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〖Crystal Heroine to Explosive Hero 〗
〖 PRELUDE 〗
The Meddlesome Eyebrow Hag
I never thought that you could break me apart
I keep a sinister smile and a hole in my heart
You wanna get inside, then you can get in line
But not this time
(Hero/Heroine – Boys Like Girls)
He stares after her, his eyes unmoving from her figure as she walks away from him.
The arena roared when they announced his victory, but it sounded dead to him.
His throbbing heart – his rage – was the only thing he could hear in his ears as her words resounded in his mind.
"I surrender."
His fists shook as he recalled how those words flowed from her mouth without a second thought. At how perfectly content she looked while wearing that same damn smile.
'This bitch…'
She grates his nerves much like how Deku does.
Simply put, he hated her. Yet it was a different sensation entirely.
She was annoying, yes. Teeth grittin', mind numbing, table flippin', frustrating-as-hell annoying.
To him, at least.
The fools love her. Always fawning over at how polite she was, or at how nice, or pretty, or how damn fucking angelic she was. It was unbelievable how everyone was actually stupid enough to not suspect anything beyond than what she shows them.
But he knew better.
It was a façade. A front. And he could tell…
She's hiding something.
After all, what kind of a person manages to smile easily even when facing an explosive, literal walking bomb like himself and still look like she's having a damn promenade? Forget about being a hero-in-the-works, she didn't even flinch or sweat, or look even the slightest intimidated by his power.
Such prenatural composure could only be a mask.
This girl whose expression never seems to change, who never tires of displaying a soft smile…
This bitch was something else.
He recalls the day they first met. The first day of class, the budding of spring.
He remembers how much of a shitfest that day had been when he learned he was once again stuck in the same class as Deku (for the umpteenth time in a decade). Even worst, the quirkless freckled-fuck was actually NOT quirkless! And to top it all off, this insulting girl shows up, completely disregards the fact that the road to becoming a Top Hero was a competition, and then promptly butts her nose into his business!
Suffice to say, she was the cherry on top of a perfectly cluster fucked day.
And little did he know it was just the beginning.
He never really expected much of her, like how he never really expected much from all of them although she stuck out like a sore thumb in his eyes. She was simply a meddlesome thick-browed bitch who seemed to have a thing for Deku (fucking Deku of all people!)
She was a plague he didn't want anywhere near. Yet at the same time, he was eager to put her in her place.
And now he finally had his chance.
She was no less than a threat as she was an annoyance. He had wanted to end her quickly. And he was super confident too, as he never really saw her as a hazardous opponent, not even with her quirk and its versatility that was on par with his own.
But now when he faced her in a one on one tournament...
Her Quirk…It wasn't bad.
His right cheek tingles and stings, and he tries not to think about how almost ethereal she looked when her crystallized shards fell all around her like sparkling rain.
And those eyes…
No, it wasn't bad at all.
At that moment his blood felt like fire in his veins. His heart pumping with excitement as a feral grin started to spill over his features. He felt it. He saw it.
Her eyes weren't that of a placid monotone anymore, her lips were no longer sporting that same soft smile.
He had succeeded in provoking her, and now she was finally going to fight back with everything she has.
Oh how he couldn't wait to break her then, to bruise her, to make her never forget how terrifyingly strong he really is when he conquers her at her full power.
It didn't matter. He was going to take them down, the best of the best, one by one and take the number one spot for himself.
This girl was just another stepping stone.
He released his inner beast.
She did not disappoint.
They clashed, exchanged blows, shared the same maniacal smile that would only ever show when feeling that distinct joy of a heated battle, the adrenaline making him laugh. They didn't even realize that they were barely using their quirks anymore. Just lashing and countering, giving and taking with everything they've got.
They fought and parried until they eventually ran out of stamina. It was a draw.
If he was going to be completely honest with himself, he felt amazed at that moment. To think that she actually exceeded his expectations, or lack thereof. And it wasn't just her quirk, but her very being when she fought.
It was supposed to be settled with a simple good ole arm wrestling. Stupid, but it had to be done. Someone had to be the winner, and no matter how much he enjoyed their clash, he was going to show her no mercy when he breaks that slender arm of hers into submission.
He was still on high from their heated battle, the fierce grin never leaving his face even as he panted for breath. And he could tell, from the way her chest rose and fell for air, to her still gleaming eyes, that she felt the same.
But then she suddenly stood up and regained her composure. One blink was all it took for her to shatter their perfectly warped world of power.
And when she said those words that was still ringing in his head, he felt something shatter within him. Though that would probably be his expression as he gaped at her with disbelief, his heart still thrumming loudly as he watched her leave the stage they were in.
Unacceptable.
He wouldn't let it end just like that, with her pulling him into her pace much like how she did to everyone else.
"Stop…Stop right there! DON'T YOU FUCKING WALK AWAY!"
He watched with bated breath as she turned to him with expectant, confusion-tinged eyes.
"Where…the hell do you think…you're going? It's not over yet!"
"But it already is. I've already surrendered, it's your win."
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT! We still have to settle this!"
He was yelling unreasonably then, but she still showed no signs of giving him what he wanted. Instead her eyes and lips softened, her whole body giving off the same placid aura that he worked to break only for her to restore it in a blink of an eye.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm not really in it for the top spot, but I did manage to get this far. It's enough for me."
His eyes widened when she gave him a small bow, her frame bending gracefully before looking back at him with a different kind of smile on her dirty, battle-ridden, but still glowing face.
In just that moment, it wasn't the same one she always wore. He could see now that it was one of self-consciousness, of alarm, of wonder and of…tenderness?
"Thank you for the wonderful experience, Bakugou-kun. I'll be rooting for you in your next battle!"
And then she turned and left completely, leaving him stunned as she disappeared into the shadows.
In the end, she turned back into the ambitionless bitch that was contented to stay in the background, and he was utterly pissed at how she caught him off guard twice in less than 2 hours despite being an unresolved eyebrow hag who was worst than Deku. The nerd would've fought him with everything he has until the very end no matter how hopeless his shot at victory might be. Hell, even that small bunny-like girl Uraraka fought him 'til she dropped.
But her? She just gave up. Like it didn't matter a damn thing to her.
Like it didn't matter a damn thing to him.
"What…the fuck…?"
He finally snapped. His fist that had already become hard from being restrained came down on the ground beneath him, creating a smoking crater.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU SHITTY EYEBROW HAG!" He bellowed viciously, yet he knew she was already gone.
Just when he thought she was worth his time.
Just when he thought he saw the real her behind the charming placid mask…
But there was plenty of time. For now he'd let her have her way. For now he'd conquer the sports festival.
Her submission to defeat no doubt left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth, and he could only hope that his anticipation for the next fight would make him forget. Because for now, he walked away from the stage a victor, however untriumphant, and that's all that matters.
Because she doesn't matter.
For now.
'Cause you caught me off guard
Now I'm running and screaming
.
.
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