Chapter 68 - Special Forces

After my match against Inaza, I went straight to the locker room to change.

Dad had arranged to meet me at the entrance to the VIP stands - since I didn't want to go there dressed like a barbarian (with shreds of clothes and half-burned pants), I decided to take an impromptu shower.

Me : I'll be there in five minutes.

The water ran down the nape of my neck, thin streams trickling slowly down my body. My attention was drawn to my hand, which I held palm up and turned toward me.

The drops gathered there as if in a cup. The water overflowed before dripping onto the tiles.

In the stadium earlier - there was this moment, just after the dust had settled and before we left the stadium - when I felt electrified, at the peak of satisfaction. As I was applauded, as tens of thousands of people yelled my name until their throats hurt, I felt... happy?

I frowned and clenched my right hand. The sudden gesture splashed water on my chin.

No, I wasn't really happy. It was, it was - once again I had to stop and search for the right words. But they slipped out as soon as I tried to use them, and I became impatient - had I been happy ? Satisfied ? Blissful ?

I ran a distracted hand through my hair.

This whole mess of emotions and self-understanding…

The frustration almost made me cry out in anger; I took a deep breath, clenching my jaw.

I'd felt fine before. Like it was normal to get a standing ovation when I'd come so close to turning the stadium into a barbecue.

Applause, admiration (I thought back to Midnight's horrified expression when she saw Inaza, her relief when Recovery Girl told her he was alive, the dark look she gave me) and fear.

All of that, all of those reactions (I licked my lips, feeling the conclusion I wanted to reach come to the tip of my nose), I had liked it because it was what people own-

My eyes narrowed and I turned my head sharply toward the shower entrance.

Someone had entered the locker room.

I turned the shower faucet all the way on, then pulled myself out, grabbing a towel before wrapping it around my waist. I was still soaking wet, my hair stuck to my forehead and water running down my torso. Taking no chances, I put on my mask on the spot.

I took a step out of the shower and stopped dead in my tracks. Inches from my face was Ochaco Uraraka, her face dark.

Since she wasn't moping around with fake excuses or pretending to have gone to the wrong locker room, I didn't feel the need to pretend to be surprised when I saw her. With her hunched shoulders, tight lips and dark gaze, she couldn't have been more the opposite of the usual Ochaco.

I leaned forward, my eyes never leaving hers.

My breath mingled with hers, but she didn't look down, holding my gaze. Truly the antithesis of rainbow puke Ochaco.

- Himiko, I whispered.

My eyes were reduced to two slits.

- Who ?

She raised her eyebrows, her dark expression brightening slightly.

I glanced at her one last time before straightening up. She was too surprised to fake it. Himiko would have tried to slit my throat if she'd known she'd been compromised. Ochaco, on the other hand, just looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

I reattached my mask of indifference, averted my eyes from her as if she were nothing but trouble, and walked around her to my locker.

She turned and watched me without a word.

I grabbed my boxers and dropped my towel to the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ochaco turn away sharply.

I was already down to my pants when she finally decided to break her silence.

- Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?

- You're the one who looks like you want to talk, I retorted, putting on my t-shirt.

She was silent for a few moments.

- What were you thinking when you offered all that money ?

- Huh ? Did it for fun, mostly.

Make the cannon obsolete, too. Maybe kick out half the first-year students while I was at it. Should I have been meaner to those in the Heroic course ? Maybe I could have forced some of them to give up their places at Yuei altogether.

- Fun? (She looked indignant; her voice had become high-pitched) You bet that much money to... have fun?

- I had originally thought of ten million, but let's just say it couldn't happen.

- ... and you don't see anything shocking in that ?

- If your parents give you money, won't you use it ? It's the same with me, we're just not in the same league.

- But you don't realize that, she insisted, A million dollars is what a minimum wage earner makes in sixty-nine years of work (She licked her lips, her eyes darting back and forth in front of her.) It's what a person who has sacrificed her life for her family makes on minimum wage, and-and-

- And ?

She was losing her temper, no longer the cold girl she had been earlier. Now she was angry, talking fast and clenching her small fists.

- So you won't even give them to the students for their participation?

- What's the deal ? You think I'm Santa Claus?

I slammed my locker door.

- I set the rules from the beginning, big cheeks. You have to beat me, rip off my mask, or impress me. You have three choices if you want the money.

Because that was the real reason for her impromptu appearance in the dressing room. She hadn't asked me if I wanted to donate to charity because she was afraid of the answer.

That money, that million in soft greenbacks, she wanted it for herself.

- I-I don't want-that's not what I wanted to tell you-

She babbled, unable to express herself properly. I put on my T-shirt before realizing I didn't have a spare sports jacket. I opened the locker next door and rummaged around until I found what I needed.

Bakugo's ? No, more like Kirishima's.

Smelt definitely like him.

The jacket was wide enough that I could slip it on without risking it cracking around my shoulders; not long enough, but as long as I didn't zip it up, it would suffice.

I shoved my phone into my pocket and walked away, my shoulder brushing Ochaco's as I passed her. She grabbed my shirt with a weak hand. I stopped, eyebrows raised.

- You don't understand, Todoroki. You see, my family-

- Hey.

Her eyes met mine.

- Do I look like I give a shit ?

I grabbed her wrist and forced her to let go.

Her face turned red, the facade of the friendly Ochaco completely lost in her anger. She tore her arm from my grasp.

- You're an asshole.

I smiled at her as hypocritically as possible, my eyes squinting into two crescents so she didn't miss a thing.

- And you're a bitch who thinks I have to waste my time listening to you just because you want me to

I left the locker room without another word, my attention fully focused on what was to come.

The old man wanted me to meet someone - maybe a hero from a foreign land ?

*

Author's note :

New publication schedule, hope we'll get an awesome amount of power stones (and stats, and collections, and newe readers and more everything).

Anyway, thank you to everyone who is writing comments. I try to read all of them and it's always nice to feel that people appreciate the story.

Power stones goal : 250 = bonus chapter tomorrow

P@treon : Nar_cisseENG where you can read up to 50 chapters ahead.

See you in the next update everyone !