Finding Me (Todoroki x Reader)

Chapter 17

I realised other classmates of mine had escaped his icy grip, as well, all of us forming a little group trailing Todoroki, while other students from the other courses were caught in the ice. I was impressed, however, how some students from the other courses had also escaped Todoroki's trap.

'Some of them might actually be better than we gave them credit for. I've got to remember to do my best, as any of them could take my place in the Hero Course.' I shook my head, trying to get myself back in the race. 'Just focus on the race! '

My classmates and I were running towards an open area in the path, but it was empty.

'Surely not,' I thought, a little worried at how simple it had been so far. However, my worry had become a sensible fear, as Todoroki stepped into the area, a giant zero-point robots appeared out of nowhere.

"Whoa, robots? Who said anything about robots?!" I heard Kirishima cry out in alarm from beside me.

"They're just like the ones from our entrance exam," Momo exclaimed as well, as we all stopped in our tracks. Todoroki, however, didn't stop. In fact, he kept running straight towards the attacking robot. My heart nearly leapt out of my throat when he got close to the robot; He could be crushed like a bug.

"Todoroki!" I cried out, fear constricting my voice as the fist of the robot came slamming down. However, the icy-hot boy bent low on the ground, swiping his right hand along it, and swung it up high towards the robot, sending a tidal wave of ice up at the robot.

The ice engulfed the giant machine, freezing it completely still, giving him a chance to keep running through.

"Wow," somebody exclaimed, "he just froze it solid. Now we can get through!"

"I didn't do it for you," I heard Todoroki say as kept running, not looking back. "I did it at that precise moment..." a huge crack resounded through the air, coming straight from the frozen robot.

'Oh no...' I realised what Todoroki had meant before he'd even finished his sentence.

"...so it would fall right back onto you."

"Everybody move!" I cried out as the robot came tumbling down on top of us. My friends and I were too close to get out of the way, but we weren't done yet.

"Get close to me!" I called out, raising my hands high above my head. "Now!" I felt them crowd around me, and so I started focussing all of my energy into my hands, imagining a barrier, a strong barrier...

The robot crashed on us, and I felt as if I was back in the entrance exam, saving those other examinees. It was dark, and oddly silent apart from our ragged and uneven breathing. I knew this time, however, that no one would be coming to save us, so I retracted all of the barrier energy, and reformed it into a beam that cut straight through the the robot.

Sunlight poured through the escape tunnel I'd created, showing the way out. I turned around to check on my friends, and I sighed in relief to see that they were okay.

"Thanks, L/N," Ojiro thanked me, "You really saved our butts." More murmurs of agreement sounded from the rest, but one kid I didn't know suddenly spoke up.

"Sure, guys, she saved us," he started, "but you shouldn't be thanking her. After all, this is a competition, and that means we're all each other's enemy, classmate or not."

"That's not true," I interrupted him. I didn't know who this kid was, but he certainly had no idea what it meant to have friends. "I can't explain it all to you since, yes, we are competing, but... just because we are, doesn't mean we should throw away our friendships over one tournament. They are worth so much more than that."

He just looked at me stunned, but I didn't have time for his gawking.

'I've got a race to win.'

"Come on guys, let's go," and so I started climbing out of the robot through the hole I'd created. My fellow classmates followed me until we hit the open area we'd been in before.

'Oh my gosh, I can finally breathe again.' I didn't have time to take in my breaths, though. I had to keep moving.

Momo had already taken down another machine with a huge launcher she'd created, and I could see Kirishima and another boy poking up through her fallen opponent. Both looked to be in their hardened states, which was interesting to watch.

'Looks like Kirishima's made a new friend,' I chuckled to myself as I ran up to another robot, and blasted a huge beam of light right through its centre.

It, too, came crashing down, but I made sure it wouldn't fall upon anyone. I wasn't selfish like that icy-hot prick.

 As I raced on to the next obstacle, I couldn't help but chant to myself again, 'I have to win. I have to win. I have to win! '

Because if I won, then maybe I could get my best friend back.