Chapter 86: Recommended Redemption

"Any ideas?"

"Well, there's 'that' plan, but there are some holes—OH, we could go that route—oh, but then there are these issues we have to consider."

Looking at the stuttering Yaoyorozu, Todoroki couldn't help but internally sigh from his captive position from up above.

"You can try your fire or ice, but be prepared for the landing," he remembered the words of his captor, their homeroom teacher, Aizawa.

And looking down, the words were spoken with his well-being in mind as a bunch of sharp objects similar to ninja stars were lying below him, threatening to pierce him.

'So unless I want to be turned into a shish kebab...'

He looked at his only hope of being 'saved', Yaoyorozu, who momentarily shrugged off the pursuit of their teacher.

'Though he definitely isn't using all of his abilities. There has to be a way to pass this exam since it is a test, meaning I just have to figure out what they're testing us on exactly.'

"Maybe this could work... but then Aizawa-sensei could do that, which would foil that plan."

Looking around and seeing that he had nothing better to do, the multicolored-haired boy twisted from the pole, dangling in the extra-strong fabric that was wrapped around his arms and waist, leaving only his thoughts.

'Yaoyorozu and I were both people who passed recommended entrance exams instead of the normal ones. I've noticed that each pairing in these tests seems to have a connection, so something about ours should be what we're being tested on. I've already been 'taught' a few things about my quirk, meaning—'

He took another glance at the muttering girl. 'The remaining portion should be about her—'

"WATCH OUT, IT'S AIZAWA!!!!!"

The words erupted from his mouth as he saw his teacher on the horizon rapidly closing in, his visor up, showing he wasn't taking them seriously.

He looked down at who he assumed was the normally calm, collected, intelligent class president, now reduced to a stuttering mess.

"Do you have a plan?"

"A p-plan? No, how could I—yours failed in the beginning, and with you failing, what chances do I have—"

'The thing she's being tested on, it's CONFIDENCE!!!'

Listening to her, the answer he had been looking for sprang into his mind instantly.

The thing that's subtly decreased in the girl is something he was keenly aware of as an observer in their obnoxious class.

Someone who's able to take charge when it comes to subjects she knows she's good at, but someone who seems to doubt herself and often compares herself.

'I've noticed that she seems to have tried to take a less imposing role as the class president a few weeks ago, and if it wasn't for Shimizu being sick and Iida speaking up about it, telling her that she was fit for the job...'

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the speeding figure of the pro getting closer.

'Plus, in this trial, she hasn't offered any ideas—But did I let her!'

A thought, one intrusive to his original string of thoughts, popped through, and after a review of his actions, Todoroki couldn't help but agree with him mentally.

'In the beginning of the test, I did present my plan and intended on going along with it, as I always do since, like before, people usually followed along.' That's the way it should be... right?

A small part of him thought, and as he thought so, memories of his beginning weeks in school dismayed him.

'That's not how it should be. My battle with Asui vs. Shimizu and Hagakure showed that, my arrogance cost us then, and if nothing changes, then, like then, like the sports festival, it's going to cost me now!'

A bitter feeling sprouted up from inside of him, one that he'd been stowing away ever since he lost to Shimizu. And no matter what anyone says, he lost.

Seeing their teacher, who was less than a few feet away, the boy turned his head downward towards the distraught girl.

"YAOROZU, GO WITH YOUR PLAN! I TRUST YOU, JUST AS I DID WHEN I VOTED YOU FOR CLASS PRESIDENT, JUST AS SHIMIZU AND IIDA DID WHEN THEY AGREED TO FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS."

Out of the corner of his eye, a subconscious part of Todoroki's mind noticed that Aizawa was slowing down somehow.

"I'M SORRY THAT I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR IDEAS AT THE START, IT'S MY FAULT THAT'S COST ME BEFORE, BUT NOT NOW! PLEASE, USE YOUR PLAN TO SAVE US IN THIS TEST."

All bouts of shame he would normally feel, suspended in the air, twirling as he shouted shameful words to his classmate below, were gone, replaced with a desperation to win, a drive to prove to that man, to himself, that he had, that he could change.

'After all, I want to prove both Shimizu and Midoriya right.'

Down below, a rare but somehow fittingly confident look appeared on Yaoyorozu's face as the girl smirked at their teacher, who was now upon them.

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

TWIP

The same material that suspended him in the air had now caught her arm, but instead of the unsteady look he had not used to close-quarters fighting, Yaoyorozu appeared expectant.

With his body being twisted so that his rear was facing the girl that stood off with their teacher, she allowed her arm to be yanked to him, using the motion to throw out a few dolls.

Russian Dolls.

"I shouldn't have to say this since you're facing the other way, Todoroki, but you may want to close your eyes."

In the air, surrounded by the dolls, Aizawa momentarily released the strength he was about to use to pull the girl to himself, instead using his experience to jump away, out of the radius of the things.

While he was jumping away, mid-air, one of the caps of the dolls uncovered what was hidden beneath, and as that was happening, the teacher was remembering the dolls.

'A set of wooden carved dolls that, when opened, each have a smaller one beneath.'

Unfortunately for him, there was no smaller set of wooden dolls beneath, instead, he simply had a timer connected to a bunch of electrical wiring that was rapidly counting down.

"And, Sensei, you may have wanted to have your glasses on." He heard the words as the counter moved from one to zero.

BANG