The classes of 1-A and 1-B were once again training together and they were heading towards their training camp before the real fun began. The location was so remote that the only way to get there was by foot and cross a ravine about midway.
They just arrived at the bridge to pass that ravine and everyone either whistled or gasped at the drop. It was so deep and no one was able to gauge it as the mist was covering the ground below. It looked more like an endless chasm than a simple ravine.
"H-hehe, look at that." Kirishima shuddered. "There is no way to tell how deep this ravine is."
That statement sent an involuntary shiver down Tetsutesu's spine. The height he had no problem with, as his Quirk would most likely protect him from death, however, the bridge itself was the one that was sending him warning signals.
The bridge looked fairly new, with unmarked wood planks, not a fiber shredded along the edges of the ropes, yet why did he feel like he was going to die if he even took a single step?
"...Tetsu?...Hey Tetsutetsu!"
"Huh?" The silver-haired teen jolted and looked across his fellow brother-rival. Kirishima was looking at him with a slight worry.
"You spaced out for quite some time bro, you ok?" Kirishima asked, now noticing that Tetsutetsu was shaking as if he was cold or feverish. Something did not feel right to the redhead. "You are usually talkative."
"I-I'm fine, I was just thinking if there might be another way to get to the training ground. Something more manly!" The silverette said with a smile, but a few others in the group noticed that he was nervous about something.
"Tetsutetsu, I am disappointed by my fellow classmate." Monoma said and started to walk towards him. "Are you by chance afraid of that little old bridge there, how pathetic."
Tetsutetsu growled and Kirishima glared at the laughing sociopath before he got grabbed by a large hand and yeeted across the ravine by their class rep. "Damn Monoma, I am sure he's going to feel that in the morning." She replied before looking at her classmate. "Are you sure you are ok? You are looking rather pale."
The silverette tried again to put up a front but eventually, he looked defeated. "I-how am I able to explain this…it's like when I look at the bridge I feel like something bad would happen."
That caught some attention, especially Izuku and their teachers. "Is it like no matter how you think, you feel a sense of dread? Like the bridge will fail?"
Tetsutetsu nodded, "Exactly, it keeps giving me thoughts of the wind snapping one side of the bridge, or my weight will make it collapse and fall to our doom, even though I can see that it is well maintained…"
He shuddered again and his mind's-eye suddenly made the bridge longer, making it look farther than it should. Everything began to feel much colder and his chest felt heavier like something was sitting on his chest. His legs then started to feel numb and cold, like they were submerged in ice and a second later he felt like they were jelly.
The unsteadiness of his legs made it even worse, as he now felt like he was on that damn bridge itself. His breathing picked up the pace as these symptoms were overstimulating him, fiercely producing more images of bridges collapsing from under him. Am I going to die here!?
Izuku immediately picked up the symptoms. "Kirishima, get him away from the ravine. We need to separate him from the trigger."
Kirishima nodded and gently grabbed hold of the other's forearm while Kendo held the other and slowly pulled him away from the bridge, barely making it in time as his legs finally gave out on him. Momo produced a cooling cloth and poured water over it to put it over the silverette's eyes once they had got them settled.
Several moments had passed as they watched their friend slowly recover from the ordeal. Izuku was keeping tabs on the symptoms and he determined that Tetsutetsu suffered from Gephyrophobia, and bad. The verdanette needed to help him cross the bridge but for now, help him calm down.
"I-I'm pathetic…How can I be a Hero if I'm afraid of a bridge. This is not manly."
"Don't think like that bro, everybody has fears." Kirishima said right next to him, letting him know that it is ok. "It happens."
"How am I going to the training ground then? I c-can't cross that bridge right now…" The silverette said, looking down in frustration. He then felt a tap on the shoulder.
"We may have a solution Tetsutetsu," Izuku said with a smile. "From what I see you are uncomfortable with bridges so the next suggestion is floating."
"Floating?"
"Hm. Uraraka will use her Quirk on you so you can levitate and Kirishima will walk across the bridge with you and Uraraka. You will be tied to a rope so you won't float away." Tetsutetsu looked unsure. "We would also recommend blindfolding you so you won't see the bridge or look down."
"Another option is also straightforward is to have Uraraka levitate you then push you across the ravine until you reach the other side and she can release her Quirk then."
"N-no. Normally I would choose the latter but right now…I don't think I can handle it alone."
Izuku nodded and after another 30 minutes of the silverette getting himself ready, they proceeded with the first option. A few times Tetsutetsu grumbled in discomfort, but overall he never felt the sensation of being on the demon bridge. In fact, it mostly felt like he was floating on water, and that made his mind more at ease. Once everyone else crossed the bridge they headed to the camp where they found Monoma, waving hi with bruises, cuts, black eyes, and a chipped tooth. Right next to him was a tree with his body print against it.