Chapter Twenty-Four

The next few days are a confused blur. I throw myself into training again, desperate to avoid Shoto and determined to keep my distance from Bakugo for now. I can't face Shoto after he kissed me and all I could do was run away, not to mention Bakugo. I threw myself at him the same night without any explanation and I can't even admit to myself that I want him. How can I face him after embarrassing myself like that? Just showing up at his doorstep, crying like a child? It feels impossible to face either of them, but in my attempt to avoid the conflict, I've been able to hone my quirk and fine tune it. Not only are my close combat skills on par with most of my classmates, but my long range skills are finally at a point where I can confidently call them precise. I'm becoming a force to be reckoned with and all that's left is for me to face one of my most worrisome opponents.

"You sure about this, Kaida?" Deku asks, rolling his shoulders back to loosen himself up. I nod, adrenaline already at an all-time high. Deku is strong. Strong enough to take my ass out with a pinky finger. But the way that Endeavor's been training me, I've finally managed to control the export of my energy naturally, using it to power up my body to extremes that wouldn't otherwise be possible. The only way to test that power... is to go up against the guy with the most physical power I know.

"Don't hold back" I tell him, changing my stance to prepare for the onslaught. Today, training is taking place at an outside facility per Endeavor, considering the two of us are gonna get pretty destructive. I actually start to worry when he ignites his quirk, power blasting through his entire body and lighting up his eyes a brilliant green. Shit.

Deku does exactly as I told him too, darting towards me at an ungodly speed and throwing a right hook. At the last minute, my quirk thrums through my legs, helping me to push off the ground and dodge his initial attack. The point here is to not only see if Deku is the type of hero I could beat, but also to see if I can take his hits. If I'm as strong as he is... I might be unstoppable. I pivot quickly, drawing energy into my fist as my heart thunders in my chest. The faster the heartbeat, the more power there is behind my hit. I launch an attack on him, plowing a powerful punch into him. I gasp, shock jolting through me when he catches my fist with his own. The impact of our quirks meeting sends a shockwave through the field, shoving both of us backwards with the force of it. I struggle to right myself when we skid apart, my arm aching with the force of his hit. Damn. He's even stronger than I thought. I roll my shoulder, relieved to know that I can still use the arm.

"Still wanna do this?" he calls and I scoff, a smirk on my face.

"Bring it on, Deku!" I yell back, allowing the energy to flow through my body freely. He nods, green lightning sparking around him.

"Let's go!" he shouts, racing towards me again. I copy his actions, running towards him with my body fully charged. The two of us move to attack each other, but we're almost evenly matched in speed. Where he ducks, I jump, the two of us missing each other by a hair's breadth. I land behind him, turning on my heel to face him as he launches another attack. I gasp, managing at the last second to slam his fist up by his wrist and land an energy fused blow right in the center of his gut. Deku goes flying, flipping over himself and rocketing into a nearby structure. I gasp, panting to catch my breath in surprise. I did it... I got him... I almost smile before I see him stand up, holding his hands out before him in a terrifyingly familiar position. My eyes widen seconds before he releases just a single finger, his flick releasing an intense blast of air, sending me flying. I yelp, bouncing across the ground and rolling to a stop. I cough, lungs aching. Crap. I manage to get up, seeing him thundering towards me with all he's got. This is it. I start back for him, driving my legs hard into the ground to propel me forward. We launch at each other again, fists fully powered. This is it. This is what I was waiting for.

The two of us soar through the air, ready for the impact, and once it hits, the air around us whips around like the beginning of a storm. I feel it tearing around us, snapping my hair around my face, and then the force of it bursts through my arm. I cry out, the pain of it making it feel like the bones are shattering. Still, before we blast apart, I can see the effect of my own power against his, exploding into his fist and thrusting him backwards. Pain destroys me as I fall, but pride burns through me even as I hit the ground. Even with Deku as an opponent... I was able to land a hit. In a real fight... I may even be able to beat him. Not directly and not like this... but I have the strength to. Deku's punch buries me in the ground, sending me crashing so hard into the dirt that my body creates a crater. I gag, the cough in my lungs getting stuck in my throat. My arm throbs and when I try to move my fingers, I can't. I laugh, a raspy and throaty sound. It's a few minutes before Deku comes to my aid, but when he does, guilt and anxiety are written all over his face.

"Kaida! Are you okay?! That was too much, wasn't it?! I'm sorry!" he gripes, leaning down to help me up. I sit up wincing and smiling at the same time, my arm dangling painfully.

"That was perfect!" I cough, refusing to regret it. His hit wasn't even at one hundred percent power but he shattered my arm. Still, I grin at his injury, his own arm clutched gingerly to his side. I didn't break it... but I know it hurts.

"I kicked your ass" I laugh, throwing my head back. Deku's eyes widen, still mortified.

"Kaida! Your arm! This is bad!" he yelps, completely ignoring my victorious mood.

"Just help me up, dummy" I say, sucking a breath through my teeth as he helps me to my feet. My whole body is pretty banged up, but it's only my arm that's completely useless. I grin.

"I consider that a success" I huff, giving him a thumbs up with my left hand. Deku looks like he might pass out.

"I broke your arm... I broke your arm" he mumbles to himself. I roll my eyes. Okay, so it looks bad, but this is the best day of my life. Deku is the strongest physical fighter I know and if I can hold my own against him directly like this, regardless of my injuries, then I consider myself a pretty powerful player too.

"Deku..." I say, blinking when he completely ignores me. The guy's so lost in his own guilt that I start to feel guilty myself.

"Midoriya!" Endeavor snaps, coming out of seemingly nowhere. Deku looks up, eyes wide. Yikes. Maybe I shouldn't have asked him to train with me.

"Take her to the infirmary. Stop getting distracted" he commands. Deku suddenly snaps out of it and gives me an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Kaida. Are you okay to walk?" he asks and I laugh again.

"I'm just sore, it's fine. Let's go" I tell him, thankful for his help. Deku might be super strong, but the guy's got a heart softer than a baby rabbit. The thought makes me smile a bit, but it also makes me feel bad for bringing him here.

"Hey, Deku... I'm sorry for bringing you out here today. I appreciate you coming to train with me and not holding anything back though... it was really important to me" I smile, trying my best to look cheerful through the pain and sweat on my brow. Deku's eyes widen.

"Of course... there's no need to apologize to me... I'm just sorry you got so hurt because of me..." he replies but I can tell that I've eased some of his worry. I asked for it after all. Deku helps me get all the way back to the school, arm screaming in pain the whole way, and when I finally sit on one of the beds, I get a telling glower from Recovery Girl. Deku and I both get healed up without complication and I spend the next forty-five minutes getting chewed out by an otherwise kind old lady. Today might be a great day, but Recovery Girl is dead set on making sure I don't remember it that way.

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After my day of training and healing, I make my way to the track for some more cardio, dead set on being the best I can be before the festival. Maybe no one else feels like they have to train for it like I do, but most of them have their nominations in the bag already. So, despite the soreness in my legs and feet after today, I put in my ear buds and start my run. My heart maintains a slow and steady pace but my lungs and chest ache with exertion. This is what I was born for. Training, fighting, being the best... it's always been my calling. That's something I've always felt sure of, even as I round my second lap and dizziness rolls through me. Whoa. I stop suddenly, stumbling over my own feet and struggling to catch my breath. What the hell? My body aches in response, knees feeling weak. Did I push it too hard today? After Recovery Girl's healing, I probably should've gotten some rest but I didn't want to waste the day away... the world around me spins and I sway a little. Okay, Kaida... easy... I plop down to the ground, stretching my legs out in front of me and leaning back as I yank out my ear buds.

"Yikes" I mutter, world still spinning a little. I usually laugh at people when they try to tell me to take it easy, but maybe I pushed a little too hard today.

"What are you doing on the ground, dumbass? Don't you know people come here to exercise?" Bakugo demands. I peek up at him, smiling a little when I see the cocky look on his face.

"I am exercising" I insist, gesturing to my splayed out legs. He arches a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Looks taxing" he mutters sarcastically. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why don't you join me, Bakugo? Come see the world as I do in all of its swirling glory?" I quip. This pulls him up short, expression changing.

"Swirling? What, you're dizzy?" he demands. I squint at him.

"Wow. So perceptive" I tell him flatly, earning a glare. He comes to kneel in front of me though, grabbing my face and tilting it from side to side to examine it, a no nonsense look on his face.

"Did you hit your head?" he asks, I glare.

"No" I mutter and he scoffs, looking into my eyes. I smirk a little, unable to help it when I see how businesslike his face is right now.

"What?" he snaps, another scowl coming out. I reach up and touch one of his hands, my body apparently acting of its own accord now. He stops, eyes wide.

"You look so serious" I laugh, smiling at him through my dizziness and he blinks at me, face growing just a bit red. I tilt my head at him and I can almost sense his heart speeding up. Do I really... have that kind of effect on him? It seems impossible, but the way he looks at me now, it seems like he might actually explode if I get any more forward with him.

"Of course I'm serious, dumbass. You might be hurt" he grumbles, swatting my hand away suddenly and continuing with his little exam. Now it's my turn to flush, surprised by his words.

"I'm fine... I think I just pushed it too hard today. I was training with Deku and..."

"Deku?" he interrupts, raising an eyebrow. I shrug and Bakugo grabs my right arm, lifting it up to stare at it.

"So is it true, then? Did he break your arm?" he growls, a dark look coming over his face. I yank my arm away from him, brow knitting together.

"We were training. He didn't hold back. I asked him not to" I retort, daring him to get angry. He does.

"He knows better! He's stronger than you by a mile, Kaida. Stronger than All Might himself. How do you always end up putting yourself in these situations?" he snaps. I blink in incredulous surprise.

"What situations are you referring to, exactly? I'm a hero, Bakugo. I'm supposed to fight to get stronger and I'm supposed to run headfirst into danger. What the hell else do you want?" I demand, pissed off now. He grits his teeth, an irritated look on his face.

"You're missing the point, Kaida. You're supposed to train and get stronger. You're supposed to be able to run into the fire to save people, but you are always hurting yourself on purpose! That's not the same thing!" he argues. I shake my head, immediately standing up and clenching my jaw when I get dizzy again. Damn it.

"It's none of your business, Bakugo! Butt the hell out!" I snap, storming off to the dorms.

"You're walking sideways!" he shouts after me. Anger burns through me like fire and I turn around quickly, not thinking.

"And you're an ignorant ass hat!" I yell back at him, whipping back around to continue my furious exit. I trip over my own feet instantly, losing my footing for a second and correcting myself right away, cursing under my breath. It's not easy for me to recover from that kind of embarrassment, but I keep walking, refusing to look back.

"I saw that!" he calls angrily. I bite the inside of my cheek, rage making me want to explode. Instead, I flip him off over my head as I march off, hoping he's happy for having ruined the moment. Stupid jerk. I storm off all the way to my own dorm room, getting inside and slamming the door shut, trying not to destroy everything in my anger. Who even is he to tell me what to do?

I grumble to myself for a few minutes, feeling all the way disgusting and nowhere near as satisfied with myself as I was earlier today. Man, that asshole knows how to ruin a good mood. I grit my teeth, deciding on a shower and changing into my robe to head down. Once I grab my bathroom bag and open the door, a memory comes back to me that makes my face heat. Bakugo, leaning against the bathroom wall, refusing to look at me... the roughness in his voice... I bite my lip. Damn it. I'm mad at him. I shut my door, rushing down the stairs and making sure I've got the right bathroom before entering.

Once I'm under the shower head, the day finally starts to melt away, the tension in my shoulders and neck dissolving into nothingness. I open my eyes, running my fingers through my wet hair and thinking about Bakugo again. About his protective stare and firm hands on my face... about his stupid mouth yelling at me... I scoff to myself. Idiot. Thinking he needs to watch out for me. I shake my head. I can't help but think it's kind of sweet, even if it does piss me off. After all, how often is it that Bakugo worries about anything? He's the kind of guy that mostly worries about whose ass he wants to kick next, but these days it feels more and more like he cares about a lot more than that. I flash back to the tension in his body the day we went to meet Shigaraki. I pause, a pit opening up in my stomach. No... Bakugo was worried about that. About them. The masked villains show up in my thoughts, the memories of each of them making my whole body shiver with fear. I don't know what they want yet or who this immortal villain is, but these guys are serious. Serious enough to worry the hero association.

"Mom..." I murmur, feeling the full effect of my worry for the first time in a long time.

"Watch over me here... help me fight these guys... I don't know what I'm up against. But I know I can't do it alone" I say, wondering if she can hear me somehow... if she knows I'm calling out to her. In moments like this, I miss her so much it hurts, and being here without Shiori... having to face that emptiness without her... it hurts more than she'll ever understand.

Where's my brave girl? It hurts... but I smile to myself, holding a fist to my heart. I'll be brave. Braver than I've ever had to be. And whether Shiori ever stands by my side again or not, I'll keep her safe no matter the cost. Whatever it takes.