Buzz. Midoriya's text:"Vilin attack downtown—giant one. Pro heroes everywhere. Come check it out?"

  Hikari groaned, tossing off her bnket as golden light poured through the window. "Of course he's chasing vilins before breakfast…"

  She stretched and sat up, smoothing her long hair. The sun caught the tips, and for a moment, the heat almost made her forget that today was another school day. Almost. Her eyes darted to the All Might poster on her wall—and flipped it over as quickly.

  She got dressed in slow motion, cing her boots with automatic ease as her phone buzzed once more.

  "Duh—I didn't wake you up! I ran off to the fight without a second thought," Midoriya decred, his own voice shaking and excited.

  Hikari smiled to herself. She could easily picture him on the other end of the call, jotting down notes, eyes lighting up at each hero who showed up.

  "Midoriya, don't get too close. I'm not covering for you if you're te again."

  "Roger that! But you're walking with me, aren't you?"

  "Nope. Bakugo's coming. Call me when you get to school."

  She hung up and ced up her bag, going out the door. As she did, she saw Bakugo at the gate, arms crossed, smile waiting.

  Hikari rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, putting her arm on his.

  "Don't try blowing anything up while you attend school, Ka-Chan."

  Bakugo was in a not-so-common mood back at Aldera Junior High.

  "Listen up! I'm going to defeat all of you losers except for Hikari, of course. She's the only one who can beat me in a fair fight. We're going to be the top team at UA High!"

  Their teacher didn't even gnce up from the forms.

  "Bakugo, you might want to know that Hikari hasn't applied to UA High. In fact, she's been accepted at a number of the other top schools."

  Bakugo's sneer slipped. For a moment, he looked like a boy who was not used to her telling him 'no'.

  "What?! You haven't even submitted an application yet?!"

  His voice cracked on incredulity and a scrawny whisper of betrayal.

  "Don't give me that look," Hikari warned him, shooting him a stern stare.

  "Midoriya and I were a team before you even showed up. I'm not going where he can't."

  Midoriya's eyes went wide."I already enrolled! I—I believe in myself!"

  Everyone burst out ughing.

  "Yeah, sure! Somebody without a Quirk at UA?""Deku, they'd only take you in out of sympathy. You won't get through the entrance exam!"

  Even Bakugo's ughter rolled in, tough and shrill.

  And that's when the atmosphere shifted.

  The air thickened. A menacing cloud of darkness started to rise slow and ominous.

  "Shut up!" Hikari snapped.

  Gas thick and incapacitating coiled around her like a snake. It wrapped itself around desks and legs, provoking a chorus of appalled gasps.

  "Ridiculing someone for trying their best is funny?!"

  Bakugo raised his hands."Whoa, calm down, Hikari! You can't just—"

  But she was past reason.

  Midoriya alone was unharmed."Hikari, no! Don't! Nobody is meant to get hurt."

  Her eyes locked on his. For a moment, all stood still. The gas began to clear.

  "I—can't let them speak of you like that," she panted.

  Midoriya caressed her hand gently."You frightened me a little, Kari."

  Her breathing stuttered."I frightened myself too."

  The css was recovering—gasping, blinking in shock. But Hikari wasn't finished.

  She whirled to Bakugo."Paralyzing you is too easy. Let's do gravity."

  She snapped her fingers.

  Bakugo's feet hung off the floor.

  "WHAT THE HELL?!"

  He thrashed in mid-air, furious and humiliated. The css moved back or ughed nervously.

  "Why don't you experience some real pressure for once?"

  "HIKARI! My office. NOW."

  She breathed a sigh and let him drop. He thudded down.

  "This isn't finished," Bakugo growled.

  She smiled and walked away.

  "You have to see the implications," her instructor said in his office.

  "They were bullying Midoriya. That's worth something?"

  "It does. But it can be done better. You could have talked to them."

  "Please," she ridiculed. "If I wanted, I could call my dad and get this erased. But I won't. He's occupied."

  "You must learn to control your powers. You're not doing anyone any good if you lose yourself whenever you're angry."

  "I'll try," she whispered. "But next time, I won't hold back."

  Subsequently, Hikari walked past the cssroom and halted.

  "Quit hanging around Hikari. She doesn't need a Quirkless loser like you. She just pities you."

  Bakugo's words hurt.

  Midoriya stood firm despite it.

  "I won't lose her as a friend. That's what it means to be one."

  Bakugo shoved him onto the ground and took his leave.

  Hikari got in the way and healed Midoriya with a touch.

  "You need to work on your dodging, Deku. I'm not going to always be here to fix you up."

  They walked to the fountain in tandem. His notebook floated, burned and was ruined.

  Her phone buzzed: a text from Bakugo instructing her to go to the arcade.

  She responded:"I'd rather stay home than deal with you or your ego. Second choice is another girl in css. Have fun with that."

  Another buzz lit up the screen."Whatever."