Scarves and Scars

The Calvery Battle

A/N: Okay, I promise that this will be the last 'big bad thing' that happens to Sam for at least 10-15 chapters. Also, sorry for the lack of any update. I was moving and starting a new job. Then Imelda hit and screwed up my internet. Whelp.

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Nathan was on his typical evening walk with Juliet walking along the riverside. The black German Shepard kept in pace with him with a wagging tail and lolling tongue. Juliet has to get out in the evenings, her pups were a handful for the older dog. She didn't have the energy that she once had much like Nathan. Retirement was just a couple months away and then, he could relax. Nathan could look back and be satisfied at a job well done. He had left his impact on the history books, his legacy was being carried on by little Samantha. Nathan wouldn't be forgotten. Now, after Sam... He had no idea who would carry that on. He doubt he would live to see the day that Sam snapped out of her oblivion to get married and have kids. She wouldn't know someone was interested in her, romantically if they bit her ass but that was Samantha. His stupid girl but his girl. The daughter he never could have.

After 45 years dedicating his life to his majesty and his country, Nathan could finally breath out a sigh of relief. Hopefully, he could live a semi peaceful life with his Mary. It would never be completely peaceful with Sam, James and Tim in his life but he didn't have to hit the grindstone and work ungodly hours. He was only required to listen to them moan about the ungodly hours. Nathan smiled, fondly and turned his gaze up to the setting sky. A couple more months, indeed.

"Come on, let's head back." Nathan murmured to Juliet, she obediently turned with her master as they started their trek back home. Nathan hummed a patriotic tune and followed Juliet, she knew the way back after ten years with Nathan. They were walking across the bridge when Nathan didn't feel quite right. Something was off but he didn't know what.

Nathan froze in his step when something else stop him, he knew that power better than most. Blood manipulation. He couldn't free himself from the affects of the quirk before pain split down his back. Nathan let out a grunt of pain and he heard Juliet let out a ferocious snarl as she lunged to protect him. Another blade lodged itself in his throat before he nor Juliet could react, he choked as his own blood spilled down from his throat. Nathan stumbled back into the guard rail, struggling to maintain consciousness.

"Sorry for the lack of conversation, Nathan. You weren't someone I can take lightly and I needed to make a statement for our dear Militia. Not my typical MO but beggars can't be choosers, hm? Don't worry about her, Dame Pond will be joining you soon." Panic and fear seeped into Nathan's soul. Not only for himself but for Sam... and for his sweet, Mary. The only women that could ever stick by his side over these many years of servitude under the crown. Now, he'll never get the breath that breath of freedom and satisfaction.

"Goodbye, Thanatos." Nathan scowled at his hero name and tried to grip Jack's forearm and squeezed but he couldn't grip him tight enough, his muscles wouldn't obey... Jack the Ripper slipped an envelope in the the bloody suit's inner pocket with a maniacal grin and pushed Nathan over the bridge's railing and off the bridge to fall into the Thames. "Ta-ta!" He called, watching the dying Nathan make a splash in the murky waters. Jack turned to the frozen snarling Shepard with a wide, wicked smirk.

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Rin turned to the commentator's booth with confetti flittering down around the blonde and flashed a wide grin up at Sam and Sam smiled back at her niece. Rin preformed well, Sam wondered if Jo and Ben were watching from America. Jo was probably just as frustrated as Sam was when Rin just spammed the wing spell to get through the relay. Sam's gaze flickered to Midnight up on her stage with a projector behind her as she listed through the scores. Her phone dinged and she hit the side button, ignoring whoever texted her. It was probably James but he's been stressing her about taking time for herself so, she was taking time. At school, technically working but semantics.

Nemuri was announcing the leaderboard and who was eliminated for the favor of the next round. Sam sighed and drummed her fingers against the desk. She had so much work left to do... papers to grade, a whole stack waiting for her on her desk. Damn, she was going to be in for a long night. Her phone on the commentator's desk rang with a phone call, Sam ignored it.

Sam watched the students gather into groups, sharing their skills. She was also acutely aware of Shouta drifting into a light sleep while the teams form. Her lips quirked as Midoriya was avoided by most of the participants. He had the largest target on his back for sure. He approached Rin with Uraraka and it looked like Rin accepted. Her gaze flickered over to Kim as she reluctantly joined Bakugo's team with Kirishima and Sero. This was interesting... Sam pursed her lips, the classes were mostly sticking with their own. Smart for the most part. It could better to stick with what you know. Sam only hoped that Rin took her advice to take her time and don't over think her moves.

The timer buzzed and the teams were formed. Sam nudged Shouta awake. "Well, this is unexpected." He mused, Sam had to agree. The students got into position and waited for Nemuri to signal the start of the battle. The horn blared and everyone moved for Midoriya's team. Immediately, Rin's group fled as the majority of the groups targeted their points. Sam watched with aspiration as the same holographic blue wings spread on Midoriya's back and they took to the air. Oh, she was looking forward to watching Jo scold Rin after this.

Bakugo launched himself after the four with large explosions in his wake. His hand outstretched for Midoriya's headband. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow and Rin's Shadowman intercepted him. Sero's tape pulled Bakugo safely back to his group before Rin's Shadowman could follow through a swipe for his headband. Sam watched as Midoriya's group landed, hard with concern. Rin stumbled as she recalled Shadowman back to her.

Rin had explained what Shadowman was. Frankly, it was disturbing. Essentially, Shadowman was a part of Rin's soul that she managed to split from herself. This was temporary, however missing apart of her soul changes Rin. Depression wasn't an accurate word for it. Rin said that she felt hollow and emptied while using Shadowman. That she was less than human. That particular spell took a bigger toll on Rin than some of the others.

Mineta and Asui tried to snatch Midoriya's headband as soon as his team landed. Rin quickly summoned a luminous green shield to deflect a frog-like tongue and oddly sticky balls. Immediately, the shield caved and shattered but it did it's job of protecting Midoriya's headband. That was the flaw of Rin's quirk if she didn't take time to draw up the spell, the spell would ultimately break. Once more, Sam's phone rang on the desk. Sam frowned but refused to answer.

Sam's gaze caught the score board and frowned, what? Her gaze flew back down watching Class 1-B over took 1-A on the leader board, except Midoriya's team. Sam's burgundy eyes dart across the field,  watching Class 1-B slip past Class 1-A's groups' defenses as they weren't watching their counterparts too closely. "Sneaky." Sam rumbled, reluctantly. She couldn't figure out why they didn't apply those brains in her class. She watched as Todoroki squared off against Midoriya, Rin was forming another spell to counter whatever she was expecting. Momo pulled out a insulated blanket to cover her teammates and Kaminari shocked the other approaching teams while Midoriya's team shot up above the attack range on a square of compressed earth.

Right after the shock, Todoroki took the opportunity to freeze the recovering teams in place. "He's adapting his strategy from the preliminary round." Shouta mused. Sam's phone ran again and she hit the silence button.

"Knowing is half the battle." Sam giggled with a small grin. The blue wings on Midoriya's back glided the four down back to the arena's floor. However, Todoroki followed. Rin was already acting on another spell as Dark Shadow attacked the Todoroki's group. Momo fended off the shadow being with what Sam thought was an unpainted stop sign.

"!"

Sam's burgundy gaze flew wide as Todoroki fizzed out of existence to reappear a the opposite side of the arena but not even a minute later, Iida raced back across the field and Todoroki snatched the headband off. The damned phone started to ring once more and Sam picked it up to see who on earth was calling her and she paused. Mary Dark. Not James like she thought. "Hey, Hizashi. I'll be back in a sec."

"The Calvary Battle is almost over!"

"I know." She walked out of the box and answered. "Yes, Mary?"

"Are you alone?"