More often than anything else, Fumikage Tokoyami was praised for his level-headedness. He always wondered if those who praised him had even a clue as to just how hard he worked for it. His Quirk, Dark Shadow, could never be controlled by someone too weak to even control their own impulses and emotions. Fumikage had learned that lesson very young, and in all the years since had honed his self-control to what he thought was a quite respectable level. He had moved on assuredly from that struggle to focus on the greater one - exerting better control over Dark Shadow's impulses and emotions.

For the past two days his Quirk training had been in isolation - in desolation, in darkness, in the shadows! All of the students were meant to be pushing themselves to their limits and beyond... but for him, that process was particularly harrowing. Dark Shadow gained tremendous strength in the deep darkness of the mountain cave, and it was up to Fumikage alone to maintain dominance - if he could not, he would lose himself. While his peers fought outside to hone their bodies and minds, Fumikage was fighting just to keep his.

There was no awareness of time during this training. Fumikage remembered cognizance enough to stagger his way out from the cave only when Aizawa came to get him. So far, anyhow. If he could persevere through this agony he would continue to grow, and with growth one day he would have complete control over Dark Shadow. He needed that.

Fumikage had been far from thrilled at the announcement that the students would be rewarded for their hard work with a Test of Courage. How could he possibly get excited about a jaunt through the forest in the night, with his classmates screaming all around and Dark Shadow screaming inside his head? He knew it was going to be a nightmare, but he resolved himself to it. For him, it would really be extra training.

What Fumikage did not know was that the Test of Courage would bring him to a low he thought he could never fall to again.

He and his test partner, Shoji, had only just noticed an unusual period of quiet when they received the telepathic warning from Mandalay that villains were on the attack. Then there had been noise - a rustling through the leaves of the trees, small snaps from breaking twigs. Movement in his peripheral vision prompted Fumikage to turn and see the steel blades coming at him. He saw moonlight flash across the metal. Fumikage remained calm while Dark Shadow swelled with rage, ready to burst out and defend him - if only that was how it had happened.

Instead Shoji leapt to protect him from the attack, and those blades that had lashed at him wound up hurting his friend. Fumikage saw one of Shoji's arms be severed. Blood leaked from the injury to make a puddle on the ground. Shoji... For the first time in nearly ten years, he experienced the feel of his own anger. His arm... that villain took his arm! Dark Shadow cried for retributive fury, and Fumikage gave in.

He knew his mistake immediately, of course. It just didn't matter. Dark Shadow drew power from his moment of anger and from the surrounding darkness, and Fumikage could do nothing more than be witness to the consequences.

Now Dark Shadow was on a rampage. The many fires burning throughout the forest left him little room for that, and feeling boxed in made everything worse. Without Fumikage's guidance, Dark Shadow didn't know to distinguish friend from foe. He attacked anything, at the slightest provocation, believing it must be a threat.

Fumikage might have cried - another thing he hadn't done in years - but he didn't have control over his own eyes.