Finishing up this arc today, yipeeeeeeee
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
Gang Orca's 'henchmen', aka his sidekicks, began blasting their concrete guns all around the area. Kids were quickly pinned down by the concrete and tossed aside with ease. Gang Orca sneered as he looked down at them.
"Sorry, kids. But the commission won't sugarcoat it." Gang Orca said. "Are you good at both rescuing people and fighting!?"
Medaka, Ochako, Zenkichi, and Izuku were helping someone out of the rubble when they heard about the violence going on in the city. Izuku's pupils got small as he heard the screams.
"Even I didn't expect this," Medaka murmured.
Ochako tapped the person, and frowned. "Don't worry- that's why WE have the big guns."
"Wait, you're telling me we're going to go fight the person who started this?" Zenkichi looked at Ochako and was surprised that she wanted to go straight ahead.
Ochako blinked- crap, her hand was right near the Omnitrix. She snapped back to reality. Damned force of habit.
"W-what!? I mean, uh- look! There's Inasa!" Ochako said, pointing up at the air. Inasa flew past, heading straight for Gang Orca. He'll take care of that.
Inasa was flying right toward where Gang Orca had situated himself - he knew that that fight between heroes and villains would be intense and he was going to try and end it as quickly as he could in order to minimize the casualties.
First thing I'm gonna do! Gotta use my airstreams to pick up Gang Orca and his henchpeople and take them outside of the city. There's enough collateral as is! Inasa thought. Then, I'm gonna-
Before Inasa could do anything, a giant wall of ice nearly impeded his path. "WOAH-!" He yelled, before coming to a stop in midair.
Todoroki, of all the people Inasa would have to see, was the worst. He knew he had to try to direct his anger at Gang Orca, but seeing this boy here trying to take all the credit...
The same as his father…
I made an ice wall to block their attacks on the wounded. Todoroki thought. He chose to pop up here, since there were a lot of civilians- Gang Orca knows how to get into character. His arrival was backed up by the other 'attack squad' members.
"You, Boomerang Man." Todoroki said. "Can you arc a few shots underground with something?"
"I can try." Toteki nodded, pulling a bunch of small, sharp 'boomerangs'.
The ice wall rumbled unexpectedly, and a deafening pulse of sonic energy swept through and passed the two of them. They didn't have much time to respond to the attack.
"More of you? Let's see if you're better than this embarrassing collection of elites."
Kumagawa blinked, while everyone else was temporarily 'disabled' after the attack. Kumagawa waved at the Pro Hero and produced some screws.
「i'm a big fan」 Kumagawa said, as he threw up the screws. Gang Orca raised an eyebrow, before he saw Inasa in the sky. Inasa grinned.
"I see ya!" Inasa said, as he began to pick up the screws with his air currents. The screws circled around him before launching at the sidekicks at top speed.
Gang looked at the screws as they quickly went into his goons. He could see that if they were hit, they couldn't use their abilities. This child has a very interesting quirk... But I might be able to use this to my own benefit.
Kumagawa clapped. 「oh, you were up there? i was just doing that as a distraction」
Inasa frowned. "Aw, what!? That combo attack wasn't planned! Dang it, Kumagawa!"
As soon as the two started talking to one another, however, Gang Orca swooped in and let out a pretty loud cry, sending more waves of sound crashing down on them. "Keep your mind on the battle, Shiketsu's finest!"
Inasa yelled, as he struggled to maintain the airstreams around his body. D-damn it! He's strong! So passionate in his role!
But Inasa got that 'glint' in his eyes. BUT SO AM I!
As his hand up, Inasa prepared to launch his attack. The phrase "SPECIAL MOVE!" With a shout, Inasa unleashed a massive crescent-shaped blade of wind." Say it with me now: AIR BLADE!" The impact knocked Gang Orca back and broke apart the enormous ice wall.
Gang Orca quickly put out his arm as he was thrown back and used it to grab the wall he was thrown into. He wasn't going to let a little bit of air get him down, so he rolled his shoulders and popped his neck bones quickly.
"Impressive..."
Inasa grinned. "Alright, buddy! Let's take this fight outside of the city!" Inasa was about to 'air lift' Gang Orca out of city when a giant burst of ice suddenly froze Gang Orca to the ground. Inasa grit his teeth, and looked over. Looked like Todoroki and the others were back in business.
"Thanks for pinning him down." Mogana frowned, rubbing her ears. "Let's see...how he likes it!"
Mogana took a deep breath, and let loose a powerful 'banshee' scream. The move's name was "Voice Cannon"- it focused her voice into a straight line, not making any noise or vibration outside of that line. It was a move designed for a direct attack! Perfect for here.
"Oh! It's you." Gang Orca said, a little happy to see Mogana.
"Don't treat me any different than the other students." Mogana frowned.
"I thought you wouldn't like that." Gang Orca grinned wildly and directed another sonic wave, this one almost like a taser, at Mogana. The noise was loud enough to almost completely paralyze someone.
Mogana yelled, as she fell to the ground, twitching like crazy. "MOGANA!" Inasa yelled, before looking down at Todoroki. "YOU IDIOT! Why didn't you trap him more!?"
"Sorry, but I'm still recovering-" Todoroki said, ignoring him in favor of charging up his Flashfire Fist.
But before the flames could be put out, Todoroki was hit by a strong gust of wind, which showed that Inasa was now taking things a bit more personally. He wasn't going to let this newcomer stand in his way any longer.
"If you're the one leading the attack, then step back." Inasa said. "Besides…my powers have some more 'synergy' with these guys." He demonstrated the attack by motioning for Toteki and Kumagawa to throw their projectiles. The two did, and Inasa quickly boosted their speeds with a bunch of air currents. "AIR LAUNCH!"
However, those projectiles were exactly what Gang Orca needed as they pierced the ice - allowing for more of his body to become loose as he glanced between the two. He didn't know what to make of it, but there was a lot of tension that he could probably take advantage of.
Todoroki didn't say anything at Inasa. He shot him a look that said 'what the hell?'. And that was the wrong thing to do.
...Inasa HATED that look.
As a child, Inasa Yoarashi liked almost everything and didn't dislike anything. Not vegetables, not bugs, not monsters and not bedtimes- he was a very positive person. As soon as Inasa learned what Pro Heroes were, he loved and admired heroes who were really good at what they did.
What do you love to do? Everyone has something that they really care about. It could be a sport, a hobby, fitness, or something else. When someone really cares about something, they usually do very well at it.
Inasa wanted to cultivate his personality, expose the world to it. He admittedly stole 'bits of characters' from the Top 10- Crust's heart, Yoroi's presence, All Might's smile and Lady Nagant's cool and collected mindset.
...but there was one hero he could never accept.
When he was a young boy, he saw a pro athlete he liked and wanted to get their autograph. He had not gotten anything from that person yet. Endeavor was a hero he admired with all his heart…
"Endeavor is AWESOME!" He told everyone. "The way he uses his hellish flames to vanquish monsters and villains is awesome!"
Inasa didn't know what it was about Endeavor that day, but he seemed…different. In his mind, he always saw Endeavor as a warm individual who didn't need a pat on the back- no need for telling. Always showing. This was the first time he'd ever seen him up close.
And the only thing Inasa could remember were…those eyes. Not every hero should greet the crowd, and it wasn't even in character for Endeavor to approach them, but...the eyes said more than Inasa needed to know. Those weren't the eyes of someone meant to be a passionate hero.
But, it was one person, right? One single hero. He could...ignore it.
...but then those focused eyes started appearing in other heroes. It was because of those eyes that Inasa did start to realize some of the deep truths that came with hero culture - many of these heroes, pro or otherwise, were only in it for their own selfish beliefs. Endeavour may have been good at what he did...but how much of that was only for show?
"For years I saw heroes who smiled and waved, but now…a bunch of them ignore the crowd and move on. With Endeavor at the top…I'm afraid no child will have the same sort of joy I did at that age." Inasa frowned. "All because of those damn eyes."
Mogana recovered from her dizzy spell and frowned. "All of this...is about EYES?!"
"YEAH! AND IT'S TOTALLY VALID! SHUT UP!" Inasa yelled.
Todoroki frowned. "I'm...not him..." He sighed, knowing it was useless. He couldn't lose focus now- Todoroki was conflicted about his father, but the test was more important.
Todoroki focused his powers into Flashfire Fist, before he put his left hand to the ground. "What we need is a good cover." He pressed his hand to the ground, and created a sheet of ice. He smashed into the ground with his burning fist, obscuring Gang Orca's vision.
"Sneaky..." The hero hummed, before closing his eyes. When it comes to finding food and getting around underwater, whales have a wonderful sense capacity called echolocation. As a whale blows air through its sinuses, it can create a wide range of noises. Then, they figure out what the sounds make when they bounce off things. This bio-sonar helps whales find their prey very accurately and gives them a way to "see" their world.
Especially under cover like this.
Todoroki and the others took off back to the city. "I am SO sorry about Inasa!" Mogana apologized. "He's usually so polite and passionate-"
"I don't care about that now. He's gonna screw up our rescue missions if he doesn't get his act together." Todoroki said, still focusing on keeping Flashfire Fist going.
"Sorry to be so rude, but where did the screw kid go?" Toteki asked, looking around.
When Todoroki and Mogana looked behind them, they couldn't find Kumagawa anywhere. Todoroki stopped and turned around to look back.
"Do you think he was captured?" Todoroki asked.
"No...Kumagawa is a weird guy. He has a nasty tendency to do his own thing. I dunno what they were thinking, putting him on this team..." Mogana admitted.
"But maybe it's a good thing to have a wildcard."
When Gang Orca tried using his echolocation to locate the others, he was confused by a bunch of structures that had been suddenly erected out of the ground. He couldn't make them out, though. They were long and somewhat thin, like a lampost on the street.
And as the smoke started to dissipate, he began to realize what he was looking at. A bunch of...giant screws.
Everywhere.
Hmm. A little unsettling, Gang Orca thought to himself, but nothing I can't deal with.
His focus remained on using his bio-sonar, to figure out where his proverbial prey was hiding in this oddly metallic jungle. The sounds he made bounced off the screws, but something was off. Usually this tracking was pinpoint, almost flawless. But that "almost" is what opened up an exploit. Gang Orca turned his attention to the nearest screw and noticed that, while subtle, the giant structures were moving, spinning in place slowly so as not to draw immediate attention.
Clever. One of them knows that my sonar isn't as effective when the surface it bounces off is, itself, moving.
Kumagawa chose to strike. He leapt from behind one of the giant screws with another screw in his hand, aimed at piercing the Pro's back. If he could land this, thrust it in deep enough, the others would have a huge advantage. Well, that's what he'd tell them when they asked about his plan. Of course, Orca wasn't deaf while using the sonar. He heard Kumaga charge him and turned on his heel, catching the screw by the blade and looking Kumagawa dead in the eye.
"A good trick," the Pro said, "but not. quite. ENOUGH!" Gang Orca's knee bolted up and connected with Kumagawa's stomach, making him double over and lose hold of the screw.
Kumagawa coughed, as he collapsed to the ground. 「nice...knee」 He coughed, breathing heavily. 「i can see why you're number 10」
Gang Orca frowned. "Flattery is gonna get you nowhere, kid."
「i know」 Kumagawa said, as he put his hand to the ground. 「i learned that a long time ago. actions speak louder than words- and since they decided i was good enough to play with the big leagues...i won't be wasting that here」
Kumagawa's screw spires shot out of the ground, climbing higher and higher into the sky. Kumagawa smiled, as they spun violently and rapidly- it was like Gang Orca was being surrounded by a bunch of Archimedes screws.
「not a bad name」 Kumagawa hummed. 「ultimate move: Archimedes Annihilator Screws」
Gang Orca looked at the screws, trying to gauge how durable they really were, but right as they were about to pull off what Kumagawa thought might be a coup de grace, a shot rang out. A group of Gang Orca's sidekicks emerged from the ruins and one of them managed to get a shot off on the Shiketsu black sheep. He jerked forward, his shoulder now covered in a substance with the color and properties of quick-drying cement.
「of course the universe decides to tell me no right when I get the move off. maybe be a bit more polite and let the move hit next time, eh?」 Kumagawa said to...seemingly no one in particular.
Kumagawa kept them spinning. He wasn't gonna just shred the pro hero, of course! That'd be wrong. This was more a 'move of intimidation'. The real star of the show...
Was floating near the spires.
Inasa looked down at the "villain" with a grin.
"Gang Orca," the Shiketsu juggernaut beamed, "If this wasn't the exam, I might be asking for an autograph! But you're not Gang Orca right now! You're our villain!"
The winds began to swirl around the screws, the speed blowing against the whale-like Pro and blowing his tie about in the gale. He looked up just in time to see Inasa channel the winds together.
"And I can't afford to hold back against a villain!" Inasa proudly declared, "Ultimate Move: Jetstream IMPACT!"
Gang Orca adjusted his tie, and took it off. He took a deep breath as he saw the boy charge up his attack.
"You're still young- I admit, you have the power to be a pro. But you're still just a rookie." Gang Orca smirked.
With one more deep inhale, Gang Orca let loose a powerful sonic wave- probably on par with a while cacophony of Echo Echoes- and destroyed the screws around him. It clashed with the force of the jetstream, making Inasa struggle to hold the attack.
"LEVIATHAN...ASSAULT!"
Inasa tried to counter the attack with some of the winds he'd managed to build up, but the power was too much. The sonic attack broke through any defense he had and sent him, ironically, flying off into the nearest ruined building.
"AWESOOOOOOOOOOOOOM-" Inasa yelled, before he crashed into it. Kumagawa's ears were ringing as more and more concrete blasts covered his body.
「dang it」
Gang Orca took a deep breath, as one of his sidekicks approached him with a giant water bottle. "You doing good, boss?"
"These kids...are giving me a run for my money..." Orca admitted as he dumped the water bottle on top of his head. "I think I need ano-"
Another booming noise struck Gang Orca square in the chest. The blow sent him flying backwards, where he landed and rolled over the floor. Damn kids! While I was RECOVERING, too!
"Oh that's a low blow!" the sidekick said, taking aim at the source of the attack. It was Mogana. Her sonic scream was sending the Number 10 back further and further with each passing second. The "terrorist" was about to fire on her when a rock suddenly flew into the barrel of his weapon. When he pulled the trigger, it backfired and exploded, encasing him in a cement jacket.
"W-what the hell?!" the sidekick yelled.
"Sorry about that," Toteki shrugged, "Can't have you ruin the momentum."
Todoroki and Mogana ran back, and Todoroki looked down at Kumagawa, who was encased in the cement. "You good?"
「its like a weighted blanket but painful」 Kumagawa said. 「i'm fine」
Mogana took a deep breath. She popped a quick lozenge and swirled it around in her mouth. "I dunno how Gang Orca's quirk works, but I know he can't launch soundwaves forever. Must be a recharge limit."
"And you saw the way he needed to reinvigorate himself with that water, right? He can't handle being dehydrated." Todoroki added.
"That's why he came out of the sewer! He needed a recharge time." Mogana frowned.
Todoroki started charging up his next attack. "So...I'll just have to keep hitting him with my fire side."
"And we'll keep him off you, force him to waste his sonic attacks," Toteki added.
Todoroki nodded. "Keep him at bay. I know we're not as effective as Inasa's winds, but...we'll have to wait until he cooperates with us."
"Fair...enough!" Mogana took a step forward, and unleashed another sound attack. This one was less focused, and more spread out. It blew back the other sidekicks, and boosted the speed of Toteki's boomerangs.
If the sidekicks weren't knocked out from the sound or being slammed into objects by the attack, then the boosted boomerangs did the job. Since he couldn't always rely on projectiles in the field, Toteki also made sure to carry his own small metal throwing weapons, his own Batarangs essentially.
With the sidekicks taken care of for now, Todoroki used his ice to propel himself towards Gang Orca, making a frozen bridge he could slide over to reach the Pro in no time.
Todoroki jumped off the ramp, as he finally charged up Flashfire Fist to the fullest he could go. His arm was burning with white hot flames- and they were ready to dry Gang Orca out. He scowled, but invited the challenge.
Endeavor's kid... Gang Orca realized, as Todoroki unleashed another Flashfire technique. He put his fingers close together, unleashed a single beam of concentrated heat that cut through the ground.
"HELL WASP!"
Orca's eyes widened as he recognized the move, a scaled down version of one of Endeavor's own moves. He jumped out of the way as the move hit a piece of broken debris, resulting in a massive explosion.
The heat was enough to almost dry him out. This kid was already doing his own offshoot of his father's moves! Insanity.
If he was on par with his father, that attack might've been enough to not only knock me out, but turn me into Harihari-nabe! Gang Orca thought.
"One more TIME!" Todoroki shouted, firing off another Hell Wasp. The explosion echoed out in the arena, sending dust and rubble flying. Shindo saw it and the first blast from the triage zone, but his attention shifted when he heard something land nearby. He turned and immediately froze when he saw a black and white, bulky figure stand up from the middle of an impact crater.
"Hmph...impressive...but you made one fatal flaw," Orca's eyes turned to Shindo and the civilians. "You put me...in the worst place possible!"
Todoroki flinched. Crap! I didn't realize how close the triage area was from here! I was so distracted by Inasa's interferences...
"Can't risk using that Hell Wasp move again, can you? What if it hits one of the wounded?" Gang Orca taunted. Todoroki wasn't deterred.
"Then I'll have to go smaller." Todoroki said, holding up a single finger. "Hell Mosquito." He launched a single beam of flames at Gang Orca, which didn't knock him back, but did burn some of his suit.
"...cute," Gang Orca scoffed, extinguishing the small flame on his suit and dusting off the soot.
Todoroki frowned. I don't know I can keep Flashfire Fist up for much longer- I'm starting to overheat. He wiped some sweat from his brow and took a deep breath. It's my fault the villain's here. That's a rookie mistake...and one I shouldn't be making.
He held up his hand again, and focused all the energy into his fingers. "Hell Mosquito...Swarm!" A barrage of flame beams raced towards Gang Orca, but he fired off his sonic attack at the ground. The rubble that flew into the air as a result blocked the fire beams, turning them into dust.
Todoroki grunted. He blocked it! Damn it-!
...
But I hope it gave HIM a good opening.
Gang Orca didn't realize it, but the attack was a distraction for Shindo to rush in and get a good attack.
"My turn," Shindo smirked before he slammed his fists to the ground. The ground began to shake as Shindo's palms send out shockwaves to cause the tremors. The small earthquake managed to throw Gang Orca off his balance, giving Todoroki an opening.
"There," Todoroki muttered, "Hell...Mosquito!"
Gang Orca was swarmed again by the barrage, which managed to do some small damage...but it wasn't enough to keep him down.
Gang Orca slammed his foot on the ground, and headbutted Shindo. "Nice try." He then grabbed Shindo by the face and tossed the Ketsubutsu student towards the son of Endeavor.
Todoroki quickly caught Shindo, as he deactivated Flashfire Fist. Shindo groaned, rubbing his head.
"Aren't whales...cartilaginous?" Shindo frowned.
Todoroki grit his teeth. "GET THE OTHERS TO SAFETY!" Todoroki yelled, as he slammed his foot on the ground and sent a giant wall of ice towards Gang Orca.
Ochako (who happened to be delivering some more people with the others) looked around. There's 50 people here- and not everyone can run!
"Dammit," Zenkichi cursed, "Figures they'd throw another curve at us."
"We need to get these people out of here first!" Medaka reasoned, "We can't drag these people into a fight or leave them here!"
"Carry whoever you can!" Ochako yelled, as she began to tap the 'least uninjured' people, and attached some stars to them. They began to float behind her- a bit sloppy, but it was effective. Izuku used Blackwhip to pick some people up, even though this WAS straining himself a bit.
"Is that all you can muster? It's pathetic if you think that's enough to call yourselves heroes," Gang Orca growled, his eyes focused on the son of Endeavor.
Todoroki frowned. "Your words don't matter, villain. My spirit won't break- especially because of my own mistakes."
Shindo smirked. "Jeez. Gotta love a character arc."
"Then if you have more...show me. Show me everything you have, HERO!" Gang Orca roared, firing off another sonic attack. It was obvious that one was pushing a bit of a limit with the pro. More sidekicks appeared from the rubble, one of them rushing over with a water bottle in hand to refresh their boss.
While Shindo and Todoroki tried to tough out the sonic burst, which was easy enough to do, it wasn't as strong as some of the Pro's previous attacks. But then the sidekicks entered the picture. They took aim with their concrete guns and opened fire at the duo. It was only thanks to a strong ice wall of Todoroki's creation that none of the projectiles hit.
"Nice reflexes there," Shindo smirked.
"Thank you. The ice should be strong enough to withstand these hits...but in doing so...I think I just let Gang Orca get another refresher," Todoroki said.
Shindo placed his hand on the ground. "You did what you had to do to get the others out! Don't worry about it!" Shindo sent three quakes through the ground in straight lines, all rushing towards Gang Orca.
The Pro smirked as the water quickly refreshed him. With that new found energy, he dodged out of the way of the quake lines and fired off a repowered sonic blast. The ice dented and cracked from the impact, just barely holding from the initial strike. If he kept this up, the wall would break in a few seconds at most here.
Todoroki sent forward a wild fury of flames, trying to carefully dehydrate the opponent. If he could get ONE attack off, one really POWERFUL attack-
One really powerful attack that wasn't blown away by the wind.
Shindo and Todoroki felt the wind pick up immensely at that moment. The sidekicks outside tried bracing themselves against the wind, stopping their barrage of cement projectiles lest they get hit by the projectiles they were firing.
"...the Shiketsu kid again," Gang Orca said, looking skyward. Indeed, Inasa was back in the fight, hovering over the battlefield and manipulating the winds to deal with the villains. If he could at least get rid of the sidekicks, focusing entirely on Gang Orca would become much easier.
Inasa sent a burst of wind forward, at the exact same time Todoroki launched his flames. Gang Orca didn't move- he let the flames pass by him. "Using their failure to coordinate to my own advantage...good."
"W-what!? Why'd you use fire! The heat made my wind rise!" Inasa yelled.
"He blocked my ice! Stop blowing my flames off course!" Todoroki yelled.
"Then quit being a glory hog, damn it!"
Todoroki made a face. "W-what!? The hell does that mean!?"
Gang Orca smirked. "Okay, kids. No more temper tantrums..."
With that, the sonic surge of Gang Orca slammed into Todoroki, throwing him skyward into Inasa.
"If you two can't play nice with each other," Gang Orca smirked evilly.
Todoroki and Inasa crashed into each other, and fell to the ground. Gang Orca sighed.
If I was grading those kids? I'd fail them. Hell, I'm shocked no one's failed yet. Why aren't they pulling kids out-? Gang Orca said, before something grabbed his back. He turned to see Shindo, flashing a toothy grin.
"Heya."
And then Shindo activated his quirk.
Gang Orca began to experience a personal earthquake. He could feel his entire body shake, right down to the bones.
"It's a new move I thought up on the fly! Honestly, I didn't know how well it'd work!" Shindo admitted. "Ultimate Move! Severe Quake!"
The shaking continued to grow in intensity until, at the height of the tremors, Gang Orca was physically thrown back into a piece of rubble. Shindo pumped his fist in the air to celebrate the hit, only for his hand to suddenly get encased in a shot of the quick-drying compound from one of Orca's sidekicks.
"Crap!" Shindo cursed, dodging the next few shots from the other sidekicks.
"Need...to hit him...again!" Todoroki grunted as he tried to get back up, but fell back to the stone floor.
"Do not...let this...be the end...Gale FORCE!" Inasa tried hyping himself up, only to fall back down. He could still use his Quirk though! They both could! Without any communication, they launched two attacks simultaneously at Gang Orca, fire and wind mixing once again. But again, a similar problem arose. The flames were redirected by the Shiketsu student's winds, sending them away from the Pro acting as a villain. Todoroki watched as he saw the flames curve towards Shindo.
"LOOK OUT!" Todoroki yelled.
Shindo saw his life flash before his eyes in that moment. Everything, from getting bullied, putting on this 'tough guy' act, starting to 'fight back'- all of those little things that made him who he was today. His body was stuck here-
But thankfully someone grabbed him.
Izuku's Blackwhip wrapped around his body and pulled him out of the way JUST in time. The flames smashed into the wall and left a nasty scorch mark instead.
"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR GUY'S PROBLEM!?" Izuku yelled.
Both Shoto and Inasa looked toward Izuku and then back to one another as they felt the anger just coursing through the air - but at the same time they also started to look back to the villain they were attacking - Gang Orca still hadn't stopped glancing at them both as he cracked his knuckles violently.
"Can't even work amongst yourselves. Pathetic..."
As Shoto's mind raced, he knew that the high wind quirk was something that he had seen before but he couldn't place it on the tip of his tongue, a shadow loomed over him.
"Now, where were we?"
Izuku set Shindo down. "Can you move?"
"J-just barely. That move took a lot out of me..." Shindo grunted. "It feels like I have something called 'Essential tremors'." He held up his shaking hands. "Takes a minute of cooldown when I use a dangerous move like that."
Izuku grimaced, as he struck a pose. Gang Orca's a tough opponent- he's held the tenth spot for a good few years, and it's not because he's popular with the crowd. He's shown he can be a formidable foe over and over again...that great combination of offense and defense is scary.
Izuku smirked. Good thing I'm the distraction.
Gang Orca remained oblivious to the star-shaped projectile affixed to his neck. Ochako had strategically placed the star as a grapple point, harnessing her gravity manipulation to propel herself toward him. With full force, she collided into his back. Gang Orca, caught off guard, let out a surprised grunt as the impact jolted him forward.
Gotta find a nerve cluster or something I can pinch! Ochako thought. If we could knock him out now-
Ochako's attention was drawn by the sound of something splattering against the wall. She quickly turned her head to find a massive cement glob on the wall- oh, shit! His sidekicks!
"It took you long enough..." Gang Orca huffed. A competent pro hero should always have a dedicated team, and Gang Orca likely boasted the largest sidekick 'collection' among all Pro Heroes.
"Sorry, sir! We got a little caught up, but we're here now!" one of the sidekicks exclaimed, swiftly aiming his cement gun toward Ochako. She quickly contemplated how she could turn this situation to her advantage.
What if she could make them...hit their own leader?
Ochako tapped Gang Orca's head, and ripped off the black marker on his neck. She crumbled it up, and aimed her gauntlet at one of the sidekicks.
"Sorry, Mr. Orca." Ochako said, as she slapped a white marker on his head, and then launched a black star at the sidekick.
As Orca felt himself being slowly tugged toward the sidekicks, he seemed to notice that this must have been some kind of support item...and of course, like all support items they were not invincible.
Before Ochako could make her escape, Gang Orca seized her wrist. "You're smart, kid. Good use of your quirk—but still. You're not INVINCIBLE!" He exerted a tight grip on Ochako's gauntlet, causing it to crack audibly. Ochako gasped in shock before Gang Orca forcibly threw her off. She quickly tapped her own body to arrest her descent, but losing that range was detrimental, especially at this stage of the exam.
Izuku ran over. "Uraraka!" He yelled, as she landed against the wall. She didn't wanna release gravity yet- Gang Orca was still flying towards his sidekicks.
"He's much stronger..." Ochako cursed herself. How could she have been so careless to allow him to grab her arm like that? Yet, she swiftly pushed those self-reproachful thoughts aside. She began internalizing those words—she wasn't invincible. However, the same applied to him.
"Deku! Is there anyone else that can help us?"
"Uh, well...Medaka and Zenkichi needed to drop off the last few people, and I think the other two members of the action squad are still around." Izuku said. "Why? Do you think we need to stall for time?"
"No. We're going to make sure that we can take him out!" Ochako seemed more determined than ever as she started to look around and survey the battlefield. "I need Medaka here!"
Izuku looked confused. "What's she gonna do?"
"We need a powerful opponent who can use all the Emitter quirks in the area." Ochako said. "And I've first hand seen what kind of destruction Medaka can do."
"Right...! You can go and grab them and I'll-!"
"No, you're going to get them. I'm going to hold Gang Orca off for as long as I can!" Ochako declared before fixing her gaze on Orca.
"W-what!? How?" Izuku yelled.
"Just watch," Ochako said, observing as Gang Orca collided with his sidekicks like a bowling ball.
"Ergh! Get up! We still have to deal with these kids!" Gang Orca commanded, slamming a fist to the ground and propelling himself upward.
"By keeping his gravity reduced, his movements will be all wonky. And I bet if he uses his quirk, he'll launch himself sky-high." Ochako grinned.
"That's...devious." Izuku said, applauding her genius.
Ochako quickly clenched her fist and nodded. "Trust me, I got this!" She exclaimed.
Izuku nodded. "Okay then. Just do what you can!" With that, he ran off. Ochako's attention shifted to Gang Orca, who was struggling to keep himself grounded.
My quirk's staying power is pretty lenient- but the issue is that I can't exactly release one object at a time. It all 'stops' in one go. Ochako hummed. But, in my case...I'm USED to this feeling. What was that thing that Mandalay mentioned? Space adaptation syndrome...I'm betting Gang Orca is feeling somewhat sick right now.
And she was right...somewhat.
Gang Orca, being part Orca Whale, was incredibly used to the feeling that came with weightlessness. Being stuck in the air was the same as being within the confines of the ocean, and he was definitely used to that sensation. All he needed to do was to readjust himself so that he could keep himself steady and then he could try and move with gravity instead of against it.
I don't have anything to really 'move' in, except for the open air. Gang Orca said. I'd ask my sidekicks to give me some 'cement shoes', but...I don't wanna ruin these, these are a new pair...
Ochako then took this moment to focus on the sidekicks, she had to try and either divert them or potentially get them eliminated just as quick. The one thing that she had to do was just avoid their shots...
Okay, Ochako. It's just you, a giant whale...and a bunch of sidekicks. She hyped herself up. You punched out a giant gorilla man. You took down a giant metal bastard. And you fought All Might! Gang Orca...is not a new challenge...
Though of course, this wasn't All Might - she was going up against someone who was pretty damn fearsome, and considering that the former held back a ton? It was probably going to be a lot more difficult to maintain this momentum.
Ochako decided her best course of action was to run. She boosted herself off the wall, and propelled herself into the air. "TAKE AIM!" One of the sidekicks yelled, and all cement guns were focused on her. As they started to fire off their shots, Ochako started to try and dodge and weave around each of the shots...she only had a few chances to really keep herself safe.
Gang Orca propelled himself into the air, in an effort to try and nab the student. Ochako rolled out of the way just in time, as Gang Orca frowned.
"HIT ME!" He yelled, holding out one of his hands. A cement blast covered his hand, and he went falling to the ground.
H-he sacrificed his hand!? Ochako thought, watching Gang Orca plummet. But with even the most illogical of choices there came to be a reason for them.
Now that Gang Orca was grounded, even after enduring a powerful plummet, he began utilizing what little weight remained on him to move swiftly toward Ochako.
Ochako gasped. Ohhhh, crap. I need to think! My right gauntlet is busted, and my left one is-
Ochako blinked.
My LEFT gauntlet! Ochako realized, as she began firing random white stars everywhere.
As Gang and his minions noticed the sudden flurry of stars, they actually slowed down their assault as they started to wonder which ones were connected to which...
It's a ruse. Ochako thought. They'll think I prepped some dangerous trap or something- but no. I'm actually trying to send a message!
Ochako fired a few more stars...right near Inasa and Todoroki's bodies. Both Inasa and Todoroki were quickly thrown forward thanks to the sudden force of the stars - they were going to be integral to this so they needed to at least be moved.
These things are a lot heavier than they look... Ochako thought. Just please wake up, one of you!
Todoroki's eyes fluttered open, catching Ochako's attention. "TODOROKI!" she yelled. "USE THAT HELL WASP MOVE!"
Todoroki swiftly aimed a finger toward Gang Orca, who, now a bit more cautious, avoided the attack, recognizing the potential threat despite it not being enough to drought him out entirely.
Todoroki's hand ignited, releasing a concentrated beam of heat. Gang Orca narrowly dodged the attack. Todoroki persisted, firing more beams, but Orca agilely maneuvered around them, demonstrating his expertise in weightless situations.
With the limited weight on him, Gang Orca showcased his agility, moving almost as swiftly as a fish through water. He smirked, realizing the students had underestimated him. "These kids think they got me in the worst situation, but they couldn't be more wrong... Besides, I don't mind blowing myself away with an attack. Just gotta position myself just right—"
Suddenly, Gang Orca felt a barrage of attacks striking his body from behind. It was the duo from earlier—Mogana and Toteki. Their coordinated efforts, launching projectiles with precision and boosting their speed with Mogana's Yell attack, proved effective in wearing down Gang Orca, especially as he started to dry out.
These kids...
Gang Orca then directed his attention to Ochako, motioning for his men to handle Mogana and Toteki. He had more pressing matters to attend to. Ochako crossed her fingers, hoping for a solution.
I need to help her...but I don't know if my ice can reach her right now. Todoroki thought, as he began to spin around. What the hell can I do?
And then his eyes drifted over to Inasa, who was starting to wake back up.
Todoroki took a deep breath. "You okay?"
"What does it matter to you?" Inasa grumbled.
"Put aside your differences for one second, okay?" Todoroki frowned. "I don't exactly know what your issues are with me or my father in full, but right now, there's something more important than our squabble."
Inasa briefly glanced at him before shifting his focus back to Gang Orca, even noticing Ochako. He understood that if they were going to pass, then whatever anger he harbored needed to be set aside, despite his reservations.
"...fine!" Inasa yelled, sending his airstreams toward Todoroki. The currents guided him through the air, propelling him into Gang Orca's backside.
"W-what the?!" Gang Orca yelled.
"Sorry." Todoroki said. "This isn't anything personal, but..." Todoroki grabbed onto his suit with his left hand, and began to encase Gang Orca in ice.
"This again? You know that's not gonna help you!" Gang Orca scowled as he started to try and flex his muscle to break through the ice!
Todoroki growled, as he started to focus more and more. Come on, Shoto. He thought. It's risky to try this right now, especially since you're still getting used to Flashfire Fist...but, this could be your only shot at passing the exam.
Todoroki began to apply the same 'principals' he was using in his right side...into his left.
"What are you...?" Gang Orca scowled before starting to flex those muscles even more, he was ready to use his sonic blast once again as Shoto planned to use a new kind of Flash technique.
"Flashfrost...Fist." Todoroki believed he was accustomed to the cold, having embraced it for so long. However, the bitter cold and frostbite proved more overwhelming than he had anticipated. He clutched onto Gang Orca's suit, taking a deep breath.
"Glacier."
Gang Orca, caught off guard, soon found himself ensnared within a massive glacier. The icy structure rapidly ascended, reaching upward and dominating the skyline as it encased him completely.
"Ochako," Todoroki gasped, still being carried by the wind. "You can...release your quirk now."
Without hesitation, Ochako slammed her hands together, and the two of them were gently swept away by the wind, drifting down to the other side of the city. As Ochako let out a slight pant, she felt her face turn a little green. She recognized that she couldn't force herself to do any more with her quirk, but the fight wasn't over, and she had to keep going.
Inasa's airstreams gently set the two on the ground. Ochako fell to the ground, coughing and wheezing. It felt like she needed to swallow back bile and...all sorts of other gross fluids. She took a deep breath, and got back to her feet. Gang Orca and Todoroki were still frozen together...
"Maybe...we don't need Medaka..." Ochako laughed nervously.
...boy, did she jinx it.
The sound of cracking ice echoed through the air, almost like a scene from a horror movie, as the ice suddenly shattered, filling the area with an intense icy rain.
"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" Gang Orca bellowed, his favorite suit now looking a bit wetter than usual.
Ochako's face fell as she stumbled backward, and Gang Orca stormed forward. "I recognize you, kid. You're that UA kid that fought the kid from the Kamino incident. I'm starting to see why he didn't go easy on you."
Taking a deep breath, Gang Orca continued, "Besides... we're almost done with the exam. How are you gonna handle yourself here?"
Ochako closed her eyes. "I won't."
"Eh?"
"...they will."
Gang Orca experienced a searing sensation running through his body as not just one pair of fists, but TWO, quickly slammed into his back. Striking a foe from behind was an unlawful move, but the circumstances made it difficult to dispute!
"Don't worry!" Izuku groaned as his fist, if not his entire body, sparked with energy.
"We're here!" A second voice, Zenkichi, swiftly joined in as the two delivered a powerful shared combination attack onto Gang Orca.
"AND WE'RE GOING TO BEAT YOU!" They yelled in unison, causing Gang Orca to also notice the presence of a third figure standing right behind Ochako.
"Consider this your end, foul villain. You've done quite enough destruction for one afternoon." Medaka declared. Ochako seemed to smile even wider than she thought, maybe...just maybe, they had a shot at winning this.
Zenkichi charged in first, skillfully avoiding Gang Orca's attempted swipes. He dove for cover as more blows were unleashed, then decided to throw Gang Orca off. Leaping off a nearby wall, he kicked Gang Orca square in the face.
Stumbling backward, Gang Orca found himself bound by Blackwhip as Izuku pulled the whip back. Utilizing its elasticity, Izuku propelled himself forward, delivering a series of powerful 5% punches before finishing with a strong kick to the jaw.
The group converged on Gang Orca, with Izuku and Zenkichi actively maneuvering around the larger foe. Izuku threw out whip-charged punches, using the momentum to leap over Gang Orca before potential retaliation. Meanwhile, Zenkichi targeted hard-to-reach nerve points with his own attacks.
"How are they...?" Ochako seemed surprised at how well they worked together.
"Zenkichi's quirk allows him to see from another's perspective, enabling him to move accordingly. Quite useful, isn't it?" Medaka explained with a sense of pride, her body crackling with energy.
Izuku and Zenkichi continued their barrage of strikes to wear down Gang Orca. However, he attempted to shift the fight in his favor by using more sonic blasts to paralyze or disorient his attackers.
"Tch-! You think you're ready now, Medaka?! You're taking your sweet time over there!" Zenkichi called out, confusing both Gang Orca and Ochako. Medaka, the blue-haired student council president, continued to jump from foot to foot.
"Oh hush hush, these moves take time, you know. But yes...I think we're ready!"
Ochako's eyes widened. Oh, she's going for that!
Medaka's body became enveloped in a radiant rainbow aura as she harnessed The End's power to its fullest extent. The air crackled with energy as she prepared for a formidable attack. Gang Orca, spinning around to face her, saw Medaka launching herself forward. It felt as if he could see the ominous kanji for death appearing right before his eyes, a terrifying image of Medaka charging toward him with her fist poised for a strike.
"Kurokami-!" Medaka called out as she charged forward, an intense force radiating around Gang Orca.
However, in a sudden twist, it seemed like Medaka tripped on a nearby rock. Her body careened past Gang Orca, landing face down in the dirt. This unexpected turn of events caused a rush of wind that nearly blew Gang Orca off his feet. The entire group stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the absurdity of what had just transpired.
Gang Orca, equally flabbergasted, lay on the ground in disbelief.
"These kids...are scary." Gang Orca muttered to himself, as the timer buzzed.
"Alright," Mera called over the loudspeakers, "Time's up. Give us a few moments to get all the scores calculated, iron out any discrepancies...and then you'll all see if you passed or failed. All HUC members please report any of those aforementioned discrepancies to me at once and we can," the safety commission worker yawned, "and we can go over them."
Gang Orca groaned, as Izuku and Zenkichi helped him back up. "Are you okay, sir?" Izuku asked.
"I was burnt, frozen, and nearly smashed into by a girl going...I dunno, Mach 5?" Gang Orca said. "...so, all in all I'm fine. You should be more concerned about your friend."
「actually, shes already been taken care of」 the familiar voice of Kumagawa said, supporting the unconscious Medaka with some help from Saki.
"That's...0 for 2 now, right? She used that move and it didn't work?" Saki asked.
「maybe, but give her credit, it was a good tactic...even if it was out of desperation」
"Wait, weren't you buried in cement?" Izuku asked.
"How are you up and walking, Kumagawa?" Zenkichi demanded.
「i got out」
"Okay, but how?" Zenkichi frowned.
「i just did」
"I...don't think he's gonna give a straight answer," Izuku said.
「pointing out the obvious there, but youre right. because where's the fun in just saying it?」 Kumagawa smirked.
"...is he always...?" Gang Orca whispered to Izuku.
"As far as I can tell, yes," Izuku nodded. Orca wasn't really sure how to take that, honestly.
"So, what's gonna happen now?" Kaminari asked, sometime after everyone had changed back into school uniforms.
"I mean, we did all we could, but...I wonder what THEY think." Kirishima motioned to the men in the stands- the writer neglected to mention them, but there were a good 100 men in the stands, monitoring and watching everything the students did.
"I dunno. Could be some harsh graders." Momo frowned.
"This waiting is the worst part..." Jirou whined.
Izuku was concerned with Todoroki, who had been silent ever since the exam was over. Izuku still held on to a glimmer of optimism, although...
There was a lot riding on the results of this test.
As they talked, the other moderators came down from the stands to see how well their classes had fared.
"I know we might've lost some people in the first round," Ms. Joke said in a surprisingly serious tone, not a hint of her usual jokey mannerisms present, "But you all put in a hundred percent out there, more than that in some case! You've done Ketsubutsu proud!"
"You kids all did your best!" Kathleen beamed. "I saw a lot of good performances out there- if I didn't start your training a few weeks back, I don't think you would have done as well."
"And you even showed some good team work with Class 1-A." Jaune applauded. "I can't tell you how happy I was to see you guys cooperating..."
Pyrrha let the other two take the reins on the speech for now; they already planned the whole congratulation speech.
Aizawa, well, he congratulated is class in the most Aizawa way possible.
"There were a lot of good choices made on the field, and a bunch of horrible choices that we'll be going over later on in class. But, overall...the fact all of you made it to the final leg is nothing short of incredible." Aizawa said. "So, good job."
Ren made a face. He's a good teacher, but he has a weird way of saying 'congrats'.
Mera was now seated behind a foldable table with several pieces of paper stacked in front of him, each one no doubt a student's graded report for the exam.
"Alright, the results are in," the safety commission worker said, "If your name's not on this board," he jabbed a thumb in the direction of the massive digital tracking board, "well...you know what that means." He pushed a button as the board quickly transitioned and displayed a list of names, each one numbered according to how many points they had at the end. Ochako and Izuku scanned the board for their respective names with nervous anticipation, with the same thought repeating on loop in their heads.
Where's my name, where's my name, where's my name, where's my name?
Ochako's eyes lit up with joy as she finally saw it- Ochako, Uraraka. She squeaked with joy, as she began to excitedly shake Izuku and Iida with joy. "I PASSED! OH MY GOD, I PASSED!"
"Uraraka, please! I'm trying to find mi-" Iida said, as he suddenly paused. He saw HIS name too!
"I...I passed...I PASSED!" Izuku declared, grabbing his classmate by the shoulders and shaking her back, "I PASSED! WE PASSED!"
"WE DID!"
"So did I!" Iida declared.
"With your help in the first round...so have I! My twinkling's even brighter now, emboldened by this victory!" Yuga beamed.
"Yo, Kirishima, Mina! You guys passed too! I see your names!" Kaminari said.
"Where?" Mina asked.
"Right above mine!"
"Awesome!" Kirishima pumped his fist.
"T-thank goodness!" Momo gave a sigh of relief upon seeing her name.
"I'm up there..." Jirou sighed in relief.
"Phew!" Sero finally exhaled.
"Ribbit."
"Thank goodness."
"WOOHOO!"
As more and more of Class 1-A saw their names, Todoroki just stared ahead the board blankly. He knew from the very start of this that the worst possible scenario had happened. He gave a deep sigh of disappointment, as the other members of Class 1-A noticed.
"Todoroki?" Kirishima asked.
"...I don't see my name up there."
"Wait...what?" Kirishima turned back to the board. He scanned it over again, looking over by the T names...but he didn't see it. He double, triple quadruple checked it, thinking he just read over it, but no such luck.
"Todoroki...failed?" Izuku asked, totally shocked.
"I knew I was going to fail, honestly. I...made too many stupid mistakes." Todoroki confessed.
"Those who passed," Mera announced, "come up here and state your name. You'll be given the graded transcript with some constructive criticism for how to improve in the future. As for those of you who failed..."
Todoroki tensed up, as did, surprisingly Inasa. Yes, the heavy hitter of Shiketsu had failed as well.
"...you'll be getting a second chance."
Inasa and Todoroki perked up upon hearing that.
"We'll explain after we pass out your examination sheets." Mera yawned, as the men in black began approaching the crowds with a big stack of paper.
It was a surprisingly quick process, given the amount of students here. Mera was telling the truth. Each grade sheet had the student's grade out of a hundred and written suggestions about how to improve. For some it was simple suggestions, things like improving mobility or short or long range combat skills. Others were a bit more complex, more specific.
Ochako looked at her score- 70/100. She gave a sigh of relief. I bet I got some points off for that stuff in the sky with Gang Orca. Thank goodness I got out of it.
"Hey, what did you guys get?" Ochako asked.
"71..." Izuku said. "It wasn't because of what I did, but my behavior before taking action. Some hesitation and stuff, apparently."
"I got an 80. Said I didn't make good, practical use of my talents." Iida said.
"And I...got a 100."
Medaka flashed her paper to the trio. Iida adjusted his glasses.
"...where did you come from?" Iida asked.
「youre surprised by this? still?」 Kumagawa asked, peeking out from behind Medaka with his own sheet in hand.
"Oh. Uh, Kumagawa." Izuku frowned. "I didn't see your name up there-"
Kumagawa held up his paper- 49/100. 「one point off! all because i weirded out some bystanders」
"It's okay, Kumagawa. You still made it this far." Medaka always saw the bright side.
「i was also useless after the gang orca attack...so, that docked me some major points」 Kumagawa sighed. 「but...it's not my fault」
"Are you gonna blame someone else? Like Gang Orca himself?" Ochako guessed.
"It's just something he says a lot. I don't get it." Zenkichi sighed. "Good to see you guys passed."
"How'd you do?" Izuku asked.
"I got mid-70s. Seems pretty standard for the course." Zenkichi said.
"There's no recovery system for points," Ochako said. "Kinda messed up that they don't allow room for any error or the chance to regain some footing, but..." Ochako smiled. "I passed."
"It does make some sense," Iida chimed in, "Out in the field, we'll only get one chance."
"I'm just shocked about the second chance," Zenkichi said. "That's new."
"It is?"
"Yeah, none of our upperclassmen or teachers mentioned something like that." Zenkichi said.
"The world is full of chances!" Medaka said. "Maybe the commissioners office is finally seeing that."
Ochako shook her head and chuckled. She then looked over to see Mogana, looking quite satisfied with her paper.
The Omnitrix successor walked over to check on the girl. She peeked over her shoulder when she got close enough to see Mogana's score. 74. Some points were docked here and there for various things, though it seems the largest deductions were due to her over-reliance on others and her own hesitation.
"74?" Ochako asked.
'Yeah. Not perfect, but I wasn't expecting perfect. You?" Mogana asked back.
"70."
"That's good as well." Mogana nodded.
The two girls stared at each other.
"So, uh. Hey. Thanks for that random pep talk out of nowhere." Mogana said. "I dunno why, but I feel like I kinda owe some of my success to you."
"You're welcome," Ochako beamed, "Nothing's stopping us from helping out our fellow students. I know the whole school rivalry thing, but who'd really enforce that?"
"...we have someone like that," Mogana admitted, her mind immediately going to Seiji.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. I dunno. It's weird." Mogana frowned. "So, I can assume you're a frugal person as well?"
Ochako nodded. "Rent is theft."
"Tell me about it. My landlord has stolen approximately 1406887.38 yen from me since I moved into an apartment near campus..." Mogana huffed.
"You keep track?" Ochako tilted her head.
"The spite fuels me." Mogana declared.
"So fair." Ochako agreed.
Medaka watched the two talk, and couldn't help but feel happy that Mogana had someone who could relate to her struggles. It's strange- everyone has a 'parallel' here. She thought.
She then looked around.
...but yet, there's no one for me.
Todoroki hung back, watching the others discuss their triumphs and what they needed to improve upon. It was weird, being told he had failed, but had accepted it. His actions during the latter half of the exam were inexcusable, but it took Izuku calling him out for him to actually snap out of it. He shouldn't have needed that, shouldn't have fallen into that kind of pitfall.
"Hey, U.A!" the familiarly hot-blooded voice of Inasa called out.
"Gale Force," Todoroki greeted.
Inasa approached Todoroki, and towered over him. He glared down at Todoroki, who was making direct eye contact with the boy. Todoroki didn't want to show those 'eyes' again- he tried to 'soften' his look, which clashed against Inasa's harsh glare.
...which suddenly plummeted to the ground. Inasa's head hammered the pavement. "I'M SORRY!"
Todoroki blinked.
"It was entirely my fault that you didn't pass! My attitude is to blame! I'm sorry!" Inasa yelled.
Todoroki gave a deep sigh. "...I started it back then. There's no need for this. I...remember you."
Inasa perked up. "Y-you do?"
"Yeah. The...obstacle course, at UA." Todoroki sighed. "You beat me in a race. You approached me open and honestly, and I...blew you off."
That actually got Inasa off guard. The son of Endeavor, the one with the same cold and distant eyes of his father, was apologizing. Endeavor would never do that for something he would deem trivial.
"I...I see..." Inasa finally managed to get out, his usual energetic voice being more reserved now, not out of malic but sheer surprise.
"Back then..." Todoroki said. "I was more focused on something else. I wanted to spite my old man, but...I never meant to take it out on the others."
Inasa blinked. "...ALRIGHT!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I don't FULLY forgive you, but- yeah, that checks out." Inasa said.
"In truth, I didn't expect you to forgive me at all. My actions were as poor back then as they were today," Todoroki said, "and recognizing that, the best thing is to at least attempt to rebuild those bridges before they're burned for good. Right?"
"...yeah." Inasa said. "So...let's try this again."
"Let's," Todoroki nodded, "Shoto Todoroki," the half and half hero extended his hand in greeting.
"Inasa Yoarashi," The wind-user said with a smirk, taking Todoroki's hand and shaking it tightly.
Eventually, the students had to go back to their respective schools. There were a few goodbyes here and there, since the experience had forged some iron clad relations. Especially with UA and Shiketsu.
Medaka surprisingly wrapped Ochako in a tight hug, and squeezed her like crazy. "I'm VERY sure you'll be seeing us again!" She declared, sounding so sure.
"Medaka. Stop doing that." Zenkichi said. "Don't suffocate ANOTHER new friend."
"I'm fine…" Ochako mumbled, now stuck in another 'Mei' situation. Medaka released Ochako, and she immediately caught her breath. "You're…a little weird, but…a fun weird."
"She gets that a lot." Mogana quipped.
"Oh! Hey! Before you guys go…" Izuku took out his notes. "How did you do that 'sneak up' technique? Is that a school strategy?"
The group looked very confused. "Uh…what sneak up technique?" Zenkichi asked.
"The student working with Kumagawa- she had this disguise power or something." Izuku explained.
「i believe you mean camie」
Kumagawa appeared behind the UA group, with a slight smirk on his face. Izuku jumped back. "S-see? Like that!"
「camie wasn't feeling too great after the exam」
「she hitched an early ride home」
Kumagawa walked off. 「you'll see her soon」
Ochako shuddered. "He still skeeves me out."
"You'll grow numb to it." Zenkichi sighed. "Trust me."
"You finally picked up...where are you!? What are you doing?"
"Camie" walked down an alleyway, and threw the hat off. "Sorry, sorry...was nearly caught, but the guy let it slide." She explained.
"Let it slide? Weird. Still, you're supposed to report back to us. If you get in trouble, all of us get in trouble!"
"Don't worry, Jin..." Toga said, shedding her disguise. "It wasn't a total loss..." She held up a VERY small vial of blood. "I got my hands on Izuku's blood~!"
