' black rose unfurling '

━━━━━

She didn't expect it. It hit her like ten thousand volts of lightning. The thousand possibilities, all within her grasp, just two footsteps in front of her. To accept the hand that reached out, to accept the power, to dominate and cleanse this world of the unclean.

If only she would take it. The youth narrows her eyes, so distrusting that they looked like tiny red dots in the middle of a snow filled land. "Why do you think I would agree to this proposition?"

The man in front of her smiles, his palm still outstretched like a rose unfurled. His smile is warm and she thought that he could audition for Symbol of Hope once All Might retired. His skin is white, alabaster but not pale enough to make him look like Count Dracula in his black cloak. His eyes are azure, the bright ones and his smile was as bright and warm as a thousand suns. He was brightness.

And she hated the light.

The man brushes a stray lock of her hair and her heart twinges at the fatherly gesture. The youth feels weak and for the first time after a truly long time, twelve years eight months, seventeen days, five hours, twenty one seconds and counting, she feels the calm.

Not the stillness after a murder, after corpses are created by her hands, her dagger, it is the sort of calm that begins inside of her and it spreads- like a virus.

Millions of snapshots enter her mind, moments of calm, the gentle breeze, a baby's footsteps, dandelion fluff in the wind, dappled sunlight passing through stained windows, the soft, gentle unfurling of the leaves, a small wooden cabin in the middle of the forest, the soft shrill of the birds resting atop the branches.

"You would agree, dear one," the man whispers as the youth takes his hands and five fingers close over hers. She's vaguely aware of the handsome boy three paces east of the man. "The merits you will receive, the purpose you will have, it will fuel you. The cleansing."

"Yes," the words are out of the youth's tongue before she's aware. "Yes, I agree."

"Great," the man says and snaps his fingers and then the youth is falling into a vortex of darkness. She tries to hold on to some tangled ropes but her hands pass through it with ease and there's something at the back of her mind.

And she closes her eyes.

The darkness crawls on her again and she remembers the promises she's held, half conscious, she's aware of their entwined hands and the warmth. The warmth and she takes a step back, slaps the hands away from her and a shriek escapes the youth's throat.

"Get away from me!" she screeches, and the man looks at her and she finally notices the darkness in those azure eyes. The exact brightness, too perfect. The perfect warmth, too flawless.

"What are you doing with my mind?!" the youth screeched, fists clenched, fingernails digging crescent moons on her palms. "Get these images out!"

She took another five paces back, eyes showing the fear that clung to her veins, her entity like a second skin. The youth had power in her finger tips, she prided herself in knowing the end of others, took reassurance by counting the last minutes and seconds that floated in their eyes.

The youth had known her purpose; she needed no validation and calm. Her calm was inside her, like a storm. But her existence screamed of the harsh gusts of air and the bleeding numbers at the tips of her fingers. She knew what to do. And amidst the hurt, the carnage, her mind was her sanctuary. And this man was defiling it with images meant to tame her into submission.

The youth was ice personified, cold and unfeeling. Hiding the chaos in her blood. She was a spawn of Eris, the Goddess of Discord herself. The one who would crush the soul within others. She would burn anything that dare stand in her way. She was unstoppable.

"I will not agree to this foolish proposition," the youth says, her eyes pools of adamant. "I will not bend to your foolish purposes and aspirations. I will live my life as I see fit and you are standing in my way."

The youth catches the amused grin the boy at the back throws at her direction and she's more angry than attracted. How dare he pose in that doorway as if she wasn't a threat? He looked so calm, unnerved as if she was just a child having temper tantrums.

Two pairs of eyes scanned the room, four corners, one door, fifteen paces, two enemies, two pairs of eyes and ears, a million strands of hair. Two potted plants at her right, a lampshade behind her with a standing metallic coat rack.

The coat rack was a feasible weapon. The youth could wield the coat rack like a staff, it was possible, she knew how to. The older man worked in minds, flickering images in her brain. A telepath or something along those lines. Something that would have to do with compulsions. The youth would have to stay focused but she could use her size to overpower him. The real problem lied on the amused boy at the back. She had been at the mercy of his overwhelming strength but after a brief scan of him, he was without weapons.

The youth lunged first, slashing the air that was once sullied by the man. Azure eyes looked at her and before he could open his mouth again, the youth struck. He ducked, barely evading the curves that rooted to the straight pole and in two three four seconds, she chucked the rack at him, and after he landed squarely on his feet, she moved for a kick.

"Listen to me-" She moved to hit him with the rack again, faster, her body getting more accommodated to the odd shape of the rack and its weight and length.

Azure Eyes backed down, realizing that he couldn't use his compulsion so he began walking backwards and she realized that he was going to seek protection behind the gorgeous boy [monster]. The youth pursed her lips, lunging at him and he didn't have enough space to escape or enough time to duck so he shielded himself with his arms. Red blossomed on the skin the rack hit and trickles of blood fell unto the rug.

The youth swung the rack again, but this time Azure Eyes managed to duck. He just hadn't seen the kick coming so it hit him square on the nose. Pride flushed on her cheeks as she heard the most miniscule sound of bones breaking. She was still aware of the presence of the boy leaning against the doorway but he still seemed indifferent to his surroundings, hands tucked on his two pockets, chin tilted up, and eyes oozing with apathy.

"You're next," she muttered under her breath as she sent another kick to Azure Eyes' gut. A roundhouse kick followed soon after, followed by a side kick to his jaw that was sadly blocked by broad shoulders.

Azure Eyes grunted as he willed himself to stand up, probably the first genuine emotion he showed after six minutes and fifteen seconds of combat.

She placed the coat rack on the floor, preparing to hit the man with another side kick. To the throat this time, the youth willed herself. Although it hurt her to admit, her kicks and punches weren't as effective in delivering attacks. The actual damages caused by the karate movements would be halved since she hadn't even learned properly and her body wasn't at prime condition today.

The youth mostly relied on her weapons and offered reassurance with her quirk. Physical attacks weren't meant for her since she had nothing in her to help strengthen her skin or the bones in her body. When she kicked, the man deflected using his shoulder, then when she managed to make him stumble on the floor and stomp his heart, he shielded with his palms.

Bruises had dotted the expanse of his once unblemished alabaster skin and his pleasant face had morphed to struggling. Feeling a surge of liking for the pain she had instilled, she licked her lower lip and lunged.

She would finish this now. She held the rack again, willing her strength to her feet and stomped on the rack so it broke to the length of half of her body and left a spiky end in its wake. This is it, she thought as she lunged, now a blur to her surroundings and red eyes trailed and cut through the air like a knife.

As sharp as the dagger she wielded and when she moved to pierce the metallic rod through the man's throat, the boy stepped in and snatched the rod.

Five seconds and he was standing in front of her, six seven and she had mirrored the position of Azure Eyes from earlier, sprawled on the rug, helpless, face albescent as the jagged point of the coat rack hovered dangerously over her own throat.

The boy looked at her blankly and her eyes shifted to Azure Eyes beside her, grunting as he hauled himself into a sitting position.

The youth clicked her tongue in dismay, immediately concocting a plan to reverse their positions and slit the throat of the conceited boy. She wouldn't die. The sheaf of tissues inside her body wouldn't let her. The youth had promised to become Death's master- she is a conqueror and she will conquer this.

"You are a nuisance," he said. "I can never fathom why sensei wants you."

"Stop it, Tomoe," Azure Eyes said but the youth sensed something lacing every syllable in his words. Three words, careful as if to pacify the monster. "Your brother will need her in the future and sensei insists."

( His name was Tomoe. The gorgeous, most beautiful boy in the entire universe was named Tomoe. )

"This wouldn't have happened if you just used your Compulsion better," Tomoe said.

He was more humane, more beatable now. "I remember seeing you amused," the youth breathed and once her throat bobbed upwards, a jagged piece of the once coat rack sliced a part of her throat and made her bleed.

The boy- Tomoe raised an eyebrow. "I was," he said and discarded the rod. "It was amusing. You're one of the few people that managed to escape Kohaku's Compulsion in a matter of minutes. Most of them escape within seconds. You must be really desperate for calm."

"Damn it," Azure Eyes- Kohaku cursed. "Tomoe, she's bleeding."

"We all do," the white haired boy said, his eyes scrutinizing her figure. "I'd be surprised if she didn't."

"Hard headed brat," Kohaku muttered and he was ignored by both the youth and Tomoe.

Tomoe reached his hand at her, beckoning for her to rise and accept. "Join us or die."

"You die!"

Tomoe clicks his tongue in dismay, grabs the youth by the wrists and slams her against the floor. Her groan is the last thing she hears before she loses all consciousness.

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