Chapter 10

                                    

                                          
"They're loaded."
                          
All Might winced as he heard Bakugou's thinly-veiled threat.
                          
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea giving this boy the capacity to store massive amounts of organic explosives?
                          
No, he chided. You mustn't coddle Midoriya. Bakugou is strong, but he's nothing compared to the villains these children will face someday.
                          
Forcing back the uncomfortable memories of how he himself had been painfully inadequate, he let his gaze travel around the viewing room, watching as his students held their breath in equal parts anticipation, worry, and awe.
                          
These kids...they're our future. We can't let them down.
                          
The comm in his ear crackled again.
                          
"Why won't you use your quirk?" Bakugou growled, and Midoriya wavered, cowering slightly before collecting himself.
                          
"Are you saying you can win even if you don't use it? Are you underestimating me, Deku?" he continued, and All Might debated calling it off, but decided against it.
                          
There's a very good chance this'll turn ugly, he frowned. But I can't do anything before they even start fighting.
                          
Besides, this is a safe environment. Recovery Girl is here—they won't have that luxury on the battlefield. Best let them get used to it now.
                          
"I'm not scared of you anymore!" Midoriya exclaimed, grasping the capture tape tightly in his hands.
                          
Bakugou grinned. "With all your stalking, you probably already know, but my quirk, Explosion, lets me secrete nitroglycerin-like sweat from the sweat glands on the palm of my hand and make it explode." He cocked his finger on the trigger of his grenade gauntlet. "If they made this the way I asked, then these gauntlets will store the nitroglycerin inside them, and..."
                          
Gasps sounded across the room.
                          
"Is he—"
                          
"Isn't that—"
                          
"Midoriya's in trouble!"
                          
Don't tell me that's...All Might felt his stomach drop.
                          
"Young Bakugou, stop!" he commanded, sweat trickling down his brow. "Are you trying to kill him?"
                          
Bakugou responded with a maniacal grin. "If I don't hit him, he won't die!"
                          
In one fluid movement, he pulled the pin from the gauntlet.
                          
An enormous explosion erupted in the small corridor, temporarily obstructing the cameras.
                          
This boy...
                          
The whole building shook, then the windows on the other side of the hallway shattered.
                          
On the floor above them, Aoyama wobbled, then collapsed. Iida and Ochaco managed to stay standing, but they both looked terrified.
                          
Such force...
                          
The rats scattered, scrambling over each other as the floor beneath them threatened to crumble. Koda was frantically—and unsuccessfully—trying to calm them down.
                          
"This is supposed to be a class!" Kirishima yelled, looking anxiously for signs of Midoriya.
                          
"Young man! Young Midoriya!" All Might shouted into his mic, staring at the gaping hole in the side of the building and the pile of rubble that an entire section of the wall had been reduced to.
                          
"Wow..." Bakugou stepped through the smoke, marveling at his work. "The more that's stored in these gauntlets, the stronger the blast." He picked his path through the rubble over to where Midoriya laid, sprawled out on the ground, his pace unhurried.
                          
"Come on, use your quirk, Deku..." His eyes blazed a fiery red, lips curled into a smirk as his other gauntlet began to glow red. "I'll force you to surrender, even if you're at your full strength."
                          
The comms crackled again, faint static pulsing before a stern voice sounded. "Bakugou, answer me! Did you do that? What in the world did you do? Explain yourself!"
                          
Ah, Iida. He must not be happy with how impulsive Bakugou is, All Might noted. He enjoys careful planning...precision...Bakugou is exactly the opposite of that.
                          
Although he was still worried about Midoriya—and if he was being honest with himself, Bakugou's behavior—All Might turned his attention briefly to the other standoff. Aoyama looked nauseated; he was groaning as he tried to rise from his place on the floor. Iida was scolding Bakugou; Koda had run off with the rats trying to convince them to stay; but Ochaco...
                          
All Might squinted at the screen.
                          
She was planning something.
                          
Sure enough, moments later, she bolted, swerving to avoid Aoyama and making a beeline for the weapon. Iida turned around quickly, running forwards to intercept her.
                          
Ochaco smiled, then pressed her fingertips together.
                          
Nice job, All Might smiled. He won't be expecting that.
                          
She jumped, gravity no longer having an effect on her body as she floated through the air towards the weapon. Iida spun, stunned, but he recovered quickly.
                          
Very quickly, unfortunately for Ochaco.
                          
Iida revved his engines, sprinting towards the weapon. In the blink of an eye, he'd reached the weapon and quickly relocated it so that Ochaco couldn't touch it. She gasped in shock, her previously safe landing space gone.
                          
She couldn't reorient herself midair—as Iida dragged the weapon away, Ochaco flailed, having already released her quirk, and plummeted towards the ground, rolling over a couple of times before hitting the wall hard.
                          
"Your quirk is not a threat if you cannot touch anything," Iida stated. "I'll hold out until time runs out!"
                          
Ochaco grimaced. Deku...he's still fighting Bakugou...and Koda hasn't returned yet, either...
                          
This is bad.