The Mark

IX. Purpose of A Todoroki Clan Descendant

A.N: Hey guys, I've been reading comments over the past few weeks and I just wanted everyone to know that I will finish all of my fanfictions, even the less popular ones. First and foremost, I'm a fan myself, so I love writing about my ships and having this small community to converse with. I know my updating schedule has been very wishy-washy and I've been trying to keep my promise of updating, but life just gets in the way. I know everyone is supportive, but I hope you can be patient as the next chapters of The Mark will be slower updates. I will update whenever I can, because I really love writing this fic and I hope you all still enjoy reading.
So I'm just letting you know that The Mark is NOT on hiatus or discontinued or anything.
At the moment I'm focusing on my very first fanfictions, A Little Bit Quirky and Fated Mistake, until I finish them. Once I finish ALBQ, I plan to focus all of my attention on the next most popular fanfiction so please let me know in the comments if you want me to focus on this fic next or maybe another?
I'm really grateful for all your support and I hope you all continue to read this fic, even if it updates slowly. The chapters will be longer though and (hopefully) better written!

Todoroki's P.O.V:
"Alright, raise your arm."

I lift my right arm, wincing at the sharp pain that pierces my wrist and forearm. The nurse nods sympathetically, as she reaches out to gently twist my hand from left to right. She wheels the tray of medical supplies closer, shaking her head. "Yup, it's a fracture." Hauling out some gauze, bandages and a pot of liquid, she shakes a stern finger at me. "What is this? I understand that you kids are here to become assassins, but it's not even the first day! Injuries like these usually start up a few months into the semester. How do you expect to participate in combat training with this useless arm?" The scissors she uses to cut strips of gauze glint beneath the infirmary's white lights. She pushes the stockinette over my sore arm, as if it were a fingerless glove. Despite her sharp voice, her movements are gentle and when she lifts my arm to start wrapping thick sheets of cotton around it, her touch is tender.

"I apologise for the inconvenience m'am." I speak honestly, moving to nod my head in a slight bow. "I had a small...altercation with an Alpha."
She raises a brow, clicking her tongue. "I have a feeling you're going to be in here a lot. Got a strong scent about ya." Wrinkling her nose, she starts to brush a paste over the cotton - white and gritty - smelling like burnt plastic.
"Alpha is written all over you. Did your father never tell you to conceal your scent when you are around yer elders? Tch!" She grumbles, cursing beneath her breath and I shake my head slowly.
"Please bare with it." My voice is calm, undisturbed, even as the paste starts to harden against my arm, forcing it into a straight position. "I find it incredibly troublesome to withhold my scent."
The nurse gapes. "Why, you cheeky bastard- I oughta break yer other arm!" She pinches my ear between her thumb and forefinger as she stands, twisting it sharply. Pushing the cart of supplies to one side, she sits down at her desk and gestures to a bed. "Rest here until the plaster dries out."
"Is this really necessary?" I drone, eyeing the white cast hardening on my fractured arm. "I figured a sling and some pain killers would work fine enough."
"Fine enough?" She barks, slapping her knee. "Sure, that would be fine enough if you want your bone to heal wrong and end up with a lame left arm! Try be an assassin like that, ya cocky shit. I dare ya."
"Oh." Shifting my body on the infirmary bed, I glance up at the ceiling. "I see."
"Polite way of talking you have there." She peers over at me from her spot at the desk, scrolling on her computer. "You from one 'a dem fancy Alpha Clans?" I don't reply and she starts typing up my medical report, fingers clacking across keys. "Todoroki...Todoroki? Sounds familiar." She whirls, staring at me with the light, youthful eyes buried in her haggard face. "Endeavour's kid! Jesus Christ, now that I think about it yer left side is the spitting image of him -" She cuts herself off when my scent spikes, a sudden explosion of burning incense, tatami floors and lotus flowers in the rain.
Slapping a hand to her nose, she glares at me. "Alright, alright! I get it. Touchy subject, right?" Pushing her chair back, she rolls closer to me and slaps the infirmary bed lightly. "Just because I'm a Beta, doesn't mean I can tolerate that God awful stench."
Through gritted teeth, I manage to reply. "Apologies." The nurse's eyes burn into me for a moment too long and she shakes her head. Pushing out her chair, she hops off and waddles closer to me.
"Here." She offers a warm smile. "Rest here." I do as told, laying in the bed and carefully placing my arm by my side. It hurts, but my threshold for pain is far higher than most.
After years of training to become the perfect assassin - bleeding and crying, as the man who calls himself my father brutally beat me - the small fracture I suffer at the moment seems like a paper cut.
"Todoroki." The nurse started, leaning against the bed. Her eyes turned serious, glassy reflections of myself in each of her pupils. "I'll give you a tip for suceeding here at UA." I nod and she trails a hand along the hardened cast on my arm.
"Forget about genders." My eyes widen and she chuckles a little, an almost pitiful smile curving her lips. "Alpha, Beta...Even Omega. They don't matter here. Ye can be strong, ye can have a powerful scent, ye can come from a rich and famous Clan, but inside these walls, it all means nothin'. Life at UA ain't fair to any of the students. You have to struggle and fight and force your way past any obstacles. I've seen.." She looks around the infirmary, a strange sadness trickling into her scent. "Hundreds of kids, just like you, pass through this room. Injured severely, bloody and begging for a mercy that I can't give." Tears seem to well in her eyes for a moment and she sniffles, rubbing at them with a clenched fist. "M...Many have died. I watched them plead with me, saw the life leave their eyes - and I wanted to help! I really did, but..." Closing her eyes, the nurse took a moment to calm herself, pushing a strand of her grey hair out of her face.
"There's only one thing that matters at UA. One thing." Steel bled into her eyes, shading the soft grey to a luminous silver. Perturbed, I shift upright and listen carefully to her words.