Oblivious IJ: hehe~ your ship senses seem pretty accurate. ヽ(^◇^*)/ that's going to be an interesting discovery for him, isn't it? ehe.
kirika o7: ahaha ❤ (* ^ ω ^) , i'm happy you enjoyed it! they're so cute ❤ i hope you enjoy this chapter!
pinkpaladin: really?! crying, thank you so much! ❤ that makes me so unbelievably happy. i'll continue to try my best for you ! it's my absolute pleasure! thank you so much for reading~! (*´▽`*) more Shinso scenes coming up!
spacegremlin: crunch ! o(*°▽°*)o
bbymojo: had to throw in a bunch of Shotaru moments ! ❤ so happy you enjoyed it! they are moving forward one step at a time, but may be taking a backwards step bc of the sports festival aha. you're right about that for sure! thanks so much, and i hope you enjoy this chapter! (´ ∀ ` *) also, present for you at the end of chapter ~
Toast: awe, i hope you got some sleep ❤ ❤ ! thank you so much! you've really touched my heart. it is going to be a little stressful, but don't worry ! things will look up, they always do (⁀ᗢ⁀) (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و !
lovelyhatter: aaahh, thank you a ton! i smiled the whole time reading your review, ha ~ ! your words literally mean so much and brought happy tears to my eyes. I'm kind've speechless! ❤ ❤ ❤ thank you! i hope you enjoy this chapter!
•○●○•
i totally did not neglect homework get this chapter done?
i did. haha. ╰(▔∀▔)╯
i'll work on my homework now, then. lol
i hope everyone is enjoying their weekend, and i hope you enjoy this chapter, too!
i apologize for any errors, and thank you so much for reading.
i'm going to forever thank you guys bc i'm literally so grateful to all of you!
❤•○●○•❤
Roaring Sports Festival
❤•○●○•❤
"You're really quiet." Daichi muses, glancing over at Hotaru from the driver's seat. "Today's the big day. You should be excited."
She really should be excited. Honestly, she didn't think she would make it this far. Today may as well be the biggest day of her life. This is something she couldn't even dream of, something she couldn't foresee. Yet, here she is and feeling anything but excited. Too many thoughts weigh heavily on her mind.
The thought of messing up in some way or form terrifies her, and the thought that her training won't be enough worries her incredibly. She tried to mentally prepare herself before she went to bed and failed. She knows the gist of the sports festival, but she's not sure what to expect. There are going to be so many heroes there and watching her, an ex-villain.
"I'm nervous." She whispers, staring out the window dismally. "I'm scared that nothing will come from this, and I wonder if this whole dream of mine is pointless." Her lips curve upwards forcefully. "What if no hero recruits me? I wonder what they'll think of me, too."
When Daichi slows the car down to a stop at a red light, he turns his head in her direction. Her hands are resting in her lap and her fingers hold a slight tremble. This would be the first time he's seen her so insecure and diffident.
"Since when have you ever cared about what people thought of you?" He inquires with a small smile, nudging her. "Come on, where's the stubborn and persistent Hotaru I know?"
"Since when their thoughts mattered." She answers his first question, tilting her head back so it presses against the headrest. "I'm my father's daughter. I'm my mother's daughter, too. Lightning Beast and Two-Face—everyone knows me as theirs."
"Hey, you may be surprised." Daichi shrugs and looks back ahead when the light turns green. "Don't have a mindset like that."
Hotaru looks over at his smiling face, the morning sun making his golden eyes shine sweetly like honey. He reaches over and turns the air conditioning down, making the sound of the blowing air nearly vanish.
"There's no changing that they are your parents, but that doesn't make you a prisoner to them." He begins, and her lips gradually part. "You're nothing like them and you're your own person. I for one never viewed you as a villain. No way. You're very thoughtful and caring, always placing others before yourself."
Daichi pulls up to the front of the prodigious hero school, putting the car in park and facing her with a grin. Her silver eyes are wide, and her cheeks are a light shade of pink in awe at his words. She's been rendered speechless.
"I'm not saying this will be easy. Actually, it's probably going to be more challenging for you than anyone else. But, don't let people's thoughts limit what you can do, alright? You've been working so hard. Go in there and show everyone what you're made of." Daichi holds out his fist. "Go in there as Hotaru Aihara, my assistant Park Ranger, and beat the crap out of everyone!"
Instantly, Hotaru's eyes soften. Her hand rises over her mouth as she laughs and her shoulders quiver. She shakes her head lightly and her hair sways as a result. That last line of his was priceless. Just like that, she feels so much better. She's clinging to every word spoken. With a smile, she makes her own fist and bumps it against his.
"Thank you, Daichi." She beams brightly. "I'll definitely do my best."
"You better." He nods as she starts to undo her seatbelt. "I'll be watching and cheering you on for sure."
Hotaru opens the car door and climbs out. The morning breeze greets her instantly, ruffling up her hair and attire. She raises her hand to keep her wavy tresses out of her face and closes the door with a smile. She waves at Daichi as he departs, slowly lowering her hand and staring after him. Just how lucky is she to have someone like him in her life?
She turns, staring up the flight of stairs and at her school. Her teachers and classmates… Shoto. She lets out a breath. She's incredibly lucky to have them all. Just standing here is a streak of luck.
"Luck…" She murmurs to herself, lowering her eyelids. Or, is it a blessing? Either way, she's grateful. She's going to give her all today. Holding back isn't an option. If she does that, everything up till now may as well be pointless. She inhales deeply, clenching her fists in determination while staring up at the blue sky.
The sound of a car motor approaching from behind her brings her out of her uplifting thoughts. She looks over her shoulder to see a black car. The passenger door opens before the car comes to a complete stop. Her eyes widen when she sees a severely angered Shoto stepping out of the car, and her jaw drops when Endeavor comes stomping out from the other side.
"Shoto!" He bellows, making Shoto scowl deeply.
Shoto takes heavy steps in her direction, his eyes downcast with a dark shadow over his face. She slowly raises her hand to greet him with a wave, but he doesn't even take notice. He passes by her expeditiously and her hand drops back to her side. She stares after him worriedly. Is he okay?
"You!" Endeavor suddenly yells and she jumps, turning around instantly to see he's making his way towards her. She straightens her posture and faces him, bowing politely.
"Good morning, Endeavor." She greets respectfully, clasping her hands together behind her back when she finishes her bow. She frowns slightly. "My name is Hotaru Aihara, you know."
"You haven't contacted me." He speaks sharply, ignoring her words which makes her frown deepen.
"You said to contact you whenever I hear from my parents, which hasn't happened." She explains. "If that's so upsetting, should I call you to engage in idle chit-chat?"
"Don't get smart with me, villain." He jabs a finger at her while his flames grow more intense, and she sighs loudly.
"Hey, you were being rude first. I was just responding in kind." She shrugs indifferently, making his eye twitch. "Shall we start over?"
"You—!"
Their bickering is cut short when Shoto suddenly grabs onto Hotaru's wrist. Her eyes widen when he starts walking off with her in tow. She nearly trips over her own two feet at how fast he's moving. Endeavor stares after them with an ajar mouth, his own eyes wide. It doesn't take long for him to get out of his stunned state and become enraged.
"W-Wait a second, Shoto!" Hotaru speaks when they reach the top of the stairs. "What's going on? Are you alright?"
Shoto releases her instantly as if she's poison, and her breath gets caught in her throat. His livid eyes are staring right into her own. They are so intense it makes her take a step back. What's with that expression? It's like time has inverted. She turns her head and looks down the flight of stairs they just climbed, zoning in on Endeavor.
"Did he do something?" She whispers in question, gazing back at Shoto worriedly. "Should I say something? Or…" His teeth bare and she brings both of her hands over her throbbing chest. "Is there anything I can do?"
He responds with words that cut right through her, right before walking off and leaving her standing alone.
"Mind your own business."
•○●○•
Instead of reporting straight to class like any other day, everyone was given instructions to meet in a specific waiting room at the Sports Festival Stadium, and come dressed in their athletic uniform. It's unfortunate since Hotaru was hoping to talk to Aizawa before all of this began.
Upon arriving here by the school bus, she was able to catch a glimpse of the many heroes gathering. There are already so many of them here and even more are pooling in. It's a limitless amount. Perhaps she would be feeling nervous once more if her mind wasn't elsewhere.
"Mind… my own business?" She whispers beneath her breath and inaudibly.
Her silver eyes stare blankly ahead at the wall from her spot next to Yaoyorozu, her fingers slowly curling into fists. Her teeth grit. He made it her business by snatching her away from Endeavor with no explanation. He was the one who wasn't minding his own business.
Clearly, something must have happened. Why else would he be so petulant all of a sudden? The relationship he has with his father… it's really as bad as she suspected, isn't it? Her eyelids drape over her eyes. This was her first time actually seeing it with her own eyes. What kind of things did he endure?
She shouldn't be worrying about this now. What she should be doing is focusing on preparing herself for the Sports Festival which will begin any moment now. However, it's hard not to worry about him. She really can't stand it when he's hurt, and when she can't do anything to help him.
She glances at Shoto, seeing he's standing all alone and away from others. Her lips press together firmly, and she reverts her gaze back to the blank wall ahead. The worst thing is that it doesn't look like he wants to be helped either.
"Everyone, are you ready?" Iida suddenly comes bursting into the room, and she looks over. "We will be entering soon!"
Her stomach knots up as her nerves return instantly at that. Already? Time is moving quickly. Everyone around her grows anxious in some shape or form. Silence hovers in the air. She draws in yet another deep breath, lightly fanning her face with her hand.
"Midoriya." Shoto's voice unexpectedly speaks out, grabbing her attention and everyone else's.
She looks over, watching as Shoto walks up to Midoriya who's standing in the center of the room. A single hand is in his pocket, and the way he moves is almost aggressive. Her lips part and she straightens up in her seat. It's rare for him to be the first to call out to someone.
"Todoroki-kun?" Midoriya questions nervously, facing him. "What is it?"
"Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you." Shoto states, making Hotaru slump back in her seat with an agape mouth, thinking to herself;
What the hell?
"H-Huh?" Midoriya breathes out, caught off guard. However, his shoulders sag and his head lowers slightly. "Y-Yeah…"
"But…" Shoto's eyes grow intense, and Midoriya pales slightly. "All Might has his eye on you, doesn't he? I'm not trying to pry about that. But, I'm going to beat you."
A deep silence lingers in the air afterwards, and tension grows thick and spreads throughout the room. Hotaru's eyes narrow slightly and Kaminari lets out a nervous laugh at what just transpired.
"Oh?" Kaminari begins, sweat forming on his temple. "Is the best in class making a declaration of war?"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Kirishima quickly stands from his seat and makes his way into the scene, grabbing onto Shoto's shoulder to ease the growing tension. "Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden? Not now, we are about to start!"
Shoto roughly shrugs Kirishima off of him, even elbowing him in the process. Hotaru's eye twitches in irritation, her lips downturning severely. She glares at the back of Shoto's head, her fingertips drumming against the tabletop. Suddenly, she feels like a storm in its developing stages. She should say something.
"We're not here to play at being friends." Shoto turns away from everyone, beginning to walk off. "So, what does it matter?"
After those words, she grows numb. He may as well have just punched her in the gut. Not here to play at being friends? After everything that's happened thus far, does he not consider her a friend at all?
"Todoroki-kun," Midoriya speaks bravely and before she can even join in the fray. Shoto looks over his shoulder at him. "I don't know what you're thinking when you say you'll beat me, but of course you're better than me. I think you're more capable than most people… looking at it objectively..."
"M-Midoriya," Kirishima smiles at him while holding his hands up nervously. "You probably shouldn't talk so negatively—"
"But…!" Midoriya continues, and Hotaru is rendered breathless. "Everyone…! Even the students from other courses are aiming for the top with everything they've got! I can't afford to fall behind. I'll be going for it with everything I have, too."
Midoriya meets Shoto's eyes with a severe gaze, unwavering. His fists are clenched and nothing but determination radiates from him. He's accepting Shoto's declaration of war, which makes Shoto face him with eyes more intense than before.
"Right." Shoto utters, and Bakugo's teeth bare slightly.
He really is like a whole different person today. Towards her and everyone else, he's acting as cold as ice and as scorching as fire. Hotaru's silver eyes stare at the back of his head and her fingers curl into tight fists. She supposes this is how things are meant to be.
Everyone is acting like hungry lone wolves and there's only one food source—the number one spot. The atmosphere is brutal and it's almost like she's being forced back to her villainous ways.
Midoriya did a flawless job standing up for himself. He's clearly growing stronger and she's happy about that. However, she isn't satisfied. The air in here is almost suffocating and she really can't stand bullies. The fact that Shoto's being one and still glaring at Midoriya sends her over the edge.
"Since we're obviously all picking out our rivals, openly and secretly, I guess I'll do so too. Shoto," She stands up from her chair with a smirk and a perilous gaze. "I'm going to be the one to beat you. I'm…" Her smirk grows in size when he faces her with a glare. "...Stronger than you."
"Oh?" He murmurs in a low and dangerous tone, his eyes flashing. Sparks pass between their eyes and Mineta looks between them in a panic.
"Yes." She moves closer to him, rising on the tips of her toes and whispering in his ear. "So, be careful."
He takes a backwards step from her in disgust, and she brings her hand over her mouth as she lets out a laugh. Her head ducks and her curly tresses briefly shield her face. She bends over and places her hands on her knees as she continues to giggle, and Kaminari gasps when she starts to straighten up.
Her cheeks are flushed and her irises have shrunk in size, but they are somehow as deep and beckoning as a black hole. She raises her hand and glides her index finger over her bottom lip, lightly tugging on it as she smiles beguiling way. She takes a step closer to an extremely unsettled Shoto as she licks her lips.
"What's wrong?" She softly harmonizes, holding out her hand to him. "Won't you accept my challenge?" Her head tilts to the side and her curls bound. "Don't disappoint me, Todoroki~!"
Shoto remains frozen as a result of her seducing actions. Hotaru's hand is suddenly snatched by Mineta's own. He took and fell for the bait even though it wasn't being offered to him. She looks over at him with a dull expression, disappointed. Kaminari darts over to her with red cheeks.
"W-Wait! Was that…?!" He stutters out, and she looks over at his flustered face. "What the heck was that?!"
"Two-Face." She answers, and everyone gawks as their thoughts are confirmed. "You guys wanted to see me imitate her, so I did. I didn't do her creepy aura though. There are too many heroes here for me to do that."
"The expression is unsettling enough!" Jiro exclaims.
"G-Give us a warning next time!" Sero stutters out and she laughs.
"Sorry." She apologies with a tiny smile, looking back towards Shoto. "I just thought this was the ideal opportunity for it."
"You're disgusting." Shoto bites out with an icy stare, and her eyes shine vacantly.
"Stop being such a bully. I don't like how you hit Kirishima and how you talked to Midoriya." She responds without delay, and his eyes widen. "Just because you're in a bad mood doesn't give you an excuse to act in such an unbecoming way towards others. You're being disgusting. And..." She yanks her hand from Mineta's to make him stop stroking it. "So are you!"
"Urgh!" Bakugo slams his hands onto the table and stands up, making his chair fall backwards. "I'm stronger than all of you!"
•○●○•
"It's time for the students to enter the first-year stage!" Present Mic's voice hypes up the already boisterous crowd. "The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with hearts of steel! Hero course, Class 1-A, right?!"
Hotaru didn't think the audience could grow any louder, but the moment she exits the dark entry tunnel and steps out into the open stadium, she's proven wrong. She's half tempted to bring her hands over her ears to block the many screams out. However, her pulse is much louder than the countless people around her.
She doesn't think she's ever been so nervous before. There's a tremble in her appendages and she actually feels nauseous. Even her teeth are on the verge of chattering. This isn't good. She urges herself to calm down but it's in vain.
If she throws up right here and now she'll die of humiliation. How does she make this feeling go away? Her eyes suddenly enlarge. A pressure point. Shoto said there was a pressure point in her foot somewhere to help with nausea. But, where is it?
Quickly, she looks over at Shoto to ask only for her lips to seal together tightly. As if she would talk to him now. Her fingers curl into fists. He's being a complete jerk and didn't even apologize to Midoriya or Kirishima. She doesn't want to talk to him. In fact, just looking at him now is difficult.
Averting her gaze from him, she starts to think of what Aizawa would tell her right now instead. He would probably tell her to take in a deep breath, hold it for three seconds, then release it. He would tell her to showcase the results of her training. Maybe he would even tell her to stop being a baby. Yes, that's exactly what he would say.
She draws in a deep breath and counts to three in her head, leveling out the beats of her anxious heart. Then, she recalls Daichi's words and nods to herself. Beat the crap out of everyone. That's what she needs to do. She can't afford to be slowed down by her emotions.
Everyone here is fighting for the same thing. She needs to shut everything else out and reach for the number one spot. Nothing else matters. This is what she's been training for. There are so many watching eyes. Daichi, Aizawa, Nezu, and All Might, they are among those eyes.
They're rooting for her and she can't let them down. She won't let them down. They saved her and gave her this chance to be here. This is her chance to see what they see. This is her chance to tip the scales and show the world that she can be a hero.
The rest of the first-year students come flooding into the stadium, making it full of students from classes A through K. Everyone gathers in the center of the stadium and right in front of the platform Midnight stands upon. Hotaru thinks it's now safe to assume that she'll be hosting this entire thing. She bumps against someone, or someone bumps against her. She can't tell.
"Sorry," She instantly apologizes, although growing tense when she looks over to see just who she bumped against. Shinso's dark violet eyes are staring into her own and he doesn't speak a word. She doesn't really want to stand next to him.
With a sheepish smile, she takes a backwards step only to bump into someone else. She starts to say another apology until she looks up into exquisite mismatched eyes… that are glaring. She doesn't want to stand next to Shoto, either. Her smile fades and she gulps, looking around in a panic. There are way too many people and she's starting to feel claustrophobic. She's trapped.
"Ugh, that's that villain, isn't it?" A whisper from afar is picked up by her ears.
"Why is she even here?" Someone else mutters.
"She looks just like her nasty parents."
"Does she actually think she can become a hero?"
Hotaru brings her hand over her face with a sigh. Already, she's being judged. She was so worried about what the heroes in the audience would be saying that she completely forgot about how the students here berate her. It can't be helped. They can say what they want. Today, she's not going to respond to those who rudely gossip. There's no reason for her to waste her breath. She's going to let her performance today speak for her.
"Time for the player pledge!" Midnight's voice cuts through the air, and she slashes her whip. The crowd grows quiet, but not because of the upcoming pledge.
Hotaru's lips purse as she listens to the faint voices of the audience gush over how beautiful Midnight is. They aren't wrong. Hotaru thinks Midnight is very beautiful, too. However, she looks off to the side with slightly red cheeks. Why are they saying such thoughts out loud?
"W-What is Midnight-sensei wearing?" Kirishima stutters out with tinted cheeks.
"That's an R-Rated Hero for you." Kaminari nods, his cheeks red as well only he doesn't seem to mind the sight.
"Is it okay for her to be at a high school even though she's R-Rated?" Tokoyami asks a very thought-provoking question.
"Yes!" Mineta answers that question without delay, giving a thumbs up.
Hotaru looks over at them, seeing they aren't that far away. Moving over to them crosses her mind, but she remains rooted in the same spot. If she were to go over to them, she would have to squeeze her way through the many bodies. That's not something she wants to do. She remains stuck standing right between Shinso and Shoto. How disappointing.
"Quiet, everyone!" Midnight slashes her whip seriously, and everyone's lips seal shut. "Representing the students is Katsuki Bakugo from Class 1-A!"
"What?" Midoriya breathes out in shock. "It's Kacchan?"
"Well that guy did finish first in the entrance exam." Sero states.
"In the hero course." A brunette girl calls out to them in annoyance.
It's evident that she hates the hero course. Actually, that seems to be a common thing among students who aren't in the hero course. Hotaru's lips purse. Are they angry that they didn't make it to classes A or B? Jealous? Or… She glances at Shinso with a tiny frown, her fingers curling into the fabric of her clothing. Insecure?
Bakugo walks up the small flight of stairs to join Midnight on the platform. His hands are shoved into his pockets. Hotaru watches him quietly as he moves in front of the microphone, wondering what kind of pledge he'll say on everyone's behalf. She hopes it's something good to encourage everyone.
"I pledge…" Bakugo begins, and she nods to herself as she takes that in. "...That I'll be number one."
"Huh?" Hotaru drags out, her nose scrunching up in distaste.
All of the students start booing and reprimanding him. Hotaru merely shakes her head. She should've known he would say something as inconsiderate as that. He's really making everyone hate the hero course more and more, which is sure to make this whole thing even more difficult than it's supposed to be. Everyone's fired up now. Perhaps Bakugo did spread encouragement in his own violent way.
"Now, let's get started right away." Midnight grins in excitement when Bakugo takes his leave. Things really are moving fast. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here's that fateful first game!"
A giant holographic screen appears behind Midnight, and it's rapidly shuffling the many first game options. Hotaru's lips part as she watches. They really do choose these things randomly. It's kind of baffling. The shuffling stops after a few seconds, and her eyes widen.
"An obstacle race?" She whispers to herself, this not being what she expected. Releasing a heavy breath, she looks to the ground. She hopes this race isn't long, since she still detests spending so much energy.
"All eleven classes will participate in this race." Midnight explains. "The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium—about four kilometers. Our school's selling point is freedom." She drags her tongue across her lips. "As long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now, take your places everyone!"
Hotaru's jaw drops and she grows pale. Four kilometers? It's safe to say the universe is now against her and her dreams. It wants her to suffer. Shoto spares her a glance, knowing just what she's thinking and panicking over.
She's panicking as she should. If this was a short distance race, he would worry about being able to beat her. However, he's not worried in the slightest. When it comes to doing anything that requires physical strength or maintaining stamina, she's always been incapable.
His old man is here and watching. He'll win just by using his right side and prove that bastard wrong. He won't show mercy to anyone who stands in his way. He's going to rise to the top, even if it means crushing her in the process. This is his revenge.
His teeth grit and he's suddenly glaring at her. Her earlier words and vile actions are fresh in his mind. It makes him think of the villain she was. He'll be the one to beat her.
Easily sensing his glare, Hotaru looks over and meets his eyes with an unwavering gaze. He really is like an erupting volcano today. She's really sick of his glaring eyes. Her patience with him has run out. She claimed she was going to let her actions speak for her today, but she's going to say some words now.
"You're thinking this is going to be easy, aren't you? I'm going to tell you the same thing I told your father when he thought the same thing regarding me." She murmurs, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Don't underestimate me. If you do, you'll end up losing like he did."
Something in Shoto snaps and his glare grows more intense. His eyes look just like Endeavor's. Her silver orbs glare right back at him, mirroring Lightning Beast's. The tension surrounding them grows and it's like a storm is brewing over them.
"You should take your own advice." Shoto bites out, and her eyes narrow.
He shoves his way past her towards the start line, and perhaps she would've fallen onto her bottom if it wasn't for Shinso steadying her. A shadow has fallen over her face as she stares vacantly at the ground. Her blood is boiling. Damn it. She should've kept her mouth shut. Why is it so hard to do that when it comes to him? Why is he being so abhorrent? She can't take it anymore.
"Are you alright?" Shinso asks her, his hand falling away from her back. Her throat is so painfully tight she doesn't want to torture it further by speaking, but he caught her before she fell. She can't not acknowledge his help.
"Yeah," She whispers, slowly looking up at him with a small smile. "Thank you—"
The moment she responds to him, it feels as if heavy shackles have been draped over her. Everything becomes warped and static fills her ears. The color of her eyes fades away and renders them empty. What's happening? Her body, her head… it doesn't belong to her anymore.
She gasps heavily when someone rams into her from behind. Her breaths are ragged and hoarse as she stares at the ground. She has fallen onto her hands and knees, her fingers curled tightly into the grass and pulling the blades out to the roots. Sweat drips from her chin and she blinks rapidly, her vision blurry.
"What…?" She murmurs to herself, just as Present Mic's loud voice reaches her ears.
"What is she doing?! Is she daydreaming?!" He delivers commentary to the roaring crowd, although it feels like he's actually calling out to her. "The race has started, you know!"
Hotaru remains frozen. It takes a few seconds for his words to process. The race… has started? That's impossible. Midnight didn't even call for the race to start. Is he messing with her? She looks up and gasps, growing pale when she sees everyone is already deep in the tunnel leading outside the stadium. He's right. What the hell?
"No," She breathes out, rising onto her feet and desperately running after them. "No, no, no!"
She enters the dark tunnel, her eyes stinging with frustrated tears. What happened? She can't remember anything from the point Shinso steadied her till now. Her jaw locks in place and her teeth gnash together. Shinso. He did something. From the moment she answered him, she was completely out of it. He took control over her. He got inside her head. He… brainwashed her. That's his quirk.
Her nostrils flare and her teeth bare. Blue sparks adorn her skin and her eyes morph into a glowing cyan. That bastard. Now she's fallen behind. She can't afford to be behind like this. An angry aura rolls off of her like rapidly altering storm clouds. He wanted war, so she'll gladly give it to him.
Her movements accelerate as she carefully channels her lighting within herself. She was going to save this for later, but she needs to catch up. She'll only use this technique briefly to save the rest of her energy for later. Her lips part as she draws in a sharp breath. She needs to calm down. Being angry like this is doing her more harm than good. Right now, she's shutting everything else out and going beyond;
Plus Ultra.
It doesn't take her long at all to reach the end of the crowd. Instead of squeezing her way through, she hovers behind them. People are shoving and being ruthlessly jostled. Joining that fray doesn't seem like a very wise choice at all. There's no way she can overpower them all—oh.
She stares at her hand, generating lightning in it. Midnight said they could do whatever they want as long as they stay on course. So, she has the option of shocking them. Her lips curve upwards into a devious smirk and she extends her fingers, making the shape of a gun. It's a cruel choice, but everyone here is her enemy. She hopes Shinso is in this crowd somewhere.
"This is for you~" She softly harmonizes to herself, her villain side most definitely showing in her revengeful state. Just before she releases her lightning strike, the temperature rapidly drops and ice spreads throughout the tunnel. Her feet are confined in an icy prison, gluing her to the ground.
She stares down at her feet blankly, letting her hand drop back to her side. Evidently Shoto had the same thought as her to attack at this opportune moment. She hates to admit it, but his ice is far more effective than what she was planning to do with her lightning.
Her lightning would only paralyze them for a short moment, but his ice is able to stop them permanently. She slowly smiles as another thought strikes her. His actions have really given her a huge advantage. It's so huge of one that she's no longer angry at Shinso. In a way, Shinso helped her too by making her linger behind the crowd.
She melts the ice confining her feet with her lightning, then walks over to the concrete wall that's now covered in a thick layer of ice. The breath escaping her is clouded due to the cold air, and her eyes sparkle happily as she inwardly thanks Shoto for this.
Her sparking fist knocks against the ice, and she nods in approval. It's thick enough. Ice is a poor conductor, but it's a conductor regardless. She takes a couple backwards steps, crouching slightly before running at the wall full speed. She jumps and channels lightning at the soles of her feet, running across the wall with ease and so naturally like she's that nerdy spider hero.
Shoto looks over his shoulder as he continues to run after he releases his icy attack, seeing more people outside of Class A were able to avoid it than he thought. Just before he focuses back ahead, he catches sight of Hotaru running across the icy wall. She leaps down gracefully when the tunnel comes to an end, continuing to run without any problems by melting his ice with each step she takes.
His now narrowed eyes are drawn away from her when a tiny shadow falls over him. He looks up, his eyes widening somewhat when he sees Mineta soaring through the air. His tiny finger points at him accusingly, his expression maniacal.
"I outwitted you, Todoroki! How pathetic!" He begins moving his arms around in a weird and unsettling fashion. "Take this! My special attack!" He yanks a purple ball from his scalp, getting ready to launch it at him. "Gra—!"
A giant robot rams into him from out of the blue, interrupting his speech and attack. Mineta cries out loudly, his body twisting through the air as he's sent flying. Sparkling tears fall from his eyes and drool from his mouth. He lands roughly on the ground, rolling across it.
"Mineta-kun!" Midoriya calls out to him in worry. However, his attention is forcefully drawn away from him at the enemies gathering just ahead. There are countless red eyes glaring, and so many colossal robots.
"Targets found…" Their red eyes glow brightly. "Lots!"
"The faux villains from the entrance exam?" Midoriya gets out between his teeth, becoming guarded. There are even a great amount of zero-point faux villains.
"Obstacles have shown up suddenly! Starting with..." Present Mics voice yells out from the speakers. "...the first barrier! Robo Inferno!"
"Aren't those the zero-point villains from the entrance exam?!" Kaminari blurts out.
"Seriously? The hero course had to fight those?!" Someone else cries out.
"This is what they meant by obstacles?!"
"There are too many! I can't get through!"
Everyone panics at the sight of the faux villains. Unlike them, Shoto merely stares at them, unimpressed. This is the best they could do? His eyelids briefly drape over his eyes and he mutters to himself.
"So, this is what they used in the general entrance exam?" He glares up at the nearest zero-point faux villain. Already, it's moving to attack, and he's the target. "If they went through all this trouble, I wish they would've prepared something better..."
Ice forms from beneath his right foot, and frost travels up his right arm from his fingertips. He lowers his ice coated hand to the dirt ground and crouches, turning the terrain into his own glacial playground. Large crystal structures burst from the ground around him and his hair whips. The warm air turns frigid. He looks up at the faux villain's hand that's dangerously close to crushing him.
"...Since my stupid old man is watching." He finishes quietly and begins to straighten up.
He swings his arm with vigorous force, his ice adhering to his movements and desire. Just before the large metallic hand can crush him, large shards of ice and frost overtake its colossal form, overpowering it effortlessly. The zero-point villain is rendered into nothing but a block of ice, stiff and frozen in time. Shoto lowers his arm, wasting no time to run forward and through the opening he created—an opening for himself only.
"He stopped them!" Someone cheers out from the chilly fog.
"Between their legs! We can get through!"
"I wouldn't if I were you." Shoto calls back at them, making those who were about to run forward stop in their tracks. "I froze them when they were unbalanced." The faux villains he froze start to tumble. "They'll fall over."
"Todoroki from Class 1-A! He attacked and defended in one hit! How elegant!" Present Mic cheers. "Amazing! He's the first one through! As expected from someone who got in through recommendations—! Huh?!"
"Oh." Aizawa can't help but to utter.
"Sorry." Hotaru says with a smile. "But, I can't let you get all of the attention."
Her luminous form moves swiftly through the thick polar fog. Her hair, staticky and wild flows behind her. A shadow falls over her and her cyan eyes look up, zoning in on the zero-point faux villain plunging in her direction. The thick and gleaming ice covering it acts like an extra layer of armor.
Shoto exquisitely made sure no one can use his actions to their own advantage. She can't run between their legs or around them. His ice is an unyielding barrier. The faux villain is seconds away from crushing her. As a result, there's only one path she can take. It's a path that'll surely draw her attention—the best path. That's what this whole festival is all about, right?
She suddenly crouches, her fingers brushing against the icy ground. Clouded breath escapes her lips, and lightning discharges from her body. Blue sparks coil around her like a deadly serpent before gathering at her fingertips. The temperature rises and the icy terrain morphs into one of scalding water, making steam spew into the air.
The ground beneath her feet becomes decorated in cracks as it dries out, and she raises her hand and takes aim at the zero-point faux villain. Her lips curve upwards and her dark lashes perfectly frame her narrowing eyes as she whispers.
"Bang."
Thunder rumbles to life as lightning hurls from her fingertips. The fierce strike shoots right through the faux villain. She pushes her feet against the ground as hard as she possibly can within that moment, then she's airborne. Just like her lightning, she passes through the faux villain as well.
"Aihara bursts her way through with raw power!" Present Mic exclaims with a grin. "This girl is a walking thundercloud! Beauty and potency perfectly combined! What's with her?! Is there anything she can't do?!"
"She took advantage of the situation. She's adept." Aizawa states, sounding as if he's fighting a yawn. "Todoroki's actions were logical and strategic."
Shoto looks over his shoulder with wide eyes, watching as Hotaru passes through the explosive hole she created in the faux villain. She emerges without a scratch, her glowing eyes slowly opening as she returns to the world of light. Her arms are over her head as she descends to the ground below, the radiant sunlight caressing her form as if she's something holy.
When her lightning coated feet touch the ground, she drops into a smooth somersault before continuing in a steady and paced run. Not a single drop of sweat taints her skin. She raises her hand towards her mouth, using her teeth to pull a hair tie from her wrist. She gathers her extremely frizzy tresses up into a messy bun, and he looks back ahead with narrowed eyes.
He really shouldn't underestimate her. She's nothing like she was just a month ago. It's obvious that she's been training hard. The fact that she's able to keep up with him and showing no signs of fatigue even after unleashing that powerful attack proves it. He hates to admit it, but he's beginning to feel uneasy.
She's the last person that he wants to be trailing behind him. If fact, it puts him at a disadvantage. Her quirk works well up close and even from a distance. He keeps looking over his shoulder at her. It's dangerous to keep her out of his sight, because he knows that she's in the perfect position to attack. He needs to put some distance between them or stop her in her tracks.
He knows his next actions are a long shot. However, he has to weigh his options. He has to test her and determine just how big of a threat she is. Without warning, he launches his daring attack.
Hotaru lowers her hands from her hair when giant shards of ice come rushing at her. Her eyes narrow slightly. He's that desperate, huh? She takes aim at the rapidly approaching ice with her fingers, making it shatter away with a lightning bolt. Unfortunately, he's going to have to do better than that.
Shoto can't help but to let out a miffed sigh. She's definitely posing a major problem. He can't slow her down and his ice is proving to be almost useless against her. There's no point to attack her with it. His eyes narrow when she takes aim at him next.
Lightning comes soaring at him, and he hastily creates a wall of ice to block it. Hotaru lowers her hand with a tightening jaw. That ice of his is a problem. It's capable defensively and offensively. Trying to attack him from here will only serve as a waste of energy. She still has a long way to go in order to finish this race, so she needs to tread carefully.
"Todoroki and Aihara fire some shots!" Present Mic dances in his seat, punching at the air and almost smacking Aizawa. "Neither are overwhelmed and continuing the onslaught! What's up with that?!"
"They are assessing each other's strength." Aizawa answers that spoken question, annoyed. "They know not to underestimate each other and deemed attacking futile."
"Clever!" Present Mic declares.
Hotaru's teeth grit. Crap. She doesn't like being stuck behind Shoto like this, but it looks like she has no choice. Even though her training is most definitely paying off, he's still physically better off than her.
To pass him, she'll have to catch him off guard. He's too vigilant right now to do just that. She's just going to have to deal with it for now. When the finish line is in sight, that's when she'll make an effort to leave him in the dust. For now, she'll just be thankful that she's no longer in last place.
Endeavor's eyes narrow as he watches his son and Lightning Beast's brat on the giant screen. That girl is stronger and more shrewd than he thought. He always knew she was quick on her feet since she's been able to escape from him many times, but this is his first time witnessing her in action and displaying such raw power. His lips downturn severely. Doesn't Shoto realize he can overpower her with his left side?
"That girl isn't bad." Someone from the crowd whispers, making Endeavor's eye twitch.
"Yeah, but she's Lightning Beast's daughter."
"She doesn't seem very trustworthy. I definitely don't want a villain at my agency."
"It doesn't matter how well she's doing. Once a villain, always a villain."
"I can't believe they are even allowing her to participate."
"She's kind of cute, isn't she?" Mount Lady comments from outside the stadium.
"We're supposed to be security guards!" Kamui Woods barks at her. "Get back to work!"
Shoto's run gradually slows down as the second barrier comes into view. Him slowing down allows Hotaru to gain on him. However, when she sees the second barrier she slows down just like he did. She takes in the treacherous obstacle with wide eyes. U.A. is full of surprises.
A vast and bottomless pit is stretched out before her. Large stone pillars are randomly scattered about that range in different sizes. The only thing they have in common is the tightropes connecting them. What kind of deathtrap is this?
Hotaru and Shoto come to a complete stop, standing side by side. The two of them stare at the obstacle with an equal amount of shock. They quickly study the area, noticing that there are many different paths available to take. Some paths are longer, some are shorter, and some lead to a dead end. This is an obstacle that requires careful speculations and even more careful balance.
Shoto is the first to choose a route and run off. Hotaru chooses one instantly after and moves to run too, only to nearly faceplant. She looks at her feet to see ice covering them. Her eyelid twitches. That slick jerk.
She quickly melts it before moving swiftly towards the nearest rope. Shoto's already using his ice to efficiently move across the thin rope. Before she even tries to cross, she taps her foot against it to see just what it's made out of. It's made of fine metal wires, even reflecting the sunlight. Perfect. The universe seems to be supporting her now. This is no different than when she surfs across power lines.
Hopping onto the rope, she begins to glide across it with ease. Shoto looks over at her at the same time she looks at him. They are far from each other, but equally aligned and tied in first place. His eyes narrow when she smirks and extends her hand in his direction. His left side is facing her. Now's her chance.
She shoots lightning in his direction. He gasps and forces himself to come to an abrupt stop on the thin rope, having no way to counter. Her lightning narrowly misses him. The rope he's currently on jostles as a result of his sudden stop and his teeth bare when he nearly loses his balance. His eyes glare intensely at her.
"Aihara takes the lead with a cunning attack!" Present Mic leaps up from his seat. His next words make it plainly obvious just who he's personally rooting for. "Go, go!"
"Damn it…!" Shoto growls lowly, hurrying after her.
Hotaru's pulse is loud in her ears as she continues quickly across the narrow ropes. She's in first. This is insane. Completely and utterly insane. She didn't think this would happen at all. Can she preserve this first-place spot? Sweat forms on her temple and she quickly uses her forearm to wipe it away. She's getting tired, but she needs to keep going.
She clears the second obstacle and sprints towards the red staircase ahead. Her breathing is starting to become labored as her energy gradually drains. Her body is slowing down slowly but surely. She's halfway up the stairs when the sound of crystallizing ice makes her turn around, but she does so much too late.
Upon contact she instantly shivers. Ice creeps up her body starting at her feet and stopping just at her shoulders. It's thicker than before, this attack truly meant to keep her confined. Shoto darts pass her and she growls in frustration.
"Todoroki reclaims his first-place title, leaving Aihara frozen in a block of ice! Things are getting intense!" Present Mic's voice yells out.
"Y-You don't say." Hotaru bites out between her chattering teeth.
Literally, it's like Shoto turned her into an ancient fossil trapped in a glacier. Although the iciness is cooling down her warm body temperature, it's taking longer than she would like to melt. She's nearly free until Shoto sends more ice back at her from the top of the stairs, encasing her entire body in it.
...So, that's how it is.
Her eyelids lower from within the icy prison. Fine. She'll use his ice to her advantage before she turns up the heat. She takes her sweet and precious time to melt his ice by pressing her hands against it. Instead of discharging lightning from her entire body, she's focusing it solely in her palms so her body can soak in the cold.
When she emerges from the ice, she can't hide her surprise at how many people have passed her within that short amount of time. Nearly a whole dozen people have surpassed her. It looks like they weren't as far behind as she thought. This school really is overflowing with talent. Things are really starting to pick up. She runs up the stairs while shivering greatly, sure that she's suffering from frostbite.
"And now we got someone new in the lead! Rejoice, mass media! It's the kind of development you guys love!" Present Mic's voice makes her eyes widen.
Someone else is in the lead now? Her best guess is that it's Bakugo. Should she go all out now? She's not sure how far ahead the lead person is. It's better to be safe than sorry. She may be pushing her luck. Maybe not melting Shoto's ice as quickly as possible was reckless. However, this was the only way she could extend her speed technique and recharge.
Her eyes glow and her form is covered in sparks. Here goes nothing—someone latches onto her back. A skittish shiver shoots down her spine when a familiar voice whispers in her ear.
"I got you, Taru-chan." Mineta coos softly. She looks over her shoulder and instantly regrets it, his creepy face being way too close for comfort. He's using his purple balls to stick to her like a bug.
"Mineta-kun." She bites out, turning her head away from him instantly as blood starts to seep from his nostrils. "If you value your life, get off of me."
"But this is where I was meant to be—!"
"Mineta!" She yells at him, making him jump and tremble.
"I-I can't! I'm literally stuck to you now!"
"No, you're not! I know how your quirk works! Your balls stick to anything but you, so let go!"
"Taru-chan!" Mineta whines in protest.
"I will shock the living daylights out of you!"
"I thought we were friends!"
"Mineta!"
"Taru!"
Wordlessly, she reaches up and unzips her jacket. She slides out of it which leaves her in her white t-shirt. As a result, Mineta falls to the ground with a cry, pathetically reaching out to her voluptuous figure that's leaving him behind. She continues where she left off.
She becomes shrouded in lightning and takes off into a speedy run, her movements heightened to the max. Lightning compels her body to move beyond its original capability. Her form swiftly passes by people. In no time at all, the third and final barrier enters her sight. It's a landmine, and she arrives just when a big explosion erupts. The shock-wave from it briefly slows her down. She raises her hands to shield her eyes.
"Class A's Midoriya is in hot pursuit with that blast!" Present Mic exclaims.
Hotaru looks towards the sky, seeing Midoriya emerging from the pink smoke that the explosion created. He clutches at what looks to be the outer armor of one of the faux villains as he soars through the air, and passes right over Shoto and Bakugo. No way. Did he really use the landmines to launch himself like that? Midoriya's now in the lead, and the finish line is within sight.
Bakugo and Shoto who looked to have been brawling turn away from each other to chase after Midoriya. Her teeth grit and she draws in a sharp breath, static tickling her flesh as her body temperature rises rapidly. She can't waste a single moment.
"Now…!" She whispers to herself, moving much faster than before.
With a yell, Bakugo blasts through the air in hot pursuit. Shoto creates a path of ice to gain without having to worry about stepping on landmines. Hotaru runs so quickly over the landmines that they can't even react.
"The two formerly in the lead have stopped trying to slow each other down and are chasing Midoriya!" Present Mic states. "Aihara is coming up like lightning itself from behind!"
Midoriya begins to plummet to the ground and lose momentum. Bakugo and Shoto are nearly about to pass him until Midoriya suddenly stands on both of their shoulders. Her eyes widen when he slams his metal shield onto the ground, making Bakugo and Shoto get caught in a powerful explosion. Even she gets caught up in it, having just been able to close the distance between them.
She staggers and coughs at all the smoke, her teeth gritting in sudden frustration at that dirty trick. That ruined her whole speed burst. Even Midoriya is merciless today, and in the most intelligent way. Her, Shoto, and Bakugo simultaneously burst out of the smoke and chase after Midoriya who's currently making them eat his dust, literally.
"Aihara has caught up once again! Midoriya is in the lead! Todoroki and Bakugo aren't letting up! Eraserhead, your class is amazing! What're you teaching them?!" Present Mic practically cries out.
"I didn't do anything." Aizawa grumbles. "They got each other fired up on their own."
They enter the tunnel leading back into the stadium, the four of them drenched in sweat. Hotaru's vision blurs slightly as the heat surrounding her starts to become overwhelming, Bakugo's limbs tremble as his propelling explosions start to take their recoiling toll, Shoto's flesh starts to become coated in bitter frost at his lowering body temperature as a result of surfing with his ice, and Midoriya merely breathes heavily as he runs for his life.
This whole final stretch is like a blur, being fueled by nothing but adrenaline. A time-lapse. Hotaru can't even hear the growing roars of the audience. All she can hear is the sound of her own breaths and the pounding of her own feet, along with those who are running right beside her.
Even though they are roughly shoulder to shoulder, they are too desperate to catch Midoriya to attack one another—like a pack of wolves chasing a hare. They have a common foe. It just goes to show how vehement desperation can be, and the great lengths someone dares to go in order to satisfy their hunger.
A bright light engulfs Hotaru as she reaches the end. She's forced to shut her eyes to block it out. Her lightning fades away and she slows down until she's no longer moving, and suddenly she's now able to hear the crowd once more. She gasps for breath, sweat dripping from her nose and chin as she hunches over. She's scorching, and yet…
Her lips curve upwards slightly as she listens to Present Mic scream the results as they come rushing in. Midoriya placed first, Shoto second, Bakugo third, and herself fourth? She was so close to placing higher. It was almost a three-way tie. But, she knows that a month ago she wouldn't have been able to do this. So, she'll gladly accept it. It's all the more satisfying that way.
She straightens up slowly and looks up at the blue sky. Her gaze naturally drifts and locks with a pair of dark and tired eyes. He looks so annoyed having to deal with Present Mic's loud voice. With a grin, she waves at Aizawa happily. He nods at her and her expression softens as she lowers her hand.
When she used to think of the future it was dark, and she often couldn't see anything. Looking at it now, it seems so bright. She turns to look at Shoto. He's staring into the crowd. She follows his gaze and it leads her straight to a rather intimidating Endeavor. Slowly, she looks back at Shoto and her heart grows heavy.
That expression on his face. She remembers it as if she saw it just yesterday. The only difference is that it hurts her even more than it did back then. Her fingers grip the fabric of her clothing over her chest. Beneath his resentful front is something entirely different. It makes her accomplishment just now feel meaningless.
He's sad.
~ Next Chapter Sneak Peek:
❤•○●○•❤
Hand in Hand
❤•○●○•❤
"Team up with me."
Hotaru stares at his offered hand with parted lips of surprise. Her breath hitches and her cheeks grow warm. Did she hear him right? Slowly, she looks up into his stunning mismatched eyes. She can't quite find her voice. His next words are innocent and genuine, yet they nearly knock her off her feet.
"I'll keep you cool with my right side." Suddenly, his head tilts to the side at her feverish face. "What's wrong? Are you nauseous again?"
"Y-Yes. I-I mean no! Wait, yes!" She quickly grabs onto his hand, her head ducked in embarrassment. Silence hovers between them for a few seconds before she pathetically mumbles. "I-I can't talk..."
~ Drawing for next chapter:
finally can show you this!
cherryblossomx6 (dotdeviantart) (dotcom) /art/ Team-Todoroki-831495926
just remove the spaces and put a "." where you see the word "dot" and remove parentheses.
or if that's not working just look up my username on deviant art lol, ( ´ ω ` )
i tried.
