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Chapter Text

Isabel swayed back and forth slowly in the rocking chair.

The warm salty breeze was a comfort to her aching heart. She could hear her father speaking to her grandmother in Spanish.

His voice was hopeful, yet a twinge of sadness could be sensed in his tone. Her grandmother’s loud voice reached her, but she ignored her disgruntled words.

She ignored everything that was happening inside her small home.

The sound of the ocean flowed over her as she closed her eyes.

Bitterness filled her heart; she wouldn’t be here anymore. Back and forth she rocked herself in the familiar chair as she felt the wetness on her cheeks being dried by the warm tropical breeze. She absorbed her environment for the last time, the beautiful ocean, the warm sand, the soft melodies of old forgotten boleros her grandma played on her radio. She could hear the heavy steps of her father coming from the house. She had never lived anywhere else in her life, the small island being her only shelter for so long.

Her dad had always followed his heroic heart, but now… he was following it to the ends of the earth, and he was dragging a very unwilling Isabel with him. He was following the strings of his heart to where he thought he would find what he lost a long time ago. He would go even if it meant finding a dead end. And all because Uncle Toshi had called him. His delusions and selfish desires fueled every step he took. Isabel came to realize that unlike her, he had never really given up.

It was hard for Isabel not to feel resentful. She had finally found her own space, a few friends. She had built her confidence around these people. But now, she would have to start from zero again. Troubled thoughts concerning her school life bounced around in her head as she tried to burn every detail of her beloved home into her mind. She felt rough calloused hands on her cheeks, and she opened her eyes. As her grandmother stood before her, forest green eyes met golden ones. She felt the sting of her tears come back and the warm embrace of her grandmother one last time.

This was farewell.

A few weeks later in Japan…

It was finally Friday for class 1-A, it had been a rough week for them. The hero basic training they received from All Might had shown off everyone’s abilities but had also motivated the class to take their training in earnest. They had gauged their opponents and knew what they were up against… or so they thought. When they entered the classroom, they had found it surprising to find All Might and Aizawa-sensei discussing a file in their hands quietly. They all sat down and curiously observed as the erasure hero flipped over more pages while All Might spoke to him earnestly. Aizawa’s signature grin was stretching across his face as he nodded at the larger blonde hero and All Might gave a sigh of relief.

“Well then… I guess we have an announcement to make.” All Might said cheerfully.
Aizawa nodded at the man once more and stepped up to the podium.
“All right. Before we start up today’s training.” He drawled tiredly, he could see his students tensing and he smiled wickedly. “We are going to get a new addition to the hero course.”
The students seemed to relax and gain energy from his statement. Murmurs of excitement and bewilderment filled the atmosphere.
“Isn’t it a little late to add someone?” asked Yaoyorozu, her hand high in the air.
“Considering she is a foreign student and has had to get settled in, I don’t think it’s a problem. Besides she was recommended by All Might himself.” Aizawa said nonchalantly, the last part caused All Might to tense beside Aizawa.
Isabel would not forgive him for singling her out from the start… He would have to grovel a bit when she found out, maybe a new jacket or merchandise from himself would do. She had always loved his stuff.

The silence that followed Aizawa’s announcement was thick. He could see the tension and disbelief in many of the kid’s eyes and he could not blame them. The class wondered who was so great to qualify for this special treatment, and who had All Might invited to the school.

While some seemed to be wary of the new addition, others seemed excited by the prospect of someone powerful joining them.
Midoriya stared at All Might curiously, while the blonde in front of him seemed to grin at the possible beast he would meet.

Chapter Text

Isabel took quick steps besides her self-proclaimed Uncle; he was escorting her through the school like the overprotective blonde teddy bear he was. She had been annoyed at him for most of the weekend. She knew something was up when he had entered the home, they now shared, with a limited-edition Silver Age All Might hoodie in hopes of settling her. Needless to say, it didn’t work. Having heard that because of him she was singled out from the start had her in a panic and she had barely slept.

She fiddled with her hat and made sure her hair was covered completely before looking at the man beside her. His expression was one of perseverance, Isabel knew he was also nervous for her. She should probably talk to him already… He did try to make amends… And the hoodie was gorgeous.

“So… when are we getting together with Dave and Meli?” she looked up at him, she could see a small smile peeking through his worried grimace.

All Might let out the breath he had been holding all morning. He was happy to see she was no longer upset at him. Her sharp golden eyes although anxious, looked at him with warmth again.

“Well, I already figured that we were going to the I-Island expo. So, probably there.” She beamed excitedly at his words, “You should probably video chat with her soon. Any update to your costume and weapons should be handled by their original creator.”

All Might saw the big class 1-A door approaching, he felt something tug at his sleeve and he stopped.

She looked up at him, eyes a little watery. Her smile was big and forced. In front of him was not the young lady he had come to know. He could only see the little girl that so long ago held on to him for dear life. All Might grabbed her free hand in his and pulled her into a small hug.

“Bell-Bell… You are going to be fine.” He felt her press herself deeper into his hug.

Her smaller form desperate for reassurance.

“You were trained by me and your dad made sure-”

“I know” she cut him off.

He felt her pull away, she looked a little calmer although he could see some moisture in her eyes. He knew it was all just a brave face.

“Can you…maybe hold my hand? Until we get there of course.” He laughed loudly in the empty hall and nodded at her.

He held her small hand gingerly just like the first time he had met her. With one gentle tug they began walking again.

Aizawa felt tired as usual, but more so as his students seemed to be squirming in excitement for their new addition. He hated to admit it, but he was also somewhat excited for her arrival. He had read her file and her quirk was powerful. An emitter type like his. What puzzled him was the fact that All Might had informed him of one small problem. She would never use it at full capacity. In fact, she would barely use it at all. He had stared at her picture intently wondering why she wouldn’t but decided that with time and training he would figure it out. He would be her mentor and strengthen the weaknesses All Might, and her father hadn’t. He actually felt proud that the number one hero had asked him for something so close to his heart… Although he would rather chew glass than admit that.

He heard the door open and finally saw the duo. The girl slowly let go of All Might’s hand, her gold yellow eyes staring at the taller man in panic as he escorted her in with a hand pressed against her back. Eraser could see her holding her hands together as if to physically restrain herself from grabbing on to the older hero. She met Aizawa’s eyes and he felt himself slowly but surely softening. A familiar look of impassiveness and anxiety hid behind what seemed to be a facade of seriousness and professionalism. Her hair was hidden by a large deep red beanie like hat; it looked similar to a dread tram.

Golden reptilian eyes slowly turned towards the other students. They stared at her openly, she could feel their eyes piercing into her. She gripped her hands tightly, knuckles paling a bit. She felt All Might step up beside her and relaxed, glad he would take the attention off her.

“Good morning young ones!” he boomed, “I was asked to escort the new student and I am here!” he exclaimed before looking at Isabel and smiling widely.

The blond hero could see her lips pressed into a thin line; he couldn’t help the knot that tightened in his stomach. She didn’t deserve the distress she felt.

Interesting, Aizawa thought.

The tired man could see her lean naturally into All Might as the blond looked at her. It seemed she was a little too dependent on the hero. He would have to fix that.

“I’ll take it from here.”

All Might and Isabel quickly looked at the dark-haired man as he stepped up to them.
All Might nodded hesitantly and turned towards her, gingerly he patted her head.

“You can do it, Bell-Bell.” He said softly, only for her very sensitive ears.

He nodded at Aizawa and looked back at her one last time before he stepped out.

Isabel took a deep breath and steeled herself. She met the dark-haired man’s eyes and he tiredly nodded his head in greeting. He looked like he hadn’t slept in ages, and the worn-out black clothes he wore didn’t help his case on how exhausted he seemed.

“Ohayo, I’m Aizawa Shouta. I’ll be your homeroom teacher for this year.”

She nodded at the man and bowed.

“Introduce yourself and then take the seat behind Yaoyorozu.” He pointed to a girl with a very large ponytail.

Isabel nodded and for the first time in a while tried to focus only on the task at hand. She took a few steps until she was in the front of her class and bowed gracefully.

“Good morning, my name is Garcia Isabel…” she looked at the dark-haired man and received a raised brow, “um… I’m from a small island in the Caribbean and I hope we can all get along?” she bowed again before anxiously walking towards the back of the class.

She released the breath she held when she had uneventfully made her way to her desk and heard the teacher finally begin the class.

It was nerve wracking. Isabel could feel people sneaking glances at her throughout the classes but none more than the red eyed blonde that sat near the front of the class. She felt his eyes burning her but all she could do was sit and tolerate whatever was happening. She took a deep breath and tried to remind herself that this was normal. She was new, they were curious. They didn’t know anything, it’s normal to be curious. She repeated on and on throughout the class.

Meanwhile, Bakugou couldn’t believe that she was the one that was recommended by All Might. He could clearly see that she was physically fit. Mineta’s comment on how thick her legs were had not gone unnoticed by the blonde. She wore black tights that covered her legs completely and accentuated their figure. But even then, she didn’t look like much. She seemed to want to disappear into her seat. Bakugou wondered what made her so great, was it her quirk? It had to be a powerhouse if All Might was paying her even more attention than stupid Deku. He quietly and uncomfortably observed her through all the classes. He cursed his luck, why the hell did she sit behind him. He barely managed to sneak a few glances but it was enough. The new girl only took notes and kept her head down… Until math and physics. Bakugou watched as her eyes met the front for the first time and she gave a small toothy grin as she observed the symbols on the board. Her reptilian eyes seemed to hyper focus on the kanji, eyes slowly traced each symbol and he saw the moment her enthusiasm flickered to life. Curiosity coursed through his veins at the possibility of there being something more behind that shitty weak look.

Isabel’s hand shot up for the first time that day when Aizawa turned to his students. She could feel the stares from the others but pushed the discomfort down. She had been slow reading the kanji on the board but once she had processed the information, she couldn’t help but feel giddy. She had this in the bag, and she knew it.

Aizawa was surprised to see a hand up, especially the hand of the new girl. She had been quiet all throughout the morning classes, almost hiding behind Yaoyorozu’s large ponytail. He could see her eyes burning with determination and he found it excited him. She was a diamond in the rough and he would pull out the potential All Might saw in her. Aizawa smirked at her and nodded. He gestured towards her slowly with the electronic marker. She gracefully slid out of her desk and walked up towards the front. Aizawa raised a brow, not a noise was made as she walked towards him.

Curious, he thought.

He noticed some of his students had also made note of that. He could see Todoroki squinting at her and then looking at her loafers and then back at her. Isabel took the marker as she passed him. She placed the tip on the board and suddenly her hand flew. She used the acceleration and velocity given to calculate the distance and time for the object, but considering the object was thrown in a curve she had to also consider the height and angle of the throw before she could jump into it. She quickly scribbled equations and numbers on the board, unaware of her classmates increasing horror and awe.

Aizawa chuckled mischievously as the young girl went off, they could all hear her mumbling foreign sounds as she wrote. She shifted her weight from foot to foot subconsciously. Bakugou looked at his classmates and smirked, the tension was palpable. She was going to reignite the competition to be the best, and he couldn’t help but enjoy the challenge. The girl was solving a problem none of them had seen or discussed before with such agility. It was a bit intimidating, not that he would ever openly admit that.

Isabel smiled at herself as she stepped back. She knew she was right and handed back the marker to her teacher with confidence. When she turned, she quietly strutted back to her seat and stared proudly at her work. Aizawa turned to his students and then met her eyes head on.

“Well, today we are going to learn how to calculate distance and time from the acceleration and velocity of an object. Just like Izaberu-san just did.”

Isabel stiffened.

She wanted the earth to swallow her up as she felt the other students eyeing her. The girl was so distracted by her enthusiasm she hadn’t realized they hadn’t discussed that yet. She figured it was just a problem. She met the eyes of her classmates, thankfully most stared in awe while some others continued to size her up. Isabel let her eyes fall on her notebook and started to take notes again. She could hear Aizawa droning on about the lesson while she wished with all her being to disappear.

Bakugou stared, puzzled at the new girl. This was not the large buff monster he had imagined all weekend. He studied her carefully as the confidence she had melted away into whatever he was looking at now. She hunched over her notebook and was writing intently in it. Her eyes never left her paper once, he was sure she was probably flushing like an idiot from the dark tinge of her ears. He didn’t like what he saw. Where was that sureness, that fire he had seen in her just a few minutes ago?

It seemed to vanish as fast as it came.

Bakugou felt the heat of his anger pool in his stomach. Did All Might pick a weakling like her over everyone? Why were these weak fucking nerds above him in the number one’s eyes? He gritted his teeth as he looked back one last time. He would show All Might. He would crush her just like he would crush fucking Deku.

Chapter Text

Isabel had waited for everyone to leave the classroom for lunch. She had brought her own and held tightly to it. Isabel cherished it deeply, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to eat her home meals for long. She would eventually run out of the local ingredients she had brought with her and who knew when her grandma would be able to send a care package. The girl sighed as she settled into her desk and smiled warmly at the rice and beans that greeted her. A small container with some roasted pork sat beside it. The wonderful aromas of her home filled the room as she dug in and felt comfortable for the first time that day. She closed her eyes as she chewed and sighed in pleasure; she enjoyed the small measure of peace she had found. Even if it didn’t last.

The class had been confused when they had returned from lunch. The new girl was on a tablet looking at what they could only figure out were charts. She bobbed her head to whatever music she was listening to on her headphones. They had wanted to speak to her at lunch, but Isabel never showed up. The curiosity over her was almost unbearable for the students and just when they thought they would be able to corner her in the classroom their teacher had unceremoniously entered.

Isabel felt herself breath the moment she saw Aizawa sensei. She had felt the students eyeing her like prey. She didn’t want to be cornered and interrogated by them. Isabel took the headphones off and put the tablet back in her bag. She would have to continue studying the Japanese sky map later. Her hand cradled her chin in thought, she could learn it by tomorrow and have her telescope set up in time to maybe see some planets. It was thrilling to wonder if she could observe Neptune and Jupiter once the sun had set. Isabel kicked her feet in excitement at the prospect.

“Alright, today we are going to be re-evaluating close quarter combat.” Aizawa’s eyes landed on Isabel and he saw a tense frown make its way onto her face. “There will be minimal to no quirk use. Now go change into your P.E. uniforms and meet me out on the field.”

He could hear some students grumbling as they took their bags. He sighed tiredly as he took out the new kid’s uniform.

“Izaberu, change into this. Afterwards, meet me in front of this classroom. I’ll take you to the field.” She nodded as she grabbed the uniform and gave him a small bow again.

Aizawa could see her tense form exit towards the common bathroom and sighed worriedly. He knew it was her first day, but her avoidance of the other students was ridiculous. Well, sooner or later she was going to have to confront them. And if he guessed right, with the behavior he had observed from his class, it would be sooner rather than later.

Isabel stared at herself in the mirror uneasily. Her arms were exposed, and she could see the golden scales on the side of her upper arms as clear as day. The contrast with her light brown skin was striking. She stared at her face and decided to wash her makeup off. She was going to get sweaty and it would probably run, she didn’t want to look like a clown. Her hands hesitated for a moment, but she pushed herself.

They were going to see her arms anyway, what did some smaller one’s matter. Baby steps, Isabel; she told herself over and over. This was a baby step. She washed her face thoroughly and spotted golden freckle like spots on her cheeks, around her eyes, and on the bridge of her nose. She inhaled deeply and left the bathroom. She would make the best of it. She wasn’t the weirdest looking one in the class for sure, she tried to convince herself. She could and would do this, if not for herself then for the people that were taking care of her. She would give her best, she would make Toshinori proud.

Class 1-A had been anxiously waiting in the training field. They wanted to finally speak to the new girl, but she had once again avoided them. Iida seemed to be about to explode. As class representative he wanted to welcome her properly to the class.

The others tried to calm the large bespectacled boy and keep him away. It was pretty obvious that she wasn’t comfortable around them.  They heard Aizawa approaching and saw the girl walking beside him. For the first time they had the opportunity to observe her clearly.

Her light brown skin seemed to bask in the sunlight as they saw something shine on the side of her upper arms. They could also see small golden freckles somewhat glistening in the sun as she turned her face towards them. Reptilian eyes studied them carefully and for the first time they saw her thin forked tongue flick out of her mouth. They stared curiously at her; she had kept her hat on despite having most of her features on display. They wondered if it was a cultural thing.

Bakugou studied her closely as Aizawa gave the class their instructions for the battle. He could see that her arms were more toned than the other girl’s and that her posture was different from that morning. She stood straight; her head held high. Her eyes seemed to shine with something he couldn’t really name, a beat of emotion seemed to make the cold gold in her eyes swirl to life. He figured her quirk gave her the abilities of a reptile, but he would not be confirming that today.

“I’m going to pair you up and you will all fight one on one. This is a good opportunity to see how well your close combat skills are.” Aizawa looked at all the students and finally stared at the new kid. “Since we are going to be uneven, I have opted to place Izaberu against two people.”

The students around him murmured as they stared at her intensely.

“You will first fight with Ojiro, and then you and Bakugou will be last. Show me what you can do.” She nodded respectfully at his words. 

They could see the girl step up to the field and stretch her legs as she looked at the blonde boy that walked up. She studied his tail before analyzing his form. He looked heavy set and was a bit taller than her, but she knew she could probably throw him. She would have to keep an eye on his tail, though. Isabel wondered if that was his only quirk.

Bakugou, Midoriya, and Todoroki stared at the girl intently as she adjusted her hat. Her tongue rapidly flicked out as she separated her feet and set her hands in front of her. Her sharp eyes were focused on Ojiro, her reptilian pupils sharpening on their own.

“Start!”

As soon as the words left Aizawa’s mouth everyone lost track of the fighters. Her speed was incredible as she ran at the boy. He met her midway with a kick she jumped over. What surprised everyone was that she managed to spin herself midair and land her own kick to Ojiro’s chest, knocking him back a foot or two.  Midoriya gasped and took out his notebook. He was writing everything he could observe down. Meanwhile, Bakugou could barely blink. The midair change required a lot of agility and control. He grimaced at the girl; he knew well how hard aerial movements were.

Isabel let her senses take over; her acute hearing was useful to predict movements and her sharp reptilian eyes gave her an advantage. Every move this boy would make she would dodge or counter without breaking a sweat. Each time Isabel’s feet met the ground she would launch another kick or would duck under a punch.

Ojiro faked a punch while he started to spin quickly to smack her with his tail, but she caught on quickly. Her hands instinctively grabbed onto his shoulders as she kicked herself up and over him, using her speed and flexibility to her advantage. Once Isabel was behind him, she grabbed his tail. With a fierce growl, she threw him to the side. He hit the ground and spun various times before getting up and initiating another attack on her.

To say class 1-A was shocked was an understatement. Ojiro had almost landed a few hits on her but she seemed to be as rested as when she started the fight. In the practices they had had, Ojiro had always been one of the top students in hand to hand combat. They never expected someone to be evenly matched or to be even better than him.

The girl had dodged a few more kicks and tail whips when she decided that she had had enough. Isabel waited for another punch to come her way. Thankfully the boy was predictable enough. Once that punch was heading towards her face she stepped into his space, narrowly dodging his fist. She grabbed his arm and uniform with both hands and turned. Isabel  threw the larger boy over her hip and into the ground, a sharp growl leaving her.

The sound of soil crunching and breaking reached everyone’s ears as Ojiro let out a startled gasp. Ojiro laid in a shallow indentation the size of his body. His eyes were dazed as she stood up straight and met his gaze head on. He knew he couldn’t win, not when he hadn’t landed a substantial hit on her during their entire fight. She stepped on his chest with one leg and placed her other foot near his neck. A silent warning to the boy.

“All right, you're done.” Aizawa said from the sidelines.

Ojiro closed his eyes in frustration. He was so sure of his fighting skills that he forgot to consider that she might have been on equal or even better footing. He underestimated her and payed for it. He clenched his jaw as he started to sit up. Pain shook his core. He opened his eyes to find the new girl’s hand near his face.

“I really enjoyed our fight.” She stated shyly, her voice a warm alto tone. “Are you ok?”

He stared at her for a few seconds before grabbing her hand and feeling himself being effortlessly pulled to his feet.

“Yeah, I’m ok.” He sighed before straightening himself out. “Those were some awesome moves.”

She nodded towards him as she fidgeted with her hat again, her eyes warm and hypnotizing.

“Thanks, yours are cool too.” She gave him a small shy nod before making her way towards the other students.

Ojiro couldn’t help but stare at her as she walked away. He slowly walked back towards the class, realizing that she might just be on a whole other level than all of them. Class 1-A stood in a very tense silence; the bar had been once again been raised.

Chapter Text

Bakugou glowered openly at the new girl. She had sat down near the end of the group and was currently watching Shoji and Tokoyami face off. Her eyes would follow every subtle movement they made. Her tongue would flicker out every now and then as her eyebrows would scrunch in thought. He could see her hand subconsciously secure her hat as she fidgeted with something beneath it. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He couldn’t wait to see for himself what it meant to be recognized by the number one.

Isabel could feel eyes burning into her but with a breath ignored it. She had learned that she loved seeing her classmates fight, each had a unique style and approach. All of them using their bodies to their full potential, no fear of rejection. She stared at her hands intently at that thought. Maybe this would be the place where she could finally be free. Isabel was so caught up in thought that she didn’t feel the two people flanking her until they had sat down beside her.

Bakugou watched as the pink and round-faced girl sat beside All Might’s recommended. He didn’t miss how her shoulders tensed and her hands clenched into fists. Her pupils dilating and quickly fixing themselves on the girls. There was something up with her and he would figure it out.

“Hey! Your fight was amazing!!!” the pink skinned girl exclaimed from beside her.

Isabel felt herself scooch back a little as she got closer.

“Yeah, who would of thought someone could beat Ojiro at his own thing.” Said the brown-haired girl.

“Oh, ummm. Thank you.” She looked to the side and felt herself warm at the praise. Hands relaxing slowly.

“Girl, we only speak the truth!” Isabel could see the brown-haired girl nodding in agreement with the pink one.

“I…” she was going to address them when she realized something. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your names…” embarrassment flooded her features.

“Oh right! You missed lunch with us.” The pink one said. “I’m Ashido Mina and that’s Uraraka Ochako.”

Isabel nodded and smiled at them timidly.

“You should come have lunch with us tomorrow.” Uraraka suggested.

“Oh, I bring my own lunch-”

“It doesn’t matter, we’ve all been eating together even if we bring lunch.” Ashido grinned brightly.

Isabel couldn’t help but give a tiny smile at the warmth the pink girl radiated, it reminded her of the people she missed.

“I guess that would be okay.” She decided finally.

“Oh, I wanted to ask. What should we call you?” Uraraka stared at her intently.

“Yeah, are you close with Aizawa sensei? He calls you by your first name.” Mina chimed in.

“Well, I … I know Japanese people used their last names first, but I don’t respond to it.” Isabel moved her hands faintly as she spoke, unaware that the rest of the class was listening in.

“All Might probably told sensei that I would answer to my name. It’s really weird to hear my last name used to call me…” realizing what she said she quickly panicked and backtracked. Hands flailing in front of her face, “Ah, I didn’t mean to offend! It just sounds different and it’s so short and at home we are way more casual with each other usually, so we always use first names and I-”

“It’s fine. We don’t bite.” Mina chuckled as she patted her shoulder amicably.

Mina enjoyed the warm lilt and quick rhythmic way the girl’s words were spoken. Her words were clear, and they sounded almost musical to her ear.

“How would you introduce yourself back home?” a new voice asked, this one belonging to a boy with wild green hair and big green eyes.

Isabel could feel the rest of the class paying attention now and shrunk into herself.

“I…Uh… Isabel Tsuki Garcia Tanaka.”

“Oh!!! You have a lot of names!” Mina said quickly and loudly.

Isabel nodded and tried to calm herself.

“If you have time to talk, you have time to run some laps. Pay attention or else, I won’t repeat myself.” Aizawa broke the conversation.

Red eyes stared at them and his long hair floated up lazily, Isabel assumed his quirk was activated.

He looked terrifying.

The girls nodded quickly and turned to watch the match in front of them. A tall boy with glasses Mina called Iida and a red-haired boy called Kirishima were currently beating each other up. Each time a classmate would walk up, she would quietly ask one of the girls who they were. Isabel was slowly putting together the faces and names of the people around her. Match after match she observed her classmates carefully, until she had to fight again. She assumed that by the faces her two classmates were making at her it wasn’t against someone nice.

Bakugou stood when Aizawa announced the last match. He could see raccoon eyes and round face speaking intently to the new girl as she stood. He smirked; they were probably warning her about him. Good. He would never hold back, even if they weren’t using their quirks.

Isabel made her way towards the field and faced him. His hair was a very light blonde, his eyes were the color of crimson, and he seemed to be trying to glare her to death. He was taller by a few inches and looked more built than her… but it didn’t matter, she would bring him down.

“You two. Remember, give it your all.” Aizawa reminded, eyes fixed on the girl.

Bakugou could see her golden eyes narrow at the teacher’s words, her tongue flickered out quickly as if tasting the air. A quick confused look flashed in her eyes, but she composed herself. She stood straight, took a step forward, and stared at him defiantly. Reptilian eyes met blood red as Aizawa called for them to begin. Bakugou didn’t waste a second, he ran at her. 

Feet drifted apart as she widened her stance and dug her heels into the floor. The girls had warned her that he’d be aggressive and just like they said Isabel found herself catching a right hook mercilessly aimed at her face. She swiftly let go and lowered herself before striking him with her palm on his chest.

Bakugou felt the hit before he registered what was going on. The force was enough to send him stumbling back. He could see the girl take a step forward, her eyes sharp and her body relaxed. She widened her stance again before smiling wickedly at him, her fangs in full display. She made a playful come-hither motion with one of her hands and he snarled at her.

“Are you mocking me, snake eyes?!?” he yelled as he rushed her, Isabel tensed at his words.

A frown stretched across her face as her eyes burned with uncoiled rage. Isabel side stepped him and grabbed onto the punch he had thrown again. With his momentum, she spun him and threw him away from her. He quickly regained his footing and charged at her again. She ran at him and gracefully jumped into the air. Bakugou quickly blocked her downward kick. She pulled her foot back and landed in front of him. Bakugou snarled as a barrage of punches was hurled at him. He blocked all her punches until he saw an opportunity and managed to grab both of her hands in his.

Their fingers were laced, and he realized that her hands were actually small and slender. He smiled wickedly as he pushed to overpower her but that plan soon faltered. Isabel was pushing back with force; he could feel his legs tensing before she roughly pulled him towards her. Her forehead met his face with a solid smack that landed him on the ground. Bakugou could feel the blood running down his nose. A wild grin morphed his features as he jumped at her.

It didn’t take much for class 1-A to comprehend that the fight they were witnessing was very different from Ojiro’s. Midoriya studied her closely, her movements were way more aggressive even though it seemed she was more cautious with Bakugou than she had been with the other boy. The class seemed to be on edge as they watched both students going at it. Isabel was not backing down no matter what, even when Bakugou relentlessly charged at her. His aggressive style clearly made her more careful but she did not dare hesitate. They wondered if she actually had a chance against the boy.

At the moment, Isabel found herself impressed with the boy she fought. She quickly realized she would have to pull out the big moves with him if she wanted to win. As she thought this, she felt a sharp pain burst through her stomach. In her distraction, he had landed a punch on her and knocked her down.

“EYES ON ME, DUMBASS!!!” he yelled as he jumped.

She tried to rise but had to roll out of the way as he stomped the area where she had been. He kept attacking her while she was on the ground. Sooner or later he would falter and when he did. She pushed her body upwards.

Isabel kicked up at the boy as she spun on her back and placed her hands on the ground. He jumped back to dodge her spinning kick, unfortunately giving her some unintended space. Isabel quickly placed her feet on the ground and ran at the boy. He readied himself; as she got close he unleashed another kick. He connected solidly with her and heard a satisfying gasp escape from her lips, but she held herself and his leg still. She stood there, unyielding; despite the hurt he had caused. She tightened the grip on his leg. When he realized what she was going to attempt it was too late. He was almost impressed at her boldness and the feeling of his foot leaving the ground.

“GRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” she roared as she lifted him high up by his leg and slammed him as hard as she could into the ground.

Cracked earth surrounded Bakugou. Isabel stared down at him; her gaze burned every fiber of his being.

He bared his teeth at her and gave an animalistic growl that sent shivers down her spine.

Bakugou swiftly lifted his leg up and kicked her face with his heel. Pain stung her cheek, making her let go and hiss at him. He quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm to which she pulled him closer and kneed him. He recovered and rounded on her; he landed a punch on her shoulder and grabbed at her. She threw another punch at him, but he caught her hand. They ended up once again, hand in hand, locked in a battle of strength.

Calloused hands met each other and in the back of his head Bakugou realized her rough skin meant training. Lots and lots of training. She tried to pull him forward once more, but he pulled back.

“I won't fall for that again! You think I’m stupid, shitty girl!?!” he snarled at her face.

She narrowed her eyes and smirked.

“Yes.” He glared at her as she jumped into the air and used his arms as leverage.

The air in his lungs left him as she landed both her feet into his chest and stomped him without pity.

Bakugou instinctively loosened his grip on her. He gasped when he felt himself hit the floor and then tumble across it hard. He felt his lunch rising but fought to keep it down. He slowly got up, his hands began to fizzle and pop. Isabel observed him carefully and for the first time in a long while felt herself enjoying a fight.

“DAMN YOU!!!” he yelled in her direction, smoke wafting lazily from his hands.

He was preparing to run towards her when he saw her gaze sharpen.

Isabel gave a very large and animalistic grin, her sharp fangs alarming a few of her classmates. For a second, she forgot herself as she saw the persistent boy and gave into the rush of the moment. The uncoiled excitement within her made her lips move without her permission.

“Can’t beat me without your quirk?” she flicked her tongue out as she taunted the boy.

Rage filled Bakugou to the brim. Who did she think she was?!!?

“What did you say!?!? I’LL KILL YOU!!!”

Her grin widened even more when she saw his furious expression; she ran at him. Isabel heard the explosions and saw him blast into flight. She smirked when he got close to her. Her hand smacked into his face as she leaped over him. Isabel heard another pop; he was maneuvering himself in the air to face her.

Amazing, she thought to herself.

The girl heard the rustling of movement before it came, she could smell the sweet burn of chemicals in the air. Before he could blast her, she reached out towards his extended hand and grabbed tightly onto his wrist.

Bakugou’s eyes widened comically. People usually tried to stay away from his hands and yet, here she was. No fear in her eyes as she grabbed hold of his forearm and pulled him closer.

In that split second of shock, Isabel used his momentum in her favor and forcefully swung him towards the ground. Another loud slam could be heard throughout the area. Bakugou felt his breath leave him once again and as he tried to focus, he felt a knee slam down on him. Before he knew it, his hands were being pressed into the ground forcefully and he felt something press against his throat. A dust cloud shrouded them.

Aizawa and the class were stunned to say the least. The teacher was going to call the fight off when he saw Bakugou activate his quirk, but curiosity got the best of him when he saw her grin. It was evident to him that All Might had trained her, if the brute strength she displayed was anything to go by. But Eraser could also appreciate other elements to her style. Isabel moved fluidly; she had a certain finesse to her actions that he couldn’t pinpoint. She would be an interesting student to train. He observed the cloud of dust slowly settling and revealing, what he would think was, a shocking image to his students.

Bakugou’s hands were pinned painfully to the ground, palms down and too far apart for smaller explosions to affect her. Her left knee was applying pressure to his abdomen while her right knee was gently pressing his neck. Isabel felt him move his legs and pressed down harder. The hold wasn't as secure as she wanted, but sometimes you had to improvise. It was good enough for now. She leaned closer to him, putting even more weight on the boy. They were face to face. He grimaced at her when she flicked her tongue at him.

Isabel's eyes bore into him as Bakugou clenched his jaw. Before the boy could explode the floor and her to smithereens a voice cut through the area.

“Izaberu, you can let go now.”

Isabel nodded at the teacher and cautiously let the boy go. She could see the rage and disbelief in his eyes as she stepped back. His nostrils flared as he slowly sat up. His menacing form rose. Hands balled up into fists, smoke wafting from in between his fingers.

Bakugou was once again defeated and this time by a girl who looked like she could be scared by a mouse. He knew that All Might had recommended her but even then, he thought he could at least get in more hits. He could at least do better.

If All Might was the wall, he had to surpass then she just became the vicious beast guarding it.

First Deku, and now her.

Was he ever going to be good enough? he angrily wondered.

He used to be the biggest fish in the pond, but now. He was just another fish fighting for its place in the water. He could feel himself slipping into his anger, self-control drowning in his pride.

Isabel wasn’t sure what the boy was thinking. She just knew that he was upset, and his unfocused eyes and shaking fists confirmed it. She stood back as he glared at her, she could smell something chemically sweet smoking a little.

“Good fight.” Isabel carefully studied the boy.

“Tch. Don’t get cocky.” He glared at her.

“Excuse me?” Her eyes narrowed at the boy as she took an unconscious step forward.

“You only beat me because we couldn’t use our quirks fully. I’ll kick your ass!” She watched him turn away from her.

She felt a hot wave of anger flow through her as he left her behind. She could see Mina and Uraraka shaking their heads viciously at her, but their warnings went unanswered.

“Well, unlike you I don’t depend on my quirk to kick anyone’s ass. Pendejo.” She hissed at him.

Her tongue flicked out as her pupils narrowed at the boy. She saw him pause mid step. He turned to her angrily, little explosions bouncing in his hands. They were actually pretty to look at, if they hadn’t been meant for her.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, SNAKE EYES!”

“You heard me. I don’t need to use my quirk to beat you.”

Isabel narrowed her eyes further, the hurt and sting from his words coursing through every fiber of her being.

“You aren’t worth it.” She finished and walked away from him.

She could feel the class staring at her and then she saw them become anxious, as if she had unleashed a monster upon them.

“I’m not… WORTH… IT?” his voice shook.

Before anyone could do anything, Isabel had already turned to face the boy. His hand was flying at her. She ducked under his explosive attack and launched her own. She pushed herself from her crouch and spun her leg up towards the angry boy. Her foot connected with his body and kicked him down into the earth, a loud grunt could be heard as the air left him.  She stood over him.

“You aren’t.” She answered coldly.

Bakugou growled at her and got up forcefully, she stood tall and unwavering. She looked down on him as he rose, eyes challenging and burning with a fire he didn’t originally think she had.

“You little shi-”

“You two, settle down.” Aizawa stepped forward, quirk activated and eyes on Bakugou.

He snarled at the teacher before turning to look at Isabel again.

“You may be recommended by All Might, but I will crush you. You are nothing but AN UGLY LITTLE SNAKE FREAK!” He shouted before Aizawa’s scarf wrapped around his face and body.

“Enough!” Aizawa said tersely as he eyed Isabel.

Aizawa tried to read his newest student, he hoped she hadn’t taken the insults to heart. All Might had spoken to him in detail of her various setbacks. He saw how she tensed at the boy's words, how her eyes glazed over. Aizawa thought she was going to lose her composure but was surprised by her. Isabel took a deep breath and met the boy’s glare head on, watery eyes and all.

She felt a fire ignite within her as she bared her fangs at the angry boy. The girl was unsure of where it came from, but thankful for it none the less. Bakugou froze as he watched her eyes scowl at him fearlessly, despite the tears she was clearly holding in. He had to admit, she had guts.

Something heavy settled in his chest as he saw her frown deeply and her eyes darken as she faced him.

“I doubt it.” She growled before turning her back to him and leaving him stewing in his anger.

Embarrassment made Isabel’s skin burn as she walked back to her incredulous classmates and slumped down besides Uraraka and Mina. She sniffled a little before fixing her gaze towards the floor.

Mina softly patted her back while Uraraka bumped her shoulder and offered her a smile. She looked up at them and gave a small unsure smile. Isabel felt an extra touch on her back and found a black bird shaped shadow patting her. Her eyes followed the shadow to see a bird headed boy staring at her intently. He reminded her of a raven or a crow. A small nod of comfort and understanding was exchanged by the two.

Maybe U.A. wasn’t going to be as bad as she thought.

Chapter Text

The final training exercises of the day had gone by rather quickly and Isabel found herself spending more time with Ashido and Uraraka. She was happy that they had things in common; Ashido also liked to dance and Uraraka enjoyed the same spacey stuff she did.

Ashido had offered to do some stretch exercises and maybe dance a little with her tomorrow. Isabel had hesitantly accepted before going to change and then to her shoe locker. She now found herself walking home, a cool breeze brushed against her as the sun set slowly but felt her cap slightly shifting and quickly held it down on her head. The girl was so busy fixing herself that she didn’t notice the presence beside her.

Tokoyami observed the new student as she fiddled away with the big hat on her head. It wasn’t until they reached a crossing that Isabel actually noticed his presence.

“Oh, ummm.... Tokoyami-san... right?” She hesitantly asked the boy.

Isabel remembered him being nice to her after the fight. But before the boy could say anything, a black figure popped up and approached her.

“Yup, that’s it. I’m Dark Shadow and-”

Tokoyami quickly pulled Dark Shadow into himself.

“Excuse his behavior; he gets excited when the sun starts falling.” He explained as he walked with her.

“I’m guessing you also live this way?” Isabel curiously observed the bird boy.

A small nod of his head was enough answer for her, a comfortable silence settled between the two as they continued walking. Isabel understood that they had come to a silent agreement of camaraderie thanks to Bakugou’s insults against her. She was sure Tokoyami must have known what it felt like to have a different appearance and for it to be used against you. Sighing deeply,she remembered the blonde’s words.

Meanwhile, Tokoyami studied her as they walked, the new girl didn’t seem to be powerful at first glance, but he knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Her fights had been honorable, and her strength was impressive. That wasn’t what caught his attention though. Standing up to the angry boy despite the hurt and tears was something Tokoyami found admirable. So, they stuck together. They took the train and sat by each other quietly.

Afterwards, they walked until they reached a neighborhood both found familiar. They had reached a corner when Isabel pointed towards the opposite direction the boy was turning towards.

“I guess this is my turn?” She smiled politely at Tokoyami.

He nodded and pointed towards his street.

“I’m just one more block, that way.” He affirmed before seeing her anxious eyes upon him.

Suddenly, Tokoyami remembered something Isabel had said today, weren’t her people more open and casual? He decided to take a step to maybe know this powerful girl more, and perhaps learn a thing or two from her along the way.

“Is there something on your mind?” He asked carefully.

Isabel wasn’t sure if it would be appropriate to ask him but then again, he was basically telling her to open up. Isabel looked the boy with determination and bowed a little.

“Thank you for walking with me.” She rose and met his eyes. “Could we maybe walk together tomorrow morning?” She tilted her head sideways and Tokoyami felt himself nod.

“I’m usually out by 7:30am.”

Isabel smiled gratefully and stepped towards him but stopped herself abruptly. Remembering she should probably keep from saying goodbye her way. After a moment of thought, she settled for a small bow and wave. The boy waved back as he looked curiously at her. Tokoyami had noticed her weird hesitation, he would have to ask later though. Today had been a long day and close combat was not his style. He hurried home to relax for a while and maybe soak in a nice warm bath.

The girl let out a deep sigh as she finally reached her home. She closed the door behind her and wearily took her shoes off.

“I’m home.” She called into the empty halls.

Isabel didn’t bother putting on her All Might slippers, her tired feet made way to her room where she dumped everything on the bed. Quietly and with a tired complexion, she went through the motions of her routine, starting with dropping her hat on her desk. Carefully she tried to tame the mass she called hair into a large bun. One of the strands kept writhing away but with a glare she guided it back into the bun. Isabel trudged into the bathroom and set the water. Then took a bath and changed into her pajama shorts and shirt, a large All Might hoodie covered her upper body and warmed her up.

Isabel dragged herself to the kitchen and decided to make herself some dinner, maybe enough to have some leftovers. She cooked herself some food in silence as she looked out over the kitchen’s counter, the girl felt herself sighing deeply as she flipped the chicken she was frying. Red beans bubbled and boiled as the rice made itself in the cooker.

Isabel leaned against the counter lazily, she scrolled through her phone and read some of the latest hero news. Once she heard the sizzling of the oil quieting, she took the chicken out carefully and placed some into a bowl. She took a piece and after serving herself some rice and beans, she settled on leaving some food ready for tomorrow. Carefully placed a lid on the beans and let the white rice sit in the warm cooker. The girl prepared her lunch for tomorrow and placed it in the fridge. While setting the food on the counter she heard the door open and close. Heavy, tired steps could be heard through the house.

“Dad?” She called out.

Toshinori closed his eyes slowly as he let out a deep breath.

“Nope…just me.”

Isabel felt her shoulders drop but managed to stand and push herself towards the door. All Might sat heavily on the step, his form hunched over. He looked exhausted.

“Tío, bendicion.” She bent down and handed him his slippers. “I made dinner.”

“Thanks, Bell. Que Dios te bendiga.” He smiled at the girl.

The hero could see her eyes looking away from him.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

“It’s fine. At least you’re here.” The bitter remark rang out from her before she could stop it.

Isabel lowered her head as she heard him stand up.

Long arms reached forward and pulled her into a warm embrace.

“He’s doing his best…”

“I know…I just…”

“...You just what?” He softly pushed as he looked down at the top of her head.

Toshinori felt her grip tighten around him and in turn he lightly comforted her.

“Isabel… Bell-Bell.” He met her eyes when she looked up at him. “Talk to me, please.”

She looked away from him for a moment and hesitantly met his blue eyes again.

“I just wish his best included me…” She silently stepped away from him, a small frown on her face.

Toshinori frowned deeply at Isabel’s words, his heart plummeting down to his feet as he let go of her.

“I’m just… I left some food for you on the counter.” She told the man before turning around.

“I’m going to study and head to bed.”

Isabel quickly made her way to her room before Toshinori could ask her anything else about her day.

Toshinori stared after the girl as she left him, he heard the door to her room close and let out the huge breath he was holding. The man shook his head sorrowfully as he could hear her pace within the room. He went to the kitchen and breathed in the wonderful aromas. Sighting the plate his charge had left and decided he could use some food after the stressful day he had had. Toshinori couldn’t let himself waste her efforts.

After dinner, Toshinori washed the dishes and prepared himself a lunch from the leftovers. He took a peek into the corridor and could see it was somewhat dark, a dim light came from under Isabel’s door. The large man tried to quietly make his way towards her door and softly opened it, finding the girl asleep on her desk.

Notebooks were stacked in a corner while an open math book cushioned her head. He felt himself smile at her. Toshinori carefully moved towards her and lifted her in his arms. He could hear some muffled mumbles from her as he grabbed the deep purple covers of her bed and tucked her in. He laid a gentle hand on top of her head as he watched her relax into her pillow.

“Pa’… love you.” she mumbled into her pillow.

Toshinori felt his breath catch but his heavy heart didn’t let him savor the moment. He knew he could never replace her father, but he would damn well try to at least make her feel cared for. A small scowl drifted onto her face as she cuddled the covers. Toshinori patted her head one last time, rose, and left for his own room. Hoping that everything would turn out all right in the end. It wasn’t until two in the morning that the door to the home opened again.

Morning seemed to arrive too quickly. Isabel opened her eyes to the light shaking of her shoulder. Blearily she heard the voice of her uncle announcing the arrival of a new day in his ridiculous superhero voice. Isabel swatted at him lightly and let out a drowsy laugh as she stretched like a cat.

The smell of something delicious wafted through the door as Toshinori exited the room. The young girl tasted the air and smiled. Ham and cheese omelet, her favorite. She stood and gathered her clothing and hat, making her way lethargically towards the bathroom.

Toshinori watched her drowsy form retreat into the bathroom as he plated the omelet he had made. He knew it was her favorite and this would be the motivation she needed today. While waiting, he also wrapped her lunch bento in a purple cloth that had tiny stars on it. He heard the doors of the bathroom and then her room opening and closing. Soft padded steps made their way to the kitchen and he felt small arms wrap around him in a quick hug.

“Buenos días tío”

The man grinned as he heard those melodic words.

“Good morning,” he handed her the plate with her food. “Have some breakfast.”

She stared at the food and a small smile rose to her lips.

“Thanks.”

Isabel made her way to the table, before reaching it she glanced at the futon in the living room. Empty…again. Swallowing the bitter taste of disappointment, she sat at the table and began to eat. She didn’t know why she expected anything different. Taking a deep breath, the girl decided to ignore that entirely. She was in a new country; she was with her uncle. Everything would be alright, like always.

Toshinori was quietly observing her, her eyebrows furrowed as she ran a hand through her thick tendrils. He had hoped her father would be here to greet her but once again, he wasn’t. The pro hero had barely seen his friend last week.  The absentee had focused on only one thing ever since he landed in Japan, and it wasn’t his daughter.  Toshinori stared at the girl as she ate her breakfast, losing himself in his thoughts and the dishes he was washing.

It was seven already. Isabel had left the house with a warm goodbye and now stood in the corner, anxiously waiting for the classmate who would meet her as promised. She shifted from one foot to the other as she hummed a familiar tune her grandma used to sing. The girl felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Tokoyami waving at her. Like the day before, she once again made to step forward but stopped herself and opted to wave at her classmate instead.

“You did that yesterday.” He pointed out as they began to walk.

“What?”

“Hesitate. You wanted to do something but refrained from doing so.”  He looked at her intently.

“Oh, well. I’m stopping myself from kissing you.”

Tokoyami felt his step falter.

“What?”

“Remember how I said we are more casual and open back home?” The boy nodded at her curiously.

“So, when  it comes to someone we’ve already met, we usually  kiss each other on  the cheek as a greeting or farewell. At least that’s what us girls do.”

Isabel stared at her feet in realization that everything in her life right now was a constant reminder of not being home. A heavy sigh left her as she turned to look at the boy.

“Everything is so different… I’m used to being hugged and touched by my family and close friends but…not here. I find myself holding back because I’m scared to offend anyone. I know I have to adapt but… But it sucks a little you know.”

She felt the dam break, the days she had spent before school were dedicated to learning the culture, but she never thought it would be this hard to actually integrate into it.

“We aren’t all that cold. Little by little we will form our bonds and eventually we will get to a place where you don’t have to hold back anymore.” He assured her with a firm pat to her shoulder.

Isabel stood still as she thought over his words and then slowly nodded. She felt his hand give her a small nudge forward and they began walking again. The girl couldn’t help the smile on her face at her classmate’s words and the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. They spent all the way to school talking about the cultural differences she was experiencing and the home she so dearly missed.

The large door to the classroom had been heavy to slide open. Tokoyami and herself wondered if it was done for safety or just to show off. Before they could reach an answer, she heard steps coming for her.

Isabel was surprised to find Ashido excitedly rushing towards her. The pink girl grabbed her hands and was jumping up and down as she asked if she had brought her dance clothes.

“Oh yeah, we were going to stretch and practice together right…?” Isabel absentmindedly said as she set her backpack down on the nearest desk.

“You forgot?!” Ashido huffed.

“No, no, I just thought…. Ah, never mind. Look… I have my gear.” She pulled out two silk pointe shoes, and some regular ballet shoes. “I didn’t think you were serious.” She mumbled.

Ashido didn’t answer though, something that had some of the students around them paying a little more attention than usual. The pinkette grabbed the pointe shoes delicately in her hands before she burst with joy.

“Wow! These are beautiful, Isachan!” She hugged them to herself. “Oh my god! Use them today, I wanna see!”

Isabel felt herself beam at the nickname that was unexpectedly bestowed to her by the pink girl.

“Okay, I can show you… Mina-chan…” Mina squealed and hugged the girl in excitement.

Isabel felt the warmth embrace her and let herself relax against her companion, eagerly hugging back. Letting go she met Tokoyami’s eyes, a pleased smile made its way to her face as she saw him give a small nod.

Bakugou observed the new girl carefully as she placed her dancing shoes back into the bag and chatted away with the pink freakshow. She seemed to have loosened up when Ashido had embraced her, projecting a warm and relaxed look he couldn’t explain. While overhearing how ballet had improved her combat training, an excited Uraraka joined the fray and gave her a small side hug, which was warmly returned. The frog girl had followed Uraraka and seemed to be introducing herself amiably to Snake Eyes.

Bakugou paid extreme attention to the newcomer. He analyzed how she positioned herself (her posture being ridiculously straight), and how her arms would move gracefully as she spoke. Her demeanor was warm and friendly but also poised and calculated.

“Garushia-san!” The aforementioned girl froze at the loud, almost obnoxious, voice. “I am Iida Tenya, the class representative of Class 1-A. It is my duty to welcome you to our class.” His hands were mechanically moving in a vertical manner as he spoke and walked closer. “I apologize for not doing so sooner!”

Isabel looked the boy up and down before making eye contact with Uraraka. The pink cheeked girl shrugged and awkwardly giggled as the boy stared at her intensely.

“Uh…Thanks.” Isabel answered and gave a small uncertain bow, she was very confused at the robot person in front of her.

Before she could even start questioning the boy, the door to the classroom opened. Thankfully, it was Aizawa. He entered tiredly and made everyone take their seats.

Bakugou’s eyes never left Isabel, even when class had begun. He hopelessly tried to sneak peeks at All Might’s recommended. He still wanted to know what it took, he needed to know exactly how far behind he actually was from her.

Chapter Text

The lunch bell rang noisily across the halls. Isabel stretched in her seat and was soon joined by Uraraka and Mina, who were chatting away about what they were going to get for lunch. She could also see the green haired boy and the tall robot guy waiting for the brunette. So, she carefully picked up her wrapped bento and smiled, standing beside her new friends. She walked beside them as they started making their way to the lunchroom. Midoriya lagged behind a little and fell into step with her. Isabel took notice of his actions and observed the boy beside her. They were the same height, but he seemed to be a little less built than her.

Isabel knew who he was, Toshinori had gushed about his successor fervently to her every chance he got when she had arrived. He would not stop going on about the training the poor kid had endured. Isabel understood that training with All Might was never a pleasant experience. Rewarding, yes. Pleasant, no. Isabel shuddered as she remembered being punched into the sand and launched into the ocean.

“Umm… Izaberu-san?” She looked at the boy. “Can we maybe…speak later?”

“Is this about Uncle?” The girl tested the waters carefully; questioning in a whisper.

How much had Uncle Toshi told the little broccoli walking beside her? She wondered. Midoriya stared quietly at her and nodded sharply. Isabel smirked at the boy and then bumped her shoulder with his own.

“I have something to do with Mina today…but maybe tomorrow after school?”

“Okay… It feels weird, that someone else knows.” He smiled warmly at her. “I just wanted to get to know you is all.”

“You realize this means we are going to be like siblings, right?” She said quietly.

“What?”

“SHHHHHHH.” Isabel turned towards him; thankful they had fallen behind the others and they were currently chatting amongst themselves.

“Look, take it from me.” She started walking again, “Uncle’s a softie; he is going to low key adopt you if he already hasn’t.” She chuckled at the boy. “It’s a surprise he hasn’t been hovering over you… although, he’s been busy with me so…”

Midoriya nodded thoughtfully at the girl.

Isabel gave a soft look to the boy before quickening her pace to follow the others. Midoriya turned from her and lost himself in thought, running through his interactions with the larger than life hero.

Meanwhile, Isabel felt herself smile at the possibility of a friendship with the boy. He seemed sweet and brave, yet she could see he wasn’t really physically strong yet. Her uncle would really have to up his training regimen soon. She didn’t know what made this boy worthy enough but… Even then, Isabel would support her mentor’s decision and his chosen successor no matter what. Just like he had always supported her.

They all sat together for lunch, Isabel placed her bento onto the table as the others set their trays down. She could see another group of her classmates sit by them; the tables were long and fit many students. The girl could feel them looking at her as she undid the wrapping and found a note.

“Have a nice day!” - Uncle Toshi
An awkward smiley face was drawn on it.
“What’s that?” Asked Uraraka as she peeked at the paper.

“Uncle sent me a note, he wrapped my lunch this morning.”
She placed the note in her pocket before opening up her food. A sinfully delicious aroma wafted from the open container, catching the attention of those around her.

Isabel breathed in the smell of the savory red beans and chicken she loved so much. She quickly took out her fork and started mixing the rice and beans together. Her first bite was midway towards her mouth when she realized half the class was staring intently at her lunch.

“Everything okay?” Isabel asked hesitantly, hand tightening around her fork.

That shook most of them out of their stupor. Midoriya scooted a little closer to look at the food while Mina unabashedly leaned on her shoulder to get a glimpse.

“What is it???” Uraraka and Mina asked.

Isabel smiled at the girls and looked at her plate, she selected one of the larger pieces of chicken and ripped it into many pieces with her fork.

“It’s chicharrones de pollo, it’s like…” she thought for a second “-extra crunchy fried chicken.” She put the pieces on the bento lid and pushed it towards the middle of the table. “Here try some, I made it myself.”

“Oh, thank you!” The girls excitedly grabbed a piece.

Mina munched on it and suddenly gave out a very deep and happy sigh. Uraraka’s reaction followed hers, she couldn’t help the small moan of delight that escaped her.

“Oh my god! Deku, you have to try this.” Uraraka grabbed a piece and shoved it at the boy’s face.

Midoriya chewed and was reduced to a happy blushing blob by the food’s savory yet homey taste. Iida cautiously followed and found himself enjoying the small bite.

“Uwaaaaa, it’s so good! I’ll trade you some of my food for a piece of that Isa-chan.” Mina gushed.

Isabel smiled widely and happily gave her a piece, eyes shining with pride. She heard the shift of feathers to her right and saw Tokoyami taking a seat next to Midoriya. She carefully reached over and placed a small cut up piece on the side of his plate.

“You guys can help yourselves. I usually make a lot more than what I eat, so it's fine.”

The girl nodded at the group as she heard Tokoyami make a small noise of approval. She had seen Uraraka shyly eyeing another piece and now with her confirmation the brunette placed it on her plate with glee.

They continued to have lunch, a relaxing and friendly atmosphere washing over them. Isabel looked around at the different people and let herself enjoy the soft murmur of their conversation. Time seemed to fly by and soon the bell had rung.

Classes and hero training were finally done for the day. Isabel was putting away some stuff when she heard a familiar ruffle of feathers beside her.

“Tokoyami-san, I won’t be able to walk back with you today.” She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Mina and I are going to practice.”

Tokoyami nodded at her and gave a small wave towards the girl. He was soon joined by Koda and Shoji as he made his way out of the classroom.

Bakugou had heard Raccoon Eye’s blabber all day about her training with the new girl. He was curious about it but didn’t want to seem like a creeper. Luckily for him a certain red-haired nuisance wanted to train with him. They were going to practice at the school gym, perhaps this could give him the opportunity to look into the girls’ so-called training.

Isabel and Mina both eagerly made their way to the girl’s locker. They chatted about the different styles of dancing they had studied and enjoyed while they changed into their clothes. Mina had on some leggings, a loose tank top, and some dance sneakers. Isabel stared knowingly at her new friend’s choice off clothes, she definitely danced hip hop.

Mina was ecstatic, to say the least, when she saw her new friend. Isabel had her pink tights and leotard on, a flowy black skirt completed her look. Her hat was purple that day and it fit snuggly on her head. Isabel grabbed her ballet pointe shoes and they made their way to an area that had bars lining the walls with some mirrors opposite to them. The wooden floors glistened as Isabel stepped onto them.

“I’m so excited!” Mina exclaimed as she dropped into a split.

Isabel nodded as she heard Mina’s phone burst with music, she carefully stretched all her muscles. She attentively worked on her feet so that they wouldn’t get hurt when she got on pointe.

Bakugou observed the girls as he lifted weights in his area. Kirishima, who was supposedly spotting him, was also watching the girls curiously.

“That’s a lot of stretching…” The red head offhandedly commented as he saw Isabel standing on one foot and raise her leg into a complete vertical position as she held on to the barre.

She repeated this from the side and then promptly dropped herself into a split. The girl delicately drew her legs in, and he could see her fiddling with some small socks and band aids. Once done she slipped on her ballet shoes, after tying her shoes she made her ways towards the barre again. With one fluid movement Isabel was bending and moving her legs further, stretching and warming herself up. Her feet moved and flexed in various directions, twisting them more than he thought was healthy. Soon, Bakugou found himself bored and decided that he could add some more weight to his training. He would continue studying her later.

Mina was gushing at Isabel when she had seen her begin her ballet stretches on the barre, but now. Now, she was bursting at the seams. They had stretched together and even done some core exercises, but they were finally moving on to actual dancing.

“What would you like to see? I like both classical and contemporary ballet.” She met Mina’s gaze sweetly. “Swan Lake is my favorite…”

“To be honest, I just want to see you dance on pointe shoes.” Mina grinned.

A wide smile broke out onto Isabel’s face as she scrolled through her music.

“Odette it is.”

Bakugou and Kirishima were distracted from their sit ups when classical music suddenly started playing from the back area. Kirishima, who held Bakugou’s feet down had lost count the moment he saw Isabel push herself off the floor and onto the tippy toes of her shoes. Bakugou was going to protest but one look towards the pirouetting girl had him stopping in his tracks.

Isabel felt the soft music coursing through her veins as she lifted herself on her pointes and spun delicately. Her movements were fluid and her control when lifting her legs and moving on the shoes was astonishing.

Bakugou knew ballet took strength and discipline but he had never really seen it in person. It was mesmerizing to look at, the grace and agility she exhibited took his breath away. The girl made it look effortless, her jumps seemed to make her weightless in the air. When her feet touched the floor, she pushed herself back onto the tip of her shoe. Her leg extended as high as she could as she transitioned to more spins and delicate jumps. Bakugou could feel himself staring, lost in the music and the soft pit pat of ballet shoes moving against wooden floors.

After dancing, Isabel ended up teaching Mina some good recovery stretches for the girl to try after she exercised. Mina had been in slight awe after watching her new friend dance. She never thought she would get to see something like that up close. Soon she was broken out of her thoughts by Isabel’s warm voice, it was Mina’s turn to show off. And show off she did. So much so that she ended up sprawled on the floor next to Isabel. The hand stands and spins had worn her out.

Mina lazily sat up and looked over the new girl’s lithe figure. She began stretching herself as Isabel seemed to stretch her legs for ages. They sat together quietly on the floor as Isabel took off her shoes and stretched her feet again.

“Mina-chan… I wanted to say thank you.” She met the pink girl’s confused black eyes. “For the hug this morning…and the dancing. I really needed this today.”

Mina beamed at the girl and gave her a side hug. Isabel responded almost automatically.

“It’s no big deal-”

“But it is… to me. I’ve been feeling so out of place. I look different, I speak different…” She stared through her eyelashes at the girl. “Back home we’re very affectionate, so you really made me happy this morning when you jumped at me. It made me feel better about being here.”

Mina wore a sad smile as she grabbed her new friend’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Isachan, you can hug me anytime you want okay?”

Isabel nodded and squeezed her hand back.

“You too, Mina-chan.”

The girls finally called it a day and left for their own homes, but not before Isabel hugged and kissed her friend’s cheek lightly. Mina smiled widely as she exclaimed that they would be the greatest friends. The reptilian girl nodded fervently at this. She walked blissfully out of the gym, Mina following behind happily. Both unaware of the pair of ruby red eyes that had followed them during their stay.

That evening, Toshinori was relieved when he saw Isabel enter through the door. She had arrived home in a good mood, a distinct pep in her step he hadn’t seen since she got to Japan. She spoke of her day during dinner and helped the man with some chores he had to do. They also spoke briefly about the green haired boy, Isabel agreeing to keep an eye on the squirt.

By the end of the day he found himself relaxing on the sofa. Isabel was asleep, leaning on his shoulder as the TV played an old action movie Toshinori had once been excited to see. He carefully lifted her in his arms and took her to her room. It seemed that tucking her into bed would be a more common occurrence than he thought.

He turned her lights off and closed the door behind himself, grateful that at least today she fell asleep with a smile.

Chapter Text

Isabel slid the door to the classroom open, Tokoyami followed and she turned to keep talking with him. 

They both seemed completely wrapped up in their conversation and didn’t even notice the classroom already full of their classmates staring curiously at them. 

“I mean when we really think about it, with a big enough explosion and Uraraka’s quirk he might be able to-” Before she could finish, the hero student felt something or rather someone slam into her side.  

She caught sight of wild pink hair and happily turned towards the girl. Isabel gave her a big hug that lifted the shorter girl off her feet. Peals of laughter were released into the air by Mina. 

“ Buenos  días , Mina.” She placed the girl back down, the class’ eyes were now fixed on the two.  

Instinctively Isabel stepped forward and touched her cheek to Mina’s, a kissy sound left her lips as she pulled back. Mina blushed a little but jumped in excitement at her friend’s greeting which she eagerly returned.  

The boys in the back of the class shrieked when they saw Isabel comfortably kiss Mina’s cheek. Yaoyorozu blushed as Uraraka smiled at the interaction, she had already been informed by Mina of the day before.  

Bakugou felt his heart clench as he watched her closeness with Ashido. He knew the subtext of the kiss, but it still bothered him for some stupid reason. He had overheard them yesterday at the gym when he was definitely not spying on them. He could feel his hands crackling a little, smoke fanning through his fingers.  

“Dreams do come true!” Mineta shouted. 

Kaminari was weeping like the madman he was. He never thought he would get to witness something so cute in his lifetime. 

“Wow, even Bakugou’s bothered…” Sero whispered loudly to Kirishima.  

“SHUT UP YOU DAMN EXTRA! You wanna die?!”  
 

Midoriya jumped in his seat and ducked behind his notebook. Eyes wearily meeting Isabel’s confused golden ones. She scrunched her face as if asking him a question and pointed at the boy in front of him. It took the boy a few seconds to understand what she meant. But eventually Midoriya shrugged in answer, unsure of what had set the blonde off. He had been distracted with studying his notes for today. 

Isabel breathed in and blinked a few times before turning back her attention to the people around her. 

“Ah, I forgot what I was telling you, Tokoyami-san.” She scratched the back of her hat sheepishly.  

“Tsk… Figures.” He rolled his eyes at his excitable friend. “We shall continue our conversation at lunch.” The boy nodded as he passed her and entered the classroom. 

Isabel returned the nod before turning back to Mina. 

“¿ Que es la que hay ?”   She casually asked as they made their way to their seats.  

“...ummm?”  

“What’s up?” Isabel smiled playfully at her friend. 

“Oh! Well I found a video I think you would like.” Mina bounced on her toes as she followed Isabel to her seat. “It has both ballet and hip hop. It’s a little lovey dovey but I think we can modify it a bit if it makes you uncomfortable?” 

“That sounds super cool, I don’t mind lovey dovey dances. I’ll do it with you.” She smiled warmly, “Dancing really helps with our stamina doesn’t it?” 

“Yeah it’s really convenient that our hobby blends with our training.” Mina enthused. 

Isabel hummed in agreement as Uraraka joined them, excitedly asking the girls about their dance session. Isabel gave the brunette a quick hug before complementing Mina’s flexibility. The conversation slowly but surely shifted to quirks and then to how Uraraka’s quirk alters the gravitational force of objects. Something Isabel had been wondering since the day before. They happily chatted away until Aizawa entered the classroom lethargically. The morning classes had begun, and she already couldn’t wait for the hero classes that came later in the afternoon. Today she would finally see her hero outfit. 

Her heart beat fast as she stared at herself in the mirror. Isabel fit in her costume nicely. Melissa had added some new details but made sure to make her feel like a beautiful goddess regardless of how ruthless and scary she was in combat. Her costume was not really a traditional one, no bodysuit nor long sleeves in sight.  

The best way to describe her costume was a short white toga dress with a hood that covered her hair completely. Her arms were bare, and a small v neck exposed a small bit of her chest to the world. On her waist a thick leather belt lay with various pouches. Below her mid-thigh dress, matching leather skintight pants that reached her knees. Golden braces on her forearms and kneepads provided her some form of protection. To complete the look, she wore leather colored gladiator sandals that tied up intricately around her legs.  

Melissa had made sure to choose the most protective cloth she could find but at the end of the day, Isabel had chosen to show some skin despite the dangers. She was reminded how her costume was made for maneuverability and comfort when she began stretching as she waited for the bus that would take them to the USJ. 

“Isachan! You look like a Greek goddess!” Uraraka squealed pulling the attention of the others onto them.  

Isabel stopped her stretching and stood still. She played with the hem of her hood and tugged it a little in a display of bashfulness. Uraraka grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Midoriya and Mina excitedly. 

“Yeah, my friend thought it would be fitting—” She caught herself.  

“Oh, I love the bracers.” Mina carefully studied her friend’s outfit. “It looks comfortable.” 

“It is, it really lets me move.” 

Midoriya’s eyes shined as he observed her outfit. 

“Oh wow, how does this help with your quirk?” He asked excitedly. 

“Oh…ummmm. It helps with my mobility and hand to hand…” She looked away from the boy, her tongue quickly darting out. 

Midoriya scrunched his nose in thought but before he could speak any further, they were getting hauled into the bus by a very focused and loud Iida.  

Who the hell gave him a whistle?   Wondered Isabel as she winced. 

She let out the breath she was holding as she stepped into the vehicle and made her way to the back. Isabel dropped herself on the seat and closed her large yellow eyes, letting herself get lost in her thoughts. 

Bakugou observed quietly, she had laid her head back and he could see something peeking out of her hood. A small golden eye peeped out into the world, but a petite brown hand quickly pushed it back in. He could see the girl’s eyes open, swiftly, darting around the bus until they met his. The blonde could see her skin losing some color as she righted herself and moved closer to the window. Isabel pulled her hood forward and sent a small glare his way before turning back to the glass, closing her eyes again.  

Bakugou narrowed his eyes at the girl but straightened himself. There was definitely something up with her. Deciding to leave it alone for now, he turned his attention to the annoying chatter in front of him. The chat about their quirks and popularity quickly getting on his nerves. His personality was not a steaming pile of hot garbage, dammit! 

Isabel awoke to Uraraka shaking her shoulder softly, and so, lethargically followed the girl out of the bus. She could hear Mina sneaking behind her and grinned, letting the pink girl sling her arm around her shoulder as they made their way into the USJ. The class ended up congregating on a huge platform by the entrance that overlooked everything. Isabel could see Eraser and Thirteen at the front of the group, but no All Might in sight. Aizawa had said that he would be here. Her eyes scanned the area, tongue popping out from her lips as she searched for her uncle.  

Unbeknownst to her, Bakugou noticed her taut posture. He could see her concentrating on something. Her tongue seemed to be testing the air around her, he wondered if it worked like an actual snake’s tongue. The boy had been reading up a little on reptiles, trying to figure out how he could best her. The explosive blonde watched as her eyes seemed to sharpen when she looked at Thirteen who was blabbing on and on about the different rules or whatever. Pink Cheeks was shaking the new girl’s arm as she gushed over the space hero, a small smirk graced the snake girl’s lips in return. Bakugo looked carefully at the golden scale pattern on the side of her arms as she leaned her weight on one leg while Racoon Eyes draped her arm on her once again. He wondered if the scales on her upper arms were more durable than her regular skin.  

While Bakugou was in his own little world, Isabel was pondering on the whereabouts of her uncle when she felt herself tense. A rich ozone smell reached her and soon she could smell other people. Her quirk allowed her to identify different unfamiliar scents getting stronger and she couldn't help the dread she felt. Taking a step forward, which made Mina stumble a bit, Isabel caught her teacher’s attention.  Making eye contact, the pro hero could detect uncertainty in his student. Something was not right.  

“Sensei, we’re not alone.” Her eyes focused on the plaza where a very dark mist was collecting.  

Her ominous statement had made the others murmur in worry around her. Aizawa focused his attention on the expanding mist and the people that were now making their way out of what he now realized was a portal. He could see Isabel out of the corner of his eye gently pushing Mina and Uraraka behind herself while reaching for one of her pouches. 

Good , he thought to himself.  

Eraser Head could trust his students to protect each other. Aizawa was giving orders to Thirteen when Midoriya stepped up to him blabbing about who knows what. The teacher had no time for this. 

Isabel stepped forward, ignoring the looks she received and grabbed the green haired boy’s arm. 

Quickly, Aizawa commanded to evacuate before jumping down to meet the villains head on. Midoriya seemed to have frozen, however. His eyes followed his teacher as he jumped away from them, but one insistent pull was enough to get him moving again.  

“Don’t fall behind.” Isabel hissed at him, she let go of him as they made way to the front of the group. 

The toga wearing girl didn’t need to look behind to know that Midoriya was following her and probably looking out for their classmates. She knew that if All Might had chosen him it meant that he would protect the others. It meant he had no fear to jump into danger, it meant she could trust him.  

The familiar ozone smell started to build up near them and so Isabel reacted accordingly. Halting in her tracks and scenting the air to be sure. But before she could concentrate, she felt a rough hand grab her arm and pull her along.  

Bakugou had been running when he saw the girl stop and test the air, which made his gut tighten. Unsure if it was because of the danger she was surely detecting or because she wasn’t running anymore.  

“There’s no time for that you idiot!” He shouted at her. 

“¡Idiota, tu!   Something’s coming-” 

She was silenced by the black cloud that appeared in front of all of them. Isabel felt Bakugou’s grip on her tighten when she tried to move away but paid no heed to it. Her attention was glued to the villain. The girl guessed that the misty clouds the villain produced were creating that strong ozone smell.  

“We are the League of Villains.” Said the floating mist with yellow eyes and a high metallic collar. “It may be presumptuous of us, but we have invited ourselves into the home of the heroes, U.A. High School, in order to have All Might, the Symbol of Peace, take his last breath.”  

Isabel felt her nails dig into the palms of her hands as she heard this. The young hero in training struggled to stay silent but knew better than to rush into any situation.  

Bakugou heard the girl beside him breathe deeply as if trying to force her anxiety and fears away. He could see she was equally preparing herself for an attack despite her hands shaking. 

“Hmmm? I believe All Might should have been here.” The villain politely pondered. “Has there been some kind of change?”  

Isabel heard the movement before she saw it. The hand that had pulled her along was no longer there. Bakugou and Kirishima had jumped at the ghostly figure, a signature large explosion soon covered the area near her, which she wasn’t ready for. The ringing in her ears asserted that fact. Even with the annoying sound in her ears, Isabel could somewhat make out the voices of her classmates and Thirteen as a black fog erupted around everyone.  

Isabel shut her eyes as she felt her heart try to beat out of her chest, she felt her knees hit the ground hard. She tried to get a grip on the ground as the vortex behind her tried to suck her in. Unexpectedly, she felt a harsh grip on her wrist that then shifted to her hand. The action made her open her eyes, distinguishing the orange and green gloved hand that had grasped onto hers, yellow eyes met red.  

A deep frown pulled at the usually feral boy’s lips but before he could yell anything at her, Bakugou’s eyes widened in panic. He didn’t have time to try and pull her to him as darkness seemed to open up beneath her, swallowing Isabel whole. Bakugou held on to her tight but it was futile. Below the boy, another inky portal seemed to be opening. Bakugou's grip on her hand was the only thing keeping Isabel from falling completely but it would not last.  

As the sensation of falling finally broke through the girl’s muddled senses, she let her instincts take over. She let go of the hand that tried so desperately to keep its hold on her. 

The fall was quicker than Isabel expected as she met the ground with a dull thud almost an instant later. Isabel stood as she smelled  strangers around her. Villains. Reaching into her weapons’ pouch she pulled out a tube the size of her hand. The villains surrounded her eyeing her sinisterly, as if she was a defenseless chew toy.  

Maybe at first glance she was, but they would soon be proven wrong. Her staff expanded as she squeezed the metal and the girl mentally thanked her beloved Meli for being the genius she was. Isabel leapt at her attackers with a quickened pulse and her hood halfway covering her widening pupils. Worry gnawed at her as she thought of her classmates, but she pushed it down for the moment. Isabel was alone, and she had villains to worry about. 

On the other side of the building, smoke rose from Bakugou’s hand as Kirishima rubbed his hardened fist. The boys had been preoccupied with their own set of problems. They had landed in a room full of villains and were now finishing them up. The chameleon man Bakugou had just blasted dropped to the ground unconscious. That had been the last of the villains. Kirishima eyed the explosive boy in awe, the reflexes the blonde had demonstrated were formidable. Bakugou, in turn, studied the other unconscious villains around them. He knew they were weak; these were just underlings after all, but he didn’t expect them to be  this  weak. It seems they were simple cannon fodder for whoever was trying to eliminate All Might.  

“If these small fries are the ones assigned to us, pretty much everyone should be fine." He continued his previous conversation and observed the red-haired boy.  

“That was amazing!” Kirishima excitedly took a step forward before thoughtfully adding. “Anyway, were you always so calm and rational? I thought you were more like, Die! Die! Die!” He cheaply imitated. 

Bakugou felt his anger rise. 

“I'm always calm and rational, you spiky-haired punk!” 

“Oh yeah, that's more like it.” Kirishima replied casually.  

Bakugou turned angrily away from the obnoxious red head, he wasn’t wasting any more time in this stupid building.  

“Then go if you want to!” 

“Wait, wait!” Kirishima conceded. “Believing in our friends! That's real manly, Bakugou! I'll follow you!” A sharp smile grew on the boy’s lips.  

Bakugou nodded and headed for the door but a very loud crash stopped him. 

“More villains?” Kirishima peeked out into the hallway. 

A man lay in the hall. Wooden splinters and chunks, from what Bakugou guessed had once been a door, laid around him. Kirishima and Bakugou ran towards the now open room to find Isabel decimating her opponents. She jumped over one to kick another, her staff would lash out and knock them into each other with a loud crack. The girl was an unmovable force, and she knew it. 

Snake Eyes seemed to be mighty, but Bakugou knew she wasn’t perfect. One of the villains used his quirk and deflected the metallic staff so hard she let go of it. The boy duo began rushing in when she let out a ferocious shout.  

"CARAJO , STAY DOWN!” 

One, very angry, punch was all it took to launch the villain towards the wall beside them, falling unconscious to the floor like the others before him. Kirishima whistled lowly in admiration as he studied the cracks the villain left behind on the concrete. Isabel sighed lightly as she straightened herself up and checked that her hood was still in place. Yellow eyes scanned the room slowly, located her discarded staff and went for it. The boys saw she had a couple of scrapes but overall, she seemed fine.  

“I figured you were here, Petardo .” Her reptilian eyes met Bakugou’s blood red ones. 

“Hah?” He dumbly replied.  

He didn’t know what that word meant but he felt it couldn’t be anything good. The girl gingerly picked up her weapon and turned towards them. Her face seemed indifferent, but her eyes were studying them. He felt his ire rise but a friendly hand on his shoulder silenced him.  

“Hey, we’re going to go find the shadowy warp guy.” Kirishima watched as she examined her staff and after a twirl it pulled itself back into a small tube. “Bakugou figures everyone can handle their own. So, we should probably get the villain since he’s the only way in and out.”  

Isabel nodded slowly; her lips pressed into a thin line as she pondered what the boy said. They didn’t look beat up and appeared to still have energy in them. They were also strong; they could probably pull this off if they all worked together. Isabel looked down to the defeated villains. They weren’t as strong as she thought they would be, she wondered if her classmates could actually handle them. Thinking for a minute, she decided to trust them. If  Bakugo u , of all people,   thought the others could handle it, then they probably could. These boys knew the others better anyway. 

“We’re closing their entrance?” She met their eyes head on. “That’s a good idea.”  

A devilish grin eerily crawled onto her face; it made a shiver rush up the boys’ spine. She looked absolutely feral.  

“I’m in.” Answered the girl with a flash of her fangs, her serpentine tongue slipping out through her teeth as she licked her lips.  

“We need to find the guy first-” 

“Snake Eyes, can you track him?” Bakugou cut Kirishima off. 

That name made the girl narrow her eyes at the blonde but saw no malice behind his scowl nor felt like he was insulting her compared to last time. She frowned in consideration but shook the feeling off. It seemed that he was just rude by default.  

Isabel nodded at the explosive boy and closed her eyes, starting to taste the air, diligently focusing on her new task. Turning her head slightly to the right, she let herself concentrate fully on what her tongue could pick up from their position. As her tongue flickered through her lips, the foreign girl tried to remember the man’s scent. After a couple of minutes, she finally found a small trace of ozone in the air. Her eyes opened to find the boys curiously looking at her. 

“I can smell him from here. He won't be hard to find.” Her gaze darkened as her thoughts drifted towards her other friends whilst she made to exit the room. Isabel hoped with all her might that they were okay. Kirishima and Bakugou shared a glance before following the girl out of the building. They made quick work of the villains they encountered along the way, but nothing could prepare them for what they would find.

Chapter Text

"It's fucking nerve wracking! You never showed me the costume and now I have to wear it tomorrow!" Isabel ranted.

A very exasperated sigh could be heard through the computer. They had been at this for at least half an hour.

"Oh come on! I said I'm sorry! I wanted to surprise you. Is that so bad? Don't you trust me?" The blonde bespectacled girl pouted at her through the screen.

"Of course I do! I just-"

"Then you should TRUST that I wouldn't make anything you wouldn't wear or would make you uncomfortable." Melissa grumpily chided, a small scowl contorting her normally smiling face. 

Isabel blinked a few times at her friend and finally gave her a defeated look. The clock on her wall ticked loudly in the silence that followed.

Melissa looked at her pleadingly, and Isabel felt herself soften. A deep tired sigh fell from her lips.

"Yeah... I know you wouldn't." she sighed and raked her hands over her face, "I'm sorry, I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"It's okay. If it make's you feel better, I'll send you the schematics so you can look at them tonight." She nodded meekly while Melissa stared at her through the screen thoughtfully.

Unsure if the subject she wanted to broach would upset Isabel more.

After a few seconds, Melissa decided that now was as good a time as any.

"I made some small upgrades to your equipment. They aren't too different from before but I still insist you need to add something long range. Your quirk and a-"

"Meli," Isabel groaned at the change in subject, "I'm fine. You know I don't use my quirk, besides I don't mind fighting up close."

A deep frown pulled at Melissa's lips but before she could make her case someone interrupted them.

"Bell," the door to her room opened slightly, the large form of All Might peaked from behind the door. "Dinner's ready."

"Gracias a Dios." Isabel murmured as she looked towards All Might and then back at her friend. "I gotta go, Meli. Hunger calls."

"Fine. Don't think I'm going to let this go! You need to evaluate your fight-"

"Okay! Te quiero! Bye! Callyoulater!" Isabel said hurriedly.

"Don't you dare run away from-" Melissa's voice was cut off by Isabel closing her laptop hurriedly.

She leaned back in her chair and let out a deep sigh. The girl rubbed her temples absentmindedly. 

"You know she has a point." All Might interrupted her thoughts.

A poof and a cloud of steam later. The lanky form of her uncle leaned against her desk.

"It's great that you can handle yourself up close but having a long range option isn't bad."

Isabel groaned at the man as she turned her head towards him, big pout on her features.

"I'm just saying." he shrugged and held his hands up in a placating manner, "It doesn't have to be with your quirk."

"I already have my staff-"

"I think Meli means a little farther range than that... Look just think about it okay." 

"Tch, esta bien!" she threw her hands up in annoyance. "I'll think about the stupid long range thing."  she mumbled at her Uncle.

Toshinori smirked at her before shaking his head. He stretched out and turned from her.

"Come on, little miss drama. The food's getting cold." he teased.

Isabel rolled her eyes as she got up to follow him out of her room.

The warm smell of hamburgers filled the home. She let herself relax as she dropped down on the kitchen stool and watched her uncle plate her food.

Pushing tomorrow's school trip and the costume she would wear for the first time to the back of her mind.

Poor Meli; Isabel's temper can sometimes get the best of her and cause some drama.

Melissa still adores her to bits though. She just wishes Isabel would listen to her more often.

Chapter Text

The trio ran through USJ with Isabel leading the way.  Every few seconds her tongue would dart out and she would readjust her course accordingly. The serpentine girl was so focused on her current task that when a familiar scent hit her, it almost made her stumble.

“Hey! You ok?” Kirishima called from behind her.

She slowed her run and turned to the boys. Isabel’s eyes were blown wide and a scowl pulled at her features. She felt her heart in her throat, cold fear coursed through her body.

“All Might… He’s here.” She tightly responded before picking up the pace.

His scent was coming from the same direction as the portal man.

Bakugou was following the snake girl when he saw her stiffen again.

“¡Tío!” Her anguished cry rang through the air. “All Might, he’s hurt!”

He could see her desperately begin to run after tripping again.

“Wait, dumbass!”

They all broke out into a sprint; the blonde could hear her jagged breaths from his place as they ran through the courtyard at top speed. Which was made easier as Isabel led them away from any villains that could slow them down. Her heart thrashed frantically in the girl’s chest as she perceived the metallic smell in the air. All Might’s blood permeated the air and her senses. When they broke out into the plaza, she pushed herself towards the black figure that was holding her uncle in the air. Blood seeped out of his side and all she saw was red.

Bakugou raced after her and could see the fear in her eyes. However, he couldn’t stop her from launching herself at one of the villains. He soon realized he didn’t need to. She could probably break his arm with a kick if she wanted to. On the other hand, Deku had jumped towards All Might but now found himself face to face with the portal villain. Bakugou smiled wickedly as he propelled himself into the air. His explosions were ready, and his target was set.

Isabel heard the crackling of ice close to her as she spun on her feet and lashed out with a kick against the black humanoid creature’s arm.

“¡Sueltalo, cabron!” She pushed against the appendage with a harsh grunt.

A loud crunching noise echoed around them, but the villain would not lower the arm she had just kicked. Feeling how the ice and his niece’s kick had slackened the beast’s hold on him, All Might took his chance. The hero managed to flip out of its hold while grabbing Isabel  and pulling her with him. All Might apprehensively stared at the girl in his grasp  while ignoring the chatter around them. She had a few scrapes on her skin, and he could also see her clothing had been dirtied and ripped in some places. All in all, she was fine.

“Isabel, what are-”

“Are you okay?” Her wide eyes bore into his, barely feeling her small hand on his arm.

“You should stay back-” The pro hero stared at her intensely, praying she would listen.

“No! Let us help you…please.”  She pleaded desperately “You’re bleeding.”

Bakugou stood over the fog villain, his hands firm on the metal neck. That didn’t mean he didn’t keep an eye on the girl’s dealings with the hero. He could see her anxiously patting her hand over All Might’s as he held his side. The supposed protégé tried to get a look at the wound, she was fussing too much over the grown man. All Might spoke in whispers while she answered in an equally lowered voice. From the distance, the ash blonde could barely make out the conversation. His observations were cut short though, everyone’s attention was drawn to the villain covered in hands once again as he uttered one word.

“Nomu…”

The pitch-black humanoid monster started shakily moving through the portal it had gone through. Frozen limbs breaking as it freed itself. Bakugou could hear Snake Eyes give a disgusted gasp as she stepped closer to All Might.

Isabel’s blood rushed through her as the thing began regenerating. Its power reminded her of something, but she couldn’t quite place it, especially now. She felt disgusted when she realized the thing had its brains out. It was truly a horrifying sight. The villain covered in hands raved about how the thing could take on All Might, for that was his purpose. Isabel felt her chest tighten and her resolve harden. She would defend her uncle if it came to that.

“First, we need to get our gate back.” The villain sneered at them.

All Might felt dread as he turned towards Bakugou who had just realized he had become a target. He breathed in and reluctantly accepted what he had to do.

“Bell, shield!” The man commanded as he swiftly grabbed her.

A warm pressure passed over him as he lifted the girl in his arms and heard the whirring of machinery coming to life.

“Go, Nomu.”

Midoriya felt his soul leave his body as he saw the Nomu leap at Bakugou. A loud gong like sound rung out over the loud crunching of the earth and crumbling of the wall nearest to them. Dust rose as he screamed for his friend, only to realize that he was now beside him. The Nomu leered menacingly at them.

“Kacchan?!” The greenette squeaked. “You dodged? That’s amazing!”

“No, shut up, scum!” Bakugou sneered at the boy.

“Then how...” Kirishima stood up slowly.

“Wait…where’s Snake Eyes?” Bakugou stood sharply.

Vermillion eyes searched through the cloud of dust that was now dissipating.

“Then that was…” Todoroki spoke in disbelief.

All Might stood tall, a wall broken behind him, with a large circular shield in front of him. The shield was silver with a golden border. The head of Medusa was branded on the center, leering dangerously at all of them. The image seemed to be hissing against her enemies.

Isabel was braced in All Might’s arms, feet dangling in the air and golden eyes glowing ominously over the shield.  The Number One Hero supported her body against his and strengthened her hold on their protection. Isabel let out a deep breath, she had managed to open it just in time for All Might to grab onto her and execute his plan. The girl could have broken her arm from that hit if she had taken it alone; she shivered at the thought. Isabel was lucky it was made to be as durable and shock absorbent as possible; if it were any other shield, she was sure it would have broken.

All Might felt  the small pressure on his body coming from the girl in his arms as she used her quirk on the creature. He could see its movements were microscopically delayed, but it didn’t manage to stop it. It seemed the creature was indeed similar to himself. The boys could just stare in shock as All Might set Isabel on her feet in front of him. Her eyes glowed ethereally as she stared down at the thing. She went to take a step forward but was stopped by her hero.

“It won’t work, Bell.” He could hear her click her tongue in annoyance.

The pressure subsided and her eyes stopped glowing yellow, returning to their normal reptilian gaze.

“I can slow it down.” She shifted slightly to look at the hero beside her.

He shook his head resolutely. All Might fixed his eyes on the villains before whispering to her.

“Protect your friends. I can handle this villain.”

A hesitant nod of confirmation was all he needed to step up beside her.

Isabel took a moment to pull out her staff, close her shield, and tune out the monologuing around her. Snake like eyes fixed on the villains, she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her as she held her staff so tightly the girl could hardly feel her fingers.

Isabel could hear her classmates speaking to All Might, but she paid them no mind. She had a new mission and no matter how scared she felt, she needed to concentrate and push through it. The girl watched carefully as the grey-haired villain took a step and ran towards the boys, hands to his side and wide open. She dug her foot into the floor and pushed herself, ignoring the crunching noise beneath her feet.

The boy quartet had readied themselves to fight the moment the hand villain had taken a step at them and yet they found they wouldn’t need to. Isabel rushed towards them at a breakneck speed, her eyes fixed solely on the villain.

“What are you doing you stupid snake?” Bakugou yelled at her furiously.

She ignored the boy’s call and made her way to intercept the villain, hoping that her quirk would work on him. When she was about 15 feet away from them, they saw her eyes begin to glow again. They all tensed when they felt a gentle pressure wash over them. It wasn’t painful though.

In fact, Bakugou felt himself become more grounded because of it, he felt reassured. And yet the villain stood stock still. His form seemed to be trembling, as if fighting against an invisible force.

The boys stared at the girl as she finally made it in front of them, standing tall and menacing between them and the shaking villain. Her eyes blazed as she hissed lightly and bared her fangs at the man. Her hands were securely holding her staff with a solid stance. If her stare broke, she was ready to fight.

“Oy! What the hell, Fang Face?” Bakugou snarled.

Midoriya was going to speak but was interrupted by a strong gust of wind.

Isabel lost her footing as the unexpected air pressure pushed her back. After a few stumbles she managed to stick her staff into the ground and even then, she slid a little further. Suddenly, she felt a couple of hands grab onto her sides, stabilizing her smaller form against the force of the fight that was happening in front of them.

Isabel crouched between Bakugou and Midoriya, their eyes were glued to the Number One Hero. Considering the circumstances, the girl grabbed her hood and made sure it was secure against the heavy gust. Melissa had assured her it wouldn’t fall off, but it never hurt to be safe. All Might met the black creature’s punches head on, each time he met a punch a flurry of wind would try to push them back.

Bakugou held onto the girl beside him as the wind whipped past them, his eyes darted from All Might to her. He could feel her smaller form pressed against him each time another gust pushed at them. With keen eyes, the boy noticed she was gripping the staff with only one hand while using the other to adjust her damned hood. Not really thinking about the consequences, Bakugou firmly took the staff with his own hand and then secured his arm even tighter around the girl, bringing her closer to him. Isabel didn’t have time to think as another gust hit her. She gripped her staff even harder than before as her arm found its way around Bakugou’s waist. Isabel held on to him tightly, hoping the fight would soon end.  Midoriya also had a good hold on her but his attention was drawn solely to  his idol. Isabel’s also followed her uncle’s form as he fought restlessly against the villain. Witnessing how he spun in the air and launched the monster into the ground. Isabel winced as the thing crashed into the earth and shattered it.

“Shit.” Bakugou mumbled as he straightened, quickly dropping his arm from around the girl.

Isabel noticed the loss of warmth but decided against thinking about it. She followed his movements and quickly dropped her arm from around him.

The students stood in awe as All Might landed in front of the beast and pulled back his fist for a final signature punch. Isabel held her breath, her hands tightening against her weapon. The punch All Might gave it was enough to not only send the Nomu flying but also break the ceiling. Who knew where the hell that thing would land.

The relief was short lived, however, because small slivers of steam rose from the hero’s body as he faced off with the hand villain. Golden eyes met scared green ones as she realized her suspicions were correct. All Might was out of time.

Isabel’s eyes narrowed when the villain began running at her uncle and felt every muscle in her body tense. She could only see All Might’s back, and he was struggling to move. Did he overuse his quirk that much? Before she could move,  a small burst of green flew beside her. Midoriya had jumped towards the villain at a blinding speed. Not wanting to be left behind, Isabel clenched her teeth in determination, dug her sandals into the earth and launched herself forward, eyes burning a golden yellow.

Her eyes glared at the gray man who was now cursing them. His hand extended towards the boy, but the man couldn’t move an inch further. The villain’s eyes met her blazing gaze as she ran towards them. She needed to pull back Midoriya or push the man away,  something in her gut told her she couldn’t let the man touch them.

Isabel could see the villain trembling lightly; could sense him trying to fight against her Medusa like gaze. She wasn’t sure if she should push her quirk any further, her stomach was in knots and her heart fluttered.  Perhaps she should  use it… but she didn’t want to cause a scene.

As she was about to intercept the villain’s attack, Isabel heard a loud bang in the distance and watched as blood spurted out of the hand that was reaching towards Midoriya. The girl deactivated her quirk and with a quick spin, kicked the pale grey man away from them. A hail of bullets fell upon the enemy as she stepped back towards All Might. Isabel felt a large reassuring hand settle on her shoulder and let out the breath she was holding. It was finally over.

Moments later, USJ was buzzing with police and heroes. The teachers had arrived and wrangled the remaining villains. Everyone was calm with solace, well almost everyone. Bakugou could see Isabel worrying over the Symbol of Peace, a frown on her face as she took a step towards him and grabbed the side of his shirt.

Kirishima walked towards Midoriya but Bakugou could only stare at the exchange between the girl and All Might. He remembered how she screamed for him and it just made him terribly curious. Before Kirishima could get any closer a large wall of cement rose and separated his classmates from the group. Isabel jumped at the sudden commotion but remained rooted to her spot and continued to lecture her uncle with shaky hands. Midoriya could only sigh at her actions and in relief, the secret was saved.

“You have to be more careful! I can’t believe you would do such a thing!” The girl’s yellow eyes were a blazing fire. “If Midoriya hadn’t-” But before she could finish All Might had pulled her into a large hug.

Cementoss smiled at the familial scene as he went to help the green haired boy.

“Are you all right?” The blonde man asked Isabel, feeling her arms wrap around him tightly.

A small nod and a few sniffles were all the answers he got as he patted her head.

“I was so scared… What if they got you?” She pressed her face into his broad chest and tightened her arms.

“It’s very hard to get rid of me, Bell-Bell.” He chuckled heroically.

Disgruntled, she took a step back and stared the man down as best as she could, considering he towered over everyone.

“It’s not funny!” Isabel held his gaze with watery eyes, afraid of what she was going to admit.

“I have no one here but you, Toshi.”

He felt her deep fear and sadness in every breath she took, his eyes burned at the girl’s words. Taking a deep breath,  and after one more quick hug, he stepped back from his girl.

“I’m sorry, Bell.” The aforementioned girl shook her head as her eyes met the floor.

Words failed her; she was breathless. All Might sighed deeply and knew this was a conversation for another time.  

“Look…If you aren’t hurt, go back to the others. We can get a cab together after school if you want, talk a little or maybe watch a movie…” He searched her eyes pleadingly, after a second or two she gave in to the man’s wishes.

“Ok…” Isabel answered, rubbing her eyes absentmindedly.

Looking around, she saw Cementoss lifting Midoriya up and she determinedly turned to the boy.

“Thanks, for jumping in.”

The girl bowed deeply and swiftly before running out from behind the wall.

Midoriya didn’t get a chance to answer her but something made his chest tighten as he watched her leave. Midoriya felt his eyes water again at the unexpected gratitude and when he looked at All Might he saw a proud smile on his face.

Isabel jogged towards the entrance, relief crashing into her like a wave.  She wrenched up her staff from the ground on her way and saw the guys walking in the distance, to which she whistled to get their attention. Meanwhile, she spun her staff in her hand and it snapped back into a smaller size.

Bakugou was the first to hear the sharp call and turned. The other boys stopped and watched as Isabel made her way towards them.

“Thought you would stay with All Might.” Kirishima eyed her as she fiddled with her items and belt.

“Hmmm…  He’ll be all right.” Responded the girl as she began walking with them, occasionally looking back where she knew her uncle and the green squirt were. “I’ll get to see him later.”

Her eyes met Bakugou and Kirishima’s, who were intensely staring at her.

“Oy, Snake Eyes…”

“First, stop calling me that, and second… thanks for jumping in with me.” She interrupted, throwing the blonde a halfhearted glare.

Kirishima felt the tension in the atmosphere and gave her a hesitant thumbs up.

“No problem! Heroes have each other’s back, right?”

“Right.” She gave the boy a small grin and nod.

Meanwhile, Todoroki observed the girl carefully. He had finally witnessed  her using her power and from the looks of it, it was one hell of a quirk. The bicolor haired boy thought deeply to what he had seen from her until now, trying to put the pieces together of who this girl was and the quirk behind her. Wondering what other surprises she had in stow for them.

Chapter Text

The small group climbed the main stairs of the USJ and found their classmates standing around some of the U.A. teachers. Bakugou watched as Isabel left them behind but before he could say anything Kirishima had taken up his and Half and Half's attention again.

The girl quickened her steps as she saw the students gathering around the area. Isabel's worry was starting to get the best of her. She had managed to push it to the back of her mind during the whole incident, but now she felt it come roaring back to life. Isabel saw Aizawa’s beaten form being carried out and she felt her stomach turn.   

Isabel searched quickly, she saw Tokoyami speaking with the quiet Koda and felt her burden lighten slightly. Yet, she still felt restless. She turned her head around, eyes searching for a dash of pink and some brown hair. The girl couldn’t stop herself from worrying her lip with her teeth as she kept looking around. She couldn’t spot Mina nor Uraraka, she could feel her breath quickening as she walked in between some other students. Isabel saw Tsuyu and Iida speaking, Kaminari and Sero…  

Where were they? Her eyes began to water in panic; she couldn’t find her friends.   

Relief soon came in the form of strong slender arms wrapping around her and a wobbly cry of her name. Isabel found herself hugging Mina close to her on one side, as she grabbed Uraraka from the other, becoming the middle of a very emotional sandwich. She hugged them tighter and buried herself in their embrace. The last of her worries melted away as she nuzzled deeper into their arms.  

Once everyone had made it to the entrance, the students were all gathered outside. They watched as the police and detectives worked while they chatted idly of what they had just experienced. That’s when a man in a tan trench coat stepped up to them, he carefully counted all of them before Tsuyu spoke up. 

“Detective, what about Aizawa-sensei?” Her eyes were wide as she tilted her head in a questioning glance. 

The detective gave a warm sad smile to the worried students.  

“Complicated fractures in both arms and a facial fracture.” He stated seriously. “Fortunately, there does not seem to be any serious brain damage. However, his orbital floor was broken into small pieces and his eyes may suffer from its aftereffects.”

Tsuyu gave a small ribbit while soft murmurs and noise erupted around them.

“What about Thirteen?” Mina asked, taking a step and pulling Isabel with her.

“Thirteen has been treated. The laceration of their back and upper arm was bad, but their life is not in danger.” Before any other student could ask, he continued “All Might will also survive. Recovery Girl's healing is enough to treat him so he's in the nurse's office.”

The detective’s wide eyes seemed to scan the crowd as if looking for something or someone.

“Deku! What about Midoriya?!” Uraraka stepped forward.

The man locked eyes with the brown-haired girl and gave a smile at her eagerness. It seemed Uraraka may have a soft spot for All Might’s successor.

“Midori-?” He paused and thought for a second. “Oh, treatment in the nurse’s office is enough for him too.”

“Oh good.” Uraraka sighed.

A police officer with a cat head walked briskly towards the detective and whispered something in his ear.

“Ah, right…” He scanned the students and sighed heavily. “I can’t figure out which one it is though…”

The students looked amongst each other, unsure of what the man meant. They hoped none of them was in trouble.

“Is there someone you’re looking for, sir?” Iida stepped forward diligently.

“Yes, I have a message for All Might’s niece.” As the words left the man, Isabel felt her body tense and herself take a step back. “I can’t seem to spot her. I swear- His descriptions were ridiculous. A delicate little flower who has grown into a confident young woman, battle ready and fierce… How is that supposed to help me find her?” He mumbled in annoyance.

Kirishima and Bakugou eyed the stupefied Isabel and then each other, after coming to a silent agreement they discreetly got closer to her. There was undeniably going to be drama when that got out, and it was pretty obvious that she did not appreciate being the center of anything. Bakugou could see the beginning of panic in her eyes. He didn’t understand it, but he saw it. Murmurs had grown around them as they all slowly started to figure out who it was.

Isabel met the fearless eyes of the explosive boy with uncertainty. She didn’t want to respond but knew it was no use, everyone would find out eventually. He got a little closer and reached out for her. Kirishima was going to hold back his hand but realized to late that he was too far. The girl closed her eyes, readying herself for the push but it never came. Instead, a warm hand settled on her shoulder and gave a light squeeze.

The blonde boy had a deep scowl on his face, his displeasure at the situation palpable. If she didn’t want them to know yet then they didn’t need to know, Isabel had the right to keep such sensitive information to herself. He had spent the past days observing her carefully. Bakugou had seen every side look when someone praised her, every time she curled in on herself when attention was on her. Every uncertain gaze and nervous fidget she did when stressed. He knew she was uncomfortable with this; however, he didn’t know why he stepped up to her. He felt anger well up in him… or was this worry? Bakugou didn’t know what it was but he was damn sure he didn’t appreciate it.

Isabel took a deep breath, the warm hand on her shoulder spurring her on. She took a step and then another, she felt him slowly letting go. Which made her feel weirdly cold as the eyes of her classmates landed on her incredulously. Two sets of eyes seemed to follow her worriedly. Mina and Uraraka looked at each other in disbelief. Isabel could feel so many people watching her, judging her. Her fists closed tight, nails digging painfully into her skin.

“I’m his niece.” She said slowly.

“Oh! You look nothing like he said.” The detective smiled warmly. “He said you were small and really delicate, but you look like a tough cookie.”

Isabel felt everyone’s eyes burning holes on her back but tried to ignore it and instead gave out a small indelicate snort in response. Of course, he would say that. Everyone is small and delicate compared to him.

“Anyway, he told me to tell you to wait in the faculty room for him. His phone was destroyed during the fight so he can’t call you. It will take a while but don’t worry for him, he will come get you. Also, he said you were going to eat out for dinner.”

She nodded at the man, annoyance on her face.

Stupid Nomu destroying his phone… Stupid weak ass phone. They should make those things hero proof, she mentally rambled to distract herself. Now everyone knew. She was supposed to be a secret for now, being around All Might could be a danger by itself. She knew eventually it would get out but shit.

“All right. Everyone, get back to the classrooms.”

The detective turned towards his colleague and left the students to their own business. Isabel could feel the growing tension around her and so, she slowly turned her head towards the others. Unexpectedly, she could see some excitement and confusion on their faces. Some were measuring her up again while others murmured between themselves. The unwanted attention made her hands clammy and  her heart race a marathon. The girl tried to shut out the whispers, wishing the earth would open up and swallow her whole.

Bakugou moved before the others could even begin to think about crowding and bombarding her with questions. He found himself doing that around her, moving without completely assessing things.  Bakugou was usually hesitant to grab on to others but not her. The boy cursed himself. And now, he saw her bravery wilt as she turned towards the group, slowly becoming smaller as she looked around. Her eyes searched for something he didn’t expect to know.  

Isabel was spiraling into a nervous frenzy until she felt a rough hand grab her forearm and pull her along.

“Come on dumbass, we have to get on the bus.”

Bakugou roughly barked at her and saw her pull down her hood even more with her free hand to cover her face, eyes stuck to the floor. The girl let herself be dragged onto the bus until she softly pulled her arm away from the rough hand, and like last time, made a beeline towards the back.

Bakugou thanked whatever deity for the fact that they reached the bus quickly. His hands were sweating uncontrollably, and he was not enjoying the sensation. A deep frown settled on his lips as he observed her. Isabel sat in isolation and let her head fall against the glass, eyes closing to the world once again.

Isabel’s hands fiddled with each other as she heard movement near her and dared to take a peek through her eyelashes. Mina and Uraraka joined her on the final row and were currently looking out to the front of the bus, small frowns on their faces. With Kirishima and Bakugou soon settling in the row in front of them. Isabel couldn’t see Kirishima’s face, he had already sat down, but she could see the blonde’s. Bakugou looked like an angry guard dog. They had made an impenetrable wall around her, trying to protect her from the class’s curiosity. Using them to her advantage, the girl shut herself once again, doing her best at ignoring the whispers she could certainly hear.

“Is she just here because she’s his family?”
 

“But she came in through recs, right?”

“Maybe he paid for her to get in...”
 

“No, we saw her fight. She’s strong.”

“Is she rich?”

Poor Isabel could feel herself sink deeper into her chair when a soft hand grabbed hers. She looked down and saw her friend’s small pink hand squeezing her clammy one tightly. Black eyes studied her expression, a silent question in the air ‘are you ok?’.

Uraraka leaned forward to observe her stressed friend. Actually, stress was an understatement. A possum caught in headlights, that’s what she looked like. It seemed like she would rather play dead than get half of the attention she was surely going to receive. Uraraka moved forward, placed a hand on her knee, and squeezed. Earnest eyes begged her to speak up and so with a deep breath, she did.

“I can-” The serpentine girl began softly. “I can hear their whispers. My quirk…” She informed the girls, eyes locked on her hands now.

“Oh…”

Mina held her hand tighter and Uraraka pressed closer to her friends. Kirishima spared a small glance towards the troubled girl, wishing he knew her more to help. They didn’t know how to make it better, but a very angry blonde did, and he was getting sick of the dumb girl squirming behind him.

“Oy, dumbasses! SHUT THE FUCK UP and mind your own goddamn business!” Bakugou shouted as he stomped to his feet. “Your shitty whispering is giving everyone a fucking headache!” Characteristic popping noises came from his hands in warning, effectively silencing the bus.

He scowled deeply at his classmates before he snuck a look at the withered girl in the back. Something tugged at him seeing her like this, but he pushed it down.  The others stared at the very annoyed Bakugou, his threatening yelling had been enough to make them change the subject or fall into silence. He dropped himself back down and closed his eyes, arms crossed across his chest. Kirishima gave the blonde a look of admiration while he thought how manly the explosive boy really was.

The  small sigh of relief behind him was all Bakugou needed to know he did something right.

Chapter Text

The bus ride was thankfully uneventful after Bakugou had shouted everyone into silence. They had gotten the hint loud and clear. His intervention had given Isabel a time of reprieve and the opportunity to slip by her classmates. She had thanked Uraraka and Mina profusely for their support while they changed in the girl’s lockers. Tsuyu had, in turn, expressed her surprise; the honest girl apologizing for the whispers. The other girls quickly took over the chatter and made it their mission to talk of other things, effectively distracting the overwhelmed Isabel. When all was said and done, she found herself comfortably waiting in the faculty room, lounging lazily in Toshinori’s chair as she spun herself idly. Deep red hat safely on her head. Her eyes dropped and soon she found herself snoozing lightly in the chair, the burden of the day's affairs finally catching up with her. 

Toshinori smiled, he had found Isabel napping serenely in his large office chair. He shook her shoulder gently, big gold eyes opening and finding a bandaged uncle smiling warmly at her. She pushed herself off the chair and gave him a big hug. He held the pain filled grunt that tried to escape him, his body still sore from the healing. The girl pressed tighter to him and he held her closely as she made sure he was fine. The man placed his large hand on her head and pulled back a little, searching her face for any discomfort or anger. Her eyes seemed droopy and drained. 

“Food and home?” The hero asked, as he bent over to make better eye contact with her.

Nodding in response, she let go of the bandaged up pro hero and took a step back. He gave her a thin smile as he laid his hand on her shoulder and began to walk out of the faculty room. A companionable silence engulfed them as they walked together.

The restaurant they now sat in gave a homey ambiance. Warm lights engulfed them as the smell of food wafted through the air. Toshinori stared at Isabel as she pushed her food around with her chopsticks while holding the small rice bowl in her hand. Soon, anxious eyes met him. Her lips were pulled into a very thin line, discomfort clear in every motion she made. 

After telling him that her new classmates all knew he was her uncle she had proceeded to eat and stew over the implications of the new leaked knowledge. The girl would have to go back to school and face everyone after that and could already feel the weight of it on her shoulders. What would they expect from her? Would they see her more as the ultimate obstacle to overcome than a fellow classmate? Her motivations had never been to be Number 1… she just wanted to be. Isabel wanted to help others, not become a celebrity. Finishing explaining her problems, she eyed Toshinori from across from her. 

“I… don’t know what to do.” Isabel said finally. 

“I realize I embarrassed-”

“It’s not that.” She met his eyes tiredly. “I will never be embarrassed of you, even if you insist on using that eyesore of a yellow suit…” She tried to joke. “I just don’t think I can meet anyone’s expectations now that they know.”

Toshinori studied her crestfallen expression and let out a sigh. 

Oh, how the young take on the weight of the world , he thought sadly. 

“Does that really matter, Isabel?” He asked quietly as he set his utensils and bowl down. “Being a hero is not about meeting people’s expectations and you know that. I taught you that for a very good reason.” He was met with silence and the furrowing of her brows. 

He leaned back a little and narrowed his eyes at her. 

“Talk to me Bell. I can only help if you talk to me.”

The girl gripped her chopsticks and felt her hand shake. Isabel tried to steady herself, however, and thought deeply as Toshinori took another bite. Patiently waiting for the young one to organize her mind. The quiet was both relaxing and tense, she knew he was trying. And so, she would too. 

“I feel like... I am going to be constantly looked at, judged, compared. Like I have to do things a certain way or be something I’m not. I don’t blame you, but still,” Isabel placed the bowl on the table and stared at the porcelain white rice in front of her. 

“I know I shouldn’t mind others, but I can’t really help it either. I’ve never been able to...” She reached up towards her hat and fidgeted with it a little. “I don’t want to let you down…or embarrass you. Digo, the class seems like they can keep the secret but… if it gets out and I’m not good enough… I’m not even your blood and I… The way I look isn’t going to help and-” Isabel stopped herself, the lump in her throat eating up her words. 

She took a big gulp of air and met the man’s electric blue eyes. “I just don’t want to be the reason someone loses everything again. I don’t want you to lose your status or reputation because of me.”

Toshinori stared at the girl, mulling her words over in his head. Carefully picking and thinking about the young woman she was becoming. His sunken eyes darted to her hat and then at the delicate hand grasping her chopsticks. 

“Isabel, you are my niece. It doesn’t matter that we aren’t blood.” He scrunched up his eyebrows in deep thought. “You are one of the closest people I have to family.  You will never be an embarrassment to me or bring me down. No matter what you choose, or what you look like. Which honestly isn’t even an issue, you always look beautiful.” 

The distressed Isabel could feel the breath get caught in her throat as his sincerity pierced her cracked heart. 

“As for being compared… I’m really sorry about that. I know you have faced a lot of harsh criticism throughout your life and I just added to that burden.” He stretched his hand and enveloped her smaller one tenderly with his big slender fingers. “But Bell, the expectations of others... Their thoughts and opinions, they’re a burden not worthy of your shoulders. The only expectations that you should strive to meet are yours. Accomplishing your goals and dreams, those are the things that should matter to you. Everyone that loves you just wants you to be happy. Your father, Tata ... me…”

Isabel felt the sting of tears in her eyes as he spoke to her. His genuine way of caring and loving others had always baffled her. She always knew she would be safe and cared for if Toshinori was there. His reassuring presence has been a constant in her life since the day he pulled her out of that hell hole. The girl never quite understood why he had cared so much, but she was grateful for it. He would always make sure to visit; calling or video chatting with her at least twice a week when the distance was too much. Her dear uncle and grandma, the to always be there for her, rooting for her. They were home, her safe space. Soon, Toshinori’s soft baritone voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Tell me again… What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

The question made her roll her damp eyes at the man, but she obliged anyway.

“A hero…?” Isabel answered the question she had been asked since she was a child.

“Why?” Her guardian asked and tightened his hold on her hand. 

“ Tío… ” She groaned deeply. “I just want to help people.” Her tone was miffed.

“I know… but why a hero?” Before she could open her mouth, he cut her off. “And don’t answer too quickly. In fact, you don’t have to answer right now. You could have done a thousand other things and still be helping people. A doctor, a policewoman, a lawyer, a dancer, a teacher… you could have chosen anything. Why a hero?” He sat back slowly. 

“Really think about it and tell me when you figure it out. We all have a purpose and a path; but we must be sure about our reasons to walk it or else it will crumble beneath us. What is your path? What is your reason to follow it?” Toshinori’s tone was deathly serious, the look in his eyes intense and penetrating.

Isabel slowly nodded her head, took a deep breath, and began to think. 

Why did she want to be a hero? Was it because of All Might, because he saved her? Was it because of her dad and his past heroic deeds? She pondered this question as she felt him let go of her hand and continue his dinner, prompting her to also resume eating. 

Slowly but surely, she began to shuffle through memories and desires, trying to figure out why exactly she wanted to be a hero. She just wants to help people…and now her uncle managed to turn it into this great philosophical thing. The girl let out a sigh again as she took a bite of her fried fish, the exhaustion crashing into her like a wave. And so, she let her mind wander back to rough hands and soft friendly hugs as she quietly ate with her uncle.

The next day had been a free day, gifted by the school due to the whole USJ debacle, and Toshinori found himself beaming with joy. The day before Isabel had remembered she owed someone a conversation… and probably some explanations. She had diligently asked Toshinori if she could have someone over, specifically the anxious green haired boy he had made his successor. Toshinori had almost choked on blood with happiness, his Isabel had a friend and she wanted to hang out with them. 

This made him remember the long conversations he had with the girl’s grandmother. How Isabel was usually friendly at school but had refused completely to let her peers into her home. How Isabel would go out alone to the beach or to hike at night. Always distancing herself from others. But here she was, inviting Young Midoriya to their home. An image of the pink and brown-haired girls also popped into his head and felt himself become even giddier. She was even walking with one of the boys to and from school. He could cry, he was so happy for her. The pro hero talked to the old woman each week and he couldn’t wait to gossip with her in their next date, considering the special occasion of Isabel having made actual friends. This move, although very troublesome, will continue to be good for her. He would make sure of it. 

Toshinori had woken up earlier than usual since had to go on patrol, but he refused not to smother his Isabel with a little affection. He readied some snacks and made sure they had enough refreshments for their guest. Also checked over the cabinets and verified they would be able to have lunch if the girl decided to cook... 

But maybe she didn’t want to cook, he thought to himself. 

He wrote a small note and in a little envelope left her some yen so they could order take out if they wished. Before he left, the blond man knocked softly on her door and opened it a smidge. She was usually stretching or dancing by now but today was different. His charge was practically rolled into a blanket burrito, resting deeply. The vision was completely endearing. Reassured, he gave a small smile and closed the door. Ready to begin his day. 

Isabel was sluggish that morning, she stumbled out of bed and groggily readied her purple yoga mat on the floor. The next 20 minutes were filled with deep and relaxing stretches that slowly got her into a better mood. After showering, she poured herself some cereal and quietly had breakfast, the spoon clinking against the ceramic bowl being the only ambiance noise. Gazing around, she noticed the small note on the counter with an envelope. 

“Have a fun day, lunch is on me! 

I will see you for dinner!”

-Toshi

The note ended with a scribbled, little smiley faced sun at the bottom. 

Ay, tío . 

She shook her head in amusement.

A warm grin made her way onto her face as she grabbed the paper and took it to her room. Placing it in a delicate metal box filled with other pieces of colorful papers of different sizes. After safeguarding her uncle’s note, she went back to the counter and resumed eating; content she had a day off. After everything that happened, she needed some peace. The clock ticked in the background, the silence in the room a small comfort to her weary form. 

Soon it was time, and she anxiously waited for the boy to arrive. She almost dug herself into the floor with all her pacing. The knock on her door made her feel... certain things. A gentle buzz ran through her as she walked towards it, absentmindedly fixing her hat as she stepped up to the door. The girl could hear her heartbeat in her ears as she reached out and opened it, meeting large green eyes and a happy, slightly wobbly, smile. 

“Hey! What’s up?” Isabel asked as she stepped aside to let him pass.

“Ummm… hey. Thanks for having me.” The boy replied rigidly as he entered the apartment. 

It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was modern and spacious. 

Homey would be the right word , he thought to himself, absentmindedly leaving his shoes at the entrance. 

He made his way inside. The design was simple, white and warm cream tones dominated the decoration. Some art hung on the walls as he walked towards the living room. Pictures were set on some tables. Midoriya smiled as he recognized the infamous David Shield in some of them.

“Make yourself comfortable, Midoriya-san.” 

“Ah…uh. You can call me Izuku since... you know.” He looked at the floor and the hostess noticed how stiff he seemed.

A discreet smirk made its way onto her lips as she took a step towards him. 

“You don’t have to be nervous. Uncle isn’t here.” Her toothy grin made the boy laugh tensely but he exhaled in relief nonetheless. 

Being in your idol’s house was one thing, but All Might being there too… that would have probably killed him.

“Make yourself at home.” Isabel repeated awkwardly.

She started pulling very large books out and carefully setting them on the table in front of the sofa. “Uncle told me you were a fanboy…” 

“Ah well, I guess you could call me that. I brought my notebooks like you asked.” Said Izuku and settled his bag near the table she was organizing. The girl sat on the floor putting some scrapbooks in order.

“Well, I can’t really call myself a really big fangirl…but I collected some stuff through the years, and I thought maybe you would like to spend some time looking at them…If you’d like?”

As she said this, she opened up the first book and what Midoriya saw shook him to his very nerdy core. An old newspaper clipping of All Might in America. He had never seen that one in person. He had a lot of Japanese articles and had watched many clips, but his hero’s American exploits had fallen to the back burner because they weren’t reported on as much in Japan. 

“Oh wow.” He flipped a few pages to see even more American articles and pictures of the different costumes. 

“I have another book, but it’s filled with astronomy articles and underground hero stuff.” She said as she watched him excitedly flip through the pages. 

Isabel stood up and went to the kitchen, getting them some water and shrimp chips. She came back to see him looking through some pages of photos she had of Toshinori and her training on the beach back home. Izuku relaxed as he saw the familiar situation, and went on to tell her how All Might had trained him similarly. Except he had to clean the whole beach instead of learning to fight on it. 

They bonded over the suffering that was training under the Number One Hero and soon fell into a routine. One would ask a question and then the other would answer, slowly the time passed, and Isabel found she shared a lot of similarities with the boy. They both enjoyed a good bowl of Katsudon, both were All Might nerds, and they both seemed to be a little nervous when a group of people paid them attention. They also seemed to share a similar sad family story. 

“So, you live with All Might…” Izuku hesitated at the question he wanted to ask but it seemed Isabel understood regardless of his pause.

“Yeah… My old man isn’t really around. He’s always working so I don’t see him.” She sighed deeply. “Back home my grandma looked after me, now it’s Uncle.” 

Izuku’s eyes found hers and he reached over towards her, grabbing her hand as he scooted a little closer to her. A small frown pulled at his lips. They were both sitting on the floor, notebooks and scrapbooks scattered around them and on the coffee table.

“I get it. My dad accepted a job overseas years ago and left... He isn’t really in the picture either.” 

The young girl squeezed his hand tightly, a small smile stretching her lips.

“What’s up with these shitty dads, huh?” she joked lightly, her gaze softening on the green haired boy. He just shrugged as he gave her an unsure smirk.

“What about your mom?” The boy continued his inquiry.

Isabel’s eyes left him and dropped to the floor, he could feel her sorrow burning through her as her hold on him tightened.

“She’s gone.” Isabel lifted her gaze to find Izuku on his knees beside her. 

The boy’s face was grim, but knowing she liked physical affection, he hesitantly laid his arm over her shoulders. Hell, everyone must know about her particular preference by now. The way she smiled when Mina and Uraraka hugged her or when Tokoyami rested a friendly hand on her shoulder and she would give the boy the widest grin. The young hero felt her lean into him as he rubbed her arm softly in apology.

“I’m sorry…for that.” He awkwardly said.

“It’s okay. It happened a long time ago.” She didn’t pull away, the sorrow that would sometimes eat at her bones a little less prominent thanks to the warmth of his hug. 

“You know… you are more similar to Uncle than you know.” She gave the boy a smile he returned ten-fold.

“Really?!?” He beamed.

“Yeah, it’s not just your quirk and being bad at keeping secrets.” She laughed at the face he pulled, it looked like he had sucked on a lemon. “Come on, Izu-kun, let’s eat. We can talk more of your quirk later.” 

He nodded anxiously, his cheeks red at the familiarity of the nickname she had just used. 

The hero fan felt himself panic when she pulled out a menu and suggested they get some Katsudon, as All Might’s treat. Before he could protest, she was showing him the small envelope and insisted she pay. He finally agreed when she pulled out a wad of yen and kept on waving it playfully at him. Later, he would smile at the easy interaction and how natural talking to her was becoming. 

Over the nice warm meal, they both chatted about the newest heroes they had seen and the rumors that surrounded them. Isabel insisted that Kamui Woods and the infamous Mt. Lady were in fact a romantic thing. On the other hand, Izuku argued that the giant hero would constantly steal Kamui’s spotlight for fame, how could they be together if she was so inconsiderate? The debate, although heated, was friendly and they each found that they enjoyed the conversation despite their disagreement. It felt like they had been friends since forever and the pressure of keeping secrets was void. It was nice having lunch with him, Isabel slowly forgot herself as she spoke more and more to the green haired boy.

Later, Isabel found herself washing the glasses and chopsticks they used while Midoriya watched from the counter, the sound of water echoing around the apartment. She watched the soap bubbles gracefully spin down the drain.

“I want to train with you… I mean... Can I? Please?” The girl froze when she heard the timid boy’s request and shut off the water, turning towards him. 

“Why?” She raised her brow and saw his face fall a little. “Don’t get me wrong, I would love a partner but aren’t you training with Uncle?” 

“I, well... sometimes I do. It isn’t that frequent anymore though and I know I need more help.”

“I see…” The girl stared at Izuku and thought for a second. 

He probably couldn’t withstand her hand to hand and also didn’t expect him to be able to even go up against her quirk. His quirk was also very self-destructive at this particular moment. But he was right, he did need help and if her uncle wasn’t able to help him fully…then maybe she could. Her uncle had placed his faith in this boy, so maybe she should place some of hers in him, too. She kept quiet for a few more seconds, deep in thought before meeting his hopeful stare.

“I can help. But!” She continued before he got too excited, meeting his eyes head on. “You can’t use your quirk when we train. It’s way too dangerous. I saw your legs after jumping to help Uncle.” She eyed him cautiously. “They wiggled like noodles in the air.” She deadpanned at him, Izuku tensed at her description and scratched the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle.

“I understand, I won’t use it if you don’t want me to.” He nodded sharply at her as he quickly blurted out his reply. She shifted her weight to one foot and popped her hip out.

“Frankly, even though I know Uncle’s quirk, I never really thought of how he mastered it. It never occurred to me how self-destructive it could be.” The serpentine girl released a heavy sigh and leaned back against the counter. “I can’t train that part with you until you don’t hurt yourself. But for now, I guess I can help with hand to hand. You have to be able to hold up in a fight since your quirk is so risky.”

Isabel went to turn towards the sink again but caught something in the boy’s eyes. Hesitation. He was holding something back.

“What?” Sharp yellow eyes met nervous green as she narrowed them suspiciously. 

“I just… will you use yours, when we train? I saw you use it; I was wondering what it was.”

Her lips pulled into a frown, warily meeting his eyes. The atmosphere suddenly became too tense around her. Midoriya could sense the change and started to panic, his hands moving anxiously in front of him as he babbled apologies and excuses for overstepping. His heartbeat was so loud she could almost hear the muffled thumps.

Isabel released an annoyed puff of air and sucked her teeth.

“Calm down,” She met his green frantic eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Turning towards the sink, she heard the boy slowly taking some nice calming breaths. 

“Mira, there are aspects of my quirk that I… that are hard for me to deal with. I rarely use it unless it’s an emergency.”

“Is wearing a hat part of it? Of dealing with it?” The girl glanced back at him before nodding. 

“Yes, it’s a very big part of it.” She looked back at her wet hands and smacked the faucet's handle to off. “I have never willingly shown anyone…but…”

She dried her hands slowly and turned to him. Her eyes were locked on the boy, her eyebrows were pulled together, and her mouth formed a very thin line. Isabel let herself think of the comfort she felt earlier and took a leap of faith.

“If we are going to train together for real then I will eventually have to give it my all. I know your secret, Izuku… I guess it’s only fair you know mine.” Isabel reached up and grabbed her ever present hat. “I know Uncle trusts you... BUT... If you tell anyone, you will regret it…” She let the threat hang in the air.

The green haired boy nodded slowly and prepared himself as she pulled gently on her hat. 

Isabel found herself laughing with the boy as he packed up his stuff to leave. Her hat laid forgotten on the kitchen counter as they chatted on how her quirk sometimes made silly messes out of everyday situations. 

“I used to activate it accidentally when I got startled or emotional… I still do sometimes. It was very annoying.”  

“I can imagine.” The boy chuckled as he grabbed his bag and stood. 

All of a sudden, he seemed nervous again, but he took a very deep breath. His cheeks reddened as he met her gaze. 

“Hey, thanks… for everything. It, uh, it was nice having someone to talk about this whole thing.” 

Isabel's gaze softened at the green ball of nerves in front of her. Isabel took a step forward and embraced him. 

“Anytime.” She pressed her cheek against his and made a kissy noise before stepping back. 

Izuku stumbled over his words and gradually got redder than a tomato. 

“Ah, I’ll see you at school then.” He almost screeched as he made his way to the door. Isabel giggled at his nervous antics and opened the door for him. 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” He snapped out of his usual uncontrollable nerves and turned towards her, settling his hand on her shoulder seriously. 

“If you’re ever alone don’t hesitate to text me. Maybe you can come over to my house and study?” 

“That actually sounds very nice, Izu-kun. Thanks.” The boy stared at her soft smile, feeling her eyes on him along with the curious smaller ones that studied him. 

“Also...Thank you. For trusting me.” With a final smile, he squeezed her shoulder affectionately before heading out. 

Isabel watched him leave for a few seconds before she reentered the apartment and caressed her hair thoughtfully. The sudden silence that greeted her, the one she usually treasured in her isolation, was now almost suffocating.

Chapter Text

The breeze was beginning to warm and the trees were filled with leaves and flowering buds. Spring was passing quickly. Soon the summer heat would begin scorching her in the mornings when she stretched or practiced her ballet on the balcony. That morning, Isabel walked to school a little slower than usual. She once again felt the weight of everything hit her, apparently being exposed did that to you. 

Right now, she wasn’t sure if Tokoyami would be there waiting at the corner like he usually did. Wasn’t sure if knowing All Might was her uncle would actually change how he saw her. Tightening the grip on her purple backpack straps, she got closer to the crossing and felt her heart skip a beat at what she saw. Tokoyami was waiting patiently with a bicycle by his side. The girl felt herself dash forward, a big smile on her face. 

The raven headed boy looked at the ecstatic girl and chuckled lightly, shaking his head at her reaction in endearment. Isabel stood in front of her classmate and gave him a very quick hug. Tokoyami seemed to be giving her a smile, or at least he looked pleased, she wasn’t really sure.

“I thought we could avoid the crowd.” He got on the bike and turned towards her. “Do you know how to get on?” 

The perplexed girl looked at the boy and nodded slowly. The truth was that she had only seen it in some romance comedies and anime, but how hard could it be? She adjusted her backpack and carefully sat on the cargo rack behind him, Isabel wobbled a little in her improvised seat but managed to find her center. Settling down, she grabbed on to the metal rack and gave the boy a hesitant nod. 

“You can hold on to me if you feel unsafe.” Tokoyami said as he started pedaling.

A very heartfelt “Thank you” fell from her lips as they moved.

He had a slight feeling that she was thanking him for more than the bike ride but for now he would let it go. He would not let the others bother her. The boy still felt guilty about the other day, he was her friend and had stood by in shock as the others spoke of her. A sense of dread had filled him when he saw her shrinking into herself. 

Isabel held on tightly to the rack behind her but soon found herself relaxing, the fresh spring air whipping past her face. It made her nervously grab onto her hat but she appreciated the ride to school, nonetheless. The world around her melted away as she closed her eyes and felt the breeze. Tokoyami took a peek over his shoulder and felt himself warm. She was enjoying herself, the sight brought him a serene smile and he sighed with relief. The guilt in his heart slowly dissolving. 

The bike ride had been smooth. The duo had arrived rather quickly and were thankfully among the first in the classroom. The early risers were there though, so Isabel darted to her seat and settled in. Bakugou sat with his feet on the desk as Iida tried to get him to sit properly, again. Jirou listened to some music and waved lazily at her while Yaoyorozu was intently reading a book at her desk, seemingly lost to the world.  

Isabel smiled back at Jirou and returned her wave softly. The serpentine girl placed some headphones on her head and took her tablet out, opened her sky maps and began to plan for her Saturday outing. Isabel had spent roughly three weeks in Japan and still hadn’t managed to go see the stars. Shame on her. She was studying some constellations when she reacted to a hand on her shoulder. Her yellow eyes locked with Mina’s and Isabel unconsciously pulled back a little. Mina’s smile diminished but the pink girl did not let Isabel’s actions deter her. 

Mina launched herself at the girl and hugged her as tightly as she could, the force making the chair swivel violently. Isabel let out a yelp of surprise as the chair began tipping over, she hugged the shorter girl closer in the hopes of protecting her. In the distance, she heard an explosion. The golden eyed girl closed her eyes and anticipated the pain that would probably come. But then, something hit the chair hard. Mina’s shriek was short-lived as they both abruptly stopped falling. In fact, Mina had become weightless in her arms. And when Isabel opened her eyes, red filled her vision. Uraraka grabbed onto Mina as she floated lazily in the air, but she had not been the one to stop Isabel’s fall. 

Bakugou held the back of the tipped over chair with his smoking hands, the girl was so close she could see the light skin of his face. However, her current position made him look as if he was upside down and it started to grow bothersome. So, she tilted her head to get a better look and quickly regretted it. The boy’s breath fanned across her cheeks and his scent permeated everything around her. 

Meanwhile, Bakugou was drowning in molten gold. He was so close he could practically see the small light brown streaks in her large golden eyes. The girl’s pupil was widening slowly, only then did he realize how close they really were. She let out the breath she was holding and saw Bakugou tense, eyes big and burning red. 

With a grunt he forced the chair upright and Isabel held on to it to keep herself from falling again. Thankfully, her hat hadn’t fallen off…or at least, not completely. Her cover had been pulled up a little when she had tipped over and Bakugou had managed to see… green? 

Those are scales , he realized. 

And then it clicked. The blond roughly pulled her hat down over her forehead. For once letting his curiosity evaporate. He doubted she needed more shit on her plate. 

“Watch it, dumbass.” He growled at her, before stuffing his hands in his pockets and going back to his seat.

Isabel nodded dumbly at the boy, still confused and very dazed. Uraraka and Mina were exchanging very puzzled looks as Isabel tried to process what just happened. One second, she was falling, the next she was getting lost in those vermilion eyes and the intoxicating sweet chemical smell that spelled danger for everyone. 

Mina apologized profusely. She was still apologizing when Aizawa opened the door to the classroom and Uraraka had to almost drag her away, but Isabel didn’t mind. It made her realize that things weren’t going to change. And for once she listened to that voice inside her that told her that everything was going to be ok. It suspiciously sounded a lot like All Might’s nagging.

Aizawa trudged into the class looking like a mummy, rousing the students into a very confusing uproar. He brushed them off coolly and turned diligently to the class, mentioning how the sports festival was due in two weeks. 

Isabel spaced out as she heard the people around her chatter in excitement. They were all going to give it their best and yet Isabel couldn’t help but worry about the publicity. The girl also heard some other students worrying about the villains and safety of the event and she found herself slipping into the same mindset. She did her best to push down those thoughts and concentrate on how fun the competition could be. Maybe she could get scouted by a hero… maybe even her dad would watch. Isabel was in a nice imaginative space as she kept wondering about the events and the training she should do. Pencil absentmindedly scratching against the paper of her notebook, swirls and doodles covered her page. However, Isabel did not expect her mummified teacher to shatter her peace of mind and optimism.

“I have another important matter to discuss today.” His dark eyes trailed over the students and stopped on Isabel. “All Might has informed me that due to some… carelessness of his part there has been a slip up of some sensitive information.”

The hat wearing girl wouldn’t meet his gaze as she dropped her pencil and attempted to pretend, she didn’t exist. Having Hagakure’s quirk would have been useful for her right about now.

“So, you all know that Izaberu is All Might’s family…” His eyes roamed around the room. “I don’t think I have to explain the risks of what could happen if that information got public. Not to mention she’s also related to another underground hero…” Aizawa looked at the frowning girl once more before turning back to the other students. 

“Which puts her in a particularly dangerous position. On one hand, scrappy villains won’t dare mess with her but on the other, stronger and more organized villains may want to get their hands on her. They may want revenge on said hero or maybe lure them into a trap. It’s the same danger Todoroki or Iida would face. But due to the media spectacle of being the Number One Hero is…well you get the idea.” The teacher sighed heavily before continuing. 

“You are right, there is a risk of villains infiltrating the festival. Security will be extra tight because of it… even then, I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping this information contained. It could mean the safety of not only one of your classmates but the whole class as well.” His eyes were deathly serious under his bandages as he made unapologetic eye contact with the rest of the group. 

A stony silence filled the classroom. One could probably hear a pin drop. Bakugou sneaked a peak at All Might’s stupid recommended and scowled deeply. Her eyes were scrunched, and her fists were balled up on her desk. It looked like she was fighting back tears, her shoulders rose and fell quickly. The air was tense, and the students slowly turned to look at their foreign classmate.

For the first time in a while, Isabel didn’t feel the looks burning her. She just felt her heartbeat paralyzing her, her mind rushing at a thousand miles an hour. The girl swallowed thickly, trying to push away memories and thoughts and what ifs that dared to violently claw their way into her mind. Isabel seemed to be lost, eyes closed tight as if wishing for everything to vanish. 

Mina was uncharacteristically stunned into silence. Turning around, she looked at Uraraka who was also looking at Isabel with worry. A deafening stillness seemed to drown the room. Isabel couldn’t take it. The silence was suffocating, it was suffocating her. 

“Tch, it won’t happen.” The sure words cut through the air. “And if it did for some stupid ass reason, dipshit here’s actually not an incompetent fighter.”

Isabel whipped her head up with glassy eyes. The blond stared up at their teacher viciously. Aizawa gazed back through his bandages at the explosive boy glaring at him. 

“Is that so?” Aizawa challenged and Bakugou let out a low growl.

“Kacchan’s right.” Midoriya cut in before the firecracker could insult anyone. “Considering her fighting abilities and her quirk, trying to capture her as she is now is almost a death sentence in itself.” He expressed with utmost faith. “Additionally, even if someone managed to know about her, she spends most of her time at school with us. They would have to get through the teachers and the whole class to get to her…” 

The other students seemed to catch on to what Midoriya was implying and began to jump on his train of thought. Some nodded vigorously while others verbalized their ideas.

“Yeah! We’ll protect her if anything goes wrong!” Uraraka said cheerfully. 

“I mean she’s in class with some of the strongest students, so really they’re just asking for a beating if they try anything.” Kirishima knocked his hardened knuckles together, sparks flying off as he smiled at the stunned girl. 

“Would the villains even stand a chance, ribbit?” Tsuyu added thoughtfully.

“As the Class Representative, it is my duty to make sure everyone’s safety is assured!” Iida stood and looked at the girl in question. “Garushia-san, we can devise a safety plan or companion system to help with this. You can also relax, be assured that the information we learned will be taken to our graves. As Class Representative I will make this my duty!” 

Isabel’s eyes darted through her peers as they became a voice of unanimous protection and support. The crushing weight she had felt was lifted, knowing that if anything did happen… she wouldn’t be alone. She would actually have people with her. She would probably have a fighting chance. Maybe she wouldn’t… no one would die. 

The sudden memory of fear filled golden eyes begging her to leave swallowed her whole. 

Stone falling around her, large arms circling her. The last thing Isabel saw were her mother’s anxious eyes, a small smile stretched on her porcelain face as she remained still. Frozen in place as her daughter was taken to safety.  

Isabel mentally shook the memory away and concentrated on the people around her. Feeling selfish and guilty for the bittersweet emotion growing inside of her. They would put their lives in danger for her and she actually felt somewhat happy about it… warm, she felt so warm. 

The class had quieted down and were now hesitantly looking at her, Aizawa’s eyes were anxiously widening under his coverings. Izuku was panicking beside her, the poor boy had launched himself out of his seat. Uraraka and Mina rushed out of their seats and ran to her as well. 

The overwhelmed girl didn’t understand what was happening until she felt a soft cloth against her cheek. Yaoyorozu had turned around and made a handkerchief for her, gently drying her tears while murmuring something she couldn’t hear. Why couldn’t she hear the sweet girl nor anyone around her… It wasn’t until a desperate trembling breath made its way into her lungs that she realized that she was in fact a sobbing mess. 

Isabel lifted her rough hands to her face and rubbed at it. Watery eyes met the worried eyes of her friends and classmates… no… of her friends. She felt hands patting her hat and shoulders, trying to get her to calm down. The poor girl took a very deep breath and hiccuped. Izuku held her hand tightly as he knelt beside her desk, murmuring reassuring words. She also noticed that Mummy-Zawa had made his way beside her too and carefully placed a bandaged nub on her shoulder. Heck, even Dark Shadow was hovering around her worriedly. 

“Ah… perdón .” Isabel mumbled as she sniffled. “I’m sorry.” She repeated louder in japanese so the others could understand. “I’ve just… never really…” She looked around herself. 

The serpentine girl didn’t understand. She didn’t understand how in a span of a week everyone could care for her enough to fight for her. To potentially die for her. She didn’t get it and yet it made her feel welcomed and loved. She wondered if they saw her, truly saw her, would they still feel the same.

“I never really had people… like this…” She waved her free hand around herself. “I was…Last time… I was… I didn’t have anyone…” Hiccuped Isabel as her eyes teared up again. 

Everyone halted at her words. 

Last time…?  

They all murmured and looked between each other and then the weeping girl. A silent promise rang through them, realizing their journey to becoming a hero would begin by protecting their own. Deku rested his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a side hug.

“Well now you have us… for better or worse.” He cast a quick look at Bakugou. 

“Hah? What’s that look for, shitty Deku! Like hell I’m the worst!” 

A collective sigh of relief left the class and homeroom teacher when they heard the girl give a watery laugh over Bakugou's theatrics and Midoriya's reaction. The latter using her as a shield. Her laugh soon turned into small giggles as she saw Bakugou literally smoking in anger. Mina felt herself smile as Uraraka and her shared a look of comprehension. 

“Sensei, can we take her to the restroom? So she can wash her face and like, calm down a bit more.” Mina approached the stressed teacher. 

He nodded before adding, “Don’t take too long.” Then exhaled deeply. “Today you have a special class with All Might.”

Mina nodded as she pulled Isabel up and out of Midoriya’s grip. She casually slung her arm around Isabel’s shoulders and dragged her out of the classroom as Uraraka held on to the sniffling girl’s hand. 

The students finally settled down as Aizawa walked to the front of the class but Bakugou stared at the door attentively. His mind kept replaying what he had just witnessed. The boy was brought out of his head by someone clearing their throat. He was met with the teacher’s calculating stare and the man gazed knowingly at the boy. Bakugou became confused at the man’s look but decided to let it pass. He had more important things to think about, like being Number One and pushing down the stupid feelings in his chest.

Bakugou stewed in his emotions though. Annoyance at the girl and her situation had threatened to boil over but then… When he heard her wretched sob all he could think about was comforting her. Bakugou had an internal battle to keep himself in place when he saw the tears fall down her freckled cheeks. His instincts screamed for him to go over. He had somewhat seen it coming, saw the moment her eyes became wide and glazed. Her gaze had unfocused, as if she were somewhere else. 

The look unsettled the boy, almost as much as the aching sobs she let out. He felt like his chest was being crushed with each hiccup and breath she took. He felt… He didn’t know what the fuck he felt. Bakugou shook himself from his thoughts and focused on his teacher. Too confused and angry to figure out what the hell was wrong with him at the moment.

Aizawa nodded at his students and drew a deep breath in. It was finally completely calm. 

Meanwhile, Uraraka and Mina dragged the taller girl to the locker room. The brunette sat down the frazzled girl, while Mina made sure the space was empty. Isabel rubbed her eyes, but Uraraka quickly pulled her hands away.  Her golden eyes were puffy from the crying and her nose was red. The sight made Uraraka frown and step back from the girl after telling her not to move. 

Isabel looked around her quietly, hearing water running somewhere as she tried to settle herself. Mina sat beside Isabel and rubbed her back while the girl tried to calm herself. Isabel leaned into Mina’s embrace and closed her eyes, it felt warm and inviting. So, she stayed there; her small sniffles filling up the room. 

Padded fingers tapped her shoulder and made her look up. Uraraka smiled warmly as Isabel pouted at her; the pink cheeked girl gently tilted her chin up and began wiping her face with a wet paper towel. Isabel was going to protest but one look from both girls had her settling back into Mina’s hold. She let herself be comforted by the girls that had quickly become her friends. They were now also part of her home.

Later, Isabel re-entered the classroom quietly with Mina and Uraraka flanking her. Gold eyes met electric blue and she stopped. She was so calm walking back, but now... She knew it was going to be awkward. Especially with how much of an overbearing mother hen he could be. 

Mina and Uraraka stared curiously at the girl while the other students held their breath. They collectively began to panic as Isabel quickly rubbed at her eyes. Only now realizing that they had made All Might’s niece cry and said hero would probably not appreciate that. Isabel sneakily waved her hand at the two friends behind her, silently telling them to go. Mina and Ochako, noticing the tension, scurried away as Isabel froze under her uncle’s sharp gaze. The girl turned her face away from the man in front of her in a very half-assed attempt to hide her still puffy eyes. 

All Might’s eyes were narrowed in concentration as he studied his beloved niece. 

“Bell! Glad you could make it!” He boomed, Isabel recognized his tone and felt herself frown a bit. 

“We were exc-”

“Yes, yes. Aizawa told me he sent you three to take some papers to Present Mic.” He walked over to her and lowered himself to her level. “Bell, your eyes are red. You OK?” 

Isabel looked at the man in surprise and then looked at her shoes. “Ah…” She hated this. 

“Did something happen?” The hero’s face darkened a little and she panicked. 

Isabel knew she was crap at lying, it was never a skill she really needed and no matter how much she tried she was never able to fake things long enough. The girl noticed her classmates tense through the corner of her eye. The class could see that a debate of astronomical proportions was raging within her. Isabel sighed. On one hand she couldn’t lie to her uncle, but on the other… her class- no- her friends were clearly stressing over the crying they had caused. It was happy crying but still… 

All Might watched her as she clearly thought of an answer. He smirked, knowing what he was doing. Bell was a terrible liar; he’d be surprised if she even tried… but it seemed that she was full of surprises.

“I…” The class held their breath as they saw her step forward. “It…was… dusty? Today?” She wrung her hands together as she averted her gaze. “The air is dusty?” 

...

“Hah?”  Bakugou’s eyes widened “The fuck…” 

She was so bad at this! Bakugou wasn’t one for lying but holy shit, he had never seen someone so terrible.

“Oh my god…” The blond heard Deku whisper in horror behind him as he too realized that death was imminent.

Nervous chatter and whispers slowly erupted through the classroom and Isabel felt her face heat up as she saw All Might raise an eyebrow. This was it, time for a desperate move. Before the large hero could begin questioning her in front of the others, she readied her ultimate technique. She couldn’t lie, but she sure as hell could charm her uncle. 

Isabel overheard some of her friends sending their last prayers to heaven already, so she needed to do this perfectly. For all of their sakes she would not fail them, she would do her best. Plus ultra!

Isabel opened her eyes as big as she could and lowered her face a little, she looked at the towering man through her eye lashes. A pout made its way onto her lips as she became the embodiment of a puppy… or in her case, a cute baby snake. Her tongue flicked out a few times as she forced herself to think of embarrassing things. Maintaining the flush that had risen to her cheeks, brown skin tinged with a faint dark red she knew made her look innocent.

The girls in the class had to hold in their squeals at the cuteness they were witnessing. Mina quickly pulled out her phone and started taking a few pictures. Even some of the boy’s faces started heating up; wide eyes and shocked expressions reigned. Midoriya studied the girl and then his blond idol, who was slowly backing away from her. And he quickly concluded that All Might’s time limit wasn’t his only weakness. 

Meanwhile, Bakugou felt his chest explode… with something… again. He wasn’t sure what it was but holy shit. That face... what the fuck ? He could feel himself become sick; his stomach fluttered and his chest constricted. His breath caught as she charmed the Number One Hero. Bakugou Katsuki was sure this had to be part of her quirk, or maybe he caught something. Yeah, that was it. He was sick. He had to be. He was getting really fucking sick.

Isabel fluttered her eyes once as she looked at her uncle, she could see he was caving in. Melissa had taught her and helped perfect this technique, it was uncle proofed. She would have to thank her later for getting her out of this weird problem she was in.

“ Tío …” The girl looked at him and then lowered her eyes. “It’s… It’s embarrassing to talk about in front of everyone...” 

Well… technically she wasn’t lying. Crying was embarrassing to talk about in front of anyone, and she was still a little sore from the unexpected tear burst earlier. 

All Might paled as he heard her words, wondering what the hell had happened to make her pull out this lethal attack. They were at a standstill. Both observing each other unwaveringly. His niece looked adorable as she stared with big golden eyes and that puffy pout. She shifted from foot to foot, swaying lightly as she wrung her hands in front of her. He knew what she was doing, she had seen through his trap and countered. 

They both knew he was going to fold like a house of cards… he couldn’t go against her when she had her puppy dog face. All Might stood tall in front of her and raised a fist to his face in a weak attempt to cover his own blush. He looked away from her and coughed loudly into his hand. The class all stared in awe at the power the reptilian girl had over the hero.

“Well then…” He glared at her lightly as he saw her fighting a smirk. “You can go to your seat.”

She slowly dropped her puppy face and struggled to keep a straight face as she passed him. She didn’t miss the light whisper he sent her way, though. 

“Home then…” 

Isabel quickly met his concerned eyes and gave a small tense nod his way. She scurried off to her seat as the students let out a collective sigh, trying to recover from the fatal attack they had just witnessed. She had won this round and they were saved.

Chapter Text

Ever since the announcement of the sports festival, everyone seemed to be buzzing with excitement. The energy in the air left a cheerful atmosphere within the classrooms. 

Isabel found herself chatting away with Midoriya as they waited for classes to start. She made use of Bakugou’s chair since the boy was currently yelling at Kirishima and Kaminari. The girl had quietly slid into his seat when he got distracted and begun an intense discussion on efficient training regimens with her new training buddy.

Midoriya was diligently taking notes when he saw Mina and Uraraka approaching the girl. The girls began chatting as he finished his schedule notes. He was distracted from his work when Mina squealed and jumped at the brown skinned girl. Isabel’s hand flew to her hat as the other held Midoriya’s desk for balance. Not wanting a repeat of the other day’s fall.

“Woah!” The serpentine girl turned her head quickly towards the girls. “I’m just teaching you some ballet moves.”

“It’s exciting, though.” Mina answered.

“Good catch, Isachan!” Uraraka giggled, Isabel saw Midoriya’s cheeks redden. 

“By the way, we wanted to know if you would like to hang out with us?” Mina jumped in.

“Oh…when?” Isabel tilted her head curiously.

“Saturday!” Mina jumped in excitement. Isabel thought for a second or two.

“I can’t on Saturday, I’m sorry…” She averted her gaze from them.

“Awwww!”

“Why not?” Uraraka gave her a pout.

“I’m going stargazing.” 

“Isn’t that at night?” Midoriya bumped into the conversation.

“I mean, gazing is at night. But I have to get to the mountain, then hike up, and then set up my telescope and gear-” Listed the girl off on her fingers.

“Oi! Stop crowding my desk!” An angry growl interrupted, “Fuck off, extras!”

Isabel exhaled heavily in annoyance, golden eyes met blood red. Uraraka and Mina quickly moved away while she leisurely stood from the boy’s seat.

“Here, your majesty…” She snarked. 

God knows he didn’t deserve the attitude, but she couldn’t help but shoot back at the usually angry boy. Isabel didn’t get him. One moment he’s insulting her, the next he is helping her. Then, he’s insulting her friend. He was giving her emotional whiplash and she hated it. The blond glared at her as she sat on Midoriya’s desk and turned to her friends. 

“Anyway, on Saturday I’m going to be hiking up…” She placed a finger on her chin, “¿Cómo carajo se llamaba esa monta- Ah! Mount Mitake!” The girl burst out. Her cheeks tinged red as she heard someone chuckle behind her.

“That sounds tiring.” Mina murmured at Uraraka, the pinked cheek girl nodded in agreement.

“It can be, but it’s worth it. The planets always look so beautiful, plus I think I might catch a comet or two if I stay till late.” 

“Damn… and Sunday is your cleaning and study day.” Mina whined and pouted at her, “Well, you better get some free time soon!” 

“We can have a sleepover!” Uraraka grinned at the possibility.

“Definitely!” Isabel beamed at them, “You’ll be the first to know when I do.” She smiled to herself as they left for their seats.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Midoriya wave goodbye shyly at the brunette. Midoriya turned and received a very playful look from Isabel.

“I saw that, I~zu~kun.” She sang.

Midoriya turned as red as a tomato as she giggled quietly. 

Bakugou, who had been listening in, tensed as he heard her talk to shitty Deku in such a familiar way. He turned quickly and found himself facing off with her calm golden eyes once again.

“You’re too damn loud! Get away from my desk!” He snapped at her. “Scram!” 

Reptilian eyes narrowed predatorily at the boy. 

Who the hell does he think he is? 

She hopped off Midoriya’s desk and lowered herself to the boy’s level. He could almost feel her breath on his face as she got closer. He knew the others were looking at them and whispering, but she didn’t seem to mind for now. A hungry fire ignited in her molten eyes. A look he realized she had only given him, a look he found he thoroughly enjoyed. 

“Pot calling the kettle black.” She hissed at him before quickly turning back to Midoriya.

“We’ll meet for training after school, okay?” 

Midoriya and her nodded at each other happily but before she could step away Bakugou had to get a word in. 

It was as if he couldn’t resist the fire within her that promised something more. He was like a moth addicted to that flame within her stupidly golden eyes.

“If you wanted a useless punching bag, you should have gone to the gym.” He sneered.

The girl glared at the blond’s words and turned to Midoriya worriedly. He had lowered his head, looking anywhere but at the explosive boy, as if trying to hide from everyone’s gaze. 

Uncomfortable familiarity stung her heart and anger rushed through her veins. 

Isabel turned, her body moving on its own as she closed in on the angry blond. He hadn’t noticed her move towards him until he felt himself spin and stop sharply; his seat had been jolted away from Midoriya by the angry girl. Blazing gold glared intensely at him as her snake like tongue flickered out.  

“If I wanted a punching bag,” she hissed out menacingly, “I would have thought of you, Petardo. ” 

There it was again, that stupid word he couldn’t figure out. It sounded too foreign, spoken too quickly through her distracting plump lips.

“Hah?” Bakugou narrowed his eyes at her, slowly standing up and looking down on her.

 “You think you can beat me, Snake Eyes?” 

“Stop calling me that. And I already did.” 

“Do you want to die!? Fight me, then! RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!” 

“Are you stupid?” She bit back. “No!”

“NO?” The boy almost shrieked.

“I’m not fighting you over your hurt ego, Petardo.”

He glared back and snarled at her. His eyes shot to the green haired menace who was staring at her with surprised eyes. A small blush painted his cheeks, admiration shining through his eyes as he anxiously observed them. Bakugou’s hands began to pop as he bumped his chest with hers.

“What are you, his damn guard dog? A freak like you is gonna protect that shitty weak-” 

He froze. 

His breath got caught in his chest as her eyes glowed yellow in fury. His limbs trembled as he fought against whatever force she was imposing on him. She had a deep frown on her face, and he caught sight of her hat moving slightly. The blond remembered feeling her power wash over them at USJ, but this? This was different. It felt like he was suffocating, like she was crushing him slowly as something forced him still. The safe feeling that he experienced at USJ was gone. No security, no reassurance. His muscles tightened more and his knees shook as he tried to take a step.

“A freak like me kicked your ass.” Isabel spoke to him softly, menacingly. “Leave Izukun alone.”

Anger slipped into every word she spoke. Her hands trembled as she fought for control and abruptly cancelled her quirk.

Bakugou took a deep desperate breath as she stepped away from him. The air in his lungs cleared his mind, and the blond watched incredulously as she walked away to her seat. 

The students around them looked on in awe, this being the first time they all saw her use her quirk. The explosion user felt his hands heat up with small sparks but before he could do anything to the girl, Present Mic walked in loudly. 

Bakugou plopped down angrily on his seat and tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling she had brought upon him. He didn’t understand her, he didn’t really care for her. The boy just wanted to beat her. To be better than her. Wanted to fight her. Bakugou ground his teeth as he thought of the girl. His thoughts bounced in his mind as his red eyes met the board. A devilish smirk appeared on his face as he remembered her trembling hands. Like an evil concoction, a plan started to bubble in his head as he dutifully wrote down the first notes for today’s class. 

The exuberant teacher had felt the heavy atmosphere in the room, noticing how the students stared between Bakugou and Isabel. He studied the kids for a few moments but found nothing to actually worry about, at least not physically. He cheerfully began his class, writing the first sentences of many on the blackboard.

Little did Isabel know the trying days that would follow. 

It was as if she was being haunted by a very grumpy ghost. The first day it happened Isabel found herself confused. Bakugou was waiting for her at the school’s gate. His face scrunched up into what she thought was anger, later (much later) she would realize it was determination. He stepped up to her, hands in his pockets and growled at her to fight him. She gave a decisive “no” before turning away and joining an equally confused Tokoyami. Isabel expected him to blow up at her and follow her but none of that came. The confusing blond just glared in her direction as she walked away. She didn’t get what had just happened, but thanked whatever gods watched over her that he hadn’t blown her up or followed. 

The next time, he found her stretching before one of their hero training exercises. He plopped down beside her and began stretching himself. Serpentine eyes looked at the boy wearily before he stared directly at her and repeated his request. 

“Fight me.”

This made her stop mid-stretch and lower her leg to the ground. She narrowed her eyes at the boy and gave a curt no. A few seconds passed before he sucked his teeth and left her. She could hear him cursing and mumbling under his breath but couldn’t quite make out what he was going on about. 

This kept on happening for the next three days. Bakugou would approach her, would sometimes even give her a water bottle after practice or meet her in the entrance of the school. He would then proceed to hang around a bit until his patience seemed to run out and he would aggressively ask her to fight him. And Isabel would always answer no. The girl could see his annoyance growing, especially when she left with Midoriya to practice or when said boy entered the class in the morning with fresh bruises. Bakugou would grumble and glare at her and then at the other boy. 

As his annoyance grew so did her confusion. She really didn’t get it, and definitely didn’t like it. She wouldn’t be surprised if he would pop up in the girl’s bathroom, for all she knew his relentless behavior could test her boundaries… but he didn’t, at least entirely. No matter how many times she said no, he wouldn’t quit. Surprisingly Bakugou would never shout too much or get too violent with her. It almost made her think she imagined everything up…or that she was having some weird fever dream. Isabel observed the boy when they had classes and while she ate with her friends at lunch. He was still yelling at people, he would still curse at Midoriya, nothing was really different about his character. Maybe he was having a crisis? She spoke to some of the girls about it, but none could figure it out. 

Bakugou Katsuki had become a fixture of her everyday life and it came to a point where the girl didn’t notice when her mind couldn’t stop thinking about the blond who insisted she fight him.

It was before one of Isabel’s and Midoriya’s practice hours that the girl finally boiled over. Bakugou had been waiting for her near one of the training areas at the school. Narrowed red eyes focused on one thing only, her tense posture when she spotted him. Midoriya had been worried when he spotted the blond but now… he was scared. Midoriya could see Isabel clenching her fists as she walked in the direction of their training spot and panicked. The green haired boy saw Bakugou open his mouth and reached for Isabel but before Midoriya could grab her, she had already pounced.

“CARAJO , WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? Why can’t I have a moment of peace, maldito stalker?!” The girl threw her hands in the air. “Who do you think you are? Sam-I-Am?” 

Her accent was thick like honey as she stepped up to him, near enough to smell his sweet smokey scent. 

Bakugou gave a wicked smirk, this was what he had been waiting for. She was finally going to fight him. Before he could finish his thought, she grabbed him by his shirt and slammed his back against the nearest tree. He could hear Deku bumbling and shrieking behind her, most likely trying to persuade her to drop him. 

“Just so we are damn clear,” 

She got so close to his face he could see the outline of the tiny golden scales that made up her freckles. Feel her hot breath on his face.

“I will not fight you! I will not fight you here, nor there, nor anywhere! Just leave me alone!”

Isabel saw him give a small smile before a full-blown manic grin broke out on his face. 

“Wanna bet? You seem pretty riled up already.” He pushed. “I just wanted to fight All Might’s monster.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “You can’t hold back forever.”

He heard her snarl and readied himself to fight, a wide grin on his face. The blond felt her hands tightening and his feet somewhat leave the ground but then it stopped. Midoriya had grabbed one of her arms and was looking at her pleadingly. Breathing heavily, the girl’s gold eyes met Midoriya’s green. Bakugou saw her jaw tense as the shorter boy and she had a silent conversation he was clearly not a part of.

“Sea la madre. ” Cursed Isabel under her breath as her eyes returned to the boy she had pinned to the tree. Her frustration spiked; her fists shook as she held him.

Bakugou expected her to finally attack him but instead, she closed her eyes quickly and tight as he felt her quirk wash over him pleasantly. The girl took a few deep breaths, her hands shaking against his shirt. But soon, Bakugou felt Isabel’s hands slowly slacked as the pleasant sensation started to wash away. Faint yellow, glowing eyes opened but only veered towards the ground. Midoriya slowly pushed her arm down. Isabel let go of Bakugou and took a step back, her eyes losing their glow. 

“I am not a monster.” He almost didn’t hear her. “And I’m not fighting you, Bakugou. Ever.” She turned away from the boy. 

While he let the girl get a head start, Midoriya observed Bakugou for a second. There were many things he wanted to say… but he decided his self-proclaimed sibling needed him more. Walking away without a word. Bakugou could only stare at them as they left. He could see how her shoulders fell as Midoriya threw an arm around her and pulled her into his side. The broccoli haired boy walked away with her, close to her. The blond's chest ached. And for some goddamn reason Bakugou felt like he had lost again.

Isabel now found herself sitting beside Izuku, eyes red and puffy as his mom served them a nice warm meal. This wasn’t the first time she was at his house. Midoriya-san had previously welcomed her with open arms to study with her son. It was the first time that she lost her cool in front of other people though. 

After the failed practice, Izuku had insisted that she shouldn’t be alone, and Isabel had easily agreed. They had completed their homework before dinner and the girl had proudly managed to only cry one more time. However, she felt utterly embarrassed that she had cried in Midoriya’s and his mom’s arms, but what else was she going to do? Her tears overflowed the moment she had asked how their day was. Now they sat together at the table, waiting for the older woman. The girl’s hat laid on the table as she absentmindedly played with it. It had slipped off in her crying fit, luckily Izuku’s mom hadn’t mentioned anything. 

Isabel was lost deep in thought, she jumbled her mind and searched for answers but got none. A deep frustrated sigh left the girl. Her eyes met Izuku’s and she puffed out her cheeks at him. A sign he learned meant she was at her wits end. The boy smiled affectionately and reached out for her head, gently patting it before turning towards the Katsudon his mom was setting in front of them. 

“Izaberu-chan, Izuku told me how much you enjoyed katsudon as well. I hope you like it.”

Isabel’s bloodshot eyes met Inko’s familiar green as she nodded.

“Thank you so much… Midoriya-san.”

“Call me Inko, dear. You are the closest…and I think only friend Izuku has ever brought home.”

“Mom!” The boy squealed, face red as he almost choked on his food. Inko laughed as she set her own bowl down. 

“What? I started to worry, Izuku.” She secretly smiled. 

Isabel relaxed as she took the first bite of the warm food. Conversation and laughter flowed easily and by the end of the night she found that a mother’s touch was sometimes all you needed. 

Later that evening, she hugged Inko tightly before she left the warm house. The serpentine girl had a bento box with leftovers and a bag of chocolates (courtesy of the sweet woman) stuffed in her backpack. Midoriya strolled besides her, his arm bumping reassuringly with hers. He could see her tongue flicking out restlessly, her eyes darting from the sidewalk to him quickly. He knew what she wanted. It was weird that they already knew each other so well. 

Ever since their talk they were almost inseparable. If Isabel wasn’t with Tokoyami or Ashido and Uraraka, she found herself with him. Training, studying; everything. They had become a constant in each others day. At some point the boy started quickly picking up on her foreign behavior and mannerisms. He found her conduct amusing and oddly endearing, her openness and touchy ways a breath of fresh air. He could feel her eyes burning into him again, however, which made him sigh in defeat.

“Let it out, Isachan.” She grabbed his arm and stopped him abruptly.

“Why do you tolerate his shit?” The girl hissed. 

“What?” 

“Why did you hold me back, Izukun?” Midoriya quickly caught on. “Bakugou doesn’t deserve your kindness… He treats you like trash. He screams and insults you… I don’t get it. The girls told me what he did to you in the first training exercise. He tried to hurt you on purpose!”

Her eyes desperately searched Izuku’s. She needed to understand, needed to know what her friend saw in that bully.

Midoriya gave her a wobbly smile.

“That’s a lot to unpack.”

“Then unpack it. I need to know Izuku… I need to know why you didn’t let me turn him into paste. At least some of it.”

“I just…” He exhaled heavily. “I guess it’s because we are childhood friends and… because I have spent so much time admiring him despite his horrible attitude. He is ambitious and strong. He is so good at everything he does. I wanted to be like Kacchan… I don’t know.”

She let go of his arm and studied the boy’s face carefully. Meanwhile, the boy stared at his feet as they stood in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Izuku… why would you want to be like him?” Isabel held his face in between her hands. “You are so amazing already. You are kind and considerate. Always trying to see the best in everyone.” 

“I guess… I wanted his power. To be able to be a hero. I was quirkless- ”

“So what?” She snapped. “I bet you were just as strong and amazing before you got Uncle’s quirk. Being able to be kind to that ass wipe despite everything already makes you a hero.” The girl took a breath. “Uncle told me what you did that day against the sludge villain. You jumped in. No quirk, no training. Just you, your bravery and your big bleeding heart. That sounds like a hero to me, don’t you think?”

His eyes watered as he felt her let go of his cheeks and pull him into a tight hug. 

“We can’t let that ass push us down. Okay?” Isabel felt the boy nod and pulled back.

 “Izuku, promise me you won’t let him bring you down.”

“I promise.” She narrowed her eyes at him, searching for something that would show uncertainty.

But found none.

The girl nodded determinedly before puffing out her cheeks.

“Good.” She slung her arm over the boy’s shoulder and began walking.

“Dios mío… ¿qué voy a hacer contigo?” The girl mumbled to herself as she looked to the dark night sky. 

Midoriya waited for the train with her patiently, but before she got on, he gave her some of the most stupid advice she had heard in her entire life. Apparently, her broccoli headed friend thought she ought to at least give his dear Kacchan a chance. He was an angry hot head but deep down he was great, the green haired boy had argued. Something that she found ridiculous and was scoffing at while she rode the train home.

Give him a chance, he said. Maybe if you talk it out he will back off, he said. 

Isabel felt annoyed at the walking bleeding heart she called friend. He was too damn nice, and he would suffer for it. Midoriya insisted Bakugou’s threats were empty and that his attitude was just hiding the hero he knew he had potential to be. 

Isabel snorted at the ludicrous idea, but then small moments would come back to her mind. Him helping her, protecting her… She grumbled at the stupid situation she was in. A boy who insults her wants to fight her and the boy who cares for her wants her to give the other boy, who actively insults them both, a chance. What the hell was her life? Her head kept spinning around these thoughts as the train carried her home. 

The next day had been a long one for Isabel, she sensed carmine eyes on her every move. The unsettling gaze followed her all morning and through lunch. Even during their physical training and hero courses she could perceive the burn of his stare. The girl met his glare various times, but he was unyielding and only looked away to copy something or answer a question. By the end of the day Isabel was exhausted and was ready to go to Izuku’s home and watch the weekly hero interviews. She packed her schoolbag diligently; humming a small tune while she thought about which books she needed and which she could leave behind. The students around her left. The scaled girl spotted Izuku chatting with Uraraka out of the corner of her eye and smiled. They looked cute together. She was almost finished stuffing her bag when a hand smacked down on to her desk. It seemed impossible to avoid the burning red eyes that leered at her. 

“Why won’t you fight me?” He growled.

Isabel met his eyes warily, a deep frown pulled at the corner of his lips. The blond’s eyebrows were furrowed in what she guessed was annoyance. His eyes were… not upset though. She studied them carefully, and was not met with the expected hate nor anger. The girl was cut off by his snark before she could continue her observations.

“What? Am I not worthy, your highness?” He rolled his eyes at her silence.

An ugly sneer stretched his face. The girl pushed her exasperation down as she felt it begin to burn again. Any negative reaction from her part would only make him more volatile and she would definitely lose it if he pushed too hard.

Isabel really disliked the things he ignited within her. She couldn’t comprehend him but didn’t care for him either. She just wanted Bakugou to let her be. Gold eyes saw Uraraka stepping towards them but Midoriya held her back. His eyes were locked on Isabel’s, trying to tell her something with one look. He whispered something to the brunette and bashfully led her outside of the classroom. One last look from Midoriya and Isabel regretted finally understanding what the damn broccoli wanted.

The girl took a deep breath and with the calmest voice she could muster tried to communicate with the bomb in front of her. 

“I don’t want to fight you.” She spoke carefully. Her hands wrung in front of her as she felt her apprehension grow by the second.

“You don’t say, princess?” Bakugou rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Why not, ha? You think you’re better than me?!” He raised his voice. “Just because you’re All-”

“It’s not that.” Isabel snapped at him. She stood her ground and stared at him. A few seconds passed before she looked away from the boy. With a huff, she leaned against her desk and tried to calm herself.

“Look, I’m not better than anyone-” 

“Tch, didn’t your dumbass say I wasn’t worth your quirk?” The boy scrunched his nose at her.

The girl grimaced when she thought about it and mumbled something in what Bakugou assumed was Spanish. Isabel grabbed her hat and lowered it more onto herself.

“Speak up, princess!” Hissed Bakugou.

“I didn’t mean it.” Isabel grimaced, her cheeks red. “ Mierda …” She mumbled to herself.

“What is it then?”

Her eyes looked to the side, anywhere but him. 

“Look, I didn’t mean that.” A deep breath left her, and she lifted her eyes to meet his. “I was angry and… sad.” The blond raised an eyebrow at her. “If you haven’t noticed, your stupid insults hurt you jerk, and I couldn’t hold myself back.” 

Bakugou’s face shifted into an eerily neutral expression. His eyes were confused but then softened as he slowly processed her words. Isabel could feel him searching for something but averted her eyes from him. He leaned onto the desk in front of hers. 

“You still won’t fight me.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Even in class. I’ve seen you running away to train with those extras. I’m the strongest, you should be training with me.” 

Isabel scrunched her nose in distaste. 

“Honestly?” She met his eyes and waited.

Bakugou nodded, his face all hard lines and his eyes as sharp as ever. 

“Fine. I don’t want to have a fight just because you want to avenge your stupid pride.” She settled her rear against her desk. “And training, really? You couldn’t even handle one loss.” The girl pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache. She sighed before continuing.

“When we fought… I’d lie if I told you that I didn’t think you were someone I could spar with. You didn’t hesitate or hold back but then you couldn’t handle losing.” 

Bakugou felt himself tense at the memory; his anger always seemed to get the best of him. Normally he wouldn’t care but knowing he blew off a chance to train with one of the best pissed him off even more. Even he wasn't stubborn enough to not acknowledge her skill. 

“Losing is just as important as winning. How the hell are we supposed to train together if I can’t trust you to not blow up on me every time you lose.” Isabel spoke.

“Like I’ll lose again! I just want to fight you. How am I going to be Number One if I can’t even beat you?” Bakugou exploded.

She flinched and let out a heavy sigh, pushing herself off the desk, she took a step closer to him. 

“This is exactly what I mean!” Isabel waved her hands around. “You only think of fighting and winning.” She dejectedly frowned at the face he made. 

“Tch, what’s wrong with that?” 

“A lot is wrong with that!” Snapped the girl, but took a deep breath. “Look. I would love to train with you, Bakugou, but training requires a partnership. It’s not all about winning.” She turned back towards her desk and zipped up her bag.

“You have to bring the best out of your partner and fight them without pulling back, but you also have to care for them. To see they aren’t really hurt, making sure their body and emotions are in a good place. It requires trust and respect.”

Isabel thought back to all the times she trained with her uncle or even the very few times she sparred with her father. 

Bakugou remained quiet as he watched her shoulder her bag and speak. 

“And I’m not sure that you can provide that.” 

Bakugou’s eyes widened as she pushed past him and towards the door. Her bitter words actually managed to cut through him. The explosive boy wondered, for a moment, how she saw him. What did she see when she glared at him? An unpleasant angry image of himself sprung up in his head, leaving him with a bitter taste in his mouth. 

Her steps were quick as she made her way out of the classroom but just as she opened the door, she felt a sharp tug on her bag. 

“What do I have to do?” Bakugou asked through gritted teeth.

Golden eyes widened like saucers. 

“ ¿Qué? ”

“Don’t make me repeat myself!” The girl flinched violently, her hands instinctively reaching for her sensitive ears. 

“You can start by not screeching at me like an animal… coño .” She answered and shook his hand off her bag. “Just... don’t be a jerk and maybe we can spar or something. It shouldn’t be that hard, Petardo .” 

“Tch…” An unsatisfied look settled on his tense face. “Fine.”

Isabel left the boy quickly after that. Midoriya met her right outside the door with the widest eyes she had ever seen.

Did Bakugou just ask someone to train… and then ask for advice on how to be a better training partner with that someone? Midoriya’s head spun.

The boy could hardly believe what he heard as he stood beside the classroom door. He analyzed the words he had “accidentally” overheard as they walked together. They soon met Uraraka and Iida waiting for them outside and finally made their way back home. 

Isabel could finally breathe in relief, knowing that the blond boy would stop harassing her.

At least, for now. 

Chapter Text

She had her noise cancelling headphones on, the last class had consisted of mostly a study period and Isabel had finally finished planning her hiking trip. Fortunately for her, she was currently unaware of the chaos that was brewing up by the classroom door. That morning they had received another orientation about the upcoming sports festival, causing Uraraka and everyone else to become all fired up. She understood the girl’s motives but was a little scared at the intensity the usually bubbly brunette was currently showing. That expression definitely couldn’t be good for her face.

Meanwhile, the little reptile was trying to keep herself out of the limelight. Isabel had sneaked off to have lunch with her uncle only to be surprised that Izuku was also there, not that she minded. The serpentine girl had zoned out as Toshinori spoke to the little broccoli boy. However, it was hard to ignore how he really wanted them both to shine during the sports festival. Isabel rolled her eyes at the thought. She wanted to be an underground hero; she didn’t really need any fancy top hero recognizing her. Isabel had told her uncle this before, but he still insisted that she should try to do her best. After all, some underground heroes needed sidekicks. The girl nodded absentmindedly as he spoke to them. She couldn’t stop the itch at the back of her mind that told her that maybe her dad would actually watch her. But she shook off the thought as soon as it came. Isabel knew the truth.

After lunch she had focused solely on her classes. Peace and quiet had accompanied her for most of the day. No blond “fight me!” boy, no villains, nor annoying Japanese literature classes. Isabel just had to pack up her stuff and leave. The girl bobbed her head to the latest song Mina had sent her; it was a catchy tune about feeling good as hell about yourself. Something she could really get behind at the moment. 

Isabel cheerfully grabbed her bag before stepping to the front of the class, noticing now that her friends were struggling to get out of the classroom. Ojiro stood close to the door, his large tail blocked her view of whatever was happening. She pushed through her classmates and found herself in an odd situation. A large group of students was crowding the entrance. At the front stood a purple haired boy and there, in all his irate glory, was Bakugou. Scowling calmly at a very large and angry crowd. 

Isabel glowered a bit but her good mood and hiking prep was way more important than whatever was going on. She decided to try and move through the crowd, she walked past the nervous figures of Izuku, Ochako and Iida. She waved goodbye at them enthusiastically. She only received startled and worried looks from her friends. The girl turned and faced the crowd and with a deep breath marched toward it. 

Eyes on the prize , she thought to herself. 

Carefully, she observed as the purple haired individual moved his lips, a frown on them. When she reached Bakugou she took off her headphones and caught the last of the stranger’s sentence. 

“-if you get too carried away, I will sweep you off your feet. Consider this a declaration of war.” 

Isabel grabbed Bakugou’s shoulder before he could bark back at him, her eyes as sharp as the day he first saw them. She gave the blond a deep glare, making Bakugou click his tongue in return and look away from her. Isabel could easily assume what was going on. The sports festival wasn’t too far off and tensions were rising. She took her time to look at the boy who had made his speech and studied him. 

“That’s pretty bold of you. I’m sure everyone is going to give it their best.” She said kindly while trying to ignore the other’s stares.

The girl squeezed Bakugou’s shoulder while stepping up to the crowd. She tried to search for an opening for her in the crowd, she didn’t notice the green eyes that were observing her and the blond carefully. Having finally found an opening, she was about to make her way to it when a hand held her back. Isabel expected it to be the explosive blond and was ready to huff at him but found purple instead. 

“Uh…”

“You’re All Might’s recommended, aren’t you?” He sneered.

“Ummmm… I guess?” 

She eyed the boy and then looked at Bakugou for some form of help. Her eyes wide and panicky. Whispers erupted from the crowd as they eyed the girl trying to step away from the purple haired boy. Isabel inched closer to Bakugou, her shoulder bumping into his. She could see him gritting his teeth harshly at the lavender haired boy. His muscles tense and his anger a little foreboding. An unfamiliar tightness had grown within the boy’s chest when she got grabbed.

“Let go of her.” Bakugou hissed and stepped closer to the girl, purposefully shielding a bit of her body with his. 

“Tch. You have a guard dog and everything. Life’s pretty easy for you, huh?” Scoffed the mystery boy. “You’re all so arrogant, you think you’re better than us?” He asked rhetorically. 

But Isabel didn’t catch the finality in his tone, the way he spoke was a little harder for her to understand. She had spoken Japanese since she was young but sometimes it would still confuse or escape her.

“Umm, we don’t know each other so it’s weird of you to assume that… but no. I don’t think I’m better than anyone.” She answered and felt the boy let go as Bakugou firmly smacked his hand away from her. 

“Anyway, I have to get going.” The girl turned to the crowd and laughed nervously. 

Her heart was stuck in her throat as she cast a glance towards Bakugou. He grumpily tilted his head towards the crowd, pointing her towards a clear path through the people. She nodded her head vigorously at him. 

“Uh, I’ve got some packing to do.” She grabbed her headphones and shakily put them on. “Do your best everyone!”  She smiled awkwardly and flicked her reptilian tongue at the others before making her way through the shocked crowd. 

Her mood was a surprisingly delightful change of pace for the students surrounding her. Bakugou smirked at the oblivious girl before he too decided to take his leave. A certain green haired boy gaped at the blond as the others fumed at his childhood friend. Midoriya was either hallucinating or having a weird out of body experience. 

Despite everything, Bakugou had remained calm. One touch from Isabel and he had promptly closed his mouth. Midoriya’s mind began formulating hypotheses and ideas about the strange behavior. Unknowingly to him, he was not the only one to notice. Yellow and red eyes looked at each other as their blond friend left them behind. 

Bakugou pushed his way through the crowd, his exit was not as well met as Isabel’s. He could hear the others shouting at him, but didn’t care. He couldn’t help but feel that his final words were true. Others didn’t matter as long as he beat them all. Ignoring the angry shouts of his classmates, he exited the classroom and left them to deal with the crowd of extras. The thought of victory, the only thing on his mind.  

By the time the sun had fallen Isabel had all her hiking and space gear ready. She was double checking her stuff when a big hand lifted her bag from the floor, testing its weight. Toshinori stood by his niece with the large backpack in hand. It was heavy but he knew she could carry it. He set it down carefully before grimacing lightly at a thought.

“I don’t like that you’re going alone.” He mumbled at her. 

“Don’t worry, I did this back home all the time.”

“I know… but back home you didn’t have villains actively attacking.” A deep frown set on his features from the thought.

Isabel’s hands froze as she looked at her dear uncle, he looked tired. His skeleton like figure normally made him look sick but now he really appeared like he was overworking himself. The man must have many things on his mind, one of them being her safety. The girl sadly zipped up the bag and rose to her feet.

“I’ve been planning this all week…” She grumbled at him. 

“I know, Bell. But it isn’t safe to go alone. You know I would go myself, but the faculty is having extensive safety briefings. Can’t you take a friend?” The hero pleaded.

“I can try… but if I can’t find anyone I’m still going.” Huffed the girl and crossed her arms.

Toshinori frowned at her defiance but decided to try and steer clear from a fight.

“If you don’t find anyone for tomorrow why don’t you take the ‘scope to the roof? I promise I’ll cancel everything for next weekend and go hiking with you. Please, Isabel. For my peace of mind, please don’t go alone.” He gently grabbed one of her hands from her arm lock and pulled it towards himself. “If something were to happen to you…” Toshinori didn’t even want to think about it.

Isabel looked at their intertwined hands and sighed, giving a small squeeze and reluctantly nodded her head. Toshinori exhaled in relief and felt his shoulders fall.

“Right, I’ll get some dinner ready?” The man smiled softly.

“Sure, I’ll call up a friend.” She pouted as she made her way to her room. 

The phone rang a few times as she laid on her bed and kicked her legs in the air. One ring, two rings…three rings…

“Hey, Isachan.” A tired voice sounded through the speaker.

“Hey, little B.”

“Hey, you ok? You don’t sound like yourself.”

Isabel groaned dramatically and turned herself over.

“I have to get someone to go hiking with me or else Uncle will make me stay home.”

“What about the girls?”

“They already had a girl date, remember?” Isabel pouted miserably at the phone. “Won’t you come with me, Izukun?”

“You know I have training scheduled for tomorrow…” 

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

“You made the schedule, Isachan...”

“I know... and no, you can't come. You have to train.” She let out a heavy sigh.

Izuku chuckled, she already knew him so well.

“Sorry I bothered you. I’ll let you get back to whatever,” she whined. 

“Wait, wait!” Midoriya shouted through the phone. “I can probably text some of the guys, does it matter who it is?” 

“By this point, I don’t care.” She grumbled. “I’d take the devil himself if I could... actually… scratch that, no Mineta nor Kaminari. Anyone else is good.” 

She thought for a second of adding a certain blond to that list but Midoriya knew better. She doubted he even had his number.

“Alright I’ll ask around, where and when would you meet?” 

The girl thought carefully of the plans she had tomorrow and hummed.

“At the shrine that’s on the base of the mountain, I guess. I think because of the commute, I should be there by 1 or 2.” 

“Ok, I’ll text you if anyone accepts.”

“ Dale .” 

After a quick farewell she dropped her head into her pillow and closed her eyes. 

Midoriya had spent the last twenty minutes looking for a hiking partner for Isabel but everyone was either training for the sports festival or not interested in climbing up a mountain while hauling a telescope on their back. There were just a few numbers he had left and one of them was a very dangerous one. He wasn’t sure if he should send him a message. But then Midoriya would remember what he had heard the day before and what he had witnessed before leaving school today. Maybe asking him wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Midoriya typed the information quickly, closed his eyes, and pressed send. He probably wouldn’t even receive an answer from him. The boy just hoped Isabel wouldn’t get angry if he accepted. A few minutes later a buzz alerted Midoriya of a new message. He had actually answered… 

Midoriya prayed Isabel wouldn’t kill him. 

How bad could it be? He reassured himself. 

He seemed calmer with her, what’s the worst that could happen? Besides, she did say she was willing to take the devil with her. The green haired boy could feel the anxiety brewing under his skin and quickly texted his friend with the news.

Isabel woke from her nap slowly, something was buzzing repeatedly near her. She palmed over her blanket until she found the offending device. She currently had two messages. One was from Midoriya, it only said “I’m sorry!!!” . She huffed at the message. Figures no one wanted to go with her; at least he tried. Turning on her back she checked the next message and sat up sharply, it came from an unknown number. It was short and to the point. 

“I’ll meet you there at 2. Don’t be late.”

The girl quickly typed back. 

“Who is this?”  

Her leg fidgeted as she waited for an answer. A minute passed before she felt her phone vibrate again. 

“You’ll see.”

Isabel narrowed her eyes at the message.

  Am I getting murdered tomorrow?   She wondered. 

She was going to push for more information when she decided not to test her luck. Izuku wouldn’t invite anyone that would hurt her, and they didn’t seem hostile. The playful message shone on her phone as she typed back.

“Okay, I’ll see you there. Bring H2O and good shoes.”

“I know.” Was the almost instant reply.

Precise and reliable was what she concluded from their small exchange. Maybe it was Iida… but Iida wasn’t that playful with her… or straight to the point. He was all robotic conversations and sometimes fanboying for his brother. Could be Kirishima. He seemed outdoorsy and, despite his playful personality, reliable. She shrugged it off and jumped off her bed. Excitement bubbling again inside of her, she had to tell Uncle. 

Running to the kitchen, a burst of joy accompanying every step as she cheerfully announced she had found a partner. Happy chatter broke out between Toshinori and herself. The girl spent the evening in glee as she told him the planets she wanted to see and the pictures she wanted to take. Toshinori felt himself breathe easier as he saw her slowly but surely breaking out from her shell. 

The next morning was bright, Isabel’s heart full, and the pancakes she just ate amazing, signs of a great start to her day. She beamed when she saw her uncle sneaking some extra snacks into her bag as she tied her hiking boots. Hugging Toshinori goodbye she practically flew to the train station. As the girl sat and watched the views whiz by, she felt her phone vibrate

“On my way.” It read.

Punctual , she thought, as she put her phone in her windbreaker’s pocket. Isabel snuggled into the purple jacket and snoozed the rest of the way there. She couldn’t wait to see the shrine.

He shifted his weight from foot to foot and kicked the dirt a bit. The boy had arrived 15 minutes earlier than he had agreed on and now found himself stewing in his thoughts. He didn’t know why he was here. God knows he was going to ignore the stupid message, but he saw her name plastered in all caps with the word training on it. Once he read it, he had to agree that the stupid nerd wasn’t as stupid as he looked. He was so far off on his mind, Bakugou was unaware of wide golden eyes staring at him in shock. 

Isabel was shaken down to her spicy reptilian Latina core. She did not expect to find the explosive blond boy waiting near the shrine when she exited the cute cable car. Canine statues stood near the shrine; barking could be heard in the air. And in between the cute dogs and serene atmosphere stood the scowling Bakugou. The girl could feel her annoyance bubbling up already but decided that she wouldn’t let anything ruin her day.

A few deep breaths and calming thoughts later, she walked towards the boy. She now realized why Izuku had apologized. Isabel gritted her teeth as she considered the many ways she could torture him this week when they trained. She took a step forward and observed the male in his weathered hiking gear. Bakugou clearly had experience, if his well-worn boots could say anything; he even had walking sticks hanging from his pack. The girl tightened the straps of her large bag carefully and stepped forward. 

“Hey.” 

Crimson eyes met uncertain gold and she heard him take a small breath. Bakugou quickly looked away from her but then cursed himself because ignoring her wasn’t really an option. The blond slowly took his chance and looked at her again. Her ridiculously large beanie matched her windbreaker, the jacket was hanging open revealing a black tank top that was neatly tucked into tan cargo pants, which were stuffed into her brown hiking boots. Bakugou couldn't help but notice that her waist was narrow, but her legs seemed thick and strong. He gave out a grunt as a greeting, eyes quickly falling on her large bag. 

“You’re carrying that shit to the top?” He eyed it with trepidation.

“Well, yeah.” She awkwardly stared at her feet. “I’ve carried heavier for when I camp out, so it’s ok…” She met his eyes and gave a tense smile. “Are you-“

“We should get going if you want to make it to the top before sundown.” He grumbled. 

Isabel blinked a few times as he began walking to the trail and silently followed him, her excitement slowly bubbling again. The large shrine stood tall when they passed it, as if wishing them a safe journey. She stared at the boy and his orange backpack, maybe his company wouldn’t be so bad. 

Tense, that was the way she would describe their current hike up the mountain. She busied herself by taking in all the sounds around her. The girl could make out the skittering of small animals, the occasional chirp of birds, and the crunch of the earth beneath their feet. They were taking the trail all the way up to Mt. Otake, occasionally stopping to look at her surroundings, trying to memorize every bit of nature she could see. Bakugou would also stop when she fell back, observing her curious eyes devour the views around them. 

By the time they were halfway to the top they were walking side by side quietly. He thought the silence would have been awkward, but he found that he was very relaxed in the serene atmosphere that surrounded them. Bakugou could see his companion through the corner of his eye rolling her shoulders or sometimes stretching her back before quickening her pace to catch up to him. It made him wonder why she needed all that equipment. He soon got his answer when they passed the waterfalls. Snake Eyes gingerly set her bag down and carefully took out a case. Red eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw the professional camera she now had in her hands. 

“Could you hold this, please?” She extended the camera carefully towards the boy.

He nodded and took the camera in his hands, putting the strap around his neck to secure it. He didn’t want it to fall or something. The blond watched as she took out a lens and quickly put everything back in the bag, shouldering it once more and standing in front of him. She grabbed the camera from his hands and uncapped it, carefully clicking the lens into place. 

“You done?” Asked Bakugou, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry.” She quickly took the camera and grabbed the strap.

“S’okay.” He ducked down so she could easily take it off him.

Bakugou saw her hesitate at his words and bit his lip. Isabel slowly nodded with a small smile on her lips, scurrying off farther up the trail, where he soon heard the first click of many. He heaved a heavy breath and followed. The boy felt nauseated every time he looked at her, as if he had swallowed a swarm of angry wasps.

Today was not going to be easy. 

Bakugou didn’t know what he was doing there. He was supposed to be training, concentrating on the damn sport festival. If he wanted to be Number One, he couldn’t afford any distractions.  But then again, hiking was like training and the peace of mind he felt at that moment wasn’t too bad for him. The snake girl wasn’t bad either. He analyzed her when she would occasionally stop to look at signs, catching her reading the kanji slowly to herself. Each time they passed a sign she would stop and read. He was brought out of his thoughts by her warm lilt.

“I don’t get it…”

Bakugou looked at her as she read and reread the latest sign in their path. 

“Tch, it says Otakesan’s about 20 minutes away.”

“I know how to read.” She frowned as they continued the hike.

“Then what, Scales? You stupid?” He stomped behind her.

“Scales…?” The girl arched a brow, the blond just shrugged at her when she let out an exasperated sigh.

“Just because I’m slow doesn’t mean I’m stupid…Kanji’s hard.” The girl slowed down and let him catch up. 

“Then what?” 

“Why do people call the mountain with honorifics?” Golden eyes looked up at him. “When I read it, I’m sure the kanji is the one for mountain. I looked the character up.”

Bakugou’s eyebrows rose, he didn’t actually think she had trouble reading.

She always seemed to dominate the language well despite her unique accent. And then a thought suddenly popped up; she hadn’t seemed to have understood the purple dipshit’s rhetorical question either. He stared at her for a moment or two, wondering how much she was struggling on adapting.

“The kanji for mountain,” he started. “It’s pronounced san. It’s not an honorific, it’s just said the same. Don’t just learn what they mean in your language, idiot.”

“Oh…” The girl looked surprised by his answer. “I see.” She smiled at him in satisfaction.

Silence engulfed them again but this time it was nicer for some reason and Bakugou realized he was actually enjoying the stupid outing with the stupid scaled girl.

Chapter Text

The trail had become steeper and steeper as they went along. Bakugou would occasionally have to push her bag upwards. Taking off some of the weight when the trail had been a little too sharp for comfort. But all in all, it had been a tranquil day and Isabel was enjoying the opportunity to take in the scenery. She embraced the afternoon sun as they finally reached the summit. The girl quickly passed the few tourists that were sitting and eating, searching for a nice flat spot. Bakugou was catching his breath when he saw Isabel dash away. 

“Oi!” He called after her as he followed. “Do you even know where you’re going…?” he trailed off as he saw her facing the sun, a large toothy grin on her face. 

Her freckles glistened like stars on her brown skin. He had never seen anything as hypnotizing as her. Beautiful, mesmerizing even. Her eyes slowly closed as she soaked in the warmth the sun was providing her, she looked at peace. He could feel himself… soften when she turned to grin at him. He clenched his jaw hard, why was he like this around her. 

Why was he so weak? 

He hated the feeling deeply, hated himself for allowing this, hated her for making him feel this way. Ever since she had beaten him, he couldn’t get the damn girl out of his head. Bakugou hated the way he wanted to fight her, to get stronger with her, to see her kick ass. 

No, he had to get those thoughts out of his head. 

He wanted to defeat her and get her out of his way…crush her. 

And yet, he couldn’t help the warmth that seeped into him each time he looked at her, the warmth when he saw those tender smiles. He couldn’t help the fire in his veins when she snarled at him and bared her fangs.  He couldn’t help the consuming heat and how he gravitated towards her; as if she were his fucking sun. As if he- 

Wait.

His mind made a full stop at that thought. 

Silence; for the first time since he met her his brain had been completely silent... and then. 

His sun… 

His… his?

Oh…

Fuck.

The blond shook himself out of his stupid reverie when she came over. Bakugou pushed the feeling down and dug a deep hole inside himself where he could throw it to rot. He needed to lock this up and ignore it for the rest of his damn life. He would not allow this girl to make him weak. The number one hero could not afford distractions or weaknesses. No matter how breathtaking said future number one hero found the distraction.

He watched her settle her bag down and begin emptying it methodically. Every item she pulled out had a specific place around her.

“This is the perfect spot.” She spread some maps and charts as she mumbled to herself, placing a heavy compass on them so they wouldn’t fly away. 

 “What the hell are you doing now?” Bakugou questioned as he took his bag and set it near hers. 

“You’ll see.” She flashed her fangs at him, a playful smirk on her lips. 

The boy frowned when he felt his heartbeat quicken.

No, he would not give in. He forbade it.

He rolled his eyes at her and settled down on a rock, watching her pull out more things out of her bag. How much did that thing weigh? He distracted himself by looking at all the crap she had around her. 

Meanwhile, Isabel was giddy; her telescope was all set up and a very curious Bakugou stood beside the equipment. He tried to play it off but Isabel knew. She could see him studying it and would occasionally touch a button or look through the eyepiece. The girl smiled as she placed a small timer in her pocket and began looking at the maps she had spread out on a rock. If she calculated correctly, they would be able to turn back by 7 and arrive at the train by 8. She heard the crunch of earth behind her. Isabel turned around to look at the boy, who was looking over her shoulder. He was so close. She froze under his scrutiny. 

“So, you look at stars and shit?” 

She blinked deadpanly at the boy before she snickered at his choice of words.

“Yeah, you can say that.” The serpentine girl smirked. “I prefer to call them stars and planets.”

He shrugged at her and then looked to the sky. 

“Sun’s out.” He commented with a raised brow.

“It’s alright, the sky is clear so we can still see Venus. I still have to set up my camera and timers though.” Isabel took something out of her pocket and played with it. “We are going to see a few planets today.” The girl beamed at him.

While Isabel continued working on like the busy bee she was, Bakugou sat near the equipment bag and found himself handing her the things she needed. Noticing how carefully she aligned the scope and then used her maps and charts to find the planets she was looking for. Her movements, all precise and gentle. Nothing like the strength she actually possessed. Each time the girl spotted a planet, she would excitedly take a picture with a special lens and then beckon him with a wave over to her side. He would sigh but silently agreed every time. No words were exchanged, but they weren’t needed. They spent their time looking out into space and enjoying the rest of the afternoon.

Time had flown and soon it was time to go. They packed her equipment right after being able to view Mars. The sun had already set, and they found themselves carefully hiking down the mountain. It seemed to Isabel that her uncle had been right to suggest hiking with company, the once luscious path now looked a bit scary to her... The small lanterns weren’t enough to see clearly in the dark. Even with her sharp senses and Bakugou’s flashlight, it was still a little tricky to go down the steep trails they had climbed. 

Bakugou led the way carefully since he knew the trail from some previous trips he had done. He could hear Isabel’s light breathing and the crinkling of her windbreaker. The blond kept his eyes forward, but was vigilant of the girl nonetheless. She carried a small flashlight, Bakugou could see her little spot of light bouncing as she walked. Bakugou knew she didn’t need protection but something in him compelled him to keep an eye on her.  He was as alert and quiet as he could be as he escorted her out of the wilderness. 

It took about half an hour and very slippery trails, but they could finally see some lights in the distance. At this, Isabel let out a small breath of relief. These trails were more challenging than she had thought they would be, not to mention her shoulders were starting to hurt. She maintained her senses as open as she could though, registering every little noise or movement. It could never hurt to be cautious.  But unfortunately, that caution was precisely what brought her trouble. A screech zoomed by her head, the noise startling her. Isabel let out a squeak as she felt her foot get caught on something and her body tumbled over. Hands and knees took her weight. Her backpack knocked into her head and her flashlight rolled away from her. 

The girl heard Bakugou quickly murmur an “I got it” before she realized she could feel the cold night breeze biting at her ears. She quickly rose to her knees, wide eyes looking for her hat, but it was too late. She saw Bakugou picking up her flashlight and then the stupid accessory from the forest floor.

“Hey, klutz, you ok?” He asked as he grabbed the beanie and patted the dirt off of it. The blond examined the knitted item and was about to turn around but the distress in his companion’s voice froze him to his spot.

“ No ! Don’t move.” Her words quivered. “Please.”

“Hah?” Bakugou heard her struggling to get up and breathing hard. 

“What the fuck are you on? Let me help, stupid.”

“Bakugou, don’t look! Please...” She whimpered. “I- don’t turn.” 

The burning pain in her hands and knees was not unfamiliar but it was still fresh and it made the girl swallow her words.

“Do you think I’m stupid?” Bakugou growled at her out of the blue. 

“What?” Isabel narrowed her eyes at him. “No.” 

The boy’s shoulders were tense, and he slowly turned his head. 

“Bakugou, don’t look. I’m serio-”

“Shut up.” He looked at the ground as he turned, his eyes fixed on her boots. Either way, his insolence made her see red. 

“ Por dios , Bakugou!” The girl hissed. “Just, give me the damn hat!”

“Fine,” he extended the hat in her direction, still not looking at her. 

Isabel snatched it with a snarl.

“But just so you know, I know what you're hiding... Isabel.” 

Her name, perfectly pronounced, fell from his lips and the aforementioned girl went rigid. Her hands stopped fidgeting, her heart drummed within her ears and she swallowed thickly.

“ ¿Qué ?” She breathed out.

Bakugou heard the soft word. He didn’t need to know the language to understand the questioning lilt behind it.

“I said, I know what’s under your stupid hat, Scales.” 

Scales…

Isabel felt her eyes water as understanding hit her like a train and her breath began to quicken. She fiercely clutched her favorite beanie in her scratched up hand, knuckles paling. The girl looked at the boy that was still looking at the ground, a frown pulled at his features as he felt her let go of the hat. Her yellow eyes stung, a knot tightened in her stomach as she tried to stand up but fell on her shaky knees and hands again. A wave of nausea crashed into her. The tears blurred her sight as she barely discerned a pair of boots step in front of her. Her heartbeat was deafening. The girl heard faint cursing, as if it were far away. 

Isabel felt hands on her and tried to concentrate on that as she closed her eyes; trying desperately to delay the inevitable. Her breath was shallow and quick. She felt something push her into a seating position, her weight now on her bottom and off of her battered knees. Her backpack began to pull on her, but quick hands unclipped the safety strap across her chest and carefully pushed the bag off. She felt her heart stuttering and fear clawing at her. 

Que va a hacer? She screamed in her head. What would he do to me?  

Isabel cried as images of violence and laughter swallowed her whole. 

Bakugou fell to his knees beside her and snatched her hat from her now very dirty hands. He clumsily placed it on the top of her head as he felt his chest being torn with each cry and strangled breath that escaped her lips. 

He cursed himself. 

I just had to fucking tell her , he thought. 

The blond carefully avoided the small jaws that hissed at him and crawled a little closer to her. He heard her gulping for air and quickly remembered one of those stupid civilian rescue videos they had watched at school. Bakugou reached out towards her just as he felt the weight of her quirk wash over him unpleasantly and then lift abruptly. The boy saw her struggling for control, the small eyes of the snakes around her glowing on and off. His limbs seized as he tried to move as quickly as possible. 

Isabel’s eyes were open wide and shone bright. Each time she would blink the boy felt relief, but he couldn’t possibly have her not look at him. He took her hands roughly in his and placed them on his chest. Ignoring the dirt and blood that dirtied his jacket. 

“Hey, Isabel!” Bakugou firmly called. “Follow --- my breathing, --- Where --- Wherever you are--- s’not real.” He grit his teeth hard at the uncomfortable feeling of her quirk. 

He breathed in as calmly as he could, her quirk made it hard to establish a rhythm. Thankfully, the girl dizzily slipped onto him after a couple of deep breaths. Unfocused eyes stared at his chest and she shrunk into herself. She closed her eyes tightly, lost in whatever nightmare her mind had conjured up. He felt the pressure of her quirk weaken and tried to bring her closer into his arms. The blond felt one of her hands clutch at his clothes as the other laid near his heart. Tightening his grip on her, his embrace slowly managed to get her breathing with him in between the now bigger pauses of paralysis.

“Isabel, you're safe. Breathe with me.”  

She shook her head violently at him.

“ No...puedo .”

He wanted to shout at her but managed pushed down his temper. Bakugou forced himself, for once, to speak softly. 

“Isabel, come on. You gotta help me out. Nothing’s happening, okay? You're safe. I won’t hurt you. No one will hurt you.” He pressed her palm as flat as he could against his chest. Hoping something would work as he spoke random and jumbled reassuring phrases. Small hand in his, he did his best to be her anchor.

Isabel felt her breath slowing down, as the rhythm of his pounding heartbeat lulled her alongside the sweet smoky smell of him. The girl fought for control, grateful that she had found something to ground herself with. She slowly began to count backwards and squeezed the hands that held so tightly to hers, the sting of her scrapes bringing her further back into reality. 

“ Catorce... Trece, doce … Once, diez…” A gulp of air. “...nueve, ocho…”

Bakugou heard the soft words falling from her lips, almost like a prayer, and wondered what she was saying. He felt her begin to relax as her hand began to loosen from his shirt. 

Some deep breaths and minutes later, Isabel slowly blinked away her tears and finally managed to let go of the blond. She felt his large hand rubbing her back carefully while holding on to one of her hands with the other. His thumb rubbed small circles over her knuckles. Isabel shakily reached for the hat that was messily put on her head and pulled it off. She took a final deep breath and sat back. She let go of the boy. A sharp hiss left her lips as she pushed against the ground with her hands, wanting to stand up. 

She was exhausted, felt too heavy.

“Wait.”  Red eyes pinned her to her spot. “Stay still.”

Bakugou stood and hauled both their backpacks from where he had dropped them. His eyebrows shot into his forehead when he felt the unexpected weight of hers. 

Well, she could fucking lift . He mused to himself. 

The boy quickly got on his knees beside her and got to work, pulling out a large bottle of water and opened it. 

“Drink.”  He placed the bottle near her lips.

Isabel numbly took the bottle and sipped. After a few gulps she gave the bottle back. 

“Give me your hands.” 

Bakugou’s low gravelly voice sent a cold shiver down her spine. Isabel looked at the boy, her eyes tired and dull and slowly stuck her palms up at him. He spilled water on them, carefully rubbing the blood and dirt from her broken skin. He heard a sharp hissing in front of him and met eyes with an emerald colored snake.

“I’m trying to help her, dumbass.” He hissed back at the small creature that slithered over her shoulder and tried to reach him. 

Bakugou ignored it as best he could and quickly pulled out his first aid kit , the snake stared eerily at him. He carefully dried her hands and began bandaging them with the roll of gauze his mother had stuffed in his bag. Bakugou kept his cool as the snake moved closer to his face and then abruptly stopped. It seemed its body was shorter and thinner than the others. The blond snuck a peak at the silent girl in front of him. Her eyes were glued to the ground as her large mass of… well hair, moved freely about her. He watched as thicker and longer serpents slithered over her shoulders and down to her waist. Some tumbled down her back and curled their heads up, curious eyes exploring their new surroundings. 

Once he was done with her bandages and making her drink more water, he put everything away and stood up. Isabel quietly followed and went to reach for her bag but Bakugou stopped her again.

“I’m taking that.” A sharp glare dared her to refute him, she felt herself wanting to step up to the challenge but held herself back. She had had enough stress for one day.

The girl felt her heart beating quickly as she quietly nodded and watched him haul her bag on his back.

“Fuck…” She heard him murmur as he adjusted the thing. Bakugou secured the bag on himself before grabbing his bag and carefully placing it on her back. The snakes moved to make it easier for him. Some glided over his hands, cool smooth scales leaving goosebumps where they touched.

“Don’t wreck those bandages.”

“I won’t.” Her small voice barely reached him. 

The blond grabbed her hat from the floor again and patted all the dirt and leaves off the thing before offering it to her once more. He could see her looking at the hat and then up at him. She took it from his hand delicately. Her fingers brushed his and he felt his breath catch.

“Thanks.”

“Do you need help?” He grunted out.

“What…”

“Do you need help with your hair?” Bakugou pointed at her head and she looked away.

“Ah… no. Let me just...” 

She hesitated a bit but forced herself to move, she held her hat between her teeth and started to delicately bring together the snakes. They slid and moved over each other as her hands guided them. Slowly she twisted them into a clumsy bun. Once that was done, she grabbed her hat. Isabel quickly fit the snake bun into it and pulled it over her head. She felt some movement near her forehead and found a small snake tumbling out in curiosity. She sighed deeply and imposed a little bit of her will on it. Lazily, it creeped back into her hat. 

Bakugou was stunned by the way the snakes moved under her touch. They weaved themselves elegantly into a very nice style. They reminded him of the thick braids or bundles some people wore... Dreadlocks! That’s the name. It wasn’t common around Japan but he had seen a few. He quietly watched her as she finished up and met his eyes. She nodded at him and they began to walk, quietly making their way down the mountain and back to the city. 

The train ride back home was awkward, to say the least. Bakugou didn’t know what the fuck he was supposed to do, and Isabel found herself bouncing from embarrassment to fear and back. She was unsure of what the boy was going to do with the information he had now, would he blackmail her? Would he force her to fight? But then a thought struck her. He told her he had already known. If that was true then, that meant he had kept her secret. How did he even realize? She knew Midoriya wouldn’t snitch. The boy was too sweet and, although a bad liar, was not a promise breaker. 

As the train whizzed by, her thoughts started to slowly eat her up. The girl desperately wanted to know how the boy knew. She kept eyeing him from the corner of her eye, her tongue flicking out quickly. He had his earbuds on and was looking out the window, seemingly lost in his own thoughts; Isabel continued to stare at him. Yellow reptilian eyes traced his jaw line and noticed  how his frown was deeper than usual. She studied his features carefully; he was very nice to look at. Soon, Isabel was broken from her reverie by the grouchy boy.

“Spit it out already.” He met her gaze head on and took his earbuds off.

“How?” She mumbled.

“Can’t you speak up?” He snarked back. 

She huffed at him, annoyance flashing in her eyes while he gave her a wicked grin.

“How did you know?” 

“By not being stupid.” The boy taunted and Isabel almost combusted him with her glare.

“ Dios mio, dame paciencia…” she breathed in deeply. “Bakugou, I’m serious.” 

He enjoyed the fire he had reignited in her but decided that maybe she had had enough drama for the day.

“I figured it out.” He leaned back on the seat and spread his arm over her backrest, lazily stretching his legs out in front of him. “Look. I thought you had some dreadlocks or some crazy shit hairdo going on. But that day on the bus... One of your little friends took a peek and I caught a glimpse of it.” 

The serpentine girl pushed her knee against his leg, trying to make some space for herself. 

“I thought I grabbed it fast enough… That’s it?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Not really.” She raised a brow at him. 

“I wasn’t sure at first. Then later, at USJ, your shield,” He grinned mockingly at her. “It’s not very subtle to brand Medusa into the thing, princess.”

“Ughhhh…” She threw her head back and felt something cushion it, “It wasn’t my idea. My cousin made the designs. I didn’t know how it would look until after.” He could tell she was annoyed by it as she fumbled with her fingers in her lap. 

“It looks fine, it’s badass.” He said nonchalantly. “Anyway, long story short. I had it figured out by then, but I confirmed it when Raccoon Eyes almost tackled you to the ground that one time.”

“Ah… I had wondered why you pulled my hat down…” Isabel looked at her hands anxiously, before she dared to continue. “So… what are you going to do now?”

He straightened up after hearing her words, arm still behind her. 

“What do you mean?” He arched an eyebrow at her.

“What are you going to do with that information?” Ruby eyes narrowed as understanding dawned on him. A demon-like grin unfurled and Isabel felt herself turn cold.

“I could ask you to fight me, or else.” He taunted.

“Can you please take this seriously!” She exclaimed as she stuck a finger into his chest. They were lucky the train was empty, because her reaction had been loud. 

Bakugou blinked and then unwillingly began to laugh at her. He didn’t know how she knew he wasn’t serious, but god did he enjoy how he had struck a nerve. 

“I’m fucking kidding.” He snipped. “Calm your tits, woman.” 

Isabel sent him a frightening glare that, he would never admit, actually got him to back down.

“I’m not gonna do a damn thing.” He sighed as he settled beside her again.

Silence enveloped them as she blinked owlishly at him.

“Nothing?” She asked carefully, fear and confusion laced her voice.

“S’not my secret.” The explosive blond shrugged deeply and frowned at her. 

Isabel’s stare was akin to a dead fish, she didn’t understand him. How can he be such an asshole and such a good person at the same time? Did he have split personalities? She just couldn’t believe it. 

“I…thank you…”

She settled her head back and let herself breathe a little easier. Bakugou raised a brow at her, it seemed she had forgotten where his arm laid. He pushed the damn butterflies down and studied her freckles closely. 

Yep, she was definitely a distraction.

“For the record.” He said under his breath. “You don’t need that stupid hat.”

He placed his earbuds back in and pressed play, leaving her with pink cheeks and at a loss for words.

Bakugou had gotten off at the same station as her after a very… colorful discussion. He convinced Isabel that he was walking her home because he claimed that, even with heroes around, the crime rate was shit. She had rolled her eyes hard at this but decided that she could put her attitude towards him to rest, at least for tonight. And so, they walked in silence. The girl could occasionally feel him bump his arm with hers when someone would walk by them, the heat of his skin washing over her pleasantly. She wondered if this was a blessing or a curse. 

Isabel still felt anxious that he knew her secret, but a part of her said to trust him. He hadn’t told anyone yet, why would he do it now? The girl was so lost in thought she didn’t realize that Bakugou accompanied her all the way to the front door until she had her key in. She opened it and tiredly stepped into the house, Bakugou apprehensively followed behind her. He had her bag, after all. She stared at the boy and suddenly an idea popped into her head.

“Could you wait a second?” 

A grunt was her only answer as she dashed somewhere into the dark house with his bag. He heard the light pitter patter of her feet walking up and down the apartment. Hearing some doors opening and closing as he set her bag near the entrance and waited for her. Finally, he detected steps near him. 

“Finally, can I have my bag already?” He turned and froze.

All Might stood there in all his glory while Isabel scurried beside him. Zipping up Bakugou’s bag with a very satisfied smile.

“Yes, you may.” She laughed at the stunned boy.

“What the fuck…” Bakugou whispered.

“Thank you for walking Bell back home, young Bakugou.” All Might patted the boy’s shoulder. He looked at Isabel with wide eyes. 

“YOU LIVE WITH ALL MIGHT?!”

Isabel quickly smacked a hand over the rabid boy’s mouth. 

“Of course, I do. He’s my only family here, stupid.” He licked the uncovered skin of her fingers and she made a horrified face.

“I’m not stupid, you’re stupid.” She glared at the boy as she whipped her hand in disgust.

All Might could sense Isabel’s temper about to flare and decided a quick interruption was necessary. 

“Well, I have to work tomorrow so I will take my leave.” He waved at them as heroically as he could while wearing his pajamas and a nightcap with a fluffy pom pom at the end. “Good night and thanks again, young Bakugou.”

Isabel shook her head at her uncle, before turning towards the boy and offering him his bag again. He looked tired and she couldn’t help the smidge of worry that latched onto her heart.

“Hey,” She reached for his arm and squeezed it. “Are you ok to make it home?”

“Tch. What do you take me for?” The blond glared at her and shook her hand off. “I’ll be fine.”

She hesitantly nodded and opened the door for him. Before he could leave though, a hand grabbed his shirt. He looked back over his shoulder at his classmate. 

“Be safe and thanks again.” She smiled as he rolled his eyes and nodded at her. 

He took a few steps and, before she closed the door, his voice cut through the night.

“Sorry for last week...” 

Isabel stared at his retreating back until he was no longer there, unsure if she had just witnessed a miracle or a hallucination. 

That night a very excited “HOLY SHIT!” could be heard all over Mustafu, as someone unpacked a limited-edition bronze age All Might hoodie from their backpack. 

Chapter Text

The phone rang a few times before Midoriya blearily opened his eyes. He looked out his window and realized the sun was just rising. The teen glared at his phone and lazily reached for it.

“Hello…?” 

“Izukun, I’m coming over.”

“Wha-?”

“Tell your mom, I’m bringing you guys breakfast.” 

A small click was heard on the other side.

He stared at the phone for a few seconds before realizing what just happened and scrambling to tell his mother they would be having company today.

Isabel had rushed all the way to Midoriya’s house. Her stomach was churning, her heart beat quickly as she now found herself setting the table with the breakfast she had made. The girl had brought her homework to spend the day, her mind bounced from her responsibility, to the bizarre day she had yesterday, and then to her friend in front of her looking worried. 

The girl finished setting the very large food spread she had prepared, ignoring both Inko and Midoriya obviously staring at her. She settled down into her seat and tried to smile brightly at them.

“Dig in?” She awkwardly insisted.

“Right, Itadakimasu.” Izuku nodded.

“ Buen provecho .”  

Midoriya narrowed his eyes at his friend’s tense posture. He looked at her strangely, before grabbing some pancakes and a piece of a very large omelette she had stuffed with ham and cheese. The meal had been uncharacteristically quiet. 

Inko missed the kids’ animated debates. Isabel’s eyes were fixed on her plate as she shoveled food into her mouth, while her Izuku kept glancing at his friend. Isabel was so sweet to help Izuku out, maybe Inko could help her a little. 

“Isabel-chan, everything okay?” Inko asked as she reached for an omelette piece. “You seem quiet, dear. Did anything happen yesterday?”

Isabel choked on her food, the pancake piece had been a bit too large for her. Midoriya quickly ran to get her some water as Inko stood and firmly patted her back. A glass of water was placed in front of her and she grabbed at it. After a few gulps and some loud coughs, she slouched back in her chair and slowly pushed the food away from herself. She dejectedly pulled her ever present beanie off her head.

“I… I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“What?” Inko said quietly.

“I feel so wound up…” The serpentine girl looked at Inko and then fixed her eyes on Midoriya.

“He knows, Izukun.” She pointed at the snakes.

“Wait, what?” He shouted as he stood up from his chair and grabbed her shoulders.

“When we were coming back down the mountain… I tripped and fell pretty hard.” She touched her snakes delicately. Her words were thick with worry, her accent popped out. They moved over her shoulders and slid slowly around Midoriya’s hand. Some rose above her head and inspected their surroundings while others just fell back lazily. 

“My hat fell… and he saw me.”

Midoriya frowned deeply at the girl and grabbed her hand. 

“I’m so sorry. If I-”

“Izukun, it’s not your fault.” She waved him off. “It was an accident. It could have been anybody.” Isabel gave him a tired smile. “Plus, I actually spent a nice time with that ticking bomb.” She chuckled.

Her smile slowly disappeared and turned into a grimace.

“I’m just scared he’s going to say something to the others...” She sighed and looked up at the apartment’s ceiling. “He said he wouldn’t tell and that he had already figured it out before this, but I don’t really know. And he is such a jerk; and it scares me. I don’t want to go back to being the monster at school.”

Inko stood slowly, the conversation making her stomach churn. She didn’t want to believe anybody would call the sweet girl a monster, but she knew how people were. Izuku had been ostracized for being quirkless all his life, she couldn’t imagine what looking so different might have brought upon the girl. Isabel’s quirk did make her look a bit intimidating, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was a good person. Inko stood beside the girl and her son, she slowly reached for the girl’s hand and cradled Isabel’s cheek with the other. Carefully, she made Isabel face her. Watery eyes met soft affection. 

“First of all,” the woman lovingly rubbed her cheek. “I don’t see any monster. You’re the complete opposite of that. You are beautiful, kind, smart, and your heart is so big.” She looked at Izuku and smiled before continuing. Isabel's lip trembled. 

“People fear what they don’t understand, sweety. And that may bring you down and hurt you, but you have to be strong and stand tall.”  Inko brushed away a small tear as it fell. 

“Which brings me to my second point. Whatever happens, happens.”

“What?” Isabel sniffled. 

“There is no use worrying about it now, especially since you don’t know for sure what he’s going to do. Take everything one day at a time.”  She smiled at the girl. “And if he does tell, then you face it head on.”

“But… my friends…”

“Will understand.” Izuku stepped up and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t think anyone will judge you. We all really like you.” She snorted at that but Midoriya tapped the back of her head firmly. “I’m serious. Plus, you’ll always have me.”

“See? You’ll always have us. Either way, I don’t think he’ll tell.” Inko winked at her, giving Isabel’s cheek a small squeeze and rose. “People can surprise you if you let them, you know?” 

She patted Isabel’s shoulder.

The emotional girl nodded and rubbed her arm against her blotchy face. Inko smiled again and began picking up the plates. She watched Izuku and Isabel begin to turn their conversation around. They got up and made their way to their homework, Isabel’s heart a little lighter.

The final week before the sports festival had flown by for Isabel, she had kept herself and Midoriya very busy. Time seemed to speed up as tensions rose higher and higher, the days felt shorter and the classes were almost done for the week. The girl had kept her eyes anxiously on Bakugou. Had kept her ear out for any whispers or rumors, but none came. They would sometimes greet each other but otherwise they had both kept their distance. The explosive boy had kept his word. Isabel found her eyes straying to him more and more but she forced herself to concentrate. Isabel had other things to handle. 

Meanwhile, Midoriya seemed to slowly but surely be getting better at his hand to hand combat. His intense training and hard work was finally paying off. On the other hand, Isabel was trying to increase her strength without sacrificing her agility. A feat that had proven to be quite challenging. She could already throw her classmates around, but she was aware that wouldn’t do. Isabel wasn’t sure what the sport’s festival challenges were about; all she knew was that she had to be better. She didn’t particularly want to win the thing, but she also didn’t want to make her uncle look bad. Rumor’s had spread about him recommending her after all. Isabel clenched her teeth as she changed into her PE uniform. The final class of the week was beginning, and they had been instructed to meet at one of the training fields. 

This last class before the festival had everyone anxious. The students were all diligently stretching and warming up before the physical training class. The reptilian girl could see Midoriya arching his back and holding the pose as Bakugou worked on his shoulders not too far from him. Kirishima was chatting idly at the blond while he jogged in place. Tokoyami seemed to be stretching while Dark Shadow… well she didn’t know what he was doing actually. Wiggling? Wobbling? She quirked her eyebrow at the sight. 

For this session Isabel decided to stretch with the girls, doing a split and settling herself onto her elbows. She was as flat as a pancake as she held the pose and chatted with Mina. Mina was keeping her balance as she raised her knee to her chest and held it there in a stretch. Ochako and Tsuyu were comparing training methods with them. Isabel was suggesting partner strength exercises for them when Mina couldn’t help but guffaw at her.

“What do you mean you lift Midoriya?!” 

The girls fell silent as Isabel sat up from her stretch in one fluid movement. 

“Well, yeah. He’s my training buddy. I sometimes use him as a weight.”

“Can he bench you?” Uraraka asked with stars in her eyes.

“Ummm… not yet. He can definitely do squats with me on his back though.” Mina narrowed her eyes at the girl, a wicked smile covering her face. 

“Prove it. Go lift him.”

“Right now?” Isabel looked at the boy, he was stretching his legs with Iida. “He’s busy though.”

“Is that an excuse I hear?” Mina teased. “Can you actually lift him, Isa~chan?”

Isabel squinted and stared at Mina sharply, causing the pinkette to hide behind Uraraka. She could hear the hushed whispers of the boys that were near them and pouted at her teasing friend.

“You know what, fine.” She flicked her tongue.

The serpentine girl trotted up to the boys, while Mina and Ochako followed her excitedly. 

“Izukun, vente pa’ ca .” Sharply commanded Isabel.

Midoriya whipped his head towards her, he knew that tone and he didn’t like it one bit. That was her challenge tone. Midoriya felt himself swallow dryly and gave out a weak,

“H-Hai.” 

Bakugou and Kirishima stopped stretching as they saw the girl stomp towards the boy. Every step she took, she took with confidence. While Midoriya was approaching her nervously. 

“Tch, loser.” 

Bakugou was about to get back to his warm up but he saw Isabel bend over and grab one of the boy’s legs. Bakugou caught Deku’s exhale of relief, nodding at her with newfound sureness. Deku proceeded to cross his arms in front of himself and closed his eyes. Finally, he blindly dropped to the side. Isabel grabbed his bicep and stopped his fall. Isabel’s grip on him was strong and unwavering. She held Deku steadily, his body parallel and close to the floor. And then she began to… 

What the fuck?

Bakugou walked closer to the girl as she lifted the other boy into a clean and jerk. Holding the boy steadily over her head. The blond could see Midoriya’s red face, he could also discern that Isabel was already comfortable with his weight. She wasn’t even breaking out in a sweat or puffing in effort. She needed more weight. Isabel slowly lowered the stiff boy to her shoulders and proceeded to do a few squats while the girls fawned over her. 

“That’s so manly, ISACHAN!” Kirishima cheered.

“Tch. That’s not impressive.” Bakugou saw her shoulders tense. 

The explosive blond smirked as she turned to glare at him. She set Midoriya gently on his feet and marched over to the boy. 

“I wondered when you were going to start being a pain again.” He shrugged at her nonchalantly as she placed her hands on her hips.

“It’s NoT ImpreSsiVe.” She mocked, her voice deeper that her usual warm alto. 

“Really?” The explosion user frowned at her, his brow twitched at her crappy imitation of him.

“Please, he doesn’t weigh a damn thing.” He scoffed. 

A dangerous aura surrounded the girl as he gave her a taunting look. 

They kept on verbally going back and forth, some of their classmates dispersed while others found it to be entertaining. At least until they saw her angrily step closer to him. The class gulped as they saw irritation finally ignite her eyes. She shoved a finger into his chest.

“I swear to god, Petardo . I will throw you.” 

“Pffff… like you could, loser.”

“What? I can lift two of you, you twig!”  

“What the hell did you say? You can’t even lift yourself.” 

“Excuse me?!” Isabel growled.

“You are excused.” he obnoxiously answered.

Everyone held their breath when her pupils zeroed in on the boy, an angry hiss leaving her as she bared her fangs. The girl could hear the whole class begin to whisper and… did someone just start a bet? 

You know what? 

Fine. 

She’d bite, but not before setting herself a trap. Isabel breathed in deeply and calmed herself. She chuckled lightly at the boy and smiled sweetly at him as she got even closer. The blond looked at her confused. Her sickening sweet smile widened even more when she saw how it threw him off.

“You know, that’s big talk from someone who I already beat.” She smirked as she noticed him lose it and bump his chest against hers, trying to intimidate her with his height difference. As if two inches would make her tremble. 

Isabel grinned wildly and took her chance. She grabbed the boy’s clothing and with some effort managed to lift him off his feet and spin herself. She lifted her arms with all her might… and then launched him away. Cackling in glee at the airborne screeching boy. The girl heard him curse as he flew through the air, using his explosions to land a bit away from her. Unscathed but very angry.

“You think you’re so fucking funny.” He snarled at her as he stomped towards her. 

Isabel had her head thrown back as she laughed eagerly and ignored the boy. But her laughter wouldn’t last long. 

Midoriya and Kirishima’s eyes widened as they saw Bakugou stomp up to the obliviously breathless girl. His hands shot out and captured her. A graceless yelp left her lips as he launched her upwards with all his strength, coupled with an explosion that propelled her further into the air. 

“ Bakugoooouuu! ” She screeched.

“Not cool, man!” Kirishima panicked.

“Isabel!” Uraraka freaked out as Mina tried to place herself to catch her. 

“Kacchan, she can’t fly!” Midoriya screamed. 

“I know.” The grumpy blond bit back. Bakugou glared at the boy and then smirked devilishly at the falling girl. 

Isabel felt the wind whip past her fast as gravity pulled her down. She instinctively held on to her hat and prayed in all the languages she knew that the fall wouldn’t be that painful. She closed her eyes and readied herself when she heard an explosion and felt something slam into her.

“Hold on, Scales.”

She didn’t have to be told twice and clutched on to the boy in a very tight embrace. One arm over his shoulder the other under his arm, instinctively she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. The smell of something sweet and smoke permeated her senses. Her heartbeat was frantic. She dug her face into the crook of his neck as he pushed them downwards with a smaller explosion. The boy could feel her face nuzzling into him as she held on. Her skin burning his in the best way possible, something bubbled in him as he soared through the sky with her. And no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t push that cheesy shit down. 

He was definitely doing a piss poor job of keeping his distance.

“Don’t crush my ribs!” He barked.

“ ¡No me sueltes! ” She responded as he began to tone down his blasts and roughly landed. 

Skidding a few feet and leaving tracks in the dirt. He wished he knew what she had said but decided it was probably an insult or something. 

Bakugou dug his heels into the ground and balanced himself out as they came to a full stop. He held on to her and began snickering at how hard she was grabbing him. Isabel lifted her head and looked at Bakugou with her sharp golden eyes; he couldn’t help but give her a very toothy and manic grin. He felt himself lean a bit towards her. Forehead almost touching hers. 

Her chest tightened and her stomach felt sick. What the hell? 

Isabel jumped off the boy as fast as she could, her legs a little wobbly from the impromptu ride. Bakugou couldn’t help but feel the emptiness after she let him go. He glared at the girl as she turned towards her friends. His skin was cold again. The others had started to run up to them and Midoriya found himself reaching for her in worry when she suddenly turned away. Isabel grabbed Bakugo’s shoulders and pinned him in place. 

“Oy, let go! I’ll-” Before he could say anything else, she shook him hard. 

“ ¡Anormal !” She pushed him back. The blond looked away from the girl as he curled his lip at her. 

“Tch… you started it.” 

Isabel frowned at him and took a deep breath. 

Don’t take the bait , she repeated to herself like a mantra. 

Feeling herself cool down a bit as she observed the blond.  

“Fine, but you didn’t need to blast me! I could have died.”

Bakugou froze at her statement. He knew his explosions were strong, but he worked to actually control it when he used it, especially on people. He’d trained hard to get where he was, and the boy hated hearing her say that. Bakugou stuffed his sweaty hands into his pocket and glared at her.  

“You are such a drama queen, that blast was weak as-“

“Not that, stupid.” He froze. “The height, the height was ridiculous. My quirk doesn’t make me indestructible! I can’t fly! What if you hadn’t caught me?”

“Oh…” He felt his shoulders relax, the boy tilted his head and scrunched his eyebrows at her. 

What was she playing at?  

He didn’t get it. 

He remembered their fight; how she pulled his hand closer to her even after she saw him use his quirk. He wondered if she would do it again. 

“Although…” she simmered down, a small thought distracting her. “That could be a great combo move.”

“What?” Kirishima butted in. “He just blasted you off and you’re now thinking about moves?” 

“Yeah, the blast was large, but a smaller more localized burst could probably work.”

“That’s not what he meant, Isachan.” Midoriya exhaled. 

Uraraka and Mina let out a breath, deciding they had had enough excitement for the day and left to sit under one of the trees; Midoriya soon followed them with a tired look in his eyes.

Isabel ignored them and stared at Bakugou when another idea came to mind. 

“Hey, can you put your hands like this.” She placed her hands in front of herself palms up and fingers laced with each other. He scrunched his face at her in what seemed to be distaste.

“Why should I?”

“Well, I think if you put a small explosion under my foot it could lift me higher than-”

She didn’t get to finish because of a shrill whistle cutting through the training area. Her hands quickly pressed against her ears as she grimaced. Bakugou took a step towards her.

“Hey, you good?” 

“Is he done?” Her eyes narrowed in pain.

Bakugou nodded and she let out a sigh of relief and lowered her hands. “Let’s go before he does it again.” She grumbled.

The girl was surprised to find All Might in his yellow suit. She hated that mustard colored monstrosity, and he knew it. He smiled playfully at the face his niece pulled when she saw him, it looked like she was trying to set his clothing on fire with her glare.

“The sports festival is this Monday, which means you should take this weekend to rest and build up your strength. But it is not yet the weekend, so today we will be improving your hand to hand combat skills. I want you to choose a partner, you will spar without quirks for the entirety of this class. I will observe each pair and then give you some tips.” He looked at Isabel and reminded himself.

“Since we are uneven, I suggest that the group of three is made up of a strong fighter and two who are lacking.” 

Isabel saw Uraraka and Midoriya turn to Iida, eyes shining. The boy chuckled and nodded. He would be in for a surprise, Midoriya had definitely gotten better. 

Isabel saw everyone pairing up and began to feel her hands becoming sweaty. What if no one wanted her and she ended up with Mineta? That little pervert was a menace. With that thought she looked around frantically. She thought Mina would have been a good choice, but she ended up with Kirishima. Ojiro was already paired against Shoji, and Sato had gone with Koda. The girl sighed, even Tokoyami had a partner in Tsu. 

Dammit, she mumbled to herself. 

Isabel heard the crunch of earth beside her and met sharp red eyes. He stared intently at her; no words were needed. His ever-present glare seemed to be challenging her, taunting her. She knew what he wanted. The girl was going to growl at him but then remembered Saturday. If it weren’t for Bakugou, she wouldn’t have been able to enjoy such a beautiful day, despite how it had ended. Not to mention he was keeping her secret. Isabel looked at her feet before reluctantly giving in. A large exhale left her as she looked at him.

“Just this once.” She said sternly. 

He nodded; his game face was definitely on as they made their way to a free spot.

The world didn’t exist around them as they beat the crap out of each other. They both had the advantage of speed and maneuverability which turned their fight into a very dangerous game of tag. To anyone watching it would seem they were equally matched but they both knew better. What he had in adaptability and stamina, she had in strength and perceptiveness. Isabel had to make sure to catch him and Bakugou had to make sure she didn’t land one of her monster hits on him. 

Isabel was carefully looking for openings, but the boy barely had any. Some of the other students paused in their training to watch as Isabel made a Bakugou shaped crater. She had finally gotten her hands on him and slammed him into the ground. Her brute strength was a clear advantage in this particular class. Bakugou growled as he stood and launched a barrage of kicks and punches at her. Isabel flipped out of his reach but not before kicking him below his chin. The class watched in horror as they witnessed the brutality both were displaying. No fear of the pain, no fear of blood, no fear of broken bones. As the teens observed the two exchange blows, they realized that Isabel could be as much of a wild animal as their resident bomb.

She had finally gotten a direct solid hit to Bakugou’s stomach and launched him back a few feet. Bakugo stood and gasped for breath while he glared at her. He felt his stomach churn but held it back. They had been at it for a while now, and he could see the sweat dripping down her body. The girl took her PE top off and threw it behind her after wiping her bloody nose on it. She was now in a black tank top that hugged her waist and curves. He watched as Isabel scrunched her nose in discomfort and smirked. 

Bakugou had used her own head butt against her and he knew it had pissed her off. He looked at her toned arms and appreciated the golden scales that covered some of the skin. The blond was grinning like a demon and decided to also shed his top. It was only fair after all. The boy also wore a black tank. Isabel blinked a few times at him. He obviously worked out on his upper body more. His arms were the definition of guns and Isabel had to forcefully rip her eyes from them. He pointed at her shirt and then at his.

“It looks better on me.” He grunted, a damned smirk on his face. 

Isabel narrowed her eyes dangerously at him, she knew her boobs were average at best but damn he didn’t have to do her like that… although it did fit him better.  

“ Pendejo .” She huffed as she ran at him. 

Bakugou prepped himself to block a hit but what he got was so much better. She slid between his legs and stood behind him. Before he could turn, he felt her thighs on either side of his head and suddenly the world flipped. The blond hit the ground hard; Isabel smiled when she heard the crunch of earth below them. She stood up and backed away from the boy, but not before punching his face at least once. He pushed himself up, now sporting a matching bloody nose and busted lip. Bakugou felt a metallic taste in his mouth and spit it out.

“Teach me that shit, Scales.” They began circling each other, guards up and ready.

“Seriously?” She asked in surprise as she blocked a punch and grabbed his forearm. “Isn’t it a little too sneaky for your style?”

He kneed her side and she let out a breath. She ground her teeth as she kicked him back and away from her.

“Who gives a shit; a fight is a fight.”

They circled each other again, this time more cautiously. 

“True.” 

Isabel jumped at him and dodged the hits that he threw. She was able to land some of her own punches as she managed to actually begin to tire him. His movements were getting heavier, slower. And she would take full advantage of that, he wasn’t the only one getting tired.

They hadn’t noticed that All Might had left them for last and had been watching the two go at it for a while. They also hadn’t noticed that class was over. Some of their friends stuck around but most had already left. Not that it mattered to either of the two. 

“You two, less talking.” All Might said sternly. “Bakugou, you need to learn to retreat. Get some distance and then close in.” Bakugou growled at the man.

“Isabel, hit harder.” All Might added. “Stop pulling back your punches.” As he said this, All Might saw Isabel grit her teeth and Bakugou narrow his eyes at her. 

“How hard?” 

“I can break some ribs.”

“Tch. Go for it.” The boy looked at her toned arms and then at her. 

Bakugou heeded the teacher’s advice and began going into a more defensive strategy. Dodging punch after punch, he knew that one hit from her would drop him. 

“Isabel, where is your agility?” All Might taunted and Isabel responded by grabbing Bakugou’s shoulders and pulling herself over him. 

Bakugou felt her strong grip on him as she let gravity work and tumbled to the ground with him. He tried to stop himself from letting his heart skip a beat or letting his skin burn at her touch again. The boy felt her roll over him and try to subdue him. Beautiful eyes stared down at him and the blond couldn’t help but give her the most suggestive smirk he’d ever worn. Bakugou saw red dust her cheeks before he flipped her under him again. They struggled for dominance as she straddled his hips. Doing and undoing grabs and holds on each other. Occasionally throwing a punch or knee into the fray. They had managed to turn each other over a few times already. 

Bakugou was persistent but she was flexible and hard to keep a hold of. Finally, she managed to catch his arm as she slammed down her heel into his stomach. Isabel quickly wrapped her legs around the boy when he gasped for air and she pulled his arm back. She could hear him cursing and struggling. He knew she had him, she could break his elbow with one pull.

“All right you two, good work.”

Isabel let go of his arm but didn’t move. She was breathing heavily. 

“Get your legs off me, Snake Eyes!” 

She tiredly lifted her legs and felt him push them hard enough to spin her a little. She was now sprawled beside a very tired and angry boy. Isabel peaked at him out of the corner of her eyes. His arms were thrown over his head, most likely getting lost in his thoughts. His knuckles were white as he clenched his fists. Bakugou was breathing faster than he should and suddenly Isabel felt like she needed to get him out of whatever headspace he was falling into.

Isabel reached out and smacked the boy’s chest hard, a growl left him after a heavy breath.

“You need… to learn more grapples and throws…” She said between breaths, trying to catch his attention.

She waited on bated breath; she could see him working his jaw. Thankfully it didn’t last, as he let out a big puff of air. He finally looked at her, a scowl on his face. 

“Tch, I’ll fuck you up.” 

“ Exacto .” She looked at him, he raised an eyebrow at her. “Uh, your hands… if you get someone in a hold… in a way where you end up… with your hands on their head or neck or whatever...” The girl turned to him and sat up. “They would have no choice but to give up.” 

So, she did see his hands as a danger. He pressed his lips into a thin line, lost in thought. Bakugou briefly looked at his palms and dried them against his top. Despite everything, she did have a good point and it wasn’t like he hadn’t realized that before. He just sometimes forgot to put it into practice. Bakugou groaned as he pushed himself up and faced All Might. 

“You both did well. Barely needed any advice! Apply what you practiced today. There are other things you could have done better but all within due time.” 

All Might would never admit that he actually got distracted by their fight and forgot to take notes. Both teenagers nodded and slowly got up. 

“I will see you at the sports festival young Bakugou, and I will see you back home.” He patted Isabel on her head as he walked away towards the main building. 

Her hat shifted, but a sharp tug brought it over her eyes. 

“Get a better hat, idiot…” 

Bakugou turned away before she could say anything, hands deep in his pockets. He stomped away, his body emanating an aura of destruction and wrath. Kirishima followed the angry blond after waving at her. Isabel wondered if he had been this way all his life. She sighed and decided to go back to the classroom; at least he didn’t insult her...much.

Stupid boy. 

Isabel saw some of her friends standing around and dragged herself towards them. Tokoyami and Midoriya waited patiently for her.

“Isachan that was amazing!”

“A very fierce and honorable battle.”

She nodded at the boys in gratitude.

“Thanks… but Toko-kun… please tell me your bike is close today.” Midoriya snickered as she groaned. 

“It is.” 

“Good, I’ll go change then and I’ll meet you upfront.” She waved lazily at them. Isabel couldn’t wait for the day to be over. 

Twas the night before the festival, the jitters had been flowing through her nonstop. Isabel sat with her uncle quietly watching some American superhero movies. They had spent the whole weekend being couch potatoes and enjoying some quality time together. The man could feel her eyes on him occasionally as she got lost in thought. Her hair was restless and in constant movement. Toshinori felt the snakes slithering on the couch as Isabel laid her head back. 

This is no doubt about tomorrow , he thought to himself. 

A heavy sigh fell from his lips and he paused the movie. 

“Isabel, you should head to bed early.”

The restless teen slowly met his eyes and nodded but didn’t move from her spot. Toshinori laid his arm gently on her shoulder and pulled her into his side. He felt the girl slowly relaxing as she curled her legs under her. 

“Bell, you are going to do fine.” She looked up at him, a tense smile on her face. 

“I’m your recommendation… I don’t want to fuck it up.” Isabel looked at her hands. “To be honest… I didn’t even care about winning but then I realized that I should try to not make you look bad.”

Toshinori smiled at the girl and tightened his hold on her.

“You would never make me look bad. And know that, as long as you do your best, you won’t let me down.” He gave her a wide smile as she snuggled into his side. 

“By the way, did you break in the new shoes?” Isabel nodded sleepily and muttered a soft “Yesterday.” before settling in beside him. 

He hit play and soon her eyes slowly but surely began to close.

Chapter Text

She sat silently, hands on the table and eyes on her hands. The girl ignored the world around her as she felt her stomach do little flips. The whole class could hear the voice of Present Mic organizing and announcing the event. Isabel wondered if Toshinori was already there. The serpentine girl picked at her nails and fingers as she thought of her uncle. Isabel didn’t want to soil his name, she needed to prove she belonged here. 

Isabel drowned out the voices around her and breathed deeply. She knew she had to do her best, she couldn’t fall behind, she couldn’t disappoint him. The girl repeated this to herself over and over. It was making her sick. Her thoughts halted when she felt a hand on top of hers. Looking up she found Tokoyami staring at her from across the table and Izuku standing beside her, holding her hand. Isabel gave him a shaky smile and squeezed his hand tightly.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do great.” Midoriya whispered to her. 

He gave her an understanding look, as he rubbed her hand with his thumb. Isabel felt herself relax and after a few seconds she let go of him. A small calmer smile on her face.

The moment was ruined by a door slamming open.

“We will be entering soon!” Iida shouted.

Izuku nodded at her and gently pulled her up. However,  she seemed to be a little stuck in place. The boy grinned and was about to tease her but when he turned, he found himself face to face with Todoroki. Isabel frowned when she saw the look the heterochromatic boy wore, she unstuck herself and stepped up to Midoriya’s side. A small glare on her face as Todoroki stared them down. Midoriya could feel the tension rolling off her, or was that her quirk. He wasn’t sure.

“Midoriya.” 

“Todoroki?” He frowned. “What is it?”

“Looking at things objectively I think I’m stronger than you.”

Isabel felt her fists tightening.

“¿ Qué demonios?”  She murmured below her breath.

Todoroki cast a quick glance at her but ignored her, for now.

“But… All Might has his eye on you two, doesn’t he?”

Isabel held in the panic she felt and bumped shoulders with Midoriya. His eyes were wide and unsure. He gave her a quick worried look that Todoroki didn’t miss.

“I’m not trying to pry about that. But I’m going to beat you and your pet snake.”

She heard Midoriya gasp and felt his hands quickly grab at her.

“ ¿Quién carajo tu- ”

“Isabel, no .” Midoriya’s grasp was surprisingly strong. “ Para .” He sputtered.

She looked at Midoriya and then at Todoroki, the tension in the room rose and shifted.

Midoriya saw Uraraka and Mina worriedly gaping between Isabel and Todoroki. Isabel narrowed her eyes at the boy as he glared at the greenette.

“You thought I forgot about your guard dog.” He turned to her coldly. “You will be an easy target though… since you’re basically quirkless.” 

Isabel’s lip curled into a snarl and Midoriya strengthened his hold on her as if sensing her fury. 

A deep tense silence permeated the room and Midoriya looked desperately at Bakugou. The blond scoffed at Midoriya but then saw Isabel’s hands trembling, her eyes sending the deadliest glare he had ever seen her give. With a roll of his eyes, he silently gave in. He really needed to stop this shit. He was supposed to be ignoring her and these stupid feelings. Nonetheless, he kept an interested eye on the situation... meaning her.

“What did you say?” The Puertorican girl hissed lowly, her voice laced with an unnervingly calm rage. 

“You won’t use your quirk unless you lose control. Correct?” Isabel tried to take a step but Midoriya held on to her. He had gotten stronger, she noticed in the back of her mind. “What does that leave you with?”

“That’s rich coming from you, ice boy.” She snarled at him, her eyes pointedly looking at his red hair.

“I still have my ice. You on the other hand, have nothing. You are useless.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Izuku slammed his shoulder into her and tried to hold her back.

“ ¡Canto ‘e cabrón! ¡¿Quién tú te crees que tú eres?! ” She yelled at the boy, hands reaching violently towards her foe. “ ¡Riquitillo de mierda! Te voy a coger y te voy a partir-”

“Kacchan!” Midoriya yelped. 

Bakugou moved quickly. Glad he had sparred with her, he wrapped his arms around her own arms and lifted her. The blond increased his grip on her as he felt her kick and hiss more insults at the other boy. He pulled her back from the others and marched to the other end of the room. 

Bakugou could feel Isabel’s rage in his bones as she continued to yell what he assumed were horrible things in spanish. Her hands making wild and insulting gestures at the other boy. Currently she was trying to wave her middle finger around as she yelled “ pendejo” for the fifth time. Bakugou heard a few of his classmates get up but he quickly glared at them, a silent warning to stay away. 

The explosive boy slowly lowered her and placed his chin near her shoulder. Isabel hissed and struggled against him but he held on fearlessly. Bakugou could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest as he felt her body pressed against his. He managed to push the sensation down for both their sakes. 

“Hey, dumbass, calm the fuck down.” He continued in the quietest voice he could muster. “You look like an idiot.” 

Goosebumps erupted on Isabel’s arms, his low raspy voice in her ear was soothing. He knew she could hear him just fine; he felt her tense shoulders sag a bit as she stopped struggling and turned her head towards him. Isabel’s skin prickled with the caress of his skin on her scales and body.

Fuck , he thought to himself as she looked back at him. 

Isabel’s eyes were filled with rage and hurt. However, she let herself drown in the crimson of his eyes and the strange look he was giving her. 

“He doesn’t know shit.” Bakugou whispered. “You can kick his ass and that’s what you will do. No holding back.” 

She stiffened at what he suggested, at how supportive he was behaving. Had he always been so nice… No he wasn’t, but there was some truth to his words and she hated it. After a few moments she nodded at him slowly and turned to look at Midoriya.

“Are you fucking done?” Bakugou raised his voice roughly.

Isabel grunted at him and he reluctantly let go of her. He stepped beside her and saw Kirishima admonishing Todoroki. But the damn icicle pushed the red-haired boy away. 

“We're not here to play friends.” He walked away from Midoriya. “So, what does it matter?” 

Isabel’s eyes saddened as she heard the bitterness in his voice. She recognized that tone and the familiarity stung her. The girl frowned deeply and took a subconscious step towards Bakugou, her scales brushing with his arm’s side. His skin tickled as he felt the cool smoothness. 

Bakugou stopped himself from snarling at her and spared her a glance. Feeling himself go warm but he stopped that train of thought right there. She was a distraction, and she would only make him weak. He repeated those words over and over, like a desperate prayer. He needed to get her out of his mind, he had to get his head in the game. 

“Todoroki, I don’t know what you’re thinking when you say you’ll beat me,” Midoriya looked to the floor, his lips tight. “But... of course, you’re better than me.”

A small incredulous gasp left Isabel.

“Izuku.” Disappointment poured out of her. 

She had given him her best, where the hell was his confidence?

“Looking at it objectively, I think you're more capable than most people.”

Kirishima looked back at Isabel and saw the hurt and outrage she wore plainly on her face.

“Midoriya, you probably shouldn’t talk so negatively-”

“But everyone, I will be going for it with everything I have too. I can’t afford to fall behind…” He turned towards Isabel and shared a knowing look with her. “We can’t afford to fall behind.”

She nodded at Midoriya firmly, golden eyes swirling with relief for him and fury against the other boy. They had All Might’s good name on their shoulders. They could not afford to lose.

Todoroki glared at them both and with a nod, backed off. Isabel huffed under her breath and scowled at the heterochromatic boy. She made her way towards Midoriya, but a loud voice stopped her mid step.

“Oi, Scales!”

“What now?”  She heard Mina grumble.

Isabel raised an eyebrow at the boy and frowned at him, sharing Mina’s sentiment. 

What the hell was he trying to do? She thought grimly to herself.

“You better fucking give it your all too. Use all your power, you hear me?!” He stared her down confidently. He wore a scowl and she could see the ferocity in his eyes. 

Silence filled the room as she walked closer to the boy. Her steps quiet and eerie. She found herself face to face with his familiar crimson eyes, she flicked her reptilian tongue at the boy. She was so close he could feel her breath on his face. Isabel searched his eyes for anger but found something else in his ever-present glare. An honest challenge. Slowly a feral smile stretched her lips and she menacingly showed off her fangs.

“Make me.”

Were her final words, before she turned to take her leave. 

Iida was beginning to try and wrangle them into an organized fashion, and she didn’t want to create more drama. Bakugou smiled wickedly at her retreating form, for he had just witnessed the molten fire in her eyes become an inferno. 

And he wanted to burn in it. 

Isabel stood near Uraraka and Mina. She felt Mina throw her arm around her and she relaxed into the embrace. Isabel checked on Uraraka quietly, who seemed to be in a similar state to the one she began the day with. She reached out for her hand and squeezed. Uraraka met her eyes and gave Isabel an awkward smile. They heard Mic’s voice shouting their class’s designation and with a last deep breath they all made their way into the arena. 

Isabel wasn’t even paying attention to the opening ceremony. She kept looking into the crowd for a familiar face. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of disappointment but then she met sharp blue eyes. Squinting to get a better look, she finally gave a toothy grin when she recognized her uncle. 

Toshinori sat in the teacher’s box. Her eyes weren’t good with long distances, but she knew he was supporting her. She raised her hand once and gave him a wave, and beamed excitedly when he returned it wildly. Her moment was broken by Bakugou stepping on to the stage and declaring he was going to be number one. Isabel felt her hand smack her forehead. She shouldn’t be surprised at him but honestly, he needed to calm the hell down. 

The foreign student watched as he got off the stage and ignored a very distressed Iida. Mina whined beside her about how everyone hated them because of the explosive boy. But Isabel couldn’t help but see it differently. He was challenging them, angering them… cornering himself? She locked eyes with Midoriya tilting her head and nodding towards the other boy in question. Midoriya gave a slight nod her way. She sighed, what an interesting yet chaotic way of pushing himself. Today was going to be fascinating. 

The first challenge was announced rather abruptly, an obstacle race. They all stood in tense silence while they waited. Until a loud buzzer rang through the field. 

Isabel hung back from the crowd as they all fought to make their way through the gates that lead to the course. She readjusted her beanie and made sure it was tight on her head before even thinking of joining the fray. Carefully observing everyone,she noticed two interesting things. The first was that the purple boy from the other day was speaking to some people and suddenly was being carried. The other was that Todoroki too had hung back. 

Isabel tried figuring out what his plan was when suddenly ice extended into the corridor and stuck everyone to the ground. She smirked at his strategy and let out a snicker as she figured out exactly how she would benefit from this. 

Isabel took off running and when she was close enough to the other students used one of their shoulders to pull herself up and over the crowd. The girl ran carefully over participants, shouts of outrage and anger followed her, but she didn’t care. Meanwhile Present Mic was cheering on the students that were making it through. Isabel just hoped she hadn’t stepped too hard on anyone. 

Once out of the tunnel she found herself on solid ice. She held her breath and tried to remember the time Toshinori took her skating. Slowly but surely, one foot in front of the other, she slid on top of the ice. The girl could hear explosions catching up to her from behind and could also overhear the voices of the crowd she left behind. Isabel tried to drown them all out as best as she could. Unfortunately for her, her acute hearing could be more trouble than what it was worth.

“Move!” She heard a rough voice call.

Bakugou flew past her and didn’t look back. He finally made it to stable ground and began chasing the Icy Hot bastard. The boy already had his reasons for wanting to beat the asshole but now he felt they had doubled. The pain and hurt in Isabel’s eyes that morning clung to his heart like a parasite. He frowned at the thought. Bakugou felt like a fucking idiot. Now was not the moment to be thinking about that stupid girl. He let himself get angry as familiar Point Zero robots appeared on the field. He would use this anger to fuel his power, he would win no matter what. 

Isabel saw Todoroki freeze the giant robots and gave a low whistle. It was actually impressive. She was going to run forward when a hand held her back. It was Midoriya, he stared at the robots carefully and then frowned as they began to fall on students. The girl stood in shock and nodded at him in gratitude.

“Let’s go.” 

He smiled and followed after her but then was struck by fear.

Midoriya stopped running abruptly, watching in horror as the robots moved again. Isabel was running towards the robot, Bakugou was flying over. Midoriya saw it coming before it happened. He shouted her name, but to no avail. The robot had crashed his hands on her and into the earth with a loud rumble, eliciting collective gasps and worried shouts from the students around him. 

Bakugou’s eyes widened as he looked on from the top of the Zero Pointer. He had just witnessed Isabel get crushed. He felt his heart leap into his throat as the voices of a few of his classmates kept calling out to her and received no answer. He could feel his palm sweating but then the shoulder he stood on began to shake. 

A creaking sound echoed from the robot’s limb. Slowly the hand was raised, and then they heard a loud snarl and ripping sound. Isabel had ripped one of its fingers off and smashed it against the thing’s wrist so hard that she broke it. He could feel the robot losing its support and becoming unbalanced. A relieved breath left his lips as he focused on the race again. Bakugou quickly jumped off towards the other side, he needed to stop worrying for the idiot. Isabel sprinted in between the robot’s legs as it struggled to regain its balance and hoped Midoriya had made it through. 

“Garucia-san just tore the Zero Pointer’s wrist apart! With her bare hands! We couldn’t expect less from one of our recommended students!” She heard Mic’s voice echoing in the distance. 

Isabel had to tear through a few of the smaller robots before finally clearing that part of the course. She could see a group from her class already at the next obstacle. Bakugou was flying over it easily while Todoroki was already on the other side. She stopped and analyzed the cliffs and the tight ropes that connected them. Some were closer together than the others. Maybe she could jump from them. 

She observed the rope; it was thick enough. She could probably, if she maintained her speed, cross that rope in a few leaps… She’d have to get the landing perfect. Suddenly, she thought of ballet. Leaping from a single spot to the other, same principle. Isabel saw a pink haired girl take a leap of faith and felt her heartbeat quicken. 

She had to move, now! 

Looking down at the shoes her uncle had gifted her, she remembered they were ordered just for her. A blend of a sporty and ballet shoe. She didn’t understand how her uncle had managed to get his hands on these, but she was sure not to waste them. They gave her feet the right support and flexibility she needed and was accustomed to. Isabel steeled her nerves. If she could balance herself on pointe shoes, she could balance herself on this bullshit.

Isabel fixed her gaze on the other platform. With a running start she leaped fearlessly into the abyss. The moment she felt her foot touch the rope, she set her other foot and leaped again. She wasn’t the safest nor the fastest to cross, but she was making head way. And so, made her way from base to base. She felt herself wobble in the long gaps but managed to keep her balance. She could do this; she could get through. Keeping her feet quick and light. She pictured herself dancing and continued crossing. Leap after leap, she could feel herself getting closer. Once on stable ground she broke off in a sprint. Leaving behind more of her classmates. 

The final obstacle was the most challenging for Isabel. A minefield had never been in her training repertoire with her uncle. She could hear the mines popping beneath the other students’ feet as she made her way through. Isabel weirdly heard the stirring of earth and looked back. It was Midoriya digging up some of the mines. The girl noticed a weird scent in the air that came from precisely where Midoriya stood. She narrowed her eyes as the idea of becoming a bomb detecting dog popped into her head. 

What other options did she have? 

She zeroed in on the bomb pile and with a flick of her tongue tried to get a scent out of them. There were too many scents though; so she closed her eyes tightly and concentrated as she tasted the air. Burnt caramel, smoke, metal, spices… axe body spray? Who even wears that anymore? The Puertorican shook her head and concentrated again. And that was when she found it, the bitter chemical smell mixed with earth and metal.

Isabel tasted the air and quickly made her way to the border of the field; the smell was weaker there. She quickly picked her way through the landmines, practically being bent over as she tried to pinpoint their location. Then, she avoided them by jumping over them or stepping beside them as lightly as she could. It was halfway through the field where she heard a very large explosion and recognized Midoriya flying on the piece of metal he had carried. 

Isabel gave a wide smile as she saw him get to where Bakugou and Todoroki were fighting. She whooped for the boy as she quickened her pace, continuously tasting the air as her excitement bubbled. Another explosion sounded off in front of her and she just knew that Midoriya was making a lot of progress. 

Isabel cleared the minefield and was on the last stretch, she could hear the crowd cheering wildly and grinned. The reptilian girl sprinted towards the finish line. She focused on the exit and didn’t even notice when she passed Kirishima. In front of her she saw Tokoyami crossing the line. She pushed herself harder and let out a breath of relief as soon as the sunlight hit her face. She had made it.

Isabel quickly found Midoriya and gave him a very excited hug. He was almost crying as she shook him around in happiness. Uraraka soon joined them, Isabel bringing her into the hug tightly.

“I think we made it.” She smiled widely.

“You’re getting into it, huh?” Midoriya eyed her. 

Isabel nodded excitedly and looked around for the rest of her friends. She had already high fived Tokoyami and Dark Shadow when she reached the finish line. The girl surveyed the stadium for her girl friends but noticed Bakugou from afar first. He looked upset as he grabbed his arm. A clear grimace on his face as he applied pressure on it by his wrist. She didn’t like the look he had in his eyes. 

Isabel felt herself move toward him but before she could approach him, she met eyes with the purple boy. He seemed curious about her, and not in the good way. She remembered watching him be carried by people in the first part of the obstacle course and frowned. His quirk had to be something strong. Mind control, thought insertion, illusions? 

Isabel was broken from her thoughts by the voice of Midnight, she was announcing the next event.

The real competition was about to begin.

Chapter Text

A what? 

Isabel had never been part of a cavalry battle; back home that was definitely not a thing. She observed the diagram they had left on the monitor and realized that she needed to find people or a group to join. She looked around and saw Midoriya and Uraraka chatting with Iida. A pink haired girl was sneakily approaching them too. Anxiety ate at her as she saw that her green haired friend already had a team.

Of course, he would… he had won the first challenge. 

Isabel's heart dropped as she searched for her other friends. She found Mina and saw her talking with Bakugou, who was surrounded by a very large crowd of people wanting to join him.

That was too intense for her. 

Isabel avoided Todoroki like the plague and frowned deeply. 

Her eyes kept scanning the crowds until they spotted the purple haired boy again and watched as he approached Ojiro. He spoke to the tailed boy and as Ojiro opened his mouth she saw him go rigid, his eyes blank. Isabel narrowed her eyes in thought, the theory on his quirk solidifying in her mind. It looked like he brainwashed them. That’s a pretty villainous quirk.

Isabel stopped herself mid thought… Who was she to call his quirk villainous? She was basically Medusa incarnate, a monster. 

This was a competition and she needed to get her head on straight. Everyone around her was using their powers to their advantage. They were all pitted against each other and if she wanted to do her best, being a little tricky wouldn’t hurt. She knew his quirk would make taking those weird bands away easy. Isabel walked towards the boy with a purpose and when he turned towards her, he couldn’t help but give a wicked smile.

He wanted All Might’s recommended on his team.

She stood in front of the boy; Isabel felt her hands become clammy but pushed through it. It was easy to talk to people once she knew them, her initiating was a whole different beast. But if she wanted to do her best, then she couldn’t chicken out of this. The boy opened his mouth to speak but she quickly and forcefully smacked a hand over his mouth. His eyes widened and then he squinted at the girl; he was seriously considering licking her hand when she caught his attention again.

“I want to be on your team.” She lowered her hand from his face slowly. “But if you do to me whatever you did to them, I won’t be able to give my best.”  She pointed at the two brain dead boys behind him. 

Determination shone in her eyes, as she stood before the scary boy.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” He smirked. “Shinso Hitoshi.”

“Garcia Isabel.” She nodded at him.

“I don’t know what your quirk is, but I saw you crush the robot.”

“It’s not super strength, if that’s what you’re asking.” She smirked, or at least she tried to. “My quirk isn’t anything flashy like that. Snake-like senses and my muscles don’t fatigue as easily as regular ones. As for my skills… well I can lift a lot and hit hard.” 

He nodded in understanding. 

Isabel wanted to pat herself on her back, she managed to lie without getting caught. A lie by omission is still a lie, right?

“So, you’re like me then.” He eyed her carefully.

“I guess. We have to hit the gym extra hard?” He nodded seriously, as Isabel looked at the timer.

“I’ve never done this, but…” After a few moments of thought she looked at the boy again. “I think with my strength I should go in front. I’ll take most of your weight and it will be easier to spot people and be a lookout with my senses.” 

Shinso nodded at her.

“We have to be smart about this. We should take the small fries first while everybody else is following the 10,000,000 band.” He explained.

“Okay, that sounds good.” 

They heard Midnight announce the beginning of the event. She stood in front of the boys and lowered herself to one knee. She felt the others grab her shoulder as Shinso commanded them. The purple haired boy settled his weight on them and the girl rose fluidly, observing the other teams. 

“I can use my hearing to avoid people, all right? So, try not to shout too much.” 

“Right.” Shinso smiled.

He could feel the determination burning through her. And as they stood before the other teams, they both felt like they could actually have a shot at winning.

As soon as the event started, Isabel began to run. She saw Midoriya’s team jumping into the air. They were being followed by practically every other team in the event. She made a sharp turn to avoid being seen by Bakugou or Todoroki and felt Shinso grab on to one of her shoulders. 

“Sorry, ‘bout that.” She told him. “Avoid the hat please.” 

“Okay, look there's-“

“Shinso, duck!” 

Shinso lowered his head, effectively dodging a grab. Isabel quickly turned them around and faced the other team. It was some 1-B students. 

“That’s not very heroic of you, is it?” Shinso taunted. The other team protested, and soon blank eyes stared back at her.

“Let’s go.” She ran quickly towards the other team. 

Shinso snatched their bandana and tied it around his neck proudly. As she ran, she spotted Bakugou fighting a blond dude. She quickly ran the other way as she witnessed Bakugou get hit with a familiar explosion to his face. The rage seemed to roll off of the explosive boy in waves.

“We definitely gotta avoid those two.”

They saw Bakugou practically ignite himself in flames; she heard Shinso chuckle and agree with her. 

They continued to run and dodge the others carefully. If they got too close, Shinso would command one of their brainwashed teammates to defend. The serpentine girl fainted attacks on the other teams if she needed to get a rise out of them, then Shinso would taunt them and trap them with his quirk. They continued this strategy, and slowly but surely, they had begun to rise in the leaderboards. 

Time seemed to fly as they dodged and ambushed other teams.. A few minutes were left over, and Isabel scanned the leaderboard as quickly as she could. They were currently in sixth place. She stared at the people around her and looked for a band with a heavy number. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked over at Shinso. 

He pointed towards another class 1-B group. The boy in front had the widest mouth she had ever seen. Isabel smiled wickedly and ran towards them, with one minute left she heard Shinso taunt the group. She prayed they answered as the timer began counting down from ten. She saw their eyes going blank and pushed herself to go forward. She heard the rip of velcro and beamed back at the purple haired boy. 

“TIME’S UP!!!”

Isabel raised a hand towards Shinso, he took it and hopped off the team. Isabel could see Ojiro looking around confused, guilt ate at her. But she knew this was what she had had to do. She couldn’t feel bad, she needed to use all the skills available to her. The music started and she turned towards the scoreboard. 

“In first place, team Todoroki! In second place, Team Bakugou!”

Isabel tensed, she was sure they had made it, she did the math. She felt a hand on her shoulder. Shinso grinned as the names of their team appeared on the screens.

“In third place, Tetsute- HUH?! WHAT? It’s team Shinso!” Isabel whooped in joy. “When did you come from behind?”

She waited for fourth place.

“And fourth place, Team Midoriya!”

“Yes!” She cheered as she heard the distinct wail of Midoriya’s crying.

Isabel turned towards Shinso and raised her hand. He stared at her hand and then met it with a hesitant high five. 

“Thanks for your hard work.” He said as he walked off, he looked like a cheshire cat with the smile he was wearing. 

“THESE FOUR TEAMS WILL ADVANCE TO THE FINAL ROUND!”

Mic was announcing the lunch break, but Isabel could care less. She ran to where she could hear Midoriya and Uraraka. She ran full speed and jumped. A big hug enveloped the two as she swung them a bit. When she let go, she was beaming.

“We did it!” 

“Oy, what about me! I did all the work!” She turned to see Tokoyami and Dark Shadow and felt even more excited. She grabbed Dark Shadow and gave them a squeeze. 

“You are so cool! I bet they won thanks to you.” She flattered the shadow. A giddy noise came from the specter as they slunk back into Tokoyami.

“They're going to be insufferable because of that.” 

“Oh, let them be.” Tokoyami bumped their fists together and she swore she saw him smile.

“I’m so happy! Mina also made it, Chako-chan.” She looked at the leaderboards again and couldn’t help but smile. She couldn’t wait to see her uncle.

Taking the stairs two steps at the time, Isabel rushed to find him. She would go to lunch later. The girl wasn’t paying attention when she almost bumped into a large red haired man. She quickly apologized  and continued to hurry up the stairs, unaware of the aqua eyes that followed her movements. Isabel saw Toshinori going up the stairs in his Big Might form and shouted for him, she didn’t care if others were watching. He turned and his niece jumped straight into his arms.

“Bell-Bell!” The hero caught her easily. 

She felt like a child all over again as he lifted her with a hug.

“Didn’t I say you would be fine?!” 

His characteristic laugh boomed through the hallway as he set her down. Isabel looked up at him, love and admiration brimming in her eyes.

“Thank you...” she grinned before continuing, “for believing in me.” 

He felt his heart warm and reached out to her. Toshinori lowered himself to meet her eye to eye.

“I am so proud of you.” 

He gave her a tight hug and felt her squeeze back hard. He rubbed her back gently. Isabel let go and rubbed one of her eyes while Toshinori stood tall.

“The final challenge will be soon. Go eat and rest up.” He stared at her for a moment. “It’s not going to be easy.”

She gave a short nod and quickly made her way down the stairs. Unaware of the flaming gaze that had studied their whole interaction.

Chapter Text

Isabel was lost. 

She tried to get to the lunchroom by following everyone’s scent but only managed to get more confused. The halls all looked the same and everyone’s smell was mixed together with everything. She took a few more turns when she finally found a recognizable scent, and it was nearby. She followed the chemical like sweetness until she found him, leaning against the wall oh so casually. Isabel strutted past him and was about to snark at him when his arm shot out and pulled her into him.

“ Que cara- ” Bakugo’s hand covered her mouth and was suddenly pressed against him.

He wrapped his arm over her right shoulder and grasped her left upper arm tightly. The girl forcefully turned her face to glare at him and was about to struggle but two familiar voices reached her ears, stopping her. 

The words that echoed through the hall seemed surreal. 

Todoroki and Midoriya. 

They were talking about Endeavor… about Todoroki’s childhood and abuse. About his mom. How his father married her for her quirk and drove her insane. How she burned him. 

Isabel’s eyes were glazed over as they met Bakugou’s, he seemed to be lost in thought. For once her eyes did not distract him, the information he was hearing had his full attention. 

Isabel wondered how it felt as they stood there, frozen. To know your mom was out there, but she couldn’t bear the sight of you. To know that she had been used and abused until she broke. The serpentine girl felt sick to her stomach just thinking about it. Everything now clicked into place, that morning’s incident fresh in her mind. Isabel hadn’t understood why he was suddenly lashing out at Izuku and her, but now... 

The weight of being associated with All Might hit her. 

She unconsciously pressed herself more against Bakugou as she tried to take a peek around the corner. But the blond, hand still over her lips, roughly pulled her back and kept her in place. Isabel could try to overpower him, she knew she could, but it would get them caught. She didn’t even dare to breath.

The last thing they heard was Midoriya promising to give it his all. She fidgeted against her classmate and tried to get out of his grip but froze when they heard steps. Bakugou tensed in panic, she could feel him pressing into her side and almost choked. The smell of caramel became thicker, clouding her senses as she felt the calloused skin of his hands against her lips. Bakugou carefully pulled her more into himself, as if trying to shield her from any prying eyes. She let him hold her and tried to calm herself within his embrace.  

They stayed still for a few moments but thankfully it was unnecessary, the steps were going in the opposite direction. Bakugou tapped one of her ears and she nodded. Isabel closed her eyes and focused on the steps. He felt her lean into him more, Bakugou could have sworn his heart was beating so hard that she could hear it. 

After a few moments of tense silence, she looked back at the boy and nodded. 

They were clear. 

The duo let out the breath they were holding and relaxed. Isabel felt Bakugou’s hand leave her lips. She turned in his grasp, his arm still lazily draped over her shoulder. Silence surrounded them, both contemplating what to do. Searching each other’s eyes for answers they weren’t sure they had.

After a few moments Isabel found herself nodding softly at the boy. He eyed her carefully and pulled back his arm. He pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded sharply at her. They both stared at each other for a minute before walking away. A silent agreement had been reached; they would take this to their grave.

Lunch had been a quick affair for Isabel since the girls had rushed her and dragged her away to the changing rooms. The girl was now upset and very uncomfortable, her friends had all managed to stuff her into a damn cheerleader costume. They even had a matching beanie for her and everything. 

She grumbled as she stepped out onto the field, her nerves getting to her. She hopelessly tried to cover her exposed stomach with the pom poms, but it just made her look even more ridiculous. Isabel was silently fuming when someone gently bumped her side. It was Hagakure. The invisible girl softly pushed the pom poms away from Isabel’s body.

“Isachan, you look fine.” She soothed.

The serpentine girl gave her a small nod and lowered them to her side. After a deep breath she centered herself and followed the girls. Walking out into the stadium, ready to kick ass.

Only to find out that they had been tricked. 

She saw Yaoyorozu sink dejectedly to her knees and felt rage. Her eyes quickly zeroed in on the grape boy and Kaminari. Before anyone could do anything about it, Isabel growled and threw her pom poms at a lethal speed. She smirked as the handle of the yellow bushy monstrosities hit the boys square in the face and felt a deep satisfaction at their cries of pain. 

“Nice shot.” Mused Jirou as Mina cackled beside her. 

Isabel huffed and puffed before stepping up to Yaoyorozu.

“I’m sorry.” The black-haired girl mumbled at Isabel.

“It’s ok, you didn’t know… and even I have to admit the outfits are sort of cute,” She extended her hand to Yaoyorozu. “The only ones at fault are those stupid pervs.”

The girl took her hand and rose with a smile.

“Besides, we can look good while we kick butt now.” Hagakure said, the other girls agreed.

Yaoyorozu smiled and gave the girls a hesitant thumbs up.

“Alright, let’s do this!”

The girls all gave a cute cheer that had the boys falling over and silently thanking whatever made that moment possible. However, Bakugou in particular found himself grimacing at the girls. His eyes trailed over Isabel’s smooth brown skin and he felt himself turn hot. Her scales shone as the light hit her bare arms. Her stomach was toned, her tiny waist accentuated her wide hips and thick strong thighs. He furiously turned from them and stomped away. Cheeks hot and red. 

He hated that girl! Why the hell was ignoring her so impossible? She was everywhere and, goddammit, she looked hot. Why was she making this so difficult? Bakugou shook his head angrily and forced himself to keep his gaze away from her. He had no time for this bullshit. He couldn’t wait for this shit to start.

After the whole cheerleading fiasco, the students had all been gathered in front of a small stage. Midnight had announced the brackets and the event that would follow the recreational activities. A one on one battle royale would be the last event of the day. An opportunity many students in the hero course wished they had. Which is why Isabel stood in shock as Ojiro withdrew from the competition. 

Guilt settled within her; she should have tried to get Shinso to free them. She hated to think about how awful the tailed boy must feel but then, what was she supposed to do? It was a competition to showcase quirks and Shinso took the opportunity to use his. She knew the purple haired boy wanted to be a hero badly, and he was going to do anything to get the spot in the course. Isabel bit her lip when she saw Shinso was going against Midoriya. 

After the announcement was over, she looked over to Midoriya only to find Shinso and Ojiro with him. She rushed towards them and saw Shinso backing away with a smirk. 

“Izuku, what was that about...” Ojiro gazed at her and she quickly diverted her eyes. 

The boys stared at her in confusion but then Ojiro realized something. Isabel was on his team, but she didn’t seem to have been under the influence of the creepy boy’s quirk. Ojiro looked at her with concern.

“Garucia-san are you ok…?” He asked hesitantly.

The girl met his eyes with shame.

“I’m sorry…” She mumbled at the tailed boy, he looked confused though. “I saw when he put you under his quirk… and didn’t do anything.” 

Ojiro shook his head at the girl.

“It’s alright, I don’t think you could have done much either way… wait, you were willingly on the team. How didn’t you fall under?”

“Oh, well.” She smiled sheepishly. “After I saw what he did to you I figured it had something to do with talking. So, before he could say anything, I sort of… covered his mouth… really hard.”

Ojiro felt his lip twitch and suddenly broke out in laughter as he realized she had smacked the boy. 

“I guess that would stop anyone from talking to you.” He grinned at her. 

“Although now that I think about it…” Isabel glanced at Ojiro. “I can’t figure out how it works. He can turn it on at will when he speaks to you, but I never saw him turn it off.”

Izuku stared at Ojiro and Isabel, anxious about his first fight. 

“I was going to tell Midoriya about it…” Ojiro pointed out. “If you want you can join.”

“Oh, that sounds good but...” Isabel stared up at the teacher’s box and frowned. “I wanted to go talk to my uncle for a bit though…” The girl whispered to them.

Both boys nodded. 

“It’s okay, Isachan.” Midoriya gave her a shaky thumbs up and a very wobbly smile, “I’ll be alright.”

“If you’re sure… Thanks.” She waved at them. “And Ojiro, I’m still sorry.”

The tailed boy shook his head and gave her a smile. Isabel watched as he and Midoriya left. She took a breath to steady herself and made her way up to the box to find her uncle. She needed to settle her nerves. 

Thankfully, the teacher’s box was closer than she had expected. Isabel had found Toshinori just as he was going to enter, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled. Toshinori frowned as he saw his nervous niece, he had expected her to be calmer. Especially since she seemed so pleased earlier. He wondered what had changed. 

His niece pulled at him a bit more, he silently complied and let her drag him wherever she wanted. They both ended up sitting in the stands together and quietly watching the other students run around and play.

“You ok?”

Isabel looked up at him, she could feel her nerves winding up. 

“Just nervous…” She felt her cheeks become heated. 

Toshinori smiled widely at her and laid his arm on her shoulders. 

“You’re going against Ashido, right?” 

“Yeah, Mina.” She scrunched her nose. “I know I can beat her. Though... I hope she doesn’t hate me afterwards.”

He chuckled at the duality of her confidence. How fickle it seemed to be.

“She won’t… Is that what’s got you nervous?”

She shrugged.

“So-so... After that, the fights are going to be harder. I can tell by just looking at the bracket.” She looked away from him. “I don’t know about… you know, using it.” 

“Ah... I see.” 

He understood well why she hated using her quirk, or even thinking about it. In training he always had to push her to her limits to even get her to start emitting it. The girl reserved it only for desperate moments. To use her quirk willingly for herself would be a large step, a step she eventually needed to take if she really wanted to become a hero. 

But for now, he would let her choose her path.

“Bell, no matter what you do, or what you decide, I know you have given your best.” Toshinori began, “Using it or not using it. It’s your decision and a hurdle you must clear for yourself. Not for others.” 

She nodded solemnly and turned to watch the field. 

“By the way, you should probably also give Izukun a pep talk… Last I saw him, I think he was freaking out.”  Toshinori gave her a nod and settled in beside her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get to him before his fight.” He pulled her into a side hug. “For now, let’s just enjoy this.”

Isabel felt herself slowly relaxing as she saw Koda get run over by a giant ball and heard her uncle cackling at the poor boy.

The stands were full of people, the buzz from the crowd a painful reminder that they were being watched. Isabel sat with Uraraka and Iida, it was odd to feel nerves that weren’t for yourself. It was her first time experiencing this. But then again, she had never really had close friends. The girl watched as the crowd went wild when Izuku and Shinso made their way to the center of the stage. She felt her legs bouncing and held her breath as Izuku began his match. The girl saw Shinso taunting her friend and couldn’t help but smirk. 

This would be easy, Izuku just needed to overpower Shinso and she knew he had the ability to-  

Before she finished the thought, she saw her friend blink owlishly. A familiar blank look reached his eyes and Isabel almost screamed as the green haired boy turned. 

He was walking to the line!

“Ojiro, what the hell!!!” She turned to the tailed boy, he looked equally distressed.

“I don’t know! I warned him! I swear!”

Their classmates frowned at them as they mutually panicked. Uraraka and Iida were on their feet screaming frantically for Midoriya to turn back. Isabel felt her heart break, he had worked so hard to just end up like this. She frowned and slowly stood with Uraraka and Iida. Her hands fists, each step he took made her more tense. One more and he would lose. She could hear Iida shouting, and suddenly everything slowed down as she saw his fingers burst with power. 

“ ¡Eso es !” Isabel shouted and brought her hands up in excitement. 

She could see Izuku turning and begin to rush at the other boy. Isabel felt relief flood through her as he crashed into the other boy. No fear in his eyes even as he received blows to his face.

“ ¡Dale, Izuku! ¡Aguanta !” She cheered. 

Uraraka gasped harshly when another solid punch landed.

“Don’t worry Ochako, he can take it!”

Uraraka nodded and kept cheering. The serpentine girl held her breath as Izuku finally grabbed Shinso and slammed him into the ground. The purple haired boy was out of the ring.

Cheers erupted and Isabel fell into her seat. She watched Izuku carefully hold his hand to his chest and frowned. She had told him to hold out as much as he could, to not get hurt unnecessarily. But then again. It was necessary, wasn’t it?

She felt the others settle down around her as the announcement for the next round was made. The girl roughly rubbed her face and grimaced. 

“ Carajo , I can’t do this.” The familiar curse left her lips.

Those around her looked at her funnily, some even tensed.

“What do you mean you can’t do this?” Mina asked from her seat.

“What’s wrong…?” Uraraka set her hand on her arm. 

“That was so stressful…” Uraraka scrunched her eyebrows in question. “I’ve never worried like that before. I don’t know if I can watch this without having a fit.” Her face reddened as she felt their eyes on her.

“Isa-chan…” Uraraka smiled. “You’re so cute!” She hugged her friend tightly. Isabel heard Mina squealing as Kirishima patted her back. 

“It’s only natural to worry for your friends.” Iida said. “We’ll be worried for you too.”

She felt her face heat up even more as she nodded at his words. 

Worrying for friends… what a concept. 

Uraraka smiled at her and gave her a soft pat on her head. Isabel wondered how they would feel when they saw her fight, she wondered if she would also get some cheers.

After the fight, Midoriya had gotten a firm scolding and chop to the head when he returned to the stands. Class 1-A watched as Isabel turned into a frightening mother hen. 

First, she reprimanded him for ignoring vital information and then for breaking his fingers so early on in the tournament. 

Bakugou observed her as she grabbed Izuku’s hand and pointed at his fingers, then proceeded to give him another chop. Midoriya nodded at her vigorously, accepting her words and frantically promising he’d be more careful. She finally settled down for Kaminari’s fight. She sat beside Tokoyami and Izuku, a small huff left her lips.

“You alright?” Tokoyami eyed her cautiously.

“It’s just, he worked so hard and almost lost his chance for not paying attention.” She muttered, “We promised someone we would do our best.”

Tokoyami nodded in understanding and turned to the arena as Izuku began muttering about the green girl’s binding hair quirk. Isabel chuckled as she patted Izuku’s back.

“Izukun, sweety, stop scaring our friends.” She teased sweetly. 

Uraraka turned to him and whatever she said seemed to snap him out of his notebook. His face was as red as a tomato and Isabel gave a wicked grin. She had fuel for the little fire she was going to burn. But as she turned towards the match she began to feel her stomach tighten. 

Soon she would be down there too.

Chapter Text

Japan, After USJ

"I'm glad you're making some friends. It looks like your having fun, despite what happened."

"Yeah... The girls are all nice, the bird boy I told you about walks with me in the morning, and yesterday I spent some time with All Might's student who was sweet... El unico pendejo que no se lleva con nadie es el rubio ese."

"Isabel! Japanese, stick to it! And language!" Old green eyes stared at her and she sighed.

"Yes, Tata" 

"I didn't learn japanese so that you could be skimping out on it." Her grandmother stared at her, a wry grin on her face. "Your unlce says you've been grumbling about that boy all week."

"He's so annoying! He screams about everything, can't seem to remember anyone's name, and for some reason keeps sticking his nose where it doesn't belong." she ranted. "Wait... estas chismeando con tio?"

The old woman ignored her granddaughter's accusation in favor of discussing more juicy details of this weirdly hot headed boy.

"He helped when the villains attacked."  She pointed out.

"I guess... but he had to. It was life or death. And he just wanted to blow someone up." Isabel grumbled back at her.

"I see. Does he still insult you?"

"Yes- No...I think... I don't know..."

"He either does or doesn't, Cascabel."

Isabel sighed and drooped in her chair.

"No se... es que la primera vez si pero ahora es como que, lo dice como un apodo y no se. No creo que tenga malas intenciones, creo que es un idiota y asi es que se expresa o algo."

"Debo de hacerme la que no te entendi. Japones Isabel, Japones." Her gradmother narrowed her eyes at her. "Look, just follow your instincts. Maybe give him a taste of his own medicine."

"I already sort of did... and it kinda stuck. So, it didn't work. He didn't even get mad."

"Perate, perate, el nene ya tiene apodo y todo? Cascabel, de donde salio eso?"  

Isabel rolled her eyes at her grandma's uneccesary and sugestive enthusiasm.

"Ay, fo... Mira- Okay ,se me salio. En USJ le dige Petardo pq tu sabes sus manos explotan y brillan como petardos y como el grita y explota como uno pues. Que se yo... se me salio cuando lo vi."

She watched in annoyance as her grandmother tilted her head back and laughed her ass off.

"It sounds like you don't actually dislike him."

"Well, I don't like him that much either." 

"Whatever you say. Just behave and be nice."

"Yes, Tata."

"Now, tell me... are there any other cute boys that have caught your eye?"

"NOPE! I'm not doing this. BYEEEE! Me voy!"

Rauckus laughter filled her room and Isabel felt her heart tug. How she missed her grandmother's teasing, how she missed her warmth and care. 

"Esta bien, mija. I was just joking." They gazed at each other for a quiet second before her grandma interrupted it. "I'ts getting late."

"Yeah..."

"You have to go to bed."

"I know... I miss you." Isabel sighed as she felt her eyes sting.

"I miss you too. I'll leave you to it alright?" 

Isabel slowly nodded.

"Bendicion, Tata. Te amo."

"Que la virgen te acompa~e y guarde, mi amor."

"Bye..."

The screen went black as she closed her laptop. A deep ache chewed at her heart. Isabel stood from her desk and threw herself into her bed. The girl closed her eyes tight and hoped that she could dream of loud laughter and the smell of fresh sofrito in the air.

Chapter Text

One match left until her own. 

Isabel turned towards Mina before reaching out to her. She wondered how she felt about fighting against her. Of all her new friends Mina was one of the closest. Isabel met her dark eyes and patted her knee as she wobbly smiled at the girl. She didn’t want to ruin a friendship and wasn’t quite sure if Mina was going to be ok being her friend if she beat her. What if she hit her too hard? Or broke a bone… or worse. What if she never wanted to dance with her again, or talk? The nerves were eating her up.

“Hey wanna go get ready together?… We should probably stretch.” Isabel’s voice sounded shaky even to her own ears.

Mina gave the girl a concerned look, a frown pulled at her pink lips. Mina observed Isabel’s eyes carefully before nodding and smiling at her.

“Of course!” Mina jumped to her feet and grabbed her hand. “We are going to rock this!” She cheered as she dragged Isabel away from the stands and towards the locker room.  

They could hear the roar of the crowd above them as they stretched each other out. Mina was helping pull her down when she felt herself finally burst. 

“Mina…” Isabel began quietly. “Will you still be my friend after this?” She raised her head and met the other girl’s eyes. 

Isabel felt her face heat up as Mina slowly let her hands go. She quickly averted her eyes and focused on the floor. That was a stupid question.

Mina felt her heart break, she remembered what Isabel had said in the stands and a sudden realization hit her like a truck. 

Isabel had seemed unsure on how to act with them at first, unsure of whether the joke was too much or if her touch was unwanted. During their dance practices she always seemed hesitant to critique or correct her. Mina noticed how she would pause her affection; pulling back her hand or stopping herself from hugging someone. It has gotten better with her close friends but sometimes it’s still there. That’s one of the reasons Mina was so touchy with her, the pink girl could see she wanted it but was too insecure to outright ask for it. 

Mina sat beside Isabel and laid her arm over her shoulder, wondering why the serpentine girl had been so lonely before she came to U.A. She was a great person to be around; Mina couldn’t possibly understand why she would have been so isolated. 

“Isachan… No matter what happens out there; no matter who wins, or loses, who gets hurt or doesn’t... I will always be your friend.” 

Isabel felt herself sigh and hugged the pink girl to the ground, almost crying into her side in the process. 

“Thank you.” She muttered, as she got up. “I was so worried.”

“Is that what was eating you up?…” Isabel nodded as they sat beside each other on the floor. 

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. How ‘bout you worry about how I’m going to beat you?” She cheerfully stated. 

Isabel’s face lit up as she bumped her shoulder with Mina. 

“No holding back… right?” She asked the pink haired girl, still a bit unsure.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Mina and Isabel walked to the concrete arena. Isabel could hear Present Mic introducing Mina, the crowd was almost unbearably loud. He followed Mina’s intro with hers and she couldn’t help but smile at it

.

“Strength and grace coiled into one!!! From class 1-A, Garcia Isabel!!!”

She stood facing Mina and waited. She could faintly hear the call of her and Mina’s name within the crowd’s noise. 

Their friends were cheering, she smiled at that. 

This was the moment of truth. 

No holding back.

“Start!” 

Bakugou watched as Isabel dug her heels into the floor and pushed herself into an explosive sprint. Racoon Eyes had to jump over the other girl to escape the deadly grab. They could hear her surprised yelp. The pink girl quickly put some distance between them by sliding on her acid over the floor, but they would soon learn that it was not enough. 

The reptilian girl stopped in the center of the ring and observed Racoon Eyes carefully. The bubblegum menace began to quickly circle and used he quirk against Scales. 

Isabel could feel some of the acid landing on her but managed to dodge most of it. She waited patiently as Mina kept circling her. She just had to be patient. Mina’s confidence was her strength but also would be her downfall. Isabel’s eyes followed the girl’s movements meticulously.

Finally, the pink girl reached out and tried to grab her. 

Bakugou saw Isabel’s eyes lock down on her opponent and frowned. 

“Oh no…” The blond heard Deku mutter. 

“What?” Pink Cheeks turned toward the boy. 

“Ashido shouldn’t grab her.” 

“I mean she barely has any options. If she stays too far, she won’t be able to do much.” Glasses analyzed.

They studied the fight closely. Isabel had dodged the grab easily and had tried to launch her own attack. But Mina was also limber and fast. The girl jumped right through her hands and front flipped out of the way before backing up. 

“Maybe so but Isachan is too dangerous up close.” Deku said as he observed the girl. 

“I mean, she’s just standing and dodging.” Shitty Hair squinted, trying to see what the nerd saw.

Mina tried to slide closer to Isabel again, a hand full of acid at the ready. This time Isabel tried to catch her with a kick, but it was useless. Mina slid right under it and began to circle her closer. 

“Are you an idiot?” Bakugou interrupted the others, their eyes snapped towards him. “Look closer, she’s setting Racoon Eyes up. I don’t know why she hasn’t punched her out yet.”

“Probably doesn’t want to hurt her or use up her energy.” Deku answered thoughtfully. “She’s making her come closer to her and leading her out of the arena.” He kindly explained to his classmate.

The red head nodded, his eyes on his pink friend as she kept sliding around Isabel and trying to inflict damage on her.

“Tch. That’s stupid.” Bakugou growled. 

“Not to Isachan…” Deku answered knowingly. “Plus, even though she doesn’t get easily tired and is more resistant than most. Using your strength and stamina that brutally and constantly has to have some drawbacks.”

Bakugou narrowed his eyes at the boy. Stupid nerd really was starting to piss him off. He wondered how much he had been able to learn from her. 

The noise of the crowd going wild had them quiet down. 

Isabel had dodged another attack by doing a complete split and then popping up like nothing had happened. The fight seemed to be slow. He knew Isabel had a plan and that sooner or later she would have to lash out. Thankfully it turned out to be sooner rather than later.  

Bakugou noticed the moment Isabel decided to strike, her pupils gave her away. They were large and they were steadily set on the opponent. Her trap was ready to be sprung. The large screen on the arena was locked up on the feral grin she wore. Her eyes burned like a thousand suns. 

The serpentine girl was quick to dodge Mina’s acid once again, Isabel needed to find an opening now that Mina had gotten even closer than before. She saw Mina reach out for her again and snarled as she swung her arm forward, grabbing her roughly. They both tightened their hold on each other. 

Mina was starting to scratch at her forearm, desperately trying to break her grip and burning her with her acid. Isabel grimaced at the painful sensation but managed to meet the girl’s eyes, securing her other hand on Mina’s clothes. Isabel grinned.

“T e cogí .” 

Class 1-A felt their collective jaws drop as she lifted Mina like a rag doll and with one rough spin threw her out of bounds. They couldn’t believe their eyes. They had just witnessed Isabel withstand acid and then, as if nothing had happened, throw a whole person. 

The crowd cheered for Isabel as Mina hit the grass, but they were ignored by the victor. 

Isabel quickly went to check on Mina, meanwhile Mina proceeded to check Isabel’s arm. 

Midnight approached the girls and they nodded at the official. 

Class 1-A could see on the big screen, Mina walking arm in arm with Isabel off the field. A huge smile on both of the girl’s faces as Midnight announced the winner. They were chatting away as if nothing had happened. 

“Damn…” Bakugou heard Bird Head whisper. 

The bird boy looked intently at Yaoyorozu, whoever won between them would have to face that . 

Meanwhile below the stadium, Isabel smiled at Mina as she apologized for the burn. The pink girl had landed on the grass and had only received some bruises. She would definitely be feeling them in the morning, but it wasn’t as bad as Isabel’s injuries. 

“Mina, it’s all healed up. I’m fine.” 

“Are you sure?”

Isabel nodded and showed the girl her arm, it looked as if nothing had happened. 

“I’m just glad I didn’t have to punch you out of bounds… that would have sucked for both of us.”

Mina’s eyes dropped to the floor.

“I was actually wondering about that… I know you could have beaten me faster.” She met Isabel’s golden eyes. “Why didn’t you?”

Isabel sighed heavily. “Honestly?”

Mina nodded vigorously.

“Two reasons… First, I don’t do things just because I can.” She looked at her feet as she walked. “To get you out of bounds from where you were at the start, I would have had to use a lot of strength which means a lot of broken bones for you.”

Mina shivered at the idea; she had witnessed her fights with Bakugou. She knew her hits were hard; she also knew she had never hit Bakugou with her full strength. 

“...and second?”

“I didn’t want to start out the first fight by straining myself.” She shrugged at Mina. “If I could take you out without tiring myself… then why not? Gotta fight smart if you want to win.”       

Mina nodded at her friend and smiled. Her way of thinking was less brutal than how her fights tended to go. She was satisfied with her answer though and appreciated the care she took despite being against each other. 

They arrived at the stands just in time to see the end of Tokoyami’s fight. He had basically pushed Yaoyorozu out of bounds which meant he would fight Isabel next. 

Mina quickly took a seat, but Isabel remained at the top of the stairs. She could see Uraraka shakily making her way up, she was going against Bakugou. Isabel searched for the boy, but he was nowhere to be found. Their match would be very stressful for her. She didn’t consider the boy to be close to her but… given the circumstances of their relationship they had become at least friendly toward each other. Plus, they now shared two secrets that they would take to their eavesdropping graves. Isabel absentmindedly touched her hat and secured it on her head. Uraraka was almost to the top and she wanted to talk with her. 

The brunette spotted Isabel leaning on the rails casually as if waiting for her. Hand rubbing her forearm gently. Uraraka briefly wondered if it still hurt but found she didn’t have the mind to think about that too deeply. 

Isabel met Uraraka’s eyes and quickly made her way towards her. She grabbed the girl and dragged her into a corridor. Isabel turned to her and met her frightened eyes. Her heart gave a squeeze and she couldn’t help but pull her into a tight hug.

“You are going to do great, okay?” 

Isabel felt Uraraka tighten the embrace as she nodded.

“I… don’t know if I can beat him.” The pink cheeked girl whispered.

Isabel swallowed thickly, she was up against the most dangerous member of their class and they both knew it. She couldn’t lie to her. He would be a difficult opponent even for Isabel, especially if he used his quirk. She let go of Uraraka and leaned against the wall.

“Right now, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know.”

That caught Uraraka’s attention. 

“What matters is that you do your best, Chako-chan. There is no room for doubt, especially against someone like him. He may not look it, but he’s actually smart. He won’t go easy on you because you're cute.” Uraraka barely chuckled at her compliment. 

Isabel grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 

“Don’t hesitate and don’t give up. That’s all you can do.”

“You’re right… I should probably go get ready.”  Uraraka bit her lip and Isabel felt her heart clench.

“Do you want me to come with? I can help you brainstorm some ideas, if you want.”

Uraraka remained silent, thinking over some things she had experienced during the festival and slowly shook her head.

“It’s okay. I think I have to do this on my own.”

Isabel gave the girl a soft smile.

“All right… Then how about a good luck hug?” She hesitantly spread her arms in an invitation. 

Uraraka nodded at her friend and stepped into her arms again. Isabel felt her hands grabbing onto her sport’s shirt tightly.

“You can do this. No doubt, no hesitation.” Isabel repeated to her. 

Uraraka let go and faced Isabel. Eyes although fearful, filled to the brim with determination. 

“No doubt, no hesitation.” She nodded and turned her back to Isabel. 

Isabel sent a little prayer for her as she walked away and hoped that everything went well. 

She plopped beside Midoriya and let out a sigh as she watched Kirishima and Tetsutetsu begin to beat each other up. She studied the boys and found that the fight was a little ridiculous although interesting. The girl was going to speak to Midoriya but noticed the boy was unusually tense. The grip on his notebook, hard. Iida sat beside him and also looked like he was sucking on a lemon. Isabel laid a hand on top of Midoriya’s.

“Izukun, you okay?” She leaned in a bit and tried to catch his eye. 

“Yeah.” He let out a breath.

She looked at his notebook and noticed it was on Uraraka’s page. She knew he must have been very stressed. He’d been on the receiving end of Bakugou’s hands. He knew the harm they could do, and he understood his childhood friend’s relentless drive. Midoriya naturally worried for Uraraka. No one likes seeing the people they care about get hurt. 

“Oh! That’s Chako-chan right?” Isabel played dumb and smiled as he turned tomato red. “I saw her when I was coming here… Maybe you should check on her?”

She saw Midoriya shoot up in his seat and tap Iida on his shoulder. The boy nodded at him and went with him. She knew Uraraka was okay, but she also knew that sometimes the people around you just needed to make sure for themselves. Isabel held in a smile as she thought about how cute Izuku and Uraraka would look together. She let her imagination take her as she waited for the next match.

Explosions rang through the ring as Bakugou unleashed blast after blast at Uraraka. Isabel could hear their classmates commenting about his relentlessness against the girl. The usually patient Isabel grit her teeth as people yelled at Bakugou to stop playing with Uraraka. It was Mineta’s voice that finally made her snap. She kicked the metal rail in front of her hard. Midoriya and Iida jumped at the sound and silence washed over the class.

“ Carajo , would you stop feeling sorry for her and actually look at the damn match! You're all underestimating her.” 

Her glare was enough to silence most of them. Isabel grumbled and turned back to the match, watching Uraraka slowly build herself the ultimate weapon. 

Isabel was fuming at the people in the stands as they booed Bakugou and begged the teachers for it to stop. Unfortunately for Class 1-A, they were now stuck with a very grouchy reptilian girl. Midoriya tried to ease her a bit but the aura she gave off was frightening. Her normally warm and calm demeanor had been flushed out of her, her temper rearing its ugly head. Isabel had finally had enough and was going to begin a screaming match with the whole stadium when a familiar voice came onto the speakers. 

“Is the one who said he's toying with her a pro? How many years of active duty? If that's what you're taking from this, then you can leave. No point in watching. Go home and start looking at job-hunting sites. She's come this far, and he knows her strength. His caution shows that he recognizes her as a worthy opponent. It's exactly because he wants to win so badly... that there's no room for carelessness or holding back.”

A deep silence filled the stadium,

Aizawa had embarrassed the crowd.

“ Dile más. ” Isabel grumbled as she looked up to the sky, a grin on her face. 

This caught the attention of her classmates who stared in confusion and then awe at the giant meteor shower Uraraka had created from the debris from the ripped up arena floor. 

“She had a plan all along!” Midoriya exclaimed.

Isabel smirked at the boy.

“Of course she did.”  

She grinned at her friend but then she saw Bakugou calmly raise his arm and take a deep breath. His eyes all fire and resolve. 

The serpentine girl could feel the heat from the explosion he unleashed all the way to the stands, it was so big she couldn’t even see the end of it as she looked to the sky. 

Uraraka had tumbled across the arena and rolled to a stop almost on the other side. Isabel could see Bakugou tense his arm harshly as he began lowering it. Uraraka stood up slowly, her legs and arms clearly shaking. 

Isabel felt her heart break but steeled herself. She knew the fight wasn’t over until the fat lady sang.

But it seemed… the fat lady had sung for Uraraka.

The brunette fell as Bakugou charged for her, making the boy stop and watch as she gave into exhaustion. Isabel let out a sigh and sat back in her seat. 

“Uraraka is K.O.ed.” Rang through the stadium.

After the whole Uraraka fiasco, Isabel had moved seats to be beside Tokoyami. They were going to the quarter finals together so might as well. The boy had greeted her warmly and calmly asked her to give him her all. Isabel had been pleasantly surprised and agreed readily to his request. Her eyes were drawn to the stage with worry. 

Midoriya was up first and he was going to go against Todoroki, who fight’s long range. She searched her brain for a way he could win this without having to use his quirk. She understood it would be a match of stamina. If he could hold out long enough to get a hit in, then he had a chance. Her eyes were fixed on the arena as Cementoss fixed it. She could hear the chattering around her, but heavy steps caught her attention. Isabel turned to see Bakugou, hands in his pockets, stomping down towards them.

“Hey Bakugou, playing the villain, huh? Must have been tough.” Sero smirked.

“Even if it was because of who you were up against, you did play a convincing bad guy.” Tsu added.

Isabel tensed at her peer’s words. They were judging him so hard just because of his determination. What the hell would they think if they took one look at her? Kaminari’s words broke her out of her thoughts.

“For real dude, I don’t know how you were able to aim a powerful blast at a frail girl like that.” He closed his eyes and arrogantly continued. “I couldn’t help but hold back against Shiozaki.”

“She completely overpowered you, Kaminari.” Tsu interrupted.

Tokoyami felt a warm pressure explode out of Isabel, effectively silencing their peers as they observed her piercing eyes. She slowly turned towards Kaminari, her face a mask of annoyance. 

Bakugou had frozen mid step when he felt Isabel’s quirk wash over him.  He observed her sharp eyes and felt his breath get caught in his throat. He would never admit that she actually looked scary.

“Holding back on a girl… Really? That type of thinking will get you killed.” She narrowed her eyes dangerously at Kaminari, voice eerily calm. “You think anybody cares about that? Do you think villains will give a shit because we’re girls? Spoiler alert, they don’t. They’ll take us and beat us up the same, pendejo. ” She flicked her tongue ominously at the boy and turned around.  

Bakugou smirked at her, he had to admit she had spunk when she wanted to. His chest swelled with warmth, she at least cared enough to speak up for him. 

Not that it mattered. 

It didn’t mean anything to him, he told himself.

He looked over at the electric blond and smirked. Kaminari looked like he had seen a ghost while the others quieted down. He actually felt grateful for Isabel’s little outburst. Bakugou scowled as he tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach. 

Isabel was thankfully distracted by Present Mic loudly announcing the first match of the next round. Never getting the chance to notice the light tinge of red on Bakugou’s cheeks and ears. The crowd cheered as Todoroki and Midoriya stepped up to the arena. Her stomach tightened in anxiety as she watched her best friend ready himself. Isabel said a small familiar blessing under her breath and hoped it worked like her grandmother said it did.

Chapter Text

As soon as the match had started Midoriya had already broken a finger. The air pressure it produced crashed into Todoroki’s ice and destroyed it. Isabel gaped in horror as her best friend relentlessly broke his fingers one by one. Her ears could pick up the light crunch of his bones snapping. Her skin crawled at the sound. As Izuku made a fist,Isabel couldn’t help but cry out. 

Bakugou’s eyes snapped away from the fight and to the girl near him. Her eyes were wide and glazed as she watched. She flinched with each break; her lip trembled lightly. Bakugou huffed but then he saddened at the hopeless look on her face. She squeaked and raised her hands to cover her mouth as he rebroke another finger. 

“No… no, no, no, no…” he could hear her mumbling out. “ Se va a joder .” 

She turned to Tokoyami. Big watery eyes met the bird boy’s sullen ones. Bakugou watched him grab one of her hands in his and frowned. The blond grit his teeth. He knew this fight could probably be difficult for her to watch, but he hadn’t imagined it would distress her so much. She turned quickly towards the arena when Midoriya shouted in pain again. 

Everyone’s attention was directed at the boy who ceaselessly fought back against the ice. 

Isabel gazed helplessly as her friend landed a solid hit on Todoroki with his broken hand. Blood spurting out and about. He fought relentlessly, never stopping for a moment to think. No doubt in his mind and no hesitation. She finally couldn’t take it anymore when she watched him break his finger with his cheek. She closed her eyes tight and stood abruptly. 

“I’m going to the waiting room,” she rested her hand on Tokoyami’s shoulder, “I can’t watch this.” 

“But Isachan, he would-” Uraraka tried to stop her.

“No, he promised to be careful. I just… I can’t.” She hissed, “I’m leaving.”

Tokoyami nodded at the girl as she quickly made her exit.

The sound of ice and bone breaking following her every step. 

Thankfully she had made her way quickly to a free waiting room. Isabel stretched her legs as she sat in the corner. She ignored the noises from above or the announcement of the next fights. She concentrated on erasing the crunching noises she had just heard and began to try and think of a plan to beat Tokoyami. 

She knew a little bit of how Dark Shadow worked but she felt it wasn’t enough. Midoriya had told her that Yaoyorozu withstood about four hits from Dark Shadow which meant she would have to use her strength in this fight. 

Isabel tried to visualize Tokoyami and his buddy. Dark Shadow worked like a reflex. So how did you tire out a reflex? A small plan slowly began to form in her head and before she knew it a few more fights had passed.

It was time for her to go up and face Tokoyami. 

Isabel drowned out all her thoughts as she climbed the stairs that reached the arena. She drowned out her worries, her fears, her insecurities. She even silenced the familiar voice of her best friend shouting from the stands. 

The girl adjusted her beanie and made sure it covered everything as she heard the announcements begin. 

Isabel carefully studied the boy and hoped that at least one of her theories was correct. She looked at her hands and smirked. All that hard training had left her with rough hands and thick skin. Isabel would use this to her advantage. 

Tokoyami prepared himself as Midnight raised her hand in the air. Isabel slowly widened her stance and eyed the boy carefully. 

“Start!”

She steadied herself and breathed in slowly, she thought back to her uncle’s training as she saw Dark Shadow charge at her. Isabel waited for them to come to her, patience and endurance were going to be key in this fight. She saw Dark Shadow’s massive hands ready to push her out and met the force head on. 

A loud smack echoed around the stadium as she skidded back a few feet and dug her heels in. 

Isabel now stood in a particularly complicated situation, but she would make do with what she had. She raised her eyes toward Tokoyami, his eyes narrowed at her. A feral smirk pulled at her lips as she straightened up as best as she could and began to push the specter back. Her plan began to be set in motion. Isabel could hear Dark Shadow grunting at the force and felt a current of satisfaction run through her. She could do this. 

Isabel bent her knees steadily and flipped herself into the air as quickly as she could. She saw the shadow fall forward and took her chance. Isabel twisted herself mid air and with a growl punched the poor shadow into the ground. The cement broke as the specter hit the floor. She was not going to hold back her punches. 

She landed on her feet and launched herself towards Tokoyami. She could see the startled look in his eye as he realized she was going to try and get to him.

“Dark Shadow!” He called. 

But the girl was ready, she used her agility to spin herself and land a high kick on them. She didn’t push the shadow back enough though, the specter retaliated with a punch to her gut. She ground her teeth together and sucked in a breath. Isabel’s hands automatically latched on to him. 

It was time to test her little theory. 

She stomped her feet into the ground and brutally raised her arms over her head. Isabel could hear Tokoyami shouting at his companion as she smacked them into the ground with a roar. A small impact crater forming.

Isabel expected Tokoyami to fall or be pulled or something but that definitely was not the case. There wasn’t a fixed length to the shadow, it seemed. 

The girl was broken from her thoughts by a stinging pain on her face. Her head whipped to the side and she could taste blood in her mouth. She spit at the ground and managed to just barely block another swipe aimed at her head. 

It seemed plan B was in order. 

She would have to actually fight through Dark Shadow and get to Tokoyami. She ducked under another punch and tried to regain her focus.

Up in the student section, Bakugou had frowned when he saw the blood splatter across the floor. He carefully observed Scales pull her feet out of the dents she had made and meet Dark Shadow head on. 

The crowd was going wild and Tokoyami looked like he was actually struggling with how to overpower her. The boy and his shadow were enduring and reacting to her attacks but were not gaining any ground. 

Isabel dodged another of Dark Shadow’s attacks by jumping over and punching them into the ground again. 

The Latina grinned at Tokoyami and Bakugou could see her lips move on the large screen. Whatever she told Tokoyami changed his stance completely. They began circling each other. 

Isabel slowly got closer to the boy. They could see him, for the first time, moving independently from his shadow. Trying to put more distance between himself and the fearless girl. She took their hits head on, barely flinching. For each hit she took she retaliated with merciless power punches and kicks. 

The stage was crumbling from her smacking and slamming the poor shadow into the ground repeatedly. 

The match seemed to drag on forever and Isabel looked like a walking bruise from all the hits she had taken but Bakugou had noticed something. Dark Shadow was slowing down, and their hits seemed to be weaker than before. 

“Man, this is getting a little hard to watch… How long is this fight gonna be?” Kirishima murmured as Isabel spin kicked the specter away from her.

“As long as it takes.” A heavily bandaged Midoriya turned to him. “She’s going to endure this.”

“Or get beaten to a pulp.” Sero added. 

Isabel had taken another hit to her gut but this time it had felt weaker. 

Perfect. 

Patiently, she waited for her opening. Isabel followed Dark Shadow’s movements with her sharp eyes. Dodging the punches and swipes they threw their way. The shadow tried to smack her away, but she finally caught their large hand in hers. Dark Shadow pulled to try and free themselves, but her grip was strong. The Quirk had no choice but to attack. 

Isabel bared her fangs as she caught their other fist in her other hand. She struggled with the force it pushed on to her, but it was nothing like before. She let out a vicious hiss as step by step she pushed back against them. Tokoyami tried to take a step back but found that she had quite literally pushed him into the corner of the arena. It was only a matter of time until she reached him. The boy steeled himself for what he was about to do, and took his chance.

“No way!” Mina exclaimed as she saw Tokoyami for the first time attempting to get closer to Isabel.

“She’s got it.” Bakugou commented drily, making surprised and shocked looks land on the boy. 

“What?” Kaminari looked at Bakugou weirdly. “This just became a two against one battle, bro.”

“No, he’s right.” Midoriya grimaced, he knew what she was going to do. “If there’s something, I’ve learned from her, it’s to never let her grab you like that.” He absentmindedly rubbed his forehead.

“She’s got balls to try that on them... What a beast.” Bakugou simpered as he saw the girl lean back and then fling her body forward at a dangerous speed. Mina raised a sneaky brow at the boy.

A loud smack echoed and silenced the stadium, drawing the kids’ attention back to the arena. 

Isabel scrunched her eyes as her head met Dark Shadow’s. The specter grunted and fell before her. She didn’t waste a second and ran at Tokoyami. Fist at the ready. He had gotten closer to her and unknowingly given her the advantage. Isabel heard the crumble of earth as her opponent’s Quirk tried to lift itself and help, but it was too late. 

The boy tried to block her attack but a second was already on him.

Tokoyami felt the air leave his lungs as the girl punched him out of bounds. 

The crowd went absolutely wild; she flinched at the noise. Her eyes rose towards the stands and met electric blue. A smile on her face.

Isabel turned towards the boy laying on the grass tiredly and marched towards him. She stood over him and after a few seconds offered him her hand. 

Tokoyami met the girl’s gaze and then sighed. He reached for her hand and shuddered at the coldness of it. Nonetheless, he gripped his friend’s hand and let her pull him up. He wheezed a little, the pain in his gut was fresh and sharp but he managed to stand tall.

Isabel patted his shoulder as they walked off together away from the arena and below the stadium. 

“You did really good.” Isabel gave the boy a hesitant smile.

Tokoyami nodded, “It was an honorable fight.”

“Are you going to Recovery Girl?”

He shook his head and rubbed his abdomen.

“I don’t think I require her services.”

Isabel stepped towards him, “You sure? I hit you kind of hard… I’m gonna go and get these bruises healed.”

He nodded and patted her shoulder.

“I am fine. I’ll join the others.” He looked over Isabel, “Good match, Isachan. I’ll be rooting for you.”

Isabel grinned at the boy and nodded rapidly. He stepped away from her and she felt another weight in her heart lift. 

Isabel had a skip in her step as she walked down the stairs and into another hall. 

Her plan had actually worked. The fight had dragged on for longer than she intended and it had tired her out more than she anticipated, but it had worked. 

She felt satisfied. The girl was lost in thought until someone bumped into her.

“Out of the way, Scales.” Bakugo grunted at her.

She was in such a good mood that she didn’t even retort back. She moved to the side and gestured for him to pass.

“Tch. Better get yourself fixed up. I’m not gonna be easy to tire out.” 

Isabel smiled wickedly at Bakugou as she eyed his left arm and then him.

“You sure about that?” 

Bakugou’s eyes narrowed dangerously, he wondered at what point she had noticed. He knew she wasn’t with them when they had spoken about quirk limits. So she had to have been watching him closely. He frowned at her, she was too cunning. 

“Good luck, Petardo .” She taunted; she didn’t even spare him a second glance. 

She was definitely going to get healed and relax for a while in Recovery Girl’s office. 

Isabel deserved it.

Chapter Text

Isabel panted as she sat on the floor by a laughing Mina.

"Why the hell did I agree to this?"

"Come on twinkle toes, we gotta do it again." Mina nudged Isabel with her foot and the girl slowly stood up.

"How many more times do we have to do this?"

"Five more and we get the achievement, come on!"

"Esta bien... put on the damn song." Isabel stretched and cursed while Mina readied the controllers again. "Whoever made this achievement is an idiot, and why the hell did you pick the hardest song?"

"Rasputin isn't that hard, don't be dramatic." Mina rolled her eyes half heartedly.

"Excuse me, miss street dancer, not hard for you." Isabel stretched out her back one last time before getting into position. "Let's do this."

"Okay! Afterwards we can get some mochi. Moma brought us some."

"And some water?"

"Totally!" Mina pressed play and the music started.

Isabel groaned as the violins began and Mina laughed.

The girls bit into their mochi as they sat on Mina's living room floor. Isabel was lost in her thoughts before Mina broke it.

"You know, maybe we should bring this to a sleep over."

"The mochi?" Isabel tilted her head in question.

"No, the game."

"Oh... don't you think that would be a bit unfair. We practically know most of it." 

Mina shrugged her shoulders, "I mean it's not our fault that we are just so good."

Isabel laughed at her pink friend and bumped her shoulder. 

"We are good... the best." Isabel grinned.

Mina sat back on her elbows and gazed at Isabel.

"Hey... Ive' been thinking for a while. You think that maybe we can start doing tik tok videos...?"

Isabel turned to her and frowned.

"Come on, Isachan! With our moves we can so be famous!" Mina begged.

Isabel tugged on her hat and looked towards the floor.

"I don't know Mina... I don't like the spotlight that much."

The pink girl pouted, "Please, I know we can do this. If you don't like something we can reshoot or edit."

"Is it going to be just dancing? No pranks or jokes...?"

"We can do dance trends and maybe even start our own. No weird stuff, I promise."

Isabel studied her hands in thought before meeting her friends pleading gaze.

"If its only dancing then I don't mind..."

"YES!!!" Mina jumped up in excitement. "I'll set it up for us now!"

Isabel watched as Mina ran back and forth. The girl finally settled down beside her and set up her laptop in front of them. The pink girls fingers flew over the keyboard.

"I've been thinking about this for so long."

"Really?"

"Of course, I've got us a name and everything!"

"What you got?"

"RoseGold!" Mina smiled so bright Isabel thought she was going to go blind.

"RoseGold... Sounds kind of fancy."

"Right! Do you like it? I thought that since I'm pink and your eyes are golden it would be a good name. I was thinking of Strawberry Chocolate but it's too long."

Isabel snickered at the girl and grinned, "I love it."

"Yes! Perfect, we can set up the account today and plan some dances." Mina looked up in thought, "I think Hagakure and maybe Uraraka could help us with outfits and makeup."

Isabel leaned against the pink girl, her chatter and the clacking of the laptop keys relaxed her. She watched as Mina selected one of the selfies they had together and began to set up their new page. Isabel wondered if anyone was actually going to watch them but then shrugged it off. It didn't really matter. Mina was having fun and looked happy, that's all Isabel cared about right now.

Later, Isabel would be very suprised to find that their clip was popular. Mina had been ecstatic, especially when Denki and Hagakure had fawned over them the day after at school.She hoped it wouldn't get too out of hand though. 

Chapter Text

Her eyes opened groggily as someone shook her awake.

The room had a nice peaceful atmosphere, she was in Recovery Girl’s office. Isabel stretched as she sat up on the bed and looked around her, only to find intense red eyes looking at her from the bed next to hers. Bakugou had a deep cut on his cheek and seemed to be grumbling as Recovery Girl fussed over him. 

She felt a weight shift near her and found Mina eating some candy. The pink girl sat cross legged at the foot of her bed as she munched on whatever Recovery Girl had given her. 

“You're slow when waking up, it’s cute.” She grinned as Isabel blinked owlishly at her a few times.

Isabel looked at the candy in Mina’s hands and swiped a few.

“Hey!”

“These are good…” she yawned. “Hey, wait. Why are you here? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just wanted to check on you.” Mina chewed for a minute before continuing. “You were asleep, so I figured I’d stick around and wake you up for the next round.”

“Ah… is it soon?” Isabel turned to look at the growling Bakugou and snickered.

“Yeah, one more fight and you're both up.”

“Right.” A thought popped into Isabel’s mind and she sobered, “ How’s… Did Izuku finish his fight?” 

Mina blinked at her and mulled over her answer.

“He did, he didn’t win.”

“Oh. Did he get hurt really bad?”

“Yeah, but Recovery Girl took care of him. Last I saw, he was up on the stands mumbling about someone.”

Isabel slowly let out a breath, “That’s good I guess.”

The reptilian girl shook her thoughts away and let herself grin. Isabel moved closer to Mina; her legs stretched out so that Mina sat cross legged in between them.

“Young lady, take these.” A small bag of snacks was pushed into her hands by Recovery Girl. “Your uncle brought these here, said they would be more to your liking.”

Isabel scrunched her face in confusion, but one look inside had her beaming with excitement.

“¡Ay, lo amo!” The girl exclaimed as she pulled out different types of candy that none of the other occupants recognized.

“Where is it…” she mumbled as she shuffled through all the small bars. ” ¡Sí! Got you!” Isabel took out what looked like a bird seed bar and tore through it. A distinct smell filled the room, sort of like something roasted.

Bakugou observed as the girl began digging into her candy, an obnoxious crunch came from every bite. Mina stared at her curiously as the other girl reached into her bag again. Isabel smiled at her friend and pushed a small white bar into her hands. 

“You like sweet stuff, right?” Mina nodded and began opening the candy up, “It’s coconut cream.”

She turned to Bakugou, who was still arguing with Recovery Girl. He felt her eyes on him and quickly snapped.

“What are you looking at?!”

“You should get that fixed up…” The blond started to protest but she cut him off. “I’ll use that against you if I have to.” She absentmindedly finished her snack, as if her words had not just been a very serious threat.

Bakugou narrowed his eyes and turned towards Recovery Girl, finally letting her use her quirk on him. After the old hero was done with him, she also shoved some snacks into his hands. 

Bakugou began eating them as he grumpily stared at a wall. Isabel hopped off the bed and strolled to him.

“Can I see?” She hovered her hands over his cheeks. 

He grumbled something unintelligible at her but didn’t pull away. She cupped his face gently and turned it from side to side. 

Mina saw the boy’s eyes snap open, she expected him to react badly, but he only averted his gaze. Bakugou bared his teeth and growled a bit at Isabel, but nothing else. The pink girl began to smile as she watched the boy try and fail to look away from the reptilian girl. The tips of his ears and a bit of his cheeks began to gain a red hue. 

Interesting , Mina mused. 

“ Que brutal , it completely vanished…” Isabel rubbed a thumb over his cheek softly. 

Bakugou’s lips parted in a small gasp as he pulled back a bit. His chest tightened almost painfully. He felt himself soften at her caress and tried to scowl at her but found he couldn’t, even if he tried. How could he possibly ignore her when she made him feel this way?

Fuck these feelings, fuck her, fuck the universe, fuck her weirdly comforting hands.

Unbeknownst to Isabel, the boy was having a war with himself as her rough hands cradled his cheeks. 

She smiled sweetly at him but then smirked. 

“Didn’t fix that ugly mug of yours, though.” 

“Fuck off, Scales!” 

The serpentine girl cackled as she dodged a halfhearted swipe to her head. 

Mina felt like the cat who caught the canary; she had just witnessed something fascinating. She observed them bickering back and forth, there was no mistaking how the boy looked at their foreign friend. She wondered what Isabel thought. Mina decided to leave them to their shenanigans, for now. The room was getting way too crowded with all his pent-up emotions.

“Isachan, I’m going to get a good seat! Good luck!” She pressed her cheek against Isabel’s and made a kissy sound, which Isabel automatically returned. 

“Thank you!” 

Isabel watched her leave and sat back on the bed. Staring at the boy for a second or two, while he glared at her friend’s back. She decided a distraction was in order before he incinerated Mina and then the door with his glare.

"Who'd you fight?"

Bakugo shifted his gaze towards her. 

“Shitty hair…”

“Ah, Kirishima” She nodded. “Did it take long?”

“What…?” 

“Did it take long to soften him?” Isabel looked to the ceiling thoughtfully. “His quirk turns his skin to rock, right? So, there has to be a limit.”

Bakugou observed the girl through narrowed eyes. She was way too smart.

“You better start thinking about our match, Scales.”

Yellow eyes snapped to his red and gave him a small pout. 

“I did… It’s been difficult, to be honest.” They could hear the call for them over the speakers and he saw her frown. “Coming up with a plan against you, has been harder than I thought.”

He saw her adjust her hat quickly, she patted the back part diligently trying to make sure nothing was visible.

“Is it on tight?” He asked, a small ounce of concern in his glare.

She gave a shy uncertain grin. “Yeah, it should hold.”

He nodded at her and stretched his back. She stood and made her way to the door but stopped when she grabbed the knob. 

“ Buena suerte, Petardo.”

Bakugou glared at the door as she exited. He would have to learn her language if she was going to keep that shit up. What the hell does peitarudou mean, anyway? He rose from the bed and stomped after her. Bakugou wanted to see her fight at her best. Quirk and all. With each step he took his resolve hardened, Bakugou would get her to use it whether she wanted to or not.

They stood across each other and faced off in the arena, they could hear Present Mic hollering through the speakers. Isabel tensed and relaxed her hands over and over, meeting Bakugou’s hard eyes and frowned. Her plan was shit and she knew it. Enduring him would be lethal and just surviving his hits wouldn’t be enough. She probably had to wing it and she hated it. Unless she managed to pin him and his sweaty  hands away… but that was also going to suck.

Just as Present Mic was going to announce the start of the match, Bakugou’s unnecessarily loud voice cut through to her. 

“Oy! You better cut the bullshit and use your quirk, dumbass!!!” 

Isabel clenched her hands as a confused holler came from the speakers and the crowd began to murmur. The lazy voice of her other teacher silenced the crowd. 

“It’s true. Garcia-san hasn’t used her quirk even once in this competition. She is here by her own strength and determination. But against an opponent like Bakugou, her hesitation may be her downfall.”

Aizawa’s words cut through her painfully. Isabel met the blond’s eyes and curled her lip at him.

“I told you to make me, pendejo .” Snarled the girl. 

How dare he out me like this?   

As soon as Mic’s voice shouted for them to begin, they were both sprinting at each other. The crowd was deafening but to them there was only silence as they rushed to meet in battle.

Isabel ran at him as he flew at her. She waited for him to get close and at the last second smacked her hand into his face, like in their first fight so long ago. 

Only now she would retaliate with no mercy. 

The girl jumped over him and twisted herself to stomp him into the ground, but he blasted himself to the side and dodged. Cracks surged around her feet as she made contact. He quickly put some distance between them. 

She got into a fighting stance similar to his and he smirked at her. 

“Using your full strength, huh?” He shook his hands out, “I guess you are afraid of me after all.” 

Bakugou heard her snarl again as she jumped at him. He managed to dodge her kick with another well aimed explosion and punched her back a few feet. Isabel glared as he leaped at her and blasted her. 

The girl felt the heat rush over her head as she ducked under the explosion and grabbed his arm. But before she could flip him, his hand was already near her abdomen. The explosion threw her back, she rolled over her shoulder, and dug her feet into the concrete. Isabel had stopped about half a foot from the boundary line. Her ears rang painfully as she shook her head and rolled her shoulder. She frowned and quickly turned towards the muffled popping sounds coming at her.

Bakugou was charging again. 

Isabel dodged another blast and landed a punch to his face that had him almost keeling over. He knew for a fact that she hadn’t used all her strength in that. He felt the blood running down a fresh cut on his cheek. 

He ducked under her incoming fist and somersaulted away from her. He was torn, he didn’t know whether to be grateful she always held back or angry she wasn’t actually cracking his skull into another galaxy. 

Bakugou made an ugly face and with a sharp glare blasted her again. She desperately rolled out of the way. 

“Come on, Snake eyes!” He roared.

Isabel’s eyes snapped to him as she rose to her feet. His glare was burning her as he clearly looked at her with disdain. 

“I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but you better get your ass into gear.” He marched towards her menacingly. “Without your quirk you are helpless, you are nothing.”

Isabel felt her heart stutter and almost missed a step. 

Bakugou saw the moment the hurt bled into her eyes. His stomach twisted. And yet he couldn’t regret his words as he saw her go from hurt to anger, and then determination. 

There it was. 

The look he grew to like more and more each day. Her eyes consumed him in her blaze. Bakugou smiled menacingly as he began crackling his hands again.

Meanwhile on the stands, Midoriya was about to have an aneurism as he saw Isabel launch herself ferociously at Kacchan again. He watched his childhood friend ready himself, stance wide and hands open. The girl threw a punch, Kacchan dodged to his left but she caught him with her right knee. The hit was so hard that the blond boy was forced up into the air. Isabel jumped up and before Kacchan could react spun and kicked him down. 

Class 1-A collectively winced and hissed.

Isabel heard his yelp of pain and felt her chest tighten but carried on in her rampage. There was no space for hesitation right now, no space for whatever that ridiculous twinge in her heart meant. 

Another kick and turn, she had caught his ribs again. But not without receiving a harsh punch to her shoulder. She grabbed his wrist with her sweaty hands and before he could slip away slammed him into the ground like a ragdoll. Isabel barely dodged a desperate kick he sent her way and was forced to let go.

Bakugou quickly pushed himself off the ground and launched an explosion, but she dodged and managed to get a hold of his forearm. She tensed as he sent out a blast directly at her. 

The boy expected her to be blown back like before but to his surprise and horror, her grip tightened painfully on him. 

As the smoke cleared, he could hear her breathing heavily. She had caught his wrist with her other hand and held it tightly. Bakugou’s eyes widened when he was able to get a clear look at her. He had torn through her uniform and undershirt, angry red marks marred her stomach and he could see her eyes shut in pain. 

Bakugou couldn’t move. 

Isabel took the opportunity to knee him in the stomach, but he didn’t budge. He grit his teeth tightly as he tried to get her to let go. Bakugou shook himself out and launched a barrage of small explosions trying to startle her. They hit her directly. He wanted her to back off, but he saw her clench her jaw against the pain. The smell of burnt flesh was nauseating. 

Isabel’s grip tightened even more, nails bit at his skin. She shook her head and took a deep breath. No use trying to kick him… he would use that against her. Tip her over. 

Fuck…

She had to think of something better; but what?

The blond snarled as she kept her hands locked around his wrists. He fought against her trying to blast her or push her away with kicks. But the agile girl managed to just barely dodge his attacks while keeping her hold on him. Bakugou was getting more and more agitated. 

Isabel stubbornly held on. She tried to twist herself away without letting him go but she knew that would be short lived. He finally managed to turn and burn her again with another blast. 

She still held on to him. 

The explosive blond smirked at her mockingly but panted heavily. He carefully watched her, he studied her burns and grimaced. Isabel saw his eyes trailing over her body and took her chance. She pulled him in and swiftly smacked his nose with her forehead. 

Bakugou cursed at that stupid move of hers as he reared back from her. Blood spurting everywhere. The metallic smell permeated his senses. 

He couldn’t afford to lose his focus over some stupid worry. Why the fuck was he even worrying about her? She was his opponent! Fuck this. He had to win and he would crush her if he had to. 

The boy met her eyes and steeled himself. He knew what to do.

In the stands, class 1-A was trying to keep their cool. Isabel was getting burned to a crisp while Bakugou seemed to have been run over by a truck repeatedly. Mina and Uraraka were almost in tears as they watched their friend get hurt. The other girls comforted them as best as they could, trying to remind them that Isabel would not appreciate their pity. 

Midoriya was analyzing each and every move they made. He figured Isabel had to have a plan if she was enduring that much abuse. He felt his stomach buzzing, sick with worry. Midoriya’s eyes strayed to the teacher’s box and wondered how All Might was taking this. 

Unknown to the boy, All Might was currently whiplashing from panic to optimism and back. The man was quite literally biting his nails as his niece tried to grapple the boy into submission while being continuously exploded. The beat up and bloody students were the perfect picture of violence. Something All Might found he did not enjoy at all.

Worried murmurs and comments rang around the students as the crowd watched the brutal battle. Class 1-A wasn’t as surprised as them, but they still felt the impact of what they were witnessing. They had watched them fight before but it had never escalated to this level of ferociousness. It seemed like they were holding back nothing from each other.

A large blast finally got Isabel away from the boy. She slid across the floor hard, he watched as she shakily got up to her feet again. Blood oozed from her wounds and she looked ragged. He wondered if he looked the same as he wiped the blood under his nose. She wore a nasty glare, her lip curled over her fangs in a snarl. 

Bakugou tried to steady his breath. The only way he could get her out was with something even bigger. She ran at him and he scrunched his face, eyes hard and full of determination. 

He placed his hand in front of himself and let off another large explosion. He could hear her pained yelp; his stomach dropped.

Isabel dug her feet and stopped herself from slipping any farther from the blast. The fight had dragged on way too long. Isabel was tired. She panted as she tried to rise from her knees, the buzzing in her ears was worse. He had managed to push her closer to the line. 

Bakugou smirked at her, one more big blast and she’d be out. He steadied himself as he raised his left arm towards her and took a deep breath. His arm ached as he held it but it didn’t matter. 

The only thing that mattered was winning. 

Isabel’s eyes widened in realization. She recognized his posture; the way he steadied himself. He was going to blast her with the attack he used against Uraraka. If he used that against her, she would lose. All her hard work lost with one hit. She watched him brace himself, his arm seemed to shake with the effort. 

She couldn’t lose like this. 

She refused.

The crowd fell silent. A strange sensation washed over the people closest to the arena. Murmurs of confusion began to rise as they observed the match. Isabel was slowly getting up from her knees, her arms shook. The strain and ache the boy’s attacks had caused had finally caught up to her. Her eyes shone brightly as she kept them on Bakugou, a pained grimace on her face. 

Bakugou stood still in the middle of the arena, his arm ready to fire his blast at her. 

But nothing happened. 

Bakugou saw her slowly begin to step towards him. One foot after the other she managed to get closer to him and readied a punch. He struggled to move, his breath felt like it was caught in his lungs and wouldn’t come out. The crowd was roaring as they watched the boy’s limbs tremble but ultimately stay locked in place.

Isabel managed to reach him and punched him hard. She knew she was in too much pain to lift or throw him out of the arena, so she had to settle for the next best thing. She would punch him out with her remaining strength. 

Bakugou’s jaw clenched as he felt himself lose more of his breath as another punch sent him back a few more feet. The suffocating feeling was unsettling. He barely stayed standing, he looked like an unsteady statue. She struggled to reach him again but managed at a slower pace. Her golden eyes shone ominously at him. The next punch sent him back a little bit further, and he felt the distinct crunch in his side. She had definitely broken a rib or two. He saw her smirk in satisfaction; he was still unmoving. Hand reaching out towards her. 

“ Uno mas. ” She murmured.

Bakugou screamed inside. 

He would not lose, he would not be taken out this way. 

He refused.

Isabel saw the boy’s limbs jerk but thought nothing of it. The girl just had to punch him one more time, one more time and she would be done. 

Isabel was almost in front of him when her eyes caught something. Bakugou’s fingers were spread out wider. His hand spasmed violently and suddenly she felt an intense heat wave wash over her.

Bakugou saw Isabel fly back as he choked on his breath, his eyes followed her body through the smoke and saw her land at a distance. The smoke was thick and heavy. Just as he was going to taunt her, the blond felt his stomach drop. He let out a few bigger explosions and surrounded himself and Isabel in a smoke cloud. Bakugou rushed over to her as fast as he could and almost threw himself on top of her. 

Isabel couldn’t hear anything except a very annoying and loud ringing, smoke surrounded her as she saw the hazy image of someone approaching her. She coughed hard, the smell of burnt flesh, blood, and something sweet permeated her senses. She tried to push herself up, but she only managed to raise herself onto her elbows. 

Isabel felt rough hands on her face as someone shouted something about a hat. The girl wasn’t sure what he was saying but she noticed the distress beneath his glare. She didn’t like that look on his face. Worry didn’t suit him. 

The serpentine girl reached for him slowly. Her hand met his beat-up cheek as he frantically said something that sounded far away. She rubbed her thumb against it and gave a small dazed smile. She held her hand over the soft skin but then felt herself slip. Succumbing to the darkness as something covered her head roughly. 

The smoke slowly dissipated and the crowd began to see the form of the boy kneeling besides the defeated girl. Midoriya stood frantically as he saw Isabel laying on her side, beaten and bloody. Surprised gasps and murmurs rang through Class 1-A as they realized that Bakugou had actually beaten her. 

The boy was in his black tank top, one arm held Isabel on her side as the other was sloppily adjusting his uniform top over her head. He had covered the girl’s hair with it. 

Midnight approached the two silently and heard the boy cursing at the girl about her stupid cheap hat and her stupid hair complex. The teacher smiled as he saw him finish the makeshift head wrap and gently let go of her. She could see him checking over the girl and a deep scowl form on his sharp features. His eyes were fixed to the fresh burn marks and the blood from her wounds.

Midnight nodded to herself and turned towards the silent crowd. 

“Bakugou, wins!”

Cheers broke out through the crowd but Bakugou could only concentrate on the girl they were now carefully placing on a gurney. He followed behind them as he held his side painfully. The boy refused to be carted away on one of those stupid things. He followed the girl to the nurse’s office and dropped himself on the nearest bed. 

Bakugou was pretty sure that the unsettling aches and pains meant the girl had broken something. Heck, he was sure she had broken a few things. At least a few ribs, his nose, and maybe a finger. She probably sprained his wrist too with how hard she was grabbing him. He felt Recovery Girl’s hands on him. Sluggishly he tried to push them away.

“Her first.” he slurred.

“Child,” she chastised. “You do realize you are going to fight again soon. These injuries will only hold you back.”

Bakugou growled at her words but relented. 

“Don’t feel bad. My staff is beginning to take care of her and I will heal her shortly.” 

The blond gritted his teeth at the old lady, was he so obvious?

“She would want you to get fixed up, right?” 

Recovery Girl stretched her lips and pressed them on his forehead.

Bakugou blinked at the woman before his gaze fell to the floor. The effects of her healing quirk made him slump. He remembered before their match, Isabel’s hands touching his face. His skin had turned hot under her cool hands. 

“Yeah.” He finally mumbled as he felt his bones and skin mend. 

Bakugou couldn’t lie to himself even if he wanted to. He knew she would have wanted him healed, her stupid mothering tendencies were blatant. His bruises began to clear up as the exhaustion hit him like a truck. 

“All right, let’s get your stamina back to normal.” 

Bakugou didn’t pay attention to the old woman though, he was lost in his mind as he thought of the challenge fighting that snake demon had been. 

He wrestled and forced his pride down as he thought of their fight carefully. Every hit and dodge, he analyzed. And then there was the issue of her quirk, the boy had thought it would completely paralyze the victim but… he had moved. He wasn’t sure how.

What he was sure of was that if she had used her quirk from the beginning she would have probably won or at least done way more damage. 

He was proud but not stupid. 

Bakugou scowled at the thought. 

He remembered the way her snakes’ eyes shone when she was panicking. Her quirk probably wasn’t even used at full power and the boy grimaced again at that.

He thought back to her scrunched up face. Her fingers digging into his wrists. The image of her holding his wrists in place as he tried to blast her away was branded in his mind. 

Fearless eyes gazing at him. 

And all at once, something seemed to click and he hated it. 

He hated how she was someone he wanted to overcome. She was someone who could make him better. Bakugou felt his chest tighten as he stared at the beat-up girl in the bed beside him, Recovery Girl was bandaging her up. 

Maybe, just maybe, Scales was a distraction worthy of his attention. 

And he absolutely hated it.

Chapter Text

If Isabel ever wondered how it felt to be hit by a building, a truck, and probably a jet all at the same time, she needn’t wonder anymore. She felt sore and tired, her body had some light bandages here and there. She tried to sit up on the bed but groaned in pain and a large hand held her back from leaning forward completely. She turned to find her uncle in his All Might suit. A deep frown on his face. 

To say Toshinori was eating his nail’s during each one of her matches would be the understatement of the century. He felt like he would have a heart attack each time she received a hit. Not to mention he almost collapsed when he saw Bakugou blast her away. His feelings were bittersweet, however. He was happy to see she was giving her everything in each match but he hated watching her get hurt. He thought back to her, rising to her feet with her eyes glowing and couldn’t help but feel pride course through him. She had been the image of victory. 

Isabel met his eyes and quickly averted her gaze from him. 

“Ugh… Que mierda. ” She sighed, “I lost, didn’t I?” 

He nodded at her slowly and saw her eyebrows furrow. Isabel couldn’t remember exactly what happened after she felt the heat of Bakugou’s big blast. Hands… rough hands on her face and then nothing. She closed her eyes tightly and gave up.

“I don’t know how to feel about that.” She whispered.

Toshinori moved to sit beside her on the bed. “You’ll have time to figure that out, Bell. Maybe over some nice hot ramen?”

She gave him a tired smile and nodded. Blue eyes shifted to some of her bandages and he closed his eyes tiredly.

“Are you feeling ok?” 

“I’m tired… and sore.” The girl moved her arms up and stretched. “I just want to go home and be a potato for the rest of the day.”

Toshinori chuckled at her. 

“Well, you’ll be happy to know that it’s almost over.” He grinned. “We just have the awards ceremony to go.” 

“Oh, that’s nice… Who won?”

“Who do you think?”

After a few seconds of thought she gave him a funny looking smirk, or was it a smile, that he had never seen on her before.

“Bakugou.” 

Toshinori raised an inquisitive brow at her.

“The moment I saw his hand spread out… I knew he would win.” She looked at him, a serious look in her eye. “That idiot has the willpower of a raging bull.”

“Well, you're right about both.” Toshinori chuckled. “He is determined.”

Isabel sighed and laid herself back on the bed.

“I can’t believe he actually moved…” she mumbled, as she got lost in thought.

Toshinori smiled at her as she seemed to be contemplating, for the first time in years, her quirk.

All Might’s obnoxious hero voice cut through the room repeatedly, making Isabel groan.

“Moshi, moshi…” Toshinori answered the phone. “Ah, yes. I’ll have her over- Ah… I see.” He eyed her as she stared at him. “I’m not sure if that’s necessary, can't you- Well he… All right.”

He hung up and sighed deeply. “The ceremony is going to start; I have to get to the roof.” 

He offered her his hand and she took it. She carefully stood and studied her clothing; she raised her eyebrow at her uncle.

“Recovery Girl dressed you, it’s new. I also put one of your hats on you.” He looked at the top of her head and smiled fondly at the blue All Might beanie. “Anyway, you better hurry. It’s right down the hallway.”

He gently pushed her out of the room and watched as she tiredly jogged away, a big smile on his face.

Isabel was confused when she arrived at the podium. Cementoss cheerfully guided her to her place, but she could hear muffled angry cries coming from in front of them. She passed the second-place step and saw a gloomy Todoroki standing on it. 

As she approached the third-place spot, she froze at what she witnessed.

Bakugou was strapped down to a large column. Chains restrained him as he fought against the binding in his hands. A muzzle covered his face. Isabel’s eyes narrowed, she tried to get to him but Cementoss held her back. 

“Careful, he’s been that way since he woke up.” He murmured to the girl.

“But… he doesn’t need to be like that.” She narrowed her eyes at the hero.

Isabel’s sharp gaze fell on the struggling boy, memories rushed at her and she had to take a deep breath to settle herself. He wasn’t an animal, why would they force him to be here if he didn’t want to?

“Don’t mind him, Garucia-san. He’s fine.” Cementoss gently nudged her to her spot and straightegned her hat for her. “There, now it's straight.”

“Oh, thanks.” She answered distractedly, her eyes still on the ferocious boy. She felt the platform begin to rise and saw his struggling intensify.

“ Petardo …” she tried to catch his attention.

“Bakugou.”

He hesitated for a second as he looked at her. Bakugou could see her distress, her hands balled up at her sides as her eyes searched for something. He felt anger well up in him and began to struggle even more. 

The boy was angry at Todoroki, angry at the stupid festival, and now angry that she saw him like this because the stupid teachers insisted he went to the ceremony. So, he did what he did best, rage. The blond fought against the restraints even when they were already in front of the audience. 

Bakugou didn’t stop.

Isabel barely paid attention to the ceremony, her eyes locked on the raging teen beside her. He looked disturbingly like a rabid animal and she felt herself becoming upset. The chains reminded her of a place she would rather forget. She hadn’t even noticed All Might in front of her until he called out her name. He placed the bronze medal around her neck and gave her a tight hug that she automatically returned.

“I’m so proud of you.” He whispered in her ear.

She nodded at the man and waited for him to leave. The happiness she felt was overshadowed by the distressing sight beside her. Isabel waited for her to uncle march toward Todoroki, and her eyes landed on Bakugou once again. He wasn’t struggling as much as before, and she made a quick decision. 

She hopped onto his podium and tapped his shoulder.

“Bakugou…” his glare was flooded with dissatisfaction, “I’m going to take this off, okay?”

He grumbled at her and shrugged; his gaze softened at the uneasy expression she wore. Bakugou watched her carefully. She waited for his response patiently; a gentle hand raised hesitantly in his direction. He nodded slowly at Isabel and she moved closer to him.

“Calm the fuck down. You look like an idiot.” She whispered just for him.

Bakugou froze as she reached towards the back of his head and then to his face. How dare she use his own words against him, and make them sound so warm. The ash blond felt her fingers softly brush his cheeks and sighed. He closed his eyes harshly as he savored the feeling; he resisted from leaning into her touch, though. His stubbornness wouldn’t let him completely give in.

Isabel saw his jaw tighten, he at least had stopped his screeching. She dropped the mask onto the podium and hopped back to her spot. 

All Might and Todoroki observed the girl carefully, soft murmurs had broken out through the crowd.

Class 1-A looked on in awe as Isabel seemed to tame the beast that was Bakugou Katsuki. 

All Might stepped up towards Bakugou and saw something different in his eye. The boy was still fuming but he held still at the moment. Like the calm waters within the eye of the hurricane. 

That didn’t mean the calm would last, though.

Isabel grimaced as her uncle struggled to put on Bakugou’s medal, the boy shouting in defiance. The hero ended up hanging it from his mouth and backing away cautiously. Isabel smacked her forehead in exasperation. She couldn’t wait for this to be over. 

Afterwards, Isabel had stayed on the podium as they lowered the tied up Bakugou with it. Once underground she stood and climbed up towards him. Cementoss approached him and saw the young girl looking worriedly at the boy. He sighed and stepped up to her.

“Garucia-san,” he called to her, “the keys.” He threw them at her.

Isabel caught them and turned towards the feral boy while hearing Cementoss hurriedly leave the area. She snorted. If they feared retaliation, they shouldn’t have tied him up. She began unlocking the straps around his chest. As the girl finished that, she noticed his eyes on her and averted her gaze. She busied herself with all the chains and padlocks around his forearms.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear it… and I don’t know what happened to make you so angry.” She began to work on his cuffs. “But you were amazing out there.” 

Bakugou stayed silent as he watched her fiddle with the lock and key, he felt his anger waver for a bit as he let her words sink in. His heartbeat quickened as her cool hands brushed his skin again. Isabel gently separated the two large binding pieces from his forearms and let them drop on the floor. She carefully rubbed his forearms before he slowly pulled them back. 

“There,” she took a step back and nodded at her work. “We should go back. Aizawa-sensei wanted to speak to the class.” 

He grunted in response and hopped down the podium, a scowl still engraved on his face. Isabel caught up with him easily and walked quietly beside him. She contemplated the events of the day and the boy besides her. The image of his hand moving despite her quirk was playing over and over again in her head. 

They walked together back to U.A. and shared a moment of peace in all the chaos that was life as a hero to be.

Two days of freedom, two days to do whatever she wanted and share it with whomever she pleased. So, Isabel decided to do the logical thing. She slept most of the first day and then lounged about like a potato, as promised. Her whole body had ached so much the first day that she couldn’t find it in herself to move from her comfortable bed. She would just emerge to get food and maybe watch a few shows with her uncle. Isabel would text back and forth with her friends but it seemed that most of them were taking the time to relax. Well, almost all her friends. She was still upset with Midoriya. Ever since the festival she had been ignoring his texts and calls. The girl eventually decided that a brief: “I’m still upset with you.” was good enough to get the boy to back off.

Isabel was laying on the couch, wrapped in blankets when her phone began vibrating, making her grumble. Her mobile was on the table and she didn’t want to get up. She extended her leg fully and managed to sloppily pull the thing to the floor. She finally reached down for it and answered.

“ Buenas? ” Isabel mumbled.

“Hey girl!!!” Mina excitedly greeted.

“Hey, hey!” Another cheerful voice joined in.

“‘ Pérate , what?” Isabel sat up. “Uraraka? Mina?”

“Ribbit!”

“And Tsu too!” Uraraka informed. 

“Oh, wow qué cabrón… ” She murmured to herself.

“We were just wondering if you were free tonight?”

“Yeah.” She looked around the empty apartment. “I’m not doing much.”

“Cool! We were going to watch the recaps of the sports festival for the second and third years-“ Uraraka was promptly cut off by Mina.

“And have a sleepover!”

“Oh, that sounds nice. I’ll have to ask uncle, but I doubt he’ll mind. He was nagging at me today that I was being a hermit.”

The girls cheered and began planning for the afternoon.

Once that was done, Isabel called Toshinori and asked for permission which he granted a little too excitedly. She packed her school bag and her night bag, double checking everything. She grabbed some snacks and with one last look at her home marched right out.

She was going to have her first girl’s night!

Chapter Text

Isabel had arrived just in time for the sleepover. She had been somewhat disappointed that all of the girls hadn’t been able to make it though. Hagakure was nowhere to be seen, Yaomomo was on a weekend getaway, and Jirou was helping her parents with something. But otherwise it was nice to be with and get to know more of her classmates on a deeper level.

They had set up all their blankets and pillows around Mina’s computer and were currently watching the second and third years beat each other up in their own tournament battles. They observed with curiosity as they witnessed some of the most bizarre quirks up to date. Tsuyu sat near Uraraka who had a bowl of popcorn on her lap, she would occasionally throw some in the air and catch it with her tongue. While Mina was sprawled on the floor, head in Isabel’s lap. 

“They are so cool!” Uraraka stretched.

“Yeah and some of them were really cute!” Mina offered.

Isabel nodded in agreement, her cheeks heated up as a thought popped into her head.

“Nejire senpai was really strong and her quirk was so pretty.” She murmured to the girls.

Mina brightened, “Right! It’s no wonder she’s popular at school. I wish we had more girls like that in our year.”

“We do,” Isabel defended, “Hatsume-san is really beautiful and her skills are impressive… even if she is a little unhinged. And the girls in our class are cute too.” 

Mina thought about it before turning to the other two.

“Did you find any senpai cute?”

Tsu tilted her head in thought, “Amajaki senpai was cute-”

“Yeah! His quirk was amazing and his fight was impressive.” Uraraka chimed in.

“He looked kind of shy though.” Mina mused.

Isabel smiled as her friends kept chatting about the people they found cute or cool during the festivals. It was a very welcome change of pace for the girl. 

They were discussing the third year finals again when Isabel interrupted the girls.

“Hey, you think we could watch our finals match?” Isabel asked. “I didn’t get to watch it and uncle said it was intense.” 

“Sure!” Mina rolled to the laptop. “Here we go!”

Isabel sat a bit closer to the screen as the video began. Mina was sprawled on her lap again as she watched. She tensed as Todoroki immediately encased Bakugou in a giant ice dome.

“That’s a lot of ice…”

“Just wait for it…” Mina smiled knowingly.

The camera shook various times, until a large hole blew out from the dome. Bakugou emerged from it like a rampaging banshee from hell and launched himself straight at Todoroki. Isabel felt herself laugh when she saw Bakugou throw Todoroki into the air by his hair. 

“ Anda pal, que bestia.” Isabel got closer to the screen. 

She watched carefully as the blond tried to keep Todoroki at bay, he was relentless. Well, he was also upset. It seemed Todoroki had stopped using his fire and that had agitated Bakugou further.  There was a pause in the fight and the words exchanged were muffled. Mina explained that Midoriya had cheered Todoroki on and that he began to use his fire. 

Isabel nodded curiously. She wondered what Bakugou felt as he ran at the bicolored boy. 

He finally jumped into the air and began to spin. Unleashing the biggest explosion she had seen him release up until now. 

“Damn.” She sat back as the fight ended and Bakugou ran to Todoroki. The blond began yelling at his opponent. 

The serpentine girl frowned at his reaction; Isabel understood his drive to win but he needed to learn that things didn’t always go his way. Todoroki slipped from his grasp as he got overtaken by Midnight’s quirk and fell unconscious on the ice. She sat back as Mina paused the video. 

“I can’t believe I missed that.” She whined loudly.

Mina turned to her. “I mean you had just gotten at least ten explosions to the face…”

“It wasn’t my face.”

“Details, details.” Mina chuckled at her.

Mina laid back on the floor as Isabel pushed her off her lap, a wicked grin on her face. Uraraka gave Tsu the popcorn and stood up.

“I’m gonna get something to drink. Anyone want something?”

“Water, ribbit.”

“No thanks.” Mina and Isabel echoed.

Uraraka strolled out as the other three began to wrap themselves in the blankets. They all turned into a giggling mess of blanket burritos and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Isabel couldn’t wait to see what the night had in store. 

The girls were brainstorming on what to do. They had finished watching the other festivals and were currently observing Mina whine in boredom. Of course, that was short lived. The pink girl popped into a sitting position and crossed her legs.

“We should play truth or dare!” She cheered.

“Isn’t that a little overused?” Tsu interrupted.

“Every sleepover it’s the same.” Uraraka whined.

“How about rankings?” Isabel suggested shyly. 

“Rankings?” Tsu asked.

“Uh, yeah. Izuku and I have this thing where we say a characteristic or something and then we say who we think would be the top ranked at that…” The girl thought for a moment. “For example. Best smile, and Izukun would probably go for All Might or something.”

Mina excitedly jumped at the idea.  “What if we do it with people in our class?!” 

The other girls agreed heartily and sat down in a circle.

“All right…” Isabel thought for a moment. “Smartest?”

She could see the others pondering their answer.

“I’d think Iida…” Uraraka said.

“Yaoyorozu’s smart too.” Tsuyu added.

“Ah, Yaomomo is very smart!” Mina agreed.

Back and forth they went until they started to land in more sleep over type questions. Isabel could feel herself droop a bit when they began the romance talk but found out it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. A nice atmosphere enveloped them as they laughed and debated their answers. They were currently on the topic of physical traits when Tsuyu curiously said.

“How about the cutest boy?”

Isabel didn’t even need to think about it.

“Objectively speaking, Izukun hands down.” Uraraka nodded along with her.

“Really?” Tsuyu wondered out loud. 

Isabel sat upright and defended her point. 

“Big eyes, fluffy hair, freckles, baby face, flustered easily.” She listed off on her fingers. “He is the definition of a cinnamon roll.”

Mina thought about it for a few seconds.

“I think Kirishima is pretty cute too, though.” She furrowed her eyebrows in thought. “Baby shark teeth, baby face, big eyes, and the personality of a golden retriever.”

“Oh, that’s a good contender but I have to add to the Deku point.” Uraraka chimed in. “He is super sweet, helpful, and he also gets excited like a puppy.”

All the girls nodded in unison. 

“Best kisser?” Mina smiled devilishly.

Uraraka looked at the ceiling and gave it some thought.

“It would have to be someone gentle right?” She questioned.

“I mean sure, but rough kisses can be good too.” Mina wiggled her brows at the others.

“I think someone romantic would be better… our class seems to be lacking in that department, though. Ribbit.”

Isabel had remained quiet, listening attentively at the back and forth of the girls. 

“Hey Isabel, you're too quiet over there.” Mina smiled. 

“Yeah, what do you think would be better?” Uraraka stuffed her mouth with popcorn.

“Well… I don’t know about that much.” Isabel’s cheeks heated a little. “I haven’t really thought or talked about this with anyone before. No one has ever liked me so… I just sort of never wondered about that, you know.”

Mina and Uraraka’s eyes widened, they suddenly jumped on the girl and almost drowned her in their embrace. 

“Our sweet little Isabel!!!” Uraraka cried. 

“I’m taller than all of you.” She grumbled.

“We promise to talk more about love with you!” Mina said. “If you like someone you tell us, okay! We’ll help you!” Mina hugged her tighter.

“Guys it’s fine. I already made my peace with it.” She chuckled. “Come on let’s keep on playing…” Isabel changed the subject quickly. Tsuyu stared at her for a minute but thankfully let it slide.  

“Okay how about, hottest guy?” Mina sniffled as she let her go.

“Oh… that’s a good one.” Isabel stared at the ceiling in thought.

“I… think maybe Iida or Deku?” Uraraka said. Tsuyu gave it some thought and refuted.

“I can see where you're coming from with Iida but not Midoriya. He is way too cute to cross into that category.”

“Yeah, I think this is more of a category for Todoroki.” Mina added. “That boy is hot and cold. Handsome and oblivious to the effect he has on others. A mystery waiting to be explored.” 

Isabel carefully listened and tried to think on who was attractive. She was lost in thought when she heard her name.

“Huh?”

“Hottest boy, who?” Mina pushed.

“Oh, well I can’t deny that Todoroki is very handsome, and his aloofness can add to his charm…”

“But?” Uraraka’s eyes shone with curiosity.

“Physically speaking and only physically speaking,” she emphasized, “Bakugou is very pretty to look at. He’s got that bad boy look, his eyes are super intense, and he looks super good in his hero costume. His slight baby face also adds to it. His eye color is really beautiful too, they’re a nice deep red.”  She sighed heavily. “It’s a shame.”

“What’s a shame?” 

“His attitude.” Isabel pouted. “He may be hot, but his personality isn’t. He only cares about himself… and winning.”

“You sure about that?” Mina teased.

Isabel gave her a confused look.

“I mean, he wants to be a hero. So, he has to care... Right?” Uraraka murmured.

“And he did help you out after the match.” Tsuyu added.

“Wait, what?” Isabel stared blankly at the other girls.

“You don’t remember!?” Mina exclaimed.

Isabel shook her head and Mina leaped at the computer. She unintelligibly muttered while she was frantically searching for something. The pink girl pushed the laptop forcefully towards Isabel, who took it with a huff and pressed play.

It was the ending of her fight. Isabel saw herself walking slowly toward the unmoving boy. She saw his arm begin to tremble and his hand suddenly give a hard twitch. Her body seemed to be swallowed up by the explosion and smoke. Bakugou looked about to drop in exhaustion, but nonetheless he ran after her. Isabel was going to spit out a snarky comment when she saw him stop abruptly and then madly sprint into the smoke cloud. She could hear a few smaller explosions going off and saw more smoke accumulating on the arena.

“ ¿Qué carajo…? ” She murmured as she looked closer. 

A few seconds passed before the smoke began to clear, she could see the shape of her body on the ground and then… Bakugou holding onto her in his black tank top. He had wrapped her head in his uniform as best he could. Covering her snakes completely.

The smoke completely cleared, she could appreciate him adjusting and tightening the makeshift head wrap. He gently laid her back on the ground and backed away. Just when she had thought she had watched enough; she saw him follow behind the medics that carried her. He shouted for them to stop and readjusted his shirt over her head before continuing on their way. 

Isabel was speechless, she gaped like a fish at the other girls. Not only did he keep his word, he went above and beyond to protect that secret. She was thankful to him, but also confused. She thought he had kept her secret to get on her good side. Get a good fight out of her, which in the end he did. But this... This was just… she didn’t even know what it was. 

“Well… shit.” 

“Shit indeed.” Mina grinned and was going to begin a full-on assault when she was interrupted.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Tsuyu looked at her curiously. “You don’t have to answer, ribbit, but why do you always cover your hair?” 

Isabel avoided eye contact with the girl. Her hands became sweaty as she figured out what to say. The others saw her tense and looked at each other. Uraraka crawled to her side quickly and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s ok if you don’t tell us… we just wondered, you know. Since Bakugou rushed in and stuff.”

“Yeah, we don’t want to disrespect your culture or anything.” Mina said.

“I’m sorry for asking I-” Isabel cut Tsuyu off. 

“It’s okay guys…” Isabel took a deep breath. “Sooner or later people were going to begin asking; and we all know I’m shit at lying.” 

She made the girls sit in front of her in a little row. They were all anxiously looking at her as they observed her fidgeting with her hat.

“Ah… before I take it off.” She looked away from them. “I just want to say I’ll understand if you don’t want to hang around me anymore.” 

The girls protested at her words, but she shook her head at them sadly.

“Oh, and please keep this a secret.” The girls agreed and watched her intensely.

She breathed in and slowly pulled her hat off. “This is also the uh… reason no one has ever crushed on me.” She frowned.

The girls had blank stares on their faces as they saw her hair slowly unfurl by itself. Tsuyu let out a single ribbit before tilting her head.

“That’s it?” 

“What do you mean?” Isabel hesitated. “I have snakes for hair.”

Mina and Uraraka seemed more shocked than Tsuyu but they quickly shook it off. 

“It’s actually not bad. I imagined something more dramatic.” Uraraka murmured to herself.

“What…” Isabel tried to process their reactions. Mina gave a loud laugh at the girl’s confused expression and reached over to pat her hand.

“Oh sweety…You do realize we have a guy with a bird’s head in our class, right?” Mina stated.

“And a guy with eight arms, and another with engines for legs… and Koda looks like a dinosaur made of stone?” Uraraka listed.

“I look like a frog.” Tsuyu added.

“I mean, sure, snakes for hair can be a little ominous and some people might think they are scary.” Mina continued. “But I wouldn’t stop hanging out with you because of that.”

Isabel felt her eyes begin to water as she processed their words. All her life she had been looked at as if she were a monster, an anomaly. Something to be scared of. She knew mutation quirks weren’t common where she came from and that the people she grew up with didn’t know better… but it still hurt. Her otherness pushed her into the fringes of her school and social circles, marking her as an outsider. 

Family, strangers, and acquaintances alike would whisper behind her back, thinking she couldn’t hear them. Villain, ugly, monster, they called her. They branded her soul with demeaning words and insecurities. Eventually turning her self-esteem into ash… and yet here were these girls. Looking at her like there was nothing wrong with her. Like she wasn’t a monster, like she was worthy of their friendship. Like there was nothing that could keep them away. They simply accepted her and Isabel felt herself breathe easier. 

Isabel couldn’t help herself. She jumped at them and embraced her friends in a very tight hug. The girls held and comforted Isabel as best as they could holding her closer than ever. They let her gather herself and gave her some snacks. Reassuring her that she looked fine, and that they still loved her. Maybe someday she'd open up to them completely, but for now this was enough.

It took a few moments, but they eventually moved on and continued the sleepover. They joked around and watched as Isabel truly began to engage with them. She would tease them more and get closer; she would be a little more open with her excitement. At one point they took turns petting her hair and becoming acquainted with the little snakes. Uraraka was the one most nervous about it but after some cute snake nuzzles, she gave in to actually befriending them. 

After a few more videos and snacks later, they began getting ready for bed. They were laying down their sleeping bags when a curious thought popped into Mina’s head.

“Hey, Isachan… How does Bakugou know about your hair?” She smirked, hopefully going to get some juicy details.

Isabel gave a very exasperated huff; she was actually freaking out on the inside.

“The stupidest way possible.” She answered flatly as she got into her sleeping bag. “I tripped hard, guess what fell off my head and who just happened to be around.”

Uraraka grimaced at her. 

“Exactly.” She focused on the ceiling, her heart beat obnoxiously loud. Isabel faintly wondered if they could hear it. “The only person that knew because I showed them was Izukun but then I had to go and eat concrete.”

“Well he seemed to keep your secret.” Tsuyu said thoughtfully.

Isabel shook her head slowly at them and heaved a sigh.

“You remember that week that he haunted me like a violent ghost?” The girls nodded at her. Isabel hoped she sounded as convincing as she thought she did.

“I gave that grenade his fight, so he kept my secret.”

Uraraka laughed at Isabel’s exasperated expression, of course that would have been Bakugou’s price. 

Isabel nervously nuzzled into her sleeping bag. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them, she told herself. She prayed that she had looked natural while saying those things. The chatter slowly died down as one by one they fell asleep. Isabel yawned as she thought of the blond angry boy.

T hey didn’t need to know the details, she repeated to herself. 

Isabel would keep that day in her heart and would take it to her grave.

Chapter Text

The first day back to school and they were already training in the USJ. 

There really was no rest for the wicked , Isabel thought solemnly as she watched a bandaged eraser give the instructions. 

A sense of deja vu washed over her when her uncle’s absence was mentioned. Some of the others looked at her questioningly but she could only shrug sheepishly at them. 

He really needed to be more punctual, thought the girl. 

Isabel watched as they divided everyone into teams of three and began the rescue exercise. Isabel carefully leaned over the cliff and looked down on Midoriya, Iida, and Uraraka as they pretended to be hurt. The girl grinned at Iida’s drama and walked back to observe. She enjoyed watching all the groups get saved and find creative ways of helping each other. When her turn came she found that besides finding the victim her best bet would be providing some of the muscle; she and Shoji helped stabilize the ropes and pull up the injured while Tsuyu had gone down to calm the victims and Mina was helping them once they got to the top. Isabel couldn’t help but smile at her classmates. 

Everyone was working together so well, she was so proud to be a part of them.

After finishing with the rescue portion of the exercise, the class had been taken to a different disaster area that she found very familiar. The girl was almost sure it was the same one she had been teleported to with the boys when the league had attacked. 

The impromptu game of hide and seek had begun rather quickly. Isabel frowned as she ran around the broken buildings. The future hero hadn't seen anyone yet and she found that she really didn’t know what was a good place to hide. 

Isabel wanted to make things hard for Bakugou and Izukun, but found herself second guessing her ideas. She had never played in such a big area or with any one other than her grandma and Meli before. The reptilian girl had the advantage of being very quiet but her inexperience was making her keep doubting herself. 

Isabel finally found a sturdy looking building and jumped in through a broken window. She landed softly on her toes and made her way to the center of the room when she heard a small startled noise. The girl whipped around to find Todoroki sitting on a stone slab, eyes wide. 

“Quiet…” He commented absentmindedly.

“Oh, I didn’t know this spot was taken.” Isabel awkwardly kicked a small rock. “I’ll just… eh… Look for somewhere else to hide.”

She quickly began to leave but stopped when she heard his voice. 

“Garucia,” Todoroki glanced to the floor and then back to her. “I should apologize for what I said at the festival… I was angry.”

She studied the boy and went to sit down beside him,crossing her legs and leaning her weight on her hands. 

“It’s ok… we all get angry.” She gave him a smile. “I should also apologize; I sort of blew up.”

“You were protecting Midoriya.” 

“Yeah… but I called you some nasty stuff.” She looked away from the boy.

Todoroki gazed at her, puzzled. 

“It’s ok. I didn’t understand them.”

Isabel had to cover her mouth, she almost cackled in laughter. 

“I wanted to talk to you about something.” He whispered.

“You do?” 

“Yes, my father. He-”

Isabel sprung from her spot, interrupting the monotonous boy.

Todoroki observed her calmly but began to worry when she frowned. She turned toward a large man in a frightening mask. 

Todoroki stood; hands ready to use his quirk. The man walked towards them ominously. She tensed and tasted the air, Isabel tried to see if someone else was nearby but then...

“You’re here?” She tilted her head in confusion. 

Todoroki looked at her puzzled as he prepared to send out a wave of ice.

A rumbling sound emerged from one of the buildings as debris and earth shot out violently in every direction. The class gathered in panic around the large cloud of dust that had just blasted through the disaster zone. 

Iida slowly sat up, he had managed to protect Jirou and Uraraka from getting hit with the pressurized attack by tackling them. The three students could only stare in horror from their place on the ground. They heard a familiar sharp yelp and saw a body come flying out of the settling dust cloud. It rolled on the ground a few times and when it stopped on its side the class looked on in collective horror. 

“Isachan!!!” Midoriya cried desperately, but felt a pair of hands hold him back.  

A large figure walked out of the dust, they stared in shock as Todoroki hung from the villain’s grip. 

“It can’t be! Impossible.” Uraraka cried out.

“He took down two of our strongest…” Jirou fell in despair. 

What could they do if the villain had taken out their best offense? How would they help their friends?

Bakugou had felt the tremors shake the building he was searching in; he was going to continue the stupid exercise when he heard a familiar scream. Deku was shouting Isabel’s name in a way that could only mean something bad had gone down. He blasted himself out of a window and in the distance, his classmates stood surrounding something. 

No, someone . 

As he got closer, he noticed the man had a person in its grasp. Bakugou felt some relief when he saw it was just Icy-Hot but then… He saw a familiar white hooded costume and his stomach dropped. 

Isabel was on the ground and struggling to get back her bearings. The villain skulked towards her but she wasn’t moving away. He felt sick and boosted himself farther, hoping to get there in time to save her ass.

The crunching of earth alerted Isabel that the villain strode towards her fallen form. She pushed herself up slowly and looked around her. She could see the shock in the eyes of her classmates, fear and desperation filling each and every one of them. A shadow washed over the girl.

Isabel turned on her back and pushed herself onto her elbows as the villain loomed over her. She could hear the frantic cries of her friends, they yelled for her to get out of there. Explosions echoed in the distance. The villain lifted his leg high and Isabel prepared herself. This would not be pretty. 

“You won’t escape, I will finish you all!!!” The man hollered.

Isabel dropped to her back and crossed her arms over her chest, a feeble attempt to block the stomp. 

A large burst of air pushed the students back, they could hear buildings crumbling as the earth shook. The whole area collapsed and what was left was flat ground, the villain, and their two friends. Todoroki was still hanging weightlessly from his grip but Isabel... Isabel was covered in dust and grime as she laid deathly still under the villain’s foot. She was limp, her arms slack against her body.

“Isachan!” Mina shouted from atop a crumbled building. “Someone, get her!”

“Alright. Now the terrain is clear.” He cackled. “Not one will escape!” 

As he said this, he roughly twisted his boot on Isabel and rolled her over onto her face. He left his foot on top of her back as he taunted the students.

“Your efforts are futile heroes!”

Bakugou only saw red as he flew towards the villain. The sight of Isabel under the villain’s foot was disturbing. He viciously growled as he released the first blast of many. He couldn’t let up, he had to keep the villain’s attention on him. Try and get that fucker off her but the villain wouldn’t budge an inch as he kept the onslaught. 

Midoriya watched in horror as the villain attacked Bakugou, but thankfully his friend was faster and managed to flip over the guy midair with a small blast. 

Bakugou finally had a clear shot and unleashed a large explosion onto the villain’s back. He saw when the man stumbled and took his foot off of Isabel’s body. But the blast had been too big and had pushed Bakugou too far back to reach her.

 “Dammit…” the blond muttered under his breath. “Oi! Don’t worry about the others! And don’t just stand there! Make those weaklings run away!” Bakugou shouted at the other boys.

“Why do you have to insult them!?” Iida went to refute but Bakugou wasn’t paying attention. 

His eyes were fixed on the girl and the villain that stood over her.

“Oi, Bakugou!” A voice cut through. “Who do you mean by those weaklings?” Kirishima called.

“We are the students of class A.” Yaoyorozu stepped up.

“We will all be heroes!” Uraraka said as she stared down upon the villain.

“Let’s get them back!” Mina pumped a fist in the air.

The villain chuckled at them. 

“How brave.” He taunted, taking a step and firmly placing his foot on Isabel’s back again.

Midoriya’s eyes widened as crackles and pops reached his ears. Bakugou looked livid, he glared down at the villain with an intensity he had never seen before. 

“Hmmm… It seems you didn’t like that.” The evil man chuckled and dug in his foot again.

The villain sent a shockwave that tore up the floor towards them. The students scrambled to destroy the debris that was coming their way. They all began attacking the villain, slowly they were making progress.

Finally, Sero had managed to tape him up while Yaoyorozu had caught him in her net. The fighters were closing in, but what they didn’t expect was the man to break free and push them back with another burst of air.

“I didn’t think you would all come to attack me.” The villain growled. “It’s unexpected but with something so simple-”

A large blast interrupted him as the blond boy began an unforgiving assault. Explosion after explosion, he unleashed his attacks and avoided the villain’s. Bakugou couldn’t see any progress though. The villain stood in the same spot; he barely moved an inch. Foot still on the reptilian girl. The boy clenched his jaw as he panted heavily.

“It seems you are tired… time to end this.”

The villain raised his foot in the air and Bakugou felt himself rush forward. 

“Don’t you dare!” The boy snarled at the man.

He couldn’t let him lower that foot. He set off a large explosion in the villain’s face. Hoping it would make him take a step back, but the man still didn’t budge. 

Out of the corner of his eye Bakugou saw a flash of green. 

Midoriya flew by them and managed to stick Mineta’s ball on Todoroki, efficiently rescuing him and gaining the villain’s attention. 

Midoriya dropped his glove and Todoroki. He aimed his hand carefully and unleashed his power on the villain. He begged every god he knew it would be enough to knock the villain back and off Isabel. 

The villain took a large step back as he blocked Midoriya’s attack. Bakugou saw the opening and launched himself towards the man. His eyes never leaving the slumped girl on the ground. 

“I will kill him!” Bakugou managed to get close to the villain and step over Isabel’s body. He was now between the villain and her unconscious form. 

“Get away!” 

His hands heated up and he let off two enormous explosions. He quickly turned and shielded Isabel from the heat and shockwave of the blasts. The villain was blown away from them and smacked into a sticky booby-trapped wall.

Bakugou let out a breath as everything finally became quiet and settled. 

Cheers erupted from the students. 

The blond uncurled himself off the girl and turned her over. Dirt and some soot from his explosions covered her face and costume. Small scratches littered her brown skin. He checked the side of her upper arms and her golden scales seemed to be fine. Her forearms though weren’t; large dark bruises were beginning to form on them. They must have been from the huge stomp she tried to block. He felt anger begin to rise within him as he looked over the girl. 

“Deku,” he rose and made eye contact with Midoriya. “Take care of Scales! I’ve got some unfinished business.” Bakugou marched straight up to the villain ready to destroy him. 

The villain struggled restlessly against the balls. Bakugou’s hands began to smoke and pop but then…

“Wait… I am here!”

“ALL MIGHT!!!” The students shouted in unison as they almost sprinted towards their teacher. 

As soon as Isabel heard the familiar catch phrase, she slowly opened her eyes. Her classmates were surrounding All Might, a violent aura emanating from them. They hadn’t noticed her moving yet. She pushed herself off the ground and sat with her legs crossed. 

Her back and arms ached, his hits were harder than he had said they would be… or maybe she wasn’t accustomed to them anymore. That first tumble also hurt; he threw her really hard. The girl studied her arms, small scratches and some bruises littered all around her skin but her scales thankfully held up. 

Isabel heard some protests near her and looked at the class in awe. The girl watched as they all went ape shit on All Might. She remembered when weeks ago they had claimed they would defend her; it had sounded too good to be true. But they had actually fought to save her. Her body was sore, but she felt so happy as she heard her friends berating the number one hero.

The boys were still beating All Might up when Todoroki walked up to them. 

Bakugou turned and felt his anger boil over. Those two idiots had been in on it. Todoroki looked pristine, not a scratch in sight. That Icy-Hot idiot had literally hung around while they tried to save him.

“You were in on the surprise!?!” He shouted at the boy.

“Sorry…” Todoroki didn’t meet their eyes.

“And you!?!?!” The blond stopped shouting when he got a good look at Isabel. 

She was sitting on the floor holding her arms, a tight grimace on her face. He could see her costume all beaten up. She looked pitiful covered in all that dirt. 

“Hey, Scales!” Called Bakugou, which caught the attention of the others. 

They stopped whatever they were doing to the blond hero when they heard Isabel hiss as she shifted her body. She rubbed her dirty face with her arm and made a bigger mess of herself. Mina and Uraraka ran towards her and fell on their knees beside their friend as Bakugou and Midoriya marched up behind them. 

“I’m sorry… I played dead.” She mumbled with a pout. 

“No, it’s ok!” Mina said as she grabbed her hand.

“You guys did amazing, you know.” She smiled gently at her classmates.

“We kind of sucked though… Deku and Bakugou did most of the work.” Uraraka rubbed the back of her head.

“Not at all. You guys actually came to save me and… and… that was wonderful.” Isabel felt her eyes sting a bit but held it in. “It’s amazing that you would go through so much to help me.” She looked down at her hands as she said this. “You’re all my heroes.” 

A wide toothy smile stretched across her face, looking around at the class. They all felt their chest burst with warmth and pride. 

The whole group was having a very heartwarming moment, they even stopped beating All Might for a second. However the happiness was short-lived. 

Mina teared up and hugged her friend, but Isabel pulled back sharply. Everyone glowered when they heard her hiss again. 

Bakugou pulled Mina off of her quickly. 

“You’re hurt…” Snarled the boy as he crouched beside her and gave her another look over.

“ Más o menos .” She shrugged, “His hits were harder than I remembered. And I didn’t manage to pull out my shield when he stomped me.” She chuckled a little but then winced at the soreness. 

Everyone in class A turned back to glare at their teacher. Outrage poured out of them as they began to berate All Might all over again. Isabel saw Mina and Uraraka march up to him angrily while Iida began to lecture him on the repercussions of his trickery. The serpentine girl tried to backtrack, but her attempt was futile. Even Midoriya seemed a bit upset, although the look of relief in his eyes was unmistakable. 

“ Bendito… It’s fine guys, it was part of the exercise. He told me about it beforehand, and Todoroki wouldn’t have been able to take the hits, and I’ve trained with my uncle so I know I can take them and…” She rambled on, but it was not good enough to stop their wrath. 

Isabel let out a hopeless sigh as she slowly began to get up. 

“ Mierda …” The girl cursed under her breath, distracting Bakugou from his rage induced mutism. 

“ Me duele hasta el pelo, carajo .” She muttered. 

The blond saw her struggling to stand up and gave in to his instinct. Bakugou reached out to help her as she got on her feet, a deep grimace on her face. The boy sighed; and took off his neck guard and gauntlets. 

“Tch…” he grabbed her shoulder lightly and held her in place. “Come on…”

Crouching in front of her, Bakugou held his arms out to balance himself.

“What?” 

“Are you stupid?” He barked at her. “Get on, you can’t go anywhere like that.”

“Oh… but your arms…” he sent her a sharp glare over his shoulder. “Thanks, Petardo.”

“Tch…” He felt her grab his shoulders and tried to hide his wince. “What the fuck does that even mean?”

Isabel managed to get on, despite her soreness. She felt his hands secure her legs around himself and slowly rose to his feet. Trying to not jostle her around too much.

“I’m surprised you haven’t tried to look it up by now.” She snickered.

“Shut up, it’s just a stupid insult.” 

“Insult? Wait… you have! Haven’t you!?” 

He could almost see the cheeky grin she had on her face. 

“What, the great future number one hero can’t find an itty-bitty word?” Teased the girl.

“I can’t find it ‘cause it sounds stupid!”

She laughed at this, he felt her hiss and tighten her grip on him. The explosive blond fell silent as he carried her around the angry students. 

“Yo! Dunce face! Grab my gear!” He ordered the other blond. 

Kaminari was going to clap back but then saw Bakugou with Isabel on his back, heading towards the teachers. Kirishima’s mouth hung open in shock beside him. 

In fact, a lot of his classmates were looking at Bakugou in surprise as he carefully maneuvered the terrain. Midoriya’s eyes were as wide as saucers as Uraraka offered to take him to Recovery Girl. He nodded numbly, still confused at his childhood friend’s behavior.

Bakugou felt his face light on fire as he carried the girl out of the training area. Her arms tightened again as she tried to keep herself from slipping. He suddenly stopped his walk and counted to three, hiking Isabel up higher on his back. 

The blond secured her better on his hips and placed his hands a bit higher on her thighs. Taking on more of her weight. Bakugou could feel her sigh as her arms relaxed around him. Feeling her nuzzle into him, her breath ghosting his neck. 

“Firecracker…” The girl murmured tiredly into his ear.

“What…”

“ Petardo …” She said tiredly. 

Isabel leaned in a bit more and felt him tense up. 

“That’s what it means. Your hands are like the pretty firecrackers I used to pop with mama and grandma at the beach...”

Her drowsy voice trailed off and the blond felt his heart explode. She hadn’t been insulting him. It was the opposite actually. 

Unlike him, her nickname was not meant to be hurtful... At least his nicknames didn’t seem to hurt her anymore. Maybe he should stop? No, everyone had shitty nicknames and she would be no exception. Even if, when he said them now there was an inevitably softer ring to it. 

Nope, she wasn’t special.

The boy turned his face away from her in a stupid attempt to not be so obvious about his shitty feelings and coughed.

“Tch…whatever. Still sounds stupid.” He murmured. 

When did I get so fucking soft? Bakugou scolded himself. 

Isabel snickered a bit and laid her head back on his shoulder. He felt her body slowly relax, her breath evening out as he walked. 

Golden eyes fluttered closed, and fell asleep to the sweet spiced and smoky scent that invaded her senses. 

Chapter Text

The serpentine girl sat with her tablet propped up against her desk. She was again studying Japan’s night sky as she waited for class to start, while her friends chatted away in the background. Some were commenting on the last training exercise, others were gossiping about the blond boy who was currently berating Kirishima and Kaminari for something.  

Isabel hadn’t been paying attention to the dorks. She had quickly found out that their conversations were pretty stupid, especially if Kaminari was involved. The girl heard familiar steps make their way towards her. 

A small scowl scrunched her brows as she ducked more into the tablet. She should have put on her headphones. Isabel had managed to avoid him the day before at the USJ, but now she was trapped here. Familiar red shoes approached her as she looked down and away from Midoriya. 

“Still upset…” he stated sheepishly.

Isabel met his gaze and then turned to the tablet in her hands. 

“Yup.” 

“Look, I don’t understand why you're angry, you got hurt too. I got worried as well! At least look at me!” He reached over and pushed her tablet down. “Come on , Isabel. Give me a break! It’s been days…” he almost shouted, drawing unwanted attention to them. 

Class 1-A stared openly at Midoriya and Isabel as they glared at each other. 

The usually quiet boy had startled them. However they have noticed that he was always more open and louder with her. Some may say that she infused him with a sense of reassurance that no one had before. He was himself but so unlike himself too. And now was not the time to praise his sudden spontaneous outburst of confidence. 

The duo stared at each other for a minute. Isabel drew a deep breath, desperately trying to calm herself. The tension between them was suffocating. 

The girls looked on in worry as the two friends stared each other down. Mina was going to try and help but Kirishima grabbed her arm and shook his head. 

“It’s not the same, Izuku.” Isabel finally spoke. She rose from her seat slowly, her eyes filled with pent up frustration. 

“What, but-“

“It’s one thing to get hurt by your opponent because he is a human grenade.” She hissed dangerously as she pointed at Bakugou, “It’s completely different to willingly fuck yourself up. Todoroki hadn’t even laid a finger on you and your hand was already useless.” 

The girl looked at the scars on his hand and frowned. “Did you know I heard each and every crunch your bones made when you broke them.” 

He flinched as he heard her voice wobble.

“ Isabel… ” 

“ No , don’t Isabel me!” She smacked her hands against the desk, making the boy jump. “ Puñeta . Do you even understand how painful it was to see and hear someone I see as family, someone I care for deeply, do that to themself? To see you hurt yourself over and over again. And for what ?!” Her chest heaved as she raised her hands in frustration. “ Coño, Izuku! I couldn’t even watch the whole match!” 

Her jaw was clenched as the usually patient girl backed off from her desk. Angry tears threatening to fall. 

“So, yes Izuku. I am still upset that I had to see my fucking best friend screw himself up to prove a damn point!”

Isabel breathed heavily as she finally got that out of her system. Izuku remained rooted to his spot as she rounded the desk and almost bumped chests with him. 

“I won’t support this,” Midoriya held his breath as a dull shine began to glint in her eyes. “I can’t help you if it means you’re going to hurt yourself like this.” 

She stepped back and made her way out of the silent classroom, eyes stuck to the floor. She needed to breathe.

“Garucia-chan, class is starting-“

“Let her go, Iida.” A deep voice startled them as a familiar warm feeling washed over the class.

Aizawa stood in front of the students, unbandaged hands in his pockets. “She needs to cool down.” He yawned. 

Iida accepted the teacher’s words and sat down with a frown. Everyone slowly settled into their seats as Aizawa began the daily announcements. Red eyes stared at the door intently before turning towards the teacher.

Fifteen minutes later, the back door quietly slid open. No one seemed to notice the reptilian girl slipping into the classroom and quietly finding her seat. She met her teacher’s eyes and he gave her a small nod. She pulled out her books and began taking notes, unaware of the red eyes that tried to peek back at her. 

Internships and hero names, that’s what was happening that day. 

Isabel observed the board, she was the fifth student to have received the most offers. She wondered who these people were but then her eyes strayed to their teacher, all wrapped up in that ugly yellow cocoon. The girl already knew who she wanted to intern with, she just needed to convince him. Unfortunately for her, Midnight had joined them to help with the names as Aizawa took a nap. 

Isabel nervously observed as everyone wrote and erased their little board. Gold eyes looked around and noticed how excited most of her friends were. They seemed to already know what they wanted. She could see Iida struggling a bit though and wondered if it had to do with the news of his brother. She shook herself from her thoughts as Aoyama stood up to present his name first. At this rate she’ll need to think of something fast.

“I cannot stop twinkling!” The blond did a flashy pose and winked at the class.

Midnight approved his name after tweaking it a bit and making it shorter. It seemed choosing a name was a big deal for all of them. Something Isabel didn’t exactly understand but appreciated nonetheless. 

The chatter in the classroom was almost suffocating but she tried to drown out everyone. The girl didn’t want to be famous, so why would her name even matter? Isabel just wanted to help people. She thought of what she wanted to do as a hero and sighed, remembering what All Might had told her over some food a few weeks ago. 

Why do you want to be a hero? 

Golden scared eyes flashed in her mind and frowned. 

If she wanted to help in those types of situations she couldn’t really have a flashy name. Isabel closed her eyes as she remembered familiar lips forming the words. She no longer remembered her voice, the warm cadence that it held as it called to her had been lost to time. The young girl only remembered that it made her feel happy and safe. Her heart beat fast as she decided what her name should be. 

One by one her friends stood and revealed their names. 

Isabel slowly dragged her marker across the board but then realized she didn’t know katakana well enough to write the name she chose. She frowned at the elegant C she was writing and quickly erased it in shame. How could she call herself that if she didn’t even know how to write it? 

The girl lowered her little board and observed the others. Their boards were decorated in kanji and some even had English names in cute letters with the Japanese symbols translating below. Isabel frowned at her empty board, how pathetic. 

The day was really turning out to be shitty.

Meanwhile, Bakugou sat quietly as he tried to concentrate and think of a name that would be acceptable. He couldn’t help but take a few peeks at Isabel, though. She was looking around like a lost puppy who had been kicked. The girl didn’t even react to his hero name when he stepped up to the podium. Not that he was paying attention to that… But Bakugou was sure she would have commented something stupid or annoying by now. She was generally a passive and sweet person but when it came to him all the snark seemed to pop out of her. Something he would never admit of taking pride in. The blond wondered what was wrong with the girl as he watched her put down the board and give up on whatever she was trying to do.

“Alright, class! Has everyone presented their names?”

Bakugou looked back at Isabel and saw her shrink into her seat.

“Oh, Garucia-san!” Midnight called out to her. “Do you have your name?”

Isabel turned a shade of red and nodded her head. 

“Well, come up and show us! No need to be shy, sweety.”

“Ummm…” She turned her board up in shame.

“Uh, Isachan… the board’s empty…” Yaoyorozu pointed out.

Bakugou didn’t think the poor girl could go more red.

“It’s in Spanish and I would like for people to call me that here but… I don’t know how to write it in katakana so that it sounds ok...” She mumbled out; her cheeks were on fire as she puffed them out a bit. 

She looked so meek, Bakugou hated that look on her. 

He turned around completely and growled, “Did you hit your head? You’re in Japan and don’t know how to write?” He sneered.

His fists clenched when she didn’t answer and just stared at the desk. Where was her snarky remark? Why wasn’t she snapping at him? He took a good look at her and frowned. Her silence and her hunched form were enough of an answer. 

“Bakugou!”

“You don’t have to be so mean.”

“Don’t be insensitive, you jerk!”

Mina and the girls began to protest but the boy cut them off before they could escalate.

“Bring that shit over here, Scales.” 

Silence. You could hear a pin drop in the room.

“ ¿Qué? ” Bakugou heard her murmur.

“Don’t ‘¿Qué? ’ me.” He pointed at her board. “Bring your damn board so I can translate it.”

Isabel’s jaw dropped as she processed him, imitating her poorly. She ignored the stares of the other students and Midnight’s weird smirk. 

Isabel wasted no time picking up the board and marker. Walked up to the angry boy and extended the board to him hesitantly. He roughly took it from her hands and uncapped the marker, feeling some relief when he noticed her eyes sparkle again. 

For fuck’s sake… what am I doing? , he thought to himself. 

“What’s the shitty name…” 

She hesitated a bit, and he could identify something flash in her eyes. Something that made his heart ache for her.

“ Cascabel- ” 

“Say it slow, stupid, I didn’t catch it…”

“Ah, sorry. Cas- ca- bel. ” She quietly repeated, Bakugou nodded sharply.

Isabel watched as Bakugou worked out her hero name in silence. She didn’t know how it was possible, but he looked annoyed and thoughtful at the same time. The girl swayed from side to side as she waited and felt her heart beat faster each second that passed.

Bakugou glared at the board as he wrote the damn thing in deep concentration. Hagakure had turned in her seat and read it quietly. 

“Kasu… Ka… Beru” She softly recited.

Isabel’s face seemed to light up when she heard the girl read it outloud. Bakugou finished and read it over under his breath. He nodded and turned to her but before she could grab it, he shoved the marker at her.

“Write it in Spanish.” He mumbled. But Isabel tilted her head in confusion.

“The name’s in Spanish, right?” The blond growled and she answered him with a confused nod, “Then write it in the damn language. It’s what makes it yours.” 

“Okay…” She quickly uncapped the marker.

Isabel smiled when she saw Bakugou had left a large open space on top of the symbols he had written. She wrote the swirling letters in a way that reminded Bakugou of how graceful she actually was. The letters seemed to loop softly and connect to each other. The explosive boy saw her let out a deep breath and turn to Midnight with a shy smile. The teacher nodded and pointed at the podium. 

Isabel quickly made her way to it and flashed up her board.

“I don’t know what hero title I should put but I know for sure this will be my name. Cascabel.”

“Oh, it sounds so foreign!” Kaminari cheered.

“It sounds like what All Might calls you…” Tsuyu curiously noted.

“Oh yeah, he calls you Bell. How cute!” Mina squealed.

Midnight walked over to the girl and read the sign carefully, “Why Kaskaberu?” 

Isabel felt her face heat up a bit.

“Ah… It’s what my mom used to call me... Actually, Uncle calls me Bell not because of my name but because of my nickname.”

“What does it mean?” Kirishima asked and regretted it instantly when the girl’s face blanked and then turned to mild panic.

“Um, it’s that… round bell thing… that makes like… a tilintilintilin noise… Carajo… ¿cómo se llama esa mierda?… no es una campana…no es bell… It’s not a normal bell.”

She grabbed a marker and drew on the board what it was, but her drawing was not detailed to say the least. A five-year-old could probably do better.

“It’s that type of bell thing.”

“Oh, a jingle bell.” Yaoyorozu said as she looked at the poorly drawn thing. 

“Yes, that. My mom had to tie one of those around my ankle since I was so quiet. So, she started to call me Cascabel. Then Uncle jumped on that but couldn’t say it right. So, he shortened it to Bell.” A fond smile formed on her lips. “It’s also the spanish name for the snake that makes that rattling sound with its tail before it strikes.” She flashed her serpentine tongue at them after she said that particularly unsettling fun fact. 

“It’s personal but also relatable to your abilities. Very good, Isabel. All right, you are almost free to go to lunch.” Midnight clapped her hands.

Isabel smiled at Midnight and stepped off the podium. 

She made her way to her seat and on her way patted Bakugou’s shoulder playfully. 

“Gracias, Petardo.” Bakugou glared at her and looked away.

“ Du nada.” 

Isabel almost tripped as she sent the boy a look. The girl sat down at her desk and stared at the back of his head relentlessly. She wasn’t sure if she heard right. No, she must have heard wrong. She’s homesick and imagining things. Yup, she was hallucinating. 

That was it.

The only person that she knew was learning spanish was Midoriya, and although diligent, he was definitely struggling with it a bit. Why would this blond explosive porcupine learn it? He had nothing to gain. 

She was imagining shit… Definitely imagining it.

Before they could leave for lunch, Eraserhead stood in front of the class and explained how the internships worked, Isabel smiled when she got the list. She had to admit she felt pride for receiving so many offers. But, the one she actually wanted wasn’t there. She knew it would probably not be there though, she had spent the last week or so creepily stalking the hero and realized exactly how low key he was. She needed to pounce and pounce fast. 

As the bell announced lunch time, the girl quickly shouldered her bag and ran after Aizawa. She heard a few people calling to her, but ignored them. She needed to catch up to their teacher before he took a nap.

Isabel quietly entered the teacher’s lounge and spotted Aizawa and Snipe speaking over some papers. She approached them hesitantly, probably should have asked her friends about how to approach teachers in Japan.

“Um… excuse me, Aizawa-sensei.” He turned towards her and watched her jump a bit. “I… I was wondering if I could speak with you later- or now… uh. I mean If you’re not busy, that is.”

Snipe had to hold in a chuckle and patted his colleague’s shoulder before leaving them to their business. Aizawa nodded at the girl and turned his whole attention towards her. 

“I imagine you already picked an agency.”

Isabel began awkwardly shuffling on her feet. She had been so confident but now, as he stared her down... She couldn’t find the words.

“I don’t- no I shouldn’t say that… Ummm- No quiero … I want to intern under you. Please.” 

She bowed deeply.

“Izaberu… I know you got better offers than me.”  She straightened herself up as he said this. “I’m also not on the lists. Either of them.” 

She frowned at the man, she took a second to build her courage and went for it. She needed this to be her internship. 

“I know, I expected that. I just want to intern with someone that will understand not only my quirk but the limitations that it presents.” The girl said seriously.

“That’s a valid reason.” He nodded at her. “But I only work at night.”

“I can alter my schedule; I even changed my costume already with this in mind.” 

Her teacher raised an eyebrow. 

“White isn’t exactly stealthy during the night.” She answered.

Aizawa nodded slowly and stared her down.

“Please, I really think that working under you would be a great experience. I want to see how an underground hero works and I need to learn how to best use my skills. Brawling is all fine and cool, but if I want to be an underground hero I know I need more than my brute strength.” Argued Isabel.

“You can do that with anyone else. Why me?” 

Isabel gave him a look of disbelief. Eraserhead arched his brow again. She couldn’t even fathom why he would ask that, didn’t he know how amazing he was? She puffed her cheeks and stared out the window, face burning hot. This was going to be embarrassing.

“I think you are a great hero. You’re always helping people, helping us, and considering you do it without the fame and the spectacle in mind. I like the idea of being an underground hero, it means you do good because you genuinely want to. That’s all I want. To save people… I don’t need fame or anything else. Also… I decided to use my quirk more and I… Yours is similar to mine...”

“You need help with it.” 

She nodded. 

The pro hero gave a big sigh and held his hand out towards her paper. Isabel quickly handed it over and took a nervous step back, watching how he took out a pen and wrote something on it. 

“Fine, you will obviously not be meeting at the station with the others.” 

Isabel almost exploded with joy, “Thank you!” she bowed, “I’ll give it my all!” And made her way out the lounge.

“Before you leave,” Aizawa called out to her. “Don’t sleep tonight. Sleep tomorrow during the day, so you’ll be alert during the patrol. I’ll send with All Might the directions of our meeting point. And don’t tell the others.”

“Hai, sensei.” She practically floated out of the office.

She couldn’t wait to see what Eraserhead did and how the hero handled himself. The rest of the day she couldn’t keep her happiness at bay.

She was dying to learn more and to wear her new costume.

Chapter Text

Class 1-A gathered excitedly at the train station for their internships. They were all chatting away and looking around, each trying to find what train would be theirs. Eraserhead had accompanied them; he was going to send them off and make sure everyone left for their corresponding internship on time. 

Mina and Uraraka were looking around worriedly though; someone was missing. In fact, she had been M.I.A. after class and quiet in their chat since yesterday. 

Tsuyu approached them. “Hey, where’s Isachan? Ribbit.”