Freeze Frame

Chapter 22

Okay, I'm sorry, but I have three words for you.

Prepare your ass.

Yeah, welcome to the fucking gallows. This is the gateway to hell.

I'm about to update the FUCK out of this book and the only thing that can possibly stop me is my impending carpal tunnel and maybe this bottle of lemonade if I accidentally tip it over. After this chapter, what am I doing? Writing another. What am I doing after that, might you ask?

Writing a n o t h e r

So basically shit is getting real. Plus ultra. Godspeed. Leggo.

Third person pov

The bus ride to the USJ was relatively uneventful. Kaminari insulted Bakugo and almost died for it, Mineta was a creeper, and Tsuyu sparked a conversation about quirks and Shoji and Lillian both managed to avoid simply by huddling together and pretending to be immersed in a conversation about the difference between a bison and a buffalo. Apparently there was one.

The USJ, even from the outside, was nothing short of amazing. It was a gigantic white dome that reminded Lillian of space for no particular reason other than it looked reasonably futuristic and extremely modern. The entire class was in awe as they filed off the bus, even Todoroki, whose face had only changed expressions about twice since getting on the bus. 

They didn't go inside quite yet. Lillian hovered around Shoji, who had called her a good friend at some point during their ride over, so she supposed standing in his general vicinity was socially acceptable. And if it wasn't, well, fuck. Lillian didn't have time to worry about that. She was too busy trying to hype herself up and shovel together the meager shreds of what was left of her self confidence. Not much, but maybe it would keep her from passing out.

Someone was waiting for them outside the entrance, and Lillian almost shrieked. Ochako (when did she get here?) grabbed Lillian's arm and let out the quietest, most high pitched squeal Lillian had ever heard in her life. She didn't blame her brunette friend. She was doing the exact same thing on the inside.

It was the Pro Hero, Thirteen.

"Hello, everyone! I've been waiting for you!" The rescue hero crowed cheerfully, earning gasps of awe from the entire class. 

"It's the space hero, Thirteen!" Izuku gasped. When did he get here as well? Lillian didn't mind. She liked being surrounded by her friends.

"Woo hoo! Thirteen is one of my favorite heroes!" Ochako squealed, squeezing Lillian's arm. The dark-haired girl forced herself to relax. She was going to do this, and it would be fine. She had a powerful quirk on her side, and she it's not like she didn't have friends who'd support her. If she was going to be a hero, she needed to step up, right? Probably, yes.

"I can't wait to show you what's inside!" Thirteen said. You could tell they were grinning by the way they spoke, and it caused Lillian to smile too, her eyes sparking with excitement as her class let out cheers. Aizawa watched his students with a small smirk on his face, shaking his head a little. 

He was honestly interested to see how they'd do in the various disaster zones. People like Ochako and Jiro had good rescue quirks, one being able to lift things that would normally be too heavy off victims, and the other having the ability to listen for survivors by simply plugging an ear jack into a wall. On the other hand, people like Lillian and Todoroki had quirks that could go either way. Todoroki, who only appeared to use his ice quirk, could easily stabilize buildings with his. Lillian could do the same by freezing a structure in its place.

Stepping into the USJ was like getting a punch in the gut. The air was knocked right out of you, and it took you a second to recenter yourself and process what the fuck was happening. Lillian was glad she didn't have Kaminari's quirk. She would have short circuited everyone in her class and then herself in about the span of two seconds. Even looking at the boy, who'd had his quirk for years, you could tell he was sparking just a little by the way people gravitated away from him.