DekUravity-Chapter XVI:
Seven Days 5-At the End of the Day:
Ochaco confronts Izuku...having been told by Aoyama what Izuku told him about Ochaco. When Izuku was talking with Aoyama earlier...he lied about how he felt guilty. Nearly endangering Ochaco during the joint training, due to the manifestation of Izuku's new Black Whip sub Quirk. As such, for a while now...he had felt awkward around her. But only just recently had it reached the point that Izuku was unable to face Ochaco and talk to her about it...as such. Having been told what Aoyama believed to be Izuku's truth concerning Ochaco at face value...
Ochaco was absolutely furious, more so then she had ever been beforehand. She demands for Izuku to speak with her, to face her. However...because of Villains being after her...Izuku has trouble looking Ochaco in the eyes and explaining the real truth, rather then the fake one that he told Aoyama. Ochaco desperately pleads with Izuku to be honest with her...only for him to then suddenly lash out at her, telling Ochaco to mind her own business. Izuku had only realised his fault a second afterwards...and sees Ochaco having been deeply hurt by his painful words.
Another tear runs down Ochaco's face...this time, she doesn't wipe it away. Instead, she leaves Izuku to ponder about what it is that's bothering him...but. She wants him to leave her out of whatever Izuku does hereon...thinking that they are no longer friends. Ochaco storms out the Department of Support, as Izuku raises an arm after her...before pulling it momentarily back. Even if Ochaco hated him...if it could guarantee her safety and save her...Izuku...was willing to end their friendship on a lie. Yaoyorozu could not believe Izuku, deciding to go after Ochaco and help support her.
Just then, Aoyama arrives as Yaomomo rushes past him, wondering if he was too late. Although Izuku was annoyed with Aoyama...he was more concerned about how he felt right now as of this moment and passing. Power Loader mentions this to be the youth of young peoples nowadays, as Hatsume is shown busy with tinkering that she didn't hear the whole argument happening. A few hours pass by...and everyone reunites back at the Class 1-A Heights Alliance dorms. Everyone shares with each other what they discovered during the day...most particularly, their shared knowledge about both the Festival of Courage and the Courage Challenge...
Some of the class members talk about whether or not they might particpate. Some are worried about facing off against pros but others welcome the idea. In the end...everybody realises that they found less on what was related to the topic of being ordinary and instead, only found more that had to do with having Quirks and being Heroes. They feel a bit dejected by this...until Kaminari speaks. He believes ordinary is what an individual makes of it and towards the whole group, becoming Heroes was the most ordinary thing to them.
It would feel weird if they did anything else that wasn't Hero related...as Kaminari tries to rally the entire class with his words. At first, the class is speechless...before starting to giggle and slightly laugh. Jiro finds it hard to believe that Kaminari was the one whom said a rational thing...but acknowledges that he is right, more or less. Although it is indeed nice to take a break from being a Hero once in a while and act like ordinary high school students...there wouldn't be much fun if they didn't want to become Heroes just like the pros they idealise. Iida then has a revelation, more so a theory currently...what if that was one of the objectives of Hero Appreciation Week?
What if the students had to find out for themselves about being normal and then, realise the fact that they all aspire to become Heroes? was this the true lesson they needed to learn from Hero Appreciation? as Iida tries to talk about this. His classmates ignore him, more so focusing on the fun factor of pursuing Hero careers, much to Iida's comical annoyance. Ashido raises the spirits of everyone by asking them to throw their arms up into the air if they were all in agreement about the fact that learning to become Heroes was actually a fun thing...
Most of the class complied and stated once more that they all wish to become Heroes in the truest senses. Just then, Kirishima returns to the dorms...all bruised and injured. Seeing Kirishima in the state that he was, Ashido quickly rushed over to him and wondered if he was alright. Kirishima reveals that he is fine for the most part...but he accidentally got caught up in the crossfires of a Bakugo involved spar. Everyone goes "ah, that explains it" as though that was all the answer they needed in order to explain Kirishima's bruises. Kaminari asks where is Bakugo now with Kirishima hesitant to reply, his mouth moving about consistantly like he had a verbal tic or something...Mineta wonders if Kirishima had constipation, earning him a right slap across the cheek by Iida's hand.
Back at Gym Gamma...there were scorch marks everywhere. Bakugo and Setsuna were seen laying on the ground opposite one another, heavily breathing. Amajiki decides to leave at this point alongside Hadou and entrust everything towards Mirio, to look after the underclassmen or Kouhai. Mirio acknowledges Amajiki's trust with a thumbs up and Hadou is pushed by Amajiki in order to leave, her curious nature getting the better of her and wanting to stay. Mirio watches with crossed arms at both Bakugo and Setsuna struggling to breathe...
Setsuna wants Bakugo to admit something...that she was able to push him back and bring out his big guns. Bakugo says he will admit no such thing...although. Earlier on, he recalls Setsuna driving Bakugo back so much...that he was ultimately forced to use one of his strongest moves-Bakugo's Howitzer Impact against her. Setsuna is curious...what drives Bakugo? she asks him why does he wish to push past his limits. Was it because of the K.W.I...which Bakugo was at the exact centre of? at first, he struggles to answer...
Slowly getting up though, he reveals that was originally one of the cases...in regards to All Might. Another case being...Izuku. Though Bakugo keeps from mentioning Izuku, wanting to leave things at that. Though this makes Setsuna even more curious...she is content with the answer that Bakugo has given her. Through him, she both senses and feels a kind of unparalleled strength that most other student heroes in training do not have. Not her classmates in Class 1-B...and not Bakugo's own classmates from Class 1-A. Deciding to still stick with him, Setsuna calls it in for the night...but promises to spar with Bakugo some more.
Bakugo jokes that he was still raring to go but he and Setsuna equally knew better. None of them were in the right condition to continue duking it out. Therefore, if Bakugo wants a real test in order to prove himself...he should sign up for the Courage Challenge that Setsuna had learned about earlier. Two days from now, the challenge will begin and host two tournaments one after another. One with students against students...and another with students...against vistiting Pro Heroes. The pros will be wearing special restriction devices in order to make things fair when competing with the students, however...that does not mean to say they won't be able to bring out their 100% maximum powers.
First will be the Intermediate Level tournament and next the Advancement Level. If the winner of the 1st goes on to fight the winner of the 2nd, whom turns out to be a pro...they can choose whether to bow out or not. Hearing of the chance to fight pros at their best, without restrictions...a very gleeful and snarky smile appears upon Bakugo's grin. Setsuna could already tell...he couldn't wait for the opportunity. Mirio thinks that the two tournaments will be the best chance to survey Bakugo...to "watch out" for him.
Elsewhere...Corkscrew and Quantum were seen plotting. Corkscrew plans to enter the event under the guise of him and Quantum pretending to be Pro Heroes themselves. They will steal the costumes and licence IDs of Heroes visiting the event and then compete within the Courage Challenge...in order to secretly snatch away Ochaco as they near the finals. Security will most likely be airtight until then...so the duo will have to wait until near the endings of the two tournaments, unified as one actually begins. Quantum jokes that what Corkscrew really wants is potential prize money to be involved, though Corkscrew knows better. Knowing that this was still an academic sponsored event and there would be no prize money...perhaps.
Just as they had begun formulating their plan though...suddenly...their target appeared! they find Ochaco, secretly leaving the campus of U.A. within the dead of night using her Quirk. This was all the opportunity that they needed...though Corkscrew hated the fact that the possibility of prize money was vanishing inside his mind. Now that they no longer needed a reason to enter the tournaments if Ochaco was seemingly running away from the school. Because of the school's strict new boarding system, Ochaco had to be careful and not be spotted leaving at a certain time where security would hopefully be lowered during the interval of changing security guards around to watch the perimeter...
Ochaco hops over the walls of U.A. using her zero gravity based Quirk. She apologizes in thought to both her parents and Aizawa for breaking curfew...but...there was something that she needed to sort out with herself. Something...that she needed to be reminded of. Ochaco from the point of leaving U.A. heads to a nearby community park...here, she sees stars up in the night sky. She sits at a park bench, holding her legs whilst looking upwards to watch the bright stars...reflected from her eyes.
She remembers all of her experiences since starting at U.A. and especially those...involving Izuku. Time and time again, she had seen his dauntless nature spring him into action when it didn't even call for it. But...there was something that bugged Ochaco immensely. If Izuku was so brave when facing Villains...why isn't he just the same...talking with his friends? namely Ochaco herself...
Tightening the grip around her legs, Ochaco ponders on just what the heck is going on with Izuku...before remembering the words All-For-One again. A small flashback occurs from a few hours ago, after Izuku and Ochaco went their separate ways. Izuku was seen talking with All Might...whom was paid a visitor earlier by both Aizawa and Mic. All Might informs Izuku that his classroom teacher was far more astute then the former Symbol of Peace gave Aizawa some credit for. Ultimately, All Might was able to dissuade Aizawa from looking too much deeper into matters...but the former doesn't know for how much longer.
Izuku is shown to be greatly worried and tightly clutches his legs...before trying to reveal towards All Might that he got into an argument with Ochaco. All Might however was already able to deduce the fact from how nervous Izuku was. Knowing that he would only get tense when knowing serious things were happening and that the youth felt like he couldn't do anything whatsoever about them...All Might decides to talk with Izuku about something involving when he was younger...
Once upon a time, All Might too had a friendship that he considered to be a very strong connection with a lady friend. Just to clarify...All Might reveals to Izuku that he is not talking about his mentor Shimura but someone else. Someone...that All Might cherished within his heart, that he still cherishes to this very day. All Might was prepared to tell Izuku the story...of his first love.
To be Continued.