PLASTIC FLOWERS ( k. bakugou )

chapter 26

' boys ruin everything '

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"First round!" Present Mic announced and the crowd cheered in response. "Edgelord wielding one of the most powerful quirks in Class A, Fumikage Tokoyami!"

Edgelord...?

Yuko winces, but laughs at the joke, a distant part of her hoping that she wouldn't be called even worse. Besides, she had a feeling that Present Mic tended to favor the cute girls (Yuko's confident that she's a cute girl) over the boys so she'll probably not flunk this miserable announcement thing.

The skies are still clear and no signs of clouds are present, the wind is calm but she is aware that the calm is always before the storm. Yuko will be that storm. Myriads of colors occupy the stadiums, heroes in all their respective costumes and regular onlookers.

"On the other side, beautiful but deadly, a warm ray of sunshine contrast to the shadow wielded by Tokoyami, Akihisa Yuko!"

The crowd erupts into cheers again and she might have waved a hand or two but seeing the determined look on her opponent's face, Yuko chooses to keep her guard up. Tokoyami's dark shadow was invincible, and she only knows that it strengthens in even darker places.

But quirks had recoils, repercussions, frailties, and even that almost invincible quirk had one. She just had to survive the match long enough to determine that.

First, she had to keep her distance.

"Begin!" Midnight yells and signals the beginning of the match.

"Gust!" Yuko yells and a surge of air is directed at Tokoyami, intending to push him out of bounds, but he uses Dark Shadow to grasp at the floor and until the gust subsides, Tokoyami is still inside the arena.

Yuko pauses to take a breath when-

"Go, Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami yells over the cheering of the crowd and Yuko rolls to one side to avoid the attack. She scrapes her knees at that, and she winces slightly. Once landed, she manages to evade another one and create an air arrow in her palms.

The air arrow is wobbly at first, looks like it's about to dissipate sooner or later so she stands still and recollects herself.

"Again, Dark Shadow!"

She ducks to avoid another onslaught of attacks from the shadow creature and upon managing to stand on two feet, she releases the arrow.

It doesn't manage to hit Tokoyami and much to her chagrin, he's still capable enough to make Dark Shadow come after her. When another air arrow is created, twisting on her palm like a miniscule hurricane, Yuko wills it to create the shape of her normal arrow and she aims.

Dark Shadow comes after her again, and deciding that Tokoyami is the more suitable and logical target, Yuko's arrow has fled the confines of her palm and she straightens it.

Using another palm, she calls on another breeze- the final breeze she could manage to create and wills it to occupy the stadium. Blazers flowing, hair tied to a ponytail in a majestic sway, the miniscule bits of clothing and light materials, all thrummed by the presence of the breeze.

And she strengthens it. Grass flows in the entirety of the venue, things carried by the strong breeze, stronger, stronger, stronger, she feels the recoil and she stops. Then in that moment, that brief moment wherein Tokoyami closes his eyes, she releases the arrow.

It sails past Dark Shadow, faster and unnoticeable and-

Yuko takes in a deep breath, closing her eyes and before the result of the air arrow is revealed, she feels all energy leaving her and she falls to the ground.