Chapter 33:
(Okay! Now we get to Ochaco vs. Katsuki! And of course the current occasional chapter intro with Claus. I promise these won't last long and that they'll start serving a purpose later. For now, just enjoy the chapter! ...That's not sarcasm, don't think otherwise, please? :))
Claus and the others reconvened at Club T, trying to figure out this newfound occurrence with Claus surviving not one, but TWO strikes of lightning. The boy looked into the mirror and saw what was new about his reflection. Though he still bared the same teal eyes, but the reflection revealed the purple highlight Fuel mentioned was true. "How…" Claus wondered what would happen if he showed this new feature to his Mom and Dad. How freaked out would they be that he survived literal lightning?! Here's hoping he wasn't just losing it. "So much happening and so little answers…" Claus thought to himself, "Claus? Are you okay?" Fuel asked from the door. "Y-Yeah, I'll be out in a second." Claus finished up bandaging where the wounds are, which reminded him of the fact that his injuries were healed by some weird green light.
Claus walked out to see his friends with worried looks on their faces. "I…I think I should be good. I mean, I sent the lightning out, right?" Claus asked. Kumatora walked up to him, "Kumatora, what are you—?"
Kumatora then proceeded to poke Claus's forehead. "Whoa, hold it!" Claus said, "What? Best way to determine if you're free to touch right now." Kumatora bluntly said, Claus looked annoyed. "Wha—Do you a death wish?!" he asked. Kumatora rolled her eyes, "Dude, you're fine. Anyways, we need to figure out what that is, right?" She asked.
Claus brushed his hair as he sat down on a chair, Boney sat next to him. "So, how do you feel right now?" Fuel asked, concerned. "I'm feeling fine. I mean, like we just…proved, the lightning's outta my system, so…" Claus said, "BUT THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN, DOES IT? I SHOULD BE DEAD, AND NOW I'M LEGITIMATELY FREAKED OUT AND—" Kumatora slapped him, "Get it together, kid!" She said. Fuel looked a little lost in thought, pulling out something from his journal. Boney whimpered, "Hrmmmm…! (Please don't start freaking out, Claus. Take a deep breath.)" he said, Claus held his hand over his cheek that was slapped, he took a deep breath. "Pick a calming technique and only one, please." Claus said, now turning to Fuel and wondering what he's doing.
"There's one theory I think makes sense, right now." Fuel said, "And it also relates to how you can hear Boney's voice." he opened a page from his notes, explaining something that some of the Pigmasks called "Quirks & Special Abilities."
"Okay, out with it, what's this 'Quirk' thing?" Claus said, Fuel studied his notes. "Basically, in true comic book fashion, people all over the world now have this genetic element that allows them to have super powers. And while some people like me have no powers, the vast majority of the world have these Quirks. That's what I remember hearing, sneaking into the boot camp that one time." Fuel explained.
Claus, Kumatora and Boney looked at Fuel, dumbfounded. "They really explained all of that, what is this, some kinda comic book?" Kumatora explained.
"Okay, but my parents don't even have these 'Quirks', so why am I special?" Fuel began to flip through his pages, "Maybe your family HAS the genetic material for it, but it skipped your parents's generation?" Fuel theorized, "What about your grandpa?"
"Grandpa? No! Not once has he ever had these abilities!" Claus said, "I would've seen him use them for any time he got hurt."
Claus then thought about this 'Quirk' thing. None of the four of them had ever been out to the main land, so the possibility of that isn't impossible. Claus took another deep breath, "Double Besides, I've been hearing Boney speak since I could write. My eyes were never purple or any of this."
Fuel put his notes back, "Maybe you're a late bloomer. That apparently is also possible." Kumatora just rolled her eyes, "Point is, Claus, you got some weird powers now. We'll just call them Super-Healing and Thunder for now, I guess?"
Fuel's eyes lit up, "That's actually a good idea! Let's give your powers a name!" Claus looked dumbfounded, again.
"What?" He asked, smirking, but cringing. "Think about it, we come up with a cool name for your superpowers, right?" Fuel asked. Claus felt his anxiousness subside as Fuel kept his spirits up in the moment. "Okay, we'll call it…" Claus wasn't good with names, coming up with suggestions like PK Power, Elemental Burst or anything weird. Weirdly enough, he thought of a name that sounds too perfect, it almost unsettles him. Claus nodded, "Okay, we'll call it…PSI."
(Back on the other side of the world)
Ochaco stood on her side of the arena, determined to win against Bakugo. As Present Mic introduced their names, even saying that he was personally rooting for her over Katsuki. "You're the one who screws with gravity, isn't that right, Pink-Cheeks?" Katsuki asked, keeping his all too common glare.
"Pink-Cheeks?!" Ochaco asked, confused. "Well, if you're gonna give up, do it now." Katsuki insisted, telling her he wouldn't hold anything back. Ochaco looked a little nervous, but started to stand her ground.
(At the bleachers)
"Midoriya, I'm curious…" Tenya put up his arm, robotically. "What was that strategy you said would give Uraraka a chance against Bakugo?" Tenya asked.
Izuku held up his Hero Analysis journal, "Honestly, it wasn't really much of a plan. Kacchan's so strong…"
Izuku explained that Katsuki almost has never any openings when it comes to close combat, "The more he moves, the more he sweats, which just makes his Quirk more powerful." Izuku said, remembering his fight with Katsuki on the class's first day of combat training. "He's gotten really good at using his explosions to move in the air." Izuku explained, "But if Uraraka can touch him, she can use her Quirk to make him float in the air. She could send him out of bounds. That's why…It's obvious what Uraraka needs to do to win." With Izuku's explanation out of the way, Hizashi then shouted that the match was on!
Ochaco ran in, charging at Katsuki! "Giving up isn't an option for me!" She said.
"Wow, look at her go! All she has to do is touch Kacchan one time." Tenya looked back at his friend, "But it won't be easy. You know Bakugo's not gonna let her get too close to him." Izuku knew what was happening in that possibility.
"Which is why he won't attack!" Izuku realized that Katsuki would focus more on counterattack.
Katsuki raised his hand up, "And now you die." he said, Izuku noted that using a right-hook is always how he starts a fight. Ochaco realized she had him where she wanted. "There." she thought to herself. "Here he comes!" Ochaco lifted her arms up before Katsuki sent an explosion her way. "If I can dodge this move…!" She thought to herself.
Katsuki blasted her before she could get too close. Some debris had been formed in that attack.
"Uraraka!" Izuku and Tenya said, worried.
(Meanwhile in the medical room)
"Ochaco!" Lucas said, worried about his friend. Lucas knew Katsuki wasn't trying to kill her, but that explosion was near close to make him worry. Nezu looked on, curious. "Looks like Mr. Bakugo isn't showing mercy." he said. Lucas looked annoyed as he kept watching. "Looks like his goal so far is to keep her at bay." Lucas noted in his mind. "Ochaco's best bet is to outwit Bakugo-san if at all possible."
(Back with Ochaco)
"Stupid! Saw it coming and I still couldn't get out of the way." She berated herself. Katsuki kept a silent fury look on his face. "You should've dropped out of the match." he said to her, using another right-hook! "There's no way you can beat me!" he said, creating another explosion. He thought he had Ochaco pinned to the ground, when the smoke cleared, it was revealed to be just her gym shirt. While Katsuki realized this, Ochaco came out from behind him.
"This is my chance to make him float!" Ochaco thought to herself, going in for the opening.
Katsuki's reaction time was incredible, as he sent another explosion to knock her back. Ochaco fell back and rolled before she could land back onto her feet.
"Look at that reaction time!" Sero had said, "Seriously, the dude's insane. You can't get the drop on him." Denki said, "And since Uraraka can't use her Quirk unless she touches him. His fast reflexes put her at a disadvantage."
Katsuki sent another wave, "TOO SLOW!" he shouted at her, Ochaco flinched slightly upon the attack's incoming. Rubble being created by each blast.
Izuku and Tenya looked on, worried about this outcome. Ochaco was having a hard time, they knew that would happen. But it was much harder than they expected.
(yk, once I heard "counterattack" I thought of the iconic theme from XC2, I played during this scene and it worked)
Lucas looked on, all that was shouting in his head, "You got this, Ochaco!" Although he was worried for his friend's wellbeing, he saw that there was a burning determination that was firing her up. "Wait a sec…" Lucas analyzed Ochaco's movements with each strike Katsuki sends her way. "Wait a sec…" Lucas's eyes widened in a sense of realization.
"I'VE GOT YOU!" She shouted at him, getting another chance to use her Quirk. Katsuki sent another wave of his Quirk's damage.
Kyoka shut her eyes, not wanting to watch anymore. Tsuyu in her trademark pose, "Is she okay?" She asked, "I can't watch this!" Kyoka said.
Izuku and Lucas both had worried expressions as the battle kept going. Katsuki would send explosion after explosion, while Ochaco would use every opportunity she could find to reach him. "THIS ISN'T OVER YET!" she shouted. Katsuki could see another place she was coming from as the smoke kept clearing. Katsuki sent another attack to keep her at bay, with her seemingly taking it head on that last time. Rubble was flying into the air alongside Ochaco.
"Looks like she's not resting between attacks despite being exploded." Hizashi said over the mic, lamenting the poor girl.
Katsuki created practically an explosion-vortex, breaking the ground and creating more smoke. "Uraraka…" Izuku hardly managed to say.
(I heard uh, Class 1-B's voice had some input, let's hear from him)
Neito overheard a pro say how Ochaco's first strategy didn't work and now she's getting desperate. The blonde chuckled, "You idiots. Look closer."
(So, where's Lucas in this chapter? In the medical room)
Lucas analyzed the pattern as best he could. Nezu smiled, "Looks like you're noticing something, my boy." the "mouse" said. Lucas then saw when Katsuki sent another attack and it clicked. "I know what she's doing!" Lucas said, smiling!
(Back outside where the action is)
Smoke was clearing out again, Cementoss could hear some of the audience members saying maybe he should do something because things seem like they've gotten worse.
Ochaco watched as the Katsuki's silhouette was emerging from the smoke. Ochaco tried charging once more before another explosion went off.
"This is shameful!" One pro had said, "Listen, kid. You really want to be a hero? Then stop acting like a bully!"
Katsuki payed no attention to anyone save for his opponent, as they just told him to send her out of bounds and stop torturing her.
The audience started booing Katsuki, "…And honestly, I kinda agree with what they're saying—ARGHH!" Present Mic was hit by his co-announcer. Aizawa then took the mic from his co-announcer. Hizashi looked at his old friend, angry and confused. "Where is the man who started this uproar? Are you a pro?" Aizawa asked, said pro looking a little nervous. "'Cause if you're being serious, you can go home and hang up your cape right now. I suggest looking into another career." Aizawa said.
Izuku and Tenya looked on, unsure what their teacher was talking about.
"Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgment of his opponent's strength. He knows she deserves to have made it this far." Aizawa explained, already understanding how Bakugo was really acting. "So, he's making sure he does whatever it takes to keep her at bay, come out on top."
(Soooooo…no joke here, I got nothing)
Lucas lightened his mood a little, "Classic Sensei." he thought to himself, but the comment from the pro about Katsuki being a bully still stuck with him. "Sure, he's not being a bully here…surprisingly." Lucas thought to himself. Lucas took a breath, "What did he do to Izuku?" Was already a thought that had crossed his mind. But it wasn't important right now. Lucas continued to watch the match.
(Okay, cool, back to the two who are actually fighting)
"We're not finished. She's still standing." Katsuki thought to himself, "She's NOT dead yet."
Ochaco brushed her cheek, "I think…it's about time." Ochaco said. Katsuki grunted, confused by that comment. "For keeping your eyes focused on me." Ochaco said, raising her hands up.
(Neito, any comments? Class 1-B's input is REALLY important here)
"I don't blame Bakugo for not noticing. But it's embarrassing for a pro to boo and not realize what's going on from the stands." Neito explained, keeping his empty smirk. Neito took note that Ochaco kept low to the ground each attack as she let Katsuki's blasts destroy the floor of the ring, creating weapons for her. "And then, she kept him focused on her by attacking relentlessly without rest." Neito looked up, his classmates alongside him noticed the floating debris.
(Can I get the final comment from Lucas?)
Lucas smirked. "There it is. Ochaco's created her own opening." Lucas realized that the floating debris is actually another trick, "Let's go, Ochaco!" he shouted, excited for his friend. Nezu smiled for his boy, but quickly looked one more time. "She has to be quick if she can use the opening…" Nezu thought to himself.
(Ochaco's the freaking coolest right now!)
Ochaco put her hands together, releasing her Quirk's grip on the floating debris, making it all fall at once. It was almost like stormfall, how fast it was falling. The audience members were shocked. "A METEOR SHOWER?!" Hizashi shouted into his mic, Aizawa unsurprised said: "Now you noticed."
Izuku stood up in amazement, "Whoa, she had a plan all along!" he said.
Katsuki stared up at the meteor shower about to hit him, that he didn't notice Ochaco rushing toward him. "With this much debris, whether he's evading or counterattacking, it should DEFINITELY give me an opening!" Ochaco thought to herself. "In that moment, I'll finally get close to him!"
Katsuki raised his arm up toward the sky, while Ochaco readied her Quirk. "This is it! My shot!" She said, sporting that fierce determination, "I'll win and be good like Deku!" She finished her thoughts, reaching for Katsuki's chest to touch.
However, in that moment, Katsuki's hand burst with a huge explosion, which created shockwave that pushed Ochaco back before she could reach him.
She had almost made it, too.
Katsuki's blast was powerful enough to send an updraft of wind toward the audience.
Shots of debris flew back into the air and some landed on the roof of the stadium.
The smoke appeared once again, Ochaco struggled to get up, when she did, she saw Katsuki's silhouette.
"I figured you might have some sort of stupid plan to beat me. You are friends with that nerd, after all." Katsuki explained.
Ochaco looked over in horror, "Ah…I-It took him one shot…" she said, paralyzed in the moment with fear. Her plan had failed.
It shook the entirety of Class 1-A, all except Shoto had clear stunned shock on their faces.
Katsuki could feel the recoil of his attack on his left arm, taking a deep breath. "That was close…" he said, quietly.
Ochaco was upset, "I bet everything I could into that…but I wasn't good enough…" she thought to herself.
Izuku looked upset, "Oh man…"
Lucas looked so scared, "Sh-She almost made it…" was what he could say. He started shaking, worried about how this was going to go, seeing Ochaco barely able to stand. "Have more faith in her…Ochaco's as tough as she is determined right now."
Katsuki just smirked, "All right then, time for us to get serious. Uraraka!" He shouted at her, being the one to charge this time. "If Deku were in the ring…" Ochaco thought to herself, "He wouldn't give up yet!" She was ready to fight, still. Ochaco wasn't going to give up just yet!
As the two started running to cross Quirks once more. Katsuki could notice it…
…Ochaco had lost. She was limping now, and she was exhausted. She looked like she was about to fall over. Then…she finally did. Ochaco was defeated. "Uraraka is down!" Hizashi said, with a slight hint of sadness in his voice.
"no…get up…I wanna keep going." she muttered, trying to move.
"It's too much." Tenya said, "Yeah. She's way past her limit." Izuku then said.
Ochaco tried her best to get herself back up, Katsuki readying himself for the possibility.
Ochaco was re-living her memories of her promise to her parents.
She wanted to see this through, she wasn't going to give up. Not like this! "I'll become…the hero…" she managed to mutter.
Nemuri walked up when she was fully back in the ground, halting Katsuki to assess if she was KO'd or not.
Midnight shut her eyes, solemnly. "Uraraka is KO'd. Bakugo advances to the next round."
Katsuki stood as the crowd cheered for him.
(Meanwhile)
Lucas started tearing up quietly as he and Recovery Girl help Ochaco with her injuries.
"She was working so hard to win, too." Lucas thought to himself.
Ochaco gave it her all, but still couldn't come out on top. Lucas wanted his friend to win, because it would've been incredible if she did and it felt like she needed it. "I shouldn't be lamenting like this. Ochaco needs full medical attention." Lucas said, needing to stay focus. Lucas grunted a little as he and Recovery Girl used their Quirks to help with Ochaco's injuries. Lucas tried to stay slightly positive as this fight should help Ochaco be notice by some great pro agencies.
"All the same, you did incredibly, Ochaco." Lucas remembered that her journey won't end here. It's only beginning.
(Okay! Here we go! Man, after watching it again, I really Ochaco won that fight with Katsuki, you know. But seriously, she was doing so FREAKING WELL!! Also, this is one question I wanted to ask. I know I said before I didn't want Lucas to play a role in the Hero Killer Arc that's happening after this, but that could change depending on what I do next. My question is:
Which Agency should Lucas intern to? I narrowed it down to 3 options:
Best Jeanist with Katsuki,
Gunhead with Ochaco,
…and Endeavor with Shoto.
So, if you guys want to see any of these, cuz I have ideas I think could for all of them. Thanks in advance for anyone's input. Anyways, stay strong and awesome! I hope you guys know what God has in store for your lives!)