PUPPET // KATSUKI BAKUGO [1]

Chapter 74 // Starting Over

You faced the rattling doors of the courthouse with a hesitant expression and clenched fists. There were god knows how many people rioting outside, and you were about to face them. You didn't know what would happen.

Bakugo squeezed your hip from behind, his voice next to your ear as he asked, "you want me out there with you?"

"No," you replied immediately, turning to face him. "I don't want you getting bombarded 'cause of me."

"It's not 'cause of you," he replied. "It's 'cause of those fuckin' stupid people. How dumb do you have to be to be terrified of a sixteen year-old hero student?"

You crossed your arms, leaned your weight onto your right foot, and raised a brow before asking, "am I not capable of being intimidating to you?"

Bakugo leaned back, and you watched as his Adam's Apple bobbed in his throat. He huffed through his nose and looked away, saying, "never said that. Now get the hell out there, and give those bastards a piece of your mind."

You shook your head with an amused smile before turning back toward the doors and placing your palms over their handles, wrapping your fingers around them.

"Remember, no one's forcing you to do this," Aizawa stated from a few feet away. "If you wanna back down, no one's gonna reprimand you."

"No backing down," you said with a deep exhale, "not now. I want my life back."

You pulled open the doors and were immediately greeted with flashing lights from dozens of cameras as microphones were shoved in your face by numerous reporters. You made sure to shut the doors behind you to spare your friends and family from being exploited.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Are you really back to normal, or are you still insane?"

"What was it like being brainwashed?"

"What kind of hero tries to kill her own classmates?"

"How does it feel now that you're known as Japan's most formidable villain?"

"Did it feel good being Overhaul's lapdog?"

"You are no hero."

You shrunk back at the spewing statements and questions, and you were tempted to lash out and make everyone shut up. However, you knew exerting anger would only turn their opinions into the truth, so you needed to stay calm.

You waved your hands, gesturing for the paparazzi and reporters to give you some space from their cameras.

"If you wanna get a word out of me, I'm gonna need a mic," you looked around, searching for a willing citizen. It didn't take long before a microphone was given to you.

You took the device in your hand and made sure it was turned on before bringing it to your mouth, saying, "one question at a time. I can't give definite answers if you're all screaming in my face."

A dark haired female wearing a royal blue blazer, a reporter, who stood at the front of the crowd immediately raised her hand. You nodded your head toward her.

"Genuinely, what was it like being brainwashed. Did you really not remember anything?" she asked.

You cleared your throat before answering with, "my body didn't feel like my own. It felt like I was being controlled. I was a mindless doll being given orders. Deep down, I knew something was wrong, but the villains' power was too strong for me to overcome on my own."

As soon as you finished with your response, another person from the crowd blurted out a question.

"Do you still have those powers that were given to you?"