Chapter Twelve

It's been a little over a week since I last saw my sister and now, as I gear up for yet another training exercise, I find myself freaking out over the fact that I may be faced with her again today. Class 3-A against class 3-B. Perfect. I can't decide what it's going to be like seeing her... whether I'll be angry or overcome with how much I've missed her but that hardly matters now. What matters is that class 3-A has a goal. Each class is divided into two teams, one team of what the other class will approach as villains that have to hang back to protect their small group of mock civilians and another team comprised of "heroes" that have the goal of setting out to "save" the other team's captured civilians. It all seems more complicated to me than they should've made it but I get the objective anyway. Fight the other team as if they're the villains. Got it.

"You ready?" Ashido asks me, pink hair in cute disarray. I nod, offering her a friendly smile. Ashido's been oddly supportive over the last week, usually finding me at lunch and offering me some of the sweets she keeps a high supply of. It's been nice having her and even some of the other girls here, reaching out in the moments I feel most alone.

"I think so" I reply though I know it's mostly a lie. I'm not ready to see her yet, but today... I may not have a choice. I grab the earbuds out of my belt and put them in place, knowing I've gotta be careful with Shiori out there. Maybe I don't get the added bonus of protecting my own teammates against her anymore, but I can still protect myself.

"We're gonna win this time!" she says, an encouraging grin on her face. I laugh a little, trying to calm my nerves.

"Count on it" I tell her and the alarm begins to sound.

"Okay, Team A, hold your positions! Team B, let's head out!" Iida orders proudly. Team A does as they're told and Team B, comprised of myself, Iida, Ashido, Tokoyami, Kaminari, Kirishima, Todoroki, Bakugo, Midoriya, and Yaoyorozu, all head out, splitting off into two groups of five. As previously devised by Iida, we'd need a solid line up when it comes to the two teams so he leads the first, followed by Tokoyami, Kaminari, Midoriya, and Yaoyorozu. The second is lead by Todoroki, followed by me, Ashido, Kirishima, and Bakugo.

"We'll take the left" Iida says and Todoroki nods, leading us off to the right. We're on the same training grounds as we were before, the city around us a mixture of built up and destroyed by previous sessions.

"We'll likely run into 3-B soon. When that happens, Kaida, I need you to start by creating a pulse that'll slow everyone down. If you can draw out the waves and emit them in a slower succession, I think it'll make it more difficult for the enemy to move through it. If you can do that, the rest of us can start around the perimeter of your attack to try and get behind them" Todoroki says, searching my face for agreement. I nod. Despite my rough handle on controlling my quirk, I can at least manage something that simple. At least, I hope I can.

"Once Kaida gets started, Bakugo, you and Mina should take the right side. Kirishima and I will take the left. Try to stay as far from Kaida's pulse as possible until you can get behind 3-B, then, once she releases her hold, charge in" he instructs. I can see the irritation on Bakugo's face but he doesn't argue, instead everyone else agrees and Bakugo just keeps walking. He hasn't spoken to me much since he almost saw me naked in the boys' bathroom and, regrettably, part of me has been disappointed by it. I don't know what I did to piss him off so much and it bothers me that he hasn't been able to get over it. That's just another person I apparently seem to be arguing with.

It takes a bit longer than I expected for us to actually run into anything but once we do, Todoroki looks right at me. I nod, positioning myself at the center of the group and focusing my energy. Come on... a heavy pulse bursts out of me, a bit too strong at first, but as I let it flow, the energy thrums out of my hands in thick waves. As expected, the group of 3-B students run right into it, struggling to get passed.

"Go now!" I tell my teammates, struggling with the effort of maintaining such a steady export of energy. I huff, forcing the energy to obey me. My heart races and I can feel the pulse waver but I hold strong. No. I got this. My team separates and heads around the sides of the wave and at first, I feel a hint of victory... then I look up.

As my team circles the other one, I notice one person at the center, her eyes glued to me. I can't help but stare back... Shiori. Before we started this fight, I didn't know what I'd feel when I saw her again, but rage overwhelms me and my hands start to shake with it. She looks like she hates me and the thought of it makes me furious. She tears her eyes away from me for only a moment, faced with the attacks of my other team members, but once I release the pulse, she looks in my direction.

"Go, Shiori!" one of her teammates shouts and I straighten my posture, cracking my neck. Here we go. Shiori charges towards me, a determined expression on her face and I can see the long awaited release of emotion all over her face. She leaps, her first attack a physical one, and she throws herself through the air, hauling back a fist and driving it down towards me. I brace myself, my energy making the ground rattle as her fist connects against my forearms.

"Hey, sis" I growl through gritted teeth. She glares at me, dancing back to avoid an attack from me and readying herself for a kick. I duck beneath it, grabbing her ankle and yanking her down to the ground. Shiori gasps but rights herself quickly, rocking herself up into a crouch and swiping a decent hit across my face. My head snaps to the side and anger burns through me. I leap up, using my pulse to knock her hard onto her back. She gasps, coughing a bit to catch her breath for a minute.

"That's just like you" she laughs roughly, forcing herself to get back up and wiping her mouth. I glare at her.

"Let's not talk" I offer, not wanting to hear it.

"No, let's. Let's talk about how pathetic it is that you're angry with me" she snaps and I clench my jaw. Shiori lunges, knocking me to the ground with her full body weight. My head hits the ground and I grit my teeth as she hits me, once, twice, I buck my body, throwing her off of me and slamming my fist into the ground beside her face. The earth shakes with the explosion of my energy bursting through it.

"Stop it, Shiori! Don't make me fight you like this!" I shout, knowing if she pisses me off that I won't be able to stop myself. I won't be able to protect her from me. She ignores me though, twining her hands together and throwing them forward, barreling into my chest. I fall back, chest aching from the blow and I cough, heart skipping. Damn it.

"I don't need your protection and I don't need you to go easy on me!" she screams, visibly angrier. Rage burns through me too, seeing her coming at me so cruelly. Like we were never sisters at all. What a joke.

"Well come on then, Shiori! Hurt me like you want to! Fight me if you think you're so brave!" I shout back. She shakes her head, glowering at me like she's never been so pissed in her life.

"Don't act like I'm the bad guy here, Kaida. Whose fault is it, huh? That we weren't there when mom died?" she demands darkly and my body goes rigid. Her words echo in my head and my heart aches violently. Fury wars with guilt and resentment. Whose fault was it? Shiori never blamed me outright before for mom's death though we both know I blamed myself... still, hearing her say it awakens a deep seated anger I thought I'd buried long ago.

"Shiori. Shut your mouth right now" I warn her darkly, my power on the verge of spinning out of control. Shiori clenches her fists, refusing to back down.

"She trusted you. Always treated you with respect despite the monster you were becoming and now look at what you've done!" she spits and for a moment, all I see is red.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I scream, an enormous pulse ripping through me and blasting her off her feet, sending her flying through the air. She crashes into the side of one of the buses, coughing and laughing as she drops into a crouch.

"Finally" she grins sadistically, a terrible look in her eyes. A murderous feeling washes over me and I clench my fists against the power inside me. Shiori runs at me, no hesitation, and I prepare myself for her attacks. At first, I go to protect my face, but she surprises me, dropping to the ground and kicking my legs out from under me. I fall to the ground shouting out as she throws herself on top of me again, swinging over and over again. Pain explodes in my face at every hit and I feel the blood pooling to the surface in every place that splits open. I kick my legs up, grabbing her head between my knees and yanking hard. She yelps before I throw her off of me and pin her to the ground, mirroring her attack previously. She bucks, trying to throw me off after the first three hits but she doesn't succeed until after the seventh. We roll apart, both of us landing in a crouch, panting and bleeding. She looks like hell, but I'm sure I don't look any better.

"Kaida!" I hear one of my teammates faintly but I don't have time for anyone else. I hold my hands out to either side, ignoring the pain starting at the back of my neck and let out a pulse large enough to send anyone close enough to us flying. Shiori looks around us and chuckles darkly, still managing a spiteful glare through the already forming bruises and blood.

"Always the type to fight fair" she spits and I level a murderous glare at her as we both push ourselves to stand.

"I don't know what your deal is, but you wanted a fight. So I'm giving you one" I snap and her eyes widen incredulously.

"You don't know what my deal is?" she demands, somehow getting even angrier. I smile a little, so angry myself that I'm starting to find it funny. Everything else in our lives is shit, why not our relationship too? I clench my fists.

"Go ahead and tell me" I taunt her, spreading my arms wide and laughing in her face.

"What's gotten you to hate me so much, huh?! What did it?" I demand and I can tell my sudden spiral into angry laughter only pisses her off more.

"You did this. For so long, you used me as a tool to make your life easier! And I'm SICK OF IT!" she screams. A sudden wave of exhaustion hits me and for a moment, I panic. But it's not possible... that's not how Shiori's quirk works. Even if it was, I'm wearing the ear buds. She shouldn't be able to have an effect on me at all. I fight through it, shaking it off and trying to catch my breath.

"I used you? You know what, please. Go on thinking that. You wanna hate me, huh?! You want someone to blame for mom?! Be my guest! You want someone to project all of your own shortcomings onto?! I'M RIGHT HERE!" I roar back, heart slamming against my ribs. Then all at once, as if both of us share the same exact thoughts and feelings, as if both of us have the same heart, we launch towards each other. The ground beneath our feet shudders again and I can feel my quirk exploding inside me. Kaida... wait... everything seems to slow to a crawl and I can see every single movement in slow motion. Shiori's hit might be enough to put me out and her form is impressive despite her impulsive rage, but this... what I'm doing. Kaida, you'll kill her... my quirk goes haywire, my whole body vibrating with energy like never before and I can't stop it... not in time....

Before Shiori and I can land anymore blows, the energy deflates out of me in record time and I drop to my knees, gasping and heaving with the sudden pain in my body. Shiori stumbles back, falling on her ass and looking up in interrupted surprise. Mr. Aizawa stands in front of us, eyes hard on both of us and even more furious than the two of us just were. My head screams, the sudden lack of energy breaking my body apart.

"That's enough!" he shouts, voice echoing out over a silent battlefield. I try to gather enough energy to nod or even look at him but my vision's going blurry. I expended too much... even if I didn't land the hit... my skin flashes from hot to cold and I struggle to keep my focus.

"Someone take them to the infirmary! You're all dismissed!" Aizawa snaps. I struggle to stand, dizziness making it near impossible, but I can't let Shiori see that. Not after everything. I force myself up, even though the action makes everything hurt. I cough, blood leaking down my chin. Still, when one of my teammates tries to grab my arm, I yank it away from him, forcing myself to walk away no matter how slowly.

"I've got her" someone else says, but they don't touch me as I walk. I don't look back at Shiori this time, don't pay attention to the pain in my chest or the way my body feels like it's on the verge of collapse. I just keep walking, I keep walking through the pain, promising myself over and over that it's just one more step... one more time... after a while, my vision goes completely dark and I feel my body failing me. I stop in my tracks, barely able to stand and my head throbs with the need to shut down. My heart stutters.

"P-please..." I breathe, voice hoarse and shaky.

"I can't..." I whisper and my legs give out completely. I collapse, barely remaining conscious enough to feel someone catch me. I sag against them, resting my head against some sort of thick material and inhaling the scent of smoke and soap. Soon, I stop feeling my body and before I know it, I slip into tortured unconsciousness.

____________

I wake up with a start, gasping when my head throbs against my sudden movement. I groan against it, grabbing my head with my hands.

"Stop that!" a woman's voice snaps as she swats at my hands. I look up at Recovery Girl and blink slowly.

"I'm..."

"In the infirmary" she confirms, looking me over. I look around and a sinking feeling makes me nauseous.

"Shiori..." I begin and a sad look comes over Recovery Girl's face.

"She's fine. She was taken back to her room once she was healed enough to go" she tells me and I want to bury my face again. After all of that...

"Did she see me?" I ask quietly. Recovery Girl pauses a moment, likely confused by the question.

"No..." she replies and I let out a relieved breath. Whatever happened, I don't need anyone's pity. I almost killed myself back there and I couldn't reign it in... I couldn't get my control back. Shiori and I may be at odds now, but I'll never want her dead. Not ever.

"Come now... you're not completely healed yet" Recovery Girl says, taking one of my hands. I let her take it, watching her numbly as she pats it and offers me a kind smile. Still, I can see the sorrow in her eyes... the sadness.

"You're awake" Mr. Aizawa interrupts, walking into the infirmary. I grimace, looking away from him.

"Yeah, I'm up" I mutter and I can feel the disappointment seeping out of him.

"What the two of you did out there..."

"Was irresponsible, I know..." I finish, not in the mood to hear it, but it turns out, Mr. Aizawa isn't in the mood for my attitude.

"You could've killed her, Kaida! You completely lost control out there and took matters into your own hands. Regardless of your anger with each other, one of you should've had the sense...!"

"That's enough, Shota!" Recovery Girl admonishes, whacking him with a rolled up newspaper. He flinches, grimacing at her.

"She's not finished healing up in body or spirit. Can't you see the poor girl already knows what you're going on about?" she demands. Mr. Aizawa looks at me, but I look away again immediately, my whole body burning with shame. After a few moments, he agrees with the old woman and leaves the room, leaving just the two of us alone.

"Come" Recovery Girl says, guiding me gently to the edge of the bed so she can give me a quick kiss on the forehead. In a matter of seconds, I can feel parts of my body stitching themselves back together. My face slowly stops aching as my lip, cheek, and eyebrow mend themselves of gashes and cuts. The swelling goes down and my head finally clears, leaving no trace of the migraine behind. I sigh, feeling too guilty to feel relieved.

"Thanks..." I mumble, looking down at my feet. The first time we fought... it almost didn't feel real. I spent so much time depressed about it and unsure, but this time? When I think about the look on Shiori's face, I know we can't go back. The finality of it makes it so much harder to waste time crying over it because it already seems done. It doesn't matter how I feel or respond now... Shiori's gone. And I've gotta do it on my own now. First mom left, then dad checked out when the grief got to be too much, and now... I'm truly alone in the world. It's an exhausting thought, but I'm tired of trying to face it.

"Can I go back to my dorm?" I ask and Recovery Girl nods, patting me on the arm.

"The sweet boy who brought you in is still here" she tells me, pointing outside the door. I nod, half expecting Todoroki to be there when I walk out, but once I step through the threshold, I'm shocked to see Bakugo, wearing school issued sweat pants and matching shirt, sitting on the floor.

"Bakugo?" I say, confusion coloring my tone and he looks up at me. When he sees I'm fine, he stands up immediately.

"Finally. Damn it, I've been waiting half the night for you" he complains, but he won't look me in the eye.

"What time is it?" I ask quietly and he lets out a breath, but doesn't answer right away.

"Late" he snaps finally and I nod, gesturing towards the door.

"Let's go home then" I tell him. Bakugo just nods, walking with me in silence out into the night air. For a while we walk silently and I know he probably doesn't know what to say to me. After all, who would? If he really brought me here, I can only imagine the kind of state I was in.

"Did you really stay there the whole time?" I wonder about halfway there. Bakugo scoffs.

"Yeah. Recovery Girl made me change out of my uniform in the hallway" he mutters angrily. I crack a smile, but it's an empty one.

"Thanks for that" I say. Bakugo doesn't reply though and honestly, I'm thankful for it. Imagining him on the training grounds... I now realize what happened when I tried to walk away. How Todoroki tried to comfort me, but Bakugo stepped in, walking behind me every step of the way towards the infirmary. Even though he knew I wouldn't last. Even though I was pushing myself beyond every limit that should've been possible. He followed me and caught me when I couldn't stand any longer. He let me keep my pride to the last second without question and in that moment, I don't think anyone could've understood me more than he did.