All Might barely managed to suppress the sudden panic attack Bakugo was currently suffering from…only to face another panic attack when his third student almost did something he would've regretted later.
He faced death on many occasions…fought many foes of all kinds…even that monster…
however, the sensation he felt when Maruchi glared back at Bakugo at that moment was something else…not intimidating…but so wrong…so genuine…so…hateful…
As if he was someone else…I trained him for 10 months and he never shown that side…
In the end, All Might can't abandon his current post to check up on the poor kid…and his time isn't getting expanded either.
I'll discuss this matter later, as for now…these young hatchlings need my guidance.
"All right everyone! I'd say the MVP (means valuable player or the star of the show in other words) this time was…IIDA-SHOUNEN!" He declared in haste.
The spotlight taker wasn't expecting that, his teammate not caring already sulking over his defeat…and Uraraka wasn't feeling well to think properly.
However, that didn't mean some weren't confused by that given his team lost the match unlike the purple hair.
" do you have any idea why ?!" despite having to deal with so many responsibilities at once, All Might still managed to blurt some energy into his speech.
" Yes ! All Might-sensei!...it was because Iida was the one who adapted the most to the situation…" Yaoyoruzo ever the intellectual and observing mind rose her hand before proceeding to explain why.
" by witnessing the fight carefully we can assume that Bakugo's actions were driven by some personal grudge (one sided and very stupid by the way) that isn't healthy for teamwork, furthermore as you told us sensei large scale attacks indoors are pretty reckless for both sides…the same reasoning for Midoriya" Bakugo wasn't even listening completely disconnected.
"Uraraka's lost her concentration mid-way though and her final attack was too reckless, just like Kaminari from the earlier Battle" Kaminari had no clue what she is talking about, Uraraka hung her head low in shame.
It was only with her next words that the walking generator recalled what he did wrong.
" we are treating this fake weapon like an actual nuclear head, in real life situation those attacks will be extremely reckless and could end up in the worst possible scenario" when she finished her teaching/scolding speech she turned to the star of this messy fight.
"on the other hand Iida devised a strategy against the opponent because he correctly assumed the battle would revolve around the weapon…although he was too slow to react against that last attack, the hero team only won because this was a 'training simulation' " the silence was deafening as nearly everyone pondered what the pony-tail summarized.
Even All Might couldn't say more in the matter except.
" we-well young Iida might have been a bit stiff too…but correct answer hehehe!" he gave her a thumbs up upon which she declared confidentially in return….
" we should always start our studies with what's familiar ! ( that's true ) and if we don't cheer each other wholeheartedly then we'll never become top heroes!"
" that is correct yaoyorozu-shounen!" All Might wasn't excepting Kirishima to rise his hand.
" is the purple haired guy…Maruchi the name was it ? is he alright ? I mean he stormed off angrily after the match was over…" Kirishima's manliness couldn't let anyone be in a dangerous state without getting concerned for them.
"ahh…he will be okay…I hope…but that's aside, he's a…has some difficulties since his Quirk give him many drawbacks and…complexities"
"oww! Poor guy, it's a shame since that power of his is pretty strange and amazing at the same time"
Shortly after that the second battle started…
Team B vs Team I
Given her natural passive invisibility Hagakure devised a plan to sneak up on them unsuspectingly while Ojiro stands guard over the weapon, having already being inspired by the purple head for the stalling strategy…and thankfully they didn't notice his recent dark side.
Meanwhile Mezo's extra limbs weren't just 'extra' but also add enhanced senses for his arsenal.
"one of them is on the north side of the floor…the other is on the same floor…barefoot…" one mouth declared and the other added…before Mezo came into a conclusion.
Name: Shoji Mezo
Quirk: Replicant Arms
Description: has extra arms that he can morph into different parts of his body, give him also extra enhanced powers.
"is the invisible one planning to ambush us for the capture?" he asked mostly himself before turning to his partner.
"they're intending to make this a defensive game…this'll get hairy so go outside" the boy with the ice covering half his face and body declared coolly.
Shoji complied as the cold wasn't only in his personality…once the kid touched the surface of a nearby wall…the whole building was turned into a fridge in the matter of seconds…
The invisible girl nor the tail guy could move…while he marched casually towards his target…
when he entered the room of the weapon, Ojiro prepared for a desperate fight…
" you can try….but peeling the skin of your feet doesn't look good for your ability to fight" nor he was wrong…the difference in power was clear as a cloudless day.
…
..
.
" he refrained from hurting his comrade, managed to secure the weapon easily and even immobilized the villains…that kid is something else!" All Might admitted…seeing this outstanding performance isn't common nowadays.
After the announcement of their win, the cold boy decided to warm things up…the fridge was now a sauna for temporary rent.
Name: Shouto Todoroki
Quirk: Half-hot Half-cold
Description: a Quirk with two elemental powers of both Ice and fire, making this guy a formidable powerhouse.
That was the straw that broke Bakugo's arrogance once and after One for All.
He was feeling so devastated, first Deku was hiding a super-strong Quirk from him that easily surpassed his full force! Then Tokage's unique surprises that just refuse to run out!
And now this guy totally takes the cake! Unlike Deku who has a very costly drawback! Or Maruchi that has near the same disadvantage! this one easily captured the weapon and ended the fight before it even begun!
After that he truly tuned out…he was recovering from the first panic mode…. wasn't even listening to the fiasco the purple head started until he heard his annoying voice asking him why he hates Midoriya so much!
But now…Now he can't take it…he has to face reality…
no matter how unique my power is…no matter what others in the vicinity of my neighborhood says about me or how strong I'm!
in the end…
The world is a vast place…
It has many wonders that boggle the mind…
Do not live thinking you're the top in this world…
For the higher you think of yourself…
"Tsk!"
The lower you fall…
Other matches continued in the same pace, Kirishima and Kaminari team was pushed to the back for fairness but the duo didn't mind the challenge, being already inspired by the solo flying of the purple hair.
Eventually, the class came into an end…much to All Might's relief.
"Good job everyone! Apart from Midoriya-shounen! no serious injuries occurred! You all did wonderfully for this training session!"
Many exclaimed how honest this lesson was…so anticlimactic after Aizawa nearly expelled them.
"Honest lessons also fall in the campus definition of 'freedom'…now then! I'm going to share the same critic with Midoriya shounen! change clothes and head for the classroom everyone!"
Having already came up with many excuses during his carrier, All Might didn't skip any second as he bolted from their sight.
However, that doesn't mean he wasn't taking his new job as a U.A teacher seriously, Bakugo needs some talking to, a ball of self-confidence like that house a fragile personality easily breakable…another matter that he needs to discuss later is the how Maruchi nearly punched the hell out of Bakugo in that Gold beast form if it wasn't for his interference…
All Might might not be very observing in the terms of Quirks analyzing like Midoriya…but that powered punch he stopped wasn't going to leave Bakugo in good shape if it landed home…nor a brawl between them was a good way to start either…
However, for now, he has one urgent matter to tend to…
I'm nearly out of time ! dang it! He thought acridly as he started coughing blood.
Good thing the staff rooms have some privacy…he entered the nurse office…only to came face to face with Maruchi as he was about to leave apparently…
Must have run out of time and came to check on you both…
…Maruchi didn't say anything as he looked away after making way for him to enter.
this was one of the few times he saw him looking this ashamed of himself…All Might knew he needs some talking to…however, before he could open his mouth, he found himself the one receiving a lecture instead.
The scolding the recovery granny gave him sure spared his mind some seconds to think about how to address this new issue…
The awkwardness grew between them, Maruchi made to leave but All Might stopped him with a single "Wait, Maruchi-shounen" command.
You can't just walk off after what has transpired…so do as you're told.
Telling him what he did was right will only fuel wrong actions more…saying it wasn't right is the correct answer…or fuzzy correct…Bakugo took advantage of the training situation and beat Midoriya when he could just end the fight by using a capture tape…that was…to some extent…tolerable, but if that reckless attack landed…then why blame the purple hair and not the other one for nearly killing his little brother?
"IT'S BEEN NO TIME AT ALL SINCE HE ENTERED AND YET HE HAS BEEN HERE FOR THREE TIMES ALREADY! WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THEM ALL MIGHT!?" Recovery granny's scolding intensified…and the last part made Maruchi perk up…his voice silencing them both…
"Good question…why didn't you stop the fight…when you could've ended it early after that first attack that nearly killed Izuku!" Maruchi spook in a harsh tone devoid of any sympathy for the skeleton's actions. The shame of attacking Bakugo was nonexistent at that moment.
Let him answer for himself!
…fine…Sensei felt something wasn't right…
Recovery granny paused as she too waited for an explanation from him. Sure, kids can be reckless to some extent because of her insurance but they're limits not to be trespassed!
"I…" what should I say…eventually All Might released a defeated sigh before collecting his thoughts.
"You know what I gave him Maruchi-shounen…that was a simulation of real battle…do you think villains in this world will give Midoriya First-aid kits and a pat on the head? "a good point and a valid start but the counter wasn't wavering.
"I know what it feels to be at death's doors! And Izuku does too! The sludge villain incident made sure of that…" he trailed off before resuming in the same angry tone
"however, this wasn't about what's waiting for Izuku…this was about the true definition of hero! let me ask you…do you really think Bakugo deserves to be called a hero ?..." All Might was about to answer that question…yet he and the recovery girl besides him felt wrongness in the air for the next sentence….
"or has it being long since the term 'hero' was tainted in this society?" All Might felt something he rarely felt before as he stared at those brown eyes devoid of sympathy…
dread…
you can't judge an entire society based on the actions of a few minority!
That lasted for some moments before the young one hastily corrected himself.
"I-I mean...I…I'm angry…because this is just not right! I…don't know what to say…" looking back at the kid, he appeared as if he is contemplating many things at once…and who can blame him, they are many things to rethink about at this moment…
"I understand your rage shounen…me and even your colleagues don't think of Bakugo's attitude as 'heroic'…" All Might started building ground to deal with this situation and thankfully the wise sage beside him casted some encouragement spells.
"I don't know much about this Bakugo kid, but from how you describe it, an arrogant nature that holds grudges isn't a qualification for a hero…" thankfully that did seem to work…because no seething replies came from the purple head.
They're right, Bakugo's actions aren't accepted as 'heroic' nor is your early actions!
Sensei stern voice scolded him. And before the host could even think of a retort.
Do you think attacking others blindly is okay for a hero? I understand your rage! I'm a part of you! however you need to think rationally for once!
I…I couldn't control my rage…it was almost…like a subconscious reflex…
that's still not forgivable…Bakugo may be strong in terms of offensive abilities…but a solid punch from that buffed up monkey would spell broken bones at the very least!
…I…I…
Seeing your brother getting beaten and doing nothing is understandable for such angry reaction…but remember that with actions came consequences…
He didn't answer his Sensei, instead he directed the longing question in his head for Bakugo's unreasonable acts towards Midoriya.
"Bakugo almost killed my brother…even if it's a part of the training…he should get some sort of punishment, no?"
What his other Sensei told him made his eyes send daggers his way.
"I know what he did…yet he was fully aware of the consequences, I can't punish him without a solid proof of his intentions…" bad wording number one…bad wording…
"Proof ?! sure the badly injured protégé here isn't proof enough, is it ?!" he pointed to Midoriya with a shaking finger.
"that's not what I meant young man, unlike you I was listening to their conversation, he had enough logic in his brain to not endanger Midoriya's life…the proof for my words is that he didn't intentionally direct his Blast attack at Midoriya…did he?" the annoyed tsk he received from his third student announced his wining.
What ?!
If you recall from earlier, Bakugo's blast was directed in Midoriya's way…but not entirely locked on him…there was quiet the gap between your little brother and the explosion's trail…in other words, what he did was more of a taunt to fight him than an actual dreadful attack!
"I…suppose you're right…" even Maruchi couldn't deny that…the fresh memory in his head left no room for argument as Sensei was right about that part.
Even I don't think Bakugo will intentionally kill Midoriya for the sake of petty grudges
…then what about the beating he gave my little brother? do you want me to stay silent about that!
"that's aside…as for you All Might, you can't encourage him to keep breaking his bones! It was only yesterday he got a broken finger! My Quirk has limits! I can't treat him every 5 minutes! now there's only the option of gradually waiting for his recovery's progress!" Recovery Granny burst in outrage for a second time at the skeleton.
"I have nothing to say in my defense…I wanted to understand his feelings…and uh…" All Might tried to cool her uprising temper.
"Understand his feelings?" there's that familiar questioning gaze, All Might seized this opportunity to ease the tension between them.
"Yes Maruchi-shounen, I can see he wants to meet my expectations so I was hesitant to end the fight early...it's my fault his in this state now…I'm so sorry Maruchi-shounen!" the purple head didn't except an apology from the number one hero…
See? All Might admitted his fault…even the number one isn't perfect, we all do mistakes and the best of those who do mistakes are the ones willing to correct them! so starts now by correcting your wrong actions.
I…you're right…thanks Sensei.
"I'm the one who should apologize…I…lost control of my temper…and nearly beat Bakugo into a bloody pulp if it wasn't for your intervention…thanks for stopping me" his tone sad, and his grim face told it all…he wasn't in a very good mood for chats. The best thing the number one hero could do for him now was at least try to make sense of the scene that transpired so fast
"you're welcome? by the way young man…what happened back there? wasn't the…Rajang supposed to be a pitch-black horned gorilla?"
The quizzical gaze wasn't only from All Might, it was also coming from the recovery granny.
"Rajang? pitch black horned gorilla?" she asked the purple hair. she was curious after her conversation with Midnight about his special case and recent updates.
"Uh…yes…it's the one I used before to defeat the Zero pointer in the exams…" from her expression she remembered the fur monkey.
"I have to say that was some impressive team work with the other kid…you two are quiet the promising students" and went straight for breaking the borders between them.
"Jurota-san ?...yeah it almost felt natural…" he had a small smile on his face after remembering his other friend besides Midoriya. And probably many of his classmates.
"did you feel the same way when you used that black beast…after the recent incident?" as a nurse she needed to get at the bottom of his situation before it gets worse…doing so resulted in the somber mood returning in full force.
"I…don't know how to describe it…it felt awfully natural…maybe because my subconsciousness remembers how to operate in such form—"
I have to disagree
"—or maybe because I'm very good at getting used to changes so fast…but to answer your question All Might…Rajang does have the title 'Gold' lion for a reason, while the lion part is a bit off the mark…the Gold one is on spot…how did that happen I still don't know…"
Hmmm….probably it was an in the heat of the moment thing…done subconsciously.
Rajang isn't a newly acquired form of his…yet he still has surprises in store...Tsukauchi was right, I should pay attention to any small details about this kid's Quirk…
"to be honest…Maruchi-shounen you're…Rajang's eyes were glowing red... more than usual…"I need to squeeze some info while I can…if we don't act quickly things might escalate out of hand.
despite his tight schedule, Tsukauchi managed to make All Might promise to take care of the now suffering from heart problem beast boy. While he dealt with other pressing matters as he called them.
Glowing red eyes?
That's aside…you turned yellow the moment your eyes fell on Bakugo's frame…it was all but a spark that ignited the rage within you…
Eh…well…I was as much enraged in my human form before so what's new?
We can't be sure what effects happens when you're in your human form…but I think now we know what will happen when you're pissed off in your monster form…remember Rajang's description of being a beast of rage and thunder?
"Maruchi-shounen?" All Might tried to get his attention.
I do remember that…what does that have to do with anything?
Facepalm! For once use some brain cells please, it's not like I'm taking all your IQ…but to cut to the chase, the titles describe the Monster's abilities like…Fire Wyvern…Thunder Wolf…Sleep Bird, etc.… or some aspect about them like Bubbly Dancer, Steel Dragon, Mist Dragon…or finally a unique treat about them…like Gold Lion…
And…?
The Rajang changed form in response to your anger…just like the description hinted at….I don't know if the same thing applies for other forms but…let's call this unique buff…Rage Mode
How creative Sensei!
"Maruchi shounen, are you done overthinking?" All Might was used to the purple head's antics…so he waited patiently while observing any visible abnormalities, Recovery granny observed the kid in silence too, trying to do the same in her own way.
"Yes…what happened is…I think it's an extra ability of Rajang…when enraged the Rajang's hair glows golden, resulting in increased power"
Thanks, Sensei, for the summary!
Normally I would've liked the idea of further powering up…but this comes at the cost of getting mad…so nope
Owww….
Or think of any villain like someone who stole George from you.
That won't work
Threatened to show the whole Musutafu you're sleeping with stuffed toys videos?
Now that is the magic word!
For someone with memory issues…he sure does remember things fast…or is there another catch to his strange neural system's behavior? recovery granny thought as she started noting down all she could possibly note.
"I see…that almost matched up to 10% of One for all…"
"10% of One for all!?"
"SHHHH! Let's not be loud! Discussing one for all is a delicate matter! Maruchi-shounen"
"huh ? but isn't the nurse office away from any eavesdropping students ?"
"that's correct, this true form of mine and my injury are common knowledge among the pro teachers of U.A. but…the true nature of my Quirk is only know by you, Recovery girl here, the principal, few of my closest friends and Midoriya of course, so please don't go babbling about it carelessly"
"is it really that important to be a 'natural born hero' or 'the symbol of peace' ?" Recovery girl asked making Maruchi contemplate that line of thinking.
Symbol of peace…
"Without a symbol of peace, the super-humans society would fall into evil…such is the responsibility of those who hold this power…"
What a fragile community…
"if that's the case, then you need to learn to be a proper guide to your successor"
Maruchi stood in silence at her words…
This isn't entirely All Might's fault…
It is partially his for letting things go too far….but you're right the blame can't be placed on his shoulders…a human isn't a robot who do things without second thoughts.
It's…
For the time being…forget it…and think of this incident as 'training hazard'…that might help you keep your temper in check…
…I'll try…but if he tried something like that again…I won't be so merciful!
?
Before Sensei could make sense of this newly unsettling and recently familiar feeling…Midoriya decided to announce his waking up.
"I'm sorry…" it was a meek apology.
"Izuku!? You're awake!..."
" I tried not to use it…I wanted to win without it…but I couldn't…" the syntax of his crippled sentence were directly at the only blond in the room.
" you did your best, you tried you maximum…but you still have much to learn, Midoriya shounen"
Midoriya turned into his other side, not surprised to see his old brother looking over him with worry.
"Sorry. I didn't want to end up worrying you too…I'm sorr—"
"don't apologize, you did nothing wrong little bro…" Maruchi bit back another sentence he was going to say as a series of dark thoughts invaded his mind.
Seeking vengeance will only backfire in your face…remember this was a training simulation and injuries can't be avoided at worst case… thankfully Sensei was there to filter those dark thoughts away.
All Might and Recovery girl remained silent as they watched the exchange…they still could feel the dwelling rage behind those iris…
"sigh I—"
Knock Knock!
The room and especially All Might froze as they heard knocks on the door…
"Who is it?" the nurse asked hoping it wasn't another injured person.
"Aizawa" thankfully no one was.
The bandages man entered the room after getting the permission…he scanned the place with his stoic lazy gaze, taking a long look at a sweating Midoriya…and at a more sweating All Might.
Why he's here? Normally Aizawa would question him about being in the nurse office and not the staff room…sure Midoriya is injured but there's no need for going the extra mile for a normal UA student. However, that wasn't why he himself came here…he was enjoying his nap after making class 2-A picking a representer for their class. But the sweet dreams fled after the ringing of his phone scared them away.
Midnight wasn't free anytime soon, so she called him asking if he can go check on the purple head, in any other day he would have said it was her responsibility and she should shoulder it properly, but the explanation of the grave and recent situation of the boy made him make haste for the nurse office.
Ignoring the not-very-suspicious-acting duo, his eyes settled on the purple hair. Who was as much sweating as them.
"Come with me" he asked without further eddo.
Wait what? No instant expulsion?
You're getting a lecture…or a detention…or you might get expelled after the prementioned steps.
Maruchi took one last glance at Midoriya and All Might before excusing himself and following after Aizawa…
As they were marching Aizawa started the lecture…
"Getting angry at seeing those you care about getting hurt by others is understandable…" normally Aizawa wouldn't hesitate to expel or at least give a proper punishment to such reckless act…however, this one isn't a normal case by any means…
"…" taking the silence as the go ahead he continued without slowing down a bit.
"If you don't want people to call you a monster…you shouldn't start attacking others blindly"
"I-I k-know…I…" he stuttered for an excuse.
"Lost control? couldn't contain my rage? do you really think our society will sympathize with you for such petty excuses?" Aizawa wasn't the type to sugar coat things.
He's right…people aren't as…understandable as the few kind people you met.
"For every action…they are consequences…if it was my session, I would've expelled Bakugo in a heartbeat for such petty acts" Aizawa didn't overlook those details…nor he approved of Bakugo's actions.
"Aizawa-Sensei…can I ask you something?" Maruchi hesitated for a moment before steeling his resolve.
"Go ahead…" Aizawa wasn't slowing down on his march towards the staff room.
"Is it wrong…is it wrong that I wanted to avenge Izuku for all those years of bullying and for this day's events?" this time his words weren't laced with anger, they revealed his current distorted thinking.
"…" Aizawa paused mid-way…not turning to his student as he contemplated those words and what to say…he dealt with many individuals with some similar questions like this is one, this is a crucial moment to not take lightly.
saying it wasn't right will make him question how truly 'just' the pro heroes are…saying it is will only fuel wrong actions in the future.
After a long pause of awkward silence, Aizawa glanced back with a stern expression on his face.
"Seeking vengeance isn't a quality of a hero…nor it is to seriously harm somebody for petty reasons, an individual's actions don't represent an entire society's principals..." Aizawa answered the question with a collective reply.
"But seeking Justice for all is a quality for heroes…isn't it?" the counter wasn't wavering.
"It is…however there's a big difference between seeking justice and claiming vengeance, correcting the mistakes of others with bigger mistakes under the banner of your own perspective of 'justice' will result only in the society deeming you…a villain" Aizawa held the stern gaze with the purple haired kid, he could see the contemplation in his eyes, the conflict his words made in his head are better than a wrong series of unpredictable actions.
Smart reply. Sensei thought to himself at the clever word play…
Aizawa entered the stuff room followed by Maruchi.
(Aizawa tells Maruchi to wait until Midnight arrive so he can explain in details, in that time he and Sensei try to dissect the mysterious event concluding it might be an old enemy-kuro)
"we will wait here for Midnight she has to finish her class season before joining us soon…" Aizawa informed him and not long after that he went to sleep in his bag.
"Why didn't you call for me after she was ready?" Maruchi couldn't help but ask his drowsy teacher.
"I was told to check on you…and I have a gut feeling it'll be wiser if you're under my supervision rather than near any of your ire catalysts" Aizawa answered half-asleep half-awake.
That was a wise decision indeed, the mere sight of Midoriya's recent injury isn't doing your mental health any good…
I…suppose so…
After 5 minutes of long silence, Maruchi tried to recall something very important he needed to discuss with Sensei, yet the entrance of his mother interrupted that.
Claaaaaaaak
Once her sight fell on him she immediately sighted in relief.
" Sigh you scared me there for a second you know ?"
"I…I'm so sorry" he hang his head in shame.
"it's okay…what matters now is that you're alright…now please tell me…" she smiled at him like a mother would before the smile turned into a disappointed look on her face.
"Why did you attack the other student?" she was about to start scolding him before Aizawa came to his defense…
"piled rage and frustration from now seeing Bakugo get a proper punishment for his actions"
She turned to the caterpillar hardening her gaze slightly in the process. Yet he continued anyway…
"In any case, that was a simulation of real battle…Bakugo was on the team of villains and he acted like one…apart from the huge reckless attack we can't punish him for his actions" Aizawa admitted.
Once she turned back her gaze to Maruchi, she noticed the twitches of barely restrained frustration. Thankfully Aizawa saw through that and declared a final ultimatum.
"Rest assured for if he…or you tried to seriously harm anyone…instant expulsion is the only thing you shall think of in those moments" the declaration was accompanied by him picking up some energy juice from his bag.
*Serious Sipping*
"Maru-kun…I won't say more than my colleague Aizawa did…however, you need to know that we're trying our best to help you settle in the superhuman society…despite your increasing complexities…" Midnight has to admit at this point she's starting to feel the weight of his responsibility upon her shoulders.
She's trying her best to support you so whenever something or someone piss you off remember her efforts, ok ?
You're right, Sensei.
"you don't need more hassles, I know…I'm…sorry for losing control of myself mom…." He hang his head lower in shame not wanting to make eye contact.
Pressing the issue at this moment might worsen his state, given his strange Quirk's behavior it won't be a big surprise if his emotions might have a connection to any neural problems…including cardiac ones. Her intellect made her came up with a quick conclusion to the recent events and with that unconfirmed info she proceeded to ease the tension in her own style.
"…sigh…anyway, how friendly did your classmates found you?" at that moment his face morphed from apologetic to comically glaring at her. Yup her style is very effective.
In a scale from 1 to 10 that was a Barney score so 11/10 at the very least.
I don't look like that purple dinosaur!
Not in your normal clothes. Of course not!
" ohhh, they found it pretty lovely !" and so despite the increasing tension from some seconds ago, she snorted…before that developed into giggles and finally genuine laugh…he didn't know take long before joining her in the laugh…
Aizawa ever the anti-social didn't join their little charade…but he didn't try to hide the small smile in his face either…
I'll be sure to give that Bakugo an earful after taking a nap…
"…"
"…"
After their laughs settled down, the mood changed into a more subtle atmosphere…
"It seems there's something in your mind you want to discuss…what is it?" Midnight asked him after some awkward moments of silence settled between them.
Tell her what you truly think… Sensei suggested…but his host did otherwise mid-way. Instead of simply recalling the event that led to his most recent heart problem.
"Well…when I tried to…get my hands on Bakugo I…transformed into my Rajang form…I stormed off and outside the watch tower…towards the building where the battle was held…my rage clashed with empathy as I saw Izuku's unconscious body…however…the moment I saw Bakugo…unbroken…unburned…totally fine with beating my brother…"
I think we have discussed this issue long enough? you really have to let go now of that rage!
Sensei tried to grab back his attention, but the purple head was already so focused in his speech to inner-reply.
"The moment I saw him…not a speck of remorse in his eyes…my rage reached a peak…and my form changed…into a golden shade…I call it…Rage mode…"
Rage mode? both of his teachers questioned quizzically…
What the?
a cold air or was a chill started crippling over her spine…the half-asleep Aizawa woke up at the change in the atmosphere…
"At that moment…I didn't care who I'm…I didn't care who he is…I didn't care about anything at all…all I cared about at that moment…was…to—"
STOP! His Sensei's shouting made an awkward moment of silence as his host was snapped back to reality.
"At that moment you only cared about…?" Midnight tried to question further, not excepting any great ideas.
I didn't mean to blurt nonsense I swear!
It doesn't matter anymore! If they get a hint at your true intentions, things will get more complicated so toned it down as best as you can!
Then what do I say?
Say 'all I cared about is to give that bastard some good old-fashioned punch to the face'!
The silence settled even after he declared those words…
He isn't speaking the truth…Midnight concluded from how he worded that sentence…and to her puzzlement and Aizawa too…the chilly wind disappeared.
"I see…" Midnight didn't press further…nor she was having the luxury of time to do so…
No past, no memories, abnormal power, strange nightmares…and now emotional deliria…
"Maru-kun…we all get angry…we all have people or things we care about and we get angry when other people harm those who we care about…however, people do things in their rage moments only to regret them later…" she let the last sentence hang in the air for some seconds…before continuing.
"Learning to control your emotions especially your anger is a key aspect of being a hero, never forget that okay?" she smiled softly at him in the last part, making him smile back a little in return.
"Okay…thank you mom" she excused herself, before mentioning for him to go back to his class.
"One last thing, brat" Aizawa mumbled half-asleep in his bag. Half-gazing at the now stiff purple head.
"Y-yes sir?"
"Next time something like this happen, come to us for support and we'll do what we can to resolve the issue…we don't tolerate unheroic acts in this school after all" the last sentence was accompanied by a slight glare.
"No matter who they came from"
He's a decent teacher, you know.
"I…will try sir"
Yeah…he is worthy of respect.
After Maruchi excused himself from the staff room he headed for his next class season…
He went back in silence…it was a math season with Ectoplasm…
Knock Knock
"Come in?" the After mentioned legless teacher didn't expect anyone to come this late to his season…sure the previous one wasn't kind of promising the full package of students but…anyway…After he opened the door many looked at him with a questioning gaze.
It's the weird kid?
"You may take a seat" Ectoplasm gave him the green light after he remembered the special student's case, he didn't question him nor she wasn't informed of the poor kid's recent conditions.
Many of his classmates gave him side glances, some out of curiosity of his 'weird' behavior…others for different silly reasons…
Tension rose up as he locked eyes with a glaring Bakugo…his ego may have broken but the anger is still present. This is a normal class season unlike the previous one so can't do much now…
The intensity lasted for some seconds as a staring contest started between them.
Remember what they told you…revenge will do you nothing good, justice isn't attainable by making bigger mistakes.
I suppose…you're right…
"I'm…" Ectoplasm normally would have made a clone smack the purple head upside down…but he wanted to see how things will go now between the two…it wasn't a request from Midnight.
Many classmates looked at the scene and the one who was muttering creepily to himself and the other who is a ball of ego.
"I'm…sorry…that's all I have to say" his face looked like he sucked on a lemon.
That was all the confirmation Ectoplasm needed to stop any further comments from both sides.
It was probably an in the heat moment…
"HAAAAA!?-" Before Bakugo could lash out at the purple hair…
"You two! Do you think you're in a café or something !? sit down and be silent at once!" Bakugo tsked at the lost opportunity to ease his rage…yet he didn't have much energy left to deal with the 'second issue'…or third after Todoroki's show.
You handled yourself well…I'm proud of you!
Thanks…I guess…
After the season ended, Ectoplasm called for Maruchi…and Bakugo didn't want to stay any moment longer in this class…not while the ice guy is here anyway.
"After you finish wrapping up here, meet Midnight-san in the stuff room, ok ?"
It was a precaution to not escalate things further…
"As you wish…um…Math-sensei?…"
"You can call me Ectoplasm-sensei…" he repeated introducing himself already aware of this boy's memory issues.
"Okay…it's nice to make your acquaintance Sensei"
"likewise" before he excused himself.
…
..
.
…then he turned into his classmates…one of them, the one with ice over his face stood up and existed without saying a word nor caring about anyone.
Maruchi walked to his desk…before sitting down and started to collect his things…that's when they bombarded him with questions.
Before…they concluded he stormed off to check on his little brother, thankfully Bakugo was the only one with the luxury to witness the super simian transformation. This means they didn't see him collapse…so this filter the types of questions to…
"Dude! that spider thing is sick! How does it feel crawl on 8 legs!?" a dwarf asked him.
"uh…well it's not that weird, just like cold fingers that are numb and very sensi-" he tried to answer, tried is the keyword here.
"Forget the spider! tell us about that orange bird! Can it fly !? or is it like an ostrich ?! and how does that gloopy thing taste like ?" one pink skinned dudette shoved the dwarf aside as she exclaimed her curiosity.
" uh…w-well it's a little bitter but taste like almon-"
I can still remember the time you wanted to drink strawberry serum to see if that will change the flavor…pfff good times!
"The most interesting bird worth mentioning is that blue owl…what kind of tricks was that yellow dust?" despite his cool acting the crow head was curious just like them.
"Come to think about it! I never asked you about Malfesto" Kirishima's mention of a name for such strange form sparkled their curiosity even further.
"Malfesto ? is that what he calls that giant wolf thing ?" Kaminari asked oblivious to the wrong name.
"Actually, it's called Malfesti—" he tried to correct them and again the keyword here is still tried.
"No! it was a giant owl-like thing" and so their battering continued on.
"Eh? still I want to know more about how my best attack didn't work on ya!" Kaminari was insisting…
" uh-we-well maybe if-"
Forget it, only the likes of Aizawa can shut them now.
"Monsieur! how do yo—" well at the laser-bright side he wasn't the only one incapable of finishing his sentences.
"Ladies and gentlemen please, you're making him feel uncomfortable" that was until Iida saved him from getting suffocated by his classmates.
I'm going to get bound up by Aizawa-Sensei…
Midoriya walked to the class, he was totally out of energy due to many reasons.
Once he slid the door away, Kirishima immediately noticed him.
"Oh, hey Midoriya! Nice job back there!"
They jumped at the opportunity to start the same fiasco as the purple head given how they liked talking with him about those unique forms of his.
"I couldn't hear what you were saying, but that was some heated stand-off man!"
"That match was so intense it fired us all up!" Kaminari declared too
"You dodged like a champ!" the one with the sweet tooth added a compliment.
" Yo! I'm Kirishima Eijirou! We were just finishing up our review about the exercise!"
"hey! I'm Ashido Mina! You dodged him really well!" the pink skinned girl introduced herself.
"I'm Asui Tsuyu, but call me Tsuyu, okay?" the one with frog-like ribbit speech joined them.
"heya! Satou here!" the sweet-tooth swiftly throw his name in the mix.
Also Iida after finishing saving Maruchi from their assault, he scolded the crow (or is it a raven ?) head for sitting so casually on a desk.
"Nothing shakes your convictions, huh Iida ?" he's a lawyer what were you expecting ?
"Deku! your wounds, aren't they healed yet ?!" Uraraka ever the sweat girl didn't forget about his bad injuries.
"Huh? don't worry this is just because my stamina is a bit sapped now…more importantly Uraraka…"
Midoriya asked her about two people, one was in the staff room probably with his guardian…the other was…
…
.
"KACCHAN!" Bakugo glared back as the least one he wanted to see at this moment called him.
"Ahhh ?" what does this wimp need now ? an Oscar for the best actor of the decade ?
I haven't even told mom…and I doubt Maruchi will spill it out to even Midnight-san…
Midoriya though as he was about to do something very stupid.
"This is all…I think I need to tell you…" my secret…
Yup the flashbacks from the earlier battle were clouding his rational thinking.
"I obtained this quirk from somebody else" Midoriya looked at the ground as he started monologuing.
"No matter what, I can't tell you who…but, I swear it's true even if sounds like it's coming straight out of a comic book!"
Bakugo wasn't understanding anything.
"In addition, I still can't fully use it the way it's supposed to be…"
"….?!" Yup Bakugo's brain wasn't capable of deciphering what he was blurting.
"it's a burrowed power I can't make my own yet! that's why…I tried to win without using it, but even then, in the end I couldn't win and relied on it anyway!" there he goes putting salt on the open wound with the term "I tried to win".
"I'm still no where near strong enough…and so!" Midoriya gathered the courage to look at Bakugo's eyes.
"One day, I'll have made it properly my own power, and then I'll surpass you with my own power "way to go Midoriya! You just kicked him back at his lowest with those words alone!
They shared a dumb stare with each other.
One trying to process what the heck the other is trying to say.
The other finally…
I came here to clarify I wasn't deceiving him, so why I'm telling him all of this suddenly?
-slow clapping-
"What the hell is that…? A 'borrowed' power you say? did you come to make an ever-bigger fool of me ?! huh ?! even if not…" Bakugo wasn't caring anymore…
"THEN SO WHAT! TODAY YOU BEAT ME! THAT'S ALL THERE'S TO IT!" he shouted back at Midoriya's face. Totally ignoring his gibberish talk.
"DID YOU GET A GOOD LOOK AT THAT ICE GUY?! I THOUGHT HE WAS NOTHING BEFORE!...AND THAT TOKAGE FEELS LIKE HE HAS ENDLESS TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVES! DANG IT! WHAT THAT PONY-TAILED SAID REALLY SUNK IN!" Bakugo was vibrating with a mix of rage and desperation. With some broken resolve on the cloudy side.
"AND YOU DEKU! FROM HERE ON OUT!FROM HERE ON! YOU LISTENING!? I'M GONNA BE NUMBER ONE !" BAKUGO SHOUTED BACK WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES!
Ahem, then he swiftly turned around heading home.
"AND DON'T GET THE IDEA THAT YOU'LL EVER BEAT ME AGAIN!" morale of the story, if you don't want any more bullying, Detroito Smash your bullies.
Good thing All Might was trying to fix things up despite his tight schedules.
"BAKUGO!" he dashed beyond a fazed Midoriya and pinned Bakugo firmly in a tight grip.
"I'll tell You this once, Self-confidence is a vital thing! And you're not mistaken that you have talent befitting a pro! From here on out you can climb higher!"
"Let go of me All Might, I can't walk" Bakugo wasn't buying the number one hero's encouragement.
"I didn't tell you before so allow me to correct that! I'm going to surpass you too! I'm going to vault over you as top hero!"
"Ah…o-okay" All Might wasn't excepting such a reply.
Teaching is difficult
Yep, more than dealing with villains and running from journalists.
Kacchan's fuse has been lit…and I'm still chasing after him, nothing has changed. Midoriya thought as he observed Bakugo's retreating.
"And Midoriya shounen…what were you two saying…?" Midoriya was getting a good lecture for his stupidity.
…
..
.
After that little fiasco, Midoriya went home with his other classmates…Maruchi on the other hand had to wait for Midnight…once she showed up…
" Maru-kun, sorry for the late delay I had to make an urgent call…next week in Monday we will go meet with Tsukauchi-san, is that okay with you ?"
" uh…that's fine ?"
What brought this on?
Maybe he found some new updates? It's been a while since we heard from him.
Given the silence that once again settled between them she knew Tsukauchi's decision will truly break his heart…it's impossible to avoid it since the order came from the police chief too.
The best thing she could come up to mitigate the upcoming emotional trauma is to strengthen the connection between them.
"I've been thinking, Ectoplasm ended the season earlier than usual…normally it's a tradition in U.A. High school for the first days to not overtax the students with the normal school activities…"
"That's…pretty nice of U.A…considering one of you nearly expelled us before we could even think"
"Speaking of the first day…how did you find the Bamboo staff? I hope you didn't bonk anyone too hard *snickers*"
"I wasn't forced to use it because I had extra plans…"
No Don't!
"*muttering* unlike that awful costu—"
"*AHEM*!"
"Uh-uh… unfortunately, unlike that very fabulous design of a king, I couldn't use the Bo-Staff…"
When the formidable aura of his master settled down…he went back to silence…
Sensei…there was something—
Before the strangest nightmare of all could wash up in his memory plane…Midnight suggested otherwise.
"Say…what do you think about taking a little breather in form of heading out to the local park?"
Go and during that we can discuss whatever you want to discuss, some fresh air can help you think rationally about future decisions.
The wise words and the kind gesture from them along with the mental exhaustion he is feeling now left no room for arguments or laziness.
…
..
.
it was about an hour or 2 hours before Dusk arrives, the park was so solemn and with many people enjoying the greenery and feeding small residing animals…
he was walking alongside a normal looking Midnight, she was wearing what looks like a green jacket with a flower design on top and thorny vines over the pants, beckoning the famous proverb 'every rose has its thorn'.
This is so boring…
Yeah, which makes it a perfect opportunity to get your short-span attention…what happened after you collapsed? The only image I got from your early thoughts were 'darkness' and 'chains'…
Despite the thoughts fully circulating now in his mind scape, accessible to any subconsciousness living in his head, he felt the need to address the issue for the sake of his inner uneasiness.
A snowy mountain, a lush green forest, a volcanic active place…all were…excluding the 'residents' a bit…
Tame?
Not the best word but yeah, something around that line…the fourth nightmare was in a misty place…the ground looked damp and the air felt so humid…as if it was a swamp…
But this one is a unique case…all of those are natural-looking locations, this one was so…out of place, old bricks like a castle is so…abnormal.
The abnormality only started with that…all previous encounters were 'dragons'…this time it was a person…wearing pitch-black clothes…and chained like a prisoner by four chains impaled to the surrounding ground firmly…and a fifth leashing him…stretching to an unseen restrainer.
And what toped the strangeness was his cryptic words…'I wonder…why?'…from his tone and the previous ones you heard in the nightmares I'm certain this person is the same voice from them.
'Hate…I hate…I hate them…I hate the humans so much…I wonder…why?'…
The uneasiness reached a new threshold as Maruchi barely could register his mother trying to call him.
This is…so complicated…I thin—
BAMP!
THUD!
"ouch! Owww…" he run into something wooden and hard.
"you okay, lad?" he heard a slightly familiar young voice and a tree branch hand entered his field of vision.
Well it's been a while since we last saw him in person.
Huh?
"a-ah yeah…" he accepted the tree person's offering help. And before he could recall who he was, his guardian interrupted.
"Maru-kun, you didn't get hurt, did you?" he replied swiftly with a head shake making her turns towards the walking tree person.
"I'm sorry he's a bit of a dozer off—" she tried to apologize before Maruchi interrupted her speech.
"Wait! I remember you! You're Kamui Woods aren't you !?" the shout-like exclamation took his guardian and the young pro off guard.
"Uh? That's me, I take it you're a fan, huh?" Kamui wanted a clarification but the next words weren't what he hoped for.
"Not really…I just happened to remember you due to a special event…that's all"
"Oh!...I see"
Why does he sound disappointed?
"Did someone says Kamui Woods?!" the before-mentioned disappointment disappeared as the young hero was swarmed with all sorts of crazed fans.
"psst Maru-kun this is our chance to sneak away, I don't want anyone to spoil our tour" Midnight whispered before dragging him by the arm.
Until…
"Well Well Well! If it's not the veteran heroine in the flesh!" a silky voice made Midnight freeze in her tracks, both of the guardian and the guarded turned to see a young woman with light blond hair and a sly smirk on her face staring at them…especially at Midnight.
"I thought you were too busy with TV interviews to spare some time for a stroll in this humble park" she continued with a voice laced with poison.
The heck is wrong with this-Ouch!
The grip on his arm now was rivaling a Boa's grasp.
"ho~? I could say the same for a rookie like you, . sure, you can spare some time of your busy schedule and fill my shoes for those spotlights?" Maruchi was starting to curse his luck for getting between them.
Am I imagining things or are their gazes shooting lighting bolts at each other?
I COULD CARE LESS AS LONG AS I WALK OUT OF THIS ALIVE!
"Master if you please don't mind and RELEASE MY HAND DANG IT!" that made Midnight snap back to him before immediately releasing his now very red arm…the act didn't go under the other heroine's radar as she butted in before Midnight could even utter a proper apology.
"Is that your sidekick?" for once confusion replaced viper's eyes as now noticed him.
"Me? Her sidekick? hah! As if! I—" for a second time he felt the grip of a squeezing snake on his shoulder…and a hiss whisper in his ears...
"*muttering* embarrass me in front of her and I'll publish all of those videos before you can say wyvern"
You better comply! she's not joking!
I KNOW! THE NAJARALA'S GRIP ON MY SHOULDER CONFIRMS THAT!
was viewing the scene with snake-eyes…that means no blinking. Just a cold calculating stare looking for any opportunity to strike.
'*ahem* I mean while I wish to be, I'm not her sidekick just her humble student' good thing his sensei came to his rescue.
"Her humble student you say?" rose her eyebrow at the weird answer. Making Midnight folds her arms as she replied with an irritated tone.
"Yes, my student and I bet my money that he'll surpass you in no time" with extra confidence that made twitch.
"Is that so? Because last time I checked I was shooting through ranks and soon shall surpass you, you're welcome to try lad" folded her arms with a confident smirk.
Before Midnight could give her a piece of her mind, Maruchi blurted an excepted counter.
"a-ah actually Miss I don't care about ranks or credits, I want to be a decent hero that saves others like a beacon of hope in their darkest hours" yeah…that was a full counter if the side glances and murmurs some people started are anything to go by.
"that's my disciple !" the silky voice laced with triumphant satisfaction made Maruchi sigh silently in relief, but the twitches from made him a little uneasy.
Sensei, did I offend her with my words ? and why Mom sounds like she won the lottery?
Offend her? Nah you just labeled her as a rank and credit seeker and of course your guardian finds chances like this public humiliation of her rival very often, no?
He did a double take, the comforting pats on his back weren't given him any encouragements, the side glances some people were making after the scene didn't help his guilt either.
" I-I-I'm v-very sorry miss! I didn't mean to offend you or say something offensive! I just wanted to speak the truth! I swear!"
Facepalm!
Wha-?
The muffled laughs or was it choking? Or choking from laughing sounds barely restrained by his guardian?
Yeah and she wasn't the only one who fond the situation funny given how obvious the craving for credit was displaying on her very first hero activity.
Even her occasional partner was trying to restrain his laughs.
"Pfff…!*snicker*-!" if she had heat vision, Kamui will have been a pile of ash now.
Before she could reply Midnight took the initiative to avert any unwanted issues, while the laugh was good and very refreshing for her, she knew this is not a time for stupidities like this.
He has mental issues and she needs to strengthen the bond between them if she wants to deal with those problems more effectively later. Sure, a psychiatrist is more suited for this but a doctor can't treat longing for a family can he? especially if all hope of finding your family is reduced to smithereens.
Good thing that little scene averts the attention back at the young pro heroes and away from her. The people found it more funny and less serious and once she glanced back…they were filling autographs here and there. People thankfully ignored her thanks to the 'recent' spotlight taker. For once she was grateful for doing her an indirect favor.
That's aside, I need to think how to approach the next and current problem wisely.
…
..
.
Now they were sitting on a bench near a pond of water, the koi fishes were circulating as they normally do in the daytime, normally, squirrels aren't nocturnal but the ones in this park are an exception.
"aren't they cute, Maru-kun?"
"ah…yeah...they're cute…" he wasn't feeling the mood
"what happened was an accident and nothing else, you didn't mean any harm to her reputation…*muttering* as if her attitude wasn't giving her away"
" I…I'm sorry…I should think before I speak next time…"
You should, that wasn't intentional but words aren't to be taken lightly…a bright example for that is your Polymorph.
…
"it doesn't matter now, what happened is in the past and we can't change it, so relax now and take it easy…here why don't you try to feed the squirrels" she handed him a bag of dried fruits from nuts to peanuts etc.
Do as she say, this is a good opportunity to slack off, you know?
He replied by complying, yet for some reason the squirrels weren't approaching him…in fact they appear to be avoiding him.
The awkwardness lasted for some 2 minutes before Midnight suggested for him to throw some food.
The trick worked much to his joy…one squirrel saw a big nut near him…instead of normally approaching the treat, the squirrel was coming back and forth with the tail wiggling around like a cat on fighting mode…but it didn't end there.
The squirrel wasn't sure about taking the nut as it came and go from it…as if it there was a snake about to bit it…
"ehh? Maybe they're more cautious during nighttime? who knows what might hides in the dark" she intended the last sentence as a matter of fact, but from his expression that did strike some hidden string inside him.
She can see the uneasiness at feeling unsure about something…
Yet before she could focus further and try to read his body language, his next words surprised her.
"is that smoke?" she turned towards the busy city and…yep many floors on a skyscraper were burning…wait?
"WHAT!?" she wasted the first 3 seconds to contemplate what to do. Before pinning him with a firm gaze.
" I'll go try and help as much as I can you—" she cut herself mid-speech.
No! he's my responsibility and under my protection, I can't just leave him here…but I also cannot leave my hero duties! What should I do!?
Thankfully, her brain was used to make swift-decisions.
I recognize that building, it's the Juu Heroic Customs Distribution office which consists of 20 floors, it's over 200 feet high (about 60 meters), I can't contact All Might since he exhausted himself for today…
She hurriedly walked towards as she was the only one suitable for such situation.
"What do you wan-?!" Midnight had only to point towards the burning building, almost immediately expression changed from annoyed to serious. She was about to run towards it but Midnight stopped her.
"you'll take too long to get there! I have a better idea!" the young heroine liked to annoy the veteran one on many occasions despite being new…however she wasn't dumb to not follow advises when lives are at stake.
"I'm in too, Midnight-san, what do you suggest?" Kamui joined too having heard the commotion.
She took no time to turns towards the one looking at her worriedly.
"Maru-kun! I want you to fly us there!" being one of the top 20 ranking heroes come with some benefits, like say being able to request help from civilians if absolute necessary…just like this situation.
"e-eh ?" much to her annoyance his brain wasn't doing good for tonight, her stern voice commanded him like a robot.
"Rathalos form! HURRY!" the words weren't recognized by her company, nor they excepted the kid to starts glowing all of a sudden as he complied almost instantly.
"FIRE WYVERN! RATHALOS!"
Both young heroes were surprised to see the red wyvern again…however, Midnight didn't give them any time to event think as she hoped on Rathalos's back and ordered the two to do the same.
Sensei?
Do as she say, think later. the red wyvern took flight towards the bright orange light.
Midnight on the other hand wasn't feeling comfortable, she knew many info about his forms from Rathalos to the Glavenus, but this is the first time she experiences the rough feeling of Rathalos's scales.
"can't you fly any faster! It feels like I'm sitting on a rock!" at least she wasn't the only one suffering from the economy flight.
Thankfully it didn't take long, much to their relief, once he transformed back, she locked him in the eyes and commanded with a strict tone.
"I'll be back as soon as I can! .move!okay tweetie ?" her tongue tied at the last word making the seriousness buildup lose it's momentum.
Thankfully he wasn't feeling funny anytime soon.
"be careful, Mom…"
Don't worry about her she's cunning like Sylvester.
That's not funny! Sylvester is dumb, Mom is smart!
Oh? You have grown comfortable about calling your guardian mom! Hohohoho! That's a good change kid!
He was forced to watch from the sidelines as Backdraft was trying to control the fire with the help of fire fighters but it wasn't enough. Some people were getting out from the smoking building at a slow pace. Kamui took the initiative to head for the upper floors but the flames weren't helping his situation, was trying to evacuate people from the floors she can reach…
…
.
"please stays back!" one of the policemen was trying to keep the gathering crowd from getting too close, Midnight shows up as people recognized her and made a way for her.
"Midnight-san!?" the policeman was surprised to see her for the first two seconds before she asked him.
"what's the situation? are their anyone trapped ?" she wanted info and he wasn't keeping any useful one.
"Seventh and eight floors are the most damaged, most people in the building fled as soon as they smelled smoke, but the ones in the upper floors are trapped!"
She had to make a swift decision.
the rookies lack experience…they're good at fighting small thugs, but Kamui's weakness is fire, if he got caught in the building's flames he's a goner, can help evacuate the lower floors, but the upper ones are too high even for her.
"I have to reach for the upper floors!" she called for .
"We'll join you!" another bunch of pros including Handeath offered their help.
"Some of you must stay and mitigate the damage made by any falling debris!" as quickly snatched her, Handeath took that role upon his shoulders.
The other pros joined her and helped them get to the sixth floor which is not as blazing as the other ones.
"head for the upper floors! And be careful not to get trapped !" she ordered as she run for the stairs leading above.
…meanwhile…
As Nemuri Kayama, the one he calls mom faded into the flaming scene, he couldn't shut the worry in his heart, and for once even Sensei wasn't able to come up with any comfort words.
"I hope she comes out as soon as possible…I'm so worried" he muttered to himself.
She's reliable, don't worry she'll be fine besides, she's not working along!
I know…but I can't help but worry…can't I at least help some way ? I mean I can fly back and forth using Rathalos form! And the flames aren't that hot to Rathalos too.
That's not a good idea…remember what Tsukauchi told you those months back, doing the pros job without a permit is illegal…
…I-
CRA-BOOOM!
An explosion ringed around, it was from the lower floors…thankfully Handeath handled the deadly debris with his handy hands. (I couldn't resist the pun)
was evacuating many groups of injured people back and forth from wherever she could reach…
Kamui was helping to mitigate any falling debris and also was trying to evacuate with the help of some other pros the remaining trapped people in the upper floors from where the flames didn't reach yet…
As for her…
She was no where to be found…
CRA-KA-BOOM!
More explosions ringed around from somewhere on the other side of the building…
He could hear murmurs about special flammable chemicals the validators use in their test before delivery their hero customs to their clients might have been the problem of the fire…and the recent explosion are due to the flames reaching their storing containers…
"YOU NEED TO TELL ALL THE HEROES TO GET OUT! THERE'S A BIG RESERVE OF EXPLOSIVE CHEMICAL IN THE UPPER FLOORS !" one of the salary men with burnt clothes screamed at the top of his lungs.
That was the straw that broke the worrying camel's back.
THIS IS A STUPID IDEA!
MY MOM IS IN GRAVE DANGER!
"KID! STOP!STOOOOOOOOP!"
Maruchi rushed towards the blazing building, he tried…read tried to make some way in order to safely transform…but that wasn't an easy thing to do given how some pros like Handeath tried to stop him from getting anywhere near the fire…they succeeded…
"please! My MOM IS THERE!" he pleaded for them to let him go…
"IT'S TOO DANGEROUS GET BACK!" but all they could do was shove him back despite his begging…
They can push him aside…but they can't stop from flying. All they could do was stare at the red wyvern who rose to the smoking pillars…uncaring about their cries…
was too busy to notice him…
NONONONONONONO! THAT'S TOO RECKLESS!
He wasn't in any good mental state to care about recklessness.
BOOOM!
So he blasted the ninth floor wall open…before retransforming mid air and landing on the smoking stage…
-meanwhile-
Many of the pros already evacuated the building having saved all trapped people they could find…
She stayed behind to make sure none was left…it turned out to be a very good and stupid decision…one of the workers who overslept due to overwork wasn't so lucky to get an early warning…
Thankfully his cries for help didn't fell on deaf ears…but he collapsed before she could reach him…
Now with the problem of decreasing oxygen and an unconscious civilian to rescue she found herself in a tight spot…
The recent explosions weren't encouraging either.
I need to get out of here before I lose consciousness!
ROAR!
This heat and smoke is something else…now she's starting to hallucinate…surely the kid won't be dumb enough to follow her into the blazing building…right?
BOOM!
Dang it! I TOLD HIM TO STAY STILL!
From bad to worst! And the fire wasn't going out either! Just fantastic!
If I survive this ordeal then they'll be no Flying Wyverns for him! He's grounded!
She tried to reach for the nearest window but the smoke wasn't clearing away any time soon…
Thankfully!
"BUSTER SHOT!" a heroic scream blasted many debris and flames from her sight.
"huh? aren't you Midnight-san?" once Buster Shot saw the unconscious person he didn't hesitate to lend a hand.
It didn't take her much time to calculate the odds of his success for her next request.
"can I trust you with saving this victim?" she blurted as quick as she could.
As soon as the letter 'Y' escaped his masked face…she vanished back to the flames…
Although not as intense as the ones below…
resisting the heat and the felling she gave to Yakitori on many occasions…she called towards the abyss…
"MARU-KUN! MARU-KUN!WHERE ARE YOU!?" after many tries, she could hear his voice from somewhere…once he heard her too…it was only a matter of time to find each other…
"MOM! You're okay!?"
He wasn't worst for the wear thankfully…
"I TOLD YOU TO—"
KRA-KRA-KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion rocked the entire building, but she didn't care much about her safety…from her peripheral vision she noticed debris looming over him…
Like a protective hen…she moved automatically before she could even think…
"GRRRK!" Maruchi could only blink dumbly at what happened…one moment he was rushing for her side…the next moment he was tackled backward…
Laying on the ground, she took the brunt of the damage…
Wha-?
"Ru…Run…" she meekly whispered with the last of her energy…before passing out…
"MOM!" the flames weren't doing him any favors too…
SENSEI! WHAT DO I DO!?
GIVE ME A SECOND AND I'll DEVISE A PLA-!
The explosions weren't giving him any time…
Panick started to rush in…
DON'T PANIC!
"HUFF HUFF HUFF!"
the dancing flames…are familiar…deadly familiar…
"HUFF HUFF HUFF!"
like an old scar…coming to the surface…Fear of the flames trying to devour what he holds dear is nestling in…
"COUGH! HUFF! COUGH!"
and with every passing second, the panic rose to new levels…
First cover your face! then you ca-?!
until…
Ba-Bump!
The huffing settled down, as his dulled from panicked into a cold glare…
Glaring at the petty candle fire before him…
He rose his palm…
"With winds of icy jade…"
The symbol shone with a mesmerizing grey light.
"We extinguish raging flames!"
FOOOOOAWWWWWWWWWW!
Wha-?
"Kushala's Nadir!" chilly winds burst from the windows around his palm…before shouting towards the flares. Immediately putting them out!
Sensei didn't know what is transpiring…
"wha-?" like the way his strange behavior came out suddenly, it went out in the same fashion leaving him stunned at the caved way…
NOW HURRY BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
Sensei preferred to think rationally than question things now…
Thankfully the kid complied not even knowing how things came to this point…once he reached the edge, he transformed one more time to Rathalos…carefully picking his guardian with his claw and making sure not to squeeze any venom glands…
The descendance was slow and…for some reason…the smoke wasn't that intense as before…did the firefighters finally put it out?
Tick!
Tick!
Tick!
With each tick…the rain intensified…it started raining all of a sudden?
some were so confused about how a clear sky not besides the obvious smoke…turned into a darker shade with gathering clouds…
Flap!
Flap!
Flap!
And it didn't end there…not everyday you see a dragon carrying out a woman out of a recently burning building…
Nothing makes sense…many pros or civilians alike watched the scene…
"what…happened?"
nothing here is right…
"did it just starts raining all of a sudden?"
something is wrong…
"Oi!Oi!Oi! are you kidding ? how did the blazing fire went out?"
something out of the ordinary is transpiring…
"what is that thing…?"
Something they don't understand…
"isn't that the kid who rushed in from before…?"
Something they don't comprehend...
"a kid? that doesn't look like a kid to me!"
Whether it is a natural instinct…or something else entirely…one thing is certain…
Confirmed by the gaze he pinned them with temporarily…while checking on the unconscious woman…
"Whatever it might be a kid or not…this thing is giving me the creeps..."
People fear the Unknown…
"Nggh…" until the sound of his guardian cleared his mind…
Ignorant to what they said…he slowly turned back into his normal form…before hurriedly checking on her…
"Mom!Mom! are you alright!?"
…
..
.
Medics tended to the unconscious Midnight…
When the ones that care about you leave…you see what they have been trying to protect you from…
"YOU IDIOT! THAT ALMOST GOT MANY PEOPLE KILLED THERE!" it wasn't a mere scolding, it was straight out shouting…
Blame…
Humiliation…
And many more…
Many bystanders agreed with the Pros…
"Our education system isn't strict enough!"
"Proper punishments can limit such foolish acts, this is just like the sludge incident from months back!"
"his parents needs to re-educate him!"
Uncaring treatment…
each word sting more than the last…
and the last sentence stroke a hidden scar…
"WHAT MAKES A PERSON A HERO IS THEIR HEART!" he blurted uncontrollably, not even properly thinking about his words.
However, the next sentence a random pro countered with didn't sooth those unseen scars…in fact…
"THERE'S A BIG DIFFRENCE BETWEEN PLAYING HERO AND BEING AN ACTUAL PRO HERO! THIS ISN'T A GAME!"
"what…"those words sparked something in him…something hard to describe…a very uneasy feeling…
Cshh…
He could swear for a second, he heard the sound of…iron grating on iron…
Before he even make sense of what is happening…Handeath put a hand on the shoulder of the howler taking the speech in the process.
"We learn through pins and needles how to be proper heroes, we earn our Licenses with merit! Not every civilian can do the pro heroes job!"
Kid…just respect the old man and for your sake…bear their words…
No! someone has to word out this!
"I remember when you scolded my brother for trying to save another bastard…and here I'm doing the same to rescue my own mother! Do I need to get a stamp from every police office in the country before trying to rescue people too?!"
"That's…enough!" he could hear his mother's voice, she regained her consciousness and was barely holding herself up…
"isn't that…Midnight?" more murmurs turned the scene into a drama show.
"I'm the one responsible for him…if…anyone is to blame…is me" she pinned the guilt on herself…which made him speechless.
-?-
Yellow eyes opened in the pitch darkness…
screeching chains revitalized the sleeping one…
He can't move a muscle, totally restrained with iron wedges piercing his flesh…
he glanced here and there in the pitch black…nothing makes sense…
Where am I? and who I'm?