MANIA - Katsuki Bakugou

━ following orders

chapter 12

***This chapter contains profanity.

What have I gotten myself into...?

At the sound of Mr. Aizawa's voice, Katsuki Bakugou immediately dashed forwards from his lunged position. His hands exploded with a fiery power that Shimamura recognized from the Sports Festival. The explosion propelled him forwards almost double the speed he had started at.

Shimamura retracted her hands from her face and put them down to her sides. She gracefully, yet quickly, sidestepped and narrowly missed Bakugou's explosive impact. The hot sparks skimmed her cheek. She dipped her head away and raised her hands back to her face, but not touching her skin. Her fingers flexed a bit.

She was tired from the last sparring match with Kirishima and Ashido. She had believed that was going to be the test Aizawa had cautioned her about. But this was greater. She had used up all her energy from kicking and dodging... what more could she do in this fight?

Although she was only against one person now rather than two, Bakugou's skill and power doubled Kirishima's and Ashido's combined—or perhaps Shimamura just believed that because she was so depleted from the last match. But there was only one attacker now. She'd have less to avoid and counter. But Shimamura's dodging wouldn't be enough to beat him or keep him away for very long. If she kept up... she might have to resort to using her quirk.

Everything could change in mere moments when it came to Shimamura.

Bakugou touched down on the edge of the sparring square, skidding along the ground on his heels. He growled and spun back around. Shimamura now stood at the opposite end, facing him with a perplexed expression. Bakugou's nose scrunched up as he reeled his elbow back, sparking more explosions within his grip.

"DIEEEE!" He yelled.

He burst forwards again, aiming directly for Shimamura's head. But again, she dipped down and dodged him. She straightened up again rather quickly. Trying to trick her, he sent an explosion to the side to turn himself around in a split second. With his opposite hand, he aimed for her back, grinning.

Now I got you—!

Shimamura swung her upper body down and rolled to the side. She spun on her knee and faced him from a few feet away. She knelt on the ground and put her elbow on her knee, resting her chin on her fist. A sly smirk crept up into her expression. Suddenly, she was cocky.

Bad move when facing Bakugou.

He bared his teeth. "You think this is funny?!"

The blonde exploded up into the air on total offense. Shimamura pressed her hands to the ground and put all her weight onto them. She hopped up onto her hands into a handstand as he approached from midair. His hand grazed her jacket but didn't make contact with her body in any way. Shimamura balanced on her hands for a few moments until spinning on them and launching a full forced kick at Bakugou, nailing him in the back as soon as he touched the ground.

Bakugou gasped as the air was knocked out of him from a single kick. He hunched forwards, blinking black dots out of his vision, trying to regain his focus. He screamed at the ground in frustration.

First this girl wouldn't stop dodging every move he made. Then she goddamn laughed at him. And now she hits him with that?! Who the hell does she think she is?!

Bakugou scraped at the ground and turned to send a direct hit at Shimamura's legs. She sidestepped but he knew she would. She was predictable by now.