Essence of a True Hero

Face-off Between Friends

Kon'nichiwa minna! We enter upon the third and final day of the Attack Circuit. Denki has made blunders throughout the training thus far. Of course sometimes he has simply been placed against an opponent out of his league. Today, all bets are off. Denki plans not to make the same mistakes.

Denki Kaminari's P.O.V.

     Bakugo was fuming this morning. Neither Eijiro nor I had to wake him up. He spent the entirety of the morning and then breakfast afterwards mumbling about Izuku. He was dropping lines like, "When's that nerd going to show his useless face," and "I'll show Deku how powerless he is once he comes out and faces me."

     It all sounded quite like Izuku had been running away from Bakugo, but I hadn't faced him either, so it made sense that Bakugo wouldn't have yet. Intensifying his normal morning routine of snubbing Izuku, Bakugo seemed to be making more of a show of his contempt for Izuku's very existence. He would ram his shoulder into Izuku whenever they crossed paths, but acted like he didn't exist within group discussion. Thus far, Aisawa-sensei seemed to be letting the two diffuse the argument, or whatever it was, how they saw fit. For himself, Izuku had not retaliated remotely, but I had this sense that all of this would come to a head today. It had to. Hopefully, after that, all of this would blow over...well, not in Izuku's face at least.

     We were again divvied up between our specific locations. I breathed out as I prepared for the upcoming fights. I wouldn't let people get under my skin today. I would be cool, just like Izuku was, and try I did. The coming fights all went in a rush. I fought this formal Shishida who had the nerve to greet me with, "Salutations," before mercilessly pummeling me to the ground. Tsu was in all honesty easier or, at least, more laid back, and when the Class 1-B rep came in front and center, I kept my wits about me. Throughout those fights, I used my wits and the electricity as it shot off my body. I promised myself that I wouldn't use Indiscriminate Discharge, not after what happened to Kyoka. After that last fight, I stood in the clearing waiting for my next fight in nervous anticipation, not knowing what to expect next.

    He was walking into the clearing with eyes trained on me. I thought for a moment that Midoriya was expectant of me, and, for that moment, I felt better about myself, a little nervous, but it felt good to know that Izuku had faith in me to do my best. However, as he neared me, I realized that he wasn't doing that at all. His eyes were wandering, from my eyes to my face, to the rest of my body. He was analyzing me, taking in every detail about my expression, my stance, my posture. He had stopped walking about two meters away and simply kept inspecting me. I felt naked beneath his gaze, unbearably naked.

     I cleared my throat, "Shall we begin?"

     For the first time, I could see his eyes looking into mine, undistracted; I was now close enough to somehow read them. I say that because they were empty eyes, their only goal being their target. They spoke no emotion, no sympathy. Quite unreadable. I prided myself on being able to read people's eyes, but these were different, different from any eyes I had seen before, except perhaps on a villain. They were eyes of an assassin.

    But, just as quickly, they were gone, and his big eyes looked at me smiling before he said, "It's good seeing you, Kaminari-san."

     I nodded uncertainly.

     There was a pause before he grinned, "I've always wanted to be electrified."

     I looked at him in horror. I stood frozen for a moment paralyzed by the thought of that confrontation between Izuku and Bakugo two mornings ago flashed before my eyes. I was already too late. My brain panicked when I lost sight of him. Immediately after, I felt myself jarred. Losing consciousness, I felt a ringing pain flare in my temple.