Alexis and Aaron approach the center of the arena.
Hunt: Alright, it’s time to select the terrain.
The selection TV reappears next to Hunt.
Aaron: (I’m fine with anywhere.)
Alexis: (This doesn’t matter to me at all.)
The screen starts randomizing through various locations.
Kevin: Boy, what are the chances these two would get matched up against each other?
Silver: Statistically speaking, pretty low.
Eve: Well, we’ll see how it goes for them.
Grace leaps down from the higher up seats and lands between them.
Blair: Where did you come from?
Grace: I thought I’d join you guys. You’re way more fun than my classmates.
Jace, Sydney, and Tobias are all sitting separately from one another in the spectator’s section. Grace plops herself in a seat.
Grace: So, what’s the history between these two?
Eve: How do you know they have history?
Grace: You can read in their body language. There is a lot of tension. So, what’s up?
Ash: Alexis and Aaron had a bit of a uh… what would you call it?
Eve: Flirtmance?
Ash: That works; that lasted most of our first year until they had a falling out after the Final Exams.
Eve: Then Aaron went off to train across the country, and nobody heard from him for about two months. It’s been awkward between the two of them ever since.
Grace: Why did they have a falling out?
Eve: From Alexis’ recounts, she says it’s her fault, but I think they’re both partially to blame.
Blair: And now Aaron is like a completely different person since his training. Much more of an asshole.
Eve: Alexis is convinced she can help Aaron get back to being the person he was and fix their relationship, but I’m skeptical.
Grace: Oh, that’s awesome! It’s like a little soap opera down there!
The screen is still randomizing.
Hunt: Ugh… did this thing break again?
Hunt smacks the TV, and it instantly stops on Tundra.
Aaron: *grunts*
Alexis: Something wrong?
Aaron: Of course not.
A blinding light blares. Alexis and Aaron find themselves in a vast Tundra. Aaron looks around at his surroundings.
Alexis: I think I know what this reminds you of...
Aaron: Hm?
Alexis: You went training out in Colorado for two months. You came back with a bad attitude and a hypothermic scar. What happened to you?
Aaron: That’s none of your concern. This is a fight, not a conversation.
Aaron transforms his arm into a pistol.
Alexis: Oh, is that right? Let me guess, the only thing you care about is winning.
Aaron: Of course, the only thing that matters in a fight is who comes up victorious.
Alexis: Not in this fight.
Aaron: What are you talking about?
Alexis: How we handle this match is the only thing that matters. Keep in mind we’re still trying to pass an exam here.
Aaron doesn’t respond.
Alexis: If I was to forfeit right now, you’d win, but it would do nothing for you to pass this exam.
Aaron: What are you getting at?
Alexis: Don’t you want to become a hero, Aaron? Isn’t that your goal? Isn’t that why you’re attending U.A. in the first place?
Alexis tosses her paper cloak aside.
Alexis: I refuse to fight you, Aaron.
Aaron: *frustrated grunt* Why not!
Alexis: Because this is the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam. The people who take this exam do so with the aspiration of becoming her. So why should I humor someone who clearly has no interest in that? If you want your meaningless victory, you can have it.
Hunt suddenly appears.
Hunt: Ms. Meadows, I have to ask for clarification here. Is this an official forfeit?
Alexis: That’s for Aaron to decide. If he just wants to hear the words “The winner is Aaron Zamora'' to make his fragile ego feel better, I forfeit, but if he wants to actually have a fight and prove he deserves to be a hero, I’ll happily continue.
Hunt turns to Aaron.
Hunt: Mr. Zamora?
Aaron is silent.
Alexis: Well? It’s all about winning, right?
Everyone in the stands is on the edge of their seat.
Eve: This is a bold move, Alexis.
Ash: All that matters to Aaron is winning. Of course, he’ll tell her to forfeit.
Kevin: He’d be a bitch if he does…
Silver: And an idiot. You can’t pass the exam if you don’t fight.
Hayze watches intently.
Hayze: (Alexis has pushed Aaron into a corner. If he accepts her forfeit, he admits he doesn’t care about becoming a hero anymore. But if he doesn’t, he’s telling her that winning isn’t his only priority, and he accepts that not all victories are equal. So no matter what he does, he looks like a fool.)
Aaron transforms his arm back to normal.
Alexis: Well?
Aaron punches Alexis in the face sending her flying into the dirt.
Alexis: *groans*
Aaron: I don’t need you to forfeit to win. I’ll just knock you out and show how powerful I am. You’re not even gonna fight back.
Alexis: So, you’re saying you care about passing?
Aaron: No, if I can kill two birds with one stone, why shouldn’t I?
Alexis: Really? Because it sounds to me like you care about something other than winning!
Aaron transforms his arm into a shotgun.
Aaron: Shut the hell up! All that matters to me is walking away the victor!
Alexis: So you want me to forfeit then?
Aaron: *frustrated grunt*
Alexis slowly gets to her feet.
Alexis: You know what’s funny, Aaron? We would have fought in the second round if I had defeated Will during the Sports Festival.
Aaron: Okay.
Alexis: I know deep down you really wish that had happened because you wanted to see what a fight between the two of us would have looked like. So, I’m guessing that my boycotting this match is really pissing you off?
Aaron: No.
Alexis: Really? So you don’t mind if I forfeit?
Aaron doesn’t respond.
Alexis: Alright then, if you won’t give me a straight answer, I’ll give you the count of five to tell me not to forfeit. 5…
Hayze’s eyes narrow.
Hayze: (Aaron really wants to fight Alexis, but he also wants to win. Now Aaron has to choose… what matters more to him?)
Alexis smiles.
Alexis: 4… 3… 2…
Aaron is silent.
Alexis: Fine then, I, Alexis Meadows, forf-
Aaron: Stop!
Everyone is surprised.
Alexis: So… you admit you want an actual match?
Aaron: Fine, whatever, let’s just fight!
Alexis: No.
Aaron: What? I said-
Alexis: First, tell me what happened to you in Colorado. Then we’ll fight.
Aaron grinds his teeth.
Aaron: Before the Final Exams, Wes said something to me.
“ Wes: Sure, you were able to handle one of your Howitzer Burst attacks, something that you’ve never been able to do before, which means your durability has gotten better, but that also means that the attack isn’t increasing in strength if you were getting stronger on both sides then that would mean that every time you get hit by the move you take the same amount of damage, no less, no more. “ - Chapter 58
Aaron: Then, during the exams, I was defeated with ease by Hayze and Tobias.
“ Tobias: Teams work with one another and help each other. You do neither of those things, you hope your team will help you, but you always try to do everything yourself. I knew this would devolve into you shooing off your teammates to try and engage me. “ - Chapter 67
Aaron: I realized I wasn’t improving… I was stagnating. I was a semi-finalist in the Sports Festival, but then I struggled to defeat two high-ranking members of the hero course. I thought I was strong enough to handle the likes of Justus and Silver, but clearly, I wasn’t… everyone was getting stronger, but not me. Why? The question rang through my head throughout the rest of the exam. I had to RELY on Lilith and Gus to defeat Tobias when we ran into him again… it was humiliating to admit I was weak. I took it out on Tobias and Alec by hatching a plan that humiliated them. Tobias was left speechless by it, but that’s not who I am or what I want to be. I should be self-sufficient. I could take down any strong foe by myself. Any allies I have should merely make the fight easier. This led me to seek Big Tank’s advice, and he told me about a training exercise he performed back when he struggled to improve his power. I traveled to Colorado and met a woman who lived in a cabin deep in the mountains.
A flashback begins.
Aaron knocks on the door of the log cabin.
Voice: *muffled* Come in.
Aaron enters the cabin. An old woman is sitting at a table drinking tea.
Aaron: Hi, I’m Aar-
Old Woman: I’ve been expecting you, Aaron. Please, take a seat.
Aaron: R- right.
Aaron takes a seat at the table.
Old Woman: My name is Barbara. What’s yours?
Aaron: I- you… you already said it.
Barbara: Not that one.
Aaron: Oh… right, my name is Howitzer.
Barbara: That’s sad.
Aaron: Wh- WHAT!
Barbara: Naming yourself after your strongest attack… that’s like Colossus calling himself Punch.
Aaron: Hey, I like it, and that’s all that matters, and… wait a second, you know my best attack?
Barbara: Big Tank spoke highly of you, so I did my research. I wouldn’t have told him to send you here if I didn’t feel you were a candidate.
Aaron: For your training?
Barbara: No, for the trial.
Aaron: Trial?
Barbara: A long, long journey of self-discovery. Those who embark on it are sure to come back as different people than they were before.
Aaron: And Big Tank went on this trial?
Barbara: Yes, when he stepped through that door, he was a rambunctious hothead with difficulties growing his power.
Aaron: *grunts*
Barbara: I assume that’s your problem as well?
Aaron: Yes, yes it is.
Barbara: Well, I cannot guarantee this trial will fix that, but if you complete it. There’s a chance it might.
Aaron: What do you mean by that?
Barbara: A few moments ago, I said that those who embark on the trial come back different than they were before. I didn’t say better. The trial’s lesson is to be interpreted by the one who completes it. That doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically fix your problem.
Aaron: Hm…
Barbara: This could be the most arduous task of your entire life, Howitzer. With that in mind, do you still wish to start the trial?
Aaron: Of course, I didn’t come this far to turn back and leave!
Barbara: All you must do to prove that you are worthy of taking on this trial is answer one question.
Aaron: And that is?
Barbara: Have you ever loved?
Aaron: Wh- what?
Barbara: Have you ever loved? It’s a simple question.
Aaron: Yeah, I heard you, but what does that have to do with this?
Barbara: Just answer the question, and I’ll tell you.
Aaron: *sighs* I… I’m not sure.
Barbara: That is the correct answer.
Aaron: Huh?
Barbara: If a boy your age told me he’s experienced true love, I’d know he’s far too hysterical to complete this trial. It would probably do more harm than good. And if they told me a definitive no, they’d either be a liar or a loser.
Aaron: (I guess that makes Wes a loser.) Fair system.
Barbara gets up and walks over to a drawer.
Barbara: You’ll start the trial today.
Aaron: Today?
Barbara opens the drawer and pulls out three things, a machete, a canteen, and a flare gun. She places all of them on the table in front of Aaron.
Barbara: You will leave my house with just these items and the clothes on your back. Your other possessions must stay. Your task is to survive in the wilderness for 60 days.
Aaron: Th- that’s it?
Barbara: If you wish to give up, fire this flare into the sky, and I will retrieve you.
Aaron: Wait, you’re kidding, right? I just have to survive in the woods for two months? I can do that in my sleep!
Barbara: I assume so, but what if I told you the only rule of this trial is that you cannot use your quirk under any circumstance?
Aaron: Wh- what! Are you serious?
Barbara: Deadly.
Aaron: I came here to get stronger! How am I supposed to do that if I go for two months without using my quirk? That’s counterproductive!
Barbara: You see how you’re reacting right now?
Aaron: Huh?
Barbara: You’re here because you’re struggling to get stronger, but you’re afraid of completing a simple task without your quirk? Have you ever stopped to consider your reliance on your ability is the problem? Maybe it isn’t you that is struggling to improve. Perhaps you’ve reached the ceiling of your quirk’s power?
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Aaron: (That… that makes sense.)
Barbara: If you survive this trial, I guarantee you’ll be stronger because of it.
Aaron: Okay… I’ll do it.
Barbara: Good, then just step out of my house and begin.
Aaron grabs the machete, canteen, and flare gun and walks to the front door.
Barbara: Good luck.
Aaron walks out of the cabin.
Aaron: Do you just want me to start walking or-
Aaron turns around. The cabin is gone leaving him in the tundra by himself.
Aaron (Naratting): At first, I thought it would be simple… with the snow, I had a practically infinite supply of water, but that was about the end of my fortunes. Without the use of my quirk, I couldn’t start a fire on my own, and without flint or matches... the only way I could even attempt to create one was by rubbing sticks together.
A montage begins with Aaron trying to start a fire using sticks.
Aaron (Naratting): I spent hours trying it, but the cold made it next to impossible, and the longer I went, the more tired I got. That made it even harder to create enough friction. Without fire, I couldn’t hunt animals because I wouldn’t have been able to cook them. Eating raw meat was too risky. But, as much as not having a fire exacerbated my food problem, not having any source of warmth was killing me. Each night was like having thousands of ice-cold daggers stabbed into each particle of your body over and over again. It was fucking hell. Because I had water, I was able to go for nearly a week before things got desperate. You see, without fire, I was slowly starving to death. I was able to eat berries, but that wasn’t enough. When starvation starts to kick in, sleep deprivation comes with it. I couldn’t sleep to regain energy, and your body needs to burn a certain number of calories to create heat and maintain a healthy, comfortable body temperature. On top of the already sub-freezing temperature weather around me, I was freezing to death. On Day 8, I realized I needed to find a way to be warm if I wanted any chance of survival. I needed to kill an animal and take shelter in its sternum. The problem was that the only animal I could find that was big enough to do that with was a black bear.
Aaron spots a black bear walking through the tundra. He hides behind a tree. Aaron’s body looks visibly weaker like he lost over 20 pounds. He’s breathing heavily and shaking from the cold.
Aaron: (All I have is this machete, I have to sneak up on it and jab it right in the skull. I don’t have a lot of energy, so I have to make this quick.)
Aaron slowly sneaks toward the bear.
Aaron: (Please… this has to work…)
Aaron hides behind the tree only a few feet away from the bear.
Aaron: (Now!)
Aaron runs out and tries to slice his machete into the bear’s head, but it reacts immediately and whips Aaron into the tree.
Aaron: *groans* (It… it knew…) *grunts* (The snow! It heard my footsteps and knew I was an attacker!)
The bear roars and charges at Aaron.
Aaron: (Shit!)
Aaron tries to crawl away, but his body is too fatigued.
Aaron: (No! No! No!)
The bear chomps down on Aaron’s upper right arm.
Aaron: AHHHHHHH!
Aaron grabs the machete and stabs it into the bear’s neck. The bear rips out a chunk of Aaron’s flesh and roars in pain.
Aaron: AHHHHHHH! FUUUUCK!
The machete hangs from the bear’s neck, stuck in its thick skin. The bear lets out another massive roar and looks at Aaron with anger in its eyes. Aaron looks at the bear with fear in his own, his arm bleeding profusely and his only means of protection gone.
Aaron: (Oh god…)
The bear whips Aaron aside and sends him flying through the air. Aaron crashes into the snow with his canteen and flare gun flying out of his pockets. The bear approaches him.
Aaron: (This fucking… bear.)
The bear pounces at Aaron.
Aaron: (Shit!)
Aaron quickly grabs the flare gun and fires it into the bear's face. Setting his hair ablaze and putting the bear into a frenzy. The bear roars in pain and runs off with Aaron’s machete still stuck in its neck.
Aaron: No! Don’t leave with that!
The bear leaves Aaron’s sight.
Aaron: NOOOO!
Aaron slams his fist into the snow.
Aaron: Without that… I have nothing. *grunts* Wait a second!
Aaron looks at the flare gun.
Aaron: No…
“ Barbara: If you wish to give up, fire this flare into the sky, and I will retrieve you. “
Aaron: Without the flare, I can’t call her to save me… and without my machete, I’m basically dead…
Aaron slams his fist into the snow.
Aaron: I was supposed to survive for 60 days, AND I COULDN’T EVEN MAKE IT 8! GODDAMMIT!
Aaron lays in the snow as his blood soaks it red.
Aaron: I just want to be strong… I thought I was… but then I lost to Hayze and Tobias. I always thought I was the best in our class, and Kevin just got lucky to beat me… but… I was humoring myself… we were supposed to improve during our first year, but did I really? I’m just as strong as I was the day I FUCKING GOT TO THIS SCHOOL!
“ Aaron: No, it’s just, it irks me to accept defeat even when it’s my only option.
Aaron’s Father: Yeah, because that’s what makes you a fighter, never accept defeat! I want you to understand that your body has limits! So learn from this loss, don’t accept it! You’re a warrior, Aaron, never forget that! “ - Chapter 27
Aaron: (I didn’t get stronger… I didn’t learn from that defeat. The only thing it got me was a stupid bronze medal. I could have won that fight… I could have, I know it, and if I had won, I would have annihilated Justus! How could the winner of the Sports Festival not be strong? It wouldn’t have been “Justus is so strong!” or “Justus is the number one student in our class”! It would have been me! I would have been number one! The only thing that matters in this world is results… Who cares how much effort you put into something if you fail? I put so much effort into this year, and look where it got me! Bleeding in the snow while my classmates are all happy and having fun back home! I would have been better if I had won. That loss made me “okay” with losing, which should never be the case! The only thing I should ever care about is winning! When I ran across Hayze and Eve during the Final Exams, I would have won the battle right there if I had just put a bullet into Hayze’s back. But I had to try and take him down with a smokescreen explosion combination… idiot! There’s my problem! Every time I’ve lost, if I had simply gone for the kill when I had the chance, I would have won EACH AND EVERY TIME!)
Aaron clenches both of his fists in the snow.
Aaron: (Would I really be sitting here questioning my strength if I had won all those battles? No! I would be the number one student in our class! There’s my problem… I don’t take opportunities when they’re available to me. It’s not because I’m weak that I lost those fights… it’s because I didn’t have my priorities straight.)
Aaron slowly starts to get up.
Aaron: (Survive 60 days in this wilderness without my quirk? Why? Why should I do that? Why should I rob myself of my most important resource? What lesson will that teach me? She wants me to survive, right? Well, I’ll fucking do that easily! I’ll complete the task the best way I know how!)
Aaron spots two deer in the distance. He transforms his left arm into a rifle and shoots the deer in their heads. He walks over to them, transforms his arm into a flamethrower, and lights one on fire. After it burns, he digs into the meat and devours his first meal in a week like a savage animal. He then transforms his arm into an m1 garand with a bayonet and starts skinning the other deer. He makes its hide into a wrap for his arm wound.
Aaron (Naratting): From that moment onward, I used my quirk to complete the trial. It was easy to survive for the remaining 52 days. I eventually even tracked down the bear that bit me and ended its life, but I learned from my initial encounter with it. I knew its tough skin would make the kill difficult, so that’s when I developed the strategy of firing my bullets into the ground and having them exit the ground underneath my target. Its underbelly was vulnerable and easy to hit. Once I did that, I could hunt any bear I wanted and harvest its meat for food. At the end of the 60 days… the cabin reappeared before me.
Aaron enters the cabin and grabs his bag.
Aaron: Thank you for the training. I’m heading home now.
Barbara: Remember what I said about those who embark on this trial coming back different, not better?
Aaron: Yeah… I do.
Barbara: People like you are the reason I say that.
Aaron stares at Barbara.
Aaron: Thanks again for the training.
The flashback ends.
Aaron: So there you have it, now let’s fight.
Everyone in the class is silent after hearing Aaron’s story.
Lilith: Wow…
Wes: (So… that’s what happened… it all makes sense.)
Alexis stares at Aaron.
Alexis: So, that’s why you think winning is all that matters… well, that’s pretty stupid.
Aaron: Huh?
Alexis: You weren’t getting stronger because you never reflected on those losses. You never sat down and realized why you lost and how you could get better! Instead, you just made excuses for yourself as to why you lost in the first place! I always knew that you were too confident for your own good! I tried to bring it up to you, but you never listened! And that’s my fault for not trying hard enough!
Tears roll down Alexis’ face.
Alexis: I tried to tell you I was worried that you wouldn’t get stronger if you kept telling yourself you’re the best already, but you brushed it off. I should have kept pushing. I should have tried to get through to you.
Aaron: Alexis…
Alexis: And then when I could have convinced you that you didn’t need to go train halfway across the country. I- I- I fucking let my selfishness get in the way! I’m sorry, Aaron… I was a real bitch!
Aaron: I-
Demetri and Isaiah start booing.
Demetri: You made the girl cry!
Isaiah: Douchebag!
Eve punches both of them.
Eve: Quiet down!
Aaron looks at Alexis with concern.
Aaron: (Why is she apologizing?)
Alexis wipes away her tears.
Alexis: I’ll make up for failing you, Aaron, by saving you from yourself!
Aaron: (Save me?)
Alexis’ paper cloak starts to form into a swarm of origami birds behind Aaron’s back.
Alexis: Winning isn’t everything, Aaron, and I’ll show you that!
The origami birds suddenly dig their beaks into Aaron’s back.
Aaron: What the?
Alexis: Ceremonious Dance: Hummingbird Formation!
Each of the origami birds drains a small portion of Aaron’s energy and then flocks back to Alexis to give that energy to her. The birds then reform into her cloak. As a result, Aaron falls to a knee while Alexis looks perfectly fine.
Lilith: Her wounds are healed!
Eve: Damn, now she has the advantage!
Blair: Looks like her paper is now energy absorbent, courtesy of the support class!
Alexis smiles.
Alexis: On one knee, Aaron? Don’t you think that’s a little soon for us?
Aaron: Very funny… but that’s the only shot you’ll get!
Aaron transforms his arm into a machine gun and starts firing.
Alexis: Ceremonious Dance: Cardinal Formation!
Alexis’ cloak and the bottom part of her bodysuit (her thighs downward) form a massive wave of origami that easily absorbs Aaron’s bullets.
Alexis: Nice try.
Aaron stares at Alexis’ thighs.
Aaron: (Damn... Wait, shit! Keep your head in the game! I have to win!)
Aaron transforms his other arm into a flamethrower.
Aaron: Your birds, when flocked together, can resist bullets, huh? Well, how about FIRE!
Hayze’s eyes widen.
Hayze: (Saige once warned me against ever lighting Alexis’ origami birds on fire.)
Alexis smiles as Aaron unleashes his flames on the origami flock.
Aaron: Take that! Huh?
Alexis birds are still flying despite being on fire.
Alexis: You walked right into my ultimate move!
Alexis points her hand at the sky. All of her burning birds fly straight up and collect together.
Aaron: What is this?
Alexis’ burning birds form into a massive flaming phoenix in the sky that lets out a monstrous screech.
Eve: This is Alexis’ ultimate move…
Grace: That’s so awesome!
Alexis looks Aaron in the eye.
Alexis: I’d start running if I were you.
Aaron: *grunts*
Alexis drops her hand.
Alexis: Ceremonious Dance: Phoenix Formation!
The burning phoenix begins diving toward Aaron at a rapid pace.
Aaron: (Shit, I don’t have any way to dodge this!)
Aaron starts running further into the tundra.
Aaron: (I could try to block it with my riot shield, but that would overheat my arms, and I’d be useless! I need to find cover!)
The phoenix gets closer and closer.
Aaron: (Shit! Shit! Shit!)
Alexis watches from afar as the Phoenix slams into the ground, sets the forest ablaze, and melts all of the snow within a 30-meter radius.
Alexis: (Well, if that didn’t beat him, then at least it did a pretty good amount of damage.)
Alexis looks down at herself.
Alexis: (Unfortunately, I’ve lost my cloak and a good portion of my costume. I’ll have to be conservative from here on out unless I want to end up in my birthday suit.)
Alexis runs toward Aaron’s location. She eventually finds him breathing heavily with his costume tattered and his arms burning slightly red. Beside him lies a downed, burning tree.
Alexis: I see you found a way to avoid instant defeat.
Aaron: I changed my arms into RPGs and shot down this tree. I took cover underneath it using my riot shield. The tree plus my shield protected me enough without overheating my hands.
Alexis: Quick thinking, but by your logic, that’s not impressive because you should have won already.
Aaron: Shut up! You got one good shot off-
Alexis: Two.
Aaron: *frustrated grunt* Two good shots off, I’ll still win this!
Alexis: Okay, I don’t really care.
Aaron: What!
Alexis: I just want the cool Aaron back. That’s all I’m concerned with.
Aaron: “Cool Aaron?” Do you mean the one that always lost? No way, all I care about is victory!
Alexis: So, you want me to surrender?
Aaron: SHUT UP!
Aaron puts his hands together and forms the howitzer cannon.
Alexis: Oh… did I touch a nerve?
Aaron: You’ve got no way to stop this, and you can’t dodge from this range either! One strike from my cannon, and this is over!
Alexis: Eh… I don’t know about that.
Aaron: Don’t try to act tough.
Alexis: I thought you like tough girls.
Aaron: Shut it!
Aaron charges the howitzer cannon.
Aaron: (This is it, this is how I win.)
Aaron looks at Alexis.
Aaron: (But…)
Aaron transforms one of his arms to normal and only uses one of his hands as a howitzer cannon.
Aaron: Half Howitzer!
The blast connects with Alexis and sends her flying through the air.
Alexis: *groans*
Aaron’s arm reverts to normal, but it’s overheated/
Aaron: (One down…)
Aaron approaches Alexis.
Eve: Wh- why did he switch to a Half Howitzer?
Ash: Alexis had no way of defending!
Lilith: It would have been over!
All of the guys except Wes look at each other.
Wes: What’s going on?
Kevin clears his throat.
Kevin: There are only two logical reasons Aaron wouldn’t finish Alexis now. One, he really enjoys fighting her and doesn’t want it to end.
Eve: And two?
All of the guys are silent.
Eve: What’s two!
Alexis slowly gets back up.
Alexis: Playing it safe, huh? I thought you wanted to win.
Aaron: I do.
Aaron transforms his arm into a shotgun and shoots Alexis back into the ground.
Aaron: I thought you wanted the “Cool Aaron” back.
Alexis: I do!
Alexis uses her sleeves to create a small flock of origami birds that fly directly at Aaron.
Alexis: Detonate!
The birds explode in Aaron’s face, knocking him back and damaging him slightly.
Aaron: Is that all you got?
Alexis does a backflip to get to her feet.
Alexis: No, it isn’t!
Alexis uses the paper from her navel to create another small flock.
Alexis: Ceremonious Dance: Burrowing Owl Formation!
The origami birds drill into the ground and emerge just below Aaron.
Aaron: (Hey! That’s my trick!)
The birds explode and send Aaron flipping through the air, but he lands on his feet with only minor injuries.
Aaron: Is that all you-
Aaron notices Alexis has a scar on her stomach.
Aaron: Wh- what’s that?
Alexis: Huh? Oh… this is from the Final Exams. Alec sliced me up pretty good, and if I left the wound untreated, I would have had to have been removed. So, midway through the fight, I cauterized it.
Aaron: Y- you did that?
Alexis: Yeah… pissed myself from the pain, so it wasn’t THAT badass, but I wanted to keep it… to show you. But I guess we uh… haven’t been that close since then.
Aaron: Yeah… we haven’t.
Alexis: I miss you, Aaron… the real you. The one that didn’t make excuses for his failures.
Aaron: From what you’ve said, it sounds like I didn’t even acknowledge my failures.
Alexis: Better late than never.
Aaron laughs.
Aaron: You’re awesome, Alexis.
Alexis: You too, Aaron.
Aaron: But now is the time you might want to forfeit for yourself.
Alexis: And why’s that?
Aaron: I don’t know if you’re aware of your costume situation.
Alexis has been reduced down to essentially paper underwear.
Eve: So that’s two…
Demetri: GO AARON!
Isaiah: ALEXIS, USE ANOTHER ATTACK!
Eve punches them both again.
Eve: Shut up!
Lilith: This is the weakness of Alexis’ quirk.
Ash: Yeah, she can’t make paper, so her supply is limited.
Blair: And once she runs out, she’s essentially quirkless.
Aaron shrugs.
Aaron: I mean, I’ll keep fighting, but I don’t really know if you want to.
Alexis: Oh, I’ll keep fighting.
Aaron: Wh- really? Well, now I feel bad.
Alexis: What for trying to win?
Aaron: Don’t even start…
Aaron transforms his arm into a howitzer.
Aaron: One more Half-Howitzer ought to do it!
Alexis smiles.
Alexis: So you think.
Aaron: Huh?
Suddenly two explosions go off.
Aaron: Huh?
The two trees Aaron is standing between crash down on top of him.
Aaron: NOOO!
Aaron gets pinned beneath the two trees.
Alexis: When I ran over to you after Phoenix Formation, I planted this trap. You really thought I’d reduce myself to a paper bikini just to injure you slightly? Those two previous attacks were to push you backward between these two trees.
Aaron’s good hand is trapped beneath the tree. He can’t do anything with it.
Aaron: Shit!
Alexis climbs on top of the tree and sits on the log above Aaron.
Alexis: Aaron, winning isn’t everything. Sometimes you lose. If you only ever won, you’d never have to reflect upon your mistakes and never improve. When you were in the tundra after the bear fight, you realized that by making it seem like you could have won all of your battles by simply firing cheap shots or going for weak opponents. Instead of recognizing the real reason you lost all of your fights.
Aaron: And what’s that?
Alexis: You never take time to reflect. You always focus on the result rather than how you got to it. You make the same mistakes over and over. You always let your overconfidence get the better of you. Can you honestly tell me that that hasn’t been a part of ALL of your losses?
Aaron flashes back through his fights with Kevin, Hayze, Tobias, and now Alexis.
Aaron: Y- you’re right…
Alexis: The Trial wasn’t supposed to be about survival. It was about humbling you. Making you realize that you’re not all you think you are and having to rely on your surroundings. You ignored that because you went in with too much confidence, and when you started to fail, you broke the rules.
Aaron is silent.
Aaron: Thank you, Alexis.
Alexis smiles.
Aaron: (If I want to win every fight, I need to constantly be improving, not making excuses for myself and looking for the easy way out. The path of least resistance is not mine to walk.)
The spectators are surprised.
Eve: She beat him.
Grace: Aaron and Justus both gone in the first two matches? This fucking sucks!
Lilith: Yeah, Alexis, now finish him!
Alexis raises her hand.
Alexis: I quit.
Everyone is dumbfounded.
Lilith: That’s… not what I meant.
Demetri: WHAT!
Isaiah: YOU JUST THREW AWAY A WIN LIKE THAT!
Wes: I’m speechless…
The terrain reverts to normal.
Hunt: The winner is Aaron Zamora.
Aaron gets up and looks at Alexis.
Aaron: Wh- why did you do that?
Alexis: Because Aaron, winning isn’t all that matters.