Chapter 2: Manliness Tested

Introduction

V/O (Hikari): This sure is a lot to take in! Why did I agree to this!? Is this safe? I don't know this boy! How do I know I can trust him? He's super mean…but then nice…I don't get him at all!

V/O (Bakugou): HEY, SHUT UP! YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US AWAY!

V/O (Hikari): Eeep! [quieter] Sorry! You don't need to yell at me though...are you always this angry?

V/O (Bakugou[quietly seething]): Stop asking questions already! You're making me sound like the bad guy…

V/O (Hikari): …

V/O (Bakugou):...Are you freakin' kidding me? If you think I'm a bad guy then no one's keeping you here!

V/O (Hikari): I never said you're a bad guy…I just don't know you…and you're scary…but I don't want to be left alone either so I guess I'll trust you…

V/O (Bakugou): Whatever! Let's just be done with this preview…

V/O (Bakugou and Hikari)[quietly]: Plus Ultra.

Katsuki stared out the window of the moving train, watching the dark green and gray scenery blur together and pass him by. The landscape was mostly fields, with few trees scattered about, and mountains off into the distance. Dark clouds hung in the direction of his travel. It appeared as though the train was heading into another storm, which triggered memories from the last hour to flood into Katsuki's head. He furrowed his eyebrows as the unwanted, and definitely unwelcome, thoughts intruded his mind, effectively taunting him into submission.

/Her quirk.../

He gritted his teeth. It was a strong quirk, though just by hearing the name he wouldn't have thought it to be anything to write home about. It had complete control over him. He couldn't refute it and certainly couldn't pretend it didn't happen. Of course, he couldn't accept it either. He knew if he hadn't bumped into Hikari when he had lost his balance earlier, he would have fallen unconscious, which would mean she'd be back with her captors and, according to her, he'd be dead.

Her quirk was to blame for all of this. She was to blame for all of this. No, it was his fault for failing to handle her quirk. Thinking about this only made him angrier, feeling as though he lost to her quirk and, ultimately, to her.

/I couldn't keep it together...this is bullshit...stupid abducted crybaby...I won't let her win next time.../

Katsuki growled to himself and rested his arm on the sill, his cheek in his hand, pouting. He leaned his forehead on the cool window; it felt nice and gave him a sense of relief. He calmed down a little bit and stared out in a daze. He sighed.

/What am I even doing?.../

. . .

"Okay, get in the bag."

"Um, what?"

"I said, get in the bag! Clean the crap outta your ears…"

Hikari looked at Katsuki with apprehension and dissatisfaction.

"You have nowhere to go, right? There are villain's after ya…not to mention you're wanted by the police, too. If ya stick around here, those bastards will definitely find ya…so taking ya someplace far from here will throw them off..."

Hikari's eyes widened for a moment, before shifting her attention to the puddles on the concrete. She gripped her dress, tightly.

"Uhh...umm... how about we…hide out in the woods outside of the city instead? Like we're camping…If we hide long enough, they shouldn't come back here to look for us…"

Katsuki stared dumbfounded at Hikari, thinking that maybe she was joking. She wasn't. This girl was actually serious.

"Hah!? Are ya stupid? Why would we go camping when these villain bastards are after you!? And what kind of logic is that? Of course they'd come back here to check! I don't think they'd believe ya got very far in the state you're in! I'm surprised you're still standing…"

Hikari turned slightly away from Katsuki and twiddled her fingers.

"I-It's just…m-my parents always told me to not go anywhere with strangers a-and I was kidnapped when I was ten…n-not that I should refuse your help! Just…well…I just met you…and I don't know you very well…and you're kinda mean…but weirdly nice…I don't know if I can trust you…b-but doesn't mean I don't want to…uhhhhhh….mmmm…" Hikari stammered.

Katsuki's veins on his head bulged out as she continued her reasoning. She made it sound like he was the bad guy abducting her this time.

"WHATEVER! If ya wanna go camping on your own then go right ahead! I ain't gonna stick around here to make ya feel more comfortable or whatever! I'm going home with or without you! Good luck saving yourself!" Katsuki started to get up. Hikari panicked.

"Okay, okay! Please, don't leave me alone….I'll get in the bag!"

. . .

Katsuki's eyes glanced down toward the duffle bag at his feet.

/What am I even doing?...This is a huge pain in the ass... I really should drop her at the police station…/

Katsuki knew that he should bring Hikari to the station, it would be what every other pro-hero would do, afterall. However, something about bringing her to the station felt wrong. Honestly, the thought made him think about his own experience being captured by villains. After the rescue, he had to spend hours at the police station answering one annoying question after the next when all he wanted to do was go home.

/…This girl was captured way longer than I was…the police would keep her for weeks…maybe longer…they already see her as a threat…who knows what they'd do to her there? It would be like being captured all over again…argh…this is frustrating!.../

Katsuki tousled his hair furiously and a low growl came from the back of his throat and through his clenched teeth.

/Freakin' Dunce Face! Putting me in this mess! Now I'm responsible for her safety….but where do I take her? On the off chance the villains do figure out where she is…if they are as strong as she makes them out to be then anywhere she goes would put that place in danger…the only place that's safe would be…/

His thoughts were interrupted with a familiar high pitched voice.

"This is such a pain! Maybe I should just go hide somewhere far away…"

Katsuki froze for a second. He didn't outwardly acknowledge the voice passing him by, but did shoot a sideways glance. The man was short and lanky. He appeared pretty ordinary besides a large tattoo on his arm of a hand holding criss-crossed sticks. His hair, thinning with age and generally unappealing, was brushed back, but still wet from the rain. There was no doubt that he was one of the two out in the alleyway chasing Hikari. Katsuki continued to act as though he hadn't noticed the man. He rationalized, if he got noticed now then getting Hikari to a safe spot may fail.

The man kept grumbling to himself before he stopped right in front of Katsuki, his eyes fixed on the large duffle bag that laid on the ground before him, then at the soaked Katsuki himself. He scoffed.

"Hey, brat! You're awfully soaked…and that bag should be in the overhead cubby, not the floor! I'd like to sit down, so move it!" There was no reason to sit across from Katsuki, other than he was so irritated with the day he felt like taking his anger out on someone by scaring them, especially a kid. That always made him feel better. However, when Katsuki turned to him, the man immediately regretted his choice. His face dropped in terror and went pale. Someone's day seemed far worse than his, and it showed.

"Hah!? It's freakin' raining out! Of course I'm soaked, you lanky asswipe! And I can leave my bag wherever I damn well please! Go sit elsewhere! Or do you wanna start something!? I'd be happy to kick your ass," Katsuki spat, a menacing aura around him as he stood up and had one foot on the seat. His head cocked up and eyes looked down on the man, exaggerated by Katsuki in pursuit of effect. He thought he looked manlier than this wannabe. Everyone in the car was now staring at them, some fascinated, some completely horrified at the train fight that was about to happen.

/Scrawny bastard...need to get 'im off my back.../

He was creating small explosions for the man to see that he was seriously ready to take him down. Katsuki made it known that he was willing to start a fight on the train. Hell, he made it known he was even capable of destroying the train.

/This better work.../

The man jumped and stumbled off, shivering from the interaction.

/Kids these days are scary...that didn't help at all.../

From within the duffel bag, contorted and cramped, Hikari overheard the whole exchange.

/Scary...maybe I should've camped in the woods...wait...maybe I am safer with this boy...even criminals are scared of him.../

Katsuki looked toward his failed assailant, and couldn't help himself from remarking how similar the man now looked to a licked dog: feeble, timid, tail between his legs; what a pushover. Katsuki sighed with relief, and turned to find a small boy right in front of him. Katsuki looked at the boy, stunned by the sudden appearance. He was at a loss for words.

"Wow! Your quirk is amazing! Wait! You're that U.A. student from the sports festival! I thought you were so cool!" The boy stopped speaking for a moment to pepper in some sound effects: BOOM CRASH KERBLOOO!, before continuing. "I wanna be just like you when I grow up! You're so manly! Can I have your autograph!?" The excited boy held out his backpack with a marker. Katsuki froze for a moment.

/Shit../

Katsuki looked back at the man he just scared off to see if he overheard the boy's comment.

The man was rubbing the back of his head, continuing to walk to the next car.

/Looks like he didn't notice.../

Katsuki swiped the marker from the boy and signed his backpack, quickly and messily. He drew an explosion accompanied with "Dynamight" for his signature. He shoved the backpack and the marker back to the boy.

"Oh, wow! Thank you so much!" The boy beamed, hugging the backpack like it was a beloved stuffed animal. He then ran off back to his seat. Katsuki could see his mother scolding him for running off. He could tell by her expression she was scared of him and she was concerned for her son, like he was the bad guy.

Katsuki sat and leaned back, shoulders slouching. He hoped the ride would be over soon, though he knew he still had two hours left.

"Everything okay?" Hikari said, quietly, knowing Katsuki, and no one else, would be able to hear her.

"Yeah...but you needa stop movin' around; you're gonna get us caught!" Katsuki kicked the bag. Hikari let out a loud yelp that drew the attention of most of the other passengers—the only people not looking directly at Katsuki were people wearing headphones, but they soon noticed the others' gazes and locked eyes on him, too.

Katsuki turned right to the window. His face went red, teeth clenched as he heard some scattered laughter. This lessened the tension in the whole car. He knew they thought he was the one who had a girly yell and, given the situation he was in, had to play it off as such.

"Sorry…I'll be more careful…" Hikari said, a hint of pettiness in her voice.

/That really hurt…stupid jerk…he didn't have to kick me…/

Hikari slowly turned to her side in the bag. There were only so many positions she could be in to be comfortable–well…as comfortable as she could be in her small confinement of the duffle bag which she shared with his clothing, a towel, sunglasses, a bottle of aloe, keys, a wallet, and some other things she couldn't tell what they were, but were poking into her legs and back. She managed to get the towel rolled up under her head and the clothing bunched up and in her arms, like a body pillow, all before Katsuki kicked her for moving around.

/…Why did I agree to go with him…I wanna go home…I hate this…/

Hikari's lips twitched and a few tears fell. She buried her face in the clothing she had in her arms and quietly cried into them. She felt so desperate to be saved that she'd accept it from anyone, including this hot-headed jerk who treated her like prized garbage.

/…Why aren't I stronger…/

/Why am I doing this?!.../

Katsuki gritted his teeth. The only thing this girl has done so far was cause him all sorts of problems and force upon him a responsibility he didn't ask for-or left the dorms today to take on. Hikari was completely helpless, and an idiot, but for whatever reason, something about her made him want to help her. This want made his stomach turn inside out.

/Idiot…/

/Jerk…/

Katsuki's attention went back to the bleary world outside the train while Hikari continued to squeeze her face into the tear-stained clothing. To Katsuki, there was something soothing, calming, about the dark and dull scenery outside. To Hikari, there was something soothing, calming, about the almost rhythmic movements of the train hitting the tracks. The rain began to hit against the window; their voyage had finally led them into the storm. They both felt themselves drift off into an uneasy sleep as the train continued to make its way to Musutafu Station.

. . .

"Arriving at Musutafu City. Please mind that you gather all your belongings before departing." The prim, almost sanitized female voice ushered the train to a stop.

Thanks to the loud announcement, Katsuki woke up just in time to get himself, and Hikari (otherwise known as 'all his belongings'), off the train. The sudden movement and jerking of the bag made Hikari wake up from her slumber.

The day had finally caught up to both of them upon suddenly waking. Their bodies felt like they'd been hit by a truck. Katsuki's throat was burning and a sourness still lingered in his stomach. Hikari's legs felt prickly from being in the same position for hours. The two had not intended to fall asleep on the train. Their bodies however, decided otherwise. Katsuki was upset he had fallen asleep, but even more so that it hadn't rejuvenated him. Hikari wished she was still sleeping. It felt better being asleep.

Katsuki dragged himself, and Hikari, down a long windy road that led right to U.A..The duffle bag with Hikari inside rolled against the bumpy pavement, making this part of the ride worse than the three hours on the train (at least from her perspective).

It was normally a 20 minute walk from the train station. Oranges and reds painted the sky, and the clouds began to go away. The rain that had started back was less heavy than earlier, showing signs of stopping soon. Katsuki wanted to get to his dorm quickly, but had no energy to run and this would instead add 10 extra minutes to the normal time it took him to get to U.A. campus.

"Hey…where are we going anyway?" Hikari asked after some time. Her voice was lower than it had been, making Katsuki think it was someone else for a moment.

"U.A…we are going to my dorm room…" Katsuki replied.

"Wait…the hero academy? You're a student there? Are you trying to be a pro-hero?"

"...Yeah. I'm gonna be the number one hero. You'd have seen it if you didn't stop me from beating the crap out of those villains…"

"Never would've thought you'd want to be a hero…with how you act…" Hikari muttered.

"What did you say?" Katsuki frowned, slightly irritated. He didn't catch the last part she said.

"Nothing. Nevermind. Maybe you'd have taken down those lackeys that were chasing me. But not Despair...no one has ever beaten him...I don't even think All Might would stand a chance…"

Katsuki thought for a moment and realized she was captured during the time All Might retired, meaning she probably still thinks he is still the number one hero.

"That's bullshit. No one can beat All Might," Katsuki replied. He wondered why he wouldn't just tell her she's right. All Might had to retire because he passed on his power to his childhood rival. No, he retired because Katsuki got captured by villains and he was forced to use the last of his power to save him. Admitting All Might's retirement would mean admitting his guilt. He wasn't going to do that, not now.

"You're probably right…All Might's amazing…" Hikari smiled a little in the bag. How could she doubt the greatest hero there was? Actually she knew well why she immediately believed Despair was stronger than All Might. All her thoughts from the last seven years came back in a flash. She shuddered and curled herself in a ball again, face buried as tears threatened to come again.

/I'm safe now...it's gonna be okay.../

Hikari slowed her breathing to calm her nerves that wanted nothing more than to rip her apart. She needed something to distract her mind from wandering to places she didn't want to be. This silence was eating away at her.

"Hey...why were you out so far from U.A.? Were you visiting family?" Hikari asked. They stopped moving abruptly. Were they there? Is there someone coming? Did her question anger him? She couldn't figure out what was happening and asking again could be fatal in any of the above scenarios. She waited. Finally, he spoke.

"...I was supposed to go to the beach with some idiots…but the biggest idiot sent me the wrong address...that idiot is so dead when I see 'im…"

Hikari could hear the animosity in his words. He was there by mistake. He found her by mistake. Her mind started going in circles, like a merry-go-round at an amusement park, but less merry.

If not for this mistake, she'd be back with Despair, dead inside again.

If not for this mistake, this boy wouldn't be in this mess and probably be happier.

If not for this mistake, she'd be tortured and alone.

If not for this mistake, he'd not be burdened by her.

She bit her lip, almost drawing blood.

"They sound like idiots…" Hikari mustered out.

"They are...they only know how to piss me off…"

Hikari bit down harder, starting to taste copper on her tongue. Tears pooling and being absorbed by the clothes she had her face pressed into.

"But if they weren't stupid then you wouldn't have crashed yourself into me and you'd still be running, coming up with your own stupid ideas on how to save yourself...at least this can give you some peace of mind…you're safer here than anywhere else..."

A sea of relief swept her in and pulled her down, drowning her, overwhelming her. Who'd have thought such a good feeling would be suffocating? She choked back more tears.

"...Th...thank you" She whimpered.

Katsuki hummed in response, not really knowing how he wanted to respond to her. The villains were still after her. He was bringing her to U.A. without a fully thought out plan. He didn't even know what to tell the teachers. Or his classmates. He wasn't one to keep secrets besides anything that would threaten him as a person. This was a new thing all together. It reminded him of just how much of a teenage brat he still was. He would advise anyone in his shoes to bring her to the station but not himself. He was somehow special and knew better and could do whatever he wanted.

Katsuki and Hikari continued on in silence until finally, they arrived at the main gate at U.A.. Katsuki didn't move and just glared at nothing in front of him, ready to fight the invisible enemy that did not actually exist.

"Kacchan….Are you okay?" came a voice from one side of Katsuki.

Katsuki's whole body twitched. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Izuku Midoriya, his childhood friend-and, though Katsuki himself may not admit it, rival-, standing next to him. His bright green eyes showed concern for his friend's well-being. Hikari snapped out of her daze in the duffel bag, noting this new voice.

/Kacchan? Is that his name?...Sounds like a pet name.../

"Don't talk to me, Deku!" Katsuki's voice was hoarse and deeper than normal. His glare pierced right through Midoriya, making the freckled, timid boy jump.

"Right, okay!" Midoriya squeaked and hurried off to the dorm.

/Kacchan's definitely in a mood today.../

Hikari jumped a bit in the bag.

/Scary.../

Katsuki continued to stand at the gate. If he went through with Hikari, the whole gate would close and the alarms would go off, spoiling his one and only plan at the moment: sneak Hikari into his dorm room. Breaking the rules wasn't something Katsuki liked doing, but he felt he had no other choice. If he told the teachers now, they would send her right to the police. He needed more time to think of a way to talk to the teachers, which was why he chose to house her himself in secret.

/How am I gonna get her in without settin' off the alarms...dammit I shoulda taken the nerd's ID.../

Shortly after, another voice called out to him. Katsuki turned slowly and menacingly to see both Kirishima and Kaminari coming up the sidewalk, both putting down their umbrellas as the rain ended. The two boys stared at the waterlogged, miserable, and utterly terrifying individual standing at the gate like a psycho in a horror movie.

"...you look like shit," Kaminari pointed out. With this final comment there was a thin thread that snapped in Katsuki's mind.

"You…...get over here." Katsuki's voice was low and deliberate. His eyes glowed a crimson red, his face distorted with murderous intent.

A shiver went up their spines, including Hikari's.

"I-I don't think I'm ready...maybe, we, uh, can talk tomorrow when you don't look like a rabid animal," Kaminari said, taking one step back.

Katsuki let go of his bag and started to make his way toward Kaminari. Seeing this, Kaminari started running away from the crazed Bakugou, fast—like his life depended on it.

"GET BACK HERE!" Katsuki yelled, chasing Kaminari down. If it hadn't been for his determination to hurt Kaminari for making this day a nightmare, he wouldn't have been able to catch him in the state he was in. Katsuki reached out and grabbed the back of Kaminari's shirt. With one fluid motion he slammed Kaminari to the ground. Katsuki then picked him up by the collar and pulled him in close.

"Gimme your ID," Katsuki seethed, his grip tightening.

"You're really scary right now," Kaminari mustered. Katsuki started making explosions with his free hand.

"You want scary!? I'll be glad to give ya a real taste of what scary is," Katsuki spat, ready to blast Kaminari into tomorrow.

"Fine, here! Just don't kill me!"

Kaminari dug his ID out of his pocket. Katsuki swiped the card from his hands and dropped him to the ground. He made his way back to his bag, grabbed it, and stomped his way through the gate. Kaminari remained on the ground, teary eyed but slightly relieved Bakugou hadn't hurt him.

/I don't want to know what's scarier than this.../

Still listening intently from her hiding place, Hikari couldn't help but question the motives and intentions of someone so trigger-happy and obviously violent.

/Must be that idiot he mentioned...Sorry mom... dad...I think I've made a mistake agreeing to get in the bag.../

Kirishima watched Bakugou head off and sighed. He was not entirely surprised things went down this way. Kaminari didn't know when to give up sometimes. As much as Kirishima thought the electric boy deserved some sort of retribution, leaving him outside the school with nothing but the clothes on his back didn't feel like a manly thing to do. He chased after Bakugou.

"Hey, man, I know he really screwed up today….but keeping him from entering the dorms is a bit much, isn't it? It ain't manly..." Kirishima kept pace with Bakugou, who didn't stop moving.

"Yeah, whatever," Katsuki pushed the ID onto Kirishima to take.

"You give it back to him. Today sucked. I'm going to bed." Katsuki continued to the dorms. Hikari sighed with relief.

/Mom, dad...I take it back, maybe it will be okay.../

Kirishima watched his friend head to the building before walking back to return Kaminari's ID.

Kaminari took it back, grateful, but defeated.