Ice.
Everywhere. From every angle, from every direction. That was all that could be seen.
At the epicentre of it all was a girl.
Her skin was extraordinarily pale. Her eyes were purple, like purple gems, and her hair was white, just like snow.
She sat hopelessly in the middle of the disaster, on her knees, as she tried to cry.
Even crying was useless for her. Once the tears left her eyes, they froze instantly.
Looking around, she saw the forest encased within the ice. Not only the forest but the life of the plants and animals in it too.
The girl didn't know what expression to make. She didn't know what to do.
To fix it.
To fix herself.
To fix the problem.
To fix the precious life that was taken.
Though, as long as that man existed, she wouldn't be able to fix anything. Not even herself.
"Akane. Stand up."
An elderly man and his attendant walked over to the terror-stricken girl. The man himself was starting to freeze. His attendant used a flame spell to keep them warm, though it wouldn't be forever.
"Sir, we must be out of the forest ASAP, otherwise we will freeze. In minutes, the temperature could reach absolute zero. No spell could protect us from that, not even Dragon Flare."
"I know. Since the girl has inherited her grandmother's powers, I need her for future plans."
He then turned to his granddaughter.
"That's why I need you to get up, Akane. Listen to your grandfather."
He said, grabbing the girl by the arm and dragging her, though, he let go instantly.
The man winced from the pain. His hand burned from the coldness of the girl's body.
"Seems like you'll have to talk to her, Master Kabura."
"Seems like it, Kanon."
He nodded.
"But spoiled children like her won't listen."
With a quick motion, he slapped the girl.
"Get up!"
He shouted.
The girl flinched.
"Get the fuck up, Akane! Will you run away too?!"
The man slapped her once more.
"Will you run away, just like your grandmother did?!"
...
"Would you shut up?!"
The black-haired girl smashed a mirror with her fist. The others in the toilet looked at her, perplexed.
Akane gently apologised and they carried on with their things.
She held her head and looked at her in the fractured mirror.
"Shit... My Singularity is reacting to my anger. I need to calm down."
Random strands of her hair were turning snow-white and her skin was becoming gently paler.
She took a few breaths in and out. The hair colour retracted back to black and her skin regained its vividness.
Akane washed her hands in warm water and walked out of the toilet.
"Does that happen occasionally?"
She stopped. The girl sighed and turned around. Shoya was leaning against the wall.
"If you think I'm going to share what it is with you, then you're wrong. You wasted your time. Sorry, Shoya."
Trying to walk away, she was stopped by Shoya once more. He put his hand on her shoulder.
Even through her clothes, he could feel her freezing temperature; he didn't openly react in pain.
"I need to know what I saw, at the very least."
He said.
Akane sighed once more. Strands of her hair slowly turned white. Shoya noticed it.
"Look, Shoya, all that you need to know is that I'm a monster. That's all."
"But you're not-"
"Yes, I am!"
As she faced Shoya, she shouted at the top of her lungs. Akane was taken aback slightly.
"Oh, uh, sorry, Shoya. I didn't mean to shout."
"Well, if it isn't the harlot and Shoya?"
The two of them turned, again, to face the small black-haired girl, Kuro.
"Kuro."
Shoya said.
Kuro smiled at Shoya and inspected Akane. After a quick analysis, she spoke.
"Seems like you're embracing your true self, harlot."
"My name isn't harlot, it's Akane Kabura and, no, I fucking hate myself."
Kuro smiled wryly.
"Really? To me, it's like you're almost enjoying yourself. Though, it also seems like you want someone's attention. You want someone to take care of you. As if you were some kind of child."
"Shut up before I burst my fuse."
Akane warned her, holding herself back.
"Okay, okay. I think you'd better run along. I don't want to get frostbite."
"Fine."
Akane stormed off.
"If you need anything, I'll be there, Akane!"
Shoya shouted.
Akane replied by putting her thumb up and she turned the next corner.
"Why do you remain friends with someone like her, Master? You should cut off people like that."
Shoya and Kuro began walking.
"It's exactly why I'm her friend. So I can help when she wants to accept it."
Kuro gave Shoya a suspicious glance.
"This is why I don't get humans."
"Anyway, that seems to be caused by anger or something similar."
"You mean her hair?"
Kuro asked.
"Yup. When she got irritated with me, strands of her hair became white. Not only that, her body temperature was unbelievable. I'm surprised she was able to walk like that, better yet, fully function."
The boy showed the girl his hand. It was shaking rapidly from the residual pain and covered in ice.
"She's a real mystery. Something must've happened to Harlot."
"Wait, are you calling her 'Harlot?' Like, as her name?"
"Of course. She's a harlot, so I'll call her 'Harlot.'"
"You know, Kuro, people have names for a reason. I'm sure you call your friends by their names."
He said.
"Sure, my friends. But Harlot isn't a friend of mine, so she'll have to make do with a nickname for now."
Shoya didn't understand her thinking process. All that he did understand was that it would be difficult to change her mind.
"God, I better get back to Anastasia and explain what happens before she freaks."
"Zero."
"What?"
"If you don't want me to call her, 'Harlot,' then I'll call her 'Zero' because of her negative body temperatures."
"Actually, I think everyone would prefer you calling her by her name."
Shoya said, sighing.