Daika City
She was distracted enough for me to sneak up on her and take out two goons - but plenty of those liberation losers were in place to bully me off her.
"What sort of life have you led?" she cried out to me as I went flying through a glass window into some cafe.
"Oh by the way, watch your step in there!"
And the damn place exploded.
"Our warriors show no mercy! If you want to live to see tomorrow, then give me my interview."
I'd just dodged outta the way when the darned Liberation goons started coming at me.
"Suck!" I shouted as my weapon activated and shot out, sticking in all of them to get me their blood.
"Now, my on-the-go suck-suck mask!"
I snapped it in place over my jaws.
"Syringes, I see!" came Liberation Lady's gloaty voice. "So you can suck blood and use your meta ability, transform! FAscinating! Plus, with multiple donors, it's hard to tell who to watch out for! AS for the way you move your body, your being just another mad slasher doesn't explain these highly tuned survival skills! How dod you turn out this way? I need the details!"
And - something was hurting me - like tiny - no - big explosions going off inside of me -
the blood exploded.
"Were you hoping to transform into one of us and blend into the crowd? That won't work! I'm here to get some answers, so I've come prepared to counter your tricks! Our warriors won't balk at being turned into bombs! So while they use their meta powers to put you and your people on the ropes,why don't we get started with some background information?"
Even though my insides were killing me, I didn't let those creeps hit me.
"First daughter of the Toga family! Born on August 7, currently 17! Ran away from home just after middle school graduation! Did you catch the news that day when the media rushed over to your parents looking for answers!?"
I was running for it now.
"Or when they interviewed your classmates!? Everyone said the same thing! That you were always a cheerful, reasonable, well-mannered girl! So they all wondered, 'why'? Why did you do what you did?"
A whole group of em were coming at me all at once...
"Why did you abandon any home of a normal life? I'd like to hear your version, if you don't mind!"
I'd taken too many hits. I'd been knocked down.
Things were flashing through my memory. Stuff I hadn't thought about for a long time...
My friends at school. Where a smiling mask.
That beautiful blood...
My mask cracking.
"Believe me, I know you must have suffered! Why did you succumb to madness? Tell me!"
"A normal life, huh?" I said at last. "What's that?"
"Finally, an answer!"
"You liberation army people are trying to make the world a wonderful place. So I like you."
The mask shattered to the floor, the taste of blood...
"For me, this is my normal."
UA HIGH
There was no time to wait around and worry about what was going on with Deku. I had Monoma tied up and I needed to worry about getting him into jail.
I headed along the training grounds, and had to swipe aside a pipe he threw at me.
"It's been about five minutes since our match started, right? And I know quirks that you copy only last that long," I said, more to myself than him.
"I simply pretended my limit was five minutes, but I've improved. It's ten now. If I were to unleash a brutal sneak attack now, could you defeat me all on your own?"
I turned to look at him with my mouth clamped firmly shut. No way I'm getting brainwashed.
"Shrewd, aren't you? By the by, do you know how many quirks I can cop at once?"
I held up three fingers.
"You think three? Ha ha ha! Does three pocket watches mean three quirks? HA ha ha! I merely pretended it was three, but I've increased my limit to four. What do you say to that? Plus I can achieve all manner of clever things with copied quirks. While it's true that I can't activate more than one at a time, some have effects that last and linger. Especially ones that don't necessarily affect a person's body directly."
I'd gotten him to jail by this point, and he kept going.
"Take Kodai's size, for instance. The nut I enlarged with retain its size even if I use other quirks. HA ha ha! Catch my drift? What if I said fire? Sound familiar? Be careful of the supporting role's dying breath!"
I'd slammed the door in his face and turned to head back to the battlefield.
Did he do something to Deku somehow? But -
"I'm gonna need your help, Uraraka...I need to get up in Shinsou's face while you go after Monoma! Then you go after the other two! Don't worry about me - I'll be fine!"
When a hero is in trouble...
No. I trust in Deku's judgement. I gotta go back up Mina and Mineta!
I ran forward, towards the battleground, just in time it seemed. Shoda had Mineta and Yanagi and Kodai ahd ganged up on Mina!
Gunhead Martial Arts! I brought my fist down on Yanagi's neck, then jumped in to grab Kodai and shove her into Miineta's trap. A punch sound told me Mina had taken out Shoda.
That just leaves Deku and Shinsou. I turned in their direction and saw - Deku with Shinsou tied up and ready.
And with that, it was over. Our side had won! Which meant Classs A was the winner!
We all headed back to the meeting area for our feedback.
"Um," said Sensei. "First off, Midoriya. Want to tell us what happened?"
"Those fearsome black tendrils manifested from him," said Tokoyami.
"He didn't seem in control, but does that attack have a name?"
"Was its just some new move? It couldn't be, it's too different from his usual super strength."
"So what caused that then?"
"I still don't really know," said Deku, looking uncertain. "The power welled up and I couldn't control it. It's like something I've believed in up to now all of a sudden turned on me. It was truly terrifying. But when Uraraka and Shinsou tried to stop me, that helped me realize it wasn't all bad. If Shinsou hadn't used his brainwashing to knock me unconscious I honestly don't know what would have happened. You asked if I was bluffing, Shinso. I wasn't. I had no clue what was going on. So both of you, thanks!"
"That's true!" Said Miss Midnight. "Facing down Midoriya's little rampage, both Shinso and URaraka demonstrated some quick thinking and fast responses! And the way Uraraka, in particular, put herself on the line to help her friend was incredible! I loved it!"
"You just jumped in without thinking, Uraraka! Quick as a whip! And then you wrapped your arms around him tight!" Teased Ashido.
My face was going really red. "It's true that I acted before thinking. In the future I should try to keep a cool head. But if the alternative is doing nothing and regretting it then I'd be happier jumping in."
"You've matured, Uraraka," said Sensei. I could feel him watching me and wanted to turn away, like Bakugou did when he got that compliment from All Might. Aw, thanks Sensei.
"I wasn't just doing it for Midoriya's sake," said Shinsou. "Uraraka gave me that order and I acted. Plus I saw the other three getting wrecked by the black energy and realized that our team would probably lose unless we put a stop to it. I did what I did because I wanted to fight Midoriya and beat him. It only worked out that way by chance. But in the moment I was focused on myself and what I wanted."
Sensei stomped forward and strangled him with his scarf.
"That's corporal punishment, alert the PTA!" Shouted Kaminari, unusually angry for some reason.
"Nobody was asking for any more than that from you," said Sensei, loosening the scarf. "Everyone here has already spent months training to become heroes who save people. Embody that ideal right after being thrown into the deep end is not possible. That would take talent on par with All Might. Acting for the sake of others! Saving people actually takes a lot more than just that! You'll never protect anyone until you find whatever strength you need for yourself. IF you think about it that way, your actions earned you more than just a passing grade!"
"Shinsou, at the end there you tried luring me into the big brawl, where you could've really shined, right?" Said Deku. "And remember when you tried tripping me up with those falling pipes, that was so fast! The way you whipped out the binding cloth while on the move really reminded me of Aizawa sensei. In the first match too I was thinking how the team came together to make great use of your abilities! But that's not all it was! Your judgment, analysis and quick moves are just as impressive as anyone in the hero course! You blew me away! If we're talking about using your strength for others, then I'm the one who's got a long way to go on that front."
"Indeed," said Sensei. "We've still got some deliberating to do but, probably - no, more than likely Shisno will be joining the hero course as of his second year at UA! HE's got what it takes to be everyone's equal here."
"WHOOAAA! Which class, A or B?"
"All in good time. We're not done with our reviews yet."
"Heh heh," said Monoma. "This may have been a dark day for Class B, yes. But we've only lost the battle, not the war! Now that I know Midoriya's quirk gives me a blank, I will formulate a counter strategy! Meaning if we were to go another five rounds who knows how it'd turn out!"
"Classes are over for today," said Vlad King.
And with that our first joint training wrapped up.