Wes attempts to run back into the cell, but Zach is holding him by the back of his collar.
Wes: PLEASE! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!
Zach: Wes, you’re not going anywhere! Besides, you’re still in the match even if you go back in. You can only be eliminated if we withdraw or you’re knocked out.
Wes gets on his knees and begs.
Wes: Zach! Please knock me out!
Zach: Wes, I’m not doing that.
Wes sobs.
Zach: Dude, this is just sad.
Aaron: He tends to do that a lot.
Zach: *sighs* And he’s my only backup.
Aaron: Yup, have fun.
Silver looks at Aaron, Zach, and Wes.
Silver: Aaron might be a problem. We’re not exactly at our best, with Justus and me injured.
Justus: We’ll see what their strategy is, but based on the interaction between the big guy from 2-B and Wes, I’d say an alliance is none of our concern.
Ash: We’re probably better off waiting to see what the other teams do first.
Justus: I agree. We’re at a significant disadvantage having to protect the crown.
Silver: That’s fine by me.
Zach turns towards the throne.
Zach: (This is my chance, I get to fight Silver and Justus! I can’t waste this opportunity.)
Bruno cracks his knuckles.
Bruno: *yelling* Listen up!
Everyone turns their attention to Bruno.
Bruno: The crown is of no concern to me! My only goal is to fight the one named “Wes.” If you do not interfere, I will not engage in combat with you.
Wes squeals.
Whitney: Bruno, that’s not the plan! We’re supposed to win!
Bruno: I’m sorry, Whitney, but this is a matter of personal pride for me. Twice I have been eliminated from crucial events due to him. I must defeat him now so that he may not present any issue for me in the Provisional Licensing Exam.
Verity: I understand, and I will provide assistance.
Bruno: No, I must do this alone.
Verity places her hand on Bruno’s shoulder.
Verity: I’m here for you, Bruno. I can tell this means a lot to you, and I want to help.
Bruno stares at Verity.
Bruno: Thank you, Verity.
Whitney starts tearing up.
Whitney: I’ll help you too, Bruno!
Bruno smiles.
Bruno: Thank you too, Whitney.
Wes: *from afar* THEY’RE HAVING A WHOLE MOMENT ABOUT KICKING MY ASS!
Bruno turns to Wes, Zach, and Aaron.
Bruno: Now come on, team. Let’s get him!
Whitney and Verity: Right!
Adrian, Houston, and Hunt have blank expressions.
Adrian: Right attitude, wrong objective.
Hunt: I must say that I don’t think these students fully comprehend the point of this exercise.
Aaron is laughing his ass off.
Zach: This is great!
Wes: GREAT?
Zach: You can distract that team while I go and get the crown!
Wes: Zach… they’re going to kill me!
Zach: No, they won’t! That’s against the rules! They’ll just injure you beyond recognition!
Wes: I- I- I-
Zach pats Wes on the back.
Zach: Good luck, buddy!
Zach starts running towards the throne.
Wes: Zach… no… please…
Wes slowly turns to Aaron.
Aaron: Don’t look at me. This is your mess.
Wes: Aaron… please. I understand you’re an asshole, but please understand that I like mine the way it is!
Aaron spits on Wes.
Aaron: Oh, sorry, it looks like it’s raining. I don’t fight in bad weather.
Wes: I hate you…
Aaron: Yeah, well, you can think about that while you’re getting your asshole incised.
Zach stops 30 yards short of the throne.
Zach: Alright, guys! It’s time for you to fight me!
Silver, Ash, and Justus are surprised.
Silver: Is- is it just you?
Zach: Wh- what does that mean!
Justus: We understand that Wes and the students from 2-B are preoccupied, but what about Aaron?
Zach: Aaron isn’t fighting this round, and that doesn’t matter one bit! I’m gonna take that crown!
Ash, Justus, and Silver stare at Zach blankly.
Justus: *whispering* If it’s just Zach, should we really all gang up on him?
Silver: *whispering* Yeah, I don’t know if that’s really fair.
Zach: I CAN HEAR YOU GUYS!
Justus: I guess I could-
Ash: No, Justus, let me fight him.
Zach: Huh?
Justus smiles.
Justus: Go right ahead.
Ash: Thank you.
Ash approaches Zach.
Silver: Huh? Why are you letting Ash go up against Zach? I know he’s not on our level, but that doesn’t mean Ash is on his.
Justus: I wouldn’t underestimate Ash if I were you.
Ash stops and puts up her fists.
Ash: Ready, Zach?
Zach: Wh- I don’t want to fight just one of you! I can take all three of you!
Justus: If you believe you can handle all of us simultaneously, what’s the problem with fighting us individually?
Zach: *grunts* Fine, let’s go, Ash! (It’s not exactly manly to hit a girl, but if it’s what I have to do to get to Justus and Silver, I’ll do it.)
Zach and Ash face off.
Ash: (Zach specializes in hand-to-hand combat, and a single stab from one of his sets of bone claws could be it for me. My first objective should be keeping my distance, and I think I know exactly how to do that.)
Ash places her hands together, and her irises flash bright blue for a moment.
Silver: Hm?
Zach extends his claws and charges at Ash.
Zach: Take this, Ash!
Out of nowhere, multiple small explosions go off in front of Zach, sending him flying backward.
Zach: *groans* What was that?
Justus smiles.
Justus: Good work, Ash.
Silver: Astral explosives…
Justus: You’ve already figured it out?
Silver: That hand gesture… it’s the same one she uses for her Ghost Combat ultimate.
Justus: You’re observant.
Silver: So she can create bombs in the astral plane that only she can see. The only question I have is how?
Justus: Well, you’re on the right track thinking about her Ghost Combat attack. How does she make that initiate?
Silver: She uses the blood of her opponent to pull their astral for-
Silver realizes.
Silver: She’s using some material between her fingers to create the bombs.
Justus: Yes, she is. Her costume now contains gloves. Notice how her index finger is uncovered; that’s for Ghost Combat.
Silver: And then the other fingers contain various resources.
Justus: Yes, her thumb contains gunpowder laced in the finger of the glove.
Silver: Clever…
Zach slowly gets to his feet.
Zach: (What hit me? Was it a bomb? No… Ash can’t do anything like that. Her whole ability revolves around her astral form, and she didn’t keel over. So how did she do that?)
Silver watches closely.
Silver: (Look at Zach, he’s trying to figure out what just happened. It took me all of two seconds to figure it out. He’s a capable fighter, but that lack of deduction skills will haunt him.)
Zach’s eyes dart around, looking at Ash and the area of the throne.
Ash: Having trouble, Zach? I thought you were ready to fight all of us?
Zach: *Frustrated grunt* I am!
Zach stabs his bone claws into the ground.
Ash: Hm?
Zach: Take this!
Zach rips his claws out of the ground and kicks up a ton of dirt at Ash. The soil splashes into the astral minefield and detonates all of the explosives.
Ash: *grunts*
Suddenly Zach emerges from the smoke of the explosions lunging at Ash.
Zach: You’re mine now!
Ash: No way!
Ash’s astral form leaps from her body to Zach’s. Ash’s body falls to the ground, unconscious.
Zach (Ash): Nice try, Zach.
Silver scoffs.
Silver: What an idiot…
Justus: This is quite embarrassing.
Ash stabs Zach’s stomach using his own claws. She then returns to her own body.
Zach: AHHHH!
Zach falls to his knees, bleeding profusely from his abdomen.
Ash: Sorry, Zach. I know that hurts, but a fight’s a fight.
Zach: *grunts* When did- when did you get this strong, Ash? I- I- I can’t believe it.
Silver: She spent time not just training her body but her mind as well.
Zach: Huh?
Zach looks at Silver.
Silver: I didn’t know Ash had trained like this, and even I can see it. She discovered a new ability of her quirk and not only mastered its use but also its application. You’re an exceptional close-combat fighter, Zach. Honestly, you’re probably the second-best in the class with your claws’ pure lethality.
Zach: *grunts* Second?
Silver: You’re fighting the first. Ash’s ability to swap bodies is unbelievably powerful at distances of only a few feet. There’s almost zero counter to it because of her astral form’s invisibility, and her control is more substantial the closer you are to her body. Knowing this, Ash wanted to draw you in with a frontal attack. So, she created the astral minefield to make you believe she was trying to keep you at bay and not allow you to close distance. This was all a fake-out. If I had to guess, your initial attack was not really an attack at all. You were going to try and bait her into leaving her body and then back off. Once that was done, she would be an easy target for you. However, the explosives caught you so off guard that you abandoned your whole strategy. The fight became about breaking through the minefield so you could get close enough to attack her. I saw you standing there thinking slow. Tell me I’m wrong.
Zach looks away.
Silver: I thought so.
Ash: Silver, you don’t have to be mean to him. I just had a good plan, that’s all.
Silver: Yeah, but notice how I figured out that entire plan just by watching the battle.
Zach’s eyes widen.
Silver: My point is that Zach wouldn’t have fallen for your plan had he realized everything I did. You’re powerful, Zach, but you need more than just strength in a battle.
Zach’s fingers dig into the dirt.
Ash: Silver, maybe you shouldn’t be so-
Zach: No, he’s right, Ash.
Zach’s bone tail suddenly emerges and slashes Ash’s stomach.
Ash: AH!
Ash leaps back. Zach gets to his feet with blood still gushing from his wound.
Zach: I’m no pushover, Silver! I can take more than just one stab!
Silver smiles.
Silver: You got one lucky hit. Go get more, and maybe I’ll believe you.
Bruno approaches Wes and Aaron with Verity at his side.
Wes: Oh god… he’s here.
Aaron kicks Wes towards them, and his face slams against the dirt.
Aaron: Have fun at school, honey!
Wes: FUCK YOU!
Wes hears a bell ring.
Wes: AHHHH!
Verity is kneeling beside him.
Verity: I’m glad you’re happy to see me.
Wes: I’M NOT!
Verity: That’s not what you’re thinking.
Wes starts slamming his head into the ground.
Wes: THAT. IS. NOT. WHAT. I’M. THINK. ING.
Verity: You might want to pay more attention to your surroundings.
Wes: Huh?
Bruno grabs Wes by the collar and hoists him up.
Bruno: Ready for the end of your life?
Wes: Meep.
Bruno: I won’t fall for your “helpless” act again.
All of Bruno’s skin changes to diamond.
Wes: It’s not an act!
Bruno slugs Wes in the chest, cracking every rib on the right side of his body and puncturing his lung.
Wes: *groans*
Bruno drops Wes to the ground. Wes writhes in pain.
Bruno: Keep pretending.
Wes: I- I’m not…
Bruno steps on Wes’ holster, smashing his pistol and breaking his right leg.
Wes: AHHHHH!
Bruno: At this point, I’m starting to feel insulted. Verity?
Verity looks into Wes’ eyes.
Verity: It doesn’t look as though this is an act. He genuinely is afraid of you and has no plan in mind.
Bruno: Hm… are you sure?
Verity: I am.
Bruno: Alright, then I will finish this now.
Bruno winds back his fist.
Wes: (Shit! Think fast!)
Wes notices the sun is blaring.
Wes: (There!)
Wes changes the spot on his body that the sun is beating on to a mirror and reflects the sunlight into Bruno’s eyes.
Bruno: *grunts*
Wes: (I gotta go!)
Wes desperately starts crawling away.
Wes: (GO! GO! GO!)
Verity walks beside him.
Verity: You’re not getting far.
Wes: I’M AWARE!
Bruno’s eyes recover.
Bruno: Verity! I told you he had a plan!
Verity: He came up with that on the spot, Bruno. I didn’t have enough time to convey it to you.
Bruno: *frustrated grunt*
Bruno walks over to Wes.
Wes: Stay away from me, Crazy Diamond!
Bruno: I have to finish this now! I won’t allow you to defeat me again!
Wes reaches the wall of the arena.
Wes: (I’ve gotta do something!)
Wes creates a mirror surface on the wall.
Bruno: (There’s nothing he can do with that. He has no projectiles!)
Wes reaches into his pocket and pulls out his spare magazine. He dumps all of the bullets on the ground.
Bruno: No!
Bruno leaps back.
Wes: (Wh- is he… afraid?)
Bruno: I know what you’re planning. You were going to use that mirror you created to fire those bullets back at me, weren’t you!
Wes: (Oh, I was planning on shooting myself, but…) Yeah! I was! I was totally going to do that!
Bruno: Verity! Confirm!
Verity stares into Wes’ eyes.
Verity: He was planning to shoot himself to be eliminated.
Wes: GODDAMMIT BITCH!
Bruno: No! That might be worse!
Wes: Huh?
Bruno: If he takes himself out, that won’t be a victory for me! You are fucking clever, you bastard!
Wes: HUH!
Bruno takes a step back.
Bruno: I won’t pursue you any further, Wes. I will not take a step forward from this spot.
Wes: Huh?
Bruno: Playing dumb, are we? Fine, I will move further back.
Bruno takes 8 steps backward.
Bruno: There! Does that satisfy you!
Wes: I- I- I- Uh… I don’t know what’s going on here.
Bruno: GODDAMN YOU! FINE! I will pursue the other team!
Bruno starts running towards Silver and Justus.
Wes: I- I’m so confused…
Verity: At least that leaves more time for us to get along.
Wes: NO! NO! NO!
Verity picks up the bullets.
Wes: NOOOO!
Silver senses something.
Silver: Justus! On your right!
Justus: Huh?
Bruno throws a punch at Justus, but Justus grabs his fist with both hands stopping the attack.
Justus: I thought you said your battle was with Wes!
Bruno: Our fight is currently on pause. I have turned my attention to you!
Bruno kicks Justus’ thigh wound.
Justus: Ah!
Justus falls to a knee. Bruno rips his fist free of Justus’ grip and punches him aside.
Bruno: Now, I’ll be taking the crown.
Silver: That’s unlikely.
Silver shrouds himself in silver dust.
Silver: Justus may be a pushover, but I’m not.
Bruno: You say that, but…
Silver: Hm?
Bruno looks at Silver’s wobbly legs.
Bruno: You’re slowly losing a lot of blood. Soon you’ll be unable to stand, and when you fall, I’ll be given the perfect moment to finish you.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Silver: *frustrated grunt* (Normally, I’d attack him now, but if I make one mistake, he gets the crown. I have to rely on Justus, unfortunately.)
Silver looks at Justus.
Silver: Hey, wimp! I could use some assistance!
Justus slowly gets to his feet.
Justus: (These leg wounds aren’t doing me any favors…)
Justus charges Bruno.
Justus: Hammer of Justice!
Justus punches Bruno, breaking his own hand.
Justus: AHH!
Justus falls to a knee holding his broken hand while Bruno laughs at him.
Bruno: You seriously punched the man made of diamond?
Justus: *frustrated grunt*
Silver returns his silver dust to his canisters.
Bruno: Hm?
Silver coats his arms in a layer of silver, and spikes emerge from his biceps and outer forearms.
Silver: Justus, guard the crown. I’ll try my hand with him!
Silver rushes at Bruno.
Silver: Take this!
Silver punches Bruno. It doesn’t affect him in the slightest.
Bruno: You realize silver is an extremely soft metal compared to diamond, right?
Silver’s metallic sleeve starts to crack at the fist.
Justus: (What was Silver thinking?)
Bruno laughs.
Bruno: See? What did I tell y- huh?
Suddenly the silver dust emerges from Silver’s canisters and engulfs Bruno’s entire body. Silver smiles.
Silver: It’s humorous that you started off today recognizing that you underestimated Wes, but you made the mistake of underestimating me.
Silver rips his arm free of the dust pile.
Justus: (I see, Silver used Ash’s plan in reverse… Bruno thought Silver wanted a hand-to-hand fight, but actually, he just wanted an excuse to get closer.)
Silver tosses the silver pile with Bruno inside of it aside.
Silver: If you lost to Wes twice, you don’t stand a chance against me.
Silver starts walking towards Bruno.
Silver: Now, if you promise to go back to fighting Wes, I’ll happily free you from-
Silver’s eyes widen.
Silver: Wh- *grunts*
Justus: Huh?
Silver falls to his knees, covering his ears.
Silver: Dammit…
The spectators are surprised.
Lilith: What’s going on?
The 2-B students start snickering.
Lilith: Huh?
Eve: This isn’t Bruno’s doing, Lilith.
Lilith: It’s not?
Eve: No, and I think I know whose it is.
Whitney is letting out a siren song that is entirely silent in Silver’s direction.
Eve: I fought her during the Final Exams. Her siren screeches are freaking annoying. Once they get inside your inner ear, you become completely disoriented, making it difficult to even walk.
Alexis: An ability like that could be very effective against Silver.
Silver’s ears are ringing, and he’s extremely dizzy.
Silver: (Shit, it’s like I’m seeing double.)
Bruno’s arm emerges from the dust mound.
Silver: (Crap…)
Bruno digs his way out of the pile and starts walking toward Silver.
Bruno: Unlike you, I actually have teammates I trust and rely on.
Silver: Fuck y-
Bruno kicks Silver into the wall.
Silver: *groans*
Bruno: Now then.
Bruno approaches Justus.
Bruno: I’ll be taking that crown.
Zach swings continuously at Ash. Ash dodges by stepping back with each attack.
Ash: (Ah, man, I can’t take over Zach’s body again for at least another few minutes, and I’m bleeding pretty badly. I’ve gotta come up with something quick!)
Zach: (Come on, come on, keep going backward!)
Ash backs into the wall.
Ash: (Oh no!)
Zach: Yes! Take this!
Ash: (Oh crap! This is it if I don’t do something! Think! Think!)
Ash reaches in her pocket, pulls out pepper spray, and sprays Zach.
Zach: AHHHHHHH!
Zach falls to the ground in agonizing pain.
Ash: S- s- sorry, Zach…
Zach: WHY DO YOU HAVE PEPPER SPRAY!
Ash: Why do you wear cleats at all times?
Zach: THAT ISN’T A FAIR COMPARISON!
Ash: I have it to fend off attackers.
Zach: WHAT THE HECK!
Hunt is impressed.
Hunt: That was very effective.
Adrian: Ash is pretty clever.
Eve: All she did was mace the dude…
Zach slowly recovers.
Ash: (Oh, I have to hit him right now!)
Ash kicks Zach.
Zach: Did a feather just land on me?
Ash: (Okay… maybe not…)
Zach: Ash… tell me something.
Ash: Huh?
Zach: What did you do to get stronger? I mean, discovering a new aspect of your quirk. That astral bomb thing was pretty cool.
Ash: Well… it’s a long story.
A flashback begins.
Ash is sitting on her bed with her phone in her hand, looking nervous.
Ash: (It’s okay, Ash, you’re just calling a friend… who happens to be male… for advice. That’s all; nothing is weird about it. It’s not like he didn’t give you his phone number, and you had to track it down through the internet. Oh god! I’m psyching myself out! Just do it!)
Ash calls someone on her phone.
Ash: (Maybe he won’t pick up… a voicemail would be easy enough.)
Justus’ phone starts ringing; he picks it up and answers.
Justus: Hello?
Ash: (WHO PICKS UP IMMEDIATELY FOR A RANDOM NUMBER!)
Justus: Hello? Is anyone there?
Ash: Uh… hi… Justus.
Justus: Is that… Ash?
Ash: Oh yeah! It’s me, Ash!
Justus: What are you calling about?
Ash: (He’s not questioning how I got his number?) Uh… I was wondering if you could train me. (OH GOD, THAT SOUNDS PARTIALLY DIRTY!)
Justus: Um, okay, I can try to help.
Ash: R- really?
Justus: Of course, just may I ask what exactly you want to train?
Ash: Wh- what do you mean?
Justus: There are three things every fighter should train, their mind, body, and spirit. However, in the world of quirks, you could say that is the fourth. Since my quirk is very simple, I can only train my body to improve my power. However, I compensate for that by training my mind and spirit so I can fight with both intelligence and courage. So the question is, what do you want to improve?
Ash thinks for a moment.
Ash: I guess… I wish my quirk wasn’t just for support. I won’t lie. I get envious watching you guys fight hard and use your quirks creatively. I wish I could do that, but my quirk is also very simple.
Justus: Are you sure of that?
Ash: Huh?
Justus: You claim your quirk only gives you the ability to enter the astral world, but that’s not exactly true. Your ghost combat ability allows you to pull others into it as well. Maybe you have more control over the astral plane than you initially thought. Keep in mind that quirks don’t evolve. The way to make yours stronger is to discover new applications and ideas. Being a good fighter is simple; you just need to be physically strong, but to be a great one… you always have to be thinking of new and inventive ways to increase your power.
“ Colossus: They belong to different people; your quirk is what you make of it. “ - Chapter 23
Justus: Your quirk is what you make of it. Don’t just assume you’ve exhausted all possibilities. A true warrior is always thinking.
Ash: That… that makes sense. Thanks, Justus.
Justus smiles.
Justus: Don’t mention it. Can I ask you one question, though?
Ash: Hm? Sure.
Justus: Why me? Why ask me for help? I know Hayze is gone, but Alexis, Saige, or Kevin could have helped.
Ash: Well… I guess because I’m worried about you being alone all the time.
Justus blushes.
Ash: I know you’re a loner, but I thought if we could be better friends, maybe that could lead to you spending more time with the rest of the class… sorry, I guess this is kind of rude to say.
Justus: No, it’s fine… Thank you. What time do you want to meet?
Ash: Uh, how does tomorrow at noon sound?
Justus: That’s fine, I have to go now, but I’ll see you then.
Ash: Okay, goodbye.
Ash and Justus hang up their phones. Justus looks out the window of his room.
“ Colossus: You are Justus; your path is yours, don’t think that because I’m your father that our paths need to be the same for you to reach your goal, and more importantly than anything, don’t walk it alone. “ - Chapter 23
Justus: (Father, I hope I can make you proud.)
Ash lies down in her bed.
Ash: (If I want to be better, I have to put the work in. I don’t want to be the nice girl that always needs others' help. I can be independent and strong.)
The flashback ends.
Ash: In short, Justus helped train me to use my quirk this way, and I’m forever grateful to him.
Zach: (What Justus said to her… “A true warrior is always thinking.” maybe that’s my problem.)
Ash: Anyway! It’s time for me to prove that I have grown!
Zach: Huh?
Ash places her palms together, and her eyes flash bright blue for a second.
Zach: Oh no!
Ash: Ghost Combat: Astral Minefield!
Zach is suddenly bombarded by a ton of miniature explosions that send him flying through the air.
Zach: (I lost… to Ash, maybe it’s time I… rethought some things...)
Zach smashes into the ground, unconscious.
Hunt: Zach Crawford from the Green Team has been knocked unconscious and therefore eliminated.
Aaron scoffs.
Aaron: (I beat him in 15 seconds flat. She has nothing to be proud of.)
Justus struggles to stand.
Bruno: Don’t even try it. I’ll put you right back in the ground.
Lilith looks concerned.
Lilith: What’s going on with Justus? He hasn’t looked like himself this whole fight.
Hayze: He’s lost a lot of blood, more than Silver has. It’s affecting his ability to think straight at this point, and that’s without mentioning his speed loss due to those injuries.
Alexis: Yeah, and he lost his shield in the previous round. That acts as both his defense and long-range attack. So he’s at a severe disadvantage to Bruno.
Bruno walks past Justus en route to the crown.
Bruno: Good, I’m glad you’re not stupid enough to endure more punishment than necessary.
Justus: We’ve already proven that my punches are ineffective against you, but I have a question…
Bruno: Hm?
Justus: If you take the crown now… wouldn’t that leave you vulnerable to a defeat at Wes’ hands?
Bruno’s eyes widen.
Justus: I mean, all he’d have to do is just take it from-
Bruno backs off.
Bruno: You may keep the crown.
Justus: Good…
Justus keels over, barely conscious.
Bruno: I must defeat him at all costs…
Silver slowly approaches the throne, still dizzy from Whitney’s attack.
Silver: How about you and I cut a deal then?
Wes continues crawling towards Aaron.
Wes: (If I just drag Yul back into the cell…)
Verity: I’d recommend taking your beating now. Bruno will not stop until you’ve received it.
Wes: Oh yeah? Well, screw him!
Silver approaches Wes.
Wes: Oh god…
Silver: Wes, I’m here to help.
Wes: R- really?
Silver: Yes, give me your hand.
Wes’ eyes light up.
Wes: Thank you, Silver! I always knew-
Silver: I’ve got him!
Wes: Wh- what?
Silver binds Wes to the wall using his silver dust.
Wes: NOOOOOO!
Silver: He’s all yours!
Bruno: Thank you.
Bruno walks up to Wes.
Bruno: Do you know what kind of shame I went through after the Sports Festival and Final Exams? Those were the two most important moments of our first year, and I failed to impress anyone… because of you.
Wes: Oh, come on! The first time was an accident!
Bruno: I am aware, but that doesn’t excuse anything. Being one of the few that couldn’t finish the Final Exams haunted me. Those days lying in that infirmary bed were hell. I came to this school to be a hero, and you symbolize my failures. So, to be a better hero, I must exorcise my demons and defeat you. This is nothing personal, and I hope we can be friends after this.
Wes: WHAT THE FUCK!
Bruno winds back his fist.
Bruno: TAKE THIS!
Wes: AHHHHHHHH!
Bruno begins beating the absolute shit out of Wes.
Bruno: DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA DORA!
Wes: AHHHHHHHHHH!
Wes falls to the ground in a bloody pulp.
Bruno: Dora.
Wes: *groans*
Hunt: Wes Zunino from the Green Team has been knocked unconscious and eliminated.
Bruno turns to Silver.
Bruno: You have fulfilled your end of the bargain. I will fulfill mine.
Bruno and Silver walk over to Whitney.
Whitney: Wh- what’s going on?
Bruno: He may capture our flag now. I made a deal.
Whitney: B- b- but-
Bruno: Please, Whitney.
Whitney: *sighs* Fine.
Silver binds their third-year.
Hunt: The Lime team’s flag has been captured, which means participating members Bruno Nurkic, Verity Larson, and Whitney White, alongside Hailey Stone and Talon Stafford, have been eliminated.
Aaron turns back to the cell.
Aaron: Come on, Yul. There’s nothing else to do.
Aaron and Yul return to the cell.
Hunt: The Green Team’s flag has retreated to their respective cell. With no other competitors remaining, the Blue Team wins Round 4!
Silver and Ash reconvene at the throne.
Ash: Justus? Are you alright?
Justus: I am very uh… wiped out.
Silver: That goes for all of us… my ears are still ringing, and we each are bleeding badly. I can barely stand at this point…
Ash: Yeah… this will be a tough one to win…
Wes wakes up.
Wes: H- huh?
His head is in Verity’s lap.
Wes: Wh- OH GOD!
Wes can’t move.
Verity: Don’t worry, my thighs are cushioning your head.
Wes: GET AWAY FROM ME!
Verity: No… I don’t think I will.
Wes: Wh- was this what you were after all along? You helped that guy beat the shit out of me, so you force me to use your lap as a pillow?
Verity doesn’t answer.
Wes: YOU CRAZY BITCH!
Verity: To be fair, you put yourself in this mess.
Wes: Huh? What?
Verity: You were so afraid of Bruno beating you that it never once crossed your mind that you had already defeated Bruno once. I know because I read your thoughts.
Wes: What are you getting at?
Verity: Your biggest weakness, Wes, is your preconceived notion that you will fail. With everything you do, you walk in with the mindset that you’ve already messed up and have 0 chance at success. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. As a result, you fail to recognize your own talent because you’ve convinced yourself you have none. Notice how you’ve only accomplished anything when you said “screw it” and just acted without second-guessing yourself? Maybe this wouldn’t have happened had you recognized that Bruno was an opponent you’ve already vanquished before and acted accordingly.
Wes doesn’t have a response.
Verity: Just something to think about.
Zach and Wes are carted off to the infirmary. Verity leaves with Wes while Bruno, Whitney, Hailey, and Talon take their seats in the stands.
Hunt: You have the next minute to decide whether you will compete in this round for the remaining two teams.
Eve: Well, that’s a no-brainer.
Karma: This’ll be interesting with how beaten and battered Justus, Silver, and Ash are.
Alexis: (Aaron still hasn’t fought… and I think I know why…)
The last two team’s gates open. Out of one comes Aaron, Demetri, and Isaiah, and out of the other comes Gus.
Gus: *groans*
Hunt: Let the fifth and final round commence!
Aaron laughs.
Aaron: I’ll be claiming my crown now.
Aaron starts walking towards the throne.
Isaiah: Uh… Aaron, what do you want us to do?
Aaron: Stay out of my way.
Justus slowly gets to his knees.
Ash: What do we do?
Silver: I’ll hold him off; you two try to recover as best you can.
Silver approaches Aaron.
Aaron: Oh, you’re approaching me?
Silver: Yeah, I am, douchebag.
Aaron transforms his arms into M429 light machine guns.
Aaron: Let’s see how you handle this!
Aaron starts firing a barrage of bullets.
Aaron: ENJOY THIS HELLFIRE!
Silver cascades a wall of silver dust to block all of Aaron’s shots. However, none make contact with the wall.
Silver: Huh? Where did they go?
Suddenly the barrage of bullets comes blasting out of the ground beneath Silver.
Silver: AHHHH!
Silver gets blasted into the air before smacking into the ground unconscious.
Hunt: Silver Verdugo from the Blue Team has been knocked unconscious and eliminated.
Justus and Ash are both surprised, as is everyone spectating.
Karma: Since when was that a part of Aaron’s repertoire!
Hayze flashes back to the bullet exit holes they found after Aaron badly beat Zach and Jace.
Hayze: (So that’s how…)
Aaron continues walking toward the throne.
Ash: I’ll try something!
Ash places her hands together, and her eyes flash light blue for a moment.
Aaron: Like that will work!
Aaron fires off a barrage detonating the entire minefield Ash placed.
Ash: Oh crap…
Aaron transforms his arms into shotguns, and shotgun blasts himself straight into Ash’s face.
Aaron: No chance!
Aaron shotgun blasts Ash in the chest, sending her flying before she smacks to the ground unconscious.
Hunt: Ash Wright from the Blue Team has been knocked unconscious and eliminated.
Karma: This is a massacre…
Eve: What do you expect? Aaron’s fresh while they just went through a ton of brutal fights.
Lilith: They didn’t stand a chance…
Justus tries to punch Aaron, but Aaron reverts one of his arms to normal and snatches Justus’ wrist.
Aaron: Looks like I win!
Aaron breaks Justus’ wrist and kicks him in the chest, knocking him out cold. Justus rolls against the dirt before coming to a halt.
Hunt: Justus Grey from the Blue Team has been knocked unconscious and eliminated.
Aaron grabs the crown off Aster’s head.
Aaron: Ah… it feels good to be victorious!
Aaron turns to Demetri and Isaiah.
Aaron: Will you two losers bring Yul over here so we can claim our victory?
Demetri and Isaiah look at each other.
Demetri: *under his breath* Fucking douchebag…
Isaiah: *under his breath* Hate this guy…
Demetri and Isaiah begin escorting Yul to the throne.
Aaron: Well, just as I predicted, I came out on-
Aaron feels the crown get ripped from his grasp.
Aaron: Wh-
Aaron slowly turns to see Gus has snuck up behind him and taken the crown.
Aaron: Wh- wh- I-
Hunt: The Green team has lost possession of the crown which means remaining team members Aaron Zamora, Demetri Perish, Isaiah Ware, and Jace Neil have been eliminated.
Everyone is shocked.
Demetri and Isaiah: AARON, YOU DOLT!
Aaron: Wh- that’s not fair! He didn’t fight me for it!
Hunt: Nowhere in the rules did it say he had to.
Aaron: *frustrated grunt*
Gus bolts over to Tyson and places the crown on his head.
Tyson: I always knew this would work out!
Gus: Did I do good?
Tyson: No.
Tyson takes a seat on the throne.
Hunt: The Red Team wins! Everyone, please gather in the arena.
Ash, Justus, and Silver are carted off to the infirmary as the remaining members of classes 2-A and 2-B assemble in the center.
[https://i.ibb.co/Wthdzh3/2a48640050b309574da2a07aa570ccbe.png]
Hunt: I’m glad the exercise went well for the most part. Some of you had… interesting priorities. But, some of you did impress me. Keep in mind that you’re taking the Provisional Licensing Exam far earlier than any other class at U.A., so if you want to pass, you need to work hard and not get distracted. Also, remember the words your third-years said at the start.
“ Aster: Anyway, I’m glad that all of you are here. We’ve been working with you for the last three weeks, and I hope you’ve gathered a strong sense of what we were trying to teach. Mainly, you must understand that the people you’re protecting are your first priority. Being a hero is built on selflessness. If you put your own agenda before the safety of others, you’re not pro-hero material.
Daniele steps forward.
Daniele: You need to be acutely aware of the villain’s priorities. These can vary from villain to villain but remember they might not be looking to pick a fight with you. If they’re, for example, robbing a bank, the money will be more important to them than you are.
Yul steps forward.
Yul: Logic also prevails above all. That doesn’t mean you should disregard your emotions, but you cannot allow them to cloud your judgment. Even if things go wrong, if you were making intelligent choices the entire time, you can say you did everything you could.
Tyson steps forward.
Tyson: And keep in mind that this is the entertainment business too. If you’re gonna fight, make it flashy. “ - Chapter 117
Hunt: Those four things are what you were judged upon, and I have compiled a list of everyone in the class who passed this exercise. I will not explain to you why you did or did not fail. If you cannot figure it out for yourself… well, that’s a problem.
[https://i.ibb.co/7WLbgpZ/16bc93cf00a6e62add36192000405b92.png]
Everyone stares at the list.
Eve: Only 7 people passed…
Karma: Out of 39, no less…
Hunt: To be fair, Tobias and Hayze would have passed if not for the incident between them at the end of round 3.
Hayze looks unphased.
Aaron: What the hell! How come I didn’t pass! I didn’t win, but I took out an entire team myself!
Hunt: I said I wouldn’t argue.
Aaron: I want an explanation!
Adrian: Aaron, did you ever ask yourself why the third-years served as flags for this exercise?
Aaron: Huh?
Adrian: It was so we could get an analysis of your behavior at all times. Yul, do you have a comment?
Yul: Aaron’s obsession with being on the winning team was a significant obstacle for his teammates to overcome. They could not enter until the fourth round per Aaron’s wishes, and Aaron only accompanied them to spectate, putting them at a disadvantage. His desires were his only priority.
Aaron: Wasn’t the point of the exercise to find an opportunity for ourselves and take it? I took down three people in a minute flat!
Hunt: You call that an opportunity?
Aaron: What did you say?
Hunt: All you did was finish off three wounded and tired people. That’s about as impressive as someone counting to three. The accomplishments of Alec, Bruno, and Zach to get those three to that condition were far more spectacular than what you did. You were selfish and picked on the weak. That’s not what a good hero does.
Aaron: This is bullshit!
Hunt: Yeah, you can think about that while you’re failing your test.
Aaron storms off in frustration.
Hunt: Any other “questions?”
Everyone is silent.
Lilith: Good job, Blair!
Eve: Yeah, you’re the only one here right now that passed.
Blair: Yeah, but I kind of feel bad…
Eve: Don’t think about him, be happy for yourself.
Jace watches Blair with frustration on his face.
Jace: (Of course! When I need her self-confidence at its lowest, she gets hoisted up like a victory trophy!)
Alexis laughs.
Alexis: Yeah! You did great, Blair!
Alexis slaps Blair on the back, accidentally unhooking her bra.
Blair: AH!
Blair falls to her knees and covers her chest.
Alexis: Huh?
Jace shrugs.
Jace: (Well, I guess that works.)
Hayze stares at the list.
Hayze: (If I failed because of what I did… and I’m okay with that.)
After everyone is dismissed, Hayze goes to the infirmary.
Hayze: (Let’s see…)
Hayze knocks on a door.
Saige: *muffled* Come in.
Hayze enters.
Saige: Oh… it’s you.
Hayze: Okay, I’ll leave.
Saige: No! You can stay…
Hayze takes a seat next to Saige in her bed.
Hayze: How are you feeling?
Saige’s face and right arm are very bruised.
Saige: I’m… alright…
Hayze: You sure?
Saige is silent for a few moments.
Saige: You- you didn’t have to step in.
Hayze: I didn’t, huh? So what, you were okay with him beating you like that?
Saige: No, of course not.
Hayze: Then why?
Saige: I heard Chagrin’s voice today, not by my own choice. That’s the first time that’s happened in a long time…
Hayze: So you felt ashamed? Embarrassed over what was happening?
Saige: Yeah… I haven’t felt that way in a long time. I was so cocky… I deserved what he was giving me.
Hayze: Hey, don’t say that.
Saige: Huh?
Hayze: That’s Chagrin talking right there. She’s supposed to make you feel that way. But, Saige, one of my favorite parts about you is that you are yourself and are unapologetic about it. Don’t ever be ashamed of who you are.
Saige: Are you saying you like that I’m arrogant?
Hayze: We’re all a little arrogant, Saige. But I like the fact that you don’t… that you don’t censor yourself for other people. You lost today, and that’s okay.
Saige: Oh yeah, really? The Saige I was back last year would have never lost like that.
Hayze: The Saige you were last year wouldn’t have ever stepped foot in that arena.
Saige is taken aback.
Hayze: Chagrin is your shame, so to counteract that, you become more flirtatious, outgoing, and… aware of your beauty, but you also became the opposite of Chagrin. You became overly prideful. You avoided circumstances where you could be embarrassed at all costs to avoid Chagrin’s influence. That’s not healthy. Today, fighting in that exercise, you should be happy to put yourself in that position. I know I was… and that’s why when he started hitting you… I couldn’t let him put you down like that. Saige… we’re in this together, fighting our demons. You reminded me of that when you came out to Alaska, so I needed to remind you now.
Saige stares at Hayze for a few moments.
Saige: Thanks, Hayze. You’re right… I am happy.
Hayze: That’s good.
Hayze stands up.
Hayze: I’ve gotta go back to the dorm to help with making dinner; we’re kind of short-handed tonight. See you.
Saige: Goodbye.
Hayze walks to the door to leave.
Saige: Hayze.
Hayze: Hm?
Saige: You called me beautiful!
Hayze: I hate you.
Hayze leaves.
Saige: (When I first came back to Nashville… I told myself it was to help Hayze, but I think, in reality, it was so I could help myself too.)