Solstice and Eclipse: Part I

Chapter XIII: Hero

The first attack came from the skies. Wings and air currents and others whose quirks allowed them to fly. They descended upon the four students, malicious grins on their faces as they dive bombed. The fastest amongst them flew face first into an invisible wall causing her comrades to pause. From the ground, (F/N)'s open hand was raised as he manipulated the photons around his peers, shielding them in a dome of hard light, his other arm wrapped around his midsection where he was certain several ribs had broken.

From outside the barrier the villains pounded and crashed. Both those in the air and on the ground hammered against his construct. The light rippled and warped as it held back rocks and fire and superhuman strength. With every strike (L/N)'s resolve weakened until finally, with the sound of shattering glass, their protection dissipated. Jiro and Kaminari were the closest to the villains, and thus were the first to be targeted. A man whose lower body was surrounded in a cyclone came from above while another sent a torrent of flames. The two would be heroes were saved by some invisible force pulling them back and out of harms way.

Observing the battle unfolding, one of the villains singled out (L/N) as the biggest threat. Already he had managed to save each of his classmates three times over. Without him in the way the others would easily fall. They moved to attack the blindfolded student, running at him on all fours like some wild animal. Lunging at him with sharp claws and bared fangs, the attacker was fended off by Yaoyorozu and a swing of her metal staff.

Jiro and Kaminari came to a stop just in front of (L/N). He closed their ranks. Grouped them together. Perhaps it was an unwise decision, clustering them together. Perhaps it made for an easier target for the dozens of villains surrounding them. But what other choice did he have? Kaminari was out of commission, and he could hear the heavy pounding of the two girls' hearts, the way they gasped and panted for breath. At least this way he could protect them more efficiently. Less area to manipulate meant stronger protection.

From outside their barrier, he could hear the snickering and mocking tones. They were surrounded on all sides now. A few of them cracked their knuckles and rolled their shoulders while others summoned the power of their quirks to create flames in their open palms or load their bioorganic weapons. From above came the steady flapping of wings and rushing of air currents as they made sure to keep control of the skies.

The first of the blows came in the form of an enlarged fist. The villain's quirk allowing him to stretch his limbs like elastic. His attack was soon joined by others, powerful blows, torrents of fire, and surges of electricity. A pair of talons scratched and clawed from above, eager to tear through the dome. Sweat trickled down the side of (F/N)'s face as he focused all his efforts on keeping the photons solid. But the situation seemed lost. His muscles ached and his head throbbed from the noise of the villains knocking outside. His ears twitched as he picked up on the sound of his classmates' frightened breathing. Their grips tightened on their weapons as they prepared for the inevitable.

His face scrunched in concentration and his hand left his broken ribs as he pushed back against the endless barrage. He couldn't fail. Not now. Not after Thirteen had placed her faith in him. But what could he do? He was trapped. Cornered. Helpless. Just like he had been all those years ago. No one was coming. He was alone. From behind his blindfold his eyes began to burn.

[My Hero Academia]

He didn't mean to do it. He never meant to hurt anyone, friend or foe. But he couldn't control it. Even in the best of times his quirk was volatile, like a bomb just waiting to go off. And while trying to fend of dozens of villains, knowing that if he failed, he risked the lives of his classmates? Well, boom.

In that state of mind, of panic, he was nothing more than a wounded animal, bleeding and cornered. And what does a wounded animal do when it feels trapped? It snarls. It bares its fangs. It tries to scare off anyone who approaches it. And when someone does get to close, it bites.