Firecracker- A Katsuki Bakugo fan fiction

CHAPTER 17: Spark

(A/N): This chapter is going to be once again from Deku's perspective. That's right, we're checking in with this crew before stage four! As you can see, Firecracker will soon be coming to an end. Thanks to everyone who stuck around and read this story! I love you!

I didn't know what to do. Everything felt like it was crashing. I'd tried so hard to keep it together, but I just couldn't take it anymore.

It had been two weeks since the day the CLIC simulation began, and since then, no one has made it out. Tsunotori was the only person who had woken up, and she had been taken to a rehabilitation centre. I'd stayed in my room for two days, ever since my breakdown. I felt like I was going through life on auto-pilot, eating when I needed to eat, sleeping when I needed to sleep. Practically everyone had tried to find some way to cheer me up, but for some reason nothing seemed to work on me.

I'd used up all my optimism at this point. I needed something to help push me forward.

That was when a knock on my door brought me back to my senses.

"Midoriya." Aizawa's voice rung out. My eyes widened in surprise at that. Ever since the 'incident' our homeroom teacher essentially just let me be. But now he was actively trying to talk to me also. I said nothing in reply.

"Midoriya. We have news." At that I sprang up from my bed within an instant, rushing to open the door. I looked at him with my tired eyes and ragged hair, concern written all over my face.

"Is everyone alright?"

Aizawa couldn't help but grin. "Knew that'd get you out. Fix yourself and meet me outside the room where CLIC is taking place. I've got something to show all of you."

He walked away, sighing, clearly exhausted just like he always was. When he left, all of my friends stared at me.

"Midoriya! You're better than I expected!" Iida began, giving me a pat on the back. I smiled weakly.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about all this everyone." I looked down sheepishly.

"I just...kind of lost it."

"No." Kaminari looked at me, guilt in his eyes.
"It was our fault. We should've known you were being affected too, and we should've helped you through it. We weren't there for you."

Jirou placed her hand on Kaminari's shoulder, smiling at him reassuringly.

"We will be now."

I took a deep breath.

Let's hope this news was good.

       
                                              -.-

We stood outside of the room door, feeling an aura of apprehension in the air, waiting for Aizawa to open the door and let us in.

"Alright. You can come in now class."

We all slowly walked inside, terrified that something might've happened to our friends. I really hoped that everyone was okay.

Aizawa walked up to the monitor, and gestured for all of us to gather around and view what was happening. He pulled up a silhouette of Bakugo, which had the text 'NINE' underneath it.

Below that, it read Stage four.

My eyes widened. The whole class jumped for joy, absolutely ecstatic that this happened. I was still completely stunned, trying to figure out what I was looking at. But then, I smiled.

"So Kacchan did hear our message?" I laughed.
"It probably made him really angry."

Aizawa nodded.

"I got confirmation he received it. You guys turned out to be pretty lucky."  He smirked.

"And the best part is, he's not the only one who's almost made it out."

Aizawa began to slowly flip through silhouettes, showing us which stage everyone was on. Kirishima, Uraraka, Tetsutetsu, they'd all made it to Stage Four just like Bakugo. Most of the others had made it to Stage Three.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Tears began to trickle down my face one more time. But not because of sorrow.

But because of joy.

"We've got to trust they'll make it."

"YEAH!" The whole class yelled at the top of their lungs, clearly happy about this amazing news. This was our rainbow at the end of the hurricane, and we seriously needed it.  I clenched my fists, dawning an attitude of persistence and optimism once more, in spite of the fact that I was still crying.

Aizawa laughed. He handed me some tissues, looking into my eyes with energy for once:

"You're going to be a hero right? Heroes trust their friends to do what they have to. That's clearly the rational way to go about it."

I nodded, feeling this sting of pride and resilience at his words, knowing that the best way to move forward was to trust them. I could not falter; there were people in Japan that needed me as well. Everyone has a spark; it's what we choose to do with it that matters, and we can't waste it on worry.

I have to keep going. I have to be the light at the end of the desolate tunnel. Because in this currently chaotic country, who else will take up the mantle?

Who will ignite the spark to encourage change?

Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to do.

"Aizawa-sensei?" I stared into his tired eyes once again, my tears gone and replaced with a sense of purpose.

"......can I....say something to the reporters outside campus?"

That left everyone surprised. They all stared at me in shock.

"Are you sure about this?" My homeroom teacher asked me, giving me a knowing look.

I nodded.

"Yeah."

I had a tiny spark. I just needed to add fuel to the fire.