52 Chapter 52

Rain pelts down on the silent and still Todoroki who's trying to understand why Zena's so relaxed when facing him. She's powerful, that much he can understand with her fire abilities as well as how easily she redirects his attacks. Fighting her he's not sure he'll win or when the match will end and that's what has him on edge. Because he knows she has two quirks, he's done his work on determining who he would need to beat to be number one and Zena just happens to be one of them, perhaps the only one. She has cognitive abilities that would allow her to manipulate him should she want to and now that he's standing here, costume soaked with rain and Zena watching the cloud above their heads with a growing smile, he wonders if he had played right into her hand. He wonders if she had been in his head this entire time, pushing him to do the things he had done. He can't even remember how they got to this part of the building, he had assumed it happened in the heat of the moment, but he's starting to think Zena has far more to do with it than he had first thought.

He can't win this fight. Not when he's created the perfect circumstances for her, not when she can deflect his attacks like the water falling from above them. Her abilities cancel out his own, both of them. So even if he attempted to use his flames it would come up with the same results, especially now the room is filling with water.

The room is filling with water.

The room shouldn't be filling with water, why is it filling with water? It's almost above his ankles now and when he looks around he doesn't understand why it is not flowing through the underside of the door.

"You giving up?" Zena speaks, curious now.

"You're toying with me"

"Hmm, yes, I could've had this handled within moments" she agrees. "Would you have preferred that? I figured I'd fight you a bit instead of just knocking you out"

"When did you get in my head?" There has to be some sign, something that would have let him know of another presence in his head.

"See, I know I'm the villain, but that doesn't mean I'll go on and explain my evil plan or how my powers work," Zena says, unimpressed. "So I won't be telling you that"

She doesn't go around telling people about her second ability and when she does reveal her second quirk she never openly mentions the mind control part. It's not the best thing to bring up in a conversation after all. And how are people to trust her knowing she can mess with their heads? Mina and Eijiro know because she's known them for so long and knew they wouldn't possibly mind. It's not something you just go around telling people after all.

"Again, are you giving up?" She asks him again. "Because there is water gathering at our feet and the next time lightning strikes won't be pretty for you"

He scoffs, she's standing in the water too.

"I won't be affected in the slightest if that's your concern, well not as bad as you," she says casually, kicking up water and watching it freeze before it could fall to the ground.

Her earpiece rings and buzzes before a voice fills her right ear, she nods absently.

"Hiryuu's been captured and we have maybe one minute before this is all over" she relays to Todoroki.

Something about her is just infuriating and Todoroki cant place his finger on it. Yes, it could be her smiles, or the relaxed posture, or how easy she moves, or how easy she deflects his attacks. It could be all of that but something else just infuriates him.

"This is the second time you've met someone who can best you," Zena says knowingly and he doesn't know why she knows that or why she understands it before him.

He's been bested, not once but twice.

He scoffs and readies himself for another attack.

So what if he can't imagine beating her in this instance? He's not just going to roll over and give up and he ignores the smile his thoughts have pulled from Zena. She shouldn't be so happy he's willing to fight.

She's infuriating.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"They had no chance" Alissa whistles as she watches the screen on the wall, having been invested since a literal cloud formed above her cousin and her opponent. She's not surprised Zena hadn't knocked them our first chance she had gotten, she'd wanna fight the ice and fire boy for herself. He's the first she's met with similar abilities safe for her family, after all. Though Alissa didn't think she would have much trouble. That boy can make his ice with little effort and it's jaw-dropping impressive, but Zena can redirect his attacks as well as counter as well as create conditions that would make it harder - if impossible - for him to even form an icicle.

He's useless against her if he doesn't use both abilities.

"There's a literal cloud in that room" someone remarks, awestruck. "It's raining, there was lightning, I'm sure we all heard thunder"

"When cold air rises to meet warm air it creates storm clouds" Izuku supplies helpfully, explaining to them how such a thing would be possible. "And going off the nature of Zena's abilities, it could have been her intention all along"

"Maybe" Alissa shrugs, leaning back and watching Todoroki prepare for a last-ditch attack. "Or it could have happened in the heat of the moment. She's very spontaneous"

She goes quiet, takes note of the water gathering at their feet, glances back at the cloud that is glowing with contained energy, and whistles again.

"How much electricity does lightning pack, Kaminari?" she asks the blonde boy who stands near her.

"About 300 million Volts and about 30,000 Amps" he answers easily and then pauses. "Wait why?"

"There's water at their feet" Alissa points out. "If lightning strikes again, it's over"

"I don't think they can handle that much" Someone objects and All Might looks concerned.

"Todoroki likely can't" Alissa muses. "Zena might be able to"

"She's not gonna let that happen, is she?"

Alissa says nothing, because knowing Zena, she actually would.

All Might sensing what Alissa's silence means is quick to order Zena not to allow such a thing and all that gets him is a sigh on the other end and a wave at the camera. He's not sure what that means and so he threatens to end the match if she does not agree to his terms and this time he does get an answer, one that has him relaxing.

Though that doesn't last when in the next instance Todoroki releases a blast of ice that overtakes the entire room, and lightning strikes at that exact moment, blinding him minutely and frying the camera in the room.

For crying out loud!

"Fox?" He calls into the earpiece and gets nothing but static. "Yoroi, can you hear me?"

He gets an answer this time, fuzzy, but there and it's not from Yoroi, but Zena who sounds a bit too pleased as she tells him that Todoroki is out cold and half her body had been frozen.

She still let lightning strike.

"Villain team wins"

A few minutes later Zena and Yoroi both appear dragging two unconscious boys after them. Yoroi apologizes for what she had done to her classmate and explains that she had simply knocked him out and he would be up in a few.

"Young Fox, I told you not to-"

"I didn't" she shrugs and gently rests Todoroki against a wall, sitting at his side and placing both hands on his chest. "Lightning did strike but I didn't let anything happen to him, he's my classmate I wasn't about to hurt him like that"

"What's wrong with him then?"

"Oh, he did get electrocuted," Zena says. "I just made sure it wasn't powerful enough to kill the kid. Plus he overdid it with his quirk and he's incredibly cold, so I'm trying to warm him up"

Relieved All Might releases a heavy sigh and watches Zena at work. She's completely unbothered and not at all concerned for the poor boy so he'll believe she didn't hurt him too much.

"Didn't you get electrocuted too?"

"Your point?"

"How are you not passed out?"

Zena shrugs and does not deign to answer.

~~~~~~~~~~

Foundational hero studies comes to an end when the last pair duke it out and we are all dismissed. We have a free period after this, just as we do after combat class and we always use this opportunity to freshen up. A shiver runs up my back while I'm heading for the changing rooms and the familiar feeling of sparking energy tingles my arms. How had I not passed out when struck with lightning? Well, it wasn't as hot as my flames usually are, so my body took it - surprisingly - and I managed to get most of it out of my body in that instance. It sounds impressive now I think about it, realizing that my flames were hotter than that one strike of lightning. Flames aren't usually hotter than lightning so had that lightning strike packed its original power, I would have been in some serious trouble.

"Kaminari" I reach for the boy, grabbing his attention when I wave at him. He approaches and I take his hand. He shivers and blinks and I let go, feeling a bit better now.

"Was that?"

"Yes, it was" I shrug off my jacket and work on the straps of my arm guards. "Thanks for the help"

With that, I enter the changing room and almost collide with - well someone. I don't think I've ever seen this girl before and the confusion must have shown on my face because the girl smiles - amused.

Wait a damn minute. I take a closer look, noting the silver hair - shoulder length - and eyes that seem to shift from grey to silvery blue and I'm a bit shocked right now.

"Why have you been invisible this entire time?" I ask Toru, who is now the one to be surprised. She didn't think I would get it that quickly, did she?

"Just used to it" is her answer with a shrug - a lie.

"I don't believe that" I let her know that I'm not buying the words leaving her mouth as I step around her. "You're very pretty by the way"

I don't get an answer and I don't need to look to know there's a blush on pale cheeks. Invisible girls seems to have a lack of appreciation for herself.

"I need a shower" could be a complaint, I'm not even sure, but as I take off my pants and work on removing the bodysuit, the thought of a shower is very pleasing.

"There's a hot spring," Kendo says, peeking over the top of the lockers and I wonder how she even got up there. Her hair is let down and she's definitely not wearing a shirt. "Don't ask how I got up here"

"Okay, I won't"

"There's a hot spring"

I try and fail not to jump out of my skin when Mina suddenly speaks so close to my ear and when I turn to face her, she's all kinds of smug.

"Did you have to do that?" I rub my ear as if she had harmed me and she might as well have. I wasn't scared per se it's just that I seem to have sensitive ears and Mina has figured this out at some point.

"Yes I did, your reaction is everything" she nods, grinning. "We're going to the hot spring"

She's determined and should I say no to her face she would find a way to get me to the hot springs. When I don't answer her, she assumes that's the case at the moment and is already coming up with ways to coax me into coming along and her first thought has me doing a double-take. She looks at me now, straight eye contact, and raises her brows as if she were innocent.

"That thought alone and the sheer confidence behind it makes me want to say no, just to prove a point," I tell her blankly, but I'm not very proud of the sound of my voice. She did not shake me up with that thought, no sir she did not.

"But you're not going to say no" smug again.

"And it's not because of that thought" I already wanted to go, I don't want her to even think it would be because of that thought.

"But it's tempting?"

"Mina, stoooop"

"What did you think?" Alissa suddenly pops up around the corner, curious. "You've got my cousin all flustered"

I am not flustered, just.....I'm not flustered.

Mina says nothing to Alissa's dismay and she watches my friend return to her locker to retrieve her towel.

"What did she think?" Alissa asks me now and I dutifully ignore her presence, even when she scoots herself onto the bench behind me. "Tell me"

"No"

I'm not telling a damn soul about that single thought or the image it brought or the feelings that come with it. Not telling a damn soul and I'm thankful to be the only empath in this room right now.

"Zena"

"Ask me again and I'm not making you food for a week"

That does the job of shutting her up but she doesn't move from where she sits behind me. That's good enough, I suppose.

~~~~~~~~

I've never been to a hot spring before and my first experience is turning out to be a great one. Nothing beats a warm soak after all and a hot spring is just a pool of warm water. At least that's what Tsu makes it out to be as she all but swims in the water, a look of utter bliss on her face. I had lost sight of her more than once, only to find her barely above water with just the top of her head sticking out. She'd make bubbles and I'm not sure if she's aware when she's doing this. She's earned pats from Uraraka and that mushroom girl from class B who has quickly fallen for Tsuyu's charms apparently.

Jiro's been staring at Momo from a corner and I try not to be a tease about it but every time our eyes meet she shoots me something close to a glare when I smile. It would be threatening if her face wasn't red with the heat - or embarrassment. It's hard to be intimidated by Jiro of all people because, like Tsuyu, I find that she's incredibly adorable.

"Hey Yaomomo" I call and Jiro almost chokes on water and that quickly gets Momo's attention.

She goes to her in concern and I barely hold in my laughter.

"You horrible despicable person"

"Alissa shut the hell up" I push her away and she floats off until she bumps into mushroom girl and Tsuyu. I forgot the mushroom girl's name and I feel a bit bad.

I know her name, I just can't quite place it.

But look at that, three short people huddled together.

I don't get to admire the sight much longer because I'm almost tackled in the next instance, arms coming around my shoulder and an excited giggle near my ear. I barely suppress a shudder because my damn ears are sensitive and Mina's taking full advantage. If Mina could purr I'm sure she would right now because she is utterly content when I don't protest and leans into me with a happy sigh.

"Sorry for being so close to your ear," she says after a while, chin on my shoulder - as far from my ear as she can be. It does little, but the gesture is appreciated.

She's completely naked against my back and that's perfectly fine. It's fine, no problem at all. It's fine.

No, it's definitely not fine and the more I try not to think about the more I'm aware of the feel of her - which is terrible right now. Mina is incredibly soft and that's all I'm willing to think, but it's hard to steer my mind in a different direction.

"We should go out" she suggest some moment later, having fallen silent and simply held onto me. Wouldn't it be a bit too warm for her? The spring is warm and my temperature has always been a bit higher than most. But she doesn't seem bothered in the slightest. "We haven't gone out in a while"

"Because I don't like going out" I point out and she huffs.

"You like going to arcades and libraries and parks and pools" she lists off, hoping to convince me. "And music stores and museums"

I still prefer staying home over having to go out into the streets with other people.

"Fine, we don't have to go out" she relents. "We can stay in then. We can watch a movie"

"That's an amazing idea" I grin, recalling something quite amusing. "You know that movie we watched that one time?"

"That horrible horror?"

"Yes, the one that had so you scared" I snicker. "There's a part two, came out this year. How about we watch that?"

As expected she's immediately against the idea and makes it very clear with her protest and accuses me of being a terrible friend.

"Face your fears Mina" it's hard not to laugh but I manage the most encouraging voice I can muster.

Doesn't help much.

"I'm not watching it," she says, firmly.

"We'll flip a coin then"

"No"

"Fine, your loss"

"How is it my loss?" She sounds incredulous.

"I don't know, I would've let you wear that sweater of mine that you like so much, the one with my name on it," I say casually, cajoling. "I'd make your favorite food too, favorite snacks, I'd secure your favorite drink. You'd get all the cuddles you could want, I'd even be the big spoon"

And that has her interest. She perks, arms around me tighter as she pulls me, almost as if she couldn't believe the words leaving my mouth. And she considers it, seriously mulls over my words and the promises and the prospect of my comfort should she get scared and the sweater - oh the sweater she obsesses over but never took from me for some reason.

"No," she says, to my surprise. "I don't believe you, you'd never be the big spoon, you don't know how to take that sort of initiative"

Okay, now I'm just offended that she would think such a thing.

"What? I can take initiative" how dare she accuse me of such a thing?

"No you obviously can not" she refutes nuzzling my cheek with small giggles. "You really can't Zen"

"I can"

"You would've if you could," she says bluntly. "You really would've"

"I can" I insist only because I need to prove a point and I will, just you wait Mina.

"I'll believe it when I see it," she says with a quick kiss on my cheek and another nuzzle. "Take your time"

It feels like she's mocking me, but she kisses me again and mutters something so ridiculous that can't even consider the thought any further.

"I have the incredible urge to cop a feel," she says suddenly.

"Mina"

"What? You're naked in front of me and you want me not to think about it?" She sounds very offended while I'm sure I'm the one who should be feeling some type of way. "You have nice boobs you know, they're literally a handful"

"Mina if you grope me, I swear -"

"You won't do anything" she scoffs

"Try it and find out, I dare you"

She huffs and considers her options. She's tempted, she always is when I dare her to do something, especially after she insists I won't do anything to retaliate. She thinks long and hard and I'm certain she won't do it - and she doesn't.

Instead, she bites my ear, it's gentle and not meant to hurt, and the shiver that runs through me is embarrassing.

I'm silent while she snickers, victorious.