Shape of a Miracle EP 2 - FreezeFrame

It's all dark

"Idiotic."

A long nimble hand crashes into her world, grabbing the computer mouse, closing the tab and pulling her back to planet earth. She turns to the originator of that hand, and of the above comment: her mother.

She drops three huge bags of groceries onto the kitchen counter, causing even the marble to shudder as more disapproving words march out of her lips.

Shoko jumps to her feet, greets her mother, turns off the computer and helps heave the bursting bags onto the table. All the while feeling completely ashamed of herself for not even noticing that her mother had come in.

As she opens the plastic bags and puts the groceries away, in the corner of her eye she sees Yuzuru's little head peer out of her bedroom door. That's right, she still has Yuzuru to deal with. But how should she go about it? The blog didn't give her any solid evidence that Yuzuru is her late night paparazzi. How can she confront her without blowing her own cover? Although, if she's so sure that Yuzuru has already found out her secret. Then is there really much point tiptoeing around it? Is she just holding on to the fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, she doesn't know she's...

'A turd.'

Her thoughts get cut off, as her mother slams a document for her to sign onto the table. She sighs; they must be doctors notes. Sitting down, she takes the pen and reads the form.

Ogaki middle school for girls: Application form.

'Ogaki middle school'? This can't be right. that's not her school. She looks back up to her mother, who simply taps her finger on the title of the paperwork.

Application form.

She stands up.

She signs "what is this?"

Her mother stops her. Firmly placing her grown up hands above her teenaged daughter's trembling fingers. Then points to her lips.

That's right. She has to use her voice.

"Wh-why.." her throat runs dry, not knowing what words she's pronouncing right "Why do I need... to sign this?"

Her mother blinks.

"Aren't I going to re-enroll back into my old middle school once they've finished the constru-" she pauses, how do you say that word?

Her mother rubs her temple.

"All the construction workers..." Shoko cries "They've worked day and night trying to repair it..."

She can't let this happen. Not again! She just can't transfer out again. For once everything was settled down. She was in the background, not being much of a bother for once. She could just quietly study outside the joyful spirits that sprung within the halls. And now, that thought isn't a lonely one. Now she has Plagg and the miraculous and a secret superhero life! Now she feels no need to ruin her perfectly secure school life by doing something drastic like making friends or trying to talk to people. She's finally accepted her place. For once she feels completely at peace, for once she didn't have to worry about being transferred out.

"Please..." she croaks "just give them more time...They've worked so h-hard..."

"Shoko." her mother snaps "You're not going to spend another school day in this apartment."

Shoko flinches back as her mother stares her down. She doesn't look impressed. Then without a shred of warning, words fall out of her mouth like an icicle. In a tone obvious in its importance but not in its clarity. Still, it isn't indecipherable. Shoko stares onto her mother's lips. Maybe if she just concentrates hard enough, she'll be able to read what she's saying.

And then she closes her mouth and looks down on her with her unmoving pupils, waiting for a response.

"I'm sorry." Shoko signs "would you mind repea-"

Her mother turns around.

Shoko stands there. Watching her mother unpack the groceries. She looks down at the application form. This is all her fault. When her school got shut down, she could have transferred to another school, at least temporarily. But she opted instead to take her studies at home, only visiting a nearby school for exams. She thought that would be easier on her mother. But she was wrong.

She looks back up to her mother who looks to be having an argument with Yuzuru. Another argument about her.

She walks up to her mother and gives her the application form, now completely signed. She bows an apology and walks to the balcony.

She feels plagg under her left hand, under the miraculous. She looks at her ring. Then out to the now pitch black sky. She steps into the balcony, feeling the cold under her feet and looks up at the icy darkness. Unlike last night, there are no stars. they're covered up by pitch black clouds.

Dark.

It's all dark.

And cold.

But when she uses the miraculous she can't feel the cold. When she uses the miraculous, she becomes that darkness.

A hand pulls her back: It's Yuzuru.

"Go back inside Yuzuru." Shoko smiles "it's cold out here."

She doesn't budge. Instead she shoves a camera in her face. And there it is. A photograph. The photograph of her superhero self. Marked on screen with last night's date and displayed on her camera.

Shoko smiles, it's time to come clean.

It's time to let go.

"Yuzuru... where did you get that photo?"