𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀
❝ 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨. ❞
"you need to stop being a fool!"
midoriya shouted in indignant annoyance. despite the gnawing pain that travelled from his fingers, to his wrists, to his forearms, and up to his elbow, he didn't show signs of stopping his evoking narrative.
todoroki's lips parted slightly as he began to recall unfortunate events.
"stand up. if something like this knocks you down, you won't be able to take down any villains, let alone all might."
"please stop. he's only five!"
"he's already five. don't interrupt!"
"shut up." he muttered as frost began to cover his right side.
"i don't want to, mom. i don't want to be like dad. i don't want to become someone that bullies you, mom."
"but you want to be a hero, right? you can become one if you have a future to feel strongly about."
"that's why i will win!" midoriya once again ran towards his dual-quirked opponent, and threw a quirk-infused punch to his gut. "i will surpass you!"
"don't look, shōto. they don't belong in the same world as you."
todoroki could feel his body flying back from the direct force he had just received, nearly rendering him unconscious.
if not for building up insane tolerance against his father's abuse, he would have given up long ago. this is more tolerable for him. this wasn't repulsive compared to the hits he had faced during the past few days. he preferred this more.
"mom... i'm going crazy. i can't go on. day by day, my kids are becoming more like him. shotō's left side sometimes becomes unbearable to me. i can't raise them anymore. i shouldn't raise them."
"mom...?"
todoroki who had a far away look in his eyes, came in contact with the cemented, dusty, arena ground as he individually recalled all those forcefully forgotten memories.
"i will not use my father's power."
"but isn't it your power?!"
todoroki could then vividly remember the warmth of a mother. a distant memory– watching the tv with a face filled with joy.
...happiness.
he hadn't felt that in a long time.
"but you want to be a hero, right? you don't have to be imprisoned by your own blood... you can become who you want to be."
jisoo smiled as she watched todoroki shōto suddenly break all the restrictions he consciously placed on himself, the one that had always been holding him back. she could see– everyone could see it. from the way he distanced himself, the way he chose to not interact with others, how guarded he was– those restrictions.
but now, from the way his flames flared in the air, flickering brightly without any constraint.
it was indeed beautiful.
a pretty boy, was what jisoo could only think about from here on out.
*ೃ༄
"second match of the semifinals." present mic announced, his tone serious in contrast to the recent matches. "bakugō katsuki versus yoo jisoo!"
the anticipation in the stadium rose as present mic declared the second semifinal match: bakugō katsuki versus yoo jisoo.
the serious tone in his announcement reflected a genuine concern about the upcoming clash, not underestimating jisoo but acknowledging the challenge she faced against the notorious and brutal bakugō.
in the stands, the crowd held varied sentiments. while some pitied jisoo, fearing for her well-being as the sole woman who had advanced this far, others, particularly the women in her class and beyond, held a different perspective. they saw her as a capable contender, and her gender was not a factor in their expectations.
jisoo, unfazed by the weight of the expectations, stared blankly at bakugō, hands casually tucked into her pockets. she understood the dynamics at play; bakugō's explosive temper could be fueled by mere expressions.
no matter how neutral her demeanor, bakugō seemed destined to be provoked, as if her very existence near him was enough to incite his fiery temperament.
"you're fucking annoying!" bakugō shouted, swiftly running over to her.
a thunderous explosion echoed through the arena, engulfing the immediate vicinity in smoke. the spectators held their breath, their eyes fixed on the dissipating veil, eagerly anticipating whether jisoo had succumbed to such an obvious move.
as the smoke cleared, it unveiled jisoo's unimpressed countenance. unbeknownst to many, she had crafted an air barrier in advance, allowing those seated behind her to witness her steadfast composure. bakugō, undeterred, opted for a strategic move, unleashing a series of rapid explosions that manifested into a smokescreen.
a haughty smirk graced bakugō's face as he heard faint coughs emanating from the other side of the arena. the ploy seemed effective, at least in creating a visual disruption, but jisoo's unruffled expression hinted at her readiness to counter.
"gee, bakugō-san." jisoo had finally said a word after the match began. he could somewhat see her waving a hand around her face in an attempt to clear the smoke from her airway. "no need to suffocate me."
"here's the million-dollar question, folks! how will yoo jisoo continue? everywhere is filled with smoke, and it seems that she cannot control the air that is mixed with carbon dioxide and particulate matter!" present mic's electrifying commentary filled the air.
bakugō's eyes widened as he processed the information. he had keenly observed jisoo's ability to manipulate the air around her, and now, with this revelation, he swiftly concluded that the statement held merit. however, a hypothesis can only be proven true through experimentation.
undeterred, bakugō intensified his onslaught of explosions, firing them in every conceivable direction. the arena reverberated with the concussive force of his quirk, reaching a point where he began to feel the strain in his forearms. the smokescreen thickened, shrouding the battlefield in a veil of uncertainty.
as the smoke shrouded the arena, whispers rippled through the crowd. "this is like that uraraka kid's match all over again," someone remarked, the words hanging in the air. bakugō heard the comment but paid it no heed. little did the spectators know the extent of jisoo's capabilities.
in the midst of the swirling smoke, bakugō's eyes darted frantically, attempting to discern jisoo's elusive figure. it was as if she had never occupied that space, leaving him perplexed and searching in vain. the echoes of her prior feats in the usj incident only hinted at the dormant power concealed within her, a power far beyond what he could fathom.
"oh? where is she?" present mic normally spoke, but everyone could still hear it due to his quirk.
the resounding thumps of bakugō's heart echoed in his ears, the anticipation building up with each passing moment. abruptly, the smoke, a residue of his explosive spectacle, started to drift toward the center of the arena.
its gradual convergence created a mesmerizing illusion, shaping itself into a compact orb that captivated the attention of everyone present. the shifting forms within the smoky sphere hinted at an impending revelation, intensifying the suspense that enveloped the battleground.
"아이구."
aigoo.
bakugō's abrupt turn was met with the sound of jisoo's familiar voice, sending an enraged snarl through his gritted teeth. the surprise of being caught off guard fueled his anger, aggravated further by the fact that he couldn't detect her presence.
reacting swiftly, he raised his hand to unleash another explosive blast. the detonation echoed through the arena, a fiery burst of aggression.
yet, jisoo's hand moved with precision, skillfully guiding the explosion away from her face, rendering the ferocious attack futile. the audacity of her defense only intensified bakugō's frustration, as the crowd watched in awe of her calculated moves.
she then plastered on a fake sympathetic expression. "어떡해? i didn't even break a sweat."
what do i do?
then she punched him square in the face, making everyone gasp.
bakugō stepped back whilst holding his now bloodied nose.
"you'll pay for that, you fucking grandma wanna be!" he swung a punch towards her.
bakugō katsuki resorted to mocking jisoo's physical appearance, specifically her hair as white as snow. the attempt fell flat, as it wasn't an insult that carried any weight. having white hair didn't equate to being a grandmother, and the lack of creativity in his choice of words didn't go unnoticed.
while bakugō was known for his fiery and explosive personality, his attempts at insults in this instance seemed to lack the usual bite. nonetheless, jisoo remained unfazed, ready to demonstrate her prowess in the upcoming clash.
"my hair is white because of genetics, idiot!" she blocked, her eye twitching in annoyance.
"ngrah!!" bakugō shouted as he once again tried to put up another smokescreen. he wouldn't admit it but he was starting to get desperate.
no matter how intensely he wracked his brain for a strategy against her, bakugō found himself unable to formulate a proper plan. frustration mounted as he considered his only viable option: to bet everything on one move – a technique he had yet to perfect.
the words "bet" and "uncertain" tasted bitter on his tongue, elements he detested. however, that information need not be disclosed to jisoo.
just as he prepared to force himself into executing the unperfected move, a sudden and ominous shadow engulfed the entire arena.
both combatants shifted their gaze upward, witnessing the emergence of a swirling black cloud that cast a foreboding atmosphere over the proceedings. panic erupted among the spectators, their worried murmurs intensifying with each passing moment.
"is it an eclipse?"
"the sun is still there though."
"is this an ambush?!"
"villains are ambushing us!"
jisoo frowned at the crowd's murmurs, unable to comprehend the audacity of villains attacking a place where all heroes were concentrated, and in broad daylight no less.
seizing the moment, bakugō perceived her distraction as an opportunity to unleash another move – the ap shot. however, jisoo, seemingly unimpressed, casually waved her hand to the side and effortlessly deflected the attack without sparing him a single glance.
the act left bakugō shaken to his core, an unsettling feeling creeping in as he perceived jisoo's indifference, interpreting it as her looking down on him.
"oi! you shitty ass–"
jisoo's exclamation cut through bakugō's words, her gaze fixed on the figure emerging from the dissipating darkness.
"wait, is that..." she trailed off, recognizing the unmistakable tuft of hair. "kayden!" she exclaimed in distress, her eyes darting up to the stands where the cats were perched.
driven by concern, jisoo attempted to dash out of the arena, but before she could cross the threshold, bakugō intercepted her, his firm grip locking around her wrist.
"let go of me," she seethed, her eyes reflecting a blend of desperation and anger that sent a chill down bakugō's spine. ignoring her demand, he held on, unyielding.
"i said, let go of me."
"what are you doing?!" bakugō scowled at her, maintaining his grip. "whoever that person is, he's dangerous. stay put and let the heroes handle it!" the urgency in his voice resonated, mirroring the chaos that ensued in the arena.
jisoo's gaze swept across the stoic faces of the heroes, their unmoving forms signaling a disinterest in the fate of the plummeting individual. a chilling sensation ran through her veins as she noticed a hero aiming a massive machine gun at the person, presumably using their quirk.
the tension in the air escalated, reaching a critical point when the hero's finger hovered over the trigger. in that ominous moment, a resounding crack of thunder echoed across musutafu. a bolt of lightning struck a chubby cat, transforming it into a charismatic dark-haired man.
as the bystanders cowered with their eyes tightly shut, kayden swiftly raised his hand. a surge of electricity surged through every phone and camera in a 50-mile radius, rendering them all inoperable.
jisoo attempted to pull her wrist away, but bakugō's grip remained unyielding. the unfolding events hinted at a looming confrontation that transcended the boundaries of a mere sports festival.
"you're not going anywhere! the fight's not fucking finished yet!"
"please," she whispered, desperation seeping through every syllable, her eyes mirroring an amalgamation of unadulterated emotions.
their collective gaze fixated on the person showing no signs of halting, lost in unconsciousness after an abrupt traverse across the universe.
sensing his unrelenting grip, jisoo released a pulsating wave of wind, propelling herself skyward. unlike her sister jiyoung, who effortlessly mastered the ability to soar, jisoo's awakened powers fell short of granting her the gift of flight, allowing only a brief suspension in mid-air.
yet, in that critical moment, her desperation to save her younger brother superseded any rational thought. "jisuk!" she screamed, the glossiness in her eyes reflecting the overwhelming fear as she witnessed her twin mere meters above the ground.
her heart-wrenching cry reverberated through every onlooker's soul, collective wishes echoing for jisoo to reach him in time. but the lingering question persisted: did she?
did she manage to catch him in time?
a/n:
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