Bloodwalker

Chapter 2: Iron Will

Trigger Warning/s: abuse, vivid descriptions of blood, violence, death

Pre-chapter notes: none

Art: on DeviantArt. They do a lot of dark landscape art, concept art, and some beautiful abstract art as well.

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Six months later, your quirk training becomes more intense. Surprisingly, you've improved a lot for a five-year-old - you obviously still need a lot of work, but it's impressive nonetheless.

But, of course, the biggest change is in your personality. You've not been sleeping well, every night plagued by nightmares. So you've noticeably dulled over the past couple of months (being beat up by your boss almost every training session does certain wonders for your mental health), and even The Adjudicator seems worried. It's not like he's doing anything to help you feel better though, because every time you ask him to be your friend, he just averts his eyes and tells you to focus on your training, which leads you to think that he probably doesn't like you very much.

Despite that, the fact of the matter is that The Adjudicator - yes, your grouchy instructor of little words - is concerned about you, as much as he doesn't want to admit it (probably just because you're not training as hard as he wants you to, you think). So how does he try to cheer you up?

More training. Yes, your mentor (friend?) and teacher (friend?) who pretends not to care, tries to comfort you with the mindset that if you train hard enough, you won't have time to be sad (an extremely concerning mindset, but it's the thought that counts).

But of course, his 'solution' only ends up making you even more miserable (bless his socially inept heart... or not).

"Chiyo," he begins one day, while the both of you are sparring. He's effortlessly blocking all of your feeble hits - meanwhile you are sweating bullets from the amount you have to exert yourself to even catch up to his next move. "I've asked The Undertaker to join us during training. He will help you improve your quirk."

Weirdly enough, after months of him trying to get you to perk up, this is what gets your eyes to glimmer.

New friend?

Your mentor glances down at your reaction and huffs at your glazed-over expression.

Is she distracted already?

Really, you're just trying to hide your excitement at the prospect of someone else joining your training.

You can't wait to meet your new frien- training partner.

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The Undertaker... is not what you expected.

When he first walks in, he carries with him an acrid, burnt aroma that makes you want to puke (why does everybody smell so bad in here?). He's wearing a set of reflective goggles, which is intimidating because you can't really tell where he's looking, and a gas mask covers the bottom of his face.

He probably wears it so he doesn't die smelling himself, you conclude, not pausing once to think why no-one else wears a gas mask too if his smell is really as deadly as you make it out to be. Maybe, if you wear a gas mask too, you could tolerate him enough to be his friend.

Upon closer inspection, you realise the smell is coming from his hair - you see tufts of singed black amongst blonde tresses, and you begin to think you might not want to be friends with such a dirty person after all.