Kaminari and Ashido didn't do too well against their opponent. Even though Bulla and Uraraka only managed to see the second half of their match, there was nothing more they could do as the pipes around them collapsed and crumbled. Thankfully, Jiro was able to pass once Koda found his voice, ironically enough.
Hagakure and Shoji were able to pass as well, once Snipe blinded himself against an invisible opponent. And Mineta and Sero passed entirely thanks to his Grape Rush, forcing Bulla into a wide smile.
When finally, it was down to Midoriya and Bakugo against All Might. As Bulla watched, she couldn't help but be reminded of her father. As Bakugo charged forward, that glare never leaving his face, the resemblance only became more uncanny. As Midoriya tried to stop him, he only forced Bakugo's hand, causing him to strike his partner. "Geez, you idiot! What's with you!" Bulla yelled at the screen.
"Deku..." Uraraka said, concerned for her friend.
"If Midor-" Before Iida could continue his statement, he caught a glimpse of an icy stare. "I mean, Izuku, and Bakugo don't work together, they have no hope of passing."
"Doesn't he realize who they're up against?" Recovery Girl said. Suddenly, the ground around Midoriya and Bakugo tore away as a gale ripped through the middle of the city.
Bulla's eyes widened. Holy crap, is that All Might?! I just realized that I've never seen just what he could do! Although his abilities were dwarfed in comparison to her father's accomplishments, he was obviously a force to be reckoned with here. If I had continued to train with my father, would I have been that strong, too?
All Might's assault began, and even as he grasped Bakugo's face in his massive hand, Bakugo refused to flinch. Meanwhile, Midoriya only continued his desperate attempt towards his comrade. Even as he was pinned down, he had one thought in mind - to run.
It seemed that he had finally got his way, but only as he struck his own partner, knocking him away from All Might before swooping away with Bakugo in his arms. "He actually hit Bakugo back. Ribbit." Asui said, putting a finger to her chin.
"Yeah, why wouldn't he? If I was in his place, I would have clocked Bakugo ages ago! Have a nice little fight-fest every now and again!" Bulla told her as the boys went into hiding. The camera remained on All Might for several minutes before they finally emerged, and to everyone's surprise, Bakugo emerged with smaller attacks while Midoriya utilized Bakugo's gauntlet to let off a full-power explosion at point-blank range, staggering All Might enough to let two to flee.
It wasn't long, however, before he caught, destroying their only means of heavy firepower. As he began to wail on them, Uraraka and Asui couldn't help but begin to tear up, holding each other tight. Bulla crossed an arm over her chest and bit the nail on her thumb as the fight carried on. Things seemed bleak until a massive explosion erupted under All Might.
"That can't be!" Iida said. "We saw All Might destroyed his gauntlets!"
"We did," Bulla explained, "but Bakugo finally understands that when you're so hopelessly outmatched, the only option is to break your limits. His body, and his will to survive, allow him to break himself in order to put out more power than he can handle. Although he'll hurt himself, it's better than the hypothetical alternative of death."
"I believe you're talking about hysterical strength, right?" Yaoyorozu asked her for clarification.
Earning a nod of affirmation, Iida thought back to the stories he'd heard prior to the existence of Quirks. "I've heard of stories like parents lifting cars to save their children, even before super strength was a common ability."
And sure enough, Bakugo did not hold back. As he unloaded another blast, Midoriya made his way towards the exit. Before he could get to far, All Might sent himself charging forward, straight into Midoriya. As his student slammed into a nearby bus, he turned his attention back to Bakugo. Although he continued his onslaught, it proved unaffected as he called out for his partner to press on. All Might closed the distance and dodged the next blast, grabbing Bakugo by the face and slamming him into the ground, once again.
As Midoriya stumbled towards the exit, something in him drove him to go back, leaping forward and landing a direct blow on All Might. His teacher staggered, and he took the opportunity to hoist Bakugo onto his shoulder and break for the exit. "He actually got him!" Bulla said excitedly, holding her hand over her chest.
"All matches for the practical portion of Class 1A's final have now been completed.
"And, I don't know, I guess I just snapped..." Bulla said, admitting her guilt to Ms. Kanjo.
"And that's when you claim to have badly injured Ms. Anakuro, right?" Bulla nodded and lied back in her chair. "I know you blame yourself for your friend being hurt, but I assure you that there was a lesson to be learned, and sure enough you learned it. Brief, don't allow yourself to be overcome with the negativity of the situation around you." She told her patient as she stood above her and rubbed her temples, prompting her to look up into her eyes. "Your emotions are like a flame, and if controlled properly, they can of great use to you. But if you don't keep them in check, they can consume you like a fire."
"Yes, Ma'am." Bulla told her. "What do I do if I feel like I'm going to lose control?"
"Well, there are several methods to remain calm. It's normally used for anger management, but I suppose it'll work in your general case. I'll send you home with a list, so I want you to go over them for the next few days and see what works." Ms. Kanjo told her with a smile.
"Right." Bulla said quietly, looking towards her feet.
"You know, I heard Ms. Anakuro took some major damage during the USJ incident. If you managed to drop her to her knees like that, I'd say you're developing rather well for yourself." She praised. "How's Son been, lately?"
"Oh, she's been good. She's been learning how to cook, so hopefully she'll be as good as her grandmother soon. I remember when her grandmother would make really really big meals for all of us."
"Us?"
"Oh, yeah, her mom and dad, and granddad. I would go over there often, but by myself, normally. My mom was always in her lab, and my dad really didn't like her granddad, so I'd hardly see them when they weren't fighting. But when they did fight, it was always incredible to watch!" Bulla explained with a sparkle in her eyes.
Continuing to hold Bulla's head gently, she could see the small wave of yellow rising further beyond, closing in the border of the wave of blue throughout the room. A warm smile looked down as she allowed Bulla to continue talking about her family. I'm happy that she's able to talk about them. Before she began her medication, she couldn't talk about them for more than a minute before remembering what happened to them.
Before long, Bulla was dismissed, and she made her way down the stairs of the school. As she walked down the quiet stairwell, a sudden voice shocked her into flinching. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"B-Bakugo! What the hell, man!? You can't just go around sneaking up on people!" She yelled.
"It's not my fault if you're easily scared." He told her as he walked past her down the stairs. The memory of his words during the sports festival began to flood her mind.
"That way, when I win in the final round, it'll mean I can beat the truth out of you." He had said. His words were so angry, and direct. Yet there was definitely care in his words, even if it was overshadowed by self-interest. It reminded her of another man in her life that was always angry, staring at the world with a cold glare.
Reaching out her hand, she found the words quietly leaving her mouth. "Hey, Bakugo-!" Before she could continue, she pulled her hand back to her chest and shook her head. As he walked out of view, she stood, frozen, and allowed him to walk away without another word. Do I really want to tell him?
Meeting Pan outside, the sky once again took on the brilliant amber gold of late afternoon. "There you are! I saw your boyfriend on the way out!"
"Come on, shut it!" Bulla told her as the two girls began to walk. "I passed my practical exam, but I almost messed up badly. Then I snapped on Ms. Anakuro and ended up hurting her real bad."
"Well, I'm glad to hear you passed your final, but I wouldn't say you need to worry about the teachers too much. After all, they're pros. I'm sure they've taken plenty of hits harder than anything students can throw at them." Pan told her, patting her on the shoulder to console her friend.
"Yeah... I know I'm making a big deal out of it, but do you think you could help me bake some cookies?" She asked, jumping in front of her friend.
"Oh, yeah, no problem..." Turning away, Bulla intently studied her best friend's body language.
"You don't know how to bake. Do you?"
"We haven't gotten that far into my lessons yet..." Pan explained, refusing to meet Bulla's gaze.
"Ugh, fine. We can just ask Ms. Iwase, then." She said, rolling her eyes. Once they returned to the orphanage, their caretaker was already calling out to them.
"Brief, a letter came for you! I tucked it under your pillow, so please don't forget about it!" She called out from down the hall.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Bulla called back as Pan took off her backpack.
"Go ahead, I'll ask if we can bake cookies tonight." She told her, handing her backpack over before removing her shoes and running down the hall.
With a deep breath, she complied. As she took off her shoes, she realized just how refreshing the cold air of the orphanage was. As she made it to her room, she left Pan's bag on her bed before climbing to the top bunk. As promised, an envelope remained tucked under her pillow. Her fingers pinched the crisp paper, and as she picked it up, she instantly recognized the seal on the back. "This is from the Pro Heroes Association!" She opened it, and inside was a short letter, along with two tickets.
'To Bulla Brief, of UA High School's Hero Course Class 1A, your efforts in the UA High Sports Festival have proven effective in achieving your first major victory of your pro hero career. We at the Pro Heroes Association have taken notice, and properly reward you with two tickets to Hero Society's well-known I-Island. The tickets enclosed not only serve as your transportation, but it serves as your pass for lodging and Early Access Event at I-Expo. This includes access to the pavilions, cafes, musical performances, and more. We look forward to employing you following graduation, so please continuing to go beyond.'
"Holy crap!" Bulla said as she inspected her tickets. Sure enough, there were two flights listed on each for the round trip, connected by a serrated edge. Above the flight information was the hotel information, as well as a 'EAE' displayed in big letters on the side.
"You alright in here, Big Sis?" Sandayo asked as he walked in.
"Oh, Sandayo. Again, you're older than I am, and it feels like forever since I've seen you." She told him.
"Yeah, I got a part-time job so I haven't been around the orphanage as much. My school's not too far from her, so Ms. Iwase normally makes me a meal. I drop by and go straight to work." He explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "My boss gave me the next couple of days off since I've been working non-stop. 'I keep telling you that you've done enough to impress me', he says. Hehe."
"Well, I was just awarded tickets to I-Island, so Pan and I are going to be able to see some of the best inventions in the world this summer." She explained, inspecting her tickets.
"I didn't take you for the kind of girl who was into that stuff, Big Sis." He told her, leaning his shoulder into the door frame.
"Would you-! Ugh, forget it." After a deep breath, she decided not to argue any further towards her nickname. "In all honesty, I'm not really what you would call a 'gearhead' like my mother. She was one of the most brilliant inventors in the world, not to mention a top-notch scientist. She'd have a heart attack if she heard me say that, but to tell you the truth, I've really just been interested in art more than anything." She said as she pulled out her sketchbook. "I love looking copying the natural features that makes us all unique."
"Let me see." Sandayo said as he jumped onto the bed, peering down at the book in her lap. As she flipped through the photos, his eyes were entranced. "Woah, these are actually really good!" He praised as he turned the page, seeing a sketch of a boy with spiky hair and angry eyes. Next to him was a doodle that had a vague resemblance to him, followed by the name "Katsuki Bakugo", and the rest of the page was filled with more detailed sketches of him with his hands up, clouds erupting from his palms, and gear that wore.
"I'm certainly no inventor, but I'm still my mother's daughter. I like detailing aspects of gear and equipment and seeing what could be improved with it. Although, Izuku is much better at observing situations in the moment, I think I'm better at describing what'll be better to do long term. And there's this one girl, Hatsume. Lord, she's like a walking, talking factory. She's always building new inventions, a lot like mom but more erratic." She explained as Sandayo looked over her sketches page by page.
"It sounds like it could be a beneficial relationship." He told her, catching her attention. "Between you, Hatsume, and Izuku, I bet you could have a top-notch support company. Complete with a hero like you, it'd help you pull in the funds through sales and hero work."
"Huh... That's actually a really good idea..." Bulla admitted as she ran through the possibilities in her head. "If Izuku did original planning, and Hatsume handled design and engineering, and I went over adjustments for long-term usage and issues, we'd have a pretty solid foundation. And with Eschalot and Deku on the scene, we'd be able to make a name for ourselves in both the pro and support communities."
"Those are your hero names? They're terrible, haha!" Sandayo teased with a laugh.
"Oh come on, you don't like them?" She asked as she lightly pressed her fist into his shoulder.
"'Deku' doesn't really scream, 'you're safe now' and then there's the garlic-onion hybrid."
"I don't think it's so bad. In the Japanese language, it sounds like the word for 'I can do it,' which is already inspirational on its own. And Eschalot is what my father wanted to name me." She explained.
"And thankfully, your mother stopped him." He told her with a smile. "I mean, Eschalot Brief doesn't roll of the tongue too well."
"Oh yeah, like Kiriu Sandayo is really the best name in the world." She teased as she took her sketchbook and pushed her friend off of her bed. "Go get a move on before I start making fun of your name. The last thing I need is to see you cry today."
"Alright, Big Sis. You two have fun at I-Island." He said as he waved goodbye, leaving Bulla alone in her room. The lone Saiyan made a few small adjustments in her book before putting it away, and then picked up her phone to text her friends. In a group chat labeled 'UA Dream Team', all the girls from her class were chiming in about summer plans. "Hey girls!" Bulla said to herself as she typed the words she said, pushing send.
Several waving emojis and stickers followed her introduction. 'So what are we talking about?' Bulla sent, inserting herself into the conversation.
'Were all going shopping this tmrw to prep for the summer camp since were off! Your coming, arent you Class Rep!' Ashido asked with a cheery sticker.
'Of course!' Bulla responded with a smile emoji.
'The boys are coming, too, but Todoroki and Bakugo have decided not to come.' Yaoyorozu sent, her sticker looking down with vertical waves and a blue background.
"Bakugo's not coming?" Bulla said to herself. 'Oh, that's too bad.' She sent as Pan called out to her.
"Knock knock!" Pan said as she poked her head through the door. "I got the go ahead! Just meet Ms. Iwase in the kitchen in the morning and she'll help you make a fresh batch."
"That's awesome!" Bulla responded, jumping down from her bed. "Speaking of awesome, check this out!" She pulled out her envelope and handed it to her best friend with a wide smile. "We're going to I-Island!"
Taking the tickets out of her friend's hand, Pan let out a nervous chuckle. "Actually, I don't think I'll be able to make it."
"Huh!? What do you mean?!" Bulla asked her, taking a step forward.
"These ticket dates overlap what Kendo and I had planned. It looks like it's for next week, and we were going to take some of the girls out to the summer festival that weekend!" Pan explained, holding her hands up defensively. "I'm sorry but we made these plans a while ago! It wouldn't be fair for me cancel on them!"
Suddenly, Bulla snapped back to reality. She remembered that the two of them aren't the only people in the world, and that since coming here, they've both made friends separate from each other's lives. "No, you're right. It'd be selfish of me to expect you to do that."
"Hey now! Don't feel so down! I know exactly who you can ask to be your +1!" Pan told her with a coy smile.
Staring for several seconds, Bulla finally realized who she was talking about. "No! Pan you can't be serious!" Bulla told her. "I'm not asking him to be my +1!"
"Oh?" Before Bulla could react, Pan swiped her phone and flew out the room, darting around the corner as she typed 'dragonball' for Bulla's password. Scrolling through her contacts, she tapped the name 'Katsuki' and put the phone to her ear. "Oh my! He's Katsuki in your phone instead of Bakugo?!" She called out before the phone stopped ringing.
"What do you want, idiot?" Bakugo said crudely.
"That's such a rude way to answer the phone, Bakugo!" Pan said loudly as Bulla chased her down.
"Girls! No Quirks indoors!" Ms. Iwase called out as Pan darted out of the door and into the air.
"Huh? What the hell is going on?" He said angrily, annoyed with all the noise in his ear.
"Bakugo, you haven't met me, but I'm Bulla's best friend, Pan Son. On her behalf I'd like to invite you to be her +1 to I-Expo on I-Island! After all, the two of you got the top two slots at the Sports Festival! You'd be foolish not to accept!" She told him before Bulla swiped her phone in a blur of blue.
"Galaxy Chaser!" Bulla called out as she hung up the phone, shooting towards the ground quickly. As she landed, she curled up against the wall and buried her face. "I can't believe you did that!"
"Hahaha, well hey, I certainly made it a point that he should accept. You should be thanking me." Pan teased as she went inside. Although she hated leaving her friend outside in that state, she knew she'd recover pretty quickly.
As Bulla's phone chimed, she opened it up, expecting a response from one of her friends from earlier. However, her cheeks flushed over, and her eyes widened, as Bakugo's name appeared on the home screen, with a brief message underneath.
'whatever. yeah ill come.' He had sent, with her group chat right underneath his message. A warmth flushed over Bulla as she buried her face back into her knees for a few more minutes, conflicted with the way things turned out. "You idiot." She said to herself, unable to keep herself from smiling.