Preydator || Todoroki x OC

Prologue

Warmth, and dread. I feel my anger rising at this heartwarming memory.

The familiar, golden glow of the lamplight filled the room. My mother sat next to me on the bed, both of us dressed in our pajamas.

She read from the storybook, "Once upon a time, there was a rabbit named Little Bunny. She lived with all of her friends and family in a village. Little Bunny's village was terrorized by a fox every night. As soon as the sun went down, they scurried into their burrows before the fox could eat any of them for dinner. Soon, the fox began coming to the village during the day, too. None of them could leave their homes in fear of being eaten by the fox. The village was running out of food, but nobody was brave enough to go outside and get more. Little Bunny was the kindest and bravest bunny of them all. She decided to go outside and get food." My mother said as she held the old, worn storybook in her hands.

"But mommy, she's just a bunny. How is she going to beat the fox?" I asked her as I sat up in my bed.

"Shh." She shushed me and I lied down again. "Little Bunny brought a sack with her to carry all the food in. She then left her village once there was so sign of the fox. On the first day, Little Bunny ran all the way through the forest and close to the city without meeting the fox. Little Bunny knew that there was a farm nearby with tons of delicious carrots. On the second day, Little Bunny followed the dirt road and tree-lined pathway all the way to farm. She jumped around in glee when she saw all those delicious carrots growing in the farmer's garden. She ran into the farmer's garden and started to put all of the carrots into the sack. Suddenly, she saw a shadow over her. She turned around and came face-to-face with the big, mean fox."

"Oh no!" I squealed. My mom flipped the tattered page to reveal a drawing on the next. A small, cute bunny looked straight into the eyes of a terrifying fox.

"'Hello, Little Bunny.' The fox smiled at her, showing his pointy, sharp teeth.
'H-Hi, Mr. Fox!' She replied, trying to look brave.
'Are you collecting some delicious carrots?' The fox asked her. She nodded and continued to fill her sack with the orange vegetables.
'I've got enough now, so I'll get going. ' Little Bunny ran out of the garden as fast as she could. She could hear the fox following her, but he was too slow.

Little Bunny ran all the way back home once the fox wasn't chasing her anymore. They all celebrated Little Bunny coming home safe with tons of food. The rabbits had a festival that night. They all came out of their burrows to eat the delicious carrots, dance, and play. Suddenly, the fox appeared.

'How delicious this festival looks!' He snarled. The fox followed Little Bunny all the way back to the village.

The rabbits tried to run into their burrows, but it was too late. The fox was already too close and would catch them if they tried to run.
'Leave us alone!' Little Bunny yelled.

The fox's stomach growled. 'But I need to eat too. I can't eat carrots because they hurt my teeth.' The fox lied.

Little Bunny was very kind. She felt bad for the fox. 'If you eat, will you leave us alone?'

The fox nodded his head. 'Of course!'

Little Bunny then smiled at him. 'Please leave my village alone, and eat me instead.'
The fox smiled and didn't hesitate to devour Little Bunny. He kept his word and left the village alone. The village was safe and Little Bunny was a hero." My mom closed the book.

I felt a wave of tears pour out of my eyes. "Mommy, why is that your favourite story?"

She gently stroked my hair. "Because I think Little Bunny was very kind and very brave. She was a great hero."

"Mommy, you can't die like Little Bunny, okay?" I whimpered.

She chuckled. "Of course I won't. Mommy is strong. I took down four villains today." She said. "I want to be brave and kind like Little Bunny. Don't you?" She asked.

I nodded my head. "Foxes are scary, but Little Bunny talked to him like it was nothing!" My fear had turned into awe.

——-

How childish. Kind? Brave? Was I foolish enough to believe those lies? Little Bunny didn't die because she was kind and brave. She died because she was weak. It is fate for the strong to mercilessly devour the weak. It's nature for predators to hunt down and kill their prey. I won't meet the same fate as Little Bunny. It's hunt or be hunted, and I choose to be the predator.

I watch the police officers try desperately to scrub off the illustration I drew on the wall. However, the image of the kind hero, Mirroress with black scribbles over her eyes, and the words "fake" appearing behind her, doesn't come off. I listen in on the officers' conversation discussing how they should catch this vandal who is becoming bolder and bolder with her art.

I smile behind my fox mask.'You're too late.' I think as I walk down the street. "Early fox catches the rabbit." I say with a chuckle.