Chapter XXII: Interlude II
Rumi expected many things when he returned to the stands: from loud cheering to perhaps utter silence. She did not, however, like the angry whispers flying around. The murmurs and hushed conversations appeared to carry a burning rage and indignation, as well as a hint of confusion. If that wasn't bad enough, she kept hearing two names: Midoriya and Bakugo. That couldn't be good.
Unfortunately, Rumi's head was still spinning after all she had heard. Nothing felt the same after knowing what she did. In fact, the Sports Festival, in comparison was both negligible and suddenly much more important than ever, especially for Fox Boy. However, Rumi had to focus on the present and that meant figuring out if Fox Boy had made it and if he was alright.
The rabbit girl hopped to her seat, trying to ignore the chatter. To her surprise, she found Haku and Hana silently seated and oddly subdued. Down at the arena, the teams were trudging their tired arses towards a rather furious Midnight and mildly disapproving Endeavour. Rumi did not miss the fact that Bakugo was nowhere to be seen… nor the massive hole on the opposite wall of the stadium. Of course, her siblings couldn't stay quiet for long.
"Sis, you don't know what you missed!" An excited Haku exclaimed, jumping on his seat. "It was epic! They were all kicking and fighting and then POW your boyfriend sent him flying!"
"It was awful - and amazing!" Hana shouted.
Rumi sat down, raising an eyebrow at the two energetic children. They were speaking over each other, flailing their arms with abundant excitement. They hadn't somehow managed to get their hands on sugar while she was gone, had they?
"Alright, one at a time. What happened?" Rumi asked.
"Bakugo broke out of his bindings and went after Fox Boy. He was pissed!" Haku retold. "He found your boyfriend and his team and started beating them up!"
"Didn't they fight back?" Rumi asked, confused.
"They did! But nothing helped. Robot Boy kicked him like three times on the face but nothing worked!" Hana morosely said.
"But then Fox Boy showed up and tied up his nine tails into one and BAM! Bakugo flew straight to the arena wall!" Haku shouted with a grin, pointing at the gaping hole on the arena's wall.
Rumi's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. That had been Fox Boy's doing? Not bad. Hold on, what was that of sending Bakugo flying?
"It didn't end there though" Haku exclaimed, pulling his brown hair in excitement.
"Bakugo walked it off like it was nothing!" Hana finished, visibly exhilarated. She too was pulling her blond hair with glee.
Rumi groaned. Of course she would miss an awesome fight like that. Wait, no, that wasn't an awesome fight. Fox Boy could get in serious trouble. Still… that had sounded like a Pro-Hero level fight. If it left the two brats in such a state, the entire skirmish must have been something.
The rabbit girl searched for Fox Boy on the arena. It wasn't hard to miss. Halfway towards Midnight, Team Midoriya trudged forward like they had come from a warzone. Bakugo had sincerely done a number on them. Rumi winced at the nasty burn on Infinity Girl's face, the scorched skin on Iida's stomach and the bloodied and broken nose of the Hatsume girl. Fox Boy seemed the healthiest, with what appeared to be a reddened and swollen chin. At the moment, though, Rumi was more concerned about the way he blankly stared forward. Those emerald eyes lacked any life or emotion.
"I think Bakugo died, though" Haku abruptly said with a shrug.
"Huh?" Rumi asked, confused. "Didn't you say he walked it off?"
"Yeah, he did. But he then kind of just… dropped dead" an equally dismissive Hana elaborated.
"Oy!" Rumi angrily exclaimed, smacking her siblings' head. "Death is serious business, brats! Even if the bastard deserved it you don't go acting like it is nothing!"
Rabbit Girl, though, was more worried about what that would mean for Fox Boy. Bakugo couldn't have died. He just couldn't. Otherwise…
"Everyone, I'd like to make an important announcement" Midnight's voice called.
Everyone quieted down. Expectantly, they sat there, with abated breaths. Rumi felt her chest constrict. This wasn't going to be anything good, was it?
"I'm glad to inform you Bakugo Katsuki is fine. Our medical stuff has informed me that he passed out of dehydration and should make a full recovery before the Third Event" Midnight stated.
Rumi blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Everyone seemed stunned by the news. The bastard was sent like a missile into a wall, burying into concrete and the kind, and came out… thirsty? What the hell?! Wasn't the bastard's quirk explosions? Then again, Rumi didn't like the lack of details. Did he have broken bones? Maybe a fracture? Rumi really wanted to know if Fox Boy had managed to harm that bastard or not.
"I can understand your confusion. However, this involves a student's quirk and thus we cannot disclose any details" Midnight added.
Oh, come on! Give us a bone here! Did that bastard really come out unscathed? Rumi wondered. Still, explosions and some kind of invulnerability? No wonder he thought he was the next All Might!
"The Sports Festival will proceed as scheduled" Midnight declared.
No sooner had the announcement ended, the audience broke into a chaos of shouts, murmurs and grunts. Rumi, however, stared at Fox Boy. If her suspicions were correct, it seemed she would have to punch some sense into the silly fox… again.
"Do you think that fox guy will get kicked out?" Someone asked behind Rumi, a tad too loudly.
She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Rumi tried to ignore the whispers, eyes focused on Team Fox Boy. Her siblings, though, squinted at the speaker.
"You kidding? You saw how that Bakugo was beating the living shit out of his team. I would have done the same thing if I saw my friends getting punched like that. Let's face it, fox dude must have known about Bakugo's resilience. They are classmates after all" Was the response.
Rumi had to admit, perhaps there were a few people with brains in the audience.
"This Festival is awesome!" Someone exclaimed with excitement.
"These are kids you jackass! You aren't supposed to enjoy watching how they beat each other!" Someone rebutted.
"If this is bad, imagine what the Third Event is going to be like" a Pro-Hero told his sidekick. "I pity whoever faces the Bakugo kid".
On and on they went, all while Rumi heard it all. She was rather surprised that some people were sympathetic towards Fox Boy. After all, it seemed not many enjoyed seeing Bakugo burn a girl's face or break another girl's nose (again), no matter if this was part of the entertainment. It was still a bit disturbing for Rumi to hear those who found the whole event fascinating or incredible.
Didn't I find the Sports Festival enjoyable? Rumi wondered, momentarily confused. Well, yeah, previous years didn't have their own Bakugo… she frowned. Someone who is violent and aggressive for the sake of victory… as well as competitive and abrasive…
There was something disturbingly familiar in that description, something a bit too close to home for her liking. She had pretty much been merciless the previous year. True, she didn't produce explosions nor did she use excessive force, but she had broken more than one nose or bone, especially at the Third Event.
This is why I don't do this self-exploratory crap! Rumi mentally groaned. I am nothing like Bakugo or the rest of the crowd! Just focus on Fox Boy, Rumi!
Back on the battleground, the teams had gathered in front of Midnight and Endeavour, both of which looked rather displeased. Team Midoriya got tended by the medics while the rest went straight for water. Rumi saw Izuku stand to a side, staring at his hands with a grimace. Even from afar, rabbit girl could easily tell what that silly Fox Boy was thinking. Midnight's face appeared to soften as she studied Fox Boy, while Endeavour squinted at Izuku with an unreadable expression.
"Alright, everyone, after all the excitement, it is time to move on!" Present Mic announced. "And now, to our referee!"
The teams begrudgingly abandoned the refreshments and went to stand in front of the referee and overseer.
"Listen up, competitors: The Third Event will be a Single-Elimination Combat Tournament. All sixteen students from Team Todoroki, Bakugo, Ashido and Midoriya" Rumi didn't miss how a surprised Fox Boy snapped his head at Midnight "will participate in the first round after the break. The pairing shall be randomly determined".
Truly, whoever didn't know that already probably lived under a rock.
"The rules of each fight will be simple: all-out combat. While you are allowed to use your quirks to fight, I will stop the fight if I feel anyone's life is put in danger. Other than that… you are free to use your quirk as you see fit, and go as far as you deem necessary. I do expect you to restrain yourselves. These are fellow students you are fighting, after all. Still, in this event…"
Midnight paused and took a deep breath. She allowed a grimace to show before putting up a winning smile for the audience.
"…you are allowed to go all out" she proclaimed.
The audience, of course, enjoyed that. No, they craved it. There were almost no instances where quirks were allowed to be used as entertainment, especially with combat. This was what people wanted to see, and for the first time in her life, Rumi felt a tad apprehensive about it. How come she had enjoyed it so much before?
"To win your individual fights you must render your opponent immobile or unconscious to the count of ten, push your opponent out of boundaries or force him to surrender. You may quit if you wish. If there is no clear winner after five minutes, there will be a one minute break before repeating the fight. If even then there is no winner after five minutes… the victor will be selected at random" Midnight explained.
That's one weird rule… not that it ever comes to it, Rumi thought.
"Anyone who wishes to withdraw, now is the time".
None of the gathered students spoke or raised a hand. Even those injured merely glared at Midnight, eager to just get it over with. To Rumi's consternation she noticed how Fox Boy's face dropped. Worse, though, was when he hesitantly looked down at his hand.
Don't you even dare, Fox Boy, Rumi thought, squinting at said teenager.
For a brief moment, it looked like Fox Boy wanted to quit. He seemed ready to raise a hand. However, he quickly clenched his hand into a fist and angrily focused on Midnight, standing defiant.
That's right, Fox Boy, Rumi harrumphed with a smirk. However, she squinted at him, suspicious. Perhaps it would be best if she made sure Fox Boy was actually doing fine and not pulling a façade.
"No quitters, huh? Then let the drawing commence!" Midnight declared, slashing her whip.
It happened rather quickly. One moment the holographic screens showed UA insignia, the next there was a tournament bracket diagram. The sixteen names of the fighters had been laid at the end of each bracket. The dice had been cast and the fate of the fighters had been decided.
The audience eyes immediately swept across the screens in front, searching for the name of their favorite. Rumi was no different and, thankfully, found Fox Boy's name quickly enough. He would be part of the very first fight. His opponent, much to Rumi's surprise, was none other than Hitoshi Shinso, the creepy indigo-haired boy. Rumi was confident Fox Boy could win that fight. The problem, she noticed, would be for Fox Boy's second fight. Odds were that he would have to face Todoroki Shoto and that guy was a powerhouse.
Rumi's eyes swept across the names. She paused for a moment on Robot Boy's name. He would be up against Yaoyorozu, the creation quirk user. Robot Boy would hopefully win but it would be a tough one, as well as interesting. Her eyes went over more names… and suddenly she reached Infinity Girl's. Rumi's eyes widened.
"Oh no" Rumi whispered, ears dropping.
The last fight of the first round would be between Infinity Girl… and Katsuki Bakugo.
"Men that was intense!" Sighed Kaminari, dropping onto the nearest bench.
All around him, Class 1-A filed into the locker room, the very same between two annexed changing rooms. Long benches offered some modicum of comfort to the weary competitors while those who had missed the action warily stood by. With the break between events upon them, a few went over their belongings, checking their phones or taking some money from their bags. No one was in any hurry, between their tiredness and the two hours for themselves while the arena was prepared for the next event.
"Are you sure?" Izuku asked for perhaps the umpteenth time.
"Yes, Izuku, I'm fine" Ochaco giggled.
The girl in question, while not her usual bubbly self, didn't look worse for wear. In any case, her eyes lacked their usual shining joy. Perhaps she was weary, or perhaps it was her injuries. Her face, once smooth and unblemished, bore a series of ugly scorch marks. Even parts of her brown eyebrows had been singed.
As Uraraka opened her locker and went over her belongings, searching for her phone, Izuku grimaced at her.
"Really, Izuku, you should worry about yourself. You will be the first fighter" Uraraka told the Fox Boy.
"It won't consume much energy, I swear" he insisted.
"No, Izuku" Uraraka said with a tone of finality. With a stern face, she added. "I won't allow it".
"You should respect her wishes, Izuku" Iida said, moving to stand on a side. "Additionally, she is correct. You will require a proper strategy against Shinso and all the energy you can store".
"Yeah, the brainwashing kid, right?" Sato said, approaching the trio "I hope you beat him good".
Shoji hummed, giving an angry nod. There was a chorus of agreement at that.
"Yeah, he wasn't manly!" Kirishima harrumphed, slamming his locker shut. "Making me attack my friends… that's unforgivable!"
"It was so weird too" Sato muttered. "It was just like… I don't know… It's scary to have a blank in your memory. I don't even remember what I was feeling when he brainwashed me".
"He does give off these strange vibes, ribbit" Asui croaked. "I can't explain them…"
"Vibes?" Ashido muttered. "The guy is a creepy douche, that's what he is".
"You go beat that guy, Midoriya! Teach him not to be such a villain!" Hagakure said. By the flailing of her clothes, Izuku got the impression she was waving an angry fist.
"Do we know how he even brainwashes people?" Ojiro asked, concerned.
"Izuku figured it out!" Ochaco chirpily said. She turned towards Izuku, grinning at him. "You sure are super smart, Izuku! That plan worked exactly like you said it would."
"It-it wasn't much" mumbled a scarlet-faced Izuku.
"Learn to take a compliment, man" Sato laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "So what's the trick? I remember he touched me before he could brainwash me".
"I remember that too" Shoji said.
"A-actually, I think Shinso was trying to deceive us into thinking he needed physical contact to activate his quirk" Izuku explained.
"Wait, what?" Kirishima asked, confused. Everyone else was listening in, intrigued. "Why would he do that?"
"If you thought he could brainwash you with a touch you would avoid any physical contact with him, right? That and it would leave you vulnerable to how he actually triggers his quirk… which is a verbal response" Izuku explained.
"Right, because if I know he could brainwash me if I respond to him, I could avoid it by staying quiet… unless I slip up" Kirishima gasped, grinning with realization. "Wow, his quirk sounds really overpowered and weak at the same time".
"Hey, Ochaco, are you alright?" Ashido asked.
Everyone, reminded about her most recent injury, turned their heads towards the girl in question.
"Yep! Recovery Girl healed me up in an instant" Uraraka said "and I am all fired up to beat that bastard!" She exclaimed, waving an angry fist.
Her classmates, though, looked at her with pity.
"Come on guys, it isn't that bad" chuckled Uraraka.
She absentmindedly scratched her scars while she tried to look unaffected. But they couldn't bring themselves to change their grim faces. Todoroki in particular stood by a corner, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. He looked far angrier than usual.
"If he wakes up, you should withdraw, ribbit" Asui said.
"W-what? N-no! I-I-I can't just quit" Stammered Uraraka. She seemed, though, like she wasn't entirely against the idea.
"She's right" Jiro added. "That guy is a psycho! He could kill you or worse."
"Indeed. He could very well maim you beyond Recovery Girl's healing abilities" Yaoyorozu added. "It wouldn't be the first time".
A long silence ensued in which Uraraka dropped her brave act and looked absolutely terrified. Brown eyes searched for support between her peers, but no one would offer any encouragement. No one could forget Bakugo's performance the previous week and facing him during the Second Event had reminded them all the danger he posed. Moreover, a few were still trying to comprehend what had happened during the Second Event and how he had managed to come visibly unscathed from Izuku's last attack. Thus, Ochaco kept her gaze down.
"I know! How about we make sure Bakugo doesn't wake up for good?" Ashido suggested.
Everyone looked at her, wide-eyed. Some looked utterly flabbergasted by the proposal. Others, though, seemed intrigued by such an idea.
"I don't mean kill him!" Ashido frantically corrected. "I mean, couldn't Momo create some kind of drug, like a sleeping pill? We could distract Recovery Girl while Toru uses her invisibility field to slip in and give it to Bakugo. He sleeps his round off, Ochaco lives to move onto the next round and we can all be glad we brought that arsehole a peg or two".
The entire class hummed, wondering if that could work. Even Iida seemed to be considering it. Ochaco, on her part, wouldn't mind if Bakugo was left incapable of fighting her. As much as she wanted to win the Sports Festival, facing off against Bakugo, on her own, scared her to no end.
"Might as well drop a cyanide pill since we are at it" grunted Jiro.
"Outrageous! It is truly unbecoming of us all!" Iida proclaimed, karate-chopping the air. "We strive towards excellence, towards heroism! We can't just hope to assassinate someone so blatantly!"
"Iida is correct" Tokoyami hummed. "It must look like an accident".
"That's not what I meant!" Iida indignantly said.
"We could try to get him expelled" Shoji suggested.
"That is much better- no! We can't just be callous about kicking a fellow classmate out of our school to another less capable institution!" Iida responded.
"I agree with Iida, ribbit" Asui nodded. "We must make sure he ends up in juvenile prison instead of another Hero School".
"That- that's not what I said!" Iida exclaimed.
"I vote for accidental death, mes camarades!" Aoyomoa hummed.
"Is that even possible? I mean, could an anvil on his head even harm him?" Hanta wondered. "Heck, could even a train do the trick?"
Everyone remained awfully silent by that. Until that point, no one had ever known Bakugo was nigh indestructible. Those who had watched the fights up on the stands had been more than shocked by how he had remained unscathed by Iida's powerful kicks, without mentioning Midoriya's last attack. Speaking of which…
"Hey, Midoriya, you aren't beating yourself over that last hit, are you?" Mineta wondered.
All heads turned to the resident fox boy. Being the center of attention, Izuku blushed. He held his ground, however, offering a lopsided smile.
"M-maybe" he hesitantly admitted.
"Come on, man, it was super manly!" Kirishima exclaimed, moving over to stand next to Izuku and slap a manly hand on his back.
"It was awesome, man" Hanta added.
"It is a pity it didn't appear to do much, though" Asui stated.
"Guys, I could have killed him" Izuku stated, his smile forced on his face.
"That jerk doesn't deserve your sympathy!" Mineta exclaimed. "After how he treats you – heck, how he treats everyone – it is what he deserves!"
"Yeah, you can't beat yourself over it" Sato added while Koji and Shoji nodded in agreement.
All of a sudden, the door to the large room opened. For a brief moment, all students snapped their heads to the entrance, worried that it was Bakugo. Instead, they were surprised to see a stranger. They blinked, confused, as a short teenager, with white rabbit ears and long silky hair stomped in. Far more confusing was the fact she was carrying two smaller rabbit people under her arms. They seemed just as baffled as the students.
"Can we help you?" Yaoyorozu wondered. "This is room is meant for competitors only".
However, the rabbit girl impatiently looked around, searching for someone.
"Rumi!" Ochaco exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"You should not be here, Usagiyama!" Iida stated, karate-chopping the air.
At the name, Izuku snapped his head at Rabbit Girl. He blinked at her, shocked. Rumi finally spotted him and she glared at him. He shrunk back, paling.
"Rabbit Girl?" Izuku tentatively asked. Should he be worried?
"You silly Fox Boy" she harrumphed.
To the entire class' confusion, and surprise, she went over to Iida and Uraraka and unceremoniously handed Hana to Uraraka and Haku to Hana. The two children shared dumbfounded faces with their newly assigned sitters.
"Watch over them" the rabbit girl ordered with a tone of finality.
Then, Rumi marched towards the apprehensive Fox Boy and grabbed him by the scruff, only to drag him away. Izuku, on his part, didn't react and pretty much allowed for the rabbit girl to take him out of the changing room. It all happened so quickly, that by the time they were gone, Class 1-A had barely reacted.
"What did just happen?" Kaminari asked, confused.
"I think that was Midori's girlfriend" giggled Ashido.
"Right! I've seen them hanging out during lunch time!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"Yeah, weren't they together during Lunch Break?" Hagakure wondered.
"Well, would you look at that. Our resident Fox Boy landed himself with a Rabbit Girl… nice" Jiro commented, amused, only to smile and nod with approval.
"He has a girlfriend?!" Mineta squawked, floored. "And she's a hot rabbit girl?!" He fell on his knees, tears of jealousy pouring out of his eyes. "Why do you taunt me so, fate?" He dramatically shouted.
His classmates, though, looked at him without much sympathy. In fact, they rolled their eyes before they turned towards a frozen Iida and Uraraka, holding equally baffled rabbit children.
"So… mind explaining?" Kirishima asked the two friends of Izuku.
Meanwhile, Rumi continued dragging the Fox Boy away from the lockers and his classmates. She took a turn into a secluded corridor and, upon seeing no one, she halted. Echoes of other people, coming and going, reached their ears, but other than that, there was no sign of life anywhere nearby.
"Alright, spill it" Rabbit Girl ordered.
"Ehm… spill what?" Fox Boy responded. "Rabbit Girl, I know you want to help but-"
"Oh no, you aren't shutting me off like that. You can trust me, Fox Boy" she said, frowning.
"I… I don't want to talk about it" Izuku mumbled, averting his eyes.
"Why not? Look, if you are feeling guilty that hit Bakugo a bit harder than usual, please don't. He doesn't deserve it" Rabbit Girl huffed.
"It's not that…" sighed Izuku. "Please, could we not do this now? I'm fine, really".
Unfortunately for him, Rumi didn't believe that. She raised a challenging eyebrow, arms folded, all while impatiently tapping her foot. Izuku glared at her, but she stood her ground, as stubborn as ever.
"Rabbit Girl…" Izuku warned, squinting at her.
Rumi, though, merely smirked, almost challenging him to try to escape from her.
"Fine!" Izuku spat, baring his teeth and pacing in front of her. "I snapped, alright? I-I lost it! I can't believe I just…" he shook his head, looking rather agitated.
"Fox Boy…" Rumi sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Don't Fox Boy me!" Izuku spat. "I can't keep making excuses! Today I could have killed someone!"
However, instead of looking angry, his expression softened and he tiredly went to sit down against a wall. Rumi studied him, worried for the silly boy. In the end, she quietly went to sit next to him.
"For a second there I just…" Izuku trailed off, morose. "I wanted to kill him, Rabbit Girl. I wanted to squash him like a bug". He venomously spat, glaring at his clawed hands. "I wanted... to make him suffer".
"You aren't the only one" Rabbit Girl joked, nudging him.
"Well, I don't want to feel that" Izuku muttered, glaring at her. "I thought I was working on it, y'know? I really believed I was finally being the better person but then he goes and beats the others and I just…" he closed his eyes, clenched fists shaking with rage "…everything came back. I keep seeing Iida falling to his knees, Ochaco's face burning… Hatsume's bloodied face… and every single person I've seen him torment".
Rumi looked at him, frowning, all while the Fox Boy stared at his lap. For a moment, they didn't speak, immersing themselves in the comfort of silence. In the end, Rumi offered a weak smile and took hold of his hand.
"You sure are something" she said, squeezing his hand.
"I'm a broken mess of a person" Izuku murmured, squeezing her hand back. "You must think I'm really pathetic. I mean… I just can't stop whining or suffering from this or that…"
"It does get old" Rumi chuckled "but you always manage to surprise me afterwards, Fox Boy, so don't give up on yourself".
"I wish I shared your confidence in me" Izuku sighed. "How can I be a real hero?"
"With one step at a time" Rabbit Girl told him. "You know, I did have these down times myself. I know, hard to believe, but even awesome ole me had her moments".
"You did?" Izuku asked, genuinely surprised.
"What do I look like? A God? I know I am awesome, but – come on – I'm a mortal. Above average, I know, but still mortal" that got a chuckle out of Izuku. Thus, grinning, she pressed on "Of course I had moments I cussed by fluffy butt off or I just wanted the world to screw itself" Rumi scoffed.
"And how did you get over it?" Izuku asked.
"Most of the time, I kind of just pushed on. Other times… I had my family" Rumi responded. "In the end, all I needed is to remember what I was after".
"Eyes on the prize" Izuku absent-mindedly said.
"Exactly. So, if I ever wanted to quit, all I would focus on is that dream: to be a strong hero capable to stand on my own two feet against the world" Rumi wistfully sighed.
"That sounds unlike you" Izuku said, smiling at her while giving her a nudge.
"All right, I also imagined beating the crap out of Bakugo and whoever called me a cute bunny" Rumi added.
"Now that's more like it" Izuku snickered. His good mood, however, faded away. "Still, though… what does it say that I wanted to make someone suffer? I don't want to accidentally murder someone, much less feel like some bloodthirsty villain, I-"
SMACK.
Izuku caressed his head, eyeing a certain annoyed Rabbit Girl.
"Aren't you trying to console me or something?" Fox Boy wondered.
"Oy, I'm trying to help you, and that generally means giving you that much needed punch every once in a while" snorted Rabbit Girl. "Do you know what those feelings make you, Fox Boy?"
Izuku leaned closer, expectantly staring at her.
"It means you are a healthy human being – at least in part. No normal person stands around watching some arsehole like Bakugo get his way without wanting to wring his neck" Rumi scoffed. "The real problem is that for years you never actually felt like you should".
Fox Boy didn't appear entirely convinced and, for once, the rabbit girl couldn't blame him. Differently from her, if he ever slipped and went violent, he could seriously injury someone with those exceedingly sharp claws of his. Still, he couldn't beat himself for feeling something as natural as righteous anger.
"Do you know who is really at fault here?" Rumi asked.
The Fox Boy shook his head.
"The organizers. Hell, if you want to blame someone, blame Midnight and everyone who could have stopped the second event. Things were already escalating, weren't they? Something bad was bound to happen but they insisted" she explained. "So, no brooding, am I clear?"
"Yeah… you are right. The organizers should have stepped in" Izuku agreed with a weak smile, only to frown. "Why didn't they, though? Why did… why did they allow things to get out of control like that?"
"You kidding? People were probably loving every second of it" Rumi scoffed. "That's what people want to see after all: people using their quirks to beat the shit out of each other. We can't get enough from heroes doing that on villains so we have the Sports Festival".
"Yeah… guess you are right. It- wait, did you say probably?" Izuku asked, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't see the fight?"
For the briefest of moments, Rumi looked utterly surprised. She recovered quickly though, smirking with confidence.
"Had to go to the bathroom" Rumi said. "Sorry I didn't get to see the smack down. I hope they keep in it on the replays".
"It wasn't that great…" Izuku humbly said, scratching the nape of his neck.
"You swatted the bastard like a baseball. That wasn't great: that was epic" Rabbit Girl insisted. She grinned at him and nudged the boy. "Was that some secret move you were keeping from me?"
"…maybe" Izuku cheekily said, averting his eyes.
"You sly fox" Rabbit Girl chuckled, nudging him again. "I hope you have more surprises for me".
"Oh, I have plenty" he replied with a wink.
Rumi kept her grin. It was nice to see the boy finally recover that mischievous disposition. Sincerely, she liked it. Izuku, in turn, grinned while his emerald gleamed with life.
"So!" Rabbit Girl exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Ready to stand up and beat some ass?"
She offered a hand, all while grinning at him.
"Hell yeah" Izuku chuckled, grabbing the offered hand.
With ease, Rabbit Girl lifted him back to his feet but neither let go. Instead, they stood there, holding hands, and grinned confidently at each other.
"Thanks, Rabbit Girl… for everything" he said.
"Anything for you, Fox Boy" Rabbit Girl said. "Although you better start thinking about some way of paying me back, you hear me? I am not your nanny".
Izuku, though, merely raised an eyebrow as a mischievous smirk crawled on his face. Rumi, on her part, giddily wondered what the fox had in store for her.
"You are quite right" he softly said "you do deserve a reward".
"Damn right I do. You could-" Rumi was smugly saying, only to see him lean forward.
Her eyes widened. Could he really be about to do it? Shocked, she froze, surprised by the mere boldness of Fox Boy… only to feel his lips on her cheek. While not what she had wanted, she wasn't complaining. It wasn't a peck, after all, and it sure was close to her lips. Thus, she enjoyed what she got.
"Oy, you keep on teasing me like this, Fox Boy, and I am going to jump on you. I take no responsibility for what happens afterwards" Rabbit Girl warned.
"You wouldn't" Fox Boy, barely managing to keep his composure, responded.
Rabbit Girl did not miss the way Izuku's tails were wagging excitedly at that, something that only made the boy furiously blush more and avert his eyes.
"Wanna find out, you naughty fox?" Rabbit Girl purred, a venturous finger exploring his chest. She looked around, only to smirk at him. "No one would know…"
"I-I th-think w-we sh-sh-sh-sh-should…" spluttered a broken Fox Boy, steam going off his head.
Rumi, as always, broke into laughter.
One of these days, Fox Boy I'll get exactly what I want,Rumi mentally promised.
The way back to the lockers was spent playfully nudging each other. Sharing smiles and chuckling at the pure childishness of their behavior, the Fox Boy and Rabbit Girl finally opened the door to the locker room. Much to their amusement, they were immediately assaulted by Class 1-A and their questions.
"So how was your snogging session?" Ashido asked with a Cheshire smile.
"Oh, it was perfect!" Rumi cheekily responded, giving two thumbs up.
Every hero student, taken aback, turned towards a wide-eyed Midoriya.
"10 out 10. I'm telling you, girls, you don't know what you are missing out on" Rumi said, her grin threatened to split her face in half.
Midoriya, though, was as red as a dying sun, and emitting perhaps as much heat. His tails, on the other hand, wagged behind him. Rumi, though, wasn't finished.
"And for the other stuff we did…" She suggestively added, wiggling her eyebrows. "Out of this world" she added with a very playful purr.
Midoriya knew he was about to faint right then and there as all of his fellow classmates stared at him, jaws going slack. Thankfully, Rumi spared Midoriya death by embarrassment by breaking into laughter, rolling on the ground.
"Nah, Fox Boy and I just talked" Rumi admitted, rubbing tears of mirth from her face. "You guys are too easy to tease".
"I suspected as much!" Mineta huffed behind them all. "You weren't gone that long!"
"I don't know… Midori does look a lot happier" Ashido teased.
"Of course he is" Rumi scoffed. "He's with me!"
"I remember now. You were third on last year's Sports Festival" Shoji recalled.
Rumi's left eye twitched at that and her smile turned strained, fixed in place by force.
"Yeah, that was me" she said muttered through her teeth. With a smirk, the Rabbit Girl regained her confident demeanour and pointed a thumb at herself. "I am Rumi Usagiyama, Rabbit Girl Extraordinaire. Remember that name because you'll be hearing a lot of me once I hit the top rankings!"
"You know… you remind me a bit to Bakugo" Jiro hummed, squinting at her.
Izuku frowned at his classmate, baffled by the comparison. Rabbit Girl was nothing like Bakugo, was she?
"Oy, we are nothing alike!" Rumi shouted, waving an angry fist.
"I don't know. There is something about you…" Kirishima joined in to Jiro's humming, stroking his chin as he squinted at Rumi.
"Well, at least you aren't calling us rejects or extras" shrugged Ashido. "And whoever dates Midori can't be that bad".
"She's just a bit tenacious" Ochaco uneasily chuckled.
"Well yeah! Sis is tough and aggressive, but she does have a good side" Haku chimed in next to his sister.
"Yeah! Rumi can be nice" Hana joined in with a kind smile.
"Once every twenty years" Haku agreed.
"And she needs a blood sacrifice beforehand" Hana added.
"Har-har, you two are so hilarious" deadpanned Rumi. "Did they behave?" She asked Iida and Ochaco.
"Yes. They were in their best behaviour" Iida stated with Ochaco nodding next to him.
"Really? How did you do it?" Rumi wondered, intrigued. "Was it blackmail or extortion?"
"Hey, Midoriya, we were planning on hanging out together. You know, all of 1-A, before, you know, the one-on-one fights and before we all start to get on each other's throat" Kaminari chuckled.
"I think he rather spend it with his girlfriend" Ojiro calmly added with a smile towards Midoriya.
Soon after, the locker room was filled with teasing whistles and many a nudge towards a blushing Fox Boy. Rabbit Girl, on her part, was enjoying every single second of it.
"We could babysit your siblings if you need to, ribbit" Asui offered. "I've got a pair myself so I can handle them".
"Hey, we don't need a babysitter!" Haku indignantly said.
"We aren't toddlers. I think we can manage on our own" Hana nodded.
"Didn't you guys want to hang out with us?" A confused Kirishima asked.
Haku raised a finger, ready to make a counter-point, only to pause. He exchange a confused look with his younger sister. By the looks of it, the pair of children had forgotten all about that.
"Nah, that won't be necessary" Rumi grunted. "I couldn't ask for anyone else to watch over the two devils, at least not for long. My family couldn't afford the cost of the destruction that would ensue".
"Get a hint, sis. They are offering so you can go smooching in peace" Hana pointed out.
"Really? I had no idea" Rumi huffed, rolling her eyes. Midoriya's face, though, burst into a charcoal red. His classmates were trying to help them get together?
"It- it isn't necessary, g-guys. We aren't exactly… ehm… y-you know – on a kissing basis" Midoriya meekly said.
"Then what are you waiting for, tiger? Go get her!" Ashido teased. As if to add a point, Hagakure started making growling noises, as if mimicking a tiger.
"Yeah, Fox Boy, what are you waiting for?" Rumi laughed, repeatedly nudging a blushing Fox Boy. With a serious tone, however, she addressed the rest of 1-A. "Seriously though, I am not really comfortable with just… abandoning the brats for two hours".
"We aren't that bad" Haku muttered.
"I think she's more worried that something could happen like with Auntie Yoko" Hana told him.
"Really? You are worried about that? Look, sis, this isn't Hiroshima!" An impatient Haku responded "And hey, it's the freaking UA Sports Festival! There are like a ton of heroes, sis".
"Yeah, and we would be with the entire class of Pro-Heroes in training, sis" Hana said.
Rumi, though, wasn't convinced.
"Please, please, please, please" Hana and Haku begged with wide puppy eyes.
Izuku had to admit, the level of adorableness exuding from the two rabbit children was beyond measure.
"Fine…" Rumi relented. "BUT, I hear you stray away just an inch out of sight and I will tell mom and dad about how you misbehaved".
"Hey, that's not fair" Haku muttered.
"Deal" Hana said. Haku groaned and reluctantly conceded as well.
Rumi, though, needed more to be satisfied.
"Infinity Girl, Robot Boy" she stated, turning towards said pair. "Can I count on you two?"
"Absolutely! As striving heroes in-making it shall be an honour to guard your brother and sister from any potential threats!" Iida responded, saluting.
"What he said" Ochaco chuckled.
"Alright then…" Rumi sighed. With a wide grin she spun around, grabbed a startled Fox Boy, and pulled him out of the room. "Come on, Fox Boy, before I regret it! We are off on a date!"
To Izuku's eternal shame, the last thing he saw were his classmates wolf-whistling and offering teasing gestures of encouragement. Even quiet people like Shoji and Koda were giving thumbs up. At the same time, it suddenly struck Izuku one thing:
Hold on, a date?
The concession stands, just like during lunch break, was far from quiet, filled with an annoying hubbub of activity instead. Pro-Heroes and civilians walked around, checking on the many stands and enjoying the more commercial aspects of the Sports Festival, Izuku and Rumi included. There were a few notable differences compared to the lunch break, though. For example, Izuku didn't miss the fact that the place seemed more crowded and the stands were busier than on the previous break. There was also a feeling of excitement pervading the air. It was to be expected. After all, the Sports Festival Third Event was, by far, the people's favourite.
The more Izuku went around the concession stands, the more he realized that a strange whisper followed him. Eyes would turn towards his general direction, if only momentarily, and a variety of looks would cross people's faces. It came to a point Izuku was starting to grow uncomfortable with the newfound attention. Additionally, he was not entirely comfortable with the topic that appeared to surround him wherever he went: his quirk.
"Do you think the fox is a girl or a boy?" Someone wondered. "Or he actually isn't either?"
"Damn, I really wanted to see that hot form of his. I thought Midnight had a body to die for but that four tailed fox girl? Like… damn!" A random stranger lecherously said.
"I could pay just to check the hot chick form out" another person creepily murmured, thinking Izuku wouldn't hear.
"It must be really creepy to be so many people at once. Do you think he has some kind of identity disorder?" A woman inquired.
"I bet the fox's pronouns are they/theirs" a snobbish woman smugly guessed.
"Now that guy right there… now THAT is one hell of a quirk" a person remarked under his breath.
Izuku was starting to regret not staying with the rest of Class 1-A. Rumi, on her part, seemed to ignore most of the ongoing whispers.
"Don't listen to them" Rumi said.
"Easier said than done" Izuku muttered, grimacing. "These ears don't have problems picking up a whisper…"
"You'll get used to it" Rumi said with a shrug. She nudged him. "See these?" She pointed at her ears. "Couldn't stop picking up what the audience was saying through the Events. Now that was annoying".
"There's still a lot I am not used to about my quirk…" Izuku sighed, shaking his head. He nudged her back, smiling "So… did they say anything interesting?" Izuku found himself smirking "maybe they talked about my ravishing good looks?"
"I wish" Rumi scoffed. "It was Bakugo this, Bakugo that… seriously, what do they see in that arsehole? Can't they see he is a villain in the making?"
"It isn't like they interviewed him or they know how he really is" Izuku chuckled. "They came here to see students punch each other and use their quirks… and Bakugo is the best at that".
"Way too good at it" Rabbit Girl muttered.
"Remember the Sports Festivals we re-watched on Saturday? How do we know none of the winners we liked wasn't secretly a massive pervert or a sexist? Or maybe secretly a psychopath? Who knows, maybe we unknowingly cheered for a Meta Supremacist. I don't think UA would like to openly share such details if that was the case" Izuku explained.
Rumi frowned, unsure. She opened her mouth to retort, only to hesitate.
"Do you think that applies to heroes? I know most of them are little more than attention-whores" She wondered. "But do you think that…?"
"That there are bad apples between the Pros?" Izuku asked. "Well…" he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I guess. I wouldn't know for sure. I mean… I am more of a fanboy, remember? I never actually cared about whatever they got to only how they used their quirks".
"I have never really cared either, y'know?" Rumi admitted. "I don't follow gossip magazines or that crap, and neither does anyone in my family. I did hear about a few scandals, though".
"Yeah. I actually knew someone who loved talking about Hero scandals" Izuku fondly recalled, only for sadness to mar his features.
"A friend?" Rumi tentatively asked.
"I was friendless, remember?" Izuku said with a weak smile. "No, a friend of my mother's. She loved this show and wouldn't stop talking about this show: the Hero Hunter".
"The Hero Hunter? What, some guy went around beating heroes?" Rumi asked, visibly interested by that concept.
"No, I think it was this person who exposed Pro-Hero misbehaviour or scandals. The one I remember was Pro-Hero Satyra and her Trigger problem" Izuku said. He scoffed, fondly remembering good memories. "My mother's friend ragged on about it for weeks afterwards…" he added in an oblivious whisper.
"Oh, I remember Satyra!" Rumi huffed. "But I don't recall any scandal, though, only that she was the worst fighter in all of Mustaf-"
"Well hello there, future heroes!"
Rumi scowled and Izuku blinked. Before them was what might have been the person with the most outlandish outfit in existence. She wore a weird purple sleeveless trench coat exposing her overly tattooed arms while her hair was an unnaturally bright green hair. So bright, actually, Rumi and Izuku had problems looking at her face. Was it glowing? Yeah, the hair was definitely glowing.
"I am a representative of Excelsior Fashions" the woman proclaimed. "We specialize on Hero Costumes and civilian clothing alike and, you know, foxy, that form of yours – the hot babe one – now that was something out of this world! If you were to intern at Excelsior Fashion in that form, I guarantee that once you make it Pro, half the world will know about you!"
Rumi and Izuku scrunched their faces at the thought of fashion designers and modelling.
"In fact, you wouldn't need to even make it as a hero! You would be a hit, foxy, a real star in the modelling business! And with your girlfriend here, you two would earn enough money to start your own Hero Agency! So… what do you say?"
"…you lost me at fashion" Izuku admitted.
Rumi just broke out in full-blown laughter.
"I-I'm sorry miss but I want to be a hero, no a model" he clarified.
"Please, foxy! Don't you know? Modelling is part of Hero Work! And hey, think about the money. With that hot babe of yours, foxy, you could make enough for a lifetime! I swear, you would rise like a shooting star!" the weird woman said.
"S-sorry, I-I am not interested" Izuku mumbled.
"Come on, foxy, you don't need to-" the woman said with a false scheming smile.
"He said he is not interested" Rumi hissed.
The woman tried to look appalled and offended, but by that point Izuku and Rumi had walked away. To their chagrin, that was only the beginning. After that woman, they quickly discovered she was but one of many problematic individuals.
"Have you considered a career as a model, fox friend?" An old creepy man proposed. "That kid form of yours… they are a guaranteed hit for children's clothes! Fluffy and adorable, mothers everywhere will fall in love with you! And don't get me started on your other forms…"
"Young man, you are perfect for the fashion industry!" A rather fat woman overflowing with pungent perfume squealed "you can be a one man army of super models: women, children, mutants… think about it!"
On and on they came, one representative after another, with the sole mission of pestering Izuku to no end. Whilst he had expected the Four-Tails to draw attention, he hadn't expect that much! It came to a point that it was unbearable to walk around the concession stands. Thankfully, after the fifth person, Izuku and Rumi weren't bothered any further. Perhaps it was the fact Izuku had started to bare his teeth to anyone who had the gall to approach him.
"I can't believe there are so many fashion businesses involved here" Izuku spat.
"Have you ever opened a fashion magazine in your life, Fox Boy? They've got mostly heroes, at least the top clothing lines... especially female heroes" Rumi muttered.
"Like all those ridiculous advertisements heroes do for any kind of product?" Izuku wondered. He scratched his head, frowning. "I sure hope I never need to do that…"
"Hey, Heroism is a competitive business. If you don't shine, you don't dine" Rumi pointed out.
"But modelling? I mean, I love hero merchandize but… the amount of heroes you see in advertisements for pretty much anything… I wish Pro-Heroes stuck to secret identities and the shadows" Izuku bemoaned.
"You wouldn't want that" scoffed Rumi. "The only reason they even did that was because of the danger of retaliation from villain organizations. But hey, there hasn't been any serious villain organization since the Metal Liberation Army. Just what organizations are left that…?"
She halted, wide-eyed. Izuku stared at her, concerned. Rabbit Girl never froze like that. Hell, he was truly worried when she saw a face of fear mar her features. It didn't last, of course, but it did make Izuku wonder what was causing such a reaction out of her.
"Rabbit Girl, is everything alright?" He wondered.
"Yes, I just remembered something" Rumi grunted, frowning. She took a deep breath "something I need to tell you…" she added under her breath.
Rumi looked around. Her gaze stopped on the grove of trees to their side. Secluded and filled with shadows, it marked the end of the area of the Concession stands. Beyond it, Izuku knew there was a large field of grass, ideal for a picnic. Somewhere past the trees, Class 1-A was enjoying the outdoors.
Before he knew it, Izuku felt Rabbit Girl's strong grasp on his hand and being pulled to a secluded part of the tree area. Izuku was, at first, confused only to feel dread crawling on his heart. She seemed determined and stern, as if she was dealing with something serious. Thus, all that he could do was stare at her as he was unceremoniously pulled into the shadows of a small group of trees.
Rumi left him by a tree, looked around and then took a deep breath, the sort Izuku took whenever he was mustering his courage. This was something important.
"Eh… Rabbit Girl?" Izuku called, uncertain.
While he wasn't entirely against being on a rather hidden spot with Rabbit Girl, it sure made him curious.
"Look, Fox Boy, there is something I need to tell you" she said. Her confidence, though, faltered as her ruby gaze locked onto his emerald eyes.
Izuku waited for her to speak, but seconds passed and she remained like that, as if reconsidering what she had just said.
"Rabbit Girl?" Izuku called again.
This was unlike the Rabbit Girl he knew. She didn't hesitate. So what did she need to talk about that made her do it? It couldn't be that serious or villain related, could it? Rumi would have no reason to be so strangely hesitant about it. It had to be something else…
"I… don't know if I should, though" Rumi reconsidered, averting her eyes. She shook her head. "No, you must know about it. It is important". However, as she regained her confidence and determination, she seemed to hesitate again. "But you could mess it all up with the overthinking…" she said with realization. "Yeah, I can see that happening…"
Whatever it was Rumi wanted to tell him, it sure was something she hadn't actually thought through properly. Izuku didn't really want to start daydreaming but could Rumi want to talk about… well… them? Perhaps… a relationship?
Don't be stupid, we were just talking about villain organizations! He berated himself.
And yet, what could Rumi possibly tell him? That she was aware of some massive villain organization? That things were about to go to hell in no time? Still, he couldn't really imagine Rumi talking about anything like a relationship. In any case, all he could do was wait. Sadly, things were deteriorating. Izuku grew truly concerned when she started to pace in front of him.
What could be troubling her so much? He wondered.
It was rather exasperating to see Rumi in such a state. Was there no way to comfort her?
Maybe I should grow a spine and make a move? If my daydreaming is right it could solve the issue… He thought. Oh right, the wrong move and I could end up without balls. At the same time, wasn't it a bit obvious Rumi had a thing for him? Then again, maybe he was imagining things…
"But I can't not tell you! I mean, this- this could change everything!" Rumi exclaimed, growing more frustrated by the second. "And you have a right to know because…" she paused, only to release a long groan of exasperation and pull her silver hair with an air of utmost irritation. Rumi sure didn't enjoy overthinking matters. "I blame you for this!"
Izuku pointed at himself, dumbfounded. What had he done now?
Come on, Izuku, you must do something! You've never seen Rumi like this, he thought berating himself from the inaction. The question remained, however: what could he do?
"You infected me with your muttering and- and all this useless overthinking and…" Rumi muttered, angrily poking at his chest. "I wouldn't be debating with myself like some nut-job!"
"Rabbit Girl, is this something about… me?" Izuku asked.
"Yes! You, me... and it is too damn important!" Rumi nodded.
Izuku's heart skipped a bit. So it wasn't about a villain organization… and it related to him? to them?
Do you need her to spell it out for you?! Izuku thought.
"Argh, I never wasted my time thinking things through like this!" Rumi growled, angry at herself.
Instead of annoyed, Izuku found it amusing, and endearing. He had to help her make her mind, though. An impossible task, no doubt, but he was not about to make her endure more. But what could Izuku do? That was when he remembered everything Rumi had tried to instil in him. Thus, he took a deep breath and braced himself to do the boldest thing he had ever thought to do.
Come on, you stupid fox! You've already faced of Bakugo, and survived through events the Festival! You can do this!Izuku closed his eyes, stilling his resolve. Time to go Plus Ultra!
"Alright, I'll start from the beginning I-" Rumi was saying, only for Izuku to leaned forward. She was so surprised by the move that she didn't act. In fact, while she knew what was about to come, her body froze, almost expectant.
That was when their lips met. It was barely more than a peck on her lips, and even as Izuku left, Rumi could tell he was rather nervous (maybe even terrified) about what he had done. He leaned back, staring at her, rather apprehensive. Rumi, on her part, allowed a few seconds to pass, studying the silly Fox Boy in front.
Izuku gulped. Had he screwed up? Had he read to much into Rumi's jokes? Was he about to lose his balls with one kick? It was in that moment, when she pounced.
Poor Fox Boy was not expecting for her to just jump on him and force him to another kiss. She had given him a warning beforehand, though, hadn't she? This time, Rumi was not about to allow Fox Boy to pull back like a coward, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She shouldn't have worried. No sooner had her legs wrapped around his body, he grabbed her by her waist and retaliated with as much enthusiasm as she had.
"It was about freaking time, Fox Boy!" Rumi chuckled as she leaned back.
"Hey, better late than never" the Fox Boy cheekily rebutted. "Seriously though, I wasn't sure if-"
Rumi though was not about to allow for Fox Boy to start muttering or overthinking, and thus gave him a quick kiss. It sure did the trick, keeping him with a face-splitting grin. With a smirk, she untangled from him.
"I really wanted to talk about something else" Rumi said, only to grin again. "But I think it would be best if you didn't know".
"Wait, really?" Izuku thought.
"What? You thought I was debating where I should tell you I really want you? Fox Boy, I know you can be dense at times, but I might have been really clear about that" Rumi said, laughing.
"Hold on, what did you want to tell me? You said it was important" Izuku wondered, worried. Hell, it sounded like it was more than just important.
"Nah, I think you don't need to know… yet. I'll tell you after the Sports Festival. Until then, be yourself, alright?" Rumi responded with a smirk. She playfully patted his cheek. "Don't worry, Fox Boy".
"Come on, Rabbit Girl, now I really want to know!" A desperate Izuku pleaded.
Rumi just laughed.
"Oh, come on" Izuku whined.
But Rabbit Girl wouldn't have any of that, and instead grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down into another kiss. Deep and calm, it lacked the fear and nervousness of their first one or the ferocity of the ones that followed. When Rumi pushed Fox Boy, he wasn't that interested on what she had wanted to say.
"Clear that goofy smile off your face, Fox Boy" Rumi chortled.
"Easier said than done" Fox Boy said, grinning. His tails, as expected, seemed to reflect his good mood.
Of course, nothing good lasts for ever. He frowned and checked the time on his phone and asked "we don't have much time left. Want to go looking for your siblings?"
"Not really… but we better go" Rumi grumbled. "I'm already worrying".
"They'll be fine" Izuku promised. "Iida takes responsibility seriously, and the guys can be responsible when they want to".
"I'm more worried for your classmates" Rumi mused with a grin. "Those two can be a handful… even if they are the best behaved of the entire brood". With a smirk, she added "but before we go…"
A perplexed Fox Boy looked at her, only to be pounced on by a certain lustful Rabbit Girl. He really didn't mind, though. Not at all…
They found Class 1-A enjoying the sun over the grassy fields beyond the Concession stands. A few basked under the sunlight while others chatted. Those that would be fighting were all nervous, trying to get their heads into the game. Amongst the blue-clad teenagers, Hana was playing around with Koji's dog, alongside Shoji and Sato, while Haku was talking to Ojiro, who in turn appeared amused about something. Uraraka sat with her arms wrapped around her legs, blankly staring at the stadium, while Iida went through a series of stretches.
"Well, well, well, seems like the lovebirds have finally joined us!" Ashido exclaimed.
Everyone snapped their heads at the approaching couple.
"Midoriya! Have you discussed a suitable strategy against your opponent?" Iida asked.
"I don't think they talked that much" Hagakure giggled.
The two stood near the group, who stopped doing what they had been up to and approached Midoriya. Izuku got the distinct impression they wanted to ask him about something. Ochaco, in particular, seemed to be the most interested. However, perhaps it was the prospect of her upcoming fight, but she carried a pained expression on her face when she looked at Rumi and him.
"Hey, man, we were talking and we were all curious" Sero said.
"About what?" Izuku asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well… Bakugo. How did he do it? Did he take Trigger or something?" Kirishima asked.
"Yeah. We couldn't figure out how he walked off your last attack" Sato said.
"Don't tell me he has another quirk" Jiro angrily muttered.
"Not really…" Izuku said, stroking his chin "…but how to explain it?" He frowned, only for him to turn towards a particular classmate. "Hey, Ashido, your quirk, it is to produce acidic liquid, right?"
"Ehm… yeah?" A confused pink-skinned girl replied.
"But you are resistant to most dangerous acids, correct?" Izuku guessed.
"Yep!" Ashido nodded.
"And Kaminari, your quirk is to emit electricity, right? But at the same time you are resistant to electricity" Izuku said. "And Sato" he turned towards said teenager "you grow more resistant as you grow stronger with your quirk, right?"
"Wait, you don't mean…" Yaoyorozu cut in.
"Yes. Bakugo's quirk is Explosion and his body has changed to adapt to it. He is immune to blinding lights or deafening sounds, as well to high temperatures and strong changes of pressure" Izuku nodded. "In the same manner… he has blunt force resistance".
"That means he can take any punch we throw at him?" A shocked Sero asked.
"Well, yeah, he could probably withstand an actual bomb, like C4 or dynamite, at close range without any injury" Izuku hummed.
Everyone stared at him, floored by that revelation. Ochaco, in particular, paled at that. Even Rumi was shocked by what she had heard.
"But don't think he came unscathed from that last attack" Izuku said with a thoughtful frown. "Like Kirishima's hardening, Bakugo's resistance is reduced after repeated hits".
"Hey, you aren't supposed to tell that to everyone!" A horrified Kirishima exclaimed. "How did you even know about that?!"
"S-sorry! It slipped!" Izuku stammered. "In any case, he isn't invulnerable".
"Oh right, he can just tank more damage than any human being!" Jiro angrily scoffed.
Class 1-A traded worried faces.
"If only we had managed to get to Bakugo…" grumbled Ashido.
"With Aizawa there, did you really wanted to risk it?" Kaminari warily said.
"Aizawa is back?" Izuku asked, surprised. Hadn't be left to tend to something urgent?
"Yep, and at the Infirmary with Bakugo" Hagakure said. "Not sure why, though".
"He must have suspected we would attempt something" Tokoyami huffed. "He foiled our plans before we could execute it".
"Guys, I think we should be returning to the stadium" Iida told them. "The Third Event of the Sports Festival will commence shortly".
Class 1-A exchanged glances. Those who wouldn't participate eyed the ones who would, while the participants felt the weight of the task at hand on their shoulders. This Event would be the true challenge… this event would define who amongst them would get the gold.