The ride to the USJ was less awkward than I expected despite the silence of most people in the car. Bakugo was transported in a separate car with All Might to keep us separated, Mora rode with Aizawa, Nezu and I. Mora filled the car with positive feelings while I focused on feeling as genuinely co-operative as possible. This wasn't a feat, I was stunned at the opportunity and wanted nothing more than to pass this test, and hopefully that would be enough to pass onto the boy and settle him down.
Upon arrival, we were rushed to the changing rooms to get into more appropriate fighting attire. They gave me many options, with a support class student enthusiastically suggesting gadgets for me to try but, I opted for something simple. A black, form fitting, fire resistant sleeveless turtleneck bodysuit with similarly flame retardant, high waisted black cargo pants. I picked out a pair of knee high, black armored combat boots since the fighting style I used to go with was very leg-heavy to draw focus away from my arms. The support girl mentioned they were equipped for breaching walls and windows with minimal impact on me, I liked the sound of that.
Once I was ready I joined Aizawa at the gate just as he was pulling his goggles up. "Ready?" He asked, not looking in my direction as the gates rose.
"More than ready." I replied, dashing out as soon as the gate opened, he allowed me to lead the way.
The instant we were through we heard explosions coming from the north west, inside a tall grey building, with the windows on the 20th floor or so blown out.
"We can't let him get out!" I commanded, going for a shorter building next to our target.
"The more room he has to play with, the less chance I have to get in close with him." I deduced, going for the fire escape ladder on the side of the building, but quickly being grabbed by Aizawa, a respectful hand curled around my waist. He used his binding cloth to hoist us on top of the building, allowing us to get in on the 12th floor. "Nice trick." I noted, trying to keep the mood light.
"Can you quit with the small talk and stay focused?" He spat as we approached the window.
"Can you lighten up a bit?" I bit back, furrowing my brow. "The more I genuinely want to cooperate and stay calm, the better our chances are at placating him. So cut the tough act and lets have some fun." I grinned, turning to the window, eager to put my new boots into work. He moved to stop me but, I hit the switch on my heel with the toe of my other boot and reeled back, smashing forward on the window, completely shattering it and allowing us in. I looked back at him with a cheeky grin before jumping through.
We scaled the steps quickly, my blast catching Bakugo's attention before he could escape the building. I figured a guy like him couldn't resist an impending fight.
Aizawa threw a hand out to stop me, listening in. His hand over my heart, I could see a small smile form on his cheeks, his mouth obscured from view with his scarf. If it wasn't for his awful attitude, his protectiveness would be endearing.
"Ah-ha! Found you." A voice, loud, raspy and enraged growled through a few floors.
"Get back!" Aizawa grabbed me by the shirt and leaped back with me as the ceiling above us broke open with a devastating blast. The boy, with explosive blonde hair and gauntlets that resembled grenades, jumped down from two floors up, using an explosion to break his fall. In time with his explosion, I activated my boot once more and blew open the wall to our right, slipping in and away from view.
"Where are you, little punk!?" He called, his heavy steps revealing his pathing, we moved in the opposite direction. He let out a frustrated sigh and blew open the wall just behind us, then the wall on the other side of him in the hall, I used the split second he was focused on the other wall to slip out of the hole he created to get a hold on him but, he was better than I thought. "Nice try!" He called, grabbing my arm with a gloved hand and letting out an explosion from his palm, I yelped, being blown back into the other room. My eyes darted to my arm, expecting it to be blown clean off but, it was just burned and bleeding, my palm taking the worst of the hit.
Either he was warned about me, or he was just that good.
Aizawa pulled me away with his binding cloth once more as Bakugo aimed for me again. "You alright?" He asked, reaching for my blasted hand. I flexed it into a fist, wincing from the pain but nodding to him, a smile playing at my features. He smirked back, nodding towards him, hair beginning to float up as he leaped out to meet Bakugo, a wild smile formed across his face as he readied a shot at him. Aizawa negated his quirk, leaving him stunned for a moment before he realized what happened, leaving a window enough for Aizawa to leap overhead, the binding cloth lax enough to catch Bakugo from under the jaw, pulling him backwards.
I saw this as my chance and leaped out, keeping my arms away from the front of my body so he couldn't target them again.
Of course, the boy was clever and compensated for the pull, planting his feet and leaning back far enough to escape the scarf's hold, then he used his firepower to spin himself around to face Aizawa. In that time, however, Eraserhead had landed and crouched down low enough to evade Bakugo's blast that would have landed right at his head. He kicked up through the blast and connected with the kid's jaw once more, causing him to stagger back. This was my chance, taking a last calming breath, I lunged for him, reaching around his extended head, gripping his jaw and pulling him hard to the ground, his hands flexing for his quirk but Aizawa erasing it.
Once my hands made contact with him, I felt my quirk flow through my uninjured hand. The relief of winning faded to pure emptiness, before coming back with a scorned, wild rage. This rage was complex but immature, I felt an outburst coming instantly. I straightened up, winding my leg up for a stomp on his head, before being grabbed from behind.
"Hey! Hey, what the fuck?! I'll fucking- guh- let me go you idiot!" I raged, thrashing against whoever had a hold of me, extremely pissed that I couldn't get at him to solidify our win. Turned out that one of the students, a boy with multiple webbed arms, was holding me, leaving me with nowhere to go.
"Well done, Ko!" Nezu chimed, clapping his paws together as he turned the corner, with All Might and Mora not far behind.
"Oh, Ko! That was so cool!" Mora beamed, running up to my kicking and thrashing form. If it wasn't for my stolen rage, I would've been thrilled to hear her say that. She giggled at me, waving her fingers infront of my nose teasingly. I bit at the air between us. "Ooouh, she's acting just like Katsuki!"
Speaking of which, Katsuki got up from the floor, calmer than anyone had ever seen him. He was smiling and laughing with Aizawa, fist bumping him, congratulating him on his win. The rest of the group gathered around Mora, the multi-armed boy and myself to discuss the test.
"Well, I'd say that was quite the success!" Nezu chimed, patting Aizawa on the calf while he stared up at me. I thrashed in my hold, incredibly pissed to be held back. I wanted to scream, to yell, to insult every one of them but, I knew this boy's stolen rage could cost me my job, so I just grunted and writhed.
"Say, Mora... you got any idea how to turn her back to normal?" All Might asked, nodding towards my aggressive form.
"Oh yeah! You gotta knock her out." She stated plainly. Everyone gaped at her, despite her being correct. She noticed and elaborate. "She has to sleep it off, but if she's raging like this she won't sleep for a while, so you gotta make her. Here!" Mora walked over to me and the boy, nodding for him to let me go enough to get at me. As kids we had to do this often when I took on too many strong emotions, and while I was used to it, it was still incredibly uncomfortable.
She wound up and knocked me hard in the side of the head, her fist glowing with her quirk.
With that, the world faded to black.
Tysm for reading and commenting yall! im not the best at fight scenes but, I hope this was tolerable!
im so excited for the next part hehe