This story is heavily based off of the anime/manga series "Boku no Hero Academia". This work of fiction may contain spoilers towards the series, as well as references and characters. I do not own any of the references or characters from the original series that may appear in this story. This work and its original characters are fictional, any resemblance to real people living or dead is purely coincidental.
To be unique, is to be one of a kind, unlike anything else. What does that mean in a world where everyone is unique?
The world has transformed dramatically. Unique abilities that are normally impossible for an average human to achieve, are now commonplace. Nearly 80% of all of humanity is equipped with some sort of ability or mutation. These unique traits are known as "quirks". When individuals are given power, they are capable of making decisions that can affect others.
Would you still be a hero if you lost?
The pairings from the previous chapter, in case you forgot!
FLAG BATTLE PAIRING
TEAM A. YAMADA MASANORI & HIGASHI SHOU
TEAM B. MOMOCHI RUKA & CHIDETA MAEDA
TEAM C. NAKANO RENKA & ISHIKAWA ROKURO
TEAM D. FUJIMOTO KAZUTO & ENDO EMIRI
TEAM E. SATOU YOUJI & AYAMA RYUJI
TEAM F. USUI ISAMU & YANAGI JUNKO
TEAM G. KAYA ASUKA & HIROSE ANZU
TEAM H. HACHIMAN GARURU & SASAKI TAMIKA
TEAM I. AKUTAGAWA RIKU & MORINO HIDE
TEAM J. TENGEN DAIKI & CHIGUSA KOTONOHA
FLAG BATTLE MATCHES
Match 1. TEAM D. vs. TEAM E.
Match 2. TEAM B. vs. TEAM C
Match 3. TEAM A. vs. TEAM G
Match 4. TEAM J. vs. TEAM H
Match 5. TEAM I. vs. TEAM F.
Monday, April 10th 9:51 a.m.
"Hey, he's waking up," said Endo, inspecting his condition.
Kazuto laid on a soft patch of grass just outside of Field Gamma, close to the parked bus. Recovery girl and the two other medical assistants tended to the wounds of both teams, making sure they were properly looked after. Ryuji and Satou had woken up shortly after the match was finished. Afterwards, they were escorted by the medical squad to the entrance of Field Gamma, next to the bus. Kazuto was gently lowered onto a comfortable section of the grassy field surrounding Field Gamma. Recovery girl had slipped a small cotton pillow under his head to ensure his slumber was peaceful.
He groaned feebly, before gradually rising to a hunched sitting position.
"...How long was I out?" Kazuto inquired softly, hovering his fingers over the bandaged bridge of his nose.
Endo crouched to nearly his eye level, and held out his glasses. He thanked her before taking them and sliding them on.
"It's been a little over ten minutes. The next match has probably already started," she said, taking his hand and helping him stand.
Recovery girl approached the two and extended her hand, holding several hard strawberry candies.
"Go on, take them, I insist." she cooed.
Kazuto and Endo exchanged a forced grin, and reluctantly accepted the sweets.
"Now Fujimoto, how are you feeling?" hummed Recovery Girl, scribbling down information on a document clipped to a clipboard.
"I'm feeling very well, thanks to you and the rest of the medical squad. Thank you very much."
"Oh, you're so polite for someone your age," she praised with a beaming smile, spurring Kazuto to bashfully bow his head. "Thankfully, there wasn't much work to be done."
Endo chimed in, pointing to Kazuto's nose.
"Wasn't much work? His nose was literally broken by Satou's punch! You fixed it in seconds, it was absolutely stunning to see your quirk in action."
Kazuto twitched, "Was it really that bad?"
Recovery Girl chuckled, patting the boy's back.
"Well it was broken, but after a quick smooch, it was as good as new...! For the most part, anyways."
"Huh? What do you mean by tha- Augh!" gasped Kazuto as Endo prodded his nose with her right pointer finger.
"I didn't heal it completely. Snipe may have said it was alright for you to sit out if you had to, but I agree with what he said earlier. You really should witness the fights with your own eyes. If I had healed it completely, you would probably have to continue laying down from losing most of your stamina," lectured Recovery Girl.
Satou and Ryuji finished patching up, and approached the group of Kazuto, Endo and Recovery Girl.
"Yeah, sorry about..." muttered Satou while rubbing the back of his neck, "...breaking your nose and all."
"Oh, that's alright. It was a good match," remarked Kazuto, extending an open hand to Satou and Ryuji.
They both took a turn shaking the boy's hand.
"Well, it was just a lucky kick that did me in anyways, I guess I was taking it easy on the first day," chuckled Ryuji, looking away to the distance.
Endo snickered, which lead to an amused giggle. Ryuji's face reddened slightly, as a small growl escaped his mouth, along with a faint trail of smoke. Kazuto and Satou then joined in the laughter.
"We'd better hurry back, Snipe wanted us to witness the matches," Satou mentioned, unwrapping a strawberry candy and popping it into his mouth.
"That sounds good," replied Kazuto, turning to Recovery Girl. "Thank you again, I really appreciate what you've done for all of us."
She replied with a warm smile, "Do your best everyone."
The group of students felt a small morale boost from her kindness, and bowed to Recovery Girl and her assistants to show their gratitude. After exchanging waves, they set off to the monitoring area to spectate the next match.
The teams had already coin-tossed, had the head start, and entered the battlefield.
The patched-up party arrived at the monitoring area, and were greeted by several students.
Kotonoha jogged over to Satou, and placed her hands on his cheeks, turning his head from left to right as she inspected his condition.
"Are you okay Youji? Are you dizzy at all?"
"I'm fine. Just a couple of scratches," Satou said, brushing her hands away from his cheeks as they enveloped in a warm pink hue.
Satou and Kotonoha turned their heads towards the screen as they heard a classmate gasp in shock. The second match was already underway, pumping up the rest of the class with its intensity.
Chideta sprinted towards Rock and Renka with reckless abandon, his motions completely telegraphed, allowing the two to prepare for the assault.
Suddenly, his speed increased exponentially, making the orange tint of the lens of his goggles appear as a stream of light. The white-haired boy leaped forward into a swift twirl, and swung his right leg towards Rock. The top of his foot slammed into the boy's face, sending him spiraling into a grouping of crates.
The two had no time to react to the sudden burst of speed. Renka could only follow Chideta with her eyes as her partner was downed by his strike.
The wooden crates crunched under him as he landed from the brutal kick. Rock struggled to rise from the cold ground of Field Gamma, surrounded by dust stirred up from the impact.
Warm blood oozed from his mouth, and his face burned like it was just scorched by a hot frying pan. Despite their tentative planning, Rock and Renka had failed to account for such unbelievable speed. As he spat to rid his mouth of the blood, he noticed an audible clatter. One of his right premolars had been knocked out by Chideta's devastating kick. The knocked out tooth continued to bounce, falling into a storm drain.
"Rock!" cried Renka, running towards the fallen boy.
He had dropped his team's flag after crashing into the group of wooden crates. It laid on the ground just several inches away. He weakly reached out for the flag, only for it to be taken right before he made contact. Rock's eyes shot open, tracing the flag as it was lifted from the ground.
"Too bad," said Ruka, standing proudly unscathed, holding both team's flags.
He could only lower his head, clenching his fists tightly. He was defeated by a single strike in mere seconds. To make matters worse, it had been broadcast for his entire class to witness. He felt like he could just crumble to ash.
"Team B wins!" said Snipe through the intercom, slowing Renka's dash, bringing her to a stop.
"We... lost?" uttered Renka with a puckered forehead and heavy heart.
The winners turned their backs on the losers, and walked away.
I see... We lost. I'm pathetic...
Renka quickly knelt down to Rock's side and examined his condition.
"Are you alright? Rock?"
The boy's consciousness slowly faded away as his friend's calls drowned out into the darkness.
As the match concluded, Snipe had made the monitor showing Rock and Renka cut to black. The second match had given Class 1-B mixed emotions. Some students were overtaken with excitement, prepared to showcase their abilities. Others were not so enthusiastic, and were fearful of the potential injuries to come.
"You know, I had him pegged for someone who was tougher," Satou commented, "Maybe Chideta was just too strong?"
Kotonoha grimaced, still staring at the blank monitor. Her eyelids drooped, unable to say anything.
"That sucks..." said Ryuji, brushing his right hand through his thick unkempt hair, "...I can relate to what he's going through."
Endo frowned, and looked towards Kazuto's direction to see his reaction. He had been biting his lip, and clenching his sweaty fists. His expression was contorted, pained to see that his friend had been beaten so easily.
"Kazu? Are you alright?"
Kazuto's expression quickly lightened, as he was slightly embarrassed to be caught with such intense emotion in public.
"Yes! I'm fine. That was just a bit of a shock. Though, I am curious to see someone else's thoughts on the match..."
Kazuto looked over his right shoulder, towards Riku. He had stood calmly, with his eyelids lowered.
"Erm... Forget it, I suppose he's busy preparing for his upcoming match." said Kazuto.
Riku tilted his head left and right, an audible cracking noise spurring his team partner to twitch in surprise.
"H-hey, can you please stop making all of those cracking noises? They make me uncomfortable," mumbled Morino Hide, Riku's partner in the flag battle exercise.
A timid-looking boy stood beside Riku, twirling a lock of his hair with his pointer finger, looking downward nervously. Hide was riddled with effeminate qualities, from his long eyelashes, to his shoulder-length warm pink hair. His skin was fair, and splashed with warmth. He was undoubtedly one of the tallest students in his class, standing at nearly six feet and four inches. Additionally, his physique was slender and toned. His entire being seemed to give the impression of warmth and gentleness.
Riku inhaled deeply, and exhaled while glaring at Hide with furrowed brows. The pink-haired boy flinched at the sudden aggression, and moved back a step. Riku lowered his eyelids, and lifted them once again as his expression shifted to a neutral one.
"Sorry, I know that guy is your friend and all... It was a pretty abrupt loss," muttered Hide apologetically, doing his best to avoid walking on the conversation's eggshells.
His team partner sighed and shook his head, "Get ready for our match."
Although his determined eyes did not match his quivering lip, Hide prepared for the upcoming battle with all the courage he could muster.
Rock's eyelids slowly opened, straining from the bright sun shining above, through the industrial jungle of Field Gamma.
Renka peered into his peripheral vision from above, examining his condition once again with curious eyes.
"Gah!" exclaimed the boy in surprise, jolting upwards, headbutting his partner directly in her chin.
She let out a small grunt, cradling the afflicted area gently with her hands, and immediately turning her attention to the perpetrator, only to see him laying with stars orbiting his head.
The boy clutched his head, writhing in agony from new and old damage.
"It appears you've been concussed," uttered Renka, still rubbing her chin from the sudden impact.
"...Sorry," whispered the boy, slowly rising, settling for a sitting position.
She only looked at him with a confused expression.
"I lost us the match..."
A small trail of blood seeped from the boy's lower lip. Renka's brows raised, startled from the sight of his blood.
She looked around for something to wipe it off, eventually settling for stroking the streak of blood with her thumb.
Rock tilted his head slightly, confused as to why she would suddenly do that. After raising his fingers to his lower lip, he inspected the remains of blood on his fingertips. Renka noticed his irises shifted to a deep azure color, a clear indicator for his current mood. His eyelids lowered, as his expression grew downcast.
"It's my fault as well," said Renka.
Rock raised his head, but was cut off by Renka before he could say anything else.
"So, I'm sorry too. Let's be honest, even though we planned and prepared, no one can be ready for everything."
Renka slowly traced her left palm around the bandages on her right arm, averting her eyes from the boy.
Though he struggled with his head battered and leaden, he managed to offer her a genuine toothy grin.
"Come on, let's head back," he said, shakily rising from the floor, "What, you gonna let your injured partner stand all by himself?"
She let out a small gasp, and focused her stare onto Rokuro's teeth, which were now missing a piece of the set.
"He kicked your tooth out?!"
It was as if the pain that Rock had been ignoring, had suddenly flared into a raging inferno of ache and stinging.
The boy fell, but managed to catch himself against the building beside him. His face twisted as he suffered and groaned from the damage he had sustained.
"Yeah, I guess he got my tooth. It fell into a storm drain too, so I might be stuck with this charming look."
She chortled at his attempt at staying positive, and turned her back to him and knelt, extending her arms behind.
Rock stared with his eyes widened, a nervous drop of sweat trailed down the left side of his forehead.
"You're not planning on carrying me, are you?!"
"It's only fair. I feel like I haven't done anything, and frankly it's making me upset."
"No."
"Why not?" she huffed, her expression souring.
"It's... embarrassing. I won't be able to face the others."
Instead, he extends a steadied hand towards her, and helps Renka to her feet. She reciprocates his kindness and ducks under his right arm and stands up straight, giving Rock something to lean on.
"How's this?"
A short sigh escapes his mouth, indistinguishable from one of pain or relief.
"Thanks," he said, beaming brightly.
The two made their way to the bus parked outside of Field Gamma. After maneuvering through the maze-like training ground, they arrived at the entrance of Field Gamma. With a short step past the gate, they spotted Recovery Girl and her assistants sitting in lawn chairs under a table and parasol set, enjoying a couple of cold beverages.
Renka searched around, scanning the area.
"Something wrong?" asked Rock.
She shook her head, and slowly ducked out of Rock's arm.
"No, it's nothing. I was just looking to see if our opponents were here."
"What, you're that desperate for a second round?" Rock jokes, walking ahead of her towards the medical team.
She shoots him an irritated gaze for a split second, before smiling warmly, unable to maintain her false rage.
Rock raised a hand weakly, and introduced himself before the medical team.
"Hi there," he said nervously, "I'm Rock."
Shortly after, Renka introduced herself to the team as well. The two exchanged small talk with the assistants and Recovery Girl as they tended to Rock's wounds. Unfortunately for Rock, Recovery Girl's quirk couldn't recover his tooth. At the very least, she was able to heal his injuries completely.
He inspected his condition with the front camera on his phone, opening his mouth wide, checking his new tooth gap.
It doesn't look so bad.
"It shows character," mused Recovery Girl, chortling amongst her peers.
Rock frowned from the small dose of humiliation. His partner placed a hand on his shoulder, and tilted her head, gesturing to finish up so they can head back to the monitoring area. With a nod, he thanked the medical team and waved farewell before following Renka's lead.
Monday, April 10th 10:27 a.m.
Before Rock and Renka made their return, the fourth match was already nearing its climax. As the two entered the monitoring area, all of Class 1-B were fixated on the intense match, staring intently at the screens.
Dang, the third match is over already? I suppose it was another quick match. This must be particularly good if everyone is so absorbed. Guess I'll get a closer look.
The boy gestured for Renka to follow as they ventured towards the screens, and peered above the crowd of students to get a better view.
Kotonoha appeared on the screen, shown dodging a large wooden crate with a well-timed duck. Her team's flag was tucked in the waist of her pants. The flower on the left side of her head began to expel spores, floating slowly towards her assailant.
"Take notes everyone," lectured Snipe, crossing his arms, holding his head higher with an impressed stature, "Using your environment's a smart choice, especially using items to fight from a distance. After all, you don't know what abilities your opponents have. Well done from Sasaki!"
Suddenly, Tamika froze in place, her face twitching as she struggled to move. Slowly, her movements lessened more and more until she could no longer move an inch.
The class cheered as Kotonoha brushed the hair hanging over the right side of her face, exhaling a sigh of relief.
Hm, that must be one of her abilities. Paralysis of some kind?
Snipe stared in surprise, before composing himself and shrugging off with a hearty laugh.
"Take a gander, Chigusa displayed her ability of subduing her opponent without harm! Very nice!"
On another screen, another battle was taking place. It seemed that the teams had split up in order to prevent an easy victory.
Hachiman Garuru, the student akin to a gorilla both in strength and appearance, stood on top of a small building and looked down at his opponent.
Renka and Rock overheard a conversation held by two students, regarding the current battle taking place.
"Hey, that's him. The one looking up at the gorilla."
"The one you mentioned earlier?"
"Yeah. That's Tengen Daiki, he scored second highest on the physical portion of the entrance exam. He's supposed to be super strong."
"Glad I didn't fight that dude."
"Hey, I wouldn't wanna fight a gorilla either."
Rock and Renka looked close at Tengen, studying his features, analyzing him.
He was a little under six feet in regard to height, and in good shape. He was lean, yet packed impressive muscle. Tengen was dark-skinned, with an unkempt black mop of hair upon his head. His most noticeable physical feature had to be his eyes, sharp like daggers, cutting through whatever he gazed upon with powerful intensity. Also, a zig-zag trail of electricity just ran around his body-
Wait, what?
As if struck by lightning itself, electricity surged through Tengen's body. The spectators all expressed a unique reaction to his ability. Most of which were of surprise.
Renka nudged Rock, and mumbled "That was shocking."
Other nearby classmates had heard her joke, followed by an audible groan of disgust.
Rock chuckled, thanks to his appreciation of puns.
Hachiman flinched at Tengen's sudden sparks, but quickly composed himself and readied for battle. He lifted a barrel, and tossed it downwards to his opponent.
The class couldn't help but laugh from his attack being much to similar to a video game.
The laughing was cut short, when Ryuji quickly interjected, "Holy shit!"
"Language, Amaya!" Snipe chided, his eyes not leaving the screen.
Ryuji quickly covered his mouth with his hands.
The barrel crashed down, bursting into chunks and clusters of wood, stirring up a cloud of dust. Tengen had already moved from his initial position, surprising not only most of his classmates spectating, but also his opponent. Hachiman's eyes were wide with surprise, scanning the area with the mindset that "he couldn't have gone far."
Kotonoha arrived at the scene, also confused as to where her partner had gone.
With another nudge, Renka smirked as she made her remark once again.
"That was shocking."
"Renka... It's not funny if you do it twice," answered Rock, rubbing his cheek with his right hand.
She frowned slightly and bit her lip, "Really? I think jokes are even funnier the second time..."
A classmate replied with an irritated tone, "It wasn't funny the first time."
Renka sheepishly retracted into her shell, and continued to watch the screens.
Her partner placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.
Tengen appeared behind Hachiman, and placed a palm on his back, sending a powerful electric shock throughout his body.
Screams and shouts echoed through the class in the monitoring area, telling Hachiman to watch out.
With a groan leaking through grit teeth, the gorilla crumbled to his knees, and then collapsed.
"H-How did he appear there so fast?" questioned Rock, rubbing his eyes vigorously, staring at the screen in disbelief.
Rock looked around, noticing most of his peers were just as astounded as he was.
"You didn't see?" said Renka, turning her attention to her partner.
"No, you saw him move?"
"He moved fairly quick, not to mention most of you were focused on my pun. I suppose it was difficult to notice his movements."
"Well? Go on and elucidate me!" said Rock, holding out open hands, as if expecting something from Renka.
"When Hachiman was holding the barrel, his burly arms were obscuring his vision, making it easy to get out of his sight. This is where Tengen's technique really shined. As soon as his opponent began to throw the barrel, he made his move. He quickly scaled the small building, hopping on a crate to gain more height before climbing a large pipe. He was also incredibly fast in making his way behind Hachiman. All in all, he looks like he could make a tough opponent."
"Nice observation Nakano," said Snipe, nodding his head.
Tengen pried the flag out of Hachiman's unconscious clutched hands, and tossed it down to Kotonoha. She reached out with both hands, and managed to properly catch it.
Snipe approached the microphone for the intercom, turning it on and clearing his throat.
"Team J wins! You guys know the drill. Let's pick up the final match in ten minutes. Good job all of you."
While the rest of the class cheered in applause for the well-fought battle, Rock could only look down to his fists, wallowing in a deep feeling of inadequacy.
He was approached by a group of familiar faces, snapping him out of his funk.
Kazuto stood before him, examining his condition. His lips curled upwards as he determined there was no noticeable damage.
"Well, your irises aren't blue, so you must be fine, right?" joked Kazuto.
With a small snort, Rock poked Kazuto's bandaged nose with his right pointer finger. The bespectacled boy winced in pain, and swatted Rock's hand away.
"Yeah, I'll live. What about you? How's the nose?" said Rock, smiling widely.
The group gasped and stared in awe at his new tooth gap. Rock immediately shut his mouth, his face growing more red by each passing second.
Kazuto stuttered, unable to speak clearly from his astonishment, "I-It's fine, what about y-y-y..."
"He knocked out your damn tooth?" exclaimed Satou, mouth agape, hand resting on his right cheek.
"Well, yeah," answered Rock sincerely, rubbing the back of his neck.
He was suddenly shook by Ryuji, who was a little too flustered, apparent by the small trail of smoke escaping his mouth. Rock held a hand over his mouth and nose, squinting from the small cloud forming near his face.
"Aren't you too chill about all this, Rock? You're missing a tooth dude! You look like you belong in elementary school!" said Ryuji, which only continued to fuel Rock's embarrassment, slowly reversing his acceptance of his new smile.
"Uh... W-Well I..." uttered Rock, fiddling with his thumbs.
"Give the dude some space," said Endo abruptly, slowly pushing Satou and Ryuji back a couple of steps.
She extended a hand to Rock, who gingerly accepted the handshake with a clammy grip.
"You're Kazu's friend, right? My name is Endo Emiri, it's nice to meet you," she said politely.
"I'm Ishikawa Rokuro, but as you've heard these guys say, my nickname is Rock. You could call me that too if you'd like."
"Rock sounds good," she replied.
With a calm nod, she then turned to Renka and extended her hand once again.
"And you are?" said Endo.
Renka took her hand with a firm grip, and shook it with a strong but controlled motion.
"Nakano Renka. It's nice to meet you. Your match was particularly exciting."
"Thank you, and it's nice to meet you as well," chuckled Endo, "If you don't mind me asking, how do you think your match would go if Chideta hadn't landed his kick?"
Renka looked forward with a determined stare, before glancing to Chideta drinking a bottled water in the distance.
"He's strong. I will admit that. However, I know for a fact that Rock is strong as well. We've sparred before, and I know he could keep up with Chideta. We would stand a good chance."
"Hm, I see. Well, Kazu seems to hold him in high regard, and I hold Kazu in high regard, so I acknowledge his strength as well," replied Endo, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to a more comfortable stance.
Rock could only stare at the individuals openly acknowledging his efforts, with raised brows, warm cheeks, and irises shifting from a plain black, to a bright lemon hue.
Kazuto quickly took notice, and decided to make it public knowledge.
"Oh! Is someone getting happy from all of this praise? You're kind of like a dog wagging his tail, Rock!" said Kazuto, nudging the boy in the side playfully with his elbow.
"Augh, I swear I'm gonna start wearing shades!" laughed Rock, pushing Kazuto away.
The group laughed together, enjoying the pleasant company. Endo took interest in Rock's quirk, examining the condition of his eyes, attempting to insult him in order to shift the color out of curiosity, much to Rock's displeasure.
Riku called out to his partner, "I'll be back in a sec, Hide. Keep warming up."
His pink-haired partner nodded, and continued his stretching and warm-up exercises.
Rock looked over, and noticed Riku heading towards him.
"Hey, Riku... Guess you saw, huh?" muttered Rock, offering a quick smile in greeting and nervousness.
"Yup. Time to show you how it's done, huh loseeee...urrrr..." said Riku, speech slurring as he laid eyes upon Endo.
Rock tilted his head in confusion, as he witnessed his friend lose control of himself.
Riku's heartbeat quickened, his palms became sweaty, and he slowly lost the ability to form words. He had never felt this way before. It was alien. Unfortunately, he could not pull his gaze away from Endo. His throat became parched, and it felt like he had stopped breathing.
"Are you well?" asked Endo, stepping closer to examine his condition.
"Muh... I..." he shuddered, gesturing with his hands, pointing to himself, "Riku..."
What... the... hell...?
After deciphering the meaning of his babbling, she raised her eyebrows as it clicked.
"Oh, I'm Endo Emiri. Nice to meet you, Riku," revealing a sincere smile.
Riku's knees buckled from her smile, bringing him to stumble backwards.
"Guh...Gotta Goah..." said Riku, limping away like a hunchback, back to his partner.
The others were perplexed. That Riku was acting like a complete fool.
Endo turned to the group, and quirked an eyebrow, wondering why they all looked so puzzled.
"Does... U.A. let mentally disabled people in to the Heroics Course?" she questioned.
Rock quickly shook his head, "N-no! It's probably just, y'know, jitters! Final match, in front of the whole class, you know, I-I would be nervous too!"
Hide overheard Rock's messy banter, and quickly became overcome with anxiety.
After a couple of minutes, the group was back to casual discussion, thankfully moving past the train-wreck that had just transpired.
Tengen had returned from the labyrinth of Field Gamma, followed by Kotonoha shortly after. She thanked him for a good match, and went their separate ways. Kotonoha noticed the little group that had formed, and made her way over to join in.
"That was pretty nice," said Satou, holding up his hand for Kotonoha.
She promptly slammed her palm into his, producing a satisfying clap.
"Thanks Youji, I'm glad at least one of us won," she replied with a wink.
With a red face, he pulled her close and ruffled her hair with his left hand.
"Kotonoha, you totally missed it! You should've seen Riku earlier," exclaimed Ryuji, bouncing up and down ecstatically, holding in his laughter so he can properly speak.
"Hm? What do you mean?" she questioned, holding a finger to her lower lip.
A cold sweat dripped down Rock's face, as he could see Riku in the distance mouthing "Shut. Him. Up." while doing some squats in preparation for his match.
Kazuto detected Riku's dangerous stare, and took the initiative. He quickly restrained Ryuji, and covered his mouth with his hand, smoke escaping through the cracks of his fingers.
Kotonoha and Endo frowned slightly, looking towards the two boys struggling before them. Renka and Satou could only hold their sides, recalling the previous situation once more, unable to contain their giggling. Rock sighed in relief, as Riku's killing intent slowly dissipated.
Riku glanced towards Endo once again, and was immediately flustered.
Time continued to pass, until it was time for the final match to begin.
Monday, April 10th 10:40 a.m.
"Alright, Team F wins the coin toss! Five minute head start for them. We'll begin in ten seconds!" Snipe announced on the intercom.
Usui Isamu and Yanagi Junko stood at the starting line along with Morino Hide and Akutagawa Riku, just before the large metal gate entrance of Field Gamma.
Isamu stood at five feet and eleven inches, a fair-skinned well-built individual. He had brown, long spiky hair, and a mean demeanor written all over his face. His small black irises along with his sharp eyes, combined with all of his other characteristics, made him appear as the model delinquent. He was pompous, and ill-mannered.
Junko was significantly shorter than her partner, standing at a humble five feet and five inches, with a slim physique. She had pale skin, and freckles everywhere from her face to her toes. Her dark red hair was tied in a messy ponytail, which matched her garnet-colored irises. She held her team's flag in her right hand, and clenched the pole tightly.
Hide glanced over to his opponents, quarreling over who was going to take the lead.
"You haven't even told me what your quirk is!" Junko snapped, jutting out her chin as she grimaced.
5...
4...
"I already told ya, it's all about makin' a good first impression, an' showin' off at the right moment!" said Isamu, the corners of his mouth quirking up, revealing a sharp set of teeth.
3...
2...
Isamu threw his arms to his side, flexing sharp clawed hands. He hunched over, and strained with an audible grunt. A set of large bat-like wings sprout violently from his back, tearing through his gym clothes, and spread outward, stretching and flapping several times.
"Phew! You had no idea how long I've had those tucked away!"
Junko and Hide loudly shrieked, overtaken with bewilderment. Riku was in a different world, keeping to himself.
[Quirk: Gargoyle]
Isamu has the physical attributes of a gargoyle! He has large wings granting him the ability of flight, as well as sharp teeth and clawed hands and toes. He is blessed with incredible mobility and powerful offensive tools!
1...
"Team F, begin!" echoed the intercom.
"Let's rock!" bellowed Isamu, picking up Junko, and dashing through the large gated entrance of Field Gamma. He flapped his powerful wings and took flight, carrying his screaming partner.
"Put me down you fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck...!" Junko commanded, voice trailing off into the distance.
Hide's eyes remained wide, staring at his opponents soaring high.
Riku stood still like a mannequin, lips sucked in, forehead creased and soaked with sweat. The flag rested comfortably, tucked behind him into the waistband of his pants. His heart had begun to settle down, although he was still shaken. He had never felt such a feeling before. He couldn't get that girl out of his mind. Was he sick? A muffled voice pleaded for his attention, but to no avail.
His partner gripped his shoulders and jostled him back to reality, "Riku! Do you have a plan?! All you've done is make us stretch, and... and I'm freaking out! I mean, that guy just freakin' flew away!"
Riku quickly slapped the hysterical pink-haired boy in the cheek with his right hand, "Calm down motherfucker! We don't need a plan, I'll carry this team."
"Hey! Akutagawa, no violence against your team member!" spouted Snipe on the intercom.
Hide rubbed his sore face, fighting against the urge to cry.
"Alright, I'll trust you." muttered Hide, composing himself steadily.
The two stood and waited patiently for the five minute head start to pass. Before they knew it, it was their time to shine.
"Team I, begin!"
Riku and Hide exchanged a quick nod, and entered the industrial area.
They started with a brisk jog, scanning the area carefully for any abnormalities that could indicate a trap. Slowly, they picked up speed and continued their search, zooming through alleyways and congested sections of the labyrinth.
A small screech was heard from the intercom, "Everyone, this is the final match. Try to put what you've witnessed to use, and do your best! Give us a good show now!"
Riku's confidence was unaffected, for it was already burning bright. Hide's had just begun to ignite, as a small smirk grew on his face.
Through traversing the training ground blindly, they had found themselves against a dead end. It was wider than an alley, a wall of a factory-type building.
They slowed to a stop, and took a moment to take a quick breath. Riku turned his head towards Hide, and noticed a shadow atop his head growing larger and larger. His eyes widened as he realized what was going on. With a swift dive, he tackled and brought his partner to the ground several feet away from his initial position.
"Wargh! What are you-" exclaimed Hide, raising his head shakily.
A large CRT television landed before him, crashing wildly and bursting into several shards of glass, plastic and electronic components.
Hide's face grew pale, spurring the two to look skyward.
"Fuckers...!" barked Riku, clenching his fists.
Isamu hovered proudly above, flapping his wings.
The two scrambled to their feet and assumed fighting stances.
While their attention was focused on Isamu, Junko appeared from the shadows of an alley, dashed forward, and wrapped a hand around Riku's eyes. She swiftly removed her hand, and taking several hops backwards to gain some distance.
"What the fuck?!" screamed Riku, reaching around, clawing at the air.
Hide stared in horror, unable to determine what had happened to his partner.
[Quirk: No Sense]
By making physical contact, Junko can rob someone of one of their five senses. She can only maintain the loss of the desired method of perception for ten minutes. She is capable of robbing only one sense at a time. If she chooses to rob a different sense, she will need to make physical contact once again. However, the time limit will not reset when another sense is robbed. Once the time limit is over, she won't be able to rob the senses of the target for an entire day!
Using this ability on others will rob her target of the desired sense, as well as herself. For example, if she chooses to blind an enemy, she will also be blinded. She is also able to end the ability at will.
There are many useful applications of this quirk, such as robbing herself of her sense of taste when eating a friend's poorly made meal.
This ability is only capable of robbing the senses of living things.
"Isamu! Fly me away!" yelled Junko, staring upwards to his location, extending a hand.
Isamu nodded, descending to take her hand.
"Hide, I can't see! Get outta here, I'm gonna melt this bitch!" Riku wiped the sweat from his brow, panting heavily.
"Wha? B-But I-I," said Hide, flustered from all of the new information flooding into his head.
"Get the fuck out of here!" his partner screamed, extending his left palm forward, glowing with black flame.
Hide looked upwards to see Isamu nearing his partner, attempting to fly her to a safe location.
He gulped, swung his arms forward, and brought them behind him in a smooth motion, crouching slightly. With a quick exhale, he jumped forward.
Isamu's eyes widened as the pink-haired boy flew towards him, catching him in a flying lariat.
"Gauhg!" he croaked, being dragged through the air by Hide.
Hide and Isamu vaulted over several small buildings, before crashing down on a roof a good distance away from Riku and Junko.
[Quirk: Leap]
Hide is able to leap far and high! His body has developed from a young age into what it is today, able to accommodate hard landings, with the legs he dubbed "miracle legs". Seriously, his calves are like that of a Greek sculpture. He can jump to a maximum of around forty feet in the air, and land without repercussion! Although he is mostly a weak-hearted pacifist, if needed he prefers to scrap with his legs.
He also enjoys free running in his spare time!
With his insane agility, you can bet he'll be the first to the scene!
Hide got to his feet, and looked down upon Isamu.
A loud crack cut through the air, catching Hide and Isamu's attention. They looked towards the direction where Riku and Junko were, and noticed black flames flare into the air violently.
Isamu delivered a quick uppercut to Hide, sending his jaw pointed to the sky, bringing the pink-haired boy to a crumble.
"Erhg...!" grunted Hide, reaching out to his gargoyle-like opponent, "W-Wait!"
Isamu flapped his wings, and took flight to rescue his partner.
Meanwhile, Riku and Junko continued their confrontation.
"That was a warning shot. Give me back my sight bitch!" said Riku, the black flames in his left hand roaring.
Junko flinched at his tone, and took another step backwards.
"Okay, okay!" she cried, acquiescing to his demand, raising her hands up in an effort of surrender.
Like a light switch, their sight immediately return to them. A sigh of relief escaped Riku's lips. He returned to a state of tension, focusing his gaze upon Junko, approaching her slowly.
"I already did what you asked!" said Junko. She gasped in the form of a small squeak as her back touched the wall of the factory-like building.
"Thanks," he said flatly, "Now where is your flag?"
Junko scanned the area nervously, unable to locate her team's flag.
"I think I dropped it around here somewhere..." she muttered.
Riku turned his head west, and noticed the flag sitting on the floor unattended. With a triumphant smirk, he walked towards his prize.
Before he got any closer, Isamu crashed down from the sky, knocking up a cloud of dust.
"Back up. I ain't gonna give this away that easily," Isamu stated, shifting his weight and raising his clawed hands into an offensive stance.
"You sure you wanna do this, you crusty fucking bat?" said Riku, cracking his knuckles.
Junko continued to lean against the wall, unable to bring herself to move.
Isamu grit his teeth, revealing their sharp edges. He dove forward, and fiercely jabbed his right clawed hand towards Riku's face.
Riku stepped to the side, avoiding the lunge. He quickly grabbed on to his attacker's arm, and squeezed with a vice grip. With a powerful tug, he brought Isamu forward, leaning on his back. Riku crouched, and twisted as he pulled his arm downward with all of his strength.
Isamu crashed on to Field Gamma's cold hard floor, creating an audible impact that made Junko cringe.
Riku quickly followed up and grabbed his opponent by the collar, and yanked him upwards. Isamu grunted, still reeling from the previous attack, but managed to find his ground and stand upright.
Mercilessly, Riku winded up his left arm, and dug his fist into Isamu's stomach. Isamu groaned, bent forward, coughing profusely.
"Ooh, bad move. You gonna let your jaw hang out all exposed?" Riku questioned with a superior tone.
His opponent growled, his blood boiling from the provocations.
Riku slammed his fist into Isamu's chin, giving him a taste of a devastating uppercut.
Junko covered her eyes from the gruesome battle.
Isamu trudged backwards, stumbling in his groggy steps. His vision was blurry from the heavy strikes.
"Now for the finale!" cheered Riku, skipping backwards.
Hide landed on the factory-like building's roof, and witnessed the fight from above.
"Holy... He's not even using his quirk..." the pink-haired boy uttered, biting the fingernails on his right hand.
Riku sprinted forward and took a leap, landing a devastating flying drop kick directly on Isamu's chest.
Isamu tumbled, landing on his back. He laid on the ground, beaten and broken, unable to continue.
Hide descended from the roof of the factory-like building, and landed on his feet. He approached Riku, with astonishment written all over his face.
"Y-You're incredible!" said Hide, barely containing his excitement.
His partner simply grinned, and approached the enemy team's flag on the floor. Riku lifted the flag victoriously, having both team flags in his possession.
The intercom screeched on, the deafening sound of cheering drowning out Snipe's voice. After a quick yell followed by some scolding, the cheering died down.
"Team I wins! Good work everyone, that was a great exercise! Now, if y'all could help pack up and get each other to the bus, we'll be back in no time! We'll be able to head to the cafeteria early for some well-deserved lunch! Oooee, just thinking about it's making my mouth water! Get a move on y'all!"
Monday, April 10th 10:52 a.m.
"Well, I think that's the last of it," said Satou, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
Class 1-B began to board the bus as they prepared to return to campus.
Kazuto was unable to refuse Recovery Girl's offer to sit next to her. The group giggled as he sent them stares that screamed "help me."
The group sat close to the front, with Snipe close by to ensure there was no trouble.
It seemed that the friend circle had expanded since they left the school that morning. It currently comprised of Rock, Riku, Endo, Satou, Kotonoha, Renka, Ryuji and Kazuto, who was stuck sitting next to Recovery Girl and her medical assistants.
Rock had sat next to Riku, while Renka sat across them to the left along with Kotonoha. Thankfully, Endo was seated behind Riku, next to Satou, while Ryuji sat across them to the left with Hide, who sat quietly.
Hide hovered close by to Riku, but couldn't bring himself to interact, being intimidated by the size of his clique, and crippled by his social anxiety.
The rest of the students found their own seats, some paired with their partners from the flag battle exercise, and some had no preference of whom they sat with.
"So Rock, that's how you win a match. It's almost like you forgot everything I taught you!" boasted Riku.
Renka chimed in curiously, "You taught Rock how to fight?"
"Basically, yeah. He followed my strenuous workout plan and became who he is today with my help. You should've seen him before, he was a complete-"
"AAAAaaaa-"
Rock quickly interjected with a loud yell, and was promptly silenced by Snipe's powerful chop to his forehead.
"Strenuous workout plan, huh?" she chuckled, tilting her head to inspect Rock's condition from across the bus.
"Mhm, he's been following it for about three years now. Not bad, for his standards I suppose." snorted Riku, smiling with lowered eyelids.
Riku is always trying to destroy my good impressions!
Rock rubbed his forehead, grumbling at his harassment.
How can I get him back? Hmm...
Suddenly, a devilish smile curled on Rock's face. Renka and Kotonoha's mouths were agape from the sheer terror of his appearance.
Rock's eyes darted over to his right, to see Riku sitting casually in the window seat, swiping through his phone.
Time for some payback.
He scooted a bit so he could speak to the students seated behind him.
"Hey Endo? Would you mind switching seats with me? I've got to talk to Satou about something," whispered Rock, as innocent as he could possibly seem.
She quirked a brow, curious about what he had to speak about, and why he had to whisper about it.
"Sure, no problem." she replied.
Riku looked to his left questioningly, wondering where Rock was going. As Endo took Rock's old seat, he became as pale as a ghost.
"Hey Riku," said Endo, "Those were some fancy moves during your match."
An evil laugh could be heard coming from Rock, followed by some giggles by the rest of the group.
Riku could feel his past symptoms coming back to hinder him once again. It came slowly, then all it once.
"Thuh... Thankssssssssssuh..." he croaked, dripping with sweat.
Endo frowned, unsure of how to continue the conversation. Thankfully, Renka read the room and engaged Endo in a conversation about heroines and their impact on current day heroism.
Riku sank into his seat, completely and utterly embarrassed.
"So, what'd you wanna talk about?" asked Satou, unwrapping another one of Recovery Girl's strawberry candies.
"Hm... I suppose, I wanted to ask how you feel?" replied Rock.
After popping the candy into his mouth, Satou said, "About losing, right?"
Rock nodded, fully engaged on the conversation, intent on getting some feedback from a fellow loser.
"I'm frustrated. That's normal though, isn't it?"
"Well... yeah..."
"It's kind of like, I feel like I could have done just a little more, and maybe we could have won. Maybe just another punch or two, and Kazuto would've been out like a light."
Rock looked down toward his hands, his eyelids lowered. After a second of thought, he raised his head and turned to Satou.
"Well, what about Endo? She was still there," Rock said, not particularly convinced.
Satou snapped with his fingers, "Oh, you're right. I guess we really couldn't have won."
Endo turned around, and peered over the bus seat. Riku's eyes locked on to her, and he nearly passed out from her sudden movement.
"Did you guys mention me?" she asked.
Rock shook his head, "Nah Endo, it's nothing."
With a quick nod, she turned around and continued her conversation with Renka.
"You know, thinking about it that way... I feel kind of better. Knowing I wasn't strong enough, kind of makes me want to train even harder." said Satou, smiling with a newfound determination.
Rock opened his mouth, but was at a loss for words. All he could do, was reply with a toothy grin of his own.
Snipe stood from his seat and raised an arm.
"Excuse me, may I have your attention please? I just wanted to say thank you to our wonderful medical team for all of their hard work. Please, give them a hand."
The entire bus filled with applause, followed by modest bows of the head from the medical team.
"Also, I want to congratulate you all for your hard work. I'm looking forward to being your teacher, and I hope you look forward to be my students!"
"The bus will arrive back at campus in about twenty minutes. We'll hit the locker rooms and change back into our uniforms, then head for the cafeteria for some ambrosia!" said Snipe, clapping after his announcement.
The praise left the entire bus in a good mood.
Eventually, Rock had figured out what he wanted to say.
"Hey, Satou?" asked Rock.
"Hm?"
"Why don't we train together sometime? I'm sure we could improve together."
Satou's eyebrows slowly raised from Rock's suggestion.
"Sure, I won't go easy on you though," Satou joked.
At that moment, the two losers shared a connection.
A loser's affinity.
Maybe next time, they'll come out on top as winners.
Wow! That's the sixth chapter, longest one so far! Sorry it took so long! After wrapping up the flag battle exercise, the rest of the first day of school can continue!
Please remember to leave any comments or feedback, I truly appreciate it! Thanks for reading!