In Between

The Storm of the Eye (2)

Warnings: manga spoilers, fighting
Word count: 3,633
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"Hey, Kocho!" Midnight exclaims, waving at you from down the hall as you enter U.A.. "What're you doing here?"

"Hey." You smile, giving her a short hug before pulling away, "Eraserhead asked me to come in to help with a class."

"Ah, have fun with that group. They're... something else." She says with a smile of her own.

You give her a questioning look as if asking her to elaborate but she shakes her head. After a few more minutes of speaking you continue on your way to the classroom, pausing momentarily with your hand on the door to gather yourself before entering. 

As soon as you step inside every stare in the room turns to you, thankfully a feeling you were used to.

"You're just on time." Aizawa says, "We were just about to head out to ground zero."

You stand on the observation platform with Class 1-A, who now stood before you in their  hero costumes. They all stared at you and their teacher with expectancy and excitement, eagerly awaiting the details of their assignment for the day as they spoke amongst themselves. A wave of nostalgia washes over you in sync with a breeze of wind as you remember your own class, a faint smile pulling at your lips before a voice pulls you out of your thoughts.

"Today, you will be working together to capture Kocho in two groups." Aizawa begins. "These groups will be split into two more groups. You'll be competing against each other to be the ones to capture her first. You're allowed to try to stop each other, but remember you're not each other's targets. You'll have twenty minutes before the round will be stopped. We'll get started in a couple minutes, so you have some time to warm up."

The students nod before splitting off to prepare, chatter and strategizing filling the air around you. You scan over them all before making your way over to two boys who distanced themselves from the others, neither joining their classmates in their discussions.

"Hey, you guys won the sports festival, right?" You ask, the boy with two-toned hair nodding. "Nice! Your fight was impressive."

"That wasn't impressive!" The blonde responds angrily, "That half and half bastard wouldn't put up a fight!"

You blink in surprise before narrowing your eyes at him. "You're mad over winning?"

"Yes!"

"That's stupid."

"Huh?!"

Before he could fully lash out at you another boy comes over, blinking nervously at the angry blond before turning to the other.

"Todoroki, we wanted to talk to you about strategies." He says, the boy he was talking to nodding before standing up.

"Todoroki?" You repeat, causing him to turn around again, "That's your name?"

"Yes." He answers and your eyes widen in surprise, "Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing." You reply, though your expression still displays your shock, "I just... knew your brother. Touya."

His expression changes from one of neutrality to a mix of surprise and disbelief with a twinge of something you couldn't quite distinguish, his eyes slightly widening as he stares at you. You stare back for a moment, a fifteen year old Touya with white bandages covering his burns replacing the boy in front of you for a moment before you shake your head and Todoroki returns.

"Sorry." You apologize, replacing your expression with a quick smile. "I'll let you three get ready."

Before any of them could say anything else you turn around and walk back towards where Aizawa stands at the front of the platform, purposely avoiding their eyes by looking at the other students. The three stare as you get further away, Todoroki more than the other two stunned into momentary silence.
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You stand in the middle of a clearing in the jungle of pipes and metal lines, your eyes closed though senses on hyper focus. Despite not being able to hear anything around you, you could still hear, and see, the students that ran around the area. Your butterflies were hidden as they followed the student they were assigned to, ten different scenes displayed in front of your eyes all at once.