Happy Chapter Day everyone!
ANNOUNCEMENT:
More Chapters & New stories Incoming:
Special thank you to all my seedlings who have made it possible for me to continue writing and add more stories to my schedule. Including original writings that are in works.
You can get updates on all of that on my Tumblr. Or type KATSURA369 (Find my socials)
CHAPTER 102: Christmas Celebration
Despite the heavy chill in the air that turned hot breath into vapor and could turn your morning coffee into a slush within the hour, Hitoshi could feel the sweat on his back, but it didn't do much to keep him warm, however. While cold air bit into his exposed skin, which wasn't much, Hitoshi didn't relent on his goals. Melting the cold with his determination, even if it meant expending all the heat in his body.
The object of his focus, his current reason for standing in this icy field right now, was currently outmaneuvering him in this slippery field like she was built for it. For the last twenty minutes, he had been dancing around in the snow, trying to compete with Sakura's movements, which were meant to be hindered by the piece of cut bamboo on her head that looked like she had sprouted it. Even still, with her nose turned red from the cold, she didn't lack energy. She bounced on her feet like a boxer in the ring. Except she wasn't doing any punching. Just dodging. Dancing. Making him look and feel like an amateur.
Hitoshi watched as the cut of bamboo moved with Sakura, balanced despite her constant motion. Snow had been packed inside the hollow tube, weighing it down. His task for today's rare training session is to knock it off her head.
But what seemed simple in theory was proving to be impossible in practice.
"Regret asking me to train now?" Sakura asked, her breath misting in the air.
He gave a smirk despite his exhaustion, throwing his capture weapon at her again. She tilted her head, and the scarf missed by millimeters. He tried again and again. Each attack met with a counter that was so flawless it was like they were performing a show. Except that Sakura was the lead, and she was the only one who knew all her lines.
Hitoshi was trying to master using his capture weapon. With Shouta's tutoring, he had become more accustomed and closer to the finish line. However, facing off against everyone from the hero course during Joint Training, it had been a wake-up call. He'd known he was behind, but he hadn't expected them to be that far ahead in progress.
The hero course students had only been training a few months longer than him. The difference in combat experience wasn't that dramatic, aside from the handful of villain encounters that Class A seemed to attract like magnets.
But those few months, those few experiences, had created a gap he could see and feel every time he was in their presence.
If he wanted to get into the hero course, he was going to have to work harder.
"You seem more determined," Sakura observed, ducking under another strike. "Are you thinking about that cute cat room the guys set up for you?"
"Ha ha." Hitoshi's scarf whipped out again, trying to wrap around the bamboo from a different angle, even attempting a leap to create a new perspective. "They did take it down, didn't they?"
"Aizawa had them running for the hills," Sakura said, sidestepping his attack. "Apparently, decorating empty rooms without permission violates several dorm regulations, or so he said."
Hitoshi noticed she was keeping herself stiff as she moved, not using her full range of motion.
"Are you just doing this to mock me?"
"Why do you think that?" Sakura put her hands on her hips, "It's the first time you're trying this exercise, and you're making excuses because things aren't going your way."
Biting his tongue, Hitoshi threw his scarf out again, but Sakura stepped sideways. That's when he moved, sprinting to try and cover as much distance between them before he hit the ground. Her foot hooked behind his ankle mid-landing.
He went tumbling hard into the snow, the cold shock of impact driving the air from his lungs.
"Shit-
He rolled, threw out his scarf again while turning, trying to make Sakura take a sharp movement that would unbalance the bamboo. It stayed perfectly level on her head, the snow inside barely shifting.
"Sometimes it feels like you're just playing around because you're bored," Hitoshi said, pushing himself to his feet. Pain radiating from his spine.
"That was the wrong move," Sakura said from somewhere above him.
"Yeah," Hitoshi groaned, not moving yet. "I can feel that."
Sakura appeared in his field of vision and held out her hand. He took it and let her pull him to his feet. The bamboo was still balanced on her head, completely undisturbed.
"That's enough for today," she said, finally removing the bamboo and dumping the snow out.
Hitoshi bent over, hands on his knees, breathing hard. His muscles ached. His back hurt. His pride was somewhere in the snow behind him, probably frozen solid.
"I didn't get it," he said.
"Not yet."
"Will I ever?"
Sakura tilted her head, feeling the falling snow hit her face. "Probably. You're getting better with the scarf. Your throws are more accurate than last week, and you're reading my movements faster."
"But not fast enough."
"Fast enough is relative." She started walking toward the training building, and he fell into step beside her. "You're comparing yourself to people who've been doing this longer. That's not fair to you."
"Hero work isn't fair."
"No," Sakura agreed. "It's not. But you don't improve by beating yourself up for not being perfect immediately."
..
..
..
It was Christmas Eve, according to her rambunctious classmates who dragged Sakura from her dorm room when she was intending on having a quiet day, where there was nothing to do until tonight. But alas, that was now a pipe dream. Sakura hadn't gone into the full lore of Christmas, but she thought that securing presents was the only necessity, in the gist of things; apparently, she was wrong. Or rather, she had forgotten that her classmates were not ones to do anything halfheartedly.
She had another particularly rough night, with loud dreams that left her feeling heavy and exhausted, so she wasn't too thrilled with the frantic tapping on her door and the girls from her class announcing she needed to get ready for the day.
"Wow, Sakura, I didn't know you could sleep in," said Toru. Her presence was more visible, as she was wrapped in warm clothing, set for snowy weather.
"There are no classes today." Even UA could have a bit of grace despite the turbulent times, especially around Christmas. While it was a religious holiday, as Sakura learned, it was also celebrated worldwide and integrated into different cultures, including Japan. And it was especially something for children.
"Please get some warm clothing, Sakura," Momo said. She had that particular smile when she was excited about something.
Sakura scratched the back of her neck, heaving a sigh, "Fine…."
..
..
..
Eri squealed as she felt the snow hitting her face with the wind, the cold trying to cut through the layers of clothing, but never touching her skin. Even as she slid down the hill against the icy weather, she felt warm as Sakura held onto her while they slid down the smooth hill of snow. Passing several of the class A students who were enjoying the winter season with their own activities.
Sakura guided the sled, turning it to the side as they reached the bottom.
Eri wiped the snow off the top of her nose, giggling. "That was fun!"
Sakura shook off her boots, "Again?"
Eri nodded.
With the school's permission, the girls of Class 1-A had taken it upon themselves to plan a surprise snow day for Eri. Momo had prepared sleds and skiing equipment and even a list of fun snowy activities. The boys, of course, were more than eager to jump in and join; that's how they all ended up in this cleared space to enjoy the snow.
From the other side of the hill, Sakura could see the boys racing down, because they just couldn't resist creating a competition out of every leisurely activity. Hence why so many trees had the snow shaken off them when they were rammed into. Shouto even used his quirk to create a huge ramp and ice slide for them. This led to a lot of students learning what it felt like to fly. And crash into heaps of snow.
Currently, Eijiro and Katsuki were racing Izuku and Tenya down a huge ice ramp.
"MOVE IT, DEKU!" Katsuki's voice carried as he and Eijiro shot down the ramp, their sled catching air; they could see the sparks flying even from a distance.
"RECIPRO BURST!" Tenya's engines roared to life, propelling his and Izuku's sled forward with enough force to actually overtake Katsuki mid-flight.
They landed in a spray of snow.
Toru laughed so hard her invisible form shook the winter coat she was wearing. "They look like they're auditioning to be Santa's backup team! Flying sleds and everything!"
Others chose a more mellow activity like making snow angels and building snowmen to post online. Though that had also turned into a bit of a competition on who could make the best snow sculpture, Minoru had to be disqualified after he had almost won.
"Look, Eri!" Mina called out, waving from where she'd been lying in the snow. "A snow angel!"
She stood up carefully, revealing the angel silhouette.
"It looks so pretty," Eri said.
Sakura looked over and almost didn't recognize Tsuyu, who was wrapped up to the point where she looked like a moving clothing hamper. Multiple scarves, a puffy coat that added at least several inches to her frame, a hat pulled down over her eyes, and gloves that made her hands look enormous.
Due to her frog quirk, the cold could send her into a hibernation state if she didn't keep warm enough. She still looked a bit drowsy despite all the layers.
"Tsu, you okay?" Ochaco asked.
"Ribbit... I'm fine... just... sleepy..." Tsuyu's eyes were half-lidded.
"You can make one too," Sakura said to Eri, gesturing at the untouched snow around them.
Eri's eyes lit up. She jumped back into a clear patch, carefully leaning down and throwing her arms out, moving them up and down as Mina had demonstrated. When she got back up, she turned to look at her work. The angel was smaller than Mina's, a bit lopsided, one wing longer than the other.
"Look at that," Sakura said, crouching beside Eri. "It's cute like you."
Eri blushed, but her smile grew.
"Having fun?"
Eri nodded quickly, "Yeah,"
"And tonight's going to be even better!" Mina said with the confidence of a promise.
"Remember, everyone!" Tenya's announced. "We must gather at 4 PM sharp to start preparations for tonight's celebration! There is a strict schedule to maintain and-
That was the last word he got in before a snowball hit him square in the face, and not being able to accept that he hadn't been fast enough to dodge the unexpected fire from Minoru, things got heated fast.
..
..
..
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Party poppers crashed against eardrums, as confetti rained down on the students. The common area was transformed with streamers and a glittering tree. Eri had enjoyed decorating and putting the star on the top while everyone cheered. Everyone moved along in a frenzy of red and green, dressed in Santa costumes.
The furniture had been rearranged to accommodate a party of 20; tables were pushed together and filled with different dishes and drinks.
Rikido had made approximately seven different types of cookies and an elaborate roast, which Katsuki helped him with. Momo had set several types of tea prepared.
Sakura had opted for the red, matching Eri, who looked around with wide eyes, unsure of where to even go first, but excited nonetheless.
"Have some dinner first before cake and chocolate," Sakura said.
"Okay!" Eri agreed, though her eyes kept drifting to the dessert table like a moth to a flame.
Soon, everyone had gotten settled around the tables, plates piled high, engaging in conversations with friends. Some of them had gotten around to asking about their upcoming events that wouldn't involve each other. Like being allowed to leave for New Year's to see their families, and the work studies that were coming up.
Sakura felt Mina tap her shoulder. "What's up?"
Mina gestured toward Katsuki, the only one sporting his usual casual tracksuit. Mina held up a Santa costume with a grin. Sakura didn't say anything but stood up.
Sakura, Denki, and Mina approached from behind. Katsuki noticed Mina coming toward him, holding up the red coat with white trim.
"I told you I'm not wearing that shit."
"That's why we've employed the help of our trustee class rep!" Mina announced cheerfully.
"It's important to join in your classmates' activities, Katsuki," Sakura said in a rather sing-song tone that made his eye twitch.
"You are not giving me that crap. Not you of all people-
Denki came up behind and slapped the Santa hat onto Katsuki's head.
"HEY!"
"Get him!" Mina yelled.
"You bastards getting cocky just 'cause Fivehead's with you!"
Sakura moved. She came up behind Katsuki with the coat, executed a foot sweep, but midway grabbed his shirt and gave a quick pull. Before he even knew what was happening, the Santa coat was over his head, arms through the sleeves, the whole thing secured before he could properly resist.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Katsuki's voice was muffled by the fabric and indignation.
"Come on, Scrooge, where's your Christmas spirit!" Hanta called from a safe distance.
"Come over here and say that!" Katsuki dared.
Eijirou came to the rescue by redirecting Katsuki to another topic: "Hey Bakugou, are you going back to Jeanist?"
Almost tranquilized, Katsuki responded, "I don't know." Best Jeanist had been out of commission since battling against All for One. He had only taken up the offer because of the hero's ranking, and it wouldn't do him any good to return to an agency being run by sidekicks.
What about you, Sakura?" Tsuyu asked.
"I'm gonna ask Chiyo-san if I can work with her again," Sakura said. She hadn't thought any further about the work studies. Everyone else was looking for mentors whom they could follow after and learn the ropes of what would soon be their trade.
"But you and Bakugo got scouted by a whole bunch of places!" Eirjirou pointed out.
"I don't want to learn from some rando,"
"I'm not too keen on finding a new mentor at this point either," Sakura knew she would likely clash with any hero that wanted to take her under their wing. Heroism could be parallel to and also in contrast to her Shionbi doctrine.
"This is supposed to be a holy night! Why are we talking about school stuff?!" Minoru exclaimed, slamming his glass down on the table and spilling juice.
"Come on, guys, Mineta has a point!" Rikido called from the kitchen doorway.
He emerged with the main course, carrying a giant roasted chicken that wafted a scent of fresh herbs and lemon around the entire room. "It's time to feast!"
The rest of the night went by in festivity. And Sakura and Eri experienced their first Christmas celebration. They cleared the table of good food and desserts before filling the night with laughter and arguments as they played games and caroled songs.
They even arranged a game where everyone bought a present to place in a random gift exchange. Ribbons were tied to each wrapped box, trailing across the floor in a colorful tangle. Everyone would pull a ribbon and receive whatever present was at the end.
Sakura was glaring at Fumikage when Eri pulled her ribbon and ended up with a package larger than she was.
The wrapping came off to reveal a sword.
"Fumikage, what the heck is that?!"
She glared daggers so hard that Dark Shadow shrank away, leaving Fumikage to fend for himself. "It's merely a replica of the great weapon from-
"She's SEVEN!"
But Eri was looking so brightly at the gift that Sakura couldn't bring herself to take it away from him. 'I'll let Aizawa deal with this.'
..
..
..
Later that night, after the party wound down and everyone had supposedly gone to bed, Sakura was in her dorm room when she heard shuffling behind the door. She opened it to find two gifts at her feet.
The first was wrapped in green paper with a small All Might sticker on top. Inside was a notebook, which was high-quality, leather-bound, and had a note.
"For training notes or whatever you want to write. You're always helping us improve, so I thought you might like something to track your own progress, too. Thank you for everything. Merry Christmas."
The second was wrapped in crumpled white paper with a red ribbon that showed struggle. Inside was a set of first aid supplies.
Sakura took her gifts and went back into her room, catching the painting in the corner of her eye.
Hey, love
So, you just read that chapter.
And now you're sitting there. Staring at the screen. And thinking about bookmarking till the next update?
Well you don't have to wait.
Right now, over on my Ko-fi, there are 3-6 chapters ahead of what's publicly posted. That means that moment you're dreading or hoping for Sakura? It's already written. Sakura has already walked through what comes next and I promise you, she does not disappoint.
What's waiting for you over there:
The chapter directly after this one
The plot reveal I've been building toward since chapter one
3–6 full chapters to binge
And coming soon: My author notes-the unhinged behind-the-scenes commentary only Ko-fi readers get.
I write this story because I love Sakura the way you love Sakura.
If this story has lived in your head rent-free, made you feel things you weren't ready for, or made you want to throw your phone across the room in the best possible way the early access chapters are for you.
Thank you for reading.
Check out the SCHEDULE POSTS On Tumblr, and if you like my stories, want to give me some extra support to help the creations of new stories and can't wait for the latest chapters consider joining me as a special member of my seedling troupe:
TYPE: Katsura369 into the Search Bar Or www. Tumblr . com / blog / katsura369
EARLY CHAPTERS FOR MEMBERS NOW: BUYMEACOFFEE
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes chapter (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
-Kunoichi amongst Pirates chapter (47, 48, 49)
-Crossroads of Fate chapter (39, 40, 41, 42)
-Through the Looking Glass chapter (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
- (Bleach crossover) Kunoichi amongst Reapers: (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)
- Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover) (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes WHAT IF SPIN OFF: Dorms and Exams
-SPECIAL HALLOWEEN CHAPTER: Shinigami amongst Shinobi
THANKS FOR TUNING IN BUT NOW I'VE GOTTA TUNE OUT