Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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        Rain pattered against the plastic material of her clear umbrella. The sound provided a unique comfort to the [hair color] haired girl who crouched before a display of colorful flowers. 

        Her [eye color] eyes were downcast, staring at the bubbles of rain that slid down the waxy petals of a crimson colored tulip. Pink lips were tugged into a frown and thin [hair color] brows were furrowed in thought. The serenity that surrounded her made her reminiscent of the past, of the garden of flowers that used to line the front of her childhood home.

        Slender fingers reached out for the flower, her index finger tapping the outer petal of the tulip and watching as the water bounced off before being replaced with new drops. The spring rain, which gently bounded off her umbrella and puddled on the gray concrete below her feet, filled her with an unknown sense of longing for the presence of a person who had long since passed. Her eyes had slid shut momentarily, hand resting on the top of her knee while the other kept her umbrella above her.

        The sound of footsteps that would occasionally pass by had gone unheard of by her, so had the screeching of tires and the wailing of distant sirens. She was in her own little world that consisted of nothing but fragrant flowers and innocent childhood memories. 

                        The memory of her mother’s blurry figure flashed within her mind and the girl wistfully smiled.

        Her ears perked at the sound of a tinkling bell and it resonated sweetly within her, alarming her of someone either entering or exiting the floral shop she idled near. She paid no mind to them, continuing to stare at the flowers before her and hoped that she may forever be immersed in the nostalgia they brought. 

        “Um. . .” 

        The unsure tone of a female clerk had finally drawn her attention away from the bundle of crimson tulips. She said nothing to acknowledge her, only shifting her gaze away from the flowers and focusing them on the timid looking young adult. The woman stood under the striped awning of the floral store, which had provided enough protection from the light rain. The brunette, who now stood before her, had a flash of recognition cross her face after her eyes raked over the younger girl. As quickly as the expression came, it left and was replaced by a shaky smile.

        The woman recognized the uniform the younger girl donned, the beige sweater vest pulled over a thin white button up had her school’s infamous insignia emblazoned on her left breast. The woman gulped, nervous of the knowledge that whoever the young girl was; she was an Esper powerful enough to get into the Tokiwadai Middle School.

        “W-Would you like me to wrap those for you?” She slowly motioned towards the bundle of crimson tulips all the while internally berating herself for sounding so nervous in front of the younger girl. She had no reason to be afraid. Compared to her, the [hair color] haired girl was nothing more than a child!

        [Name] said nothing for a while, her gaze rolling back over towards the tulips as she hummed in thought. The brunette clasped her hands in front of her abdomen, a nervous smile still planted on her face as she anticipated the other female’s lagged response.

        “Sure.”

        Her answer was curt, and voice so clear that it cuts through the ambience of the rain. The young girl reaches forward, plucking the bundle of flowers she spent a little over thirty minutes staring at before offering them to the woman who stood in place under the awning. The brunette’s shaky smile had morphed into a more solid one at the small kind gesture of the Tokiwadai student.

        After taking the flowers into her hands, the brunette swiftly swivels around and reenters the floral shop she attended. Behind her, she could hear the girl slowly following in only stopping to close her umbrella and place it within a designated stand right outside the shop’s door.

                "In other news, the annual Yuuei sports festival will be held. . ." 

        The rustling of paper, along with the murmuring of the newscaster and the muffled pattering of rain, is all that is heard in the small store. [Name]’s squeaked footsteps do nothing to break the focus of the brunette, who expertly folds thin decorative paper around the stems of her chosen red tulips.

        [Name] delves into the pocket of her grey skirt, fishing out a bill large enough to cover the flowers and wrapping service the clerk provided her. She gently slides it over to the woman as she finishes up with tying a white silk ribbon around the flowers to hold the paper in place. The woman presents the wrapped flowers to her with both hands, which she delicately picks up with her own before politely bowing her head in gratitude.

        “Pl-Please come back again!” Is the last thing [Name] hears before exiting the shop, smiling gently as another tinkling bell is heard to mark her departure.

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        The flowers are delicately cradled in her arms and her leather school bag is tucked snugly against her side. The rain still patted against her plastic umbrella and the sky retained those dreary grey clouds. Her feet splashed droplets of water onto her brown loafers with every step and her skin of her arms raised with the slight chill of the air. 

        [Name] had not spared a glance at the people she walks by on her way towards a destination that’s been lingering in her mind for weeks. She doesn’t pay attention to the hushed but still audible whispers of passing students who marvel at the sight of a Tokiwadai student, far from the district housing the gated School Garden.

        Her [eye color] eyes sparkle with an uncharacteristic contentment as they remained focused on the paved path before her. This contentment would then mellow into a distant melancholy the second her eyes lay on the sight of thick iron gates. 

        She passes through the threshold, her feet automatically taking her through the familiar path that she walked on so many occasions before. Her gaze rakes over the fields, noting that not a single person was in sight, undoubtedly due to the rain. 

        After pathing through narrow aisles of gravel, she stopped right in front of a well taken care of headstone. Her eyes traveled over the surface of it, taking in the engraved kanji of her family name along with the first names of those who had passed.

[Last name] Hanabi

[Last name] Souichirou

[Last name] Natsume

        She crouches in front of the grave, gently setting down the red tulips at the foot of it as a sigh escaped her lips. Her head dipped, arms loosening as the sound of her leather bag clattering to the ground could be heard. She quickly reached for it, shaking off the rain as much as she could before tucking it between her chest and the top of her thighs. 

        “Today was the yearly system scan. . .” Her voice was hushed and unlike the clear tone she used with the woman before, it held a note of sadness. “I’m still a level five like last year.” She laughed to herself as she remembered a particular memory of her younger brother claiming he’d become the number one Esper.

        It was too bad he'd never reach his dream now. . . 

        “I couldn’t do it without you, mom, dad, Natsume.” 

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        "[Last name] [Name]-san?"

        Her ears perk at the sound of her own name. [Eye color] eyes shimmering with curiosity glanced over towards the classroom's door along with the accompanying stares of her fellow classmates. She recognized the male teacher as one of the testers from the system scan that took place the other day. His eyes scour across the sea of young girls, before finally settling on her seated form. He flashes her a friendly smile before motioning for her to approach, something that places an immediate nervousness in the pit of her stomach.

        Her math teacher, a woman who appeared a bit peeved from the sudden interruption, meets her gaze before nodding towards her as silent permission for her to leave. [Name] lifts up from her seat, the attention of her classmates gradually returning back to the lesson rather than her as she makes her way towards the front of the class. 

                "Isn't he one of the testers?"        

"I wonder what they want with [Last name]-sama?"

        With the classroom door sliding shut behind her, it brought upon the cease of the inquisitive whispering. Her teacher's voice could be heard loudly demanding the attention of gossiping girls and when she faces the male teacher before her, she is once again greeted with a friendly smile.

        "I bet you're wondering what you've been called out for."  

        [Name] nods, strands of [hair color] hair bobbing along with her movement. Her lips are pulled into a frown, sharp eyes still holding interest in the reason for her summoning. The man's smile never once wavers and she briefly wonders if his face is stuck like that.

        "This year, the director would like to present a rare opportunity for you. Depending on your answer, you could be creating history!"

        Her eyes flicker away from his excited form, refocusing on the hall stretching out before her. The midday sun is at its highest and filters in gently through the clear glass windows lining the left side of the wide corridor. Other than the sounds of the male's humming and their footsteps, the hall is relatively silent. 

        Despite her itching curiosity, she does not voice her questions; opting to await the moment she is faced with the director. She had a feeling the tester knew more than he let on, but held back much of his knowledge on his own volition. Perhaps it was a tactic to get her more excited over the prospect of special privileges, and more inclined to accept. She was very much aware that she, along with another level five Esper, were the pride and joy of Tokiwadai. The numerous 'opportunities' that would arise was further proof of how desperate the director was to keep her enrolled.

        The gentle rapping of the male teacher's knuckles against a sturdy pair of mahogany doors is what pulls her from her thoughts. She glances up from the ground just in time to hear a mature voice grant them permission to enter and when the doors are opened, she is met with the sight of a familiar older woman.

        With bobbed greying hair neatly tucked behind her ears and red rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, the woman looks nothing short of professional. Her thin arms are folded neatly across the surface of her desk and her slender fingers are clasped together as she interweaves them and rests her chin upon them. Soft and rounded light brown eyes never stray from [Name]'s own as she and the older male present themselves before her. Her lips are pursed but eventually soften into a smile that reminds [Name] briefly of her mother.

        "It's nice to see you again, [Name]-chan." The woman greets, to which [Name] returns with a polite bow of her own. "I'm sure you've heard a bit from Takeda-sensei, correct?" 

        Unabara Yuuko has been the director of Tokiwadai for as long as [Name] has been enrolled, and she had no doubts that the woman has been in charge a lot longer than that. After the deaths of her family, Yuuko was the woman who first offered her a place within Tokiwadai after witnessing the extent of her Quirk. Since then, she and the older woman would often meet up weekly to discuss [Name]'s research and the capabilities of her powers.

        "Something about a 'rare' opportunity. . ." [Name]'s voice is clear, yet her words are spoken slowly due to little use. Her reserved nature often kept her from speaking much and she preferred it that way. "He didn't tell me what kind of opportunity." 

        "You've heard of Yuuei's annual sports festival, haven't you?"

        She blinks, tilting her head slightly before nodding. Her index finger taps idly against her other hand as she internally contemplates what such an event had to do with her. "It's the televised event for the soon-to-be heroes to show off their Quirks. Everyone in Japan watches it."

        "As you know, the schools within Academy City don't participate in such festives, we prefer to hold our own; the Daihaseisai, which is arguably a much larger event, but regardless." She shrugs, her smile dimming as her kind brown eyes flash with mild irritation. Her negative feelings towards Yuuei's sports festival are fleeting and as quick as they appear, they disappear. "There has never been a year that Yuuei extended an invitation to any student of the more notable schools, but this time they seemed to have picked up on your exceptional growth as one of the seven level five Espers." She takes a sip of her coffee, her gaze never leaving [Name]'s. "They want you to compete."

        "Why?"

        It wasn't as if she hated the idea of the attending Yuuei's sports festival, it was more like she couldn't wrap her head around the reason why they would ever bother with her. She was in Academy City, which was a clear enough indicator that she held no interest in heroism. What would be the point of her competing? To show off her power? Was this a way for Academy City to prove that they too housed kids with powerful Quirks?

        At the sight of Takeda-sensei and Yuuko's aghast expression, she shook her head whilst biting her bottom lip. The last thing she'd want is to come off as ungrateful. There is a moment of silence that lingers in the air and it allows her to properly voice out her thoughts.

        "I mean no disrespect, but the heroes have never expressed an interest in Academy City before, so why now?" Her fingers clasp together at her waist as she pulls nervously at her fingertips. "I have no interest in heroics, so I'm unsure of why I should bother."

        "I understand your hesitance, [Name]-chan." Yuuko lifts a hand to sweep fallen strands of grey hair behind her ear. "I won't lie to you, this is merely a way for Academy City to 'show off'. For years the heroes outside of Academy City have captured the limelight for their admirable deeds, which is of course well deserved, however a lot of the other schools have agreed that we should also try our hand at garnering attention through the demonstration of power. Me, along with the directors of the other prestigious schools, decided that you'd be the perfect candidate for a trial run. You're already in your last year of middle school and you're the third ranking level five in Academy City, so. . ."

        Of course this decision was purely made with political intent. Academy City may have been the most technologically advanced city in all of Japan, but it'd never amount to the glory heroism brought. This opportunity was only made possible from Yuuei's curiosity in her power, and Academy City found it as the perfect chance to rake in more money. It still just wasn't enough to gain her interest.

        "It may not sound so appealing now, but it's a chance for you to gain more knowledge of the Quirks outside of Academy City's jurisdiction. I've heard those kids attending Yuuei are something special. . ."

        She thoughtfully hummed, her brows slightly furrowing. It was true that her interests were more centered on the intricacies of Quirks and so it wouldn't be too terrible to witness firsthand the characteristics of Quirks she has yet to see. Her whole life had been dedicated to the progression of her own power and so training it for combatant use wouldn't be all too difficult, the sports festival was in the realm of possibilities for her, she couldn't deny that.

        ". . .It's in a week, isn't it?"

        Her question is met with hopeful nods from both adults. She lowers her gaze back down to her feet and another bout of silence falls upon them. Yuuko is tapping her painted nails on the surface of her polished desk and Takeda is fidgeting nervously beside her. It was obvious they both wanted her to accept participation.

        "I'll think about it."

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note: theres going to be very little cannon events from bnha and more focused on the Railgun story arcs with the implementation of bnha characters. i wont say this is a definite decision as i might end up putting some cannon events in but will probably be altered a bit. reader is also a year younger than the 1-a kids sooo get ready for reader-chan to beg her senpais to notice her or will it be the other way around??? ;))

reader will be kinda op and i will try my best to give her some major flaws to work out!! also this fic will have multiple endings for your chosen sweetheart :) this includes male and female interests :))

also please download this extension for chrome! It makes the reading experience much more better!! This extension replaces [name] and such with the characteristics of yourself or your oc!!

Chapter Text

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        She relished in the silence that hushed over the desolate area, the serenity being a blessing compared to the noise of the city streets. The tapping of her pen against the wooden surface of the table she occupied was another comfort that calmed her racing thoughts.

        The numerous papers fanned out before her were marked with the same black pen that stilled in her hand. Her eyes, which drooped with mild exhaustion, roved across its emboldened surface and raked in the information she once stored only in her brain. The lined papers were filled to the brim with observations and notes of her ongoing research, most of them pertaining to the various quirks she had the privilege to study.  

        Her hand cramped slightly from overuse and with a sigh she allowed it to fall limp, the pen rolling out of her fingers and onto the table with a quiet clunk. She felt the sting of dissatisfaction settle in the depths of her muddled mind. There was so much more that she needed to know about Quirks and their interaction with the human body. Mutations, as interesting as they were, were rarely presented before her with the intent of research. Unsurprisingly, many who possessed the mutations she wished to study didn't desire to be poked and prodded or looked at so close. Because of this, her notes could only go so far; reducing them to basic observations that can be picked up with a single overview of their person. 

        It was to be expected. Despite residing in the city dedicated to science, few rarely ever wanted to take the place as the 'lab rat'. 

        Her gaze drifted off of the oak table and towards the various bookshelves lined in front of her table. The library was quiet, as it should be. Muffled murmuring could be heard somewhere among the sea of shelves and the occasional flipping of pages was music to her ears. She relished in the serenity the enclosed space provided and she found herself dreading the moment she would have to leave.

        The sun was at its highest in the sky, encasing the table and her scattered papers in its radiant light. Her table was placed near the large windows lining the outer perimeter of the library and this area in particular was her favorite. Not only was she near enough to the archives, where past Quirk registries belonging to Academy City were kept, but the clear view of the botanical gardens was an appealing sight she often liked to look at. Here, no one ever bothered her and she was free to delve into her research for hours on end without interruption. 

        Another sigh escaped her lips as she lowered her head to rest her cheek in the palm of her hand. [Eye color] eyes gazed longingly at the field of violet azaleas that would occasionally sway gently with the wind. As much as she enjoyed spending her day with her nose stuffed into her notes, she still felt the urge to wander around outside; especially somewhere new. It was no secret that [name] held a certain sense of adventure, one she often used to drive her desire to discover rare Quirks.

        I wonder if I should take her up on that offer. . . The week is almost up and I still haven't given her an answer.

        The offer was tempting in regards to her desire to see the various Quirks that would be presented in the sports festival. Not only would she be able to take mental notes of them, but there was a chance that the strongest would be put against her, giving her the opportunity to test the extents of the participants Quirks and her own.

        From the moment her Quirk developed, she's always kept track of her progress and after achieving the highest level an Esper could be, she wondered if that progress was beginning to plateau. She's never once used her abilities in a combat, other than the few times she was forced to shock some bothersome people who couldn't keep their hands to themselves, but that wasn't much for practice. 

        The sound of clicking heels and the unceremonious slap of a gloved hand against the table she occupied, successfully drew her attention. [name] glanced over towards her side, her eyes trailing up the feminine figure of a familiar blonde.

        "Although I'm not surprised to see you here, don't you think it's irresponsible of you to act as if you have nothing better to do?"

        The blonde cutely tilted her head, her starry golden eyes shimmering with their usual amusement. [name] was more than used to the girl's abrupt visits, but to see her not accompanied by her usual group of 'friends' was a bit surprising. Shokuhou Misaki possessed a notably rare Quirk called 'Mental Out', it's versatility in controlling the minds of anyone in her immediate vicinity was enough to earn her place as the fifth ranked level five Esper. [name]'s interest in her Quirk is what gave way to a somewhat odd relationship with the blonde that neither of them would properly acknowledge as friendship.  

        "Shoukou-san. . ." [name]'s brows furrowed slightly after she had the chance to fully process the blonde's words. It might have not been directly stated, but Misaki was hinting towards her knowledge of the offer Yuuko had given her the a few days ago. "How do you even know about that?"

        The girl only knowingly smiled, her hand sliding off the table to join her other hand in clasping behind her back. Her shoulder bag slightly rustled with her movement, [name]'s ears picking up the distinct sound of the plastic clattering of the remote controls she stored inside.

        "Don't you know? Everyone's talking about how one of us were chosen to participate in Yuuei's sports festival and last I checked, I wasn't made such an offer." 

        [name] hummed, her gaze dropping back down to her scattered papers. She wasn't sure how everyone already found out about the offer the director made, but with Misaki's knack for prying into matters that had nothing do to do with her, [name] wouldn't put it past her as the originator of the rumors. Her mind reading skills were proficient in gathering any kind of information she so desired without even lifting a finger. 

        "You're going to accept that offer, aren't you?" Her tone held a tinge of edge that insinuated her words were not a suggestion, but a demand. When she bent down slightly, nearing her face uncomfortably close to [name]'s, the [hair color] haired girl only shifted her gaze to meet her own. It greatly frustrated the blonde to know that her close proximity had done nothing to faze [name], but she swallowed it down in order to keep her playful facade from breaking. "It would be beneficial to you, wouldn't it? You'd be able to see all those powerful Quirks. . ."

        "Why are you so interested in my decision?"

        She leaned back, giving back [name]'s personal space. Her hands moved to place themselves on her hips as she stared down at the girl as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. "If you don't go, they'll ask me to go in your stead."

        Oh. . . I almost forgot.

        Misaki was undoubtedly the most unathletic person [name] has ever met, of course she would have an aversion to any kind of event that involved physical activity. Along with the fact that she isn't so keen on using her abilities to cause harm, there was enough motivation for her to urge [name] in accepting the offer.

        "Well?" Misaki drawled as she quietly retrieved a remote from her bag. She clicked her tongue when [name]'s eyes fell away from her own in thought and the silence that followed her urging only made Misaki's frustration with the girl's indecisiveness grow. "I can't exactly read your mind or even control you, unfortunately." She clicked a button on her remote control, it doing nothing other than causing [name] to wince at a sudden spike of slight pain in her head. "Thanks to that Quirk of yours, you're one of the few people I can't put under my influence."

        "Don't worry," [name] reassured as a sigh escaped her parted lips. Without looking up to Misaki, she began to gather her scattered papers; leaving only the noise of rustling to fill the silence between them. "I'll be going to see director Unabara soon."

        Misaki only smiled victoriously as if she had come out on top of a heated argument. [name] spared her a glance as she turned heel, her shoulder bag slapping against her hip as she placed her remote back in its rightful place. Just as she were about to near the entrance of their school's library, she tilted her head; her lips drawn into a playful grin and golden eyes shining with obscured mischief. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back like silk waterfalls, shining almost a little too perfectly.

        "Oh, [name]-chan," At the sound of her name, [name] held her research papers closer to her chest. She gazed back at Misaki, unable to understand the nature of the girl's intent. "Good luck."

        From her expression alone, [name] could only assume that the blonde probably didn't mean it in good faith.

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        "I'm glad that you're reconsidering my offer."

        The cafe she and Yuuko occupied was one that the two of them often visited on the days they met with one another. It was cozy, homely and one of the only other places [name] could truly feel at ease. Her fingers wrapped around the thin handle of her coffee mug as she brought it closer to her face. The light brown liquid was delightfully scented with vanilla mixed with the somewhat bitter smell of lightly roasted coffee.

        The sound of overlapping conversations, spoken considerably quiet in order to avoid making a scene, was another thing that added to the comforting ambience of the cafe. [eye color] eyes roved across the interior of the building, raking in the smallest detail of the cafe's patrons and even the movements of the baristas as they created concoctions of caffeine goodness. No matter how many times she's visited, she still found herself mesmerized by the swift movements of everyone around her. When her gaze met the expectant look Yuuko was giving her from over the coffee mug still placed near her lips, she finally willed herself to take a careful sip.

        "After being confronted by Shokuhou, I figured I shouldn't force her to take my place." [Name] placed her cup down onto the small round table placed between them. "But yes, I'll be participating in Yuuei's sports festival."

        Yuuko smiled, her painted red nails tapping against her ceramic mug. "I was hoping the political side of the offer wouldn't deter you."

        [name] shook her head, [hair color] hair swaying slightly as she tucked strands behind her ear. "That stuff doesn't really matter to me, I know you have your own reasons for wanting me to participate."

        "You understand what is expected of you, don't you?" Yuuko's gaze never broke from [name]'s even as she lifted her own cup of coffee to her lips. "Academy City thrives on innovation its citizens provide, but as the years go by, less people are interested in science and turn their attention to the heroics that lie outside of Academy City's gates. The whole reason we're even asking you to participate in Yuuei's sports festival is to rekindle interest in science and therefore giving Academy City the chance to gain more citizens—"

        "You want me to put on a show." [name] slightly tilted her head as her fingers tapped against her arm. Her lips were pulled into a slight frown at her own observation. "To showcase the extent of my powers?"

        Yuuko smiled, seemingly unbothered by the sudden interruption the younger girl committed. "We want you to win first place."

        [name] furrowed her brows, her fingers coming to a stop from their mindless mistrations. Her hands clasped together on her lap and she stared at the woman in a silence urge for her to explain her reasoning. To participate is one thing, but to make a spectacle of herself and attempt to win first place was something entirely different. She wasn't sure what she was expecting from Yuuko, other than to be told to do her best, but it definitely wasn't a demand for her to take home first place.

        "Can you imagine? A student from the 'closed off' Academy City taking first place from right under the promising young heroes of Yuuei?" Yuuko laughed, leaning back into her seat. "Oh, what the people of Japan would say about one of our level five Espers claiming victory in such an eminent event!" Her grin had suddenly fell, her lips fixating into a serious purse as her sharp gaze refocused on [name]'s form. 

        "Now you understand. You cannot fail."

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note: probably gonna change the sports festival events too because im pretty sure youve read it like a million times.

Chapter Text

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        Sparks of crackling electricity flitted around her figure, coating the air around her in thick static. Her lips were tugged into a concentrated frown, eyes drawn into a squinted glare at the target placed exactly one hundred meters from where she stood.

        The massive swimming pool she stood above, roared with waves of water which struggled to settle after enduring a session of her power. Her hand tingled with remnants of electricity, its' stings against her skin going completely unnoticed by her as her left hand delved into the pocket of her gym shorts for another silver coin. Her thumb ran absentmindedly over the embossed surface of the coin, her nail delicately tracing the outline of a crown imprinted on the coin's side. There was a bout of silence that encompassed the area, her ears perking at the sound of settled waves and the faint buzzing of her dissipating electricity.

        When she outstretched her hand, the silver coin glinting from its place between her thumb and index finger, there was another course of sparking electromagnetism running throughout her being. The energy seemingly built up within her in preparation for the move she was once again going to pull off. With a strong flick of her thumb against the coin, she sent it up into the air and watched as it spun along with its descent. 

        Her hand engulfed itself in static electricity and its harsh crackling popped her ears as her thumb aligned with the falling coin perfectly. There was no hesitance seen in her countenance as her thumb firmly flicked the coin forward, surging it with power amplified by her potent quirk. 

        Followed by a trail of neon orange light mixed with strings of white electricity, the coin flew forward; its speed being untraceable to the naked eye. The power that built up along her arm was released in a final wave of tingling galvanism, making a show of decrepitate light that energized the waters below her. [Hair color] hair flew back along with the massive force exerted from the tips of her fingers. Her ears perked for the impact of the coin hitting the target and when she was met with nothing other than the noise of crashing waves and the buzzing of remaining electricity, she knew she didn't make it once again.

        "Your max range is still fifty meters, [last name]-san." She nodded at the echoed words of the tester seated safely away from the pool. The microphone in their hand could be heard moving slightly as they checked the digital speedometer in their hand. "And at the rate of two thousand three hundred and seven point two miles per hour."

        "Assessment: Level five."

        ". . ." Her gaze roved across the settling waves before fluttering shut with a disappointed huff. "My railgun's shown no improvement, huh?" 

        Her hand lowered itself back to her side, eyes reopening as they slid towards the far side of the pool where a small figure looked onto the scene with pure excitement.

        "Onee-chan! Onee-chan!" The voice of a familiar little girl called, her arms waving enthusiastically in the air as she ran full speed towards [name]'s still figure. The child didn't seem to mind the stray electricity lingering in the air, her own making an unconscious appearance due to her excitement. "That was really, really cool what you did with that coin! You shot it so fast I couldn't even see it! When are you gonna teach me something like that?"

        At the sight of girl excitedly clinging onto hem of her t-shirt, [name]'s frown twisted into a soft smile. Her hand lifted to affectionately pat the soft brown locks of the child who continued to stare up at her with a hopeful expression. "Once you learn how to properly control your quirk, I'll teach you."

        The girl promptly pouted at her words, her hands tightening their hold on [name]'s shirt as her tiny brows cutely furrowed. "You promise?" 

        She laughed in response to the puffed cheeks the young girl sported, her laughter being just as soft as the tone she used throughout out her interaction with brunette. "Of course, Mikoto-chan."  

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        "What's a 'spots festival'?"

        "Sports." She corrects as she watches the girl inhale another steady breath, allowing thin streams of electricity to engulf her figure. "It's like the Daihaseisai, except this one is on national television."

        Her ears perk at the sound of Mikoto curiously humming, her tiny mouth shaped into an 'o' shape as the streams of once steady electricity waver slightly. [name] shakes her head with disapproval, her index finger firmly pushing against the middle of Mikoto's forehead. Against her skin, she could feel the prodding of the younger girl's uncontrolled quirk, yet it doesn't feel as painful as it would if she were someone who did not possess a similar ability. The electricity is rendered null against her, the pain being nothing more than a ticklish sensation. 

        "Concentrate." Her stern reminder is met with a nod and the girl's brown eyes flutter shut as she inhales sharply once more. The streams of crackling light is steady once more and [name] resumes her conversation with her proposed student. "I'm going to be leaving Academy City soon."

        "Wh-Wha—?" The streams once again stop and with a mildly irritated click of her tongue, [name] applied another firm poke to the younger girl's exposed forehead. Mikoto whined in protest, her eyes reopening as her hands made their way to protect the reddened skin of her forehead from anymore future assaults. "You're leaving? B-But we sti—"

        "Concentrate, Mikoto." 

        With a huff, she nodded once again and the streams of steady electricity resumed dancing around her. Seemingly satisfied with the results of Mikoto's focus, [name] parted her lips to answer the younger girl's burning questions.

        Her pair of light brown eyes followed [name]'s figure as she roved around her, the arcs of lightning climbing up the length of her legs. Her lips pursed at the lack of pain appearing on the older girl's face. It was odd to see someone so nonchalant when Mikoto was otherwise considered a walking taser by both her peers and her parents. No one was ever able to get so close to her unless they desired to be unintentionally shocked due to her own lack of control. It was one of the many reasons why Mikoto was brought to a quirk correctional facility at such a young age and it was the one event that led her to meeting [last name] [name] in the first place. Although she was grateful for [name] taking the time out of her day in order to mentor her every week, Mikoto couldn't help but wonder why a level five Esper like her would even bother. 

        Before she met the [hair color] haired girl, her quirk had to constantly be nullified with medication and it was a miracle that she was now able to turn it off at will. There was no doubt that without [name]'s guidance, Mikoto wouldn't be at the progress she was at today.

        "It's not like I'm leaving forever," The older girl reassured as she took her place right before Mikoto's figure. "I'm going to be participating in Yuuei's sports festival in a couple of days."

        Mikoto's eyes sparkled with newfound wonder, her worries of loneliness momentarily forgotten. Along with her excitement, her streams of electricity grew in width as did the radius of her quirk's affected area. The pavement around her scorched in an imperfect circle and rounded her feet which caused [name] to step backwards when the streams of light threatened to kiss the tips of her shoes.

        "Oooo," She cooes, hands clapping in uncontainable elation. "I've heard of that! Some of the kids at my school are talking about it! Are you really going all the way out there?"

          [name] nodded, her arms crossing over her chest as she gave a dismissive wave to Mikoto. The young girl responded in turn by ceasing the use of her quirk and much to her delight, it yielded to her command without much protest or delay. "I'll be leaving tonight and I won't be back until the day after the festival ends."

        "Is that why you asked my mom if you could see me earlier? I knew I didn't forget our normal meeting days!" Her hands are triumphantly settled on her hips as she flashes the older girl a toothy grin. 

        "I wanted to make sure I got to see you before I took off." She lied a soft pat to the top of Mikoto's head, causing the girl's rosy cheeks to flush with the extra attention she was given. "If I left without saying goodbye, I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it with you."

        "That's right!" Mikoto declared, her lips pressing into a determined smile as her brows knitted to showcase her sincerity. "And you better win, onee-chan! You're the strongest person I know, so it should be a piece of cake for you!"

        With a smile filled with confidence picking up on her own lips, [name] gave an affirming nod. "I don't plan on losing."

        "Make sure you and Misuzu-san cheer me on at home, okay?"

※ ※ ※

        There was something particularly riveting about the ride out of Academy City's limits. After spending her whole life within the walls of the futuristic city, she had almost forgotten there was a whole other world outside of its walls. 

        Surprisingly, Academy City wasn't secretive about what lied on the outside and hardly did anything to keep its citizens from ever wondering what it was like outside its walls. Media from the outside was regularly streamed and consumed by the masses of Academy City, and there was no huge event the outside world participated in that Academy City didn't know about. With the new age of the internet, information could be effortlessly exchanged between both sides with little to no resistance, and people were allowed to leave and move elsewhere if they so choose. 

        Despite the openness Academy City displayed to the outside world, there was still a reluctance among the people of Japan to take that offer. It was proven to be a mystery to some, but not to people like [name]. She knew humans' natural aversion to change would keep them from ever pursuing the impossible and in this case, a futuristic city filled to the brim with possibilities. The people within Academy City focused on the pursuit of human evolution, in a societal sense. Coming so far as to normalize supernatural powers and find those that lack them to be the oddities, is an example of such progression. [name] often felt it was primal of people to fear the looming and closed off city just because of the lack of similarities Academy City shared with the lifestyle they were so used to.

        In a world where quirks practically determined the kind of life people live, things like that didn't matter in Academy City. Quirkless people could be considered Espers within the city's walls, the weak could possess as much influence as the strong; the only thing that mattered was science. The furtherment of the self or of humanity as a whole, that was all that held importance and in that alone; [name] found purpose.

        Her quirk was a gift, one that she had the opportunity to weild to its furthest extent thanks to the efforts Yuuko had gone for her. Technical wise, she held expert mastery over electricity. Her title as the strongest electromaster was evident enough of that feat, but she wondered if it would mean anything against hopeful heroes she could later come to face in competition. They would undoubtedly have more experience in battle than she, it felt almost daunting of a task to take home first place from the prestigious students of a coveted school.

        Against the car window, she lied her head as her eyes slid shut. Her worries would not dissipate until the day of the sports festival would fall upon her shoulders. Instead of wishing for sleep free of impending anxiety, she thought only of the encouraging words Misaka Mikoto had parted unto her before her tearful departure. 

        "I believe in you, onee-chan! Kaa-chan and I will be watching, so do your best!"  

※ ※ ※

note: now we're getting into things.

i dont think ive mentioned this, but some characters from to aru kagaku no railgun wont be making an appearance or will be altered in some way like how mikoto is a child in this fic!

Chapter Text

※ ※ ※

        The clock ticked on as seconds turned into minutes. Her lips were pursed into a tight line, sharp [eye color] eyes focused on her slender fingers which rested in her lap. Strands of [hair color] hair curtained around her face and it was only until she heard the sound of a door clicking open that she lifted her head.

        At the door stood a somewhat familiar woman, the same one [name] remembered seeing at Yuuei's front entrance. She was the woman who escorted her here into this waiting room and her sudden presence could only mean the person [name] waited for was finally ready to see her.

        With only a polite bow and a quick motion of the head, the woman had said nothing before turning on her heel and departing back down the hall she emerged from. [name] was quick to jump to her feet before quickly carrying herself towards the older woman. The walk was silent, the woman not sparing [name] a word of acknowledgement as she continued leading her towards a destination she had a loose idea of. 

        Her hands delved into the shallow pockets of her uniform's dark tan skirt. Despite not being anywhere close to Academy City or Tokiwadai for that matter, they still required her to wear her full uniform. The purpose for it was clear, she would be acting as a representative for both her school and the city and so she needed to be completely distinguished from Yuuei's populace. Even her gym uniform completely differed from theirs. It was only a testament of the lengths they'd go to ensure that their 'brightest' student wouldn't be mistaken as apart of Yuuei's roster of talented children. 

        [name] found the whole thing completely unnecessary, but she made her choice the moment she agreed to Yuuko's proposition. There would be no point in complaining about things now. 

        After minutes of prolonged silence, the woman whose name was still unknown to her, stopped in her tracks before a door. She only spared a brief glance towards [name]'s direction before lifting a pale hand to rapt softly against the door. There was a pause of silence, one that made [name] feel as if there were no better time to rethink her life decisions than right then in that precise moment. It was when her ears perked at the soft call of someone permitting them through that prompted her to continue through the door, this time without the accompaniment of the quiet secretary.

        "Thank you, Shizuka-san."

        The voice bids the woman goodbye and [name]'s eyes follow her figure retreating from the door after giving a polite bow. When she hears the door gently click shut, she turns heel and faces the large desk belonging to the person she was meant to formally meet before she begins her time within Yuuei's premises. 

        With just one look alone, it's quite obvious that principal Nedzu possessed a unique quirk that mutated his body to appear nothing close to human. He took the form of an animal, one that [name] couldn't correctly identify, but she wasn't ignorant enough to not realize that he was still human no matter how inhuman he presented. Her own studies on mutation quirks had given her much needed insight on the effects a majority had on the human body, but his own was one she had only read about and had yet to see for herself. Well, until now.

        With practiced ease, [name] bows in both respect and greeting, only lifting her head when she hears him call for her to take a seat. She does so with a slow pace, her [eye color] eyes roaming across the room as she absorbed her new surroundings. The expansive desk he sits behind holds no personal photos or anything to display his interests, it only contains a few scattered papers and some that are stacked neatly atop each other in unknown organization. Behind him, on the wooden colored wall, is a ticking clock that fills the silence of the room with a noise that's oddly calming. She finds little interest in the bookcases that lie on either side of the clock, her gaze widening only a fraction when she recognizes some of the titles of the particularly thicker books. Her eyes finally meet his and her nerves slightly relax under his serene expression. 

        "Good afternoon, [last name]-san. I hope your journey here wasn't all too uncomfortable?" His polite tone of voice catches her off-guard and for a moment her mind is reeling for a proper response, but he prompts her with another considerate question before her lips could form words. "Would you care for some tea?"

        She shakes her head at his offer, her gaze lingering on him for a second as he took a sip of his drink. "Getting here was a lot easier than I expected, undoubtedly due to your assistance in providing a personal driver. Thank you, kouchou-sensei."

        "Ahh," He slightly chides as he sets his teacup down with a delicate clink. "No need for formalities, you're not one of my students, so feel free to call me Nedzu. . . Though, I do hope you consider becoming one after the sports festival."

        [name] regarded him with another soft shake of her head. "Science is all there is for me. . . I have no interest in heroes, let alone becoming one."

        "Then why did you decide to come here? If not to show off your quirk, what drove you to accept my offer of participation?"

        "Research." She says matter-of-factly, her eyes maintaining contact with his. "I was told there may be quirks here that I have never seen before. I wished to observe them as well as test my own in combat."

        He hums in contemplative thought as he regards her with inquisitive interest. His knowledge of Academy City had only extended so far due to the boundaries they set upon themselves. He's heard of how they regarded those who lived within their walls as 'Espers', even those who possessed no unique quirks. The present rumor and the one that attained his undivided attention was the esteemed rank of 'level five'. It's meaning eluded him and he wondered why there was such a ranking system within the premises of the futuristic city. 

        "If I remember correctly, you're ranked third among the only seven level fives, correct?" At her affirming nod, he continues with the rest of his question. "Could you tell me what qualifies someone as a level five?"

        "Those who have developed their quirks to create a uniquely powerful ability can consider becoming a level five, but they'd still have to surpass measured thresholds to officially acquire the title." She watches as he nods, pondering her answer as her gaze drifts off towards her intertwined hands. "At the age of eleven, I created an ability called the Railgun. I'm the only person in the world who can use it and that's what earned me my place among the level fives."

        There's a brief pause of silence between them and when her gaze lifts towards him, she's almost not surprised to see him already staring at her with a look of mild amusement. She tilts her head curiously at his actions and it was then that he breaks the silence with a simple proclamation that leaves no room for refusal.

        "I would like a demonstration." 

※ ※ ※

        Her gaze flickers over towards the two figures watching her every move from a safe distance away. The one who mainly attracts her attention is dressed in all black, the only splash of color being the white scarf wrapped messily around his neck. His posture suggests that his patience is wearing thin and she realizes it's best to make a move now lest she suffers the consequences at the hands of an unknown man.

        Nedzu is tucked in the folds of the man's scarf, she can see his head peeking out even from the great distance she stood away from them. She stands before a vast area filled with crumbling buildings that looked to have been destroyed fairly recently. Pieces of concrete varying in size is scattered around her feet and the area and she finds herself kicking at the smallest bits when she delves into the pocket of her uniform skirt to retrieve an arcade coin. 

        Her [eye color] eyes once again glance over towards the awaiting figures, her gaze immediately catching the sharp look the scruffed man gives her before she averts her own in favor of watching the coin as she tosses it up into the air. Her left hand stretches before her, thumb accurately lining up with it before harshly flicking it forward with a powerfully massive wave of crackling electricity. 

        Bluish white light suddenly engulfs the area, a sound akin to an explosion going off as the neon orange ray of light rips through layers of concrete and anything that dared to obstruct its path. The earth around them shakes, the lights above their figures flickering violently due to the sudden electrical disturbance. Electricity spikes off all around her figure, singing the area around her feet in fractured black marks. She doesn't bat an eye at the sight of collapsing buildings, knowing full well there was nothing to fear of anything landing on her with her pinpoint accuracy and trajectory predictions.

        Static electricity fills the air, along with the added dust risen from collapsed buildings. She waves a hand in front of her face in a vain attempt to rid her breathing area of dirt as she turned towards her audience of two. Once the dust settles and she is able to see them more clearly, she catches them in what looks to be a conversation; undoubtedly about what they just witnessed. [name] was unable to tell if the raven haired man's bored expression was due to his lack of impression with her or if his face just appeared naturally detached with the matters of those around him. Completely opposite of his expression is the elated smile of Nedzu who greets her as she strolls up to the pair and introduces the tired man as Aizawa Shouta, the teacher of Yuuei's finest class; 1-A.

        The light brown vest of her school uniform is slightly dirted as were the short white sleeves that poked out. She attempts to dust herself off to appear more presentable but she's discontent to find that the dirt only smears with any movement she applies to her clothes. With a saddened sigh, she glances back up to the pair and her ears perk at the first words the taller male greets her with.

        ". . . A waste." She raises a brow at the tired tone of his voice, somewhat peeved he didn't speak it louder for a proper response. Before such a concern could truly make itself at home within her mind, he fully voices his thought with clarity. "Your talent is a waste if you're not applying it to something more useful than research. It doesn't make sense to develop an ability as strong as that and not use it for heroism."

        She regards him with a tense silence, her lips pulling into slight frown as her gaze steels with unwavering conviction. This wasn't the first time she was regarded by someone as going about her life in the wrong direction. Ever since she developed her railgun, people have always told her she should be aiming for becoming a hero rather than dedicating her time to research. Her interest in the machinations of quirks would never falter, it was the main reason she even decided to step foot outside of Academy City's walls.

        "I disagree." She sharply states, thin brows drawn together to convey her sincerity. "I don't believe what I've achieved so far is a waste. My goal has always been to test the limitations of quirks, of course I'd develop my own to the furthest extent. It may not be used the way you approve of, but that doesn't make my way any less valid." 

        There's another bout of silence between them, one that allows [name] to slightly relax her tense shoulders and breathe easier now that the intensity of the conversation died down. Nedzu continues to observe the situation with interest, mostly due to his own wonder in [name]'s reasoning for developing such a highly destructive ability that she appeared to use with practiced ease. It was obvious to both him and Aizawa that she was more than comfortable with her quirk, gaining a mastery over it that many of the children attending Yuuei could only dream of. 

        With a grunt she couldn't tell was out of indifference over her reasoning or acceptance, she can only hope it were the latter as Nedzu hops onto his shoulder with a new subject of conversation.

        "Well, [last name]-san, I wish you the best of luck for tomorrow! Going against Aizawa-sensei's class will be no easy feat, even for a talented individual like yourself."

        [name] nods, eyes hardening into a determined stare as she regards the two of them utter certainty. They are left unaware of the goal given to her by Academy City, the same goal that was uttered by a certain brunette drives her heart to burn with a wild flame and skin to crackle with competitive euphoria. While it was true she held no interest in heroics, that didn't mean she was planning on disappointing Mikoto by bringing anything home other than first place. The little girl who'd be putting in all her effort to cheer for her in Academy City was her sole reason for her ambitious aim to become number one.

        "Thank you, I'll do my very best."

※ ※ ※

Chapter Text

     ※ ※ ※

        Silence permeates the air the moment she makes her appearance. All of class 1-A spare her curious glances, some lingering much longer than others. Yet it is clear they all regard her with a silent question of her purpose for occupying the same room as them.

        She stands before them with a confident aura, her sharp eyes trained steadily ahead and face lacking the nervousness seen in those who stare at her. She’s clad in a white shirt lined with a red that matches her joggers and her [hair color] hair is clipped back with silver pins. It completely singles her out among the sea of blue, red, and white; making it obvious to some that she was definitely in the wrong place.

        Before she’s able to finally address them with an introduction, or even a reason for her being there, she’s interrupted by none other than their class president, Iida Tenya. He steps towards her and her piercing [eye color] eyes immediately set upon him.

        It’s evident to those who watch her every movement with wary caution that she regards the dark haired male as nothing of importance. The way her gaze narrows for a split second with analytical intent only to immediately avert away and return to those who stand before her. He doesn’t seem to notice this, but the few people who are paying close attention to her, do.

        “Excuse me, miss!” Her eyes once again returns to him, not once wincing at the volume of his voice. “I believe you’re in the wrong area, if you’d like I could direct you to someone who could lead you back to the main arena.”

        At his offer she shakes her head, her lips parting and the sound of her voice fills the silent waiting room. “That won’t be necessary. You all belong to class 1-A, don’t you?” She glances around and at the scattered nods she receives and murmurs of agreement; she continues. “Then, I’m not in the wrong place.”

        There is a bout of silence that once again passes through the room as she politely bows before them. When she lifts her head, she regards the lot of them with a curt nod. “My name is [last name] [name], an invited participant from Tokiwadai middle school. It’s nice to meet you, senpai.”

        It’s a surprise to everyone, especially Midoriya, that the girl who appeared to be so much older than them was in fact younger. The cold stare she regarded Iida with, which was picked up by many of his classmates, went otherwise ignored in favor of cooing over their supposed kouhai. After she announced that she was indeed their underclassmen by a year, Mina and many of the girls began to crowd over her in an attempt to pry more information out of her whilst offering scattered introductions.

        She was deemed harmless by Midoriya’s classmates and once again the jitters of the upcoming sports festival inched upon them.

        His curiousity in the new girl wasn’t unwarranted as she offered much mystery awaiting to be unraveled. The name of the school she uttered wasn’t well known outside of Academy City and to those that didn’t delve into too much information about bordered metropolitan area wouldn’t even recognize it as the name of a prestigious school. Tokiwadai Private Girls’ Academy is the formal name of the school she attended and from what Midoriya read, it’s regarded as one of the most accredited in terms of housing and nurturing the strongest Espers within the city. He specifically remembered hearing about the minimum level an Esper must be to enroll was something they referred to as ‘level four’.

        The leveling system Academy City adopted still utterly confused him, but he loosely understood it was some way to measure the power of their residents' quirks. Still, he couldn't deny the interest he held with the futuristic city. From what he's heard and read on online forums, Academy City was vastly different from the life he was so used to. As much as he wished to know more about it, especially from someone who actually lives there, he felt a bit intimidated at the prospect of approaching her. The image of that cold and calculated stare she had given Iida was still imprinted in his mind and he shuddered at the thought of such a look being casted towards him.

        He couldn't accurately describe the sensation, but it felt as if she just knew all of their weaknesses with just one look alone.    

        Despite his better judgement against eavesdropping in conversations that didn’t include him, Izuku couldn’t help but slide closer to the group of classmates that surrounded their newest visitor. As casually as he could make himself out to be, he cautiously peeked over the shoulder of his female friend, Uraraka Ochako, his ears perking at the sound of [name]’s steady tone of voice mixed with Ashido Mina’s excited questioning.

        “Isn’t Tokiwadai in that city? Um, I can’t remember—“

        “—Academy City. That’s also where I’m from.” Her answer to Mina’s question is met with astonished gapes from his classmates that surrounded her and an unsubtle gasp from the pink toned girl. “Ashido-senpai, why are you looking at me like that?”

        “Academy City?!” She repeats in a high tone, golden eyes widening with wonder as she leans closer towards the younger girl. “I’ve heard that place is super sketchy! Ne, could you tell me if it’s true? Do they really do quirk experiments over there?”

        The seemingly unintentional announcement of [name]’s home city captures the attention of some who are loosely familiar with the name of the walled off metropolis. Even Bakugou, who was disinterested with the arrival of the newcomer, perks his head up at the name of the mysterious city.

        He doesn't know much about it, unlike Midoriya, but he knows enough to acknowledge it as the place he was thinking of looking more into. He's heard about the supposed 'level five' Espers who were deemed the most powerful in the city and to feed his own ego, he was willing to research more about the supposed tests that would earn someone such an acclaimed title.

        His gaze drifts across the room, barely catching sight of the [hair color] haired girl from between the figures of his classmates. Her face is hardened, eyes slightly narrowed at the assumption made by the annoying pink girl he affectionately nicknamed ‘raccoon eyes’. When her lips parted, he anticipated an exchange of heated words due to the offense she obviously took from his classmate’s words.

        Yet, that moment never came.

        Instead of her voice, there was only the sound of the door flinging open rather harshly and the sight of their homeroom teacher standing in the threshold in all of his exhausted glory. He, as per usual, spares no interest in the conversation his students were holding moments ago and focuses his attention on the young girl who gazes back at him with concealed curiosity.

        “[last name], it’s time.”

        He finally calls and she aptly steps out from the formed group, giving none of them a glance as she stands before him. He regards her with a nod of his head towards the door and she nears the door before abruptly stopping and turning back towards the class of older teens. She politely bows once again, her hands clasped at her waist.

        "I wish you all luck in the competition, senpai. I look forward to facing you in battle." After she finishes her supposed farewell, she exits from the room with the apparent knowledge of where to go next.

        Aizawa's tired eyes follow after the distancing figure of the middle school student and just when he was about to follow suit in her exit, he is stopped by the familiar voice of a female student.

        “Sensei,” Uraraka speaks up, her brows furrowed with concern as she stares at the spot where [name] once stood. “Should a middle school student really be participating in this kind of event? Wouldn’t this be a bit. . . unfair?”

        “That’s true,” Kirishima speaks up from beside the brunette, his arms crossed over his chest as his face holds a similar look of concern. “Tokiwadai isn’t even a hero school, how is she expected to keep up with us?”

        Aizawa regards the two for a moment, his gaze switching between them before roving through the faces of his students. Only a brief second of silence lingers and it’s interrupted by the soft exhale he breathes through his nose. 

        “It wasn’t my choice in having her invited,” He informs, his gaze flickering towards the clock and shaking his head at the time already wasted in explaining things. “But I wouldn’t underestimate her if I were you. She comes from a prestigious school, and her quirk mastery is on par with pro heroes. Her being here is not a joke.”

※ ※ ※

        “From the enclosed borders of Academy City, a student of Tokiwadai middle school, and one of the seven level five Espers; Yuuei would like to introduce [last name] [name] as our special guest participant for this year’s sports festival!”

        At the sound of cheering, [name] steps out from under the tunnel. Her [eye color] eyes catching onto the overwhelming sight of thousands within the arena stands and she could almost imagine one of them being Mikoto. The flashing lights of cameras and the shouts of various muddled words flood her senses and electricity flows in crackling currents up her arms in response to her excitement. She wiggles her fingers in an attempt to calm herself and as expected the electricity stops its flow and her fingers return to resting at her side.

        Her gaze continues to rove the arena, head turning every which way to soak in as much of her surroundings as she can. All of this feels so much out of her comfort zone, yet she has never felt as much exhilaration as she did the moment she stepped out from that tunnel. While she prefers the peace and quiet, there may be a part of her that wouldn’t mind standing before a thousand pairs of eyes in the name of entertainment. It's a part of her she wishes to swallow down the minute this whole thing is over.

        “[last name]-sama! Good luck! Do your best!”

        Her ears perk at the call of her name and when she looks over to the side, she is almost taken aback by the amount of girls who sit at the side nearest to the tunnels. All of them are clad in Tokiwadai uniforms and hold varying looks of excitement on their refined features. She regards them with a polite smile as she carries on forward, unfazed by the fangirling screams or the love struck coos they echo at her small acknowledgement of them. Despite her usual reluctance in acknowledging her fanclub, she finds that their cheering invigorates her with the confidence she thought she lost at the sight of class 1-A.

        It was no secret that many of Academy City’s residents traveled the long distance towards Yuuei in order to watch the sport festival in person. Though it was rare for any Tokiwadai student to take the risk as the school was known for its strict curfews and rules against traveling too far from School Garden. [name] figured Yuuko must have allowed special privileges for this year only, judging from the amount of students she could see within the stands.

        She finds that even without the daunting presence of Yuuko, she is somehow still under her watchful gaze.  

        Walking only a little distance behind her is the class of 1-A and the thundering voice that announced her presence, does the same for them.

        “And of course, not to forget the main attraction, as well as Yuuei’s finest; our freshman class of 1-A!”

        Their attention, much like her own, is much too focused on the marvel of their surroundings rather than the boisterous introduction given to them by the eccentric voice. [name] watches from her place nearest to the stage as floods of students come in through the entrance tunnel shortly after their class is called. To her, it’s strikingly obvious which are favored by the masses and she slightly frowns at the lack of enthusiasm the support, business, and even general education classes are given.

        Heroics will always come out on top no matter what, She reminds herself as she faces forward, barely sparing a glance at the person who took the place next to her. It’s an obstacle I too will have to overcome. . . if I wish to reach to my goal.

        "Hello again, [last name]-san."

        She glances over towards her right where a taller female stands. Her raven locks are pulled into a ponytail and her face holds a kind smile. The girl, who [name] recognizes as Yaoyorozu Momo, is someone who she could imagine walking the halls of Tokiwadai. The older girl holds a certain air of refinement that reminds [name] loosely of Shokuhou Misaki, yet this girl appears more genuine than the scheming blonde. 

        In response to her greeting, [name] offers a tiny smile of her own that was out of courtesy rather than genuine mirth. "Yaoyorozu-senpai—"

        "Please, call me Momo." She gently interrupts, the smile never once wavering from her features. Her dark eyes momentarily flicker up towards the stage at the appearance of the pro hero Midnight and she promptly leans closer towards [name] with a lowered voice. "If you don't mind me asking, [last name]-san, what's your quirk?"

        [name] silently regards the female next to her for a moment, [eye color] eyes staring deeply into grey before her lips part with the reveal of Momo's desired inquiry. Midnight's voice could be heard in the background, the cracking of her whip occasionally piercing the excited atmosphere. [name]'s hand delved into the pocket of her pants, the jingling of coins could be distinctly heard.

        "That would take the fun out of it, Yaoyorozu-senpai."

※ ※ ※ 

        The first game was, as its name suggested, a ball tossing contest. As simple as it sounded and as simple as it could've been, if it were not for the fact that these balls could only be retrieved from the murderous robots that now roamed the expanse of the arena, then [name] could call this game an easy win. There was also the added fact that she was meant to do this in teams, which felt almost next to impossible to complete seeing as she knew absolutely no one.

        After Midnight was done explaining the game and its rules, which was to retrieve as many balls as possible and successfully throw them into your team's basket without getting interrupted by enemy teams, she promptly left everyone to sort themselves out. quirks were allowed to be used on others as long as there was no intent to kill behind attacks, a setback [name] could easily deal with. There was also the added rule if one teammate goes down, then the rest of them do as well. It was trust she needed to have in her teammates and right now, there was no one that [name] could faithfully say she trusted.

        The instructions were simple enough to follow and she found the task to be easy given the nature of her Quirk and its interaction with electricity. All she really needed now was something she couldn't believe was an actual problem she'd ever have to deal with, was people to work with. Yaoyorozu, who was next to her moments ago, was swiftly whisked away by a boy with odd hair and that was possibly the only person she could faithfully set up a team with.

        "[last name]-chan!" Her ears perked at the bubbly voice calling for her and when she turned towards it, she was surprised to see a somewhat familiar brunette followed by an unfamiliar male. [name] patiently waited until they stood in front of her before she regarded them with a small wave. "Are you on a team yet?"

        At the female's question she shook her head. "No. If it's alright, could I be on yours, Uraraka-senpai?"

        Ochako blinked at the straightforward question before a friendly smile erupted across her rosy cheeks. With a nod of her head, she cheerfully welcomed the [hair color] haired girl into her little group of three. "Oh, I'm not sure if you've been introduced yet," She suddenly motions towards a nervous looking Midoriya standing behind her and [name] immediately sets her gaze upon him. "His name i—"

        "—Mi-Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you!"

        At his obvious nervousness, [name] attempts to reassure him with a gentle smile and it seemingly worked as he no longer stood as rigid as he once did. Her gaze then left his own in order to search through the sea of teens for someone who looked as if they needed a team. "Do we have a fourth?"

        Her question is met with vigorous nods from both of her teammates and they promptly motion towards the figure who was rushing towards them with certain urgency. [name] recognizes the male as none other than the person who questioned her the moment she stepped inside of 1-A's waiting room. His name was Iida Tenya, if she could remember the eccentric rambling of Mina, he was also their designated class president.

        "Uraraka-san! Midoriya-kun! I apologize but I couldn't find anyone in need of—"

        "No worries, Iida-kun!" Ochako steps forward, linking her arm with [name] as the dark haired male turns his attention towards her as well. "[last name]-chan said she'll join us!"

        [name] doesn't bat an eye at the physical contact and much to Ochako's delight, she doesn't outwardly show her distaste for it either. "I hope you don't mind, Iida-senpai."

        "Of course not!" He swiftly shakes his head as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Though, I would like to know your quirk."

        "Electromagnetism," She curtly answers, her gaze meeting the curious eyes of Izuku. She lifted her free hand, showing the three of them the electric currents running through her fingers. "I can create, and manipulate all properties of electricity." 

※ ※ ※ 

        Although it was overtly clear that Midoriya Izuku's quirk couldn't be reliable for continuous use, he was still able to pull his weight with his quick thinking and superior analytical skills. Despite never seeing his quirk in action, [name] was reassured by both his friends that he was quite powerful even if he couldn't completely control it.

       Out of her three teammates, [name] had the most offensive quirk that could easily dispatch numerous robots with the least amount of effort. Although that wasn't to say that she doubted the skills of her teammates, Tenya's speed and powered kicks were not to be underestimated; neither was Ochako's gravity quirk a laughing matter. Their quirks were unique, ones she hadn't seen in Academy City and knowing that in a few minutes she were going to see them in action, made her skin crawl with anticipation.

        It was safe to say [name] was thoroughly interested in their quirks and as much as she wished to delve into the specifics of them, they had a game to win.

        Izuku was the one who decided what roles each of them would need to fulfill throughout the game. [name] was to be the one to take out the robots from afar with the use of her electricity, Tenya would then speedily retrieve the balls before handing them off to Ochako, who would alter the gravity on them to assure they make it into their basket uninterrupted. It was a perfect plan, one that assured [name] could disrupt other teams if she saw it fit and it also allowed them to move within in an organized system.

        Though, it was clear to [name] that her green haired teammate might not have been so happy with the plan as the others were. Before the game officially started, she placed her hand on the top of Izuku's shoulder and successfully stopping him in his tracks.

        "Midoriya-senpai," She called before lifting her hand away from him in fear of coming off too friendly. He turned towards her, brows slightly knitted and face still holding that nervous expression he first greeted her with. By now, she was aware that she was the cause of his anxiety, though she was unsure why. "If you're worried about not being much help, then don't be. Your plan is perfect and if it were anyone else who made it up, I'm sure it wouldn't have been as well thought out. Your quirk isn't the only thing that's useful."

        With that, she offered a reassuring pat to his arm and a smile she hoped came off as comforting. She knew she wasn't the best at being accommodating to nervous people, but she couldn't afford to allow him to sulk in his worries when she and the others wanted to win. She brushed past him, her eyes catching onto Ochako who stared back at them with a curious expression. When she was walking towards the bubbly brunette, that's when she heard him address her by name for the first time since they've met.

        "Thank you,. . . [last name]-san."

※ ※ ※

note: unedited. i had to split this chapter in parts as it was getting way too long.

Chapter Text

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        Poles of varying heights with color coded metal baskets hanging from the top lined the middle of the arena, and around it roamed the scattered figures of machines. Around her arm and the arms of her teammates, was a bright blue band emblazoned with the kanji for said color. It indicated which basket belonged to them and from the looks of it, they appeared to have gotten the second highest pole.

        Of course, with the help of Ochako's gravity quirk; height or aim wouldn't matter.

        At the sound of an air horn, the game was apparently started and [name] sent a cursory nod towards Tenya. The two were barely acquainted but for now they'd be working closely together to assure victory for their teammates. If either of them failed in their responsibilities or became too careless, it could cost them the game.

        "Senpai," [name] called, capturing all of their attention as her lips curved into a smile filled with determination. It filled them with a sense of confidence, spurred on in the name of setting an example for their kouhai. "Let's do our best to win."

        They respond with curt nods, their faces tensed with mirrored conviction. The four of them spilt ways, Ochako and Izuku heading towards their designated basket, while she and Tenya head out towards the lumbering hunks of sentient metal.

※ ※ ※  

        Bluish-white streams of electricity flitted around her figure, scorching the area around her feet in fractured black marks. Sharp [eye color] eyes were narrowed at the towering figure of a nearby robot and her lips were pulled into a concentrated frown.  

        There was a brief build of a tingling sensation felt in her limbs as a strong current of electricity suddenly emitted from her in a direct arc that was perfectly aimed in the machine's direction. When it struck, there was a crackle that clapped in the air, piercing it with static noise. Electricity continued running over her body with lowered volts, a precaution Izuku alarmed her of in case anyone would try and take her out with physical confrontation. If anyone were to touch her, it wouldn't kill them; but it would be enough to render them unconscious and assure their team for disqualification.   

        At the roar of the crowd, she paid no mind to it. There wasn't a clear indication if they enjoyed the show she put on or if they were entertained by all of the flashy quirks being used around her. Her gaze peered over her shoulder in search of her dark haired teammate and when she found him, he was already rapidly speeding towards the machines she previously took down. Her eyes then wandered over towards her other two teammates, watching as the both of them threw pink hued balls into their team's basket and from the way they moved in the air; it was obvious they were gravitationally altered. 

        Everything was falling in place, nothing seemed to have been out of the ordinary and with it; her heart soared in content satisfaction. The digital leaderboard was placed where everyone in the arena could clearly see it. Each team was named by color and from what she could see, her team just placed within the top three. Above their team was teams violet and black with the leading scores of ten and fifteen. Her team was behind violet by one and black by six.

        With a huff, she continued forward; paying no attention to the teens fighting around her and only focusing on the figure of her partner handing off the retrieved balls to Ochako. The waves of electricity she emitted was enough to keep the others at bay, many of them afraid of being knocked out unconscious and throwing the game for their teams. Her competitors would only spare her a wary glance before darting off in the opposite direction.

        The sound of a distant explosion caused her gaze to snap in its direction and before her was the unfamiliar figure of an angry blonde. His rage wasn't directed at her, at least it appeared not to be, and was instead focused on the robot he easily took down. But his off putting countenance wasn't what truly captured her attention, it was the black band that was tied around his arm. 

        Her team's place on the leaderboard was beginning to move up, they've already surpassed violet and were in the makings of passing up black; but if this was the guy who was earning them all of their points it would be best to get rid of him now and hinder their progress.

         Yet there was one thing holding her back from doing such a thing. He looked strong, and from the small demonstration of his abilities, he possessed a potent quirk that could easily take her out without him even breaking a sweat. She was physically weak, holding no skill with close combat and her only redeeming feature was her expert mastery with her quirk. He looked as if he topped in both physical prowess and quirk technique, yet he lacked in the cooperation department as he appeared to be the only member of his team out on the field. One glance over towards the basket marked in black confirmed her theory as she could see three distant figures seemingly arguing amongst each other, one of them being the girl she recognized as Ashido Mina.

        It was then determined that [name] would not take him out, but keep him from getting any more points than he already had. 

        The body of the falling machine that ungracefully began its descent towards the ground after its careful destruction, was the perfect target to assure the blonde wouldn't be able to retrieve his well earned point. If there was nothing left of the robot, then there wouldn't be a point to receive. 

Besides, she had a show to steal.

        Her hand delved into the pocket of her joggers, swiftly fishing out a coin before quickly tossing it into the air. The electricity around her intensified, strands of [hair color] hair lifting slightly along with the static that entered the air around her. Those who were close enough to feel the tiny zaps against their skin swiftly backed away, their gazes curiously widening at the display of raw power.

        The moment her thumb flicked against the falling coin, thunder clapped. The sound reverberated through the air, it being loud enough to shake the very ground she stood upon. An intense ray of orange light emits from her figure before colliding with the falling robot in the blink of an eye. Another explosion sounds, this one being far more severe than the one that was caused by the blonde. 

        The boy who was clambering towards the machine to retrieve his point was swiftly thrown back from the force of the impact, crimson eyes widening at the sight of an obviously dangerous ability used far too close for comfort. His gaze then narrows angrily before searching the crowd of teens in search of the one who undoubtedly caused the complete destruction of his point. 

        It was then his sights land on the electrified figure of the girl who hailed from the enclosed borders of Academy City, the one he recently learned was among the level five Espers. The mixture of curiosity and frightened stares she receives from her little show goes unnoticed by her and seemingly ignored. Her hand lowers down back to her side and a satisfied smile slips onto her lips at the sight of the destroyed bot. It's body was still somewhat intact, the middle of its chest where the ball was once attached to was the only thing disintegrated by the powerful ray of light.

        "WHA—WHAT?! Aizawa, did you see that?! What the heck are they teaching those kids in Academy City?!"

        Rage boils just under his skin, ears muffled with the sound of a low ringing. He doesn't hear the crowd roaring along with the display of power graciously given to them by girl clad in red and white. His fingers harshly dig into the dirt he was thrown upon, teeth gritting and bearing in the middle school student's direction. He wishes to lash out against her, scream at the top of his lungs, uncaring of those around him. 

        His gaze is locked with hers and she does nothing to conceal the content she feels at swiping the chance of a point right from under him. Her lips twitch, dissolving the smile she just wore before mouthing something he could just barely make out among the crowding teens.

        'Sorry.'

        Just before anything could happen between them, before he could fully comprehend the situation that had just befell him; she turns away. It was in that moment that he felt it; his anger hitting its breaking point. Miniature explosions set off on the palms of his hands, sparking against the dirt they push against in the wake of his building excitement.

        "You fucking bitch."

※ ※ ※ 

        [Eye color] eyes narrowed with conviction stares determinedly at the digital leaderboard that hangs above her head. Her team, blue team, was steady in second place after successfully overtaking black team at the cost of her being relentlessly pursued by a very angry Bakugou Katsuki. Now there was only one other team standing in her—their way. 

White team.

        If she could remember the team correctly, it composed of the girl she spoke to at the beginning of the competition; Yaoyorozu Momo, the red-white haired boy who swiped her away, along with a flirty blonde who immediately introduced himself as Kaminari Denki after she made her first appearance to class 1-A, and lastly a dark green haired girl she had yet to speak to. Apart from Yaoyorozu's quirk, [name] didn't know what any of them were capable of.

        "Senpai," She addressed the navy haired teen standing next to her as the sound of a distant explosion sounded behind her. It was apparent that Bakugou was well on his way towards her. "I'm going to try and slow white team's progress. Will you be fine on your own for a while?"

        He regards her with knitted brows, his facial expression clearly displaying his confusion with her plan. "[last name]-san, I don't believe that's a good idea. We should stick together as we have done so far."

        She shakes her head, [hair color] hair swaying along with her movements. "Bakugou-senpai is after me and if he manages to catch up, he'll ruin whatever progression we've made this far." Her lips spread into a reassuring grin as another explosion sounds, this time much nearer than the last. "Please trust me, senpai."

        Tenya looks over his shoulder, his gaze catching the sight of his blonde classmate sailing over the sea of scattered teens with the use of his explosive quirk. Returning his nervous countenance back towards his partner, he relents to her decision. After all, he along with everyone else, was witness to the move she pulled and it was quite clear she could hold her own. Despite the fact that she wasn't apart of a hero school, she was surprisingly a lot more powerful than Tenya could have ever expected. It was then he realized their homeroom teacher was right; it was best to have not underestimate her.

          "Please be careful."

        She momentarily watches as her partner speeds away from her and towards the area of roving machines. She knew he was undoubtedly fit to take points without the help of her quirk. Her attention then quickly returns back towards the sea of parting teens who yelled indignantly towards the murderous looking blonde. 

        Once he landed before her, she regarded him with an inquisitive stare whilst electric currents continuously rolled over her form in crackling waves. He pays no mind to the subtle threat she displays, a menacing snarl emits from him and the explosions that spark at his hands confirms her theory of his anger with her. 

        "You have a lot of fucking nerve," He speaks, voice deep and it seemingly stirs something within her. "Not only are you trying to keep me from reaching the top, but showing off that useless fucking quirk as well. . ."

        His crimson gaze narrows, scowl deepening to showcase the strong sense of revulsion he felt for her in that moment. "You piss me off."

        Her heart stutters in response, more out fear than anything else. As much as she wished it weren't true, she found herself feeling slightly intimidated by the male before her. His countenance was pulled harshly into a glower signifying the incoming break in his already shortened patience with her. She was unsure of what to do, fighting him wasn't an option and running from him would only get her so far. She doubted an insincere apology would do any good. 

        'Sorry, senpai.' She inwardly apologizes to her teammates as her attention fully soaks in the appearance of a raging blonde. 'Seems I won't be able to stop white team after all. . .'

        "Senpai," She finally called, her gaze hardening along with her resolve. She wouldn't back down now, not when she was so close to reaching her a goal of her own. "Don't you think you should be more worried about gaining points rather than talking to me?" 

        Her tone of voice was condescending, eliciting an irritated eye twitch from the male opposite of her. There was only a moment of silence between them, his gaze drifting away from her and towards the ground as his clenched fists shake with faintly restrained anger.

        She lifts a brow at his sudden quietude, her confidence resurging when she realized his fury towards her was not as passionate as he made it out to be. Her lips part as she sighs with discontent. "Maybe if you took this more seriously your team would be at the top." She muses as her eyes flicker over towards the leaderboard that displays her team's increasing score.

        Her lips quirk into a small smile as she feels herself becoming invigorated by her team's achievement earned even without her help. She was right to believe in Tenya and though she was sure he had his doubts in her, they worked well together.

        Though, the moment she hears the sound of a deafening explosion, she realizes she should have never taken her eyes off the seething blonde. 

        With widened [eye color] eyes, her attention snapped up towards the figure flying towards her as blistering heat sweltered around her form. Her lips part as a gasp escapes her mouth and she feels her heart leap into her throat at the close proximity of the explosion. Although he was fast, quick even, her instincts were faster. Electricity emitted from her figure, latching onto the metal of a nearby robot's carcass and pulling her safely away from the older boy's line of fire. Despite her effective getaway, she was still very much unprepared to make such a move and her body suffered from a rough impact of the crumpled metal digging into her back. She lowly hissed in pain, her face holding a grimace of pain much to Katsuki's delight. Her bottom harshly collided with the dirt floor beneath her feet as the palms of both her hands instinctively slammed down in order to break her fall.

        "You wanna say that again, you stuck up bitch?!"

        With a groan she slowly lifts herself back up to her feet, her brows furrowing as another wave of pain shoots up her left arm and her teeth bite down on her bottom lip to conceal a whimper of pain. She doesn't need to be a medical expert to know she just sprained her wrist. Clearly, she became a little too overconfident. She couldn't forget these kids weren't like the troublemakers she'd deal with in the streets of Academy City; they were fighters, combat trained and more than ready for whatever she'd throw at them.

        A frown appears on her face as she frustratedly grits her teeth together and without allowing the blonde to relish in his small victory, she swiftly turns heel and begins to make her escape. She's aware he wouldn't allow her to go so easily, even if she was injured from his sudden attack, his anger was more unrelenting than she could have ever guessed. 

         Arcs of thin blue electricity emit from her back as it attaches to various scattered remains of robotic pieces. In the distance she can hear the blonde angrily yelling in her direction, insults that she's never once even heard of spewing from his mouth as he resumed in his pursuit of her.

        The pieces of metal she carried along with her via the crackling links of electricity, were haphazardly thrown in his direction. The precision she regularly prided herself in was forgotten in favor of getting the vexed male off her back. The fear that she felt lurking in the pit of her stomach came full force at the prospect of getting caught in one of Katsuki's blasts and it also served as encouragement to push herself to run faster.

        She weaved in between bodies of various students, electricity emitting off her in uncontrollable waves which unfortunately zapped a number of teens who stood too close. Her stellar control over her quirk was beginning to fade as the continuous use of it was wearing her down. Her mental fortitude that kept her cool headed in even the most stressful of situations proved to be no help when she genuinely believed the threat of death was upon her.

        With a cursory glance over her shoulder, she ignores the rambunctious calls of the crowd who've only now realized that she was being essentially hunted down by the explosive boy, instead her attention was solely locked on his descending figure and the lone piece of floating metal trailing behind her. It then she realized she had a chance to either deter him away from her and buy herself enough time to escape and blend within the dense crowd or harm him enough to render him unconscious. Either way, she found either option better than the game of cat and mouse he forced her into.

        She came to a sudden stop, her sneakers skidding against the dirt floor as another wave of electricity rolled through her. With an immense force, it launched the hunk of metal in the pursuing teen's direction and with glorious chance she heard it impact with something.

        An explosion.

        Her heart immediately fell with disappointment at the noise. Her jaw clenched with building frustration as the chunk of metal was easily blasted away. The male landed safely on his feet, a ravenous grin over taking his features at the falling expression of defeat she wore. Her chest heaved with the lack of air her lungs felt deprived of, and her legs wavered under the weight of her exhaustion. She collapsed to the floor, her face holding the mixture of both disbelief and failure. Electricity weakly emitted from her figure as a silent threat towards his approaching figure. She may have appeared exhausted, but she held enough power to shock him unconscious if he were to get too close.

        Yet, it didn't appear as if he didn't care much about her facade of intimidation.

        He continued his approach towards her, his face still holding that proud look as if he held no shame in the unsportsmanlike attitude he possessed. When his shoes came into her line of sight, she slowly peered up at him; her gaze narrowed with an anger that burned brightly within her. Electricity continued to emit from her in weak sparks and even from her place on the ground, she could see he held the look of content at her exhausted form.

        "Not so high and mighty now, are you?" He scoffs at the indignant scowl she wears. She watches as his eyes flicker towards the blue streaks of electricity that flits around her seated figure and how it scorches the ground in black marks. "You can't even control your quirk correctly. Level five or not, you ain't worth shit."

        Her gaze subtly flickers towards the leaderboards behind him, watching as the time placed on the very top continues to countdown towards the very last second that would mark the end of the game. She could see that her team was somewhat tied with white team, with them leading only by a single point. She knows allowing the male before her to turn his attention away from her would only result in him rushing to gather as many points as he could in the little time allowed. His team, black team, was still in the third place; his teammates undoubtedly picking up the slack after he began his pursuit after her. With the both of them surrounded by untouched machines, she knew he could gather enough to surpass her team and deem her hard work so far as unnecessary.

        No matter what, she couldn't allow that. Not when Mikoto was counting on her to bring home first place, and definitely not with Yuuko closely watching her every move.

        "U-Um, Bakugou-senpai," She purposely wavers her voice in hopes that her apparent weakness would further amuse him. The moment she witnesses his face slightly twitch with distaste and his brow raising at the sudden address of his name, she quickly prompts herself to continue. "I-I apologize if I came off as arrogant. . . It wasn't in my intentions to anger you."

        His dislike in her in her sudden yield clearly played into her diversion. Despite her fear being genuine, it was slowly dying at the realization of the game's dwindling time. "Don't you think it's a little too late for that now?" 

        He steps closer towards her and the electricity that swirls around her form spikes with caution. The patronizing smirk he wears is enough to drive the irritation she feels towards him to higher levels. Her fingers, which are dug into the ground she sits upon, dig further and she can feel the dirt being shoved under the length of her nails. She hates how he is seemingly enjoying the momentary power he holds over her and she swears to herself that she'd show him just how 'useless' her quirk is in the coming battles.

        "To think you—"

"Ten seconds remain."

       With mild enjoyment, she watches as his eyes widen at the sound of the automated voice. He glances over his shoulder towards the overhead digital clock that now flashes red to visually warn the participants of the closing time. Another growl emits from him as he turns his glower back to the now standing girl before him and she merely regards him with a hardened stare.

        Nine.

        "Dammit! You knew, didn't you?!" 

        Eight.

        "Doesn't matter now, senpai. You've already lost."

        Seven.

        Despite her diritied and scarred face, she still holds a look of confidence that utterly aggravates the blonde. Just moments ago she was weak; seemingly cowering under his very gaze and now she stood tall as if she had nothing to fear.

        Six.

        It all felt so sickeningly fake. He wanted to gag.

        Five.

        "This isn't over."

        Four.

        Along with her increasing excitement, her waves of electricity grow in strength; no longer weakly sparking in and out as they once had. Strands of [hair color] hair rise along with the flitting streams of light and the wild sparks grow closer towards Katsuki in the expanding radius. Her [eye color] eyes shimmer with her ignition of conviction and the flame only grows brighter when she remembers how easily she were going to give into him the moment she tired.

        Neither of them were willing to break the staredown they held with each other. Doing so would mean to relent and the both of them were much too stubborn to admit defeat. Not with their pride on the line.

        Three.

        She was determined to prove him wrong. No matter what it took.  

        Two.

        "Of course not, senpai."

        One. 

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note: annnd the first event is done! the next chapter will be pretty long as well since im going to try and get the second event done. sorry if this was way too focused on mc + bakugou. they kinda got a hate thing going on lol. pls refer to this wiki page to know the capabilities of your quirk.

Chapter Text

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        The moment Izuku witnessed the flashy display of power, he knew she held more potential than he or anyone else ever realized. It should have been known the moment Aizawa clearly stated that she shouldn't be underestimated, but no one could blame the viridian haired male for holding doubts.

        The wild arcs of light that emitted from her figure was enough to thoroughly ignite a sense of wonder within him. Electromagnetism was a quirk he had yet to hear about, undoubtedly a rare ability associated solely with Academy City. A familiar itch scratched at him, one that he recognized as the distinct need to note something interesting about another person's quirk. He attempted to dispel the feeling with tight clenches of his hands, assuring himself that once the competition was over he would ask his newly introduced kouhai all sorts of questions about her quirk. That was if he could get over the slight nervousness he felt in approaching her.

        His resolve in the matter was clearly warranted as he watches the score of his team rising at a rapid pace. In only the first five minutes of the game, blue team was already in third place and was just on the verge of taking second. With one look towards his other female partner, he sees that she is also thoroughly taken back with how much they've progressed. 

        ". . . Guess those level fives really don't mess around, do they?" He hears Ochako mutter to herself. It's a rhetorical question, one that she doesn't expect him to answer, yet he finds himself nodding along with it anyway. "But! [last name]-chan and Iida-kun work really well together, don't they?"

        Like her, he is utterly surprised at the amount of assistance the Tokiwadai student had shown so far. Just judging from her cold exterior, one would think she'd be an unbearable partner; much like his childhood friend or even as demanding as Todoroki Shouto. Yet, she held a continuous respective tone with him and his classmates, even going as far as to comfort him when he'd think she'd berate him for openly displaying weakness.

        Despite all the good he's seen of her so far, the far less colder expressions that came in the form of small smiles, he still couldn't get the image of the frigid stare she casted upon Tenya during her introduction out of his head. Just thinking about it now, sent chills up his spine and renewed that senseless intimidation he felt for a person younger than him. 

        "Iida-kun?" He perked up at the sound of Ochako's voice, green eyes zeroing in on the person she were referring to. His friend and class president happened to be running full speed towards them, engines roaring to life as he weaved in between the bodies of other teams. The moment he approaches them, he quickly hands the armful of balls he held to Ochako; who quickly uses her quirk on them before tossing them to an exasperated Izuku. "W-What are you doing here alone? Where's [last name]-chan?"

        As if he weren't expecting the question, Tenya's brows raise as he swiftly turns heel to glance behind him. "I'm. . . not too sure either, I thought she was behind—"

        At the sound of a loud explosion, the three quickly turn their heads in the direction the interruption originated from. Izuku's eyes widen, mouth slightly agape at the sight of seemingly endless waves of bluish white arcs of crackling electricity. All of which emitted from the standing figure of a familiar [hair color] haired girl. Even from the vast distance he stood away from the scene, he could feel the zaps of galvanism nip at the exposed skin of his arms and face. His ears buzzed with a combination of crackling from electricity and the deafening roaring of the crowd. Like many of the teens who stood around to watch the sight, the spectators were equally taken with the oddly beautiful destruction happening right before their eyes.

        Izuku's gaze couldn't seem to rip itself away from the confident figure of [name]. He felt absolutely mesmerized by the fluttering of her [hair color] hair as it settled back down from the wave of intense force it endured. Instead of making her look unruly, it added an almost unique look of resolution to her already fearless appearance. He couldn't see her face as her back was turned towards him, but he could imagine the content look she may have held on her face and he blushed slightly at the image of her undeniably attractive features softening slightly.

        "W-Wow!" Izuku is snapped out of his dazed stupor at the excited cheer of the brunette who stands next to him. "[last name]-chan is really, really  taking this seriously. . ."

        Izuku couldn't help but agree. While it wasn't as if he weren't taking this seriously as well, he was mildly surprised to see someone who held no obligation in winning to be trying their absolute hardest. [name] was a middle school student, one that was clearly uninterested in heroics and here purely for political purposes. It made him wonder what goal the younger girl was attempting to achieve by showing off. 

        "Deku-kun!" 

        At the call of his nickname, he jolts; green eyes wide with attention as he regards the excited look of the gravity user beside him. She grins cheerfully, light brown eyes shimmering with determination as she raises a clenched fist in the air to further display her jubilance. Next to her, Iida could be seen fretfully hovering his hands under her arm that still carries his retrieved points as his claims for her to be careful falls upon deaf ears. Ochako was much too wrapped up in the newly ignited flame of ambition which continued to grow thanks to the display of [name]'s cutthroat dedication.

        "We can't let [last name]-chan down by slacking off, let's do our best!"

        With his nervous countenance morphing into one of diligence, he gave an assured nod. "Y-Yes!"

※ ※ ※ 

        "Somehow. . . we won. . . first. . . place. . ." 

        There was a bit of concern laced within [name]'s distance gaze as she peered down at the hunched over form of her brown haired senior. The girl was huffing with exhaustion as she rolled the shoulder of her dominant arm, undoubtedly the one she used to throw numerous amounts of balls into their fairly high placed basket. She looked a bit pale in the face, even her normally rosy cheeks somewhat dimmed to blend more with her skin tone. Izuku was the same in that regard, he was on [name]'s other side as he rolled his shoulders in an attempt to get a feel of them again after they went numb. 

        It wasn't as if [name] looked any better, the dirt that stains both her face and clothes is apparent to her three teammates that she ended up getting into a scuffle with someone. Her hair, that was once pulled into a neat ponytail, is now freed from its hold and falls against her shoulders in unruly waves. The only thing that seemed to have stayed in place were the various silver pins that still hold back her bangs from intruding her vision. Her shirt is no longer a pristine white, the hem somewhat singed from explosions that went off a little too close. Even without Tenya informing the other two of [name] earning the scorn of Katsuki, they could tell he had a problem with her just from how intensely he was staring in her direction. 

        At first Izuku believed the blonde was staring at him that fiercely and maybe half of it was in his direction, but he could see [name] occasionally returning his childhood friend's stare with one just as intense. Tenya was definitely down playing the apparent rivalry the two now shared with each other and Izuku found himself silently praying that the young girl not get too injured in the blonde's warpath towards first place.

        "It's all thanks to you, senpai." [name] finally speaks as she lifts her gaze towards Iida, who flushes under her praise. "If it weren't for you three, I would have lost the game for us. I apologize for getting. . . distracted."

        She finishes off her apology with a deep bow, her hands clasped at her waist as her eyes flutter shut. Izuku felt a sudden wash of deja vu, the overly formal gesture mirrored the same one she had given his class during her introduction. The overt politeness she displayed completely contrasted the ferocity she showcased during the competition. It was odd how easily she was able to switch between mindsets and he wondered if whether these kinds of things were ingrained in her. It wasn't a secret that she was from a prestigious school which meant she must have come from a family with money. As far as Izuku's experience with rich people, which really only consisted of Tenya, they were overly formal with everyone including their peers.

        The moment he recovers from his mild exhaustion, he attempts to soothe over her concerns with a grin; yet it comes off more nervous than reassuring. "Y-You don't have to apologize!" She lifts her head at his words and her face holds a look of disbelief. "We all understand Kacchan can be a little. . ."

        His gaze averts from her own and a sigh escapes his lips. Her brows knit tighter together at the strange name of the person Izuku referred to. She couldn't remember anyone who went by 'Kacchan', but then again she wasn't introduced to all of class 1-A. At the sight of Izuku's defeated look, she glances between the faces of a now recovered Ochako and Tenya.

        "Kacchan? Who's that?"

        "Oh!" Ochako exclaims, the rosiness in her cheeks returning in full force due to the endearment she held for the younger girl's look of confusion. "That's the nickname Deku calls Bakugou-kun."

        "I. . . see."

        There's a brief silence that passes as she moves her gaze towards the figure of a blonde who doesn't stand too far away. His menacing expression is still directed towards her and she almost immediately rips her attention from him in favor of suppressing the laughter that threatens to bubble up. It was utterly bizarre to regard someone of Katsuki's nature with a nickname that sounded far too adorable to fit his personality. With fingertips pressed against her lips and cheeks puffed slightly, [name] attempted to conceal her laughter by turning away from the three who stared at her with confusion. 

        "[last name]-chan, are you. . . laughing?"

※ ※ ※ 

        The second event was set to be relatively simple; a game of flag tag. Unlike the last game, this one was to be played  in a free-for-all. No teams were to be made and there was no need for [name] to rely on any other strangers. Like the game suggested, the goal was simple; steal points from your enemies and the top sixteen would progress into the third and final round.

        As Midnight announced the top twenty-five teams who scored the most points in the ball tossing contest, she noticed the nervous figure of Izuku inching closer towards her. [Eye color] eyes slid over towards his anxious countenance and she wondered if there would ever be a day that the green haired male would not appear intimidated by her.

        "Midoriya-senpai, is there something you need?"

        The way she spoke to the older male was akin to a frightened animal. Her voice was soft, face holding no kind of strain in order to appear docile. Although she was aware of the intensity she displayed during the ball tossing contest, she hoped that his fear of her wouldn't drive him completely away. There was still the matter of his quirk which she held an interest in seeing.

        "A-About that move y-you pulled. . ." He trailed off and at the lack of response on her end, paired with the inquisitive look she gave him; he quickly reiterated. "T-The one you used to destroy Kacchan's point with!"

        When she nods with a note of understanding, her lips slightly agape as she recalled what he was referring to. "You want to know about it?" Her lips then pull into a small smile. "I won't be able to go into too much detail, but I can at least tell you what I call it."

        She finds the spark of wonder shimmering in his green eyes to be endearing, yet she doesn't dwell on it for too long. When he eagerly nods to her proposal, she casts a glance towards Midnight who just finished announcing the teams to advance to the next round.

        Her hands delve into the pocket of her pants and the sound of coins clinking together can be heard. To her, it's a reminder of the power she holds and the push of encouragement she needed to face the older and much more experienced teens in battle. The smile on her face never once wavers as she continues to regard Izuku with kind disposition. Although he was set to become her opponent in the next event, that didn't mean that she was going to lose the polite respect she held for him as her senior.

        "Railgun, that's what I call it."

        The name of the wondrous move was enough to continue prodding at Izuku's curiosity. He wasn't sure if the name was one she thought of herself or if someone else came up with it for her. He believed it was fitting. The memory of the intense waves of electricity emitting from her figure and the zaps nipping at his skin, solidified his assumption in the ability's likeness to a real railgun. The destruction it caused to a mere robot was a marvelous example of its potency. 

        Izuku couldn't imagine what such an ability could do to the human body.

※ ※ ※

        With as much strength as she could muster, she tightened the band of flags around her waist. Her hair, which had been left down for quite some time between rounds, was once again pulled into a ponytail and fluttered along with the wind as she proceeded to take place in her designated area. 

        The teams that were able to proceed to the second event were separated into temporary groups. For only the first ten seconds, teammates would have immunity from each other's attacks until they split off and after that, it was truly every man for themselves. [name] was more than prepared for the potential attacks she could receive from the three she teamed up with before and the electricity that sparked at her fingertips in stronger currents comforted her resolve. 

        Her confrontation with Katsuki in the first event was enough to weaken her and as much as she hated the thought of it, she was undoubtedly going to face him once more. He was intent on making her pay for presumably showing him up, but she wasn't going to give in as easily as she had the first time around. The fragility she displayed won't happen again. She wouldn't allow it. 

        "[Last name]-chan," 

        She jolts slightly at the sound of her name and when she turns to meet the excited visage of her rosy cheeked senior, she easily returns her smile. Ochako's enthusiasm for the whole event easily rubbed off on her and [name] found it hard to feel upset in the brunette's presence.

        "Good luck and don't go easy on us, okay?"

        The determination that burns in her light brown eyes is enough to bring about an equally ambitious nod from [name]. When her gaze drifts over towards the other two standing besides Ochako, they greet her with pursed lips and drawn brows. Even Izuku, whose anxiousness is seemingly vast, also wears a tense look. They were similar in their goals; all four of them carried a desire to win. 

        "As long as you all do the same for me." She spoke, [hair color] hair gently swaying along with a passing breeze. The excited roaring of the spectators seemingly fell away in the presence of her clear cut voice. All three sets of ears strained for her; to hear the words that would undoubtedly tumble from her plush lips. "I may not have come from a hero school or even know a thing about them, but I can tell you one thing for sure,"

        [Eye color] eyes hardened, gazing at the three of them with an intensity they've seen her wear during the first event. She glanced between all three of them, yet her gaze lingered on Izuku for noticeably longer.

        "I won't lose to any of you."

※ ※ ※

Chapter Text

※ ※ ※

        Electricity nipped at his skin in fleeting waves of pain, a sensation he willingly ignored in favor of looking for the figure who was the source of it. Her name was one he couldn't forget. The moment her appearance was announced by the echoed voice of Present Mic, he realized just how much of threat she could end up being.

[last name] [name], ranked third among the only seven level five Espers in Academy City.

        It was a title he was somewhat familiar with, Espers being something he briefly heard his father once mention. Academy City didn't have much to offer in terms of heroics. From the little he knows about the city, which was lightly searched through the internet when the curiosity became unbearable, it was a place more dedicated to science than anything else. It wasn't as if the idea of it were lackluster, it was named as the most technologically advanced city in the world for a reason.

        People from all over the Japan, no matter their age, gathered in the city in hopes of either expanding their power of their quirks or gaining a new purpose that didn't require the possession of an ability. When it was made public that Academy City was conducting tests and rigorous training to further increase the power of their level five Espers, his father was immediately interested in becoming apart of that. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for Shouto, Academy City refused the entrance of pro-heroes and their families on the city's premises. The reasons for that were ones that Shouto never cared enough to find out, but he found satisfaction in seeing his father work himself up over his denied entrance into the bordered city.

        Now, it seemed the subject of Academy City popped up before him once more in the form of a young girl. At first, he didn't pay any attention to her, his interest only slightly piqued when she mentioned she was from Academy City. It was obvious she was only here to garner favor for her city and he wasn't keen on spending any of his time on those who weren't here give it their all. Now that her rank as a level five was proudly announced and he was among the numerous people to witness the display of power that gave her such a rank, he was thoroughly engrossed in the idea of beating her. Doing so would send a message to his watchful father that he didn't need any sort of help, whether that'd be from him or an outside party. 

        "Oi!" His ears perked at the rough call of his classmate and when his gaze moves across the field towards the voice, he isn't surprised to see that Bakugou is the one yelling at the top of his lungs. "Where do you think you're going? I told you, we ain't done yet, princess."

        At the nickname, he could hear a scoff originate from the other side of him and that's when his gaze finally lands upon her. She emerges from the crowd of teens, arcs of electricity running along her limbs and body as she approaches the explosive blonde. Neither of them break from the glare they hold from one another and the amount of contempt that can be seen in both of their eyes, causes Shouto to wonder what happened between them.

        Bakugou doesn't seem at all fazed by the continuous waves of electricity that emits from her figure and she looks none too concerned with the murderous expression he beared. The both of them appeared very much like two waves of unstoppable forces, the intimidation of an incoming fight was enough to drive the more weaker willed teens away from them and create a clearing around them.

        The only one who was willing to stay in their vicinity, despite the telltale signs of the danger it held, was Shouto who stared at the scene with a tightened expression. His brows were slightly furrowed and lips were pulled into tense line that reflected the clear distaste he found in the obnoxious display of power the both of them showcased. From the roars of the crowd, it was undoubtedly within the spectators' favor to see a battle breakout between two teens with flashy quirks, especially if one of those kids hailed from a mysterious city. 

        "Please don't call me that, senpai." Despite the harsh edge in her tone, she still retains a loose respect for the older male.

        Her politeness would be rendered meaningless when directed towards the raging blonde who seemed to have nothing on his mind other than prevailing in his one-sided rivalry. Unperturbed by the aggressiveness in their stances or the heavy strain that hung between them, Shouto continues watching the scene before him unfold with keen interest. His gaze roves over the both of their belts, narrowing slightly when he caught the vast amount that hung from the younger female's hips. 

        Although he was bitterly aware of Midoriya swiping first place right from under him, he was not aware that the level five Esper was among his teammates. If anything, that added fact only built his resolve in beating her.

        To both [last name] and Bakugou, the world must have seemingly fell away. The only thing that was on either of their minds was to assure defeat of the other. The sparks of crackling light that emitted from the palms of Bakugou's hands and the arcs of zapping electricity that bounded off [last name]'s figure were obvious signs of their tunnel vision. 

        It was only the moment that the both of them decided to finally move that Shouto found himself doing something he'd never thought he do. He never once considered himself to be a meddling person. He's always believed that other people's concerns were not his problem as long as they never forcibly dragged him into it. Yet, here he was; interfering in something that had nothing to do with him.

        In fact, he at first hadn't realized what he'd done until he heard the enraged screeching of his classmate that demanded his head for 'getting in his way'. Heterochromatic blue-grey eyes finally snapped back into reality, refocusing on the altered scene before him. No longer was there a small clearing reserved for the three of them to stand within, now there was a giant wall of ice that seperated Bakugou from [last name] and in the middle of it there was a clear hole blown through it. 

        The only female of the trio stared at him with a look of disbelief and a bit of disorientation, while Bakugou continued yelling obscenities at him that were ignored after the first time he referred to Shouto as a 'half-and-half bastard'. After another moment of ensuing chaos, Shouto realized that he had unconsciously placed himself in between a fight that he wasn't apart of. The wall of ice that took the brunt force of Bakugou's explosive quirk was the final lock that sealed the red-white haired boy as apart of an unspoken rivalry between a hopeful hero and a mysterious Esper.

        The confusion apparent on [name]'s face had only lasted a second before her eyes narrowed and her lips tightened into a thin line. She was quick to recognize the mismatched boy's power, it being one of the many rare quirks she wished to observe more closely after seeing him in action during the first event. He was, as she now realized, the same boy who nabbed Yaoyorozu before she even had a chance to request to join a team with her. She was aware that it was a petty thing to get heated over, but she couldn't help the burn of irritation that scorched at her chest at the mere sight of him. Todoroki Shouto was his name, and she was determined to make him remember hers the moment she claims first place for herself.

        She said nothing in appreciation for his effort in saving her from a nasty blow to the face and instead her gaze switched between the both the two teenage boys who were now staring at each other with matching scowls. She paid no heed to their exchange of insults, one being more venomous and the other being passive aggressive jabs, as she turned heel to find someone else to nab points from. Her conviction in beating the two was strong, but she felt this event risked too much for her to lose focus now. The one versus one matches would prove to be a better place to finally smack some sense into the blonde who had the nerve to call her quirk 'useless'.

※ ※ ※

        With a touch as light as a feather and fingers encased in crackling light, [name] was an expert in both disqualifying and disarming her foes. Her electricity was constantly coursing through her body, zapping all who tread too near and her touch sent enough of a shock to completely render someone unconscious. 

        It was almost unfair how easy this event was for her. Her quirk was able to keep her well protected as well as assist her in garnering points from those that she could easily lay a hand on. Her place on the digital leaderboard continued to rapidly rise and her progress only being somewhat matched with the two teens she was confronted with at the beginning of the event. She could also see the names of her teammates from the first round, Uraraka and Iida ranking up at a decent pace, but Midoriya's name was nowhere to be found. 

        Was I wrong about him? She found herself thinking, a frown appearing on her delicate features. No, I couldn't have been. . .

        There's something about the green haired male that makes her second guess most of her observation skills. The pride she held in them felt shaky when she couldn't even correctly identify the type of quirk he held. She remembered her teammates spouting off about how powerful it was, yet she hadn't once seen it in action and even now the boy was seemingly resulting to using ordinary means to gather points.

        To her, his reluctance in using his quirk only meant one thing. He probably had no control over it and either couldn't use it at will or there was another dire consequence to it. As much as she wished to pry more into the matter, it felt rude of her to do as she pleased. She was still younger than him and she held a polite respect for all those who came before her. Even if they didn't deserve it.

        Her thoughts trailed back to his request to learn more about her quirk and it was only then that the idea of him returning the favor appeared in her mind. If she decided to spare him some details of her ability, there was a chance that he would do the same. 

        With another buzz of electricity, both of her hands busied themselves with simultaneously grabbing her victim's flag as well as assuring that they'd have a safe landing in their unconscious state. Midnight was quick to call for their disqualification and medical bots, that were seemingly on standby from the amount of teens put out of commission, rapidly gathered them before whisking them off to a rest area. [name] didn't stick around long enough to see them off and by the time she tied the colored flag to join the rest of them around her waist, she was already off.

        Her gaze caught the sight of green and she watched from afar as the familiar figure of Midoriya Izuku finishes tying off his recently gained point. His disheveled appearance is due to the unwitnessed scuffles he had with other participants, but the obviously broken finger with looked to have only been recently popped back into place was what her eyes lingered on for far longer. She wasn't sure why it caught her attention, maybe it was the inflamed redness combined with the eye catching dark purple that completely contrasted his pale skin, either way the injury strangely intrigued her.

        He seemed to have passed off the injury as nothing more, only glancing at it once with a strained look before returning his attention back to the game. He either had a desire stronger than hers to win and was able to easily gloss over the fact that one of his fingers were broken, or he was accustomed to gaining such injuries. 

        Hero course students are insane, is what she thought. 

        Once she saw him run off into another direction, her gaze trailed back towards the leaderboard as a smile graced her features at the sight of her name rising up one more place. Although she was still determined to snatch first place for herself, she was still proud of the quick progression in her placements. It was only until her eyes shifted upwards towards the name that stood above her own in first place that her smile dampered into a frown.

Todoroki Shouto | First Place

[last name] [name] | Second Place

Bakugou Katsuki | Third Place

        Her teeth gritted harshly together, providing little relief to the burning irritation that began to gather at the center of her chest. The confrontation they had with one another at the beginning of the event was still fresh within her mind and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She still wasn't sure what he gained from interfering with her dispute with Bakugou, but she hoped he wasn't expecting some sort of gratitude for helping her when she certainly never asked for it. Then there was a possibility that he thought she wasn't strong enough to take someone like Bakugou on, which only further drove her dislike for the red-white haired male.

        She might have not been apart of a prestigious hero course, she might have had nothing else going for her apart from her stellar technique with her quirk; but she knew she was more than capable of proving to be a challenging obstacle to the hopeful heroes if they wish to gain first place for themselves.

        His approval was not what she sought neither did she care for his opinion of her capability. Although she held a unique interest in his quirk, that was the only regard she held for Todoroki Shouto.

        Forcibly ripping her gaze away from her infuriating position at second place, she turned back towards the sea of scattered teens in search of the eye catching duo hair color that belonged to a certain heterochromatic boy. While she wasn't one hundred percent sure if forcing a confrontation this early on in the event would work out in her favor, she did want to stake her claim in the opportunity to showcase her domineering presence in regards to taking first place for herself. It would serve as her way of rubbing salt in the wound, if she had to sum up her intentions in simpler words.

        She wasn't much interested in the happenings of the other students, in fact she glossed over the ones she could see as if they were nothing more than specks of dust in the air. She was hyper focused, determined to find the one person that her been ruefully on her mind and she couldn't afford to be distracted when this event was soon to be over with.

        Yet, it seemed as though no one could ignore her clearly still figure that translated into an easy target for others. Despite the continuous electric blue arcs of light running over her body in tantalizing waves and snapping at anyone who dared to near too close to her, their desire to gain the vast amount of flags she possessed far outweighed the danger they may face. She thought they were reckless and their desperation to garner points would be rendered meaningless the moment her electricity made contact with them. 

        "Oh? They really did allow a middle school student to participate this year. . ." Her attention focused on the lone blonde who stood behind her, his eyes were crinkled slightly in amusement and his lips were turned up into a devious smirk that looked far too charming than she'd ever admit. "I honestly didn't think you'd get past the first event, let alone win." 

        Her brows knitted, the words he spoke which were meant to aggravate her had done so successfully. Her frown curled into a snarl as a scoff emitted from her lips. As much as she wished to keep a polite respect for her seniors, she wasn't kind enough to extend that civility to those that blatantly disrespect her. 

        "And what made you think that I couldn't get this far?"

        "Isn't it obvious?" His answer was almost immediate and the grin that stretched across his face was one that spoke of a silent victory in baiting her into retaliation. "Unlike us, you're from a school that doesn't pride itself in heroics, but science. Aren't you a bit out of depth here?"

        She was somewhat unaccustomed to doubt stemming from others. Since entering Tokiwadai, she's always been hailed as some kind of genius by those within her grade and above but here it was completely different. To them, she was only a level five Esper in title. The moment she stepped foot into Yuuei, that title was rendered meaningless. To these heroes, she must have appeared as nothing more than a child who attempted to appear older and much more than she was in reality. 

        She hated it. The heavy doubt of those around her made her heart sink into her stomach whilst her whole body burned with an anger she had never once felt before. She resented the feeling, it made her feel weak and pathetic; like all her confidence stood on the opinion of one blue eyed blonde. 

        ". . .What's your name?" She willed her voice to maintain its steady tone and with a gaze that seemingly wished to burn through his own.

        Normally, she wouldn't even bother to learn the identity of someone who she wasn't ever going to see again after today, but she'd make an exception if only to add to the satisfaction of knowing the name of the person she'd utterly crush in competition. He took a second too long to answer that was quickly noticed and piqued her interest. His sudden hesitancy mader her believe that he may have been more unnerved by her lack of expected reactions than what he wished to let on.

        It seemed he wanted nothing more than to aggravate her into recklessness. In a sense, he accomplished that very feat by shaking her seemingly unbreakable confidence but he had also unknowingly strengthened her resolve in winning over the increasing amount of teens who discredited her abilities; whether that be aloud or internally.

        "Now that," At the feeling of fingers gently grasping at her chin, she was taken out from her thoughts. Her eyes widened at the sudden close proximity of the blonde's face to her own. That same smirk that she found herself disliking more as time went on, adorned his features and his intense gaze never once wavered from her own. Now that he was so close to her, she was able to notice the blanched out pupils of his eyes and how they contrasted against the blue of his iris. "Would only take away from the mystery of it all." 

        When he abruptly pulled away and teasingly waved multiple colorful flags before her, she realized he used her moment of thoughtfulness to strike. Her guard was let down for only a moment and with the halt of her continuous quirk use; he found his opportunity. Her hand fell to her flag belt which now felt lighter compared to a few moments ago and from the corner of her eye, she could see the leaderboard update with the new placements. Her name dipped down a place, unfortunately giving leeway to Bakugou who immediately claimed it for himself. Whoever this blonde was, he proved himself to be more conniving than she initially believed.

        However, his identity wouldn't be a secret for long. As soon as her name dropped, another rose and it wasn't just Bakugou Katsuki's. She prided herself in her observation skills and this small detail wouldn't get past her sharp eyes so easily.

Monoma Neito | Fourth Place 

        "Wouldn't you agree, ojou-san?"  

        Almost immediately her quirk reactivated and she took little comfort in the sensation of electricity running down the lengths of her arms and legs. "I'd prefer if you didn't call me that. . ."

         "That's right! Your name is [last name] [name], right?" He slyly grinned, azure eyes reflecting unspoken malicious intent. He rose his free hand up, giving her a better view of familiar arcs of blue light weaving between his pale fingers. "But ojou-san fits you far better than that boring old name."

        "Now I see why they call you the strongest electromaster. . ." The electric arcs continued growing, crawling up his arm and across his body. His gaze flitted away from his arm and back towards her as his grin settled down into a smug smile. "No wonder this event was such a breeze for you. . . you hardly have to put in any kind of work with a quirk like this."

        Her brow rose at the sight of her own quirk being wielded by another. From how clumsily he used it, it was obvious he was not a natural born electric user. He looked far too accustomed to controlling the wild element to be born with a quirk alike her own, to her that only left one other option. 

        ". . .Copied it." She murmured to herself as her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "You copied my quirk, didn't you?"

        "Took you long enough to figure it out." He simpered behind an electrified hand. "Now what are you going to do about it?"

        With her quirk, there was nothing she could do. His newly acquired ability would render the use of electricity null and so there was no point in fighting against him with her quirk. Though the same thing could be said for her, he couldn't harm her either. Despite her mild satisfaction in him not being able to touch her, he'd still walk away as the victor from this altercation due to the fact that he not only gained her quirk but her points as well. 

        Along with her building frustration, the arcs of electricity surrounding her idle figure grew in height and scorched the very ground she stood upon. The air tensed, seemingly suffocating those around her with a sense of unease as her electricity grew to an almost uncontrollable degree. Her hands clenched into fists and she could feel her nails digging into her palms, yet the small pricks of pain hadn't distracted her from the source of her anger.

        Judging from the nonchalance the blonde expressed at the sight of electricity inching dangerously close to his own figure, he expected and wholly welcomed this outcome. Just to see the ever detached Tokiwadai Ace make an expression that budged from its usual stoicism was enough to inflame a feeling of satisfaction within him. Ever since he heard the announcement of her presence he was determined for a moment like this to arise. 

        When he first stumbled across a video of her competing in Academy City's annual Daihaseisai, he found himself feeling aggravated that a person much younger than himself was capable of wielding their quirk at a much higher degree and earning themself a rank among what was considered the most powerful within the futuristic city. She was just a first year in middle school in that video and he a second year, since then he was determined to surpass her even if she'd never bear witness to his progress. Yet it appeared fate favored him in giving him the chance to finally put [last name] [name] back in her place. 

        Which, incidentally, was below him; where she belonged.

        "Now, let's not get too hasty!" He quickly stepped back from a encroaching arc of scattered light. His eyes lit up with elation at the sight of familiar figures from the dreaded class A approaching from either side of them and he took it as his que to leave. "I've gotten what I've come for, so this is goodbye for now. Hopefully we'll settle this matter in the last event! Though with them around, I highly doubt it." 

        At the oddity of his words, [name] glanced over towards the direction he nodded at only to see the last person she wished to meet when the event was so close to coming to an end.

        "So this is where you've been hiding after running away from me."

        In all his vengeful glory, Bakugou Katsuki addressed her with such disdain that she would've figured she'd done more to him than just sabotaging his 'undeniable victory' in the first event. His pettiness all but breezed by her in the current aggravated state she was in and when her gaze snapped back over towards where Monoma once stood, she was unsurprised to see he made himself scarce. 

        Bakugou was undeniably a fierce opponent, the scorches apparent on her clothes and the scars that littered her arms and face was a small testament to the lengths he'd go to ensure that she'd realize her mistake in messing with him. Just his persistence alone in pursuing her was enough to convince her that she should have never even bothered with hindering his progress in the first place.

        As much as she wished to also indulge him in the fight he so desperately craved, she knew it was in her best interest to play defensively. Especially when a partial amount of her points recently got snatched away from her and she was left in third place. Her gaze flickered over towards the blinking timer that sat above the leaderboard and she felt herself exhale at the remaining three minutes that seemingly mocked her.

        She definitely had time to gain some points, but with Bakugou around; he'd make sure she wouldn't.

        "Can't we just save this for the one-on-one matches?" Her tone was curt and he noticed that it didn't match the polite inflection she often used even when he was anything but respectful towards her. "You and I both know that we need to gain some points, especially if you're looking to win first place."

        Todoroki Shouto was still in the lead, she didn't need to look back at the leaderboard to know that. Yet at her placation, he scoffed as if it were the dumbest thing he's ever heard of. 

        "What makes you think I'd let you get away so easily again?" Crimson eyes flickered down towards her waist where her flags rest. Her gaze narrowed when she witnessed the reappearance of his vicious grin. "Your points would be enough to get me way past Icyhot."

        Another exhale passed through her lips as disappointment flooded through her in waves. "I should have known you were going to say that. . ." 

        His anger towards her was becoming predictable. He'd do anything to keep her progressing and although she didn't know him well, it was obvious patience wasn't apart of his vocabulary. He'd much rather kick her to last place while she was down before ever giving her a chance to retaliate in a true match. It wasn't as if she were overjoyed to face against him either, but it would be preferred over the tense faceoffs they've had at the end of both events so far.

        Two minutes.

        Time was wasting, she could feel herself becoming restless as her fingers itched and electricity ran off her body in rhythmic waves. Her quirk was reacting along with her anxiousness and Bakugou seemingly took joy in seeing her squirm. Third place didn't feel good and the more time she wasted having a stare off with an angry blonde, the more time every other person had the chance to catch up to her or completely surpass her.

        She had too much on the line to quit now and third place was hardly satisfying to achieve. She figured this is what Bakugou must have felt when she was still striding rapidly in progress and he was metaphorically left to pick up the slack. 

        The air around them was tense, it crackled and sparked with lingering electricity and the moment one of her towering arcs snapped in his direction, she was sure he'd lunge right at her. 

        And that's exactly what he did.

        Despite predicting it at the last second, she still found herself caught off guard by his sudden movement. Unlike the first event, she didn't have any metallic robots lying around to latch her electricity onto, instead she had to rely on herself to get out of his range.

         She was quick in her movements, clumsily dodging to the side when his hands reached for her to deliver a direct blow. Her teeth gritted together at the feeling of her hands and knees scraping against the harsh dirt ground below. She sharply hissed in pain at the feeling of small rocks digging into her skin and drawing blood. The explosion that sounded off directly behind her gave her the notice of his intent in completely annihilating her from the face of the earth if she decided against moving at the last second. She felt the ground rumble from the force of his quirk and the shower of dirt that followed caused her eyes to widen in slight disbelief.

        Hero course students are truly insane, that belief was definite and no longer could be considered a thought.

        One minute.

        Quickly, she retaliated in turn. Arcs of built up electricity bursted from her figure and rapidly directed themselves towards the recovering blonde. He wouldn't have time to dodge, not like her, as his back was turned and his ears had only perked just at the immediate sound of her attack. Her aim was impeccable, she rarely ever missed and her current aim percentage of 99.7 was the testament to her years of practice and tweaking to her quirk. He'd be hit by it and would undoubtedly be rendered unconscious and the win would be undisputedly hers.

        Yet, in some sort distasteful twist of fate, that moment never comes.

        Instead of it reaching its target, the blonde was seemingly saved by a well placed wall of ice. It very much mirrored the events that took place at the beginning of the game, though this time the roles were a bit reversed. The electric blue waves of galvanism bounced off the newly made wall and then dispelled as it scattered off in numerous directions. 

        "Why the fuck do you always keep getting in my way?!"

        Twenty seconds.

        His voice sounded muffled from the other side of the wall and [name] had half a mind to ignore the continued insults he threw towards the familiar newcomer. Twice had Todoroki Shouto saved her from confrontation with the explosive blonde and twice had she felt they were not at all out of the goodness of his heart. He underestimated her along with everyone else she's come to meet so far. He probably thought he was saving her from the world of hurt Bakugou would have placed on her if not for his interference. That wasn't going to be the case this time. She was sure that if he hadn't interrupted them, the blonde would've been disqualified and she'd finally claim victory over him and get him to back off for the remainder of the sports festival. She couldn't help but wonder if he was attempting to push her out by keeping the blonde in.

        As the final seconds drew near to end the second event, her gaze flickered over towards the preoccupied figure of red-white haired male who seemed to have resigned himself to the fate of becoming Bakugou's verbal punching bag.

        ". . .This is starting to really get annoying."

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Chapter Text

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        There was a certain air around her that made her feel utterly unapproachable. Whether it were unintentional or not, there was no doubt that people were intimidated by the sight of her.

        Despite being the youngest out of all the first years who began to slowly make their way back into the tunnels leading out of the stadium, her display of raw power including her very apparent rivalry with two of the strongest students among class 1-A, proved to be enough to make any of the teens doubting her solely because of her age to second guess themselves.

        It was made clear to everyone, if not most people, that [last name] [name] was no pushover titled prodigiously in name only.

        Not many knew the true meaning of being a level five Esper, but if they were to base it off the sliver of power [name] showcased; they couldn't fathom the thought of someone holding even more power than the supposed ranked third Tokiwadai student. The thought of facing against her filled some students with a sense of apprehension, especially a certain raven haired beauty who still held a lack of confidence in her own abilities.

        Yaoyorozu Momo couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from the figure of the younger girl who was seemingly lost in her own thoughts. The exposed skin of her arms were littered in injuries and her appearance which had once been so neatly put together at the beginning of the event was now disheveled. Even her face was blemished with small scars that scabbed over her cheeks with dried blood and the sight of them was enough to prompt Momo to justify her sudden approach.

        "[Last name]-san," She tapped her fingers gently against the younger girl's shoulder yet she still jolted as if she were startled by the subtle sensation. The Esper quickly turned towards Momo's direction, a light frown creasing her delicate features and brows tightly knitted together.

        There was a moment that the ravenette began to regret her decision of approaching her just from the look of the irritated expression she bore. Though the moment [name] realized just who was behind her, her expression softened and took on a more welcoming look than what she held before. The two were alone in the dark hallways located just outside of the waiting rooms; the only signs of other people being their distant footsteps and murmurs of conversation that couldn't be clearly made out by either girls. 

        "Oh, Yaoyorozu-senpai," She called, her attention completely focused on the taller female as she finally turned to fully face her. "Congratulations on getting past the second event. Sixth place is impressive and couldn't have been easy to get."

        Now that they stood at a much closer proximity towards one another, Momo was easily able to see the few scars that littered the younger girl's cheeks and the dirt that smudged against her skin in dark patches. The concern she felt welling up within her for the younger girl's health far outweighed the need to deny her self-conceived less than stellar performance in the last event. With a small nod and a quickly muttered word of gratitude, Momo moved the conversation towards the subject that had her approaching the Tokiwadai student in the first place.

        "Your injuries. . ." The taller female trailed off, her brows knitted together and her expression conveying the concern she felt. Grey eyes roved over the expanse of [name]'s face as well as trailing down the lengths of her arms. "Why didn't you go to the nurse's office with the others?"

        Noticing where her attention was directed towards, [name] regarded her many wounds with a careless shrug of her shoulders. "I didn't think they were serious enough to warrant any healing. There were people who had it worse than me."

        "Still," She spoke with a sigh escaping her lips as she moved closer towards the younger girl. Glancing down at her arm, she quickly created several adhesive bandages that earned a curious hum from [name] who observed with keen interest. "It isn't good to leave your injuries untended."

        [name] said nothing in response, only idly watching as the ravenette began unwrapping bandages to stick onto her minor wounds. She knew very little of Momo's quirk, only witnessing it in action during the first event when she created an electric resistant blanket for herself when [name]'s quirk grew out of control and even then she never had the time to really observe it with a certain blonde breathing down her neck.

        It was another rare quirk, [name] knew that for certain. There were a number of creation quirks she'd seen within the walls of Academy City, though none of them had been as versatile or seemingly unlimited like Yaoyorozu's.  

        "Senpai," She calls, her eyes trained on the preoccupied expression of the refined girl before her. Momo offered a hum in acknowledgement, her grey eyes much too busy with looking over the scrapes littering [name]'s exposed arms. "What's your quirk called?"

        Her movements momentarily stilled before resuming in their gentle tending and with a quick glance at [name]'s curious expression, the older girl stifled a laugh in favor of answering. To her, it was a bit endearing how obviously intrigued [name] was with her quirk. The spark of fascination that shined in her normally disinterested [eye color] eyes was only a small testament to excitement that fluttered within the confines of her chest.

        "Creation." She answered as her fingers unwrapped another bandaid. 

        Her gaze had refocused on [name]'s face, only briefly meeting her gaze before flickering down to the scars the dragged across her cheeks. Beads of crimson lined the edge of a particularly deep cut and it was enough to cause Momo to slightly wince. As delicately as she could, she placed the last bandage onto the scar whilst flickering her gaze towards the younger girl's face to gauge her reaction.  

        "It seems that Bakugou-senpai hit me a lot harder than I thought. . ." Her left eye clenched shut for a moment as a small sting radiated from the cut located on that side of her face. She figured her lack of pain from earlier had only been due to the adrenaline she experienced during her encounter with the two males who deemed themselves the bane of her existence. "If it weren't for him getting in the way, he might have left me more than just a little scar on my face. . ."

        Despite the last part of her sentence being muttered under her breath, Momo was able to hear her clearly. She knew for a fact that [name] was being chased by her blonde classmate during the first event, but she was unaware of the apparent feud she had with him that caused him to terrorize her during the second event.

        There was a feeling of concern that churned at the pit of Momo's stomach. She was among many of her classmates who've witnessed the extent of Bakugou's anger and the thought of it being directed towards someone younger than them had only driven the ravenette's worry further.  

        "You should be careful, [last name]-san," Her thin dark brows were knitted tightly together, conveying the uncertainty she felt. "Bakugou isn't one to hold back, no matter if you're younger than us or not."

        The moment the words leave her lips, there is a change in [name]'s civil expression. Her lips curve into a frown that completely contrasts the small smile she wore only minutes ago as a gesture of appreciation for Momo's assistance. Her eyes no longer held an semblance of warmth now they displayed a bitterness that she had seen once when they first met and it oddly mirrored the glare Todoroki held when anyone offered more than a few words of conversation. 

        "Thank you for your concern, senpai, but I'd be more insulted if he didn't take me serious enough to not hold back." She stepped back and out of arm's reach of the older girl, her gaze still hardened and a far cry from the courtesy she displayed moments prior. "I may be younger than you all, but I'm powerful enough to win this event and take home first place. . . It would be best if you remember that."

        "I'd also appreciate it if you didn't underestimate me either. . ." Her head lowered, forcing her gaze to rip away from Momo's and her hands clenched tightly at her sides. "I get enough of it from everyone else already."

        Swiftly she turned her back towards Momo, carrying on down the hallway without sparing the older girl a glance or even a chance to apologize for unintentionally offending her. With a sigh, the dark haired girl clutched the bundle of discarded bandage wrappers tightly in her hand as her head shook with displeasure aimed at herself. Once again she seemed to have failed in achieving a feat that almost anyone could accomplish. She only wished to make a friend out of the younger girl and instead she ended up misleading the girl into thinking she thought less of her because of her age.

        She thought her display of concern would be taken more amicably, though it was clear from even before their conversation took place that something was bothering [name]. Momo just happened to have accidentally reignited that feeling of irritation within her.

It seems I've said something I wasn't supposed to. . .

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        The darkened hallway she stood within was relatively empty save for the lone figure of no one other than herself. [name] leaned against the wall, half of her body being bathed in the sunlight that leaked in from the entrance of the hallway that led directly into the stadium. 

        Bitterness swelled within her in waves and the frown etched onto her delicate features was the only indication of her soured mood. There was a bottle of milk tea clutched in her hand and her eyes were narrowed into a glare as she watched condensation run down the length of the plastic. Her rumination of the conversation she held with Yaoyorozu earlier still flared the feeling of inadequacy and the frown on her lips only deepened in turn. 

        It was clear to all those she's met so far that her age played a bigger part in their treatment towards her. She was obviously younger than them all and even if it were only by a year; it seemed to have only caused them to look down upon her as if she were lesser. She wasn't sure why her power was doubted when she displayed its potency during the games, even going as far as to show how easily she could incapacitate them in one electrifying touch. Still, they underestimated her and they continued to look at her with concern as if she were nothing more than a helpless child. 

        Momo's worry might have been innocent enough and [name] somewhat regretted displaying a lack of composure around her, but the older girl's words had only reminded her of the reality that no one appeared to have thought anything of her. The only one who seemed to have disregarded her age and only focused on the fact that her quirk could prove to become an obstacle in his path towards first place was Bakugou Katsuki. As much as she hated to admit it, the fierce blonde was the one she appreciated the most for taking her seriously. Though that was a fact that she wouldn't ever be divulging to him anytime soon.

        Her appreciation for him didn't mean she was intending to be lenient the moment their one-on-one match came up. There was still the matter of him insulting her that she needed to settle.

        Her lips parted as she allowed a sigh to pass through. She's never been one to raise her voice, especially directing it towards another person. There was a bout of regret that momentarily claimed her thoughts and she felt her eyes soften from their unnecessary glare when the memory of Momo's crestfallen expression flashed across her mind.

        [name] could at least admit that she did overreact just a little with her sudden agitated outburst towards the older girl, though she refused to believe that it was unwarranted. [name] wasn't a child neither was she Momo's little sister, the needless doting felt all too reminiscent of her mother and the last thing the middle school student needed was to be reminded of her. Of course none of that was intentionally done by Momo and [name] wasn't too wrapped up in herself to realize when she was in the wrong.

        I'll be sure to apologize to her later. . .

        Her fingers made quick work of unscrewing the cap off her milk tea before she sipped at it absentmindedly. It wouldn't make much for a meal, but she'd much prefer the solitude that came with it over the possibility of being crowded if she had decided to follow everyone else towards lunch. Though her promise to meet up with Midoriya after the last event had not slipped her mind, she wondered if he would care if she didn't bother showing up. Her less than pleasant encounters with the rest of his classmates had taken a lot out of her mentally and she wasn't sure how she would react if her green haired senior had done something similar to unintentionally set her off.

        She was sure her need to retain civility with those older than her would inevitably prove to be her downfall as a little more than half of the older teens she's met so far have been less than cordial towards her.

        Her gaze finally lifted away from idly staring down at the floor and it soon turned down towards the depths of the hallway. Her eyes slightly squinted as her brows knitted and ears perked at the distant noise of what sounded like someone talking. She could distinctly make out the sound of the low tone of a person's voice yet their words eluded her. She didn't expect anyone to be anywhere near the desolate hallway she made herself comfortable in and a part of her felt reluctant in being found by someone.

        With one hand against the wall she leaned against and the other clutching her milk tea close to her chest, she stuck to the edge of the hallway as she made her way down towards where she could hear the voice originate from. With each step she took towards the main intersection of the corridor, the louder the voice became and the more clearly their words could be heard.

        ". . .have you heard of quirk marriages?"

        Her footsteps slowed to a still, the crease between her brow deepening as she contemplated the situation she now found herself in. The little words she was able to pick up on were intriguing and the thought of staying to hear more briefly passed through her thoughts. The subject of quirk marriages brought upon memories of her distant past though she refused to dwell on it more than she needed to. Her parents were long gone and any thought of them would only result in that feeling of guilt she thought she rid herself of years after her family's deaths. 

         Just from how close she could hear the voice, she knew whoever was speaking was close and would undoubtedly spot her if she were to step out from the corner she hid behind. It placed her in an awkward position that left her with only two choices; either she stepped out and risked getting seen and possibly accused of eavesdropping even if it were accidentally, or continue hiding and shamelessly accept the fact that she was indeed hearing a conversation that didn't involve her with the only benefit being that her solitude would remain unchanged.

        "My parent's marriage was not out of love but to fulfill my father's desire to have a child powerful enough to one day surpass All Might."

        The voice sounded unrecognizable which was to be expected as she knew relatively no one other than the select few who've made their identities known to her and it was now painfully obvious that this person was not just talking to themselves, but to someone else. She was somewhat tempted to peek out from the wall in order to see just who was speaking on the subject many considered controversial. The added name drop of Japan's number one hero had only driven her curiosity in the conversation further and she decided to momentarily forget the moral dilemma of butting into another person's business without their knowledge.

        Even with her life spent in the walls of Academy City, she wasn't so ignorant to the outside world to have not know who the acclaimed 'Symbol of Peace' was. She would sometimes pick up the whispered gossip of the girls at her school and even Yuuko would occasionally bring up the hero in conversation. The hero who fights with a blinding smile and has yet to face a villain he couldn't beat, the man who instilled hope into all who come across him. All Might was the very definition of what it truly meant to be a hero and was an example of what she disliked of the heroic mindset.

        No matter how much everyone else seemed to have idolized the number one hero, she could never believe he were truly as unstoppable as he portrayed himself to be.

        "My mother endured a lot during my childhood. . . there was never a day that went by that I hadn't seen her crying."

        [name] noticed that the stranger's tone was somber, conveying a far deeper despondency than what he bothered to display for the person he spoke to. Though anyone with a bit of observation could tell there was more to the stranger's sob story than he'd confess. Still, she continued listening, her brows knitted tightly together as she tried to make sense of the reason this person would be emotionally exposing himself to another.

        The idea of divulging more personal information about herself to complete strangers was one that absolutely repulsed her. Misaki had been the only one ever close enough to know things that [name] would never tell another living soul and that was purely because of the years of friendship they shared with one another. Of course that was when they were friends. . . now they were nothing more than strangers who were bit familiar with each other.

        "This scar she left me. . ." There was a pause in his sentence and the sound of a quiet gasp which she assumed emitted from the person who he was conversing with. "It serves as a reminder of how far my father pushed her and the pain he intentionally caused her. . . no matter what, I vowed to never use anything that bastard's given to me and that includes my left side."

        Abuse in quirk marriages wasn't unheard of and she was lucky enough to born into one that at least had two people accepting of each other. Her mother had seldom delved into the details of how she and [name]'s father came to be, but it was always obvious to [name] that her parents weren't like everyone else's. They acted more like friends than lovers. 

        "Whatever relationship you share with All Might doesn't matter to me. I'll beat you with only my right side and show that man that I could become number one without the use of his power."

        Her brows rose along with his confident proclamation. Her features relaxed slightly as her gaze flickered down to the beads of cold condensation ran down the length of her knuckles and drip messily on to the floor below. It didn't take her long to figure out the identity of the person she was eavesdropping on. The mention of sides and allusion of multiple quirks had only made the answer more obvious. With her obsession with the rarity of the various quirks she's come across so far, she could never forget the name of the boy who possessed more than just one. Todoroki Shouto was the one who stood beyond the corner of the hall she hid behind and it was his circumstances that reminded her of the past that she desperately wished to forget.

        She could hear the sound of footsteps stepping farther away from the spot she stood and for a moment she believed the completely one-sided conversation to be over. Though that thought was dashed away when she heard the second voice finally break from their silence.

        ". . .U-Um!" Her ears perked at the familiar tone of voice that held a distinct note of anxiety. It was a voice she became acquainted with shortly after their time together as teammates. The person Todoroki Shouto was speaking to was no one other than Midoriya Izuku. The footsteps ceased at the start of his sentence and [name] could only guess that the duo hair colored boy was deciding to give Izuku the time of day. "I. . . might not understand where you're coming from o-or even why you feel the need to hold yourself back, but don't you think that's an insult to the people who've put all of their efforts into making it this far?"

        Surprisingly, [name] found herself agreeing with his words. Despite his overall unassuming appearance and the seemingly endless waves of anxiousness he radiated around her, he was astonishingly adamant when it came to things he feels passionate about. She was briefly witness to this side of him during their time together in the first event when he was strangely hopeful for their victory despite being the epitome of nervousness moments earlier before her attempt at comfort.

        "Holding yourself back like that. . . isn't that still giving power to your father?"

        His voice was heavy with disappointment and she could almost imagine the hardened expression on his face that would have completely contrasted the softness it usually held. Once again that temptation to peek around the corner rose up in her and she struggled to swallow it down. She was never one who was interested in drama but she couldn't help the feeling of wanting to know more. It was already a proven fact that her curiosity could be reckless at times, this being one of the many situations which earned her information she had no intention on ever gathering in the first place.

        There was another pause, one that was filled with a weighted strain. The silence was almost deafening and she couldn't for a second believe that Shouto would be taking Izuku's words all too well. He didn't seem like the type who enjoyed other people poking their noses into things they knew nothing about even if he was the one who initiated the conversation of his personal life. 

        "You're right," His voice could be described as nothing but cold. She could even audibly hear the green haired male flinch from how curt Shouto's tone was. He was once again distancing himself from his peers, that glare he regarded her with once before undoubtedly making its way onto his face. "You don't understand."

        The footsteps resumed once again, leaving the hall in silence and notably lighter. With her now uncapped milk tea making its way to her lips, she could hardly reflect on the events that had just played out. Though her conclusion was clear and as much as she wished she could have stayed out of it, she was inevitably caught up in a problem that wasn't hers to begin with. There's no way she could feign ignorance when what she heard was far more senseless than anything she's faced in the fourteen years of her life.

        Todoroki Shouto, no matter how tragic his childhood was, needed some kind of logic smacked into him and [name] decided she wouldn't mind being the one to do it. 

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