During the morning, we attended the usual classes before enjoying a well-deserved lunch break. However, the classes that really excited everyone started in the afternoon: the practical classes.
On the first day of this class, All Might was in charge of instructing us. I felt a wave of excitement upon seeing him, and we shared a brief complicit glance. Although we didn't have such a strong bond as Izuku did with him, the time we had spent together training had created a special mentor-student relationship. I didn't feel envious of their closer relationship; instead, I felt fortunate to be a part of it.
All Might explained to us that we would be undergoing combat training. He instructed us to put on the costumes that appeared in boxes from the classroom walls, and we headed to the Training Zone.
I took my costume and put it on in the changing room. The design didn't have much relevance to my quirk, since my clothes disappear when I transform into an animal and reappear when I return to my human form. It was a tight-fitting top and looser at the bottom, curiously similar to my brother's, although we didn't do it on purpose. The only requirements I had asked for were that it had to be flexible, comfortable to wear, and have pockets to hold the chocolate bars that helped me wake up in case I fell asleep. Mom and dad helped me design it, as they were both designers.
We all went together to the Training Zone, where All Might explained the activity. The teams were randomly formed, and I ended up with Hagakure and Ojiro, whom I had already met during the initial tests. The first pair to face off were Katsuki and Iida as villains, while Uraraka and Izuku took on the roles of heroes. The rest of us headed to the observation room to watch the fight.
My brother and Iida lost, and I can't help but think about how little Katsuki knows about Izuku's situation and how confused he must feel. I would feel the same if I were in his place. I remind myself that even though he's my brother, I don't have the right to reveal someone else's secrets.
It's Hagakure's, Ojiro's and my turn to face off as villains against a guy with three arms on each side and Todoroki. All Might leads us to the building where the fight will take place.
"Remember, guys, we're villains. Act accordingly," I say with a mischievous smile.
"Wow, Bakugo-san. Right now, you remind me of your brother. You even seem a bit scary," Hagakure says, I believe that surprised by the tone of her voice (considering her expressions aren't very... visible). Ojiro expresses that he thinks the same with a simple facial gesture.
"Call me Haiyoru, Bakugo is what my brother uses." I smile at her.
"All right, Haiyoru-san! We can do this!" Hagakure exclaims. I find her enthusiasm amusing as she tries to encourage both Ojiro and I, and herself too, even though she seems very nervous.
Five minutes pass, and we hear All Might's voice indicating that they are approaching.
"One of them can generate ears on his hands. I observed everyone a bit during the training, so we need to remain silent when All Might stops talking. We need a plan. Hagakure, since you're good at hid..." All Might interrupts himself, and since it's our signal to hide our voices and prevent the guy with many arms from hearing us, I also fall silent. Although I spoke quickly, I haven't had enough time to explain myself. However, Hagakure seems to have understood my message as she takes off her gloves and I hear her approach the door to search for the heroes and gather information about the situation.
We spend some time where Hagakure quietly indicates that she can't find them, and Ojiro decides to go out on his own while I stay behind to watch the bomb. After a few minutes, I hear a crunch approaching our location. I quickly react as I recognize what it is. I had already observed Todoroki's quirk, so before confirming it, I warn my teammates.
"Guys, get up somehow or the ice will trap you!" I alert them through our earpieces. I transform into an eagle to avoid touching the ground.
"What?!" Ojiro and Hagakure don't react in time, apparently not understanding what I said because I spoke too fast. The ice spreads throughout the room, as I suspected.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't have time to react, and now I'm immobilized!" says Hagakure.
"Dammit, me too!" curses Ojiro.
The room is frozen, and apparently, the entire building is too, as it feels icy cold.
I leave the room in eagle form to see what's happening outside and try to find either of them to help them get rid of the ice, but I encounter Todoroki, who walks calmly but is surprised to see that I haven't fallen into his trap. He quickly attacks me with a massive mountain of ice, but I manage to dodge it and distract him by leading him away from the room, buying some time. I need to think quickly about how to deal with both opponents, but my mind is occupied as I dodge his attacks. At least I know Shoji isn't with Todoroki. If I could find a way to help Ojiro and Hagakure break free from the ice...
Before I can continue, a chunk of ice hits me while I'm distracted, forcing me to return to my human form to free myself, losing sight of Todoroki. I quickly head back to the room in case Todoroki left me alone because Shoji had informed him that he had found the bomb. When I arrive, my suspicions are confirmed as I see both of them there.
"Did you really think it would be that easy to distract me?" Todoroki says. I rush towards them to try to stop them.
Todoroki launches ice towards me, but I agilely dodge it. I remove the tape from my waist and quickly approach them. I need to at least restrain one and deal with the other until time runs out. Even if I manage to tie up Todoroki, he can still use the rest of his body to create ice, so it has to be Shoji, who has six arms, which doesn't make things easier. It's going to be difficult, but not impossible.
I evade Todoroki with a quick stride before he can react, and I try to reach Shoji. However, he tries to charge at me. I manage to dodge him and quickly knock him down, making him fall face-first to the ground. But before I can recover, an ice shard hits my cheek, opening a wound from which blood flows. In that moment of hesitation, Todoroki takes the opportunity to quickly approach the bomb and gain an advantage. I decide to transform into a wolf, increasing my strength and size, and violently push him against the wall, causing him to go through it.
I may have gone a little too far.
As I observe the result for a moment, Shoji gets up from the ground and heads towards the bomb.
Seriously? Not even a second to catch my breath?
I return to my human form and stop him before he reaches the bomb, facing him in a test of strength. I hold on for a few seconds, but Shoji manages to twist my wrist with one of his free arms, and I let out a groan of pain.
"Five minutes, heroes and villains!" All Might announces.
In that moment of distraction, Todoroki returns and throws another ice shard at me, which I manage to dodge by transforming into an eagle.
He has recovered from the blow I gave him against the wall sooner than I thought.
I pounce on him again, evading his attacks and returning to my human form when I'm very close, intending to use my weight to knock him down. But my plans are ruined in an instant as Todoroki grabs me by the hips to maintain balance and slams me against one of the columns, causing me to let go. I quickly recover, trying to reach Shoji, but as I lose sight of Todoroki for a moment, he takes advantage and completely traps me in his ice.
"Damn it!" I try to move. Shoji manages to touch the bomb. "No!" I desperately try to break the ice with my claws, but it's too late. The sound of the end of the game rings.
"The heroes win!" All Might shouts.
A mixture of frustration and disappointment overwhelms me. My moment of fighting has passed, and I feel the exhaustion from the battle. Todoroki starts thawing the ice in the entire building with his left side when he touches the bomb. When the chunk of ice that had kept me trapped thaws, I slip on the water, and Todoroki catches me. I move away, perhaps too abruptly.
"Phew, I'm so hot... I MEAN, IT'S HOT IN HERE" I quickly clarify.
"Well fought, although it was impossible for you to defeat me," he says, extending his hand. I reluctantly shake it.
"Sorry for having any hope, Mr. Perfect," I joke. He just observes me for a few seconds without saying anything. "Uh... are you okay?" I ask him. This is getting awkward.
"I'm sorry about your cheek," he points to my face, and then I remember that it must be bleeding from the wound I got earlier with one of his ice shards.
"I'm sorry for slamming you against the wall," I say back with a smile. He looks at me again for a few seconds before walking away without saying anything else.
Well, at least he spoke to me this time.
I had lost. But I felt proud to have made it difficult for them despite it being a two-on-one situation.