One By Millions

chapter 38

"Soooo"

The two remaining finalists stood opppsing each other. They hadn't made a move since it had been just the two. Studying each other unblinking. Complete silence ranged between them for over five minutes.

Until Shino broke it with a drawl.

"We need to make one thing straight before we do anything" She bagan and adjusted her headphones absentmindly. Shoto remained quiet and only raised an eyebrow to show his interest. "You have to use your full power. Fire and all"

"And if I don't? " Shoto questioned earning a very sadistic smile from the very amused Shino.

"Yeah..... You don't want to know" She chuckled. "Just know that I've spent too much time with a certain aunt of mine so I tend to be a bit sadistic. In other words if you half ass it I'll amuse myself "

Shoto actually felt a slight pang of fear upon those words and the sickly sweet smile Shino wore on her face. She was not joking.

"Alright "

"Great" Shino clapped, suddenly cheerful again. That didn't last long though. The cheerful smile soon turned into a mischievous smirk as she clasped her hands innocently. "Let's make a deal. To make things more interesting "

Again a raised eyebrow signaled Shoto's interest. What could Shino possibly want? Shoto didn't know and he did not have a very positive feeling about it. He's known Shino for some time now. His experiences with Shino are almost never pleasant. She annoys him to no end. Asks him questions he does not want to answer or simply lacks answers to. She always knows more than she let's on and refuses to tell him. She always has this amused look on her face. She would not give up on him using his full power.

In all honesty Shino was an enigma to Shoto.

Her entire personality confuses him.

"Loser does what winner says"

"That's it? "

"Yes"

Shoto blinked not expecting such simple deal

"I have a feeling you weren't expecting that" Shino said with a knowing smiled.

"I wasn't "

"I know" she chuckled to herself. "There's this one thing I would love to see you do. Just imagining it amuses me"

Amusement.

Shoto could never understand that. Does Shino do things purely for her own amusement? She seems to find everything amusing. Even the pain of others, as he's just seen. She's always amused. Always has that weird smile on her face.

Why is everything so amusing to her?

She doesn't take anything seriously. That's what Shoto thinks. The only time he's seen her somewhat serious was during the villain attack. Even then she adapted a smile and amused herself with twarting the enemy's plan.

"Why don't you take anything seriously "

"Why don't I take anything seriously? " Shino tilted her head in seeming confusion. She tugged on her scarf as she let the question sink in. The smile shrunk and she was left with a thin line on her face. She tugged on the scarf again, pulling it over her mouth and nose this time. The amusement in her eyes faded for a moment as she stared at the boy.

She sighed.

"I'll only answer that question if you win"

Shino didn't give Shoto time to say anything. One second she was a few feet away from him the next she was right in front of him, positioned to attack. Shoto was again surprised by her. On instinct a wall of ice tore between them.