Explosive Touch [Bakugo Katsuki x OC] - Book 1

Chapter 9 - A Plan Of Action

They were all frozen in their places, or perhaps they could still move, they just didn't want to. Not when they could clearly see what was awaiting them up ahead. Instead, the students of 1A just stood there with wide eyes and hearts, beating so fast they might as well have flown out of their chests already. Thoughts were racing through their heads, but there was one emotion that stood above all else and was clearly present on their faces too.

Fear. It was fear that sent the cold shivers down their spines and made everything move in slow motion. But even so, even if the world around them was moving so slowly that their ragged breaths sounded almost normal, no one could gather up the courage to do something. Anything. The fear was just too much, overtaking any rationality the students might've had and instead replacing it with dread.

Atsuhi's mind was a mess, but perhaps an even bigger one than anyone else's. Because the fear that made her limbs grow unnaturally cold in a matter of seconds, wasn't the worst part of it all. She had somehow pushed it away and made enough space in her head for one more emotion. But that didn't really go as planned, as it wasn't a positive emotion that made its way there, as Atsuhi had hoped. No, what overtook her mind was instead memories. Terrible, terrible memories. Memories she never wanted to recall ever again and yet somehow, in this crucial moment, they had finally found a small opening, but one that was enough for them to crawl through and make their presence known.

She couldn't think straight. Her thoughts were jumbled and incoherent to begin with, but with the resurfacing of those images, which forced their way in front of her eyes, she lost her last bit of sanity. She was now completely petrified. It wasn't that she had no faith in her classmates and teachers but how could she possibly be calm in such a situation. The last time she had been directly faced with a villain was something that clearly haunted her to this day. But it was also something she thought could never happen again. And yet, there it was, once again - the dread and helplessness she hoped she would never have to feel anymore. Guess fate really wanted to prove her wrong, eh? It was almost funny, really. Atsuhi could feel the corners of her mouth barely pulling up. It was so pathetic, it made her want to laugh at herself for her own helplessness.

That's right. She was just going to stand there, watching from the sidelines as people were getting hurt. Just like last time. Gazing at their pain, as she was just too scared to do anything. Just like last time. Unable to move at the sight of everyone's suffering. Just like last time.

It had already happened once. Why wouldn't it happen again? Why wouldn't someone get hurt because of her again? Why wouldn't someone get ki-

"What the hell's this?! More robots, is this like the Entrance Exam?" Those words were like a slap to the face for Atsuhi. Seems like Kirishima's common sense was still working, unlike her own. All the images suddenly cut off, like a movie paused a bit too sharply, the thoughts stopped racing over each other, leaving only the silence in which they still slightly echoed. The red-haired boy had managed to pull her out of her panic just in time, as had she gone any deeper into it, who knows whether she would've been able to face any of what was about to happen.

This wouldn't have been the first time Aizawa had pulled such an inconsiderate "prank" so it was plausible... right? Right? That's what it had to be - just a stupid, childish prank, timed a tad too badly. With hopeful eyes Atsuhi turned to her teacher. And that's when she crashed back down to earth, hitting the ground hard, crushing the rubble underneath, and only hoping that she would be able to get back up. He wasn't laughing. He wasn't looking at them quizzingly.

No, Eraser Head was preparing for battle, pulling down his goggles, eyes focused ahead on his targets. There was a sense of urgency to his movements. And that was no good. After all, if their teacher himself was concerned, then there was nothing else it could've been. Without a doubt, what stood in front of them now...