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Shinsou knew what the other villagers whispered about him: evil, dark, corrupted. He saw the way they looked at him out of the corners of their eyes, how they turned away when he caught them staring or trying to subtly point at him, how parents pulled their children away from him or groups would scatter when he walked through them. No matter what he did to appear innocent - no matter how hard he worked around the village in an attempt to appease people that didn’t want anything to do with him - it didn’t matter.
He would never be clean. The marks on his palms would always stain him.
As a child, the world had seemed so bright and open to him. His parents ran the local inn and tavern, which he helped them with. When he was little, that usually translated into him crawling under tables and returning empty glasses to the bartop to be refilled. It also meant he got to overhear a lot of fascinating conversations and wild tales and see even more fascinating people from all over the world. There were hunters, warriors, knights, animal tamers, and even magic wielders, although the latter were far and few in between.
Magic was unique and chose only the most special people. It intrigued him, but it was also such a strange concept that he didn’t consider it much. Most magic wielders didn’t look like they could do magic. For some, such gifts were evil witchcraft while others found them miraculous. A warrior looked like a warrior, but a mage looked, well, like every other person for the most part. They didn’t dress in fancy or strange robes or carry some sort of familiar with them. He probably met some without realizing it.
If Shinsou pretended to be something while playing with other children, it was usually some type of knight or animal tamer. He liked playing with animals. While people could be cruel, especially kids, animals only lashed out when they were scared or angry. As long as he was kind to them, they were kind to him in return.
Such behavior came in handy when his magic manifested and the village he’d thought would be his home forever turned against him.
He hadn’t meant to hurt the other boy, but he was stronger and mean-spirited. All the kids thought so, but no one could say anything to him because he was the Jarl’s son and destined to take her place when she died or retired. Bakugou could be arrogant and spiteful, but even worse, he was simply better. Shinsou had never been good at standing up for himself anyways, but that day he lashed out. When he shoved Bakugou in the chest, a burst of dark energy exploded from him and threw the other boy clear over the fence and into the pigpen.
Such power terrified him. He didn’t know what happened, so he simply ran back to the inn and locked himself in his room. A black cloud swirled around his hands, frightening him even more, but it didn’t hurt. Scared as he was, he’d also never felt so alive. He could feel everything so much more. The cool wind that told him a storm was on the way, his heart beating frantically in his chest, his parents' voices arguing with a woman below, the bread baking in the kitchen for the dinner crowd.
It was like he was connected to everything and everything was connected to him.
After that, his parents set him down and told him that he couldn’t use his magic, at least not in public. It made people wary. Most magic was seen as good, but the aura his gave off made people uncomfortable. He did as he was told, only using it at the inn when no one else was around, but even his parents gave him leery looks sometimes when he used it. Floating a cup into his hand would be one thing if it wasn’t covered in a black and purple cloud.
He had magic, but as far as everyone was concerned, it was dark magic. It sucked at the energy of the world around him. It tugged at people’s hearts whenever he used it. He overheard his mother whispering to his father at night that the hairs on her arms always stood when he used his magic, even if he wasn’t in the same room. He quit using it around them after that and, eventually, stopped using it altogether.
Maybe he would’ve faded into the foreground if his magic had cooperated. Instead, because he quit using it willingly, it burst from him in spurts whenever his emotions got the best of him. If he was angry, it would crackle to life in his palms. If he got upset enough, a dark cloud could hang over the entire village. He wanted it to be a coincidence, but everyone knew it was him. He could duck his head, keep to himself, be as helpful as possible, but he knew what the people truly wanted from him.
They wanted him gone.
It was another average night at the tavern. He stayed in the kitchen while his mother and father worked out front. People would still come in despite him. As long as he didn’t show his face, no one paid him any mind, and they all went about their business like normal. For the millionth time, he dreamed of leaving and moving to a place that would accept him, but he had no idea where he would go or what he would do. Get another job at an inn or tavern? Find a place that would teach him magic? He didn’t even know where to begin.
Besides, if this magic was so awful, maybe he shouldn’t learn it. Maybe if he refrained from using magic, it would grow weak and fade within him like a flame on an old candle. It would be snuffed out, and he could be normal again.
Only… Did he really want that?
Once villagers either left or travelers had gone to bed, Shinsou made his way around the tavern to pick up dirty dishes and prepare the room for the morning. He fought the urge to magick the broom into sweeping the floor itself and began to load dishes and glasses into a bin. However, ten minutes into what would surely be an hour’s worth of work, if not more, the door burst open and smacked against the wall.
Shinsou jerked around, prepared to tell whatever drunkard off, when a short figure stepped into the tavern instead. Before he could question them, they threw off their soaked hood to reveal a girl. A very pretty girl, his mind unhelpfully supplied. “Sorry ‘bout that,” she greeted as she wrung out her hat on the porch. “I wasn’t expecting that storm, so I had to pause my travels earlier than anticipated.” She shut the door and plopped the still wet hat back on her head and smiled cheerily. “You all still open?”
“Ah…” The storm. There hadn’t been any warnings about storms… Shinsou winced. He must’ve let his dark mood get the better of him again. Storms always came about when he thought of leaving. “Yes, we’re still open for travelers - the inn is, at least. We’re not serving food until the morning.”
The girl waved a hand. “S’alright, I just need a place to sleep, and this town looks cozy.” She put her hands on her hips and looked around. “It’s got a good feeling about it.”
Strange, no one had ever said that before about this village, especially not since his magic manifested.
“I can have a room readied for you,” Shinsou said. “How many are in your party?”
“Just me,” the girl said.
“Just…” Shinsou furrowed his brow. “I don’t mean any disrespect, but is it safe to travel by yourself?”
“Because I’m a girl?” She laughed, seemingly not offended, which was a good thing. He had a habit of offending people as it was. He tried to be good, but his tongue got the better of him a lot of the time. “I’m perfectly safe. I can protect myself.”
Shinsou glanced her over, but he didn’t see any weapons on her. Maybe she had a few knives hidden in pockets or under the sleeves of her cloak. He had seen hunters and warriors do that. Not all the people they served here were the savory type, but it was not their job to ask questions. “If you say so,” he settled on, deciding not to push it.
“Ah, I see you don’t believe me. Will a demonstration appease you?”
The girl flicked her wrist effortlessly, and a knife on one of the side tables began to float. With another flick, it flew through the air and embedded itself into a board that many men practiced throwing knives at. Shinsou outright gawked. He had seen magic other than his own used before, but never in such a manner. The knife had even had a fog around it - just like his, except black with pink flickers of light in it instead of purple.
“You’re a mage!” Shinsou gasped.
When she delicately closed her hand, the knife pulled itself out of the board. With a wave of her hand, it slowly drifted in the air before dropping into the bin he’d been piling dishes in. “Nothing that fancy,” she said. “I haven’t gone to any special academies or been recruited into any groups, but I’ve made this magic my own.”
Shinsou stared at her. There were so many things he wanted to say - so many questions he wanted to ask - but he couldn’t get them out of his mouth. He nodded stiffly and left the room to tell his mother of a late traveler in need of a room. When he returned, the girl was sitting at a table idly spinning a dish around. She had hung up her cloak to dry, revealing a faded pink and cream outfit with multiple stitches. He also noticed that every dish had been stacked neatly at the end of each table.
“You didn’t…”
She shrugged. “For coming in so late. It wasn’t a problem. I used to work in my parents’ tavern back home, and magic made things so much easier. A bit like cheating, but they didn’t complain.”
Dashing away the image of his parents letting him use his magic so freely, Shinsou set down a cup of mead in front of her. “It’ll be a few minutes before your room is ready, so I thought you might want something to drink.”
The girl raised an eyebrow. “Is this how you build up tabs?”
“What-?” Shinsou flushed. “No, it’s-it’s on the house - part of your room deal.”
“Fantastic,” the girl replied picking up the cup. “I’m a bit low on funds until I turn in this bounty.”
He had been taught not to ask questions, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. This girl piqued it more than anyone else he’d ever seen cross the threshold of their inn. “Bounty?”
The girl rolled her eyes. “Trolls not too far from here. I imagine it wouldn’t have been long before they started to creep their way to your farms.” She took a sip of the mead and lit up. “Oh, this is good! I like this a lot. Thanks.”
Shinsou shook his hands. “Wait, what? Trolls?”
“Yeah, you know, big ugly dumb creatures that like to snack on sheep and the occasional person?” the girl prompted, lifting her hands above her to mimic some massive creature. He stared at her in shock, and she slowly dropped her hands. “You...did know they were real, right? I mean, there are many different types of magical creatures out there - not a lot, as many have been hunted for sport or fear, but, you know.”
He felt as if the wind had been stolen from his lungs or the rug pulled out from underneath his feet. All Shinsou could manage was to drop on the bench next to her, blinking rapidly as he thought it over. She spoke of such wild things like it was perfectly normal - she talked about magic like people talked about the weather - like all of this was just a natural part of her everyday life. Meanwhile, his whole life revolved around baking, cleaning, butchery, and trying to keep everyone from hating or fearing him.
Brown eyes wide in confusion, the girl leaned forward, and Shinsou leaned back. “How do you not know any of this? You’ve got magic too. You should know something.”
“I-” Shinsou’s heart dropped into his stomach. “How did you know-?”
“I can feel it, silly,” the girl said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Magic is...a part of everything. It’s in the ground, the water, animals, plants, you, me. It’s in our blood and the air we breathe. It’s a part of our lives.” She twisted her lips, her eyes so imploring. He’d never had anyone look at him like this before and didn’t know what to do with it. “Can’t you feel it? I could sense your magic from outside the village. It’s why I came here. I figured it was safe if a mage was here.”
“No, I-” Shinsou looked away from her, shame flooding him. “I’m not really a mage. I don’t… I don’t use my magic much - at all, really. It’s frowned upon here. People are afraid of it, even my own parents, so I…” He gulped. “I don’t really know what you mean.”
Without warning, the girl laid her hand on top of his on the table. His heart shot from his stomach into his throat, rendering him incapable of speaking, but that didn’t seem to matter to her. She smiled at him, such a comforting and thoughtful smile, and said, “It’s okay. In rural villages like this, that tends to be the case, but you shouldn’t be afraid. Just try it - try to feel the magic.”
“How?” Shinsou asked in a hoarse whisper.
“You’ll know it when you feel it.”
Shinsou didn’t understand, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He focused on the feel of her hand on top of his. It was small, but not soft. He could feel calluses created by hard labor and a pleasant warmth despite her having been in the rain not too long ago. He even thought he could feel her pulse. Without his vision to distract him, if he thought about it hard enough… Yes, he could feel something more. He didn’t know what it was, but it felt familiar, wanting, strong.
He snapped his eyes open and jerked his hand away, but instead of being insulted, the girl laughed. “See! I knew you could do it!”
“Your magic-” Shinsou breathed heavily, staring down at his hand. “It’s the same as mine.”
The girl shrugged. “We do have a similar type, yes. It’s not too common.”
Shinsou swallowed. “It’s dark magic. It’s evil.”
She tilted her head. “Now, who told you such nonsense?” He opened his mouth to explain what the Jarl and most of the village people believed, but she cut in before he could even try. “The same people who didn’t even know trolls existed? You’re living in a bubble. There’s a whole world out there and you’re going to let these people without an ounce of knowledge of what you’re capable of dictate your life?”
“I…” Shinsou licked his lips. “I don’t want that. I don’t want this.” He looked around the tavern, the place that his grandparents had built and his father inherited after their deaths. It was supposed to become his after his parents’ died - he’d lived his whole life knowing that - but he didn’t want it. The thought shamed him further, but ever since his magic manifested, he couldn’t help but feel like he wanted to become something more. “If it’s not dark magic, then what is it?”
“Oh, it is dark magic.”
“But you said-”
“The bit about it being evil is nonsense,” the girl interrupted. “There’s no such thing as evil magic.” She wagged a finger at him, an almost stern expression on her face that contrasted sharply with the cheery one she wore most of the time. “There are evil magic users - mages that use magic for awful purposes and twist it into something it shouldn’t be - but it could never be evil on its own. Do you think nature is evil?”
Shinsou shook his head. “No, it’s a part of the world.”
“Even when there’s a terrible storm that is strong enough to destroy a village and kill people?”
That made him halt, but again, he shook his head. “That’s just...nature.”
“And that’s what magic is,” the girl said softly. “Think of it as another element. Think of it as an extension of yourself - like a sword to a knight. It can be used for defending, protecting, and killing - but we don’t look at a sword as being evil. It all depends on how it’s being used.”
She held out her hand, giving him an invitation. It was strange, but he felt drawn to it and found himself holding his out. She peeled his fingerless gloves off to reveal the black pattern that marked him as a magic wielder. His heart thudded in his chest, his pulse practically skyrocketing as she lazily dragged a fingertip over the mark. It felt like the magic he’d let lie dormant inside him was singing.
“You’re being wasted here,” the girl hummed sadly. “You shouldn’t let that magic die inside of you. It’ll haunt you for the rest of your life. You’ll never feel whole without it.”
“Then what should I do?” Shinsou asked.
The girl brought her eyes to his. “What does your heart say you should do?”
“It says…” Shinsou sighed. “It says I need a few days to obsess over this before I make a decision that will change my life.”
Despite his anti-climatic answer, the girl giggled. “Well, not all of us gets stuck in a life or death situation with a random adventurer and a knight and has a decision forced on them.” He raised an eyebrow but did not comment. That sounded like some story. He’d love to hear it one day. She put her other elbow on the table and propped her chin in her hand. “Perhaps I’m a part of your journey - you know, like a quest. You can either stay on this path or choose another, but you need me in order to do that.”
A smirk graced his lips. “Oh, do I?”
“Yeah, how else are you supposed to learn more about magic in order to make your decision?” the girl shot back sweetly. “This bounty isn’t due for another few days. I could perhaps stick around, help you understand magic more, teach you that it’s not evil but something wonderful.”
“What’s in it for you?”
The girl grinned. “Free boarding. I’ve missed sleeping in a bed and, like I said, I’m a bit low on funds.”
Shinsou thought about it for a moment, but truth be told, he had already made his decision the second she offered to stay. He had money saved up that he could use to pay for her room so his parents wouldn’t ask any questions. “Deal.”
“This will be fun!” The girl giggled and pulled her hand away from his and held it out to the side. “Of course, we need to exchange names in order to make this deal binding. I can’t keep referring to you as ‘handsome magic tavern boy’ in my head the entire time.”
His face instantly turned red, but he managed to shake her hand and say, “Hitoshi Shinsou.”
“Ochako Uraraka.” She beamed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I had a good feeling about this place.”
Shinsou grinned back. For once, he did too.