𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ... 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐥?

┌──── ∘°❉°∘ ────┐

𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ... 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐥?

└──── °∘❉∘° ────┘

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--THE SUN HUNG HIGH IN THE SKY, its golden rays spilling over the grassy training field as the group warmed up. Maki was in the center, demonstrating combat techniques with her usual precision, while Nobara stretched lazily off to the side, muttering complaints about the heat.

"Misa! Yuji! Focus!" Maki barked, her sharp tone cutting through the otherwise peaceful air.

But the pair weren't paying attention.

Instead, Misa stood on a slightly raised rock, her arms outstretched dramatically. Yuji stood a few feet away, mimicking her pose with exaggerated seriousness.

"'You have betrayed me for the last time, Yuji,'" Misa declared in an overly theatrical voice, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"'No, Misa!'" Yuji shouted back, gripping his imaginary sword. "'I was only trying to protect you from yourself!'"

Nobara, sitting nearby with her arms crossed, let out a groan. "Are they seriously doing this right now? During training?"

"Apparently," Panda said, lounging in the shade with his paws behind his head. "Honestly, this is the most entertaining thing I've seen all day."

Toge, perched on a low branch, simply nodded, his usual cryptic agreement: "Salmon."

The reenactment continued unabated. Misa jumped off the rock with an exaggerated spin, pointing an invisible weapon at Yuji. "Your lies will not save you now! En garde!"

Yuji responded with an equally dramatic leap forward, pretending to parry her attack. "I'll never back down! For honor! For justice! For... uh, snacks!"

Misa burst out laughing, nearly breaking character. "Snacks? Really?"

"I'm hungry!" Yuji defended, grinning as he stepped back and struck a ridiculous pose. "Now fight me, villain!"

Misa swung her "sword" at him, their mock battle escalating into a chaotic dance of wild moves and overly dramatic shouts. It wasn't long before they were both laughing too hard to continue, leaning on each other for support.

Maki sighed loudly, rubbing her temple. "You two are unbelievable."

"Come on, Maki," Nobara said, smirking now. "Let them have their fun. It's not like you're missing much—they're terrible actors."

"They're better than I expected," Panda chimed in, waving a paw. "Especially Yuji. I'm sensing a future career in theater."

Yuji straightened up, striking an exaggerated pose. "Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all week."

Misa laughed, shoving him lightly. "Don't quit your day job."

Before anyone could say more, Maki clapped her hands together loudly. "Alright, enough goofing off! Back to work. If you two have that much energy to mess around, you can spar."

Misa and Yuji exchanged a glance, still grinning as they moved to the center of the field. As they faced off, Yuji whispered, "You were totally the villain in that scene."

"Villains are way cooler," Misa whispered back, smirking. "Now try not to lose too fast."

Yuji grinned at her challenge, his eyes alight with excitement. "Lose too fast? Oh, it's on."

They started circling each other, their movements playful yet sharp, as though they were still stuck in their exaggerated "villain versus hero" dynamic. Misa made the first move, lunging forward with surprising speed. Yuji sidestepped her attack, laughing as he pretended to parry her invisible blade.

"You'll have to do better than that, Ice Queen!" he taunted, his grin wide and infectious.

"Oh, you're gonna regret that," Misa shot back, her smirk growing as she spun around, aiming a mock punch at his side. He caught her wrist easily, their eyes meeting briefly as they both tried to stifle laughter.

Meanwhile, the others had started sparring on the other side of the field. Nobara faced off with Maki, their intensity palpable as they exchanged blows, while Panda and Toge worked together in a mix of grappling and dodging. No one was paying attention to Yuji and Misa's playful battle.

"You're wide open!" Yuji shouted, feinting to the left before darting to the right. Misa dodged at the last second, her movements graceful but quick. She countered by sweeping her leg toward his, forcing him to jump back.

"Not bad, hero," she teased, her tone light, though her heart was starting to race. Why am I feeling like this? she wondered, suddenly hyperaware of the way Yuji's grin seemed brighter than usual, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed.

Yuji lunged forward again, this time with more force, and Misa stepped in to block him. Their movements became faster, closer, the playful energy between them slowly shifting into something else. The world around them seemed to fade, their focus entirely on each other.

In a sudden burst of movement, Misa managed to trip Yuji's leg. He stumbled, grabbing her arm to steady himself, but his momentum pulled them both forward. Before either of them realized what was happening, Misa found herself pressed against his chest, his hands gripping her arms to keep her upright. Their faces were mere inches apart, their breaths mingling in the short space between them.

Time seemed to stop.

Misa felt her pulse quicken, her stomach fluttering with what could only be described as butterflies. Her usual confidence faltered for just a moment as she stared up at Yuji, noticing the faint flush creeping across his cheeks. She tried to tell herself it was just the exertion from sparring, but the way his eyes softened as they locked onto hers made her question everything.

Yuji's heart was pounding, though he wasn't sure if it was from their spar or the fact that Misa was so close. He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from her, and for the first time, words completely escaped him. He opened his mouth to say something—anything—but nothing came out.

Misa, realizing the moment was stretching too long, was the first to snap out of it. She smirked, her voice cool and composed despite the chaos inside her. "You know, if you wanted to hug me, you could've just asked."

Yuji blinked, startled by her teasing tone, and immediately let go, stepping back with a nervous laugh. "What? No! I just... lost my balance, that's all."

"Sure, sure," Misa said, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. She kept her tone light, but her mind was racing. Why did she feel like this? Why did it feel like her heart was about to pop out of her chest?

Yuji rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. His ears were noticeably pink, and he tried to play it cool. "You, uh... you're pretty quick," he said awkwardly, glancing back at her.

"Of course I am," Misa replied smoothly, regaining her composure. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, flashing him a confident smile. "Maybe next time you'll actually keep up."

He grinned despite himself, the tension easing slightly. "We'll see about that."

On the other side of the field, Nobara landed a solid hit on Maki's shoulder, earning a grunt from the latter. Panda clapped his hands, cheering them on. None of them had noticed the charged moment between Yuji and Misa.

As they resumed their playful sparring, Misa couldn't shake the feeling lingering in her chest. She told herself it was nothing, just leftover adrenaline from their fight. But when she caught Yuji sneaking another glance at her, his expression softer than usual, she felt her resolve waver.

Focus, Misa, she thought, shaking off the feeling. It's just Yuji... right?

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--The air in Yaga's office felt heavier than usual, the sunlight streaming through the blinds doing little to lighten the mood. Misa stood near the window, her arms crossed and her expression etched with annoyance. Yuji and Nobara sat in the chairs across from Yaga's desk, while Megumi leaned against the wall, his arms folded in quiet contemplation.

"So, let me get this straight," Misa began, breaking the silence. "You're sending us—a bunch of first years—on a mission to gather intel on rogue sorcerers? Does that sound like a good idea to anyone?"

Yaga adjusted his glasses, his gaze calm but firm as he addressed her. "This isn't a decision we made lightly, Misa. We wouldn't send you if we didn't believe you were capable."

"Capable or expendable?" Misa shot back, her tone sharper than she intended. She glanced at her teammates. "No offense, but we're not exactly the dream team for a covert operation."

"Speak for yourself," Nobara said, leaning back in her chair with a smirk. "I can handle rogue sorcerers and look good doing it."

"Yeah, I'm sure your nails will intimidate them," Misa muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Hey!" Nobara snapped, narrowing her eyes. "These nails have range. What do you have? Ice cubes?"

Yuji, sensing the brewing argument, raised his hands. "Okay, okay, let's not start a war in Yaga-sensei's office."

Yaga cleared his throat, silencing the group with a single glance. "The reason we're sending you," he said, his tone commanding, "is because we need a low-profile team for this mission. Sending higher-ranking sorcerers would draw too much attention. The rogue sorcerers are cautious, and they're more likely to show themselves if they think the threat is minimal."

"Minimal?" Misa echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence."

Megumi finally spoke up, his voice calm but steady. "If it's about blending in, we make sense. None of us are flashy, except maybe Yuji when he starts yelling in battle."

"Hey, I'm standing right here," Yuji said, pointing at himself.

"He's not wrong," Nobara added, smirking at Yuji.

"Anyway," Yaga interrupted, his tone firm, "this is a reconnaissance mission. You're not going to engage unless absolutely necessary. Your objective is to gather information and report back. The sorcerers have been spotted in the area near Aokigahara—the forest at the base of Mt. Fuji."

"Aokigahara?" Megumi repeated, his brows furrowing. "The Sea of Trees?"

Yaga nodded. "It's a well-known location for cursed energy activity, which is why it's the perfect place for them to hide. You'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Great," Misa muttered under her breath. "A cursed forest full of rogue sorcerers. This just keeps getting better."

"Consider it a chance to prove yourselves," Yaga said, his tone softening slightly as he looked at them. "You've all grown a lot in a short amount of time. I trust you to handle this."

Misa sighed, running a hand through her hair. She hated to admit it, but he had a point. Still, the idea of heading into a place like Aokigahara didn't sit well with her.

Yuji, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, at least we're all going together, right? It'll be like a team-building exercise. Only, you know... with curses and danger."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Misa asked, giving him a look.

"Kind of?" Yuji said with an awkward grin.

Nobara stood up, brushing off her skirt. "Alright, fine. If we're doing this, we're doing it right. I'm not letting some rogue sorcerers get the better of me."

Megumi pushed off the wall, his expression thoughtful but determined. "We'll prepare tonight."

"Good," Yaga said, nodding as he dismissed them. "Be ready by dawn. And remember—stay focused. This isn't a mission to take lightly."

As the group filed out of the office, Misa lingered for a moment, her gaze flicking back to Yaga. "This better not be some test, Yaga-sensei," she said quietly, her tone carrying an edge of worry. "We're not expendable."

"You're not," Yaga replied firmly, meeting her gaze. "That's why I trust you."

Misa didn't reply, but as she walked out to join the others, she couldn't shake the lingering unease in her chest. Still, she pushed it aside. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and she'd be ready for whatever waited in the Sea of Trees.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚