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"Well team leader, I'm sure you would have gotten around it somehow. Someone would have broken you from your fear of being put into the spotlight" Ark replied with a teasing grin on his face. "Still though...it's nice to have moments like these. Especially since they're so few and far between."
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Hikari chuckled. "That wasn't what I meant, but alright." She smiled at him. "We'll have to really enjoy these moments. I get the feeling we're in for a serious ride soon."
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"I figured as much, but I don't think anything would have changed, nothing small anyways," Ark said, having a feeling that something was going to happen sooner rather than later. "Anyways, weren't you going to talk to Itachi about your semblance?" he asked, curious.
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Hikari nodded. "Yes, I was. I am." She was nervous about the upcoming conversation and where it would lead. She wanted to unlock her semblance, but it wasn't going to be easy, and she would have to face a lot of personal demons in the process. "Will you be there with me?"
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"If you want me to be there, I will," Areku said softly and seriously.
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Squeezing his hand slightly, Hikari nodded. "I'd like you to be there. Please." She didn't think she could get through it without him.
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Ark smiled and nodded, indicating that he would be there with her for whenever she wanted to talk to Itachi about this
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Hikari gave him a tiny, relieved smile. "I think we should go to Itachi-sensei as soon as we get back. With all the trouble brewing, I need to unlock my semblance as soon as possible."
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"I agree. With everyone that's coming after us...we could use all the firepower we can get, no pun intended," he added after realizing what he said.
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Hikari rolled her eyes. "I'm just opening myself up to a lifetime of fire puns with this, aren't I?" She asked with a groan. "I guess I'd better get ready. Naruto-kun and Yang-san especially are going to be relentless."
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"I'm sure Blake will keep Naruto in line and not make too many puns about your semblance. And as for Yang, I'm sure her 'secret admirer' will keep her in line. Besides, when it comes to those two opposites really do attract," he said with a light chuckle, wondering if Hikari figured it out.
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Hikari chuckled. "True enough." She said. Of course she had figured it out, but she wouldn't say anything...at least until they were ready to admit it. After that she'd tease them just as much as they teased her.
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"Think we should get going then?" he asked Hikari, wondering if she wanted to wait any longer to talk to Itachi and spend the rest of the day outside with their friends.
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Hikari took a deep breath and nodded. Better to go now and get it over with, no matter how much she was dreading it. "Yeah...let's go."
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Areku nodded before signifying to Naruto and Amaya that they were going to meet up with Itachi so as to talk about something. When asked what it was, all Areku would say was that it was a private matter and only he could help them.
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Though he was curious about what would happen with Ark, Hikari and Itachi, Naruto held himself back from making a fuss. They would probably talk about it when they got back. He wished them luck and watched them walk away.
It seemed to take only moments to get back to the school where they would find Itachi. Hikari was nervous, and couldn't hold still. How would Itachi react to this? He wouldn't be happy about it, that was certain. |
Blake smiled lightly as she saw Naruto hold in his curious nature as to where his teammates were going. He was glad to see that he was maturing...if only just a little. Though now that she thought about it, she made a mental note to go to the Library when they got back to Remnant...
Itachi saw both Areku and Hikari heading towards him and was curious as to what was going on. Though with the way that Hikari was acting, he had a feeling that whatever it was wasn't good... |
Hikari spotted Itachi, and tried to put on a smile. "Itachi-sensei, hello!" She greeted.
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You can stop pretending to be happy, Hikari-chan. What is the problem?" He asked, as usual reading her like a book. Hikari let out a sigh. Leave it to him to know exactly how she was feeling. "Well, I have something that I need your help with. It involves my Semblance, and...a part of my past you were unaware of." "I see...well, come inside the classroom so we'll have some privacy, and you can tell me about it." Itachi replied, stepping to the side so that they could walk into the room. |
Areku headed into the classroom as well, knowing that she wanted him being in the room with her when she told Itachi what happened in her past.
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Once the classroom door was closed and they were all seated, Hikari launched into her story. She watched Itachi's eyes narrow and his expression become angry as she spoke. When she finally finished, she watched him carefully.
After a moment of heavy silence, Itachi spoke. "So, you believe the secret to unlocking your semblance is to recreate the circumstances of that day." He clarified. He waited for Hikari to nod before moving on. "I assume you came to me about this specifically because of my semblance." Hikari nodded again. "We think it's the safest way to force my semblance into working. We can't very well go around burning down buildings or getting me attacked." She explained. "I don't like it." "I knew you wouldn't." "If I refuse, you will find another way, probably more dangerous." "Most likely." "Fine, then. I suppose I have no choice." Itachi stood up and went to close the blinds. "I'm assuming you want to try now." "The sooner the better." |
Areku stood to the side as Hikari and Itachi talked, staying quiet. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like this one bit.
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Itachi cleared a space in the middle of the room. "Areku-kun, please come here." He said. "While you will not be able to see what Hikari-chan sees, you will be able to see her reaction to it. It will be better if you hold her, or she may harm herself." He gestured for both of them to sit on the floor.
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Areku nodded as he moved to the center of the room with Hikari. Once Hikari sat down, he took a seat next to her and held onto her, not knowing what would happen next.
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Itachi nodded, checked around the room once more, then went and sat down across from Hikari. "I will not use my full power, so your sanity will be safe. However, it is going to hurt, and you will not be aware of the world around you. You are going to experience this memory as if for the first time, though there will be a small part of you that is detached enough to observe, so you can isolate and understand the moment when your semblance is unlocked. In addition, I will be watching as well for the same reason. Are you ready?"
Settled next to Ark, Hikari took a deep breath to steady herself. She had seen people under the influence of Itachi's semblance before, and it wasn't pretty. But he would hold back for her, and this needed to be done. She looked him in the eye and nodded. "I'm ready." She said. She saw him nod, never breaking eye contact- that part was important- and suddenly it seemed as if his eyes changed, started spinning. The image took up her field of vision, until there was nothing but red and black, and then just black. And then she was small, following her big brother, exactly as it had been that day. Itachi watched, splitting his focus between Hikari's memory and the real world. He wasn't surprised when Hikari started convulsing, then thrashing and screaming...but it still broke his heart. "Hold her down. Don't let her hurt herself. Pin her arms and legs." He told Ark calmly as the illusion went on. "And be ready to jump away when I tell you. Her semblance may activate without warning." He added, wanting to ensure the safety of both his students. |
Areku hated watching Hikari convulsing like the way that she was...and wished that she could actually be doing something more. Hearing Itachi instructing him what to do, he followed the directions exactly and held her down but getting ready to jump at a moment's notice. "Understood sensei" he said.
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