~~~
Vibe annoyingly followed his twin sister's wisdom and decided to set his petty vengeance aside for the sake of the exam. In doing so, Vibe ordered Akira and her classmates onto the stage. Todoroki was calm, analysing the area, checking out his opponents, ready for the right time to strike. Bakugou was fighting the control, his teeth gritted as he wills his own body to listen. With Vibe's Quirk fresh and in effect, their bodies are no longer their own.
"Shall we try them too?" Vibe suggests, gesturing to the Shiketsu students. "They seem to be close to UA. Perhaps pitting them against each other could be entertaining."
"Sure." Visage shrugs, not really paying attention as she releases a few more bubbles for the finishing touches.
Vibe rolls his eyes at his sister's ignorance and controls the Shiketsu students onto the stage, also.
"Ooh, we're gonna be together for this too!?" Camie gawkes loudly.
Kira was just glad she couldn't control her body, otherwise she might be all over Todoroki and he has the decency to calmly ignore her advances. Kira doesn't have such self control.
Bakugou groans irritably at Shiketsu's presence. "Why are you idiots here?"
"Not like we have much of a choice," Yoarashi says sternly.
Akira joins Bakugou's annoyance, rolling her eyes as Camie continues to make lustrous coos over at Todoroki. However, her classmate is too busy looking for a way out to bother paying her any attention. It doesn't seem to deter her stubbornness though, causing Kira much irritation, more so than being kept under Vibe's control.
"A disco ball," Kira mutters, staring up at the shiny object in the air, dangling from the high ceiling. "Really?"
"They're going all out I suppose," Todoroki says unhelpfully.
Vibe makes Kira and her classmates face the Shiketsu students, face to face with a few feet of space between them. Kira was opposite Camie, Todoroki opposite Yoarashi and Bakugou was opposite another Shiketsu student that Kira still failed to know the identity of.
"What's going on here?" Kira whispers, trying to deduct the situation.
"You'd better not make me dance here or I'm gonna kill all of you!" Bakugou roars, glaring at the third unknown Shiketsu pupil.
"Oh, quiet down over there!" Vibe calls over, focusing on controlling the other students. "I saw the perfect opportunity: three of you brats from UA and three from Shiketsu and you also know each other so that's fun." He ends with a shrug.
"We've already told you," Kira argues. "We don't know them."
Vibe looks over, lowering his arms ever so slightly and whispers his saracastic reply, his eyes squinted skeptically. "Sure you don't."
Akira merely rolls her eyes, knowing that whatever she has to say will be brushed off amongst Vibe's distrustful attitude.
"Ooh, is this gonna be like a dance off?" Camie practically beams. "That actually sounds like fun."
"It's not supposed to be fun," Kira snaps, glaring at the Shiketsu student opposite her. "We're supposed to find a way out of this. We're supposed to fight back."
"Good luck with that," Vibe nearly chuckles, a smug expression across his features as he focuses his attention elsewhere while also eavesdropping.
"You still believe going along with all this crap is going to work?" Bakugou says quietly, his eyes locked on the student opposite him.
Kira wished she could turn her head to him. To see what expression he portrayed in this moment. His voice sounded sincere. Soft. Different.
"You want me to be honest?" She doesn't get an answer, so she sighs heavily. "I don't know," she tells him, her tone laced with hopeless notions. "I don't even know why I'm the one planning all of this."
"Because..." Bakugou replies and in her peripheral vision, she sees his hair move, as if he had some control over his movements once again. "Because we agreed on it."
Kira swallows thickly, her voice suddenly no more. She wanted to see that look in his eyes, where it causes the colours to change and they narrow in what she has come to assume as anguish. A rarity that Akira has become too familiar with around Bakugou. A rarity she's certain only she has witnessed.
"Agreed?" Kira can only whisper, as Camie watches the both of them converse with confused, deaf ears. "You mean-"
"Yeah," he cuts her off. "You know what I'm talking about. I may not have agreed to it then, but thinking about it now, Icy Hot was right. You're the more... practical choice."
"Practical?" Kira nearly laughs. "Tell that to this stupid exam."
"I was pissed off because that- Deku was getting ahead of me," Bakugou confesses and his usual stern tone reappears. "So don't argue back." He sighs then, heavily with an annoyed grunt thrown in. "Godammit- get on with your stupid plan so I can beat that damn nerd."
"Kiriya," Todoroki finally speaks up to the left and Kira tries to spot him in the corner of her eye. "We've got this."
Kira chuckles at Todoroki's urge of encouragement, but it simply wasn't needed anymore. Katsuki Bakugou's words were more than enough to burrow into the deepest, darkest corners of her doubtful sorrows. She never thought in a million years that he would be the one to shove the light back in her face.
"Okay," Kira says, dragging back the fringes of her depleting determination. "We're ready for the embarrassment, Vibe."
"Is that so?" He answers, when he hears his name, arching his head back to view Kira and his classmates. "In that case... Visage!" He calls to his sister. "Enough of this - they said they're ready."
Visage pulls a face that could only be appreciation and causes her last bubble to pop. "Very well. Music?"
"Already on it."
Vibe fastens his sleeves to their respective clips, revealing the speakers embedded into his flesh. From this distance, in the calmness of the scene, Kira can see how painful it actually appears: his skin is red and raw where the speakers peek out, some flaps of flesh wrapped around parts of the boxes to stop them falling out entirely. It's actually extremely gruesome - it's no wonder he keeps them covered with long sleeves.
"With this music, it will constantly be sending waves of controlling sound with every other beat," Vibe informs the students. "It's true, it will require most of my focus and strength, but it will keep you lot under my control the entire time."
"So, when his strength seems to falter, that's when we strike," Yoarashi inputs.
"Not even then," Kira warns. "Don't forget about Visage. She'll know about her brothers weakened state and will be prepared to protect him if she needs to."
"They have to be taken out at the same time, while they're at their weakest," Todoroki concludes.
"So, it goes back to patience," Kira finishes. "Just wait, or we're back to square one. Or... the judges up there will lose their own patience and call it quits on this exam altogether."
"I've got the perfect songs for you kids," Vibe says, revealing his arms for them to clearly see. "Whatever you believe, I don't think you're ready for this."
Before Kira can jibe back, loud music blares out from his speakers, reverberating around the hall and Kira feels her body go rigid again, under the control of his Quirk.
"No, no, no!" Visage stomps over to Vibe, shaking her head rapidly.
"What?" He barks back.
She looks flabbergasted. "What? What do you mean: 'what?'" She throws her hand over to the students while keeping her fiery gaze on her brother. "Look at them! Look at what they're wearing. You can't play modern music. I've already chosen disco!"
"Disco!" Vibe blurts, keeping his arms up with the strain as the modern song continues to play while they argue. "You and your goddamn disco. I swear you're addicted to it or something. Seriously, we did it last time. What's your problem?"
"You think this is another show?" Todoroki wonders, his voice a murmur as he watches them argue.
"Another fake argument?" Kira says rhetorically. "No." She shakes her head. "I think this is genuine."
"So, shall we get them now?" Camie asks.
Kira shoots her a stoic look. "You tell me, Camie. Are you able to move your limbs with that music blasting?"
She tries to wiggle a bit. "Uh, no?"
"No," Kira repeats. "No, exactly. We can't attack."
"I don't give a damn!" Vibe snaps, still arguing. "They're gonna dance in those outfits! I don't care if you made them dress up like they're in the stone age!"
Visage hurls some curse words at her brother, before Vibe steps forward, clear strain across his features already. He's been holding them hostage for a while during his argument, already costing him a modicum of strength.
"You think this is a dance off against each other?" Vibe adds, trying to laugh off the stress. "I saw it at the beginning of the exam." He gestures to Kira and her classmates. "You guys don't like each other much. Even when blondie here showed signs of being... nice, you didn't like it much."
"It's not that I didn't like it," Kira bites back, hating being a target for Vibe to latch onto. "It's just that kindness isn't a usual trait of Bakugou's."
"Even so." Vibe shrugs. "This is a group dance off, not individual ones."
"A what?" Kira says.
The corner of Vibe's lip slithers into a mischievous smirk. "You'll see."
Behind Vibe, Visage is positively fuming, but there's something else amiss about her behaviour. It's not just rage, but... perhaps grief. Loss. Mourning. Her shoulders sag a little, as if amongst a hail of sobs. Kira should know - after the tragic events that happened around the time of All Might's end, Kira suffered many nights of regret, loss and guilt. She still does, though her mind has been elsewhere lately.
"Oh no," Kira says quietly, her eyes widening as she feels her legs betray her.
That's why Vibe chose Shiketsu High aswell. A three-to-three dance off is perfect revenge in his eyes. The perfect opportunity to embarrass her and her classmates for life.
"What are you doing?" Bakugou says, though he knows fully that she is not under control of her body.
"Me?" She retorts. "What the hell are you doing?"
Vibe makes Kira's right hand interlock with Bakugou's, their digits intertwining. He grips her hand a little tight and Kira's certain he's about to break free of Vibe's control through sheer force of will. She wouldn't be surprised if he did. Bakugou's other arm snakes round to the small of her back and she tenses involuntarily, only ever having Kirishima's presence grace her there. Kira glares up at Bakugou, but holds her tongue. She knows he's unable to fight back - his livid expression reminds her of that.
"As soon as I get the chance," Bakugou says, finally tearing his eyes off the smug 'villain'. "He's mine."
Kira sighs heavily, as Bakugou's infuriated gaze burns into her own. "Very well. I mean" - she tries to shrug with a lazy shoulder - "I would have loved to take him out too, especially after making my ears bleed earlier."
Bakugou's eyes flicker to her ears quickly, before staring around the room at the other students.
"Looks like this asshole is doing the same to everyone else."
It looked like Bakugou wanted to say something else - he hesitated a millisecond prior to his statement, but Kira doesn't press the issue and instead forces her eyes away from his.
"Hey!" Vibe snaps. "The both of you quit talking! You're supposed to be paying attention."
Kira wasn't even aware that they had moved around the room a bit, her left hand resting on Bakugou's shoulder as he guides her in a few circles.
"This isn't so bad, really," Kira says uncertainly. "I mean, it's not like he's gonna make you throw me over your head, right?"
Bakugou only grunts, trying to calm his seething soul. Despite being under the control of a pretty formidable Quirk, Bakugou's form is strong, poised, ready to attack the second he gets the go ahead from Akira. He keeps his eyes trained on Vibe as he struggles to control all the students in the hall. It won't take long until he breaks - there have to be nearly eight different schools in here, each with a few students of their own.
"Wait a minute," Kira nearly squeals out. "What are you doing?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know, you idiot?" Bakugou snaps back.
There's nothing she can do, as Bakugou releases her and spins her around to Todoroki who had been simply waiting to the side with nothing to do but watch Kira humiliate herself.
Todoroki assumes the dance posture instantly and Kira's not certain if it was Vibe's doing or his own.
"Bakugou isn't a natural dancer," he says suddenly. "Because of Endeavour, I've had experience already. Don't worry."
"I wasn't... worried..." She trails off, a little put off by his judgement.
"I was watching Vibe," he tells her instead. "Everytime he makes the students perform a different dance move, like Bakugou when he spun you to me, he has to exert himself a little more."
"So, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying... how long do you want to be dancing for?"
"I want this over."
"I thought so."
Todoroki guides Kira round in a few quicker spins, their legs brushing close together, their chests a little tighter, but he feels a lot more at ease than Bakugou, like dancing is second nature to him.
"Hm..." Todoroki hums in her ear.
"What?" She asks, wide-eyed in anticipation.
"He's... fidgeting."
"Fidgeting?" She repeats after a slight hesitation.
"He might decide to switch partners again, though it appears this song is ending too."
Kira sighs irritably. "Where's Visage? Can you see her at all?"
"Yes. She isn't contributing to this part of the exam."
"So, how exactly is she supposed to tire at the same time as Vibe?" Kira grumbles, cursing under her breath.
"You may have to discuss that with Bakugou."
"Huh?"
"Godammit!" Bakugou yells, as he swoops in and takes over from Todoroki.
They regain the posture they claimed earlier and Kira's mind is swimming.
"I'm getting dizzy," Kira mumbles. "Can't you and Todoroki dance together and I'll sit the next one out?"
"What did you say?" Bakugou says slowly, his gaze strong on her.
"Nothing," she replies quickly.
Kira steals glances over Bakugou's shoulder and spots same sex couples dancing with one another, so it's not that Vibe has an issue with that at all. The issue is that Kira pissed him off earlier and he's soaking in every bit of his revenge. Her and her big mouth.
"My ankles are hurting now," Kira states blankly.
"And what do you want me to do about it?" Bakugou retorts.
"There's nothing you can do," she mumbles in defeat.
"Kiriya!" Todoroki calls from where he's frozen in place. "Kiriya, jump!"
Kira squints over at her classmate, as if that would help in some way. "What did he say?"
Bakugou grunts unhelpfully, when Todoroki's eyes flicker over to Vibe and then the other students. A wave of dancing students lift their partners into the air to the excessive beat of the music, launching them into the air with a spin.
Vibe cackles with victorious glee at the sight of the trapped students. Camie giggles as Yoarashi picks her up with ease by the waist and she flies around. She's actually enjoying it. So is he, it seems, a slight humorous grin tickling his lips.
Kira watches in horror as the wave catches up to her and she has no way to escape the torment she's found herself stuck in. Bakugou curses at the world and lifts Kira up, his hands strong around her waist. Her legs disobey her as they tuck under her behind before landing softly back down to the ground.
At least she's not wearing a dress, she can thank Visage for that, at least.
A brief whoosh of adrenaline surges through Kira's veins at the movement, her hands trembling as she rests them on Bakugou's collarbones. However, Bakugou's blood boils with impotent rage. His eyes practically glazed over with the fury that courses through him.
This is a different type of humiliation for him. When he was taken by the League, Bakugou didn't feel fear or grievance in the presence of the villains. Humiliation and failure are his biggest worries and this exam is ticking all those boxes.
She has no time to question anything before Todoroki is in her arms again.
"Don't think Bakugou's in a particularly chatty mood," Kira tells her new dance partner.
"I can see that," he says.
"You and Bakugou are the only ones getting a break here," she says, her soles starting to ache now. "You come up with anything?"
Todoroki looks solemn. "I'm not sure."
"What about their mother?"
"What about it?"
"You heard their argument earlier," she says. "Apparently Visage always chooses a seventies theme for their troubles. Perhaps-"
Todoroki cuts her off by swinging her back, so her head grazes the ground, her back arched under his grip, before launching her straight up again.
They lock eyes for a moment, a little flustered and confused.
"Sorry," Todoroki says suddenly. "I wasn't paying attention to Vibe."
"It's fine," she replies, her voice monotone from the shock of the movement. "As I was saying," she continues slowly. "Maybe their mother preferred the seventies era. Perhaps, this is Visage's way of staying close with her. After all, they haven't been with her in a long time."
"You might be onto something there."
"I'm just not sure how to get Visage included again though."
"Song's ending again," Todoroki points out. "You should fill Bakugou in on the theory."
"Of course," she says, flashing a smile.
Dancing with Todoroki isn't so bad. Though her aching feet beg to differ.
Todoroki finishes their dance with a twirl and Kira has her arms out ready to continue the dance, but she finds her feet stuck. She looks down and then around the hall. She's stationary.
Only the angered sounds of Bakugou's ill-tempered manner splits the area. Kira looks up to find Bakugou and Todoroki hand in hand and twirling round the room. Bakugou's about to implode from the sudden partner change. Akira was wondering what it may have looked like from afar and it looks ridiculous, though that could just be because of Bakugou.
Kira watches the other schools frozen in their roles. Shiketsu actually look like they're enjoying every single moment of it. Actually... most of the schools are. Grins etched onto their faces, cheeks rosy with their glee.
"Hey!" Bakugou's voice breaks her concentration. "Visage! Would you stop moping over your stupid argument already!?"
Seems that Todoroki filled him in on their potential idea and well, that's one way to get her back in the game.
Visage answers to the call of her name, standing from her place on the other side of the hall and approaching her complacent, yet overwhelmed brother. She utters something in his ear, something Kira can't hear.
"You know why she wants to do seventies don't you!?" Bakugou continues, wanting out of his predicament with Todoroki. "Are you that stupid or something? You need me to spell it out for you?"
"Shut up!" Vibe retaliates, making Bakugou and Todoroki perform some exquisite dance moves.
"You bastard!" Bakugou snaps at Todoroki though it's against his will.
"That wasn't me," he simply says in reply.
"It's for your mother, right?" Kira steals the spotlight before Vibe makes them kill each other. "You want to honour her. The seventies was her favourite, wasn't it?"
"I said shut the hell up!" Vibe roars, his fury disrupting the nature of the music, causing the students to stop dancing too.
Bakugou's still yelling insults at Todoroki somewhere to the side, while Kira faces against the two underground heroes.
"Don't you think you should keep honouring it too?" Kira wonders, watching Vibe curiously. "I'm no stranger to missing parents," she decides to spill. "I find ourselves in the same boat. My mother vanished a few years ago. Light Bringer? I wish there was some way I could keep her memory alive but-"
The music has slowly stopped altogether as the two of them watch Kira curiously. She just has to keep talking, distracting them until the Quirk wears off because now, she can feel all the eyes of the other schools on her as she spills the secrets of her missing mother. After all, the news was that she's away overseas for hero work. But now, Kira's starting to doubt whether or not that's actually the truth.
"I don't know my mother," she finishes. "Not the way you two clearly know your own."
Kira finds herself hesitating, her eyes moving over to Bakugou, the only other person here who knows part of the truth. How much is she willing to reveal to these strangers for the sake of the exam?
"Don't think you're the same as us," Vibe says, his arms still held high to use again.
"I didn't say I am."
"You didn't go through what we went through with our brother..." Vibe adds. "The helplessness we felt. The not knowing was the worst of it. That lingering hope that one day, one day, she would come back. Because she hasn't and she never will."
"Vibe..." Visage mutters.
"What makes you so sure?" Kira asks.
"What?"
"How can you be sure she won't come back?" She urges. "Visage - your Quirk is strong, have you tried?"
Visage looks offended and hurt. "You think I haven't? I try every damn day, but I can't transport people. Only my stupid brother had that ability."
"But, you're underground heroes," Kira explains. "You haven't really had the most efficient training, right? What makes you think that there's an end to your effort? For a parent, there's no such thing as giving up."
"Don't do that," Visage responds. "Don't give us false hope."
"We can't even handle the grieving stage, so don't give us a reason to go back to hoping," Vibe takes over. "It's too painful."
Kira hesitates, her throat thick again. "And that's where our similarities lie."
Kira had noticed the sensation returning to her shins, her arms her own once again. Except no one's moved. Not a single student has tried to attack the heroes, too enamoured by the story telling to move a muscle, worried they'll fracture the atmosphere with a single breath.
Except one. One person moved. It wasn't Shiketsu High. Nor was it anyone from UA either. Akira had assumed with all of Bakugou's pent up rage that he would be the first to pounce on the underground heroes like a savage lion, but he too was transfixed with her willingness to share sensitive information with random people. Everyone heard her truth, a slither behind the curtain.
Some people here might have idolised Light Bringer, but they don't know her true nature. They assumed she was overseas, dealing with a badass superhero mission, but the sad truth is that she's nowhere to be seen, not for a long time.
Kaori had snuck up behind Visage and Vibe and had touched them both on the shoulder. Vibe lowered his arms immediately, and their faces washed over with grief-stricken expressions.
"You can grieve now," Kaori says quietly.
"Kaori," Kira whispers.
She's lost for words as she slowly approaches the girl, her light brown eyes piercing with success. It seems that the two heroes aren't going to be an issue anymore.
"Your Quirk," Kira blurts. "It's phenomenal."
"I wouldn't say that," she says, all bashful over the compliment. "I was listening to what you were saying and they said that they can't move on. They can't grieve. So, that's what I let them feel."
"They'll probably be like that for a while, huh?" Kira comments, gesturing to the sobbing pair.
"I reckon so." Kaori nods. "I've been expanding my Quirk quite a bit, so I'm actually able to feel what other people are feeling too, even emotions hidden deep down."
"Really?" Akira raises her brows in wonder. "That's quite an ability you have there and didn't I say it would come in handy? This exam was perfect for you! I couldn't get near with my offensive Quirk."
"Yeah," Kaori admits. "But, it's all thanks to you, really."
"Oh no." Kira shakes her head with her hands up. "Please don't call me your inspiration again. I've really been messing up things these past few weeks so that's the last thing I need to hear."
"Messing things up?" Kaori repeats. "I don't believe you."
"Well, you should," Kira insists. "If this whole mess of an exam isn't proof enough already..."
"You're right," Kaori says. "It's not."
Kira frowns at the reply and Kaori slaps her hand on Kira's shoulder before she can protest. But, nothing happens. Kira thought she'd feel a surge of emotions come bubbling up like it did last time Kaori touched her, but instead Kaori's features flicker with uncertain waves of emotions.
"You get a taste of my emotions I have hidden below the surface?" Kira rests her hands on her hips, not certain if she's exactly happy with Kaori prodding into her feelings like that, but she knows she means well.
"A bit," she says quietly.
"I told you I've had a few bad weeks," Kira says. "I warned you."
Kaori shakes her head. "It's not that."
"Is that so?" Akira crosses her arms over her chest. "Then what?"
She hesitates. "I'm not sure I should say."
"Okay," Kira chuckles nervously. "Now I'm concerned. You better not be messing with me."
"I-"
Kaori's unable to utter another word before Present Mic obliterates their eardrums with the microphone, signalling the end to the exam.
The head judge instructs they all stand with their classmates in selective parts of the hall and Kira eyes Kaori before joining up with Bakugou and Todoroki.
"Students," the judge starts, eyeing the eager pupils below. "It seems our patience has been tested with today's practical lesson. I'm shocked at the lack of leadership qualities possessed today. It seems a lot of today's exam weighed heavily on a few of our students."
"Papers detailing today's practical has been handed to each of your teachers," another judge takes over. "They'll be sure to scold each and every one of you on your performance today. However, there was a few of you that showed exceptional skills in every aspect."
"Kiriya," the head judge announces. "Your leadership qualities are marvelous. Your understanding of situations and your capability to analyse certain affairs is exceptional. Todoroki and Bakugou. Your teamwork skills have improved significantly to the point where your affiliation with each other is swift and clear."
"Of course, today's practical lesson was about blowing off a bit of steam!" Present Mic reminds everyone. "Apart from a few of you, most of you guys were having the time of your lives dancing to the music with your classmates. Don't try and deny anything - we can see everything over here."
"Excellent cessation there, Furukawa," the head judge says and Kaori's face lights up a little at being recognised. "You took advantage of the situation and stepped up."
"That concludes today's exam," the judge on the far left adds. "Remember to reflect on today's lesson, read the papers from your teachers. Tomorrow, there will be a written exam reflecting today's practical."
That earns a collective groan from the students.
"But, before you all disperse, Visage here will return your hero gear back to you all."
The head examiner gestures for Visage to continue. The underground hero rubs her eyes before standing up, Kaori's Quirk slowly wearing off, though her eyes are red and puffy from her sudden distress. Visage didn't say a word as she summoned a barrage of bubbles towards the students and Kira was glad to find her hero outfit back on her, so comforting to her now.
"Now, begone students," the head judge concludes, waving his hand to urge them away.
The students all sag, dragging their feet as their teachers summon them away, either to smack them upside the head or praise them.
They all get changed back into the school uniform and meet up by the front doors.
"You know," Kira starts, walking down the steps towards the buses. "Vibe never got around to that dance off part."
"The what?" Todoroki says, pausing midstep to look back up at her.
She shrugs sharply. "Weren't we supposed to compete against Shiketsu or something?"
"You want to?"
"God, no." She scoffs, skipping down the last couple of steps.
"Kiriya!"
She turns to the call of her name, watching Kaori race out the front doors, waving something in her hand.
"Wait!" She races down the steps. "You left this behind."
"One of my gauntlets?"
Kira frowns at the armour, setting her case down and opening it with a click. Clear as day, an empty spot in the soft felt material where one of her gauntlets should be.
"Thanks, Kaori," Kira says, taking it from her and crouching down to her case.
Akira looks up slowly when she feels uneasiness and tension linger around her head.
"I wanted to shake your hand," Kaori blurts, her arm shooting out before her.
"Huh?"
Kira stands up quickly, noticing the person she's confronted.
"You don't wanna shake his hand," Kira says quickly, stepping infront of Bakugou slightly, facing Kaori. "Todoroki will. Todoroki!"
Sure enough, her classmate approaches to the sound of his name and Kira introduces the both of them. Not Bakugou though. She remembers when Yo Shindo tried to familiarise himself with UA. Bakugou smacked his hand away, not trusting him at all. Kira didn't want the same thing to happen here. After all, Kira considered Kaori a friend and the last thing she wanted was Bakugou to ruin that.
"You're the one who stopped those bastards." Bakugou narrows his eyes at Kaori, interrupting her conversation with Todoroki.
"I am."
Bakugou raises his head slightly. "What's your Quirk?"
"I can make people feel whatever I want them to feel, basically."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Wanna see?" She sticks her hand out to him again.
Kira looks down at it nervously, hoping Bakugou doesn't blow her hand off. Instead, Bakugou pushes Kira aside with the back of his hand and steps closer to Kaori. It's taking all her willpower not to intervene. If he hurts her at all because of his stupid ways...
Bakugou takes her hand and his facial expression relaxes instantly. Kira can't make out what Kaori made him feel though. Suddenly, Bakugou retracts his hand, wiping it on his jacket slightly.
"Don't do that again, you idiot."
Kaori doesn't seem at all perturbed by his insult and instead simply shrugs as he wanders away. Todoroki decides to follow suite, asking persistent questions about Kaori's Quirk.
"He didn't have to take my hand."
"Sorry about him," Kira says, wincing at his behaviour.
"I'm not phased by insults," she confesses. "Your classmate doesn't scare me at all."
"Well, good."
Kaori leans in then. "I may have peeked at his deep emotions too."
"Kaori..." Kira says uncertainly. "Maybe you shouldn't do that with everyone you meet."
"I can't help it!" She admits. "It's become so addicting now."
"That doesn't sound healthy."
"Oh come on!" She rolls her eyes. "Don't you wanna know what Bakugou actually feels?"
"No!" She says too quickly. "I don't. I don't wanna know his private life."
"Are you sure?" She practically pouts. "After all, I know yours too."
Kira hesitates. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"This ability that I have peeks very deep down," Kaori confesses. "So deep that even you may not know about these emotions yourself."
"Right..." Akira narrows her eyes at Kaori. "Go on."
"You know you felt it earlier though," she teases. "Even for a second during the exam. It was quite a fresh feeling when I sensed it. New."
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about now," Kira laughs uncertainly.
"Ah, something tells me I shouldn't meddle." Kaori sighs. "Even though I really want to. If I say something now, I'll probably ruin it all."
"I better get going, Kaori. Thanks for my gauntlet."
"Of course, see you some other time."
Kira joins her classmates at the bus, leaving with a frazzled mind rather than a relieved one. Kira searches deep within herself but all she finds is loss, a sense of longing and determination.
She just wants to see Kirishima again.
~~~