Beginning of a New Spring (MHA/PJO crossover)

Chapter 32

Ophelia stared at Shiozaki as she made her way up the stairs. She stood there with a calm grace and hands folded in front of her chest as if praying to some god. It almost made the corner of her mouth twitch as she laughed to herself.

She could feel Shiozaki's vines as they were already conflicted on her presence and made her wonder if she could control them, but she knew if she did, no doubt the surprise of it would make matters worse than what she needed. It was undoubtedly the most uncomplicated option besides flinging her off the arena with one of her vines, but even that was too simple. Ophelia didn't want to come as arrogant by ending the match so simply or having Shiozaki think she was superior—even though she technically was—by demeaning her fighting.

She wanted a challenge.

Ophelia stopped two feet from Shiozaki while Midnight stood to her left, going over the rules; even though everyone knew what they were, they always had to repeat them for safety purposes. Something Ophelia still didn't quite get, as most of everyone left was training to be heroes. She was against sugarcoating the worst-case scenario.

Oh, how she would pray to any god to see her family again. The dinners with her mother, Hades, and Nico. The late-night conversations she would have with Nico when he was trying to remember his past. The rivalry during capture the flag, yet they stood beside each other during the war. It was true when they said you never know what you have until you lose it.

And as much as Ophelia had gained there, she still yearned for it back.

A light breeze blew across the field, leaving peonies and purple hyacinths in its wake.

Ophelia could feel her mother's embrace as the wind wrapped around her. Her throat closed up as she tried to swallow the whimper that threatened to leave her. Whether it was her emotions and wanting to see her mother again that she or she was officially losing it now, she wanted to live in that moment and pretend her mother was sending her a sign.

The ground shifted slightly under her feet, ending the bliss she had lived far longer than she thought. She could feel the vines Shiozaki as they closed in on her and the slightly hesitant they had at attacking her, but she willed them to only listen to Shiozaki as if she was any other mortal.

Ophelia backflipped before landing in a crouch while dictamnus albus grew where she once was as Shiozaki's vines burst from the cement. The oils from the plant caught fire, spreading along the vines quickly. Ophelia felt the connection between the vines and Shiozaki sever as the latter cut them loose with a small shriek.

She mumbled an apology as she could feel the vines' pain. It wasn't something she wanted to do, but she was limited on options because she couldn't use her daggers or the other half of her powers.

Vines shot out from around the vine barricade Shiozaki still had up. Ophelia created her vines that deflected most and wrapped around Shiozaki's, slamming them into the cement. She dodged the few vines that came back around towards her, letting them slam into a few snake plants that grew for her defense.

It was the scream from Shiozaki that Ophelia knew she was caught in her giant flytrap. The gasp from the audience that could see it unfold had everywhere else around her muttering in question before Hizashi announced with shocking excitement what she did.

"It's a giant fly trap. Aizawa has trapped Shiozaki in a fly trap! I hope she can breathe in that thing. I've never seen anything that huge, have you, Eraserhead?"

Ophelia couldn't hear Shouta's response, but she could guess his response by Hizashi's nervous laugh. She turned her attention to Midnight, who looked duped about what to do. "She can breathe just fine. Well, as long as she doesn't try to keep growing her vines like she is and take up what little room she has."