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Chapter 10: We're different
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Shinso released me as the round ended and the scores displayed. “Serin.” I turned to see Itona. “What are you doing here Itona?” I asked.
“I joined your team after he brainwashed you.” He explained pointing at Shinso. “Really?” I asked, Shinso added with a nod.
“How did we do?” I asked.
“In first place! Team Shinso!” Mic announced. “How?” I asked, as Itona pointed pulled his phone “Courtesy of Ritsu for recording it.” He added gesturing to the drones about us.
I watched, I was carrying them? No, It was more like I dragged them, but how?
Itona seemed to noticed as he said “With my gadget” he gestured to his feet. I stared down his left leg had a roller skate?
“Gadget? Isn't that just a roller skate?” I asked.
He looked so offended, I'm surprised “This shoes can change soles, for either ice skating, running or climbing. I actually made these for you, and today was the test run.”
“That's so great, but where's the other one?”
He gestured and to my shock one of my classmates was near us, he was the one with the tail.. I never really got the chance to talk to him that much so I don't remember his name.
I just nodded and watched, I was zooming fast suddenly at the last second and managed to snatch a headband from Todoroki himself.
“Here.” I looked to see Shinso held out the headband, with the '10,000,325' points printed on it. “Can I even keep it?” I turned to Midnight who was a couple of steps away.
“Can I even keep this?”
She gave me the thumbs up.
I gave a small smile to Shinso “Thanks.” He gave a nod scratching the back of his neck. After informing the 2nd-4th teams which were Todoroki, Bakugo and Midoriya's team, there was a noon break for lunch.
I quickly parted from my classmates, as I jumped off the rails and run towards my friends, my family. “You did good.” Karasuma said.
“Good enough to give us a heart attack!” Kaede said clutching her chest. “Yeah I know, Karma recorded your reactions.” I gave a small grin as someone grabbed my shoulders.
“Do not tell me you fell into a void on purpose just for laughs.” Gakushu said.
I blinked, his face was so near I started feeling weird, which was also weird. “I didn't do it on purpose.” I said “But if there was a chance he'd record it.”
He sighed letting go “Honestly how do you deal with her and Akabane?” he asked my classmates making me sweatdrop.
“It's usually Karma.” Nagisa sweatdropped with me.
“That is true.” I smiled.
“So why don't we get some work, Oh there's Itona!” We turned to see the boy also jumped over the rails. “You two did great!” Isogai smiled.
“Yeah! I caught everything too!” Ritsu said, a phone hovering down, she was attached to a drone. “Really? Thank you.” I said as she smiled.
“Let's get some food! I'm hungry!” Nakamura said patting her tummy. “Sure there are a lot of stands.” Kanzaki said.
I smiled feeling able to relax around them, not like how I feel when I'm in 1-A.
✎. . . . . . 3rd Person POV
“I wonder why are they wearing those outfits.” Shinso asked as he and Serin looked over towards her classmates, all of the girls, except for her, were wearing cheerleading outfits.
“I'm surprise you aren't in one of those.” he said nonchalantly. “I didn't eat lunch with them so that basically why, besides I'm not sure if they'd even ask me to join.” she said.
Surprisingly Ojiro forfeited, feeling bad Serin guessed because he was brainwashed and so he was replaced by TetsuTetsu, a boy from 1-B who she guessed would get along well with Kirishima.
They pulled lots, and then she found herself against Kaminari Denki, her classmate. She and the rest went up to their areas to stay, it was quite quiet for her.
Nobody talked to her, oh scratch that Iida was going to scold her. “Nagito, why didn't you not eat with us at the cafeteria?” he asked but his tone felt like she was already in the wrong.
She hummed holding three fingers “First my friends who are like family were there and I wanted to spend sometime with them. Second I'd rather be in a welcoming group than you all.” they seemed to be offended at what she said.
But she could careless when she said the third reason “Because let's face it, you all are not comfortable with me, so I'm making it easier by spending less time with all of you than needed.”
“Nagito, we don't hate you.” Kirishima said.
“I did not say anything that you hated me, fear or seeing me as some sort of criminal is more like it.” She said looking around the seats.
Where should she sit?
“You can sit next to me!” Kirishima said, gesturing to the seat at the corner, where she'd be next to kirishima and infront of Bakugo. But next to Kirishima would be Tokoyami, which she'd be fine but Iida and Uraraka were there.
She shook her head but immediately was pulled by her scarf, “Just sit the fuck down!” Bakugo yelled making her pull her scarf and nod quietly.
She kept adjusting her scarf, she wasn't able to concentrate on Midoriya's and Shinso's match but she was snapped out when she saw Midoriya push Shinso out of bounds.
She felt bad for Shinso, so she sat up, her match was the third right after Sero and Todoroki's match that she had a feeling would be quick.
So she went off quickly and on the way she met Shinso who seemed not at all sad. “Hey..” she said awkwardly “You did great.”
He scoffed “Hardly. You aren't great at comforting.” he didn't seem mad. “Sorry.” she frowned but then she had an idea and reached out ruffling his hair.
“I'm not a cat.” he said but pink was dusting his cheeks.
A sigh escaped his lips as he gave a tired smile at her “Thank you though.”
✎. . . . . . .
“The Silver Flash from Class 1-A.” Mic announced as she stepped up meeting her opponent, she was right Todoroki ended his match so quickly even before she got into the waiting room.
“Pay close attention or she'll appear right infront of you!” he warned “From the hero course, it's Nagito Serin!”
“Versus, Sparky killing boy, from the hero course its Kaminari Denki!”
“Andddd Start!” he announced. Serin stared at her classmate raising her fists. “Aren't you going to use your quirk?” he asked.
Feeling a bit snappy she remarked “if I did, you'd be out of bounds without even showing the heroes your mettle.”
“Look who's arrogant.” he said his quirk activated golden yellow bolts flashing. “If I were someone else you'd probably be the arrogant one. But since you're against me, I don't even need to use my quirk.”
“Indiscriminate Shock 1.3 million volts!” he yelled and touched the ground. The crowd gasped as Serin took it.
It would have been painful but it only made her numb and gave her a reminder of her life. Then the bolts disappeared, Kaminari's brain was fried but she was still standing walking closer until she lifted him up and threw him out of bounds.
“I'm quite used to being electrocuted.” she said Present Mic declaring her the victor as she left, her hand tightly on her scarf.
She crossed paths with Iida who was next and against Mei who was actually from the support course like Itona. They didn't exchange words, but it didn't bother her.
Or maybe it did? She turned feeling someone watch her narrowing her eyes she saw a small black tail disappear into a corner.
She felt dread. A cat? A black cat?
✎. . . . . . . . .
Iida's match turned into some sort of advertisment. Know she felt bad for Mina who was against Itona. She was sure Itona would use her as her partner to showcase his gadgets.
She was right, but instead of Itona using her as a partner it seemed more like a test subject, he even dodged and punched her a few times when she was taking advantage of him preparing his gadgets.
It seemed like Itona didn't like her, she wondered why? Itona would be usually indifferent.
The matches continued on and on as she felt bored and then the second round. Todoroki's and Midoriya's fight was exciting but suddenly she remembered she was next effectively missing the most crucial thing about Todoroki's quirk.
She waited inside a room when the door picked open. “Gakushu, what are you doing?” she asked tilting her head.
“I wanted to wish you luck, you're against that boy with the similar quirk.” he said walking inside.
Iida, she was against Iida. There quirks were similiar, but her quirk was faster if she wanted to but she was at a disadvantage because she couldn't control her quirk if she went any faster.
“You'll do fine.” He said noticing her calculating look. She nodded “Thank you Gakushu.”
“You should be worried about who you'll be against if you win this round. That Todoroki guy is fierce.” he said.
“I know, I just need to be faster to avoid his ice.” she sighed standing up, hearing Mic declare Todoroki's Win.
“Thanks for coming here Gakushu, it helped calm my nerves. I have to go know.” he nodded as she disappeared.
Serin started at Iida who returned with a steel gaze.
“Everybody keep your eyes open! Unless you want to miss our two competitors! Both fast and quick! The Silver Flash, Nagito Serin!” A round of cheers and then “Versus The sprinting boy, Iida Tenya!”
“Start!”
Iida leaned on ready but she disappeared, he felt a kick to his back and then he was thrown to the side, he stared at Serin her eyes cold but they were glowing.
“You should take Present Mic's advice.” she said.
Iida ran it was a fast hand to hand type, they were running and sometimes clashing.
“Nobody's slowing down! It's hard to catch up with them!”
They stopped momentarily when Iida caught her fist and she caught his leg, when he was about to kick.
“We have similar quirks..” he said lowering his leg and suddenly used his other to kick her side, she winced “This will show who's the better one.”
She chuckled “Your moves are base on your quirk, so you focus on your legs,” she analyzed “You need to open to a more versatile style.”
“You focus on your quirk way to much, you depend on it,” she sneered “We are different, do not rope me in with you or our classmates, you made it clear I was different, something to be avoided.”
Iida's eyes widened when she disappeared and felt two hands on his torso and then his head hit the ground. The crowd cheered.
“I am different from all of you in so many different ways.” she said.
“How so?” he asked getting up on his feet as the two chased. Clashing and throwing kicks and punches.
“I know how to take care of myself without depending on my quirk,” She said punching his face “That's not what you're doing right now.” he said.
“Then I'd be at a disadvantage, but if you want them go.” she said stopping, Iida took her 'arrogance' as an opening, he ran to her back and proceeded to push her out.
But suddenly she grabbed his shoulders and tossed herself over, and he felt pain once her knees hit harshly on the back.
The crowd erupted in cheers. “That was what I was talking about.” she said.
“We have a lot of differences.” she said jumping back as the wind picked up her hair. “But the very crucial difference, you had freedom, some of you may have some.”
Iida narrowed his eyes her hair covering her eyes, she had a frown “I didn't have freedom when I was a kid, to be honest I received my freedom 4 years ago.”
“It feels weird having freedom.” she said with a sigh pushing her hair back. “I'm rambling let's continue.” She said running and then she smashed her knees to his face, Iida grabbed her by her collar and was about to throw her.
But he lost her grip suddenly and then she had her in a hold, a flying triangle choke hold. She smirked “How are you holding up?”
She let go, plant her feet on the ground and grabbing his wrist and then Iida was thrown harshly on the ground his eyes widened when Midnight announed
“Iida is out of bounds, Nagito wins!”
The crowd cheered to his surprise, their match may not be as flashy but it was exciting with their hand to hand combat and fast paced action.
A hand held out and surprising the both of them. He grabbed it. Serin pulled him up and immediately let go “You should get your nose check.”
And then she promptly left, Iida touched his nose. It was bleeding. He felt frustrated that he lost but he liked the adrenaline rush from the match. He couldn't forget her words though.
What did she mean by freedom?