The elementary school baseball field was a battlefield. Or at least, Bakugo was treating it like one.
The air was thick with the scent of freshly cut grass, dirt, and the panicked sweat of kindergarteners. On the sidelines, the parents were out in full force. I could see Midoriya's mom, Inko, clutching her hands nervously every time the ball flew. Mitsuki Bakugo was there too, looking like she was ready to jump onto the field and coach better than the actual coach.
And then there was my old man. He was leaning against the seats, still in his work vest, looking tired but giving me a thumbs-up. I felt a weird twinge of pressure. Gotta look cool for the guy who feeds me.
The game was in full swing. My team was in the field, and I was on the mound. Apparently, b killing roach all day gave me decent hand-eye coordination in this one, because of which, I'd been pitching like a pro all afternoon.
Then, the Final Boss stepped up to the plate.
Bakugo gripped the bat like he wanted to snap it in half. He adjusted his helmet, his eyes narrowed at me with pure, unadulterated aggression.
"Oi, Newbie!" he barked, pointing the bat at me. "Stop throwing those weak-ass lobs! Give me your best, I'm gonna hit this ball all the way to the next prefecture!"
"Shut up and swing, sparky!" I yelled back, my competitive streak finally overriding my brain.
I wound up. I felt this weird, tingly sensation in my fingertips, kind of like pins and needles, but hotter. It felt like I was holding a live wire. What the hell? Is it the heat of the battle thing they call? I didn't care. I just wanted to strike him out.
As I drew my arm back, I focused all that weird, buzzing energy into the ball. I didn't just throw it; I felt like I poured something into it.
RIKO POV
The ball left my hand, but it didn't feel like a normal pitch. It felt heavy. Glowing. For a split second, I swear I saw the white surface of the ball turn a dull, pulsating orange.
Wait. Wuvt?
Bakugo didn't hesitate. He swung with everything he had.
CRACK!
It was the cleanest hit of the day. The ball soared into the air, a high, beautiful arc that headed straight for the school's fence. A home run for sure. Bakugo dropped the bat and started his victory lap, laughing like a maniac.
"HAH! TOLD YOU! NUMBER ONE HE-"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Mid-air, right as the ball cleared the outfielders' heads, it didn't just fall. It erupted.
BOOM!
A massive, orange-and-black explosion rocked the field. It wasn't just a pop; it was a localized blast that sent a shockwave through the air, blowing the hats off the nearest kids. Luckily, the ball had been high enough that nobody was near the blast zone.
The ball itself vanished, turned into a rain of tiny, smoking plastic confetti that drifted down onto the grass.
The entire field went silent. The coach dropped his clipboard. Inko Midoriya looked like she was about to faint.
Bakugo froze halfway to first base, his mouth hanging open. He looked at the smoking space where the ball used to be, then slowly turned his head to look at me.
I was standing on the pitcher's mound, staring at my own hands. My palms were glowing slightly, a faint orange light humming under the skin before fading away.
"Uh..." I cleared my throat, the silence feeling incredibly awkward. "So... is that a strike or a walk?"
"RIKO!" My dad's voice boomed from the sidelines, sounding equal parts terrified and incredibly proud.
Mitsuki Bakugo was the first to move. She let out a roar of laughter that could be heard from the parking lot. "HOLY SHIT! DID YOU SEE THAT?! KATSUKI, SHE BLEW UP YOUR HOME RUN!"
Bakugo's face went from shock, to confusion, to a very familiar shade of "Explosion Red." He stomped back toward the mound, tiny sparks flying from his own hands.
"THAT WAS MY HIT, YOU EXTRA! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE BALL?!"
"I didn't do anything!" I lied, though I was secretly buzzing with excitement. Rex Splode. It's here. It's actually here! "The ball just... couldn't handle my intensity! It gave up! It committed self-destruct!"
"LIAR! THAT WAS A QUIRK!" Bakugo was practically vibrating. "You had a Quirk this whole time and didn't tell me?!"
"I literally found out five seconds ago, you pomeranian!"
Our teacher finally snapped out of it, running onto the field. "Is everyone okay? Nobody's hurt? Good! Riko... dear... I think we need to call the Quirk Registry Office."
I looked over at my dad. He was walking toward the fence, looking at me like I was some kind of miracle. I gave him a shaky grin.
So, I'm officially a walking bomb. I looked back at Bakugo, who was still fuming. I couldn't help it and poke my tongue at him, who finally lost it.
"I'LL BLOW YOU TO BITS!"
Yeah. This was going to be fun.
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Authors place
So....Another one?