Chapter 108
A New Symbol: The Guardian of Light vs Lemillion!
The shrill alarm startled Amari awake. She snapped her eyes open to a veil of darkness, save a halo of blue light illuminating a foreign space the kunoichi failed to immediately recognize. She struggled to sit upright, hoping to get her bearings and learn the source of the alarm. Was it an attack? A security system of some description?
Her efforts unleashed a terribly violent siege of sharp stings and dull aches onto her body. Amari hissed and clenched her teeth. It felt like a hard crust had molded over her skin, and with each slight movement the hardened crust cracked and fissured, escalating her pain; she remembered the burns she sustained at that moment.
The blaring alarm drilled through her eardrums into her skull, utterly oppressive in its shrillness. In the fog of drowsiness and pain, she couldn't think, couldn't locate the source and destroy it when several more fissures tore open along her back. Was her skin tearing itself open, like an itchy scab a child couldn't resist the temptation to scratch and peel off? It hurt. Could this be how it felt to be flayed and skinned alive?
As the kunoichi leaned forward, grimacing in physical pain, she was met with mild resistance. Two arms held her in place, wrapped warmly around her belly in a gentle embrace. She felt the owner begin shifting behind her.
"Easy. It's just my alarm," Yukiko's tired and soft voice murmured.
Right. She was in Yukiko's room and had fallen asleep in her arms. She had forgotten, briefly.
One arm relinquished its hold, reached over and retrieved the phone. The shrill alarm was slain into silence, and with it the halo of light was extinguished, returning the room to persistent darkness. The arm wrapped gently around her belly again, lightly guiding Amari back. She offered no fight.
Yukiko was soft, warm. Amari shut her eyes and nestled into her, content to lie in her embrace as long as time allowed, swimming in the pleasant and calming presence Yukiko's protective embrace provided. She honed in on sensations beyond her pain, listening to the soft breaths of her friend, feeling the steady expansion and compression of Yukiko's chest beneath her which caused her to rise and fall imperceptibly, and with every hypnotizing breath she fell deeper, deeper and deeper into a dimension beyond time where they could simply be.
She breathed in deeply the lavender and vanilla scent, so much stronger here in their embrace, transporting her far away from the smoke and fire and heat she could still smell. Further and further away from the pain of her physical body and the fissuring sensation to a place where their destiny couldn't touch them. To a place where it was just them and this warmth, this feeling of home her heart had found far, far away from the world and people she would return to.
"Do you want to shower this morning?" Yukiko murmured.
"No. I'll have to take one at U.A. anyway."
"Right. Some upperclassman wanted a fight."
Mirio Togata. It was totally going to be a drag, she could sense it. But that was later. Much, much later. For now, here in the present, she didn't want to think about troublesome upperclassmen or the future. For once the kunoichi just wanted to stop thinking and preparing to savor and exist in this peace.
Amari shifted slightly, curling up on her side against Yukiko.
"Can we…can we just stay like this a little longer, Yukiko?" she asked, nuzzling into her.
Yukiko pressed a kiss on the top her head and held her closer.
"Yeah. We can."
It wasn't permanent. Eventually they would have to rise, of course. Yukiko would be the first to leave the bed so she could prepare for school, while Amari would linger behind sinking in the warmth she left behind.
But for now, in this moment, they could stay just a little longer, could hold on a little tighter and pretend it would last forever.
"Now an update on the devastating Villain attack last night. Residents of this apartment complex, located in the Migeeto Ward, were resting within their homes when their peaceful lives were disrupted by a sudden and brazen Villain attack. At first, some of the residents believed the outbreak of a fire to be the result of an accident—an appliance malfunction or electrical fire. But as the fires swept through the building and trapped them inside a den of hellfire suited for a demon, it became abundantly clear this was no accident.
"Backdraft was the first Hero on the scene, who was fortunately on patrol at the time of the attack. However, as the fires climbed out of control, Backdraft struggled alone in an uphill battle. Or so it would seem. As we witnessed victims of all ages screaming for help, one shout in particular called our attention to the Villain responsible for this terrible crime.
"Since the incident ended, we've learned the Villain's identity: Gorō Watanabe. With no previous criminal record, it is currently unknown why he was fixated on a specific target, a man whom he shot and paralyzed with the intent to kill. However, before he could mercilessly slay his target, this girl appeared.
"The images currently on your screen show what appears to be a young child, between the ages of twelve and fifteen, jumping in to aid the Pro Hero Backdraft in rescuing the citizens caught in this attack. Where did she come from? So far, there are no answers or leads to follow. A spokesperson for the police has confirmed she is neither a student of any of our local schools, nor is she employed by any Hero agency. They say she called herself The Guardian of Light: Amaririsu Yūhi, a wandering shinobi who happened to be at the right place at the right time.
"Now, no one is discrediting her heroics or the reality that she is solely responsible for saving all those caught in this Villain attack. Last night, she was a Hero. However, this brings up a question: Should she be held to the standards of the laws she has broken, or are we as a society prepared to ignore abuses of the law so long as the outcome is righteous? Because what if she hadn't saved those lives? What if she inadvertently caused more destruction, or perished in the flames?
"From what we know, the Villain's body was found inside the burnt apartment. And, as we can see from these images, this child wields knives and blades just like The Hero Killer: Stain. Is she another copycat? Did she slay the Villain herself? Did the Villain perish in his own flames? And what if she inspires more vigilante justice? One thing is for certain: This can be a star-making performance for a possible new Hero, or the debut of a new menace to our society. We'll go to our panel to discuss this—"
The television flickered off.
"Why?" hissed Tomura Shigaraki, hand tightening around the remote. "Why does this keep happening? Why? Why? Why? Why?!"
The remote crumbled and decayed into dust.
"It's always the same! I set up a new game, I planned my next move. I even recruited a new player and all they talk about is that damned Hero Killer! Infernum was supposed to remind people of the League of Villains! He was supposed to make them remember they aren't safe! My plan was perfect! But they used cheats! They cheated!"
His whole body felt warm. The itching sensation at his neck grew unbearable within a matter of seconds. Unable to restrain himself, he scratched and scratched and scratched until his skin started to rip open up.
"It's not fair! It's not fair! Why does she get to kill my new pawn?! Why?!" he snarled. "No one's even talking about us. They're so obsessed with this girl! I can't stand it!"
"Easy, Tomura," his master's soothing voice called from the nearby monitor. He stopped itching. "This girl's arrival was an unforeseen event, one none of us could have predicted. But it has also provided us an opportunity."
"What opportunity?" he demanded, annoyed and frustrated by the situation.
"They're placing this child on a pedestal for the world. The Guardian of Light, they call her. They seek to make a new symbol. And from what I've seen, she wields the power and bearing for it. Indeed, I suspect she has far more potential to tap into. Should she come fully into her own, her symbol will shine resplendently, fueling her so-called light on the corpses of the Villains she builds her reputation off of."
"No. No. No. No!" Tomura hissed. "That's not fair! They can't recruit a new secondary boss character. I won't let them!"
"Oh? Then what do you intend to do?"
"I'll crumble their new symbol! I'll destroy this stupid Guardian of Light when she's still a little brat." Tomura's eyes went wide in sudden realization. Beneath the hand mounted on his face he grinned a vile and twisted grin. "That's it! That's what I have to do!" he laughed, a surge of excitement and relief washing over him.
It was all so simple. He had been so focused on the news report and the media's obsession angering him, he hadn't been able to see how obvious and easy it was to fix this problem she created.
"They're calling her the Guardian of Light, those fools! They're placing a small child on a pedestal for everyone to see; they're placing their hopes on her, as if she could even stand in All Might's shoes to begin with! Ha! They've done all the work for us, really. I'll destroy their guardian and all the light she creates! And then they'll never recover!"
Yes, it was the perfect plan! Not only would he destroy their new symbol, but killing this child the world placed on a pedestal would crumble society's confidence in their so-called Heroes. Even All Might would feel it! Guilt and regret and shame, it would swallow them all whole!
"Master, please lend me your power," Tomura asked, excitement thrumming through him.
"Hm. As you wish."
"Eraser Head is going to be pissed, you know."
Amari rolled her eyes at Yukiko's comment. "He'll be fine. I'll head straight to Recovery Girl's after I see Class 1-A. Besides, once Recovery Girl uses her Quirk on me, I'll probably nap for the rest of the day so I can be prepared for my fight against that pun-making upperclassman. I might not see you guys until the end of the day. Plus, this way you don't have to field off all of their questions alone. I can answer them and make sure they aren't distracted for the rest of the school day by concerns or questions they might have regarding my whereabouts. It's totally rational."
"Uh-huh. Ignoring your severe burns is totally rational."
The kunoichi couldn't deny she was hurting. Burn cream and pain relievers hardly massaged the pain away, which Yukiko was abundantly aware of after witnessing Amari wincing, grimacing and limping around her home. It had taken the two of them working together to change out of the borrowed clothes into her burnt and frayed tank top and mesh sleeve. Her entire upper body had become stiff, the burns aching and stinging, making the mere act of lifting her arms above her head a monumental effort of agony and perseverance she barely survived the necessary three times.
Yukiko was annoyed by her stubbornness. She tried to play it off, but Amari could see it when she shifted her tight jaw, hear it blatantly in her voice.
Leaning deeper into her kindred spirit, she hugged her arms around Yukiko's neck.
"Don't be annoyed. I'll be okay."
Yukiko, piggybacking her through the halls of U.A. High School towards the classroom, exhaled through her nose, jaw loosening.
"That's not the point," said the aspiring Hero. "You're injured. That should be all that matters. But you're more worried about everyone else and whether or not they can focus on their day instead of prioritizing yourself."
Amari glanced at Yukiko's cheek. Then glanced away, chewing on the inside of her cheek in nervousness. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned in and pressed a kiss on her cheek.
"What if I'm being selfish so I can spend more time with you?" she replied softly, blushing.
"Heh," Yukiko smirked, turning her head slightly to look at the girl. "Easy on the flattery. I might blush."
"Aw, only might?" Amari puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "I thought I was being really cute and smooth."
Yukiko hummed a warm laugh. "You're already cute."
"What about smooth? Am I smooth?"
"Remind me again what you asked that Princess Koyuki?" she grinned.
Amari felt her face burning. The question was rhetorical, of course, for good reason. Burying her face into the crook of Yukiko's neck, Amari groaned in despair and defeat.
"I'm totally hopeless!" she whined.
"Want me to hire you a harem to help you gain experience?"
"N- No! I don't want…one of those!"
"A harem?"
"Stop saying it!"
"Is it a cursed word or something? Will one magically appear if it I say too many times?" teased Yukiko.
"It's a concept for deviants and perverts!" retorted the kunoichi.
"Heh, can't deny that after meeting Mineta. He'd turn all of us girls into his harem if he had the power to. Probably the girls from 1-B, too."
"Ewwww!"
"Out of curiosity, are you grossed out by the concept of a harem or Mineta leading a harem? Or both?"
"The second one." She scrunched her nose. "It's like he only sees girls as slabs of meat for him to touch and grope. Among other nefarious fantasies of his. The concept itself is just…weird, to me anyways. I can't help but think of it in the real world as something akin to sex trafficking, sex slaves or an abusive prostitution ring. Even if it was done out of pure intentions and with consent of all the partners…I don't know. It doesn't sit right in my belly or my heart. And it isn't very realistic."
"Hm," her friend hummed thoughtfully. "As far as I know, harems are a manga and anime trope. It's an entertainment thing, usually comedic. But when you put it in real world context, yeah, I can see why you would see it the way you do." Yukiko glanced at her, a smirk returning to her lips. "So you can say sex slaves, sex trafficking and prostitution, but not harem? What's up with that?"
"I can say the stupid word," she puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "But those other three are crime rings I may one day have to break up and free people from."
"Okay. Say it. Without blushing," she grinned charmingly.
"Do you want me to catch a falling star with my bare hands, too?" the Nara drawled, rolling her eyes.
Yukiko chuckled but didn't press her further; they had arrived at the classroom.
After she was back on her feet, Amari straightened her posture, which incensed her injuries. She was quick to grimace and slouch, releasing the tension standing up straight had caused. Yukiko watched her with a frown.
"I can run you straight to Recovery Girl's," she offered.
"I'll be okay," Amari replied, wincing. "We've made it this far."
Reluctantly, Yukiko agreed. She slid the door open, ushering her in politely. Waiting inside was the entire class, with an exception of Aizawa or any other teachers, who all turned their attention to the arriving pair the moment the door slid open.
Nearly everyone leapt from their seats or rushed from their small circles of conversation to surround Amari. Bakugo remained in his seat, disinterested in joining the crowd when he'd seen all he needed to of her performance on the news and in her current injured appearance.
Amari was overwhelmed. Voices on top of voices expressed their concern, their excitement and asked questions she could barely register before someone else spoke. She expected it, but she was woefully under-prepared her for the reality of their emotional reactions. She was even less prepared for Mina and Toru to surprise hug her at the same time.
"You were so cool, Amari!" Ashido cheered. "At first we were all worried about Igarashi, but then you showed up and saved everyone! It was awesome!"
"I was freaking out super bad the whole time!" said Toru. "It was awesome, but I couldn't help but worry about you! The fire kept getting worse and then you were on the roof when it collapsed!"
"Yeah! We all saw you save that girl! The way you ran across the rooftop and jumped around, I was screaming for you at my television!"
"Me too! I collapsed onto my couch when you made it to safety. I almost cried, I was so happy."
"I totally cried! I was a mess for forever!"
They were too sweet. Really. But their choke-holds were cutting off air and agitating her injuries. Unfortunately, she couldn't breathe to get a word out.
Jiro, who was standing behind her friends, seemed to notice her pained expression. She stepped forward and placed her hand on Mina's shoulder first.
"Hey, Mina, Toru, I think she's still injured."
"Whaaa?!" They shrieked, leaping off of her.
Amari smiled slightly through a wince. "I haven't seen Recovery Girl yet. I figured I'd check on all of you first before I napped the day away."
"Are you crazy?!" Mina demanded.
"You should go straight to Recovery Girl's right away!"
"That's what I said," Yukiko commented, crossing her arms.
"Too late. I'm here already."
"How bad are your injuries?" Jiro asked. "It was hard to tell on the news, but you looked pretty roughed up."
"I saw a clip where the first responders had you on oxygen," Ojiro said.
"There was a tremendous amount of smoke. Are you sure you are well?" Tokoyami asked.
"The Villain burned me pretty badly," Amari admitted. "As you can see on my arms, he left burns of his hands wherever he tried to grab me. But my back has the largest burn from an attack he aimed at that final girl I saved. Honestly, he wouldn't have landed a significant blow on me if I hadn't tackled him to save the girl. His Quirk was powerful, but I doubt he ever had a real fight, or at least not against a real Pro."
The kunoichi coughed abruptly. "Sorry about that," she apologized, lowering her hand from her mouth. "It isn't nearly as frequent or rough anymore, but I haven't shaken this cough off yet. It's persistent."
"Sounds like you. Ribbit."
Asui's comment coaxed a giggle out of the girl.
"I can't argue with that."
"What was that Villain's deal anyway?" Kaminari asked. "None of the news channels have learned his motive, but they say he was specifically targeting one of the people you saved. That guy who was paralyzed."
"Masaru Ito," Amari said his name.
"Dude, c'mon," Sero whispered to Kaminari. "She saved his life, sure, but remember what we were taught yesterday about saving people? It's sort of a sensitive subject."
Kaminari's eyes went wide. "Oh crap! I totally didn't think that through!"
"And you sound so shocked," Jiro rolled her eyes.
"It's fine, Kaminari," the kunoichi reassured. "I wasn't on the scene fast enough to stop the Villain from shooting Mr. Ito. I doubt anyone could have been without the ability to see the future. What matters is he didn't die and Harumi and Hanako are safe. As for the Villain's motive…"
"She was mine! It should all be mine! If I can't have her, then no one can!"
Amari shifted her jaw, frowning. "I told the police what he claimed his reasons were. It may come out someday in the near future why he tried to kill Mr. Ito, his daughters, with the intent to kill his wife and all of those people trapped in the building as well; I suspect the reporters won't stop until they learn the truth. From there, who knows what they'll do with it or what story they'll spin."
She cast her gaze over the students. "'She was mine. It should all be mine. If I can't have her, then no one can.' Those are the words he shouted at me, his reason for the violence and chaos he unleashed on those people. Don't look for logic in it. There isn't any. I looked deep into his eyes for a light worth redeeming and I found nothing. I found nothing."
The whole of Class 1-A fell silent. Their expressions were grim.
"I know I preached a lot about reaching out to others and saving people from themselves. I also told you that your first priority should always be rescuing innocent lives or your comrades, and that it'll be up to you to make a judgement call in the heat of the moment. In that burning apartment, as the floor and ceilings started to cave in, I found myself in that position."
"Was it a judgement call or retribution?" Todoroki asked without malice.
"Burn in the hell you've created, scumbag."
Amari shut her eyes and chuckled softly. "No choice is without its nuances. Who says it can't be both?" She met the eyes of every single student. "I tackled and stabbed him to prevent further harm to the girl. As I had him at my mercy down one flight of stairs, the floor and ceiling of the stairwell showed signs of an imminent collapse. So allow me to ask all of you the question I asked myself: Given the choice of one life and only one life, who would you choose? The girl or the Villain? Do you save her? Save him? Kill him and damn the girl for retribution? Either way someone must die and their blood is on your hands. What choice do you make?"
Again she was greeted by an uncomfortable silence. She smiled glumly. "Sorry to bring down the mood. It's not an easy question, I know that. Because no matter what you do someone ends up dead."
"…But it is a real question," Midoriya murmured in the crowd. "It's a choice we all may one day find ourselves making."
"Midoriya is right," Yaoyorozu nodded solemnly. "In such a scenario, there are more factors to consider beyond our physical ability to fight the Villain in question. There's the health of the bystander, the smoke and the damage it could cause her or ourselves and the possibility of the building collapsing, on top of other rescue efforts. One day we may have to choose between saving a civilian and leaving the Villain behind, whether to perish or to escape."
"It isn't glamorous, but such is our fate as warriors," Tokoyami added sagely.
"However dismal it may be, we must twinkle in the darkness like Mademoiselle Yūhi!" Aoyama declared.
"Yeah!" Kirishima pumped his fist into the air. "Handling tough choices and burdens is all part of being a Hero. A man can't back down!"
"Neither can us girls!" Uraraka mirrored his enthusiasm, only to one-eighty and frown. "Still…I can't imagine what it's like to walk in your shoes, Amaririsu. You're really amazing. Despite being younger than us you're already like a sagely elder."
Amari slumped in depression and gloom. "I'm…like an old lady?"
"Ah, wait! That's not what I meant!" Uraraka waved her hands frantically through the air.
"I think she meant to say you're like a veteran Hero," Tsuyu offered.
"Yeah, yeah! That's totally what I meant!" Uraraka nodded. "You swooped in to save all those people like All Might or another amazing Pro Hero. Plus you've been super helpful in teaching us about what being a Pro is like through your own experiences. I'm really grateful. We all are." Her frown returned. "But I also see how much further I have to go to reach my goal. You're so far ahead of me. Had I been in your position, I know I wouldn't have been able to save everyone. I doubt I would have been able to defeat the Villain or escape at my current level."
Shoji extended one of his Dupli-Arms towards the Zero Gravity wielder and transformed it into a mouth, from which he spoke.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Uraraka," he soothed. "Remember what Mr. Aizawa and All Might said: We're all still first year trainees. Amaririsu has more experience than us. We all have a long road ahead of us to reach our goals, but we're fortunate to have this opportunity to learn from Amaririsu. Being able to see your faults or weaknesses mean you can improve them, right?"
Uraraka brightened. "Yeah, you're right!"
"I just hope I can have the strength to smile for the people I save the way you did, Amaririsu," said Midoriya.
"Mm. Well, your first step on that journey is learning not to stand a girl up when she's waiting for you." Amari placed her hands on her hips, staring directly at Midoriya with the corner of her lip tugging up. Midoriya squeaked. His fair complexion flush red as all of his classmates looked at him. "How rude of you to leave me out in the wind without even canceling our plans. I waited and waited and waited, but you never showed. I even searched the campus with my Byakugan to find you, only to learn you weren't even here anymore."
"Midoriya!" Ashido scolded, grinning like a cat. "How could you stand a pretty girl like Amaririsu up? Didn't your mom teach you not to play with a girl's heart?"
"That's pretty scummy, Midoriya," Jiro grinned. "Think you're some kind of hotshot now, huh?"
"How treacherous!" Hagakure joined in, barely containing her giggles. "I thought you were different, Midoriya. Of all the boys to ghost a date with Amaririsu, I never expected it would be you."
"Wai- wait a minute!" Midoriya was burning up. "That's not it at all! It- it wasn't a- a- a-"
"A date?" Yukiko finished for him, smiling at his misfortune. "Sure it was. You two set up a time to meet, planned your time together and how you would spend it. It has all the makings of a date."
"Midoriya, you bastard!" Mineta and Kaminari screeched, grabbing him by his shirt collar and pant leg.
"You asked her on a date when we weren't looking, huh! So much for Mister Goodie-Two Shoes Midoriya!" Kaminari seethed.
"How Plus Ultra did you plan to go with her!" Mineta demanded.
"It was nothing like that, honest! I only wanted to learn more about her power and how to improve myself!" he tried to explain. "She has so much more experience than us; I wanted to learn!"
"Oh yeah, sure! You just wanted alone time with Amaririsu, didn't you!" Kaminari shook him roughly by his collar.
"Can you blame him?" Ashido added, slinging a gentle arm around Amari's neck and tugging her into a side hug. Also, by the blessings and curses of gods and demons alike, into her busty chest. "Amaririsu couldn't be more precious if she tried! She's a natural cutie and a romantic to boot! I just want to hold her in my arms forever!"
Mineta and Kaminari shrieked in despair. Mineta's knees trembled before he collapsed onto all-fours. Free of their grasps, Midoriya escaped and shuffled to the side; he was blushing brightly. Hagakure, Jiro and Yukiko shared in giggles and snickers at the expressions of the two boys and Amari's incandescent burning face.
"It's not fair." Mineta was panting as if sucking in his last breaths of air before death. He clutched his hand over his heart, his stubby fingers curling into the fabric of his uniform shirt. "Within a couple of days she has wooed the hearts of the boys and girls of our class despite being so terrifying. In spite of what she did to me, to us, she's surpassed even Todoroki and Yaoyorozu as most wanted and most desired. She's the forbidden fruit. I can feel it. The others won't say it, but they all feel the same way. They want her, too."
With an exception to Shoji, Koda, Todoroki, Bakugo, Hagakure, Iida, Igarashi and Tsuyu, the entirety of Class 1-A blushed and averted their eyes, scratching their cheeks in discomfort at the insinuation made by the class pervert.
"This is so depressing," Kaminari slouched. "How can I ever have an honest chance at sweeping a girl off their feet…" He gripped the sides of his head in his hands. "If strangers from other worlds sweep in and steal them all! I'm doomed!"
"First she saw Yaoyorozu's voluptuous boobs up close and personal. Then she used Igarashi's as her personal pillows. Now she has her face smothered in Ashido's amazing boobs! Why can't it be me this ever happens to?!"
Mineta's jealous cry caused Ashido to pause. She examined their situation, actually examined it, and realized what she had done. Her pink cheeks flushed a pretty fuchsia before she detached herself with a bashful laugh. Amari's head felt lighter than air.
"Hehehe! Sorry about that! I guess I got a little ahead of my— Whoa! Someone catch her!"
Arms caught the kunoichi before she could crash against the floor. Through the haze of steam rising off her face, she saw violet eyes and a charming grin.
"Caught you."
"I saw the spirit world," Amari murmured in a daze.
"Huh? And how was it?"
"So soft."
Yukiko's grin widened even more. "I bet. So, about that harem, I think there are willing volunteers here."
"Haremmmm?!" nearly all of Class 1-A screeched.
"I knew it!" Mineta wept on all-fours. "She claimed our souls and now we're eternally bound to be her lovers! This is the best and worst day of my life!"
"I have a harem?" Amari asked, dazed.
"Heh, got you to say it," Yukiko chuckled. "Here we go. On your feet. Easy, don't topple over. How are your injuries? Need me to take you to Recovery Girl's now?"
"N- no. I'll be…" Fine wasn't the right word. After that experience, fine was far too bland. "I'll survive."
"Mmhm. Survive, huh?" Yukiko teased, wrapping a gentle arm around her neck and placing a kiss on the top of her head. "I suppose I'll have to share you with the others, now that this is a harem. So, who is your next conquest?"
Amari wanted to faint, she really did. But the bashful and downright scandalized expressions they wore spurred the sadist within her. Channeling the unique sense of humor she inherited from her Mama, she picked the two obvious choices for death by teasing.
"…I think Jiro and Midoriya might be fun."
"Wha- what?!" Midoriya shrieked.
"Wh- why me?!" Jiro followed.
Both were blushing.
"Superficially, because you're both cute. Deeper than that, your hearts draw me in. Anyone would be lucky to have you two."
She was fairly certain she could see steam rising from their faces. The inside of Yukiko's mouth was undoubtedly bleeding, or it would be if she bit the inside of her cheek any harder.
"I promise to love you all equally. My heart is full of love. Plus, a harem should be like ice cream. There's an art to adding new flavors to your bowl, and since Yukiko is in my bowl currently you two would be the obvious next choices to mix together with her."
Satisfied by their frozen states of shock and embarrassment, Amari pressed onward.
"Afterwards… Hmm. Perhaps Kirishima and Tsu." The pair blushed. "Their hearts would add an extra layer of manliness and beautiful compassion to our bowl of ice cream. Yes, they would do well in our bowl. Then I would add… Hmm… Let's pick Ashido for her colorful enthusiasm and Shoji for his staunch loyalty."
Ashido hopped and cheered. "Woohoo! I'm in the top ten!"
Shoji chuckled and shook his head. "I suppose I am grateful as well."
"Uraraka for an extra layer of cuteness, Aoyama to make it all more dazzling."
"Me- me?!" Uraraka sputtered, blushing.
"A wise choice, ma chérie," Aoyama winked.
"What about me, huh?" Mineta demanded. "Please put me in your bowl! My balls can be your sprinkles!"
It took all of her restraint not to strike him down then and there. She had a better punishment planned, however.
"Oh, Mineta. You do have a role to play."
His eyes gleamed, drool formed on his lips.
"You see, a harem needs a maid." Sadistic darkness sparkled in Amari's eyes. She'd been waiting for him to interrupt with a crude and perverted comment. "I'll put you under a genjutsu so you don't have to suffer, but remember what I said about skirts and being a pretty girl?" She smiled as Ibiki would. "That's your role."
Again, Mineta collapsed to all-fours clutching his heart. "She's a sadist! A dominating mistress who laughs at my humiliation. It's something out of my best worst nightmares. I'll do it!"
"Dude! Have some self-respect!" Kaminari scolded.
"Ugh," Amari scrunched her nose. "That backfired. Remind me to just hit him from now on."
"Twisted humor isn't effective against a twisted mind," Tokoyami said. "Igarashi and Jiro learned early that threats of bodily harm and surprise attacks were far more effective against him."
"If I may cut in," Iida spoke up. "Although am I pleased to see you are well, Yūhi, I must now step in as Class Representative. Class will begin shortly and we must all be in our seats."
"Understood, Class Rep," Amari nodded. "It's about time I left for—"
The door sliding open roughly startled the gathered group. When bindings suddenly wrapped around Amari, terror filled 1-A's souls. The Nara tried to groan, "Ah, crap," but was unable to speak with the binding wrapped over her mouth. It came out as muffled nonsense.
"Found you." Aizawa's hairs stood on end, his eyes glowed with annoyance. "Clearly my students have been rubbing off on you. This is the kind of irrational behavior I'd expect from them."
"I was on my way," she tried to say. Again it was muffled nonsense.
"Don't make excuses." Aizawa clearly suspected her response. "I can tell just by looking at you the kind of damage that Villain managed to do." His annoyed eyes flashed to 1-A's Class Rep. "Iida, get your classmates in their seats. I'll be right back."
"Yes sir! You heard Mr. Aizawa, to your seats!"
Aizawa dragged her out of the classroom with his scarf. Amari offered a defeated wave to the students with her restrained hand.
Once outside the room, the disheveled teacher shut the door and retracted his scarf to its natural state.
"The Old Lady is waiting for you. Don't take any other detours," Aizawa said firmly. "If you hope to give Mirio your all, use your time wisely and rest while you can. He won't go easy on you."
"Understood…" Amari rested her right hand on her left elbow, pursing her lips in a frown. "And sorry for the trouble I caused," she murmured.
"Don't apologize," Aizawa dismissed her apology, half turning to return to his classroom. "It's irrational to apologize for saving innocent bystanders. Those people owe you their lives. Would you rather they have died to save face with us?"
"No."
"Then don't apologize." He stared directly at her. "Whether you realize it or not, by taking action last night you've forced us Pros to take a good hard look in the mirror at ourselves. With an exception to Backdraft, no other Pro was on the scene quick enough to make any legitimate difference to the evacuation and rescue of those citizens. Gorō Watanabe would have succeeded in murdering the Ito family and likely all the occupants of the apartment if not for you.
"So, where were the Heroes sworn to defend them from evil? Where were the likes of All Might, Endeavor, Best Jeanist and all the other top ten? Were they too busy? Sleeping? And what of all the other Pros who call themselves Heroes?" he posed the question rhetorically. "The spotlight was on that apartment last night. Our citizens were watching. Future Heroes like my students were watching, and yet who did they see? You."
He sniffed. "Pros have grown complacent. Peace has made us soft. It's true you were in the right place at the right time, but I wonder how many other Pros were, too, before they realized the optics of an unknown girl saving the day.
"You're a catalyst, Amaririsu. In that one way you mirror The Hero Killer: Stain. But unlike Stain, you are not a catalyst for Villains to rise up. No. They will not be spurred to fight against Hero society by you. Already fear of a new symbol, fear of The Guardian of Light, is spreading throughout the underground. A wandering shinobi who may appear anywhere at any moment to stop Villainy."
"But…I can't be that symbol for this world," Amari replied softly.
"Maybe not physically. But symbols have power, and you didn't let me finish my point." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked out the window behind her. "You are not a catalyst for Villains. You're a catalyst for Heroes, present and future. The Guardian of Light will linger on in the hearts of those you saved and through those you've inspired.
"Before, you apologized for causing trouble, when you've done the opposite. It isn't trouble you've stirred, but a spark you've ignited. Through the Pop Quiz you taught my students and this school a hard lesson on the reality of our war, revealing weaknesses and flaws in our powers and our outdated systems."
He returned his serious and tired gaze to her. "Through your actions last night you reminded us Pros what it means and what it takes to truly call ourselves Pro Heroes, and in doing so ignited a spark within the hearts of the next generation of Heroes. We Pros will be under scrutiny for some time, which will spur Pros to show some urgency in their sworn duty to protect innocent bystanders. That's thanks to you.
"So, impressive work as always, Yūhi."
"Oh- oh, uh…" Amari bowed. "Thank you, Mr. Aizawa."
"Now hurry up and go see the Old Lady." He turned fully towards the door. "Consider the walk there as your punishment for your irrational behavior."
"…Right," she sighed.
Amari shuffled to the nurse's office, grimacing the whole way. It was troublesome, but she supposed that was the point Aizawa wanted to make.
Inside the nurse's office were Nemuri and All Might, and of course Recovery Girl as well. The school nurse was already seated beside the bed that she would eventually fall asleep on, squinting her eyes as she scrutinized the injuries. By the frown on her face, the nurse was also annoyed by her behavior.
Nemuri swooped in to embrace her in a brief but warm hug. She expressed her concerns and happiness over the kunoichi's injuries and safety, for she had bundled them all up since witnessing the incident last night, almost moved to tears in the nurse's office. Amari embraced her in return, patiently listening to the woman while reassuring her she was okay.
Once she was settled, Nemuri placed her hands on Amari's shoulders, smiling down at her.
"Did you happen to use my advice on Igarashi last night, before the Villain attack I would hope?" she asked.
Amari had almost forgotten her advice. Almost, but not quite.
She blushed and shook her head rapidly.
"Mm. But something has happened between you. I can sense it."
"Dare I ask what advice you gave her, Nemuri?" queried All Might cautiously.
Nemuri grinned at Amari's despair and embarrassment. She couldn't say it in front of All Might. If she did, the kunoichi formerly known as Amaririsu Yūhi would incinerate from internal combustion into a pile of ash and cinders.
"It was womanly advice. Nothing you need to concern yourself with, All Might," Nemuri replied smoothly. "But you, my innocent little lady," she poked the tip of her nose, "will have to tell me all the juicy details of your night with Igarashi later. I love a good romance."
"A…romance?" All Might repeated. "Hey, wait a minute, you're not corrupting Young Yūhi, are you Nemuri?"
"Corrupting?" gasped the R-Rated Hero. "You make it sound so scandalous. Igarashi and Amaririsu formed a deep connection in the Pop Quiz. I merely offered my advice to Amaririsu to act on it while they have the chance to share their feelings with each other so there would be no regrets."
Indeed, quite the advice she offered. Specifically the part where she mentioned playing possum to overthrow 'the top' and assert her dominance. Had the Villain not attacked…who knows, maybe it could have come in handy.
"Can- can we please stop talking about this!" she squeaked out.
"Aw," Nemuri wrapped an arm around her and nuzzled the girl, "you are just too cute and pure!"
"Well, in any event, we should let Recovery Girl begin healing her." All Might stepped forward and patted her head, smiling at her. "Rest easy, Young Yūhi."
"I will."
And so she did.
Amari awoke sometime after the lunch period. Although healed, she felt the fatigue caused by Recovery Girl's Quirk wrapped around her body like a heavy, warm blanket on a cold night. Eating lunch replenished a portion of her energy, but she decided on lounging around a little longer afterwards, shutting her eyes to take another nap before she finally rose again in a better condition.
It was fine. Sometimes a shinobi wasn't fully rested before an intense or big battle, but they would have to fight and achieve victory regardless. Her fatigue wasn't incapacitating; it wouldn't weaken her blows or slow her reaction time. When the fires of battle were ignited and adrenaline coursed through her veins, she wouldn't feel it anymore. Her inner warrior would take control and it would become war again—a war she had every intention of winning, even if the adults around her kept warning her to be on guard against Mirio Togata.
A shinobi was always on guard. Vigilance was one aspect of being a shinobi. And to be the symbol she had inadvertently become to these students and teachers, she couldn't allow herself to give anything less than her best against Mirio.
There was time to kill after her second nap, however. A handful of periods remained for the students, while the fight wouldn't take place until after school in the seclusion of one of the gyms Aizawa designated for their battle. Gym Gamma it was called.
With time on her hands, she departed the main building of U.A. High School to investigate how Class 1-A's training was proceeding. She found them at the P.E. grounds, where they were separated into groups for training their physical ability.
Upon arriving, she found Atsuko and Osamu perched on Aizawa's shoulders, aiding the training by serving as extra eyes and teachers. Her arrival did not go unnoticed.
Explosions drowned out a cry of war. Amari glanced lazily to Bakugo, already within arms distance and palm drawn back for an attack. He unleashed another explosion directly on her position, covering the area in smoke as he leapt back.
"In war, no one tells you when the battle begins or ends, right?!" he yelled, grinning. "I know that was just one of your Clones. I guess you expected me to attack, huh?! Well, come out then! Fight me with all you've got!"
Amari said nothing.
Bakugo's eyes flicked left and right and up at the sky, trees and buildings nearby.
"Where are you, small fry?! If you're half the Hero these extras think you are, then fight! Show me the power you used to save those people!"
Amari's hand surged out of the earth beneath Bakugo's feet, snatching his ankle. His shock sent him into a momentary paralysis.
"Wha- what the hell?!"
When she finished with him, Bakugo was buried neck deep in solid rock, imprisoned temporarily and completely at her mercy. The kunoichi crouched in front of the boy, whose bewildered expression couldn't be more amusing.
"You really are a stubborn and annoying boy, you know that?" she commented dryly.
"How did you—"
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu. I meld into the very earth and then pull an enemy down into it, immobilizing them completely, which is why you can't move any of your limbs. Oh, and don't try to blast your way out of this. You'll only injure yourself; your hands are pinned against your abdomen, on the chance you can't feel it."
"Grgggahhhh!" Bakugo's eyes went white with rage, head thrashing about. "I want a rematch! No more tricks, small fry! You and me, right now!"
"They aren't tricks. It is called ninjutsu and tactics. I lured you in with a decoy, waited for you to distract yourself further by shouting at the wind and then launched my counter from the place you would least expect it. Whether you are a Hero or a shinobi, you have to prepare for the unexpected. It was all elementary, really."
"When I get free…" he growled.
"Afraid you'll have to ask a friend for help." She smiled and, to rub salt in the wounded pride, patted him on the head. "Get comfortable."
"Hey! Don't you walk away from me! Get back here! Arrghhh! Small fryyyyy!"
Bakugo thrashed his head and neck around violently, unable to move. Amari approached Kirishima and Sero, who were both covering their mouths, grinning ear to ear and almost on the verge of tears from holding back their laughter.
"Lo- look at him thrashing around!" Sero struggled to get the words out.
"She patted him on the head!" snickered Kirishima.
"Kirishima, I know it's a drag, but could you use your Quirk to smash him out?" she asked. "You're about the only one he'll allow to do it, though he'll be abrasive the whole time."
"Su- sure, Miss Yūhi!"
"No, no, wait!" Sero stopped his friend, grabbing him by the sleeve of his P.E. shirt. The Tape wielder retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and grinned fiendishly. "We can't let this moment pass us, Kirishima."
"You're right. We can't," Kirishima grinned. "Come on, Sero."
Ah, friends, Amari giggled to herself, strolling over to Aizawa and the Crows. They laugh at your expense all the while helping you, never letting you live it down.
"Yūhi," Aizawa greeted. "You're interrupting their training."
"I hoped to help where I could, without physically fighting them again," she replied. "Though I assumed Bakugo would react that way. He really wants his rematch."
Bakugo was screaming and cursing violently at Kirishima and Sero, who couldn't stop laughing as they snapped pictures of their classmate.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but as long as you are here, Bakugo won't stop hounding you down. I need him to focus," Aizawa said without malice.
Amari hummed. She could catch the hint. "Where is Gym Gamma? I'd like to scout the battlefield before the fight begins."
Aizawa gave her directions and she departed before Bakugo was free. Gym Gamma wasn't anything impressive like Ground Beta's city. It was nothing more than a large empty gym with cement flooring.
A lot of open space here, she thought. The ceiling lights will provide some shadows, but there isn't anywhere I'll be able to conceal my presence and regroup if I get overwhelmed. She rubbed her forehead lightly. I don't even know what his Quirk is, so I can't prepare to counter it ahead of time like I did against Class 1-A. In that essence, this has become a real battle against an unknown enemy. And he isn't inexperienced like Class 1-A. It'll be like fighting another shinobi, one I have to assume is very powerful.
Okay then, should I be the aggressor and attack the first instant I can? Or do I be patient, allow him to strike first so I can learn what his Quirk is. Then from there locate his weakness and counter?
He knew her abilities. If he was as astute as she believed, he would have picked out her strengths and weaknesses already, so being aggressive from the start wasn't wise. Not without knowing what he was capable of. His Quirk could be anything, so she couldn't waste time guessing what it might be based on him or his appearance.
Amari sat on the floor of Gym Gamma, crossed her legs and brought her right hand into Tiger, shutting her eyes as she considered her strategy.
Without knowing his power, there was only so much she could prepare for. But she made what preparations she could.
I hope it's enough, Amari thought as she exited to watch clouds.
"Amaririsu!"
Before Amari could react, she was in the arms of one Nejire Hado again, being tackled through the air inside of Gym Gamma. The kunoichi yelped in surprise and braced for what would be a rough impact against the cement.
They never hit the ground. They levitated above it, the upperclassmen twirling them through the air. Energy thrummed from and around Nejire, Amari sensed; it was energetic, electric and soothingly lukewarm.
"We all saw you on the news!" Nejire said, chipper and energetic, squeezing her smaller frame tightly and warmly. "You saved all those people and really left a good impression on everyone. Way to go!"
"Oh, um, thank you." Amari glanced away, down at the floor beneath their floating bodies. It wasn't far enough away to break a bone if Nejire suddenly lost focus or dropped her, but it would definitely bruise.
"Aw," Nejire cooed, rubbing her cheek against the top of Amari's head. "You're so shy and adorable! You may transform into a dragon, but you're a kitten at heart."
"Nejire," Tamaki sighed. "You're embarrassing her again."
"Oh, Tamaki, she isn't embarrassed." Nejire caressed her hand through Amari's hair, descending slowly towards the ground. "Aw, she's almost purring!"
Amari felt her cheeks burn.
They touched down on the ground again. Nejire giggled, patted her on the head and clasped her hands together behind her back. "I'll be rooting for you! Do your best, Amaririsu!"
"I- I'll try."
As Nejire strolled away with a skip in her step towards Tamaki, who leaned his forehead against the far wall to avoid eye contact with the group, she finally took in Mirio's beaming demeanor and shining appearance.
Unlike his classmates, who wore their school uniforms, Mirio was attired in what she presumed was his Hero costume. The white skin-tight top had 1,000,000 stamped across the chest in bold, yellow font, with the trim of his shirt and shoulder pads matching the color. His pants were baggy and dark blue, with white knee-high boots finishing off his regular attire. Beyond that, he wore a red cape and matching thick gloves, along with a sort of white visor that covered his eyes with a yellow lens.
He was stretching his legs with lunges. Once finished, he stood up and twisted his upper body to stretch out his spine.
"I have to say, what you did last night was amazing, Amaririsu," he said as he stretched. "Originally, I planned to fight you in my P.E. clothes as myself, Mirio Togata. A sort of friendly competition, you see. But after seeing you in action, saving those innocent bystanders, I realized I was seriously underestimating your determination and power. That's why in this battle you'll be fighting the Hero Lemillion!"
He shifted into an aggressive battle stance, shifting his left foot ahead of his right, slightly lowering his body with his left arm extended in front of him and his right arm at a slight angle behind him. He wore a smile on his face, but a look of war in his eyes.
"So, show me your power, Guardian of Light!"
"All right," she smirked. "Show me what you can do, Lemillion."
Aizawa and Midnight, joined by Atsuko and Osamu, stood together near Tamaki and Nejire. The disheveled teacher cupped his hands around his mouth and said:
"Since you both seem ready, begin whenever you like. I won't count you down. A real battle has no such luxury."
Amari shifted her feet, hand reaching towards her ninja tool box for a kunai, dōjutsu activating.
What happened next occurred within no more than two seconds. To the naked eye, the Hero named Lemillion appeared to teleport from his immediate position directly behind the kunoichi. To Amari's dōjutsu, she perceived the entire event as if happening at normal speeds.
However, despite seeing what truly occurred, she couldn't fight back the gasp of shock as she whirled around, eyes wide in shock at Lemillion's attack.
He phased through the floor and shot back up right behind me, as if he wasn't even made of solid mass!
When their eyes met, she noticed the flicker of surprise appear in Lemillion's eyes. He hadn't expected her to track his movements, she believed, but she had. He was wide open.
No, think you idiot! The Nara in her screamed. If he can phase through physical matter, any physical attack you throw can just as easily phase through him. He isn't an amateur. He knows his Quirk and its limits better than you do. This boy… Even if he is surprised you can track him, that doesn't mean he hasn't prepared for a physical counter.
His fist zeroed in on her.
But for him to attack means he has to have a physical body. Wait! Don't counter with a physical attack. Chakra surged through her body. The kunoichi pushed off and away from his attack. His feet touched the floor, solid and real. Counter with that!
She brought her hands into Snake.
Light flashed beneath Lemillion's feet. Then he was engulfed in an explosion.
An explosion?
Thrown back by the explosion, Mirio slid on his heels on the cement floor, covering his face as the smoke concealed her presence from his line of sight.
She couldn't have planted it when I attacked. There wasn't time. Which means… He smirked. Clever girl. You planted it before I arrived, didn't you? Glancing around at the floor, the Hero struggled to spot any sign of other explosives. And now I have to worry about where I step or appear because I have no way of knowing if you planted others.
All right! Now I'm getting pumped!
Dashing through the smoke, Amaririsu appeared, flashing directly for him with her final step turning into a leap. She swung for a high kick, but her foot phased through his head entirely. As he deactivated his Quirk, he stepped in and punched. At the same time, he felt his eyes go wide as shuriken and kunai sped out of the smoke directly at his torso. He activated his Quirk, causing the blades to phase through him as he landed a solid blow to the girl in front of him.
The Shadow Clone popped.
Air whirled around him. He sensed the girl snatch one of her kunai out of air and appear behind him.
"Can't surprise attack what you can't see, huh?"
Her blade, thrown with the blunt end aimed first, phased through his head again.
"Heh, I guess you're right about that."
Before he could counter, Mirio felt himself falling, and this time it wasn't caused by his Quirk. His feet were swept out from beneath him.
Quickly, he deactivated his Quirk, returning his sense of sight, hearing and breathing so he could see the two girls behind him. The girl leaping in the air had shurikens flying from her hands, the girl on the ground was recovering out of the kick she used to sweep his feet out from under him.
…Amazing…
Mirio activated his Quirk everywhere except his head as he fell towards the ground, a shocked expression on his face. Her blades impaled the ground beneath him harmlessly. Mirio couldn't help but smile before he activated his Quirk around his head, too.
She figured it out. You're something else, Amaririsu Yūhi. But I'm not finished yet. I won't let you defeat me.
"Tamaki, Tamaki, Tamaki! Did you see that? She figured out Mirio's Quirk in a matter of seconds!" Nejire was tugging on his shirt sleeve.
Tamaki, watching from the corner of his eye, flattened his lips together. His feeling had been right. This girl was just like Mirio. Perceptive, boundless determination to succeed, confident; they'd put in so much work to get to their current levels. Those first years never had a chance against her, for more reasons than their lack of cohesion and teamwork. They watched her in amazement the way a novice painter would observe a Renaissance Era painter, failing to understand the amount of work that went in to get there.
Amaririsu recognized the difference in their current levels, but did not look at Mirio as if he was unrivaled. She didn't gape in amazement of his Quirk, as so many others had once his friend rose to the top, believing his Quirk was his greatest power. That it and it alone made him strong. No, she saw the hard work he had put in, noticed the scars. She even noticed him and Nejire, just as they noticed her. But they weren't unrivaled in her eyes. No. Amaririsu saw Mirio as a new obstacle to overcome, a new experience to gain, a new person to measure herself as inspiration to grow stronger. And now, in the heat of battle witnessing Mirio's power firsthand, she maintained a level head and analyzed her opponent's abilities to counter their difference of experience and power with technique and sheer refusal to accept defeat.
She was like Mirio in that essence, too.
"Understanding Mirio's Quirk isn't difficult," he replied softly. "It's countering it that's nearly impossible."
Mirio's Quirk, Permeation, allowed him to phase his body through physical matter, whether it was a cement floor or a human hand trying to block his punch. He could make his entire body intangible, or with more precision certain areas of his body to evade incoming attacks as he had done so far. What appeared as teleportation was actually Mirio deactivating his Quirk, causing him to instantly be repelled to the surface since his body mass couldn't overlap with any other preexisting mass.
In truth, it wasn't that great of a Quirk. Any time Mirio activated his Quirk, light, oxygen, sound all passed through him, so he couldn't see, hear or breathe while in a state of full Permeation. It was dangerous, with potential fatal results if Mirio hadn't learned to handle it correctly.
Mirio made himself and his Quirk strong, Tamaki thought. Still, this battle won't last much longer.
"It's true I can't surprise attack someone I can't see," Mirio said as he surfaced through the floor on the opposite side of the smokescreen, directly beneath the kunoichi hidden behind it. He smiled at her bewildered expression, then punched her square in the abdomen. "But that isn't my only trick!"
Again the body caved beneath his powerful fist, dispersing into smoke.
"Huh, so you actually attacked me head-on last time. Pretty bold," he said as he landed on his feet. He pivoted and caught her attacking leg by the shin. "I had a feeling you'd be a tough nut to crack."
A blade of flames, like a hot knife cutting through butter, severed through the smokescreen. She certainly had the numbers advantage and great coordination with her Clones. With the activation of his Quirk, Mirio's hand phased through his opponent's shin. Once more he fell through the floor.
Deactivating his Quirk, he repelled behind the tantō wielding girl. He punched. At the same time, she whirled around with her blade of fire, a kunai slipping into her free hand. The fire attack phased straight through his abdomen.
Mirio inhaled sharply as Amaririsu maintained her momentum, making a short jump and spin to evade his punch. Just like me, he thought, eyes watching her land on her feet, she's predicting my moves, as if seeing into the future like Sir Nighteye. Is that what those eyes of her do?
Amaririsu came out of her spin and thrusted her kunai for his abdomen. The blade phased through, of course, but Mirio didn't celebrate. No, if she was predicting his next moves, she would have expected that to happen. Which had to mean…
It's a distraction for her next attack!
The other Clone dove into a dynamic kick aimed at his face.
She's trying to force my activation of Permeation around my head so I blind myself to her movements. Clever. He caught the foot with his right hand, tugging the surprised Clone forward towards his clenched fist. But I won't fall for that trick twice!
The Shadow Clone's eyes widened in pain before she popped. He heard the kunai spin on her finger, still phased through him. Then Mirio's eyes bulged, too, his face twisting into a grimace when he felt a blade pierce straight through his foot.
Amaririsu, he noticed, prepared to leap back in retreat.
I see. So, you're wearing me down with bug bites, huh? I suspect you intend to draw this battle out, using your Clones to overwhelm me and protect yourself from harm until you can claim victory. But…
Lemillion smiled as her feet left the floor.
I won't let that happen.
I have to stay ahead of him, otherwise this battle is all over. His physical strength is insane. He keeps one punching my Clones. It's like being punched by Might Guy or flicked by Lady Tsunade.
She expected him to be physically powerful, but his displays of strength surpassed those expectations in every regard.
He'll undoubtedly use his Quirk to escape the kunai, launching in from behind or my sides to attack, the Nara deduced, hopping back. If I can get to my next paper bomb I can—
Amari inhaled sharply as Mirio dashed directly at her. Despite his injured foot, he was ridiculously fast, closing the distance between them before her feet had touched the ground again. He wound up for a final blow.
Ah, crap!
Her gut reaction was to block his punch. Unfortunately, that was the wrong choice. His fist phased through her hand. And despite her hands finding nothing physical inside his forearms, his solid fist still connected against her sternum.
Amari felt no other pain beyond the point of impact. She didn't feel herself crash and slide over the concrete. She couldn't even feel it beneath her over the intense and localized pain surging around her abdomen. Curled up on the floor, she gasped and choked for air, squirming and writhing around unaware of her surroundings beyond the sheer magnitude of pain pulsing through her.
"POOOWWEERRRR!" Mirio cheered somewhere beyond her dimension of agony.
Just as I expected, Aizawa thought. All it took was one miscalculation to end this battle. Amaririsu had gotten used to Mirio using his Quirk to evade and transport himself closer to her. But she never allowed him the chance to show his physical speed, which on its own is incredible.
"Mirio, you shouldn't have punched her so hard," Tamaki sighed. "What if you fractured her ribcage? Recovery Girl has already healed her once today, and with the way her Quirk works Amaririsu might be immobile for a whole day before she can be healed properly. You need to learn to hold back a little in training. She's still gasping for air. Someone should really help her. I would, but I'm not sure how to help. Do I help her extend her airways? Should I carry her to the nurse's office? What if…what if she regains her senses while I'm carrying her and she starts panicking? Nejire, you're good at calming people down. You should help her."
"Oh, Tamaki! Calm down," Nejire giggled. "Amaririsu will be fine. She's just had the wind knocked out of her."
"Yeah, but, she needs air to breathe. If she can't breathe Amaririsu will die. And then Mirio would feel guilty and carry that regret with him for the rest of his life. I don't like this. Did they have to fight so seriously? Mirio's bleeding. He was caught in an explosion. And he punched Amaririsu close to his full strength to finish the battle in one blow. We should check on them."
"Hey, Mirio!" Nejire called across the gym. "You both were amazing!"
Mirio grinned and placed his hands on his hips. "Amaririsu was the amazing one! Check it out! She totally wounded me!" He lifted his bloody foot up.
"I know!" Nejire squealed. "She even figured out your Quirk! Can we take her in and become The Big Four now? Can we? Can we? Can we?"
The irrational girl was practically hopping in place.
"Nejire, you didn't even ask if they were okay," Tamaki mumbled.
Aizawa exhaled deeply through his nose. As usual, these three have a strange dynamic.
"I didn't expect Amaririsu to hold her own so long," Midnight hummed.
"In total, the battle lasted just under a minute," said Aizawa. "But not only did she hang in the battle longer than we anticipated, she also landed three real attacks to Mirio. There are third year students and Villains who haven't even landed a single hit against him, let alone three. And despite his outward appearance, Mirio's foot is in bad shape. The blade went straight through into the concrete; I'd bet the adrenaline of the fight is still numbing the pain. If it wasn't for his Quirk, the injury would have been a lot worse."
Midnight hummed in agreement. "Do you think they were able to learn much from this experience? It was a rather short battle."
"I can assure you it will aid Young Haya in the future battles," Atsuko spoke.
"Oh? How so?"
"There is a dangerous enemy we must face who wields a similar power of intangibility."
"Mm. Indeed, there are striking similarities between that man's power and this Mirio's," Osamu nodded gravely. "Lady Haya is an astute student. There is much she can learn from this battle, short as it was, in addition to this experience against an opponent with a similar power to our true enemy."
"She really is like Mirio," Tamaki muttered.
"When we face him next," Atsuko continued off her fellow Crow's statement, "she will overcome her current state of defeat to attain victory. You have my utmost gratitude for allowing this fight to take place."
Aizawa hummed but said nothing.
"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud, Eraser Head," Midnight teased. "You're the one who hoped this experience would help her on her path to become a guardian, and it has an even deeper resonance than you expected. This is what you wanted to give her as a teacher. Do I need to call Ms. Joke so she can make you smile?"
Aizawa scowled. "Don't even think about it, Midnight."
"Laughter and happiness is just one phone call away."
"That is literally a living nightmare."
"Mm." She leaned in, a flirtatious smile on her lips, and lightly gripped his scarf. "I could always bind you with that scarf of yours instead."
"Workplace relationships are entirely irrational," he replied flatly.
"Oh, you're no fun!" Midnight huffed, crossing her arms and pursing her lips in a childish pout. "Teasing All Might is far more pleasing."
He didn't bother to reply. Frankly, he hadn't known there was an enemy in their world who wielded a power like Mirio's, but it pleased him to know his gift would aid Amaririsu against their true enemy.
Preparing the next generation was a teacher's duty, after all.
Amari was wheezing. But she could somewhat breathe in the oxygen that hadn't been entering her lungs before, finally regaining enough sense to feel the cold concrete beneath her right shoulder and side, see the gym wall across from her and hear the voices of the occupants.
One punch, she thought, coughing then wheezing again. One punch is all it took to take me down. It's incredible, and he was holding back. Physical raw power like that in a boy his age, his perception and ability to predict my moves without dōjutsu, his mastery over his Quirk; he's not just a student anymore. He should be a Pro Hero already.
She had sensed the difference between their levels, but Mirio Togata's power went far above her expectations.
I went into our fight expecting a high-leveled Chūnin or newly promoted Jōnin, she wheezed and gasped, wincing as the pain pulsed through her abdomen. I expected him to be better than me. But I didn't expect him to be close to elite Jōnin level. I was in way over my head.
"Oh, looks like you're finally breathing," Mirio limped into view, crouching down beside her. "Sorry about that. Fighting you really pumped me up, so I may have gotten a little carried away back there. I didn't break anything, did I?"
She shook her head. "No," she croaked hoarsely. "Wind…gone. Big bruise. Troublesome…"
"Ah, that's a relief!" Mirio beamed. "As for the bruise…" He gently turned her onto her back, slipped one of his arms beneath her legs and the other behind her back, lifting her up in one go. "Since I have to go see Recovery Girl anyway I'll carry you there, too. It shouldn't require too much of your energy to heal it."
"Aw, he's so chivalrous!" Midnight cooed.
Amari was blushing. She could almost see how this appeared from beyond her body. Large, muscular Mirio carrying her short and small frame in his arms; she couldn't look more like a small child if she tried. But she couldn't breathe properly to argue, nor was she all that willing to, for she was in the gentle arms of the Hero Lemillion. A righteous, enthusiastic, chivalrous and warm Hero. A knight of justice.
And a handsome young man to boot.
"You two should head straight to the Old Lady's," Aizawa said. "Yūhi, I expect you to remove your explosives before you leave campus today. Also, think hard on your defeat and how it happened. You may have defeated an entire class of trainees, but you still have a long way to go to become the guardian you seek to be."
"Yes…sir," she wheezed.
"And Mirio, think about how she managed to counter your Quirk. You've come a long way, but you were a little overconfident at the end. That's why your foot is in that condition."
"Will do!" Mirio declared.
Nejire and Tamaki fell in line with Mirio as they exited. The girl of the pair hovered closer to Amari, playing with her hair as they walked towards the nurse's office while speaking excitedly about her performance. Tamaki was quiet the whole way, save a few shy mutterings here and there.
Amari snuck a few glances up at Mirio.
Lemillion, huh?
Mirio caught her staring and grinned at her. She blushed, averting her eyes. The sight of it caused Nejire to coo and express how adorable her shyness was.
Someone who can take All Might's place and inherit the spirit of The Guardian of Light.
Yeah. You'll be an excellent Hero one day.
Review Response to ChillinInKonoha: Well, the League of Villains are definitely preparing to make their move. We'll have to wait and see what they have planned next time. Overall I like the soundtrack you picked, though the only one I would change would be when she arrives on the scene and the fight. Instead of All Might's theme it would be a song called Le Chant de Roma from Akame Ga Kill for her entrance and battle against Goro. And then You Say Run would kick in when she reaches the roof, at least for me. Also I'm happy you liked how she didn't personally kill or spare Goro; I went through a few different scenarios before I finished with that one, but the final one was my favorite. It worked best with Amari's character and it was sort of poetic justice that he died burning in the hell he created after all he had done and what he planned to do, afraid of dying when he arrogantly believed at the beginning that he wasn't afraid to die.
Thank you for the review!