LEMONS

"We're screwed," Jirou said as Kirishima rammed the tank into a giant robot. "We are so screwed."

The robot grabbed the tank on either side and tore it in half like a plastic bag. Jirou and the other students on board tumbled out like fruit snacks. Bakugo launched himself through the air and blew a hole through the robot's torso like a very angry jalapeño wasabi fruit snack.

"Screw you, I was still using that!" Kirishima shouted at the smoldering remains.

"Uh, guys?" Jiro asked. "Now what?"

"What do you mean now what?" Bakugo asked. He pointed at a throng of giant robots. "We fight them, of course."

"On foot?" Sero asked. "We'll be crushed! Literally!"

Jiro plugged her amp into the ground. Thanks to the magic of sound waves and plot convenience, she found a horde of humanoid robots just around the corner, painted in variations of red, white, and blue patterns. Each had guns or swords crossed behind their backs.

"Sweet!" Sero said. "We can use the mechs to destroy the mechs!"

Bakugo walked up to one and blew it to smithereens. As he went to the next one, Sero held him back with a roll of tape. "What the heck, man? We can use those!"

Bakugo pressed his face into Sero's and gave him a deranged, wide-eyed stare. "That's what they want you to think. They make things easy at first, then you get complacent, and that's when they get you."

"Well, it's that or get crushed by giant robots. I think I'll take my chances."

Sero hopped in one, and the hatch slammed shut. Seconds later, every part on the robot vibrated violently. It collapsed into a heap with Sero still clutching the twin joysticks, head rattling from the vibrations.

"Guess I picked a lemon," he said shakily.

Bakugo, grinning, gestured to the next and said, "Go right ahead, try another. Maybe then you'll see I'm right."

"You know, I wasn't going to, but now I will, just to prove you wrong."

Sero examined the next one and gave it a cautious tap. Assured of its structural integrity, Sero hopped in. After it closed, smoke poured out of every crevice of the mech. The hatch flew open, and Sero staggered out, covered head to toe in soot and missing an eyebrow.

"Nope, I've had enough. Let's just move on."

Sero took one step before a tremor shook the ground. Off in the distance, a behemoth raised its head over the rooftops and scanned the area. Swallowing nervously, Sero ran for the largest robot of the bunch, said a quick prayer, and hopped inside. Moments later, it flew apart in a fiery explosion, for once not of Katsuki's doing. Hair splayed back and slightly charred on the front, Sero stared out from the crumpled heap of his cockpit. He wrapped his tape around another robot and toppled it.

"Nope, I'm done. Destroy them all."

Bakugo grinned. "Gladly."

490

Did some testing and figured it out. FFnet does count contractions as two words. Word and I count them as one.