Coco: Hey, everyone, I bet you weren't expecting me back so soon, huh? Well, here I am! I actually have two chapters ready, but I might hold off on the second at least for a little bit. I first want to see how my new character is received. I know you're probably tired of seeing new characters pop up, but this character was actually a request made...a very long time ago because I'm super slow and this story is taking me forever XD Anyway, I believe the request was from KingChomp if I remember correctly and the request was to give Katsuki an arch nemesis! XD I mean, Izuku has one. Ayano kind of has one in her sister. So, Katsuki needs one! So, through talking with KingChomp and a friend of mine who I met on fanfic, I spent many many hours developing this character. I really hope you like them! And yes, I will be using "them" and "they" and "their", etc with this character as they don't identify as male or female. They're more gender fluid with one day they feel more like dressing in a male fashion sense and another day they feel like wearing more of a woman's fashion and putting on some make up. They're fabulous and I wish I had their kind of confidence. I quite love them already and I hope you do too!
Anyway, let's get started, shall we?
Oh, and a little reminder soon we will be getting into the first BnHA movie. Not this chapter or the next, but the one after that, so be looking out for it. Also, I'm not sure if I'll do one long chapter like a chapter special or something or break it up into a couple of chapters. Be sure to let me know what you guys thinking about it, okay?
Ayano frowned watching the screen as Katsuki hit Izuku without any hesitation. Their match just started and Katsuki was practically throwing away their chances of winning already. She knew his anger was building up. She's felt it ever since they returned from their internships. Seeing Izuku progress so quickly has really thrown Katsuki for a loop and the blonde doesn't know how to handle it.
'If this keeps up…I don't know if Katsuki will truly recover,' Ayano thought worriedly. 'Their relationship has always been strained, but this is the worst I've ever seen it.'
"Oh dear," Recovery Girl hummed. "There's absolutely no teamwork whatsoever between those two. Do they realize the trial ahead of them?"
Ayano knew to some extent that they both did. Izuku more than Katsuki, but when they get like this, it's hard to get them to focus on much else. It's like they're in their own little world. Though that world has changed a bit since Izuku doesn't rely on Ayano to do the fighting for him anymore. She continued to watch the screen as All Might made his first move. Using his mighty strength, he threw out a punch with enough wind pressure to send the boys flying backwards unable to catch themselves while destroying the street and surrounding buildings in the process.
After the air calmed and the boys had a small moment to gather themselves, All Might made a formal appearance on stage. Even though she wasn't there in person, Ayano felt her heart thump faster in her chest as she looked to the Symbol of Peace. His whole demeanor was different. It was intimidating. Beside her, Ayumi was feeling the same as she frowned. It was looking at Stain all over again, but in a way, it was even scarier coming from All Might. Someone who has taught them and helped them grow. She didn't like it.
"They need to run," Ayumi said.
The others agreed and while Izuku seemed ready to do just that, Katsuki went on the offensive as always. He started with his Stun Grenade move to blind All Might before moving in. However, he was quickly stopped as All Might grabbed him by the face. Their teacher certainly wasn't holding back. Though despite having his face in All Might's crushing grip, Katsuki fired off more explosions instead of trying to force All Might's hand off of him as most people would do.
All Might didn't see too concerned by Katsuki's explosions, however, as he swiftly slammed the boy into the ground hard enough to form a small, Katsuki-shaped crater in the ground. All Might's attention quickly turned to Izuku, and before the greenette could try to run, All Might was right behind him. Izuku jumped back to create distance, but only managed to fly right into Katsuki who had jumped forward to re-enter the battle. The two bounced off of each other as Ayano sighed at the scene.
'They aren't working together at all,' Ayano thought as she watched Katsuki walk pass Izuku right towards All Might without hesitation. 'Katsuki, I know you always want to win. You never give up. It's something I've always admired and been envious of about you. But if you don't realize your own limitations and take help when needed—even Izuku's help, you might actually lose.'
Of course, the boy couldn't hear her. While she might be able to stretch out her mental range that far, she couldn't interfere in this test. It'd be cheating for her to try and talk sense into Katsuki with her telepathy. He had to work things out on his own. As did Izuku. They needed to get on the same page. Otherwise they'd fail for sure.
'Please, you idiots,' Ayano thought as she watched Katsuki and Izuku try to get off the ground. 'Just work together. Win!'
Katsuki twitched from where he was on the ground as he could have sworn, he heard Ayano's voice in his head right now. It was faint. Very faint as if she hadn't meant to project her thoughts at all, but he heard her.
'Work with Deku?' Katsuki thought with a snarl on his face as he managed to get to his feet. 'I'd rather lose than rely on him!'
Katsuki's teeth grit together in frustration as All Might stopped beside his weakened form. His teacher was saying something, but Katsuki didn't listen as he looked forward.
'I'm done chasing after you… I'm going to surpass you. I'm going to move so far ahead that you'll have to chase after me.'
His teeth were grounding together at this point as those words of hers played once more inside his head. He hated them. Why did she have to go and say that? What did she mean that she was going to move pass him?
'If I lose here, that idiot will be another step closer…to moving on without me,' He thought with that painful feeling returning to his chest.
It hurt more than his stomach and it had just received a punch from All Might of all people.
'Like hell, I'd let that happen!' He thought defiantly.
But still the very thought of having to rely on Izuku for help made his stomach churn.
'Sometimes you have to accept help, Kacchan.' Her words from one of their times training together sounded in his mind. 'I mean, I want to get stronger and if I can't do it on my own, I will seek out help until I can stand on my own. Besides, you're helping me right now, aren't you? You're helping me become stronger, Katsuki, and I don't feel ashamed in the slightest. To move forward, to become the hero I want to be, to always win like you…I'll take help where it's needed, so I won't fail.'
"Dammit! Stupid Aya!" Katsuki cursed before throwing a large explosion at All Might throwing the Symbol of Peace off.
All Might was then surprised when instead of following up with the attack, Katsuki used his explosions to send him sailing over towards Izuku. Katsuki quickly got the boy free before grabbing Izuku and using his explosions to get them out of All Might's sight and into the alleyways of the mock city. Once they were gone, All Might let out a hum.
"Now, I wasn't expecting that," All Might said.
And he knew for a fact that it wasn't anything he said to get the blonde to suddenly change his plan of action.
"Looks as if Young Ishida has been helping the boy grow more than any of us thought," All Might commented. "Well, well, this is going to make things interesting."
He then knew he had to try and find the boys. The test wasn't over yet and he still had a few things to teach them. He wouldn't make getting a passing grade easy for them.
Katsuki panted as he threw Izuku down next to the wall in the alleyway he had taken them to. All Might wasn't following. Meaning even if the Symbol of Peace was looking for them, he obviously didn't know to follow them to here. Meaning they lost him for now. As Katsuki wiped the vomit from his face, Izuku was looking at the blonde with wide eyes.
'He helped me?' Izuku thought in confusion. 'He even retreated from All Might? What…what is going on with him?'
Izuku then flinched when Katsuki turned his glaring gaze onto him. Izuku gulped while slowly standing up off the ground.
"Kacchan, now's our time to run!" Izuku tried to persuade him once more. "We've put quite a bit of distance between us and All Might!"
"Shut-up, ya damn nerd!" Katsuki snapped. "We're not just running away!"
Izuku frowned because he didn't understand. Katsuki just saved him and retreated from their fight with All Might, but the blonde still refused to listen to him.
"Kacchan, listen, I really can't think of a way for us to beat All Might," Izuku tried again. "Or to make a clean get away without him swooping in and stopping us. But I don't want to give up! Let's use my power!"
Izuku then cried out when Katsuki, who let out a shout, threw out his fist. Izuku flinched thinking he was about to get hit for the second time by Katsuki since the exam started, but Katsuki instead hit the wall behind him with an explosion to boot, which had Izuku almost whimpering.
"I won't say it again, so listen, you useless nerd." Katsuki said getting Izuku to focus back on him and not the hole right next to his head. "All Might's speed is insane. No matter where you try to run and hide, there's no way you'll avoid fighting him."
"Yeah, but we don't stand a chance against him in combat!" Izuku protested. "I mean, you saw him back there!"
That should already be clear considering the beat down they had received earlier.
"Shut the hell up before I kill you!" Katsuki snapped getting Izuku to flinch. "He won't be stopped by anything less than a full power attack. I learned that earlier with my mini blasts."
Izuku's eyes started to widened as he was beginning to understand where Katsuki was going with this.
"So, we give him everything we've got at point-blank-range," Katsuki said as he stepped away from Izuku. "Our only option is to inflict as much damage as possible and then put distance between us."
Izuku was going to ask Katsuki how he planned to do that, but he was cut off as Katsuki shoved one of his gauntlets at the boy after removing it from his arm.
"I'm going to distract him and draw his attention to me." Katsuki told Izuku. "Then you'll hit him with this from behind, got it?! You mess this up in anyway, I'll blow you to bits, Deku!"
Izuku just held the gauntlet tightly as he stared at Katsuki as if the blonde had grown another head. This wasn't what Izuku was expecting at all.
"But…why?" Izuku asked out loud.
"Even if it pisses me off to team up with you…even if I hate it, I'm not going to lose here!" Katsuki snapped as he turned his back to Izuku. "I'm not going to fall behind her!"
Izuku's eyes widened even more as he realized why Katsuki had suddenly decided to team up. He was doing it…so not to fall behind Ayano. If he fails here, she'll go to the training camp become stronger and might surpass him. That's what Katsuki is worried about. Izuku understood. Izuku always felt so at a loss when seeing his two friends become stronger and develop their quirks when they were back in middle school.
Seeing them grow. Seeing them progress had always inspired him…and made him feel all the more powerless at the same time. Even now that he's progressing himself and catching up, he doesn't feel anywhere close to the two of them. And he doesn't want to lose any ground that he's gained by failing here either. With that in mind, Izuku placed Katsuki's gauntlet on his arm.
"Okay, let's do this," Izuku said with a determined nod.
It was still unsure if they could recover and actually win this, but that wouldn't stop either of them from trying. They just had to give it there all. Katsuki grunted before turning back from where they had come.
'I'll win this,' Katsuki thought as he walked forward. 'Just you watch, Aya.'
"Team Midoriya and Bakugo have passed the exam!" The automated voice declared.
Ayano let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she sunk down to her knees. The others were cheering for their classmates' victory as all tests were declared over.
'Those two…they just love to worry me, I swear,' She thought as she tried to calm her nerves. '…idiots…'
Though she was glad. They passed. She knew they could if they'd just work together. Those two are amazing on their own after all. Ayano then looked to Ochaco as the girl knelt down beside her.
"Isn't it great, Ayano?" Ochaco asked. "They passed!"
Ayano whose worry was all gone by now smiled at the brunette while giving a nod of her head.
"Yeah, but they sure made us wait in suspense." Ayano said.
But it was all over now. All the teams have gone through their exams. Some passed and some failed. Hachiro and Mina. Eijiro and Rikido. Now all they had to do was wait for the results and their first semester would officially come to a close.
"Are you sure you both are feeling better?" Ayano asked as she walked home with her two classmates.
It was late. Way after regular school hours, but that was to be expected considering she had to wait for these two knuckleheads to wake up after receiving care from Recovery Girl. Well, due to his injuries Izuku was stuck with Doctorine caring for him. From his screams it hadn't been an easy treatment, but according to Recovery Girl, Izuku's spine was better than just healed. It was basically brand new thanks to Doctorine's quirk Graft.
"Yeah, I don't feet any pain at all." Izuku assured her with a smile. "While Doctorine's quirk is painful to those she uses it on, there's rarely any side effects once the quirk is no longer in use to the patient. It's unlike Recovery Girl's quirk that leaves you feeling fatigued to even sickly afterwards. I mean, yeah, I was sore and stuff for a little while, but that's all gone. Doctorine's quirk really is amazing."
Izuku kept muttering on and on about the scary woman's quirk, which brought a smile to Ayano's face when seeing he really was fine. She then looked to Katsuki who was just glaring forward with his jaw tense. Ayano stepped closer to him while putting her hands around his arm. His eyes snapped over to hers in question as she looked up at him in concern.
"And what about your arms, Kacchan?" She asked. "You used some pretty powerful blasts in a row."
Katsuki scoffed looking off to the side, so he wouldn't have to look at her worried gaze. He didn't like it. He didn't want her looking at him like that. It made him feel funny.
"I'm not some weakling like Deku, so don't lump me in with him!" Katsuki snapped. "My arms are fine!"
Ayano let out a sigh of relief with a smile pulling across her face as she moved even closer to Katsuki to lay her head on his shoulder. The action had him stiffening as his eyes darted over to her once more.
"That's good to hear." Ayano said. "You two sure know how to worry me."
"Sorry, Ayano," Izuku apologized with a sheepish smile. "We'll try to be more careful, promise."
Ayano hummed in reply as she continued to walk in between the boys. She and Izuku chatted on the walk home while Katsuki remained silently staring at the ginger-haired girl.
"If you don't man up and take your chances with Ishida, someone else will come along and do it. I mean, Ishida is a pretty girl and smart and a good person. Anyone would be lucky to have her, but she likes you, so take the chance before that changes."
Katsuki frowned looking forward again as those warm feelings returned to his chest.
'Does she like me?' He wondered. '…Do I…like her?'
Katsuki's thoughts kept turning as he tried to understand just what he was feeling. It was just hard for him to think that he would like Ayano of all people. They've been fighting since they were kids. She was always trying to boss him around and reign him in to protect that damn nerd Deku. Or had it always been more than that? They've been at each other's sides for their entire lives. They've never really been separated. They've seen each other at their worst and at their best. She's been there to support him even if he never asked her to butt into his affairs, and he's watched her as she's grown since the start of the school year. He's watched as she's caught up to him and now, he's worried she might pass him. Worried…that she won't be by his side anymore?
"Hey, Katsuki," Her familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He looked to her to see her giving him that annoyingly concerned expression again. Izuku was too, and that just pissed him off.
"What?" He asked grumpily.
"You okay?" Ayano asked. "You must have been thinking about something pretty hard because we called out to you and you didn't answer at first."
Katsuki didn't reply as he looked off to the side with his frown deepening. He didn't want to talk about his thoughts. Especially not with Izuku present.
"What are you thinking about?" Ayano prompted.
"You're the telepath, so you tell me," Katsuki retorted.
Ayano paused in walking while letting go of Katsuki's arm, which had him and Izuku both stopping as well. They looked to their friend as she looked down at the ground.
"Well…I thought you didn't want me in your head," Ayano said. "The other day…when we were studying…you shielded your thoughts from me, so I've been trying to stay out your head. Yours and Izuku's both. You both have things you want to keep private and I feel like I've become too lax with just helping myself to your thoughts since we never tried to keep anything from each other before. I'm trying to be better about not doing that. Sorry…"
Izuku looked Ayano in surprise as he had no idea, she has been trying to restrain herself. Trying to bottle up her quirk like that. He looked down feeling a bit guilty. Though before he could say anything, Katsuki stepped forward as he moved to where Ayano had stopped.
"You're overthinking things, you idiot." Katsuki said. "You're the one who taught us how to block you, and so what if I do that every once and a while? It doesn't mean anything. Just that those things are to be kept to myself. I don't care about the rest of it, so give it a rest."
He then took her hand in his, so to tug her along. Ayano looked up at him with wide eyes, but he kept facing forward as they walked. Izuku, who was smiling now, fell into step alongside them.
'I thought it was kind of weird…the change in their dynamic, but…it's actually nice to see,' He thought to himself. 'I can kind of understand why the others think the two of them are a good pair. Not that I'll be saying that out loud anytime soon.'
He glanced at Katsuki as he thought this as he knew the blonde would most likely try to kill him if he said anything. So, he'd keep these thoughts to himself for now. As the three teens continued to walk home, Ayano and Izuku returning to their excited chatter about camp; they were completely unaware of the danger brewing that very same moment. Unaware of the horrors to come.
Rina tilted her head looking at the cards closely in front of her. She then looked across to Kurogiri who was also holding a deck of cards.
"Do you have any threes?" She asked.
"Go fish," He replied.
Rina groaned in annoyance before going to pick some cards off of the counter in front of her. Not using her telepathy to cheat made this so much harder. Not that it would help anyway since Kurogiri was trained by the Master to shield his thoughts from her. She was beginning to wonder why she even suggested they play a game of cards...Oh yeah, she was bored.
"It's your turn, Tomura," Rina told the blue-haired boy.
However, when he didn't respond, she looked up to roll her eyes when seeing he was too busy staring at the picture of Midoriya Izuku. He's been obsessing over that boy for some time and it was getting to be annoying.
"Are you curious, Shigaraki Tomura?" Kurogiri asked the youth then went on, "About this boy? Midoriya Izuku?"
Kurogiri never got this answer as the door to their small establishment opened up. Rina and the boys looked over seeing Giran—a very well-known and accomplished broker—leaning through their doorway.
"Shigaraki," He greeted Tomura. "Your League of Villains has been the talk of the town for the last several days. Word on the street is that you're about to start something big."
And since he heard that Rina is certain the man wanted first dibs on supplying them with merchandize. These brokers do move fast when money is possibly involved and a lot of it. If they see potential in a villain or have a feeling a group will make it big, it's usually first come first serve when it comes to supplying said villains. And Giran is one of the top men in the business, so she's curious to see who he has brought. Already based on the thoughts she's picking up…she'd say they're interesting people.
"And who did you bring?" Tomura asked after decaying the photo of Izuku in his grip.
Giran smirked at his question before stepping back to allow those with him to step into the room. The three who stepped in were an interesting lot. The man appeared to be eldest one there and had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked like he came out of a patchwork factory with some of his skin looking as if it had been burnt in hellfire and then stapled together with the healthy flesh on his body to keep him whole. His posture was a bit slouched in the shoulders but his chin held up in a defiant manner.
"So, it's really you, huh?" He commented as he looked to Tomura. "I've seen you in pictures, but I gotta say, your way grosser in person."
"You don't own a mirror…do you?" Rina shot right back out of habit.
With how many times she and Tomura have bickered, she never misses a beat when it comes to slinging back underhanded comments or even blunt insults. The man cut his gaze over to her, and she held it without waver. However, both were soon looking to the girl to his right when she gave a squeal and waved her arms around. Now, this one seemed like a completely normal school girl. Though the look in her golden-colored eyes and the twisted grin on her face, told a completely different story. Besides, Rina could see inside her head…this one's head...the only way Rina could describe it is in one word...insane.
"Wow, it's the weird hand guy!" The girl exclaimed. "You're friends with my hero Stain, right?! Cool! Let me join the League! I wanna be in your group!"
Tomura's fingers just drummed across the table in reply, which showed he was getting annoyed. It didn't seem as if he was impressed with these first two. However, maybe the third person would be to his liking. This one seemed to be closer to the man's age than the girl's and had and interesting style. Pink-hued hair styled in an undercut fashion with the top half being long enough to be pulled back in a short ponytail. It was parted to the right with their bangs falling slightly in their face. Their eyes, which had long dark lashes were a cool gray and they were lanky in build, and looked even smaller than they were due to the baggy nature of their clothes that were in several pastel colors.
"This is your headquarters?" They asked looking around. "If I do decide to join your group, I expect better accommodations, you know. I cannot live in such squalor."
Well, these people weren't good at first impressions, were they? Rina could tell Tomura wanted to turn them all away, but…no matter what kind of trash personalities they had, these people and any people that come after them can help Tomura and them. Help them achieve their goals. Help them become more. The very thought had Rina smirking inwardly. Things were changing for them and it would seem all for the better.