Technical Support

Chapter 16

The rest of class 1-A and class 1-H were escorted to the basement monitor room. Ayano stared at the multiple screens in anxiety, conflict swimming inside her head.

She wasn't sure who she should be supporting. To others, the most obvious choice would be Bakugou. She made his costume, after all. The support students were observing the training as well to see just how well their work was. If the students of class 1-A performed well in this exercise, part of that could be attributed to their partners from 1-H, affecting their grade.

Unfortunately, things were not that simple.

In terms of relationships, Ayano had a much stronger one with Midoriya, having much more contact with him over the years. She had protected him from Bakugou's bullying countless times and had always supported him in his journey to become a hero.

However, there was nobody that she believed in more than Bakugou.

It was like this since they were children. His perseverance and incredible drive to be at the top drew her to him, and him to her. It was just extenuating circumstances that drew the two apart.

Ayano's inner conflict was interrupted when Bakugou performed a sneak attack on Midoriya.

It seemed as though she needn't worry though. She couldn't hear their conversation because there was no sound, but from Midoriya's demeanor and stance, it looked like he was truly sticking up to Bakugou.

Midoriya was the one who changed for the better. Bakugou hadn't.

Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides. Her eyes were scrunched closed as well, hoping to shut out the conflict. Releasing a deep breath to calm herself, she looked back at the screens with resolve reflected in her eyes.

Ayano's worries soon returned though when she saw Bakugou lift his right arm into the air. She forced her way to the front. "Stop the training!" She shouted frantically at All Might. He hesitated, not fully understanding her panic until he heard Bakugou's words through the micro transceiver.

That moment of hesitation from him was enough for her to make her own decision. Ayano yanked the microphone from him and shouted, "Katsuki! Don't you dare use that on him or I will never forgive you!!!"

It was too late, though. Bakugou unleashed the massive blast from his grenade bracers, destroying and shaking the building like it was in an earthquake. Everyone's eyes looked on in disbelief at the monitors and then to Ayano. Whisperings and murmurings could be heard from students of both classes.

"Are you serious?!?" "I thought this was just practice!!" "Are the support students even allowed to make something so dangerous!??" "Sasaki is just as crazy as that blond kid!!"

Ayano was seething. Furious. Livid.

She pushed the microphone back into the man's hands. "You need to end this training. Now." Her glare was enough to shake even All Might a bit. Kirishima shouted in agreement, noting Bakugou's killing intent.

At his refusal to stop the match, he received an incredulous look from Ayano. Any other teacher would have stopped it immediately after that blast. What was stopping him?

The girl received her answer, watching the final blows between her two childhood friends. At the last moment, Midoriya released a punch up at the ceiling with massive air pressure.

It was the first time she had seen him use his 'miraculous quirk,' but it didn't feel like the first time. Oddly enough, it felt very...familiar.

Ayano's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened as realization dawned on her.

Where Midoriya's quirk suddenly came from. All Might's sudden appearance in their district and his sudden teaching position at U.A. His reason for not stopping the training when any other teacher would.