Reporters clamored around the entrance to UA, pushing almost every student that came in to answer questions. While a lot of the reporters were caught up with the other students, Kaida used that to her advantage, slipping through the crowd with her head down. She practically ran past everyone to get inside. She hated the press with a fiery passion. They did nothing but put words in people's mouths, and twist the truth. And she could see by the look on their teachers face, that Mr. Aizawa felt the same. He practically shooed the reporters away as he walked inside, Kaida in front of him as they walked. She was trying to make sure they didn't catch too many of her classmates. Finally up in the classroom, Kaida hummed to herself as she watched the students find their seats, with Aizawa soon entering the room. He was probably out talking to the principle.
"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, you guys. I saw the video feeds and went over each of your team's results. Bakugo. You're talented. So don't sulk like a child about your loss, okay?" She could hear the boy in question simply huff in response. "And Midoriya. I see the only way you won the match was by messing up your arm again. Work harder. And don't give me the excuse that you don't have control over your quirk. That line's already getting old. You can't keep breaking your body while training here. But your Quirk will be really useful if you can get a handle on it." Kaida was sure that that was the first time that he had actually really complimented the boy. "So, show a little urgency, huh?"
"And Hiyama." Kaida flinched as she hesitantly rose her eyes to those of her teachers, instantly regretting it. "Not only did you attack a student, you skipped out on combat training. Something that would really be useful for you. While I get that you were trying to protect Midoriya, it wasn't your place and was completely unnecessary. That being said, I want at least a four page essay explaining why you did what you did on my desk tomorrow, and a proper apology to Bakugo and All Might for disrupting class." She bowed her head, nodding quickly.
"Y-yes, sir!"
"Let's get down to business. Our first task will decide your future." Kaida held her breath. She was lucky she didn't get detention, but another task to determine if they're still worthy to be here? "You all need to pick a class representative." Oh, good. Just normal school stuff! Kirishima immediately started trying to get people to pick him, followed by Kaminari and the purple haired girl, Jiro. Aoyama also joined, Mina right after, even little grape boy. She was surprised that Bakugo wanted it as bad as he did.
"Silence, everyone, please!" Iida bellowed, shutting everyone down. "The class representative's duty is to lead others. That's not something just anyone can do. You must first have the trust of every student in the classroom. Therefore, the most logical way to fill this position is democratically. We will hold an election to choose our leader!"
"It's pretty obvious you want us to vote for you." Kaida simply rolled her eyes. Isn't it obvious who should be the representative though? Iida really knows what he's doing, she didn't understand why it should be up for debate. Of course, everyone's arguments were true in statement, saying that most people would vote for themselves.
"Most people will. But that means whoever does receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable person for the job. It's the best way, right, sir?" He looked over to Aizawa, who was zipping himself up into his sleeping bag.
"Do what you want, just decide before my nap's over." Some teacher.
*
Soon the election results were in. And Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were at the top. Midoriya with three votes, and Yaoyorozu with two. There was a lot of surprise coming from the green haired boy and the angry blond. Sure, Kaida thought that Iida would be a good fit, but that didn't mean she couldn't just vote for herself. She knew she wouldn't get it anyways. Although, it looked like Iida was pretty upset over the results. They pulled the two top students to the class, Aizawa waking from his nap just to give the results they already knew. Poor Midoriya was shaking away.
"Alright, the class rep is Midoriya, and our deputy is Yaoyorozu."
"R-really? Uh. It's not a mistake?" She was sure Izuku was going to explode from nervousness, and everyone was looking at him in confusion. Yaoyorozu just seemed a little annoyed. Everyone started to get behind the idea though. Except the boy who suggested the voting system. Kaida rested her cheek against her hand, watching the exchange. Soon, it was lunch time, and Kirishima and Kaminari stopped by Kaida's desk with their usual grins.
"Hey, Kai, wanna join us for lunch?" Denki asked, both boys stuffing their hands in their pockets as they waited for the girl to respond. Mina peeked her head around their figures with a smile.
"Hey, guys! Mind if I join?" The pinkette joined the trio, standing beside them with her hands on her hips. Kai's eyes widened a bit as she looked between them before a smile started to form on her face. Friends. Standing up, the smile only grew as she nodded her head.
"Sure, let's all go together!" Mina grabbed Kaida's arm, squeezing her close to her as she pulled her out of the room, the boys quickly following with shouts of protest. Hiyama's face exploded into a dark red at Mina's forwardness, looking to the blond for help. Both of the boys just watched with small chuckles coming out, Denki just shook his head, basically telling her she was on her own. She let the girl drag her along, Kaminari and Kirishima walking on either side of them, listening to the conversation they were having. She tried to keep up, giving small inputs, but mostly laughing at their behaviors. She loved how friendly and accepting they were of her, going as far as asking her to join them for lunch.
Lunch was spent getting to know each other mostly, but finding out that Kirishima and Mina already knew each other from Middle School. Kaida was hesitant to open up but mostly mentioned a little of her family, and how she went to school with Bakugo and Izuku. It started getting more into their hobbies and the things they liked and disliked. It was weird for her. The only other person she told this stuff to was Izuku, but it looked like they were gaining different friend groups, but still being friends since they were in the same class. It was honestly kinda nice having different friends, in her opinion. It showed just how dependent they had become on one another. While Kaida and Denki were watching Mina and Eijiro talk excitedly about something, the two throwing in their two cents every now and again, an alarm bell started ringing. It sent everyone on edge, jumping in surprise.
"Wh-what's going on?!" Ashido shouted, Hiyama quickly jumping up, along with Kirishima. A robotic announcement came over the intercom, causing the four to exchange worried looks.
"Warning. Level Three security breach. All students please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion." They gasped, looking around as all of the students started to take off into the halls. Everyone was yelling and screaming in fear, trying to escape the building, while Kaida quickly activated her quirk, wrapping her tails around the other three's waists.
"Kaida, what are you doing?" Kaminari asked, raising his hands a bit as they stared at her back. The tails had caused her undershirt to come untucked, letting them loose as she moved away from everyone, raising her friends out of the way. They would get trampled at this rate. She quickly led them around the people, using an extra tail to hold onto the rafters away from everyone. It was the only way they wouldn't get trampled. So, when the crowd was mostly gone, she lowered them back down to the ground, dropping herself next to them. "Whoa, thanks Kai!"
"That could've been a disaster."
"Look outside, there has to be something everyone's not seeing." She said, the four of them running to the windows.
"It's just the press!" Mina called out, hands pressed against the glass.
"Really, that's it?"
*
After the fuss was all over, and they all returned to class, Yaoyorozu stood up, Midoriya following her to the front of the class. Midoriya was back to being a mess over being class rep, but she gave him a quick smile and a nod. He glanced at her after he was done stuttering, taking a small breath. "First, there's something that I wanna say. I've thought a lot about this. And I think Tenya Iida should be our class rep! He was able to capture everyone's attention and get us in line. So, I believe that he should be the one leading our class from now on!" Kaida looked down as she smiled. Iida was going to get the position anyways, they should've known.
"Yeah, you know what? If Midoriya vouches for him, I'm good. Plus he was a big help. He totally manned up and took charge, right?" Kirishima chimed in, Kaminari nodding his head in agreement.
"Yup! Oh! Did you notice he looked like the dude on the emergency exit signs when he was on the wall earlier?" That comment caused the four friends to giggle before Aizawa called it a waste of time. It shut them right up.
"I don't care who the rep is, just hurry up."
"If Midoriya is nominating me for this job... then I humbly accept. I pledge to carry out the duties of class rep to the best of my abilities!" Iida stood up, proudly proclaiming. Kirishima gave him a thumbs up.
"Sounds good, Emergency Exit!" Cue the giggles, with Kaminari joining in. "Emergency Exit Iida! Don't let us down, man!"
*
It was an ordinary night when she got home, spending a lot of missed time with her family now that they were all back together. Kaida did spend most of the night writing out her essay for Aizawa and writing proper apology letters to All Might and Bakugo. She was nervous to give her letter to Katsuki. Why? Because she was sure he was just going to rip it up in front of her and tell her to get lost. She was prepared for it. Nearly midnight, she as finally finished with the papers, putting them neatly in her folders in her bag. Hardly getting any rest that night, she felt like a zombie in the morning, fueling up on flesh and coffee before she was off to school. She held her folder in her hands, ready to hand the papers in. She had entered the school grounds when she saw him, slouched over and grumpy as usual. She took a deep breath before she sped up her walking. "Katsu! Wait up!" He merely grunted as he slowed down, turning a little. He saw the folder and rolled his eyes.
"If you have that stupid apology letter, don't bother. S'not like you meant it. Just throw it out." He said, starting to walk again. She huffed and ran to stand in front of him, making him growl. "Get out of my way, Red."
"Please, you don't have to read it. Just accept it so I can tell Aizawa I gave it to you. That's all I'm asking." She bowed a little as she held out the paper to him. He scoffed, snatching the paper from her, gripping it tightly in his balled fist.
"Tch, fine, whatever." She let herself finally breathe as he walked away from her, her smiling a little. One target down, two more to go.
Entering the classroom, she quickly laid her essay on Aizawa's podium, taking her seat as the day commenced. She could see him nod in satisfaction as he skimmed over it. He set it aside as classes began. When training rolled around, everyone seemed pretty pumped up about it. "Today's training will be a little different. You'll have three instructors. Me, All Might, and another faculty member will be keeping tabs on you."
"Sir! What kinda training is this?" Sero called out, everyone looking to Aizawa for answers. He held out a card.
"Rescue. You'll be dealing with natural disasters, shipwrecks, stuff like that." He explained.
"Disasters, huh? Sounds like we're in for a big workout." Kaminari said, Ashido joining in happily. Kirishima seemed pretty excited about it, and some other students joined in.
"Guys, I'm not finished yet." That shut everyone up for the time being. "What you wear in the exercise is up to you. I know you're excited about costumes... but keep in mind that you haven't gotten used to them yet, and they might limit your abilities. This special training's at an off-campus facility, so we'll be taking a bus to get there. That's all. Start getting ready." Immediately, everyone was up, Kaida was first to grab her case, waiting for Mina so they could walk together to the changing room. They talked, well, Mina talked, Kaida mostly listened, while they got dressed, some of the other girls joining in with how they were going to be doing the rescue training. Soon, they were all gathering outside while they waited for the bus. It wasn't long before Iida was calling them to gather around.
"Using your student numbers, form two neat lines so we can load the bus efficiently." He shouted, blowing a whistle as he went. Kaida couldn't help but giggle a little bit, Mina laughing along with her. No way anyone was going to do that. They wanted to sit together. Besides, when they boarded, it had a more open layout than they were expecting. Mina promptly called Iida out on needed to chill as they rode along. Kaida ended up seated in between Mina and Kaminari. The mustard blond took that chance to get to know her more. She didn't try to give him too much to work with, and it ended with him calling her a mystery and shooting her a wink. It made her roll her eyes, but her face was slightly pink as she looked away from him, Mina taking her attention now. Of course, the back and forth between the rest of the class and Bakugo caught her attention, causing her to laugh at Kaminari's comment.
"Y'know, we basically just met you. So, it's kinda telling that we all know your personality is flaming crap mixed with garbage." He shrugged, and it sent Kaida into a small fit of giggles as Bakugo yelled.
"You're gonna regret the day you applied to this school, you loser...! And stop fucking laughing, Red! I'll kill both of you!" She only stuck out her tongue to anger him more, giggling with Ashido as she joined in, the two teasing him.
"Hey, hey, we're here. Stop messing around." Aizawa said, standing from his seat. There was a chorus of 'yes sir's as things quieted down a little, everyone looking out the windows to look at the dome like building. As they left the bus, the rescue hero, Thirteen was waiting for them. Thirteen was an amazing hero, and just seeing them in person made her almost as giddy as Midoriya. They were one of her favorite heroes! Entering the dome, she was in awe. It was amazing! There were so many areas to simulate rescue operations, to train in environments you're not used to. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked around, a big grin forming on her face.
"A shipwreck. A landslide. A fire. A windstorm. Et cetera-- I created this training facility to prepare you to deal with different types of disasters. I call it the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. But, you can call it, USJ!"
"Hey, shouldn't All Might be here already? Lemme guess, he booked an interview instead." A smartass comment came from Aizawa, questioning All Might's whereabouts. Thirteen closed in and said something but she couldn't hear them. She was too busy in awe. Aizawa turned back around to face the group. "The clock's ticking. We should get started."
"Excellent! Before we begin, let me just say one thing. Well, maybe two things. Possibly three, four, or five..- Listen carefully. I'm sure you're aware that I have a powerful Quirk. It's called Black Hole. I can use it to suck up anything and turn it into dust." They explained. Midoriya quickly chimed in as Uraraka bounced beside him.
"Yeah, you've used Black Hole to save people from all kinds of disasters before, haven't you?"
"That's true, but my Quirk could also be very easily used to kill." Kaida flinched as it reminded herself of her own quirk. "Some of you also have powers that can be dangerous." She felt as though Thirteen was looking right at her. Of course, all of the faculty members knew about the drawbacks of Hiyama's quirk. "In our superhuman society, all Quirks are certified and stringently regulated, so we often overlook how unsafe they can actually be. Please don't forget that if you lose focus or make the wrong move, your powers can be deadly. Even if you're trying to do something virtuous like rescue someone." The girl put her head down. "Thanks to Aizawa;s fitness tests, you have a solid idea of your Quirk's potential. And because of All Might's combat training, you likely experienced how dangerous your powers can be when used against other people. Carry those lessons over to this class. Today, you're going to learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You won't be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, only to help. After all, that's what being a hero is all about. Ensuring the safety of others. That's all I have to say. Thank you so much for listening." As they finished talking, they bowed, the class erupting into a cheer for them. Kaida even clapped a little bit.
"Right. Now that that's over..." Aizawa started, before electricity started to crackle through the buildings lights, the fountain in the middle of the dome sputtering before it looked like it started a type of swirling motion. A purple vortex was taking over in front of it, Kaida stepping forward as Aizawa began to turn around, realizing that something just wasn't right. The purple vortex erupted across the ground, and they could see a hand starting to reach out of it.
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The next day was pretty uneventful, at least during the morning. Still sticking to a normal school curriculum, English was first, with normal core classes following behind. Then lunch, which was pretty nice, but, of course, Kaida didn't eat anything that was there. It seemed to confuse her classmates but they didn't give it too much thought. She sat with Kaminari and Kirishima, trying to get to know them better but it was mostly them talking to each other. They both tried to include her in the conversation but she had trouble keeping up. And finally, the time had come.
UA's Hero Course.
They all sat in their respective spots, the classroom alive with chatter. Kaida had out her notebook, doodling away as she watched the other students talk among themselves. Humming softly to herself, she tilted her head to the side. She was a seat in front of Hagakure, the invisible girl, and right behind her was Bakugo, who looked like he was staring off into space. Midoriya was right behind him. He looked like he was in deep thought, going over his notebook probably. It made her smile. At least they made it past the first day together. Kaida nearly jumped out of her seat as All Might came bursting through the door, hanging onto the door frame and leaning into the room. "I am here!"
"Coming through the door like a hero!" Kaida giggled a bit while everyone else gasped, realizing just who was in front of them. Yes, it was the number one pro hero. She smiled lightly as everyone seemed to be getting excited about how he was a teacher. She watched him march to the front of the room. "Welcome to the most important class at UA High. Think of it as 'Hero-ing 101'. Here, you will learn the basics of being a pro. And what it means to fight in the name of good! Let's get into it! Today's lesson will pull no punches!"
"Fight training!" She could hear the grin in Bakugo's voice without even looking at him. Only to hear Midoriya's worried question. Poor boy.
"But one of the keys of being a hero is... looking good!" He immediately pointed to the side, grinning away as compartments automatically came out of the wall. "These were specifically designed for you based on your Quirk registration forms and the requests you sent in before school started." Even Kaida was excited at this point, knowing exactly what it was. Their hero costumes. She grinned ear to ear as she thought about it. She went into full detail designing the costume. It was simple but it was hers. "Get yourselves suited up, and then meet me at Training Ground Beta!"
"Yes, sir!" Kaida quickly grabbed her suitcase, following the girls to their changing room. The girl was hesitant to open it, noticing how the others were already stripping out of their clothes to put on the costumes. Ochaco tilted her head at the ghoul.
"Is everything okay, Hiyama?" Kaida glanced up at her before nodding, laughing a little. "Are you nervous, too?"
"Uh, yeah. I just hope it looks good on me."
"I don't think that'll be a problem, Hiyama. You're very pretty, I think it'll look fine, however it looks." She turned her head to see Yaoyorozu looking at her with a confident smile. She was already dressed in her costume, causing Hiyama's face to go red.
'So gorgeous!'
"Right, okay!" She took a deep breath before carefully changing into the suit. A cropped skintight top, a slightly longer cropped jacket, shorts, tights, boots, and gloves. All that was left was the mask she had designed, pulling it around her neck first to button the back, then zipping down the front. She pulled the surgical like bands behind her ears to keep the mask in place, finally fixing it over her nose. The neon lines on the front made it look like teeth, fit for a ghoul. The bolts on the side were added just for some flair.
"Perfect." Kaida looked herself I the mirror, twisting and turning as she fixed her hair up in a ponytail. She was smiling but no one could see it. Hagakure slide beside her, sounding ecstatic about her classmates outfit.
"Whoa! You look cool! That mask is pretty, too!" Yaoyorozu stepped behind her, arms crossed.
"Simple but nice." If only they knew the meaning behind it. The other girls lined up, taking in their costumes as well. They all exchanged the same look of confidence before turning and making their way to the training grounds. Marching onto the scene, Kaida couldn't help but feel empowered, walking with everyone like this. In their hero costumes, no less. They were just one step closer to becoming pros.
"They say that clothes make the pros, young ladies and gentlemen, and behold, you are the proof! Take this to heart. From now on you are all... heroes in training!" All Might's voice rang through the area as they exited the tunnel, coming to a stop as they spread out a little. Kaida stood near the tall dupli-armed boy, Shoji, catching Uraraka just next to her. She noticed, however, that Midoriya wasn't there yet. "This is getting me all revved up. You look so cool! Now. Shall we get started, you buncha newbies?" Kaida grinned, cracking her knuckles at his challenge. She turned her head to look at Midoriya as he entered, Uraraka calling him out. She wanted to go say hello and talk about his outfit, but it looked like gravity girl had it covered. Kaida looked away with a small smile, glancing to the ground. A certain blond looked back at the girls sudden exclamation, catching the look on the ghoul's face.
"Now that you're ready, it's time for combat training." The pro hero started, only for Iida to cut in.
"Sir! This is the fake city from our entrance exam. Does that mean we'll be conducting urban battles again?"
"Not quite. I'm going to move you two steps ahead. Most of the villain fights you see on the news take place outside. However, statistically speaking, run-ins with the most dastardly evildoers take place indoors. Think about it. Backroom deals, home invasions, secret underground lairs. Truly intelligent criminals stay hidden in the shadows. For this training exercise, you'll be split into teams of good guys and bad guys and fight two-on-two indoor battles. I know we have an extra in the class, but don't worry! I came prepared!"
"Isn't this a little advanced?" Kaida looked in front of her, seeing the frog girl. She had forgotten her name, whoops. She did have a valid question though.
"The best training is what you get on the battlefield! But remember, you can't just punch a robot this time. You're dealing with actual people now." Everyone seemed to join in in asking questions, causing Kaida to look back and forth between everyone, noticing how Kaminari had moved more towards the back, standing next to Kirishima now. She was caught staring, Denki turning his head at just the right time to give her a big grin before turning back to their growling teacher. "I wasn't finished talking!"
"Listen up!" A script? "The situation is this: The villains have hidden a nuclear missile somewhere in their hideout. The heroes must try to foil their plans. To do that, the good guys either have to catch the evildoers or recover the weapon. Likewise, the bad guys succeed if they protect their payload or capture the heroes." Kaida tilted her head. It sounded like a video game. "Time's limited, and we'll choose teams by drawing lots. I brought an extra box along for the extra person, too!" Before Iida could really throw a fit, Midoriya brought him back down by explaining the urgency of how teaming up works. It seemed to do the trick as he apologized. Everyone moved forward to draw their lots, Kaida waiting until she was the last one and grabbed out of the extra one, courtesy of All Might.
All teams were formed and All Might stared down at the maroonette, leaning down to get a good look at her paper. "And young Hiyama! Look's like you're on Team E!" Kaida nodded as the pinkette and twinktoes joined her.
"Yay! We got an extra! We totally got this in the bag!" Ashido yelled, sticking her tongue out at everyone else. Some just rolled their eyes, the others just kind of laughed. Kaida smiled a little as she threw an arm over the other's shoulders, pulling her along. She just barely caught that Midoriya was facing Bakugo. She hoped he'd be alright.. She didn't fight the girl as she let her lead her to the monitoring room with everyone else.
Hiyama tried to keep up with Ashido's babbling, just nodding dumbly along, catching bits and pieces as they stood in front of the monitors. As the time started, everyone quieted down, watching carefully. Kaida took off the mask in the meantime, keeping her eyes on the green suited boy on the screen. Her hands flew to her mouth as Bakugo attacked. Everyone was calling out but Kaida's eyes were fixated on the boys. Her eyes widened, watching how Midoriya took Bakugo down. She kept her hands clutched together in front of her chest, brows furrowing. She was so proud of him with how far he's come, but she was terrified. She was pulled from her thoughts as a hand rested on her shoulder. She looked to the side to see Denki, smiling at her.
"Hey, don't worry. He'll be fine." He reassured, dropping his hand as he turned back to the screen. Kaida smiled a little and nodded, continuing to watch the fight. She had pretty much blocked out everything that they were talking about, watching closely. "Whoa, that guy has some major anger issues.. it's kinda scary." She heard from Denki, but she didn't hear anyone else. As Bakugo found Midoriya again, Kaida bit her lip, eyes widening more as she gasped, realizing what was going to happen. She flung herself forward, hands slamming down on the rail beside All Might.
"No! All Might you have to stop him!"
"Young Bakugo! Don't do it! You'll kill him!" He yelled into the mic, Kaida gripping the rail so hard she was sure there had to be a dent in it by now. As the explosion released, Kaida shouted, hand covering her mouth.
"All Might, please tell them to stop! He's going to pulverize him!" Hiyama begged, glancing up at the hero. He looked like he was torn. "All Might!" Everyone else started joining in to shut him down. The fight dragged on and she was finding it hard to watch, flinching as she could see Bakugo yelling away.
"They're gonna kill each other! Sir!" Kirishima yelled, causing Kaida to slam her hand down once again.
"All Might! Shut them down!" She watched the two boys go, ready to destroy each other. She could feel her eyes tearing up. How could Bakugo just do that to him? How could Midoriya keep going? All Might started to tell them to stop before he heard something from them. She didn't know what, but the impatience was gnawing at her. Suddenly, Midoriya punched through the entire ceiling, her gasping as Bakugo blasted at him. It was quiet as the scene died down, everyone staring wide eyed and open mouthed.
"You did it." All Might started. "The hero team... Wins!" A breath, Kaida didn't even know she was holding, came rushing out, feeling a few tears slip down her face as she saw her best friend drop to the ground. She still had a fight she had to do, but all she wanted right now was to rush to him. She couldn't though, and it killed her. She quickly wiped away her tears, starting to feel the rage bubbling up inside her, all of it towards the ash blond bond. She watched her friend get wheeled off the scene by the infirmary robots, just waiting for the other boy to walk in. She could hear people faintly talking, and she could've sworn she heard her name a few times but she was too taken over by her rage. She hadn't even noticed how her eyes changed, glowing their bright red.
"Kai..?" Denki stared at the rage fueled girl, Mina hearing his question and looking to the girl.
"Hey.. is she okay? Hiyama?" She moved to rest her hand on her shoulder, turning to the door as it opened, revealing Bakugo. As he walked in, Kaida heard his name, and the door close behind him, snapping from her thoughts as her rinkaku came loose, immediately pinning him against the wall. It all happened so fast, no one could comprehend what happened until Bakugo started yelling.
"What the fuck, Red?! Let me go, you damn brat!" He growled out, clenching his teeth as her ghoul eyes stared him down.
"What the hell were you thinking?! You could've killed him!" Everyone flinched, Denki trying to pull her back, only for her to quickly shake him off. "Are you so threatened by him that you had to go that far?! Are you really that afraid that someone you've looked down on your whole lives is better than you?!"
"Young Hiyama! Stand down!" She ignored All Might's demand as she took a step closer to him.
"I don't think it's any of your business how I feel, idiot! Now, let go of me before I blast you to hell!" Kaida tightened her grip on his limbs, keeping him from exploding the tentacles.
"I'd like to see you try!"
"Kaida!" She snapped her attention to the three that called out her name. Kaminari, Ashido, and Uraraka stood there, worried expressions across their faces, Ashido walking towards her and resting a calming hand on her arm. "Let him go.."
She glanced between everyone in the room, eyes widening as she realized what she had done. She quickly but carefully put the boy down, the tails dissolving and eyes relaxing. She looked down, ashamed. "I.. A-All Might, may I be excused, please?" The room was quiet before the man cleared his throat.
"Very well." Hiyama nodded and pulled herself away from everyone, pushing past Bakugo as she went. She ran from the training grounds, just barely catching up to the gurney that pulled the green haired boy away. She walked beside him, explaining to Recovery Girl what happened and that she was allowed to stay. She didn't dare leave his side. She promised Mama Midoriya she would take care of him. She couldn't help but think of what happened back in the monitoring room. What was she thinking? She let her feelings get the best of her, she could've seriously hurt someone. She was an idiot.
Back in the monitoring room, all was quiet before All Might ordered the next team to go. Bakugo stood at the back, fists balled as he recounted what happened, ignoring the stares he got from everyone else. Ashido frowned as she crossed her arms, standing between Aoyama and Kaminari. "I hope she's okay.."
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The day before seemed to spark a fire, a rather large fire, in Kaida's heart. She made a new friend, attempted to save him and the school bully, and made up with her mom. She even had used her quirk in public without too much fear. She felt like she could do anything, so when the next day rolled around, Kaida felt more alive than ever. She grinned as she got herself ready for school, looking forward to the days ahead. She needed to work as hard as she could to pass her classes, and needed to train harder to be able to pass the entrance exams for UA. She was going to be ready for it. Sure, there were about ten months before it, but Kaida planned on finding out if Midoriya wanted to study with her, or even train. Music blasted in the young girl's ears as she practically bounced to school, filled with a new reason to be happy. It seemed like everything was finally going right. But it wasn't long after the train ride, a rough hand stopped her as she entered the courtyard. Kaida flinched in response, jerking herself away as she pulled the earphone from her ear and looked at the suspect. She blinked in confusion at the lone blond who stood before her.
"B-Bakugo..?" Violet eyes glanced to the sides, looking for the lackey's he usually had with him but, luckily, didn't see them.
"Look, Red. Don't go getting a big head just 'cause you think you helped yesterday. You didn't. You and Deku didn't do shit. Just 'cause you happen to have a quirk, you're still the same weakling you've always been. S'not like you use it enough to be good anyways. So, get this through your head. You're nothing." He spoke through clenched teeth, staring down his nose at her. Yeah, it intimidated her, and she felt like she was an inch compared to him. Eyes cast down, she nodded as he started turning around.
"I...I know that.. Trust me." It was soft, but didn't go unheard. Looked like her happiness wasn't turning around. There was always going to be something to bring her down. Keeping her eyes down, she quickly moved past him and into the building. Normally, the gossiping, and the names didn't bother her, but maybe it was because no one ever said it to her face. So, with Bakugo straight up telling her just how worthless she was made her want to cry and just go home. Why did he have to be such a jerk? She sniffled as she walked through the halls, lip trembling as she bit back the tears that threatened to spill. It just wasn't fair. She never did anything to him to warrant being treated like that, so why? Just because it made him feel better about himself?
"Hiyama!" She jumped at her name being shouted down the hall, her quickly looking up at the green haired boy who waved at her. He had a welcoming smile on his face, patiently waiting for his friend to join him to walk with him the rest of the way to class. She pushed her negative feelings aside and forced a small smile on her face, walking up to the boy.
"Midoriya, how are you?"
"Ah, I'm alright. Still kinda shaken up about yesterday, to be honest. What about you?"
"I'm.. okay. Um.." She cut herself off, Midoriya looking at her curiously as they wove their way through everyone.
"Hm?" Kaida glanced at him before looking at their surroundings, making sure a certain blond boy wasn't around them.
"D-did Bakugo yell at you for trying to help?" The boy blinked before letting out a dry laugh.
"Hah, yeah. But that's just Kacchan..He's just.."
"Prideful."
"..Yeah. Yeah, that's one way to put it."
Silence fell between them as they continued walking, Bakugo's talks with them bringing them back down. As they entered the classroom and took their seats, Kaida remembered what she thought of this morning. "Oh! I almost forgot. I wanted to ask you, since we both need to try really hard for the finals and the entrance exams, w-would you like to study together? Or train together? I wouldn't mind helping out. I need to get better, too. But if you don't want to, it's okay.." She stopped herself before she could ramble too much. Izuku tilted his head at her as she spoke, sitting sideways in his seat to look at her better.
"Ah! Really? Th-that'd be great! Oh! I actually have someone training me though, um, we could still study though. I know I'm gonna need all the help I can get."
"You and me both!" They both laughed as the bell rang, nodding to each other as they both turned to the board. Out of the corner of her eye, Kaida could see the human bomb himself watching the two of them. This was going to be a long ten months.
*
So, the next ten months began, and between school and her own training, she was also studying with Midoriya. She also made sure she had put in for her quirk change, letting them know the extent of her powers as they asked their many questions. Kaida often saw Midoriya dozing in class but doing his best to stay awake. She often kicked his chair to snap him out of his thoughts when she thought he was getting too out of it, he'd usually turn around with a thankful smile before focusing again. She could tell how hard he was working, which made her want to work harder. So, after studying with him, she began training harder and longer everyday, often losing sleep to do her own workouts. She was beginning to eat and require more flesh, which her mother began noticing, occasionally scolding the girl when she was outside for too long, or working herself too hard. The months were grueling as she pushed herself, her and Midoriya still only seeing each other at school, though they had exchanged numbers a few days after the sludge incident. They didn't talk much unless it was about studying or the workout regimes they had, and if the other had any pointers. They had their normal conversations, and Kaida wondered if she would ever tell him about her quirk and what it really does. Of course, they were too busy to really worry about any other stuff. They hadn't heard much from Bakugo over the months, either. Which didn't surprise her. He was probably busy, too. But after the sludge incident, it almost seemed like he was threatened by them. She was probably wrong, but she couldn't help but wonder.
Of course, Kaida noticed that the poor boy was slowly getting sick, and she did her best to scold him to slow down. He only waved it off with a weak smile. But over the next few days, he was slowly but surely getting better, which made them both happy. Their studying was definitely helping them in class, and they both could see the physical difference in the other with just how hard they've been working. Midoriya might've been doing this so he could become the hero he's always wanted to be, but Kaida was doing this for herself. To prove a point. To be a hero. They were going to make it.
*
February 26th - Morning of the UA Entrance Exam
The person in the mirror didn't look like the same girl ten months ago. She looked older, brighter.. stronger. She had gained several pounds too, getting herself up to the desired weight she had been aiming for. Kaida was slowly becoming the person she wanted to be. She had her rinkaku under control, her hunger under control. She was in control. Closing her eyes, she let out a slow but shaky breath. Finally, she proceeded to get dressed, throwing on an extra coat as she stuffed gym clothes into her bag. She needed to hurry and meet Izuku at the train station, or they were going to be late. The young Hiyama stumbled down the stairs, trying to push down the feelings of nervousness as she fixed her uniform. Her mother looked up from her breakfast with a gentle smile.
"Oh, Kai! Are you off? There's coffee ready if you wanted some." Kaida nodded, quickly getting herself a thermos full of the black liquid. She glanced at her mom before quickly stealing a few of the left over pieces of food she could eat, putting them into a small lunch bag to eat before the exams. She needed to have all of her energy. Plus, for some after.
"Thanks, mom! I gotta go!" She started out the door before pausing, doubling back. "Oh! I'm catching up with Izuku after school, so I'll be home an hour late or so!" She didn't wait for her moms answer as she darted out the door. Pedestrians quickly sidestepped out of the young girls way, her apologizing as she passed them by. Her heart raced in her chest at the thought of the exam just being an hour away. It was so exciting! She came up on the station, weaving her way around the people waiting for the next train, spotting the messy green mop just a few feet away. "Izu~!" Over the last few months, they had come to first name bases, finally getting out of the formal stage. Of course, Midoriya still had trouble every now and again, but she didn't mind.
"Kai! You made it!" The boy snapped to attention, looking worn out but excitable for what was yet to come.
"You know I wouldn't miss it for the world. We're in this together, remember?" Kaida held out her hand, face up with a big grin forming. He grinned back, just as big, and gently slapped her hand. Their conversation took off on what they needed to expect from the tests, already trying to find out what it was going to be like and going over every single possibility they could think of. They boarded the train with hope in their eyes, taking the ride to talk about other things to help calm their nerves.
*
"Made it just in time!" They panted out, coming to a stop from the sprint they had from the train station. They were so sure they were going to be late. As Midoriya walked on, Kaida was too busy looking around the area, falling just behind him as they walked. She heard him mumble something but she had learned just to ignore it.
"Stupid Deku." They both stopped at gravelly voice behind them, Kaida noticing how he didn't even address her. He was probably more pissed about Izuku trying than her. "Get out of my way, now, before I set you both on fire." There it was. Midoriya yelped, jumping back as he stuttered out a quick greeting. Over the months, she had been trying her best to be nice to Bakugo, but with how much Izuku was always calling him Kacchan, she had let her own version slip a few times. It was just the basic name shortening but..
"Good morning, Katsu."
"Don't call me that." It was the same response every time. It was all he said as he walked on without them, Kaida frowning a little bit. Both Bakugo and Midoriya had come to realize that the more the girl opened up, the more they realized she just wanted to have friends, and make them happy. Obviously, Midoriya was more than happy to oblige. Bakugo, on the other hand, did his best to just ignore the girl. Even when she attempted to lighten the mood when they'd pass each other in the halls. She had a lot of demons, but she wasn't going to let them bring her down. Not when she's gotten this far.
As she was lost in her own thought, she hadn't noticed Midoriya starting to walk, not until she hard his normal scream of shock. She snapped her attention to her friend, who was joined by another girl. "Izu, are you okay?"
"Ah, I stopped you with my quirk. I'm sorry I didn't ask first. But... I figured you wouldn't mind me catching you." The brown haired girl smiled at him, before turning to Kaida. "Hah, sorry, isn't this all, like, way nerve-racking?"
"Yeah, and thanks for catching him, he's hopeless when he's lost in thought." Kaida teased, making the girl laugh while Midoriya let out an embarrassed noise in response. His poor facce was turning pink.
"No, problem! Well, guess I'll see you guys inside! Bye!" The girl walked away as she let Midoriya take in what just happened. She had come to accept that Midoriya didn't see her much as a female, but as someone who was his friend that happened to be a girl. As odd as that sounded. She knew that because of their previous encounters, it was easier for them to talk to each other when they became better friends, and now that they were best friends, almost like siblings, it all came so natural to him. But with a new girl suddenly talking to him, he didn't know what to do. It just made Kaida laugh as she pulled him into the auditorium.
*
She, Midoriya, and Bakugo all sat together during the explanation by Present Mic, her looking over her card to see she was in Battle Center C. She wouldn't be able to make sure Izuku was okay, damn. She hardly tuned into the explanation, but still caught what was going on. She glared at the boy who called out her friend but otherwise didn't say much, resting a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. The rest of the commentary for what was to come was short and sweet, and soon, they were all sent to change and carted off to their battle centers.
"Just a little bit longer, kid." The sludge monster said, Kaida still searching the cavity for his body. It should've been right in front of her but it seemed like the sludge kept moving her rinkaku in different directions. The monster's sudden movement startled her, her stepping back with Izuku as she watched Bakugo disappear the rest of the way into the goo. The tails dissolved as she looked up at the monster. "And I'm done playing with you!"
"Save the kids! This thing'll kill them!" She heard all of the heroes shouting, Death Arms ordering them to save her and Midoriya, but it was going to be too late, and she knew it. It all happened so fast that Kaida had to shield her eyes as an explosion sent her flying back. Luckily, Death Arms saw her just in time, catching her safely. He kept her safe from harm as the smoke finally cleared, a huge blast going in all directions. She wanted to watch, to make sure that the two were alright, but the wind was just too much. Even Death Arms was struggling to stay put and keep hold of her. Everything was quiet as the wind died down, the pro hero gently setting Kaida down as they all took in the scene. All Might, and the boys! They were okay! She took a step forward, hesitating before looking up, feeling a drop of rain land on her head. Rain? It hit her face a few times before she shook it away, taking off to her classmates.
"Midoriya! Bakugo!" Kaida shouted, crouching down beside them to check on them. All the onlookers started chattering away before cheering for the number one hero. She didn't fail to notice how he stumbled. It must have taken a lot out of him. She heard the groaning of the boys next to her, and she gently rested a hand on both of their shoulders. "Hey.. everything's okay!" She was beaming, feeling ready to cry at any moment. They were safe. Her new friend, and Bakugo, were safe. The sludge was soon being gathered by the police and heroes, ready to take it to jail where he belonged, while Bakugo was being praised for his bravery. Her and Midoriya on the other hand were being scolded for their recklessness.
Eventually, they parted ways again, her really needing to get home. She was sure her mom had been trying to get a hold of her the entire time. She rushed home, trying to brush off as much dirt as she could before she came in the door. Kaida hadn't even realized how much of a mess she looked, hair down and in knots, clothes dirty. So, when she came into the living room, seeing her mom pacing back and forth, she didn't know what to say. She ended up just dropping her bag to the floor, the thud catching her mothers attention.
"Kaida! Where have you been? Why did you message me those things then not even message me back or let me know you were going to be late and- What happened to you?! You're a mess! Did you get into a fight? Was there a villain? Are you okay-?!" Kaori cut off as she stopped advancing towards her daughter, eyes wide as Kaida stared at the ground, shaking as she wrung her hands.
"M-mom.." She stuttered out, chewing her lip as she felt tears starting to flow down her face. She stumbled forward, wrapping her arms around her mother. "I-I'm so sorry! I..I didn't mean to make you worry! There was a villain, and he had captured my classmate and I just wanted to help, and keep my new friend from getting hurt. I'm sorry, momma!" Burying her face into her mothers shoulder, she hiccuped her way through the words, nearly hyperventilating as she let the tears keep coming.
"Kai.." Kaori slowly wrapped her arms around her daughter, gently petting the girls tangled hair.
"A-and I'm sorry that I've been so closed off and not talking to you.. I just.. I feel like you hate me because I have dad's quirk, a-and because of what happened when I was younger.. I didn't- I didn't mean to! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Kaori could feel her heart breaking as she held her daughter tighter. She felt like she's been just as horrible to her. What kind of mother has she been? She was quiet as Kaida held onto her as if her life depended on it, she felt horrible. And it felt nice to finally let it all out. She could feel her mothers arms tighten around her as she cried, both noticing just how much they missed being a family. If only Takeshi were there. As Kaida slowly quieted down, Kaori softly shushed her, a small smile coming to her face as she continued to gently comb through the girls hair.
"Kai, don't apologize for anything.. I'm sorry that you've felt this way and I haven't bothered to ask." She pressed a kiss to her forehead before continuing. "I have never hated you.. you're my daughter, after all. How could I ever hate my miracle?"
"B-but.."
"No, buts. Now, please." Kaori pulled away, moving her hands to wipe the younger girls face. "No more crying.. It's alright. I promise." Kaida nodded as she looked at the ground, wringing her hands again.
"O-okay.." She gave a shy smile, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It felt great being able to finally talk to her mom like that again, feeling the strain in their relationship lessen. But when would she tell her about wanting to take the tests to get into UA? Maybe after she took the entrance exams. She didn't want to put too much on her plate right now, she had enough to worry about. "I'm gonna go do my homework.. uhm.. did we get another package yet? I kinda wore myself out earlier.." Kaori blinked as she stood up straight, glancing to the side as she thought.
"We don't get another package for a few days, there should be some left in the freezer if you'd like to check. Get your energy back up, but don't work too hard. You still have your training." She said, brushing the black strands of hair from her eyes. The girl nodded, her small smile still lingering on her face as she walked to the kitchen, but not before scooping up her bag.
"Okay, thanks." She moved around her, searching the kitchen for a moment before grabbing what she needed and heading towards her room. She went to take a step, stopping just before she proceeded, turning her head towards the woman still standing in the middle of the living room, noting how she continued to watch her. "And mom..? I.. I love you."
"...I love you too, sweetie.." It was a soft response, but it didn't go unheard. Satisfied, Kaida left to her room, not seeing the sad look on her mothers face as she turned away, hand slowly moving to rest on the side of her head.
*
"I'm sorry Mrs. Hiyama.. I know this is hard to hear."
"I-I don't understand.. only a fixed number?"
"Yes, ma'am. You were born with a fixed number of eggs but the number and health of your eggs decline as you get older. You're healthy and fertile.. but at your age, there's only a twenty percent chance."
Kaida walked along the halls with Midoriya, trying not to make the poor boy as uncomfortable as her. Of course, it helped that they had talked a few times before, maybe that's why she felt more comfortable being open with him, than with anyone else. She was pretty surprised when he agreed to walk with her, but he had a nice smile on his face as he said yes. It made her chest swell with happiness. She has actually made a friend.
"I've never seen you use it, and I'm guessing no one else has since they all thought you were quirkless, too.. You've been hiding it?" He asked, tilting his head to one side. She could tell he was really thinking about it, probably trying to figure out why.
"Yeah.." She started before muttering. "But not of my own freewill..."
"Hm?"
"Nothing! Sorry, I just... Don't like showing off. And my mom is super protective of me using it. She's afraid I'll get into trouble." None of that really was a lie. Her mother was worried for her own safety, but also if she used it that it would deplete Kaida's stamina too much and cause her to get hungry and out of control. So, she could understand where she was coming from.
"I could get that. My mom is just as protective of me.. especially since I'm not very good at defending myself.." His expression drooped, making the ghoul frown, dragging her fingers over the door handle as they walked outside into the courtyard.
"Well.. just train and get stronger. Just because you don't have a quirk, doesn't mean you can't be strong. And if you want to get into UA, you gotta train." She shot a smile his way, folding her hands in front of her as they walked. His sweet smile found his way back to his face at that, before he looked at the ground.
"I could try.. but I don't think I could ever beat Kacchan. He's just too strong, and actually has a quirk.. Ugh. That idiot.." He ruffled his already messy hair, making the girl frown in confusion.
"You can't go out and tell people to kill themselves. What if I had really jumped? What would he do then?" Kaida's eyes widened and she nearly screeched in surprise.
"Whoa, hey, no! Don't say that! Suicide is never the answer!"
"I-I know that! Don't worry, I wouldn't!" He said quickly, waving his hands frantically as they continued to walk before he glanced to the side, stopping. "Huh?" Kaida looked in the same direction, frowning as she saw the notebook laying in the little fountain.
"My dreams have turned into fish food.." He sighed, walking to the fountain, shooing the fishes away. "That's enough, give it back. Damn it.. Stupid jerk." He mumbled. Kaida frowned once more as she walked beside him, getting a better look at the notebook. Hero Analysis for the Future, huh? He was really set on becoming a hero, and that just made Kaida want to try harder. Maybe she should let her parents know about her wanting to apply to UA..
"Hey, it'll be okay. Why don't we talk more later? I gotta get home or my mom will start to worry.." She said, smiling. Midoriya smiled and nodded as well, looking up from the soaked notebook.
"Okay, and thanks for earlier, by the way. I'll, uh, see you later!" With a nod, they went their separate ways. Kaida's heart felt full as she walked away. She did it.. after so many years alone, and being made fun of. She had finally made a friend. And, honestly, he was the sweetest boy she had ever met. She was glad she had finally said something, he was so easy to talk to. After all this time, she always thought that it would be hard to make friends. She checked the time as she walked from the school grounds, if she wasn't home in twenty minutes, her mother would be blowing up her phone. Maybe she should hurry.. No. It won't take her that long to get home, so why not enjoy the walk today?
*
Hiyama was happy she actually decided to walk today instead of taking the train, she could actually breathe fresh air instead of being cramped into a small and smelly place. She stretched her arms out in front of her, glancing up at the sky. What a lovely day.. The sound of a loud explosion and people screaming brought her to her senses, snapping her attention to the smoke rising in the distance. She gasped as people rushed past her to get away, making her stumble around before she found her footing and ran towards the blasts. It was coming from the Tatooin Shopping District! Her house was close to there, what are the odds? She was just hoping her mom was still home and not out. They may not see eye to eye much, but that didn't mean she didn't at least care for her. She heard the people screaming about a monster, and saw Heroes rushing past them. Maybe if she was fast enough, she'd be able to check out the scene and text her mom while she's at it.
As the explosions carried on, it shook the ground, making her stumble a few times, breathing heavy as she frantically searched the passing crowd. She better be okay.. Kaida saw all the heroes and the crowd that stayed to watch, slowing down as she tried to get a better look at the people around her. She quickly took out her phone, shooting a quick text to her mom.
Kai: Please tell me you're home and not out shopping. Delivered
She staggered around, panicking as she waited impatiently for her mother to message her back. She stood near the back of the crowd, gripping her phone as she searched the people, seeing a lanky man come stumbling onto the scene near her. He looked just as worried as her, maybe he was looking for someone too...
"Hiyama!" Kaida jumped at her name being called, quickly turning to see Midoriya running towards her. He must've came to check out the fight, but looked pretty down.
"Midoriya.. Hey." She said quietly, quickly looking down at her phone as she felt it buzz.
Mom: Of course I'm home. I went shopping yesterday.
Mom: Why? Is something wrong?
Kaida let out a breath of relief, holding the phone close to her chest before hearing Midoriya gasp. Her eyes shot up to him to see him staring at the sludge villain the heroes were trying to fight. She frowned as she watched his expression change. "Midoriya.. what's wrong..?"
"I..I know that villain.." He stuttered, shocking the girl. "I-.. I saw him earlier.."
"W-what?! Are you okay?"
"Yeah.. I'm fine.. It's just.." He didn't say anything more after that, Kaida noticing how scared and worried he seemed. She didn't want to leave his side, obviously that villain bothered him. If she were him, she'd rather watch it go down for good, that would ease her nerves. Comfort him, Kaida. She hesitantly raised a hand to rest on his shoulder, but it didn't seem to faze him, but what could she do. She stood there with him, watching the madness unfold before them. "That means.. It's my fault.." She heard him say, still staring in terror.
"Midoriya.." She said softly.
"Why aren't the heroes doing anything?"
"It looks like they've met their match. Plus, the villain captured a kid." She listened to the onlookers, gasping at the last part, gripping Midoriya's shoulder in fear. They captured someone? "Thing's aren't looking good for him." She heard Midoriya gasp again and they both turned to try to get a better look. She could see from the corner of her eye that the green haired boy was covering his mouth, obviously just as in shock as her.
"Wait, I'm confused. Isn't that the villain All Might was chasing earlier today?" What? She kept her ears tuned into the conversation as she tried to look for the kid the sludge monster had captured, hoping to get a glimpse just to see if they were still alive. She could hear the frantic conversation going back and forth between the onlookers, everyone concerned about where All Might could be. She kept her hand resting on the boys shoulder, trying her best to comfort him as he kept his mouth covered, whimpering. This poor boy.. he was shaking. As Kaida watched, still trying to look out for anyone, she noticed a patch of fluffy, spiky blond hair sticking out from the sludge monster. Her eyes widened as a face started to slip from the sludge. No.. There was no way.. The figure opened his eyes, the red irises that she knew well from her class, looking directly at them. And Midoriya knew them, too.
"Midoriya!" Kaida shouted, her feet following right after Izuku's when he started running. He was going after Bakugo.. But he couldn't do it alone, and she'd be damned if she lost her first friend. She kept up easily, the both of them pushing through the entire crowd and the heroes.
"No, you idiots! Stop! You're going to get yourselves killed!" She heard Death Arms yell after them, but she didn't care. They were her classmates after all. Even if Bakugo was an asshole to them, he was still a person. Maybe even a potential friend, just like Midoriya. She watched the monster raise it's makeshift sludge arm, ready to swing at them. Midoriya was going to get hurt, he-!
He threw his bag at the villain, and it worked! She blinked. This kid was smart, and able to think fast. She.. definitely underestimated him. She noticed how it allowed Bakugo to finally breathe, taking the monster off guard. She was just a step behind Izuku as he called out to the other boy, her panting as they both reached the sludge and started trying to tear it off of him but it was no use.
"What the hell? Why are you guys here?" He growled out.
"I dunno. My legs... They just started... moving!" Midoriya panted out, still scraping frantically.
"Now isn't the time to be mad at us, Bakugo!" Kaida said, glancing up at him with worry-filled eyes, scratching at the goo. Maybe she could use her rinkaku, she might be able to get a hold of him. She gasped as the sludge started to take over his breathing again. "No!" She screamed. She didn't know why she was trying so hard to save someone she didn't like. Was it for Midoriya? Or for herself because of her past? She couldn't save the bully she killed, but maybe she could save this one.. Just maybe.
"Kacchan!" Just hearing the tightness in his voice brought tears to her eyes. "I couldn't just stand there and watch you die!" He cared so much, maybe she needed to learn a thing or two about turning the other cheek and actually being a hero. That emotion released her tails, eyes focusing, wrapping around her waist and diving into the monster, looking for the rest of Bakugo's body to try to pull him out. She wouldn't be afraid to be her anymore, she couldn't afford it. Not when someone's life was on the line. She couldn't hide from her quirk forever.
Constant talking, yelling, people crowding the halls, bumping into the maroon-haired girl. It was so loud. She just wanted it to be quiet- she quickly shook that thought from her head. She couldn't let her emotions take her over. She just needed to get to class and get the day over with. Kaida took a few deep breaths as she heard the bell ring, weaving her way through the dispersing crowd. It was going to be a long day.
She could hear the laughter throughout the day, hearing the condescending tones of the people around her.
"Wow, that class has two quirkless kids. What are the odds?"
If only they knew.. if only they knew.
Kaida found her seat relatively quick, behind the boy with the green hair. The one she'd sometimes talk to during projects. He was so nice, and he was quirkless. The one who was always picked on by everyone else. She wasn't as picked on, given she'd glare at anyone who tried to come near her. She rested her cheek on her hand, staring out the window as class progressed, hardly tuning in.
"Sooo, as third year students, it's time to think about it your futures and what you want to do with your lives. I could pass out your career aptitude test, but why bother? We all know you all want to go into the hero course, right?" Kaida's ears perked at the sudden cheering over the teachers words. It only made her sigh, glancing around the room.
"Yes, yes. You all got some very impressive quirks, but no power usage allowed in school. Get a hold of yourselves." The cheering slowly died down and the young girl, rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the sky.
"Hey, teach, don't lump me in with these bunch of losers." Her violet eyes swiveled to the ash blond boy near the front. Bully. She could feel his smirk all the way to where she sat. "I'm the real deal but these guys will be lucking to be a sidekick to some busted D-lister. Ha!" He laughed, making Kaida clench her fist. What an asshole. She could hear everyone getting worked back up.
"You think you're better than us, Katsuki?" One kid shouted, making Bakugo shot up from his seat, his quirk activating.
"Let's go! I'll take you all on!"
"Huh. You've got an impressive test result. Maybe you'll get into UA High." The teacher inputted, and Kaida flinched. Was he really going for the same school? Of course he was. It's the best in the country.
"He's gonna try for the national school?"
"That school has a point two percent acceptance rate."
"It's impossible to get into." Student after student joined in, and it only made the girl feel worse. She could even see the boy in front of her shaking.
"That's exactly why it's the only place worthy of me!" Why did he feel the need to stand atop his desk? "I aced all the mock tests, I'm the only one at this school who stands a chance of getting in. I'll end up more popular than All Might himself, and I'll be the richest hero of all time! The people all across the world will know who I am and it all starts with UA High!" The hot head seemed to shout at the top of his lungs; Hiyama saw everyone getting annoyed with his dumb monologuing. And Kaida wanted to believe that she at least stood a chance, too.
"Oh yeah, Midoriya, Hiyama, don't you two want to go to UA as well?"
Shit.
The class erupted into laughter as the two classmates jumped in surprise at their names being mentioned, both faces growing red from embarrassment. So, green hair wanted to get in, too. Even though he was quirkless. That was admirable. But she believed the teacher made a mistake mentioning it.
"Midoriya and Hiyama? You're kidding right?"
"There is no way you're both getting into the hero course without a quirk!" They called out. Kaida clenched her teeth, refraining from letting her eyes show her true nature. She could hear Midoriya stuttering out his defense.
"U-uh, actually, they got rid of that rule. We could be the first ones.." He felt the need to include her? Instead of just saying him? She was touched, but she didn't want to be called out any longer. She caught Bakugo leaving his seat and going towards Midoriya, his hand sparking. Lucky for her, she noticed in time and quickly scooted her chair to the side. He slammed his hand down atop the poor boys desk, blasting it to pieces. Midoriya fell to the floor, Kaida flinching as he dropped beside her. She wanted to reach her hand out and help him, but Bakugo had slammed his hand on her desk too, not blowing it up, but it still startled her.
"AARRGH! Listen up, Deku! And you too, Red! You're even worse than these damn rejects, you quirkless wannabes! You really think they'll let someone like you in when they can have me?!"
"Huh?! No way, you got it all wrong, really! I'm not trying to compete against you. You gotta believe me! It's just that I wanted to be a hero since I was little. I may not have a quirk but can still try my hardest, can't I?" Midoriya rambled on, Kaida just staring at the two. Should she speak? She never really defended herself or spoke out against anyone, what could she do?
"You'll never be able to hang with the best of the best, you'll die in the exams, both of you, defenseless Izuku. The schools already crappy. You guys really want to embarrass it more by failing so hard." Bakugo continued to rant on, and really, she had heard enough. Kaida jolted up from her seat, glaring the boy down with violet eyes, feeling them threaten to change.
"You really are an egotistical, narcissistic asshole, aren't you?" She started, and Bakugo lifted his hand.
"What did you say, Red?!"
"You heard me. You won't be laughing when we get in and pass you so easily. Remember, you won't be the only one with an amazing quirk. There will be ones that are way better than you could ever be." She growled out, fists clenched. She found herself standing in front of him, back facing the class. She was actually standing her ground for once.
"You damn brat! I outta-!" He started to swing his hand, but she wasn't going to let him this time. She caught his wrist, looking down before back up at him, her eyes black with the faint glow of red pupils.
"Do what?" She asked lowly. The demon tails threatened to pin him against the wall but she wouldn't let it. Katsuki and Midoriya stared at the girl, the room deathly quiet as she released his wrist and moving to help the green eyed boy up, eyes back to their violet hue.
"You okay?" She asked softly, squeezing his hand as she pulled him up. He gave a slight nod, a thankful but timid smile gracing his expression. She heard Bakugo click his tongue as he returned to his seat, the teacher finally clearing his throat and pulling the unwanted attention off of the two.
*
After class, having moved seats so Midoriya could have hers, Kaida stretched back in the chair as she listened to the students chatter away. She could faintly hear Midoriya mumbling to himself about the fight this morning. She smiled a little. Maybe it could do her some good to make some friends. That being said, she stood up to make her way over to him, hesitant as she saw Bakugo approach him and take the notebook from the boys hands. Why was she hesitant now? She didn't have a problem standing up to him early.
"I don't know what you think you're doing, Deku, but we're not done." He started.
"What you got? His diary?"
"Uh..." She could see he was physically uncomfortable with the interaction and wanted to intervene but the look on his face seemed to look like he was going to say something back.
"Huh?! Don't tell me you're taking notes on how to be a hero?!"
"That's so pathetic!"
"Haha, he's delusional." They laughed and laughed over something so important to him. They were also bullies.. she gritted her teeth but her feet wouldn't move.
"Uh... Really funny guys. Just give it back." Kaida flinched as the notebook in hand exploded. She could see Bakugo show him the notebook before tossing it out the window beside her, making the young boy freak out. Finally, she moved.
"Hey! What the hell is your deal?!" She shouted, making her way to them before his two lackys stood in front of her, blocking her way to the red eyed boy. Bakugo just glared at her, seemingly addressing the both of them, but mostly Midoriya.
"Hum. Most first string heroes show potential early on. People look at them and just know they are destined for greatness. When I'm the only student from this garbage junior high to get into UA, people will start talking about me like that. They'll realize I'm legit, the next big thing. That's my ego talking but I just know know I'm good." He smirked at the two of them, like he happened to forget what had happened early.
"Really? Because the way you act, you're nothing more than a soon-to-be villain." Kaida glared at them, hard. Bakugo was unfazed, clicking his tongue again.
"From the look of your eyes earlier, looks like you are, Red. Not me." That hurt. And he could see it on her face as he turned back to Midoriya, resting his half-quirk-activated hand on Midoriyas shoulder. "Here's a word or advice, nerd. Don't even think of applying. Or else."
Kaida looked down as the boys and Bakugo began to leave, hearing Midoriya start stuttering. The two boys laughed.
"That's just sad. I thought you would have at least some fight in you."
"He finally gets it. He'll never be a hero. Better to find out now then later, I guess."
"You know, if you really want to be a hero that badly, there's actually another way. Just pray that you'll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof of the building." Bakugo said, looking back at them with a big smug grin as he walked out the door, only stopping as Midoriya turned to him with a more confident look on his face. Only to be deflated by Bakugo's glare. Kaida couldn't believe how long she waited to say something.
"Hey, Midoriya? Do you.. wanna walk out together?"
"Why? Well.. Because I just want you all to myself!"
She had the saddest smile on her face as she said that. Kaida could see it, even as a child. Her mother was lying to her, her father wasn't around much because of business trips, but when he was, he aimed to give his only child as much love as he could. But even he had that same sad look on his face. When Kaida was born, they hoped that she would gain her mothers type of quirk, or even be quirkless. But instead, she did gain her mothers quirk, but gained most of her father's.
Her mother had an emitter type quirk, a Rinkaku, or 'Red-scaled Demon Tails'. Scaled looking tentacles form and release at her back around her waist. She yields a superior striking power and excels in brute strength. Her mother didn't use her power much, she didn't like to use it unless it was to help herself around the house. She never used it to fight if she could help it.
Her father, on the other hand, had a mutant type quirk. Ghoul. The only thing he could eat was human flesh, seeing as human food tasted disgusting to him and really had no nutritional value to him. And if he tries to eat human food, it poisons him for a while. He has enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes; and can even regenerate from minor and normally fatal wounds.
Kaida had a mixture of the both of theirs. Something they discovered when she was five. They never went to get her checked for a quirk, fearing the worst if she was registered and what would happen if the wrong people got their hands on the file. They had her in school for a while, helping her keep her powers under control enough that no one suspected a thing, leaving people to think she was quirkless. So well behaved, so quite and polite. But seemingly sad. The teachers were led to believe that she didn't have a quirk and that was why she was so reserved. Some kids began picking on her, too. It wasn't long before she was pushed too far and 'The Incident' happened, and her parents pulled her from school to be home schooled until middle school.
'The Incident' happened during recess one day. Poor Kaida was being bullied for being a 'quirkless loser', by a bigger kid, being made fun of and pulling on her hair, pushing her around in a darkened area of the playground, where no one could see them. She cried as she was kicked, pushed into a tree and tumbling to the ground. The other kid just laughed and continued his beat down on her, making her whole body tremble. What had she done to deserve this? She didn't know, but all she knew was that she wanted it to stop. Then it did. She faced away in fear, not even feeling her quirk activate until she heard gurgling noises behind her. She whipped her head around to the sight in front of her.
A scaled tentacle stuck through the older child's chest, while another penetrated his neck. Kaida's eyes widened, following the tentacles all the way down to where they ripped through her shirt. She could see the blood cascading down the appendages towards her.
What had she done?
The tentacles dissolved away and the boy dropped to the ground, not able to make a sound as life drained from him. And the smell of fresh blood wafted her way. She didn't even realize what she was doing until the bell rang, finding her hands, sleeves, and mouth, covered in blood. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the open wound, organs half eaten and blood splayed everywhere. She gasped and scuttled backwards, staring at her mistake. She just wanted him to stop. That's all she wanted. So, all she could think to do next was to run. To run home. There, she would be safe.
"Kaida, what have you done?!"
"Kaori.."
"We'll have to move-"
"Kaori."
"She'll need to be home schooled from now on."
"Kaori, she was only defending herself."
"And a child ended up dead, Takeshi!"
"It was an accident! She was-"
"A monster."
"Kaori.."
Kaida could hear her parents from the other room. Her father always stuck up for her, sorry for the quirk that she had received from him. Her mother couldn't stop the hate that she began to gain for her child. She tried so hard not to, she did still love Kaida but.. she could never look at her the same again.
*
Kaida stood in front of the place she used to call home, it had long been overrun by vines and weeds, the old rustic fence falling apart at the front of the yard. She sighed as she brushed her hair back from her eyes, turning away and heading back towards the train station. It had been almost ten years since she was uprooted from her home, and school, and moved to Musutafu from Yokohama. It wasn't too drastic of a change but it was enough. Considering she wasn't allowed to go to back to a public school until she had her quirk completely under control. Along with her hunger. Her hunger wasn't too bad, eating every few days was enough to keep her satisfied and under control. But seeing as it was human flesh and not actual food that people eat was a pretty big downside. She had tried human food once before, and it made her throw up. The one thing she could have that normal people could was coffee.
She sighed as she walked, head down, yet watching where she was going. She tried to be as invisible as she possibly could. Not because she was a bad person, but because she was afraid of getting recognized for her mistake all those years ago. After all, a child died and she was no where to be found with her family suddenly up and moving. She was sure people could put two and two together. She brushed her hair back once more as she walked through the station, waiting for the train. Sure, it was a Sunday, and she should be home training, but she wanted to see her old home once more. Her mother would probably be mad at her for coming back to this place, but she couldn't help it.
She kept her earphones in during the train ride, looking out the window, lost in her thoughts. She ignored the people around her, keeping herself in the corner by the doors. She had always been about keeping herself away from everyone, never getting involved, and only ever using her quirk at home, giving these new people the impression she also didn't have a quirk, just like another classmate of hers. They only ever talked during small projects since he was picked on just as much by the school bully, who seemed to only really care about himself. Kaida couldn't help but almost feel bad for the bully. Maybe it was because of what she did so long ago. Maybe that's why, anytime he was going off and bullying others, she looked the other way. She didn't want to hurt anyone, no matter how angry it made her. Maybe that made her just as bad.
Kaida nearly missed her stop, not paying attention until everyone started pushing past her, and through the doors. She stumbled out with everyone else, following her normal path home, earphones still in as she walked. She would take them out but she just wanted to be lost in thought. As she arrived home, she was right about her mother being angry, but it wasn't too bad. She was only frustrated that she didn't know where she went.
"Kai, your father sent some postcards from overseas. I think he's over in California right now." She heard her mom from the kitchen, and even though the had a strained relationship, there was still love there. She knew what her mom had to go through to get Kaida food she could actually eat, and she appreciated it. Because her father's quirk was registered, and the government knew his position, they arranged a special food delivery for him to ensure he didn't have to turn to... killing random citizens. It was a strange situations, but luckily it worked out for Kaida and Kaori.
"Okay, thanks." Short and sweet, a normal response from the girl though. Their conversations were usually filled with limited words but that was alright with the both of them. So, the rest of the afternoon consisted of Kaida training in the closed off backyard, working hard as she jumped around the makeshift training area. She sped around, using her Rinkaku to propel herself through the air faster. She had developed a better understanding of how her quirk worked, being able to create a good few of the tentacles and use them to her advantage. Of course, her mother only wanted her to train so she could have better control over her quirk, but Kaida trained because she wanted to be a hero. But she'd never tell her mother that.. With a quirk like hers, how could she ever be a hero. She ate human flesh after all. She had.. A Villain's Quirk.
