiled tightly in response.