PUPPET // KATSUKI BAKUGO [1]

Chapter 4 // Familar Face

Shinso had kept his word, and your team managed to snatch third place, the first and second place teams all being hero course students from Class 1-A.

"The first four teams will be moving onto the 2 v. 2 matches!" Midnight announced. "That leaves twenty of you. The rest of you, please make your way to the audience!"

From your peripheral vision, you saw one of the boys who had been on your team, Ojiro, raise his hand, which Midnight noticed a few seconds later.

"I'd like to withdraw," he announced. A few gasps rang throughout the crowd of students, and some began to chatter.

"I would like to withdraw as well, madam," Aoyama spoke only seconds after.

"You think you got to them?" You whispered to Shinso, who turned to look at you.

"Either that or it's nerves, but what's there to be nervous about? They don't remember half of what's happened today," the boy responded as the two of you watched them walk away and take their place's in the audience.

"Since two of the winners have withdrawn, the two students with the highest point value in the team that took fifth place will move on along with everyone else!" Midnight explained. Those students ended up being Ibara Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. "The matches will begin in twenty minutes! The brackets will be on the screen until then!" The hero added.

The remaining students dispersed. Most left and went to either their break rooms, the audience, or the bathroom, but you stayed to observe the brackets along with a familiar blonde.

"Mina Ashido..." you mumbled to yourself as you stared up at the screen.

"If you win your next two rounds, we'll fight," Bakugo interrupted your thoughts, causing you look at him, "so do us both a favor and win. Those other two will be too easy."

"And what if you don't win both or even one of your matches? What then?" You questioned.

"I said I was gonna win," he growled, "so I'm gonna win. You should be asking yourself that question." He walked away without another word after that, and you shook your head.

"I wish I could drink," you sighed before leaving and entering the interior of the stadium.

As you were wandering, trying to think of something to pass the time, you came upon an all too familiar face that gained a small smile at the sight of you.

"[Y/N]," he began. "I didn't know you were enrolled here until I saw you run the obstacle course."

"All Might," you spoke his more famous title. "I didn't know you were qualified to be a teacher."

"I'm working on it," he chuckled as he scratched his head.

You observed him. His normal form was much more fragile that you remembered, same appearance but different structure. He slouched more, and his limbs seemed more lazy. His words seemed slower and his thought process seemed delayed. He was definitely getting weaker.

"You're like an old man now," you joked. You hadn't seen him in several years. You were surprised he remembered you.

"I'm not old," he argued with a slightly offended expression. "I'm aging, but I'm not old, not yet at least."

"You're weaker, more fragile," you scanned his body once more as you spoke. "That's obvious. I'm surprised you recognized my face. After all these years, you've seen thousands of new faces. Why remember mine?"

The man thought for a moment and looked into your eyes as if he was reminiscing the first time you two met.

"I suppose you're special," he finally responded. You simply nodded and leaned against the wall while crossing your arms.

"So," you began, "find a successor yet?"

"Actually I did," All Might replied, and you raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "You know the boy who finished the race in first, the one with the green hair?"

You gave him a look of disbelief before saying, "that twerp is your successor? You chose him?"

"I know he may not seem like much externally," the man smiled with a slight chuckle, "but he's made it this far."

"So have I," you replied quickly.

"You seem pressed about it," he accused while moving to stand in front of you instead of beside you. "You had the same chance he did, and you didn't take it."

"Because I'm not greedy," you snapped as you leaned off the wall, arms falling to your side. "I told you that I was gonna win with my own power, not with one that was given to me out of pity."

"I offered because I thought you were capable, not because of pity," he argued in his defense.

"Really?" You leaned closer and tried to get in his face despite that fact that he stood at a roaring height of 7'2. "Ironic that you asked me right after you saved me from being assaulted. You thought I was weak, so you offered and now you've chosen someone who seems to be even more weak than I was in that moment." You brushed past the frail hero and continued your journey down the hallway.

"Just know one thing," you said loudly as you continued walking. "That boy won't make it far with you teaching him."

As you disappeared around the corner, the man stared into the emptiness that now filled the hallway.

'She's going places. Whether they're good or not is for her to find out,' he thought.

[EDITED]