Crystalize

(1) Ue no kurai kumo

"Honey, can you take Ivan's hand...?" Father instructed.

The small child smiled toothily while taking the boy's hand as required.

The boy studied his sibling with big hope-filled amber eyes that matched his mother's. The melting sun reflected in his eyes, almost turning the clouds into pink cotton candy. The child was getting hungry from all the candy-like clouds floating on the blue canvas.

"A few more minutes, (y/n). Then you can have some food." The mother's pearly white teeth glimmered through thin pink lips. Even her (h/c) hair flowed in bouncy waves over her exposed shoulder.

The father's grip is light, almost like he would crush their small hand if he held it any tighter while tugging the two kids along the crowded streets of Tokyo.

People scrambled back and forth. Cars stopped and went. It was a quiet day, the sun setting behind the buildings, a spring festival held in a local park. Cheers of laughter and conversations tickled the young one's ears.

They grinned at the thought of food, now within reach. That grin faded with a high-pitched squeaking. Small hands clamped on the sides of their face, dropping Ivan's hand. Their feet planted right there, refusing to move until the sound stopped.

"(y/n), what's wrong? Is it too loud again?" The mother knelt in front of her child, holding their cheek. Behind her, Father held Ivan in his arms, both growing increasingly worried looks on their faces.

"N-No. It's a squeaking. It's hurting my ears."

Their mother gathered them into her arms, pushing aside the (h/c) locks to study the tiny ears.

"Wonder why that is? Does it hurt to touch your ears?" The more giant fingers grazed against the sensitive skin, only earning a pained 'ouch' in return. Tears welled up in their eyes, voice growing in pitch the louder the sound got.

"Mommy, make it stop. Please. Please?"

Just behind their Father was a man. Eyes wide, mouth open. He screamed, arms waving. He ran, dark eyes locking with theirs. (y/n) latched onto their mother, their tiny body shaking. People were yelling, and all they could hear was a loud ring.

The world grew blurry. Cold asphalt pressed against their back as they stared up at the sky. It was dark. Something heavy pressed against their chest, making it harder to breathe.

Everything moved in slow motion. Then, a man in blue stood over (y/n), talking into a cell phone. Again, the words were said almost as if in slow motion. All they could do was stare on, unblinking.

"I don't think anyone here, besides the little boy is alive."

Sounds bubbled up in their chest, but a crushing weight on them kept anything from happening. No matter how much their mouth opened. No sound came out.

"Three. Get the homicide crew out here already. It's been thirty minutes already."

The man in blue turned away. (y/n) bit their tongue, finally able to force movement. Cold seeped through their bones, and their heart skipped beats.

Words, ever so slight, whispered through the loud sirens. "M... Mister... Please don't... leave me."

The soft sounds of Ivan's cries grew louder, bouncing around in their small skull. Finally, the male froze, slowly turning around. His mouth was moving, but they heard nothing.

All (y/n) knew was that they were tired. After all, their ears were still ringing.

Wind - eddied, swirled, and ambient - lifts their hair into a dance. A sense of calmness comes as they watch the strands at their confluence of tether and vortex.* It swiftly glides underneath the crystals, bouncing off each other with slight clanks. Rainbows splatter onto the buildings below. Their nose was tinted pink with the cold.

The wind greets concrete and skin just the same, yet they were blessed to feel it. Its giddy currents flow through the crowded steel buildings, unaware of how its song soothes those who can hear. They always thought of the wind as so free, chaotic even, yet it too has its path, even if there are infinite possible destinations. It is air with passion, a drive that powers onward, every direction an option.*2 And they sore on its path, lifting high into the sky, far into the sunset where the world can't reach. Cotton candy clouds drifted amongst the sky, free to drift wherever the wind took them.

(y/n) twirled, the breeze playing with the tracksuit and leaving their skin cold. The large wings curled against their body, letting them plummet toward the bustling city below.

Buildings grew more prominent, people stared in awe, and a frigid wind slapped against their noses and cheeks. Their heart beat faster the closer the ground got. Their wings extended, catching the little air left. A gust radiated as their tennis shoes touched the concrete outside the U.A. gates.

Junior High students stopped to stare. Some jaws were slacking, others immediately going back to talking with friends. Their head shook as they stepped a foot through the large gate. A building with four separate bridges sat at the center of the grounds. Its edges are decorated with fake cities, dorms, and a significant brick pathway leading to the main entrance.

Tons of different students brushed past (y/n). Each one holds an extraordinary power and wants to use it. Up ahead were two junior high students. A girl with an almost too innocent look and a scared boy, too timid for his good.

They stopped, studying how the boy kept anxiously swinging his hands. Their grip on the gym back tightened the longer they watched the conversation. Finally, their gaze fell toward their shoes, and they chewed their lips.

Hesitatingly, they stepped forwards. Something caught their foot, almost making (y/n) trip. Instinctively, they grabbed the closest hand and shifted the attacker's weight, throwing him flat against the ground.

A perplexed blond boy stared back, anger glinting in his red eyes. But, then, they immediately let go of his wrist and offered a hand.

"I'm sorry; you shouldn't have snuck up on me. I hope I didn't hurt you."

All he did was blink before slapping their hand away. The boy sat up with a hefty grunt. He stood, getting too close to their face. Both their noses were almost touching.

"Excuse me? What are you doing?" (y/n) asked. The boy smelled vaguely of caramel and vanilla shampoo. They took a step back, but he persisted in getting close. "Please stop that."

He grinned, finally leaning back with a laugh. "I knew that was a fluke. No way would be someone as small as you could have thrown me."

Their expression faded away into annoyance. "Look, I don't want to fight you-whoever you are- so please let me pass." They attempted to step past him, but he blocked their path again.

"Is there a reason you're standing before me like this?"

The boy crossed his arms with a cocky grin. "Just testing a pipsqueak. I'd like to see you try to get past me with those pretty wings."

The grip on the gym back tightened. They sighed, stepping to the side just as his hand grabbed their shoulder. (y/n) tapped his shoulder before continuing along to the exam room.

"I'd love to stay and fight you, but I don't need a Quirk to get past a bully like you." They held up a peace sign before leaving the boy behind.

"After all, I can do anything I want by myself."

*2 &1 By angela Abraham, January 12, 2019.