The next few days were hell for Kaya. Though most of the class had come around, there were still a few that kept giving her shifty glances, like they expected her to attack them at any moment. The Demon was having a field day with her turmoil and barely gave her time to think. It only added to the fire when Iida tried to corner her to talk to him.
"Aurel, please just listen to me," he pleaded.
Look at him groveling. He's so afraid of you that he's trying to be your friend, so you don't hurt him.
"Why should I? So you can convince me not to hurt you? So I can see how afraid you are just because of who my grandfather is? Just leave me alone," she said, storming away from him. He yelled her name a couple times down the hallway, but she ignored him.
Aizawa kept his promise though and announced that they would have one-on-one battles to test how each other adapts in combat. He pulled up a board to show the matchups and Kaya stiffened. Her name sat next to Iida's, and her blood ran cold. The Demon had been getting stronger, and she didn't want to hurt anybody, especially Iida. He might not remember their past, but she did, and he was still important to her. Aizawa dismissed them to change into their training uniforms, and then led them to a large part of the building that opened into a large, padded room with large white rectangles marked out on the floor. There were three matches before hers, so she took the time to stretch and block Him out. Aizawa had noticed her shaking her head a lot the last few days and came over to her, hands in his pockets.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Hopefully," she said.
"What are you going to do?"
"Try not to hurt anybody. He's made himself known continuously."
"Keep Him out. I know you're strong enough. Just keep your head and don't let your emotions take over." She nodded as the speaker announced their names and walked into the rectangle. Iida entered opposite her with his pants legs rolled up to expose his engines.
"Aurel, can we talk?" he asked.
"Last time I checked, this was a fight," she retorted.
"Training fight," he corrected.
"Doesn't matter. I'm not going easy."
"Then you should expect no less from me." They both readied themselves as the starting bell sounded. Iida rushed her using his quirk to close the distance, but Kaya was faster. She launched herself into the air and hovered out of his reach. He jumped using his quirk to try to reach her, but to no avail. When he tried rushing her again, she used the strength of her wings to create a streamlined wind to knock him back. He dug his feet into the ground, trying to hold his ground, when the wind disappeared causing him to stumble forward. While he was off balance, Kaya used her amplification ability to sharpen her feathers, but this also caused the Demon to fight for control.
Let Me Through! And with one final push, He took over. Kaya was exhausted but she grew scared again when she realized she couldn't move anymore and could only watch. With speed she didn't know she was capable of, she hurtled toward Iida and used her wings to cut into his arms and legs.
"Look at you, you can't even touch me. How do you expect to win?" she heard herself say.
"By not giving up," he spat.
No Iida. Run! Please. Don't hurt him!
Iida felt blood running down his arms and legs and realized the scratches were deeper than he first thought. She really wasn't holding back, but she had grown careless, and she hovered lower than before. There was only one thing left to do. He sprinted around her back and jumped between her shoulder blades. She roared and with a couple of strong beats from her wings, they were high in the sky. She tumbled and rolled trying to throw him off of her as they plummeted back to Earth.
"Kaya, listen to me. I'm sorry. Forget about what everyone said, about what I said. I was wrong."
"Get off me," she roared, trying to grab him while they continued to drop.
"No, I'm staying here because I'm not afraid of you, and you're not a monster. The Demon's blood doesn't make you like him. You are not a villain. You're not evil." Inside, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Tears blurred her vision at the thought of him caring enough to say that without really knowing her, and newfound strength surged through her soul. She fought again against the Demon for control. She got a grip on Tenya's wrist and used her momentum to swing him over her shoulder.
"Shut up!" she yelled, throwing him to the ground flat on his back. While the padded floor helped cushion him, he still felt dizzy as the world spun around him, and his body ached. Laying there, still as a rock, he felt a light breeze from Kaya landing next to him. He could hear her gasp and kneel beside him.
"I'm sorry Iida, but you were right the first time. Until I can control Him, I am a monster."
Kaya watched as Iida was taken to Recovery Girl and avoided most of the class. She was desperately trying not to cry when Aizawa walked over.
"Hey, kiddo. He's going to be okay. It's okay," he said.
"It's not okay! How am I supposed to protect people when I can't stop myself from going too far?" she sobbed.
"That's why you're here isn't it? To learn?" She looked at him, shocked, but nodded.
"Then that's what you have to do."
Iida woke up to a white ceiling and a stiff back. Recovery Girl was able to heal his scratches with little scarring and a broken rib from the fall. She also told him not to move his left arm much because she had to put his shoulder back in place. Kaya really had done a number on him. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood up.
"Thank you, Recovery Girl," he said, trying to do his signature bow.
"Don't push yourself too hard now dear. Take it easy the next couple of days before moving that shoulder. Otherwise, you're free to go." He stepped out into the hallway expecting it to be flooded by his friends, but it was empty.
'They must all have been in a match.' He thought as he made his way back to the padded arena. Midoriya hurried over to him once he entered.
"Iida, are you alright?" Midoriya asked.
"I'll be fine in a couple of days."
"Kaya really didn't pull any punches today, did she?" Midoriya grimaced.
"No, but neither did I." Uraraka came up to them as well and glanced over Iida's bandages and sling with concern.
"Iida, are you okay? Kaya really is a monster," she mumbled.
"I'm fine," Iida snapped, and they looked at him surprised, "but Kaya isn't a monster."
"But look what she did," Uraraka tried to say.
"It isn't anything that Midoriya and Bakugou hadn't done already. She wanted to prove her strength as did I. It just shows how hard she is willing to work to become a hero like the rest of us. Though there was one thing that seemed uncharacteristic for her."
"What was that?" Midoriya asked.
"She was boasting. So far, whenever she's used her quirk in class, she doesn't really boast unless she's in the villain role, and even then, I've never heard her go as far as she did."
"What do you think that means?"
"I don't think Kaya was herself during the match," Iida's gaze finally met hers from across the room, and she flinched before turning away. "Though, it looks like she's back now."
"Could it be something that only happens in battle?" Midoriya mumbled, starting a rant.
"Midoriya, let's not speculate about our classmates." Iida gave him a stern look before leaving his friends to slowly make his way to Kaya. She noticed and tried to shrink and move away from him, but he didn't stop.
"Kaya," he called, causing her to freeze.
"Iida, are you okay?" she asked, her eyes glued to the floor.
"Recovery Girl said to take it easy the next few days but I'm fine."
"I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it till the end."
"It's fine. We b-"
"Why does everybody keep saying that?!" she interrupted, "It's not fine. I can't control Him."
"Kaya." Iida tried to get her to look at him, but she just grew smaller.
"I can't control Him," she mumbled again, and Iida could tell that she started to shake. He wanted to comfort her, but Aizawa dismissed class and she bolted.
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They're so cute.
Iida's got her back. That's all that matters.
Let me know what ya guys think.
Be spontaneous today. :)