章 39: Chapter Thirty Eight
Shoto and you stared at one another, seconds dragged by feeling like minutes. You furrowed your brows not understanding why he wasn't striking. Your eyes glazed past him, for the first time since being discovered you allowed yourself to brush over their faces. Little bubbles mixed with anticipation and anxiety fill your chest.
You rolled your eyes reading Shoto's uncertainty in his body language, so you stepped into the swift strike. Flames ignited in the palm of your hand, and you had to admit...it felt good wielding the embers after such a lengthy time frame. It felt like a long stretch after being cooped up in a cramped seat for hours.
It surprised you when Shoto sidestepped the red flames instead of matching them with his own. You pinched your brows, allowing the fire to fizz out. You looked over to All Might and Aizawa who both looked equally confused.
You shrugged then assertively broke into a march, your hips swayed as fire danced in your hands, licking up the sides of your arms. You lifted your ponderous arm aiming in Shoto's direction but again he ducked. You followed him with the stream spinning yourself in a circle of flames.
Mina's heart fluttered in her chest watching you emerge from the ash of your flames searching out your opponent. She hugged her hands into her chest as her excitement was becoming too hard to contain.
"You know the point of this is to attack back, right?" You questioned; your voice felt like needles piercing Shoto's body.
"I-I don't want to hurt you." Shoto honestly admitted. You felt the devious smirk slide across your lips, knowing they couldn't see it you fought back the laugh trickling from your chest.
"Don't worry about that-" You replied, "-you won't be able to."
"Todoroki-" Mr. President's voice called, "-it's ok, if (y/n) wasn't up to this test, we would never have approved it."
"I..." Shoto shook his head, this didn't feel right to him.
"Let's go-" You egged on, "- you peppermint bitch."
"Wh-What?" Shoto was caught off guard, your back faced the class.
"Fire and ice, let's see who's gotten better." You followed up, Shoto studied your masked face but caught the mischievous gleam in your eye. Shoto took an unsteady breath then nodded as a small smile crawled across his face as the muscles in his back loosened.
Why was he so nervous?
After all this was you in front of him.
"Alright." Shoto pulled on his jacket before igniting his fire quirk on the left side of his body causing you to follow suit. A sharp pain rushes through your left arm, causing you to ball your fist knowing your arm was over before the fight even began.
Shoto shot his tunnel of starved flames, you were quick to match his attack. The two fire quirks slammed into each other; the heat wave shot through the gym. Mina had to cover her face from the inferno blaze.
Your footing shook as every wound, every scratch, every bruise on your body groaned in protest. Your eyes flickered to the right, seeing the storm of ice sprinting its way towards you. Lifting your left arm to counter the sleet, your jaw locked at the jolt of pain as your arm disobeyed, falling limp to your side.
You were quickly losing distance between yourself and Shoto's flames and with his ice on its way you cursed under your breath as you broke from the standoff. Jumping sideways as the ice and fire clashed together you went to catch yourself on your left leg, but it gave out with an anguish cry causing you to have to roll.
"She isn't ready for this." Recovery Girl observed your jagged movements. Bakugo turned to Recovery Girl, wondering what she meant by that. If you weren't ready for this test, All Might and Aizawa wouldn't be allowing it, right?
Shoto threw tunnels and waves of fire and ice causing you to sweat as you countered and dodged. You were locked in another test of strength with Shoto's fire, your heart hammered away as heat orbited around your skin. You licked your lip feeling the cut as you cursed in your head feeling sleep nagging at your brain.
Once again you couldn't hold out any longer, you had to step aside the flames and let them pass. But your head snapped sideways, not realizing how close the two of you had danced to the class and now the twisting spiral of fire you had allowed to pass was now barreling towards the mix of U.A. staff and students.
Before Thirteen could step in and use her quirk to absorb the blazer cocktail made for you, she watched you drop into sight, standing in a defensive position in front of Mina. You stomped your foot forcing an ice wall to dance to life blocking the class from Shoto's oversized attack.
Mineta dropped onto his butt screaming in fear as Jiro, Momo and others scurried backwards behind the teachers.
"Why aren't you using both hands?" Shoto questioned, you furrowed your brows. Had he not noticed he almost fried his own class, or did he simply not care?
You waved your trembling hand, the ice wall slushed to the floor. All Might's heart was mirthful, your instinct was to protect Mina and the rest of the class. Perhaps you hadn't completely written them off just yet.
Aizawa noticed striding in your direction, he was hyper focused, fire fanning off his skin, hand pointed at you ready to fire. Your eyes quickly looked over your shoulder taking in Mina, Kirishima and Bakugo who stood behind you.
"Maybe because there's a damn bullet hole in it!" You snapped; anger flashed through your body due to his recklessness, he was acting like a first year. You stormed forward, ready to match his pace. You felt fire ignite around your feet quickly climbing its way over your body.
All Might's mouth opened agape as the red flames flowing around you grew into a familiar blue glow. Lifting your arm, you were ready for Shoto's strike this time. You gritted your teeth so hard your jawbone ached. You refused to let him push you back this time, you felt the satisfied sneer as your fire devoured Shoto, throwing him onto his back.
"Wow-" President Mic breathed; the achievement was short lived as a cry of pain from your lips snapped the focus back onto you. The bystanders watched helplessly as you lost control over the flames and your arm was burned.
"(y/n)!?" All Might called watching you curl your arm into your chest.
"Are you guys ok!?" Midnight jogged over.
"Yeah." Shoto was helped up by Cementous and Snipe.
"(y/n)?" Aizawa asked lightly touching your shoulder.
You licked your lips and gave a tight nod.
"I'm fine."
"(y/n)-" All Might wanted Recovery Girl to inspect your arm, but you brushed off the concern.
"Let me see." Recovery Girl grabbed your hand forcing you to show her.
"It's just as we thought." Ectoplasm solemnly voiced, looking to Mr. Principle. Bakugo and Mina turned to the two teachers eavesdropping.
"So, it seems." Mr. Principle grimly nodded.
"What are you talking about?" Bakugo demanded to be told, he stomped his way over standing directly in front of them, what weren't they saying!?
The two adults turned to the angry blond.
"We suspected while under Shooter-" Mr. Principle spoke as Shoto was brought to the sidelines to rest, and your arm was lathered in burn cream. "-(y/n) wasn't allowed to use any other quirk besides her lightening ability, so she wouldn't be discovered. We believe due to this neglect; she may have lost some control over her other quirks."
"No way would she have-" Bakugo went to defend you.
"She has-" Aizawa stepped in leaving Recovery Girl and All Might in the middle of the gym floor attending to you, having seen the confutation beginning. "-we just didn't know to what degree."
"She is clearly not ready to be doing this test." Mina steps in. "This should be postponed-"
"Alright-!" All Might waved jogging over, "-she is good to go." Mina turned her head seeing Recovery Girl returning to the sidelines, your arm freshly bandaged.
"Wait-" Mina shook her head.
"Bakugo-" Ectoplasm grunted, the blond turned his famous burning eyes towards the pro-hero. "You're next."
"-what-!?" Mina chirped, spinning around desperately searching for you, she noted how you remained in the middle of the floor, your left arm limp by your side as you avoided placing pressure on your injured leg. Mina then knew you knew this test wasn't over, there was more to come. "-she looks like she is being held together with string and-"
"Bakugo-" Ectoplasm ignored the worried pinkette. "-you will be testing her combat skills-"
"Excuse me-!?" Camie stepped in, pushing Kirishima in the process. "-you can't seriously make him go up against a fake pro-hero! Five has been doing who knows what-"
"Five was no fake hero-" Snipe butted in, "-there is a lot of controversy surrounding her involvement with Shooter, but there is no doubt in my mind that she poured her blood, sweat and tears into being the hero she made herself despite having to bow down to a villain like Shooter."
"But-But she has more experience, how is this fair-?" Camie stuttered.
Bakugo ignoring the conversation around him kept his eye on you who was looking over your shoulder at the gym door. He couldn't stop himself from wondering how tired you were, how hungry you could be...why was All Might and Aizawa allowing this, clearly you weren't ready for this test, why was it being so rushed?
"We have concluded (y/n)'s injuries are enough of a withdrawal to make it fair."
Bakugo moved forward, his hands resting in his pockets as he walked forward until he was only a few feet before you. He desperately felt a need to run his fingers through your hair.
"She could kill him-!" Camie continued her protest.
"Five has been instructed not to kill any U.A. students." Snipe smirked at the horror spreading across Camie's expression has Aizawa instructed Bakugo on how this was a test to determine whether your fighting skills have either improved or diminished while under Shooter.
Bakugo studied your appearance; it was refreshing to see you in something other than your bullet outfit, the gym uniform didn't hide as much skin as your uniform did. Bakugo furrowed his brows as you turned your head, appearing to be almost bored. His gaze immediately locked onto your exposed neck; a harsh red line circled your neck. Bakugo's fists tightened, knowing the mark was from the collar you were forced to wear.
Bakugo swore to himself right then and there, if he ever came across Shooter, he was going to kill him.
"Begin-!" All Might stiffly announced, slightly praying Bakugo would go easy on you and this could all be over soon. But he knew the intense drive the angry blond had for winning. Could he place aside his aspirations for you?
Bakugo removed his hands from his pockets, his glowing crimson eyes never drifting away from your neutral gaze.
As if a switch was flipped, Bakugo stepped into a right hook. You leaned back easily avoiding the expected blow. You reacted by bringing your elbow upward, aiming for his head but he ducked out of the way, spinning a few steps back you followed.
All Might and others were astonished in how you followed the fight. When you were in U.A. you were known to be laid back, watching the fight from afar and excelled in countering. Mina licked her lips watching you and Bakugo spar, he was the only one inside his class who charged at the opponent, she wondered how this match would end having two powerhouses going up against one another.
Bakugo was known for being merciless, but so were you.
Watching the match between the two of you was painful for the bystanders. All Might cringed as Bakugo landed a hit across your face, your head went flying sideways.
"Come on Bakugo..." All Might breathed, he knew it wasn't fair of him to ask Bakugo to throw the fight, but he had hoped it was implied, after all he still cared for you...right?
Ectoplasm's eyes lazily glide from the fight on the floor to All Might.
In return you were able to get behind Bakugo and kick the back of his knees out, with the goal of knocking him out in the back of the head but he spun out of reach much to your annoyance. Your stomach gurgled with hunger as sleep began to weigh on your shoulders.
Bakugo rushed forward, just as he had done before when he landed the punch. He was using your left side to your disadvantage. Your reaction time was slower, you weren't at full strength nor speed. To Bakugo this didn't count as a real fight, not the one he had been craving with you since the first year of high school. He just wanted this fight to get over with.
You narrowed your eyes; he was using the same old tricks. When Bakugo threw the punch you jumped, using his two shoulders to give yourself a boost to get over his body. Bakugo's eyes widened having not expected the move with your shoulder the way it was. He spun around, in time to watch your elbow collide with his face, sending his head flying upward.
Twisting away, as you did it cause a stagnant pain to shoot through your abdomen. Your arms instinctively grasped the area the pain was radiating from.
You panted watching as Bakugo gathered his composure, blood trickled from his bottom lip. Your eyes flickered to his, a mischievous smirk spread across his face as his tongue slowly dipped from between his lips, licking up the blood.
"Nice hit." He commented as you stared at him bewildered.
"I think that's enough." Aizawa called out, clearing his throat.
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