Ethereal ◆ Shoto Todoroki x Reader

Trust Yourself

◆ Part 2: Chapter 4 ◆

Trust Yourself

◆

Choose a target. You look at the plant in your lap.

Lock on. You stare down at it, focusing on the green of its leaves and the curve of its stem.

It is alive. Flowing through this plant is life. Flowing through you is life. Power. You are power. You are life.

Release.

◆

The plant falls in ashes to the ground, shriveled leaves and stem falling like dust. Dr. Aiya watches you, leaning forward in anticipation.

Your heart pounds, your body full of energy. It flows through your veins, making your skin warm and your body shiver. You hold your hands up, not wanting to touch anything and risk draining it, too.

Dr. Aiya smiles, triumphant. "You did it! How do you feel?"

You look up at your therapist, unable to hold back a grin. "Amazing," you answer, "like I just drank three cups of coffee."

She gives you a thumbs up. "A whole step forward! Good job!"

"The only thing is," you say, "I feel like if I touch anything else my quirk will activate."

Dr. Aiya's eyes sparkle. "Ah, so maybe controlling your quirk isn't the problem," she concludes, "maybe it's deactivating it."

You nod. That sounds about right; your quirk usually just shuts itself off.

"What normally happens when you try to turn it off?"

"Well," you say, keeping your hands away from anything in the room, "after using it, I normally just pass out, and it goes away on its own."

"So it's lack of practice, that's all," Dr. Aiya assures you, "I'm sure you'll be fine. Just focus. That same part of you that you embraced, just say goodbye. Like stepping back from a hug."

You do what you're instructed, imagining your embrace and taking a step back. But what will happen if it doesn't work? What if you can't deactivate it?

Your breathing gets shallow, and you stare at your hands. The hands that could kill. That have killed. 

Power flows through you. The plant's life force, filling your veins and demanding more. 

What happens if you can't deactivate it?

Suddenly a voice interrupts your thoughts, calm and soothing.

"Breathe. Trust yourself."

Dr. Aiya takes your hands, and you panic. You try to pull away, but her grip is strong and determined.

She's gonna die. You're going to drain her, killing her like you did to the village so long ago—

"I'm fine," Dr. Aiya says, rubbing your palms. "Breathe. Just Breathe."

Your hands don't feel warm and numb like before. It stopped.

"How?" You whisper, looking at Dr. Aiya.