The tires for Yaoyorozu's moped screeched as she turned sharply, hugging the track's left side. Not counting her green-haired best friend, Todoroki was leading the pack, but she was quickly catching up to him as she put pedal to the metal.
As she closed the gap between Todoroki, Yaoyorozu smirked as she pulled out a bola from her stomach. Keeping one hand on the bike handle, she spun the bola above her head and prepared to throw it at her target's feet.
Todoroki, however, seemed to notice and stopped his ice surge forward. Growling in annoyance, the dual-haired teen swiped his arm and summoned a massive icy wall.
"Shoot!" Yaoyorozu dropped the bola and abandoned her motorcycle, which skidded across the track and tumbled off the track.
The ravenette heiress instantly summoned a bodyboard from her back, ripping her shirt apart and leaving her only her sports bra. Yaoyorozu grabbed on and used it to skid off the ground to soften her landing. She yelped as she hung on tightly, bouncing and skidding across the dirt. Once she finally came to a stop, she staggered momentarily before breaking out into a run. She was still behind Todoroki as she ran around his ice wall.
"Look at Midoriya go! His tightroping is putting circus performers to shame! What incredible balance!"
Yaoyorozu perked up. 'So the next obstacle involves tightroping?' What could she do to get across the next obstacle without losing more ground?
"Todoroki and Yaoyorozu are approaching the Fall with Bakugo trailing just behind them! Iida and Tokage are nipping at the blonde bomber's heels! He doesn't look happy at all!"
Yaoyorozu glanced back and, sure enough, the ash-blonde was rocketing forward firing multiple explosions from his hands. Behind him was an incoming dust cloud, indicating that Iida was coming up fast. Behind him, Tokage was gaining ground too as her body parts stuck to the track's left side and flew several meters off the ground.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY, PONYTAIL!" Bakugo exclaimed rabidly.
Yaoyorozu narrowed her gaze. She needed to slow them down!
An idea came to mind as she conjured two flashbang grenades from her arms, catching them as they popped out. Earbuds formed in her ears while a pair of very dark-tinted shades appeared over her eyes.
Sensing Bakugo closing the gap to her left and Iida coming on her right, she waited for the right moment.
"Midoriya is approaching the final obstacle: The Minefield! He still isn't slowing down! Will he be able to navigate through the field or be sent flying!?"
Hearing that Midoriya had made it to the final obstacle caused her classmates to perk up, giving her the opening that she needed!
"Apologies in advance!" Yaoyorozu tossed her twin flashbangs into the air and looked away as they detonated. Bakugo, Iida, Tokage, and several others were stunned as the creation heiress continued running ahead, quickly recovering from the flash bombs force.
She then arrived at the obstacle Present Mic had mentioned earlier: the Fall. A giant canyon interspersed with spires and tightropes.
'How did Izuku get across this so quickly?' She furrowed her brows thoughtfully. She was athletic and acrobatic enough to perform a tightrope, but she'd likely lose ground against the others.
Speaking of which, she witnessed Todoroki jump onto a wire and surf down it with his ice. She knew that Bakugo, Tokage, and Tsunotori would just fly across.
Yaoyorozu bit her inner cheek. She needed a way to get across speedily! Taking the cords would be too slow. If she made a jetpack it'd only deplete her lipid reserves, draining her energy and making her unable to complete the race.
So what else?
Considering her options moving forward, her gray eyes widened as an idea came to her. The raven-haired beauty swiftly got to work as her midsection glowed with multi-colored light as a pair of new items was produced.
Midoriya was coming up on the minefield. Off to the side were two billboards with animated skulls and explosions with the English text "DANGER MINES!". Present Mic's voice was blaring through the speakers, but Midoriya was tuning him out. He needed to concentrate on what he was about to do!
His eyes scanned the field and spotted all of the darker patches ahead. Much like he did with the Fall, his enhanced mind was searching for the quickest route through. He knew the mines were nonlethal, but they'd still be troublesome if set off. Something he was keen on not doing.
Once he determined his path, he took a mighty leap into the field. Inhaling, he studied the ground below him and landed in a small space between several mounds and jumped again. From there, Midoriya showcased his incredible acrobatic skills by jumping, somersaulting, and flipping through the minefield.
"What an incredible display of acrobatics! Midoriya is jumping through the minefield like a grasshopper! A Gold Medal Olympic gymnast!" Present Mic yelled ecstatically. "How is he dodging all of the mines?!"
"Very carefully." Aizawa dryly remarked.
Indeed, though Midoriya was making it look easy, it was quite difficult to tread his way through the field without triggering any of the underground explosives. He landed in a hand stance (his palms filling the safe gaps between the buried mines) and pushed himself up into the air. He flipped and twisted his body, landing safely at the end of the minefield.
Exhaling, he broke off into a run. The tunnel was just up ahead.
"Amazing! Midoriya Izuku has taken the All-Star Games by storm!" The super-soldier blazed through the tunnel and into the loud cheers of the stadium. "He's in the final stretch!"
With a final burst of speed, he crossed the white finish line.
"He did it! Midoriya won the preliminary event by a landslide! UA hasn't seen such a dominating performance in the first round since All Might himself! What do you have to say about your amazing student, my no-so-enthusiastic co-host?"
"He did exceptionally well." Aizawa said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Still, Midoriya isn't the only one to watch out for. There are others who could still overtake him if he isn't careful."
Midoriya came to a stop and placed his hands on his hips, taking several deep breaths. 'He's not wrong.' He had no plans to underestimate anyone. Despite his intense training and extensive experience, he recognized that the Quirks of his peers could beat him if utilized properly. He had to be careful.
Wiping his brow of sweat, he looked around to see the crowds on their feet shouting in joy for him.
A small smile crossed Midoriya's face as he sheepishly waved back–which made the crowd cheer louder. Not counting his speech, it's been a while since he had to stand before an audience like this.
He'd admit it was a bit nostalgic.
"Great work, Midoriya-san!" Midnight called out, her microphone turned off. "Come over here and refuel!" She waved him over to a large table filled with water bottles, sport drinks, and various snacks.
Midoriya gladly trotted over and took a sports drink bottle with the label "Pocari Sweat" and a generic energy bar.
"Here." She handed him a couple more energy bars. "I know your Quirk enhances your metabolism, so you'll need the extra calories. Eat up, you've earned it."
"Thanks, Kayama-sensei." He nodded appreciatively.
"No need for formalities. I'm only Sensei inside the classroom, after all." The voluptuous Heroine shot him a sexy wink. Much to his credit, he kept a straight face and did not allow himself to get flustered in front of her. He knew it'd only encourage the vixen if he did.
Opening his bottle and downing half of it in one gulp, the super-soldier quickly unwrapped an energy bar and bit into it. He needed to replenish his calories quickly, after all.
'Wonder how the others are doing.' He shifted his attention to the monitors across the stadium, displaying his peers navigating through the obstacles. 'Just keep pushing yourselves, guys. Finish strong.'
As the All-Star Games broadcast zoomed in on Midoriya after winning the race, All For One clapped his hands in a blandish manner. The corner of his mouth curling up in a condescending sneer.
"Well done, Captain. I expect no less."
The screen then panned to the other competitors who were crossing the Fall. 'So many impressive Quirks…and yet they were all bested by a man with Hatsume's serum. Will this trend continue, I wonder?'
The Symbol of Evil continued to watch the program attentively. Making mental notes whenever necessary on the various competitors. However, he was most fixated on his old friend from the 21 Century; more accurately, the power he may be wielding now.
With the serious injuries he had inflicted on his nemesis All Might six years ago, All For One knew All Might was actively searching for a successor for One For All. Hence the reason why he had become an instructor in UA's Heroic Course. That meant he had to at some point have made contact with the Captain.
'Surely that oaf would have noticed the Captain's potential and sought him out. He'd be an even bigger fool than I thought if he didn't recognize it.' All For One mused. 'The Captain hasn't displayed any signs of One For All…but maybe if he's pushed harder by the other students…'
A mad grin grew across his scarred face. 'Yes… Please let it be so.'
Tokage rejoined all of her body parts together at the canyon edge and rubbed her eyes, her blurry vision finally refocusing after Yaoyorozu's flashbang attack. 'Dammit! That was a cheap shot, Yaomomo! Speaking of which…' She looked ahead to see Todoroki was already several pillars ahead, surfing across the cables on his ice. Bakugo was propelling himself forward and appeared to be neck-and-neck. But where was Yaoyorozu?
"I DID IT!" Yelled a familiar voice. Tokage split her eyes off her head and went up to get a better view. She spotted a flustered Yaoyorozu jumping across the pillars on a pair of jumping stilts!
"Crap!" Tokage took a breath and split herself up again. "GOTTA CATCH UP!" She then flew across the gorge.
Iida, meanwhile, had just recovered his sight too and was running straight for the nearest cable. "I know Tensei is watching me! I will not let him or the Iida family down!" He kicked his Engines up a gear and skid across the rope while performing a…
"Look at Iida of 101-A doing a T-pose?! He looks so lame!" Mic shouted.
Tsunotori adopted a serious look as she ran straight for the edge. "I can do this!" Before jumping off the ledge, her twin horns came off and positioned themself underneath her as she flew across.
Tsunotori passed by Iida overhead and was closing in on Tokage.
"Nope! Ain't happening, cowgirl!" Tokage maneuvered her arms to the horns Tsunotori was surfing on and pulled back, causing the pony-girl to lose balance and topple forward.
Tsunotori recovered quickly and another pair of horns popped off and she used them to resume flying. "Hmph!" She directed an angry pout at her greenette friend. "Two can play that game!" She aimed her head and fired a barrage of horns at Tokage.
"Uh oh…" Tokage was forced to slow down as she telekinetically guided her parts away from the projectiles; however, her empty arm and pants sleeves were not spared by the horns. "HEY! Watch it! I still have to wear this, yah know!?"
"I thought you didn't mind showing some skin." Tsunotori teased.
"Amazing! Midoriya Izuku has taken the All-Star Games by storm! He's in the final stretch!"
Tokage and Tsunotori paused from their aerial battle.
"Seriously!? Greenie got that far ahead!?" Tokage shouted, shocked.
Tsunotori snickered. "Why are you surprised? You've seen how he trains, right?"
"Fair." The greenette immediately conceded to that.
"He did it! Midoriya won the preliminary event by a landslide! UA hasn't seen such a dominating performance in the preliminaries since All Might himself!"
"Damn…" Tokage cursed her breath. 'So much for first place. Still, I have a chance to place in the Top 5.'
"GAAHH! F**KING DAMMIT!" Up ahead, Bakugo fired off a powerful explosion at a spire, causing it to collapse into the pit. 'Mr. Pomeranian seems to be handling it well.' She thought wryly.
"Hey, Setsuna-chan!" Tokage turned to her blonde pony friend. "Yaomomo, Todoroki, and Bakugo are still ahead of us! Instead of going after one another, let's gun for them instead!"
Tokage considered Tsunotori's offer. What was the point in fighting each other for fifth place when they could work together to get higher seedings? A sharp grin crossed her face. "Alright, fly buddy! Let's get in the Top 5!"
"Right!" With that, the greenette and blonde pair increased their flying speed to close the gap between their three classmates ahead.
Meanwhile, the rest of the pack were now approaching the start of the Fall. One of them was Uraraka as she maintained a fast and steady pace. Even though she had hated it at the time, she was feeling grateful for the physical training Midoriya had subjected her and friends through the past two weeks. She could feel that her stamina had improved.
'I shouldn't be surprised Izuku already won. He really is amazing.' She thought. 'I have to finish strong though!'
She then came to a skidding halt at the edge of the canyon. "You can't be serious?!" Uraraka shouted incredulously, wide-eyed.
Curious, she glanced down into the pit to see green gelatin layering the bottom with red lasers placed above them. Well, at least no one would get hurt too badly if they fell in, right?
"Ochako-chan, c'mon!" To her left, Asui hopped on a rope and began to cross it using her hands and feet while hanging upside down. "We can't waste any more time!"
"Right!" Refocusing, Uraraka tapped her shoulder to remove her gravity and took a bounding leap to the nearest pillar. She then heard some mad cackling before being nearly knocked off-course by someone. "Whoa, hey!" She righted herself and rolled to a safe landing on a pillar.
"YES! YES! LOOK AT ME, WORLD! Gaze upon my brilliant, awesome babies!" Shouted a pink-haired young woman decked out in advanced Support Gear. Uraraka looked at her closely to see she had a pair of boot-mounted thrusters, various gadgets and gizmos strapped to her belt, steampunk-like goggles, and a gunmetal grey (unpainted) chest plate with a glowing blue circle in the center.
"What the heck!?" Sero yelled while using his tape to swing through the spires. "Why does she get to use all that stuff?"
"She must be in the Support Course!" Uraraka called back.
The pinkette continued to laugh like a madwoman while literally flying through the air! "MW-HA-HA-HA! Notice me Support Companies! Notice me!" Grappling pitons and wires fired from little openings built into the side of her chest plate. Uraraka couldn't help but watch enviously as the pinkette used them to guide her movements through the canyon.
'Huh… That actually may come in handy. Maybe I can run that idea by Izuku and Momo later.' She mused.
The brunette shelved that thought for later and refocused on the race. As long as she made it to the next round, she could ask them without feeling like she failed.
"Bakugo and Todoroki have reached the Minefield! Tokage and Tsunotori are hot on their tails!" Present Mic excitedly announced. "Ahh! Iida has made it across and just passed Yaoyorozu! He's gaining on them in a hurry!"
While Bakugo and Todoroki both cautiously traversed through the minefield, the former made progress pulling ahead whenever Todoroki wasn't firing icy surges at him. Cold rage and hot fury were plastered across Todoroki and Bakugo's expressions respectively. Both young men were clearly livid over the circumstances with Midoriya's curb stomping victory and were both gunning for the top!
However, they weren't the only ones.
"Look at Tokage and Tsunotori flying over the minefield! They're making it look so easy!"
It was far from easy, though.
For Tokage, keeping her body split apart and telekinetically flying at top speed was draining her stamina…and giving her a headache. For Tsunotori, using her horns to fly long distances was also making her headache. Even so, they couldn't falter! The finish line was within reach.
If they had learned anything from Midoriya's physical training the past couple of weeks, it was perseverance.
"Looks like 'strong and silent' and 'loud and abrasive' are going at it." Tokage remarked.
Todoroki was carefully watching his step for any of the landmines while Bakugo simply used his fast, repeated explosions to keep himself aloft. Both of them were bickering with one another, and the two young women could barely make out what they were saying. It was clearly nothing nice though.
"Let's give 'em the slip!" Tsunotori called back.
Nodding in agreement, the disassembled greenette and horned blonde made their approach coming from both sides.
As they closed in, Bakugo and Todoroki both turned to sharply glare at Tsunotori and Tokage respectively, teeth bared. Both girls flinch from the intensity burning in their eyes.
"GET LOST!"
"DIIEEEE!"
Icy spikes and an explosive blast were fired at both women!
"Eep!" Tsunotori managed to veer away from the blast in the nick of time. Tokage, meanwhile, lost a section of her abdomen and right thigh in the ice salvo, but was mostly unharmed.
"Tsk! So you boys wanna play rough, huh?" Tokage grinned roguishly. "I'M GAME!"
She then sent forth both of her lower legs towards her opponents. The duo was so caught up by arguing with each other they were caught off guard by Tokage's detached legs tripping them, causing them to stumble to the ground–setting off a couple mines in the process.
Meanwhile, Tsunotori was fighting through her head pain, focusing on staying in the air. She glanced back to see Iida zooming in with a dust cloud behind him with Yaoyorozu in a full sprint not too far behind. Time was running out!
'This is my chance! I have to go beyond now!' She thought determinedly.
Tsunotori raced in front of Todoroki and Bakugo just before Tokage tripped them up. "Thunder Horn!" Jumping off her horns, she fired a barrage of horns around her bi-colored and ash-blonde classmates, setting off all the mines in the area around the duo.
An explosion of pink smoke engulfed the area as the force sent Tokage's pieces and Tsunotori flying back. Two more horns instantly grew out of Tsunotori's head, and she landed on them while Tokage managed to right herself in midair.
Tsunotori and Tokage locked eyes with each other and nodded in satisfaction before taking off towards the minefield exit. Now it was fair game!
"Incredible! What an impressive display of teamwork by 101-A's Tsunotori Pony and Tokage Setsuna! They took out 101-A's Todoroki and Bakugo with well-timed attacks and are now in a battle for second place!" Present Mic shouted. "Oh wait, not so fast! Another contender is fast approaching!"
Both the greenette and blonde perked up. Who the heck could be running fast over the minefield? They glanced back and were met with a shocking sight.
"Engine… BOOST!" Iida was blasting forward taking long strides through the minefield; pink explosions going off in his wake.
'Not good!' Tokage sweated slightly. 'Forgot Izuku's training was way too effective for Tenya!' No! She couldn't focus on him right now! She turned her sights forward and focused on pushing her pieces faster, flying across the field like a flock of birds.
Then, another cacophony of explosions rang out at the start of the minefield.
"Oh, what's this!? Someone is setting off the mines on purpose?!"
Tokage popped an eye from her face to look back…and felt her blood freeze the moment she saw the other person gaining on her and Tsunotori.
Determination was etched onto Yaoyorozu's visage as she raced across the field, riding on another moped that roared as it drove over the mines one by one. With her pants and sports bra and the pink explosion going off behind her, Tokage mused that she looked just like a star from an action film. She was using the path previously blazed by Bakugo and Todoroki and featured fewer mines thanks to them.
Yaoyorozu passed by Iida and (intentionally?) set off the mines in front of him, knocking him aside.
"101-A's Yaoyorozu knocks Iida off course and is gunning for the lead!"
"Apologies, Iida-kun!" Yaoyorozu shouted, and then pulled back the throttle to push the bike to its maximum speed.
Tokage and Tsunotori both watched as the black-haired beauty passed them both from below.
"Yaoyorozu has taken the lead! But can she hold it?!"
Tokage gritted her teeth, her emerald eyes burning with fiery determination. 'No! Not again!' Growling, she sent forth one of her arms and torso flying at Yaoyorozu. 'This will be my moment, Momo!' She would not allow the ravenette to get another win over her!
'No way! I've come this far! I won't just roll over!' Tsunotori, with her adrenaline pumping and drive to win skyrocketing, shot a horn toward the creation heiress.
With her attention split, Tsunotori started slowly teetering toward the ground as her third horn was aimed for Yaoyorozu. Tokage's arm and torso were flying in on the other side to pincer her in. Meanwhile, Iida had swiftly recovered from Yaoyorozu's earlier attack and was charging forward, utilizing the new road paved by her. Coming in behind was Todoroki and Bakugo in a mad sprint, no longer fighting each other.
"Apologies in advance!" Yaoyorozu recognized the incoming horn and body parts and propped herself onto the seat. "But I aim to win!"
Letting go of the handlebar, she kicked herself off the seat and launched herself forward. Without its rider, the moped tumbled across the ground and triggered several mines! The resulting explosion took the racers behind her off guard.
Bakugo and Todoroki were forced to stop and shield their eyes from the smoke, not wanting to risk setting off any more landmines.
Tokage's dismembered arm and torso went flying to the side and limply fell to the ground; her telekinetic connection lost. 'Dammit!' She inwardly cursed. 'It's gonna be a drain regenerating all those parts!' No, she could worry about that later! Just focus on the race!
"AWK!" Tsunotori cried out in surprise as the pink smoke engulfed her. Temporarily blinded, the horned girl collided with an Iida and both went rolling to the side in a heap.
Yaoyorozu landed in a roll at the minefield's exit and immediately sprang up sprinting forward.
She was now in front!
"Yaoyorozu maintains her lead and is now in the homestretch!"
Yaoyorozu's lungs were burning hot as her stomach groaned in discomfort, the side-effects of her Quirk. Creating two mopeds had used up a lot of calories. She didn't think she could create anything else now without collapsing.
Regardless, Yaoyorozu was determined to succeed!
She pumped her arms forward and did not allow herself to slow down. Sprinting into the tunnel, she could see the light from the other side. Only one more push and she'd cross the finish line!
Yaoyorozu ran on her toes, putting full effort into her final push as she approached the other side.
"Yaoyorozu is about to cross–No, wait! Scratch that!" Shock was present in Mic's voice. "One of Tokage's pieces has overtaken her!"
'What!?' Yaoyorozu glanced around and spotted Tokage's missing left arm flying just ahead of her. No! She was so close!
"Iida and Tsunotori have entered the tunnel and are blasting forward! Who will win!?"
With the finish line mere steps away, Yaoyorozu put everything she had left into her legs and dove forward, arms outstretched. Time seemed to slow down at that moment.
She opened her eyes to see Tokage's arm stretched out from her right while Iida came roaring through the tunnel on her left. Tsunotori was flying overhead, pushing herself to her maximum speed.
Time went back to normal as the heiress collapsed to the ground in a heap, followed by Tokage's arm and Iida. Tsunotori flew in barely half-a-second after Iida. While the horned blonde didn't win second place, it was unclear what the placements were after such a close finish.
Tokage's left arm fell limply to the ground, having expended its energy, while Iida dropped to his knees and panted heavily; smoke billowing out from the pipes on his legs. Tsunotori jumped off of her horns and rolled to the ground, lying flat on her back panting heavily.
Yaoyorozu weakly lifted her head up. Was it enough? Did she win?
"It's too close to call! It's too close to call! One of the most improbable photo finishes in All-Star Games' history! For second place, no less!" Mic's voice roared throughout the stadium. "Let's go to the Instant Reply for that sweet frame by frame action!"
Yaoyorozu craned her neck up toward one of the jumbotrons, anxious over the results. On the massive screen, a replay of the finish was streamed in slow motion. She saw herself, drenched in sweat and desperately reaching out as far as she could.
However, the tip of Tokage's fingers had stretched out further than her own hand.
As the crowd cheered after seeing the results, the ravenette beauty's face fell into the unforgiving dirt. She had lost by barely a hair.
Iida, after seeing the results, somehow expressed a mixture of pride and disappointment.
"There you have it, folks! After an amazing comeback, Tokage Setsuna edges out for second place by a literal fingertip! Following behind her is Yaoyorozu Momo, Iida Tenya, and Tsunotori Pony! A shocking outcome for our preliminary event's Top 5! Will this madness ever end?!" Present Mic shouted energetically.
The crowd roared in approval, entertained and cheering for the prospects.
"Obviously. That's the point of having a finish line." Aizawa dryly remarked.
Tokage's head and chest flew out of the tunnel and landed near her left arm. White light shone off her as she instantaneously regenerated her lost body segments. The reassembled greenette lay on her stomach next to Yaoyorozu. Both girls could barely move as they panted hard, desperately trying to regain their breath.
'I'm…gassed…' Tokage placed her arms under and weakly craned her head up at the jumbotron, displaying the placements so far. A proud smile crossed her face when she saw her name next to the silver-colored '2'. 'Did you see that, Yuto…? Hope you enjoyed that.'
A shadow loomed over the pair and it took almost all they had to look up.
Midoriya knelt in front of them with a sports drink bottle in both hands.
"Pocari?" He offered the two bottles of Pocari Sweat, grinning.
"Heh…" Tokage grinned weakly. "Yeah…I could use it… Thanks Greenie…"
Yaoyorozu chuckled, despite herself. "Yes…I'll take one."
"They have plenty more over by the stands." Handing them both the drinks, Midoriya helped his two female friends to their feet. "They also have snacks too."
Yaoyorozu sighed in relief. "That's good. I'll need to replenish my lost calories…"
"Same." Tokage opened her bottle and took a long swig. "I'm running on fumes myself."
"You guys definitely went Plus Ultra! Setsuna-chan nice work on giving everyone else the slip in the minefield." Midoriya praised his fellow green-haired friend.
Though it had gone mostly unnoticed by everyone watching, Midoriya had noticed Tokage sending one of her arms flying toward the tunnel just moments before Yaoyorozu's bike triggered the explosion in the minefield that caused the others to falter.
Tokage shrugged modestly, resting her free hand on her hip. "I knew I wasn't fast enough to beat Momo in a foot race. But I figured if at least one piece of me made it across the line it would still count."
"Smart thinking. I think your flying speed has definitely gone up since the beginning of the semester." Midoriya then turned to Tsunotori, who was still lying on her back, and helped pull his fellow American back to her hooves. "You were great too, Pony! I still can't get over how you fly around on your horns like a hoverboard. It looks like you've gotten faster too."
"Thanks…" Pony rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "All that training we did really paid off."
Nodding in agreement, he then turned towards Yaoyorozu. "You were awesome too, Momo-chan! I had no idea you could make two mopeds in quick succession like that though. I figured you'd only have enough lipids for one."
The ravenette blushed a bit from the proximity and took a step back. "Oh, well…normally, I can't. But I had a very large meal this morning just in case."
"Nice work thinking ahead like that. Color me…" He trailed off when he noticed that Yaoyorozu had lost her shirt, her black sports bra exposing a fair amount of cleavage. Her body was covered in dust in addition to a sheen of sweat. "...uh, impressed." He lamely finished, turning away trying to hide his blush.
He cleared his throat, still looking away. 'No dirty thoughts! Get a hold of yourself!' He commanded himself.
Yaoyorozu tilted her head, confused by her friend's reaction.
Tokage and Tsunotori shared a knowing look with each other from the interaction. 'So obvious.'
The group then felt the air grow cold as Todoroki zoomed past the finish line riding a wave of ice. Followed by…
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" A massive explosion rocked the finish line as a livid Bakugo shot past them, falling to his hands and knees.
Todoroki stepped off his ice and panted hard, steam wafting off of him as defrosted himself. He directed a scolding glare directly at Midoriya, who didn't seem to notice.
He wasn't the only one as Bakugo glared daggers at the super-soldier, who seemingly felt the indignant blonde's gaze fall on him as he glanced back at him at the perfect time. The duo stared at each other momentarily. While Bakugo's eyes burned with rage, Midoriya was unphased as he pulled out an extra energy bar from his pocket and took a bite.
"Tsk." Bakugo clicked his tongue and stomped off, frustrated.
"He seems angry." Tsunotori commented.
"That would be the understatement of the century, Pony-chan." Yaoyorozu pointed out.
Tokage rolled her eyes. "He's like a little angry kid on the playground."
Midoriya shrugged nonchalantly. "He's just passionate about winning."
'Seriously, he reminds me of Zac with every interaction I have with him.' He dryly mused.
"Midoriya-kun!" The verdette turned to see Iida marching toward him, sports drink in hand. "Well done on your exemplary performance! You were fast off the line and got through the first obstacle very quickly. I must say I am proud to have you as our Class President and friend! Though I must admonish myself for not catching up to you as I am technically the faster–"
"Iida!" Midoriya shouted, holding out his hands. "Relax. I appreciate the sincerity, but let's tone it down a little."
"Yes!" Yaoyorozu jumped in, beaming. "Let's wait for the others and cheer them on!"
Iida nodded eagerly. "An excellent suggestion!"
With that, the top 5 winners of the first event stepped aside to make way for the remaining racers intending to cheer them on from the side. Todoroki, still crouching down, punched the ground in frustration before standing back up and stomping off toward the concession tables.
A short time later, more runners began to pour through the tunnel. Midoriya was happy to see the rest of his friends show up, all of them cracking the top twenty. The remaining dozen included several more from his class and Class 101-B, along with Shinso and a pink-haired woman decked out in support gear.
'With all that gear she has on though, she must be in the Support Department.' Midoriya's gaze lingered on the pinkette momentarily and the seemingly perpetual grin on her face. 'Something seems familiar about her though...'
"And there we have it, ladies and gents! We have the top 32 runners who will move onto the next event!" Mic declared, snapping the verdette from his musings. "Most of them all appear to be in yours and Vlad's classes, Mummy-Zawa!"
"First, don't call me that. Second, these results aren't a surprise." Aizawa stoically replied. "Those in the Hero Course typically always take up the most slots for the second round. It's a logical outcome as those students are generally in better shape than average students. They also tend to have Quirks better-suited for practical applications, such as races and combat."
At the concession tables, Midoriya was socializing with his friends. "Glad that you guys all made it in!"
"Of course we did, Izuku-kun!" Uraraka wiped some sweat off her brow, holding a water bottle. "After all our training together, we had to make it in, right?"
"You bet, Ochako!" Ashido danced around the group in excitement. "Ooh, this is so awesome! We made it to the second round in our first All-Star Games, guys!"
"Heck yeah!" Kirishima followed up, equally excited. "All that hardcore training we did really paid off! Especially for you guys," he turned towards the top 5 winners. "You beat out Bakugo and Todoroki for the top 5!"
"And Midoriya just had to go and completely dominate the first event." Kaminari tried to jokingly shove Midoriya, but he was unable to move the mass of muscle. "Seriously, dude…I know Todoroki called you out and all, but you couldn't have made us look a little better for the Pros?"
"You guys don't need me for that. Besides," Midoriya shrugged, smiling, "I always give it my full effort and then some when I'm competing. Plus Ultra and all."
"An admirable trait to have!" Iida responded. "I am proud of my own placement…though I do wish I could've done better. Still, the weight training Midoriya-kun and Yaoyorozu-san recommended was quite effective! I thank you both!" He bowed to them.
Midoriya smiled sheepishly. "Glad it worked out for yah, Iida-kun."
"Indeed. I'm happy our suggestions proved dividends for all of us." Yaoyorozu said sincerely.
"Midoriya and Iida are both addicted to running though, so this event was definitely up their alley." Sero commented.
"And Yaomomo can casually make a moped, so no surprise she placed high either." Jiro added.
"Please," Yaoyorozu became timid, "you give me too much credit. It takes a lot of focus and lipids to make one, let alone two."
"That just makes it more impressive." Jiro turned to Tokage and Tsunotori. "Then there's you two. You were seriously BA."
"I-K-R!" Ashido perked up. "You girls were awesome!"
"Should we really be surprised?" Uraraka tilted her head curiously. "I mean, Pony-chan and Setsuna-chan can fly and all…even if it is over a limited distance."
"Heh-heh," Tokage rubbed the back of her head, grinning sharply. "What can I say? Guess Midori's speech just fired me up and all. I was extra determined to win."
'I also wanted to put on a good showing for him.' She thought absentmindedly.
"Same here!" Tsunotori chirped. "This was my kind of event, so I wanted to place high and all!"
"Kero. That makes sense." Asui nodded understandingly.
"You both certainly made your moment count." Yaoyorozu smiled and nodded, giving Midoriya a subtle glance.
Midnight then cracked her whip, calling for everyone's attention. "The first round has concluded! Here are the results! Those who placed in the top 32 will advance to the next round!"
Everyone in the stadium turned to the jumbotrons as the list filed in, starting from first place down. The stadium simultaneously looked up to the jumbotrons as the list began to file in, starting from the first place down.
1: Midoriya Izuku
2: Tokage Setsuna
3: Yaoyorozu Momo
4: Iida Tenya
5: Pony Tsunotori
6: Todoroki Shoto
7: Bakugo Katsuki
8: Shiozaki Ibara
9: Sero Hanta
10: Honenuki Juzo
11: Tokoyami Fumikage
12: Uraraka Ochako
13: Kirishima Eijiro
14: Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
15: Ashido Mina
16: Asui Tsuyu
17: Hatsume Mei
18: Ojiro Mashirao
19: Jiro Kyoka
20: Kaminari Denki
21: Shoji Mezo
22: Awase Yōsetsu
23: Sato Rikido
24: Shinso Hitoshi
25: Shishida Jurota
26: Kuroiro Shihai
27: Kendo Itsuka
28: Monoma Neito
29: Kodai Yui
30: Kamakiri Togaru
31: Kaibara Sen
32: Yanagi Reiko
Todoroki tightly clenched his fists, displeased with getting sixth place. 'I didn't even crack the top five…' He narrowed his heterochromatic gaze at the back of Midoriya's head. He was supposed to win this event with flying colors, proving to his lame excuse for a father that he didn't need his cursed fire Quirk to succeed. Yet he didn't even place in the top 5. How could he become like All Might if he wasn't even the best in his class?
'Damn it all.' The bi-colored teen cursed.
Bakugo, meanwhile, looked ready to combust as he gnashed his teeth together as his body shook in rage. 'Seventh f**king place?! What a f**king joke!' He internally barked. 'It's unacceptable!' He snapped his head in Midoriya's direction and recalled the verdette's speech. 'Just you wait, soldier boy! My one moment is coming. It'll be all I need to knock you off your damn high horse!' Maybe if he were lucky he'd send Midoriya packing back to America too.
One could dream.
Midoriya's eyes scanned the list from the bottom up, taking note of all the 32 names listed. He had watched the race closely until the 32nd person had crossed and was now putting names to the new faces he had seen cross the finish line.
When he had gotten to seventeenth place, the super-soldier could've sworn he felt his heart stop as he read the name. 'What!?' He turned and searched through the crowd, spotting the head of pink locks off to the side. 'Her name is…Hatsume…?' His eyes slowly widened in shock as time seemed to slow around him.
However, he was promptly broken out of his trance by the R-Rated Heroine's voice.
"For those who didn't crack the top 32, don't fret. We have another way for you to show your stuff. For now, please return to your designated seating areas in the stadium! We will call on you later after the conclusion of the second event."
Kaminari turned to Mineta close by, who was also sporting a black eye for some reason. "Sorry, man. Better luck next year."
"This sucks…" Mineta sniffled as he began sulking away. "And I was so close to touching Yaoyorozu's boobs too…"
The electric blonde glanced over to Midoriya. 'You should count your lucky stars you didn't, dude…especially if Midoriya found out.'
"Don't worry, Aoyama-san. You'll do better next year!" Kirishima encouragingly patted the back of his French-Japanese classmate.
"Yeah!" Ashido chimed in. "You'll definitely be stronger for next year's Games!"
"My poor tummy…" Aoyama began to walk off, hands on his stomach and in dire need of the restroom.
"Koda-san!" The shy, dejected-looking student perked up at the pinkette. "Can you help Aoyama-san to the bathroom? I don't think he can get there on his own."
The dinosaur-like giant nodded and kindly quickly guided the Frenchman toward the tunnels.
The several dozen other students who didn't make the cut took their leave, some giving the remaining ones dirty looks as they sulked off.
"Now then, it's time to begin the selection for the second event!" Midnight gestured to the screen behind her which, like a slot machine, shuffled through random events faster than the eye could perceive. "Whatever will it be? What could top such an amazing photo climax and a dominating performance by our Freshmen Rep?" She teased, smirking sultry.
Midoriya maintained a straight face, though a bit of pink tinted his freckled cheeks. Yaoyorozu sighed in exasperation while Tokage grinned widely in amusement. Uraraka's face, meanwhile, turned beet-red in embarrassment.
"Is this really appropriate?" Tokoyami sternly questioned.
Kaminari was grinning dumbly and gave two thumbs-up. Tsunotori frowned and discreetly elbowed the blonde, forcing him to stop and look away from the R-Rated Heroine. Sero tried to hide his own blush while Asui was nonplussed. Jiro rolled her eyes in annoyance.
The screen started to slow down enough where the words could be read.
Cavalry Battle…
It continued spinning.
Kingdom on the Hill…
It slowed down a little more.
Capture the Flag…
It went at a snail's pace.
Labyrinth Hunt…
Just when it seemed like the ticker was going to settle on that, it shifted to the next option.
New Event.
Midoriya blinked twice. "New event, huh?" He wasn't alone as everyone else quietly discussed amongst themselves–sans Bakugo, who was scowling in annoyance.
"Think it could be a ruse? Kero." Asui wondered, tapping her chin.
"If Aizawa-sensei had a say in it, then most definitely." Sero replied.
"Midnight-sensei!" Iida raised his hand, gaining the instructor's attention. "I must insist that you please elaborate–"
"Enough!" Midnight cracked her flogger-style whip, causing the uptight teen to yelp comically. "Now, I'm sure all of you are curious as to what 'New Event' could mean." She paused to lick her lips seductively. "Well, this is a first for UA University; in fact, it is the first of its kind for any Heroic learning establishment in the world."
Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement. "All of you should be honored to take part in this historic inaugural event!"
'Something never done before?' Todoroki narrowed his eyes suspiciously. 'Are they trying to throw off the ones who observed the past All-Star Games online?' He then recalled the guides that his father had given him to look over outlining all of the All-Star Games first and second round events for him to study over. The satisfaction he had felt in burning those papers (especially in front of him) had felt great. Regardless of the first event's results, he didn't need that bastard's help to win this competition.
"Hold on…A completely new event?" Sero said, surprised.
"In the world?" Kaminari chimed.
"So freaking cool!" Kirishima added, showing off his sharp teeth.
"And they're doing it on Day 1, no less. We should be extremely honored!" Iida chopped his hands dramatically.
Dozens of robots started rolling out of the stadium tunnels carrying large wooden crates and various building supplies.
"Before we reveal what the second event will be, we will have a fifteen-minute intermission to set up the field." Midnight announced. "In that time use our concessions and the restroom if needed!"
From there, the remaining competitors broke off into separate groups to socialize, get more concessions, or use the restroom.
Todoroki's eyes darted across the stands until spotting his father standing in the mid-level, glaring down at him with his arms crossed over his chest. The dual-haired teen matched the heated glare with an icy one. The two had a silent stare-off before Endeavor seemingly huffed, turning away. The heat pouring off him was evident as those in the crowd close to the Flame Hero quickly vacated the vicinity.
Todoroki then shifted his gaze to one of the jumbotrons–which displayed the highlights of the first event. Most of them featured Midoriya, with bits from the other top 5 winners, the pink-haired girl, and clips of him and Bakugo.
When he saw the headline "Most Dominant First Round Performance Since All Might!" Todoroki bit his lip to the point a little blood leaked out. He deeply inhaled, held it for a moment, and finally exhaled–doing his best to keep his scolding frustration within him.
Meanwhile, some of Midoriya's squad huddled together close to the concession tables to converse their placements.
"Man... I just barely cracked the top twenty." Kaminari sighed.
Tsunotori came over and nudged him. "Don't be down, Denki. You did great!" She winked at him, making him blush a little.
"Not as great as you, Pony. You were so cool riding on your horns!" Kaminari praised.
"Thanks." The horned girl beamed. "I've been working hard to increase my flight time."
Jiro frowned at the interaction and turned away. Tsunotori seemed to notice and turned to the purple-haired girl, smiling. "You did great too, Jiro-chan! All that PT worked wonders for you, huh?"
"Well…yeah, I guess." Jiro twirled her earphone jack shyly. 'I hated having to run with those exercise bands on…but I can't argue with the results.'
Ashido pouted a little. "Still, I probably could have gotten a better spot, but I hit one of the mines at the last second."
"Kero. I had to slow down and jump carefully." Asui mentioned. "I could only do short hops anyway."
"Same with me." Sero added. "My tape didn't set off any mines, but I would have if I landed on one."
"And Ochako-chan floated herself over the field." Tokage nudged the brunette's side. "Copying me and Pony-chan's move, huh?"
"Heh-heh," Uraraka smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, guess all that time in the bubble helped me use my Quirk just a bit longer before feeling sick."
"I'll say. You didn't even throw up rainbows this time!" Tsunotori chirped, making the brunette flinch at the mention of her unusual vomit.
"I'm happy to know that mine and Izuku-kun's training plan was effective for you, Occhan." Yaoyorozu said sweetly.
Uraraka returned the smile. "It was! I can't thank you both enough!"
"Hey…" Ashido glanced around, realizing a certain verdette was missing. "Where is Midori anyway?"
On cue, the group looked around and didn't see him.
"Huh...Good question." Kirishima said.
"Did no one see him run off?" Yaoyorozu inquired.
"Don't you and Ochako-chan always have eyes on him though?" Tokage asked teasingly. "So, technically you two dropped the ball here."
"S-Setsuna!" Yaoyorozu stammered, blushing.
"I'm not watching Izuku-kun all the time!" Uraraka denied, flustered.
'Liar.' Tokage, Ashido, and Tsunotori thought simultaneously.
"Please calm yourselves." Iida said. "Perhaps he just ran to use the facilities?"
"Found him." The group turned to Jiro, who was pointing behind her via her earphone jacks. Past the groups of remaining competitors, they spotted Midoriya walking towards a secluded area by one of the tunnels. There, they saw the pink-haired woman from the Support Department tinkering with some of her gadgets.
"That's the girl from the Support Department." Sero noted.
"Guess Midori-bro's going over to talk with her." Kirishima deduced. "Wonder why."
"Ah! I see." Iida adjusted his glasses. "He's likely going over to congratulate her on getting into the second round. Very sportsmanlike on his part!"
"He's sure took off in a hurry though." Kaminari mentioned while scratching his cheek, confused.
Yaoyorozu and Uraraka silently watched as their best friend approached the mysterious Support Department girl.
'Why is he going to talk to her so suddenly?' Uraraka wondered, feeling an inkling of discomfort arise in her stomach. 'Why do I feel…upset?'
Yaoyorozu was also facing a similar dilemma. 'Perhaps it's like Iida said and he's going to congratulate her… But he did seem to take off in a hurry.' The beautiful heiress rationalized, her inner suspicion growing. 'Maybe he knows her…?'
Up in a private box suite, Yagi and Dean Nezu watched highlights of the race on the monitors from their seats.
"I must say," Nezu began, "even I could not have predicted these placements. Ooh, I love to be surprised sometimes!"
Yagi nodded in agreement. "I'm surprised myself. Young Tokage, young Tsunotori, young Yaoyorozu, and young Iida really showed their stuff." He was certainly impressed. "They even beat out young Bakugo and young Todoroki for the top 5 spots."
'Actually, all of Izuku's friends placed high.' He smiled to himself. 'He's inspired them to work harder and shoot higher, and the results are speaking for themselves.'
The Captain did have that effect on people.
"Young Midoriya came relatively close to beating out your record in the Obstacle Race." Nezu stated. "Off by 40 seconds. Feeling a little threatened?" He asked teasingly.
The blonde smirked and waved off the notion. "No, no. I wouldn't mind it if anyone broke my records; especially if they were young Midoriya."
"The young lad truly made a strong impression for himself." The Dean of Heroics noted. "First with his impressive speech, and now his dominant performance. I can't wait to see what he does in the second round." He then chuckled mischievously to himself, making Yagi feel a little uneasy. "Especially after the alterations I made to it."
Now, the Number One Pro was feeling apprehensive. He could only imagine what the Dean had planned for the next round; especially since it was a brand-new game.
"Oh dear." Nezu suddenly said.
"Hmm?" Yagi shifted his gaze where Nezu was looking.
In the mid-level section of the stands ahead of them was Japan's Number Two Pro Hero, Endeavor. Even from the distance, it was clear the man was seething as his fiery beard had tints of blue. Civilians nearby were vacating their seats as sweat poured off them just from being close to him. The guardrail Endeavor was clutching actually melted in his grip! He pushed himself off and stalked away, leaving charred footprints in the concrete.
Yagi glanced back at the field to a certain red-and-white haired young man, who was eying the area where Endeavor had been standing.
The Number One Pro shook his head in disappointment. Even if Endeavor wasn't happy with the outcome, he should still be present to support his son. It was an important day for him, after all.
"Clearly Endeavor isn't pleased with the results." Nezu turned to Yagi. "Why don't you speak to him? Try to calm him down? We wouldn't want to risk an incident."
Yagi wouldn't dream of Endeavor ever intentionally hurting citizens or students; however, there was nothing preventing him from giving the students participating some choice words.
The gaunt blonde stood up. "Yeah, I can do that."
"These windows are tinted. No need to worry about anyone from the outside seeing you transform." Nezu mentioned.
Nodding in understanding, Yagi powered up to his buff form and casually walked out of the suite while ducking under the doorframe. He made his way to the other side of the stadium through private corridors in order to avoid the crowd. From there, it wasn't hard to track down Endeavor; no one else could substantially raise the temperature just being around him.
He found him in an empty stairwell at the flight leading to the third level.
Putting on his best smile, All Might called out, "Endeavor! Good to see you again, old friend!"
The Number Two Hero tensed up, crushing the guardrail by his side. He was a giant of a man at 195 centimeters (six-foot-five), almost the same size and physique as All Might. He wore a dark-blue bodysuit that was lit up by fiery lines, and his chiseled face was covered in his head, his turquoise eyes glared daggers at his perceived rival.
'If looks could kill…' Yagi mused, sweating slightly.
"What's the matter? Not enjoying the Games?"
Endeavor scoffed. "Hardly. Now do me a favor and stay away from me."
As the fiery Hero turned away, All Might suddenly appeared in front of him in a burst of super-speed. He leaned against the wall amicably. Endeavor, however, was not amused.
"Now, now, don't be that way, Todoroki." He placated."It's been a while since we last talked with each other. I just thought I'd come by and say hello."
Endeavor cocked a brow skeptically. "Really? Is that all?" He crossed his arms over his buff chest.
"Well…" All Might rubbed the back of his head. "...truthfully, I wanted to check on you. No pun intended, but you seem hot under the collar. You're not one to cause distractions like you just did in the stands. I've always known you to take your work very seriously. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help. See what's bothering you."
Todoroki Enji glared at Yagi for a long moment; his fire was on the verge of turning white-hot. All Might was inwardly hoping for a cold breeze at that moment.
"You can't be serious." His eyes twitched in barely restrained anger.
All Might cleared his throat and held up his hands in surrender. "Well, uh–if nothing's bothering you, I apologize for wasting your time."
"Oh, are you? Tsk!" Endeavor clicked his tongue. "There's a first for everything, I suppose. As if bringing along that creation of yours here wasn't bad enough." He murmured under his breath.
All Might frowned in confusion. 'Creation?' He then flinched when he deduced the meaning. 'Wait… He can't be implying that Izuku is–?!'
"C-creation? What do you mean by–"
"Don't even bother denying it." Endeavor cut him off. "Shoto's already mentioned how much time you spend with that Midoriya boy. Though he must inherit his looks from the mother…" He narrowed his gaze. "...it's clear who he inherited his strength from, even if it's only a fraction."
'No! No! No! No! No!' Yagi Toshinori began to panic. "T-Todoroki, I assure you that–"
"Rest assured I won't breathe a word to anyone. Clearly you pulled many strings to keep it under wraps." Endeavor stated, his tone apathetic. "It's not my place to blow the whistle in your personal and private affairs."
"No! That's not–"
"But know this, All Might," Endeavor's glare became scathing. "I don't care what advantages nor favors you pulled for that Midoriya boy, I will mold Shoto into a Hero who far surpasses you and him. My creation won't lose out to yours." He snarled. "I refuse to lose to you again!"
Endeavor roughly pushed past him and proceeded up the stairway–which led to a breakroom for the security staff.
"Endeavor, wait!" He reached out. "There's been a huge misunderstanding! Young Midoriya isn't–"
"Don't insult my intelligence! I already said I wouldn't tell anyone!" He glanced over his shoulder. "Now beat it! I have a job to do!" He roared back.
All Might's expression fell as he watched the Flame Hero march out of sight. 'He thinks Izuku is my… Oh dear, I'm in a pickle.' He slumped his shoulder and exhaled heavily.