Darkest Before Dawn - 22 (Patreon)

Chapter 22

“Group’s getting big, huh?” Kazuki mumbled, looking around as he arrived at the training facilities after he was done with Hound Dog. Sure enough, the group he’d been usually meeting and training with was growing by the day, it seemed. Off to one side, Jiro, Kirishima and Ashido were doing some weight training. On another part, Yaoyorozu and Mineta were working together with Yanagi. As for Hagakure, she… Kazuki didn’t know where she was, but he’d bet she was somewhere around.

Then there was Kamakiri, who Kazuki started walking towards. For one, he didn’t feel comfortable enough to go to Kirishima and Ashido just yet. On top of that, he was still recovering, so he wouldn’t be hitting the machines for at least a week. For another, the group that seemed to be working with Yanagi required some specific requirements that he didn’t meet, mainly a Quirk that allowed the creation of objects for her to manipulate, if he was getting things right from a distance.

Either way, Kamakiri worked well for the training he wanted to do.

“Creepy!” the mantis-like guy called when he noticed his approach. The exclamation got the attention of the nearby group with Mineta, Yaoyorozu and Yanagi, who waved a greeting at him. “I’ve been waiting, man. Where were you?”

“With the student counselor,” he admitted easily. What was the point of denying that? Besides, it wasn’t like he was ashamed of going there, really. If anything, he thought other people should join in too. As far as he was concerned, most people needed at least some sort of therapy. He’d know.

“Huh, how was it?” Kamakiri mumbled, very clearly caught off guard by the answer he got. The reaction was amusing, if nothing else, Kazuki thought.

“It was fine. It’s nice to be able to talk about some things with someone that’s not really… You know, close,” Kazuki replied with a shrug. “So, how about some training? I can’t do physical stuff, but my Quirk is good to go.”

“Now, that’s something I can get behind.”

For a moment, Kazuki considered going for his plan to push his Quirk more than usual but… But the entire thing at the USJ was too raw. His descent into the Rampage was still too present in his mind. He’d tackle that soon, he was sure, but for the moment… For the moment he wanted to get back to the normalcy of sorts he’d managed to build for himself. He could start training with more Grimm and creating them faster later.

Besides, Aizawa had informed them all of the Sports Festival’s date, which was approaching already. ‘As if it was necessary to inform us of that,’ Kazuki thought wryly as he summoned the first beowolf that would face Kamakiri. ‘Everyone and their mothers know about the thing.’

Still, Yaoyorozu had also reminded them of a fact that might be overlooked by some people but was very important for them. The Pro Heroes would be watching the festival, scouting them for their agencies, maybe even as sidekicks. Joining a known hero group was a great way to get started, after all, which meant that everyone wanted to do their best in the festival to get attention from the best heroes they could manage to impress.

Kazuki was no exception for that, really. If anything, he had a lot more to show in the Festival than the rest of the school, he mused as he started the spar against Kamakiri with a different Grimm set up than usual. Instead of two beowolves and a boarbatusk, he decided to go with one beowolf and two nevermore, to spice things up a bit. Back to the topic at hand though, there was no way people wouldn’t start connecting dots once he appeared on national TV. As it was, Kazuki was lucky the press hadn’t noticed him when they were right outside the school and looking him in the face.

His luck would run out eventually though, which meant that he needed to start making a good impression on people. The Festival was where he needed to try and impress, not only Pro Heroes but the public. He’d need to be careful to give a favorable look to himself in the eyes of the people… Otherwise things might take a rather bad turn for him.

‘I wonder though…’ he mused, somewhat distractedly as his Grimm continued fighting Kamakiri. His thoughts drifted towards one Pro Hero in particular. There was no way Kazuki could make a good enough impression to draw that person to him, unfortunately. He guessed he could shout a message during the event but… That might be a tad drastic, all things considered.

He did wonder if he’d ever get a chance to talk to them, however. There were many things he wanted to say. There were many things he wanted to get off his chest after what had happened. However, he’d have to see how things played out and that was it.

“Man, those birds are annoying,” Kamakiri grumbled, as he got pinned down by a nevermore that caught him off guard from behind. Before he could take that one off, the other two Grimm had already joined. “Again?” the boy asked.

“Sure, give me a sec. I want to try another set up,” Kazuki replied, dismissing the nevermores to try with three beowolves this time. He grinned slightly when he heard the other teenager sigh in relief. “Ready.”

“Say… You are fine, right? I heard about the attack on your class,” Kamakiri asked then, surprisingly. What was even more unexpected than the question, however, was the uncomfortable feeling Kazuki got from the boy. The mantis-like teenager was anything but a feelings guy, after all. He was rather straightforward like that, really, a very battle focused individual. In a way, he reminded Kazuki of Bakugo, but less angry.

Thus, being asked if he was fine like that was a little strange, honestly.

“I’m recovering from some injuries, but so long as I don’t physically strain myself then I’m fine,” he explained, unconsciously patting his chest with his hand. “This training is fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Kamakiri replied, still shuffling awkwardly on his feet. “I guess that’s… That’s why you went to the counselor?”

“Amongst other things,” Kazuki confirmed with a nod.

“Uh… Good, I guess. So… Um… Can we continue?”

“Sure,” he agreed with a grin. He’d have pushed on the awkwardness a bit but… Well, it wasn’t like it felt good for him either and he just wanted to get on with the training. It allowed him to focus on something other than the emotions in his sense.

[}-o-{]

“You sure we can come here, man?” Mineta asked, making Kazuki roll his eyes. The boy had been a little nervous when he invited them over, especially when he said that there was at least one teacher that lived nearby.

“It’s fine as long as we keep things calm,” he reassured, waving his friend’s concerns away. “Besides, it’s just the four of us, it’ll be fine,” he added, gesturing towards the two of them, Hagakure and Yaoyorozu. Jiro had other things to do, it seemed. As for Kamakiri and Yanagi, they were more training buddies than actual friends, at least for the moment.

Then there were Kirishima and Ashido, who had made some awkward attempts to rejoin the group through their training time and the day as a whole. They’d been met with mixed results so far, however. Not because they made things particularly difficult themselves but because… Well, things were just a bit weird when they’d been the ones that had avoided them before.

“So, no parties, huh?” Mineta mumbled, getting a snort from both Kazuki and Hagakure, while Yaoyorozu looked somewhere between amused and affronted. Quite the contrasting emotions to mix there, but somehow she pulled it off.

“Yeah, I think that’d get me into a bit of trouble. Just a lil’ bit,” Kazuki replied, getting a fake-disappointed sigh from his vertically challenged friend. All in all, he was actually surprised to be allowed to bring friends and all. He was a bit baffled by how much… freedom he was being allowed ever since Nezu got him out of juvie.

Especially then and there, after the USJ mess and what… almost happened.

“Anyway, what can I get you guys to drink and eat?” he asked then, moving towards the kitchen as he listed off the options and listened to everyone’s response. Yaoyorozu’s choice of tea, in particular, got him more than a little nervous. How does one cater to the delicate palate of a ridiculously rich person with the piss poor selection of things he had available? He could only hope that she wouldn’t end up spitting the drink out or something.

Which she didn’t, fortunately.

Instead, even if he worried a little about the snacks or drinks being found wanting, things went… Well. It still surprised Kazuki that things could just go like that for him. All his life, he’d prepared for everything to suck whenever he got out of juvie and into the real world once more. He’d been prepared to be scorned and for everything to have, at best, bittersweet taste to it.

Finding himself in moments such as that one, where there was only good, and no bad emotions close by was… Shocking. Sure, there was negativity further away in his range, but it always hit that little bit harder when they were close by. Furthermore, knowing that there were people in the room with him, interacting with him and that they weren’t feeling anything negative towards him or in general was…

It was nice.

“You weren’t joking when you said this place is bare, huh?” Mineta asked, looking around his apartment. Immediately, before he could even reply to that, Kazuki felt a spark of annoyance from both, Hagakure and Yaoyorozu. Just as fast, both girls punched each of the boy’s arms. “Ouch, why’d you do that?”

“Because you were insensitive, Mineta,” the rich girl answered, giving the boy a flat expression that might as well have been a fierce glare. Their short friend withered a little under the look.

“We’ll help you decorate this place, Creepy!” Hagakure exclaimed then, bouncing on her seat and Kazuki imagined she was looking around the place. At least, that’s what he thought she was doing judging by the shifting of the floating clothes. “I’m sure we can come up with things to hang from the walls, maybe get some ornaments here and there. Anything you can think of?”

“I mean, I’ll be a little short on money for a while, but I’m sure we can make a list for after I get some more,” Kazuki answered, resolutely ignoring the pang of negativity coming from Yaoyorozu. He really hoped she wouldn’t try and pay for his stuff, because that’d make him feel bad. He also didn’t want to get into an argument about that either. “Always wanted one of those little fountains, you know, with the tiny vases that drop water down from one to another and such? They always looked very… calming,” he commented idly, pulling from a memory from before his life went more to shit than it already had been.

“Really? That’s, uh,” Mineta started, before stuttering to a stop as both girls turned towards him again. “That’s neat.”

“Weird, is what you were going to say,” Kazuki corrected with a slight smile. “It might be, but I liked them. Maybe I can get one… Or maybe I can get a fish tank? I always wanted one of those too… That might be too much money though, I guess. Something for further into the future, maybe.”

“That sounds grand,” Yaoyorozu told him, smiling warmly. “Speaking of the future, there’s that bit of homework that Midnight gave us.”

“She did?” Mineta asked, eyes wide with shock.

“I think you were a little busy staring at… her,” Kazuki pointed out with a wry grin. “Again.”

“Ah, you might be right,” the short boy replied sheepishly.

“Might?”

“Shut up.”

[}-o-{]

‘I’m sorry for disappearing on you,’ Kazuki wrote that night to Distressed, once he was by himself. Whoever the person on the other side was, had left a handful of messages through the long weekend he’d had without being able to look at his phone much. ‘Things were hectic on my side for a bit.’

The answer came surprisingly quick then.

‘You ok?’ He blinked at the simple message then, before a slight grin appeared on his face. He reached for the sadness in the building, finding that it wasn’t quite as strong as he remembered. Then again, maybe he was fooling himself into thinking so. Regardless…

‘Wow, is that concern I’m detecting?’ he wrote then, feeling in a good enough mood and confident enough to joke. ‘Are we in that stage of our friendship? I’m moved.’

‘Shut the fuck up,’ they replied and he could almost hear the grumble in their voice. There was certainly some annoyance there for him to pick up. ‘See if I ask that again, asshole.’

‘I’m fine, for the most part,’ Kazuki answered then. ‘I got injured, so I’ll have to be careful the rest of the week, but I’ll be fine after that,’ he explained, leaning back against his chair. Extending one hand, he waited for a response while taking sips from his mug.

‘Take care of yourself,’ Distressed told him eventually. ‘It’d suck if I bothered to reply to these messages only for you to die or something like that.’

‘Gee, thanks for worrying,’ Kazuki replied with a chuckle. ‘Good to know someone appreciates my existence so much.’

‘More than I can say for myself, at least,’ Distressed wrote then, making him blink. Then he frowned, considering that for a long moment. ‘I don’t need your pity, before you even try to throw that at me,’ they added then, before he could even begin to type his response.

‘It’s not pity that I feel but sympathy,’ Kazuki told them, sighing. ‘I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t matter. I know what it’s like to feel like nobody cares… at best,’ he explained after a moment. ‘Now, I have people that care, and so do you. I care.’

Then he waited, but nothing came his way through the chat. A minute became two and so it went until it’d been almost ten minutes. Giving up for the moment, Kazuki decided to leave it at that and see if Distressed answered something. If not, he’d send a message later that day or the day after.

With that out of the way, most of the homework done and thus nothing to do… Kazuki let himself relax a bit. It was night outside, which meant that it’d be a bit too dark to really appreciate his plants. He could, but they were much more beautiful during the day. Instead, he let his mind go quiet as he started playing a song.

With the melody reaching his ears, the first instrumental part already making his foot bounce on the floor, he extended a hand and created a nevermore. Then, the creature got his attention. ‘It’s… softer, smoother, again,’ he noticed, looking at his creation. ‘Why do some of them look less monstrous all of a sudden?’ he wondered idly, looking at the bird-like construct flying around, following the beat of the song. ‘What’s different now other than…?’

He trailed off at that thought. Could it be? Could it be that simple? Surely there was more to it than he thought, right? No way it was that easy for him to create less nightmarish things. He’d tried for so long to make them less threatening and frightening and… ‘But you were never as you are now, right? You never felt as you do now, right?’ he pointed out to himself. ‘You never felt as good as you do now,’ he finished, creating a beowolf this time.

It was small, however, and while usually that would be a struggle to make them smaller than a certain size, this time it wasn’t. Kazuki focused mostly on something else other than the creation itself, however. He focused on the emotions he felt while creating the creature. He pulled from his pool of negativity, yes, but he focused on what his friends had left him feeling like. He focused on how he felt now that he could continue on his path to heroics, despite what had happened.

He focused on positive emotions, even as he channeled the negative.

Once his creature had spawned from the depths of the shadows, he looked at it. It was tall enough to reach his knee, but barely. Unlike his usual beowolves, this one didn’t have spikes protruding from its body and its mask was smoother, more rounded than sharp. The body that was always so werewolf-like was now more canine. Furthermore, it reminded him of…

‘Did I just make a beowolf puppy? No way, right?’ he thought to himself, eyes wide. Leaning down a bit, he made the creature move to his side while he placed a hand on top of its mask. Then he moved it back, running his fingers against the fur behind the mask. ‘This is…’

He didn’t even know what words to use to describe it. He almost couldn’t call the thing monstrous at all. As it was, the only unnerving thing it had was the bone mask, but even that could almost be dismissed. The colors were still far from friendly, but the thing worked. He’d made something that wasn’t a monster.

Sitting there, playing with his new beowolf puppy, Kazuki could almost forget the things he’d lived through recently. He could almost forget the pain in his chest when he breathed in too deeply. He could almost forget the unwanted emotions that came his way. He could almost forget how he’d almost caused a disaster once again.

But even if he still remembered, still felt all that, he could push it to the side, because things hadn’t completely gone to shit. His life was still on track, he still had friends and a future career path to follow. Things hadn’t completely crumbled to pieces around him.

Things were still good.

[}-o-{]

“I don’t know, Bubbly, I still think having high rarity characters is better,” Kazuki said, drawing a groan from Hagakure. “Like, I know the low rarity ones aren’t bad but… Well, they are low rarity for a reason, they are just worse than the high rarity ones.”

“Ugh, but it’s such a waste of materials to level those though,” the invisible girl grumbled. “Like, I prefer to have a solid team of low rarity characters than just a couple of high rarity ones.”

“I mean, true enough, but that just depends on which high rarity characters you have. There’s some that really do carry the team, you know?” he pointed out, making the girl huff, which in turn made him grin. “It’s not my fault your pulls keep drawing shit characters only.”

“Language,” Yaoyorozu told him, frowning at him in a way that instantly made Kazuki cave and apologize.

“You know, I feel like something is wrong here,” Mineta mumbled, looking between Kazuki and Hagakure. “How is it that I introduced you two to the game and now you two are more into it than I am?”

“Not our fault you are a filthy casual, Tiny,” the invisible girl said mercilessly. “When are you gonna join, Beauty?” she asked then, turning her attention towards Yaoyorozu.

“Why the interest anyway?” the rich girl asked, seemingly a bit confused. “The game doesn’t even have multiplayer.”

“I mean, yeah, but we can still discuss things. Like me rubbing it on Bubbly’s face that I get better pulls,” Kazuki said, barely keeping a grimace from his face as Hagakure kicked his shin under the table. “That wasn’t nice,” he hissed, to which the girl made a cutesy confused sound that only irritated him further. “See if I’m nice when we go to the training facilities.”

He took some joy in the fact that the threat seemed to work, if only a little bit.

“You guys are very weird,” Jiro pointed out flatly while eating. That reminded Kazuki that, yes, they were there for more than just discussing random things. There was lunch to be had and he really didn’t want to run out of time before finishing his meal.

“Uh,” a new voice mumbled from the side, making all five of them turn towards the side. “Can we, um, join?” the person asked, growing a little more nervous with all the sudden attention they were getting. It didn’t really help that Kazuki felt even more awkward than he already did just because of how they felt.

Even less help was the fact that his friends turned towards him to make a decision, as if he were some kind of leader. Then again, he guessed it made sense that they’d leave the choice up to him. It was just very annoying. He didn’t want that kind of responsibility put on him.

Deflating a little, Kazuki turned towards Kirishima and Ashido, each carrying their trays and shuffling on their feet.

“Sure,” he replied. Anything to stop the uncomfortableness from filling his senses. Then again, it didn’t look like neither they nor his friends would feel much better even after they took their seats to one side of the group. Kazuki was sure that there’d be negativity involved if he rejected them too, however.

A lose-lose situation, basically, which sucked.

“Talking about that game again?” Ashido asked, plastering a forced smile on her face.

“Yeah, you still haven’t started playing?” Hagakure asked and Kazuki had to give her credit for how well she acted. Although, she really only needed to mask her voice, he supposed, which made things easier. Still, there was nothing to pick up from sound alone. If he weren’t able to feel her emotions, he wouldn’t even have noticed that she was a little annoyed and a little uncomfortable herself. “Creepy and I talk about it a lot. Maybe you can join me and convince this meanie that low rarity characters are worth it, Ashido.”

Ouch.

That had hit where it hurt. And there Kazuki was, thinking that things would get a little better considering what he knew had happened at the USJ. Then again, he knew that Hagakure wasn’t really holding a grudge or anything like that from what he could pick up. It was more like… a distance had formed between their group of friends and Kirishima and Ashido. One that couldn’t be shortened all that easily.

As it was, just the fact that she called her Ashido instead of Pinky made all the difference, it seemed. The pink-skinned girl’s emotions almost made him grimace from how they spiked. To her credit, she didn’t show much on her face, however. Judging by the way Kirishima shifted where he sat, however, maybe he was offering her support under the table?

“Maybe I can,” Ashido mumbled, drawing into herself.

“So, I’ve seen you guys training a whole lot, anything we can do together?” Kirishima said then, apparently trying to get the conversation moving so his friend could feel better. Kazuki could respect that, which was why he was the one that went to reply to that.

“Sure, we do a bit of everything,” he said, turning his eyes down towards his tray and picking at his food idly. He felt like it was even harder to talk to them if he tried looking at them. “Well, everyone else does. I’m still recovering, so I mostly just train with my Quirk.”

“That’s great,” Kirishima said, forcing a bit of enthusiasm into his voice. Not too much, however. He was just that kind of guy. “I’ve seen that too. It’d be neat to get some sparring done against something that I don’t have to worry about hurting if I mess up.”

“Sure thing. I was considering offering “free sparring partners” to people anyway. Should be a nice way to get experience,” Kazuki commented, feeling the corner of his mouth pull up a little. The atmosphere around the table was still awkward and uncomfortable, but… It was getting better, so that was good, he supposed.

Things were good, indeed.

[} Chapter End {]

Hey guys! How’s it going?

Life goes on and our characters are slowly moving away from the mess that was USJ. Nice, isn’t it? I’m sure things will continue to be happy and calm for a long time, right, guys?

… Guys?

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter.

Discord Link: discord.gg/UTDransjJZ

Random Question: Short sleeves or long sleeves? I prefer short sleeves. With long sleeves, I tend to pull them up to my elbows even when it’s cold.

See you.