Adjusts Stitch onesie and settles into writing chair with fresh coffee
Hey everyone! Wisteria here, and wow... just wow. I need to take a moment to process the absolute rollercoaster of reactions to that last chapter. sips coffee thoughtfully
First off, we're closing in on 2250 powerstones! You know what that means - bonus chapter tomorrow! bounces excitedly in chair I've got something special planned that I think you'll enjoy.
But let's talk about the elephant in the room - or should I say, the explosive boy learning to use his indoor voice? chucklesI've been reading your comments about Bakugo's scene with Ochaco, and I have to say, I'm a bit surprised by some of the reactions. Not in a bad way! Just... surprised.
pulls hood up and hugs knees to chest
Here's the thing - I get why some of you might be skeptical about Bakugo's development. Trust me, I do. He was a grade-S jerk (putting it mildly) for years. But that's exactly why this matters so much. People can change. They can realize they were wrong and actively try to be better. It's not always pretty or perfect - did you notice how awkward he was trying to give a compliment? That's intentional! Change is messy. It's uncomfortable. Sometimes it means standing in a doorway struggling to say nice things because you've never really practiced that skill before.
draws little explosion doodles in notebook margin
And yes, this is different from canon Bakugo. That's kind of the point? This Bakugo got hit with a reality check way earlier. He's had to face some hard truths about himself, and he's choosing - actively choosing - to do the work. To be a better person. Not because anyone's forcing him, but because he wants to. And in doing that he can see the wonderful relationships possible from this change.
takes another sip of coffee
But hey, I'm just the author! grins All I ask is that you trust me to cook. I've got the recipe planned out, even if some of the ingredients might seem strange at first.
Oh! And before I forget - because this is driving me CRAZY - CHIEF/LYCORIS IS NOT A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION! flails arms My boyfriend is real! Actually real! Why does everyone keep thinking I made him up?!
straightens glasses and tries to look dignified
Anyway... bonus chapter tomorrow! Oshi no Ko fic is also dropping tomorrow! Keep an eye out for it. And thank you all for continuing this journey with me. Even when you don't agree with my choices, your passion for these characters means the world.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make more coffee. These chapters don't write themselves!
waves in Stitch paw
Wisteria 🦋
======
I dropped Camie off at the Class 1-A booth, her fingers lingering on mine a moment longer than necessary.
"Kick his ass, Izu," she said. "But like, make it look good for the cameras, yeah? This is prime content."
"Trust me, I won't disappoint," I replied.
She rose on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. "You couldn't if you tried."
As I turned to leave, Momo caught my eye from her seat. She gave me a small nod, her expression serious but encouraging. I nodded back, appreciating her silent support.
The walk back to the preparation room gave me time to think. My match with Manga was next, and unlike some of my other potential opponents, this one carried no emotional baggage, no complicated history. Just a straightforward contest between classmates—and friends.
I paused when I heard rapid footsteps and excited breathing around the corner. Manga burst into view, his speech-bubble head practically vibrating with energy. The usually blank surface displayed a series of exclamation points that shifted and changed with each excited breath.
"MIDORIYA!" he shouted, skidding to a stop in front of me. "YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!"
"What happened?" I'd rarely seen him this excited, even by his energetic standards.
"KODAI!" The exclamation points on his face multiplied. "SHE TALKED TO ME!"
"She talks to you all the time," I pointed out, though I knew what he meant. Yui Kodai's conversations typically consisted of nods and carefully chosen monosyllables.
"NOT LIKE THIS!" His speech bubble displayed hearts, stars, and what appeared to be confetti. "SHE SAID—AND I QUOTE—'GOOD LUCK.'"
Two words. That was practically a monologue from Kodai.
"With her actual mouth?" I asked, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.
"YES!" Manga clutched his chest dramatically. "TWO WHOLE WORDS! AND SHE LOOKED RIGHT AT ME!"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, I'm clearly in danger now. A Manga powered by Kodai's encouragement? I might as well forfeit."
"DON'T YOU DARE!" He pointed at me, his speech bubble displaying a dramatic finger-pointing panel straight out of a courtroom manga. "THIS MUST BE A BATTLE FOR THE AGES! OUR RIVALRY MUST BE RECORDED IN THE ANNALS OF UA HISTORY!"
"Heaven forbid I deprive the annals," I said dryly. "I'll see you in the arena."
Manga rushed off, presumably to continue his pre-match excitement elsewhere. I watched him go, still smiling. His enthusiasm was infectious, even when you were about to fight him.
The smile faded as I continued toward the preparation room. Time to think seriously about this match.
Manga wasn't just my friend—he was also one of the most versatile fighters in our class when he got creative. His Quirk let him materialize spoken onomatopoeia, creating real effects based on their sound. "BOOM" for explosions, "SPLASH" for water, "WHOOSH" for wind. The applications were almost limitless, constrained only by his imagination and vocabulary.
But his Quirk had clear limitations. Overuse strained his throat, and the more power he put into a word, the worse the strain became. In a drawn-out fight, I'd have the advantage in stamina and endurance.
The question wasn't whether I could win—it was how I should win.
I entered the empty preparation room and took a seat, closing my eyes to visualize the match. If I was ruthlessly objective, I didn't need Strong Style here. My natural speed and the basic principles of Water Stream would be more than enough to overwhelm Manga before he could get serious.
But that didn't sit right with me.
This was the Sports Festival—Japan's biggest stage for aspiring heroes. Manga deserved his moment to shine just as much as anyone else. And beyond that practical consideration, he was my friend. We'd trained together, studied together, faced villains together at the USJ.
No, I wouldn't end this quickly just because I could. Manga deserved a real fight—one that would let him demonstrate his abilities to the pro heroes watching.
I opened my eyes, decision made. I'd give him room to show off, test his creativity, make this a match worth watching. Not a full handicap—that would be disrespectful—but a measured approach that prioritized technique over raw power.
The speaker in the preparation room crackled to life.
"CONTESTANT MIDORIYA, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE ENTRANCE TUNNEL."
The roar of the crowd grew louder as I approached the arena entrance. I rolled my shoulders, loosening muscles that didn't need loosening. A pre-match ritual more than a physical necessity.
Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium, somehow even more energetic than usual.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, OUR NEXT MATCH FEATURES TWO OF CLASS 1-A'S MOST UNIQUE COMPETITORS!"
The crowd's cheering intensified, and I took a deep breath. The tunnel ahead of me looked longer than it had during previous matches, the light at the end more intense.
"FIRST UP, THE MAN WHO TOPPED THE ENTRANCE EXAM, THE OBSTACLE RACE AND THE FORTRESS BATTLE! THE MAN WHO'S LEADING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEROICS! FROM THE HERO COURSE, IZUKU MIDORIYAAAAA!"
That was my cue. I stepped out of the tunnel and into the sunlight. Thousands of eyes tracking my movement, thousands of voices calling my name.
"AND HIS OPPONENT!" Present Mic continued, his enthusiasm undiminished. "THE MAN WHOSE WORDS PACK A LITERAL PUNCH! THE WALKING COMIC PANEL WITH A HEART OF GOLD! ALSO FROM THE HERO COURSE, MANGA FUKIDASHIIIII!"
Manga burst from the opposite tunnel with considerably less restraint than I had shown, his arms raised triumphantly as if he'd already won. His speech bubble head displayed "PLUS ULTRA!" in bold comic book lettering, drawing appreciative cheers from the crowd.
"THE MATCH OF THE CENTURY!" he declared, loud enough for the front rows to hear. "TWO RIVALS! ONE VICTOR!"
I raised an eyebrow. "We're rivals now?"
"ALL GREAT HEROES NEED A RIVAL!" Manga struck a dramatic pose, his speech bubble displaying a classic manga rivalry panel. "ALL MIGHT HAD ONE! ENDEAVOR HAS ONE! AND I, THE GREAT MANGA FUKIDASHI, HAVE YOU!"
"Wow. I'm so honored."
"YOU SHOULD BE!" He pointed at me dramatically. "TODAY, OUR PATHS CROSS IN GLORIOUS COMBAT!"
Midnight, who had been watching this exchange with obvious amusement, finally stepped forward. "If you two are finished with your pre-match banter," she said, cracking her whip for emphasis, "we have a tournament to continue."
She looked between us, her eyes lingering on me a moment longer than necessary. "Are both fighters ready?"
I nodded, settling into a relaxed stance.
"BORN READY!" Manga declared.
"Then..." Midnight raised her whip. "BEGIN!"
Manga didn't waste a second. "BOOM!" he shouted, the word materializing in front of him before exploding outward with concussive force.
I sidestepped smoothly, letting the blast pass by me with centimeters to spare. The heat ruffled my hair, but I remained untouched.
"ZOOM!" Manga called next, the word propelling him forward at enhanced speed.
I waited until the last possible moment before shifting my weight, turning my body like flowing water to redirect his momentum past me. Classic Water Stream principle—use the opponent's force against them.
Manga stumbled but recovered quickly, spinning to face me. "NOT BAD, MIDORIYA! BUT HOW ABOUT THIS? FLASH!"
A blinding light erupted from the word, forcing me to shield my eyes. Smart move—cutting off my vision to set up his next attack.
I heard rather than saw his next move. "SLAM!"
The concrete beneath my feet trembled as the materialized word struck the ground. I leapt upward, avoiding the worst of the impact, and flipped in mid-air to land several meters away.
"You've been practicing," I noted, genuinely impressed. The combination of moves showed forethought and strategy.
"OF COURSE!" Manga's speech bubble displayed a thumbs-up. "A HERO MUST ALWAYS STRIVE TO IMPROVE!"
The crowd was eating this up, cheering wildly as Manga unleashed another barrage of words.
"WHOOSH! CRACK! BANG!"
Wind, splitting concrete, and another explosion came at me in rapid succession. I weaved between them, my body moving on instinct, each motion flowing into the next like water finding its path.
Time to test his adaptability.
I closed the distance between us in a burst of speed—not quite Blitz, but fast enough to surprise him. His speech bubble displayed a shocked face as I entered his guard.
"Too close for big effects," I said, throwing a punch that stopped just short of his face.
Manga jerked backward, nearly losing his balance. "BOING!" he shouted desperately.
The word materialized between us, shoving me back several meters. Clever. He'd created space without needing a more powerful word that would strain his throat.
"SWOOSH!" he followed up, creating a gust that carried him backward, further increasing the distance.
"Running away?" I called, keeping my tone light, almost playful.
"STRATEGIC RETREAT!" his speech bubble declared. "A HERO KNOWS WHEN TO REPOSITION!"
I smiled. "Fair enough."
I circled to my right, forcing him to track my movement. Manga's greatest advantage was range—he could affect the entire arena with his words if given enough time and space. My advantage was close combat, where his reaction time would be tested.
"RUMBLE!" Manga shouted, the word causing the ground beneath my feet to shake violently.
I leapt upward, using the momentum to launch myself toward him. "Getting predictable!"
"AM I?" His speech bubble displayed a mischievous grin. "SLIP!"
The word appeared directly in my landing path, creating a slick surface where there had been solid concrete. My eyes widened slightly—I hadn't expected that.
I twisted my body mid-air, adjusting my trajectory to avoid the trap.
"Nice trap," I acknowledged. "You almost had me."
"ALMOST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!" Manga's speech bubble showed determined eyes. "I NEED TO GO PLUS ULTRA!"
He took a deep breath, and I recognized the signs of someone about to use their ultimate move. This was what I'd been waiting for—his chance to show what he could really do.
"KABOOM!" he bellowed, his voice deeper and more powerful than before.
I braced myself, crossed my arms in front of my body, and took the hit.
The explosion was spectacular—a controlled detonation that engulfed my position in smoke and debris. The crowd gasped collectively, then fell silent, waiting to see the outcome.
When the smoke cleared, I stood in the same spot, my uniform singed and torn in places, small burns on my exposed arms. I'd managed the impact, directing most of the force away from my vital area.
"Impressive," I said, and meant it. The attack had genuine power behind it.
Manga's speech bubble showed surprise, then determination. "NOT DONE YET!"
He was pushing himself now, his voice growing hoarse. "BANG! ZAP! SWOOSH! KAPOW!"
I moved through them like water through rocks, dodging some, deflecting others, allowing a few to graze me for effect. The crowd was going wild now, appreciating both Manga's creativity and my evasive skills.
Time to bring this to a conclusion. Manga's voice was growing strained, and I didn't want him to damage his throat for a match that, in the end, he couldn't win.
I closed the distance again, this time using a proper Blitz.
"What—" he started to say, his speech bubble displaying shock.
"Too slow," I said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.
He spun around, but I was already gone, appearing at his other side. "Over here."
"STOP THAT!" he shouted in frustration.
I circled him, using Blitz to appear and disappear from different angles, never staying in one place long enough for him to target me. The crowd was eating it up, cheering each time I vanished and reappeared.
Manga was spinning in place now, his speech bubble displaying dizzy spirals. "STAND STILL!"
"Make me," I challenged, appearing directly in front of him.
Manga threw a physical punch, abandoning his Quirk temporarily. I caught his fist in my palm, careful not to apply too much pressure.
I shifted my weight, using his own momentum to flip him over my shoulder. Manga landed hard on his back, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
Before he could recover, I placed my hand gently but firmly on his chest, pinning him to the ground.
"Yield," I suggested quietly, giving him the chance to end this with dignity.
Manga's speech bubble cycled through various emotions—frustration, disappointment, resignation—before settling on acceptance. "I YIELD!" he announced, loud enough for Midnight to hear.
"Manga Fukidashi has yielded!" Midnight declared, raising her whip. "The winner is Izuku Midoriya!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as I removed my foot and extended a hand to help Manga up. He took it, his speech bubble displaying a rueful smile.
"THAT WAS AMAZING!" he declared once he was on his feet, apparently forgetting we had just been opponents. "THE WAY YOU MOVED! LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A KUNG FU MANGA!"
I smiled, genuinely this time. "You weren't bad yourself. That trap was inspired."
"REALLY?" His speech bubble displayed hopeful eyes. "YOU THINK SO?"
"Absolutely," I assured him. "With more practice, you could—"
My words were cut off as Manga threw his arms around me in an enthusiastic hug. "THANK YOU FOR A GLORIOUS BATTLE, MY RIVAL!"
The crowd "awwed" at this display of sportsmanship, and I patted his back. "Anytime man."
As we walked off the field together, Manga's speech bubble displayed a thoughtful expression. "HEY, MIDORIYA?"
"Hmm?"
"YOU HELD BACK, DIDN'T YOU?"
I glanced at him, surprised by his perception. "What makes you say that?"
"I'VE SEEN YOU FIGHT BEFORE." His speech bubble displayed analytical eyes. "AT USJ. AGAINST VILLAINS. YOU WERE... DIFFERENT."
I considered denying it, but honesty seemed the better policy. "I wanted you to have your moment," I admitted quietly. "To show what you could do."
Instead of being offended, Manga's speech bubble displayed a touched expression. "THAT'S... REALLY COOL OF YOU."
"Don't mention it. Especially not to Bakugo—he'd never let me hear the end of it."
"YOUR SECRET IS SAFE WITH ME!" Manga mimed zipping his non-existent lips, which looked particularly strange given his speech bubble head.
We reached the tunnel entrance, where the path split—one way leading to the medical area, the other back to the stands.
"YOU SHOULD GET THOSE BURNS CHECKED," Manga said, gesturing to my arms.
I glanced down at the minor injuries. "They're nothing serious. Recovery Girl has more important cases to handle."
"STILL!" His speech bubble displayed a stern face. "A HERO MUST TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF!"
I nodded, more to appease him than because I agreed. "I'll stop by if they start bothering me."
"GOOD!" Manga's speech bubble shifted to display his usual enthusiasm. "I'M GOING BACK TO THE STANDS. KODAI SAID SHE'D SAVE ME A SEAT!"
"Did she actually say that, or did she nod slightly when you asked?"
"DETAILS, DETAILS!" Manga waved dismissively. "THE IMPORTANT THING IS, SHE ACKNOWLEDGED MY REQUEST!"
I chuckled as he bounded off toward the stands, his energy apparently undiminished by our match. That was Manga—irrepressible, even in defeat.