55: 𝙰 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔
"Wow that's..."
"Embarrassing?"
"I was gonna say unfortunately Hilarious." Denki glanced over at Sero who nodded.
"That works too." The black haired boy nodded.
Bakugo... Had lost. After all that talk about how he was gonna win... He lost. He had declared in front of the entire student body that he was gonna win... And he lost.
Unfortunately Hilarious indeed.
After a fairly intense match between himself and Nova, Bakugo ended up chained in the middle of the arena. With a nervous looking Nova standing a few paces away.
"Wow... She actually did it!" Midoriya said, jotting down everything he just saw in his notebook. Sure he had figured it was possible, but still. After his and Bakugou's past it was hard to believe this was actually happening. "Do you think Nova would mind if I asked about the physics of that move she did with the platforms she ran on? It must be complicated to mentally hold them up while simultaneously pushing them down with her own physical weight..."
Uraraka watched with a small smile as her friend babbled on as he usually did. He'd been watching intently when the match was actually playing out, now that it was over he whispered all of his observations as he wrote down notes frantically.
"Woah, Nova has a whole two pages already." Uraraka said, looking over his shoulder. She tried to be happy and encouraging, which wasn't that hard.
But there was a teeny tiny prideful part of her that kinda wished Bakugo had made it farther. Not because she liked him, she didn't. She hated him. And not because she didn't like Nova! She really did, especially after getting to know her just a little better during the Calvary battle. But...
It was kinda hard watching someone who beat you get beaten themselves... It just reminded her how weak she was compared to the rest of her class. Like, she could feel better about losing to someone who was the absolute best... But losing to someone who lost as well...
It sure dented her already weakened ego.
But she was also glad Nova won. She was way cooler than Bakugo, and she sure whipped his butt too.
They glanced down as Nova released Bakugo from his restraints the moment the match ended. To everyone's surprise he didn't scream or curse at her. He didn't even look at her, he just stalked off with a angry look on his face. Obviously he didn't want to embarrass himself farther by not accepting his obvious loss.
Kurayami wordlessly exited through the other side. Neither student had been terribly physically hurt, but Recovery girl was taking Nova back to her office to look at her shoulder. Which had obviously been dislocated halfway through the match.
"Wow... This means it'll be her and Todoroki in the finals. Since he beat Tokoyami." Ojirou said with a frown.
Todoroki hadn't even used his fire to beat Tokoyami. Infact he hadn't used his fire since his match with Midoriya. Their classmates didn't know what he said to the dual haired boy, but obviously it got him riled up in one way or another.
His classmates couldn't help but wonder if it would make another appearance in the final fight. Or if her attempt to beat Nova with just his ice as he had done with most of his other opponents. They also couldn't help but wonder if Nova would ever return to the stands. Though most assumed that she wouldn't, they couldn't blame her though. She must already be under immense pressure.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Shoji had once again snuck out of the stands. When Vlad was busy walking Bakugo, Iida wasn't there and the rest of his class didn't really care to stop him.
"Do you need anything?" Shoji asked Nova, who stood looking over the field where her fight was going to take place in just a few minutes.
"...no." Nova shook her head. She could think of one thing she wanted, but there was no way Shoji would get it for her.
She could really use a cigarette right now.
Even if she asked and he obliged, she doubted he'd be able to get her one. Especially not in time for her match. She took a few calming breaths. Her anxiety rising.
Earlier today she hadn't expected to make it to the tournament rounds, but here she was. One of two finalists. She really just wanted all of this to be over. She wanted to get home and have a good cry, possibly drop out of UA and off the face of the earth all together.
She wondered who all was watching this. Zoey? She hoped her sister wasn't super upset over seeing her get hurt over and over again. What about Karon? Was she watching too? What did she think...
What about all of her past guardians and teachers and classmates. The police officers that delt with her after her father was arrested...
What about All Might? He was most definitely watching. He was a teacher after all. What did he think?
What about the rest of the world? Nova had seen a few headlines, but nothing too serious. The festival wasn't over yet after all. If she won, would the world hate her?
"Everyone is impressed, you've made it so far. Even if you were to lose there's no dishonor in it." Shoji said after a moment of silence passed between them.
"I know... It's not that I'm scared to lose, its.... No matter what I do... I'm scared it'll make someone hate me." She admitted.
"... that's true I guess. No matter what there will always be someone that hates you... It's a demented reality... But it's true, even the best pro heroes have people who hate them. I think what's most important... Is how you feel about yourself."
Nova didn't say anything. Huffing out a short breath of air. How she felt about herself? She didn't think Shoji wanted to know that. Nova had never really valued herself, at least not that she could recall.
She had always felt useless, cast aside and unnecessary. She'd been told she was a waste of space, that she was evil. That the world would be better, or at least the very same... If she wasn't in it. Adults since the age of ten had been telling her she was a burden. A nuance. A child that no one wanted.
"...Could you forgive yourself... If you let yourself lose?" Shoji asked. "It's fine if you can... But I don't want you to live in regret."
"...I don't know..." Nova admitted. "I... I want to win but..."
"Then win."
Nova glanced over when a new voice entered their little observation room.
"Aizawa..." Nova muttered nervously. She suddenly felt like she was about to be lectured.
"It's time to head towards the waiting rooms." Aizawa told Nova, who nodded.
"I'm not letting you stay in the festival because Iida left." Aizawa said suddenly, Nova stared at him for a few moments.
"I could have easily just arranged for Bakugo to fight Todoroki." He continued. Nova didn't say anything. "I'm letting you do this. Because for the first time since I've seen you... You seem motivated."
The two stood across from each other for a few moments. Neither saying anything. Aizawa sighed.
"At the beginning of the year I didn't want you in my class. Not for your name or your family or anything else. I watched you during the exam, you fought with no motivation. You were holding yourself back, so that others could succeed."
"...right." Nova muttered simply, he had already told her most of this.
"But today I've seen a fire in your eyes. Or at least a spark. You wanted to fight, you wanted to win and so far you have." Aizawa nodded at her. "That's what I call progress. Don't lose that spark just because you're scared of what the media will say about you. Instead use it..."
"To prove them wrong."
A/N: Rahhhh
Also in case you were wondering...
Yes. Last chapter had a Zane cameo.
No, he will not be significant in this book, neither will momma. That was just for fun. It was kinda a nod at (ab)normal.
This is an alternate universe, where Zane and Momma are not villains. Rather average civilians where they are happy and have a good relationship.
(Hense the fact that Zane is allowed out in society. Where he wouldn't have been in his original universe)
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: ZingTruyen.Xyz