Total Command

Chapter 74: Passion flows through her like a river of blood

Shoko never believed the day would come, even as she watched Endeavor get engulfed by Katsumi's final attack. She almost forgot to defend herself against the rapidly approaching shockwave and heat, lost in the moment of catharsis.

That should've been it.

It wasn't, she realized, as she generated a wall of ice in front of herself, almost too late to protect herself from the explosion.

It was all wrong. Her brain demanded more, even as the cold bubble the wall had created washed over her. She was supposed to feel satisfied, to relax after that bastard of a woman had finally been knocked down!

Why did Endeavor's defeat at her hands ring hollow?

It wasn't right. None of this was right.

The flames were starting to burn out, extinguishing themselves. But even that didn't calm her down.

Shoko slowly rose out from her cover, looking over to the woman who had tormented her. Who had broken her mother. Who had systemically destroyed what could've been her childhood.

She didn't even register Katsumi's victory cry as she walked up to the unconscious woman, standing over Endeavor silently. The pro's chest was heaving, her singed body desperately trying to regulate its temperature even as she was knocked out so completely and utterly.

Maybe...

She blinked, looking at her own hand, then to her tormentor. Maybe I just haven't done enough?

Her wound itched, previous injuries on her aching dully as her brain recollected everything she had done, had been through to stand over her right here, like this.

Maybe she just needed to kick her down more, injure Endeavor the way she had mercilessly injured Shoko throughout her childhood.

To scar her-

Katsumi's hand was on her wrist, holding her hand away from Endeavor's face. Shoko hadn't even felt herself move, let alone her partner for the exam.

"Don't," she whispered, Shoko's eyes slowly rising up from the body on the floor to lock onto the crimson eyes of the blonde. "It won't help."

In a split second, the hollowness Shoko was wallowing in was filled with anger. "You don't know what I-"

"I don't need to," Katsumi cut her off, her grip tightening around her wrist. "But I know you."

"You wouldn't throw everything away to take her down like this."

Shoko shuddered at the declaration. Wouldn't she? Wasn't that exactly what she wanted?

The anger she was feeling slowly slipped out of her head, remembering the sports festival all those weeks ago. The declaration she had made.

The smile he had given her in return, the sheer feeling of being content in her own skin she had felt.

Her hand went limp in Katsumi's grip, and Shoko exhaled slowly as she finally let go of it all. "You're good at this."

"Nah," Katsumi smirked, uncharacteristically pulling the other woman into a half hug, guiding her out of the test arena. "You know how to listen to reason."

Shoko hummed softly, a smile tugging on her lips, honestly enjoying the contact at the moment.

"You are really good at this."

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It was honestly weird how he could still act before he could think, considering how fast he could think with the aid of Total Command.