Fire Within -Tododeku

Silent scars

NOTES: Please comment your opinion of this chapter! Any opinion is helpful to me.

Somehow, the league's plan had worked. Shouto still didn't know why the league was so determined to get him to be popular. Bakugo didn't seem to be aware that he wasn't a hero himself if he had ties to the league, all too concentrated in seemingly enjoying to reject the new fangirls he had as there was a group of students that had approached him after class.

"Back off, extras! I'm not interested" he had told them, his voice rough and aggressive.

And they had, disappointed and taken aback by his tone, while a few seemed to relish even being addressed by him, even if it meant that they had to be insulted to do so. Todoroki was convinced this new found popularity wasn't going to last at all. The league was wasting its time with such an uncooperating project.

Todoroki was told by Aizawa to wait after class so they could talk. Great. He was going to get punished for punching a guy that broke his best friend's finger. He went over to the teacher after telling Midoriya and Uraraka not to wait for him.

"I believe you wanted to speak to me." Shouto said. He wasn't going to outright admit any type of responsibility.

"Yes. I wanted to ask you the reason behind your unexpected outburst." Todoroki was about to retort it wasn't unexpected. Any other person would have done the same if their best friend's finger was broken by some deranged classmate with no limits in evil. However, Todoroki suspected Aizawa wasn't going to be impressed if he justified himself without any regret, so he decided to play it humble.

"I believe my actions were indeed of a violent nature, however, I appreciate you asking the reason behind my... emotional outburst" Todoroki hated to call it like that, but he had to seemingly agree with Aizawa if he wanted to get past this with limited consequences, he mused. Most importantly, he was wishing that the punishment he would get would go unnoticed by the league. He couldn't get suspended because he couldn't afford Endeavor's reaction, and if he wasn't of any use to the league... Todoroki decided to avoid thinking about that right now. "Bakugo showed an extreme level of aggression towards my classmate, Izuku Midoriya, after breaking his finger in what should have been a friendly spar. I am aware that he was quickly treated by Recovery Girl, but that doesn't erase the pain Bakugo made him experience. I just wanted to defend my friend from getting injured any further." This had to sound reasonable. It was true. But there was so much more to it.

He had wanted to face him from the moment he had punched Midoriya for the first time. He still remembered how shocked he felt that time, witnessing unnecessary violence that hit way too close to home.

"You say you wanted to defend him, yet a shove could have been enough to stop him." Todoroki wanted to curse, because he was right. "The aggression you displayed was exacerbated..."

Todoroki couldn't keep quiet this time.

"Exacerbated? Exacerbated was the first time Bakugo got away with punching Midoriya for the first time, more than twice in the face. Exacerbated is the level of ignorance and unconcern our supposed heroes showed before a danger to my innocent classmate's safety, that willingness to turn a blind eye just because of a powerful quirk. The principal and the rest of the pros have failed Midoriya Izuku." Todoroki suddenly realized he had raised his voice, when he was supposed to remain composed and feign agreement. He had screwed up. It was too late for any type of agreement. Screw this. "All he got was a suspension, a slap on the wrist, as you said back then in the bus. While I believe you have been influential in the past, if the rumors of you kicking an entire class from the hero course are true, it is clear to me that times have changed, and you can no longer take action as you wish against someone who is truly a menace for our classmates. If you couldn't convince the principal and the rest of the teachers that Bakugo deserved more than <a slap on the wrist>, then I believe this school's system is done for, and can no longer protect their students or realize when enough is enough. If my actions are considered worthy of the same punishment that Bakugo has received, I fear I will have lost what little faith I have in this educational institution. I refuse to stand by and watch as injustice prevails within these walls. How can we call ourselves heroes if we allow such blatant disregard for the well-being of our peers? Any hero would have stepped in at the sight of such abortion of justice, because if the abuse of my classmate is allowed so many times, how can this institution be deserving of creating any hero?" Todoroki finished to say, agitated and out of breath. He wasn't going to pretend anything anymore.