It had been one month. One month since Nozomi found her. One month since she's been adopted. One month of constantly being brought to a new school just to be treated the same. She was starting to get tired of it. Her fear and anger don't mix well. She still refused to fight back. It would cause more trouble than it's worth. That's what she tells herself everyday. She tries her best. She does her best in school despite everything. All she wants is to make Nozomi happy. She wants her to be proud of her. She didn't want her to worry. She didn't want her to hurt, so she did her best. She would come home with a new bruise everyday, but she didn't care. She was at least noticed for her high intelligence by the teachers of her latest school. They weren't so bad. They gave her elementary level curriculum. It's easy enough. Each day they increase the difficulty. Each day more and more kids start to dislike her. She ignored it all. She only cared about doing her best to make Nozomi happy . She always made her worry. She always made her cry. She wanted to make her smile so she needed to be good.
Nozomi was proud. She was happy. She would get calls and be informed of her intelligence. They recommended multiple schools for her. Kuriko would still come back with bruises, but they were nothing too serious. Her new school wasn't treating her half bad. She would get bandaged up and read a book in her room. She would spend time with Nozomi when she could and they would talk. Nozomi started teaching her sign language to help her. Not a lot of poeope will get it, but it's best she knew how to sign.
She started using the taught language more often. She could talk to Nozomi easier.
Nemuri still came around and even she started to learn how to sign. She was trying to get Kuriko to trust her. Slowly. The child was very cautious, but her getting along with Nemuri made Nozomi happy, so she tried. She talked to the woman. Got to know her. She found out that she was the hero Midnight. She was nice. Surprisingly so and not once did she say anything bad about her. Not once had she given her a look of distaste. She would always bring vanilla ice cream for her. She noticed that the kid liked it more than she let in. She would hunt down books she thought Kuriko would like to fill her little bookshelf. She had to get another to house all the books she collected.
Life wasn't bad, but it was not perfect. Kuriko didn't mind. At least she had two people who cared.
But of course things started to spiral.
~~~~~~~~
One and a half month of her new life. Three weeks at her new school. She had bullies , but she never got too injured . There were four of them. All around two years older than her. They were bragging about their awesome quirks and what not.
Apparently they had quirks and they were proud of it. Quirk use in public is not allowed but they didn't listen of course. Everyone fussed over then. Everyone except Kuriko. She didn't understand why they were so excited. Their quirks weren't too impressive. Kuriko doesn't care about quirks in general. She saw no reason to pay them extra attention.
It was during recess when they decided to let her know how amazing they were.
She was minding her own business as always. Sitting under a tree and watching the others play. She expected bullies.She always does. It's something she's come to terms with in al honesty.
So when she was taken by the collar she didn't react. When insults were thrown her way she didn't react. When she was let go and fell on her back she didn't react. She had an emotionless stare as it all happened. They would just have some fun and leave.
Not this time.
The insults were never too bad. She got over them. She couldn't care about it, but things were different.
"I can't believe you actually have a mom" one of the boys said casually. "I bet she's not even your real mom. Your parents probably abandoned you the day you were born"
They laughed. She didn't react but emotion returned to her eyes. Abandoned. She always theorized that that is exactly what happened. No one ever said it before. It doesn't hurt when she tells herself that. Not anymore. Hearing someone else say it felt like a stab in the chest.
"Your mom probably doesn't even love you. I mean who would want a kid who couldn't do something as simple as talk? " another said cruelly. "I wouldn't be surprised if she dumps you in a corner one day. You're just a useless failure. You can't even muster up enough courage to stand up for yourself can you? "
"Why should she? No one would hear her anyway"
"Maybe she can talk but thinks she's better than everyone else"
"Useless arent you? "
She was picked off the ground again. She didn't look at them. She was clenching her fist.
"You should just die"
She should, shouldn't she? There was no need for her in this world. No one would ever take her seriously . No one would listen. What would she even do in this world? What job could she earn later? Would it even be something she wanted to do?
"You don't even have a quirk. You can't talk and you're quirkless. You're worse than the dirt. "
The insults kept coming. Words. Words. Words. Words aimed at her. Words that hurt. She covered her ears. She didn't want to hear anymore. Everything was going good. They didn't have to have to open their mouths. They could have tossed her around like they usually did.
Someone took her wrist and tried to pull her hands away. She resisted until a burning pain made its presence known. She pulled away and gripped her now bleeding wrist. He had burned her. She stared down at her burnt flesh. So much blood. Why was she bleeding again? This wouldn't heal as easily . Another scar. Another reminder.
She wanted it all to stop. She hated it. She hated being treated so horribly. She hated being in pain. She hated seeing her blood. She hated being so weak. She hated it all. She hated them all. It made her angry but she always suppressed it. Fear was always the main emotion.
Why her? Why was she even born into this world if she was only meant to suffer?
She wanted it to stop.
She wanted them to feel the pain they inclflicted for once . They always get the good deal. They don't know what it's like to come close to death. To always be so afraid. To want to die.
They don't know what it's like in the dark.
A dark spot started to form on the back of her hand. The more anger, fear, and sorrow she released the faster the darkness spread on her skin . It took over her hand. Her arm. Her neck. Her leg. The darkness was spreading to every part of her body.
The boys took a step back in fear once the darkness took over her whole body. She was nothing but darkness. The only color being the lifeless blue eyes that just stared at them. The darkness spread further. Climbing off her body and along the ground. They backed away from it. They didn't know what would happen if they touched it.
No matter how much distance they made the darkness spread towards them. They could do nothing when it took hold of them. The minute it touched them their bodies lost all feeling of warmth . They were suddenly so cold. Colder than they thought they could be. They were frozen as fear and sorrow started to wash over them. They didn't know where it suddenly came from but it was crippling. They tried to move but they couldn't. The darkness spread further up their bodies . The new emotions got stronger and stronger.
Suddenly darkness overtook them. The darkness had spread across their entire body. They were completely engulfed in it.
They were floating. Floating in complete darkness. Blacker than the night. Colder than ice. It was lonely. They felt pain. Sorrow. Fear. Anger. Hatred. It was overwhelming. These emotions. They never experienced them as strong as they were. It was suffocating. They could hardly breathe. They felt worthless. Useless. They felt as if they weren't needed in the world.
They should just die.
The world wasn't worth it . Nothing was worth it.
There was no point.
~~~~~~~~~
Kuriko opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling of the hospital. She ends up in such a position everyday. she always knows what brought her there. What injury brought her to an inch of her life. At that moment she didn't know. She felt little to no pain. She had no bandages on any part of her body. She felt good enough. Her head hurt though. It hurt a lot. It felt as if someone hit her with the strenght of All Might. It wasn't very pleasant.
She took a deep breath. Her lungs were ok. She slowly sat up. She was expecting some other pain. Her head didn't count. She used her hands to steady herself and that's when she felt it. She quickly stopped what she was doing and fell back into bed. She held her hands in front if her. Her wrist. Second degree burns. They were bandaged up. How had she not noticed?
The door was suddenly thrown open. Nozomi stood in the opening and looked worried. Her eyes were red and puffy. She was crying. Because of her. Again. She was trying to prevent such a thing. Why does it keep happening. Why does she always end up in the hospital?
"Kuriko, you're alright" Nozomi let out a sigh of relief and almost stumbled into the nearby seat. She was worried sick when she was called to the school. No one really knew what happened. The teachers just found Kuriko unconscious with three other boys. Her wrists were burnt. It didn't take a genius to find out what had transpired, but no one knew why they were all unconscious.
"How do you feel? "
Kuriko tappd her forehead to indicate the pain she felt in her head. She also raised her hands, showing off the bandages around her wrist.
"I know not it hurts. Hang in there. You'll be fully recovered in a few weeks" Nozomi said and kissed each bandaged wrist in a form of reassurance. She ran a gentle thumb along its length. "Who did this? "
Kuriko quickly signed the name of the boy. She didn't know if he did it on purpose or not, but he didn't seem sorry.
"What had happened? "Nozomi asked
Kuriko made no move to sign because she wasn't sure of what had taken place. One moment she was wishing everything would end. The next she's in the hospital.
Nozomi was confused when Kuriko signed her obliviousness to what had happened. She sighed a soundless sigh and massaged her temples. She didn't know what happened . She just blanked out.
"Well" Nozomi ran a comforting hand through black hair. "Dont try to force yourself to remember on my behalf. You can tell me when it comes back to you"
Kuriko nodded with the faintest of smiles.
~~~~~~
Kuriko was back in school the very next day. She had on the usual long sleeved hoodie and long pants. Her sleeves hid the bandages and scars. Her pants the same. She was still wondering about what had taken place the day before. A piece of her memory was obviously missing and she couldn't get it back. It took over most of her thoughts. She wasn't focused on the events of that day. She didn't notice everyone's eyes on her. She didn't notice her three bullies watching her with slight apprehension. She didn't notice the whispers about her as she usually did. She was detached from the world as she tried to retrieve her memories.
Recess came along fast enough and she was under her tree again . As always she was watching the others have fun and be carefree. She'll never be like that. That innocence was lost before it even surfaced. She was trying to understand the unfairness of the world. She couldn't, of course. She noted that she was less depressed today. Maybe it was because she spent a whole day with Nozomi and Nemuri.
She didn't dwell on it for too long. She couldn't really. She was snapped out of her thoughts when a ball impacted her head. She watched it roll in the grass as a throbbing pain introduced itseld to her. Her hands went to her head in a useless effort to rid herself of the pain. Why?
"Hey weirdo"
It was the same group of boys from yesterday. They were angry. Normally they're annoyed, but now they're angry.
Kuriko winced when she was pulled up by the collar. The boy's grip was stronger today and it hurt her neck. She didn't resist his strenght as he glared at her
"What did you do yesterday?! "He questioned loudly and Kuriko cringed. Of all the questions he had to ask her. It was he one she could not answer. She didn't know. She didn't know what happened. She didn't know what she did. And even if she did she doubt she'd get out of the situation very easily .
"Tell me! " he shoved her against the tree.
"She can't talk, remember? "One of his friends reminded as he eyed Kuriko. Her eyes were devoid of emotion again, but they weren't lifeless. Not like yesterday.
The boy scoffed as his hand started to heat up. Kuriko could feel the increasing temperature against her neck and collar bone. Fear flashed in her eyes when she remembered what he did to her wrist. She couldn't get out of this. She would worry Nozomi again . She would cause her pain. She would make her cry. She could hardly worry about the excruciating pain she would be in. The feeling of her flesh being burned was still in her memory. She wanted to pull away, but the boy's grip was strong. He was stronger than her.
"You better find some way to tell me right now or you'll have more burns to show off"
He was being impossible at the moment. She couldn't sign because he would not understand and her hands were starting to shake. She couldn't mouth because it just made him angrier. She couldn't do anything. Struggle as she may she couldn't get out of his grip. Her fear grew in intensity . She snapped her eyes shut as she awaited the inevitable . She could practically feel the future pain.
Why?
She asks herself that a lot. Why did she have to go through such a life? Why did the others not suffer as she did? Why couldn't they feel what she felt? Why did they have such a happy life? Why did they see the need to belittle her because of it?
She couldn't understand.
She wanted it to stop.
How would they like it? This fear she felt. The sorrow that overtook her everyday. The pain she felt on some part of her body or another. The pain she felt within for not being like others. For not being enough.
They should all have a taste of it. A taste of her life.
They should all know what it feels like to want to die.
Because everything is pointless.
Pain was the last thing she remembered as darkness embraced her. It's always comfortable in the darkness.
They should all experience its cold embrace.