"Mama?"

Kurenai Ryoshi's hand paused at the sound of the small voice calling out to her, the deep red lipstick centimeters away from her plump lips. Amethyst eyes lined with black eyeliner and long lashes flickered from her own image in the vanity mirror to observe the reflection of the six-year old girl who had slipped through her bathroom door. There was no denying it was her daughter, the small girl was the spitting image of her mother after all.

A grin spread across the girl's face as she stretched her arm above her head and towards her mother, a small branch with white flowers clutched in her small hand. "I brought you back some flowers from Uncle Eiko's flower shop! Aren't they pretty?"

Kurenai inhaled deeply while closing her eyes. She resisted the urge to purse her lips, 'less she risked smudging the lipstick. After holding the breath in for a few seconds she slowly released it. She then reached for a silver hair comb before returning her gaze to the mirror. A cowlick on the left side of her head was determined to ruin the styling of her well-maintained pixie cut. That would not do.

Young Remiko took this as a sign to continue forward and approached her mother's side. She placed the small branch with white blooms on the vanity. The small child having to stand on her tip-toes to reach the granite top. The closeness of the foliage to her imported, minx-hair make-up brushes made Kurenai's nose scrunch and her lip twitch.

"See, isn't it pretty?" Remiko's eyes gleamed with excitement, clearly proud of her gift. "Uncle Eiko said it's called Blackthorn! He says it doesn't normally grow in Japan, but he can make it because of his quirk! Did you know it has big thorns? He helped me pick them off so they wouldn't poke me. One almost did; it was as big as my hand! There was already a bird's nest in the tree so we had to pick from the other side to not disturb it! He says bird's like the Blackthorn because it protects them! Also it can grow berries! I didn't get to try them but maybe next time—"

"Remiko!"

Kurenai slammed her hand down on the solid wood, the comb still in her hand caused a loud clapping noise. While she had not meant to make such a noise, it has succeeded in shutting the girl up. Remiko immediately curled in on herself, her eyes downcasted to the floor to look at her mother's shoes with the red soles.

At that moment, a maid entered the room, a dry martini with three olives sat atop the tray she carried. A plain smile graced her lips until she noticed the younger Ryoshi in the room; genuine panic replaced the smile. "H-How did you get in here? I'm so sorry, Madam."

Kurenai simply raised her hand and flicked it, dismissing the maid's words while continuing her work in the mirror. She was to look nothing less than immaculate for the gala this evening, even though she was already a truly stunning woman. With flawless bone structure and a tall, hourglass figure, Kurenai was a beauty to behold. Dress her in a classic backless, black dress and designer stiletto heels and she was guaranteed to be the beauty of the ball tonight.

She sauntered over to the maid and relieved the girl of the beverage before turning to the youngest girl in the room. "Remiko, come here."

The small girl's head popped up, eyes shining with hope and admiration, and she quickly complied with her mother's wishes. Once within distance, Kurenai crouched down to look her daughter eye-to-eye, unbothered by the massive slit in her dress exposing a scandalous amount of flesh. The maid, on the other hand, had to avert her eyes with a blush dusting her cheeks.

"Tell me, Remiko," Kurenai took a swig of her drink before continuing. "Do you enjoy spending time with Eiko?"

Remiko vigorously nodded her head.

"And you still play with those boys from Eiko's neighborhood? What were their names again?"

Again, Remiko nodded her head, a large smile graced her lips. "Izuku and Katsuki! They're my friends!"

"Mmm." Another swig from the martini. "Well then it's best to tell you now, my darling daughter."

Kurenai placed a hand against Remiko's cheek, almost lovingly if not for the solemn look on her face. "My brother is a fool. And those friends of yours...well, you should start playing with children that are more like you. They won't be around forever."

Shock and confusion caused Remiko's face to contort accordingly. Remiko searched her mother's face for some form of further explanation as her words were, understandably, beyond what a six-year-old could comprehend. "What do you mean, Mama?"

Kurenai didn't answer immediately, purely taking her time to observe the small girl in front of her. Feeling a cramp form in her thighs from crouching so long, Kurenai stood back up. Another sip from her martini. She then moved back in front of the vanity mirror, her hands moving to a makeup brush to apply blush to her cheeks. "Just remember this, Remiko. You are not, and never will be, the same as those other children."

There were plenty of things in this world Remiko didn't like. Being lied to by a dear friend was one of them. But he had.

Being ordered to stay at the main estate for the remainder of the week by her grandmother was another. But that's exactly what had happened.

Waking up at the ass-crack of dawn was something else she did not enjoy. But she did.

And something Remiko really did not like was being punched in the gut because there was a lapse in her defense. But that was exactly what happened.

The blow was hard and quick. It had effectively knocked the wind out of her lungs. The offender quickly capitalized on Remiko's stall and lack of oxygen by stepping back to provide a sturdy foundation before delivering a jack-hammer-like kick to her chest, effectively knocking Remiko to the ground. Before Remiko could get up, a forearm pressed down on her throat and a body sat atop hers, straddling her hips to ensure she didn't get back up.

"Looks like I win again, Princess."

Remiko glared at the girl above her. They were roughly the same age, Remiko was only a few years younger, but no one would be able to tell just by looking. Her opponent was built similar to her as well, femine and slight with lean muscle. Similar amethyst-colored irises, but Remiko's eyes were more round and doll-like as hers were almond shaped and fox-like. She too had ink-black hair, however she kept it short on the sides and the top long and layered. If one didn't know better, they would easily be mistaken for sisters. However both girls would deny such a relation venomously. Kaori Ryoshi was similar to Remiko Ryoshi in some ways but different in many others.

Kaori eventually lifted her arm off Remiko's throat, and Remiko coughed as saliva and air caught in her esophagus. Kaori leaned back and covered her face with her hands to avoid the spittle getting on her face. "That's not very lady-like, Princess."

"Would you stop calling me that? It's annoying," Remiko bit out between her coughs.

"Oh, I'm sorry, would you prefer I call you hero?" Kaori laughed.

Remiko glared at her. "Remiko is fine. Now get off me. You won."

Kaori cocked an eyebrow up and a smirk graced her lips, clearly amused. Instead of getting off Remiko, she shifted to sit back, placing all of her weight on Remiko's lower stomach. She then crossed her arms and rolled her eyes to the sky, pretending to be in thought. "Princess or hero? Princess or hero?" She tapped a finger to her lips. "Hero does roll off the tongue easier but...nah, you're definitely the princess around here. Freedom to come and go as you please, getting private lessons with the top trainers in the family, being Grandmother's favorite. It's a fitting title, don't you think?"

Remiko rolled her eyes. She was already sick of Kaori's antics and it was only six in the morning. It just compounded to her foul mood that hadn't lifted once from this week.

After she had left school the first day she had gotten a text on the way to Eiko's house from her grandmother's assistant issuing an order for her to return to the main estate for the remainder of the week. No explanation, just a command that was understood to be obeyed. At first, Remiko thought it was because her parents had finally returned home, but she quickly found that was not the case upon finding her family's wing of the estate empty. So not only was she forced to stay in the home that was basically empty for God knows what reasons, but she wasn't going to be able to vent to Eiko about everything going on at school until she was allowed to leave again.

Which brings her to her other problem. Remiko hadn't spoken to Midoriya since their first day. Not from a lack of trying on his part. He had tried catching her on a number of occasions when she was alone, mostly in between classes and after school. She managed to slip away each time, not caring to hear him out; not yet anyway.

So being forced to return to the main estate, avoiding Midoriya, not being able to vent to Eiko, and now having to stare up at her gloating, pain-in-the-ass cousin just made Remiko want to punch something and crawl back into bed at the same time.

Instead Remiko wiggled her body a bit, trying to find an opening for escape if possible. No dice. Groaning, Remiko laid her head back and stared at the ceiling. "Are you going to get off me or not? You've gained weight since the last time I saw you. You're heavy."

Kaori shot her a dirty look. "That's not a very hero-like thing to say."

"Thought I was a princess."

"You are. But I figured I'd tease you about the hero thing before you utterly fail at it."

It was Remiko's turn to shoot a dirty look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Kaori's smirk returned. "Haven't you heard? Hero work isn't our thing."

"Maybe not your thing."

Kaori's smirk grew. "Right. Princess thinks she's special doesn't she?"

"That's not what I–"

"Remiko. Kaori."

Both girls turned their attention to the entrance of the gym. There Sanoko Ryoshi stood with her assistant not but a step behind her. The assistant barely looked up to acknowledge the girls, her eyes glued to the device and her hand flying across the screen, tapping away at lightning speed. Sanoko, on the other hand, had her full attention forward, eyes trained on the two girls still laying on the wrestling mat. She gave them a look, and it was all that was needed. Kaori rolled off Remiko and the two stood before the matriarch of their family.

Sanoko looked between the two girls before settling her eyes on Remiko. She took a few steps forward and stood directly before her, making it clear she was talking only to her. Kaori made a disgruntled noise next to Remiko. Sanoko ignored the elder girl. "I assume you're doing well at U.A.?"

Remiko had to actively stop the confusion from crossing her face. Her grandmother wasn't one for idle chit-chat. Nor was she the type to ask about her wellbeing or progress in school. Remiko had automatically become wary when her grandmother entered the gym, as she often didn't bother checking in on sessions that weren't her own. This conversation just made her all the more dubious. Regardless, Remiko nodded her head. "Yes, Grandmother."

"And what of the hero training courses?"

Ah. That was what she wanted to know.

"We start combat training today."

Sanoko's mouth thinned, clearly not pleased. "They didn't start training on the first day? Interesting."

Remiko wasn't entirely sure why that was significant to her grandmother but she learned a long time ago to not question her.

"Well, no matter." Sanoko snapped her fingers and her assistant stepped forward. She pulled an item out of her bag and held it out to Remiko. Remiko in turn stuck out her hand and the assistant dropped the item into her palm. It was a small, deep-purple metal stick with a black logo on it and a keychain attached to the end.

"A USB-drive?" Remiko questioned, not entirely sure why she was receiving such a trivial item.

"The school mandated every student to have one as their security system prevents any access to online storage systems," responded the assistant, her eyes not looking up from her tablet the entire time.

Kaori reached over and snatched it out of Remiko's hand before she could stop her. She turned it over and scrutinized the logo before rolling her eyes. "The Ryoshi company logo? How original."

"Give it back," Remiko demanded.

"Make me, Princess," Kaori challenged.

"Kaori," Sanoko shot her a cold look. Kaori looked away from Sanoko before sighing and tossing it back to Remiko. Satisfied, Sanoko turned her back to the girls, moving to the exit with her assistant in tow.

"Kaori, your classes are about to start. Make yourself presentable. Remiko, you as well. I expect you back at the estate tonight with a full report on how training goes today. I expect no disappointments. Understood?"

"Yes, Grandmother." Remiko and Kaori bowed in unison. Remiko however, hesitantly looked up.

"Grandmother, may I ask something?"

Sanoko turned her head to observe her granddaughter, coolly.

Remiko fought back the urge to turn her eyes away. She almost backed out, but was too determined to completely back down. "Have...have you heard from my parents recently?"

Sanoko sighed and turned back around, as if the question was nothing more than an irritation. "They have been doing no different since the last time you asked."

Remiko opened her mouth again, but Sanoko cut her off. "And I do not know when they'll return."

Disappointed, Remiko nodded her head and down-casted her eyes. "I see."

"Now, get ready for school."

Craaappp. This suit feels so weird. I thought I asked them for the most breathable material they got. This can't be it right? Remiko pinched at the fabric that encased one of her legs. Remiko had requested a fairly simple suit, as her quirk didn't require too much assistance in the technology department.

Her hero suit was basic for the most part. A black, halter turtleneck covered her torso and blended seamlessly with the black pants and calf-high boots she had requested. The designer had tried talking her into a one-piece bodysuit, but there was no way in hell that she'd wear one if she could avoid it. Those things were a nightmare to take off and not to mention impractical if she needed to go to the bathroom. The designer had taken some artistic liberties and stenciled in a few steel-blue pieces to her suit to give it some design besides just plain boring black. Remiko didn't mind it, it was a nice touch.

They had also listened to her request to make her gloves long; the black material running from her knuckles to just a few centimeters below her armbands, of which were on full display on her biceps. The only gear (besides the utility belt on her waist) that she had requested for custom make was her head-piece. It looked like a headband, but if Remiko pressed a button on the left side the apparatus would produce an opaque shield across her eyes, making it impossible for anyone to see if her quirk was activated or not.

Overall, the designer that created her hero suit did an amazing job with her requests, but Remiko knew she'd just have to get used to the way the suit felt.

"Hey, Ryoshi!"

Remiko looked over her shoulder to see Kirishima approaching her, the tape-arm user, Sero, behind him. "What team did you get?"

Remiko showed him her ball. "Team G."

"Alright! That's our team!" Another voice caused Remiko to turn and see Kaminari approach her, a girl with short black hair behind him. If she recalled correctly, her name was Jiro.

"I'm guessing we're the team of three then," Remiko acknowledged.

Jiro nodded. "Which means we're the villains in our round."

All Might had announced prior to their lot drawing that there would be a single team of three due to uneven numbers. When cries of unfairness were voiced, the class was given a speech about how it was common to be outnumbered, and therefore the team of three would automatically play the role of the villains.

"That'll be awesome! You'll be able to show off your quirk since you didn't get to in the quirk assessment!" Kirishima smiled. Remiko smiled back, though not with as much enthusiasm. She was still feeling hesitant about displaying her quirk, but today would be the day to do it if any. It was going to be like ripping off a bandage for her though.

All Might pulled their attention back when he cleared his throat. "I declare the first teams to fight to be...these guys!"

Upon seeing the lots in All Might's hands Remiko's eyes widened and she groaned. You have got to be kidding me.

It was Team A versus Team D. In other words, Bakugo versus Midoriya. Her heart sank as she glanced between the two. They were already staring each other down. To Midoriya's credit, he didn't seem to be backing down.

"Everyone who isn't a part of those teams, please move to the monitoring room." All Might moved to push the two teams to their designated areas.

Remiko watched Midoriya walk away with Uraraka but as she walked with the other students to the monitoring room, she passed Bakugo and caught his eye. He glared at her and she returned the look.

"Did you know?"

Remiko glanced at the hand that had slammed down on the desk before looking up into a pair of familiar carmine-colored eyes.

"Did I knowww...what?"

Of course Remiko knew what he was referring to. But it was fun to play dumb and see Bakugo lose his temper. Maybe it'd put her in a better mood. She was currently hidden away in a study room for the lunch period. She had accidentally found it while evading Midoriya and had gravitated to the room ever since. While it was fairly easy to avoid Midoriya, it was not so easy to do so with a certain hot-headed blonde.

Bakugo growled at her, his face contorted with anger. He placed his hands on either side of the desk, imposing himself in front of her.

Remiko remained unbothered by Bakugo's display and took another bite of food before lazily looking up at him. "You know you're going to get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that."

She placed her chopsticks to the side before sitting up to get closer to the blonde. Bakugo momentarily baulked before Remiko reached up with her index and middle finger extended and placed them on his forehead, right between his eyebrows. She then spread the two to flatten and pull the skin taunt.

Naturally this only angered Bakugo more and his face turned red. Remiko giggled, which really didn't help. He snarled at her before yanking her hand to the side and out of his face. "Don't play dumb! You know what I'm talking about!"

Remiko signed, her fun apparently over, and she dropped her eyes to the desk. She should have known Bakugo would have come looking for her about this ."Of course I didn't. I was as surprised as you were."

The grip on her hand tightened, causing her to look up at Bakugo. His eyes were scrutinizing her, trying to read her face. He was clearly skeptical. He didn't trust her to not protect Midoriya from him.

The corners of her lips turned down. It bothered her how much Bakugo didn't trust her. It shouldn't, but it did. It cut her deeper than she'd like to admit. She stood up and snatched her hand from her childhood friend. She gathered her lunch items with the intent to leave the room. Bakugo had other ideas and stepped in her way.

"I told you, Katsuki, I didn't know," she snapped at him, irritated he was invading her personal space.

"Do you really think he has a quirk?" His demeanor was calm, which actually scared Remiko more than his anger.

She sighed before nodding. "Yes. His energy...there was no mistaking it."

Bakugo gritted his teeth and casted down his eyes. He almost looked sorrowful. Concern radiated from within Remiko and she reached forward but Bakugo shook her off, his head raised and rage covered his face once more. "I'm going to roast that damn nerd!"

"B-But…maybe," Remiko hesitated, already knowing her argument was most likely going to fall on deaf ears. But she had been thinking about it over these past few days. "Maybe we should hear Izuku out. Maybe there's an explanation for all of this."

The rage was now directed at her. "You've got to be shitting me. Listen here." Bakugo grabbed her uniform tie and yanked her closer to him. She stumbled and caught herself by putting a hand on his chest. "I need you to get something through your head, Slacker. You can't protect him anymore. Not here. If he can't make it at U.A. without you then he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be here. So do us all a favor and quit playing as his guardian angel!"

"Alright! Let's begin indoor combat training! Team A and Team B, your time starts now!" All Might screamed into the microphone, signaling the beginning of the matches. He then turned to the other students observing the match behind him. "Pay attention kids, think about what you'd do."

God, what would I do? Remiko questioned herself, her eyes glued to the multiple monitors, her hand subconsciously fiddling with the end of her braid. Her eyes darted back and forth between Midoriya's team and Bakugo's. Both looked as she suspected the would; one nervous, the other furious.

No one else in this room understood the implications of this fight. The pent up baggage and emotion between the two childhood friends. The warped rivalry. And Remiko was stuck in a room far away, helpless and unable to intervene as she was used to. Bakugo's words echoed in her head, making her frown. He had a point, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Her eyes skimmed over to the large figure that was All Might. Surprisingly, he was already looking at her, as if expecting her to say something.

"All Might, if things go too far…" Remiko trailed off.

"I'll step in and stop it, young Ryoshi." All Might assured her with one of his famous smiles. She nodded her head and looked back to the screens.

She was still upset with Midoriya, but she didn't wish Bakugo's fury on him. Especially now. Bakugo's being vibrated with similar energy of that when they spoke in the study room at lunch. Except it was worse, and now he had an outlet and an excuse. Bakugo may actually hurt Midoriya.

As prepared as she was for what she was about to witness, Remiko still let loose a small gasp when Bakugo unleashed his first attack. A ruthless, explosive surprise attack. Luckily, Midoriya was able to dodge with Uraraka just in time.

"Sneak attack, Bakugo? What kind of man pulls cheap crap like that?" Kirishima voiced his displeasure.

"It's a viable strategy. He's playing the part; acting the way a true villain would," All Might defended.

Yeah, we'll call it that. Remiko rolled her eyes as she continued to watch.

Midoriya surprised her, however, when he launched Bakugo over his shoulder and onto his back after his opponent attempted to hit him with a powerful right hook. Izuku actually anticipated Katsuki's moves. Considering how much Katsuki's bullied him over the years it makes sense he'd anticipate something like that opener.

Bakugo got back up even more angry than before and shouted something at Midoriya, only for the other boy to shout something back. What she would give to have the ability to hear what they were saying, but alas the only radios were shared between partners and All Might. "You're wasting time. You shouldn't have let him get back up, Izuku. You should have finished him while he was down," Remiko mumbled to herself.

"So cheering for Midoriya, huh? I thought you were friends with both of them," Kirishima teased.

"No. Not exactly," Remiko replied. She didn't bother to clarify her answer either.

The fight continued, Remiko remained glued to the screen. On edge with each punch, kick, and explosion that came. Midoriya suddenly took off, running away from Bakugo, but that only seemed to make him angrier. He appeared to be throwing a tantrum at Midoriya's retreat.

"He's got some real anger issues, huh?" Kirishima asked Remiko. She grimaced, honestly getting some secondhand embarrassment from being associated with the feral gremlin.

"Young Bakugo, don't do it!" All Might's panicked voice forced Remiko's eyes back to the screen just in time to see a massive explosion shroud the camera's view. Smoke, dust, and debris further obscured the view as everyone attempted to regain their footing. Baguko's explosion had enough force behind it to shake the entire building. Remiko's eyes desperately searched for any signs of movement on the monitors.

"Sir, isn't this getting out of hand?" Kirishima turned his attention to All Might with an incredulous look on his face. "That Bakugo is acting real crazy. He's going to kill him!"

All Might seemed to agree. "Not quite. But still..." All Might turned on his microphone to speak with the boy. "Bakugo, use that stored up power again and I'll stop the fight. Your team will lose."

Yeah, Bakugo didn't like that. Remiko didn't need a speaker to figure that one out. Regardless, Bakugo decided to continue the fight with hand-to-hand combat instead, moving quickly to hit Midoriya with a barrage of attacks. It was impressive and terrifying at the same time.

"He doesn't come off as a guy with a strategy, but he's actually quite intelligent." Remiko did not recognize the solemn voice and had to turn around to realize it came from the boy named Todoroki. This was the first time she heard him speak despite sitting catty-corner to him in class.

Remiko tuned out the rest of what he, and the girl that sat in front of her, Yaoyorozu, said though as she was too busy watching the fight. They only reiterated things she already knew about Bakugo. They were clearly surprised he was actually an intelligent fighter, not that she couldn't blame them. It's not something one would suspect at first glance. But growing up with him, Remiko would have to have been blind to not see that Bakugo was a genius in his own way.

Things seem to be taking a turn for the worst for Midoriya. He was losing steam and Bakugo only seemed to become more invigorated as the fight progressed. A particularly heavy blow to Midoriya's arm with Bakugo's gauntlet and a follow up body-slam made Remiko cringe. That must have hurt.

"This is hard to watch! All he has to do is wrap tape around him, not kill him!" Ashido cried out.

"Bakugo is certainly acting like a villain," Tokoyami chimed.

"I thought Midoriya was pretty amazing at the start of the fight, but he's completely outmatched in terms of combat power. Not to mention Bakugo seems like a natural at all this stuff." Kaminari shrugged. He then glanced sideways at Remiko, an eyebrow raised. "Hey aren't you friends with those two?"

Remiko glanced over her shoulder at Kaminari. She honestly didn't want to spend time answering this question as she'd much rather watch the fight. Kaminari wasn't the only one looking at her. Several of her other classmates had taken note of her casualness with the two boys and seemed to have put two and two together, though they seemed to have failed to see the current strains in those relationships.

"I guess you could say that," Remiko finally responded.

"Well have they always been like this? This seems a bit extreme doesn't it?" Kaminari continued.

"It's...complicated," Remiko decided was the best answer for that kind of question. There was no way she was about to unload the baggage that was Bakugo and Midoriya's history.

"They're going to kill each other!" Kirishima screamed.

"Both of you, stop!"

Remiko wasn't sure what she had witnessed, but as the debris cleared more information became available to her. A hole in the ceiling, well, multiple ceilings. Uraraka clinging to the "rocket". Bakugo stunned. And a fainted Midoriya with shattered and burnt arms.

"The hero team wins!"

"Despite the results, the winner of this exercise is young Iida!"

"Shouldn't it be one of the heroes instead since they're the winners?" Asui questioned.

"Valid question!" All Might responded. "Why didn't I choose one of those two? Who has a guess?"

"Sir, I can tell you why." Yaoyorozu raised her hand.

Remiko tuned out what the girl said as she delved into her explanation. She was fuming and could only glare at the blonde that stood amongst the group in front of the class. He however, seemed completely oblivious to Remiko's rage. It was as if he were in a stupor, too stunned by the fight.

Even when the match review was over, Bakugo merely moved to the back of the room, avoiding all contact with the others, including Remiko. A twinge of concern flowered amongst the rage. Did he understand what he did was wrong? Did he feel remorseful? Or did he feel overwhelmed by the loss to someone like Midoriya?

The last one seemed the most likely, knowing Bakugo, so Remiko decided to leave him be for now. She had her own match to worry about.

The next match was announced and over before it really even started. Todoroki just froze the entire building, his opponents included. It was terrifying and impressive to say the least. He had an overwhelming amount of power that would even give Bakugo a run for his money. She glanced back to see Bakugo had watched this fight. He too seemed stunned by Todoroki's staggering victory.

Finally, it was Remiko and her team's turn.

She walked with Jiro and Kaminari into the building, quickly finding the fake weapon, of which was a large rocket-like structure in the middle of the room.

"I guess we should think of a plan. We're going up against Koda and Sato, which won't be easy," Jiro said as she eyed the rocket and the room around them.

"What were their quirks again?" Kaminari asked.

Jiro shot him a look of disbelief. "You're joking right? Do you even know mine or Ryoshi's?"

He was silent for a moment. "In my defense, Ryoshi has only used hers once and it was for like two seconds. And I don't even really know what happened."

Remiko was actually kind of glad Kaminari asked, because she wasn't familiar with Koda or Jiro's quirk either. Neither had really used them during the quirk assessment.

Jiro rolled her eyes. "Sato's quirk is Sugar Rush. He can increase his strength when he eats sugar. Koda's quirk is Anivoice. He can communicate with animals. I'm not sure of the details outside of that. My quirk is Earphone Jack. I can channel my heartbeats into vibration attacks and can do recon by listening for vibrations and sounds in the area."

Oh, that's badass. Remiko thought, realizing Jiro's versatility.

"Kaminari, I know your quirk has to do with electricity, but Ryoshi, I'll be honest, I don't know much about your quirk either." Jiro looked to Remiko, clearly expecting an explanation. Which made sense since they would have to be working together if they wanted to win.

Knowing there was no way to avoid it, Remiko swallowed her hesitancy. "My quirk is called Energy Wield. I'm able to manipulate free energy and create physical barriers with it."

Jiro made a face that clearly showed that she didn't think that was half bad.

Kaminari's face, on the other hand, lit up like a light bulb. "Then that should make this super easy for us! All we have to do is keep Sato and Koda from reaching the weapon right? How long can you hold the barrier?"

"Depends on different factors." Remiko replied. "The amount of energy I have to work with. The size of the barrier. What's trying to get past it."

"But say you have a walking generator," Jiro snickered and pointed her thumb at Kaminari.

Remiko thought for a second before eyeballing the blonde. "Your electricity, how pure is it?"

Kaminari smirked before lifting his hand. Arcs of electricity popped from his palm, visible to Remiko even without the use of her quirk. She returned the smirk. "Holding it won't be a problem."

Remiko reached up and hit the button on her headband. Shatterproof glass shot out from one side and connected with the other side of the headband, creating a black, reflective shield over Remiko's eyes. They were, in hindsight, really just a pair of heavily tinted sunglasses that were super extra, but she liked them and they did their job.

She closed her eyes, activated her quirk, then opened them. She took a moment to pool her own energy; concentrating on building it up before determining there was enough to work with. Remiko then moved her arms away, palms flat, as if she were pushing something away from her on either side. She watched as her steel-blue energy followed and morphed into a dome around herself, the weapon, and her teammates.

Letting her arms down, Remiko turned back to her team and nodded her head. "Okay, the barrier is up."

Both looked around, clearly confused. Kaminari squinted towards the direction of the only door to the room. "Ah...you sure? Nothing's different."

Remiko couldn't help but giggle and motioned him forward. "Test it for yourself. Try to leave the room."

He raised an eyebrow before shrugging and proceeded forward casually. He didn't go too far before he walked face first into the barrier. The familiar blue ripple appears from the point of contact.

Jiro snorted and tried to hide her laughter behind her hand but was failing miserably at it.

Kaminari took a step back, clutching his nose. "Oh...what the heck! An invisible shield? That's so unfair! It feels like I hit a brick wall!"

"All jokes aside, that's pretty cool." Jiro stated as she watched the blue ripple over her head and eventually disappear.

Remiko smiled bashfully and blushed a little. The last time someone complimented her quirk was when she was a kid.

"This thing seems pretty solid," Kaminari said as he poked the barrier over and over, resulting in multiple ripples forming one after the other. "How am I supposed to help exactly?"

Remiko smiled at him. "Just follow my lead."

Bakugo was not in the best mindset, currently. The loss to Midoriya had shaken him more than he'd like to admit, and seeing Todoroki sweep his opponents just added salt to the wound. He was slowly realizing he was no longer the big fish in the little pond. Here at U.A., the pond was big and held many large fish.

Remiko's team appeared on one of the screens, the cameras adjusting to the new teams' positions within the building. The three appeared to be discussing a plan of action. Not surprising, Remiko had always been a team player. He watched as Kaminari approached Remiko with his electricity dancing in his hand. The girl reached forward, but the currents did not shock her, instead they danced up her arm before disappearing completely. A golden shimmer appeared around the three and the weapon almost immediately after. Recognizing her quirk was activated, he was able to quickly and easily decipher their plan. It was predictable. Despite that, Bakugo was interested in seeing how the match played out. Remiko rarely used her quirk when they were kids, and he was curious to see the ability in a fight.

The beginning of the match started out fairly standard. The villain team stayed near the weapon as the hero team moved in, attempting to locate it. Based on their positions, Jiro used her quirk to keep tabs on the progression of Sato and Koda, reporting to the others as they got closer. Kaminari stood closer to Remiko, Electrification activated as indicated by periodic sparks of electricity could be seen dancing around him. Remiko just stood still, arms crossed and facing the door. It was difficult to see what she was thinking with the visor over her eyes. If it weren't for the earlier demonstration, it would appear as if Remiko wasn't doing anything at all.

Koda and Sato found the villain team within 5 minutes, both barreling into the room ready to fight. Well, Sato was anyway. Koda stood back, appearing a bit shaken.

A few words were said between the two groups, mostly between Remiko and Sato. Unfortunately, only All Might could hear the exchange and the students were left only to guess what the two said.

Suddenly Sato reared back and swung blindly. However, he did seem to catch the edge of Remiko's barrier as a blue light shimmed from where his fist made contact. Realizing where the barrier was, he positioned himself in a better stance, ready to swing again. He reared back, and hit the barrier twice more.

It was difficult to read Remiko's reaction with her eyes covered, but her mouth was set in a grimace.

"Ryoshi's barrier must be pretty strong if it can stand up to Sato's strength," Iida voiced as Sato continued to punch the invisible wall. It did not seem to give way.

Uraraka nodded. "Didn't Deku say she creates them from energy? I'm guessing that's why Kaminari is standing next to her with his quirk turned on."

Sato stepped back suddenly. Probably deciding he was getting nowhere with his current plan. He instead reached into his belt and pulled out what appeared to be candy. Upon consumption, Sato visibly bulked up. Smiling and thinking he had the upper hand now, he turned back to Remiko and her barrier.

Remiko dropped her crossed arms, suddenly. She said something to Kaminari, who looked visibly shocked.

Sato ran towards the two, clearly intent on muscling his way past Remiko's energy barrier. Towards the end of the full sprint, he reared back his arm, ready to swing again. But, as he brought his fist down, Remiko motioned upwards with two of her fingers. It was difficult to understand what she did at first, given the media she worked with was visible to only herself, but Bakugo figured she had lifted the barrier. He only came to this conclusion because Sato swung at the same time, however he hit nothing, causing his body to stubble forward, past where he once was not able to go.

Koda moved forward but met resistance where Sato once was. The barrier lift was temporary and had only let Sato in.

Then she did something Bakugo did not expect. Remiko lunged. She took advantage of the fact Sato was off balance and aimed a quick kick to the back of his other leg, specifically behind the knee, that still provided him some support. Sato was now down on both knees.

Stunned, but not out, Sato swung an arm backwards, hoping to get Remiko with his elbow. She seemed to have predicted this and glided out of the way with ease. She took the opening he created and delivered another kick, this time to his unprotected ribs. Sato doubled over from the force. While he was distracted, Remiko moved behind him and slipped an arm around his neck, bringing her elbow below his chin and gripping the biceps of her opposite arm, of which braced on the top of his head. Sato attempted to grab onto her, but Remiko was significantly smaller than him and he couldn't reach her. Any time one of his arms reached back to grab her she shimmied just out of reach, taking advantage of his large, muscular build and lack of flexibility.

"What the hell just happened?"

Mineta's question hung in the air unanswered as everyone in the room watched the battle unfold in front of them. No one in the room was expecting a brawl between the muscular boy and the significantly smaller girl in their class. Much less for the said small girl to gain the upper hand.

"Dude, Ryoshi has moves!" Kirishima cried out. "That's so manly!"

"Sir, may I ask a question," Yaoyorozu's attention was on All Might. The Pro nodded his head. "I suspected it before, but this fight seems to be confirming my suspension. Is she from the same Ryoshi family that owns Ryoshi Corporations?"

All Might smiled at the girl and gave her a thumbs up. "That is correct! Excellent observation. Young Ryoshi is indeed a member of that Ryoshi family."

"Why does that matter?" Kirishima asked, looking at Yaoyorozu.

"It explains her combat skills." Todoroki was the one to answer, surprising the entire class.

Yaoyorozu nodded her head. "The Ryoshi Corporation has been a well established family company within hero society for many generations. While many successful businesses have created their companies around specialties such as hero suits or gear, the Ryoshi Corporation has a very specific niche: development and implementation of combat training. They provide post-graduate training to heroes who do not gain enough experience during their time in academia. It's well known not all heroes specialize in combat style work, and so not every school provides adequate training.

"Their programs are well renowned. Many agencies keep a Ryoshi trainers permanently on their payroll for all new recruits or to keep their heroes fit. They also provide lower level training to the public such as self defense classes."

"Whoa, so you're saying Ryoshi knows how to kick ass?" Kirishima asked, his excitement confusing Yaoyorozu.

"In a manner of speaking…"

"A defensive quirk paired with offensive abilities. That can be a dangerous combination," Tokoyomi mused aloud.

Another wave of shock ran down Bakugo's spine. He had never known that. His eyes glued to Remiko as she continued to hold onto Sato's neck; disbelief making it difficult to comprehend the information he was hearing.

Just like with her quirk, Remiko never fought in school. She never had a reason to. The times she bowed up to him while defending Midoriya were the closest she ever got to fighting, but Bakugo couldn't remember a time where she actually did more than shove him away. So the possibility of Remiko actually being a fighter never once crossed his mind. But seeing her now, he could recognize the skill and the confidence in her. The muscles in her arm, clearly developed from years of work, strained as she held onto Sato...how did he miss those?

First Midoriya and now Remiko.

Bakugo clenched his fists. A new wave of rage rolled over him.

"But wait, why did she go through that trouble if her quirk could keep Sato and Koda away? Isn't it more practical to keep her barrier up until the time runs out?" Uraraka asked.

Another good question. Why did Remiko let Sato past her barrier?

"Guys, I think Sato passed out." Mineta pointed to the screen, bringing the attention back to the fight.

Sure enough, Remiko had realized this too and was in the middle of releasing Sato from the hold. She lowered him to the ground with the help of Jiro, who seemed to be freaking out a little. Remiko smiled at her before saying something. Jiro nodded her head and Remiko pulled out the capture tape from Sato's pocket and tied his hands behind his back.

Remiko turned to face Koda, but the guy was already shaking his head and waving his hands in front of him. He clearly was waving a white flag.

Remiko pressed the button in her ear to trigger her microphone and said something. All Might nodded his head. "Yes." All Might already knew. "Villain team wins!"

"Katsuki!" Remiko yelled as she escaped out the front door of the school.

She saw his shoulders tense before he slowly turned around from his position at the bottom of the stairs to glare up at her. His expression made it clear he was in a grumpy mood, not that she didn't already know that. Peachy. "What do you want, Slacker?"

"I'm just…" Remiko trailed off. If she said what her true intentions were, to check on his well being, she knew it would only make him more angry. Unfortunately she did not have a backup excuse prepared. But when she had come back into the monitoring room after her fight earlier, Bakugo was staring at her in a way he never had before. It had made her both nervous and concerned. During the rest of the time during the combat training exercises, Remiko stewed over what the look was about. It bothered her. It bothered her enough to chase after him after school ended, despite Jiro and Kirishima trying to grab her attention in the classroom.

"Tch." Bakugo turned away from her and continued walking towards the gate. "If this is about my fight with Deku then you can shove it. I don't wanna hear anything."

No, that's not it. Though that's something else that should be addressed. Remiko shook her head and ran after him. She fell into step with the grumpy blonde, who seemed to ignore her presence now.

"No. I'm not going to lecture you about what you did to Izuku," Remiko said, though she did send him a sideways glare. "I'm sure whatever I have to say couldn't be any worse than what you're telling yourself after that loss. Guess he didn't need a 'guardian angel' after all."

Instead of yelling at her like she had expected, Bakugo clenched his jaw tightly. She had apparently hit a little too close to home. Guilt clenched in Remiko's chest. Maybe she should have refrained from bringing that up. She sighed and decided changing the subject would be best. "Look why don't we—"

"How long have you been able to fight like that?" Bakugo suddenly asked, giving her the side eye.

"Huh?" Remiko balked, turning her head to look at him a bit more clearly.

Bakugo stopped walking and turned to face her, the scowl on his face meant specifically for her. "Ponytail said it's a family thing. The way you fight."

Remiko was unsure of who this 'Ponytail' was, but they must have figured out the connection between herself and her family's business. She didn't realize someone would figure it out so soon.

She suddenly felt bashful and couldn't bring herself to keep looking Bakugo in the eyes. She suddenly found his unbuttoned shirt very fascinating. "Ah...I don't know exactly how to answer that. It's common practice for my family to start training when we're young."

"So you hid this the way Deku hid the fact he had a quirk? Are you two just having fun laughing behind my back?"

Remiko's head popped up, her eyes wide. Bakugo's angry scowl and demeanor earlier made more sense now. Is that what he thought?

"No! That's not—"

"Kacchan! Remi! Wait up!"

Remiko paused and turned around to see Midoriya running after them. He looked bruised and scuffed up, and he had one arm in a sling. Just how much damage did Bakugo do to him?

Bakugo, already worked up from speaking with Remiko, turned his burning eyes towards Midoriya. "What?" Bakugo asked, his tone dangerously solemn.

Midoriya looked down to the ground bashfully. "I have to tell you both something. Maybe then you'll understand what's been going on. I wasn't hiding my quirk from you two...it was given to me by someone else, recently."

Remiko wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting from Midoriya, but it wasn't that. The disbelief that automatically registered in her brain no doubt showed on her face as well. Someone...gave him that quirk?

"But I can't tell you who I got it from, so don't ask!" Midoriya quickly augmented. "It sounds crazy, I know. It's like something out of a comic book. Only it's real. The thing is...I don't have any control over this power yet. I haven't figured out how to make it my own. But I'm trying.

"That's why I didn't want to use it against you in the exercise today, Kacchan. But in the end it was the only way I had a chance of winning. I still have a lot to learn. I know that. That's why I'm here. You'll see! I'll work until I have full control of this borrowed quirk. And I'll finally beat you with my own power!"

Silence fell between the three. The declaration hung in the air, making it thick. Remiko honestly had a difficult time wrapping her head around what Midoriya had just told them. He was right about one thing. It did seem like something out of a comic book.

While Remiko was trying to reason it out, Bakugo took a different route.

"How dumb do you think I am?" Bakugo finally said, anger growing in the back of his throat. "Borrowed power? Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. You already made a fool out of me in that damn training exercise. So, did you come here to rub it in? I lost! And to make matters worse it was to you!"

Bakugo's frustration was palpable by this point and once again, Remiko felt a twinge of guilt hit her. Bakugo's ego had always been inflated, but this had been such a huge hit that the spiral down was painful to watch. It was bound to happen at some point, but that didn't make this any less pleasant.

"I came in first in the exam, but that's not enough! When I was watching that ice guy...I realized I couldn't beat him in a head to head fight! Crap, I even agree with what that girl said! My attack was so stupid! And even…" Bakugo wrenched his head to the side to look at Remiko, which shocked her. He clenched his teeth and his shoulders visibly shook. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

"Enjoy that win, Deku! You won't get another! I'm just getting started! You got that? I'm going to end up the number one hero, no matter what!" Bakugo began walking away then, wiping at his eyes. "You'll never beat me again, you bastard. Don't even try. And you..."

Remiko looked Bakugo in the eye as he pointed at her. "Don't think I won't destroy you as well!"

Before Remiko could respond a large figure appeared out of nowhere.

"There you are!" All Might's voice rang out loudly as he rushed past Midoriya and Remiko to clasp Bakugo on the shoulders. "Bakugo! I found you!"

Why does he always sound so ridiculous?

"Just so you know, pride is an important attribute to have but while you certainly have the ability to become a Pro Hero, there's still plenty you have to learn."

"Let go of me, All Might." Bakugo grumbled and glared up at the number one hero. "Save your speeches. I'll be more famous than you and I'll do it without your help."

All Might clearly wasn't expecting that and released Bakugo, of whom continued walking towards the gates.

Remiko blinked, confused by Bakugo's mood swings before turning back to Midoriya. The green-haired boy nervously looked up at her, clearly hopeful for a better reaction than Bakugo's. She scrutinized him for a moment longer before sighing and said, "So a borrowed quirk, huh?"

Midoriya nervously looked around then back at her before nodding his head.

"And you can't tell me who you got it from?"

He shook his head.

"But you promise you weren't born with it? You just got it recently?"

Another nod.

She sighed again and rubbed her face. "Want to have lunch tomorrow?"

Another nod, but this time with a smile.

A/N: To my old readers, I have updated a few things in the past two chapters. Nothing significant that it wouldn't be detrimental if you didn't read it, but you maybe possibly confused. Re-read if you feel like it. Just flow and descriptions are better.

A/N - Fun Facts: 1) Kaori's hairstyle is inspired by Ruby Rose if y'all need a mental picture. 2) Originally, her eye shield was going to be a cloth, but then anytime I thought about it I just got Gojo vibes, and while I simp for that man, Remi does not need that kind of influence. 3) Fun note, when I originally started writing out the structure for this story, Remiko was going to replace Sato as he doesn't exactly contribute much to the story/class 1A. Koda too, but I love the animal quirk. Sato's quirk is a tad redundant with Midoriya's. However, I found Sato to be useful in this story, and reasons to have 21 vs 20 students. So he got to stay in the end.