I pull myself together in time for our exams. We gather outside in our hero costumes. I happily pull on my gloves. With us are many of the schools teachers. I wonder why they're all here?
Aizawa begins the explaining the exam.
"The test will begin shortly. Obviously you can fail this test but I have no doubt you've learned everything thing you need," Aizawa drawls. Mina and Kaminari start celebrating, believing the test to still be robots.
"I afraid that's not it!" Suddenly out of Aizawa's scarf pops out principle Nezu. I raise my eyebrows. Our principal was certainly an eccentric individual.
Nezu explains that rather than fighting robots as classes had done in previous years, we'd instead be fighting in pairs against a teacher. I hear the class stir. My stomach sinks. We'll be fighting against Pros? Even if it's two on one they're still Pros! Even with my quirks disadvantage I'd take robots instead any day.
It's explained to us that we'll each be transported to a different location in our pairs. At that location we'll engage in a battle against the teacher, winning either by handcuffing them or fleeing through a gate.
They begin to announce the pairs. Todoroki is paired with Momo, fighting against Aizawa. Midoriya is paired with Bakugo, fighting against All Might. I cringe for them. What a terrible match up. And against All Might? Next from out of the teachers group, Snipe steps forward.
"Nakashima-chan and Shoji-kun, you'll be fighting me," Snipe says. I look to Shoji and smile nervously. This is also a terrible match up. Snipes quirk allows him to control the trajectory of his bullets. He practically can't miss. It's a bad match up for my presence erasure. He probably doesn't even need to see me to shoot at me. I play with my braids. This will be a tough exam.
The rest of the teams are announced but I can't focus, feeling nerves start to get the better of me. Shoji walks up to me. Before now we haven't really spoken much much but he comes across as having an agreeable personality. I try to put on a positive face.
"Let's do our best, Shoji-kun!" I say with false confidence. Shoji nods.
We're transported to the test grounds by bus. I chat quietly with Shoji about strategy.
"I think it might be best if we try an escape strategy. I can distract him if you can use your quirk to get through the gate," Shoji says in a hushed tone. I nod.
"Sounds good," I reply.
We bus arrives at the location. It's a large building. We're directed inside where we start to get feel for our surroundings. Shoji holds the cuffs in one of his limbs. We're in an enormous hall. There are countless stone columns throughout. Towards the end of the hall there is the exit. I stand next to Shoji reviewing the room around us.
"This is good coverage. How will we know the exams started?" I ask. Suddenly a column next to us is shot. Debris sprays in all directions. Shoji shields me with his limbs. We move to cower behind another pillar
"I guess it's already started," Shoji says. Pillars explode all around us.
"We need to move fast. I'm activating my quirk now," I say. I reduce my presence. I place a hand on one of Shoji's arms so that he can sense me. "I'm heading towards the gate."
"I'll distract him," he says. I nod and then dart out, dodging the debris as I do so. Shoji leaves his cover, dodging bullets. Snipe continuously fires bullets at his feet, keeping him back.
"Good try, but decoys like that are a little to obvious," Snipe says. He aims a second gun at the gate and fires. Multiple columns collapse near the gate.
"Damn," I mutter. He hadn't been able to place exactly where I was but now my cover was gone. I stand still.
"You can't stay hiding forever," Snipe says. There was now a huge open space near the gate. This will make using my quirk difficult. Even with my quirk activated Snipes accuracy with shooting could be enough to force me away.
I try to push through. Shoji is still struggling to press on further amongst Snipes bullets. I try risking it, sprinting towards the exit but as predicted Snipe was able to cover it even from some distance away.
"Nakashima-chan!" Shoji called out as I weave through the attacks. I had to take cover again. I'm not fast enough to out run Snipes bullets. In a long range battle Snipe has us beat.
Another idea comes to mind. I weave back through the crumbling columns to Shoji. I touch his arm, gaining his attention.
"I've got a new plan," I say. I whisper to him my idea. Since Snipe is suited to long range attacks if we manage to get in close we might stand a chance of cuffing him. I take my hand off him.
By now Snipe has cleared a large area around him. I duck low and sprint out. He shoots at my feet. I jump to avoid contact. I shield myself behind a partially crumbled column. I take a deep breath.
Suddenly I switch around my quirk, increasing my presence drastically. Snipe points his gun directly at me.
"Now you're just making this easy. You've just switched roles," he says, raising his guns, one at me, one at the exit where he anticipates Shoji to be. I charge him, smiling. Shoji isn't at the exit. I watch Shoji dive out from his cover, clipping the cuffs over Snipes extended wrist.
We did it. I crouched down, catching my breath.
"Not quite. We did change me to the decoy. But we stopped trying to escape," I said, grinning. I gave Shoji a thumbs up. That was risky but we got through it.
"...Not bad," Snipe replies. His face is obscured by his mask but I like to think he was impressed.
We'd passed!
—
Shoji and I only had minor injuries, a few scrapes here and there. We were transported to a central meeting spot, a temporary infirmary where Recovery Girl was monitoring the exams. When we arrived we were ushered in to have our scrapes cleaned and patched up. Recovery girl speaks with Snipe, requesting if he can go back to the school to check on Momo and Tododoki who had been sent there earlier to rest.
Upon entering I see Bakugo passed out on one of the beds. He looks pretty beat up. I raise my eyebrows. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He did fight All Might after all.
"Shit, looks like he and Midoriya-kun had a tough time," I say to Shoji. We take a seat each. Recovery Girl reenters the room.
"Glad to see you're in better shape than young Bakugo and young Midoriya," she says. I watch her take some alcohol disinfectant and patches out of a cabinet. She begins cleaning Shoji's wounds.
"I get the feeling our exam wasn't as dramatic," Shoji says as she cleans a scratch on his neck. I nod in agreement. I hate to imagine what he and Midoriya were like fighting together. I wonder if they were able to sort through any of their differences? Bakugo begins to stir.
"... Deku... bastard..." he murmurs. I grin. Apparently not.
"He's waking up sooner than expected," Recovery Girl comments. She steps over to check on him. I watch him begin to wake up. His face twists into a tormented expression. Sparks appear at his hands. Shit. My stomach drops.
I move before I can think. I leap towards Recovery Girl pulling her close to my body twisting us so my left side is next to Bakugo. I shield Recover Girl as he lets off an explosion in his semi conscious state. The trolley next to his bed is pushed over from the force. I cry out as I feel a searing pain against my side.
"Deku!" Bakugo shouts angrily as he abruptly sits up.
"Nakashima-chan!" Shoji yells simultaneously. I fall to my knees. I pat out the embers on my jacket. I feel my side blistering. I bite my lip, holding back further painful cries. Recovery Girl stands at my side, assessing the damage done. I feel my body begin to shake.
"Young Shoji, get her onto the bed please," Recovery Girl instructs, immediately calling for action.
Bakugo looks around at his scorched sheets confused. He then looks up, his eyes landing on me. Midoriya who had been apparently watching the remaining exams in the next room burst through the door. Shoji came to me, lifting me onto the bed adjacent to Bakugo's.
"What the fuck..." Bakugo stares from me to his hands as he pieces together what he's just done. I feel my body tremble as it goes into shock. Even during the sports festival Bakugo hadn't hit me with such a direct, intense explosion like this.
"What did you do, Kacchan?!" Midodiya shouts, rushing to me.
"I don't fucking know!" Bakugo screams back.
"Stop yelling you two! Young Shoji, help her get her jacket off. We need to address her burn immediately," Recovery Girl instructs. I hear her opening cabinets. I shakily try to unzip my jacket but my fingers can't clasp the zip. Shoji holds me still with two of his arms, sprouting extras to help me unzip my jacket. Midoriya helps me pull my arms out of the sleeves. I hiss as he pulls it away from my body, some of the material sticking to my weeping side. I'm now just in my black, sleeveless body suit.
Bakugo gets to his feet, stumbling over to me bed. He looks down at me angrily. I glare at him.
"Why'd get so close my explosion dumb ass?!" he shouts. For fucks sake, he's an actually an idiot.
"Bakugo-kun you were about to explode one of country's most esteemed healers you fucking moron," I growl lowly. Bakugo's expression cycles between rage and confusion. I feel Midoriya's hand on my shoulder on my other side. I look over to him. He looks down at me with a what looks like a mixture of worry and pity. I scowl.
"Midoriya-kun stop looking at me like I'm gonna die. Both of you give me space right now before fucking I lose it," I command. Midoriya steps back hesitantly. Bakugo sits back down on his bed, his eyes trailing down my body to the wound on my side.
Recovery girl comes back with a new tray of disinfectant, bandages and syringes. I shift slightly on the bed, wincing as I do.
"Sorry for the lack of privacy, young Nakashima. I don't have our normal facilities here," Recovery Girl apologises as she unzips the back of my body suit.
"It's fine," I hiss, glaring at the spiky blond teenager. I slip my arms out of the body suit, peeling it off my side. I wince. I'm left wearing just my sports bra on top.
I look to my side. It's red and mottled and sticky. Blisters are forming all over the burn. I can't believe this is the extent of damage he can cause when he's barely conscious. I feel myself begin to tremble more. I grab onto Shoji's arm that's still keeping me steady.
"I'm numbing you up, young Nakashima. This will hurt for a moment," Recovery Girl advised. I squeaked as I felt her insert the first syringe, injecting me with a pain killer.
She first cleans up my burn, disinfecting it. The three boys stay silent during this. Next she works her quirk on me. This heals the worst of it before I begin to get woozy. She wraps the site of the burn in a bandage around my middle, after which I lie back down with Shoji's help. I hear Recovery Girl talk through a receiver to advise that she'd be sending me across to the main infirmary to allow me to rest further.
Bakugo stays eerily quiet throughout this. Midoriya sits nearby anxiously. I close my eyes, feeling a little bit dizzy after the healing session. I try to keep my eyes open but this is to no avail. I end up falling unconscious.
—
I wake up with a start. I try to push myself up. I gasp, clasping my side as I feel a wave of pain shoot through me.
"Oi what the fuck are you doing?!" I hear Bakugo's rough voice say from next to me as I sit up. I look over to him. He's standing next to my bed. I notice he's back in his normal school uniform. I take in my surroundings. It seems I've been moved back to the main school infirmary. I look down, I'm still in my sports bra and bandages. I grunt, shifting myself to sit up back against the bed head.
"Shit, how long have I been out for?" I murmur hoarsely. My throat feels dry.
"About two hours. The school day finished half an hour ago," I hear Recovery girl say. She pulls back a curtain near my bed and hands me a cup of water which I drink gratefully. Bakugo slouches back down into the seat next to me. Has he been waiting for me?
Recovery girl checks over me. Ensuring that outside of my burn that I'm in good health. She steps away to her computer to document it.
"You're free to go, young Nakashima. But please return tomorrow morning for another healing session," she instructs.
"Sure thing," I reply. I slip my arms back into my body suit. I wince as I try to do up the zip. I can't comfortably reach it without hurting myself. I look over to Bakugo who appears apathetically waiting for us to finish up.
"Bakugo zip me up," I say. He silently stands up. I lean forward as he pulls up the zip along my back. "Thanks."
"Whatever," he replies. I smile softly. He's acting cold but he had waited for me, right? I stand up out of bed. I thank Recovery Girl and follow Bakugo out of the infirmary.
We walk in silence to the classroom. It's empty when we arrive, everyone else has gone home already. I look down at myself. My body suit has a gaping hole in the side now. I need to change before I go home. My school clothes are still in the girls locker rooms.
I pick up my backpack from my desk, slinging it over my right shoulder. Bakugo is at his desk, also pulling on his own backpack.
"Ah... thank you for waiting Bakugo-kun. I still gotta change so you don't have to stick around," I say. He scowls at me.
"I'll fucking wait," he replies. I smile warmly at him. Despite his tone I think he's trying to be nice.
"Okay," I reply happily. He follows me down to the girls change rooms, helping me unzip my body suit again before I enter to get changed. I'd kill for a shower right now but I don't like my chances with this bandage. I pull off my hero costume, frowning. I'll need to order a new one. Next time I might request it to be a bit more fire proof.
When I emerge from the locker room, I see Bakugo leaning up against the exterior waiting for me. His expression is stern. I grin slyly.
"Wow you must be feeling pretty guilty to go out of your way to wait for me," I tease. He glares at me.
"Shut up fuckface," he shouts. I chuckle in response to this. We begin walking together.
"Or what, you'll shoot an explosion at me again?" I ask dangerously. I see him clench his fists as he paces ahead. I try to jog to catch up but it hurts to do so.
"Hey, I'm kidding. Wait up," I say. He slows down, letting me catch up. I see that he's clenching his jaw.
"I'm fucking pissed off right now. So don't say anything to piss me off further," he growls. I role my eyes.
"Got it," I reply. He's so sensitive. We walk in silence to the school entrance. He looks like he's thinking hard about something but I don't push for an explanation. I yawn, still feeling drowsy from Recovery Girls quirk.
"Are you gonna scar from that?" Bakugo asks out of nowhere as we walk down the footpath to the station. Shit, he's actually feeling bad about this.
"Probably. It's looks pretty gnarly. I don't really care though. What heroes don't have scars?" I reply. Bakugo shoves his hands into his pockets.
"Normally they're from fighting villains," he murmurs. I scoff.
"What are you acting all remorseful for? It's not like this is your first time sending an explosion at someone. Or did you forget what you did to Midoriya-kun's arm during battle training?" I ask. Perhaps that was a dangerous question considering his bad mood.
"That's different," he growls. We arrive at the station and swipe our way in.
"Why? Because it was on purpose?" I asked, poking the bear.
"Deku deserved it," he replied. We waited at the platform for our train.
"What are you even saying? Midoriya-kun is practically the UA heroics student poster child. I on the other hand have questionable intentions at best," I reply flippantly. Bakugo glares at me.
"He's a pretentious, lying bastard," Bakugo shouts. I roll my eyes. His hatred is really deeply ingrained, isn't it? I sigh.
"Okay. Whatever you say, dude," I reply flatly. We stand in silence as we wait for our train. If he's so pissed off and is gonna just yell at me why'd he even hang around waiting for me? I look up analysing the furious, explosive teenager. He looks tense.
"You're fucking weak, you know that?" Bakugo says abruptly. I raise my eyebrows. Surprised at the sudden insult.
"Are you trying to start a fight?" I ask amused. Our train arrives at the platform. He steps into the train. I follow him on.
"No, I'm just saying it how it is," He replies as we enter. I frown.
"I'm not weak... You've fought me before! Sure, my quirks nit that great but you know I'm not that bad at combat," I reply, smirking. I slip my backpack between my feet and hold onto a nearby poll. I can't comfortably hold onto the handles hanging from the ceiling right now. The train takes off.
"Tch, you're weak enough that I injured you without even trying," he replied, glowering at me.
"I think that says more about you. At least I can control my quirk," I say sharply.
"Shut the fuck up," he spat in response. That obviously hit a sore spot.
We arrive at the next station. We have to step further into the middle of the train as more people pile in. I look around for something to hang onto but nothing is in reach. I can probably just balance. I notice Bakugo shift over to my left side as he reaches for a handle above, shielding me from other passengers who wouldn't know that I'm injured. I smile warmly at him. This action again reminds me that Bakugo, while a massive asshole, is reliable. In lieu of him telling me to shut up I keep this to myself.
"You've got good combat sense but your body is fucking weak," Bakugo says after some time. I smirk.
"Thanks for the clarification," I reply sarcastically. The train sways, Bakugo grabs my shoulder, keeping me steady. I don't really need him to do this but I stay quiet, enjoying this rare sympathetic Bakugo experience.
"So if I'd been born with your quirk you reckon I'd be a monster then?" I ask, playing it cool.
"No, I'd still be stronger," he says. I laugh.
"Yeah I'd probably need your narcissistic tendencies as well to be a true match," I reply. He looks at me annoyed.
"I'm not a narcissist. You're fucking annoying," he growls. I smirk. He's a moron. Does he posses no introspection?
"My bad. By the way did you get in any shit for injuring me?" I ask.
"Aizawa-sensei chewed me out," he replies flatly. I grin.
"Good to hear," I say. Bakugo averts his gaze. Looking at his expression it appears he's thinking hard. Hm. Maybe he has some introspection after all.
"You look like you're going through some mental turmoil, dude. Just relax. No harm done... or rather not much harm done," I say amused. He grits his teeth.
"I am fucking relaxed," he replies sharply. I scoff.
"Like hell you are. You're not even relaxed when you're sleeping. You've attacked me twice now while semi-conscious," I tell him. He looks at me confused.
"Twice? I don't know what you're fucking talking about," he replies. I laugh, annoying him further.
"At the sports festival you totally threw a punch at me as you were waking up after your win against Todoroki-kun," I say. Bakugo furrows his eyebrows. I hold a hand to my mouth, trying to suppress my giggles.
"I was cuffed when I came to," he replies. I'm gobsmacked. He really doesn't remember? This is incredible.
"Bakugo-kun... that was the second time you woke up before the ceremony. We didn't cuff you for no reason. You went berserk trying to punch me and Midnight had to knock you out again," I say. He turns his head, thinking hard. I hear him swearing under his breath. A normal person would apologise at this point. But that's not really Bakugo's style.
"Why would you try to take me on when you know you're weaker than me?" He asks. I think about this. I get the feeling there's more weight to his question but I can't quite grasp what this is.
"Well I trust you not actually kill me. You're an asshole but not a villain," I reply shrugging. It's an honest answer. We arrive at our home station.
"Whatever," he says as we exit the train. I grin. We walk up the platform to the station exit.
"Thanks for keeping me company on the way home," I say as we get outside. He shoves his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah. Well despite what you say I'm not a complete asshole. I'll take responsibility where it's due," he murmurs angrily. He looks visibly uncomfortable. I smile.
"Point taken. See you tomorrow, dude." I say, waving. He says nothing, storming away. Typical.