"Deku!" Uraraka called out as she, Asui, Bulla, Mineta, and Iida entered the room.
"Are you okay, Midoriya?!" Iida called out.
"Guys... Shouldn't you be watching the next match?" Midoriya asked.
"The stage was torn apart, so they're having a quick break while they fix it." Bulla explained as she noticed the taller man in the room. "Oh, Mr. Yagi!" She said with a bow. "It's good to see you again. How is you injury?" Her question caused Miodriya's eyes to widen as he silently freaked out.
"I'm doing okay, but I'm certainly not getting younger." He mentioned, scratching the back of his head. "How has your headache been, Young Brief?"
With a slight chuckle, Bulla gave him a smile. "Gone a long time ago, Mr. Yagi. Anyway, Midoriya, are you alright?" She asked the casted young man.
"Brief... Yeah, Recovery Girl just healed my legs so that I could walk. She didn't want to drain my stamina too much, but my arms should be fine in a few days."
'Geez, Midoriya! The way you used your Quirk was insanely gross! Nobody's going to want a sidekick who hurts himself like that!" Mineta mentioned as Asui's tongue wrapped around him, slamming him into the ground face-first.
"That's not neccessary, Mineta. Ribbit." Asui said. "You're just rubbing salt in his wound."
"Hey now! You're all entirely too loud! All that this young man needs is rest right now! So please make your way back to the stands and he'll join you when I dismiss him!" Recovery Girl yelled as she began shoving everybody out of the room. As everyone piled into the hall, the door slammed behind the group.
"Man, she didn't have to yell like that." Uraraka said quietly through her pouting lips.
"I guess it's for the best. Midoriya's health is the number one priority right now." Iida explained as he took out his phone. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to make a personal call." As he dismissed himself, Uraraka, Bulla, Mineta, and Asui made their way back to the arena.
Entering the stands, everyone looked over the side. "Oh, hey, the arena is done!" Uraraka said, holding out her finger. "Aren't you next, Brief?"
"Oh, y-yeah... I guess I'll get down there, then." Bulla told them nervously as she waved goodbye. Now on her way back into the arena, the walk though the long and empty white halls began to stretch and extend. Suddenly, a silhouette of her father appeared to be walking beside her.
Although it didn't speak, she could hear his voice in her head. "You're going to fight Pan."
"Yeah..." She said to herself, her head hung low.
"Even though she's stronger than you." He said in her head.
"Yeah... I won last time we sparred, though." Bulla explained, slightly picking her head up.
"Nothing but a fluke. She was probably just luring you into a false sense of security. You're weak, like your father." Gohan's voice spoke in her head as his silhouette began to walk alongside them.
"You're probably right..."
"After all, your father could never surpass mine. How would this turn out any different?" Gohan's voice said.
"It shouldn't..." Trying her hardest to fight back tears, she began to walk faster, trying to get away from the silhouettes. Before she could get far, a large figure stood before her, shaded in black with no features. A figure that she had seen so recently, crossing its arms.
'Of course it shouldn't. You're pathetic." Endeavor's voice said as she began to sprint down the hall. As she made her way out of the halls and into the warming light of the open arena, the crowd's cheers finally began to roar through her ears, picking up from their previous dull state.
"THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AGAIN! IF YOU'RE JUST TUNING IN, OUR NEXT MATCH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" Present Mic announced. "FROM CLASS 1B, WE HAVE THE FLYING FIST-FIGHTING PAN SON! AND FROM CLASS 1A, WE HAVE THE LASER-BEAMING BEAUTY, BULLA BRIEF!"
As Pan began to stretch, Bulla followed suit. With the two girls stretching, there was a distinct difference in atmospheres. While Pan exuded excitement and drive, the air surrounding Bulla was more somber and depressing, as if she didn't want to fight. What's wrong with me? I was so excited for this today, and now I just want to go home and crawl under a blanket. Is it because I may have to fight Todoroki and Bakugo after this? Because I have three chances to lose it all? As Bulla's thoughts began to echo throughout her head, she took her father's signature fighting stance.
With her eyes widening, Pan smiled, and she bent over the way her father had learned from his father. "BEGIN!" Present Mic announced as the two dashed forward. Together, the two leaped and slammed their arms forward, colliding before engaging in an exchange of punches and kicks. "AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE DISPLAY OF SPEED! DON'T LET THEIR APPREARENCES FOOL YOU, BECAUSE OUR GIRLS FROM THE HERO COURSE SEEM TO HAVE A HISTORY OF MARTIAL ARTS!"
Bulla blocked a heavy kick, tightening her grip on Pan's shin before throwing a fist towards her side, only to miss from Pan dropping backwards and slamming her opposite leg against Bulla's temple, sending her skidding back slightly. "You see that? You're on the defensive." Vegeta's silhouette spoke from within her head. Gritting her teeth, Bulla took a step forward, but ultimately faltered, remaining a defensive stance.
Pan's eyes wdened, and then narrowed as she dashed forward, unleashing a powerful onslaught on her closest friend. As Bulla raised her arms, deflecting two punches, she grabbed the third and pulled her opponent closer before a heavy knee-strike slammed into her gut. Staggered, Bulla released her friend's hand as Pan spun around and slammed another heavy kick into Bulla's side.
"Man, these girls are really going at it." One hero spoke from the stands.
"Their Quirks were Flight and Laser, right? It's incredibly versatile to be able to rely on your physical strength, whether your Quirk is good for combat or not!" Another followed.
"You see? She obviously outclasses a weakling like you." Gohan's voice said as his silhouette stood behind her with his arms crossed.
Holding her side and gritting her teeth, a quick tear slipped down Bulla's cheek. Suddenly, Pan dashed forward once again, barely giving Bulla time to think. Rather than throwing another onslaught, Pan through two quick punches in unison. Despite having seen this move before, Bulla's arms dropped as Pan's attack landed. Her feet skid along the ground and Pan through another fist.
Catching the oncoming blow, as well as the one following, Bulla held Pan's fists before they opened up, locking fingers with her friend. "Bulla, snap out of it!" She yelled, causing Bulla's eyes to widen. "You're not yourself, right now! What's going on?!"
"Pan... I'm just..." Clenching her eyes shut, Bulla fought back her tear. As her eyes opened once more, meeting Pan's gaze, the Son child felt her heart break. "I miss everyone... And I try and push down the feeling... The feeling that it's all my fault!" She said as her knees began to buckle.
"Bulla, we were there together! You can't carry all the blame on your shoulders!" Pan told her, shifting her locked fingers so that she could hold her hands.
"But-!" Before she could speak, Pan wrapped her arms around her friend, allowing the barrier that she'd held up to break. Finally falling to her knees, Bulla wrapped her arms around her closest friend as she silently cried into her shoulder.
"Huh? Bulla and Pan are now caught in a warming embrace! I don't know why, or what the story behind this is, but it sure does warm the heart!" Present Mic announced to the crowd.
"I can't believe you've been trying to burden this on your own for the last six months." Pan said softly as she rubbed Bulla's back. "Ms. Midnight, I'm sorry for this, but could we postpone this match until the end? I know it's unorthodox, but I'd like to take Bulla to see Recovery Girl." She asked.
Midnight looked to Cementos, as well as the staff section of the stadium. With several thumbs up, Midnight approached the students and kneeled. "Of course. Take your time, dear. Whatever is going on in your life to make you break down like this, I hope Son and Recovery Girl will help you get back into top shape." Midnight told her with a warming smile before standing. "The match between Pan Son and Bulla Brief will be postponed. Will the next contestants please make their way to the arena."
"Thank you so much." Pan said as she pat Bulla on the back. "Come on, Bulla. Let's go see Recovery Girl."
"Oh my, dear. You look like a mess." Recovery Girl said. In her office, Bulla sat next to Pan, holding her hand tight. :Why don't you go ahead and tell me what happened?"
Bulla had remained quiet, squeezing Pan's hand, ever since they entered the office. "It's okay, I'll tell her." Turning to the old woman, Pan held a finger over her lips. "Bulla told me that, for the last half-year, she's been feeling down. Incredibly down, unexplainibly down constantly throughout her days. Sometimes she's good, and even when nothing bad happens, her mood starts to sink, like she's all alone in the world. Of course I'm there for her, but she explains it as if there's a dark cloud that she's wanders in all alone, sometimes for brief periods, other times for whole days, making it hard for her to eat, or sleep, or do the things she enjoys."
"Oh my. I'm so sorry, but it sounds like your friend may have a diagnosis of Clinical Depression." Recovery Girl explained. "Although it's common among children your age, I can't say that I'm a therapist, so my options are very limited. The most I can do professionally is wait for your guardian to arrive and offer some antidepressants."
"Yes, Ma'am..." Pan told her as she squeezed Bulla's hand. Suddenly, a hand lightly rested on each of their shoudlers.
"Hey now, I may not be a therapist, but I'm certainly wise beyond my years. Would you girls, by chance, want to talk about it?" She asked.
As Bulla and Pan locked eyes, remaining in silence for several moments, Pan turned back to Recovery Girl, nodding slightly. "It would be nice to get it off of our chests, Ms. Recovery Girl."
"Alright, then, lay it on me, girls." She said as she pulled up a chair.
"But, you have to promise that it stays a secret." Pan said as she held her finger over her lips.
"Of course. Nothing will leave these old lips of mine." She told her with a loving-grandmother's smile.
Taking in a deep breath, and exhaling entirely, Pan began to tremble slightly. "Alright, well... It all started six months ago..."