Aika Age 12

Toya Age 13

~Aika's POV~

I helped Toya train all through winter until he finally felt like he'd improved enough he could show his father. I wasn't really sure why he cared about his opinion so much but I agreed to support him so I kept my opinions to myself. I waited in the trees just out of sight as Toya nervously waited for his father to show up. 

He'd been upset when he'd arrived for training today but he didn't want to talk about it. I felt anxious. Something bad was going to happen. I stepped out of my hiding spot to try to talk to Toya. Maybe he'd be in a mood to talk now and I could help him.

“Stay hidden.” Toya called to me.

I hesitated, “Want to talk while we wait?” 

“No, I need to focus.” Toya clenched his fists at his sides.

The sun was starting to go down now, we'd been out here for hours, I was cold and hungry and he hadn't appeared to have calmed down at all. “Toya…I don’t think he's coming. Let's talk and come up with another plan.” I moved toward him.

“No. He has to come. I told him to be here.” Toya's voice sounded wrong.

I saw tears welling in his eyes and felt something stir within me. I ran toward him to give him a hug but had to leap back with a yelp as flames exploded all around him. First they were the usual orange but suddenly the blue flames he struggled to control began to expel from him as well. 

“Toya!” I cried as the flames quickly engulfed him and everything around us. There was too much fire. The flames kept me at bay making it impossible for me to reach Toya and get him in my range.

Toya let out a scream of anguish and agony.

“NO!” I sprinted into the flames and activated my quirk the moment he was within range. Time froze and I hurriedly patted out the flames licking at my clothing and singing my skin. 

When I reached Toya my heart fell. The flames were trying to consume all of him. He was burned head to toe, down to the bone in some places. The flames were too much; they weren't going to stop. I concentrated on keeping him frozen as I grabbed hold of him. My skin blistered as I touched him but I bit my lip and called on every ounce of willpower I had to lift him over my shoulder. He was heavier than me and his body burned the skin across my shoulder, bad. I couldn't give up, if I gave up, Toya would die.

“Hang on. I'll fix this. I promise. I can fix this. I'll save you.” I cried as I struggled to the pond. I jumped in without thinking, not caring that I couldn't swim. 

We started to sink immediately. I focused on Toya trying to turn the clock back on his body to reverse the damage. I had to focus on small parts at a time, there were too many burns. Some of his skin began to mend but there was too much surface area for me to cover. The water in front of me became clouded with blood. I could feel the radius of my time-freeze field beginning to shrink. I released my quirk before hurriedly freezing Toya in time. I could hear the roar of flames from outside the pond and glanced up through the bloody water. Flames reflected across the water's surface, the forest was consumed. It was too much!

I struggled to pull Toya toward the opposite shore where we'd be safe from the fire. My vision was blurring from blood loss or lack of oxygen I didn't know but I had to press onward. By the time I reached shallow water my lungs felt like they were on fire. I took in big gulps of air only to cough and retch as smoke and ash filled my lungs. I dragged Toya's frozen body onto shore on the opposite side and fumbled for my phone as I looked down at him. 

There was so much blood! “Toya!” I cried as I desperately tried to set the clock back to heal him while I dialed Giran.

“Aika?” Giran answered before the phone had a chance to ring.

“HELP!” I sobbed uncontrollably as I kept desperately moving spots, setting the clock back on every inch of him I could.

“Aika? Where are you? What's wrong?” Giran sounded panicked, Giran never sounded panicked, he was always calm.

“He's bleeding so much! I can't fix him! Help! Please Giran, you have to help! He's my only friend, I can't lose him!” I wept as I continued desperately using my quirk, even though all I could taste was blood in my mouth.

“Aika, where are you?!” Giran repeated.

“Sekoto Peak.” I hurriedly pressed my hands to the most severe of the burns that had created a hole in Toya's chest way too close to his heart for comfort. I focused on his body frozen in my quirk and dialed time back. Slowly, ever so slowly, his chest cavity began to stitch itself back together, the damage reversing in slow motion.

I couldn't stop shaking. I wasn't sure if it was the cold, the pain I was in, or the strain from using my quirk, but I couldn't stop. If I lost my hold on Toya he'd die. “You're going to be okay.” I sobbed. “I'll fix it. I promise. I'll fix it.” I choked. The wound on his chest vanished and I moved to his face. My quirk wavered and he was unfrozen for a moment. “Please. Don't leave me.” I begged between sobs.

“...Aika…” His hand touched my cheek. “You're bleeding.” He wiped away bloody tears.

“I'm okay!” I offered him a bloody grin before freezing him in time once more.