[hr][hr][center][h1][color=Plum]Sofia Rousseau - Noctera[/color][/h1][/center][hr][hr]
[center]It was night and the raging blizzard continued bearing down on the little girl. There was no shelter for her, only the long rags that she wore over her head like a hood as she knelt down before a meager fire. Her frail hands, which had lifted to take in the flickering heat, were a pale white. They trembled as they drew closer and closer to the light, the skin on her fingers almost taking on a similar glow. They grew more confident with each passing moment, until she was practically holding the flame in her very hands, and she lifted it from its place. The world outside of the fire's modest radius was dark and the blizzard howled at her in its wrath. The small girl drew the flame closer to her face, not even a wince in pain as the fire started burning her hands.

To just hold it in her hands was enough for her, and though it may drift away from her for a time, opposite the turbulent, piercing winds, she could never stop following it.[/center]
[hr][hr]
Sofia's fight didn't end after the factory. There were repercussions that came with a major breach of security of that magnitude, such that couldn't possibly be covered up even if the academy tried. The criminal element had just revealed some of its most fearsome super villains and by apparent coincidence had struck at the hero industry at its most vulnerable roots. To most people, it was an unfortunate trial that nevertheless left the would-be heroes involved all the stronger for it. But for people like Sofia's parents, it was all the excuse they needed.

Her room was closed off to everyone, except of course to her parents, neither of whom wanted anything to do with anyone, their minds made up as to her future. That early Saturday morning was met with a great deal of arguing coming from her hospital room. To anyone curious about her condition, it would be said that she'd make a steady recovery. But any attendant would then immediately reveal that she was being transferred to another hospital by noon and that even after her parents had gone ahead to make arrangements, Sofia herself had denied visitors from coming to see her. The damage was done.

[hr][center]| [@Heartfillia] |[/center]
It was a quarter to noon when a knock came on Renard's hospital door, which let in a kindly yet very tired man in his low to mid fifties wearing a ruffled, white formal shirt sans tie along with the accompanying dark trousers and shoes. "Mr. Sparks?... Yes... I wished that we would have met under better circumstances. I am Theodore. I've serve the Rousseau family for many years and-um... (sigh), and Miss Sofia wanted you to have this before... her departure. I'm sorry."

The man appeared duly contrite as he handed Renard a thrice folded piece of paper, while he himself was ready to answer that Sofia was going to make a complete recovery in another hospital, and after bidding Renard and anyone else in the room goodbye, the gentleman dismissed himself quietly. He couldn't bring himself to speak more than that.

[hider=Open the letter]
[center][It is a well handwritten, if a little rushed letter with a mild level of wrinkling in places.][/center]
[color=Plum]Renard[/color]

[indent][indent]
[color=Plum]I was told that you were awake by now, but even if you are not, this note should just be left by your side until you do wake up. I could only make the one letter, and I could not think of anyone else to have Theodore send it to. So if you are wondering if there is any deeper reason for me giving this to you. [i]There is not.[/i] Also, I am sorry for the sloppy writing. My usual penmanship is much nicer than this. It is just that I do not have much time left.

I am fine, however. If nothing else, I rather no one worry about me anymore. But I am afraid I will not be able to go back to the academy with everyone else. My parents are very set in their ways and almost impossible to reason with at this point. So while I feel as though I have talked them down somewhat, their minds are made up on taking me out of the school, maybe even the state by the looks of it.

This is far from what I wanted. If I was stronger yesterday, I would still be at this hospital. But instead of being cooped up on this bed, I would have wanted to be there when you woke up and probably poke fun at you for being so reckless. I am unsure of everything that happened to you and I know it is wrong of me to speak of my problems to you like this. But I felt as though I just had to say something while I still can. I am sorry for being so selfish.[/color]

[center][A few lines have been furiously scribbled out. They are very much illegible.][/center]
[color=Plum][i]Please, Renard.[/i] Please whatever you do, [i]do not[/i] try and see me before I leave the hospital. That goes for anyone else here as well. [i]I cannot bear to see them and I do not want to have anyone see me this way.[/i] Just do this for me, okay? I am asking that no one makes this harder for me than it already is.

There was so much I wanted to do once I got released, the first of which would have been to thank you, Eira and Freya for saving me, as well as Gabriella and Peter for fighting off the villains that ambushed us. I apologize for having been so brash. Please do not think I was or am in any way ungrateful for what everyone did.

My memory is a little fuzzy up until I passed out, but I distinctly remember how scared I was the entire time. And yet throughout it all, my body seemed to move on its own. It is difficult to explain it better than that. Something like that probably does not strike you as strange, but it does to me. For the longest time, it was hard to believe I really have what it takes to be a hero, especially one like the rest of you.

So after coming this far, there is no way I am going to give up now. And none of you should either, least of all you, Renard. I will never forgive you if you do. Despite everything that happened, I still want to be a hero. I want to prove to myself that I can become stronger.

And I want to see everyone again some day. So please stay safe until then, okay? And look out for one another. Do that for me and I promise to one day become a hero you can be proud of. Thank you all again for being there when I needed you. Heroes like All Might and Enterprise may have inspired me in the past. But after yesterday, you all became [i]my[/i] heroes.

I hope to thank each of you in person, when I am ready. Farewell.

You as well, Renard. [color=0072bc]The path of a hero is undoubtedly one that only a precious few can follow. But I have faith you can make it. Please don't let something like this stop you from becoming the person you want to be. Let's both do our best. See you soon, you big dummy.[/color]
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[/indent][/indent]
[right][color=Plum]Sofia[/color][/right]
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