A/N: Another good morning to everyone! Now, I know I've been following the "every other chapter" rule with Katsuki and Aisla, but we already know what that boy is doing during these exams so it wasn't really necessary to reiterate all of that! However, he does have a small part in this chapter as well, so not to worry! This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones, but most of them will be around the same length.

Chapter Seven: Aisla vs. Shishikura

Aisla's whole body felt paralyzed, all the way from her toes up to her eyes, which were frozen wide as saucers. The only thing that moved was her lips, which trembled in both fear and anger. He was still doing this to her; why wouldn't he just leave her alone? She should have expected this move from him, however. He knew how vulnerable she was when she was alone. Of course, he would try and corner her on a day like this. It had been a fool's dream to hope that their encounter before the exam started would be the last she'd see of him.

Don't let him get to you, Aisla, she coached herself. You're stronger than you were back then. You can do this, just concentrate. Focus on his quirk and reflect it back at him.

"I'm not afraid of you," she declared, surprised that her voice came out clear and strong despite the fear she felt inside. She needed to stay calm and pretend she was brave like Katsuki, Shoto, and Midoriya always were. She just needed to think of them and she would be okay. Shoto's comforting words from earlier were the encouragement she clung to. "You're safe now. No one can hurt you anymore." That's right. I'm safe. He can't hurt me. I'm not afraid.

Shishikura laughed outright, throwing his head back as though she'd just said the funniest thing he'd ever heard. "You've always been the worst liar, Aisla. It's one of the things I love about you."

Eugh. She resisted the urge to gag, but couldn't stop the responding tremor from working its way up her body.

"You know," he continued casually, "we could just stop this whole ridiculous fight and go find…someplace private?" His tongue slid across his upper lip and this time her stomach burned with acid. Bile rose in her throat and she had to choke it back down. He was crazy if he thought she would ever be interested in a creep like him. He'd always been a bully to her—scaring her in the halls and following her around, mentally and sometimes even physically abusing her—but the day he'd professed his love for her was the scariest encounter they'd ever shared. And now here he was, asking her to go somewhere with him like he hadn't been one of the main reasons she'd left Shiketsu High. The worst part was that she knew he meant it. Shishikura was arrogant, proud, and felt entitled to her time as though she was nothing but an underling.

"This is a competition, isn't it?" She spat the words at him, hands balled into fists and expression hard. "So let's stop talking and fight!"

She threw a ball straight at his stomach, hoping to hit at least one target. He easily stepped out of the way, yawning as if this was a child's game and he was a bored parent playing for the millionth time. He smiled evilly at her and threw, only he didn't throw a ball like she'd expected. Instead, his quirk flew out toward her in the form of a fleshy lump and came this close to smacking her right in the face.

She dropped to the floor just in time, but he wasn't done with his assault just yet. He threw out more of his disgusting meatballs, one after another, trying to overwhelm her. All the while, laughing maniacally. He was enjoying this, excited at the prospect of beating her once again. He'd always been the one to win during their one-on-one matches back at Shiketsu High. Her quirk just couldn't keep up with his. He was fast and his recovery rate was astounding. Whereas Aisla always had to blink mid-battle, and had a limit to how much she could reflect back at one time, thus leaving her helpless. But Aisla's quirk had improved. She wasn't pathetic or defenseless anymore; she'd come a long way and she was proud of her progress. Even so, she knew she might not be able to beat him in a quirk battle, but maybe…she could outsmart him...

But how…? she wondered.

She considered all the times the two had sparred. Aisla's quirk required her to watch her opponents closely in order to reflect back attacks. Because of this, she'd analyzed the way he moved and the different tells he exhibited before sending out his amorphous flesh balls. If she could apply her knowledge of his habits to this fight, she'd have a chance at beating him.

Concentrate… she advised herself.

She watched the way his eyes followed her every move. His expression was so laid back, he almost looked like someone having a casual chat over morning tea and not someone who wanted to annihilate her. She narrowed her eyes at him but he just grinned widely in return, completely unfazed.

"I thought you wanted a fight?" he asked mockingly.

"Go throw yourself off a bridge!" she spat in response. "What a coincidence," she gestured to the concrete bridge they were currently occupying, "you could try this one."

"What's this?" he scoffed. "Wishing death on your opponent? How uncouth. Is that how UA does things, or is that language a result of you spending too much time with that explosive hothead?"

Aisla's lip twitched in a hint of a scowl at the insinuation about her new school and about Katsuki. She wasn't being petty, however, even though months of abuse under this boy's heel had admittedly made her bitter. No, she hoped to goad him into action—if she could get under his skin in just the right way, then…

"All talk and no execution, I see," he taunted. "Unsurprising."

He was just baiting her. He knew she couldn't use offensive power. If he didn't attack first, then there was nothing she could do but wait him out. As soon as she blinked, it was game over for her. She was vulnerable out there on her own and they both knew it. Some of the combat training she'd learned from Midoriya could be useful, but she didn't trust her skills enough to get in close, especially to someone like Shishikura. She knew he was a fairly skilled fighter in hand-to-hand combat and had no desire to get her face pummeled today.

"Are you too afraid to really fight me?" she demanded, still hoping to provoke him enough to use his quirk. It was ironic that she wanted him to fight her when all she'd ever wanted back at Shiketsu was for him to leave her alone. Now that her pride and her school's name was on the line, she wanted to kick his ass and show him, along with everyone else here, that she was a UA student. But she couldn't do that if he was just standing there!

His lips pulled back even further. "I think you're the one who's scared, Aisla. Remember all the times you and I sparred back at school? Remember how many times my quirk turned you into a pile of body parts?" He laughed. "You know I love seeing you like that. Let's try again, shall we? I'll even let you get in the first hit this time, as a courtesy. Come on, show me what you've got." She clenched her teeth and his eyes widened in mock surprise. "No? Oh, that's right, you can't attack me. Because you're just a useless, defensive wanna-be hero. Too bad. Guess I'll make the first move after all!"

His fingers flew out toward her, turning into disgusting goo and dripping all over the ground. Aisla braced for it and called up her quirk to mirror it back to him, but he'd been prepared and sent his free hand toward her, too. She couldn't deflect them both at the same time…but maybe she didn't have to.

She waited until the first set of flesh was inches from her face, then leapt into the air, back arching in a graceful flip. She landed hard on her feet and slid backward but managed to regain her footing just in time to deflect the second attack back at him. It did nothing but send his fingers flying back where they belonged, and within seconds he was attacking once more. She did her best to jump out of the way as much as possible so her quirk wouldn't wear her down and her eyes could blink, but he was relentless. She could see the anger in his eyes as he struggled to keep up with her quick movements, but she knew it was only a matter of time before her body grew too tired. She needed to deal with him before that happened or she'd be screwed.

She needed a distraction… If she could get him to glance away from her for a few seconds, then maybe she could hit his targets and put him out of the exam. Then she wouldn't even have to worry about him. But what could she do to distract him…?

"I like you, Aisla. I could be your greatest ally, if you'd let me…"

Eugh, she thought. Her whole face scrunched up at the memory. She would rather die than give this guy the time of day, but she would not rather be turned into a meatball. There were some fates worse than death.

"Okay, you win!" she shouted after sending another attack back his way.

He paused momentarily, fingers still extended slightly and eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She steeled herself, then took a few steps forward. She blinked slowly and purposefully, keeping her gaze locked on his and hoping she looked sultry. Blinking meant that she couldn't use her quirk to defend herself if he tried another attack, but she was running out of options here.

"I'm ready to confess something to you…Seiji." She tried for a purr but thought her tone came out more like a strangled zebra trying to speak.

Even so, his eyes widened and his fingers came back to him, forming normal hands once more. "What are you saying?" he asked. His tone was laced with suspicion but just barely. She was close enough now that she saw him swallow the lump in his throat. He really was affected by her. Maybe he actually did have a crush on her and he just didn't know how to go about it in a way that wasn't creepy and obsessive.

Sorry, Shishi, Aisla thought with a sliver of guilt, but my heart belongs to someone else.

"I've been thinking about what you said…about your feelings for me. Tell me again," she ordered in that same, sultry tone she was certain would unveil her deception.

Believe me, she hoped her expression said.

He blinked wildly. "You…really want to know?" he asked, eyes locked on hers.

She nodded, took another step, then another. "Please tell me, Seiji." She had a ball clutched in one hand behind her back, ready to tag him out. This was all going according to plan. All she had to do was get a little closer and make sure his guard was down, then throw the ball at his targets.

"Okay, Aisla," he agreed easily. "That's all I've ever wanted was for you to listen to me. You have no idea how much this means to me. I've been wanting to tell you this ever since the Shiketsu High Entrance Exams, when I first laid eyes on you."

Get on with it, she silently begged.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and batted her eyes. "Well, I'm ready for you now. Please tell me again."

His eyes sparked with something, his posture relaxed, and his lips formed the words, "You will be mine."

She had half a second of realization before his quirk shot out toward her and hit her square in the chest. She had a moment to think, he knew all along, before her body folded in on itself and she silently cried.

Katsuki was trudging along with Kirishima and Kaminari in tow, looking for another opponent to battle. He hadn't gotten a single person out yet and he'd already been in this battle for hours! Or, maybe it had only been a few minutes, he was too angry to tell. How was he supposed to be the best when he couldn't even finish a stupid game?

How embarrassing.

"Let's go, you damn extras!" Katsuki snarled as he stomped across the paved road. When a bridge came into his sights, he made his way over to the ladder and started to climb on impulse. Surely someone had to be on top, just waiting for him to murder them!

Kirishima and Kaminari followed behind him, and he had half the mind to kick one of them in the head to send them both flying back to the ground. Instead, he climbed faster so that he would be the first one to emerge from the shadows and beast whoever was currently battling it out on the bridge. He would strike them with a quick blast and then hit their targets in one blow! It would be so epic. Maybe he'd even leave whoever was fighting them for one of these idiots if he was feeling nice.

When he reached the top of the ladder, he turned to the extras and pressed a finger against his lips. He received two thumbs-up in return.

Morons.

He peered over the edge to gauge where their opponents would be…and nearly fell right off the bridge. His eyes went wide and he couldn't keep the gasp from escaping his lips. Aisla stood there, not three meters from that Shiketsu High asshole. He remembered seeing his smug ass earlier when they stepped off the bus. He was the one who used to bully Aisla.

Katsuki clenched his teeth and gripped the railing tightly. The arrogant smirk on that sicko's face as he looked at Aisla was enough to make Katsuki hot with rage. He wanted to see that shithead burn.

"What's going on?" Kaminari called up in a hushed voice.

Katsuki didn't answer. He watched, completely frozen, as Shishikura's fingers extended toward his target.

"NO!"

Katsuki leapt onto the bridge with Kaminari and Kirishima close behind him. He watched in horror as Aisla's lithe form morphed into a ball of flesh. He clenched his fists as he ran toward the culprit.

Shishikura stood there, looking very pleased with himself—hands behind his back, expression casual. Katsuki threw an explosion with enough force to take down a whole building, but the other guy just took a step to the side as easily as if a child had thrown a beach ball. Katsuki growled and sent three more blasts his way. The bastard dodged each one but made no moves to counterattack.

What the hell is he doing? Katsuki inwardly growled. Let me murder you!

"Uh, maybe we should find a different target?" Kaminari suggested.

"SHUT UP, YOU DAMN IDIOT!" he raged, and continued throwing explosions at his opponent. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HER!"

Understanding sparked in his eyes. "Oh? Are you talking about this little girl?" He poked the Aisla flesh-ball with the toe of his boot. "Admittedly, I would have preferred her to not become one of my little balls of fun, but it was ultimately her choice. She did try to seduce me, you know. I was acting in self-defense."

"Liar!" Katsuki snarled. "Aisla would never do something like that!" He pulled both hands together to create an even larger explosion. His anger fueled the attack, making sweat build in his palms.

"I think you might be overdoing it just a little bit, Bakugo!" Kirishima warned.

He ignored him and let the blast grow. He didn't care if he took out the whole damn arena. This fucker was going down. He saw it in the other boy's eyes, too, the realization that Katsuki wasn't out there just to score some points. He wanted blood.

"Tch." The scumbag rolled his eyes. "Of course UA students behave like primates. Do you have no dignity, looking at me—a rival from a glorious institution—as though I'm some sort of villain?"

"You're a villain to me." Katsuki's voice was a low growl and his eyes glowed like Eraser Head's before he immobilized someone.

"I see I have you to thank for Aisla's overall change in demeanor," the other guy commented with a passive look at Aisla's meatball. "It's a shame. Things were better when she knew her place. You and the other UA students…you're terrible influences. And you, Katsuki Bakugo, are the worst kind of animal."

"And you're DEAD!" He let the blast go and watched the fire reflected in his opponent's eyes just before it hit him. Victory was his. All he had to do now was tag him out and he could be on his way.

"Bakugo, watch out!" Kirishima yelled, just before Katsuki's body turned to mush and he collapsed into a ball.

Well, fuck, he thought as his eyes rolled around in his meatball form. All he'd wanted was to save Aisla and get his provisional license, and now they were both meatballs.

Shishikura laughed maniacally from where he stood, completely untouched with a de-transformed Aisla standing in front of him as a shield.

She deflected it, he realized. That asshole changed her back just to use her?! If she hadn't acted fast enough, Katsuki's blast would have hit her, too. He could have killed her.

She looked unharmed, from what he could tell, other than the tears that dripped down her cheeks and a look of absolute despair in her blue eyes. She fought against Shishikura's hold as he brought a hand down to touch her—either to turn her into a flesh-sac again or to get handsy, Katsuki couldn't say, though the latter prospect made him want to bash the guy's head into the concrete.

Use that quirk of yours, Sparkplug! he silently commanded. If he used the right voltage at just the right time, he could easily win this fight. All Katsuki could do was watch and hope that his friends were smart enough to finish this.

"Kirishima, back me up!" Kaminari shouted as he lunged toward Shishikura.

Katsuki rolled around, feeling dizzy, nauseous, and furious. He hated relying on other people to do the job he should have been able to do himself! He wanted to be the one to save Aisla, to blast this guy to hell and win it all. How was he supposed to come out on top when he couldn't even move?!

"I got him!" Kirishima activated his quirk and ran at full speed toward the other guy.

You fucking moron! Katsuki thought as Shishikura easily threw out his own quirk and caught Kirishima in his grasp. He plopped down beside him, eyes rolling and body sickeningly twisted. Shishikura laughed again and readied his power to turn Kaminari into a meatball next. Katsuki was starting to lose hope in this plan and was about ready to just give up and die from shame when a sudden blast of electricity hit the wall behind Shishikura.

YES! he wanted to shout. His armor burst, catching Shishikura and blasting him into unconsciousness. Katsuki's body felt like it was being twisted in all the wrong ways, and then suddenly he was himself again, laying on the ground next to a dozen other victims. He looked at their KO'd opponent and considered kicking him while he was down for the way he talked about Aisla, but then…

Aisla.

"Aisla!" he shouted, and clambered to his feet. She lay on the ground near Shishikura, clutching her stomach in pain. Kaminari's quirk must have affected her when the volts shot through their enemy. Katsuki hadn't planned for that. When he'd planted those grenades, Aisla had still been a meatball and hadn't been in that bastard's grubby hands.

He hurried to her side and pulled her up into a sitting position. "I'm okay," she panted, though her face was contorted in agony.

"THE HELL YOU ARE!" he argued. He looked around, saw all the other students laying there helpless as they struggled to get up, and got an idea. He plucked a ball from his own stash and thrust it into her hand. She gripped it, expression turning surprised. "Hurry up and tag these idiots so we can get out of here."

A small smile lifted her lips. "Okay, Katsuki."

Kirishima and Kaminari both stood nearby with equally sinister smiles on their faces, tossing a ball into the air and catching it in unison with one another. A few of the stragglers started to scurry in the opposite direction. Katsuki threw a ball and hit one in the leg—their last target. He pulled Aisla to her feet and kept hold of her hand, tugging her along behind him.

Together, they finished off the remaining targets they each needed and then whooped in victory.

"Easy." Katsuki threw the last ball across the bridge and then scooped Aisla into his arms, surprised to find that she was much lighter than he'd expected. Too light, even. "Let's go, extras!"

"Right!" they agreed simultaneously.

"Uh, Katsuki?" Aisla asked as he carried her toward the building. "I can walk, you know."

"NO, YOU CAN'T!" he snapped and walked a little faster in case she got any funny ideas about escaping.

"It really didn't hit me that hard," she reasoned. "And I'm, you know…too heavy to carry around…"

"Shut the hell up!" he snapped. "Maybe if you ate more, you would be! But you're too damn light, so stop complaining!"

He ignored the slight coloring of her cheeks and the way her hand rested against his chest as her head dropped onto his shoulder. "Okay, Katsuki."

When they reached the waiting area, they found most of their classmates already inside, much to his annoyance. He'd wanted to get this over with quickly and be the first one to finish! Instead, he'd had to fuck around saving a damsel in distress. Though, maybe that didn't give her enough credit. He had no idea how long Aisla had been fighting Meatball Guy before Katsuki and his band of idiots showed up. Either way, he'd better get extra credit for risking the chance to get enough targets to protect this damn girl.

"I NEED RECOVERY GIRL!" Katsuki shouted as they walked inside.

"What happened?" Icy Hot asked in concern as he hurried up to them.

"Sparkplug over here hit her with his quirk," Katsuki explained with an eye roll.

Todoroki sent the idiot a withering look.

"H-hey now!" Kaminari said in defense. "It was an accident! It was that Shiketsu High guy! And it was Bakugo's plan anyway!"

Now the look turned back on Katsuki.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME?!" he demanded. "AND STOP FOLLOWING ME!"

"She's my friend, too," Todoroki argued. "I'm just making sure she's okay."

"Maybe you should have stayed with her to protect her then!" Katsuki shot back.

Todoroki stopped following them at that, and Katsuki felt a little guilty for his words. After all, it wasn't like he'd made an effort to help Aisla either. If he'd been with her from the beginning, then she wouldn't have gone head-to-head with her tormentor and she wouldn't be in pain right now. Like Icy Hot, he'd ditched their whole class as soon as the exam started, without entertaining a single thought about the girl who'd be up against her trauma using a defensive quirk. Aisla had walked into that fight completely alone and it was Katsuki's fault.

He stopped walking. "Hey, Todo." He waited until the dual-haired boy returned to his side, then thrust Aisla into his arms. "You take her to Recovery Girl. I have more important things to do." He didn't miss the hurt expression Aisla wore as he turned away from her and headed in the opposite direction.

I'm sorry, Aisla. I told you I'm no one worth knowing.

A/N: Oh, Katsuki, you silly boy! What do you guys think? Is Katsuki "someone worth knowing," or do you agree with him that Aisla is better off being friends with someone else? What are your opinions on Aisla's fight with her former tormentor? Katsuki and friends managed to take him down much in the same way as they did in the anime, only this time he was trying to help someone else and not just himself. Any thoughts on that? What was your FAVORITE part from this chapter or from the story thus far? My favorite part was Aisla's fight with the telekinetic girl. I thought that was pretty exciting! Let's hear your thoughts!

Betas: yellowchikadee

Test Audience: yellowchikadee; Ashteriax

I received so many helpful suggestions for this chapter, which made it even better than I'd hoped for! Thank you, Ashteriax for your funny commentary and thoughtful words, and thank you yellowchikadee for going that extra mile and helping me to stay true to these characters, as well as the story. With your help, this project has become more fun and better written. Thank you both!

I'm also on AO3 under the same name!