𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄 , bnha

11 ゜friend

Uraraka, Enomoto, and Yaoyorozu apparently did not want to be found. Jiro, Asui, and Ashido had been weaving through the explosive crowd for nearly half an hour in search of their friends so that they could get a move on towards the finale. The square was large and everyone was wearing the same color, sure, but they were also the only nonhumans there. They could spot a demon and most definitely a zombie anywhere.

Jiro had just started getting antsy ("What if they accidentally buried Yaomomo again?") when Mina let out a short bark and bounded towards an unsuspecting trio. The three girls let out shouts of surprise, Ochako dodging a frenzy hand full of sharp claws that would have accidentally nicked her otherwise.

"There you guys are!" Momo huffed with relief.

"There we are?! There you are!" The werewolf shrilled. "What happened to meeting by the red confetti stand?!"

"Serafina insisted we didn't leave yet," Ochako's voice dropped slightly. She then pointed towards the witch, whose gaze had not left a singular window on the palace. Mina's eyebrow perked upwards, before she called out to her friend in worry.

"Serafina?"

"Sorry, I'm just–" she paused and her eyes squinted as a figure walked in front of the barred window. "Just as I thought. They change stations every ten minutes as a precaution. They go in a circle, all around the—" Serafina cut herself off once more as she finally turned her head to her friends. They watched as her brown skin paled and her mystical eyes darted around. Tsuyu began to reach a hand towards her, ready to snap her out of it, when the witch woke up on her accord. "Where's Toru?"

The air seemed to still instantly. Time slowed down around them, twirling skirts floating in the air and happy shouts ringing in their ears. The air left their lungs as they slowly looked over their surroundings, their mistake pounding at their ribcages.

When no one answered Serafina stepped a staggered step closer to them. "Where is Toru? When did you loose sight of her?"

Jiro's mouth was stuck agape, words trying to come out but failing. Mina spoke in her place. "We don't– we're not sure."

The five watched her hands begin to tremble, suddenly finding themselves grateful that she was far from being a certain boy they once knew. Instead of resorting to shouting and pointing fingers, Serafina kept her mouth shut and refused to blame anyone. She knew whole heartedly that Hagakure was difficult to keep track of sometimes, especially with the way she wore fewer layers than the rest.

"She– she might be in the crowd somewhere," Tsu suggested as she felt her throat dry. "People were talking to her left and right, perhaps she got—"

"Um, miss?" A soft voice suddenly spoke up, pulling at the wizard's long cloak. They all looked towards the small figure and started at the sight of a little boy. Tsuyu instantly recognized him as the boy who had complimented Toru. He looked back a woman who stood silently to the side, presumably his mother. She nodded with reassurance. "You are friends with the pretty ghost lady?"

"Yes, ribbit," Asui responded.

"Oh, well I thought you should know..." he trailed off. He looked just as nervous as the rest of him, recent events obviously having frightened him. Like the boogeyman had stared him dead in the eyes.

Impatience crawled up Serafina's neck so she fell to her knees before the child and placed a hand on his shoulder carefully, slowly. "Did something happen to the ghost?" She asked as gently as possible. "If it did we need to know, sweetheart. You see, that ghost? She's very important to us. We love her very much, the same way you love your mother. And if something bad happened to your momma, I promise we would tell you as soon as possible."

That seemed to work, instilling a new courage in him. He gulped, little fists tightening. "One of the guards took her away, to the castle. He did something to her so that she couldn't talk or move or anything. I only noticed because Mommy was buying me a red apple by the main palace entrance."

Serafina couldn't help it. As soon as he was done, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hasty hug.

"Damn, they must have noticed us scouting!" Jiro hissed and stamped her foot against the cobblestone ground.

"Then we have to go!" Mina cried, gesturing towards the large stone fortress. "They could be, like, hurting her or something!"

"With what plan though?" Uraraka shot back. "We didn't have anytime to discuss intel!"

The group continued to argue for a few moments, their tension becoming too thick for the boy to handle. "Hey!" He shouted with a pout. They snapped their necks towards him in surprise. "You have to save her. Please! She was... kind to me."

"He's right," Tsu pointed out. "The sooner we get in there the sooner this is all over with, ribbit."

They stood in silence. The arguments were over. Now came the even more tense quiet.

"So... what?" Momo asked them. "Should we just... I don't know, barge in there?" She glanced at the others, and just as the their shouting was too much for the child, her shaking hands were too much for Serafina.

"Screw it!" She exclaimed in an out of character manner. Before they knew it she had vanished, stomping closer to the castle. Ashido was the first to chase after her with a shout.

"Then I guess it's decided." Tsu sighed before her gaze landed on the little boy once more. His eyes sparkled in adoration as she placed her wizard's hat upon in head. "Thanks for your help, sir. We'll get that ghost back safe and sound for you."

And so the final battle had begun, the red of the square driving the teenagers forward.