The Call of Nature

IV

The next morning, Fumikage woke up feeling completely sore. The beating he took yesterday when he stepped out of his room was definitely one he wasn't going to forget anytime soon. He didn't bother trying to heal his bruises. The dandelion trick only works on cuts.

He stood up and winced. Then he proceeded to get ready for school.

He got on his bike and started pedaling towards the spot where he had first met Okami, Kat, and Deku. Sure enough, they were gathered at Deku's house waiting for him.

"Morning," Okami said.

"Morning," Fumikage replied.

"What happened to your cheek?" Deku asked.

Fumikage immediately remembered the punch to the face he got yesterday. "O-Oh. Um ... I tripped and fell on my face yesterday. I'm kind of clumsy."

"Mood," Okami said.

They believed him. The fact was, he really didn't want them to worry about him. He's been putting up with it for years and he still hasn't died. He was convinced he'd be fine.

They continued making their way to school.

Once there, Bakugou saw the group and started forward. Kat immediately got in between them. But before he could get close, an arm shot out and blocked him.

"Calm down, bro! I know you have some unexplained beef with them, but you shouldn't go picking fights!" said a red haired guy with a scar over his right eye. Kirishima was his name. "I apologize for him."

Bakugou sighed and walked with Kirishima and his friends.

That sure was weird. The four of them thought.

Thanks to Kirishima, Bakugou actually left them alone for the rest of the day. Even after school, there wasn't an issue.

Of course, the day continued to drag and be a total bore, but at least Bakugou wasn't yelling at them.

After school, the four of them once again continued walking home.

Just like yesterday, Deku left first. Then Kat. Then Okami. And Fumikage would get on his bike and ride it the rest of the way home.

Dark Shadow swooped down and flew alongside him. "Think we'll see that wolf again?"

"I hope not. That thing was weird. But at the same time, I'm kind of intrigued by it."

"Well, let's see what happens when we get to the alley."

He pedaled a few more minutes, with Dark Shadow right at his side. Then they got to the alley where they saw the wolf.

Fumikage slowed down and looked into the alley. A familiar pair of red eyes were looking back at him.

He hopped off his bike and stepped into the alley.

The wolf stepped out of the shadows and into the light.

"I knew you'd come back," the wolf said. It was a female.

I can speak wolf, too? How? Fumikage thought. "Why were you following me yesterday?"

"I was doing a patrol and I couldn't help but notice you healed that other human's face," the wolf explained. "I thought it was impossible for a human to acquire that skillset, let alone one that looks like you. But then I saw your eyes and noticed your face is paler than the average human." She tilted her head. "Tell me. Is your hair naturally black?"

Fumikage hesitated. Then he shook his head. "I was born as an albino. My parents viewed it as a bad thing. So I dyed my hair black and I keep it like this. It calmed them down. I also tried contacts to make my eyes a different color, but they're uncomfortable to wear."

The wolf seemed to grow confused. "Albino? Contacts? Are those human terms?"

Fumikage nodded. "An albino is what humans call animals or people that have white hair/fur and pale skin. Their eyes are also red. Contacts are these things humans put in their eyes either to help them see or give their eyes a different appearance."

"Interesting," the wolf said. "What's your name?"

"Fumikage Tokoyami."

"Nice to meet you, Fumikage Tokoyami. My name is Flumen."

"Oh. Please call me Tokoyami. See, humans have first and last names. It is a custom for everyone to call you by your last name. Unless they are really close to you. Then they call you by your first name. We call it 'First Name Basis'."

"You have two names?" Flumen asked. She shook her head. "You humans are so strange."

"I know you were intrigued by healing abilities. But that doesn't explain why you followed me. Is that ability rare?"

"For humans, it is extremely rare. In fact, I used to think it was impossible. I thought it was just us animals. For animals, it is a tad more common. How much do you know?"

"I just know that dandelion trick and I can talk to animals."

"How did you find this out?"

"Well, my father is ... abusive towards me. He once gave me all these cuts and locked me in the basement. I was only five. I curled up in a ball in the corner and cried. This was before I had my hair dyed, by the way. A mouse ran up to me. White. Red eyes. It was carrying some dandelions. He placed them on my cuts, dropped my tears onto them, and blew on them. When the seeds dispersed, my wounds disappeared. Then he told me he saw what had happened. He told me that I was strong and that one day, I was going to help a lot of innocent souls. He told me that I shouldn't let people like my father get to me. He wished me luck, then he ran off. I was so confused. I still don't know what he meant by all that," Fumikage explained.

"I see. Well, based on the amount of knowledge you have, you clearly don't know enough. You're going to need to know more," Flumen said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fumikage asked, completely confused.

"Meet me here. Same time tomorrow. Do not be late," Flumen said.

"Why?"

"Because that is when your training will begin."

"Training? Training for what?"

"Training to fulfill your destiny." That was all Flumen said before she turned, sprinted, and then vanished into thin air.

Fumikage stared after her, completely confused. I have never had so many questions in my life....