The sun shined beyond brightly, now unobstructed and sitting high above the white sea of clouds. A blue-haired girl gazed out of the window of the plane, her eyes were full of wonder, having only flown like this as a young child with her brother. The memories flooded through her mind like a warm bath. "Wow, look at that!" She told her accompanying friend. "The clouds just go on forever!"
"Idiot! Would ya just shut up so I can sleep, dammit?!" Her friend with spiky blonde hair yelled, attracting the gaze of the other passengers.
"You shouldn't be sleeping anyway! This is your first time out of Japan, isn't it! Just look at how beautiful the sky is!"
"How am I supposed to look when you took the window seat, huh!?"
"And for that, you're jealous." She told him as she returned her gaze to the endless sea of the sky. Bulla Brief, daughter of the late King Vegeta, and his brilliant wife Bulma Brief. Having been brought to this world through the mighty power of Super Shenron, she was shattered. Piece by piece, Bulla began to build herself from nothing, ready to fall apart at every turn. It was only thanks to her companion, Pan Son, daughter of Gohan, that she kept it together, and the guidance of her therapist, Shea Kanjo, that she's been able to truly progress in moving forward.
"I already told you that I don't get jealous!" Her friend yelled. Katsuki Bakugo, although abrasive and loud, he's dead-set on becoming a hero, one that surpasses the best of the best. Although powerful, his inability to see and accept his own weaknesses often holds him back, and leaves him outraged when the people he sees as inferior grow stronger and overcome their own weaknesses. These two are where our chapter begins.
"Oh, by the way, did you get permission from the school to bring your costume?" Bulla reminded him.
Bakugo turned away, the glare refusing to leave his eyes. "So what if I didn't?"
"Bakugo! I told you three times to contact the school!" Bulla yelled, slapping the top of his head.
"Don't hit me, dammit!" He yelled back, finally prompting a stewardess to approach them.
"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you two to please keep it down. Your yelling is disturbing the other passengers."
"HUH!?" Before Bakugo could shoot out of his seat, Bulla pulled him by the neck into a headlock and used a magazine as a muzzle.
"You're right! We're so sorry, I'll make sure to keep it down!" She said apologetically, allowing Bakugo to calm down. The woman walked away and left the two alone, and Bulla pulled out her phone.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be on airplane mode?" Bakugo asked.
"Don't worry, I just want to get the message in the process of sending so I won't forget. It'll go through once we get off the plane."
"So what important message can't wait until we get off?"
"Well your screw-up needs to get fixed one way or another, so once we get off I have to see if I can call in a favor." She told him. "There's combat-based activities on the island, and it'll be best if you don't ruin your uniform."
"And why the hell are we in our uniforms?!"
"I was invited as the winner of the sports festival. So, we are going there as representatives of our school. You accepted my offer, this was your only condition." After their brief chat, Bulla continued to watch the sea of clouds until the plane began to descend. As it left the clouds above and turned slowly, she could see the entirety of the floating isle. "Wow! Look at that! I-Island!" Bulla's chest began to swell with excitement as the plane made its descent. Once the students passed security, Bulla noticed the buzzing in her hand, and checked her phone.
'Sure, how can I help?' The message read. Wow, that was fast! She thought to herself as she tapped the 'Call' button in the corner of the messages. Almost instantly, a familiar voice played from the phone. "Big Sis! I assume this means that your flight went smoothly?"
"Yep, about as smooth as can be! So, can I ask you to take a trip to UA for me?" Bulla asked Sandayo. "Also, can you use Rift to open a portal here?"
"HUH?!" The request came as a shock. "Wait, that's the little favor you needed?! That's way more than what I've practiced! And I can't get into UA without a student ID!"
"Oh come on! If you just wait outside the school gate they'll see you on the cameras soon enough! And if you can figure out how to open a portal here to pass off Bakugo's costume! If you can open it up while you're there in front of one of our teachers, I can assure them that you're trustworthy!"
"I don't even know if I'm capable of that, Big Sis. I've never tried to use it for warping before." He explained.
"If you could figure it out, I'd be so grateful! I'd owe you one big time!" Bulla begged.
"Leave it to me!" He said suddenly, newfound determination in his voice.
"You sure changed your mind quickly!" Bulla told him. "Thank you again, keep me posted!"
As she hung up, Bakugo's tone turned sour. "And who was that?"
"I didn't realize you cared." She teased, looking at their itinerary. "Just a friend who can possibly help fix your mistake." Looking over the large staircase, Bulla took in the sights. "Wow! It's like a massive amusement park! I hope you're ready, Bakugo, 'cause we're about to have a blast!"
Once Bulla found their hotel, the two checked in and the receptionist gave her the key to their room. "One key?" She asked. "There's no way that we can get two?"
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but your tickets specifically list 314. And unfortunately, we're at max occupancy otherwise."
"WHAT THE HELL DO YA MEAN 'MAX OCCUPANCY'?! CAN'T YA SEE THAT THIS ISN'T A GOOD IDEA!? ARE YA BLIND OR STUPID?!" Bakugo lashed out, sharing Bulla's thoughts despite her attempts to restrain him.
"I'm sorry about him, but I agree. There's nothing you can do for us?" Bulla pleaded as the receptionist held out a hand, gesturing her forward with a finger.
"There's nothing I can do, but I would take this opportunity to get closer with your boyfriend." Suddenly, Bulla's face flushed with red as the receptionist smiled mischievously. "Hey, I'm not judging, your type is your type, strike while the iron's hot, girl." As she nudged her with her elbow, holding one hand over mouth to hide her smile, Bulla grit her teeth.
"Ugh! Come on, Bakugo!" Grabbing Bakugo by the arm, much to his protest, she stomped away to the elevator, her grip on her luggage tightening. "The nerve of her!" The '3' lit up as her finger pushed the button in.
"Ya didn't make any solutions stomping away like that, ya know." Bakugo told her as he yanked his arm free.
"Like you're one to talk about coming up with solutions! Don't gimme that crap!" Bulla threw the door open and surveyed the room. It was much more decorative than either of them expected. A large king-sized bed in a floral-designed frame sat plaid green walls, accompanied by elaborate checkered patterns. Additional floral patterns adorned the closet doors, and the granite countertop housing a sink stood made of granite. A couple of drinking glasses sat above a small refrigerator, which was discovered to have been left empty, either by the cleaning crew or previous tenants. A sofa sat in the corner beside the closet, and a dresser held a large television across from the bed.
"Fine, ya want a solution?" Bakugo said angrily as he dropped his suitcase and jumped onto the sofa. "There, problem solved!"
Bulla put her suitcase on the bed, as well as her briefcase, which donned the number '6' in relation to her class seating. "Hey, idiot, that still leaves shower issues! How am I supposed to shower and change in peace if you're right outside!?"
"Just do it in the bathroom, idiot!"
"Fat chance, the bathroom's too small! You're just gonna have to leave when it's time to shower."
"Fine but I get to shower first, since I don't need a warehouse of space to get ready!"
"Fine!" Bulla told him as she looked out the large window on the far end of the room. A few moments passed before Bakugo sprung into action, holding her in one arm. "B-Bakugo?! What the hell are you-?!" Before she could finish, her blushing face turned to the pixelated hole beside them.
"Hey! Big Sis! I figured it out!" A voice called out from the other side as the blurred image began to clear. "Your teacher, Mr. Aizawa, really helped me out!" Sure enough, on the other side of the rift, Sandayo was there, and next to him, carrying a black-cornered briefcase with a green '17' in the center, was Aizawa.
"Brief, this is a little unorthodox, so don't expect an exception like this again. I would think the Class Rep to have figured this out beforehand." Aizawa said as he chucked the briefcase through the rift. Bakugo released Bulla and opened his arms, catching his briefcase.
"Y-Yes, Sir! It won't happen again! And thank you." Bulla told him.
"Alright, Big Sis, I'll call you later! You have fun out there!" Sandayo told her, waving goodbye as he abruptly closed the portal.
"O...kay...? Bye, then." She said to nobody as she crossed her arms.
"Who the hell was that?" Bakugo asked as he opened his briefcase.
"Kiryu Sandayo, from the orphanage." She explained, walking over to the sink. "I called him asking if he could make some kind of gate here."
"Sounds a helluva-lot like that smoky bastard from the League of Villains, doesn't it?" Bakugo asked her as he put his mask on.
"Don't compare him to those idiots. They may have escaped, but it looked like they made their biggest play right off the bat. Expecting to kill All Might with a stupid name like 'League of Villains'." Bulla told him as she splashed water on her face. "Whatever they have planned next is going to blow up in their face, just like before."
The USJ Incident... That's where we were introduced to the Armored Maiden...but what exactly happened to her? Bakugo thought to himself as the memory of that day replayed in his mind. The warrior that saved them back then. With a light, she and her friend had vanished in the source of light, and the Armored Maiden emerged with a striking resemblance to them both.
"Hey! Stop snoozing!" Bulla told him, breaking his chain of thought. "There's a lot to do today, so let's get going!"
"Can't a guy get a nap, dammit!"
"Come on! There's this little café up the road we can eat at!" Bulla explained, dragging Bakugo by his forearm as the two costumed heroes-in-training ran past several people showcasing their Quirks. As they left the hotel, they noticed a massive crowd gathering in the plaza, and stopped just outside of the expanding crowd. "Excuse me." She asked a passing citizen. "What's going on over there? It seems like something big is going on."
"You bet!" The young adult man said. "All Might's here! I'm going to see if I can get a picture before he slips out of the crowd!" A the man ran off, she put her hands on her hips.
"Huh. Cool." She said. "Anyway, let's get going."
"Fine."
"Hey, what's with you?" She asked him, suddenly turning around.
"What are you talking about?" He responded.
"Well, normally you'd be screaming your head off about how I'm dragging you along. But I haven't heard so much as a grumble." She asked him, crossing her arms.
"I don't see why you think I have to have an issue with everything!" Bakugo told her as he yanked his arm away, taking the opportunity to walk ahead.
"Are you kidding me? Having an issue is like your M.O." For whatever reason, Bakugo chose not to respond, and remained quiet until the two reached the café.
After they took a seat at one of the small white tables, they were surprised to hear a set of familiar voices. "Woah, Bakugo, Brief! What are you guys doing here?" Denki Kaminari asked with an energetic smile on his face.
"Are you guys on a date?" Minoru Mineta's sly smile implied that he was thinking of something inappropriate, as is always the case when it comes to beautiful girls.
Despite his intrusion, Bulla couldn't help but blush. "I got an invitation with a +1 for winning the Sports Festival. What about you guys?"
"They needed extra wait staff for the Expo, and since it meant a free trip, we went ahead and applied to work." Kaminari explained.
"We can make some extra money, and explore the island in our free time. Plus, I get to see all sorts of beautiful babes, such as yourself, Class Rep." Mineta told her, holding his chin in the pit of his finger and thumb with a wink.
"Oh yeah, real smooth, Mineta."
"Hey, idiots, why is everything on this menu animal-themed?" Bakugo asked as his grip tightened on the menu.
"That's just how it is, man. It's good for attractions." Kaminari explained with a smile.
"It's lame." Bakugo's teeth began to grit and Bulla rolled her eyes.
"On the bright side, you're out of whatever funk you had earlier." She told him.
"I TOLD YA I WAS FINE!" He finally yelled.
"Yeah yeah, just tell them what you want to eat!" Bulla demanded. "I'm hungry!"
"Well I'm not! I'd rather starve than eat this cutesy-crap!" He told them, slamming his hands on the table.
Bulla smacked him on the head, causing him to erupt even further before nonchalantly giving their orders. "Just give us a couple of kuma burgers with a soda for him and sweet tea for me."
"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT HITTING ME, IDIOT!"
"Your mother does it all the time, so I figured it's what you respond best to." She told him, leaning into her hand and narrowing her eyes at her friend. Meanwhile, Kaminari and Mineta just watched, studying the art of Bakugo-taming. Before they were interrupted, of course. "ARE YOU GONNA GET OUR FOOD OR WHAT, GUYS!?" She suddenly yelled. "STOP STARING AND GET OUR ORDER BACK THERE!"
"Y-YES MA'AM!" They yelled in unison as they scurried to the back.
Only about fifteen minutes passed before they got their orders, two burgers with bear faces drawn on the buns in barbeque sauce. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Look how cute it is!"
"Last I checked, I wasn't five and neither were you." He told her angrily, having calmed down due to hunger.
"Come on, it's not that bad. If I make sure the two of them don't speak of this, will you suck it up and eat?" Although violence seemed to be a good starting point, Bulla understood that it was always important to make an attempt to negotiate with him first if she fails to keep him calm.
"Whatever. It's already out here, and there'd be no point in wasting it." He said, letting out a loud huff and removing his gauntlets.
"Good, then we have a deal." As he begrudgingly took a bite, he heard a loud snap, and a bright light briefly filled his vision. Looking over, Bulla's phone was held at a cant in her hands. A large smile was spread across her face. "Like I said, they won't tell a soul. I never said I wouldn't get a photo, though."
"IDIOOT!" Getting a head-start, Bulla slammed her money on the table and dashed down the road with Bakugo on her tail.
"I guess you're not hungry anymore! It's fine, we'll get that appetite worked up again!" That's right, we can use Quirks here! "Let's have a little chase to the pavilion!" She told him as she lowered her hands and blasted off into the sky. As expected, explosions erupted from the ground as Bakugo began his pursuit. The eyes from below looked up and clapped at the spectacle.
Her eyes zeroed in on the large museum-like structure below and bolted for the ground. With a smile, she landed, skidding to a halt and raising her arms in the air as the people around her clapped lightly. "As the Class Representative, I expect more from you!"
"Wait, is that-?!" Sure enough, Tenya Iida closed the distance from the entrance of the pavilion.
"Tenya! What are you doing here?" Bulla asked him with a smile as Bakugo landed behind her.
"Delete that photo!" He demanded, clutching his fist and gritting his teeth.
"Nope, it's mine now." She responded with a wink, slightly sticking her tongue out.
"I'LL DESTROY YOUR PHONE IF YA DON'T GET RID OF IT!"
"Then you'll just owe me another one." She told him as she held her hands behind her back. "Now hush, Tenya was about to tell me what he's doing here."
"Naturally, I'd be here. I come from a long line of heroes, although, my family was busy. So I'm here alone on their behalf today." He explained, his hands never staying in one place.
"DON'T IGNORE ME!" Bakugo yelled as Bulla slammed her palm into her face.
Turning around, she opened her phone and went to the picture of Bakugo munching on a kuma burger and tapped the delete button. "There, are you happy now?!"
"It took ya long enough!" He yelled before stuffing his hands into his pockets, storming off into the pavilion.
"Little does he know, deleted photos can be restored if you don't empty your trash folder." She told Iida with a mischievous smile. "Sorry about him, Tenya." As she gestured to her companion, Iida smiled and raised his hands.
"I know exactly how Bakugo can get. We're here as a representative of our school, so make sure you keep a tight lid on that temper of his."
"Of course."
"Now, I'm going to go back to the café and make sure that Mineta and Kaminari are keeping up their work." Waving goodbye, Iida sped off towards where Bakugo and Bulla had came from.
"Give 'em hell." She said quietly as she slightly raised her arm in a wave.
Geez, what is with her? Bakugo asked himself as he walked through the darkened hall, illuminated in a blue light. Always some mystery I don't know the answers to. How am I supposed to trust someone like that. Regardless, it's my own fault. Saying some stupid shit like 'I'll beat the truth out of you', what was I thinking? As his frustration bubbled, he slammed his fist on the glass of the center display. And then what's wrong with me? Why do I want to know about her past so bad? Why is her truth so important to me?
"Bakugo?" Suddenly, a finger lightly tapped his shoulder, and looked over his shoulder. "You stormed off, all of a sudden. We're supposed to be here together, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah." It wasn't hard to see that something was bothering him. In an attempt to distract him, Bulla lightly squeezed his shoulder and pointed to the center display.
"Check it out," she said, directing his attention to the on-screen text, "apparently this diving suit let's you go seven kilometers underwater. Isn't that cool?"
"Sounds lame to me. When am I ever going to need to dive seven kilometers?" He asked her rhetorically.
"Right..." Bulla's eyes were drawn to a helmet on display, and reached out. As she picked it up, she noticed it was surprisingly light, and she put it on, her fingers stumbling to find an 'ON' switch of some kind.
"What do you got there?" Bakugo asked her as he closed in.
"Some kind of helmet. I don't quite know what it does ye-" Before she could finish, she found a groove and pressed it in, turning on several different display in front of her. On one display, she saw Bakugo looking forward, his hands in his pockets. Something heavy was still weighing on him, and she knew it. "I see, it's some kind of three-dimensional camera. It let's me see in all directions."
"Why on earth would someone make such a stupid support item. The idiot probably had too many blind spots." He said.
Bulla removed the helmet and shook her head, lightly flipping her hair before looking down at the helmet in her hands. "You know, this gives me an idea for Hatsume."
"That grease rat that turned her round of the sports festival into a lame commercial? What about her?"
"Just an upgrade to my costume I'm thinking about. Maybe a face covering of some kind." She said as she returned the helmet to its pedestal.
"I don't think you need one." Bakugo suddenly said behind her. She turned around and met his eyes, the luminous blue lights hiding the shade of red on her face.
Is this where you tell me that I'm too beautiful to cover my face? The moment the thought crossed her mind, she shook her head and bounced her arms. No no no! Stop that thought right now!
"With your strength, you won't need some kind of helmet to protect yourself with, idiot." His solemn words were ended with a fist slightly pressing against Bulla's shoulder.
"Bakugo, what's been on your mind?" She asked, taking him by surprise. "Unlike before, when you said I think you always have an issue, your reaction right now is different. You're not really yelling, but your frustration differs from your usual explosive tone."
Bakugo's hands clenched, and he took a deep breath. "Hey, just why the hell do you stick around me?"
"That's a stupid question." She told him in a flat tone. "You're hard to handle, but you're endearing. With qualities that people just can't help but find themselves drawn to. Despite being selfish, you never have your eyes set on anything below the top. And honestly, it's so much like my father, there's a slight pain in the back of my chest when I see you like this." Bakugo turned away from Bulla's gaze, but she didn't allow his eyes to stray far. "Bakugo, at the sports festival, do you remember what you told me?" His eyes seem to fall into a daze, entranced by her stare. "'You can't get any stronger when you're holding it all in. Keeping all that resent and depression inside, there'll be no room for growth.' Those were the exact words you told me. Even if you had your own selfish reason for trying to make me feel better, you absolutely did something by being there, even if I didn't realize it until recently. I thought to myself, 'if I could just see him one last time,' and you've given me that wish over and over again." Slowly, Bulla's soft hands slid from Bakugo's cheek down his neck, and then around his chest and under his arms. "You remind me so much of Dad. And that's why it aches, because there are so many times I look at you and I see my father."
Meanwhile, Bakugo was unsure of what to do in this situation. For the first time in his life, his heart felt as though it was going to jump out of his chest, and his face felt warm. He'd never felt a girl press herself into him like this, and he had never intended to, believing they'd be in the way of his goal. With so many confusing thoughts swirling around in his head, he yelled the first thing that came to mind. "WHY THE HELL ARE YA HUGGING ME!?"
A moment of silence lapsed before Bulla came back down to Earth. "Uh..." Her face filled with red as she released her friend, waving her arms in front of her. "I-I-I DON-N'T KNOW WHAT C-CA-CAME OVER ME!"
"ALL THIS MUSHY CRAP! COME ON, I KNOW WHERE WE CAN KNOCK THESE WEIRD THOUGHTS OUT OF OUR HEADS!" Taking her hand, Bakugo stormed out of the pavilion and towards a large rock formation in a small stadium.
He's right, I need to get my head straight! This time dragged along by Bakugo, the two made their way to a large stadium made out of a rocky formation in the center. As they reached the entrance, they were greeted by a young woman with a moon and star painted on her cheeks. "Hi, we'd like to participate?" Bulla told her as they heard the latest top score of 17 seconds announced.
"Alright, just sign your names here!" The woman directed them gleefully as she gestured to a board full of text behind her. "Are you aware of how this works?"
"No, Ma'am." Bulla answered, finishing writing Bakugo's name under hers.
"Why the hell am I going second?" He asked angrily.
"Oh, hush. Haven't you ever heard of 'ladies first'? Now, could you explain it to us, Ma'am?"
"Of course! It's easy: There are 15 robotic enemies scattered across the rocks and water. Find them and destroy them as quickly as possible!" She explained with a large smile on her face.
"Sounds simple enough! Let's go!" She said as she heard the woman talking over her ear piece.
"It's time for our next challenger!" The woman outside announced. The star on her cheek was similar to her co-worker, and Bulla had a brief thought that it must be part of the uniform before shaking her head. Her eyes narrowed and she lowered her figure, taking note of the immediate spots where the robots would most likely be.
Although it would have been nice to have my sword, Ms. Iwase said it probably wouldn't make it through security since it's separate from my actual costume. I want to say it's unfortunate, but otherwise I wouldn't be able to pass that 17-second mark!
"The course is set! Ready! Go!" Bulla blasted off, instant scaling the formation and slamming her fist into the first robot that appeared. From above, she could clearly see the river, as well as the villains along the rocks nearby. She raised her hands into the air and formed a ball of light before swinging her arms, firing a barrage of beams downward. As the majority of the robots were destroyed, she dove towards the opposite end of the formation and began firing her lasers at each one that came into to site. As she whipped around and slammed the back of her hand into the last foe, the announcer called her time. "Incredible! That was an insane time of 14 seconds! We have a new first place!"
"Good luck." Bulla told Bakugo teasingly as she passed him on her way to the stands. She jumped into the air and grabbed the railing, hoisting herself up and over before taking a seat.
"Woah, Bulla?" Turning around, she smiled as she saw Midoriya with a familiar group of girls.
"Glad to see you got my name this time, Iz-u-ku." With a wink, Midoriya turned red while Uraraka simply glared behind him. "Ochaco, Momo, Jiro, I'm happy to see you all here, too. Although, I can't say I recognize you." Standing up, Bulla squinted her eyes at the taller blond girl with blue eyes.
"This is my friend, Melissa Shield. She's actually the daughter of David Shield, the scientist who designed all of All Might's costumes." Midoriya explained.
"Then it's no wonder you'd be friends with his daughter, you little All Might nut." She told him with a giggle.
"Is this your classmate? Or is she something more?" Melissa asked him as Bulla winked once again.
"That's right." She said, holding a finger above her mischievous smile.
"H-Huh!? WH-WH-WHAT ARE YOU SAY-SAYING, BULLA?!"
"Izuku, surely you haven't forgotten that Bulla is our Class Representative." Iida reminded him as he chuckled nervously.
"O-Oh... Right..."
"That's right! And you're over here babbling like I'm not your Class Representative!" She told them with a laugh. "My name's Bulla Brief. I'm the one who designated Izuku as the Class Historian, Ochaco as the Class Treasurer, and Tenya the Class Secretary."
"So you're the Class Representative? That's so amazing! Your class has been so kind to me today, and spending time with them has been a ton of fun!" Melissa told her.
"It's time for our next challenger!" The woman working the course announced. "The Villain Attack course has been reset!"
"Speaking of... Check out who else is here." Bulla pointed over the railing with her thumb, and as Bakugo lowered himself, Midoriya's eyes widened and his mouth gaped.
"Ka...Kacchan!?" His shocked tone made it clear that he had not been expecting to see him on this trip.
"Did you really think I'd come on my own?" Bulla told him with a smile as he started the course. "I was invited for winning the sports festival, so I got a +1."
"I can see that, but I can't seem to imagine why you'd possibly want Bakugo…" Uraraka said, nudging Bulla with her elbow.
With a slight red in her cheeks, Bulla turned to see Bakugo flying around. "It's a bit of a long story. The abbreviated version of it was that Pan asked him for me, and I couldn't bring myself to cancel. It'd be rude, wouldn't it?"
"Look at that time! He's in second place with 15 seconds!" The attendant announced as Bakugo made his way back towards the stand.
"I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to see you." Bulla teased as he blasted off the ground and gripped the railings.
"DAMMIT! WHAT ARE YA DOING HERE, DEKU?!" Bakugo yelled.
"Now hush Bakugo!" Bulla told him, getting between them and extending a finger. "Izuku has just as much right to be here as any of us!"
As he hopped the railing, he continued to glare as he made an attempt to close the distance. "A weakling like him has no right being here!"
"He'll just have to show you then." Bulla said, defending her historian. "He'll participate, and if he's not top three material, he'll leave. Sound good?"
"Then he might as well leave now, 'cause there's no way he's getting close to my time!"
"Yeah, you're probably right... Yep..." Midoriya said nervously.
"I'm not so sure." Uraraka said, cupping her chin in her fingers. "I guess we won't know for sure unless he tries."
"Yeah, you're probably right..." Midoriya said nervously again before realizing what he agreed to.
"Great, so give it your best!" Bulla told him before grabbing him by his belt and collar. "Let's go Deku! Show us your power!" As she threw him into the field, the attendant couldn't help but chuckle.
"It looks like we have a last minute challenger! Time to reset the course!" She announced.
"I'm glad I ran into you sooner than later, Momo!" Bulla said as Midoriya picked himself up.
"Likewise. It's good to see that you have a tight leash on him, just like always." Yaoyorozu told her friend.
"Wait, you two knew you were going to be here?" Jiro asked them.
"Yeah, during our time at the shopping center, we may have exchanged upcoming travel plans. Nothing diabolical, of course." Bulla assured her.
As Midoriya readied himself, he allowed his power to flow, causing a slight gale in the stadium. "The course is set, ready, GO!"
"So what is it about Midoriya that makes him so angry?" Melissa asked the girls to her right as she watched Midoriya move.
"None of us knows. Beside the two of them being rivals, there's an unspoken and one-sided hatred between them. It's definitely a familiar sight for me, though."
Melissa couldn't help but gaze as she watched Midoriya flash around the rocks. "He's so powerful..."
As he finished, the crowd cheered for Midoriya's display. "What an incredible run! He's in third place at 16 seconds!"
"Yeah, but there's only more power lurking beneath." Bulla explained. "For a smaller kid, he packs some serious firepower when he lets loose."
When he lets loose? But his speed and power are already so much like Uncle Might's! Does that mean... As Melissa found herself lost in her thoughts, Bulla smacked Bakugo on the back.
"Guess he's not going anywhere, right Bakugo?!" She told him with a hearty laugh.
"Don't hit me, dammit! We've been over this!" He told her angrily. "Whatever! I'll go again and blast his score out of the top three!" Before he could get the opportunity to enter, the stadium filled with a frosty air. Accompanied by a small tremor, those present from Class 1A looked over as the rock formation that housed the faux villains became encased in ice. At the base of the glacier was none other than Shoto Todoroki.
"Wow! Wow wow!" The attendant announced. "This gentleman has just tied for first with a run of 14 seconds!"
"Todoroki, too?" Midoriya said as the students looked over the railing.
"Another one from your class?" Melissa asked them as Bulla put a hand on her shoulder.
"Of course he'd be here. He's the son of the Number 2 Hero, Endeavor." With an approving thumbs up, Bulla continued. "It'd make sense why he of all people would be here."
"Everyone from your class is so amazing." With an explosion behind them, Bakugo descended onto the scene. As Bakugo's fiery questions and Todoroki's dry answers collided, Bulla let out a sigh.
"There's just no rest time with him. Time to go tighten that leash." Bulla told her friends as she leaped from the railing and shot towards the ground. "Todoroki, good to see you again, Bakugo, knock it the hell off!"
"SHUT IT! I'M GOING AGAIN, YA HEAR ME!"
"YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE WAITING, DUMBASS!" Bulla told him with a smack to the head.
"DAMMIT! IF I GOTTA TELL YA ONE MORE TIME!"
"SAY IT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT, IF YOUR MOTHER DOES IT TO KEEP YOU IN CHECK, SO WILL I!" Bulla yelled as the cameras for the upper projectors remained on them.
"KEEP GETTING IN MY WAY AND I'LL SET YOU ON FIRE!"
"TRUST ME, I'VE SEEN SCARY AND YOU CERTAINLY ARE NOT IT!" Despite having once been scared of Bakugo because of her reclusion, she had since taken it upon herself to keep him in check. "DON'T MAKE ME GIVE YOU A REPEAT OF THE SPORTS FESTIVAL!"
"WHATEVER, I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN RIGHT NOW!"
Once Bakugo finally calmed down, the two parties went their separate ways. Iida had mentioned that his group wanted to stop by the café and reward Kaminari and Mineta with invites to the reception, meanwhile, Bulla wanted to head back and start getting ready. The golden glow of the sun over a clear afternoon always seemed to bring a smile to her face, as it reminded her of her times walking home with Pan. "So, your Quirk." Bulla asked, breaking the silence.
The sudden question seemed to throw off Bakugo. "Huh? What about it?"
"It's pretty amazing, turning sweat into explosions and all. Have you ever had an explosion so big, you couldn't control it?"
"What the hell kinda question is-" Before he could finish, he turned to see Bulla's solemn smile. He was certainly difficult, but he wasn't an idiot. Despite their constant arguments, she was happy. To be here with him right now was making her smile, whether she realized it or not. With a sigh, Bakugo rubbed the back of his neck. "Fortunately, not yet. Of course, we all have limits that exist to make sure we don't hurt ourselves. During that fight with All Might, I had to go all out, and ended up messing my arms up really bad."
"Right, I do remember that. But, despite the odds, you two won in the end." She told him.
"Of course I did." Bakugo stopped walking and looked over the water. The glow of the sky bounced of the water like crystals, and shined beautifully across the entirety of the large body of water. "When I was a child, all I ever wanted to do was become a hero like him. All Might, the man who always swoops in and saves the day. No matter the odds he always wins. I used to always think that as I watched him on those TVs they put in store windows, and whenever I'd get in a fight."
Wow... He's being so sincere... The thought made Bulla feel guilty. Here he was, the angriest boy she ever knew, second to her father, sharing a precious memory of his. And yet, her true life was locked behind her biggest secret. "My father, was a very strong and proud man, just like you, Bakugo." As he turned to her, he could see one arm behind her back, and her free hand clenched tightly against her chest. "Pan's grandpa was his biggest rival, and I'd always remember that when he wasn't around the house, he was out training to get stronger than him. Part of me wishes he stayed around more often, but deep down I knew that it was too make sure he was strong enough to protect us." She explained, blinking back her tears. "Me, my brother, and my mother. Despite how much he hated to admit it, he loved us all so dearly."
Bakugo had been piecing together bits from her past, and this was the first corner of the puzzle. The first piece where he could make sense of something. His surprised eyes could do nothing but gaze as the girl before him fought back the urge to cry. "And what you going on crying for?!" He asked as he approached her, clenching his fists as his regular scowl just wasn't helping show a shred of concern.
"I'm not crying. It's just like you told me, I need to move past it. Of course, the pain doesn't just go away." She told him as she slapped her hands onto her cheeks and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that. It's your turn to ask me something, Bakugo."
As the two continued walking, Bakugo jammed his hands back into his pockets. "I don't have anything to ask."
"Oh come on! I know there's got to be something!" She persisted as their hotel came into view.
"Fine. That Armored Maiden situation from the USJ. How much do you know about exactly what happened?" Bakugo asked her. As he looked over, she raised her chin up and held her finger to it.
"Hm... Pass." With a wink, she stuck her tongue out and burst into a sprint.
"PASS!? THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS THE POINT OF INSISTING ON A QUESTION?!" He yelled as he took off after her.
"Sorry! I didn't say ask anything! That questions locked behind a lot of other answers I can't quite give you yet~!" Bulla called out as the two dashed through the doors of the hotel. As they ran through the lobby, Bulla dodged past a couple of people stepping out of the elevator and stepped in.
Just behind her was Bakugo, who burst in and grabbed her arms. Pressing her against the wall of the elevator, Bulla couldn't stop herself from laughing. "What's so funny?" Before she could get the words out, she opened her eyes and looked up, not realizing until now just how close Bakugo's face was. His eyes widened slightly, and found his stare lost in Bulla's gaze.
As the two stayed locked in each other's eyes, their cheeks became flushed with a brilliant red. He's so close... It's as if I could... As the image of Bakugo leaning in filled her mind like a fantasy, a bystander entered the elevator.
"Oh, my- I'm so sorry, kids!" He said as a woman entered with them. "The other elevator is out."
"You two are so cute!" The woman told them as she pressed the button for their floor. "It's alright, I'll hit your floor for you!"
As Bakugo released her and stepped into the opposite corner of the elevator, Bulla buried her face in her hands. "Third floor, Ma'am."
An awkward silence fell over the elevator as it stopped at the second floor first, allowing the man to step out. "Don't have too much fun, you two!" He called out, causing Bakugo to grit his teeth.
Once the elevator finally hit the third floor, the two got out, and the woman said to herself as they left, "Ah, to be young and in love!" Causing Bulla to grit her teeth.
Although she was upset by the thought of having been walked in on in that kind of misunderstanding, a part of her deep down wished that they had never been interrupted. Once they finally got back to their room, Bakugo removed his gauntlets and sat on the bed. "Iida texted me the details for the reception. We're going to meet him at Central Lobby 7 for 6:30."
"Yeah, you have fun." He said, pulling his mask off of his face.
"I will, as long as you're going, too." She told him, putting her hands on her hips.
"Pass."
"What do you mean 'pass'!?" She shouted, stomping her foot.
"I mean pass. Why would I want to go to some party filled with a bunch of geezers giving speeches?" He explained, removing his boots. "I didn't bring any formal clothes to begin with!"
"Yeah, Momo figured you wouldn't have, so she included a little gift for you when she bought my dress." Bulla told him with a smile as she pulled the onyx suit out of her closet.
"YA CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Bakugo yelled.
"Come on! Tell you what, come along with me tonight, and I'll make you a promise."
"You don't have anything that I want." Bakugo told her as he removed his gloves and started packing away his gear.
"Oh, I think you'll be willing to do something as simple as this for a promise like this." She told him with a chuckle as she began to whisper into his ear.
With a sigh, he spoke in defeat. "Alright, fine. I'll go to the dumb party."
"Great, I'm going to shower first, since I'm sure you can get ready in a snap! If I come out in a towel and you take a peek, I'll kill you!" Bulla warned him with a gleeful smile as she took her boots and gloves off and entered the bathroom.
At 6:30, Bulla and Bakugo met Iida in the designated lobby. Bakugo's suit was simple, but it looked good all the same. The lack of a tie and the opened top button gave him a bad boy charm, as well. Bulla's simple black dress was held by spaghetti straps, and ended midway down her shins. The left side of the dress had a cut up the length of her leg and ending midway up her thigh, and on her feet were some black wedge heel shoes. As she entered the lobby, she could see Iida, Kaminari, Mineta, and Todoroki. "Hey!" She called out to the small group ahead of them as Iida put his phone into his pocket.
"Mineta, do you see that?!" Kaminari said to his partner in crime.
"I think I'm in love!" Mineta followed as the two began to swoon over Bulla.
"WILL YA STOP STARING AT HER, IDIOTS!" Bakugo yelled, causing them to shatter and back away.
"Where is everyone else?" Bulla asked Iida, looking around.
"They haven't shown up yet." Todoroki answered in Iida's stead.
"Seriously, does a time of meeting mean nothing to anyone!?" Iida said to himself angrily.
"Oh, come on. Bakugo's here on time, Tenya. That's more than you can say for anyone else." She told him as she nudged with her shoulder.
"Yeah, but I guarantee that you practically had to drag him here." Kaminari told her.
"Well, it took some difficulty, but eventually he complied. I just had to make some promises first." She explained, shifting her gaze back to Bakugo.
"Some...promises..." As Mineta's words trailed, he clenched his fist. "DAMMIT BAKUGO! HOW IS IT THAT SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ROMANCE GET TO GO AT IT WITH A TOP-NOTCH BEAUTY LIKE HER!?"
"That's enough out of you, Mineta!" Bulla shouted as she reeled her leg back, swinging it forward and punting Mineta into the wall. "Geez, the amount of patience I have when dealing with you is one of my biggest strengths!"
"Well, I just called Izuku. It didn't seem like he was even close to ready. Have you heard from the girls?" Iida asked her, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yeah, I was texting Momo on my way here. I know she said she was going to be late, but I didn't think it was going to be late. I thought she'd only be five minutes behind or something." It was thirty minutes before the rest of the group arrived. First Midoriya arrived, followed by Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, and Jiro.
The girls exchanged compliments amongst themselves, and received compliments from a some of the boys. Finally, Melissa arrived in a sapphire dress, running in to catch up with the group. "Oh good! I thought I was gonna miss you guys! Let's get downstairs to the party!"
Altogether, the group of made their way towards the party. As the approached the elevator, a large-scale announcement suddenly began to sound. "This is an announcement by the I-Island Security System. We have received a report that an explosive device was discovered somewhere on the I-Expo grounds."
"A bomb?!" Bulla said as the announcement continued.
"I-Island will now be in High-Alert Mode. Your safety is our top priority. Residents and tourists should return to their lodgings at this time."
"What the hell is going here?" Bakugo asked as he tried to access the elevator. "The elevator's shut down!"
"Those who have come a long way should wait at their nearest evacuation center. Anyone still outside after ten minutes will be in violation of the law."
"I'm not getting a signal." Todoroki informed his friends, holding up his phone for everyone to see. "It looks like my service is completely blocked."
"Please steer clear of public areas. As a precautionary measure, most of the main island buildings will now be sealed off. I repeat-"
"Are you serious?" Mineta asked, cowering where he stood.
"It's strange that the system would go into High Alert... That's not the protocol whenever explosives are discovered..." Melissa pointed out.
"Bulla, I think we should carry on to the party." Midoriya said as he approached the Class Representative.
"I'm not too sure if that's a good idea. We don't know what's going on, and Melissa has seen some strange behaviors in the security system. It might be too risky." She explained.
"But that's where-" Before Midoriya could finish, Bakugo put his hand on Bulla's shoulder.
"I think that's the best idea. Whatever the risk, we'll just blast our way through." Bakugo told her as several sparks flashed in his palm.
"Alright then. Melissa, can you guide us without the elevator?" Bulla asked her.
"Yeah, if we use the emergency stairs, we can get close to the party." She explained as the group made their way to the stairs.
Before they entered the stairwell, Bulla lightly fist-bumped Melissa's shoulder. "We're counting on you, Melissa. Lead the way!"
The group only had to climb a few flights of stairs before exiting into a hallway. "Over here!" Melissa guided. "There's a skylight in there that'll let us look right down onto the party!" Bulla was the first the make it to the round railing, surrounded by crimson pillars. Her eyes widened as the scene below her unfolded.
A couple of grown men were being guided away by a few men in masks, while another man in a metallic mask, with several other masked men with rifles, patrolled around the room. "Hey... Hey hey! What the hell is going on!?" Bulla asked herself, her grip on the railing tightening.
"Ears, get us some audio on what's going on!" Bakugo directed.
"My name is Jiro!" She told him as she secured her jack in the ground.
"Deku! Sign to All Might so we can talk to him!"
"R-Right!" Midoriya said nervously as he leaned over the railing. His first task was to catch All Might's attention, so he pulled out his phone and began to flash the light on the back on and off. Once he finally took notice, Midoriya put his phone away. "Alright, are you secured Jiro?"
"I'm all ready." She told him, listening closely. While Midoriya signed for All Might to speak, Bulla watched the Number 1 Hero's lips moving with no audio, eagerly waiting for an explanation. Once he finally finished, Jiro began to break out in a sweat. "T-This is bad!"
"Come on, let's get out of the line of sight, then you can debrief us!" Bulla told everyone.
Bakugo jammed his hands in his pockets, but he complied angrily. "Huh?! Why can't we just go down there and beat everyone up!?"
"Bakugo, we may very well do that, but we need a handle on the situation before we take any actions." The group had fallen back towards the elevators on the current floor, where Jiro explained the situation.
"Okay, so villains have taken control of the security system, and they're holding everyone on the island as a hostage. All Might said all the heroes are bound as well, and he wants us to get away as soon as possible." She explained, shuddering at the thought of All Might being held hostage.
"Then it's clear. We need to get to safety at once." Iida declared as Bulla stepped towards him.
"What are you talking about?" Her brows furrowed and her hands met her hips.
"We've received All Might's message, loud and clear. He wants us to evacuate." Iida argued.
Raising her voice, she pressed a finger against Iida's chest in frustration. "Tenya, I'm not just going to keel over while these villains get what they want!"
"All Might is our teacher. We have to follow the directions of our instructors and leave. Otherwise we'd be in direct opposition of his will." As Bulla grit her teeth, ready to argue, Yaoyorozu suddenly spoke.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Tenya." She said.
"Momo..." Bulla's shock was apparent, but she quickly contained it, clenching her fists.
"We're still students. We can't fight these villains without our licenses!" Yaoyorozu fought.
"But-!"
"What if we get out of here and tell the heroes outside?" Kaminari recommended.
Melissa crossed her arms over her chest, lost in thought. "I don't think escaping will be that easy. The security system here was built with the same strength as Tartarus, where they keep the most dangerous criminals in the world."
"Then all we can do is sit and wait until everything's blown over." He said in defeat.
"AW, LIKE HELL WE'RE JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND WAIT LIKE A BUNCHA COWARDS!" Bakugo yelled, startling several students.
"Bakugo! Those villains have All Might stuck! How much help can we really do if the actual pros have their hands tied!?" Mineta argued.
"But aren't we trying to be pros ourselves?" Todoroki interjected, looking down to his hand.
"Yes, of course, but we're not allowed to do actual hero work just ye-" As Yaoyorozu started a rebuttal, Todoroki cut her words short.
"Does that mean...it's right for us to just do nothing?" He asked her.
"W-Well, no...but it's complicated..."
After a brief moment of silence, Midoriya finally spoke up. "I want to help." Looking up to his classmates, all eyes were now on him.
"Deku...?" Uraraka said quietly.
"Izuku..." Bulla's eyes met his, determined and hopeful, despite the apparent fear.
"I want to save them."
"YOU WANNA GO FIGHT THOSE VILLAINS?! DIDN'T YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM THE USJ, MIDORIYA!?" Mineta yelled.
"Well, for once I agree with that damn nerd. I'd rather go fight some villains than stay down here with our tails between our legs." Bakugo chimed in, slamming his fist into his palm with a smile.
"But this is a different situation! In these circumstances, we don't actually need to fight them! If the security system is what has everyone on lockdown, then all we have to do is take it back!" He explained.
"Melissa, you live here, and you're this legendary David Shield's daughter. Could you do some damage to their defenses if we got you there?" Bulla asked, turning to young woman.
Pressing her balled fist against her chest, she steeled her nerves. "The I-Island's security system is controlled from the top floor of this tower. If the villains managed to take control of it, then the authentication locks and passwords should have been disabled, already. With that in mind, if we got up there, we could restart the system."
"Then in that case, we can stay under the radar long enough for us to get you there. But are you up for it, Melissa?" Bulla asked her, holding a hand out.
With a deep breath, Melissa's balled fist opened up, and she took Bulla's hand graciously. "If I can save everyone, then yes. I'm up for it."
"But how are we going to stay off the radar long enough to get up there?" Jiro asked them.
Bulla looked down and held her chin in her fingers, mulling over the possibilities. "Melissa, what are the actions that trigger the alerts in the system's current state?"
"Actually, under normal circumstances, we would have been caught already. But if the system hasn't detected us, then that means the villains probably don't understand it enough to operate it at maximum efficiency." She explained, raising a finger.
"Then we just need to avoid conflict long enough to get the place back to normal..." Todoroki explained, crossing his arms.
Bulla turned towards her more hesitant friends. "Then we have a plan. Momo, Tenya, are you two on board?"
"But most of the villains are likely gathered on the higher levels..." Yaoyorozu said, thinking aloud.
"If we're fast enough, then we won't have to fight them!" Midoriya suddenly said. "If we get the security system back under control, then All Might and the other pros will be free! He'll immediately jump into the action and stop the villains! I know it!"
"Then let's do it!" Uraraka finally said aloud, standing up. "I don't want to sit around being useless! If there's something we can try, anything, then I want to go for it!"
"That's right! Whether we fight or don't fight, what's important is helping where we can!" Midoriya claimed. "Bulla, Ochaco and I are going with you."
"I'm going, too." Todoroki chimed in.
"Same here." Jiro followed.
"Right, I assume you're coming along, too, Bakugo?" Bulla asked, holding a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't even have to ask, idiot." He told her.
As Iida stepped forward, he clenched his fists. "I'll agree to go, as well. But only if you understand that the moment this goes too far, we call it off. Can we agree on that?" His hand reached out, accepting a truce for their earlier argument.
"Yeah, we can." Bulla told him as she shook his hand.
"Alright, if that's the case, then I'll join, too." Yaoyorozu agreed.
"Obviously I'm in!" Kaminari followed.
With only Mineta left to persuade, Bulla got onto her knees. "Mineta, you're small in stature, but you're one of the most mobile people we know. If we get into a sticky situation, we could use an even stickier hero." I figured he'd appreciate my selective phrasing... She internally said, mentally slapping her palm against her face.
"Have you lost your mind?!" He screamed, tears flowing down his cheeks.
"I would be so appreciative if you came along."
And just like that, his entire demeanor changed. "Well, if you say so, I guess it can't be helped. It is understandable that you'd want me to come along, of course." He told them, as if he were straight out of an action film.
"Great, then we have everyone!" Bulla got to her feet and clenched her fist. "Everyone, this is an escort mission! Our objective is to make sure the precious cargo makes it to the top floor! Are we clear?" Everyone agreed at once, and Bulla smiled confidently. "Then let's save everyone! Izuku, go sign to All Might that help is on the way! Meet us at the stairs when you're done!"
"Right!" He confirmed before taking off.
"Alright everyone! Let's go!"
By floor 30, Bulla stopped and took notice of their current position. "Wait a minute, 30's pretty high, isn't it?"
"Melissa, how high does the tower go?" Midoriya asked, turning around while catching his breath.
"Two...hundred..." She answered in between breaths.
"How many?!" Kaminari shouted.
"That's way too many stairs!" Mineta complained.
"Too many for you extras. This is helping me stay warmed up in cause we run into any villains." Bakugo told them as he continued onward. By the time the group had doubled their position, Bulla was grateful that she hadn't let Yaoyorozu talk her into wearing heels.
At floor 80, the group was finally halted by a closed shutter. "The roads blocked!" Iida claimed first.
"Alright, get out of my way." Bakugo told them as he pulled his sleeve back.
Before he could swing his arm, Bulla grabbed him by the wrist. "Hold on a minute." She turned around to find Melissa towards the back of the group with Uraraka. "Melissa, what are our odds of staying undetected if we bust through?"
"Nonexistent... If we break any of the doors...the security system will zero in on our location..." She explained, breathing heavily.
"Why don't we go through this door?" Mineta asked as he pulled the latch on a nearby door. Before anyone could stop him, the door opened, and Bulla grit her teeth.
"Let's go! There's no doubt the system caught that, so we have to move now!" As the group began to sprint to the best of their current abilities, Iida began to question Melissa.
"Is there another way up?" He asked as they continued to run.
"Yeah, on the opposite end of this hall! There's another emergency staircase!" Before they could carry on any further, several doors ahead of them began to close off.
"Bakugo!" Bulla called out.
"Icy-Hot!"
"Got it!" As Todoroki created a wave of ice to block the door, Bakugo blasted off through the opening, and let loose on the closed door to the side.
Everyone regrouped and carried on carefully through the opened room. "What is this place?" Midoriya asked as everyone ran.
"It's a plant factory." Melissa explained. "They research how the effects that Quirks have on flora here."
"Stop sight-seeing and get in cover!" Bulla directed. "The elevator's coming up!" Quickly, everyone got behind the bushes and waited. "If they pass, we may be able to take that elevator, so no sudden movements... Bakugo."
"Unfortunately, that won't work." Melissa followed. "It'll only allow authorized personnel to access it."
Finally, the elevator arrived with a chime. "Look at their clothes... They're the villains who were at the party..." Midoriya whispered.
As they walked out, following the path, the students were shuddering with fear. Meanwhile, Bulla and Bakugo were doing their best to contain themselves. Damn... Damn damn! Being around Bakugo has started making my Saiyan tendencies come forward...! I'm suddenly itching for a fight! Despite her urges, Bulla contained herself. Thankfully, it had seemed that the villains carried on along the path. "Guys, I want you to go."
"What?! What the hell are you saying, Bulla?!" Midoriya asked her quietly.
"They're going back the way we came! They're going to see a massive hole blown through that door and know that we had to come this way! If I distract them, it'll give you all the opportunity to get away!" She explained, looking over to her class. "You are my dear classmates, and I am your Class Representative. I will protect you!"
"Hey, you see this?!" The shorter of the villains yelled down the path, pointing out the destroyed entrance.
"So they have to be here somewhere!" His partner followed.
"Todoroki, go!" Bulla told them as she jumped out of the bushes, blasting off into the air. Raising her hands above her head, they were filled with a blue light before she threw them downward, filling the area with a series of blasts. "STARDUST FALL!"
As the cloud of dust kicked up, Todoroki created a platform and carried his classmates to safety. As Bulla descended, Bakugo blasted off the platform and landed next to her. "So you're joining me, huh?"
"Are you kidding? I've been waiting for a fight since I've heard that broadcast!" Bakugo told her.
As the villains stepped out of the dust cloud, the smaller of the two began to change. "So you kids wanna pick a fight?!" His previously small stature began to shift and morph into a large ogre-like appearance. "Let's see how tough you really are!" And just like that, he charged. Bulla and Bakugo fired off in opposite directions, and Bakugo maneuvered behind the large enemy and let off a large explosion.
"NOW YOU DIE!" He yelled as the enemy became enveloped in the flames. Landing just outside of the smokescreen, Bakugo turned towards the villain as he charged once again, but before he could land a blow, Bulla dove from the sky and slammed a fist into the back of his head.
"Shooting Star!" Correcting her position, she landed between Bakugo and the briefly stunned villain before raising her hands. "Star Prison!" Bulla quickly slammed her palm into the prison and fired a large-scale blast, sending it towards the other villain. "Bakugo! Let loose!"
In compliance, Bakugo fired off a large scale explosion towards the imprisoned villain, but to no avail. The free villain had waved his arm and somehow not only obliterated the prison, but had a follow-up attack to vaporize Bakugo's onslaught once his teammate had moved. "Dammit! What's with that Quirk of his?!"
"You kids sure know how to have fun! Where'd you learn these tricks of yours?" The slim villain had asked them.
"Up yours! Like I'd tell you!" Bulla told them. "Bakugo, keep them busy!"
"Right!" As Bakugo blasted off, he began to rush the larger villain with a series of explosions.
"BUILD!" Bulla said as the light in her hands began to intensify.
"Don't even think about it!" The slim villain waved his hand, causing a distortion to rapidly approach Bulla. With little time to react, she threw her hands towards the ground and blasted off, narrowly avoiding the blow. Looking down, she could notice the residue of her maneuver vanish with a distortion, rather than dissipating on its own. Suddenly, leaping towards her was the larger villain, and as she braced herself, his massive fist slammed into her arms, sending her towards the ground.
"BASTARD!" Bakugo yelled as he began to unleash a series of explosions to force back the villain. As he descended next to his classmate, he kept his eyes focused on the enemies ahead. "How are you holding up?"
"I'll be fine. That slim villain... I think his Quirk is displacing matter. My blasts seem to vanish instantaneously when they make contact with the distortion, but it doesn't just go through anything, otherwise he would have hurt his teammate when he broke my Star Prison..." Bulla explained, wiping the blood away from her head. Through the sound of her heartbeat in her ears, she could hear Bakugo's low growl.
"So what's you plan?" He asked her.
"Same as before. Keep the big guy busy. Just make sure he stays busy this time." She told him as she held an arm out behind her. "BUILD!" Let's try this one more time!
"When are you going to learn, kids!?" The slim villain called out as he waved his hand once again, sending more waves of distortion towards them.
"Bakugo, now!" As directed, Bakugo leapt into action, taking on the larger villain once again. As the waves of distortion closed in, Bulla used her free hand and fired off two more blasts, causing them to vanish with the villain's attacks. "BUILD!" She said once again, this time compressing her energy even further.
"What the-?!" In shock, the slim villain began to panic and grit his teeth in frustration. "Daigo! Stop her!" He called out to his partner.
"I've got my hands tied up with this little twerp, Nobu!" Daigo told him as he threw another fist, only to barely miss Bakugo.
"BUILD!" That Quirk of his is dangerous, but those hands must make it hard to actually fight! If I can just close the distance! "RELEASE! GALAXY CHASER!" In an instant, Bulla closed the distance, holding her body straight and keeping her foot out in order to minimize drag. Like a rocket, she shot across the path and slammed her foot into Nobu's face, knocking him off his feet. Before either of them could hit the ground, she straightened her body and delivered a blow directly into Nobu's temple, slamming him into the ground. With little time to react before he'd get back up, Bulla held an open hand out in front of her and gripped her wrist, forming a blue ball before her. "BAKUGO! THE ICE!" She called out.
As he quickly scanned the battlefield and smiled. "I gotcha!" Quickly, he maneuvered around his opponent, using his smaller stature and speed to his advantage. Finally, he managed to attract his opponent straight into the line of fire, between Bulla and the column of ice that Todoroki left behind.
Before he'd get caught up, Bakugo blasted off into the air as Bulla attack finished charging. "BIG BANG ATTACK!" Just as Nobu had gotten to his feet, the released blast slammed into him, and carried him away. Before Daigo could dodge, his comrade, as well as Bulla's attack, crashed into him and sent them both flying into the pillar of ice.
It all crumbled on top of them, burying them in ice. Bakugo began to spin around, building up speed before releasing a massive explosion onto the piled chunks of ice. "HOWITZER...IMPACT!"
The two reunited and watched the dust settle. Nothing was left behind but their enemies, knocked out-cold. "Yeah, I figured they wouldn't come back from that..." Bulla told him. "Come on, let's catch up with everyone else!"
"Right!" Before the two could carry on, they were met with a series of quadrupedal bots.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Bulla said as she readied herself. "How are you holding up over there?"
"That's a stupid question! I'm doing fine, idiot!" Bakugo responded angrily.
"My bad for checking. I seem to have forgotten that you hadn't taken a major blow." She retorted with a smile.
"Whatever, stop complaining. I've seen you take worse hits than that."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I guarantee if they have this many here, our friends are caught up themselves." Bulla told her partner as she dashed forward, forming a blast in her hand. "If that's the cause, then we can't get caught up with you!" Thrusting her hand onto the floor, Bulla fired a wave of energy through the ground before them. All at once, the way they had arrived had crumbled, and the robots fell to the level below.
"Pretty smart for a dumbass." Bakugo praised, looking towards where their friends had taken off to.
"That's not going to slow them down for long. We have to get moving!" Bulla told him as she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she searched about the building, feeling out the abundance of energies from the guests, villains, heroes, and her class. "They're about 20 levels up. If we scale the wall, we should be able to make it with no problem."
"And how the hell are you so sure?" He said angrily.
"Bakugo, I need you to trust me! If we want to help, I can't waste time explaining right now!" She told him, darting to the end of the room and blasting a hole in the wall. The cool air of island blew against her face. Once her eyes trailed down, her heart sunk into her stomach. "Wow... I've never been this high before..." Despite her deep breaths, she couldn't shake the dizzying feeling washing over her.
"Come on, for real? You're the one who recommended going outside." Bakugo told her, holding a hand on her shoulder.
"It's fine, I've got this. If I let a little vertical distance scare me, then Pan would never let me live it down. Just let me..." With one more long deep breath, Bulla's eyes opened, full of newfound determination. Although the dizzying feeling remained, she remained focused on her task at hand.
Bulla was the first to go, since her method of propulsion didn't leave smokescreens behind her. As soon as she had taken off, she could feel the air across her face, and was surprised by how different it felt to stay afloat so far above the ground. The two made their way up, and as the energies of her friend grew closer, Bulla zeroed in, and the moment she felt them on the other side of the wall, she blasted a large hole through it, diving in. "Class Rep!" Jiro called out. While Iida remained bound by the cables of the security bots, Mineta was weakly tossing balls from his bleeding scalp. Behind them, Kaminari lied on his back with two thumbs up in the air.
"Bulla..." Yaoyorozu called out weakly as all of the bots turned their attention to Bulla and Bakugo.
"Momo! Where are the others?!" Bulla called out as she raised her hands.
"Stop! If you damage these servers, Melissa said it could cause serious damage to the island's security!" Jiro warned, gesturing for them to stop with her hand. "Midoriya, Todoroki, Melissa, and Uraraka went further up!"
"Isn't damaging it supposed to be the point?!" Bakugo asked, gritting his teeth.
"It's more complicated than that, Bakugo. Get around these bots and make your way up! I'm sure they could use your help!" Bulla directed as her hands began to glow.
"What's with you and the orders today?!"
"Oh, come on, I'm the Class Rep! And besides," as Bulla raced around the bots, she dragged her hand along the ground before slamming a palm downward, sending energy through the floor and causing it to crumble around one side of the bots, "don't you want to prove you're better than Izuku?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Bakugo told her with a devilish smile, propelling himself over the action and taking off in opposite direction.
"We'll catch up with them as soon as we handle these!" Bulla told them as she dashed to the side and grabbed Iida by the cables that bound him.
"But they're so durable! Kaminari couldn't even phase them at double output!" Jiro explained in a panic.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I know I started out the year in rough shape, and I felt so small no matter what I did. But now, I know that I can protect everybody!" With her words filling her comrades with hope, Bulla threw her hands out in front of the remaining bots, forming a massive field around them. "No matter what, we will make it out of this!" She told them through her grit teeth, struggling to hold the large mass within her field. "Star Prison!" With all of the bots rounded up, Bulla held her hands to her side, one over the other. As she charged her attack, enveloped in a lavender aura, images of her father rushed through her mind. Thank you... Your attacks, your will, they shall live on with me! "GALICK GUN!" Thrusting her arms forward, she released her father's attack, forcing the imprisoned security drones out through the hole. With her strength drained, the Star Prison dissipated, and the collection of bots plummeted towards the ground below. "See...? No sweat..." Bulla said in between breaths, falling to one knee before catching herself.
"Bulla! Are you alright?!" Yaoyorozu called out to her friend.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need a minute... Luckily with Izuku, Todoroki, and Bakugo, they stand a pretty fair chance up there... But I'd rather not leave it to chance." Having caught her breath, Bulla picked herself up and began her march toward the coming battle.
"Wait, you're not going yet, are you?!" Jiro asked her, getting up to stand in her way.
"I have to, Jiro. They could use me up there."
"They can manage! You're drained, Brief! I can see it!" As much as she hated to admit it, Jiro was right. All of her big attacks had been rapidly bring Bulla to her limit. "I can see you trembling! You haven't recovered yet!"
"It'll be fine. I just need to push through. Plus Ultra, right?" In an attempt to assure her friend, Bulla gave a warm and hopeful smile, but to no avail.
Jiro reached out and took her arm, wrapping it around her shoulder. "I've hardly participated, so I at least have stamina to spare. Lean on me while we make our way up, that way you can rest! Even if it's a little, it'll be better than jumping straight back into the fight!"
"Jiro..." Bulla's eyes widened before smiling once again, this time much more softly. "Right. Let's go."
"Yao-momo, Mineta, Iida, please meet up with us as soon as you've recovered!" Jiro directed as she hustled down the path.
"Right, we'll be up there soon..." Yaoyorozu assured her, allowing her friends to leave with little worry.
Coming onto the scene, Bulla could see that Todoroki and Bakugo were clearing the bots around them, protecting Uraraka with minimal cracks in their defenses. "Hey guys... What'd I miss?" Asked rhetorically, gesturing for Jiro to let her off of her shoulder.
"Plenty. What took you so long?" Bakugo asked her, blowing away a wave of bots.
"Are you harmed at all?" Todoroki asked, kneeling beside her.
"No, just a little dizzy. I drained myself clearing the robots on the lower level. But I'll bounce back soon." Bulla told him as he turned around, sending a wave of ice towards an oncoming group of bots. "Ochaco, where's Melissa and Izuku?"
"I used my Quirk to send them towards the top. Deku broke through the wall, so they should have reached the top already." She explained. Uraraka pressed her fingers onto Bulla's shoulder, eliminating her weight and taking Jiro's place in carrying her.
Before long, the security bots had finally powered down, causing a wave of relief to wash over everyone. "They did it!" Bulla shouted hopefully. Hardly a minute passed before the building trembled. In a flash, a path was ripped through the side of the building. Like a beacon of hope, All Might rose to the sky in spectacular fashion, and with a single flex, kicked up an incredible whirlwind all around the tower. "Woah... What the hell...?"
"That's All Might for you!" Jiro said with excitement, throwing her fist into the sky. With a single burst, he seemed to rip through some kind of vehicle, and what was left behind erupted into a fireball, descending towards the tower.
"Come on, let's get going! It sounds like there's still work to be done!" Bulla directed as the fireball above lit the area around them.
"What about the others?" Todoroki asked as Bulla pointed out the stairwell.
"They had time to rest, and the security system was reset. They have nothing but time to catch up!" She explained as Uraraka charged at full sprint.
The group had finally reached the top floor, and followed the path of destruction left behind by Midoriya in whatever conflicts he participated in. Once they reached the roof, the tower began to shudder as it became stripped and torn of its material to form a large structure ahead. "What the hell is that thing?!" Todoroki asked.
Before them, several pillars erupted towards the Number 1 Hero, pinning him down while Midoriya, with Melissa in his arms, dodged several more.
"Looks like a boss battle to me." Bulla commented.
"Why won't you just die already!" The villain said as he unleashed a barrage of pillars towards the pinned All Might.
"Ochaco, throw me and release your Quirk!" In quick compliance, Uraraka grabbed Bulla by her waist and sent her flying in the direction of the erupting pillars. "Todoroki!" In succession, Todoroki froze the oncoming attack, and as Bulla was released from her weightless state, she rose her hands above her head, forming her attack before throwing her arms down. "STARDUST FALL!"
The combination attack ripped through and tore apart the villain's onslaught, while Bakugo took to the sky and unleashed a barrage of explosions towards the boss villain. "How are you letting yourself get caught up on such a lame boss?! Hurry up and take him down, All Might!" He called out. Just then, the rest of the group had finally arrived via the elevator, allowing for a fair chance to counterattack.
With flying pillars of piled chunks of metal soaring towards everyone, Iida, Bakugo, Bulla, and Todoroki worked towards clearing the air. Finally, All Might broke the stalemate, launching himself upward with a punch, followed by a straight shot towards the villain. "IT'S TIME TO BE...PLUS ULTRA!" Several of the boss villain's pillars were reduced to rubble in a matter of seconds, and All Might proceeded forward, holding his hands over his chest. "CAROLINA...SMASH!" With a flash of light and roaring whirlwind, All Might had cleared the path and charged straight for the villain. "Prepare yourself, villain!"
Although he was ready to end it, All Might had suddenly gotten caught by several dozens of wires, all keeping him bound in front of the villain. With a single movement from the boss, All Might was suddenly roaring in pain. "Hey... Hey hey! What's with him?!" Bulla mentioned. "I thought he was supposed to be the strongest?! What's going on?" Bulla asked as she switched between destroying and evading the pillars that pursued her.
"All Might!" As Midoriya ran to his teachers aid, he was cut short by whatever internal pain he had been feeling from the stress of his Quirk. Meanwhile, Bakugo and Todoroki were caught up in avoiding the villains continued advances.
"NOOOO!" He howled before taking a pillar to the torso, sending him back as far as his bindings would allow. Suddenly, a dozen cubed hunks of metal slammed into All Might, all at once, before several metal spears rose from the ground.
"FAREWELL, SYMBOL OF PEACE!" The villain called out as his attacks pierced All Might's metal prison.
"UNCLE MIGHT, NOOO!" Melissa's cries echoed out into the night. Bulla's eyes widened, her teeth grinded and her fists clenched. As she was about to step off, ready to free All Might, another took her place. Midoriya had leapt to All Might's aid, and in a single blow, he demolished the Number 1 Hero's prison. The remains scattered across the battlefield, and Bulla rushed to protect her friends from any falling debris that may be falling towards them.
What the hell? I felt a massive surge from him just now! This is a lot like my family's ability to power up! But...could it be...? Looking over, All Might had defended Midoriya from a large piece of debris, and after the two had exchanged words, he helped his student to his feet. In an instant, the two charged towards the boss.
"There's no way you can stop me..." The villain said to his oncoming foes as the remaining floating debris began to accumulate into more chunks of metal. "You're insignificant pests... And you don't know when to lie down and be crushed!" With the villains cry, the newly formed chunks of metal went flying downward, and Bulla rose to the sky once again, letting off another Stardust Fall to break apart the scattered attack.
"You're the one who doesn't know he's beat!" Bakugo called out, letting off a massive explosion to eliminate the remaining scattered pieces.
Several more pillars ripped through the smoke, barreling towards All Might and Midoriya, but Todoroki threw his arm upward and let off a massive wave of ice to stop them in their tracks. "I won't let you!"
"This is over!" The villain sent out another scattered onslaught, shooting his pillars in every direction. As the integrity of the top floor weakened even further, Bulla dashed to Melissa's side before she could fall over, allowing her to join with her class once again.
"Are you hurt?" She asked her friend.
"No, I'm fine!" Melissa answered before turning towards the scene unfolding.
"Wow..." Bulla watched the unmatched speed of All Might, and how Midoriya, despite being significantly slower, mirrored him almost perfectly.
"What's...happening...?!" Uraraka asked as the scene unfolded. Before them, the villain compiled his remaining assets into a massive block of metal. Sending it downward, All Might and Midoriya's combined attacks collided together, stopping it from soaring any further. Together, teacher and student broke through the villains attack, and flew further into the sky. "DEKUU!" She cried out.
"STOP HIM, ALL MIGHT!" Yaoyorozu and Jiro cried out together.
"GO MIDORIYA!" Iida and Mineta called out for their friend.
"DESTROY THIS GUY!" Bulla said in tune with Bakugo and Todoroki.
"Let's go..."
"Beyond!"
"PLUS...ULTRA!" Together, All Might and Midoriya closed the distance between their opponent, and in a flash of light, the two collided with the villain-made structure before them. The collision caused the whole tower to shake, but the two pressed on, ultimately destroying their foe's defenses.
The structure crumbled away, and a rumbling silence fell over the battlefield. "They did it..." Iida said.
"Alright, Izuku!" Bulla cheered happily along with her friends for the day's hero. The roof of the tower was wrecked, and everyone was a mess. As Bakugo approached Bulla, she couldn't help but smile, despite the outfit she had gotten for him being ripped to shreds. "I hope you know you owe me a new suit."
"Whatever. It's not like you paid for it. Beside, you owe me a promise, anyway." He reminded her.
"Yeah, but technically we never went to the reception, soo..." Bakugo's glare was evidence enough. He was tired of jokes for one day. "I'm just kidding!" Holding her hands defensively in front of her, she couldn't help but laugh. Looking over the roof towards the entirety of I-Island, the Sun began to rise over the horizon, bathing the scene in a brilliant golden glow. "As promised, I'll tell you everything. Katsuki Bakugo, this is the story...of my past."