Aaron stares at Alexis.
Aaron: You shouldn’t have done that. Now you’re out of the exam.
Alexis: I’m happy with my performance in that match; I think I’ve done enough to pass. So, you’d better be able to say that after your next fight. Saige is not an easy assignment.
Aaron: Oh, I will.
Alexis: *nasal grunt* Good luck, Aaron.
Medics enter the arena.
Medic 1: Ms. Meadows, please come with me.
Medic 2: And you’re with me, Mr. Zamora.
Aaron and Alexis both nod.
Alexis: See you after the exam.
Aaron: You too.
Alexis and Aaron both go their separate ways with the medics.
Ash: I think Aaron might be back to normal now, guys.
Wes: Good… I can finally hang out with him again. Much better than what I’ve been dealing with.
Demetri: Hey!
Isaiah: You’re a proud member of the pervert posse!
Eve gives them a death stare.
Eve: The what posse?
Demetri: Did you say something, Isaiah?
Isaiah: Nope, you?
Demetri: I didn’t say a word.
Hunt turns to the spectators.
Hunt: Alright, let’s begin the third match.
Grace stands up.
Grace: Oh hell yeah!
Alexis walks into the medical wing of the stadium.
Medic 1: Are you in pain?
Alexis: A little, Aaron’s attack was pretty brutal.
Medic 1: Alright, we’ll give you some morphine then.
Alexis: Morphine? I’m not in that much pain.
Medic 1: Well, with adrenaline going through your system, you might be in more pain than you think. We should probably be safe.
Alexis: Oh, okay, that makes sense.
The two enter a medical room.
Medic 1: Please, take a seat at the table there. I’m going to treat your wounds and give you a quick checkup.
Alexis: Alright.
The medic starts filling a syringe with a liquid labeled “Morphine.”
Alexis: So are all the eliminated examinees off in a viewing area somewhere? I haven’t seen any of them in the stands.
Medic 1: Yes, you’ll join them after I'm done here.
The medic approaches Alexis with the syringe.
Medic 1: This will sting for a second.
The medic injects the liquid into Alexis’ bloodstream.
Alexis: So how fast does this stuff usually… work…
Alexis smacks against the table, unconscious.
Alexis awakens to find herself in a rowboat in the middle of a body of water. Mist surrounds her. She’s still just wearing the shreds of her costume.
Alexis: Wh- where am I?
Alexis notices a chest on the rowboat with writing on the top that says: “Open Me.” Alexis opens the crate to find a flare gun and a rolled-up note. She opens the message.
Alexis: “You have been eliminated from the Provisional Hero Licensing Exam, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have failed. If you are satisfied with your performance, fire the flare gun, and the exam will officially be over for you. On the other hand, if you are unsatisfied, toss the flare gun into the water and begin rowing forward. Doing anything other than these two options will result in a failure for this exam.”
Alexis looks at the flare gun.
Alexis: (I think I did pretty well in my fight with Aaron, but I’d be a fool to pass up another opportunity.)
Alexis tosses the gun into the water and starts rowing.
Alexis: (I wish I had more clothes, it’s freezing out here.)
Alexis arrives at an island. She beaches her boat and steps onto the sandy beach. Then, her boat immediately vanishes behind her.
Alexis: (That’s ominous.)
Alexis looks forward and sees a mast with a white flag and a bunch of boxes at the bottom of it.
Alexis: (What is this?)
Karma: *from afar* Alexis!
Alexis: That voice…
Alexis spots Karma walking down the beach towards her.
Alexis: Karma! Huh?
Karma looks much skinnier. She’s wearing nothing but her underwear. Her hair looks unwashed, her face is dirty, she has a tan, every one of her fingernails has dirt beneath it, and she smells awful. Karma hugs Alexis tight, and her eyes get watery.
Karma: I’ve missed you so much…
Alexis: I missed you too, but it’s only been three days.
Karma: For you, maybe…
Alexis: Huh? What does that mean?
Karma: Come with me.
Karma starts walking back up the beach, and Alexis follows her.
Alexis: I hate to ask, but why do you smell so awful?
Karma: You’ll see soon enough.
Alexis and Karma arrive at a campsite. Gus, Filip, Talon, Charlotte, Desiree, Romeo, Killian, Angel, Zach, Gavin, Bruno, Alec, Verity, and Justus are all there. All of them have the same features as Karma.
Zach: Alexis!
Angel: Boy, has it been a while!
Alexis: Huh?
Alexis looks around. The campsite has nothing but a firepit and single shelter that is essentially bamboo strung together to make a floor and an overhang with leaves covering it.
Alexis: What’s going on here?
Karma: This is Phase Zero of the exam. Everyone who is eliminated and chooses to continue is sent to this island. Our task is to survive together for as long as it takes.
Angel: We’re only given rations of rice daily, but we have to go to the other side of the island to get them. Otherwise, we’re on our own for food.
Zach: It’s an enormous struggle; we only have a machete and a single spear to work with. Justus and I tried to catch some fish yesterday but to no avail.
Alexis: Wait, yesterday?
Justus: Yes, there’s a spot not far from here that the fish tend to congregate to-
Alexis: Justus, I saw you fight Saige like 20 minutes ago. What are you talking about?
Killian: Why are you guys beating around the bush? Just tell her already.
Alexis: Tell me what?
Karma: We’re seemingly inside a simulation, similar to the one we were placed in with Fearmonger, but this is different. Time seems to be slower here than in the real world. I’ve been here for three weeks already.
Alexis: What! That doesn’t make any sense!
Angel: That’s why we think it’s a simulation. They just have to trick our minds into believing time is going slower and adjust our malnutrition accordingly.
Justus: In the prison exercise, we didn’t have to deal with bodily functions and exhaustion.
Zach: Yeah, they shut off our hunger and thirst as hints that we weren’t in the real world.
Karma: They made this ultra-realistic. I feel like I’ve lost at least 10% of my body weight, maybe more.
Alexis: I see… That’s why there have been so many breaks and intermissions. It was so they could pad out time for this phase.
Justus: Yes, and unfortunately, some who have been here for a while are having trouble dealing with malnutrition.
Desiree, Filip, Gus, Romeo, and Alden look physically drained and unable to move.
Alexis: Jesus…
Angel: They also made it so we can’t use our quirks here, so it’s tough for us to gather resources to survive.
Alexis: What’s this all about? What’s the point of all of this?
Karma: At the end of an undetermined amount of time, we’ll all get one last chance to pass the exam, but only one of us will succeed. The rest will fail accordingly or have our performance in the “final” phase judged.
Alexis: I see, so even though we all have to suffer through this, only one of us gets to reap the rewards.
Justus: Yes, it’s brutal.
Alexis: How long do you think we could be here for?
Angel: However long they like, Justus got here a few days ago, and there are still 13 matches in the final phase.
Alexis: Holy crap… a week? (Now I’m starting to wish I didn’t surrender.)
Alexis looks around.
Alexis: Wait, some people are missing.
Justus: That’s because they either didn’t survive or gave up.
Alexis: Didn’t survive? Gave up?
Justus: That mast you saw… if you raise it, you are allowed to leave, but you’ll miss out on your chance to automatically pass.
Karma: We’re not immune to death in this simulation. Hailey, one of the 2-B students who failed the first phase as I did, was exploring the island on the 5th day when she fell from a high rock and smashed her head against the ground. She died, but her body vanished. She’s likely okay in the real world, but she failed the exam.
Alexis: So we’re not here against our will.
Justus: No, but if you want a chance to guarantee you’ll pass this exam, you must suffer here.
Alexis: Right…
Killian stands up.
Killian: Since you’re fresh on energy, you can come with me to get the rice on the other side of the island. It’s a long hike.
Alec: I’ll come too.
Zach also gets up.
Zach: Justus, do you want to try and catch some more fish?
Justus: It’s either that or reserve myself for another rice dinner tonight, so yes.
Karma: I’ll get the fire started.
Angel: I’ll go fill the canteens at the water well.
Everyone begins to disperse.
Alexis: (So… this is what happens when we are eliminated. This is going to be hell. And from the sounds of it, we could be here for a while.)
Two staircases materialize leading up to the spectator’s area.
Hunt: Blair Maddox and Grace LaFleur, please enter the arena.
Grace starts walking down one of the staircases as Blair stands up.
Lilith: Good luck, Blair!
Eve: Knock her dead!
Blair: Will do.
Blair starts walking down the other staircase.
Kevin: She’s got her hands full this match.
Silver: You can say that again. This girl is beyond powerful, and she only gets stronger with her quirk.
Lilith: Yeah, but Blair isn’t a pushover! She’s plenty strong herself.
Ash: That’s true, but Grace’s ability makes it so any pain she experiences is converted into raw power for herself. If she makes contact with Blair’s lava, that could be a serious problem.
Lilith: Okay, so then she just has to avoid hitting her!
Silver: That’s much easier said than done, unfortunately.
Aster watches Blair closely.
Aster: (Come on, Little Sis, you can beat her.)
Yul: I can see you’re worried, Aster.
Aster: This means a lot to her. I want her to succeed, but she didn’t exactly get lucky with this matchup.
Yul: I believe she’ll be okay, but this will be a significant test.
Daniele: GO BLAIR! KICK HER ASS!
Yul: I’d advise against that.
Tyson: Say, Aster, has anyone ever told you your sister kind of looks h-
Aster gives Tyson a death stare.
Tyson: Like a respectable young lady?
Aster: Good, and no.
Jace snickers to himself.
Jace: (I’ve been suppressing The Fool’s power throughout this exam, but I took all the restraints off when we drew lots, and everything worked out perfectly. She’s fighting someone far superior to her in strength. She’ll more than likely lose, and even if she doesn’t. I’ll be waiting to bring her into the waiting arms of the light next round.)
Grace and Blair approach the center of the arena. The selection TV reappears next to Hunt.
Hunt: Alright, it’s time to select the terrain.
The screen starts randomizing through various locations.
Blair: (I need to fight her in a location where my lava and volcanic rock aren’t hindered by anything. A forest would be terrible because she could burn herself on loose flames I’ve inadvertently created, and anything with a lot of water could give my lava trouble.)
The screen stops on a swamp. Blair is dumbfounded.
Blair: (I- I- I-)
Grace: Oh boy, this is going to get dirty!
A blinding light blares. Grace and Blair are in a swamp. Grace is standing on a piece of land while Blair falls into the shallow swamp water.
Blair: *groans* This is so gross…, and It’s seeping through my suit…
Grace laughs.
Grace: Boy, that’s some bad luck for you!
Blair: Shut up…
Blair stands up.
Grace: I’m not thrilled about having to fight a girl, but maybe I can get a buzz off this.
Blair: I’d appreciate it if you considered me more than a defective marital aid.
Grace: What? Girls have soft, delicate hands and wimpy physiques. Men have strong big hands and muscles they can use to inflict violence! You tell me which one I should be excited to have hit me?
Blair stares at Grace with a disgusted look on her face.
Blair: Ugh…
Grace jumps into the water.
Grace: If I recall correctly, you’re the girl with a short temper, right?
Blair: Not anymore! I’ve grown over the last year!
Grace: Not in the only place it counts.
Blair: Those jokes don’t work on me! You’ll have to come up with something better than that!
Grace shrugs.
Grace: Okay.
Grace turns to the spectators and cups her hands around her mouth.
Grace: Hey, Hayze! Blair wants to fu-
Blair: NOOOOOO!
Blair creates a magma armor gauntlet around her right arm and punches Grace in the head, sending her flying into a tree.
Blair: Oh no…
Eve facepalms.
Eve: YOU HAD ONE JOB, BLAIR!
Grace gets up, her cheeks are red, and she has a big smile.
Grace: Oh yeah… that was awesome…
Blair: Shit…
Grace turns to Blair.
Grace: Maybe I was wrong about you… you could give me more than just a buzz.
Blair: Ew…
Grace charges at Blair.
Grace: But now it’s my turn!
Blair tries to block with her magma armor gauntlet, but Grace’s punch smashes straight through it and plows right into Blair’s upper chest, sending her skidding against the swamp water.
Kevin: Grace is like a chainsaw.
Silver: Once she starts revving, she causes damage.
Hayze: (This is bad, she’s already strong enough to break through Blair’s armor like it’s nothing!)
Blair is slow to get up.
Blair: (That’s gonna hurt in the morning… and right now.)
Grace bursts towards Blair again.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Grace: Pedal to the metal, T.T., this is a fight!
Blair has barely any time to react before Grace kicks her like a soccer ball sending her skipping against the water.
Grace: 1… 2… 3… 4!
Blair slams into a tree.
Grace: I gotta four hopper! That’s how you skip volcanic rocks right there!
Blair slides down the tree and lies face-down in the swamp grass.
Blair: *groans*
Eve looks concerned.
Eve: Come on, Blair…
Lilith: What’s wrong with her? She isn’t fighting back!
Hayze: Because she can’t, Lilith.
Lilith: Huh?
Hayze: Blair’s fighting style is defensive-minded, but her particular brand of shielding also acts as an offense. Typically this is a good thing as it makes her kit well-rounded, but against Grace, that’s the worst thing she could have. If she puts up a lava barrier, Grace will just run right through and hit her anyway, increasing her strength in the process. Making most of Blair’s defenses completely useless.
Silver: The only thing she had going for her was her magma armor, which doesn’t injure her opponents on contact, but Grace has already quickly dispatched that.
Hayze: If she tries launching a counter move.
Silver: And if she doesn’t, Grace will keep pounding her into the dirt.
Lilith: So, you’re saying it’s over already? One mistake cost her the match?
Hayze: Not necessarily, but it’s not looking good.
As Grace charges in for another attack, Blair finally starts to gain her composure.
Grace: Time for round 3!
Blair: (This isn’t good, I’ve gotta get away somehow.)
Grace slugs Blair in the stomach and then crashes her elbow into the back of Blair’s head.
Blair: *groans*
Grace grabs Blair by her hair and looks her straight in the eye.
Grace: Look, Missy, I’m the one who is supposed to be getting beat up here, so you’d better start fighting back, or I’m gonna start hitting below the belt!
Grace tosses Blair aside. She splashes into the swamp water.
Blair: (The only way I can get away might involve hurting her, it sucks because she’s already kicking my ass as is, but I can’t keep taking this beating.)
Blair gets up and coughs up swamp water.
Grace: You ready to hit me? I’m about as dry as the Sahara desert right now, if you know what I mean.
Blair: I understand…
Blair starts running through the swamp water.
Grace: GET BACK HERE AND HIT ME!
Grace chases after Blair; the water severely slows both of them down.
Blair: I just need to get a little further.
Blair reaches a part of the swamp where there is nothing but water for a 60-meter radius. She flips around and faces Grace.
Blair: Alright, Let’s see how you like this!
Grace: *joyful gasp* Really?
Blair creates a sphere of lava between her hands that gets bigger and bigger. Then, she launches the sphere into the sky above them.
Blair: Napalm Annihilation!
The sphere bursts into a rainstorm of lava.
Grace: YES!
Grace extends her arms out and embraces the lava raining down, burning her.
Grace: *moans*
Blair runs away while Grace is getting off.
Blair: (This might come back to bite me, but it had to be done.)
Blair creates sizable distance between herself and Grace. She ducks behind a tree and assesses her wounds. She has large bruises, and blood is dripping from her mouth.
Blair: (She hits so hard… I can feel the damage she caused internally. This could be really bad. I can’t fight, so I have to trap her, but how? Any contact she makes with my lava will only increase her strength, and I’ve got nothing else to work within this swamp.)
The Napalm Annihilation ends.
Grace: Oh my god… you are a treat, you know th-
Grace looks around.
Grace: WHERE DID SHE GO?
Grace starts frantically searching around.
Hayze: (Good, Blair was able to make distance. She needs to devise a good plan.)
Lilith: I’m confused. Why did Blair run before using that attack? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to strike where they were so she wouldn’t waste her energy?
Silver: She doesn’t want to light the swamp’s forest on fire. If that happens, she provides Grace with an infinite power source.
Ash: So she ran into the water. That way, Grace could only absorb power from her attack and nothing else.
Lilith: Oh, that’s smart!
Silver: She needs to be at this rate, with her injuries and Grace’s power increase. I’d say another barrage ends this.
Hayze: If Blair wants to defeat her, she has to realize Grace’s weakness.
Lilith: Isn’t that what she’s already doing? She’s weak to defensive fighters and people who could trap her.
Hayze: No, I’m not talking about the weakness of Grace’s quirk. I’m talking about the weakness of Grace herself.
Lilith: Huh?
Blair is in deep thought.
Blair: (Maybe I could trap her in a lava dome and crank up the heat until she passes out? No, she’d just run straight through it to escape.)
Blair hears a splash of water.
Blair: (What!)
Grace is walking through the water not far from Blair’s location.
Blair: (How could she have found me already? What are the chances?)
Blair starts to panic.
Blair: (I can’t let her find me! If she does, I’ll be done for.)
Jace smiles.
Jace: (Alright, The Fool, do your thing.)
Blair farts.
Grace: Huh?
Blair: I- I- I-
Grace lunges towards the tree Blair is behind.
Blair: (GODDAMMIT!)
Grace punches the tree down.
Grace: I found y-
Blair emerges from behind the tree with her entire body covered in lava. She punches Grace in the stomach, burning through her costume and scorching her stomach with second-degree burns.
Blair: Full Magma Jacket: Requiem!
Grace: *grunts*
Blair releases her fist and points her open palm at Grace’s stomach.
Blair: Laval Lambasting!
Blair shoots a beam of lava into Grace’s chest, sending her flying through the air. Then, she crashes into the water.
Blair: Take that you-
Grace instantly emerges from the water.
Grace: *obnoxiously loud moan* Oh my god… I might be in love. Did you just make me bi?
Blair: (She really derived pleasure from that? That was one of my best moves!)
Graces charges toward Blair.
Grace: AGAIN!
Blair starts firing bullets of lava from her hands at Grace. They crash into her repeatedly.
Grace: *moans*
Eve: *from afar* BLAIR! STOP IT! THIS IS GETTING GROSS!
Blair’s attack ceases. Grace stands there breathing heavily, blushing with drool rolling down her face. Steam pours out of her wounds.
Blair: (There’s no way… Requiem is my best ability…)
Full Magma Jacket: Requiem ends, and Blair’s lava suit slips off her body.
Grace: Say… If I recall correctly, you won your match at the Sports Festival by kicking some girl in the vagina so hard it felt like a nutshot.
Blair: Y- yeah…
Grace: You like kicking people in the nuts, huh?
Blair: N- no, I just do it when they deserve it.
Grace: Oh really? And when do they “deserve” it?
Blair: W- when they’ve done something that upsets me.
Grace: Oh really, well, you know what upsets me?
Blair: W- what?
Grace: When someone stops hitting me.
Blair: Oh god…
Eve: *from afar* BLAIR RUN!
Grace charges up to Blair and kicks her in the crotch.
Blair: AHHHHHHHH!
Blair goes flying through the air. She lands in the water of a completely different part of the swamp.
Blair: *pained groans*
Blair writhes in pain.
Lilith: She survived!
Eve: How?
Silver: If I had to guess, she padded the uh... afflicted area with as much magma armor as possible.
Kevin: It still had to hurt like a bitch, though.
Isaiah and Demetri stand up and salute Grace.
Eve: What are you two doing?
Isaiah: She finally knows our pain.
Demetri: Maybe even worse. Thank you, Grace.
Isaiah: You’ve served your country well.
Blair crawls towards land.
Blair: (That’s it… I’m never kicking another guy in the crotch again. I can’t put people through this kind of hell…)
Blair rolls over on her back.
Blair: (I can’t stand, my best moves were made inert, she’s got the power to knock me out in one punch, and luck is on her side. It’s not looking good...)
Grace bolts in the direction she kicked Blair.
Grace: (I’m almost ready to finish this up, but I might as well have a little bit more fun. She can’t do anything to stop me at this point.)
Blair struggles to move.
Blair: (She’ll be here any minute. I need to come up with something.)
Blair looks around at her environment.
Blair: (Just trees and water, that’s it. Starting a fire won’t work, and evaporating the water won’t either. I have no options, my only chance at this point is if she gives up.)
Blair gets a look of realization.
Blair: (Wait a second… I might be onto something.)
Lilith turns to Hayze.
Lilith: So, what is Grace’s weakness exactly?
Hayze: Grace’s greatest strength, the thing that compounds her quirk’s monstrous potential, is her masochism. But that’s also her greatest weakness.
Eve: No, duh, she’s a massive pervert.
Hayze: That’s not what I mean. Grace’s number one priority at all times is experiencing pain. She could have finished Blair off multiple times now, but she chose not to, and that’s because she wants to see if she can get more “thrill” out of this fight.
Silver: I see… That’s a good point. After all of the attacks Blair mounted against her, Grace should have had more than enough power to finish this fight with her last strike.
Hayze: Grace held back on that kick.
Eve: That all makes sense, but you’re missing one big detail. Blair’s out of attacks! Her lava form is the strongest thing she has in her arsenal, and Grace knows that.
Hayze: No, that isn’t Blair’s best move.
Eve: What?
Grace approaches Blair, but she comes to an abrupt stop about 20 yards away from her.
Grace: Look at you struggling, T.T. Do you want some help?
Blair: *frustrated grunt*
Grace: I’ll give you two choices: Either A, I knock you out and end this, or B, you hit me with the eruption.
Blair: *grunts*
Grace shrugs.
Grace: I’ll be honest. I underestimated you. I didn’t think you could get me this excited, and now that I’ve tasted all the specials. I want dessert.
Blair: Fine, you want my best. I’ll give it to you.
Grace: YES!
Blair: But there’s one problem. Volcanic Eruption only works when fired below. If it makes contact with a target, the attack ends, so it’s best to fire it straight into the sky.
Grace: Oh, right, that makes sense!
Blair: I can’t use Volcanic Eruption in this terrain, so we’ll have to-
Grace: I know!
Blair: Huh?
Grace: I passed a tall tree heading over here. I can bring you beneath it and climb on top. Then you can blast me!
Blair: O- okay... that works.
Grace: Sweet!
Grace runs over to Blair and helps her stand up; Grace hoists Blair’s arm around her shoulder and starts walking her towards the tree.
Eve: This chick is going to let Blair hit her with the attack that sent Aster into the stratosphere?
Lilith: That’s insane!
Ash: She can’t really think she’ll survive it, right?
Silver: Unfortunately, it’s Blair’s only hope.
Eve: I just don’t get this girl at all. She wants to be a hero, right? This behavior can’t really be getting her points with the judges.
Sydney laughs.
Eve: Huh? What are you laughing at?
Sydney: You obviously.
Eve: What did I say something funny?
Sydney: I just find it humorous that you assume the world operates around your preconceptions.
Eve: Yeah... that uh…
Hayze: She basically called you ignorant.
Eve: I knew that! And what do you mean, ignorant!
Sydney: Never forget that being a professional hero is also about popularity. That means that we’re also in the entertainment business. So what Grace is doing is perfectly fine as long as she wins. She’s putting on a show. She’s allowing her opponent to showcase the best of her arsenal and still winning.
Kevin: That actually makes a lot of sense…
Eve: Okay, but doesn’t she get docked points for making everything about this fight sexual?
Silver: Have you ever heard the term “sex sells” in marketing? Well, in the hero business, that’s also the case. So I have to imagine this combat style would increase Grace’s popularity tenfold.
Eve: Ugh… why is being a pro hero… so… I don’t know. I mean Grace is down there getting off at being hit and there are douchebags like Tobias, Demetri, and Isaiah here!
Isaiah and Demetri: Hey!
Wes: Is she wrong?
Isaiah and Demetri both go quiet.
Hayze: That’s what happens when you turn acts of justice into a job. Nowhere in the job description does it say “be a good role model.”
Eve: *frustrated grunt*
Grace and Blair slowly move through the swamp together.
Blair: Say… you mind telling me something?
Grace: Hm?
Blair: What made you like this?
Grace: What do you mean?
Blair: You know.
Grace smiles.
Grace: Honestly, I’m not sure. I think I developed a psychological connection between being happy and being in pain at an early age.
Blair: How does that happen?
Grace: My parents are super-religious, so I spent a lot of time at church and had to attend Sunday School. It wasn’t fun at all.
Blair: I could imagine…
Grace: Yeah, when someone tries to shove something down your throat, most people’s reaction is to spit it out. And that’s what I did. I misbehaved all the time, and it pissed off everyone in charge of me. I got smacked on my wrists by rulers from the nuns and spanked by my parents all the time. But, when I wasn’t getting punished for my behavior, I was bored and unhappy. So, I kept having fun and getting hit, and after a while, I think a connection was created in my mind that getting hit made me happy. And that’s my origin story! Simple, but fun!
Blair: Huh… So that's why you came to U.A., seeking stronger opponents.
Grace: Yup, I want to be a hero so I can fight many strong villains and feel every one of their attacks, and while I’m being educated my classmates can hold me over. Unfortunately, U.A. East is a pretty weak school and I rose to the top within a year. There was nobody left that could give me a rush, so I had to transfer.
Blair: Wow…
Grace: We’re here.
Grace sets Blair down a few yards away from the tree.
Grace: Sorry, but once this attack is over I’m gonna have to knock you out. I’ll hold back though because you’re a good girl.
Grace leaps up on the tree.
Ash: This is it.
Eve: Come on, Blair!
Blair’s hands start to trip lava.
Blair: LET’S GO!
Blair fires an excessive continuous stream of lava at Grace.
Blair: Volcanic Eruption!
The stream collides with Grace and sends her flying into the air as she lies flat against the lava giving her first-degree burns.
Grace: THIS IS AWESOME!
The lava continues rising, sending Grace higher and higher into the air.
Grace: WEEEEEEEEE!
The beam of lava bursts, and it begins to rain lava.
Lilith: Did she get her?
Silver: We’ll see in a second.
Grace comes plummeting down from the sky.
Grace: THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
Grace slams into the water with a smacking sound and a massive splash.
Blair: *grunts*
Grace gets up with a big smile on her face, her clothes are tattered and burnt. She’s panting.
Grace: Between You and Kevin, I’ve had a fantastic return on my investment for transferring here.
Grace punches her palm.
Grace: Now then, it’s time to finish this up.
Grace approaches Blair.
Ash: It’s over.
Eve: Dammit!
Kevin: She put up one hell of a fight though.
Silver: She has nothing to be ashamed of.
Hayze: (Come on, Blair.)
Blair smiles.
Grace: Oh, did I turn you on to my lifestyle?
Blair: No… not quite.
Grace: Then what are you smiling about?
Blair: Checkmate!
Grace: Huh?
Suddenly Grace keels over and splashes face-first into the water.
Grace: AHHHHH!
Everyone is shocked.
Eve: Did she actually scream in pain?
Ash: What did Blair do?
Hayze: She exploited the one thing Grace’s fetish doesn’t account for… the limitations of her own body.
Grace looks down at her feet; her shoe's heels are melted with lava and her skin is severely burnt with third-degree burns.
Grace: What? When did you-
Grace flashes back to helping Blair walk to the tree.
Grace: (That’s when she did it.)
Blair: I dropped lukewarm lava into your shoes while you were distracted. I just heated that lava to a heat strong enough to burn through your skin and sever your Achilles tendons.
Grace: Dammit!
Blair: You can use your masochism to basically ignore and power through any injury you sustain, but when it comes to injuries you can’t walk off, such as ligament or tendon tears, you’re just as helpless as anyone else.
Grace: *grunts* So now we both can’t walk. What's next?
Blair creates a massive rock of magma armor in her hand.
Grace: Oh shit…
Blair: Take this!
Blair tosses the rock, and it smashes into the back of Grace’s head.
Grace: OW!
Blair creates another rock and tosses it again at the back of Grace’s head.
Grace: OW!
This process continues six more times.
Grace: Ow… Okay… I’m done.
Grace passes out. The arena reverts to normal.
Hunt: The Winner is Blair Maddox.
Lilith: Yeah!
Eve: WAY TO GO, BLAIR!
Kevin: Damn, that was cold.
Hayze smiles.
Hayze: (She did it.)
Daniele leaps up from her seat.
Daniele: GO BLAIR! YEAHHHHHHHHH!
Aster: (Good work, sis. I’m proud of you.)
Medics come out with two stretchers. They place Grace on one and Blair on the other. The two girls are taken to separate medical wings. The medic helping Grace looks at her.
Eve: That chick’s tough, but Blair’s better.
Silver: Yeah, Grace shouldn’t feel bad about that one. Blair came up with an excellent plan.
Eve: Well, good riddance to her. I’m happy I don’t have to see another one of her perverted fights.
Hayze stares at Grace as she’s wheeled away.
Wes: Something wrong?
Hayze: No, it’s nothing.
Wes: Alright then…
On the island, night has befallen. Justus, Alexis, Karma, Angel, Zach, Killian, Alec, Bruno, and Gavin sit around the fire pit. Charlotte, Gus, Filip, Talon, Alden, Verity, Romeo, and Desiree are all freezing and exhausted in their shelter, trying to sleep.
Alexis: So, who’s making the trip for the rice rations tomorrow?
Nobody speaks.
Alexis: Yeah… me too.
Zach: Despite this being a simulation, it feels so freaking real…
Angel: I know, this is the coldest I’ve been in my whole life.
Karma: And the hungriest.
Justus: This is all part of the test. We’re supposed to be miserable. We must keep pushing and resist the temptation to raise the white flag.
Killian: That’s easy coming from the guy who’s only been here a week. I’ve been here a whole lot longer than you, pal.
Justus: I’m aware, Killian, but that doesn’t change what I said. We’re a team, and we have to keep our morale up.
Alexis shivers.
Alexis: I wish they could have given us a shirt or something. The nights are so goddamn cold.
Alec: I can keep you warm, sweety.
Alexis: In your dreams, I’d rather freeze to death.
Killian: That’s cold…
Everyone laughs and then gets quiet.
Angel: I think some of the struggling people are going to raise the flag soon.
Bruno: Desiree and Talon told me they’re close. The malnutrition and cold are really getting to them.
Karma: It might be for the best. Gus hasn’t left the shelter in a few days.
Zach: It’s hard resisting the temptation to just leave… I miss the guys that are still in the exam.
Karma: Me too… I miss seeing Eve, Blair, Ash, and the others.
Angel: Same.
Gavin: I miss my ass gas…
Killian: Gavin, shut up, but he has a point. I miss my quirk too.
Angel: Yeah, it’s weird having my wings be removed in this simulation. I’ve never had my back feel smooth.
Alexis: This whole experience is humbling… it’s like we’re in limbo.
Killian: I wish I was still in the stupid exam, not just for my pride, but so I don’t have to be here.
Everyone shakes their heads in agreement.
Zach: Everything may suck, but I’m not giving up on catching fish! I’m going right back to work tomorrow!
Alec: Good for you…
Karma: Hey! Zach has the right attitude, we can make our situation better by working harder.
Alexis: Yup, our shelter sucks, but nobody does anything about it, so nobody is allowed to complain.
Killian: Fine… Alec and I will try and reinforce it tomorrow.
Alec: Hey! What are you volunteering me for?
Bruno: I will help too, Alec. Everyone needs to pitch in.
Alec: *grunts* Fine… it’s hard to work on a cup of rice for a full day.
Justus: We’re all working on that.
Alec: I KNOW! I’m just pointing out facts.
Karma notices someone approaching the mast on a boat.
Zach: That’s Grace or Blair, right?
Justus: That should be. They were the third match.
Karma: Who wants to greet her?
Justus stands up.
Justus: I’ll go.
Justus walks down the beach and explains everything to Grace. The two walk back to camp.
Grace: What’s up, my half-naked friends!
Killian: Grace!
Alec: You lost?
Grace: Yup, got my butt kicked! AND IT WAS AWESOME! Speaking of which, do any of the girls want to trade panties? Mine are soaked!
Everyone: UGH!
Grace: I’ll take that as a maybe.
Grace sits down.
Grace: So this is our band of misfits, huh?
Zach: Yup, want to give us some entertainment by filling us in on the fight?
Grace: Hell yeah!
Grace starts telling the story of her fight with Blair.
Grace: I randomly went in the right direction and found her hiding behind a tree because she let out this cute little toot. It was hilarious.
Everyone laughs.