Where I’m storing my writing both for SWC and for other things on Scratch from March 18th and forwards <3
Plus ultra!

I was on Schoology and went to my profile and started randomly writing so um here is the result! I just called it random story prompt. Enjoy.

He snarled, summoning his ball of fire once again. His vision was so red he couldn't see. Couldn't think. He could only rage. “What did this to him?” Someone whispered. “The possessions are spreading…” And then he was back with his father, mother and sister, back before the War of the Stars, back before… everything. He and his sister screamed and begged and his father held them, tears in his own eyes. That was the first time Saandran had seen the wild glint in his mother's eyes as she brought down the knife. Screams echoes through the house, and even though the noise was gone after months of howling and sobbing, the echoes remained. Every night, he swore he could hear those screams echo back to him and through his bones.

He shuddered, then returned to his present state. He slammed against the glass, attempting to break it with his own murderous glint in his eyes. His screams of rage brought back every memory from that house that was his and his sister's jail. His anger filled him to the brim, then pushed him over. Scales shimmered and grew across his skin. Teeth morphed into fangs, hands into talons, eyes into slits and breath into flame. Cries of shock, muffled by the glass, escaped the scientists. Saandran flexed his wings, momentarily confused as he fell onto four scaly talons. Then he rammed down the door and roared.

This was no roar of sadness or anger. It was just…

Just…

Just what?

The real Saandran grabbed this thought and tugged his way out of where he had been stuck for the past three days and he struggled against the Dragon in his mind. He finally got in enough control and he blinked, really seeing for the first time in days. He looked at the wreckage around him and he felt his wings and tail.

“What have I become?”


Saandran started panicking as soon as his mind overcame the other being inside his mind. It retreated into the dark depths, dormant, but not forever. He looked around at the screaming scientists and the silver metal of his cell. As his human mind took more control, he slowed down and breathed deeply, calming down and sitting.

With a woosh he was stumbling back, wind knocked out his lungs, forcing him to double over. Then he stood, feet hurting from-

Wait a minute.

Feet. Not talons.

Yes! He shouted mentally

He took in the chaotic scene. By now, everyone had fled from the lab, and it was just him. Saandran wondered if he had hurt anyone. At that thought, the monster hiding in his head swirled around his thoughts, just out of reach, but not gone. He shuddered as the creature laid back down to rest, like it had never even been there. It disturbed him that it could just hide away like that.

Saandran walked carefully through the door, avoiding sharp pieces of metal debris that lay on the ground. He noticed a few hallways and a stairwell, but he wasn't sure where to go first, or if he should go. These people could help him… right?

A sign, reading ‘Posession Ward’ was neatly placed on the wall, unaffected by whatever had happened to Saandran. He suddenly felt sick. Posession Ward? So… I've been possessed, and so have others. He thought. Again, that thing slithered around his thoughts.

Gah! I am not gonna be able to live with that thing in my head all the time. And what if it takes over again? Then what?

He rubbed his arms. Goosebumps had begun to crawl up them, and sent shivers down his spine. He had to focus to make them go away, but the chill still stuck with him. Saandran looked around, searching for something to distract him from memories and what had just happened to him mere minutes ago.

“Okay, Saandran. Focus.” He was horrified at the sound of his voice, strangled, dry and almost like a hiss. He attempted to ignore that. “What do you last remember?”

He had been… uh… where had he been… was he in his-

Araxya poured underneath the wood rectangle, wings stretching as he took in the smell of despair. He looked around and saw the shell, a shell he could take, hollowed with despair and a perfect habitation. Aeya, Ayea, he thought. How convenient. He slipped in curling up as he stretched and expanded to fit the hollow mind of the child. He did not move yet, settling in. The child had pricked up though, like it sensed him. Araxya curled his lip into a gruesome smile, waiting for him to march his way downstairs towards his father. He sent out that thought, father, into the boy's mind and the name was twisted into shadow and shoved into oblivion. Oh, this was too easy. The boy stomped his way down the stairs to the father, and he initiated conversation. It was all in Mortal Speech, so he did not care to listen. But soon anger built inside the boy, strong and hot. Aeya, Ayea, this is perfect! Araxya thought, grinning and baring his fangs. He slurped up the burning anger like a scalding soup and finally stretched his wings to ignite him. The father stepped back in horror and he-

“AH!” Sanandran screamed, yanking his thoughts out from Araxya's grasp. His hands went to his chest, like he could somehow rip out the spirit inside him. It was still there. He could be taken any second.

Saandran had to sit down for a moment. That memory had not been his. That language had not been his. That… mind had not been his. It felt wrong, all over, that he was gaining memories from the demon in his head. Yeah, that didn't sound creepy at all. He shuddered again, putting his head in his hands. He needed to remember that moment. What had happened?

That awful memory tried to interject itself, but Saandran pushed it away. He focused on his memories. That would have been the last thing he remembered before that thing took over. What did it call itself? Araxyal? Something like that. Wait, he was getting distracted again. Again, he searched his memories. Everything looked so… blurry. He couldn't recall his sister's name. Or his father's. Or his mother's. There were blank spots in any details he attempted to remember. Like the monster had been gnawing on his mind.

Oof, no more similes for me, Saandran thought, shaking his head. It's bad enough already.

I think it might be time to get some help. Saandran thought, moving towards where all the people had ran. He waked over broken glass and metal shards, wincing with every painful step. It didn't hurt as much as he expected though. Some memory, just out of reach, reminded him of doing something similar. It had felt like agony. He wondered what that memory could be of, and why he had been doing what he was doing now. He felt like there had been an explosion of flames…

The creature swirled at the thought of flames, beginning to expand like a bubble coating his mind. He panicked, slamming down a mental box on the monster. It seemed to be suprised, because the bubble stopped, leaving the tiniest bit of his own mind exposed. Then it shrunk down, back towards the beast. It overturned the box, just to let Saandran know that it could overtake him at any moment, and vanished.

I feel like somehow, getting possessed by a demon is not an everyday occurrence. He muttered mentally, walking over the wreckage down the hallway again. Every door he looked into was empty. But some where stranger than others. Some had a dark, inky corner where two glowing circles stared at him. Pure white. He doubted they were anything more than lights, but his subconscious probably still being influenced by Araxya, and warned him they were more. Much more.

The hall must have been a beautiful pearly white, but the walls were now stained and streaked with… He ran his finger down one of the black marks. Was it ash? He did NOT want to put it on his tongue, but the back of his mind told him these weren't supernatural, or… other things. Despite that voice probably being a demon, he trusted it. Why would that creature lie? Maybe he was just crazy.

Mar 19 daily
I’m using the character Lucius, who I shall give a reference sheet soon
-Calm
-Cunning
-Resourceful
Setting:
-Chaotic
-Hostile
-Belligerent

Word count: 469

Lucius pulled his sword from the dragon, staring down at the dark scales rippling beneath his boots. He felt eerily calm, as he always did, and slightly bored. He could never find a worthy opponent to fight, beating everyone who tried. Even his master, previously the 6th strongest swordsman in Aurumiyrn, couldn’t match Lucius’s raw talent. He stared down at the beast as it closed its eyes and let out a death rattle before falling silent. No pity rippled through him as it should have. People raged behind him, fighting without any concern for their safety. Amid the chaos, one of the fighting elves noticed the teenager standing over Vulcan. She dropped her staff. Who had killed the dragon while she was distracted? Why was a mere child on the battlefield?
She screamed with rage, charging towards him. Without even turning around, he sent his sword through her neck.
Everything went dark.
Lucius turned to stare indifferently at the elf. She evidently hadn’t known who he was. Unimpressive. He wiped his bloody hand on his dragon-scale armor and began to walk over to the elf. He picked up his sword and admired it. I should be able to use the Volcanic Dragon for a better sword. I bet their horns are extraordinarily strong. Lucius thought cunningly. He let his hand drift over the glossy material. Last time he had killed a dragon— Had it been the White Dragon or the Snow Dragon? He couldn’t remember. Wasn’t important. It was only in the top twenty most powerful dragons. He had killed higher ranked. —he had gotten the idea to take the horn and carve it into a blade.
Lucius walked back to the dragon, standing over its corpse. He looked down. It was hard for him to feel emotion, but a stab of depression went through him. Such a marvelous creature, felled by a mere human.
“Elves of Autumncaster!” Lucius shouted, his voice booming over the chaotic, razed land below him. He turned to face the warring elves below. Lucius raised his hands, showing his sword dripping with the Volcanic Dragon’s lava that had run in his veins only minutes before. The fighters below him looked up and all gasped in shock, even the ones who knew Lucius’s strength.
“Behold your dragon now.” He called. “A fallen husk of what used to be. I ask of you to join the Dragonslayers or the common population, or you will be decimated by yours truly.” He gave a cold, practiced smile.
The elves stared. Hostility crackled through the air like electricity, swirling towards Lucius with belligerence. He stared everyone down before stepping off the dragon. He would force them to submit and take the horn later.
With a flash of his sword, two elves fell to the ground, throats slit.
They all screamed. He had moved so fast no one had realized he was gone until it was too late.
“Now… submit.”

Mar 20 daily
Villain in question: Foxpatch
Word count: 1078

Blazestar flicked his tail, lifting his lips in a snarl as he and the Dark Forest cat circled each other. Foxpatch’s jaws dripped with gore, and he gave a tooth-filled grin to Blazestar. The look in his eyes gave him the feeling of someone insane, but Foxpatch was cunning and intelligent, and completely sane. He knew exactly what was happening. He knew exactly how to achieve what he wanted.
But what did he want?
“Foxpatch!” Blazestar roared. “You have tortured this lake territory for long enough! If you swear to leave and never come back, we will spare you life. But just barely.”
Foxpatch scoffed. “You think I would believe that? No one is that naïve.” His bushy tail curled around his legs, but he somehow didn’t trick. This tom was a master fighter. He must have been training ruthlessly for seasons upon seasons. And now his slippery words and flashing eyes and gentle voice hiding malice had wormed through his clan, rotting it from the inside out.
Suddenly, he pounced. Blazestar hadn’t even seen him move, but felt himself slam into the ground. He spat out blood.
“Would you like to know why I started with WindClan?” Foxpatch murmured, tracing a claw along Blazestar’s neck. Fear spiked through the new leader, backfur raising like mountains on the horizon.
“Because it’s their fault I turned out this way.” He hissed, leaning in closer, right next to his ear. Foxpatch licked at the blood trickling down it. He must have torn his ear.
“W-what?”

Cookie stared out the window at the grass outside. He had never felt grass. Did it feel like the feathers he played with? Did it feel like something entirely new? He would never know.
Cookie sighed, jumping down from his normal spot as he heard the clatter of twolegs stumbling around the nest. They were in the kitchen, so they were making him food. That was the only reason they went in.
Then one of his folks made their way over to the back door. Cookie stared in shock as it opened. He stood there for a moment before darting in between the creature’s legs, running into the grass he had just been staring at. It felt… crunchy. Air whipped him, faster than ever before as he sprinted towards the fence, clearing it with one leap and running into the moor beyond.
He stopped for a moment, staring out over the plains. He had never seen something so… big. Was this the world? Was there even more out there? He tentatively took a step forward, then another. He kept moving, and he didn’t look back
~Later~
Cookie stopped to sniff the markers by a tree. He was next to the forest, and there were two different scents. Forest cats and moor cats possibly? Or it could have been a fox or a dog. He couldn’t tell.
Cookie lifted his head as he heard grass crunching underneath a group’s paws. Four or five cats, moving at a quick pace. Not hunting. Probably comign to renew scent markers, since one side’s scent was growing stale. Cookie stood tall as they came into view.
It was a quick reaction. One second of hesitation was enough for Cookie to see them bunching up muscles to prepare to jump, and he leaped towards a tree, climbing up.
“I mean no harm!” He yowled. “I wish to join you. I was taken prisoner by twolegs at a young age and just escaped.”
He wasn’t necessarily lying, he just wasn’t telling the full truth.
The moor cats paused. They stared talking in low murmurs, occasionally casting glances towards Cookie.
“We’ll take you to our leader.” One of them said gruffly, a stone-colored she-cat with sharp eyes. She gestured for him to follow the group, and Cookie warily jumped down from the oak.
“Let’s see if you can join WindClan.”
~Eight moons later~
Foxpatch stared in shock as Swanfeather, the scatterbrained she-cat who amiably agreed to everything, was chosen as deputy. Foxpatch had worked his hardest to create a good reputation for being ambitious, intelligent, honest and strong. The cats around him, despite having hated him most of their lives, murmured about how Foxpatch should have become deputy.
He shook with rage, and excused himself from the meeting, walking away from camp. He didn’t know where he was going, but he was going somewhere. He had to.
Foxpatch found himself by ThunderClan border. He blinked as he stared up at a spot that was strangely familiar. He noticed small claw marks, like a kit had once been climbing this tree. With a strike of shock, he realized that kit had been him. He remembered his excitement that day of being accepted into somewhere new.
Foxpatch growled. If only he had known.
~Two days later~
How dare Swanfeather try to assign him patrols. How DARE she. He should have been the one giving her something to do.
He flicked his tail to signal everyone to stop. The scent of fox reached his nose and he pulled back his lips to reveal blood-stained fangs. “Everyone, a fox is nearby. Stay here.”
He padded off. There, behind a patch of heather, was the fox in question.
Foxpatch attacked, fighting like a demon. He was stronger than anyone in the clan, even Willowstar herself. He roared as he flung himself onto the creature, biting down on its neck until it went still.
He turned and stalked back to the patrol. The fox had given him a couple bruises, but nothing more. He winced as he walked though.
“What, you didn’t become friends with him?” One of the patrol members mocked. Was it Shadowdapple? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t pay attention to those who weren’t strong or were accepted.
“You’re both fox hearts, it would be the perfect match.”
That was enough.
Moons of anguish and rage and hatred piled into his claws, and lunged with deadly precision, killing him immediately. He went for the other two members, letting them join StarClan with no pain or agony, despite how much he wished for them to hurt.
He dragged them over to the fox and covered his scent with the predator’s. He stuck fox fur between his claws and got rid of the WindClan fur, instead putting it in the fox’s mouth.
He ran back to WindClan, happiness creeping over him.
“HELP!” He shouted, acting like he had a broken leg.
“SOMETHING GOT MY PATROL!”


Heheh sorry that was so long, I love Foxpatch so much.

Mar 21 daily
Poetry!

Word count: 114

In shadow’s embrace
Silver moon whispers softly
Night’s peace soothes the soul.

We drift in shadow
Ethereal voices call
Beyond veils they wait.

In the hearth it roars
Flames dance with wild abandon
Engulfing the night.

In hushed whispers heard
Silence, a soothing lullaby
Peaceful thoughts, undisturbed.

In lands of myth and magic, dragons roamed free,
Their scales as bright as the shimmering sea,
With wings that soared high,
They ruled the sky,
Their might spread like a jubilee
(Got desperate on that last line hehe)

In moonlit whispers
Dreams paint the canvas of night
Reality fades.

In shadows they hide
Whispers of ancient secrets
Lost souls roam unseen.

Shadows cover all
Silent stones under the moon
Whispers of the past.

Mar 22 daily
Pathetic Fallacy
Word count: 274

The sun beamed down on the earth, leaves in the trees dancing through the air as a swirling summer breeze curled around the forest. A nearby brook sang as it flowed through the path carved out from years of bubbling up against the side. An orange leaf, the color of the sunset, drifted down slowly to the ground, twirling its way down to the worn path below.
“Livvy, look at how beautiful it is outside! C’mon, the woods need to be explored! Our village needs our bravery to chart it!”
Scuffling noises ensued as two small children chased each other, running into the brightly lit woods. They both held lanterns, pretending to be accomplished explorers as bird song swam around them.
They charged in, holding pretend maps as they looked around. No one was quite sure what they were looking for, but they seemed to be having plenty of fun.
“Hunter, slow down!” Livvy laughed, stooping over to catch her breath. Hunter grinned as pollen spun through the air, leaping from breeze to breeze. They kept moving, reaching the Laughing Brook. Hunter jumped over before extending his hand to Livvy. “M’lady.” He said with a charming smile. Livvy took it and they continued their exploration.
Hours later, the sun was setting. It was like someone melted a pot of gold and orange and pink and splattered it across the sky. Livvy and Hunter sat in a tree, legs dangling over the edge as they happily recounted the best parts of their journey. Branches waved at them in the song of the summer, as they leaned against each other and watch night overtake the sun.

Critique for Rainy
Mar 22
Word count: 241

First of all, this is an amazing piece. It highlights the nothingness, and the blandness of the main character’s life. The beginning shows how boring it is, and how the main character has never known anything else. Then, at the end, it shows that she has hope for escape. Then, the very last line shows an interpretation of hope as she finally sees for the first time. It makes you think that someone has come to save her.
The naming shadows part is somewhat confusing. How do they know what the different shapes mean? How did they make names for them? It was just kind of complicated to understand. I know it’s an abstract piece sort of, but I think if you could sort of sharpen the details around that it would be more impactful.
In the beginning, it mentions a stone wall. If the main character has only known darkness her whole life, how does she know what stone is? Probably form those passed down names to be honest, now that I think about it… But it was weird at first.
I definitely like the part where there was no description of how many of them were there, or how they got there in the first place, because it adds mystery to it. Are they the only ones left after some mysterious event? Were they hidden or locked away? It’s an exciting mystery that you can’t help but wonder about.

Mar 24 daily
Hobbit hole
Word count: 620

The hobbit hole was cozy if you only went into the living room.
The ceiling was low, and a light hung from the center of the living room. It was the first thing you saw as you stepped inside. Perhaps to lure you in, make you think this place was normal? Who knows. Danielle always had her reasons.
A fireplace crackled as you stepped in. Warmth flooded around you, protecting you from the frigid temperatures outside and beckoning to you. You give a little shiver and sigh of relief as the warm air sinks into your bones. You set your hat on the hat rack, placed in the hall, and take a good and proper look around.
A few bookshelves line one wall of the room, standing behind a cushy arm chair that was a pleasant shade of pastel lime. A footstool lies in front of that, and a small stand next to the chair. It’s a nice set-up. Nothing too unusual, completely normal for any self-respecting hobbit. You wonder where Danielle is. She probably forgot I was coming and is in her room, cozying up with a book. You chuckle to yourself. Even though no one has invited you in yet, you take a chance and shut the door behind you, shaking snow off of your feet.
You walk towards the hallway leading out of the living room. You wonder what lies beyond, considering there hadn’t been anything strange in the living room. Danielle was a very strange person, so it made no sense that her living room was completely normal.
You blink in surprise as you round the corner.
It is the queerest writing station you have ever seen. It’s very strange indeed, this room. A desk sits in the very center of the chaos, a small island in the eye of the storm. The rest of the room is covered with papers and books and puddles of ink. You reach down to pick up the nearest piece of paper. It’s covered in random words and lines and squiggles, everything meeting in the center to write out There And Back Again. You shake your head in disgust. What sort of hobbit would have such a- an adventurous book in their library? You’d personally only heard whispers of the book, supposedly written by the famous Bilbo Baggins.
You drop the paper and tiptoe across what is probably a floor. You can’t see it for parchment and tomes, though.
After that, there is a small kitchen. A door is behind everything, probably being the pantry. The kitchen is completely clean, but a vase of- were those black roses? Did those even exist?
You shake your head in confusion.
The hallway beckons to you, but you don’t think you should go any further. However, a silver glint catches your eye and you hesitantly enter the next room.
Full suits of armor, all shapes and sizes, line the walls. Hung up are axes and swords and bows and quivers of arrows, all made with the most magnificent craftsmanship. Almost like they were made by elves or some other supernatural creature. Engravings are made in unfamiliar tongues across every metal surface. You hear a clatter as you move and look down, realizing that coins cover the floor. Or maybe the floor is coins? You truly can never tell with Danielle.
You hear somebody behind you and turn, still trying to process what is happening. You knew Danielle was strange, but this is a whole different level. Your eyes widen as you begin to apologize profusely to the person behind you.
Danielle smiles widely, shaking her head at your begging for forgiveness.
“Hello. Welcome to my home, The Dragon’s Hoard!”

Weekly
Part One
Fretag’s Pyramid
Word Count: 307

Exposition - A prologue. The protagonist’s life force is suddenly tied to something— or someone. The Weavers decree a prophecy that the protagonist must go on a quest to retrieve an item before the antagonist.
-Takes place in a place called The Loom
-The three Weavers are introduced
-The protagonist’s features are introduced
-The protagonist realizes his life has been tied
-Protagonist believes he is weak, not having powers and having his life tied
Rising Action - The protagonist receives the prophecy and begins following a trail of clues that leads him to realize his childhood friend is the antagonist— against his will.
-Clues are found around New York
-New character is introduced— Antagonist
-The antagonist is revealed
-The protagonist panics
-The antagonist reveals that he is being controlled, this is not his choice.
-The antagonist gets his hands on the item that controls the protagonist
-Plot twist!
Climax - The protagonist nearly dies as the antagonist begin to destroy his lifeline. Suddenly, his childhood friend snaps out of it long enough for him to unalive himself.
-The protagonist is in shock
-The antagonist says a heartfelt goodbye
-The protagonist is found by the Weavers
Falling Action - The protagonist listens to what the Weavers have to say about how he may have saved the multiverse when the antagonist died. The protagonist uses the item to try and get his friend back.
-Protagonist gets upset and blames the Weavers
-Flashback reveals how much they had been through together
-Protagonist threatens Weavers
-Weavers agree to bring him back for a day
Exposition - A heartfelt goodbye from both of them. Apologies from both sides. Antagonist takes protagonist’s hand and shows him a mark on it, something that shows he has power.
-Antagonist begins to fade
-“The Puppeteer knows your power as well. Trust no one.”
-Protagonist promises to stand up to him.
-Foreshadowing…

Part Two: Exposition

“Yes… he will do.”

Mar 25 daily
Holi/Hobbit Hole
Word Count: 673

Danielle marveled at the sky overhead. Why didn’t anyone ever appreciate the sky? It was such a lovely blue color, you couldn’t find it anywhere else in nature. White clouds drifted across it.
Night would be falling soon. The blue was darkening slowly as the sun descended towards the horizon. What was beyond the horizon? Was it endless water or endless land? What was is like out there? Danielle pondered these questions often. She really shouldn’t have, considering she was a hobbit, but she truly couldn’t stop herself as she stared out over the Shire.
Danielle jumped as someone set a hand of her shoulder. “Oh, it’s only you.” She murmured, slightly disappointed as she realized it was only Leefe. Leefe gave a small smile. “I thought you would be happier to see me.”
Danielle rolled her eyes. “Sure, excited to see the person who tried to kill me.” Leefe returned the eye roll, folding his arms and glaring at her. “I tried to kill you once, and that was a misunderstanding.”
Danielle nodded sagely. “Yes, I meant to kill someone else, my apologies for nearly beating you to death. I do hope you can forgive me, I meant to kill your cousin.” She imitated Leefe. “You are unbearable.” He grumbled. “You know you love it.” She said with a grin.
The sky began to turn a deep orange-red color. Pink would follow soon, and then purple, and then the serene dark blue of night. Danielle stared up at it, submerging herself once again in her thoughts.
Leefe sat down next to her. He was extremely tall, being a human, so even as he sat, he was tall. Danielle blinked and sat down next to him. They stared at the sky together.
“Something new is coming.” Danielle murmured as she watched the sun melt over the horizon, disappearing beneath Middle Earth. “And I want to see it when it happens.”
Leefe turned to her. “I’ll go with you. You’ve never left the Shire, and I know my way around. We could see the elves and the dwarves. We could see the beach and the mountains that pierce the sky.” He offered. He stretched out his gloved hand. “What do you say, Danielle?” Leefe asked, eyes glittering. The entire right side of his face glowed with orange light as the sun stretched out to touch his face.
“Yes.”

Danielle hoisted her pack and turned to look over her hobbit hole. She would probably be stolen from, but that was okay. No one could make sense fo the things in there but her, Leefe, and a few select others. She could find more armor elsewhere, though if they tried to steal from that room, the armor was enchanted to protect it.
“You finally ready?” Leefe asked, staring down at her. The sun had begun to rise.
It had been mere hours since Danielle agreed to leave the Shire with Leefe to explore the places beyond her home. She had packed everything she needed, and then some extra. Her load felt heavy on her shoulders, like she was carrying the burden of having constantly good manners. You had to have good manners if you wanted to live in the Shire, so it was always a struggle to be polite at all times.
Danielle gave a nod.
They set out, Danielle riding a pony and Leefe riding a horse. Hobbits turned to goggle and star at them as they rode down the road. Some turned away in disgust. Others watched with interest and longing. A few just flat out ignored them.
They reached the end of the road, where they would officially be leaving the Shire. Danielle tuned back to stare at all she had ever known. Leefe waited at her side while she drank everything in for possibly the last time.
The sun peeked over the mountains, coating the land in a bright orange film that made everything bloom with color as it chased back the dark shadows of night.
“Let’s go.”

Mar 26
Role swap
Word count: 1076

Midoriya stared as his notebook was thrown into the koi pond below. He ran away from Kacchan, down the stairs and towards where all of the data and statistics he had been gathering for months had fallen.
He grabbed it out of the pond, shaking off a koi that had been nibbling at it. He sighed. It was soaked. He tried to open it up, but the flimsy paper just ripped in his hands and turned to mush. He shook with anger. That was the last straw. Midoriya clenched his fist, then loosened his grip with a sigh. He couldn’t do anything to Kacchan. He was just Quirkless Deku. A punching bag to anyone else that he knew.
He started to walk home. What else could he do? He was so pitifully weak.
Midoriya grabbed out his letter from UA, reading over it once again. Rejected. Quirkless. Not strong enough. Some other job. He had memorized it by now. Splotches of gray covered it— marks from where tears had fallen. He refused to be so weak now. He would become a hero. He WOULD. It didn’t matter if he went to UA or not.
A noise came from an alleyway and he jerked his head up from his notebook. He turned to look. It was completely dark in there, he couldn’t see a thing. It was probably just a cat… but it sounded bigger than that.
“Hello?” He called, grip tightening around the letter and his notebook. “Is everything okay in there?”
He took a nervous step inside of the shadows. His eyes slowly began to adjust. Someone WAS there. He was covered with lots of gray things, he couldn’t make out what they were though.
The person turned to look at him. A red eye looked out from behind the gray thing on his face. Midoriya slowly realized what it was. A hand. He thought. He tried to take a step back, but he didn’t. Something was… oddly intriguing about this person. He had such an intimidating aura, he wanted to steal it and use it to force Kacchan to stop hurting him.
“Who are you?” He asked, proud when his voice didn’t tremble.
“Hmm…” The person muttered, scratching his neck. “Not impressive. Are you the one who was rejected by that person they call the number one hero?” He asked, the eye that was uncovered staring him down intently.
Midoriya blinked. How did he know about that?
“I- I am.”
“Come with me.” The guy said. His voice made him sound like he was smiling as he beckoned to a blocked off building. He slipped through the yellow tape and entered.
Midoriya needed to know more. He hurried to follow the mysterious person, disappearing inside the doors after him.

~10 months later~

Midoriya stretched on his gloves, grinning like a madman. Today was the day. He and the League of Villains would be crashing that USJ place. Maybe Midoriya would see Kacchan. That would be PERFECT. He thought.
“You take forever to get ready.” Tomura stated from behind him. Midoriya gave a shrug. “You’re the one who recruited me. Besides, I have to look my best. It’s a big day.”
“You’re right about one thing.” Tomura muttered. “Let’s go. We got a lot of people to plan this.”
Midoriya walked towards the bar, getting a drink while they waited for Kurogiri to show up. “This is the day. Aren’t you excited?”
“Hmph.” Was Tomura’s only reply.
“I wonder what they’ll think when they see me! I bet I’ll shock them into silence. What do you think? Wanna have a bet? I bet a drink that some faint when they realize I’m alive!” Midoriya said, stage-whispering.
Kurogiri appeared behind the bar and opened a Warp portal. “Let’s go.” He told them. Midoriya stood up, eyes flashing with delight. “Finally. Let’s get the show going!”

~~~~

Midoriya stood beside Tomura as they walked in. He had a disguise on right now, so he wouldn’t spoil the surprise. A mask, based off the suit he had designed when he had wanted to be a hero.
Tomura gave the little speech they had planned while Midoriya scanned their audience. All Might wasn’t there. This might be a problem. Had the information been faulty? Surely not, or their informant would have burst into flames.
“A last minute change up.” He whispered to Tomura. “The target isn’t here.”
“He’ll come.”
At last the speech was finished. Kurogiri quickly rounded up the class members and disposed of Thirteen. They were behaving so poorly, it was almost like they didn’t have someone to rally around yet, someone to give order, someone to be recklessly brave. Those people were always required for anyone else to make a stand.
“Mmm, say, let’s play a little game.” Midoriya said. He saw the members of the class flinch and begin to panic. This was all going swell.
Kacchan’s eyes widened a tiny bit, but Midoriya wasn’t sure if Kacchan was recognizing his voice or if he was just panicking due tot he fact that villains were attacking. The Kacchan he knew wasn’t like that, though.
“I look through each of your facade’s, one by one, until you all know everything about each other. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
Midoriya had Kurogiri warp him right in front of the class.
“Why, Kacchan, I haven’t seen you in a while.” Midoriya whispered to him, barely hiding his anger.
Kacchan stumbled back.
“Who-who’s this Kacchan you’re talking about?” A girl said. She had brown hair and a pink hero suit. Not the leader, this was out of character for her, considering everyone else’s reaction.
“He didn’t tell you about me?” Midoriya asked, already knowing the answer. “No worries. I think you’ll all recognize me.”
Midoriya took off his hood and mask at the same time, a grin plastered onto his face.
Kacchan stared in horror.
“What, you really thought I would die? I considered it, sure, but it didn’t actually happen.” He hissed. “But I bet you wish I did.”
“W-Wh-what do you mean?” Someone asked.
“Oh, Kacchan told me to jump off a roof a couple of times. Nothing too extreme.”
The class turned to stare at Kacchan in disgust. Midoriya smiled.
This was what he wanted.

Mar 26
Critique for Toko
Word count: 316

As always, I’ll start off with a bit of praise. I like the idea of a department of monsters, sending members off to scare people. It makes it seem more organized and less scary in general. I like how there’s a bit of mystery around Petal in the beginning, and how you don’t get all of the information right off the bat. It makes you more intrigued. The mention of Greek mythology also fits well, what with he names Echidna and Cerberus. I like that little detail that you snuck in there. Also the fact Petal is still afraid of them in surprising but fits well with the story. It isn’t the typical plot that I guessed would be played out.
However, the fact you downplayed Echidna a bit is disappointing. I mean, she’s the mother of all major monsters, but working at a desk for just scaring people from underneath beds? Slightly underwhelming. This piece gives off a Monster’s Inc. vibe, what with Echidna taking care of Petal at the end. Again, Echidna is the mother of monsters. But she adopts a human? I know the piece wouldn’t be right without the happy ending, but it is, as I mentioned, underwhelming. The part about how the father is kind in the letter is also conflicting within the story, but it adds a bit of confusion that may have been on purpose. If so, congrats! It worked.
The letter’s set up got messed up a bit, but that’s just a grammar correction. The memory bit is weird. It says it’s a memory, but she interacts within it to create a changed future? That’s time warping, isn’t it? I also don’t get the Marble Eyes part. That term kind of appears out of nowhere. There is a style where people already know everything and you slowly piece of together, but that isn’t the style that it’s using.

Mar 27
Google Translated
Word Count: 513
Original song lyrics:
So go and do like you do, I’m good to do like me. Ain’t in the cage so I don’t need to take the key.
Oh d@mn, can’t you see I’m doing fine? I don’t need to see the other side. (The Other Side)
Google Translated lyrics:
So wait, I know what I'm doing. The key is not needed as it is not in the box.
Don't you say I'm at peace? Don't look at anyone.

“I know what I’m doing.” I snapped at Kennedy, folding my arms.
I had anonymously received a box the night before. Kennedy kept insisting that I find a key to open it, since it was locked. She was sure that the key was hidden somewhere around camp, but I wasn’t convinced.
“Sometimes the best hidden answers are the simplest.” I told her. I stared down at the box, thinking. There was no way that a key could fit in the keyhole. I had checked. I knew how to pick a lock, and the mechanics inside were completely different than the normal one. You can thank the Hermes kids for teaching me.
“Maybe… I don’t need a key at all.” I realized. I grabbed at the box. My palm glowed silver as I pumped power into it. A click alerted me to it opening, and I leaned against one of the walls in my cabin, suddenly exhausted.
“Open it!” Kennedy said eagerly, leaning forwards towards me. “Gimme a second.” I grumbled, taking a deep breath before sitting up. I gasped as a sharp pain sliced through me.
“Here, I got it.” Kennedy told me, putting her hand onto mine. The pain suddenly vanished and I blinked. “Apollo is the god of healing, right?” Kennedy reminded me.
I looked down.
“Well, go on! I want to see what’s inside!” Kennedy said, eyes gleaming as she stared up at me. I gave a reluctant smile. “Okay, but if this is a Pandora’s box situation, it’s all your fault.” I told her, leaning towards the box and gently opening up the heavy wooden lid.
“What is this?” I wondered, pulling out a clump of crystals. They glinted purples and blues and teals as I rotated them, catching and reflecting the light in different, breathtaking ways.
“Oh, wow.” I murmured. I set it on a shelf by my bed, where it attached to the wood like it had been there for years. Me and Kennedy marveled at it. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Wasn’t saying much considering I grew up on the streets, but I was sure that nothing else in the world could compare.
“I wonder who gave this to you.” Kennedy pondered, lightly dragging her finger across the smooth edges of crystal. I gave a shrug. “Maybe my mom.” I said quietly. “Night time divination, crystals, horoscopes, zodiacs… It makes sense, right?”
“I suppose so.” My friend said thoughtfully, turning away from the cluster of crystals to face me. “I get this weird sensation when I touch it. Give it a try, see if it’s just me.”
I pushed myself off the ground and placed my hand around it. Peacefulness flooded through me, and I tore my hand away.
“Wow.” Was all I could manage.
“Yeah.” Kennedy replied.
I sat on my bed for a moment, processing what had just happened.
Kennedy laid down next to me.
We sat there quietly, appreciating each other’s company and the serenity of my cabin.
Not looking at anything
or anyone.
And it was silent.

Mar 28
Critique for @silverlynx-
Word count: 349
(Sorry i cant work out how to quote )

“I twirled through the gnarled trees, sunlight dappling onto the lush mossy floor. Wild mushrooms peeped from behind bushes, vibrant and colourful. Birds chirped amongst the emerald leaves, their song drifting through the clear pure air. The sky was a stunning sapphire blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds.”

The imagery is beautiful here :0 I can see this mysterious old forest perfect, intriguing and inviting. I don’t think anything here needs to change, except possibly a different adjective for the leaves. It makes you unsure if it’s the color your describing or if the leaves are actually emeralds-

“I flopped onto the peaty ground and closed my eyes in elation. This was the dream I had always wished for. Peace. Peace in the midst of the bustling city. Peace in the midst of honking cars. Peace in the midst of furious people. Impossible. Yet here I was, the midst of the city, in a forest. A tingling sensation ran up my arm and my eyelids fluttered open to reveal a deep amber butterfly nestled inside my fluffy jacket. I grinned. Flowers blossomed, twining around my pale wrist, vibrant and pale pink.”

I like the repetition. It really shows how busy this place is, and how chaotic, and how much the main character desperately wished to get away from it all. Again, I would use a different adjective instead of ‘furious,’ maybe something like ‘Peace in the midst of a storm of people.’ It still implies angry people, but it also implies a lot of them. It exaggerates it more. I like the verb you used when the main character opened there eyes. It implies fragility or peacefulness. Nicely done. The flower curling around her wrist adds a mystical tone.

I opened my eyes groggily, sirens wailing. Shouts echoed around me, anguished and heart-rending.
“I’m sorry…”
A blurred face leaned over me, wavering at the slightest breeze. As I came round, I saw a shiny badge on a radiant neon jacket.
Julie
Police Inspector
Happy to help!

I don’t exactly get the last ‘Happy to help’ part. Why would that be on a badge??? And wait, weren’t her eyes already open? The sirens also don’t make sense unless her father died in that forest. I’m confused.

“Em.”
I braced myself, ready for the worst.
“Your father… he was involved in an accident… I’m sorry… he died.”
I collapsed, the ground sodden with my salty tears. A hand stroked my back. Rain trickled down my face, mixing with a torrent of sadness. The flowers drooped and blackened and thunder screamed with me as I cried for my father to come. Come back.”

I don’t think I would change anything. This is perfect, except for “The ground sodden” bit. She had only started crying so I don’t get why it would be sodden but okay an exaggeration never hurt-

Lightning struck through a gnarled tree, splitting and splitting it into two halves. A broken heart. Leaves spiralled to the wet ground, the last fragments of the tree leaving, deserting it as my heart shattered into a million pieces. Julie crept over and cradled me close. I wanted her to leave me alone. I wanted Dad to cradle me instead.

Does she already know this police officer? Maybe that should be clarified if she does. I like the fact that her emotions control the weather, but she isn’t even realizing it in the moment. It’s a nice touch. Most things would make her lose control and she would be panicking to harness it again, but in this she doesn’t even realize it’s her doing.

I toddled up to Dad, smiling stupidly, beaming from ear to ear like sunshine on a summer’s day. He grinned and took my pudgy hand. We splashed through puddles and I squeaked in excitement as the water cascaded into the air, crashing back to the earth.
“Happiness, Em, is the key to success.”

This is a nice touch, showing how attached she is to her father. However, it isn’t necessary, and just adds words I think. It does give a transition to the next paragraph, but still isn’t necessary.

Sorrow washed over me. How could I be a success with this burden weighing me down? I gulped, swallowing back tears and stood up. The world spun around me and I fell back down. I shut my eyes tightly and sleep embraced me with open arms.

I wouldn’t change this. It’s perfect. I really like this paragraph. You did really well with it. Well, that’ll be all from me today happy writing!

Mar 28
Continuation
Word count: 552

Bakugo stared in horror as his childhood friend turned enemy leered over him, a manic smile playing along his lips. This was what he had wanted, right? He had wanted to apologize ever since he thought Deku had died because of him. But this wasn’t the Deku he knew. This was a power hungry, revenge-seeking person who could get what he wanted and he knew it.
“You are not Deku.” He growled, staring him down. “The Deku I knew was too kind for this.”
To be fair, he didn’t look like Deku either. His hair had been dyed straight black and he was taller and thinner. He wore a suit, and his hood had been flipped off and his mask cast aside.
“You’re right.” He agreed. “Deku died that day when I found Tomura.” Bakugo’s eyes went to the person with hands all over him. He was leaning over and scratching his neck with one hand and keeping the other hand on some sort of creature next to him.
Deku turned to the rest of Bakugo’s class. “I give you all a single chance to join me. Or we can play the game I mentioned earlier, and then you all die. Oh, wouldn’t that be fun!” He sighed. “Besides, we aren’t here for you. You’re all expendable.” Deku said, voice hardening into something that sounded nothing like his true self.
“And dear Kacchan here will not be joining us at all. His fate has been spelled out for him. Tomura was kind enough to let me torture you before you die. I have you all to myself.” Deku explained, stretching out his arms with palms up. “Isn’t this just perfect?” He said, voice converting into a snarl by the end of the sentence.
Bakugo blinked. Deku is Quirkless. Why am I standing around? I can take him! That shadowy guy must have teleported him over to us, and thats why he was able to appear. He realized.
“Your fight is with me. Sure, they’re all expendable, but I’m not. Don’t think you can get in my way, you nerd! You’re still a Quirkless runt!” Bakugo shouted, propelling himself forward with explosions. Then suddenly, everything went black except for Deku’s eyes.
They were red, and everything
was
pain
there was nothing else he would die here I’m dead I’m dead I’m dead let me die it was just pain he couldn’t bear it it was all dark and gone and black and there was PAIN.
And then there was blissful numbness. Bakugo blinked. Where… was he?
He took a look around.
He was in a white room. At least, he thought it was a room. It seemed to stretch on forever. What had Deku done?
Did he actually have a Quirk? Bakugo thought, remembering that seemed to sear into his flesh. He shuddered. What power had that been? He had looked at his eyes and then…
No. He couldn’t think about that right now. He needed a way out.
He started forward, but then stopped when he realized the ground was rippling beneath him, like he was walking on water. He crouched, realizing that it was reflective instead of white.
Bakugo touched the surface wondering if he should explode it when a pit opened up beneath him and he fell down, down, down…

Apr 1
Villain Deku
Word count: 476

“Hmm. It seems he didn’t last long underneath my Quirk. I thought he would endure for at least a minute or two longer.” Midoriya muttered, kicking at the lifeless body at his feet. A cold breeze swirled around him, despite USJ not having any windows. A small shiver went through him as he stared down at his childhood tormentor’s corpse.
A muffled sob sounded from someone in the class, and Midoriya jerked his head up. He had forgotten the rest of them had been there for a moment. A sense of emptiness filled him. What would he do now? He had reached his first goal. What was next?
I’ll devote myself to Tomura. He decided. He’s been a good friend to me.
“Didn’t you hear the screaming?” Midoriya snapped at a spiky red-haired guy as he struggled to run towards Kacchan. “Stay back or you’ll die too. I bet you’ll last even less time, but I can limit myself so your death drags out.”
“Kirishima.” Said one with yellow hair. He set a hand on Kirishima’s shoulder, comforting him. Confusion trickled through the villain. Had the bully somehow made actual friends? His goons from middle school wouldn’t have batted an eye at this sort of thing. Perhaps he was just under some illusion that Kacchan had liked him.
Had. How strange that he was dead.
“You… you…” Kirishima sniffled. “You killed him!”
“Yes, I did.” Midoriya agreed. “Finally. I’ve had that on my mind for much too long.” He let a grin slowly spread across his face, making his eyes look slightly wild. One wearing a pink hero suit jerked back.
Midoriya turned towards Tomura, shouting, “They’re all here except the target! I’ve taken care of Kacchan too. Aren’t you proud?” He sighed happily, spreading his arms. A grunt was his only response. Midoriya gave a shrug. “I think I did quite well. Let’s celebrate back at base.”
“Kurogiri will take them back. You and me will stay here and wait until he comes.” Tomura shouted back. Deku nodded, and the class disappeared into an inky black and purple portal.
Another shudder suddenly ran through Midoriya. Everything seemed oddly cold. Was this a side effect of his quirk he hadn’t noticed?
I haven’t had it for long. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was and I just hadn’t noticed. He thought.
“When exactly is he going to show up?” Deku shouted, folding his arms and stalking over to Shigaraki. “I want to go soon. This is going to be boring, just waiting.” He complained.
He paused next to Tomura. “Is it just me or is it cold in here?”
The blue-haired villain regarded Midoriya out of the corner of his eye. “No.”
“Hmm.” He murmured, his hands going to his neck where the hairs on it were standing up on it.
“Probably just a side effect.”

Apr 1
Villain Deku
Word count: 864

Bakugo stared at his somewhat transparent hands.
He had died.
This wasn’t a practical joke. No one in his class had the quirk to do this, and none of the villains had gotten close enough to touch him except for Deku, and Deku hadn’t actually touched him. Besides, he didn’t have a quirk… right?
Bakugo wasn’t so sure now. That sense of pain that had gripped him and apparently killed him had been so realistic… He had never heard of a power like that. It was unnerving.
As he watched the scene unfolding below, he walked over to Deku and studied him. It had been only 10 months since he had faked his death, but he had changed so much. Even his demeanor had changed, and it was freaky. He seemed so intimidating now, like an aura made from years of being bullied by Bakugo had built up into a wall around him. His eyes were the same color though, and they seemed to hold the same sadness and determination that they had held throughout his life. How had Bakugo not noticed that before? He had only seen the weakness, and the jealousy he had held of Deku. He had been Quirkless, but it was almost like he was braver than any pro hero he knew. And he was so kind and had a strong sense of justice. What had this League of Villains done to corrupt it?
Deku seemed to shiver a bit as Bakugo moved around him. Can he sense me somehow? He wondered as Deku’s eyes slid across him and the rest of his class.
Kirishima stared forward with a sob and scream of rage. Bakugo blinked. He had tried to push the spiky-haired guy away. People he knew tended to have bad things happen to them, so he was as much of a jerk as he could afford to be in a hero course. Apparently, it hadn’t worked. He watched helplessly as Kirishima struggled against Kaminari. The same thing had happened with Kaminari, and yet sadness settled over the usually energetic classmate.
Bakugo watched as Deku mentioned something to about a ‘target’ to Tomura. His eyes narrowed. The villain had also mentioned something about everyone being expendable earlier, so the target couldn’t be someone in the class. Was it a teacher or some other pro hero? Or perhaps they were part of the police.
Suddenly, the class disappeared into a portal. He watched them all open their mouths to scream as they fell, but they were swallowed up too quickly for them to make any noise. Bakugo recoiled. Where had they gone?
“Don’t do this.” Bakugo whispered to his old friend. He set a hand onto Deku’s shoulder. “If you can hear me, please. Don’t do this. None of them deserve it. What happened to you?”
Another shudder ran through Deku, and again his eyes swept USJ for the source of wind. Bakugo growled. “LET THEM GO!” He shouted, trying to spark an explosion in Deku’s face. Nothing happened.
Am I Quirkless now? Bakugo wondered, staring down at his hands again in shock. Was this how Deku had felt? Powerless, or like all his dreams had been stripped away? And then his childhood friend turned on him and bullied him…
Bakugo shook his head. He couldn’t spiral into those thoughts or he would never get out. He had learned that in the ten months that he had thought Deku was dead during.
Deku began to walk towards Tomura, his boots clicking against the tile as he moved towards the villain. Bakugo followed, unsure of what would take place next. What would he do? Was he condemned to a life of following his previous victim around, or could he somehow save his classmates? He tore his hands through his spiky hair.
Maybe I can save Deku before he goes too far.

~Two hours later~

Bakugo would have choked on bile if he wasn’t already dead. He stared down at All Might, the previous number one hero and one of his teachers at UA. His power hadn’t been enough to defeat the Nomu, as the League of Villains had dubbed it. He was dead. Bakugo thought he saw a wisp rise from the former pro hero, and then it was gone. He blinked. Why hadn’t All Might stayed?
Maybe I have one last mission left to fulfill before I get to leave. Bakugo theorized, folding his arms. That sounds way too philosophical. Maybe some people get to go and others don’t. Who cares?
The words sounded empty.
Deku glanced over his shoulder at Bakugo, then back down at All Might. Memories seemed to swim in his eyes, maybe from the days where he had been All Might’s biggest fan. He turned away.
“Kurogiri, take us away.” He growled roughly. Kurogiri gave a nod and opened a portal. Bakugo followed the League of Villains as they left USJ, as well as Thirteen, All Might and Bakugo’s corpses. Apparently, Aizawa had gotten away.
It could possibly be the last time he would ever see this place, the place where he had been killed by his victim of bullying all those years.
He turned his back and continued on.

Apr 4
Villain Deku
Word count: 827

Midoriya stared at his shaking hands.
All Might was dead. Kacchan was dead. Everyone who had stood in his way and rejected him was dead. Then why did he feel so cold and empty and like there was no more meaning in his life?
He let loose a guttural cry, flinging one of the weapons he had learned to use into the wall. He tore his hands through his hair, anger flickering through him. Why was he so conflicted about this? Something had felt so, so wrong when Kacchan had died. Wasn’t he supposed to feel satisfied? All Might had died too. He thought he had hated the hero, but he couldn’t remember a time where he truly wished for his death.
“This was what I was meant to do.” Midoriya whispered to himself, trying to make the words real. It didn’t work.
“AAARGHH!” He screamed, putting his face into his hands. Quiet sobs shook him. He had never truly wanted this, but it was too late. It was too late to go back and bring Kacchan to life. He couldn’t. His life was All For One’s now. He had sworn himself to the leader, sworn himself to Tomura, sworn himself to the League.
“Tomura is my friend.” He murmured, trying to cleanse his mind of the traitorous thoughts. “Kacchan was a tormentor. All Might rejected me, my power, my dreams. This is what I needed to do.”
The words were empty.
Again, cold wind swirled around Midoriya, like someone trying to comfort him. He peeled off his gloves, letting the breeze cool the hot skin. He closed his eyes, letting nothing enter his mind. Soon enough, the wind left and his eyes opened up again. His thoughts were made up. This was his lot in life. He was a villain, and he would be the best of them. He would serve Tomura until he rose above him, and then Tomura would serve under Midoriya. It… it would have to do. What else could be done?
“Why didn’t I just ignore Kacchan? Why did I let him get to me?” Midoriya whispered to himself. “Just because he betrayed me, that wasn’t a reason to get so upset. It was just a stupid notebook, and now things can never go back…”
His thoughts were conflicted. Should he try to salvage things while he could, or should he devote his life to a cause that up until now he had seen as just? Maybe Kacchan’s death was just getting to him. It was just weird to see Kacchan dead. Yes, that was it.
He stood, walking over to his nightstand. He picked up the mask on it, based on his hero suit that he had designed all those years ago, and that he had kept with him. Tomura didn’t know who it had been based on. He didn’t know. None of them did. They only knew All Might had rejected him. Said he couldn’t be a hero. They didn’t know that Midoriya still admired him.
And now he’s gone. And I can’t bring him back.

~A day later~

Midoriya decided that he should play around with the class. Torture them a little bit. That would put him back into the right mood. Yes, he wanted to see them broken and shattered. He wondered what Tomura had done to scare them, if he had tried to do that already. Midoriya hoped he hadn’t. He wanted to break them in.
“Hello, my little experiments!” He said, smugness twisting around the words. The class scooted against the wall behind them. Midoriya put a finger to his chin. “That won’t work. I’m afraid that I can still reach you from here. The cell is quite small, isn’t that right?”
They glared at him. It was admirable, the amount of intensity beyond the gaze, but Midoriya’s rage knew no bounds. They couldn’t intimidate him while he was still the one standing over them, his Quirk a looming threat above their heads.
“Missing Kacchan, are we?” He murmured, leaning towards Kirishima and the yellow-haired one that he believed was called Kaminari.
“Don’t you put his name in your filthy mouth!” Kirishima spat, his stare filled with such loathing it was almost impressive that Midoriya didn’t melt on the spot. He laughed. “You really think his name isn’t filthier than my mouth?” Midoriya said, voice hardening. “He tormented me for years. He was a living nightmare.”
Kirishima shifted nervously.
“That’s what I thought.” He growled, folding his arms.
He hid a shiver as that same wind swirled around him and away, towards the people inside of the cage. Something banged against metal nearby. Izuku turned and stalked away to go investigate where the noise had come from, then realized it must have come from someone in the cage. A headache was building up in the back of his brain as the noise sounded again.
He kept walking away, thinking over his words.
Had he really meant them?

TW: Ghosts, death, bullets.
Word count: 523

You heard the footsteps echo across the cold tile floor downstairs.

Click. Click. Click.

He must be here. Isn’t that a bit early? The deal wasn’t specific.

Click. Click. Click.

Ragged breathing wormed through the halls, as if someone had a thing blocking up their throat. You should go check on whoever has come to fulfill their end of the deal, but something keeps you riveted to the spot. You are next to the window, chilled air swirling around you. Your bedroom is dark. It’s late at night, or is it early in the morning? You don’t know. You’ve been waiting for this person to arrive.

Click. Click. Click.

The footsteps are slow, decisive, almost like they were planned. Almost as if they knew their way around this house, having been here before and memorized every step. You shudder. That couldn’t be the case. No, that was impossible. No one had visited this house for a decade. Still, goosebumps make their way up your arm. Something isn’t right.

Click click, click click, click click.

Suddenly they increase speed, the clicking growing closer. Why haven’t they called out to you yet? This is not who you were supposed to meet. The realization breaks out into full view, and you scramble to open up the window more. You’re panicking, hands slipping as you try to heave open the heavy glass and frame.

Click click click click click

They’re in a run, they’re coming, they’re coming, you can’t escape. You let out a desperate scream for help, but there is no one around for miles. No one can hear you. No one will know. Did this person want her end of the deal? Did they know what she had done?
You scream to God for mercy. Let him forgive your miserable and unrighteous life. Save me, you cry out. Save me.

Silence.

They stop. In shock for a moment, you stop scrambling at the window. Where did they go? Your screams stop, but they still echo around the cold house. Cold, but surely not empty. It couldn’t be. That snaps you out of it, and with a strength you pull from somewhere deep inside, you wrench open your exit. You need to get out.

Click.

You shriek. That was right behind you. You dive for the window, hoping for an escape to your car and away from this place. Something slimy and chipped away at slithers across your ankle. You scream again, crying out in your panic.
“WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” You shout, trying to get out of the grip. But it just tightens. You look down.

Click.

“I want…” The ragged voice creaks. A girl lays below you, staring up with dead eyes. Dull. Gray. Lifeless. “Justice” She rasps, head turning at an unnatural angle. You stifle a sob. Two bullet holes in her neck. You stare at the markings. The markings you made, all those years ago. The first kill. “Justice for all.”
A flash of transparent figures, all staring at you with such loathing you flinch. Then they vanish.
“Goodbye.”

Drip. Drip. Drip.

You hear footsteps echo across the cold tile floor downstairs.

Apr 6
Villain Deku
Word Count: 734

Midoriya had seemed to be regretting his choices earlier. Maybe Bakugo could still save him somehow.
But how am I supposed to do that? I’m Quirkless. I’m dead. He thought as he followed Deku into a small room. A bar was along one side of it, and Deku helped himself to a drink. Bakugo sat down on one of the stools, even through he wasn’t tired. Could he even get tired now? Bakugo wasn’t sure, but it didn’t really matter.
He stared at Deku’s eyes. They were pools of sadness, showing more emotion than he probably wanted to or realized. This wan’t the rage driven person that had scared class 1-A earlier. No, this Deku looked nearly identical to who he had been 10 months ago. Or, at least his eyes looked the same. The same depth that threatened to drown anyone if they tried to dive in.
Bakugo stood, stool squeaking as he began to walk over to Deku. He jerked his head up from his drink, staring at where Bakugo had been moments ago. Shock rippled through him. Did he notice? Could Bakugo move things even though he was dead?
This might be it.
“Can you… can you hear me?” He asked, moving towards Deku slowly. The villain didn’t respond, eyes narrowing as he returned his gaze to his cup full of dark liquid. He gulped down more of whatever the liquid was. Bakugo sighed, sitting back down. Maybe he couldn’t hear him, but at least he could move things. This might be the beginning of learning how to talk to Deku. Earlier, when he had tried to pick up a pen, his hand had just passed through it. It was possible that he could only move large objects.
“It’s just my imagination…” Deku muttered. “It’s just unsettling that he’s dead…” The words sounded fake even to Bakugo.
Deku growled, pushing himself away from the bar and stalking away, leaving the building. He pulled his hood up over his head, probably trying to look unassuming.
“Yeah, right, a ghost is haunting me.” He scoffed, responding to one of his thoughts out loud most likely. He laughed a little bit, shaking his head and continuing to walk towards a coffee shop nearby. He entered, sitting down and staring down the rain-stained window. It seemed like he came here often. Heck, Bakugo passed this place everyday when he went to UA. Had Deku been right there the whole time?
A waitress came up and set some coffee in front of Deku. He thanked her and passed over some money, turning back to stare at the window without touching the mug that had been given to him. His eyes flashed red for a moment, and someone outside the shop collapsed. He blinked, and it was gone. Someone out on the street had collapsed. Deku looked sick as he realized what he had done.
Bakugo thought now might be a moment to try and reach out.
He moved the mug slightly, hoping it would work. It did, and it made a grating noise against the table. Deku jerked his head down once again, staring at the ring that the coffee had left on the table. He blinked as Bakugo moved the cup again. Fear flashed in his eyes, and he stood up suddenly, obviously pacing himself as he walked out of the shop, shaking slightly.
As soon as he got out onto the street, he bolted down the sidewalk, not caring who he was running into. He took random turns, and generally made it very difficult to follow him. That was probably the goal.
About 5 minutes later, Deku stopped in front of a random building. It was boarded up, but recognition flashed in his dark eyes. He spat on the ground, seemingly disgusted by this building. Bakugo tilted his head. What was his problem?
Deku ducked around the wood and entered, climbing up the stairs until he reached the top. He stood near a mark that looked like it came from someone scuffing the ground, tracing his hand over it.
“Kacchan, if you’re actually here and somehow not dead, or if someone is following me and messing with me with their Quirk, come out RIGHT NOW.” Deku yelled, his gaze raking across everything in his sight. “COME OUT RIGHT NOW OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.”
Bakugo felt helpless. What could he do?