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The snow-laced wind went from a gust into a thick fury. Visibility from all angles had been clouded, and as Jiro and Izuku raced into the heart of Fukuoka, all they could see were each other. The streets had already been soaked in snow, the soft white substance reaching up to their shins, and the wind bashed against them with great might. Jiro was ready, her earphone jacks floating in the air with a beautiful blue energy surrounding them.

          “Where did this blizzard come from?!” Izuku yelled as the storm raged on. “The weather didn’t say anything about this before I left!”

          “A Yokai’s creating this thing! We need to figure out what kind it is first!” Jiro replied. “Hold on!”

Jiro grabbed her earphone jacks and stabbed them into the ground, and blue kanji sprang into the air. There was a sudden burst of energy that sprang forth; it felt like Izuku was being blown back by this mysterious power. However, when this wave washed over him, he heard roars of the wind suddenly silence themselves, and all the snow within this area settled on the ground. Jiro stood up and pulled her earphones free from the concrete sidewalk, when she did, Izuku saw a bold circle made of kanji surround them on the ground.

         “This is a technique I call Mute Field; I froze all outside frequencies so that way we can hear each other better. And, well, I froze everything else too.” Jiro explained.

         “Wow, so cool!” Izuku praised. “But what about everyone else? They’re in trouble!”

         “I know, there’s something strange about this snow.” Jiro replied.

At that moment, Jiro quickly stabbed her hand through the Mute Field. She felt the cold air biting into her hand despite the fact that she wore gloves. Jiro clenched her teeth as the strange wind fought against her grasp, and she fought the gale for what she sought. She found what she needed, and closed her fist tightly. She managed to bring her hand back into the Field and grunted from the recoil of the cold air. 

         “Are you okay?!” Izuku asked, he ran over worrying for his friend. 

         “I’m fine,” Jiro growled, she shivered from the cold and held her hand close for a moment. Together, the two waited in silence as the Mute Field shielded them from the storm, and Izuku watched as Jiro calmed herself. Her Blessing activated, and the heartbeat mark in her purple hair turned to a calm wave. Eventually, her Blessing disappeared, and she regained her calm focus.

         “Okay, that’s better.” She said calmly.

         “You sure you’re alright?” Izuku asked. “Here I have extra gloves.”

         “I’m okay, really.” Jiro replied, Izuku looked at her with worry. However, Jiro smiled, and Izuku did the same after seeing this mellow nature of hers. Then, she raised her hand, revealing a large snowflake she managed to capture. 

         “You see that?” Jiro asked as she showed Izuku the snowflake. “Look closely at it, you see that dark red smoke sitting inside this thing?

Izuku squinted his eyes slightly and looked closer. Jiro brought the snowflake closer to him, and Izuku gently grabbed her hand. He focused all his attention on the snowflake, studying every detail. He took a breath, and saw the smoke. There was a sinister presence in the snow, he could see the red, the evil inside the snow. The smoke looked like a small thunderstorm ready to burst, yet strangely, it was contained and steady. 

         “I see it.” Izuku said. 

         “Good eye, this snowflake is polluted by that Yokai’s Corruption. And if it’s that thick, then our opponent’s bound to be strong.”

         “Corruption?” Izuku asked.

         “Yeah, it’s the negative energy that a vile Yokai emits.” Jiro explained. “There’s definitely a Yokai in Fukuoka, if I had to guess it’s a Yuki Onna.”

Izuku’s heart had frozen up, much like everything else had in the surrounding area.

         “A Yuki Onna…?” He asked with a trembling breath.

         “Pop quiz, Midoriya.” Jiro said with tension. “What is a Yuki Onna, and what are their traits?”

         “Uh, right!” Izuku gasped. The wind raged outside Jiro’s Mute Field. “A Yuki Onna is a Yokai that appears only in the winter.”

Jiro walked around the small field and peered outside, looking for something. Izuku grabbed his arms trying to stay warm, even with his coat and scarf, the storm was too much.

         “They appear as uh, really beautiful women when travelers are alone! Some are benevolent but others are dangerous, they’ll trick people into being killed!”

         “That’s right, and judging by all the Corruption in this snow…”

“This one is looking for warm souls to devour.”

Izuku tensed his body as fear crawled up his spine. The wind slammed against the magical field with a supernatural fury, and Jiro stepped towards the barrier once again.

         “But something’s not right. Yuki Onna only appear on mountains and in the countryside to lone wanderers, they never materialize in big cities.” Jiro explained, biting her lip. “Why would one appear now, especially with all these people around?”

Jiro shook her head and clapped her cheeks. Izuku noticed that she took several breaths, and then she glared at him.

         “Right now we need to find anyone outside. They’re freezing out there and if they can’t find shelter or any kind of heat, they could die!”

Jiro placed her hand flat against the barrier, and looked at Izuku. Her eyes were filled with a determination that the boy had never seen before, not even when Susanoo attacked.

        “When I drop the Field you need to stay close to me at all times okay?” She explained.

        “What?!” Izuku cried.

        “There’s no time to debate!”

Jiro suddenly gave Izuku a confident smirk, and in that moment, he gave him a thumb’s up.

        “Lord Tenjin was right when he said I never finished my classes, but I have field experience. Trust me.” She said confidently.

Izuku took a moment to process the words. Even with the crow mask, he still knew it was the same Jiro he knew for all these months. And yet she was different, she had this energy that he couldn’t describe. There was something he couldn’t understand, why was she so proud, so confident even in this situation. 

         If what she said is true then we’re in over our heads. I… I barely know how to fight, and Jiro said it herself that she didn’t finish her classes.

Izuku pulled his lip trying to think of every scenario. 

        Maybe we should contact Shimura somehow, or Inari? No, Jiro said she has experience so maybe we can do something. But, what kind of experience does she have? Is it against Yuki Onna, or did she encounter another Yokai?

However, he clapped himself hard in the face, causing his cheeks to turn red. 

        “Uhm, what are you doing?” Jiro asked with a slightly perturbed face. 

        No, I have to trust her, she was there for me, so I have to be there for her!

Izuku raised a fist, and stood with conviction. 

        “Alright, let’s do it!” Izuku cried. Jiro smiled.

        “Good. Three, two, one…”

Jiro crushed the Field with her hand and the blizzard resumed its barrage, sweeping them off their feet in its cold fury. Izuku could feel his skin freezing into ice itself, and Jiro was knocked onto her knees by the snow. She looked back and grabbed Izuku’s hand with all her might, dragging him towards her. Together, they helped each other to their feet and pressed on.

The snow was blinding, deafening. There was no end in sight as the two powered through with what they could. They remained close and did what they could to keep each other warm,  Jiro pulled Izuku through the storm until eventually they found their way onto another open street. They felt the cold stabbing through their clothes as they ventured with all their strength, and eventually the duo forced their way into an arcade filled with pachinko machines. The door closed behind them and the heat in the building soothed their souls.

        “Awww, this feels great.” Izuku said as he embraced the warm atmosphere.

        “Tell me about it.” Jiro said with a warm smile, even under her mask Izuku could feel the relief echoing off of her.

They remained in the building for a short while. Together they walked past several pachinko and gambling machines as the lights flashed to get their attention. Even in this blizzard, folks everywhere were gambling their money away, hoping for quick riches. Jiro pulled Izuku through the room until they reached the front window, and were amazed by the sight. Together, they nodded in agreement, and walked straight through the door.

In front of them were hundreds of people all shivering and crying for help. Izuku and Jiro both saw Heroes left and right gathering crowds and moving them into buildings. One man shouted for everyone to listen to his words, and signaled them into several buildings. A stampede of civilians passed right through Izuku and Jiro, and they both watched the crowd swarming a clothing store like mice.

        “Amazing, it’s so cool seeing Heroes command so much respect, especially with Beastman helping everyone to safety!” Izuku said in excitement.

        “Yeah sure that’s great! Could you please try not to be a fanboy right now!” Jiro shouted sardonically. “We need to find that Yuki Onna and put it to rest!”

        “Right!” Izuku cried. “Hey, come on, I wasn't that bad!”

As the crowd passed through their bodies, Izuku followed Jiro as quickly as he could. He could feel the essence of everyone else faintly, hundreds frantically ran and piled atop each other as the line to the clothing store only grew longer.

        “Over here! Get inside now!!” A Hero roared.

Nearly half of the crowd dispersed as a hotel opened its doors to save as many people as they could. Once again the civilians screamed in terror as the winds rose, but this time something changed. Beastman lept into action as a man twice his size suddenly bulldozed right through a building!

       “What the- villains?!” Izuku cried.

Suddenly, another villain attacked. Whoever it was, they moved so fast that Izuku and Jiro couldn’t follow them, and before they could react. That same villain burst through the window of the arcade, and a great light emerged from the window. Several gamblers fled in terror while the villain slashed the machines effortlessly, and filled every bag he could with money. Izuku felt a great anger rise within him, and he started to run toward the building, but Jiro grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

       “What are you doing?! We have to stop them!” He protested.

       “Let the Heroes do their jobs, Midoriya, we’re here for the Yuki Onna!” Jiro shouted as she tightened her grip on Izuku, but he pulled his hand away. 

       “You said it yourself: just because we aren’t Heroes, doesn’t mean we can’t help people!”

       “Yeah I did say that, but there are limits to how much we can!” Jiro retorted. “We’ll do what we have to, but you have to understand-”

However, something in the air changed. Jiro couldn’t find the words to speak, and as Izuku watched her silence, he soon realized what truly happened. He felt the chill once again, the same as earlier, and he looked into the sky. Together… they saw their prize.

Snow was spiraling inward, and as the maelstrom raged, a woman’s figure could be made out from the blinding sight. The woman had long, black hair that flowed over her eyes. She wore a dazzling white kimono that blended with the very snow itself, and yet, neither Izuku nor Jiro could ignore the crimson blood around her sleeves and mouth. Its head cracked, with ice chipping off her body every time she moved. Her eyes opened with a cold blue stare,her pupils dilated. Out of the hundreds, if not thousands, of people that were clamoring for shelter, the Yokai only saw Izuku and Jiro. Its long, gaping mouth opened slowly and her head shook violently.

Jiro gasped as something appeared within the wind.

Something familiar… and deadly. 

The Yokai that they had searched for vanished in the storm, and shortly after, it stormed towards them with the force of a hundred avalanches.

        “GET DOWN!”

Before anyone could react, the volatile burst of demonic wind scourged the crowd with animalistic rage. Izuku was too late to react and the furious wind blasted him off his feet.        Jiro shouted in shock, and grit her teeth in anger. She watched as the storm carried Izuku away from her and out of sight.

         “That damn Yokai! I’m not letting you take anyone else!”

Blue Kanji glimmered from her throat, and she grabbed her earphones. Her eyes pierced through her crow mask with furious determination and she aimed her earphones at the wind.

         “Mezzo Forte: Rivet Pierce!”

A sharp blast rocketed forward from the tip of her earjacks, piercing through the wind and hitting the snow-kai. The ice shattered the storm in two, and the demon screamed out in pain. Jiro snapped her fingers causing her ice spear to vanish, and the storm bombarded its way straight through a building in the distance. Even from this distance she could hear the glass shatter and the loud blast of the concrete and metal. 

The crowd roared in terror as the horrid scream echoed across the city, and suddenly they scrambled to get inside the warm buildings. Pedestrians attacked one another like animals as they packed the entrances and doors to the buildings, they were nothing more than dogs. Some used their bare hands to rip others from the gates, others used anything they could find to attack others. The worst of the bunch used their Quirks to viciously force their ways inside. Chaos reigned, and there were no Heroes to stop it. 

In the midst of this chaos however, a mellow and harmonious song soothed their souls. Jiro plugged her earphones into the ground and used her Blessing, in conjunction with her Quirk, to quell the chaos that erupted in the street. Every passing second was filled with a calm guitar and was coupled with a deep bass and quiet drums, like something you would hear in a small town coffee shop. The crowd managed to calm themselves, the fighting stopped, and Jiro smirked with conviction. The more violent sections laid down their weapons and deactivated their Quirks. Some ran away, others fell in line, but regardless, it seemed that order was restored. 

However, she felt the toll of such power, and she grunted in pain. She fell to her knees and grabbed her chest, sucking in every last morsel of air. Her heart was beating irregularly and she hid herself in the Place Between. 

          Damnit… she thought as she tried to catch her breath. Need to lay low for a minute...

Beastman looked back as he fought against the bulldozing villain, whose arms inflated to a massive size and turned into steel. The Hero let out a mighty roar as he transformed into a werewolf itself, and clawed into the villains arms.

The villain screamed as Beastman lifted the giant into the air. With all of his strength, he threw the villain right through a building. Glass shattered everywhere, and debris crashed onto the ground as the villain tumbled and smashed through the window. Beastman charged through the smoke and rubble, and before the villain had a chance to react, the Hero clocked him square in the jaw, and the villain dropped unconscious. The Hero suddenly howled into the sky, and let out strong, unleashed grunts. He snapped his head around and sprinted on all fours out into the open street, where the crowd remained in confusion and in a trance. He stood on his feet as civilians saw his wolfen form.

         “Yo, Beastman!!” Someone screamed.

         “That’s Beastman?!” Others cried.

The Hero continued to breathe deeply, his very presence commanded attention. He heaved all of his breath, and his chest extended outward. He opened his eyes, and shot his head forward.

         “EVERYONE CALM DOWN!!”

The crowd looked upward at him in awe, with the silence crashing down over them. Everyone had stopped, the violence had ended.

         “PLEASE! WHATEVER JUST ATTACKED IS GONE, EVERYONE REMAIN STEADY AND WE WILL HELP YOU FIND WARM SHELTER, BUT I ASK YOU ALL TO PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!”

Someone in the crowd stepped forward, looking the wolf in the eye. The Hero looked down as the bystander sat in silence. And yet, without saying a word, the civilian raised his fist, and the Hero gasped. He knew what it was, and gently, he bumped the person’s fist back, and smiled. The crowd looked in awe and slowly clapped for the man, and he returned his attention to the masses while the bystander remained at his side.

         “I PROMISE YOU, WE WILL KEEP YOU SAFE! WE ARE ONE!!”

In that moment, he felt another breeze brush past him. He turned around and saw it all, a miracle…

Red feathers swarmed the area, and they dragged hundreds of civilians into the buildings. Some were taken to a large hotel, others were taken into several office buildings, and another great portion was taken off the streets and into a nearby movie theater. Beastman watched as the feathers all coalesced into a single mass, and they returned to meet a single person as he slowly hovered over the ground. As Beastman saw the person, he let out a dry laugh, and soon cackled.

         “You’re a sight for sore eyes!” He yelled in a passionate voice. “What took you so long?”

And in front of him was none other than Hawks, the Number Three Hero in Japan.

         “I didn’t know you had sore eyes!” The Winged Hero joked. Beastman sighed in annoyance.

         “I’m kidding! Kidding,” Hawks continued. “Right now I’ve gotten everyone inside, those buildings still have plenty of power and heat available.”

         “Hmm,” Beastman replied. “Villains are also using this storm to cause havoc, I’ve dealt with one of them so far, but I also counted two others.”

Beastman looked up in the sky at the blizzard, and his fangs appeared.

         “Earlier I could feel some kind of great power in the wind. I think a villain is manipulating the weather with their Quirk. This blizzard didn’t just appear on its own.”

         “I’ve got some of my feathers scouting the area, whoever it is I’ll pick them up in no time.” Hawks replied.

         “Wait! About that blizzard. I could’ve sworn I saw someone destroy it,” Beastman explained. “Whoever it was, they managed to stop it before it could hurt the civilians. I would’ve helped but those damn villains distracted me.”

         “Don’t beat yourself up!” Hawks said as he bumped his comrade’s shoulder. “I’ve got someone downtown evacuating everyone else as we speak.”

         “You don’t mean-”

         “Oh yeah, I mean it. Let’s focus on helping who we can here, there are more civilians up the street.”

         “Right. Let’s go!” Beastman shouted.

Hawks nodded and flew off into the strong wind, his wings soaring with strength. Beastman helped the man who came to him earlier to a building, and soon jumped farther than the eye could track, and all the while, Jiro listened in with her Quirk. She unplugged her earphone from the concrete, and rest against the wall for a moment. She could feel her heartbeat returning to normal, and she breathed deeply. She clasped her hands and prayed, hoping she would remain strong enough for what lay ahead. She opened her eyes, and wiped her lip.

         Good, everyone’s safe, and Hawks showed up too! She thought as she used her Blessing and created an icy raven beneath her feet. But that thing took Midoriya. Damnit, I should’ve gone after him the moment that storm disappeared!

The raven flew through the city, and as she took off, she looked down at the buildings she passed. It was difficult to see, but she could see all the people Hawks had saved, the people she assured in their hour of need. She was able to make out a family staying close together, and a line waiting for food. She sighed, and shook her head. 

         No, helping them was the right choice. She thought. Afterward, she smiled. See Midoriya? Even though we’re not Heroes, we can still help people in a way that doesn’t expose us. 

Suddenly, Jiro grunted, and let out an irritated cry. 

         “Why didn't I save that until I found him?!” She yelled in anger. “I’m so dumb!”

She sighed, but regained her focus. She needed to find that Yuki Onna, she needed to put that poor soul to rest before anyone else could get hurt. Jiro thought back to what Hawks and Beastman discussed, she bit her lip as the storm intensified once more.

         Downtown though, Hawks said someone is down there helping with the evacuation, and I could’ve sworn that’s where Midoriya was taken. But who would Hawks send to-

Suddenly, she stopped.

Wait… that would mean he’s here! It has to be!!

---

Everything had gone dark, the black drowned his senses and the outside world. All but the chill, for it crept up his face and ate away at his soul. Izuku laid on the ground in a building partially destroyed by this storm, he could barely move at all as pain seared through his lower torso and his left leg. 

          Come on! He thought.

Izuku tried to stand, tried to lift himself off the ground, but the pain was too much. With all his might he managed to rip his right arm from the Corrupted ice that encased him. Shortly after, he ripped his left arm from the ice, then his chest. He howled as the raging pain in his torso erupted throughout his body, and he tried with all his strength to escape. 

Adrenaline flowed through his veins, and within seconds, Izuku used his Blessing to cut the ice off his body, and he rocketed off the ground in an adrenaline rush. He sucked in the air around him while unleashing pained grunts, and his eyes filled with several veins. 

          “Hello?!” He yelled. There was no response, his voice simply echoed on the walls. 

          I need to get out of here. He thought to himself. 

Izuku grabbed his right side as the pain returned. The pain was so great that he fell to his knees and clenched his teeth. He sat there in the empty room trying to collect himself, trying to find some peace in this agony. However, Izuku knew he couldn’t stay, and he stood up, enduring the sensation in his body. He took a step forward, and managed to walk towards the elevators. 

Izuku pressed the button several times, and in anger, he slammed a hand against the elevator door. He looked around, pacing back and forth in frustration, and when he looked at the panel, he realized how foolish he was. 

         No power anywhere, what do I do? He thought. He could hear the storm brewing outside, and he immediately fled out of sight from the window. 

He looked to the other end of the hall and saw the stairs, and made his way over. When he arrived, he looked down and saw the endless stairwell. The pit gave him vertigo, and his sight blurred for a moment. Izuku felt himself lean back from dizziness and fear, he didn’t want to see that sight again, but he knew he had to press onward. 

        How do I get down there quickly? I can’t just jump, and taking the stairs will take too long.

Izuku covered his mouth and thought of every possible solution. Perhaps he could take a risk and jump? Maybe he could create a net and soften the landing? No, it’s too risky, the stairs were close together and he could hurt himself if he wasn’t careful. Maybe a sled or a slide? No, the angles of the room wouldn’t allow it. He thought, and thought. Suddenly, a light went off in his head. 

        That’s right! This will be faster.

He focused his energy, and clasped his hands.

         You’re better now, you can do this!

He pointed his right hand and shot a string of light towards the ceiling. With his left hand, he shot another thread down into the depths of the stairwell. And together, he brought the threads together, creating one, singular rope of light. Izuku nervously placed a foot on the rail, and gulped.

         I can do this, I can do this!

He jumped. Gravity took hold and he felt his stomach tighten. Izuku grabbed his Blessing as tight as he could and fell at great speed. The light itself caressed his hands softly, and he let out a nervous cry. Suddenly, light shot from his stomach and wrapped around the main rope, and Izuku felt his body suddenly halt. He growled in pain as his torso pained him again, and sweat flew from his brow. Carefully, he lowered himself down into the darkness that awaited him. What was at the bottom of the steps? Innocent people? A hellish demon? Armageddon? Peace? How could he possibly know the answer? Minutes must have passed, the descent was endless, the walls slowly caved him in. Izuku began to sweat, he could feel his grip on the rope starting to slip like that day he climbed the grand tree on Sekoto Peak. He did everything in his power to hold onto the rope. 

Izuku wanted nothing more than to let go, he could feel his hands giving way from the cold and the blood flowing to his head. He found himself upside down as the descent continued. As time went on, he could see the floor. At long last, the goal was in sight, and he reached for it. Suddenly, he dropped swiftly, and he screamed in terror. Izuku plummeted nearly five floors, and his heart raced through the horror. At the last minute he managed to grab his Blessing, and he came to a dead stop in the air. Izuku yelled and roared in pain, and as he looked downward, he realized he was mere inches from the ground. 

        “Too close, too close!!” He cried out. 

Izuku slowly eased his grip, and finally, his body fell onto the floor of the stairwell, he made it. 

        “YEEAH!!!!” He yelled. 

He squealed and shouted for a moment. Shortly after, the rope vanished, and Izuku forced himself onto his feet. He blinked profusely, and pressed onward.

        “Hello?! He cried out. “Is anyone else here?!”

Yet there was no answer. The icy roar of the wind blew past the building, but the darkness was louder. Izuku searched the ground floor for any survivors. He passed a visitor’s lounge and the nearby coffee room. Carefully, he prowled the broken and shattered room, all he found was a lost teddy bear and a destroyed refrigerator. He exited and continued his search, hoping to find someone, anyone, in this decrepit locale. 

He came face to face with a long hallway, one plunged in darkness with no end in sight. The boy slowly made his way down the hall, listening for any survivors. He jumped when he heard a loud noise, what was it? He shivered and panicked, slowly creeping towards a door. Izuku pondered if he should open it, he felt the door handle send a jolt through his arm as he grasped it, and he gulped with hesitance. Something kept him from turning the handle, an unknown entity that caressed his soul with a foul essence. Izuku turned his head looking down the dark hall, thinking something was there.

He squinted his eyes, was there someone who needed help? Someone who managed to hide away from the storm? Something remained in the shadows, and Izuku could barely make it out. It sat hiding behind something, only half of its body was visible, and it simply remained there, frozen. Izuku stared at it, who knows how long time passed, and the entity simply stared back at the boy. Their eyes locked together, sucking their souls into a deadlock as time moved on the outside world. Izuku felt as though he needed to call out, but something paralyzed him. Why couldn’t he move? What stopped him from trying to help?

The noise sounded off again, and Izuku ripped his hand away from the door. He took several breaths as the anxiety overwhelmed him, and he reached for the door again. His breathing was erratic, and he snapped his eyes back into the dark hall. However, when he looked down at the other end, this being, this strange entity… was gone.

Someone shouted on the streets outside, and Izuku snapped his head around. He looked at the door once more, then he looked down the hall. He sat and pondered what to do, and yet, he closed his eyes in exhaustion. 

         Screw it. 

He raised his head and ran towards the front door, leaving this hall to rot away in the dark. When he reached the entrance, he learned that snow nearly barricaded him inside. The snow was already up to his shins, and when he pressed against the door, it barely budged. Izuku looked back at a pit of black, and something forced his hand. He closed his eyes and forced the door open and snow blasted against his body.

Here he was in the street, holding his arms in front of his face. The snow was piling up around him as he stomped and forced his way down the empty road. The skyscrapers created a horrid claustrophobia as he tried to find the open road. The buildings closed in around him, like something was forcing him into a small box. He continued forcing his way down the street trying to find someone, anyone, in this chaos.

         “HEY!” He shouted. “ANYONE?!”

He made his way into an alley and ran as fast as he could, yet no matter how hard he tried, the snow forced him to drag his feet. Strangely, he felt his side, and the pain had disappeared. Was it the winter’s chill? Had the cold numbed his pain somehow? He shook his head and continued on.

         I need to find Jiro! But that Yuki Onna is still out there, what’ll happen if it comes across someone?

An image flashed in his mind of a painting he found in one of his many scrolls. Izuku closed his eyes fearing the worst, and he huddled up against a wall. He started panting like he couldn’t breathe. The cursed image remained. It was nothing more than the very Yokai he hunted, yet she was sucking away her victim’s soul. Her prey? He was frozen solid, his body ripped in two.

         No.

The painting scarred him once more, but he bit down, hard. He could taste the blood in his mouth, and his face turned to one of anger.

         I won’t let that happen!

He rose to his feet and pressed on in the maelstrom. With all his might, he summoned his power to his right hand.

         I don’t know if this will work, but I have to try!

The golden light mirrored his veins, and he watched as it all flowed into his hand.

         Be creative, think! If there’s one thing that can get someone’s attention even in this storm, it has to be Jiro…

Izuku closed his hand and he unleashed a mighty roar. He shot his arm towards the sky and all that power, all that energy was released. The light of his Blessing shot like a bullet from a chamber, and soared into the blizzard. Izuku clenched his teeth and swiped his arm.

         “Detonate!”

The light vanished, but shortly after, golden light exploded across the sky. The explosion was gigantic, as was the shockwave from the blast. Izuku covered his face as golden light slowly fell to the ground like snow, and as he looked up, he felt a great conviction rise in him.

         “I-I did it!” He cried. “Hah! I knew I could! This power… it’s really something special. Thank you Inari!”

However, he covered his mouth. He looked around for any bystanders, but the only thing that remained in sight was the snow.

         Shoot! That was close! He thought. I can’t believe I said that out loud, I have to keep the Spirit World a secret…

Izuku brought his hand to his heart, and lowered his head. He closed his eyes in a silent prayer, and when he raised his head, he thanked Inari silently.

Suddenly, someone screamed in the distance. Izuku felt the fear rise; this scream was someone who needed help, a light in the dark. He returned to another street and walked into the heart of the storm. The scream grew louder with each step, but suddenly it vanished without a trace.

         “IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, FOLLOW MY VOICE! I CAN HELP YOU FIND SHELTER!” Izuku screamed.

The howls of the wind roared against him, shoving him to the ground. He shot from the snow as it drowned him in thick layers, he heaved for air, and he slowly rose up. The scream for help returned once more.

         “COME ON!!!!”

Yet his voice was drowned out, he was truly alone. Izuku screamed and screamed hoping for someone to find him, yet the snow was unforgiving. He started crying, but the snow chilled every touch. His tears froze to his cheeks and he reeled in pain as they tore into his skin. All was lost, and he yelled in agony.

And then, it all stopped. He could hear his own cries once more, and he stopped. The tears remained frozen to his cheeks, yet something was wrong. The snow and wind ceased, and the snowflakes all remained frozen in time. He looked up, and saw it.

         “You…” The woman spoke.

Izuku felt his heart stop, as the Yuki Onna stared at him. Something was different. Her face was one of unparalleled beauty, not a single blemish or stain ruining its purity. The black hair continued to rain down her shoulders, but the blood remained on her sleeves. Her blue eyes had the very stars shining in their gaze, it was something Izuku couldn’t ignore.

         “You are lost… yes?” She asked, her icy breath nearly froze Izuku’s face.

         “N-No.” Izuku managed to mutter.

The Yuki Onna was unmoving, and her hands suddenly moved with an audible crack. Her black, frostbitten fingers reached upward and wiped away from the frozen tears on Izuku’s face. Izuku slowly moved his hands upward trying to slowly lower the Yokai’s hands, but he was enthralled by her spell. Her icy breath flowed like a river from her lips, and Izuku could feel his lips slowly freeze.

         “You are lost… the same way I was…”

Izuku could feel something inside her. The world went dark for a brief moment, a corruption of all life took root. The Yuki Onna’s face flashed before his eyes, but it was horrid, inhuman, tainted by madness and bloodlust. This moment only lasted a split-second, as the world returned shortly after.

         “You were abandoned by the others… they left you for their own… selfish needs…”

         “What? No! I came out here because someone has to help!” Izuku wheezed. “You’re hurting so many people with this storm, you have to stop!”

         “Hurting… people…?”

         “Yes!!” Izuku yelled. “These are innocent people; you have to stop this! I-I can help you move on and find the peace you need!”

The Yuki Onna suddenly let go of the boy, and he coughed with a sickly tone, like a leper. He coughed and hacked severely, while the snow-woman stepped away.

         “Wait!” Izuku cried.

The Yuki Onna turned around, and stared quietly at the teen.

         “Please, I can sense how angry you are, all that emptiness and malice are hurting your Niwa.” Izuku pleaded. “I can help you!”

         “Help… me…?” The Yuki hissed. Izuku tensed up, and suddenly, the Yokai vanished into the snow.

The boy felt the cold freeze his hands and legs, his body shook violently as the cold affected his body. He could barely move his hands, he could feel the ice building on his skin, and of course…

The breath of the Yuki Onna as it lingered behind him… its bloodlust leaking from its soul.

         “Why should I stop… when no one else did for me…?” She asked grimly. Izuku could feel the wrath in her voice stabbing into his neck. “Where was my dear Kyohei… when he left me to die on that mountain?!”

         “Kyohei? I don’t know who that is, but there’s no way he would do that! Maybe-”

         “He left me… he left me alone…”

Izuku suddenly felt her cold hands caress his chest, he blushed immensely, even in this cold.

         “But you won’t… you’re here to help… yes?”

Izuku gulped as the Yokai continued to hold him with a loving embrace.

         “That’s right,” He said, trying to calm himself. “I can help you, but this isn’t the way. You can’t dwell on what’s happened, and starting this storm, hurting so many people, that won’t undo the past! I know the pain you're feeling!”

         “WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF PAIN?!”

The Yokai vanished, and reappeared right in Izuku’s face. Yet her angelic face disappeared, and was replaced with a demonic, unnatural appearance. Her elongated mouth was left hanging open, her eyes turning red with bloodlust and madness, and her teeth turning to blood-soaked fangs. Her skin had turned into a cracked and icy appearance, all sense of beauty vanishing from sight.

         “YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO SPENT DAYS AND NIGHTS LOST IN THE WOODS OF THE MOUNTAIN!” The demon roared. “YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO BEGGED THE ONE YOU LOVE TO COME FOR YOU! YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO FROZE TO DEATH, ALONE IN THE DARK!!”

Izuku gave way to fear, he couldn’t move, and his tears ran down his face once more. The Yuki grabbed him and simply hugged him close. The black returned with fury, and Izuku screamed as his head screeched in pain. His sight and hearing were cut off from the world as a gray face screamed at him from the dark. The loud, unbearable shriek returned as well, and all Izuku could see was the Yuki Onna’s face, screaming for blood. Suddenly, the world returned again, and the face was gone.

         “BUT I HAVE YOU NOW, YOU WILL NOT LEAVE ME LIKE HE DID!”

Izuku felt his breath fade, as the Yuki simply stared at him, and started breathing. He felt his life draining, like his own soul was being ripped straight from his body. His limbs went numb, his vision blurred, and he gasped for air. Yet all was for not, his heart raced and beat with all its might… but soon… it slowed… and slowed further.

The darkness returned, there was no sight, no sounds, no warmth. Nothing but a cold, black emptiness coddled Izuku. He couldn’t move, his eyes went black and empty. Nothing waited for him, no one was there to guide him to the next place. It was truly lonely, quiet… and obscured from all. The tears that rained down his cheeks had frozen once more, and his skin turned a soft blue…

Suddenly, life returned to his body. A great light vanquished the corrupted dark that swallowed him whole. Izuku shot his eyes open and he gasped for air. He grunted and screamed loudly trying all he could to breathe. He held his chest, the tight coil squeezing his heart, and he yelled in horror.

But a hand, one warm and gentle, touched him. He felt it on his chest, and slowly, his body became warm. Izuku could feel his breath easing with each second, and this warmth, this strange glow, it eased his Niwa and his spirit. Izuku stopped crying, and he suddenly found himself confused.

         “Holy, thought I lost you for a minute there!”

Izuku looked up at this stranger, this unknown man.

         “That should fix you up though, that thing nearly killed you, you understand?”

Izuku could barely utter words, but the hand removed itself from his heart, and offered to help him to his feet. Weakly, the boy reached upward, and the warm hand took his. Before he knew it, Izuku felt his energy restored and refreshed, like something had simply woken him from a deep slumber. 

         “How did you-” He asked. “I thought I was gone, I couldn’t breathe, I-”

He returned his gaze to this stranger, and his eyes widened.

         “You’re…!”

The man who saved him wore a black trench coat, but one aligned with blue flames. The flames roared on his shoulders, and ran down both the back, and the tails of his coat with an azure glow. The inside of his coat also contained this blue light, and Izuku could make out flames burning on the inside as well. The man was wearing a black shirt underneath, but with those same turquoise lines the flames had. These lines, so bold and true, formed the shape of a diamond at the center of his chest, much like another Hero Izuku knew too well.

However, what was truly conspicuous about this stranger, was his hair. The overwhelming shine of his white hair, and yet, the thick crimson streaks burned with the passion of the flames he produced. His turquoise eyes glowed with ambition, and as the Yuki Onna howled a demonic scream, those very eyes turned towards the deadly Yokai that approached them.

         “You’re one of them! You’re a founding member of the Hero team: Azure Phoenix!”

         “Thanks for pointing out the obvious.” The stranger joked, he pat Izuku on the head. Izuku blushed, but he felt a sense of safety with this man, like a true Hero had come. “But hey, I’m flattered.” The man continued. 

Izuku felt a simmering flame surrounding him, and he realized the blue flames were surrounding him and the stranger. The fire protected them from the cold, and the Yuki Onna hissed, each step causing the blizzard to intensify, and the snow to dye black with Corruption.

         “You’re the one who shot that flare, yeah?” The Hero asked quickly. 

         “Yeah! Thanks for getting here!”

         “I knew it, then that means you’re one of them, right?” The stranger asked. “You’re with the Spirit World and all the gods?”

         “You know about them?! But that’s a secret we have to keep! No one outside the Spirit World is allowed to know about us!” Izuku said in shock.

         “Then consider me a special case!”

The Yuki Onna blitzed into their faces, her eyes searing with darkness. However, a simple click sounded off, and without warning a large wall of fire slashed into the demon. She cried with the winter’s fury, and was sent flying backward. Izuku sat there in awe, and as he turned towards the stranger, he simply saw a confident smile. In his hand was a metal lighter, and in his eyes… was passion.

“Don’t worry, Dabi’s here to send that thing straight to Hell!”