MANIA - Katsuki Bakugou

━ winner takes all

chapter 6

"Our next match up are two students of obvious differences! The quiet competitor who has made it this far while avoiding using her quirk throughout the entire Sports Festival! From the Support Course, Tikki Shimamura!"

Present Mic's voice rang true over the cheering of the crowds. Shimamura kicked her leg up behind her, stretching out the top of her thigh, standing on the right side of the cement arena. Narrowing her eyes, she could see her opponent approaching from the opposite end of the stadium. A striking red filled Shimamura's vision as she stepped closer.

"And a fiery metal powerhouse whose as prickly as a cactus! From the General Education Course, Hana Fujimaki!"

The redhead raised her hand above her head, leading the crowds on. Her hand struck the light and nearly blinded Shimamura as it reflected back into her eyesight. Shimamura blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes.

The girl standing before Shimamura—Fujimaki—was close to the same height as Shimamura with the exception of the added centimeters of Fujimaki's hair. The girl's red hair made somewhat of a 'w' on her forehead, resembling something close to a widow's peak. Her hair lengthened past her lower back and reached down past where her gym uniform was unnaturally severed. She had chopped off the pant legs of the U.A. uniform just above her knees, showing off silver stilts which took the place of her knees and shins.

Similarly, Fujimaki's hands and forearms were the same silver, metallic color as her legs. Spikes lined her metal limbs and shimmered with the bright arena lights. Fujimaki's jacket was tied tight around her waist, showing off her midriff and black sports bra. The sleeves probably didn't fit over the metal spikes.

Fujimaki finally turned to face Shimamura. She waved at the timid girl with both hands extended in front of her.

"Hi-zies!"

"Hello." Shimamura said flatly.

Fujimaki grinned, pointing to her dimples. Shimamura noticed a plate of silver, just like her limbs, pasted onto the bridge of her nose and her cheeks.

"Quirkless, hmmm?" Fujimaki hummed.

The redhead tapped her spiked feet on the ground... actually, her spiked stilts. She had no feet! Shimamura glanced at the sharp limbs then to Fujimaki's hands. Her fingers were just as sharp as her legs. Shimamura might not be able to do much damage against her, let alone defense.

No wonder why Present Mic said there were obvious differences between the two fighters. Shimamura hadn't used her quirk the entire festival while Fujimaki probably utilized it the most, judging from her current appearance. Whatever this girl's quirk was, it was powerful.

Regardless, Shimamura would push on. She was willing to fight. Willing to win. Willing to bleed until the U.A. teachers realized her potential. Just like Arima said—

"Ke-ke-ke? Are you listening?" Fujimaki stuck out her tongue.

Shimamura's eyes snapped upwards again. "I have a quirk."

Fujimaki flashed her white teeth and sharpened canines. Her bright green eyes widened with greed. "Then I should expect you to use it against me, no? I'm sure you've realized our match-up doesn't play in your favor! With all that thinking you're doing, I'd be shocked if you hadn't realized it yet!"

Shimamura narrowed her eyes at her. For someone from the General Education course, Fujimaki seemed cocky. She seemed pretentious. It was almost shocking to Shimamura that she wasn't in the Hero Course instead.

"We'll see." Shimamura was annoyingly short with all of her answers.

Fujimaki cackled. She dipped down to the ground, balancing on one stilt while the other was extended to the side. Her hands flexed behind her. She snarled with a toothy grin.

"I'm sure we will, Shimamura."

Shimamura clenched her fists, holding them up by her chin like a boxer. Her pointer finger and middle finger released slightly. She knelt down into a lunge, shifting her foot into the ground.

I'm ready, Fujimaki. Let me show you what a hero looks like.

"Let this round.... BEGIN!"

Fujimaki bolted at Shimamura in an instant. Her metal stilts created imprints in the ground as they breached the surface of the cement every time she made contact. Her arm raised as she got close to Shimamura, lengthening her fingers to make a sort of sword out of her sharp spikes.

Shimamura was quick to dodge.

She lunged downwards, easily foregoing damage. She leaned back on her heel and swiped her opposite leg out towards Fujimaki's stilts, attempting to trip her. Fujimaki misstepped but didn't fall. Shimamura frowned.

She should've fallen, Shimamura thought. Her stilts are sharp. They're like high heels without the platform. I saw her taking off some sort of boot contraption before she stepped onto the arena! She must use the fake foot as a balance! So how did that not work?!

Fujimaki let out a banshee like scream and lifted her leg and arms upward. Shimamura rolled out of the way as she suddenly slammed her stilts and sharpened hands down into the ground, her weaponized limbs embedding themselves halfway up her shins and to the end of her wrists. Cackling, she attempted to wedge her stilt out of the cement.

Shimamura ran at Fujimaki from behind in her stuck state. She spun on her back foot and launched a full speed round kick at Fujimaki's neck. Night, Fujimaki.

"Nice try."

Shimamura froze. Her foot never made contact with Fujimaki's head. Blood suddenly oozed from Shimamura's shin, striking her off guard. Shimamura groaned, biting her tongue to hold in the guttural scream she wanted to let loose so badly.

A slender metal spike now stuck out on either side of Shimamura's calf. It had pierced her skin and probably just narrowly missed her muscle if she could still move. She hobbled backwards, trying to balance on one leg. For as bad as it looked, the pain wasn't overwhelming in her mind. Her thoughts were much too active for physical pain to be priority.

Shimamura leaned down, pulling on the metal spike. She yanked it out in one smooth pull and tossed it to the side. The crowd groaned seeing such a graphic display. Fujimaki had only just wedged out her hands and her stilts from the ground. She couldn't have swung and stabbed her directly. However, Shimamura could see the spikes that covered her metal limbs were shrinking in towards her skin. They had been extended, flexed and spiked outwards like a porcupine.

Hana Fujimaki of the General Education Course! Her quirk: Iron Splinters! Besides the fact that Fujimaki's forearms, hands, and legs are made completely of iron—the metal spikes that protrude from her limbs can be shot off in any direction! The splinters are incredibly sharp but can snap very easily if ya bend 'em far enough! But watch out! They can pierce almost any material they come in contact with! EEK—

"You'll never win if you don't use your quirk, Shimamura~!" Fujimaki giggled.

Shimamura took her defensive position once more, raising her fists to her chin. But she staggered. Her hand reached up to her temple, but she doesn't dare touch her skin or the black covers connecting to her choker. She blinked a few times, suddenly disoriented.

"Oh, quit toying with me!" Fujimaki groaned.

The redhead launched at her again, shooting at least 6 more splinters at her opponent. Shimamura dipped to the ground, partially on purpose but partially not.

Keep going!

Shimamura swiveled on her foot and landed a kick with her bad leg against Fujimaki's stomach. Fujimaki leaned forward, groaning.

"This isn't a game, Fujimaki."

"Finally! We see eye to eye!"

Fujimaki swiped her hand out again, aiming for Shimamura's neck. Shimamura jumped backwards, landing on her good foot. She wobbled again but stood strong. She was ok. Focus.

Shimamura would push on. She was willing to fight. Willing to win. Willing to bleed until they realized her potential. Just like Arima said... fight like your mother would have. Fight like a hero.