#edit: needed to recheck but so far

[diodellet]

id like to thank pb for adding fuel to the ppyonghyeok agenda kahit april fools lang to i hv never felt more validated for my deluluness🤧🤧

[quaranmine]

Finished my final edit of Firewatch AU last night, so I will try to update the AO3 chapters to reflect this shortly. Don't worry much about major changes. Most changes were grammatical or slight rewords of sentences.

A few times I would slightly alter a sentence so that it lined up more with the established canon of the story. One side effect of writing a story over a year and uploading it chapter by chapter is that sometimes you get lines in earlier chapters that don't make as much sense with the direction the story actually went in. For example, and I think I already edited this on AO3, but originally when Grian reported Mumbo missing in chapter one he told the ranger on the phone several places he thought Mumbo might have gone. I changed this to Grian just saying what trail he took, because it's quite clear later in the story that Mumbo had told Grian his specific plan for a specific trail. It no longer made sense for Grian to be unclear on where he was. We go through this very thoroughly in the middle of the fanfic, Mumbo was supposed to be on the Cloud Lake Trail! It is an interesting thought to consider that perhaps Grian was always a little fuzzy on the details of where Mumbo was going, and that he just later talked himself into 100% believing that he always knew the exact location. But I didn't really intend for that, and that does start to get into the weeds a little bit on the level of nuance a reader will pick up on. So I changed it.

Functionally though, this change was like....5 words within a sentence. Like I said, not major changes, just little things to keep the story aligned.

Another example of a larger reword is that I changed my fire finder math to exclude the part about finding the elevation of the fire based on the vertical angle. This is because I had to change the height of Grian's lookout (in my internal notes) so that it would be below the treeline for the Greater Yellowstone Area. My only experience with treeline is in Colorado where it's about ~11,500 ft and I hadn't realized that it varied so widely in other mountain ranges, so I orginally put Grian's lookout at far too high an elevation to still be surrounded by trees. I also finalized the height of his lookout by looking at standard lookout schematics and the amount of stairs it has. If you're curious, I originally had it at around ~10,800 ft, and changed it to ~8,700 ft. I also changed the height of the lookout from 45 ft (non standard) to 40 ft (a standard height.)

Because I changed that height, I needed to recheck my math and fix it. But when I went back to that problem, I had a lot of difficulty figuring out how I had calculated it last year. I did eventually find the calculation I used as a base in my 1958 fire lookout handbook, but when I scrutinized that more closely I was unsure I even interpreted it correctly last year. (The person who wrote this in 1958 did not do a great job of explaining certain things.) I also realized that most lookouts just report the vertical angle and nothing else. Like, you're only expected to report the angle, not the elevations. I even found a video of a fire lookout explaining the Osborne Fire Finder where he mentioned calculating elevation of the fire, and mentioned that it is pretty dificult and generally only experienced lookouts report that, and that he had three years of experience and still only reported the angle.

So because I only want to include things I know are accurate, and I was unsure of the math, and I found out most lookouts don't even report that math to begin with, I just changed it to talk about the vertical angle. Probably better for the readers I lost with the math, anyway!

Anyway, that's the type of edits I did mostly LOL

[maxiwaxipads]

Mysterious Invitation Rendezvous ! !

(edit 2: just a title change <3)

[Coachman] - “We’re here.”

The carriage makes a stop. Arupek takes a step outside and wears a stuffed backpack on his shoulders. Arupek turns to the coachman.

Arupek - “Thank you for the trip!” [Coachman] - “But of all places… The Swathlands? "Sure this is the place? Why not recheck it again…?” Arupek - “Nope! I checked it several times, and this is the place. I’m sure this is where I need to be.” [Coachman] - “Really sure?” Arupek - “Really, Really, REALLY sure!” [Coachman] - “No point in an interrogation I suppose.” “I’ll stay here for a good hour—come back if you run into trouble.” [Coachman] - “These horses can go miles for days, isn’t that right?”

Proud horse noises.

Arupek - “I’ll be just fine.” “Come back to the designated time! This Arupek will come back stronger than ever!” [Coachman] - “Alright. Alright. I’ll still stick with what I said though.” “No harm being cautious, right?” Arupek - “Then I’ll get going.” “See you later! Not soon I hope!”

Walking straight ahead, Arupek waves his goodbyes without turning his back forward to wave the carriage-driver goodbye. The coachman delivers a short wave, as he sighs to himself.

[Coachman] - “That kid…” “O’ Lord Pekkle. Pray for his sake, will you?”

A moderate light dims Arupek's presence, as a lantern hangs from his backpack. Arupek hums an odd tune.

Arupek - “AAARRUUPEK~ ARUPEK~ He’s traveling somewhere suspicious and strange~” “But not as suspicious as Hangyon and maybe Lili~”

In a far distance, Hangyon and Lili sneeze as Arupek hums his "Arupek-Travel-Song-Copyright-Symbol-Here"

Arupek - “…” Arupek - “…” Arupek - “…” Arupek - “Barren, yellow lands everywhere…!”

(Walk) (Walk) (Walk) (Walk)

Arupek - “Maybe the coachman was right. Am I lost?” “Hmm…”

Arupek unravels a crumpled paper from his pocket. "Knight of Fragaria Bootcamp! / Swathlands, Cogimyun Kingdom / Bootcamp at Oasis! / June 24th - July 1st". It's written with the thinnest marker on a piece of default paper. The words aren't exactly aligned or straightened, as they slope a little bit down. A few words incoherently scribbled off. Not a single visual is adorned. Not even a smiley face.

Arupek - “Nnhhh… There isn’t even directions too…” Arupek - “No. I GET IT NOW! It’s all coming together…!?” Arupek - “This is just to test myself as a knight!” “Arupek has cracked the case!”

Bolstered with the sudden ember of a lightbulb turning on, Arupek holds his fist into two! He faces the night sky, proudly and turns forward.

Arupek - “I’ll find it in a few minutes—no, right now even!”

Arupek runs faster...!? Arupek who has finally understood author's intent and plot device...!? That failure is nonexistent within the confinements of a shitty scenario...!?

Arupek - “ARRRRUUUUUUPPEEEEEEEKKK!!!!”

He spots a patch of light in the nearby distance...! !

Arupek - “Arupek has hit the jackpot!” “Prediction is 100% accuracy!”

[??? #1] - “Nyahaha ~ Finally. It took a whole day for someone new to appear ~”

Freshness blends with the choked fumes of embers and smoke—something burns over the fire. The source of this voice—he looks down to see two people across each other who surround a burning fire.

[??? #2] - “Could you perhaps be behind this ’Bootcamp?’” Arupek - “Nope!” “I’m here for it as well!” [??? #2] - “(Sigh). Three knights, but no camp counselor…” “Perhaps we were bailed after all…” [??? #1] - “There might still be time to get back!” “Hey, did you take a ride here or walk?” Arupek - “I took a ride, and then walked all the way here!” “I guess the coachman did say he’d wait an hour to be sure.” [??? #2] - “An hour, huh?” “Then whoever took you probably left us already…” [??? #1] - “…Are we really going to have to wait that long again?” [??? #2] - “That’s that.” “We’ll just have to feed off the oasis or walk back to the nearest civilization ourselves.” Arupek - “So… It’s just us three?”

Arupek - “No one came after all…?”

[??? #2] - “I’m sure it’s fine.” “Besides. Isn’t it a great opportunity to meet foreign knights and expand our connections?” Cielomort - “I am Cielomort, I live to serve Lady Cinnamaroll.” “And this is…” Sanah - “Yahoo ~ The name’s Sanah! I’m great friends with Usahana~” Arupek - “And that makes me Arupek!” “I like Lord Pekkle, lots!” Cielomort - “It’s great we know each other already.” Sanah - “You came just in time.” "The fruit we just roasted should be read about now!" Sanah - “And it isn’t too burnt at all!”

Sanah passes a fruit skewer.

Sanah - “Haha… Let’s dig in!” Cielomort - “Ye—"

Cielomort, his face scrounges mid-sentence as he slowly chewed and swallowed.

Cielomort "—sss..." Arupek - “Wow~ It’s certainly fresh, and the bitterness is just right!” Cielomort - “That’s great… Have mine, Arupek.” Sanah - “Wait right there!” “It was your idea to roast it, and this is the only fruit in the entire area.” “I want you to eat Cielomort, you’ve been here for too long and need a meal!” Cielomort - “B…But it’s bitter.” Arupek - “If you eat it quick, it’s like the food never existed in the first place!” “Because it’s all in the stomach now!” Sanah - “Mhm~ Just eat it quick!” Arupek - “A wise man once told me… A good guy is someone who finishes his food!” “You can do it, Cielomort!” Cielomort - “Good-Guy-Ship… Huh…”

Cielomort frows as his eyebrows crease. He squints at the skewer at his hands. In the voice of a sports announcer: "Cielomort takes a bite...!?"

Sanah - “Just like that ~ I might fill up as well.”

Sanah eats his fruit skewer, followed by Arupek.

Cielomort - “D…Done.” Arupek - “You did it!” Cielomort - “…It was terrible.” Sanah - “At least you ate something, didn’t you?”

Sanah gives Cielomort a head-pat.

Sanah - “You’re a good example for children who can’t finish food they like~” Cielomort (Moved) - “Sanah…” Cielomort - “(But I feel like I’m being referred like a child at the same time…)” Sanah - “Still.” “Do you think other knights will come?” Cielomort - “It’s only a gut feeling of mine… I believe we’re the only ones who listened to this invite.” Cielomort - “If not, call me foolish.” Arupek - “But wouldn’t you call your gut foolish instead?”

Cielomort - “Good point. I might call my gut foolish if I’m wrong.” Sanah - “Still~ (Yawn). I know you just came here Arupek, but I’m too tired to be hospitable.” Arupek - “Don’t worry about it!” “I might wanna sleep as well~” Cielomort - “Then get comfortable. We might stay here for a week if you’re willing to.” Arupek - “Don’t mind if I do then!” Cielomort - “Why not train early in the morning?” “…It was meant to be a Bootcamp, but even the first day was uneventful.” Sanah - “Agreed... We might not be the first to find this oasis, but I wanna use up the good and undisturbed scenery as much as possible ~ ” Sanah - “Desert landscapes—and an oasis at that, is a rare find in Fragaria.” “So if it’s possible… I want to stay here as long as I can!” Cielomort - “Then I’m glad you’re in agreement with me, now what about you Arupek?” Arupek - “I don’t see why I should go back!” “Besides~ This trip seems like it’ll be fun anywhere.” Cielomort - “Fun, eh?” “I certainly hope it will be.”

Cielomort - “But… I think it’ll be in our best interest for someone to guard while the others sleep.” “Even if no danger surrounds us… An invitation specifying ‘Knights of Fragaria’ to join? Especially in a secluded place like the Swathlands—thought to be nothing but uninhabitable.” Sanah - “Y—You do bring up a good point.” “That settles it! Why don't I take the position of guard for tonight!” Sanah - “Cielomort, who came too early—and Arupek who came too late!” “I think I’m perfect for the job~” Cielomort - “That’s that.” “Why not three-hour shifts?” Arupek - “Then I’ll take after Sanah and that leaves Cielomort!”

Edit: Messy Notes About Cogimyun Kingdom (everything pours without a filter, so maybe a detail contradicts another) (these are literally just me spewing ideas and seeing which might work </3)

[pcttrailsidereader]

AI Reaches Trail . . . Has Big Tech Gone Too Far

By Adam Roy, Backpacker Magazine

Google has figured out that I like to hike. I’m not sure what tipped it off—could it be the roughly 40 hours per workweek I spend editing and fact-checking stories about hiking, or maybe the nights and weekends I pass searching for trailheads and obsessively checking and rechecking the weather forecast. Whatever the reason, whenever I log on I get served up a stream of gear promotions and tourism spots for outdoor destinations. But about a week ago, I saw an ad for Google’s Pixel 8 smartphone and its onboard Gemini artificial intelligence that stopped me in my tracks.

The ad goes like this: A dad is trying to set up a tent in a campsite. The dad is floundering, tangled up in guylines and collapsing nylon, when he turns around and notices his son has stopped collecting firewood and is watching him with dismay, probably thinking about how much better his stepdad is at camping. Then the dad pulls out his phone, snaps a picture of the tent, and feeds it into Gemini, which returns a numbered list of instructions for him. Smash cut to the now-content kid and father enjoying their perfectly-pitched shelter.

My first reaction to the ad: I’ve been there. Whether by neglecting hot spots until they bloomed into blisters, leaving a vent open in a snowstorm, or spending an hour struggling to coax a flame out of a pile of damp wood, I know what it’s like to struggle on a camping or backpacking trip in front of other people. The desire to avoid that struggle and the embarrassment that comes with it is a pretty powerful motivator.

My second thought: This is going to get someone into so, so much trouble.

Google and other Big Tech AI firms like OpenAI, Meta, and X want to see their technology everywhere. Using it to filter restaurant results is one thing, but pushing artificial intelligence as a substitute for basic outdoor skills comes with real risks. Let’s start with the fact that Google’s AI arguably still isn’t up to the task of keeping people safe in the outdoors: We’re barely a month out from Gemini telling searchers to eat glue and cook spaghetti in gasoline. Although those errors didn’t do any damage besides embarrassing a handful of highly paid software engineers, it’s not hard to imagine AI trained on the unfiltered whole of the internet telling a new camper it’s safe to run a propane heater inside their tent or eat a poisonous mushroom.

(That’s assuming, of course, that the AI is even capable of giving actionable information: Zoom in on the simulated advice Gemini offers in the commercial and you’ll notice that step 4 is “Assemble the tent poles according to the manufacturer’s instructions.” Apparently Google Dad, like so many dads before him, just needed someone to remind him to read the manual.)

You Still Have To Use Your Brain

Yes, ideally AI users would be cautious consumers, sniffing out bad or obviously dangerous information before acting on it. But we already have real-life examples of people over-relying on much less intrusive technology with disastrous results. Take another popular Google product, Google Maps, for example. There were the hikers who needed rescue after following an imaginary trail in Maps up the side of a mountain in British Columbia, and the German tourists who had to trek two days through the Australian bush after a similar error stranded them and their car on a remote dirt track. The company is currently fighting a lawsuit from the family of a man who followed its GPS directions off of a collapsed bridge.

In Colorado, tow companies make a killing every year dragging stranded motorists off of mountain 4×4 tracks after app-assisted “shortcuts.” The plug-and-play, let-us-think-for-you, don’t-bother-checking-the-sources tone of Google and other corporations’ marketing of their artificial intelligence only makes incidents like these more likely.

My bigger objections to AI-directed camping, though, may be philosophical. Whether you learn from a friend or an expert online, there’s something wonderful about becoming competent in the outdoors. It’s a long, awkward, and sometimes uncomfortable process. But it’s joyful too, fostering self-confidence and a deeper sense of connection with your environment. Mediating that through a robot assistant strikes me as a quick way to dilute that, ensuring that you neither learn any real outdoor skills nor unplug in any meaningful way.

Other tech firms’ AI-powered takes on the outdoors are equally baffling. An ad released by Meta last month starts with one friend in a group chat enticing the others to camp by sharing an AI-generated image of someone cowboy camping next to an unattended campfire, a fully set-up tent with only a lantern inside of it, and, inexplicably, a folding table with what looks like either several copper pots or maybe a moonshiner’s still on it. Setting aside the safety issues, I can’t help but wonder what kind of person finds more inspiration to get outside in a fake-ass AI-generated image than in the hundreds of thousands of real outdoor photos plastered across the internet.

We Can Still Embrace Technology

I’m not a Luddite. I plan every trip I take on Gaia, Outside’s mapping app, and I listen to podcasts on long solo hikes. Backpacker and Outside’s other titles feature Scout, an AI search engine we trained on our own work in order to help readers more easily find the human-written information they’re looking for; we’ve even experimented with letting Scout choose a hike for us. I also recognize I’m not unbiased: My fellow Backpacker editors, writers, and I make our living creating carefully researched guides and stories for people who love the outdoors. Seeing Google redigest those into AI pablum just so it can make ad money off the backs of the real-life hikers doing the real-life work is frustrating.

Ultimately, the outdoors should be for everyone, and how you choose to get outside is up to you. If that means asking Google or Meta’s AI to walk you through it, so be it. But think about what you want to get out of your time in the woods: There are some things in life that are better without Big Tech breathing down your neck. If you want to polish your outdoor skills, there’s a whole constellation of people who will help you without harvesting all of your personal data, from your more experienced friends to local trail clubs to, yes, even the human experts here at Backpacker. And if you’re ever struggling to set up your tent, a free tip: Start by reading the instructions, and practice before your kid is watching.

[lucifer-is-a-bag-of-dicks]

sometimes I think of my cousins and how they've travelled overseas and done all these exciting and adventurous things and I feel like I've been wasting my life staying home and not going anywhere

but I eventually realised that I've already done a lot of exciting and interesting things without spending money or travelling abroad, even if they're just little things, they're still experiences, and I have so many of them

like the time I was playing my ukulele on an empty bus, and then a group of teenagers got on, recognised the song I was playing, and got all excited and started singing along to it

last year I spent a month in a mental health unit, I met a lot of interesting and wonderful people, including a guy who gave me a completely edited version of Judge Dredd that cut out a lot of the comic relief moments that he felt ruined the movie, to this day that is still the only version of that movie I've ever watched (he did a very good job)

I taught myself to cheep like a chick after volunteering to house our baby chickens in my bedroom overnight to make sure they stayed safe and warm, they would cheep at me and I'd cheep back, eventually my family couldn't tell which of us were cheeping

before I started working in aged care, I volunteered in a dementia unit just talking to and doing activities with the residents, I played dominos with a man who survived Auschwitz, he couldn't remember a lot of his life, but he would always show me the numbers on his arm and tell me exactly how many years he spent fighting in the war, how many years he spent in Auschwitz, and how after he was released, as soon as he was fit to fight again he rejoined the army

I travelled for most of a day to attend the wedding of friends I had met in person only once at a convention, I had very little money at the time and stayed in the cheapest pub hotel imaginable, it was disgusting, I slept on the very edge of the bed with my jacket over the pillow, it was worth it to see them again

when travelling home from a convention me and my friends ended up on the same train home as some other convention goers and we turned the section we were sitting in into a mess of memes and pop-culture references, we sand songs, made a ton of noise and had a lot of fun, I'm still friends with some of them and we always try to meet up at cons now

my mum and aunt appeared on tv advocating for lifts at our local train station that has absolutely no accessibility for the disabled, the video they took of a legless man dragging himself backwards up the stairs as his friend carried his wheelchair went viral, I did letterbox drops and helped out at BBQ fundraisers for the cause, the government has finally relented and are beginning the plans to have them installed

I joined an accapella group once and discovered I was a baritone, I learned how to mount a unicycle but I can't ride one, I learned sign language when I was having non-verbal episodes, and I forgot it all when they stopped and I no longer needed it, I marched in a float at mardi gras, literally everyone I know contacts me when they need a bird identified, I took burlesque classes, I made posters for a local band promotion

and now I have a volunteer job in a thrift store that funds a suicide callback service that I have actually used, I have failed at every job in my life so far but in this one I singlehandedly manage the entire dvd and video tape section, every single disc on our shelves was checked and cleaned by me and me alone, and the ones that were on the shelves from before I started working there were removed and rechecked, I reshelved everything and sorted it all by genre, by my manager's orders nobody else is even allowed to touch the dvd section, and when anyone does the other staff will rat them out to me because they know how much pride I take in my work and how important it is to me, and that I do a fucking good job, the first time ever I've had a job I'm good at and proud of

you don't have to have money and go to exotic places to have an interesting and fulfilled life, I wouldn't trade any of this for an expensive trip abroad

what interesting life experiences have you had? what weird skills have you learned? what kind of strange people have you talked to? give me your stories

[vhsrights]

Ever since I saw them posts about JJ have short hair??? Like a pixie cut??? Wanna do me a solid and tell me your thoughts on Emily’s first (and maybe subsequent) reaction when JJ walks into the bullpen? Assuming they’re not together already.

OH OH BRILLIANT THOUGHT WHILE IM WRITING THIS: JJ with short hair AND a leather jacket. I feel like PG definitely had a hand in this new change in JJ...

for sure i gotchu! :) this was one that i have been wanting to do for a while. (edit: so i know that you only asked for my thoughts but i got really excited and into it so i turned it into an OS) <3

Dashing

Pairing: Pre Jemily - talked about

WC: 4.8k words

Summary: JJ with short hair, and what it does to Emily :) [bullpen and team night out version; pre jemily] (like a prelude to gnc jj)

It happened on a Thursday afternoon. JJ had been shaking all day, but Penelope had convinced her that it would be okay. The blonde locks that she had been identified with for so long felt even heavier against her shoulders. She made sure to stay hidden away in her office, thanking her lucky stars that they were off case rotation. Her fingers consistently found themselves back into her hair, twisting and twirling them relentlessly. If JJ could have simply willed her long hair away, she would have. She restlessly twirled the pen in her hand for several hours, making little headway on the mountain of files by her. Her eyes kept darting over to the screen of her computer monitor, feverishly checking and rechecking the time.

5:45 pm. That was when the appointment was set for. JJ wished that she would be able to simply forget about it until then. Maybe if she did, she would actually get more work done. She texted Penelope, who was out for coffee on a break, to get her some too. Soon after she got the caffeine, JJ was able to shut out the rest of her thoughts. The boost alone drove her to finish files at triple her previous rate. Maybe that was also the adrenaline. Her phone broke her trance-like consciousness when it began to beep incessantly. She had set an alarm to go off 45 minutes before her appointment, enough time for her to wrap up at the office and calm her nerves before she made the short 10-minute drive to the barbershop.

Feeling her heart pound harder in her chest, JJ sat back in her chair to ground herself. She decided that getting up before she had a grip on her emotions was not a good idea. JJ let her eyes close gently and her mind began to wander. In her head, JJ saw the faces of those that she had met as this version of herself. They had all changed her, for better or for worse, and the memories began to flow in. It started with her mother and father. They had given a life that she couldn’t have been more appreciative of in the early years, forgoing the memories of harsh words and other negative acts. Moving on quickly, the next face flashed before her eyes. Roslyn.

Her sister had been her saving grace before JJ could even comprehend the idea. JJ had always looked up to the girl. Roslyn was phenomenal and JJ could only imagine how far she would have made it if she had still been alive. Roslyn was the one that had taught JJ how to braid her hair, wash it, and even curl it. Roslyn had curled her long blonde hair for the first time when she watched her get ready for the homecoming dance. It had only been one clump of strands but the way that her sister had so gently handled her locks left JJ in awe of Roslyn’s caring nature. After Roslyn left, JJ held onto her hairstyle, scared to let go of it as it sometimes felt like her only tie to her older sister.

Her college best friends, partners in the Academy, Hotch, Reid, Rossi, and so many more came and left in her thoughts. It was like her thoughts were forming their own little presentation of what JJ was getting rid of today. Some had more important roles than others but she had to remind herself that today wasn’t getting rid of anything but her hair. She was still JJ, but this felt more real. She wouldn’t have to avert her eyes in the mirror as much, and it would help to match her appearance more closely to how she felt inside.

Eventually, her mind came to the inevitable. Emily. Emily was something to JJ that she couldn’t describe. JJ loved Emily, but it wasn’t just that. Over time, as she had gotten to know the woman, JJ had come to truly understand her. It was the kind of intimacy that relied on the briefest of eye contact, all thoughts conveyed in body language alone. She couldn’t tell Emily though. It was too risky, and no matter how bold JJ was, Emily was a whole new world. She pushed away the thought that Emily would hate her haircut. If Emily rejected the haircut, it would feel more like she rejected who JJ truly was. But she would never do that. Right?

No, Emily would never do that. She couldn’t, because then JJ didn’t know what she’d do. Trying to distract herself from the increasing anxiety, she tried to remember their Girl’s Nights and separate hangouts where Emily would mindlessly run her fingers through JJ’s hair. It was how she calmed JJ, and the experience itself felt like home to the blonde. Glancing down at her watch, JJ realized that she got a bit too tied up with her imagination and saw that it was 5:25. Grabbing her things in a frenzy, JJ quickly headed out of the bullpen. She caught a glance of Morgan, eyebrows raised in bewilderment. JJ waved the team off, not slowing down on her way to the elevator. Hotch already knew that she was taking the early day so she was set.

JJ shot a text off to Garcia before driving off, telling her to check her office for anything that JJ might have forgotten and that she was going to her apartment after the haircut. Throwing her phone into the passenger seat, JJ drummed her fingers against the steering as she pulled out of the parking lot. She drove to the barbershop and reached in 7 minutes. Emily and her crazy driving skills would have been proud. Exiting the door rather quickly, JJ ran her fingers through her hair one last time.

This was goodbye.

She fidgeted with her fingers the entire time she waited for her appointment. JJ rocked her body gently, forward and backward, grounding herself in the steady rhythm. After some time, a person wearing a short-sleeved, cuffed button-down and a large black apron approached her. Their hair was cropped short, the sides shaved to a small length to let the top flow over their forehead. It was perfectly what JJ wanted. She felt her face grow hot at the realization that this was actually happening. JJ was going to do the big chop.

“Hi, Welcome to the Queer Barbers’ Guild. My name is Tay and I can help you today. JJ, isn’t it?” Tay held out their hand as JJ stood up, initiating their quick handshake.

“Uh, yeah. I had said over the phone that I wanted to cut most of my hair off. Actually, I would like exactly what you have. If that works?” JJ took quick strides to keep up with the barber, hearing the bustle of the shop as they got closer to the chair.

Tay chuckled, nodded, and gestured for JJ to sit in the seat. They pumped up its height, adjusting it to their work position. She sat down eagerly, feeling energized as the moment of the cut drew nearer.

“So are you looking to do a wash first today? I can definitely do my cut on you, so it’s just whatever you want. I would have to say though, I think you’re going to look rather dashing.” JJ blushed and failed to respond.

Dashing. Not pretty.

“I haven’t washed my hair in a few days for this haircut, so that would be nice. Thank you.”

JJ sat back in the chair and let Tay drape the apron cover over her. They combed through her hair slowly, getting tassels out and examining it for the cut. Once it was all brushed out, they measured out lengths and showed them to JJ in the mirror. JJ soon came to an idea of what she wanted.

Tay led her out of the chair and over the washing room. She sat down and made herself comfortable. JJ tried to solidify those last few moments in her head as the last memories she had with her long hard. The warm water began to run over her scalp and she forgot what else was running through her head. Before she knew it, the wash was over and she was back in the hair cut chair.

Now was the time.

They dried her hair and combed through it again. JJ closed her eyes. She was scared of what would happen. What if it wasn’t right? How would she undo the damage? She then felt a chilled glass against her fingers. Slowly peeking one eye open, she spotted some kind of alcohol in Tay’s outstretched hand. Curious, JJ looked up at the barber.

“To calm your nerves. Don’t worry, I’ve done plenty of these chops myself and I had my own. Trust me, things are only going to get better from here. So, here’s to relaxing. You earned it.”

“Thank you. Really, thank you.” JJ couldn’t explain her gratitude as she took the glass.

Maybe everything would be okay.

JJ relaxed and Tay began to gather her hair for the big chop. Tay carefully sectioned her hair, making sure to constantly check the length. Then, the time came. Tay lightly tapped her on the shoulder, indicating that they had the scissors at the ready. All they needed was the go-ahead from JJ. The blonde took in one last deep breath, giving them permission on her exhale.

The first cut was the most jarring. JJ could feel the hair being cut, its strands tugging at the sharp shears. She let out a gasp and everything happened too quickly for her to process after that. The hair fell left and right, leaving her head feeling instantly lighter and freer.

Tay worked incredibly efficiently. They managed to keep checking in with JJ as they deftly cut her hair. Soon, it was gone. The buzz of the razor sent a jolt up JJ’s spine but Tay quickly reassured her. They made light passes and cut down the hair on the sides and back. It was still nearly half an inch long, but that was exactly what JJ wanted.

“There you go. All done, JJ. What do you think?” Their voice cut through the haze of JJ’s thoughts and she turned her head, examining her new look.

The long hair was gone.

JJ had short hair now. It felt like a high, like one she’d never felt before but would never let up again. She ran her fingers through it, marveling at the softness and sleek nature of the look. She looked pretty fucking dashing. JJ turned around and looked at Tay, struggling to keep her tears at bay. She shouldn’t be on the verge of crying. JJ chastised herself internally.

“I- I don’t really have the words to thank you right now. I know that I shouldn’t be so emotional over a haircut, but you made everything perfect.” JJ held her head down, trying to hold back the tears.

“Of course. It’s no problem. For the emotions, believe me, I was a sobbing mess when I got my first big chop. You can always ask for me when you come to the Guild. Thanks for coming, and we can go up to the front for payment now.”

JJ paid and left the establishment. She was still dazed, not sure if everything was real. Her fingers found their way back into her hair several times, simply running through it as she made her way to the car. Her watch showed 7:03 pm as the time and JJ pulled out her phone. Her fingers quivered as she typed out her text to Penelope. She didn’t want to text her friend a picture of herself, deciding to keep the hair a surprise until she arrived at Penelope’s apartment.

Jayje (7:03 PM): Got the haircut. Pen this feels fucking crazy. I almost cried in the shop because of how nice my barber was and how I look. Heading over now.

PG (7:03 PM): AHHHH im so excited for you!! i already know that you look hot as fuck babes.

JJ smiled and set her stuff aside. She was off to Penelope’s apartment. The analyst had told her that she had a surprise for her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

JJ pulled up to the analyst’s apartment. The sun was still high in the sky outside, and she could hear the chirp of several little birds off in the distance. Penelope was waiting for her. Taking one last deep breath, JJ walked towards the front door. It was part of a little archway to a quaint apartment but it could have been the door to the White House with how nervous JJ was.

She shivered as she rang the doorbell. Here goes nothing. Reaction number one, how bad can it be? Penelope had already been anticipating JJ’s arrival so the door flew open mere seconds later. She appeared in the doorway, beaming with energy. Then she laid her eyes on JJ.

“OH. MY. GOD. JAYJE. YOU LOOK AMAZING.” Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped at the sight of JJ.

Penelope dragged JJ into the apartment faster than the blonde could respond to her statement. She was bubbling with excitement, super ready to give JJ her present. Penelope began to give a preface before they reached her couch. On it, sat a medium-sized silver bag. Tissue was popping out of the top and JJ was drawn to it. Penelope noticed her eyes on the present.

“Go ahead. Open it. I got it for you because I think it definitely matches your new vibe and that you ARE wearing it to team drinks tomorrow. Emily won’t be able to take her eyes off of you!”

JJ paused.

“What does Emily have to do with this?” She looked back at Penelope, her forehead scrunched in confusion.

“You’re joking, right? You can’t seriously ignore the tension between you two. It’s Miss Darking and Brooding and The Badass Baby Blonde. You two are a power couple! Unless, you aren’t madly in love with her and would be fine with me setting her up with this other friend of mine…”

“Okay, okay. No setting Emily up with your friend. She’s mine, thank you very much.” JJ spoke confidently, knowing that Penelope could see right through her bravado.

“I’m sure she is. That’s why you asked her out. Oh, wait…”

“Fine, so I haven’t asked her out. I’m just terrified. She’s Emily.”

“Yeah, and you’re JJ. Plus, now you have that super butch look so you can ask her out tomorrow. But not until you open the gift!” Penelope pointed at the glossy bag once more.

JJ rolled her eyes and turned back to the bag. She slowly pulled out the tissue and spotted dark fabric underneath it. Reaching inside, it was cool to the touch. JJ pulled out a black, leather jacket. It was sleek with 4 zippers, 2 collar buttons, and seams that traced around the jacket.

JJ thumbed it and fell more and more in love with it as she took in the jacket more. It was perfect. This jacket, combined with the haircut and the way that Tay complimented her earlier, felt like an amalgamation of the person that she was supposed to be. JJ wasn’t the girl that hid behind her femininity and used it as a weapon to get her way. In fact, her femininity did more against her than it did for her. Pushing that thought out of her head, JJ turned to Penelope.

With tears in her eyes, she hugged Penelope. She hugged her with all her might. She couldn’t describe the feeling in her head. Later, she would come to find out that it was gender euphoria. But in that moment, every positive emotion felt weak in comparison to the explosion of happiness in her mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

JJ had opted for her pantsuit for work on Friday. Her normal skirt suits just didn’t fit who she saw herself as in the moment. Whether that would change or not, she didn’t know. It felt powerful, and with her hair coiffed up, JJ was unstoppable.

The elevator doors dinged open and she hesitantly took her first step. The big glass doors of the BAU seemed daunting now, and it made JJ feel small. She felt insignificant and her breath partially caught in her throat. Looking over at her watch, JJ realized that she was almost late. Deciding that the time to wait was over, JJ took confident strides forward. She pushed the doors open and made her way to her office until something stopped her.

Derek’s voice boomed out in front of her. Reid and the rest of the BAU men were sitting at his desk and their eyes lifted up to meet hers. It took all of JJ’s strength not to turn on her heel and bolt. But she loved this haircut, and it made her confident; so she had to act like it. Slowing up her stride, she detoured over to the group. Derek had called out to her, commenting on the haircut.

All of them were genuinely curious, stating their approval multiple times. JJ even got a fistbump from Derek and a wide smile from Spencer. Hotch’s usual morose expression lightened up. They talked about how she had wanted to get it, the differences from long hair, and the overall confidence boost. It was invigorating. More than anything else, JJ felt her heart swell at the sheer support from her teammates. They joked about her being one of the guys; and though right now it was short hair, JJ could feel that it was just the tip of the iceberg.

They eventually got to the topic of where she cut it and JJ casually mentioned the barbershop. At that, Derek’s eyes lit up. He was always one to preach the benefits of a barbershop, offering the argument that it was a place that created a sense of family. He asked if it had been The Queer Barber’s Guild, to which JJ had nodded her head. His interest peaked, Derek asked if it had been Penelope’s recommendation. To that, JJ nodded enthusiastically again.

“Yeah, she’s always loved that place. Babygirl got me hooked on it too, right after I came out. They’ve got some really cool bi stuff in there. Who did you have? Was it Tay? They’re my bro, and a top notch barber.”

“I did have them. They made things so easy. I’m definitely only going there from now on.”

JJ and the group carried on their conversation for a little longer when she heard a squeal behind her. She turned partially to see Penelope clacking over in her yellow heels. She had a huge smile plastered on her face, and was obviously excited for JJ.

“Jayje! You look even better today than you did yesterday! So what’s going on, are we talking about the QBG because, my god, do I love that place!”

Everyone giggled and they continued the conversation. Penelope watched as JJ’s eyes shifted around the bullpen ever so slightly. Of course. JJ was looking for the only missing member, arguably her favorite one. Emily. Penelope held back her laugh yet could help but to smile at the blonde’s little search. She leaned in close to JJ and tapped her on the shoulder.

“She’s in the break room.” JJ tried to fake obliviousness, but she knew that she’d been caught.

“Thanks PG.”

Casually excusing herself from the conversation, JJ left on the behest of “files that she needed to tend to”. She didn’t care if anyone bought the excuse. In her mind, the only place for her to go was the break room. JJ wanted to show Emily the “new her”. Of course, it wasn’t new, but she felt different. Trying not to give things much more thought, JJ arrived at the break room with a quick pace.

She noticed Emily at the coffee counter, stirring her mug. JJ was overcome with something at the sight of Emily. Not even thinking, she leaned against the doorframe and called out to the brunette.

“Got enough for another cup?” Her voice was nonchalant but her heart was pounding in her chest.

Emily perked up at the sound but didn’t turn around. She finished stirring her coffee and began turning around before starting to speak.

“Jen! Oh, shoot, I just used the last of it for my cup.” Emily spoke cheerily as she brought the mug to her lips.

Then her eyes landed on JJ.

Emily completely froze, nearly choking on her coffee. Her eyes widened as they took in her friend’s new look. JJ looked hot. There was a pervading silence between them, but neither could break their trance for long enough to say something. Emily looked over the short hair on JJ’s head, inspecting it almost. She noticed how it’s varied length set off the blonde’s angular features. Emily could almost feel her knees go weak but held it together.

Neither knew nor cared to time how long they stayed like that. It somehow hadn’t reached the point of awkwardness, but both JJ and Emily’s minds were overactive. At some point, JJ managed to point back at the coffee pot. Emily jolted up and moved to the side, breaking her haze. Her gaze instead landed on their best friend in the distance, who was giving her a very enthusiastic thumbs up. Penelope Garcia really was something.

Emily rolled her eyes and turned back to JJ. She was setting things up for a new pot of coffee and the brunette couldn’t help but to watch her intently.

“So, uh, Jen. The haircut. You look amazing. It really suits you.”

“Thanks, Em. I just got it yesterday and I already feel like a whole new person. It’s a bit strange, but honestly, I love it.”

Emily smiled dopily, attempting to hide her grin behind her sips of coffee. They spoke for a little longer before the coffee was nearly done brewing. The small talk was comfortable, though not the kind of conversations they usually had. It was workplace appropriate because that was what JJ and Emily were, colleagues.

“Okay, I’m gonna head back to my desk. I’ll see you at team drinks tonight?” Emily patted JJ’s arm and turned to leave.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” JJ blushed and the two ignored the giddiness they felt.

After leaving the break room, Emily made her way to Penelope’s lair instead. She definitely had some thoughts about JJ’s new look.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hotch, Reid, and Rossi were the first to arrive. They were known for their punctuality. The bar wasn’t crowded just yet, the Friday night crowd was beginning to flow in. They had all changed into more casual wear, except for Rossi. The men made small talk until Derek and Emily drove in nearly 15 minutes later. They had hung out before and just decided to ride in together.

Emily and Derek’s arrival immediately added more pizzazz to the event, spurring them to order the first round of drinks. Things were lively after a crushing week at work and the BAU was ready to let loose. Not long after Emily had placed their drinks order, JJ and Penelope arrived.

JJ was wearing a white Tshirt, ripped black jeans, vans, and most importantly the leather jacket. She drowned out any thoughts of doubt with the idea that this was her family and that soon they would be intoxicated enough to simply not care. She trailed slightly behind Penelope’s eager steps but they eventually reached the table. Hotch spotted her first. He gave her an approving nod, a barely noticeable smile gracing his expression.

Emily spotted her next. Before she could stop herself, Emily’s breath caught in her throat and she gasped. JJ had left her speechless for the second time that day. Her gaze passed over every part of JJ’s outfit. She felt her face get hot and Emily shoved her hands in her pockets. By that point, JJ and Penelope had joined the group at their table but Emily had yet to say a word.

“Wow, Jen, you look amazing. That leather jacket is perfect. It’s a very hot look, but also very you.” Emily couldn’t help her awkwardness but the compliments just kept going. She couldn’t find a way to stop herself.

JJ's thoughts staggered with the compliments but she was able to thank Emily. Penelope simply watched the entire interaction with a smirk plastered on her face. After that, the alcohol took no time in arriving at their tables. They all downed those drinks quickly and went after another round. After a couple rounds, JJ pulled Emily out to the dance floor. They let the music take them over, relinquishing their thoughts to the rhythm on the dance floor.

They spent an unknown amount of time dancing, not caring about anything besides themselves and dancing. But soon, that magic started to fade and the women returned to their table. Derek was standing at the table’s side, having noticed the way that JJ and Emily stood closer as they drank more alcohol. Having a brilliant idea, he spoke up as JJ and Emily took a bite of the chips they had ordered for the table.

“JJ, Emily, I have an idea. Why don’t we play a little game? You two are the strong ladies of the BAU, including my Babygirl but right now I’m focusing on y’all. How about the two of you arm wrestle? I want to know which of you is stronger.”

“Derek, we’re both drunk. That’s not a fair game, even though we know the winner would be me.” JJ’s body swayed lightly, but Emily quickly stabilized her.

“I’m down. At least, I’m no chicken.” Emily spoke in a teasing tone, stealing a glance at JJ.

“Oh, no you don’t. Okay, let’s do it. I’m in.” JJ nodded enthusiastically, invigorated at the idea of a challenge to beat Emily in.

They cleared the space and let JJ and Emily get ready. Both did their own ridiculous warm ups, obviously exaggerating it. They set their arms down and were ready to begin when JJ stopped.

“Wait. What are the stakes?” Emily responded, saying something that she’d wanted to do for a long time.

“If I lose, I’ll take you out on a date. If you lose, you have to take me out on a date. How’s that sound?”

Her proposition shocked the entire table. They’d all been waiting for JJ and Emily to stop tiptoeing around each other. This was just not how they expected things to unfold, albeit it would make a great story for the future. Sober JJ and Penelope would have a field day with this.

“Deal.” JJ was drunk too, but that was an offer that was too good to pass up.

With that, Derek set the two up to begin the match. It was very evenly matched in the beginning. Neither woman budged, focusing very hard on their end prize. The team’s eyes shifted from JJ to Emily, and back again. Their grip was strong but no progress was being made. By the time that they had hit the 20 minute mark, Emily could feel the fog in her brain begin to clear up.

At that point, she took a closer look at her opponent. She watched the way that JJ’s blue eyes locked onto their hands, checking for even the slightest of hesitations. She saw the way that JJ’s clothes hung on her body, giving her an air of confidence that made JJ infinitely hotter. Finally, Emily looked back up to JJ’s hair. It’s long, straight stands dropped over her forehead and framed her face well. Emily lost herself in the thought of running her fingers through the silky cut.

That was when she felt the cool, hard wood of the table. Emily’s eyes widened and she looked down. There it was. Her hand was pressed against the surface, pinned underneath JJ’s.

“I win! Guess you have to take me out on that date, chicken.” JJ teased Emily, getting closer to the brunette’s face.

“I get to take someone as dashing as you out? Well, I might have lost but this seems like the better prize.

JJ’s heart soared at the compliment. The way that the word ‘dashing’ rolled off of Emily’s lips made her feel ecstatic. It wasn’t like when men called her pretty after buying a drink. This hair really was working wonders.

They ended the night with a kiss before Emily climbed out of the rideshare and walked up the apartment. JJ ran her fingers over her lips as the car pulled away. Best decision ever.

tag list: @ssa-jareaus @coramvobis @altsvu @hotchshoney @morcias @jelle-jareau @dragisthegame @ssakayprentish69 @dimitrescus-bitch @jay-writes-jemily @bridget19 @hmm-wanky @emilyprentissfangirl @tokoblade @temily

[ashintheairlikesnow]

WIP Wednesday: Whumptober Previews, Take 2

I still have a few more to go, but I am in the final stretch for writing my @whumptober2020​ pieces! I already posted one preview of what I have so far (you can see Days 1-12 here), so here are previews for the rest of what I have written - and sneak peeks at what’s planned out but not written yet! 

Whumptober starts tomorrow - we’ll see how you feel about my work this go-round! Last year, Whumptober Day 1 introduced Daniel Michaelson. This year... it starts with Danny, too.

Day 13:

“Vanni, they thought he was you.”

“I know, Ridley!” Rossi never snapped at Ridley, but here it was, and Connor forced in a hitching, shaky inhale around the tremendous, inescapable weight pressing down on him, determined to keep breathing long enough to understand. “I know they did.”

“And they fucking poisoned him and then dumped him to fucking die-”

“I know!” The two men went silent for a second, Ridley staring with shock at Rossi and Rossi glaring furious towards the window without looking back. Connor’s breath, rattling in his struggling lungs, was the only sound in the room.

Day 14:

Peter glanced over his shoulder, back towards the house. The thermometer had climbed a little more, reading 98.5 degrees Farenheit now, and Peter blinked as he shivered again, swallowing without any saliva. His mouth felt dry, and strange. Why was he shivering - how did he have goosebumps - if it was almost one hundred degrees?

As if he’d heard Peter’s thoughts, the side door opened and Micheal came out, wearing his weekend outfit of slim black slacks and a pale heathered gray t-shirt, what Madam allowed him to wear. He was carrying a glass of water with ice and a little striped straw stuck in the top. The black shock collar he was never allowed to remove - not yet, Madam said, not until Micheal learned how to be silent without needing encouragement, to her satisfaction - cut a wide band across his neck, the black box small and nearly perfectly blended in at the back. 

“Peter,” He said in a low voice - not quite a whisper, but just as quiet. “I brought you a drink, I-” He looked up, squinting towards the sky. “It’s hot. Should you be out here?”

Day 15:

He drops back to the ground, groaning, eyes fluttering open and shut, before he reaches out to grip onto Ora’s arm again. He turns to look at them, and his eyes are glowing so brightly he can see the reflected light on Ora’s face, the flicker of yellow against their irises. There are things that move beneath the light in Ryan Michaelson’s eyes, and he no longer feels them pushed back under the surface of his skin. 

“I’m so fucking hungry,” He whispers, and his fingernails dig into Ora’s arm until they begin to bleed and whimper, but they don’t - can’t - pull away. Not until he lets them.

They will be lost in his eyes until he decides to let them go.

Day 16:

Count to ten, Tris! One… two...

Her voice is so loud he jumps, but when he looks to the left, nothing’s there. Just the white walls, plain and featureless, white tiles that were smooth under his fingertips back when he was allowed to touch them. 

Everything is cold, and the boy has been shivering for so long that his muscles ache from the constant tense-and-release, tense-and-release, struggling to keep him warm.

Day 17:

She giggles a little, then glances over her shoulder, mouths something at the cameraman. Oliver can guess what. Edit that out.

Kelly Donahue doesn’t want the episode to be aired with her giggling like a schoolgirl at a bit of idle flattery. Well. Everyone has their things they like to hide, don’t they?

She has her giggle. Oliver has a teenage boy locked in his bedroom.

Day 18:

“Your mother,” Patrick interrupted, with gentle violence, “believes that you are squandering an opportunity.”

“An-... a what-”

“We respect your decision - and your brother’s - to refuse interviews, especially at his early date.” Patrick sounded like he’d rehearsed this answer, delivered with the same smooth cadence he had during his speeches before the Board of Directors. “But, considering the effort it took us to find you-”

“The effort it took Nate to find us,” Ryan corrected, ice growing along his veins at the same time it took over his voice. “Nate. It was Nate who watched the videos, it was Nate who talked Abraham into showing him the yard, it was Nate who spent fucking night after fucking night trolling fucking satellite photos to try and find us. Don’t act like the effort came from you. It came from my brother’s goddamn fiance.”

Day 19:

“If this is a trap, I’m going to owe Gavin fifty bucks.” Vera checked and rechecked her handgun, as though it would suddenly be less loaded than it was just a few minutes before. Her jaw was set in a grim line, eyes flashing a kind of damped-down fire, embers ready to spark. Her thick black hair, showing growing hints of gray, was pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck, and she wore a pair of black pants and a tucked-in t-shirt, ready for the fight she was definitely expecting. “I don’t want to owe Gavin money, Isaac.”

“It’s not a trap,” Isaac replied, making his own nervous check and recheck of the table and chairs. “I don’t think it is, anyway. My instincts are saying it isn’t.”

“Your instincts-”

“My instincts have been spot-on for a decade, Vera. Just trust me on this. She let us pick the day, the time, the location… she let us give her the location with less than four hours’ notice, even. If this is a trap, she’s piss-poor at setting it.”

Day 20:

He’d been flying, and the fall had been worse than the arrow, at first.

The sudden burst of white-hot pain had stunned him, caught him mid-spin enjoying an early-morning chill, and sent him tumbling to the ground below.

He’d heard his own frantic keens of panic and fear as if from a distance, and then they’d been drowned out when he slammed into the trees, feathers flying all around him as they were ripped free by the branches he smacked into one after another on the way down.

Day 21:

"Mmhmmm. Christopher. Stanton." Nat listens for a long time, then says quietly, "No known health problems. Autistic."

Jake looks up, and Nat calmly looks back at him, while speaking into the phone. "Yes. Yes, I'm confident. He is sensitive to fluorescent lights, scared of needles, and terrified of sedation. Yeah, I realize that I just described the exact environment we’re sending him into.” Chris whimpered, and Nat’s voice went ragged, her eyes closed tightly against the sight of his face pale, sweaty, twisted with pain. “Listen. Just-... just put on the fucking papers that Christopher Stanton is fucking autistic, because that's what my goddamn rescue is - I'll sell someone else's firstborn to fucking Satan if he isn't, mark my fucking words - and we're wasting time while he gets worse!"

Day 22:

Rossi picks the glass up and just as he tilts it up to his lips, Connor rears back and up on his knees and swings one of his hands, the black leather ‘paw’ smacking into the rim of the glass and spilling it in an arc across Rossi’s suit, onto the table, soaking his cards and hitting the next person at the table right in the eyes.

“Connor, what the fuck?!” Rossi’s voice isn’t furious, not yet - he’s too shocked to get beyond the simple surprise.

Day 23:

The drugs in his system weigh him down, he is too exhausted to understand what’s happening or how to begin to fight it. His eyes keep trying to close and stay closed, and he whimpers, forcing them back open.

“Pozhaluysta…” He groans, collapsing forward against the heavy solidity of the man, the soft tailored fabric of his expensive suitjacket, the scent of clove cigarettes that clings to him like a woman’s fingers clutching tightly. “Pozhaluysta, otpusti menya…”

Day 24:

“My name is Melody,” The girl said, nearly extending her hand, but then she realized the creature’s right hand was nothing but wickedly sharp talons, and it was bound in front of him to his left. “Oh, I’m sorry. What’s your name?”

The creature blinked once, twice. Watched her, tense and maybe suspicious, and then shook his head. “No… no name.” He spoke slowly, as though words came only with difficulty but a soft little trill sounded under one voice, layered it with another. “Pet.”

Day 25:

“Wh, where, where, where-where, where am, am I-”

“Sssshhhh.” The person in the dark blue uniform presses a plastic-gloved hand to his shoulder as he tries to sit up, pushing him back down. “Hey no, you gotta stay steady, there. Don’t move.”

“Please-... please, sir, h-hurts-”

“Not sir,” The person says, gently, a bit of auburn hair falling over their forehead. “Can you see?”

“K-Kind... kind of... hurts-”

“Sssshhhh. I know. I know it does. Just hang on. Tori’s going to help me get you some paperwork going. Don’t worry, kiddo.” The person pats him, lightly, and then looks up, brown eyes scanning the hallway outside. “You’re not the first we’ve pulled through this.”

Day 26:

Calon Nie hummed to himself, tapping talons on the floor, watching the boy sit so still, as though stillness could protect him from the dangers of the world. “Good. Failed, you, to keep new eyes. Costs a life, to give something new. Killan Josta, human boy, he fail Calon Nie. He fail the life given, when eyes don’t work. Did not respect sacrifice.”

“I’m… I’m sorry,” The boy said hoarsely, curling in on himself even more, his wings instinctively curling protectively around him. “I… I don’t want anyone to d-die for me. I didn’t mean to-... I didn’t mean to fail. I, I tried to p-pray for them, to stars, to-”

“Paugh! Mysteries do not hear you.”

Day 27:

Jake answers, and on the other side of the door, the old woman stands holding a large cardboard box in her arms, her grandson present, as nearly always, at her side. He holds a large box, too - so big, in fact, that only the top half of his face is visible.

“They’re sayin’ it could be a week before we get power back,” Ruth says, with a world-weary sigh. “A full-on week. We figured we’d bring you some supplies.” 

Day 28:

Ora Collins is hungry.

Day 29:

Jake is a tall man, but the emergency room always made him feel so small. Even now, part of him rehearses the scripted stories. I fell while climbing a tree. I crashed my bike. I tripped going down the stairs.

He has lies to tell today, just like he always has, but today the lies are for Chris, not himself.

He’s my brother. No, different dads, that’s all. His mom lives a few states away, I handle all his medical stuff. 

Day 30:

(AKA Possession, Part 2)

Ryan and Nate take down Abraham Denner.

Day 31:

Danny is left for dead.

[hedwigstalons]

Reunion

Something soft for @gumnut-logic‘s Fluffember.  There is no way I’ll be able to do 30 separate fics but this kinda covers ‘reassure’, ‘special person’, ‘together’ and ‘bedtime’.  

It’s not edited or polished but I wanted to get something out before inspiration abandoned me again.

xoxoxox

Brandon closed the holocall and slumped back on the couch with a contented sigh.  Three months.  Three long and agonising months in close quarters with the Lemaires for work meant that not only had seeing Alan been out of the question, their calls had been distinctly censored.  Or rather the calls had been more guarded after the one attempt at being, ahem, intimate, that Madeline had walked in on.  He still cringed at the memory.  Nope, calls had been kept distinctly more bland after that incident.  

He’d seized on the chance to talk freely the moment he had got home, not even stopping to unpack, and now he was exhausted.  A wave of tiredness swept over Brandon, post travel fatigue mixed with the comfortable glow that came from talking to Alan and being back in his own territory.  The sighs turned to a yawn which in turn gave way to gentle snores.  Barely an hour later he was startled from his nap by a loud and insistent knocking at the door.

***

Alan turned up the track, feeling the road beneath the car getting bumpier and bumpier.  While he was grateful to Parker for the lessons that enabled him to make this journey solo, his education in driving had been rather lacking in how to choose an appropriate car; the sleek, red sports car, which had looked perfect on the hire yard forecourt, now felt woefully ill-equipped to deal with the worsening terrain.

He checked and rechecked the address that Brandon had given him, wondering if he had taken a wrong turn but everything tallied up.  The bachs that lined the lane at intervals were mostly in darkness, as would be expected for holiday homes out of season, and he struggled to imagine Brandon actually living in one of the small cabins.  The one ahead of him, however, showed signs of occupation, a muted light shining out through the glass in the door.  He turned into the empty parking spot next to the cabin and killed the engine.

Grabbing his duffel off the passenger seat, the car seemingly lacking a trunk, Alan steeled himself and headed towards the front door.  He paused on the step, taking in deep breaths of the air that held the unmistakable tang of snow as it blew down from the nearby mountain.  It had felt such a good idea at the time, rushing off to New Zealand the second he closed the call with Brandon, but now he was here he wondered if he was coming across as too needy, too forward.  Perhaps he should have waited until morning.  

Scott had pencilled in two days off rota the moment Alan had gone to him with Brandon’s return date, two days that he hadn’t dared tell his boyfriend about in case the world conspired against them and ripped that precious time away in a whirlwind of rescues.  But for once the world had been obliging and so here he was, bag in hand, about to surprise the man who had barely left his thoughts during their enforced separation.  Too late for doubts now, he was here.  One more deep breath and he rapped on the door with rather more confidence than he felt.

***

The knocking, loud and unexpected, had Brandon nearly rolling off the couch at the intrusion.  Rubbing his eyes he checked the time wondering who the hell could be calling on him at this time of night.  It was probably just some lost holiday maker, struggling to find which rental was theirs in the dark and seeking help from the nearest cabin that looked occupied.  It wouldn’t be the first time he had had to direct someone further up or back down the track depending on which cabin number they had failed to find.  He was almost an unofficial warden for the lane being it’s only permanent resident, not that he was there much of the time himself as this latest work trip had proved.  

Brandon hauled himself to his feet, preparing to point the way to whichever lost soul had found his bach this time.  He shambled down the hallway, stretching the kinks out as he went, his eyes still bleary as he unlatched the door.  He blinked sleepily, his brain not fully registering the sight.

***

From his place on the step Alan could see the familiar silhouette making its way down the hallway.  Nervous excitement fluttered in his stomach as he waited for Brandon to open up.  The butterflies intensified at the sound of the lock being opened.  Moments later there he was, the ginger curls all mussed up and, Alan noticed guiltily, yawning and rubbing his eyes in a way that suggested he’d just woken up.  

“Hey,” Alan greeted Brandon, smiling sheepishly.

“Alan?”  Brandon steadied himself on the doorframe, exhaustion still keeping tight hold on his body.

“Yeah, uh, can I come in?”  New Zealand was far colder than the island and Alan was feeling to temperature drop keenly, it probably didn’t help that he was still only in a t-shirt.  Seeing Brandon completely thrown for a loop had him seriously doubting the wisdom of his actions.  

“Oh God, yeah,” Brandon stepped to one side to let Alan in, the reality finally sinking in that Alan really was there on his front step, “I just wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

“I said I’d come as soon as I could,” Alan mumbled in explanation as he followed Brandon up the hallway and towards the lit room at the back of the cabin.

This was the first time that Alan had visited his home, it normally making far more sense for him to go to the island, and Brandon was suddenly uncomfortably aware of just how far removed it was from the opulence of Alan’s usual surroundings.  Even on a good day the cabin was pretty shabby and the whole four roomed building could easily fit inside the lounge of the Tracy villa.  Now, after three months of sitting empty the bach smelled musty and in need of a good airing, there was also a damp chill in the air which suggested the roof might have sprung a leak somewhere.  He had been meaning to spruce the place up a bit before Alan arrived, expecting him in the morning at the earliest; he hadn’t counted on the Tracy definition of ‘soon’ applying to vacation time as well.

Alan followed Brandon into the lounge area and dropped his bag on the floor, noting that his wasn’t the only case in the corner of the room.  He was really starting to regret heading over so quickly especially seeing as Brandon hadn’t even looked him in the eye since inviting him in, in fact he hadn’t even turned to face him since they reached the lounge.

Brandon scratched the back of his neck.  He’d been foolish to invite Alan to stay.  How could his little cabin compare to Tracy Island?  He felt the overwhelming need to explain.

“So, welcome to Casa Berrenger.  On the flanks of what has to be the greatest mountain in the world.”  He gesticulated at blinds that were closed across the picture window.  “I mean, I saw this place and thought ‘Hey Brandon, what could be cooler than having Ruapehu as your neighbour’.  You might have seen it, in some of my vlogs...”

“Brandon…”

“I filmed the very first one right on the slopes out there.  It was, like, totally awesome.  It’s still my favourite place to board, hence the cabin.  You should come stay when the snow’s right and I can take you on out the slopes, that would be, like, amazing...”

“Brandon…”  Alan hadn’t heard Brandon this babbling since he’d helped pluck him off a mountain following an avalanche.  Back then he’d initially taken Brandon’s non-stop chatter to be part of his natural exuberance but as he got to know him more he learnt that it was more a sign of nerves, a cover for the insecurities he kept hidden from the viewers.

“Except you’ve probably been there, right?  I mean, you’ve been everywhere.  But yeah, this little place isn’t much to look at now but in the morning when you can see her,” he waved vaguely at the shut blinds again, “man, the views more than make up for…”

“BRANDON!”

Brandon couldn’t put it off any longer.  He turned, hardly daring to meet Alan’s eyes which he was sure would show some sort of contempt at the small space with it’s meagre and mismatched furnishings.

Alan reached out and gently took hold of Brandon’s hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the back of it. “I don’t care where you live.  I didn’t come here to see the mountain.  I came because I wanted to see you...because I’ve missed you.”

Brandon looked up to see only warmth and softness in Alan’s gaze.  He closed the small gap between them, melting into the embrace as he rested his chin on Alan’s shoulder and felt a fool for worrying that Alan would be so shallow as to judge him on his home.  Despite their riches the Tracy family had never shown any signs of looking down on those who had less than them but he’d hardly ever let anyone cross the threshold of his little mountain sanctuary and it left him feeling vulnerable.

“I missed you too, three months is far too long,” he sighed as he gently planted a kiss on the warm neck.  Feeling the arms around him pull him in that bit closer he raised his head again so see a need darkening Alan’s eyes, a need that he felt mirrored in himself.  “Y’know, I was just off to bed when you got here.”

Alan quirked an eyebrow, knowing full well that Brandon had already been asleep despite being still fully clothed.  “Now that sounds like a nice idea, I could probably do with turning in too,” he yawned, “you aren’t the only one that’s been travelling, ‘cept I’ve been working too.”

“Uh, one slight problem,” Brandon smirked.  “This place isn’t as large as yours and, uh, there’s no guest room.  D’you think Virgil would have a problem with that?” he asked, referring to the rules laid down when they first hooked up which meant he always had a guest room available on the island, even if he never used it.

Alan cocked his head to one side as though giving the issue some serious consideration.  “Oh, I think we’ll find a way to manage.”  The lust in his eyes deepened as Brandon pulled away and led them back up the hallway towards the bedroom.

“Well then, I think it’s bedtime.”

[159potterhead]

Heat mounting 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I'm so stupid. Babe is there no way to edit the ask.🤣🤣🤣 That reply was really nice and my emotions welled up reading it then I scrolled up to read my ask and there were these words. I really need to get it together while typing. I meant to say heart mountain which I assume you understood. But I laughed for ten minutes straight and I'm still laughing. I was typing fast and I took the suggestion and idk it must have changed by the time I clicked the word. Did you laughed at it or did you had hard time understanding it? Last ask was so nice and beautiful but that mistake spoiled it

I'll show another similar clip like this some day from the same show. I think you will like it.

DTHSSSHTFDH

YOU JUST KEEP WINING MY HEART <3

And yes babe, YESSS, THAT'S OUR YELLOW UMBRELLA MOMENT (*insert 15x18 confession meme of cas saying, 'because it is') I JUST FEEL LIKE WORDS OR THE EMOJIS AREN'T ENOUGH TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHT AND FEELINGS BUT TAKE THIS BABE❤️❤️💕💕💞💞💖💖💖💖💖💖🤗🤗🤗✨✨and you still remember that date!!!🥺🥺🥺 That's so sweet. I looooveee you sooo soo much my beloved 💖💖💖

****

Off topic but idk if you noticed that you wrote a song in answer of prev prev ask which ended up with "so baby stay." And my in my last ask I send the song which started with, "I'm asking you to stay." Is that coincidence coz I didn't planned it I wrote it thinking that song will suit the situation. And your answer in prev ask also has similar song, "if you change your mind I'm first in line,".

(I go comando without recheck so ignore the typing mistake)

🎶I wanna know what it's like on the inside of love I'm standing at the gates I see the beauty above🎶

ahahah it’s okay I got it😂😂 I’m literally laughing too right now, for some reason it’s way funnier than when I first read it😂😭 no no I understood it right away👌🏼 dw, it’s still beautiful, we’ll forget about the autocorrect mistake;)

omg ok I’m excited alreadyyyy

JEJSKSKSK NO U LITERALLY <3

(you really didn’t have too sndjdjkdk🥲) SAAAAME SAME💗💕❤️💓💞❤️💖💖💓💗💕💗💓✨💕💗💓✨💖 of course I do! I was having my worst week so far and you literally came in at the most perfect time! I loooove you even moooore😚😚😚😚

***

woah wAIT HOW DID I NOT CATCH THAT- GOOD JOB FOR NOTICING OHMYGOD!!!!

(no worries babe)

🎶sarò anche un soldato, o la luce di sera. e in cambio non chiedo niente, soltanto un sorriso. ogni tua piccola lacrima è oceano sopra al mio viso. e in cambio non chiedo niente, solo un po’ di tempo🎶💕

[cavilliciousness]

Title: About Time {Requested}

Henry Cavill x Reader

 Words: 6.3k

 Warning: Smutty, Smut, NSFW, Choking,

 A/N: Eeeh, a request! So exciting. This is a bit long, I didn’t mean for it to be, but it is. Hope you enjoy it. Also, please excuse any typos or spacing issues,  this is loosely proofread and edited.

  Summary: You and Henry are really good friends, have been for eight years. You've wanted him for such a long time but never had the guts to make your move because you always thought you weren't good enough for him or the kind of woman he needed/deserved. He knows it and has waited for you to come to it on your own, but he is tired of waiting, especially after his long, frustrating day of work.

                                             ۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

You sat behind your desk in your cubicle. It was yet another day of the same ol', same ol'. It was Friday, and you were thankful for it. It had been a long week, and you were desperately in need of a well-deserved break. Your mind drifted to your routine Friday night. Every Friday you and Henry had a Netflix-n-Chill night. One of you would go to the other's house with takeout. Whoever didn’t supply the food had to make sure the alcohol was stocked. You took out your phone from your top drawer and shot a message to Henry.

    MSG: Netflix-N-Chill tonight?

    You waited for a minute and no reply. Placing your phone on top of your desk, you tried to focus on the article you were supposed to be writing. You glanced at the clock on your desk; it read one-fifty. You groaned, closed your eyes, and rolled your neck around. You had four more hours until you could leave and you had no idea how you were going to survive it. You couldn't focus on the article even if it meant saving your life. Slumping back in your chair, you tried to get into the mindset you needed to finish the piece. Your deadline was Monday morning and you'd barely written a paragraph. You'd told your editor and chief that you were the last person who could write about advising on becoming a woman who made the first move and take charge of her desires. You didn't know the first thing when it came to that.

     Hell, you'd been in love with Henry for the last umpteen years, and you still hadn't uttered one word about it. Instead, you pretended the opposite. When he told you about the women he went on dates with you kept a straight face and tried not to look affected when inside you were dying. When he asked for advice when he was having woman troubles, you tried to give unbiased advice when really you wanted to sabotage him at every turn. It was painful, but somehow you got through it.

     You wanted to tell him how you felt, but you were afraid he didn't feel the same and worried that you just wouldn't match up to all the rest. He'd been with some stunning women, women who had perfect bodies according to the mass public and women who had so much to offer, like models, beauty queens, and actresses. You tried to tell yourself, of course, you had a chance. You knew you were a pretty girl your features were not basic, and your curves drew a lot of men to you, but you only had eyes for Henry. What was worse was that he had no clue. Your phone buzzed on top of your desk.

    MSG Henry: Depends are you going to adhere to the true definition of that term?

    Your heart skipped a beat, and your mind raced with the possibilities of what he meant. Henry's sense of humor was all over the place. He could mean it literally, or he could mean something else. You knew what you wanted it to mean. Chewing your bottom lip, you wracked your brain to come up with a response. After five minutes you'd still had yet to respond.

 MSG Henry: Guess not. I don't think I can make it tonight, running lines with the cast going to do a test drive to the next scenes.

    Henry was in the middle of filming Night Hunter, and he'd said quite a few times the psychological thriller had a way of messing with his mind sometimes. You understood from everything he'd told you about the role and the plot. You were looking forward to seeing it.

     MSG: I understand. Raincheck.

     Tossing your phone back to your desk, you groaned a little louder than you intended. An email popped up from your co-worker Liz. You opened it and saw an attached picture of Henry in what looked like a still from the movie. Sinking your teeth into your bottom lip, you flat out gawked at it. He was gorgeous, the filled-out beard and long wavy hair was one of your most favorite looks for him. You had dreams about running your fingers through it and using it to steer him while he was nestled between your legs. A shiver rushed down your spine and you a wave of arousal came with it. He was so handsome. You looked down at the message Liz wrote, "Wild, wild thoughts." You knew exactly what she meant.

     By the time you got home, it was almost seven, and you were exhausted and so sexually frustrated. Deciding not to wait, you popped open a bottle of your favorite wine and gulped down two glasses as you prepared to hop in the tub for a nice long bath. Once you were seated, you enjoyed the hot water and floral scents of your bath oils and let your mind drift away on who else--Henry. Your mind ran back to his comment about "Netflix-N-Chill." There had been so many times you'd thought to just jump on him as he sat across the couch. So many times you'd wanted to barge in his bathroom when you'd heard him in the shower. It was amazing you'd been able to contain yourself this long. It took a lot of restraint and batteries.

    After passing out in the tub, you got out only to realize that two hours had passed. You hadn't even realized that you'd dozed off. You grabbed the wine bottle off the kitchen counter and made your way to your bedroom, deciding to lounge in bed with the TV. You didn't even bother to change out of your robe and get dressed. As you flipped through the channels, you happened to land on a channel that was playing Batman Vs. Superman and it was coming up on one of your favorite scenes when Superman landed in the cave looking house, and he looked fierce as if he could destroy an entire city. You quickly pressed pause and stared at his clean-shaven face. Without thinking about it or looking away, you reached into your top drawer and found the one thing you'd been relying on heavily for the last several months. Once you perched against the headboard, you turned it on and focused on the vibrations and Henry's face on your TV.

    It didn't take long for your back to be arched off the bed and your moaning to bounce off the walls and fill the room. You moaned loudly and slapped your hand to your breast and got lost in the sensations washing over you.

                                              ۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

-Henry-

   The day just wouldn't end. Just when he thought he was home free something always came up. First, it was yet another conversation of the direction of his character; then it was an impromptu improv session between him and a co-star, then it was retake after retake. It was late, and he was exhausted, hungry, and honestly very pent up. His friends had pointed it out several times that his responses had gotten shorter and shorter and he always seemed stressed, angry, or just plain out of sorts. He pretended like he didn't know what they meant, but he knew exactly what they meant. They were right, and he knew the reason why. It had been several months since he'd been with anyone. Months since he'd cut all ties with his latest pass time, hell he'd cut off all the women he'd ever spent any time with. Once he realized how he felt about Y/N, it didn’t make any sense. He'd always been attracted and secretly wanted her but as time went on and you'd struck up a friendship rather than a relationship he just decided to keep things as they were.

     In the beginning, he didn't know if you felt anything for him; he didn't like to just assume that every woman he came across wanted him and actually shied away from thoughts like that. The more he saw you dating other men, he resolved himself to believing you just weren't into him. It wasn't until almost a year ago that he'd realized you did have feelings for him when one of her friends accidentally let it slip. He wouldn't lie and say he wasn't happy about it because he was, but he was faced with a problem of how to breach the topic. Your friend Samantha told him you didn't feel like you deserved him or were his type. He thought it was a crazy reason and so far from the truth that he couldn't believe it. The more he watched you, the more he understood. He'd always known you were more reserved than the women he'd dated before. You didn't beg for attention from anyone men included. You never made the first move on any guy he'd ever seen you with and a lot of times he could tell you were awkward when you were complimented and told just how beautiful or sexy you were. At this point, he was tired of waiting for you to tell him how you felt; he was tired of waiting for you to make a move.

    He parked in the parking lot of your condominium complex and grabbed his bag and the takeout bags from the backseat and made his way inside. On the ride up in the elevator, he rechecked his phone to see if you'd sent another message. When the elevator arrived on the twelfth floor, he finished off his email to his agent and tucked his phone away and grabbed the spare key he had. As he walked down the hall, a few people passed him, and he tucked his baseball hat lower to obscure his face. Once inside, he dropped his bag in the foyer, kicked off his shoes, and walked into the kitchen to place the takeout bags on the island. He saw the corkscrew and the cork and knew you'd probably had a stressful day of work. Walking toward your bedroom, he intended to knock, but as he approached, he could hear the muffled sounds of moans. Craning his neck to the door, he listened carefully. The moans got louder, he thought it was the TV, but when he heard a high pitched screech, he pressed his ear to the door. His heart was pounding, and he didn't know why.

     "Aaah-mmmm. Yes."

     That's not the TV, he thought. His instincts were to turn away and leave; he felt like he'd invaded on your privacy and was mortified for it. As he took a step to back away, it was then he heard it as plain as day.

     "Oh, Henry!"

   He stopped in his tracks and felt like he'd been hit by a train. The air rushed from his lungs, and the thought to leave was gone. Placing his hand on the doorknob, everything in him just wanted to walk in there and finally express himself. Before he turned the knob somehow, he got a grip on his desires and the fire in his belly. Clenching his jaw, he turned away from her door and walked back to the kitchen. He took out a bottle of Guinness from your fridge and gulped it all down without taking a breath. Once finished, he leaned forward and balled his fists. The thought of what you were doing behind that door was getting the better of him. He wondered if you were using your fingers or if you had a bullet or something more versatile. He wondered how long you'd been at it, if you always said his name, or if you were completely naked. He groaned and trekked back to the fridge and took another beer. Halfway through it, he decided he was done with this back and forth and waiting and he devised a plan.

    Once he'd finished with the beer, he dropped both empty bottles in the garbage and walked back to your front door. He opened it and slammed it shut.

     "Y/N! Are you here? Are you awake?"

     He listened and heard a loud bang as if something dropped on the floor--or someone.

     "Henry?!"

     "Yeah. What's going on? Are you in the bedroom? I'll come to you."

     "No, don't!"

    He pinched his lips at the panic in your voice.

     "I'll be right there. Give me a minute," you responded.

     He walked back into the kitchen and unpacked the containers from your favorite restaurant and got the wine from the fridge. After a few minutes, you rushed into the kitchen in your black silk robe. He tapped into his acting skills.

    "Hey. Were you sleeping?"

     "Yeah, I um--I dozed off. Didn't even realize it."

     "Are you sick?"

     Shaking your head, no, you continued to avoid his eyes, "No, not sick, just feeling a little lethargic."

     "That time of the month?"

     "Nope." He knew instantly what time it was.

    "Ah, I see, it's that other time," he responded with a nod. He'd teased her before about the way women got during their ovulation time. He'd always found it interesting mother nature's ultimate sabotage, especially if a woman wanted to stay away from children. She made it so your body worked against you.  It was then he realized just what he'd walked in on. You were probably having the hardest time fighting it off.

     "What're--what're you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it," you rushed out. You sounded as if you'd run a marathon.

    "I couldn't, but I fought to get the hell out of there and here I am. Should I have not come? Did you have other plans tonight?"

    He gave you an inquiring look keeping in mind what you were just doing. You looked at him and gave him an innocent look and shook your head before looking away from his eyes to look at the mountain of food containers.

    "Nope, no other plans. Let's eat. What movie did you want to watch?"

    You took a few of the containers and walked away to the living room. He chuckled under his breath and followed you with the rest of the food and wine.

    You scanned the movies on Netflix and drank glass after glass of wine until you found an all-around movie, one with action, comedy, and romance. You both paid attention to the movie and joked between you, it was always comfortable with you, and he appreciated it. After a long day, you were probably the only thing that could help him de-stress. Throughout the movie, he initiated accidental touches that had you flinching back and looking away or smiling to yourself. When he took off his sweatshirt he pretended not to see you glancing over the exposed skin at his waist. He even pretended not to see you sink your teeth into your lip. It took everything in him to not react when he saw you suck your bottom lip in your mouth as you studied him when you thought he wasn't looking.

There were a few times when he thought you'd finally admit your feelings or give in to your wants, like when he reached over and wiped some sauce from your robe, or when his eyes dropped to your cleavage as he wiped the fabric, or when he unnecessarily brushed his butt against your hand as he passed in front of you. Still none of his actions elicited the wanted reaction, you looked like you were struggling yes, but still, you held tight to any confessions. That was when he decided to step up the tease. When you finished the last bite of your food, it left some sauce on the side of your mouth, he reached out and slowly wiped it with the pad of his thumb. It was meant to tease her, but as he did it, he was the one who had the most significant reaction. This was the first touch that he felt was intimate. In this moment he wanted you and didn’t want to play any games.

                                                  ۞۞۞۞۞۞۞۞

-Y/N-

   You couldn't breathe, think, or move. You doubted he knew just what he was doing to you. He had to be clueless at the power he held over you. Your brain was mush, and you were dripping wet. You scolded yourself, in the rush to hide all evidence of your masturbation you’d forgotten to put on underwear. The fact that you were completely naked and filled with an unfathomable amount of need for him was too much to bear. You knew that if you got up the evidence of your arousal would be easy to see soaked on the couch. Pressing your knees together you looked away from Henry and back to the TV. You frantically looked around to find the wine bottle. From beside you, you heard Henry release a breath. You looked to him and watched as he rubbed his forehead and tipped the hat off his head. His hair was slightly tousled, and you just wanted to touch it.

    "So how much longer are we going to dance around this, love?"

    You barely heard the question you were so lost in watching his hair and the energy it took to fight your wants and ignore everything your body that was running on crazy hormones was telling you to do. You hated ovulation week it was hell, especially whenever you were around him. The fact that you hadn't even finished before you heard him come through the door made it that much worse. Your body was on high alert. Shaking your head, you looked at him and heard the words he'd spoken.

     "What?"

     "It's been years and years aren't you tired?"

     You gaped at him genuinely confused what he was getting at.

     "I'm confused--,"

     "I'm tired, bollocks I'm exhausted, and that's just from tonight," Henry admitted.

     "What are you exhausted about from tonight? What's going on? Work?"

     "I'm exhausted because I've had to pretend I didn't hear you pleasing yourself while moaning my name all night. I've had to pretend I'm not picturing what is underneath that robe or how it would feel to have your mouth on my skin. I'm exhausted and have no idea how you're not after doing all this pretending for years."

    The blood pumped in your ears, and then the ringing began. Your heart pounded so fast you thought you were going to have a heart attack. You couldn't think, all you could do was hear his words replaying in your head. You couldn't believe your ears. Not only had he just called you out like hardcore called you out, he'd eluded to wanting what you wanted. Your jaw dropped, and you looked away and around the room, unable to speak. What could you say? You knew what you wanted to say. Quickly your head snapped back to him just as his tongue peeked out to dance across his lips. Your mouth went dry. The moment stretched on for what felt like an eternity, neither of you spoke, neither of you moved. Just as you thought to Henry darted across the couch and crushed his lips to yours, delving his tongue into your mouth. He expertly kissed you and claimed your mouth as his, a claim you didn't dare object to. Instinctively your hand clasped the nape of his neck, and you allowed your fingers to sink into the hair there. Henry groaned on your lips and the wall you'd carefully built around all you pent up desires for him collapsed. Behind this wall was every dirty dream, filthy whim, deep dark desire, and every fantasy you'd ever had about him.

    You climbed on top of him and straddled his thighs, deepening the kiss and bringing your hand to join the other entangled in his hair. It was soft, so soft. Henry's hands gripped your hips and squeezed. You could feel his length growing as it pressed onto the need between your legs. Moaning again you pulled his head back by his hair. His loud grunt was followed by a husky groan. You kissed, licked and nibbled his neck before biting on the lobe of his ear. In an instant, he'd flipped you onto the couch and pressed his muscular body on you. his lips retuned to yours as he took control of the kiss. His beard rubbing against your skin gave you a delicious chill down your spine that curled around to your belly and ignited into flames. You moaned and dropped your hand to the swell of his backside and squeezed.

     "Christ Y/N!"

    The sound of your name on his lips made the pulsating between your thighs increase and beg for attention. As if sensing what you needed, you felt Henry's hands trailing up your leg to the inside of your thigh before his finger slowly met the wetness that had trailed down to your upper thigh. Then his finger grazed across your aching lips and to the greedy bud screaming for him. You gasped loudly tearing your lips from his as you arched backward. Henry swirled his finger over your bud then delved between your folds, feeling you more intimately than ever for the first time. As his fingers met with your sopping core, he groaned and dropped his head to your neck where he gently bit the skin there.

     "Fuck!"

    Whimper after whimper begged him to stop the teasing, but he didn’t. He continued to use your wetness to slick around your need. You knew you were close.

     "Is this how you do it? Hmm Y/N? is this how you please yourself while you think of me?"

    You opened your mouth to respond, but nothing came out, all you could do was moan more. Henry's fingers sped up then slowed only to speed up again. He was teasing you. You didn't doubt he knew how close you were and wanted to toy with you. When you knew you couldn't take it anymore, you felt Henry slip a finger inside your desperate heat and sink it to the hilt before he added a second finger. When he pulled it back, he slowly pressed forward again your hand flung to the back of the couch and squeezed it feeling your orgasm begin to uncurl within you. Suddenly henry pulled his fingers from you and sat up. His hair was a mess, lips red from your kisses and eyes dark with desire. He placed his fingers in his mouth and sucked them clean. The sight was enough to send more heat through you.

     "Bed. Now!"

     The order was laced with urgency, an urgency you felt as well. Standing up, you wobbled to your bedroom and quickly glanced in the mirror and tried to fix yourself up as best as you could. When you got out the bath, you didn't lotion or do any of your beauty rituals and thought to do it to make sure he had the best experience possible but when you heard his feet trotting across the wood floor, you shook the idea out your head and hurried to your bed. When he walked in, he tsked.

     "Since you're not in that bed already just stand right there," Henry ordered.

     You stood at the side of the bed and watched him walk in your room. It was an action he'd done dozens of times throughout your friendship only this time nothing about the move was platonic. He stopped in front of you and touched the ends of the knot you'd tied and pulled on the material to loosen said knot. Anticipation gripped your heart, and so did the nerves. He'd never seen you naked before, and you were worried he wouldn't like what he saw. The robe hung just off your skin, and he used his pointers to trace up the material to your shoulders and pushed it off. Effortlessly the silk fell to the floor, leaving you fully bare before him.

     Henry's eyes slowly drank in every inch of your figure from the swell of your breasts to the curves at your waist and hips. When his eyes stopped at the apex of your thighs, you bit down onto your bottom lip and tried to fight the urge to run and hide.

    "God, you're gorgeous," his husky voice smoldered. Searching his eyes for any hint of a lie, you found none. You stepped into him and kissed him again. You doubted you'd ever get enough of his lips. Henry took control and gripped your hip and pulled you against his body. You groaned hating the feel of all his clothes. You grabbed onto the hem of his shirt and lifted, allowing your fingers to graze his abs.

     "Too much clothes," you managed to groan out.

     Smiling against you, he wasted no time pulling the shirt over his head. You looked over his torso and smiled; he was gorgeous and thicc. You loved his body, always had and the build he had for this movie was one of your favorites. Henry turned you so the backs of your thighs bumped into your bed and hovered over you until you sunk into your plush comforter. Henry climbed on the bed and laced kisses across your body starting from your hip to your belly button, then to your ribcage and your exposed breast. The second you felt his lips around your nipple you arched back and gasped in. Henry sucked your hardened numb in his mouth and suckled.

     Mewls of pleasure escaped your lips, and when you felt his mouth on your other breast, you sank your hands in his hair and hugged his head to you. Before you had time to get lost in your pleasure, Henry pulled your hands from his hair and stretched them over your head and hovered over you once again. You felt cold metal around your wrist, but it didn't register. When you tried to pull your hands back, they didn't move. You looked overhead and saw he'd cuffed you to the headboard. Glancing back to him, you saw a smile.

     "There is a toll to pay. Eight years you've hidden how you felt, eight years you've made us suffer, eight years you've lied. Your toll is eight."

     Crinkling your brow, you pulled your arms again but to no avail, "Eight what?"

    Henry parted your thighs and dropped his lips to your neck where he softly kissed you then traced the tip of his tongue down your body. When he made it to your breasts, he sucked your nipple into his mouth again. Your moans began again and but when you felt his teeth nibble the bud you gasped and pulled your head up to watch him wreak havoc on your body. Glancing up to you briefly you saw him smile.

     "Eight orgasms," he cooly said before he moved his lips across your stomach down to your pelvis. You couldn't believe your ears or what was happening. The man you'd been in love with for so long and pinned for was kissing and licking your body and promising you orgasms, orgasms you didn't have to give yourself. Your anxiousness shone through with another yank of your hands. As Henry settled between your leg, she came face to face with your sex and examined you without touching. After almost a minute the anticipation coursing through you seeped to the surface, and you released a small whine.

     "What're you doing?"

     "You are so wet for me Y/N. It's beautiful." He kissed your pelvis, and you pinched your lips together to stop the sounds threatening to spill out.

     Every kiss he dropped to your skin came closer and closer to where you wanted his mouth the most. Giving you one last glance and a cocky smirk, he kissed your swollen and needy pearl. This was no simple kiss; this kiss was slow and ended with him sucking your flesh into his mouth. You didn't even know it was coming, but when you arched your back, you felt your orgasm rip through you. As you came, Henry didn't stop; he only sped his movements and flicked his tongue against you. It felt as if butterfly wings were fluttering on you and it pulled away another orgasm from you. All that was heard was the sounds of your moans, whines and pants and the clattering of the handcuffs against your headboard.

     He never allowed your body to cool. After your second climax slowed, his hand crept up to your breast and tweaked your nipple. You couldn't stop the loud whine that he pried from you this time, and honestly, you didn't want to. Part of you was embarrassed that after barley five minutes between your thighs you'd already came twice and on the verge of a third. You didn't know what you expected, but this wasn't it. For the next several minutes, Henry gave you two more orgasms before he lifted his lips from you. They were red and wet, and you wanted him more than you ever had before. You attempted to move to him, forgetting your state of confinement and groaned out your frustration. He smiled.

    "You still owe four more."

     "I can't."

     He gave you a devilish smirk one that made your skin heat all over again. You bit your bottom lip just before he buried his head between your legs again. You arched your head backward and let your moans free, one after the other. He was clearly on a mission, and you were his captive and at his mercy. As his tongue quickly maneuvered bringing you to a whimpering writing mess when you felt him slip two fingers inside you that was it.

     "Fuck, Henry!!!!"

     You heard him moan and slurp against your skin, you wanted to watch but couldn't muster the coordination that action required, all you could do was buck against his mouth as he tried to suck you dry. When you looked at him, his beard was soaked, and he held a fire in his eyes that you'd never seen before. Henry rose off the bed and stood beside the bed. You watched him undo his pants and pull them off with his boxer-briefs. The first sight of him in all his glory before you had your jaw dropping. You'd imagined how he'd look hundreds of times. When you imagined it you could never get it right, you had no idea what to expect, but this was not it. Your imagination didn't prepare you at all. He was intimidatingly big and thick. He was beautiful. Henry's hands dropped to his length and slid up back and forth a few times. It was a mouthwatering sight.

     "I've wanted you for so long, I've imagined how this moment would play out tens of times, but now that it's here--I'm not going to go slow. I fear I can't, love."

     His voice was low and laced with so much emotion. You bit hard on your bottom lip, trying to keep your emotions in check. Henry walked back to the bed and climbed on and settled between your welcoming thighs. You were going to have a heart attack you were sure of it, and the thought of it made you anxious and even more aroused. Your hands kept trying to break free from the handcuffs, but each attempt failed with a loud clatter of the metal against your headboard. Every time you tried, Henry smiled, he was enjoying your struggle. Your eyes dropped to his protruding desire just as he placed it atop your pubis. The heaviness of his thickness made you moan in anticipation. You could see the moisture dripping from him and bit your lip again as your eyes met.

     "Do you want me Y/N?"

     You nodded your head instantly, not caring how it made you look. You wanted him bad and didn't bother to hide it any longer. Henry pulled back and slid the tip of his need across your aching sex, making sure he connected with your clit. You gasped and closed your eyes you knew it would be a matter of seconds before you came again if he continued this slow torture.

     "I can't hear you, love. Do--,"

     He lined himself up with your opening focusing intently.

     "You--."

     He then rubbed himself against you coating his thickness with your juices, again your hands pulled against the cuffs.

     "Want--."

     Henry slipped his length back up to your clit and forcefully nudged it.

     "Aaah!"

     "Me."

     "Yes, fuck yes! I want you, Henry, I've wanted you for eight years, and I want you still. I love you!"

     With a wild look and no more hesitation, Henry flicked his hips forward and sheathed himself within your cavernous heat. The shock of the action and the ripple of pleasure that erupted in you made you scream out and yank your hands at the same time yet another orgasm violently coursed through you. Henry grunted loudly but stilled his movements. When you looked to him, you could see the struggle in him, his jaw was clenched, and his chest was heaving. Circling his hips your thighs instinctively came together, Henry pulled them apart again and pushed them back to the mattress where he held them down. He groaned loudly, pulled his hips back, and snapped them forward again; the force made your breasts jiggle, prompting another moan from his lips.

     "Christ! Mmmm, eight years Y/N. Eight years you've kept this feeling from us. Eight years!"

     His hips picked up pace and gliding in and out of you at a maddening pace, one that was doing wonders with muddling your brain. Every time he connected your bodies, your body jerked with the feel of him stroking that sensitive spot within you. You felt your toes curl in a matter of minutes and that was the only warning you gave before you screeched out and rewarded him with orgasm number seven. Clenching around him, Henry sunk back onto his haunches and pulled your body down to him and sunk even deeper into you. You had no idea how you took him and weren't screaming bloody murder.

     "Oh love, you take me so well, do fucking well!"

     You nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing. As he plowed into you with reckless abandon, you didn't bother hiding his effect. You screamed his name freely and welcomed everything he gave. When he straightened your legs and held them in the air together lifted your backside off the bed, the change of angle gave him your eighth orgasm, one that had you squirting all over him yet again.

     "Yes, Y/N, cum for me, come all over my cock!" his voice sounded as if he were on the verge of losing it. Henry parted your thighs again and leaned over you then grabbed your neck as he quickly delved in and out of your slickness.

     "You're so tight. You feel incredible!"

     The roughness in his voice only pushed you farther and farther to the edge, the edge you knew that had no bottom and would result in you being hopelessly in love and completely ruined by him. Once over that edge, you knew you'd be ruined for every man that wasn't him.

     "Fuck, yes, yes Henry, please!"

     "Please what love?"

     "Please don't stop, please!"

    "Never!" He gently squeezed your neck as his strokes lost their coordination. You knew he was close and rose your hips to meet him as you clenched around him. His eyes snapped to you, and it was then you heard a deep predatorial growl rumble. You'd never been this turned on in your life and he knew it, you could tell. Henry used his free hand to swirl his thumb around your clit, and that was the last push you needed. Screeching loudly, you arched off the bed and wildly thrashed your hips against his determined to pull him with you over the edge. Henry's mouth dropped open, and you heard him moan loudly before a yelp took over. As you clenched around him, you felt him release every drop of his essence deep within you. Your moans and pants of pleasure intertwined as one just as your bodies were. He dropped his body to yours and tried to bury himself deeper inside you as his body began to shake. You pulled his hair, forcing his head back to kiss him, a kiss he eagerly returned with the same passion you felt.

     After nearly ten minutes of Henry resting atop you still buried within your well-coated heat, you stirred, realizing you could move your hands. You hadn't even realized when he'd uncuffed you; you were too lost in the afterglow of the best sex you'd ever had. Your smile spread across your face, and soon joy filled you.

     "I can hear you smiling," Henry breached.

     You snorted and pinched your lips together just as he lifted his head to look at you.

    "Going to tell me why or do I have to read your mind?"

     "Try it," you challenged with a smile. You knew he loved a challenge.

     "If I guess right you owe me another toll," Henry suggested.

     Snorting, you shook your head and slightly shifted underneath him. The action made him suck in a rush of air then groan. You could feel him hardening inside you. Shocked you widened your eyes at him making him laugh loudly in the quiet room.

     "My god, you're insatiable," you accused.

     "You're smiling because that toy you have in that top drawer never made you cum nine times in a row and never left you feeling this satisfied. That smile is you realizing just how perfect we are."

     You smiled again and rolled your eyes.

     "Looks like another toll is due," he teased before he kissed you again this time slowly. He then gazed into your eyes and gently caressed your cheek.

    "I love you Y/N, I've always loved you. I will always love you. You are more than good enough. "

   Smiling again, you kissed him and rolled on top of him. It was going to be a long, toe-curling weekend.

    Tags:

@mrscullisblog

[lizzexx]

4 Plagiarisms :(

I’m about to start work, but this has been eating at me since yesterday night so I need to post it first.

As some of you may know from my last post and on FF’s chapters, internet at my house has been spotty the last few days. We just got our modem all set up yesterday and I went on FF to give the next chapter I’d be posting a final edit and answer some recent PMs...

One was about a potential plagiarism.

They mentioned a story, a single story, that concerned them. It began original, but near the end they saw very clear paraphrasing of a Doctor Who story I wrote.

I checked, and it is very blatant paraphrasing, as in they copied my work and tweaked a tiny bit and posted it as their work. 

I’m not talking about describing things from the show in a slightly different way, I mean they took ORIGINAL CONTENT and paraphrased it :/

Worse yet, it was the 1st of THREE stories so now I had to check them too.

All three contain the paraphrasing of original content.

First story ended with it, next story had it in every single chapter, third story only just started and already has a paraphrased segment in it :/

I might have considered reaching out to request they change the paraphrased portions, had it just been the first story since it appeared after a lot of original content from them, but ALL THREE? :/ No, it’s intentional now.

Even worse, it’s not their only DW series, they have another which also appears to contain paraphrased parts. Not as badly as the first series, but it’s there :/

I’m going to be posting the evidence in a few hours, once I finish with work for the day, and ask for help reporting the 4 stories.

To be clear, when I talk about plagiarism, I mean clear copy/pasting of work or very obvious paraphrasing, especially noticeable in original content.

And it wasn’t just ONE of my stories or even one of my OCs, it was, so far, at a glance, 2 separate OCs and 2 stories from each OC :(

And I’m pretty sure I saw parts of a 3rd OC but I need to recheck :(

Once might be an accident, four times is too much and even if 90% of their story was original, the fact that they’ve done this 4 times is too much to ignore that 10% being taken from me :(

-sigh-

Not looking forward to later :(

[actuallyrandomperson]

My thoughts on the Sanders Sides Spotify playlists- Roman Edition!

Note: this is Purely me saying whether or not I like the songs, not theorising about any deeper meanings. I’ve done them all, so just click on the names to see my reactions to the others: Virgil, Patton, Logan, Janus

Impressions from looking through the playlist: so This One I can confidently say I know more of the songs from. At least, from the titles I do. It helps that I probably have the most personal overlap of music taste with Roman, judging by the titles I recognise sjdksk

1: ‘A Gay Disney Prince’, by Thomas Sanders, Jon Cozart. I have never heard of this song ever before, and don’t have any clue who the singers are. This song totally wasn’t on my ten hour playlist up until the moment I was playing said playlist in the kitchen while baking with my mother and it came up and I felt awkward by the innuendos at the start. And I absolutely hated it, can’t believe it was in this playlist at all. I do not know it word for word at all, and me mentioning in my schools lgbt+ club when it was released definitely didn’t result in a large majority of us bonding over our shared love of Thomas Sanders.

2: ‘Wonderboy’, by Tenacious D. I have mixed feelings on this song? Some part of me really liked it, but another really didn’t. I don’t know. I still added it to the 32 hour playlist though, as I figure I can remove it at some point in the future if that opinion eventually wins out. It was entertaining, at least!

3: ‘Disney Princess’, by Lewberger. Despite my enduring love for Keith and the rest of The Try Guys, I haven’t actually listened to that much Lewberger. This is obviously a fault that I will be remedying as soon as possible, as this song was hysterical. Obviously made it onto the 32 hour playlist, and also theres a tiny part of me getting excited over some of my faves interacting in a vague way even though I know that it’s not that unusual dhxkkdks

4: ‘Broadway, Here I Come!’, by the SMASH cast. I’ve never seen SMASH, but I liked this song! I like showtunes and songs from musicals a lot of the time, but I also only tend to listen to them when I’ve actually seen whatever they’re from, and I’m a poor 17 year old who can’t sing or act and can only slightly dance, so there’s not as many as there otherwise would be in my 32 hour playlist. This is on there now though!

5: ‘Hallelujah’, by Oh Wonder. I liked this! I expect I’ll be saying that a lot in this playlist ndjfjskdkd. I actually added it to my ten hour playlist!! Which will mean nothing to you if you haven’t read my other reactions so I recommend u go do that!! At least Patton’s/Virgil’s as they’re the ones completed at the time of writing this! Lmao

6: ‘Holding Out for a Hero’, by Bonnie Tyler. Have to say, as a gen z who grew up more with Shrek than Footloose, hearing the original version of this song was wild. I’ve heard it before, obviously, but I just. Hear this song in the fairy godmothers voice when I imagine it. This was added to the 32 hour playlist though!!

7: ‘If I Dare’, by Sara Bareilles. I’ve never seen Battle of the Sexes (unsurprisingly; I don’t watch many movies jdjdkkskw) but this song was cool! I wouldn’t purposefully seek it out in the future, but I liked it enough to put it on the 32 hour playlist so it’ll come around every now and again.

8: ‘Go the Distance’, by Roger Bart. This song highlighted the big, gaping hole in my 32 hour playlist which is the lack of music from Hercules. It’s literally my favourite Disney Renaissance film, why the fuck was the soundtrack not already in the 32 hour playlist??? It is now, don’t worry. Also, at the end of these I’m gonna be rechecking the length of both the 32 hour playlist and the 11 hour one and giving an updated total as I’ve only added 1 song so far to the 32 hour long on that wasn’t prompted by one of the songs in these playlists, and I doubt I’ll add any more, and adding all of the Hercules soundtrack + bonus tracks added another whole hour in of itself. There’s a r e a s o n this playlist has gotten so long shfjdjskxm

9: ‘Flamboyant’, by Dorian Electra. This is the first song of this playlist that I haven’t really liked, even including wonderboy. It didn’t make it onto either playlist, but I probably wouldn’t skip it if it comes up on a playlist in the future.

10: ‘Jumpstarted’, by Jukebox the Ghost. This was a bop! I often seem to like songs that jump all over the place a lil bit (see: my love of Tiny Love by MIKA and my newfound love of Be Calm by Fun.), and this one did just that! It made it to the 32 hour playlist 😄

11: ‘Brave New Girl’, Britney Spears. I mean. It’s Britney Spears. Do I need to say anything more? It’s been added to the 32 hour playlist.

12: ‘Every Boy’, by Miss Benny. If I tell y’all that ‘Boys will be Boys’ and ‘Little Game’ were the first two songs I ever added to the 32 hour playlist, I think you’ll know my feelings on this song. It’s the second first one that was already on said 32 hour playlist out of all the songs so far, and the only reason it’s not on the 10 hour one is I didn’t deem it ‘normal people music’ enough (which is the main criteria for said playlist as I play it around my fam)

13: ‘Primadonna’, by MARINA. This was a bop! I added it to the 32 hour playlist, but I don’t expect myself to specifically seek it out in the future. I did bop around to it a lil bit while lying down tho!!

14: ‘King’, by Years and Years. I didn’t recognise this song at first, but it hit the singing and I was like ‘oh!!’. It got added to the 32 hour playlist!! It’s a Bop!!!

15: ‘Cheap Queen’, by King Princess. The title and artist combination gave me a chuckle, and although I wasn’t foully sold on the song when it first started, I liked it enough by the end to add it to the 32 hour playlist. I feel like it’ll grow on me more as I hear it again in the future.

16: ‘Humility (feat. George Benson)’, by Gorillaz. My best friend was obsessed with Gorillaz when we first met, so I’ve heard a lot of their music (although this song wasn’t out back then). I liked it, and added it to the 32 hour playlist, but I probably wouldn’t seek it out specifically as I only slightly vibe with Gorillaz music

17: ‘Ain’t Got It Like That’, by Earl St Claire, PJ. I liked this, but not enough to add it to the 32 hour playlist. It was good, and I wouldn’t skip it in the future if it came up in a playlist, it just wasn’t my jam.

18: ‘Dreamer’, by LaPeer. I liked this as soon as it started, and that initial instinct proved correct! I added it to b o t h the 32 hour playlist and the ten hour one!!! I know!! It made me feel kinda soft and also the message in it is Important

19: ‘Paving the Runway (You’re Gonna Fly)’, by JJ Heller. This is another one I sensed myself liking as soon as it started, and I once again had good instincts! This one was even softer, but I liked it slightly less so it’s only on the 32 hour playlist.

20: ‘GO.’, by Keith Tutt II. This song immediately intrigued me, partially because I wasn’t initially even fully sure if it had started or if I was hearing things. I liked it, but wouldn’t specifically seek it out. It did make it into the 32 hour playlist though!!

Final Thoughts: What a shock, I liked the playlist filled with musicals and pop the most (so far)!! It’s a miracle!! It’s almost like I tend to like musicals and pop!! But yeah, I wasn’t surprised that most of this playlist fit into my music tastes. My favourite new song would probably be Dreamer, followed by Hallelujah. 18/20 got added (technically 16/20 as two were already there but u get me) to the 32 hour playlist and 2 to the 10 hour one.

@thatsthat24

[chiauve]

The Man in the Dark - 1

Ally had been told emphatically by her father that she was not allowed to go down into the abandoned labs below the building. They’d been converted to storage units when the building was repurposed for records and bookkeeping and all that boring stuff of the BSAA so there was nothing of interest down there but it was still dangerous anyway. So of course that was the first thing she did.

Both her parents worked long hours and neither wanted their eight-year-old daughter home alone after school, and Ally had no close enough friends with which to spend those hours. Most of those days she spent with her grandparents, especially her doting grandfather, but they too were still involved in the work life and would sometimes be away. So her father would pick her up and bring her to his office building. It was a decent compromise; a little more time with her dad, somewhat, and, supposedly, time to sit down and get her homework and reading done. She could wander as she pleased, grab a snack from the cafeteria, and hole up somewhere quiet to focus.

Or that’s what she said. She’d give her dad a kiss on the cheek and, backpack over her shoulder, head for the less used hallways and then make a beeline for the stairway. The elevator did go to the basement levels but they required a key to go down and she didn’t want anyone to happen to see where the car was going anyway, just in case.The stairway, however, and the door to the first of the basement levels were unlocked. Either no one noticed or didn’t care. Judging by the occasional cigarette and other things she’d found on that first level she guessed the latter. Even adults needed their getaways and for that reason she’d learned to be sneaky coming and going and had perused those first couple of rooms of the first level quickly.

As she was told, there was little. Boxes of old books and hardcopies of records, spare furniture, some unused safes, the fans that would get hauled out in summertime and space heaters in winter, and so on. Boring office stuff.

The building had once been one of the BSAA’s research and training facilities, but with the decrease of bio-terrorism and BOW activity over the years those departments of the BSAA had been downsized and relocated. The BSAA still had a heavy hand in monitoring pharmaceutical activities and viral research, its original purpose, but there hadn’t been an outbreak in a long time so its focus was in the usual business and government dealings and other red tape stuff. The other kids used to perk up when she said her dad worked for the BSAA, asking if he fought monsters or traveled the world, and then would lose interest when she informed them he just had a desk job.

Ally crouched down by the door to the basement and listened for a long minute. No scuffling of feet, no voices, no weird slaps and grunts of people being gross, so she opened the door and slid into the dark. She knew the layout almost by heart now and hurried to where she could turn her light on without being seen should someone come in, but more importantly she hurried because she hated the dark. She really did. The stories her grandpa used to tell her were burned like brands into her mind and despite knowing full well no lickers or hunters or other extinct things were going to grab her she wanted to be able to see to be sure.

She counted steps and she jogged down a hallways and turned into the third room where she turned on her phone light and sat in a spare chair, spinning it around to assure herself there were no monsters.

The monsters were all gone. People like her daddy kept track of that and the brave BSAA agents made sure of it.

Still, some shadows made her shudder.

She dug into her backpack and pulled out a large flashlight, trading its broad, warm light from her phone’s colder one. A big flashlight said ‘explorer’ more than a phone ever could, but she kept her phone handy should she find something interesting to film and show her classmates later.

Poking her head back out into the hall for a last check, she hurried to the basement stairs. The second basement level was accessible from there and had a few more interesting things: old lockers, a few safes still locked and functioning, bathrooms and showers that still worked, obsolete computers long wiped, and more old furniture and boxes of records that nobody needed anymore and would someday probably just be burned.

She crossed this level to get to another set of stairs that led down to what she dramatically referred to as The Dead Zone. Whatever power there’d been down there was long shut off, pipes silent, and the only movement that of rats.

She hated rats. Not the cute, fat little things that sat on your shoulder in school, but the nasty wild ones that bit and probably carried The Plague. She always wore her boots on days she knew she was coming to her dad’s work.

The last of the power on the second level stopped at the door at the bottom of the stairs to the lower levels, keeping that door locked behind a large deadbolt. Or it was supposed to; the lock had been broken for a long time and no one came down to check it.

Discovering that had been the moment Ally went from childish scrounging through forgotten storage rooms to exploring the Unknown. A lone agent in the oppressive, silent dark. She’d been down there many times and it scared her every time.

She approached the door and paid respect to that dark, shutting off her flashlight and staring at that pinpoint of light on the lock; the last sign of life and civilization. She pushed open the door and slid inside and didn’t turn her light back on until the door clicked shut behind her. She double-checked her phone; the signal was weak but still there should she get locked in or something happened. She’d get in trouble, but knowing she could call for help kept her fear at bay. She shushed her shadow (only quiet in the Dead Zone) and then moved on.

She’d explored most of this floor already. As far as she could tell there were two more below, but it was harder and harder to get to them. The space got heavy the farther down she went; the dust thick and the dark itself pressing down, insulted at the presence of a little girl. She concluded that as long as she was a polite guest it wouldn’t really harm her.

There was a big open space she guessed was once a gym, or some kind of training area. A few mats were left and started to rot long ago. There were rooms she couldn’t get into, physically locked and requiring a key or the power locks dead. Some doors still had plaques labeling their purposes: offices, training rooms, records. The bathrooms didn’t work and no water flowed, save a corner where it crept down the wall into a moldy puddle.

The next floor was worse: labs with some remaining equipment that made her mind jump to horror video games. Ally managed to wedge her way into a partially blocked door into an operating theater, but only the observatory part. The doors to the room below were well sealed.

Shining her light down into that room made it some how creepier than normal, and so she filmed it for her adventure videos and then never went back.

Her heartbeat always increased at this point, the rats skittering around just outside her light. She could see their red eyes watching her.

There was one last set of doors to the floor below, and while she’d opened them and looked into that level something chilled her and she decided to keep looking around on the fourth floor. She passed her light over that door and considered: was the day the day she go below? Should she wait?

What time was it? She checked her phone: she still had time, but her signal was getting dangerously weak. She eyed the door, then decided to be the polite guest she was supposed to be and ask.

“Should I go down today?” she whispered, so low her voice was barely more than a breath. It still roared n her ears in the silence.

Nothing moved, there was no sound, and yet the oppressiveness seemed to ease just slightly, her heartbeat not as fast. She took that as an invitation and stepped forward.

“Thank you, that’s very kind,” she whispered to the dark. She was old enough now to know she was probably being silly but you never could be sure in dark creepy places and it was best just to be cautious.

She pushed open the dead door and descended the staircase back around to the last door. The air was so heavy and stale she was sweating, the temperature forever constant. She pushed open the last guardian and entered the heart of the darkness at the bottom of it all, her flashlight shining around the dank hallway. This was the farthest she’d ever gone, gazing upon this last floor but never entering. Her fear rose, but also a bit of disappointment. Once she explored this place, what was left? Oh she always scrounged around the other floors, always finding new things, but this was the Final. The Boss level, the...

She took a breath, rechecked the door to make sure it wouldn’t lock behind her, and then gently shut it.

The hallways had many doors indented against large rooms that made shadows that shifted and jumped out at her. The doors were huge, thick slabs that moved on a track, now dead. The first room was open, nothing but a big space beyond, though chains lay on the floor. What was this place? Training up above, labs below, and now... She pulled out her phone and filmed, scanning around the room. She used to narrate her progress on the upper levels, but here she stayed silent. She could edit it later.

The next room was the same, and so were the others. Big empty rooms with nothing in them, infested with rat droppings and bugs and other things, but otherwise silent and dead. The other floors had remnants of human life in them, which was creepy, but this had something else. Nothing. There were rooms but they were dead spaces, a large hall of big empty locked rooms.

Like a prison. Ally shuddered.

Deciding she’d done enough for today, she began to make her way back down the hall when something caught her eye. A light. A small, red pinpoint of light in the pressing, endless dark. She stared at it.

There was no power down here, how was this door still active? She shone her light on the source; a keypad, just as dusty and grimy as everything else, but still active. Hand trembling, she took a couple pictures with her phone, then, slowly, her finger inched towards a button.

She reared back and stepped away.

Not today. She was not ready for the dark’s secrets today.

She hurried back to the last door and ascended, crossed the abandoned levels and finally up to the broken door on the second basement level. Again she performed her ritual, shutting off her flashlight and curtsying to the dark, before she left and fled through the storage rooms and back upstairs.

Life, light, noise even in the quiet places. She settled herself into a corner with her schoolbooks and pretended she’d been there the whole time and pulled out a pencil.

Ally didn’t do her homework, her mind locked on that single little light in the heart of the darkness.

[bernicci]

This Just In! A New Leaked Video with shocking news!

This just in an anonymous source just gave us an exclusive insight with regards to the latest glitch in our beloved franchise.

For our amazing source to be able to do this he sent us an encrypted file containing a short but very informative look at how the Company’s management is trying to deal with fall out.

Due to the level of encryption and the risk of the information falling to the wrong hands, we have provided a transcription of the video we were given with.

We were also able to grab a few images

Without further a do, here it is transcribed to the best of our abilities.

Fuzzily the video starts, a cacophony of sounds began; telephones ringing, people arguing and some are even running.

A loud whistle was then heard in the background as were people rushing in and out.

"Look at all these Emails we've gotten over the past few days!” said the CEO angrily.

Everyone suddenly quieted down.

"Reports of bugs in the partner selection, the Live Show MVs glitching out, and even the Bond Stories getting wrong texts," he continued.

Listing all these reports they've gotten took a toll to his aging body. It placed him in a tough situation. He tried to steady himself and wipe the sheen of sweat from his brow. Steeling his resolve, he breathed in deeply and took in breath of air and released it along with his frustrations.

"How the hell did it get this far?! Don't we have a quality control group for this?!" He said loudly for everyone to hear.

From one of the cubicles shakily stood a young developer.

"Yes, Sir, we do! Buts they've reported no bugs or malfunctions before the update releases," replied the developer hastily.

"And we pushed through, thinking it was all green lit and ready to." he continued.

"Obviously it wasn't, so now we have to deal with this problem." the CEO grumbled.

Slowly he walked around while scratching his head, eyeing all of the heads of each department before speaking again.

"You said that we didn't make this bug, but obviously someone had to have messed with the files upon release, right? Something like overlooking a small flaw in the coding, or a misplaced script... So why can't we just fix this like any other bug we've had before?"

"Well we could, sir, but this is more than just a bug." the head of the Graphics department stated.

"We rechecked the latest update, and saw nothing wrong. We're now having a team check the previous updates to see if something was left unchecked, but I'm not sure tha-"

Before he could continue what he was saying a new employee came in rushing towards them

"Sir! We've found a discovery!!" the new employee yelled frantically, barging in the conference room.

"And you would be?" The CEO asked eyeing the disheveled man.

"Axel, Sir. Axel Lassaneim. Head of Maintenance.” he said as he tried to catch his breath.

“And I found something I think you should know about." The employee said.

"Well what is it?" The CEO asked irritatedly.

"Well, for one, this situation has already happened before.." Axel began carefully.

“Version 1.5.3., where the live show formation glitched out, revealing only one idol, which was Koizumi Hanayo.” he continued. As he slipped a few stills from that report.

We managed to fix that, but it reappeared, now with more problems." he continued.

"Well, why not just use the same procedure, then? Just modify it so it wouldn't happen again?" The CEO was beginning to get increasingly annoyed with the unclear answers Axel was giving.

"We didn't need to, considering the bug disappeared after a few days. That's another thing... We've checked all the evidence the players gave, and it doesn't seem to be a bug, a glitch, a wrong code, or even a virus.."

"Then what would you call this thing, if it isn't all those, huh-“

"Sir, we just recieved new information from the team." Another new employee said out loud, cutting off Axel. "All of the bugs revealed one thing in common.. they all had Ayumu Uehara as the center of those bugs."

The CEO looked at the compiled data, finding it to be all devastatingly true.

"Sir, you asked me what I would call this, if not a virus, or a bug.." Axel began hesitantly, until the CEO jumped.

He dropped the paper of evidence, to see a screenshot of the game, with Ayumu in the center, and the text below her simply reading;

"You look scared. Are you alright?”

Axel concluded. "... I'd call this a nightmare."

The video fades to black...

This file was sent in an inconspicuous SD card, with an attached letter.

To anyone who gets this,

I ask that you open the file, watch carefully and spread the news.

As my days are number, I risked personal safety to pass on this secret video.

It is my firm hope that in leaking this information we were able to spread a certain level of awareness to the public. So that they may be informed and armed to be able to protect themselves.

With hope your Friend,

Anata

Image Capture by SmiliePop, Edited & Transribed by HaraShet & AxelLassaniem

[nobeliumoxygenoxygen]

Class 1A || The annual UA Hunt

For the BNHA Gen Secret Santa exchange at @bnhagensecretsanta. My secret santa was @mymusicismylife77. It was nice meeting you (if talking to you on anon counts...) and I hope you enjoy this!!! 

SUMMARY:

THE ANNUAL UA HUNT IS HERE!

FIRST YEARS - YOU’LL BE SPENDING 12 HOURS IN USJ FINDING CANDY CANES AND BAUBLES AND OTHER ASSIGNED ITEMS! YOUR TEACHERS WILL BE OUT AND ABOUT READY TO ELIMINATE YOU! MAKE IT TO THE END AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THE SURPRISE ACTIVITY!

GOOD LUCK AND PLUS ULTRA!

WORDS: 16k (It got a bit long)

NOTE: You might need to pay attention to the times. Nothing really important but I jump around a bit and have really long time skips whoops. (And I’m so sorry I’m late!! (It’s the 24th where I am)) (pls excuse the mistakes I’m going to come back to edit more properly lol)

DECEMBER 1 | 5:55AM | 5 MINUTES UNTIL THE HUNT

The snow piled on top of the dome. On a sunny day, they would have been able to see past the glass to the sky, but now, all they saw was the white nothingness. Though even if there had been no snow, it was too early in the morning for the sun to shine. 

It was unsettling, to say the least. Especially when the students of class 1A felt quite alone in their designated areas. Though they stood with their team, the silence was almost unbearable. The fact that the teachers were supposedly somewhere near them did not help their nerves.

The timers on their watches beeped.

30...

Uraraka Ochako rechecked her suit, fighting off shivers and chills. Asui Tsuyu gave her an encouraging nod, mentally fighting off the cold. Iida Tenya and Midoriya Izuku shared a quick, soft smile. Todoroki Shouto scanned their area, the landslide looking exceptionally dangerous. It may have been early, but Team Christmas Tree was ready for the Hunt.

22...

Hagakure Tooru bounced on her toes, the movements of her gloves and boots giving her away. She refused to think about the cold, refused to think about how much she hated her “hero suit” at this moment, as she lifted a gloved hand. Her teammates, Ojirou Mashirao and Sato Rikido high-fived her.

18...

Jirou Kyouka leaned away as Aoyama Yuuga twirled around her and Yaoyorozu Momo. He was literally creating sparkles from his laser; from nerves or excitement or plain “Aoyama Yuuga”-ness, Jirou couldn’t tell. As impromptu her team had been, she was confident they’d be able to adapt to each other quickly enough, especially with Yaomomo in their team.

12...

Kouda Kouji whispered to the small ant on his hand, his initial fear of the insect subsiding as he spoke with it. Tokoyami Fumikage and Shouji Mezou watched as their friend let down the insect and as it crawled out and away from them. Kouda straightened, a shy smile on his face as he nodded; it was done.

6...

Bakugou Katsuki nudged Kaminari Denki and Ashido Mina, giving them a fierce glare as they jolted awake. They yawned loudly, the silence around them enhancing any noise. Sero Hanta shuffled away from some falling gravel, grabbing Kirishima Eijirou, sweating as he realised just how precarious the structure they were in was. It was too bad they’d been sent to the Ruins zone--with Bakugou’s quirk, it was all too easy to imagine everything crumbling down.

1...

In unison, class 1A tensed as their timers counted to zero.

Their watches beeped, signalling they were allowed to move.

An announcement poured into their ears, the familiar yell of Present Mic over the intercom. 

“FIRST YEAR CLASS ONE AAAAAAAA! YOUR HUNT HAS BEGUNNNNNNNNNNNN!”

And as one, class 1A jumped into action.

Their Hunt had begun.

NOVEMBER 20 | BEFORE THE HUNT

“Sensei! What do you mean it’s only twelve hours? The poster said it was twenty-five!” 

Aizawa Shouta stifled a sigh. It’s okay, he told himself, they just want to know. It’s not their fault they didn’t wait for you to explain. He paused. Oh wait, it is.

He intensified his stare, silencing the mumbling going around the class, Ashido slowly sliding lower into her seat.

“For the first years, your Hunt is only twelve hours. Next year, it will be eighteen. And in your third year--if you make it, that is,” He couldn’t help but add, enjoying the way some of them blanched too much. None of them had forgotten Mineta, though his expulsion had been a relief. And a reality-check. “Your Hunt will be twenty-five hours long. It’s to prepare you, slowly but surely.” 

Another hand shot up. 

“Yes, Kaminari?” He called tiredly. How many questions could they possibly have? Everything should have been explained in the posters damnit. All he was meant to do was explain the date, time, and the short paragraph he’d been given to read out. 

“Why is it twenty-five hours?”

Bakugou scoffed, causing Kaminari to look at him.

“What? It’s a good question!” 

“Like hell it is. Why do you need to ask? It’s Yuuei. They’re not gonna stop at two or twenty four hours. They have to go that extra fucking mile.”

“Plus Ultra, and all!” Sero added.

Aizawa nodded, already feeling his eyelids droop. He shouldn’t have stayed up so late with Hizashi making those stupid posters. Actually, Hizashi shouldn’t have left those damn posters so late in the first place. Actually, he should have just left him to deal with it on his own; Nemuri was right, he had a soft heart. “I’ll answer any further questions after I tell you this.” He cleared his throat, looking at the paragraph Nedzu had written. It was far too short to be informative, but the principal did have a knack for surprises--and he definitely wanted to surprise the first years.

Aizawa opened his mouth to read it out. “Number one. You will form groups of three to five, no more and no less. Two, food is provided in the neutral zone of the entrance and water is located in the drinking taps around each area. Three, teachers will be out to cuff and eliminate you. If you are caught, you will be brought outside to watch your fellow classmates succeed where you failed.” His lip twitched at that. Nedzu was being quite straightforward. ‘For fun and stress-relief’ his ass, he knew as well as anyone that this was going to be a test of ability for the students. It was merely poorly disguised. “Four, you will be given watches that will provide a timer, a button for help, the list of items you may be able to find, and your point counter. Five.” Aizawa raised his eyebrows slightly. “Good luck.”

The class was silent, eyes either on him or focused on the desk--great, the problem child already looked like he was planning something. Even greater, Bakugou was grinning like he planned to blow up the Simulation Joint. 

“Well, I guess you all want to talk about it.” The sheer energy some of his students were emitting--namely Hagakure, Ashido, and Kaminari--told him enough. As soon as he dismissed them, they’d be on their feet chattering on and on. He might as well give them mercy. “You may talk about it for the rest of homeroom.”

As he’d expected, half the students were out of their seats, gravitating towards their friendship groups, probably creating their teams already. Aizawa sighed, slipping into his sleeping bag before shutting his eyes.

The temperature was much nicer indoors, better than the cold outside. 

Aizawa fell asleep much faster than usual, to the sounds of his students’ chatter.

DECEMBER 1 | 7AM | 1 HOUR INTO THE HUNT

Uraraka scanned the rocky area, looking down at the slope and the buildings that jutted out. She found nothing in particular but still knew that something had to be there. From up high in the air--courtesy of her quirk and Asui’s tongue wrapped around her torso--she could see some of the other areas. She could even see the Central Plaza and make out the glint of the Golden Sack--though maybe that was just her imagination. 

She twisted in the air, trying to spot something--anything, really--but found nothing that screamed out to her. She sighed, tapping Asui’s tongue to signal she was done.

There was a sudden tightening around her waist and she was slowly pulled lower and lower. When she touched down, she released her quirk, the effects of gravity returning, and Asui pulled her tongue back.

“Did you find anything?” Midoriya asked. She shook her head sadly. 

“There wasn’t much. There’s lot to see on the grounds, but not here. Nothing, well, nothing really stood out enough to check it out,” Uraraka explained, shrugging. “No bots either. I guess it’s too rocky to have a bot roaming around this place.”

Iida stepped forward, a hand on her shoulder. “No need to worry Uraraka-san! We’ve only just begun the Hunt! We can explor--”

A burst of ice exploded from the ground, Todoroki suddenly yelling. “Move now!”

The other four ducked down, scrambling away as Todoroki blasted another wall of ice before following. 

The ice triggered a landslide, rocks and debris raining down on them.

“What is it Todoroki-san?!” Iida called out, slowing to allow the boy to catch up.

“Midnight,” He said simply, all the explanation they needed. They nodded.

The hour they’d spent without seeing a single teacher had been far too quiet--suspicious, even. They shouldn’t have been surprised, and yet they still were. How she had managed to come up close enough that Todoroki had had to use his ice quirk in such a large burst...

At least they were on full alert now, eyes darting to every crevice in the landslides area.

They moved into formation; Todoroki in front, Iida and Midoriya at the back, and Uraraka and Asui in the middle. They’d planned that formation in case they ever needed a quick getaway from a threat, either from in front--which Todoroki would take care of--or the back--which Midoriya would take on. Putting Uraraka in the middle was so that she could use her quirk on the others, and in turn, Asui would be able to latch onto her and Todoroki, and then Iida would activate his engines to run, picking them all up on the way.

They continued to run for a good few more minutes, unsure of how fast Midnight was. Would she be able to catch up? Was she stuck in the ice? They doubted it; their teachers were craftier than that.

Todoroki swerved into a dark overhang, the crevice deep enough to hide the five of them as he created an extra layer of ice to protect them in case the overhang collapsed. 

Uraraka leaned against a wall. The run had been rocky and dangerous--one wrong move and they could have gone sprawling down the hill.

“Do you think we’ve lost her?” Asui asked, staring worriedly at the entrance of the cave. 

“For now, yes, but not for long.” Todoroki used his flames to light the cave more, moving his arm to look around. 

Midoriya gasped, stopping Todoroki’s arm to leave it in one spot. A bauble sat in a hole, hidden enough that unless someone had been standing right where they were, it wouldn’t have been seen. Uraraka eagerly walked to it, snatching it and grinning triumphantly as she showed the glittering ‘2′ painted on it.

“We’ve found something! Finally!” She cheered, rubbing the bauble affectionately. When she remembered the others, she blushed, shyly handing it to Iida. 

Their watches beeped. Their point counters now all said ‘2′. Their first points.

Iida smiled. “Well done Todoroki-kun! You found this cave, and so, you have found this bauble too!”

Todoroki shook his head, a small smile on his own face. “It was just luck. I did not see anything from the outside.”

“We should leave the cave now. There wouldn’t be anything else in here. If Midnight finds us, we’ll be trapped, kero.” They nodded, turning when a new voice spoke.

“It won’t be Midnight trapping you inside.”

They tensed, eyes landing on a familiar figure who stood at the mouth of the crevice.

Ectoplasm. Or, at least, one of Ectoplasm’s clones.

“I’ll be eliminating you all now.”

DECEMBER 1 | 7:15AM | 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

The sound of crashing and explosions filled the air--but it was distant, echoing off the dome. 

Jirou looked above, aware of the way the rocks were suddenly all around them. She glanced behind her, meeting Aoyama’s distressed eyes and Yaoyorozu’s worried ones. 

“Where do you think that came from?” Yaoyorozu asked, hand braced on the rocky wall. “It sounded terrible.”

“Perhaps it was Bakugou-san,” Aoyama suggested. 

Jirou shook her head. “No, that was too...rocky, not like Bakugou’s explosions. It was like...like a landslide.” 

“Ah!” Yaoyorozu gasped. “That’s right! The mountains area is right next to the landslides!” She nodded. “It was probably from there.”

The other two agreed silently and left it at that. No one really wanted to think about the implications.

Truthfully, the sounds had been one of the few things they’d heard. It was jarring, being in almost utter silence save for the sounds of their own footsteps and the falling of small rocks and gravel, to hear the loud booms. But it reminded them of the outside.

Had USJ always been so big? Jirou swore it hadn’t been so big before--not even during that USJ attack, and she obviously knew how isolated she had felt, being so far away from everyone else except for Yaoyorozu and Kaminari.

They’d been walking for so long, her feet were beginning to hurt, no matter how much she refused to acknowledge that. An hour and--what? Ten minutes?--her feet were already aching.

The worst part was that they hadn’t found anything but a candy cane, which had only been one point. 

“Oh finally!” Aoyama suddenly cried out, pushing his head over Jirou’s shoulder to see the opening of the gap they’d been walking through. It hadn’t seemed so long and narrow when they’d first squeezed into it. They’d glimpsed the other side and had thought it would only be a good five minutes walk--it had ended up taking ten minutes. “I have never been so glad to see more rocks!”

Yaoyorozu and Jirou cracked small smiles. That was true. 

But Jirou still held up a hand as she stopped a few feet away from the opening, plugging her earlobes into the rock and sending sound waves. 

Nothing, nothing--wait.

She turned, looking up. 

“Yaomomo, can you look behind you a bit? There should be something back there.” Yaoyorozu nodded, stepping back and looking up to see a small rock jutting out from above.  

“Is it on that?” 

Jirou nodded. “I can get it, though.” She extended an earlobe, reaching up and over, brushing against the surface of the rock--

She furrowed her brow, then sensed the slight beep within--

“TRAP!” She screamed, jumping backwards into the open. 

Jirou’s eyes widened as she fell backwards, eyes on Aoyama as he lunged for her. 

They wouldn’t make it.

The explosion knocked Aoyama to the ground, his hands instinctively reaching up and over his head. It rocked them and though his eyes were shut, he recognised the moment something fell over him, covering him from the light.

Oh non oh non--had a rock landed above him? Was he trapped? What about Yaoyorozu-san?

He risked peaking his eyes open, lifting his head to see a sort of metal roof above him. 

Yaoyorozu coughed. “I-I just managed to get something out before anything hit us. Aoyama-kun, are you alright?” 

He nodded, blinking rapidly. “Merci Yaoyorozu-san!”

“Guys!” Jirou called from the opening, ducking down to see them. “Are you alright?”

“Oui Jirou-san! My sparkle is fine too!” Jirou nodded slowly at that, slightly confused. 

“Can you crawl out?”

“Yes Jirou-san!” Yaoyorozu said from behind. “Aoyama-kun, do you mind?”

Aoyama started crawling forward, his face scrunching in distaste as he noticed how much dirt and gravel had lodged itself in his suit. But he kept going forward, shaking his head to rid his hair of the excess dirt as soon as he made it out. Yaoyorozu followed suit and the team stood out in the open. 

Aoyama turned, seeing the red in the corner of his eye. “Oh! Is that a candy cane?” 

The other two stopped, turning to see the candy cane resting on top of Yaoyorozu’s metal sheet. Smiles broke out on their faces. Aoyama reached forward, eager to grab the candy cane when--

Ectoplasm leapt down, landing on top of the sheet, his boot crunching down on the sweet. 

Aoyama lurched backwards, bumping into Yaoyorozu and Jirou, all their eyes trained on the teacher.

“Come on, can’t you give us a break?” Jirou muttered lowly, eyes narrowed. 

He stayed silent--it was probably a clone--but charged forward and the trio dived to the side: Aoyama and Jirou to the left, Yaoyorozu to the right.

Ectoplasm’s leg snapped out, catching Yaoyorozu in the stomach, sending her rolling away. 

“Yaoyorozu!” 

She stopped rolling a few metres away, pushing herself up and squinting as Ectoplasm quickly ran after--her eyes widened, readying herself to produce something else when he suddenly swerved to the side, Aoyama’s laser shot missing.

He stood, hands behind his head as he shot laser after laser at the teacher, forcing Ectoplasm to dodge dodge dodge--

It allowed Jirou to come up from the side, her earlobes out and racing towards him--

They landed, sticking into the clone’s body and she let out a sound wave large enough that it melted back into, well, ectoplasm.

The three of them panted, left alone in the clearing. Yaoyorozu stood up shakily, dusting off the gravel from her cloak. Jirou walked over to her, helping her steady as Aoyama approached, trying to ignore the way his stomach ached. 

“That was...” Yaoyorozu began.

“Surprising.” 

“Terribly rude.”

The girls looked at Aoyama, who smiled. “Honestly, right after an explosion too!”

“I suppose we should expect nothing less from Yuuei.” Yaoyorozu said, nervously laughing. The other two agreed.

“Still.” Jirou twisted an earlobe around her finger. “It’s only the first hour and--” She glanced at her watch, “--fifteen minutes. What else will we have to face?”

They looked at each other, the reality check slapping them in his face. 

Aoyama twirled on the spot, startling the other two. “Well, let’s not waste time then!” He stopped, grinning, almost sparkling. “We’ve got candy canes to find now!”

Jirou and Yaoyorozu glanced at each other, then back at Aoyama, who was already looking around the open mountainous space. They smiled.

None of them noticed that their point counter had gone up by three.

DECEMBER 1 | 7AM | 1 HOUR INTO THE HUNT

Midoriya didn’t hesitate once as he ran forward, using a small percent of One for All to push him forward; his arm pulled back as he charged it up, aiming straight for Ectoplasm.

“GO NOW!” He yelled.

Iida spurred into action, activating his engines as Uraraka used her quirk on her and Asui, Todoroki too far back to reach. 

Midoriya was close--so so close. He waited until he was just a foot away, until his fist was a foot away, and heaved it towards Ectoplasm, the teacher having kept still.

He ducked and Midoriya punched the air, cracking the ground slightly from the force. 

He couldn’t dodge Ectoplasm now and with the teacher jumping straight up and landing his head right into Midoriya’s stomach, he was forced to take the blow, eyes bulging.

Though it allowed Iida to run past, Uraraka and Asui holding on. 

Asui shot out her tongue, wrapping it around Ectoplasm and pulling--

Their teacher was thrown into the air, spiraling down down down the slope, rolling and rolling until he disappeared below. 

Iida gritted his teeth, hard, as he forced himself to stop before he followed Ectoplasm down. 

It wasn’t enough. He was going to fall and bring the two with him damnit damnit--

Uraraka pressed all five fingers to shoulder and Iida went weightless--the three of them weightless together--

They slowly floated forward, Iida’s legs leaving the ground before Todoroki reached out and grabbed his foot, pulling the three back down. 

When their feet were firmly on the ground, Uraraka released her quirk, her stomach only slightly upset. She sighed in relief--both in evading Ectoplasm and in her stronger stomach. 

Then their attention was taken by the groaning Midoriya.

“Midoriya-kun! Are you alright?” Iida called, marching to the doubled over boy. 

Midoriya raised his head, a shaky smile on his face. “Y-yep! Just...just fine.” He dropped his head again. “That was just a really, really strong headbutt,” He said, voice wobbling.

“It’s okay Midoriya-chan, we can stay for a bit while you recover,” Asui said, crouching down next to him.

“I don’t think so,” Todoroki spoke up suddenly, getting their attention. “Our watches haven’t gone off. We would have gotten three points if we had defeated Ectoplasm, but we haven’t. I don’t think he’s incapacitated.” 

They blinked, all looking at their own watches for confirmation. 

“We’ll be on the lookout for him!” Uraraka declared, pumping a fist in the air. 

“And Midnight-sensei!” Iida added.

Midoriya shook his head, straightening slightly. “No, it’s okay, I can handle--” His cheeks puffed out.

“Midoriya, you shouldn’t push yourself. You’re clearly still recovering.”

“It’s just a headbutt guys, I’ll-I’ll be fine after I stand up.”

“A headbutt from Ectoplasm,” Asui corrected. “Though, I admit, I am a bit surprised. He must be stronger than expected to get such a reaction from you, Midoriya-chan.” She tilted her head. “After all, you manage with broken arms and--”

“Annnd that’s good Tsu-chan!” Uraraka interrupted, smiling apologetically at the other girl. She made to put a hand on Midoriya. “Don’t worry Deku-kun! Just relax--”

“Oh? So you were here all along?”

They tensed, blood freezing.

Midnight stood above them, perched on a ledge high up. She smirked down at them, holding her flogger whip from her shoulder. 

Midnight licked her lips, her eyes narrowing. 

“Seems like you were just attacked.” She rolled her shoulders. “Well, it’s not my problem.” 

The atmosphere thickened as she shifted her weight.

“It’s so early to be eliminated.”

DECEMBER 1 | 8AM | 2 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

“Bakugou, if you growl one more time you’re going to turn into a dog.”

“Shut up pinky.”

Screech.

“Hey! I thought we graduated from stupid nicknames!”

“Not when you’re being annoying.”

Clang.

“Guys--”

“Hmph! You’re the one being annoying, growling like a dog at this and at that!”

“Guys--”

“Well, maybe if we’d start doing something I wouldn’t be so restless.”

Clang clang.

“Guys!” Sero yelled, eyes widening at how loud his voice had been. The bickering two stopped to stare at him; Kirishima nudging Kaminari to wake the blond boy up more. “Didn’t you hear that?” 

“Hear what?” Kirishima asked, looking around them at the creepy buildings.

“I don’t know, like, something moving?”

Bakugou scoffed. “We’ve been hearing these buildings fall apart for hours. That’s nothing new, damnit.”

Sero shook his head, determined to make them hear it too. “No, no it was new. Not like something had broken. Like something had been pushed off.” He held up a finger. “Just-just wait, yeah?”

They waited for a good twenty seconds, though some more begrudgingly than others.

Nothing.

“Oh come on!” Sero groaned, throwing his arms into the air. “So when I need them to hear it you don’t make a sound!”

Kirishima patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry Sero--”

“Oof, you alright there Sero? Not going crazy?” Ashido poked his helmet. Sero sighed, stepping away. It was no use. Unless he heard it again, unless they all heard it, they probably wouldn’t believe him.

They continued walking, eyes on all sides.

The ruins were creepy. They’d nailed that aspect of this area, at least. The buildings were tall and leaning against each other precariously. There had to be more around here, but so far they’d found only three candy canes and one bauble--their points adding up to four in total.

It wasn’t the same as before--during the USJ attack--Kirishima had to admit. It was quiet, so so quiet, so unlike the way they’d been attacked from all sides by villains back then. He was happy to be with his friends.

Kaminari yawned again--getting him another harsh nudge to the back.

“Goddamn, how tired can you be?” Bakugou huffed.

“I’m sorry okay!” Kaminari said, raising his arms in surrender. “I’m not used to waking up at the buttcrack of dawn!”

“It wasn’t even that early!”

“For you!” He retorted. “No normal person wakes up at five to do morning jogs you know.”

“Hah? What do you mean no normal person? People who want to fucking exercise will do that.”

“Ughhhh, we already do so much exercising at school. I can’t figure out how you want to do more--”

“Okay that’s enough,” Ashido interrupted, pushing forward to lead the way through the streets. Or fake streets. She still wasn’t sure whether she was impressed by the authenticity of it all. It seemed too real to be fake. Had it really been built like this? Or did Yuuei just build around a ruined--

“Wow, it’s not like it was you and Bakugou fighting just a minute ago,” Kaminari mumbled, pouting.

Ashido simply smiled as they broke into a crossroad, a few cars piled up in the middle.

As they neared it, she gasped excitedly. “Oh oh guys guys! I think I see a candy cane! Finally!” 

She raced forward, Kaminari hot on her heels. There hadn’t been a rule about not eating the candy canes, and so far, they’d all given the lollies to him. Apparently, they were trying to ‘wake him up’ with sugar. He’d keep faking his sleepiness if it meant he got all the candy canes.

The other three followed more slowly, looking around.

Sero’s gut clenched. It was too easy. Right in the middle of the road. He fingered his helmet, using the new upgrades the support department had added--heat vision, night vision, to name a few--since the start of winter.

With the heat vision activated, he turned as he walked, looking at the buildings, down the road, the roof--

The roof!

“Ashido! Kami! Duck!” 

The duo did as told without question, ducking and diving to the sides as a few bullets shot out towards them, shattering one of the car’s windshield.

Bakugou grinned, crouching. “Snipe, huh?” 

“Hm? Yeah, why?” Sero turned--

Just in time to see Bakugou running forward, the bullets narrowly missing him as he propelled himself with his explosions.

“Bakugou!” Sero and Kirishima yelled. They glanced at each other, before clenching their jaws and rushing after him. 

Bakugou raised his arm up high, in the direction of where the bullets were coming from--

BOOM!

He smirked at the explosion, the satisfying recoil of his shoulder as he continued forward, leaning down to grip Ashido’s collar and heave her up.

“Let’s go damnit!” 

She swayed but steadied herself, following him across the road and behind the building. They glanced back to see Kirishima and Sero yank Kaminari up, running after them. 

“So what do we do?” Kirishima asked when they regrouped.

Bakugou’s grin was near-feral. “We take him out, of course.”

Kaminari stared. “Do we even get points for getting him?”

Sero tapped at his watch, scrolling through the activity sheet quickly. “Uhhh--” He reached the end, the last activity glaring up at him: ‘FIND SANTA AND THE GRINCH!’ He looked above it, finding what he was looking for. ‘INCAPACITATE A TEACHER WITH THEIR OWN CUFFS - 20 POINTS!’ “We get twenty points.”

“Hell yes!” 

“Oh hell no, do you think we can take him?” Ashido said, incredulous. 

“What? You think we can’t?”

“Well, I mean, it’s Snipe and--” 

Bakugou cut off Kirishima. “And invisible girl and four-arms--”

“Shouji?”

“--won against him during exams. This’ll be a piece of cake.”

Sero shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not convinced. They had quirk suppressants and weights on back then.”

“And they were only two against him. We’ve got five against one.” Bakugou sighed, irritated. “Do you really think we’re all that fucking weak?”

Kirishima smiled at the phrasing. “We can’t slip up this early in the game.”

But Kaminari was nodding, a grin forming. “You know what, I think we can take him on.”

“Hah! See?”

“Yeah,” He said absently as the idea grew on him. “Yeah! Come on guys! Let’s do it!” Kaminari stood straighter, his arms raised in excitement. “We’re class 1A! If anyone can take him on, it’s us! Five against one!”

Ashido raised an eyebrow at him as she murmured to Sero, “Motivational speech much?”

Bakugou clapped Kaminari on the back--probably a bit harsher than what was normally deemed affectionate. “So you do have some guts!”

He turned to the others, his grin downright feral now. 

“We’ve gotta go plus ultra, right?”

Sero looked at Ashido, then Kirishima. He wasn’t sure they were sold yet, but he knew if the two kept at it, they probably would be soon.

“Brave words for people standing around unguarded.”

The five shots were impossibly loud in the otherwise silent ruins.

DECEMBER 1 | 9:30AM | 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

Aizawa grimaced as the familiar screaming of Yamada filled his ears. Well then, he thought bitterly, it seemed he was on the move. He wasn’t sure if it was a bad thing.

No one had made a move on the golden sack. Which was good. He didn’t really want to fight this early in the Hunt; didn’t want to eliminate any of his students this early. Of course he wanted them to have fun--god, did they deserve to have fun--but it didn’t mean he was going to go easy on them.

Nevertheless, as Yamada’s screams echoed from the Flood zone, Aizawa felt a shift in the Simulation Joint.

Yamada’s voice would be heard from all over.

It was a wake-up call for everyone.

Maybe he would need to prepare.

DECEMBER 1 | 9:30AM | 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

“See anything?” Hagakure called out to Sato, a few metres away on her left. She refused to let herself shiver, knowing that if she started, she probably wouldn’t be able to stop. Ugh! She really hated her ‘hero suit’ right now. No, actually, she hated that the USJ wasn’t heated properly. Come on--did the teachers even care about them?!

Sato shook his head, sighing. “Nothing! The water’s too dark. Was it always this dark?”

Ojirou jogged back over. “I don’t think so. I think they made it darker for the Hunt.” Sato groaned.

“That makes things so much easier for us.”

“If only we had Tsu-chan with us!” Hagakure said as she walked over. “Hey, Sato, are you sure we can’t eat the candy canes?”

Sato looked thoughtful for a few moments before shrugging. “Well, they didn’t really say anything about eating it. Or not eating it. So...”

“So can I eat one?” She asked hopefully, clasping her hands together. “It’s already nine thirty! We’ve got the points from the candy canes, they can’t take it away right? Because, technically, we still have the candy canes--it’ll just be in my stomach!”

The boys glanced at each other, smiling at Hagakure’s logic. It was...technically right.

Her stomach rumbled. Loudly.

“Oh! That’s-that’s embarrassing!” Hagakure squealed, hands on her face. “Don’t look at me! I’m just starving! Ahhh!”

Sato scratched the back of his head, reaching into one of his pouches. “I guess we should have some. To keep our energy up.” He pulled three candy canes out--three of the five they had--and handed one each to the others, keeping one for himself.

So far, Team Spirit had eleven points. They had probably exhausted the supply of candy canes and baubles in the flood zone, having found most of the candy canes as they went down the water slide.

That had been a disaster. The water slide had had an explosive halfway through, and as Ojirou slid down, he’d triggered it, collapsing the slide. He’d splashed safely in the water though, but not before giving Hagakure and Sato mini heart attacks.

There’d been three candy canes in the slide alone. They weren’t complaining, it was a good thing, especially since they hadn’t found anything else after that.

Ojirou had seen something glittering underwater though, and he’d attempted several times to swim towards it, only to come up sputtering and coughing. It was too deep but he had sworn it was a bauble--a shiny, golden one too.

So now they were peering into the dark water, trying to find more, closer baubles but with no luck.

“Should we just leave? I don’t think there’s a chance of us getting whatever’s down there unless you’re sugar rush gives you bigger lungs,” Ojirou said, looking at Sato.

Surprisingly, the boy blinked in thought. Then shook his head. “Man, I got really hopeful there but...” He sucked on the candy cane resentfully. “Even if I did get bigger lungs, I’m not confident that I’d make it back up safely--cause I get sleepy and all.” Ojirou nodded, understanding.

“So!” Hagakure started. “What should we do? If we leave, where do we go?”

They looked around.

The conflagration and ruin sections were next to them, but they were sure some of their classmates had been put in those areas. Would it be a good or bad thing to run into them? Would the competition be too intense? Would there be anything left in those areas?

“Maybe we should try just going down into the general area? And take down some villain bots?” Sato suggested. The other two thought about it for a few moments.

“That sounds like a good idea! But...well…”

“What is it, Hagakure?” Ojirou asked.

“Like, is anyone else down there? It’s silly, never mind!”

“No no, go on, it’s okay,” Sato insisted.

“Well, I just think if no one else is down there, does that mean we’re doing a bad job? Only because that means they’re all still looking and haven’t given up on their areas!” She added hastily.

The boys nodded slowly. She had a point. They glanced at each other. Were they giving up too easily?

“HEY HEYYYY!”

They froze momentarily, turning to see Present Mic standing on top of the rocks, staring down at them.

“YOU KIDS ALRIGHT?!” They swallowed, Sato finishing the rest of his candy cane--it wasn’t his pure sugar, but it was still sugar. “WELL EITHER WAYYYY! I’M GONNA HAVE TO TAG YOU ALL NOW, YEAH!”

Present Mic opened his mouth.

“COVER!” Ojirou yelled, bracing himself.

The scream was piercing. It hurt and made their heads ache no matter how hard they pressed their hands to their ears.

Ojirou gritted his teeth as he pried his eyes open, staring at the water. It was rippling--but would it muffle the sound?

At this point, anything was better than the screams.

He let go of his ears--loud loud loud--and lurched forward, grabbing Hagakure’s gloved hand and Sato’s torso with his tail. Sato opened his eyes, wordlessly asking the question.

“THE WATER!” Ojirou yelled. He doubted they heard, but Sato nodded, and all Ojirou could do was hope Hagakure had understood too.

They ran forward, leaping into the air and splashing into the cold water.

Instantly, it filled their ears--good, oh thank goodness it really did muffle the screams.

Present Mic stopped, watching the trio disappear underwater. He grinned. “Ah, smart kids. Really, why’d they put me in the water area?” The grin darkened. “Ah well. I conquered water a long time ago.”

He leapt down from his perch on the rocks, stepping into the water until he was knee deep. He sighed. “Man, and I just got this dry-cleaned too.” Shaking his head, he inhaled deeply.

Hagakure gasped, bubbles escaping her lips as the water rippled. The other watched her worriedly as she began to thrash, swimming up and up, losing her hold on Ojirou’s hand. They followed--it was probably a better time than any to get a breath of air in.

As soon as they broke the surface, the screams returned with full force, their gasps of air lost in the noise. 

Hagakure ducked back down, the vibrations in her skull making it hard to figure out where the screams were coming from--she hadn’t had the nerve to stay above water for too long.

They swam as far as they could, breaking the water to breathe and duck back down. 

How long was the lake again? How long had they been swimming for?! Sato thought tiredly. He glanced at the other two, meeting Ojirou’s eyes. We have to take him out. He wasn’t sure if the message was conveyed, but the boy nodded.

Hagakure gurgled something incoherent, pointing ahead.

A dark mass loomed just in front--the ship!

Bracing themselves, they waited until they were right next to it before swimming up.

Present Mic frowned, stopping to rest his throat. He hated having to push that hard to be heard underwater. Now, where were they? “Great job Hizashi--you lost them.” Probably for the better, he added to himself. He didn’t really want to have an underwater battle--his clothes were far too good for that and this early in the Hunt? He was not going to fight the other students sopping wet.

Meanwhile the trio were slowly swimming around the boat, finding a ladder to get on or at least hold onto.

“It stopped. He stopped.” Sato huffed out.

“Not for long though. I’m sure he’s gonna start any time now.” They nodded.

Hagakure looked down, squinting at the water. “I’m going to see if there’s any baubles on the hull!” She breathed deeply and ducked down before hearing their responses, using her hands to propel herself forward through the width of the ship. 

Nothing nothing nothing. Dangit! There had to be something right? The ship had been the one thing they hadn’t checked yet, considering it was out in the middle of the lake and she really hadn’t wanted to jump in--it looked way too cold for her, and well, it was. She was shivering already.

You know what? Stuff it. I’m asking for a cloak or a jacket next time, she thought, resolved. Invisible girl or not, she wasn’t going to freeze for the next few months.

Her hands hit a spherical object, the ball-like thing attached to the hull. She brightened--a bauble! And a pretty, sparkly one too!

She shoved it out, pulling it from the hull just as more screams rippled through her brain. Argh! Could he just stop already? It was beginning to force a harsh headache.

The bauble sunk as it ripped from the hull and Hagakure turned it over in her hands, her eyes widening at the painted ‘4′ on it. 

Four points! That was great!

She was reminded of her limited air and hurried to push herself forward when suddenly the bauble opened--opened to reveal four robotic arm-like things that latched around her hand.

She winced, but continued swimming--whatever it was, she’d inspect it above water, her lungs were beginning to--

Yank!

Something was pulling her back--no, not her, her hand--the hand with the bauble attached.

She struggled, pulling her arm as far as it could but it was like-was like a magnetic force!

The bauble was still attracted to whatever it had been attached to.

And now it was pulling her along.

Oh no no no--Hagakure fought to keep her mouth closed, fought to stop herself from screaming. Oh no--was she going to drown? No, no she wouldn’t, Yuuei wouldn’t let her.

But if she didn’t get out soon she was going to pass out.

She stopped resisting and instead focused on the bauble--the robotic arms were skinny, but metal and strong, it dug into her hand painfully. 

She used a nail to pick at it, gave up, and went to shove it off, the way she’d shove off a bracelet that was too small on her. It scratched her hand as it moved--but it moved! And that was the main thing. 

Pushing pushing pushing, Hagakure tried not to let the squeezing of her chest affect her. One arm of the bauble was nearly off--and it was gone! It left a stinging line on her hand and even though she couldn’t see it, she knew it’d be there. 

Using the now free arm, she pulled at it, getting the second one off--good good, just a bit more--and then she used both to pull it more effectively. 

She was turning blue--well, she couldn’t see herself turning blue but she hadn’t held her breath for so long before. If she wasn’t turning blue then she didn’t know what she was. Was she even making sense? Her panic increased, but she tamped it down, refusing to let it surface. If she panicked now, it would be all over.

She was hero! She wouldn’t panic!

With one last, desperate, heave, the bauble ripped off of her hand and she sent it sinking away. Did they get the points? Agh, who cares who cares--she did, she didn’t want to disappoint her friends--she needed to breathe!

A large arm caught her on her back and suddenly, Hagakure rushed forward, water streaming past in bubbles.

Sato! And by the looks of him, he’d devoured some sugar!

Sato kicked his enhanced legs, his mind slightly furry around the edges, but he knew he had to get Hagakure up and breathing--how long had she been down there? They hadn’t realised--Present Mic had been so loud--until too late, until it had been at least thirty seconds. Maybe more. He couldn’t tell.

They burst through the water, Hagakure immediately breathing in a lungful, maybe two, of air, coughing and wheezing as she clutched Sato’s arm. 

Sato glanced hazily at her, unsure of what to do now.

Luckily Ojirou had made his way around the ship, finding his teammates and letting out a sigh of relief.

“You guys okay?” He called, swimming over to them. 

Hagakure nodded, then coughed. “I-I--” 

Ojirou shook his head. “It’s okay, take your time. You got us four points! That’s great Hagakure!” 

Blinking the watery tears away, she beamed--thank goodness! At least it hadn’t been for nothing.

“You okay there, Sato?”

“Hmm? Yeah...just...” He shook his head, blinking rapidly to wake himself up. He couldn’t get sleepy this early. “Good job Hagakure-san! That was a good idea.”

She smiled again, her coughing subsiding. 

“Wait, what’s that?” 

They all stopped, peering at the small metal stick still hanging onto Hagakure’s hand.

“Eep! Gross gross!” She shrieked, shaking it off. It didn’t sink immediately, so Ojirou took it in his hand, looking at it closely.

Tiny golden letters shone on the side--Hatsume industries!

He blinked. Wasn’t that that...determined support department student? The one that had used her gadgets during the festival? And helped make most of their suits?

“Looks like they get support students in on the fun too!” Hagakure said, somewhat less bubbly. “That was a really scary invention though.”

“What did it do?”

“I think it was magnetic! It grabbed onto my hand and pulled me back!” She shuddered. “I do not want to know how she comes up with these things.”

“YOU KIDS ALRIIIIIIIIIIGHT?!”

They started; Present Mic had moved, standing half in the water but still relatively close to the shore. 

He watched the trio. He had been starting to get worried. From what he recalled, none of them had underwater breathing like quirks, so not seeing them for a while had been concerning. Plus, Thirteen and Recovery Girl would kill him if he had just stood around doing nothing--Hunt or not.

They didn’t respond, merely swimming away and behind the ship. He frowned. He was being considerate! “WELL I GUESS YOU ARE THEN! GET READY!”

He continued to scream, almost bored. No matter though, he was not going in the water either way. He knew he’d be getting an earful from the other teachers as soon as this was done. Aizawa and Kayama were sure to ask how he’d gone. His fights were never quite interesting. All he could say was--

“HOLY CRAP!”

He dived to the side, sloshing water out of the way as a--was that a lawn chair?! As a lawn chair was launched towards him. 

“WHAT THE HECK?!” He looked up, his glasses askew, at the team that had made it onto the ship--how fast had they climbed?!--and now the yellow one was chucking probably whatever was on the ship at him. He groaned. He’d been too soft and now look at him, cowering at furniture!

He waded out of the water quickly--hating how soggy his pants felt, damnit, there better be no cameras around here--and dodged another lawn chair. His only comfort was that they had to run out of furniture soon.

Oh wait.

He crouched, waiting until something else was thrown--this time a lamp, were they going below deck too?--and then popped up. 

“YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

The yellow boy visibly winced, crouching down and behind the railing of the boat. He did not stand up for a while and Yamada did not see the other two.

Maybe he should stop for a bit. If their eardrums got shot, Recovery Girl would be on his ass about it for weeks.

He relented, resting his throat for a bit, hands behind his head as he whistled. 

Eh, they could spend the whole day like this unless either one of them made a move.

Yamada turned his head slightly, keeping an eye on the boat to see the Central Plaza--

“Oh man! Someone’s out there!” 

He glimpsed a group of students running out and towards the Central Plaza. From where he stood, he couldn’t see where Aizawa was but the teacher was probably somewhere in there--

WHACK!

Yamada fell to the side, his face pounding as it hit the ground. Damnit, how had he missed--what had he missed again?

A shadow loomed over him and he froze--oh no.

“Sorry sensei, but--” A jingle of metal and Yamada tensed, ready to get up when-- “Oh. That’s a big caterpillar.”

Yamada’s blood curled.

Where? Where?!

He screeched, jolting up and butting heads with the student--Ojirou, that’s his name--and frantically roamed his hands over his own body, feeling the hated tingling of bugs crawling over him even through clothing. 

“WHERE? AHH WHERE IS IT?!”

“Sensei--wait! Are you--”

“AHHHHH!” He screamed, unintentionally activating his quirk. 

He couldn’t find the caterpillar but ooh something was crawling on him, the sensation tickling his hair--his hair!

“It’s in my hair isn’t it?! ISN’T IT? MY HAIR!”

A click of metal and suddenly his arm was cuffed.

Huh.

How’d that get there?

He looked up to see the other cuff floating in the air along with a watch. Ohhh. The invisible girl.

“Good thinking Ojirou! You took advantage of his fear of bugs!”

The tailed boy blinked. “His fear...of bugs?” 

“Mmhmm! Jirou told me he was scared of bugs! I completely forgot about that until now!”

“Oh.” Ojirou looked at him, suddenly guilty. “I’m sorry sensei, I really didn’t know. It was just a really big caterpillar.”

Yamada clenched his jaw as he tried to smile. 

Their watches beeped.

“Oh my god! Thirty five points guys! THIRTY FIVE! SATOOOO!” The watch bobbed up and down--maybe she was pointing at it. Yamada smiled at the weak yell. He tried to squash the thought. Get on my level, kid. 

Ojirou helped him up, smiling apologetically. “Really, sensei, I’m sorry. I didn’t know--”

“Ah it’s okay kid.” It really wasn’t. How could the world hate him so much. “Good job you two.” He was going to get such an earful from Recovery Girl. “Now I gotta take myself to the Entrance.” A walk of shame. “Better spend this time wisely while I’m not here to bless ya with my voice.”

Ojirou and Hagakure glanced at each other--blessings, huh? 

“Good luck with the rest of the Hunt, YEAHHHH! I’ll be coming for you all!” Yamada savoured their pale faces--well, the boy’s paling face. He turned swiftly, hurrying away to the Entrance through the back of all the areas.

He did not want the other teachers to see him.

Team Spirit met up on shore again as Sato used his strength to swim fast.

“AWESOME GUYS! YOU DID SO GOOD!” Sato grinned, high-fiving his teammates. 

“So did you Sato! You have good aim!” Hagakure replied.

He blushed, shaking his head. “Nah. I was honestly worried I was going to chuck you two out of the zone. How’d you manage to get him in the end?”

Ojirou turned away, looking down as he scratched his cheek. “I...I said there was a caterpillar and Yamada-sensei...well...”

“He freaked! He freaked sooo badly Sato! Jirou wasn’t kidding when she said he was scared of bugs!”

Sato raised his eyebrows, glancing at Ojirou. Clearly this win wasn’t the type he’d enjoy; even if he had unknowingly taken advantage of their teacher’s fear. He patted Ojirou on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Ojirou. They’re not gonna pull their punches, so why would we?”

“Yeah Ojirou-kun!” Hagakure added. “I nearly drowned back then! All’s fair in love and war!”

Ojirou smiled weakly, thinking, Is this a war now?

“Anyways, we’ve got sooo many points now! I think we can go get something to eat!”

Sato checked his watch, eyes bulging. “Whoa! It’s ten past ten! We fought for a while!” 

As one, their stomachs all rumbled, eliciting various degrees of embarrassment. 

“Yeah, let’s just get something to eat now.”

“Mmhmm! Before Yamada-sensei comes back!”

That got a shudder from all of them.

As cheerful and boisterous as their teacher had been, the way he’d said ‘I’ll be coming for you all!’ did not reassure them at all.

Not one bit.

DECEMBER 1 | 10:30AM | 4 HOURS 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

“Taken down by some bugs?! AGAIN?” 

“Ehehe, well...”

“Don’t you ‘well’ me Yamada! Pathetic! You’re a pro! Your students are braver than you!”

Yamada sunk into his seat as Recovery Girl roughly unlocked the cuffs, practically fuming at the ears. 

“That’s a good thing! You know...for them...to be...” He stopped talking as she gave him a glare.

“You know just as well as I do what I meant! Hmph!” She bustled over to the cameras. “So early in the Hunt too! Look at them all! Aizawa’s managing with a whole flock of those students!”

Yamada grimaced. He could only hope the old woman wouldn’t tell anyone but that was unlikely.

“Wait till they hear about this!”

Yep.

Unlikely.

Impossible.

DECEMBER 1 | 7:30AM | 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

Kayama sighed for the fiftieth time. 

What a time to be stuck in ice. 

She wriggled her arms, stretching them over her head. She really shouldn’t have underestimated them--shouldn’t have underestimated the fact that the winter cold would help Todoroki’s ice powers in this way.

Though, she supposed, they had put up a good fight. If it weren’t for Todoroki’s surprise at the end, she might have eliminated them all. She smiled; how terribly cruel that would be, eliminating them when the fun’s just begun. She’d cut off their youth-fueled energy just like that.

Still, she gripped her flogger whip tighter and continued her chipping. It was such a tedious job, the ice wouldn’t give way at all, and when it did, only the barest fractions fell away. And with Ectoplasm out of commission--or at least, one of his clones--she wasn’t going to get any help anytime soon.

She glanced up at the camera drone hovering above and waved.

“I wouldn’t mind a little help you know!” She called out to it.

It bobbed away.

She sighed again. Recovery Girl was probably huffing and puffing at her ‘incompetence’. Well, she thought in defence of her imaginary argument, at least the kids hadn’t been able to cuff her. 

Todoroki had been too focused on stopping her from eliminating his dazed teammates that he hadn’t been able to hold back and, though it was kinda a win-lose situation, he’d frozen her all the way up to her neck, leaving her head out. They hadn’t been able to cuff her, unfortunately. Fortunately for her though.

Kayama glanced around, searching for anyone.

And when she found no one, she let a bit of her composure slip.

“Damnit just melt already why are you so freaking cold what is this ice made of--”

A mechanical but familiar voice spoke from the side and she froze.

“Maybe you should have been more on your guard instead of being so caught up in their ‘youth’! Hmph!”

Kayama smiled at the drone that made it’s way around her, waving. “Nice to see you too, Recovery Girl.”

“You can’t see me! But I can see you! Stuck in that pile of ice.” Incoherent muttering came from the drone, and Kayama could only imagine the scorn. “It’ll take another half hour to get free of that by the looks of it.”

“It could take shorter--”

“Good luck Kayama.”

Kayama slumped, pouting. She lifted her whip, saw that it was being worn down instead of the ice and clenched it tighter.

Those kids were going down.

DECEMBER 1 | 8:30AM | 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

“Split up damnit! SPLIT! UP!”

“No Bakugou I don’t-don’t leave me with him!”

“WHO SAYS HE’S GONNA GO AFTER YOU?”

“LOOK AT HIM! HE’S GONNA KILL ME PLEASE BAKUGOU--”

Bakugou grunted in irritation as he rounded the corner, stopping short at the half-crumbled doorway. Beams were placed haphazardly across it, and there was only one opening he could try. Everywhere else was too small. He took off his gauntlets, pushing them through first. 

Kaminari bumped into his back, winced as he clutched his nose.

“Is your head made of rock?! Dang that hurt!”

“Maybe you should watch where you’re going damnit.”

“Why have we stopped? He’s right behind us!”

Kaminari glanced behind him, fearfully waiting the moment Snipe would round the corner and shoot them dead. He still thought the bullets were real, no matter what the others said. They broke through the road and shattered glass--real or not, it would hurt!

“Bakugo--” He stopped dead as he turned back, finding Bakugou’s foot slipping past into the crumbled doorway. “Wait wait wait! How am I supposed to fit through? Bakugouuuuu!”

“Just fit through. Bend or something, I don’t care. Hurry up, or you won’t be able to catch up.”

As his footsteps receded, Kaminari’s panic increased. First of all, he wasn’t as flexible! Second of all, how was Bakugou that flexible in the first place? 

Kaminari jumped as a shot hit the wall. Snipe was coming oh great Snipe was coming near.

He hastily jammed a foot through the opening he’d seen Bakugou fit through, gritting his teeth past the pain as it scratched against his clothes. He lowered as he got the rest of his right leg through, using the wall to support himself as he twisted to fit his shoulder.

“You’re being incredibly slow.”

Kaminari jumped. Snipe stood at the corner, watching him with guns raised. He lifted his left arm.

“Please don’t shoot me I’m innocent!”

“What?” Snipe muttered lowly. “Never mind.” He cocked his gun up higher, walking forward as he took out a pair of cuffs from behind. Kaminari’s heart raced--no no no he couldn’t get out. 

He sped up, pushing the rest of his body through and getting his head and other shoulder out. But his left leg was still on the other side and--

Another shot rang out and a beam fell, trapping his foot.

“Oh crap.” His face blanched. “Oh craaaaap! No no no! Get off get off get off!” He pulled at his leg uselessly, twisting his foot this way and that but it didn’t budge, in fact it only made the beam slip lower, putting more pressure. Kaminari turned his head. He was in another room, but there was a hole leading to the next one over. Was Bakugou in there? “Bakugou! Bakuuu! Gouuuu! Please help me please please please--”

A shadow fell over him and he yelped as he glimpsed Snipe through the beams. He could electrocute the teacher--he knew that--but what if Snipe cuffed him first? Who’d be faster? And what if Snipe jumped as he shocked the ground? And then he’d be out of commission for the next few hours?

He didn’t want to find out. Not if it meant risking that much.

But Snipe was looming closer and with a resigned expression, Kaminari shut his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the shock--

BOOM!

The explosion rocked him to the side, his arms reflexively being brought up to protect his head from the smoke. 

Boom!

Another explosion rocked the ground, but smaller. His foot was free but he didn’t feel safe yet. 

Kaminari blinked his eyes open, peaking through his arms to see the beams blown away, Snipe all the way back down the hallway again, the window illuminating Snipe in a dark shadow, Bakugou standing beside him.

Bakugou standing next to him!

“I knew you wouldn’t leave me to die!”

Bakugou scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Yeah? And what was that look then? You were about to shit your pants.”

Kaminari grinned, waving his hands as he stood up. “Just for the theatrics!”

“Sure,” Bakugou mumbled, eyes trained on the teacher. His arms were still raised, probably ready to set off another explosion in the event the teacher shot them.

“Hm. I would have gotten you if it weren’t for your friend.” Kaminari grinned wider, giving Bakugou a thumbs up and a thanks at that. “Too bad.”

Snipe pulled out his other gun, returning to wielding the two guns when a different shadow lurched up from the window--

The remaining glass shattered as Sero leaped inside, tape pooling from his elbows as it shot out and wrapped Snipe up. The teacher grunted, his arms uselessly tied back but refusing to let go of the guns. 

He flicked his wrists, angling them.

“SERO!”

Sero glanced down just in time to see the guns aimed at his feet, his eyes widening--

Ashido slid from behind the corner, her acid destroying the floor. She reached out a hand and slapped the gun away, shooting some acid to it for good measure. 

Snipe still had the other gun though, and without hesitation he shot once, twice, thrice, at Sero, who jumped backwards in a flurry of movement his tape getting cut off. 

Snipe used that moment to break himself free, the tape falling away. 

He sensed Ashido’s kick before he saw it--ducked, stepped back once, and rammed his elbow out, catching her in the other leg.

She yelped, sliding into the wall, her last image of Snipe being him jumping out the window.

The four rushed to the window, seeing him land on the ground where Kirishima stood, hardened, but the man merely ran back inside the building, shooting bullets at their friend.

Kirishima made to follow, but saw them and stopped. “You guys okay?!” He called out.

“Yep!” Ashido yelled back.

“We didn’t get him buuut.” Kaminari held out an item--the cuffs--and beamed. “We got these! I think they fell off when you exploded him Baku!” Bakugou turned away, scoffing, but with less venom that normal. Below, Kirishima grinned, giving them a thumbs up as their watches beeped.

5 points for getting the cuffs of a teacher. Of course, it wasn’t the twenty they’d been hoping for, but it was better than nothing.

“We should start exploring the buildings better. I saw so many candy canes while we were running, but I didn’t have time to pick them all up,” Sero suggested as he created some tape to help them down.

They nodded when they reached the ground, a new fire burning in them after the fight as a result of the adrenaline.

It was early. They’d had a slow start but...

They were going to win this.

DECEMBER 1 | 11AM | 5 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

The bot’s arm came crashing down, it’s weight forcing Tokoyami to steady himself as Dark Shadow pushed it back up. It was the same bots they’d fought during the sports festival, but something told him that there had been upgrades made. And in the dome of USJ, there was a lot of light, so Dark Shadow was sufficiently weaker than usual.

But as Dark Shadow held the bot’s arm in place, Shouji leapt up, jumping onto the arm and pounding down onto the bot, sending it’s head flying off. It jerked around a bit, it’s other arm turning in an erratic circle, digging into the ground as it passed. 

Shouji brought his arms down on the exposed wiring, ripping them out until the bot stopped moving.

He jumped back onto the ground as their point counter went up by one. 

Kouda came running up to them, smiling and signing, though a bit shyly. “Good job guys!”

“It was nothing. The burden of my wrongdoings is heavier than any monster,” Tokoyami said quietly. Kouda smiled, nodding along.

“We should get moving to the Entrance before any more bots attack. I admit, I’m hungry. Now’s a better time than any to get going.” Shouji advised, looking around. They’d gained two points by taking out two bots but now the rest of their attention was being taken by Team Riot who were charging forward towards Central Plaza.

Tokoyami shook his head. “Are they taking on Aizawa-sensei now? Have they even eaten yet?” 

“I don’t know, but while all the bots are distracted, we should go.” 

They nodded and rushed forward, Dark Shadow and Shouji keeping an eye on their backs. They broke out of the trees, feet running on concrete once again.

They skidded to a stop, staring up at the looming robot. 

A three-pointer bot from the entrance exam swiveled it’s head towards them, the lens swirling and zooming in.

Like before, it’s arm swung high, but this time the arm spun as it lifted and--

It froze, electricity sparking around. A laser beam cut through the middle and it broke apart in two, revealing the team behind.

“Hey, sorry for taking the kill.” Jirou smiled, her earlobes retracting. Aoyama had his arms wrapped around his middle, leaning against Yaoyorozu for support. The trio looked particularly beat up, dirt on their faces; Yaoyorozu’s and Aoyama’s cloak ripped.

Despite that, there was a gleam in their eyes; burning bright and strong.

Shouji nodded at them in acknowledgement. “Are you going to the Entrance too?”

“Yes. It’s already been several hours since we begun. I am feeling quite famished,” Yaoyorozu explained. Indeed, she looked pale, maybe even thinner than before, though they couldn’t be sure. 

"Let’s go then.”

The two teams started up the stairs, a swift jog in case any robots decided to follow them up, though it was unlikely considering it would be harder for them to drive up stairs.

But then again, in the course of the part five hours, they’d learnt not to underestimate Yuuei.

Several times.

“We moved to the Conflagration zone to dry after we stayed in the Downpour for a few hours. Cementoss-sensei was there but we managed to evade him long enough.” Tokoyami looked to Kouda. “Kouda’s quirk is quite good for finding things--his insect friends told him the whereabouts of ‘strange objects’. It’s thanks to him that we found most of our items without running into Cementoss-sensei.”

Jirou turned to him. “That’s great Kouda! You’ve gotten over your fear!”

Kouda blushed, shaking his head and signing quickly. “Only a little bit!” He returned his teammate’s looks. “And you two did so much work too! Shouji-kun-you’re great at getting information! And Tokoyami-kun too!”

Shouji ducked his head, one of his arms creating a smile. Tokoyami and Shouji thanked him for the compliment.

“What about you three? Where did you come from?”

Yaoyorozu smiled weakly. “The mountains. It’s lucky we had Jirou-san otherwise we would never have dodged half the traps in there.”

“But even with me, we couldn’t get away from them all.” Jirou replied bitterly, clenching her jaw. 

Yaoyorozu gave her an encouraging smile but it was Aoyama who said, “But you still did wonderfully Jirou-san! It is not your fault we were attacked by several Ectoplasms!” He huffed--the sound still encompassing some of Aoyama’s usual flare. “My hero suit has been ruined so terribly! It’s hard to keep up my sparkle!” 

Jirou shook her head, her lip quirking up. “Yeah, that reminds me, how many Ectoplasms did you guys have to fight?” 

Team Eclipse looked at each other. 

“We fought four, but one of them might have been the same one,” Tokoyami answered. Team Sparkle nodded, grimacing. He noticed their looks and asked, “How many did you fight?”

“Seven,” Yaoyorozu replied immediately, resentfully. 

“And they weren’t the same ones!” Aoyama added.

“At that point, I was wondering if he was just out to get us or something. I stabbed my earlobes into so many Ectoplasms I had to clean it off.” Jirou suppressed a shudder.

They slowed as they reached the top of the stairs, the smell of food making it to their hungry noses. More than a few stomachs rumbled, but no one mentioned it. As they stepped up, they were met by the sight of three Ectoplasm’s.

The stairs to the Entrance had two flights. They had only made it pass the first.

“If you want food, you will have to get past us.” The Ectoplasm in the middle spoke. Something about him told them that that was the real Ectoplasm. The way he spoke and kept unnaturally still. “Of course, you could always let yourself be eliminated.”

Both teams readied for a fight.

Jirou clicked her tongue, sick of the sight of that particular teacher.

“You really can’t give us a break, huh?”

DECEMBER 1 | 11AM | 5 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

“KAMINARI! NOW!”

Ashido stepped forward, onto Kirishima’s back--the boy using his quirk--and leapt into the air, willing herself to stay aloft as Kaminari readied himself and activated his quirk. She shot acid out of her feet to give herself a few precious moments more.

The ground sparked, electricity travelling into Ectoplasm and the three-pointer bot and Ectoplasm and--

No, not Aizawa-sensei. 

“Sorry guys! He’s-he’s hard to control!” Sero gritted his teeth, digging his heels into the ground. Aizawa-sensei was currently in the air, using Sero as a way to swing him around. His torso was wrapped in the boy’s tape but his own capture tape was out and shooting straight for him--

Sero ducked, stepping a bit too close to the area where Kaminari’s electricity ranged and felt a striking zap go through his body. His teeth clattered together, and he tasted blood--crap, he’d bitten his tongue. 

The zap was over just as quickly as it had begun, Kaminari feeling the aftereffects come on and deciding to stop before he truly went out of commission.

A few metres away, Bakugou stood blasting at advancing robots; three-pointer bots, a pain. He barely glanced at the rest of his team, trusting them to do good enough not to get cuffed.

Team Riot were currently in Central Plaza, having made an effort to go for the Golden Sack (worth forty points). They’d charged in, a semi-plan made to lure the Ectoplasm clones away using Sero’s tape so that Kaminari could zap them all in one go and make it easier for Ashido, Kirishima, and Bakugou to take on Aizawa-sensei.

But it had all gone wrong.

Though maybe it hadn’t gone wrong. Their plan had just been rushed and slightly loose.

Aizawa-sensei had been fast--faster than they imagined--and even though they’d timed it so that their homeroom teacher was on the other side of the fountain, where the Sack sat upon, he’d managed to swing himself over to them, landing in front and erasing their quirks.

They’d struggled evading their homeroom teacher--who knew almost all their strengths and weaknesses--and the three clones without their quirks, but through a series of running and ducking, they’d managed to split Aizawa-sensei’s focus, allowing some of them to get their quirks back.

Sero had been the first to get away, and he’d instantly shot out his tape to catch all the clones in one go. It had been a massive effort to pull them altogether but when done, he’d yelled at Kaminari to get ready.

Aizawa-sensei had heard that though, and he’d returned to erasing his quirk but the tape was already out. 

Kirishima and Ashido instead used a few harsh, strong kicks to finish off one of the clones but then a bot had come up from behind Sero and they’d been forced to run, leaving the other two to escape.

It had been at that moment that Kirishima had come running to them, Bakugou leading Aizawa over to the other side as he made a run for the Sack--whether he knew he was helping by distracting Aizawa-sensei or he genuinely thought he could reach the sack, they didn’t know.

But it helped.

It had been the moment they’d needed.

Their quirks returned.

That brought them to the present.

The robot malfunctioned, it’s movements jerky and strange until it collapsed onto the ground. Ashido threw a wad of acid to the clones for good measure--they’d started to melt down but they could never be sure--and she rolled onto the ground.

Kaminari wobbled on his feet, a shaky smile on his face as he gave them--or he gave what he hoped was them--a thumbs up. It wasn’t them.

But Sero and Bakugou were still locked in battle.

“Oh c-come onnnnn--” Sero hissed, feeling his hold on Aizawa-sensei loosen and the teacher slipped free, using his own tape to swing down to safety.

A large blast shook the ground--Bakugou’s howitzer. It had sent all the bots away though and allowed him to focus back on their battle. 

He snarled in joy as he beheld Aizawa-sensei’s falling form--falling in front of where he stood, their teacher’s back to him.

Without wasting time, Bakugou blasted himself off the ground, racing towards him fast fast fast--

Aizawa twisted in the air, kicking his legs around to meet eyes with his students behind his goggles. Bakugou’s explosions sputtered out, but he still had the momentum--

Aizawa sent out his capture tape to trap the boy’s arms.

It had worked--but Bakugou was still grinning.

Aizawa’s eyes widened--the Sack.

He looked down--the ground coming up fast--, and sure enough the rest of team Riot were speeding towards the fountain--Ashido especially fast with her acid. He used his quirk on her and she stumbled but continued, none of them bothering to look up. 

He couldn’t help the twitching of his lips.

They all had that much trust in each other. A development, he supposed.

But their success wasn’t going to last.

Before he released Bakugou, he swung the boy to slam him onto the ground and rolled. Aizawa snapped up immediately, returning his capture tape to get it to catch Kirishima in the ankles--and the boy went falling.

Sero spared a glance.

“GO!” Kirishima yelled, yanking his foot away but ultimately letting himself get pulled backwards. 

That left the other three.

Aizawa felt a headache start. Damn, this was troublesome.

Yanking Kirishima far enough, he sent his capture tape out past Sero and Kaminari--to Ashido, the closest. 

He smirked.

It grabbed onto her legs, trapping them together as he pulled her back, making sure to give the tape an extra jerk to get her spiralling backwards, knocking into Sero and narrowly avoiding Kaminari. 

Kaminari stumbled sideways. His head was still stinging and his stomach ached from the emptiness but--crap, now he was the only one left. Damnit Aizawa-sensei! You couldn’t have taken me out?! This pressure’s too much!

He gritted his teeth and pushed forward--ten metres, eight, five--

The Sack was blindingly bright--gold, too. Probably fake, but who knew with UA? And so close, so damn close--

He reached out, stepping into the moat around the fountain’s main section.

He barely registered the beep in time.

The fountain blew up.

Something wrapped around his waist and he was pulled backward, the pressure around his midsection too strong--too strong too strong he was going to puke up his empty stomach--

The heat seared his front, his face; he turned his head, his arms lifting uselessly to cover his face.

He was thrown backwards, landing near Kirishima, the redhead scrambling towards him.

His ears rung, but he could vaguely make out what he was saying.

“Are you okay? Kami--talk! You okay man?!” 

Kaminari tried to nod.

A shadow passed over him and he was being lifted by strong arms--Bakugou. One arm slung over the explosive boy’s shoulder as he was dragged away. 

He didn’t know where they were going, but they were going away--away from Central Plaza.

And the Sack.

The ringing subsided, only to be replaced by a different kind of sting.

He’d been so close. 

And he’d ruined it.

“‘M sorry guys. Coul’n’t get it,” He mumbled, hazy.

He heard a scoff. “Tch. You got closer than any of us dunce-face. Don’t sell yourself fucking short.”

“Yeah Kami! That was amazing! You can’t blame yourself for not knowing they’d blow the whole thing up!” Ashido chirped from somewhere behind.

Kirishima appeared in his line of sight. “That was super manly dude!”

Silence.

“Hey Sero, say something.”

“What? I mean you guys all said it already!” A pause. “Okay! You did great Kami. Seriously. Rest up, we’re bringing you to food.”

At the mention of food, his mind focused a bit more, his vision narrowing. Yes, food, food food. Finally.

Though it still felt like forever until they made it, Kami’s feet hitting the stairs over and over until it finally stopped only to start up again--how many stairs did the USJ have? He couldn’t remember but surely it hadn’t been--

“You made it. You can relax now. You’re in neutral territory.” He was being moved somewhere else, laying on a soft surface. “Kaminari, if I heal you, you’ll feel tired. Are you okay to risk that?”

“Yeah yeah, just heal him already.”

“Hmph, patience Bakugou.”

SMOOOOCH!

Instantly, his body relaxed, sinking into the soft mattress. He felt better, but he did feel tired now.

Kaminari opened his eyes, meeting Kirishima’s eyes. He grinned at him, giving a thumbs up.

“So where’s the food?”

A packet of something both hard and soft landed on his chest.

“Here.” 

Kaminari turned to look at Jirou, her eyes uncharacteristically narrowed. She was glaring at him furiously.

“What’d I do?” He asked, confused and slightly intimidated.

Yaoyorozu appeared next to her, putting a hand on Jirou’s shoulder. “Jirou-san, I don’t think it’s a good idea to glare so much.” Her eyes softened, but she still frowned.

“I can’t help it. We had to fight through three more Ectoplasms just to get up here and they could walk through free. Fantastic,” She said flatly, slumping on the ground. 

“I guess being first isn’t always the best, huh,” Sero added unhelpfully, as he received another glare.

Kaminari looked around, finding the two other teams--Eclipse and Sparkle. Ashido laughing at Aoyama’s ripped cloak, the blond boy clearly trying not to pout. Sero talking to Shouji and Tokoyami. Kouda sitting against a wall, nibbling on an apple as Bakugou chomped on a banana next to him.

Though everyone was beaten up considerably, bruises and scratches that hadn’t healed, there was a spark in their eyes.

For once, they weren’t fearing for their lives. For once, they were having fun.

DECEMBER 1 | 11:10AM | 5 HOURS 10 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

Recovery Girl smiled at the cameras, shaking her head. She could hear the students’ chatter from behind the door.

She watched as Aizawa reset the fountain, the Sack slung over his shoulder, bots roaming the area.

A softie through and through, she thought.

You could have cuffed and eliminated them all, Aizawa, before going to reset the fountain.

And yet you didn’t. 

DECEMBER 1 | 1PM | 7 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

“Are you sure this is a good idea? Do you really think it’ll work?”

Hagakure nodded, taking off her boots. “Well, maybe not! But we have to try at least! If I can’t get past Aizawa-sensei, I won’t be able to get past villains in the future!” 

Ojirou and Sato smiled hesitantly, nodding slightly. “It might be a bit different than that, Hagakure-san. Aizawa-sensei is a pro at stealth too.”

“Exactly!” She piped, ripping off her gloves. She shivered. Now the cold could really attack her. “If I can get past him, this’ll be a true show of my skills!”

Sato pointed at her watch. “Are you going to take that off?” 

Hagakure looked at it, poking and prodding before relenting. “No. I don’t want to risk disqualification or something, but I’ll be careful.”

She peaked over the tree, staring at the new fountain. After it had blown up a few hours ago--it had been one huge explosion--something had opened up below and a new fountain had popped right up. The only sign that it had been blown up in the first place was the debris scattered around.

“There’s no more Ectoplasms too! This could work out great for us guys!”

Her teammates looked at each other, before resigning to the fact that she wouldn’t give up.

“Be careful out there.” 

She nodded, grinning.

She waited until Aizawa was on the other side and ran forward, keeping low so that her floating watch wouldn’t be too visible. 

The run was longer than she’d anticipated, and by the time she made it to the cut hedges bordering the fountain, she was panting. But she’d made it!

Aizawa was walking back over to this side. She could tell by the sounds of his footsteps. 

Closer, closer, closer--he should be walking away by now--closer, closer--closer?!

Hagakure’s heart raced. Why was he coming closer? Had he seen her? She glanced at Ojirou and Sato--her heart dropped.

Their eyes were wide, even from a distance she could see that, and they waved frantically at her.

Someone was standing over her.

She looked up, a squeak leaving her lips as she stared into Present Mic’s eyes.

Was he always this scary?

“Told ya I’d come for you!” Present Mic opened his mouth. “SHOUUUUTAAAAAA!”

“What? There’s no need to shout,” Aizawa-sensei grumbled, coming over. 

Hagakure scrambled away from the hedge, stumbling up as she spun to face the two teachers. 

“So you thought you’d be able to sneak past huhhhh? Well, that’s too bad man!” Present Mic yelled, the second sentence in english. Hagakure swallowed, continuing to step back--dangit, why did she have to have a stupid watch? That gave her such a disadvantage!

Ojirou and Sato appeared at her sides in defensive stances.

“We should run. I don’t think we can take the both of them,” Sato murmured from the corner of his lips.

Still, the two teachers heard him.

“Really?” Aizawa-sensei muttered. “I would have hoped you three knew you were at an advantage.” They stilled. “Two of you have quirks I cannot erase. And the third is sufficiently trained in combat to put up a decent fight.”

Present Mic grinned. “And you know! You’re all pretty close! You could get to me before I shot your eardrums.”

Team Spirit looked at each other.

They came to a silent agreement.

Stepping back--

They ran.

“AW COME ON MAN!” Present Mic sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I was really looking forward to that you three! Yeee-AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

The trio winced--they hadn’t gone too far yet and the effects of Present Mic’s quirk could be heard all over USJ. It was a piercing as they remembered from a few hours ago.

Aizawa elbowed him. 

“OW! Man that hurt!”

“You’re hurting my ears.” He clicked his tongue, turning away.

Team Spirit made it back to the trees, running past for good measure. They slowed, stopping and resting on the grass.

“He thought we’d forget about the capture tape or cuffs? I feel underestimated,” Sato huffed out.

The other two smiled wryly. 

“Though without those two things, we really would be at an advantage,” Ojirou said, straightening.

“I’m not taking any chances! We’ve only got five more hours to go! We can do it!” Hagakure cheered, still out of breath. 

“Yeah. Just a few more hours to go.” Sato looked at Ojirou, smiling. “Plus ultra, yeah?”

They nodded.

DECEMBER 1 | 2PM | 8 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

Kouda waited until the ant had finished speaking before standing to tell his teammates. He also couldn’t believe it, but then again, he really should be able to. It wasn’t something out of reach for UA.

“What is it, Kouda?” Shouji asked. 

“There’s some in the dome. Wedged between the glass and taped to it. They’re saying it’s the same thing as our candy canes.” He looked at Tokoyami. “Can you..?”

Tokoyami nodded, Dark Shadow already wrapping over his body. “I’ll do my best.”

He flew into the air, climbing higher and higher--the ground lower and lower. It would have been dizzying and despite his training with his special move, the day’s events wore down on him. Eight hours, one meal, and no sleep since the beginning--he didn’t want to think about his bed.

From in the air, Tokoyami could see much of USJ. The mountains zone had been half-destroyed, smoke piling up high; the waterslide in the Flood zone had collapsed; bots roamed the grounds, looking for students to attack. From that height, Tokoyami felt untouchable from the threats of below. 

“Dark Shadow--keep an eye out too!” The beast nodded, and they swerved close to the glass--though he couldn’t see out of it anyway, snow covered the outside from view. They’d been walking behind the Flood zone, keeping to the edges of the dome to get easy candy canes and baubles. It had been a fruitful excursion and they’d barely run into anyone--friend or foe.

Tokoyami scanned the dome with his eyes. Nothing yet, but he trusted Kouda and Kouda trusted those ants.

Dark Shadow flew them closer, almost skimming against the dome.

There! A bauble, black to blend into the beams, hanging. 

“Do you see it, Dark Shadow?”

“Yeah! Grab and go!” 

Tokoyami reached out his hand--his fingers grazed the bauble--he latched onto it, ripping it free.

“Good, we got--”

Electricity sparked through his body and Tokoyami hissed--what the--?

A second set of shocks rippled through him and he looked closer at the bauble, eyes narrowing at the circular object stuck to it’s skin. 

“What is it? A taser or something?”

“Something like that.” With a grunt, Tokoyami scratched the device off, letting it fall to the ground. “I should have realised there’d be traps. Even up here, they’re not going to go easy on us.” Though if the rest are just like this one, we won’t be able to tell there’s traps til it’s set off. Tokoyami thought bitterly.

He shook his head. It’d be fine if they were just zaps. 

He checked his watch--their point counter at forty-eight now. The bauble had been worth four points. 

“Tokoyami! Is that an item?” Dark Shadow asked, and Tokoyami looked up to see a pair of red glasses attached onto the side of a beam. Midnight’s glasses--worth seven points. He smiled. 

“Yes. Good spotting Dark Shadow.”

They repeated their routine, though more carefully now.

And yet it still did not prepare them for the burst of pink gas.

No--Midnight’s gas!

As Tokoyami had pulled the glasses away, it had triggered the trap--releasing a shocking amount of Midnight’s gas. Somehow they’d stored it up here.

Dark Shadow dropped to escape it, but then something shot out of the glasses and latched onto Tokoyami’s hands. He felt a pull and his arm went up, towards the beam where it was slowly but surely being encompassed in the gas.

“Tokoyami! What is it?”

“Some-something is pulling me back up! It’s strong,” Tokoyami gritted out, clenching his jaw. He shook his hand, but the rod-like things on the glasses were unyielding. “Keep going Dark Shadow!”

Dark Shadow charged down, leaning more to the left as a result of the force of whatever was pulling Tokoyami’s right hand. He tried to pull his hand down, make it easier for his shadow beast to fly. 

They were hurtling as fast as they could go, but still it pulled them back--

The pressure released, sending Tokoyami’s hand shooting forward and then his whole body, the same feeling when someone would step on the brakes--

“DARK SHADOW!” 

They were nearing the ground faster than he knew they could control--no, nearing the Conflagration zone’s dome. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he swore he heard Shouji yell over the sound of the wind rushing past. 

“Tokoyami! Duck!”

He ducked his head deeper into Dark Shadow’s arms, gritting his teeth as the inevitable impact arrived--

CLANG!

They collided with the dome, Tokoyami thankfully safe from most of the impact, though his head still rattled, but Dark Shadow absorbed the most of it.

Dark Shadow gripped a beam to prevent them from sliding off, then slowly went back, using the beams like a fireman’s pole as they slid towards the ground.

Shouji and Kouda ran to meet up with them.

“Are you alright Tokoyami-kun?”

He nodded, standing up, refusing to let his wobble be shown. “Yes. That gas...” They looked up at the still-spreading pink gas. “It surprised us. And then there’s this.” He lifted up his right hand, the glasses still attached to it.

“What is that?” Kouda asked, shyly stepping forward to peer at it. Now that he could see it better, it resembled something of legs. Or arms. 

“I don’t know. But it latched onto me and kept pulling me up. Something was pulling it towards the gas.”

“Magnets?” Shouji supplied. Tokoyami nodded. That was probably it.

“Thank you Tokoyami-kun! You got us eleven more points even with those traps!” Kouda beamed, smiling. Tokoyami blinked, lowering his eyes. Yes, he supposed he had, even after all that.

“I can go back to searching up there after a few minutes rest. There’s clearly more to find up there.” 

They nodded, looking up. The gas was was a reminder to be more careful, but Tokoyami wasn’t going to let his team down.

He’d fly up there and get them all the points.

DECEMBER 1 | 3:30PM | 9 HOURS 30 MINUTES INTO THE HUNT

Exhaustion battered them down. 

Midnight had been out for blood. Wherever they went, she followed. They’d moved from the landslides to the mountains to the stairs--and still she’d followed!

Now team Tree was in the Conflagration zone. With Todoroki’s quirk, they assumed they would have an advantage in there, but the flames raged on around them--and sweating buckets did not help. They’d dressed for the cold; their extra layers of clothing becoming an enemy.

“Should...should we just leave?” Uraraka asked weakly, pulling at the collar of her suit uselessly. “It’s really...really hard to see anything in here.”

Midoriya pursed his lips, thinking. They’d been in here for half an hour and they’d found enough items to make it seem like no one else had gone through this zone--too hot or too dangerous? 

He didn’t want to give up, but looking at his team, some of them were looking bad: Iida, in his elaborate hero suit, moved with less energy than usual. Asui was sweating, her eyelids drooping, and he himself felt groggy and sticky with sweat. Todoroki was the only one who looked decent, and even that much was a stretch, when he kept ocnstantly freezing his left side.

They’d already stacked up to seventy-four points. That was probably good, right? Yes, there was no need to push everyone to their limits, especially since they’d gone deep inside the zone now they’d need to take a while to get back out.

“Yeah, that’s a go--”

The pillar of concrete came out of nowhere.

Well, not nowhere, but the ground.

It brushed right up against Todoroki--the one who’d been leading--and a second on on their left started growing.

“It’s Cementoss!” Iida called, grabbing Uraraka and Midoriya and running to the right with them. 

Asui leapt sideways, her tongue already half out when Todoroki used his ice to destroy the left wall and propel himself to the right.

They regrouped against a burning building, Todoroki freezing over the section nearest to make it safe.

“So it was you after all,” A deep voice rumbled out. They tensed, for once the searing heat replaced by a deep focus. The flames made it hard to find Cementoss, but the sound had come somewhere from ahead. “Only one other team made it in and out of this zone. They lasted fifteen minutes. I’ll try to make this quick.”

Concrete spiked up from the ground, heading straight for them--they had to split--

Midoriya and Iida leapt to the right, Uraraka, Todoroki, and Asui going left.

The concrete smashed into the frozen building, the ice shards shattering and falling upon them. 

Todoroki gritted his teeth, activating his right and sending ice shooting in the general direction the concrete came from. He heard a shatter, and clicked his tongue--Cementoss must have shielded himself.

Uraraka tapped his shoulder. “We should go--he can obviously see us--” The ground wobbled underneath them and it was only with the help of Asui did they get pulled back in time before concrete shot up, right where they’d been standing. 

“I don’t think we can win without risking too much, kero,” Asui said as they ran around the building. The flames leaped out at them but Todoroki iced the path as he led the way, pushing through. 

Uraraka nodded. “Yeah. He must have something--maybe some sort of heat vision goggles to see us?”

“Whatever it is, we’re at a clear disadvantage,” Todoroki grunted. Damnit--and he’d been so confident in his ice quirk too!

They ran around, the building longer than they’d realised. 

Uraraka glanced to the sides, watching as Todoroki iced the ground and walls for them--

Her eyes widened. She slid to a stop, stumbling uncouthly as she stared through the ice to what was inside.

A star--or, it looked like a star. 

She racked her memory for what she remembered it from, squinting and scrunching up her face--what was it what was it?

“Uraraka-chan!” Asui hopped back to her side. “What is it?”

She pointed at the star. That’s it! “The star for-for the christmas tree! It’s worth like-ten points guys!”

Todoroki slid back over to them, eyeing it. 

Uraraka turned to him, eyes eager. “Can you get it, Todoroki-kun?”

He nodded. “Keep an eye out for Cementoss, though.” He put his left hand onto the ice and melting it away as fast as he dared--he didn’t want to risk damaging the star, and thus losing the points.

The ice melted quick, and when he broke through a violent burst of flames escaped.

He stepped back with his right, letting his left take the heat. Uraraka and Asui stepped back, the flames large enough to melt the rest of the ice, making way for more fire to be generated by however way the school did it. 

“Todoroki-kun! Are you okay?” Uraraka called.

He clenched his jaw and nodded. “I’ll take it out--be ready to run if it’s a trap.”

Uraraka and Asui stepped away, but not before Asui wrapped her tongue around Todoroki’s midsection. The heat stung, but in the event it was a trap, she wasn’t going to leave him to it’s mercy.

Todoroki touched the hot metal--his teeth were going to break with how hard he was gritting them--and found the pointed section, running his finger down until he could get a better grip. Bracing himself, he yanked it out--

Asui threw him backwards, the explosion shattering the rest of the ice until he created more to stifle it. Still, the ice cracked at the force.

Uraraka gasped--Cementoss!

“Run!”

They ran, pushing past the flames now that Todoroki was still being pulled by Asui. 

The end of the alley approached, a wired gate separating them from Midoriya and Iida, the former ripping it open--

The ground shook--they refused to stumble--

It wasn’t wide enough for them to leap through--not yet not yet--

Midoriya activated One for All, using what was probably more strength than necessary to rip the rest of it open--the whole fence crashed down, but on their side.

“URARAKA!” Iida yelled, hand outstretched--and she understood.

Reaching backwards, she clapped hands with Asui who held out hers--the girl went weightless, still clutching Todoroki--and Uraraka ran forward, stretching to reach Iida--

In the end, the concrete bursting behind them was what gave them the speed to reach him.

They flew forward, Todoroki slamming into Uraraka’s back as she whipped her hand out and used her quirk on him too. 

Bracing herself, she used it on Midoriya and her too, the nausea growing. 

But now Iida could run.

They all gripped onto him, whether it was an arm or his torso--

He crouched, activating Recipro Burst and--

Zoom!

Rushing past the flames, Iida maneuvered carefully, knowing he had limited time to get them all out of there--ignoring the flames that reached for their bodies--far, far--

They made it a considerable distance before his Burst ended and he stumbled to a stop.

Uraraka released her quirk’s effect, and they all collapsed onto the grround, adrenaline pumping through their veins at the wild ride.

“We should...go...before he catches up...” Iida panted out, staring at his engines.

Midoriya grinned at him. “Do you really think he’ll be able to catch up with your Recipro Burst?” 

Iida looked up at him, a proud smile growing. “Perhaps not,” He admitted. “But we need to make sure.”

“Well it’s a good thing we’re near the exit then,” Asui croaked out, looking in front. 

They turned, the doors to leave the zone right in front.

“And our points too!” Uraraka piped up suddenly. “You did it Todoroki-kun! We’ve got eighty-four points now! That’s so much!” She threw her arms in the air, exhilarated, and threw an arm around the boy, who stiffened.

“So that’s what got the points?” Midoriya asked, pointing to the star still in his hand.

He nodded. “But it was Uraraka who found it. If it weren’t for your quick seeing, we would have missed it.” He looked down, clenching his right hand. “I was too focused on icing the area I didn’t think about the items we could have found.”

Uraraka shook her hands dismissively. “Don’t worry about that Todoroki-kun! We got the points so that’s good...” She trailed off as the ground shook again. 

They all glanced at each other, standing.

“We should go...” Midoriya began nervously.

“Before Cementoss does catch up, kero,” Asui finished.

They all nodded, making their way to the exit. 

When the cooler air of the outside hit them, they couldn’t help but sigh. 

Sure it was cold, but it was much better than the searing heat of those flames.

They looked up.

And froze.

DECEMBER 1 | 4PM | 10 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

Toshinori hated that smile of Nedzu’s. It’s the smile that told him the principal was planning something. 

Something that probably wasn’t going to be good.

Nedzu completely ignored him, too deep in thought.

It had been hard work getting all the puzzle pieces into place. His students were unpredictable, but it was the teacher’s who’d nearly messed it up. Especially Midnight and Present Mic--he’d have to talk to them about holding grudges with their naive first years. 

But finally everyone had been gathered onto the grounds. 

And by the looks of their confused faces, none of them knew what was coming.

Nedzu lifted his tea cup and took a sip. 

He put a paw on the button. 

And with another, darker smile, he pressed it.

Toshinori couldn’t help but wish his students good luck with all his heart.

DECEMBER 1 | 4PM | 10 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

The fountain split into four, the Central Plaza opening up to pull it in. The ground as class 1A tried to figure out what was going on--were they still doing the Hunt? What was this part all about? 

The Golden Sack was the first thing that came back out.

And then a giant Ectoplasm followed suit, the Sack perched on his head.

(Yaoyorozu put a hand on Jirou’s shoulder to stop her from screaming. She was sick sick sick of that teacher!)

He loomed above them all, casting a menacing shadow. Once his upper body was out, the teachers seemed to follow, rising from the ground.

(Midnight smirked darkly at Team Tree; the five getting chills up their spine. She still hadn’t given up.)

(Hagakure subtly stepped behind Sato, hiding herself from Present Mic--despite the fact that she was the best hidden in the first place.)

As the ground closed up again, around Ectoplasm’s giant clone, snow poured out, filling the area around and piling around the teachers.

“Well well class one A,” Nedzu’s voice spoke all around them. “You’ve all managed to last until the final hours of our Hunt! Impressive! It’s been rarely done.”

“Hmph.” A distance mumble huffed somewhere. “If someone hadn’t been so stupid they would have eliminated some of them.”

(Midnight and Present Mic’s smirks twitched--the elderly lady was not getting over their earlier mishaps anytime soon, it seemed.)

“Yes yes. But in the end, class one a made it. It’s been so long since I decided to do this!” Nedzu laughed giddily, the sound chilling. “Now, you might want to take cover.”

“You won’t warn them hm? Of course you wouldn’t.”

“Where would be the fun in that?”

The sound of screeching and creaking pierced their ears and as one, the class looked up to see the glass receding and--

Snow fell.

And not the soft, beautiful snowflakes. 

It fell in harsh, loud thumps.

(Tokoyami called on Dark Shadow to shield team Eclipse as the snow weighed on them.)

(Kirishima pulled Bakugou back, under the cover of trees, in an effort to stop the boy’s obvious desire to Howitzer impact the snow.)

When the snow finally made it all down, the class emerged from their covers.

It was thicker than they’d have thought, piling up as high as their shins in some areas. But it was uneven too; the domes of the Conflagration and Downpour areas taking up a large chunk of it.

Nedzu returned to the intercom. “So! It should be rather obvious now, I’ve left so many clues, but...” A low chuckle. “It’s a snowball fight!”

Simultaneously, they froze in surprise.

A what?

“I’m sure you all know what a snowball fight is. But…” A pause that shouldn’t have been as menacing as it was. “You don’t know what a plus ultra snowball fight is.

“If you want the sack, you’ll have to get past all of the snowballs and your teachers. But I warn you…” Nedzu pitched his voice higher in excitement. “If you get hit, you’re out! You can’t make any more attempts on the Sack nor can you help your teammates!”

Nedzu giggled--this was so fun! “One more thing. If any one of you gets the sack, you will win. Even the lowest scoring group can win with the Sack now. Any one of you could win the sixteen thousand yen cheque.”

(Uraraka’s eyes flamed. The amount of food she could buy with that!)

Nedzu put his paw on another button. “Good luck everyone!”

DECEMBER 1 | 4PM | 10 HOURS INTO THE HUNT

This time, class 1A was not facing the imminent, stressful threat of death.

This time, they were merely children once more, teaming up against the silly but real threat of snowballs.

Some of them smirked, grinned, smiled; others ducked their heads, and dug in their feet, tensing their muscles.

They were teenagers. And they were heroes-in-training.

They were going to defeat these snowballs, even if it meant using their stupidly powerful quirks for something as trivial as a snowball fight.

Plus Ultra, after all.

[agcareerconnections-blog]

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