Jaded (A MHA OC Fanfic)

Chapter 13: Flying Colors

"Choose wisely, students," Chemex's voice calls over the loudspeakers as the competitors barrel down the tunnel to be met by three large doorways covered in white paper. "Time to roll the dice at the Doors of Chance!"

Each doorway is labeled with a big red number 1, 2, and 3, respectively. From Takara's position, she sees students ripping through the thick paper. Right in the middle, she sees a person run through the second doorway, only to get thrown up in the air by a red boxing glove. The whole floor of the center room becomes a minefield of a reverse whack-a-mole where those brave enough to cross are at risk of sustaining a nasty punch.

Okay, so not that one, Takara tells herself, instead turning to the right. By now, all the paper has been ripped away, so the girl can see fully into room number 3.

The blazing light is enough to make her rear back. The majority of the floor has been replaced with some sort of fiery murk. She's positive it's not lava, since how could U.A. possibly insure that? But it doesn't look pleasant. The only way through is a rocky path with foam hammers crossing back and forth over it.

Takara knows that she'd be too far behind the pack if she dares to go back and look at the room behind door 1, so this will have to do. Wearing her shoes from her hero costume, she extends the jade on her feet to protect her skin from the heat of the potential lava.

She follows the line of people already picking their way over the rocky path, pausing with the rest of the line for the hammers to pass. One person becomes impatient with a student ahead of them and pushes them aside. They fall into the hot liquid with a yelp.

The girl closes her eyes at all the screams she hears. How there can be this many people screaming already is past her. And it's only the first event!

When she finds her footing on solid ground, Takara can finally breathe a sigh of relief. She looks up to see...another set of three doorways.

Similarly, students are already picking their way through yet another boxing glove room ahead of her. In the middle corridor is the glow of another lava room.

Far ahead, the pixie twins stay close to the ceiling and easily maneuver between boxing gloves with more time to see their approach. Takara has to remind herself where she is and what she's doing. She can't afford to hesitate.

She decides to ford her way across the boxing glove room. Extending the jade on her legs, she begins running and hopes that any impact won't be too great.

The first punch trips up her feet, causing her to fall on another opening. Before she can scramble upright, another glove hits her right in the gut and sends her flying up to the ceiling. She falls back to the ground, but is caught with another vertical punch to the shoulder. She screams as she falls once more to the floor, landing in a small area between holes.

Students continue to race by, unconcerned with her laying on the ground. The room is spinning, and the only way Takara can tell which way is the end is by watching students run past. She seems to be close to the end of the room, but behind it is only another, and probably another and another.

That's when she sees him.

A boy with red-tipped dreadlocks and, strangely enough, a blindfold runs straight through the paper door in front of her without pausing. The room seems to be filled with bamboo.

Harmless bamboo.

Sure, it seems densely packed and hard to get through, but it's not going to hurt her. Why has she been bothering with these dangerous rooms?

Takara pushes herself to her feet and maneuvers through the last of the boxing gloves. A few students have caught on and begin following the blindfolded boy. She tags along behind them as they push through the thick forest of green.