shark bait / bnha

understanding

Originally she had planned to watch Shinso's fight from the stands themselves, but soon realizes how unpleasant it is.

The stands smell of sweat and anticipation, neither of which mix well together. The sound should be awful to anyone, not just her and her quirk. She resorts to watching through a TV in the hall. The hall is more quiet, but the roar and chatter of those basking in the bright sun of the stadium is still present.

The hall is dusty, food and trash line the very edges where the wall meets the floor. A wrapper flies past her figure. No one else stands in the same hallway as her, though she did see Eraserhead, one of the announcers, walk by a bit ago. Presumably back towards the announcer's booth.

The tension when Shinso and Midoriya both come out isn't as obvious through a screen, especially since the camera seems more focused on Midoriya's determined face than Shinso's almost constipated one. ( Love you though, Shinso. )

Present Mic leads both of their entrances with a compliment towards Midoriya and a backhanded one against Shinso. 

That's heroes for you though, isn't it?

The round officially starts, and neither of them are moving. (Name)'s certain that Shinso is just trying to get Midoriya to answer back to whatever he's saying. The camera has an awful view at the moment, but Midoriya is progressively getting angrier. 

Body language is a tricky thing. She only remembers being taught it by those at the soup kitchen, something about staying safe. It doesn't work well with manipulators, they know exactly what language to use, body or verbal.

(Name)'s all so familiar with that, I'm sure you know.

Something makes Midoriya snap apparently, as his body seems to go limp and his arms fall to his side. His eyes glaze over white, now blank and empty.

A little bug flying straight into a spider web, don't you think?

She's sure Midoriya is a compassionate person, someone who loves his friends dearly. It probably wasn't difficult for Shinso to bring something about them up, and for Midoriya to snap at it.

Compassion like that leads to failures, failures aren't excusable in hero work. Compassion leaves you dead in a ditch as flies swarm to your body like it's its own spider web.

Don't you think?

Midoriya's turned around now— walking towards the edge of the ring. The crowd has fallen into some sort of hush, waiting in anticipation. I mean, how unbelievable, a 1-C student beating a 1-A student in the Sports Festival. How insane, how magnificent!

Midoriya stops at the edge of the ring and the crowd is even more quiet now. Shinso shifts in apprehension.

It is curious how Midoriya escapes the chains around his mind. It shouldn't have been possible really, with no external force being able to snap him out.

The round proceeds quickly after that, with a quick takedown that leaves Midoriya the winner.

The conclusion leaves a sour taste on her tongue, and while she tries to head towards where Shinso will be, he's no where to be found.

Alone time, to contemplate his loss she assumes.

(Name) doesn't bother to check the round that happens afterwards, prompting to go to her waiting room. Her round is next, after all.

The student she's battling is from 1-A, Mina Ashido. A vibrant, excitable girl with an acidic quirk. She honestly doesn't know much other than that, there had been no want or pressing need to research every single student's quirk. It'd be an almost useless waste of time, she could've been fighting anyone after all.

Her foot taps against the ground rhythmically. The air around her stays unmoving, and it's peaceful for a moment. No outside noise or pressing headache from her quirk. Just the buzzing of the air unit in the room and the distant cheers of those in the stadium.

Peacefulness doesn't last long however, oh no. It doesn't take long for her to finally be called out to the stadium.

Something bubbles in her chest. Anxiety, fear, but most of all—understanding.

Understanding that she isn't going to win the fight.

Understanding that it's okay to not win every fight.

(Name) walks down the hallway, towards the bright light of the outside.

(Something about me loathes and also loves this chapter. Getting back into my groove ig.)