I stare out the window of the public bus as I tap my foot. We pass rows of houses, buildings, trees, and moving cars as people sit patiently for their stop.
I should get used to this. I can't fly to school every day, it's a waste of energy.
The bus comes closer to the U.A building as I pull my bag next to me. With a pull of the brakes, I stand up and swing my bag over my shoulder. Easing my way up to the exit, I thank the bus driver and jump off. Taking a turn around it, I walk to the entrance of U.A and watch the cherry blossoms from the cherry trees fly in the wind gracefully. It seems peaceful and reassuring.
This sounds stupid, but how nice would it be to be a cherry blossom? You wait through fall, winter, and summer just to bloom, and when you do, you always make people smile...
A lone pink cherry blossom in the wind blows into my face and lands on my cheek.
Then again, maybe not...You die after you fall off making the wait hardly worth anything...
I brush it off and keep walking.
And what was with that train of thought? You're not a child, Tazuma.
Making my way through the front doors and onto the stairs, I spot Todoroki in front of me. I catch up to him and start a conversation.
"Good morning, Todoroki."
He glances at me as we continue to walk up the stairs, side by side.
"Good morning."
He seems a bit grumpy today.
"Rough day?"
He sighs.
"Yeah, I guess. I got into an argument with my dad."
I roll my eyes.
"I know how that feels. Except, I don't see mine too often but when I do we fight."
He turns to me, a curious look on his face.
"What do you mean? Are your parents divorced?"
I stutter for a moment, debating whether I should tell the truth or not.
Too late to go back, I guess...
"N-not exactly. He's in jail..."
Todoroki pauses, his eyes slightly wide.
"And you visit him?"
"It's not like I want to. He wants to convince me that it'll do me so good if I bail him out, but if I'm being honest we pretty much hate each other."
He nods.
"I hate my dad too. The only reason he wants me is because he wants me to surpass All Might."
"Yikes, that's high. Sure you're very powerful, but that doesn't mean you're going to become greater than All Might. Is he hard on you?"
He pauses, and something in his expression changes. He suddenly seems angry.
"Yes. He's trained me ever since I could walk."
Is it too risky to say "me too"? I wouldn't be lying...The Yakuza were hard on me especially when I was younger. Maybe if I make it a half-truth
I nod.
"My dad sent me to a special training camp as soon as my quirk appeared. The people there weren't exactly friendly to me."
He glances at me with a pitiful expression.
"It seems we have more in common than we thought."
"Yeah..."
He opens the classroom door from us and I walk in first. He sighs as he walks to his desk. I spot Bakugo and saunter up to his desk.
"Good morning, sparkles."
Bakugo grits his teeth and growls.
"The hell do you want, smart-ass?"
I shrug as I walk towards my desk.
"Just saying good morning, dumbass."
He mutters a colorful mix of curse words as he forms a fist with his hand.
"Tch."
Taking a seat at my desk, I set my bag down and cross my arms.
I knew Endeavor was selfish, but I never would've thought that he would use his own son for personal gain...A-and what if that scar on Todoroki's face is from him?! That would make us both burned by the same pro hero...Hell, you can't even call Endeavor a hero if he would do something like that! Plus it's just even more proof that heroes are selfish, narcissistic, and shallow. It's absolutely disgusting...
Soon, Aizawa walks in and everyone settles down.
"Good morning everyone, and good work on yesterday's combat training. I saw the results. Bakugo, you're talented, so don't complain about your loss like a kid."
Aizawa says in front of the class. I try not to chuckle as Bakugo grumbles.
"And Midoriya, You settled it by breaking your arm again, huh? You can't keep saying you can't help it because you can't control your quirk. I don't like saying the same thing over and over. As long as you fix the control issue, there's a lot you'll be able to do. Feel a sense of urgency, Midoriya."
I start to zone out as Aizawa lectures Midoriya.
"Now let's get down to homeroom business. Sorry about the late notice but today, I'll have you...decide on a class representative."
A class rep? I didn't expect that.
"I want to be class rep! Pick me!"
Kirishima says, reaching his hand into the air.
"Me too!"
Kaminari adds.
"I want to do it, too."
"It's a job made for m-"
"I'll be the leader!"
Why does everyone have to be so loud?!
Iida tries to step into the cluster of voices and stands up.
"Everybody, please! It is a job with the serious responsibility of leading others. It is not a job for just anyone who wants to do it. It is a calling that-"
"Yeah, yeah whatever. Listen, what he's saying is none of you are qualified enough for even a remotely leader-type role. With the exception of Momo and Iida."
I say as I cross my arms. Everyone stares at me and I glare at all of them.
"What? I'm right aren't I?"
There's a pause from the class. Iida awkwardly turns back to everyone and starts chopping the air with his hand.
"As I was saying, it is a calling that requires the trust of those around you-"
Iida keeps lecturing the class as I growl to myself.
Oh yeah, just ignore me that'll get something done. This is why I'm not going to be interested in this stupid "election". After all, what's it got to do with me? I don't care who wins in the slightest.
"I got three votes?!"
Midoriya exclaims, anxious and nervous.
I'm just as shocked as you are. You're definitely not who I would've voted for…
"Why Deku?! Who voted for him?!"
Bakugo jolts up and slams a fist onto his desk.
"Well, it's better than voting for you."
I hold in a laugh as Bakugo threatens Kaminari. Soon, my thoughts drift to another matter.
If I can find the U.A staff meeting or get a copy of the schedule before lunch, I'll have enough info to alert Shigiraki of when we should attack. I just have to somehow sneak away during lunch and work quickly. I can't afford to waste time.
"Then, the class rep is Midoriya, and the deputy class rep will be Yaoyorozu."
Midoriya gulps and Momo sighs as Aizawa dismisses the class for lunch.
"Oritsu, I've been wondering, why do you hate it when someone calls you by your first name?"
Todoroki asks. I sigh as we make our way to a table, lunch trays in hand.
"It's kind of hard to explain, but it just feels weird to me whenever someone else besides my aunt calls me by my first name. I don't know why."
He nods as we sit down across from each other.
"Do you live with your aunt?"
He takes a bite of his soba as he looks me in the eye, with a blank expression.
"Yeah. My mom died when I was younger and I was raised by my dad until I was fourteen. That's when he was sent to jail and I started living with my aunt."
It's so easy to lie to people...How come people don't do it more often?
"I didn't know your mom passed away. I assumed by how you acted on the first day that you had strict parents."
Crossing my arms, I sigh again.
"It-"
I realize something.
If he took note of how I behaved on the first day, does that mean he was watching me? He appeared so focused on other things, and I hardly even noticed him before he talked to me...Why the hell does it matter anyway? He was probably just curious.
"It's fine. I'm used to having people assume things about me."
There's a silence between us as he eats and my mind wanders pointlessly.
"Aren't you going to eat?"
"Maybe. I just have something I need to do. Excuse me for a minute."
Standing up, I walk away from our table and make my way to a hallway. I take a sharp turn and start navigating. My hand runs along the walls as I keep an eye out for passerby.
It shouldn't take me long. My first objective is to get to the staff room. Then when I'm done, I'll hide and contact the League. But I need to make sure I pay attention so I don't-
Someone turns around at a corner and bumps straight into me. They instantly yet gently push me back.
"Watch it!"
Bakugo.
I retaliate and growl at him, ready to fight.
"How about you apologize, dip-shit!"
He readies a fighting stance, smoke sizzling from his palms.
"I don't have to apologize for anything, dumbass!"
Realizing that if It doesn't stop here and that we'll most likely end up fighting and getting in trouble, I try to calm down as I storm past him. Bakugo, surprisingly, doesn't say anything as he watches me leave and shoves his hands in his pockets, going his own way.
That bastard…
Looking around, I finally find the staff room and glance inside. I sigh in relief.
Alright, it's empty.
Carefully, I walk in and think hard about where I would be if I were an important schedule. I fumble around with stacks of papers, checking underneath and in between them. Opening drawers and looking behind shelves, I find nothing.
I should check All Might's desk. It might be there.
Walking over to his desk, I carefully search. I glance at a trash can next to it, and I spot a crumpled piece of paper sitting awkwardly next to it.
This might be it. It makes sense, doesn't it? You'd expect an important schedule to be hung up on the wall or something, not in a trash can. It's brilliant.
Unfolding it, I find that I'm correct. I smirk to myself as I read the notes written on it. Grabbing my phone out of my pocket, I place the paper on his desk and smooth out the wrinkles. Taking a few photos with my phone, I open my contacts and call Shigaraki. Not two rings later, he answers.
"Do you have it?"
"Yes, sir. In about thirty minutes or less, class 1-A will be traveling by bus to the U.S.J, or Unforeseen Simulation Joint to practice rescue training. Pro hero Thirteen, EraserHead, and All Might will be present. Is that enough?"
Shigiraki laughs maniacally through the other end. It sends a chill up my spine even though it shouldn't.
"Yes, yes, yes. It is more than enough. And your classmates' weaknesses?"
I bite my tongue.
"I couldn't get much about that. But I do know that most of 1-A aren't very experienced in fighting. A few of them are. Although everyone has a fighting spirit, so be cautious about who you send after them."
He pauses.
"You referred to them in the third person and you're supposed to be one of them. Do you not see them as equals?"
I'm confused by this question.
"Of course not! Anyway, I should mention that Pro hero Endeavor's son is in class 1-A, and in the past, I had a mission given to me by the Yakuza that got interrupted by him. I don't think he remembers me, but I plan on deceiving him so I can make sure he doesn't."
"I see. Well-"
"-There has been a Level 3 security breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly. I repeat,"
The alarm rings in my ears as I stand frozen.
"I apologize, sir, but I have to go. I wasn't caught but something seems wrong. Goodbye."
Hanging up, I shove my phone in my pocket and crumple the paper again. Dropping it next to the trash can, I take a minute to think.
A security breach? Don't tell me the league decided to attack now?! No that can't be it, attacking in broad daylight would be stupid. And the alarm said "security breach" not "under attack" or something… Either way, I should make it to the exit as quickly as possible.
Frantically, I run out of the staff room and start running down the hall, quickly losing track of where I am. The shouts of panicking students vibrate through the floor, as I soon start to panic myself, getting lost in the maze of halls. My heart beats faster as I run quicker, now getting desperate.
God, where could everyone be?!
I hear an echo of someone shouting and the sound of pounding footsteps gets louder. Not knowing whether to ignore it or not, I speed up to find the crowd, but everyone is still and staring at a person on the wall. Recognizing the hair, I realize it's Iida.
What the hell is he doing on the wall?! Wait, did he say that it's just the press?
Looking out the window, I spot the mass of reporters, journalists, and more begging to be acknowledged as Aizawa and Pro hero Present Mic.
All of that from the damn press?! How did they get through the security systems? Something's not right…
"Come on class rep, start." momo
"N-now, let us decide on the other class officers...But first, can I say something? I think that Tenya Iida should be the class rep instead! He was able to get everyone's attention in such a cool way. I think it would be best for him to do it."
Midoriya stutters from the front of the class.
"I'm good with that! Midoriya's saying it, and it's true that Iida was a big help in the cafeteria today."
Kirishima says.
"Yeah, and he kind of looked like the person on the emergency exit signs, didn't he?"
"You're wasting time. I don't care what you do, just hurry up and do it."
Aizawa mutters from his sleeping bag. Iida stands up and raises his right hand.
"If the class rep has nominated me, then it cannot be helped. From this day forth, I, Tenya Iida, promise to do my best to carry out the duties of the class representative!"
He's really getting into it...Well, it doesn't matter. I have things to look forward to in hero basic training...
Aizawa gets out of his sleeping bag and moves to the front of the class. Midoriya and Momo go back to their seats and Iida sits back down. Aizawa clears his throat and starts speaking.
"For today's hero basic training, it's turned into a class with three instructors, All Might, me, and one more person."
"Excuse me! What'll we be doing?"
Sero raises his hand. Aizawa holds up a card with "rescue" written on it.
"Disasters, shipwrecks, and everything in between. It's rescue training."
The class interjects with statements of excitement as I cross my arms.
"Hey, I'm not done. You can decide if you want to wear your costume or not this time. Because there are probably costumes that limit your abilities, too. The training will take place off-campus so we're taking a bus. That is all. Start getting ready."
Aizawa casually leaves the classroom as the metal shelves carrying everyone's costumes extends from the wall. I follow as everyone chaotically grabs their cases. As I leave the classroom with my case in hand, Todoroki taps my shoulder to get my attention and starts walking with me.
"Rescue training, huh?"
I nod.
"I'm not too excited about it, to be honest. I don't think I'll do too well."
"I'm sure you'll do fine. I'm not the best at it either."
"Ritsu!"
Mina suddenly jumps at me from behind, squealing like a little kid. Surprised and pissed off, I tug her off of me.
"What the hell, Mina?!"
"I'm just saying hi!"
I growl loudly.
"You could've done that before! Why now?!"
Todoroki awkwardly waves goodbye as he starts to leave.
"I'll meet you on the bus."
"Yeah."
He walks away as Mina giggles. I take a deep breath and try to calm down.
"Sorry, for yelling. But seriously, you can't just jump on people like that."
Sighing, Mina starts up a conversation as we walk to the changing rooms.
Ignoring most of the commotion on the bus, I practice breathing evenly out of habit. Todoroki sits next to me and stares out the window. Everyone is in their hero costumes including me, even though I'm still not entirely used to it considering the tight shorts and crop top.
I gotta be as calm as possible so when the League attacks, I'll seem that much more surprised. Although most of it will be genuine because I have no idea how they plan to do it or what they'll do...
"-Well, if you're talking about flashy and strong, it's gotta be Todoroki, Bakugo, and Oritsu, though huh?"
I listen in at the mention of my name.
"Bakugo's always mad, so he doesn't seem like he'll be popular though. And Oritsu seems kind of scary."
Tsuyu says as I grumble to myself. Bakugo took it a different way.
"What the hell! You wanna fight?!"
"See?"
Tsuyu points to Bakugo.
"We haven't known each other that long, so it's amazing that everyone already knows his personality is flaming crap seeped in sewage."
Kaminari states. I laugh as Bakugo starts fuming.
"What's with that vocabulary, bastard?! I'll kill you!"
Bakugo yells at Kaminari as Jiro moves away from him. I gently nudge Todoroki.
"Hey Todoroki, can I have some ice? It doesn't have to be big."
Todoroki looks at me funny then frost starts swirling together in his right hand.
"Why?"
He hands me the ice.
"Just watch."
I grip it tightly as I stand up and shout.
"Shut up, already! No one wants to listen to the dumb shit you have to say!"
I throw the ice and it hits Bakugo on the head. He curses loudly and rubs his head where the ice hit.
"WHO THREW THAT DAMN THING?!"
Falling back in my seat, I cross my arms as I smirk.
"We're here. Stop messing around."
Aizawa says coldly. Todoroki tries to suppress a grin as he turns his face out the window.
Everyone stands in front of the entrance to the U.S.J, watching in admiration as Pro hero Thirteen speaks.
"Everyone, I have been waiting for you."
Shit! All Might isn't here?! Shigiraki's not going to be happy about this...And damn it, my hard work was wasted!
"Let's go inside without delay."
The class follows as Thirteen leads us inside the humongous dome that is the U.S.J.
Woah...I didn't know the U.S.J was so big...
I gaze out at the multiple disaster scenarios laid in a circle, unaware that I appear anxious.
"Oritsu, are you feeling alright? You look worried."
Todroki asks me. Turning to him, I brush it off.
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. I'm just a bit nervous that's all. I don't want to embarrass myself if I end up doing a shitty job at saving people."
I cross my arms as he nods and focuses on Thirteen. The expression on his face tells me that he's not completely convinced but wants to believe me.
Maybe he'll end up getting injured during the attack...And if he's weakened well enough, I can beat him to a pulp and make sure he's at least forgotten a few important things. And if not, I can leave it up to someone else to finish the job...
"-A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm, et cetera-it is a training ground that I made with different types of accidents and disasters. It's called the 'Unforeseen Simulation Joint' or 'U.S.J' for short!"
Thirteen says happily.
"Thirteen, where's All Might? He was supposed to meet us here."
Aizawa asks as he walks up to thirteen.
"About that, it looks like he did too much hero work on his way to U.A and ran out of time, so he's resting in the lounge."
Thirteen holds up three fingers as she answers.
"That's the height of irrationality, but it can't be helped. Shall we begin?"
Aizawa stands next to Thirteen as they continue.
"Let's see, before we begin, let me say one thing-er-or two, or three, or four, or five, six, seven...Anyway, everyone, I am sure you are aware of my quirk, Blackhole. I can suck up anything and turn it into dust."
"And you've been able to use that quirk to save people from all kinds of disasters right?"
Midoriya exclaims.
"Yes, but it is a power that can kill easily. Some of you also have quirks like that, right? In a superhuman society, personal quirks have been certified and stringently regulated, so that doesn't seem to be a problem at first glance. However, please do not forget that there are many quirks that can easily kill with one wrong step."
I think of my own quirk for a moment, and see the truth behind Thirteen's words.
They're right...I know they weren't talking about me specifically but, I can't help but feel like they were directed at me...
"With Aizawa's physical fitness test, you found out about the possibility of your own hidden powers, and with All Might's person-to-person combat training, I think you experienced the danger of using those powers against others."
Yeah I did. A hell of a long time ago…
"This class is a fresh start. You shall learn how to use your quirks to save people's lives. You do not have powers so you can harm others. I hope you leave here with the understanding that you have powers in order to help others."
Thirteen takes a bow.
"That is all. Thank you for listening."
I stare off at nothing with a glare on my face, expecting what will be a surprise to everyone else.
"Alright then, first-"
Aizawa begins but is cut off by a string of lights lining the walls of the U.S.J shattering. Everyone mutters in confusion, and I rapidly glance around, suddenly on edge. Then, a familiar black and purple cloud of mist swirls to life in the center of the U.S.J. As it gets bigger and bigger, it twitches and spasms to huge sizes, as something reaches out of it. I blink twice, turning my eyes into that of an owl, and I zoom in on the pale hand reaching through the portal.
Shigiraki…You've finally arrived...
Blinking again and turning my eyes back to normal, my heartbeat races as I try to look as shocked as everyone else.
"Gather together and don't move! Thirteen, protect the students!"
Aizawa shouts. The class watches as Shigiraki steps out of the portal, along with a horde of thugs and criminals.
"Is this like the entrance exam where the lesson's already started?"
Kirishima asks, straining his eyes to get a closer look.
"Don't move!"
Aizawa shouts again as he puts on his yellow goggles.
"Those are villains."
I knew what I was getting into when I joined the League but…I would be partially responsible for someone getting hurt by villains because I was the one who told them when and where they needed to be...Tch. What does it matter? Once this is finished I can leave U.A. and forget all about them.
The number of people coming out of the portal grows as Aizawa's scarf grows and spreads like a living spider web.
"What? Villains? There's no way they could get into a hero school!"
"Teacher, what about the trespasser sensors?"
"We have them, of course, but…"
Thirteen pauses as Todoroki speaks up.
"Did they only appear here or around the whole school? Either way, if the sensors are not responding, that means they have someone with a quirk that can do that."
I glance at him. He seems so calm and collected compared to everyone else in the class.
"An isolated area separated from the main campus during a time when a class is supposed to be here. They might be fools, but they're not dumb. This surprise attack was carefully planned with some sort of goal in mind."
"Don't underestimate villains."
Everyone's attention turns to me. I regret ever speaking and want to cup my hand over my mouth but I manage to appear mostly calm.
"You never know what they plan to do and are unpredictable. To underestimate one would be foolish no matter how insignificant they may seem."
I scream at myself inside my mind as Thirteen nods at my statement.
"Thirteen, start the evacuation and try to call the school. These villains even had something to counteract the sensors. It's possible someone with radio-wave-type powers is interfering. Kaminari, you try contacting the school with your quirk, too."
Kaminari nods reluctantly.
"What about you, sir? Will you fight by yourself? With that many, even if you can erase your quirks... Eraser Head's fighting style is capturing after erasing the enemy's quirk. A frontal battle is..."
Midoriya asks, clearly concerned for Aizawa.
"You can't be a hero with just one trick. I'm leaving it to you, Thirteen."
Aizawa then leaps into the air, rocketing downwards towards the villains. He takes out three of them in an instant, frightening the others. He continues his battle, as Todoroki tugs gently on my arm.
"Come on."
I nod at him. Everyone starts running towards the exit. Suddenly, a familiar black and purple mist appears on the ground in front of everyone, preventing them from leaving.
"I won't let you."
The mist gets bigger and bigger until Kurogiri forms a frightening tower of mist.
"Nice to meet you. We are the League of villains. It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves into the home of the heroes, U.A High School. In order to have All Might, the symbol of peace, take his last breath. I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change? Or has our source made a mistake?"
I clench my teeth, praying that Kurogiri doesn't reveal me just yet.
"Well, that is neither here nor there. This is the part I'm here to play."
His misty arms stretch outwards, like a blanket of black cloud as Thirteen points a finger at him. Then, Kirishima and Bakugo jump towards Kurogiri, and Bakugo releases a powerful explosion, causing everyone to be blinded by smoke. Bakugo and Kirishima back off, a smug look on Kirishima's face.
"Oh dear, that's dangerous. That's right, even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs."
"No! Move away, you two!"
Thirteen shouts as Kurogiri surrounds the class with a dome of black and purple.
"My job is to scatter you all and torture you to death!"
Remembering about my plan to greatly injure Todoroki, I blindly reach for him. Grabbing onto his arm, the ground underneath me suddenly slips away as I try not to scream. I've obviously traveled in Kurogiri's portals before but not like this. Holding onto Todoroki for dear life, I find myself wrapping my arms around him out of fear. Then, something hard hits me, separating me from him, and I blackout.
"Oritsu! ORITSU! God damn it, where are you?!"
I hear an angry voice calling my name as I slowly blink my eyes open.
Ow...Ow…
My vision is blurry, but all at once, I feel intense heat waving onto me, and sharp pain in my right ankle. Groaning, I gently move my arms and lift my head up. I scan the area but find nothing but flaming debris and abandoned roads.
Shit! I must be in the fire zone! Just perfect...And was that Bakugo shouting?! I thought I grabbed Todoroki! DAMN IT!
Sweat rapidly drips from my arms and forehead as I try to move. The pain from my leg shoots through me and I bite my tongue to keep from crying out. Glancing behind me, a large chunk of concrete rests in a crooked way on my leg. I try to move it, but it hurts. Then, a pissed off Bakugo glares at me as he runs towards me, cursing. At the moment, I'm too annoyed to be seriously mad at him.
"What the HELL were you thinking?!"
I grunt as he slams his fist onto the debris covering my leg, causing it to burst into pieces.
"What happened?"
He seems offended by the question as he glares at me.
"What happened?! You grabbed me and dragged me down here with you! Do you have any idea-"
"Bakugo, please. I think I sprained something..."
His eyes widen for a moment before he grumbles.
"Can you walk?"
"Probably not you dumbass! Did you hear what I just said?! Can you at least help me up?!"
"Can't you fly or something?!"
He barks, his fists clenched.
"If I did, how would I get back down?! Where would I go?! From the looks of it, this whole place is dome so I can't fly out of it! And in case you've forgotten, heat and smoke rise so it'll be even worse in the air!"
He growls then kneels next to me.
"Fine, but you better shut up or I'm leaving you here to die!"
I nod. Putting my right arm over his shoulder, he puts his arm around me and grabs onto my waist then lifts me up. Pain stabs my leg like needles as I try to put weight on it. I bite my tongue and wince as we try to walk. I remember the fire all around us and realize I should warn Bakugo.
"Bakugo I need to tell you something."
He groans and yells.
"I told you to shut up!"
"Just listen alright?!"
He shuts his mouth and glares at the ground. I sigh, trying to keep up with our steady walking pace.
"My weakness is fire so if I don't get out of this damn place soon, I'm going to burn up and my body will start to shut down. And I know you don't want to carry me around like a dead weight so I'd thought you ought to know."
"You're telling me this now?! How fucking stupid are you?! Do you want to die?!"
I growl at him.
"No, I don't want to die! I'm just thinking ahead!"
Heat pounds my head, making it feel like my head is being squeezed together and crushed. I wince and my eyes strain themselves closed.
"Shit…"
Bakugo shouts in my ear.
"What the hell are you doing?! Now's not the time to pass out!"
My legs start to feel heavier as I almost fall but Bakugo steadies me.
"It's just going to get worse...If we make it out of here…"
"What do you mean if?! Of course, we're going to get out of here!"
"Y-you're not listening Bakugo…"
The heat from the fire spreads throughout me, as it grows in my stomach making it feel like a boulder weighing me down and dragging me to death.
"If we make it out, t-tell Aizawa that to treat it, they have to put me in a cold environment...Something like that…Oh my god I feel so dizzy…"
My heart rate starts slowing down and my chest feels heavier. I start losing feeling in my legs as I struggle to stay upright.
"You can't pass out now, you dumbass!"
"I c-can't do anything about it alright?! I-I can't…"
I slip from Bakugo's grip and fall on my knees as he shouts at me.
"You can't what?! Stop wasting time and get up!"
It gets harder to breathe with every inhale, and with smoke in the air, it hurts as well. Like my throat is lined with ash. My arms give in and I collapse onto the ground. Bakugo shakes my shoulders as I struggle to breathe, my lungs refusing to inhale or exhale.
"What the hell are you thinking?! Get up already!"
I can't you idiot...It's hard enough to breathe right now...
"GET UP!"
My breathing starts getting raspy and desperate as he clenches his teeth.
"FINE!"
He puts his arms underneath my torso and legs as he lifts me up. He starts running and mumbles to himself aggressively. For a moment, I lift my eyelids and catch a glimpse of the fear in his eyes as his grip tightens. My eyelids flutter shut again, I think about how he could've forgotten about me. He could've ignored me and go fight villains, waiting for someone else to deal with me. Knowing him, he wouldn't care one bit about me. And we hate each other, so what does he gain from saving me? Why would he care?
Looking back I probably thought too hard about it... It's not like it would've answered any of my questions anyway.
"Wake the hell up, dumbass! We're almost out of the fire zone!"
Bakugo crashes through a large pair of doors and almost drops me but holds on. Crisp air suddenly enters my lungs. I take it in with every breath as my lungs and muscles cry and beg for it. Very slowly, my heartbeat ever so slightly quickens and gets to work at pumping the oxygen throughout my body. My muscles regain feeling but not enough to move them.
That damn fire zone was torture...I can't believe we made it out...
Opening my eyes, I can tell Bakugo's mind hard at work on what to do with me. It'll take about fifteen to twenty minutes for me to even be able to stand on my own, but with a cold space, I could be walking in five minutes. He takes a turn and follows the outer rim of the fire zone and gently sets me down behind a few trees and bushes.
"Is that better, you damn pain in the ass?"
Slowly, I nod. I have enough strength to talk, but my voice is shaky.
"I-I'll b-be alright...I-I have a-a plan…"
He grumbles and runs off. As I watch him run off, I feel like reaching out. Like I don't want him to leave... But that's ridiculous.
He was smart to give me some coverage instead of dropping me out in the open. I know I have to, but I don't have time to wait. I can't be a coward and hide from this whole thing! But I don't have a choice…
I groan in pain as I move my right leg closer to me. Suddenly, I get an idea.
Maybe if I wait for just five, no-eight more minutes, I can turn into a bird and fly over everything and search for the rest of 1-A, then if I have enough strength to spare, I can carry a few to the exit where they're less likely to get hurt. But, it feels sudden...Just earlier today I hardly cared for them and now I want to save them?! What is going on with you, Tazuma...?!
This is the longest five minutes of my whole life...
Waiting for my strength to return made me even more impatient and every minute felt like torture but it was worth it. I can move all of my limbs just fine but being able to fly will be a problem.
I'm such an idiot to think I could even try to save the rest of 1-A. I can hardly move on my own, so how do I expect to save anyone?! I should just save my own ass...Class 1-A might be wannabe's, but they know how to take care of themselves. And the army Shigiraki is using is mostly just petty thieves who think they're important. There's only a few who you truly have to worry about. Now stop wasting time and get your ass off the ground.
I turn myself into a black and gold bird, about the size of a tennis ball. I easily spread my small wings and pull myself into the air. The wind feels cool on my feathers as I beat my wings against the air. Gazing out at everything, I can hardly see anyone recognizable. They look like ants compared to me. Focusing, I lock my eyes onto the exit of the U.S.J, where Mina, Ochaco, a few others, and a beaten-up Thirteen wait. Aiming downwards, I get the attention of Mina as I scrape my tiny claws on the ground, trying to land. I turn back into a human and limp towards Mina.
"Ritsu! Oh my gosh, I was so worried!"
Oh god...that used up more energy than I thought...
"Mina, I think I'm gonna rest for a minute..."
"Hm?"
I faint into her arms and she freaks out a little.
"Are you alright?! What happened?"
"...Fire zone..."
I manage to mutter before I close my eyes.
"16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Everyone seems to be unharmed except for that boy whose legs are all messed up and the blue-haired girl."
I clench my teeth at being called that but I keep quiet as a police officer with a brown trench coat gives a headcount. With my leg healed, I can walk normally and I've fully recovered from the fire zone thanks to Todoroki. If it weren't for Bakugo, I would most likely be dead. I turn to face Todoroki.
"Where'd you end up?"
"The landslide zone. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"
He responds flatly as I sigh and cross my arms.
"Yeah I'm fine it was just bad luck. And thanks again for helping me recover."
"No problem."
He stares off into space as the police officer with the trench coat walks up to the class.
"Let's go ahead and get these students back to the main campus. They've been through a lot and we don't need to question them right away."
"Detective, what about Mr. Aizawa?"
Tsuyu tilts her head and asks. The "detective" holds up his phone and a voice comes out from the other end.
"The bones in his arms are splintered and he's got facial fracturing. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any serious brain damage. But, his orbital floor has been almost completely destroyed. We have no way of knowing if his eyesight will be impaired after he's healed."
The detective puts his phone back in his pocket.
"Well, you heard the man."
"Um, sir what about Thirteen?"
Mina says desperately.
"There's no need to worry there. Despite some pretty bad lacerations just to the back, Thirteen is gonna pull through good as new."
The detective continues and I ignore him. Grimacing, I cross my arms and glare into space.
It seems the mission was a failure...Shigiraki isn't going to be happy about this. Not at all. I'll take today off and give him some time to calm down then meet up with the League tomorrow...I can't wait to get home and just relax. This has been a long and stressful day.
Before we start getting back on the bus back to the main building, I search for Bakugo in the crowd. Tapping his shoulder, he glares at me.
"The hell do you want?"
I sigh.
"I'm here to say thank you. If it weren't for you I'd most likely be dead. It's not like I can ignore what you did. I may be rude but I'm not that rude."
"Tch. It was your own fault, dumbass."
He walks away.
I may be a villain, but a villain knows when to be grateful.
Walking back over to Todoroki, I don't notice when Bakugo mumbles something under his breath. it's not angry. More sorrowful than that.
But then again I was probably looking too much into it...