BNHA: Dual Fates
Chapter 22: Manly Knight!
A/N: Hey everyone! I wanted to ask if you'd let me know if I've already mentioned Kirishima knowing about Stargazers Online. I couldn't remember, so please don't be shy to say something I hate making mistakes. xD
Iida's battle against Todo was indeed surprising, however... Fumikage had gone up against Bakugo who quickly discovered his Dark Shadow's weakness and continued to push until the bird gave up. Shocking, it was, to watch such a strong student like Fumikage fall rather easily. I guess Bakugo really is strong... Hah, the new definition of OP. He's flying through the matches as I do in Stargazers Online. through her mind, her own amusement made a giggle escape. The hoodie she held close to herself, its fluff never left half of her face the whole time the fights went on.
The blonde was moving up and the next fight was going to be between him and Todo. The cybergirl never thought that Bakugo wouldn't make it this far with his temper, oh boy, was she wrong.
Though, upon hearing Tenya mention getting revenge later after watching the match, her blue hues moved to view the boy who stood stiffly. "We'll have to watch carefully and get our revenge next time," A nod and a grin came from both Ochaco and Midoriya after Izu stated his name with shock.
What caught Uviel's attention was when Iida vibrated after his little speech to his fellow students, everyone sighed in relief when they saw him pull out his phone.
"Whoa, what is it?!" Uraraka and Izu surprisingly yelled in unison, their outburst nearly made the cyber girl jump out of her seat if she hadn't held onto the back of it with an iron grip.
W- What's going on?" Surprised, her curious eyes blinked as she watched him dig out a phone. Beads of sweat rolled down her face at his rather dramatic vibrations until he stopped. With a hand to her chest, Saito had to calm down her rapid beating heart after she sat back up in her seat.
"My phone," A simple click, his gaze looked to see who buzzed him, and turned out that it was something important, at least, that's what she assumed when he parted lips; his expression seemed rather confused.
Saito was just as confused and believe it or not, a little concerned since she's never seen him look like that. She's only ever noticed his stiff and strict expressions with occasional smiles. As he left to talk on the phone, her hues watched him leave. I know it's not my place but... For him to look like that after seeing who called, is a bit worrying... Should I check on him? Her mind was swarmed with thoughts, with concern but alas, she knew it wouldn't be a good idea to get into someone else's business.
Therefore, watching the fight was for the best so she could study further on how to fight. I can't. if I'm going to try and be my own kind of hero... I need to focus on these matches. Who knows, they might even help me with those stupid matches on Stargazers... Narrowed eyes, she was determined to take mental notes on the fights she's observed and thanked the heavens that she actually did lose.
~~~Later~~~
It was soon time for a break before the next match. Uviel was seen standing before a vending machine with a distant look in her eyes and her hoodie over one arm. Despite needing to focus on the matches- Her mind was elsewhere, thinking about Haru and her disappearance. Har-Har... Almost like a whisper in her mind, she nearly forgot what she wanted from the machine as she stood there staring into space.
That was until a voice rang from behind her and nearly made her jump out of her skin. "Oi, move damn it! You're taking too long!" Her head whipped around after hugging the life out of the machine, legs and all, wrapped around it. There stood the dirty blonde whose temper could even put Kratos's anger to shame.
A bit of anger bubbled inside the cyber girl after she removed all of her limbs from the snack machine. Her throbbing irk mark grew much larger than the one on his head, in fact, two more even showed up. "Do you have to be so loud?! Stop screaming into other peoples' ears, you'll give them a headache!" Fuming, Uviel had to put up with her best friend's random excited outbursts, but she certainly can't handle angry ones...
As soon as her reply met his ears and stepped aside for him to pick out a snack, his palms began to spark. "Haaaah?! Who's the one screaming now, AI?!" Hilarious, sharp, white eyes showed how angry he was with her, and sparks of his explosion threatened to go off at any moment.
There was one thing he wasn't expecting... Coming from someone who was known to be quiet and shies away from those who would insult her, came a fist that made him crash into the wall nearby. Her fist, tight and ready for more, remained in place.
Bakugo was baffled, shocked when he moved his gaze to his peripherals and saw tears trailing down her pale cheeks. Her furious and stern eyes that used to be full of distance from everyone, bore directly into his own. "I've had enough... Of people making fun of me... Haru won't be around all the time to defend me...!" Now with a stomp of her foot forward and her fist lowered, she mentally prayed that he would get the hint to not keep going. "It's like I said before, I don't want to be a coward anymore! So, STOP INSULTING ME! If you don't then you'll be hearing some right back! It'll be a never-ending cycle of hatred and arguments, so stop! Just- stop!" Gritted teeth, a growl in her voice showed how far her anger was going and she just couldn't control it.
The boy was a bit speechless, there weren't a lot of people who would be so blunt as to scream at him in return...lest they face the consequences. But it was her words that seemed to make him ponder, not the fact that she yelled back. His eyes squinted in thought before moving to view his palm. With a quick clench of it, then a dangerous glare and a wicked grin, he chuckled with a cocky attitude that many would call offensive.
"Go ahead asshole! I DARE you to say somethi-" All of a sudden, his provoking words were cut off when a simple insult left the cyber girl's lips. Which, in turn, only made his fury spike.
"Jackass!" It just slipped, surprised at the insult that came out, a gasp escaped and her eyes lit up with dread. She knew from there, that she was basically waving a red cape in front of a bull. "D- Don't you have a match to get to?!" With a quick turn of her feet and balled fists shaking to hold in her anger, she didn't notice the seething stare he had.
"Tch-!" Bakugo clicked his tongue after putting his hands into his pocket. Not another word, he simply trekked away and didn't even give her a passing glance before leaving the hallway.
When he was finally gone, Saito about fell on her knees with a breath she didn't know she held, leaving her lungs. Did I... Did I really just...? Eyes wide with a sudden spark of fear, she felt like she was really in for it now. Oh shit, I really did! Again, she yelled in her mind, panicking over such an argument she never thought she'd get into, and felt nervous sweat trickle her skin.
After collecting her snacks and returning to the students, it was relieving to know that the match had already begun. "Good, this means I don't have to be around him..." sighing, Uviel slowly sat back down into her seat.
The music started up, Present Mic's announcement rang through the coms and presented the final round. It's finally the last battle of the U.A. High School sports festival! The top of the first years will be decided with this one match! The final, so to speak! he began, and on the screens, it showed Todoroki who stood gazing upon his next opponent. From the hero course, Shoto Todoroki versus- Also from the hero course, Katsuki Bakugo! Now- Start! As if on cue, Uviel leaned in to keep her focus on the fights so she could, as mentioned before, take mental notes.
A rush of ice burst across the stage at the ticking time bomb, when Shoto slammed his palm onto the ground. Only to be deflected with explosions of Katsuki's hands, keeping it from even touching him. Though he tried his best to deflect them all, it just resulted in him getting surrounded by it and having spikes of it rise high in the air. Todoroki gets a blow in right away! Is he trying to avoid close combat with Bakugo?! Has the winner been decided already?! Mic's astonished voice boomed over the mic, no one, not even Uviel expected a large blow like that.
Her eyes remained wide at the sight, except when she overheard Izuku speak to Uraraka nearby. "It's not on the same scale as in his match with Sero. He aimed his attack while being careful of what'll come next." Amazed, Uviel blinked when he spoke and couldn't help but to answer back.
"It's a smart move...but also sort of stupid to let out so much of his ice. He'd tire himself out quicker if he keeps doing it. It'd be better if he figured out how to immobilize him first before hitting him with a strong blow like that. That way, he won't be able to get away in time or defend himself from any of his attacks while he uses his power. Freezing him, as he did to Iida, would've been better..." her statement made the boy's green eyes blink at her, just to bring up a hand and lower his hues to ponder.
A finger touching his chin, it was obvious he was doing his little habit. "If he did that, then Bakugo would just use his explosives to break himself out of the ice before he gets hit with more. The only way for him to be immobilized is if someone had a quirk to paralyze him, or..." At this point, his reply turned into mumbles as he trailed off and calculated in his head.
However, his thoughts and hers were both interrupted when faint sounds of explosions erupted from within the large glacier. Crack after crack, quake after heavy quake, the ice dispersed with red flames of his explosives and caused the Asura boy to jump back.
"Did he dig his way out through the ice like a mole with his explosions?" Dumbstruck, Sero gasped at the display, just to earn a comment from Sparky next to him.
From afar Katsuki soared, thrusting himself across the stage with a quick push from his quirk. The fight went on for a bit longer, but the Asura boy became uncertain of himself and that was when Midoriya rose from his seat to cheer him on. Screaming out with encouragement, saying that he could do this.
From a bit of time passing, everyone was shocked to learn that Shoto was out of bounds and unconscious. Even Uviel, her eyes wide with shock when Kayama announced the winner. The entire stadium roared with excitement, amazed by the large explosions and Bakugo's projectile-like attack that destroyed a little bit of the large glacier. And now, all of the events have been completed! Mic's exciting voice boomed The winner of this first-year U.A sports festival is... From class A, Katsuki Bakugo! With that, everyone in 1-A conversed about the fight between the two.
One after another, each student rose from their seats to leave for the gathering in the center of the stadium. Vlad King's dark red eyes remained glued to her backside the whole time and lifted a brow when he saw that she didn't even stir. Almost everyone was gone, save for a couple whose concern showed on their faces. "Hey, it's time! We need to go to the center down there," Mez stated in hopes of gaining her attention, but that wasn't enough to snap her out of her daze.
Yes, a daze, her mind kept rolling around in the thoughts about the matches and her best friend, that she couldn't really pay attention to her surroundings. So with a hand being placed onto her shoulder, her head jerked after a gasp escaped and saw those stunning hues meet his. "You look out of it, is something on your mind?" his worry was obvious, but it was soon reassured when she gave him a slight nod.
"Yeah... I'm just thinking a lot about stuff," mentally exhausted from all of the thinking, she answered him and lowered her head back to the stage where everyone was gathering.
"Don't let whatever it is, get to you too much then. It's never good to dwell, so don't worry yourself too much. Just keep your eyes on the here-and-now, the festival's almost over," A close of his eyes, in her peripherals she saw his cheeks rise behind his mask; there Saito knew, that he gave her a friendly smile.
With a simple nod, Uviel rose and walked alongside the tentacle guy in silence, she nearly forgot about Vlad keeping on her tail the whole way down to the stage. Now that everyone has gathered at the center, no thanks for the cyber girl being the last one to arrive, Kayama saw her and sighed.
With a smile and a raise of her whip, she announced. "And now that everyone is here- we will begin the award ceremony!" Right behind her, smoke erupted and masked a small portion of the ground. Out came a large stand with three people on each pedestal, although... Bakugo was in first place, he kept thrashing about to try and get free.
Uviel couldn't hold it together, standing next to Mez and Kirishima, her pal hand had to stifle her giggles at the gear Katsuki had to wear... He was bound by chains, cuffs, and a mussel. White, furious eyes on the boy, everyone was astonished by what he was wearing. To his right was Fumikage who couldn't stop staring at the blonde's thrashes, even a sweat drop lingered on him. To the blonde's left was Todoroki, the Asura simply stood there pondering...
Wow...and to think I was afraid of Bakugo earlier... Seeing him bound like this makes him look like a rabid beast. Uviel's own thoughts echoed, finding the boy hilarious. The girl was too amused by Katsuki's behavior that she wasn't really listening to what Kayama was saying...
"Now, we will award the medals! The presentation of the medals will, of course, be by this man!" the teacher said with a hand raised, pointing over the stadium, and soon a hearty laugh rang through the air as a shadowed figure rose over the audience. Just hearing his voice made the crowd go wild, it even made Uviel's blue eyes widen with shock upon seeing such a silhouette.
"HAAHAHAHA! I have brought the medals here!" he exclaimed after he jumped from the edge and dove straight towards the center. Kayama's announcing his name only made the cyber girl gasp.
He's...Almight?! How come...I... in confusion and surprise, Saito trailed off as she watched the built man land. His back was to the students when Kayama's inaudible spoke, followed by raising three medals.
After a moment, he walked over to Fumikage with a medal going over the boy's head. A comment that was unheard by the girl, was given to him before he moved to Todoroki. Why did he hug Fumikage? I don't understand just the thought made her shiver, it seemed weird to her.
Another hug was given, this time to Todo after a small chat with the boy. He too received the medal over his head and not too much longer, did the great hero move to Bakugo. This time, she was able to hear him, his booming voice tried to overcome the thrashing beast in the chains. "Now then, young Bakugo!" Almight couldn't keep it together, a faint chuckle he tried to stifle, escaped after he tried talking again. "This is too much," he mumbled with a lift of his hand so he could remove the mussel. "Good job doing what you said you would, during the player pledge!" As if on cue, not even his signature grin faltered when he heard some airy words came from the kid.
"Almight..." he began, causing the bulky man to hum in question. "First place like this...is not worth anything!" With a raise of his head, Katsuki fumed with rage with his usual sharp and hilarious eyes. "Even if the world recognizes it, if I don't recognize it myself, then it's trash!" Even though his words were loud and obnoxious, Almight simply nodded and lifted his hand with a simple nod.
"In this world where people are constantly being compared publicly, there are not many who keep aiming for the top of an unchanging scale," his answer didn't even seem to change his fuming face... "Take this medal, okay? Think of it as a wound you never forget!" After that speech, Uviel just couldn't...contain herself...
"Hahahahaha!" Bent over and clutching her stomach, almost everyone looked at her right before her hand slapped over her mouth to keep herself quiet. It was too much... So embarrassed, her cheeks flushed, she could feel all eyes on her at that moment... Even Almight looked back at her before viewing Katsuki again.
After the whole deal of the medals being passed over, the speech from Almight, it was time for the festival to come to an end. Everyone was leaving now and Uviel saw Mez and Fumikage look at her with a wave goodbye. She returned the same gesture, but, it lowered once Haru came to mind again. "Hey!" An outburst from the darker redhead she stood next to, made her jump and whip around to see.
"E-...Eijiro... Hey," Her face flushed red at the sight of him, she couldn't look him in the eyes right now after recalling the manly fights he was in.
"I've been curious. Yukimura said before that you played games right?" When he asked, he watched her nod and couldn't help but to find her behavior adorable, so his own cheeks tinted all the same. "Have...you heard of...Stargazers Online?" As soon as he questioned that, her eyes grew the size of dinner plates.
Comically, her head snapped up to look at him with a gaping mouth. "Y- Yes! Yes, I... I play it all the time! I'm one of the top-ranked players and I've been trying to get to S rank so I can win a prize! I've battled other players but this one player is so good, no matter what I do... I can't win!" Excitement filled her eyes like a child who was obsessed with a toy, that they could talk about for a long time.
"W- What?! You play too?! What's your character's name?" Now, he too, beamed with excitement. Both fists clenched and grinning lips, it's not every day someone meets a player in real life.
"W-... Well- I, it's..." she fumbled over her own words at how embarrassed she felt from the sudden attention and her cheeks flushed even deeper at that. "Solar Blade..." For a moment, a long silence ensued and she could've sworn he didn't know that name until...
"WHAAAT?! Rank-Bane?! You're Rank-Bane?!" His mouth dropped at recognizing her character's name, it was as if he had encountered something rare in his life and couldn't stop gawking in awe. "The prodigy who's been scaling the ranks?! I fought you in PvP!" Kiri was amazed, encountering the Rank climber from Stargazers was certainly something he wasn't expecting.
"You- you did?! Um, w-what's your character's name?" Now Uviel was a bit scared to find out who he was in the game. Please tell me he's someone I already fought and won over! her mind pleaded, but sadly, her begging wasn't heard.
"Manly Knight!" With a thumb pointing to himself and a wide grin, she nearly toppled over at the predictable name.
I keep forgetting... He loves everything manly. Why did I not think of that? A harsh facepalm, Saito felt so stupid for not trying to recall the people she fought to climb the ranks. "So... You're the guy I've been trying to pass!?" It finally clicked, the girl was dumbfounded and felt bad for the previous name-callings she spat at the player long ago.
"Y- Yeah, I am! That's sort of why I flipped out, haha!" Kirishima's hand rubbed the back of his head sheepishly when his eyes closed, he still couldn't believe he was standing in front of a really well-known player. "Let's have another good fight when we both get home, then!" A fist thrust out to her, he wanted a fist-bump and as he watched her do so, her shy self averted those blue hues.
"Yeah, sure...!" Her small smile, when she wasn't looking his way, only made the tints on his cheeks darken even more.
On the inside, comical tears streamed down his cheeks when he tugged with his teeth on a piece of cloth. Why?! She's adorable! his mental cries echoed at that moment until he heard a distant voice from the girl. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he almost missed her waving goodbye to him, which he returned with energy.