Chapter Twenty-Six

Ultimate Frisbee ends with a win on my team's side and the points just rack up. I lost a few during the match and so did some of my teammates, but what sinks my high is seeing my sister on the chopping block. I swallow hard. It wasn't her fault, after all, she's strong and more than capable of putting up a good fight but when it comes to sports that focus so hard on physical attributes, it puts her in a difficult situation. Especially surrounded by so many students with such physical quirks. I curse as they begin to announce the next round, chest aching for her. She should've made it at least this far and if there's anyone who knows that, it's me.

The next match is a tag team of sorts. Students who've made it to this round are pitted against each other in an all or nothing match, but each of us have our choice of partner from the students who were already cut. This way, they still get to showcase their talent without the ability to rack up any points, however, if they get too much of the spotlight, it can damage the points that the other student earns. This match is gonna be all about balance and when I'm met with the classmates that I have the option to team up with, I hesitate to choose. Depending on who I'm up against, a multitude of partners could help me advance, but who's going to be so versatile? Resilient?

"Hey, Kirishima?" I ask while we wait. He looks up at me curiously, brows raised.

"What's up, Ito?" he asks and I'm surprised by my nervousness in asking. Kirishima is one of the nicest guys I know and he's always hanging around Bakugo, but the two of us never really got to know each other. What I do know is that he's a strong fighter, skilled and passionate, but he's also insanely resilient to pretty much anything that can be thrown at him. I can rely on him as a partner.

"In the match... coming up..." I begin, not sure how to phrase it so it doesn't sound weird. He tilts his head at me, red hair flopping over. Jesus, he's like a puppy.

"You want me to be your partner?" he wonders and I smile sheepishly.

"Please?" I ask. Kirishima immediately laughs, grinning happily and standing up to playfully nudge me and wrap his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in tight.

"Why didn't you just say so?" he laughs, squeezing me. I grit my teeth against the force of his strength, eyes widening.

"Okay!" I wheeze, catching my breath when he lets me go. Holy hell. I feel both relieved and nervous now, hoping I've made the right choice. I obsess over it furiously for the next few minutes, anxiety gnawing away at my stomach as I wonder who am I facing. When they finally announce the teams, my heart sinks.

"Kaida Ito and Eijiro Kirishima against Hitoshi Shinsou and Shiori Ito!" Midnight calls out amidst the lineup and for a moment, I can't breathe. We aren't up first which puts my mind a bit at ease, but going up against my sister? Violent flashbacks of our last fight flit through my mind, making me wince. Can I really face her again? Can I keep my composure? Can I actually... fight her again? I don't know where she stands on all of this or how she feels about it. We shared a single moment on the field today... but is that enough? Is it possible to mend a bond that seems so broken? The nerves that shoot through me are enough to convince me otherwise so I decide I need a few minutes to myself, heading back to the waiting room for 3-A.

I shut the door behind me once I'm inside and plug in my headphones, hoping to lose myself in the music. It's okay, Kaida. You got this. I pace the room, stretching my limbs and trying not to focus on my nerves. I practice a couple punches, paying more attention to maintaining my heartbeat. I can do this. I pace once more around the room, finally feeling like I've psyched myself up enough to calm down, but when I turn back to the door, I see Shiori standing there in her P.E. uniform, expression earnest. She holds up a hand in an awkward wave and I pull out my ear buds, the music fading away.

"Hey..." I say, not sure if I should be nervous or excited. Shiori smiles a little anxiously.

"Hey" she replies and my chest aches immediately. There are so many things I want to say to her, to tell her... so many things I wish I could take back... but... I force myself to look away. I'll never let anyone come to my rescue again. I'll never let her believe I rely on her too much.

"I just came to say... good luck... and..." she hesitates. I look up at her, a million different thoughts going through my head. What is it?

"And I don't want any bad blood between us... this fight... it has nothing to do with us. Just two students doing their best" she tells me, an honest look on her face. I feel both hopeful and sad at the statement, wondering exactly where we stand but knowing I may not get the chance to know that. I nod.

"I'll do my best" I reply softly and Shiori grins in an almost familiar way.

"I should warn you, my best has gotten a lot better" she tells me. I can't help but to crack a smile, recognizing this banter like the back of my hand.

"Mine too. I won't hold back" I promise, earning a light laugh. Things go quiet between us for a moment, but she doesn't leave. Instead, she stands there a moment, an uncomfortable look on her face. I frown.

"What is it?" I wonder, hoping she's okay. She looks up at me, a thousand unspoken words flashing through her eyes.

"I, uh... I miss you" she admits, glassy eyed. My own eyes prick with tears but I force myself to smile and swallow the lump in my throat.

"I miss you too" I reply. Shiori looks down, the awkward moment between the two of us only growing.

"Right... well uh... I'll see you out there" she says, looking up at me again. I nod, forcing myself to smile reassuringly even though it feels impossible.

"Yeah... I'll see you out there" I agree. With that, Shiori nods and leaves me alone again, heading back to her own waiting room to prepare. Once she's gone, I breathe out a heavy sigh of relief and exhaustion. She misses me... she even laughed with me... it's almost enough to break me down into tears, but I stay strong. Now, more than ever, I'm determined to make her proud. I put my music away and stretch a little more, confidence boosted already, and I ride the high for a little while before someone else enters the room. When I look up, I blink at Shoto, a small twisting feeling tugging at my gut.

"Hey" I say, smiling even though my nerves are skyrocketing. He smiles at me and it's a smile that makes my heart hurt.

"How are you feeling?" he wonders. I know he's talking about the match and I sigh, laughing nervously.

"Determined?" I offer and he raises an eyebrow.

"Was that a question?" he wonders and I shake my head. He comes over to stand next to me, both of us leaning against one of the tables.

"I don't know... I'm excited and ready and I want to do my best, you know? But... it's hard to explain" I admit. Shoto nudges my shoulder softly with his, making me blush just a little.

"Try me" he says and I take a breath.

"I guess... I'm worried my best isn't good enough. I spent such a long time in my sister's shadow... I know she thinks it was the other way around, but..." I pause, laughing both bitterly and fondly at the memories of us growing up.

"She was the smart, reliable one. The girl with the most powerful voice around. The calm to my aggressive. People loved her, admired her... hell, they only talked to me because I wasn't snubbing them all right away like she was. My sister... the beautiful, powerful, level-headed Shiori who was always destined to go far... I could never live up to it. And people stopped trying to help me do it because I was just... too much. So I had to train on my own. I had to fight for it every day to make them notice me" I continue, but I don't resent her for it like I used to. Now, it just makes me sad for the little girl that I was.

"She thinks everyone looked up to me because I have a flashy quirk and I always put myself out there. I was always on the front line... but I never told her that all those bids for me? I made them up. Hell, I have more pro heroes gunning for me here than I've ever had back home... but, Shiori? All those people that wanted her, wanted her. They were real. Maybe I shouldn't have lied about it then, but... I didn't want her pity" I shrug, remembering comparing our lists of nominations at our old school. Mine was impressively convincing, but seeing Shiori's stack up at the time felt like a reminder that I wasn't good enough. That I couldn't be the best. I know what my face must look like, but it still surprises me when Shoto brushes my hair behind my ear, his fingertips lingering against my cheek a moment.

"Your best is more than enough" he tells me. I flush, cheeks burning and heart squeezing painfully. I look away immediately, not sure what to say or how to respond... not after...

"I know that things are different between us" he says and I look back at him, a pained look on my face.

"But I won't pretend I don't still care for you. That wouldn't be honest of me and I don't care for dishonesty" he adds, a small smile on his face. I swallow.

"Shoto..." I murmur, but he gets up and starts for the door.

"You're going to be great out there, Ito" he reminds me over his shoulder before leaving the room. I sigh heavily, ten times more frustrated than before. Really? BOTH OF THEM? I curse my stupid dumb luck and start pacing the room again. What the hell, man?

____________

The crowd roars as the four of us take the battle stage and the parameters are set. No support items, anything goes inside the ring, but if we go out of bounds or go down, the other team wins. Kirishima and I gear up, the two of us preparing for a real fight.

"You ready?" I ask him over the roaring of the excited crowd. He nods, an enormous grin on his face as his body hardens and he smashes his fist into his palm.

"Let's crush it!" he says and I smirk, cracking my neck. Yeah. Let's.

The match begins with a faceoff between Shinsou and I first, the two of us circling each other like predators. He's a taller kid, violet hair sticking out at all ends and a lazy smile that exudes confidence. Shiori watches him like a hawk, but then, so do I, preparing myself for anything. I know a little bit about his quirk, though admittedly not as much as I would like, all I really know is that I shouldn't talk to him. Not even a word.

"So... you're the sister" he grins. My first instinct is to respond and it pisses me off. It almost makes him the perfect opponent for me. I don't say anything though, forcing myself to be quiet as I focus on my heartbeat. In seconds, it's racing faster and faster, enabling me to use my most effective form of energy. I lash out immediately, seeking purchase on any part of him I can get to, but he's too fast. I suck in a surprised breath. It's only a few more seconds before our teams are allowed to participate. I have to make it count. I throw out my hands, pulse racing rapidly, and my energy explodes out of me in ribbons, wrapping solidly around his ankle. I smirk, yanking the energy as hard as I can and watching him tumble across the floor, more surprised than hurt. His first reaction is to look back at Shiori, but she's never seen me do this before. Not without passing out.

"Kirishima!" I shout as soon as the timer goes off. He runs into the ring, all laughter and excitement. It makes me grin, excited for the fight. Yeah. We got this. Shiori enters the field herself as I prepare our next move.

"You ready?!" I shout and Kirishima nods as I drop to the ground, focusing on the pulse in my wrists. As my heart hammers out a steady rhythm, a disk of energy starts rotating in my hands. Faster and faster, once it finally gets up to speed, I open my eyes.

"Now!" I yell and Kirishima wastes no time, leaping into the air, he propels himself forward off of my attack, shooting across the arena like a rocket. I stand up instantly, sending out another array of energy strands after him. Kirishima plows into Shinsou, but Shiori ducks at the last second, her face displaying her shock plainly as my energy wraps around Kirishima and I yank him back to me. He stumbles to right himself once he's by my side again, but both of us are intoxicated by the high of the fight.

"Kaida!" Shiori yells, but her voice carries on the air, the sounds of it vibrating through my skull and disorienting me. I shake my head. Damn it... did she just? My eyes widen as the fog starts to clear. Shiori's smiling to herself and Shinsou lands a blow right across my face. My head rocks to the side and I've gotta fight to shake it off. I'm gonna have to win this quickly or I'll be in trouble.

"Kirishima, you have to go after Shiori!" I shout to him, facing off against Shinsou with a new wave of exhaustion. Damn it... I see Kirishima starting after my sister, but he looks even worse off than I am, his steps only slightly more sluggish but... I shake my head again. I need to keep my focus, otherwise my heart rate won't be as easy to maintain. Plus... the slower the heart rate, the less solid my energy. Damn it... does Shiori know that?

"Are you alright, Kaida?" Shinsou asks, squaring up against me. Damn it. I hate not speaking. It's literally one of the hardest things for me to avoid doing. Shit.

I drop to the ground, head still fuzzy, but I've gotta do something. My quirk is so much less flashy when I'm up against students like Shinsou or my sister. Their quirks are inescapable... no amount of strength is gonna defeat that. Hopelessness starts to wash through me, but I stop it in its tracks, forcing myself to focus through the sleepiness. Shinsou races towards me, maybe to stop me or maybe to distract me, but I slam my fists into the ground, energy radiating out of me in heavy waves. The whole platform shakes, tossing everyone around. Shinsou is thrown away from me and while Kirishima loses his footing, so does Shiori. I exhale in relief, hoping the next move is the finishing blow.

"Kirishima!" I call out, drawing his attention, but it's a moment too late for us.

"NO!" Shiori roars. Her voice is impressively directed and though I can hear it clearly, Kirishima is the one who drops. My heart sinks, eyes widening. No... Shiori makes quick work of trying to throw him out of bounds, but I can't let that happen. I lash out with as many energy ribbons as I can, wrapping them around Kirishima's body and dragging him over to me. His body weighs a ton, but my energy is strong enough that I hardly notice.

"Kirishima?" I say, dropping down next to him, but he's completely out, eyes snapped shut and mouth open. Shit! Both Shinsou and Shiori start towards us, the two of them prepared for close combat now that I have something to keep protected. SHIT.

"Just let him go, Kaida. You can't win this way" Shinsou insists. I stand up to face them, stepping in front of Kirishima protectively and letting my racing heart push out a thin layer of energy behind me. Try me.

Shinsou and Shiori both go on the offensive, the two of them attacking all at once. I know their goal is to overwhelm me, but I can't let it happen. I parry blows from both of them, ducking and weaving between their attacks. When one lands a blow, I'm blasting the other across the arena, but it's not long before I'm starting to lose focus. Shiori gets past me a few times, almost getting to Kirishima's sleeping form before I can stop her, but I send reams of energy her way, beating her back with all of the focus I can manage. Too much... it's too much... Shiori dives and I dip to catch her, dead set on keeping my partner safe.

"It's too late, Kaida" Shinsou says. I don't think, I don't even remember why what I do next is so bad...

"It's not!" I snap, an energy filled fist gripping the back of my sister's shirt.

"STOP" Shinsou's voice fills my entire body and echoes through my head. No. My body freezes against its will, my limbs drooping and my heartbeat slowing. No... no, no, no...

"Let her go" he says slowly, a smile spreading over his face. I try to force my hands to stay closed, but my fingers pry themselves apart, my hand shaking as my body stops obeying my commands. Shiori stands and backs away, a victorious look on her face. No... not yet... I can't lose like this!

"Now sit... and watch" Shinsou commands. I sit immediately, body dropping like a sack of potatoes and panic makes me want to scream. But... I can't. Kirishima... no! Shinsou lifts him up by his collar, dragging him to the edge of the ring. NO! My heart starts to race, energy swirling around violently inside me as it tries to escape. Shinsou smiles and I explode. Energy erupts out of me, shaking the ground of the arena and tossing everyone around. Shiori flies backwards, landing at the other end of the ring and Shinsou drops to his knee, gripping Kirishima tightly and staring at me wide eyed. This is it, my chance to regain control!

"Kaida! NO!" Shiori screams and her voice is like knives in my head. I dig my fingers into my scalp, hunching over as the exhaustion plows into me and makes me want to puke. I gasp against it, the world going dark. I can't lose like this... no way... I look up to see Shinsou dropping Kirishima off the edge of the ring and my heart sinks. No...

"You lose" Shinsou says as he walks over to me. I can feel myself slipping in and out of consciousness and I can hear the crowd behind me. Embarrassment and shame make me sick to my stomach as Shinsou lifts me easily, dragging me to the edge. How? How? I stumble over my own feet, feeling like I'm going to pass out any second. No. I won't lose alone. Shinsou pushes me just slightly and my body complies, but at the last second, I grab his arm and yank him after me. A collective gasp falls over the crowd and Shinsou's expression changes. I smirk as we hit the ground together, both of us out.

"Looks like... we both lost" I say gruffly, voice tired and head foggy. I hear Midnight announcing winners... but my hearing fades in and out and my eyes start to slip closed. Damn it... sleep consumes me faster than it has in weeks and just like that... the world fades to black.