Isaiah looks ahead at the seemingly endless forest in front of him.
Isaiah: Uh… Kevin? Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction?
Isaiah looks back at Kevin, dragging a makeshift stretcher constructed of sticks and leaves. On the stretcher lies Demetri, who is still recovering from his hornet sting injury.
Kevin: Yes… now stop asking...
Isaiah: Okay, okay, I’m just worried, is all. It would be really bad if we were going the wrong way…
Kevin: I know, but trust me, we’re headed the right way. You’ve gotta keep your head up and on the lookout. You never know when we’ll run into another group.
Isaiah: Last time I trusted you, I got savagely beaten by the girls…
Kevin: Well, maybe you should make better life choices instead of blaming me for your mistakes!
Isaiah stares at Kevin for a moment then resumes walking.
Kevin: Yeah, that’s what I thought.
Kevin resumes walking as well.
Kevin: Hey Demetri, how are you doing back there?
Demetri: *groans*
Kevin: Good to hear, buddy!
Isaiah: How are we going to fight with him in that condition?
Kevin: He doesn’t need mobility to fight. He just needs to be able to use his hands. So you’ll play bodyguard for him.
Isaiah: Me!
Kevin: Who else!
Isaiah: Okay, that’s fair…
Kevin: I’ll take on the brunt of the responsibility in the fight. You guys just need to be my support.
Demetri: Fuck you! You don’t get to take all of the- oh god!
Demetri pukes.
Kevin: OH, COME ON! ALL OVER THE FREAKING STRETCHER! I WORKED HARD ON THAT! WE MIGHT NEED THOSE ROPES AGAIN!
Demetri: *groans* Too many bumps…
Kevin: Too bad! Nothing I can do about it!
Isaiah: I guess that’s an okay plan, but what happens if things go south?
Kevin: I have no idea.
Isaiah: What!
Kevin: We just have to hope that I’m enough.
Isaiah: We’re here too!
Demetri: *pukes and groans*
Isaiah: I’m here too!
Kevin: I know, and that’s why I need you two to be of use when the time comes. You got that?
Isaiah: (He’s being so cold… like he has zero faith in us…) Yeah… sure...
Kevin stops.
Kevin: Isaiah.
Isaiah stops.
Kevin: I can count on you, right?
Isaiah: H- huh?
Kevin: I know how I’m coming off. You can probably tell I don’t have a lot of confidence. But, if you tell me right here and now that I can count on you, I will trust you. So, what do you say?
Isaiah hesitates.
Isaiah: Yeah, y- yes you can!
Kevin: What about you, grapefruits?
Demetri: *groans*
Kevin: Good enough.
Kevin continues walking, as does Isaiah.
Isaiah: (I have to pull my weight… I have to!)
Wes is washing his pants in a river.
Wes: *Under his breath* Stupid bitch! Making me piss myself in my sleep! Goddamn whore! I’ll get her back for this, I swear I’ll-
Blair: *From afar* Wes! You’ve got five more minutes!
Wes: I’LL TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS I WANT!
Blair doesn’t respond.
Wes: (That’s strange… whatever.)
Wes smells his pants.
Wes: *groans* That’s the last time I’m falling asleep around Saige…
Wes looks up at the sky.
Wes: (As mad as I am at her… she did secure us that orb yesterday. Now we have many options to pass this exam… we’re in a better spot because of her… I wish I could say the same thing about myself… but I can’t.)
Blair yawns loudly.
Saige: How was your watch last night?
Blair: Exhausting… because of you…
Saige: You really should get some rest tonight.
Blair: I’ll pass…
Saige: Aw…
Blair leans against a tree.
Blair: Why are you such a bitch?
Saige: Blair, what did we say about name-calling?
Blair: Do you get some sick enjoyment out of making people suffer?
Saige: Nope.
Blair: Then why would you have me stay up all night and make Wes pee his pants?
Saige: Oh, that’s simple, you’re more useful tired than well-rested.
Blair: Wh- what?
Saige: Notice how you haven’t gotten mad yet? Exhaustion is a great attitude check.
Blair stares at Saige.
Blair: *deep inhale* I hate you.
Saige: I love you too!
Blair: *groans* Wait… what about Wes?
Saige: Wes made an error yesterday that could have put our chances of passing this exam in jeopardy, but because of me, that error turned into us obtaining a second orb. We can’t have Wes believing his mistakes are excusable, so by humiliating him, I’m confirming to Wes that I don’t take him seriously and encouraging him to change that.
Blair: You’re…
Saige: Brilliant? Yes.
Blair: I was going to say a bitch.
Saige: That works too!
Blair: Wait… when did you encourage him to change?
Saige starts walking away.
Saige: Now. Stay here; I’ll be back with Wes in a few minutes.
Blair: Alright.
Saige stops and looks back at Blair.
Saige: Oh, and by the way, Blair, most men are attracted to intelligence, not constant anger. Just a head’s up.
Saige leaves.
Blair: If I wasn’t running on 0 hours of sleep…
Wes puts his pants on.
Wes: Now I’m wet and smell like piss… great…
Saige: I see London, I see France, I see-
Wes: SHUT UP YOU WHORE!
Saige whimpers.
Wes: That may work on Hayze, but not me…
Saige: You’re no fun!
Wes: I know.
Saige walks up to Wes.
Saige: How did you do?
Wes: Oh, you mean getting the smell of pee out of my pants? Amazing.
Saige: Did you at least learn your lesson?
Wes: That you’re a sociopath bitch? Yes.
Saige: Might I remind you who saved you and Blair yesterday? I could have easily waited for them to finish you two off and then attacked with their guard dropped.
Wes: And why didn’t you?
Saige: Because I wanted to help my teammates, does that sound sociopathic to you?
Wes: Can you just get to the point?
Saige: Do you ever get tired of being the butt of every joke?
Wes is taken aback.
Saige: That’s what I thought. You see, Wes, what I did to you last night was an attempt to show you precisely what you are in the grand scheme of things, a joke. You got captured while peeing because you were too careless to check your surroundings even though you knew you were in a hostile environment. What if this was real hero work? Not checking things could get civilians and sometimes heroes killed, this exam is designed to test what we’ve learned throughout this year, and you forgot to do something as basic as that. Blair may be the loud one, but this team is my ship, and I will not accept those kinds of mistakes while you’re on board. Your friends and teammates aren’t going to be around to bail you out your whole life, do better.
Wes grinds his teeth.
Wes: Just shut up… You’re just making excuses for being a mean-hearted b-
Saige: Don’t do that.
Wes: Do what!
Saige: Stubbornness is cute when you’ve got accomplishments doing things the way you always have, but you’ve accomplished nothing. Unless you think a tie is something.
Wes: You think you can just lecture me? I know everything you’re saying, and I’ve been trying to get better and-
Saige: Effort without results is meaningless.
Wes is taken aback again.
Saige: You may know everything I’m saying, but it doesn’t seem like you’re doing anything about it, so it’s time someone called you out. If you want to stop being treated like one of the bottom rungs of this class, then do something about it. You’re a part of U.A.’s hero course, the most elite hero education program in this country, and it’s for a reason. So stop acting like you’re here out of luck and start showing everyone why you were good enough to earn one of the 40 spots in this course.
Saige starts walking away.
Saige: Come along; Blair is waiting for us.
Wes hunches his head over, clenching his fists.
Wes: (I…)
Saige walks past a tree and sees Blair hiding there.
Saige: Awwww, Blair, you followed me! You missed me that much!
Blair: What the hell was that!
Saige: What was what?
Blair: You’re always so happy-go-lucky, and then you rip him apart like that? That was meaner than anything either Eve, or I’ve ever said!
Saige: I wasn’t being mean. I was telling Wes something he needed to hear.
Blair: From what I’ve seen, Wes doesn’t respond well to being berated.
Saige: Wes doesn’t respond well to any form of criticism.
Blair: Well… yeah, I guess, but-
Saige: He puts on a sensitive and stubborn front to avoid hearing the truth about himself because it scares him. When someone attempts to call him out, he tries to deflect things back on them, calling them out for their problems, trying to act like it makes his problems justified and make himself feel better. I’m sure Aaron could have said it better than I did, but he probably gave up telling Wes any of this because he knew Wes wouldn’t listen. I made him listen.
Blair: Wow…
Saige: Are you ready to get back on the move, Blair!
Saige starts skipping away.
Blair: (She’s the only person who could turn making someone pee their pants into a life lesson…)
Blair looks at Wes, who hasn’t moved a muscle.
Blair: (I guess we’ll have to see if it works.) Come on, Wes! Let’s go!
Wes starts walking towards Blair.
Wes: (I don’t need to be number one… I just want to be useful… and I haven’t been.)
Silver has taken point, with Angel following not far behind him and Alden lagging. Angel looks back at Alden, who looks uncomfortable.
Angel: Are you alright back there?
Alden: Y- yup! Perfectly fine.
Alden’s stomach makes a weird noise.
Angel: What was that?
Alden: NOTHING!
Alden’s stomach makes another weird noise but louder.
Alden: *under his breath* Oh god…
Angel: You sure you’re okay, man?
Silver: What’s going on back there?
Angel: I think something is wrong with Alden, Silver.
Silver: That’s fine.
Angel: Oh, like really wrong.
Silver stops.
Silver: Alden?
Alden: Y- yes?
Silver: You wouldn’t have to go number two now, would you?
Alden: NOPE! NEVER! Wouldn’t think of it!
Silver: Really?
Alden’s stomach makes a super loud, weird noise.
Silver: Are you sure?
Alden: No, I-
Alden farts.
Alden: Oh no…
Alden waddles off quickly and hides behind a tree in the distance, and starts screaming.
Silver: Alright, I guess I’ll have to reinsert the orb after he’s done.
Angel: Are you sure we can’t just make him carry it? This is a little excessive.
Silver: Angel, not everyone in our class will pass the exam… you realize that, right?
Angel: I… I had a feeling, but I didn’t want to imagine the possibility just yet.
Silver: With 14 orbs in regulation, 7 teams can pass fairly easily, but the other 7 will have to fight to survive by collecting 10 white orbs, defeating a pro, or completing this mystery challenge in the center of the arena. Of course, other scenarios are involved, but those are the most likely. Keeping this single blue orb safe gives us an astronomically higher chance of success. This orb is beyond important. It’s critical. I’m not doing this because I’m an asshole, although I understand if you interpret it that way, it’s because storing it in a place where no one would think to look will directly aid us in passing the exam.
Angel and Silver watch as Alden stumbles out from behind the tree with his pants down. He falls over and passes out from the pain.
Silver: I guess I’ll be nice and do it while he’s unconscious.
Silver starts walking towards Alden.
Angel: Silver, I haven’t seen you this intense in a long time.
Silver stops.
Silver: Is there a problem?
Angel: No, it’s just… I liked you better after the Sports Festival… and right now, you’re reminding me of before then.
Silver’s eyes widen, his back is turned so Angel cannot see his face.
Silver: I’ll take that under consideration.
Silver continues walking towards Alden.
Angel: (I tried, I guess…)
Kevin and Isaiah continue walking through the woods. Kevin feels the stretcher shaking.
Kevin: What are you doing back there?
Demetri: I’m tired of being carried around!
Kevin stops.
Kevin: I wouldn’t try to get up if I were you.
Demetri: I’ll do what I damn well-
Isaiah: Guys!
Kevin and Demetri: What!
Isaiah: I think I see another team up ahead!
Kevin drops the stretcher.
Demetri: AHH! Fuck you!
Kevin and Isaiah shush Demetri. The two then lean up against some trees and look ahead.
Isaiah: You see that?
Isaiah points.
Kevin: Let me see… I… uh…
Sydney and Desiree are spit-roasting Romeo over a fire. Romeo has his eyes covered by the torn-off sleeve of his shirt.
Sydney: Feeling the heat?
Romeo: *muffled cries for help*
Sydney: What’s that? You want the flame to be bigger?
Romeo: *muffled scream*
Sydney shrugs.
Sydney: If you say so. Desiree? Mind throwing in some more firewood?
Desiree: Yes, ma’am.
Desiree grabs a massive log and chucks in the flame.
Romeo: *muffled screams*
Isaiah and Kevin are dumbfounded.
Isaiah: Uh…
Kevin: Well, that’s… something.
Demetri: What? What’s happening?
Isaiah: They’re uh… they’re cooking their teammate…
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Demetri: Oh okay… wait… what!
Kevin: Looks like he’s their Alden…
Romeo pisses himself, dousing the fire slightly.
Sydney: Ah dammit! He’s trying to put the flame out! Get more wood!
Desiree goes to grab more firewood.
Sydney: Nice try, idiot, but you’re not walking away this time!
Desiree: Yeah, we told you this would happen if you attempted to use your quirk on us!
Kevin and Isaiah huddle up with Demetri.
Kevin: Alright… so I guess we’re going to have to do something…
Isaiah: They don’t know we’re here, so we have to attack while they're off guard!
Demetri: Duh! We should just rush them. It sounds like we have the numbers advantage and the element of surprise. There’s no need to overthink this!
Kevin: Numbers advantage? It’s two on two.
Demetri: What are you- oh fuck you, man!
Isaiah: Come on, guys, what’s the plan?
Kevin thinks for a moment.
Kevin: Alright, I have an idea… listen up.
Sydney and Desiree start throwing rocks at Romeo.
Romeo: *heavily muffled* OW!
Sydney: Serves you right.
Desiree: This is what you get!
Sydney hears a faint sound in the background.
Sydney: Dodge!
Desiree: Huh?
Sydney pulls herself and Desiree to the ground as a laser beam zooms past them.
Romeo: *heavily muffled* AHHHHH!
Romeo gets hit by the errant beam and is sent flying through the air.
Romeo: *heavily muffled* FUUUUCK!
Sydney gets up.
Sydney: It looks like we have company.
Kevin bolts out from the trees and charges at Sydney and Desiree.
Kevin: (30%!) Take this!
Suddenly Kevin is stopped dead in his tracks.
Kevin: (What the? Why can’t I move?)
Kevin tries to walk forward but is seemingly stuck in place.
Isaiah: Oh no…
Demetri: What? What’s happening?
Isaiah: I don’t know, but something’s wrong.
Sydney starts laughing.
Sydney: You really thought we’d leave ourselves wide open for an attack? You really are just a muscle head with no brain!
Kevin: So that was just an act to make us believe you dropped your guards!
Sydney and Desiree look confused.
Sydney: What act?
Romeo stands up and removes his gag.
Romeo: I’m free!
Romeo starts running away but suddenly is stopped in the same manner as Kevin.
Romeo: NOOOO! I FORGOT ABOUT THE WEB!
Kevin: Web?
Kevin looks to his right and moves his arm a little. The sunlight reveals that he is caught in a spider web.
Kevin: (It’s so thin… yet strong enough to hold me in place… what kind of-)
Desiree: Thanks Romeo for letting the cat out of the bag!
Desiree spits a wad of adhesive into her hands and starts contorting it.
Desiree: You’re stuck inside of my extremely thin glue webbing. It's easy to spot if you know it’s there, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for you.
Sydney: We veiled the area surrounding ourselves completely, nobody gets in, and nobody gets out.
Romeo: I WANT OUT!
Sydney: SHUT THE HELL UP, ROMEO!
Romeo starts crying.
Sydney: Anyway, now that we have you trapped, we just need to hunt down your teammates.
Kevin: And how are you going to do that?
Sydney points.
Sydney: We already have.
Kevin looks up and sees a hole in the webbing where Isaiah’s laser beam attack entered.
Kevin: (Shit!) Isaiah! Demetri! Run!
Sydney forms a vortex of water in the air next to her. Isaiah gets scared and attempts to help Demetri to his feet.
Isaiah: We gotta go! We gotta go!
Demetri: Wh- why?
Sydney: Tsunami Cannon!
The Vortex fires a continuous burst of water in the direction of Isaiah and Demetri.
Isaiah: Oh.
Demetri: Fuck!
The burst slams into Isaiah and Demetri, trapping them inside the current.
Kevin: Goddammit…
Sydney: Well, this was easier than I thought it would be!
Sydney streams the water over to where she’s standing and creates two separate spheres containing Demetri and Isaiah.
Demetri and Isaiah: *drowning noises*
Sydney turns to Desiree.
Sydney: I have these two locked down. Go get their orb from their supply bag.
Desiree: What if it isn’t in there?
Sydney: Then we’ll just have to squeeze the information out of them.
Desiree: Got it.
Desiree starts running off. Isaiah tries to swim to freedom but is trapped in the sphere's center.
Sydney: You don’t have any chance of breaking free of my-
Demetri pukes.
Demetri: *distorted* OH GOD, IT’S EVERYWHERE!
Sydney is dumbfounded.
Sydney: I forgot your class has its fair share of idiots… just like ours…
Romeo: Hey!
Isaiah struggles for air.
Isaiah: (I’m losing my grip… I can’t take much more…)
Isaiah looks over at Demetri, who looks waterlogged.
Isaiah: (Oh man, Demetri’s down for the count already!)
Isaiah’s eyes start to flutter.
Isaiah: (I… I can’t… I’m losing… consciousness…)
“ Kevin: I can count on you, right? “
Isaiah sharpens his focus.
Isaiah: (No!)
“ Isaiah: We’ve had plenty of wake-up calls that we need to change, but we never do. “ - Chapter 65
Isaiah: (This won’t be another moment I look back upon with regret!)
“ Isaiah: Like it or not, we’re in this boat.
Demetri: And it’s our job to stop it from sinking. “ - Chapter 65
Isaiah looks down upon Sydney.
Isaiah: (If I can’t swim out, I have to make her break her hold!)
Isaiah notices Sydney is holding up both of her arms, pointing one at his water sphere and the other at Demetri’s.
Isaiah: (Maybe this water is so dense because she needs to use her hands to keep it together… I mean, that’s basically my only guess at this point. I need to try and get her to lower her arms somehow… and fast.)
Isaiah fires off a death beam at Sydney, who promptly dodges it without losing her focus.
Sydney: Fight back, huh? You’ll have to do better than that!
Isaiah: (Dammit!)
Kevin looks up at Isaiah and Demetri’s water prisons.
Kevin: (I should have been more careful! Rushing in and getting myself caught was a huge mistake. I knew I couldn’t trust those two if things went wrong. So now I have to do everything to swing this battle back in our favor.)
Kevin clenches his fists.
Kevin: 50%-
Suddenly two wads of glue are shot onto Kevin’s feet. Kevin looks over his shoulder to see Desiree has returned.
Kevin: (What the!)
Desiree: Thinking of amping up your power to save your friends? Thanks to my cement glue, you’re not going anywhere now.
Kevin: *frustrated grunt*
Isaiah sees that Kevin’s situation has worsened.
Isaiah: (Ah man! Now everything is riding on me… and Demetri, I guess… but mostly me! I have to think fast, I have to do something that will make that chick lose her focus!)
Isaiah thinks for a moment, his eyes widen.
Isaiah: (I’ve got it!)
Desiree walks over to Sydney and shows her the blue orb.
Desiree: Secured the bag.
Sydney: Beautiful.
Desiree: Meat for brains will be stuck like that for a while.
Sydney: That’s good. Go place the orb in the bag, I’ll finish off these two little bastards, and we’ll-
Isaiah: *distorted* I didn’t take you for the stripes type.
Sydney looks up at Isaiah with a confused look on her face.
Sydney: What? What’s that supposed to mean?
Isaiah: *distorted* Don’t get me wrong, I like stripes, but you seem like a solid color type, that’s all.
Desiree: What’s he talking about?
Sydney: It looks like the lack of oxygen is getting to him.
Isaiah: *distorted* But I will say one thing.
Sydney: And what’s that?
Isaiah gives a thumbs up.
Isaiah: *distorted* You look pretty in pink!
Desiree looks confused.
Desiree: But she’s not wearing pink…
Sydney’s eyes widen. She gets a mortified look as her face turns red.
Sydney: NOOOO!
Sydney covers herself in her arms releasing Demetri and Isaiah.
Isaiah: Freedom!
Demetri: *groans*
Kevin: (He did it!)
Desiree: Sydney! What happened!
Isaiah: She got a taste of the most powerful aspect of my quirk!
“ Isaiah: I’m scanning the building to find where the case is. I already know what it looks like because of the other groups, so we can go in and grab it once I spot it.
Ash: That’s a great idea! Wait, so you’re using X-Ray right now?
Isaiah: Yup.
Ash: Can that see-through clothes!
Isaiah: No, it has to be set to fabric mode to do that.
Ash: Oh, okay… wait… “ - Chapter 8
Desiree and Kevin are dumbfounded.
Kevin: Well… whatever works, I guess…
Isaiah: I was following your advice, Kevin!
“ Kevin: You don’t need to stop your “incidents,” just make them productive. “ - Chapter 65
Kevin: Yeah… this isn’t what I had in mind.
Isaiah: Then what did you have in mind!
Kevin: I don’t know… but sleuthing a girl’s underwear mid-battle wasn’t it.
Sydney stands up. Pure rage emanates from every pore of her body.
Sydney: YOU’RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!
Isaiah looks terrified.
Kevin: You might want to run…
Sydney puts both of her hands in the air.
Desiree: Woah, Sydney! Come down! You don’t want to use that move-
Heavy rain starts falling from the top of the trees.
Desiree: I guess we’re doing this, huh?
Romeo: OH GOD, HELP ME! I DON’T WANT TO GET CAUGHT IN THIS!
The raindrops hit as hard as rocks against everyone’s skin.
Isaiah: Oh boy… Demetri! We gotta go!
Demetri: *groans*
The raindrops start falling faster and hitting harder.
Sydney: Nobody makes a fool out of me! MONSOON MANSLAUGHTER-
Desiree punches Sydney in the face, knocking her to the ground. The rain ceases. Kevin and Isaiah are shocked.
Isaiah: What?
Kevin: Well, that’s something…
Desiree looks at Sydney with shock on her face.
Desiree: Wh- wh- what just happened? I didn’t mean to do that! It was like I lost control of my body!
Demetri starts laughing.
Demetri: You didn’t lose control.
Demetri sits up.
Demetri: I took control.
Demetri reveals his strings have attached to Desiree.
Desiree: What the hell!
Isaiah: Demetri!
Kevin: (Well, what do you know...)
Demetri starts standing up.
Demetri: It’s time that you guys stop underestimating us and start-
Demetri steps on his swollen nutsack.
Demetri: AHHHHHH!
Demetri falls to the ground writhing in pain.
Isaiah: Well… at least you got to be cool for like... 2 seconds…
Sydney starts picking herself up from the dirt.
Desiree: S- s- s- Sydney, I’m sorry, I-
Sydney: Well, I guess that makes two skulls I’m going to crush today.
Isaiah and Demetri look scared. Sydney turns and looks at Desiree.
Sydney: So you’ve turned this into a three-on-one, I see.
Romeo: What about me!
Sydney: Three skulls.
Romeo: OH, COME ON!
Demetri makes Desiree throw the blue orb to Isaiah.
Demetri: That doesn’t belong to you.
Sydney: Oh, it will.
Demetri makes Desiree start throwing punches at Sydney. She dodges each punch with ease. Kevin looks around the battlefield.
Kevin: (We’re in good shape right now, but if those strings get severed, there could be some major issues.)
Kevin looks down at his glued-down feet.
Kevin: (It’ll take at least 75% to break out of this bind, but if I do that, I’ll lose control and put Isaiah and Demetri’s safety at risk…) Ugh. (It looks like I’m going to have to put my faith in them to finish this one… but if things go south...)
Demetri continues trying to use Desiree to attack Sydney to no avail.
Demetri: Dammit, she’s predicting every attack before I even make it!
Isaiah: Keep it up! She can’t fire back at us if she’s constantly dodging!
Sydney looks out of the corner of her eye at Isaiah and Demetri.
Sydney: (I’m playing into those two little dumbasses' hands!)
Desiree: (Sydney can handle them without me, but she can’t handle them against me. I need to do something drastic, even if it’s risky!)
Desiree spits up wads of glue onto her own feet, causing her to become stuck in place.
Demetri: Oh no…
Isaiah: That’s not good.
Desiree: There you, Syd! Now you can take these bastards out!
Sydney turns and looks menacingly at Demetri and Isaiah.
Sydney: With pleasure…
Isaiah and Demetri both look terrified.
Isaiah: We gotta do something!
Demetri looks at Romeo.
Demetri: I’ve got an idea; break him free!
Demetri points at Romeo.
Isaiah: Uh, you sure-
Demetri: Just do it!
Isaiah uses his laser beam eyes to free Romeo.
Romeo: Oh my god! I’m free! I’m-
Demetri attaches his strings to Romeo’s back and reels him in.
Demetri: Human Shield Puppet!
Romeo: Oh, come on!
Demetri: If you attack us, you’ll injure your teammate just as badly!
Sydney and Desiree burst out laughing.
Demetri: Uh…
Isaiah: Yeah… I know you were trying… but this wasn’t a great idea.
Sydney wipes tears from her eyes.
Sydney: We don’t need Romeo! I could destroy him for all I care!
Romeo: Thanks, Sydney…
Isaiah and Demetri look disheartened.
Demetri: Well... it was worth a shot.
Isaiah: We tried our best.
Sydney laughs even harder.
Sydney: That was your best? You’ve barely done anything! You two are nothing but failures!
Isaiah: Hey! Shut the hell up! At least we’re not a mean-spirited bitch like you!
Demetri: Yeah!
Sydney stops laughing.
Demetri and Isaiah: Oh boy…
Sydney: Mean-spirited bitch, huh? That’s how you see me? That’s fine.
Desiree: Sydney…
Sydney: Of the 40 students selected to be in the hero course each year, U.A. has four spots reserved for “recommendation students” I’m sure you know the ones from your class?
Isaiah: Y- yeah…
Demetri: Justus and Karma.
Sydney: In our class, it’s Tobias and me. We four are held to a higher standard than you “application” students, our grades are expected to be top of the class, and a high placing in the Sports Festival is anticipated. Justus won the tournament, and Tobias and Karma were eliminated by him, so there was no disappointment on their fronts. But then there’s me. I was defeated by a pathetic excuse for a hero using his quirk for the first time… I was humiliated!
Demetri: But you were a bitch then, and you’re a bitch now! What’s this-
Sydney: When more is expected of you, you cannot take things as lightly as others. My whole life, I was expected to make it to U.A. and perform at the highest level. I was constantly berated for mistakes or missteps. I didn’t have the luxury of having fun… it’s what nurtured who I am and how I act. You call me a bitch, and that’s fine, but when I look upon you two, all I see are two idiots who don’t know the first thing about discipline! You two put your perverted nature over your own success. It sickens me; you two are a waste of U.A. roster spots!
Isaiah and Demetri look at each other.
Isaiah: Maybe you’re right…
Demetri: Maybe we are just a pair of loser perverts...
“ Isaiah holds out his hand.
Isaiah: Friends?
Demetri shakes Isaiah’s hand.
Demetri: Friends. “ - Chapter 65
Isaiah and Demetri both get a glimmer in their eyes.
Isaiah: /You ready for our combo?/
Demetri: /You mean that terrible move we came up with last night?/
Isaiah: /That, and then we follow it up with the move that knocked you out of the Sports Festival, but first, follow my lead./
Isaiah turns to Sydney.
Isaiah: But you know what?
Demetri: Being perverted is a bad thing.
Isaiah: But part of being a hero is turning bad things.
Demetri: Into good things!
Demetri is finally able to get to his feet.
Isaiah: You think we’re wastes of space?
Sydney: Yes! Yes, I do.
Isaiah: Then do you care to put a wager on this match?
Sydney: Hm?
Isaiah: If we lose, we’ll leave U.A. for good, regardless of how this exam shakes out.
Demetri looks worried but settles down because he trusts Isaiah.
Sydney: Are you really that dense? There’s no way you’re winning this!
Isaiah: Then do you care to hear your end of the bargain?
Sydney: Sure, knock yourselves out; it’s not coming to fruition.
Isaiah: If we win, we both get kisses on the cheek from you!
Demetri: How does that sound?
Sydney gets a sickened look on her face.
Sydney: So be it. It’s pathetic that you would risk your whole future on a pointless endeavor to try and obtain women’s touch. I am a proud aspiring hero, and I refuse to be humiliated by two fools like you!
Isaiah readies his visor, and Demetri stretches his fingers.
Isaiah: That’s right, we’re fools.
Demetri: But trust us.
Demetri makes Desiree start reaching towards Sydney’s waist, unbeknownst to Sydney.
Isaiah and Demetri: We’re the best fools there are!
Demetri pantses Sydney via Desiree. Sydney’s face turns bright red with embarrassment.
Sydney: EEK!
Sydney reaches down to cover herself when suddenly she gets hit straight in the center of the chest by Isaiah’s death beam, sending her flying through the air.
Isaiah and Demetri: Combo Attack: Sharking Sunbeam!
Sydney slams into the ground.
Desiree: Sydney, no!
Romeo: Sydney, yes!
Sydney promptly pulls up her pants and gets to her feet… she’s dead silent.
Desiree: Uh Sydney… are you okay?
Romeo turns to Isaiah and Demetri.
Romeo: Thank you for letting me see something so beautiful.
Isaiah: Don’t thank us yet.
Romeo: Huh? What did I-
Romeo suddenly can’t move his lips on his own. Sydney slowly walks towards Isaiah and Demetri.
Sydney: Desiree.
Desiree: Y- yes, Sydney?
Sydney: What were the rules about fatal force in this exam?
Desiree: Mr. Walker and Mr. Houston will enter the arena and protect against it.
Sydney: Then I guess I’ll have to make this quick.
Sydney raises both of her hands up.
Sydney: This time… nothing is going to stop me!
The torrential rock-hard rain picks up again.
Sydney: Today… YOU TWO WILL DIE!
The raindrops start falling faster and hitting harder.
Sydney: PERISH! MONSOON MANSLAUGHTER-
Sydney gets hit by an errant kiss; she drops her arms and stares blankly.
Sydney: No… No! No! No! No!
Desiree has hearts in her eyes already. Sydney sees that Demetri used his strings to force Romeo to use his quirk on Sydney.
Demetri: And that’s checkmate.
Demetri releases Romeo.
Demetri: Thanks, buddy.
Sydney falls to her knees. She grabs her head and shakes it back and forth.
Sydney: No! No! No! Fight it! Fight it!
Isaiah walks over to Sydney, Romeo, and Desiree’s supply bag.
Isaiah: You know, you sure are stupid for a girl who loves to talk trash.
Demetri: You underestimated us… and that was your biggest mistake!
Sydney starts banging her head against a tree.
Sydney: No, please! Don’t make me fall for him! It’s so humiliating!
Isaiah: You put up a good fight.
Isaiah pulls out the green orb.
Demetri: But this time.
Sydney looks back at Demetri and Isaiah.
Demetri and Isaiah: The perverts come out on top!
Sydney: I HATE YOU!
Sydney’s eyes change to hearts.
Sydney: But I love my Romeo!
Sydney runs over and starts hugging and kissing Romeo.
Romeo: You were right! I shouldn’t have thanked you yet!
Desiree gets mad.
Desiree: Hey! He’s mine!
Desiree uses her quirk to dissipate all of the cement glue, freeing herself and Kevin. Desiree runs over and starts hugging and kissing Romeo as well.
Romeo: THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
Kevin walks over to Demetri and Isaiah.
Kevin: Well, guys, you won in an unorthodox way… but you’re unorthodox guys… so it fits.
Demetri: Pfft, you’re welcome.
Isaiah: Now we have a green and a blue orb! That means we can pass this exam much easier!
Kevin: Hell yeah, brother!
Kevin looks at the lovefest going on in the background.
Kevin: Let’s get out of here quick, though. I can only be around lovey-dovey crap for so long.
Isaiah: Eh, it’s alright.
Isaiah picks up a rock off the ground and throws it at Romeo’s head.
Romeo: Oh no…
Sydney and Desiree look enraged.
Romeo: God, help me...
Sydney and Desiree take turns kicking Romeo in the nuts.
Romeo: AHHHHHHHHH!
Kevin: That’s better.
Demetri: Way better.
Kevin, Demetri, and Isaiah depart. Sydney and Desiree continued beating on Romeo until his spell ended, causing them to pass out. Houston was forced to remove Romeo from the exam due to excessive groin injuries. Sometime later, Sydney and Desiree begin to walk up.
Desiree: Wha- what happened?
Sydney: *groans* I don’t remember…
Desiree looks around.
Desiree: I think… I think we lost… and it looks like Romeo is gone.
Sydney’s eyes widen.
Desiree: What’s wrong? Sydney? Is everything okay?
Sydney's face turns red, and her eyes start to water.
Sydney: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Isaiah and Demetri triumphantly high five.
Isaiah: So, when should we cash in our kisses?
Demetri: I don’t know, maybe when the exams are over, and everyone is together.
Isaiah: Oh, great idea!
Kevin: I know she’s a bitch, but isn’t that a little cruel, guys. Making her put her lips on something so disgusting…
Demetri and Isaiah: HEY!
Kevin laughs.
Kevin: Good work, guys. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.
Demetri and Isaiah smile.
Isaiah: Thanks, Kev.
Demetri: Apology accepted.