Colors in the Dark

[9] Devastating Loss

As the battle between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu stretched on, Shinsou leaned back in his seat. "There's one more after this before the next round, right? Says the competitors are Bakugou and Uraraka, so the delusional explosion boy and the brown-haired girl, friends with Midoriya, right?"

Ayami nodded. "Everyone knows Bakugou, and his explosive quirk and a temperament to match. Ochaco, on the other hand, is the complete opposite, really bubbly and kind. She can make things float by touching them and choose when to release them."

"I doubt she stands too much of a chance against him, though," Shinsou sighed, "Didn't Bakugou start throwing around insults and threats at the opening ceremony once he was done telling everyone he'd win?"

A shiver passed down Ayami's spine when she remembered what the ash blond had said, which had reminded her a little too much of the orphan-related taunts she'd received over the years. "Yeah, and the sad thing is that most of his threats aren't empty. He could easily kill someone with a big enough explosion, and he probably would with even a shred of a reason."

Eventually, both Kirishima and Tetsutetsu knocked each other out, ending in a tie, so Midnight announced they'd do some sort of tie-breaker, like an arm wrestle, when the two boys woke up after being healed, and then it was the final round for the preliminaries.

"He was kind of a hot-shot in middle school, and just look at that determined face; from the Hero Course, Katsuki Bakugou! Versus, the one I'm personally rooting for; also from Class 1-A, Ochaco Uraraka! Let the eighth match BEGIN!" Present Mic announced.

"Is bias allowed?" Ayami asked, but a second later and both she and Shinsou shared a knowing look of amusement. "Right, if anyone was rooting for Bakugou, now that'd be cause for concern."

As soon as they were given the green light, Ochaco charged at Bakugou, reaching out to touch him. He coiled back his right arm, his hand sparking with tiny firecrackers. He swung forward in a sharp right hook, sending out a blast that sent the brunette flying backwards. He threw another blast only to realize it wasn't her, but her jacket, that he had targeted, and she swung behind him.

Only to take another blast from the blond.

"No matter how terrible of a person he is, you have to admit Bakugou has impeccable reaction time," Ayami murmured. "Though, this is just another bad match-up. She needs to make physical contact for her quirk to work, while Bakugou can use his explosions to blow her back at any time."

"Indeed, the quick reaction time is just like salt in the wound for her. However, she'd faring pretty well, all things considered," Shinsou pointed out. And he was right, Ochaco was still standing and charging, getting back up each time she was knocked down by a blast.

Ayami nodded, watching each time as debris was thrown into the air from the constant explosions, and she was thankful for deciding to sit up higher and further away from the battlefield itself.

But the longer she watched, the more curious she became of how much debris was being blown upwards, but never falling back down. Then it clicked, and, as she looked up, Ayami realized she was right. Countless stones and chunks of the ground that had gone flying up were hovering high above the stadium, and she realized no one else had noticed yet.

"Shinsou, look," she whispered, pointing to the floating mountain of rubble, which was growing larger each time Bakugou knocked the girl back. "I think she's been planning this since the beginning. Ochaco can't get close without being blown back, so she turned Bakugou's quirk's side effect of creating debris against him!"